#he use to be Dr. Jones (Indiana Jones) before I changed it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

seanpultz · 2 months

Text

Characters:

Harrison Ford as Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr.

Alicia Vikander as Dr. Isabella Johansson

John Rhys-Davies as Sallah Mohammed Faisel el-Kahir

Ken Watanabe as Hiroshi Tanaka

Tomohiro Ishii as Kenji

and

Ke Huy Quan as Wan Li aka Short Round

In the shadowy forge nestled within the tranquil hills of Sagami, the flames of the charcoal fire danced hypnotically as the hammer sang its rhythmic song of creation. Gorō Nyūdō Masamune, his face etched with the lines of a life dedicated to the ancient craft, paused for a brief moment to admire the fiery glow of the steel on the anvil before him. With a deep, steady breath, he raised his hammer once more, each strike a silent declaration of his mastery over the unyielding metal. The year was 1288, and the end of the tumultuous Kamakura period loomed, yet in this sanctuary of fire and steel, time held its breath as the legend of Japan's greatest swordsmith was being forged.

The Honjō Masamune, a living testament to Masamune's unrivaled skill, had journeyed through the annals of history, touching the hands of warlords and shaping the fate of battles. Its storied past grew richer with each passing year, as the blade, though marred by the scars of combat, remained a symbol of unparalleled craftsmanship and power. After the epochal encounter with General Honjō Shigenaga, the sword found itself in the possession of Toyotomi Hidetsugu, a man whose own destiny was entwined with the tumultuous era of warring states. As the blade passed from one notable owner to another, its legend grew, until it finally rested in the esteemed hands of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Through generations of Tokugawa rulers, the Honjō Masamune remained a treasured emblem of their power and lineage, revered and maintained with the utmost care. Yet, the capricious hand of fate had other plans for this legendary weapon. As the curtain closed on the feudal epoch and the sun of the Meiji Restoration rose, the sword, along with Japan's storied past, was swept into the chaos of modernity. During the occupation by the United States at the end of World War II, the Honjō Masamune, like so many other relics of Japan's martial heritage, was caught in the tumultuous tide of change. Tokugawa Iemasa, the sword's custodian, made the difficult decision to surrender the blade to the Mejiro police station in December 1945, hoping it would be preserved for posterity. The enigmatic "Sgt. Coldy Bimore" emerged as the last known figure to claim the sword, and with his mysterious disappearance, the Honjō Masamune slipped into the veil of the unknown. Its current whereabouts remain shrouded in the mists of time, leaving historians and enthusiasts alike to ponder the fate of this national treasure, a silent sentinel to the unyielding spirit of Japan's greatest swordsmith.

In the bustling metropolis of New York City, 1947, the grand ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel shimmered with opulence, a stark contrast to the gritty battlefields and dusty ruins Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. was more accustomed to. Dressed impeccably in a tailored tuxedo, the renowned archaeologist stood before a sea of esteemed academics and patrons of Marshall College, his heart swelling with a rare blend of pride and humility. As he took the podium to accept the prestigious award for his unparalleled contributions to historical preservation, the room hushed to a respectful silence. His eyes, though weary from the years spent chasing artifacts across the globe, gleamed with the passion that had driven him to unearth the lost and forgotten. The applause resonated through the grand hall as he began his speech, his voice a blend of the charismatic professor and the seasoned adventurer. "I am deeply honored to receive this recognition," he said, his tone earnest yet tinged with the humility of a man who knew the true value of the artifacts he safeguarded. "But let us not forget that our quest for knowledge is an ever-evolving journey, and with each discovery, we are merely uncovering a page from a book with countless unwritten chapters." He paused, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips. "The true treasure is not the artifacts themselves, but the stories they whisper from the annals of time, stories that remind us of the indomitable human spirit and the boundless potential of our shared history." The audience hung on his every word, captivated by the tales of ancient civilizations and the mysteries that still lay hidden beneath the sands and within the jungles.

As the grandiose festivities of the evening wound to a close, Indiana Jones stepped out of the taxi and into the cool embrace of the New York night, the city's neon lights painting the sidewalks with an electric glow. His townhouse, a bastion of calm amidst the urban sprawl, stood as a silent sentinel to the adventures that had shaped his life. Upon reaching the front door, he was met with an unexpected sight—a stoic Japanese courier, clad in traditional attire, standing with an air of urgency. The courier, with a deep bow, presented him with a meticulously wrapped parcel. "For Dr. Henry Jones, Jr.," he intoned, his voice a soft whisper in the night. Recognizing the kanji inscribed upon the delicate paper, Jones's curiosity piqued. With trembling hands, he carefully unfurled the scroll within. The parchment was ancient, its fibers whispering of a time long lost to the ravages of history. Upon it, a cryptic message danced in a delicate script, hinting at the whereabouts of the legendary Honjō Masamune. His heart racing, Indiana knew that he had been handed the first clue to a mystery that could rewrite the narrative of not only his career but the very fabric of Japanese history itself. The whispers of the scroll grew louder in his mind, beckoning him to embark on a quest that would lead him back to the land of the rising sun, where the legacy of Gorō Nyūdō Masamune awaited, shrouded in the shadows of the past and the chaos of the recent war. The stage was set for an adventure that would challenge his intellect, his courage, and his very understanding of the world.

Indiana Jones stepped into the dimly lit study, the scent of aged books and dusty artifacts greeting him like old friends. His eyes searched the room until they found Dr. Isabella Johansson, her brunette hair swept back in a bun as she pored over a stack of ancient tomes. "Bella," he called out, his voice a warm baritone that resonated through the cluttered space. She looked up, her piercing blue eyes lighting up with excitement at the sight of him. "Indy! What brings you here?"

He held out the unfurled scroll, the kanji seeming to pulse with life in the flickering candlelight. "I've got a lead on the Honjō Masamune," he said, his voice a mix of anticipation and urgency. "It's still in Japan."

Dr. Johansson took the scroll with reverent care, her eyes scanning the delicate script. "Ah, the work of a master," she murmured. "But the trail is cold. It's been lost for centuries."

"Not anymore," Indy said, his gaze intense. "I have reason to believe it's in the hands of someone who doesn't fully understand its significance."

Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned closer to the scroll. "This…this is a map of sorts. A cryptic poem guiding the reader to its location."

"What does it say?" he pressed.

"In dawn's first light, where cherry blossoms sway, a swarm of giants, with wingspan wide as day," Isabella recited, her voice a soft melody that danced with the shadows in the room.

Indy leaned in, his eyes alight with excitement. "Sounds like we're looking for a place with a grove of large, old trees, possibly with significant historical or cultural value."

"Indeed," she nodded, her fingers tracing the kanji. "The second passage is more intriguing. 'In twilight's hush, where ancient stones do sleep, a sentinel of coils, a guardian deep, with eyes that pierce the heart of night, guards secrets hidden from the light.' It speaks of a stone statue, perhaps a dragon, in a quiet, possibly sacred location."

"A dragon, huh?" Indiana mused, stroking his chin. "Could be a Shinto shrine or an ancient burial site."

"And the third," she continued, her voice dropping to a whisper, "Where snow-capped grandeur meets the sky, a whispered truth is waiting nigh, the silence broken by the wind's sigh, a hidden key, for eyes to apply. In ancient heartbeats, secrets sleep where fiery whispers weave a mystic keep, a gateway to the depths below where shadows dance, and embers glow."

The archaeologist's eyes narrowed as he pictured the scene. "A mountainous region, likely with an active volcano nearby, and a hidden chamber within it all."

They exchanged a knowing look, the weight of the mystery heavy in the air. The Honjō Masamune was out there, somewhere between the lines of ancient poetry and the whispers of the past, waiting for them to unravel its secrets. The adventure had only just begun.

With the pieces of the puzzle laid before them, Indiana Jones knew that the quest for the Honjō Masamune would not be one he could undertake alone. He needed a team as diverse and skilled as the challenges they would face. His thoughts immediately turned to his trusted comrades from past adventures: Sallah, the Egyptian excavator whose knowledge of ancient secrets was matched only by his unrivaled bravery, and Short Round, the young prodigy from their escapade in India, who had grown into a resourceful and daring pilot. He also knew that Dr. Isabella Johansson's expertise in Japanese culture and artifacts would be invaluable in navigating the uncharted waters of the quest ahead.

Assembling his team, Indiana sent a coded message to Sallah, who was working on a dig in the Middle East. Within days, the stoic Egyptian arrived in New York, his eyes alight with the fire of adventure. Short Round, now a young man with a penchant for leather jackets and a devil-may-care attitude, answered the call from his new life in San Francisco, eager to rejoin his mentor. Dr. Johansson, whose curiosity had been piqued by the enigmatic scroll, readily agreed to join the expedition, bringing her sharp intellect and extensive knowledge of Japan's storied past.

Together, they stood in the shadow of the city's towering skyscrapers, an unlikely quartet bound by fate and the pursuit of the extraordinary. As they boarded the plane to Japan, the whispers of the scroll grew stronger, guiding them toward a destiny that would intertwine their lives with the legend of Gorō Nyūdō Masamune. The adventure of a lifetime awaited them, a journey fraught with peril and discovery, as they sought to reclaim the lost legacy of Japan's greatest swordsmith and solve the riddle of the Honjō Masamune.

As the aircraft droned on through the night, Indiana Jones leaned over the map spread out on the makeshift table, his eyes scanning the contours of Japan. "The poem points us to a place of great natural beauty and historical significance," he murmured, his finger tracing the path from the cherry blossom grove to the volcanic mountain range.

Sallah, his eyes gleaming with excitement, leaned in. "The dragon statue could be in any one of the thousands of shrines scattered across the country."

Short Round, peering over their shoulders, interjected with a grin. "But we got the smarts to figure it out, right, Doctor Jones?"

Isabella, her gaze lingering on the scroll, spoke softly. "The third verse hints at a fiery location, a volcanic cave, perhaps."

"And that's where we'll find the key to the sword's resting place," Indy concluded, his voice firm with determination.

In the opulent mansion of Hiroshi Tanaka, a wealthy and notorious collector of looted artifacts, the air was thick with the scent of greed and ambition. His eyes gleamed with a cold, calculated hunger as he surveyed his latest acquisitions. "The Honjō Masamune," he murmured, stroking the edge of a glossy photograph. "It would be the crown jewel of my collection." Turning to his henchman, Kenji, a man of few words but unquestionable loyalty and brute strength, he barked an order. "Find it, no matter the cost. I want that sword." Kenji nodded, his stoic gaze revealing nothing of the challenges ahead. As the archaeologist and his team approached Japan, unbeknownst to them, a shadowy web of danger was being spun around the very artifact they sought. With a gesture to his gang of thugs dressed in the garb of ancient samurai, Tanaka set in motion a relentless pursuit that would soon clash with Indiana Jones' own quest for the legendary blade. "Do not disappoint me," he warned, his voice as sharp as the steel they sought. Kenji's eyes never left his employer's as he bowed to him as if he responded, "It will be done." And with that, the chase for the Honjō Masamune grew more perilous, as the line between historical preservation and cold-hearted greed grew ever finer.

"In dawn's first light, where cherry blossoms sway, a swarm of giants, with wingspan wide as day," Indy recited from the scroll, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The four of them had arrived in Japan, the land of the rising sun, and the quest for the Honjō Masamune had brought them to the outskirts of Kyoto, a city renowned for its beauty and storied past. The air was crisp with the promise of spring, and the first hints of pink blossoms kissed the branches of the ancient trees that lined the streets. "It's clear," he said, turning to the others, "that we need to find a place where cherry blossoms grow in abundance."

Sallah, ever the pragmatist, spoke up. "But Indy, Kyoto is known as the City of Ten Thousand Shrines. There are countless places where such a grove might exist."

"True," Isabella mused, "but we must consider the giants with a wingspan as wide as day. It's not just any grove we're looking for—it's one that holds significance, one that has been touched by the hands of time."

Short Round, his eyes sparkling with excitement, pointed to a map they had procured. "What about this place? It's got a bunch of big ol' trees and a shrine too!"

Indy leaned in, scrutinizing the map. "The Fushimi Inari Shrine," he murmured. "It's famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which could be seen as a swarm of giants from the right perspective."

"And it's not just the gates," Isabella added. "The shrine is dedicated to Inari, the god of rice, tea, and sake. The foxes here are considered to be its messengers. Perhaps the 'wingspan wide as day' refers to the fox tails, which are often depicted as being incredibly large."

They arrived at the breathtaking Fushimi Inari Shrine as the first light of dawn kissed the vermilion gates. The air was thick with anticipation and the sweet scent of the blooming sakura. As they approached the base of the sacred mountain, a buzzing grew louder, a sound that seemed almost in harmony with the rustle of leaves and whispers of the early morning wind. "The swarm of giants," Sallah murmured, his eyes widening as he took in the sight before them. The cherry blossom trees, usually a vision of serene beauty, were indeed hosting a swarm of giants—but not the kind they had expected. Hundreds of suzumebachi, the giant Japanese hornets, swarmed through the air, their wings casting shadows like the flitting of a thousand tiny swords. "Suzumebachi," Isabella whispered, her voice tinged with a mix of awe and horror. "Their sting is said to be more painful than a snake's bite and can dissolve flesh."

Indy's gaze sharpened, his hand reflexively reaching for the whip at his side. "We've got to be careful," he warned, his eyes darting around the perimeter of the grove. "These creatures are the most dangerous in Japan."

Short Round whistled lowly. "They don't look like they're in the mood for tourists."

"Let's stick together," Isabella instructed, her voice calm despite the fear etched on her face. "And try not to disturb them."

"We can't go in there unprotected," Dr. Johansson said, her voice tight with concern as she eyed the swarm of suzumebachi.

Indy nodded, his mind racing. "Sallah, grab those paper lanterns from the shrine," he instructed. "They're made of strong material and could shield us."

"And what of the smoke?" Sallah asked, pointing to the nearby incense burner.

"Exactly," Indy said, a plan forming. "The smoke from the incense might keep them at bay."

They quickly worked together, soaking the paper lanterns in the sweet-smelling incense water. As they approached the grove, they lit the lanterns, creating a billowy barrier of smoke around themselves. The buzzing grew more frantic, but the hornets hovered just outside their makeshift shield.

"Let's move," Indy said, his voice a low rumble. "We need to find the next clue before these guys get too curious."

They ventured deeper into the grove, the soft light from the lanterns casting an eerie glow on the ancient stone fox statues. Finally, they reached a clearing where a solitary torii gate stood, its vermilion paint faded with age. Hidden in the crook of the gate's wooden structure was a small, intricately carved wooden box. With trembling hands, Isabella reached for it, her eyes never leaving the swarm of hornets that watched them from a safe distance.

"Careful," Indy warned, his whip at the ready.

The box opened with a gentle click, revealing a single, ancient key, its metal gleaming with an untouched sheen. It was the key to the crumbling temple, the next piece of the puzzle in their quest for the Honjō Masamune. As they pocketed the key, the sun broke through the clouds, casting a warm light upon the shrine and the surrounding city of Kyoto. The hornets dispersed, their wings catching the light in a dance of gold. With the first clue secured, they knew their adventure had only just begun.

Indiana Jones's heart raced as he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps crackling through the fallen leaves behind them. He whipped around, his eyes locking onto Kenji and his gang of Tanaka's goons, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent. Without a word, Kenji signaled his men to give chase. The four friends took off, their boots pounding the ground as they sprinted through the ancient grove, the whip of Indy's trusty bullwhip crackling through the air. The suzumebachi, disturbed by the commotion, grew agitated, their buzzing crescendoing into a deafening roar. The goons pursued them relentlessly, their swords glinting in the early morning light. As the chase grew more intense, the archaeologist noticed the hornets swarming around their pursuers, drawn to the movement and the scent of fear. In a desperate gamble, Indy shouted, "Split up! Use the smoke!"

The friends scattered, their lanterns casting a confusing maze of smoke. Kenji's henchmen stumbled, their cries of pain piercing the air as the hornets descended upon them, their stings merciless. Kenji, his face a mask of rage, remained unfazed, his eyes never leaving Indy's. The archaeologist knew they had to act fast. He led his companions in a daring leap over a nearby stone wall, the ancient key clutched tightly in Isabella's hand. As they landed safely on the other side, they watched in horror as the swarm engulfed the pursuers, their screams drowned by the relentless buzzing. Kenji, the sole survivor, retreated into the fog of battle, his mission failed but his determination unshaken.

The adventurers exchanged a grim look, the gravity of their situation sinking in. They had escaped unscathed, but the danger had only just begun. The path ahead was fraught with peril, and the fate of the Honjō Masamune hung in the balance. With the sun now fully risen, they set their sights on the volcanic region whispered about in the scroll's verses, the next stage of their quest beckoning them forward. The adventure had taken a darker turn, but Indiana Jones and his intrepid team were not easily deterred. They had the key, and with it, the hope of unlocking the secrets of Japan's greatest swordsmith.

"In twilight's hush, where ancient stones do sleep, a sentinel of coils, a guardian deep, with eyes that pierce the heart of night, guards secrets hidden from the light," Isabella murmured, her eyes scanning the horizon as the setting sun painted the sky in a palette of fiery oranges and deep purples. The cryptic words of the scroll had led them to the outskirts of Kyoto, to the foot of a dormant volcano. The silhouette of a crumbling temple, reclaimed by nature, stood proudly against the backdrop of the mountain's fiery past. "It must be here," she said with certainty, her voice barely audible above the whisper of the evening breeze.

