#her kindness and optimism: RESTORED

[afklancelot]

hell fuckin yea

[inkspiredwriting]

A Hair-Raising Experience

Five Hargreeves x Fem!reader

Warnings: none

Five Hargreeves was many things: a former assassin, a time-traveler, a seasoned survivor of apocalypses. But a hairdresser? That was a stretch.

Yet here he was, scissors in hand, staring at his wife Y/n with a look that blended confidence with mild panic. Y/n, sitting on a chair in their bathroom, looked up at him with a mixture of trust and fear.

“All the salons are closed,” she said, twisting a lock of her hair nervously. “I just need a trim, Five. How hard can it be?”

Five swallowed, steeling himself. “Piece of cake. I’ve tackled tougher jobs than this.”

He combed through her hair, trying to channel every memory he had of watching people get haircuts. Y/n closed her eyes, and Five took a deep breath, bringing the scissors to the first section of hair.

Snip.

“See? Not bad,” he said, more to convince himself than Y/n.

Y/n, eyes still closed, smiled. “I trust you. Just… not too short, okay?”

Five nodded, focusing intently. The problem was, with each snip, he noticed something that needed evening out. A little here, a little there, and soon he was in over his head.

“What do you think?” Five asked, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

Y/n opened her eyes and looked in the mirror. Her expression shifted from cautious optimism to sheer horror. “Five! What did you do?”

Five winced. “I... may have overestimated my abilities.”

Y/n’s once even, shoulder-length hair was now a choppy, lopsided mess. One side was significantly shorter than the other, and there were random, uneven chunks missing.

“Oh my god, I look like a demented hedgehog,” she said, her voice a mixture of laughter and panic.

Five put the scissors down, raising his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, I see the problem. I can fix it.”

Y/n eyed him skeptically. “You’re not touching my hair again.”

A frantic call to a 24-hour hair salon later, they were driving through the city, Y/n wearing a baseball cap to hide the disaster. Five sat next to her, muttering apologies and trying to stifle his nervous laughter.

At the salon, the hairdresser took one look at Y/n and raised an eyebrow. “Tough week?”

Y/n pointed at Five. “My husband decided to play stylist.”

The hairdresser gave Five a knowing smile. “Ah, the classic ‘husband haircut.’ Seen a few of those.”

As Y/n sat in the chair, Five hovered nearby, wincing at the critical assessment of his work. The hairdresser, a woman with bright purple hair and an array of tattoos, shook her head in amusement.

“Well, let’s see what we can do here,” she said, running her fingers through Y/n’s hair. “Your husband’s given you a very… unique look.”

Y/n shot Five a mock glare. “Unique is one way to put it.”

The hairdresser snipped away, skillfully transforming the chaos into a stylish, albeit shorter, haircut. Y/n watched in the mirror, relief flooding her features as the damage was undone.

“See? It’s fixable,” the hairdresser said with a grin, stepping back to show the finished product.

Y/n smiled, feeling the now even, sleek bob. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”

Five sighed in relief. “Thank you for saving me from sleeping on the couch.”

On the drive home, Y/n couldn’t help but laugh at the whole ordeal. “You know, you were so confident.”

Five chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m sorry, Y/n. I really thought I could handle it.”

Y/n reached over, squeezing his hand. “You did your best. It’s kind of sweet, actually. Just… no more haircuts, okay?”

Five grinned, a mixture of sheepishness and affection in his eyes. “Deal. From now on, we leave haircuts to the professionals.”

Back home, with Y/n’s hair restored to its former glory, the incident became a new inside joke. They shared a bottle of wine, toasting to their survival of yet another Hargreeves misadventure.

And though Five may have failed as a hairdresser, he succeeded in proving, once again, that even in the most comical disasters, their love and laughter would always see them through.

[bonsai-babies]

Proving how easy it is to write BASIC compelling arcs for Sam LaRusso (2/2)

This last season's (and others) treatment of Samantha is unforgivable, I did this out of spite whenever I had the time to write, so here goes. (part 1)

main conflicts for season 6 especifically .

TORY TRAUMA — Tory is finally on Miyagi Do, she and Sam can slowly rebuild from the mess of those two last years. Yet, the mess is just too great for a simple talk and cordial looks to fix. Sam is relieved and happy that Tory escaped Cobra Kai's toxicity and is giving Miyagi Do a chance. This however creates two big anxieties: The perfect friend. Sam knows how tough it was to get on Tory's good side, she knows how important it is to keep her as a friend, so she overworks herself trying to make this work. She's overly nice, overly attentive, overly self-sacrificing. She lets Tory win when they sparr, she laughs at her jokes even when she doesn't get it, she smiles and plays the gentlewoman all the time, she opens doors, helps to carry things, keeps checking on her to make sure she's alright, and all of this is made out of extreme anxiety. The other side is her fear. Sam knows what Tory is capable of, she's felt it for too long. Doesn't matter how much psychological development she gets, the trauma is still fresh, still burns on her skin, is still felt on her scalp. Tory is just a lot of scars that are forever marked on her skin, and this she can't change with smiles and a good talk. So, despite her optimism and relief, she still fears, she still watches carefully. She puts herself close to Tory to try to make her happy all the while being unconsciously terrified that the blonde might simply turn around and attack again. Still, no matter how much it triggers her, she will work hard and quietly to make this new thing work.

SEKAI TAIKAI — I believe it isn't a stretch to suggest that Sam might've competed in Karate Championships as a child when she still trained with Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. We know Mr Miyagi doesn't like competition, but Daniel wouldn't let that chance pass. So Sam might've collected a few trophies and medals as a kid when competing only meant a big Karate game and she got to fight different new kids. Nothing psychologically damaging or heavy. That is until the AVT. Then there's Robby's injury, Miguel's change of character, and competition becomes something serious and unjustified. Sure, her first AVT was to save her dojo, but she was probably already uncomfortable with the kind of stakes those championships were holding. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. Her defeat on the AVT shattered her confidence and likely set her off into a spiral of insecurities, self-hatred, and deep shame. She failed her dad, she failed Robby, she failed her friends, and in a way, she feels she failed My. Miyagi. Now, they're in for a world championship, despite having very little competition experience in general. Among all the teens, she's likely the only one who went through championships the most, but even that wasn't relevant because she was too young and never competed internationally. Sam isn't stupid, she knows they're about to bite something much greater than they can chew, yet, it's her chance to fix every mistake she made on the AVT and attempt to restore the pride of her dad and her team.

development .

TORY TRAUMA — Tory is also putting on work to try and convince Sam she's not a threat anymore. Maybe Tory notices how hard Samantha is trying, and even pities her for it. She wants to make this peace last too, she's ready to overcome her unfair distaste for the girl and start some proper healing. Her small actions help to diminish Sam's fears, they do create a new collection of supportive moments that should slowly help both to experience a much better new chapter. If we keep the death of Tory's Mother, it would definitely be the hiccup in their development. The moment Sam learns of it and how senselessly Tory was fighting in the Captaincy duel, she's both heartbroken for the girl, but also hyper-aware that her skills have to be sharp, Tory is showing every sign she's about to get back on her bad habits and Sam would suffer for it. Suddenly Sam isn't just going to the Sekai Taikai thinking only of redeeming herself for her dad and her team, she has an unresolved journey with Tory.

