#conroy best boy

[zelneli]

hey @sharkdukes

hee hee >:3c

(throws this at you)

(bro hadta consult rosie after fumbling frfr)

link to the fanfic/series:

[kelaeri]

You know how when you’re reading a comic and you can just hear a voice so clearly for a character? Like for me it’s always Kevin Conroy as Batman, Mark Hamill as Joker, Greg Cipes as Beast Boy, Khary Payton as Cyborg, etc. But for as many, many Nightwing comics as I’ve read, I just cannot read him in a consistent voice!

The best way I can describe it is this weird mix of BTAS, Young Justice, and Gotham Knights? Maybe a touch of DCAMU?? And oddly enough, a bit of the male Jedi Knight from SWTOR.

How do y'all imagine him?

[navree]

Can I ask why you're not watching HOTD season 2? You mentioned you enjoyed season 1 for the most part (unless I'm misremembering, sorry)

I did enjoy watching season 1 (except for 1x03 which is the most boring episode of television made in the last two hundred and fifty years) for the most part, in spite of my issues with the writing. And I honestly did have some moments where I was looking forward to watching this upcoming season, or at the very least just the Greens parts since I don't care about Team Black at all.

But the thing is, the show made me care about these characters. And in caring about these characters I want them to be written well, or at least coherently, or at the very least in ways that jive with how they were characterized in season 1. And everything I've seen so far of season 2 has shown me that this is not the case. They're certainly not well written, because everything about this show is not well written at this point, and they're not coherent or continuous with prior established characterization. I mean, look at Aemond. Season 1 gives us Momma's boy who follows instructions to the letter and is ultimately loyal to family in spite of his personal hang ups, and he's clearly upset about accidentally manslaughtering Luke. And then in season 2 he's an ass to his entire family including Momma, he doesn't follow any instruction, he hates them all, he doesn't feel anything about the fact that he killed someone and what that has gone on to mean for his family (you know, with his brother's son being murdered and all). It literally doesn't feel like the same character, and that's bad writing. I care about these characters, and now it feels like the writing itself doesn't care about these characters, so my emotional investment is just shot.

Not to mention, every bad writing decision I've seen ultimately serves to create a weaker story. I've said this before, but Westeros isn't actually real, these people didn't really exist. Martin crafted a novel, formatted thought it is in the style of a historical text and imbued with certain degrees of ambiguity, and the choices he made for verifiable events are what worked best from a narrative perspective. That's why so many Targs have these insane lives and very few just die old and happy in their beds having lived calmly. And when you change parts of that narrative, you run the risk of creating a weaker story. Not all the time, what they've been doing with Helaena is far stronger from a story perspective than what was in F&B, but for a lot of it they have actively weakened themselves. Blood and Cheese being so changed, for instance, has drastically lessened its impact (literally why would you remove Alicent's involvement in a Rhaenyra-inspired horror when Alicent and Rhaenyra's relationship is the core emotional drive of the show????).

If the story sucks, and the characters are sapped of anything I can get invested in, I'm not gonna have a good time. And given that I am actively engaging in another show airing its second season this summer that I really enjoy from both a writing and character perspective (you guys have heard me talk about MAWS and anime Slade Wilson, aka the best thing to hit DC animation since Kevin Conroy's Batman), why would I then turn to something I actively know I'm gonna dislike? I engage in fiction when I like the fiction. I'm not a hate reader/hate watcher, I can't do that, it's just not in me. If I engage, it's because I'm enjoying myself. If I'm not enjoying, I'm not gonna engage.

So yeah, that's why I'm not watching season 2 in spite of having live watched and relatively enjoyed season 1.

[candy-fae]

HELLO CARLIE I am here to get u to talk about batman stuff

What got u into batman and why is the riddler ur fav? I am hella curious and i don't remember if we talked abt it!

-Chris! (@worldtravelercv)

LET ME BEAM YOU BACK TO THE RIPE YEAR OF 2004!! I am fresh to the world, 4 years old. I know what Batman is, because I have three older brothers. But I only watched live action silly Jim carry villains, and the colors and Tim burtony city were what stuck. Cool. Neat.

Fast forward. 200000007? Probably. BOOMERANG. I grew up without cable, and the internet for a while. Didn't get a phone until I was 14. so, late at night, while I'm watching the brand new box tv, what comes across my screen?

Well at that time certainly not robot chicken. The theme song was scary. So, the 2004 Batman reruns catch my attention on boomerang, and BOY did they hold it! Feral joker. Penguin being a greedy little criminal. And the Batman. Everything was dark, and angular, and when there was color it was BRIGHT. but it was used so well it made things seem intentional and wacky.

That's actually my favorite version of Bruce. I'm not really a batfam fan at all haha. Hard to keep track of the robins for me. But he was animated like a shadow, or a vampire, and was sharp like a villains design. Kevin Conroy has the best Bman voice, but this guy was my OG and a different spin on the hero's I'd seen so far.

the best version of everything is the the version we were exposed to as kids.

And I loved it! Penguin was definitely my favorite, and I'm actually not a big fan of the Batman 2004's Riddler lol. Just not my style, but INTERESTING. story wise sorta reminds me of the fox gothams Riddler.

He's different, very much so. We get NOTHING of Fox riddlers story before we see him which. Is usually such a big part of his character haha. He doesn't have the same "I'm better than you" energy either that I'm use to. But you know who's got it down just about right?

Arkham Eddie. I played the game at a friends house once, and he explained to me how Riddler progressively learns to outsmart you through the entire series.

He's like an underdog villain, who has SO much potential, but is sparingly used, because he's hard to write, and I hate that haha

To write a good, Compelling Riddler, you have to be smart enough to make, and solve, a complicated obstruction. He's never a toll bridge for the Batman, he's ALWAYS a speed bump. At first. Then he's a boulder, then a mountain, until you can't ignore him anymore, then he's not something you can keep beating up, you actually have to outfox him, and he's aware of it.

He's a good villain because super intelligent people often see things from all angles, and to keep a guy who's called the world's greatest detective on his toes guessing, is pretty impressive for a guy we don't get to see too much. And I think it's a shame.

Personality wise, I think he's funny. Like, accidentally. Have you ever played the Arkham games? HOURS of failing that stupid race track to the sound of him taunting you makes it very full filing to finally catch him, but I WOULDN'T know. That jerk.

At current though, zero year is my favorite. Greg Capullo has such a good understanding of drawing movement and lots of Eddie pictures portray so much action in a still frame, it's crazy, but, now you've got me rambling.

[baynton]

2023 CHARACTER WRAP

share your top nine characters of this year

tagged by @matbaynton - sorry bestie didn't realise you'd tagged me until i was insulted i wasn't tagged when i saw emma do it. then checked my notifs and saw i was after all 😌

most will be mats. there are some non mats though!

1. chris pitt-goddard

he is just soooooo perfect. my beloved<3

2. joe starling

BEST BOY!!!!! BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY i love him sosososo much he's such a cringefail loser flop man and he's sooo beautiful and i love him dearly

3. ariel conroy + jamie winton

ariel is soooo insane and i love him!!! he's awful and terrible and perfect all at once. ough baby

and ariel's lovely lovely twin!!! like emma said u can't have one twin without the other, they're a duo. a package deal. they're also fucking 😌 real dirty 😌

4. sam pinkett

i need to knock him up. next

5. thomas thorne

the mat thru which i was introduced to mat (although i watched horrible histories when it first aired, so... reintroduced?) anyway he's perfect and i love him

6. william agar

precious little baby. adorable. perfect. not given enough love. sweet little thing. im kissing him always. also his arse 💯💯💯💯💯

7. ollie plimsolls

there is one person to blame for this. because of you, i think about him very often. and dream up scenarios involving him. and watch his scenes a lot. thanks heather xoxoxoxo

8. zagreus hadesgame

played a lot of hades again this year. his snark and his genuine loveliness make me soooo

9. edelgard von hresvelg

i looooooove her oh my goooooooood babygiiiiirl i loooooove youuuu. best part of playing black eagles is when rhea is like "kill her!!1!!" and byleth is like "no 💖"

tagging: @the-20th-century-girl @kore538 @sonnet-of-anarchy @captains-clever-goose @caps-clever-girl and idk anyone else who wants to do it x

[deathmybride]

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ deathmybride masterlist *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Reblog or comment on a series to automatically be added to the taglist or use this google form.