Indy nodded, his gaze fixed on the ancient structure. "The sentinel with eyes that pierce the night… Could it be referring to a dragon statue within the temple?"

Sallah looked skeptical. "But how will we find it in the dark?"

Short Round grinned, pulling out a flashlight from his pocket. "I got us covered, Dr. Jones."

Indiana patted the young man's shoulder. "Good thinking, Shorty." He turned to Isabella. "Let's move. Time is not on our side."

"Careful," Indiana warned as they approached the shadowy entrance of the ancient temple, the dragon's eyes gleaming ominously in the dim light. "These places are often rigged with traps."

"Got it, Dr. Jones," Short Round called back, his flashlight beam dancing over the intricate stone carvings that adorned the walls.

They moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing through the silent halls. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the whispers of the past. Sallah's keen eyes spotted the first trap—a pit filled with spikes, cleverly concealed by a rotting wooden floorboard. "Look out!" he shouted, and the group leaped aside just in time.

"Thanks, Sallah," Isabella said, her breath ragged with excitement.

They encountered more traps—poison darts shooting from the walls, a floor that gave way to reveal a pool of acid, and a ceiling rigged to collapse. Each time, they worked together, using their wits and reflexes to stay one step ahead of the ancient protections.

"We're getting closer," Indy murmured, his gaze on the map. "The dragon statue should be in the inner sanctum."

"And the guardian deep," Sallah added, his eyes on the shadows that danced with the light of their torches.

As they navigated the treacherous path, the whispers grew louder, the air charged with an ancient power that seemed to hum through the very stones. They could feel the presence of the Honjō Masamune, its essence a beacon drawing them forward.

Finally, they reached the chamber where the dragon statue resides.

Indiana Jones stepped into the chamber, his eyes drawn to the massive dragon statue that dominated the space. Its eyes, made of polished obsidian, gleamed in the flickering torchlight, seemingly alive with ancient wisdom. "This must be the guardian," he murmured.

Isabella nodded, her eyes widening. "But look, it's hollow."

Indy approached the statue, his hands tracing the intricate carvings. He felt a slight vibration, a hint of something hidden within. "Give me a hand, Sallah," he said, gripping the base of the statue.

Together, they pried it open, the stone groaning with the weight of centuries. Inside, nestled in a velvet-lined compartment, lay a second key, its metal gleaming with the promise of secrets yet to be unlocked.

"We've found it," Indy exclaimed, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Indy's triumph was short-lived as a low hissing filled the chamber, sending a cold shiver down his spine. He looked up to find a monstrous anaconda, its scales shimmering in the torchlight, coiled around the pedestal where the dragon statue had once stood guard. "Not again," he muttered, his fear of snakes bubbling to the surface. The snake's eyes locked onto him, unblinking and menacing. "Indy, what do we do?" Short Round's voice trembled, his flashlight shaking in his hand.

"Hold still, Indy!" Dr. Johansson called out, her voice steady amidst the chaos.

Indy's eyes darted from the snake to his friends, his mind racing. "What do we do, Bella?"

"The key!" she exclaimed, her gaze fixed on the gleaming metal in his hand. "It's the key to the next puzzle!"

Indy nodded, his heart pounding in his chest as the anaconda lunged. He dove to the side, the snake's fangs snapping shut mere inches from his face. Sallah stepped forward, his eyes never leaving the serpent as he recited an ancient incantation, his hand holding a small bag of dust.

"Now, Sallah!" Isabella shouted.

With a swift motion, Sallah tossed the dust into the snake's eyes, momentarily blinding it. The creature recoiled with a furious hiss, giving Indy the opening he needed. He rolled away from the snake and sprinted toward the exit, the key clutched in his fist.

Short Round, ever the quick-thinker, grabbed a torch from the wall and hurled it at the snake, setting its tail ablaze. The anaconda writhed in pain, its attention diverted.

"Let's go!" Indy yelled, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"Move!" Indy shouted, the sizzling sound of the anaconda's burning tail ringing in their ears. They sprinted through the temple, the snake's hissing pursuit growing louder with each passing second. The floor grew slick with the creature's venom, making their footing precarious. "This way!" Sallah pointed to a chamber ahead, and they dashed in, the snake slithering relentlessly behind them. Inside, they found themselves at the edge of the same pool of acid they had so narrowly avoided earlier. The creature's hisses grew more furious as it approached the room's entrance.

"Go!" Indy bellowed, pushing his friends onto the bridge. As the last of them reached the other side, the snake slammed into the stone barrier, its body writhing in fury. The bridge began to retract, and the snake lunged again, its eyes on the prize.

"Indy, now!" Short Round yelled, his eyes wide with terror.

With a grim nod, Indiana Jones stepped onto the bridge. The snake's massive head shot out, jaws gaping, only to be met with the crushing weight of the stone slab as the bridge disappeared beneath it. The anaconda's tail slipped over the edge, and with a final, agonized screech, it plummeted into the pool of acid, its body dissolving into a hissing, bubbling mess.

"Let's not do that again," Indy said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Agreed," Sallah said with a shaky laugh.

As Indiana Jones clutched the second key, the sound of a heavy footstep echoed through the chamber. Kenji emerged from the shadows, his eyes a cold, unblinking void. The room grew tense, the air thick with the promise of violence. The adventurers braced themselves, but before anyone could speak, Kenji struck. His fist connected with Indy's jaw with the force of a hammer, and the archaeologist crumpled to the ground, unconscious. The key slipped from his grasp, clattering on the stone floor. Kenji bent down, his eyes gleaming with victory, and retrieved the precious artifact. Without a word, he turned and disappeared into the labyrinth of the temple, leaving Isabella, Sallah, and Short Round staring in shock at their fallen comrade.

Indiana Jones groaned as consciousness returned, his head pounding in rhythm with his racing heart. He blinked, the world coming into focus as he took in the opulent surroundings of the mansion. "Where are we?" he rasped, his voice thick with pain.

"Welcome to my humble abode," a suave voice replied. Hiroshi Tanaka emerged from the shadows, his smile more predatory than welcoming. "I've been eager to make your acquaintance, Dr. Jones."

Isabella's voice was tight with anger. "What have you done to him?"

Tanaka waved a hand dismissively. "Just a little persuasion. Nothing permanent." He gestured to the room around them, filled with artifacts that gleamed under the soft glow of chandeliers. "You must forgive Kenji. He doesn't speak. But he is very dutiful." Jones still numb from the blow he received said, "Perhaps a little too dutiful. If you wanted to invite me into your home, all you had to do was ask."

"Ah, but you see, Dr. Jones," Tanaka began, his smile never wavering, "I am a collector of history, much like yourself. However, our methods differ. You seek to preserve, while I seek to acquire. Both noble pursuits, wouldn't you say?"

Indiana glared at him, his jaw clenched. "Looting is not noble. It's theft and desecration."

Tanaka chuckled, a sound like shifting sands. "A harsh accusation, coming from one who thrives on the thrill of discovery. Tell me, do you not crave the power of knowing secrets lost to time?"

"I crave knowledge, not power," Indy retorted, his eyes scanning the room.

"Ah, but knowledge is power," Tanaka said, his gaze lingering on the Honjō Masamune displayed on the far wall. "And with the Honjō Masamune, I shall write the next chapter of history."

"The sword is a piece of Japan's soul," Isabella interjected, her voice firm. "It belongs in a museum, not in the hands of a man who would exploit it."

Tanaka's smile grew colder. "A museum is but a prison for the past. I will give it new life, new purpose."

"You're wrong," Indy said, pushing himself to his feet, despite the ache in his jaw. "The sword is a testament to the spirit of its creator, Gorō Nyūdō Masamune. It's not a tool for your personal ambition."

"Your sentiment is touching, but misguided," Tanaka said, his voice like a silk-wrapped dagger. "Masamune's spirit is long gone. The sword is just metal, waiting for a worthy master to wield it. And that master is me."

"You're not worthy," Sallah growled, his eyes flashing with defiance.

Tanaka chuckled. "We shall see, won't we?"

"But we need the third clue to complete the puzzle," Indy said, his eyes never leaving Tanaka's. "Where is it?"

Tanaka's smile grew smug. "Ah, the final piece of the riddle. You need not worry about that, Dr. Jones. I have already uncovered its location."

"Where?" Isabella demanded, her voice tight with urgency.

"Mount Fuji," Indy murmured, the realization dawning in his eyes. "The final resting place of the Honjō Masamune."

Tanaka nodded, his smile widening. "Indeed. The whispered truth lies at the summit, where the fiery whispers of its volcanic past give way to the mystic keep. The key is hidden there, waiting for one with the eyes to see."

"And you think you're that person?" Sallah challenged, his hand resting protectively on Isabella's shoulder.

Tanaka stepped closer, his gaze intense. "I know I am. But I'm willing to share the glory… if you help me find it."

Indy's eyes narrowed. "We're not in this for glory," he said firmly. "We're here to ensure the sword's legacy remains intact."

"Ah, but legacies are malleable," Tanaka countered.

"The whispers of the ancients lead us to the fiery embrace of Fujisan," Tanaka declared, his eyes gleaming with greed as they stood at the base of the mighty volcano. "The Honjō Masamune awaits within." With Kenji at his side, the collector began to recite an incantation in a language lost to time, his words weaving a spell that seemed to resonate with the very earth beneath their feet. The ground trembled, and a hidden path revealed itself, leading to a cave that had remained untouched by the ravages of time. As they descended into the darkness, the air grew thick with anticipation. The flaming torches cast flickering shadows on the walls, the whispers of the volcano's fiery past a stark reminder of the power that lay ahead.

"Here," Tanaka announced, his voice echoing through the cavernous space. "The mystic keep."

The adventurers exchanged wary glances, the gravity of their quest weighing heavily upon them. Together, they approached the ancient pedestal at the center of the chamber, where the sword lay, untouched by the centuries. Its blade gleamed with an otherworldly light, the embodiment of Masamune's unparalleled craftsmanship. The third key, a perfect fit, was nestled in a niche beside it.

Indiana Jones watched with a mix of horror and fascination as Tanaka's fingers brushed against the Honjō Masamune. The sword hummed with an eerie energy, resonating with the very core of the volcano. "What have you done?" he shouted as the ground began to tremble violently.

Tanaka's smile was one of mad triumph. "I have claimed the power of Masamune," he said, his voice shaking with the tremors.

"Fool," Sallah murmured, his eyes wide with fear. "The sword is not meant to be wielded by the unworthy."

The tremors grew stronger, and a deafening roar filled the chamber. "The volcano," Isabella gasped. "It's about to erupt!"

As the earth heaved beneath them, Tanaka's eyes grew cold. "Kenji," he barked. "Ensure our friends here do not leave this mountain alive." Tanaka taking the Honjō Masamune with him.

Short Round unleashed a barrage of marbles at the thug advancing on them. The man slipped, his arms flailing as he tumbled backward into the fiery abyss, his screams swallowed by the hungry maw of the volcano. The distraction was all they needed. With a swift kick, Indy sent another thug stumbling into the lava, the intense heat searing the air around them. The remaining henchmen, their faces a mix of shock and fear, drew their weapons, but not before Sallah and Isabella had managed to free themselves. The chamber erupted into a flurry of fists and steel as the four friends faced off against Tanaka's men. Swords clashed and fists flew, the ancient echoes of battles long past resonating through the volcanic chamber.

Indiana Jones, Dr. Johansson, Sallah, and Short Round sprinted through the collapsing cavern, the fiery maw of Mount Fuji's wrath at their heels. As they burst into the cool night air, the sound of the volcano's fury receded, only to be replaced by the clang of steel and the grunts of combat. Kenji, his eyes burning with silent rage, had emerged from the cave, blocking their path. "Indy, watch out!" Short Round yelled as Kenji lunged at them.

"I've got this," Indy said, his voice firm. He stepped forward, squaring off against the towering foe.

Indiana Jones and Kenji circled each other, the air crackling with tension. Indy knew that Kenji's silent loyalty to Tanaka was as much a weapon as his formidable size. With a roar, Kenji charged, his fists like sledgehammers. Indy dodged and weaved, his whip a blur as it cracked and danced around Kenji's body, seeking purchase. Each blow Kenji threw was met with a swift counter from Indy's fists. Despite his smaller stature, Indy's years of experience and unmatched agility kept him a step ahead. But Kenji was relentless, his powerful swings sending clouds of ash into the night sky.

Just as Kenji's next swing threatened to connect with Indiana's skull, a fiery projectile shot from the volcano's mouth, a lava bomb that seemed to have taken a page straight from a cartoon. It soared through the air, a fiery comet aimed directly at the brutish guard. With a sudden, comical twist of fate, the lava bomb slammed into Kenji, enveloping him in a fiery embrace. The behemoth's roar of anger was abruptly silenced as he disappeared beneath the molten rock, leaving only his charred silhouette etched against the night sky. The explosion of heat and light washed over the remaining combatants, forcing them to shield their eyes for a brief moment. When they looked again, Kenji was gone, claimed by the very mountain he had sought to conquer. The battlefield grew eerily still, the only sound the distant rumble of the volcano's fury. Indy, his heart racing, took a moment to catch his breath before turning back to the others.

Tanaka emerged from the volcanic fog, the Honjō Masamune gleaming in his grasp, a twisted smile playing on his lips. "Dr. Jones," he sneered, the earth trembling beneath them. "You dare stand between me and destiny?"

Indy gripped the katana of one of Tanaka's fallen thugs, his eyes locked with the mad collector's. "The sword is not meant to be used as a weapon of power," he said, his voice steady despite the trembling ground.

"And who are you to decide its fate?" Tanaka spat, raising the Masamune.

The two men charged at each other, their swords clashing in a fiery dance of steel and fury. The volcano's tremors grew more intense, sending showers of ash into the air. The sound of their blades ringing out like a symphony of ancient battles, each strike and parry echoing through the night. Tanaka, fueled by his obsession, was a formidable opponent, but Indiana Jones, driven by his unyielding commitment to preserve the past, matched him blow for blow. The air grew thick with the scent of sulfur and the taste of ash as they dueled, the fate of the legendary sword hanging in the balance.

The battle grew fiercer, the air thick with ash and the acrid scent of impending doom. Tanaka's superior strength began to overwhelm Indiana, and with a triumphant roar, he disarmed the archaeologist, sending his sword skittering across the rocky ground. "It ends here," Tanaka gloated, raising the Honjō Masamune for the final blow. But Indiana Jones was not so easily defeated. With a flick of his wrist, his bullwhip unfurled like a serpent, wrapping around the sword's hilt. As Tanaka stumbled, thrown off balance by the sudden loss of his weapon, Indy yanked the whip back with all his might. The Honjō Masamune arced through the air, landing with a thud at his feet.

"You cannot wield the power of Masamune," Indy said, his voice a thunderclap amidst the volcano's fury. "It is not yours for the taking."

With a snarl, Tanaka dove for the sword, but the earth beneath him opened up, swallowing him whole. He clung to the sword, his eyes wide with terror as the lava flow claimed him, his greedy grasp loosening. The volcano's roar grew deafening, and the ground beneath them shuddered violently.

"Indy, We're coming for you!" Short Round's voice cut through the deafening roar of the volcano as the helicopter hovered precariously above the ever-widening lava flow. Indiana Jones, the Honjō Masamune in hand, sprinted toward the edge of the fiery abyss, his eyes never leaving the rope that dangled just within his reach. With a mighty leap, he grasped it, feeling the intense heat of the lava sear his fingertips. Dr. Johansson and Sallah pulled with all their might from within the safety of the chopper, their expressions a mix of fear and determination. As the lava inched closer, Indy clung to the helicopter, his grip slipping. "Hold on to your potatoes, Indy!" Short Round shouted over the engine's whine. The archaeologist's muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to let go. With a final, desperate heave, they hauled him into the air, the sword's blade slicing through the fiery curtain below. As the lava swallowed the last of Tanaka's greed, the volcano's fury seemed to abate, its fiery breath retreating into the bowels of the earth. The helicopter soared away from the mountain, the legendary Honjō Masamune now secure in their possession, its journey to be continued by those who respected its legacy rather than sought to control it.

As the dust settled on the once fiery slopes of Mount Fuji, the helicopter touched down in the quiet streets of Tokyo. With a heavy heart, Indiana Jones handed the Honjō Masamune to the waiting officials, who treated the blade with the reverence it deserved. "It's where it belongs," he murmured to Dr. Johansson, who nodded solemnly. As they boarded the plane home, the weight of their adventure felt like a million tons lifted from their shoulders.

"Well, Indy," Sallah said with a tired smile, "another treasure saved from the clutches of greed."

"Not just saved," Isabella corrected, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Returned to its rightful place in history."

Short Round, his youthful exuberance undimmed, grinned. "And we're still breathing! That's a plus!"

Indy chuckled, his gaze lingering on the sword's gleaming blade through the plane's window. "The legacy of Masamune lives on," he said, his voice filled with a quiet satisfaction. "And we were a part of it."

