#hes also sweet and tech savvy and likes to be helpful. and also a nerd. also he has no powers

[tomaturtles]

I rotated Sparky really hard in my mind in a desperate attempt to free him from the oc freezer. anyway he’s Lilly’s Just Some Guy neighbor

[bluegekk0]

assuming social media like ours exists in the modern au, what kind of social media presences would each character have?

To me the modern AU is in this strange spot where I really like the idea of it taking place in early 2000s, but at the same time, I also use it for asks like these where it's much more contemporary. So I suppose it's just set in an undisclosed year depending on what I need it for haha

Vyrm strikes me as someone who'd just have a blog or account dedicated to his hobbies and only post there. He wouldn't engage with anyone past a "thank you" in response to nice comments, he'd just post about his things and then move on with his day. Most of his online presence would be that, and watching YouTube videos on things he finds interesting. He'd definitely love to watch stuff like carpet cleaning videos while in his workshop, so maybe he'd share some of these sometimes haha

Grimm is like the complete opposite, he would love to start arguments online, and he would cackle to himself at any hate comments he gets. I think he'd find it fascinating to observe how people lose their minds at the most pointless things, and if that means he has to act like an idiot to bait people into losing it, so be it. Aside from that, he'd like and comment sweet things under every single post made by Vyrm or the kids, most likely on a private account so no one from his main battleground ever reaches his family.

Hornet would find herself at home in the shitposting parts of the internet. I think she'd struggle with genuine interactions, so instead she'd communicate through memes. That, and she'd post complaining about things that bother her, likely blocking anyone who acts snarky in response so they stop pissing her off. She'd definitely be a unique character on social media lmao

Holly, again, complete opposite than Hornet. They'd be more similar to Vyrm in that their social media presence would be minimal. I think their feed would just be photos of cute animals, which they would then share to the family group chat. Maybe they'd post about the plushies they made from time to time, but I don't think they'd have the same drive to yap about their hobbies as Vyrm.

Zote's social media would be dedicated to being a jerk in the comments, most likely. Except unlike Grimm, he'd be the one getting baited all the time and then arguing about it. He'd be the type to misunderstand something, get mad about it, and then either double down or stop responding after he gets proved wrong. I think he'd avoid sharing about his interests to prevent others making fun of him, though maybe he'd follow in Grimm's footsteps and make a private account for that.

The kids wouldn't be allowed to have social media until they're older, but I decided I'd involve them in what-if situations where possible.

Lewk would have the most wholesome account right there with Holly. Since I already imagine him to be super optimistic and helpful, he'd definitely be the kind of person to comment with support under so many posts. It would be wholesome to the point some would call it fake, but no, I think he'd genuinely want to use his platform for good.

Asta would love sharing posts related to nature and travel. I think her accounts would be full of biology facts and pictures of beautiful places. But similarly to Vyrm and Holly, I don't think she'd be interested in direct interactions, just sharing her interests, with maybe occasional comments under the family's posts. She wouldn't be very active in general, I see her as someone who wouldn't be that tech savvy, instead spending most of her time outside.

I really like the idea that Milo would be a big video game nerd. Makes sense for him, he struggles to keep up with others, so he would definitely look for an escape in games where he can make himself stronger and much more capable. So his social media would be centered all around games, he's get into discussions about them, occasionally losing his cool (usually if his insecurities get in the way) but overall keeping it civil. I like the idea of him posting little clips of his own gameplays, and the rest of the family being supportive (to the point it might be a little embarrassing for him haha)

[jus-a-lil-mouse]

A quick rundown of everyone’s Guardian Characters for Shugo Phantom, my and @this-is-z-art-blog ‘s DP x Shugo Chara crossover. For @crossoverdanuary Day 5: Shell! (Because eggs have shells. It’s a stretch, I know)

DANNY

Lune - Danny’s first Guardian Character. A put-together little nerd. Lune is very smart, and loves astronomy and physics. Born of Danny’s love of learning and desire to be an astronaut.

Soul - Danny’s second Guardian Character. An outgoing superhero character. He’s born of Danny’s desire to be helpful and brave enough to do the right thing!

SAM

Blossom - A sweet, laid-back hippie who loves flowers. She is born of Sam’s passion for the environment. They aim to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

TUCKER

Jameson - A very technologically savvy James Bond-type spy. He was born of Tucker’s desire to be charismatic, clever, and talented. Jameson is cool and collected, unless there’s fancy tech around!

KWAN

Prose - A cozy knit sweater kinda guy! He’s very gentle and kind, and enjoys reading books. Born of Kwan’s love of reading and desire to be a gentle giant. He uses big words and loves to talk.

VALERIE

Clementine - Val’s first Guardian Character. A fashionable and popular gal! She was born of Val’s desire to be liked. When Val is rejected by her friend group, Clem returns to her egg while Val focuses on her other goals. Once she re-hatches, she is born of Val’s desire to like herself, so she’s Val’s biggest hype girl.

Red - Val’s second Guardian Character. Cool and serious, and very determined. She gets along well with Jameson. She is responsible and is born of Val’s desire to be more mature and “adult”.

