#early S5 only

[poisonedfate]

spin the wheel and get a character - bbc merlin version

no secret fourth option per the polls going around (from which this idea originated)

[fatallyaddictedtofiction]

I go into a deep sense of mourning when I remember Sam's loss of individuality after s5 😔😭

[emily-mooon]

Based on this post I made about two hours ago

[fluffypotatey]

*puts on my Professor glasses* Macky really knows EXACTLY how to talk to Wukong, let's dissect it! M: Looks like things are going smoothly. W: I say, you've been here the whole time, haven't you? M: FFM is your home, but it's also mine. W: Did you find anything? M: Still nothing, however. Now the Jade Emperor is no longer present. The Celestial Realm already gives me an unsettling feeling. M: Wukong...that kid. W: I understand. M: You have to go and talk to him. W: I know! But...he still isn't ready. M: I see. You're the one who isn't ready, yet. How did you even become a teacher! M: He has to be. We all have to be realistic. W: He's just a kid. We can't let him... M: Who says he's just a kid! Why is it him? When you chose him, did you know? W: I didn't know, I really didn't know! I just followed...a feeling. M: Are you not the least bit worried?! This child has all of your special powers, and he always runs into trouble. Have you never questioned this before? Not a single person knows where he came from. Is it not strange?! M: We still have no clue as to whoever let out Azure Lion. All your old foes returned in one swoop. Are you not even a little- W: Then what about you? You also suddenly came back. M: Argh- M: I say, someone must be manipulating us behind our backs. Especially Xiaotian. But they still haven't succeeded. W: Then tell me. What about you? M: Tell me do you want my help or not?! / W: Not long ago you were still against me! / M: I see, you're just a- / W: ...after I assume you'll teach me how to train my own disciples? ~ Xiaotian Interupts ~ M: Look. That kid has made you his idol. You're his one true hero, but you... W: But I what? M: He has to understand, he doesn't need to carry these burdens. You have to do better. You can really tell whose the chatty one in this relationship XD Wukong might be a lil annoyed, but he's tolerant. And Macky is a little playful turd as always. Where Wukong gets gloomy and concerned, Mac swaps between teasing and serious in a blink. Then things get a lot more strained and tense, but unlike their previous fights, it never escalates into violence. Never a growl, never a raised fist. They're right at the edge, and they drop it. I'm very much interested in the psychology of arguments and when it comes to people latching onto (1) thing a person says and relating it slightly off topic to avoid talking about that other thing, like Wukong is doing here. It's so cool seeing how physical they are in trying to visibly control their emotions around each other, and how they keep trying to hold themselves back from tearing in further, always pausing and halting, and switching to another thing. They're TRYING. Ugh. I think Mac was trying to give a comforting smile at the end, but it's kinda warped by the whole ~ everything else. ~ Anyhow, I like how this starts with Wukong establishing, or rather cementing to Macaque that he believes MK is a kid. And while Macaque argues against that, he did also say before that Wukong should talk to him. And they have their squabble, with Mac pushing Wukong's buttons to get him to say something, BUT the fact this gets resolved with he needs to understand he doesn't need to carry these burdens. YOU HAVE TO DO BETTER. Like of all things Mac could have chosen. He's playing right into what Wukong himself believes, that will overwrite the "MK isn't ready" thing. Because let's face it. Mac is right when he says Wukong also isn't ready for that talk yet. He's so down throughout all this, Wukong probably feels himself that he needs to be better. AND by appealing to the fact MK is a kid, without explicitly stating that, just a statement that cannot be denied, BUT is a subject that undoubtedly, even Wukong cannot avoid. Because he wants better for MK. For him to not walk down the same path as him. Macaque has basically nudged Wukong into having that talk he wanted with MK by reframing it differently from what Wukong wasn't ready for. Thoughts? Critique?

