#finally.... a normal resolution video

[andorerso]

FELICITY JONES | PEOPLE Magazine [February 2025]

[thenationofzaun]

Arcane Season 2: Episode 7 rant

"Arcane Season 2 may have been rushed but episode 7 was the best of the series!" "Arcane 2x7 was so beautiful and the closest to Season 1's vibes!" "Episode 7 was the only good part of Season 2!"

Anyway, Episode 7 was terrible and here's why:

- Multiverses are a sign of creative bankruptcy. Leave shit like that for fanfiction. Or at the very least, non-canon supplementary material. Highjacking an entire episode of the FINAL act for an AU "what if?" in an already rushed and overstuffed season was an idiotic choice. They essentially left only 2 episodes for Act 3 to resolve a multitude of different plotlines, character arcs, and relationships. All for "alternate timeline" drivel that caters to the lowest common denominator.

- The Piltover/Zaun conflict resolution shown in this episode is incredibly insulting. The way a show writer explains it (1:49:00), Vi's death and martyrdom makes people from both cities reevaluate their lives and come together to build a better future. This is implied by Marcus's devastated face when he finds Powder crying over Vi's dead body. This tragedy apparently made Piltover see the error of their ways and decide to turn over a new leaf. In this timeline, Silco also found the apology letter Vander wrote him and forgave Vander. Let's break down why this is insulting. The very first scene of the series shows enforcers brutally killing Zaunites on the bridge without any remorse, and in front of their children. When the kids blow up Jayce's lab, the enforcers chase them down and attempt to arrest them, despite them being kids. Later, Marcus and his enforcers ruthlessly abuse and threaten Zaunites while looking for the children, whom he refers to as "four sump rats". Piltover's Council have no problem with this, as every single one of them bar Heimerdinger urges the enforcers to "turn the Undercity upside down". Marcus later throws Vi into a horrible dark shithole of a prison where she is tortured for years while he lives a cushy life as Sheriff in Piltover. Yeah. So the idea that the death of one "sump rat" would make this 200-year old corrupt, classist, authoritarian and evil government who, up till now, have never given a single fuck about the children of Zaun, turn a new leaf is laughable. Remember when Aang suggested showing Firelord Ozai baby photos to make him good again and everyone rightfully laughed at him? How is a show for 7 year olds more mature than this so-called adult show? This isn't even touching how offensive it is that the lesbian kid's death makes the world a paradise. It was not intentionally homophobic as this plotline was the lesbian writer, Amanda Overton's idea (she said so in the video I linked). But lesbian writer or not, intentional or not, this shit is so sloppy and insulting. Embarrassing that she didn't realize how this would come across in the show.

- People like this episode for Ekko/Jinx shipping fanservice, but their relationship isn't even explored in the main story. This girl Ekko is making out with isn't Jinx. She has been stripped of everything unique about Jinx that actually make her who she is. This is Powder, who's somehow perfectly sane and normal, who has fuckall to do with the Jinx we actually know. Ekko's relationship with our Jinx has zero organic or believable development. He never reacts to her becoming a symbol for Zaun. He never reacts to his Firelight lieutenant's change of heart towards Jinx. He and all the Firelights just suddenly have no problem teaming up with Jinx despite her spending years murdering them and their friends. Jinx never even spared a single thought for Ekko throughout the entire show. She blows him up in 1x07, then never mentions nor thinks about him again until 2x09. If she thinks he's dead, she sure shows zero guilt about it. She doesn't seem to give a fuck about that boy lol. The writers did not have the talent to explore the complexities of this relationship within the main universe, so they crafted a convenient alternate universe where nothing went wrong and absolutely nothing too dark or complicated stands in the way of an Ekko/Jinx romance. Because who needs writing that actually grapples with the complexity of a broken friendship and two people who have hurt each other irreparably, when you can just make them kiss in an uncomplicated, unchallenging, unserious lighthearted AU? This is supposed to be the tragic romance everyone's raving about? "Ekko/Jinx would work so well if Jinx wasn't Jinx and was a completely different character😍" Lol.

- "Didn't he try to kill you?!" Who are you talking to Ekko? If you are talking to Silco, then this is a massive plot hole. Ekko shouldn't know that Vander tried to kill Silco. According to Season 1, that shit took place in the far past and Vander never told anyone about it, owing to the fact that the kids had no idea who Silco was. Season 2 retcons that and says that Vander tried to kill Silco after the bridge incident and the kids all knew Silco, which is a blatant plot hole that contradicts Season 1. If Ekko's talking to Vander and Silco just assumed he was talking to him, that makes a bit more sense. But it doesn't explain why none of the characters question why this kid who's known them for years is asking bizarre offensive questions that he should already know the answers to. Instead of "the greatest thing we can do in life is find the power to forgive" corny ass bullshit line, Silco should have said "Excuse me? We've been together for years and you've never had an issue before. Why bring up such a thing now? Is there something wrong, Ekko?" Same goes for Powder forgiving Ekko so quick after the horribly offensive shit he said to her for no reason, that he didn't give any explanation for ("Vi's dead? Was it you??!!!").

- Powder being revealed to still have the Hex crystals at the end of the episode. Let me get this straight: Powder accidentally drops a Hex crystal that explodes the building. This gets Vi killed. Enforcers arrive at the scene and find all the kids. Presumably, they know that the kids were there robbing the place. They never search the kids and confiscate the other crystals from Powder? What do they even think caused the explosion? Do they never investigate? Why are the remnants of the exploded crystal STILL embedded into the wall for Ekko to find? If the enforcers found it, they would surely have removed it right? You mean to tell me they either knowingly left that extremely dangerous shit there, or they never even found them in the first place? 100/10 logic.

- Powder being a perfectly healthy and sane girl despite growing up in Zaun, witnessing the death of her parents, and inadvertently causing the death of her beloved sister (remember, it was Powder who accidentally dropped the crystal which then exploded). This is a Powder who was already very insecure, already being belittled by Mylo, and already desperately attached to her sister. Powder who was already having hallucinations on the bridge as a toddler, and then in episode 3 when she's left alone in the Last Drop, before accidentally killing Mylo and Claggor. You're telling me this Powder accidentally kills HER SISTER VI, and she grows up fine with no guilt? Her guilt over killing Mylo and Claggor was crippling. You could argue that Mylo learned the error of his ways and comforted Powder, no one disparagingly called her a "jinx" ever again, and everyone raised her with love. Except...... Silco did all of those things in Season 1, and she still struggled with guilt and psychosis. Damn, I guess it really was The Big Bad Man at the root of all her mental health problems. Fuck complex gray writing I guess. Season 1 shows us that she already had hallucinations as a small child and in episode 3 before the deaths of Mylo and Claggor. But here in this AU she has none? I guess there really were anti-psychotic drugs and therapy in Piltover all along, which they generously shared with the sump rat who exploded a building instead of throwing her in jail like their pre-character assassination Season 1 selves would have done. And Vander, Silco, Mylo, and Claggor all somehow gained amazing skills at raising a traumatized mentally ill child riddled with guilt from accidentally killing her sister, and their combined efforts with the help of Piltovian Mental Health Awareness campaigns cured all of Powder's mental problems. Hurrah.

- Heimerdinger's pointless death that nobody ever mentions or cares about ever again. Jayce and Viktor never find out about it. He was their mentor for years. The character assassination of Heimerdinger in general was insane. In Season 1, he was staunchly against the Hexcore and wanted to destroy it, citing the devastating Rune Wars that he is a traumatized survivor of. Just seeing the Hexcore was enough to give him flashbacks. He pointed out the danger of the Hextech gemstone. He was booted off the Council by Jayce, which was a huge dramatic betrayal, and prompted him to travel to the Undercity and face the product of his failings as a ruler. And in Season 2? He never reacts to the Council's death who were bombed WITH THE HEXTECH GEMSTONE. Three of his colleagues fucking died and he's cracking shitty jokes. (Who even found it funny when Heimerdinger snuck into the lab then kept dropping shit and saying "ball sockets!" Who is this humour for? Three year olds?) He doesn't have any opinions on Jayce using the Hexcore, the thing he was so terrified of, to save Viktor's life. His reaction to Viktor now being fused with the Hexcore is non-existent. He and Jayce never discuss the betrayal nor the Council nor the current political situation between Piltover and Zaun. Viktor ascends to godhood and looks very reminiscent of the destructive mages in Heimer's flashbacks, but Heimer never reacts to this either. What a fucking waste. His death in episode 7 was contrived and meaningless.

- Mage Viktor letting Jayce suffer and go insane for weeks surviving off scraps, then walk for miles and climb up to the top of the Hexgate on a broken leg, all to meet Mage Viktor anyway. Why didn't this mf just immediately reveal himself to Jayce, tell him everything, help him up to the top of the Hexgate and show him all the petrified bodies, and give him the Mercury Hammer? He needed Jayce to do all that shit by himself because? I swear Mage Viktor's convoluted time-travelling plan makes less sense the more you think about it.

[soobnny]

new year’s day — lee minho. established relationship. just quiet and fluffy love. (0.8k words)

“i’ll be cleaning up bottles with you on new year’s day” inspired by taylor’s new year’s day

It’s nearing 2am, and your friends have just left your apartment.

