#few advantages of the s3

[tearfest]

ㅤㅤit was supposed to work. their plan was supposed to work. a new trap built with the intentions of foiling their trap. but maritza was ever the optimist. maybe she should've given up on her glass half-full outlook when the plane had crashed fifty-something days ago, but she was smart — a tier two crime scene investigator for the las vegas police department with an iq of 132 — and so she thought she knew better. that she knew best.

ㅤㅤbut now she was on her third day as a prisoner, still stubbornly denying any offerings of food or drink her captors' attractive representative had to offer. clothes were dirtied from her traipse through the jungle, cargo pants torn in areas from where the brambles had snagged; golden tresses unruly and decorated with the occasional leaf. she was dying for a wash, and she'd heard rumours through the heavy doors whenever she was left alone that this place had an actual shower. a luxury she'd been starved of for far too long. wrists were bound, but her foot reached out to nudge the tray away from her corner; frowning across at the food that made her stomach grumble more every time she denied it. " i'll eat if you let me shower. " the first words she'd said during her captivity, a hoarse slip of desperation.

open to m/f/nb. lost season 2/3 inspired starter — maritza was on the plane when it crashed, and your muse is one of the others. doesn't have to follow the show to a t! their camp (or maybe just them alone) could've captured her for any reason so go wild!

[sherbertquake56]

So the C!Sherb playlist stream...

I know I literally just finished yelling about the playlist for 3 hours but I wanted to put out a lil smaller version hehe- so here are some of my top songs that I think are right on the nose...

Sharks by Imagine Dragons - [CORRUPTION ARC S1] I absolutely love this song for Ominous Bane messing with Athena, and just overall Athena's POV of the corruption arc. Favorite Line: "Take advantage of you niceness, cut you up in even slices"

The Main Character by Will Wood [PRISON ARC S2] This song is a perfect representation of Sherb's mental space after remembering in season 2. It's very "there are worse people than me, and therefore I can do no wrong! i can do anything and it will be good" and I eat it up-- Favorite Line: "Villians are everywhere, that's how I know that I'm the hero"

Moonsickness by Penelope Scott [END OF S2] For me, this is learning more about the wack and trying to fit into the role of Fable's child. It's the idea of trying so hard to bring back Haley and ending in just dead ends. Favorite Line: "But I make lemons out of lemonade..."

The Tornado by Owl City [UNLOCKED S3] The way I look at this song is that the weather and the storm is a metaphor for the wack. At the start, small changes are increasing leading to the wings shattering, and Fable finding them. (And then ya know the end section could totally by Icarus ascending hehehe) Favorite line: "But if I went home to heaven, at least that's where I'd belong"

Hero by Regina Spektor [CENTROSS DEATH S3] This song represents the direct spiraling after Centross fades away. Icarus is in shock and still processing what just happened (very poorly). Favorite Line: "I'm the hero of the story, don't need to be saved"

Solitary Confinement by Everybody's Worried About Owen [ISOLATION ARC S3] A representation of Icarus "being in too deep." it's the idea that just because they did choose this, that doesn't mean it's good for them. Favorite Line: "You cannot isolate me past the walls that I have built"

Ruin by The Amazing Devil [ICARIXIS ASCENSION S3] The female voice is Icarus, male voice is Midas. The song follows the full scene of Icarus entering the Worldport all the way until they are Quixis. (I absolutely love Midas's lines in this) Favorite Line: "Nothing quite prepares you for when they don't come back..."

Ghost Song by Ratwyfe [EPILOGUE] After ascending to quixis, this song is them being able to watch their world, but barely interact with it (like a ghost!). I have several songs with ghost imagery that I like for Icarixis but this one is by far the best. Favorite Line: "Trying to show the world I still exist..."

I love all of the songs on the playlist, but if you only listen to a few of them, make it these ones. I'll also drop the playlist link here (which you can find already on my youtube!)

...and if you made it this far I have a special treat for you! the link to my personal C!sherb playlist (not public)! theres some overlap but also some other ones :) my silly icarus playlist

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

So have any unpopular opinions about the owl house? Mine is that Gus should gotten more recognition in the show and the fandom.

i agree honestly, gus was a character with so much potential and they completely squandered that. but at least he got a few episodes centred around him, unlike bow who had no role in the story apart from being the emotional support and the occasional comic relief.

my unpopular opinion is that.. the fandom blames the disney executives too much. don't get me wrong, they definitely screwed over the show and refused to let dana give us the entire story she had planned out. but a lot of the bad writing in s2b and s3 (and heck, even in s1) was the entirety the writers' fault.

unlike some other shows, the creators toh actually got the opportunity to wrap up the story. there were a lot of shows that were just cancelled with no warning, and the creators never got to write a conclusion. in that sense, the writers of toh got lucky and they should have used that to their advantage.

especially in s3, all three episodes together had a longer runtime than that of a movie. and i believe disney announced the decision to cancel when s1 was almost over, so they had all the time in the world to plan things out and make a coherent plotline instead of focusing on rushed ships and fanservice.

i was so excited for s3 and it was sorely disappointing. belos went from being a complex three-dimensional villain to just your standard Big Bad™ with no motivation outside of pOwEr. hunter was given trauma after trauma to deal with, and none of it was addressed properly afterwards. huntlow was rushed and unnatural, and screwed over both characters involved. luz's whole epiphany and the palisman was extremely lackluster, and her palisman didn't even play a huge role in the narrative afterwards. titan luz was just a deus ex machina and went against the original message of the story, which was that “there is no chosen one”.

overall, i feel like the creators did a bad job of handling the story and fans should stop blaming everything on the show's cancellation. it's an easy excuse because they don't want to hold the writers accountable for their bad writing decisions.

[vampyrhics]

i know that people are somewhat nervous about how in ep 10, guillermo is still at cannon capital. i myself, am not all that concerned, because there's some groundwork in these episodes that i am paying a lot of attention to as we continue through the season. a few things:

one being that jordan uses the family language that we have seen used by guillermo in previous seasons, but never outwardly returned by the vampires. this to me signals that cannon capital are using his needs to take advantage of him (jordan also mentions how he shows up early and stays late, and it's obvious that this job is changing guillermo as a person in a bad way). guillermo, more than anything, has wanted a place to belong, but i think his arc is realizing that the vampires are his actual family, not this soul sucking workplace. there's a lot of capitalism red flags floating around in this season that are making me nervous, because the company obviously views guillermo as expendable (where the vampires begin to work with him because they view him as not expendable -- they all fight over his room, showing they miss him, and they all show up because they're afraid of guillermo losing his mind being in the normal human world).

on top of this, it is obvious that jordan is just fulfilling the place of nandor, which guillermo has been trying to find since no longer being a part of the vampire residence full-time (calling him "master" accidentally, arguing with nandor he's not at jordan's beck and call and then answering his literal phone call). which is ironic, because this also mirrors nandor's arc in the season, with the desperation of filling the hole of guillermo in his life (which we have witnessed many times before). they are still all about each other, even when desperately focusing on other things. this applies to the relationship that nandor is trying to have with the guide, especially since it's been established that she is no longer attracted to him (s3 wedding), thought he was the conquerer but realized he wasn't (s6, ep1), and overall has not been very receptive to this change in nandor (s6, ep3) when she tells him "bye" in an irritated tone. i don't think this will work out, just like all other relationships for nandor that are not guillermo.

lastly, they are on equal footing this season more than ever before. there is no longer any "professional" involvement between them, they are just two people who were a part of each other's life for a long time, and all the complications of that. also, i think it is fair to note that kayvan has stated that they're acting a lot like exes -- how nandor can't accept that guillermo's new way of life does not include him, and in nandor's mind, it has to. he can't let guillermo go, and he doesn't want to either, and i think deep down -- guillermo is in the same boat. he helps fix vampire problems still despite saying that he wouldn't, offers a place for nandor to sit and talk when he's clearly upset (also that richard nixon speech says some things about how he feels about guillermo leaving him, even in a very fucked up roundabout way), and tries to keep nandor from being fired because he knows it will hurt nandor's feelings. is this aligned with someone who is truly over the vampires? i think not!

anyway, i have a feeling this will come to a head at some point, and it seems the promotion is going to be when that happens. also, to be noted -- that's not the last episode of the season, so chances are, we will see where the fallout goes. but how will that shake out? i don't know, but i do hope that all this setup is going somewhere because there's a ton of it this season whereas we used to not get any except a few moments here and there. this season's soul is literally the dynamic between nandor and guillermo, so i assume that this will pay off (we hope).

