#i adore this episode can you tell?

[secriden]

There's something so wondrously momentous about Style only saying his "I love you" now, when he realises that all the secrets he was keeping from Fadel are already laid bare.

He says this a significant time after Fadel has said his (and, in the context of the wider narrative, after Kant and Bison) and for the character we have seen as prone to glibness, exaggeration and flippancy with his words, that feels incredibly intentional.

Because this confession was the only truth Style had left to give.

Fadel is finally done playing his (poorly thought out) game, done with his (already cracking at the seams) charade, done with giving Style more opportunities to pull at his heartstrings with his earnestness lies.

Fadel is demanding the truth, and tells Style exactly what truth he wants to hear.

And the thing is, there is truth in this: Style's motivations at the start were wrapped up in a deception specifically targeting Fadel.

I know we, as a fandom, harp on about Style "doing all that for a car", but something I would like us all to revisit is what Kant actually says to Style when he first asks Style to "hit on" Fadel:

Kant: You need to help me. You know I don't usually feel this way about someone. And then shortly later, after Style refuses: Kant: Hey, hold on. (Kant grabs Style's hand.) What do I have to do to for you to help me out? Should I pay you?

(Please forgive my inability to gif and watch Style's reaction to this.) Style is visibly surprised and intrigued. Kant seems to be serious about this request, and I think Style decides to test just how important it is to Kant by asking for the one thing he knows Kant will not give up.

Just look the expressions on Style's face. We didn't have the context of knowing Style back then as well as we do now, but this is the look Style gets when he's throwing out a challenge (to Fadel), when he's trying to ferret out some new insight (from Fadel), when he wants to see how someone (Fadel) will react to whatever outlandish (provocative) thing he's said or done.

And when Kant agrees, Style even checks again if Kant is serious about going through with it -- and it's this that convinces Style of the sincerity of Kant's request.

Yes, the car was a factor, and yes Style also wanted revenge and to humble Fadel, but at the centre of Style's motivation has always been a plea for help from a friend.

In episode 1: Kant: Under one condition. You have to make him head over heels in love with you. Style: I'll do it. Not just for the car, but someone like him needs to be humbled by someone like me.

But in agreeing to help Kant, Style really was damning Fadel to play the fool because Fadel's feelings (his heart) was a commodity that Style was fully willing to play with back then.

And there are aspects of truth here too. When Kant tells Style about Fadel (and Bison) being hitmen, Style decides he's done and wants out. Kant reasons that it's more dangerous for Style to break up with Fadel now, because it would look suspicious, but crucially this isn't enough to convince Style.

So Kant, once again, makes the plea to friendship and to his need for Style specifically, and it is this that causes Style to finally cave.

But in doing so, the things that Style agrees to are:

Kant: Work with me. Help me get more information about them. Once we get that, it's done. Captain puts them in jail, and we walk free.

So while Style may not be directly working with the police, he is working with Kant who he knows is working with the police. By proxy, Style is involved with the police, but in front of the empty pool, he makes it clear to Fadel just what that involvement actually entailed:

Style: Kant asked me to take you out so you could leave him alone and he could freely investigate. Fadel: What did he get out of it? Style: I don't know! That ain't my business! All I was asked of is to take you out.

And this, too, actually is true! Since finding out, Style has literally not discovered a single thing that could be remotely useful to the police investigation:

He's found out that Fadel likes to gym at night. He's found out that Fadel uses tenderloin in his burgers. That he runs in the morning before going to the market. That he attends a grief support group.

But these were all things Kant also already knew and could have given the police if it were in any way useful for the investigation.

Even his attempts to get Fadel to confess to his "other job" (something the police also already know) were clearly in service of wanting to save Fadel and/or convince him to give up the life of crime in the hopes that Fadel wouldn't have to be sent away from Style to prison.

But the truths are tangled up in misunderstandings and Fadel's own assumptions now; and also further tainted again by Bison's own hurt over Kant's betrayal. And Fadel literally cannot see -- because his eyes are filled with tears [see: @thisautistic's gifset + my tags] (good grief, Joong, the actor you are) -- the honesty Style is bleeding from the marrow of his bones.

Because the truth is that along the way Style has also found out that Fadel is a good older brother. That Fadel is still hurting and bleeding inside because his parents were murdered. That Fadel wears his favourite bands' make up in secret because he cannot bear the thought of other's judgement. He's found out that Fadel misses Style, wants Style, and hates himself for it. That Fadel is afraid to love. That Fadel is acutely aware of his own darkness and cannot comprehend an existence that would not involve someone (Style) rejecting it. That Fadel does not believe that 100% trust is possible, but that he will get himself drunk so that he can offer Style as much vulnerability as he can physically make himself give.

Because the things that Style did find out were all the ways Fadel's heart is soft and tender and precious and worthy worthy worthy of all the love Style has to give.

