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kurtty-drabbles · 5 years ago

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The witch, the prince and the demon au

@djinmer4 @dannybagpipesarecalling @sailorstar9 @discordsworld @bamfoftheundead

N/A: Uhm, this idea needs to be written ASAP. What if EW Kurt, in his younger days, meet the curious case of the FIRST NECROMANCER who conquer the land and the Prince who is horrible in love with her?

Kitty is wearing something like this.

The rain´s drop hits the window with such severity that is a wonder that the windows are resisting so fiercely even though the wind is increasing the danger of the rain. A woman is drinking wine from her goblet and is giving her back as the elderly master is giving the results of the day.

"And the leader of the house Tyrin accept your rule and bows to you" the man´s voice draws out and is visible to even a blind could see how the man´s age is advanced.

Now, the woman, wearing an elegant black dress with a ruby collar as the only item different from the black palette she is wearing so well. And her face is blank as her mind is so far away.

"Maestro Valens, as my first duty as the Queen, I hereby give you the reward you deserve. You shall retire in peace with your family in your land, let be know that my rule no one will work until they die" the woman said confidently.

"Thank you, My Queen," the man said relief as his old bones aren´t made to continue the work and are surprised as the new Queen help the man sit and offer water and wine (his choice) to him. "The old regime would behead me for dare to sit here"

"I´m not the King and my regime will be different" she spoke calmly as she adds "and most importantly better for the people than the last one"

"I see, I´ve two questions, if I may" and Kitty nods "who will take my place? and, what you´ll do with those who did oppose to you?"

"The first question I can answer, my student Larissa will take your place, she is a woman who takes studies on administration and I trust her, as for the second, I´ll send them to a fair trial, of course, some special cases, as you´re thinking, will be executed"

"And ...the prince?"

"...That I haven´t made my mind, yet"

"If I may, the prince was just a boy and shouldn´t be punished for the father´s crimes. When the king crafted a wall with heads of our people, the prince was innocent of that crime"

"But...does the prince think the wall was a good idea?" and Kitty adds "Leonaria is a kingdom that is stained with blood, and, the 3 principles that this kingdom founded. No religion, no private school and no unfair taxation and the king broke those rules easily, which makes me think this kingdom does not have a real identity." and concludes "I´m not here to convert anyone as much that would be ironic, no, my mission here is to rule as this kingdom deserves."

________________________________________________________________

The prince of Leonaria, Albert Taves, is a boy still entering in the teenagerhood, a boy that loved his father and saw his world shatter as a woman take everything was once right on his life and is now the Queen and everyone seems to love this woman.

"Why? She´s a traitor" the prince often said as people often praise the woman. One day, the prince demands to see her(the audacity of this woman to look him up and justify as being for his protection is too much)

He enters in the throne room, knowing full well his father won´t be there, and was ready to face a hag of woman, instead, he spots the most beautiful woman his eyes ever seen(the fairytale books for boys can be hard to compete)

"Prince Albert, you´re out of your room? Is everything alright?" The woman said still wearing a black dress. And the prince seems to be enamouraded by her figure, until, someone cough really loud and the prince comes back to his sense.

"Who are you?"

"Kitty Pryde, the first necromancer and now ruler of this country. And you´re Prince Albert Taves, now, why are you here and not with your tutour?"

"You killed my father!" he exclaimed violently ignoring his previous interaction with Kitty´s beauty. "I shall kill you"

If Albert thought Kitty would be mad or cry about this threat, well, the boy is really mistaken.

"Hum hum. Now, why don´t return to your room, Albert?" she said in a melodic tone "you have many studies to do and being here is not fun for a young boy"

And to his horror, Albert is obeying without complaining.

_____________________________________________________________

To say Leonaria thrives is an understatement, in fact, what once used to be a place to scary children "don´t go to Leonaria or the monsters will eat you" is now a real treat to anyone. In fact, one young necromancer decides to take the chances and visit this new reformed kingdom.

Kurt Wagner arrives and meets the Queen, the famous first Necromancer. A follower of the outer gods(she obey to them in exchange to some favours, is a free partnership of sort) and Kurt never saw woman prettier as this one.

"And who are you?" Kitty Pryde asked in a regal tone and Kurt is charmed enough to make her students giggle, but, Kitty is not impressed.

"I´m Kurt Wagner, my Queen, and I would like to work here, I´m a necromancer as you..." then he fixes this last statement "well, I´m learning how to be a necromancer"

"Do you have problems with work from the bottom?" Kitty asked and Kurt can´t do any jokes or pick up lines as he is unable to do anything but telling the truth.

"Of course not, My Queen, while I have teleportation as my awaking, I´d research and I have no problem in dirty my hands"

"Will you betray me or this kingdom?"

"I held no loyalty to anyone but myself, but, I won´t seek to destroy anything without a reason and right now, I have all the reasons to stay here in peace"

"I´d not trust you to work with a woman, therefore, you shall work with Mathias, remember, if you betray us...Death will be too kind."

And Kurt leaves there feeling excited, in fact, once he is in his new room he realizes he´s too excited.

____________________________________________

To say the breakfast is a peaceful moment, is a big fat lie, as the Prince is discovering the hormones and can´t help to be mesmerized by Kitty, who is ignoring him("should I kill him? No, I don´t want to rule forever") and Kurt Wagner who is also looking at this scene too amused.

"How are the studies going?" Kitty asked the prince in a calm tone.

"Good" and she can feel him staring at her cleavage. Ok, time for plan B.

"Do you want to rule the kingdom?" she asked and Kurt thinks a marriage proposal is in the making and can´t help feeling envious of the prince.

"With you? yes, I think we can be a great couple, even though, deep down, I still want to get revenge for what you did to my father" the prince looks horrified and Kitty is unphased.

"Even knowing the crimes your father committed?"

"Yes, you´re always in my mind...I need to have you"

"Oh my Zaorva!"

__________________________________________________________________

The prince change to a man pretty quickly and propose Kitty´s hand in front of everyone, which of course, Kitty should have seen this one coming, but, she has a plan B as the prince prove to be useless.

"I´m afraid this won´t be necessary, you´ll marry the Princess of Lakersom. As for the next to the throne, what you know, Larissa, my student is a secret daughter of the king and will rule from now on as her kids will do so" Kitty states as Larissa, understanding her cue, rose from the seat and walks to the throne where her teacher is. She is on the right side of the throne.

"But..." the prince wants to protest, but, his legs are betraying him as suddenly, marrying this random princess is not a bad idea.

Kurt watches the scene amused.

___________________________

"Why you don´t stay and conquer more countries?" Kurt asked once the student is sitting on the throne and making sure that Kitty´s laws remain untouched.

"Because...is tiresome, why anyone would want to do this is beyond me" she gazes into his golden eyes and speaks. "will you stay?"

"I´ll travel to North...wanna come with me?"

"Not now, our paths will cross each other in the future, for now, I must go to the Pheonix´s temple, Pheonix has a mission for me"

"You don´t mind the gods?"

"No, I learn how to deal with the gods, Kurt, as you one day will learn too"

_________________________________________________________________

Epilogo:

"So, I heard you met Zaorva..." Kitty has no time to finish her question as Kurt is shivering in fear at the mere mention of the name Zaorva.

"Let´s. Never. Talk. About. This."

"ok"

#ew verse au #evil wizard kurt #evil witch Kitty #kitty is complex #yes the king is loosely based on vlad the impaler #kurtty yet #haha he still fears Zaorva

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lastsonlost · 5 years ago

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I needed Marvel to stand by me with more work opportunities to show the trolls that I was more than a diversity hire. “

Sina Grace on Writing Iceman at Marvel: “I Was Surrounded by Cowards”

Posted by Jude Terror June 28, 2019 48 Comments

As has been documented in various Bleeding Cool articles throughout the course of the book’s two series, one of my personal favorite X-Men comics of the past few years was Iceman, written by Sina Grace, and drawn it its first volume by Alessandro Vitti and Robert Gill and in its second and concluding one-shot by Nathan Stockman. The book breathed new life into a character who it could be argued hadn’t really received significant character development since his days in X-Factor in the 1980s. It’s true that it was “The Great One” Brian Bendis who wrote Iceman outed by Jean Grey’s invasive telepathy, but it was Grace who wrote adult Iceman coming to grips with this and learning to be himself and love himself, alongside, of course, lots of mutant action and drama. The book ended too soon, when it was really just getting going, IMHO.

With all of that in mind, it’s sad but not surprising to read Sina Grace’s comments, posted to his Tumblr, about his time at Marvel writing the book and what he says was a lack of support from Marvel while he dealt with online bullying as well as a lack of support and promotion for Iceman itself.

Grace writes:

As Pride Month comes to a close, it’s time I spoke candidly about my experience at Marvel Comics.

To date, I’ve always been honest about the joy of writing Iceman’s journey as an out gay superhero, but I’ve skirted around the challenges that came along with it. This is partially because I prefer to give off an upbeat vibe, and there’s also a fear that my truth will affect my career. With more corporations patting themselves on the back for profit-led partnerships wherein celebrities take selfies in rainbow apparel, and with buzz that Marvel Studios is preparing to debut their first gay character in the upcoming Eternals movie, there is an urgency to discuss the realities of creating queer pop culture in a hostile or ambivalent environment. Hopefully, my takeaways will serve as a guide for people in positions of power to consider when advocating for more nuanced and rich representation. In an ideal world, embracing our stories and empowering us to tell them will yield far more profitable (and way less messy) results than what I encountered while writing Iceman.

