#half-vampire batman a/u | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

luxaofhesperides · 7 months ago

Text

greener on the other side.

Danny makes a habit out of hopping into portals and exploring the places he ends up. It just so happens that this time, he ends up in Gotham right as the Signal begins his patrol. Duke meets the strangest, funniest, cutest guy on the roof of the Gotham City Public Library. He knows Batman would not approve of literally anything he's doing, but sue him, he wants a meta friend and this guy seems to be up for it. -- OR: how Duke and Danny get together despite having secret identities and living in different dimensions.

chapter three: how it shines - 8.6k

read the entire fic on ao3!

the final chapter of this fic... and the end to the first fic in the series!! theres a lot i say in the end notes of ao3 so i highly recommend reading this chapter there! . . .

Signal: you ever feel like maybe the world is out to get you

Signal: [attached photo shows Signal lying in the middle of a torn up road, post-fight, his helmet lightly blackened with ash.]

Danny: buddy, the world has already taken me out

Danny: [attached photo is a selfie of Danny, frowning at the camera. Behind him, a large, flying robot is pointing a rocket launcher at him.]

Signal: okay, you win. are you alright???

Danny: lol im fine. this literally happens every week i know how to beat this guy up

Danny: tbh i think the real threat to my existence is school

Signal: so true. one day we will be free of it….

Danny: but not today

Signal: but not today

Danny: got a minute?

Signal: yeah what’s up?

Danny: u have a secret identity

Signal: …yes?

Danny: have u told other people abt ur secret identity

Signal: yes? but some of them just kinda found out on their own

Signal: why?

Danny: how did that go. did they react well? did u have to defend urself from them?

Signal: there were some problems about me throwing myself in danger, but i was always safe with them

Danny: okay. cool. got it.

Signal: everything okay?

Danny: im thinking about telling my parents a secret about me. im kinda terrified of how they’re going to react

Signal: are you coming out to them?

Danny: in a way i guess.

Danny: gonna recruit my sister into helping me talk to them. and also get rid of all their weapons beforehand so there’s a lower chance of them shooting me

Signal: shooting you?!?!? dude are you going to be okay??? don’t do anything that could get you hurt!!

Danny: gtg

Signal: dude??

Signal: danny?

Signal: let me know how it goes, okay? i can’t travel through dimensions like you can, but i can figure something out if you need a rescue

Signal: good luck danny!

Danny: ever get into a fist fight with a walmart knock off vampire in the parking lot of a burger joint?

Danny: [attached photo is Danny’s hand flipping off a man hovering in a parking lot. He’s wearing a cape and vampire-coded clothes.]

Signal: ever have a snack break in the middle of fighting a crocodile man?

Signal: [attached photo shows Signal holding up a half eaten taco, a giant crocodile man behind him with his own box of tacos. They’re sitting next to each other in an alley.]

Danny: point to u bc u actually got food

Signal: 😝

Signal: also, everything okay? with your parents?

Danny: let’s not talk about that.

Signal: okay. but if you do want to talk, i’ll be here for you

Danny: idk if dash is trying to annoy me into another fling or if he actually wants me to throw him across the field but if he doesn’t back off im going for violence

Signal: uh

Danny: THAT WAS MEANT FOR TUCKER IM SO SORRY

Signal: should i be jealous that someone is hoping for another fling with you lol

Danny: it was once and will never happen again. 1) he’s not my type 2) he’s so annoying

Danny: also why would u get jealous of anyone ure literally a hero? hello?

Signal: hey man that guy is with you in your dimension and im all the way over here

Signal: totally reasonable for me to get jealous!! this is like a more extreme version of having online friends

Danny: true… hey i can swing by for the weekend if u want!! honestly the less time i spend here the better

Signal: that bad?

Danny: i’ve known everyone here for my entire life. i need OUT

Danny: gothams cool! its a big city with things to do!!! obviously im gonna like it more than Normal Town Illinois 🤮

Signal: weather is bad all week tho…. even if you come over we wouldnt be able to go out

Signal: its been a while since we had a storm so bad

Danny: man if that was happening here i would be able to punch the storm away

Signal: im taking that as a joke

Danny: no i literally punched a storm away before. he was a dick tho he deserved it

Signal: ….this is still Normal Town Illinois right?

Danny: .

Danny: ok fine maybe u have a point

Danny: anyways!!! i just wanna hang out with you dude i would be happy just playing video games or something

Signal: we can do that!! let me know when u get here 😊

Signal: and good luck dealing w this dash guy!!

Danny: ugh dont remind me

Signal: hye u know our plana to hang out tody

Signal: maybe rain chek tht im not goos company rn

Danny: u ok? i can always come by some other weekend

Signal: got hit and everythif bad

Danny: did u hit ur head?

Signal: yes

Danny: ok im going to call u so you can stop looking at ur phone screen. just in case u have a concussion

The phone rings twice before Signal picks up. He mumbles something that might be a hello, but it’s honestly hard to tell.

“Hey, man,” Danny says, leaning back in his chair to look up at the faded glow in the dark stars he stuck up on his ceiling years ago. “Are you okay?”

Signal hums a vague response, then sighs, sending static down the line. “Just got a headache right now. Can’t even go out since it’s too bright.”

“Is it sunny in Gotham right now?”

“No, it’s super cloudy and that’s still too much. I hate concussions.” There’s a bit of a whine in his voice that reminds Danny that under the helmet, Signal is a normal guy just like anyone else. And like everyone else, powers don’t save him from the pain of brain trauma.

Danny would know; he’s gotten pretty good at taking care of injuries and the such through his high school career of getting tossed in lockers and attacked by ghosts. He’s pretty sure parts of his brain are still rattled from the amount of times he’s been thrown into and through walls.

“I hear you, man,” Danny commiserates, “Head injuries are the worst. But it should start feeling better in a few days, so you can just stay home and relax until the pain stops.”

“Ugh, I wish. I still have to go to school tomorrow.”

“Dude, that sucks. If you can stay home sick, then don’t force yourself to go. Concussions are no joke.”

Signal hums again, then mumbles, “I can’t think of an excuse. Cause the concussion is from being hit on patrol so like. I can’t say that! I have to figure out a reason for my civilian identity to have a concussion.”

“Can I suggest something?”

“Please, I’ll take anything at this point, man. My brain is done for.”

“Make up an embarrassing story. You have to make yourself look silly and people will believe you more and not ask follow up questions because you’re too embarrassed to say more.”

“...Keep talking. This sounds viable. The only advice I got was to basically fake my death or get into a car accident to get more injured.”

“I think you need to fight whoever said that,” Danny says, “That is horrible advice.”

“I know!” Signal laughs. “Oh I shouldn’t have laughed, my head is hurting more.”

Danny lets out a slow breath, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling of his bedroom. If he strains his hearing, he can make out the rustle of fabric from Signal’s end of the call as well as the murmur of his parent’s voices downstairs. He closes his eyes and focuses on the call, pushing away the heavy weight of regret on his chest that hits him each time he thinks about his parents.

Now is not the time for that. Signal needs calm and quiet, so Danny is going to give that to him and then let him go to rest.

“Are you drinking enough water? Getting some comfort food?”

“Yeah, I’m being taken care of. Don’t worry Danny, I got a whole crew of dysfunctional caretakers.”

“Good. I’ll let you get back to resting, then.”

“I’m still so sorry I had to cancel. I was looking forward to seeing you again.”

Warmth rises to his cheeks and Danny rubs a hand against them, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach that came to life at those words. “We can always do a different day. Let me know when you feel better, okay?”

“Yeah, alright. Thanks, Danny.”

“I hope you feel better soon, Signal. I missed you too.”

There’s a pause where Danny’s heart pounds hard against his chest, as though trying to escape his ribcage. He bites his tongue, wondering it that was too much, if he made things weird, if Signal didn’t feel the same way.

And then Signal says with a soft voice, “I can’t wait to see you again. You’re too sweet to me.”

“Okay!” Danny squeaks, cheeks aflame, “Go sleep, Signal! I’ll talk to you once you can look at a screen again.”

“Alright. Thanks, Danny.”

“Of course, dude. Bye.”

Signal makes a soft mumble that could be ‘bye’ but it’s hard to tell with Signal’s voice going all rough and low, exhausting in every sound, and then the call is ending.

Danny drops the phone onto his desk and draws his knees up to hold them against his chest. He rests his chin on them, filled with longing for Gotham.

Not just for the Signal, though that’s a big part of it. But for the anonymity of a big city in a dimension where he doesn’t exist. A place where he can be himself, just Danny instead of being torn between his parent’s son and Phantom. Plus, Gotham has heroes! Not other ghosts, not ghost hunters, but people with superpowers who help people whenever they can.

It would be nice to be someplace like Gotham where he wouldn’t have to carry the responsibility of protecting an entire city on his shoulders. It would be nice to have friends who understand why he can’t not give his all to protect people, regardless of how they feel for him, friends who make the same choice, friends who aren’t weighed down by guilt with their part in his death.

As much as he loves Sam and Tucker, he knows that will be something that haunts them for the rest of their lives.

It’s better now that it had been in freshman year, but it’s still something that changed them all. He’ll always love them, and he knows they love him, but they need to spend some time apart.

In Amity Park, they’re the outsiders who are too weird for the rest of the school, outcasts who stick together, a tightly knit group full of secrets. They’ve been each others only friends for the longest time; sometimes, others come in and out of their lives, like Valerie, but the bond he has with Sam and Tucker can’t be replicated.

They need to be with new people to grow any more. He can see how they’re holding each other back.

They’ll always find a way to be together, but they have to be apart first.

Gotham will be good for that.

Hell, any place in that dimension would be good!

Danny just wants to be more than he is, wants to be better and he can’t do that here or with his friends.

And he certainly can’t do that with his parents.