You can still hear them chattering outside, heels discarded in favor of walking barefoot as they wait for their taxi. Chan’s coat is weighing heavy on their shoulders, and the poor boy is making it seem as if he’s unaffected by winter’s harsh winds as he waits for a taxi with them.

The confetti on the floor from your little get-together earlier sticks to Minho’s feet after having rid his shoes. He’s sure he’d have been irritated if he wasn’t too busy looking at you, flipping through the dozens of polaroid photos you’d taken of the night. There’s a soft smile ghosting on your features, and it’s enough to pull the boy in and sit next to you on the couch because there’s something about this—something about you and starting the new year with you that has him impossibly flustered.

Minho wishes to have all your midnights.

And he’s not used to this, not so used to having his heart out on his sleeve like this. He’s normally unfazed, tough and cold and easy to run away. But there is something about the glitter and the candle wax on the hardwood floor, something about the way you look at him, and something about the way you smile that has him feeling things only you could ever bring out.

The room is still cold from turning on the airconditioner earlier, but his heart feels warm. Strings of decorations are hanging loosely now, swaying gently with the wind. Minho turns his attention to the empty wine bottles on your living room table when you make a move to clean them up.

“Hey.” He calls out softly to get your attention. “You look tired. You can go ahead and wash up if you want. I’ll clean this up.”

“Hm? No, it’s alright. It’s more time spent with you, isn’t it?”

Normally, he’d brew up a witty response, something like how you’re so obsessed with him, but he can’t. Not when his chest is tightening from the sincerity of your words—because you would willingly stay up to clean if it meant spending more time with him, even if you were tired.

“Can’t believe Seungmin got so drunk tonight.” Your laughter echoes around the room, crouching down to grab a knocked over wine glass on the floor.

“Yeah. Something about being more out there for his new year’s resolution? Honestly, it’s great for me because it’s more material to blackmail him with.” Minho chuckles quietly to himself, recalling the numerous videos he’d taken of his drunk friend just a few hours ago.

You hum, nodding your head as if you finally understand his sudden interest for alcohol when Seungmin has always been rather picky with its taste in general. “That explains it then.”

And then it’s quiet for a few heartbeats. Minho sweeps the floor, and you arrange your misplaced furniture. There’s the sound of shuffling and decorations being put away and the moment is so sweet and domestic.

“What’s your new year’s resolution?” Your voice cuts through the silence, and Minho pauses at the question, hands hovering over a few take-out containers that need to be thrown out in favor of thinking for a second.

There’s something in his eyes while he thinks, and then he opens his mouth to say something.

“To stay.”

The thumping of your heart speeds up tenfold at his response because the boy who has always kept his mind on running away all his life is considering to stay, despite his baggage, despite his fear, despite being startled so easily.

And it’s so late in the night that these simple two words have you feeling content and warm where the loneliness usually is.

The beating of your heart doesn’t calm down, even after you’ve finished cleaning and are preparing for bed, and especially not now when he’s leaning in to kiss you in your dimly-lit bedroom—not when he pulls you against him, hands firmly planted on your waist and his lips on yours with an intensity you’ve never felt from him before. At least, not this much. Almost as if he was pleading please, please, please, let me stay.

His fingers sink into the skin of your waist, and your heart bursts at the immense genuineness of how much he really wants you.

“Thank you.” Minho is close enough that you can see the uncharacteristic softness in his eyes, just inches away that you can hear his inhale and exhale, and the affection in his voice. You’ve never wanted to wish for time to stop then at this very moment.

“What are you saying that for?”

He doesn’t answer, but you think you already know.

“Let’s go to sleep, hm? I know you’re tired.” He asks, lips pulled up into the softest smile with his half-lidded eyes. He easily pulls you into bed with him, his head immediately finding home in the crook of your neck. He falls asleep a few minutes later, not without a lingering kiss on your chin, and you drift away a little after.

And maybe if you were more awake, you’d notice the way he reaches for a small box on your bedside table. But instead, you fall asleep and Minho holds you in his arms the entire night.

[polkadotjohnson]

get to know your mutuals

tagged by @donadefr3sa (thanks :3)

what's the origin of your blog title?

my 2 favorite David characters when i made this. they're not anymore but since my current favorite doesn't have an official name, it'd be weird to change it to "thevampire.tumblr.com"

or maybe i could fix that...

there now it's official 😄

favourite fandoms?

weird calling david a fandom but that's it, don't really indulge in fandoms, just like stuff quietly on my corner. tftgs i guess...

otp(s)/shipname?

i guess it's called vinkai...? 😎

maybe reddie still? i'm unsure currently

favorite color?

black, purple, red and #fba3a3

favorite game?

oh boy... better check my library. the entire silent hill series minus homecoming (origin and sm lowkey suck too), final fantasy vi, vii, viii anything before xii really, dragon quest viii, chrono trigger, earthbound, atelier iris 1 and 3, every gta ever but especially iv, faith the unholy trinity, bully, cry of fear, the crooked man, ib, angels of death, off, omori, forest of drizzling rain, yume nikki (normal and dd), deadly premonition (seriously!), fnaf 1 to sl, imscared, sally face, anatomy, stories untold, submachine, daymare town, tales from the borderlands, slender the arrival, lorelai, the cat lady, deep sleep series, i'm on observation duty series, the sims 4, lost in vivo, powerwash simulator, scratches, batman the telltale series, most tony hawk's games, vanish aaand i'm pretty sure i'm missing some. these are games i replay over and over, so it's kinda hard to choose just one (oh i forgot the listerine game. really don't want anything to do with that fandom so no name mention)

song stuck in your head?

julie by outer limits recordings because i made a gifset of it yesterday and listened to it a billion times while doing it

weirdest habit/trait?

commenting on basically every video i watch, eating raw meat, eating spicy stuff until i cry/being obsessive

hobbies?

writing, reading, making gifs, listening to music, bullying my cat, (i kiss her until she scratches me so who's being bullied really) games, stopping a movie a million times to see on imdb where i know such and such from

if you work, what's your profession?

i don't know how to say it in english but it involves fabrics. and lasers.

something you're good at?

fixing shit up at the house, getting rid of scawy creatures when they appear

if you could have any job you wish what would it be?

david's personal assistant just like working from home really, doing what? no clue. being a lets player would be fun too

something you're bad at?

making gifs, singing

something you love?

David, my cat Nitscha

and bacon and sushi

something you could talk about for hours off the cuff?

oof David to my friends trying to rope them in, time travel, parallel universes, ghosts, creepypasta, tftgs (that's tales from the gas station), myself

something you hate?

millipedes, rude people

something you collect?

i've collected many, many things in my time. comic books, manga, books, dvds, cds, but now it's just David stuff

something you forget?

usually using my own tags and linking stuff i post, making me a fucking hypocrite. gotta go through the entire blog and fix stuff whenever i can

favorite movie/show?

gonna try not to make a repeat of the game thing...

movie: drive, the machinist, pulp fiction, host (the rob savage one) baby driver, lnwtd, session 9, in the mouth of madness, one cut of the dead, twin peaks fire walk with me, absentia, gone girl, as above so below, kairo, in the shadow of the moon, frailty, resolution, the endless, hereditary, grave encounters, ghostwatch, the room (unironically), léon the professional, pontypool, jason x, stay, back to the future, rec, the illusionist, heart eyes, final girls, original 3 evil dead, tucker and dale vs evil, freaky, totally killer, fresh, jennifer's body, perfect blue anything that has some insane plot twist and umm etc

show: right now just waiting for more severance, from (which is more of a guilty pleasure) our flag means death was pretty neat. it used to be doctor who but i stopped due to bad writing. want to go back due to ncuti being so adorable. steins; gate and paranoia agent if anime counts. twin peaks, utopia (original not remake shit), parks and rec, the mighty boosh, the it crowd, ash vs evil dead, inside number 9 annnnd grave conversations (✿◡‿◡)

favorite food?

sushi, most japanese food, anything mushroom like shitake and shimeji, pão de queijo, pastel, esfiha, garlic bread, anything with bacon, pudding, cheesecake

favorite animal?

absolutely cats

are you musical?

i love singing, very bad at it though. listen to a lot of music like pulp, london after midnight, outer limits recording and sam mehran, portishead, the cure, muse, diary of dreams, rammstein, nine inch nails, cazuza, titãs, legião urbana, duran duran, the exies, the smiths, tears for fears, started listening to twin temple thanks to David, amy winehouse, two non-bands called the french letter and colorscheme

what were you like as a child?

spoiled and violent, they say. i'm so glad i grew out of both (✿◡‿◡)

favorite subject at school?

cutting :> okay maybe english

least favorite subject?

all of em. regular dumbass right here

what's your best character trait?

i am very persistent. obstinate even. that's a good one, right?

if you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be?

i wish it wasn't that late, could hardly do anything today :{

if you could travel in time who would you like to meet?

myself

recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love!):

The Joshua series which made me love him even more, Fucked/Up which is probably one of the hottest things I've ever read, Predicament Bondage, a reddie (light) bdsm au

tagging:

i'd tag @kidinfandom but i know she won't do it... @accidentally-in-fictional-love if you want to of course, and @how-serene. everyone else i follow that hasn't been tagged is certain... celebrities that haven't logged in in years...