[arson-is-chill-actually]

I know everyone has their own hopes for the rest of AvA S3, but this is mine:

At some point, victim puts Second into the Box as an attempt to go through the same song and dance they did with Chosen. And they lose the fight. BADLY.

The main factor at play here that dictates why Vic would win against Chosen but lose against Second is simply because Chosen is always reliant on his powers. Up until The Box, Chosen was always able to use his powers for fights, which makes not being able to all the more distressing for him, subsequently giving victim an easier fight.

Meanwhile, Second has gone through their entire life with no powers whatsoever. But they are still an excellent fighter despite that. Hell, they were the hollowhead that got the closest to beating Alan, and they were just as powerless as victim was in AvA ep 1!

On top of that, they are amazing at using their environment to their advantage and shifting strategies on the fly. They are basically the main character in a Jackie Chan movie.

BUT VIC DOESN’T KNOW THAT.

VIC GOES INTO THE FIGHT ONLY KNOWING ABOUT THEIR POWERS.

So victim takes Second into the Box, Agent turns all of their powers off, they spawn a few weapons to beat down Second with, but they don’t see the right hook going straight into their jaw.

They trade blows back and forth, Second displaying their fighting prowess every step of the way, and it ends with Vic getting hit so hard that they fly backwards out of the Box like a cartoon character.

That is my hope for AvA S3.

[bird-inacage]

A Jeff Satur Gifset | Call Me by Fire S3 EP3: Team Leader Jeff

I'm so proud of him! Having the role of leader thrust upon you, and stepping into it full force is hugely admirable. It would be completely natural to feel intimidated by all these older, more experienced artists in his group. But despite being a self-confessed introvert, Jeff is leading with a clear voice and vision of what he would like his team to achieve. It's a huge advantage that he's a strong all-rounder, which means he can provide a pretty informed opinion on most aspects of performance.

It turns out that he's also a smart cookie.

Jeff Satur (28), Singer/Actor

Xin (52), Singer

Hu Bing (52), Model/Singer/Actor

Lan Zhen Long 'Blue' (44), Actor

A' Pu (38), Singer/Songwriter

Shou Zi 'E.SO' (36), Rapper

Dan Ke (31), Rapper

Ma Bo Qian 'Victor' (27), Singer/Actor

(Note: There's a running joke in this show that they make the rules as convoluted as possible. So much so that an overwhelming majority of the contestants often have a hard time catching onto what it all means and how to best strategise within the rules. There's usually a select few who are the masterminds with high IQs. The 'auctioning' of songs is usually a hysterical hot mess, but Jeff caught on real fast).

[stephsageek]

So, like most unhinged people on the internet (content creators), I had a visceral creative reaction to something I love, namely, The Umbrella Academy. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with some of the writer's choices, but I will always love TUA. I do plan on creating some fanart, but that'll take a while since my style can be labor intensive. I also have a billion story ideas swirling around in my head, including an extension on the show's canon ending where all the Brellies and Sparrows are reincarnated, and another that explores Five and Lila's 7 years on the subway, to another that will be about the 6 years between s3 and s4. Here's is but a taste of one them:

"Much Longer Than Six Years, Five Months, and Two Days"

Summary: Some people believe an affair starts when two people cross the line and become physical with one another. Five and Lila knew better. Looking back, this ‘thing’ between him and Lila had begun much longer than six years, five months, and two days ago. If either of them had been capable of being honest with themselves, they might have been able to admit, it had started from the very beginning.

This is my take on all the years Five and Lila have known each other from the beginning of Season 2 to the events of episode five of Season 4 of The Umbrella Academy. It will be told from alternating POV’s. None of these characters are mine, nor any quotes from the show itself.

Chapter 1: Day One

Five stood across the street, tucked behind the corner of a building observing his brother and some unknown woman, sitting in a car and watching the Texas School Book Depository of all places.

It had taken pathetically little effort to locate his brother.

It had taken Five a few minutes of searching his memory to realize the significance of said building and when he did, he had squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed a tired palm across his face.

Lee Harvey Oswald.

Was Diego really that eager to get arrested again? Did he really think his hero complex was going to do anything besides get his ass thrown in prison or worse?

Fuck that. I spent way too much time and energy just to find your God damn corpse again, ya knucklehead.

Five sighed, trying to focus on listening to them talk, gauging whether or not he needed to step in before the no-brained-wonder could get himself into trouble.

“All right, here’s the plan: Oswald finishes his shift at 4:30 p.m.”

Five rolled his eyes. Is that numbskull fucking serious? What’s he gonna do? Grab ‘em and drag ‘em into the car?

“Once he walks out those doors, we force him into the front seat.”

Five smacked his forehead.

Beside Diego, the woman was biting her nails.

Five furrowed his eyebrows as he watched her. Who the hell is that? And why the hell is she with my idiot brother?

Five tilted his head as he considered her.

He had to admit, he could understand why his brother was hanging around her. She was very pretty.

He narrowed his eyes.

‘Very pretty’ can be very useful to someone who knows how to use that to their advantage.

Especially around blithering morons with ‘mommy issues.’

Five tried to focus on what they were saying, straining his hearing from where he was observing them.

“You’re gonna pin his arms, I’m gonna cut off his trigger finger and tell him he has 24 hours to exit Dallas.”

That’s your plan? Five thought incredulously. What the fuck is that gonna do? What if he’s ambidextrous, ‘ya idiot?! Five found himself blown away by his own sibling's ridiculous logic.

“That’s your plan?” the woman spoke his thought out loud, her tone mirroring his own bewilderment.

“You got a problem with it?” Diego countered with an edge to his voice, indicating his displeasure at his lame-ass plan being called out.

“Well, why don’t we just kill him?” the woman wondered.

Exactly! Why complicate things? Five found himself silently agreeing.

“What?” Diego questioned, his expression shocked and judging.

Five’s mouth twisted in annoyance.

He didn’t know why Diego was acting so surprised, acting as though the umbrella academy hadn’t killed a room full of bank robbers when they rightfully should have still been in middle school.

Five didn’t enjoy killing—never had. But if Diego was going to sit there and act all high and mighty while planning to kidnap a man and cut his finger off, Five was gonna belt him on principle alone.

He listened as the woman clarified that the whole reason they were even going after Oswald in the first place was because Diego thought he was going to shoot the president.

When Diego confirmed this, she replied simply, “Put a bullet between his eyes. Problem solved.”

Five found himself nodding. Clean, simple, straightforward. It’s how any professional worth his salt would approach the problem.

Five paused.

It was not, however, how any sane, rational human being would approach the problem.

It was how an assassin would solve the problem.

Five lifted an eyebrow, his instincts kicking into high gear.

How very convenient for some beautiful mysterious woman to somehow take an interest in his shaggy-headed brother, who had at one time had no more exalted words to say about the woman he had purported to love than she, ‘had great legs’ and a ‘cute butt.’

