#dark s03e08

[ladyalatariel]

"Your son thinks he saw a pair of angels." ↬ DARK | S03E08 DAS PARADIES | Directed by Baran Bo Odar

[sunaddicted]

Thinking about some TV episodes that rewrote my brain chemistry (in no particular order):

"His Last Vow" BBC Sherlock, s03e03

"The Final Problem" BBC Sherlock, s04e03

"Mad Grey Dawn" Gotham, s02e15

"Anything For You" Gotham, s03e05

"The Gentle Art of Making Enemies" Gotham s03e14

"How the Riddler Got His Name" Gotham, s03e15

"Let Them Eat Pie" Gotham, s04e09

"Reunion" Gotham, s04e14

"If This Is a Lie" London Spy, s01e05

"Person to Person" Mad Men, s07e14

"Lyra And Her Death" His Dark Materials, s03e04

"The Bicameral Mind" Westworld, s01e01

"Decoherence" Westworld, s03e06

"Metanoia" Westworld, s04e07

"Whenever You're Ready" The Good Place, s04e13

"Wisdom of the Ages" The Boys, s04e04

"Smithereens" Black Mirror, s05e02

"Beginnings And Endings" Dark, s02e01

"The Paradise" Dark, s03e08

"The Key" 1899, s01e08

"Episode 9" The Young Pope, s01e09

"History Ends" The Man in the High Castle, s03e06

"Richard II" The Hollow Crown, s01e01

"Coquilles" Hannibal, s01e05

"Su-zakana" Hannibal, s02e08

"Mizumono" Hannibal, s02e13

"Primavera" Hannibal, s03e02

"The Number of the Beast Is 666" Hannibal, s03e12

"The Wrath of the Lamb" Hannibal, s03e13

"Dimmi La Verità" Suburra, s02e08

"Fratelli" Suburra, s03e05

"Risvegli" Suburra, s03e06

[dr-futbol-blog]

The Gift, Pt. 6

Between McKay and Sheppard leaving the meeting room together and when we find them walking together toward Weir's office, there is another scene with Teyla talking about her issues with Heightmeyer. The two of them sure seem to be bonding over the course of this episode. In this session, her 'gift' as a metaphor for being gay is once more highlighted:

Teyla: I know that it is not my fault. There is nothing I can do about it. The fact is, I am really no different now than I was yesterday or last week. Heightmeyer: But you feel different. Teyla: Yes. I think the thing that I am most worried about is how people will perceive me.

While Teyla and McKay have been paralleled in the episode, there are also differences. Where Teyla tells Heightmeyer what her father thought of this thing that makes her different and how he told everyone that she was special, McKay seems to have had a very different experience with his father. Back when he was recording his video message in Letters from Pegasus (S01E17), McKay talked about a time he kissed a girl and how he almost caught mono. But then he says that he missed almost a month of school. It's possible that he was conflating two memories, the first time he kissed a girl and a time he got caught kissing someone that was not April Bingham. Because the missing nearly a month of school seems to be unrelated to the almost getting mono from her.

McKay told Carter that his parents hated each other and took it out on him which heavily implies that there was physical abuse in his childhood. So if he did get caught kissing someone that was not April Bingham, that was not a girl at all, there may have been a darker reason for why he missed almost a month of school. And the way Sheppard reacted to Teyla mentioning that her nightmares had not been this bad since the passing of her father earlier, what with his own father still being alive on Earth, it is also possible that Sheppard's dark look means that he knows about this incident--given also the fact that we later find out (McKay and Mrs Miller, S03E08) that he has seen and even possesses a copy of McKay's video message.

So, McKay and Sheppard then walk into Weir's office and I find this scene probably the most interesting in the entire episode. It's... weird. The dialogue seems clunky, and there is most definitely something going on that is not spelled out to the audience. There is something that is clearly left up for the audience to interpret for themselves--and this is not the last time this happens on the show.

They walk in through her open door and she tells them to wait non-verbally by pointing up her finger while she continues reading something. This could actually be interpreted as a little rude but Weir, also, must be feeling exhausted by now. Sheppard seems to be leading the way (where McKay was leading the way when they left the previous meeting), McKay follows him with his hands in his pockets like he's feeling relaxed. Notice that Sheppard places himself behind the chair with his hands on the backrest so while he leans forward on it, he again made sure there was a barrier between himself and Weir. This is probably not a conscious decision and I'm not convinced even the actor was doing it on purpose half of the time. They are also standing real close, let's say because of Weir's tiny office.

When they first walk in Sheppard has his brow raised, seemingly amused by what McKay was saying, "Even with Major Sheppard in the chair we weren't able to--" (it might be he was at least anticipating some kind of an unintentional entendre from McKay, or was just reminiscing what ever they had been doing by/at/on the chair) but his look turns more serious as they both notice Weir acting strangely. Also, McKay is the one who mirrors Weir physically, lifting up his own finger sarcastically.

McKay: Alright. Even with Major Sheppard in the chair we weren't able to-- What? What is that? Weir: Yeah, something you said made me wonder. McKay: I thought we decided there were more important things than-- Weir: Why did the Wraith scientist stop the experiments?

Because Weir doesn't answer right away and McKay has no patience to wait, he rounds up behind her to take a look at her screen. Note that Weir had just interrupted McKay twice. And as soon as McKay leaves his side, Sheppard turns to watch him go. Like his body actually almost takes off to follow him but he then makes himself stay put. There are marines standing just outside of her office that can see into it, it would seem weird to be that attached at the hip to McKay even though he clearly wants to be near him. He looks like someone just took away his favourite toy when McKay leaves his side.

Now, they came in to tell her about their non-progress with the command chair. We are to think that the two of them are just on their way back from the control chair room where they had tried to initialize the chair using Sheppard in much the same way they tried with Beckett earlier, only getting Sheppard to actually sit down on it. It seems as though they were not able to make it work. However, we don't actually know that that's where they are coming from, or are coming directly from there. They left the previous meeting together, they arrive here together, we have no indication of how much time has passed between these two scenes (Teyla has another session with Heightmeyer between them but that gives us little indication on the passing of time). Also, presumably they tried using Sheppard after they failed with Dr. Kusanagi but this also is far from certain. He could be reporting their failure to initialize the chair using Sheppard from any number of occasions.

All we know is that McKay and Sheppard have spent time with each other between the two scenes. They may have done anything. They may have talked about any number of things. Frankly, they look like they were coming back from lunch. But note that neither is wearing their ear piece which at least means that they wanted some privacy or that when they were in each other's company, neither had any need for anyone else to be able to get in contact with them. The fact that we saw Teyla remove her ear piece to get some privacy or confidentiality in her meeting with Heightmeyer earlier just calls attention to this fact, as does the way Sheppard turns his face here to show us that he's not wearing one. One scene that we know for certain that is missing is Sheppard sitting in the chair and McKay taking readings. This we know for sure did happen at some point even though we didn't get to see it. But they leave space and opportunity for more.

The fact that Weir interrupts McKay twice is interesting. It seems as though she is trying to keep her thoughts together which is making her act in a way that McKay might normally act. Note also that McKay is, for the second time in short order, the one who points out that they have more important things they should be doing, which is Weir's responsibility. It's what Weir should be doing. But instead she insists on pursuing the wraith mystery. Exhausted, they have sort of taken on each other's personality traits. The dialogue then gets real odd:

McKay: What would I have said that would make you think that? Weir: I don't remember. McKay: Well, it's a good point. I'm just wondering what I said. What have you got? Weir: Well at first, I thought it was because the other wraith caught him. Sheppard: They didn't? Weir: No. According to this, he stopped on his own.

So, the strangeness starts with the fact that we are never really explained what Weir means. McKay asks her what he might have said that made her think that and we never get the answer to it. There is nothing that we hear McKay say previously in the episode that directly relates to that premise. The closest thing that we hear him saying on screen that might relate to what Weir is thinking about was "So you think this Wraith scientist was trying to make humans what, more tasty?" but it is a stretch to go from this to the question "Why did the scientist stop the experiments?" And it's strange that they drop this piece of dialogue on us and then never resolve it. Why even mention it at all? They could have done the entire exposition dump without a reference to "something" McKay said. It's jarring. But the dialogue then gets even stranger:

McKay: See, now you've got me wondering why the rest of the wraith didn't want these experiments taking place in the first place. Weir: Exactly. McKay: Especially since they were supposed to be intended to improve things for everyone. Weir: Yes, that's what I'm saying. McKay: I just said it. Sheppard: Will you stop?

