#ep where he leaves and the finale where he returns and i was like 'wow so fucking valid'

[marley-manson]

Fraser/Ray V 🤝 Hawkeye/Trapper

character is forced to leave without getting a chance to say goodbye, still manages to give the most homoerotic alternative to goodbye possible

[lenaboskow]

If you truly believe that Tommy hasn't changed, why would Chim and Hen keep hanging out with him (Bobby Begins Again)? Also, there's the fact that Tommy, for the most part, wasn't an instigator. Rather, he tried to keep to himself and not be involved. It's clearly a shitty thing but no uncommon, especially in toxic work environments. Was he dickish? Sure, would Chim think highly of somone openly racist? Based on the latest episode (spoiler: his interaction with Gerrard) he clearly uses the words "good to see you haven't changed" which I think it's intentional to show that Tommy (unlike Gerrard) changed.

You're entitled to your opinion, and you can also hate Tommy for no reason. No one is going to force you. I think saying you just hate him for no reason would be better than trying to build a narrative that the show clearly disputes. Last but not least, Lou giving his headcanons for the character he portrays isn't that uncommon. In fact, many actors do, and it helps them get more into character.

lol i wasn't going to answer this but then i read the "wasn't an instigator" line and i just had to. let's take a look at some of the things tommy said or did in the begins eps...

in chimney begins, he starts by saying "did you forget to tip the delivery driver?" though not explicitly stated, it's implied to be racially motivated because they had ordered chinese food, and chimney is asian. then he proceeds to actively participate in the isolation, once saying "you still here?" to chimney as they return to a call. the most notable time is during the locker room scene where chimney is trying to reach out an olive branch, and tommy actively pushes it away, saying he doesn't think about chimney enough to hate him, but if he did he was sure he would. the only time chimney gets a semblance of an apology is after he saves tommy's life, and that's a messed up way of thinking, no matter how you spin it.

then, we have hen begins. oh boy. gerrard makes comments to hen, and chimney stands up for her, while tommy is standing by letting it happen (this isn't instigating, but it's a notable mention). then, we have "new york bitchiness is a compliment?" which, wow okay. that entire meal he participated in the conversation while chimney tried to drive it away. finally, i know a lot of people think tommy was the one to turn gerrard in, but the way he looked pissed off in hen's speech at the end, and the way he looked like he didn't want to apologize makes me think otherwise.

i don't know what happened off screen for hen and chimney to be friends (or at least civil) with him now, but i do know that recent events have shown tommy is still the same dickish (your words) person he was in the begins episodes, this time without the racist and sexist undertones. some examples include, but are not limited to:

calling buck "kid" and telling him in a condescending tone that eddie was allowed to have more than one friend

the closet comment

leaving buck at the curb the way he did

the bachelor party

the way he acted at the ceremony (looking like he was waiting for buck to stop talking and "enjoy it while it lasts)

so i think it's safe to say i'm not just "building a narrative". the show is proving that tommy is still the same person he was before, he just toned it down.

finally, i'm not even going to touch lou because that story is rapidly developing and i can't keep up.

[rey-jake-therapist]

I don’t believe any leaks at this point, but it’s fun to speculate with the clues we got from the show and the trailers. My two cents on what might happen:

(1) Galadriel decides to go face Sauron by herself in the finale (her being willing to sacrifice herself and make right her wrongs seems to be a theme in S2, and she already expressed the desire to face Sauron alone to Gil-galad at the start of the season). From the trailers, it seems she might bait him using the Iron crown (that she steals from Adar) or even Nenya (he wants the Elven Rings);

(2) Sauron and Galadriel fight like we saw on the trailer and on the Behind-the-Scenes footage;

(3) Don’t have a clue on whom might get the upper hand on this fight (logically it should be Sauron, because he’s a Maia, and Gal’s only an Elf, and she’s not in the prime of her powers yet). Anyway, after the fight, Sauron pitches the “Will you be my queen?” to Gal;

(4) To persuade Galadriel into becoming his queen, Sauron shows her vision(s): the “Last Temptation”. Now, he’ll bring out the big guns this time around. In S1 finale, he tempted her with promises of endless power (a queen fair as the sea and the sun, and stronger than the foundations of the earth), and it didn’t work. Will he try this route again or a different one? Based on the Polish review, and some of Gal’s Nenya visions these season, I think Sauron might actually go with the “you’ve felt it too” route, tempting her with love and family (probably showing her a vision similar to the one Arwen had in “Return of the King”). He might even use Nenya in some way.

(5) I think Galadriel will succumb to Sauron’s temptation, until Elrond intervenes.

Allow me to explain: it’s been teased Galadriel is afraid she won’t be able to resist Sauron, and other characters have shown similar fear (both Elrond and Gil-galad). This temptation has to be strong enough to wow her and haunt her for years to come (in the future, Galadriel will remain in Lothlorien, fighting Sauron and his servants from afar and not directly). Probably it’s also the reason why she’ll try so hard to “close the door” on Sauron’s access to her mind, and succeed, only “passing the test” (finally resisting Sauron) when Frodo offers her the One Ring in the Third Age. But Sauron never stops trying to get to her, until the bitter end (meaning, he needs to have some degree of hope, she’ll come around and join him - this only makes sense if he was almost successful once). It would also make her brother’s words come full circle: “How am I to know which lights to follow?”/“Sometimes we cannot know until we have touched the darkness.”

How does Elrond fit in here? In Ep.4, Galadriel makes Elrond promise that, come a day, where he needs to choose between saving her life or stop Sauron, he must chose the second. This might be a red herring, but it does sound a lot like foreshadowing, along with the theme of Galadriel being willing to sacrifice herself. Well, Elrond will be in the Battle of Eregion, and he might be forced to make this choice (we know none of these characters will actually die, but still).

Any thoughts?

That's pretty much how I envision it too !

You know, I've often read that there were two paths that the show could take : a corruption arc for Galadriel where she temporarily succumbs to temptation and leaves with Sauron, or a lazy copy of the ending of season 1, where she tells him 'no' again and chooses the light for good.

Personally, I think that the first option is unlikely, and that it's way too early for the 2nd option to happen. I believe in a third path : Sauron manages to get under Galadriel's skin and almost convinces her that she belongs with him. She finds the strength to resist the call, but Sauron may be able to escape because she can't kill him while she had the chance... Wishful thinking, I know 😅

During season 3 she will be nonetheless haunted by the "what if" and will realize that she's not the one who can defeat Sauron. They may be even more connected than they were so far, Sauron being able to speak directly to her without standing next to her, until she finds a way to block him.

I like very much the way you think regarding Galadriel's reluctance to face Sauron in the future ! We know she never stopped fighting him from afar, but The Hobbit is the only instance where we see her actually stand to him - a scene that's not in the book, btw - and I always wondered why. If she didn't trust herself, it could explain this.

I'm sure that Galadriel telling Elrond to not choose her over defeating Sauron is a foreshadowing. Earlier in the post I suggested that Galadriel may spare Sauron, but another scenario could be played out : Elrond being unable to hold on his promise.

