#honestly in retrospect is it even a pun?

[overlookeds-art-hole]

one of my friends told me to draw a sans undertale bong and i obliged when i really shouldn't have

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

TBB Mini Retrospective

After my first official rewatch of the entire show, TBB is still one of the best things Star Wars has ever created imo. I LOVE TBB and it's easily one of my favorite piece of media. Alongside CW and Rebels, it's my favorite thing from SW. Tbf, I've always loved the animated shows more than the live-action stuff. I still love the movies, but the animated shows always seem to hit me just right in the feels.

When I look back, there are so many episodes I have a deeper appreciation for and there is literally no filler. Every episode serves a purpose. While the content might not be as exciting as any episode where Cross shows up, there is still a reason for its existence. "Metamorphosis" is definitely one of my personal favorites on rewatch. I honestly think looking at the first two seasons now vs back then makes them more enjoyable for me. It's nice to catch the little references, musical leitmotifs, and rest assured knowing that Crosshair will be ok.

Speaking of the characters, this rewatch has made me love them even more. I love the Batch so so much and I will never stop saying that. Crosshair is singlehandedly (no pun intended) one of the greatest SW characters ever in recent years. He has a beautifully realized redemption arc and I'm forever thankful for it. Seeing Omega grow up from a tiny munchkin to a lovely young woman also hits my feels. And Tech. I miss him so much. I had much deeper appreciation for Echo's journey as well and I wish we got more of it. Wrecker is ever the gentle giant and I admit I've gotten along better with Hunter than in previous rewatches of the first two seasons (this was prior to S3's release).

Overall, TBB still stands strong. Compared to Rebels and CW, it's much more serialized but I don't think that's a bad thing. There is a lot of story being told and I wish we got more time to delve into it. I loved exploring how the galaxy changed post Order 66. I loved seeing old and new faces. I loved learning more about the clones' story. I loved the music and animation. Most importantly, I just loved being CF99. They have a fun dynamic and they will always be my fave SW family.

The one major, glaring flaw with this show, however, is how Tech's death was handled. I still have no words, only tears, and I hope the Domestic Batch held a memorial for him off-screen after the finale. This show has other flaws, but this one stands out to me the most and has the biggest impact on my viewing.

[canmom]

Wait is ratfic not fiction about rats???

I can talk about fiction about rats too! Let's talk about some British childrens' book series! And one American comic book.

The four relevant works for our discussion would be the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, the Welkin Weasels series by Garry Kilworth, the Deptford Mice series by Robin Jarvis, and the Mouse Guard series by David Petersen. All these works portray a world inhabited by semi-anthropomorphic animals that are at the scale of real world animals. And indeed all of them include rats, albeit mostly as antagonists.

Redwall is perhaps the one that has most penetrated internet pop culture, thanks to articles like this one on SomethingAwful which mocked some of the series's recurring elements while painting Brian Jacques as a bit of a nazi. I ate those books up as a kid, but in retrospect I truthfully can remember only snatches: the shrews' battle cry of 'logalogalogalog!', the pages of elaborate descriptions of feasts.

Redwall is a big sufferer from the 'evil races' problem. A certain arbitrary set of species (e.g. rats, stoats, weasels, ferrets) are ontologically evil, and various other species are standins for various stereotypical British social classes (e.g. iirc moles are always working class). As unfortunately tends to be the case, it even makes the strange decision to double down on this - I believe in one of the books, a member of one of the evil species is raised in the Abbey, but inevitably his evil nature comes out when the good rodents and mustelids are once again threatened by an army of bad rodents and mustelids.

Nevertheless, as repetitive and ethically dubious as these books are, they do conjour a very specific flavour which makes them memorable. The author's enthusiasm for food as child of the Blitz shines through, as does his evident love for the idyllic Redwall Abbey. There's a lot of really charming elements like the 'logalogalog' thing. Having these read out to me as kid was great, it had a bit of a panto feel, where I could join in with the expected beats.

The first Redwall book implies that humans exist in this world, but this is subsequently quietly retconned to an only-animals fantasy world.

The Welkin Weasels series is a lot shorter at six books, and you may well bounce off the author's enthusiasm to insert puns and references all over the place (I recall one book managing to set up "badgers? we don't need no stinkin' badgers"), but from what I remember of them they benefit from having more explicit horror elements which makes the stakes much more engaging. I recall the weasels trying to weasel their way into a crypt full of horrible pitfalls and finding it very tense as a kid.

There is once again a sympathetic-unsympathetic species divide - weasels are our plucky heroes, while stoats tend to be aristocratic and cruel. However, it does play out a little differently: the first three books are in a medieval fantasy setting with explicit magic, but over the course of the novels, the mustelids manage to rediscover humans, leading to a timeskip forward into a more steampunk setting where the animals and humans have built a joint society together.

Honestly, I would quite like to reread these books! They may well not hold up today, but it would be fun to revisit them.

The Deptford Mice series by Robin Jarvis - author of Deathscent, a highly memorable novel in which Elizabethans have been transported by aliens into a space archipelago where all the animals are robots which run on the four humours - is a pretty fun one, although my memory is very foggy. It's set in our world, in London, and as I recall the first book involves an evil cat wizard attempting to resurrect the Bubonic Plague from the plague pits. I recall a scene in which rats dig up the plague pit and have their paws melted by the lime coating it. Beyond that I can recall very little but I definitely think it merits inclusion in this list of rat fic.

Once again we have the good rodent/evil rodent problem. Mice and rats are almost identical creatures, so it's weird that the sympathetic/unsympathetic divide falls so consistently.

Mouse Guard is an American comic series about mice with little cloaks and swords. Making it be a comic is kind of a great idea because you get to see how cute they are at every turn. The mouse guard are responsible for defending the other mice from threats such as snakes. They have a pretty high mortality rate.

I'm... actually not super familiar with the comics, but they inspired a roleplaying game by the creators of Burning Wheel, using similar mechanics - e.g. its beliefs system, the simultaneous-resolution combat system. That got a lot of buzz around the late 2010s. So if you want a game to play as an rat at the tabletop, it's probably a good one to check out!

We might also at this juncture mention the wildly popular novel Watership Down, which imagines an elaborate rabbit society complete with a substantially fleshed out rabbit religion. I wrote about the animated film for Animation Night a couple years back - it's quite a memorable one.

Sadly, this is mostly mousefic (with a bit of weaselfic). I don't know of any true ratfic - centred on rats as protagonists. Perhaps this is an opportunity for someone out there to write ratfic ratfic to correct this imbalance.

edit: omfg i forgot the rats of NIMH. thanks to both the people who reminded me of that one

[vickyvicarious]

I love Ishmael. I remember how in retrospect Jonathan has at times a bitter sense of humor, but Ishmael begins Like That, as he's depressed from the start.

Yeah, Ishmael is such an interesting voice. Because right from the start, he's throwing his hands up and taking a break from life on land, essentially. He's had enough. He's flinging himself into whaling regardless of the many death omens warning him away danger. So we get that from him right away, but also, the narrator Ishmael is someone who has already lived through this whole awful story, and sometimes it sure does show! It adds a neat layer to some of his narration, but isn't necessary for all of that bitter humor since he had that from the start as well. (And also just. Lame puns. Ishmael loves his wordplay.)

Jonathan's bitter humor feels entirely earned within the course of the things he's suffered, and definitely doesn't all read like the kind of joke he'd have been making if he never went to Castle Dracula. (There's one line in particular I'm thinking of...) Not so with Ishmael. And honestly, I really really enjoy Ishmael's voice. His jokes are funny (especially in the way he goes for x3 combos) but also even the parts that aren't him specifically making a joke but just getting all worked up and grandiose, or judgy, or rather lackadaisical and cynical about things... it's all really engaging to read and often very funny. I had it in my head, never having read Moby Dick before, that it was a very serious slog of a tragic tale (I figured the episodic substack would help me to get through it, not that I'd be waiting around tapping my feet for more). And while there's a lot of serious and tragic stuff, this isn't a slog at all and is actively amusing too.