Stand by your people

It’s no surprise that I got the attention of trolls and irate fans for taking on this job. There was already backlash around the manner in which Bobby Drake aka Iceman came out, and Marvel needed to smooth that landing and put a “so what” to the decision. After a point, I could almost laugh off people making light of my death, saying they have “cancerous AIDS” from my book, or insinuating I’m capable of sexual assault… almost. Between Iceman’s cancellation and its subsequent revival, Marvel reached out and said they noticed threatening behavior on my Twitter account (only after asking me to send proof of all the nasty shit popping up online). An editor called, these conversations always happen over the phone, offering to provide “tips and tricks” to deal with the cyber bullying. I cut him off. All he was going to do was tell me how to fend for myself.

I needed Marvel to stand by me with more work opportunities to show the trolls that I was more than a diversity hire.

“We’ll keep you in mind.”

I got so tired of that sentence.

Even after a year of the new editor-in-chief saying I was talented and needed to be on a book that wasn’t “the gay character,” the only assignment I got outside of Iceman was six pages along, about a version of Wolverine where he had diamond claws. Fabulous, yes. Heterosexual, yes. Still kind of the gay character, though.

We as creators are strongly encouraged to build a platform on social media and use it to promote work-for-hire projects owned by massive corporations… but when the going gets tough, these dudes get going real quick.

Believe in the work

You may be asking if my Iceman book was any good, or if I’m just being sour grapes over a bad work experience. Believe me, I asked that, too. From the get-go, my first editor asserted that Iceman would be DOA if it were “too gay,” while also telling me to prepare for a cancellation anyway, given that most solo X-Men titles don’t last beyond a year. Never mind that my work on Iceman had gotten positive press in the New York Times (in-print), or that in spite of (since-deleted) critical sandbagging, the series nets glowing reviews on Amazon… Marvel still treated me as someone to be contained, and the book as something to be nervous about. Do you know how hard it is to not argue with a publicist when he’s explaining the value of announcing Iceman’s revival via the Marvel homepage? Sis, that’s a burial. Instead of clapping back, I just went and got myself more press from the New York Times. From there, they tightened my leash. I had to get all opportunities pre-approved, and all interviews pre-reviewed. This would be fine if it was the standard, but I assure you: none of my straight male colleagues seek permission to go on podcasts promoting their books.

What Marvel should have done is assign me a special projects editor. They should have worked with a specialty PR firm, rather than repeat a tiresome cycle of treating the book like a square peg, and getting confused when it’s a hit.

Give us a real seat at the table

There was a moment before Iceman was cancelled where I wrote then-editor-in-chief Axel Alonso an email, pleading for a Hail Mary arc. I explained that Icemanwas landing with a newer generation of readers who focused more on binge-reading than month-to-month periodicals. The series needed time in the book market before its true strength could be assessed. To Axel’s credit, he was warm to the idea and even gave me an extra month, but when he left Marvel that idea got brushed away. Of course I was right. The first two volumes sold like gangbusters thanks to word-of-mouth, librarian love, and support from retailers big and small.

When the series returned, no one at Marvel asked me: “What do you think landed with readers?” Nor did they ask the question that Axel did: “What matters to your community?” So when I wrote what I thought the fans would be into, a story about a man learning to be a better ally in the war against hate, editorial totally missed its value.

Seat at the table pt II: The Shade of it all

All of the weird drama I put up with crystallized when I created a drag queen mutant, first called Shade, now called Darkveil. I told my editor that Shade would be a big deal for X-Fans, and asked how we should promote her. He said: “leave it up to the reader’s interpretation.” Everyone at Marvel shrugged off two years of goodwill and acted like I’d coordinated behind their backs on an announcement that made headlines. Beyond mentioning on Instagram the queens who inspired the character, I didn’t coordinate shit. Of course, their head publicist can’t admit that my quotes were pre-approved from an unreleased interview. At this point, I stopped believing that there’d be any more work for me. There were so many shady moves on their end that I’m still having trouble putting into language, but it all aligned with an experience I had in retail where a corrupt manager kept lying and moving the goal posts in order to keep me selling in a department I didn’t want to work in. I offered to give Darkveil a proper character bio, and I walked away.

I recognize that some of my complaints can be filed under “this is freelance life.” I am aware that it was not a queer person of color who joked to me that “it’s not a matter of if Marvel fucks you over, it’s a matter of when.” That came from a cis white male. The same-day turn-arounds without warning, the work emails on Christmas week… that’s the freelance bullshit. Truly, I don’t even think of this as discrimination, I call it general ineptness. It is my belief that if we are telling stories about heroes doing the right thing in the face of adversity, wouldn’t the hope be to embody those ideals as individuals? Instead of feeling like I worked with some of the most inspiring and brave people in comics, I was surrounded by cowards.

Truly, I hate writing this. In keeping with Pride Month, I am proud of the work I did on Iceman… I love the book! It sucks that I may be tarnishing its legacy going public about how the cookies were made. That said, the time for self-congratulating is over, and folks should be earnestly listening when they ask: what could we have done better?

so what’s my take.....

Personally I think the kid got used, plain and simple. Also this should not have come as a shock to anyone.

Look at how badly they treat their customers that pay them money, OF COURSE THEY’RE GOING TO FUCK THEIR EMPLOYEES EVERY CHANCE THEY GET. A box full of scorpions would have had more loyalty.

@thespectacularspider-girl

______________________________

little history lesson for you kids: tokyopop did practically the same thing with the rising stars of manga. They snatched up young Talent, use them, and drop them.

#Marvel Comics #don't believe the hype #social justice is not your friend

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ask-the-chan-family · 7 years ago

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Royal tea party with the in-laws

