#i also find it very interesting that she only has one layer to his 3 but I'm sure that's not a mousekatool for later

[jonathanbyersphd]

Ok but I think Nancy is wearing tights here

But she isn't here

So I'm curious if this is a multi-day thing or continuity or it's not that deep.

[aashi-heartfilia]

Deku and Ochako: Two threads running in parallel

MHA has a vibrant cast with each character having its own quirks and perks. We often find ourselves shipping them and rooting for them to become cannon but in the midst of these shipping wars, we often overlook their personal journeys become true heroes.

One such pair is IzuOcha.

People often view it as a straight vanilla ship and ignore everything that makes it special/different from the other so-called vanilla ships. The fact that their journeys were always running in parallel, fighting side by side, inspiring each other in a give and take relationship...but let's start from the very beginning....

.

.

Chapter 3: The first time we meet Ochako, she saves Deku from falling on his two feet. She's nervous, but not as much as Deku. She wishes them both good luck and leaves. Now, this was their first meeting, and this is where their "Do your best" starts.

They both did their best in the exams, where Deku saves Ochako from the giant robot and Ochako in turns saves Deku from falling, like literally saving his life this time around.

Chapter 4: Then, the next time we see her, she was vouching for Deku, even at the cost of her own points. This also parallels her speech later in the manga.

Chapter 7: They enter UA, finally meet each other again, and become friends. In fact, on the very first day, Ochako says that she likes the name Deku, as it kinda gives a "You can do it!" vibe. Another fun thing to note here is that in Japanese she refers to 'gambare' which literally means "Do your best!".

She changes the meaning of his name, from an insult to something inspiring and it might have looked like a comedy gag moment at that time, but when you look at future chapters, it was much more than that.

Chapter 8: The very next chapter, we see Deku facing off Bakugo and saying "He's the Deku who does his best!". And we even see the importance of what Ochako said as she inspired him to do his best. In that test, they both pass with flying colors.

Chapter 22: Then not after too long, we find out about Ochako's motivation to be a hero, which was to earn money so that her parents can have easier lives. Some might say, there are other ways to make money, why choose heroism?

Well, you need to look deeper into the character, especially for someone like Ochako that has layers to her character. She's not someone you can tell by looking at first glance. From outside, she might be all sweet and cherry but from the inside, there's a storm. She has an iron will, and that she depicted again and again, be it her battle with Bakugo in sports fest or her quirk awakening and battle with Toga in the 2nd war. She has always been like that.

On the surface, she presents herself to be your average girl next door, but when you look behind that facade, you'll see a plethora of emotions.

She laughs with everyone but cries alone.

Her crying after Deku leaves (ch 37) or her thoughts about "who saves the heroes", or her "I didn't know the first thing about Toga" thoughts...

She has thoughts and emotions that are deep and not for not everyone can comprehend them. Some people might still see her as nothing more than a blatant love interest but we know that's far from the truth and that's why we'll deep dive into her character a little more.

Ochako has a lot of self-respect >>>

Despite what inspires her to be a hero, she refuses to take help from anyone. This is depicted when she refuses to take help from Deku in the SF. She felt embarrassed when Iida challenged Deku as that made her question her own ideals.

They were all there to become heroes and that makes them all rivals, even if they are friends and thus she challenges him to meet her at the finals.

I think that was a very underrated Ochako moment. (can't present all the pictures because Tumblr only allows less than 10 pics, but you can see it in the collage above)

From the very first day, her "let's do our best!" moment to their battle with Toga in the final war, she has been challenging / inspiring Deku but due to her soft personality, it gets overlooked very often.

It parallels Bakugo in a way and I love the parallels between Bakugo and Ochako but that is for another day.

So it's safe to conclude that just like Bakugo who has been a hardcore rival in power and ideals, Ochako has also been a friend / rival both in terms of power and ideals, although it might be more of her morals that inspire him the most. He even thinks about her in his final battle with Shigaraki, because she was the only one that resonates with his idea of saving villains but more on that later.

Chapter 37: After her loss, Deku goes to check on her and it turns out she was doing fine. She has taken it very positively or so it may seem but as soon as Deku leaves, she starts crying and Deku overhears her. He even feels guilty about not being able to do anything for her.

And that shows you how perceptive Deku really is. He's not some dumb, dense MC that has no clue how others are feeling. He's very sensible and wouldn't cause unnecessary trouble.

Chapter 45: After the sports fest, we see everyone choosing their hero names and Izuku chooses Deku. We even get a reaction panel of both Ochako and Bakugo. Bakugo always looked down on Deku and used it as an insult to call him 'useless' but Ochako changed its meaning to some positive, more meaningful.

Then in the following chapters (ch 46) they both go for their internships where Deku learns to control his 5% from Grand Torino and Ochako learns combat from Gunheads and I might say, IzuOcha might be the only people who learned the most from their internships, lol.

From then onwards, they both continue to grow in terms of power, as the story starts focusing on other characters as well, and we see less of her. Plus, her slight crush starts to develop from that point on, which made most people overlook her entire story.

But let's go over some of the key moments from that time:

Aoyama and Ochako vs 13: Aoyama teases Ochako about Deku, and this might be the first mention of her having a crush on Deku (ch 67)

Izuku encounters Shigaraki at the mall: If it wasn't for Ochako, everyone in the mall, including Deku would have died, making it the 2nd time Ochako saved Deku's life, quite literally (ch 68 and 69)

God knows what would have happened if Ochako didn't come back at the right time. She called the police and alerted everyone. Ochako doesn't get enough credit for her responsible and mature nature.

Chapter 76-77: Deku vs Muscular and Chapter 80: Ochako and Tsuyu vs Toga 1.0 where Deku and gang's interference saved them kinda like how Ochako's presence in the mall saved Deku from Shigaraki, although that was more serious.

Chapter 100: Ochako, Iida and Deku meet Hatsume. Yeah, that iconic encounter that has another parallel.

Chapter 102: Ochako realises her feelings for Deku.

Chapter 105: Deku realises it's not Ochako.

The thing is, Deku knew from the get go that the stranger is not Ochako. He even says "Ochako has been training to use her quirk and now she can float herself for some time, ignoring the side effects. In a situation like this, she wouldn't forget to use it and to reveal herself to the enemy without a plan?"

No, you're not the Uraraka I know.

And that, says volumes out there relationship! Even though, we saw how Ochako had romantic feelings for Deku in the previous chapters, she still kept on improving and Deku acknowledged that!

Even if we don't see him analysing her quirk again and again like Bakugo, he always keeps an eye on her, because note that in the manga, she never specifically tells him about her improvement but he still noticed it!

He knows Ochako enough to know that she's smart and strategic and that she would never reveal herself in front of the enemy without a solid plan. So when he saved Toga (disguised as Ochako) he knew that it wasn't Ochako!

And that's pure respect.

It is one of the examples of "Show, don't tell".

Chapter 107: Ochako quickly followed Deku's idea because she trusts him so much.

Chapter 109: And later, we see her struggling to keep her feelings under check. Because she's so inspired by Deku to do her best, it becomes an internal battle of emotions. At one point, she wants to compete with him, on the other, she has feelings for him that she can't control.

After that, it's a brief period of self-reflection from Ochako. We start seeing her less and less. She gets busy with her internship with Ryukyu and the team and we later see that they help defeat that giant villain in ch 156.

We later see that one of the biggest developments of Ochako comes from ch 163, where she regrets not being able to save Sir Nighteye.

In the class 1a vs 1b arc, she saves Deku when his quirk blackwhip goes haywire. If it wasn't for her quick thinking, again God knows what would have happened.

She may not have numerous power quirks like Deku but she's a capable hero in her own right and that is depicted in the Joint training arc when not only does she save Deku, but also manages to KO 3/5 people in the opponents team (Monoma, Rei, Poltergeist). She was literally the MVP of that arc.

Plus we get to see more of what runs inside her brain. Her ideology about forms the basis for one of the greatest arcs in the story.

"Who saves the heroes when they are in pain?"

After JTA, they again go to their internships and when they come back Deku apologises for what happened during JTA. Note that even though it was never shown, he was still concerned about Ochako.

He was sad that he unknowingly hurt her (much like how he says thank you very later after her speech). But Ochako on the other hand brushes it off, saying it's not a big deal and it inspired her to use wires much like Sero and Deku.

So, we see this relationship of give and take come into play again and again where they both inspire the other to do their best. Then they share a cute fist bump.

On Christmas, out of pure coincidence (wink** wink** Horikoshi) they both receive each other's presents.

Also note that, Ochako gets her hero costume upgraded after JTA, where she starts using those grappling hooks to grab and throw stuff, much like Deku and also attaches tiny rockets in her heels for more mobility.

Plus, that cute tiny pocket where she keeps her AM plushie❤️(that she got as Christmas gift from Deku). I think, after Bakugo and Deku, she has the most useful costume upgrade in the entire class!

Also, when Deku has a battle with Shigaraki in the 1st war, there is an entire chapter dedicated to Ochako vs Toga. Plus, she also gets to witness the aftermath of the war and her face, even now serves as the highlight for that chapter (ch 295).

The ragged blanket of heroism shed that day and what was left was the remains, of what it means to be a hero.

And for someone who was initially there for the money, it is especially important that she gets to witness this. It was the true horrors of hero society. She witnessed all this and still chose to stay in that line of work already says that she is way past her old thinking.

She's not some government agent like Hawks or Nagant or training to become the No 1 hero like Deku, Bakugo or Endeavour. Her life is simple, much like the citizens she saves, but it still matters.

And that's what makes her a People's Hero.

And finally after the first war, Deku leaves UA and Ochako rethinks "Who saves the heroes when they are in need?" and after that point onwards there was no looking back as her character arc takes a great turn!!