[monody-monody]

I recently finished my first playthrough of SOMA, and I feel like mine was an unusual experience with it…

{No spoilers in this post} Right off the bat, I already knew most of the story; I had watched an in-depth( No pun intended…) retrospective type video on it before I even got the game, but unfortunately that's just how it had to happen because it was that video that convinced me to get the game in the first place.

So I knew all of the major twists and reveals and the complicated philosophy behind them, and I honestly didn't mind that, except… None of it really challenged me philosophically. It's like it was all at least slightly below my reading level, which is weird to say about such a well-crafted existential horror game. I don't know how much of that came from having so much time to think about the concepts before playing, and how much comes from my exposure to similar concepts in other sci-fi and my own internal philosophical musings.

But I can say this: I enjoyed SOMA and I'm glad I got it. Despite it having much less player agency over gameplay than other Frictional games like Amnesia: The Bunker, it still has by far my favorite setting, atmosphere, and story of all of their games I've seen. I recommend it for anyone with even a weak tolerance for scary games and an interest in tough existential questions. Worth noting the game has a "Safe" mode which effectively disables the threat from the enemies, fantastically described as "Monsters are still creepy, but can't kill you."; this makes the game very accessible in terms of stealth skill, quick thinking, and ability to handle stressful chase/hunt scenarios.

[darsynia]

I have thought long and hard. I think you would get along so damn well with Sam Wilson, honestly, like you two would be a *terror* out on the town, just so much energy. I cannot pick a romantic ship for you that isn't Tony though, and it feels obvious? but also...somehow not the perfect fit? in a good way?

since you've described your hubs as a kind of steve rogers-esque personality, maybe he should get an honorable mention?

idk, gurl, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be...

I enjoy a swerve, and Sam is very Steve-like while being more Tony than Steve (because yes, my husband is essentially the unholy combo of Vision and Steve Rogers, relentlessly moral and deeply, embarrassingly good. I do not deserve him in the slightest and am so delighted to get to love him), if that makes sense.

Sam and I would be constantly giving each other hell, whichever the romantic version of a pun battle is without the puns. We'd end up constantly making dinner for a week as a part of a lost bet or wearing revealing panties under our day clothes as a result of a WON bet. At the same time, I think we'd be able to have a really loving supportive 'do the right thing, yeah, even if it hurts, I'll be there to help you feel better' thing. Lovely choice thank you!

And yeah, Tony and I might be TOO alike in various ways? Like if we were both Going Through It, that could get ugly REAL fast, for sure.

As for Steve, I feel like in some ways the person I am now is influenced by the core of Steveness in Husband's personality; I always hated lying, I always wanted to do the right thing, but standing up for that in ways that could lose me friends has been something I've felt empowered to do because I know he'll back me up. So in a weird way, I've become more of the kind of person Steve Rogers would be happy to be with as a result of loving someone very much like him.

And uh, frustrating Steve is something I would definitely do, and it would be so sexy um.

Edit: I do think you intended the Sam one to be platonic in retrospect but either would be fine! I just liked the journey of figuring that out, and the man is sexy as hell so whoops :D

[sirsparklepants]

My 2024 Deadclaws Fic: A Retrospective with Commentary

i'm possessive (it isn't nice)

I started out with eroguro and feral behavior for these two, my beloved, and apparently I began as I meant to go on, because I think I've written more words of sex for them than I have for any other ship. I don't know, man, sex scenes are usually difficult for me! These boys bring it out of me, I guess.

you've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice

I'm ngl, I honestly thought the reaction to this would be MUCH more negative than it was - people aren't exactly kind about smokers. However, Logan putting his cigar out on Wade's tongue and making him swallow ash is hot, and I'm glad so many people recognize that. This also contains one of my favorite sequences of description I've ever written.

Hypertrophy

My GOD, do I have feelings about how visible physical disability is treated in media. Exorcising them through porn and body worship was a really good choice.

Enabler | Dependent

I don't often lean into the dead dove with these two, but honestly, this pair of stories might be my favorite content I've written in the fandom. Not because I like the dead dove better, necessarily, but because it we really fun to push the intensity, and I think I did really well with establishing exactly the voice I wanted for the mindset I was portraying and working really well with an extra unreliable narrator.

don't go wasting your emotion

Speaking of unreliable narrator! This is probably my most strongly personal-experience influenced fic in the fandom, and maybe even that I've ever published, and I really enjoyed writing the contrast between what Logan thought was going on and the signs of what he was actually feeling.

The Way To A Man's Heart (is though someone else's stomach) | I Wanna Be Your Lover (so I'll get right with your friends)

Ah, the "fuck you, gluten-free baking is awesome and a specialized skill normal bakers can't pull off, actually" fics. I did NOT plan so much intensity of feeling with these at all, but it just felt natural to make Logan a love at almost but not not quite first sight type. Like, that's basically what he does with Jean in the OG x-men movie, right?

Papa Don't Preach

God, my baby, no pun intended. It has been a delight to combine poly relationship progression and issues with the absolute most ridiculous background details I can possibly come up with. I mean, come on. I got to make Logan ferry a recipe from one organized crime front restaurant to another to pay for his truck.

Oh shit it's an hour and ten until midnight and I haven't done the Poolverine Wrapup post I intended to do (because these motherfuckers made me write more in a year than I have since like 2020)

[katkafe]

HELLO, IVE JUST FINISHED WATCHING WEDNESDAY

because i am the biggest dumbest nerd when it comes to the addams family: ive made a crappy list of why wednesday is everything i hoped for and more and why it is absolutely fucking perfect. spoilers.

im not entirely sure on how to start slow with this one so im getting right fucking into it. enjoy reading the disaster of my thoughts on this masterpiece:

AMAZING CASTING. jenna is incredible as wednesday, catherine and luiz are the perfect morticia and gomez, i adored seeing christina ricci KICKING ASS. gwendoline christie was amazing as weems, fred armisen as fester???? lost my shit he was so perfect. i don’t think there was a single cast member i wasn’t amazed with.

no genuinely i loved all of the nevermore students

fell in love w enid so fast omg i was rooting for her so hard her arc was so awesome (her and ajax are so cute too)

rip rowan you would’ve loved wenclair

THING!!!: its not the addams family without thing, and its especially not the addams family if thing isn’t being a little shit stirrer the whole time. perfect beautiful i love him A++ 

THE WEDNESDAY/PUGSLEY DYNAMIC WAS SO ON POINT they literally have the actual best sibling dynamic

i now know that you have not lived until you’ve seen wednesday addams stuck in a love triangle. she is not a character that you would expect to have a romantic interest but now in my mind she’s just beautifully a-spec and probably demiromantic. yes obviously i love xavier.

don’t get mad at me but i don’t ship her w enid that much?? at least not romantically but hey i would not complain if we had a polycule or qpr!!!

also it was genuinely so cute to see wednesday making friends like. why was i sobbing so much when she hugged enid. holy fuck.

