#faith x gunn

[invisible-pink-toast]

my favourite buffyverse ships as texts

[starryeyesxx]

[faith-thee-slayer]

Buffy/Faith for the ship ask game? (But if you've already been asked that, then Fred/Gunn.)

buffy/faith: 1000% yes like it's a known fact at this point

idk where to even begin with what made me ship them, they just have so much to work with. the perfect enemies to lovers setup. the mirror selves meeting each other. the heartbreak and betrayal. the "things could've been different between us but they were also always doomed to turn out how they did." the "you are the only person in the world who understands me but i can't stand you." the attempted murder. the actual murder. the angst. the chemistry. i remember on my first ever watch of s3, i actually thought they were gonna kiss at some point because the tension was so palpable

favorite things about the ship: see the above, lol. i'm obsessed with how they don't realize how much the other cares about them. that's where so much of the tragedy takes place

i’m not sure if i have any unpopular opinions about them... i think for fuffy to successfully work, they’d have to get together sometime post-comics, like in their 30s. also i don’t believe that it was buffy’s fault for how faith turned out, i think that was sadly a series of events bound to happen

fred/gunn: YES

i can’t remember the specific episodes, but right around the middle of ats s3 when they become closer and start dating, i was sold. they are so precious. that one breakfast date they have where they look into each other’s eyes and place their hands on the bill is tooth-rottingly sweet

i love how gunn is usually a tough guy, and then soft only for fred. and how everyone calls gunn “gunn” but fred calls him by his first name. it’s simple, but tender

i don’t think this is an unpopular opinion but they could’ve easily got back together at some point, even after gunn killed that professor. (as if her relationship with wesley somehow made more sense...)

[callsign-bubbles]

the lonely letters. dr ashon crawley. 2020.

credits - nathan danette / unknown / kevin shea / zac bondurant / nathan danette / mapleleafs on x / mark blinch / graig abel / keith srakocic / bruce bennett / bruce bennett / john dunn / bill streicher / mark blinch / TSN / sportskeeda / sportsnetwork / lance mcmillan / frank gunn / kevin sousa / NHLI / frank gunn / klaus andersen / john e. sokolowski / wikipedia / google search results / Gotta See It: Tavares scores in OT to win Maple Leafs first playoff series since 2004

a little playoff hype hope for our boys! i have so much faith in this team and i believe in us all the way :)

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, December 18

WILLOW: (pause) Oh ... well, Ta-Tara's right. Grief can be powerful, and we shouldn't judge- TARA: What are you, kidding?

~~Intervention~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

BtVS Triple Drabble: Too Vulnerable by badly_knitted (Buffy, PG)

Combining Forces by Amarin_Rose (Angel/Cordelia, Fred/Gunn, SG-1 xover, G)

The Sign by LudditeRobot (Faith, Xander, Potentials, G)

Wishes, Candy Canes and a World All Our Own by CheekyKitten (Buffy/Spike, E)

Ripped Away by spikesredqueen (Wesley/Fred, T)

Buffy Summers' Diary: The Return of Riley by ljs (Buffy/Spike, G)

Buffy Summers' Diary by ljs (Buffy/Spike, T)

A Ghost Of A Chance by Geliot99 (Buffy/Spike, M)

Winter’s Bite - burntsecrets (Spike/Reader, G)

The Pain Means You Love Me by GarsCrucible (Andrew/Warren, M)

Meant 2 Be by Spikelover4ever (Buffy/Spike, T)

Backstage 49 - So Sad the Song by Aadler (Xander, Cordelia, T)

Different Kind of Magic by fatalfae (Buffy/Willow, E)

day #18: "last christmas" by auroracalisto (Spike/reader, unrated)

Be Careful What You Wish For by Harmony99 (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Buffy Versus Santa Claws by SlayerOfSunnydale (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

A Ghost Of A Chance by Geliot99 (Buffy/Spike, R)

The Parting Glass by Magic Box Moon (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Buffy's A Chirstmas Carol by Alyot (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Be Careful What You Wish For by Harmony99 (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Sparkly Cookies by veronyxk84 (Buffy/William Pratt, T)

[Chaptered Fiction]

The Tie That Binds - ch. 1-2 by RoseWineGoddess (Spike/Drusilla, T)

Better Things to Do - ch. 1 by BeneficialAddiction (Buffy/Spike, T)

Psych-Out Wolves: The Side Quest - ch. 1 by calikocat (Xander/Spike/Graham, CSI Miami xover, E)

The Degradation of Duality [Series Part 2] - ch. 68 by Ragini (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Masquerade - ch. 8 by Holly (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Through The Keyhole - ch. 9-10 by Geliot99, cd85 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

The Office Hellmouth - ch. 7 by Willow25 (Buffy/Spike, R) COMPLETE!

Psych-Out Wolves: The Side Quest - ch. 1 by calikocat (Xander, CSI Miami xover, FR21)

The joining of souls - ch. 20 by delfine (Buffy, LOTR xover, FR13)

Snapshots From My Idiot - ch. 1-3 by Claire (Buffy/Spike, G)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: *Buffy renaissance pending* Spike x Buffy portrait season 4. “Something Blue”. by petridishbabydesigns (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Artwork: *silently waiting for a Buffy cultural renaissance while rererewatching* by petridishbabydesigns (Buffy, worksafe)

Artwork: I think he'll stomach the flight next year by yarboyandy (Giles, Angel, worksafe)

Artwork: Fuffy getting handsy at the club by sideartblog999 (Buffy/Faith, mildly NSFW)

Icons: Buffy Summers — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season Two (1997) by slashericons (Buffy, worksafe)

Icons: More: 1 by horrorcryingscreencaps (Buffy, worksafe)

Header: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S03E10 — Amends. by screensland (Buffy, Angel, Willow, Xander, Faith, worksafe)

Two Collages: #277 Taylor Swift - Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince and 276 Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer both by thedecadentraven (Buffy/Spike and Spike, worksafe)

Collage: harmony 💗🦄 by slut-jpeg (Harmony, worksafe)

Two Collages: Collage #274 and Collage #275 both by thedecadentraven (Spike and Willow, worksafe)

Edit: I’m with you, my love The lights shining through on you [commentary in OP tags] by tenderjock (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Three Moodboards: autistic bi aro anya jenkins and angel & connor and greygender buffy summers all by courtillyy (worksafe)

Gifset: "You can be with someone for a hundred and fifty years. Think you know them." by sulietsexual (Angel/Darla, worksafe)

Gifset: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER | 3.10 "Amends" by whatisyourchildhoodtrauma (Buffy/Faith, worksafe)

Gifset: 2.16 Epiphany | 5.22 Not Fade Away Angel [1999 - 2004] by dailyats (Kate, Angel, Charles, Anne, worksafe)

Gifset: Glory + Outfits by clarkgriffon (Glory, worksafe)

Manip: It Can Be Me; I Have No Breath by EverythingElse (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Collage: Tara and Willow Collage [and request for pic sources] by Past-Throat-6788 (Tara/Willow, worksafe)

[Recs & In Search Of]

ISO: twinklylightslongshiftnights seeks post S7 romantic/reunion Spuffy fics

ISO: Mika95 seeks thoughts for their OC who is Rack's Apprentice

ISO: DazedAndTrippy seeks Lost Retrospective Video? [that is 3 hours long]

ISO: ParkingComfort1597 seeks Reaction/ First Time Watching Recommendations Plz!

