#her plea for independence and for her sister to see her as an adult??? ABSOLUTELY correct and good

[woahjo]

i have to say something... please don't be mad.... i... really don't like edwina...

[ettadunham]

A Buffy rewatch 5x05 No Place Like Home

aka your bratty demon children are doing their best!!!!

Welcome to this dailyish text post series where I will rewatch an episode of Buffy and go on an impromptu rant about it for an hour. Is it about one hyperspecific thing or twenty observations? 10 or 3k words? You don’t know! I don’t know!!! In this house we don’t know things.

And today’s episode jump starts this season’s plot with a bang of reveals, while life goes on for characters outside of our main action.

We always talk about the 7th episode special with Buffy, that usually comes in with the big thematic reveals or plot starters that would become crucial to the season. No Place Like Home feels a lot like those, so much so that it got me thinking that maybe there’s a 5th episode rule we’re sleeping on.

(There isn’t of course. Once I looked up, I saw that our past 5th episodes include such gems as Reptile Boy and Beer Bad - both episodes that I admittedly enjoy well above the general consensus, but definitely not ones that qualify by those measures. The fact that this wasn’t immediately evident for me too once again also proves just how bad I am at remembering episode numbers.)

Regardless, this is a big moment for the season. For the last four episodes we’ve been kind of just having fun with the characters with no Big Bads in sight. Everyone’s on their journey, being adults. Buffy is putting in some extra work to learn more about her power and heritage, some arcs are winding down from last season, but overall, there wasn’t a big through line indicating where we were headed.

Except of course the unspoken Dawn device. Truth be told, I can’t really remember what my first watch through of this plot looked like, and whether or not I bought the sister twist at the time. Sure, Buffy talked about being an only child in the past many and more times, but TV shows do retcons and there are always some writing inconsistencies if a show goes on long enough. Like how Giles just fucking lied in 1x03 about how that was his first spell.

We’re also pulling a lot of the good old fashioned red-herring that I complained a bit about with The Replacement. It mostly works here though. Even if the show is trying to put Dawn in a creepy demon child light, there’s nothing really out of place or character when you watch those scenes with full background knowledge. All children are just naturally creepy I guess - especially ones that make tea for their moms.

If you stop and think about that scene in its real context, it’s actually incredibly sweet and reveals a lot about how Dawn’s dealing with their mom’s illness. She’s copying Buffy’s behavior from earlier, when she made breakfast for Joyce. In that scene, Dawn may have been incredibly bratty with how she took credit for Buffy’s efforts, but in reality, she’s just as scared and worried as Buffy is.

And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with how Dawn acts with their mom. Buffy’s annoyance with Dawn in those scenes is really about her own resentment that she’s not the child her mother dotes on anymore. She’s slowly taking over a parental role in their home and she’s resisting it with all she’s got.

Unfortunately, a lot of that blows back on Dawn as a result. Because of that, I felt Willow’s plea to Buffy to take it easy on her a bit. Dawn might be a bit of a brat, but there’s a lot of unfair projection in how Buffy treats her in these early episodes. And she’s going through stuff here too with their mom’s mysterious illness.

Not to mention all the hurtful things Buffy says to her in this episode, while and after she’s performing the revealing spell. Watching those scenes trying to see them from Dawn’s perspective is actually quite painful. I’d be a creepy bratty demon child too if my superpowered sibling told me that I’m not their sister, and threw me up to the wall.

Following that, thinking about that last scene between Buffy and Dawn in all that context gets me a bit teary, ngl. I’m always a slut for a good sibling dynamic. And these two have a lot coming for them yet.

It’s probably Buffy’s tenderness that gets to me the most. She just found out that Dawn is a supernatural device in human form... but she’s also an innocent. And Buffy could never turn back on someone who needed her help. (Dawn is also the metaphor for Buffy’s own innocence, I guess - this is Buffy after all, we’ve gotta have our metaphors.)

And she’s her sister. We can see it in each and every gesture of Buffy’s that she’s accepted and embraced that. She’ll say this out loud later on in the season too, but it’s all there already - no matter how or where Dawn came from, she’s her sister now. Nothing else matters.

Then we got introduced to our Big Bad. I’ve always enjoyed Glory, but I’m not sure I’m ready to have a take on her. Or if I ever will be ready for that. There’s probably a lot to unpack there about mental illness that I feel grossly unqualified to talk about... Not that ever actually stopped me. The truth is that I just can’t seem to find the handle on her yet.