After telling them about everything’s he’s done as Phantom, all the times he’s ruined their inventions or fought with the GIW or endangered people through his fights with other ghosts, his parents just stared at him. They were seated around the kitchen table, Jazz standing behind Danny with a comforting hand on his shoulder, as his parents just… stared.

There were no accusations of possession, no weapons drawn, no demands for an explanation. Just a haunted look in his parents eyes as they went silent, still, horrified.

“Danny,” his mom had whispered, “You mean you’re—”

“I’m Phantom, yeah. The ghost menace,” he had answered.

“You’re dead,” she finished as if he hadn’t spoken. “You died and we didn’t… we never noticed. What— How—”

The thing about being Phantom is that Danny knows he died. He knows he came back changed. But he doesn’t like thinking about it, still wakes up from nightmares of electricity racing through his body, frying him from inside out as it stops and restarts his heart in an endless painful pattern. Yes he died, but he got powers out of it! He got to meet other ghosts, explore the Infinite Realms, do so many cool things no one else is able to do…

But he still died. Half of him is still dead. He’s never going to be the kid he once was.

“It was an accident,” he had whispered, “With the portal. The on button is inside it, and when I went in for some stupid picture, I tripped and hit it.”

“And we only cared about the portal working,” his dad had said, grief coloring every line in his face. “We didn’t even look at you. We just went straight for the portal. We were so happy to be right that we didn’t stop to think about what it meant, how it could have happened…”

The tears he saw well up in his parents eyes made his heart twist uncomfortably in his chest. For several long minutes, silence settled around them as his parents closed either eyes are stared down at the table, refusing to look at him. Jazz had squeezed his shoulder, then pulled him up out of his seat.

“Danny, go upstairs. Or to Tucker’s place. I need to have my own talk with them,” she had said. There was a steel in her gaze that told Danny there was no use in arguing, so he walked out the front door and transformed so he could fly out into the woods where he could be alone, watching the sky change colors as the sun set.

It’s been two weeks since then. His parents still can’t look at him for too long. They can’t look him in the eyes at all.

He wonders if he would have preferred them trying to kill him. At least then they would acknowledge that he’s still here instead of moving around him as if he’s a memory haunting the halls of their home, one they’re too guilty to face just yet.

He misses his dad’s loud voice and enthusiasm. He misses his mom’s quick wit and quicker reflexes. He misses the chaos of each meal they would have together and how his parents would drag him and Jazz along on random, sudden trips for the sake of science.

He misses his parents.

Danny hates that the family he loves died with him in that portal.

As much as he still loves them, being in the house, and in Amity Park in general, is suffocating. The farther he can get from them the better; Danny isn’t sure he’d react well if he stayed in this universe and woke up one day with his parents decided to break into his new home because they finally feel up to having a conversation with him.

Maybe he’d talk to Signal about what living in Gotham is like. That might help him make a decision on what to do with himself once he graduates from Casper High School.

He’ll save it for the next time they meet.

Some things are better done in person, after all. And it wouldn’t hurt for Danny to use it as an excuse to make sure he’s fine.

But for now, he’ll wait until the days pass and keep daydreaming about better things.

Signal: hey man, u doing okay? i haven’t heard from u in a while

Danny: yeah im good! i was waiting for u to text first bc i didnt know how long you’d need to recover from a concussion

Signal: ive been good for a while, dude. dw abt waiting to text me, just send me something and i’ll reply once i can!!

Danny: i’ll keep that in mind for the next time u get injured 👍

Signal: but fr are u good? tell me to back off if u need but u seem kinda down

Danny: im fine!!! just dealing w the crushing weight of existence, that’s all 🫠

Signal: oh mood. anything i can do to make things better for u?

Danny: nah it’s fine, im just like this sometimes. i promise it’ll pass

Signal: want a distraction?

Danny: please

Signal: so i was just swinging thru the streets as i do and this group called me down while theyre having a huge argument

Signal: so i go bc i dont want things escalating yknow?

Signal: and idk the context of this argument AT ALL but one of them turns to me

Signal: looks me dead in the eyes

Signal: and says ‘penis enhancement pills are NOT a thing, right?’

Danny: SKDFJALSDJ NO WAY

Signal: oh man. this isnt even the best part of this story

Danny: there’s MORE?????

Signal: its gotham, danny, there’s always more lmao

Signal: so anyways……..

Danny: i hope you know that story has been haunting me all week

Danny: dash was being a dick again and i was half asleep so i told him ‘maybe u’d be less of a dick if u stop taking penis enhancing pills’

Signal: THATS GOLD

Signal: my job here is done. nothing will ever top that. i’ll see myself out ✌️

Danny: he looked so shocked lmaooo

Danny: tried to say he DOESNT take any pills but it was too late

Danny: he was too flustered by it no one believed him

Danny: top 10 things to say to ur former bully

Signal: i didnt know he bullied u. good for u! get his ass!

Danny: he’s fine now lol just annoying. we all grew out of the super cliche high school phase after freshman year when we had to work together to fend off ghosts and the government

Signal: nothing like a little anarchy to bring people together

Signal: its why im still good friends w the people who were in a gang i joined when i was younger to be like. street kid vigilantes bc gotham was going bad back then

Danny: everything u say about gotham and ur life is so fascinating literally how are u real?? ure the perfect ya novel protagonist

Signal: thats the sweetest thing anyones ever said to me ❣️

Signal: but also lol. lmao. gotham really is just like that. no one is immune

Signal: u also sound like a ya protag jsyk.

Danny: literally how im so boring??

Signal: danny. babe. im gonna have to bring out the capital letters for this bc i get the feeling that u really believe that

Danny: oh boy

Signal: Listen. You live in a small town that’s Haunted, fight ghosts, have powers, went from being bullied to being chill with your bully, and can travel the multiverse. You are a YA Protagonist.

Danny: damn i can’t argue with that :/

Danny: why’d i have to be the ghost hunter’s ghost son. i wanna be a side character. give me a refund on this life pls

Signal: do i dare ask clarification on the ghost thing?

Danny: uuuh no? its kinda personal and im dealing w it but its also kinda like ur civilian id?

Danny: its something i’ll share once we’re closer and i know u better and can trust u with it

Signal: totally fair. want me to pretend that part of the conversation never happened?

Danny: please

Signal: cool. watch this

Signal changed Danny’s name to YA protag (real)

YA protag (real): ooooh my god

YA protag (real): im not taking this lying down

YA protag (real) changed Signal’s name to YA menace

YA protag (real) changed their name to YA protag (retired)

YA menace: lmao

YA menace: does this mean… ure my senior…. my knowledgeable mentor… my senpai 🥺

YA protag (retired): i will throw us both into a black hole dont even try me 🔪

YA menace: LMAO

YA menace: fair. just saying that dealt me so much psychological damage

YA protag (retired): deserved

YA protag (retired): can we attempt Danny Visits Gotham: 2! Electric Boo-galoo?

YA menace: yeah!!!! im free this weekend if u wanna come by then!!

YA protag (retired): i can do this weekend!!

YA menace: i will do my very best not to get a head injury before then

YA protag (retired): can u maybe aim for no injuries?

YA menace: danny we need to be realistic here

YA menace: my goal is to have no bleeding wounds that need stitches. as long as i don’t bleed its not a problem 👍

YA protag (retired): …..

YA menace: no need for the judgment i have everything under control

YA protag (retired): …………

YA protag (retired): :/

YA menace: lmk when ure gonna be in gotham! i’ll make sure to be outside waiting for u

YA protag (retired): i’ll be another hour but i’ll send a msg before i head out!!

YA protag (retired): actually it might be a bit longer i gotta fight some people who are trying to cheer me up

YA menace: should i be concerned

YA protag (retired): nah its fine they’re just annoying

YA menace: if u need to reschedule

YA protag (retired): noooo!!!! i’ll be in gotham soon i swear!!!!

YA menace: ok!! ok!!!! i will keep waiting for you then 🫡

Duke waits for an hour and a half, swinging through streets and waving to people, before Danny texts him to let him know that he’s next to the botanical gardens.

One moment, Duke is perched on the roof of a Mexican restaurant in the Bowery. The next, he’s halfway across Gotham, swinging recklessly from building to building.

So what if he’s excited to see Danny again! That’s normal!

Anyone would do the same in his position.

Plus, Duke still feels so bad about having to cancel last time due to his concussion. The sooner he gets to Danny, the sooner he can start making up for it. He didn’t spend the last few patrols being extra careful for nothing; he only has a few bruise and no bleeding at all!

Danny’s star glow helps Duke find him behind the botanical gardens, hidden away from the rest of the street.

He drops down from the roof, using the shadows to soften the impact of landing.

When he looks at Danny, leaning against the building, he’s greeted with a bright smile.

“Signal!” he says, pushing off the wall to close the distance between them. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long or anything.”

“Nah, you’re good. You alright?”

“Oh, yeah, of course! It was just some friendly fighting, and they wouldn’t be able to really hurt me even if they tried. I’m all good! So, what’s the plan for today?”

Duke looks him over just in case, but Danny does appear to be perfectly fine. Not a single bruise on him. Maybe it was just a few friends roughhousing with him? That might be it, since Sam and Tucker did try to take each other out last time they were in Gotham. So he’s just going to go with what Danny says! He’s fine, and they can move on!

He’s totally going to worry about it later, but right now is not the time for it when Danny’s waiting to spend the day with him.

“Well, I still have to finish patrol, but that’s just for another hour if you wanna join me,” he says. “And then we can head to the Hatch to just… hang out. Or we can find something else to do, totally up to you.”

“The Hatch?” Danny repeats, tilting his head to the side curiously. Duke has to take a moment and just appreciate how cute Danny is before he can compose himself enough to answer.

“Yeah, it’s like my… secret base? HQ? The place I go for superhero things that is for me, specifically, and that I don’t have to share with a bunch of other people.”

“You have a secret base?! That’s so awesome! I just have—” Danny falters, his excitement falling, and then he plasters on a pained, fake smile. “I’ve always wanted to see a superhero’s HQ. Are you sure it’s fine to show it to me, though?”

