#i can't believe we weren't shown a scene where they talked to each other when maryrose was given to the star bearers

[pang3l]

What if when Patrick handed Barbara a rose to calm her down, it reminded Barbara of Maryrose.

What if the rose carries a dual meaning—Patrick’s attempt at comforting Barbara in the present, and a silent reminder of the comfort Maryrose used to bring her in the past. The rose evoking both the warmth of their connection and the pain of Maryrose’s absence.

What then.

[morallygreyvigilante]

is there anything you think could've been done to improve the hiromi arc in assclass?

At a basic level, the main issues with the Hiromi arc is that it was both introduced very close to the end of the story and also that it was resloved way too abruptly to be believable. So, there's three possible options that would've made more sense:

One:

Hiromi doesn't get redeemed. This is the option that I know a lot of people would've prefered (or at least, that was the general attitude I observed - and shared - back when I first got into the series).

Hiromi was shown to be abusive, and it's not like she was overly concerned about keeping up the "caring parent" facade in front of Korosensei when it became clear that he wasn't just going to bow down to her demands unless it was something that Nagisa himself wanted.

Now, I can perhaps understand nothing being done about her following that incident because this was the first time any of Nagisa's teachers had interacted with her. All three of them are shown to be good judges of character (barring one or two incidents) so maybe they should've picked up on it, but I guess her behaviour could be brushed off as her just having a bad day since none of them really have a good general idea of what she's usually like. It's a flimsy excuse, but it happens.

However, what can't - or shouldn't - be excused were her later actions. Not only did she drug Nagisa, but she also attempted to force him to commit arson, which I'm pretty damn sure is illegal and definitely would've been enough to warrant some kind of professional intervention.

A parent who is willing to drug and endanger their own child in such a manner is not one who would be quick to change. Nagisa's sudden willingness to stand up to her would not be taken as lightly as it was, especially considering her earlier response to him standing up to her in that same episode.

A more believable ending to the arc would've either involved Nagisa being removed from his mother's care or, at the very least, things remaining tense between the two of them. Her attitude certainly wouldn't have realistically changed by the end of the next episode.

Two:

Hiromi gets introduced a lot earlier.

I mentioned that the other issue with the Hiromi arc was how late in the series it got brought up. Sure, we weren't too far into the second season (because I'm not entirely sure when it was brought up in the manga) but, with how close we were starting to get to the "earth goes boom" deadline, the action was noticeably speeding up.

There were hints earlier on in the series that Nagisa's home life wasn't ideal, including (but not limited to):

His natural talent for assassination/his bloodlust

His discomfort when teased about his appearance

He talks about how his parents never "looked him in the eye", plus the scene with his father where we find out his parents had separated at some point

Now, each of these things on their own (and before Hiromi makes her appearance) are pretty harmless. The kids are being trained for assassination, of course one or two of them would start showcasing more talent for it. A lot of people are sometimes insecure about their appearance, especially when they're young. And it's not exactly uncommon for people to have family problems, hell from some of the stuff that gets mentioned over the course of the series, there aren't many kids in that class whose parents would be winning "parent of the year" awards.

It's not until Hiromi actually shows up that those, initially minor, issues are revealed to go a lot deeper. It can, and does - at least, on a first watch - feel very sudden.

For a redemption arc to feel believable here, it would've made more sense to have Hiromi - and the way she treated Nagisa - revealed earlier on in the series. That way, there could've been a more gradual change over several episodes, we probably wouldn't have actually seen a lot of it since Hiromi is mostly a background/side character and the series is largely focused on the class as a whole. But it wouldn't have been too out of place to add the occasional reference to Nagisa's home situation, either through him commenting on it or through subtle hints similar to the ones that were used to hint at the abuse previously.

Three:

This one's probably the more controversial option, but having Hiromi introduced as just being a strict parent instead of an abusive one would've been a lot more believable when you consider just how quickly the matter was resolved.

Her wanting Nagisa to leave the E class in general makes a lot of sense considering the purpose the E class was shown to serve in the earlier episodes, especially when you consider how the rest of the school treats them. A lot of parents would most likely want their child to be removed from such a situation as soon as possible, and they likely wouldn't understand why their child was so determined to stay where they were. They'd likely just brush it off as stubbornness.

Those little hints I previously mentioned that pointed to Nagisa's home life would've still made sense if Hiromi was just strict.

If Hiromi was simply a strict parent, then her seeminly sudden change in attitude would've made a lot more sense. A parent who is simply strict would be a lot easier to convince that Nagisa's insitence wasn't just him being stuborn or ungrateful and it's unlikely that she would've flown off the handle as drastically as she did in canon.

In this case, her redemption arc wouldn't have seem rushed because the issue wouldn't have been as explosive as it was in the anime.

[willowser]

How would you describe how the Todoroki siblings with each other is like? Well how do you see it based on your view and how you would write it

so to preface all this: these are all just my own opinions and feelings on what i've understood of their relationship with one another !! you may not agree, and that's okay, too !! i could easily have misinterpreted chapters/scenes/information in the manga, and have based my thoughts on inaccuracies, and could be totally wrong about all of this — but you asked, so here's what i think :)

i want to start by saying that i don't really have any particular or special thoughts about how fuyumi + natsuo + shouto view one another. i think there was a debilitating void in fuyumi and natsuo's life after touya for at least a few years, and i think shouto would have been too young to have been as affected by his "death" as they would have, and so i believe that would set them apart in that regard. there is also the fact that enji was hard-wiring shouto to be a hero for a large portion of his life, and i think there would have been some tension between the three of them because of it. shouto never really got to be the "little brother" he should have been, but i like to think that, where we are in the manga right now, they've become a lot more well-adjusted to one another.

now let's talk about touya LOL

i think natsuo and fuyumi both carry a heavy guilt comprised of, "if i had done xyz different, maybe this wouldn't have happened," when it comes to their oldest brother, but i think it weighs on natsuo the most. it was purposely and explicitly shown that touya tried to lean on natsuo, at one point, and was blatantly ignored — which i don't blame natsuo for, bc he was just a child — and i think that shows especially in his animosity towards endeavor. natsuo is so, so, so angry at enji, todoroki-angry, and i think he's just as angry at himself for not being there for touya more.

i like to write their relationship as very — bro-like, if that makes sense LOL yes, i stand by what i said about fuyumi being touya's best friend, but natsuo was his first brother, and there is just something about brothers, you know ?? i think in a circumstance in which they are together — au or canon — touya will always be the "cool" older brother that natsuo admires and wants to be best friends with. i imagine them like little partners-in-crime, little mischievous boys that snooped around in things they weren't supposed to — and i actually could see a universe in which natsuo becomes a villain also, once dabi reveals himself as touya. as in like an atonement way; he wasn't there for him then, but he'll use his anger to be there for him now, sort of idea. not that i think that would ever actually happen !!! but out of the three other todoroki's, natsuo is who i can see doing it.

i would give up my firstborn to know what fuyumi and touya's relationship would look like post-war (assuming...👀). maybe i'm projecting because i had an older brother, but i view their relationship when they were younger in such a soft light. let me tell you something !!!! fuyumi came into the world being loved by him !!!!! and came into the world loving him !!!!! because they were BABIES !!!! and were each other's first BEST FRIEND !!!! i will stand on this hill until i DIE !!!! yes, i think touya pulled her hair and spit in her milk and wiped his boogers on her — but there was a time before his quirk manifested where it was just the two of them in the playpen, know what i mean ??? and i don't think that's something you can just erase !!!!

i think she has a lot of guilt, too, and i think she was affected so, so deeply by his "death". whereas natsuo turned his grief into fury at his father — i think it really means something that fuyumi does not hold the same resentment. i really can't imagine what it would be like for her to lose him, bc i really can picture them being so close, and i imagine it would have been like losing a huge part of herself. everything she did in life — she must have imagined touya beside her: celebrating birthdays and middle school and learning to drive and all the things they could have done together, bc they were so close in age. she was a lot like their mom, i think, when it came to worrying about him, which i think he probably viewed as annoying at the time, but i bet he would have missed it so much when he was on his own. i hc her as a lil know-it-all LOL and i can imagine touya being alone and scared and wishing, for just one minute, that he could listen to her nag at him one last time, just so he would know what to do or how to survive, because i think he probably trusted her wholeheartedly.

oh my god, and shouto. i actually — can't decide what i think touya's views on shouto are. i can believe the concept that he completely hates and resents him, and i can also believe that he was afraid for his littlest brother and felt bad for him, when they were younger. i guess i think it was both. that naivete and sort of innocence we all love about shouto: i think he genuinely wants to know his brother. i think he genuinely wants to have another sibling to interact with, to be able to trust, someone who understands what it was like to grow up in that household. he didn't get that comfort when he was younger and i'm sure he relishes in it now that he gets it — and i can see him wanting to have that bond with touya.

and i think touya honestly views shouto as a stranger, because — it's always been about endeavor, hasn't it ?? yes, touya had strong feelings for shouto and wanted to kill him during the war — but it was all to harm enji in the end. when shouto was born and touya came to learn that this was what his father had always wanted — yeah, i think he was furious and jealous, because his brain had been entirely warped at that point into thinking attention from dad = worthiness. so he hated shouto — because of endeavor. i don't think touya really has had the mindset or stability to think about shouto outside of their father, and so i don't think he has any honest-to-god genuine feeling about him. i think shouto is just an unknown to him.

i love all the au concepts of shouto being the little brother that tries to pal around with him all the time 🥺 it's my favorite, and i wish it was canon so badly LOL i — honestly have a hard time writing shouto and touya in ptmy, because their relationship is so strained and so distanced ??? i think touya wants to hang onto his hatred for shouto because it's all he's ever known for his youngest brother ?? but i could believe that, deep in his heart, he just looks at him and thinks, "poor bastard 😒" bc if anyone can truly, honestly relate to shouto — it's touya. the abuse wasn't on an identical level for either of them, but they were both groomed by the same hand for the same reason.

i can see him getting along the easiest with fuyumi, bc i think their relationship is just like a natural back and forth. it's teasing and a little mean but also can be understood without words: it's big brother and little sister. i think he gets along best with natsuo though, because natsuo wants to be friends so bad LOL and i can see them sitting outside in lawn chairs, drinking beer and talking shit about — anything LOL and natsuo is having a great time. i think he doesn't feel like he can open up to him as much as he can with fuyumi, though, and i honestly don't think natsuo would know what to do if he did, despite how much he wishes touya would open up to him.

and shouto — i just don't know how i picture them. idealistically, sitting together on the curb, maybe, mostly in silence. shouto's fine with it, because he's not uncomfortable in silence — which touya finds SO WEIRD — but then shouto probably monotones a stupid, dumb comment about their dad that only touya would get, and makes him laugh and — everything is okay, for the moment 🥺

i don't think this directly answered your question about how to write them LOL but !! this is the jumbled mess inside my head, and i hope it gave you a little bit of insight !!

