#even there they're just posing without acknowledgement of each other

[melonymint753]

"if it was a girl and a guy you will find it romantic" Temenos and Throné have a whole side story that's just the two of them solving a mystery, and their "&" tag is one of the highest relationship tags on Octo2 AO3 (this includes other romantic pairings) while their own romantic tag is nowhere to be seen among the top ones

they just have so much No Hetero energy that it defied conventional shipping heuristics. respect

[pippin-katz]

Alex & Being Bisexual 🩷💜💙

I've seen a lot of people complaining about Alex not having as big of a crisis over being bisexual as he did in the books, but I feel like a lot of people are overlooking the development he does go through.

Henry is the first guy he has felt attracted to that he actually knew prior to getting physically involved.

Alex & Miguel

Nora's asks specifically about men Alex has "been with", not men he's liked or interested him. She means physically, and he knows that too. Alex doesn't even bother with giving any context or details for his high school hook up. His description of his hook up with Miguel is straightforward, direct, and factual, because he doesn't have an emotional attachment to that moment or Miguel.

This, and his interactions with Miguel, gives the impression that they don't really know each other that well. It seems like they met during the campaign, made out in a hot tub, and now occasionally they talk at school.

They don't seem like friends, rather acquaintances after a one night stand, which is pretty much what they did. Their first conversation is mostly Miguel trying to get quotes for his journal and flirting with him rather than any kind of real discussion.

Gifs courtesy of @phakphumm from this post

Alex isn't stupid; he knows Miguel is flirting with him, however he chooses not to acknowledge it. He doesn't discourage him, but he does not encourage him either.

He avoids saying anything about it at all. His expressions after the eyelashes comment show him at a bit of a loss for how to respond. Alex seems flattered by the compliment, but doesn't seem to have any real desire to hook up again.

Everything Miguel says, he says in an attempt to get something out of him, whether it be flirting to hook up and/or get quotes for his journal.

Same thing at the state dinner; Alex isn't fully paying attention cause he's busy staring at Henry, but Miguel opens with compliments, specifically about his memo, which is definitely an attempt to flatter him. Then he starts asking direct questions about the campaign, Alex doesn't answer, and he walks away. They're not really friends.

New Territory

It's one thing to admit being somewhat attracted to the same sex, under limited, physical circumstances. Lots of people often joke about "being straight/gay but I would sleep with this person".

It's another thing to develop an attraction to a person you know of the same sex when you've never had those feelings before. It's not just physical anymore, because you know and like this person outside of that context, and the physical intimacy gains a new meaning.

Alex VS Feelings

This is a new feeling for Alex. This man practically makes out with two women he barely knows without any qualms, but when he's waiting to see Henry? His close friend who he knows and plans to kiss?

He is nervous; not just a little nervous either:

Alex is a pretty confident guy, able to host massive parties and dance without any reservations about it, unlike Henry who awkwardly bounces. He's a fantastic public speaker. Excluding the wedding, which were extreme circumstances, he's able to navigate a room comfortably. We know from the closet conversation that he used to get scared, but it's clear based on his campaign efforts, the DNC speech, and so on that he's grown into his role and can play it well.

Here, Alex can't sit still. He doesn't know how to stand. He's shifting around, almost pacing. He visibly tries to muster up the confidence we know he has, but can't. He's trying to pose, or look confident, and almost gets there, but the second the door opens, he panics and just stands there.

"But that's just cause he really likes Henry!"

Yes, exactly; Henry is his first step towards fully realizing his identity.

Once the tension is broken, Alex is confident again and doesn't hesitate anymore. He may not be completely sure of his identity, but he is completely sure that he wants Henry. Those thoughts take priority when he kisses him. He knows physical intimacy. He knows how to kiss with someone regardless of who they are. He has been with a couple men, and is a man himself, so he knows what feels good. His confidence stays intact during their exchange when they get to his bedroom.

There are very small moments where you can see his nerves poke through.

When Henry pushes Alex over the couch, not only is it surprising to him, it also disconnects them for a few seconds. He has a chance to look at Henry while they're not touching or kissing, no direct distraction.

When Henry starts undoing his pants, he looks up, inhales quickly, blinks a couple times, and swallows; it's almost like he's thinking "okay this is actually happening now". Again, no direct distraction, as Henry isn't doing anything yet, and Alex isn't touching or kissing him.

Both moments go by fast though because he's focused on what he knows, the physical part. He knows he wants Henry physically, so he can focus on that, and deal with the other feelings later.

Alex is aware that he has feelings toward Henry that are new to him. He doesn't know what they mean, and it's nothing even close to what he feels later in Paris and at the lake house, but they're starting to form. He's the one who suggests that he and Henry see each other again, and you would have to be blind not to see the brief disappointment on his face when Henry says it has to be very casual. It's also important to note that this is right after Alex comes out.

The Bisexual Label

While his feelings make Alex nervous, Henry is still his friend and he feels comfortable around him. He's the first person he comes out to; he was unable to say anything definitive about his identity during his conversation with Nora, despite her best efforts to help him.

Henry is the first person he tells and he distinctly shows uncertainty when he first uses the bisexual label:

He's serious about it; not overly serious, but he's coming out very formally. He's nervous, even though he's telling Henry, who he literally hooked up with five minutes ago. Henry already knows he's attracted to men. Alex is not nervous about that; it is clearly the label that he's uncertain about.

Confidence

A lot of people get taken by surprise when they start questioning their identity because they had simply never thought about it before.

The uncertainty Alex has about his identity was initiated by his feelings for Henry. Alex clearly never considered the idea of being in an actual relationship with a man. Without Henry, he may have never figured out that he was fully bisexual. He may have continued fooling around occasionally with guys, never giving serious thought to the other possibilities, unless/until he met someone like Henry who basically smacks him in the face with a mirror.

Being with Henry makes him truly think about himself, and come to the conclusion that he's bisexual. Seeing/dating Henry also makes him more comfortable and confident in his identity over time.

While Alex hadn't acknowledged Miguel's advances before, after he sleeps with Henry, he actively calls him out on it and refuses without hesitation as soon as Miguel puts the suggestion out there. Miguel even says "Well, I don't anymore", confirming that had been his intention in earlier scenes.

He had been trying to hook up with him again, and because Alex never addressed it, Miguel thought that it was possible. Alex may not have addressed his comments, but Miguel could see for himself that they had a positive reaction; he felt flattered and bashful. That response coupled with the fact that Alex did not outright tell him to stop was enough reason for Miguel to think it could happen again.

Also, Alex told Nora that he got the feeling Miguel wanted to hook up again, but that he was a journalist, which does not say he wouldn't be down. He never says he wouldn't want to; instead he expresses his apprehension to the idea due to his job. So for all intents and purposes, before Henry came along, Miguel was correct to think it was a possibility.

This seems to be the first time Alex has ever actually addressed their tension, and it occurs after he starts seeing Henry and using the bisexual label.

Owning The Bi Label

Then Zahra finds him and Henry the next morning. She is kind enough not to tell Ellen immediately, because even if she won't admit it, she does care about Alex a lot and recognizes the importance of something like this. However, she makes it very clear that he needs to tell her ASAP or she will.

When he comes out to his mom, he is significantly more sure of himself when he uses the bisexual label. He laughs and uses the shorten term "bi" which is a small detail but indicates his confidence, compared to how he cautiously said "bisexual" when coming out to Henry. He's not at all nervous to use the term, and says it grinning.

This is also indicative of his confidence in his label because Alex doesn't lead with his sexuality. He leads with meeting someone, and clarifying that it's a man, and that it's Henry. So once they're on the couch talking, Ellen is also already aware that he is attracted to men, but this time, he's prompted about his label and he shows zero nerves about using the term "bi".

Queer Identity

By the end of the movie, Alex is able to publicly refer to himself as having a queer identity. Obviously, he was outed against his will, but he is still able to stand up and acknowledge who he is without nerves about it. He has been with Henry for a year, and he knows who he is, and he’s not ashamed of it. As he says, the leaks were an issue of privacy, not shame. Alex is not afraid to say who he is, and he is queer, he is bisexual. He’s a different person than he was before Henry. He’s learned about himself because of him.

Does he have a complete, computer-error-noise breakdown over it? No, he doesn’t, but he does not immediately start waving a bi flag around either.

Okay, that’s all! This took so freaking long to put together, but I hope it helps people understand how his bisexuality is addressed in the movie. Just because he has a different journey than he did in the book does not mean he did not have a journey at all, and I hope this allows people to see it more clearly!

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this essay & would like to support me, you can give me a tip on my Ko-Fi! ☺️

[tenebraevesper]

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 7)

Welcome back to Part 7 of my Shadow, Sonic, and to an extent, Nine character analysis! This one will cover Episode 21: Home Sick Home and Episode 22: The Devil is in the Tails. In addition, this and the next post will also have a lot of gifs coz I'm hellbent to analyze every detail of this show.

So, let's dive in!

''Shadow, you're alive! Help a brother up?'' ''We are not related.''

After getting knocked into the abyss Nine made, Shadow makes an epic return by saving Sonic from the Grim Variant Trooper, with Sonic being happy to see that he's alive. Shadow... doesn't get the joke, but Sonic doesn't care. Also, Shadow does the pose from Sonic X. X3

*sighs* ''Nevermind. You okay?'' ''I survived. Nine's Alphas deployed a massive army to keep me down here.'' ''Alphas? You mean the ones that can duplicate themselves?''

''If I still had that Chaos Emerald, I could've teleported out of here. But, it's lost to the Void. And, smashing hordes of Sonics isn't the worst thing in the world.''

''Up for smashing a few more of mes?''

Okay, hol' up a second there buddy! ''Smashing Sonics?'' I hope the writers knew what they were doing, because the internet is going to take this conversation WAAAY out of context... and they already did.