THE DANCE SCENE. SHES AN ICON SHES A LEGEND AND SHE IS THE MOMENT

i am referring to both her actual dancing and ofc “they couldn’t even spring for real pigs blood. its only paint.” so real.

cant even stop myself from mentioning that jenna ortega looks very hot covered in blood which happens a lot in this series. like almost every episode. jesus fucking christ i am so in love with her.

i am a huge edgar allen poe nerd so i fucking adored every little reference to his works. also the idea that he was an outcast is so real to me.

speaking of outcasts: ngl definitely could’ve come up with a better name, “outcasts” just made it sound weirdly like some awkward teen high school drama but you get used to it

wednesday’s visions were so cool??? i loved the whole goody addams thing their interactions were really cool and god i just was not expecting that at all.

ok tbh it was really weird that her name was goody, since “goody” is the puritan equivalent of “mrs.” (its short for goodwife) so idk why they did that but ok i’m still here for it

honestly in general they do a really good job of keeping you guessing. i was suspicious about almost every single character throughout the whole series. 

in retrospect i should’ve known tyler was gonna be an asshole from the start cause. i mean. his name is tyler. no offense to my tylers, but be real when have you ever seen a tv show character named tyler that wasn’t a douche. i’ll wait.

i’ve typed tyler too many times and it no longer looks like a real name

episodes are nice and long but i obviously wish the series was longer, but it was super bingable and i’m probably gonna rewatch it 3 million times until the next season inevitably comes out.

not to be dorky but i loved how every episode title was a pun w the word “woe” 

i have really horrible media literacy in the sense that i overthink EVERYTHING so to me like almost everything in that was beautifully executed symbolism and maybe it was but when i say i lost my shit when i noticed wednesday stand on enid’s side of the room and fsr thats the only example i can think of rn BUT STILL

overall 5 stars 10/10 show i cant wait for more i love the plot i love the characters i love the cast i will be recommending it to everyone ik and more

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale’s Best and worst: ML episodes.

So For this I will be going by season, Saying which episode is the Best in the season and which one is the worst.

Season 1

Best: Origins Part 2: I think it’s clear that this episode does have the best scene in the show with the umbrella scene. But this episode also showed Marinette over come her doubt and show how the dynamic of the two started. We see Marinette gain her confidence and that is amazing.

Worst: Antibug: This was a toss up originally but I think in retrospect it was obvious. It cut an episode that could have been for Sabrina, Chloe was wrong yet the episode made Marinette/Ladybug appologize. The set up was a joke and while I did enjoy the ladynoir, it can’t make up for a lack luster set up. That being said this episode is probably the only episode on the worst category I don’t full on hate, it’s just a wasted episode that could have done much better

Season 2:

Best: Darkowl: As surprising as it is, Darkowl gives a good pace, a solid reasoning for AKUMATIZATION a clever akuma, several close calls and a satisfying end. It can be a touch cringe but I think its the best written episode of the season

Worst: Frozer: Everyone is basically an asshole, and while the ice power ups and the akuma design are cool (pun intended) I just feel like this was such an unnecessary episode. It’s got cluttered writing and it’s just not fun

Season 3

Best: Oblivio: I’m constantly fluctuating between this and Chat Blanc, but in terms of the best writing and suspense, Oblivio is a better episode. It allows us to see the core of Marinette and Adrien and it’s because of this episode I didn’t give up on ML. So the power this episode has is something that I can’t ignore.

Worst: Reflekdoll: it’s like every bad decision was made when writing this episode. If the entire series was like this episode I’d call it one of the worst tv shows in existence. It’s message is poor, the akuma is lacking and the Ladynoir appears so toxic in this (which is so uncharacteristic). I’ve pontificated on this subject in length so to put it simply IT SUCKS

Season 4:

Best: Strikeback: This is the best season finale to date. High drama, high suspense, great pacing and a total shift in the story. It sets up the next season perfectly and has the second best scene in the series. I call this episode the savior of the season

Worst: Ephemeral: It finally beat out Sole crusher as my least favorite episode of season 4. I hate this episode because it’s not only full of plot holes, no one learns anything And honestly it’s sort of just an inferior version of chat blanc in every category. Even the scenes I did like feel so much more hollow, knowing that there is zero impact, and the set up for it only gets worse on rewatch. So best thing is to get the clips of the episode and skip the negatives

[doodleybugg]

i. apologize for the inactivity guys. i had a rlly bad episode recently and although im back rn i can't promise how long i'll stay JDBDHD

ANYWAYS how about we have a little update? (triggering topics such as sh, ed, etc descriptions will be in red, bold text! i'll try to keep most of the negative stuff at the bottom but no promises :/)

so i forget how long i've been gone exactly, i remember logging in some rare occasions to like and reblog a couple posts but otherwise i've been extremely M.I.A (pun very much intended) and honestly that's been a bit stressful for me.

i've had a LOT of drama in classes. yeah that's right, ya girls in uni now! and i am failing SO BAD. it's rlly hard going to school everyday, like i hate it i just wanna go back to working at a shopping mall or smth lol. but hey the map of my cities kinda set up well, being the uni is right next to a lake, and on the other side is a parking lot w mcds, circle k, chatime, etc. and next to the parking lot, like legitimately across the street, is my house. i moved back in with my mom cuz rent was getting too steep, and honestly id rather be on the streets lol

probably the biggest update ihave; i'm a did system. i got the diagnosis early december, and with a shit ton of research and help from friends who have the disorder because the doctors are no help, i'm getting comfy with the label.

if you're not sure what did (disassociative identity disorder) is, it's basically a disorder which defines the presence of two or more different persons in your mind, alike to multiple personality disorder. again, i'm not a professional, and you'd think my doctor would have given me a run down on why it meant before he diagnosed be but here's how it went:

me: hey, so i haven't looked much into the subject, but my one friend who has did was telling me about their experiences and they lined up with a lot of mine. i think i might want to go about being tested

doc: mia. you don't need to get tested, it's already in your file. we've spoken about this before?

me: ...i don't think we have?

doc:

me: so you're saying you diagnosed me with did and didn't even tell me about it?

doc: well, at least you're aware now, right?

yeah. so that's two doctors i've gone through in the past three years. i didn't throw a stressball at this one, but fuck i wanted too!!

anyways, i guess i should introduce some of my alters :)

i'm mia (she.they.fae.), the host and little, i identify with how the body looks.

enzekai (he.they.it) is the co-host and caretaker, as well as the first alter i purposefully made. kai has many sources, but his main is actually an oc of mine, cairo!

and dwelle (it.she.boo) is our resident trauma holder and nonhuman. she formed recently while i was splitting and hasn't had much time in the front. her main sources are casper from girl in pieces and cassie from skins.

i'll give everyone a better intro but i'll save that for another post!

i have gotten absolutely zero progress done in my book, the toll it takes, and i find it harder and harder to write anything but immensely sad poetry anymore. on the rare occasions i can make up some headcanons but i don't think i'll be able to write any (good) fanfics for a while now, sorry

okay, onto the bad stuff. if anything listed is triggering or unappealing, please don't read ahead: ed (anorexia), sh (cutting, self sabatoge), anxiety and depressive thoughts, suicide mentions, death mentions, and otherwise explanations of feelings like abandonment and lonliness that while, in retrospect wasn't nearly as bad as i thought so, can still be upsetting just to read.

you've been warned

recently, as mentioned above, i've just gotten out of an episode; a bad one. by gotten out of, i mean i've attached myself to select people and depend entirely on them to keep me from self harming or starving. and that's completely unfair, so i've been trying to recover. my friend @my-elysian-love is helping me immensely to eat full meals and reminding myself that i don't deserve what i think i do. i'm so eternally grateful and i can never repay any of them back <3

before my choice to try recovering though, it was getting worse. i weighed 68 pounds at 19 years old. a couple nights ago, i've cut deeper than i ever have before, and i've been stuck with this sinking feeling in my stomach that i can't quite explain. i took out all my bad feelings on people i knew and loved, and when they finally held healthy boundaries and left me to my own devices so i couldn't hurt them, i took everything out on myself. i know, real remus lupin move haha.