Part of him wants to ask about what he was going to say before switching gears, but the drawn expression on his face is more than enough to make Duke back off. “Yeah, man, don’t even worry about it. Besides, it’s not like there’s any other places we can go to without me revealing my identity, you know?”

“Fair enough,” Danny nods. “But maybe one day we can?”

“For sure,” Duke says. “Come on, up for a quick patrol around Gotham?”

“Oh, definitely.” The light returns to Danny’s eyes as he lifts off the ground, floating. The smile on his face is more sincere, and the sight of it makes the knot of worry in Duke’s heart pull loose. He pulls his grapple out and aims for the highest ledge of Poison Ivy’s greenhouse, tucked in the back of the botanical gardens, then takes off.

Danny is flying next to him immediately, a blur of invisibility, and they fall into a rhythm quickly as they head towards the Bowery. As Duke free runs and swings between buildings, Danny flies around him, the occasional laugh slipping past his lips as he circles around Duke.

It’s hard not to have his attention stolen by Danny, but Duke is here to protect the people of Gotham, so he focuses 90% of his attention to the streets, keeping an eye and ear out for any trouble.

There’s not much happening today, thankfully. He’s only had to stop a few burglaries, a bank robbery, and chase off a stalker before Danny arrived. Truthfully, the peace is making him nervous; there hasn’t been a big attack to the city in a while, with no word on the movement of rogues and nothing big brewing among the gangs and mobs. Peace rarely lasts so long in Gotham, and Duke is genuinely worried the next thing will be some continent destroying, apocalypse bringing disaster.

In the last hour of his patrol, he only has to stop a purse-snatcher and help someone move their broken down car off the street and into a parking lot. Danny stays in the air for both, invisible to everyone but him, and the blur of his aura floats around the areas Duke stops at curiously.

They hit up touristy places last time he was in Gotham, and food trucks before that. Maybe next time Duke can get takeout from a nice restaurant and they can have a rooftop picnic.

Not quite a date, not yet at least, but something close to it. A testing of the waters. An unspoken promise for something more.

With the hour ends, Duke comes to stop on the roof of a tattoo parlor and gestures for Danny to join him.

The blur of invisibility fades away and Danny’s features come back into focus as he lowers himself down to the roof.

“What’s up?” Danny asks, glancing around them curiously.

“It’s about time for patrol to end, so we can head to the Hatch now. But I do need to blindfold you so you don’t see where the Hatch is located.”

“Oh! Yeah, that’s fine. Will I just have to hold onto you or something? Since I won’t be able to see where we’re going.”

“I was thinking I’d just carry you. It’s easier that way.”

“Sure, that works!” Danny closes his eyes, cheeks already darkening with a blush. “I’ll just… let you blindfold me now?”

Duke desperately wants to smoosh Danny’s cheeks together in his hands, but valiantly resists the urge. He’s on a mission! To hang out with Danny! He can cry about how cute Danny is later!

He walks up to Danny on silent feet, circling around him. Then he lifts his hands, picturing the light solidifying in his palms, turning to fabric that darkens and obscures, bending the light to be darker and darker until it’s nearly black. He gently pulls it across Danny’s eyes, leaning in closer to him to make sure he’s not putting it on too tightly.

Danny gasps slightly when his back bumps into Duke’s chest, and Duke can’t help the way his eyes dart down to Danny’s mouth, his red cheeks, the long line of his neck.

Focus, he tells himself sternly, and draws the ends of his makeshift blindfold back to tie the ends together behind Danny’s head.

“There,” he says in a low voice. “All done.”

Danny doesn’t answer. He just leans back against Duke, pressing them together slightly, and Duke brings his hands down to Danny’s hips to hold his steady.

“Ready to go?”

“Ready,” Danny answers in a faint voice. “How do you want me?”

Now that’s a dangerous question to ask right then and there. Duke bites back a number of flirtatious, suggestive answers, and makes himself actually think about the best way he can carry Danny while grappling to the Hatch. He’ll need one hand free to grapple, but also needs to keep a secure grip on Danny…

He steps to the side and guides one of Danny’s arms up to wrap around his shoulders. Then he picks Danny up, leaving him to wrap his legs around his waist as he walks over to the edge of the roof and looks towards the area in Gotham where the Hatch is hidden. Duke takes a moment to adjust his arm to keep Danny secure against his chest, then takes hold of his grapple with his free hand.

“Ready?” he checks, tightening his hold on Danny’s waist.

Danny nods against his neck, tucking his face in the crook of Duke’s shoulder. “Ready!”

Duke grins and jumps off the building, shooting out his grapple as they begin to fall. Danny yelps lightly, then clings to Duke even harder, his blindfold still secure around his head. It’s become a bit fainter as Duke’s attention slipped off of it, but he focuses on it again to darken it and keep Danny from seeing where they’re going.

It occurs to him halfway to the Hatch how much trust Danny is putting in him. To put a blindfold on him. To lead him to a place he’s never been to before. To let Duke swing him across the streets of Gotham without using his own ability to fly.

Oracle’s apprehension about Danny (and his friends) is a heavy weight on his mind, but he can’t help but think it’s unnecessary. She’d understand if she ever met Danny in person. He wears his heart on his sleeve and offers it so freely; how could Duke not trust him?

The weeks they’ve been texting each other only make him sure that Danny’s a good person, someone he wants in his life for as long as he can stay, someone he wants to be honest with. They just click, somehow, like they’re each holding a puzzle piece that’s been missing in each other’s lives.

I think I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet you, he wants to say. But the street entrance to the Hatch is just a block away and Danny still doesn’t know his name, so Duke bites his tongue and forces all those feelings back into more platonic territory.

Just as the reach the building with the hidden panel to allow him entrance to the Hatch, Duke pulls at the light around them to hide them from sight as they drop down from the sky.

“Almost in,” he says, holding Danny up with one arm as he tucks his grapple away and push the fake brick cover out of the way to punch in his twelve digit access code.

A hidden door in the wall of the building, the back bricked off from the operating portion courtesy of Wayne Industries funding the restoration project for this area of the city after a major alien attack, opens up smoothly and without a sound. The ground slopes downward at a steep angle; he uses this door for when he’s riding his motorcycle out of the cave networks underneath the city that keep the Hatch connected to the Batcave, but it’s not too far from where the Hatch itself is.

He carries Danny in, then makes sure the door closes completely behind him before setting Danny down on his feet. “We’ve still got a bit of a walk to the Hatch, but you can take your blindfold off now.”

“I’ll wait until we get there,” Danny says. “I’m going to use this as an excuse to cling to you for as long as I can.”

“Fair enough!” Duke laughs, “Cling away, I’ll make sure you don’t trip.”

And cling away Danny does, wrapping his arms around Duke’s left arm, holding onto it as they make their way down the tunnel. Duke keeps an eye out for anything that might trip him and carefully steers him past them.

“Are we underground?”

“Yeah, there’s this huge cave system under the city that we use to get around,” Duke answers. “Though we’ve paved in small roads and made stable tunnels to go through, so it’s all safe.”

“Huh, that’s cool. It would be nice if I had a way to get around Amity like this.”

“Danny, you can fly.”

“That’s not relevant!”

“How is it not relevant?” Duke laughs incredulously, jostling Danny slightly. Danny turns towards him and they trip over each other slightly, clutching to each other to keep their balance.

“It just isn’t!”

They bicker lightheartedly down the tunnel until it opens up into the garage of the Hatch. Duke helps Danny up the stairs to the main area, where he keeps his suit, weapons, and the large computer Bruce installed when the Hatch was first made. Once he’s sure Danny’s comfortable, he leaves to change into his civilian clothes with only a domino mask slapped over his eyes to protect his identity.

And if Duke takes an extra minute to fix up his hair, the long locs in a disarray from being tied back and stuffed into his helmet, then that’s no one’s business but his own.

Maybe he does need to get a hair cut. He’s starting to get why Steph wants to shave her head and rock a pixie cut like Selena. But, on the other hand, he does like how he looks with longer hair, especially when it’s tied up…

Long hair for now. It makes him look good and he’s here to impress Danny.

When he heads back to where Danny is, he sees Danny sitting down patiently, his blindfold still on, though it’s become much more transparent than it was before. He can see how Danny’s eyes are closed beneath it, waiting for Duke to return, tapping out a slow rhythm on his knee with his fingers.

“You can take that off now,” he says as he walks up to Danny.

“You sure?”

“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have brought you in here.”

Danny reaches up and gently pulls the blindfold off, slowly blinking his eyes open. He watches as the blindfold dissolves in his hand, becoming light again, then shyly turns to look at Duke.

“Oh,” he says softly, taking in Duke, who tries very hard not to fidget and reveal just how nervous he is to be out of his Signal armor before Danny. “You are so unfair?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You can’t be kind, a superhero, and attractive! Tell me something you’re bad at so I know you have some flaws.”

Duke grins, flattered. “You think I’m attractive?”

“Stop fishing for compliments!” Danny pushes him lightly, barely enough force to make him tilt to the side. “Give me something you’re bad at, come on.”

“Well, if you really need to know…” Duke takes a moment to think of something that won’t completely embarrass him. “I’m terrible at learning other languages. Vocab doesn’t stick in my head, grammar rules mean nothing to me, and my accent is atrocious.”

“That doesn’t count, that’s normal,” Danny argues.

“It the only thing I can think of right now! I’m just really bad at non-English languages!”

Danny rolls his eyes, shaking his head fondly. “I can’t believe you. You have powers, you’re cute, and you’re good at flirting. Stop winning at life so much, the rest of us stand no chance against you.”

“I promise I’m a disaster when I’m not trying to impress people.”

“Lies. You’re being perfect right now and there’s no one to impress.”

“I’m trying to impress you.”

