#i almost forgot to tag christian how awful of me omg

[bluh-bluh-liveblogging]

Elite - First Episode!

So! Thoughts about the first episode of Elite that I just watched! I kind of… did not expect to enjoy this as much as I just did? The actors are great, I love picking up a bit of Spanish on the side (not a language I speak… like… at all xD) AND the filming is awesome!

Gorgeous imagery aside – and there sure is a lot of it – I also loved the way the narrative was structured around the murder that is about to have happened. This is an impression absolutely unique to the first episode of this series because this is where we see the story begin and end before the unravelling of story threads from the middle to the eventual conclusion takes place.

This episode was meant to suck you in and get you interested and HOO BOY HOWDY it accomplished its purpose! (For me, at least.)

Regarding the murder mystery, I really liked how the various forward-flashbacks were tied in with the overall story to manipulate the viewer‘s interpretation of singular scenes (adding emphasis on likely future developments like the enmity between Nadia and Lu comes to mind) and it did not feel overdone at all!

Regarding spoilers, mind, I‘m still at the first episode and everything here is pure speculation. Mostly. I should maybe tag spoilers for the victim reveal?

Because, let‘s face it. It was obvious who would die in the end the very second this character made an appearance. At least to me.

Now, because this is what I invariably focus on, no matter what media I consume, let‘s give the various characters in the show a not-really-in-depth-because-i-am-just-talking-into-the-void-and-not-submitting-a-report review!

First of all, Samu. He is the obvious main character, sweet, cautious and just interesting enough to distract from his nice-boy image that… burdens him tragically? His decision to completely opt out of demonstrating his abilities in English during class is interesting and… so far, the only interesting thing he has ever done, except for a few nice, witty one-liners. Don‘t get me wrong, I actually like characters that are capable of… not starting drama every few seconds and the fact that he‘s seemed to be the sole supporter of his family makes him likeable? But I just know that he‘s going to have SOME bullshit going on and make decisions that will downgrade my tentatively positive opinion of him severely. I KNOW IT. Also, I… really don‘t like Marina for some reason?

Marina, then! She also follows the stereotype of the main characters love interest – the Girl That Is Not Like The Others. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! I just dislike characters that, in turn, are more attracted by the attractiveness of rebellion than the actual people who represent it for them.

(But I really liked her chemistry with Mano (?) in the two seconds they interacted.) (But that is the problem! UGH, love triangles…) I really liked that she‘s HIV-positive though! I loved how that was represented! That was apparently the big drama with the previous scholarship student though? I also like how she doesn‘t give a damn. But all in all, hm. Meh. Not my type.

Mano (?) - Samu‘s older brother who just got out of prison! And we still don‘t know exactly how! He‘s demonstrated so far: an astounding inability to sympathize with all and any struggles his younger brother has faced AND come on. That was one obviously placed camera AND YOU DIDN‘T EVEN HAVE THE GOOD SENSE TO COVER EITHER OF YOUR FACES COME TF ON WOULD IT HAVE BEEN SO HARD??? Also, flirting with the girl his lil bro is obviously dancing around already and hogging her instead of calling Samu? Seriously? That‘s just an asshole thing to do, no matter how much better you two seemed to get along, dammit!

Anyway. Then there‘s Guzman. I don‘t like him (yet). He‘s protective of his younger sister which, nice, would he not also completely ignore her wishes at the same time. His relationship with Lu seems built on the desire of the two powerhouses of the school to present a united front and also have some sex in bathrooms, but… are they actually happy together? Wait, wait. Are they even together openly? Nooooo, wait it was such a big thing that they were seen having sex! Hm. In that case, I don‘t get the nonchalance with which Lu suggests her boyfriend seduce another girl just to blackmail her. Are you that sure of his loyalty? Probably! Is that a really awful and manipulative thing to not only force a stranger but also your own boyfriend into? Yes!

But. I also know his type. He‘s the asshole with hidden depths that appear in fleeting glances only at first and then, when gradually revealed, make him your favourite character. I know that at one point I will be supposed to love him and I, a weak victim of viewer manipulation, probably will. I know how that one goes. (I still love Bellamy from The 100 with all my heart and I have suffered for it. Also only watched to the third season!)