In any case, we get an explanation to what Shadow was doing, and while yes, we see Shadow literally flying out of the abyss without the need for a Chaos Emerald, I assume that he meant that there was such a huge army of troopers that he needed the Chaos Emerald to get out. However, by the time Sonic arrived, the number lessened, so he could escape.

In any case, he's definitely up for smashing more Sonics.

They continue fighting the troopers, and what I really love about this fight is how they basically start playing tennis with the robot, throwing it from one to the other before Sonic slams it down.

''Hahaha! Helloooo, teamwork! Up top!'' ''These troopers are one thing, but the Alphas can generate an endless army. They are the real threat.'' *sighs* *high-fives himself*

Hey, Shadow, Shads, Shad, dude! Don't leave Sonic hanging like that. At least you could've taken the moment and high-five him since Sonic just wanted to celebrate your amazing teamwork. Admittedly, I can also understand Shadow here, as he is all business, quickly pointing out to Sonic how Nine's army works.

''Rebel's plan is working. The Scavengers are through to the citadel. They're gonna cut Nine off from the Prism.'' ''Which is in Nine's lab, guarded by the Alphas. They'll never reach it!'' ''So, how do we destroy them?''

Earlier, Sonic had managed to team up with all of the Shatterverse Variants, and instead of being reckless, he left it to Rebel to figure out a plan to get them through. However, Shadow doesn't have much faith as he understands just how much danger the Alphas pose, with Sonic recognizing that Shadow is right and asks for advice. After all, Shadow is usually the one who can see the flaws more easily.

''We don't. We're going after Nine!'' ''No, we're not!''

''We''? Did Shadow just say ''We''? He did! He shows absolutely zero hesitation wanting to work with Sonic in taking down Nine, and I have to say, I'm so proud of him managing to get to this point. However, as it was shown last time, Shadow needs to acknowledge that, while he did accept that he and Sonic need each other, they also need more help.

Also, remember how Shadow attempted to reach out for Sonic when the latter grieved his loss back at Ghost Hill, but backed away? Well, Sonic shows no hesitation here, quickly grabbing Shadow's arm to stop him. Shadow doesn't even push him away or anything, just glances back before yanking his arm out of Sonic's grip and remains on the spot, listening to what Sonic has to tell him. Their communication skills have definitely improved.

''You said it yourself. If we don't go after the Alphas, we're cooked. And the only way to win this thing is if we work together. We need the others.'' ''It is the end of the universe-''

As Sonic talks to Shadow, we can literally see Shadow go through several expressions and emotional states, and honestly, this scene was killing me when I first watched it! X3

Shadow goes from ''Not this again!'' *eye-roll* to ''Yeah, that makes sense'' to ''What the hell, Sonic!'' in a matter of seconds and I'm loving every bit of it. He is so expressive and this little moment shows that he there is more to him than it seems.

That, and he's dealing with Sonic, so obviously, he'd show more emotion than usual, since Sonic seems to be the only capable of triggering such emotional reactions from him. Not to mention, Shadow is certainly comfortable enough in Sonic's presence to show these kinds of reactions.

''-and you're still thinking about your friends!'' ''Of course I am! They're all here, fighting, sacrificing themselves, for me!''

Shadow berates Sonic for thinking about his friends when the fate of the world is at stake, with Sonic arguing how of course he'd do that. They are fighting and sacrificing themselves for him, and he isn't going to let them down. Sonic will always put his friends as his priority and he is not wrong for doing that.

''All the more reason to go after Nine while he's distracted!'' ''And let my friends get pummeled when Nine only wants me? *gasp* Nine only wants me... I have an idea!''

However, I cannot argue that Shadow is wrong either. He is right that they need to go after Nine before everything gets destroyed.

Honestly, this very argument showcases best how Sonic and Shadow's minds work. Shadow will focus on the end goal and how to achieve it, while Sonic looks at the bigger picture, at the people affected by their decisions. Both are right and wrong at the same time, and both want to take a different approach, but the only way to win this is to work together.

Especially with Sonic suddenly realizing that there is a way for them to win this war.

As Sonic and Shadow go join the rest of the group, we see all of them taking down Robot Big, with Shadow and Sonic exchanging looks after seeing this feat happen. Sonic grins, giving Shadow an ''I told you so!'' look, while Shadow is genuinely surprised that the group had managed to succeed in taking down such a formidable foe.

''Gang, this is Shadow! Shadow, meet, well... everyone, I guess.''

Rebel is glad to see Sonic, with Sonic quickly introducing Shadow to everyone else, which... awww, just look at them!

Sonic literally pulls Shadow into a side-hug, smushes his face against his cheek and rubs his shoulder, showing nothing but pure affection and being completely oblivious to everything else.

Shadow in turn, goes first into panic mode when Sonic pulls him closer, not sure what is happening, but unlike last time when he pushed Sonic away, he let's Sonic hug him. He certainly shows annoyance, but I think it is more out of embarrassment for being hugged like that in the public. He really doesn't mind being hugged by Sonic, and he even stays like this until Nine makes his move.

Also, where is Shadow's arm? It literally disappears when Sonic hugs him. Honestly, I choose to believe that he placed it on Sonic's back.

D'awww, they're so adorable!

I also love how literally everyone's reaction to this is just being unimpressed (with Renegade Knux being 🤨?).

Everyone's reaction just screams ''Sonic, did you really have to introduce your boyfriend when it's the end of the world?''

Well, of course he had to. He and Shadow are closer than ever now and it's the end of the world. One might as well do whatever they want.

SONADOW FOR THE WIN!

''Well, that's... terrifying.''

However, things quickly go south when Nine starts gathering more and more energy, making the The Grim decay even faster. This then leads up to the Chaos Council's mothership to be blown up.

''Mr. Dr., are you alive? Say something!''

Fortunately, Mr. Dr. Eggman manages to escape in his robot mech, wanting to melt Nine for what he had done. I just love how Shadow is also in the circle, wondering if Mr. Dr. Eggman survived or not. It's kinda hilarious.

With Prim's team defeated and the Shatterverse Variants being back to square one, Sonic quickly tells them their plan, and one notable thing in this shot is that, after they confront Nine, he looks to Rebel, then to Shadow, who nods in response. It is as if he's not only seeking for approval, but also making sure that they all have his back.

They're all in this together.

''Finally! Prove your worth machine!''

The battle begins anew, and I love how Shadow has beef with Grim Alpha Sonic, given how the latter had knocked him down into that abyss.

Seriously, I kept an eye on Shadow during this whole battle, and whenever he's shown, he mainly seeks out Grim Alpha Sonic, which made me think about something...

How cool would've it been if Nine had made Grim Alpha Shadow as a reference to the Shadow Androids from Sonic Heroes? I think people's minds would be blown.

However, as the battle goes on, we see Sonic's team losing, with Sonic confronting Nine. Gotta say, even if Shadow lost, look at how many troopers were sent to take him down. He would definitely be able to defeat all of them, though, if it weren't for one thing...

As we learn in Episode 22: The Devil is in the Tails, Sonic had managed to convince everyone to act as if they lost (yes, even Shadow followed that plan) and let Nine focus solely on draining the Prism energy while fighting Sonic, leaving the robots without power.

This leads to a victory for Sonic's team as they defeat the de-powered robots... at least until Nine powers them up again. Nevertheless, while Sonic (and later on, Renegade Knux) is focused on getting through/defeating Nine, everyone else focuses on the Alphas.

''You aren't going anywhere.''

When Nine orders the Alphas to target Sonic, most of them get knocked back by the Shatterverse Variants, with Shadow once again facing Grim Alpha Sonic.

We can see a parallel to Sonic and Shadow's fight from Episode 02: The Yoke's On You, but unlike last time, with Shadow fighting against Sonic, Shadow is now fighting for Sonic. He does get knocked down, leaving Grim Alpha Sonic to join Nine. I also checked that episode, and both Shadow and Sonic got knocked out after colliding. I suppose the Grim Alpha survived due to being a robot.

''We're not finished!''

However, Shadow makes a comeback, destroying the robot, much to Nine's shock.

''No! HOW?!'' ''I am... the Ultimate... Lifeform'' ''Modest too!''

Shadow's statement is once again very simplistic and factual. He is the Ultimate Lifeform, of course he'd beat a robot duplicate of his rival. I also love how Sonic jumps in with a comment, mainly because I have no idea if he was just messing with Shadow and Nine, or if he was genuinely honest about Shadow being modest. It's hilarious nonetheless. X3

Nine refuses to give up, using the Prism energy to paralyze both Shadow and Renegade Knux, while Sonic uses his own ability to create a barrier as The Grim decays faster and faster.

''He's not gonna stop.''

Sonic knows that he has no choice. Nine won't stop unless Sonic stops him. So he spin-dashes into Nine, knocking him down into the light of the Paradox Prism.

I absolutely loved how we could see here both Sonic and Shadow's growth, as well as how their ideals both clash and work together, leading up to the final confrontation (and also getting more Sonadow content because, hey, why not? XP).

Considering how Ian Flynn was a consultant for Sonic Prime, this episode really gave me the impression that this was the House of Cards arc from Archie!Sonic, as in the issues where Sonic and Tails have their big fight, but was written way better, acting like a redemption for that rushed mess.

Rest assured, the next (and last Part) will show us he big finale of this show!

#Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 6)

#Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 8)

#Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer (Masterlist)

[dynamightmite]

Just to be clear, the whole "Deku and Bakugo holding hands by the end of the manga" thing isn't like. Something weird or made up, or even indicative of shipping. It's literally just the culmination of their interactions considering the way Horikoshi centralized "reaching to/for" as being foundational to Bakugo and Midoriya's relationship. Almost all of their big moments can be described as the act of one reaching for the other, both physically and emotionally—and both matter.