❤️��🔥 = explicit

Updated 26/11/2024

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ a song of ice and fire (and related fandoms) *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

☆ The Crimson King | Rhaegar Targaryen ☆

Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire Main pairing: Rhaegar Targaryen x fem!Crannogman!oc Summary: Frida of House Fenn is visiting King's Landing to swear her family's fealty to the new King Rhaegar of the Seven Kingdoms on the day of his coronation, when she experiences a strange encounter with the king himself in the gardens of the Red Keep. Status: Discontinued - I may rewrite this at some stage, which could lead to writing more parts but I have no current plans to do so Word count: 3,298 Chapter count: 1 Last Updated: 24 October 2023 (written mostly in 2022)

☆ These Violent Delights | Davos Blackwood ☆

Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 ❤️‍🔥| Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 ❤️‍🔥

Fandom: House of the Dragon Main Pairing: Davos Blackwood x fem!Bracken!oc Summary: Cersha Bracken should never have been at the battle at the burning mill. By the will of the gods, or by pure chance, she found a wounded foe and decided to carry him to safety. As the natural enemies get to know the people beneath the heraldry, house loyalty becomes a complicated sentiment. Status: Ongoing - sporadic updates Word count: 20,382 Chapter count: 9 Last Updated: 11 September 2024

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ bands and musicians *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

☆ Hanging Up My Heart | Duane Allman ☆

Fandom: Classic rock/The Allman Brothers Band Main Pairing: Duane Allman x fem!oc/named!reader Summary: You're content traveling with the Allman Brothers, but when your best friend and fellow groupie chooses to leave to tour with Traffic, will you go with her or stay behind? Status: Completed Word count: 3,544 Chapter count: 1 Last updated: 20 May 2023

☆ Let Me Mend the Past | Ambrose Kenny-Smith ☆

Fandom: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Main Pairing: Ambrose Kenny-Smith x fem!reader/unnamed oc Summary: Years after an adolescent one-night stand, you and Ambrose reunite. Status: Completed Word count: 6,118 Chapter count: 1 Last updated: 29 March 2022

☆ Most of What I Like | King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard ☆

Part 2

Fandom: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Main pairing: Ambrose/Cavs/Cookie/Eric/Joey/Lucas/Stu x reader (not poly) Summary: Short scenarios in which you are dating the King Gizzard members Status: Discontinued Word count: 2,587 Chapter count: 2 Last updated: 16 April 2023

☆ Winter Wine | Richard Wright ☆

Fandom: Pink Floyd Main pairing: Richard Wright x fem!reader/oc Summary: You go to see The Pink Floyd at the UFO club on New Year's Eve 1966 and hit it off with a certain keyboardist. Status: Complete Word count: 3629 Chapter count: 1 Last updated: 2 May 2023 (originally written circa 2017-18)

☆ The World From a Distance | Andrew Hozier-Byrne ☆

Fandom: Hozier Main pairing: Andrew Hozier-Byrne x fem!oc Summary: Gráinne moved to Dunbur to escape her past, to live quietly and write, and wallow in all the grief she had acquired. Andrew has other ideas… Status: Ongoing Word count: 3,664 Chapter count: 1 Last updated: 26 November 2024

☆ Secret Fic | AO3 Exclusive ☆

Fandom: ?? Main pairing: ?? x fem!oc Summary: ?? Status: Ongoing - sporadic updates Word count: 39,586 Chapter count: 10 Last updated: 9 November 2024

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ other fandoms *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

☆ The Craving | Jack Conroy ☆

Part 2 | Part 3

Fandom: White Fang (1991) Main pairing: Jack Conroy x fem!oc Summary: Quinn has lived in the wild north since childhood, Jack is a city boy who just arrived. Will their differences be a source of attraction, or tear them apart? Status: Ongoing - sporadic updates Word count: 7226 Chapter count: 3 Last updated: 6 October 2024

☆ Entanglement Theory ☆

Bonus Chapter

Fandom: Sunshine (2007) Main pairing: Robert Capa x fem!oc Summary: Sleepless nights are common on Icarus II... Status: Completed - open to more bonus chapters, ficlets etc Word count: 6133 Chapter count: 2 Last updated: 30 August 2023

☆ A Hazy Shade of Winter | Angus Tully ☆

Part 2

Fandom: The Holdovers Main pairing: Angus Tully x fem!oc Summary: Carol Hunham is stuck at Barton over the Christmas break with her strange and stuffy uncle. To make matters worse, a certain boy takes an immediate disliking to her. Status: Ongoing - sporadic updates Word Count: 4,556 Chapter count: 2 Last updated: 26 April 2024

☆ Midnight At Noonday | Ambiguous Pairing ☆

Part 2 | Part 3

Fandom: Dead Poet's Society Main pairing: Various x fem!oc Summary: Being the only girl in attendance at one of the most prestigious all-boys preparatory schools in the United States is not easy, but it has its perks. Follow along the plot of Dead Poets Society through the eyes of Clare Keating, the Captain's daughter. Status: Ongoing - sporadic updates Word count: 9295 Chapter count: 3 Last updated: 1 March 2024

[popculturebuffet]

Richard Moll Tribute: Batman TAS Review: Two-Face Parts 1 and 2 (Comission for WeirdKev27)

In Loving Memory of Richard Moll 1943-2023 Just one year. Just one damn year after loosing Kevin Conroy another treasured member of the Batman The Animated Series Cast passes. I wasn't expecting this and i'm hoping with all I got this isn't a trend.

While Kevin requested a tribute for Moll it was an easy request: While I sadly can't do a tribute for every tragic death as my schedule is packed, it's why poor Matthew Perry didn't get one even though his death is also truly gutting, but Moll is an actor I loved and still deeply repsect and I'm proud to honor him.

Ironically I first became a fan of Moll not thorugh two face, who I liked fine but wasn't really a faviorite of mine yet, but through his other famous roll that came before this: Baliff Bull Shanon on the NBC sitcom Night Court

If you haven't seen Night Court it's free on freevee and amazon prime so please do when your done here, but for the short version it was a sitcom about Harry Stone, a young judge who was both a goofy prankster and a kind, wise man who judged fairly and always tried to help his staff, played by the sadly also late Harry Anderson.

Bull was big, strong.. but also entirely kind and goofy. He had a childlike sense of wonder to him, missed the point often, but refrenshingly for a sticom he wasn't portrayed as a complete idiot, having a lot of emotinal intelgence. He was simply oblivious. And while VERY sweet he had a habit of reminding people, paitcuarly dan the court's prosectuer and sex pest, that he had his job for damn good reason. Moll was a treasure and never lost his step in the roll though sadly he declined to return for the recent revival and now never will.

So it suprised me when I found out Moll was Harvey all this time. It wasn't that Moll lacked talent or even him doing something after night court, he'd done plenty. It was more the range, perfectly playing Harvey in all the forms the show gave him: early on as bruce's pepppy friend, as a man grappling with his split personality in these episodes, as Harvey's brutal personality.. and later as a horrifying combo of the two as two face. All distinct, all using a diffrent vocal tone, all great.

So we're honoring his finest performance. So join me to remmeber Richard Moll under the cut as Harvey Dent grapples with the other person in the mirror.. and both become something else.

One touch i've always liked about Batman TAS is that Harvey was a recurring character before this two parter. It was only two episodes, On Leather Wings and Pretty Poison, but the former was a nice cameo to show he exists and the latter really showed off Harvey and Bruce's friendship, their easy report, the hint they had a long history we were never privy to, and it made the stakes higher when Harvey got poisoned by Ivy. It's remakrable how much legwork that one episode did to setting up this one. You can watch one without the other, Batman TAS is still largely episodic and one of the best shows ever at pulling that off... but the two enrich each other. While Batman TAS wasn't the first to try and have Harvey Dent around before he got faced, Batman 1989 ATTEMPTED it but then didn't bring back Billy Dee Williams and retconned Harvey to be Tommy Lee Jones because fuck me I guess, it's the work i'd credit with popularizing it as the Long Halloween and the Dark Knight after it made sure to show us who harvey was BEFORE, which makes what he becomes that much more tragic, that Bruce didn't just loose an ally.. he lost a friend.