STAR

Selenia - A studious scientist. Born of Star’s love of learning and desire to be a chemist. Very smart and gets along well with Lune! She knows most things but excels at chemistry.

DANI

Sol - Dani’s first Guardian Character, born of Dani’s desire to be Vlad’s perfect daughter. Sol’s personality changes and grows as Dani realizes the perfect daughter for Vlad is who she is on the inside and not who Vlad wants her to be.

Lun - Dani’s second Guardian Character. Born of Dani’s desire to be a little gremlin and also a little hero, Lun is stubborn and headstrong. Takes a lot after Danny because Dani really respects and adores him.

DASH

Jonas - Just a cutesy little pop singer! Very sweet and affectionate, often singing little nonsense songs. Born of Dash’s love of “girly” things, and his desire to be unashamedly himself (and loved for it).

PAULINA

Reina - Born of Paulina’s desire to be a princess. Fortunately for Paulina, Reina always expects to get what she wants. Unfortunately for Paulina, Reina also knows that a princess is polite, respectful, and responsible. They often argue but have similar tastes in everything.

EMBER

Solo - An intense rocker who is determined to get the world dancing and singing! She is born of Ember’s love of singing and wants the whole world to be able to hear Ember’s voice!

[milkytheholy1]

Drawn to you

2003Donnie x GNReader

Tmnt masterlist

Ultimate masterlist

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

Maybe it was the way you were sat: fingers curled around the pencil, hair framing your face, back hunched over as you got lost in drawing. Donnie couldn't put his finger on it, something about you, everything about you made him swoon.

The slight hum from your throat as you thought about what to draw next, the flutter of your eyelashes as they kissed your cheek each time you blinked. You were beautiful there was no arguing that, but it wasn't what drew Donnie in, at least initially.

No, the tech-savvy turtle was drawn to you by your persistence, by the way you poured yourself into your work, how you understood the need to complete something no matter how long it took.

Maybe that's why Donnie could easily understand you and you to him. Being able to know what the other was thinking without a single bit of communication. It sometimes took years for a couple to be able to do that, years of living with each other. But you and Donnie had only been dating for a few weeks, brand new, yet here you were. Sat so close to him yet so far, perched on the small couch he kept in his lab for whenever he passed out from exhaustion. Your legs curled under you, knees used as an uneven table of which to draw on.

You hadn't even noticed him staring, so caught in your imagination and determination to finish your chosen craft. He admired you in so many ways, saw you as a wise leader during dark days, an absolute Saint.

His heart soared at the sight of you. He knew from the moment his eyes met your own that you owned his heart, the beating organ inside his chest was yours and yours alone. He felt like he couldn't control it most days when he was around you. Always beating rapidly when you walked by, he sometimes mused that if his heart had legs it would be trailing behind you wherever you went.

He tried his best, his best to please you and be a good boyfriend but also a best friend. He wanted to be right by you if anything went wrong, which seemed to be a regular occurrence in their crazy life. He always made sure you were safe, the residents of New York City could wait, he had to make sure you were safe. His love, his life, his everything. As long as you were safe, he'd die happy.

Maybe it was your wit that caught his attention, you could easily beat Raph in a fight of sarcastic remarks. Or the fact that you could cook the most delicious meals ever known to mankind, fair enough they mainly lived on pizza and anything new was like a whole new world. But there was something sweet and simple knowing you had gone out of your way to cook him and his brothers a homemade meal.

Perhaps it was because you were a nerd like him, always first in line for a new comic book, buying cinema tickets at the latest screening so he could sneak in with relative ease. You'd both sit there and talk about the greater lore of a show, used to drive Leo nuts.

Maybe it was because you didn't care, obviously, he wasn't referring to your feelings of him, no. You didn't care who was watching, didn't care what people thought of you. He's lost track of how many times he's caught you and Mikey dancing like nobodies watching, which in fairness was partly true.

But here you are in his lab, you have the audacity to sit there and look so perfect without even trying, without even realising what you're doing to him. He can't help the sigh that parts through his lips, the longing look he gives you from across the couch, the twitch and inkling of a smile.

His eyes trail your face, takes note of the individual dots on your cheeks, 62 he reminds himself. He studies the fast movements of your pupils darting around the page. The tip of your tongue poking out through your lips, cute he tells himself.

Donnie finds it hard to look away from your lips, like a siren calling a sailor to shore. The ruby-red kiss of the devil is what they should be renamed to he thinks, the glistening of your forming pout doing wonders for his imagination. Before confessing to you and even the idea of dating came to mind, he had dreamt about your lips. Wondering what they felt like, how they tasted, would it be as good as he thought it would be?

He was happy when he finally got to answer those questions, over the moon with joy the first time you touched lips. He wouldn't mind doing it again he muses, eyes still glued to the plump flesh. A groan vibrates through his chest, shakes the foundations of his throat. The sound catches your attention, big eyes gazing at him, nothing but love and curiosity.

"You okay, Donnie?"

Your voice was hush, smooth like butter on a hot knife. He loved the sound of your voice, would replay it in his head on loop late at night when he struggled to sleep. He'd easily be able to find you in a crowd just from your voice alone.