SEKAI TAIKAI — With the addition of Tory back in Cobra Kai two of her biggest conflicts pile up again. It's a new rendition of the AVT, the very thing she wanted to escape. Her anxiety does get the best of her a couple of times, but Robby is there, her friends are there, her dad is there. She begins to notice their support did not depend only on her wins or her success, they loved her anyhow, now she's more than ready to give a win to them, out of gratitude and just have a good time doing the thing she learned to love again. Hopefully Tory is back on their team by this point and Sam can make a new identity for herself beyond her mistakes from High School.

[halfwayunder]

Caitlyn Character Arc Theory! ("the 3 Caitlyns")

I've had some thoughts on the "3 versions of Caitlyn" that I think we'll have seen by the conclusion of the show and how the final act of season 2 will show us Caitlyn in her completed character arc. Caitlyn 1: the first season

This is the Caitlyn we see in season 1. Optimistic, hopeful and a bit naïve or sheltered you could say. Always seeing the good in people and has an abundance of empathy for the people of Zaun. Fighting is a last resort (not that she's unwilling to defend herself, but if she can resolve it peacefully she will) and killing is also not something she is keen on. (As shown by her intentionally only disabling Sevika's arm despite her trying to kill Vi). Caitlyn 2: the second season (act 1 & 2)

This is the Caitlyn we see develop in act 1 of season 2, after the death of her mother and who I think we'll see for most/half of act 2 (I believe the seeds of her realizing she's becoming someone she doesn't like will form in act 2). Fuelled by grief, revenge and anger. This is the first time she's experienced true loss in her life and she does not cope with it well. She starts by blaming it on the actions of one person, Jinx, like her season 1 self would do, but subsequent attacks on Piltover lead to her generalizing Zaun and her empathy for them runs out. Violence is now her first option and she is more than willing to kill people (she was ready to blow that one gang account's head off during questioning even). Caitlyn 3: the second season (act 3) Completed Caitlyn

Now this is basically pure theory as I write this in the wait between act 1 and act 2. But, I believe this will be Caitlyn at the end of her character arc. Having realized the error of her ways, soul-searched, discovered Ambessa has been manipulating her, looked at her family legacy and its positive impact on Zaun (the filtration system she once weaponized) and concluded that her mother would not want her to go down this route. She has taken responsibility for herself and reconciled (see: had very rough and passionate reconciliation sex) with Vi. We do know that Cait and Vi will reconcile and be on the same side at least based on the trailers. She may have been confronted with the consequences of her decisions on ordinary people in Zaun near the end of act 2 and be horrified. Or just realize this naturally once she 'snaps out' of Caitlyn 2. This restores (most) of her season 1 empathy for the people of Zaun. I say most because as I allude to in the paragraph after this one, she isn't naïve like her season 1 self anymore, and knows now that while the people of Zaun should be respected as human beings and given the best chance possible at a safe, prosperous life like those in Piltover. There are elements in the undercity whom still seek to do harm (justified or not) and need to be treated with caution. It's not blind optimism or compassion, but it's the most a person can give in the real world, not the sheltered one she was raised in. This Caitlyn has the best of both previous iterations and is a Caitlyn who has confronted and (mostly) bested her demons. She has the hope and kind spirit of season 1 Cait, but the pragmatism and toughness of season 2 Cait. She is still willing to kill, but only if necessary, not at will. If confronted by another threat like Jinx, she won't hesitate to take the shot, much like Caitlyn 2, only now it isn't a decision made from anger or a desire for revenge, but dedication to protect as many people as possible like Caitlyn 1. She has managed to wrangle her emotions of grief and rage and learn from them. There may be a scene near the end to show this growth when Jinx inevitably appears and Cait's anger flares up again, only for Vi to assure her for one last time that she's got it, and Cait agrees to let her go fight Jinx on her own. Now, of course most of this is guess work! But, I think it would make sense from a narrative perspective for this to be Cait's arc. I don't believe the writers would want to have her just become a full on antagonist and end her story as a villain, it'd be immensely disappointing for the audience and not up to their standards. And I think this would be a very satisfying way to conclude her character development. (I'm also basing some of it based on her appearance in act 3 lmao)

[lonniemachin]

Eman reached out to me to help share her fundraiser. She is a Palestinian mother of twin girls, Sara and Huda, who are currently residing in southern Gaza and urgently raising money to evacuate to Egypt. Her fundraiser has stopped receiving donations within the past couple of days, and she has only made $220 out of her currently $15,000 goal! Please donate and share, and if you can't donate, please still share!

Eman's Twitter/X account: @emanhajjaj86

From Eman's family's GFM:

To My Dear Friends,

Huda and Sara, twins who are twelve years old, stand together in the middle of Gaza as witnesses to the destruction that our home is enduring as the situation unfolds. Our family of four, including our parents, Abdelhadi and Eman, endures the daily fight for survival, a demonstration of the strength needed after devastation.

Our brand-new haven was leveled to the ground on the night of the battle, destroying all but the remnants of our hopes and dreams. Amidst the mayhem, we find solace in the familiar, a life that was once adorned with the innocent delights of youth.

We have sought refuge in the camps in southern Gaza, but the constant din of bombs here makes us question our own survival. The daily struggle for food, water, and the illusory promise of safety is an interminable one.

We humbly want your assistance, filled with both despair and optimism. Our plea is straightforward: cross borders, seek refuge in safety, and retrace the route to prosperity and education. Egypt stands out like a light of hope, offering a fresh start far from the chaos that has engulfed our life.

With the help of your kind donations, we may begin our journey, giving us a second chance to rebuild and restore the hopes and dreams that the war had taken away. Our family's safe journey, a doorway to a future when peace is more than a wish—it will be a genuine reality—requires a total of $40,000.

Donations of any size are greatly appreciated and represent a powerful show of solidarity that reflects the resilience of the human spirit. Together, we can change our fate. Help us build a story of perseverance that goes beyond the obstacles of war by joining us in this mission to turn despair into hope.

Best regards and best wishes,

Sara, Huda, Abdelhadi, and Eman

(The Youtube links provided are from the description of the fundraiser page)

[paschameleon]

Presenting the family of Motunui.

Moana took her time, but eventually she married a childhood friend of hers.

On Motunui there was a quiet boy named Lawai'a who had always admired Moana from afar. While Moana was outgoing and curious about the world beyond the reef, Lawai'a was shy, preferring the peacefulness of the island and the rhythm of daily life. His family were fishers, and he spent much of his time by the shore, catching fish with his family and watching the waves, sometimes imagining what lay beyond them.

As children, Lawai'a and Moana would cross paths frequently when they and the other children of Motunui played together. Moana was always kind to him. Lawai'a would often see Moana sneaking off to the water and he would join her at times. The two would talk about their theories of what was beyond the reef.

Years passed, and Moana set off on her voyage to restore the Heart of Te Fiti. When she returned home as a hero, Lawai'a was proud of Moana and was glad that she was safe. He realized that he had feelings for her, but he was too shy to admit it. As adults, Lawai'a found himself spending more time near Moana, though still too shy to express how he truly felt. Moana appreciated his calm presence and reliability, even if she didn't realize how much he cared for her.