[Community Announcements]

[would anyone donate] to one of the Palestinian families I have been supporting, in exchange for a gifset of your choice? by kyrumption

[Fandom Discussions]

I love buffy summers so so much. She’s so perfect and so incredibly complex and flawed... by youhavethesun

[it is funny and annoying] how blatantly bisexual so many buffyverse characters are... by xaeyrnofnbe

been rotating the idea of a trans fem buffy fic around in my head... by transvampirerights

Rickie is genuinely quite touching in this episode [Anne] by thornfield13713

I'm sorry, Joyce, whose last words to Buffy were 'if you leave this house, don't even think about coming back'?... [Anne] by thornfield13713

I do love Lily coming back as a past person-saved [Anne] by thornfield13713

I still think about the one line... where Kennedy says to Willow that she likes how she turns off Moulan Rouge... by sluttyquarantinetheory

Thinking about how Buffy’s relationships are muddled with metaphors of abuse... by mortalandstupid

i don't know if the relationships on buffy are actually well-written or if it's just the 11-year-old girl... by emilyaxford

[Meme of Fuffy with Wicked the musical lyrics] by star-collapse

The BB Bookclub List updated by multiple

Anyone care to explain [size of Hell / Hellmouth and Sunnydale falling in] by ILLYRIAN

[various Memes] by funishin

why do i feel bad [for Spike and also how does the whole vamp thing work?] by thunpnz

[I just] realized how genius these lyrics from Sweet are… by Myrtle1119

xander [dislike for Xander] by millieann_2610

People seem to hate on Xander a lot [praise for Xander] by Patient-Morning-4912

Sunday [the vampire] by Proof-Put8182

Different reactions. [Angel reacting to Buffy and Riley vs Buffy and Spike] by FoxIndependent4310

Jenny had the most tragic ending of all. by FoxIndependent4310

(Politics Warning): Gingerbread and today’s political climate. [discussion of YT video about BTVS explaining UK riots] by Heart_Throb_

Angels, Gods, & Devils by XMorpheus3000

[how would a reboot without Joss Whedon be, in terms of direction and writing quality?] by Scopeburger

Darla [could she re-enter Buffy's house after she is re-sired in ATS S2 ?] by JPenelope

UK Riots: Explained in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Femi

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

"James Marsters will be doing a Valentine's @StreamilyLive Livestream Signing on February 11 at 11am PST." via dontkillspike

James Marsters to Attend Nightmare Weekend Cleveland (USA) 30-31 August 2025 via dontkillspike

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[oncemorewithqueering]

Does anyone want to hear my Buffy and Angel sexuality headcanons?

No?

Well here we go:

*DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE MY OPINIONS, NOT FACT. IF YOU DISAGREE, PLEASE DO NOT HATE AND FEEL FREE TO TELL ME OTHERWISE POLITELY*

Buffy: Have you seen the way Buffy looks at Faith? She’s bi imo with a strong preference for guys. Also, I loved the Slayer coming out scene to Joyce so much ahh

Willow: I have always been super conflicted about Willow bc, like, yes it’s bi erasure but also she says that she’s a ‘lesbian now’

So I think she’s abrosexual but constantly likes girls

Xander: Ik Xander screams hetero energy BUT hear me out

I think Xander’s little freak out about Willow came from a place of Bi curiosity

Giles: I have nothing to say but Ethan Rayne

Faith: Faith, my girlfriend for all time, could be bi or pan. I think she’s pan bc she just seems like gender doesn’t matter

go get that Buffy girl

Angel, Spike, Drusilla and Darla: My little headcanon is that all vampires are bi/pan. I think Dru and Darla show less preference for men, so I thought they might be pan

Cordelia: Cordy is that straight friend who takes you to pride and twenty (20) seconds later she’s chatting up like 15 men and women, but she’s still straight

Anya: Same logic as the vamps. She’s a demon. She used to be immortal. She probably likes everyone.

Wesley: *cough cough* CHARLES GUNN. I see you Wesley.

Fred: Fred, my gf who will never love me. I just don’t get a queer vibe.

Lorne: They did Lorne SO DIRTY! He is totally gay. The musicals. The pseudo-coming out storyline. Wizard of Oz. I don’t mean to feed into stereotyped but…

Andrew: Yes I put him before Gunn. Yes, I did forget him in the Buffy section.

Andrew and his Warren crush are proof enough to me tbh.

Gunn: Gunn my sweet baby boy please go kiss Wesley ok bye

Ethan Rayne: He loves Giles. Need I say more

Oz: Oz gives me bicurious energy. Not fully bi, not fully straight. Just drifting around. Love him

Dawn: Dawn is just a lovely little straight daughter of two gays. I love that for her

Tara: Tara is last, but not least, because this is canon! Go her! Also rip

ok thank you for listening bye bye love you x

[herinsectreflection]

Happy continued recovery!! Brutally honest asks for: Cangel, Fred x Willow, and Faith x Gunn.

1) A gorgeous, well written relationship that was built up very clearly and deliberately through seasons 1, 2 and 3, and then shat on in S4. I don't even mean the Connor/Jasmine/Beast stuff - the romantic moments between Angel and Cordelia that are in that season are all painfully generic and clearly written by someone who doesn't know or care about what was appealing about Cangel in the first place.

2) I kinda dig it - partially because Fred is clearly Willow's type, and partially because I like that they're both legitimately capable of murder.

3) I think Gunn would be the only member of AI that Faith would genuinely really like, and Gunn would be the only member of AI that would genuinely really like Faith.

[otherworldlychemistry]

Just a few ships that we count as rarepairs

Here are a few ships that count as rarepairs as defined by our community rules

Buffy x Willow

Buffy x Cordelia

Joyce x Giles

Spike x Dawn

Spike x Giles

Buffy x Riley

Buffy x Anya

Buffy x Tara

Faith x Spike

Faith x Willow

Spike x Anya

Wes x Gunn

Buffy x Spike x Angel

All polyships

All platonic relationships

Many many more

Any of these sound interesting? Join us on AO3 , LiveJournal , or Discord .

[rock-and-compass]

Angel 5.13 - Why We Fight

(I wrote this series of essays many years ago, probably around the time that the season 8 comics were being published. The were originally published on my LiveJournal and I'm reposting them here, mostly for personal archival purposes.)

I’m Angel! I kill the Bad Guys!

Yeah!!  Woo Hoo!    Yay!  … um……. Yeah, okay ……Right.  Ummm………..Right. Ahh…yeah…

I’ll just go back to my desk now; I’ve got a few papers to sign… yeah...

So, he does. He goes back to work and tries not to think of the heroic, Fantasy-Angel, she showed him he was and should be. He tries not to think about the fact that he’s trapped here in the belly of the beast with no foreseeable escape.  He’ll try not to think of his surrendered son . . . or her . . . But he does think of that fragile shoot of hope, miraculously germinated with her fleeting return and he’s worried about it. It’s getting no nutrition or encouragement. It’s stunted and in danger of dying. But he wants to keep it alive, he’s trying to keep it alive, he’s trying to think of Cordelia’s visit as a gift, trying not to think that, yet again he’s been kicked in the guts by the all-powerful forces that drive the universe, trying not to let that feeling of hurt and abandonment overwhelm him, trying not to think of how his best friend is dead because of….no, don’t go there, too dangerous. She didn’t think he should be here at Wolfram and Hart, but she had faith he could get out . . . if only he could figure out how.  And so, he sits and works and deliberately makes no sudden movements, he protects that pathetic sprout from further damage because it’s all he’s got, and he knows his life depends on it.

But ‘Why We Fight’ opens in quite a different place and time; the Atlantic Ocean, 1943. It’s an X-File-esque beginning. A commotion takes place on a submerged submarine that has been caused by an unseen complication. The captain of the ship is desperately trying to get his men to safety, another sailor is radioing for help. The men get to another compartment of the sub, seemingly to safety, but before the hatch can be locked the captain is grabbed from behind and injured badly. He calls for help. Sam Lawson, a handsome young ensign, is willing to oblige and goes to his captain’s aid, dragging the injured man back towards the doorway to safety. Before he can get there, a tug-of-war ensues; the unseen foe wants the captain too. Lawson and another sailor are horrified by the sight, and they are no match for their attacker’s superior strength. They fall back and are showered by blood as the captain meets his horrible fate. Lawson and his crewmate stumble to their feet, back away with terror and scramble into the next compartment of the vessel, sealing the hatch behind them.

Back in the present day it's business as usual. Angel and his team are meeting in the conference room. Eve has apparently vanished, and Angel wants confirmation that Lindsey is getting his just rewards in whatever hell hole the Senior Partners zapped him to. Gunn says it will be difficult to confirm; there is no conduit, no liaison, they are alone in this. Charles seems to be having some difficulty in recalling the proper protocol for establishing a new liaison. Considering that this kind of stuff has been second nature to him since the brain upgrade, we know this can’t be good. Oh, and nobody mentions Cordelia. Just sayin’.

Later, the elevator pings and the doors open; that handsome young officer from the submarine in 1943 steps out and he’s still, well, young and handsome. We’re savvy with the way things work in the Buffyverse. We know what this means.  Fred returns to her lab. She is not alone. Lawson has beaten her there. He’s reading one of her reports. Fred tries to get his attention. 