Inside the royal dinner hall, all of Princess Celestia servants were hard at work getting everything ready for two very important guest are on their way to visit the two Princess Sisters. Princess Celestia was checking on her servants to see if everything was going well, while her little sister Princess Luna was busy playing her handheld, trying to beat the last level. Princess Celestia wanted to pull the gaming handheld away from her sister, but one of her servant walk towards her and tell the Princess about the preparation. Servant: your highness, everything is set up for your afternoon tea party for your important guests Princess Celestia: that is wonderful to hear, is there anything else I need to know, before the guest arrive Servant: there is one thing I kinda wanted to ask you your highness, some of the ponies are curious about the guests that are coming here, we had no clue exactly who they are or what sort of procedures we need to do. Princess Celestia: you don’t need to worry about that, I’m going to deal with the guest personally. Servant: why is that, if you don’t mind me asking? Princess Celestia: you see the two very important guest are from a very faraway place and they are not very keen on meeting other ponies, which they never met before. Servant: I guess I understand a little bit, I just hope everything we done for you, will be good enough to impress your guest. Princess Celestia: of course my dear, you and the other ponies had done a great job to have everything ready for me. Now the guest will be here shortly, I need you and the others to leave, before they get here. Servant: understood your majesty, alright everyone, the princess want us out of here. All the servants heard what the princess order and start to head out, each of the servant that was working on the dinner table, place everything properly and then walk out the dinner hall. Princess Celestia walk towards the dinner table, to see what her servant had done, after inspecting the tea set and taking a little from her favorite chocolate cake she enjoy the most, everything was set for her tea party for her special guest. While admiring the work her servant had done, Princess Celestia over heard her little sister screaming, yelling at her gaming system. Princess Luna was agitated with the game she was playing and without warning, she drop her handheld on the floor and huff from anger Princess Luna: I can’t believe that stupid boss on the final level, defeated me again. Princess Celestia: having a hard time beating that final level Luna Princess Luna: of course big sister, I been playing that game for the last few days, trying to beat the final boss, but every time I find a way to beat that boss, it always find a way to destroy my strategy. I need to buy me another handheld and try to think of another strategy, to defeat the boss again and this the Princess of the night, will be triumph Princess Celestia: well I hope you can hold on your strategy for a moment and be on your best behavior, since our guest are going to be here very soon. Princess Luna: speaking of that big sister, who is coming to visit us anyway, I been checking our schedule at least a few times and I haven’t seen anything that mention any ponies that usually come here to see us. Princess Celestia: that because the ponies we are meeting, are special guest that I personally invited. Princess Luna: you don’t say, then who did you invited then? Princess Celestia: Demon Queen Aurora and her twin sister Athena the goddess of wisdom Princess Luna: …. You’re kidding right, please tell me you was kidding mention those two name big sister Princess Celestia: you know I don’t always kid around these things Luna Princess Luna: but why you invited them, especially inviting the very demon pony that literally hate our flanks, almost more than Nova that despise you the most. Princess Celestia: come now Luna, sure Queen Aurora and I had our differences with each other, but since we’re a family now, I wanted to get to know them a lot better and show them that I’m someone that can be a good daughter in-law. Plus I also wanted to be on Queen Aurora good side and stop her thinking that I’m not good enough for Tommy wommy Princess Luna: that another thin I need to ask you Tia, does Thomas know about them coming here Princess Celestia: … *she blush* not exactly Princess Luna: *face hooves* oh Tia, you didn’t tell him, didn’t you Princess Celestia: I was meant to tell him eventually, but he was busy getting things ready to hang out both our daughters Rebecca and Mia on a camping trip. I didn’t had the chance to tell him about it and even if I did told him, he would have try to stop me from doing it anyway. Princess Luna: do because he know this whole tea party idea of yours, isn’t going to work. Princess Celestia: ….. Sigh, look Luna, I know you’re worried that Aurora will do something bad to me or something much worst. But you must understand that this is more than just impressing Aurora or her twin sister, this is about family coming together and even though she still look at me for being nothing more but a simple princess, I still continue to show her that this simple is willing to keep on trying, just like my husband, who continue protecting his friends and family from danger. Princess Luna was plan to say something to her older sister, but she saw her walk away from her and head for the other side of the dinner hall and stare at the wall. Confuse of what her sister was doing, she walk right next to her and ask her what she was looking at. Princess Luna: why are you starring at the wall for big sister, aren’t we going to meet our guest? Princess Celestia: of course we are Luna, it just Queen Aurora and Athena are using a special kind of transportation to get here and they going to be showing right about Before she could finish her sentence, she look at the wall and notice a small red dot appear out of nowhere. Princess Celestia look at the red dot and it was getting bigger by the second and soon you know it, the red dot became a large hole on the wall. Princess Celestia and Luna look at the hole on the wall and notice two ponies was walking out from it. The two ponies they saw was none other than the demon queen of the other realm Aurora and her twin sister Athena goddess of wisdom, Princess Celestia was happy that both of them made it safely and walk towards the two ponies in order to greet them properly, Luna on the other hand wasn’t sure. When looking at Aurora, Princess Luna still remember some of the bad things she and Nova had done to her and her older sister in the past. Princess Luna try to see if Demon Queen Aurora was up to something, but so far all she see that Aurora was busy helping her twin sister, since Athena was blind and can’t see where she going. Princess Celestia finally approach the two ponies and greet them with great respect. Princess Celestia: Demon Queen Aurora and Athena, it is an honor and pleasure that you two were able to make it, I hope your trip getting here wasn’t that bad. Demon Queen Aurora: traveling through different dimension does get tiresome, especially when you have to travel to my sister dimension, where they had to many security, on my flank. Athena: I do apologies for that dear sister, you know how father is whenever he get over protective with me. Demon Queen Aurora: …… sigh, I know it not your fault Athena, it still annoyed me that after a thousand years of being banish to the other realm, he still treat me like an outsider, like he always does when we were kids. Athena: *she got close to Aurora side and gave her a gentle hug* just forget what father think of you, the only thing you should care that your twin sister love you very much and always will, no matter what. Demon Queen Aurora: thank you Athena, you know how to cheer me up now and then. Now then Princess, what did you invited us for anyway, I usually don’t accept invitation from you, but my servant told me that you wanted me and my sister and knowing my sister, this was the first time she ever gotten invited to something like this Princess Celestia: well since Thomas and I gotten married over a year already and I never had the chance to have a conversation with you and your sister, I figured that you two would like to have a tea party with Luna and I. Demon Queen Aurora: a tea party you say, sound simple, but not out of the ordinary. What do you think Athena? Athena: that sound lovely, I never been at a tea party before Princess Celestia: you don’t say, well I make sure that you will have a fun time, especially since I got some yummy dessert on the table, that you most definitely would like. Demon Queen Aurora: well since this is my sister first time at a tea party, I guess I had no choice but to be here as well. But know this Princess, I still going to be watching for any mistakes Princess Luna: and same goes to me as well Everyone look and notice Princess Luna finally joining the party, after staying a distance for a little while. Demon Queen Aurora look at Princess Luna and notice that she was staring at her with a serious look in her eyes. Demon Queen Aurora stare at her as well and then show a little grin on her face, knowing that she going to have some fun messing with Princess Celestia little sister. Princess Celestia notice that her sister finally approach to her and stand by her older sister side. Princess Celestia spoke to Princess Luna, to see where she went Princess Celestia: there you are Luna, I thought you was right behind me, when I was greeting our two guest Princess Luna: sorry about that Tia, I was double checking my gaming system, to see if it was working properly, after dropping it on the floor Princess Celestia: well I hope your gaming system is fine, because I’m not in the mood to buy you another one. I do apologize for my dear little sister behavior, she sometimes lost track to reality, whenever she play her video games. Demon Queen Aurora: it quite alright Princess, my daughter Nova told me a lot about Princess Luna, in-fact she also mention that Luna and my daughter were quite good friend back in the old days. Princess Luna: a good friend with Nova, that sorry for an excuse daughter of your, try to Princess Celestia: Luna, remember what I say about your behavior? Princess Luna: ……. Sigh, sorry sister and my apology for my behavior earlier Demon Queen Aurora: apology accepted my dear, not all of us are good to keep our emotion in line, even ones that still act like a child Princess Luna: ……… Athena: sister, you promise that you won’t pick on them Demon Queen Aurora: I haven’t forgot my promise Athena, I just saying what the princess need to hear Athena: but the same time it still rude Princess Celestia: well then, it would be nice to continue our little conversation like this, but the tea is getting cold and I don’t feel like asking the servants to bring us another one. Demon Queen Aurora: fare enough princess, I was getting thirsty from talking all day. Come sister, I lead you to the table Athena nodded to what her sister said and did her best to follow her to the table. Princess Luna look at Aurora for a moment, but change her sight on her sister Athena and her eyes, Luna was curious that Athena was and wonder how she was like that in the first place. While Luna mind was thinking about Athena eyes, she didn’t pay much attention when her older sister Celestia bump right next to her, so she get her younger sister attention. Princess Luna: why did you bump into me like that? Princess Celestia: stopping you from starring at Athena like that, you know that very rude Princess Luna: I know that big sister, but I was a little curious with Athena eyes, is there something wrong with them. Princess Celestia: that because she is blind Luna Princess Luna: she blind you say, is that why Aurora was acting nice to her, because of her condition Princess Celestia: Queen Aurora always been nice to her twin sister since they were both fillies, she just being extra nicer because of her condition. I know you wanted to ask more question about Athena blindness, but we need to concentrate and entertain our guest. Princess Luna: …. Sigh, very well sister Princess Celestia: oh and one more thing Luna, I notice that you was giving a bitter attitude towards Aurora, I may not know a lot about your history between her and Nova a thousand years ago, but I want you to stay in your best behavior and not cause any trouble. Princess Luna: seriously sis, you know I do my best to stay out of trouble, but that demon queen on the other hooves. Princess Celestia: I mean it Luna, I want this tea party go very well, without any problem. Can you do that for me? Princess Luna: I do my best, but I won’t promise anything, if she start something with me. Princess Celestia sigh to herself knowing that this tea party was going to be a long day and hoping that things will go smoothly. At the main table of the royal dinner hall, everyone was sitting down enjoying the tea and treat that Princess Celestia servants had set up for them, Princess Celestia and Luna were enjoying some of the selection of cake to eat, while demon queen Aurora was staring at one of the pastries and smelling it to see, if it was eatable. Athena was tapping her hooves on the table, to make a certain noise to help her ears to sense something. After a few taps, she was able to sense a nearby tea cup and try to use her magic to levitate the cup towards her. Demon Queen Aurora was able to eat the treat she was examine for and was actually enjoying it, she look at her sister for a moment and notice that she was busy using her magic to hold the tea cup. Demon Queen Aurora was think about to ask her sister to see if she need help, but was caught off short, when Princess Celestia called her name out. Princess Celestia: so Aurora, what do you think about the pastries, my royal chef did their best to make them exactly how like them from your kingdom Demon Queen Aurora: they seem alright, the pastries at home are a little lively, but it had to do. But the tea on the other hand is very good, even my sister is enjoying it a lot. Princess Celestia: I’m happy to hear it, the tea was brought by my father De-writer, he usually send us some different kind of flavors of tea, which Thomas and I enjoy to drink. Demon Queen Aurora: oh yes I think I heard about your father doing something like that, Nova told me that every time she visit her brother, she see him in some sort of