The engines roared to life, and the aircraft began to ascend, leaving the land of the rising sun behind them. Yet, as the Honjō Masamune was returned to its place of honor, the whispers of its past and the echoes of their adventure remained, a reminder of the boundless potential of history's untold stories, waiting for the next brave souls to seek them out.

THE END

#Indiana Jones #harrison ford #alicia vikander #john rhys davies #ken watanabe #tomohiro ishii #key huy quan

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the99thfanboy · 2 years

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Things we forget about in The Big Bang Theory:

(Updated whenever I feel like it because I use the show for background stimulation and randomly tune in)

Howard Wolowitz has gay thoughts towards George Takei (don’t we all)

Zazzles the cat and his clowder of Manhattan Project bros

Both Sheldon and Amy like cats

Will Wheaton is a playful little ass (I love him)

He led a mob chasing after Sheldon and the guys when they stole the Indiana Jones reels from the theater

Sheldon calls Will’s Wesley Crusher the Jar Jar Binks of the Star Trek universe

Howard and Raj have indeed kissed

Sheldon thinks Dick Grayson should be the one to take up the Batman mantle

Stuart thinks it should be Jason Todd

Sheldon, Raj, Howard, and Leonard slept naked together to keep their core body temperatures from plummeting during their North Pole study

Raj likes to think of it as a bonding moment

Penny went to see at least one of the Star Trek movies in theaters without the guys (they were on their North Pole study so she saw it on her own before they did)

Mary Cooper drinks Diet Pepsi but has a mild Dr Pepper addiction

Part of her prayers are for Leonard to get a girlfriend

Raj is scared of bugs

Leonard, Raj, and Howard once planned to ambush and loot a Boy Scout camp for food

When singing Soft Kitty Sheldon physically moves up and down with change in notes on the line “purr, purr, purr”

In Sheldon’s dream, Raj cuddled up to Howard after they all fell asleep on the couch. Meaning that Sheldon thinks Raj would really cuddle with Howard given the right circumstances

Sheldon has restraining orders against him for Stan Lee and Leonard Nimoy

Barry Kripke fences and is knowledgeable enough to instruct

Sheldon doesn’t care about money despite having a good amount of it saved. He lends it to Penny when she needs it and volunteers money for a college fund for Howard and Bernadette’s child

Sheldon has both a floor and wall safe for valuables

Sheldon is scared of dogs, including Goofy but excluding Pluto

Will Wheaton and Stuart play DND with William Shatner, Kevin Smith, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Joe Manganiello

Leonard was invited to play when Stuart dropped out

After he’s kicked out for telling Penny, she, Amy, and Bernadette join

Sheldon's horse in Red Dead Redemption was hit by a train and he has to go through a grieving process before replacing him

His name was Chauncey

When Sheldon was fired he started going through hyperfixations. One of which was glow-in-the-dark fish which led to spin off ideas of glow-in-the-dark tampons and weaving clothes on a large loom

Sheldon built a death ray as a kid. According to his mother it barely slowed down the neighbor kids

Raj had dinner with and kissed a guy dressed in drag as an Orion slave from Star Trek

His name was Richard or Kimberly

Raj and Leonard agree that they are both Omegas

Leonard wears dresses or dress-like garments on several occasions and expresses that he likes how freeing and breezy they are (he also looks hella cute)

#the big bang theory #big bang theory #tbbt #howard wolowitz #george takei #star trek #sheldon cooper #amy farrah fowler #will wheaton #rajesh koothrappali #barry kripke #leonard hofstadter #william shatner

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the-blonde-adventurer · 2 years

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Never Ending Truths (3)

Indiana Jones x OC

Summary: Everyone is born with a matching tattoo to their soulmate, but not everyone can feel their soulmate’s emotions. Harley LaCarrubba is a freshman attending Marshall college to one day be an archeologist with her passion for history. Lucky for her, she is being taught by none other than the famous Indiana Jones, the school heartthrob. She can feel her soulmate’s emotions but never met him in real life, making her feel guilty about having a crush on her professor.

Words: 2511

I sat at my kitchen table, hunched over my books, reading over the chapters Dr. Jones told us to read. I finished the homework for my other classes already and had my supper. All I had left was this summary of two pages. I wanted to impress him, so I wrote three pages, adding the knowledge I've learned over the years. I looked at the clock on the wall seeing it was almost midnight; I'd been working for five hours. I need to go to bed, so I'm not falling asleep in class, especially in my first period. I clean everything up and prepare for tomorrow, hoping it will be a problem-free day. I wonder what Dr. Jones wants me to translate for him. I hope it's some artifact he found on one of his many adventures. I wonder if my soulmate is still awake.

I lightly trace our shared mark with my fingers tracing the compass before placing a kiss upon it. I felt him kiss our tattoo before gently caressing my face. His fingers went from my forehead to my jaw before tracing over my lips. I instantly felt relaxed, and I knew he could feel it as well by the steady beat of his heart. "One day, I'll meet you, my love," I mumble as I rub circles on my hand before placing a soft kiss. I put everything in my bag, getting it ready for school tomorrow. I walk to my tiny bathroom, brush my teeth, and wash my face looking at myself in the mirror. Smooth sun-kissed tan skin from being in the sun, long blonde wavy golden hair that went to my lower back while bangs covered my forehead, green eyes as green as the leaves on the trees in the spring, a strong, thin figure with broad, solid arms and shoulders from working on the farm, And a nice womanly figure. I go into bed, Placing the green comforter over me, turning to my side, seeing the space next to me. This bed won't be vacant long one day; I'll see my soulmate sleeping peacefully. "Good night." I kiss my hand twice, letting him know I'm off to bed.

*** I walk into class, turning in my homework from the previous night before taking my seat by the door. I looked out the window in the door that looked out into the hall, daydreaming about going on adventures. I saw Dr. Jones talking to my mythology teacher lowly, but I could read his lips. "You need to look out for Harley LaCarrubba; there is trouble brewing," he tells her. I look at him confused, then back to Mrs. Donovan to see her nod her head. "Okay, dear, I'll keep an eye on her."

He turned and saw me staring at them confused, and knew I saw them talking about me. "I'm trouble?" I mouth to him, glaring as I point to myself. He shook his head and then told me to focus on my class. I shake my head and cross my arms as I look back to the board, sneaking glances at him. He had his back to me so that I couldn't read his lips or Mrs. Donovan. I rub my hand, wanting to feel my soulmate comfort me. He thinks I was trouble because I'm Italian; I knew I shouldn't have told him. Maybe it's better this way, distance myself from him so I don't have feelings for another man that isn't my soulmate. I look back at him to see him turn, then look at me before walking off with Mrs. Donovan.

I finished up this class and then went to mythology, taking my seat, noticing I was early. "Miss LaCarrubba, you will be sitting upfront from now on," she tells me as she points to the desk across from hers. I nod my head as I grab my things changing seats so she can keep an eye on me. Curse that dumb handsome professor for telling my teachers to keep an eye on me.

"Okay, class, we will continue our lesson on Greek gods." Mrs. Donovan smiles as she rambles on about the lesson. Something hit me in the back of the head, causing me to cover it with my hand immediately. I pulled something out of my hair and noticed it was a spitball. I turn around to see it was the boy throwing nuts at me yesterday, grinning ear to ear. I didn't even know he was in this class with me. I was so focused on the lesson I didn't pay attention. I glare at him then turn back around to see Mrs. Donovan writing on the chalkboard, so I took notes feeling more spitballs land in my hair.

The bell rang, signaling us to go to lunch. "Read chapters 2-4 and take notes. Pop quiz tomorrow over the chapter." Mrs. Donovan raises her voice so we can hear her. I glare at that stupid football player with that smug smile on his round face. My hair felt so sticky and gross; why is it sticky? I walked out, touching the back of my hair, noticing it was pieces of gum. My heart started racing in panic as I realized I had hand gum stuck to my hair. No, no, no, not my hair! This is all Dr. Jones's fault! If he didn't tell Mrs. Donovan, I was trouble; this wouldn't have happened. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind! I storm out of class, feeling my soulmate trying to calm me down as he grabbed my arm. I slap him off of me, not wanting him to interfere with the ass-chewing I'm about to give Dr. Jones. As I storm to the history building, I break our connection, pushing the door open and storming down to his classroom. I pushed the door open, seeing him panic-stricken as he looked down at his lunch as he sat at his desk, massaging his left arm.

I close the door with a loud slam with my hands balled up into fists. "Can I help you?" he raises a brow as he leans back in his chair. "NO! You've DONE ENOUGH HELPING! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS AND LET THIS HAPPEN TO ME!?! I'M TROUBLE HUH!?! BECAUSE OF YOU, MRS. DONOVAN MOVED ME TO THE FRONT OF CLASS, AND I HAD WHAT I THOUGHT WERE SPITBALLS HIT ME, BUT IT WAS GUM!! I HAVE FIVE PIECES OF GUM IN MY HAIR BECAUSE THAT BOY GOT MAD FOR BEING BENCHED AND TOOK IT OUT ON ME!! STOP TRYING TO HELP ME; YOU ARE MAKING THINGS WORSE!! I CAN TAKE THE FOOD THROWING, AND THE PICKING ON ME, BUT WHAT I CAN'T STAND IS WHEN SOMEONE MESSES WITH MY HAIR!! I TOLD YOU MY HAIR IS SENTIMENTAL TO ME BECAUSE OF MY GRANDMA AND THEY DESTROY MY HAIR!! I'LL HAVE TO CUT IT NOW!! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" I let everything out, feeling my face getting red hot as my temper was at its peak.

"What? That's not what happened. I told her you could be in trouble and to watch out for you so things like this wouldn't happen. I knew he was upset at you for getting benched, and I thought he would take revenge. I was only looking out for you because no one should have to deal with bullying."

"Funny, because every time she turned her back to the board, I got gum flying into my hair." I cross my arms over my chest and lean on my right leg.

"I'm sorry this happened, come, let's get the gum out of your hair." he rolled his chair over to the middle of the room so he could pick the gum out of my hair. I walk over and sit down in his comfortable leather chair, taking deep breaths to calm myself down. "How bad is it?" I mumble as I look down at the ground.

"This may take all of lunch. Are you allergic to peanuts?" He asks me as he goes to his closet.

"No," I answer him as I watch him walk out with a jar of peanut butter.

"The best way to get gum out with cover it with peanut butter; it will slide right off, gum can't stick to an oily surface. You won't have to cut your hair, but you might smell like peanut butter, so I recommend washing your hair after." He tells me as I felt him cover pieces of my hair with peanut butter getting all over the gum.

"How do you know it works? I might have gum and peanut butter in my hair." I sigh.

"Trust me; I'm a scientist." He smirks cockily. "Also, I heard one of my colleagues talking about it when her kid got gum in her hair."

"Oh, so there's the truth, Mr. I'm a scientist." I snort as I play with him.

"Hey, it's Dr. I'm a scientist." He disputed with a smile in his voice. I couldn't help but laugh at him as he slightly fixed my mood.

"I'm sorry for taking my anger out on you. I was pissed off. I know you were already worried about your own problems, and I didn't make it any better." I apologize to him as I fumble with my fingers.

"Don't stress over it; I understand where you are coming from. It would be best to take your anger out on me than anyone else. How do you know I was stressed?" He stops asking me.

"I saw the concern on your face and you grabbing your arm like you were massaging it." I explain to him.

"Oh, yeah...you are very observant." He mumbles as he walks back to his desk, wiping his hands on a napkin to get the peanut butter off. "You hungry?" He asks me.

"Yes, I can eat after school." I shrug as I think out loud.

"Here." He hands me the other half of his sandwich. I gladly take it with a nod, taking a bite out of it to see it was just ham and cheese. I finish the sandwich and glance over at him to see him staring out the window rubbing his arm before bringing it to his face hiding it from my view. I decided to give him some privacy and let him be in his own world. He came back over to me and started back at my hair again. "Dr. Jones." Mrs. Donovan walked in, stopping in her tracks as she saw us. "What's going on?"

"Eric Stapleman thought it would be hilarious to shoot gum into her hair when you had your back turned," he explains as he tried to pull a piece out, seeing it was still stuck in my hair.

"Oh, you poor baby." she came over to look at my hair. "Oh my!" she exclaims as she looks at it. "That's it; I'll be talking to his father about this. As a matter of fact, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind right now."

"Don't worry about him; I will hand him. You talk to his mother about this." He tells her sternly as he tries to get it out of my hair. "There got one piece." He informed me as I heard a clink in the trash can. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"It can wait," she told him. "Honey, who is your next professor?" I felt her place a hand on my shoulder.

"Mr. Smith," I answer her.

"I'm going to talk to him and let him know you won't make it to his class today and get your homework for you. I have some shampoo in my room, and we can clean your hair up and get that peanut butter out. You should be able to make it to your last class. If not, I'll talk to your professor. Who is it?" She goes full mom mode as she bent down in front of me, taking my hands in hers starting into my eyes.

"It's me." Dr. Jones tells Mrs. Donovan matter of factly.

"See, everything is taken care of, don't you stress about this. It will be alright. You have two teachers who have your back." She pats my hands, looking into my eyes still. I give her a thankful smirk and nod my head slightly. "Thank you."

"Of course, dear, I have two girls of my own, and I know how sentimental a woman's hair is to her."

"Yeah?" I look into her blue eyes, thankful she understands. She is a skinny woman with dark black hair all done up behind her head, thin red lips, pencil-drawn eyebrows, crinkles by her eyes, a warm, gentle smile, and such a motherly attitude.

"Alright, dear, I'll be back." She stands up walking out of the room, leaving Dr. Jones and me alone once more.

"Don't you have a class to teach soon? Do you want me to come back later?" I question him.

"This is my free period." He answers after clearing his throat. Whatever He is going through is stressing him out.

"Oh, okay." I mumble. He got a few more pieces out of my hair, tossing it into the trash. The bell rang for lunch to end, making me jump.

"You are so jumpy." He mumbles.

"It startled me." I reply, embarrassed. Dr. Jones is a lovely man just everything about him I'm attracted to. His deep voice sends chills down my spine, his brown eyes that are usually shining with joy, the way you can see his strong biceps in his blazer. Stop this. You have a soulmate; what would he think about you crushing over your professor? I'm glad I pushed our bond away for a little bit so he couldn't feel my heart racing as he dug his fingers in my hair. The next bell rang, signaling tardiness, but I didn't jump this time. "There, that's all of it." He mumbles as Mrs. Donovan walks in with a paper in her hands. "Alright, I got your homework and pages you should study. Don't tell him I told you, but he's giving a test tomorrow to see where you are at."

"Thank you." I smile at her.

"Alright, dear, come with me, and we will wash your hair out. Then you can come back here and wait until your next class." She tells me, setting my paper on my desk before coming back to look at me. I stood up and looked at Dr. Jones, who was biting his nails in deep thought.

"Are you alright?" Mrs. Donovan questioned him as she stood in front of him.

"It's gone." He tells her.

"Do you think she's..." she starts but then slowly trailed off.

"I hope not; I'm worried. The door hasn't been closed this long before everything I do isn't working." He sighs, running his hand through his hair before looking over at me. "You should take care of her. I'll figure out what is going on." he nods over to me, making Mrs. Donovan look back.

#indy #indiana jones #raiders of the lost ark #harrison ford #the last crusade #love #soulmate #never ending truths #romance #fanfic #fandom #raiders #teacher #teacher x student

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desdealgunlugardelsur · 4 years

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Harrison Ford: 2020 summary

A year like no other, as you must have heard countless times. The pandemic changed almost everybody´s life on this planet and Harrison wasn´t an exception. Our lil´ bean is strong and healthy but also has to be safe at home, so this year didn´t deliver many news about Harrison. Still, we had a new Harrison movie, The Call of the Wild, released in February, and a few other events before the lockdown. 2020 was also marked by the death of 3 former Harrison´s costars: Chadwick Boseman, Sean Connery and David Prowse. May all of them rest on peace on Heaven.

A new year begins, and we all wish Harrison (and everyone by the way) a productive, happy and healthy 2021. Stay safe!

JANUARY

Early January: Harrison Ford enjoying his holidays in the caribbean island of Bonaire

25th: Harrison Ford with singer Carole Bayer Sager in a dinner in support of US Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg

28th: The Call of the Wild “Adventure Companions” Featurette. Harrison Ford talks about dogs and companionship in The Call of the Wild’s “Adventure Companions” featurette.

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28th: not sure where these pics were taken. Probably in Wyoming? (pics from Rich Elali)

FEBRUARY

3rd: Verizon Super Bowl Ad Features Harrison Ford And New Pearl Jam Song

Kathleen Kennedy Says Harrison Ford Is Still On For ‘Indiana Jones 5’

Early-mid February: the national and international promotion of The Call of the Wild begins

5th: In Mexico City:

Harrison Ford: America Has Lost Its Moral Leadership And Credibility: The “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” star calls out U.S. policy on immigration and climate.

11th: On the Jimmy Kimmel Show:

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More here

13th: Harrison Ford, actor and watch designer. Newly adapted from Jack London’s literary classic, “The Call of the Wild” transports us to the snowy expanses of Alaska in the 1890s, with Harrison Ford as prospector John Thornton. The actor talks about climate activism, technology and why mechanical watches beat smartwatches every time.