You call him again, your expression was more concerned, worried even. Donnie smiles at you, his hand wraps smoothly around your own, mind wandering to thoughts of how truly lucky he was. Finding you was like finding a needle in a haystack, one of a kind.

He thinks back through the last few minutes, goes over every reason he can think of as to why he was drawn to you. But he can't just pick one. He smiles again at you, putting your nerves at ease and later to rest. He leans over to you and presses his lips against yours like he wanted to do. Felt the warmth of you, the taste of you. He loved everything about you, he was drawn to you because everything just simply pointed to you and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I love you, (Y/N)."

[duskwoodraven]

Hello! Can I ask what you think of all the main characters so far? Thank you!

Hello to you too and I’d love to! ☺️

———————

Thomas

Even in the beginning I never really suspected him of anything serious, more like a man who is not afraid to get in trouble to find Hannah.

He annoys me somewhat with how secretive and evasive he can be, and the fact that he lied to us in episode 6 about going to help his family still makes me mad.

But I also sympathize with him for feeling like the group is shutting him out because they find him suspicious or not trustworthy. When in reality he had been distancing himself from his friends. He just seems like a guy who cares about Hannah deeply and wants his friends approval and companionship.

If I where to rate him on how suspicious he is from 1 to 10, it would be a 4.

Dan

Oooooh I hated him at the start 😂

He seemed so rude and terrible to his friends, he reminded me of those guys who sit at home all day and act like they know everything and everyone else is wrong. (And if it turns out he was wrong he’d throw a tantrum.)

When he didn’t show up for his first shift at Aurora I just contributed it to him being a slacker and his interest in Jessy as flakey with little seriousness.

But to see him practically wallowing in self pity at the Black Swan with whiskey had honesty made me turn a 180 on my opinion of the guy and what he values most, and that’s Jessy and his friend, Thomas. Dan was willing to get himself into legal trouble to help his friend and even votes against Lilly (who he might have been hooking up with) to have the player stay in the group because MC listened to his woes when no one else did.

Also his memes are *chefs kiss* top notch.

Suspicion rate: 1 out of 10

Cleo

I think my opinion of Cleo has stayed consistent throughout the game so far, how she portrays herself and her values has remained constant through her actions.

She gives off the vibe of a book nerd who isn’t afraid of private property laws. In other words she is nosey and nothing will stop her from the truth, plus she is very blunt and straight to the point. A persons feelings isn’t very important to her if she is trying to get information.

Maybe future updates will change my opinion on her, especially since the last time we saw her she was breaking into Aurora, but right now she is a true neutral that we haven’t seen emotionally hurt like the others, even the kidnapper stalking her twice didn’t seem to faze her.

Suspicion rate: 3 out of 10

Jessy

I love her, but I am also concerned...

When she first appeared I thought we was going to be whiny or Thomas’s secret lover. Just because of the fact that she seemed uninterested in everything.

Turns out she is very friendly and probably the only person 100% on our side that isn’t Jake. She also seems to care about the player on a deeper level then just friendship 😏

But now her actions are becoming a little unnerving, especially after the vote. She seems less trustful and more prying over the player, asking questions about Jake that makes me feel uncomfortable. I still trust her, but now there is a seed of doubt in my mind that she is hiding something.

She also seems to believe that Jake is using or threatening the player in secret, which is understandable if she cares about MCs safety. As an outside party you would of course jump to the conclusion that the scary hackerman is threatening and planning to harm your online friend. I hope for everyone’s sake that Jessy is true and genuine, because I’d be heartbroken to lose her friendship.

Suspicion rate: 5 out of 10

Richy

If Jake hadn’t captured my heart Richy probably would have. 😂

At first I was disappointed that it took so long to talk to him one on one, I enjoy his laid back attitude and realistic thinking.

Now however, the charm has turned to suspicion... For many reasons I have stated before in other posts, I believe that Richy is the most likely person to have kidnapped Hannah and so now all chats with him are over analyzed for clues.

I still think he’s funny and charasmatic, smiling through all his challenges, and even if it was him this whole time, I probably won’t hate him. He seems like he would have a reason for why he (might have) kidnapped Hannah.

Suspicion rate: 10 out of 10

Jake

Mr. Hackerman~

Have I mentioned that I stan/simp for this boy? 😂

My adoration for this character could probably deserve its own post but to keep it short, at the beginning I thought Jake was going to be the stereotypical hacker character you see all the time in media. Mean, sarcastic, demoralizing and making fun of people who aren’t tech savvy, cold shouldered and straight up robotic.

But behold! He was none of those things 💛

I was shocked by how much personality this character actually has after we get to ask him about himself. Those moments of friendship and carding interactions without Hannah’s case getting in the way, has me hooked.

He is sweet, trustful, and capable to do what he believes is right. He cares about the player early on and their opinion of him, he is even willing to deny his feelings to keep himself and MC safe.

There is a lot of suspicion and unanswered questions rising up though. Especially at the end of the latest episode so It is getting a bit more angsty 😂

Suspicion rate: 2 out of 10

Lilly

I didn’t like her before and I don’t like her now...