Danny blinks. “Oh.” He bites his lip in an attempt to force down a smile. “Shut up. I don’t count. You don’t need to try to impress me, you’ve already done that.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe I’ll try to be more of a mess around you from now on.”

“Please do, I can’t be the only one making a fool of myself. Where’s the friendship? The solidarity? Suffer with me!”

Duke shoves him back playfully, and just like that, they fall back into a rhythm of easy conversation and light touches, skirting the lines of friendly with something more. Time slips away from him and Duke spends every second with Danny wishing he could have this always, that they didn’t have a time limit over their heads, that the universe itself wasn’t keeping them apart. He shows off the Hatch and some Bat gadgets, which Danny finds fascinating, then they spend an hour comparing their most commonly used powers.

Danny has to leave all too soon, opening up a small portal of swirling green with the help of a small pocketwatch-like device, and Duke can only hope that they can do this again soon, but without the domino on his face.

One day, he swears. One day they’ll have that.

YA menace: hey quickly rate this guys fit

YA menace: [attached photo is a goon with a black and white striped shirt with a purple question mark safety pinned onto it. They’re also wearing neon purple sweatpants and are glaring at the camera.]

YA protag (retired): ngl thats not the worst ive seen. 6/10

YA menace: 6???

YA menace: 6?????????????

YA menace: danny i say this with all the love in my heart, go get ur eyes checked

YA protag (retired): before u say anything else. look at what i regularly have to deal with

YA protag (retired): [attached photo is a floating man with blue-ish skin an d a very dramatic hairstyle. He’s wearing a long black cloak, a white suit, and a Green Bay Packer’s football jersey on top of all that.]

YA menace: damn. no wonder ur judgement of bad fits is Like That. this guys to blame

YA protag (retired): wanna know the worst part?

YA menace: this can get worse??

YA protag (retired): thats my godfather.

YA protag (retired): this is a man my parents thought were fit to be responsible for me and my sister if anything happens to us

YA protag (retired): THIS GUY

YA menace: u have my sincerest condolences

YA menace: oh shit more riddler guys are here i gtg they got guns

YA protag (retired): be safe!! please dont get shot!!!!

YA menace: i’ll do my best 🫡

YA protag (retired): came home today and all the weapons that were attached to my house disappeared

YA protag (retired): i feel like im in the twilight zone

YA protag (retired): if i start talking backwards or acting like a robot pls know it is not me but something wearing my face

YA menace: the weapons attached to ur house????

YA menace: im starting there but i want u to know that everything u said was concerning

YA protag (retired): have i not mentioned it before? my parents are kinda mad scientists and make a lot of weird but working things. mostly weapons to fight ghosts.

YA menace: cant believe ure only just dropping lore abt urself when we’ve been talking for so long

YA protag (retired): in my defense!!!! everyone here knows abt them so im used to not having to say anything!!!

YA protag (retired): people usually just Get It!!!

YA menace: moving on to my second point: having the weapons removed from ur house is whats concerning??? not the weapons being attached to ur house???

YA protag (retired): listen. i have spent p much my entire life with a house that doubles as an armed fortress. when i was a kid i was convinced it would come to life and protect me from monsters. this was also during my urban legends monster phrase and i scared myself reading abt them and needed the comfort

YA protag (retired): my POINT is that its normal for my house to have weapons. so seeing them gone is worrying!!!!!

YA menace: .

YA menace: ok fair enough. last point: is being replaced by a robot version of urself a concern in ur universe? bc it is here

YA protag (retired): no its not a legit concern here

YA protag (retired): probably. dont quote me on that. i had a cloning situation a few years ago

YA menace: a hwat

YA protag (retired): dont worry about it!!!

YA protag (retired): oh my parents are home. i need to talk to them. Bye!!

YA menace: gl!! let me know if u need rescuing from evil clone robots

RED: before I say anything else, Signal this is the price u pay for not letting me play with interdimensional tech after you let O have a turn at it.

YA protag (retired): um.

YA protag (retired): wrong chat???

RED: no this is the right chat. Hi Danny :)

YA protag (retired): hi???? who are u????

YA menace: oh my god

YA menace: this is NOT NECESSARY RED

RED: as I said. U did this to urself.

YA menace: 🙄🙄🙄

YA protag (retired): wait. did u… hack into this chat?? did u hack the phone????

RED: yeah lol.

RED: was a bit of a challenge but it was fun

RED: had to pull out the spare alien tech to make something that would connect

YA protag (retired): ok 1. tucker will want to marry u for ur brain

YA protag (retired): 2. ALIEN TECH?????

YA menace: i feel like we already talked abt aliens being real in my dimension

YA protag (retired): THATS DIFFERENT FROM HAVNG ALIEN TECH

YA protag (retired): hey red what do u accept as bribes

YA menace: u ask him while im right here????

YA protag (retired): u dont have the alien tech. red does. case closed.

RED: oh wow. Signal….. Wow.

YA menace: what? shut up. cant leave any of yall unsupervised i swear

RED: also, Danny I accept tech from different dimensions and also fun tasting sodas and energy drinks

YA protag (retired): done. i will have the goods ready next time i go to gotham, pls hook me up w alien teach

RED: do u just like new tech?

YA menace: hes a space nerd so he loves aliens

RED: do u just wanna meet an alien then?

YA protag (retired): CAN I??!!

RED: yeah I can pull something together for u

YA menace: omfg. Red can u go stop stealing danny from me

RED: up ur game Signal. We’re ALL going to try to steal Danny away

YA menace: how tf do i kick u out of the chat

RED: u cant 😇 im too good to be kicked

YA menace: put that halo away we all know what u really are

YA menace: 🤡

YA protag (retired): omg….. rip red ur cool reputation will be missed

RED: hey now. What happened to the bribes :(

YA protag (retired): ur still gonna get them but i am playing favorites

YA protag (retired): and signal is obviously my fave

YA menace: knew i could count on u to have my back danny 💛

YA menace: drop ur location red i just wanna talk

RED: lol no

RED: good luck catching me :)

YA menace: coward!!!!

YA protag (retired): there he goes…..

YA protag (retired): hey u know what i just realized?

YA menace: what?

YA protag (real) changed YA menace’s name to Light

YA protag (real) changed their name to Night

Night: rhyming buddies 😄

Light: i get the light bc of my powers but wheres the night coming from?

Night: bc i love space! the night sky!!

Light: ok thats pretty cute ngl

Light: give me some warning bc u do stuff like that its bad for my heart

Night: stop sweet talking me im busy feeling clever

Light: lmaooooo

Light: fair enough i’ll get back to it in 3-5 business days

Night: good 👍

Night: also is now a good time to ask abt red…. who was that….

Light: that was a nerd. dont worry abt him ok im cooler

Light: serious answer: hes red robin and hes another vigilante in gotham. we’re chill

Night: did u find his location for a throw down tho

Light: i can do u one better: i know where he lives

Night: oh???

Light: yeah his dad is my mentor of sorts so its not THAT impressive that i know

Light: i did steal all his zesti tho lol

Night: not sure what that is but im proud of u

Light: its just a drink that hes obsessed w. i love being a minor annoyance 😇

Night: shaking ur hand. its really the best thing to be

Light: hell yeah!!!

Light: hey got a kinda serious question for u

Night: whats up?

Light: have u thought abt ur future?

Light: like what u want to do in college, where u want to go after high school, what career u want

Night: i mean. some.

Night: not as much as my parents want me to.

Night: my sister goes to harvard and is super smart. im not that impressive so i keep disappointing them

Night: and with things recently… idk its hard. it kinda feels like they dont believe i have a future.

Night: not that they really see me in the present anyways

Night: sorry that was heavy. short answer is no! not really!

Light: that sounds rough. wanna talk abt it?

Night: not really but not talking hasnt done me much good

Night: my sister would want me to talk anyways. to someone trustworthy at least

Night: so if u dont mind listening…

Light: go for it!! im here for u danny

Light: emotionally at least. not physically but thats not by choice

Night: it can wait tho honestly. whyd u ask abt the future? something on ur mind?

Light: just feeling really lost rn is all.

Light: its like everyone around me has an idea of what to do with their lives while im still surprised that i made it as far as i have

Light: this is really the first time ive seriously thought abt my future and i have no idea what to do

Light: so i wanted to talk to u bc u help make things feel less terrifying

Night: signal…. ur going to make me cry

Night: u make me feel brave too

Night: ♥️

Night: i get what u mean 100% btw. u go so long sure that u dont have a future that u dont know what to do now that its here

Light: exactly.

Light: what am i supposed to do with my life? i dont want to be a hero full time, ive seen how that breaks people

Night: do u want to go to college? or do u just feel like u have to bc everyone else is?

Light: i do want to.

Light: my parents both went and theyve always wanted me to get a degree and be successful

Light: they may not be around anymore, not really, but i do still want to make them proud

Light: they cant see me graduate, but maybe when i tell them the next time i visit, itll reach the part of them thats still alive in their minds

Light: what about u? do u want to go to college?

Night: yeah. it was always my dream to become an astronaut. work at nasa and everything

Night: no chance its ever gonna happen now tho lol

Night: dying and the health problems that comes w that will do that to ya ✌️

Light: oh man that sucks

Night: yeah

Night: i might still study aerospace engineering tho. even if i cant be an astronaut, maybe i can help others get there

Light: thats a good alternative!! im glad u still have some idea of what u can do that can help u work at nasa and achieve part of ur dream

Night: we’ll see tho

Night: im not really feeling college atm. or life in general

Night: idk i feel…. stuck. like nothing will change even if i get out of illinois. it’ll just be the same stuff at a different place

Night: and i know itll take one visit from my parents to start ruining things for me

Night: i just… dont really wanna deal w that. ive kinda given up on life tbh i might as well just focus on the ghostly side of things. stay in the ghost zone more permanently

Light: i dont wanna judge or anything but that doesnt sound healthy??

Light: pls dont disappear into the ghost zone. i’d miss u.