This is the most important part. The face Sheppard pulls here makes all the difference. You could interpret this as Sheppard stepping in for Weir, to defend her from McKay's need to be argumentative for the sake of being argumentative, or what ever is going on here. The dialogue is weird, and we never get a real explanation for what is going on. McKay is tired, and it seems to make his communication with Weir more difficult than usual. Weir is likewise tired and not able to communicate as well as a diplomat like her should. They are both being needlessly contentious. There's no real disagreement, they both do find this interesting and important, but for some reason they are still at odds. Like, the two of them are basically saying the same thing. They are talking about the same thing. They are having the same thoughts but even in spite of all of this, they are having a difficulty communicating here.

And what McKay and Weir are doing here is the opposite of how we see McKay and Sheppard communicate, even here in this very same scene. When they are thinking the same thing, they don't even need to speak. They can tell what the other person is thinking just by looking at them. And here, McKay and Weir are thinking the same thing and even though they are using their words, it still seems very difficult for them to find common ground. Even when you know a person very well and you're thinking about the same thing, the communication between the couple and a couple of colleagues is going to be different. This scene is fucking beautiful.

And Sheppard. The way he says "Will you stop?" and then gives McKay this look of "We have talked about this, we have just talked about this, what did I just say?" Earlier, Sheppard talked with Teyla about her needlessly snapping at Weir and almost biting his head off just for caring about her. Based on the look Sheppard gives McKay, they have had the same conversation. He told Teyla: "But you yourself admit it, that you're a little off your game. You snapped at Doctor Weir this morning in the Briefing Room for no good reason. Now you're biting my head off for caring that you might need help in dealing with the fact that it's been three days since you've had any sleep." McKay has gone days without sleep, as by his own admission. McKay is snapping at Weir for no good reason, check. McKay is off his game, to be sure.

It follows that he has also tried to bite Sheppard's head off for caring which has lead him to have the same discussion with McKay as he had with Teyla. And the way he's looking at McKay here, he is reminding him of this. He is saying "Will you stop?" not because McKay just suddenly crossed some line here what with him and Weir both being unable to communicate with each other, or because his own patience is wearing thin listening to the two of them. He is saying it because McKay is continuing to do something that he has already said something about previously. His "Will you stop?" is picking up a conversation that the two of them have been having off screen where we have not been party to it. In fact, it really seems like while they are talking with Weir, McKay and Sheppard are having an entirely different conversation with each other, what with McKay looking at Sheppard every time he says something to Weir. And here, too, the meek look he gives Sheppard in response speaks volumes. They are having another private conversation while the dialogue plays out through the words spoken.

And notice that while McKay and Weir are both culprits here, he only says it to McKay. It's not because he cares about Weir by coming into her rescue as her white knight and is thus chiding McKay, let's not even. It's because he feels that it's his responsibility to protect McKay even from himself. It's not his place to say anything to Weir but it is his place to say something to McKay--even if it was just in the role of his team leader. But he's not acting as his team leader here, he's doing the thing a spouse would do. He's saying, I know you don't even want to be doing this and you'll feel bad about it later so can we just not. He's saying, even you know this isn't you so just give it a rest. He's saying, I know you're tired but this isn't helping us. He's saying, you don't have to do this, it's just us here.

It displays such familiarity between them that in only three words and one look they are having at least a dozen different conversations between them that have no beginning and have no end, "apprehending one another's thoughts and exchanging ideas with extraordinary swiftness and perspicuity, contrary to all the rules of logic, without the aid of premises, deductions, or conclusions, and in a quite singular way." And it works, too. For the rest of their meeting, McKay keeps from being needlessly combative and tries to be constructive instead. The look that he gives Sheppard clearly says "You're right." It says, "I'm sorry" (to Sheppard, not to Weir). It says, "Thank you for reminding me."

Following this, they have a very professional, very productive discussion about the wraith's psychic abilities and using Teyla to tap into it. McKay looks concerned when Sheppard says that he had noticed the wraith having this network, and he could be thinking back to any number of encounters they have had with the wraith. Sheppard himself is likely referring to what happened at the end of Rising (S01E02) when the wraith were awakening around him, and if he is making a reference to that and McKay knows about this (as he seems to know a lot about Sheppard), his worry is warranted.

Sheppard also has a notable reaction to the thought of the wraith wiping out an entire planet, something he had just recently witnessed with Teyla:

Sheppard further has a somewhat curious reaction to Weir's statement that it seems as though the wraith are unable to read the minds of humans. Something clearly goes through his mind and he very almost looks at McKay, his eyes are already going there, before he stops himself from doing that. Let us recall that in Before I Sleep (S01E16) Sheppard was unsettled by the notion that someone could just look at another's face and know what they are thinking--like both himself and McKay have been doing even in this very same scene.

After this scene, McKay vanishes from the episode. We are given no explanation for his absence. He is mentioned briefly by Weir when she and Heightmeyer are in Teyla's private quarters (none of the men are present, I suppose due to reasons of propriety). She says "And McKay, he does have some doubts about the range of this telepathy" referring to the wraith psychic network, also indicating that their discussion went on for a while that we again didn't get to witness. But other than that, we are left wondering why he is not a part of the happenings in the rest of the episode. Granted, he's not precisely needed and there are so many characters that are present during Teyla's attempts at connecting with the wraith that for narrative reasons, it probably was better to leave him out. But usually we are given some reason for his absence, like he's doing something else in the meanwhile.

The last we see him, he is looking at Sheppard while Sheppard is looking at Weir, the two of them clearly excited about this possibility of tapping into the network to gather intel about the wraith. McKay does not look as excited as they do, he looks more concerned. Now, the reason Sheppard is looking at Weir so intensely is because he very much wants to do this (as we shall see later), and he needs to make sure that Weir is on board with the idea. He will take any edge they can get and if this is it, they are doing this. He is making sure that this gets done. Sheppard is not looking at McKay because he's not the one he needs to convince, manipulate, cajole or what ever he needs to do, to make sure they do this. He's also not looking at McKay because that's a side of him that he would rather not show him and he's trying to shield McKay from it by not letting him get that read right off of his face (but again, it's not because he doesn't want to look, the scene ends with his face turning toward McKay even when he's keeping his eyes fixed on Weir). But McKay seems to sense that something had just changed in him. There's a new fire in him. He knows this man and this change has him concerned.

Now, while we have nothing to base it on, we can propose three reasons for why McKay is away for the rest of the episode. First is that he is simply busy, he is working on the control chair or some other project during this time. This is very likely. Second, he is sleeping. He has finally been able to get some sleep and the reason for this might be that Sheppard was finally able to wrestle him into bed. He certainly could have done with some sleep. This is possible. And third, Sheppard felt that it was better that he not take part in this due to the potential danger in attempting something that has never been done with regards to the wraith. The reason for this could simply be strategic--if one is attempting to psychically connect with the wraith, having the person with the most intricate, most detailed knowledge of their defenses present might be a liability. They don't know how this psychic network works, and McKay and everything he knows about Atlantis is the last thing they should make available to be psychically scavenged by the wraith.

McKay is much too important to the city (as pointed out by Zelenka in the following episode) to risk him needlessly even if Weir claimed that the wraith would be unable to read the minds of humans. And this is true regardless of how you interpret McKay and Sheppard's personal relationship. But given how protective we have seen Sheppard be over McKay, trying to protect him from all things and everyone including himself, it would make sense for Sheppard to not allow him to take part in this experiment. John Sheppard is known for taking chances with his own life but he is not taking chances with McKay's life, and this is something we see again and again. This is something that culminates at the end of this season. And the way Sheppard was looking at Weir, he seems fully ready to step out of the path of angels if it should be needed here. And he wants to protect McKay from that, too.