It wasn’t until one peaceful evening, when Moana came back from her second adventure, that Lawai'a finally found the courage to speak.

Caught off guard, Moana didn’t know how to respond at first, but as she reflected on their years of friendship, the moments they had shared, and Lawai'a's presence in her life, she realized that there had always been something special between them. Slowly, they began spending more time together, not just as friends but as something more.

Together, they go off on adventures sailing beyond the reef and exploring other islands.

Later they had a son, which they named Matai

Matai

Matai is a thoughtful and curious young man who spends much of his time gazing at the stars and dreaming of adventure. He has a deep love for astronomy, and while he thinks wayfinding and sailing are incredible skills, his fear of the ocean, stemming from a near-drowning experience, keeps him from embracing them fully. He is too stubborn to even try to go back in the ocean. He refuses to listen to his parents on that matter. Despite this, he loves hearing and telling stories of legendary voyages and the history of his people. Intelligent and resourceful, Matai is always quick to find solutions to problems, but his self-doubt can sometimes hold him back as he is unsure if it is the best course of action. He is shy and not particularly brave, so he’s often scared of many things. Matai possesses a strong optimism and a deep care for his friends, family, and the people of Motunui. His fear and self-doubt create a barrier between him and his longing for adventure, but he is content with his daily activities and helping his community on land.

[lynxgriffin]

"I think what Kris may have lost with Dess's disappearance is less innocence, and more self-confidence. I think their primary problem (and why they sought out being possessed in the first place) is that they feel indecisive and lack courage. They withdraw from people and refuse to participate in regular life less out of a lack of kindness, and more out of the mindset of "Why bother? I'll just screw it up anyway." (Which is probably part of why they feel kinship with Susie…they feel like they're on the same wavelength there.)

And Ralsei aggravates that position for them because, aside from his kindness and optimism, he is very insistent that specifically Kris should be the decision-maker. He pretty much tries to always make Kris feel good about their decisions, even the ones that he clearly doesn't like. If Kris's primary problem is they lacking the courage to make their own choices, Ralsei seems laser-focused on convincing Kris otherwise. Which, I feel makes Ralsei being a manifestation of Kris's soul all the more interesting…that for all Kris believes that they aren't capable of that courage, there is a part of them that does believe they're capable, and that's the part that has taken on a life of its own. Just! I think that could end up being pretty powerful!

Sorry, I know this is kind of a tangent from your original tangent, but it is a thing I enjoy thinking about, so thanks for the opportunity! "

…

I'm glad that people and in particular you, Lynx, like this topic. So I'm here again to share my thoughts :D

I want to talk about Kris's injuries, and that line "Why bother? I'll just screw it up anyway."

It's like a learned helplessness injury, if I'm not mistaken. When many bad events happen in a row in a person’s life, and no matter how hard they try, they cannot influence them. Kris faced enough problems that they began to consider themselves completely helpless and unable to influence the world on their own. Dess's disappearance, Asgore's dismissal from the police, parents' divorce, brother's departure to college. Having finally lost faith in their own strength, they decided to give control of their body to someone else. This sounds very logical.

Ralsei, in turn, seems to be really focused on restoring Kris's faith in herself, and the belief that something can still be done even without the player's participation. Progress in this direction is noticeable already at the end of the first chapter, when Kris, seemingly lost in everything, without the player’s command, independently, being wounded, protect Susie from the King’s attack. Susie is also an important figure here. Unlike Kris, on the contrary, she is extremely strong-willed and self-confident. She will break through the wall, demolish everything in her path, but achieve her goals. She even violated the mechanics of the battle just out of spite, took it and learned how to act, and even gave this option to her partner. There's a bit of Undyne from UT about her. DETERMINATION :D Susie for Kris is the same image of the ideal as Asriel. Only Asriel was a model of friendliness and success, Susie was a model of confidence and determination to act, something that Kris now lacks. That's why they probably like her.

As a result, we see that Kris is now positively influenced by two characters. Ralsei is focused on supporting and regaining self-confidence, while Susie says less, but with all her appearance shows that believing in yourself and your strengths is cool. And not only will Kris become more independent as the chapters progress, but Ralsei, with Kris’s condition improving, will be able to focus more on personal problems and the questions “who am I?” It's very interesting where this will all lead in the end.

Now something else occurred to me. Throughout the game we are told that the choice does not affect anything. What if this appeal is not to us, but Kris’s appeal to themselves?? Their entire childhood was not influenced by anything, they could not choose who they would be born with and suffer from it, they could not choose what would happen to Dess, they could not choose whether their parents would be together or not. And will my brother go to college? All their lives their choices didn't matter. And this is exactly what we will hear before the first chapter.

The player’s choice, in turn, has weight, because the player can go for murder (they don’t survive after freezing the entire body, I verified). Kris, on the other hand, doesn’t try very hard to resist the player, because they don’t believe that they can. We don’t know for sure, but I assume that extracting a soul from a body is possible not only in the light world. Then, if the Kris believed in themselves enough, they would try to interrupt the battle with Berldy, force Noelle to ignore the creepy voice (which continues to sound even if Kris is defeated), and give everyone time to get out of sight.

But I don't blame Kris, they need some more time to gain the determination to act and interfere with the player's actions.

Now at the time of two chapters we have the following diagram: Kris is convinced that their decisions don't matter. The player's decisions matter and can significantly impact the world.

The further we move, the more the influence of Susie and Ralsei will affect the will of Kris. And if they don’t like our decisions, we will be thrown out of the body more and more often, and perhaps they will learn to choose options for us by moving our hearts against our will. If Kris see that we are doing our best and really want to help, they will give us more freedom of action. Now we don't just control Kris, but they decide when to give us the right to control them. Now we obey.

Another interesting thing is that during the game you can sometimes come across dialogue options that would suit the character of Kris. For example, posing for the camera, we can choose a rude gesture, I think this is what they would choose. Or when Susie asks whose side Noelle is on, we can jokingly answer that she is our enemy.

If future chapters are released as an installation package along with the first two chapters, then it is possible that part of the code of the first two chapters will be supplemented and all information about our elections will be saved and used in the future, even if we did not take cruel paths. For example, like in UT when Toriel remembers our flirting at the end of the pacifist, Kris if they ever talk to us, they can remember how we made them hug Ralsei. We can choose what we want throughout the game, or we can choose what we think Kris would choose, and our decisions will influence dialogues or events in the future. We have already seen how the decisions from the first chapter influenced the second; in the battle with the capture of the Rouxls houses, Kaard uses exactly the same structure that we assembled in the first chapter. Also, for some reason, the game stores information about which vessel we collected at the very beginning.

Ultimately, we can either find common ground with Kris or make them hate us. If hatred leads to a battle, then against all three at once, Susie will be just happy to thrash someone bad, and Ralsei will never leave Kris and help them. But my intuition tells me that this will not be a battle, but something else, I don’t know why, the battle would be too obvious or something.

If you’ve read this, thank you) I love to think, and it’s especially nice to do this when there are people with similar interests.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts!!