Night: sweet talker

Night: i wont. dont worry. its just a feeling i get sometimes, that it’d be better if i wasnt in this world. if i could just go somewhere else

Light: hey. what if

Light: sorry if this idea is stupid or something

Light: but what if u lived here? in my dimension? u could establish a life and go to college here.

Light: a total fresh start

Night: thats. not a bad idea actually

Night: i would love that. wouldn’t it be hard to do tho? i dont exist there.

Light: we can make it work. its not like us gotham vigilantes are new to creating new identities/lives out of nothing

Light: i could ask for a few favors, do a few dubiously legal things. you could live here

Night: im planning to take a gap year to figure out if i wanna stay in the human world at all. i could spend that year in gotham before making my choice

Night: if u dont mind me asking this huge favor of u

Light: i dont mind at all!!

Light: danny i would love for u to be here are u kidding me. i’d do anything so we could be closer together

Night: thanks signal ♥️

Night: i made this all abt me im so sorry

Night: wanna talk more abt how ur feeling or ur plans for the future?

Light: maybe some other time. i wanna get to work on making sure u can live here for the year (and more! hopefully!)

Light: tell u what.

Light: we can talk more abt this the next time we see each other in person ok?

Night: deal

Night: im really glad i met u

Light: me too

Light: im here for u for as long as u want me around, honey

Light: u dont need to worry about a thing with me

Night: ure too sweet.

Night: im going to go now before u make me melt into a puddle of feelings

Night: ♥️

Light: ♥️

“Hey Babs, I have a favor to ask…”

#ghostlights #duke thomas/danny fenton #dcxdp #dpxdc #dc x dp #dp x dc #my writing #dc x dp fic #now to all my other wips! and then the next fic in the series!!#i did make the series on ao3 btw if u wanna subscribe to it #v excited to get into it. i have MUCH to say abt the fenton family and duke's indecision abt his future and duke and dannys relationship!!!

323 notes · View notes

antiquepearlss · 1 month ago

Note

haiii hallooo helloooo heyeyeyeyy

jumping and waving at you

im gonna cook with some of these fall asks but ive been really busy with life this week(and being tired...) so this isnt my best ask ever

but your input will help if i ever decide to draw some halloween art of the tts cast(+hugo)(maybe)

what do u think the characters would wear on halloween, like to trick or treat(or wear for the vibes)

raps & eugene always match(sometimes if rapunzel can persuade her, cassie will match too), same w hugo and varian, but all of them dont go trick-or-treating, usually they stay home and give out candy or go to raps' party lol(or both depending on how theyre feelinh yk). when theyve done the trio, i cant stop thinking about cass, eugene, and raps beinh the mean girls trio... like regina, karen, and gretchen😭🙏 and hugo and varian have probably done nerdy ones(or, hear me out, seymore & audrey || from little shop of horrors)

catalina is a werewolf every year/j

frs, lance & the girls probably go as a big trio, or the girls do completely different costumes and lance just wears a funny halloween shirt(or dresses up as a character he likes), kiera has been a ninja turtle at least once(i feel like shed like tmnt idk...) and catalina was batman one year and everyone kept complementing her

this is not my best... but like please give me ideas bcuz i need to draw something for halloween with this group and i need opinions please im begging and pleadinh on my hands and knees

(while writinh that i tjought abt rapunzel & eugene beinh on of the couples from bridgerton and i think taht would be so cute what...)

Heyy hello hi im jumping back at you but then I trip over my ankles and fall.

(and shush I love your headcanons and asks)

Yes absolutely Rapunzel and Eugene always do cutesy couples costumes, and she makes them herself so they’re always high quality and perfect. She posts them on insta and everyone is jealous. (They absolutely did do Bridgerton one year and she looked like a goddess.) Maybe I’m just a big nerd, but I feel like they’d do a lot of historical couples costumes. They definitely did Hades and Persephone one year.

(They also did this)

I honestly can’t see Varian being the type to dress up unless he’s forced (by Rapunzel), same with Hugo. But sometimes they’ll do half-assed couples costumes if they go to Rapunzel’s party. It’s usually just a thrift store cosplay lmao. One year they did Gatsby and Daisy because the guy who plays Gatsby on Broadway sounds a lot like Varian for some reason…. Varian probably dressed up as a bunch of scientists barely anyone even knows of as a kid, though. (I feel like it would be really funny if New Dream and Varigo dressed as eachother one year hehe.)

Lance, I think he either just wears a Halloween t-shirt or he coordinates costumes with the girls, because I feel like they’d want to match sometimes. And if not, maybe he just puts on a fun mask. I feel like he goes all out for Raps’ parties though. He definitely has dressed as David Bowie on multiple separate occasions.

Cat absolutely went through a wolf phase. And did dress up as a wolf, a lot. Kiera dressed as a vampire one year to match her.

Cass doesn’t dress up unless she’s forced both mentally and physically. (She dressed up as Joan Of Arc for three straight Halloweens as a kid. And then Artemis for another three.)

#Sorry this isn’t great- I wanted to answer this ask since it’s been sitting for awhile but I’m so tired and I have a migraine waggh #so if you want just shoot me another ask and I’ll give you more (better) costume ideas #also I need to figure out what I’m doing #I’m thinking either Cass or something medieval #tts #tangled the series #rapunzel's tangled adventure #eugene fitzherbert #rapunzel #new dream #varian #hugo rottewange #varigo #lance strongbow #cassandra tangled #kiera and catalina #🎃

10 notes · View notes

mindisinmars · 3 months ago

Text

WAS ALLXABOUTXMARIE

WELCOME TO MY BLOG !!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i probably should have done one of these ages ago but oh well

im marie, but i go by various names online. Mars or Mari also works, but you can literally call me anything and ill probably respond

im not the most tumblr knowledgeable, ive had an account since 2020 but i didnt start using it until recently.

this started out as an aesthetic account but it really just trailed off after a while and i post wtv

i dont really stick to one thing or fandom, but i do get really into things for day or weeks at a time (most significantly as im writing this, Zero Day)

i usually just complain or ramble on here, so sorry about that. the 'shut up mars!' tag is reserved for rants/personal biz that i should really shut up about, the 'tumblrboxd' tag is for random movie comments

i have a bad habit of typing like this: "y r u w8ing b4 school 2 do smthn?" i am TRYING to get rid of it

my dms and asks and what not are always open! i am very socially awkward though so i sincerely apologise for that, but ill try my best i promise ❤

INTERESTS THAT ILL ALWAYS BE DOWN TO TALK ABOUT:

Sky High, Perks of Being a Wallflower, 9-1-1, T@GGED, The Smiths, Third Eye Blind, Red White and Royal Blue, DONNIE DARKO, Dead Boy Detectives, Shelter, Paper Girls, My Babysitters a Vampire, RIVER PHOENIX, Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, Scott Pilgrim, Enola Holmes, Marauders, David Bowie, ANYTHING by David Levithan i love him sm, Zero Day, Words on Bathroom Walls, My Bestfriend is a Vampire, Dead Poets Society, Narnia, As You Are, I Saw The TV Glow, Speak, SCREAM 1-6, Theres Someone Inside Your House, Bestfriends Whenever!!!!!!, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, We Can Be Heroes, Fanfik, Flipped, The Adam Project, Everything Everything, CHARLIE PLUMMER, Ladybugs (1992), The Outsiders, Call me by Your Name, The Invisible Thread, Sing Street, Lego Batman, Kill Your Darlings, Luca, Erin and Aaron, School Spirits, Christmas Chronicles, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Breakfast Club, Stand By Me, IT, Inside, Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, CHRONICLE, Unfriended, Unfriended: Dark Web, Wham!, When a Stranger Calls (2006), 10 Things I Hate About You, JUNO, Jennifers Body, Mid 90s, Easy A, But I'm a Cheerleader, Heathers, Hamilton, Happy Death Day, The Half of It, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, Life as We Know It, Doctor Who!!!, Eyewitness, 500 Days of Summer, 1987, Before Sunrise, The Virgin Suicides, Spree, Me Earl and the Dying Girl, Spontaneous, Warm Bodies, The Duff, The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, Countdown, TIME LOOPS, Tyler Young, Invisible Sister, Secret Headquarters, CW Arrowverse, Grant Gustin, When Harry Met Sally, Danielle Panabaker, Hallmark Movies, Michael Cera, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, Be More Chill, Hamilton, Mean Girls, Tick Tick Boom, Andrew Barth Feldman, Sam Tutty, Four Evans sing For Forever, Everyday, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Papas Wingeria, Skins UK, Brooklyn 99, Pretty Little Liars, Supernatural, Alice Oseman, Julie and the Phantoms, The Hollow, Barbie Life in the Dream House

^feel free to put things about these movies/shows/artists/books in my asks!! i know theres alot but im always down to talk about any of em!

i also do my own writing and im working on translating one of them into a screen play!! so if im rambling on about ilyb or tpb and you have no idea what it means, thats why!

(@dietcokeluvr6969, @pig-mania, @woodsboromassacre, )and a secret fourth one i wont name incase irls find this) are all me!)

i feel a little silly writing this, but yeah! thats that on top of that!