14th: Indiana Jones 5 Starts Shooting In Two Months Says Harrison Ford : The long delayed fifth Indiana Jones film is finally about to get underway, as Harrison Ford reveals that he will begin shooting in two months. (that was what they were planning before COVID-19 hit the world...)

14th: Harrison Ford: Indiana Jones 5 Will “See Part of His History Resolved”

17th: “A Force ghost? I don’t know what a Force ghost is…I have no idea what a Force ghost is. And I don’t care!“. Legend.

21st: The Call of the Wild is released in cinemas

At the movie premiere in Los Angeles:

BRING ON THE PUPPIES:

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More videos:

Call of the Wild Survival Tips!

SNACK??? (Kudos to that girl)

Find epic stories at your library!

More news:

Of Course Harrison Ford Did His Own Call Of The Wild Stunts And 'Wore Out' The Stunt Team

Harrison Ford's shirtless chest is that buff (at 77) for his 'Call of the Wild' swim scene

26th: Steven Spielberg Won’t Direct ‘Indiana Jones 5,’ James Mangold in Talks to Replace

27th: Harrison Ford Breaks Down His Career, from 'Star Wars' to 'Indiana Jones' (Vanity Fair)

Late February: Harrison Ford visits Google´s offices in San Francisco to test the company´s self-driving car. [x] [x] [x] [x]

MARCH

14th: Harrison spotted in South Hadley, Massachusetts [x]. Apparently Harrison and Calista went to Massachusetts to pick up their son Liam after college shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

MARCH

...

APRIL

3rd: Disney delay multiple release dates including Jungle Cruise, The French Dispatch, and Indiana Jones 5

(…) Another big reveal is that Indiana Jones 5 – which will reportedly be directed by James Mangold – is being pushed back a year, from July 9, 2021 to July 29, 2022.

29th: Harrison Ford under FAA investigation after making a mistake while operating an airplane on the runway

According to the audio obtained by TMZ, Ford, 77, did not follow the direction of a tower operator to “keep short” on the runway because of “traffic”. It seems that the actor did not hear the direction. He nevertheless started to cross the runway, which prompted the operator to reprimand him for not following his instructions.

“Cross this trail now!” I told you to keep it short! You have to listen, “said the operator.

“Excuse me, sir, I thought exactly the opposite. I’m really sorry, ”said Ford immediately.

TMZ said there was no risk of an accident. The other aircraft was allegedly 3600 feet from Ford’s aircraft.

MAY

6th: Lucasfilm Reportedly Wants Harrison Ford To Return For Han And Chewie Star Wars Spinoff (Note: this hasn´t been officially confirmed by Lucasfilm)

15th: No news but I think this is cute:

From twitter.com/siikasele

21st: The Empire Strikes Back 40th anniversary. 40 years ago, TESB was released on theaters the 21st of May of 1980.

27th: James Mangold Confirmed To Direct Indiana Jones 5. Producer Frank Marshall confirms James Mangold is directing Indiana Jones 5 and says he's only just begun to work on his own script for the movie.

28th: James Mangold plans to take Indiana Jones franchise 'someplace new'.

Indiana Jones Writer on How Pandemic Will Affect Film's Script

JUNE

Nothing happens but look at this

You are welcome.

JULY

13th: Happy birthday king!

AUGUST

23rd: Harrison Ford dropping off his son Liam at College with wife Calista Flockhart via private plane (from tinyrebelstuff)

28th: Chadwick Boseman dies of cancer at the age of 43

Harrison Ford Calls Chadwick Boseman "As Much a Hero as Any He Played"

“Chadwick Boseman was as compelling, powerful and truthful as the characters he chose to play,” Ford said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “His intelligence, personal dignity and deep commitment inspired his colleagues and elevated the stories he told. He is as much a hero as any he played. He is loved and will be deeply missed.”

SEPTEMBER

24th: Harrison Ford Cleared by FAA in Runway Investigation. "The FAA has closed the case involving the pilot who crossed a Hawthorne Municipal Airport runway without authorization on April 24, 2020. The FAA required the pilot to take a remedial runway incursion training course. When the pilot successfully completed the course, the FAA closed the case with no additional action," the FAA said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

OCTOBER

19th: Harrison Ford & Ed Helms To Star In STX Seafaring Comedy ‘Adventures Of Burt Squire’

22nd: Actor and Pilot Harrison Ford Becomes Airlink Spokesperson. Video here

31st: Sean Connery dies at 90.

Sean Connery: Harrison Ford pays tribute to his Indiana Jones father and 'dear friend'

"He was my father... not in life... but in Indy 3," he said.

"You don't know pleasure until someone pays you to take Sean Connery for a ride in the sidecar of a Russian motorcycle bouncing along a bumpy, twisty mountain trail and getting to watch him squirm.

"God, we had fun - if he's in heaven, I hope they have golf courses.

"Rest in peace, dear friend."

NOVEMBER

2nd: Harrison Ford And Lincoln Project Back Anthony Fauci, Advocate Firing Donald Trump

In the waning hours of the 2020 presidential election, the Lincoln Project has enlisted Harrison Ford to narrate a new ad that plays up President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he will fire Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The spot features a scene from a Trump rally on Sunday in which supporters began chanting “Fire Fauci! Fire Fauci!” and the president responded, “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait til a little bit after the election.”

Ford then says, “Tomorrow, you can fire only one of them. The choice is yours.”

3rd: Harrison Ford and Bloomberg on Biden 2020

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7th: Destiel becomes canon. Harrison doesn´t give a single fuck.

Also Joe Biden wins the US elections. Trump is defeated. Harrison, we know you hate Donald Trump. Congratulations.

21st: Harrison Ford back in Boston, Massachusetts, to pick up his son Liam for Thanksgiving Day.

28th: David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original trilogy, dies at the age of 85. Sorry, I didn´t find any words from Harrison on his memory... it seems they weren´t so close. Also, Jeremy Bulloch, the original Boba Fett, dies at 75 the 17th of december.

DECEMBER

10th: Indiana Jones: James Mangold, Harrison Ford Team to Close Out the Character

Harrison Ford and James Mangold's Indiana Jones 5 will serve as the final chapter for the iconic character.

Disney changed the Indiana Jones logotype. I have a bad feeling about this.

15th: Rare, behind-the-scenes look at 'The Empire Strikes Back'

Including this jewel:

Gif from the @theorganasolo

31st: And just at the very last day of this weird and strange year...

Disney Reportedly Wants Harrison Ford For Indiana Jones Streaming Show

Thankfully, then, it seems that the fifth (Indiana Jones) outing may not be the last we see of the actor in the role, as insider Daniel Richtman claims that Disney wants Ford to appear in a series that’s being developed for their streaming service. Further details are unclear and the tipster doesn’t say if it’s an all-new show or a reboot of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but as one of the Mouse House’s most valuable assets, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they wanted to continue mining the property once Indiana Jones 5 wraps up the big screen stories for good.

Thanks everyone! Hopefully in 2021 the pandemic will fade and the world will return to normalcy. Luckily the production of Indiana Jones V will start this spring, as well as other Harrison projects such the tv show The Staircase and the movie starring with Ed Elms. Fingers crossed for a year full of (good) news about Harrison. Have a happy and safe 2021.

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drivingsideways · 3 years

Text

Misaeng review

Ok, it's been almost a week, so I feel like I can get my thoughts (somewhat) in order. As usual, I'm late to the party, given that Misaeng aired 6 years ago, and is already considered a kdrama classic. Still: thoughts!

(under the cut)

I came to this drama with quite a lot of expectations, both because I'd seen it on a lot of rec lists, and also because I'd watched director Kim Won-seok's Signal and My Mister, which are justifiably as beloved as Misaeng. I'm happy to report that Misaeng mostly lived up to those expectations!

The writing & direction work together to make Misaeng a very immersive experience, which is good, considering the entire run time is over 20 hrs. The level of seemingly mundane detail of the operational aspects of running a trading firm that they delve into (and other dramas might have avoided for sake of pacing) seemed odd to me at first, but eventually result in a world building that's incredibly well fleshed out. The (formerly unlikely!) high stakes of a misplaced piece of paper or octopuses in a shipment of squid end up being parts of an emotionally wrenching narrative whole fairly seamlessly. Still, at 20+ hours, Misaeng also does get into the kind of pacing issues that most of the slice of life kdramas I've watched so far have. And it didn't need to! I think it had a wonderful ensemble of characters, and if they'd maybe given a little more time and space to characters other than Jang Geu-Rae (Im Si wan) and Oh Sang-sik (Lee Sung-min), the mid portions may not have felt quite so, well, stuck.

But more than the strong writing and direction, it was really the actors who delivered. They made what could have easily been a dull-ish office drama into a heart warming story about human connection and the joys and troubles of leading an "incomplete life". I'd never watched Lee Sung-min in anything before, and about half way through the series I was like, HOW IS HE MAKING A SHORT TEMPERED, ALCHOHOLIC MIDDLE MANAGER SO SEXY? Like, serious props, dude. Lee Sung-min is by turns annoying and brash and too shout-y and stubborn and funny and so incredibly vulnerable as a man trying his best to live by his principles in a world that thinks they are an impediment to "success", that you forget that he's playing a fictional character-- he's someone you know, he's someone you've seen in the mirror.

His performance as Oh Sang-sik is very ably matched by Im Si Wan's Jang Geu-Rae. This series would not have worked if these two actors didn't have the chemistry they do, and play off each other in every scene. I had watched Im Si Wan recently- in JTBC's "Run On", in which I liked his performance quite a lot, but I absolutely loved him as the naive and endearing Jang Geu-rae. Misaeng, is in part, a bildungsroman narrative centered around Jang Geu Rae. Im Si wan brought a kind of vulnerability to the role that might have felt cloying and emotionally manipulative in the hands of other actors, but Im Si-wan manages to do it with a light touch. I feel he's one of those actors that uses his whole body in a scene, not just relying on facial or verbal expression, and it's a joy to watch.

Each of the other actors in the ensemble also bring that dedication and talent to their roles, even if it's in a single scene. There are lots of one-off characters that we meet during the course of the series, and every single one of them leaves an impact.

But! I'm going to pick a fave from the supporting cast and that's Byun Yo-han, whom I'd last watched as the broody, troubled (and very sexy) swordsman Lee Bang-ji in Six Flying Dragons. I can't imagine a character more in opposition to that one than Han Seok-yul in Misaeng, but Byun Yo-han just knocks it out of the park as the scheming, cheerful and mostly inappropriate clown with a heart of gold; Han Seok-yul is the definition of Chaotic Good, and you're equal parts horrified by his antics- which include sexual harassment dont @ me -- and yet charmed by him. I wish they'd given him a few more scenes and a larger plotline to work with, but I also suspect that he might have just walked away with the entire series if they did that. (Am I plotting that series in my head as I write this? MAYBE.)

Alright, this is getting a bit too long, so I'm going to get to the bits that disappointed me. That's really one major thing: the gender politics. I don't know how different the show is from the web toon it's based on, so I can't tell whether they made significant changes to the basic plot and characters. As in- I have no idea if the webtoon was as male dominated in every way as the show is, so I'm not sure how much of the show's treatment of women as a class, and its female characters in particular, I should lay at the door of the original writer vs the screenwriter and director. I'm also lacking the Korean context in which this was written and made and aired, so you may take my criticism with a pinch of salt, if you please!

That the show features mainly male characters is perhaps unsurprising and realistic, since we know that the kind of corporate life it depicts is very male dominated, top to bottom. The show also portrays the very real and horrific overt and subtle misogyny that women face in the workplace and out of it; mainly in the character of Ahn Young-yi, played with steely determination and quiet suffering by the lovely Kang so-ra. There are only 3 other female characters that have any sort of real speaking role- Sun Ji Young (played by Shin Eun jung), a senior manager at the company, Jang Geu-rae's unnamed(!) mother (played by the amazing Sung Byoung-Sook) and Oh Sang-sik's unnamed (!) wife (played by Oh Yoon-Hong, who's a delight in every tiny scene she has). There are other women who appear but in very minor roles, and often in "comedy" moments that often rely on sexist tropes to start with.

Anyway, right there you can see one of the problems- 4 women characters that have any kind of real screen time, and only 2 of them are named. Aigoo! Screenwriter Jung Yoon-jung is a woman, and like, I don't like putting the burden on any one woman to y'know fix structural misogyny, but I can't also help feeling disappointed that she overlooked even this "small" thing among the larger things.

But that apart, the main issue for me was that while the show doesn't shy away from depicting egregious sexism in the form of sexual harrassment, verbal and physical and certainly emotional abuse, in a manner that's clear that we are meant to be horrified by it--it falls short of depicting how women deal and work with it. It just doesn't give enough space to women or their worldview.

It's very comfortable depicting victimhood, but doesn't put work into depicting the ways in which women survive by finding solidarity with other women. We have a scene or two where Ahn Young-yi who is this show's poster child for female victimhood interacts with the older women who offer sympathy and understanding, but no real strategy or support. And yes, we see men also being targeted by their seniors for the grossest verbal and physical abuse; and it's men who help Ahn Young-yi strategise on how to deal with her situation. Real life experience tells me that it's the women who do this work for other women. I have certainly been on both sides of this equation, for one, and so has every woman that I know in corporate life. And yes, one of the show's core philosophies is that those who endure, survive--but it is none the less extremely painful to watch Ahn Young yi "endure" the kind of abuse she does as a coping strategy and a survival strategy.

At the end of it, when she slowly manages to gain the support of her sexist team, it's shown as a victory-- though naturally imperfect, because this show takes its Realism very seriously (right until the end where it makes a tonal shift into quirky that I was a little ?? about)-- and y'know, sure, it is a victory. And I absolutely understand the choices she makes and why she does it-- I guess I just got annoyed by the fact that other antagonistic figures in the narrative get a more straightforward comeuppance for their egregious behavior, but Ahn Young-yi doesn't even get a goddamned apology from her abusers. Instead, we have a half humourous, half serious moment where she comments on how she's working at turning herself into "someone cute"- because she understands now that sometimes the right strategy is to "go with the flow". Be the water that slowly wears away at the rock. It's an interesting moment- the men she tells this to are taken aback by her bluntness, but also a little clueless about what she means. It's the kind of nuance that I would and do enjoy. Unfortunately, it also closely follows one of the show's most annoying scenes at the tail end of the series- where it tries to play off workplace sexism and misogyny as comedy- boys being boys-Reader, when I tell you that I had to WORK to unclench my jaw--!

I'm not saying we should have a single and obvious narrative of female emancipation. I'm not against realism in fiction, but god, sometimes, please do remember that when we look for escapism, we are actually imagining a better world. The first step toward liberation is allowing yourself to imagine it.

And the show does allow other characters its moments of unfettered fantasy- Im Si Wan parkour-ing all over the rooftops of Amman- and having a semi mystical + Indiana Jones moment in the deserts of Jordan--so why, I ask, are the women not given that gift?

*looks into the camera *

Tl;dr: I enjoyed it, it made me cry every episode, and I cared about all the characters, and if you haven't watched it yet, treat yourselves.

PS. Yes, Han Seok-yul is a disaster bi, sorry, I don't make the rules. Yes, hotties Oh Min Seok and Kang Ha-neul are canonically naked in a hot tub six feet apart because they are bros. Yes, I will be writing the fix it in which they fuck like angry bunnies. Yes, I am going to put my shipper cooties all over this gen slice of life show, deal with it.

#misaeng #kdrama #thinky thoughts

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moonlit-imagines · 4 years

Text

History of Romance

Indiana Jones x reader

warnings:

a/n: 💖💖💖

prompt: @writerdream22: “Hi👋🏻,could I request an Indiana Jones imagine where the reader is a wildlife expert and historian who met Indy while studying at uni, and the two of them began dating during those years? During one of her lectures(like her partner, the reader is a teacher)Indy barges in and starts talking to her about an excavation they were both invited to inspect, and the reader gets irritated but doesn't want to seem rude to Indy.If you take the time to read another one of my requests, thank you very much💕”

You’d come a long way with Indy, from your first days in college up until now...still in a college, Chicago to New York. You’d always be there with each other. There were so many joys to working with your fiancé at Barnett College. You could drive to the school and come home together, you both taught a handful of the same students, your classrooms were only a short trip down the hall from each other, you could eat lunch together almost every day, and every once in a while, you’d get a joint assignment. Life had treated you right.

“I’ll see you at noon, doctor.” You gave Indy a peck on the lips just outside your classroom, you never tired of seeing him blush and push his glasses up afterwards.

“I miss you already, dear.” He opened the door for you because he just loved being all “gentlemanly” like that, and off he went to his own class. Today’s lesson plans would be a breeze, you set your suitcase down on the desk and pulled out a folder of notes to look upon before your kids all arrived.

“Dr. l/n?” You heard a knock at the door and peered up at the clock, it was just about that time.

“It’s open, come on in!” You announced and as soon as you did, a hoard of students pushed in, each giving you a different greeting. You patiently waited for the bell to ring before starting class, and there was a sudden silence as the ringing ceased. “Good to see everybody this morning! Today’s lesson is all about extinct animals today, anyone want to give me an example?” Your question earned a few raised hands and you called on someone in the middle row.

“The dodo bird?” They answered and you gave them your signature sign of approval, a snap and a point.

“Good, yes! The dodo bird has presumably been extinct since 1662. Any other animals come to mind?” A few more hands shot up. “James, give us the name of an extinct animal.”