How very strange that this same woman would have the exact same instincts Five had when it came to solving problems when he had been trained for the explicit purpose of murdering inconvenient individuals since he was a toddler.

The Commission, he thought grimly. It has to be.

“Oh, no, no, we’re not going to kill a man before he’s committed a crime,” Diego argued.

“That’s stupid,” the woman said the same thing Five was thinking, so simultaneously Five thought he’d spoken the words out loud himself.

Five pursed his lips.

He wasn’t sure who this woman was, but at least she wasn’t a moron.

Five found himself snorting at her comments about Diego being ‘an open book written for very dumb children.’

He was inclined to agree.

Okay, so she’s mildy amusing, smart, and pretty.

Five rolled his neck.

Alright. Enough dicking around. Let’s go say ‘hi,’ to Diego’s mystery woman.

Five was fairly certain that this broad was a plant. Someone sent by the Commission to keep eyes on him and had apparently seen fit to do so by using bargain batman.

Well, there's only one way to find out for sure. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on her. At least she's nice to look at.

[perexcri]

fic recs!!

i woke up to being on a couple of fic rec lists and really appreciated it, so i wanted to capitalize on the nice energy and make a list of some of my own favs that i've read recently that i didn't necessarily see on the other lists :D check these out because they have some of the best prose/plots/characterization that i've read in the fandom :] 💜

one soft infested summer (M, 18k+, 3/7 ongoing) by @wheelersboy - this one is perfect for all the highler fans out there! it's got stoner byler of course, a music festival, lots out camping, and some really amazing writing! i started it just for the fun stoner vibes because Why Not, but i'm staying for the beautiful writing and the really complex and delicate relationship mike and will have in this one

Light Sleepers (T, 15k+, 2/6 ongoing) by @helioleti - WillEl-centric fic set during the time gap between the end of s3 and the beginning of s4 that explores their dynamic and their respective problems with mike, all while trying to cope with moving across the country from everything they know. each chapter is meant to reflect a certain stage of grief, which fits so well with all the complicated emotions everyone is going through!

drank my poison all alone (T, 4k, one-shot) by silverluminoqity - mike gets vecna'd and has to face his past self who's ashamed of who he's grown up to be, and my dudes the writing goes SO HARD. by far one of the best mike gets vecna'd fics i've read with such a good take on his character

star eater (T, >1k, one-shot) by @lowlightt - another fic where the writing does not play. honestly if you have a few minutes, READ THIS FIC. it's mostly just a confrontation between will and vecna, but it's so so powerful and impactful. and again, i cannot state it enough: the writing is AMAZING

tell me again (you said yes) (M, 32k, 3/3 complete) by @willow-lark - hey remember when cleradin was like a Thing for a brief second a few months ago? well if you miss those vibes, or if you just like great writing and some of the best weaving of canon into a fantasy au i've ever read, please look no further than this fic (and it's first part, fireball him! (cast protection)). i love this one dearly and enjoyed the wonderful ways Lark wove canon (specifically s1) into such a different setting, plus it was nice to see many of the other characters play a role in the events. beautiful, astounding, heart-wrenching - and did i mention there's an elopement 👀

In Undertow (M, 17k+, 3/6 on-going) by @souverian-are-we - this and one soft infested summer have become my summer byler reads~ when i say i love this fic, i mean you will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands 🥰 we've got estranged byler, jancy engagement with some stoncy going on in the background, and most of the characters still reeling from the consequences of their final battle with the upside down. it's all set at a lake house, which provides some breathtaking/atmospheric writing that this author uses to their advantage. it has some of my favorite scenes i've ever read in fic too, ones that have literally taken my breath away

california show your teeth (T, 77k+, 10/19 on-going) by @fireflywitch - what if the Byers and Hopper families were from Lenora and moved to Hawkins? this fic takes this one simple premise and turns it into one of my favorite fics i've ever had the pleasure of following along with. it essentially functions as a retelling of s1 and s2, gives almost every main character that's been featured in the show thus far a lot of time and space for their own plots, all while culminating into one larger story underneath. i don't think i've read a fic quite like this one in terms of its scope, plotting, and characterization, because there are a lot of moving parts, but this author goes above and beyond. i cannot recommend it enough

all i know is pouring rain (and everything has changed) (T, 3k, one-shot) by @willelfanpage - i think i read this one at the beginning of my workday while i was running some report on my computer and had to go about the rest of my day as if everything was fine ahah :'D seriously though, it's 3k words that pack an emotional punch all while examining will's relationship to rain. the writing is just gorgeous, and it's a character study that i haven't really seen done before, which was quite enjoyable~

Chasing Heartlines by (T, 7k+, 1/2 on-going) @cherryisgone - if you liked Tip-Toeing on Lilypads then may i direct you to its sequel, which features so much pining mike that he might as well be a tree? again, if you like cleradin/fantasy aus, then Cherry my beloved has you covered 💜 it fits so neatly with Lilypads and provides some fun contrast between will and mike~

Touch Me Like You Know Me (M, 15k, 4/4 complete) by @starsarefire824 - this exists in the rare pantheon of fics that actually made me cry. imagine an estranged byler reunion with all the emotions turned up to an eleven, and lots of lingering on lost time and how life sometimes takes us places we never thought we'd go. it's absolutely beautiful and is a classic to me :]

come back to me and forgive everything (T, 78k, 18/18 complete) by @howtobecomeadragon - i saw a lot about this one when it was on-going but am only just now getting around to reading it, and all i can say is why did it take me so long to get to it :') this author does such a good job of writing will and mike's relationship with a lot of nuance and complexity while still managing to make them feel like the teenagers they are. basically, will has to spend every july at lonnie's house in indianapolis, and for this summer in particular, the event is a lot more emotionally impactful for both mike and will. there's lots of emotional depth, the complexities of coming out and/or realizing you're queer, and, at the heart of it, how two friends try to mend things between each other. it's so soft and sweet

that's all i've got for now!! i'm quickly running out of time on my lunch break :'D also haven't been writing as much, but it's been fun to read more and relax a bit. hope you guys enjoy these because they're genuinely some of the best stuff i've had the pleasure to read in a while 💜💜💜

[cloneshipping-collector]

brief crosshunt thoughts because @wolveria has turned me to the dark side into a crosshunt girlie

so like i think that crosshair and hunter were a thing all throughout their time in the field. maybe it took a few weeks or months to make it official, but there was always something there and the entire squad knew it

then order 66 happened.

crosshair and hunter went to find caleb together, each believing that the other was on their side. hunter saw crosshair take the shot and realized, for the first time in their lives, something had shifted between them.

he tried to brush it off. ignore the feeling. but crosshair kept pushing. “you sure that padawan died when he fell?” “Hunter let that jedi kid escape. or do you want to keep lying to us?”

then they were sent to onderon and hunter knew that the two of them couldn’t go back to the way they were. he remembered the young clone the squad found on kamino and knew he had to save her.

we all know what happened when they went back to kamino. the batch got detained and crosshair got taken away to enhance his chip.

hunter had to have wanted to go find him and get his love back. he probably felt so betrayed when he saw crosshair in the imperial armor. he wanted crosshair to come with them, but in the moment, the best decision for his squad was to leave as soon as possible.

when hunter got taken by the empire towards the end of season one, i wonder if crosshair was hoping they could return to being lovers, just under the empire instead of the republic. they had missed each other more than words could describe. as much as they missed each other, there was a hurt that was just a bit stronger than the loneliness.

at the end of season one, when crosshair once again chose the empire over his squad, his batch mates, his hunter, he probably never expected that he’d see his (now former) love again. hunter probably felt the same way.