but that wasn't fair. and even now i still feel bad, i still hate myself for what i said and did, for how i acted and it scares me how easily people are forgiving me. because i said some messed up shit while i was splitting, and that's not an excuse. and i just keep thinking it's only a matter of time before i blow up again, and maybe i'll be worse next time. maybe people won't come back, and i can't honestly blame them because i'm fucked. and as scared as i am, i'm grateful. or maybe it's just selfish. selfish because i just hate when nobodies around for me to love, to love me back. but i'm still terrified. it's hard to change up my thinking, but i'm trying. i'm trying rlly hard and i just hope that it's enough.

i'm a couple hours clean for self harm, and yesterday i didn't technically eat a full meal like i was supposed too (my older sister got mad at me and wouldn't let me eat anything). i had multiple cookies, a fruit roll up, two cups of tea, a packet of uncooked ramen noodles, a bite of a chicken finger and also i drank water! just water! for the first time in a while.

i hate that it took me fighting with everyone i loved to the point where i didn't even need to push them away anymore, they went willingly, and having multiple panic attacks in public restrooms to finally start on the road to recovery. it is so fucking hard, it's really hard. but fuck, it's worth it to see my friends happy. to not detect worry in their eyes and to believe it when @my-elysian-love says they love me (again i'm so sorry for spamming you aaa). it's worth it to finally eat cinnamon buns again, and drink tea with real sugar, not cal free sweetener. i get a shit ton less headaches cuz i don't constantly need to count cals anymore, and i haven't passed out of dehydration in 2 whole days. ik people without eds are probably like "wtf is this bitch on about?" and that's what i'm talking about. recovery is never the same as sobriety, but it's the next best thing. and i might still struggle with my body or cover up with baggy clothes sometimes but at least i'm alive to do so. cuz a while ago i was too close to death.

i attempted to kill myself again. this time by starving and eating a buncha pills. i'm lucky cuz it didn't work, and i'm still alive. i can only think of what would've happened if it didn't work. if the last. thing i did was tell someone i loved and cared about that i didn't care if they were dead. that the last thing i did was get mad at them for feeling for someone else the same way i felt for them. yk, bpd moments ✨. but i'm glad i lived to apologize and now i'm trying to recover. and ig that's all the updates i have rn

[deathbidean]

my destiel fic recs pt.2

i have binged too many fics since my last recommendation so here’s more that i absolutely love!!

Sing a Song of Sex Puns - Persephoneshadow : That one verse where Dean and Cas are good at talking during sex but not about the fact they're having sex. as the name suggests, it’s a heckload of smut. but goddamn it’s so cute and silly and sweet!! you will be screaming at these two idiots i swear!!

Love: A Retrospective - xylodemon : Pretending Cas is just his friend has been the only thing keeping Dean's head on straight for years. He never realized how much doing that depended on him making himself scarce in the morning ─ not until Cas came back and moved into the bunker. basically a run through dean and cas’ relationship throughout the series but better. oh so beautifully written and painfully romantic and sad

before knowing remembers - dothraki_shieldmaiden :  Memory believes before knowing remembers. There's something that Dean's missing. He's almost sure of it.15.04 coda. holy shit, HOLY SHIT!! this fic is so good and beautifully written and intricate and gahhhh it’s just so damn good

As Only Saints Have Listened - clockworkrobots : “I love you,” he'd said. (12.12 coda). you want pain? you want hurt? well here you have it. again, just absolute stunning writing, i have no words

IPAMIS OL OLPRIT -emmbrancsxxo : The Winchesters, Castiel, and Jack discover the Men of Letters hid away a weapon that may be able to kill Michael. The only problem: it can only be used with John Winchester's blood. When Rowena performs a spell to temporarily bring John back, Dean runs into another problem. His father doesn't approve of his angel, and Castiel isn't too impressed with John either. no no you don’t understand - i reread this the other day and fuck, i forgot how good it is!! prepare to scream in frustration and just generally love this!!

Professional Couples Only - saltyfeathers : There's a haunted apartment building in Vermont, and the ad says "Professional couple only". Dean and Cas rise to the occasion. y’all,,,, Y’ALL!!! the frickin fic will be the death of me holy shit!! it’s just!! it’s!!! idiot cas and dean and it’s pure goodness!!!

for a sinner released - dothraki_shieldmaiden : Testing his theory, he runs his fingers over the soft skin of Dean’s wrist, until his thumb is pressed firmly against Dean’s hammering pulse. Cas pulls, gently but inexorably, until Dean is forced to take a step forward. The shift in positioning pushes the barrel of the gun into his forehead. Cold metal touches overheated skin, and Cas inhales sharply at the contrasting sensations. The gun is unforgiving, relentless, beautiful. It’s like Dean. oh oh oh y’all are gonna like this one. i’m not big on endverse fics but holy shit, this one is amazing. mean in places but still sweet!

protect and serve - dothraki_shieldmaiden : Police officer Dean Winchester's next assignment seems easy enough: a protection detail on Assistant District Attorney Castiel Novak, who's been receiving death threats in conjunction with the case that he's prosecuting. Dean's assignment is to keep ADA Novak safe, alive, and in one piece so that he can start his trial against Dick Roman, notorious CEO charged with the death of at least eight people. With threats that quickly spin out of control, a missing teenage genius, Dean's attraction to Novak, and Novak's mercurial attitude towards Dean--Dean Winchester's next assignment is anything but easy. who doesn’t love a good police/protector au?? ughhh i love this one so goddamn much!! the characters!! the plot!! the tension!!!

the taste of gravel in the mouth - deathbanjo : This is what Cas gave up Heaven for: greasy diner food, shitty motel rooms with even shittier cable, long car rides spent in complete silence except for the same six tapes playing over and over again, and a burnt-out husk of a man who can barely hold a conversation anymore. this. this hurts. it’s beautiful and stunning and all around amazing. but it hurts.

and all this devotion - dothraki_shieldmaiden : Dean’s not stupid. He’s seen the looks Cas has aimed his way, when Cas thought he wasn’t paying attention. He’s leveled his share of looks back at Cas when the angel’s attention was elsewhere. More than once, he’s been caught in the act. At this point, they’re both dancing around the same elephant, too scared and caught in their ways to make the first move.OR: Dean gets hurt on a hunt. Cas takes care of him. There's only one bed. Confessions ensue. so so so cute!!!! holy shit i love this one so goddamn much!! touch-starved idiots and sweetness

too much - quiettewandering : “There’s too much of your mother in you,” John used to say. Too much empathy. Too much love. It’s what got her killed, after all. hurt hurt hurt! honestly, FUCK john winchester! but seriously, this fic is so good and the characterisation of dean and his self-worth issues is so beautifully written and tragic

i could probably continue for days about these fics and various other ones but i shall save that for another post! if y’all want more, i have plenty to recommend and that everyone should read because they’re just so good!! enjoy and please binge all the fanfics you can!! Xx

pt.1 , pt.3

[canonskyrissian]

roleswap au: 3, 4

thanks minna ♥️ I had to reread both fics to get a definitive answer xD it was hard! there was a lot of good stuff, especially in clashes!

3: What’s your favorite line of narration?

from another kind of hope:

The three of them sat in silence for a long time after that, gazing upon the night sky. They had won a battle, but the war was still raging across the galaxy and was far from over. But for now the trio leaned against each other, finding comfort and relaxed into the sounds of celebration.

this is the last paragraph but also one of the first things I wrote into my notebook and it honestly came out perfect. I had such a clear vision of it and I'm glad that for once my words didn't fail me

from clashes of the blade and the heart:

Three years ago he had fought Ahsoka Tano, his former Padawan, and had almost managed to slay her at last, but just as he had been ready to strike her down, the girl had appeared as if from nowhere. In that brief moment Vader had seen a slight figure with short brown hair and fierce brown eyes that had, even in that moment, seemed familiar, blocking his red lightsaber with a brilliant blue blade right before she and Ahsoka had thrown him into the wall with the Force.