[pandorasword]

wow i really like how you articulated your thoughts on it. i saw it a little differently.

you said in the stages of them chasing their dreams, leads to change. which could be true yeah, but i didn't see that from them. he was there at the start and if anything else, she came out a better fencer because of it. their dreams were always different but the constant they had in life was each other. heedo had yijin and vice versa when they didn't have anyone else to lean on.

if they really wanted me to believe that "not everything lasts and thats okay" etc (which yes it's true) but the way they shown older heedo still having traces of yijin in her life as if she never moved on (the rainbow chairs, writing that message on her daughters ballet shoes, her reaction when her mom brings up yijin, she just looked sad most the time i saw her on screen) ironically she broke up with yijin cause he wasn't there but eventually has a husband that's not even present enough to know what his daughter likes.

there's no question that whatever they were trying to get at, they dropped the ball hard. you can't just show two very emotionally intelligent people who fall for each other and had this great build up of trust, communication, and respect, and then try to convince me they wouldn't have talked and figured it out regardless, cause thats ALL they shown me throughout the series.

it physically hurt to watch that bus scene when they ran to each other, crying and hugging each other tight cause it felt like i was watching them being torn away when they didn't really want to be. it wasn't that they couldn't fix it, it was that they weren't allowed to because the writers wouldn't allow them so it could fit this "nothing lasts forever" narrative. (also, it would've been so nice and refreshing to see, since this show was during the pandemic, and was so hopeful, to see that hope be endgame and not another sad realistic story, which doesn't make a story any better)

i find it the writer choosing the "realistic" (more so not so realistic) route for heedo and yijin to break up cause distance (which they gone through before) and mental health issues (which she met yijin at one of his lowest point) and poor communications (which they literally lived off each other's voice messages for months) BUT then have yurim and jiwoong be endgame where they literally had no real emotional connection and wasnt as invested as baekdo, and were based off vanity, it was just ridiculous lmao.

and personally coming from a relationship that did not have nearly amazing communication and support as these two, i knew we were bound to break and we did, and it was totally called for.. but baekdo? i don't believe it for one bit. i can never see their end "meaningful" or even written well cause it wasn't.

(and i miss when jk used to watch eps and make references to baekdo 😂😭)

I completely understand what you are saying! Looking at it this way, it makes one even angrier to realize that the writers decided to pursue this sort of ending. I miss it too!!! The cute way he asked through instagram to have the show end with an endgame!!! 🥹 He was definitely one of us.

Although, I feel very attached to 2521 and I am sure I will do another rewatch later on

[woodchipp]

Hello! Nice to see you finally join the conversation!

silent hill is very literal and omori is very symbolic. Those are just the facts.

That sure is one hell of an opener to a post like this.

It is true that SH2's symbolism may be more overt than people once believed. However, if it really was as "very literal" as you think it is, it wouldn't have spawned an entire two decades' worth of examination and analysis. Fans still have discussions about what stuff like "There was a HOLE here. It's gone now." or Angela's flaming staircase or the Prisoners in Toluca Prison are supposed to represent.

All of the things I listed are examples of a work leaving some bits and pieces of symbolism that aren't needed to understand the main story up to interpretation while the symbolic foreshadowing that is needed to understand the main story remains clear enough for the audience to catch onto. This is good writing.

Symbolic doesn't mean "opaque to the point of incomprehensibility", which is what Black Space essentially is.

Speaking of Black Space!

Blackspace didn't have foreshadowing

This is not what I said. I said that Sunny and Mari's argument wasn't properly elaborated on. I said that we weren't shown how hard violin practice was for Sunny. I said that we weren't shown how harsh Mari could get with him while they were practicing. I said that we weren't actually shown Sunny growing tired until he reached the peak of his frustration. I said that Black Space could've been used to show all of that. I've lost count of how many times I had to repeat all of this only for you to consistently misinterpret me each and every time.

Basil's Something is designed to look like mari's body on the floor.

Source that isn't an art post on Reddit?

Again, this is just fanon, and an apparently common interperetation at that. The game never remotely hints at what Basil's Something is meant to represent, which is kinda funny considering that Sunny's Something is the focal point of the game's entire plot twist lmao

- At night we can SEE what looks like a body/mass of black hair in front of the stairs for a second before it fades

For a second.

foreshadowing so peak and symbolic it can only be spotted for 0.005 seconds if you say "Bloody Mary" 666 times in front of a mirror

the way sunny represses an entire room of his house (the one his violin is stored in) to the point where he can't see the door most of the time. It appears briefly at night occasionally. If you interact with the blank wall it says "There is Nothing Here."

I have acknowledged the storage room as an actual hint towards the argument. I said that hint still wasn't enough.

Did you even read the post?

The way he visibly backs away when everyone else is talking about/accepting mari's death in front of the treehouse (again, an obvious sign of anxiety/guilt no one else in the scene is expressing)

That could just be written off as him still not being able to accept her suicide, having spent 4 years walled off in his own house and all.

It (+ sunny's dad leaving after the incident) implies that his parents knew what really happened.

As with the previous point, Sunny's father leaving could be written off as a natural (if very harsh) reaction to losing a daughter to suicide.

The parents would've played a bigger part in the story if they actually knew the truth.

You don't seem willing to consider other perspectives

If I wasn't willing to consider your perspective, I wouldn't have started this discussion in the first place.

My closing statement is that I hope you grow past this and also maybe catch up on some media literacy.

Just a quick question - have you ever happened to notice how people who insult others for their supposed lack of media literacy often lack it themselves? Y'know, just food for thought.

Fortunately, that's where the posts come in.

"In a story where we view everything from Sunny's perspective, someone who's been repressing everything about this incident so deeply"

You know what other work of fiction does this exact "protagonist with repressed memories has to face the truth of having killed their loved one" plot but does it way better? Silent Hill 2.

SH2's plot twist is that its main protagonist, James Sunderland, killed his wife Mary three years before the game's events and repressed the memory of the murder, convincing himself that Mary actually died of a terminal illness she was suffering from at the time he killed her. The terminal illness is a heavy factor in the murder - because it disfigured Mary and made her confront her own mortality at the age of 25, she repeatedly lashed out at James, who tried to take care of her despite his own despair. Eventually, watching his wife wither away and being powerless to do anything about it, Mary's mood-swings, resentment of the burden she put on him and a desire to relieve her of the misery she was in drove James to smother her with a pillow.

The reason I'm bringing it up is because SH2 actually foreshadows its twist - three out of the four characters James meets throughout the game vaguely reference that James' relationship with Mary wasn't as good as James implies it was, the fourth character (whom you fight as a boss and who killed a dog at some point before coming to Silent Hill) alludes to the fact that James must be a murderer too if he is in the town in the first place, Pyramid Head's design being based on a painting of an executioner and him pursuing James over the course of the game implies James is a criminal who wants to be punished, one of the locations James has to go through is literally a prison, etc. The "Hallway" conversation I've linked in the paragraph above is used by the game to show how James and Mary's relationship worsened after she contracted her illness; as I said, the dialogue clearly implies Mary had such mood-swings pretty frequently.

OMORI doesn't have much foreshadowing for the real cause of Mari's death, nor does it have anything similar to the "Hallway" conversation to show how harsh she got with Sunny. A good chunk of the hints the game provides (Omori's Furious emotion showing a single eye similar to Mari's hanged body, Something in the Water's little hanged bodies, Something's general design) would lead the player to believe Mari did kill herself before the story swerves around in its last hour and reveals that Sunny committed manslaughter. The only hints I could call hints are the prevalence of staircases in cutscenes before Sunny fights his fears and maybe the storage room, but even then my point stands - it's just not enough.

(oh, I also remembered the "You did it" poster in Orange Oasis. Which is an optional location, thus making crucial foreshadowing very easily missed. lol and lmao)

That brings me to your next point.

"I don't really see where a direct explanation of the build-up to the fight beyond that would fit."

Black Space.

Since it (ostensibly) represents Sunny's unpredictable subconscious, you could just make it the framing device for Sunny's backstory akin to Bojack Horseman's Time's Arrow, an episode where a character's backstory memories (traumatic and otherwise) are filtered through her emotional perception of the events at the time they happened and her unstable mental state in the present day.

A very good example of how Time's Arrow manages to convey trauma without sacrificing story is its signature scene - a formative memory from the character's childhood, in which she sees her father callously dispose of her beloved toy by burning it in the fireplace while telling her to keep her emotions in check and not to cry lest she ends up like her mother, who was lobotomized some time ago and consequently became a shadow of her former self. Since everything the audience sees in this episode is filtered through the character's emotions, her father's callousness is represented by the aforementioned fireplace behind him becoming a wall of hellfire, while her mother's status as a shadow of her former self is represented by her being a literal shadow with the lobotomy scar highlighted.

That brings me to your next point.

"A lot of the build-up due to that is expressed metaphorically through Headspace and Black Space."

Where? Literally where?

What, am I supposed to see the room with the "Peter Griffin chokes on a rice cake"-like BGM as a representation of the Deep emotional pain Sunny experienced as a result of Mari's scolding? lmao

That brings me to your next point.

Again, I was talking about the game not showing us the deterioration of Sunny and Mari's relationship over the course of their practicing. You seem to have missed that point completely, but just to make something clear

The parallel you're talking about doesn't even work. Mari was dead the moment she hit the bottom of the staircase. Basil was still alive and in active danger of dying, which means that he was able to be rescued.

Mari wasn't.

"Lots of people see spaceboy as a parallel to hero but no one thinks if sweetheart (and her chase of perfectionism all throughout the game) is a parallel for mari."

Actually, a lot of people do. It's the only theory about her I've seen floating around when people discuss the meaning she supposedly has, and I've been lurking around in this fandom for quite a while now.

By the way,

>>"People aren't just filling it in themselves like fanfiction" >>proceeds to use fanon interpretations as an argument

If that style of writing isn't something you like, that's ok! Completely understandable, not everyone wants to pick through the details for things like that

Implying that the work you're defending is just Too Genius™ for your interlocutor to understand isn't a great way to endear them to your argument.