they both went their separate ways and had their own adventures.

crosshair thought he might’ve fallen in love again, only to have that comfort brutally ripped from his hands.

hunter focused on finding a place that he (and his squad) belonged in the galaxy.

they had accepted the fact that they’d never see each other again.

until tech found out that crosshair had been taken to tantiss.

after the failed mission to eriadu, tech was killed, omega was taken, and crosshair was seemingly lost as well. all of these factors very obviously took a heavy toll on hunter between seasons 2 and 3.

imagine the shock when crosshair stepped off of the ship that hunter’s daughter omega had just come off of. imagine all of the rage, betrayal, mourning, excitement, everything that came rushing to both of them.

it would take a while, but they were finally given another chance with each other, and they were going to take full advantage of it.

tl;dr: s1 e1 was kinda a crosshunt breakup, s1 e16 was a PROPER crosshunt breakup, s3 e4 they finally got a chance to be together again but really had to work to overcome everything that had separated them

….theres a reason i’m not a fanfic author lol, take my poorly structured word vomit over these gays

[long-lost-mcguffin]

biff its still june trust what flavour of lgbt sandwich do each of the ninja eat

my joke answers

zane: it’s/it nonbinary

jay: he/him cishet

kai: she/her cishet

nya: she/they bisexual

cole: he/him cis gay

lloyd: they/them ace and cishet

pixal: they/she nonbinary

srs answer under cut i go into way more detail LOL

zane

-he/him

-androgynous with a slight masc lean. he doesn’t go for very femme/masc outfits unless the situation calls for it. that’s not to say he dislikes that sort of fashion, it’s just not his thing. he prefers simple clothes with simple designs and fits. he LOVES suits though, they make him feel mature.

-demiromantic heterosexual. very monogamous, politely shuts down all fan attempts to flirt with him. he gushes about pixal every chance he gets in interviews.

jay

-they/he

-non-binary with heavy masc presentation. realized they weren’t as cishet as they thought they were when he started dating nya. they felt like masculinity was an act they had to put up out of insecurity. over time he got more comfortable with masculinity(with nya’s help). he likes flamboyant clothing and gets a lot of fashion inspiration from vintage magazines.

-bisexual. with the support of nya(before and after their s3 breakup) he started experimenting romantically and sexually. when he started getting semi-famous for tv stuff, they definitely used it to his advantage to get hookups and paid it off with hush money. it fueled their ego in a very hollow way.

kai

-preference for he/him but it’s not that important to him

-is also very nonchalant about his gender, but his fashion style is function over literally everything else. his bright yellow skirt has deeper pockets than his cargo pants? he’ll wear it.

-questioning. considered himself hetero comfortably for a very long time, then after meeting skylor started to think about experimentation. he’s a flirt for the show of it, but actual romance and intimacy makes him VERY shy. dude is hella suppressed.

nya

-she/he

-always considered herself a very masc tomboy, she looked up to kai a lot during their childhood and sorta subconsciously modeled himself presentation-wise after her older brother. sooner or later he identified as trans-masc and started using t-gel around s7. she’s also very function-oriented in her clothing but the aesthetics are a little higher on the list compared to his brother.

-also considered herself heterosexual for a very long time, but it wasn’t until after zane’s death in s3 that she really questioned his own sexuality. she did car odd-jobs around ninjago city for money and met all varieties of people doing it. eventually settled on pansexual with a preference for masc people.

cole

-he/him

-trans man. loves his masculinity and being a teddy bear. started crying when he grew in a patchy beard because it was so euphoric. started doing testosterone in secret pre-s1 and got bottom surgery during s7. there was a lot of cake when he got home from the hospital.

-knew from a very young age that he was not straight. wanting to rebel, he started sneaking out with the boys/girls from his dance classes during recital rehearsals. after zane’s death in s3 when he moved to the forest, he started to realize how gay he was being around all the shirtless men.

lloyd

-all pronouns, no preference.

-intersex, didn’t really give his gender much thought until after s5 when she began feeling SEVERE impostor syndrome and dysphoria after morro’s possession. began a process of “reclaiming” her body by binding her chest for a while(with cole’s help), which then lead to t-shots and top surgery. now identifies as non-binary with a masc lean.

-bisexual with a heavy preference for women. she definitely wrote a few fritz donnegan x reader in their Darkely’s note books. Had a few crushes on some of their fellow students, but never really pursued them for fear of being not evil enough. becoming the green ninja and getting super famous overnight means he got a LOT of fans asking him on dates. after the first 8 failed dates, they stopped being interested in romance until harumi.

pixal

-she/he

-demiromantic pansexual. like his partner, very monogamous and is not interested in anybody else. she experiences aesthetic attraction often and loves fashion as gender expression. gives compliments on outfits as often as he can.

-genderfluid. designed herself a bunch of different outfits while in zane’s mind when she had the time. he wanted to try masculine clothes for a very long time, but was worried zane wouldn’t be attracted/supportive. being samurai x was her avenue to discovering gender fluidity, and after revealing himself as samurai x, came out to zane in private. he supported them full-heartedly and lent her some of his clothes.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Actually, i think it's closer to a year or more for how long Bai He was possessed. Which is honestly terrifying because why the hell did nobody notice or set up any missing child posters!?

Also, LBD probably didn't know Wukong was, well, a Spiritual Stone Monkey. So she ended up with the most interesting bit of fortune by picking a child to possess, not only because Bai He was the easy target, but because she had inadvertently managed to give herself and inate advantage against Sun Wukong by using the body of a child. As she had said Wukong,

"You're plan is to... fist fight a child!?"

No... not that's not what Wukong's plan was. But it was the only plan he had left. And with LBD piloting a child's body and openly admitting she's a child, she gave herself the advantage with that line alone. Because Wukong may have been going strong it with everything he had, not holding back, but when it came down to it, he hesitated. And it's entirely because his instincts were screaming at him not to do it.

I have no doubt Wukong was pretty messed up mentally and emotionally after being freed from the LBD, notvjyst from the actions he performed while possessed (Grievously wounding his mate, attacking his little big brother Nez Ha and nephew Red Son, kidnapping Mei snd imprisoning her in ice, almost killing MK), but also for his actions right before being possessed. I think, before Macaque has dragged Bai He into the nest, Wukong may have actively avoiding the child he had tried to kill. But then his silly mate bad to go and force the two into the same spot.

Oh Bai He has been under LBD's control since before New Years, and I feel like S2 & 3 is extended over a few weeks to account for Wukong's "vacation".

One subtle detail I noticed at the end of S1 is that the Little Girl's hair is shorter before she's possessed, suggesting that LBD has been possessing her long enough for it to grow out.

And since Wukong describes "still feeling her [LBD] under my skin", I imagine being possesed felt like Bai He's very skeleton was being puppeted by an icy hand.

For months.

And there was no sign of missing persons posters anywhere around town post-S1 finale. Even though Metropolis is a big city on par with Shanghai or similar, and demon/monster attacks have become commonplace; there would still have been something mentioned about a child going missing in the area. Unless no one was looking out for her...

Bai He would Not Be Fine in the aftermath of S3. She was possessed by a demon for nearly a year - that has to leave lasting effects on the body and soul. I'm shocked that she didn't return in S4 as a full character, even just to provide an outsiders view of all the nonsense going on. She isn't anyone's reincarnation or anyone important, but she will help her new friends by anymeans nessesary!

Wukong def feels awkward being around the little girl seeing how his nemesis was wearing her face for the last while. Bai He on the otherhand is screaming internally cus "Doesn't this guy kill demons for a living!? I'm a demon now!"