Another aspect of season 5 that I quite like is that we now can have completely unrelated B plots and whatnots in the background. The whole storyline with Giles and the magic shop has absolutely nothing to do with what’s Buffy’s facing, but it’s delightful.

Earlier seasons of Buffy almost always had a thematic through line to each episode, that connected the characters. Which helped keep the focus and develop the characters in parallel to each other, making sure we’d relate to them. It’s one of the things that makes Buffy what it is in the first place.

But by now, the show has also earned this. Just peppering in these moments in the lives of the Scoobies, while Buffy is going through this huge life-altering realization. It also helps underlining a theme of independence for these characters. They now all have to learn starting to rely on themselves more and more.

Well, Willow definitely shouldn’t rely on her own gift-wrapping skills though. I laughed at that bit even more so than I did at Spike’s 5-word one-liner.

Next stop is Family. I think. I’ll never trust my own memory of Buffy episode numbers again.

[unbearablydeer]

This Is The Eye Of The Hurricane | SoO

Name: Serneth Tahromor

Alias: Sern

Race: Dunmer/Altmer (Werewolf)

Gender: Female

Sexual Preference: Demisexual

Romantic Preference: Panromantic

Age: 38

Class: Nightblade

Birthdate: 28 Evening Star

Birthplace: Solitude

Alignment: True Neutral (borderline Chaotic)

Affiliation: None presently

Occupation: Mercenary (Sword-for-Hire)

Figure: Straight rectangular

Height: 5'8

Weight: 136 lbs

Skin tone: Light Blue Undertone

Hair: Silvery blonde

Eyes: Candy apple red

Distinguishing Features: Vibrant colored eyes, Sharply angled features, Warpaint across left half of head, Giant scar up her inner left thigh

Personality:

+Adaptable +Adventurous +Articulate +Efficient +Independent

/Aggressive /Ambitious /Casual /Maternal /Sarcastic /Self-Conscious /Solemn

-Aimless -Arrogant -Asocial -Callous -Crass -Faithless -Fiery -Hostile -Paranoid

Dress: A mixture of light leather and elven armor, her common clothes are relatively simple but nice enough makes her inconspicuous like she likes.

Special items:

She usually carries her first actual whittling project with her, it's small and aged, and certainly nothing great, but she keeps it none the less.

She also carries a torn bit of fabric with her father's craftsman signature on it that she often ties around her wrist.

Weapons: Orcish bow, Ebony Daggers,

Proficiencies:

One Handed

Sneak

Illusion

Pickpocketing

Lockpicking

Alteration

Light Armor

Archery

Speech

Magic/Special Abilities:

Armsman

Decapitation

Backstab

Shadow Warrior

Quiet Casting

Invisible

Muffle

Detect Life

Detect Dead

Waterbreathing

Wind walker

Merchant

Persuasion

Strengths:

Dependable

Observant

Adaptable

Perseverance

Social Intelligence

Zest

Weaknesses:

Belief in eye for an eye judgement

Blunt/Callous

Hedonistic

Paranoid

Over-ambitious

Pessimist

Uncontrolled beast form

Damaged right leg (slowed gait, heavy limp)

Backstory:

Childhood: It's safe to say that Serneth wasn't planned. She was born to Cyloi Tahromor and Saurmia Gaeire, the latter of which was a well known noble in their region. Naturally, if news got out about Saurmia's tumble with Cyloi, it'd be an entirely new scandal, especially with a child coming out of it. So, being the woman she was, Saurmia had Serneth in secret, and instantly handed her over to her father Cyloi, wanting absolutely nothing to do with the child. Cyloi was a woodcarver, so it was safe to say, he may not have had as much renown as Serneth's mother did, he was well enough off to take care of the babe. Serneth grew up being raised by Cyloi and his friend Daralo, learning both how to defend herself, and traits of both men's trades, whittling was where she shined when it came to woodwork, but with Daralo, she quickly picked up on the particular skill of thievery, much to her father's distaste, however, he let her make her choices in the end. Serneth was clever and grew up with a fair sense of book smarts and street smarts alike. She grew curious and ready to learn, which lead to the ultimate question of who her mother was. You see, Cyloi had been quiet about her mother's absence, and for some time, Serneth simply thought it was the normal to not have a mother until she began to spend more time around the few other children in their town. When she finally brought it up, Cyloi was hesitant, but finally sat her down and shortly explained her situation. At the time, Serneth didn't fully understand why her mother wanted little to do with her, and she began to grow a sort of resentment towards this woman she'd never even met, and even some towards herself for the worries of not being good enough began to form.