It also makes what we see at the top of the episode have even more weight: Harvey having a troubled dream as he's harassed by a shadowy version of himself with a growly voice flipping a coin. Harvey is only freed from his nightmare by his assitant Carlos, who informs him the raid they've been planning is on boys.

The target is one of Rupert Thorne's gambling dens.

For those who've forgotten this guy, Rupert was the series mafia presence, head of Gotham's organized crime and slimeball, played by John Vernon aka the dean from animal house aka the character that inspired the dean from futurama. Rupert is the perfect arch enemy for a pre face harvey: it's easy to arrest a guy who kidnaps the police on christmas day after rocketing out of his aslyum on a christmas tree, it's harder to arrest someone who covers his tracks.

It's also hard because Throne's men have a bunch of high end weaponry stockpiled in there including grenade launchers. Thankfully Bat beats Grenade as bruce decided to pitch in to help with his buddy's relection campaign, helping clean house to make it easier on the police. I also like the touch of Harvey being ambivilant, not against Batman's presence but not really cordinating with him like Gordon would.

Unfortunately one of the goons makes the mistake of taunting harvey... and that wakes up the other person. As it turns out Harvey has Disociative Identity Disorder, and his alter, big bad harv, is all of the anger Harvey's surppressed his whole life condensed into a person. And Big Bad Harv suckers the goon before nearly beating him to death, with Harvey waking up from the episode horrified and making a lame excuse. As if things weren't tense enough Rupert Throne's decided to do a bit of digging into Harvey's life: he's become too big a thorn in his side and the irony's a bit too much to swallow on that, so he has Candice, his right hand minon look into that.

We cut to Harvey giving a speech at a big campaign rally Bruce is throwing. It also brings me to Batman The Animated Series Version of bruce who I like a lot: instead of playing up his uselessness or just barely using the identity when necessary, this bruce is a bruce wayne I like to see: a philamprohist who still fights to help people. It makes hiding he's batman harder sure.. but it shows Bruce more as another side of who he is rather than a mask he wears because society won't let him go around beating up people in a mask all day every day.

At the party is Grace, Harvey's girlfriend who wants to bump it up to fiance. It's unknown just HOW long it's been since pretty poison but given Harvey was willing to marry Ivy after a week, it's on brand for him to jump into life alterting decisions and he makes it clear he only hasn't because he's busy trying to get reelected, not getting that the engagment would probably bump up his raitings but whatever. Grace is mostly here so Harvey has more to loose. She's the weakest part of the episode, only being there so Harvey has a love intrest to weep at what he's become when we already have bruce. Though given this was the 90's I woudln't be shocked if Fox wanted to give Harvey a case of the not gays.... which come on. Why WOULDN'T it make sense for Two-Face to be BI-Sexual. It fits too well. Like Batman giving oral.

Every party needs a pooper though and the pooper for Harvey's party is a phone call: THrones men are being let go as someone "misfiled" a warrant.

So naturally out goes the good harvey, in comes the Big Bad Harvey who straight up THROWS his assitant carlos into an ice sculpture cleaving the thing in two.

And nearly beating BRUCE up this time when Bruce tries to calm him down. It's only grace begging him to stop that brings back standard Harvey.

Bruce didn't get to be the world's greatest detective by ignoring the obvious , so he goes to talk to harvey .And I absoutely LOVE Bruce's attitude in this scene.. the man was almost punched in the face by his best friend.. and instead of raging against him or recoling in horror he runs up to help him, recognizing this wasn't just harvey flipping out, but something deeper, correctly guessing Harvey has some sort of mental illness and needs help.

And as someone with some mental illnesses and a neurotypical brain not helping either of them, I really like how the episode treats Harvey's illness. The talk about it has aged REALLY well: While it was even MORE stigmatized back then, Bruce's reaction to all of this is recommend Harvey get help and then be utterly PROUD when he finds out Harvey already is doing the work, it's just taking time and the pressure of being a public figure AND hunting a crime lord really isn't helping. Harvey is treated as he should be: as a man who needs help and is struggling with it, not as some monster but as a man who simply needs help after a childhood trauma left him with an extra guest in his head. Harvey is never accused for what Big Bad Harv does and while Big Bad Harv's actions are seen as awful, as they should, no one ever blames Harvey for them if they know. It's something I struggle with: I also have big freakouts where I can't control myeslf. Diffrent type as i'm still ME when it happens, but I can still relate to this episode and harvey's struggle of both letting his pride down to ask for help and worrying about what people would think despite getting therapy being entirely normal.

Unforutnely Candice overheard this as we cut to Harvey in sessoin with his psychatrist, Nora Crest. Nora is a wonderful therapist, helping harvey slowly and making it clear what Big Bad Harv does isn't his fault. She also draws BBH out to try and help manage him better. Unfortunately.... she fails to recognize that Big Bad Harv dosen't WANT to be managed, want to be locked away, or want Harvey to come back again and in the most horrifying display yet trashes Nora's office, breaks a window and tries to attack her before she undoes the hypnosis. Again it's done well as Nora simply misunderestimated HOW bad things were and while sh'es trying her best.. .as she puts it Harvey NEEDS to check himself into a hospital. And I love how that's not portrayed as a bad thing: A dire circumstance, but we've seen how bad harv is. She's not suggesting locking him up in arkham or anything drastic, she just wants him where he can get help and where big bad harv can't hurt people.

Ultimately what holds Harvey back... is a combination of pride and society itself. In a better world Harvey going in to get treatment after two public outbursts would be seen as a heroic act and he'd win the election. Sadly we don't live in that world and Harvey correctly fears the voters would just sterotype him as crazy and he'd loose the election. He TRIES to mitgate it by having more sessions an da reduced work schedule and it works to a point.. but it's clear it's putting a band-aid on an open wound.

This meatball mental surgery DOES enough to get Harvey through the election, and almost to propose to grace.. but sadly dosen't last as Thorne has stolen his medical files and wants a meeting. Once again it's not Harvey that's the issue.. it's that society won't accept that he NEEDS help and it's OKAY to get it. And Throne's all too happy to exploit it.

Thankfully for Harvey his best friend is batman, so Bruce is able to follow Harvey and put a tracker on the car he's taken in. Thorne makes the BOLD decision to confront the man whose DiD is shown to be triggered by extreme stress... in a remote room with only a few guards, only one of them actually armed, and mock his mental illness. We also find out WHY Harvey has DiD: as a kid he hit a bully in the face. Said bully wound up in the hospital and Harvey blaming himself vowed never to be angry again. Turns out it was apendcitis. Hence Big Bad Harv.

And unfortuantely for Harvey's future and Throne's present.... Big Bad Harv comes out. He does manage most of the thugs, with some bat help, but given whose origin this is.. you know this can't end well. And it dosen't: in a truly gutting moment Harvey rushes after Throne, the goon from earlier tries to fire.. and in stopping the guy batman accidently directs his fire at a power coupling in the factory, causing an explosion. Harvey Dent as we knew him .. is gone.

Some time later Harvey's in the hospital in bad shape, with doctors promising they'll restore him with plastic surgery. Instead... we get

I know he was heavily burned, and that his face would be hard to fix.. but how did you think "make him look like a blue goblin man with a bigger eye on half his face" was EVER going to go down well. Does oscorp own this hospital?

While I joke, because i'm a goofy bastard, I do love the nod to Batman 89, with Harvey asking for a mirror in the same way as Jack Napier and Lisa Simpson... only instead of laughing he throughs a raging fit and then gapes in horror when his new visage makes his fiance pass out.