She oddly bonds quicker with Macaque, as they both see each other as victims/tools of LBD at the end of the day. Macaque thinks it's oddly cute annoying to have the pipsqueak at his heels, but he at least owes her someone who can related to the pain she's feeling.

[queen-haq]

Fic: Never You, Part 8 (Polin fic)

Fandom: Bridgerton (TV show)

Spoilers: S3 released scenes.

Summary: They may have been friends once but his callous words decimated their relationship. Determined not to have anything to do with him, Penelope is ready to move on. But Colin isn’t giving up, not at all. Friends or not, they are connected for life - and he intends to remind her of that.

Excerpt:

“You would hate me for not wanting to court you. You would be that selfish?”

“Of course you would think that.”

“What else is this if not punishment?”

Masterlist (contains links to previous parts and my other stories)

A03 link if that's more your jam

With her heart and mind in complete shambles the next day, the last place Penelope wanted to be at was the Bridgerton Manor. But there she was, cushioned between Lady Violet and her own mother for afternoon tea. As if things weren’t difficult enough, the Cowpers were also in attendance, which meant she was forced to watch Eloise and Cressida act like the best of friends. Occasionally Eloise would glance at her from the other side of the room, as if to gauge her reaction. The optimistic part of Penelope hoped it was because her former friend still cared, but the cynic in her knew otherwise. Eloise wanted to make it crystal clear that Penelope was alone now. Without Eloise, without the Bridgertons, she was an outsider. And who better to emphasize that point with than Cressida Cowper herself. The tall blonde had bullied Penelope since they were little girls, and now Eloise had joined forces with Satan herself. As if on cue, Cressida cast her a disparaging glance, whispering something in Eloise’s ears before both women exchanged a spiteful smile.

It was one thing to have Eloise be angry at her, that Penelope understood and could live with, but to see Eloise and Cressida’s blossoming friendship felt like an arrow through the heart. And it hurt, it hurt so much.

The night of the ball Penelope would’ve done anything to reconcile with Eloise, but since then she came to realize a lot of hard truths. The ton, Eloise, Colin – they only accepted her as long as she followed their rules. A woman like her, shy and large, not borne into wealth or beauty wasn’t allowed to want things. She had to remain voiceless, live in the shadow of others, not expect to be loved or cherished. The moment she refused to play the part of an insipid wallflower she was punished. And that was fine, she would live with the consequences of the choices she made. But what she wouldn’t do was reveal her pain for anyone’s enjoyment. So Eloise could be as snide as she wanted, she and Cressida could humiliate her to their heart’s content but they would never conquer her publicly.

“Penelope, you looked lovely at the VanGuard soiree.”

Breaking out of her reverie, Penelope smiled at Lady Violet. “Thank you.”

“The various shades of green have been a surprise,” Portia chimed in, sipping her tea. “I wasn’t with Penelope the day she went to the modiste and Miss Delacroix certainly took advantage of that. Probably talked my foolish child into buying all the unused fabrics she couldn’t sell to others.”

“I doubt Miss Delacroix has to resort to trickery to sell her clothes,” Penelope replied.

“She is very much in demand as a dressmaker,” Lady Violet added.

“Hmph…” was her mama’s response. “I suppose it could have been much worse. At least the green doesn’t wash out her complexion too much.”

Violet responded with a stiff smile. “I thought it suited her quite well.” She turned to Penelope. “We’ve missed having you here for tea.”

Penelope merely smiled.

“I suppose my Cressida has kept Eloise so busy these past few weeks she hasn’t had time for… others.” Penelope had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at Lady Cowper. The apple certainly didn’t fall far from the condescending tree.

“I’m sure that will be rectified soon,” Lady Violet replied, a hopeful tilt to her voice.

Penelope didn’t have the heart to tell her things had irrevocably changed. Eloise refused to understand her motivations, and Penelope wasn’t willing to fall on her sword to make things right between them.

“Mother, Cressida and I are going to take a stroll in the gardens,” Eloise announced, linking her arms through Cressida's as they both headed out of the room.

Lady Violet’s warm eyes gleamed with compassion as she directed her attention back to Penelope. “Would you like to join them?”

That was the last thing she wanted. “Is it alright if I visit the library?”

“Yes, of course.”

The stern look on Portia’s face indicated she wasn’t happy about Penelope spending time in the stuffy Bridgerton library but Penelope didn’t care. It was a room she loved, filled with many warm, comforting memories of happier times.

Excusing herself, she walked away from the prying eyes of the mothers, desperate for a moment alone. Her stomach was still tied in knots, her head pounding. She had stayed awake most of the night in Colin’s arms, inhaling him in and etching everything about him to her memory. At the same time her guilty conscience had warred with her heart, reminding her of the horrible mistake she was making. It was only when fatigue took over that she managed to get some sleep. By the time she woke up Colin had already left, and she had spent the morning agonizing over what to tell Arthur.

Penelope quietly walked to the library, grateful it was in the opposite wing from where the bedchambers were. The last thing she needed was to run into Colin; after last night, she was too embarrassed to face him.

Stepping inside the library, she shut the door behind. She closed her eyes. Breathed in the air, the smell of books infusing her senses. Sunlight peeked in through the windows, casting shadows across the room. As children she and Eloise had spent countless hours playing hide and seek between the shelves. This room had also been a haven when Mama and Papa fought, or those days Mama had been especially harsh about her eating habits. Penelope would sneak away and make her way into the Bridgerton library through the gardens and the back door, desperate for a quiet place to simply be.

She crossed the room, walking to the window which overlooked the south section of the garden. Staring out, she caught a glimpse of Cressida and Eloise walking together, engaged in deep conversation. It was Cressida’s facial expression that caught her attention. The blonde, usually so smarmy and full of herself, seemed almost shy next to Eloise, even vulnerable. Apparently they were friends.

Taking a deep breath, she walked further into the room, behind the shelves, to the hidden alcove.

Her heart was heavy, her mind still fraught with guilt. She had spent the morning writing and rewriting to Arthur, debating on how much to tell him. In the end, she decided to keep it short.

I made a mistake. One I’m not sure you can forgive me for. It’s best if we speak in person.

Tears welled in her eyes, her throat tightened with emotion.

As hurtful as Colin’s words had been about not courting her, at least they finally revealed what his true thoughts were. He didn’t love her, nor would he ever, and no amount of wishing would make it so. And ultimately, his honesty had been a gift because it allowed her to get through the pain and open her mind to pursue someone new. She hadn’t gone looking for Arthur, but when he’d come into her life she hadn’t closed herself off either. She may not have loved him madly like Colin but she held deep affection for him. There was also mutual respect between them and friendship. He understood what writing meant to her and pledged his full support, and that was a rare quality amongst men in their society. She had so much to look forward to and it was all gone now, completely eviscerated because of her own foolishness.

Tears fell down her cheeks while she pondered the bleak future ahead of her. Without any marriage prospects, she was doomed to be a spinster. Unlike Eloise, she wanted a husband and children, a contented marriage, a home where she would finally belong. As a spinster, however, she would most likely spend the rest of her life with Portia and be the sole recipient of her mother’s criticisms. Oh God. No, no, no, just the thought of that made her panic. Heart pounding, she clutched her chest, utterly dejected about her broken dreams.

“Pen? What’s wrong?”

She turned around to find Colin standing a few feet away. She swiped the tears from her face, quickly composing herself. “Nothing, I just have some dirt in my eyes.” While he crossed the room in only a few strides, she gave him a cursory smile. Seeing the concern on his face, she quickly averted her eyes away from him. “I need to return to the sitting room. Mama must be waiting for me.”

“You’ve been crying.” There was fear in his voice when he spoke. “What’s wrong?