The whole reacher/reachee dynamic starts (chronologically for them) at about four, and this one interaction defines the entirety of their relationship going forward.

Notice how Midoriya reaches, and Bakugo shoves him off. He clearly recognizes the gesture, but he absolutely refuses to respond in kind. This is the break in their relationship, the symbolic moment where Bakugo pulls away and Midoriya is left trailing behind after him.

It isn't until years later that Midoriya reaches out to Bakugo again, under similar, but much more dangerous circumstances. One thing hasn't changed; Midoriya is the one originally doing the reaching. What does change is that Bakugo, unlike when they were kids, reaches back:

I think a lot of people pass over Bakugo's response here as unimportant because you have to translate it through seven asshole filters to realize he's roundaboutly trying to thank Midoriya for saving his life, but it's relevant in that it sets the tone going forward. This moment shows that Bakugo is willing to reach back—not necessarily kindly, and certainly not physically, not yet—if Midoriya reaches first. It's the first sign that Bakugo does actually want a reciprocal relationship, even if he can't verbalize or actualize it yet.

We see this extended after Deku vs. Kacchan 1. Midoriya reaches out to Bakugo, chasing him down to do so. While he doesn't reach out physically so much, he emotionally reaches out by (vaguely) offering Bakugo information about OfA.

While Bakugo isn't nice about it, once Midoriya has shown his vulnerability, Bakugo responds in kind, emotionally reaching back to Midoriya. He doesn't leave Midoriya hanging, instead going the extra mile and, unprompted, exposing his own vulnerabilties. This is more movement towards a reciprocal relationship—if Midoriya opens up, Bakugo will follow suit, even if he still won't go first.

It takes their final exam for Bakugo to physically reach back. After Midoriya "reaches" (read: punches, but look at the posing, and how his arm is outstretched) Bakugo does the same. They manage it because it's hidden under the guise of training and teamwork, more violent than anything.

This sequence isn't just physical, though; Midoriya reaches out to Bakugo and reaches through his defenses emotionally in a way that actually affects him. Here, for the first time, Bakugo feels like he's being acknowledged. Seen. Midoriya's right, Bakugo doesn't just give up and neither does Midoriya, and if they understand that about each other, maybe they can manage to understand more. To be more than just estranged ex-childhood friends and rivals. So Bakugo reaches for Midoriya and shows him that he can and will reciprocate, so long as they're doing it on his terms.

It's after this, after Bakugo has realized he maybe can reach back when Midoriya holds out his hand and it won't be terrible, that they're thwarted by the plot. For the first time, Midoriya is prevented from reaching out, physically, and instead does so verbally, and Bakugo, who is also unable to physically reach out, verbally reaches back. Call and response. A pantomime of what they want, and intentionally unsatisfying.

This is contrasted boldly and meaningfully against Kirishima physically being able to reach for Bakugo, who takes his hand without thought.

You'll notice this is mostly a physical act, not an emotional one. Sure, they're both happy to see each other and both their emotions are running high, but this moment isn't meant to be vulnerable and charged the same way Bakugo and Midoriya's reaching out is, because Kirishima and Bakugo have an uncomplicated relationship, while Midoriya and Bakugo do not. This moment is supposed to show Bakugo's individual, personal growth (in that he can even have a reciprocal, uncomplicated relationship built on respect and kindness with another person), but Kirishima's reaching out to him is largely utilitarian and being used within a larger contextual frame. It cannot exist alone because of how motifs function within works as a whole. This moment exists to bring attention to the act of reaching out mutually, and why it matters so much that Bakugo and Midoriya have yet to achieve it.

Having established that they both are actively thinking about this aspect of their relationship, it's only after Bakugo and Midoriya's near miss that things change again. Not entirely—while Bakugo instigates Deku vs. Kacchan 2, he doesn't really reach first. He's still too defensive, still too distrusting of Midoriya's intentions. He instead goes in on the offense, exposing Midoriya by bringing up OfA and forcing Midoriya's hand.

It's only when Midoriya reaches out, both physically and emotionally, that Bakugo breaks and reaches back.

Look at the posing and the positioning of the characters within these panels. Bakugo isn't drawn like this for shits and giggles, he's intentionally shown to be holding his hand out to Midoriya. Their whole fight has been characterized by Bakugo asking Midoriya for things (information about his quirk, the fight itself, why did All Might choose him as successor), and this is one more time. He is asking Midoriya to keep reaching out—to let Bakugo reach back, despite his ongoing rejections. To be there with and for Bakugo as he works through his own issues and to not let go. To let him be weak until he can work up the strength to fully reach back, and even reach first.

Which he wants to do. Desperately.

And when he does...

Bakugo reaches out first in his apology. Emotionally, not physically. Possibly because Bakugo actually tends to be pretty prickly about physical touch, and seems to treat that as more intimate than many of his peers, but I think his choice to reach out emotionally more has to do with Bakugo making the decision to do the difficult thing, to give Midoriya what he deserves. Because reaching out physically is just moving your hand—baring your soul? That shit hurts. That's hard. But it's what Midoriya needs, and it's what Bakugo wants to give.

And now it's Midoriya's turn to reach back. Not emotionally, but physically, stumbling his way to Bakugo. There is no emotional reciprocation on Midoriya's part this time—Bakugo will need to reach out again, later.

It isn't until the very end that Bakugo reaches—physically—first. And for the first time, Midoriya's not there.

The whole point of their relationship, the moment this all suggests they are heading to, is the two of them reaching for each other and being able to connect. Physically and emotionally. That is the entire purpose of this constant back and forth, one reaching out in the hopes that the other will reach back. So far they haven't completely managed, but for the arc of their relationship to be complete, that has to happen.

I understand why this often gets put under a romantic lens, and while it can be, I guess, the motif itself and the arc of their relationship exists regardless of any reader's personal preferances. That's what writing conventions are for, so we can recognize and predict the outcome of the story as intended by the author. The act of reaching out isn't exclusive to Bakugo and Midoriya within the story by any means, but their relationship being defined by the act and symbolized by it, continuously depicted with it as the main focus, is certainly not an accident. It is the culmination, and the ultimate end goal of their relationship, which—again, if writing conventions are followed—should be met. Like I understand that people get told "there's no correct answers in media analysis" but baby, sometimes there are answers with enough supporting evidence that suggesting they're wrong is... I don't even know.

[gartenofbanny]

The author had to kill off SOMEBODY the audience knew and cared about so it would have any impact. People like Funk Man, Eel Boy and Crust had no character work done on them. Midnight was chosen, but it could have been anyone from UA. But he wanted to keep using Mic and Eraserhead, so here we are. I think her death was absolutely pathetic because her supposed two best friends didn't even talk about her death! But we can devote loads of panel time to Kurogiri's situation, when they knew the guy for a small amount of time before he got died and resurrected. Think about it. The time he was their friend is barely a blip on the radar compared to the amount of time he's been dead to them. But Aizawa didn't want to talk about Midnight's death, and so he and Mic shut up about it forever. What's funny is that Midnight was also a complete nothing character outside of Vigilantes, which most MHA fans never read. She wasn't built up to be the Aizawa to anyone's Shinso. Even when Mina talks about her, it's about how she liked her classes. Absolutely nothing about knowing her as a person. She's avenging an acquaintance because the story didn't build any bonds between these characters!

I'm not even gonna lie, Midnight in the War Arc has been disrespected. She was never brought to visit Kurogiri despite Midnight and Shirakumo (Kurogiri before he became a Nomu) were best friends and Shirakumo even had a crush on her, it was just Present Mic and Aizawa who visited Kurogiri. You are right Midnight was never mentioned again by the students or her best friends, hell bringing up her death to Kurogiri might cause him to change. I'm pretty sure Midnight is just a fanservice-y character, but Vigilantes actually gave her depth which is why I prefer Vigilantes over MHA. Midnight in MHA mainly helped the students with their hero names, and ultimate moves, and was really just around before striking a smexy pose every third time she's on screen. When it comes to teaching Midnight mainly acknowledges and compliments the students' success. The last paragraph is without a doubt true, we don't know much about most of the cast aside from Deku, Todoroki, Bakugo, Aizawa, Iida, and Ochaco. Either some of them already had an arc and they're just around or some of them just didn't need one. That's the problem with having too many characters in one series because once their mini-arc is done, they're done. We don't know what their relationship is like with other characters, Horikoshi just has them be cool with each other and admire the Big 3. God knows how many times these characters suck the dick of Deku, Todoroki, and Bakugo.

If any of the characters would've died, it should have been Gran Torino. He trained Izuku and taught him everything, he's still powerful but not as powerful as he was before, and he even had a nice speech saying that "Death can be another form to save someone" after Izuku gave Torino, Nana's regards.

Gran Torino's entire arc was basically done and he's severely injured and old, I don't believe he's capable of fighting again. So what's the point of keeping him alive?

[vivalgi]

My review on BOLAS 2

In general I found the sequel to be a worthy successor to book 1. It had lots of funny scenes, heartfelt moments and surprising twists. Most of the new art was great and high quality as usual and I really enjoyed the world building. The main aspects that felt lackluster were romance and the final battle, plus a few smaller annoyances.