She is way to shady to trust with anything right now and she knows more then she is letting on. I won’t move my opinion of her until we actually get to talk to her 1 on 1 and get the answers we need.

(Also it makes me so mad that she knew Jakes name, because Jake telling us his name was a sign of absolute trust and it felt like Lilly violated that trust by telling the whole group without Jakes permission. It was just a scummy thing to do!)

Suspicion rate: 8 out of 10

——————

and those are my thoughts 😅 I hope it makes some sense.

I apologize for not being as active as I used to be, life is just getting hectic again and this account has been put on the back burner for right now.

[kndrules]

What're some of your headcanons on other KND Sectors, like for example) A, C L, Q, W, X & Z. (You don't have to do all sectors listed)

I do have some! Mostly for Sector X, because they’re my favorite non-sector v sector. I made a comic zine about them :)

For sector X, I think this is heavily implied canon but they seem to be located in New Orleans. Given that, I think Angie is Creole and speaks it fluently. Which helps her cuz I ship her w numbuh 69 from sector F (a ship that @socksandbuttons created), so knowing a language based on French helps them talk to each other. In general, I think the 3 operatives of sector X are very close friends who care about each other a lot but might have funny ways of showing it.

headcanons for each of them separately:

Numbuh 78: Trans girl and lesbian with a very loud Y2K-futurism inspired style (like this, or like this). While she’s the sector leader, she’s also got a particular talent for coding and hacking. She loves making her own video games or other digital based artwork- as a teenager she’s a streamer, and as an adult she’s a professional coder that makes games on the side. She’s very smart, responsible and savvy, but still playful and extroverted. When she’s a teenager, she has a large role in the TND, programming advanced 2x4 tech, like VR headset training.

Numbuh 42: Nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns exclusively. Nerd, obviously, and will always be sort of thoughtless and a touch self-centered like they were in the show canon...also whiney. But I LOVE them. I saw fandom decided their name was Teddy so I go by that, I like it. They’ll probably choose a different name to go by instead as they figure out their identity. Tho they are the 2x4 tech operative of the sector, they have a particular interest in bioengineering and botany- things like biology and chemistry, less interested in mechanical sciences. They’ve got a green thumb and love to garden recreationally. They’re part of a KND community garden program that provides food to kids in need. Teddy is sweet and shy, with a big heart despite their short-sighted nature. In middle school, they dated Hoagie briefly, but the two realized they were better as just friends. As an adult, they become a research scientist and active environmentalist who’s dedicated to mutual aide.

Numbuh 34: Everyone thinks hes the token straight cisgender friend until late in high school when he comes out as gay. I go by the name the fandom has given him, which is Charles. He’s strong but soft-spoken, kind of a gentle giant archtype. Stern, but only because he cares. He’s a sports guy, mostly because his parents pressure him to be- but regardless he’s an incredible athlete who mostly does football. His strict, conservative family is why it takes him so long to come out, even to himself. The fact that his two best friends are both transgender and gay helps him, because it means he has an open mind and constant support. He has a crush on Teddy. I haven’t decided what he does as an adult, I don’t think he pursues sports professional.

Angie and Teddy have regular co-op gaming sessions with Hoagie and Maurice. The four of them play, like, Overwatch and Fortnite.

I’ve got some headcanons for Sector W, but I would like to refine them a lot more. It’s been too long since I’ve thought about them.

But I like Sonia and Lee as a couple OR as best friends. Honestly.....I don’t see why they cant be both! Lee strikes me as a trans boy, as a trans man myself. I should think about them more and come back to this.

I can tell you love Sector W a lot, so I’d be very interested to hear your headcanons about them!

Otherwise.....I have put some thought into Sector F, but not much. And I really particularly love Sector C and Sector J, but I don’t have headcanons to speak of yet.

I’m sorry I spent so much time just talking about Sector X but....I REALLY love them!!

It’s really awesome that you’re so interested in KND side characters and background characters, it’s one of my favorite things as well. One of the best things about KND is how big the world is and how infinite the possibilities with characters are.

[mimipippin]

Nightland Friends

decided to write up short introductions for the nightland friends, both to get a feel for them and for an anon asking ^^ Moon Archer  She is a kind, friendly girl with a love for baseball and unraveling government secrets. She has many interests, including fashion, paranormal stuff, and true crime. She isn't overly extroverted, but she is happy to meet new people! She has a strong sense of justice, and she is rather protective of her friends. She would rather not resort to violence, but she isn't the last to get her hands dirty if those whom she loves are in danger. She has a great sense of humour and is a glee to be around, emanating a gentle, safe aura. While she loves her friends, she also likes solitary baths and reading crime novels. She has a very sweet tooth, and she is a milkshake maniac! She is childhood friends with Erhard and they hang out a lot, they're able to talk about anything to eachother. Marabel and Elmer are her new friends, and although she's not entirely sure how to approach Elmer yet, she's getting along with Marabel very well, loving her unique personality! Her weapon of choice is a baseball bat.