She shook her head. “I’m fine-”

“I know I haven’t been a good friend to you recently. I wasn’t there when your father passed, I’ve been callous with your feelings – but please, Pen, give me a chance to help you. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Despite using all her resolve to hold it together, she started to shake. The lump in her throat made it impossible to speak. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her tears in check. She couldn’t bear for him to see her when she was feeling so low and pathetic.

All of a sudden his arms wrapped around her, enveloping her in a warm, comforting hug. “It’s alright. You don’t need to tell me, you don’t fully trust me yet. But please let me hold you for a while?”

It may have been posed as a question, yet his tight embrace indicated he wouldn’t let go even if she refused. And she tried, she tried to hold onto her pride and fight him off, but he was stronger and more resolute and eventually she gave in. The solace he offered made her crumble and she buried her face in his chest, crying silently in his arms.

For the longest while he simply hugged her, murmuring tender words, dropping light kisses on the crown of her head. He felt so strong yet gentle, offering his support, and her heart yearned for him. If only he could love her, want her for who she truly was. She let herself indulge in that fantasy for a few minutes, pondering life with him as his wife, being family with the Bridgertons, even having Eloise back as her best friend. She could continue to write, and they would be supportive without judging her. Her life would be perfect, she would never need for anything again.

Time held no meaning. All she felt was the warmth of his touch, his scent blanketing her senses, making her feel safe and secure in his grasp. Nestled in his arms, she listened to his heartbeat. Strong, slow, steady. Whereas her heart was pounding rapidly, like it always did when she was around him. A stark reminder of how much she was affected by him, whilst he wasn’t at all by her.

And that was enough for her mind to stop dwelling in the fantasy of Colin. There was never any possibility of a future with him. And she was absurd for letting herself daydream about it.

The tears stopped. A calm logic fell over her.

She took a deep breath.

Her foolish heart may have cost her a future with Arthur but that didn’t mean she was out of options.

She had amassed a small fortune already. And with any luck, the investments she made would continue to grow in value. While nothing would change her status as a spinster, that didn’t mean she had to live with Mama for the rest of her life. She could leave and build a life elsewhere, without her mother’s approval. In secret if she had to.

It wouldn’t be easy, but not impossible. After all, she had built Lady Whistledown from nothing. And now her nom de plume was one of the most influential names in the ton.  She was Penelope Featherington and she could do anything she set her mind to.

“Who made you cry, Penelope?”

His words instantly brought her back to reality, and she was reminded of how desperately she was clinging to him. Immediately she dropped her arms, intending to step back but he didn’t release his grip on her. Instead, he tucked his finger under her chin and nudged her head up to meet his gaze.

It was then she noticed the dark storm brewing in his gaze. There was anger in his eyes, on his face, his jaw clenched. The Colin she grew up with was cheery and affable, equally popular amongst ladies and gentlemen of the ton because of his friendly nature. But he wasn’t the same man staring back at her now, seething with rage, a strange viciousness vibrating off of him.

“No one gets to hurt you, Penelope.”

He wasn’t loud or boisterous with his threat, instead his tone was quiet which made his words even more dangerous. Because he wasn’t putting on an act. He meant every word.

His thumb swiped the tear stains from her cheeks, first left, then right, before trailing down to her lips. His breathing grew more shallow with every second, and his eyes held her transfixed, making it impossible for her to look away from him. She was his prisoner, body and soul.

“Tell me who it was.”

She swallowed audibly. “Why do you care?”

“Because you're everything to me.” His arms encircled her back, pulling her against him. “And I will destroy the fucking world before I let someone hurt you again."

There was no time to argue, to think. A palpable force compelled them together, as real as the air they breathed. His lips closed over hers, kissing her possessively, and she kissed him back with equal fervor, desperate to touch him. The pull between them was too much, yet not enough. His hands all over her body, pulling at her dress, hers frantically removing his waistcoat and shirt because she wanted – no, needed – to feel his bare skin on hers again. They were spiraling towards full madness. Nothing else mattered except his mouth dragging down her neck, trailing a path of heated kisses. On his knees now, she clutched his hair as his mouth sought out her breasts. The friction from his mouth laving her hardened nipple over the fabric of her dress was electric. She couldn’t take it, rolling her head back at the sheer intensity of it. 

"Colin! What are you doing?”

Penelope's eyes flew open. 

Standing on the other side of the room was Eloise, watching them with complete horror on her face.  

[hybbat]

I think black sails' main major flaw to me is how little focus the crews themselves get, despite how much of the story is focused on their approval and loyalty. Like the Walrus's crew all had names and I believe consistent actors and they just did not take advantage of it as much as could have been.

We get told they trust Silver at the end of s2 more than we see it and despite Silver placing his worth in their opinion of him and it driving his character for most of s3 we don't see much of his relationship with them, and the near absence of this aspect of his character goes almost unnoticed in all the plot of s4. Nevermind the other crews who at most got a named quartermaster and mostly rotated the rest of the cast throguh the ships.

Black Sails' writing is incredibly tight but I think in some ways it's almost too tight, as we only get glimpses and brief moments of telling and not showing of characters that could have done more for the story. As it is, though, walrus crew are mostly a singular mass who we get told have divided opinions but except a representative for negative sentiments that can be killed off to show the conflict's end the crew always function together at the command of whoever has spoken. You never know what Joji thinks, and just have to take for granted that he doesn't speak english and goes with whatever for survival's sake without much of a personal opinion on the nonsense going on around him.

They're actually pretty okay about it in s1 and parts of s2, but as the plot ramps up in s3 and s4 and the cast multiplies with the maroons and british anyone who isn't a main character gets pushed out. Which make sense but also the crew remains incredibly important they just replace them with Gunn and Hands, and Degroot's the only one who retains any importance.

It's more of a situation of you can't do everything, and after s1 the plot is so increbly fast paced and complex I'm not sure adding more episodes to give the breathing room needed to slip scenes with the crew in would have helped more than harmed. But it is one of those things that makes wish for... idk, like a mini series spin off thats lower stakes from the crew's perspective, like following Joji and his time on the crew. Something to even just retrospectively give a bit more weight to all the scenes of a cannon bladting 3 guys' limbs off and giving us more than the single convo Silver had with Muldoon to be sad about his death, or even just put more names to faces in the scene where they promise to look out for him.

Especially given that most of the main characters' are at least partly motivated and characterized by their relationship to said crew, whether that's Billy who is entirely driven by his care for them as brother, Flint who cares but ultimately sees them as pawns, or Silver whose character development is built around his changing relationship with them. Billy's story especially, the show treats Gunn as something of a standin for the crew in his story but the fact that Gunn ultimately never actually gives any opinions about the power shifts and falls in line with Flint without any fanfare says a lot.

They do it every once in a while where a crewmate will get aone big scene to show them off like the sniper or the leg cutting or the drowning, and I think even just a few more of those would have been great. Dufresne's treatment by the story from season to season definitely perfectly encapsulates the fall off I think.

Idk i think a lot about how we got to see every crevise of Flint's psyche while the only time Joji's name is said on screen is completely disconected from him to the point few people know his name, and seconds couldn't be spared for acknowledgement that he likely couldn't speak english to the point its equally reasonable to assume he was simply never given any lines, despite both being in the show from beginning to end. For a character who could have had his own entire series based on how the hell he got where he is and whose personal story could have so easily and heavily tied into the main themes of the show, it's pretty remarkable.

I want a prequel/sidequel with Joji as the main character, is what I'm saying.