So thus ends part one. One last thing I want to note is how LITTLE batman is in this. Ther'es an action bit with bruce at the beginning of the episode and later at the climax. That's it. It's something TAS did a lot, having a more methodical build up before the third act is all I AM THE NIGHT, but it feels diffrent here as we aren't WITH bruce for most of the episode. He's still present and important to the plot, but he's a supporting character in Harvey Dent's story. There's no breaking things down with alfred, no break from the tragedy of Harvey Dent, and it's why the episode works so well. This isn't a Batman story yet.. it's Harvey Dents.

Part 2, naturally, splits time between both men as both go on their own journey. It's 6 months later and the man who was once Harvey dent has abandoned his old names: No more Harvey Dent, upstanding DA or Big Bad Harv, Harvey Dent's anger and hatred given shape and form... the two have merged. It's something I never noticed before till tv tropes pointed it out: Fitting his dual nature Two Face is a bit of both: he's aggressive, rageful, and quick to anger, berating his twin thugs when they go off script. He'd of killed them by now but damn can they belt a cover of Don't Pull Your Love

Yet we see a tactical side that just wasn't present in Big Bad Harv.. but was in harvey, with the raid being his idea and his attacks on thorne being calculated, using every bit of info on his operations Harvey ever aquiried but going outside a law he no longer belivies in. Two-Face is a new personality.. and a fairly haunted one.

He also naturally now has his gimmick, using coin flips to decide his decisions, hence why he hasn't seen grace in a while as the coin keeps telling him no. After all he lost, after all that happened he now belivies only in chance... the only justice left. And given the system allowed thorne to thrive while Harvey sacrficed his health, his time and ultimately who he was to stop him only to get nowhere.. it's hard not to see why.

It's what, once again, makes this work: it's not just Harvey's DiD that turned him into Two-Face. IT's the main cause, sure, but the regular Harvey still had an obessive, vengeful streak about him: he may of locked his anger away.. but he still hunted thorne, obessed over the case and put beating thorne over his own well being. Being DA was important, beating thorne was important.. but it wasn't worth loosing himself. He was doing the work, had he taken his doctor's advice and checked himself in.. Harvey may of been okay. He wouldn't of had the office but he'd have his mind and the love of his life. Now only rage and a determinatoin to destroy thorne remain.

Thorne naturally isn't taking this sitting down. He has some shit to throw around in anger dammit. After months of Two Face hitting him hard then fading away into the night he puts out a bounty: a million a face. And Cadance, being sneaky and what not, sets her self on the path to the moolah by pretending to be a cop and giving grace a tracker.

Meanwhile Bruce, naturally, is also doing pretty bad. In his dreams Harvey cries out to bruce asking "Why couldn't you save me?"... and Bruce has no answer.. nor one when his own father asks "WHy couldn't you save us son?" Once again Bruce has lost someone he cares about. And while with his parents the guilt isn't warranted, it was a random gunman and he wa sa children, you can see WHY he has it here: You can just feel Bruce replaying the moment he tackled the gunman, again, and again and again, thinking of all the ways he coudl've done it BETTER, all the ways that don't end in Harvey becoming Two Face. All the ways he should be BETTER. We know it was just an accident but Bruce.. can't accept it. He has to fix this, he has to save harvey from himself.

Harvey's decided enough fucking around. He's gotten Thorne weak enough, it's time for the killing stroke. Only Harvey isn't being THAT merciful: he COULD kill Thorne, but like any good super villian Twoey has a sense of irony: Thorne ruined his life and reputation, it's only fair Two-Face do the same

So TF and his minons raid a place where THorne has his most secure files, the ones that outline everything. YOu know your standard maffia macguffin. Bruce naturally shows up ... but tragically he can't help someone who dosen't want to be helped, a harsh lesson of the episode: Harvey is buried deep within two face, impossibly tangled with big bad harv. There's the possiblity he could become harvey again, but he has to want to. But all that's left in harvey is a want for revenge.

Batman does at least spot a pattern: all the clubs and establishments are two themed, and thus finds his hideout, Club Deuce. Unfortunately he's not the only one as Two Face finally decides to see Grace, who thinks the police would be genuinley invested in the health of someone with a mental illness

And triggers the signal. Grace almost gets through to harvey who starts out wearing.. this

Grace takes it off, almost convinces him to get help.. then Thorne busts in

Thorne manages to ransom grace so he can get the files.. and then plans to just shoot everybody because Two Face was stupid to trust him. Thankfully it's time for the bat to make his big entrance, and our hero, villian protagnist and cardboard cutout clean house. Well okay Grace takes out Candance as is standard catfight protocol, but props to her for contributing.

It ends with Thorne in a chadelear and Harvey about to finish this. Bruce begs Two Face not to as there's no coming back from this.... but Two Face dosen't trust int he law anymore and Batman certainly hasn't finished off this son of a bitch, so he plans to play count the bullets.

How Batman stops him.. is creative as it is heartbreaking. When Two Face flips.. batman dumps a bunch of other silver dollars, stolen earlier in the ep, in. Two Face is paralized.. and Batman and Grace are left to mourn what they've lost. The episode ends somberly. No one won here: Thorne is still out there, Harvey is in arkham.. and all bruce can do is flip a coin himself into a wishing fountain.. and HOPE his friend can one day recover. It's all he has left, the same cruel fate his friend is now servant to.

So as you can tell Two-Face is a banger two parter and one of Batman TAS' best. Moll is spellbinding the whole damn time, playing all three versions of harvey perfectly, while Kevin Conroy gets some graet acting himself in both acts, as Bruce trying to be supportive.. and as the Bat desperately trying to save his friend. It's tight, gripping and a masterpiece. Check it out now, thanks for reading.. and rest in piece Richard. Thanks for giving us so much joy, so much sorrow.. and so much of you

[twistedtummies2]

Year of the Bat - Number 30

Welcome to Year of the Bat! In honor of Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Richard Moll, I’m counting down my Top 31 Favorite Episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series” throughout this January. EPISODE QUOTE: “My, my. Can we actually have a brain beneath that pointy cowl of ours?” Number 30 is…If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?

This episode acts as the first appearance and origin story for Edward Nygma, a.k.a. the Riddler. The story begins with Nygma working as a programmer and video game designer for an electronics company, run by a greedy sod by the name of Daniel Mockridge. Nygma has created a best-selling puzzle-based video game, called “Riddle of the Minotaur,” where players have to traverse through the legendary labyrinth of the Minotaur, evading various traps and solving various puzzles along the way. Mockridge fires Nygma, who – due to a loophole in his contract – loses all rights to the game and any legal grounds to even receive royalties. Furious, Nygma adopts the guise of the villainous Riddler, and goes on a quest of vengeance against his old employer. The Riddler, for those who don’t know, has always been one of my absolute favorite Batman villains – second only to the Joker himself. (I should also add this was LONG before Paul Dano’s version; I liked the Riddler before it was cool, as the kids say.) I think that John Glover’s portrayal, from the animated series, might have been the very first version of the Riddler I ever saw. I remember renting a VHS tape from a Blockbuster as a little boy (yeah, anyone remember those things?) which had two of Riddler’s episodes on the tape. Both of those episodes, perhaps not coincidentally, are on this main countdown. You would think, with all that said, that this first outing for the criminal genius would be much higher in the ranks. Well, it’s hard to say why, because there’s certainly a lot to enjoy about this episode. Glover’s smug and smarmy Nygma is one of the chief versions of the character out there, and set the standard which many later incarnations – both in and out of comics – would look to for inspiration. The team behind the animated series took a character who had been perceived as “a two-bit gimmick villain” and transformed him into one of the Dark Knight’s cleverest and most cunning adversaries. The tricks and traps (and, of course, the riddles) that the Riddler uses in the story are also pretty ingenious. I also have to say that the ending of this episode is just phenomenal; one of my favorites in the entire show. I won’t give away what it is, but trust me, it’s great. I think the big issue is the Riddler’s origin itself. I like the idea of the Riddler being a programmer and game designer, and they use that to great effect in later stories, too. It’s also something that’s continued to be part of the character, with him being gifted with electronics and technology. However, I feel the turning point for the character doesn’t quite match: while it’s clear that Nygma always had a high opinion of his own mind, and loathed humiliation, it’s hard for me, personally, to make the jump from “disgruntled employee” to “highly theatrical supervillain,” at least in the way the episode presents. The animation is also sort of…iffy, to say the least. Most of the episode looks pretty good, but there are some scenes where the animation or the shots feel a bit “messy,” or a bit “stiff,” for lack of a better word. Still, these are minor nitpicks on the whole: for a first outing of my second favorite Batman villain, this certainly made a good impression. I probably wouldn’t like the Riddler as much as I do now if it weren’t for this episode.