Things I liked:

world building - the story not only vastly expanded but almost turned the lore we'd learned in book 1 upside down. It was cool learning that the world isn't just black and white, the evil shadow realm and the good light realm, but much more complicated and each side sees the other as bad guys. It was a positive surprise to learn that amongst the dangerous monsters there were ordinary and good-hearted people living in the shadow realm. Tyril and Nia even had existential crisis after learning that dwarves were using shadow magic without getting corrupted.

complex (ex-)villains - that snarky Aerin was very annoying at first but it was hard to keep hating him even after the damage and heartache he'd caused in book 1, especially since Nia who'd suffered the most was able to forgive him. Similar thing with Valax. At first she seemed like a typical one-dimensional villain with a single wish to wipe out the light realm. Then it turned out she was just a purpose built tool and brainwashed to carry out someone else's world domination plans. In reality Valax was compassionate and cared about her people and sadly had never felt love and affection. Even the couple from the shadow court was strangely sympathetic.

dark and twisted moments - especially what happened to Cherta's grandmother. The way she turned into an ugly and murderous creature when Cherta was trying to keep her alive must have been an extremely traumatic experience. All the challenges the girl went through to find cure for her grandma only for it all to end in such an ugly manner. The couple of times when the MC had PTSD attacks were also heavy and heartbreaking. Or how we fed a cute puppy to a dragon for a magical feather.

Art - I loved most of the CGs, the one with Nia telling a story to kids was especially sweet and tear-jerking. The party artwork was a bit funny though, especially giant Nia just posing for us while others were busy with important stuff. New backgrounds were beautiful and new characters like the dwarves and goblins looked interesting. And why are evil women always so damn hot? I liked the original looks of LIs more but the redesigns were alright too, although I had to correct Nia's hairline to keep it consistent with book 1 hairstyles. Premium outfits were well done too, though I complained how different in style the male and female Whimsywood outfits were. My favourite was the male Shroudwatch outfit.

Things that weren't so great

pacing - The story started off very quickly. Following a short recap the MC was immediately kidnapped and after escaping and getting the gang back together it was a constant running and fighting. Luckily the story slowed down a bit later and we finally had more time to really catch up with our friends and loved ones after 3 years of waiting. The story should have focused more on how the kidnapping affected everyone. Those were the best scenes.

romance - some may like the poly/harem style freedom that they can easily romance anyone whenever they want without any limits and repercussions but for me it took away the sense of progression. It often felt like romancing my LI in book 1 meant nothing. There were a few rare moments where it changed a scene a bit but most of the time it seemed like we were merely friends. I'd like to see more acknowledgement that I'm dating one character, especially from other characters. I don't want my LI to be called just a friend when they're clearly more than that. I would have loved for an opportunity to lock to a certain romance path or involved parties to sit down and discuss polyamorous relationship. It was also strange that the MC had to sleep alone and couldn't choose to stay with the LI after making love. Another thing that grinded my gears were the romantic choices. Almost all of them were about asking a kiss from the LI, even with Valax after just a few flirty options. It's nice when picking romantic choices leads to kissing as well but romance is so much more than pushing tongues down each other's throats. Where are the tender moments, pouring one's heart out, cuddling etc? The romance has become too shallow and lustful in Choices books.

the main villain - The Ash Empress could have been an equally complex character like her daughter. After all, she turned out to be the former Mother of Grey, an old deity with an unfortunate destiny who was good-natured at first but banished to the shadow realm where she got corrupted. However, besides a tiny glimpse of hope for redemption, she remained a typical one-dimensional evil character with a banal desire to conquer the world. She didn't seem very dangerous and frightening either, despite her looks. Everyone kept making fun of the empress which easily triggered her. And defeating her felt super easy, barely an inconvenience.

the final battle - I think it was too big and convoluted. There was a lot going on, the MC kept running from one place to another to help others but the stakes never felt high enough or the odds against us, unlike the first book.

Other remarks + hopes and expectations for book 3

I wonder why the Watcher left the rift near the White Tower for last. After all, that's where our journey began in book 2. It doesn't make any sense besides plot convenience.

I guess since the story teased a new world deep below ours, we are going to spend most of the time there, which is how PB was able to give us such important choices at the end. We probably won't be seeing the consequences of our choice for long, only in the first chapter until we get the gang back together and start a new adventure. Later on it will probably just be mentioned here and there.

throughout the first two books we've had a chance to learn so many skills and find so much helpful magical bling that our MC feels very overpowered already. All of them seem underused as well. So, instead of being introduced to a plethora of new stuff, we could finally put the 27(!) already learned skills to good use and focus on something else...

...like characters. We now have 6 LIs who all are hungry for our attention. Let's spend more time with them. And the social quests could also have platonic routes. I would have gladly spent on scenes with others besides my LI but unlike WTD the 30-diamond scenes were purely romantic.

Threep (and Loola) should rejoin the crew. The owlbear cub was cute and Mal constantly picking on Tyril was funny but Threep was one of the highlights of book 1.

No more "💗 I'd like a kiss" choices. The heart icon already hints at the romantic choice, the rest doesn't have to be so obvious and should allow the writers to be more creative.

I hope to experience more moments that make us laugh, cry, puke, pull the hair out and punch the screen. Action scenes can be fun but it's the emotions I mostly look forward to.

Unlock the damn closet!

[pandasmagorica]

First watch: Kiseki: Dear to Me episodes 1-10

Damn you, Gaga. Okay, it's my own fault for not cross-checking on MDL. And for that matter, for not clicking on the last episode Gaga shows (11) and seeing even that's not showing until next week.

On the other hand, now that I've caught up, I can join the Tumblr conversation on this series. Yay! So once I've added my thoughts, I'm going to unblock the tag for this series.

So first off: I very much enjoy this series. While it is totally a crime drama QL, which is not my favorite genre, there is humor sprinkled throughout the series. I wouldn't call it a comedy, but on some levels it's lighter than dark. It's no 3 Will be Free or History 3: Trapped, but it's well worth watching.

There are more than enough coincidences and plot holes. I notice them, and still like the series.

Content warnings

Violence - hello, it's a crime series - dubcon and age.

While I'm not a fan of dubcon, it is at least met here with consequences: confrontation from the victim, regret from the violator - nobody treats it as if nothing happened.

While one character in the main couple is not an adult, they are of the age of consent in Taiwan (16 and over) and the actor is actually an adult (20). Actually, perhaps not in the context of the story, since the adult member of the pair is posing as the other's substitute teacher at the point they finally get it on. (And remembering this is acting, they're not actually having sex, and we don't see the NC-17 part.)

At this point, with either one or three episodes to go, I give it a thumbs-up with reservations.

If you want to avoid spoilers, skip to episode 11.

See also Getting to be a kid in Kiseki: Dear to Me

Spoilers and nitpicks follow

Thoughts about the series

While there were moments that made me uncomfortable, this is an intelligently written series, the acting is good, there is humor, and some good twists. I watched nine episodes the first day, with some time between each episode, and found it quite watchable. I could picture watching it again.

The actor playing Bai Zhongyi does a good job showing the awkwardness of the character. Both leads gradually fall for each other naturally while living a forced odd-couple existence. Just because Bai Zhongyi is young doesn't mean he's passive.

We have the accidental fall trope.

It takes a while for the shit to hit the fan, but when it does, it's intense.

We have to wait until episode 9 to catch up with the opening scene of the series, so be patient. The series doesn't drag.

Nice touches

Fan Jherui's father, the gang boss, has a gay lover.

There doesn't seem to be homophobia.

Taiwan having same-sex marriage is acknowledged and celebrated.

Ai Di looks adorbs in (Red Riding Hood) drag. Okay, he looks cute without drag but there's something funny about a violent gang member dressing up in drag for Halloween for the benefit of his colleague's budding boyfriend.

It's pretty clear without spelling it out that Fan Jherui's father knows the Bai family's every move: Chen Yi and Ai Di have no problem tracking Fan Jherui down at Bai Zhongyi's place and Fan Jherui's father knows Bai Zhongyi's father needs a heart transplant and is on a long waiting list for it.

Fan Jherui's father follows through on the deal for Bai Zhongyi's father to get a heart transplant and medical care if Bai Zhongyi takes the fall for Fan Jherui after Fan Jherui kills a member of a rival gang who was about to kill both Fan Jherui and Bai Zhongyi.

Nitpicks about plot holes

Supposedly, Fan Jherui has supposedly not been accepted into his father's gang because he's not ready to die for them. But when we first meet him, he's obviously been in some kind of battle - which so far we haven't learned anything about - and has a bloody knife that could serve as evidence against him. So, is he in the gang or not?

When Ai Di pretends to be a student, he uses a name that is very close to his real name, which would seem to be not a very bright move for someone who is acting undercover.

How do gang members get to go undercover in a high school with the adminstration's consent anyway?

When Bai Zhongyi goes to prison, he is almost immediately attacked. We learn that someone in Fan's father's empire is responsible. Yet somehow he makes it out of prison four years later without apparent further attacks and further opens a pastry shop without further attacks, at least as of the end of episode 10, even though we learn he is still under threat.

(However, it's not a plot hole that Bai Zhongyi was attacked. I can see the Fan family wanting to ensure Bai Zhongyi never revealed the true story or that the friends of the guy who was killed would want revenge.)

Gang member Ai Di chooses to take the rap for the attack on Bai Zhongyi. How? He wasn't anywhere near the prison. Still, I suppose he could have taken credit for ordering the attack. But somehow, he manages to be assigned to the same prison so he can keep an eye on Bai Zhongyi's safety and somehow he gets released on the same day as Bai Zhongyi four years later.

I don't have a problem with Bai Zhongyi and Fan Jherui having a random encounter in Taichung. The show is going to show us the interesting occurrences that happen during the story line. It's not going to show us all of the times when nothing happens. Still, if you don't like coincidences, you won't like this one either.