Aside from the fact that she is gorgeous and the archetypical bitch, except also super smart, I can‘t say too much about Lu yet. Except that I ship her with Nadia, not that THAT is ever going to happen, I guess. Idk I kind of like her. In her capacity of being a huge asshole, that is.

Nadia! HOLY SHIT I LOVE HER!!! SHE IS THE BEST! And holy shit, the hijab thing was a biiig gun to pull out in the first episode, but when else, also, good demonstration of institutionalized prejudice and discrimination! (I was so mad, good job! Well, fucking awful that this is a thing that needs to be represented, but good job! And her statement about them restricting her based on their own dumb opinions and NOTHING else and how this is her belief and nobody is forcing her to wear it? YES YES YES GOOD GIRL! Screenshots from that scene were what convinced me to give this series a shot and holy shit, it was delivered so well!) I can‘t even say anything meaningful here, I just??? love her??? She is sassy and smart and NOT interested in the drama (which will change VERY soon and hoo boy is she going to seduce the SHIT out of Guzman while also falling in love, but I don‘t even mind. That much.)

Then there‘s Christian. I… really don‘t care for the second-hand embarrassment he keeps subjecting me to? And his attitude towards drugs and alcohol? And… uh… almost everything else? BUT! He handles all of the abuse directed at him with the same charm and grace that at first seems absolutely moronic but is soon (him walking through the school naked) revealed as an iron-hard sunny attitude? And I respect that. A lot. I will probably come to respect this dude even more as the story evolves, but I still don‘t like his character-archetype. But that‘s fine!

Also, Carla and this dude! Waaaaait did she only hook up with Christian because her boyfriend who‘s name I forgot was into it? She did not seem all that comfortable afterwards, which hints at QUITE the different power dynamic in that couple than is expected of them! I am very curious!

And! Ander! OMG he is SUCH a sweetheart! Sorry, I still think that getting high and making a dating app profile is dumb, but HE IS GAY and hooking up with Omar and he! Is the cutest! And only deserves good things! Please let him be happy!

Omar, for that matter… hm. He looks very tired. Also, why is he selling drugs? He‘s… Nadia‘s brother? I‘d like to see more of their sibling relationship tbh but… hm. Don‘t know what to think about him yet, but the drug thing kind of is a turn-off for me? I really hope to get to know more about him though, especially if he IS going to have a thing with Ander!

And I have many more thoughts about this and I really look forward to watching the second episode at some point in my life (which… uh… might happen sooner or later, but since my method of choosing stuff to watch includes maths and does not include personal opinion… probably later?) but now I‘m getting hungry and am going to eat something instead of screaming some more into the void.

[vertigoambrosia]

i had a really long day and completely forgot today is shotgun day

i meant to post this saying idk if i’d watch tonight or just sleep but i fell asleep except now i’m awake and hungry so uhh i guess we’re doing this?

tarkan, at someone’s grave: i killed you

jurn’s portrait looks like he smells something really gross

what i would like to see lucky do? wxw i’d follow lucky do literally anything

tarkan is so good at disdainful expressions

man marius if you were gonna become a dick you might as well have stuck with andy

“lazy AF” lol subtitles

MARIUS THERE IS NO OTHER FOOD IN OBERHAUSEN NEAR THE TURBINHALLE WHAT DO YOU WANT

i can’t believe tarkan abandoned his baby bro for a gym rat sugar baby

like you can’t tell me he hasn’t fucked marius

bros before hos tarkan jeez

lol is andy telling himself how awesome he is

francis: still fucking loves colors

also: being difficult for literally no reason

why is veit mueller’s name actually pronounced with the vee sound when in german “v” always seems to be “fff”

that does not translate well in typing but i hope you know what i mean

oh wait tommy says it with the f god idk fucking german

yay pretty bastards will return soon! glad to know maggot’s healed up

i love how ahura has to show off after practically every move he does

*prince ahura voice* just in case you forgot, i’m hot

yeah tim’s half crab is better tho alan

not that veit’s is bad, but not a great comparison to make

ahura’s offense is foot based enough that i feel like he could be a street fighter character or something

francis: you look like you’re hiding

cmj:...I WAS

*francis voice* u still mad?

christian: *tries not to throw his laptop in anger*

awwww julian and avalanche go back so far!

i love that monster consulting’s gimmick is basically ‘opposites attract’

OMG THAT PIC OF THEM IN BED WITH THE BELTS THAT’S SO CUTE

are monster consulting...married?