But I wouldn't necessarily call it bad writing. You're allowed to not like something without it being inherently bad or poorly made.

The inverse is also true - you're allowed to like something without it being good! What constitutes a "good" work of fiction is subjective, after all. I have my own fair share of works I'm really fond of despite how shitty they are lol

Just don't get all defensive and insist that the work you like is too Subtle and Intricate to understand when someone points out the very glaring and numerous flaws.

(also bro really said "agree to disagree" and then wrote me a giant reply justifying their opinion lmao)

@welcome-to-grayspace

[nanakah]

about Ishigami, his growth and Miko's role

most people, myself included, thought at some point that Tsubame's rejection (or acceptance) could wrap up Ishigami's arc and even his past's flashbacks neatly, but Osaragi's arc suddenly revealing there was more to his relationship with Miko made me reflect more and think nah...if anything we're halfway there. It also showed glimpses of him already struggling to find his place in the world by quitting his clubs, even though he was successful at them and there was no Ootomo incident yet to undermine his self-image.

It seemed odd that despite everything he went through he still has his "hair=shield/averting eyes" theme going strong, but it makes sense if you consider even though Tsubame helped him see the way to be more accepting of people and cleared his name, his self-esteem still is super low. I spoke of this in my "sutera" meta, but to Ishigami, his life still has been a sucession of failures and almosts. At his core, he still hasn't fully opened up to people or learned to use his vulnerabilities to his advantage.

If I have grabbed your interest thus far, keep reading for more considerations!

Tsubame is kind to anyone and attempted to do good for him, but ultimately he was never fully himself around her, nor she tried/he alllowed her reaching out to the deepest parts of his insecurities. She doesn't show her own flaws to him either and to this day we get the feeling we don't know her well, just the best parts that Ishigami wanted to see. Kaguya, Miyuki and Chika contribute a lot in a sibling-like way, but there's a limit to how much Kaguya in particular can inspire him. Miko however, has scratched a little beneath the surface and has expressed an interest in helping him with that, even if he himself is still avoiding the topic. She's also more relatable to him in the sense that the rest of the stuco has a history of successes in their lives, while he was able to watch Miko's hardships and failures closely. Their panic attacks even look similar and they're always watching the other to provide backup (in a very roundabout way, at least before) when they happen.

While their personalities are fundamentally different, his arc and struggles remind me a lot of Miyamura from Horimiya and today, as I was musing on what is so different about them as of now, I believe it's how Miyamura didn't have a single *traumatic* mistake to get over, so he goes down his development road much faster. Putting it another way, it's ultimately that Ishigami hasn't yet learned to be kind to himself like Miyamura has through Hori. Like Shirogane and Kaguya are through themselves. In Miyamura's case, sympathizing with how Hori despite her strong exterior can be very fragile inside but still support him (fight for him, defend him, accept his true self, not judge him, hear him, make him feel good enough) made him feel compelled to grow stronger to protect her back.

Miko as she was at the beggining of the story couldn't provide Ishigami this sort of stability (and that's where Osaragi's "prettier story"/"you weren't there for him" reasoning fails) even if deep down she wanted to, but now after making many mistakes, learning from them and becoming more flexible, she absolutely can. Both Ishigami and Miko have deeply rooted issues that took them more than just each other to flesh out and develop, but they're very much the missing puzzle piece the other needs.

Miko still very much has room for growth as well, mainly concerning finding a middle ground between her "bad girl" and "good girl" personas that Ishigami can easily see through, as demonstrated by the consolation chapter. She tried being "bad", she attempted lying but was still saying half-truths, because her love of justice isn't just out of parental abandonment issues or loneliness - she does believe them sincerely. The moment Ishigami headpated her and shared genuine, spot-on words of concern and admiration (thus a hint of fondness), it was all over for her trying to keep up the love-warfare upper hand.

That's not actually new - Ishigami has always demonstrated he was able to see glimpses of her true self, be it teasing how she's an otaku or a closet pervert and such, he never fully bought the strait-laced image she aspired to make real. But it did take him being around her more to see she could be sweet to him and as he puts it, that smiling more is not a bad look on her. Miko says to Osaragi your true self only comes through interacting with others, so given how lonely she has always been (and how the one person close to her - Osaragi - was actually keeping things between them superficial because of her own problems), it's no surprise she's only finding out now who she is. Ishigami can help Miko find a better compromise of good/bad after both not following any rules at all for so long and recently learning that hard work can pay off. Miko immersing herself in his hobby will clash with her rigid study schedule sooner or later, and he'll know how to help her with that better than anyone else.

On the other hand, Ishigami's moral compass, romanticism (love for flowers, planing dates etc) and idealism aren't things he is proud of...yet. He protects himself with layers of cynism, especially in his first appearances, but he is always being contradictory and letting it slip how idealistic/pure he is at heart. He also is only now learning to like his outward image with things like fitness/studying and finding out it's not like he never cared about it - it's just that he was scared shitless of failure, thus never even tried hard in the first place to avoid being hurt. And as I have advocated for in the Sutera post, I expect Miko in some level to help him come to terms with seeing good in himself. Heck, even being able to game with her now and showing off how good he is and having her appreciate it is gonna do wonders to make him feel more "adequate". Tsubame's arc had a lot of him changing himself to become "better", but Miko on the other hand is trying to put herself in HIS shoes to maybe go "hey, I like you as you are. I'm trying to understand you more and put effort in for you".

Ishigami and Miko start out watching out for each other behind their backs - which instead of helping their relationship, drives them further apart because they think the other side is showing no appreciation. As the story progresses, they're slowly learning to make each other more aware of their support, and it is making them open up more in general.

They have a strong belief the other wants to be rescued and there is truth in that. Both want help and to be recognized for their efforts, but won't cry out for it. In the unplugged earbuds chapter Ishigami takes it upon himself to protect Miko's reputation in spite of himself, the election arc has him actually putting effort into the campaign just for the sake of protecting her and at first posing as a rival of hers to Shirogane only to reveal he's trying to "make Miko smile", he is constantly fending off men from interacting with her as protection (while also sounding jealous), he was way more protective of her when she was wearing that cast than needed and is now being able to openly headpat her and sounds almost like her "soothing sounds" from the days of yore lol Sure Tsubame seems like his start to becoming "a better man", but all the way back on the election, it was for Miko's sake that we first SEE him putting effort into *anything* without being coerced by anyone to take action.

And while it's more discreet compared to Ishigami's "white knight" attitude, Miko also tries hard to protect him - cheering him on during the sports festival race and wanting to console him before the stuco intervened, telling him he should study (but he thinks it's just nagging), christmas (which I'll elaborate bellow), making sure he was able to graduate middle school by actually confronting school staff and, of course, their very first meeting as recently revealed.

Many people hated the entirety of Osaragi's arc, but 232 gave very juicy info indeed. Ishigami's reason for supporting Miko from the shadows comes from admiration AND part gratitude for her attempting to talk to him and listen to what troubles him, and seeing they actually had a "falling out" argument was game changing.

He looks sad and troubled to have shut her down there, not simply angry, and so does she (there's tears in her eyes when her face is shown in the next page) - despite her black and white sense of justice at this point of the story, she still wanted to listen to him. And even after that outburst she still believed the rumors weren't real, unlike Osaragi sees it - otherwise she wouldn't have made the effort for him to be able to move on to high school. Why would she care, if she truly hated him and thought he was in the wrong?

If any further proof was needed at all that this info is important, I'm happy to say we have more. I noticed the Christmas stairs scene mirrors this exact falling out moment: "Go away"/"Suit yourself"

But this time Miko had already decided to change, had already seen the mess their relationship became the last time she did not reach out to him and thus already had their previous falling out in mind - meaning she decides to chase after him.

I don't like how the scanlations handled this scene because reading the japanese raws, my interpretation was that Miko was sounding "annoying" because she was still kinda drunk/unfiltered and freaking out when talking to Ishigami, not outright berating him like the Jaimini's box translation made it look like. She also sounds too angry after the fall, so I generally thought Viz's version (the panel shown above) was closer to the original.

"I always have to take care of you! You keep putting youself in danger. You can't make it on your own." is a better translation than Jaimini's, and also parallels better what Ishigami is often telling Miko as well (That she keeps putting herself in danger and that he has to be around to keep her in check). But with 232 in mind, I think it misses a nuance of the original line: "ほんとあんたは 私が居ないと危なっかしく駄目ね" - "Honto anta wa watashi ga inaito abunakkashiku dame ne" - while I'm a novice at japanese studies, gathering from what I can read and trying to get a feel of the whole sentence, it's closer to "So it really is dangerous to you if I'm not there/ It's no good if I'm not around you". You can take that as her being full of herself, which is the route Jaimini's goes ("You'd be screwed without me") but that's too hostile - Viz's got the spirit of wanting to protect him better, but the original has an implication that she has "tested not being there"/failed being there before (due to not fully siding with him in middle school) that's absent elsewhere.

IMO the reason Ishigami's "closed his eyes" arc is not over yet is because he hasn't accepted or gotten over or fully learned from his past yet, he simply shut it down. That's why briefly during the sports festival his eyes are in plain view, then go back to their usual for the balloon gag. I'm not sure if Ootomo herself will make a comeback, may or may not - regrets are regrets and sometimes the only solution to them is letting them stay in the past. But the topic of how he saw Miko in middle school and the letter certainly are being set up to still show up in the story.

If I compare him to Miyamura again, he'd still be at the point before Miyamura's haircut - not wanting to face the parts of himself he doesn't like, not quite ready to change. Not quite ready to patch up his own wounds yet and instead silencing everything from his past.

In this sense, Miko does wonders to make him feel more confident even if he hasn't realized it yet, and she's always dropping little hints she'd like him to worry about his future not in a naggy way, but because she genuinely prays for his success. He unconsciously wants Miko to think well of him and it fills him with confidence and a more prideful image of himself he doesn't really display to anyone else, not even Tsubame - like his usages of "ore" (a more manly/confident way of addressing himself) around her (AND HER ALONE):

( I don't like the available translations to the staircase scene either, lol. Zaibatsu has conveyed the tone of the second scene up there perfectly. For the staircase line, I've seen "I'll be there to catch you" and "I'll save you" which are contextually correct, but to me the original "俺が絶対守る" - "I (ore) will absolutely protect you" carries a much more romantic nuance or ambiguity, regardless of him realizing it at that point. It's like, the title to one of the most romantic moments/songs in the CCS Clear card anime ost, for instance. OF COURSE MIKO LOVES HIM. The narrator doesn't overexplain or take apart Ishimiko's interactions like for Prezguya, but all the evidence needed is there. And I gotta add the very next chapter to the staircase one is the "eternal love" x "real love" I'm super fond of that says fate is irrelevant and to find real love you must use your head to realize/understand things, so makes the romantic subtext even greater.)