Continue with episode 11

See also Getting to be a kid in Kiseki: Dear to Me

[bellsyafterdark]

it's been a while since i was able to check in, (just finished moving into a new house a few days ago) but i present to you a thought- paz being able to pick din up and fuck him standing up, with no other support (gas on the fire of dins strength kink) ✨ -🍉

It occurs to me I never wrote my #RepopulatingTheCovert pieces. Told from an outsider POV for a change which means

cw for public sex (sure it's an audience of one), restraint, strength kink, fingering, squirting, object insertion, afab language and front hole penetration

The years have taken their toll. Paz and Din no longer have the stamina of youth when spars could last the generous span of hours, patient and tempered. Now both in their forties, Paz and Din's encounters have grown efficient, concluded with the right blow or weapon in the right moment. It was always these two clashing through the years again and again, oil and water.

The Armourer has watched them and inferred her own reasons why. Sometimes their strikes are too wide. Wild. Paz's anger seethes too hot for his offence to stem from duty alone, and the pain she has heard in Din's cries is more than flesh deep. She has seen them slumped shoulder to shoulder, tentative, heads bowed together in the darker corners of the mess hall. There is unspoken acknowledgement among the tribe they are still seen going to each other's quarters since passing their trials decades ago.

Old love is difficult to relinquish. Even more, perhaps first love.

Now, old injuries and scar tissue curb their conflicts. Fighting on a steel path without rails, surrounded by open space is an unprecedented challenge for them.

But Din has lost none of his speed, nor Paz his strength.

Paz loses his vibro blade. The Darksaber is thrown in the fray but, by grace of the Manda, lands at the Armourer's feet. She looks between the sacred blade to her remaining warriors grappling mere feet away. She's not certain they're fighting for the same thing.

"Ghhn!" Din chokes under the large hand that surges round his throat and lifts him clear of his feet. Gloved hands fly to his throat, his legs kick, he strikes at the infantryman's inner elbow, but Paz blocks him, anticipating the blows.

Din barely sways in the strength of his hold, despite his struggles.

His powerful core bows and long legs legs kick up, ankles wrapping around the thick bar of Paz's armoured arm. Paz stumbles with a grunt under the new weight and Din rears back, boot preparing to introduce its heel to that blue-helmed visor.

Paz's solution is testament to his unique strength. The Armourer has seen him lift entire walls of duracrete in rescue efforts and brace closed blast doors against the vacuum of space until emergency welding took hold.

His elbow bends but instead of buckling Din to the ground, the beroya is slammed in against Paz himself with a whining clang of armour, back to chest. He leans back against the low console behind him, still sparking where blows from the Darksaber had cleaved through.

Din freezes, the Armourer sees the tense of his whole body when his new position brings him flush in the circle of Paz's arms, one knee pinned tight to his chest by the arm still gripping him in a chokehold. His other leg dangles free. The pose splays his thighs vulnerably wide.

Paz hooks his chin over Din's shoulder and he says something too low for the Armourer to discern beyond a growl of a challenge, a command maybe, yield, you're beaten.

Din Djarin is not the kind the Armourer ever expected to express a desire to lead. Din was a rogue, he moved quick and deadly from the shadows. But he doesn't struggle for the sake of the Darksaber. He fights because he is Mando'ad and he knows no other way.

He squirms and snarls against Paz's chest, arching away from him, clawing at the hold around his throat. By his noises, it's not enough to cut off his air but he sputters, choked when Paz's free hand strokes between his splayed legs, palming his groin fully.

It's like watching Din seized by an electric current. It shudders up his body like a snap of energy, sharp and bucking, startled out of his soul.

Dwarfed and surrounded by Paz, held open and pinned, limbs askew, they fit together with such comfortable familiarity, it leaves no doubt in the Armourer's mind they have done this before. Perhaps, for decades.

A low growl of warning is issuing from Din, again too quiet for anything but the two of them. The Armourer hears the hum of his voxcoder, then Paz starts massaging Din between his legs in firm, lazy circles, encouraging the surge of blood down there, gentling Din from the fight; thighs flinch wider, and Din's helmet falls back on a blue shoulderguard, voxcoder spitting static.

Paz rocks them together, one body. He has not stopped talking. The low tones of his voice are rough and lilting with question. With promise.

Yield me the Saber. I will lead us. Let me rule you.

His helm bumps Din's temple in approximation of a nuzzle and Din shivers, visor averting away, embarrassed. The hold round his throat is loose enough to allow it.

Paz stops, Din's breath holds, then expels in a great sigh of nerves when Paz delves gloved fingers beneath the dip of his waistband against naked skin. Din's clothes are stretched so taut in this position, Paz can't get far but the offer is clear enough.

Din is shivering so hard. How long has it been since they did this? How long ago before they lost the covert and decimated to three? Three at present, more lost among the stars.

The Armourer has faith the others will find their way home. Or start new tribes of their own.

Din's groan is high and nervous when Paz's free hand gropes a hand full of his cuirass, blue gloves dragging possessive paths from shoulder to armoured pec, squeezing Din's soft side, then the padded span on his belly.

This is mine, his touch seems to say.

Din finally seems to agree, taking hold of his free leg by the knee and finishing the open cradle of his thighs. His chest hunches inward, shy; then a sharp cry of surprise strangles in his chest at the open-palmed slap Paz lands square against his cunt. Beneath the protective layers of clothing, he must already be throbbing and swollen from Paz's attention so far.

Paz slaps him again and, even dampened by cloth, the powerful blow rings out sharp with Din's cry. The Armourer almost winces. Din's groin is engulfed by Paz's palm, soothing and rolling firm once more. Din's chin is dipped to his chest, shoulders rising with his deep, choppy breaths. The next slap almost comes as a surprise, jerking Din's whole body, lower legs tensing, cry almost sobbed.

The Armourer isn't surprised at the fervent way Din nods to whatever Paz asks him next, the way Din lifts his hips to help Paz tug his pants to his knees, Paz's purring growl of satisfaction when he finds Din so wet, even the Armourer can see its shine from the kneel of her platform.

They're not the first to settle disputes in such a way with her witness. It is a first for them. Maybe it will herald a new turn.

With both legs now thrown over Paz's arm, Din hooks his free hand behind Paz's neck, other hand still gripping the wrist of the blue-gloved hand encircling his throat. The hold is clearly for purchase now than any requirement to tame the hunter.

When Paz's free hand returns between Din's legs, the pleasure that tears from Din's throat is startled and gutted. Wide, messy circles are spun over his folds, darkened and swollen with arousal, Paz tugs Din harder against him to better see, better access the mess he's making, staring down the front of Din's body.

Those circles shift to heavy stripes, up and down, bullying the red peak of Din's clit and sending him into spasms, chest heaving faster, slick flying in droplets. His hands tighten on Paz in a death grip, utterly silent.

He's holding his breath. He's close.

A whimpered growl of frustration breaks the reverie as Paz stops, allows Din to slide a bit further down to rest his backside on Paz's thighs. He tears a glove off. It drops to the ground by their boots. Then he sinks two bare fingers inside Din to the second knuckle.

Din trembles so hard in his arms, the Armourer wonders if he's come.

She looks to the forgotten Saber by her knee. Looks back at Din and wonders.

For a while, it's peaceful. Paz cradles Din in his arms, wrapped around him like a treasure to be guarded, a far cry from their earlier anger and blows. Is this what truly lay at the heart of them?

The tendons on the back of Paz's hands tense and flex, stirring his lover patiently from the inside, palm flat against his clit. Din's head lolls against Paz's shoulder, and Paz chases him, face buried in his shoulder, clambering him close, nowhere to hide. It's unexpectedly intimate. After a few minutes, Din's hands curl where they've fallen to clutch at Paz's arms.

Small mewls start to build. Din's legs begin to quiver. He squirms against Paz's front, tensing with what looks like fear.

Paz is not having it. Keeping his wrist stiff, fingers hooked deep in that cunt, he uses his whole arm to shake Din with his strength. Din cries out high and keening, broken by the force of Paz's thrusts as the sounds from his cunt slosh furious and loud, faster and faster, spiralling Din's gasping cries higher with it.

The Armourer watches Paz watching him.

If Paz could serve his people half as well as he did their beroya, there might be some hope for him yet. Din looks so small crowded in his arms, folded up for his own ecstasy, trembling apart. Paz stands tall as a monolith at his back, strength unwavering.

Din's cry cuts out with the first spasms of his release, breath caught, body jerking. His head snaps forward to his chest, his thighs tense powerfully, feet curling inward. Paz tears his hands free and a thin, clear stream of liquid sprays from Din's folds, spattering the platform before them. Din's breath returns in an agonised rush of sound, choked off when Paz plunges fingers inside him again.

Thunders him apart.

"Hhhhnnnnhh-- nnuh--!" Din almost sounds angry with it, thrashing, bound in Paz's arms. His knees fight the constrict of his pants, spreading as his hips thrust forward with the next orgasm Paz rips from him, pulling those thick fingers away in time for an even more dramatic jet of release.

When Din's breath spills back into his lungs, he's heaving so hard, it's no surprise he doesn't immediately register their Armourer now standing before him.

Paz gathers Din's slack body closer as though shielding him from the expectant look of their leader.

The Armourer waits for Paz to take the offered Darksaber, bladed mouth angled toward herself. He reaches for it with the hand previously braced around Din's throat.

She's seen enough. This may yet work.

"The Manda may yet grace you, but it will require both of you, not either alone. Finish it," she says. "Always point the blade away."

She turns on her heel, she does not linger to watch. Din's cursed shout is confirmation enough Paz has followed her order, sinking the Darksaber's blunt hilt inside to complete his conquest.

The wet thrusting sounds start up again, greedy and messy. Din babbles and grunts, senseless.

This may yet work.

.

.

.

For all that repopulation thinking, the Armourer would much rather they adopt because she doesn't want to risk pregnancy at Din's age. She only has three Mandalorians after all.

.

.

.