*squishes you* anon…anon, you’re telling me..that this was the actual dialogue between SWK and Macky in 5x01. that what i just read is the translated version of the Mandarin dub. correct?

ok ok cool. i’m cool. gucci. feeling fantastic lemme just

WHAT THE FUCK LMK

ok so i ranted in the tags but realized i forgot to say more things (also i was worried i’d exceed the tag limit bc that is a real thing what do you know!)

so, anon, you said Macky knows how to talk to Wukong and yeah agreed but for me it’s for of the sense of “Macky knows how to get his words under Wukong’s skin”

he knows how to let his words sink in and fester in Wukong’s mind, making him reconsider things or another to help speed up certain decisions or choices Wukong is hesitating on. and ain’t it fascinating how despite how long it’s been since either character have talked or interacted with each other, they still know the ins and outs of their behavior and thoughts.

Macky knows Wukong needs to talk to MK but is holding back. Macky after one answer from Wukong realizes that it’s Wukong who isn’t ready for that conversation and switches tactics to try and breach that mental block

Wukong, in a need to avoid the conversation, brings up the questions surrounding Macky’s reason for even being alive again because that is information neither have talked about and oh hey! Macky is avoiding that conversation too! and it’s an important one to have so he pushes for it, but Macky knows it’s being pushed to avoid their original discussion and is annoyed bc “classic Wukong, never wanting to delve too deep into topics where he’ll need to be vulnerable for” (especially when said vulnerability is with his newly re-allied ex friend Macaroni himself)

god i love them

[lesbianmaxevans]

just trying to see smth

[chirpsythismorning]

I think because closets have being associated with Mike so much, is why a lot of bylers predict that s5 will finally explore his sexuality.

Why have all that closet imagery throughout the seasons, associated with Mike (even more so than Will), if the resolution to his arc is just going to be, "Will loves me and needs me?! Yay!"

5 years of build-up, hinting at Mike hiding his sexuality, and with an audience that's almost entirely convinced he's straight because he hid it so well, warrants addressing the deeper context of why exactly he felt the need to hide in the first place.

It wouldn't be satisfying, both to ga and milkvans who were straight-baited the entire series, nor to bylers and even viewers open to supporting byler, but who think Will deserves better, all because they don't understand Mike beyond what he's willing to outright tell us.

Mike's character has dealt with so much criticism post s4, to the point where any articles or buzz regarding his arc, minimizes his importance as either being El's boyfriend or how he's basically declined in development over the years from a beloved character to most hated.

To have Mike's arc close with his role going from being El's boyfriend to being Will's boyfriend, wouldn't give closure to what all that closet imagery was meant to represent in the first place; Mike hiding his sexuality.

[winpocalypse]

i miss spn season 2

[nandermoenthusiast]

i do think it is a crime that i dont have any video editing skills because sometimes i hear a song and i see an amv that could make us cry so clearly in my minds eye…

[that-disabled-princess]

Chains into snakes

[thegirlwholied]

Charmed (1998) rewatch but only seasons 1-3 and then treating the season 4 premiere as an open-ended finale 🤷🏻‍♀️

[fiovske]

jesus christ you guys were NOT kidding about how bad the last few seasons of veep were huh

[saving-people-haunting-things]

Shipping Destiel but in a "Cas totally blew his chance at the end of season 6" kind of way.

[theheightofdishonor]

this was not on the agenda but let's analyze some of the dialogue in 4x03 real fast

Stiles: Dude, what is going on with you? Scott: I don't know. I'm having a really off day. Stiles: Off day? You were dying out there! I feel actual physical pain watching you. Scott: I didn't see you make any shots. Stiles: Yes, that is because I'm terrible, though, Scott. You... You are the Alpha. Scott: Not on the field. I'm a human on the field. Stiles: Well, human you is kind of sucking at the moment. So do you think there is any way you can use just like a little tiny bit of wolf power? Scott: It's cheating. Stiles: I know it is! It's just I hate seeing this little freshman come in and steal all your glory after you worked your tushie off. I hate it. Scott: He's not going to steal all the glory. ----- Stiles: We still don't know if he's a werewolf, too. And if he is, he'd just be cheating. And we'd just be cheating the cheater. Scott: But he's not. I'd know. I'd be able to catch a scent or something. Stiles: Maybe you need to get closer. Scott: I think I'm about to get my chance.