This whole affair is also making me open my eyes that I should try to study japanese more...of course I'm happy to have translations and scanlators working hard, but there is something inherently lost in adaptations because it robs you of connecting with the author's intentions unless it was the author who wrote the translation in the first place

Thinking back on Ishigami's early "i wanna die/i'm going home/don't look at me" role, it seems unbelievable we're at the point he's now able to directly confront a "stranger" (lololol) or make serious promises with so much confidence.

PLEASE DON'T END SO SOON MANGA, I NEED MORE.

( off-topic kind of, but i'm lazy to make a separate post just for it: Since I mentioned things lost in translation, I saw something on Discord about Ishigami having an unreliable narrator moment in the "compliments" chapter/Iino Miko cannot love part 4 and holy molly, it is true. He first says something akin to "You're just too beautiful" out of context, Miko HEARS IT - and that's why she looks so shocked before asking for clarification - and he DID SAY IT in the speech bubble, but after she's nice to him and he thinks back to what he said he adds a "Your handwriting is just too beautiful" to his flashback. I'm ONTO HIM. ONTO HIM I SAY. It is what he meant, but it's like his mouth betrayed him. Whether it's unconscious or denial...it totally is something. The scanlation completely skips this and had the same line both times it's mentioned.)

[thetaoofbetty]

anon, you weren't wrong about it being long so i put it under the cut:

Don’t mind me this is super long… but I needed to say this to someone and I like what you have to say…. Anyways…..The morning after the episode comes out is the greatest. I grab my coffee and start my daily stroll on Twitter.—i was going to offer to switch with you since i woke up with a 16lb french bulldog puppy on my face but then i got to the twitter part and nah, i'll keep the puppy alarm clock.

It makes my day really, reading all these bad takes about the show… not the show but about ships… Im starting to wonder about the ba’s mental well being. 1) making Toni’s baby about them 🧐— also, god love them, but they know that evan co-wrote this right? like, of course they stood next to each other, if it was anyone else writing, would that have even happened?

2) deciding that last scene was foreshadowing a b/archie baby and that look was them wanting to be parents. Oh okay. You keep telling yourselves that 🥸—because betty smiled at the baby outside of pop's or when they smiled at each other? perhaps betty likes babies? she seemed pretty happy when they announced the whole thing in 5x08. listen, i don't have a problem with them headcanoning that, it's that they come to me like i need to expect it to happen.

i have smiled at total strangers when a baby does something cute in a grocery store line, it's really not that special. headlines around the world gonna have to be like: "in shocking news, woman of child-bearing age smiled at adorable baby, what could it mean!?"

do they want a paternity thing between her, archie, and glen? i'd be like okay so my girl was on her birth control, right?

3) b/archie begins their true love romance after bughead has their “friendship talk” (their words not mine) and Veronica tells Archie she doesn’t want him in more and she’s meant for Reggie there’s a few that want her single so she can work on her self (again their words) but again if that’s the case if anyone is single it should be Betty. She has the most she needs to work on but whatever, they are convinced their logic is sound😅—ahh, the good ol' friendship talk. they do know that if the show wanted them to have closure and be moved on from each other, nothing they did for 5x10, 5x11, 5x14, or the upcoming talk was necessary, right? you can't say they need all that backstory for closure when varchie is right there, doing none of that.

i know when i'm reading or watching something, i always want some big emotional moments for the couple with massive amounts of history who have told each other multiple times that they would always love the other so that they can...be friends.

4) they believe we want Betty to beg the person she cheated on to take her back (not even close to what we want)—listen, i say this with affection, but some people in this fandom ain't gonna make it with other tv shows if a kiss and weird bunker hand holding scene is unforgivable (because yes, some people do want her to beg. which is weird and definitely not at all projecting, i'm sure but i avoid people like that as much as possible) as a cheating arc.

which is actually probably why some of the b/as are mad tbh. cheating as a plot device is either used because the pairing is "meant to be" (leyton maybe?) or it's for angst and drama (when haley kissed chris keller while with nathan. sorry, my exchange student started binging one tree hill so they're my examples today). they really didn't want it to be for angst and drama. especially contrasted with the scenes in 5x14 where they're being shown with other people but prioritizing each other.

but also, it doesn't matter what they think we want, they're also the ones who are now trying to sell the "jughead is still in love with betty and she hates him" story because if there's one thing that makes them nervous, it's jughead talking to betty.

(which is stupid, archie literally said he had feelings for veronica with his actual mouth, i don't know why they ignore her—)

5) b/archie must be together because of their similar storylines (umm what? They all have trauma, and they don’t even come close to having similar storylines. That actually made my brain hurt)—yeah, they're all in the midst of trauma. that's the point? none of them are doing well right now? maybe they should watch the actual show?

also they're wrong anyway tbh, because archie and veronica are fighting against hiram and betty and jughead are the ones investigating so, uh, their storylines aren't similar at all.

6) and this one tops the cake. Lili and cole can’t stand to be near each other so that automatically means b/archie endgame and that’s why we push so hard so we can have something we can never have in real life 🤯 ( the b/archies have completely lost it. There’s no help in saving them. Lili and cole are professional, they can handle them selves. Don’t bring real life into this)—who's gonna tell them about the scenes filmed after that breakup? including love scenes. i'm still side-eyeing the b/a who lost it on twitter when kj announced he was going to be a dad because it killed their hopes of kj and lili dating and getting the "bughead" treatment for b/archie. like there's not a whole video of ras talking about putting betty and jughead together before riverdale ever came out. they need to stop listening to ex-bughead stans who forgot how to separate reality from fiction.

Also as I think about all the episodes that are left and trying to think how they think b/archie can reconnect. Episode 16- Jughead’s apology tour and bughead talk, episode 17- they work together with Tabitha. Veronica gets divorced (I’m assuming by a still) mines explode, Jackson I think dies. Betty hits rock bottom when they find Polly’s body (my theory) episode 18- Cooper centric musical which reads bughead. (I’m going by what I’ve read on this one)—that's the whole point for a lot of it, there's not a lot of time for whatever they think is going to happen. if bughead is investigating together, we know from experience that there's probably not a lot of scenes just randomly showing them doing other things. whatever overly flowery thing they're wishing for is really just...gonna have to say it's probably not going to happen.

I do think Archie will be there for Betty, in a platonic way. He’s dealt with death and grief of a loved one and he can help her in ways others can’t and that’s how their friendship deepens (although she did lose her father many years before but I don’t see that the same)—i think evan said that the bomb emoji for b/archie was literal so maybe they go through something at the mines or something, i don't know but i do know that it's always a plot device and never has any real lasting impact on the friendship the show wants us to think is there.

but back to the bughead portion of that. I do think Bughead starts their way back. But anyways that leaves episode 19 which is a season final and all types of things going on for Betty and Archie to proclaim their love (also I forgot until now. Ba’s believe that because Cole didn’t post either lili or kj on his wrap post for season 5 is that they are on their own in their love factory)—it's funny to me that they think that most of the characters are out there with weapons and betty and archie aren't because they're in some sort of love nest, planning a baby announcement. archie? not leading some righteous cause? spearheading a rescue mission? really? they've assumed a lot about those pictures, including where and when it all takes place. i mean, i'm a big fan of logic so if i was going to assume anything, i'd assume that maybe the missing characters are the ones who need to be rescued. or it's a misdirection. but no, i'm sure it's totally because the two most impulsive characters are off planning a baby announcement. what exactly, did they think the scene was if people were missing from it?

I think that maybe the cliffhanger his then trying to save Betty and Archie’s out doing what Archie does best which is act like he knows what’s going on. Idk just a thought.—honestly, it seems like there's a lot of action going on in the finale and riverdale does love a cliffhanger so archie throwing himself in the middle of it sounds about right.

So in summary their is no time for them and if they would watch the show like normal people that would of seen this a while ago. (What story the show is actually telling vs what they read in interviews and what they come up in their heads) bughead is the story.—riverdale is the type of show people in fandom watch with a microscope and everyone else is watching while scrolling through their phone. it's not complicated and it's not playing a long con. that roberto and co have said the same things to them for years with none of the results they keep expecting is really not on any of us.

at this point, they need to remember that even bugheads and varchies gave b/a more thought than the show did and stop blaming us for things not going their way.

💕 have a fantastic morning.—i hope your morning was great and have a fantastic afternoon.💜

[alirhi]

This is oddly fun lol

Let's see how many of these I can churn out before I get distracted or need a break! (pff. like I need an excuse to watch the show again. Despite its flaws, I really, really love TFATWS, guys)

Without further ado, let's get down to it!

Episode 2: The Star-Spangled Man

I'm pretty sure I'm on record when it comes to my undying hate for John Walker, yes? So obviously, Bucky's grumpiness 100% stays 😂

I'm not really a fan of how much emphasis they put on the shield. I can see it as a catalyst for Bucky to go confront Sam, yes, but he wouldn't keep going "shield shield shield" like a broken record. Bucky has consistently been shown to be an empathetic man. I can't believe for a second that he'd be barking at Sam about having no right to give up the shield; he'd ask why. Sam's got shit to do, so he'd get impatient and not answer.

"Why'd you give up so easily? If you were overwhelmed, I could've helped you-" "You've been ignoring me. Like now, how you're ignoring me walking away from you." "Well, you weren't texting me about this." "You think I needed your permission?!" "No, but I was right there with Steve while he was learning what it meant to be Cap. I wouldn't mind helping you get used to-" "Then go teach him." A vague gesture toward the "Cap is back" posters. Bucky makes a face. "Steve passed the mantle to you. You fought with him. You earned it. That little shit didn't." "What do you want me to do about it?" "Just tell me why, Sam. I mean it. I just wanna understand." "Not now, Buck. I've got shit to do. You see me heading for a plane right now, right?" "This is important!" "So is this." Sam tells him about the Flag Smashers, we get our silly Big Three/Gandalf conversation.