i really cannot figure out if i don’t entierly buy emil as a face because he seems too douchey or because his face reminds me of my boss

you’d think after five months to think about it jurn would would have ditched the half assed mutton chops

!

aw andy feels spurned cause marius doesn’t care anymore

and here are these little shits

INVESTIGATE THE TABLES

omg  u never were tag champs dumbasses

if jayfk win in hamburg i’m gonna barf but i have a feeling that will happene

ok that was pretty clever of them though casue these fuckers just give away title shots cause they wanna fight

...do monster consulting know you can fight someone without the belts on the line?

and here’s this asshole

in his weird fucking girdle

wrestling owns because people can dramatically open hoodies or take off their shirts

alan literally saying ivan and pete would die for each other

oh my god has it really been almost a year since the demise of a4?

i have no idea what the crowd are chanting

(not ‘you sold out’, i got that one)

lmao are they calling marius ‘mr bullshit’?

lmao @ alan shitting on tarkan

pete bab you did just put yourself in a 2 on 1 situation tho

he’s pretty but when he gets angry he’s not always too smart

LUCKY

LUCKY

IT’S THE BOI

“former brother” that makes no sense but ok

tarkan you fucking thot

all hail our new womens champion alpha female

omg lucky + bobby sure is a pair

hi wxw pls no more women’s four ways thx

ANDY WTF

what the fuck is happening

“*imitates raccoon sounds*” that....is not what a raccoon sounds like but ok

i didn’t realize ilja and laurence were friends

awww ilja

i have to admit i didn’t realize that was laurence until the raccoon references

i realized we haven’t seen a nice smol boy used as a pawn since way back when i first started watching where cerberus beat up francis

friendly reminder that francis was the one who fucked up adam enough that he had to go to south america to recuperate

[team-annex]

My First Impressions of "And the Fatal Separation"

I haven’t done one of these at all this season! But this is probably one of my favourite episodes ever. This is really my second watch, but I was studying at the same time and didn’t get the full experience. But here we go~~~

-A bunch of Asian characters. Asian-centric episode. Y E S.

-Stone’s kickass fight scene. I’m ready to see him kick some more ass in the next season and episodes. I love that Christian Kane didn’t use a stunt double for this part besides the flip. 

-Monkey King. I love his character. And does he just keep that tail coiled up all the time? 

-In martial arts, there’s always a ‘death punch’. Why is this a thing?

-BANANA SMOOTHIES. that’s so cute. Jake doesn’t want magic, well you get a smoothie.

-Wow, Charlene’s candle is a whole candelabra. Dang.

-Baird’s candle being the next largest. Brilliant.

-EZEKIEL JONES’ CANDLE IS A BIRTHDAY CANDLE. I LOVE THAT.

-Flynn........... why is your candle almost oooooout?

-They have smoothies in a tiger cup. TIGER CUP. Omg, cute.

-I know I shouldn’t have laughed when the Monkey King was telling Jake to get the staff, but his voice sounded as if he was wearing a too tight turtleneck.

-NOOOOO. STONE. How the hell do you survive a waterfall drop when unconscious? You have to survive that fall.

-YES badass Asian woman.

-Whoa, on and off switch. I love Cassandra’s gift, it’s one of the coolest things about this show.

-Eve and Cassandra having a girl moment. There hasn’t been enough moments of them bonding, but the few are so special. 

-Eve being an amazing Guardian. And she’s working so hard to get them all to their full potential like from the first season. I hope we get to see them at max Librarian mode.

-Can I be Eve Baird?

-HE SURVIVED THE WATERFALL.

-LOL “black PJs”. That’s the sign of a ninja.

-What happened to leg Flynn? Put your leg away LOL.

-Not gonna lie, it was super random that Jake had a marital arts master. But very cool.

-White magic..?

-Always talking about good and evil. Can’t forget the balance.

-’Multiple levels of suckage.”

-there are like three magical times: midnight, sunset, and sunrise.

-The Odyssey = Trojan horse = pirates Ezekiel & Cassandra + their secret cargo from the Library. 

-Shit Ezekiel & Cassandra look badass. I need this look more often. I need this ot be a permanent look.

-What are these names? LOL.

-Dang, Cassandra is just as badass as she looks.

-Important decisions over tea. Asian to the max.