We get an entire arc of Dark Deku, indulging more and more into the darkness of his own powers and almost 10 chapters later we see a completely different Ochako.

I still remember people talking about it when ch 319 dropped.

This Ochako is ready to take action and takes shit from no one! One of the greatest character developments if you ask me. Ochako in a way is more like Lucy from Fairytail. Gets ignored most of the time but their moments are just as important.

Even though Deku went around saving people for days, people started viewing him as a villain. Ochako's speech brought him back to being a human.

Not a hero, not a villain, just a human.

And then we see her thinking about Toga, and how she didn't know the first thing about her in ch 342. She had a chat with Deku, where she confided in him. I think that kind of emotional intimacy is what makes their relationship interesting.

Her morals matter a lot to Deku, believe it or not! And that's why when she asks him to leave and take care of Shigaraki in ch 348, he thinks back to this conversation and unwillingly obliges.

Because he has faith in her, the kind that cannot be expressed in words. That comes from a long time understanding of each other...that is beyond comprehension for many people and that's why her "Do your best!" matters because that's what they have been doing since the day they met!

~Sunshine

[spxllcxstxr]

Being Eddard Stark’s Second Wife • Headcanon

(Gif not mine)

Request: Eddard Stark second wife headcanon? ❤️❤️❤️ -m — anon

Warnings: fem!reader, heavy canon divergence, mention of dying in childbirth (not reader, no other mention of pregnancy/having children), assumed age gap? Ned stark being THE man <3

A.N: I feel like these are a little short but I actually like this one! I love Ned so much so these were also just fun to write…I hope you like them! :) also I always struggle to find more diverse gifs along these romantic lines and I’m so sorry about that, my works are always inclusive

•

You marry Ned Stark after Catelyn dies delivering Rickon, her youngest

Ned certainly did not believe that he would marry again, he was incredibly heartbroken by the death of his wife

Additionally, he now had to look after 6 children and be the Lord of Winterfell

Even though he had servants and teachers and maesters to look after his children and keep them preoccupied, he was still stretched very thin due to stress and lack of sleep

You had been a close friend to the Starks even before Robb was born; some daughter of a lesser known Northern house who had come to Winterfell for a change of scenery

Despite your lower ranking, Ned and Catelyn became close friends of yours

When Catelyn died Ned’s grief almost consumed him; but you were his light in the deep and dangerous darkness that had fallen over his life

While throughout the many years of knowing Ned you occasionally felt a spark, not love, but it certainly wasn’t platonic, you pushed it down, never rushing anything that would harm your friendship and Catelyn in particular

Becoming Ned’s second wife is a gradual process

Ned comes to you almost every day, whether it is due to his grief or to ask your opinion on something, you become even closer than you were before

It takes maybe around 2 or 3 years of mutual pining for the two of you to really acknowledge what’s going on

Robb, Jon, and Arya definitely have a hand in this, they’re old enough to see what’s going on, they certainly drop hints to the two of you

“Tell me, my Lady, why I cannot stop thinking about you…”. He takes off his gloves, just to place his rough palm gently on your cheek. “You are the first thing in my mind when I wake, and the last thing when I finally succumb to sleep.”

“Ned…”

“If you do not feel the same tell me now, before I kiss you,”

The kiss is obviously what starts it, and the wedding comes very quick after that

Ned is very protective of you

With anything

He knows how harsh the Northern wind is, so he makes sure you have the finest furs and the warmest boots

Even if you say you’re fine he will insistently add another layer onto you

He does it with a grin on his face and a kiss on the forehead

Ned loves you so much

He will also teach you how to defend yourself

He is already teaching his children so training you isn’t a problem, he doesn’t like to think about it, but he knows there might come a day where he may not be able to protect you from the evil things of Westeros (or beyond)

His kids are mostly used to you before you end up marrying him

Sansa is really the only one to have a bigger issue with her father taking a second wife but she quickly warms up to you

You know you aren’t their mother and you try not to smother them like you are, but you are protective of them as if they were your own

Ned loves watching you help them with their studies or their interests

He’s seen you sneakily teach Arya how to punch properly

And Sansa’s needlework has improved since you moved into the castle

He adores how you treat Jon no differently than the others, Catelyn always did. He doesn’t blame her, he had to lie to her, but it warms his heart to see you act so kind to him

Ned is a loving husband and he shows that to you every day

He’s always gentle towards you and respects your opinions and what you have to say

He’s truly #NotLikeOtherMen lmao

•

[chocochipjewel]

Yapping about Belos and his ending excessively while also analysing him to the best of my ability under the cut

Belos fanart I also made

So given how much art of him I've reblogged by now, it really shouldn't come as a surprise that Belos is my favourite character from the Owl House.

I could talk about him for HOURSS but I just want to talk about 2 of my favourite moments of him to highlight the parts of him I love the most.

This moment in Hollow Mind, when he gets the key in his hand and you can see the light in his eyes. It's the only time his eyes have the distinct shine in them like every other character has all the time, and it's cause of the key he's holding. The key to the human realm is the only thing that gives him that shine cause it's the only thing he genuinely cares about. Everything he's doing is to go back home and revel in glory, which, while selfish, adds so much to his character. He's not doing this JUST for power, he became an Emperor just to tear his own creations down. I just find something extremely poetic about that.

And the second moment -

THIS MOMENT. THIS MOMENT IN KING'S TIDE AJDHSJSHSJS

I'm still mad these flashbacks were never brought up in any big way cause THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE BUT AHSKSJS I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.

Belos reliving his worst memories was always a concept that was going to be interesting because it's an insight into what really gets into the head of our main antagonist. What does the guy who is everyone else's worst fear have to fear. And the answer is himself.

The 3 memories he sees are him approaching Caleb with the knife, the actual murder as pictured above, and the creation of the grimwalkers.

What really gets me is that his eyes are wide when he recalls the first memory, but they look smaller in the second memory (in the screenshot). Maybe it's just the angle but I always interpreted it as his expression shifting to be one of genuine sadness for this particular memory. Because the mere fact that his most personal crime is also his worst memory is such an interesting concept. How does he live with that sort of guilt and worse, keep doing those same crimes but WORSE?

All of Hollow Mind could just be here really and I wouldn't complain. It's THE episode for Belos fans that really allowed us to dig into him, and the mere fact that he's consciously scratched off Caleb from all the happy memories as if to justify his own fratricide is a level of desperate coping that I just find so very interesting ajdjhsjjs

Not to mention that his inner self is a child, which, while a pretence by him, could still say something about how in his head, he still has not grown up and is still playing pretend, still playing witch hunter with every version of Caleb he creates, still playing god to finally achieve a fantasy so very childish and so frankly basic that it makes anyone watching from the outside think "wait, that's it? That's all this is for?" AND THAT'S THE POINT

Cause none of this needed to happen. None of this has a greater value than Philip trying to chase after lost dreams. All the plans he made, all his great power and his great empire amounts to nothing because he himself plans to destroy all of it to chase that childhood dream. Just like Luz, he entered the Boiling Isles to find a home, only his home was Caleb and he was never willing to love new things in the Isles, while Luz loved so much she literally changed the lives of everyone she met by loving them. And unlike Luz, Philip never grew out of that mindset, only burying it in layers and layers of lies and half truths.

In general, his relationship with Caleb is for sure the most interesting part of his character to me. The fact that he both repeatedly murders and repeatedly creates new grimwalkers in an endless cycle and then hallucinates Caleb looking at him with disdain implies so much about his dependancy on Caleb and the deepest parts of himself that know what he's doing is wrong. The parts that have broken free from the layers and layers of cognitive dissonance and have accepted that he was wrong, without any more justifications.

And now, to 'briefly' rant about him in season 3

Thanks to Them was juicy for character exploration, but I wish we actually got to see him react to the human realm properly. It's everything he's wanted, it's the one thing that still brings light into his life but the world he returned to would absolutely hate him. He's done all this for nothing. I wanted so badly to see how he copes with his guilt then, but they were short on time so I get it.

For the Future's hallucination scene makes this even more interesting cause of the depiction of him actually seriously suffering from something like hallucinations. It was dark as hell, and it was really interesting.

And then... WaD. All in all, a great finale. The only real big problem I had with it was Belos' ending.

After so much buildup to his depth and his motivations and his guilt and all his lies slowly collapsing around him, after everything he did to so many people, he deserved a better death. I don't think he didn't deserve death, I just think it happened too quick. Where was the final cathartsis from all his victims shunning him (Luz staring was perfect don't get me wrong, but the whole Hexsquad deserved to be there). Where was the moment he would finally no longer be able to lie to himself and he would be forced to accept that he did EVERYTHING he did, made all those great sacrifices, tortured so many people, just to fail and be at his victims' mercy after accomplishing nothing?

I understand the finale was juggling many MANY characters and plotpoints, but that's not stopping me from wishing for a better ending.

I wish I had had the motivation to draw something for this like I'd hoped, but a brief description about what kind of ending I'd have wanted will have to do.

I wish Luz saw his memories in the place in between with Papa Titan. It would reinforce her arc of feeling like they come from the same place too, if she saw Caleb leaving Philip and Philip's original goal of just wanting to get his brother back. I wish Luz saw all his "sad" memories and really started to question herself.

And then I would have wanted Papa Titan to shoot that down regardless, and then explain that while Belos may have started out a victim of his circumstances as an orphaned child in a cult, the Isles gave him chances to change. Memories of Philip in the Isles seeing Caleb happy, being given chances by witches, being given so many chances to change, and rejecting them accompanying this scene would be ideal. Really hammer in that he aas responsible for his own suffering and that he has absolutely no excuse for what he did to all his victims.

