#crested cactus

[desert-love]

A double crested saguaro. A rare sight.

[fatchance]

Crested saguaro at Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona.

[corehopeart]

[sabistarphotos]

November 9, 2018

Desert Botanical Garden

Phoenix, AZ

[lostintheuniverseslies]

A Quiet Little Seedling

Chapter 12 Plants

Hepatica Acutiloba/Sharp-lobed Hepatica

Cactus Mistletoe

Sugar Maple Tree

American Basswood

Rain Lilies

Zephyranthes

Habranthus

Iris

Iris Cristata / Dwarf Crested Iris

Previously: Chapter 1 Plants Chapter 2 Plants Chapter 5 Plants Chapter 7 Plants Chapter 8 Plants Chapter 10 Plants Chapter 11 Plants

Next: Chapter 13 Plants

[sebring5]

542DD956-E074-45CC-902B-47C7E877964F by Henry Via Flickr: Crested caracara

[dead-end-draws]

Tribe Banner concept art:

Folks seemed to enjoy my WOF WIPS, so here’s more concept art for y’all! My favorite thing about WOF is the potential for world building. I thought it’d be cool to see a tribe emblem represented on a banner/flag of sorts:

Read below for some of the thought process / headcannons behind the design choices: 👇

Skywing Banner:

Skywings pride themselves on 3 things; treasure, fire, & their enormous, soaring wingspan which steals the sky.

As such, portrayed on the banner, the fabric (often made with dyed cow or goat leathers) resembles draped dragon wings. Two Skywings embrace a goblet, which is spewing golden fire.

The banner is often held aloft with iron or gold poles, signifying to other tribes their wealth and pride.

Mudwing banner:

These banners are fashioned with leather hides from cow or crocodile skin, held aloft with bamboo, and painted with a Talon-print & Reed crest.

The talonprint symbolizes community and the strength of Mudwing sibling bonds. The reed border unifies all Mudwings regardless of their relationship to home; the swamp. Bigwings are often seen carrying these into battle, signifing their status and making it easier for a sib to locate them in the flurry of a fight.

Sandwing Banner:

Sandwing flags are made with camel skins and dyed cactus leather.

A crest shows a Sandwing coiled around a beaming sun, a reminder that despite the revered 3 moons, Sandwings are born to thrive in sunlight.

The fabric is cut in a way to mimic the swooping dunes of Sandwing territory. And the poles of the flags are equally intricate, with scorpion tails and golden ropes which frame the banner.

These flags make prominent appearances in parades, festivals, and markets, and even miniature version are often displayed in homes or as tapestries/carpets.

Seawing banner:

These banners are often seen displayed in royal quarters or councils, or above land to mark territory.

A nautilus shell crest on front echoes the swirl-pattern associated with royal Seawings: The banner’s borders resemble waves and a dragon swimming beneath their surface.

These are crafted with rich materials, strung with seashells, pearls, silver dollars, and deep oceanic color fabric. There is severe penalty for Seawings found plucking treasure from the banners, as they are a direct symbol of royalty.

Nightwing Banner:

These banners emphasize the Nightwings’ relationship to the moon, their source of power and praise. The material, a contrast of white stitching against purple velvet showcases moonlight and night, black scales against stars, magic and mystery.

They are seen decorated with 3 moons at the top and a centered dragon reaching up into the night sky.

These banners were often used during the war as secret code by spies to deliver to other tribes. Prophecy scrolls often came attached, delivering cryptic messages or secrets in the night. These banners all helped add to the secrecy of the Dragonet Prophecy, and kept tribes on their toes around Nightwings.

Rainwing banner:

Rainwing banners are not used for battle purposes like other tribes, most are mere decoration, location indicators, and have no unified design.

However, It is said back when Rainwings left the rainforest to trade pre-war, this particular banner design was often raised above Rainwing merchant tables, and showcases the coiled tail of a Rainwing with leaves, vines, and other sights from the rainforest adorning a bamboo pole. Bright color combinations accentuated the flag to entice curious customers.

Now, only one tattered version of the original Rainwing banner remains, displayed proudly in Queen Glory’s quarters, a reminder that building the Rainwings’ community is their most important goal.

Icewing Banner:

These banners reflect the same standards Icewings hold themselves to.

Like a visual of the rankings themselves, each banner is cut perfectly from an Icewing’s trained, serrated claws to resemble icicles, and crafted with fine blue stitching.

Flags are often held aloft with perfectly polished narwhal horn or bone, and can be inlaid with sapphires or diamond.

Icewing soldiers are often gifted these during ceremonies, and perform training exercises with the flags to test their stance/attentiveness. The crest showcases the swift sharpness of ice through a flying dragon, and a snowflake toward the bottom reminding Icewings that even minuscule snowflakes, small things, should be perfect in form.

[herpsandbirds]

Crested Caracaras (Caracara plancus) nesting on a Saguaro Cactus, family Falconidae, order Falconiformes, Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA

Photograph by Sue Wright

[mutant-distraction]

Wayne Williams

Crested Caracara perched by a Christmas Cactus. Laguna Seca Ranch, Linn South Texas.

[ashotasfireandasdeepastheocean1]

Beauty of Nature ♡

.

It's amazing how much this decidedly east coast soul misses the prickly, thorny desert southwest.

[desert-love]

[marinersubmariner]

Supreme Leader / Emperor Consort

I don't have any particular preferences or headcanons about Supreme Leader Kylo Ren other than him being absolutely terrible at his job and not giving a shit about any of it. But I do sometimes think about ways for his outfit to have been upgraded other than "shove him back in the same helmet but stupider."

I know a lot of people wanted a crown, but I was looking at pictures of crested/monstrose cactus (as you do) and somehow got to thinking about the possibilities for a mutated version of his helmet, as though a crown or headdress had grown out of it. Some sort of warped evolution, evocative of Padme rather than Vader—or a combination of the two—but wrong and grotesque. A symbol of him having grown, but grown uncontrolled and malformed.

I ended up not going all that weird in favor of making something that looks believably clean and symmetrical, but still tried to make it at least somewhat bizarre and over the top. I like the tension of being more physically revealing while at the same time being more strange and alienating. Vulnerability tainted with hostility, similar to the post-TLJ status of Rey and Ben knowing each other more but being ideologically further apart.