It's all so exciting... I can't wait to see how wrong we were about all this 🤣

[kassandrasdisciple]

~~~ batman CC spoilers ~~~

Honestly this is the best DC project in years and a return to everything that was good about the og animated series whilst including all the elements of DC cannon that have been created or expanded upon since.

Just a few of my favorite things:

- the SETTING, going back to the 40s noir vibe is a perfect choice, the fights are beautiful and not overcomplicated by gadgets and tech, also allows for some gratuitously beautiful shots that play with shadow.

- batman's age, I don't think Bruce is ever given an age in the show but he seems to be mid 20s early 30s and still an urban legend as the batman, we don't have to waste time with an origin episode/season but we still get to experience a Gotham who doesn't fully trust their vigilante.

- VILLIANS, for me the stand out was harley quinn, divorcing her from the joker allows her character to fully shine, she stays somewhere in the grey but still firmly an antagonist. It's one of the gripes I have with new harley that once she leaves the joker she always becomes more of an anti-hero/hero, keep my girl villainous. Also her psychological background is in full swing, I've always believed Harley is most dangerous when she's in your head and the show leans fully into it. Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss indeed.

- villians pt.2, keeping the theme of the animated series we have our villians for villainy antagonists like penguin and thorn who seem to live on in their counterparts, onomatopoeia and firebug, but we also get nuanced character arcs for 2-face, Natalia and clayface, echoing baby doll and calender woman.

- supporting cast, I'm only familiar with the comics in passing but if attorney Barbra is a new invention then whoever thought of it needs a raise. Also aging her up to be in her early 20s is an incredible change from the animated series where she floated around the freshly 18 mark. It makes her a hero in her own right even if she isn't batgirl (yet), and let's us see Gothams worst and how she's already fighting for change.

- Supporting cast pt.2, Montoya! My beloved, I'm not sure where her romance with harley is going but I can't wait, it's great to see such an archetypal noir cop, even more so than Jim, who speaking of I love as well, his want to protect the city but also butting heads with barbie on methods is perfect characterization in my option.

-baby bruce, horrifying, I love him. Alfred has personal beef with harley now, the second he saw an opportunity to throw that man in therapy she gives him valid paranoia of the entire profession just as he was thinking about trying it properly, I know it's on sight for him going forward.

- art, I've binged the animated series many times at this point and it's a running gag in the fandom that some frames are ... unique. Obviously the animators were working with what they had, but the step up in fight choreography and flow is spectacular, the whole show is a love letter to old batman with a new varnish of the animation productions of today.

Overall an amazing show that had me laugh and gasp in equal amounts, it took itself seriously in a way most superhero media won't do anymore, I distinctly thought in ep.9 when batman swings away from Montoya and Jim "wow they didn't put in a stupid snark about him being dramatic or having a nice ass ect" and it's like a breath of fresh air.

As far as nitpicks go I wished we had more of Bruce in isolation, or having real conversations, but I realize the focus of this season was his loneliness and how the final episode states he's opening up more to the 3 main supporting characters. I'm also worried for how important the joker might become but that's basically instinct at this point (please kill him off, i want to see the reactions).

Going forward I can't wait to see if we get any follow up on the Easter egg characters, killer croc, the 4 Robin's, king tut. I'd love to see the batman as a dad he's got a lot of kindness modern adaptations don't include, but still that overwhelmingly lonely nature. I'm hoping harley and the joker never cross paths in this universe but I won't hold my breath and I'd like to see if we will get a batgirl/oracle storyline as well.

Anyways looking forward to the confirmed second season, and if you read this without watching the show, start now.

[giggly-squiggily]

Forget Acting Cool- LAUGH! (Big Windup)

Oops I fell down a rabbit hole and came back with some Big Windup content lols.

Heyo everyone! I think I'm on ep. 10(?) of Big Windup and let me just say: SCREW HARUNA! I said it, and I mean it! >:I dislike him greatly! So much so I had to write a fic about Abe getting cheer-up tickles to wash my brain of his jerkface! (Among other reasons- I really like writing Tajima lols) Anywho- I hope y'all like it :D

@intheticklecloset BOOM! Wasn't expecting THIS were ya? >:D

Summary: Takes place after the events of Ep. 8-10; Abe is quiet on the way back from the Stadium game between Urawa Sogo and Musashino. Mihashi is worried as Tajima finds an opportunity to get their catcher to perk up.

Abe was quiet on the way back from the stadium.

Most of the guys assumed he was just tired and let him be, but now knowing a new chapter of Abe’s history, Mihashi knew better.

Even though their encounter was short- talking to Haruna had an impact on the catcher’s mood- and not in a good way.

‘Are you okay?’ was on the tip of Mihashi’s tongue when he snuck a glance at his friend, watching him stare out the window with a heavy expression. He wanted to ask so badly, but he was concerned; would it bring unwarranted attention to something he didn’t want to talk about? Would Abe get mad at him for asking? He didn’t complain when Mihashi took a seat beside him, but that didn’t mean he was willing to talk. He dared another peek.

Abe was staring at him, brow raised. Mihashi squeaked, flushing red and dropping his eyes to his lap. “What?”

“Erm- n-nothing! I just- erm…” No point in hiding it now. “Are you o-okay?”

Abe didn’t respond, returning his gaze back to the window. Mihashi tried not to let his disappointment show.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Abe spoke so quietly Mihashi almost missed it. Looking back at the other boy, he turned to give him his full attention in case he had more to say. “Just a bad experience, that’s all.”

“Still…” Mihashi didn’t know why he was pressing. Abe did so much for him- it didn’t feel right to just leave him brooding.

“Don’t worry about it, Mihashi.” That was it- a note of finality in the catcher’s tone. Not harsh, but not yielding. Drop it.

Nodding, the pitcher turned back forward in his seat. It wasn’t much, but at least he checked in.

“Oo, broody!” Tajima grinned from the seat behind them, leaning over it so he could drape his arms over the back. “Trying to look cool for Mihashi, are we?”

“Tajima…” Said pitcher whispered, scared of where this was going. Abe merely rolled his eyes, leaning further into the window.

“Are you ignoring me? Wow!” Tajima mock gasped, reaching out and prodding Abe in the ribs. “Talk about rude! Can you believe this guy, Mihashi?”

“Tch-Tajima, don’t!” Abe squirmed at the pokes, pressing his arm down against his side in an attempt to block. “We’ll crash!”

“Yes, cause you’re driving the bus alllllll the way back here.” Tajima snickered, moving upwards to Abe’s neck. “Good thing you’re not- who knows where’d you take us with your head in the clouds!”

“A-Ahehehehe! Doohohohn’t!” The thin line of his brooding expression wavered as giggles escaped. Abe scrunched up, trying to make himself small as Tajima tickled him. “M-Mihahhahashi help!”

Help? The request shook him to the core.

“Yeah Mihashi! Get his ribs for me- he’s too low!” Tajima pretended to massage Abe’s shoulders, pressing into the back of his neck and making the pitcher double down in giggles. “Coach is gonna get mad if I climb over the seat again!”

“Damn right I will!” Maria called from the front, earning a round of giggles from the team.

“Mihiiihashihihihih dohoohhoohn’t!” Abe tried to sound firm, but his laughing fits only killed any real meaning. “Dohohoohon’t hehehehehelp him!”

“Come on, don’t you wanna see Abe smile?” Tajima winked, going right for the jugular.

It was like Mihashi had two tiny beings on his shoulder- an angel in the form of Abe telling him to be kind and not assist. Then there was the tiny devil Tajima himself egging him on to join in.

He really shouldn’t; is that how he’d repay him for his kindness? What would Abe do for him in this situation?

Join in. The little angel and devil said simultaneously.

…

“Whahahat are you- Ehehehehehehehehehhe!” Abe shot up when Mihashi’s fingers prodded along his sides, pressing into his ribs gently. With new spots in reach, Tajima went for it, tickling like nobody’s business. “Stahahhhap, stahahhahahap this is ehehehheembahahhahrrsahahhhahaing!”

“No it’s not- it’s adorable! Isn’t he?” Tajima cooed, laughing along with him. Mihashi giggled to himself, equally pleased.

“No way- Abe’s ticklish?” Hanai perked up from his seat, grinning.

“Get him good, guys! Go for the ears!” Oki called out.

“Dude, why ears?”

“I don’t know- seemed like a good spot.”

“How is it-”

“EHEHHA!”

“See? I told you!”

Oki was correct; Abe’s ears were pretty ticklish. Though the reaction didn’t come from them, but rather Mihashi giving his knees a friendly squeeze just to see what would happen. “Sorry, Abe.”

“Don’t be- he needs it!” Tajima cackled, barely heard over the squeaks and laughs Abe let out.

“SHUUHUHUHUUSSHI! AHEHAHHAHAHHA, YOOHOOHOHU TWOHOHOHOHO! AHEAHAHHAHAHA!” Abe tried sinking to the floor, but between Tajima and Mihashi, he was effectively trapped. His cheeks were warm and pink, eyes squeezed shut in mirth as he tittered. It was a definite improvement from earlier.

“Heh, okay okay. Give him some breathing room.” Maria clapped her hands, signaling them to stop. Tajima pulled away as Mihashi scooted back some, watching Abe gather himself. “You good, Abe?”

“Eh..ehheehhe…heh.” He couldn’t speak, so he gave a thumbs up, earning a hoot of cheers and cackles from the bus. Soon everyone returned to their own things, popping back in earbuds and cozying up for naps. Abe pulled himself up, slumping forward until his head hit the seat before them.

Mihashi’s guilt came back; he didn’t mean to tickle him that much. Words were at the tip of his tongue once more.

“I’m okay.” Abe reassured without looking, startling the pitcher. “Erm…thanks I guess. I kinda needed that.”

A thank you!  Mihashi blinked back tears as he smiled a wobbly smile, day made.

It was so little, and it really didn’t do much in regards to Haruna and the feelings associated- but Mihashi sat a little taller in his seat knowing he helped Abe out.

Thanks for reading!

[f-ngrl]

kid milli x yanghongwon x jjangyou x dnopf x ???

ok lets go. first about my day, if you don't wanna know you can scroll down :D

so i had to book my train ticket for a train at 6:30 am bc they announced the concert super late and everything was expensive already. i cried abt it to friends for days bc i never leave the house this early, but then as i started to travel there were commuters everywhere just doing their regular thing. and like it's not that big of a deal xD

i arrived in paris at 10 am, successfully queued in the right queue to obtain my metro tickets, did so and successfully took the metro to the neighborhood of the concert (last time i took the metro alone i couldn't find the way out and when i finally got out i had to walk super far anyway and the ride wasn't worth it :D).

i dropped my bag and thought i could have breakfast somewhere but nothing seemed inviting and i had eaten some breadbuns on the train and wasn't hungry so whatevs. went to a park and walked around, it was nice. so many ppl working out here! decided i should eat sth for lunch but was overwhelmed with finding a restaurant that offered veggie food with good ratings and close by and is open and is affordable. also i learned i'm really not confident to go to restaurants or even cafés alone. so i got some prepackaged food at a supermarket but it was meh :D walked past the venue and there were a few people waiting at 2 pm. got bubble tea i love that stuff. then there was nothing more to do and i didn't wanna use up my energy so i went to the place where i'm staying and read a book. ate the rest of the lunch.