At the time Vader had had no idea who the girl could’ve been. All he knew was that Ahsoka had clearly taken on a Padawan of her own. The girl was strong with the Force, exceptionally strong Vader had realized after she had escaped the Death Star with Ahsoka. And so, after recovering from the Battle of Yavin Vader had summoned Boba Fett, a Mandalorian bounty hunter, and sent him to recover whatever information he could find. Fett hadn’t discovered much; only a name, in fact.

But it was a name Vader hadn’t expected to hear even in his wildest dreams.

Leia Skywalker.

this was my first time writing vader's pov and it was exciting and scary and I'm so proud of how all of this came out.

4: What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

from another kind of hope:

“I’m glad you came for me,” Luke said suddenly. “I thought I was gonna die there. I felt like I had nothing left to fight for. And now I have you.”

Leia managed a weak smile. “After the Empire got my aunt and uncle killed, I also thought I had nothing left. I wasn’t even gonna leave Tatooine until I saw my home burning. And when I saw you, I… I felt warm. Now I know why.”

Leia shuffled on her seat so she could hug Luke easier. “I’ve always wanted a brother.”

Luke’s thumb rubbed Leia’s shoulder. “I always dreamed of having a sister.”

this came out just as I wanted and I'm so proud of it^^ like sure skyrissian is important for the story but this. this is the heart. this is what drives these two at heart.

from clashes of the blade and the heart:

“If only you knew the power of the Dark Side,” Vader answered. “Has Ahsoka told you who you are?”

Leia winced from the pain in her wrist, but managed to give Vader a cold look. “I know you’re my father. Congratulations. Do you want a medal?”

I had so many choices but I think I captured something essential about leia here. especially in retrospect now that the kenobi show is out this is so in character for her and I'm proud I wrote it before kenobi came out (pun 50% intended)

prayer circle that I finish rotj role swap for rotj's 40th anniversary^^

send me fic asks

[random-french-girl]

BroTP ask meme

Toni and Fatin 😬

Anon, I appreciate you <3

What in-jokes do they have with each other?

I kinda want them to have a fun, playful running "fight" about astrology honestly. Like Toni always makes fun of Fatin for it ("Oh, sorry, I can't go on a water run with Fatin, her moon is in gatorade right now so our energies don't match.") and Fatin constantly refers to her Aries qualities (half of which she makes up on the spot).

Are they the “I’ll pay this time if you pay next time”-type friends, or the “I’ll pay for my food and you’ll pay for yours”-type friends?

Fatin tries to pay all the time after the island, and sometimes Toni decides it's her turn to pay for their meal/drinks, but mostly she's like "Yeah, pay up, you rich motherfucker! It's called redistribution."

Who’s more prone to pranking, or otherwise messing with, the other?

I don't know if either of them is super big on pranks, but probably Toni?

How do they text/message each other? Proper punctuation and capital letters, egregious overuse of emojis, mostly in meme format…?

So. Many. Emojis.

Do they exchange jokey birthday presents, or deeply thought-out and meaningful presents? Or both?

Fatin keeps buying Toni sex toys, which is both funny and embarrassing. Shelby sends Fatin a thank-you note, and also sweetly asks her to stop, so Fatin switches to birthday cards with horrible sexual puns.

They go on a road trip together. Who drives, who picks the music, who’s in charge of snacks?

Fatin drives, because Toni technically doesn't have her driving licence. ("Technically!" she argues. "I know how to drive!" But Fatin does not budge.) They both agree on the music - Fatin leans a bit more pop, and Toni a bit more rap, but in general they enjoy the same stuff. And Fatin also puts on some classical music for Toni, who is surprised to discover she kind of likes it. Toni is in charge of snacks, which means there's not a single fruit in sight. Fatin has to make a mandatory stop to buy herself a green smoothie halfway through the road trip because she goes into avocado withdrawal. ("Californians," Toni says, shaking her head. But she tries the smoothie and has to admit it tastes good.)

What do they think of each other’s family?

They're both very protective people, so I think they both have very strong negative feelings about each other's parents and their failures... Toni is forever suspicious of Fatin's parents, even when Fatin reconciles with them, and Fatin is forever angry at Toni's mom, even after Toni reconnects with her.

Do they have any nicknames for each other?

I don't think so, actually? But I can see Fatin mockingly using pet names for Toni. Like, she calls Martha "angel" with absolute sincerity, but then she calls Toni "sweetheart" because she knows Toni hates it. Toni calls Fatin "one-percenter" when she's mocking her, and "class-traitor" as a term of affection.

Who’d be the first to try and patch things up if they had a fight?

Both? They're trying so hard to be better at apologies and anger, and they both care too much to let a fight fester. I actually think that among all the girls, Fatin and Toni, stubborn and prompt to anger as they can be, are the most mature when it comes to making amends.

One of their phones goes off in the middle of the night. Who’s calling whom, and why?

Fatin is at a party and accidentally butt-dials Toni.

What’s their favourite funny story about something that happened to the two of them?

The island :/ Specifically, the mussels incident. It's funny in retrospect.

Would they do a joint cosplay? If so, who would they dress up as?

Nope.

Do they have any TV shows that they watch together? Are there any shows they have wildly different opinions on?

They have zero shows in common...

Which one is the “fight me” friend and which one is the one who tries to keep the peace and prevent their friend from punching a total stranger?

I mean... canonically, Toni is the "fight me" friend, but tbh Fatin is ALSO the "fight me" friend? The real answer is they both try to fight people, and Dot has to stop them from punching strangers in the face.

One of them comes up with an ill-advised but mostly harmless idea. Does the other one egg them on because they think it’ll be funny, or try and talk them out of it?

Probably egg them on if it really is harmless.

Who would win if they arm-wrestled?

Toni, for sure. Basketball arms.

Who’s better at what type of video games, and how competitive are they when they play together?

I can't see Fatin playing video games, so Toni is by default better at all of them. And more competitive, even though Fatin literally does not care about winning at Mario Kart but does anyway, through sheer beginner's luck.

One of them ends up in hospital for something serious but not life-threatening. What does the other bring along when they visit in order to cheer them up?

Picturing Toni bringing Fatin the biggest bouquet of flowers she could find, and the thing is an absolute MONSTROSITY. It's HIDEOUS. Toni has never bought flowers before and has no idea what's supposed to be ~~~tasteful. But Fatin loves it, and takes great joy in watching her mom wince every time she looks at this floral abomination.

How huggy are they?

Not very physically affectionate with each other in normal times, but after serious conversations or during difficult emotional times, they'll definitely hug each other with no restraint.

What was the moment when they first realized that they’d become friends?

In canon, I think probably when they're all high. Like suddenly they're playing in the water together, and laughing, and it's like... oh, wait, we're actually friends now.

[queercore-curriculum]

Hello! Honestly I'd love to hear your answers to all of the questions in this RQG ask game, but if I have to choose, 2, 4 and 15?

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING! And thanks to @kindofwriter for the fabulous prompts.

2. What’s your biggest ‘I would’ve played that so differently’ moment, and how would things have panned out if they’d done it your way?

When Zolf apologized to Sasha in Paris after snapping at her for wondering if Brock was still alive, I would’ve had Zolf reveal his backstory about Feryn. In retrospect, that was clearly on Ben’s mind when he was talking about “not all of us have the opportunity to say goodbye”—I remember thinking the first time I listened that Zolf was being weirdly evasive, like he was trying a little too hard not to reveal a secret while making it clear he obviously had a secret, and I don’t really understand why Ben played it that way. I get that Zolf is emotionally constipated, but that was a natural moment for the reveal to happen. It fit well into the momentum of the narrative, and I would’ve loved to see Zolf open up to Sasha, the PC he cares about the most. And when Zolf revealed the story like a million episodes later in a kind of offhand way, it wasn’t terribly impactful for me. I don’t know how much that would’ve changed the narrative, but I think it would’ve deepened the bond between Zolf and Sasha and opened up more opportunities for Zolf’s character development earlier on.