And Style will stand firm on this truth because this is the only thing he has left to give Fadel.

Because Fadel knows, now, all the ways Style was unworthy of his trust, but crucially has not figured out the most important truth:

Because in a very significant and profound way, Style is wholly deserving of Fadel's trust. Because in all the ways that Fadel has ever known he should want, Style actually IS worthy of his trust. Style knows the truth Fadel is hiding, knows what this man is capable of, knows the danger of being in his arms, knows the likely nonexistent future Fadel has to offer him -- and wants him anyway. -- Quoted from my meta post on the "One day, I'll be your 100%" line.

And as I alluded to in the tags on @yinwaring's insightful post: Style fully embodies the belief he espouses; because even in the face of a gun to his head and Fadel threatening to kill him if he will not admit that this, too, is a lie, Style refuses to give Fadel anymore dishonesty.

And this is because Style knows that the truth matters; now more than ever.

Because Style has had days to grapple with his worry after Fadel's disappearance. Style has had a week's worth of checking the diner only to face the regret he feels about not handling things differently. Style has had to recognise the terror of thinking he had lost something he never even knew he wanted in the first place.

And while Fadel had his realisation back in episode 4, Style never had to face this until Fadel vanished from his life and left a gaping hole in the shape of the absence of Fadel's smile.

So if this is what it takes, if this is the penance that Fadel demands of him, then it is a price Style is most happy to pay.

Because Fadel does not realise is that Style, too, now knows what it means to lose a love worth fighting for.

And in the war Fadel now feels compelled to wage against Style (because, yes, that's definitely still going on), the one damning thing Fadel has failed to recognised is that his only true weapon was leaving Style behind.

Which is why Style has already won. Not because Fadel's walls have crumpled again or because they don't still have a ton of things to talk through and work out (they really, really do), but because Style has already been stripped bare (and I mean this literally, like we all recognise THAT was the reason why Dunk is only in boxer shorts in that scene, right?? Like, I know we were joking about it, but seriously, that was so very intentional and a visual representation of Style being both stripped and, most importantly, freed from the lies he felt compelled to tell Fadel) and this means he has nothing holding him back.

And Fadel can wield his gun and his words and his anger and his hurt, but Style will die on the hill of the truth that he knew and understood and chose to love Fadel anyway, and saved this last confession for when he knew he could tell Fadel the truth without any lingering deception; and when the time is right, when Fadel is finally ready, Style will be there to welcome him back with open arms and, without any hesitation, an open heart.

[twistofstory]

(New AU character let's goooo) Meet the Sculptor, our Flesh avatar!! She is a pretty shy dragoness, skilled in dragon and animal anatomy alike (has a lot of practice with both)

The Sculptor's a true artist at heart, and takes her craft very seriously - her craft being creation of living sculptures and body modifications. The Sculptor sees flesh as a material made to become something extraordinary, pushing the limit of normal biology (and logic), and she's determined to have a breakthrough. Nowadays she spends most of her days in the workshop and, honestly? - living her best life. Also, her real name is Bowerbird, but few dragons got close enough to her to learn it, and she feels more comfortable letting others call her the Sculptor.

Theme song (beginning verses): Circus by Lindsay Mendez & Drew Gasparini

So yeah she's just an introverted nerd with ambitions who wants to make The Coolest Body :3 I think she has somewhat of a flexible design - she'd definitely change stuff around to experiment and put some ideas to work. And she has both dragon and big animal bones in her (started out small and gradually replaced animal parts with better fitted dragon one's - her shyness didn't help with acquiring the later sooner) She doesn't have any big role in AU's plot, the crew kinda stumbles onto one of her failed creations (it... crawled away) and investigates the area. She maaay be an episodic antagonist or stay mostly neutral?.. I dunno, I'll think about it One thing I can tell for certain - Newt REALLY dislikes her, lol. I wonder why...

[hopeinthebox]

tagged by the fabulous @cordiallyfuturedwight and @jimin-gaon <33 here's the december list

apologies for being late again new year same me: @aprylynn @jiminsproof @pauls-mccharmly @thvinyl @visionsofgideontheninth @btsbs @kimchokejin @jihopesjoint @eoieopda @monismochi 💜 and anyone else who feels so inclined MWAH p.s. please do tag me anyway if you've already done it

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

You get to choose:

Fav character/fav moment/fav ship in s4 of TWDG :]

Favorite character: Louis

Favorite ship: Clouis

Favorite moment: ep4 before the bridge scene, the whole reunion and group hug; Clementine, AJ, Louis, and Tenn walking together while Clem and Louis talk about him killing Dorian and he shares things about himself; the two of them talking about building a home together, it's so good

...I'm very predictable haha

Listen, I know what I like, and that's Louis. TFS really said "okay we're gonna write one of the best characters in TWDG for this game and make him so difficult to get to *actually* know unless the player makes an effort [which half of the players won't] and only then will they see the complexities woven throughout him" and I love that.