Tomorrow we move on to Number 29! Hint: “The final stunt IS the best.”

[youngpettyqueen]

What other shows are you into, if any? 🥰

hi Ally <3

so besides MASH im into tons and tons!! ill just list some off the top of my head-

Cowboy Bebop: just finished rewatching this one, I wanted my dad to watch it. im a big anime fan, this one is high up on my list of favourites, its a classic! I even recommend it to non-anime fans because the gorgeous animation, compelling characters and story, and unique world building are just soooooooo good

Mob Psycho 100: hey. hey wanna watch something truly fucking bizarre and unique. wanna watch something that feels like going through therapy. want to cry your eyes out to the most unexpected anime dude of all time. boy do I have a show for you. MP100 makes me unreasonably emotional and I think everyone should watch it

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: my favourite anime of all time nothing else comes even close. I could write an essay on why FMAB should be required viewing. I wish everyone could experience watching it as a kid and going back to it as an adult and having your entire perspective and understanding shift because suddenly youre older than the main characters and shit is so much more horrifying than when you were the same age/younger

Gargoyles: what im currently watching. also a big cartoon fan. Gargoyles is such a wonderful product of the mid-90s and I adore it. I grew up on 80s and 90s cartoon so everything from the lore to the character designs is very nostalgic to me. I need to watch the last season still but I keep putting it off cause I know the quality dips

Avatar the Last Airbender: next show im picking for my dad and I to watch. I unironically consider it to be one of the best stories ever written, with some fantastic characters and what continues to be one of my favourite redemption arcs of all time

Batman the Animated Series: best Batman. no question. I do not accept criticism. I did watch Justice League + Justice League Unlimited with my dad recently and I quite enjoyed those, but nowhere near as much as I enjoyed BtAS. Kevin Conroy I miss you every day nobody understood Bruce Wayne like you did

Doctor Who: both Classic and New Who. we have a free streaming service with a Classic Who channel, and we've had the DVDs for New Who playing lately. my favourite show of all time! meant the world to me as a teenager and got me through a lot. I have a tattoo of 11's sonic and bowtie <3

Smallville: my dad did a rewatch of this recently and I was around for most of it. and listen, ok, Smallville is a cringe fest a lot of the time. its an early 2000s CW show. but its ironically still my favourite depiction of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, and honestly probably my favourite Lois Lane

Star Trek: various Trek shows. TOS is currently playing a lot in the house, which I have seen all of and adore, but im also a huge TNG fan even though i. havent finished it. haha. Ive also seen most of Voyager and quite enjoyed it. at some point ill get to DS9 probably

The X-Files: another one I havent rewatched in years but think about often. X-Files truly had it all. not a day goes by that I dont think about Jose Chung's from Outer Space. this was the first show to make me physically grind my teeth and scream into a pillow over a slowburn

I have more but these are what I can remember off the top of my head and what I would rewatch! im big into shows and movies so I watch a lottttttt. shoutout to some other shows ive loved like Lucifer, the Mandalorian, Kenobi, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel the Series, Schitt's Creek, The Owl House, Violet Evergarden, and others im sure im forgetting

[poppetsisters]

Despite my best efforts, there are two versions of Batman that will live rent free in my head forever.

The quintessential DCAU Batman voiced by Kevin Conroy. The most perfectly balanced Batman to ever be written, both a master of combat and the sharpest mind of them all. But most importantly to me is his desire to save his foes, which sadly but poetically erodes into cynicism as the timeline of events progress into Batman Beyond. One of the few mainstream Batman's with a clear and defined timeline and arc that covers his entire life.

And then there's The Dark Knight Returns Batman: The borderline insane old fascist who starts/perpetuates a proud boys movement and calls Robin his "good soldier".

I keep imagining the two of them fighting. They would.

[speedierthanasubmarine]

My list of least favorite to favorite Batman actors:

Note: I’m a random person on the Internet, and my opinion should not affect you to the point of rudeness, harsh comments, or any sort of discourse whatsoever. I never say DNI, because you can interact with whoever you want, I’m not your mom, but if you want to start an argument…

DNI.

Also, I am an idiot and I’m aware of that, please don’t judge me.

Lastly, I’m excluding Kevin Conroy from the list because all his works vary, I either love his voice or I hate his voice, there is no in between. (Note: this was in my drafts for a very long while, during which Mr. Conroy had passed away. RIP Mr. Conroy.)

Without further ado: My Batman actor list:

9. Adam West- I personally didn’t enjoy his Batman… the whole vibe was too old and silly looking for me, but if I’d been alive at the time it came out I think I would’ve enjoyed it. It’s like the way my little siblings feel about the original yugioh series.

8. Battinson (Robert Pattinson)- I have a whole speech for this but I’ll try to be brief. Batman is the second smartest character in the DC universe (after Lex Luthor, a fact I think is still up for debate.) and the second best in hand to hand combat (after Lady Shiva which is not up for debate, I totally get that.) He can toss a man across a room with one hand, aim a gun without looking and grapple across cities supporting himself and all his body weight and muscle mass with one arm. He can learn a person’s tells, weaknesses, and inner natures after a few moments of conversation. Guy is a freakin BEAST of a man. Battinson gave me Walmart edition Tim Drake Batman from battle of the cowl vibes. He was like the brown ninja from Lego ninjago. (I don’t know if that guy went on to become great or something, all I know is that when I stopped watching the show he was a liability at best.) He didn’t feel like batman, or at least any batman I knew and liked to see. I don’t know if they were going for like, detective comics batman, but even then I felt like he fell flat and did a poor job. That’s my opinion and that’s that.

7/6/5. (Totally equal.) George Clooney, Val Kilmer, and Michael Keaton- Movies were fine, they weren’t anything special for me in terms of acting, no issues, no highlights.

4. Batfleck (Ben Affleck)- LISTEN I know his movies sucked, I’m not defending those, however he did a great job of playing the white knight, future state, urban legends, Injustice, Heroes in crisis, Doomsday clock, basically any elseworld Batman I ever read and liked- he pulled off the vibes. The paranoia, the desperation, the determination- he did those very well. He was the best BRUCE WAYNE. His Batman performance was eh, nothing special, weird suit, but his Bruce performance? Phenomenal. Especially when he had to be Bruce, party boy Brucie, shaking hands, “I bought the bank” Bruce, and then when he was “even a 1% chance” contingency, decoding files, nightmare having Bruce, and when he was working out, investigating, preparing Bruce. He did them all justice (pun intended.) better than pretty much everyone else. (UPDATE) I just remembered this list is for Batman actors, not Bruce, so I’d put him at 7, maybe 6. I’d change the list, but I’m lazy. (I also wrote the word Bruce so many times the word has lost all meaning.)

3. Jason O’mara- I thought he was great. I loved his voice, it was basically perfect. 10/10 Nothing more, nothing less.

2. Christian Bale- Absolutely amazing. Amazing Batman, fantastic Bruce, really cool detective, awesome everything. Only thing I’d change, and this is super petty, is just that in terms of aesthetics I’d want him to be thicker, I thought he was very lean, and the suit would just be upgraded to like 2022 quality, little more updated/sleek, yknow? But that’s not even a real critique, just a thought. I loved him, absolutely phenomenal.

And finally.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for.

The GOAT.

NUMERO UNO: MR. WILL ARNETT.

ALL OTHER BATMAN ADAPTATIONS ARE DOWNRIGHT MID WHEN COMPARED TO THIS GOD

Thanks for reading.