And then, in the final death scene, as he claims that as humans they are better than witches one last time, I wish the ghosts of all his victims showed up to prove him wrong. Every witch and grimwalker who choose to be better than him before they fell. Every member of the Hexsquad who believed in him and his regime at one point. Every single one of them a reminder of how his lies can't even convince himself anymore.

And finally, his own brother, a fellow human, who appears before him. I imagine Caleb looking at him with pity, almost sympathy, before a quiet acceptance comes onto his face and he turns away from him. He walks towards the crowd and chooses their side, next to Evelyn. Neither Caleb nor Luz say a single word. There is nothing left to be said to him anymore. Every single person on the Isles, human or witch, has turned against him now.

If anything could break his will, I think this would be it. I imagine him phasing through his different forms, trying to find a way to justify himself in each one, gradually desolving into desparate screams, before the boiling rain melts him away like in canon (except without the stomping please).

Aaaand that's it, no more notes. Thanks so much to all the Wittebane fans in the community who have kept his fanbase fed when the show didn't meet our standards and who prompted the line of thought that led to this post.

There are so many of you all who inspired and made my fandom experience fun and created so much out of just Philip, Caleb, and Evelyn (and all your OCs of course!!) so I'm just going to shoutout the ones I remember off the top of my head -

@talisman975

@jess-the-vampire

@calebsrottingcorpse

@owlyhouse

@anona1-mous

@captainmera

@moonmeg

@azure-blaze92

@a-magpie-in-the-bi

@a-magpie-in-gravesfield

This is no particular order and I'm surely missing more so this is by no means exhaustive, but this is just a shoutout for those who kept this fandom going. Y'all are the real troopers for sure.

That's all I got, but I'm posting some old Belos art soon! Cheers all, and may the terrible awful no good goo babygirl keep inspiring us for all the great art <3

[stelladess]

So I was writing a thing comparing Ch´en´s character arc in the anime and in the game, and how various changes alter things. Problem is I got writer´s block on it and cannot figure out how to make it written in a way that is interesting to read. So not sure if ill ever get that one done but for now there is an aspect to her relationship with Amiya that I wish to highlight that I have not seen pointed out much really.

I originally wrote several paragraphs going over Ch´en´s relationship to her uncle and her unnamed father and also on Wei Yenwu´s personality and background. But it was kind of getting away from the point. So the important thing here is that Ch´en´s father would be aggressive, yelling and demeaning towards her or ignore her. While Wei Yenwu was very emotionally distant on purpose and would generally not acknowledge any of her successes, just point out her shortcomings or try to make her see how naive she was and to become more of a ruthless pragmatist. Just know that Wei Yenwu is a deeper character and was until they suddenly dropped him as a villain one of the most interesting villains in the game to me.

So the interesting thing here is, pre character development Ch´en treats Amiya like her father figures treated her. Which I find interesting for multiple reasons, one is that after we find out from Hoshiguma that Ch´en actually likes Amiya and keeps praising her in private, it makes a lot of sense. Ch´en is clearly trying to teach Amiya, so she defaults to (especially Wei Yenwu´s) teaching methods. Which to Amiya just comes across as Ch´en being a massive jerk for no good reason. And when Ch´en´s patience runs thin she lashes out in anger.

The second reason is that she defaults to her male parental figures methods. Not her significantly nicer aunt for example. I think one could read that in multiple ways, maybe she just thinks of Wei Yenwu as more of a "teacher" type, maybe she just has been influenced more by his thinking, maybe she identifies more with traditionally male roles or behaviours (whether you see this in a trans reading or not both are valid readings imo, I am planning to write something about gender on Terra because I disagree with the "Terra is fully egalitarian" takes that come up sometimes). Either way it is interesting that she specifically emulates her uncle especially, and on a more subconscious level her father.

That said, Ch´en does start growing out of this fairly early on, as early as chapter 3. Where she actually tries to comfort Amiya somewhat after Misha´s death. She gives her advice that while harsh, still expresses support for Amiya´s ideals and she clearly hopes Amiya will be able to succeed. She is just unsure it is possible. I think this is also an interesting layer to their dynamic, that Ch´en believes Amiya is like her own younger more naive self and needs to see the cold harsh reality. Both failing to realize she herself has grown overly cynical and that Amiya already *knows* life sucks, something Ch´en seems to only really fully grasp in chapter 5, around when Hoshiguma points out to her it is unlikely Amiya, as an infected child soldier, has done something so simple as gone shopping around town. This is why Ch´en inviting Amiya to just... go out to eat somewhere nice after things have settled down matters a lot. It shows how Ch´en is becoming a more considerate person. She is growing out of her uncle´s abusive teaching methods.

She is not only trying to teach Amiya knowledge she needs, but also caring about her mental wellbeing.

What I am saying is that Wei Yenwu and Ch´en (no personal name given) are examples of toxic masculinity and Ch´en Hui-Chieh grows into an example of positive masculinity. /s

No but in all seriousness, she is trying to work her own issues out while helping the people around her and figure out what justice even is while also making an active effort to be a kinder, more considerate person who does not try to force her own ideas about how a leader should behave on anyone anymore.

Also to be clear I am not saying "add Ch´en to the ever growing list of mom´s for Amiya", I think Ch´en has a dynamic more comparable to Blaze or Wis´adel with Amiya. I am saying her attempts at teaching someone something has her defaulting to the teaching methods of her uncle, who is a terrible teacher. And how this is important because we very directly see Ch´en growing to be better then her uncle. Since Wei Yenwu when accounting for his backstory is also kind of a fallen hero it is nice to see Ch´en climb her way out of the hole her cynicism had dug her and work to improve herself, and I think her relationship with Amiya is a surprisingly underrated part of that.

[alltheboysandgirlsiloved]

Theory from Chaos Theory season 1: the 5 of them represent the stages of grief

Darius: Depression. He isolated himself entirely from friends and family, quit his job, went to live in a cabin in the woods alone.

Kenji: Anger. He's an angry guy, he's always been like this, and it's apparent in this, especially towards Darius.

Sammy: Bargaining. Between Brooklyn's death, her parents breaking contact, and Yaz drifting away, Sammy's coping mechanism is to keep herself busy. At all times. If she's working on something, she's not thinking about it all.

Yasmina: Denial. She might not be denying Brooklyn's death per se, but she's staying at a safespace that basically denies the whole dino issue.

Ben: Acceptance. Okay, he is the one who finds out her death wasn't an accident and starts getting everyone back together, but clearly he's the one dealing with her loss the best. Hes accepting that she's dead and is now trying to avenge her while keeping everyone else safe.

This is honestly such a cool interpretation! I love it!! It totally clicks. To me, Yaz and Sammy are honestly the most interesting ones in this puzzle because obviously in both of their cases, a lot of things layer up, not to mention the fact that they happen to be more "connected" with each other than the rest of the ground.

As you pointed out - Sammy's situation is complicated because on at least three different levels she's dealing with a new and completely alienating situation. This is so interesting to me because while Darius is distancing himself on purpose, Sammy is being distanced by others (family, Yaz). She's a very people-oriented person so for her losing Brooklynn, and then emotionally losing her family and (partially) Yaz must have been a hit. So yeah, as you pointed out - she's filling her time with other things, she's constantly on the move, and she tries to fill the gaping hole in her heart.

Yaz is interesting because in her case the denial focuses on believing that there's another way to live this cruel reality. Yes, on the island she is placing herself away from dinosaurs but... not only dinosaurs. She's also putting distance between herself and Sammy, but also (that we can only assume based on Yaz's reaction to seeing e.g Ben) notice how she's also distancing herself from the rest of the group - though in a completely different way than Darius. She is distancing herself as in: in a way, maybe, she is subconsciously thinking that she wants to be close to them when she's at her best, and she tries to achieve that (remember that in s2 she was always there, always ready to help, ready to give her best). She is in denial as in: she has PTSD and its cause is currently unleashing (not really) hell on the Main Land, moreover, its cause killed her friend. I think, in some way, denying that there's a world outside of this island, helps her forget that the world outside is... ruthless and cruel. I don't think she's naively denying that either. More like... she tries to put these emotions (this fear, this realization) into the closet even though she knows they won't fit there.

Thanks for sending me this ask! <3

[rada-76]

Sandwich, Nina, Muriel and Crowley's Memory

Сэндвич, Нина, Мюриэль и память Кро��ли

По-русски ниже. / In Russian further.

If we look at the connections between the second season and the first, we can find another sequence of facts that will close in a beautiful circle. Last time, the fact that Miranda Richardson plays both Shax and Madame Tracy helped us close the circle. Do you remember the silver and gold mirror?

And I wondered if there was a connection between the roles of other actors who played different characters in the first and second seasons? And yes! The roles of Nina Sosanya (cafe owner Nina and nun Mary Loquacious) came in handy!

I will give the sequence at the end, but I will present it briefly, so that all its beauty can be seen. But first, I will remind you of the details of several scenes that we will need. I have highlighted the words that echo each other.

* 

Scene “Nina and Mrs. Sandwich discuss Muriel’s first appearance.” (S2E3)

We need this scene mainly because it connects Nina and Muriel. Nina and Muriel are like the top and bottom of a sandwich, and Mrs. Sandwich is the adhesive layer that holds it together. She’s the one who brought Muriel to Nina’s attention. It also helps that Mrs. Sandwich mentions an “interesting kink” in the conversation.

*

Scene "I'm Not Nice" (S1E2)

Crowley gave people real guns instead of paintball guns, but prevented people from dying. Aziraphale called him nice, Crowley got angry and pinned him against the wall.

A: "I've always said that deep down, you really are quite a nice…" C: "Shut it! I'm a demon. I'm not nice.”

Like the weapon swap, this was a case of violence that did no harm. We see that Azi is not afraid of Crowley's wrath. Many viewers believe that he even enjoys the accidental intimacy (an interesting kink). 