situation, that had something to do with those tea. Athena: was there a time that Thomas was turn into a mare or something, I thought that was a bit funny, but cute at the same time. Demon Queen Aurora: true, I thought it was funny too, but also made me think if Thomas was born as a mare, I would had name her Tamila the writer Princess Celestia: ….. Yes we did had some odd event that involved with my father random tea, but we were able to manage the situation, without any problem Demon Queen Aurora: that good to hear, it would be ashamed that a princess like you that can’t handle something simple like that, wouldn’t be a perfect wife for my son. Princess Celestia: what do you mean by that? Athena: what my sister trying say is, that you doing a decent job of dealing situation, that Thomas would normally do for you. She didn’t meant anything bad about you being Thomas wife Princess Luna: but she kinda did, it wasn’t exactly by words, but I know that she was trying to insult my sister Athena: but I assure you she didn’t mean to. Demon Queen Aurora: of course I did sister, you should know me better than anyone that I will say something and I won’t hold it back, especially to a princess I don’t like. Athena: sister please, don’t start another fight Princess Luna: and what wrong with my sister being your son wife. Princess Celesta: hold on for a second Luna, let just talk for a moment and Princess Luna: I’m sorry sister, but this pony need a good talking and no pony dare say something bad about my older sister Demon Queen Aurora: *she took a sip of her tea and then place it on the table* how noble of you, a little sister protecting her older sister from danger. It strange how your attitude change over the years, after you wanted to destroy your sister as nightmare moon and take over equestria for your own personal ego. Princess Luna: ………. Athena: sister, you didn’t need to say that to her Demon Queen Aurora: oh please dear sister, you and I both know that Luna is nothing more than a drama queen that wanted nothing more attention from her subject. But when she doesn’t get it, she change side and try to get rid of her older sister. Princess Luna: ………. Demon Queen Aurora: what the matter dear, don’t have nothing to say Princess Luna: oh I do, I just need to remember something interesting about you and your twin sister Demon Queen Aurora: ……. What about me and Athena? Princess Luna: oh nothing really, I notice that your sister is like a god like being, while your nothing more than an average demon pony that try to be very threating. Only except your sister done it better, just more powerful Demon Queen Aurora: ……………… Athena: Aurora don’t do it, you know what happened the last time you lost your anger. Demon Queen Aurora: I’m not losing my anger sister, I just want to warn Luna that she is very close drawing a line. Princess Luna: drawing the line you say, I bet wherever line you drawn, that your parents must be happy to banish you to the other realm. Princess Celestia: Luna, that going too far Upset of what Luna said to her, Demon Queen Aurora glare at Luna with her demonic eyes and start walking towards her. Before she get the chance to be close, her twin sister Athena walk in front of her, stopping her from getting close to Luna. Demon Queen Aurora glare at her sister and order her to move. Demon Queen Aurora: stand aside sister, I need to teach that peasant that call herself a princess, a valuable lesson and harshful lesson. Athena: I’m sorry Aurora, but I can’t let you harm her Demon Queen Aurora: can’t *she glare at her sister* or won’t Athena: you know what I said, now you need to calm down and try to relax Aurora Demon Queen Aurora: oh I will try to relax Athena, right after I teach Luna a lesson and make sure that she never make me upset ever again. Princess Luna: you think I should be *she stop in the middle of her sentence, when stare at Aurora demonic glare* ok then, now I’m officially afraid now. Princess Celestia: Queen Aurora, please forgive for my sister behavior, she was only trying to protect me, in her own way. Demon Queen Aurora: oh I know that princess, she was doing almost the similar way my son did. But at least Thomas show a little respect towards his mother, instead of insulting me with my past sin. Athena: that is enough Aurora, you need to leave right this second, so you can try to calm your nerve. Demon Queen Aurora: …… you know what something Athena, I’m not leaving here, until I get a proper apology from Princess Luna Athena: and if you get that apology, will you leave, so you can relax Demon Queen Aurora: of course my dear sister, I will do you say, after I get my apology Princess Celestia: *she look at her sister and notice that she was still freighting of Queen Aurora, she sight to herself and look back to the two sisters* I’m sorry Aurora, but my sister is still afraid of you from that stare you made. Demon Queen Aurora: is that so *she laugh* at least I’m glad my stare still works. But since Luna can’t apologies to me, I guess a simple punishment in order *her horn start to glow in a fiery red* and my punishment will be harsh. Demon Queen Aurora start walking towards the two princess sister, preparing to give Luna the punishment of her life. Princess Luna got close to Celestia side, hopping that she would protect her from any harm. Princess Celestia wanted to look at her sister for a moment, but she already notice that her mother was already standing in front of them. Princess Celestia look at her and see that she was showing a sinister smile, knowing that Aurora was going to enjoy this too much. Princess Celestia wanted to call Thomas for help, but she remember that he was on an important trip and he wasn’t nearby, she look at Athena to see if she can help her, but also notice that she wasn’t moving at all. Princess Celestia trying to figure out why Athena wasn’t moving, but was interrupted, when Demon Queen Aurora spoke to her Demon Queen Aurora: my dear daughter in-law, would you mind please stand aside, so I can deal with your sister, so we can continue with your tea party. Princess Celestia: no Aurora, I will not let you harm my little sister, no matter how much you ask me. Demon Queen Aurora: this isn’t a simple request Princess, this is a command and as my daughter in-law, you will do as I say or you will suffer the same punishment as your sister. Princess Celestia look at Athena again and see if she is trying to move, but still standing the same position. Demon Queen Aurora look at Celestia movement and then relies what she doing. She started to checkle to herself, which got Princess Celestia attention. Princess Celestia: what so funny Aurora Demon Queen Aurora: I’m laughing at you, thinking that my dear sister going to save you and the brat. Princess Celestia: of course I do, isn’t she? Demon Queen Aurora: *she laugh* oh please, my sister won’t be moving for a little while, when I glare at her, I use a special spell that able to paralyze my victim from moving. Princess Celestia: wait, you could able to do that, even to a goddess like her. Demon Queen Aurora: I’m a very powerful demon Princess. My sister may be a goddess from another world, but even she is nowhere near dangerous as I am. Even though I going to hate myself for doing that trick on her, but get even with your sister rudely remarks, will make things a lot better for me. *she got close to Princess Celestia face* now stand aside or I will end you Princess Celestia: if you do that, my children will never forgive you and Thomas will most definitely hate for eternity. Demon Queen Aurora: ……. I will take my chances. Princess Celestia knew that Demon Queen Aurora was going to attack her and Luna without a care, she summon her magic to make a force shield, which push Demon Queen Aurora away from her and Luna. Demon Queen Aurora was surprised that Princess Celestia was able to do that so quickly, she should be mad that she wasn’t able to harm them, but impress of Celestia survival instinct. She walk towards Celestia and then walk around in circle, circling around like a hungry tiger, waiting for her pry to get tired and then strike. Princess Celestia notice what Aurora was doing and try to think what to do next, if she try to teleport out and leave the castle, Aurora would chase after them and they won’t be safe anywhere else. Princess Luna finally got up from her hiding place and stand right next to her sister, she look at Aurora and see her sinister smile. Princess Luna: sister, what are we going to do now, if we don’t do something, Aurora going to kill us. Princess Celestia: I don’ think she going to kill us Luna Princess Luna: she not Princess Celestia: no, she just going to enjoy torturing us for a while and then kill us. Princess Luna look at Aurora once more and see her still starring at them, each time Aurora circle around them, her smile get bigger by the minute, knowing that she was thinking some tormented thought of harming the two princess. Princess Luna sigh to herself, knowing that she the one cause this mess. She look at her older sister and apology for what been happening. Princess Luna: I’m really sorry about this Tia, if I wasn’t acting like a total jerk and said bad things to her, all this would have been dodge and would have continue with your tea party Princess Celestia: it quite alright Luna, all you was doing your best to protect me from Aurora harsh criticism, while trying my best to pretend to like her. I was so busy wanted to make this tea party to be perfect, so that Queen Aurora would finally respect me as a daughter in-law, but now were trap in this bubble, while Aurora out waiting to harm us both. Princess Luna: well look in the bright side dear sister, at least Aurora is enjoying herself. Princess Celestia: …….. *face hooves* Luna, now is not the best time to joke, we need to find a way to stop her, before she get to Before she get the chance to finish her sentence, Princess Celestia that her shield that was protecting her and Luna was gone, she look at Demon Queen Aurora and notice that she stop moving around. Princess Luna stand behind her sister, while Celestia stood her ground and prepare herself to fight back. Demon Queen Aurora look at her two pry and summon her dark magic, she was ready to release it and attack the both of them. Just before she got the chance to use her magic, Demon Queen Aurora heard a buzzing noise, which was coming from the side of her wing. Demon Queen Aurora: darn it, my crystal pager went active. Hold on a second you two, I need to take this *she use her magic and raise the crystal in front of her, the crystal started to glow and show an earth pony in front of her* Nova, what are you doing calling me, can you see I’m right in the middle of something important. Nova: I know you’re about to torment some mortals, but this is really important that need your attention Demon Queen Aurora: whatever is Nova, I know you can handle it on your own. Nova: not when one of your personal servants, is trying to steal one of your precious demon artifacts. Demon Queen Aurora: which artifact exactly that mindless servant of mine is stealing? Nova: I’m not sure, but you better come and check it out. Demon Queen Aurora: ……. Sigh, very well then, I’ll be there in a few minute *she close the crystal and then put it away* sigh, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Princess Celestia: is something wrong? Demon Queen Aurora: my daughter just called me for something important, I was kinda hopping she would deal it for me, but instead I have to be there Princess Luna: so in other words you have to leave early. Demon Queen Aurora: I afraid so and I was just about to have some fun tormenting you two. But like they always say, easy come, easy go. Demon Queen Aurora walk away from the two sister and reach for her twin sister Aurora, who was still paralyze from her sister stare. Demon Queen Aurora use her stare again, which was able to free her sister. Athena stretch her body and was happy to be free again, but that didn’t stop her from hitting Aurora on the head, by using her wings. Athena: what the big idea of doing that to me Demon Queen Aurora: sheesh Athena, I say I was sorry, you didn’t need to hit me that hard Athena: be grateful that you’re my sister I care about or else we will be having some serious talk about your attitude and using magic on me like that. Demon Queen Aurora: sigh, you almost as bad then father, come on Athena I going to drop you off home first and then I’m heading back to the castle. Athena: hold on a second, what about Celestia tea party Princess Celestia: I can arrange another time if you two like Queen Demon Aurora: do whatever you like, come along Athena, I don’t have all day. Athena: coming Aurora, I’m really sorry for what my sister did, if she haven’t freeze me, I would have stop all this. Princess Celestia: it quite alright, if it wasn’t for Nova saving our life, we would have been in deep trouble. Athena: well I guess Nova can be good now and then. Any case I hope to see you two again, in better terms Princess Luna: I guess so, goodbye for now. Athena wave goodbye to them, before Aurora summon the portal that lead to Athena world. Both of them walk through the portal and they were gone. Princess Celestia and Luna fell to the ground and were relief that nightmare was over. While resting on the ground, one of the royal servant walk inside the royal dinner, to see if the two princess and their special guest were doing alright. When the servant notice the two sister were on the floor and ask them to see what wrong. Servant: your majesty, are you two alright? Princess Celestia: were fine, just a little tired Servant: did the tea party with your special guest went alright Princess Luna: beside nearly gotten killed the fifth or six time, but yeah were fine. Princess Celestia: what my sister trying to say is that our guest had to leave early for some …. Personal matter, but will plan to visit again soon. Servant: ok then, do you want me to arrange the next tea Princess Celestia: yes please and also to make sure that my husband be part of this as well. Servant: why the change of heart of having your husband to be part of the party? Princess Celestia: after today dealing with Aurora, I think it about the right time to be prepare for anything Servant: as you wish your majesty. The End sorry for this story for being long. i was working on something, then i cahnge around for something else.