Adolescence: In her adolescence, it's not easy enough to say that Serneth was a troublemaker. Especially for the fact that she learned her birth-mother had married and had two more children. Two siblings she would more than likely never meet. This simply brought more disdain to her mind, whilst also strengthening her doubt in herself. Fueled by a mixture of a need to prove herself and simply straight up spite against Saurmia, she approached Daralo and began to undergo proper training with the blade and bow. Her tongue became just as sharp as her blades, especially when her finesse with the blade and bow became apparent to Daralo. His and even her father's praise quickly brought on a sense of arrogance, despite her own constant inner worries. She became harsher, her needs driving her further and further to the point that she began to take jobs alongside Daralo. The duo quickly became untrusted in their town, and more often than not, Serneth's father would find himself swamped with complaints from people Serneth had "assisted" for Daralo. Due to this, it was little surprise to anyone when she became outcasted in the town. Of course, what really got her going now, was because this was only partly because of her acts, the rest of it was due to none other than Saurmia Gaeire advising against even acknowledging any friend or family of Cyloi and Serneth Tahromor. Fanning the fire in her chest, Serneth had been ready to confront her mother, especially when sales began to go down for her once reputable father. She became much more angry and spiteful, and because of this, Cyloi became worried his daughter might do something brash, so with agreement from Daralo, the two urged her to set out on her own finally. Naturally, she'd been appalled by the idea at the time, but with her father's pleas, she finally relinquished to his wishes.

Adulthood: Serneth came into her adulthood bitterly sometime after leaving her hometown. She took to travelling and taking on odd jobs here and there, some of which were legal, others not so much. Although she appreciated the new sights, the itch to "right" her mother still burned in her chest, and fueled her spite and even some of her still remaining self-doubt. Aside from speaking with contractors, she became rather isolative, keeping to herself and setting up a small camp on the outskirts of cities or even in the midst of the wilderness at times. She's been rather disinterested in settling down anywhere permanently, and of course she's thought of returning to her hometown, but she's more than aware that if she did, there'd more than likely be trouble of some kind. So, as of now, she's simply taken to be one of the passing faces in cities and towns every once in a blue moon. And if when she is, who's to say everything will stay in it's right place. No one can keep track of everything, now can they?

Relationships:

Parents: Cyloi Tahromor (father), Saurmia Gaeire-Chamlock (mother)

Siblings: Paloril Chamlock (half-sister), Ryaalmo Chamlock (half-brother)

Children: -

Relatives: none that she would deem worth of recording

Partner: -

Familiar: -

Mentors: Cyloi Tahromor, Daralo Lerar

Friends: Fubuki

Allies: -

Rivals: -

Enemies: -

Pets:

Halitus (hawk)

Interests:

Calligraphy, Whittling, Collecting Flower Petals, Card Games, Reading, Body Art, Travelling, Astrology, Falconry, Poetry

Quotes:

"Ya know, if that coat's worth snapping at strangers over I guess you're just as ready to be buried in it?"

"Trust me, honey. I think you've done enough with that mouth of yours."

"I'm not worth much of anything these days."

Other:

Headcannon Voice: Amy Vorpahl

Don't mention her flower petal collection unless she brings it up. She'll bash the whole book into your head. Trust me, it's a big book.

10/10 best bird mom

Also don't talk to her about her mom. It's a horrid idea.

Guess who's a werewolf?

Roleplay Info:

Status: Open

Time Zone: EST

Script/Literate: Literate

Ratings:

G

PG

PG13

R/M (Gore/Adult Content)

Methods:

Discord

Skype

Deviantart Notes

Tumblr

Other

[dawnajaynes32]

Much Ado About Hockadoo

Much Ado About Hockadoo

By Tom Wachunas

   …There comes a time when muddy waters run rough /There comes a point when a man has had enough /Like a friend who always stands by me/ Memphis Knows Me /Memphis Shows Me / How this life just has to be… - lyrics from “Memphis Lives in Me”

   After seeing the opening night Players Guild performance of Memphis,I was finally convinced that director and actor/singer Jon Tisevich must have some sort of virus. Furthermore, he consistently passes it on to his superbly versatile cast members who sing, dance, and act with often thunderous ebullience. They’re clearly all too eager, indeed grateful to be infected. It’s a viral tendency you could call the personification of unbridled passion. Combined with the sizzling live eight-piece band under the direction of keyboardist Steve Parsons, and the hot-stepping, hip-swiveling choreography by Michael Lawrence Akers, Memphis is a show that will rattle your rafters and send your heart soaring.  