[ouatsqincorrect]

It’s so interesting that Regina says the Charming’s made her the Evil Queen in this episode because her perspective on all of that completely changes within a couple of years

When Rumple kidnaps her and takes her to her own vault, she tells him that he made her a monster, which is true. He manipulated her, took advantage of her pain, and turned her into the Evil Queen

That whole argument of evil isn’t born, it’s made. And so is good. I’ve read a few takes recently on Regina’s redemption arc and how it ruined her as a character but to be honest, I think her redemption arc is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

Season 1-2, she’s blaming everyone else for her problems. Seasons 3-4, she’s learning that she was putting that blame on the wrong people. Seasons 5-6, she finally takes accountability and understands that yes, Rumple, Cora, the King—they made her the Evil Queen. But she still has to own up to the terrible shit she did because let’s face it, she was a pretty awful person for a very long time, no matter how she came to be that way

If you look at Regina’s story and think her redemption arc ended in s3 when she became a “hero,” you’re not looking at her full story

[ripplestitchskein]

Where do you see Stolitz being at the end of the season? I don’t know how much heartbreak I can take.

Oooh Nonnie I’d prepare for some ANGST but there’s nothing in the text to indicate it’s the bad kind imo. I feel confident that it’s gonna be that good productive angst that gets us places we wanna go, that we’ll flail about and be heartbroken about but not that Game of Thrones style pointless nihilist angst that is just for shock value or because the creators wanted a cliffhanger or a twist.

One of the things I find comforting about this show is the people making it are very much a part of fandom rather than corporate studios using general audience analytics or creators who are just there for a paycheck. The creative team of this show genuinely seems to care about these characters. I have a lot of anxiety about my hyperfixation ships so I feel you on the worry but it would be a huge waste of time and incredibly unsatisfying for the audience to change directions midstream. And the beauty of a cartoon is that even if the actors leave or people change out from the creative team as long as there is money and a drive to make it they aren’t beholden to the same logistics issues as a live action.

From a storytelling perspective it doesn’t make sense to reverse course and break them up forever. I’m not writing the show so I can’t tell you with 100% certainty but there are too many threads intricately knotted together and if they cut this relationship out the whole fucking show unravels. I’ve always said Stolas and Blitzo’s relationship was central in the first two episodes of the show, Stolas is how IMP does business, the 2nd episode was literally all about Stolas’s family drama and the show is about Blitz so it would take a lot of work to stop this train and still leave your audience satisfied at the end. Work that it doesn’t make sense to do. This is not a fanservice thing, like Stolitz is too popular or something like that, but a storytelling thing. It’s such a huge part of the show they can’t drop it in a way that wouldn’t drive the audience away, even casual viewers. And being an indie production they have to be very deliberate and careful with their choices, they don’t have the capital to be doing like two sample hypothesis testing with the story or trying out different threads. It’s just not feasible.

If the trailer did anything it was reinforce every assumption or speculation I’ve made, like I got so much dopamine from that fucking trailer. And all the speculation lines up perfectly with my episode deep dives and how I, as a writer and creative, understand the structure and narrative choices being shown. And I am SO PUMPED ABOUT WHERE THIS TRAIN IS HEADING. It’s gonna hurt but in the best way I think.

To answer your question, as far as the end of this season I am of two minds. Either Stolas and Blitz make the decision to start a relationship in S2 and S3 is them working through it during whatever trials and tribulations they are undergoing.

Or they are not together but we get a lot of delicious pining through S3 where they finally get together together and S4 is the working through the relationship season.

How I think it’s going to play out after a few days of rearranging things in my head:

Blitzø and Stolas are both excited and anxious about their upcoming rendezvous. Blitzø is doing sexy date prep and seeking advice from his bestie on sex toys. Stolas is drowning in anxiety.

Blitzø fucks up. Either he says something hurtful or embarrasses Stolas in some way, either about his royal duties or Octavia. I theorize that the issue with the Full Moon is Stolas’s fault and Vassago is the character who will bring that to his attention. Might possibly comfort him. Andrelphus and Stella are going to take advantage of the situation.

Blitzø tries to take it back, that’s why he’s reaching out but he’s denied.

In Apology Tour Blitzø tries to get back to their casual “If I ignore it it’s fine” status quo but Stolas is not having it. That’s the garden conversation where he’s serving so much cunt.

Stolas either defends Blitzø with his song at Verosika’s tour or it’s so heartbreaking Blitzø has no way to hide from it anymore. I also think Versoika herself will point out that Blitzø is treating Stolas quite a bit differently than he did her which also keeps him from shoving his feelings down.

I think at the end of this episode Stolas calls things off but Blitzo is now aware of how Stolas feels and how he feels. He is not ready to act on it yet.

Ghostfuckers I think will be primarily Millie and Blitzø. Blitzø will probably have to confront how he was when they first met, and other things like his mother and Barbie.

Mastermind is probably the CHERUB/DHORKS episode. I still think it’s probably a gag tbh. Like the actual episode is not about them at all because in my mind they are the Sir Pentious of HB. Like they believe they are this big bad but they just kind of fail and disappear and keep coming back as a running annoyance. I kind of think the real threat is maybe Satan or Andrelphus/Stella.

In one of three episodes, or at the end of Apology Tour something happens to Stolas. He is taken out of commission in some way. He loses his job, he is absent. I don’t think it will be his fault.

I think this will come into play in Sinsmas, which maybe very much like Seeing Stars where maybe Stolas promised Octavia something for the holiday or they had a tradition and he misses it because of being out of commission. She finds him with Blitzø who is rescuing him from Andrelphus. I kind of think Vassago will help him or tip him off that Stolas is in trouble. Octavia is mad and lashes out. That conflict I see going into S3.

Blitzø needs proof that he doesn’t fuck up people’s lives and right now the person who’s life is in the biggest shambles because of Blitzø (not like because of him but their involvement, you know what I’m saying) is Stolas. He’s divorcing, he might lose his job, his daughter is going to be pissed at him. Stolas will have literally nothing because of their dalliance. So either way I see no way that the breakup is permanent.

If they breakup for good that reinforces Blitzo’s fear he fucks up people’s lives. There’s no resolution to that conflict. Moxxie and Millie don’t have a lot of life problems related to Blitzø tbh, he’s creepy about their relationship but it doesn’t cause them strife only annoyance. Loona is fine too right now. Fizz and he have started reconciliation and Fizz out right told him he was doing well. Verosika is pissed and still a drunk last we see her but her career is taking off.

By having Stolas break up forever only reinforces the idea that you don’t get a second chance at love for Stolas (or a first chance), and says “Yeah, Stolas IS better off without him” and I doubt that’s the story they want to tell lol. On Stolas’s side it would be all kinds of fucked up to imply that parents can’t have romantic relationships because their kids are mad about it imo. That his only option as a loveless arranged marriage and continuing to lie to himself and the world. Like a child should be priority but parents are also fully formed humans with lives outside of their children and it’s not great to have a child throw a fit and the parent be like “Oh okay, guess I’ll just be alone cause my teenage daughter is sulky”.

Like the issues they’ve set up can only be resolved satisfactorily one way at this point, at least in my opinion. Whether that happens in S2 or later in S3 I still very firmly believe it will be a focus and we’ll get lots of little moments.

[indigovigilance]

How to Write Good Omens Meta

Someone left something in my ask box that intrigued me:

My Ask is for insight into the theory of clues and how S2 clues move and build S3. Is there a meta on this? (If not, would you consider it at some point?)

Well, I did consider it, and here’s my first shot at answering this really good question. It's more about the art of writing than of clue analysis, but I may do a second piece in this series, if it feels necessary. Anyway, here we go:

read on Ao3

Learn Something New

People want to read meta to learn something that they didn’t know before. This probably means you will have to learn something that you didn’t know before. Some meta-analysts arrive pre-loaded with a rich background in costuming, tarot, biblical canon, and the wide array of cultural references that appear in the show. We also seem to have a fair number of psychologists (formally trained or otherwise) representing. I (and others: see Chekhov's Contract by @ineffablyruined) happen to have a background in law and so I was able to make a unique contribution via my piece Sovereignty, Citizenship, and the Bookshop. But for other topics, I have to self-educate.