They are distracted by Mary Loquacious, a former nun and now a paintball owner. Aziraphale and Crowley learn from her that the monastery, along with the records about the babies, was burned by Hastur.

*

Scene “Crowley won’t arrest Azi for lying.” (S2E2)

Aziraphale lied to the other angels about Job’s children. Only Crowley knew about it. Azi expected Crowley to take him to Hell. I’ll change the meaning of their lines a little so that they mean what they imply.

A: “Take me to Hell, I lied, and I’m ready to be arrested.” (I’m a demon now. I’m not nice.) C: “No, you won’t like it in Hell.” (…) C: “I’m a demon. I lied.” (I’m still lonely.)

*

Scene "Crowley does an apology dance" (S2E1)

This is an interesting kink. After the dance they say:

C: "Okay?" A: "Very nice.”

*

Scene "Crowley asks Muriel to arrest him." (S2E5 and S2E6)

To paraphrase a bit:

C: "Take me to Heaven, I'm ready to be arrested." (interesting kink) (...Crowley explained to Muriel how to arrest him.) C: "It's all right, officer, I'll come quietly." (...Muriel escorted Crowley to Heaven.) M: You're not really under arrest, are you? C: Not really, no.

I'll change the meaning of their phrases a little so that they mean what they imply.

M: "Did you lie to me?" C: "Yes" And a little further: C: "Mm, nice office." M: "It's a bit lonely.”

-

Now that the necessary information has been downloaded into your brain, you probably feel like Crowley, who narrowly dodged an oncoming truck when the task about the Antichrist was downloaded into his brain… 

Drumroll!

So, a ring of related scenes. I advise you to read first, and then compare the highlighted ones.

This is how Nina (the paintball nun) leads in the "I'm not nice" scene and to the lost records.

1. Sandwich, Muriel, Nina. (S2E3) 2. Nina is Mary Loquacious, she owns a paintball business. 3. Azi and Crowley in the paintball office. (S1E2) (Crowley showed power in season 1) (Crowley: "I'm a demon. I'm not good") 4. Crowley and Azi didn't get the nuns' records about the babies. 5. Records.

(My personal conclusion. The loss of the records is a symbol: at some point in the past, Crowley lost and was unable to regain his memory.)

This is how Muriel leads to "Crowley's arrest" and the recovered records.

1. Sandwich, Muriel, Nina. (S2E3) 2. Muriel won't arrest Crowley. (S2E5 and S2E6) (he does, but pretending, playing) (Muriel: I'm lonely) 3.1. Azi won't make Crowley dance. (S2E1) (he does, but pretending, playing)  (Azi showed power in season 2) 3.2. Crowley won't arrest Azi for lying. (S2E2) (Aziraphale: "I'm a demon. I'm not good") (Crowley: I'm lonely) 4. Crowley and Muriel got the records of Heaven about Gabriel. 5. Records.

(My personal conclusion. The records found are a symbol: in the future, Crowley will be able to keep his memory and even learn something else, new and important, perhaps he will be able to get his memory back.)

“Point 5” connects the lower ends of these two sequences into one.

And the wonderful Mrs. Sandwich is a layer, a link, connecting the upper ends of the two sequences into a ring with the help of “point 1”.

More amazing finds in Good Omens S2 are here.

***

Если рассматривать связи второго сезона с первым, можно сложить еще одну последовательную цепочку фактов, которая замкнется в красивое кольцо. В прошлый раз нам помогло замкнуть цепочку то, что Миранда Ричардсон играет и Шакс и мадам Трейси. Помните серебряное и золотое зеркало? 

И я подумала, нет ли связи между ролями других актеров, если они играли разных персонажей в первом и втором сезоне? И да! Роли Нины Сосанья (хозяйка кафе Нина и монашка Мэри Таратора) мне пригодились!

Цепочку я изложу в конце, но изложу ее кратко, чтобы было видно всю ее красоту. А для начала я напомню вам подробности нескольких сцен, которые нам для этой цепочки понадобятся. Я выделила слова, которые перекликаются.

* 

Сцена “Нина и миссис Сэндвич обсуждают первое появление Мюриэль”. (S2E3)

Эта сцена нам нужна в основном потому, что она связывает Нину и Мюриэль. Нина и Мюриэль - как низ и верх сэндвича, а миссис Сэндвич - скрепляющая прослойка. Это же она обратила внимание Нины на Мюриэль. Нам также пригодится, что в разговоре миссис Сэндвич упоминает “интересный кинк”.

*

Сцена “Я не хороший”. (S1E2)

Кроули дал людям настоящее оружие вместо пейнтбольного, но предотвратил смерти людей. Азирафель назвал его хорошим, Кроули рассердился и прижал его к стене.

А: “Я всегда говорил, что в глубине души ты действительно очень хороший…” (I've always said that deep down, you really are quite a nice…) К: "Заткнись! Я демон. Я не хороший (Shut it! I'm a demon. I'm not nice)”. 

Это, как и подмена винтовок, был случай насилия, которое не принесло вреда. Мы видим, что Ази не боится гнева Кроули. Многие верят, что он даже наслаждается случайно полученной близостью (интересный кинк). 

Их отвлекла Мэри Таратора, бывшая монашка, а теперь владелица пейнтбола. Азирафель и Кроули выяснили у нее, что монастырь вместе с записями (records) о младенцах сжег Хастур.

*

Сцена “Кроули не арестует Ази за ложь”. (S2E2)

Азирафель солгал другим ангелам о детях Иова, о чем знал только Кроули. Ази ожидал, что Кроули отведет его в Ад. Немного изменю смысл их фраз, чтобы они значили то, что подразумевали.

А: "Отведи меня в Ад, я солгал, и я готов к аресту” (Я демон теперь. Я больше не хороший. ~ I'm a demon. I'm not nice) К:  “Нет, тебе в Аду не понравится” (…) К: “Я демон, я солгал” (I'm a demon. I lied.) (мне все-таки одиноко)

*

Сцена “Кроули исполняет извинительный танец” (S2E1)

Это интересный кинк. После танца звучит:

К: “Сойдет?” (Okay?) А: “Очень хорошо” (Very nice).

* 

Сцена “Кроули просит Мюриэль арестовать его”. (S2E5 и S2E6)

Немного перефразируя:

К: “Отведи меня в Рай, я готов к аресту” (интересный кинк) (...Кроули объяснил Мюриэль, как его арестовать.) К: “Все в порядке, офицер, я пойду тихо” (It's all right, officer, I'll come quietly) (...Мюриэль провела Кроули в Рай.) М: На самом деле ты не под арестом, да? (You're not really under arrest, are you?) К: Нет, на самом деле. (Not really, no.)

Немного изменю смысл их фраз, чтобы они значили то, что подразумевали.

М: “Ты мне солгал?” К: “Да” И чуть дальше: К: “Мм, хороший офис” (Mm, nice office.) М: “Тут немного одиноко” (It's a bit lonely.)

Теперь, когда нужная информация в ваш мозг загружена, и вы, наверное, чувствуете себя как Кроули, который едва увернулся от встречного грузовика, когда ему в мозг загрузили задание насчет Антихриста… 

Барабанная дробь!

Итак, кольцо связанных сцен. Чтобы глаза не разбегались, сначала прочитайте, а потом уж сравните выделенное.

Вот как Нина (пейнтбол-монашка) ведет в сцене “я не хороший” и к утраченным записям.

1. Сэндвич, Мюриэль, Нина. (S2E3) 2. Нина - это Мэри Таратора, она владеет заведением для пейнтбола. 3. Ази и Кроули в заведении для пейнтбола. (S1E2) (в первом сезоне Кроули проявил силу) (Кроули: "Я демон. Я не хороший”) 4. Кроули и Ази не получили записи монашек о малышах. 5. Записи (Records).

(Мой личный вывод, что это символ: когда-то в прошлом Кроули утратил и не смог вернуть свою память.)

Вот как Мюриэль ведёт к “аресту Кроули” и к полученным записям.

1. Сэндвич, Мюриэль, Нина. (S2E3) 2. Мюриэль не арестует Кроули. (S2E5 и S2E6) (арестует, но не по-настоящему) (Мюриэль: Мне одиноко) 3.1. Ази не заставляет Кроули танцевать. (S2E1) (заставляет, но не по-настоящему)  (во втором сезоне Ази проявил силу) 3.2 Кроули не арестует Ази за ложь. (S2E2) (Азирафель: "Я демон. Я не хороший”) (Кроули: Мне одиноко) 4. Кроули и Мюриэль получили записи Рая о Гаврииле. 5. Записи (Records).

(Мой личный вывод, что это символ: в будущем Кроули сможет остаться при своей памяти и даже узнать что-то ещё, новое и важное, возможно, ему удастся вернуть свою память.)

“Пункт 5” соединяет нижние концы этих двух цепочек в одну.

А чудесная миссис Сэндвич - это прослойка, звено, соединяющее в кольцо верхние концы двух цепочек с помощью “пункта 1”.

Больше удивительных находок во втором сезоне здесь.

[vestaclinicpod]

Audio Drama Sunday - 22nd December ✨

I have been SO ill this week oh my god, I can’t even express how much hands this virus has 🤧 Thank you to all the shows who have kept me company this week!

🌲 @hellofromthehallowoods (178) Olivier!!!! Oh, it is breaking my HEART that his parents essentially pulled him out and dropped him in bloody France with no more power and no way of finding out what happened to the rest of the expedition. He doesn’t even know about Riot 😭 Also, I wish the gang had just been told the truth about that chapel because, my god, if it’s not Marco that goes wandering in there, it’s definitely going to be Hope!! Eek, Cole, man!!! You are not showing that you understand any of the principles that made Clem a good detective!! She had a process and a Shelby and years of practice!! You, sir, are going to fuck this up! We obviously now know for sure that Heather was one of the quartet and I feel like Ignatius is probably one because of the fire. Who knows! The game is still definitely afoot! 