In addition to Padme, I drew some inspiration from Dark Souls' Gwyndolin and Breath of the Wild's Thunder Helm. I like the eye-covering half-helms! They're weird!

The alternate full portrait is just because I still wanted to draw his whole face (the most enjoyable part!). It really could be any royalty AU, but since I was going a little darker here I was thinking of a forced marriage to Empress Palpatine, hence "Emperor Consort." Life is so miserable when you're a beautiful all-powerful space wizard shackled to your equal and opposite beautiful all-powerful space wizard. 😔

[birrdies]

at the kitchen table (third life fic, 891 words)

Grian sits at grief’s kitchen table. It used to be his— theirs— but something far greater occupies it now. He can’t call it his, even though the birch is well worn with use. Beaten from dumping battered weapons and armor at the end of the day (before they started sleeping with it, before they forwent sleeping all together), far more than any shared meal. 

The table’s empty. The last of their slim pickings is buried outside in the sand with Scar’s body. Grian sits inside, protected from the howling wind and pretending like he can drown out the spectators. One more death, they insist. This isn’t over yet. 

Give me a second, he barks back. 

He’s never been one for outright cowardice. He knows there’s no avoiding this fate. He practically wrote it himself. But Scar taught him a thing or two on how to delay the inevitable. How to buy yourself time, how to become slippery and escape all things that are meant for you. Bitterly, Grian can’t help but wonder why he hadn’t done it for himself in the end. 

This is all Grian needs— a moment, a brief reprieve, a second to be untouchable— it’s all he asks for. Himself and the kitchen table, the empty chair across from him. Normalcy, or as close to it as he can reach.

Elbows propped on the sandy wood, Grian hides his face in his hands and chuckles. How ridiculous it is: a hollow kitchen standing around him, dusty and vacant and haunted. Grian never cooked anything in here. They never shared a meal at this table. It was always scraps over a fire, stale bread stuffed in their pockets, endless days in the blazing desert heat. Too scared to sit and eat properly. Too restless. 

Why even build a kitchen at all? Grian’s laughter possesses him now, broken and shrill and hollow without Scar here to cause it. He presses the heels of his palms against his eyes until his vision splotches and his head spins. How stupid could he have been? To build a kitchen, to hope to use it? 

He had wanted nothing more than to be free of the madman bound to him by nothing more than Grian’s misplaced guilt and a few meager promises. Weak strings, really. He could’ve left anytime he wanted. And Scar would have let him.

But he built a kitchen for them anyway. Before the loyalty set in like a fever. Before this was it: him and Scar and the vacant dunes.

Before Scar had made the choice for him. 

There was room for love here, Grian thinks as his laughter turns to tears— a more silent affair.

The spectators nag in the back of his mind, more a sickening chill crawling the length of his spine than any kind of coherent voice. Goosebumps pepper his skin, but he refuses to move. He sits like a sentinel over this empty kitchen, the bleeding heart of their home, with nothing but his own anger as a weapon. 

Anger can only do so much. Grian wipes his tears only to realize there’s still blood on his fingers, now smeared on his cheeks. Trembling fingers curl into fists. Grian studies the way they move, counting his shaking breaths and knowing they’ll be his last. 

He’s hurt. It won’t take much else to finish the job. A cut on the crest of his cheek bleeds sluggishly, stings in the gritty air, but there’s no point tending to it. The bruises around his middle ache terribly. 

Scar could’ve killed him. If he pushed a little further. Hit a little harder. If he wanted it enough. 

But, no. Scar went down with a smile. He got what he wanted and Grian got this. Grian’s never hated him more. 

Slowly Grian rises from his seat at the kitchen table. He runs his fingers over the sanded wood one last time before stepping back out beneath the desert sun. The hair on the back of his neck stands up. A chill swoops through him, nearly takes him off his feet. There are eyes on him, somewhere, but he’s never felt more alone. 

He steps over Scar and Pizza’s shared grave and treks through the cactus ring to get to the edge of the hill. The part where the drop is steep and the base is rocky. It’ll be quick. It’ll be painless— at least, infinitely more painless than everything else he’s felt at the mercy of the game, at the mercy of the desert, at the mercy of Scar. 

He’s the last man standing, but what exactly is it that he’s won? It’s hard to feel like a victor when all he feels is cruel and beaten. When his head is heavy with the crown of eager eyes and his legs shake with the burden of keeping the rest of him upright. When there’s nothing to stand over proudly except for unmarked graves and a lonely desert hill. 

It doesn’t feel like much of a victory at all. There was room for love here. There was room for a lot of things. But none of it matters in the end. Because Grian doesn’t want to be left to haunt a kitchen Scar never even stepped foot into.  It doesn’t matter, because Grian won. He takes a step over the edge.

[tobiasdrake]

DIgimon Adventure 01x17 - The Illusionary Ship's Captain, Cockatrimon! / The Crest of Sincerity

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Letting his arrogance as a striker get the better of him, Taichi made mistakes on the soccer field that nearly cost his team the game. But no one who matters got hurt (RIP other Greymon) so I guess 'boys will be boys' or whatever you say.

With that lesson behind us, we have two Crests in hand now. Onward to the next phase of our Scavenger Hunt of Doom.

I don't typically bring up the recaps that open each episode. Right before the title page, the narrator explains to us what happened in the previous episode, which the dub generally cuts and replaces with one of the kids narrating.

But. Wow. Dub Tai's interpretation of the previous episode is wild today.

Tai: Okay, so I may have made a slight mistake and who hasn't? But that techno-doofus Etemon nailed us big time with that other Greymon. Our Greymon used up so much energy fighting him, he Digivolved back into Koromon!

Oh, he is definitely going to do it again. Tai has zero regrets. My favorite part is that last line, which he delivers with accusatory outrage. Yep, the other Greymon is definitely the only reason Koromon's in this state now. There were no other causes.

We join our kids lost in the desert still, opening on a small scene of the Partners and kids checking in with each other while they march together.

Piyomon: Sora, are you okay? Sora: I'll manage. Tentomon: Koushiro-han, d-don't get discouraged. Koushiro: Y-Yeah. Gabumon: Yamato-- Yamato: You should worry about yourself. You must be sweltering under all that fur. Gabumon: I'll be okay. Gomamon: Jou, want to take a break? Jou: No, let's work hard and keep going. Tokomon: (singing weakly from atop Takeru's head) ~Takeru fight-o! Takeru: (weakly) ~Fight-o....