[qnewsau]

Luminous Body: Marrickville’s holistic wellness sanctuary

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/luminous-body-marrickvilles-holistic-wellness-sanctuary/

Luminous Body: Marrickville’s holistic wellness sanctuary

Luminous Body: Marrickville’s holistic wellness sanctuary offering Chiropractic, Kinesiology and more.

LGBTQIA+-owned and operated, Dr. Jaxson Wearing and Dr. Hilary Conroy have a combined experience of over 18 years in Chiropractic and Kinesiology, which is where their holistic philosophy stems from.

“We’re known for chiropractic” says Jaxson, “and the main philosophy of chiropractic is that the body is designed to heal itself. A lot of the work we do is about bringing balance to get the body back into that place where it can heal itself.”

Along with Chiropractic and Kinesiology, Luminous Body offers Naturopathy, Psychotherapy and Massage Therapy to balance physical, chemical and emotional health for holistic healing.

Along with their extensive knowledge, Jaxson and Hilary also bring their personal experiences of being LGBTQIA+.

“Hilary’s queer and I’m trans,” Jaxson says. “So, we understand the LGBTQ experience from a visceral perspective.”

Luminous Body prides itself as a place where patients can focus on their healing, without fear of adversity or re-traumatisation.

“Not having to educate practitioners, not having to advocate for themselves and who they are, the space is already there. We’re all already trained.” Hilary expresses, sharing Jaxson’s values of providing a safe space for all patients.

Initial appointments include a consultation where your practitioner will help address your immediate concerns and collaborate with the team to recommend the best approach.

“Every practitioner is trained to be able to identify where the deficits are,” Hilary explains.

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To begin your healing journey, book your appointment and initial consultation at Luminous Body by calling (02) 8094 9992 or visiting www.luminousbody.co.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[vodrae]

Thanks for putting words on it ! (Too long a comment)

To compare with differents versions of Batman, I think Battinson, Batbale and Batfleck were great in their own way when they have to be Bruce Wayne :

Battinson is this emo angry reckless teenager who wants revenge on the whole world, who needs to see Alfred half-dead to understand how much this man sacrificed for him. He never calls himself Batman, that how Gotham named him. He's vengeance.

When he's out without the cowl for the first time in public at the funerals scene, maybe for the first time since his parents are dead, he's out of place, a vampire in the daylight.

Batbale Bruce Wayne is iconic, "I'm buying the hotel", it's the definition of Brucie Wayne, always with hot chicks, doing whatever he can to be the cover of a tabloid. Rachel knowing him forever saw throught his game and we now how it ended. In The Dark Knight Rises, only Alfred and God knows if he is even alive, the guy is missing for seven years and...Come back for a prescription for whatever expansive sport ? He doesn't even has the key for his manor after Alfred left, so maybe Brucie is not so much a role ?

There is no Batfleck Bruce Wayne, probably dead with Jason. We can see him in public, when he meets Wonder Woman and Clark. But, not so much of a playboy.

This Batman is terrified of what the Space Jesus could do if Superman decided he doesn't like humanity anymore, his war with other kryptonians ravaged Metropolis wich is just next door of Gotham.

But, Superman grew up in SmallVille, on a farm, with loving parents and doesn't have a once of hate in him for humanity. I mean, when the whole world started to spitting on him, he called his mom.

Superman means Hope, Batman means Justice. The invicible force who grew up with only love who could wreck the world and the deeply traumatized boy who learnt everything he could to be strong.

And that why there is a 4th version of Batman and Bruce Wayne, the one with too many children, friends who understand him, like Clark, and the two could actually merged.

Kevin Conroy said it the best, Batman is so interesting because he is flawed, he is only human. Superman is one who reminded Bruce of his code, who told him killing the Joker after a Death In The Family will be his loss.

And that's why the idea of Nightwing is the ultimate hero, Dick as much as he hated the role proved he could be Batman, he is a great leader with the Titans, he is a master martial artist, even better that the Bat, the brain. But he is superior hero because, thanks to Bruce and Alfred who didn't want to see "I'm vengeance" 2.0 he grew out of revenge, and actually wants a better world for everyone, not only a personal satisfaction to strike fear in the underworld. Dick took the best of what Bruce and Clark represent together. He could be the most terrifying guy in Bludhaven, but at the end of the day, he only leaves hope.

That why Wayne's family adventures is so good. Because fuck Bruce "My little soldiers, they are my tools, and i will beat Jason to death." Wayne. Wtf DC. Have a family, have friends unlocked Bruce Wayne.

When at the same time Clark was an ass with Kon (I didn't even see young justice so I won't take a shot here) Yes the two are mirrors and that beautiful. The two believe the other is the greatest hero in existence and could die for it.

I personally don't think batman should show up in My Adventures with Superman for at least a season or two but if he does show up i hope they commit to how well batman and superman mirror each other.

Clark is the real person and Superman is a put on persona

V.S.

Bruce wayne is the persona and he is himself as batman

You know it's funny, when batman and superman are both characterized well you end up with a pair that seems to be the same personality wise but are each faking the opposite personality to each other. superman and batman are often both more serious heros but clark is putting up a front where bruce isn't, that's what he's really like and clark is a sweet charming farm boy through and through while bruce is putting on a mask for the camera. i think it makes how close of friends they are very sweet since they both can be inspired by the other, learn things and know what the true personality is for each other.

I think the fact that batman and superman mirror each other is where a lot of people can start to misunderstand Clark's character cause instead of mirroring, they see it as copying and once you apply batman logic to superman you start ending up with a far different character.

[soylazaro]

SPF - Santé ! from AB/CD/CD on Vimeo.

The film depicts the habit of alcohol and how it can be related to good health (well at least in France...����), but really ?

Director : yours truly Produced by pac.fr/

DOP � : Kanamé Onoyama @kaname.onoyama  (16mm Kodak)

Executive Producer: Mathilde Nanot Lachkar @mathildenl  Line Producer: Gabriel Chaussende @g_chaussende1961 Production Coordinator: Emme Arwidson @emmearwidson

AD: Mathieu Perez @matj0p  2n AD : Léa Cerqueira @leacerqueira_   Location Manager: François Teva  Assistant Location Manager: Benjamin Blaes Profano @benjamin_blaes_profan Assistant Location Manager: Mathieu Mougeolle Assistant Location Manager: Louis Marcilly  Gaffer: Thomas Garreau @thomas_garreau Best Boy: Hugo Deveze  Electrician: Quentin Roché @quintuss 2nd Electrician: Aurèle Mazi @aureo_mz Key Grip: Martin Defossez  Grip: Camille Conroy @camilleconroy Sound Engineer: Alexandre Le More   Art Director: Inès Marty Monzon @inesmartymonzon AD Assistant: Paul De LaRoche @paul.delaroche 2nd AD Assistant: Antoine Camard @antoine_camard 3rd AD Assistant: Ronan Sevic 4th AD Assistant: Claire Lellouche @clairelellouche Intern : Lola Fourmeaux    Stylist: Alya Derris @alyaderris Stylist Assistant: Sarah Zemour  MUA: Yumiko OKA @yumikooka3 MUA: Marie Koleda @mariekmua   Colorist � : Sylvain Canaux @sylvain_canaux (at @Saintlouisposthouse)

Post House: Publicis @publicisgroupe  Head of Post Production: Laurence Lelong @misslo.lelon Post Production Assistant: Axelle Duarte @akselle___ Editor: Vincent Fleischmann @vincentfleischmann Editor Assistant: Emilien Denis & Émilie Lesgourgues @ifeelfreaky & @emilielesg

[deathmybride]

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ the craving | jack conroy *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

ship: Jack Conroy x fem!OC

warnings: mentions of death, brief description of healed frostbite

summary: Jack meets a musher girl on his first day in Alaska.

word count: 2826

a/n: I am actually extremely proud of this so I hope somebody reads it haha

Living in the Yukon, you get used to craving. You crave warmth, food that doesn’t come from a can, a bed with a real mattress and a roof over it, the sight of a fresh face and fresh conversation. I had been out there for nearly seven years by the time I met Jack Conroy, and nearing my seventeenth birthday too. I stood at the edge of our camp, watching the prospectors stumble out of the narrow passage at the top of the pass, like rats spewing from a drainpipe. He caught my eye then, beet-red and fresh of face, dressed warm, but not warm enough, his eyes glazed with exhaustion and wonder. He reminded me of myself the first time I climbed the Golden Staircase, back when snow still glittered like pixie dust, and my father’s promise of a gold seam to call our own didn’t ring hollow as the wind through an empty mine. I knew Conroy instantly; the mirror of his father, the man who raised me better than my own. I kept my head down as he looked around, knowing he was there for Alex, but not wanting to face it. The Yukon would turn that boy hard as ice before long, and I didn’t want to watch it happen.