Continued in Pt. 7

[babischlong-six]

Questions a fic writer would love to be asked:

1 - What fic of yours would you recommend to someone who had never read any of your work? (In other words, what do you think is the best introduction to your fics?)

15 - What’s your favorite AU that you’ve written?

16 - What’s an AU you would love to read (or have read and loved)?

34 - What aspects of your writing are inspired by/taken from your real life?

39 - Is any aspect of your writing process inspired by other writers or people? If so, who?

46 - Do you prefer writing on your phone or on a computer (or something else)? Do you think where you write affects the way you write?

Have fun!

1. I'm going to have to say Breaking Dawn. It's a story expanding on the Star Trek: Enterprise episode s03e08: Twilight – the bad-end alternative universe where the Xindi destroy Earth, and the few Humans left are in hiding, depending on their alien allies, and Archer has amnesia. Of course, I threw Shran and the Andorians into the mix and came up with a doomed relationship, dark future, and a skewed tally of debts. All you need to know about my writing is this: I love angst, intrigue, and interspecies romance.

15. I'm more of an "Alternate Universe – Canon Divergence" kinda writer, personally – I don't think I've written a "Coffee Shop AU" type of thing since 2014 or something. That being said, I like to think I improved an episode (s04e03: Home) of Star Trek: Enterprise by switching out one character (Capt. Hernandez) for another (Shran): The Means, and the End. Part 2 of Thermodynamics, a Shran/Archer story.

16. I always like a good future-fic kind of AU – the far future, where distant generations look back on our beloved characters through the lens of history, or as outsider POV-type in-universe analysis of events and characters. Two fics I really love that exemplify this for me are: Publish or Perish (Babylon 5, G'Kar/Londo) and Written by the Victors (Stargate Atlantis, Sheppard/McKay)

34. I try to avoid real life in my writing, to be completely honest. If anything at all is "real-life" in my stories, it's that I write characters who are very different from one another still managing to find connections and form bonds with one another. I guess it's just something that speaks to me as a kid of immigrants, growing up in a mixed-race, mixed-culture household in yet another culture on the outside. Hence all the alien romance 🤣

39. My writing is probably inspired by an unholy amalgamation of all the things that I've read and enjoyed. Mercedes Lackey, Tolkien, LeGuin, Agatha Christie, James Patterson, Piers Anthony, Alan Dean Foster, and many, many more. Not to say I'm anywhere near any of their level – just that I enjoy witty prose, lots of dialogue, pulpy action, and depth and subtlety of emotion – and try to work those things into my little stories. Not to mention the huge amount of fanfiction I've read, which would definitely have had an impact. The fact that I tend to default to the present tense when I write is probably because of all the screenplays I've read and written over the years.

46. You know, now that my laptop is broken and I'm writing on my phone I can tell you the difference for me: writing flows easily on my phone, but editing is SO MUCH easier on a computer.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, November 29th

BUFFY: Warren, this is important. Is she dangerous? WARREN: She's only programmed to be in love. BUFFY: Then she's dangerous.

~~I Was Made To Love You~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Sex on the Beach by DancingAngel0013 (Buffy/Faith, E)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Dawn Rising, Chapter 72 by Luna_delCielo (Ensemble, Tolkien crossover, T)

The Night We Met, Chapter 5 by TheSadPoet (Spike/OC, M)

A New Kind Of Hermione, Chapter 14 by Crazybubbles1693 (Xander, Harry Potter crossover, not rated)

Supply Issues, Chapter 7 by wickedrum (Buffy/Spike, T)

Something Red, Chapter 4 by Little_Bites (Faith, Ensemble, not rated)

Painting Flowers, Chapter 9 by crowncitydreams (Buffy/Angel, T)

Welcome to Hellmouthland, Chapter 3 by MalkMcJorma (Faith/Tara, Dawn/Connor, M)

On the Run, Chapter 4 by zinjadu (Buffy/Spike, T)

Miss Summers Goes to Washington, Chapter 4 by storiwr (Buffy/Faith, M)

The Dark Mage, Chapter 1 by Sdhuskerfan (Giles/Ethan, E)

Taquitos Under the Mistletoe, Chapter 1 by QuillBard (Buffy/Faith, M)

Fade, Chapters 1-2 by FriedaBerlinFan (Scoobies, M)

Love Is the Ultimate L Word, Chapter 1 by RavenclawSlayer (Buffy, The L Word crossover, T)

Something Lost Something Found, Chapter 17 by Safire (Buffy/Spike, R)

Lucidity, Chapter 8 by Soulburnt (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Open Your Heart & Close Your Eyes, Chapter 2 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Stories of True Love in Capeside, Chapter 1 by CheekyKitten (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Dungeon Designs and House Keeping, Chapter 42 by MistofRainbows (Tara, Xander, FR18)

The Wild Card Chronicles, Chapter 12 by Miltiwriter (Xander, Teen Titans crossover, FR18)

Shadowed Ambitions, Chapter 4 by Miltiwriter (Xander, Teen Titans crossover, FR18)

What Happens at Willow Creek, Chapter 5 by Alyot (Buffy/Spike, R)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Collage: Fight Fire With Fire by thedecadentraven (Buffy, worksafe)

Collage: Meet Me in the Graveyard by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Vidlet: [Buffy Summers] by saviorinred

Vidlet: Buffy and Angel || you had to kill me.. by saviorinred

Vidlet: Wes & Gunn - Angel // Don't Worry - Madcon by billygrayson460

Vidlet: [Spike & Astarion] by Jaxxo

Vidlet: [Buffy Chosen speech] by Jaxxo

Vidlet: Tara x Willow | Buffy x Angel | Señorita by Tara's_Willowverse

Fanvid: Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Stand By You by Sheebz D

Video: Editing random scenes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Part six by Tara's_Willowverse

Video: Buffy the vampire slayer unofficial season 1 trailer by Willowstolemyshoes

Song: Angel Grow A Pair - From Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Praise Be Vinyl

[Reviews & Recaps]

Video: Empty Places-Slayer Sunday by Jane Talks Buffy

Video: Buffy S03E08 "Lovers Walk" Spoiler Review by LGRN - Entertainment

Podcast: Episode 144 - Chosen by Boys Watching Buffy

Podcast: Bonus Episode - Season 7 Recap by Boys Watching Buffy

Podcast: Bonus Episode - Q&A Part 1 by Boys Watching Buffy

Podcast: The Slay Lounge Podcast Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 1, Episode 2 by PirateCorps Entertainment

Podcast: Bonus Episode - Series Recap by Boys Watching Buffy

Podcast: Episode 51 - Attack of the Purple Ninja! (Enemies) Audio Only by The Sunnydale Diaries - A Buffy Podcast

[Fandom Discussions]

[season 6 of btvs thoughts] by imissthembutitwasntadisaster and magpie-trove

season 6, mutual use is not sustainable by francesderwent and magpie-trove

The worldview on this show by magpie-trove

cmonnnn at xander in the s2 angelus arc trying to claim some sort of high ground by thatsparrow

one of the reasons I like Spuffy better than Bangel has to do with the character’s attitudes towards fighting by thequeenofsastiel

I don’t like understand how everyone thinks the bathroom scene with Buffy and Spike was “out of character for him” by cookiemmilk

[Anya's dress in Selfless] by reusedtvseriescostumes

btVS s2 first watch continued by Vampiricspikes

Would you watch an abridged version of Angel? by grandpheonix13

An “especially” great episode [Are You Now or Have You Ever Been] by No-Iron5889

Beauty and The Beasts - Angel by Brave_Specific5870

What are some fun Buffy trivia factoids you know? by Vivid_Guide7467

Kennedy was way to obsessed with Willows magic by Sweaty_Affect9363

Mr. Trick by DapperDunedain

Innocent victim of the day [Buffy's house] by timmorris82

Who is a better fighter spike or angel? by Sweaty_Affect9363

Something I’ve always wondered about Willow… by Seed0fDiscord

Unpopular Opinion: I don’t like Angel Season 5 by Brief-Tie3841

The intelligence of Buffy writing by buffylover98

Do we have any idea about Sunnydale’s population? by Yellowlegoman_00

Jenny’s reference in 5x18! by GiukyChan02

I took a class all about Buffy in college by lalajelly1

Wesley Wyndham-Pryce Once Rudely Said by Past-Throat-6788

The older I get the more I’m like Giles😂 by Dirtysecret158

Who else remembers the picture of Angel Spike drew? 😂😂😂😂 by Dirtysecret158

I don’t hate xander by Sweaty_Affect9363

Name something a character or writer in the Buffyverse did that backfired almost immediately by PristineSituation498