Everyone's exhausted in this miserable death march, but they're trying to keep spirits up and keep going. My favorite part is Big Brother Yamato throwing down the Uno Reverse before Gabumon can even get a word out. He just knew.

The dub tries to lighten things up by making the Digimon kind of insufferable right now? I have never wanted to punt a Digimon so hard, oh my god.

Matt: Man, this desert is so hot even a lizard would need sunscreen! Biyomon: Sora, can you carry me? Sora: Not even. Tentomon: The crew cut would look nice on you and it's cooler! Izzy: (sigh) Gabumon: Do I look fat? Matt: No, you look hot. Especially with the fur coat. That thing really needs a zipper. Gabumon: Or maybe just removable shirt sleeves. Gomamon: Hey, how about resting our feet? Joe: There's no place to sit except on a cactus. Tokomon: (atop T.K.'s head) Great view up here! T.K.: Next time I ride.

The thing the dub Digimon need to understand right now is that we are in a desert. No one will find their bodies.

Taichi, walking next to Mimi, is dwelling on his mistakes while carrying Koromon with him.

Taichi: Koromon. I'm sorry. It's my fault you turned back into Koromon. Mimi: Taichi-san, no matter how remorseful you feel, there's nothing you can do about it now. Taichi: Mimi-chan? Mimi: You've got to keep your spirits up for Koromon's sake too. Taichi: (small smile and nod) Mm.

We begin with Mimi offering consolation and guidance to Taichi. This is a good moment for her. However you want to describe it - purity, sincerity, honesty, innocence - Mimi wears her heart on her sleeve, expresses herself and connects with others openly, and lives a life unfettered by regrets and self-doubt. Which is what Taichi needs right now.

Her guidance pulls him out of the spiral of "What did I do?" and gets him back on the path of "What do I do next?"

In the dub, Tai shows way more regret than he did in that opening blurb, but Mimi's insightful advice is... altered....

Tai: You look terrible, Koromon! If only I hadn't acted like such a bonehead, you never would have Digivolved. Mimi: Don't be so hard on yourself. Although, come to think of it, you really have made a super icky mess of things. Ahaha! Tai: ...thanks, Mimi. Mimi: Oh, don't mention it, Tai! I'm glad to help with the pep talk now and then! Tai: (small smile and nod; awkward) Mmhmm....

Do we really have to do this to her in Mimi's own episode? Okay.

While they're talking, Palmon fantasizes about a way to solve the heat problem for everyone.

Mimi: Still, it's really hot. Taichi: I'm worried about how long Koromon can take this.... Palmon: I want to become a giant Togemon and give everyone shade!

She launches into a brief imagination sequence, thinking about everyone taking shelter from the sun under her.

In the dub:

Mimi: I haven't sweated this much since cheerleader tryouts! Tai: Koromon doesn't look so good. I'm worried. Palmon: You know what we need right now is a whole bunch of shade! A big umbrella or a really big tree! Or maybe I could grow into a giant cactus and smile down onto all of you as I provide cool, refreshing comfort. Matt: It's official. The sun has just turned Palmon's brain into a french fry. Earth to Palmon! Come in!

Palmon's line gets extended significantly and Matt's given asshole banter. This is for the sake of carrying us through Palmon's imagination sequence, which lasts about 13 seconds without any dialogue or significant action taking place. You know how the dub feels about that.

Before Palmon can go any farther with this fantasy, Mimi snaps her out of it.

The group's just noticed a colossal cactus nearby.

Palmon: A giant cactus! Taichi: Awesome, everyone! Let's go relax in the shade!

Excited, they sprint around the cactus to take shelter in its shade! Palmon exclaims:

Palmon: I want to become a cactus as big as that one!

It's good to have life goals, Palmon.

In the dub, Palmon mistakenly takes credit for the colossal cactus.

Palmon: Wowee, I did that?

We cut to commercial and when we return, Tai agrees with her interpretation.

Palmon: Gee, I'm pretty amazing. Tai: Yeah, you better believe it, Palmon! Come on, everybody; Let's head for some shade!

I like how we're all in agreement that Palmon can summon external cacti. That's one of her powers now, Tai's decided. XD No reason to scrutinize this any further.

Tragically, as they reach the far side of the cactus, they find that it doesn't have any shade. It casts no shadow at all. In fact, it flickers out of existence shortly after, as if it had never been there.

Mirage? Not quite.

The cactus was a hologram concealing one of Gennai's projectors. He appears to greet the kids, but Taichi isn't in a chatty mood. His Crest is defective and he wants to speak to a manager.

Gennai: Chosen Children! Group: Gennai! Taichi: Hey, geezer! I got the Tag and Crest like you said, put them together, and fought a bad guy, but he didn't evolve at all! Worse, poor Agumon regressed into Koromon! Mimi: I don't want a Crest! Gennai: Calm yourselves, Chosen Children. You're going to have Crests whether you like it or not. The Tag and Crest naturally light each other up. Group: (widespread noises of disapproval) Mimi: That can't be.... Gennai: Let me explain why Agumon regressed into Koromon. Even with both the Tag and Crest, unless you raise your Digimon correctly-- Taichi: Raise them correctly? Gennai: Yes. Unless you give them a good upbringing, they won't evolve the right way. Taichi: How do we raise them correctly, then? Gennai: Chosen Children, to give appropriate care-- (Connection disrupts and then disconnects) Taichi: That geezer! Everything he says is confusing!

Ever unreliable, the connection cuts out just as Gennai was about to upload the walkthrough for min/maxing your V-Pet's affection ratings. Guess we'll have to wing it.

(Game plan, everyone. When you're unsure, just ask, "What would Taichi do?" and then do the opposite. Especially you, Taichi!)

In contrast to the scenes leading up to this conversation, everyone's made nicer in the dub.