As he traipsed over to us, I crossed my arms and glared at him. Go home, Conroy. I thought. Go shack up somewhere warm, and be happy. He didn’t look at me once, so consumed with his mission. I shielded my face and retreated to the tent. The coffin was easier to face than Alex breaking his heart. Despite my reluctance, I knew I would not have minded taking him on. There were few young people so far into the mountains, except the few kids at the Tlingit village along the trail, but we never stayed long enough to get to know them. The boy could become my companion, of sorts. We would take him north-west from Dyea to Klondike, then set him loose to find his way to the Conroy claim to spend a few months frantically digging into the hill; and go home colder, hungrier, and poorer in spirit. I wouldn’t even have to see it break him. Alex wasn’t like that. He was a pragmatist. He and Skunker knew how to mush, and they took me on because I was the best scout you’d ever need, thanks to my daddy’s training. This boy was a city slicker, and the best he could offer the team was a morale boost, and Skunker was already too cheerful for Alex’s liking. We couldn’t take him. He’d be a dead weight. I tried to close my ears to his charming, eager voice as he tried to butter up old Larson. Soon enough, Alex stepped into the tent and nodded for me to help him lift the coffin. I set my teeth and heaved it. ‘Heavy’ doesn’t begin to cut it.

“Who’s in there?” Conroy asked, puffing a white cloud as he tried to catch his breath.

“Name’s Dutch.” Alex caught my eye and nodded in acknowledgement. I said nothing.

As sweet as his cold, dead daddy, Jack Conroy helped me lift the box. He waffled on in a voice tense with effort, about maps and letters, and gold dust in an envelope his father sent him on his deathbed. My heart ached at the thought of kind old Scotty, dying alone in his claim with that grey lump of diphtheria in his throat. We found him frozen one winter a few years past, and I left a bundle of purple lupines on his grave. My eyes started to burn and something in my throat thickened as I finished tying up my corner of the sled. I pushed past Jack to tie his side. He stumbled, his shoes struggling for purchase on the packed snow. Wolfish fury passed over his face as he regained his footing, then he calmed and went back to pleading his case.

“Everybody finds a little gold dust.” Alex assured him. “That’s what keeps you digging. But you have to strike it, and your father didn’t. Go home and find a regular job. You wouldn’t last a day out here.”

Something odd happened then. I caught the boy’s eye, still glimmering with hope, and realised three nuggets of truth at once: one; this boy was no stranger to craving adventure, glory, and a namesake, but craving food, craving heat? He had never wanted for these things in his life. Two; he had that grit in his teeth that showed the true conviction of his words. He would try to journey to the Conroy claim, with or without our help. And three; I had never known craving until I craved him.

“I’m a good worker, and I just want what’s mine.” He insisted, his soft voice strained in earnest as he trailed Alex’s heels. “I’m asking you to give me a chance.”

“Skunker!” I slapped the old man’s feet, sending him thrashing into wakefulness. You better back me up here you stinkin’ old bastard.

“Damn, what is it?” He exclaimed, limbs flailing as he leapt to his feet. “Alex!” He breezed past both Jack and me, still dazed with one foot in a fancy. “I was dreaming you, me, and Dutch was livin’ it up in Frisco! ‘Lil Quinn at a real college, the works!”

“Get the dogs ready.” Alex said coldly. This was his way.

“I hope Dutch appreciates this ride.” Skunker bemoaned, ignoring Alex’s crotchety comment and making no attempt to hide his annoyance for my sake. I damn well agreed with him. “‘Cause you shoulda died at your digs!” He hit the coffin with his fist. “Saved us a trip back.”

“Are you going near my father’s claim?”

“Scott Conroy’s son!” I called after Skunker. He turned on his heels, a half sceptical look on his face.

“What? Lemme see that face, kid.” He got up in the boy’s face and grabbed him by the chin, inspecting him close with beady eyes. Jack held his breath against the smell. “My God, Alex, he’s the spittin’ image of his old man! And I knew ya pa well. Clarence Thurston.”

“Jack Conroy.” Skunker slapped him into a frenzied handshake.

“You throwin’ in with us?” I knew I could trust old Skunker to have my back. I didn’t even have to plead a case for him.

“Yeah, I’d like to.”

“No.” Alex said simply. I knew this wouldn’t be easy.

“No? You’re taking him with you and you’re not gonna take me? He looks half dead already!”

I giggled. The first laugh I’d had since my daddy kicked the bucket. I slapped a mitten over my mouth to hide it and slipped away to wake up the dogs while Skunker bartered some gum out of him as an apology. Our wheelers, Fritz and Fatty, stirred and wagged their tails as I ran my hands through their fur, whining and baring their teeth in greeting.

“Hey, don’t worry about him.” Skunker assured him, waking up Digger and George, our swing team. “He’s just tired, that’s all.”

“Yeah, or he knows there’s gold out there and wants it for himself.”

“Woah, boy! You got the harness on the wrong dog.”

“Conroy.” I spoke up, meeting his hostile stare and forcing a calm over my body despite how flustered I felt. “If there’s one man you can trust in this damn place it's Alex Larson.”

He scoffed, seeming to ignore my words entirely, and rounded on Alex.

“Listen, if you don’t wanna take me, I’ll go by myself. I’ll get rich by myself too.”

“I think he’s crazy enough to do it Alex!”

“Skunker’s right.” I left the wheelers and sidled up beside him. “The Yukon will swallow him whole, we gotta take him.”

“Quinn, we can’t take him just because you think he’s cute.” Alex put on a shit-eating grin and tapped my arm with his glove.

“It’s not jus’ that.” My face heated up, but I saw no sense in denying it if it was already that obvious. “He’s got a musher’s spirit in him, even if he is green as snow peas, and I don’t wanna find him dead in the woods come summer and know we killed him.”

“Come on, Alex, he’s Scott’s boy!” Thank you Skunker! “Look at him, huh? How much trouble could he be?”

He cast a final sceptical glance at Jack, but conceded. Skunker winked. I stared him down for a second, admiring the swoop of his dark blonde hair, then let my lips twitch into a curt smile.

“I’ll take you as far as Klondike. Fall behind, and I’ll leave you where you drop. Understand?” Alex was all talk, as usual. Even if he wasn’t, he would realise soon enough that leaving this boy in the snow would mean signing two death papers at the Klondike post office.

“Yes, sir.” Jack beamed. At the sight of his smile, I felt the craving stir again, paired with a healthy portion of despair. I knew a virile young man like that would never make do with a musher girl who had lived amongst men so long that she had nearly become one, and often felt more dog than person; but to travel beside him for a while would be a gift.

Alex retreated to the tent to nurse his regret, and Skunker went out to the tuck tent to get some minced meat for the dogs. I went back to playing with the pack, settling beside them and letting the six team dogs crowd around me and vie for my attention. Jack came to sit beside me, eying me as cautiously as the dogs. The thin, agouti bitch who laid at the edge of the group got to her paws and came to watch him with her ice blue eyes. Her body was relaxed, though she let out a deep rumble

“Connie.” She turned her ear to me, but kept her eyes hard on the boy. “He’s a fine boy, he won’t hurt me. He’s Scotty’s boy.” Her ear twitched back up at Scott’s name. “Heel, Connie.” She stepped over to me, eyes always trained on Jack. “Sit now, girl.” She did. I reached over and laid a hand on Jack’s shoulder, stroking it like I would a dog. “Now do the same to me.” His eyes flickered to me, hesitant, but he did as I said. Connie cocked her head, then pinned her ears back and wagged her tail. “See girl, he’s alright.”