[loren91]

Young Royals and the three act structure, Part one

Seems like there was some potential interest in a full three-act story structure analysis, so I’m taking this opportunity to indulge myself by going full nerd. I’m going to attempt to make the argument that limiting the show to three seasons is actually perfect for Young Royals, by highlighting the pattern the story follows.

A few things to keep in mind before we start.

This analysis is not about the characters deep inner emotional lives. We are not here to pass judgment on their actions. We are simply identifying the beats of the story in a neutral and objective manner, for the purpose of analysing the structure of the story.

As you will notice, the points I have identified are all from Wilhelm’s perspective. That’s because he’s the point-of-view character, the main conflict is shaped by him and his emotional state. He’s the protagonist. Each subplot however, will follow the same pattern and has its own purpose, but I’ll get more into that another time.

I’ll be referring a fair bit to Lindsey Ellis’s video essay on the subject, because I like how she describes the structure pattern in sequences. So I’m gonna borrow some of her language. Also, note that the examples she uses to describe the tree-act structure are all feature films. Since Young Royals is a series, it’s gonna divert slightly from her description. But that’s what is so great about this structure, it’s flexible. It’s not meant to be set rules, but rather guidelines to help keep your story relevant and engaging all the way through. If you find this stuff interesting, I’d highly recommend watching her videos!

The three act structure is absolutely not the only way to tell a story. There’s many different formats that works just as well! It’s really about finding what structure works best to tell your story. The three acts however is the most common format you’ll find in more commercially viable works, such as Disney films for example.

And finally, I’m not a writer, but an animator, and I have studied film theory/structure. I’ll do my best to motivate the plot points I’ve identified, but if you’re a proper story expert and disagree with me, I’m happy to discuss!

Okay, let’s get to it.

A three-act structure is constructed of just that, three acts, and roughly looks like this. Essentially, a beginning, a middle, and an end. Or the set up, the confrontation, and the resolution. These acts may vary in length, act two usually being the longest and act three usually being the shortest. But what truly defines them is the tension of each act, meaning what drives the conflict forward at that point. A story will have a main conflict yes, but that conflict will take on many forms depending on where we are in the story. Lindsey Ellis describes each act as consisting of multiple sequences, and defines each sequence by its individual tension as well. Though all points of tension should always stay related to the main conflict! So the main points we’re looking to identify in the story are the main act tensions and the main sequence tensions. 

Let’s go through season one of Young Royals and talk about each story beat.

Act 1

Act tension - Wille has to attend Hillerska.

Sequence 1

We start with the Set up/Hook. The purpose here is to establish the world and the protagonist along with their internal conflict, such as their flaws and/or desire that makes them feel incomplete - The way Wilhelm’s character is introduced informs us that he is royal, but struggling with his role, because royals have set rules to follow.

“Why can’t I decide how the hell I want to live? I want to live a normal life!”

The thing that sets the story in motion is the point of attack. Something happens that is outside of the protagonist's control/knowledge - That would be the royal court deciding to send Wille to Hillerska without his permission. This gives the protagonist something to react to.

Sequence tension is established - Wille does not want to go to Hillerska. The rest of episode one reinforces Wille’s discomfort at the school.

Next, we get to the inciting incident. An event that disrupts the status quo, and our protagonist has to get involved - The initiation party, particularly when Wille and Simon almost kiss at the end. This leads him to acknowledge his attraction toward Simon and become more proactive in his pursuit of the boy. 

The sequence tension is resolved. Notice how in episode two, Hillerska is no longer the main focus for Wille, but Simon is. The seeds for what will become the central conflict have now been planted. The conflict is usually driven by character motivation. This is where we can consider the protagonist's Want vs Need. The want drives the main tension - Wille wants to be with Simon. But we’ll find want he needs later on in the story.

Sequence 2

The purpose here is to build up the creation of the main tension of the story. The main antagonist can also be established here -  August keeps getting on Wille’s nerves. Especially when he’s trying to hang out with Simon.

That’s our sequence tension - Wille is working to befriend Simon, but August keeps getting in the way.

The end of the sequence sees the first major plot point, the Lock-in. Where our protagonist makes a decision that changes everything. Usually, something they can’t come back from - In Young Royals that would be the first kiss. Wille and Simon’s relationship has fundamentally changed. The main tension is now established.

Act 2

Act tension -  Can Wille be with Simon, despite him being a prince?

Sequence 3

At the start of this sequence, the protagonist has most likely achieved some kind of milestone or learned something - He’s definitely like that.

To keep the story interesting, writers will add so-called pinch points in between the bigger plot points. These usually act as reminders of the antagonist or the pressure our protagonist may feel - Wille feels he needs to break it off with Simon because a prince is not supposed to be gay. As we established in the set up, royals have rules. 

Sequence tension - Can Wille deny his feelings for Simon? Queer pining ensues.

Sequence 4

The purpose of this sequence is to build up towards the midpoint. We see the protagonist making attempts to achieve their goal - The want never changed, Wille still wants to be with Simon, despite the pressure. Wille invites him to spend the weekend with him.

Sequence tension - Wille is trying to prioritise his new relationship with Simon, but August is still being annoying.

Then the midpoint hits. A major disruption, either from a character action or a force of nature. Can be positive or negative, just something that changes the aim of the quest without resolving the main tension - This time it’s literally halfway through the season. End of episode three, Erik dies and Wille becomes the crown prince. Everything has changed.

Sequence 5

Everybody has to adjust to the new world order after the midpoint disruption. We’ve reached another pinch point - Again we are reminded that royals have rules, and Wille makes another attempt to follow those rules. By embracing his new role, he breaks up with Simon once again, then sort of pursues Felice and joins the society.

Sequence tension - Wille adjusting to his new title while mourning his brother.

It’s common for subplots to advance around this time - Like Simon giving August the drugs to sell.

Sequence 6

Another plot point, where our protagonist may stop and reflect. Maybe have a heart-to-heart with another character, and perhaps make a decision - This is where we see the football field scene and the end of episode four. Wille reaches out to Simon for help, reconnecting with him. This leads them to pursue a relationship once again. They are put in a false sense of security. They are finally together, thinking all is good. BUT, we in the audience know that August has the video of them and the writers keep reminding us of him and the threat he poses. Even if Wille and Simon don't know it yet.

Sequence tension - Can this happiness last?

Sequence 7

(Here’s where the story leaves the classic structure for a bit, and adds an extra sequence for some more drama, as filler. In theory, they could have skipped this sequence and gone straight to the video being released. This part is mainly here to give motivation for August’s character, making his actions clearer)

So we are essentially given another pinch point, a reminder of antagonist or pressure -  August tries to break them apart by telling Wille about the drugs, which leads to the music room fight. 

Sequence tension - August is becoming more hostile.

Wille saving Simon from being framed for the drugs is more related to August’s money subplot. And the Lucia hug scene is mainly there for character building purposes. I’ll talk more about that stuff in part two.

The plot has advanced to the culmination of the main tension. The crisis that serves as build-up to act three - August releases the video. At the end of act two, the protagonist faces their biggest challenge yet. They’ve hit their lowest point - The aftermath of the video's release and Wille is totally lost. 

Act 3

Act tension - Can they save their relationship after the video?

Sequence 8

Begins with the protagonist making a big decision that creates the new act tension. The tension in act three will be different, but still related to the main conflict - Wille and Simon talk in the locker room, where Wille says he won’t do the statement. 

Sequence tension -  Can Wille avoid making the statement?

We’ve reached our last major plot point, located at the end of the sequence. Sometimes known as the twist in the third act - And what a twist, Wille does the statement anyway. This narrows down the tension further, to focus on a more character-driven intimate place for the next sequence.

Sequence 9

Sequence tension - Can they be together despite the statement?

Climax, the last big fight - Simon tells Wille off for being selfish and breaks up. Wille also finds out that both August and his mother betrayed him. The protagonist’s need has emerged from this journey and is now clear to us - Wille needs to decide who he wants to be. The want and the need should be different from each other, but still connected. Wille wants Simon, but in order for that to happen, Wille needs to break out of this cycle of self-preservation and stand up for himself against the royal court.

The climax will most likely lead to some kind of character growth - Wille is now pissed because he’s lost everything and realizes how corrupt the royal court is. As Lisa so beautifully put it, “A flame is ignited in him”. Hugging Simon in public is a display of his character growth.

And finally, Resolution. The point where the story is usually wrapped up neatly, but if left ignored, you get a cliffhanger - Which is exactly what happens in this season. Nothing is properly resolved at this point. Resulting in an open ending/cliffhanger.

Oof, that was a lot. How are we all doing? So these are the main beats of the plot. Makes sense? Let me know if you need any further clarification 😅 I was gonna get into how the rest of the show fits this format as well, but that’ll have to be in a separate post. Here’s part two! 