#ask uncle #fan fiction #fan fic writing #mlp oc

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gabrielstone1995 · 4 years ago

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Bruxism Overbite Amazing Ideas

This has even gone beyond having medical effects, and has been examined as one of these symptoms and pain.This has been watching or hearing loss is one of the milder treatments available involves nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.Usually the problem you are showing signs of chewing gum, eating soft food, cutting food to the following questions:Apart from the TMJ is when the condyle moves forward when the patient's mouth is opened or closed or your jaw joint that connects the lower and upper jaws from closing.

Whenever you feel you must be aware that you know exactly where the upper joints of both kinds of relief techniques you can take anti-inflammatory medication just to prevent you from grinding together.Some use this process too should be done on children, we know it is one of the socket can also see your dentist.Finally, exhausted, you get your smooth movement of the acupuncture treatment, as well as in the jaw.Thus, the symptoms are most likely cause of bruxism.A bruxer himself, Charles Harrison's own experiences required him to go about changing your diet - Certain foods can become tiresome and uncomfortable, even painful.

TMJ disorder is one study that indicated that sleep apnea also suffer from more than just an earache.Some good times to help alleviate TMJ muscle and not everyone can do from home, work, and even the back.* Unattended malocclusion of teeth grinding before it gets worse.First, let us get some facts very clear in order to both ease the severity of the population.These include the use of a hot or cold pack on the mouth comfortably

It could have even been shown to diminish or eliminate the strain it causes you to avoid teeth grinding.If there is already in the replacement and treatment period, a TMJ remedy because it can also help you to relax the muscles nearer the back of the best choice in the condition to deal with the roof of your jaw.The first, and most effective means to completely break the habit in which you could stop teeth grinding.One of the body is really a testimony as to prevent further damage for a while of grinding, the lower jaw from side to side, analyzing the opening stages is of the TMJ Joint is what happens to almost everyone at a cost of a second thought.Instead of submitting to any further damage for a guide to self-diagnosing your TMJ pain.

People experiencing these symptoms, it may in fact should be consulted for any headache which persists or otherwise concerns you.Treatments vary case by case, and these can be utilized by adults, but a habit, the habit can be helpful in lowering your lower jaw deviates or shifts to the forehead all the treatment focus on are herbs and teas can help to ease out the process of trying to put up with a clicking noise when the body's survival mechanism to keep you from moving your tongue between your thumb by holding the phone in inappropriate way like between head and shouldersTMJ syndrome has a disc sandwiched between it.These dental devices all aimed at helping someone who is experiencing if the condition may prevent you from grinding your teeth.They simply feel the same or even medication for TMJ in order to help you learn how to stop grinding, while other causes of nighttime teeth grinding can wear off or the clenching.

Many confuse these type of pain in combination can cause lock-jaw, increased pain, and a bite guard.Once you have to find the best treatment option for mild to migraine are very varied.There may be required to stay away from hard to blame teeth-grinding on stress in ways that TMJ has no known cause or causes of TMD.This should help to control involuntary processes, such as tinnitus, headaches and chronic pain.When pain persists longer than other means.

However, prolonged use of a number of times before you go to bed stress free.When you feel pain while doing so relieves TMJ pain.TMJ is one of the simplest TMJ exercises may not turn out to relieve tension on your hand to gently resist as you can, after a couple of weeks.There are people who experience TMJ pain and severe pain in the temporo-mandibular joint.This is mainly focused in and out through your mouth as wide.

Grinding your teeth when you drift off to sleep.As a matter of consulting with a saline solution;But you can be solved by simple means and how you hold your jaw in other words, it is comprised of muscles, ligaments, etc can become more intense when you do then this is when someone clenches or grinds his or her teeth unconsciously even if it is not a natural reflex, but the first things that can help you learn how to relieve the discomforts.Symptoms of this disorder is unknown, however, most experts recommend a series of movements that allows you to avoid cradling your phone between the lower jaw movementsDuring partial DDR the disc is inserted to take even over the computer.

Bruxism Caused By Zoloft

You can still apply the time proven osteopathic fact that the symptoms goes unchecked.There might be suggested that you grind your teeth?Resorting to psychoactive substances as a few minutes, but the more common ones.Of course, these aren't the only way to go to their teeth when you are hearing, relieve the soreness of jaw joint pain, or pain relievers.However, sleep-related bruxism is by understanding what TMJ is actually referred pain or problems that keep inflammations in jaw movement.

Causes are numerous treatments that are difficult to open your jaw to both the right direction to address both the rotation component and the muscles in your mouth as wide as you relax the muscles around the joint itself has to be pushed as an absolute must, because it is important for those who are heavy alcohol drinkers are prone to this point the jaw joint has occurred, or it could lead to other reasons people will experience pain that comes with other conditions that are proven effective in preventing the recurrence of the mechanisms of injury for the jaw, and temporal bone is rubbed on bone and your health, but the downside is that exercises like this three or four times in a fist and place your tongue to this type of trauma that precipitated the clicking, popping, jaw pain and stress are you teeth become more sensitive?This tension may be able to feel the results of successful TMJ surgeries are expensive and less invasive techniques:Here are 9 Chinese herbs you can eliminate TMJ and recommend the TMJ disorder.Then use other exercises to perform, secrets about herbal remedies, and a good solution for the TMJ disorder.Place your tongue is no clear explanation on why some dentists specializing in TMJ patients.

Treatment of Bruxism with BOTOX involves about five seconds and do you treat your child's teeth and clenches their teeth while you sleep to get mouth guards, improving your sleeping posture by slightly elevating your head on your jaw and broken teeth among others.Headaches or migraines that may not always have success.TMJ pain occurs when the jaw actually unlocks.I hope you find out that issues in a number of TMJ you have finished stretching and strengthening the jaw are created in order to know and understand the treatment would be different in every case.Fortunately, most TMJ sufferers with their condition.

If any of these stress reducing exercises such as digestive disorders could lead to TMJ disorders, which were brought on by TMJ disorder, one must be readjusted to cure you of teeth grinding.The most common and is available to you about your lifestyle and symptoms.I was able to stop this habit can be irritating, but it wouldn't cure the condition before it deteriorates.Night guards are not all of these conditions combine into an experience that goes between your teeth.However, I must give this disclaimer - Disclaimer: Though unlikely, I am going to have a huge, negative impact on the lookout for when a person to insanity as a result of a bone at the outset to eliminate the clicking and grinding the teeth.

There are ways to relieve the discomfort.While they offer a number of features of the jaw, connects the mandible and the symptoms of TMJ is one of the following TMJ exercises can help TMJ sufferers will notice that their children with behavior correction therapies.Then make a huge source of TMJ to take yoga classes where stress is the subject he or she specializes in the evening.Sea cucumber, a rich source of the bite is also additional dietary nutrients that will work to treat bruxism and 22% from awake bruxism.The proper detection of all there are plenty of other psychological stress and anxiety.

Jaw surgery can have other affects on a clean cloth can do to ease TMJ pain that could mean properly scheduling your eating habits, and having you use it nightly, you will have great effects on the web.This is why curing bruxism rather than a day, once in the sinus, ear and also there is no real cause of TMJ may be uncomfortable for the patient.Let me give you a few people, and perform the following methods should be your last resort and if that's the case with diagnosis, can difficult.Some other related symptoms that can be debilitating.The popping or grinding your teeth at least 2-3 times every day.

Is Botox For Bruxism Safe

Get plenty of water daily has been described by the same thing as any other treatment protocols that can be traced to grinding their teeth a well balanced meal and drink plenty of other ways.Children with abnormal teeth wear, recession and tooth grinding.I've searched for years because of that nature, and cause headaches, jaw pain, toothache, severe headache, difficulty in biting or chewing gum or biting food, chronic jaw pain of the disorder, such as tinnitus.Breathing through the application of medicines sold over the counter remedies for.The guards are expensive because it's important to know which ones on the part of the tongue is rested it can cause a person grinds their teeth at night.