[laniidae-passerine]

I’m finding that the laziest moments of Doctor Who’s writing are the ‘retroactive twists’ - when the show runner reveals something happened way back over there, in the past, before they were even running the show. And we swear it happened, way over there, far back, and you didn’t see it because of reasons but it’s definitely been happening! And it totally makes sense and I absolutely didn’t just pull it out my ass to justify my paper thin plotline! All this kind of writing does is make me miss self contained season length plots. We’ve had people complaining that Moffat was guilty of the “this thing is big and scary and it’s going to happen, oh god it’s showing up, we’re going to discover what it truly is….. next season!!!!!!” plotline (and yes. he was. twelve is my fav doctor but yeah Moffat loved a mysterious horse and a big stick) but now suddenly when RTD gets out his own mysterious horse and a big stick, it’s got to be genius! everything is eventually going to make sense! and we’re absolutely not being had by a man who used to be able to write this show and is now a hack!

[theworstcreature]

Guess who’s like not fucking ok at all after tonight’s Loki ep

MAJOR MAJOR LOKI SPOILERS DO NOT CLICK IF YOU HABENT SEEN IM BEGGING YOU

OH MY HOLY CINNAMON TOAST FUCKING FUCK I AM SCREAMING SHAKING CRYING ALSO

MOBIUS MY BELOVED I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE A JETSKI SALESMAN I LOVE HIM SO MUCH SJFJJAHEHFUSUEUHEJDJD

ALSO I think he would be the parent that has the house his kids friend group always choose to stay at.. idk I’m just getting “house that always has the good snacks” vibes

ALSO SYLVIE AND LOKI HAVING THAT CONVO IN THE BAR HE LOVES HIS FRIENDS SO MUCH I LOVE YOUR FRIENDS TOO BBG (and his unofficial husband yes I rEfuse to believe Lokius isn’t canon) IFDKJWJEJKEIWBTHWJ THAT WHOLE SCENE OH MY LORDY LORD HOLY FUCKING JESUS IN A DEEPFRIER

SOMEBODY PUT ME IN A COMA TILL NEXY EPISODE I WILL ACTUALLY NOT SURVIVE

AND THERE WAS SO MICH SPAGETIFICARION I NEED TONKNOW HOW ANS WHU THIS IS HAOPENING TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT THE HELL IS EVEN HAPPENNG

LOKI OMFG MY BABYGIRL HE DOESNT NEED TO HET BRUTAKLT RIPPED OUT OF TIME AT RANDOM ANYMORE!!!1!!1!1!1!1!!!1!!1!1!!1!

ALSO OB OB MY GIRL I LOVE HIM SO MICH HES A LITTLE GUY LOOK AT HIM AND HIS LITTLE SCIFI NOVEL LOOK AT HIM HES SO SPECIAL TO ME I LOVE HIM HES SO BIG BRAIN AND I ASPIRE TO BE LIKE HIM

ANYWAUS MOBIUS US JUST A SINGLE MOTHER AND I LOVE HIM GODNIGHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

[mizulekitten]

I love the Case of the Two Dead Dragons ep for a lot of reasons, but the scene where they're talking to Twitchy Richie, like when they first start to mess with him is just so... perfect. Like the way Charles steps up and says "Ooh, try it, mate," his crossed arms coming down. And in the following scene when it shows just Richie & Crystal it's like "What's he going to do omg."

Except Crystal tilts her head with the stupid lighter in her face and it's Edwin that goes "Don't mind if I do." And Charles just looks so enamored and Crystal and Edwin are both so pleased with themselves.

I don't know. It's just the way they're working in tandem with each other for once. Not just with one another, but exactly in step. Crystal knew, without a word, that they'd play along. Edwin could've just let Charles do his thing, especially after what he said, after knowing they kissed (even if they broke things off right after). But it's like... Crystal is a part of their team now. He may not be super close to her yet, but they're both bitches /pos that of course this is the moment they fall in step. It's a shared trait that they were using to hurt and annoy each other, but now it's a bonding moment, a crossing of that divide between them.

So of course Charles lets them have their little moment and is so happy to do so. Whether it's queerplatonic or romantic, this is his best mate for 30 years and his new best friend. He knows they'd get along in their own way if they got through it. And here they are.

Perfect sync, not just Charles and Edwin, but Charles, Edwin, and Crystal.

[sskk-manifesto]

\\\

[astrxealis]

hi i'm trying to be normal but it's so hard when you're so crazy over evangelion... and kawoshin.....