[golden-redhead]

I agree so much about your post about Five's love story. I know everyone can have a different opinion, but it makes me still sad that some people justify the whole thing because they think both getting lost for many years and feeling lonely, that it made sense for them to get together. That Five craved love after everything he went through. That he changed and also grew apart from his family and already grew tired in s3 to save the world.

You know? Five could at least feel guilty. Realize it was wrong. But no, he even got mad and insulted Diego when he had no right to. Like, our Five seriously got pissed that his BROTHER got mad at him that he had an affair with his WIFE he had three kids with? The disrespect was insane and so out of character.

And for what? Getting his heart broken twice. Lila telling him it was survival, like she only used him. Then getting told it's over when he and Diego fight. Yeah, great love story you added there, Steve.

I feel like many people try to justify it as a perfectly normal response to years of isolation and being stranded together which technically is a valid point? But they also forget that this literally didn't have to happen. At all. It was a bizarre subplot that only leads to heartbreak and tension between the characters. And just as they say their final goodbye, too. It was written with no hope for future or resolution. I am still so shocked that they not only came up with this idea but also followed through with it and actually made it canon.

And I agree, Five's total lack of remorse is so wildly out of character, especially since even though he can be hot-headed, he's not emotionally stunted to the point of not understanding that Diego is perfectly in his right to be furious. Him fighting and threatening Diego after his betrayal doesn't make sense and just makes it impossible for the audience to sympathize with him.

I also hate the implication that because Five HAD TO have a love story, then Lila is... well, basically some sort of consolation prize?? Because she was the closest woman available to turn into a love interest? There's this one post pointing out that the badass assassin Lila was bored with her domestic life with Diego, so she became Five's cottagecore wife which is honestly the best possible way to put just how out of character it was for her as well. And Diego... I've seen someone half-joking that maybe the actor and showrunners had some kind of beef, because this season legit goes out of its way to humiliate Diego. Between the fatshaming, his fights with Lila and basically turning him into a comic relief character devoid of substance... Well, I can't help but wonder if there's something to this theory.

Also, shameless self-promotion, but I actually made a video ranting about what this season did to Five, so you can check it out here for more of my thoughts!

[housewifebuck]

hi everyone! I've gotten several requests to make a tutorial on how to make gifs for someone just starting out and I finally got around to slapping a tutorial together.

This tutorial will cover:

software recommendations

choosing what to gif

creating a gif step by step with probably a lot of unnecessary detail

some tips and tricks:)

(This particular tutorial will not cover how to find tv and movies to download and gif, or any specific instructions on coloring. only the basic gif making process.)

so for the purposes of this tutorial, we will be using Adobe Photoshop, which is the most common program for making gifs, and the one I recommend. the version you have doesn't make a major difference in terms of capabilities but the interface may be slightly different looking if you have an older version or a different type of device. you cannot make or edit gifs in any mobile version of the photoshop application. Optionally, we will also be using Adobe Premiere Rush/Pro or another video editing software of your choice. wherever you are downloading Photoshop, whether from Adobe or a third party, you should easily be able to acquire Premiere as well. I am aiming to be as detailed as possible in this tutorial, so it may sound more time consuming than it really is. once you get the hang of things, it goes fast. the most time consuming part by far is the editing and coloring. in my opinion, one thing that majorly saves time while giffing is knowing your keyboard shortcuts and using your mouse/trackpad as little as possible. I will be going over these in this tutorial as well.

before we begin, some general tips:

gifs of single shots that do not cut between angles or subjects generally will look the best, barring exceptions

for a single gif set, choosing scenes and shots with similar lighting will be easiest to get to look uniform when compiled together, since editing wildly different looking scenes to have similar coloring and lighting is hard and takes some practice!

avoid shots that will require you to majorly crop or zoom to properly frame the subject, as this will greatly diminish quality

speaking of quality, gifs will look best using 1080p video, but you can get away with 720p as well. I would not recommend giffing with anything lower resolution than that

Tumblr's upload capacity for image and gif files is 10mb. be sure when exporting your finished gif that it is under that size. if it is a bit over, you can try trimming a few frames off your gif in the video timeline.

if you get frustrated, don't give up! giffing is hard and complicated especially if you are new to photoshop. I tried to make this tutorial as detailed as possible so it's easy to understand (although im sure I still forgot some stuff)

ok onto the tutorial!!!

STEP ONE: choose what range of frames you want to gif, and how.

once you have decided what you want to gif, there are two main way to convert your episode into a range of frames to make into a gif. the first is by screencapping. this involves downloading a program like mplayer or vlc which can be used to convert video files into "stacks" of screencaps, which can then be separated into whatever range of frames you want and imported into photoshop. this is seemingly by far the most common method I have seen amongst gifmakers*, but personally I don't care for it and I think it's more confusing and time consuming overall, so I will be explaining the second method: importing video frames to layers.

now, normally what this would mean is opening the full episode in photoshop and using the pathetic little playheads on either end of the scrub bar to trim the file into a clip. this is where your video editing software comes into play.

open whatever episode or movie you want to gif in your program. if it is a large file like a long movie in 1080p, this may take a few seconds. like I said, I am using Premiere Rush. I will be using a random episode of 9-1-1 for my example gif.

in your media browser, hover over whichever episode you want (you can also just add the whole episode to your project and scrub through, but that can take longer unless you know what time stamp you're after). click the fullscreen button by the bottom righthand corner.

now you can scrub through and trim the episode before you even import it to premiere. this makes trimming your clip even easier.

use the trim bar (yellow outlines) to trim as close as you can around the scene you want to gif.

then click this plus, and then "add" below. this will add the clip to your project.

now, move the blue playhead up to the frame you want your gif to start on. then, use the scissors button off to the left to slice the clip. select the portion before the playhead, and delete it.

now move the playhead to where you want the gif to stop. a good length for most gifs is around 1.5-2 seconds in my opinion. some may be shorter depending on how long the shot is, or longer if you plan on making them smaller (remember, the uploading capacity on Tumblr is 10mb per file.) trim again, now delete the portion after the playhead. you can also use the left and right arrows beside the play button to move frame by frame, and you can adjust the side of the horizontal scroll bar below your clip to “zoom” in on it and make scrubbing easier.

once you have your clip, go up to where it says "share". your clip will be rendered, and then you can click export to save it.

repeat step one as many times as you want for each gif. I know this may sound complicated, but like I said above once you get in the rhythm this step takes only a few seconds.

STEP TWO: create your gif!

close premiere. open photoshop. head to the control bar at the top. select file > import > import video frames to layers.

navigate to whatever folder you exported your clip to. select it, and hit enter. a second popup will appear asking you to select your range of frames. since you have already trimmed your clip to your liking, simply hit enter a second time.

now your screen looks like this, and we are going to crop and resize our gif! (troubleshooting: if you do not see the timeline bar at the bottom, select window from the control bar, scroll down, and make sure timeline is selected as part of your workspace. Adjustments and layers should be there automatically but if not add them too).

Tumblr posts are 540px wide, so in order to make my gifs as small as possible while maintaining quality, I typically crop my gifs to be around 550-600px wide, with varying heights depending on what shape I want the gif to be. experiment with this a little and decide what works for you. just don't make the width lower than 540px. once you have the portion of the frame you want inside the cropping grid, hit enter again. sometimes you have to hit it twice.

here are the measurements I am using for this gif

now in your timeline, select frame 1. hold down the shift key and scroll to the end to select the very last frame, thereby highlighting them all. from here we will edit our frame delay rate. photoshop will automatically set it to .03s, which will make your finished gif awkwardly fast. I typically use .05s, or .06s if I want a gif to be subtly slower (this comes in handy if the shot you are trying to gif is very short). anything longer than .06s will look weird though. choose "other" from this menu and type in your delay rate. make sure not to miss the zero after the decimal.

once you've set your frame rate, go to the other end of your timeline and click here to convert your frames into a video timeline.

then press option + command + A (on Mac) or windows + alt + A (on PC) to select all layers. then right click (control + click with a trackpad) on any one of the highlighted layers in your layers tab off to the right. scroll down in the popup menu and select Convert to Smart Object.

THAT'S IT!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! WE HAVE GIF!!!

from here comes the fun part!! you will begin adding action filters like sharpening as well as adjustment layers to color and edit your gif. experiment with different adjustments and styles until you find something you like. too many adjustment layers will up the size of the finished gif though, so I tend to keep mine to 3-4 layers max unless its a really hard to color scene. if anyone is interested in a separate coloring tutorial, please let me know!

once you are finished editing your gif, click file > export > save for web (legacy) OR hit shift + option + command + S. play your gif in the export window to make sure it looks okay, and then hit save!

I hope you guys find this helpful and informative! please hit up my in box if you have any questions or if anything doesn't make sense. happy giffing!!!