So this takes place during the lacrosse tryouts. First thing to note, is it me or is Stiles playing devil's advocate more than usual? It might just be because Scott's listening to him more than usual but Stiles seems unusually persistent

Anyways, that first bit caught my attention because i'm always hyperaware when regarding the human/monster theme in teen wolf. Scott's firmly continues to maintain the boundary between his werewolf and human sides while Stiles vagues around the idea of "true alpha has to mean infallible" that later plays such a huge role in their s5 fight. It's interesting that he's telling Scott that it's unsightly for the Alpha to lose here and then pivots literally minutes later into assuring him that "[he's] still only human". Stiles is ever so quick to turn to whatever will benefit him in the moment.

Like, really look at that first exchange for a second. First Stiles tries concern which Scott brushes off. Then Stiles becomes more overtly critical but it's aggressive enough that Scott takes a shot back at him to which Stiles immediately tries to pacify him via self-depreciation/flattery. And when Scott rejects that, he tries to compromise- you don't have to go all out alpha werewolf, just a little bit's enough-and when it fails, changes to a commiserating sympathy, which with a little bit of well-timed remarks by Finstock, surprisingly does somewhat work. And Stiles immediately capitalizes when he feels Scott wavering by justifying the behavior and then re-framing it via 'if you just get close to scent him, it's not reallyyy using your powers, right'.

Scott's what is most interesting about this exchange though. Their entire conversation has a practiced air to it, as if Stiles suggesting things that Scott shoots down is a common enough occurance that Scott doesn't even need to really think about his responses, which is probably true. The convo actually reminded me a little of their first conversation in 1x01 when Stiles and Scott goes off in search for Laura's body and Scott's protesting even as he follows. The difference is that since their power dynamics have shifted (at first with Scott becoming a werewolf and then again when he becomes a True Alpha), Scott's been far less likely to grudgingly go along with Stile's schemes but he does so here, despite being against it.

This is where I dip into speculation but I think that the reason Scott's behaving so unusually is because the events of 3b-caught unawares by the nogitsune, aiden's death,allison bleeding out in his arms,isaac leaving- has made Scott less sure of his own judgement coming into s4 becuse he actually does something similar to this in 4x02 too where when Stiles initially suggests lying to Derek, Scott firmly rejects it but when the opportunity arises, he hesitates and then ends up lying to him in a move that even Stiles is surprised by. (the camera intentionally pans to stiles side eying scott and i can't help but wonder if that has anything to do with how persistent he is here)

[gh-0-stcup]

This show is severely lacking in self awareness. Miriam pushed to break what is genuinely a perfectly reasonable rule to get a spot on the show. Something that would be a bit of a spit in the face to her fellow writers. Her manager gets a producer fired and when that doesn't work, to pull a low blow to force Gordon's hand.

Of course he's going to be pissed and engage in some malicious compliance. I don't even think he's an asshole for it. The more irritating thing here is how she had a perfect opportunity to sort this all out earlier in the season when she got a job offer for another show.

Obviously jumping ship would have been a faux pas, but not one incapable of being smoothed over. She could have explained to Gordon that she doesn't have much passion for writing, she wants to be the star, and that the rule against writers being guests is a huge barrier to her career goals.

But no, she has to be a writer for the show AND a guest on it. No other show will do. Anybody who tells her she can't is just a petty asshole.

This and the Shy Baldwin thing were really weirdly played imo. I don't know what the show thought they were accomplishing, what view we're supposed to take of these events.

And at this point, I'm actually quite surprised that Miriam ever did get famous. Her entire career for the duration of the show is one long line of acquiring famous mentors and friends, then fucking them over as fast as possible.

It'd be one thing if fucking people over was actually in service to her career, but every time it's just sabotaging her own prospects.

[chirpsythismorning]

The way they framed surfer boy pizza with Mike in s4 makes me optimistic about the prospects of smalltown boy agenda actually