Gennai: Well, well. It's about time you got here. I was just about ready to give up on you. Matt: It's Gennai! Tai: Gennai, we found the Tags and a couple of Crests like you wanted, but when we got into trouble, our Digimon couldn't Digivolve. They ended up worse off than when they started! Take a look at poor Agumon; He is just not himself! And I'm supposed to be helping him! Mimi: I think those thingies are more trouble than they're worth! Gennai: Calm down, kids. Let me explain. The Tags and Crests are extremely important. Please make sure no one else gets a hold of them. In the end, you shall see that they will work together to help you create total harmony. Group: (all gasp in surprise together) Mimi: In English? Gennai: Just trust me. After all, I'm the floating glowing guy. As for Koromon, he wouldn't be so helpless if you had known how to care for him in the proper way. Tai: But I did the best I could! Gennai: Patience is what you need to learn, my friends. And you will learn it in time. Tai: But I want to have Agumon back now! Gennai: I'm starting to lose my connection. That's something you're going to have to figure out for yourself. Good luck. (Connection disrupts.) Tai: Wait a minute! Gennai: Sorry, I'm on a tight schedule! (Connection disconnects) Tai: It never fails! Every time I need to know about something, he hangs me out to dry!

This is your second conversation with him, Tai. XD

Here, Tai doesn't sling ageist barbs at Gennai out of frustration and Gennai doesn't come in with that "You're doing this whether you want to or not" bit. Also, he's the floating glowing guy.

Dub Gennai suggests that we need to keep the Tags and Crests away from the villains, which is contextually awkward. The only thing the villains would want with them is to keep them away from us. They don't do anything except evolve a Chosen Child's Partner Digimon.

This is probably here to create tension for events later in the episode, when the villain collects Taichi and Jou's Crest-filled Tags and carries them around like trophies, but it makes little sense in context.

The most glaring change is the back half of the conversation. He briefly brings up that proper care for one's Digimon will influence how they evolve, but then gives them a vague platitude about patience and peaces out.

This is a much worse scene. It lacks the high-strung emotional intensity of the original, where the kids seem practically traumatized by the SkullGreymon incident and want to abandon course. They also use a lot more words to say less.

Dub Gennai might as well have been written by AI; He doesn't sound like he's conversing with the kids or engaging with the context of their concerns. Instead, he offers vague Good Guy Mentor sentiments that might as well have been written in a vacuum.

With Gennai gone, the DIgimon and kids begin to mull over what he told them at the end there.

Piyomon: He mentioned good upbringing? Gabumon: Are we being brought up the right way, though? Yamato: Gabumon, wait a moment! Koushiro: I'm not sure I can.... Tentomon: No no no, Koushiro-han. What are you saying!? Gomamon: What about me? Jou: I have absolutely no confidence I can do it. Zero percent confidence. Gomamon: Hey!

With the introduction of this "BTW You basically need to parent your Digimon" element, spirits around the group are at an all-time low. It was all fun and games until suddenly consequences were patched in.

(I jest. It was never fun and games. These children are being hunted for sport.)

In the dub:

Biyomon: Are we being cared for properly? Gabumon: If we were, Agumon wouldn't have Digivolved backwards. Matt: Come on! Don't freak me out! Izzy: I'm... better with computers! Tentomon: That's ridiculous. As far as I'm concerned, you're the best! Gomamon: You look bummed. Joe: How am I supposed to take care of you? Is there a handbook somewhere? I feel very inadequate. Gomamon: Me too.

The dub goes strong in this one. They flip Gabumon's question over to Biyomon so Gabumon can scorch the kids for what happened to Agumon.

Izzy and Joe's lines are well-characterized and specific to their personalities. Izzy cops to his discomfort in social situations, which has been a point of contention with him before, while Joe neurotically asks for a text he can study.

Also, Gomamon replying to "I feel very inadequate" with "Me too" is just. I don't know why I loved that so much, I just did. You're the salt of the earth, Gomamon.

Before this discussion can continue, however, something comes cutting through the sands straight for them.

Because this is still Digimon/Digital World, where appropriate context for real-world things is a sucker's gambit.

Taichi: A battleship! Sora: No, that's a luxury cruise ship! Jou: Why is a cruise ship sailing through the desert!? Mimi: Waugh! Takeru: Is it a mirage too? Yamato: No, it's not!

The kids quickly scatter out of the way of the passing ship.

The dub is mostly the same, except for Jou's line.

Tai: Is that a battleship!? Sora: Could be... But it looks more like a fancy cruise ship. Joe: The passengers are gonna want their money back when they see this place! Mimi: Yeah.... T.K.: It could be just a mirage! Matt: Yeah? Looks pretty real to me!

Very considerate of Joe to be worried about strangers' recreational finances at a time like this! Jou's question gets made into a quip, while Mimi's distressed throat noises become verbal support for Joe's goofiness.

Dub Sora is also slightly more willing to entertain the possibility that this is a battleship than her Japanese counterpart, but in that diplomatic tone you use when you don't want to hurt someone's feelings even though that thing they just said is very stupid.

As the kids scramble out of the ship's path, it slows to a stop. After a moment, a sailor peeks out to see what's going on, revealing the ship's occupants to the kids.

Numemon: Nume...? Group: (collective groans of disappointment) Awww! Mimi: Numemon!

I was trying to think of a funny thing I could say like "Well fuck me" following that image but honestly nothing tops the entire group of Chosen Children wordlessly booing as soon as he appeared.

Sadly, the anguished cries don't make it into the dub, which is going for more of a confused reaction.

Numemon: Ahoy ha hahaha! Group: (gasping in surprise) HUH!?!?!? Mimi: Numemon!

Nonetheless, Taichi looks down at Koromon quivering in the scorched sun and makes a judgment call.

Taichi: Numemon! Please let us rest on your ship! Numemon: (squints suspiciously and pulls away) Nume.... Mimi: (steps forward) Let me handle the Numemon. NUMEMON!!! We're all tired! Could you let us rest on your luxury ship? O-ne-ga-i (Please)?

Putting to work the acquired knowledge that she's apparently very harassable, Mimi offers a different flirty pose with each syllable of onegai.

It works like a charm. The Numemon sailor lowers the boarding ramp, allowing the kids to climb up.

In the dub:

Tai: Hey fella! Could all of us come aboard and freshen up? Numemon: (squints suspiciously and pulls away) Eugh-ew.... Mimi: If you don't mind, this needs a woman's touch. Well, hey there, big boy! Your ship looks so, so inviting! How about letting us onboard so that we can check it out? Oh-please-mm-hmm?

She calls him "big boy" and tells him his ship "looks inviting", rather than asking to rest because they're tired.

Maybe it's just me but I feel weird about shifting "Let me handle the Numemon" to "This needs a woman's touch". The former sets up what follows as a direct follow-up on Mimi's experiences with Numemon while the latter makes it strictly about her gender. Women be flirtin' I guess.