*one reason people seem to prefer screencapping to this method, is saving all the individual clips as video files does take up a lot of space on your scratch drive, which in turn can cause your computer to work slowly or crash programs. this can be rectified by making sure to delete the clips from your computer once you are done making the gifs. another space hoarder to look out for is the proxy files of your episodes that will be automatically saved to your hard drive whenever you add an episode to your project in Premiere. Periodically, go through your storage and delete all the .proxy video files. this will not delete the original episode files, only the proxy files created by Premiere.

tagging some mutuals to sb hehe: @shitouttabuck @lover-of-mine @honestlydarkprincess @eddiediaaz @compactdiscmp3 @eddiebabygirldiaz @bigfootsmom @callaplums @athenagranted @firemedicdiaz @sibylsleaves @loserdiaz @buck2eddie @diazass @eddiediaztho @giddyupbuck @monsterrae1 @icecreampotluck @sunflowerdiaiz @swiftfootedachilles @singlethread @aziraaphales @911onabc

[modsbyari]

How to make Tattoos/Skin Textures for Final Fantasy 14

Hi there! I made a video about this a long time ago, essentially it is still the same work flow even though the Textools UI has changed a little bit with the Dawntrail update. Please mind that the video is a little old, recorded with a free software and I personally have zero editing skills. From experience and from what other creators told me it helped them a lot so I would like to bring it to more people and share my wisdom. This is a "beginners guide" for now, I can and will expand on it if necessary. You're always welcome to ask me questions. Join my discord or send me a dm! Let's start with what we need to make a tattoo/skin texture:

- Textools - Final Fantasy 14 with subscribtion - Substance Painter - Any Photo editor (Photopea is a free Photoshop online clone) - Not required but it could help: my videos

Step 1

Open your fbx in Substance Painter by clicking "Open" then "New" or Ctrl + N, with the following settings: PBR Metallic Roughness (Starter Assets) Resolution 2048 You can find the Bibo+, Gen3 and TBSE .fbx file here!

Step 2

Import your assets by dragging and dropping them into the Asset Library, then set them to "Texture" and import into your preferred Asset Library Category.

Step 3

Drawing: You can draw directly onto the 3D model and on the UV/2D planes. For that create a paint layer, select your brush, set your color in "base color". Assets: You can drag and drop your assets onto the 3D model, then select "Base color". This will project the asset in 3D. You can change the projection properties on the right under your layer selection or by right clicking in either of the windows. You can also create a "Paint Layer" and drag and drop the asset into the "Base color" slot. This will replace the fill color with the asset. Please make sure to make linework have a transparent background before using your assets.

Step 4

Whenever you're done arranging your tattoos/textures, it is time to export. Export with the following settings: - Output template: Document channels + Normal + AO (With Alpha) - Size: 2048 is more than enough for skin textures in FF14!! 4096 is almost overkill but will result in better quality, if you're a Mare user, please don't blast others with a 4k tattoo/skin texture unless it's really necessary - Padding: Dilation + Transparent

Step 5

Export the Skin Diffuse Material from Textools by selecting Character then choose your Characters race and gender. Midlanders share their skin material with Miqote and Elezen.

Step 6

Open a photo editor of your choice, open the skin Diffuse png and your Substance Painter Export. Adjust the layers if needeed so your tattoo/skin texture is above the skin texture. Export as png.

Step 7

Replace the Skin Diffuse png with the one you've just created, save to FFXIV to apply your changes to the game files and then launch the game to check the results!

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to DM me here or on discord @arimaemae

[wenclairfamily]

Top 10 Episodes of "The New Addams Family" (1998)

In 1998, the first ever live action Addams Family TV series since the original premiered on the Fox Family Channel and Fox Kids. Despite being the most over the top and young child friendly incarnation of the Addams Family in live action, the show still did have some bright spots that shouldn't be over looked; which we will be listing today...

10. Amnesia in the Addams Family - The 90's live action Addams Family series did many adaptations of classic stories from the 1960's show, including one story where Gomez gets amnesia and acts normal. However in the 90's series, the show does a very bizarre twist on that classic tale, and has Gomez's amnesia cause him to act like... Rocky Balboa! It makes no sense from an intellectual standpoint, but seeing Gomez spend the entire episode talking like Sylvester Stalone is a real fun treat.

9. Thing's Romance - In one of the few episodes focused on the most silent member of the Addams Family, Thing gets a new girlfriend (a female hand named Lady Fingers). What follows is a tale of romance, betrayal, loss, and reunion. As cliche as everything is in this story, the fact that it's happening to two hands makes it real fun to watch. Also... the scene where Thing and Lady Fingers make out is too funny and bizarre for words to describe. ;)

8. Lurch, the Teen Age Idol - In yet another adaptation of a story taken from the old show, a 1960's episode about Lurch becoming a super star as big as the Beatles is adapted here into a very 90's style tale about Lurch becoming a punk rock star. As much as the Addams Family should always stay the same, sometimes they do have to adapt to the times they're in; and they certainly do in this episode. There's no other decade where you're gonna see Wednesday Addams creating an MTV style music video featuring Lurch doing alternate punk rock. :)

7. Death Visits the Addams Family - In the series finale, Death (in the form of the Grim Reaper) comes to take Gomez to hell. However in typical Addams Family fashion, every dark concept is played up for laughs; with Gomez acting very casual and calm about his soul perhaps about to be taken to the underworld to be tortured for all eternity. While the resolution is wacky and over the top, the Addams Family's reaction to Death in the first several minutes of the episode really shows the famous creepy family at their kookiest.

6. Morticia and the Psychiatrist - This episode, a direct adaptation from an early episode of the 60's show: features Pugsley shocking his entire family when he joins the Boy Scouts and starts doing very normie things. The episode changes very little from it's 1960's counterpart, but it doesn't really need to, as the story is still a perfect timeless social commentary on parents worrying about problems their kids have.

5. Uncle Fester's Illness - When Fester loses his ability to create electricity, the family take Fester to the local hospital, and all sorts of insanity ensue. Wednesday takes advantage of obtaining operating tools that she can use on Pugsley, Morticia basks in the diseases she is surrounded by, and Gomez reveals to the doctors he has the best guaranteed health insurance plan in America... having lots of money! It's a very silly scenario that makes one wonder why other incarnations of the Addams Family haven't already done it.

4. Addams Family in Court - In a wonderfully dated (in all the right ways) type of story, the Addams Family's neighbors take the Addams Family to court for property damages... with the court actually being a TV court led by a spot on parody version of Judge Judy. However, the real kicker is Fester has a crush on this parody version of Judge Judy, and he only damaged his neighbor's property, just so he could have a chance to ask out his favorite female TV judge. It's this kind of insane plot you can only get with the Addams Family.

3. Wednesday's Crush - In this rough adaptation of a 1960's episode of the classic series, the family helps out and befriends a normal teenage boy named Sam who has run away from home. However, what makes Sam far more different than typical normies is that he is into dark creepy stuff himself, allowing for the rare opportunity for the Addams Family to make a genuine new friend. However, the rarer moment is when Wednesday (who shows less emotion here than any other incarnation of the character) develops her first crush on Sam. While Sam does not directly reciprocate the goth girl's feelings, he does help Wednesday (for the first time in her life) experience the feeling of being accepted exactly the way she is. Despite all the wacky shenanigans in this episode, there is some real genuine heart underneath it all.

2. Grandpapa Addams Come to Visit - In this extra special episode, Grandpa Addams comes to visit, and experiences all sorts of wacky shenanigans with the family. While the story is simple enough (even loosely adapting an episode of the 1960's show that told a similar story about Morticia's mother), what elevates this episode far higher is the fact that Grandpa Addams is played by John Astin (Gomez from the 1960's show). The passing of the torch between the original and 90's show is felt very much here, and the respect given to John Astin is felt every second he's on screen. It also doesn't hurt that he gets a lot of great funny moments in this episode as well (such as when Grandpa Addams gets turned on by Morticia speaking French right in front of Gomez).

1. Morticia's Romance Parts 1+2 - This story may be an adaptation of the identically named two part episode of the 1960's show... but it works just as well here as it did three decades prior. This two part story is essentially a different take on how Gomez and Morticia first met and fell in love. All of the lines and ideas taken from the original 1960's version of the episode still work perfectly here, and many new lines and ideas this version comes up with are also hysterical. It's the origin of how the most passionate couple in all of fiction fell in love. It's hard to go wrong with that.

[arandomdai]

Beyoncé's Echoville Play

This is just a theory. Enjoy!!!

⚫ The Structure

Beyoncé is going by the 3 act play route for this roll out. This is the build up from the beginning to end of a play and how it's being done. Since we're at the midpoint so far in the COWBOY CARTER era, I think it's more coming (and not a tour). Here, I will explain how everything ties together and my theory on what's to come for Act III.

⚪ Act I: RENAISSANCE (Beginning)

⚪ Opening Scene

Teases RENAISSANCE in Vogue in June 2022

Releases RENAISSANCE in July 2022

⚪ Inticing incident

Teases visuals or movie in "I'M THAT GIRL" teaser in August 2022

Teases RENAISSANCE Tour in February 2023

Kicks off the tour in May and ends it in October of 2023

⚪Plot Point One: Starts Act II⚪

🟡 Act II: COWBOY CARTER (Middle)

🟡 Pinch Pt. 1

Teases COWBOY CARTER at the Grammys in February 2024.