Lawson: Oh. Hi. I'm sorry. I was just trying to understand some of your equations here. I used to have a bit of a head for numbers. It's funny how you lose part of your mind when you stop using it.

He seems so nice, not dangerous at all. We know what he is, and he doesn’t seem dangerous. He seems sad and . . . regretful, but not dangerous. Fred asks if she can help him with something, but he assures her, no, Miss Burkle, he just came to talk. The fact that he knows her name alerts her to the risk his presence poses but he doesn’t try to hurt her, he just begins asking metaphysical questions. Is she happy working here? Does she enjoy what she does? Is she eager to start her day when she wakes each morning? Good questions. Fred edges to the door, answering only in a vague, non-committal way. He knows what she is up to, warns her not to try it because then he’ll have to stop her, which, one suspects, wouldn’t be very nice.

Fred: What do you want?  Lawson: Actually, I came to see your boss. Angel and I are... old acquaintances. I was friends with him back in the day, back when he was in his patriotic phase.

It’s New York, 1943. There are newspapers strewn across the floor. “Allies Strike Back” is the topmost headline. Angel is sitting, brooding, in his darkened apartment. The war is something he reads about, but it’s not his war. It doesn’t affect him. It’s just something that makes his disconnectedness from the world and the people who inhabit it even more apparent. This is not his ‘patriotic phase’, it’s his apathetic stage. Suddenly his door is kicked in. Men brandishing crossbows and stakes surround him. They know what he is, and they want to talk. They have an ‘offer’ for him.

Seems the U.S. boys have managed to capture a prototype submarine. Trouble is, on the way back to friendly waters it hit a snag. Now the sub is stuck in hostile territory, stricken, marking time until it is destroyed. Hmmm, that sub sounds like someone we know; Angel - Stricken in hostile territory, facing destruction unless he comes to his own rescue, which is, coincidently, what the men-in-black want Angel to do too with the sub.

It seems Angel’s visitors represent a relatively new government agency, “The Demon Research Initiative” and they’ve decided to coerce Angel into helping the cause.

Military Man: We need that sub, and we need you to deal with... what's on it. 

They show Angel a file of the cargo manifest. They know what’s on that sub, they want it dealt with, but they still want the boat and the secrets it holds. Once he opens the file Angel understands. Something in that file makes him comply and cooperate.

There are a couple of points of interest here. Firstly, the existence of the government authorised Demon Research Initiative creates and corroborates the history of government involvement in the demon realm as explored in season four of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Secondly, that it is a further example of Angel being coerced into someone else’s agenda, a tendency that has proved habitual in his quest for redemption. 

On the sub, Lawson has the surviving sailors gathered in relative safety. He is concerned about his men and determined to get them out of this in one piece. Amongst the Americans is a lone Nazi, the sole survivor from the takeover of the sub perhaps? A valuable asset for interrogation? Their objective is to survive where they are until help can arrive. They have two days of air and a faint hope that those ‘things’ won’t figure out how to get through to them. They think that the ‘things’ are a creation of the Nazi’s, and more proof of Nazi monstrousness. 

They hear screaming from beyond their safety zone. They realise that one of their crewmates is still alive back there, being tortured by God knows what. Lawson, showing foolhardy bravery, wants to rescue him. The others blanch at the very notion. The unfortunate sailor is as good as dead, there’s nothing they can do for him and risking their own necks to rescue the lost won’t save any of them. Nevertheless, Lawson is determined. Guns are pointed; the survivors begin to turn on each other. And again, we are vaguely reminded of Angel, his impulses echo through Lawson. A brave but reckless decision was made, that put him and all his friends in danger to save the life of his seemingly unsalvageable son. Yet at least Lawson’s men knew what was happening around them and had the chance to protest against their sacrifice. Angel’s team had no such consideration.

The sailors are distracted by a metallic banging coming from the torpedo room. Lawson recognises the pattern of the sound as an SOS signal in Morse code. With pistols drawn they open the torpedo hatch to find, much to their surprise, a man, Angel, looking a little like a drowned rat. They free him but are suspicious; how could a man get down to them with no assistance, no air, and no suit? Angel avoids the question asking for the man in charge. As a result of the captain’s demise, Lawson reluctantly accepts the position, but once Angel provides him with a particular security code, he relinquishes it to the new arrival without hesitation.  The sailors are impressed. Angel seems like some kind of superhero, or at the very least, a super-soldier – just like Captain America. He re-enforces this conception when he shows no fear about confronting the monstrous killer at the other end of the boat.

Angel: …It's OK, Lawson. I know what I'm up against. Don't open up this door for anything other than me.

He knows precisely what’s at the other end of the sub, has done since he read the Initiative’s damn report. Consequently, Angel displays no surprise when he finds Spike trying to force his way through the hatch door. Spike looks different. Gone is the light chestnut hair colour from his earliest days, but the bleach blonde hasn’t been adopted yet. Instead, his hair is jet black and slicked back – very villainish, and he’s wearing a very fetching ankle length leather jacket, with a swastika above the elbow – but he’s not a Nazi, he just ate one and took a shine to the coat. He feels better they got Angelus too; doesn’t feel so bad about falling for the old ‘free virgin blood party’ scam (see Spike vs. Dracula, IDW Publishing for a prelude to his capture). Spike and “Angelus” head through to the next compartment where they find two more vampires captured by the Nazis - Nostroyev and the Prince of Lies

 “Angelus” forbids the consumption of the remaining crew. They will need the humans to sail the boat so that they can get off the bottom of the ocean. Nostroyev doesn’t want to play by these rules, and doesn't want to be told what he can and can’t do by Angelus. He wants to kill whomever he wants, when he wants. Angel can’t let that happen, so he dusts the non-compliant vampire without hesitation. He has stamped his authority on both sides now:

Angel:  We don't kill the humans 'till we reach land. Is that clear?  Spike:  Heil Hitler.

But the rebellion is a symbolic display only. Angelus is in command and Spike falls into line, just as he’s always done (although not without a shot at Angel’s dictatorial tendencies).  

Back at the office Angel is doing some paperwork. Lawson arrives. They trade ‘pleasantries’, mainly about the ironic ease of access to this supposedly highly secured building. But they quickly get to the crux:

Lawson: Seems like you're doing pretty well for yourself. It's a far cry from all those years you spent in the gutters, eating rats.  Angel: You've been following my life. I'm touched.  Lawson: I just check in every decade or so. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Mr. Vermin-eater himself was suddenly fighting evil and running Wolfram & Hart. Mind explaining that one to me? Those two don't exactly go hand in hand. 

Angel can’t explain it, it’s complicated. Lawson agrees.

Lawson: Find that's true about most things these days. I don't mean to sound like an old man, but... We used to live in simpler times, didn't we? Never thought I'd miss being on that sub. Things made a kind of sense. 

Simpler times - good guys, bad guys, right and wrong, war, peace, man or monster – easy. Except it wasn’t really simpler – he’s just looking back with rose coloured glasses, and doesn't want to acknowledge other versions, other interpretations of events…

Back on the sub, Angel has assumed total command. The sailors recognise his authority without question. He’ll get them through if they follow his lead. Angel makes the introductions this time and advises Lawson to put the other creatures to work, if he can use them. But Lawson doesn’t understand. He doesn’t understand why they’re working with them, or for that matter, why they’re being allowed to live when they are responsible for butchering the majority of the crew. It’s all very allegorical of Team Angel’s life at Wolfram and Hart, isn’t it? And here also we begin to see the difference (and similarities) between Lawson and Angel.

Lawson: I don't think we'll need 'em.  Angel: They're extra hands.  Lawson: They're monsters. And I don't know why we—  Angel: You don't need to know why. We gotta bring this sub in. Those are our orders. Isn't that the point? Following orders?  Lawson: There's a difference between orders... and purpose, sir. I didn't sign on 'cause I needed directions. Hell, growin' up, I used to make fun of the military boys. Always figured they wouldn't know how to tie their shoes if someone didn't give 'em the go-ahead. Then I saw pictures of what the Krauts were doing. Evil's spreading, sir... and it's not just over there. It was on my ship, it killed my crew, and we gotta stop it! And I've been scared out of my mind since I signed on for this duty, but I can keep it together, I can even handle dying, if I know it's for a greater purpose.  Angel: We got a job to do. That job is gonna help us win the war. I don't need you to understand every detail but just know we're fightin' on the same side. I need you to trust that I'm gonna get us all through this... safe and sound.