“Mammoths?” He replied and you clapped your hands together.

“That’s right! Now, mammoths were believed to die off about t—” You were interrupted by the sound of your classroom door swinging open, everyone’s eyes redirected to the entrance of the room. Your fiancé had just barged in out of nowhere.

“Y/N, you’re never going to believe where they invited us to go!” Indy announced and your facial expression changed to a mixture of confusion and annoyance, peering back at your students to check if they were seeing what you were. They definitely were (unfortunately). “Our first stop is going to be Greece, we’ve got to meet someone there, but after that we’re going to Italy, do you know what were going to be doing in Italy?” He walked across the room, paying no mind the the students who’s eyes followed. “We’re going to get the chance to investigate Pompeii!” Indy’s announcement earned a chorus of gasps and he gave you the biggest smile, he was so passionate and excited about this excavation. “Why haven’t you said anything? Aren’t you excited?”

“Um, Indy..?” You tilted your head to motion to the six rows of students focused on your conversation that definitely could have been private. “I’m kind of in the middle of teaching a class.” You whispered sheepishly, feeling bad for knocking your fiancé’s excitement down a peg or two. He suddenly realized that his enthusiasm had clouded his mind and he just interrupted your lecture.

“Oh, god, y/n. I’m sorry. Okay, I’ll see you after the bell, love you.” He sort-of stammered out with a flushed face, making sure to give you a quick peck on the cheek before he escaped. “Bye, kids!”

“Bye, Dr. Jones!” They all called back as the door slammed and returned their focus to you. You let out a brief sigh, running your hand over your pulled-back hair and shaking your head with a entertained smile.

“Sorry, everybody, where were we?”

—————

The bell finally rung and all of your students pushed out of the door while you sat in your desk chair. Once they’d all cleared out, your lovely fiancé found himself back in your classroom.

“I brought you coffee and a doughnut as a peace offering.” Indy walked near you and set the snacks down on your desk. “Sorry for so rudely interrupting your lecture.” His apologies were always so—what’s the word?—adorable.

“All is forgiven, dear.” You stood up from your chair, “Now, give me a kiss! Another adventure for our book!” You hopped into Indy’s arms and planted a kiss right on the lips, feeling a smile form of your fiancé’s face.

“We leave at the end of the week, better start packing tonight.” Indy gave your nose a poke.

“Think we’ll run into any trouble there?” You asked as you fixed his tie.

“With our track record? Most likely.”

#indiana jones #indiana jones x reader #indiana jones imagine #henry jones imagine #henry jones x reader #henry jones #harrison ford #harrison ford x reader #harrison ford imagine

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mirkwoodshewolf · 4 years

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Freddie’s 40th birthday; Freddie Mercury x reader

*Author’s note*

In honor of the legend’s 74th birthday, as apart of my Rock Angel series, I have written up this little filler chapter centered around Freddie’s birthday. It’s unbelievable that had he lived today, we would’ve been celebrating his 74th bday. But as it is said in the Sandlot ‘Heroes get remembered, but legends never die’. Happy birthday Freddie Mercury, wherever you are, know that you are loved and are continued to be loved by generations of people that are just getting to know you or people that have followed/known you when you were alive.

Enjoy my lovelies and until the next update :)

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@queensdivas

@queendeakyy

@geek-and-proud

@platawnic

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@klausidiot

@onebigfangirlworld

@naturalswifty89

@starswin

@dj-lowkey

@isabella-bby

@bohemiansweede

@5sos-wdw

@labessieisallama

____________________________________________________________

*Sept. 7th, 1986*

I was looking myself over in the mirror seeing how my cowgirl hat looked. It wasn’t anything fancy just a simple leather khaki hat that belonged to mum who gave it to me just for this party. I brushed the ends of my hair before Jack came in wearing his Indiana Jones hat.

“Look at you my little cowgirl.”

“Now don’t you dare say something naughty or else you’re going to get it.” Jack faked a gasp.

“How dare you suggest I’d say such a thing.”

“Please Jack. You may look all sweet and innocent but even you can go Freddie Mercury dirty. Or worse Deacy leveled of rottenness.”

“Never did I think he could think such thoughts.”

“You do realize that his first song Misfire was all about pre-ejaculation right?”

“Okay subject change please!” I shoved him and said.

“You started it.”

“Nu-uh!”

“Oh shut it you. Now remind me again why you didn’t want to wear a cowboy hat?”

“You know what those hats do to me. Plus….” He stroked the rim of his Indie hat, “this makes me look cooler.” His brow quirked as he smirked in the mirror trying to be sexy (which he was but I’ll never admit that out loud).

“But then we could’ve been a matching set at the party. Fred would’ve been all gushed up about it.”

“You know this day is about him right?”

“Correction two days ago was all about him. This is his birthday party. Thankfully it won’t be as crazy as last years. Yeesh. I still don’t remember how Roger and I ended up in that closet together.”

“Let alone with your shirt over his face.”

“Oh god yeah that—most awkward thing ever. But I think I recall saying something like ‘it’s too hot in this hellhole for me!’ Or some random thing like that. At least that’s what Deacy said he heard. God we had sooo much tequila that night. Never again.” He chuckled and wrapped his arm around me and pecked my cheek.

“Yeah cause I wouldn’t want to think that my wife was screwing around with her father figure.”

“EWW! Now that is something I know that not even drunk me would do. Why put that image into my brain oh god JACK!!!” he laughed as I began hitting his arm.

“Ow! Okay! Okay I’m sorry!”

“You better be. Now what time is it?”

“6:40.”

“Shit we better get going!” I grabbed his hand and we took off out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

In the living room our sitter Derek aka ‘Dancing man’ Anderson, who was also one of my roadies on tour, was already feeding our daughter.

“Okay Derek, we’re heading out. Again thank you soo much for volunteering to babysit for me. Normally I wouldn’t ask you to do this much…….”

“Relax (Y/n). I’ve had 3 kids so I know how this works. Thankfully I was in the neighborhood. Plus I get the chance to see the kid before the rest of the roadies do.” I shook my head at him.

Derek had been one of my first roadies ever since I became the Rock Angel. He was about the same age as Roger was and if I’m being honest, he’s kinda like Roger in a way. In fact if I remember correctly it was Roger’s roadie Crystal that recommended Derek to me. He’s great with electronics and lighting and he’s basically the ringleader since he’s the only one of my original team that has stuck with me for the past five years.

“Okay so her bottles are in the fridge and I’ve laid out instructions on how to warm them up. Her bedtime is in two hours, and her favorite story is ‘Oh the places you’ll go’. And ohh I know I’m forgetting something.”

“Angel, relax. I’ve got this. Jack gave me the full rundown about an hour ago while you were deciding on your hat. Give my birthday regards to Fred.”

“We will. Thanks again Derek.” Jack said as the two of them shook hands with each other.

“No prob, you two kids have fun. And don’t worry mini Angel will be safe and sound.”

“Alright, bye baby girl. Mummy loves you.” I leaned down and pecked my daughter’s cheek repeatedly then Jack came down and kissed the top of her head which was starting to sprout my hair color and told her.

“Daddy loves you too sweetheart.” Jack and I picked up our gifts for Freddie and we walked out the door and headed to the car.

To my surprise Jack actually offered to drive to Freddie’s place at Garden Lodge. I looked at him surprised and switched seats with him and I must admit I’m surprised that he’s managed to get driving in England down.

“Wow Jack I must say, you’ve really adapted to our way of driving, haven’t yah?”

“Well seeing you guys drive all the time kinda helped me out a bit more. Plus those old driving lessons from Deacy also helped as well.”

“So I got to ask. American style of driving or UK style of driving.”

“Oh American hands down. I still fear that I’m gonna ram into someone driving on this side of the road.”

“Guess we both feel that way. When your cousin Jensen gave me my first car driving lessons, I was terrified beyond belief. Not only was it something totally different, but also just driving on the side of the road that I’ve never driven on. But you’re doing good baby. I’m proud of you.” I gave him a peck on the cheek and he said.

“Hey now, no need to get frisky. I’m the one behind the wheel here.”

“You are just full of snappy comebacks today aren’t yah?” he grinned at me and continued to drive on.

After a while we finally arrived at Freddie’s place just ten minutes past 7. Jack parked the car just a few yards away from the entrance of Garden Lodge and the two of us walked hand in hand towards the entrance. I pressed the buzzer at the gate and that’s when Jim’s voice came on the intercom and he said.

‘Hello?’

“Hey Jim it’s Jack and (Y/n). We made it.”

‘Ahh the Kline couple, come right on in.’ the gate let out a buzz and Jack opened the door and tipped his hat just like Indiana Jones as he did his best Harrison Ford impression.

“My lady.”

“Why thank you Dr. Jones.” I said in my best Southern accent before walking right on in and he followed behind me.

We walked across the front garden and I couldn’t help but admire the flowers that grew down the runway towards the house. We walked up the steps and Jack knocked on the door and soon answering the door wearing a pink boa with an angel halo on top of his head was the Queen himself, Freddie Mercury.

“Well about fucking time you two got here. I was beginning to think you both skipped out on me.”

“Please Fred. If we wanted to, you’d never let us hear the end of it.” I teased him. He chuckled and smiled that wide smile of his before extending his arms out and the two of us hugged and kissed each other.

“And Jack. Handsome and dashing as ever.” Freddie praised.

“Thanks Fred.” Jack blushed.

“And a couple’s costume at that. I swear I think you two will upstage me. And I’m supposed to be the birthday boy here.”

“Oh well Fred actually we’re not doing a couple’s costume. At least not anymore we aren’t.”

“Oh well then Jack what kind of hat is this supposed to be?” Fred said as he stroked the rim of Jack’s Indiana Jones hat.

“Wow and I thought you would’ve at least seen at least one of the films. This is an Dr. Indiana Jones hat.”

“A doctor you say, well what the fuck kind of doctor wears that kind of hat?”

“He’s also an archeologist that goes on adventures Fred.” I explained to him. Freddie ahhed in understandment.

“Okay now I see. Well besides all that, come on in my darlings the party’s just beginning.” Fred opened the front door wider and allowed Jack and I to enter inside.

And amazingly while there were a lot of people there, it wasn’t as full crazed as his birthday party last year. It was mellow, quieter, people making small talk amongst friends. It was a nice change for once (especially after the after party for the Magic tour).

The party went on and as Fred and I stood side by side of each other looking out at the other party guests I turned to him and said.

“You know I’m really surprised Fred. You really mellowed out.”

“Well darling the older you get, the less of a party animal you become. Even the champ must lose at one point.”

“All these metaphors and old saying you’ve been saying throughout this past year, I swear Fred you should be a philosopher.”

“As great as some of their sayings are, they’d be boring to meet in real life. And dear I refuse to be boring.” He playfully dipped my hat forward covering my eyes. I groaned and playfully shoved him as I readjusted my hat.

That’s when I noticed a band on his right ring finger.

I took his hand and held it and looked up at him and asked him intrigued.

“And just what is this Fred?”

“Oh wouldn’t you like to know.” Fred teased me.

“C’mon Fred. You know as well as I that this ring isn’t like any of the old concert rings you used to wear ten years ago. So out with it.” Fred looked around before clasping my hand with his and he dragged me off upstairs where we would have some privacy.

We made it to his master suite and there I saw Delilah and Goliath both sunning themselves on the bed.

“It’s from Jim.” Freddie spoke softly as he stared down at th ring lovingly. “He gave it to my just before everyone got here. A sorta—one year anniversary present. I would wear it on my left hand if I could but—you know how people are these days when it comes to relationships. Especially with mine.”

I walked up to him and cupped his face between my hands. He and I stared at each other and I said to him.

“I’m happy for you Fred. Truly I am. And hell if it were up to me, I’d have you and Jim married tonight if you both wanted to.”

“I know you would darling.” He very gingerly pinched my cheek.

“And……people can be bastards. They think that sexual relationships have to be in a straight fashion. Even Johanna and Graham thought that way. Any trace of homosexuality, they’d treat them as if they were scum of the scum. They’d even tried to brainwash me into believing it as well. But thankfully I have more common sense than them or anyone else that thinks that way. Love is Love. As long as two people are happy and in love with each other, so long as they are of legal age, then it doesn’t matter.” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“A lioness with a heart of gold. Your parents would be proud of you darling.” He said as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Who knows maybe one day the world can change and have people of the same sex get married. And when that day comes, I’ll be right there at your side as your Maid of honor.” Freddie softly smiled and said.

“I’ll let you plan the whole thing out if you want.”

“Good cause you know I’ve got some suggestions.”

“You did learn from the best.”

“Also I’m gonna tell you what you once told me when Jack and I first became a couple. If he breaks your heart, or makes you cry like that last bastard of a man you had, I’ll pop him off his arse till he’s in a coma.”

We both softly laughed and pecked each other’s cheeks before embracing each other tightly. “Never change my darling Rock Angel.”

“Never Freddie. So long as you never change either.”

“With you by my side, I doubt I ever will.” We both softly laughed.

“C’mon. I’m betting everyone’s wondering where the birthday boy is at.” We took each other’s hands once more and walked out of his master suite and headed back downstairs.

Everyone gathered in the back garden as Jim, Terry and Phoebe pulled out the cake (which was sculpted into the shape of an orange, black and white patterned cat standing on a podium with its paw up in the air).

Once the sparkling candles were lit, we all sang Happy birthday to Freddie. Freddie stood by his cake smiling and gushing about till the end of the song before finally blowing out his candles.

“I better not expect a girl wearing a cat costume to pop out and ruin this cake!” we all laughed and that’s when Jim came up to him and delicately cut the bottom part of the cake. As Jack and I sat together I couldn’t take my eyes off of Freddie.

He was just radiating this pure energy as he chatted away with Phoebe, Jim and his other friends that he knew outside of Queen. He truly was a ray of sunshine who made everyone laugh and smile, and I am so glad that he got out of Prenter’s grasp when he did cause this this was the Freddie I knew and loved.

“He seems happier with Jim.” Jack said to me as he ate a piece of his cake.

“He does. He finally found himself a little niche in life. And I’m happy for him.”

“So they’re really together, aren’t they?” Jack asked me. Of course there wasn’t any hatred or disgust as my husband spoke those words, he genuinely wanted to know whether or not Freddie and Jim were seriously an item or not.

“They are. And I can see that it’s real love between those two. I hope they stay together for a long, long time. They’re good for each other.”

“I’ll admit it, even though I’ve never really seen a gay romance for myself. I think they really do love each other.”

“It’s just like us. Like Deacy and Ronnie, like any other straight marriage or relationship. It doesn’t matter the gender of the person so long as two people love each other and care about one another. Love is Love.”

“I can get behind that.” Jack said as he nuzzled his face into my neck making me giggle softly.

It was about an hour after sunset when the party finally came to a close. Everyone bid their goodbyes to Freddie and when I had invited Fred and Jim to come and have tea tomorrow, that’s when I found out that they would actually be leaving for Japan tomorrow afternoon.

“Oh wow Japan. You two going on your honeymoon?” I playfully nudged Fred.

“It’s not so much a honeymoon dear. Just a way for Jim and I to get to know each other a little more without all the press and cameras stalking us.”

“Understood. Those blood-sucking leeches.”

“Tell me about it.” He grumbled.

“Well I hope you both have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves.”

“We will darling. And I’ll be sure to pick something up for the mini-angel’s birthday in a couple months. As well as a souvenir gift.”

“You know she’s still a baby right?”

“So what? Just because she’s a baby doesn’t mean I have to stop spoiling her.” I rolled my eyes and embraced Freddie and he hugged me back.

“You’re gonna drive me to early grey hair Mercury.”

“Oh don’t be ridiculous darling.” He said in a posh tone. “As I’ve always said you’re gonna be an ageless beauty. It’s me and the other guys that’ll age like milk.” I slapped his arm then we kissed each other goodbye then Jack and I took our leave.

When we arrived back home, we came in to see Derek sitting on the couch watching the news.

“How was the party?” he asked us.

“Mellow but fun. How was our girl?” Jack said.

“Barely gave me any trouble, unlike my own daughter when she was that age. The only fuss she made was when I had to change her nappie before bed.”

“She’s done that with us too. Mum hopes she’ll grow out of it soon.” I said as I walked up to him.

‘Growing cases of the AIDS and HIV virus continues to climb. So far in England alone more than 1000 confirmed deaths have occurred due to the virus…..’ I shut the TV off and muttered angrily.

“I hate the news. They never have anything positive to say. All it is is just death, gang bangs, cults, economy crashes, war, or this new virus that’s been coming up.”

“Don’t let it affect you too much Angel, you don’t need to have all that negativity floating in your head. Well I best be off.”

“Thanks again Derek, I’ll send you your payment in the morning.” I told him.

“No need. This one’s on the house. Have a good night Angel, Jack.”

“Night Derek. Drive safely.” Jack told him as Derek grabbed his coat and keys then left the house.

Jack and I changed out of our party clothes and got into our pajamas and cuddled close together.

“G’night Jack.” I yawned.

“G’night my love. Sweet dreams.” Jack whispered. He kissed my forehead as the two of us fell asleep cuddled under the sheets.