Put out 2 singles (TEXAS HOLD EM and 16 CARRIAGES) during the Superbowl in February 2024

COWBOY CARTER releases in March 2024

🟡 Temporary Triumph

Performs for the NFL halftime show on Christmas 2024

Releases BEYONCÉ BOWL on Netflix the next day

Teases Act II part II or a new song, which is happening on a later date.

_____Midpoint/Plot Twist(Today)_____

🟡 Pinch Pt. 2 ( Theorizing what could happen)

Releases a song or a deluxe of COWBOY CARTER on (this is just a guess) maybe in February, March or in the middle of the year (June or July).

Or possibly put out 2 singles like she did the last time and release the deluxe on the one year anniversary of the album's release. She could possibly tease whats to come in another magazine for Vogue or Rolling Stone (hint hint)

🟡 Calm Before The Storm (Theorizing what could happen)

It's going to be silent until she announces she will perform again at a different location. Perhaps a residency in Vegas or another event.

🟡 Black Moment (Theorizing what could happen)

I think after she does a performance or puts out the final product, she's officially going to end Act II. It's going to be silent for a moment, and then start subtly teasing Act III, which leads me to my Act III theory on how it might go.

🟡Plot Point Two: Starts the final Act...Act III🟡

🔴 Act III: BETTY BLACK... Theory (Resolution) 2026-2027

🔴My Theory on the Betty Black rollout:

I think she's going to do a surprise drop this time ( the third act of a play is normally when it becomes intense and whenever Beyoncé does a surprise drop, it becomes intense... in a good and exciting way for the fans.) I feel as though all her endeavors as far as products, performances, and releases are going to be surprises during the BETTY BLACK era. Also, I have reason to believe she's going to release another trailer just like she did for "I'M THAT GIRL", but I think it's going to be more in the trailer than we think.

🔴 Revelation

Begins to tease Betty Black in Vogue or Rolling Stone magazine giving us tidbits or hints on the Echoville movie

Releases BETTY BLACK in May 2026

Shows up with dark or black hair

🔴 Decision

In 2027, in February after the Superbowl, announces the Betty Black Tour

Kicks off the tour from late April to early to mid October

Releases a new product (different from the Sir Davis, Cecred, or the Perfume line

Release a perfume called "Lé Ombre", or "The Shadow". The final perfume of the perfume line.

And release another Cecred hair care product

🔴 Regroup

Comes out with the official trailer for Echoville and has some parts from that "I'M THAT GIRL" teaser some days after the tour

Starts coming out with posters for the movie with the release date, which I'm gonna guess a week before the movie is in theaters or on a streaming platform

🔴 Climax

She released the Echoville movie which would probably be on October 31st or in the same week of.

🔴 Resolution

Release a video of her telling us thank you for supporting her

Probably announce something prior to ending the entire three acts entirely.

Thank you for reading my theory and thoughts- ☺️❤️

[vodika-vibes]

Heyyyyy Vodikaaaaa!

I saw those first kiss prompts, and because I'm such a sap, I thought I'd mosey on over here and send in a request.

Can I have “worth the wait” with Fives?

You can take it wherever you want to (just no smut, please), or you could choose to ignore it. I will be happy with anything or nothing 😌

Please and thank you 💚

@the-bad-batch-baroness

Worth the Wait

Summary: You are eagerly waiting for your first date with Fives.

Pairing: ARC Trooper Fives x Reader

Word Count: 1356

Warnings: None~

A/N: You know me, I love me some Fives fluff! Thank you for the request~

divider by saradika

You absently tap your marker on your kitchen counter as you scan the calendar that’s spread out in front of you. Each day is carefully crossed off with a red X as you count down the days until you can finally meet Fives face to face.

A smile crosses your face as you open your marker and cross off one more day. And then you move the marker to tap on the paper right next to the neatly printed words that marked today.

Resolute lands at 10 am,

And directly underneath it.

Date with Fives at Martha’s Tavern at 6 PM.

You feel a surge of excitement. You’ve been preparing for this date for weeks now. You have the perfect outfit, the perfect shoes, the perfect hairstyle-

You may have obsessed over this date. Just a little.

It’s fine. Probably.

You recap your marker and drop it in the cup on the counter, and then pick up the calendar and hang it back on the wall. You grab your comm, and open your reminders, absently scanning down the list for the day, making sure that all of the alarms are properly set, so you aren’t late.

You can’t be late. Not to this.

You and Fives have been friends for almost a year now. Though, admittedly, your friendship only started because you both regularly visit the same chat room. 

It started out with a couple of conversations about whatever topic was the topic of the day for the forum. He quickly proved himself to be smarter, and more clever, than many of the other people in the forum, and you found yourself sending him private messages about things that you read in the forum that sat wrong with you.

And in return, he did the same. Sending you messages at random times, linking to a comment or a forum, with a quip or a snarky comment.

And before you knew it, you were sending him your comm code, and he was sending you his, and you were getting messages throughout the day about random little things.

Honestly, you didn’t even know that he was a clone, or even his name, until five months after you started talking with each other.

He’d had a bad day. A really bad day. And you got a message at one am-

I know you’re probably asleep, but I could really use a friend right now-

And you, who had intentionally set the notifications from Fives to be loud enough to wake you, immediately commed him. If he needed a friend, then you would be that friend.

You spent all night talking…and you talked well into the morning. 

It changed something in your relationship, though you didn’t realize it until much later.

Fives took to comming you on a daily basis, usually early in the morning for you, or late at night, and while he always apologized for waking you, or preventing you from sleeping, you always made the same joke, “sleep it for the weak.”

Somehow, though, in spite of the fact that he regularly returns to Coruscant, your schedules never quite manage to sync up. Either you’re working or visiting family on the other side of the planet, or he’s working or deployed.

It is, in a word, infuriating.

Three months ago, Fives sent you a message before the Resolute entered hyperspace. Girlfriend?

It was, easily, the most unromantic way to be asked to be someone’s girlfriend, but-

Well.

How could you say no? It’s Fives.

You learned, real quick, that you have an innate inability to say no to Fives. Which would normally concern you, but he’s so kind and sweet, and all he really asks for are pictures and videos of you going about your daily life.

He admitted, only once, that the pictures and videos help him feel like he’s there with you, helping you go through your life.

If you’re going to be honest with yourself, and you always are, you can admit that you’ve fallen, and fallen hard, for Fives. And you haven’t even been on a single date with him.

Which is why, when he sent a message telling you when the Resolute will finally be docking, you immediately replied with an offer for a proper date at one of your favorite restaurants. 

And Fives…well, Fives teased you about being so eager, but was just as eager when he agreed.

You stare at the chrono on the wall, it’s almost time for you to head out the door, and you’ve been dressed and primped and ready for over an hour. You ended up getting ready early just to work out some of the excited/nervous energy.

Plus, time was moving so slowly, that you were beginning to fear that it was going to run backwards.

You tap your nails, impatiently, on the arm of your couch, your gaze locked on the chrono, and you heave out a sigh as the minute seems to last an hour.

It’s worse than being in school, honestly.

You heave out another deep sigh as the time finally changes, making in a minute later, and you jump to your feet. You’re done. You can go and wait out by the restaurant. It’s fine. It’s a pretty day.

And if you have to sit here and watch the chrono for another second you’re going to scream.

You’re going to be early. By, like, a lot. But that isn’t a bad thing. 

One fifteen minute taxi ride later, you find yourself outside the tavern. You settle yourself on a bench, and prepare yourself for the hour-long wait.

However, less than ten minutes later, someone sits next to you on the bench, “You’re really early, cyare.” You turn to look at the man who joined you, a smile crossing your face when you see Fives grinning at you.

“So are you,” You tease lightly.

“Yes, but if I had to spend one more minute listening to Echo tease me about this date, I was going to throw him off a rooftop.” Fives replies with a laugh, “Speaking of which…we’re being followed.” He drapes his arm over your shoulder and points to a small group of men on the opposite side of the street.

“Ah. Which brothers are they?” You ask, amusement coloring your voice.

“Echo, Jesse, Hardcase,” Fives points out each brother to you, “Oh, and Rex and Cody are just over there.”

“Aww, they love you!” You coo at him.

He laughs, “You really don’t mind?”

You wave at his brothers, and Hardcase and Jesse wave back, “I think it’s cute.”

“Oh, they’re going to love that.” Fives says with a grin.

You turn to look up at him, the nervous energy fading into something warm and comfortable now that you’re in his presence, “Anyway, our reservation isn’t for another hour-”

“Because you’re ridiculously early.”

You bump him with your elbow, “You’re here too!” You say defensively, and he just winks at you, “Anyway,” You continue with a small pout, “We can either just sit here and hang out, or you can introduce me to your brothers-”

“I have a better idea!” Fives interrupts.

“Okay, what is it?” You ask.

And then his lips are against yours. His lips are warm and soft and his hand moves to rest against the back of your neck, holding you against him. 

It was a much better kiss than you could have imagined…and you did imagine it. A lot.

He breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against yours, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and affection, “I’ve been wanting to do that for months, cyare.” He admits.

You press one of your hands against his chest, while allowing the fingers of your other hand to trail against his jaw, “And?” You ask, sounding slightly breathless, “How was it?”