I also realised I really love people getting their pussy slapped okay

[the-timeless-founder]

What would Carla and Claire's relationship be like in Modern AU? 👀

Modern Claire and Carla

A lot healthier than canon, I'll tell you that 😭 I'll lay some background about modern! Claire first and I hope you enjoy! ❤️

How They Met:

They met at art school. Saeclus definitely has Carla involved in his passion for painting, and Claire's adoptive family expects a lot from her as a gifted actress.

They didn't share a class or anything, they just happened to meet during an event where the actors were tasked with coming up with a pose with a word given to them. The painters would then draw them in that pose.

Carla and Claire were paired up, and since Claire was instantly interested in him, she opened up the conversation and managed to hook him on just enough to have him meet her properly.

So they kind of talked and even laughed a few times before their time was up. They didn't exchange phone number though, that came a few weeks later.

Claire seemed to accidentally bump into Carla everywhere she went, and neither of them was stupid enough to think it was a coincidence. A few more conversations passed and Claire finally got his number. And he got hers.

How They Got Closer:

They often had conversations at school and even after school at times. Carla went to these fancy ass plays that Claire did work at as part of an after school project so she could earn money and move out faster.

Naturally, they got to see each other at those events too, and that's really how they just started spending time together without a need for a reason.

Sounds crazy but Carla actually didn't mind going out in places to meet her as long as she's model for most of his drawings. There weren't a lot of women he trusted around himself, much less ones who'd expertly get into a mood and a pose.

He told himself that he was just humoring her because of this, and fooled himself into thinking that it was just a relationship of mutual benefit. Once all thatwas over, they'd be over.

Well he was wrong, and even after he'd filled a whole sketchbook with portraits and fullbodies of her in different angles, clothes and hairstyles, he still wanted to see her everyday.

They never really asked each other out, just slowly progressed into "going out" together. Neither of them really calls it dating, but if someone asks if they're single, they'll both deny.

General Dynamic:

They are that one couple in high school and university who are not really together but are serious about each other.

Claire is more in tune with society than Carla, and is generally more talkative, so she does most of the talking. She's also the one to acknowledge other average human beings instead of pretending to not notice them like Carla does.

Carla is not big into PDA, but he will walk arm in arm with Claire at every event they attend because he wants everyone to know she's taken. And if someone so much as sends a longing gaze her way, he's going to give them the death glare of their life until they back off.

Claire doesn't shy away from more physical and verbal affection though, and if Carla acts too stiff and uptight, she'll start calling him "husband-to-be" which only serves as a trigger for Carla to glare at her and for her to giggle about it.

Generally, Claire is much more affectionate than Carla, especially when they're around other people. He'd be more open to her affection when they're on their own, and it's these little moments that keep her around.

Carla is very protective of Claire, especially when it comes to her family. And while Claire can handle herself, she finds it sweet that he looks after her in his own way and lets him defend her.

They rarely fight because Claire always keeps things from escalating that far. Though whenever Claire does get heated about something and they do fight, Carla usually makes up afterwards, despite his pride.

Much healthier than their canon selves, I'm proud of you sweeties.

[came0dust]

finally took off the limiters (read: plugged in my tablet instead of just drawing on my phone) so i got to use layers and select tool and an actually workable canvas size so i started with hc/design stuff for the captain. chickenscratch transcriptions and elaboration under the cut. (this old agent 3/captain's name is typhoon and they use they/he!)

it is once again a late-night drawing/posting moment where im choosing to post immediately instead of potentially just not releasing anything bc i got cold feet after waking up the morning after. i'm making an effort to make sense but if anything is not comprehensible or you just want more details, the ask box is open. i'd love to talk about what ive got for any of my characters so far! moving along in about the order i drew/wrote things in, let's start here

left text: "10-year consecutive 'worst posture' award winner."

right text: "(its okay they don't have bones)"

i started off drawing them doing The Thing that is captain's idle pose for the majority of the game but i didnt like the first sketch so i was like "okay i want a Good line of action and then im gonna build around that" and this is what came of it. they just like extremely twisted around and would absolutely be destroying their spine if they had one bc that was just the flow of the sketch apparently. i was gonna also color this but i didnt really like how it was going and i started losing the details of the pose the longer i went (i dont really like how the look of the clothes came out and it probably shows) so i just kind of left it.

right text (it was written first) 1: "eyebrow tapers on the outside / [drawing of a default masculine inkling eyebrow from a front-facing angle, labeled:] in-game default / vs / [drawing of typhoon's eyebrow from the same angle, labeled:] typhoon"

right text 2: "wide eyeshape / [drawing of typhoon's eye from the front without the accompanying inkling mask] / curves higher up than down"

right text 3: "somewhat squared jaw"

right text 4: "(his) right eye (including mask) is damaged from The Goopening still, even five years later"

left text 1: "ears more 'elf ear'-ish / compare"

left text 2: "the kiddos [representing the overall player inkling design, roughly 14]" / "typhoon [who is 21, as they were 14 during the events of splatoon 1, which was 7 years ago now. i dont want to get super long-winded in the middle of transcription so hold these tidbits for a second]¹

left text 3: "squisters"

left text 4: "okay i do actually just wanna draw frye now"

bottom text: "vaguely hostile autistic gaze (there is nothing to point to for this one)"

ive been doing a lot of jumping around fleshing out my splatoon ocs (which currently consists primarily of my agents) and like essentially reentering my splatoon mind. to start with, each of my player agent ocs were on some level self-inserts of differing amounts (i mean theyre literally like. inkfish you to a certain extent. like in many respects theyre pretty much blank slates by design (or lack thereof as promo material just uses one of the default options which are by no means mandatory given the whole player settings screen existing and yknow. being acknowledged. you get it right)) but by now they're pretty separate. there are some more overarching themes to them though that im keeping in, like a sort of longing for identity in the transition from teenager to adult where others seem to be more realized. if that makes sense. finding and wrangling with one's senses of identity and purpose so far is a thing for all of these guys. gee i wonder where that came from. anyways the thought i had to like cut out for flow is actually not going to be that great to do that to bc i was thinking i'd segue into that but i didnt like this next part is more of a design thought

¹my current working hc which informs the designs of my splatoon ocs so far includes the idea that ear shape is something that can vary not just from person to person but also with age and that the thinner, pointed, more traditionally "elf-like" ear (seen in the squid sisters, grandpa cuttlefish, and frye, as examples) might be more common the older an inkling is, compared to the blunter, more equilateral triangle-ish shape from the younger player inklings and others. of importance, this isn't hard and fast, not even to typhoon's design, as i can also very easily come back to it later and be like "hm. yeah i dont actually feel like doing this for them", but i was thinking about the ear shape from that inkling development chart from however many years ago and was like .. okay actually i don't remember what i thought in detail im really about to conk out honestly. but for example, dallas (my agent 4), who's just 2 years younger doesn't have the elf-y ears either (well hes not supposed to, but i dont think it really showed last post 💀) because that's just not how his ears look or will look (likewise for a less fleshed out non-agent character who is also an inkling and of a similar age). not to mention, of course, the many band members who are inklings with the triangular ears, as the idea is again that the elf-ear look becomes More common with age, not that it Is common immediately. even still, though, typhoon's ears arent the exact same shape as callie and marie's either, but more sort of in between them and the player inklings. all this to say, my goal is in part to have some variety more particular to splatoon than just general humanoid frame things outside of the hairstyles bc thats something that i have struggled with and so as it stands im basically tossing things at the wall to see what sticks and either working from there or tearing it all down and starting over.

anyways i like to also draw typhoon's tentacles down. the shapes are fun. sometimes they want them away from their face but sometimes they don't care

long-ass tangent aside, here comes another one unless i immediately decide i would rather be asleep now that it's almost 3am

left 1, ripley (new agent 3): "Are they... okay?"

left 2, callie: "Oh, they're just like that!"

right: "Actually just kind of spacey, they give off a sometimes imposing energy. Bad at communicating otherwise, they tend to just kind of go with it. Overall naturally deadpan, surprisingly oblivious a lot of the time."

i dont know why i started going pokedex mode there but i do know it was before 1am when i wrote that. i have a Bunch of shit written down in various places (personally. i don't have very much more than the barest introductory stuff up yet bc of the fact that im still ironing out a bunch of these things) and it was at this point that i realized i cant really distill it into notes but i'll explain a little bit. splatoon 1 was huge for me as a budding artist and someone like. beginning to actually Think about things? it was the first thing i really found myself world-building with, it was a huge factor in me having realizations about myself, and even if retroactively so (after all, taunt parties were a thing in brawl and i played the shit out of that), got me thinking about video game communication and (likely not the right term) pseudo-languages and a whole bunch of other things. some of these don't directly relate to typhoon's development but what does relate to it is .. oh the train of thought literally disappeared actually. uh.

the text next to the signature: "back at it again with the clipped studio at fucking midnight" [it is 3am now]

oh yeah right shit. neurodivergence. as was bestowed unto me, i hath bestoweth It upon Mine Cephalopodes. that was the train of thought probably. i took the way i end up just kind of Not looking when i start thinking sometimes and exaggerated it to be possibly a little unnerving bc i just think it would be fun to have typhoon just end up looking accidentally a bit creepy bc shit man i be feeling like that sometimes. he just like me fr. i have more words but not the time im sleepy honk shoo

[cheeseburgerjaunt]

The breathing space of my wanting to express, and my wanting to learn, are combative. So let's have them meet, and let's assume that they're friendly - that they _want_ to know each other.

I so badly don't like this - I so badly do not like stretching out my imagination, or foraging for inspiration. I'm reliant on marking a point of impulse. Photography, my thoughts on sin - When I find the point of excitement, I demand that it be taken up. Fascinatingly, that may just be my downfall. no, let's not say downfall, but let's agree that this revelation is interesting, and that acknowledging it could lead to a deeper understanding of self.

okay, so, what I'm observing is a comfort in relying on inspiration. On pressure. I'm observing a lack of familiarity in building pressure from a space in which there is none.