   This Tony Award- winning musical (book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan) was partly inspired by Dewey Philips, one of the first white disc jockeys to play black music for white audiences in Tennessee during the 1950s. Here we meet Huey Calhoun, a white, ninth-grade dropout with dreams of being a star radio (and later TV) host who wants to turn the whole world on to black R&B music (or “race music” as it was disparagingly called by whites). His passion for the music is matched only by his love of Felicia, a beautiful black singer he meets at an underground club owned by her brother, Delray. 

    The dramatic tension in this story springs from the romance between Felicia and Huey in a place and time fraught with racial bigotry, and significantly underscored here by Delray’s stern objections to Huey’s pursuit of Felicia. As Delray, Mark Dillard is a towering presence who turns in a genuine and at times chilling portrait of a pragmatic custodian of his sister’s career interests while remaining her militant protector.

   As Felicia, Joy Ellis is absolutely stunning. She deftly balances a complex array of sensibilities. They range from fierce independence and sassiness while basking in the warmth of love, to festering woundedness, and uncertainty about her future with Huey. It all comes out with heartrending sincerity and electrifying urgency when she sings “Make Me Sronger,”  “Colored Woman,” and “Love Will Stand When All Else Falls.” When she was singing, I think I heard not just a voice, but a collective soul. I think I heard history. Passion personified. 

   And then there’s Jon Tisevich as Huey. Director as singer and actor. And again, passion personified.  With a soft southern drawl, he’s quirky, endearingly eccentric, even awkward, and a seemingly unlikely mentor of an aural phenomenon that would change the world of popular music. Whenever he gets excited about an idea he impulsively blurts “hockadoo!” Like Felicia, he’s at once driven and defiant, vulnerable and victorious. His powerful singing of “The Music of My Soul” and “Memphis Lives in Me” are among the most riveting, soul-stirring moments of the evening. 

   A similarly moving and startling passage transpires when Justin Woody, in his role of Gator, who was traumatized into muteness by the childhood memory of his father being lynched, suddenly finds his voice to sing a desperate call for racial peace in “Say a Prayer.” Woody’s tearful voice is an unearthly wail, a piercing, bittersweet plea to Jesus. 

        Other memorable scenes include Micah Harvey, wickedly smarmy as the white disc jockey Buck Wiley, and sounding downright lewd as he breathily announces the latest “hot hits” from Patti Page and Roy Rogers. Anthony Mitchell Jr. plays Bobby, a jittery janitor cajoled into singing on Huey’s Memphis TV show. He begins his song, “Big Love,” in a sweetly apologetic and nervous manner, but quickly enough morphs into a gyrating firebrand who brings down the house with charged vocals along with startlingly agile jumps and splits. 

   And speaking of charged, Stephanie Cargill, playing Huey’s mother, sheds her character’s bigotry in a grand way as she belts out “Change Don’t Come Easy” with all the intensity of a preacher at a revival meeting. She exhorts, “Gotta electrify!..We gonna glorify!..Come on, everybody justify!…ooh, I gotta testify!” 

   One distinction between a good theatre experience and a great one is that good theatre will invariably leave audiences pleased that they have been sufficiently “entertained.”  Great theatre certainly achieves as much, but in the end aspires to something far more edifying. 

   As Players Guild productions so often demonstrate in sublime fashion, great theatre is always kind of baptism, and in the case of Memphis,an especially immersive experience wherein we witness the ineffable power of art to inspire hope, harmony, and healing in a dissonant, fractured society. In other words, art that electrifies, glorifies, justifies.

    So hey, I’m infected. I just gotta testify.

   MEMPHIS, at Players Guild Theatre, in the Cultural Center for the Arts, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3 / 1001 Market Avenue North, Canton, Ohio / Shows Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. / Tickets $29 adults, $26 seniors, $22 for 17 and younger / Order tickets at www.playersguildtheatre.com/memphis  or call  330.453.7617

   PHOTOS from top by Michael Ayers / Joy Ellis, Jon Tisevich, ensemble

Much Ado About Hockadoo syndicated post