What’s your favorite bit of improv/unscripted moment in the show? by InternetAddict104

Season 7 by Fuzzy-Reference1061

Observation while watching Passion by dragonsrawesomesauce

Angel's accent by Cjger503

Willow was absolutely ruined by Buffy's "reveal" (Once More With Feeling) by 20127010603170562316

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[woodsfae]

B5 s03e08 Messages From Earth table of contents • previous episode

We open on some morning military grousing, and a secret note and delivery from a chef! And it's real bacon and eggs from Marcus, because she helped him get an id card. And she said "Surprise me!" That's cute. What a rascal, casually able to arrange for highly perishable foods to be shipped out to B5 before they spoil. I wonder if he just liberated some senator or ambassador's expensive export shipment. Faked it spoiling or something.

And switch to Marcus, who is involved with shenanigans! Er, an actual fight through some narrow rooms and corridors! Hope he doesn't suddenly have a corpse on his hands. Disposing of a body on a space station isn't the easiest thing in the world.

Maybe we'll get G'Kar and Delenn back this episode? I would also like to see Na'Toth, if she hasn't died and I missed it, like I missed Ko'Dath's!

Last episode a Ranger or some sort of intelligence contact told Marcus things were up on earth and any Rangers in the area should move away from Earth for awhile, and now in this episode, there's speculation about President Clark having been involved with the deceased president's assassination.

Love seeing G'Kar! Boo prison. And good for Garibaldi for visiting him. I hope Garibaldi has been actually learning Narn. And he says he's trying although he wishes there was a translation! G'Kar says the Book of G'Quan cannot be translated and must be read in its mother tongue. Good for Garibaldi. He's been earning a lot of Conditional Brownie Points lately for good behavior. I appreciate the check-in with G'Kar. Hopefully he's making lots of progress in his telepathy while he's in the slammer.

G'Kar is using his prison sentence to meditate and write a book. Very productive! I bet the book will be a banger. Or perhaps is actually secret intelligence he's gathering with his new telepathy! Also, what a drama llama, fading back into the shadows when Garibaldi asks to read it. "When it is done…" *fades into shadow* I don't think it was meant to indicate a leaning towards The Shadows, though.

Garibaldi got a message about a package. The same one Marcus was expecting "in a week" last episode, perchance?

The package is, as I suspected, a person. Dr Mary Kirkish. She's on several hit lists. And I think Sinclair sent her? What a funny pan down the table at really awkward angles for every single one of their faces. The assembly of senior Rangers (?) plus Dr Kirkish the archaeologist.

Her team discovered an artifact at least a thousand years old buried on Mars. A Shadows' ship, in fact! And Earthdome says they've never seen ships like the one Sheridan released hyperspace footage of. Dr Kirkish says they must be lying, because she personally discovered one. Almost everyone who knew about the ship on Mars is dead or missing! The Shadows must have been building strength all over the galaxy for a long time. Someone touched the ship and he died instantly. Earthdome came and went, then a Shadows ship came and dug up the buried one. More confirmation that being in the physical presence of the Shadows feels wrongbad on an instinctual level, and triggers fear and loathing whether seen, heard, or in close physical proximity. It seems like even recordings of the shadows has that effect to some extent. I wonder how they shield their allies from it. Morden didn't seem to be badly effected by a fear/loathing aura when there were some in his holding cell with him.

Delenn is taking Dr Kirkish under her protection, it seems. Lennier swoops her away to safety. The Minbari probably do have better security than the humans can manage. So far it seems like they're probably less likely to work with the Shadows than humankind, too. Since they have historical and religious teachings of mortal enmity about the Shadows.

Zack Allen gets even more opportunities to be a collaborating bootlicker on screen! Joy.

Delenn going to John Sheridan quietly, alone, in the dark, asking if he's sure he wants to go through with something. With…?? I kinda wonder if they'll randomly get married like this, with very little on-screen buildup.

I must have missed some information earlier, because I didn't know Earthdome had any access to the crashed, 1,000 year old Shadow ship. But Sheridan and Delenn want to go through Earth's defense grid, go to the Shadow ship while evading all of Earth's defenses, and destroy the Shadow ship before President Clark can get his corrupt and fascist hands on it.

Dang, what an escalation! Acting directly against Earth, while trying to hide it! Dr Franklin will fake Sheridan, Delenn, and Lennier's deaths if they fail! Or they also might die! Damn. High stakes. I love how this show has huge leaps of plot when I'm least expecting it.

Delenn and John are being cute on the bridge of the White Star, as they should be.

Some Earthforce fascist is telling the Night Watch that Earth Dome is going to start making arrests of disloyal people within two months. He's demanding the Night's Watch start higher and more invasive levels of investigations into and volume of reporting people. Here's Zack Allen's latest moral checkpoint to fail! And they want to know if any of their informants know where the captain is! So they've already sussed him being perhaps away? Or they dislike that he frequently keeps his whereabouts confidential?

It's pretty cute that Sheridan is an argumentative person, until faced with Lennier's gentle logic. Lennier is right, Sheridan should get some rest. But I also don't know how the Minbari sleep SO vertically. There's comfortable slant, and then there's a whole forty-five degree angle!!

Cute little bedtime confidences being shared here! On smaller than twin-sized 45 degree angled meditation tables. Sheridan's adorable story of his dad standing outside in the wee hours of the morning spraying the hose on the roof so John could get some rest the night before a big test still seems more comfortable and sleepier than these Minbari beds.

Hah! He's so blown away by the idea that you can ask a smart speaker to play rain sounds. But also, what an intimate little hand hold across the void between their uncomfortable tables. Delenn is gonna love human beds once she adapts to the cultural difference. Or at least I hope she does! Get a comfy night's sleep, girl.

John has been sharing personal tidbits with Delenn, but she tends to share about herself but describing what Minbari in general do. I have my fingers crossed for her opening up about her past to some degree. She is open, and does share what she currently feels with those she trusts, but she really does not talk about her past at all. iirc, at this point we've only seen her past in flashbacks, and not through her own words at all.

This is a highly productive fight Susan and Marcus are having. Let's honestly say our feelings at each other at a relatively high volume, but not really shout!

Dang, that Shadows ship is not fucking around. It absorbed an EarthDome person, went insane, and started destroying everything around it. Is there another isolated jump gate they can destroy it with?

The bootleg videos of this are gonna spark so many conspiracy theories, lol.

Lennier's getting sassy in the face of near-certain death by Jupiter-crumpling! But Sheridan has a stressful MO of only winning unwinnable fights by barely surviving an overwhelmingly destructive force.

They're being accosted by Sheridan's old ship, the Agamemnon! Is the White Star large enough to carry its own jumpgate? Lol, I'm perfectly in time with the plot being revealed. They're gonna try to escape with only a little explosion caused by them activating the jump engine. Is the Agamemnon going to follow them through somehow? Seems…not?

I like that Delenn and John are both suggesting batshit insane and unhingedly dangerous plans now. And that they support each other in this highly risky behavior! I wanna see what they goad each other to do. They really seem to bring out "limits? What the fuck is that?" sort of attitudes in each other.

Zack Allen's wobbly moral backbone continues to be bendy as fuck. And the Night's Watch leaders really want to know why Sheridan's quarters haven't been accessed in four days. He and Delenn should just claim he was at her place if it ever comes up.

Zack Allen just kinda sorta took a moral stand! He refused to snoop on Sheridan, and got quite a scolding for it. It's so pathetic I can't even say well done Mr Allen. It's the most he's done, and it's so piddling. You gotta start somewhere, though. Choose to be better, then keep choosing. I'll applaud him if he keeps choosing to be better instead of diving headfirst down the fascism slide.