went to the venue! i thought, but it turned out i walked into the wrong entrance into the wrong event. i was already confused about the other people xD

then i found the right entrance and was confused again bc there was no queue at all. general admission was at 7:30 and it was like 7:32. there were 2 guys entering at the same time as me and one said to the other (in english) "yeah i played here 4 years ago" and i didn't think anything about it.

i got in and the club was SO SMALL!! even though i hadn't queued i got a good spot to see. after a short time, the dj, dnopf, started. and it turned out he was the guy from the entrance!! i felt sry for not recognizing him. he played only khh and krnb and i cannot explain how much i loved that. that's my dream like. having someone who knows khh really well rec khh to me? there were songs i didn't know but sounded good. a lot of jay park and coogie. a lot of aomg/h1ghr but no ambition or daytona at all. dnopf's tshirt said

I ❤️ PARIS

hilton

i thought that was funny.

then jjangyou started right away (no waiting times, it was awesome). i'm not really into his music but wow he can make the party go crazy like himself. he even walked around in the crowd and was really close to where i was! he said he was sick and had a cold so we should cheer more to give him energy. poor guy, i felt bad ':D but this was a great performance, he was the most energetic artist by far.

then hongwon came on aaaah! he played 2 old songs and then only unreleased songs, 1 or so of which i didn't know. he introduced himself as "young b yanghongwon" and said when he returns to korea he will release an ep. (it has to he noted he's promised albums often so it's not really reliable but i'll still be hoping every time :D). slowmo is the album's name. his performance was wonderful ofc, he did all the raps properly as we know of him <3 idk what to say u know he's my fav artist rn it's just yeah.

and then kid milli. his show was also great of course! he's very professional, with carefully chosen song order etc so you know it will definitely be good. he showered the crowd in compliments (a bit cheesy for me but whatever :D). i felt bad abt knowing so few of his songs. he wore a hat (beanie style) and hoodie for the whole show idk how he didn't melt but he stayed strong :D

during kid milli's performance, suddenly hwimin jumped on stage for 1 second, yes you read right and i didn't see wrong bc kid milli confirmed it :D he said "do you like hwimin? we brought a representative for area, it's gemini!" so gemini came out and performed 3 songs and the crowd went crazy for him. i don't like him thaat much so i was a bit ?? but i guess it was the surprise effect, he said he'll be back next time with his own tour. parisians are lucky that so many khh ppl (esp former fa members and area members) seem to love paris so much, i don't see this for any other place except maybe japan.

after that, kid milli performed some songs with less action and then at the end as an encore some songs with jjangyou and hongwon together. they performed indigo last, with good guy kid milli rapping all of justhis' part <3

the show ended around 10:15? maybe. kid milli left the stage early but jjangyou and hongwon stayed around for a long time, gave signatures and talked to fans from the stage. that was so nice!

when i got out, it was still a little bright outside. not where i live! this was surprising but it's almost the longest day of the year after all. the neighborhood was still full of people enjoying the evening and sunset, good mood.

i was gonna post photos but will do that separately. tumblr app is broken and uploads different photos or replaces my uploads with different photos from my phone no thx

good night!! 💕💖💕

[mcheang]

Shadow and Bone S2 E3 recap

This one definitely has the best title opening so far.

Spoiler alert

The scales have sunk partially into Alina’s skin, making it look more like a bracelet. Alina already looks and sounds corrupted with power in this first scene…

Cuff or bracelet?

Jesper calls out Kaz for caring more about vengeance than his injured crew. Kaz sends him and Wylan to one of Pekka’s holdings to investigate. Inej disappears. Kaz finally tells Nina who to look for in Hellgate. Nikolai takes Alina and Mal through the Fold with a flying boat. Alina’s power actually lets them see either sky or the other side of the Fold. But her connection to the Darkling interrupts the process and her light fades as she passes out. After a fight with the volcra, the boat crashes into east Ravka. After seeing the size of the Fold, Alina’s power post-seawhip, and ignoring what I know about R&R, 3 amplifiers don’t look they could destroy the Fold either. Why not just make a tunnel for the time being? Sturmhond finally reveals himself to be prince Nikolai and Alina punches him lol At Kirigan’s headquarters, David arrives and stops Genya from warning him to leave before the Darkling overhears. I think it was creating monsters that was a dealbreaker for her, rather than the Fold expanding. Anyway Kirigan asks David to see if he can use merzost without the side effects. David seems more comfortable around Kirigan than Genya, whose nerves are obvious. Vasily is in charge of the First Army and focuses on Grisha rather than Fjerda, ignoring the northern front and clearly scaring the Grisha to join Kirigan. Wow. He is an idiot. At the Spinning Wheel where the royal family are hiding, Nadia greets Alina. Hmm, if Fedyor is not there, is he with Kirigan? Anyway we meet Adrik, who looks older than I expected. Zoya is there too. Jesper and Wylan break into Pekka’s estate where his son is living. Kaz finally tells Inej Pekka killed his brother when she also calls him out for gambling their lives. She kills the assassin hired to hunt her. I think the Darkling’s line to Alina in S&S about how it gets easier to kill with time is best applied here. Kirigan hears the news of Alina’s return and demands Baghra tell him what she knows of the Firebird. He cuts off her finger. Ok, I take back what I said about him in recap ep 2 about being better than book Darkling. Losing is a finger is just as bad as blinding her! This is the dealbreaker for David and he agrees to leave with Genya and warn Alina. I hope they are careful but I know what happens in S&S and I suspect I know what Kirigan will do to traitors. Alina learns Kirigan is alive and Nikolai proposes to her because he believes their alliance with help keep Ravka from falling apart and protect her. Unlike book Mal, show Mal actually keeps his cool, stays modest and points out they need the alliance to Alina. Wow, they really did a character change for him….I mean it was obvious before, but this is shown especially in this scene, at least for me. I kept asking myself is this really Mal…? And while I agree Kirigan is too toxic for Alina now, I still wish the Malina scenes would speed up. I’m still not a fan of that. Genya and David have better chemistry to me. Speaking of whom, Kirigan catches Genya escaping while David manages to avoid detection and runs. Genya calls Kirigan out for using her to get to Pyotr. Kirigan refuses to let her go after she pleads to leave and sets the nichevo’ya on her. Jesper and Wylan agree not to tell Kaz about Pekka’s son but he already knows, he just wants the name. Matthias and his cell mate are getting along but Matthias is forced to fight. Nina witnesses it and Pekka’s notices her interest in Matthias. He blackmails her to bring him Kaz. Kirigan despairs that his grandfather’s journal is missing as he had hoped it would contain answers about a cure for his condition. This is what finally sets him into a screaming rage, in private. But then he decides to focus on the tether and visits Alina while she is sleeping. His message is wasted if she is sleeping! Alina agrees to be engaged to Nikolai. But considering they are both in pajamas, the scene looks rather intimidate and reminds me of when Alina visited Kirigan at night in season 1.

OMG, the guy who acts as Kaz’s brother so reminds of Ethan Diaz from the Disney show Stuck in the Middle. When it comes to the nichevo’ya, I know i forgot to add it for the S2 E1 post, but my reaction to them is…unafraid. I skimmed through a Netflix horror movie earlier called Come Play and Larry is scarier. These ones are practically fog humanoids…so I can’t be scared of that. Much as I like Kirigan, I do say that cutting off Baghra’s finger is unforgivable. She may have betrayed him…like massively, but she did raise and protect him for years. For someone so afraid of being alone, he sure is doing all he can to ensure that. I still hope he manages to find a happy ending, somehow redeeming himself. I do blame Anastas for the whole mess with the Fold.

[crimefightingspiderguy]

My final thoughts on WandaVision (so it goes without saying if you haven’t finished it, don’t look past Vision)

What I liked:

• I loved the sitcom concept, super cool. And finding out why she hung onto sitcoms for comfort was just *chefs kiss* pay off wise.

• I loved how it started out as a slow build up (but I do think it would’ve worked better to have longer episodes to make things fit better and not feel as rushed towards the end)

• I loved Darcy, Monica and Jimmy’s trio. They were so fantastic together and the actors all did great.

• On the note of Monica, IM SO EXCITED TO HAVE A WOMAN OF COLOR SUPERHERO (especially since she’ll eventually be a main character not just a “sidekick”) 🥳

• I LOVED Pietro/Fietro/Ralph/Uncle P (whoever the hell he actually was). I obviously have some dislikes about the last episode, but we’ll get to that later. I loved how fun Evan Peters was. He really did a fantastic job even though no one knew what was going on with his character, he ate that shit up and left no crumbs.

• Wanda and Visions love story is so much better now that we got to build up to it rather than us just jumping into it (how I felt in Infinity War)

• SCARLET WITCH BOUT TO MAKE ME ACT UP. HOLY JIMMINE CRICKETS WAS SHE LOOKING GORGEOUS AND POWERFUL IN THAT LAST EPISODE

• Billy and Tommy are some of the sweetest children I think I’ve ever seen in a movie/show world and I love them with all my heart and soul and I really hope they do return.

• ITS BEEN AGATHA ALL ALONG 💃���🕺🏽💃🏻🕺🏽💃🏻

• “what is grief if not love persevering”

• “we’ve said goodbye before so it stands to reason... we’ll say hello again” IM CRYING JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.

• Wanda tucked in Billy and Tommy so they’d be asleep before they were sucked away with the hex 😭😭😭

• “thank you for choosing me to be your mom” 😭

• That second end credit scene with Scarlet Witch astral projecting was so trippy (I love it) and the boys calling to her broke my dang heart.

• overall the special effects looked really cool

• omg Elizabeth Olsen breaking her back to create the hex was 10/10 she’s so dedicated to the motions/physical acting of it all. Also all her crying scenes, it all felt very real and it really made me sob whenever she was hurting.

Things I didn’t like:

• Episode length. I understand they wanted it to go with the length of a normal sitcom, but it doesn’t work when you’re flashing back and forth between the sitcom and the real world. The time got messy towards the end and things felt rushed like the Vision vs. White Vision battle was just boring because it had no climatic energy to it.

• Too many loose ends/wasn’t clear enough. By that I mean, who was Jimmy’s missing person that led to him learning about the hex? (I’m hoping it was Evan Peters’ character, but more on that later). What happened to White Vision? Does Wanda have Agatha’s power now or did she just make it so she couldn’t use them?

• Ralph Bohner? Really Disney/Marvel? Really? You’re telling me you got Evan fricking Peters just so you could stunt cast and fuck with the audience and end it with a dick joke? Not cool.

• Why no Darcy in the last episode other than 2 seconds :(

• Hayward... Thats it. I just really hate him.

• some of the script/lines were a little questionable... like idk a lot of Agatha’s lines once she was revealed as the villain just were lack luster after her amazing intro and they were sort of tacky.