I'm sorry, but that whole jumping from the plane scene is funny as hell, and I love all the nods they added in to jokes from the press tours that brought us this show in the first place (like ripping the sleeve off his jacket lol). I don't think I'd change a single thing from the Big Three convo to Bucky joining Sam in the warehouse.

"You're doing the staring thing again." "You're staring at your watch," Bucky points out. He knows it's linked to Redwing, he's just pointing out how dumb that line is in that situation. They're there for recon lol. They're meant to be looking around.

I don't...particularly care about the other common gripe here? Meaning, "Bucky's a civilian, so why is he allowed to randomly jump in on a military mission?" Bucky's also known in this universe as an Avenger, just like Sam, so I don't think anyone would really bat an eye at him joining. Also, I have my own agenda related to Bucky's apparent freedom to walk in and out of military/government things.

What does bug me (as funny as it is) is Bucky's animosity toward Redwing. Again... Bucky is a certified nerd. Always has been. If anything, he'd be fascinated by Redwing and Sam would constantly have to slap him away because he's leaning in too close trying to see the tiny watch monitor. "I don't trust Redwing" is just old man griping "I don't trust your newfangled technology" and that... that's not Bucky.

And that "we're not assassins" dig, and then laughing when Bucky gets upset? That's not Sam. Both of these men have shown a remarkable amount of empathy, and Sam has a background in helping traumatized vets. If he cared enough about Bucky to be texting him after Steve left, he'd care enough not to make callous jokes about his time as The Winter Soldier, whether he knows the full story or not.

The fight on top of moving trucks looks cool, but makes no logical sense. I keep trying to think of a way to explain this from a story perspective, rather than a lazy "it looks cool!" filmmaking one, and I'm coming up blank. Anyone with half a brain would have pulled over, had the fight, and then taken off. It was a fun sequence, though... Eh. I'll leave it.

When Karli breaks Redwing, Bucky doesn't say "I always wanted to do that." Again, it's funny - I love the jabs about that stupid robo bird XD - but not Bucky. In my version, he smirks and says "You're so gonna regret that."

"You were kinda getting your asses kicked before we got there." Is immediately followed by Bucky staring him down and asking, "And... how did that fight end for you?" Sam adds, "I don't see them in custody. Are-are they following in a van?" He looks around, sarcastically searching for another vehicle. Walker and Hoskins grimace at each other, grudgingly conceding that point.

credit to @dailycelebs

Seeing Walker, and having to listen to his stupid pro-government rhetoric, makes Bucky think about Steve. When we cut from the Flag Smashers back to Bucky and Sam and the closeup of Bucky's pensive face, we hear 1940s Steve angrily telling 1940s Bucky about how the higher ups in the army had already written off the POWs and were going to leave them to die. "I love our country, Buck," he laments, "but what do I do when I'm not too sure anymore about the people who run it?"

"What you always do," is young Bucky's answer, "stand for what's right, not who's in power."

Perfect lead-in to the conversation about handling things themselves.

When Sam meets Isaiah, and hears his story, not only is he horrified and heartsick for him, but he also begins to see Bucky in a new light. He's seeing Bucky's face, the way he tries to hide his emotions and not make this conversation about him, and he's putting things together. He's still upset at being out of the loop, but he's seeing more of the situation than just "omg black super soldier". When Bucky says "he'd already been through enough," Sam asks quietly, "like you?"

The racist cop comes back before Bucky can answer, to arrest him for missing his appointment with Raynor.

ngl guys, I was so moved by the difference in how that cop treated Sam (before knowing he's Important) vs how he treated Bucky (knowing that the government views him as a violent, if pardoned, criminal). He approaches Sam with his hand on his gun, eager to defend Bucky; "is this guy bothering you?" Just because they're having a heated conversation. Then, when he sees that there's a warrant for Bucky, he approaches timidly, apologizes, treats him gently and politely. By "moved," btw, I don't mean "it was so sweet." I mean "this is fucking sick, and very, very realistic." White cops see a white guy and treat him with respect regardless of his actual criminal record, while being openly hostile towards an innocent black man without even knowing who he is, just because he's black. Moments like this made me applaud Spellman.

"You, too, Sam - That wasn't a request" is Sam's first sign that there's something off about Raynor.

Look, again... The couples therapy banter is funny because Sebastian and Anthony are funny, but that scene, from a storytelling and a mental health standpoint, is atrocious. Without some underlying reason behind her actions, Raynor is just a pointlessly terrible therapist.

Rather than insulting Bucky from the outset, Sam is angry with Raynor for violating Bucky's privacy by not only introducing herself as his therapist, but forcing a "couples" session without her patient's consent. With his background pre-Avenging, he knows this shit shouldn't fly. He immediately points out how unprofessional she's being.

Raynor doesn't bother listening - the fuck does she care, really? She shrugs and casually admits it's "slightly unprofessional" but proceeds anyway.

"Whatever's eating at him?" Sam scoffs. "Did you really just say that to a WWII veteran and the world's longest-serving POW with complex PTSD? Did I hear that right? I've had, maybe, like five conversations with this man since we met, and even I know he's been through some shit and-" "Sam," Bucky tries to interrupt, looking uncomfortable. With his crushing guilt, he has an easier time dealing with insults than someone coming to his defense. "No," Sam snaps. "If the HIPAA Slayer over here wants to drag me into this, she's damn well gonna hear what I have to say!" He turns back to Raynor and demands, "Is this how you've been treating him this whole time? Downplaying what he's been through and making a grown-ass man sound like a sulking teenager?" Raynor keeps her cool, but barely. Visibly frustrated and annoyed, she ignores Sam's tirade and tries to force the conversation back onto the track she wants it on. Bucky's embarrassed and doesn't know how to react to any of this, so he still makes that little "he would talk less" jab. Sam, seeing that he's not going to get anywhere with him until they're away from this bitch, glowers and plays along. We get our silly/angry banter.

After their argument with Walker, Sam finally confronts Bucky about what really happened to him.

"He meant HYDRA; HYDRA used to be my people." "Were they?" Sam asks, stopping him and looking him in the eye, not letting him look away or deflect. "Steve was under the impression that they were your captors. I was under the impression that the Wakandans spent two years deprogramming you so no one could use you the way HYDRA did ever again." "I-" Startled, not expecting that, Bucky stutters a little and admits, "Yeah, I... That's true, I guess." "You guess?" "Does it matter? Sam rolls his eyes. "I dunno, does it matter that you were a slave for most of the 20th century?" "I doubt it matters much to my victims." "HYDRA's victims," Sam corrects firmly. "Just like you." Bucky fidgets; he doesn't know what to do or say. No one since Steve has even so much as insinuated that Bucky wasn't 100% culpable for what he did while under HYDRA control. "Look," Sam sighs, "I don't particularly like you. I don't hate you, but I'm not your biggest fan." "...Thanks?" "I just need you to know where I stand-" "Yeah, got it-" "-So you know I'm not biased like Steve when I say you had no choice. I don't know your story, but I know no one flips on a dime from docile and plagued with guilt to an unstoppable killing machine and back without some serious psychological damage behind that. I'm not saying you're an innocent little bunny, but I don't think you're a monster." "Thanks," Bucky croaks, more sincerely this time, and a bit choked up. He clears his throat and looks distinctly uncomfortable as he grumbles, "but to catch these guys, we may need to talk to a monster." Sam cringes. "I was afraid you'd say that."

[farfromsugafanfic]

Sutures - Chapter 12: Cardioplegia

Genre: Soulmates AU, Idiots to Lovers, slight Enemies to Lovers

Pairing: Yoongi/Named Reader

Warnings (chapter specific): mentions of family member death, medical procedures, ANGST, hospitalization, references to memory loss

Synopsis: “A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.” –Jean de la Fontaine

There was only one thing you and Min Yoongi had in common that night. You were both brokenhearted. You only intended to be together for one night, but when you both end up in the hospital the next day you discover that you are soulmates. It could kill you to be apart. As you and Yoongi attempt to sever the bond between you, will another be formed?

Note: Before y’all demand my head on a stick for this ending, please note that there is an epilogue and bonus part still to come.

Previous | Series Masterlist | Next

"Min Yoongi? Jang Sumi?" the doctor asked, carrying a clipboard in his hand. "So, I hear you have some concerns you need to discuss with me?" 

You recognized the doctor from when you'd ended up in the hospital after the night you met Yoongi. He seemed to be the only soulmate bonding specialist in the whole city and your stomach turned. You wanted your needles.

"Yes," Yoongi said. "You see, an urgent family matter has come up for Sumi and she has to fly to the US as soon as possible." The doctor nodded. "The issue is that due to my schedule, I can't go with her. I know you said there were exemptions for work, do you think this would cover that?" 

"It's hard to know," the doctor said. "It's possible you would have no problems as the conflict involves your work. But, for Sumi, there's nothing obligating her beyond the love for her family. I fear it would be risky. We wouldn't know until Sumi is on the plane and if you both have a reaction, it's likely Sumi wouldn't be able to get to a hospital in time." 

"Then, no," Yoongi said. "What are the other options?"

"Wait," you said, touching Yoongi's bicep lightly. "What are the chances I have a reaction on the plane?" 

"I'd say a 70% chance you react, 30% you don't. If it'd been over a year since you'd met, it would probably be 50/50. As the years go by, reactions become less likely. At least in the limited experience and research, we have from soulmate couples. Every couple is different."

"I'm willing to take the chance. Maybe we could hire a doctor to fly with me--" 

Yoongi's hand shot to grip your thigh cutting off your words as your jeans rubbed against your skin where his fingertips touched. Even with the fabric between his skin and yours, it still felt like sitting too close to a fire. The sparks flying just over your head. 

The doctor arched his eyebrow. "There aren't a ton of options. We are researching drugs right now to help curb reactions in situations like this, but since the reactions are individualized in some ways, it makes it hard to develop one drug that will work for all."

"I can come with you," Yoongi said, "It's the only option." You saw in the way his lips were in a slight frown that his thoughts were racing. His voice quieted. "And you'll need me."

"Yoongi, I-I don't know how long I'm going stay. You can't stay forever and I might."

Yoongi's eyebrows rose as his lips fell into a frown. "You want to stay?" 

You felt the atmosphere lose color. The vibrant scene slowly turning black and white. Yoongi's hand still rested on your leg like it belonged there. 

"I could teach Korean. Do translation work. I don't know. But, I miss my family and knowing things can happen so quickly and I could lose them, I just..." Unlike all the other times, there were no tears. You couldn't cry over this. You wanted to cry, grab the closest objects and fling them at the wall until they dented it, or at least chipped the paint. You wanted to grab Yoongi and kiss him, tear off his shirt, pull on his hair. But you couldn't. The only thing you could do was sit and listen to the doctor say you had to choose.