Erhard Srilshen He is half dragon, half human! He is the most empathic of the four, he is extremely kind and patient, and he spends a great deal of time thinking about human psychology and sociology. He always has some encouraging words, and he loves to laugh at pretty much anything. Some would say he's a pushover, and while in some cases it is true, he - much like Moon - will stand up for what he believes in. He makes friends extremely easily, why people flock so much to him always leaves him puzzled. He is a soothing and safe presence to be around. In touch with his dragon heritage, he hoards game consoles and neon signs. He is super tech savvy and great in many programming languages, dabbling in all sorts of information technology. In his free time he messes around on the synthetizer or plays video games when he's not chilling with friends. His best friend is Moon, whom he is quite often the impulse control of. They can always count on eachother! He is becoming friends with Marabel easily (they share some pretty sweet beats), and he's getting through to Elmer slowly. His weapon of choice is fire and hacking.

Marabel Wilson  Blessed with psychic powers, she may seem a little strange and distant sometimes, she is the complete opposite of any assumptions you'd have about her. She seems mysterious and a lone wolf, but she actually loves her friends a great deal and is always ready to share whatever she has on her mind with them. She's not much of an advice giver, but her jokes and seemingly endless source of weird knowledge will make for a fun conversation always, not to mention her great hugs. She often wanders the forests of Nightland hunting for cryptids, and when she finds one, she tries to either befriend it or have a psychic battle with it. She has an excellent memory and a keen eye for details, so she makes quite a great detective. She collects butterflies and bugs and has a goal to have Nightland's biggest collection. She experiments with music quite a lot and asks for other people's critique constantly. She has great affection for Moon, she supports her and she will always help her out on her conspiracy investigations. She makes sweet music with Elmer and are already getting along amazingly. As for Elmer, she likes getting a reaction out of him, even though it's not always easy. She also wants to see just what is going on inside his head. Her weapon of choice is psychic powers and throwing dirt.

Elmer Hawkins  Elmer is a seemingly mysterious, rather closed off and serious fellow who tries to keep his distance. He is known to have connections in almost every shady circle and is the main source of intel on all the gossips and affairs surrounding Nightland. He likes to act rather dangerously (to himself), just for the thrill of it. He doesn't allow himself to have fun with others at any times, but also simply has never made close friends before. Strangely, he instantly replies every message he gets and is always on the premise when the others need him, but this is totally not because he actually likes hanging out with them. He acts important and busy, but is actually rather offended inside when he's not invited somewhere. When he's not doing something extremely mysterious and cool, he reads all kinds of literature or watches movies. He's also a sucker for writing original stories in which he shamelessly self inserts and makes up complex crime stories, but he would absolutely never show these texts to anyone. He's really a big fuckin nerd. He and Moon sorta just awkwardly stare at eachother, while Marabel tries to get in his head, deep down he kinda wishes he knew how to make friends like a normal person and wants to get to know them more. Erhard seems to see through him, which makes him both extremely uneasy and sort of happy.

[countessofsnark]

Snarky Recap - Thunderbirds Are Go: ‘The Man From TB5′

The One Where TAG Meets 007.

This episode takes us to a quiet moment on Tracy Island where Mother Hen Scott is apparently babysitting the Terrible Two. You can tell Scott is in a good mood because he’s letting Gordon sit on their father’s desk like an overgrown toddler - while Alan is seated nearby, fiddling with a tablet.

The peace and quiet is interrupted by a phone call from a very smartly dressed Lady Penelope. Cue Gordon’s ears perking up like an excited lap dog’s. Bless this precious squid boy and his eternal Penny crush.

‘Did I hear party? Do you need a date? I can be there in no time.’ Gordon shamelessly inviting himself. Also, maybe it’s time you went and took a few cues from the Flirt Sensei of Tracy Island, who happens to be sitting right next to you.

‘Thank you, Gordon. But I already have a date.’ Who is clearly quite thrilled to be here. 

GORDON’S FACE. I AM DEAD. 

‘BUT I AM THE OBVIOUS CHOICE.’ Modesty is a lovely virtue, Gordo. Sounds like someone should listen to a certain Kendrick Lamar song to get their feet back on the ground.

Guess who will be taking over space monitoring duty?

Yep, this day simply couldn’t get worse for poor Gordon. And just when Alan is being smug about Gordon’s bad luck...

‘And who do you think is taking him up there?’ Sounds like the Terrible Two are going on a little space adventure. *rubs hands*

Cut to what would be an impossible feat of architecture in our world, but not so in the TAG future. 

Brains popping up to inquire about the 007 worthy gadget tux he made for John only to be told that it fits just fine.

‘But didn’t you notice all the cool hidden functions? Like the secret radio in your collar!’ Poor Brains. He should’ve known that Serious Space Trash was not going to be interested in all that high tech spy stuff.

John’s illusion regarding the scale and privacy of the event is about to be shattered in 3, 2, 1...

‘International Rescue. I have a situation’ THE GLORIOUS AWKWARDNESS THAT IS JOHN TRACY. ASDFGHJKL.

‘Communications is my job, I talk to people all over the world. I’d just rather do it from space.’ We are all John. Fellow introverts, unite. Separately. 

Bernard Bottomsley: ‘Lady Penelope! You do like to elevate a party.’ OH DEAR, SOUND THE BAD PUN KLAXON.