• I didn’t like how they hyped up certain things just for them to not really be significant (like Monica saying she knew a space engineer who could get her in and it was all mysterious, then not even ending up needing the truck they built or the character not really having much of a “wow” show up)

• I’m back to the Evan Peters thing. Why would they hype up his character’s mystery identity for him to just be a random dude named Ralph Bohner??? That’s such terrible writing (obviously I’m not an expert writer, but I actually did internship at a magazine where I had to read submitted stories and judge them and see if they were worthy of publication. And my minor in college was writing. So I do know a little about story telling, and something is off about the way they did this.). It’s either the fact that it’s just plain bad writing, or it’s a misdirect. I want to believe that Marvel knows how much people would enjoy EP in this show and would eventually expect more from him in the MCU. Now obviously, this is Wanda’s show and she decides what makes it on and what doesn’t, so maybe Ralph is the missing person Jimmy was looking for, but Wanda doesn’t know that, nor would she want it on her show. Maybe he really is Quicksilver but they put him in the Witness Protection Program when he came over from another universe? Or maybe he really is just a nobody who Agatha lived with because his house was conveniently close to Wanda’s. Or maybe he is someone of significance because who just has a random headshot lying around with their proof of ownership of their house and other paperwork and then laughs at their name Bohner even though if they’d had that name their whole life they’d be sick of the dick jokes?? Maybe they left it vague enough so they could gauge audience reaction to EP, if it was good they could come back to it in a mutants movie/show (or maybe even Doctor Strange 2 or Spider-Man 3) or if it was bad, just leave it at he’s a random person who already lived in Westview. Idk all I know is if they don’t end up bringing him back I’m definitely gonna be significantly less interested in any morphing of the XMen and mutants into the MCU.

Lastly, I just wanna say the actors and actresses all did fantastic (especially Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany). They all play such complex roles this time around and it really showed how passionate they were about this project. I loved them all so much and they truly brought this show to life (yes it has flaws, but it was their first attempt at a MCU timeline show, and the actors did what they could with what they were given so none of my criticism go towards them). I really enjoyed this overall (and I’m genuinely sad to see it ending) and I’m looking forward to seeing Wanda being a bad mamma-jamma in Doctor Strange 2.

[puppy-phum]

iron triangle thoughts (and prayers)

this is another bonus/side post for my pingxie thoughts (and prayers) -series. the rest of the series you can find here

i promised yall that i would make another one of these very soon so here i am again. usually i focus on pingxie, but for this i wanted to include pangzi too. it felt important that this would be about iron triangle as a whole.

(i have also used this scene and my own interpretation of it in my pingxie fic Binding)

The Red String of Fate

To leave episode 16 behind on a slightly more positive note, I wanted to focus on what happens after Xiaoge returns from the jade meteorite. More specifically, I wanted to focus on Iron Triangle’s trek through the desert before they collapse and get saved by Madam Dolma and her grandson. That whole scene makes me think A Lot™ and this scene is also one of the main reasons I decided to start this series. I have no idea if it was packed with as much meaning as I managed to squeeze out of it but I will live with what I’ve been offered.  

(rest of my flailing under the cut!)

We start with the fact that once we get to the desert, Xiaoge is finally able to walk without support. Before this he’s been getting a piggyback ride from both Wu Xie and Pangzi plus he has been thrown around like a ragdoll between shoulders (which makes me wonder how much fun the trio had during the filming of the scene where they are just swiping mud all over Xiaoge/XYL like he’s a wall to be painted). 

Xiaoge was still very out of it when Iron Triangle was in the jungle, and this is the first time we see him coherent again, actually looking like himself. He seems... mostly very tired but not that different than usual. However, we are left painfully aware of the fact that he is not who he used to be and that he has not spoken ever since he passed out on Wu Xie outside the meteorite. 

So, then we have Iron Triangle on the desert which we first walked through ages ago (has it really been only 16 episodes? Or 15 because we’re not in the desert on ep 1. But wow still, it feels like it happened several years ago) and instead of the whole team they had back then, they are now alone. Heihua left already, we’ve seen them celebrate and say goodbye. Sanshu has disappeared. The rest of the team is most likely dead. It’s just our trio, once again. 

The lack of people doesn’t really phase me here. I know everyone important is where they’re supposed to be. What makes me yell tho, is the rope. They didn’t have a rope before! No one used a damn rope in the desert back when they were in the sandstorm (and as a Finnish person, I absolutely have to cue Darude’s Sandstorm here so hold onto your hats folks and rave a bit). It would’ve been wise to use one bc maybe then they wouldn’t have lost each other but well, circumstances didn’t really allow that. But now here, this rope feels like a correction of those previous mistakes. They don’t want to lose each other again. When they’re tied together, it cannot happen. 

No more Wu Xie getting lost alone in the Devil’s City (and almost dying there, twice). No more of him getting lost in the desert with Xiao Hua (and almost dying again). No chances for Xiaoge to wander off in his confusion. No more Pangzi acting alone and doing things behind Wu Xie’s back. There’s a lot of symbolism here even if none of these past things can actually happen now that Iron Triangle is together. They are tied – with a string that is stronger than it used to be. If one stumbles, two are still standing. 

Another interesting thing about the rope, for me personally, is the order they’re tied to it. This is what first piqued my interest after I had stared at the rope for a second and gone “red string of fate” in my head. But I’ll get into that in a bit so first, the order. It feels very well thought out – and even more important once it changes.

When we first see Iron Triangle, they’re tied together like this: Wu Xie at the front, Pangzi in the middle, and Xiaoge at the rear. It feels like it makes sense. Wu Xie is the one they trust to know the way, he’s smart enough to figure that out. Xiaoge is at the back bc unlike the other two, he doesn’t know anything right now. He needs to be led around, so to speak, and with the rope there, they can actually do that. Pangzi even looks back towards Xiaoge to make sure he’s still able to follow and when Xiaoge stops at one point, Pangzi pulling the rope gets him moving again. So, Wu Xie and Pangzi don’t know the depth of Xiaoge’s loss quite yet (or their own loss for that matter) but they know enough to put Xiaoge to follow them so that he can still rest. 

I also like to think that the reason why Pingxie aren’t tied together here is bc if they were, Wu Xie wouldn’t be able to focus. It’s easier to have Pangzi next to him at the moment rather than Xiaoge. Wu Xie would lose it again if it was the other way and for now, he has to keep it together. It’s all on him now. He needs to get them out of here. He needs to be the one to lead.

Then the order changes and it feels like their thinking changes too. 

We go from Xiaoge being the last to him being at the front, leading them, while Pangzi takes the last place and Wu Xie falls in the middle. And here is where I started thinking, why does this happen? They haven’t just flipped the order, they have deliberately re-tied the rope. Some type of communication must have happened and they must have chosen to change into this. There is a reason. And the only reason I came up with was: Normalcy. (Anyone out there who is now yelling that maybe the directors just forgot which order they were in and decided not to care about their mistake after the shots were taken: Shush. I have considered that and decided to ignore it.) 

The first order, compared to the second one, feels wrong somehow or at least strange. To me personally, it doesn’t feel like the order Iron Triangle would usually take. Xiaoge is often the first one: he knows places, can fight, deactivates traps, and senses any danger. It is his usual place to be at the front (tho we can wonder if it’s the place the other two would allow him to keep as they never see him as that type of tool but it’s logical). 

For Wu Xie and Pangzi’s order then, it’s almost whatever. But then again, it’s safest for Wu Xie to be in the middle. Pangzi can take a lot more than Wu Xie can – or at least Pangzi believes that. He and Xiaoge always do their utmost best to protect Wu Xie. And in this moment, it also feels like that is the only place Wu Xie agrees to be in so that he can see Xiaoge. So that he knows that Xiaoge is still there, with him, guiding them. Alive and real.  

Even in a special situation, Iron Triangle settles into something they consider normal. Xiaoge leads them like he’s always done, even when he’s lost his mind. Wu Xie follows bc there’s nothing else he can do. And Pangzi is at the back bc there needs to be something for Wu Xie to fall in. Bc someone needs to watch over these two fools. Bc Pangzi would never let the other two to go on without him. 

It really is a red string of fate, that rope. It is not actually red like I first remembered that it was, instead being somewhere close to yellow maybe? But it still makes me lose it. This scene just shows perfectly how strongly Iron Triangle is tied together. Nothing can break their bond, not even one of them losing himself. They will always know their way as long as they remain connected, no matter where they are heading. And something about this whole scene tells me that if they had died in this desert, right here, there would’ve been no regrets bc they had everything that really mattered. 

Aka these are all of my reasons why Iron Triangle are soulmates, thanks for coming to my ted talk and thanks for Ultimate Note for showing us this, I will retreat to cry now.

[spikesdru]

my rewatch of becoming part 2 btvs 2x22 + s2 thoughts:

Sunnydale police can get swallowed by a giant snake (see what I did there?) 

Buffy really had time for an outfit change to the hospital? Lol

Poor baby Willow. The music makes it so sad too 

Xandelia’s hug was really cute. And it’s nice that Cordy is genuinely concerned for Willow 

Wow, Whistler, u really had NO idea what would happen? Lol k

“I want to save the world” shut up man 

I find it odd how some people claim this ep had the first sign of Spike’s “soulless heroicism” when part of the reason why he wants to stop Angelus is to keep eating the “happy meals with legs” (and to keep creating chaos with Dru, wow so noble!)

For all Xander’s flaws, he really does care and love Willow deeply

Poor Giles man. He’s so strong

Spike being a proud bf of Dru killing Kendra <3 we love a supportive man 

Another great moment where Buffy and Joyce are fighting. Great acting (SARAH WHERE WAS UR EMMY) amazing writing, ends on a bad note but really sets the finale 

Joyce….girl….u can tell she regrets her words as soon as she says it but WHY

Another tidbit about the mayor!!!! Love these tiny seeds being planted 

Oh god this just shows how badly Giles misses Jenny

LMAOOO DRU IS GOING AT IT WITH GILES

Soft Spangelus moment! My fav killers <3

“Er, Drusilla…” “honey” LOL SPANGELUS BEING LIKE OK U CAN STOP THE MAKEOUT

So. Xander not telling Buffy abt the spell. I’m annoyed he didn’t say anything but if he had, Buffy would’ve held back. Things could’ve gone differently, maybe worse for her so I see his reasoning 

Spike is letting out ALL his aggression by beating Angelus lmao

“Why would they make you see me?” LMAO Giles/Xander is an underrated comedic duo

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN LET’S GO

“God he’s gonna kill her” *shrugs and leave* best version of Spike idc idc