#i have too many interests im so sorry #shut up mars!#tumblrboxd

11 notes · View notes

johntest · 2 years ago

Text

Okay well I might as well release the list now I guess. In no particular order, our contestants are:

Johnny Appleseed

Jon Arbuckle

Jonathan Archer

John Bender

Johnny Bravo

Jonathan Byers

Johnny C. (Johnny the Homicidal Maniac)

Johnny Cade

Jonathan Carnahan (The Mummy (1999))

John Connor (The Terminator)

John Constantine

Blaine "John Deaux" DeBeers (iZombie)

John Dillermand

John Doe (Batman: The Enemy Within)

John Doe (Malevolent Podcast)

John Doe (Roblox)

John Doggett

John Dough (John Dough and the Cherub)

Don Juan (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest)

Jonny D’ville

John Egbert

Johnny English

John Freeman (Half-Life: Full Life Consequences)

Johnny Frost (iZombie)

John Gaius

Johnny Ghost & Johnny Toast

Johnny Grillo (The Four of Them)

John O. Guardian (The Vampire Dies In No Time)

John Hammond

Jonathan Harker

Jack Harkness

J. Jonah Jameson

Johnny Joestar

Johnathan Joestar

John Keating

Johnathon Kingsley (ROSE, Sorta Crashing)

John "Jack" Arjuna Korrapati

John Kramer

Kyon (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

Little John (Robin Hood)

Jonathan U. Loughran

John Marston

John McClane

"Trapper" John McIntyre

"Father" John Patrick Francis Mulcahy

Jonathan Morris

John Watson (BBC Sherlock)

John Watson (any other rendition of Sherlock Holmes)

John Wick

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt (Song)

John 'Jack' Seward

John Shadow & Shaun (Shadows House)

Commander John Shepard

Jonathan Sims

John Smith (Doctor Who)

Jon Snow

John Stalvern (DOOM: Repercussions of Evil)

Jonathan Strange

Johnny Test

John (The Adventure Zone: Balance)

John Thomas Ward

John Peters (Welcome to Night Vale)

Prince John (Robin Hood (1973))

John Proctor (The Crucible)

John Winchester

Johnny 13

#some semblance of alphabetization. whatever #& means they're a duo #some sources are included for like clarification. i can give the source of all of them if needed #also: you are only allowed to get mad at me for jack harkness. to which i say i allow myself one nepotism nomination #66 is a weird bracket but whatever

12 notes · View notes

ao3feed-birdflash · 14 days ago

Text

#IFTTT #fanfic #dick grayson #wally west #dickwally #birdflash

0 notes

ao3feed-brucewayne · 14 days ago

Text

Much Ado about a Lot

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/OXscUBC by FormerChampGreen After spending four years in the realms, only coming out to hang with his friends and sister, Jazz storms into the castle saying she applied for him and he’s been accepted into Gotham U. When he gets to Gotham a few months later, he notices that a strong ghost that used to inhabit the place has gone missing and there is a revenant (possibly baby Halfa) running out of steam and will fade soon if nobody intervenes. In the middle of all that is the Bats who he really doesn't want to get tangled with. Until he realizes his revenant is a Bat himself. After a misunderstanding while helping Jason heal, the two make a deal. Danny will keep Jason's... condition quiet, and in exchange, Jason will help Danny get whatever info the Bats have on this missing ghost. How will they go about all this? By dating, of course! Words: 4141, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 1 of Much Ado Fandoms: Danny Phantom, Batman - All Media Types Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: M/M Characters: Jason Todd, Danny Fenton, Jazz Fenton, Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake (DCU), Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Sam Manson, Barbara Gordon, Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) Relationships: Danny Fenton/Jason Todd, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Hal Jordan (Green Lantern)/Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson/Wally West, Tim Drake (DCU)/Tucker Foley/Kon-El | Conner Kent Additional Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Angst, Humor, no beta we die, Discord: Haunting Heroes (Danny Phantom and DCU), Ghost Cores (Danny Phantom), Ghost King Danny Fenton, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Danny Fenton Needs A Hug, Eldritch Danny Fenton, OP Danny Fenton, slowish burn, Self-Indulgent, Halfa | Half-Ghost Jason Todd (Danny Phantom), Jason Isn't a Vampire I Swear read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/OXscUBC

#IFTTT #bruce wayne #batman #the caped crusader #the dark knight #dcu #ao3 #ao3feed

0 notes

eglerieth · 4 months ago

Note

Whenever I go on tumblr, your posts happen to be there and I always experience a bunch of fandoms I’m usually not familiar with. It’s great and also funny.

Hence, this list….

Fandoms of Yours That I’ve Seen:

House MD (idk anything about this other than that I’m scared of the medical malpractice, also ig house is the babygirl of the fandom?)

How To Train Your Dragon (I know this but haven’t watched the later movies, does hiccup need therapy)

Interview With A Vampire (haven’t watched it, I know all the names though, everyone rlly likes to talk about armand)

Percy Jackson (yayy I know this)

X-Men (know this)

Silmarillion (yep yep)

Batman (I’m familiar with this but I get a lot of content from u, Batfam quotes wooo)

Merlin (I knew nothing about this show besides the main ship existing and I have learned a lotttt about Merlin/Arthur subtext about magic symbolism or something idk)

Doctor Who (know this)

Star Wars (watched some movies but half the time I just assume it’s another spinoff or niche book and read the reblogs in confusion, the clone wars seem to be the most talked about one though)

Hannibal (something something meat something gay people?, I have watched silence of the lambs though)

Transformers (idk I know someone I follow is a huge transformers fan, it might not be u?)

Game of Thrones (know this, not in the fandom though, lots of names…)

Pirates of the Caribbean (know this, forgot everything about the movies except the fact that there were lyric versions of the Davy jones theme, I think I caught some stuff about a dude named will..? maybe?)

Supernatural (know this…unfortunately)

There’s more but I’m scared…how are you alive…some of these were only a reblog or two though that I caught

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 oh my god I love these summaries. Never actually seen transformers tho, not sure where you saw that.

Hannibal, Merlin, and IWTV are all really great, actually highly recommended.

the httyd posts are about the books, not the movies, which are an entirely different story. Imo the books are way better, and yes he does need therapy.

I am absolutely in love with your description of Dr. House as the fandom babygirl 😂.

#eglerieth #asks

0 notes

thesituationroom · 2 years ago

Note

unofficial report: ray half-up-half-down hair. planetary + destroya (double moan feature), cemetery drive, i never told u. slay toro vocals turned all the way up. someone kissed someone's forehead apparently but i didn't see. dedicated teenagers to kimya dawson's kid (i think?). G was wearing a sweatshirt but changed for the encore. mf came out in a team edward twilight shirt under the camo jacket. told everyone he watched the batman multiple times and found robert pattison "incredibly handsome" before vampire money and then quoted more interview with a vampire(?) before vampires. thought it was over. haha very funny twilight references in washington state. followed all this up w cancer to deliver the final blow. ok that's all i got love u

SLAY TORO VOCALS + GERARD WAY GAY MOMENTS DOUBLE FEATURE WE LIVE IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WORLD. and then cancer. we all die no survivors. stunning journalism thank you beautiful anon

#ask #love u too!!

9 notes · View notes

not-my-final-account · 11 months ago

Text

Commissioner Gordon: are you in a bad mood?

Batman: someone though I was a vampire!

Commissioner Gordon: … so, yes?

Batman: … I’m really not that bad, am I?

Robin, quoting him: outside bad, sun scary

#batman #vampire #half-vampire batman a/u #incorrect batman quotes

4 notes · View notes

missbrunettebarbie · 4 years ago

Text

I was tagged by both @laufire and @nectargrapes Thank u! ^-^

The Game: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag some authors!

I hope published story count, otherwise this is gonna be waaaay too short. And, well, I want publicity.

1. The full moon looked regal and lonely on the clear sky, an all seeing-eye that had been worn down by the horrors of the world below. Its warm yellow glow was sickly in Laura's eyes. The young girl felt just as old and tired as the celestial orb that had guarded humanity since the begining of time. (Untitled Filial Revenge WIP with vampires, because why not)

2. The social worker squeezed the child’s shoulder in reassurance. It didn’t work, but Lana White has worked for CPS for long enough to know that the kind of damage done to a child the Williams case presented could only be undo in years and with the help of a lot of people. ( Untitled Kyle/Paige, Charmed fanfic)

3. Nefele’s night would have been perfect if the room wasn’t so hot and crowdie. One would think the Stellarion’s family ball would be a more exclusive affair, but the list of guests had been bigger than she had expected. (Vanitas Vanitatum, original story)

4. The Priscilla Calabria Academy of Magic, or the Academy as it was known in most of Italy (unique in its power and prestige) was as imposing as one would expect from the bastion of knowledge that had not only survived centuries, but also thrived across the centuries. Even in the days when magic was almost banished, the clergy disliking and fearing the witches and warlocks that gained more and more power every day, the Academy had endured only to come out of the struggle as one of the most sought after magic schools in all of Europe. (Pandora's Key, original story)

5. The snow was cold under her knees, but it did nothing to put out the fire in the young mother's heart. (Untitled Pandora's Key Prequel, original story)

6. Everyone told her how lucky she was for surviving her fall, but she truly felt lucky when they told her that her fiancé died three moons after. While Viserra was still waiting for her cracked ribs and broken leg to heal, the elderly Lord Manderly died of a chill. (After the dust, before the snow; Viserra Targaryen lives ASOIAF fanfic on AO3)

7. Caroline Forbes considered herself a pretty open-minded person. Yet when her stoic father told her, with a straight face, that vampires are real and he, himself, is a vampire hunter, she should be forgiven for bursting out laughing. She had lived with Bill Forbes since her parents had gotten divorced a few years ago, and she had never thought him capable of cracking a joke. (We burn with holy fire; Klaroline TVD fanfic on AO3).