“Can I touch her?” His voice was full of wonder.

“You have to ask her. Give her your fist. Gentle now.”

Slowly, he raised his fist to her. Their eyes met. Connie froze, and for a long moment I thought she might bite him, but then her body relaxed and she licked his hand, then his arm, and soon she had climbed all the way on top of him to lick his chops. He giggled and squirmed under her weight and collapsed onto his back.

“Connie! Settle down, girl, he ain’t for eatin’! I know he looks tasty.” I wrapped my arms around her middle and lifted her off him.

“Thank you,” He puffed, clambering off the snow. “Um…”

“Quinn.” Meeting his eyes was almost painful. They were so blue, like a clear day when the sky reflects on the snow so bright it’s almost blinding.

“Ah, thank you, Quinn.”

I looked away and stroked down Connie’s hackles. Setting my teeth together to keep from chattering. Nerves make the cold so much harder to bear.

“How’d a girl like you wind up out here?”

“You noticed, huh?” I raised my eyebrows. “Not many folks do these days. I got used to being called ‘son’ years ago, on account of my boyish charms.” To his credit, Jack chuckles, though I was sure that must have been the first joke I’d told anyone but Connie-dog. “Doesn’t help having a boy’s name, neither.”

“I think Quinn’s a fine name for a girl.” He said it earnestly enough that I managed to spare a glance at him. “And I knew you were a girl as soon as I saw you.” I said nothing, only squished some snow between my fingers to hide my squirming. I almost wished he hadn’t seen me at all. “‘Cause I’d never known a boy to be that pretty.”

“Now, Jack-” I started, my embarrassment trying hard to fester itself into anger. Well, ain’t you living proof to the contrary?

“It’s the truth!” He shifted closer to me, and I shifted away in return, bringing my knees up to my chest and pulling my scarf over my nose. “So how did you end up out here?”

“Mushin,’” I gave him a sidelong glance. “Been out here with my daddy since I’s ten. It’s how I make my living.”

“Who’s your da- your father, who is he?” His face reddened, making me giggle. I hid my face in my knees to cover it.

“Who’s my daddy?” I lean a little closer, enjoying being the one to make him squirm. “Well, he’s a fella by the name o’ Ysbrandt Maarschalkerweerd, but ain’t nobody this side the Atlantic can pronounce that, so they jus’ called him Dutch.”

“Oh.” He took a moment to digest it. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, that’s life.”

“I-I suppose?”

“It is. People just up and die out here sometimes.” I pushed away one of the team dogs from licking up my ear without checking who it was. “It’s not so bad.”

“You don’t miss him?”

“Not as much as I miss yours.” I admitted. “He was more of a father to me than my own ever was.”

“Really?” He leaned in, brow furrowed in contemplation.

“Yeah. He checked on me a lot, and one time- musta been about thirteen- I stayed with him at the claim for nearin’ six months while daddy and Skunker mushed supplies up to Nome. That’s when he bought Connie-dog for me. We went down to Klondike a fair bit to watch the fiddlers, see, and one time there’s a little boy sellin’ puppies. Turns out ol’ Colton’s lead bitch got knocked up by a wolf while they were out in the woods. Cost your daddy a whole dollar, but she’s been an asset ever since.”

“Wow.” He stroked the brindled fur between her eyes with reverence.

“It’s right we take you to Klondike. I think if you live an honest life out here- you stay true, you never rob, or hurt your dogs- your bones turn into a new gold seam when you die. Your pa never struck gold, but he might have made some for you.”

“Huh.” He looked thoughtful.

“Don’t let this place kill your kindness, Jack. You might leave some gold behind.”

“I won’t.” He noticed the scepticism on my face and added more emphatically: “I won’t.”

“How old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

“Eighteen and still a green lil’ bean.” I shook my head. “You need better gear ‘n this. C’mon.”

He followed me dutifully to the sled where I dug around in my pack and produced my spare scarf, wool trapper hat that I usually wore under my coonskin, and a spare pair of fur cover-gloves to wear over his mittens.

“When you’re out in it, keep a scarf around your nose and mouth.” I pull the glove off my left hand with my teeth and show him the stub of my pinky finger, the missing tip on my index, and the hollow gouged into the pad at the base of my thumb. “‘Else you’ll lose ‘em like my fingers.” His eyes widened. “Wear these gloves over your mittens. I don’t have another coonskin, but you need more’n a baker’s cap to protect your ears. Tie it under your chin so it don’t blow off. You do that, you keep up with the sled, an’ you respect these dogs, and you’ll make it to Klondike with nothing missing.”

“Will they bite me?” He casted a nervous glance at the pack.

“No, but if you try anything abnormal I’ll bite you. They call me Dogtooth up at the Tlingit camp ‘cause a boy tried it on wi’ me and I bit square through his pecker.”

“Really?” He cringed, taking a step back.

“No.” I put my glove back on, smirking. “But you believed me, which gotta count for somethin.’”

“Did not!” 

“Did too!”

“Fightin’ already?” Skunker called out, hobbling along with two buckets full of fish.

“No, Skunker!” I waved him off. “Did too. Now come feed the puppies ‘fore they starve, get in their good graces.”

I turned to walk away, but Jack caught my shoulder and pushed himself flush against my back. I felt my heart quicken in that terrible, delicious rhythm as his lips brushed my ear. Every inch of me trembling with a craving like I had never felt.

“Did. Not.”

[bobgoesw00t]

There are only 2 hours and 45 minutes left in 2022 as I type this where I live and I want to take a moment to he thankful for everything this year has offered. I got to have one of the most laid back weeks I’ve ever spent at a beach at the end of August when my mom, sister, step-dad and I flew down to Holden Beach and it was nice to be able to just chill for a while. Hell, I was able to finish my Voltron fanfic that I started back in 2020 while there! I’ve also been able to really get down to my plan of writing the various fics I have in my head and I expect to continue that in the new year.

It was also a good year for me in terms of video games. I beat the masterpiece that is Elden Ring twice and it’s without a doubt my Game of the Year. I was also able to get a PS5 (even though I was planning on waiting until they fixed some of the bigger issues with the system) and I’ve been enjoying Dad of Boy Ragnarok. The third (and by far BEST) expansion for Guild Wars 2 came out at the start of the year and the wait to finally go back to Cantha was totally worth it.

Some of the best movies I’ve seen in a while came out and even though a good majority of the fans whined, bitched and complained about how “THE MOVIE SUCKS, IT BROKE THE CHARACTERS, BLAH BLAH BLAH”, I THROUGHLY enjoyed all of the MCU films and TV shows that came out this year (special mention to Thor Love & Thunder for being more of what made the third Thor film a piece of perfection, go ahead and @ me you whiny fuckers) and I really hope we haven’t seen the last of the Scarlet Witch (THE MOST BADASS AND BROKEN AVENGER OF ALL) and that some day they’ll FINALLY put Wiccan and Hulkling into the MCU so the gay husbands can be in something OTHER THAN THE COMICS ALREADY!!! Let Wanda be with her gay and bi son already Kevin Feige you heartless bastard Q_Q

We also lost one of the greatest shows on television at the end of April due to a bunch of stupid mother fuckers that didn’t want to spend the money to let them finish the series in their own terms…I’m talking of course about Legends of Tomorrow, the most batshit crazy show ever that ended on a FUCKING CLIFFHANGER ALL BECAUSE THE HIGHER UPS AT WB DIDN’T WANT TO RENEW THE LEASE ON THE WAVERIDER STUDIO!!!!!!! Give them a final season PLEASE!!!!!

And lastly, we lost some phenomenal stars this year. Jason David Frank, the greatest Power Ranger of all time killed himself at the end of last month and earlier the same month, Batman himself Kevin Conroy died/pulled his own Knightfall Protocol. Thankfully, he was able to be the Batman one final time for Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League and FUCK is that game gonna hit extra hard when it comes out.

All in all, this was a good year with some shitty moments, but I’m glad it happened. See y’all in the new year.