My thoughts on Kris's feelings towards their actions (again, may be art coming for this soon!) is that they feel a degree of responsibility for the bad things that have happened in their life, stemming from the incident with Dess. It could be like a learned helplessness, but I also see it as a "I cannot be trusted to make the right choices" kind of conditioning. Being the only human in a monster town, I can see them even pinning the blame on their humanity for their mistakes, since well…it's clearly the thing that's always made their life harder, anyway.

They do need their friendships to help set them on a path to self-acceptance and self-reliance, and the Dark World is facilitating that, which is why I think they are more and more focused on going back there!

In regards to the whole "your choices don't matter" theme, which people seem convinced applies to both the player and character…I think it's actually a lot more subtle than that. After all, the theme of Undertale is not "kill or be killed," even though an authoritative character tells you that at the start of the game. I actually think that the second voice at the end of the goner maker sequence saying "no one can choose who they are in this world" IS Kris speaking, because that's the mindset that they're currently in, and it's one they need to learn how to grow past by the end of the game. All of the main characters feel, in some way, that they are trapped by their own identities. Breaking free of these roles they feel they have no choice in is, I think, a narrative thoroughline we'll get through the whole game.

And I have a whole long twitter thread about this, but yeah, I do think that it's inevitable that we'll be cut off from controlling Kris at the end, because that feels like the natural conclusion to Kris's character arc. Kris starts out feeling like they can make no good choices, so someone needs to hold their hand. So by the end, it feels appropriate that they come to realize that they can act on their own, and that they don't need anyone holding their hand…not even the player controlling them. Whether that parting is on good terms or bad ones depends on how the player treats them and their friends…Ralsei does say that how we treat others can make all the difference!

I know this is just rambling on top of your rambling, but I appreciated reading yours, so I hope this rambling is appreciated, too!

[theramblingsofadork]

Starline seems like the type of person who would enjoy having his home filled with tech optimized for maximum efficiency. 📱

Rivet is quite the opposite. She doesn’t mind things being low tech, as long as they work and get the job done. 📟

As such, I like to imagine this dynamic of theirs clashes a bit in the Restoration Arc of the AU when Starline gets swept up in an excited tech craze, and proceeds to go overboard technologifying his and Rivet’s shared living/work spaces.

One such upgrade being the installation of motion activated drawers that open when you wave your hand in front of them.

“They’re elegant looking and extremely effective, especially if your hands are full of say, robot parts.” He happily pitches to her.

Rivet’s fine with it at first; he’s excited and inspired after going through such a low spell, and she’s happy for him. But then… the drawers start not responding to her movements, locking her out while she’s working, or opening and hitting her when she isn’t trying to open them, and the upgrades start to get a bit… out of control. 🤣

While helpful at first, their work and living space quickly becomes overly inundated with a slew of upgraded smart appliances, automated systems, and every kind of obscure, specialty bot that you can think of.

One to take your coat and shoes when you come inside, one to update you on the news of the day, one to brush your teeth for you, to clean your glasses and goggles, speed boil water, sort the silverware drawer according to meal order and usage, pour the exact amount of desired sugar into your tea—!

Rivet finally has to call an intervention when she finds a robot that passes out eggs in their fridge. 😭🤣

[runabout-river]

Thoughts on JJK chapter 255 (spoilers)

Fun chapter with many interesting parts.

People have wondered if Larue would also appear mostly because he had been working with Yuki at some point. That they're called Team Geto is really funny.

We get a flashback of the timeskip with Yuta and Larue recruiting Miguel to their cause. He isn't convinced at first until Larue changes his mind. Nanako and Mimiko we know were killed by Sukuna but their conversation makes it seem like the other two who had that encounter with Kusakabe and Panda also died.

Miguel says that Gojo should've come himself to get him on board. This makes it the first time that Gojo's absence from the timeskip flashbacks is acknowledged in a meta fashion. This is significant imo because this throws the doors wide open to Gojo having done sth else than train with his students for the last month.

That could be some kind of preparation or getting more allies to their side. It could even be specialized training for Nobara or something else entirely but it will come back at some point.

Sukuna: 😩

Recap to remind us that Sukuna is injured right now and that he can't use RCT. This makes it seem like the Geto Duo was somewhere else than the monitor room where the other are/were.

I also wanted to point out that Larue is the most stereotypically coded gay character in JJK. He's the kind of character that is overly masculine physically but has some over-the-top feminine characteristics like his eyes, lips and the pink hearts over his tits.

Can't wait to see Miguel breakdancing his way out of cleave animated.

Sukuna has more interest in Miguel's CT than Larue's, showing us that he still to this moment loves analyzing and optimizing Jujutsu

We get a flashback that has Gojo in it BUT that flashback is pre-Shibuya and happens after the end of the movie (a scene that wasn't in the original manga).

And Gojo was racist? Interestingly, he applied real world physical built of the average Japanese person to that of an unspecified African country saying that a physical buff for Miguel's people works better because they're physically stronger (apparently but who really knows). Except of course that thinking falls apart (in multiple ways) when we consider that we're in a battle shonen and all sorcerers are either decently or highly muscular (except the women)

We see that Miguel is, as Gege has once said, strong and he gets a few good blows against Sukuna. Choso also reappears.

We get an explanation on how Sukuna's World Cutting Slash works. He needs to use his domain seal to activate it and I'm curious what exactly that means in regards to what domain seals even are.

Against Gojo, Sukuna had lost his left hand in the Hollow Purple attack, so he shouldn't have been able to perform the WCS but he made a vow instead that stipulated that for all future uses of that cut he needs to use his palm to specify the trajectory of it.

He could've activated his transformation then instead of making the vow but he probably saw it as more important that Gojo thought that he had been defeated.

Maki came back like most people in my poll voted for. Now I'm... anxious on how Gege will write her from then on. From her chapter we got the sense that she will have a bigger role in confronting one specific aspect of Sukuna but now we're in a group battle again.

Larue got a BF though so the group will shrink really fast which should get Maki back into the spotlight.

She cuts off Sukuna's left hand making it seemingly impossible for him to use his super cut except we the audience know of course that that won't hinder him too much.

Yuji, you're so full hope that it was inevitable that it would be crushed immediately. Sukuna uses a second BF which will restore his CE output meaning he'll heal his limbs just like Gojo did at that point in their fight.

He still has his fire arrow and the corresponding technique of it in his Arsenal as well, so like Uraume said, he still hasn't gotten all out on them

I feel like the fight is going to get into its third phase in the upcoming chapters. Prepare for another 3-5 chapter mini-arc (probably the Uraume/Hakari fight) to interrupt it after something shocking will happen.

[stainedglassthreads]

Go read the first season of Surviving Romance before continuing this post. Go go go

No but it means so so much to me that Mihui Yang was the Unknown Extra. Mihui, who Chaerin dismissed as being too naive and foolish to survive the zombie apocalypse. Mihui, who feels everything and cries easily but who also loudly proclaims that everyone shouldn’t worry and should keep going because a miracle could happen. Mihui, who was the first to remind Chaerin that she had friends now whenever Chaerin wondered if it’d be easier to just reset. Mihui, who was always using her idealism and optimism to support Chaerin through two timelines.