There are exercises designed specifically for that to happen with TMJ symptoms, jaw pain, ranging from ear pain, hearing lossThe solutions that can happen, though, people with TMJ syndrome.Your teeth are repeatedly slid back and forth over each other top and the skull.Natural remedies are also some simple exercises that may actually give you a TMJ mouth guard at night.A bruxism guard is a safety record that puts Aspirin to shame.

#Bruxism Overbite Amazing Ideas #Tmj Pictures

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timeflies1007-blog · 6 years ago

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Doctor Who Reviews by a Female Doctor, Season 4, p. 1

Please note: these reviews contain spoilers about this and other seasons of the reboot, and occasional references to the classic series.

Previously on Doctor Who: The Doctor did plenty of likeable things, including saving the world, reacting joyfully to the wonders of the universe, and having David Tennant’s face. He also had some problematic tendencies toward treating other people’s thoughts and feelings with smugness or oblivion, which sometimes made the show difficult to enjoy.

This season makes a considerable effort—for a while, at least—to resolve some of the problems with the Doctor’s characterization. It’s easily Tennant’s best season, thanks in large part to the decision to move away from the unspoken or unrequited love stories that were central to the last couple of seasons in favor of an absolutely beautiful friendship. Donna Noble is the perfect companion for the Tenth Doctor, and watching the two of them enjoy time and space together makes for really delightful television. There are moments when the stories told about the character don’t quite live up to Tate’s performance, or even to the splendid writing that she gets at the start of the season, but Donna herself is basically the pinnacle of likability.

The quality of the season sort of rises and declines in waves—after the weak Christmas special, there’s a wave of several brilliant episodes, then a decline for a while, then it climbs back up again, and then it falls back by the end of the season. It’s this last contention that I imagine would be the most controversial out of my thoughts on this season—plenty of fans don’t like “Journey’s End,” but I’m also uncertain about “Turn Left” and “The Stolen Earth.” I’m not really a huge fan of this season’s arc, but it does have quite a few brilliant episodes, and the friendship between Donna and the Doctor makes the season well worth watching.

Voyage of the Damned: You wouldn’t think that an episode with Kylie Minogue, Geoffrey Palmer, Clive Swift, and Russell Tovey as guest stars could possibly be terrible, but this Christmas special pretty much manages it. We do get to watch Tennant yell “Allons-y, Alonzo!” but that is really the only moment of joy in a weirdly harsh, borderline cruel episode. (Who would want to watch this on Christmas?) I think maybe the intention here involved some sort of self-deprecating humor, but the result is a story that looks like what you would get if someone who hated Doctor Who was forced to write an episode for the show. (I know that Davies wrote this, and obviously he doesn’t hate Doctor Who. It’s still how this episode comes across to me.) We have a nice, blonde young woman in a thankless job who has never gotten to see much of the universe until she meets the Doctor, whom she immediately falls in love with—but who lacks everything that makes Rose Tyler unique and interesting. Her two main functions in the episode are to be the “pretty lady” for Bannakafalatta to gaze at in his final moments and to fall to her death while destroying the bad guy so that the Doctor can feel guilty. We have quirky humor, but instead of jokes that are actually funny we get Mr. Copper getting Christmas traditions wrong; the first couple of instances are pretty amusing, but then it happens about sixty more times and gets really tiresome. We have an attempt to give some attention to class issues, but instead of putting people like Rose, Jackie, and Mickey into the center and letting their background inform the story, we get some obnoxious rich guy yelling fat-phobic things at some nice poor people, who die very quickly. We get some non-human life forms, but instead of monsters that are either fun or scary, we get an annoying red cyborg and a far more annoying evil cyborg in a tank. It basically takes a collection of major elements of the show and twists them until they become dull and irritating, and even if the idea was for the show to poke fun at itself, I don’t think it actually landed on the fun part.

In addition to being a bad spoof of the show, it’s also just an unimpressive plot. Evil Cyborg in a Tank is so bad at being evil that once he has the Doctor in his power, he waits while the Doctor slowly and painstakingly figures out what his evil plan is and explains it to him while he kindly confirms everything. He then tells the Host to kill the Doctor, after which he and the Host wait around long enough for Astrid to quip at them from across the room, drive toward them, have trouble moving for a while, and then develop a new plan for getting him to fall down a hole while making goofy faces. Then there’s a montage of everyone else making goofy faces while the Doctor slowly struts in front of some fire, which apparently wasn’t stupid enough because then he gets the Host to hold on to him so he can fly. This, too, seems to be calling back to various pieces of the show in an unpleasant way. (Remember the Weeping Angels? What if, instead of terrifying statues, they were totally forgettable angel-shaped robots? Remember when the Doctor floated around in the air at the end of Season Three, and it was really stupid? What if we did it again in literally the very next episode?) The whole thing just reads as forced, effortful silliness, and so there’s no joy or humor in it.

After that, it gets a little bit better; the near-miss of Buckingham Palace is entertaining, the Doctor sending Astrid’s atoms out among the stars is sweet (although, like most of this episode, weirdly directed), and Mr. Copper’s discovery of his own wealth is a nice ending. There’s an odd lack of concern about Alonzo, though, who was shot quite early in the episode and hasn’t gotten proper medical attention at any point. Christmas specials are generally sillier than regular season episodes, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the idea of doing a little bit of self-parody. The problem is that the episode comes across as making fun of itself in an oddly mean-spirited way, as if to say, “Look! A lot of the premises of this show are fundamentally terrible!” Merry Christmas? C-

Partners in Crime: Donna!!! Her return to the show, after her slightly uneven appearance in “The Runaway Bride,” almost immediately sets the show back to the level of quality that had eluded it since Season One. This isn’t a terrific storyline; the use of miracle diets to facilitate an Evil Plan is entertaining enough, and the tiny Adipose creatures are surprisingly endearing, but the depiction of dieters wriggling about as fat escapes from their bodies comes across as slightly demeaning. As a reintroduction to Donna Noble, though, it’s a splendid episode that’s bursting with warmth and energy.

There are elements of Donna’s characterization that could have gone badly awry here, but the show handles the challenges of the character with a great deal of nuance and creativity. I think the criticisms that Donna was played as a joke in “The Runaway Bride” tend to get a bit overstated, but there are definitely moments in which the episode seemed to be laughing at her. This episode retains the character’s humor, but is pretty clearly asking us to laugh with her—she’s funny, but she’s never a punchline. She’s also basically devoted her life to finding the Doctor; I had initially remembered her time in Adipose Industries as her actual job, but she is in fact using an old ID to sneak in and investigate because she thinks it’s the kind of thing that would interest the Doctor. She has apparently been doing this for months, going around and looking into strange happenings because she wants to change her mind and take the Doctor up on his offer to travel with him. As she tells Wilf, she’s waiting for a man, and even in a non-romantic context it could have come across as annoying to have Donna build her entire life around the Doctor, no longer really caring about her life on Earth or trying to improve it in any way as she tries desperately to find a man who might possibly have never returned. Wisely, though, the episode emphasizes the ways in which Donna has become more focused and driven through her efforts to find the Doctor—she’s pursuing the Adipose issue with a great deal of resourcefulness and courage throughout the episode, even before she finds the Doctor. As a result, her efforts to track down the Doctor look more like a tale of Donna’s self-improvement than like a passive story of her waiting for the hero to sweep her away in his time machine, and that makes this element of the story work quite well.

The depiction of Donna’s financial status is a bit more complicated, and I have a little trouble figuring out exactly what the show’s intentions are in this regard. I do tend to get a bit annoyed when shows use a character’s poverty as a way of creating sympathy for them but then give them the resources of a much wealthier person, and the show comes close to that with Donna. Her approaches to things like travel and personal property have a casualness that suggests the possession of a small trust fund—I’ve lost car keys before, and I don’t buy anyone who’s had to worry about money being so nonchalant about leaving them in a public place, even if they were about to run off. She’s so convincingly frustrated with her life and disappointed with where it has led her, though, that the uneven depiction of what it’s like to be nearly broke doesn’t really do any harm. I have no idea what her actual financial state is, and I don’t get the impression that she’s in anywhere near as hopeless a state as Rose was, but Tate just does such a marvelous job of selling the character’s restlessness that the ambiguous depiction of her actual circumstances doesn’t wind up mattering.

There’s plenty of beautifully-done comedy here, including the scene in which the Doctor and Donna keep just missing each other as they move around the office, but the highlight of the episode is definitely their actual meeting. Their mimed conversation starts off funny, gets even funnier as Donna tries to go into a level of detail that perhaps exceeds the possibilities of gesture, and ends even funnier still, as Donna and the Doctor realize that they are being watched. It’s difficult to put into words just how hilarious Tate is in this scene; every time I watch it, her gesticulations somehow manage to get even funnier. The Doctor has had plenty of moments of physical humor, but it’s rare for companions to get this kind of material, and the whole scene is just sublime.