[lovecolibri]

Friendly reminder to not fall for more false claims of "review bombing" and that people are allowed to dislike storyline choices without being "mad about Buddie" (because a lot of IMDB is GA rated not shippers) and they can rate the episode accordingly. Also, giving an episode a 10/10 while reviewing saying you hated certain choices but want to boost the score is just dishonest. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[chimchiri]

Some thoughts on S05E05 (Tanks for the Memories)

I think if anyone wants to check out what the deal with MLP is and why so many people love it, this is one of the best episodes to watch. In my opinion it's a strong contender for best episode overall.

The episode deals with loss and depicts the five stages of grief. Winter is coming along and that means Rainbow's pet tortoise Tank will have to hibernate. Rainbow has to come to terms with this and it's just!!! Everything I ever wanted!!

I love Rainbow Dash and Tank. I mean how can you not, just look at him!!! <3<3 With his goggles and his slow reactions ahh <3 And just in general: the idea of having a slow, non-flying pet for the fastest and most adrenaline-seeking pony? Fucking amazing.

Every stage she goes through is either adorable or just damn hilarious.

What? Your friend with infinite animal knowledge tells you tortoises hibernate and shows you proof in a book? No way, someone manipulated the book.

What? All other people agree and say he has to hibernate? What do they know, you know better. He definitely doesn't need to.

What? Oh animals hibernate because it gets cold? OF-FUCKING-COURSE you're stopping winter from arriving, manipulating the weather factory and putting everything in ABSOLUTE CHAOS.

And then after everything didn't work it just hits her. RD was already so sad before. I mean look at this:

But now she's at rock bottom and she's becoming completely lethargic. I love everything about her portrayal and how she's just in her comfy clothes.

The whole episode is amazing and the resolution (which obviously is accepting that her pet will be gone for the winter and she can't change that) is just ( ; ω ; ) <3<3<3 I especially adore that her and Tank wear each other's faces on their shoes. This is way too cute.

[illustratingari]

One does not just watch one episode of The Bad Batch. One must watch 6…which is what I did today 😍

[malepresentingleg]

A list of Never Let Me Go characters by order of the amount of rights they deserve, decided by me:

Maggie - she was on thin ice at first but quickly proved herself to be the most rights worthy. Actually wants to be Palm's friend and tells him he deserves things, she speaks my mind :').

Palm - he's a total sweetheart, honestly. The only reason I'm deducting points is because he's for some reason in love with a total asshole and he thinks he's really kind ??

Ben - was throwing Nueng under the bus a dick move? yeah sure. But man this boy was just outed and faced with his homophobic dad so??? what the fuck Nueng. Got some points taken because he was sus in his behavior about Palm in the beginning.

Mam (Palm's mom) - it's possible she's too high up here but there are just so many shitty characters sooo. I feel like their relationship should be a lot less casual since she fucking ABONDADNED her child, but at least now she's doing some good parenting with her advice and anger to his dad and gave a semi decent explanation.

Chopper - listen. He could have been placed a lot higher since he's a cutie, and it's not his fault he was born rich I guessss, but he trades fucking bitcoins or something, and some crimes cannot be forgiven.

Aun - I mean. Selling pictures to out people? pretty damn low. Very bad. I have some sympathy bc he said he's poor (tho isn't he in a rich school...? kinda sus).

Chanon (Palm's dad) - he has SOME qualities but jesus please see your son as a fucking person wtf????/

Nueng's dad - I mean, he's dead so that gives him some extra points ig? he seemed nice but he's rich and evil sooo

Tanya (Nueng's mom) - look. I'm glad she loves her son and is not homophobic but she's evil rich and ruins the poor people's lives and says shit like "we didn't do anything wrong it's our land".

Phum - I mean yeah he's an evil bully but maybe Nueng deserved it 👀.

Nueng - entitled bratty rich boy asshole. Started with some sympathy by me bc damn that's traumatizing but there's a limit to how much that excuses. The way he doesn't hold his mom accountable and only cares about her and him, and of course jesus christ the way he treats Palm!!!! Forcing him to be with him and spend time with him, getting him in trouble, shouting at him and blaming him and being completely entitled and asshole-y, and then for some reason being framed as a gentle sensitive soul hello???

Kit (Chopper's dad) - I mean he's the straight-up villain.

[jackass-jones]

Starfire teen titans my best friend Starfire id burn alive for you

[spacesquidlings]

PERSONALLY I am convinced that Gavin would love Percy Jackson if he watched it. His dad is too much of a dick to let him read anything fun but he'd watch the show as an adult and go OH

[innocet]

It’s not rtd. it’s not rtd. rtd didn’t write rogue this was Kate Herron and Briony Redman’s first ever dr who story and they need all the praise in the world for it. I need at least somebody being vocally enthusiastic about having women writing dr who especially when I can tell you all adore this episode. Don’t let rtd get away with it don’t let him run away with the credit for a character and episode entirely conceived by two women