As they board the ship, Mimi exclaims:

Mimi: It looks like a first-class hotel!

Which the dub makes into:

Mimi: Ugh! What!? No linen tablecloths? Well, I guess we can rough it!

XD That one got me. I don't remember what her living situation is like when we finally get to see the kids go home next arc, but the dub's set her up as this ultra-wealthy heiress so it'll be interesting to see how that goes.

Once the kids are onboard, they break off and go enjoy themselves. The girls hit the showers in one of the cabins to take advantage of a rare opportunity to get clean. Meanwhile Koushiro joins Yamato and Takeru in inspecting the dining hall.

Yamato: This food looks incredible. Gabumon: It does.... Takeru: I want to eat it.... Koushiro: We should ask someone before we start eating. Yamato: But it looks so good! Tentomon: (stomach gurgle) I'm so hungry, I think I might die. Gabumon: (stomach gurgle) Well.... Tokomon: (stomach gurgle) Me too.... Koushiro: (huge stomach gurgle, looks embarrassed) It would be rude to the cooks if we let the food they made get cold, right? Group: Right! Koushiro: Itadakimasu! (Customary Japanese expression used to kick off the start of a meal.)

Koushiro's initially reluctant to go along with eating what may or may not be someone else's meal, but hunger makes him relent. The kids ravenously devour the food in front of them.

(Just remember the Egg Fridge. We're still starving kids in a crisis situation! It's still okay!)

In the dub:

Matt: Check out the incredible spread! Izzy: It appears to be highly edible. Tentomon: Might i propose we eat a bit and take the leftovers with us. Matt: Let's eat it all now! T.K.: Ohh, I can't believe it! Izzy: Remember when the food was just an illusion? Matt: Another alien plot!? Tentomon: (sniff sniff) It doesn't smell like an alien plot. Gabumon: (burp) Excuse me. Tokomon: Huh? Ahhh.... Izzy: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh After extensive deliberation, I've come to the conclusion that it would be rude to allow this cuisine to become cold! Group: Yeah! Izzy: LET'S GO FOR IT, GUYS!!!

XD Matt and Tentomon riffing on Izzy's dub-exclusive "BET IT'S ALIENS" thing in the early episodes. Never live it down, Izzy.

But also, they cut the starving stomach grumbles but had nothing to replace that gag with. Gabumon, Tokomon, and even Izzy briefly have to settle for just making sounds where their stomach gurgles are supposed to go. For about four seconds, Izzy opens his mouth and farts out verbal CPU Processing noises.

Taichi and Jou use this time to relax at the pool, where Jou proves he's a braver man than I am by taking his glasses out onto the water with him.

Taichi: What do you think Gennai meant when he told us to raise our Digimon correctly? Jou: Dunno. At least we're trying to take care of them properly.

The dub dialogue is basically the same, but the kids are more defensive.

Tai: I'm confused, Joe; What do you think Gennai meant when he said we weren't taking proper care of our Digimon? Joe: Ugh, I don't know. We've done everything but give them an allowance!

They'd blow it on candy and soda pop anyway. And the soda machines are Numemon dispensers so let's not open that can of worms!

Unbeknownst to the boys, there's a man up top watching them through binoculars like the biggest creep on the ship.

Captain: Chosen Children... your fates--

Before there can be any mistake about whether this is a real human man, his body suddenly tears open like a paper bag to reveal his true form.

Cockatrimon: --are in the hands of Cockatrimon!

I have absolutely no idea why he was in a human disguise. It never comes up again. I honestly wonder if there was supposed to be a scene where he, as the Captain, introduces himself to the kids and welcomes them to the ship. Something that ended up cut for time.

That's the only thing that makes sense to me. This is clearly meant to be a big reveal, but we've never seen this guy before.

From here, the narrator gives the rundown. Cockatrimon is an Adult-stage Data-type Giant Bird Digimon. His name, of course, derives from "cockatrice", a draconic chicken monster from English mythology born from eggs laid by roosters. Its gaze is believed to cause instant death, which pop culture often portrays through petrification.

Narrator: Cockatrimon. A ferocious bird Digimon. His feathers have degraded, annoying him with his inability to fly. His special attack is Petrifier.

He also speaks in a regional Nagoya accent. The subs I'm watching translate the regional "gaya" and "nyaa" words he adds to his dialogue as "BAWK" and "BACAWK". I am not going to do that because, unless I know for sure that was the actual intent of using this dialect, it feels disrespectful to turn a real-world accent into animal noises. Just know that he has the equivalent of a Californian dialect.

He does sometimes utter "koka koka koka!" in bird squawk, however. So that's fair game.

Over in the dub, Digimon names are rewritten in English during the rundown. There, his name is presented as Kokatorimon. This is a literal translation of the katakana used to spell his name: "Ko-ka-to-ri-mo-n", taken at face value with zero effort to parse it. That's okay, 90's kids probably think cockatrice is a cool enemy creature that Final Fantasy made up. It's pretty obscure as mythical beasts go.

(Jou-senpai, be sure to buy lots of Softs from the cruise ship's Item Shop while you're here! Casting Esuna sometimes doesn't cut it!)

However, when his name is said out loud, the actors pronounce it "Cockatrimon" anyway. Voice crew seems to have put more work into understanding this than the editing crew, resulting in an awkward disconnect.

The dub uses his second line, as he reveals himself, to segue straight into his diegetic rundown.

Captain: Aha! I see a couple have taken the bait. Time for me to get started! They'll never forget this cruise. Kokatorimon: (explodes out of the Captain's body) RARGH, I'm Cockatrimon! My cock-a-doodle-doo will blow out your eardrums! Mess with me and you'll be pecked into surrender!

I mean you can also turn people to stone but deafening doodling is cool too. XD

Once he's finished explaining himself to the audience, Cockatrimon moves to his command center to report in to Etemon.

Cockatrimon: Just in case, I should report this to Etemon-sama and ask what I should do with them.

While the original's seeking guidance, Kokatorimon wants to report in Mission Accomplished.

Kokatorimon: Etemon will reward me greatly when he learns I've trapped the DigiDestined on my ship!

However, after the SkullGreymon incident, Etemon's having some technical difficulties.

Not that. That's just Etemon entertaining himself. The Dark Network is still in total disarray after SkullGreymon tore up the Coliseum. Three Gazimon technicians are desperately trying to get it back up and running, but it's slow going.