“Take that away and what’s left?” “Me” BADASS QUEEN I LOVE U 

I’ve watched this scene DOZENS of times and it never gets old

Angel looking up in wonder, already crying….DB played this well, we automatically see that shift where the soul returns

Buffy’s face going from confusion to deep relief to fear to acceptance. SMG, one day I will avenge u and your awards snub

“Close your eyes” MOST HEARTBREAKING WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

And the fact that Angel doesn’t seem betrayed, just confused and reaches for her help. Then her face crumpling as the realization of what she’s done sets in is so beautifully gut-wrenching 

Such a sad but wonderful ending to a fantastic season 

season 2 thoughts

Rewatching this reminded me of why I love this season: the plots, the characters, the villains, the writing, the romantic pairings are all perfection to me. Some of the eps aren’t perfect, I think the second half has a better consistency but it produces some of the best eps in the series. I’ll give this season an A grade

favourite eps: 2x03, 2x06, 2x13, 2x14, 2x16, 2x17, 2x19, 2x22

honourable mentions: 2x01, 2x07, 2x09, 2x10, 2x20, 2x21

[papers4me]

Fruits Basket, SE03, Ep1

I’m here! The final season continues from where se02 oddly left, right in the middle of a conversation! XD.

-Tohru’s crushed heart (scarf): Excellent symbolism!

Tohru, burdened with trying to lift the curse of teen & adult sohmas, is now also troubled by trying to help Arisa’s romantic life is sad for akito! Too much for compassionate selfless tohru. Unable to help, protect & erase the pain, tohru crumbles. Freezes. Her white scarf (heart) flies away, gets crushed by cars & becomes dirty. But here comes a boy ( who thinks himself a monster) picks it up, cleans & returns it back. He thinks nothing of his deed. nothing heroic abt saving a scarf, really. But do we need to be heroes to save others? kyo saves tohru by being kyo. Not the zodiac cat & not the menacing monster. Her heart is saved by him, shown much care & returned back. Mind you, the heart (scarf) is not brand new after the delima. It’s not very clean after being crushed, some marks remain, but these are marks of growth!!! you walk away after hardships carrying minor scars of victory. This scene solidify kyo’s role in tohru’s life as an equal companion. Not a heroic prince charming. It is the little things he does that shows who he is. kyo isn’t abt big soft words, he doesn't say the best things. he is a man of action. His care, love & compassion comes so very easily & naturally to him thro actions. This is what yuki meant by saying he’s jealous of kyo. Yuki over thinks his steps & doubt everything before he acts. Kyo acts spontaneously then doubts himself later. He saves the scarf (heart) then tells her directly to buy another one if she feels it’s not clean. He failed to see how this trivial action meant the world to tohru. Tohru smiles lively cuz her heart is back to her.

Why is the scarf scene so important? (aka furuba’s best usage of symbolism yet!)

It symbolizes tohru’s toxic flaw that she must overcome! It represents tohru’s tormented heart over other ppl’s pain with severe neglect to her own problems & issues. Arisa’s love life shouldn’t be tohru’s delima, nor Akito’s complex or Kureno’s or the damned curse. Tohru toxically chooses to bear other burdens’ until they crush her.

Hana can’t come to save tohru from pain each time tohru indulges in it. Tohru must realize her own flaw & grow up beyond this toxic type of kindness. Feel & help others, but don’t use them to escape your pain & don’t indulge in their own struggles & neglect yourself. There is a reason hana’s knowing of tohru’s pain is thro “magical” waves, to symbolize that this can’t become a norm, not real. You can’t depend on magic to grow. I love that!

The white scarf bearing smudges of the tires even after kyo washed it shows that kyo’s love & care can’t magically heal all tohru’s pain. It parallels kyo’s words from se01, ep,24 when he said tohru didn’t heal all his pain, but he feels better simply cuz she stayed by his side. Tohru now is feeling better cuz kyo chose was there for her. Love doesn’t magically heal you, kids! But it sure puts you on the path! Also, this once again adds more depth to the (tohru/kyo) equal give & take dynamics.

This scene deconstruct the image of Tohru represented as an angelic mother throughout 2 seasons. Instead, It paints her as a real flawed girl with much need for growth. Exactly, like how we have learned by now that kyo isn’t a horrible monster nor a prince charming saving the day, but a flawed boy with much need for growth. However, these two push each other forward in a subtle way through daily situations! Excellent writing!!

-Kureno. (aka. who tohru should never become):

The harmful kindness: Kureno is someone who hurts himself & hurt many others (akito, arisa, shigure, & consequently the rest of the zodiacs) by giving the harmful types of kindness to akito, by completely erasing his own needs, desires & living for the sake of someone who would be far better without him. Kureno is who tohru might have become if she selflessly continues fighting solely for the sohma’s sake & trying to break the curse while ignoring her own life. She’ll become as miserable as kureno & the zodiacs will become dependable on her.

The destructive pity: Kureno pities this tormented child (akito) & chooses to stay with her until her tears dry. This pity is destructive cuz it is done while he wishes to be miles away with Arisa & it encourages akito to stay as she is. Look, a child whose mom hates her deserves pity. But an adult woman needs to learn to build relationships based on mutual affection & respect. This talk of pity reminds me of kyo & kagura. Kagura pitied the cat zodiac. The relationship was doomed cuz kyo refuses pity. It doesn’t matter if her pity turned into love later. Kyo doesn’t want that from her or anyone. There is NO equality there. We know tohru came to love kyo for all the times he was there for her & all the times he pushed her to improve, to complain, to want things! she said so in se01, ep, 24. But we also know that young baby tohru pitied the cat when her mom told her the zodiacs story. what if kyo thinks tohru’s affection is pity???? that’s a big NO for him & for every person. I really want tohru to be as far from any kurno’s traits as possible!!!

-Akito, the pitiful woman:

Akito was born a girl, forced to be raised as a boy by her mother’s demands? where is the father?? she was hated by her mother. why? she also hates her mom. (hate your child & they’ll hated you). So, akito is doomed by her mom. Akito tries to prove that she’s loved by the zodiac “she specified the male zodiacs” interesting! we saw how she hates both Isuzu & kisa & doesn’t give a damn abt kagura. This woman, forced to pose as a man, actually desires to be treated as a woman. As for the other zodiacs:

No worries abt hatori leaving cuz he’s 24/7 attending to her health.

Ayame makes tea exclusively for her & hatori.

she thinks Ritsu is too timid to attempt leaving.

Hiro’s a baby, momiji is hated cuz she can’t break him.

Kyo is destined to be locked. but Why she cares abt the cat anyway?? She publicly hates him & feels disgusted by him.

She used to control yuki but can’t anymore.

she uses intimacy to bound those who “can” leave her the most: kurno! & shigure? she sleeps next to shigure in the valentine ep. hatori remarked: don’t let akito catch cold. We saw the sexually charged rage in se02, ep10. So, she isn’t faithful to kureno. They don’t have a relationship. She doesn’t even have a relationship with shigure, either. to her, sex is a tool to tie them both to her?

It is ironic that the person who said she despises woman & accuses Isuzu of seducing hatori is herself seducing others. Except, tragically, kureno isn’t with her for herself, but cuz he pities her. We saw her slapping & embracing him. Next scene; her bare shoulders & his unbuttoned shirt clearly implies they got intimate which is what akito does to feel secure in kureno not leaving her. Kureno is not even interested in her despite submitting to her advances, needs & orders. He does it out of pity. Truly the most tragic form of physical affection: sex for pity. wow... how tragically pitiful is the abusive ruler of the zodiacs who looms over them & demands respect & eternal bonds. How can she find someone who’ll love her for herself, if she doesn’t learn to show good sides of her? Yuki wasn’t loved for who he is in school, but for being the “prince”, he showed his real character & got himself true friends & soon a lover!!!  Kyo, was feared & pitied for turning into a “monster”, but once he showed his kind & harmless self, he got himself true friends & a girl who loves him for his actual personality! Who will love akito for who she is if she only shows a spoiled child, horrible family head or a pitiful woman? What does shigure love in her? he doesn’t seem to pity her nor pamper her much, does he?  perhaps we’ll know more abt the real akito later.

Side notes:

Akito’s mom reminded me of kyo’s dad. Abused children, who are hated by their parents, don’t let go of the hurt easily. they’ll always try to either get their approval, show them they were worthy of their love, or they’re NOTHING like their parents think they are. eg: Kyo’s biological father’s hate has destroyed kyo. Kyo have kazuma & tohru & he still wonder why they love him. It took kyo 17 years to actually promise to call kazuma "dad” one day in se01 finale. You need time to heal the wounds inflected by the ones who should love you the most. Being loved by others doesn’t magically heal you! You need to take few steps forward.

Isuzu is Ren’s clone! finally understanding why the severe hate from akito towards Isuzu. I’ll wait for more Ren/Akito content before analyzing their relationship.

Ren is so sexy. ngl, the scene of the zodiacs touching her belly after she just *conceived* akito is so creepy~ ew! 

Hana picked up tohru first before kyo, cuz this show isn’t exclusive for romantic love as much as it isn’t exclusive for friendship. There is balance. 

Tohru needs her own future, so does Arisa & hana! Learn to accept the limit of what you can do as a friend, tohru.. forever loving furuba for steering away from “friends stay together forever~yay” anime trope! Furuba is abt independent & individual adult life! building your own future! Epic writing!

Forever fascinated by how much the little small ordinary daily life things has really built kyo-tohru love! It feels so real & very uniquely built! Excellent writing!

Arisa is stuck with an adult man trapping himself in the most unnecessary love triangle. Kureno’s cage is self made, no curse. A very sheltered boy/man not living in the real world. Only two options for kureno if he continues this path: he’ll hurt akito, or akito will hurt him. We know the answer from the trailer, don’t we?

Arisa letting go of kuron is growth! Let go & live, girl!

There is a subtle theme of learning to let go in furuba~

Yuki is the biggest kyoru shipper!

Tohru intentionally hitting kyo with scarf’s pon-pon is my fave side of her! intentional flirting shows change from her little girl’s good girl attitude to her own type of a feisty woman! after all, she’s nearly 18!

The way the camera moved when kyo spotted the scarf was so good!

The director is obsessed with flying!! did he work on attack on titans? cuz the Ren-akito flying fight reminded me of Titan Eren strangling Titan Annie in AOT se01 finale! but chibi version! XD. I’m sorry for akito’s pain, but I was distracted by laughing! XD

look, if you plan to dramatize a situation, know your budget & your skills. Obviously, the director knew the scene is badly done, hence, the wide far away, dim lit shot to hide as much as it can. Couldn’t he do without it? let akito strangle her to the ground without flying!

oh well~these over-the-top shots are now a furuba trade mark~ just praying they stick with one weird shot per season.

[chalkrevelations]

Ep 27 of Word of Honor, and that was … Well. That was definitely the unicorn chaser to spending so much time and hugging with Awful Yifu in the last episode.

(Spoilers, as ever, so scroll away and come back later, if you’re still planning to watch unspoiled.)

I mean, what is there to say?

Ha, no, really, I can find plenty to say. Buckle up, I guess.