Lawson has a commitment, to his men, to his captain, to his ship, to his mission, to his country, to the cause. He is a quietly heroic character, the very best of humanity on display. But for Angel, at this stage of his existence, it's not about a cause or a mission, it’s about a job that he’s been forced into doing and he just wants to get in and get it done and get out again. Simple as that. One wonders if a similar rationale was used for taking his team to Wolfram and Hart. He went there, accepted their proposal to achieve an end – a new life for Connor. It was never about the higher ideal of fighting evil from within the beast; that was just the ‘party line’ he adopted to explain the decision. Going to Wolfram and Hart was never about a mission or a cause. It was about a job. And the identity crisis he’s experienced this season is the consequence because he can’t be the ‘it’s just a job’ apathetic guy anymore, it just doesn’t jibe with the Angel he developed into or the Angel he wants to be. 

Back in the present Lawson questions Angel’s motivation for any of it. Did he really care, or was he there just to save his own ass? Well, yeah…that and that wayward grandson of his. But Lawson is making some philosophical demands. He wants to understand; to know why they do what they do. Angel doesn’t have the answers he’s looking for. He’s not in the mood to talk anyway. Angel catches Lawson unawares and goes to stake him, apparently, he’d promised as much should they ever meet again. But Lawson has something up his sleeve, something that makes Angel stop in his tracks.

He has Gunn and Fred and Wesley tied up, standing on unstable swivel chairs, gagged and wire tied around their throats. He doesn’t need Angel to understand every detail, but he does need him to trust that he’ll get them all through this safe and sound.

Angel: Whatever you want from me... this isn't the way to get it.  Lawson: Already getting it. The worry in your eyes, fear of what might happen next, which is right on the mark, 'cause I got a funny feeling there's gonna be blood spilled tonight. For old times' sake some.

Lawson is bitter and he wants to make Angel suffer. Unusual behaviour for a vampire? Not completely unheard of. . . We’ve seen this kind of thing before:

Drusilla: (pouring Holy Water on Angel) The lamb is caught in the blackberry patch. My mummy ate lemons. Raw. She said she loved the way they made her mouth... tingle. Little Anne. Her favorite was custard... brandied pears. Angel:  Dru... Drusilla: Shhh! And pomegranates. They used to make her face and fingers all red. Remember. Hmm . . .  Little fingers; little hands . . . Do you? Angel:  If I could... Drusilla:  Bite your tongue! They used to eat cake, and eggs, and honey.  Until you came and ripped their throats out.

Back on the submarine Lawson has got the boat moving, slowly but surely. Spike is being obnoxious but obedient to his superior. Lawson makes the correct assumption that Angel’s confidence that Spike will do as he’s told is rooted in a pre-existing relationship. Lawson is starting to think, make connections, and wonder about this ‘super-soldier’ who miraculously arrived on the sub to save the day... 

There is a commotion in the neighbouring compartment. The Prince of Lies is having a crack at the Nazi officer. He has a sheaf of papers that have upset him enough to attack. Angel tries to pull him off the German and Lawson takes the opportunity to shoot him, with no effect. Finally, Angel is forced to stake the ancient vampire causing him to explode into a cloud of dust before the very eyes of the startled crew.  Lawson sends his men back to work despite their questions leaving Angel, Lawson and Spike to wonder what upset the prince in the first place. Spike guesses that it was the contents of papers, but they are written in German. He tries to ‘charm’ the Nazi soldier into talking. Angel says they don’t have time for this (but, hey, what else is there to do, really).  Spike won’t be distracted. He slips into ‘game-face’ to hurry things along a bit. The German talks, in German, and it turns out that Lawson knows enough of the language to make rough translations. So, with Spike menacing and Lawson interrogating them they are able to discover that the papers detail experiments involving stimulation and control of neurological impulses that the Nazis have been carrying out on vampires with the aim of creating a super army. Lawson is sickened. It’s one more monstrous plot that unequivocally proves the inhumanity of Nazi ideals; confirms the superiority of morally upright America. The German laughs at the young sailor’s naivety. They’re not the only ones interested in such knowledge he suggests as he looks pointedly at Angel for confirmation. 

Lawson:  You knew about this?  Spike: He did?  Angel: It was part of the mission

The information, not the sub, is the main objective of the entire assignment. The newly created Demon Research Initiative is, presumably, a little behind the eight-ball in that department, particularly in comparison to the Nazis. What better way to catch up than to steal your competitor's research? After all, one of the main objectives of war is to know what the enemy is up to and then try and do it better.

The penny finally drops for Spike; Angel is playing both sides and while the younger vampire respects the tactic, Lawson is less understanding.  He refuses to believe that his country would stoop to such levels, would resort to ruthlessness and evil in order to win. Not his government, not his country. The vampires marvel at his idealism. 

Spike: Yeah? Let me know how that works out for you, Popeye.  Angel: None of this matters. Your people are getting this ship and their men onboard that are still alive. That's all! Spike . . . torch it

So the papers are set alight but an explosion elsewhere on the ship distracts him momentarily. Inadvertently his coat catches fire. While trying to stop himself from burning Spike drops the flaming documents before they are completely destroyed. 

Hmmm… 

Are we sure that ‘Destiny’ is not interested in the white haired one? Providence perhaps or is it just irony? I mean come on – Angel is sent to a submarine to retrieve sensitive documents about Nazi advances in demon control but only goes on the mission because Spike is on the sub and his family loyalty kicks in. They think they have destroyed all evidence of the findings but unfortunately, it's not, and the information eventually falls into U.S. hands along with the sub and so, nearly sixty years later Spike is captured by the Initiative, is the beneficiary of said research courtesy of the neurological chip that regulates improper impulses and inadvertently opens the door to his redemption and then eventually, the reclamation of his soul and his relocation back into Angel’s world. The symmetry is lovely. 

The Germans are not happy to have the sub and their precious research slip through their fingers. They would rather see it destroyed than let the Americans have it. Pursuing forces attack, causing the sub to have to take the evasive action of diving deeper into the ocean's depths. While in retreat they are hit. The propulsion motor is incapacitated. They are dead in the water. Lawson is the only one on board with the know-how to get the engines going again. He goes to try and fix them – lives and the success of the mission depend on him.  While he’s thus engaged the German officer is able to stealthily sneak up on him and stab him in the gut with a long screwdriver, twisting it brutally to cause maximum damage. Lawson is done for, and he knows it and it sucks. But he tries to get it done all the same. Angel arrives, sees the situation and knows what he has to do. It’s the only way. He brings out his vampire fangs and bites deeply into Lawson’s neck. Then he cuts his own wrist on a jagged pipe and forces the bleeding wound against Lawson’s mouth. Initial reluctance to drink soon turns to enthusiasm as the transformation from man to monster begins.

Back in the control room Angel and Spike wait while the remaining sailors languish on the floor in obvious distress. 

Spike: Air's about gone. Your new boy better get the engines running before the fish start flopping.  Angel: He'll get it done.  Spike: Hope it's in time.

Spike knows what’s been done to save the sub, knows it hinges on the actions of his new ‘brother’. Still, he’s hungry and it would be something of a blessing to put a few of the dying sailors out of their misery. The engines start up. Lawson has successfully got them moving again. Angel tells Spike to help get the men up so they can get the boat surfaced. It’s their lucky day. Spike once again shows that even when he was the embodiment of evil, he was capable of self-restraint. While yes, he views the humans primarily as food, he is still able to interact with them beyond his epicurean desires because a) Angel bids him to, b) his sense of self-preservation is quite acute and c) that lingering taint of humanity (the same one that makes him sing God Save the King and offer ‘mercy’ as a valid reason for eating the slowly dying sailors) gives him that freedom. 

Angel goes to Lawson to congratulate him on a job well done. Sam wonders why they are heading to the surface with the Germans hot on their heels but Angel explains that it is to save the men’s lives. They need air.

Lawson: They swore to give their lives for their country... just like me. Besides, I'm hungry.  Angel: They're still your men.  Lawson: But they're not the mission... are they?