8. Zatanna really shouldn’t be here. She really, really shouldn’t. After all Batman himself had forbidden her, Conner and M’Gann from going to their school field trip in Gotham. In her defense, she would have listened to him if he had given her an actual reason, not just “Too dangerous”. (We'll laugh about this one day; Zatanna/Dick Young Justice fanfic on AOS)

9. Klaus wanted to kill someone, slowly and painfully, and all because of the news he got. And he would have killed the messenger if said messenger wasn’t the enchanting Caroline Forbes, headmistress of the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, and the object oh his affection for a decade and a half right now. (Everything I want, all at once; Klaus-Hope TVD fanfic on AO3)

10. Garfield is not afraid. He is a superhero turned tv star, fear is not something he feels easily. Yet, when he looks in those big blue trusting eyes, a similar emotion rises in the put of his stomach. (One of a kind; Garfield Logan Young Justice fanfic on AO3)

11. It was a rare sight to see Albus Dumbledore going into shock. The defeater of Grindelwand, Master of the Elder Wand, Supreme Mugwamp, Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts was a hard person to surprise. Yet, right now he look like he might have a heart attack. (Your heart's desire; Regulus/Lily HP fanfic on AO3)

12. Lizzie’s head hurt. Tears were pouring down her face while the genie’s voice still echoed in her ears. (Worlds apart; Lizzie + Klaroline fanfic on AO3)

13. Corlys Velaryon was many things: a lord, a husband, a father, a sailor, a warrior, but he was no coward. Until now. (The dragons of Driftmark; pre-canon ASOIAF fanfic on AO3)

14. Caroline felt the air leave her lungs. Alaric was dead. Dead. Killed by the Heretics because of one of Damon's stupid plans. And now the children she carried had no one in this world. No one but her. (Smile, tomorrow will be better; Klaroline TVD fic on ff.net)

15. The first thing Caroline noticed when she woke up was that the bed was too soft. She kept her eyes shut and tried to inhale the Virginia Air, but the only thing she felt was a sweet and intoxicating smell that reminded her of hotel rooms. (First meeting (second time) Klaroline TVD fanfic on ff.net- also my first fic ever, so not very good)

Patterns: I think I like to start with an insight into the character's head and go from there. I also care about the setting, the mood etc. more if it's an original story then if it's fanfiction.

Favourites: Well, 1 because it's the newest. Laura is to blame for its existence and it shows: the main character is named after her . 5 also has a special place in my heart. From the fanfics, I really like 7 and 11.

Idk who is and isn't a writer anymore, so: @donnas-troia @legendsofamultishipper @mydaylight @writingonesdreams @awinterrain @the-phoenix-heart @dragonsaredorks @xxlionheartedgirlxx and anyone who wants, really.

#writing #my thoughts #fanfiction #original writing

16 notes · View notes

buzzdixonwriter · 4 years ago

Text

Hoo U?

A spirited discussion is raging on Facebook now, the good kind of spirited discussion, an enthusiastic exchange of ideas and ideals, not a snark fest.

The top is a deceptively simple one: Who are the characters various actors played?

Let me clarify: It began as a trivia challenge to name actors who have won Oscars for playing the same character.

And there in lays the debate.

How exactly are we defining a character.

This all sounds trivial, and to be frank this part of the discussion is, but it’s gonna get deep by the end.

Trust me.

So here’s the kickoff:

Marlon Brando won a Best Male Performance Oscar for playing Vito Corleone in The Godfather; Robert DeNiro won a Best Male Supporting Performance Oscar for playing Vito Corleone in The Godfather II

Heath Ledger won a Best Male Supporting Performance Oscar for playing the Joker in The Dark Knight; Joaquin Phoenix won a Best Male Performance Oscar for playing the Joker in Joker.

(Trivia bonus: Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart received Oscar nominations for playing the same character at different stages of her life in Titanic, and Winslet and Judi Dench were both nominated for playing the same character at different stages in Iris as well; plus Peter O’Toole was nominated twice for playing Henry II in Beckett and The Lion In Winter which technically counts as a sequel…)

The Facebook debate is over whether Ledger and Phoenix were actually playing the same character.

Now in the case of the former, The Godfather II is a continuation of the same story in The Godfather by the same creative team with much of the original cast reprising their roles, the Oscars going to two actors who played the same character at different stages of their life (BTW, where's the love for Oreste Baldini, who played Vito as a young boy?).

The two films were re-edited and combined with The Godfather III to make a nine-hour and 43-minute miniseries The Godfather Trilogy.

It is clear the creators’ intent from the beginning was for audiences to accept Baldini / DeNiro / Brando as the same person at various stages of his life.

The Ledger Joker and the Phoenix Joker cannot possibly be the same character for a wide variety of internal continuity issues separating the two films. The creators of Joker went out of their way to state their version of the character was not The Dark Knight version.

Unlike The Godfather movies, you can’t link up the various live action Batman / Suicide Squad / Joker stories into a single coherent narrative (especially since you have to drag in the live action Supeman and Wonder Woman movies and TV shows as well).

. . .

Can different actors play their version of the same character in otherwise unlinked productions?

Of course they can.

Stage plays do it all the time.

If you start with the same exact text, then clearly any number of actors can play Hamlet or MacBeth or Willy Loman.

The problems arise when one goes afield of the text.

. . .

In 1932 Constance Bennett made a movie called What Price Hollywood? that did okay but really didn’t set the world on fire.

In 1937 Janet Gaynor remade that film as A Star Is Born, the story changed to give it a tragic yet uplifting conclusion; her version was a big hit and Gaynor received an Oscar nomination.

In 1954 Judy Garland remade A Star is Born as a musical and that proved a big hit, and Garland received an Oscar nomination.

In 1976 Barbara Streisand took a swing at the material with a country-western version of A Star Is Born and while she got an Oscar nomination, audiences were unreceptive.

In 2018 Lady Gaga remade A Star Is Born and received both an Oscar nomination for her role and an Oscar win for her song.

Question: Are they all playing the same character? Each played a character that started their film with a different name than the other versions, but the Gaynor / Garland / Streisand / Gaga versions all end with the central character proudly proclaiming they are “Mrs. Norman Maine.”

Same character?

. . .

There’s no argument that William Gillette, Basil Rathbone, and Benedict Cumberbatch all played Sherlock Holmes, even when their productions took certain liberties with the stories.

But Sherlock Holmes is not an idiot, and Michael Caine played Holmes as an idiot in Without A Clue.

Was he playing the same character as Gillette / Rathbone / Cumberbatch?

(Ironically Peter Cook played a very recognizable and wholly credible Holmes in his farcical send up of The Hound Of The Baskervilles with Dudley Moore.)

Did George C. Scott play Holmes in They Might Be Giants? Almost everybody else in the story thinks he’s a New York banker who’s suffered a nervous breakdown and only thinks he’s Holmes, but Scott believes he is Holmes 100% and throughout the film other people he encounters accept him as Holmes at face values.

He functions as Holmes throughout.

And in the end, the audience is left in a weird place, not really knowing what his fate may be, not absolutely sure if he is a bonkers banker but maybe…somehow…he is Sherlock Holmes…

. . .

Did John Cassavettes in Tempest and Walter Pidgeon in Forbidden Planet play the same character? Were either of those roles Shakespeare’s Prospero?

Did Christopher Lee play the same character in Horror Of Dracula and its sequels, in Count Dracula, and in In Search Of Dracula? (The producers of Count Dracula sure went to great pains to explain their version was a different and more accurate version than the Hammer version of the character, and In Search Of Dracula cast Lee as Vlad Tepes who was the real life historical figure Bram Stoker based his novel on.)

For that matter, is Count Orlok in Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Terror actually Dracula? A European court awarding lawsuit damages to Bram Stoker's widow sure thought so.

Along similar lines, was Bela Lugosi playing Dracula in Columbia's Return Of The Vampire? Universal's lawyers sure thought so.

Did Jim Caviezel in Passion Of The Christ, Max von Sydow in The Greatest Story Ever Told, Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke, and Michael Rennie in The Day The Earth Stood Still all play the same character?

Did Toshiro Mifune, Clint Eastwood, and Bruce Willis all play the Continental Op?

Did Clint Eastwood play the same character in all three Dollar films?

Did Vincent Price, Charlton Heston, and Will Smith all play the same character?

Did Leonardo DiCaprio play the same character Steve McQueen played in The Great Escape (even if just for one brief scene) or did he play a character who played a character Steve McQueen played in The Great Escape?

Ooh, here's a good one!

Lon Chaney Jr starts Ghost Of Frankenstein playing the same monster Boris Karloff played in the original Frankenstein / Bride Of Frankenstein / Son Of Frankenstein trilogy, but by the end gets Ygor's brain (Bela Lugosi) transplanted into his body and speaks / thinks / acts briefly as Ygor in Frankie’s body.

However, Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman while maintaining continuity with all four previous films cast Lugosi as the monster (because Chaney had to play the Wolfman, duh) without dialog. Glenn Strange then assumed the role again in continuity with all previous films for House Of Frankenstein, House Of Dracula, and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, occasionally speaking briefly in the role.

Who was Strange playing in his films? The original Karloff monster or Ygor in Frankie's bod? Are those two distinct characters?

. . .

All the above is fun trivia to debate, but it links to a much more serious question: Who are you?

That’s not a trivial matter. What constitutes out identity? What makes us who we are?

I lost my father years ago to Alzheimer’s. As my brother Robert observed, the only member of a family not affected by an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is the person suffering from it themselves.

I would talk to my father on the phone, and he was always pleasant and cheery, but about three years before he died I realized he had no idea who I was, I was just some voice on the other end of the line that mom wanted him to talk to.

My father was by nature and easy going kinda guy, and that certainly made his last few years easier for my mother and brother Rikk to cope with, but one night when I was visiting, trying to get their affairs straightened out so he could enter a nursing home, he got irritated with my mother as she was trying to help him and raised his hand as if to slap hers away.

My father never raised his hand against my mother.

Ever.

He taught me and my brothers that was something no real man ever did.

He might sound gruff on occasion but he never raised a finger, much less truck our mother.

The fact he did so in the throes of Alzheimer’s indicated that whoever he once was, he wasn’t that person anymore.

We got him into a nursing home and he lasted a little less than a year there, his mind and his memory and his personality deteriorating rapidly.

Who was he at the end?

I didn’t go to his funeral.

What was the point?

The father I knew and loved had departed long before they buried his shell.

My grandmother, on the other hand, remained her cranky, irascible self until a week and a half before she died, finding the wit to crack one last memorable joke before her body began shutting down.

. . .

The question of identity is related to consciousness, and these are referred to as “the hard question” by physicians and physicists and philosophers alike.

What makes us “us”?

How do we know who we are?

What constitutes identity?