Enter Brains giving John a ‘tour’ of his high tech tux.

‘And did I mention the cufflinks?’

‘Will they make me invisible to crowds?’ Aww John. 

The exact moment you realise people are staring at you not because you're a socially challenged and smartly dressed spaceman but because you were just talking (in)to your suit. I CANNOT HANDLE JOHN BEING SOCIALLY AWKWARD IT IS SIMPLY TOO MUCH PLEASE SEND HELP.

Meanwhile, back on Tracy Island, the Terrible Two are prepping for space monitoring duty. And so far things are going just fine.

‘But why not take John’s way up?’ Well, Gordon, you’re about to find out. The answer is called sassy!EOS.

‘EOS, lower the space elevator, please.’

I’M AFRAID I CAN’T DO THAT, GORDON.

‘Voice print not recognized. Palm print not recognized - bit dirty don’t you think? Try the facial scanner.’

Followed by... ‘Hair style not recognized. And not very stylish.’

Gordon: ‘We speak of this to no one.’ 

Me: *CACKLING*

Back to Penelope’s posh party, where John being himself just managed to shut down a cringe-worthy conversation.

And then there’s this unlikely detective duo. Sherbert, the stumpy nosed Watson to Parker’s savvy Sherlock. BLESS. They're about to make a very important and dangerous discovery.

But up in orbit, the Terrible Two are facing some trouble of their own.

EOS taking her sweet time to open the airlock. While sounding every so concerned about the boys’ safety.

Gordon is not impressed. GORDON’S FACIAL EXPRESSIONS CONTINUE TO SLAY ME. OH MAN WHAT IS THIS EPISODE EVEN.

Just when they thought they could finally enter Thunderbird 5... HI, I DIDN’T HEAR YOU SAY THE MAGIC WORD.

Alan has had enough and proceeds to call John. ‘Your housekeeper would like an access code.’

A clearly exasperated John: ‘The code is EOS let them in or I’ll swap your processors with a pocket calculator.’ BA-ZIN-GA.

The party, meanwhile, has moved on to the main bidding event. Before long, however, a familiar face reveals his master plan to rob the guests. Ah, the Hood. Should’ve known you couldn’t resist crashing this party. (No pun intended)

‘Who exactly are you?’

THE NAME IS TRACY. JOHN TRACY. *James Bond theme intensifies*

You count on Parker to cause a suitable distraction to allow John to stealthily sneak outside.

Not a spy mission, eh 00-Trash?

Tracy Island and Thunderbird 5 begin to notice that something is off when they can’t reach John. Time for Kayo to shine. MY QUEEN. *chinhands*

Just how desperate do you have to be when you take tight-rope walking a glacier over those crowds. Oh John.

The Hood is about to conclude business when Mr Bottomsley attempts to be a hero but fails miserably, thus setting off the laser cutters while the Hood and his henchmen graciously vacate the premises.

MAGNETS. HOW DO THEY WORK.

Just when you’d forgotten about that jamming bubble... Kayo losing control had me on the edge of my seat there.

‘If my ship is useless, I’ll just lose my ship.’ YASSS STEALTH QUEEN, SLAY IT.

Penny giving Bottomsley a lesson in humility and responsibility. So much female badassery going on, my poor feels can’t take it.

Fast forward to Kayo picking off the Hood’s accomplishes one by one before disabling the Hood’s scheme. Majestic, absolutely majestic. Something tells me that getting on Kayo’s bad side (for instance during That Time Of The Month) would most certainly land you in the Tracy Island infirmary.

And then there’s the following piece of brilliant dialogue:

John: ‘Any suggestions on how to bring down a ten tonne rock?’

Lady P: ‘Surely you have something up your sleeve?’

It’s interesting to see that even though Kayo once again managed to thwart the Hood’s plans, he can’t seem to legitimately hurt her. Just an angry shove and he’s off. Family ties are still strong and that’s a very intriguing observation IMHO.

John’s laser antics may have stalled the inevitable but not for much longer...

Penny and Parker helplessly looking on as the chateau and our heroic Space Trash plunge into the icy depths.

But have no fear, big bro Scott is here!

‘I got you... party boy.’ EHEHEHEHE. They’re not gonna let him live that one down for a looooong time to come.

‘Thanks, Scott. Just put me down anywhere.’ *Scott moves closer to the crowded platform* ‘ANYWHERE BUT HERE’ *John climbs further up the grappling cable*

UGH JOHN STAHP.

Skip to... Tracy Island, where EOS ‘has something she’d like to say’. And sounding genuinely remorseful, it seems. *cough cough*

Brains scooting off to improve the tux’s gadgets. NERD.

Penelope suggesting she forward the dozens of messages inviting the mystery hero to a party as a chance to see the world, which is countered by John saying that the world looks just fine from Thunderbird 5. Comfort zone: re-enabled. AWW SPACE TRASH. *chinhands*

This was hands down one of the best episodes in the history of TAG so far. Maybe even made it into my personal top 5. What a ride! Penny being her usual glamorous badass self, Parker and Sherbert cooperating like a quirky detective duo, our socially challenged ginger space spy having to battle both the Hood and a crippling fear of crowds. Oh my feels. *hugs mug of ginger tea*

[aion-rsa]

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Review

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This Spider-Man: Miles Morales review contains spoilers.