Etemon: Morons! Hurry up and fix my network! Who do you think I am!? I'm King of Digimon, Etemon-sama!!! Got a problem with that? Gazimon: None at all! (spotlights activate; Etemon begins performance) Etemon: YEAH!!! / Who is the strongest in the world? / That's me WAHOO!!!

The Gazimon join him as backup dancers, but he breaks off his song to clobber all three of them.

Etemon: Who told you to dance!? Don't just sit there holding your heads!

The Gazimon go straight back to work while Etemon resumes his song, and we cut away from there.

The dub shockingly lets 20 seconds go by without dialogue as we follow the black cable to Etemon's trailer. This scene lets Etemon have a musical number. You know they milked that for all it's worth.

Etemon: Step it up, fools! I'm gettin' very impatient here, y'know what I mean? If my network's offline then everybody crashes! Lemme tell ya why. BECAUSE I'M ETHEMON(sic)!!! You wanna make somethin' of it!? Gazimon: No way! (spotlights activate; Ethemon begins performance) Etemon: YEAH yeah! / I'm the coolest cat there is and if you don't watch out / I'm gonna getcha 'til you scream and shout! / 'Cause I'm the hippest Digimon in town! / Oh yeeeeeah-- (Etemon bashes the Gazimon) Etemon: So who gave you permission to dance!? Now y'all get back to work before I get myself upset again!

I think by this point it's clear they only did one take of any given line read when dubbing the show. We've seen a few of these obvious flubs at this point. Mistakes happen to the best of us but you can re-record stuff, y'know.

But, glaring line flub excepted, the dub of this scene is so good. Elvismon knocks it out of the park with his musical number.

Since the Dark Network is down, Cockatrimon's transmission fails to go through. He has to make a judgment call for himself.

Cockatrimon: Hmm, weird. I can't reach Etemon-sama. (Cockatrimon walks to the voicepipe, letting out a "Koka!" with every step.) Cockatrimon: No other choice. I'll just get rid of them.

He opens the pipe with his beak and calls down to the Numemon below decks, who've been refreshingly absent despite Mimi flirting our way onto the ship.

Cockatrimon: To all Numemon part-timers: I'll give a substantial pay raise to anyone who captures the Chosen Children!

...the Numemon are working here part-time? I desperately want more details on that. What does that mean, Cockatrimon? XD I wanna be a part-time cruise ship sailor. Maybe not in the desert though. Cockatrimon is running a weird ship.

In the dub:

Kokatorimon: Something's wrong! Etemon's network appears to be down. Ahh, who needs him! I'll have the pleasure of plastering their feathers all by myself! (Kokatorimon walks to the voicepipe, letting out a "Koka!" with every step.) Kokatorimon: It's amazing how my brains surpass my good looks! (Kokatorimon opens the voicepipe and calls down) Kokatorimon: Now hear this! I have an important message for ya! Listen up, this is the deal: I'll give you Numemon an extra serving of dried bread and even throw in some jelly if you capture those kids!

So I guess they're slaves in the dub.

The Numemon go to work and earn that pay raise. They capture Taichi and Jou immediately. They also try and throw a net around Gomamon, but he conjures Marching Fishes from the swimming pool to tear the net open. Don't mess with Gomamon in a body of water.

More Numemon go to the side table, where Koromon is hanging out with Taichi and Jou's Crests. Fortunately, all this relaxation provided just the recovery time he needed to get back in the game and defend those Tags. Koromon SHINKAAAAAA!!!

Leaping from the table, Agumon lets off a Baby Flame and... watches helplessly as Cockatrimon, appearing out of nowhere, effortlessly slaps away his attempt. It's okay, man. You tried.

Cockatrimon replies with a blast of Petrifier from his eyes.

I don't think we're going to be able to shinkaaaaaa our way out of that.

Of note, when using Petrifier, Cockatrimon calls the attack as "Petri... FIIIIIIIIRE!!!" which goes hard. Not only does the dub not change the name of the attack for once, but they do their best to copy the Japanese delivery too. It's just that good.

With Gomamon and Agumon turned to stone, there's nothing to stop Cockatrimon from taking Taichi and Jou's Tags and Crests. He holds them up in front of the pool and laughs at the kids in loud, obnoxious chicken squawks.

In the dub, Kokatorimon throws in some extra jeers rather than just laughing.

Kokatorimon: You're sunk without these! But I wouldn't be too upset; Now you've got yourself a couple of nice Digimon garden ornaments!

He made them into lawn gnomes. Is there any fate more terrible?

While the Numemon hold the line against the kids Digimon, Cockatrimon makes his way through the ship to sink them. He hits the dining hall next, petrifying Tentomon, Tokomon, and Gabumon the way he did Agumon and Gomamon.

Five down. Two to go.

Cockatrimon follows the Numemon to the cabin that the girls were in. They've turned the cabin upside-down, but the girls aren't there. The sound of the running shower gives away their presence, however, and he breaks down the bathroom door.

They aren't there either. They left the water running as a distraction and slipped out the window, wrapped in towels.

As an aside, as he fits his head through the window, Cockatrimon lets out the most pathetic and confused, "...koka?" It's hilarious and adorable.

For some reason, the dub has Mimi call out from the bathroom:

Mimi: I'd give anything for a good moisturizing shampoo!

Which seems to be what calls Kokatorimon's attention to the bathroom, rather than the sound of the shower running. This is a little janky; Placing them in the room right at that moment gives them about four seconds to realize they're in danger, grab towels, and then fit four people (Palmon and Biyomon are with them) through that tiny window. They must have hustled!

Also, once he notices the window, Kokatorimon declares:

Kokatorimon: You little chikadees think you're so smart! (Kokatorimon sticks his head through the window) Kokatorimon: ARGH!!! They won't get away that easily!

It's not as funny as the tiny, pitiful koka.

It doesn't take him long to cut them off in the hall, however.

Cockatrimon: There you are! Palmon & Piyomon: COCKATRIMON!!! Sora: Is he with Etemon!? Piyomon: Looks like! Cockatrimon: (cackles maliciously, holding up the Tags and Crests) Mimi: Those are Taichi-san and Jou-senpai's Crests!

In the dub, Sora and Mimi add in some scathing insults while they're at it.