🦋 @remnantspod (20) I was warned that this episode would break my heart but did I heed that warning as I listened on my walk through the city centre? No. Did I pay the socially embarrassing price for that hubris? Maybe!! Pushing down the trauma of that remnant leads to some qs from me (please share if you have thoughts!!). We know that Stephen Grenville was just one of many names that the keystone character was using - do we know if the man in this remnant was the ‘original’ one or a ‘fake’ SG? I’m thinking about what he said about Celine’s paintings and her being unable to stop her own style peeking through, I didn’t catch a flash of the Perry/Stephen/Apprentice in this man. I feel like it would add such an interesting layer if the murderer we know about was stealing identities from nasty people. But maybe that's wishful thinking! Does it make the murdering better if there's a good reason?? Idk! No? I might need to dedicate myself to a relisten sometime soon! 

🎃 Waiting For October by @monkeymanproductions (2.5) Ah, Poe. I love that there are still people fond enough of him to listen to his story no matter how irritating he is generally! I am definitely not well read enough to catch all of the references to other authors and stories but I found his cawing belligerence amusing all the same!! I’m looking forward to what’s next for Karo and Yvonne! 

🎙️WTNV (260 - December Monologues) Such a great time of year. I love hearing from characters we don’t catch up with as much like the Faceless Old Woman. I don’t know what’s about to happen with Steve, but I am buckled in and ready to find out!! 

🍾 @ameliapodcast (39) Amelia and Alvina are just on a prison tour at this point! Sometimes there are quotes that you just need to immediately add to the mental bank and “I piss on your mother's grave and wipe my ass with your birth certificate!” is 100% one of them 😂

🧳 Travelling Light @monstrousproductions (Q+A part 2)  my three take away points from this second part of the Q+A were 1) complete gratitude that Hero and I are on the same page about Scarry (who will most certainly return in late S2 right?). 2) I am soooo intrigued about your vague references to Olí and the Traveller’s relationship in S2 AND 3) Matt, that impression was genuinely horrifying. Thank you. 

🌵 @desertskiespodcast (1-4) I have been putting off listening to Desert Skies for too long because I knew it would make me emotional. Until Leon @tellnotalespod very correctly told me that a few tears are so worth it for the rest of the experience of listening to the show. I’m only a few eps in but I absolutely adore the balance of humour and heartache. I’ve literally had these characters for 2 hours and I would already kill for them!!

Have a lovely week, everyone! The days are getting longer and the nights are getting shorter!! 🫶

[spaceorphan18]

The Lady Whistledown Papers : 1x01 - A Diamond of the First Water (Part 3)

Hi! Welcome back to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I'm taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton's character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

Girls Like You

Jumping back in, we start off with a montage of suitors for both Daphne and Marina set to Maroon 5's Girls Like You. Usually, I have some great thoughts on the use of music within shows but this one feels... just like a fun little pop song to put to a montage? Most of the lyrics involve -- needing a girl like you -- and -- yeah yeah yeah. It's not the most profound song, but it works nicely for the montage.

Also, I love when they match the Featherington girls' dresses. I'd love the backstory as to why Portia is obsessed with citrus fruits.

As a nice touch, when the LW voice over starts, the camera pushes in on Penelope. I kind of love all the hints they give that LW is Pen -- it's incredibly obvious once you start looking for them. Anyway, Penelope is so devilish here. She loves the attention Marina is getting - not only because she finds Marina a nice person, but because it's pissing her mother off. I love that the LW narration is Pen's way of throwing salt in her mothers' wound. It's a bit wicked. And delicious.

What's somewhat wild, though, is that LW goes after the Queen about her choice of Daphne as a diamond. THE QUEEN! Like, that is bold, Pen. Incredibly bold. She even throws shade at King George, like wow. It's no wonder the Queen is obsessed to track her down. Pen's playing with fire here. But I wonder if she doesn't realize, yet, that there can be consequences to her words? I mean - right now, LW is almost like her journaled words being published -- unedited thoughts that aren't necessarily filtered, but are done so anonymously. The only reactions she's really getting are her mother's frustrations -- which she delights in.

It'll be interesting to watch the LW development as the show continues...

Courting I

Awww, it's our first real Polin scene of the show! And it's... like ten seconds long. But! Still plenty to dig through.

Colin's decided to call on Marina - I'm assuming he's the one (or one of the ones really) who brought her flowers. And during one of the suitor's atrocious poems, Colin's throwing Pen (and you could argue Eloise) looks. Like, can you believe this guy? Seriously?

But, no, I love that there's this layer of non-verbal communication right off the bat. Colin isn't just some random dude Pen has had a crush on from afar. They have an established relationship from the onset (which I'll talk about more in a sec) and how many times -- cutting through the ridiculous nature of the society they live in, do they shoot each other knowing looks.

They grew up together, and while Colin probably very much thinks of her as an additional sister at this point -- there's a comfort there that he can express how he's feeling over the situation to her.

A quick second about the dog - it took me a sad amount of times to realize that one of the suitors had brought it as a gift. It also doesn't show up after this episode (I think) so I really hope it's safely living at a neighbor's house after Portia decides to get rid of it.

Anyway... I was thinking about Eloise in this scene. Why is she even in this scene, she doesn't need to be. Well, actually, in a way, she does! First of all - we can appreciate Claudia Jessie's fantastic comedic skills (Btw - anyone else up for a buddy comedy with Claudie Jessie and Nicola Coughlan? Because I sure am here for it).

Secondly, it helps reestablish that Pen and Eloise are bffs. Which helps establish why Colin would otherwise randomly come up to talk to her after calling hour is over. This is the first episode of the series, and all of these relationships are being established. And it can be done without dialogue having to confirm it. It's all subtle, but it's better than the trap of over explaining things in expository dialogue.

Anyway, I want some backstory... How often do Eloise and Pen sneak over to each other's houses? They were children when they met - how often did Pen play over at the Bridgerton house? It's interesting that children are allowed some freedoms that once you get older, aren't allowed anymore. I have to wonder - if one reason that Pen and Colin are so free with each other later on is that because they they were children together, and probably played together as kids, they don't feel as bound by society's rules because they didn't have to when they were younger.

And now I just have all of these headcanons about a much younger Colin chasing his sister(s) and Pen who is visiting around the house in the way siblings do. And Eloise deciding she wants to take revenge, and she and Pen coming up with plots to play pranks on her brother(s). Think of Gregory and Hyacinth at the beginning of the episode, running around causing havoc. And I can just imagine that Eloise and Colin are a lot like that, too. And of course, Pen, who wanted to be away from her own family, from her own sisters who treated her like a disease, would want to be a part of it as much as she could.

Before I get into their exchange, a small, but important detail is what Portia says a moment before -- she encourages the young men to acknowledge her other daughters in hopes that someone will notice Prudence or Phillipa. But the way she includes Penelope's name -- "or even Penelope" -- it's an after thought. It's like, oh yeah, I have a third child I guess if you really want to acknowledge her, go ahead, but meh, who cares. It's so sad, really that Portia thinks so little of her at this point in time.

But then here's the kicker -- not one of these suitors even takes a glance over in Prudence or Phillipa's direction. But Colin takes a moment to full on have a short aside with Penelope. He makes it a point to go over to her to share a laugh -- because they'd probably been rolling their eyes at each other during all of this suitor business, and now that the official courting moment is over, they can have an exchange.

The fact that Portia is so blind to what goes on with her youngest daughter is the reason LW works. Penelope is left to really be on her own - and while that's devastatingly lonely, it also allows her a freedom that other women her age and place in society don't get.

Anyway, back to Colin -- and the fact that the first thing he does is seek out Penelope. He could address his own sister, who is sitting right there, but he doesn't. Because Eloise probably usually ignores him. Penelope doesn't. She latches on to pretty much everything he says, and that's gonna be a big deal for Colin (but we'll get there...)

Their exchange is only a couple of lines, but they're able to be witty with each other. Penelope mentions that the suitor is no Lord Byron (and -- guys, as an aside, if you want a wild time, look up the life and times of Lord Byron and the Shelleys. It's just... a good time...) Anyway, Colin's face subtly shifts in this moment. Her wit and intelligence is impressive, and he clocks that. It's why he keeps coming back to her - because they can share similar thoughts - but also she's deeply amusing on top of that.

And, oh, dear Penelope... Her eyes never leave him. She is just so, so gone. Not only is she just over the moon that he comes to stop to talk to her, not only is she gazing adoringly up at him during the quick exchange, her look lingers as he leaves. Of course, part of this is visual storytelling to show the depths of her feelings. But, we're beyond crush stuff here -- this girl has got it bad.

Seriously -- how does Eloise not notice all of this? I mean, plot purposes, yes, and the fact that Eloise is usually caught up in her own drama to really notice other things. But you'd think you'd notice your best friend being moony for brother after a while. Because, Pen, girl, you wear your heart on your sleeve...

Courting II

Before we get into the meat of this short, little moment - I have to mention the transition. In the scene before, Simon and Anthony were talking, and Anthony mentions that he's not worried about taking a wife because he has brothers... And we cut to this scene where Colin is courting Marina. And, I think it's a neat little transition because - we see Colin doing something that Anthony is actively not doing. Looking for a wife. (Or at least a romantic partner)

That's the thing about Colin -- he is a romantic. Unlike Anthony, whose position is different because he is the oldest and therefore there's more responsibility there, and therefore he'd rather not deal with it at all (and who has a ton of trauma going on in addition) and unlike Benedict, who is kind of caught up in finding himself more than anything, Colin (who is young still at this point) likes the idea of a wife and a partner and a domestic home.