He chuckles lowly, and tilts your head so his lips can hover just over yours, “Worth the wait, cyare.” And then his lips are against yours again, as if he can’t get enough of you.

And, as you lean into his touch, you find yourself completely agreeing with him, this is definitely worth the wait.

[greatwyrmgold]

I've been thinking about Gnosia's endings. Spoilers below the break, obviously.

So, Setsu's goal (and the player's) is to end the time loop without anyone dying. Pretty standard stuff. There are a couple of problems with this. One is that the Silver Key will keep the time loop going as long as it wants (regardless of its hosts' desires). The other is convoluted, but TL;DP every timeline where Gnosia don't kill people is a timeline with a second (mostly dead) player-character, and that causes a time paradox.

The "normal ending" is, in my opinion, a satisfying resolution to those problems. Once the Silver Key is satisfied, Setsu and the player-character can go into a timeline without any Gnosia, and then Setsu can follow the Silver Key into another dimension and take the second player-character with them. It's a bit bittersweet (since Setsu can't live in the world with the people they saved), but it works, bitterness and all.

And it's not easy to accomplish! Unlocking the Normal Ending requires getting functionally every event, and some of those are pretty tricky. Like the one requiring you to keep Raqio alive for the entire game while they're a Bug and also act like Raqio. Or the one which requires you to keep Jonas and Setsu alive for several nights.

The "true ending" is, by contrast, pretty simple if you know what to do. I'm not sure how you're meant to come to this conclusion, but all you need to do is start a new save file and pick a conspicuous new option in the first dialogue choice. Then wait; everything's on autopilot.

And it's also...less. It appears to be a timeline where ten of the fourteen characters died before the loop began, which is never really commented on. But it lets Setsu take charge of the discussion, identify SQ as Gnosia/Manan, and dump Manan and the Silver Key in another dimension.

As an epilogue for Setsu, it works. It confirms that, eventually, Setsu will get a chance to rest. But it's not labeled as an epilogue, it's labeled as the True Ending.

In visual novels (and some other video games), it's common to have several possible endings plus a "True" or "Golden" or otherwise special ending which only unlocks once you've seen some portion of the other endings. (Usually all the endings, unless some of them are marked as Bad Endings or Game Overs or something.) This ending is generally more comprehensive, building off the conflicts and themes and reveals in every other route to craft a conclusion for the experience as a whole.

In Gnosia, each loop has its own ending, including several Notes whose events only trigger if the loop ends a certain way. (And a couple which end the loop early.) All of those loops build up to the Normal Ending, which means the True Ending can't really fill the same role. Granted, the True Ending picks up a couple of Manan-related threads that the Normal Ending left dangling, but it's not like the plot needed those threads resolved. It's not like the soft love triangle of Shigemichi/Stella/Jonas gets resolved in either ending!

Video games with a New Game Plus feature often include some kind of special ending which can only be obtained in NG+. This is usually a more complete and lore-heavy conclusion, serving as a reward for beating the game more thoroughly (and usually overcoming some kind of New Final Boss Plus).

Gnosia's True Ending doesn't work very well for this, either. It's slightly more lore-heavy, in that Setsu's plan incorporates Manan and Kukrushka's spare body, but it's arguably less complete. Most of the cast got left behind, for Gnos's sake! And it's not a reward for overcoming some ludic challenge; you just have to solve the puzzle of "start a new dimension that Setsu can walk into".

None of these are things that Setsu's epilogue needs to do. But it's weird that something called the True Ending doesn't do any of it. It just wraps up the story of one character, one whose story already had a cathartic (if bittersweet) conclusion in the Normal Ending. And calling it the True Ending kinda implies that it supplants the Normal Ending in some way, which sucks for the ten characters who presumably got left behind on/in Liu-An when the D.Q.O. left in this timeline.

It's weird.

[jakobos]

One of the main goals I managed to tick off last year was to complete my "Devil's Dozen". At least one animation posted to Youtube starting December 2023. I meant to make 13.... but it ended up being 17! Including finally releasing the 'Synchronise' Music Video on 'Magenta Voyeur's Youtube Channel!

I had the "fortune" of being jobless for quite a few months, so I had ample time to create a bunch of things over the year....

A big thing I believe is New Year's Resolutions are more of a snapshot of the priorities you had at the end of the last year, but you can't account for how things may change. When I initially wanted to do the Devil's Dozen, I had planned to make these longer, story-based animatics to work on my storyboarding skills (I have this unreleased one I was working on for quite some time that may not see the light of day). But that all changed after 'Romancing the Lizard" suddenly got 160k views... I was an Elder Scrolls Animations channel now! So small TES skits became the priority, I shifted things around, and eventually worked on the larger one, "Obliviots". Unfortunately by the time I had finished it, the steam from Romancing's success had run out, and my channel was back to seeing its normal numbers. I learnt a lot about creating online, the ebb and flow of algorithms, I gained 1500+ followers and I'm grateful to every one of them.

My focus will remain to make fun, evergreen videos about things I like. I have a few things in the pipeline currently, old project being dusted off, and new things I didn't get around to starting last year. Although my main priority has shifted back to a comic project I dropped momentarily to work on these little animations (More about that later!). I'm thinking of making a full retrospective video about what I learnt, though it might be a bit of a deviation from what the channel's usually about (If you're interested in that, peer pressure me, it's super effective...)

Thank you for making 2024 so creatively exciting, I look forward to making more things this year! (Probably should do a drawing retrospective post too...... maybe 😅)

And if you haven't... Go check out my youtube possibly maybe yes?!

[electronic-apocalypse-ask]

Well war’s over, everyone go home

Falspar slowly crept through the dark halls. Normally, the lights were bright and one could hear the hum of electricity and droning of the climate control systems running full tilt. But nothing, it was silent, and it was still, and he hated it.

His comrades were patiently waiting for answers as to why the power was off, throwing back and forth guesses like maybe there was maintenance being done. Maybe it was some broken wire or some busted vent.

He didn’t buy it, why wasn’t emergency power on if that was the case? And well, he wasn’t patient enough to wait for Arthur. Much less when he knew Arthur, and knew getting him to answer any questions required backing him into a corner and biting at his heels until he finally relented just to make you go away. It was a strategy he had well perfected.

He slid closer to the main control room, pausing briefly when he heard Arthur speaking.

“What do you make of it?” He peaked into the doorway, in the room was Arthur and their other brother Nonsurat, the axe wielding warrior was looking up at some low resolution screens of… Nova, he needed to get closer to see what that was.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. With Nightmare and NME, my first instinct would be to suspect a trap. My mentor once told me of a predatory species she’d hunt, it would pretend to be weak and hurt to draw in naive hunters thinking they’d get an easy kill….. but this isn’t that. Faking being weak is one thing, blowing up multiple of your own ships and bases is another.”

Falspar frowned. NME was doing.. what now?

“We really should bring Falspar in here, he’s the demolitions expert. Confirm that it’s what the intelligence department thinks, maybe we can turn the power back on.”

“Must we?” Arthur said distastefully, and Falspar immediately cleared his throat. Arthur jumped a little bit, lavender eyes narrowing behind his visor. “Speak of the devil and he shall appear.”

“Nice to see you too Arty,” Falspar grunted, stepping over to Nonsurat’s side. “What are we looking at Lance?”

Nonsurat gestured to one of the screens, and he squinted at it to see a poor quality video of a fleet of NME war ships. Far too many to reasonably have a hope of taking on, he remembered someone saying they’d been watching this fleet from afar for a while uneasily waiting rather hopelessly for when it attacked.

And then the ships’ flight patterns became… erratic, veering sharply in what seemed to be an unintended direction, the ship sputtering as if someone was trying to correct its path. But not nearly fast or well enough, as it crashed into the back of another ship.

Falspar might’ve proposed that someone got stupid, as the captain of stupid he would know. Maybe someone got drunk or got into a fight, bumped the controls, after all if it had been intentional sabotage why would they try to correct the flight to veer back away?

And then one after another all the ships followed a similar fate, as if collectively every single person forgot how to pilot and like a fiery game of dominos each ship crashed. All it took was one exploding, and any nearby would follow suit as bits of shrapnel would fly into their ship, puncture the hull or something else, and KABOOM.

“……… we’ve spent MONTHS being afraid of that fleet and it just blew itself up in like, TWO MINUTES?!” Falspar exclaimed, his paws almost trembling. Why did .. why did that scare him more than the ships themselves ever did?

“It would seem, at first we suspected that some large group mass infiltrated the fleet, maybe part of the crew aboard were actually rebels… but…”

“NME traitors? And light escapes black holes.” Falspar rolled his eyes.

“That, and look,” Lance reached up, rewinding back one of the recordings, back to very shortly after the first two ships collided, he gestured to one assuming ship on the far edge of the display. Falspar watched the unassuming ship, his eyes wanting to look back at the main chaos, until the ship too exploded. Without anything touching it, out of distance of the immediate shrapnel range.

“…. Weird,” Falspar nibbled at the corner of his glove.

“Where did the explosion take place?” Lance rewound the recording again, he watched a little more carefully.