Kokatorimon: (unintelligible squawk roar) Palmon & Biyomon: IT'S COCKATRIMON!!! Sora: It's not the Easter Chicken? Biyomon: He's bad news! Kokatorimon: (cackles maliciously, holding up the Tags and Crests) Mimi: That omelet-head has Tai and Joe's Tags!

Small nitpick: Biyomon's never been to this continent and although she knows what a Cockatrimon is, she probably shouldn't speak from authority as to the moral character of this one.

Opting to engage the girls in conversation, the Easter Chicken reveals what he's done to the boys.

Cockatrimon: I've captured the other five Chosen Children and put them out to dry in the sun. Pretty soon, I'll have dried and crunchy Chosen Children to eat! Mimi: That's horrible! Piyomon: And their Digimon? Cockatrimon: I've turned them to stone with my power. I'll use them to boil some nice soup. Palmon: Unbelievable! Cockatrimon: Don't worry. You're about to join them. Piyomon: UNFORGIVABLE!!!

Hahaha wow that took a turn for the horrifying, didn't it? Cockatrimon intends to cook and eat the kids.

Shockingly, Cockatrimon's intentions for these children makes it into the dub unaltered.

Kokatorimon: I ran into several of your friends over by the pool. But don't get your heads in a spin; They're just drying off! Nothing like little sun-baked faces... fried to a crisp with curly corn spuds and lots of coleslaw! Group: Eugh! Biyomon: Where are the Digimon!? Kokatorimon: Don't worry about those guys! Confidentially, I find them to be a little bit on the stiff side, but that just happens to be my personal opinion! Palmon: Your opinion stinks! Kokatorimon: Now you're going to meet the same fate! AHAHAHAHA!!! Piyomon: YOU'VE CACKLED ONCE TOO OFTEN!!!

Holy shit, are Kokatorimon's quips good or what? Really adds to the menace of the guy in this, his moment of strength. Sometimes the dub quipping takes away from the emotion of a scene but here it magnifies it. These are solid villain quips.

We lose Cockatrimon confessing that he's going to make soup from the Digimon statues, but that's okay; We still got him admitting that he's going to eat the baked children so the horror is there nonetheless.

Piyomon and Palmon cut loose with Magical Fire and Poison Ivy, but Cockatrimon fends them off easily. He fires back with Petrifier; However, they're able to scramble away from his shot before it lands.

As we briefly escape the horrifying fate awaiting us in the stomach of this awful beast, he's forced to remind us how silly he is by waddling after the girls uttering "Koka koka koka!" with each step. However, there's only so far to run.

During the kids' flight from the cabin hall, the dub adds some extra dialogue.

Kokatorimon: COME BACK, YOU CHICKENS!!! Sora: Who's he calling a chicken!?

I'd call this one borderline when it comes to tension-killing humor. If Cockatrimon were a more serious villain then this might be a problem, but he's built on a juxtaposition between horrifying menace and ridiculous silliness. So this joke fits the tone well.

Backing them into a corner at the very edge of the ship, Cockatrimon advances on his prey. He doesn't realize that all of this open space evens the playing field.

As Birdramon takes flight, Cockatrimon is momentarily stunned.

Cockatrimon: SH-SHE'S FLYING!!!

He's too fixated on Birdramon in the air to even realize he's in danger at first. It's only as she lets off her Meteor Wing that it suddenly hits him, and he frantically hops away from her shots at the last second.

This is the payoff to what the narrator said in the rundown: That being flightless is a background aggravation for Cockatrimon. Sora picks up on it too.

Sora: It looks like Cockatrimon can't fly. Mimi: Palmon, it's your chance!

Incidentally, a background detail that makes Cockatrimon's jealousy of Birdramon so effective is that he's a separate evolution branch of Piyomon. He could have become a Birdramon, but instead he's stuck flightless. This is never brought up in the anime but I'm sure it made a few people with the V-Pet laugh.

Unfortunately, since the dub scrubbed this particular quirk of Cockatrimon's, we don't get to see it paid off here.

Kokatorimon: Hey, that's not fair!

He's probably still talking about Birdramon flying in the air but it's not well-explained why this stuns him into inaction. Then, after she opens fire and he barely manages to dodge, we get:

Sora: What's the matter, you big cluck!? Can't you fly? Mimi: Palmon, it's your turn!

I would love this taunt from Sora if we'd taken the time to set up Kokatorimon's sore spot. It still works; Sora is bragging about how cool Birdramon is. But it'd go hard if she was intentionally rubbing salt into his emotional wound.

Mimi seizes this opportunity to bring out Togemon as well, doubling up on Cockatrimon.

Once this turns 2v1 and he's not beating up Digi-Children, Cockatrimon's got nothing. Birdramon lays down another Meteor Wing from the air, distracting Cockatrimon and forcing him to drop Taichi and Jou's Crests. Then Togemon lets off a modified Chiku-Chiku Bang Bang.

Her needles, spraying into him and disorienting him with intense pain, are the Chiku-Chiku. He doesn't even notice her closing distance until she's in his face. Her punches are the Bang Bang, closing with an uppercut that sends him sailing up into the ship's smokestack.

An explosion from the smokestack finishes him off, and the petrified Digimon abruptly revert back to normal.

As he dies, Mimi exclaims:

Mimi: Hooray!

Which the dub turns into:

Mimi: FRIED CHICKEN!!!

XD You know what? Turnabout is fair play. He brought this on himself.

The kids regroup, but then notice the part-timers throwing down the boarding ramp and fleeing for their lives, shedding their sailor outfits in the process.

Taichi: The Numemon are fleeing in a panic. Koushiro: That must mean it's dangerous to stay on this ship. Sora: Let's hurry up and get out of here. Taichi: Yeah!

The dub kids seem a little slower on the uptake. Except Tai.

Tai: I say we do the same as they are and abandon ship! Izzy: I guess it's a little late for a mutiny. Sora: Don't worry, the Captain's already been fricasseed.

Guys, our lives are in danger. Please stop quipping and leave the ship now.

As the kids vacate, something crawls from the smokestack.

Cockatrimon: Damn it... Those Chosen Children and their Digimon... Cockatrimon has used his willpower to revive himself and is now going to get his revenge on you! KOKA-KA-KA-KA-KA-KA--

Given that his death un-petrified all of the Digimon, this might not be hyperbole. There's a real possibility that Cockatrimon resurrected himself in the fires of the ship's furnace like a phoenix. But it's ambiguous.