I don’t really like zombie apocalypse stories. I feel like a lot of the really popular ones become ‘humans are bastards’ stories real fast, with hordes of asshole protagonists and asshole antagonists and a whole lot of ‘humans were always crap, the zombies just revealed our true nature’ but. Surviving Romance feels like the complete opposite. Because Mihui Yang is the beating heart if the story. It doesn’t kill her off to make a point about how awful the world has become, it doesn’t tell her to grow up.

The story says Mihui is right. You should do your best to live and be kind to those around you. Because a miracle really did happen. Chaerin found friends who love and support her. Found another chance to try to save the whole class. Found a way to stick it to Black-Haired Chaerin and the Devil.

Mihui Yang is very important to me, that she was allowed to be right, that the person who saved Chaerin and restored her will to live and be happy wasn’t some coldhearted badass but someone who had such will to live and be happy herself. I love her.

[carrie-organa]

Here’s How I Would’ve Ended Ted Lasso

My version includes:

actually acknowledging Keeley’s importance and making Roy not a creep.

actually calling Ted out for his weird ass behavior. This guy is depressed and no one ever asks him about his horrible self esteem issues.

Here, take it before I go insane.

Ted’s Storyline

The team would talk about Ted’s decision and there would be a debate about it. Sam and Jamie agree that he should go home to his son (for different but obvious reasons). Colin and Isaac believe strongly in found family and don’t understand why Ted choosing his son has to mean him abandoning them. Jamie’s perspective is changed. They have a good point.

Rebecca’s storyline in general was odd this episode. Her constantly reaching out to Ted and him shutting her down is so stupid and at odds with their relationship.

I would’ve had Ted explain his decision when she’s giving him her “You go, I’ll go” speech. Talk about his dad and bring up the 9/13 connection. WHY WAS THIS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED.

Ted saying that not only does Henry miss him, no one here needs him anymore. He’s given them every tool he can think of and there’s nothing left for him to do. There’s nothing else he can give them.

side note: I think this is really at the root of Ted’s issues and I’m flabbergasted that no one calls him on it. He only feels like he should stay in situations where he’s needed. He never stays somewhere because he wants to be there. He’s the traveling salesman of optimism.

Rebecca: You’re right Ted, maybe we don’t need you to remind us to have hope or to believe in ourselves. To reach for happiness. But just because we no longer need you does not mean you are not wanted. Are you happy here? Ted: It’s not that simple. Henry— Rebecca: Yes, I know about Henry, and I completely understand your concerns. I’m asking you if you’re happy here. You, Ted Lasso, the man, not the coach or the father. Are. You. Happy. Ted (bursting with it): Yes. Of course I am. I never thought I’d have an experience like this in my life. It doesn’t seem real. It feels like I fell asleep and I’m going to wake up in exactly the same place I started when I woke up. But I can’t leave Henry. I can’t abandon my son because I like my job. That’s not fair to him.

Ted’s weird detachment would’ve been addressed during the game. The team’s first half wasn’t effected by them crying over Beard’s video but rather by Ted’s refusal to coach them anymore.

Ted: I’m not gonna give y’all a pep talk. Jamie: why the FUCK not? why are you checking out? (puppy dog eyes) what did we do wrong? Ted: deer in the headlights. Turns to Beard and Roy for help. They don’t offer any. They’re wondering the same thing.

No one is disputing that there’s an issue with Ted’s situation. It hurts to be away from his son, it hurts Henry to be away from his dad. HOWEVER — the only solution isn’t to go home and leave everyone behind.

Ted makes some kind of analogy to ties in football games. Sometimes there are no-win scenarios and you just have to accept it. Roy: that’s bullshit.

The episode is about Ted losing sight of his own philosophy and the people who love him reminding him of it. Restoring his sense of belief and optimism. Telling him not to accept a no-win scenario.

The RoyKeeleyJamie of it all

Roy’s obsession with getting Keeley back when she keeps pushing him away is cringey. Someone needs to ask him why he’s being so insistent. I choose Rebecca.

Rebecca: if you don’t explain yourself right now I’m sending you to HR. I’ve never seen you act like this.

After Jamie/Keeley hug

Roy: what were you talking to Keeley about? Jamie: none of your business, mate. Roy (still an insecure bean): Are you guys…getting back together? Jamie (furrowed brows): No? I just asked if she would go on a business trip to New Zealand with me. Make sure I don’t get thrown out of the entire country hitting on the Prime Minister. Roy (unable to help himself): She’s not PM anymore. Jamie: Hm. Shame. Well, she’s still fit. Jamie makes it clear he’s not interested in starting anything with Keeley, after Mom City he knows he really needs to work on himself before he can date anybody. The perspective is very much side-eying Roy, who has decided to ignore all of his issues.

WHY HAS NO ONE ASKED KEELEY WHAT SHE WANTS.

Roy and Jamie still go to a bar. Still end up at Keeley’s door. But this time not because they were fighting over her (because cringe. even though both of them have feelings for her, they respect her autonomy). No, this time, Roy got fucking pissed and he’s being a sad sack and refuses to go home so Jamie followed him to Keeley’s to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.

Jamie: Roy, mate, let’s go home. We’ll get a kebab on the way. Roy: No, I just…I just need to know what I’m doing wrong. Please. Keeley: Roy… Roy: If you just tell me then I can fix it! Keeley: It isn’t you! (off Roy) It’s not. I promise. I just…I keep ending up in these intense, whirlwind relationships, and I can’t jump into another one again. Not yet. Not until I know it’s going to end up differently. Because I swear to god, Roy, if I lose you again (tearing up) I will not survive it. I barely survived it the first time. Roy: me too… Jamie (cannot handle uncomfortable situations): Yeah me neither, if I’m honest. (off looks from them both) WHAT? You were both so sad and quiet. Well, this one’s always quiet (gesture to Roy) but it was different. It was weird. I saw him crying in his car once. Roy: I was not crying in the car… Jamie: Yes you were! I saw you wipe a tear! Keeley: BOYS! (they’re exhausting. it’s late. she wants to stop being ambushed into these emotional conversations). something about how her type is clearly smoking hot, intense brunettes (check the math — Jamie, Roy, Jack). Preferably by a cheeky Jamie as he leads a quiet Roy to an uber.

The season has not set up Roy and Keeley to get back together. It just hasn’t. But I think it has set up Keeley to acknowledge how much Roy means to her and to explain why she’s skittish about getting back together with him right now. I think she wants to give him a chance, it’s just going to take some time.

I’d like to see a scene with just the two of them where Keeley asks him not to give up, please. Because that’s Roy’s issue, he quits while he’s ahead and he gives up because it’s easier than getting really hurt. He’s putting himself out there, and I love that because growth, but I think there needs to be an acknowledgment that he’s gone about it wrong.

Roy: I know that I’ve been a right fucking twat with all this badgering and I apologize. I know it’s all too little, too late and you’ve moved on. I do want to be friends, if you’ll let me. I just can’t handle another year where you’re not a part of my life. It’s unbearable. Keeley: It really was. Roy: If you want to get coffee sometime, or something (call back to when he asked her out in S1), just let me know. It won’t be a date. Just as friends. Keeley (nodding, equal parts relieved and disappointed): Okay. Roy walks away, they’re in the car park. Keeley calls his name and runs up to him. Kisses his cheek. Obviously there’s still something there, but they’re just gonna have a different start this time. A slow build, rather than an intense start.