Clearly, I’m going to talk about The Scene, and there’s a lot going on here, besides the obvious cake frosting of everyone coming to everyone else’s rescue and the fighting and the crying and the declarations, and then once it’s all over, when everybody’s still hopped up on adrenaline, before the crash hits, the shouting and the laughing. At the end of it, we’re not even 20 minutes into the ep, and I feel like that should have been the climax (har), but they probably knew nobody would be able to concentrate on anything else that came before it. I’ve seen a couple of interviews now where Zhang Zhehan said he wanted to play Wen Kexing, and given the chance, he would probably still pick that role, and then everyone involved in the interview rambles on about the complexity of the Wen Kexing character, and it makes me worry that Zhang Zhehan isn’t giving himself or Zhou Zishu enough credit for the depth and range that he pulled out of the character. There’s a lot of various people yelling at various other people in many different places in this show, but there’s not been a scene yet that I felt it like I did when ZZS shouts at WKX after Ye Baiyi finally goes away, wanting to know what the fuck he was thinking. That felt real, and it felt layered – like, there’s a bone-deep fear that’s giving that anger extra strength, fear about the fact that WKX could be so self-destructive. Which also may force ZZS to confront for the first time the idea that WKX could die and leave him alone, just like all his other shidi died and left him alone. I’d have to go back and rummage around in previous eps, but I feel like this could be the first time ZZS really has to confront the idea that could happen, and he’s probably not at all prepared for it, because he’s understandably expecting to be the first to go. But this idea that WKX could just disappear, and get himself killed (because let’s face it, Ye Baiyi tossed them both around like toys), and ZZS would never see him again – that he would abandon ZZS like that, just to hide his secrets – I think that might be part of the anger, here. (You don’t fail me … and Zhou Zishou’s expectations for what constitutes not being failed are a pretty low bar, consisting mainly of not getting yourself killed like a fucking dumbass, and even that bar suddenly seems to be too high for Wen Kexing to clear.)

There’s also a clear parallel here, need I say, to the scene in a previous ep when Gu Xiang (WKX) begs Shen Shen (Ye Baiyi) that even after Shen Shen (Ye Baiyi) kills her (him), could he just for god’s sake not tell her (his) boyfriend who she (he) really was. Wen Kexing’s supposedly thought-out plan was basically just going to be what A-Xiang came up with on the fly, and stupid babies need the most love, I remind myself grimly, particularly when all this is about something Zhou Zishu already knew anyway, because he’s a brilliant former merciless assassin, not a good-hearted self-deprecating cinnamon roll who thinks he’s the least talented person in his sect like Cao Weining. We’ve also got some tasty philosophical stuff in this whole confrontation, including competing responsibilities – loyalty vs. justice vs. integrity – along with ideas of retributive vs. restorative justice. This is another good Zhang Zhehan acting moment, because that whole bit about how, actually, Grandpa, his shifu would have been about guiding his shidi toward kindness and making up for the mistakes he made – I actually believe he’s wholly thinking about Wen Kexing when he pulls out this philosophical rapier, and not at all about how restorative justice benefits ZZS, himself, considering how much blood he has on his own hands and that earlier conversation about frying in oil for 80 vs. 100 years. Good job, my friend. The one thing that makes me sad about this scene is that I’ve seen That Extra, and I hate we were robbed of not only Zhou Zishu actually laying his head on Wen Kexing’s shoulder but of Gong Jun’s single crystalline tear spilling down his cheek. Zhang Zehan’s right, that was a better take.

Anyway, Ye Baiyi proceeds to put WKX under house arrest, which, just. So he has to live with ZZS for the rest of his life? Please don’t throw him into the briar patch, right?

Also, yes, WKX. He’d die for you, dumbass. God.

Just to drive home the point of how the Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishou and Gu Xiang/Cao Weining relationships are the same relationship, we then go to a scene … well, we then go directly to a scene where Cao Weining is just sitting there, chin in hand, gazing adoringly at Gu Xiang, much the way Wen Kexing has been gazing adoringly at Zhou Zishu since about Ep 3 2 1 …  but that also leads into a scene where Cao Weining is interrogated about Gu Xiang by his shixiong in a milder, miniature version of the grilling ZZS just took from his elder. “Do you know who she is?” Whoever she is, he’s going to continue to respect her boundaries. “I promised her, so I won’t betray or distrust her.” “We’ve been through so much together.” (“We’re in the same boat anyway, we might as well stay together.”) I won’t fail you. Nobody in this scene has actually made the Ghost Valley connection, yet, and Cao Weining is not as canny as Zhou Zishu, so we’re not yet going to get any kind of resolution on the issue in this relationship - but given the way these relationships are running on parallel tracks, I have positive feelings about how Cao Weining is going to meet this challenge (not that I didn’t, anyway) once the info finally does come out.

What else, what else? We do go back to Xie Wang and Awful Yifu in this ep, and oh boy.

Xie’er: Ghost Valley Master’s faithful minion Heartless Amethyst Fiend has been sent by her master to sneakily follow Cao Weining and infiltrate the Gentle Wind Sword Sect where the Glazed Armor is being held.

A-Xiang, chillin’ outside the gated community in a rustic cabin with her fiancé, doing some mending and waiting for her wedding day: Never speak of my former master again, I have utterly left that life behind me. Also, what should we have for dinner?

I can see how you would come to the conclusion you did, Xie’er, but wow, the only time you’ve been more wrong in your life is about your Awful Yifu. Speaking of which, it appears the cat Awful Yifu is out of the bag. Xie Wang is still all, “Since you saved me, you can take my life back if you want,” and here we are in Zhou Zishu-Prince Jin territory again, shades of ZZS in Ep 1 not even blinking as he offers himself to Prince Jin and takes the gamble that he won’t just get his head cut off for his troubles. ALSO, I distinctly remember telling you, Xie’er, that you were empathizing (although not sympathizing) a bit much with the women of the Department of the Unfaithful, and here we do in fact get an explicit comparison, looking back to the conversation with Beauty Ghost about her loser boyfriend, when you refer to yourself as “also a gambler” as you take your leave of Zhao JIng. You need some Water of Lethe, buddy. Or do you think – to return to that conversation and the parallels with Beauty Ghost – that if you remember all this, you’ll stop making the same mistakes?

A last few random things:

lol, let’s all take a minute to giggle over the fact that ZZS has, in Ye Baiyi’s words, associated with this dude. Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Sorry, but I had to pause the show at that point to snicker like a 12-year-old.

Chengling: “How dare those ruffians beat my two dads! Let’s burn down their house.” Wow. OK. Xiang-jie has been … some kind of influence on her didi.

Last scene of ZZS and WKX, oh my god:

ZZS: You’re feeling bad for keeping a secret from a kid? What about me? How are you going to make it up to me?

WKX: Oh, my goodness, look at the time. I’m feeling so … sleepy. Yes, that’s it. I must go to bed. You also must be so … sleepy. You should. You know. Go to bed. Too. Also. To cure your … sleepiness. As you do, in a bed. Where I will also be.

Me, to the screen: He’s going to make it up to you on his back.

Also me: :facepalm: You are a pair of merciless killers. How are you this adorable?

[princessamericachavez]

Do you remember what episode was it when they were talking about how to split rooms and Veth suggests Jester and Fjord share a room and Jester turns it down and makes it a point to go to the other room where Fjord wasn’t in? Is that the same episode Caleb tells Fjord that Jester can punch him through a wall?

Oh man. I feel like this ask is super passive aggressive, but just in case it isn’t... sure, I’ll play.

The episode was ep 54 “Well Beneath” and both interactions happen at the same time, but I suspect you already knew that, anon.

I think there’s a couple interesting things that keep getting overlooked when it comes to this exchange when Fandom talks about it, though. Especially when painted as proof that Fjord doesn’t respect Jester’s strength as much as Caleb does. Which absolutely isn’t the case.

I think, firstly, for context from Fjord’s POV it’s worth noting that this is very soon after the Pirate Arc, in which he struggled for weeks to precisely keep his friends safe under constant threat and felt responsible for it. Secondly, during that arc he slowly became more aware of the way Jester’s cheerfulness is a front. Starting with the jellyfish talk and leading to his efforts to cheer her up after the whole blue dragon thing, which we know he feels responsible for despite it being an unfortunate mix of events. He also started becoming more aware of how much her support meant for him (see the second temple, in which he was moved by her concern but also kept complimenting her fighting and spells at every given turn). Finally, let’s not forget they were preparing to sleep in a super shady place and boys and girls were going to room separately. I would argue, after the Iron Shepherd’s, there’s certain degree of separation anxiety for Fjord and, as far as they knew at this point of the Xhorhas arc, they were in hostile territory. So no, Fjord isn’t saying “Jester I think you are too weak” he is saying “Jester, your safety is important to me and I am trying to be more vocal about it”. In a hilariously misguided way, which is hilarious for someone as smooth as Fjord, but later experience has proved he gets very clumsy around her because of his growing crush.

As for Jester’s reaction, I think it’s important to note, first and foremost, that she was already crossed at Fjord and Veth before this conversation. She was pissed because she was nearly out of spells and asked them not to go into the well to investigate because she wouldn’t be able to heal them if something went wrong. And they were too curious to listen to her. Remember, what Jester actually called Fjord out on after the HFB WASNT that he left her with the dragon but that he disappeared. Again, separation anxiety. So she’s angry and then Fjord asks if she’ll be safe and she looks angry. But then her friends start loudly, and right in front of her, teasing him about it. This is the guy she is in love with and just convinced herself doesn’t like her back. How excruciating must that be? No wonder she walks away to her bedroom. Also, consider, she doesn’t snap at Fjord over the comment. She does snap at Veth about the teasing, insisting Fjord had no romantic inclinations while making that comment (lol it definitely came from his feeling for her but we know that now for sure).

Finally, I don’t see that exchange as Caleb respecting her more. Honestly. I think it’s a very interesting illustration of something I already talked about and is the fact that, just because Jester CAN take care of herself, it doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be checked in with, shouldn’t be asked “are you okay with this?” You can know someone is highly capable and still worry about them. It’s not mutually exclusive. I do appreciate Caleb loudly reminding everyone how strong Jester is, their friendship is one of my favorite things. The way he delivered that line was hilarious (though sadly ignored by her and everyone else in the middle of the ensuing teasing). But that’s about it for me. If anything, knowing about his crush on her, it almost feels like he kinda WANTED to incite conflict over the comment but it’s hard to speculate about it of course.