And pressure doesn't even sound correct.

I assume that inspiration, excitement from my own imagination, can only occur without my intervention. That it's not about the space I allot it. And yet, I'm always feening for more space - more breathing room. So let's do it.

---

a show sounds so daunting. I assume that I'll do it wrong. Incorrectly. This show won't be as good as that show. I'm this old, why would I not have put more thought into it?

So what I'm missing is, the foundation of a selection o f images.

I can't assume that I'll go into it with a narrative. I don't shoot from narrative. I can make you feel good is a great set of images, but I do believe Mitchel largely gets away with a lack of narrative but encompassing all of the images into one grander idea.

The Altitude Talking is in the same vein.

However, I'm not sure that's the show IO want to perform, that I have the tools available to deliver the message.

I am Trying - Really Hard.

Why? To what end? And trying how?

I am trying to make you proud.

I only feel, so recently, that I have a vision that I'm not interested in your approving of. but I don't understand that vision for myself.

I go back to Kharan - a time when I felt like I made photos that I cared about, in a place that I found interesting, for. person I wanted to make pictures for.

It just goes back to people - but then there is a symbolism that I'd like to carry.

Tension - that as you are or do one thing, you are affecting another. That there is something that waits or lurks, or ponders around you. That balance is temporal. When Kenneth flies, he only lifts so far, and although it's no technical feat, the image is that he rests in the air of believable. What if more images were from this in-between state. A tension that made your stomach tighten.

The gift of photo is that it can hold you in a place that allows your imagination to wander. when looking at a body, it can allow you to imagine the physicality of that pose, the tension in muscles, the concentration - it requests a physical interrogation.

Mess - that there is no such thing as perfect, even when everything looks to be. That perfection is tainted once too much effort is exhibited in order to keep the illusion alive. Mess looks like several elements - in front and behind. Mess looks like posing not erectly center, or in the midst of chaos. I think of mess feeling more psychological than visual, though. Although, mess creates more visual stimulation. It's not calming. It's an abstract - it's a painting. Yes, something was done, an act was conducted, a meeting, a motion. For me, I have links to it all, but I'm not interested in controlling where you go with it.

[goteengrow]

February 25, 2023

Hello and welcome community. This is Nichole Banks, your blue hearted ceo. In Howard County there have been incidents where there are disruptions, violence, and damage being done by adolescents that are visiting places throughout the community, like the malls and other parts of the community that are accessible for social gatherings and events.

I wanna speak on this because in incidents like this, we can raise expectations, we can point fingers, we can sit, talk, hypothesize and try our best to understand. What I believe is most important is that we acknowledge the group that we're dealing with, Adolescents.

Adolescents are still growing, they're still learning. Literally there are brain cells that are still connecting and being formed. So when it comes to making decisions, they don't have everything that's needed to use their complete conscience, critical thinking, good decision making skills.

Some of our adolescents still have social anxieties, and are still highly impulsive.

I think these are things that we really need to keep into consideration when we're speaking about the things that are happening to, within and around this group. They have become an at-risk group, whether it is towards others and towards each other.

We as a community are responsible for these adolescents because they are still in need of great care, support, guidance and protection with those things that need to be provided. It needs to be very strategic, specialized and specific to the group that we're dealing with.

We cannot approach and handle a 15 year old boy or girl or a 12 year old boy or girl with the same way that we would approach, handle, and deal with an adult or a younger child or elderly or a government official.

We have to approach them, deal with them, and handle them for where they are as an adolescent, as a tween, as a teen, with great consideration of where they are as a general population, as far as their level of growth physically, emotionally, and intellectually, with keeping into consideration things that we may not know when dealing with them and handling them.

And that poses a risk when it comes to the general population that may be expected to approach and deal with these tweens and teens, these adolescents. With that being said, is it really the best thing for the good of this group to just automatically have people within the community, workers, cashiers, mall security, police officers to deal with them and handle them without proper insight and knowledge and experience?

Shouldn't we be more careful, strategic and intentional to have these groups to be supervised and approached by those who have a deeper understanding, a greater knowledge and experience in how to deal with them as a general population and for the things that could possibly be going on with them that we may not know about.

But this takes specialized training and that's why we have businesses like Teen Check Assistants, to deploy those individuals that can infiltrate their atmospheres without them becoming defensive, feeling threatened, or feeling like they're being “watched” so that they can still be able to have that independent experience that they all want so much and need.

Also, be in the presence of those who can provide care, assistance, support and safety as needed within their groups, and also to those that surround them.

We cannot expect a cashier to be up in arms when they think that an adolescent is becoming unruly.

We can't expect a security guard who may not have extensive knowledge as to how to deal with an adolescent not even knowing whether or not this adolescent is neurotypical or neurodiverse or have any mental health issues or is being abused.

These things need to be considered when we approach them, when we try to deal with them and handle them to diffuse situations that are going to come up because they're adolescents, they're tweens, they're teens, they're still developing, they're still very impulsive.

They may not be the young child, but their brain cells are still connecting as if they were. They don't have a full conscience like an adult. They don't have full self-awareness to self-management skills just yet. And it's safe to say this because of what we're seeing in the media with this group.

I just urge everyone that in this goal we collectively want to reach to make sure that adolescents aren't causing harm and destructiveness to themselves and to others in the community, that we approach this more intentionally and strategically.

With our greatest hopes and efforts,

Teen Check Assistants, LC

[tk-tae-and-symphony]

random thoughts iii

1. in honor of left and right: in many of their cutest moments, tae is sitting on the left and jk is on the right (from the audience perspective). thinking of gda 2020, the be group interview, the documentary watch party in 2020, festa dinner 2022 and, of course, the hs concert.

men tend to focus on their dominant side. this places tae on jk's right and jk on tae's left. make of that what you will since tae is ambidextrous.

other quick-hit thoughts:

2. i don't think there's merit to tae-pbg rumors after paris. if anything (at all), it'd be one-sided heart eyes from pbg. tae posted one picture of them together and didn't even tag pbg. ngl the 50 photo dump (from pbg to tae) is a bit weird

don't think there's any truth in tae-bp j or jk-bp l either. tae barely interacted with bp l the whole time. not how you'd act around your bestie's girl or your girl's bestie. them living their best lives pole-dancing tho? 100

3. from the way he's tagged him on insta, visited him on set and the way they're posing in the its friend.cation poster, cws seems to be one of tae's closest friends. i love that cws only follows jk on insta

4. tae visiting jh on the more mv set and bringing waffles is too cute. it's always seemed (to me) like amongst the vegas quad, jm and jk are besties while tae and jh are besties. total friendship goals

maybe it's placing too much emphasis on one singular moment but the moment that cemented the likelihood of tk as a couple and not j*k*k for me was during the be album dinner meeting 2008** about the lgo mv. at the end of the video, jm is clearly gesturing for a box of corn dogs. jk picks up a box and instead of passing it over to jm, he carries it back to his seat and opens the box angled towards tae

the ptd lv clip of tae asking only jk for a bottle of water (and pouting when he doesn't get it) has the same vibe. tae honey, you have 4 hyungs+jm walking around on stage who would gladly pass you a bottle

earlier in the same 2008** video, tae gets overwhelmed and curls his body inwards towards jk at one point as he tries to consolidate his thoughts. it reminds me of s.w.z. muster where tae thinks he forgot his phone and immediately runs to jk

5. it could have been complete bs when they talked about it in their v.live but the idea of tae and jk practicing their card throwing for their grammys performance through cracked open doors while jk was sick made my heart smile. the notion of tae just wanting to be around jk is so sweet. also sweet: tae waiting for jh and jk to watch the ss concert

the maknae line clearly has no boundaries but the way jk's hand reaches out to grab tae's jacket (that's being held right in front of his crotch) without tae so much as flinching despite the sharp movement towards him is telling. all the guys are struggling with the jackets but jk keeps his eyes on tae the whole time even after they move apart

tae tends to take pictures where he's posing really closely with other people. his lgg pictures come to mind. it seems important to him to stress that there wasn't any real flirting going on. later in the video, tae makes sure to make eye contact with someone off-screen when he says that he didn't say anything of substance to or at the start of the performance. i think he says the same thing later in the v.live too

6. do you know me: i could replay tae's smile at jk when jk realizes tae has beer in his fridge on loop

jk based his answers to the fridge questions on each member's personal preferences (like jin not liking cold foods). the inference: tae doesn't drink/like beer - which the members seem to acknowledge - so there's no reason for him to have it in his fridge. jk's reaction read a bit like he's the one who left the beer in tae's fridge and then completely forgot about it

jk seemed more excited about getting the beer question correct than concerned about getting other questions like jm's solo trip and restaurant review or jin's ice-cream questions wrong

also lol at the memory of jk drinking white wine with ice out of a mug. tbt tae and jk's bottle of wine during their un trip in 2021

7. tae seems to have a mark on his neck in the wv pic in his hbd army post and it's only obvious bc of how he's tilting his head. has that always been there just covered up? there's no obvious mark in his drive vlog

[yumeka36]

I'm only just finding this out, but apparently Disney is doing a revamp of their Disney Princess brand this year and releasing products with the princesses in a more "modernized" way - not only are their poses more dynamic, but for the first time outside of Wreck-It Ralph 2, they're officially interacting with each other! 😄 I'm glad Disney realizes that's a more appealing look than having them stand statically together without ever acknowledging one another (which has been the rule since the start of the brand I think). Here's a few images (thanks to Snow on discord for this information!)