Of course Earth is using the Shadows ship getting away from them and the White Star's incursion as an excuse for more fascism. They would use absolutely anything that happened as an excuse. I really hope there's a ton of videos of the EarthDome and Shadows events and the destruction afterwards floating around on the 24th century thepiratebay equivalent.

Dang! A lot happened this episode! It was really a huge escalation for them to take the White Star up against Earth Dome directly. So far they've had huge successes when going out in the White Star to do stuff, and I wonder if that means they're going to start taking some losses and failing at some of their missions. Things have been going a little too well for them lately. And that concerns me!

next!

[adultswim2021]

Moral Orel #38: “Passing” | November 7, 2008 - 12:15AM | S03E08

The second of two consecutive backstory episodes, this one has a similar structure to the previous premiere Help. This one briefly rehashes the “Ol’ Gunny” scene from Nature (part one), so it can pause to throw to the flashback, which makes up the vast majority of the episode. And like “Help,” the flashback gives us new meaning to a scene we’ve already watched. The aforementioned scene has Clay about to bestow Orel with Ol’ Gunny, a pistol he says has been passed down to each new generation of Puppington patriarch. 

The episode focuses on Clay’s childhood. At 12 years old he’s a very obnoxious and coddled child who, like Orel, is deeply religious and believes in the “lost” commandments. Clay’s father, Orel’s grandfather, tries to get Clay to man up and hold Ol’ Gunny for the first time. Clay refuses and cites various lost commandments to get out of this rite-of-passage. His mother is aghast to find out her “precious only ever” was subjected to such horrors, and scolds papa Puppington (whose name is Arthur. I’m just gonna call him that from now on, okay). 

Arthur just seems like he’s trying instill some kind of adult reality into little Clay, who prefers his doting mother to him. Arthur is relegated to second fiddle to Clay, who seems to be the one who wears the pants in the Puppington household. Arthur's dinner, for example, is Clay’s leftovers, which he eats in the study while wistfully looking at pictures of he and his wife before they had Clay.

Meanwhile, Clay and his mom spend time looking at a photo album. Clay, for the first time ever, is curious about the pages that come before his birth and browbeats his mother into letting him see them. There he finds multiple photos of his mother, pregnant, which she confesses were miscarried pregnancies. That means Clay technically wasn’t really her only child, even though those other children were never actually born.

We also establish two other important things: his mother has a weak heart and can’t get too excited. Also, she has an aversion to talking about death, and bans the word from her house to the degree that she scolds Arthur for inadvertently using it when he separates the syllables of the word “loaded”.

Clay acts out after finding out that his mommy behaved selfishly enough to attempt to have other children that weren’t him. He pulls a reckless prank by shooting off Arthur’s gun and using his ketchup (hilariously named “It’s just ketchup”) to make it look like he’s lying in a pool of his own blood, dead. His father, using reason and logic to determine the prank, cajoles the boy out of the possum act. His mother believes Clay's recovery to be a miracle. She's so overjoyed that her heart gives out and she collapses in religious fervor and dies.

Clay and Arthur’s relationship becomes strained after that, with Arthur resenting Clay for taking his wife away from him. Arthur starts craving attention from his father, who won’t even hit him for not being “worth it”. Clay steps up his spiteful behavior and succeeds in getting backhanded by his father, which he accepts as proof that he is, indeed “worth it”. Each time he gets smacked he smiles to himself, as though he's being loved. The flashback ends with Arthur telling his son that Ol’ Gunny is tainted with his mother’s blood, and that there will be no traditional coming-of-age hunting trip with the two of them, a time-honored tradition that he now declares to be dead.

Clay takes in Ol’ Gunny, and keeps it, twisting his father's gesture into something else. When we cut back to the present, Clay yanks Ol’ Gunny out of Orel’s hands, and gives him a different one, disappointing Orel.

I do think this one succeeds in being both darker and funnier than the previous episode. The scene where Clay’s mother describes her various miscarriages and how Clay came to be is a perfect distillation of how dark and how funny this one is. 

In addition to shedding light on the scene from Nature, this one also sheds light on the previous episode, when Clay tells Bloberta that his parents are dead. This turns out to be not entirely true; Clay’s father is still alive when he says this. He also says that they're deaths "wasn't exactly a bloodbath" (or something similar). That's also correct; it's just ketchup.

There were in fact meant to be episodes this season in which Arthur comes to live with Clay and stays with Orel in his bedroom. Reportedly, he was going to pass away while staying with Orel, and Orel was meant to dabble in becoming goth. I recall Dino describing Orel’s goth phase as being cute. Beforel Orel, the post-series special, deals with Orel meeting Arthur.

Arthur is a great character and is one of Moralton’s few atheists. When his wife is being wheeled out of the house, he grimly tells his son there’s no heaven. Clay brattily tells his father that he’ll go to hell for saying there’s no heaven. lol

44 NIGHTS OF OREL

The 44 Nights of Orel was fairly top-heavy with premieres. So, we only get one episode that aired before this one: Maturity. This was the first episode to explicitly portray Clay as a troubled soul.

[timelesstimesgoneby]

Episode Season 1 Disc 1 S01e01 Fear in a Desert City 1960 S01e02 The Witch 1960 S01e03 The Other Side of the Mountain 1960 Disc 2 S01e04 Never Wave Goodbye (1) 1960 S01e05 Never Wave Goodbye (2) 1960 S01e06 Decision in the Ring 1960 S01e07 Smoke Screen 1960 Disc 3 S01e08 See Hollywood and Die 1960 S01e09 Ticket to Alaska 1960 S01e10 Fatso 1960 S01e11 Nightmare at Northoak 1960 Disc 4 S01e12 Glass Tightrope 1960 S01e13 Terror at High Point 1960 S01e14 The Girl from Little Egypt 1960 S01e15 Home Is the Hunted 1960 Disc 1 S01e16 The Garden House 1960 S01e17 Come Watch Me Die 1960 S01e18 Where the Action Is 1960 S01e19 Search in a Windy City 1960 Disc 2 S01e20 Bloodline 1960 S01e21 Rat in a Corner 1960 S01e22 Angels Travel on Lonely Roads (1) 1960 S01e23 Angels Travel on Lonely Roads (2) 1960 Disc 3 S01e24 Flight from the Final Demon 1960 S01e25 Taps for a Dead War 1960 S01e26 Somebody to Remember 1960 S01e27 Never Stop Running 1960 Disc 4 S01e28 The Homecoming 1960 S01e29 Storm Center 1960 S01e30 The End Game 1960 Season 2 Disc 1 S02e01 "Man in a Chariot" 1960 S02e02 "World's End" 1960 S02e03 "Man on a String" 1960 S02e04 "When the Bough Breaks" 1960 Disc 2 S02e05 "Nemesis" 1960 S02e06 "Tiger Left, Tiger Right" 1960 S02e07 "Tug of War" 1960 S02e08 "Dark Corner" 1960 Disc 3 S02e09 "Escape into Black" 1960 S02e10 "The Cage" 1960 S02e11 "Cry Uncle" 1960 S02e12 "Detour on a Road Going Nowhere" 1960 Disc 4 S02e13 "The Iron Maiden" 1960 S02e14 "Devil's Carnival" 1960 S02e15 "Ballad for a Ghost" 1960 Disc 1 S02e16 "Brass Ring" 1960 S02e17 "The End Is But the Beginning" 1960 S02e18 "Nicest Fella You'd Ever Want to Meet" 1960 S02e19 "Fun and Games and Party Favors" 1960 Disc 2 S02e20 "Scapegoat" 1960 S02e21 "Corner of" 1960 S02e22 "Moon Child" 1960 S02e23 "The Survivors" 1960 Disc 3 S02e24 "Everybody Gets Hit in the Mouth Sometime" 1960 S02e25 "May God Have Mercy" 1960 S02e26 "Masquerade" 1960 S02e27 "Runner in the Dark" 1960 Disc 4 S02e28 "A.P.B." 1960 S02e29 "The Old Man Picked a Lemon" 1960 S02e30 "Last Second of a Big Dream" 1960 Season 3 Disc 1 S03e01 "Wings of an Angel" S03e02 "Middle of a Heat Wave" S03e03 "Crack in a Crystal Ball" S03e04 "Trial by Fire" Disc 2 S03e05 "Conspiracy of Silence" S03e06 "Three Cheers for Little Boy Blue" S03e07 "All the Scared Rabbits" S03e08 "An Apple a Day" Disc 3 S03e09 "Landscape with Running Figures" part 1 S03e09 "Landscape with Running Figures" part 2 S03e10 "Set Fire to a Straw Man" S03e11 "Stranger in the Mirror" Disc 4 S03e12 "The Good Guys and the Bad Guys" S03e13 "End of the Line" S03e14 "When the Wind Blows" Disc 1 S03e15 "Not with a Whimper" S03e16 "Wife Killer" S03e17 "This'll Kill You" S03e18 "Echo of a Nightmare" Disc 2 S03e19 "Stroke of Genius" S03e20 "Shadow of the Swan" S03e21 "Running Scared" S03e22 "The Chinese Sunset" Disc 3 S03e23 "Ill Wind" S03e24 "With Strings Attached" S03e25 "The White Knight" S03e26 "The 2130" Disc 4 S03e27 "A Taste of Tomorrow" S03e28 "In a Plain Paper Wrapper" S03e29 "Coralee" Season 4 Disc 1 S04e01 "The Last Oasis" S04e02 "Death is the Door Prize" S04e03 "A Clean and Quiet Town" S04e04 "The Sharp Edge of Chivalry" Disc 2 S04e05 "Ten Thousand Pieces of Silver" S04e06 "Joshua's Kingdom" S04e07 "Second Sight" S04e08 "Wine Is a Traitor" Disc 3 S04e09 "Approach with Care" S04e10 "Nobody Loses All the Time" S04e11 "Right in the Middle of the Season" S04e12 "The Devil's Disciples" Disc 4 S04e13 "The Blessings of Liberty" S04e14 "The Evil Men Do" S04e15 "Run the Man Down" Disc 1 S04e16 "The Other Side of the Coin" S04e17 "The One That Got Away" S04e18 "Concrete Evidence" S04e19 "The Breaking of the Habit" Disc 2 S04e20 "There Goes the Ball Game" S04e21 "The Ivy Maze" S04e22 "Goodbye My Love" S04e23 "Passage to Helena" Disc 3 S04e24 "The Savage Street" S04e25 "Death of a Very Small Killer" S04e26 "Dossier on a Diplomat" S04e27 "The Walls of Night" Disc 4 S04e28 "The Shattered Silence" S04e29 "The Judgment" part 1 S04e29 "The Judgment" part 2