It's one (of many - I'll get to it) reason he is so quick to propose to Marina. It's why he doesn't fuck around ages later when he figures out his feelings for Penelope. It's actually something Colin and Penelope have in common -- they both have a shared love of romance.

Okay, so onto this moment, I want to note the blocking of the scene. Notice how Penelope is on the floor, playing with the dog? It's purposeful! It positions her to reflect that she's still a child, or at least a child when compared to Colin and Marina on the couch, deep in their courting moment. It highlights the chasm currently between them -- something Marina will bring up later, that Penelope is still a child, a younger sister, not serious marriage prospect in Colin's eyes.

There's Lady Whistledown narration going over this scene -- where LW proclaims that Colin might be rewarded with the prize of Marina. And we see Penelope watching with a mix of emotion.

Penelope was having fun with all the suitors back when there were a ton of them and they were spouting bad poetry. But now that it's just Colin and Marina, the knife twists a bit in Pen's heart. She's playing with the puppy, as a way to pretend she's not that interested, but she's dutifully watching. And yes, a small part of it is her LW ways. A bigger part of it is to watch the development of this particular courtship. And, a third part of it is that there's a twisted sense of -- I may hate every thing about what's happening, but we're still in the same room together. She doesn't miss opportunities to be near Colin whenever she can.

The LW narration is somewhat brutal and almost petty. Pen is mocking Marina through the guise of carefully placed compliments. (Note - Julie Andrews doesn't oversell it the narration, but the hint of sarcasm is there.) Again, they did a great job at layering the narration over Pen's face, so we literally are hearing what she's thinking.

Here's the other thing about the narration :: 'It has come to my ears that Mr. Colin Bridgerton will win the grand prize when he sweeps Miss Thompson off her pretty, little, slippered feet.'

There's a lot in that little sentence. Pen is watching Colin and Marina laugh together. And that is hard for Pen -- because we saw it even in the first scene they have together. They laugh, have in-jokes, seek each other out and share cute, sweet little moments. Sure -- we know (or will be told) that Colin is flirty in general, he cracks jokes, makes people seem at ease, and is genuinely kind to everyone. But Pen has taken a lot of those interactions for herself, has buried them away as something special between the two of them.

Colin flirting out during promenades (or whenever) is kind of a distant thing. Pen having a front row seat to watch Colin lay his natural charm at a serious romantic partner is something else entirely. She hates it. And that's why she turns away, because it's a bit too much. And yet, she doesn't leave -- because she can't.

Also, ALSO! The - sweep her off her feet - comment in the narration. Marina will find Colin a bit fun, but it's a nice connection. And I do think she likes Colin. But she's not really swept off her feet. Pen was the one who got swept off her feet. I just... think they did a great job keeping up the duality of having LW be her own thing and having it really reflect Pen's inner thoughts.

So on that angsty note... one more post about the first episode to wrap it up, then we can move on!! See -- I told you there's a lot in this first episode!

[thedivineladyinwhite]

Right back at you.

Summary: Where everything went downhill when you stepped in the city. A/N: This came along re2 and re4 :)) Aaand I made him like a big jerk hihi, lets just follow my silly plot, mwah mwah. (ALSO A LITTLE ANNOUNCEMNT ABOUT THAT GENSHIN WRTING I DID, I'LL PROMISE TO DO IT NEXT MONTH)

In his dark world there was you. All loveable and cheerful, only dating for a couple of months and he was sure seeing his future. He was happy when you agreed to come with him to Racoon City. One step on the city, chaos disrupted. An Outbreak. Both of you met Claire a long the way and got separated. As you and Leon now trying to find a way out of the police station. Many things have happened from being chased and so on and so forth. And that's when you both got separated, he met the Ada Wong the disguised mercenary. The woman he suddenly grew attached when you were only gone for an hour or so. When you guys finally regrouped you wondered. "Hey, who's this woman you met?" you asked, he was still and a small blush appeared on his face. "She helped me when we got separated. Her name's Ada Wong an FBI" The way he talked about her was laced with something you couldnt grasp on. Now being in a group of 3, you noticed the way he would help her instead of you, he would look at her with something other than worry in his eyes, and she felt it too. .... You should've never woke up or even slept when he told you to rest when the three of you got in the train. Was it worth it? You should've stayed in your nightmares if you were only greeted with your one boyfriend kissing another. Yet you stayed silent. Watching the scene unfold as you closed your eyes hoping it was a dream, but it wasn't. Was the world really this unkind to you? - Everything was a blur, you're hurt. A pole pierced in your stomach, as you watched Leon save Ada who was falling after being shot. Was he just gonna hold onto her and leave you? And. she slipped. And the whole building crumbled. And you were buried in those layers of cement and other kinds of heavy stuff. You thought it was the end. so how come you're found alive? Somehow still breathing and able to move? Yet more flexible, faster, and stronger. Who could've done this to you? Until a man walked inside the room. "I see you're awake, took you almost 5 months to get up." A sigh escaped the strangers lips. You look up to see a blonde man, wearing sun glasses as he looked at you with an very different eye color you haven't seen before, crimson. "Who are you...?" You whispered, moving back and hitting the wall as the monitor beside you picked up and your heart beating faster, and faster. "Do you really want to know?" He chuckled with amusement. "You're the only one who managed to live throughout my experiment, sadly Wong died. Such as shame." He shook his head and looked away. "But it doesn't matter now. What matters is that you, now work for me." He walked closer, and seeing him up close he looked more intimidating and scary. "Are you up for it?" You took a moment to take everything. You've been out for 5 months?! That Ada Wong died. And now you're an experiment working for an unknown man! But what were the odds, at least she was alive. And her eyes lit up. He's still alive, he has to be. Leon Kennedy "As if I have a choice." You answered. "Alright." You looked at the man with somehow an interested look. The man seemed to be shocked. "You're interesting, maybe I will keep you." He muttered. The one thing only kept coming back in your head. The same man who left you to die for someone who was already died. For now, you pray you'll meet up in the future to let him see what he'd done to you.

[azure-firecracker]

the x files of course!! AND a fandom you want to do and/or think I would enjoy 🫶🏽

Aah thank you💚💚💚

TXF

Favorite female character: Scully the absolute love of my life! An icon. She will murder you with wit and science and a glare. She’s also the most protective person you’ll ever meet. She’s loyal to a fault and rational to an even greater fault, but also both of these save her (and Mulder) over and over. She’s nuanced. She’s sassy. She’s hilarious. She’s a badass. She breaks my heart. Character of all time.

Favorite male character: Mulder the absolute puppy of a man that he is. He has trauma. His self preservation skills are nonexistent. He would die for the truth but he will live for Scully. No one carries more love in their heart than this man. He almost dies every episode. He’s a genius. And an idiot. And a lover. And a fighter. But really mostly a lover if he didn’t have *trauma* I adore him!

Favorite Season: Season 5 could theoretically take this but for now still Season 2! In all its raw soap opera love story type glory. This is the season of desperate hand holding, of racing through the dark after one another and screaming into the night, of pulling each other back from Hell and undying loyalty in the face of unspeakable horrors. It’s desperate embraces and collapsing into each others arms and gloom and new love and every emotion is at level 100. Season 2 you will always be special to me.

Favorite Episode: I have two! One is Irresistible (which I have talked about extensively on here), and the other is Demons (which I will talk about extensively on here). You can see my love for angst and hurt/comfort and rescues lol (and you can find my thoughts on both episodes in my masterpost!) In many ways I think these episodes mirror each other, and they sort of form an episode quartet along with Unruhe and Anasazi. But that’s a topic for another post.

Favorite Cast Member: Gillian Anderson!

My favorite ship: “Mulder, I wouldn’t put myself on the line for anybody but you” “Scully, you are the only one I trust” MSR my beloved.

A Character I’d Die Defending: Fun fact Dana Scully has done nothing wrong ever actually all of her skepticism is valid and she’s a perfect human being.

A Character I Just Can’t Sympathize With: I don’t care if he’s a failed writer or whatever CSM is just an asshole and (hot take) not that entertaining to watch.

A Character I Grew to Love: Skinner! He started out lowkey boring, but I quickly was like “ooh he’s cool I like him” and then he got really interesting and nuanced (much more so than I anticipated).

My Anti OTP: I once saw a Scully/Krycek fic. That man had a hand in her abduction. No.

I think you’d probably like Buffy the Vampire Slayer if you haven’t seen it already (I’ve only seen 4 seasons but it’s always a fun rewatch for me)

Favorite female character: I have two! First is Faith who follows my trend of evil girls who are really just misunderstood and have never been loved. She was also my first real character crush! Second is Willow, who I just relate to a lot as a witchy lesbian nerd, and I want to give her a hug whenever she’s on screen and she’s so lovable and so layered and I love her very much.

Favorite male character: Probably Giles. I have a soft spot for parental figures and his relationship with Buffy is so sweet and layered and complex. Also he’s just an awkward British librarian who’s way too attached to a group of teenagers and I love that about him.

Favorite Season: Season 3! As dark as Season 2 but less melodramatic, plus Faith is there being hot and gay and evil! It’s not a perfect season but over half of these episodes are excellent.

Favorite Episode: Oh I’m not sure since it’s been a hot sec since I watched the show. I LOVED This Year’s Girl/Who Are You from Season 4, even though the season isn’t that great. I also love Five by Five from the spin-off Angel, if only for the ending scene.

Favorite Cast Member: Charisma Carpenter! I won’t get too into it here and I don’t know everything but she did some very brave things by speaking out against the show’s creators and I admire that.

Favorite Ship: Willow and Tara have my heart, but Faith and Buffy are SO fun! It’s a tie.