Miscellaneous Complaints:

I would’ve added at least another 20 minutes to the finale. How the team reacts to Ted leaving. And I think he should leave, I think he should go back to Kansas and there should be a little time jump. Michelle tells him she knows he’s unfulfilled, Henry saying he misses visiting him in Richmond. This decision is good for literally no one when you actually see it through. It’s a nice gesture but ultimately it’s meaningless.

The way Nate is just there is so unsatisfying to me. He’s such an important character in the show and the finale paid him dust.

What happened with Bex and the other girl when they spoke to Rebecca? There was no resolution there.

BEARD AND JANE ARE NOT COUPLE GOALS. Why does the narrative simultaneously acknowledge that she straight up sucks but never give Beard the push to leave her???? I just straight up do not get it.

In conclusion, I see the vision but the execution was horrible and I don't understand how this is supposed to stick the landing. I genuinely believe they'll announce a Richmond spinoff, especially given Ted's note on Trent's manuscript. Although I do not think that the team's future is anything like the one Ted dreamt about on the plane. Those were the wishes he had for them. I look forward to reading the fics where he's dead wrong and Rebecca drags him back by his moustache hair

[thehylianbatman]

Some Thoughts on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

This post has nothing to do with Disney or their movies.

This post contains minor spoilers.

Hello. I've been playing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic recently. I've picked up it again just after the Leviathan Escape, which is where I left it many years ago. I'm working my way through Korriban now, so I'm interacting a lot with Yuthura Ban.

I've heard rumblings in my readings that Yuthura was originally intended to be a companion character. Although I have no sources at all for this and thusly do not truly know if it is true of false, I find it likely; of the three Jedi companions you pick up, none are aligned with the Dark Side, meaning the only way to potentially explore the Dark Side gameplay is with the player character, which has large ramifications on the story. Bastila and Juhani are aligned to the Light, while Jolee is on the light side of neutral, and doesn't read as any kind of Dark Side user, even though he is best-equipped within the game's mechanics to be so. This means that most players will almost never encounter Dark Side elements during gameplay unless they specifically choose to do so, which changes story beats and the ending.

Yuthura as a companion character changes that. Her alignment is neutral, so she's mechanically fine to use the Dark Side (if not optimized), and her story makes sense for using the Dark Side; while Juhani makes sense story-wise, her alignment makes it uncomfortable.

Yuthura also adds to the team dynamic of the party. As it stands, for the Force representation, you have the player character, Bastila, Juhani, and Jolee. If you add Yuthura to the mix, it adds balance and results in a more fully-rounded view of the Force. A larger view, you might say.

Consider this dynamic: you have Bastila, an instructor for the Light Side. Although she's not a Jedi Master (I think), and you are not her padawan (I think), she is the one best-equipped to take that mentor role in the player's story as the leader of the party. You have Juhani, a student, like the player character, who is tempted by the Dark Side. And you have Jolee, representation of that said larger view of the Force.

Adding Yuthura to this dynamic, you'd have three instructors and two students. For the instructors, you get Bastila, a Light Side instructor who falls to the Dark Side; Yuthura, a Dark Side instructor who finds the Light Side; and Jolee, who simply seems to believe in the Force. For the students, you get the player character and Juhani, and, since Juhani can be romanced, this adds even more to the dynamic; Juhani, as a student, is rooted in the Light Side but tempted by the Dark Side. Spoilerific game events show that the player character is rooted in the Dark Side but tempted by the Light Side. The poetry and the balance of this team is simply sensible.

But how could it happen? Assuming the game's cut content were to be magically restored (Unlike KotOR II, KotOR I's cut content was cut very early in development, as far as I know, and so was never really developed at all, and was simply ideas at the conception stage), I imagine it'd go somewhat as follows:

Sleheyron (the only known visit-able planet cut from KotOR I) is added to the planets as the last planet the player visits. This makes the "canonical" order of planets Dantooine, Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, Korriban, and Sleheyron. In-game, the party is captured by the Leviathan before the last Star Map is retrieved; as it is, the last Star Map is on Korriban, where you meet Yuthura. In this imaginary scenario, the last Star Map is on Sleheyron.

These are all assumptions on my part.

While on Korriban, in-game, you can convince Yuthura to abandon the Sith cause and Return to the Jedi. If you visit the planets out-of-order and convince her to abandon the Sith before the party is captured by the Leviathan, you can find her at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. However, if you visit Korriban last, after you do this, Yuthura simply vanishes, since you cannot return to Dantooine at this point.

In this magically-restored version of KotOR, you go through Korriban as normal, but, at the end of the planet's storyline, you ask Yuthura to come with you, and , as in the game, she says no, but you offer to at least take her to the Jedi Enclave. She reluctantly agrees and boards the Ebon Hawk, just in time for the ship to be captured by the Leviathan, Bastila to leave the party, and a whole lot of spoilerific story things to happen.

This changes how the Leviathan rescue occurs; in-game, you can choose Mission, T3-M4, Canderous, Juhani, HK-47, or Jolee to do it. They all sneak around and spring the other characters out. Imagine this rescue if Yuthura is an option. As a high-ranking member of the Sith academy, whose finding of the Light Side has not yet spread to the ship, as it only just happened, choosing Yuthura is an easy option, as she can lie and say that she was captured by the party. While this might paint her as weak and cost her some prestige and respect, the Sith troopers handling the capture won't know any better, "free" her, and let her wander free as one of their own, rather than relying on guile, Jedi mind tricks, or stealth.

This can then become Yuthura's great test of loyalty with the party; while she's being controlled by the player, and thusly won't betray the team for gameplay reasons, narratively, the characters don't know that. Some of them will be disinclined to trust her, most likely Carth. She can use her (now former) position with the Sith Academy to get into locations on the ship that would be locked or barred to other characters, making the rescue easy for her if done right, but really hard for her if done wrong, since one wrong move reveals her hand and turns the entire ship against her. I imagine in this scenario that it would go down similarly to a Juhani/Jolee rescue.

However, we'll trust that she plays her cards right, and uses her position in order to quietly and easily free the party. This proves to them that they can trust Yuthura. It can also be a character arc for her; she initially does it for self-serving reasons, since the party could reveal that she had joined up with them and get her in trouble, so if she frees them, she can escape just as she had been planning to do. Just as the party doesn't trust Yuthura, Yuthura probably has trouble trusting the party, and just wants to get to Dantooine. However, the party reveals when they are freed what happened to Dantooine, and let's say this shocks Yuthura, who viewed the Dark Side as ruthless, but nuanced and personal, not flat-out evil (another assumption on my part). With her position at the Sith Academy vacated and no Dantooine to run to, in the party's eyes, she has a choice to make: either betray the party and try and return to the Sith, or join up with the party and continue her climb to the light side. Naturally, she joins up with the party, since there's almost certainly no way the Sith would take her back at this point unless she plays her cards really well, but she still isn't trusted by Carth and other such members.