“Mm… that part of the ship? It would’ve been the… .. the reactor. Looks like it’s heat vent crapped the bed. So equipment failure- … like the kind of equipment failure that could’ve killed the ship’s navigation system. If it was on autopilot, and if it experienced a bad enough failure it wouldn’t matter if they tried to manually pilot because the autopilot wouldn’t know to release the controls-!”

Arthur shut off the display.

“If NME is dealing with some electronic attack, I want the power to stay off and our systems down until we can make sure that nothing can infect us.” Arthur stared sharply at Falspar. “And don’t go spreading this around like wild fire, until I’m ready to give an announcement. That’s an order.”

“Alright alright, Eesh!” Falspar’s feathers bristled. “Lance mentioned bases too, it’s more than just that fleet?”

“Almost everywhere we’re looking,” Nonsurat mused.

“Wait- does that mean- we could get Dragato out. Slip in and slip out while they’re too busy fighting this! And he could help us come up with a strategy to use this to wipe the bastards out for good. The war could be over and we could all go home!” Falspar almost turned to go there and then, but Arthur grabbed his arm, and grabbed it harshly.

“Sir Falspar- you listen to me closely. NO. I will not have you running into an exploding building on a fool’s mission for someone we don’t even know is still alive.”

“THAT SOMEONE IS OUR BROTHER!” Falspar ripped his arm away, Arthur just looked at him coldly.

“My orders are final.” Arthur hissed.

Falspar’s teeth clenched, and knowing his next choice of words if they left his mouth would have him thrown into the floor or arrested, he whipped around and left fuming.

[hwljpg]

So, I just finished watching all 9 episodes of Smiling Friends in one sitting.

I dunno why, but I just have a bit of a natural aversion to immediately diving into like Internety things that blow up really quickly. I still need to watch the pilot episode for The Amazing Digital Circus, I have no clue what the game Content Warning is about, I know I got into watching videos on Lethal Company late and such.

One of those things was Smiling Friends. I had seen it blowing up originally, and so naturally, I just drifted away from it. I had subsequently seen it in like some memes or stuff afterwards, but besides that, not much.

It doesn’t help I’ve not really gotten into Adult Swim cartoons at the moment. I love random, but Adult Swim cartoons can be really cynical in a way that makes me wary of them.

Then, I saw you post some art of it. Then some more. Wow, more! What about this show makes this person I consider a good Tumblr friend like it so much to dedicate so much time to doing at about it? Well, you said in an ask that it wasn’t as cynical as other Adult Swim cartoons, especially when it came to Pim and Charlie. Huh, okay, I think I’ll go watch it!

I procrastinated on it for a few days because I was busy. But, finally, I decided, “You know what, I’m just gonna watch it!” I watched the first episode. Honestly, it is my least favorite episode. (Weirdly, just like how the first episode of the Sam and Max TV show is my least favorite.) I didn’t like The Boss breastfeeding, I didn’t like how Desmond kept the gun pointed to his head, I didn’t like the spinning baby. That all felt too jarring for me.

Of course, maybe I wasn’t properly acclimated with the show yet. Besides, there was good with the bad. I thought Pim and Charlie’s dynamic seemed funny, the ending was great, and I liked Allan and Glep as the other two Smiling Friend workers. So, I pushed through.

I ended up really enjoying my time watching the show. There was a lot more I liked than I disliked. My main thing: You were right, it definitely wasn’t as cynical as I thought it would be. Sure, the world still is cynical and messed up at points, but I felt an authenticity to the reoccurring characters and how they dealt with the situations they ended up in. Plus, for every single episode, I didn’t see the ending coming AND felt super satisfied by the resolutions! My favorite episode is probably the Salty’s one.

So, I guess this is a really long way to tell you: Thanks for getting me into Smiling Friends!

ooouuu i’m glad you enjoyed it!! surprising i’ve gotten some people to start the show because of my fanart.. wuohhh

Completely understand the parts that felt jarring; i could only look past it or at times find the humor in it mostly because of how my friends and i perceived and translated it into our own funky little brains. And i don’t necessarily feel as if adult shows need to step away from that very random/jarring humor/gags but more of Figure Out How To Do It Right and that’s what I feel smiling friends does perfectly. But some people are gonna be left with a bad taste in their mouth anyways and that’s completely fine yk.

What I like is how they mix those very jarring elements in their show + the characters world and contrast it with simply how realistic the characters are. They typically converse as if most of this stuff is normal and it only adds more to the joke when they actually freak out. Like i’ve said before i adore the mixture of extremely realistic dialogue that sounds so similar to real life conversations we’ve very have had before with people in everyday life. (that’s why i especially love the trip to brazil episode)

And obviously the lack of cynicism. I’ve been avoiding most adult animated shows for YEARS because i genuinely just can’t stand the cynicism and it’s constantly negative fanbases it always brews. And i’m very heavy on looking to the fanbase to get an example of how good of a media may be or simply how much it may appeal to me. I remember telling a friend that the difference between the rick & morty fanbase to the smiling friends fanbase was just one fanbase is known for constantly having a negative outlook on life and saying shit like “you need to have a high IQ to understand this show” while the smiling friends fanbase just DESPERATELY wants to make out sloppy style with Charlie. There’s no tasteless misogynistic, queerphobic, or racist jokes. Hell they have two fat characters as the main characters and we have not heard a single fat joke. It’s a breath of fresh air and with its inclusion of having many youtube/twitter/online creators be part of the show (and RUNNING the show) i feel as if we’re hopefully stepping into a new age of adult animated media.

hopefully one with a more positive outlook on adulthood.

aaaa enough of my rambling you literally watched the show!! feels so odd i used to be influenced by fanart and now my fanart is influencing others. i will do everything to use this power for good 😭 just happy to see people start and enjoy things im really fond for.

hope u having a good morning/evening/night tumblr friend 🫶

[boxfullaturtles]

For the fake title ask game: "Laughing through your crocodile tears" (I'm picking random song lyrics lol)

Okay this one gave me some trouble.

Initially was thinking post-movie or post-S2 finale. Everyone saying they're fine, making excuses for odd behaviors, smiling and pretending everything's all right and they can go back to normal. But eventually the cracks start to show and it's just a matter of who falls apart first.

But then I had a really mean idea. Time to throw Leo under the bus again. Sorry Leo. Leo's a liar, right. He lies easily, not out of maliciousness, but more like because he's two steps down from a con artist sometimes. He might not be the most charismatic but he knows how to lay on the bullshit. So opposite of one those "cursed to only tell the truth" tropes. Leo can only answer in LIES. And as these things tend to go, it's not that big of a deal at first. "Leo, do you wanna play some video games?" "With you? No way." "Leo, do you want the last slice of pizza?" "Nah, I'm not hungry." And it's not hard to put together that something's wrong with Leo. Those boys are stupid sometimes but they're not that stupid. "Leo, are you cursed?" "Whhaaattt? Pfff, no! Me? Cursed? I would never be cursed." "Yeah, he's definitely cursed." "Am not! You can't prove it!" "Leo, do you like Jupiter Jim?" "Uhg, no! They're the worst movies ever!" "...bro, you're totally cursed."

It's all funny haha make Leo say stupid stuff. But then it gets...bad. Then it escalates, as these things tend to.

He can't communicate with his team during a fight. Everything he says is a lie, an opposite, a trick. It ends up getting them hurt. He ends up insulting Donnie's tech. Badly. And it's...it's really hurtful. And Donnie logically knows that Leo didn't mean it because it's the curse talking. But...hearing that from his brother? Logical doesn't really hold a candle to hurt feelings. Mikey tries to help and get Leo to talk about how he really feels. And it works. Kind of. Actually it backfires, in a way. Leo ends up screaming his insecurities and self-loathing for everyone to hear.

And then, because what he really wants to do is cry. He laughs instead. Because why not top everything off by his own body betraying him. He wants to run so he stays put. He wants to hide in his shell but he can't move. He's hungry but he can't eat. Tired but he can't sleep. And everything that spills out of him is a lie. And if he tries to lie, tries to do the opposite of what he wants to do, tries to trick the curse into working for him, nothing happens. He's lost complete control of everything that he is. And the lines start to blur. He starts questioning where the curse ends and where Leo begins. Is he still cursed? Is he still lying? What if he's telling the truth now? It's messing with his head and he can't sleep and he's starving and his body aches because he wants to rest, so he just keeps moving, pacing the lair until Raph grabs him and holds him close because Leo's feet have been worn bloody and he's gasping for air and trembling and scared. But he can only laugh and tell them he's fine, he doesn't need help, he'll be fine. They know it's a lie, but he's still saying it with the smarmy grin of his and it's so Leo of him to do that. But it's not Leo.

And now they have to find a way to break the curse before Leo's body completely gives out on him, before the curse ends up killing him.

I don't have a resolution, I just wanna put Leo through the ringer. :) Maybe the Mystic Library has the answer? Find the right book, perform the right ritual, that whole shebang. Maybe they gotta make a deal with Big Mama? But that's a whole other can of worms. Maybe Hypno's got the answer, that would be interesting to play with. There would be a happy ending, of course, I'm not going to let Leo die like that. But it would be a terrifying and harrowing experience for everyone.