Lastly, I think it’s interesting to note that Fjord does this exact same thing a while later, after they just lost Yasha. When, again, they are staying in weird sleeping arrengments (dynasty military camp, this time), when again Jester is out of spells, when they are shaken and tense and feeling hunted down by TLH. He leaves the room and asks “are you going to be alright here?” And he’s v obviously talking to Jester because of his sight line but Sam dismisses it with “yeah, it’s a room” though Jester nods gently in response at the same time. She doesn’t take it as offense (when she isn’t already pissed).

Also, because now I’m thinking about it, you could say there’s other two parallels on Jester’s side to this exchange. Firstly, when she checks in with him in the Xhorhouse and implies they ran away from the ocean, to which Fjord responds defensively. And, much later, when she stops him before they walk into the cathedral, holds his hand and whispers “please be careful, please”. Neither of these means she thinks he’s weak or doesn’t respect him, right.

I don’t know where I’m going with this other than that scene came at a time where Fjord and Jester’s relationship was slowly beginning to mend after the Pirate Arc (I would argue it didn’t entirely return to their easy comfortable rapport until the Kiln Talk though it did get much better after the moorbounder/potions conversation) but people keep taking it out of context (both within their arcs and within the episode itself) and everyone is free to make whatever readings they want but ignoring nuances leads to misguided conclusions in my opinion. So yeah.

Anyway, the ep you were looking for was 54 (wow, over 60 eps ago!)

[newmusickarl]

Album & EP Recommendations

My word, the music world has well and truly spoiled us this week!

The past seven days has seen a colossal avalanche of new releases, so much so I’ve barely had chance to keep up with it all. Although this is not the full list of everything from the past seven days, here are the 16 (yes, 16!) new releases I’ve enjoyed the most this week.

As there is so much to get through the rundowns are (mostly) a bit shorter than normal and there is no single Album of the Week, instead I simply recommend checking out whichever album or track sounds most appealing depending on your preferred taste.

So without further ado then, here’s what’s good:

Californian Soil by London Grammar

It’s been four years since the release of London Grammar’s last record Truth Is A Beautiful Thing - an album that I enjoyed, but I’ll admit also left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed coming off the back of their incredible breakout debut, If You Wait. As it turns out, the band themselves were also having a tough time around that period, with front woman Hannah Reid in particular battling relentless industry sexism, as well as the persistent physical pain caused by her fibromyalgia condition. With this being the case, it is amazing that the young indie-pop trio have made it to their third album at all, let alone delivering what is their best work to date.

Opening on a grand, string-drenched Intro, the record soon morphs into the sun-soaked guitars and soaring orchestration of the album’s glorious title track. It marks an early highlight as Reid catches the audience up with the tribulations of the last few years – “I left my soul on Californian soil.” From there the album doesn’t really let up as the band move through a series of career-defining tracks – the gorgeous contemporary groove of Missing, the dance-influenced How Does It Feel, the chilled-out ambience of the dreamy Baby, It’s You and the sublime, stripped-back closer America.

However, the album’s strongest moment comes when Reid confronts music industry sexism head on with defiant anthem Lord It’s A Feeling. Beginning with some twinkly xylophone, before evolving into an atmospheric synth-laced backdrop where Reid pulls no punches:

“I saw the way you made her feel, like she should be somebody else,

I know you think the stars align for you and not for her as well,

I undеrstand, I can admit that I have felt those things mysеlf”

The cutting lyrics against some blinding quiet rave instrumentation leaves quite the impression, as does this sterling record in general. After a slight misstep, London Grammar have well and truly rediscovered themselves and they have honestly never sounded better – a truly incredible album.

If You Could Have It All Again by Low Island

Oxford electo-pop outfit Low Island are another band that have defied expectations to get to this point. This, their debut album, was not recorded in a professional music studio – in fact, the vocals were recorded in a bedroom cupboard of all places. The band themselves don’t even have a manager or a record label. In every sense of the word, they are a truly independent band. For a self-financed, self-produced effort, If You Could Have It All Again is a quite remarkable first outing.

From melodic, uplifting opener Hey Man, the record quickly jumps into spoken word electro punk banger What Do You Stand For, featuring acid-drenched synths and a dancefloor-ready groove. Fans of FIFA 21 will recall Don’t Let the Light In, with the glitchy pulse of recent single Who’s Having the Greatest Time also standing out. That said, it’s the smooth, infectious sway of I Do It For You that still pulls me in the most.

Having followed the band since their early EPs, I’ve been rooting for Low Island for a while now and this is one debut album I was highly anticipating this year. Safe to say, my expectations have been met – this is a fantastic, accomplished record, which leaves me eager to see where they go next.

The Greatest Mistake Of My Life by Holding Absence

There was a time when the difficult second album used to be a thing, but listening to the sophomore effort from Welsh rock band Holding Absence this week, I’m really not sure that exists anymore. After a dramatic and impressive self-titled debut two years ago, the band have wasted little time taking things up a notch, with this new album cinematic and masterfully produced from beginning to end.

From standout singalong anthems like Afterlife and In Circles, to the album’s epic seven-minute penultimate track Mourning Song, The Greatest Mistake of My Life shows a band pushing themselves and driving forward with ambition at every opportunity. In a year packed with outstanding rock and metal albums already, this is most definitely another one you can add onto that list. Soaring, impressive and demanding of repeat listens.

We Forgot We Were Dreaming by Saint Raymond

It’s been six long years since Nottingham-born singer-songwriter Callum Burrows, AKA Saint Raymond, released his debut album. However it seems the time away has been well spent as this long-awaited follow-up finds Burrows in fine form, with this album packed to the brim with catchy, glossily produced indie-pop anthems.

From the brilliant title track that opens the record, to the bouncy riffs of Right Way Round, Talk and Solid Gold, to more subdued and heartfelt moments like Only You, this album will have you smiling, singing your heart out and dancing your troubles away.

Flu Game by AJ Tracey

AJ Tracey may have only been three years old when Michael Jordan was winning NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, but that hasn’t stopped him making a record influenced by the legendary icon and his famous 1997 Flu Game. Like many others including myself, grime superstar AJ Tracey spent lockdown watching the brilliant The Last Dance documentary, and this record weirdly works as a fantastic unofficial companion, but also just a great summer rap record.

McCartney III Imagined by Paul McCartney

Even if like me you completely missed Sir Paul McCartney’s 2020 album McCartney III, it’s well worth checking out this reimagining, where he has called on the help of some of his famous musician pals. This is a real who’s who line up of guest features including Beck, Khurangbin, St. Vincent, Blood Orange, Phoebe Bridgers, Damon Albarn, Josh Homme, Anderson .Paak and more, making for quite a fascinating mix of sounds and styles.

Moratorium (Broadcasts from The Interruption) by Enter Shikari

And finally on the albums front this week, genre-benders Enter Shikari have released a brilliant compilation of all their lockdown live performances, headlined by an incredible string-tinged acoustic version of The Dreamer’s Hotel and a beautifully stripped-back “At Home” rendition of Live Outside.

Tracks of the Week

Introvert by Little Simz

Wow, wow and wow again. Still fairly fresh off the back of her masterful, Mercury Prize nominated third album Grey Area, this week British rapper Little Simz released the first taste of her next record in the form of this epic and triumphant opening track. At six minutes in length, this majestic and operatic political anthem aims to grab the listener by the collar and shake them awake. Without a doubt, one of the best songs of the year so far, the powerful video for which you can view above.

Smile by Wolf Alice

The second taste of their forthcoming album Blue Weekend, Smile continues Wolf Alice’s pattern for alternating Loud/Soft releases, with this one featuring buzzy guitars, punky vocals and a hypnotic chorus melody.

Beautiful Beaches by James

Although written off the back of the California wildfires that impacted front man Tim Booth’s local community, the lyrics on the band’s latest anthem purposefully offer a dual meaning, giving hope to those dreaming of a post-lockdown getaway and fresh start.

He Said She Said by CHVRCHES

The Scottish trio made their much-anticipated return this week, with Lauren Mayberry also sharing her experiences of sexism on this arena-ready synth-pop banger.

Matty Healy by Georgia Twinn

Georgia Twinn delivers an infectiously catchy break-up anthem, inspired by an ex-boyfriend, who’s most interesting feature was supposedly looking like the 1975 frontman.

Kill It by Vukovi

Underground Scottish rock outfit Vukovi’s new single is so good, they even managed to get KILL IT trending over the weekend of its release. Masterfully produced with big bold riffs and trancey synths, this one just sounds huge.

Can’t Carry On by Gruff Rhys

The latest solo single from the former Super Furry Animals frontman is a stunning, super-melodic tune with an instant chorus you’ll be singing before the track has even finished its first play.

Ceremony by Deftones

One of the highlights off their last album Ohms, the nu-metal rockers have now delivered a cinematic new video directed by horror legend Leigh Whannell. Check it out!

Chasing Birds by Foo Fighters

And finally this week, Dave Grohl and company released a trippy new animated video for this Medicine At Midnight cut to help celebrate 420 in their own unique way. Again, well worth a watch!

[prince-of-elsinore]

More reasons to enjoy Season 12

Part 2 to this post

These are just my (mostly) not too serious thoughts on things I enjoyed about season 12 (which believe me, I do have criticism of, but not for this post) now that I have finished my re-watch of it.

- they unfridged the original fridged woman. bold move, good course correction

- Mick as a foil to Sam, Ketch as a foil to Dean. That's all. 

- it's goddamn refreshing to have Sam and Dean on the same page most of the time! Like in 12x15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, Sam has been keeping the secret that he's working with the BMOL. But the secret only lasts one episode, and when Sam realizes he needs to come clean, Dean doesn't blow up at him. Sam being honest and Dean being accepting of Sam's decision: both evidence of growth! And in 15x20 The Future, they're on the same page about not wanting to let Cass go with Kelly. They both think he's been brainwashed (b/c that is definitely what it looks like). I just like seeing them agree on stuff, ok?

- Sam embracing his life and feeling comfortable with himself!! I see this season as a turning point, especially for Sam. I don't believe he's simply been brow-beaten into accepting a life he hates; I think he's consciously choosing to embrace the good of what he does and to take pride in it. His relationship with hunting will never be the same as Dean's, but, like I said: they're on the same page. As he tells Mary in 12x14 The Raid--"I chose this life." This is mostly due to choosing Dean, more than choosing hunting, but in any case, it is a conscious choice and Sam is making the one that is worth it to him, the choice that brings him fulfillment. And he even sees new worth in hunting itself, in a way that is very much in line with his character, as he expresses in 12x18 The Memory Remains (which I talk about more here).