Gone is the admirable, home-town hero. In his place is the vampire version, contaminated by sarcasm and nastiness, who mocks his former self. His mission has evaporated. Now there is no cause, no great fight, and no belief in right. Now he’s hungry and his mission is dinner, and his men are looking mighty tasty right about now. They look smaller, insignificant.

The submarine surfaces and one of the men opens the hatch to the outside world. It’s eight hours till sunrise and they are twenty miles from the coast. Lawson understands – he has to make a swim for it. Angel says he’s sorry for what had to happen and promises to kill him if they should ever meet again. 

Spike:  Bloody brilliant. Turn the poor sod to save the ship. Then make him dash for dry land before Mr. Sunshine scorches him a new one. You're still a dick. Angel: Yeah. I am.

Yup, Angel’s thinking he’s a dick because he went through all this, killed a fine young man, all to save Spike from probes and experimentation, and the ungrateful young pup doesn’t even freaking realise it. So he makes Spike take the swim too. The obvious question here is why Angel would do that? Why would he allow two bloodthirsty vampires to live and let them loose on the world when, surely the right thing to do would have been to stake them both? Well, it is his apathetic phase after all.  At this point in time Angel simply doesn’t care much about anything, let alone the nameless would-be victims of his ‘sons’. He can’t bring himself to kill Lawson again. He did that once already and his way of showing contrition is to let him go, though he does promise to re-evaluate that decision if they ever meet again. Maybe he thinks a new, inexperienced vampire with no tutelage is hardly likely to survive too long anyway? But then there is Spike. He knows what Spike can do, what he’s capable of, yet he lets him go too with no similar pledge of retribution should they ever cross paths again. He lets Spike go for the same reason he went to all the trouble to rescue him, he lets him go because he is Angelus’ boy.

Angel, in 1943 is a long way from mastering any control over Angelus. That’s why he sits in his room alone, separate from the world. Because he is afraid of his Angelus impulses, that they will exert their authority over Angel and the soul will prove pointless after all. He makes no sudden movements. He sits quietly and fights remorse and regret and urges and resentment that this conscience was forced upon him, that now all he can do is think and lament…

But to Spike he shows some kind of skewed loyalty, the same that he showed Drusilla in Sunnydale when he was very firmly on the side of good and using the soul as his guiding light:

Angel:  Drusilla, leave here. I'm offering you that chance. Take Spike and get out. Drusilla:  Or you'll hurt me?...No. No, you can't. Not anymore. Angel:  If you don't leave it'll go badly. For all of us.

Spike is his boy. Spike is his investment. Spike is his legacy; and so, he gets to live.

Back in the present-day Lawson wants to hear that his old crew at least tortured Angel, once they knew the truth. But Angel never gave them the chance. He jumped ship at the first opportunity and went underground for the duration of the war. He got his job done, achieved all objectives then made damn sure he wouldn’t be put to ‘work’ again by intrusive government interests.

Angel: I never wanted to do this to you.  Lawson: Oh, put your hanky away. I know how important the technology they pulled from the sub was to helping us stop the Germans. Sounded like a fair shake. One person damned to make the world safe for future generations.

So even as a vampire Lawson verges on the idealistic. He still needs to believe that he died for a cause, that saving the sub was integral to Allied victory, that there was some higher purpose to his actions. But that, sadly, is not really the case. He’s deluding himself. He died so that the US government could get their hands on some rather futile research into demonology so that his government, his country could do experiments too, have the same advantages as the enemy. He died for something that was fundamentally abhorrent to the human Lawson’s sense of right and justice. 

And now we see that Lawson is not just some random reminder of the past. He is, in fact a reflection of Angel – just a soulless one; not Angelus mind, no, he’s Angel’s reflection where Spike was Angelus’ And he turns up at Wolfram and Hart not because the time is suddenly right for revenge but because he’s angry that Angel is once again playing both sides of the line, just as he was in the sub. It reminds Lawson of his ‘mission’

Lawson:  We all need a reason to live, even if we're already dead. Mom, apple pie, the stars and stripes—that was good enough for me till I met you. Then I had this whole creature-of-the-night thing going for me—the joy of destruction and death—and I embraced it. I did all the terrible things a monster does—murdered women and children, tortured fathers and husbands just to hear 'em scream—and through it all... I felt nothing. 60 years of blood drying in my throat like ashes. So what do you think? Is it me, chief? Or does everyone you sired feel this way?

Death and mayhem and buckets of ruby red are not enough for this vampire. He’s discontent with his lot. He resents his death, he begrudges the loss of who he was. And well he might for Sam Lawson was never shown what it meant to be a vampire. He never had someone show him what to do or congratulate him on a kill or to share the slaughter of innocents with. He was released into the world with no tuition and, just like a human child who has insufficient guidance; he grew up ‘wrong’, never quite getting what he was supposed to be. We’ve seen evidence of this before in Harmony (also see the excellent graphic novel “Tales of the Vampire”, published by Dark Horse for further exploration of vampiric emotions and capabilities). Spike and Angelus are our examples of how successful vampires can be when properly schooled. Harmony and Lawson show us what happens when they are not. 

Angel admits that Lawson is the only person he ever sired after he got his soul. Lawson is hopeful that it might mean he has one too:

Angel: I don't think it works that way, son. 

Angel is understanding, almost kind, because he can identify with Lawson’s plight, from his own first-hand experience of being directionless, lacking a purpose but also because it’s eerily similar to when his son, his human son, asked him for answers, told him he couldn’t feel (A4.22- Home) and it will end the same, only ensign Lawson doesn’t get a second chance or a new beginning. Now at this point Angel could have made a different choice, he could have told Lawson about Spike and the chip and the soul and the saving the world and showed him that his death wasn’t entirely pointless, that there were actually choices available if you were prepared to make them, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead Angel and Lawson get into a scuffle. It’s a non-event. It’s too unequal. 

Lawson: You gave me just enough, didn't you? Enough of your soul to keep me trapped between who I was and who I should be. I'm nothin'... because of you.

He’s a man forced into being a monster, living off instinct and urges he can’t control. He feels like nothing. We’ve heard those words before. We know another vampire who felt like nothing, neither man nor monster. We know what the other vampire did with these feelings and it wasn't to track down the ‘ol sire to try and extract revenge. No, he made a much bigger decision and made a real change. But Lawson is in no such position. He lacks any essence of moral clarity to change his behaviour. He is a slave to his demonic impulses whether he likes it or not. Spike was lucky really, being the beneficiary of experimentation that grew out of that formative research found in the submarine, that allowed him to navigate a route between human and demon existence, that enabled him to make a choice. Lawson has no such luxury. 

The fight continues. Windows are shattered (again). Lawson grabs a splinter of timber and stabs blindly, but Angel catches his wrist and turns the makeshift stake onto Lawson’s non-beating heart.

Lawson: Come on, chief. Give me a mission.

With that, Angel pounds the wood into his chest turning him into nothing but dust, one more nasty reminder of the past dealt with but also helping Lawson finally fulfil the ultimate demand of his human ‘mission’; to truly die in the line of duty.

Later, the morning sun is streaming through the necro-tempered glass in Angel’s office. Angel is looking at the outside world from within his silk-lined prison. Spike arrives. He’s been visiting Fred and she gave him the Cliff Notes on the night’s events. Spike assumes that revenge was the main order of the day but Angel doesn’t think so.

Spike: No? Then what was he looking for?  Angel: A reason.

And isn’t that the same thing Angel is looking for?

 The episode closes with the two vampires, side by side. Angel sits slumped, downcast while Spike stands tall, confident and assured. Spike is over his little glitch, that whole pretend ‘destiny’ thing. Now his post-Sunnydale life begins in earnest. Got body and no ties, will do whatever he bloody well likes, including keeping an eye on the old bastard! And how could Angel not be struck by a new respect for Spike? Suddenly, he must seem beyond Angel’s comprehension. Like Lawson he suffered dissatisfaction with his vampire’s lot but in response he sought out a soul and won. And he’s not divided or conflicted. He’s Spike, with a soul, now very firmly on the opposite side of the line than he was before. He’s a hero, he’s a champion. He saved the world. No wonder Angel can’t embrace him, can’t call him ‘son’ cajolingly, like he could Lawson – he can’t understand this creature who has faced the monster inside and won, who doesn’t need a purpose or a ‘destiny’, whose mission is simply to not be what he was before.