A Character I’d Die Defending: I won’t say Faith since I’ve already talked about her a lot. Instead I’ll go with Cordelia, who went through a lot of growth (especially if you watch her on Angel), and her growth was often unacknowledged by the show itself. Justice for my girl!

A Character I Just Can’t Sympathize With: This is ONLY about Buffy and not Angel, but I got SO sick of Angel by the time season 3 ended. He just sat there and was emo. I ran out of patience for him. He was great on Angel though (they let him do things besides mope and brood).

A Character I Grew to Love: Buffy! At first I thought she was sort of just a generic protagonist with some teen girl fun sprinkled in, but she’s got so many layers to her character and her fun is sprinkled with a real gravity that’s sort of a heartbreaking back and forth when you realize how young she is. I’ve also come to relate to her a lot more as I’ve gotten older, and the more I do, the more I like her.

My Anti OTP: Remember that time they tried to make Xander and Willow a thing? No? Me neither.

Ty for the ask:)

[rose-of-oz]

begging you to tell me about your btr oc ideas!! who are their ships(if they have them), why are they at palm woods, what are their dynamics w the boys??

Of course, thank you so much for this!! I’ll just give you a basic rundown of the three I’ve got so far:

Ezra Caulder, he/him, Carlos ship, Justice Smith FC. Lives at the Palm Woods with his parents and eleven-year-old sister, Destiny, who’s a child actress mainly seen in commercials (not in an exploitive way, though, she really loves acting and their parents are very good and would let her stop whenever she wanted to). Incredibly shy and awkward and doesn’t really have many friends, and prefers more academic pursuits rather than any attempt to get into the arts, so he doesn’t really interact with the boys or anyone at the Palm Woods at first until he winds up getting roped into one of their schemes. Kind of has an insta-crush on Carlos, but doesn’t ever think it could be reciprocated until he literally becomes the other boy’s bi awakening. Out of the rest of the boys, he winds up becoming closest to Logan, since they’re both more academically-minded, and also develops an odd opposites-attract friendship with Katie.

Nicki Wainwright, she/her, James ship, Hunter Schafer FC. An aspiring actress who’s lived in the Palm Woods with her single dad for over a year before the show starts, but often has a hard time getting rolls once the casting directors know she’s trans. Has also been burned from a lot of guys she’s been interested in because of this fact, so she’s developed a strong disdain for guys with big egos. As a result, she and James do not get along from the moment Big Time Rush arrives in LA, but she still winds up interacting with the guys a lot since she’s friends with Camille, and they wind up clashing and bickering a lot, although of course eventually they become friends and, finally, start dating. Nicki is confident but not arrogant, bold and not afraid to speak her mind, very talented and she knows it, but also has a layer on insecurity underneath due to what she’s been through that’s hard to break through to. Becomes really good friends with all of the guys as well as Camille and Jo, but she’s ultimately closest to Carlos because they egg each other’s chaos on.

Amara Castro, she/her, Kendall ship, Isabela Merced FC. As an aspiring writer, Amara is kind of a rarity among the Palm Woods crowd of actors and singers. She’s been working on a fantasy-slash-mystery novel since she was thirteen but hasn’t ever had anything published, so the only way she’s able to stay at the Palm Woods is because her older brother and sibling are minor celebrity actors. Initially meets the band after she loses a printed chapter of her manuscript and they find it and return it to her, and though she prefers to stay isolated they wind up working their ways into her heart. She’s a lot like Pippa from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, very intense and driven and focused, but she also has an unexpected sense of humour and a very kind heart. Initially bonds with Kendall over having not-so-good parent relationships (Kendall with his dad and Amara with both of hers) and wanting to take care of the people they care about, and then eventually they become a super cute couple. Winds up becoming the closest to James out of the rest of the boys, which no one expects but everyone agrees makes a weird kind of sense, and also winds up basically adopted by Mrs. Knight and a big sister figure to Katie.

And that’s all I’ve got for now!! I do intend to create a Logan ship and potentially one or two more OCs besides, but for right now have these babies. I am planning on making proper intro posts for them, but in the meantime anyone can feel free to send any asks they want for them!! Thanks again for asking!! <3

Tagging the BTR moots: @partiallypearl, @dancingsunflowers-ocs, @manyfandomocs.

[sunflowersandscreams]

finished the raven boys. exhale.

really good. holy shit what a downward spiral.

adam pressing charges and then slowly losing more and more control, which is one of the most important things to him and reflective of the nature of abuse (taking away someone's control). can't wait to read on to see what the consequences of him sacrificing himself are. also him living with his disability- I personally don't have hearing loss but i always love to read stories with disability elements, whether metaphorical or literal. also interested in if this is it with his family? because it feels like he has more to go through there. i also think there's a risk of him becoming more isolated at the church apartment(?). unsure. also him and blue are so sweet. i hope they don't crash and burn.

ronan- doesn't have the most massive part in this book. with his last line i suspect we'll go more in depth on his dream powers(?) later on. (wish the last scene and ronans line had been a bit more drawn out. it felt jarring and too much too fast). love him so far and hope there's more of his pov in the next book. what a piece of shit (affectionate).

noah- what the fuuuck. man. so I assume he just does not age? how will this relate to the others growing older and moving out and living their own lives? I assume at some point they'll kind of have to let him go? but very curious about who he was before he was a ghost/spirit.

whelk- holy moly. wish we'd gotten a little more on his background but i get that this book is kind of vague and ephemeral with details sometimes. his death felt very impactful because of how quickly his power was stripped away, i think. love the anti-gun sentiment through the book btw. truly nothing has ever been fixed with a gun.

neeve & maura- just a big question mark. especially with neeves ambitions and weird mask stuff. giving me the vibes of an evil mirror twin but I don't think that's the case. Maura i love you. she's sensible but a bit messy, much like blue. I have no idea where the dad plot point is going but eager to find out.

gansey- what's wrong with you fr. he's at his best when he's miserable <3 I love the flashes of him and blue. can't wait to see them fall in love and be star crossed lovers. hate his nickname as well as blue's. i don't see the appeal. fuck he's just so tragic. he falls in love with everyone he meets and he's very genuine but also naive in many ways bc of his privilege. him and ronan augvvh i can't wait to see more. him and Adam are soso bad for each other except when they're not. i can see why many people say polyamory for these people. (or maybe im just in an echo chamber.)

blue- my girl!! she has so much life and energy to her i really want to know why she doesn't have powers similar to her mother's and is only a magic amplifier. i wonder if she'll discover some? I like her interactions and her initial outsider sort of vibe but she's confident enough to fake it til she makes it and get in with the group. I wish they could be happy. love her attraction to everyone in the group, wanting to impress ronan, instant zing with Noah, sweetness with Adam, and banter with gansey. she's very brave but not in a way that feels hashtag badass in some 2010s YA lit. want to see her break down and lose her mind a bit though.

okay! those are my thoughts on characters. as for plot- something is very much starting. it feels like there are layers to this. with more books and gansey having searched in other countries for ley lines i hope we get some more settings outside of Henrietta, but keep a main focus on the town. cabeswater isn't done with them yet and there is something definitely sinister about it. i don't think it's a force for evil but definitely outside human morals and very very powerful.

I'm curious as to how the Latin fits in- to my knowledge this book has elements of Irish & Welsh folklore, and Latin reads more Roman to me? but maybe I'm uninformed & I might do more research into this after I've finished the whole series so i don't spoil myself.

okay. post done! again please don't spoil for future books.

[navree]

Jonah Magnus

ugh number one guy, enough of sam trying to find out about martin blackwood and helen richardson and more research of the magnus institute involving research of jonah fucking magnus, also he just needs to return to me at once, i miss him dearly

How I feel about this character: I really like him. A fair amount of that comes from the fact that I've always had a natural affinity for villains and also that Ben Meredith's performance was just really good and I appreciated that. But I just enjoy him, I've always enjoyed villainous characters who are unapologetic in their villainy and aren't in a constant moral quandary about their bad deeds, and Jonah really just has no problem with any of the objectionable acts he does. I like his villainous traits, that he's duplicitous and manipulative and a bit sadistic (he didn't need to go that hard against Martin or Melanie, he did that because he wanted to), I like that he has his own agenda that he works at no matter what and no matter who it hurts, and I like that there are layers to him. 102 is one of my all time favorite episodes because we get to see things like Jonah having some kind of consideration (mild though it is) for other people, his curiosity, his enjoyment at things when he feels it unbridled, his sense of humor, and beyond that, Jonah is clearly not just a determined and driven individual, but there is some interiority in themes of choice, creation, and transformation intrinsic to the very nature of how Jonah extended his life the way he did. I dig him, he's real neat, he's legit my second favorite character in the show. Plus, when he snaps, he snaps, that's always so much fun (one hit would have killed Leitner and Martin and Melanie would have both been cowed with far less, but when Jonah gets mad he gets vicious and violent and that's why he pulverizes Leitner's head and goes way farther with torturing people who've irritated him and it's really fun that he has that side that just kinda loses it when pushed, I love it).