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blazehedgehog · 4 years

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How would you handle new Sonic villians. The reason why Dr. Eggman works is because he is the antithesis to Sonic (Sonic fights for freedom while Eggman fights to create a tyrannical rule). The other villians never got that besides maybe Shadow. I would have them relate to the themes of nature vs technology that the classics embodies.

Well, to make a villain I feel like you must first deconstruct the hero. Villains are always something the hero isn’t. Or in some cases, villains exist because of something the hero does to create the villain.

Unfortunately, Sega’s version of Sonic is one-dimensional by design. The whole cast is, really. They insist on telling stories about these characters, but then never give them any mileage to grow, or change, or reveal any deep-seated facts about themselves. Like, who would even remember that Amy Rose is a tarot card reader? It has never even once come up in the games. It exists in her character profile only.

So already we don’t have a lot to work with. If we take every Sonic game ever made, plus the TV show Sonic X (which seems to drift in and out of the canon), then our Sonic the Hedgehog is:

A bit of an explorer. He seems somewhat well-versed in ancient cultures, often for civilizations most history books have forgotten or don’t know about.

A little bit lazy. When he’s not out exploring or saving the world, he seems to enjoy a good nap.

He has a strong sense of justice. He often intervenes without being asked if he thinks there’s a problem.

He has a bit of a mouth on him. He likes to taunt his enemies and dispense one-liners like an action movie hero.

He’s a bit of a loner. He doesn’t seem to stick around in one place for very long and constantly greets even his closest friends by saying, “Long time no see.” So he isn’t around them very often.

He appreciates natural beauty. Being an explorer, he seems to just... go exploring for the sake of seeing what’s out there.

So how do you build a villain out of these? Well, up to now, we’ve seen Eggman being the one to unleash ancient evils. But I think it makes a lot more sense for Sonic to be the one to do that, and probably by accident. I know Sega wants Sonic to be the cool hero that never loses or does anything wrong, but I’ve always thought of Sonic as an impulsive sort of guy who never looks before he leaps because to him it just doesn’t matter. He’s faster than anything on the planet, so in his mind, he sees himself as kind of invincible.

So maybe he’s out exploring, or even fighting some robots or something, and he stumbles in to these old ruins. Older than anything he’s ever seen before. And he’s instantly caught up in the idea of finding something new. Something he hasn’t seen yet. So he delves deeper, and deeper, and accidentally unleashes an ancient evil.

The problem is, I feel like for this to resonate, we’d have to retread a lot of the same ground as Dark Gaia. I immediately gravitate to something very old. Around at the beginning of the planet. Something that turns Sonic’s safe spaces (his friends) against him, like an infection.

I think making Dark Gaia a big ghostly kaiju was probably a mistake. We need something smaller. More compacted. Something Sonic can more easily interact with and talk to.

Maybe we could flip it around and it’s, like, almost a cultist of some sort. Another animal character, but this one’s bad. They want to bring Dark Gaia back, and can summon some of Dark Gaia’s power. They indoctrinate others through some kind of hypnotic brainwashing. A little bit Lovecraft, a little bit Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I don’t know if we would bring the Werehog back necessarily, but maybe the cultists can transform, until Sonic purifies them and removes the evil in their hearts using the Chaos Emeralds.

These sound like dark ideas, but it’s all in how you portray them. This doesn’t have to be edgy. You can do a lot of these ideas in a way that’s still appropriate for someone under the age of 14.

#questions #sonic the hedgehog #sega #sonic team #fan characters #villain #Anonymous

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bluejaywriter · 4 years

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Anyway, here’s my How To Fix WW84 in 42 scenes (or less) list:

BTW, this is a very long post. It is a whole movie :P

1. Delete the first scene with the Amazons and have the opening credits be over the 80s montage. I KNOW, but trust me.

2. Mall robbery scene goes normally, but like... less clunky. And there’s a bop playing in the background because it’s the 80s.

3. When Diana comes back, she’s wearing her armor underneath her jacket; have a shot of her hanging it up in her closet, and pieces of the Golden Armor are displayed nearby. She has dinner by herself, and looks lonely.

4. Diana meets Barbara, and it’s the same, but if she needs something “human”, how about she walks with a cane instead of being clumsy in heels because it may be 1984, but it’s also 2020 :P (also Rucka’s Rebirth run literally has her walking with a cane??) And a girlfriend

5. They bond over the FBI artifacts from the mall robbery, Barbara’s studying something that will be important on an expedition later (a map?), but it’s not like. Placement. It’s just buried in the list of things they’re looking at. Also Barbara is smart and also knows Latin and Diana is impressed.

6. They go to dinner (and there’s a bop playing in the background) and Barbara asks what made her get into archeology, and Diana is vague, and Diana asks what made her get into archeology, and Barbara is also vague, but says she’s always loved ancient civilizations and things. No one asks about anyone’s love life. :P

7. Diana walks Barbara home. Diana asks if she’s in pain (the cane), and she says no, and then it’s never mentioned again because it’s 2020. Also there are no drunk creeps, and no amiable homeless black guys, because… euuuurgh.

8. There’s a scene with another version of the map (or not a map), and a faceless somebody having a vague, Villainy conversation about it (and not Dr. Poison faceless, just... we don’t see their face, lol).

9. Barbara gets to work early and finds out she has to give a tour to Maxwell “The Oil Guy” Lord. This scene goes as normal, and he insists they both come tonight to the gala he’s hosting for the museum at his house. Diana thinks galas are stupid, but she plays along because she wants to keep Barbara away from Max she can tell Barbara wants to go she wants to protect Barbara.

10. Insert artistic shots of Diana’s office here. Basically ancient artifact porn. Show us the cool stuff, God.

11. Diana looks irritated/confused about something and is flipping through books (although computers did exist in 1984, right? Right?). Barbara comes in asking if Diana wants to go shopping for the gala, and Diana asks if she still has the FBI artifacts, and Barbara says yeah, why. Diana says she just wants to check something later, then they go shoe shoppingggggg

12. Diana does all the things the store attendant does. Dialogue, facial expressions, everything. Harold they’re lesbi—

13. Barbara asks if she wants to share a cab to the party, but Diana has to put out a wildfire or something, and says she’ll meet her there.

14. Action scene fire-putting out that somehow relates to a moment later in the movie. Diana can’t save a cat stuck in a tree

15. There’s a shot of Diana stepping out of the burning forest and looking out over the sea, and there are burning embers falling around her, and the sun is setting, and it’s beautiful dammit. And then she remembers she has a date, and she smells like a wildfire, and the music comes in because this was the best scene in the real movie.

15. Gala scene. Entrances and music are perfect, change nothing except man creeps are like… more subtle? And more insidious/Mr. Nice Guy, sure. Diana finds Barbara Ann, and she mentions that she hasn’t drunk/partied like this since college, because she’s a confident woman who can drink, dammit.

16. Pedro Pascal invites Barbara up for a drink, and Diana is prepared to come along uninvited, but there’s an invite for her, too.

17. The three main actors from this movie actually get to hang out together and bond like atoms because they have serious chemistry. Max is a bit of a douche at first, but he relaxes after a bit of goofing off. Diana asks him about the pictures on the wall of his son, and he says he’s the smartest boy in his school, and his goal every day is to make his son proud of him. Barbara Ann (who is slightly drunk) mentions that her father didn’t want her to become a scientist, and they swap horrible Dad stories for 45 seconds.

18. Diana’s Horrible Dad Story: “My mother never told me his name.”

19. Pedro Pascal mentions that he’s putting together a team for a dig (Apparently they dug up some stuff while he was looking for oil) and he wants Barbara Ann to lead the expedition.

20. Barbara Ann wants Diana in her team don’t we all. Pedro Pascal pretends to be surprised and delighted by this idea. There’s a shot of his happy face disappearing once the girls leave.

21. Diana goes to find the FBI artifact she’d been wondering about (it’s after the gala, so it’s dark in the museum), and it’s gone.

22. They fly to the dig, and everyone has their passports, and Kristen Wiig does not reprise her Bridesmaids airplane scene, but she can mention that it was nice of Max Lord to put them in first class. It’s also the 80s, so flying looks like whatever flying looked like in the 80s (more leg room? :P) Also, there’s a bop playing in the flying montage.

23. They get to the dig (in a helicopter), and a bunch of diverse people introduce themselves, because we have to have diversity somewhere in here, it’s 2020.

24. Barbara Ann gets to work, and Diana goes exploring because she’s the main character and doesn’t need to work. She sees a temple/palace further up the island, and it looks like there’s smoke coming out of the courtyard, but she’s called back for dinner before she can go see. The other people tell her the building is abandoned.

25. Diana goes later that night to see, and it is abandoned and there’s lots of animal bones lying around and weird symbols on the walls and it’s creepy AF. But there are other things (pottery?) that remind her of Themyscira, and there’s a flash of a memory from an Amazon feast, and she sees Antiope laughing with a group of Amazons because we need a Robin Wright cameo, and then a hard cut to—

26. Barbara Ann comes to find Diana sitting on the edge of the cliff looking over the ocean, and she asks if she’s jetlagged too, and she says no, just homesick. She tells Barbara Ann that she grew up on an island, and after she left, she spent years trying to move on and assimilate into the new world, but she kept finding things that reminded her of her homeland, and she finally accepted that she should be proud of who she is and where she’s from. Barbara Ann says she should never be ashamed of her true self and then they kiss

27. In the morning, there’s a dig montage, and a bop playing in the background. Diana pretends that heavy things are heavy. They find Diana’s golden helmet and other scraps of the golden armor and a bunch of other stuff so then it’s not conspicuous, and then there’s a tsunami/hurricane, and the rest of the crew dies or evacuates or something. It’s dramatic, and Diana and Barbara almost drown, except Diana is Wonder Woman.

28. The two of them end up heading up to the abandoned building for shelter, and it looks sturdy, and the animal bones are gone, which is weird, but it’s dry, so Diana tells Barbara Ann to sleep while she takes the first watch. Barbara Ann says this isn’t the worst night she’s spent on the job.

29. Diana falls asleep and has a dream of this building in its heyday, and there’s an Amazon feast, and Diana wanders through the dream looking sad, and Hippolyta stands up to give a toast and is shouting about their guest of honor, the Princess from—

30. And then Diana wakes up, Barbara Ann is gone, and it’s full daylight, and there’s no sign of the storm or their camp. Diana hears a sound and goes to investigate likes she’s in a horror movie or something, and it takes her to stairs that lead underground, and she realizes that the tunnels match the map from the FBI (this is too convenient, but whatever, this is the first draft okay :P).

31. Maxwell Lord is sitting on a folding chair (or a couch!) in the cave at the end of the tunnel, and he’s surrounded by animals in cages. Diana recognizes some of the animals from the bones she saw earlier, because why not. He says that he brought Diana and Barbara Ann here to settle some old scores. Diana thinks for a minute that he’s Ares or something, and he says not MY old scores.

32. And then Diana is attacked by a Cheetah (why not), and she’s not wearing her armor, but she can fight in her indiana jones outfit, and it’s kind of a lame fight (dark, realistic, no slow-mo), and she re-cages the animal pretty easily, and THEN she’s surrounded by the blurriness like she’s dreaming (bad, but it’s the first draft, okay), and Eva Green’s voice says some villainy things about is this how she treats her friends and she’s just like her mother—

33. And then Diana realizes that Barbara Ann is the Cheetah, and there’s a montage of her falling into Circe’s trap and being turned into a Cheetah, and then a scene of Pedro Pascal’s son being kidnapped while they’re on rich people vacation and being turned into a gerbil, and transformations of a bunch of explorers and warriors from over the years getting turned into animals (including Asteria), and then a scene of Circe being banished from the Amazons and not being allowed to return to (old) Themyscira.

34. Circe isn’t actually in the tunnel, but in the fog sequence, she talks to Diana through a mirror and occasionally morphs into Diana’s reflection, because she’s magic, and that’s creepy.

35. After the fog is over, and Diana’s wearing the Golden Armor because we need to sell toys, and then there’s ACTUAL fight with Cheetah, and a bop (Sebastian Böhm’s “Sweet Dreams are Made of This”) is playing in the background, and this time there are actual stakes because Diana doesn’t want to hurt her. And it’s like, the Cheetah and Wonder Woman fight from Rucka’s run, okay. Cheetah says this is her true self and to leave her alone, and Diana says no, this isn’t you.

36. Diana breaks Circe’s curse with true love’s kiss. Diana breaks Circe’s the curse with the lasso and a speech about love, and it turns out the Cheetah form is held back by the lasso, so Diana lets her keep it.

37. Pedro Pascal gets his son back and it actually makes sense for him to run out from the bushes. He apparently doesn’t remember anything about Circe.

38. A helicopter comes to get them, and Diana is uneasy, because there’s a third movie, but she leaves and there’s a bop playing, because this is the end of the second movie.

39. Diana adds the helmet and the rest of the armor to her collection in her closet.

40. Barbara Ann now has to tell the truth all the time because she’s wearing the lasso all the time. This is terrible, but the movie plays it off as amusing.

41. Diana promises to find help for Barbara Ann, and they kiss

42. I guess the mid credits scene with Asteria can still happen. She could clean up after herself though, lol. A possible end credits scene is Diana finding the lasso on her work desk and Barbara Ann’s desk cleared out, but that’s kind of a bitter ending, and the lesbian ending is nicer.

In the third movie, Diana tries to find Themyscira and Circe is the main villain and maybe Cheetah comes back. Boom.

#long post #See this is what I call a first draft #and then you scrub it 1000 times until it's a GREAT draft #and like something that will make sense on film and be enjoyable to watch #anyway I didn't have time to write today so I spent 2 hours writing this :P #funny how that happens #if you make it to the end let me know what you think!

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alcalavicci · 4 years

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So there’s a really interesting interview with Deborah Pratt here. If you don’t want to pay for it, I’ll paste what I can below, but a few points first.

Deborah says she doesn’t know where Dean is, and says she misses him. I guess she hasn’t had contact with him since he left for NZ? And with Russ Tamblyn saying Dean’s hanging in there in answer to a recent Twitter question, that brings up more questions about his condition.

Deborah claims she came up with the idea of Quantum Leap, which I’ve never seen come up before. Also Don wanted to send Sam home?? I feel like she’s misremembering a lot of details/making herself seem better than she is.

“Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished… He woke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own, and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. And so Dr. Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time tht his next leap will be the leap home…”

The premise of Quantum Leap succinctly and empathetically explained by a voice that spoke to viewers week to week, setting the scene at the opening of the episode. It is a voice that left an indelible print on the show, from its inception to its finale. This is the voice of its Head Writer. No, not Donald P. Bellisario, but a woman of color who was leaps ahead of her time – co-executive producer and uncredited co-creator, Deborah M. Pratt.

Deborah wrote or co-wrote 40 episodes of this sci-fi gem and her authorship of the show runs deep through its five seasons. Aside from the opening narration, Deborah is audible as the voice of Admiral Al Calavicci’s pocket computer, Ziggy. She also guest stars in the episode ‘A Portrait for Troian’ (S2, Ep11) as a grieving widow who hears the voice of her husband calling her.

Deeper still, Quantum Leap was a family affair. It was co-created with her husband at the time, Bellisario, and their daughter, also named Troian, appears as a little girl in ‘Another Mother’ (S2, Ep13, who can not only see Al, but also sees Sam as he really is, rather than as her recently divorced mom.

Prior to helming Quantum Leap, Deborah rose through the ranks as an actress, racing the screen in Happy Days, CHiPS, The Dean Martin Show and many more, and was also a writer on shows such as Airwolf and Magnum P.I. She is a five-time Emmy nominee, Golden Globe nominee and winner of countless other awards. She went on to produce CBS comedy cop show, Tequila and Bonetti, and then to co-create and produce the TV series adaptation of Sandra Bullock tech thriller, The Net. But Quantum Leap was Deborah’s brainchild – one which is emblazoned on the hearts of its faithful fans.

Deborah has since moved into directing, including on hit show Grey’s Anatomy (2020), but was generous with her time when spoke in late 2020 to leap back into the past.

It does seem that you were really ahead of your time as a female head writer and a showrunner in the ’90s, especially in science fiction TV. Was it hard for you to progress and to get Quantum Leap made?

“Usually women were relegated to comedy, very rarely was it drama or heavy drama. It’s changed, finally, with people like Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton, Scandal). But yes, I was a true pioneer, even though I don’t have a ‘created by’ credit, it was a ‘co-created by’ show – with Don. I brought him the original concept, and we were married, and he said ‘Let me just run with this. I can get it made.’ And to his credit, he understands how to tell a story to the audience. He simplified it in a way that you could welcome Quantum Leap into the world. But it was still a tough show to sell.

“I think we went back three times to pitch it to the network. It was complicated to explain. Brandon Tartikoff [the executive] said ‘It’s a great idea – It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen on TV. Let me think about it.’ Then he asked us to come back, ‘I want you to pitch it to me like I’m six years old, then pitch it to me like I’m 80 years old’ and finally he took it. Then even after the show first aired, they decided to introduce that opening where I tell the story. That was created to explain every week to a new viewer what was going on and it worked really well.”

On rewatch now, the best part of three decades later, the show feels groundbreaking in terms of the subjects you cover. Did you feel like you were pushing the envelope?