[tv-moments]

Dark

Season 3, “Paradise“

Director: Baran bo Odar

DoP: Nikolaus Summerer

[sweetbuckybarnes]

Hospital Trips

Pairings: Captain Killian Jones + Emma Swan

Summary: Emma slips whilst in the shower calls Killian in a 'damsel in distress' moment, and she has to go to the hospital.

Killian was sketching out the bay of Storybrooke when his telephone device started ringing, and with a smile on his face - he saw the face of Emma, Henry had taken a picture of his Swan one night at Granny's.

"Swan! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Killian said, bringing the phone to his ear, he felt like his face would split from the smile on his face.

"I need you to go find my dad, I slipped in the bath, I think I need to go to the hospital," Emma said into the phone, and that's when Killian heard the shower still running and the occasional slip of her foot against the tub.

Killian got up from the table/desk and started scrambling around for his jacket. "I. I'll be there as quickly as possible, love," Killian promises as he makes his way out of his room at Granny's and quickly stop at the station to get David. 

Killian barged into the Sherriff's station and saw David sitting behind the deputy's desk (on any given day, Killian would have laughed to himself that David is the deputy to his own daughter), but his worry for Emma short-circuited his brain.

"Emma called, she's slipped and we need to get her to the hospital," Killian says, rather quickly pulling David from his paperwork, and up to look at Killian.

David scooped up his car keys, the pair ran out of the door and made their way towards the loft. 

Killian and David arrived at the loft, they heard the running walker from the bathroom - and Killian made his way over. "Swan?" He called, and a shout back allowed him in.

He saw the woman he'd fallen rather hard and fast, laying in the bathtub, with a fluffy bath towel wrapped around her.

"Hey," she gave him a smile, and Killian offered his hand and hook - knowing she's got more of a chance of getting out of the tub with both of his arms rather than one.

"I think I've dislocated my shoulder," Emma said, Killian had taken one look at it - and knew that she had, he had seen many different dislocated bones during his time in the navy and his pirating days. 

Killian had helped Emma into a flowy blouse (that he'd swiped on the way out of his room, one that was from his aforementioned pirating days) and something called 'yoga pants', that David handed to him, when Emma was propped up against him and was handed the pants.

Killian lifted Emma up off her feet and carried her out of the bathroom and down to the car with David trailing after him. 

David and Killian went up to the counter and got a form to fill out. "From what the nurse said, you'll be seen after Leroy who claims to be having a heart attack, but appears well enough to be playing Doodle Jump on his phone..." David tilts his head, thinking for a second and then shook it, looking back to the form.

"Describe illness or injury," Killian said, as David began filling out some of the information on the form - however, he didn't know the majority of Emma's life (there were still gaps in between stories).

"I dislocated my shoulder," Emma said, as Killian rested his arm around her, rubbing her side.

"And how did the accident occur?" David said after he finished writing down what he knew.

Emma looked over at her father. "You already know that," she says, tilting her head back and looking at the ceiling.

"Cause of accident: Slipped in the tub," David said, making Emma roll her eyes.

Killian noticed that David had missed out some of Emma's medical history. "Okay, medical history," Killian said, Emma chose not to say anything that her father didn't put down some of her medical history...

"Dia- Diabetes? What the bloody hell is that?!" Killian says, looking at the form that David held.

"It's to do with the insulin in your body, and no," Emma explains.

"Kidney disease?" Killian raised an eyebrow to look down at Emma.

"No," Emma said, and she knew that she would have to explain some of these to Killian later.

"Migraines?" Killian asked, having heard that weird before, he'd been around Emma when she'd had a migraine before (Milah had some with the sun shining on the ocean, bouncing back into her eyes).

"Getting one," Emma complained, resting her head on Killian's shoulder.

Killian's eyes widen when he saw the next question. "Are you pregnant?" He asked, looking down at Emma, he knows they've done... things... And she had promised that with 'modern medicine' that she wouldn't get pregnant (at some point, he hopes that she will have a child with him, he's holding out hope).

"No," Emma shut down quickly, rolling her eyes (maybe one day she would have a baby with Killian, but not right now).

David looked over at his daughter and looked at her face. "Are you sure? You look a bit puffy," David commented, remembering how Snow looked when she was pregnant with the woman who was sat in the chair next to the pirate with a dislocated shoulder.

Killian knew from the moment that what David had just said, he wouldn't be a man alive - and considering the withering glare that Emma gave her father, she really wasn't happy. "Change migraine to yes," she stated looking away from her father.

Killian knew that he was in trouble with what he was about to ask the woman he is seeing and is absolutely crazy about. "When was your last menstrual period?" He said, Emma's eyes widened and she silently gasped.

"Oh. Next question!" She exclaimed, rolling her eyes, and looked away from her father.

"I'll put 'In Progress'," David said, making Emma fling her head to give him the look at him, and Killian brought his arm around Emma and calmed her down. "Okay, moving on to psychiatric disorders. List all major behavioural diagnosis, e.g. depression, anxiety, etc." David said, making Emma roll her eyes once again, and look at her father.

"Oh my God, what the hell does this have to do with my stupid shoulder?!" She exclaimed, resting her head on Killian's shoulder, as he gently massaged her shoulder.

"Episodes of sub-psychotic rage," David commented, making Emma sigh extremely heavily.