At the dawn of a new console generation, Insomniac Games brings us the PlayStation-exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, a continuation of the studio’s excellent Marvel’s Spider-Man. It’s a full-bodied game with a compelling, emotional story at its heart, and while much of the game will feel familiar to those who have played its predecessor, the storytelling and characters have a distinctive tone that sets the game apart.

The story picks up one year after the conclusion of the first game, with teenage hero Miles Morales sitting under Peter Parker’s proverbial learning tree, helping the OG webhead keep New York City safe and learning on the job. When Peter goes on holiday with Mary Jane to Europe, Miles is left as the city’s sole protector, and it’s not long before he’s put to the test. Urban warfare breaks out between shady tech corporation Roxxon and a mysterious mastermind named the Tinkerer. Throughout the game’s campaign, we follow Miles as pushes himself to the breaking point to keep the peace.

What I appreciated most about the story is that it’s deeply personal and more culturally in tune with New York City’s diverse communities. Outside of his superheroics, Miles is anchored by his city council-campaigning mom, Rio Morales, his social media-savvy best friend Ganke, and his “other best friend” Phin, with whom he built an “energy converter” at the tech academy they attended (they’re…giant nerds).

Some of the best games released this year have featured people of color in prominent roles, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is no exception, boasting a diverse and fleshed out cast. Miles and his mom move from Brooklyn to Harlem at the story’s outset, and it’s clear the developers took the time to ensure that the game reflected what these neighborhoods and communities are all about. The game’s title screen features a close-up of Miles’s 6-inch Timbs on an NYC subway, at one his mom buys them dulce de coco while out on the street, and on several occasions we see residents of Harlem calling Miles’s Spider-Man “OUR Spider-Man.” I’ve got absolutely nothing bad to say about Peter Parker or the mainline Spider-Man franchise, yet it’s such a joy to see blockbuster superhero stories being told that don’t revolve around white men.

It’s important to note that this review is based on the PlayStation version of the game. While the graphically enhanced PS5 version will undoubtedly look spectacular, I’ve got to say that this game already looks dazzling on current-gen hardware. The New York Cityscape from the first game is as picturesque as ever, except this time you get to see the city blanketed in snow, with Miles swinging up and down Manhattan in the wintertime as the city readies for the holidays. 

The game looks smoother and more refined than its predecessor. Lighting, shadow effects, and texture quality seem to have been improved, but what really stands out is the animation. Insomniac did a great job with character animations in the first game (the game’s excellent motion blur effects aid this greatly), and the studio has managed to push things even further. Characters move and gesture more naturally than ever before. Miles’s movement reflects his personality and age in an interesting way, too–he’s less confident and experienced than Peter, so his swinging and fighting are a bit less elegant and slightly more awkward.

The animation is of course driven by the gameplay, which is fundamentally the same as what we saw in the original game but sees some interesting tweaks, particularly in regards to enemy encounters. While Peter Parker’s three skill trees were “Innovator,” “Defender,” and “Webslinger,” which focused on combat, evasion, and traversal, respectively, Miles’s three trees are “Combat Skills,” “Venom Skills,” and “Camouflage Skills.”

“Combat Skills” improve melee attacks and give you perks that shorten cooldown times, allow you to perform more effective disarm techniques, and more. “Venom Skills” harness Miles’ newly acquired “Venom Power,” which allows him to charge objects and fry enemies with crackling bolts of electricity that can break through armor, take down gigantic foes like the rampaging Rhino, and even launch Miles and his enemies high into the air (this affects traversal as well). “Camouflage Skills” revolve around Miles’s other new ability, to turn invisible for a period of time, with the various skills in the tree bolstering your ability to take enemies out stealthily.

Miles’s venom power and camouflage abilities help enemy encounters stand out from the first game while maintaining the same fluidity of combat that Insomniac perfected in the original. The combat system isn’t without its flaws, though. For example, things can get a little messy and too cluttered when a ton of enemies are all lunging and shooting at you at once, which can make it almost impossible to follow the action or discern what the Spider Sense indicators are telling you. A few of these hectic action sequences resulted in my death, which felt a little cheap, but turning invisible also saved my ass numerous times in tense situations. Overall, though, the combat is on par with what you’ve come to expect from this franchise. The stealth elements were also a blast to mess around with, especially in combination with the venom powers.

Release Date: Nov. 12, 2020 Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PS5 Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Genre: Action-adventure

There are a multitude of missions and tasks to complete around the city, including enemy base takeovers, hidden enemy caches, and ability trials that earn you new skills. I loved the latter—Peter set up the trials for Miles, and his commentary during these sections via “hard-light” hologram is hilarious.

The game also offers a new way to accept missions in the form of a social media app Ganke creates where civilians in need can connect with Miles directly. There’s also a “Social Feed” tab that’s been added to the pause menu where you can read comments from people around the city and watch Rio Morales interact with her supporters as she campaigns for city council. It’s a supplemental feature that you can choose to ignore, though it does help flesh out the game world. I appreciated Insomniac’s commitment to making New York feel alive with activity and social interaction, and it definitely added to my experience in a good way.