Suddenly, that withered little shoot has a tremor of growth. It decides to fight for survival. It’s found an unexpected source of nutrition. Hope really does spring from the most unlikely of sources.

Next up Angel 5.14 - Smile Time

[postgamecontent]

Nintendo Switch Weekly Round-Up for the Week Ending September 14, 2024

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the Nintendo Switch Weekly Round-Up for the week ending September 14, 2024. I've decided to carry this on in some fashion even though I'm not at TouchArcade anymore. It's going to be weekly, it's mainly going to be focused on new and notable releases, and I'm definitely not going to be doing the lists of sales. I might call out some specific ones here and there when I consider them juicy enough, though. With that said, let's see what this week brought us.

Select New Releases

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics ($49.99)

The wildest retro collection you have never dreamt! Capcom tosses all of its arcade-based Marvel games into a package very similar in terms of interface and features to 2022's Capcom Fighting Collection. You get X-Men: Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and The Punisher. All really good games, and don't ignore The Punisher if you pick this up. It's quietly one of Capcom's better beat 'em ups. A great set, and it's nice to see these games in circulation again.

The Hokkaido Serial Murder Case: The Okhotsk Disappearance ~Memories in Ice, Tearful Figurine~ ($44.99)

G-Mode presents a remake of Yuji Horii's classic mystery adventure game, The Hokkaido Serial Murder Case. It's very faithful gameplay-wise, so you can expect some very vintage Japanese adventure gaming from it. Talk to people, examine scenes for evidence, and try to figure out who was responsible for these grisly murders. This is the first official English release of the game, which is pretty nifty.

Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines ($17.99)

Grappling pupper Pablo returns for more platforming fun, this time joined by the gun-wielding Luna. Are two dogs better than one? I haven't played enough to say for sure yet, but if you liked Grapple Dog you'll almost certain have a great time with this sequel.

Yars Rising ($29.99)

WayForward does its best to make a sassy Metroidvania out of a property almost as old as ol' Shaun, and the result is about what you would expect from this developer. It's fine. If you want a new Metroidvania, a new WayForward game, or want your Atari fan itch scratched, this will serve you well enough.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland ($24.99)

A surprisingly solid platformer in the vein of Super Mario Bros. 2/USA starring the most popular babies of the 1990s. You can play in classy NES style or go with the very well-done modern presentation. Either way, some enjoyable hop-and-toss fun.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP ($44.99)

Lollipop Chainsaw was a really fun game back in the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 era, with a style positively dripping with James Gunn/Suda51 energy. So what happens if you take that game, drain a massive amount of the style from it, and port it badly to Switch? This. This happens. It doesn't even play Mickey when you go super. What the heck is the point?

Arcade Archives VS. Battle City ($7.99)

A Famicom pirate cart/handheld staple, Battle City is already on the Switch via one of Namco's 8-bit collections. But this is VS. Battle City, which… removes the stage editor and adds pretty much nothing! One for the completionists, I suppose.

EGGCONSOLE Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes PC-8801mkIISR ($6.49)

The sixth game in the Dragon Slayer series is also the first game in The Legend of Heroes, which is technically the same franchise as Falcom's recent bread-and-butter Trails games. A pretty good turn-based RPG for its era, but one look at the screenshot will tell you what the problem is for most people reading this. Japanese only, and very text heavy. Oh well.

Crossy Road Castle ($19.99)

Another Apple Arcade game escapes the zoo, this time the platformer based on the hit Crossy Road franchise. Up to four players on this one, online or local. Plenty of hats and characters to unlock. The levels are procedurally generated, so you can keep playing it infinitely! Whether you will want to or not is a different matter, though.

Wild Bastards ($34.99)

The follow-up to Void Bastards, and one I'm sure will find just as many fans. It's pretty different from Void, incorporating turn-based strategy, roguelite, arena shooter, and a few other bits and bobs into something quite distinctive. That uniqueness might turn off some players, but I suspect it will win over more than it pushes away.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Reckoning of New York ($19.99)

Here's the third installment in the Vampire: The Masquerade series of visual novels for the Switch. If you're new to these, play the other two first. If you're not, then I'm sure you can figure out if this is for you or not.

Elsie ($24.99)

Played the wheels of 20XX and 30XX but need more roguelite Mega Man X mash-up action? Perhaps Elsie is what you're after today. Procedural generation! It's a popular choice in the modern age. Still, if the bar napkin concept doesn't put you off, this is a rather enjoyable game.

Eden Genesis ($24.99)

A cyberpunk-themed precision platformer with an emphasis on speedy moves. It's decent enough, but not so good that I'd recommend it with any real vigor. It's stylish and functional, and that might be enough for some.

Beneath Oresa ($24.99)

Here's another game inspired by the likes of Slay the Spire, this one aiming to be a bit more lively with its roguelite deckbuilding turn-based gameplay. It's extremely demanding, the kind of game where exactly one wrong move can end your run. So don't make any mistakes, okay? Glad we cleared that up.

Celestia: Chain of Fate ($29.99)

In this otome visual novel, you play as a young woman who finds out she's half angel and half demon. She's been invited to attend the Academy of Celestia, where she will find among other things three hunky dudes to potentially smooch. But which one will she smooch? That depends on your choices, my friend.

Metro Quester | Osaka ($19.99)

Just like the original Metro Quester, this is a game that is very much tuned towards a particular kind of taste. If you're into what it's laying down, you'll likely be absorbed for a while. Everyone else is going to be repelled with the force of an angry pantsless Magneto. Dungeon crawling, turn-based battling, chunky character building… ah, I love it.

Doomsday Paradise ($14.99)

This might seem like another Slay the Spire-style deckbuilding roguelite from that screenshot, but it's also an off-the-wall dating sim and features multiplayer for up to four players via online, local, or local wireless. Quite well-liked on other platforms, and I think this particular combination will go over nicely with the Switch audience too.

Fabledom ($24.99)

A deliberately relaxed fantasy-themed city builder. As near as I can tell, it more or less does what it sets out to do. Not the fanciest of cat pajamas, but if it's the kind of jam you're after today I don't think it will let you down.

Jackbox Naughty Pack ($21.69)

Those Jackbox Party Packs sure are neat, but if you've got a room full of adults and want to dig into something a little more saucy, here's the Naughty Pack. The games in this one go a little more dirty, as you can tell by the publisher cleverly ending the price with a 69 instead of a 99. I can definitely see this one going over well at the right kind of parties.

NanoApostle ($19.99)

Nanotechnology? How nostalgic. Remember when that was the buzzword in video games? Here's another one of those top-down boss-rush action games where you have to dash and dodge around while attacking a far more powerful foe. A fairly good one, I'd say. It works the way this kind of thing usually does, with skill trees, multistage bosses, and so on. Solid execution makes it.

Caravan SandWitch ($24.99)

A game about traversing a small but fairly dense open world in your cool van, helping people out. There's no combat, and you can't die. So it's just you, the citizens you'll be assisting, the sci-fi world itself, and a mystery about your missing sister to serve as an overall goal. It's been getting relatively good reviews so far. Provided the Switch port has come out smoothly, this might be worth the pick-up.

Edge of Sanity ($19.99)

The core game here is decent enough. It's a The Thing-inspired survival game with a lot of interesting systems to deal with and fairly satisfying strategic combat. The big problem is that this game is really buggy at the moment, at least in this Nintendo Switch form. I wouldn't pick it up on Switch until it gets some patching up, but I'm not the mayor of Yourwalletonshire.

Deep Beyond ($9.99)

Today is a day for missing family members, it seems. The main character of this one is a sea explorer looking for her father, and her journey will see her taking deep-sea dives, solving puzzles, and hanging out with her dog. Not a terribly long game by any means, but I think it punches well enough for the asking price.

Selfloss ($29.99)

This Slavic-inspired action-adventure game ended up being more engrossing than I expected. Rough edges aplenty, but it feels good to play more often than it doesn't. Solid boss battles, a good story, and really satisfying puzzles to solve. I was really caught off-guard by this, in a good way.

Pixel Game Maker Series The Willow Man ($6.99)

A modest little survival-horror game where you're trying to survive long enough to escape a house that plays host to an unspeakable evil known only as The Willow Man. There are multiple endings to arrive at based on your actions.