"Can we talk about this privately?"

"Before you make any decisions," the doctor said. "I should inform you that we have been working on an experimental cure. We haven't tested it on any human subjects yet, but we could use you if you consent. We can't guarantee it will work, but if it does, it would solve your problems. We don't know what side effects would be, but we would keep you for 24 hours for monitoring." 

"Is it safe?"

"We believe it is. We've done animal trials and while they don't have soulmate connections like you do, they have not shown any side effects that we're concerned about." The doctor stood up to leave. "I'll give you some time. I know this isn't an easy decision, so take your time." 

Once the door closed, you and Yoongi turned towards each other, your knees knocking together. His hands found yours, but you felt his gaze on your face which was angled downward, your eyes focusing on the way his thumb moved slowly over your knuckles.

"Yoongi, I don't know what to do. I need to see my grandma. I wish this wasn't so complicated and I'm scared cause what if the cure doesn't work or it gives us weird side effects. I mean, technically we could die. Yoongi, what do I do? I'm gonna lose my grandma. I-I don't want to lose you too."

"Hey, hey," he said, letting go of your heads and pulling you into his chest. You heard his heart beating against your ear and how his fingers shook slightly as he ran them over your hair. "It's going to be okay. Let's just think about this." 

He was silent for a few moments. You didn't even hear the doctors and nurses rushing past the room or the beat of your hearts. 

"We were working to sever this anyway. We won't lose each other. I'll still be here for you. You can still call or visit. I'm just concerned if something bad happens with the cure. Are you willing to risk everything for your grandmother?" 

"Yes, of course." 

“Then, we'll try it. I want you to be happy, Sumi. I want you to be able to see your grandmother, okay?" 

You nodded. "Are you sure this is what you want?" 

"If it's what you want, then I'm sure." 

"Yoongi, I'm sorry. I know you--" 

"Shh," he said, smoothing down your hair and bunching it up and curling it around his fingers. "Let's just enjoy this last moment, yeah?" 

You burrowed into Yoongi's chest. You would truly miss his warmth, the way his heart beat in time with yours, how he noticed when you were anxious, and handed you your needles. You weren't sure someone like him would ever walk into your life again. And here you were, allowing him to walk out.

---

"Thanks for coming," the doctor said, nodding towards Namjoon and Eunji who stood off to the side, sharing furrowed brows and concerned glances between you and Yoongi. "Since we don't exactly know what state they'll be in after this we want to make sure they have someone to look after them after."

While the doctor continued explaining worrisome symptoms and aftercare protocol, Yoongi turned towards you and grabbed your hand, slipping a folded piece of paper into it. You flashed him an odd look before pulling your hand away and unfolding the paper, finding a plane ticket to Los Angeles. 

"I've made the arrangements. If you miss that flight, I'll get you on the next."

"Yoongi, you didn't--" 

"Yeah, I did. Now, you don't have to worry, okay?

The doctor finished talking to Namjoon and Eunji and turned towards you. "Are you ready? We need to induce a reaction for this to work, so I've made arrangements for one of you to receive the treatment at another hospital nearby. Which one--" 

"I'll go." Yoongi got off the bed and met your eyes. You'd already said goodbye, but it didn't feel like enough. There was a chance one or both of you could die. That it wouldn't work at all. There was an even greater chance that it would work and all the things you felt for the man in front of you would dissipate like fog in the afternoon. 

You'd miss the way you longed to run your hands through his hair. How your stomach flipped when he smiled at you or the way you felt his touch linger long after he pulled away. The way he could calm you with just a look or how he allowed you to fiddle with his fingers when you didn't have your needles. 

"Bye, Sumi. Call me whenever you need to, okay?"

You nodded and clasped your hands together tightly. He leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to your forehead and left the room before he could look back. 

Namjoon met your eyes and offered a sad smile. "Take care, Sumi." 

"You too, Namjoon." 

Namjoon followed after Yoongi and it was just you, Eunji, and the doctor. "Once her symptoms begin, we'll administer the cure. We'll then just monitor her for any reaction and go from there." 

Ten minutes later, it started. You felt the tightness in your chest, sweat pricking at your hairline, and your legs were restless, wanting to move wherever Yoongi was. 

"Eunji, hold her hands, help keep her still." 

Eunji was hesitant, but she walked over and held your arms flat against the bed. "It's gonna be okay, Sumi. Just breathe, okay? Just keep breathing." 

You flinched as you felt the needle in your arm and fluid spilling into your bloodstream. It was hot--not hot enough to burn--but almost. Your heart slowed, but your breathing didn't catch up. 

"Sumi, how are you feeling? Are you okay?" the doctor asked. You could vaguely make out the two figures hovering over you. Your vision went black around the edges and your legs went numb. You felt yourself falling and the two figures became smaller and smaller.

---

You woke up. White sheets surrounded you and the room was dark except for the light peeking in from the hallway outside. You heard Eunji in the hallway. It sounded like she was talking on the phone as you didn't hear another voice. 

"What do you mean, Namjoon?" Her voice sounded distressed. Worried. 

You glanced down at the IV in your arm. Your head hurt and you couldn't remember why you were here or how you got there. How long had you been here?

"He-he's okay, though? I mean, other than--"

Eunji's voice was now hushed. You strained to hear, but the machines connected to you began to beep. Eunji rushed back into the room, flipping on the light.

"Sumi!" Before you could blink she had her head pressed to your chest and was hugging you the best she could without disturbing all the needles and cords attached to your body. "When you passed out I thought you were going to die and I didn't know what was going to do without my best friend."

"Eunji--what--what happened? Who's Namjoon?" 

Eunji's face fell. "Oh, uh, that's not important. Let me get the doctor."

---

The doctor examined you. His eyes caught yours, a sad look crossing over them momentarily before he pulled away. 

“You seem perfectly healthy," he said. "I'm going to discharge you, but if you start having odd symptoms of any kind get to an emergency room. Okay?"

You nodded, not fully understanding. "Wait, how long has it been? How long have I been here?"

"It's only been a few hours, why?" 

"My grandma," you said. "I need to get to the airport and get a ticket and--"

Eunji reached into her purse and pulled out a slip of paper. "You have a ticket. The flight's in a few hours. If you hurry you can make it. I'll send your stuff along later." 

"You didn't buy this, did you?" 

"No, Yoo--you really don't remember?" 

"Eunji, what aren't you telling me?"

Your friend glanced over at the doctor who mouthed something you couldn't make out. 

"It's not important right now," Eunji said. "Come on, you need to get to the airport if you want to get to the airport on time."

---

"I'll miss you," you said, pulling Eunji in for a hug. "I'll call you when I can."

"Take it easy, okay? You just got out of the hospital." 

"I still don't remember what happened, Eunji. Why can't just tell me? Was it an accident? I must've hit my head." 

"The doctor thinks it'd be too stressful on you right now. Maybe I'll tell you someday, okay? Just go be with your grandma." 

You nodded, even though you overflowed with questions, something made you feel at peace as you stepped onto the plane and into your window seat. Normally, this is when you'd begin feeling sick. You settled into your seat and pulled your flannel closer around you. You didn't remember owning a flannel with the sleeves cut off. It must be one of Minki's old ones that you'd stolen, but for some reason, it kept you calm as the plane rocketed off the runway and into the air.

THE END 

[roblox-sleep-aphasia]

Thoughts on encanto after thinking on jt and dewatching it

Don't open this if you can't handle other people's opinions, I'm not talking to be harassed please. I just want to share my own thoughts, thank you

I get this movie is very well liked and I like it well too but I still have both positive and nitpicky thoughts just as with any media because nothing is perfect.

And of course, SPOILERS!!!!!

▪︎I can't stop thinking about Isabela accidentally growing a cactus some time then stepping on it

°Music music MUSIC I LOVE this movie's music

•I absolutely adore that Mirable is the leading factor into Antonio's love for animals, leading to his gift.i like to imagine special interests is how a gift is determined in the family.-

Maybe Bruno had an interest in fortune telling or the general magics for fun

-We see peppa gardening but maybe she had an jnterest in weather or playing in the rain

Julieta could've shown great promise in cooking from a young age, or helping the injured

before j go on I've heard that the novel adds more context which is just pulling a balan wonderworld imo.

You shouldn't have to contextualize your story in a novel especially if it feels like the og is missing something. I'm mentioning this in case something is mentioned there I ramble on about

•Bruno is a very likable character but I feel like he should've had some more time on screen or a bigger role in the story instead of just being a plot device kinda(people hate Lin I don't care, I wish Bruno got a song explaining his anguish with being so far from the family) or be given a flashback of Abuela demonizing him after the mirable vision. Maybe it's traditional that he reads each baby when born for their future(or when they're about 3 or 4) and he had that, and she freaked out on him and then called his miracle a curse, and he wasn't hurt, but he believed it and left to protect everyone Then Abuela could have her own pov of what happened and she's mortified that when she goes to apologize and ask for more context to protect the magic, Bruno is gone his door is dark and she feels like the day she lost her husband, only now it's her only son gone

●Dolores is a great interesting character but we don't get much of her or much of anyone given an arc besides Isabela, and i feel her one line where she's in love fell flat as we weren't given anything else until the rapid wrap-up of everything at the end(off topic I loved the ending and I would adore that new door as a tapestry for my wall, gorgeous) and i feel like we should've been given something , even if comedic relief, like her caught listening to him sing when Mirable goes to talk to her about the magic, but maybe this is contextualized in the novel more

•Bubo ❤

° Socks concept art ❤

Small nitpick Feels like it should've focused on the family a little more rather than just magic and mirable and the movie itself kind of reduces the characters to their gifts when the message was the head of the family shouldn't be doing that but it's fine its not really an issue just kinda funny Side note The scene with the father of the triplets, you can see her pain and we can only imagine what she had to go through. Props to the animators being able to show that kind of raw genuine emotion and reaction. Very talented people for real, has to be the most heart breaking but my favorite scene

°Music music MUSIC I LOVE this movie's music

•I absolutely adore that Mirable is the leading factor into Antonio's love for animals, leading to his gift.i like to imagine special interests is how a gift is determined in the family.