- and that newfound confidence and comfort with who he is allows Sam to take a huge step in 12x22 Who We Are. I was so proud of him when he says "I called you here" instead of "We called you here." Sam has always had an independent streak, and he's stepping out from Dean's shadow in a healthy way here. He's allowing himself to be an individual agent. I always felt that in the end, he needed something of his own to be fulfilled, more than hunting with Dean--either a mentorship or leadership position (both of which he gets in the late seasons). This is his first step towards that, and he's so capable of it! He is a badass and he leads the hunters to victory over the BMOL on his own. 

- and Dean lets him!! This is a huge step for Dean too! Of course he's still worried about Sam (the "you come back" gets me every time), but he's not insisting on being there to protect him. He believes in Sam. He tells Sam he's ready for this, and when Sam hears it from Dean, he knows it's true. They need each other, but here we're seeing need of a healthier type--the way no one is an island, and we all need the love and support of our friends/family. They offer each other that, and it gives them the strength they need. I was so proud of Dean in that moment.

- ALSO so proud of Dean for, for once, acknowledging his own needs. Trying to save Mary is the right task for Dean--he'll never give up on family. But in the process, he speaks some truths that needed speaking. Admitting that he was set up to fail in raising Sam, that his whole life has been so unfair. Letting himself feel resentment towards the family whose hold is so tight on him. But, at the end of the day, still choosing love. "I hate you. And I love you. 'Cause I can't – I can't help it. You're my Mom. And I understand... 'cause I have made deals to save the ones I love more than once." Dean understands better than anyone that sometimes love causes harm, but it's still love and who can blame a person who acts out of love? And the thing is, love can also redeem. And here, Mary and Dean, both of whom have made some terrible choices in the name of love, find their way back to each other through love. Dean gives Mary the forgiveness he seeks for himself. This is Dean at his best.

- and even Sam gets in on the action. He, too, chooses love, and forgiveness. The family hug at the end of Who We Are is EVERYTHING.

- ok Who We Are isn't the only good episode so I'm gonna backtrack to talk about some others, like 12x11 Regarding Dean--it's funny! It's sad! Carrying on a great spn tradition of episodes like Mystery Spot and Yellow Fever. The sticky notes are wonderful. Sam knowing Dean well enough to leave them in the trunk of the Impala, with a big "NO" over the grenade launcher. Dean holding up "Witch Killing Bullets" without saying a word. Pointing his gun in confusion at Sam, who yells and points, "Brother! Witch!" :)

- 12x12 Stuck in the Middle (With You)—who doesn’t love a Tarantino tribute? (Having just watched Kill Bill, I can certainly say I love it). And the return of the Colt! Crowley's "It’s amazing what some people just leave laying about." Snark king.

- 12x13 Family Feud—I want to write a longer meta about the theme of family and love and sacrifice in this episode, so I won't go into it here. But another nice thing is how united the brothers are in their anger when Mary reveals she's been working with the BMOL. It's the closest we get to addressing Sam's torture and violation at the beginning of the season. I get the feeling Dean isn't so angry b/c of what Lady Bevell did to him, but b/c of what she did to Sam, which makes me think he knows it was bad, and Dean supported Sam in whatever he needed after that, whether it was talking about it or just giving some space, etc. Love some defensive big brother Dean.

- 12x14 The Raid—Actually a pretty tense action episode. And Mick is cool.

- 12x16 Ladies Drink Free—The Mick team-up is fun (I like changing up the dynamics), as is seeing them stay in a 3 star hotel lol. Dean has some good moments that highlight his growth, too. His "I used to think the same thing, too" to Mick, as if it weren't already obvious that he's taken "saving people" more to heart than "hunting things." He's done a lot of work to evolve beyond who he was with the Mark of Cain and even before. He also makes it perfectly clear what he thinks of guys skeeving on underage girls, and it's nice the writers finally emphasize that Dean does not like that behavior. He's past the point in his life where he'd make a joke about cheerleaders being legal (back in season 4. Quick digression: that's definitely a gross thing to say, but I always saw it as performative more than a declaration of intent. He puts on what he thinks macho guys would say. Not that Dean doesn't oggle what he likes, but one thing has always been very clear to me about Dean--he's a fan of enthusiastic consent. Anyway this should probably be a longer post b/c I could talk about Dean and performative masculinity and sexual attraction ad nauseam so I'll leave it there)

- 12x18 The Memory Remains—I've already gone over in my previous meta what this ep says about legacy, but there are other fun things about it. Like a Goat-headed monster! Man, how long has it been since the bros took on an urban legend like this? Like... any since freakin' Bloody Mary? Also Dean being cool with the kid smoking weed. You just know he likes to light up sometimes. Man, I need more weed-smoking Dean in my life

- 12x20 Twigs and Twine and Tasha Banes--this is a good fuckin ep. Finally, someone else on this goddamn show is allowed to be as codependent and unwise as Sam and Dean, and isn't punished for it. Let Max keep his wood-puppet sister! (Wow I KNOW it's really fucked up b/c I guess he can control her, too, but damn if it isn't fascinating. And sad. I hope they figure out some way to restore her autonomy) I stan two (2) codependent witch twins

- 12x21 Something About Mary--I'm a sucker for the silent communication and flawless telepathy as Sam and Dean find the bug and lay the trap for the BMOL. And that letter from Eileen :C (Even if her thing with Sam leaves me cold, I'm glad she got to come back to life b/c she sure didn't deserve to go like that)

- Ok one more thing about Who We Are--I'm a sucker for the angst of them thinking they're gonna die trapped in the bunker. And then Dean comes through with the grenade launcher, AND gets out the hole before it caves in. BAMF. I love that they saved themselves rather than some deus ex machina. No Supernatural interference necessary. Not even any deals with reapers, etc.

- I lied, one MORE thing about Who We Are--Sam doesn't take the bad deal Hess offers him (to help with Lucifer)! Once upon a time, I believe that Sam would have been so scared that he'd take the deal with the snake, masking his fear and foolishness as pragmatism. But he knows his own worth now. He knows he doesn't need the BMOL, terrified as he is.

- Finally, it was sad to say goodbye to Crowley in the finale, but it was a worthy end. You'll be missed, Fergus MacLeod.

[zozophoenixxx]

Friendly reminders about The Flash⚡️

Things I had forgotten or little details I just noticed on my rewatch, maybe even Unpopular Opinions 🤭👀

✨Season 5✨

Drunk ciscooooo "ancipitate" 😂😂😂 (ep1)

Nora is a forensic scientist too

I have absolutely no memory of this season

Gridlock, 🄱🄻🄾🄲🄺, Cicada 🦗, 𝑹𝒂𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒍𝒍, Icicle, Weather Witch- Joss Jackam, Mark Mardon's daughter 😳, Godspeed.

Schway

Imma start using that

I hate s5 suit but the ring thing is pretty cool

JOE BAHSHAHHA he was the first one to find the lounge lolll

I miss Harry I hope he comes back this season 🥺

Sherloque Wells🥸

Nora saved Cisco's life (ep3)

West-Allen kiss count (approximately): 48😘

Straight haired Caitlin reminds me of s1 Caitlin

Iris can't cook lmaooo

I tend to forget that Barry is actually not a good athlete at all🥺😂

West-Allen forehead kisses🥺

I love how Caitlin enjoyed punching Sherloque 😂

Oh gosh I do remember that this episode was extremely creepy (ep5 all doll'd up)

Cecile's curly hair 🤩😍🥰

Not one of the hidden messages Caitlin's father left for her being Khione- the Greek goddess of snow and ice and this is absolutely not me knowing this because of PJO lmaoo, so I imagine it's him trying to tell her something about Killer Frost

And cisco🥺 vibing was hurting him and he still did it for her 🥺❤️ (ep5)

Iris really jumped off the building to save Barry🥺 ufff she's such a badass

When team Flash's satellite was destroyed by the enlightenment, Devoe's were still there so Cisco hacked into them to use them and called them- Hal, Robbie, Data and Colossus

Nora didn't know that Thawne killed Barry's mom

Cisco found a meta-human cure, he wanted to get rid of his powers bc he wants a family🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Jessica Parker is honestly such a great actress like I've already cried in two of her scenes

When she realized she couldn't move her legs because Cicada broke her back

When she asked Barry to stop being the flash because she didn't wanna lose him again 🥺

The way she was just so desperate 🥺🥺

Ok but that fight scene in ep11 with Cicada v. Killer Frost was so satisfying and the fact that KF was able to listen to Caitlin's help and that every meta could actually escape safely was ufff amazing

Also I love how when Caitlin and Cisco were trying to make a meta-human cure, KF was scared that Caitlin would take it because she didn't want to leave "Caity" alone with no one to protect her 🥺

I love how Cisco smiles when someone gets his movie references

JOE'S BACK!!! FINALLY GEE that took so long, they were just so many eps without him🥺 (he left since he got "kidnapped" ig u could say by Cicada and just returned in ep15)

Nora was getting help from Thawne (which I completely forgot about) and he called her little runner

Cicada did take the meta human cure and Grace from the future comes back to help him finish his "work"

Grace becomes worse than Dwyer (she killed him)

Barry's face when Sherloque told them about Nora's secret 🥺 he looked so sad and betrayed and i-

Bro Lia (Nora's best friend and the only person she thought she could trust) was killed by Godspeed- a meta from the future 🥺😞

WOW NORA REALLY FOUND OUT *breathes in* Nora really found out that her father was the flash THROUGH GIDEON 🤭

BRO if my dad had done that to me I would've been so upset like wtf

After everything Nora did for him, and I mean I understand she broke their trust and all of that but like imagine having your dad be so upset, disappointed and betrayed by something that you did that he locks you up or brings you somewhere where it's most likely you won't be able to see them anymore... I just feel like it was maybe too harsh or maybe I just feel bad for Nora like she already felt terrible, I know all actions have consequences but dude.🥺

I just noticed that Thawne's hair is blonde, even when he was in Wells's body

The West-Allen fight at the beginning of ep19 was so emotional 🤭 like it made me so sad and I don't know I agreed with both of them 😞

Ep19 Caitlin and her mom fighting in front of Joe and Barry is the funniest thing JAHDHHAHAHA

I felt bad for Sherloque like everyone was upset at him when he was only trying to help

Her lightning... It turned red..😳

Wow I didn't even know Caitlin's mom's name was Carla until this episode 🤭

At the end.. Thomas beat Icicle and saved both Caitlin And KF

West-Allen kiss count (approximately): 48😘

(pretty sure I lost count already) 🤸🏼‍♀️🕳

Ok but did the 4 satellites get destroyed again? cause Cisco just called them by different names they were Hal, Robbie, Data and Colossus and now he said Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda lmao

OK I seriously hated Nora when she went bad and she basically scared Cisco into doing what she wanted him to do with the vibrating hand like my poor boy is still traumatized by that

OK I'M IN EP22 AND NORA JUST DIED WHICH SUCKS

And also love Joe's face whenever Singh told him to replace him as Captain 🥺😂 AND THE FACT THAT HE CALLED BARRY FLASH RIGHT AFTER UFF

also gon miss vibe 🥺🥺

OMG THAT CLIFFHANGER WTF