“I feel we got to do so much on that show. I remember when I did ‘Black on White on Fire’ [S3, Ep7], the networks in the South in the United States wouldn’t air it because it was a black/white relationship. Even though there is no scene where you see a black person and a white person being intimate.

You saw Sam, who was white, and the girl who was white, but because he was playing someone who was black, it was an issue. They wouldn’t air the show in the South. This was around 1992.

“It was challenging for sure. I think we pushed the limits.

“The beauty of the show too, was that it was about hope, which I see so little of on television today. Everything’s so dark, so mean, so vicious, bloody – how many people can you kill? How mean can you make your lead characters and antiheroes. I think it’s why I didn’t work as much afterwards. A) I was a woman, and B) a black woman. There weren’t any black female executive producers that I knew of in drama. I got to do The Net because it had a female lead, but that was almost ten years after Quantum Leap was created. Any show I brought in that had a black lead was never bought, or a female lead, was never bought.

“I remember I wrote a big action piece – like an Indiana Jones, but female-driven, feature film – and pitched it and the studio executive said, ‘Yeah, yeah, but when did the guy come and rescue her?’ And I said, ‘She doesn’t – she rescues him.’ The look on his face. I’ll never forget it as long as I live.”

The show darted around TV schedules, but the fans remained with it, and still to this day hold it dear to their hearts. Was that palpable at the time, or has that grown since?

“I think near the end of the first season, Harriet Margulies [Production Assistant on the show] found a chat room after an episode where people from across the country talked about it and it became the ‘watercooler.’ We were the first television show that had a chat room as a watercooler. Before that, it was literally you going into your office and standing around the watercooler and talking about movies or TV shows you were watching. Suddenly, it was online. So we started to go into the chat room and talk to people about what they liked and what they didn’t. Not necessarily telling them who we were, but that fan base is what kept us on the air because the network didn’t know what to do with us. There was no show like it, so they couldn’t like pair us with anybody.

“In the five years we were on, I think they moved the show six times and the fans still found it, they followed it, they watched it. That’s how we knew we had something unique and special. To this day, I’ll go into a meeting with a young executive who’ll go, ‘I have to tell you, I loved Quantum Leap. I used to watch it with my mom and dad’.”

Scott Bakula was such a great hero and heartthrob as Dr. Sam. What was he like to work with?

“He was so approachable, you know, in the sense that he had this great, easy acting style. He took chances and he was likeable – in a way that he could be a man’s man and a woman’s man at the same time. He’s really a brilliant actor. I am saddened by the fact that he has not had the opportunity to do movies in the way that could really have lifted his career. He’s had an incredibly successful television career. He’s a good actor. He’s a kind man. I’ve always admired him and felt like when we were working together, I had a friend that I loved to write for because he was always so giving and willing and wanting to take chances as an actor. So it was fun to go down to the trailer and say, ‘Guess what? You’re going to be pregnant this week’.

He does everything in the show from sing and dance to baseball, football, hopping over car bonnets to fights and martial arts. Did you know he had such a wide skill set from the outset, or did you write the challenges for him to rise to?

“I think we had conversations with him about that. I also knew that he had been on Broadway doing musicals. I knew he could sing and dance. When I wrote ‘Sea Bride’ [S2, Ep20], I wrote a tango number – that was unique for him. When Don knew that he could play the guitar… We asked Scott, ‘What do you want to do?’ And he said he wanted to do a musical and I think that’s how the ‘Catch a Falling Star’ episode [S2, Ep10] came about, which involves a performance of ‘Man of LaMancha’.”

Admiral Al Calavicci – he’s so much more than wisecracking and surface jokes or flirtation. There’s so much depth to his character. Was that fleshed out early on with an end to end journey for him in mind, or did his character evolve through the seasons?

“It was a little bit of both. Dean Stockwell had been on Broadway at five-years-old and had been a major child movie star. I remember when we wrote the show where Sam had the chance to save Al – ‘The Leap B4, Ep1] – he was so good in that. I’ll never forget how beautiful that was. And then in the very, very end, I love the fact that Sam did change history and Al ended up wih his beautiful wife with five kids.

“I remember once asking Dean, ‘Do you want us to write more drama for you? Big dramatic moments?’ And he said, ‘I want you to look at me right now. I want you to tell me what you see.’ And I said, ‘Well, your performance, the pain, fear and loss and all that, because you’re such an incredible actor.’ And he said ‘For me to perform that, I have to be it and live it. So don’t do too many.’

“He had that depth of acting talent. He is so good – Dean, wherever you are, I love you. I miss you.”

The episodes that follow later in the seasons involving celebrities – Sam as Elvis, Dr. Ruth, or Lee Harvey Oswald, was that kind of a direction that you always foresaw? It feels like a sea change as the show progressed.

“The stories were designed, for the most part, to be so, so simple in that they were everyday stories. They weren’t change-the-world stories. I think the biggest one was Lee Harvey Oswald, and maybe the one involving Marilyn Monroe – those were with people that could have had a ripple effect.

“But there were other little kisses with history in the show, but they were very hard to do. They ran into a child version of Donald Trump in a taxi cab, [‘It’s A Wonderful Leap’ – S4, Ep18], then they ran into a little boy who is supposed to be Michael Jackson – Sam teaches him to moonwalk [‘Camikazi Kid’ – S1, Ep8]. The first time I did a kiss with history was ‘Star-Crossed’ [S1, Ep3] – Sam meets up with the woman that left him at the altar and they’re at the Watergate Hotel. That was fun stuff.”

Sam managed to awkwardly kiss lots of ladies in that sense of ‘Oh God, they’re going to kiss me and I’ve got to be this person, what am I supposed to do.’

“We never, ever really discussed what happened to Sam. We didn’t want him to be encumbered by a relationship. But I didn’t get to kiss him. My husband wouldn’t leave the set on the episode I was in!”

Your move into directing – from your TV drama Cora Unashamed back in 2000, to Grey’s Anatomy just last year. Is that something you wanted to do sooner? Were there barriers prohibiting you?

“I was supposed to direct on Quantum Leap four times. Every time it was coming up, something would happen. The only women who directed on the show were two black women – Debi Allen [Fame, Everybody Hate Chris, Jane the Virgin] and the other was a woman named Anita Addison. They each did two shows.

I said, ‘If I’m not doing this, I want black women.’ There were no other black women. And it was a fight. I tried to get black women directors on the show, but I could never get them past.

Then when I went to do The Net, the studio blocked it. I give huge amounts of credit for executive producing to Shonda Rhimes and what she has been able to do. She did what I thought I was going to be able to do. She’s so talented and I’m such a fan of her and her shows. I’m looking forward to what she’s going to do on Netflix. And it was an honour to do Grey’s Anatomy because I’m a fan of the show and I’m really grateful to have that opportunity.”

Has there been progress in terms of female directors and filmmakers being given opportunities?

“It’s very hard for women because there aren’t a lot of women executives at the studios. There are more now. And so there is an evolution that’s happening, but it still feels slow. There were shows run by people I gave opportunities to back in the day, but when I said, “hey, I want to direct on your show,” the response was, “oh, there’s too much machismo. There’s too many male hormones around here. They’ll eat you alive.” And I went, “no, they won’t, you’ll protect me. How about if I do my job?” And that was only last year. But there are more opportunities. There are more women making decisions, but we have to do more because women’s stories and women’s voices are more than half the population – we need to hear those stories. The historic ones as well as the contemporary ones.”

Is there a leap that was your favourite overall? That you feel made you made your mark with?

“’The Color of Truth’ [S1, Ep7] touched so many people and it opened a dialogue. I remember we got a letter from a teacher who said she brought the VHS in and she played it to her class, up until Jesse [Sam as an ageing black chauffeur in ’50s Deep South] goes and sits down at the counter in the restaurant. Then she stopped it and asked the students what they thought happened next. They thought that he just ordered lunch. And then she played the rest and that hostility and the animosity he endures and the fact that he had to get up and leave really incensed these children. They had never heard of or experienced racism. They didn’t want to believe that it really happened. This is how history gets buried and why television is so powerful and important. It opened a conversation that she could not have necessarily had in her classroom, according to her, had she not brought that show in to share with her students.

“We had another letter that was very moving, and I want to say it might’ve been ‘The Leap Home’ [S2, Ep1-2]. There was a couple who wrote and said they had a child that was on a cancer ward and every Thursday the whole ward would watch Quantum Leap. Their child was dying and they had kind of given up and it was just time to help that child transition out of this world. They watched the show and she said, ‘We realized we gave up hope. When we watched the show, we realized we didn’t have to give up hope and we wanted to write to you. It’s now six months later and the crisis has passed. The cancer is in remission. Our child is up and going back to school. And we just want to thank you for reminding us that hope has its own power’.”

Its power and poignancy has never diminished. Though the final episode, ‘Mirror Image’ (S5, Ep22), with the caption saying Sam doesn’t get to go home, does leave a sucker punch.

“That was our last fight. Don was going to send him home. And I said, ‘You can’t, you can’t send him home. If you ever, ever, which we’ve not ever been able to get Universal to let us do it, want to do a movie… If you want to keep the story going, you have to leave Sam out there in the hearts of people, leaving people thinking he could leap into their lives’. And at first Don said, ‘No, no, we need to bring him home’. And I said, ‘Do not bring him home. Or you will end the show. If you leave the hope out there, that Sam is out there and he could leap into your life and make a difference’. You keep the show alive in the hearts and the minds of the fans. And I think I was right.”

The ending was poetic for me as a viewer, but your point about Sam still being out there – Is there a leap back to the future for Quantum Leap?

“I started writing a project called Time Child about Sammy Jo Fuller. I actually wrote a trilogy in Season 5 where Sam leapt back three times into the same family and the second time he leapt he ended up in bed with this character and conceived a child. Then the third time he leapt in, he met her at 10 years old – a girl named Sammy Jo Fuller. So in my vision, Sammy Jo Fuller grows up. I actually have Al say, ‘Sammy is in the future with me. We’re trying to bring you home.’ That was my set-up way back in 1993, in Season 5, to say someday, Sammy Jo being his daughter might take over….

“This was the ’90s. Women heroes didn’t exist really – other than comic books – Wonder Woman was there, Super Girl was there. But I set it up in the show that Sammy Jo was going to bring him home. Sadly, I have not been able to get Don and the studio to give me the green light for Time Child. It might happen someday.”

Right now, it feels like we need more shows that offer hope. Is there a place for a reboot on streaming platforms?

“Universal keep saying they want to bring it back. They’re not going to give it up to Netflix because they have [US streaming service] Peacock now and still have NBC. I personally think it should be on a full blown network. The hard part would be that it would have to be recast if there was a female version using my character Sammy Jo Fuller. Or if they just redid the show, it would be interesting in the sense that there was such an innocence about the show. I still believe that there is an audience out there that wants it, that longs for looking at the past through the eyes of somebody in the present. But who would that person be if you did the show now, what are those eyes like?

“We’re living in the time of COVID and suddenly you go back in time. How do you warn people that this is going to happen? How do you warn people about 9/11? How do you warn people about things in the future?

“I mean, one of the beauties of that innocence too, and I thought that was a great gift from Don to the concept, was that Sam’s memory as Swiss cheese – he didn’t remember things and that made it a lot easier, and Al was not allowed to tell him what was happening in the present. There’s a lot of detail woven into the mythology that allowed it to be innocent and in the moment of time travel. You didn’t have to drag the future back with you.”

Do you have an actress in mind to play Sammy Jo in a reboot?

“Oh my gosh, Jennifer Garner. I always felt she would be a great female Sam. She’s an ‘every woman.’ She’s funny. She does great drama. When I think of a female Sam or even Sammy Jo, I think Jennifer – in a heartbeat. She’s so great in Alias. That show just never stopped. You couldn’t take a breath. If I had to go younger, somebody that would have that kind of believable humour that you think could actually rescue you – maybe Jennifer Lawrence. She’s pretty formidable in that sense.”

“To bring Quantum Leap back. If they’re thinking about it, now’s the time to happen. Tell people to write to Universal! Write for the attention of Pearlena Igbokwe – if anyone can bring it back, she can do it. Write! Write to Pearlena – she’s the one that’ll make it happen. That’s how we stayed on the air for five and a half years. Fans unite and write!”

#quantum leap #article

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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The Karate Kid: The Real Martial Arts History Behind the Movies

https://ift.tt/3jFNaYg

When it comes to martial arts films, The Karate Kid was a game changer when it came out in 1984. Its lasting cultural impact was a landmark advancement for the western understanding of the martial arts. But was it a genuine representation of Karate?

Den of Geek consulted Dr. Hermann Bayer, an expert authority on Okinawan Karate and the author of the upcoming book Analysis of Genuine Karate―Misconceptions, Origin, Development, and True Purpose. Dr. Bayer remembers firsthand how The Karate Kid stimulated the Karate boom in the mid-eighties because he was a practicing Karateka then. But as a martial scholar, he’s pragmatic about his opinions.

“First and foremost, we have to bear in mind that we are talking about a movie, not about a documentation or a piece of research,” says Bayer. “This means that we need to concede that fascinating viewers by something pretty, amazing, or spectacular to look at is more important than authenticity.”

The Year That The Karate Kid Premiered

When we reflect upon the original, we must remind ourselves that the landscape of martial arts films in the west was vastly different in 1984. There just weren’t that many martial arts movies in western pop culture back then.

Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon came out over a decade before The Karate Kid, and tragically, Lee didn’t live to see it succeed. Many B-movies coat-tailed on Enter the Dragon‘s success, especially in the subgenres of Bruceploitation and Blaxploitation. This comprised the bulk of martial arts for western audiences. Beyond the imported niches of Hong Kong Kung Fu and Japanese samurai movies, there just weren’t that many other martial arts films available. And those were limited to showings in second- and third-run theaters or midnight “Kung Fu Theater” TV broadcasts. Consequently, the genre was considered low-brow entertainment with minimal impact on the box office.

When The Karate Kid debuted, most of today’s martial arts superstars had no Hollywood presence. Despite starring in dozens of Hong Kong films, Jackie Chan had only led one Hollywood production by that point. That was Battle Creek Brawl, made by the same filmmakers who did Enter the Dragon, however it under-performed and was deemed a failure. His other Hollywood credits in 1984 included a cameo in the sequel ensemble comedy The Cannonball Run II. With only three minor Hollywood appearances, he was still virtually unknown to the Western audience.

Chuck Norris was more prominent having starred in more than a half dozen B-action flicks by then. His 1984 entry was Missing in Action in which Jean-Claude Van Damme had an uncredited role. JCVD didn’t grab any limelight until four years after The Karate Kid, when he starred in his breakout lead role for Bloodsport. Jet Li was only on his second film that year, Kids From Shaolin, but that wasn’t shown outside of Chinatowns in the U.S. It would be another 14 years after The Karate Kid before Jet made his first Hollywood appearance as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4.

The Karate Kid changed the way martial arts films were perceived. It demonstrated that the martial arts genre could deliver wholesome family entertainment, as well as good box office returns. It ranked fifth among the highest grossing films of 1984, behind Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Gremlins. The Karate Kid was the sleeper hit of the year, and it made Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) into crane-kicking icons.

The Limitations of the Karate Kid Trilogy

The Karate Kid was a Hollywood adaptation of a common plot device of Kung Fu movies – the training trope. Many of Jackie Chan’s late seventies films were “martial training” stories. Those narratives can be distilled down to three acts as seen in The Karate Kid: the hero suffers an injustice — like the murder of his family (or in Daniel’s case, just getting bullied) — then the hero finds a quirky master who uses obscure, almost non-nonsensical training methods, and finally the hero, armed with these hard-earned skills, takes revenge.

Jackie’s groundbreaking 1978 Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow is a perfect example of this. That was a turning point for Jackie, the launch of his unique style of comedy Kung Fu, back when he was in his physical prime. In that same year, the Kung Fu grindhouse Shaw Brothers studios delivered the timeless classic film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which is a perfect example of the same formula. “Martial training” stories are even retold in animated films like Mulan and Kung Fu Panda. The Karate Kid just had the ingenuity to set it at West Valley High School in San Fernando, California.

Today, Daniel-san is enjoying a revitalization through Netflix’s hit series Cobra Kai. Packed with more easter eggs that an April bunny basket, Cobra Kai has been rectifying flaws from the original films with a subtle, yet effective elegance. Despite its time-honored success, the original films fell under tremendous scrutiny from genuine Karatekas who were quick to point out inaccuracies. Frankly, for such a flagship film of the martial arts genre, the martial arts weren’t that good. The main cast of the original film had little or no martial arts background. Kreese (Martin Kove) was the only cast member who studied Karate prior to the films.

Part of this adds to the charm. Despite being the All Valley Karate Champ twice in a row, Daniel is a newbie to the art. In fact, the original trilogy happens in a little over a year. The Karate Kid takes place in 1984. The Karate Kid III, despite premiering in 1989, depicts events at the following All Valley Karate Championships. Daniel goes from zero to hero in an alarmingly short time.

How could Daniel genuinely master Karate with so little training time? Is “wax on, wax off” deck sanding and fence painting truly that effective? Of course not. If it were, the MMA cage would be dominated by car washers, carpenters, and house painters. That’s the magic of movies. Movie martial arts are no more realistic than movie car chases.

This still begs the question – how much of Miyagi’s weird training really works?

“Whole floor. Right circle, left circle.”