-Maybe Bruno had an interest in fortune telling or the general magics for fun

-We see peppa re j go on I've heard that the novel adds more context which is just pulling a balan wonderworld imo. You shouldn't have to contextualize your story in a novel especially if it feels like the og is missing something. I'm mentioning this in case something is mentioned there I ramble on about

•Bruno is a very likable character but I feel like he should've had some more time on screen or a bigger role in the story instead of just being a plot device kinda(people hate Lin I don't care, I wish Bruno got a song explaining his anguish with being so far from the family) or be given a flashback of Abuela demonizing him after the mirable vision. Maybe it's traditional that he reads each baby when born for their future(or when they're about 3 or 4) and he had that, and she freaked out on him and then called his miracle a curse, and he wasn't hurt, but he believed it and left to protect everyone

Then Abuela could have her own pov of what happened and she's mortified that when she goes to apologize and ask for more context to protect the magic, Bruno is gone his door is dark and she feels like the day she lost her husband, only now it's her only son gone

●Dolores is a great interesting character but we don't get much of her or much of anyone given an arc besides Isabela, and i feel her one line where she's in love fell flat as we weren't given anything else until the rapid wrap-up of everything at the end(off topic I loved the ending and I would adore that new door as a tapestry for my wall, gorgeous) and i feel like we should've been given something , even if comedic relief, like her caught listening to him sing when Mirable goes to talk to her about the magic, but maybe this is contextualized in the novel more

•Bubo ❤

° Socks concept art ❤

Small nitpick

Feels like it should've focused on the family a little more rather than just magic and mirable and the movie itself kind of reduces the characters to their gifts when the message was the head of the family shouldn't be doing that but it's fine its not really an issue just kinda funny

Side note

The scene with the father of the triplets, you can see her pain and we can only imagine what she had to go through. Props to the animators being able to show that kind of raw genuine emotion and reaction. Very talented people for real, has to be the most heart breaking but my favorite scene

[fureliselost]

VLD REWATCH s8e4-7

these

don't look like they're fading, don't look like they'r ever going away, they ain't ever gonna change

ok, i'm done, let's go

- what happened to olkarion?

- oh no, weblum

- hunk and keith talking rhymes go brrrrrr

- tf

- and pidge can bond w dead olkarion

- kl shots

- tech probs again lol

- go.... pidge?

ep 5

- iverson>loving doggos

- I LOVE ONE INA LEIFSDOTTIR

]- OH MY GOD I KNOW WHAT EPISODE THIS IS

- and it's a trapppppp

- veracxa go brrrrrrr

- ezpr and zethridddddd

- GIVE LANCE CREDIT PIDGE

- Veronica...... do you actually know lance? I mean, a minute ago we were shown that lance is actually better than most of the paladins at navigation and then you're........ what are they trying to say really?

- yay, space lesbians ig

- the purpose of this episode was just to have the lesbians reunited and the paladins in their skintight suit

ep 6

- ok, so roabeast that's what is happening, it's hard to keep track

- i don't think it's a good idea to attack oriande, but ok, allura

- why tf did they parallel honerva to allura wtf

- in s8 they started putting allura and lance beside each other in scenes where previously keith and lance would be needlessly beside each other but, like, when it's allura beside lance there's just this... void? it's hard to explain that but one of the reasons is that she and lance don't engage with each other as much as keith and lance. And allura, since she is now dating lance, is expected to engage with lance, that's the entire reason why I started collecting every frame where keith and lance are together -- keith and lance weren't expected to interact or be near each other because they claimed to hate each other but they did, constantly, and just the first season had more screenshots than it had episodes (meaning that there was more than 1 needless interaction or closeness per episode).

- the atlas being a robot was...... i didn't like it

- this ep is confusinfg, what's happening w matt?

- honerva what the absolute fuck are you doing

- wait, hadn't luca died? who that

- yay zethrid, ezor and th eone olkari

- honerva wtf

- hoe is tearing apart reality

- slav will go crazy with this non-believer

- is that sincline WHAT THE FUCK

- lotor really said yeet

- go berserker allura

- ohhh, lancey lance woke up to stop allura from going nuts

- ok so allura went for honerva and lotor went for allura, so lance went for lotor and honerva's evangelions went for lance, which caused lotor to go for the evangelions and then lance and then, as allura is going for honerva and lotor is going for lance, honerva stops lotor from killing lance so allura doesn't kill her? is that right?

- nope, that is not right because honerva wasn't even worried about allura, so when allura gets close honerva does madic mumbo jumbo

- are we gonna talk about the fact that allura was using a spear? or, dare i say, a lance

- damn, this moment is v emotional

- heavy

ep8

- i love kinkade

- dude, all 4 MFEs share a room, i loveeee

- james and romelle being curious at the camera is cute

- LET HIM BE EXCITED ABOUT YEAST DAMMIT

- Rizavi is the life of the party (derogatory)

- Interviewing pidge and keith dfgdfg i don't remember this, but it might be fun

- hunkkkk i love you

- they took baybay to space lol (do y'all think they brought kaltenecker too?)

- oh god i remember him

- they intervievwed kolivan lol

- corannnnnnnnnn

- YES KALTENECKER IS ON THE SHIP

- "just so much great recycled poop!"

- i love coleen holt

- lance is so stressedddddddddd

- ok, allura getting lance to relax is pretty cute

- i actually really wanna ship kallurance because, well, that's the best way to end a love triangle! but I just..... can't seem to get into kallura. maybe i should search some art and AUs to see if I can get into it

- rizavi u rebel

- more altean pilotsssssssssssss

- that allurance scene was soooooo stiff wtf

- :((((( poor allura

- YES HUNK CONNECT PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR BELLIES THAT SOUNDED WEIRD

- Cute

ok i'm stopping here because i hate the next ep

[anextraordinarymuse]

I'm just gonna go ahead and make a new post to respond to your points Katie (@jonesgirl88) so that we're not constantly reblogging and trying to load all of those gifs.

Jump to the DLO dance: there is a war going on in Oliver's head and the fact Eric can act that so we can see it? Brilliant. Chef's kiss. He's so torn and you can feel it and your heart breaks for both of them. He's holding her hand to his heart but Shane is also physically on his right side. Her chin is nearly resting on his right shoulder and he's pulled her close to his right side. What say you?

I noticed this too, of course. But first - Eric and Kristin deserve awards. All of the awards. They act beautifully, and they play off of each other so well - they're wonderful scene partners. Okay anyway. Yes, Shane is physically on his right side and has many points of contact along that side (like you said, her chin is nearly on his shoulder) but I pointed out their hands specifically because they are originally positioned away from their bodies. Shane and Oliver's physical closeness is a given in this moment because dancing is intimate. It requires that a lot of you be in contact with a lot of your partner. But originally Oliver and Shane's hands are extended away from them until Oliver pointedly draws them in and places Shane's hand over his heart. This movement is unnecessary in the context of ... well, anything. It's a purely instinctive and intimate move. He could have simply let go of her hand, or drawn it closer and then held it in some other position, but no: he pulls it right in against him. That's why I included it. I'm sure that it was included in the blocking and written in to the script because we're meant to notice it.

I could write for days about that DLO dance scene. THE. FREAKING. CHEMISTRY. I blush ridiculously easily (seriously it's A Problem and I hate it) and I would have been crimson that whole time if I were Kristin. The Tenderness. The Tension. The way his eyes dart back and forth right before he lets her go because he's so at war with himself: kiss her or let her go? O.Y.E.

They're standing in a line (because they're being given awards) but he's turning towards her and she's turning towards him. I just...I can't with these two.

This is totally A Thing©. Shane and Oliver both have a tendency to turn in toward each other like that - but especially Shane. It's an unconscious attempt to take refuge in Oliver and his strength, I think. She often does it in times when she's seeking comfort and closeness/affection. That moment where Shane is sleeping on Oliver's shoulder is one my favorite moments of it, but there's another one that's a small moment (that apparently was either filmed in a longer moment and cut, or aired as a longer moment/actual hug in one of the international versions).

Right before the scene fades into the next one we see Shane turn herself even more into Oliver's left side and tuck her head, as if she's going to bury her face in his shoulder. I wish we'd been gifted with more of this moment! Look at the way she tucks her arm into him and tips her head - she even kind of pushes her hip into his side. I just love this moment a lot.

1) Shane is shown to be freaking out when closed in the vault. Her fear seems to trigger at odd times? She's fine when she learned there's 13 hours of air; she's fine when she learns there's actually less than 5 hours of air; she's fine when she's bored and wants to play a game; but Katherine might be dead so she freaks out? I get it, she believes their fate to be tied together but then why wasn't she more fearful before they started reading the letters? It just doesn't make a lot of sense.

I think for a large part of this Shane was doing a good job of distracting herself and focusing on something else. But reading the letters made them both emotional: they connected with something poignant in those letters. They're reading about two people who fall in love despite their circumstances and share something beautiful even if it's only words - and then find out at the end that these two people may not have actually been able to be together. Not only does that mirror their situation, but all of a sudden it seems like they might never have the chance to be together either (to Shane) because, oh yeah, they're also in danger of not breathing anymore - and I think that just brought her fear to the surface. Also, it's a small moment, but Shane wasn't too thrilled about having to go into the vault at all. When she first sees it she hesitates and says "in there?" like she'd rather not go anywhere near it. I always took it as a small nod to the fact that Shane might not have a love of small spaces. We've never seen it mentioned again though, so who knows.

I know it's part of the story but he literally just wrote he's willing to give things with Holly another chance but then spends his time thinking of Shane when reading the letters.

Yes! And I have always taken this as another indication that, at this point, Oliver is saying what he feels he should have said long ago. He's making the effort he feels duty bound to make. I mean, I think part of him does want to put in the effort - but that part is his head. His rational mind, and probably his memories of Holly and his affection for her, and the importance he puts on his marriage vows. This is another reason why I truly don't think his heart is with Holly anymore, or in his marriage. AT NO POINT after he writes that letter and tucks it away does he think of Holly. He's reading powerful, moving love letters between two people and the only person he thinks about is Shane? And - we don't find this out until later, but still - the letter he does write to Holly isn't that romantic. He promises to try to see her dreams through her eyes, and says that he's willing to change, but there's nothing about how much he loves her or how her absence has affected his heart or his life. Maybe because Oliver didn't really believe when he was writing it that he was in danger? I don't know. But it's interesting.

That hand grab!! ... And then the way she looks at him as he sings along at the end when Rita wins?? I can't with this man. I can't with this woman.

Um, yes. Shane takes Oliver's hand and he just ... short circuits. It's hilarious. And they're so smitten with each other it's ridiculous.