In my personal opinion, the work on direct canon analysis (that is, watching the show and reporting what you see) has largely been done and I don’t think there will be many more breakthroughs until some people go away and come back with a freshly informed perspective. Personally, I’m waiting for someone to go learn everything there is to know about S.W. Erdnase and tell us what they found, because that is a very specific reference that I haven’t seen fleshed out yet (link it in the reblogs if it already exists!).

Don’t Be Afraid of Outside Sources

For example, quite a few times I’ve gone away to read outside source material before writing a new meta. Good examples are: Honolulu Roast, The Lament of the Metatron, and The Hornet in the Beehive. These are topics where I had no particular advantage over anyone else, I just had a question and decided to keep digging until I had something that looked like an answer.

On choosing a topic: in each of these cases I began with an in-show piece of information that seemed both unambiguous in its directness and yet unexplained. Why is there a mysteriously appearing sign in the coffeeshop that says Honolulu Roast? Who is the Metatron? Why is there so much attention drawn to bees when Crowley goes up to Heaven? If I start with a solid question and then follow an investigative pathway, usually beginning with the Bible given the nature of this show but not always, I’ll usually find something.

There are also some Clues that we’re basically told to investigate. The books on the shelves. The movie playing in the background in The Resurrectionist Pub. These are unambiguous breadcrumbs but they’re a lot of labor. I’m not going to read all those books and watch all those movies. So pick one (1) and go read it, or watch it, and then tell us what you found, so I can read your 1,500 word piece to learn what I need to know about it. 

Sometimes you get enough information for a meta just by hanging around long enough and absorbing information. That’s how I put together my pieces on Terry Pratchett’s Death and Crowley’s Dream. The trick in this case is to be able to synthesize it, and for that, the very best way to learn how to do that is read other people’s meta.

Specializing

The asker asked the most important question of all: what’s the balance between trying to manage all the Clues or ignoring them entirely? Well, think of it this way (I’m borrowing an XKCD comic for brevity):

The takeaway here is, when you get a PhD, you become a hyperfocused expert in a very narrow topic and you’re relying on lots and lots and lots of other PhD students becoming highly specialized experts in other topics so that together you are expanding the diameter of human knowledge.

We (meta-analysts) are all getting PhDs in Good Omens, one way or another. Some people are doing their theses in color theory. I am doing mine on the concept of memory and identity permanence (though frequently dabbling in law). Yet others have flung themselves body and soul into the topic of Crowley’s gender and God bless them. Heck, there’s a team of people on Discord who are on any given day ripping the Bentley down to its studs and building it back up again. Feel free to explore while you seek out your passionate topic but don’t feel the need to tackle all of them. You’ll find the one that you fit best in. 

You do not have to solve the S3 plot puzzle by yourself. You have to find two pieces, put them together, and then go find a buddy that also has two pieces and see if your pair of pairs makes a quartet. Literally. That’s what we’re doing here guys. It’s a team effort or nothing at all.

Organize your ideas into digestible segments

Great, so you learned something new, you have a tantalizing hypothesis, and you’re ready to write! But what does a good meta look like?

Your abstract (which I recommend you write last) will go at the top, followed by evidence in a logically progressive order that finally culminates in your conclusion. If you’ve ever written a five paragraph essay, you have these tools in your toolbox. And yes, sometimes you will even need to rebut counterarguments (“but Neil said” is the bane of my existence) just like your teacher taught you. But it shouldn’t be formatted like a five-paragraph essay. This is not an 8.5”x11” sheet of paper with 1” margins: this is Tumblr.

Walls of text are great and all but reading handicaps come in all flavors and I for one benefit greatly from having section headers that help me navigate a meta. I’m much less likely to read it if all I have to find my place by is paragraph breaks.

Section headers should tell me what the next paragraph or two are about, and if I read just the section headers, I should have a pretty good idea of what evidence you’re pulling from where and what conclusion you’re going to support with that evidence.

Here’s my opinion on gifs: if I need to see Michael Sheen’s micro-expressions to really understand your point, include it. If I just need a reminder of where we are in the story, or what a costume looks like, a still is fine and less distracting. For a lot of things, though, images are unnecessary. You’ll find the right balance but don’t overburden your written work with images. I think there are quite a few people who only read my work on Ao3 because they simply don’t like the Tumblr, image-centric format.

Have a main takeaway

What does all your evidence point to? It may feel like stating the obvious, but state it anyway. Put a little ribbon on top of this gift you have given to the fandom. Label it. Tell them exactly what your conclusion is from all this information you gathered.

…but don’t feel a need to draw a firm conclusion

In my meta Continuity Errors, I conclude that Crowley stops time in order to move something that was hidden in the bookshop out of the bookshop. I do not speculate on what exactly that something is that he moved. I don’t need to. By leading others down this path, I am tapping the collective resources of the hive mind to think about what exactly was hidden with the bookshop’s protection. They may have some information I don’t because they’ve been looking other places. Not having a hypothesis for this shouldn’t (and didn’t) stop me from publishing my work.

Go back to the top and write your intro/abstract

Have you written your main takeaway? Did you support it with evidence? Good. Now take that and write a 20-30 word elevator pitch that you’re going to put at the top of the meta so that people know what it’s about before they commit to 1,000-2,000 words of being led down the garden path. I have a bad habit of burying the lead, and I’m trying to break it. For a moment people were worrying about putting big revelations below the cut so that we’re not interfering with Neil, but I don’t think Neil has ever seen my work and I doubt he ever will, and at this time my opinion is that playing “hide the lead” is more of a hindrance to the fandom than helpful to protecting the integrity of the IP. So be bold. Tell people exactly where you’re going with this and a short roadmap of how you’re going to get there. You don’t necessarily have to “give away the goods” but the theme should be obvious. An okay-ish example of an abstract is the intro to my first meta. My abstract for Continuity Errors is decidedly more tongue-in-cheek. You'll find your own style.

Cite and Tag

If you read someone’s post and it gave you a great idea, cite them as inspo! It’s a feel-good moment for them and it ties the fandom together. If you’re relying on your own prior work or someone else’s work to support a point, link the piece and tag the author. You will probably want to start copying links to metas that you like into a doc or spreadsheet to make this easier. Check out mine to get an idea of how you could organize a spreadsheet, or check out this doc to see an alternative approach to meta database management.

Speaking of which: @cobragardens, @aprilodite, @drconstellation, @vidavalor, and @irispurpurea, your work appears in this... whatever exactly this is idk.

Recruit a Mentor/beta

Various Tumblrites have published comments or posts that they are willing to beta other people’s work. Reach out to those people before you need them and ask if, whenever you’ve written your next piece, if they wouldn’t mind taking a look at it? Have an upfront discussion about turnaround time. Most of us work, and have other obligations, so it’s unlikely we can look at a thing the minute you send it to us, even if we’re active on Tumblr at that moment. Some people have set days off that they know they’ll have time to curl up with a cup of tea and read the first draft of your meta; you may find that having a weekly schedule with someone pushes you to produce and improve at a pace you wouldn’t achieve under your own steam. Writing is a skill; you get better by practicing and getting constructive feedback.

Anyways, I hope someone finds this helpful: maybe meta-analysis seems like an intimidating thing to get into, but it shouldn’t be! This is a welcoming community with room for all shapes, sizes and flavors of contributions. If you have any follow-up questions about this piece, please feel free to drop them in my ask box!