4. Pick a moment from the show that you think would have to change dramatically if it was a fluid story rather than TTRPG. How would it be different?

Kind of a bundle of moments, but Helen’s consistently terrible dice rolls, especially early on. It made Azu come across as incompetent when she is so clearly not, and that drove me bananas. I don't have a ton more to add to that, other than the fact that so much is left to chance in D20 systems is infuriating sometimes as a listener.

Also, I don't know if this would have to change, but I think we missed out on a LOT when the they didn't get captured and taken to Eiffel's Folly in Paris. The Paris chase scenes are probably my favorite combat sequences from the show, and I would've loved to see the team get to work more closely with Wilde, especially before he lost his magic. We still haven't really had much of a chance to see him casting, which sucks! And of course I want more onscreen Zolf/Wilde time, particularly while they're still in their "enemies" phase, but I'm also such a fan of his interactions with everyone in the party (the pun-off with Sasha is another favorite scene) and would love to see their relationships develop earlier in the series.

Ok, last one—this is related to my first answer, and again, is more of a bundle of moments (many of which never happened), but Grizzop, Zolf, Azu, and Wilde would all need to reveal their backstories earlier in the story, and much more organically. Backstories are not secrets to be hoarded, they are opportunities for character development and insight! Why don't we know about Wilde's scar yet?? Now that it's gone and he's not so damaged anymore, do you really think the reveal, if it ever comes, will have the same emotional impact? No! It will not! At least not for me, anyways.

15. What’s a headcanon you think about all the time but feel you’ve never had an opportunity to share?

Wilde’s love language is acts of service, but he expresses it very differently than Zolf “Acts of Service” Smith. Since Wilde is a spy that almost certainly relies on his charisma to get information, it makes sense to me that he’d have extremely high emotional intelligence and would be exceptionally good at intuiting people’s wants and needs, even those they may not fully understand themselves. And I think that Wilde quietly attends to the needs of those he cares about, often without anyone realizing what he’s doing. For example, with Zolf’s conversation with Wilde in the “waiting room,” Wilde already knew that Zolf needed him (I don’t even think that’s really a headcanon, the way that Wilde said “And there we go, an honest answer from Zolf Smith” strongly implies that that was exactly what he expected Zolf to say). But Wilde knew that Zolf needed to hear himself say it to understand how much their relationship really means to both of them. So Wilde engineered the conversation to force Zolf to acknowledge that Wilde wasn’t coming back to save the world; he was coming back to save the world with Zolf (and for Zolf, whatever, let’s make it shippy).

I think of this as acts of service rather than words of affirmation because it’s about Wilde understanding how Zolf processes his emotions, and then intentionally adapting how he communicates with Zolf to accommodate this process even though he finds it occasionally infuriating. And I think that’s really compelling, how much goes unspoken when Wilde notices that Zolf is tired and quietly cancels their plans for the evening, or wears the jumper Zolf bought him that doesn't really fit properly because he knows Zolf spent so much time picking it out, or pretends he wants a cup of tea so he can fill Zolf's hot water bottle to soothe his aching legs without Zolf feeling like a burden. If everything goes to plan, Zolf will be a little more relaxed, a little happier, a little more comfortable, and isn't that just a lovely coincidence?

[officially-dumb]

Honestly I feel like we should have seen feral Jeanist coming from the fact that he's just - jean-theme, jean puns, jean /everything/ (which makes sense bc of his quirk, but in retrospect it does show how little fucks he gives), and then the fact that his favorite thing according to the Shifuku pages is wolves. Like that's so random??? Is it his spirit animal? Is he a /FURRY/? (would not be surprised at this point tbh). He likes wolves more than jeans so I need to know what's going on there.

asvsdfasr when I meant that it was random I meant compared to all the other shifuku pages which are legit just like people's favorite foods or their hobbies + the fact that you think that Best Jeanist's favorite thing would be fashion design or good-quality denim or something but NO just. Wolves. I think it's just artist aesthetic or inspiration or something but again just? We should have known something was up with this man then. Feral long-neck denim man. The wolves speak to his soul.

RIP okay, yeah, this is objectively true. The signs that Jeanist is completely off-the-rails were there from the beginning. We just ignored them all b/c he acted so professional around his intern.

Headcanon that Jeanist doesn’t even like denim that much. He just likes screwing with people.

[monkberries]

They dealt with all of the above. Ringo was treated as a joke for pretty much everything, especially since this was the era of prog rock. His personal life was also tabloid fodder. George was derided as being a dour spiritual nut who was out of touch. He along w/ Ringo didn't get the respect he deserved as a guitarist bc his style wasn't in at the time & people knew little about his role in The Beatles. All credit went to Lennon/McCartney. 1/2

John had the benefit of having the rebel genius image, but even he became a source of ridicule with all the stunts he pulled with Yoko and the way his career declined after Imagine. He wasn't deified to the degree he was in the 80s. I'm not trying to say Paul never had a hard time, but the way this fandom talks as if he is the only one who faced extreme criticism or disrespect just tells me they haven't looked much into the other Beatles' lives. The man is more admired than most musicians. 2/2

(IDK if this screenshotted anons were from the same person or not, but I’ll just answer them in this one since it’s all the same subject.)

Here’s what I think is valid, as I see it: Paul fans are upset by the way his music was treated by the music press, especially in the first few years of the 70s, while the music of the other three were generally given at least the benefit of the doubt. They’re not upset about the tabloid gossip, the purely personal stuff – they are upset, specifically and with good reason, at the way Paul’s music was treated and the way the music world’s personal dislike of him seeped into their music reviews. I’m gonna focus in on 1970 through the end of 1974, since this is where a lot of the complaints spawn from, and things start to shift in a big way in 74. You didn’t ask but contemporary writings about their early solo music is something I’m fascinated by anyway and you turned the wind-up toy key in my back, so. Off I go. This is gonna be so, so long.

At different points in the decade, all of them were subject to a sullying of their personal reputations. That is where I do agree with you: all of them were subjected to that by the press, to varying degrees, at varying times, and for various reasons for each of them. That is just what happens to public figures the longer they are public figures. Tabloids mess with everyone no matter how beloved they are. 

However, that’s not what I generally see Paul fans getting upset about. What I see is that they’re upset at the way the much more legitimate and widely respected music press approached Paul’s music and talent in general. It is widely received knowledge now that the critics treated Paul’s music differently than they did John’s and George’s and even Ringo’s; the trashing was not “equal.” They came at John and George with the assumption that their talent was real and ongoing outside of the Beatles, their genius unquestionable, their motives pure and well-intentioned and honest. Paul was not afforded these assumptions. Some examples to show what I mean, most of them found through wikipedia, rocksbackpages, or rollingstone.com.

John

Plastic Ono Band was Robert Christgau’s number one album of 1970 in The Village Voice. from Creem’s review: “John's record, of course, has been righteously raved over ever since its release, justifiably. It's interesting and even enlightening to see a man working out his trauma on black plastic but more than that, it's totally enthralling to see that Lennon has once again unified, to some degree, his life and his music into a truly whole statement.” From High Fidelity’s review: "a tremendously exciting listening experience, perhaps the best any Beatle has ever offered." In their Imagine review, Rolling Stone called POB “perfect.” A couple reviews in the mainstream were more mixed, put off a little by the rawness of it, but overall the rock world quickly grew to see this album as a work of genius.