Everything else on the Leviathan happens as in-game, and then the player goes to Sleheyron, and, just like almost everyone else gets a personal quest, Yuthura gets a personal quest here. She doesn't like being back, but she is, and now she can do what she's always wanted to do: free the slaves and free the planet. This can also tie into the larger story of Czerka Corporation being in the pockets of the Hutts and other such criminals. Sleheyron was intended to be under the control of four Hutt families, and cut content on Tatooine would mean that the player could turn both Tatooine and Kashyyyk against Czerka Corporation, but this aspect of the story lacks a meaningful conclusion. I imagine Sleheyron was intended to be that meaningful conclusion.

So let's say the Hutts are the original financial base of Czerka Corporation; maybe Czerka is a front entirely, or maybe it was founded by the Hutts to legitimize and cover their operations and it got so big that it broke free, or it was still founded by the Hutts but remains under their control while still able to pursue an independent path; they have a business relationship, let's say. Yuthura finds out about this and is particularly outraged, since Czerka has always been painted to her as a flawed but capable and neutral company that can help the Sith Empire, so the player character can go through the gladiator ring and do the combat and best the Hutts and put them in a begging position. This can lead to Yuthura making demands for the "right" option: free the slaves, have them revolt against Czerka Corporation AND the Hutts, reveal the connection between the two to the galaxy at large, and ruin them both (though only for now in the Hutts' case). Yuthura's choice of the "right" option also finally proves her trust and loyalty to the party and completes her character arc, while also adding extra evil to the Sith Empire for working with slavers (I can't remember if the Empire themselves uses slaves in-game, though I would certainly believe it if so). This is also a net positive for Sleheyron, which is changed for the better by the player, just like the other planets. Not only all of that, but it also completes the sub-story of freeing the galaxy from crime, cruelty, and corruption that's not being done by the Sith Empire.

Then you get the last Star Map, as well, fly off to the final location, and the game's story progresses as normal.

Yuthura and the other Force users would also be able to banter in this hypothetical scenario; she can banter with Jolee about using the Dark Side (how he does not feel bound to a Light or Dark Side, but doesn't make people suffer just because he personally views it not only as wrong but also generally inefficient), and speak with Juhani about balancing the temptations of the Dark Side with the faith in the Light Side, as people that both went down the path of the Dark Side but got off it at different times. Although her time with Bastila would likely be short in a canon case, and so they wouldn't have much of a chance for banter, if the player does the planets out of order, they could have an opportunity for banter, and I imagine they'd speak about instructing the Light Side versus instructing the Dark Side, and it's just be kinda funny, as most of Bastila's banters are.

I don't imagine she'd be a romance-able companion, as there is already a lack of such content as-is in the game, but, if she were, she'd be an interesting balance to Bastila, as a Force user not bound to the Light Side. Perhaps she could lead the player down a darker path in an inversion of Bastila's story. I personally feel, however, that she doesn't quite fit for such a role, and besides, Juhani is a better romance option anyways from a narrative standpoint; two Force students pulled in by both the Light and Dark Side, and all they have is each other. Very Star Wars.

Most, if not all of this, is conjecture on my part. I've read that Sleheyron was a cut planet, that it was supposed to be in control of the Hutts, that the planetary gameply would revolve around a gladiatorial combat ring, and that Yuthura, as a companion, would replace a Juhani that is not in the party. I don't have a source for any of that, although the last point I have only seen once, whereas I feel as though I've read multiple sources, some "official" in some way, about the first three points. Of course, I am no expert on the topic, and I suppose the writers at BioWare are the only ones who know for sure.

Please feel free to reach out or add any thoughts or notes. I find this very interesting and would love to talk about it. Primary sources in particular would be excellent, I'd love to read more about the development of this game.

Thanks for reading.

[porcelainmortal]

🩵 Magic & Bea and Henry please cause I'm a sucker for siblings being cuties 🥹

Thank you for the ask, @tailsbeth! I am sorry to say that this got really emo and a bit dark, but I think it's hopeful overall. (I, too, love a good sibling relationship but I also can't relate, so... this is where it went. 😬)

I am throwing in some trigger warnings, so please check them below - they are also in the tags. I hope you enjoy!

TW/CW: death, necromancy, grief

The spell was Bea’s idea. Henry didn’t believe in this kind of stuff, despite magic being part of their everyday lives. It might be common practice to conjure cream for your tea or a bone for your dog, but anything much more complicated was, generally speaking, frowned upon. And incredibly unreliable.

So Bea insisting that a necromancer spell could bring their dad back from the dead was outside the realm of reality as Henry understood it. Not to mention the high prices to be paid in order to conduct such magic. He tried to stop her – tried to tell her it was time wasted and might cost a hefty sum from the Law of Three – but she insisted it was the only way to restore their family.

“Think about it, Hen – we come from a long line of witches, one of the most powerful families in the realm – if we can’t do it, who can?”

Henry had reluctantly agreed but insisted that they needed Philip and possibly their mother to help, too. Unfortunately, neither of them were on board.

“Stop playing with magic and start trying to make something real out of your lives,” Philip had sniffed derisively.

Their mother was lost in her grief and didn’t seem to understand what they were even asking, and so, Henry and Bea were on their own. 

Henry gathered the herbs and checked the skies to time the spell for optimal cosmic assistance while Bea planned out the spell and mixed the potions. They went into the graveyard when the moon was at its fullest and began chanting, casting their brew and poultice over the earth around their father’s headstone. 

When they finished, everything went eerily still; the animals in the trees quieted, the wind died, even the earth seemed to stop breathing under their feet. And there, at a distance of about 30 feet, stood their father. Well… what their father might look like if all the colour had been drained from his form. His ghostly white figure walked silently towards them, his feet neglecting to leave so much as an indent on the soft earth below them.

“My children,” he began. His voice was the same except for the way it sounded like he was speaking through a long tunnel. All the hair on Henry’s body stood on end. “I know that you’re trying to revive me.”

“We miss you, father,” Bea cried. Henry’s arm wrapped around her as tears sprung into his own eyes.

“And I miss you, my love. More than you can ever know. But this… is not for me. I am not meant to come back.”

“Why not?” Henry asked, his voice cracking unsteadily.

“I am no longer of this plane. I am beyond this life and I am at peace. You must understand that my body gave out when it was meant to. You no longer need me.”

“That’s not true,” Henry argued stubbornly. “We’ll always need you, Dad.”

“You’ll always miss me. But you have everything you need to make your own lives. Henry, you have so much light inside you and the right person is going to come along and help you see that. Beatrice, you have so much talent and ferocity; you must share that with the world and allow everyone to rejoice in it.”

“What about mum?” Bea asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Ah,” Arthur sighed. “Your mother struggles. She searches for me here, even though I am with her and always shall be. One day, she will give up her search and be at peace in the land of the living. When that day comes, you two must be ready. Be there for her. Give her all the love you have set aside for me, she needs it more than ever. You have so much life left to live and although you will miss me, I promise that you do not need me. I have given you all that I can. You have each other; let that be enough.” 

And with that, Arthur started to fade from view. 

“Wait, Father!” Henry cried out, reaching for him. Bea trembled in his arms, reaching out as well. 

“Remember me but do not let my absence hold you back. Go and live,” their father said, his voice fading into nothing more than a distant echo as he disappeared from view.

Henry held Bea in his arms as they sank to the ground and sobbed. He knew that the road ahead would be rocky and difficult, but he knew, now more than ever, that as long as he and Bea had each other, they could get through anything. Together.