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I do actually ship Jonelias, it's an interesting dynamic and i wish it had been explored more post season 3. I also enjoy all of Jonah's romances that he definitely had with, like, every member of his original squad back when he still was Jonah Magnus. But number one OTP is always gonna be Lonelyeyes, andnot even in a meme way. Like I genuinely enjoy them as a couple, I have a LOT of thoughts on how that went on and what they meant to each other in the grand schemes, and I wholeheartedly believe there was emotional investment from Jonah's part (there kinda has to be, because Peter by nature isn't gonna be actively pursuing anything except potential victims, certainly not romantic partners). I have a post about this somewhere, but Peter is also the only person who has died in Jonah Magnus's ten million lifetimes that can be laid squarely at his feet. Anyone else who dies was likely gonna die around the same time in similar circumstances even without his involvement, but Peter, assuming he and og!Elias were the same age (which I do) is the only one who dies because of Jonah's actions and nothing else, if only because he's in his, like, mid-forties, and I can't pass up the thematic richness of someone who was so afraid of death he found a way to legit not have to deal with having a lover who dies well before his time as a sole result of your involvement in his life. I'm heavily invested in them as a couple, I could talk about it for days, not just because Jonahlias is my second favorite character and Peter Lukas is legit my fave.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: I know it's not canon but given my issues with season 5 I can elect to ignore it, I like imagining him and Rosie as buds and her as someone who doesn't take his shit and them just vibing (was always big into Web!Rosie or even just Eye!Rosie as long as she was specifically into just observing). To me, they just spent season 2 staring at the Archives and being judgy while sharing a coffee.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Again, I like villains, I don't mind Jonah as an out and out villain, but I think I preferred what we were getting out of him in season 3 than the turn to big bad. Like, season 3 Jonah seems to operate honestly similarly to Gertrude on a wider scale. He wants to stop Rituals, by whatever means necessary. And he wants to keep control over the Institute, his center of power, and is willing to do whatever necessary to keep it as well, and has no problems being cruel or awful in the process. And he has different motives for ending Rituals than Gertrude does, clearly, because he's not a very good person, but I just prefer that kind of grey/neutral affinity, regardless of him personally being bad or evil, and that role that he was playing. It was more fun for me, and I think it had more creative potential for Jonah as a character while still keeping him in a sort of villainous personality, which as I've said, I love. Also I think that all non-Elias enjoyers need the word "capitalism" taken away from them and they can only have it back when they prove they understand wtf they're talking about because a lot of the critiques are not only weird but straight up inaccurate to the character and don't make sense. Not gonna elaborate much on it too because I have a post about it already on my blog in some detail, but another major unpopular opinion of mine is that Jonah, specifically Jonah, was not seen as a bad boss or hated by wider employees at all, canonically, it's only Tim that starts turning on him in season 2 because of his issues and everyone else only hops on board after he legit reveals that he killed someone in cold blood and framed their coworker for it, they liked him as a boss and thought he was good this is literally canon even if it's an unpopular opinion.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That he shows tf up in TMAGP. Like, where is he? I'm pretty sure he's involved in the computers, because "jmj errors" are not actually a thing and very specifically for this show, and it makes sense that the three people in the Panopticon in 200 were the ones transported to the computers, but that's TMA!Jonah. There was a Jonah from this show's universe too, one that created the Magnus Institute and very obviously had plans, even if they diverged from what we know. And I don't think the fire at the Institute, stopped him, so where is he? Can he show up? God I hope he does, and if he doesn't I still have a draft of something that I might write down eventually.

[transmascutena]

You know, as much as I love the meme of "Anshi Himemiya can't cook, lol" looking at the cantarella scene the more likely interpretation is that she knows how to cook, she just acts incompetent about it like so many numerous things she acts incompetent about.

In that scene, the sentence that makes Utena pause when eating the cookie was the phrase "I made them myself." She might have only openly revealed her competence in baking, however this results in a snowball realization that if she was willing to put in all this effort to support this small lie with all her shaved ice and curry escapades, what about the big ones? The ones that truly poison someone? Anthy was trying to subtly scare her away by subtly hinting at this (of course Utena then flirts back saying 'omg I poisoned you too <3').

On a more headcanon-y route, you know how some scenes show Akio talking about how he has cooked something for his guests to eat? I think it was actually Anthy who cooked those things. Not only does it fit their dynamic in Akio making Anthy do most of the 'dirty work' so to speak so that he may look more charming in comparison to her, but it is also so hilarious to me.

that's very interesting! i've heard people talk about cooking as a metaphor/symbol for agency and freedom since it gives you a certain control over your life and a way to support yourself and be independent, so i can see where anthy's lack of cooking skills would fit into that, (see also: touga saying "your job as the rose bride isn't to cook" when anthy expresses a desire to get better at it after hanging out with utena and wakaba) but the idea that she's just pretending is something i haven't really thought about. i really love that interpretation of the cantarella scene though!! feels like we're always finding more and more layers to it

i think realistically maybe it's somewhere in between the two. she's not completely incompetent in the kitchen or anything, but she's been told that she can't/shouldn't cook (to make her more reliant on people who can, i.e. akio) enough times that she started to believe it? like a learned helplessness sorta thing

[aspoonofsugar]

Hi,.....if you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from Hazbin Hotel? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the series? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks....

Hi!

Thank you for this fun ask :D

FAVOURITE CHARACTERS

1- Lucifer

He's a disaster and I love him :''') He is very well written so far. He has a strong characterization, which combines a comedic side (bumbling dad + airhead) with more serious traits (depression). He is also set up to have a wonderful arc, which ties with important themes for the series, as a whole. Dreams, redemption, freedom and love. His relationship with Charlie is especially sweet: he is very very flawed as a parent, but through his daughter he finds hope again and makes some steps to grow. Plus, he is a mix between Barnum (the greatest show) and Walt Disney, which is very meta when it comes to the themes of creativity and enterteinment.

2- Charlie

Charlie is one of the rare protagonists I adore! She feels both classic (she is a Disney Princess) and original (she is the Princess of Hell). The premise to have such an idealistic character as a high profile demon is both hilarious and very strong thematically. Not only that, but Charlie's conflict is actually pretty deep and layered. On the one hand she genuinelly wants to help Sinners and is right about redemption. On the other hand she is also using her dream to run away from her problems and hide her self-issues. Charlie is deep down a child, who felt abandoned by her parents and who doesn't fit in her own Kingdom. The Hazbin Hotel is a home for both Sinners and herself. A place where she can stay for a while, find familial bonds and grow. On a writing note, I like how active she is. She drives the conflict beautifully in a way which is almost refreshing.

3- Alastor

Here comes another disaster! Alastor is clearly the key character of the series, both when it comes to plot and to theme. He is clearly linked to Lilith's mystery somehow (either because he made a pact with her or because the reason of Lilith's disappearence ties with whoever Alastor made the pact with). He is also a challenge to Charlie in how she believes everyone can be redeemed, but Alastor will try very very hard not to be LOL. And he will probably fail :''') Apart from it, he is very well used in the first season. His mystery is built up and he manages to stay active and move the plot without taking central stage. In a sense, he stays in the shadows, which is fitting for a shadow character.

3- Angel Dust

Angel is a sweetheart, who hides his feelings and goodness out of fear. I like his sibling bond with Charlie and how selfless he is towards his loved ones. His stay at the hotel isn't really about redemption, as Charlie thinks. Rather, it is more about healing, finding a stable environment and escaping a toxic relationship. I like his small step towards independence. His story is just beginning and his arc is just set up, but it has already the potential to be great.

5 - Adam, Sir Pentious, Vaggie, Sera (basically a bunch of characters LOL)

Adam is a villain I enjoyed immensely. He is just fun to hate LOL and I am curious to see if he will gain some depth. Either through coming back or post-mortem. I also like he is a play with School of Rock's Dewey Finn. He is in love with rock and metal and even uses rock rhetoric, like "Stick it to the man". Except that he embodies everything rock isn't. He himself is the man. He is a mediocre authority figure who uses his power against the weakest. Sorry Adam, but Charlie is way more punk rock than you :P

Sir Pentious is adorable <3 His arc is simple, but well done. I love how he slowly opens up to others and his crush for Cherri Bomb is adorable. I am curious to see where his story will go.

Vaggie has a very interesting premise in how she foils Lucifer as a fallen angel (and will probably foil Lilith, as well). The reveal of her background was great and I love her design and her focus in Hello Rosie, where she finds a mentor in Carmilla. Still, I want more of her and feel like her arc is just set-up as for now. It ties with trust, which is a great theme for a love story.

Sera has only appeared once, but I like her characterization. She is sympathetic, but also very clearly in the wrong and the main responsible for the whole conflict (yes, even more than Adam as she wields more power and could have stopped him). I like her bond with Emily and I am curious about her relationship with Lucifer, since what happened to him seems to have scarred her.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS (IN NO ORDER)

More than Anything - Charlie and Lucifer's confrontation

Charlie and Lucifer discovering each other and affirming their familial love is beautiful. Charlie reveals she still adores her father, despite his flaws and neglect. Lucifer finds in himself the drive to dream again.

You Didn't Know - The questioning

The whole courtroom scene is brilliant thematically. The main conflict goes from redemption for sinners to questioning the system. It is poignant how Lute and Adam are stuck in their heads and unable to either ask nor answers questions. Charlie and Emily instead keep interrogating others and themselves. They discover the reality around them is complex, starting with their loved ones (Vaggie and Sera). Still, these doubts will make them stronger in the end.

Lucifer's Big Damn Heroes moment

Lucifer joining the fight to save his daughter is a great conclusion to his arc this season. Plus, he manages to be both badass and hilarious at the same time :''') His short skermish with Adam is pretty funny, as well and it was cool to see his demon form. Plus, we got some more hints to whatever happened in Eden, which is bound to be important for the story as a whole.

Ready for this

This is Charlie's big moment this season. It is when she realizes she can do this. She has within herself the strength to inspire people with her voice, just like Lilith. Rosie and Alastor encouraging her is great, as well. And the whole set-up with a town full of kind and cheerful cannibals is hilarious.

The Show Must Go On - The Finale

The final song is perfect as a conclusion to Charlie's journey this first season. She starts it by singing alone, with everybody dismissing her. She ends it surrounded by her loved ones, with everyone "singing her song". Lucifer and the whole Hotel Crew encourage her not to give up and help her re-build her dream. The hints to future plot-lines (like the Vees and Alastor) are also great.