Imagine was even more widely well-reviewed, despite a mixed review from Rolling Stone (John fell out with Jann Wenner around this time, curiously). Here’s a passage from rateyourmusic.com: “Imagine was actually one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year, aside from this tepid review in Rolling Stone. Indeed, much of the rock press seemed palpably relieved that the former Beatle hadn't gone completely off the deep end. ‘It's the best album of the year, and for me it's the best album he's done, with anything, or with anyone, at any time,’ Roy Hollingworth wrote in the 10/9/71 issue of Melody Maker. ‘The album is superb,’ Alan Smith agreed in the 9/11/71 issue of NME. ‘Beautiful. One step away from the chill of his recent total self-revelation, and yet a giant leap towards commerciality without compromise...I have no criticism at all.’”

Some Time in New York City was admittedly John’s nadir, and the press was vicious about it, both personally and musically, deeming the album egotistical, lacking in energy, and devoid of sincerity. However, many maintained a reverence for the genius that came before it and hopeful encouragement for the future. Rolling Stone said that “The Lennons should be commended for their daring;” Creem said it wasn’t half bad; and even though NME’s article was scathing, it ended with a plea for John to return to form, saying, “Don't rely on cant and rigidity. Don't alienate. Stimulate. You know, like you used to.”

Mind Games, though reviews were mixed, fared far better in comparison. Again, there is a hopeful tone to the reviews, a sureness that John can do better. From Rolling Stone talks about the music being a return to POB form, but the writing is his worst yet; however, Landau qualifies this by saying the lyrics aren’t “offensive, per se, just misguided... [John Lennon’s admirers] might even be able to withstand something more challenging” and then praises John’s voice, his production, and a few individual songs. In Melody Maker, Ray Coleman says, “if you warm to the rasping voice of Lennon and, like me, regard him as the true fulcrum of much of what came from his old group, then like any new Lennon album, it will be enjoyable and even important.” Christgau is more middling but also says, “Still, the single works, and let's hope he keeps right on stepping.”

Walls and Bridges seems confusing to reviewers in retrospect. They couldn’t seem to come to a consensus on it. The musicianship was widely praised, for the most part, though Rolling Stone criticized the first side on this front; reviewers alternately said it was “the latest chapter in John Lennon’s Identity Crisis” (Creem) and “truly a superb album by any standards” (Melody Maker). Throughout the Rolling Stone review, the author is able to thoroughly critique the songs, for better or worse, with a neutral affect and without resorting to insulting John personally. He ends the review on a positive note: “When one accepts one’s childhood, one’s parenthood and the impermanence which lies between, one can begin to slog along. When John slogs, he makes progress.” Again, even though the reviews aren’t all positive, we can see, especially and most importantly in the most influential rock magazine of the time, the acknowledgment of his talent, a sense of excitement for what John will do next, and a belief that his work is authentic and honest.

George

All Things Must Pass, I mean. Apart from a couple of outliers like Christgau in The Village Voice (he called it “overblown fatuity”), it was incredibly, almost universally beloved by the music press when it came out. There was quite a bit of surprise that such a talent had been under everyone’s noses all this time, but I don’t think anon is quite correct that all the credit for the Beatles went to Lennon/McCartney. For example, Ben Gerson in Rolling Stone recognized George’s talent within the Beatles like this: “Up until now, George has been perhaps the premier studio musician among rock band guitarists. From the electronic whine which began “I Feel Fine” to the break in “Hard Day’s Night” to the crazed, sitar-influenced burst on “Taxman,” George exhibited an avant-garde imagination and a technical flawlessness, as well as the ability to stay within the bounds of a song, which has remained unparalleled.” In Melody Maker, the feeling of journalists was summed up thusly: hearing the album was “the rock equivalent of the shock felt by pre-war moviegoers when Garbo first opened her mouth in a talkie: Garbo talks! – Harrison is free!" The personal nature and honesty of the lyrics were praised as well; Time described it as an “expressive, classically executed personal statement.” Ben Gerson did call his proselytizing offensive, but in the next sentence says that George redeems himself from that with the personal plea in Hear Me Lord.

Concert for Bangla Desh - again, some cynicism from Christgau in The Village Voice (must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day) and of course tax issues dogged it later, but overall, for the rock press at the time, this was a crowning achievement that George pulled off. He was praised all over the press, countercultural and mainstream, for his live musical talent, the group of musicians that joined him, the lack of political motivation, the sincerity and goodwill, and George’s ability to bring back  "a brief incandescent revival of all that was best about the Sixties" (Rolling Stone). To this day he is credited with creating the model for future charity concerts. 

Living in the Material World - Nothing could have topped the one-two punch of ATMP and the Concert for Bangla Desh, but honestly, LITMW came pretty close for some journalists. Rolling Stone again praised George’s honesty and authenticity: “ Despite the occasional use of “psychedelic puns,” Harrison’s lyrics are so guileless they convey an extraordinary sincerity that transcends questions of craftsmanship. Similarly, the devotions we are called upon to share with Harrison, though they communicate no specific, private torment, do have the authenticity of overheard prayers and are therefore sacred.” Melody Maker said, "Harrison has always struck me before as simply a writer of very classy pop songs; now he stands as something more than an entertainer. Now he's being honest." The pushback against his pious attitude and lyrics picked up some steam with this album, particularly with Christgau (again) and Tony Tyler of NME, who called it “so damn holy I could scream.” However, it was far from the consensus opinion at the time, and with the biggest rock magazine in the world at your back, you can withstand quite a bit.

Dark Horse, oof. That poor man. It did get some positivity in Billboard and Melody Maker, but my god, the reviews for this album and its subsequent tour were so cruel. I suspect when these anon(s) talk about the others being treated terribly by the press as well, this, along with John’s STINYC, is one of the examples they would give, and they’re not wrong about that. This was the point where George’s piety and what they perceived as a sanctimonious attitude finally started really getting to everyone, and the album plus the tour was the perfect opportunity to dogpile on him. I guess it was to be expected; no one can ride that high forever, and the press loves to knock people over and kick them while they’re down. Rolling Stone called it “disastrous,” “shoddy,” and called his guitar work “rudimentary,” eventually declaring that George had “never been a great artist.” This from the same magazine that was practically worshipping at his feet the year before. Yowch.

Ringo

Sentimental Journey - The less that’s said about this album, the better.

Beaucoups of Blues was actually quite well-received. No one called him a genius for it, and it wasn’t a serious personal record and therefore wasn’t treated that way, but journalists seemed uniquely able to let themselves enjoy this record despite the serious/political/personal tone of most musicians at the time. Melody Maker believed Ringo had  "conviction and charm" and that because of that, the album stripped away the serious “hip posturing” and let you just enjoy the music on its own terms. The Village Voice said that Ringo was “good at making himself felt.” Although Rolling Stone’s tone was a bit more cruel than other magazines (there was a crack somewhere in there that Ringo wasn’t as smart as John), it also called him lovable and the record “a real winner” where the songs “sound terrific.”

Ringo was a total smash and I think people forget this. It’s remembered only because it’s an album that was worked on by all four Beatles, but actually, the critics fuckin loved it. Ringo was praised in Rolling Stone for his unpretentiousness, sensibility, and essentially collaborative nature: “Ringo was always the figure of conciliation within the Beatles, undoubtedly the most genial, conceivably the most sensible, and the one with the smallest musical axe to grind. His very lapses bespoke the esteem in which the others held him; had they not liked him so much, those perfectionists would never have allowed him to sing. Perhaps because as the drummer he stood outside the process of creation, he had the best perspective from which to see the Beatles as a unity. Ringo has never had any pretense of self-sufficiency. Once he had gotten his special projects out of the way (projects for which John, Paul and George's talents would have been unsuited anyway) Ringo was ready to call upon the three most obvious people to assist him with writing, singing and playing. As Starr's first "pop album," Ringo signifies a homecoming, not just of family, but in musical style as well.”