Ironically, Hououmon or Phoenixmon is on Birdramon's evolution path but not Cockatrimon's. Still, this feels like a phoenix allusion.

Either way, he's trying to do an Epic Boss Fight Phase 2 speech while clambering over a barrier in unrelenting agony and it's hilarious.

As he speaks, he climbs slowly over the lip of the smokestack. He slips over the side mid-cackle, falling painfully back onto the ship's deck.

In the dub:

Kokatorimon: Ugggh, my head... You may have ruffled my tail feathers but I can still- AWK AWK AWK!!! Awk... uggghh... Okay, so maybe I've lost a little bit of my noodle, but I'm not finished yet! AWK AWK AWK--Oh!

You should go back in and find that noodle, just a suggestion.

The kids return to the desert, once more marching through scorching hell. Mimi utters:

Mimi: I'm roasting....

Which the dub makes into:

Joe: Well, the weather certainly hasn't gotten any cooler.... Mimi: Do you guys hear something?

Nice quippy complaint from Joe. Well-timed and tonally appropriate.

Suddenly, they hear a sound headed their way.

The kids flee for their lives through the desert, while Cockatrimon gives chase. Though the kids are able to sprint fast enough to stay ahead, the ship steadily gains ground.

(Hey, look at that! Taichi's vindicated; It's a battleship now! Also, shame on every one of these children for neither splitting up nor going perpendicular to its approach; cruiser ships are not famous for turning on a dime.)

They come upon a massive cactus like the one before, but with one key difference.

Palmon: A giant cactus!? Mimi: Is it another mirage!? Taichi: No! It has a shadow!

This is another detail that gets confused in the dub, as they don't bring up the proof of the cactus's realness.

Mimi: (wailing) OHHHHHH-- LOOK!!! Palmon: The giant cactus is back! Mimi: Oh no, not another mirage! Tai: What were you expecting, an outlet mall!? Matt: Hurry! Get over on the other side!

Tai seems to agree with Mimi that the cactus is a mirage before Matt yells at everyone to take cover anyway? Weird choice, kids. Though a couple scenes later, we find out Mimi still didn't realize it was real, so it works.

Ship meets cactus. Cactus wins hard, destroying everything above deck on impact and flinging the rest into the sky with with a comical springy sound.

As the ship ascends, Cockatrimon finally achieves the greatest ambition of his life.

Cockatrimon: I'm at high altitude! I'm flying! I'M FLYING!!!

His vocal delivery makes clear that this is a moment of panic for him. "I'm flying!" is delivered as wishful thinking.

Over in the dub, he similarly freaks out.

Kokatorimon: WAUGH!!! I can fly, I can fly-- Oh, I can't fly! WHOA-OH-OH-OH-OH!!!

Then the black cable attached to the ship. The cable breaking causes a chain explosion, destroying the ship utterly. The explosion consumes Cockatrimon as well, blasting him to dust.

Down on the ground, the kids marvel at the giant cactus that saved their lives.

Mimi: It wasn't a mirage! Palmon: It's a real giant cactus!

Someone wasn't paying attention when Taichi pointed out the shadow.

Dub Mimi's weirdly invested in its size more than anything else.

Mimi: Wow! It's even bigger than a skyscraper! Palmon: You're right! What's a skyscraper, Mimi?

Sadly, the necessary timing to match lip flaps ruins Palmon's joke, as she needed to pause for a beat between her sentences. Good effort, though. B+

As if in response to their presence, a flower blooms on the very top of the cactus. It opens to reveal a colossal stone plate.

As with the others, the stone resonates with Mimi's Tag, forming into a Crest and sliding into its proper slot. Words cannot do justice to the overwhelming terror and dread on Mimi's face as her Crest manifests.

Sora: This is what Gennai meant when he said the Tag and Crest naturally light each other up. Mimi: (distraught) I didn't want this... Will I be able to raise Palmon properly? Palmon: Ah... Mi... Mimi....

Her question goes unanswered, and we end the episode with that uncertain and terrifying burden hanging in the air over everyone's shoulders.

The dub did not like this ending. They take an axe to the whole scene.

Sora: He was right! It's just like Gennai said! The Tags and Crests somehow work together, Mimi! Mimi: Huh? It's the Crest of Sincerity! I don't deserve it but if it'll help me take care of Palmon, I'll keep it! Palmon: Awww, thanks, Mimi!

What a happy ending with no nervousness or ambiguity whatsoever! Also, I like how "I didn't want this" became "I don't deserve this"; She would not fucking say that. You've characterized her as a self-important judgmental rich girl. Dub Mimi would absolutely think she deserves anything you can give her.

Also, before I forget: Spoilers, Mimi! We don't know about that yet!

Assessment: Cockatrimon is a delightful antagonist. Amazing punch-clock energy. He's a pitiful loser with an unbelievably game-breaking power. His job is strictly recreational but he just happened upon the kids by chance; With Etemon out-of-contact, now the local Denny's Manager is forced to try and step up and be the Warlord of Doom. And yet he's no less heinous for being pathetic.

Also, that makes two of Etemon's allies that the kids have stone-cold killed. Devimon gave them a taste for blood and now they're taking no prisoners. :P I jest, but this is the start of a recurring background plot detail regarding the 01 kids that will continue through this series and into 02.

I was really nervous because of that Mimi and Numemon scene at the start but thankfully the uncomfortable stuff ended there. Mimi managed to spend half the episode wearing a towel and didn't get harassed once!

This one's dub is complicated. They've gotten really good at figuring out the right jokes to slot in so that they add to a scene's tone rather than detracting. Etemon's musical number slays in the dub, too.

But also, there's a lot going on here and the dub doesn't convey much of it well. Both in terms of the larger plot and the smaller character beats, the dub of this episode feels much more confused, unfocused, and shallow than the original.

Also, the anti-Mimi bias is starting to show its face again; And they've been behaving themselves so much with her lately!

Episode 16 was a phenomenal dub, but while 17 is a mixed bag. It's really good when it's cracking jokes and riffing on the material, and really bad when it's trying to examine the plot and characters.

[naturallyadventured]

jaxbe

Learn to love yourself not despite but because of your imperfections. If crested cactus are loved because of their genetic defect you can be loved with back rolls and cellulite.

[sebring5]

IMG_3338 by Henry Via Flickr: Gila woodpecker