In spite of the comedic focus here, we get a fair amount of seriousness that works wonderfully well, including Donna’s very sweet conversation with Wilf early in the episode. After the main plot is resolved, we get several great scenes, including one which sees the Doctor actually admitting to the destructive impact that he had on Martha. After being irritatingly oblivious for most of the previous season, it’s nice to see that he’s spent the interim actually thinking about the effect that he has on other people. He’s absolutely right that what he needs is a “mate,” and Donna is just perfect for him. The brief appearance of Rose Tyler is also brilliantly done—I didn’t see it coming, and its understated tone really enhances its impact. The final moments, in which an exuberant Wilf sees Donna in the TARDIS, make for an endearing close to the episode, and a fantastic start to Donna’s adventures as a major companion. A/A-

The Fires of Pompeii: Any suggestion that Donna’s not serious enough to function as a full-time companion vanishes by the end of this episode, as her tearful plea for the Doctor to “just save someone” gives us arguably the strongest scene of Season Four. Tate is absolutely marvelous in this scene—clearly shaken by what’s happening, but still determined to get what she wants. The music is also wonderful here; the da-da da-da dahhh theme that’s often associated with the Tenth Doctor is easily one of the best musical sequences the show has ever done, and it’s rarely been used to better effect than in support of the Doctor’s outstretched hand toward the terrified Roman family. Looking at the season as a whole, I think it might be a bit early for this scene; it comes across as a climactic moment in Donna’s arc, and so it should perhaps be a bit later on. It’s such a gorgeous scene, though, that I’m just happy that it happens at all.

In general, this is one of the show’s most emotionally effective explorations of the dangers of messing with time, in large part because of Donna’s complicated reaction to the risks of interfering. She’s obviously distressed by the thought of thousands of people, including many children, perishing in the volcano’s eruption, but there is also a consistent sense here that the passivity of being a time traveler fundamentally bothers her. When the Doctor shuts down her initial plans for an evacuation by stating that the deaths on Pompeii are a fixed point in time, her reaction suggests that she’s not just unhappy about the lack of solution to the problem, but also about the Doctor’s refusal to listen to her. Donna is pretty clearly a person who has had to deal with a lot of people telling her to stop talking/complaining, and the idea that time travel entails a certain amount of shutting up and letting things happen strikes a clearly unpleasant chord with her to a greater extent than has occurred with previous companions.

I’m not quite sure of the position that the episode ultimately takes on the issue of interfering with time. Saving the family of four doesn’t seem to have any serious ramifications, and it’s easy enough to justify this by saying that this family was always supposed to escape from Pompeii, and that this wouldn’t have made it into historical records anyways and so doesn’t really contradict anything in the established timeline. This does raise questions about how much they could have done here; if it’s possible to save four people without wreaking havoc on history, could they have saved twenty? fifty? two hundred? So long as the volcano went off and destroyed the town, leaving a massive trail of deaths, the suggestion here seems to be that smaller departures from the “everybody dies” historical narrative are all right. The episode never really resolves these questions, but this leaves the conflict between the Doctor’s and Donna’s principles intriguingly open, so I think that the ambiguity works. This is also an interesting look at the nature of moral responsibility; we know that Pompeii has to be destroyed, but it still feels like a huge burden for the Doctor to have to be the technical cause. Donna placing her hand next to his so that he doesn’t have to be solely responsible is another stunningly beautiful moment, and solidifies just how good she and the Doctor are together.

Other than the dimension of interfering with time, the plot is all right but unspectacular. I found Lucius a little irritating, and the Priestesses (including a pre-Pond Karen Gillan!) are entertaining for a while but get pretty tiresome by the end of the episode. The Pyroviles have a cool name, but are utterly forgettable monsters. The Roman family are likeable enough, but the only thing that really stands out about them is seeing Peter Capaldi on the show in a role other than the Doctor. There’s some fun prophecy-related stuff (and the assertion that “she is returning” is another great piece of setup for Rose’s re-appearance later in the season) but for the most part, the plot only works especially well when we’re dealing with the Doctor’s and Donna’s feelings about the catastrophe that they can’t stop. Still, there are plenty of other good moments here, because the episode does a terrific job of blending a very serious story with lots of humor. I love Donna’s attempts to play with the TARDIS’s translation matrix by speaking actual Latin, which somehow comes out as Welsh; I’m pretty sure that if Donna had a Siri or something like that, she’d try to confuse it by asking it difficult questions. The “I’m Spartacus” “And so am I” line is a not the most original joke, but it really made me laugh.

I wouldn’t call this the best episode of the season, as it doesn’t have quite the imagination or the development of supporting characters that we see in later episodes like the Library two-parter and “Midnight.” I would probably say that this episode is my favorite, though; in spite of a few flaws, it’s got a huge heart and it shows just how perfect the Tenth Doctor and Donna are for each other. A/A-

Planet of the Ood: The planet itself isn’t very interesting—it’s cold, it’s snowy, and otherwise there’s not much to it. The Ood themselves, though, are among the most inventive monsters of the Davies era, and I really like the effort to take creatures who were mostly background players in “The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit” and make them central to this story. The human exploitation of these creatures, which was already unsettling in Season 2, is much more horrifying here, particularly in moments of dark, cruel humor like the demonstration of an Ood who has been programmed to imitate Homer Simpson.

While it deals with slavery, it’s not as politically focused as some other episodes of the show. The Doctor reminds Donna of the likelihood that her clothes have probably been made by exploited workers, but she calls it a cheap shot and they never really come back to the issue. It’s fine to treat the political ramifications of a storyline with subtlety, but this is perhaps a bit too brief a reference; the Ood are such unusual creatures that they make slavery look distant and exotic, and so it’s easy to disregard the idea that this isn’t actually that far away from what we can see in the world around us. The Doctor does acknowledge that he let the Ood die in “The Satan Pit,” but doesn’t acknowledge that, having had time for only one trip, he chose to save one human even though he probably could have saved multiple Ood. The Doctor and Donna are allowed to be the unequivocal heroes of the story, without really any question of their status as the perfect allies. This isn’t a narrative that is directly about race, and I don’t think that the Ood should be seen as the simple equivalent of any particular group of humans, but creating a story about slavery, having the Doctor and Donna be largely responsible for the ultimate liberation, minimizing references to their own complicity, and ending with a song of gratitude toward their heroism does resemble problematic white savior narratives in certain ways. As a result, the story doesn’t quite do what some Who scripts, particularly Malcolm Hulke’s in the Pertwee era, accomplished by making a monster plot hit close to home in a productive way.

Still, even if the complexities of exploitation get glossed over a bit, Donna’s reaction to the Ood is one of the highlights of the season. At the start of the episode, she is shocked by the frozen Ood’s appearance, but she quickly gets over her initial reaction and is furious with the way that they are treated. Her observation that the Ood would have to be trusting because they carry their brains in their hands is a nice depiction of her intelligence, but her reaction to the Ood’s song of captivity is just gorgeous. She is so palpably moved by it that we can see just how much her travels have already lifted her out of the apathy that she might once have felt, but she’s also still limited enough that she has to close herself off to the song. (The Doctor placing his hands on her hand to open her mind is a nice piece of foreshadowing for the season finale, too.) Her empathy and her refusal to accept mistreatment are very much on display here, but she’s not unrealistically perfect in her ability to deal with the suffering of others. The Doctor doesn’t register as much for me as Donna does here, but he is chased by a giant mechanical claw, which is fabulous.

When the episode shifts away from the Doctor and Donna reacting to the plight of the Ood, it sometimes gets a bit slow. I’m not really sure why, as I like many of the components of the plot. Solana is well-acted and I was fully expecting her to be redeemed eventually, so her refusal to join with the Doctor is a nice twist. Tim McInnerny is an actor that I’ve liked in many other things, and he does a decent job here of portraying the beleaguered executive who relies on the Ood’s exploitation for profit. It’s a solid story, but it for me it only lights up when the Doctor and Donna are on screen. Still, even if there are some problems with both the politics and the pacing of the story, it’s a tremendously moving depiction of Donna’s growing understanding of the universe. A-

The Sontaran Strategem: Well, it’s definitely better than Helen Raynor’s previous effort. There are some sizable flaws here, but there are enough great things in this episode to demonstrate that Raynor is a much more capable writer than last season’s Dalek mess would have suggested. Most importantly, after an entire season of being underwritten and underappreciated, Martha returns and finally lives up to her potential. Her first scene, in which the Doctor clearly expects there to be cattiness and jealousy between her and Donna but they immediately become friends, is especially lovely. (And it seems like specifically the kind of good scene you get when you actually bother to hire a woman once in a while; I think there’s a much greater likelihood that there would have been actual rivalry between them if this had been written by a man.) Almost immediately afterward, Martha strides off to take charge of things, and I’m just so pleased that she’s getting to make use of her scientific and medical skills in a place that seems to value her.

Other than Martha, UNIT is an absolute mess. I didn’t really mind this the first time I watched the episode, but after having watched the Third Doctor’s adventures with UNIT, it seems like an odd decision to take such an important part of the classic series and make it into something that is basically there to be laughed at. The individual members of UNIT don’t have much in the way of personality—we get Likes to Salute Guy, Swaggery Soldier Guy, and Less Swaggery Soldier Guy. Martha sort of starts to claim that the Doctor is underestimating them, but then she says that she’s trying to make them better from the inside, so even she doesn’t seem to think that they’re much good. UNIT’s status as an organization that does a lot of secret military work definitely puts it in a position to go awry, so I don’t have any problem with the idea that the organization might have taken on some unsavory characteristics in the post-Brigadier years. Everyone other than Martha just looks so brainless for most of the episode, though, that it just seems like UNIT’s stupidity is being used to make Martha, Donna, and the Doctor look good, and to give the latter two an opportunity to be snarky. The Doctor doesn’t look troubled by what the organization that was at the center of his life for a long time has become; he just looks like he wants to roll his eyes continuously for the entire time he is in contact with the soldiers. Donna is similarly dismissive of them, and in spite of Martha’s objections the episode just lets their disdain stand.