-OOOOOH Im liking this look on John Kim. Damn.

-”EZEKIEL JONES” with the arrogant accent. 

-KILLED EZEKIEL JONES

-CHOKED EZEKIEL JONES

-THE MOST CLEVER LIBRARIAN = EZEKIEL JONES

-LOL FUSED JAW. No talking for you Ezekiel. 

-Replacing the staff with another staff reminds me of an Ezekiel sort of a plan.

-damn these blow darts.

-oh shit Stone. Right in the forehead.

-Guardians > Librarians. I always forget that.

-”Bake our way out” They always underestimate Flynn’s plans.

-LOL Ezekiel dribbling. 

-Electroplating... Never would have thought of that. Ever. Did not know that was a thing.

-My Casekiel babes are  as Badass as they look

-Flynn and Stone. What a great underestimated tag team.

-CHARLENE!!

-Always okay. Charlene is always okay. How do you get to be as cool as these Guardians?

-Omg, you can’t stop Apep??? I don’t want to hear that. The Librarians don’t want to hear that.

-Wow, Charlene is so noble. Ugh, I’m gonna cry. She’s gonna be noble in the end.

-These outfits! Ezekiel’s shirt! Cassandra’s outfit! Why do we not dress like this more people????????

-I forgot that Eve and DOSA lady have never met face-to-face before. This whole interaction makes me uncomfortable. No, no, no.

-Sleeper agent in the Library. What are you plotting DOSA lady???

-OMG the whole show was a plot!!!! nonononononoono. A complete mind explosion.

-PROTECT THE LIBRARY, EVE! PROTECT IT. DON’T LET HER MESS WITH YOU. 

-PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, EVE. THEY’RE YOUR FAMILY. DON’T LET DOSA LADY CONVINCE YOU OTHERWISE.

-EVE STAY STRONG. STAY STRONG COLONEL BAIRD!!! PLEASE. 

-omg Eve don’t cry!!! You love them. Don’t let DOSA lady make you question that. 

-omg.. she brought in the oath. YOU TRUST THEM EVE BAIRD!!! DONT LET HER MANIPULATE YOU.

-hahaha, Charlene questioning everything they do. 

-”We didn’t have Charlene as our Guardian.” 

-I won’t stop saying it. These looks are bad ass as hell. I LOVE IT.

-Casekiel team ups are my favourite thing.

-She’s figuring out her gift and it’s perfect.

-Hahaha, I did not know Cass could speak Chinese

-I love that they can comminucate silently.

-Do you even know what a whatever whatever approximation of pi is, Ezekiel?? 

-”Are you alright?” “I am now.” All because she saw Ezekiel Jones, Eve Baird felt better.

-MORE BLOW DARTS.

-Murder Harp...? Corrupted soul! Poor Monkey King.

-Sterling Lam.. not sure how I feel about this character.

-Flynn, you’re good at stalling. You can do this.

-What’s he going to do? Why is he going to lose his life? What’s happening, Flynn? Please explain.

-OH NO! THE DEATH GRIP! DON’T KILL HIM

-Flynn is never alone. 

-SUN DOWN IS COMING!

-Wow that javelin like throw tho. 

-YES STONE. PEP TALK. FIGHT FOR YOUR SOUL MONKEY KING

-Are you branding Jacob Stone?

-HAHAHA TAKE IT OFF. Like you can take off a magic tattoo.

-OH MY GOD HE CAN BRING LIGHT! LIGHT WHEN THE WORLD IS GOING TO BECOME EVIL? Jacob Stone is gonna save the world.

-ASDJASLDFIAEFA JENKINS!! YOU LOVE CHARLENE!! JENKINS/GALAHAD LOVES CHARLENE!

-Awe, who can deny Jenkins? 

-But I guess she’s in love with Judson. It does suck, Jenkins. Poor man.

-WHAT DID YOU TELL BAIRD?????!?!?!?!

-AWE Flynn! Please don’t cry. No crying, please. 

-Omg my heart is hurting. My heart is hurting too much. Too too too too much.

-”Keep all receipts.” 

-You’re ready, but no one else is.

-Too many goodbyes.

-”Goodbye, my love.” UGH NO JENKINS WHY.

-where do they go...?

-WHAT IS THAT LOOK EVE BAIRD? WHY DOES IT LOOK EVIL AND SAD?