She looked at her father and then looked straight ahead. "Ass," she's 30-years-old, despite the fact that this is her father - she really didn't like people calling things out on her that wasn't true.

"Possible Tourette's," David wrote down. 

Dr Whale and simply took Emma's hand and popped her shoulder back into its socket - then bandaged it up and sent the three on their way.

The three arrived back in the loft, Henry got up from his place on the chair, ran over to his mother, being careful of her arm and hugged his birth mother.

"I'm ok, kid, Dr Whale just popped it back in, I'll be fine," Emma said, running her fingers through her son's hair - smiling as he looked up at her with a happy smile on his face.

"I'm happy you're ok, mom," Henry said into her other shoulder and she rocks him back and forth - as she pressed a kiss to his head.

[beguuu]

Words can't fathom my love for Dark, the best part about it being that you know how and when the characters die and yet the fact that each of their lives give meaning to someone else's is beyond beautiful going against the fact that death isn't the only that gives meaning to our lives.

[redwheelbaerrow]

[not-so-mundane-after-all]

HIS DARK MATERIALS S03E08 'THE BOTANIC GARDEN'

[malecloveforever]

Shadowhunters

S03E08

A Heart of Darkness

[mistylacrimosa]

Uh How about a nice round of monopoly? No?...Little face painting maybe..?

I didn't think so.

[spencers-renaissance]

Fic Rec Bingo!!

So instead of Fic Rec Thursday, I thought I'd do something a little different this week and recommend 25 fics based on this bingo card (although it turned into 26, oops). I kept most of these as CM because that's my blog's focus, but due to the nature of the prompts, there are 5 Marvel (Irondad) ones & 1 Sherlock towards the end!

from @lightveils on twitter, but found posted on tumblr by @cywscross <3

1. A fic with a premise that shouldn't work but does

I never would've thought I'd enjoy a fic with Spencer as a little rebellious shit because it seems so ooc, but I loved this one!

las vegas kid by trashcanbarbie - 1.9k, 1ch, Gen/Aaron Hotchner & Spencer Reid, Gambling, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Young Spencer Reid, Teenage Rebellion, Protective Aaron hotchner, Pre-Canon, Father-Son Relationship, Teenage Spencer Reid

JJ raises her eyebrows, “so, you're trying to say counting cards isn't cheating?” “No,” he grins, boyish and charming, “it is.”

2. A fic you've reread several times

Discipline Changes by fullofcrazyness - 1.2k, 1ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Past Child Abuse, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Comforting Hotch

Jack stopped and looked at his dad, finally seeing that his dad wasn’t actually angry. Concerned and relieved, but not angry. He was about to say something when he saw someone in the doorway, white as a sheet. “Papa?”

3. A comfort fic

i'm always tired, but never of you by @iamrenstark - 2.2k, 1ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Hurt Spencer Reid, Angst with a Happy Ending, Sad Derek, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Derek Morgan Needs a Hug, Men Crying, Gunshot Wounds, Blood and Injury

When Spencer figured it out, he was stepping out of the elevator on the bottom floor of Quantico, and he went to tell Derek he loved him like he did every day, but he froze up, because he was afraid he wouldn't hear it back. (Or, Spencer thinks his boyfriend is falling out of love with him.)

4. A cathartic fic

Every Little Transgression by @58thacademic - 1.6k, 1ch, Gen, Angst with a Happy Ending, Sad Spencer Reid, Protective David Ross, Protective Derek Morgan, Mentioned Suicide Attempt, Spencer's Backstory, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-Con, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Episode: s03e16 Elephant's Memory

Ok so. Elephants memory was really good because we got Reid backstory. But I'm still annoyed that he didn't defend himself against Hotch. So this was born.

5. A fic you'd print and put on your bookshelf

One Call Away by GhostInTheBAU - 204k, 32ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Dubious Consent, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Domestic Violence, Rape Recovery, Referenced Past Drug Use, PTSD, Hurt Spencer Reid, Protective Aaron Hotchner, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Flashbacks, Healing, Nightmares, Suicidal Thoughts, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Eventual Smut

When Reid's boyfriend attacks him, leaving him broken and bleeding, he calls the first person he thinks of for help. He calls the only person he really wants to see. He calls Hotch.

6. A fic you associate with a song

I associate this fic with The First Thing You See by Bruno Major. I think if you listen to the song, you'll easily see why <3

You Make Waking Up Worth It by @guccifloralsuits - 2.1k, 1ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Fluff, Minor Angst, Established Relationship, Morning Routines, Hurt/Comfort, Good Things Happen Bingo

“Morning sweetheart,” Derek says, pausing briefly to ruffle his hand gently through Spencer’s hair. The genius nuzzles into the touch but doesn’t reply. It’s too early for conversation, Morgan knows. Pretty boy may get up earlier than he does, but it takes the younger a lot longer to really wake up.

7. A fic that inspires you

This fic could have been in so many categories because I adore it, but I wouldn't have started writing Rain is a Chance to be Touched without this fic so it definitely belongs here.

Forgive Me For All I Could Not Become by @degrassi-fanatic - 105k, 20ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Canon Divergence, Getting Together, Angst, Case Fic, Confessions, Complicated Relationships, Near Death Experiences, Friends With Benefits, Smut, Miscommunication

In which Reid has always been good at hiding things. He hid his father's departure and his mother's illness from social services. He hid his addiction from his team. He hid his sexuality from the world. He hid his inappropriate feelings from his boss. That is until he's bleeding out in Hotch's arms, in an abandoned church, in Oklahoma. From there on out, Hotch and Reid learn to make a complete mess out of each other.

8. A fic that brought you on board a new ship

Even though it's unrequited, this was the first fic that really had me going !!! at Penemily <3

Another Wide-Eyed Girl by mallfacee - 2k, 1ch, Gen/Derek Morgan & Penelope Garcia, Penelope Garcia/Emily Prentiss (Unrequited), Coming Out, Internalised Homophobia, Derek Morgan is a Good Friend, Friendship, Gunshot Wounds, Episode: s03e08 Lucky

Derek Morgan is handsome and calls her “baby girl” and smiles at her like she’s the only girl in the room. Penelope Garcia knows she should be swooning and all she can think is that there must be something wrong with her not to react to a man like that giving her all this attention. Two years later she meets Emily Prentiss and understands.

9. A fic you wish could be a movie

Listen, I adore the soulmate trope, and an angsty moreid soulmate movie? Fucking sign me up right now

i need you now but i don't know you yet by @iamrenstark - 3.1k, 1ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Hurt Spencer Reid, Hurt Derek Morgan, Mutual Pining, Soulmates, Hurt/Comfort, Buford Mention, Angst with a Happy Ending, Getting Together, Season 5

It goes like this; Spencer hasn't spoken to his soulmate since he was ten, didn't know their gender or their name or a single thing about them. Spencer's soulmate doesn't want him, and that's okay.

10. A fic that led to you making friends with the author

I'm doing two because fuck you that's why

This was one of the first fics I read of Adam's and I immediately fell in love with his writing! And I'm pretty sure that we ended up becoming friends after I rec'd it!!

Plum Sauce by @goldencatchflies - 1.5k, 1ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Canon Divergence, Fluff, Jealousy, Platonic Morcia, Episode: s07e13 Snake Eyes

Garcia tells Spencer about what she thinks happened between her and Derek. He doesn’t seem too happy about it...

I read this from Syd and absolutely loved it, and like with Adam, we became friends from there! (I mean technically husband and wife, but, y'know. Semantics.)

You Belong With Me by @spencerspecifics - 11.4k, 1ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Song Fic, Getting Together, Angst with a Happy Ending, Pining, Fluff

A fluffy Moreid fic based on You Belong With Me by: Taylor Swift

11. A fic you associate with a place

This reminds me of a chilled Sunday afternoon on my old sofa in my living room, with the fire on in the background. I read it all in one sitting and loved every word <3

Metanoia by @makaylajadewrites - 39k, 16ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Canon Typical Violence, Implied Rape/Non-Con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Established Relationship, Near Death Experiences, Frostbite, Rape Recovery, Suicidal Thoughts, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Autistic Spencer Reid, Drug Use, Eventual Smut, Eventual Happy Ending

Oh, Derek… He couldn’t stand the thought of him bursting in with SWAT in tow, gun at the ready, only to descend those creaky stairs and find his naked, bleeding body, vacated of life, crumbled on a red-stained mattress. The realization that he was going to die at the end of this was catching up to him, but maybe it would be better that way.