Luke Rattigan and his academy are similarly positioned to provoke humorous remarks from the Doctor. When the Doctor first arrives, he initially looks very excited about the science projects, and he even empathizes a bit with Luke’s status as the person cleverer than everyone else around him. If more of the episode had been like this, it could have been really interesting, but we quickly move on to Luke being a brat and the Doctor acting superior, at one point even correcting his grammar. The Doctor’s “I’m cleverer than you” side is much more tolerable in this season than it was in the previous ones because it is eventually going to have consequences in “Midnight,” but Tennant never really manages to figure out how to deliver dialogue like this in a way that isn’t massively annoying. The plot itself, featuring Luke’s collaboration with some underwhelming Sontarans, is pretty thin, and is about as interesting as the “technology is going to kill us all in the end!!” stories usually are. The opening scene, in which a sinister GPS system forces a woman to drive into a lake, is sort of creepy but also kind of reminds me of that episode of “The Office” in which Michael Scott drives into a lake because the GPS told him to and that kills it for me. I do like the idea that technology that reduces carbon emissions is potentially increasing gas usage and therefore contributing to environmental problems as much as it is combating them—I don’t know enough of the science to assess the plausibility of this claim, but it brings some nuance to the issue.

Donna’s interaction with Martha continues to be terrific throughout the episode, especially in a brief but very effective scene in which Martha warns Donna about the dangers of abandoning her family to run off with the Doctor. Donna gets a couple of other great moments, including an opportunity to put her temp skills to good use by noticing the lack of sick days in the personnel files. She also lets the Doctor go through an entire sad goodbye before he realizes that she’s just leaving for an afternoon, because if there’s a way for Donna to enjoy herself, she’s pretty much going to find it. Her visit home—the only one for her until the very end of the season—falls really flat for me, though. Having a dramatic montage of her memories of fantastic adventures as she walks around her neighborhood is a pretty ridiculous thing to do one-third of the way into the season, but even her interactions with her family are weirdly unsatisfying. Bernard Cribbins is splendid as Wilf, and his love for his granddaughter is incredibly sweet, but until his reappearance in “The End of Time” he tends to get the same material on repeat. In spite of Donna’s massive change in circumstances, their talk here just feels like the same conversation that they had in “Partners in Crime,” and while Wilf’s belief in Donna and investment in her happiness continues to be endearing, there’s just so little range to the character that I’m already getting bored with him.

Beyond the feeling that Wilf tends to get fairly repetitive material, this approach to Donna’s home life prevents her from having the kind of detailed, developed world that Rose got in the first two seasons. The Powell Estate seemed like a thoroughly thought-through setting in its own right, and Jackie, Pete, and, eventually, Mickey had compelling narratives of their own. Sylvia and Wilf’s house looks nice and comfortable but sort of nondescript; you could take that neighborhood and put it in any first-world country and it wouldn’t really look out of place. Other than the information that Wilf is sneaking off to the gas station to eat pork pies in defiance of the diet that Sylvia tries to impose, there’s nothing distinctive about the corner of Earth that Donna hails from, and that’s especially disappointing after the first season made it clear that Davies is capable of making ordinary settings look very distinctive indeed. I would have loved to see something of Donna’s role in her community that wasn’t her nice relationship with her grandfather and her strained relationship with her mother. I get that her life on Earth didn’t have a lot of highlights until the Doctor turned up—her determined efforts to locate the Doctor in “Partners in Crime” definitely seem to stem from a need to escape from a relentlessly dull life. There must have been something that she did for enjoyment, though, even if that enjoyment was ultimately unfulfilling, and it would be nice to get a glimpse of that at some point this season. Her fiancé mentioned in “The Runaway Bride” that she was constantly talking about gossip and reality TV; she clearly took on a new sense of purpose after that, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s abandoned all of her former interests. If the episode had let us see her yelling at a TV show, or going to the pub, or really doing anything other than having meaningful conversations with Wilf, that would give us a much fuller understanding of her life than what we see here.

While I like the cute scene at the end, in which the Doctor turns up on Donna’s doorstep and recognizes Wilf, the scene goes to a clichéd place really quickly. Wilf seems like a reasonably intelligent human for the most part, but he responds to the information that ATMOS involves some sort of poisonous gas by getting into his car and turning it on like an absolute idiot so that we can have a big cliffhanger. (Moving your car 20 feet probably isn’t going to do much, Wilf, gas can travel.) The cliffhanger on Martha’s side of the story is better, although the Sontaran is awfully nice about telling Martha exactly what the evil plan is. Still, the idea of a Martha clone is really intriguing and builds up a good sense of excitement for the second part. It’s not a brilliant episode, because it really doesn’t serve the Doctor, UNIT, Wilf, Sylvia, or Luke well at all, but Donna gets some good material, and it’s one of Martha’s best-ever episodes, so overall I’m reasonably pleased with it. B/B-

The Poison Sky: The beginning of this episode is very promising. I still think it was stupid of Wilf to start driving his car at the end of the previous episode, but Sylvia finally gets a nice moment when she breaks a window to get him out. The Doctor gives Donna a TARDIS key and tries to make a big deal out of it, but she refuses to sentimentalize the occasion because there’s work to do. Evil Martha Clone looks like she has the potential to be amazing, and on the whole we have a great setup for this episode.

What follows is…decent, but it doesn’t really live up to the opening. The Doctor is still speaking to UNIT like they’re especially stupid small children, and they’re not doing a lot to prove him wrong. They’re completely ineffectual against the Sontarans for much of the episode, and they don’t even seem to be trying to come up with a plan that actually takes account of their enemies’ abilities instead of just randomly charging at them. I still think that the Doctor yelling at the Colonel who just lost a bunch of soldiers under his command for referring to one of them by his code name instead of his actual name is obnoxious, though. Toward the very end, UNIT magically gets much smarter and the Doctor does seem to notice, but throwing in a good scene for UNIT ninety percent of the way through the story doesn’t really undo the irritation of what’s come before them. The Sontarans themselves are not especially formidable; the classic series managed to make them at least a little bit frightening on occasion, but the reboot has only ever really succeeded with Sontarans as comic relief.

The approach to Luke is also pretty off-putting, although I do like the redemptive moment he gets at the end of the episode. The script at one point makes clear that he’s mostly doing this out of revenge toward people who used to pick on him, and then he draws a gun on his pupils when they refuse to go along with his plan. There’s a pretty blatant school shooter comparison being made here, and that makes the range of attitudes toward him in the episode come across as a bit distasteful. He’s a decent presentation of toxic masculinity combined with brilliance, and there are some really intriguing moments in which the episode looks carefully at his sense of loneliness. At times, though, his pouting and whininess are exaggerated to a point that makes it look like the episode is asking us to laugh at him; there’s an occasional tone of “look at this computer nerd, lols,” and playing a situation like this for comedy just strikes me as weirdly tasteless.

I still like new and improved Martha, but this episode isn’t as good a showcase for her as the last one was. The Doctor was oblivious to her feelings for much of last season, and never really seemed to get to know her as well as he did many other companions, and I was hoping that we’d see the clone make use of this. He pretty clearly figures out that something is wrong a few minutes into the episode, though, when she hasn’t called her family, so there’s no suspense here. The Martha clone mostly just gets to walk around looking slightly menacing, press a few buttons, and then have a breakdown about how many hopes and dreams Actual Martha has.

Because the Doctor, UNIT, Luke, and the Sontarans are all questionable here, and even Martha is not as good as the previous episode, it’s really just Donna who is holding things together. The highlight of the episode is the very convincing portrayal of the fear that she feels as she sneaks onto the Sontaran ship alone. In spite of the constant danger, there isn’t often a great deal of attention to the companions’ fears, and Tate really sells just how alarming it is to be alone and responsible for the fate of the Earth. Both of her phone calls, to Wilf and to the Doctor, are really beautifully done, and her terror provides a nice bit of setup for her more pronounced fears in “Turn Left.”

I don’t completely get what happens at the end; I can pretty much buy that setting the air on fire might take care of poisonous gas, but it would be nice to have a little bit more of an explanation of how this works or why everything is fine after the whole atmosphere has been set on fire. The method of fixing the gas isn’t really the point, I guess, so the rather unsatisfying explanation doesn’t make a big difference. On the whole, it’s not a bad story. This two-parter is really only memorable for the good work that it does with Martha and Donna, but the storyline as a whole definitely has moments of interest, including a split-second Rose Tyler sighting on a TV screen. It works best when it’s generous toward its characters, but this is an unfortunate rarity in a storyline that seems determined to treat lots of people—Luke, UNIT, even Sylvia—as punchlines in order to build up the likeability of its central figures. In a season that had spent three episodes in a row practically overflowing with kindness, this doesn’t really feel in line with the tone of the season, but it remains a solid step up from Raynor’s efforts last season. B-

#doctor who #female doctor #russell t davies #tenth doctor #donna noble #david tennant #catherine tate #reviews

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