Traditional martial arts training can take many forms, and the spirit of Mr. Miyagi’s esoteric lessons isn’t too far off the mark. Although few practitioners today carry water up mountains like the Shaolin monks, mundane chores like cleaning and repairing are still implemented in training within a traditional Dojo. Frankly, the repetitive nature of martial arts practice is boring so any way to invigorate enthusiasm is welcome. And the efficiency of multi-tasking is always appreciated, even in modern strip mall Dojos.

A common training ritual is cleaning the floor before class. This is extremely important because most Dojos practice barefoot. Many old school Dojos require that students push damp rags across the floor with their hands in a low crouch. As anyone who has done it knows, this is harder than it looks and serves as an excellent warm-up exercise. When the Dojo needs repairs, students pitch in where they can because a good Dojo fosters community that way, and variations on training emerge within those tasks akin to Miyagi’s painting and sanding. And if there’s a Dojo fundraising carwash, you know there will be plenty of “wax on, wax off” practice.

But beyond the waxing, sanding, and painting, how real is Miyagi-Do?

“Only root Karate come from Miyagi.”

There are two styles of martial arts represented in The Karate Kid, Okinawan Karate and Korean Tang Soo Do. Kreese’s Karate is Tang Soo Do mostly because the choreographer for the original films was Grandmaster Pat E. Johnson, a leading proponent of that style. Although most likely the product of coincidence, it fit Kreese’s character perfectly. Many U.S. soldiers who served in Korea brought Tang Soo Do back to the states when they returned, just like Kreese, including Johnson and his martial comrade, Chuck Norris.

In Season 3 of Cobra Kai, Kreese’s backstory confirms what martial arts fans have always suspected – that his style of Karate is in fact, Tang Soo Do. Calling it “Karate” was not inaccurate. Few Americans know Tang Soo Do, so even today, some schools market themselves as “Korean Karate.” Tang Soo Do is a predecessor of Taekwondo. Taekwondo is the other Asian martial art in the Olympics alongside Judo, but this is soon to change.

Cobra Kai Season 4: What to Expect

By Gene Ching

Cobra Kai and the Debate Around Cultural Appropriation

By Gene Ching

Miyagi-Do is derived from a branch of Karate known as of Goju-Ryu. Writer Robert Mark Kamen had learned some Goju-Ryu which inspired him to create Mr. Miyagi. He even poached the name of the founder of Goju-Ryu, Chojun Miyagi, and adapted the history to fit the Miyagi family history for The Karate Kid II where they travel to Okinawa. Goju means “hard-soft.”

“Karate legend Miyagi Chojun gave the name ‘hard-soft’ to the style in the mid-1930s,” explains Bayer.

Bayer finds the contrast between Miyagi’s and Kreese’s philosophies more intriguing than their difference of styles. “I see the first movie of the trilogy as the most important in terms of establishing the two contrasting mindsets of Mr. Miyagi’s ‘Karate approach to life in general’ and John Kreese’s ‘No mercy’ combat-specific attitude. However, both mindsets are essential to and part of genuine Karate.” Bayer claims that fighting in genuine Karate is exclusively reserved for life-threatening situations. “Karateka never start a fight; they always end a fight―and to end a fight ‘no mercy’ is essential.”

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The All Valley Karate Championships and the Olympics

The most unrealistic story element in The Karate Kid is the All Valley Karate Championships. Beyond the controversy about whether Daniel-san’s crane kick win was illegal, Karate tournaments didn’t have the level of production value in the eighties depicted in the movie. Even today, they seldom get that elaborate. A hexagonal ring is hard to make out of the square puzzle mats typically used for local tournaments nowadays. And that spectacular tournament table backdrop was way beyond the budget of tournament promoters. However, Karate will soon be showcased on the global stage, replete with a grand pageantry far beyond what the All Valley Championships imagined.

The Tokyo Olympics will introduce Karate as one of the five new sports in 2021. This will be divided into two categories: Kata, which is a solo form recital akin to gymnastics floor routines but with kicks and punches instead of leaps and flips, and Kumite, which is sparring. Here, Dr. Bayer draws an important distinction between authentic Karate and sport. It’s a critical distinction for what plays out in The Karate Kid. “As long as any kind of rules are implemented, combat changes into some kind of game,” says Bayer. “Life-protecting fighting is pure violence, pitiless full-power action, and has no place in a sport setting.”

Here also is where Bayer sees Kreese’s villainy. A symptom of his wartime PTSD, Kreese is unable to make the distinction between self-defense and sport. “The ‘No Mercy’ combat approach in competition and sports is inexcusably misplaced and represents an ‘Americanized’ misconception of Karate, characterized by ‘winning at all costs’ in combination with the importance of fancy uniforms, of ranks, and of other attributes in an attention-seeking culture.”

According to Bayer, this is also where the authenticity of Miyagi’s contrasting Karate approach shines. “This is the exact opposite of Mr. Miyagi’s humble Karate-Do mindset, where ranks, belts, and other visible signs of competency are irrelevant. His answer to the question what belt he wears was ‘Canvas. JC Penny. Three ninety-eight. You like?’ In spite of its lethality, the purpose of authentic Karate training is not the use of violence, it is gaining self-control, especially in situations loaded with threats and aggression, and where blood pressure and adrenaline levels are off the chart.”

Despite this separation of killing art and sport, Bayer still sees the role of sport Karate as extremely important, and he can’t wait to see what happens at the Olympics. “Sports Karate canalizes aggression into fun and competition activities, and its training practices are perfect for physical education, for health and fitness purposes. Under a responsible coach, students grow mentally and are guided towards positive values―reflected in modern physical education learning outcomes and their according training designs.”

“Karate here. Karate here. Karate never here.”

Despite its martial shortcomings, The Karate Kid succeeds in revealing the heart of Karate. The hardships Daniel endures, his loyalty to his sensei, Miyagi’s humility, and the distinctions between the street fights and the championships all play out with an uncommon sincerity, and perhaps that is the secret of its longevity. Even if Miyagi-Do is entirely by Kamen’s design, it’s a clever homage to Okinawan Karate. And even in the martial world, that’s hard to find.

“Authentic Okinawan Karate’s genuine purpose was exclusively self-protection and the protection of someone’s life,” says Bayer. “This genuine Okinawan Karate is hardly to be found in today’s worldwide Karate practice.”

The Karate Kid trilogy is streaming on Netflix now.

The post The Karate Kid: The Real Martial Arts History Behind the Movies appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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autumnblogs · 4 years

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Day 5: Imaginary Friends and Repressed Subconsciouses

https://homestuck.com/story/836

We open to Dave having the shit - and the softness - beaten out of him by Bro.

https://homestuck.com/story/838

These are exactly the sort of things a void player would say. This page lends itself to the interpretation that Rose is inverted and acting more like a Witch of Void than a Seer of Light, exactly the same way that Jade is acting like a Seer of Time. (Of course, Rose is either being sarcastic or placating herself. The reality is that, as she pretty much immediately demonstrates, she can’t help but pry for the true underlying meaning of what Jade is saying, grasping at information, and with it, power over her situation.)

I’ve already called attention to the dearth of conversations between these two characters - they’re not going to talk a lot between now and when Rose goes Grimdark. I think it’s just a shame. I wonder if it’s because Rose feels like Jade has her life under control, yearns for that, and in typical Rose fashion, decides that Jade is judging her for her lack of control? She is remarkably cool toward Jade, and I expect that to at least some degree, it’s because she feels inferior to her.

@volatileleporegina and I had a discussion on Discord where they guess that this is like, the dichotomy between Seers and Witches.

Rose probably envies the fact that Jade has her shit together. Witches are at their best and their happiest when they can go apeshit, seize control of a situation, and act completely on instinct. Seers are at their best and their happiest when they have inner peace, control of their situation, and control over their emotions.

More after the break.

https://homestuck.com/story/845

More speech patterns here. John does not use a lot of prepositions, and his language is very hesitant - he rarely asserts anything important, and has a pretty strong tendency to use phrases like “I guess, I figure, I think, I might” and so on and so on.

John also talks like he’s from the west coast of the USA, at least in a caricaturish way - he uses a lot of old school surfer slang that got co-opted into generic cool culture, like rad, although not nearly to the same extent as later parody character Latula.

https://homestuck.com/story/855

As a character who will eventually be revealed to be a Hero of Hope, Grandpa Harley dwells in the realm of fantasy. While he fills the mould of the idealized adventurer-hero - a true Pulp Fiction Macho Genius Archaeologist in the mould of Doc Savage or Indiana Jones, his relationship with other human beings is more... theoretical.

I wonder if it says anything about Hope in general that all of the Heroes of Hope in the story are practically incapable of having positive relationships in their lives? Before I tended to chalk Jake’s failure up to being a Page, and simply needing more time, but Eridan and Cronus sabotage all of their relationships as well.

Perhaps I’ll come back to this train of thought in the future. For now, Grandpa and Jake alike are characters who I consider wretches, and pitiable wretches at that. I have far less patience for Grandpa though. More of that as we go.

I should be open about the fact that, while I’ve been a bit more forgiving with Mom Lalonde, the fact is that, with the exception of Dad Egbert, I consider all four of the Beta Guardians to be abusive parents; Nanna is an exception as well if she is counted to be one of the guardians). Their conduct in raising their children is at the very least inexcusable, although if they demonstrated any repentance, it would perhaps be forgivable; in all their cases, by the end of the comic, it is too late for that (although they get another lease on life through the Alpha Kids, which if you don’t mind me showing my hand, I think is the entire point of the Alpha Kids from a storytelling perspective- reconciliation of the parents with the children.)

https://homestuck.com/story/859

One thing I have always liked about Jade is that she does not negotiate with terrorists. You go girl :)

https://homestuck.com/story/874

Rose lives in either Ontario or Upstate New York. I think someone found that the coordinates of her house are in Rainbow Falls.

It seems odd to me for no reason at all that Rose would be a Canadian when all of the other characters in the comic are ambiguously American, and there are a number of other reasons it would fit for Rose to be from upstate NY, not the least of which is that it is a part of Lovecraft Country, and the home of the principle madman from HP’s “Beyond the Wall of Sleep,” a story about a hick from Upstate New York who has insane dreams that he cannot express with his limited vocabulary. It turns out that this unassuming crazy person is actually a mortal manifestation of an extra-dimensional star-god, and he forms a friendship with the viewpoint character, an intern at the hospital where he has been institutionalized. While the magic dreams ultimately prove to be too much for the mortal frame and give him a heart attack, he contacts his friend the intern via a dream to express to him that he dearly hopes that the two of them meet again one day beyond the wall of sleep.

Another reason is that I’ve always viewed Rose as being an extremely affected person. Nobody talks the way that Rose talks - her words are all extremely deliberately chosen in a way that doesn’t fit the pattern of the other characters’ more stream-of-consciousness writing styles. Rose thinks in Prose, whereas her friends all write like they talk. I like to imagine, for this reason, that Rose has a transatlantic accent like Katharine Hepburn, which is to say, a learned accent. Back in old-timey times, actors, newscasters, the wealthy, and so on would take classes to learn how to pronounce words in a sophisticated way that nobody naturally spoke in - a bit like Received Pronunciation on the other side of the pond. It’s long since died out, but it fits the sort of affected, stuffy, faux-aristocratic manner that Rose styles herself with. It’s a blend of Manhattanite and Londoner pronunciation, and I think it suits her.

Anyway, there you go. There’s something that you just learned about my inner life and how I think way too much about tiny details like “What would Rose’s voice sound like?”

https://homestuck.com/story/876

Dave lives in Texas. For this reason, I have decided that he sounds like a cowboy. No particular cowboy, just some cowboy.

Jade lives in the Pacific Ocean, and I have a very specific head voice picked out for her - Anna Paquin, particularly young Anna Paquin who portrayed Sheeta in Castle in the Sky, although I’ve always imagined Jade to have a much broader kiwi accent.

https://homestuck.com/story/879

I wonder if Nanna’s oven works at all like Biscuits’?

https://homestuck.com/story/893

Nothing ever really came of Dr. Brinner’s mail. Law of Conservation of detail tells us that he might be one of pipefan413′s coworkers (maybe fedorafreak?) but we’ll never know.

https://homestuck.com/story/905

It’s not totally clear to me exactly what’s going on here, but I have a couple of theories.

Theory #1: This is Mom Lalonde’s childhood room from when she grew up. It makes sense to me that the Lalonde House and the Lab might be a package deal, especially since we see Roxy growing up in a similar setting, but with far more prolific modular structures.

Theory #2: As theory #1, but this is also Mom Lalonde’s current accommodation. Tea parties and tea seem to be shorthand in Homestuck for immaturity and avoidance in particular - characters like Nepeta, Mom, and Grandpa use Tea Parties to retreat into childish fantasy instead of confronting the real, hard problems they have to deal with.

https://homestuck.com/story/919

Jade’s strife with Grandpa might lend some credence to the idea that she uses imaginary friends (who are also us, the audience!) to cope with her loneliness.

https://homestuck.com/story/926

Even the extraordinary cynicism and antipathy of Rose Lalonde can’t resist adorable kittens.

https://homestuck.com/story/935

Jaspers’ secret seems to be the genetic code of a First Guardian, although whether Rose actually got it from this mysterious kitty-cat, or whether it was buried in her subconscious all along is probably a coin flip. (I would put my money on the subconscious thing.)

https://homestuck.com/story/938

For all her pretension, Rose Lalonde is a sad thirteen year old girl whose mother spends too much time sozzled to help her make sense of a confusing and chaotic world. It would be nice for her to be able to make sense of the world and get some sense of constancy, but then part of the point of Sburb is to teach its players that nothing in life is constant.

https://homestuck.com/story/949

Resolving some of the uncertainty around his Dad will allow John to consciously perceive the graffiti he’s been subconsciously scribbling around his room. You knew that already, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is a big deal for him. I’ll take a stab at why this is the case - one of the recurring motifs in Homestuck is characters avoiding uncomfortable truths through avoidance and stagnation - if they don’t want to think about something, they really really don’t think about it, to the point of not being able to perceive it at all. Here, John magically gains the ability to see some of the graffiti drawn by his dream self by being confronted with the truth about his Dad. For other characters, I think, it will be less magical.

https://homestuck.com/story/965

Calling attention to John’s lexicon again, I feel like it’s an overlooked fact that he uses turn of the decade hacker slang a lot too - just peppers his language with it.

https://homestuck.com/story/980

Jade, like John, actually has two separate Guardians - her deceased bio-parent, and this devilbeast. The terminology for these white-and-electric-green monsters, First Guardians, suggests that from a mythological perspective, they function as Ur-Parental figures, raising a civilization to adulthood so that its members can go on to play Sburb, participating in the reproductive cycle of the Universe.

https://homestuck.com/story/988

The fact that Mom Lalonde’s “Room” is full of booze supports my hypothesis that she still lives in her little girl’s lab bedroom.

Rose doesn’t make a big deal out of what’s in her Mom’s bedroom the way that John is, but I think that her exploration of the laboratory serves as effectively a long-form version of the same experience that John has just had. They’re both learning plenty about their enigmatic guardians.

Rose is a smart girl. She’s figured out what is going on, even if she hasn’t thought about it at the surface-level of the narration yet.

https://homestuck.com/story/1004

John Egbert is a young man who does not really like himself very much.

https://homestuck.com/story/1023

The very first time Rose shows genuine vulnerability to pretty much anyone in the comic. “Maybe I am just being a friend?”

https://homestuck.com/story/1028

Dreams in Homestuck are material events than can have material effects on the characters’ reality - but on the other hand, spending loads of time dreaming can prevent you from having a meaningful effect on your session.

Homestuck is a little ambivalent about dreams but I think it’s safe to say that something close to is stance would be to say that what goes on unacknowledged inside of your head is still a part of you even if you can’t perceive it. Characters who spend all of their time in dreams though, paradoxically won’t make all that much progress toward actually understanding it. Tavros and Jade both spend loads of time in their dreams on Prospit, and while Jade does it because she has Vriska-induced narcolepsy, I think we’re supposed to draw a line from one to the other.

Neither of them is in an emotional state to tough out the process of digging up what’s beneath the surface, and resolving the tension between what’s inside of them and what’s outside of them.

https://homestuck.com/story/1049

This creepy little guy is here because Gamzee sent him. I’m going to pay careful attention to the sequence of events that leads him here, because I have a hunch that John’s weird clown fixation somehow leads to Gamzee’s.

https://homestuck.com/story/1064

The fact that the Joker only has two holes in his punchcard suggests that clowns come very close to being elemental in the Homestuck universe.

That is not a surprise.

https://homestuck.com/story/1069

We’ll conclude the day with John’s alchemy session, and come back tomorrow where I’ll finally get around to stating another one of Homestuck’s major throughlines. For now though, I’ll point out that pretty much everything John has created here has some kind of Dad imagery or another (Although all the Cosby gags have aged incredibly poorly, don’t forget that at one point he was America’s Dad!)

With the possible exception of the Bunny Wizard hat which combines some Rose imagery with some John imagery! No wonder she thought it was as cool as he did.

For now, Cam signing off, something something not alone.

#commentary #liveblogging #homestuck #katharine hepburn #anna paquin #tea parties #dreams #perception #subconscious #dads #guardians

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