In which an unfortunate resemblance to an unsub's victims puts Reid right on his radar.

12. A fic that made you gasp out loud

Gasp out loud might be a *bit* of an overreaction, but this one took me on a rollercoaster and I loved every second of it (all of bau-gremlin's fics will do that to you tbh)

The End by @bau-gremlin - 3.1k, 2ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Graphic Violence, Stabbing, Blood and Injury, Temporary Character Death, Hurt Spencer Reid, Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt Aaron Hotchner, Sleepy Cuddles, Protective Spencer Reid

The famous interview with Chester Hardwick ... except Hotch and Reid get separated and Reid is left alone with Hardwick and a prison-made shiv.

13. A fic you found at the right time

You're Going to be Okay by fullofcrazyness - 2.6k, 1ch, Gen/Aaron Hotchner & Spencer Reid, Dark, Suicidal Thoughts, Depression, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, Sad Spencer Reid, Hurt Spencer Reid, Depression, Protective Aaron Hotchner, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending

Spencer was no stranger to depression. His father leaving him, his mother’s episodes, being twelve years old in a Las Vegas high school. All of those things made him very familiar with the illness. “I… I think I need some help.”

14. A fic that you would read a fic of

Chain Reaction by EloquentDossier - 42k, 16ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Alternate Universe, Texting, Dialogue-Only, Text Fic, Self-Esteem Issues, Fluff, Angst, Implied/Referenced Past Drug Use, Canon Divergence, Pining, Oblivious Aaron Hotchner, Happy Ending

A dialogue-only AU in which Hotch texts what he thinks is Rossi's new number but is actually the slightly eccentric stranger whom Hotch knows only as "Spencer." What follows is something neither man could have ever quite expected.

15. A fic that made you laugh out loud

The Bet by @degrassi-fanatic - 1.6k, 2ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Bets & Wagers, Humour, Fluff, Canon Divergence

“Fifty bucks says Hotch writes you up and sends you to sexual harassment sensitivity training.” she declares as she stares him down. Without looking away from her, Reid takes out his own wallet and flips it open to pull out a fifty dollar before placing it down right next to Prentiss’s own money. “Fifty bucks says Hotch will go out with me.”

16. A fic that gave you butterflies

The healing and dynamics in this one is just.... off the charts :')

Who Spencer Reid Loves by @blueberriesandbubbles - 36k, 11ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Rape/Non-Con Elements, Abusive Relationships, Domestic Violence, Abuse, Hurt Spencer Reid, Mutual Pining, Rape Recovery, Healing, Fluff

Derek Morgan has been in love with the resident genius as long as he's known him. When Spencer enters a relationship with a mystery man, Derek is unhappy. He is even more unhappy when he meets this man. Spencer starts acting different and Derek knows something is wrong and he has a feeling its connected to the man Reid is dating.

17. A fic that embodies something you value in life

The utter and total love and devotion in this fic just punches me right in the gut every time I reread it

A Little Fall of Rain by jack_hunter - 4.3k, 2ch, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Angst, Spencer Reid Whump, Autistic Spencer Reid, Major Character Injury, Secret Relationship, Team as Family, Dad Rossi

Morgan crept up behind the doctor and snatched the headphones off of his head, earning a yelp of a protest as he slipped them over his own ears. “Les Mis?” Morgan asked with a quizzical look, “didn’t peg you as the musical type, Pretty Boy.” Spencer snatched the headphones back. “I’ve always loved the theatre and I went to see Les Misérables with-... a friend last Friday.”

18. A favourite AU

The Curious Case of Dr. Reid by severaance - 37k, 10ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Transgender Character, Fluff, Trans Spencer Reid, Light Angst, Getting Together, Developing Relationship, Smut, Insecurity, Happy Ending (Warning for Homophobic & Transphobic Slurs)

"And your names for the order, please?" The barista asked, eyes flickering expectantly between the two before her. "Spencer," she answered, although she was not talking to the barista. "I'm Spencer." The man before her had the same idea. "Derek."

19. A fic you stayed up too late to finish reading

I stayed up one night and read pretty much all the marvel fics this author has written, but this was the last one that I simply could not resist. The next day wasn't pretty :/

The more you say, the less I know by forthenightisdarkandfullofterror - 13.9k, 3ch, Gen/Irondad, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Temporary Amnesia, Protective Pepper Potts, Not Endgame Compliant, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Blood and Violence, Hurt Peter Parker, Whump

Tony wakes up from snapping with amnesia and for the life of him can't remember the kid hanging around, claiming to be 'just an intern'. Feelings get hurt.

20. A fic that made you feel seen

heavy in my bones by hopeless_hope - 4.4k, 1ch, Gen/Irondad, Chronic Pain, Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Peter Parker, Whump, Father-Son Relationship, Dad Tony, Worried Tony Stark, Angst, Chronic Illness, 5+1 Things

Five times Peter lied to someone about his chronic pain, and one time he told the truth and got the help he needed.

21. A fic you love without knowing the source material

(I mean this is literally all marvel fics but I'll rec this one because I loved it so much)

the locker room by searchingforstars - 15.5k, 3ch, Gen/Irondad, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Hurt Peter Parker, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Mental Health Issues, Misunderstandings, Arguing, Miscommunication, Crying, Whump, Angst with a Happy Ending, Rape Recovery

Peter's falling apart and he doesn't know how things will ever go back to normal again after Ryder.

22. A fic you've gushed about IRL

Genuinely, this fic is better than most published fiction I've read...

The Third Option by Uncertainty_Principle - 220k, 37ch, Gen/Irondad, Hurt/Comfort, Sexual Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, Alternate Universe, Hurt Peter Parker, Foster Care, Identity Reveal, Slow Build, Disordered Eating, Homelessness

Ben and May divorced before Peter’s parents died, so when Ben is murdered Peter goes into foster care. It takes just a tiny taste of superpowers for Peter to decide he doesn’t want to put up with his horrible foster father anymore—the streets are infinitely more appealing. All he wants is to be Spider-Man anyway.

So he leaves. Simple.

Simple, that is, until Iron Man needs Spider-Man’s help. Peter isn’t about to turn down an opportunity to fight alongside Tony Freaking Stark, but he also isn’t going to let his hero know that his recruit is a fifteen-year-old homeless dropout. So they strike a deal. Peter will help Tony. In return, the mask stays on. And that’s when things get complicated.

23. A fic you still remember many years later

The Transport Series by ancientreader - 135k, 2 works, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Backstory, Canon Drug Use, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Physical Disability, AU, Important Character Death, First Time, Developing Relationship, Angst with a Happy Ending, BDSM, Humour, Fluff

How to become a consulting detective. // Jim's lessons are hard to unlearn.

24. A fic with a line or two that you've memorised by heart

"He has held up buildings and nuclear bombs and whole entire countries on his back. Peter’s body is the heaviest thing he’s ever held."

when my body won't hold me anymore (where will I go) by @madasthesea - 4.4k, 2ch, Gen/Irondad, Temporary Character Death, Angst, Grief/Mourning, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt Peter Parker, Crying, Forehead Kisses, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Medical Inaccuracies, Hugs, Platonic Cuddling

But he knows. He knows. He can feel it. Peter’s dead. Peter Parker watches as Tony carefully arranges his limbs on a cot. “Mr. Stark,” he tries for the dozenth time. No one hears him.

25. Free Space

And to round it off, we have to celebrate the fic that really and truly welcomed me into the CM fanfic world...

Chanel by @4x24 - 24k, 7ch, Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid, Getting Together, Spencer Wears Makeup, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon Typical VIolence, Humour, Fluffy Ending, Pining, Smut Heavy

Penelope mentions offhandedly one night that she thinks Spencer might look good in makeup. Spencer takes the suggestion to heart. Derek likes the new look - and Spencer - more than he probably should. (Season 4)