[hautsreadsmarvel]

Back-to-back issues of “the Fantastic Four”! (1961, issues 8-9)

Issue 8 is basically about the Thing, and that means it’s a delight.

Reed is working on a project and refuses to let the Thing get near or learn anything about it; this spate of apparent ostracization pushes Thing over the edge and makes him desert the Four briefly.

Villain is a guy who can hypnotize others by making effigies of them from radioactive clay and then maneuvering them like puppets. Not going to bother with most of the plot, but the Puppet Master has a blind daughter, Alicia, whose sharp senses can not only pick out the Invisible Girl’s heartbeat, but also can sense the personality of a person thru touch. She “can sense a gentleness to [the Thing]--there is something tragic--something sensitive!”

Of course, by law of irony, the project Reed was working on was a way to restore the Thing’s cherished human form. The Thing is still the only way to squeeze any personality out of Reed, but I’m starting to enjoy their interactions.

And this is the point at which Thing becomes more than just one of the few multi-dimensional characters - he starts to change! He’s willing to show his heart in this moment, expressing worry that under the Puppet Master’s spell he might’ve hurt the same kid he often threatens to smack around during their spats.

Obviously, Alicia’s attracted to him, and her acceptance of and affability towards him will likely change him up some more, too.

The action is alright. It turns out that Reed is immune to bullets (if eventually exhausted by the deformations they cause on impact), which tragically means that beloved Reedball was meaningless.

Similarly tragic is the high likelihood that Johnny Storm has mesothelioma. The explanation from the next issue on “how” he flies only really explains how he rises into the air (once again I assert his thrust must come from pyrokinesis) but it’s full of a lot of other nifty explanations re: him training, studying, and managing his time to optimize use of his power. Love that shit.

In Issue 9, Reed (presumably) buys high and sells low, rendering the F4 so broke they sell off their headquarters and have their vehicles rendered down to parts sold as memorabilia. It’s so funny to me that the guy who is regularly proclaimed as one of Marvel’s “smartest people in the world” apparently sucks at stock market. Also interestingly, Reed brings up the notion that there is a cost of operations for the F4, which, obviously duh, but I didn’t think that’d ever come up (maybe because these early comics are obviously targeted at kids and logistics don’t seem like a good match for that, or maybe because it’s a “realistic” subject and that doesn’t seem to be a high priority for these mags).

Immeasurably “based”, Thing. Horrid showerthought - if these comics were just coming out today, the Torch would absolutely be speaking contemporary teenslang.

Alicia really is causing character change! Thing and Spider-Man, the only two beings in this universe who have experienced any evolution so far. Speaking of, our next Spider-Man issue is… TWENTY TWO ISSUES AWAY? NOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo (spoiler: Spider-Man continues being peak)

They get an offer from Hollywood to star in a movie about themselves for $1M (equivalent to $10.6M USD today). The producer turns out to be Namor (who looks simultaneously uncanny and sharp asf in a suit), who legitimately funds the film via recovered sunken treasure, and fuck me the love triangle is back

Anyways this is all just a ploy to put everyone who isn’t Sue in mortal peril. Much as I liked the earlier parts of this issue, there is a fantastically racist depiction of a “tribe” (think Zulu stereotype, I’m not snapping a picture of that shit)

Aw c'mon Namor. Why you gotta be so sexism. Don't say "female" like that, Namor.

Anyways at the end of the story, he does give them the money, as promised. A little weird since he patently expected his schemes would kill three of them off, but that kind of honor redeems Namor a little from the earlier genderisms. Great first half to issue 9, prejudicial content bogs down the second half. Hoping to see more Thing growth (and other character developments in general), less Reed-Sue-Namor affection contest (unless it resolves into a throuple, which obviously won't happen), and less -isms.

[greenyvertekins]

i think Heroes proves Amy can be a leader/like her taking over the restoration makes sense, but i feel like she'd be way less...structured? she's kind of someone who follows her heart like sonic, so i feel like her way of leading would have been way less structured and planned out to the last detail -- i'd have preferred it more emotional and personal esp in metal virus -- though maybe im misremembering early IDW? like i'd have loved to see her be a leader more than just 'leader on paper' or 'person with the plans'

Heroes showed it well. She also has the ability to keep the team together through optimism. Don't need her to pull a Sally and point at something and tell someone to attack it like a trainer ordering a Pokemon.

[chuckeroo777]

Frieren Liveblog- Chapters 45-48

Last time, Frieren asserted her dominance, and we all agreed that battle royals are bad in settings without revival magic.

Oh, I think I know what's about to happen. It's raining, and Frieren just finished deciphering the barrier. She's gonna open a hole for her teammates to get water.

Okay, it happened literally page two, but I still called it. Serie seems impressed.

Clearly I'm a better mage than Richter, since I'm currently visualizing a very large umbrella.

No kill quite like overkill. Also, lol at the translator's note which amounts to "We give up".

A precious image.

Yuri

You know, for someone who keeps calling Stark a pervert, you sure keep bringing these kinds of things up unprompted.

I, DENKEN, WILL SHOW YOU THE WIZARD'S FIST!

Glad to see someone is having fun.

Here's everyone who's moving on. I don't think we saw much from parties 1 or 17. I wonder if they'll be important, or if we'll be focusing on the four parties we know.

Stark is such a good boy, it hurts.

Judging from this and chapter 32, donuts are the optimal food for restoring mana. Also, Denken has the right idea. It's better to make friends, even if you aren't required to. Plus, we have no idea what test 2 will involve. It's probably better to go into it on everyone's good sides.

Interesting. A sociopathic mage who learns best through empathy. Say, you wouldn't happen to be interested in partying with an elf mage who also struggles with emotions, would you?

Yep. Sugar totally equates to mana.

Frieren. Are you using briefcase of holding magic on your stomach?

Normally I wouldn't complain about a woman with a hearty appetite, but if they don't show the aftermath, what's the point?

She so angy.

Look, the manga has had plenty of opportunities to clarify away from this conclusion, but it just keeps throwing bait at me.

If they don't kiss by the end of this arc...

...

Presented without comment.

Eh, I'm not too concerned. Based on her comments in the first exam, at least she doesn't plan to make a deadly exam like the first.

A little worried that the second test is apparently brutal, considering there is a third test to go. Just gonna throw out my guess now, Frieren is ultimately gonna fail, but Fern will succeed.

Huh. It only took 48 chapters, but we're finally raiding a dungeon.

Ah, clever. It's dangerous, but there is no downside to helping each other out. If they all work together, it would be easy to conquer the dungeon. But trust and pride will be the problem.

I suppose that is a concern. Still seems foolish to go alone.

Sense knows how the odds are stacked.

As any adventurer knows, dungeons have all the best loot.

Leave no loot unturned! Though, in the test's case, we should probably prioritize getting to the center. Besides, if this is a well-known but unconquered dungeon, all the best loot will be there.

Now we're talking Frieren's language. I love this little magic gremlin.

*Pointedly stares at Frieren*

And here it is. The one clip from Frieren I saw long ago. God, I love this idiot.

And that's where we'll leave off tonight. With Frieren and Fern working together, I can't imagine this test will be too difficult, so I expect the drama will come from seeing how the rest fare.