Goodnight Vienna was kind of a minor album for Ringo, but still, reviews were pretty good. Rolling Stone praised his “unalloyed sincerity which is his trademark and trump card.” Yet again, we see the theme of authenticity popping up in these reviews - if you are perceived as authentic, honest, and sincere, that takes you a long way with music reviewers in this time period, and Ringo was nothing if not wholly, completely himself.

Paul

McCartney - One of the main complaints of Paul fans is that Jann Wenner forced Langdon Winner, the author of the review for this album in Rolling Stone, to rewrite his article and put a more negative spin on it. The result is that Winner praised most of the music but totally undermined his own praise by questioning the authenticity of the tone and deriding the press release that came with the album as much as he praised the music. He ends the article like this: “I like McCartney very much. But I remember that the people of Troy also liked that wooden horse they wheeled through their gates until they discovered that it was hollow inside and full of hostile warriors.” This was a huge blow at a time when personal authenticity and substance were considered paramount. Melody Maker also questioned the legitimacy of his genius, saying “With this record, [McCartney's] debt to George Martin becomes increasingly clear.” Most other reviews weren’t any better.

Ram, I mean, Jesus Christ the reviews for this. It’s a widely respected album now, even made the RS top 500 albums of all time list last year, but at the time people were still so angry with Paul for supposedly breaking up the Beatles that they were still taking it out on his music a year later (imo). Landau in Rolling Stone called it “emotionally vacuous” and said it lacked conviction, saying also that it was “so incredibly inconsequential and so monumentally irrelevant you can’t even [hate it]; it is difficult to concentrate on, let alone dislike or even hate.” NME called it “the worst thing Paul McCartney has ever done.” Threaded through these reviews is a belief that the songs are devoid of meaning and that Paul’s happy domestic front is just a frustrating lie; Christgau in The Village Voice said he was “infuriated by the McCartneys' modern young-marrieds image” - infuriated because he clearly doesn’t believe it, rendering Paul dishonest and his music inauthentic. Once again journalists are unable to review Paul’s music without sniping about him as a person.

Wild Life - Though the situation remains largely the same - reviewers refuse to take him seriously, believe anything he says, or treat his musical talent as anything but vacuous fluff - the reviews aren’t quite as bad as they were for Ram and a bit of positivity begins to stir. It’s evident especially in the Rolling Stone review, where Mendelsohn wonders if Paul is making crappy fluff on purpose to piss John off because it will sell just as well anyway. It’s not much, and on top of the fairly strong criticism there is almost no hope for future Paul releases: “My own conviction is that we'd be foolish to expect anything much more earth-shaking than Wild Life out of McCartney for a good long while... In the meantime the reader is advised to either develop a fondness for vacuous but unpretentious pop music or look elsewhere for musical pleasure.” But it’s something.

Red Rose Speedway Paul continues to be lambasted by a lot of the press on this album for being lightweight and having no meaning behind his songs (at this point it’s just repetitive to quote the articles, just trust me that they say basically the same thing they were saying for the past three albums too), BUT I think a nuance that gets forgotten in all of this is that Rolling Stone gave it kind of a decent review. It seems like they finally quit gatekeeping and realized that songs don’t need to have some deep personal meaning to be good. Kaye is still not very nice about Paul’s lyrics but he recognizes that he doesn’t have to take Paul’s music on the same terms as he takes John and George. Paul’s music is less personal, but that doesn’t make it unworthy. He calls it “pleasant, accessible without concentration” and praises Paul’s voice and arranging skills. It feels like for this album, Rolling Stone took the stick out of its own ass when it came to Paul and finally relaxed enough to receive Paul’s music on his terms rather than theirs. Which, imo, primed the rock world for...

Band on the Run, Paul’s comeback. Even though Christgau in The Village Voice remained unconvinced (he called it “a pleasant piece of hackwork”), almost everyone else adored it. It seems weird to us now, but the general sentiment seemed to be that people were surprised by how good this album was. NME said, “The ex-Beatle least likely to re-establish his credibility and lead the field has pulled it off with a positive master-stroke”; and although Landau’s review in Rolling Stone overflowed with praise, he also said, “I'm surprised I like Band on the Run so much more than McCartney's other solo albums because, superficially, it doesn't seem so different from them.” 

I hope I’ve been able to demonstrate a general trajectory with the musical reputation of each Beatle here. John starts off on two incredible high points, crashes and burns, and then works his way back up. He DEFINITELY missed with STINYC, but even when he followed it up with Mind Games, there was still a hopeful tone to the reviews, sort of like, “Ah, well, the last two weren’t great but we’re still looking forward to what John will give us next.” Until the Dark Horse tour/album, which did sour the press on poor George, the music press adored him. It was hit after hit with him. He could not miss. Three high points, one after the other, then a monumental crash. Ringo seems to stay fairly high, even if the records aren’t serious records. All three of them start out incredibly well, and the music press was able and willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Paul was given none of that. Perhaps because he was out of step with the attitudes about music at the time, perhaps because journalists hated him for breaking up the Beatles, perhaps because they believed John when he painted Paul as “establishment,” perhaps a combination - whatever their issue was, Paul was given no benefit of the doubt to start with, no faith in his genius, and no belief in his authenticity. He was just a hack to the music press for the first few years of the 70s; he started at the bottom and was forced to work his way up, unlike the other three. It started, imo, when Wenner forced the journalist who wrote the McCartney review in RS to rewrite the article, and it spiraled from there. He was seen as hollow and uncool, as one of the anons said, “straight” in the parlance of the time - straight meaning “establishment.” This is kind of where I do start to roll my eyes a little bit at stans, when they get upset at people calling him “establishment” and trying to prove that actually he was so anti-establishment that people couldn’t handle it or whatever, without trying to understand what the word “anti-establishment” meant at the time. But there are also really substantive arguments you can make that say Paul’s music was not taken seriously because of a personal grudge against him.

I’m not saying that all of them didn’t have run-ins with the music press. I’m saying there is nuance here that I don’t think these anons are allowing for in the first few years of that decade. They came at George and John and Ringo with a positive, or at least neutral, slant most of the time. They came at Paul with a negative one. Case in point are the reviews of Band on the Run that were surprised at how good it was. That stuff gets people’s hackles up. The others didn’t have positive reviews rewritten to be more negative. The others didn’t have albums savaged that are now on the Rolling Stone top 500 albums of all time list. I do agree that John, at least, and George post Dark Horse, had a harder time with the music press than people generally remember or care to think about – deification is retroactive, I guess, and as Paul fans we should definitely recognize that Paul wasn’t the only one who went through a rough time with the press. But I do think Paul’s situation was made uniquely and unjustifiably difficult for those first few years.

I mean, at the same time, I cannot stress enough how much this did not affect his bottom line. Despite the horrible reviews, Ram still made a ton of money, McCartney made a ton of money, Band on the Run and Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway all made a ton of money. He had a fanbase, a huge one, that followed him loyally and faithfully through the early 70s as he was getting savaged by the press, and through the middle and late 70s when he was touring. At some point, you have to step back and go, wait. Why does any of this matter? This was 50 years ago. He was a multi-millionaire then and is a billionaire now. And you are right; whenever people over-generalize and try to make the case that Paul was always badly reviewed and the others were press darlings, I tend to get annoyed because they’re totally missing the actually interesting nuances of the situation (that can be easily found online! I found most of the music reviews through snippets on Wikipedia!) In conclusion, I guess my point is that both “Paul was vilified while everyone else wasn’t” and “everyone was equally vilified” paint the events of the early 70s with brushes that are too broad and miss the nuance that was evident in the way the press interacted with their music.