Downfall ($5.99)

I'm sure at this price you're not expecting fancy dining, and you shouldn't. Pretty much just a mindless little grinder. The art is decent and it's not the worst time-waster for a short while, but it gets dull fast.

Line Time ($5.99)

Regular readers know I'm a bit of a sucker for puzzle games, and this one isn't too shabby at all. You have to push the ball or balls to the goal on each stage, and you're given a set number of moves to do it in. Plan things out move by move and if there are multiple balls in play keep in mind that they will interact. Over two hundred stages to play, which is probably more than you'll need but appreciated nonetheless.

Samurai Kento ($4.99)

An small Metroidvania-ish game with RPG elements that casts you in the role of a samurai trying to save Japan from evil yokai run amuck. Not a bad time for the price, if you're in the mood for one of these.

Nimbusfall ($5.99)

Ah, haven't seen one of these in a while. You're a tiny character and you need to square off against twenty-five big bosses. You've got a good array of moves at your disposal, so all you have to do is learn the patterns and land your blows. Seems fine.

That's all for this week, friends. We'll be back next Saturday with another Round-Up, this time featuring a review or two! If you enjoyed this and feel like tossing me a tip, I have a Ko-Fi where you can make that happen. I hope you have a super Saturday, and as always, thanks for reading!

[purpleplaid17]

Jess Watches // Mon 22 Apr // Day 208 & Tues 23 Apr // Day 209 Synopses & Favourite Scenes & Poll

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (rw) 3x21 & 3x22 Graduation Day (s3 Finale)

On Ascension Day, Buffy and her friends prepare for the ultimate battle as they face off against the mayor and a horde of vampires.

Willow, an Oz laid. Anya, a girl afraid. Faith, her gut blade. Cordy, a vamp slayed. Buffy, a mayor flambé-d.

Renegade Nell (with mum) 1x05 Excuse Me, I'm a Doctor

Nell goes to Newgate Prison to try and rescue Devereux and Roxy and George meet their Uncle Jack.

I'm trying so hard to love this series but the tone is just all over the place. Very inconsistent. I have no doubt it was Disney meddling. Sofia should use her new sexy evil latin spells on them next.

The Patient (with mum) 1x10 The Cantor's Husband (Finale)

For Sam, an unexpected decision shows progress towards his goals, but Dr. Strauss demands even more.

An interesting character study. To say it's mostly two actors in one room, it was never boring. The underlying threat throughout and the feeling of impending doom (but for who?). A satisfy watch.

Killing Eve (Remix) [x] 3x09 She's Gone and Unbelievably I Survived

4x07 - Villanelle accompanies Gunn on a hunting trip. The two exchange stories and kiss. The next day V rejects Gunn and attempts to leave the island. Meanwhile, after karaoke Yusuf leaves Eve. She visits Martin for guidance. Eve then travels to the island and is ambushed by Gunn. Eve blinds her during their struggle, and she and V escape the island.

The elation of the fandom to see V/Jodie passionately kissing a woman vs the devastation that it wasn't Eve/Sandra. Also, I tacked on the beginning of 4x08 too so that the road trip ep is just them together in love.

Merlin 2x11 The Witch's Quickening

Mordred brings a warlock, Alvarr, to see Morgana, and they persuade her to steal a crystal with magical properties from the vaults of Camelot.

Why is Merlin so surprised that Morgana wants to help Mordred?? No one in the castle ever listens to her or explains what is happening and she is actively punished and manipulated for being gay magical.

[maya-matlin]

From any fandoms, pick 3 of your favorite ships from each letter of the alphabet (based on their ship name) ex: A:(three ships) B: (three ships) and so on. If there’s only one that exists per letter that’s okay too! 😊

Uh.. I'll try! I can't promise anything for some of these letters.

A:

1.) Adam & Becky (Degrassi)

2.) Angel & Cordelia (Angel)

3.) Alex & Marissa (The OC)

B:

1.) Betty & Jughead (Riverdale)

2.) Brooke & Lucas (One Tree Hill)

3.) Brittany & Santana (Glee)

C:

1.) Chandler & Monica (Friends)

2.) Cory & Topanga (Boy Meets World)

3.) Craig & Ashley (Degrassi)

D:

1.) Drew & Bianca (Degrassi)

2.) Dan & Blair (Gossip Girl)

3.) Dawson & Jen (Dawson's Creek)

E:

1.) Ephram & Amy (Everwood)

2.) Elizabeth & Jason (General Hospital)

3.) Emily & Naomi (Skins)

F:

1.) Fred & Gunn (Angel)

2.) Faith & Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

3.) Felicity & Noel (Felicity)

G:

1.) Graham & Megan (But I'm a Cheerleader)

2.) Georgia & Joe (Ginny & Georgia)

3.) Ginny & Marcus (Ginny & Georgia)

H:

1.) Holly J & Sav (Degrassi)

2.) Hannah & Bright (Everwood)

3.) Henry & Alex (Red, White and Royal Blue)

I:

1.) Isak & Even (Skam)

2.) Iris & Miles (The Holiday)

3.) Isabel & Kyle (Roswell)

J:

1.) Jay & Manny (Degrassi)

2.) Joey & Caitlin (Degrassi)

3.) JT & Liberty (Degrassi)

K:

1.) KC & Clare (Degrassi)

2.) Kirsten & Sandy (The OC)

3.) Karma & Amy (Faking It)

L:

1.) Luke & Lorelai (Gilmore Girls)

2.) Logan & Veronica (Veronica Mars)

3.) Leo & Piper (Charmed)

M:

1.) Michael & Maria (Roswell)

2.) Marshall & Lily (How I Met Your Mother)

3.) Mike & Phoebe (Friends)

N:

1.) Nathan & Haley (One Tree Hill)

2.) Nancy & Steve (Stranger Things)

3.) Noah & Allie (The Notebook)

O:

P:

1.) Pacey & Joey (Dawson's Creek)

2.) Pacey & Andie (Dawson's Creek)

3.) Patrick & Kat (10 Things I Hate About You)

Q:

1.) Quinn & Santana (Glee)

2.) Quinn & Logan (Zoey 101)

R:

1.) Ron & Hermione (Harry Potter)

2.) Ricky & Gina (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)

3.) Riley & Maya (Girl Meets World)

S:

1.) Sean & Ellie (Degrassi)

2.) Shawn & Angela (Boy Meets World)

3.) Sam & Mercedes (Glee)

T:

1.) Tiny & Shay (Degrassi)

2.) Tristan & Miles (Degrassi)

3.) TJ & Cyrus (Andi Mack)

U:

V:

1.) Victor & Tea (One Life to Live)

2.) Veronica & Cheryl (Riverdale)

3.) Veronica & Betty (Riverdale)

W:

1.) Willow & Tara (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

2.) Waverly & Smash (Friday Night Lights)

X:

1.) Xander & Sarah (Days of Our Lives)

2.) Xander & Anya (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Y:

1.) Yousef & Yana (Skam)

Z:

1.) Zig & Maya (Degrassi)

2.) Zoe & Grace (Degrassi)

3.) Zane & Riley (Degrassi)

[starryeyesxx]

[thisonesatellite]

i was tagged by the lovely and wonderful @booksandabeer . Thank you, darling. (Transatlantic is now officially on my watch list.)

last song: People of the Sun - Rage Against The Machine

Rage slaps harder than coffee and sometimes i need that in the morning.

last show: Shadow & Bone S2

Yes. i know i'm so behind. But last year work was such that i fell behind on everything and i've spent this whole year so far catching up. i have managed to binge Stranger Things S3 AND S4 (do you see how far behind i was?), Obi Wan, Book of Boba Fett, Mandalorian S3, and The Last of Us, as well as make a small dent in the back catalogue in the shape of Leverage, Leverage Redemption, Dopesick, and The Librarians. All since December. So do not come at me with my tardiness. i'm doing my best. 😘

last movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3

i have gone to see every single MCU movie since Iron Man on opening night and despite the MCU's descent into madness and disappointment i can't stop now, you feel me. Having said that i think that Guardians was a good movie, not least because it was refreshingly self contained. i loved the fact that for a change the entire Fate Of The Universe And Everyone In It did not hang in the balance. As Angela says in Bones, "Sometimes you don't save the world. Sometimes you just make your friend happy." EXACTLY.