This first one is my favorite of the images I've seen so far (though I have to wonder if Snow White is trying to mimic Mulan or attack her! 🤣)

In this one, Cinderella looks like she has something juicy to tell them and they all want to hear it...wonder what book she's reading, lol. (Also can't wait to see Raya join them! Hopefully she will before the year is over)

Even with all this new imagery, still no love for brunette Rapunzel! I know her long, blonde hair is more iconic, but c'mon, at least give us some pictures of her as she is now canonically, lol (especially since her brunette look is the look she had when she officially became princess again in her movie).

Might want to keep Rajah away from that little deer 😅

I don't buy Disney Princess merch often, but if they go all the way with these new designs, I might buy a few things 😀 Also, if anyone's wondering why Anna and Elsa are never seen with the other princesses (again, besides in WIR2), it's because Frozen is successful enough to be marketed as its own franchise, hence Anna and Elsa never officially became part of the Disney Princess brand. I'm glad Disney considers Frozen worthy of its own brand, but I'd still love to see some merch with Anna and Elsa with the princesses. Maybe they'll break that rule one day!

[cross-d-a]

As I'm slowly making my way through DMBJ Vol. 8 (takes place right after Ultimate Note), I'm coming across a lot of little passages that I adore and want to share bc Feelings✨

Warning: these excerpts obviously contain spoilers for what happens after Ultimate Note. So if you don't want spoilers please skip this post! (*・∀-)☆

For all these posts I'm using MereBear's absolutely amazing translations!!! Please check out their work!!! They put a lot of time and effort into it❤️✨

The scene I really wanna talk about first takes place in Chapter 25: No Choice.

To set it up a bit: Wu Xie is still masquerading as Sanshu and has returned to the mountains to try to find his friends. He's got a whole team of people with him and he manages to reunite with Pangzi who's escaped the horrors underground. Pangzi's got a map leading to Xiao Ge carved into his own belly. Before Pangzi wakes up, Pan Zi and Xiao Hua decide to follow the map while Wu Xie anxiously waits above ground. Then they lose contact and Pangzi wakes up. Wu Xie and Pangzi are eager to rescue their friends so they set out with the rest of their team. Except!! Wu Xie hasn't found a good moment to reveal himself to Pangzi!! He's still posing as Sanshu and it's Stressing him The Fuck Out. THEN! We get this lovely little gem of a passage:

It's such a cute little moment!! And also a meaningful one. Pangzi knew it was Wu Xie and he still kept up the charade so Wu Xie could save face. Wu Xie's somehow managed to fool everyone but Pangzi (and believe me, Wu Xie's barely scraping by the skin of his teeth at times). But Pangzi knows Wu Xie so well that he immediately saw it was him. And he still chose to follow Wu Xie despite not knowing his plan. Despite not knowing why exactly he was masquerading as Sanshu. He trusts Wu Xie so much that he didn't even question it. He just ran with it, damn the details.

Except, okay I'm gonna rip the rug right out from under this sweet moment because there is something hilarious about this scene, too. In Chapter 15: Fatty in the Gap, Wu Xie finds Pangzi who is hurt and mostly unconscious, and Wu Xie is just losing his mind a bit with worry. I'm gonna do a post about this particular scene later, but what you need to know is this:

Wu Xie TELLS Pangzi that he's actually Wu Xie and not Sanshu! He fucking tells him! Is Wu Xie so worried about Pangzi that he immediately forgets this? Does he get so distracted by everything after this moment that he forgets? (Xiao Hua and Pan Zi do leave after this, and Wu Xie's going a bit crazy worrying about Xiao Ge) Pangzi is also very out of it when Wu Xie tells him and he's comatose for a while afterwards, so maybe Wu Xie didn't think Pangzi heard. But even through the pain Pangzi reaches out and grabs Wu Xie's wrist, like Wu Xie is the only thing that could reach him. And then he relaxes. Like he's acknowledging Wu Xie. Like he's comforted by Wu Xie being there. He trusts Wu Xie. That is so painfully obvious. (And oh god there is a LOT about the deep trust between Wu Xie and Pangzi in Vol. 8 like holy shit)

But also, if we assume that Pangzi does know 'Sanshu' is Wu Xie because he remembered this moment- it is fucking hilarious that Pangzi chooses to tease Wu Xie in that Chapter 25 reveal moment. It is so in character for their relationship. However, I think Pangzi would know it's Wu Xie without being told. They just know each other so well. They understand each other so well, though they're still learning. (more on this in a later excerpt post!!)

And right after Pangzi reveals that he knows who Wu Xie is, Wu Xie scolds Pangzi for not telling him beforehand:

And there we have it again. Pangzi's unwavering trust. "Of course I'll cooperate with you," he says. Because Pangzi would follow Wu Xie to hell and back.

And, because I am always crying about the theme of trust in Vol.8, the conversation ends with this:

I just- have so many feelings about this little scene. Once again, Wu Xie and Pangzi understand each other so well. But I think Pangzi understands Wu Xie more than Wu Xie understands himself. We talk about Wu Xie being a bleeding heart a lot, and it's true. And Pangzi knows it. He sees it, he recognizes it, and he knows it's Wu Xie's greatest strength and worst flaw. In these chapters, Pangzi establishes that he does not trust Xiao Hua. He does not trust Granny Huo. He does not trust anyone in this expedition. He trusts no one but Wu Xie. And Wu Xie trusts far too easily. Pangzi loves Wu Xie so much, but he realizes that if Wu Xie continues in this way he won't survive. Not alone. This is why Pangzi puts himself in this caretaker role. He'd rather be the one to take the brunt of the darkness of the world (he is much like Xiao Ge in this way, treasuring Wu Xie's innocence). But Pangzi is also practical. Pangzi can't always be there to save him. In fact, Wu Xie's been separated from him for a while now. And as much as it pains Pangzi, he wants to teach Wu Xie not to trust so easily. Because he knows Wu Xie won't survive this by being so naive. (Again, even if his naïveté is one of the reasons why Wu Xie is so precious to Pangzi)

There's a lot of character development in Vol.8 that really hurts, especially because it foreshadows Wu Xie's character in Sha Hai. Here, Wu Xie is young, and he's thrust into this grand plot he's desperately trying to figure out. And he's alone for a lot of it. Left to fend for himself and pretend to be someone he is not. Someone who is ruthless and scheming. Someone who puts the mission above all else. And this someone (Sanshu) raised him. It's a lot to deal with. Especially when he starts seeing these traits reflected in himself. But if he doesn't act this way, then the people he loves will die. So he forces himself to carry on despite this bleeding heart. I'm gonna do later posts about how Wu Xie sees himself, but I think this book is really the beginning of how young Wu Xie grows into the hurt and weary Wu Xie we see in Sha Hai.

Anyways, I just really wanted to share this little moment between Wu Xie and Pangzi. Especially because I feel like their relationship sometimes gets overshadowed by Pingxie. This little scene stole my heart not only because it's adorable, but because it's very heartbreaking and truly reveals their characters and relationship ❤️

[watching-pictures-move]

Movie Review | The World, the Flesh and the Devil (MacDougall, 1959)

This review contains spoilers.

When we first meet him, the miner played by Harry Belafonte seems to be having a bad day at work. You see, the mine's just caved in, and he can hardly get in touch with anybody topside. Realizing that nobody's going to come down and save him, he manages to dig himself out. At this point, he finds himself bewildered by the total absence of people anywhere he goes, although as he goes looking, the picture becomes clearer, with newspaper headlines and old radio broadcasts confirming that he missed the apocalypse as he was trapped underground. Eventually he makes his way to New York City, and these initial scenes provide the movie's most haunting passage, juxtaposing him with a sea of unattended cars on a bridge and other landmarks. The most poignant of these images has him framed against skyscrapers, suggesting that as a working class black man, he could only attain such heights once society has totally collapsed.

At this point it starts to come into focus that this is not merely a cautionary tale about nuclear weapons (the same year saw the release of the talkier but no less involving On The Beach, and the following decade produced one of my favourites in the genre, The War Game, the sometimes bitterly funny and mostly terrifying pseudocumentary that hits like a sledgehammer). Belafonte eventually starts accepting his new reality, finding ways to amuse himself like befriending two mannequins, one male, one female (he does not however give the female a fake mustache and the male lipstick, nor does he make them kiss; his intentions are more dignified). He even regales them with a song, perhaps as a commercial concession and acknowledgement of Belafonte's other talents. Boy, this nuclear apocalypse sure is grim, here's a tune from the "Banana Boat Song" guy to cheer us up.

He eventually tires of the male and tosses him out the window, which leads to the reveal that he's not alone. In fact, a young woman played by Inger Stevens has been stalking him the whole time. They become friends, but up to a point, as Belafonte is unable to accept her affection, and the movie slowly reveals how their internalized racism colours their relationship, no matter how much they desire to bridge the gap. Further complications are posed by the arrival of a sailor played by Mel Ferrer, who announces that he's not a racist but is beholden to patriarchal notions, feeling the need to compete for Stevens' heart, neither man paying much heed to what she actually wants. Eventually he forces an ultimatum, triggering a showdown between both men that has them hunting each other across the city.

There is arguably something quaint about a movie that chooses to tackle racism and misogyny without explicitly addressing structural issues, but I found the movie quite moving in how it depicts the depth to which the characters have had such ideas ingrained in them by society that they're unable to shed them even said society has collapsed. It helps that it provides three very engaging lead performances. It helps even more that the delivery is so cinematic, with striking B&W scope compositions lending the proceedings an austere beauty and heightening the tension of the climax. And if the movie's resolution, which has the characters walking off like I assume Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke and Lee Marvin do in Paint Your Wagon (which I haven't seen but am happy to make wild assumptions about), is a little hokey, I guess that's okay too. If Inger Stevens held our hands and looked deep into our eyes, I suspect many of us would be powerless to resist too.