There are no easy, pat answers.

We have textbook definitions that dance around the issue of identity and consciousness, providing enough of a foundation for us to recognize what it is we’re discussing, but no one has yet come up with a clear, concise explanation of what either phenomenon is.

It’s like saying “apples are a red fruit.”

Okay, we know what you’re talking about, but we also know that description falls far, far short of what an apple actually is.

That’s why trivial discussion like whether or not Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix are playing the same character is a lot more important than it seems.

(BTW, they aren’t. Phoenix won his Oscar for his version of the Rupert Pupkin character in a violent remake of The King Of Comedy.)

9 notes · View notes

mejomonster · 4 years ago

Text

some show recs, cause why not:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (give it into mid season 2 - that’s when the show starts shining as a monster of the week with overarching plots always weaved in, with big bads for each season, and with pretty solid storytelling - although some people love season 1 as well which is fair enough. this show grows with the characters as they grow up, and so its fun and fantastical but its also really grounded in life experiences.)

Star Trek TOS (and any other star trek shows that’s connecting to u, so for me it’d also be DS9 - like all star trek shows, combines fun and bright and strange new worlds with some absolutely brutal contemplation on social issues and questions humanity needs to consider and face, and TOS being the original is a fine example of that - we got episodes on war, on time travel, on eugenics, on birth control, on peace versus freedom, on space, also i just kinda get the vibe no one’s straight in space and would like to recommend City on The Edge of Forever as a bi love triangle tragedy and also one of the highest rated tos episodes for good reason. the rainbow lighting in this, the dracula romantic anime softness, the silly costumes, for me these are all wonderful additional pluses - which subsequent star treks will have or not have to varying degrees. Also, if you get into this you’ll have over half a century’s worth of official and fanmade content, to continue drowning happily in. Also Spock and Kirk are soulmates. And the movies really hammer that home in case anyone didn’t notice somehow - along with just being fun, the whale movie The Voyage Home IV is just a good time, even if you see nothing else star trek related.)

Xena Warrior Princess (right up there with Buffy and Star Trek for fun and playful while also being incredibly grounded and heartfelt, Xena is a fantastic hero with a past as a genuinely destructive person, the characters that recur in this show are fantastic - with Callisto being on of my favorite villains ever in a show because... in a way Xena and Calisto’s dynamic is like Buffy and Faith’s taken to a horrific extreme. Calisto is such a product of what Xena did to herself and the world, and yet also this living consequence that has now grown beyond just ‘a shadow Xena left behind.’ Gabrielle meanwhile is yet another examination into what good and evil are and why people do the things they do, and how they grow from that. This show starts with Xena’s redemption and just trying to do some good now, at least now - and in a way it never drops that theme for anyone. Also Xena and Gabrielle are the DEFINITION of soulmates forever - there’s episodes where they’re reincarnated and still soulmates, they are THE soulmates. It’s deeply romantic and it hurts my heart beyond mending.)

Guardian (cdrama, this baby can fit everything I love into it as well as other the top 3 more or less do - you got mutants, magic, star crossed loves, allegory for social issues, soulmates, time travel, sexy fun villains, cat/mouse protagonist dynamics, a sweet core relationship, a nice big found family team, its also got the niche draw of a batman-like dude with a secret identity who is professor xavier by day and is batman by night and is Always bad at hiding his secret identity to the point other superheroes/villains would probably be laughing if they ever saw him - hell his crush is only not laughing cause he’s beyond frustrated he’s being so blatantly lied to repeatedly about the clear-secret-identity thing. Thanks Guardian, you’re the reason I started learning Chinese. And got into way too many books. Thanks.)

In The Flesh (short, 9 episodes, fantastic, its about what happens after a zombie apocalypse once people are ‘treated’ so they’re no longer raging zombies but conscious again. it’s a rare take on the zombie concept, and handles them a lot like how mutants are used in xmen as allegory to explore issues in the real world. Also our main man is not straight, that’s explicitly a plot point and he has some heavy romances - and friendships, and family relationships - so like prepare for that emotional weight. It’s a very intense show emotionally, and the writing just. Fantastic. It’s heavy, again, like most zombie shows, and like most very emotionally grounded shows.)

X-Men Evolution (yes I’m throwing a cartoon in here, it was a good cartoon, n like all the tv xmen adaptations it changed some things, but I think it kept the spirit of the themes and expanding threats of the comics probably the most. if i’d seen the original 90s xmen cartoon I imagine it’d be here too probably.)

Bureau of Transformer (cdrama, this baby ALSO somehow fits a majority of the things I love into it - with two main characters who are explicitly bi as the leads, which is nice as hell, along with heavily characterization driven storytelling and arcs, along with themes both about issues in society and personal questions of how to be honestly ourselves versus what people expect of us, how to embrace our feelings when we fear them, how to let ourselves risk caring when we fear abandonment, how to embrace who we are in a world we know we don’t fit in, ahhhh. Just, an incredible amount this story juggles in such a short time span. It’s much more realistic than Guardian, surprisingly. More of an ‘in the flesh’ feel in how it handles it’s sci-fi setup. This show, like many of my faves, takes a sci-fi/fantasy concept and mostly just uses it as a light allegory to allow itself to focus on discussing real world issues. This show takes the discussion much more directly than Guardian does (Guardian is more gentle looking-at, the way Xmen tends to do, whereas Bureau of Transformers gets much closer to reality the way In the Flesh does). What I mean by that is, yes there’s mutants in this show, but at least half of the actual issues discussed are just real things like not-being-legally-allowed to marry who you love, being discriminated against, being abandoned, having to choose a life path and regretting it, country/city differences, healthcare choices, deciding if you’re willing to trust others, etc. This show was AMAZING in how it managed to weave literally every minor plot point into the huge overarching plot, in a way I haven’t seen since person of interest. This show weaves a dog running away, into 2 main character arcs, and the show long main arc, and I am still shocked how well it was done. And there’s so much bigger stuff, done just as well and better. The only thing it does NOT have on my list of favorite things, is soulmates through lifetimes and ridiculously over the top villains, but I’d argue this show is more grounded like In The Flesh so it’s expected those less ‘grounded’ things aren’t as present. This show’s arguably my favorite cdrama writing wise I’ve ever watched. And it’s also just wonderful it’s in that same niche kind of genre as Angel, Buffy, Guardian, Xmen, In The Flesh, that I personally really love. This show, at heart I felt, was about figuring out who you are and living authentically, and about how to try and do the right thing for yourself and others in this world when there are power systems that enforce harmful practices, what the people within those structures responsibilities are to not support them, etc. It was very Star Trek esque in its themes. This show also kind of touches the concept of ‘person who changes genders’ in a sci fi premise, but unlike every other show I’ve seen with disguises or powers as the cause for it, this show actually handled it without picking any of the easy routes. It never back pedalled into a safer more widely used trope I’ve seen so many other shows do. it never said ‘actually only when they’re like X someone loves them,’ it never said they had to change for anyone, the show only uses it to explore real world issues and the character’s inner arcs and growth, like the show uses everything else. and like most of the themes of this show it went the extremely grounded route about it, like In The Flesh. So instead its a slightly sci fi roundabout route to allow the show to address trans issues and gender and sexuality while i would imagine avoiding getting censored a bit more - and i’ve seen people quite surprised this show got to explore the topics it did, without getting them censored out, and i’m guessing the ridiculous mutant sci fi premise on the surface drew a lot of attention away from the fact it got DEEP the way Star Trek tos under its silly costumes got DEEP. I absolutely Love this show’s writing. As a final bonus, despite being quite realistic in how it handles real world issues, it’s very optimistic and hopeful the way Star Trek is.)

Person of Interest (if you are a sci fi fan, it’s ridiculously worth watching. This show appears like a case of the week at first, but actually things from cases of the week in season 1 contribute to the plot all the way in season 5. In that way, the story is immensely satisfying because it feels well structured, well planned, and like it’s written to be exactly the finished story that it is. The only ‘weak’ points in this whole baby’s writing - I’ve heard season 1 had to look more ‘procedural’ to get the greenlight, so that’s why it’s more episodic than any other season, and then second the final season is a bit shorter then I think was planned - because that last season was cut short. Fantastically, they still managed to shorten season 5 into something that feels complete, feels like enough, and wraps everything up beautifully. But its a bit obvious once you know it was cut short, that one plot element might have been a bigger deal with a few more scenes and characters involved, if they’d had more episodes. That’s it, the only ‘weak points.’ The characterization in this show is phenomenal, for everyone. The found family dynamic is here, the characters Root and Shaw are some of my favorite ever on television, somehow the writing and characterization is so good I even cared about Reese who’s formed from a base-backstory that I usually don’t care for. It’s been described as a low key sci fi batman and it feels very true to that at times. The real appeal for me was the cast of brilliantly fleshed out feeling characters, their incredibly solid arcs, and how they tie in so deeply to the main sci fi plot. Then the main sci fi plot - the other big draw for the show, its based on a concept that literally is so close to reality it could almost be happening right now. It’s not sci fi you have to imagine happening one day, it’s sci fi that could be happening right now. For me that’s just not a niche in sci fi I see explored a lot on tv. In a way it reminds me vaguely of The X Files - just in the sense that the threats and conspiracies and layers all kind of feel like they could genuinely exist, maybe. Except way more so, because POI is not aliens but plays instead with a lot of science we’ve actually seen in the real world. Also the questions of morality on this show are well worth experiencing - who’s worth saving, to who, and how that question is handled by bodies of power versus individuals. How technology, and leaders, and manipulating parties, all affect those choices in reality and all affect what those choices are even based on. In the end, this show is about everyone being important, being not just a number.)

#rant #rec list #i would rewatch any of these any given time #kinda wanna rewatch #bureau of transformer #wu aiai stole my heart and still has it #person of interest also was just #incredible #the last 2 shows i listed #probably have the best writing #consistently through their entire runs

7 notes · View notes