Also, James Gunn listened to the exact same albums as a teenager as i did, i will die on that hill. Obscure 80s British post punk anyone? Late 70s Springsteen? Parliament, Cheap Trick, Spacehog, Faith No More, Three Dog Night, fucking X? The fact that Gunn plastered a The The song across one of the emotional turning points of this movie - i almost stood up and clapped. IN THE MOVIE THEATER. (i would never. i am the person who will ask you to stop talking if you sit next to me and don't shut up. And i will be firm about it.)

If Star-Lord ever returns to the tunes of New Model Army or Mother Love Bone, i will die.

currently watching: Justified and The Umbrella Academy S3.

Still trying to make a dent in the current and back-catalogue watchlist. Do not say the word Witcher in my presence. 😂 Or Ted Lasso, which i will binge the moment the last ep drops, no matter what series i'm in the middle of. Also, now i had to put @booksandabeer's rec Transatlantic on the list WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.

currently reading: DOES IT LOOK LIKE i HAVE TIME TO READ RIGHT NOW? i BARELY HAVE TIME TO WRITE. 😂 But actually, if audiobooks count, i'm listening to An Economic History of The World since 1400 (from The Great Courses), because macroeconomics are fucking fascinating, ok? i think macroeconomic trends, constraints, and ambitions are the only reason human beings as a whole have ever done anything, ever, (and by macroeconomics i don't mean money).

All this while a stack of books collects dust on my night stand.

current obsession: the aforementioned macroeconomics, stucky (there's the historical event AND a cold war east germany spy fic to write, i'm looking at you @bittersweet-in-boston). There is also an epic dramione idea i had last year which is starting to seriously snap at my heels. i might have to visit that sandbox again. (Forgive me @mysteriouscatstellation)

Also, how do i get rid of the need to sleep? Those are hours i could use, people. Anyone have tips?

Damn, this got so long. That was way more answer than any of you were looking for, wasn't it.

Absolutely zero-pressure-tags: @cable-knit-sweater, @crisis-froggo, @mwritesff, @voylitscope, @controlofwhatido, @ace-in-reserve

[anicomicgeek]

Zack Snyder and Bryan Singer Are Hypocrites

With all due respect to Zack Snyder (and I say this as someone who does like his DC films) and no respect whatsoever to Bryan Singer (the guy's a creep and asshole), both are hypocrites when it comes to superhero costumes in films — and ironically both come down to the same exact item and character:

During the filming of Man of Steel, Snyder said they tried to make the red trunks work, but that it didn't feel right with the world he wanted to make, resulting in this:

So what do he do in Batman V Superman, when it came to the Robin shrine?

He included the short-shorts that Dick Grayson and Jason Todd were known to wear.

Conversely, Signer's first foray into superhero films was the first X-Men film, which infamously included this poorly aged scene:

So what did he do when he did Superman Returns?

Yeah, you don't get to say "We couldn't make the trunks on Superman work" if your sequel establishes that Robin kept the short-shorts and you don't get to make that smarmy remark (as Bennett White put it) about Wolverine's classic costume if you're going to go on and do a faithful recreation of Superman's costume a few years later.

For the record, I do like the trunks and while I'm not looking forward to Gunn's upcoming DC films, I will give him props if he keeps them.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, November 13

AMANDA: I think we got punished. BUFFY: What? KENNEDY: (nervously) We, uh...we followed her. And it was- VI: It didn't work out. BUFFY: You guys, it was a trap. It's not her fault. That could've just as easily happened to me.

~~End of Days~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

BtVS Triple Drabble: Broken-Hearted by badly_knitted (Cordelia, Xander, PG)

Home Coming by Skyson (Buffy/Giles, E)

Desperate and Chained by JammySmut (Buffy/Spike, E)

Bloodbath by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, R)

Family by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Home Again by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Sacrifice by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Buffy's Chosen by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)

Worthy of Her Choosing by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, PG)

Mic Drop by Apache Firecat (Buffy/Spike, G)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Many, Many - ch. 1 by Nixiet (Buffy/Giles, E)

Streaming Life - ch. 1-2 by VerticalCouch (Giles/Jenny, Giles/Ethan, Giles/Jenny/Ethan, G)

When Faith Came to Town - ch. 1 by red_jacobson (Faith, Buffy/Xander/Cordelia, E)

Please Hold- My Soap is On by once_in_a_while (Giles/Spike, M)

The Shadow Within - Ch. 1 by Fmfan1980 (Faith, F/F, F/M, E)

[Podfic] Tatters - ch. 1 [reading of Tatters by Martha] by SEF_podfic (ATS ensemble, Stargate SG-1 and The Sentinel (TV) xover, T)

A Series of Fortunate Betrayals - ch. 2 by the_big_bad (Buffy/Spike, R)

The Big Bad...Poodle? - ch. 3 by EnchantedWillow (Buffy/Spike, R)

Mysterious Destinies - ch. 21 by EnchantedWillow (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

First Love - ch. 3 by Spikesgirl28 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Masquerade - ch. 3 by Holly (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Be Back Before Dawn - ch. 16 by Blissymbolics (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

First Love - Ch. 3 by Spikesgirl (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

Revelations - ch. 6 by Niamh (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Eyes Forward, Monster - ch. 1-8 [collection of one shots] by Desicat (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: i love you. no, you don't. but thanks for sayin' it. by tenderjock (Spike, worksafe)

Artwork: ive seen some of ur black buffy posts and theyre AMAZING... by pzyii (Dawn, worksafe)

Meme: [Willow] by paperpuzzles (Willow, worksafe)

Moodboard: moodboard: wesley x fred by courtillyy (worksafe)

Moodboard: moodboard: fred x wesley x gunn by courtillyy (worksafe)

Gifset: iwryfanficmarathon's 20th anniversary bangel + locations ↳ cemetery by ptieuca (Buffy/Angel, worksafe)

Gifset: [Buffy and Spike in Season 5] by clarkgriffon (Buffy/Spike, mostly worksafe)

Gifset w/script: ANGEL ✦ SCRIPT TO SCREEN ⇥ 3.13 “Waiting in the Wings” by cangelgifs (Angel/Cordelia, worksafe)

[Reviews & Recaps]

I find Showtime (episode 7x11)….bad? by Forward_Activity1473

[Recs & In Search Of]

Fic recs: Myriad Recs [Spuffy and Cangel fic recs] by apachefirecat

ISO: thequeenofsastiel needs some Spangel songs.

ISO: samandcolbyfan is looking for Caitlin and Barry or spike and Buffy RP anyone?

[Fandom Discussions]

Send me a ship to rate! [Buffy/Cordelia] by takaraphoenix

I would argue that Buffy is somehow even more [the most character ever] by paperpuzzles

Ask answered: does Zuko [from Avatar] remind you of Angel at all? by fishyupmywishy

POLL: Spangel or Spuffy? by thequeenofsastiel

POLL: which Buffyverse unpopular opinion do you at least partially agree with? by ohrupie

POLL: a little bit of a ship war but like... just for fun? best Buffy ship? by terapsina

What If: They said no? [to Wolfram and Hart] by nightshade and others

The First [was not a good Big Bad] by No_Introduction_4136

James Marsters Cameo (discussion) by nooneormaybesomeone

Anyone still listening to Rewatcher? [the podcast] by ewdayvid

Blu Rays on EBay [bootleg and discussion of HD and DVD] by bcakebeefcake

Jane Espenson episodes - what do you think of her humor? by foreseethefuture

... all the times someone asked [Buffy] what she/we should do. I found 18 by diehardnick

The greatest missed opportunity... [full BTVS and ATS crossover] by SnooSongs4451

[Spike gives you a choice:] staying dead, or being a vampire. What do you choose? by quoththeraven1990

Who has the best quotes in the show? by AnyNeck1885

[Buffy and Faith and fighting styles and Buffy vs. The Beast] by cigarettesonmars

Tara holding the Tower tarot card by rfresa

Five by Five - AtS S1E18 [how does Angel enter the apt?] by Physmo55

Dead Things [Katrina and injuries] by CleanUpOnAisle10

Wesley's most fierce "rogue demon hunter" moment, followed by hunger by sirtch_analyst

What's your headcanon for Angel and Buffy's reunion in S6? by porkchop_2020

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