But again, what truly makes Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales such a worthwhile experience is the story, and it unfolds nicely, with a central plot twist that isn’t simply meant to surprise you—it adds depth to the narrative and raises the emotional stakes about as high as they can get. This is a story about New York’s marginalized communities, embracing one’s true self, and the sacrifice it takes to exceed expectations.

I’ll try to avoid spoilers here, but I do have one major gripe with the storytelling. One of the main character arcs in the game feels disingenuous and unearned, especially toward the end of the game. The story sets this character up nicely in the beginning and conveys a clear sense of who they are, but the way they behave at the end of the game just feels too extreme and doesn’t make much sense. This wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it definitely left me scratching my head.

Insomniac created one of the best superhero games of all time in Marvel’s Spider-Man, and all of the things that made that game great are still present in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Swinging around New York is as exhilarating as ever, and the new weather effects Insomniac has implemented — a brutal thunderstorm late in the game is a standout — look fantastic and a bit more depth to the game world.

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One of the geekier appeals of the original game was the array of unlockable costumes, and the feature returns with even more awesome costumes for Miles to don. His version of the 2099 costume is one of my favorites, as is the Into the Spider-Verse suit, which is sure to please fans of the runaway 2018 hit movie.

There are a ton of surprises and tie-ins to the first game that are revealed as you play Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales which I can’t reveal here, but it’s safe to say that Insomniac isn’t anywhere near done telling this story. I had a great time with the game, and while some will probably complain that the campaign is a tad short, I respectfully disagree. It took me around 16 hours to complete the main story (I often got lost in side missions and aimless swinging on the way), and this honestly felt like the sweet spot length-wise. The story felt tight with little filler, the gameplay never grew stale, and I enjoyed myself from beginning to end.

The post Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Review appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[sandersbayhq]

[Daniel Schuester] ✖ [36] ✖ [heterosexual] ✖ [the academic]

dob: june 26 occupation: professor at university of sander’s bay face claim: jamie dornan pronouns: he/his

When Danny was little, his parents used to take him on visits to the school they both worked at. He liked the atmosphere, and as a little kid – the staff room was the weirdest but most amazing thing in the world. He saw how hard his dad worked grading papers and assignments, and often times offered to help as he got older. Due to the visits, it came to him rather early in life that he wanted to go into teaching.

It wasn’t until his first year of college however, that Daniel decided he wanted to become a college professor. He got a job as a TA, and it quickly became a goal of his to work at the college he had applied to.

It took 6 years, a major in education and a minor in Composition, to graduate. He applied avidly to the college, and due to his position as a TA for those 6 years, he managed to get one as a part time professor rather quickly. He taught a couple of composition classes, helping students really learn to hear the music they were trying to make before playing it. It was a challenge, but it was a blessing in disguise. After three years of doing that, he transferred departments for a full-time position and has been preparing students to become educators ever since.

His schedule is hectic with marking, classes and helping with the schools varsity soccer team; but he likes having his weekends off and is always available for his family’s Sunday night dinners.

Daniel, being the oldest, is very protective of his younger siblings. He wants them to do the best they can, and be the best versions of themselves. However, their happiness is the most important thing to him, and as long as they’re happy – he’s happy.

Despite the fact that Daniel was raised in a house where singing was happening often – he can’t sing, and it’s his biggest shame. He can speak Spanish well, but singing is not his forte.

He bought a condo after getting his first Full-Time position, knowing that a house would be too much for him to keep up with. However, to give himself something to do when he’s bored, he has about a dozen house plants that he tends to like clock work.

He likes to think he’s tech savvy, and has a ‘office’ as a spare room. Meaning, he has a desk with an expensive gaming computer set up, along with a futon that he’s had since his second year of college. When he’s not tending to his plants, grading, or spending time with his family, he can be found at his computer playing games.

He visits the gym at the college once a day as he finds it keeps his mind active and if he has a fit body – he feels better about himself.

Daniel isn’t a stranger to hookups, but is trying to slow down with them, since the last time he went in Tinder he ended up swiping on someone who later became one of his students.

He gets 6 weeks vacation every year and is debating taking the summer off to go traveling. He hasn’t decided if he wants to, or if he should take that time to update his apartment.

He has a cat named Hummus because he’s an orange tabby. Hummus belonged to an elderly neighbour of his that he used to be close with. When she died, her son gave Hummus to Daniel because he knew that Daniel loved the cat.

Daniel is also a huge nerd and plays Dungeons and Dragons with a few of his work colleagues. They get together every Wednesday night to play – they shift whoever is hosting it every week, and he goes all out when it’s his day to host. He orders take out, makes appetizers, and buys 3 cases of beer in preparation.

He doesn’t mind the single life, he quite enjoys not having someone to answer to when he’s spent a whole weekend in his boxers on a discord call with his friends, but it does get lonely sometimes.

When Daniel gets beer drunk, his favourite song to sing (extremely off key) is Sweet Caroline. He gets interactive with it and acts like a Rockstar (or so he thinks).