And in that hospital scene, Oliver absolutely would have let anyone sleep on his shoulder like that. But it wasn't anyone: it was Shane, and it was Shane after all of the emotional intimacy they shared in The Treasure Box; and, once again, it was Shane turned into his side like Oliver offered to let her lay her head there, or she knew what she was doing when she did, because she's not facing forward in the chair with her head to one side like she just accidentally fell asleep and then her head sort of slid to one side. She's angled her body into his. Her feet are pointing toward him. Her hand is just under/next to his arm. How did they get to that moment? I NEED TO KNOW.

(I always understood Jordan to just be an angel. Definitely open to interpretation though.)

OLIVER IS THE ANSWER TO HER LETTER. His words, his faith, his person is the answer to Shane's childhood prayer she never forgot. He opens the wound but it's destined he's the one to help her heal.

Oliver is the embodiment of Shane's hope. Jordan couldn't answer her letter because it had to be Oliver, which he realized. And before he leaves the chapel he says to Oliver "take good care of that little letter writer." HE'S TALKING ABOUT SHANE. In the Impossible Dream, Shane tells Oliver that he's given her something she'll never forget: "a little hope for this world." Oliver. Is. Shane's. Hope. Oh my gosh! She's his heart, he's her hope. How tooth-rottingly, disgustingly sweet. I love it.

Extra point: Kristin can rock a leather skirt...like hot damn woman.

A) she always looks so good, but yes, this leather skirt and periwinkle/lavender top is one of my favorite looks on her, and B) I love her fashion and style and aspire to be that fashionable one day.

Holly and Oliver try to have a conversation with words and they fail.

This literally just occurred to me: Holly herself points out that she and Oliver suck at having actual conversations. Physically they click, so they obviously had a lot of chemistry, but they struggle to just talk to one another. Juxtapose that with Shane, who literally understands Oliver so well and on such a deep level that she not only understands him when no one else does, she can actively translate him. The reunion in HG instantly comes to mind here. She translates in real time for the audience what Oliver means ("And I might be the only person on Earth who understands what you just said!") But she also translates what he says for their waitress in OIAM ("Oh, he just means that people weren't having their booshes (or however you spell that) amused in the 20th century.")

In the Pilot and The Masterpiece, things get McSteamy so quickly but it never starts out that way ... He's trying for the sake of his marriage one last time but his head and heart aren't in it.

Exactly! The pull between him and Shane is magnetic. It's natural and impossible to ignore. This is why I maintain that even if Holly had changed her mind and asked to work on their relationship it never would have worked. Oliver was in love with Shane by this point even if he wouldn't say it or wasn't ready to acknowledge it (although Jordan played a part in making Oliver more aware of this truth. Hard to ignore when a freaking angel points out to you how important someone is to you.)

To Holly, kissing Oliver is akin to breaking promises to herself ... To Shane, kissing Oliver is akin to keeping promises.

Well, you just blew my mind. This is so true! Holly tells us that the only way she could see to live her dream was to stop kissing Oliver (insinuating that it was also to leave him behind); Shane's dream seems to just be ... Oliver. Sharing a life with him; delivering dead letters with him; loving him.

BRB, sobbing over this stupid show and these idiots in love.

I do think that Holly and Oliver parted amicably. I can't decide if I think that Holly asked about Shane, or if she made a comment about her (directly or indirectly). I kind of feel like Holly was more the type to make a comment than ask a question.

I am dying over the logistics of Oliver actually buying that porch swing. Well dressed Oliver scouring the aisles of Walmart at like midnight for the perfect porch swing while surrounded by a bunch of people in their pajamas and college kids on middle of the night snack runs because they're marathoning TV shows instead of studying? Hilarious. Headcanon accepted.

Back to the topic at hand...I do think some of the left/right stuff is purely ease of blocking

As do I. I'm definitely reading more into it than I'm meant to at some points, there's just SO MUCH of it and it's so fun to contemplate that I went for it.

THE HUG IN TRUTH BE TOLD.

hahahahahahaaa ... the way that Shane literally just drops everything and wraps her arms around him slays me. The stunned little pause where Oliver's arms are just up in the air for a second, as if he's somehow surprised at the force of her hug despite having watched her move toward him, and then he tentatively puts his arms on her back and then ... he holds her a little tighter. Ugh. UGH. I DIE.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT OLIVER IN FLANNEL WITH THE SLEEVES ROLLED UP??

Yes. A million times, yes. Oliver with his sleeves rolled up? Outstanding. Oliver in flannel? An absolute vision. Oliver in flannel with his sleeves rolled up? I C A N N O T.

There will be more. I need to make the gifs, but there's going to be a part 4. And probably 5. In fact, I think this is just going to become a series of Things I Need To Scream About™ with supporting gif evidence.

I'll try to break it up though, so there's just ShOliver stuff, just Shane stuff, and just Oliver stuff. And then all Postables stuff because they're the cutest little Postal family ever.

[duckie-baby]

let's talk about s02e08: the sins of the father.

let's talk about how this could've been a pivotal point in arthur's character arc, if the writers of this show weren't fucking cowards.

let's talk about how it was completely unfair on merlin's part to lie to arthur, because arthur deserved the truth goddamnit and it wasn't merlin's place to take that away from him.

of course, this is later justified by merlin saying that he knows arthur and that he wouldn't be able to live with himself or the guilt of it if he had gone ahead and killed his father. and of course, like every other potentially life-changing event, all of this is never mentioned by the show again.

magic is damned even further in arthur's eyes, uth*r threatens everyone who knows the truth into silence, vaguely implies that he's totally chill with his son fucking his manservant as long as they're all of the same anti-magic ideals, the episode ends in all smiles.

but whew! at least arthur's been protected from the harsher sides of reality, once again! god forbid this character gains any sense of self-awareness!

my point is, if all of this was to keep arthur from killing daddykins bc it would weigh on his delicate conscience, to preserve the Goodness Of His Character As A Man And King, why the fuck should merlin have to lie to him about it?

consider, instead of:

Morgause is lying! She's an enchantress. She tricked you. That was not your mother you saw. That was an illusion. Everything...everything your mother said to you...those were Morgause's words.

we could have had something along the lines of:

What your father did was wrong, Arthur, but is this man the man you want to be? The king you want to be? Would you be able to ascend the throne even as your father's blood glistens, still fresh, on your sword? Would you be able to live with yourself if you made this decision?

if he kills his darling father anyway, honestly, Good For Him. he has every right to. uth*r went through with a dangerous spell despite knowing the risks, then commited genocide in its name whilst lying about his reason as to why.

uth*r has commited genocide.

he is not a good king or father either, as proven several times throughout the show. he deserves no mercy, no pity.

but the choice should've been arthur's to make. this scene should've been a testament to arthur's character.

if he kills daddy dearest anyways but then feels Super Guilty about it later, we know he wouldn't have made a good king. you can't head a country when you're prone to making drastic decisions without thinking them through bc you were throwing pissy fit at the time.

so if he still goes through with it, he must not been shown to regret it.

but say he does let uth*r live. maybe for whatever love remains for the man who raised him. but he renounces him as his king, as his father.

arthur starts publicly going against his policies and decisions. bc if uth*r could have been so wrong about this alone, what else is he wrong about? arthur refuses to carry out his orders if he believes it’s against the interests of the people.

raising taxes? how about No. oh, he can’t knight commoners? just Try and stop him. he learns to trust in the counsel of merlin, gwen, morgana, people who we know interact direct directly with the citizens of camelot and want what’s best for them; builds his own circle. he routinely breaks out prisoners from the dungeons he believe have been punished unjustly.

especially the people who use magic. he openly speaks out against his father and his persecution of it.

uth*r can try and stop him, alright. but there is a clear rift in the kingdom now, two distinct factions. those who believe in the king that arthur will be, and those who believe their loyalty is still to the current monarch.

and look at these people, from the execution scene from s01e01:

look at their faces (and also hnfvbdjh colin morgan and his obscene fucking cheekbones jesus christ). they don't seem to appreciate uth*r saving them from the evils of magic much. how many of them have lost their friends and family to his crusade? how many of them remember a time when magic was still allowed in camelot and the kingdom flourished?

these people will stand with arthur pendragon.

yeah. the ones who still believe in uth*r’s authority are few and far in between. and they know where they can shove it.

arthur learns. about magic, about its history, the old religion. merlin finally reveals his magic to him, so does morgana. he goes to the druids and he falls to his knees and he begs for their forgiveness. morgause begrudgingly allies herself with him, seeing his determination to right his father’s mistakes. he still struggles with the little boy within him who just wants his only parent’s approval, sometimes. but he is slowly but surely becoming his own man.

arthur becomes king long before he takes the throne. uth*r is forced to watch, a meaningless figurehead, as everything he worked to achieve comes undone at the hands of his own son. no attempts to make the viewers sympathise with him. he is angry and miserable and wasting away and there is nothing he can do about it; and it’s exactly what he fucking deserves.

and merlin? merlin finally realises kilgharrah’s word isn’t gospel. morgana is redeemed before she ever loses herself. but they must learn to trust each other again, bc merlin left her to face her fear and self-loathing alone when she needed someone more than ever (you might be cute, merlin, but not enough to get away with THAT). he finds himself taking young sorcerers who don’t know how to control their power under his wing (gilli, daegal, oh god the endless opportunities here), including mordred. MORGAUSE TEACHING MERLIN AND MORGANA MAGIC.

he and arthur are equals now, partners in destiny; the world is theirs.

and for the love of god, give me villains whose entire personality and motivations don’t boil down to I Hate Uth*r Pendragon And Also His Son.

give me kings who are afraid of camelot’s growing power, give me bandits and slave traders who realise they have no place in arthur and merlin’s albion. give me uth*r apologists scrambling to maintain their position in court, hell, give me anarchist organisations if that’s what it takes to spice things up a little.

give me the golden age of albion we were promised.

of course, all of this requires characters acknowledging and growing from their mistakes, and making their actions have lasting consequences — so i suppose it really is a bit too much to ask of the writers.

[0creative-name0]

Hiyoko Saionji, The Ultimate Traditional Dancer. Although she was the best at what she did, and looked absolutely amazing whilst she did it, she couldn't do it herself you know. As we humans are, we often need help with a lot of things, and Hiyoko was no different.

Hiyoko always had trouble putting her kimono on, and would often leave it on for as long as possible to avoid having to take it off and struggle to put it back on again, until Mahiru came around.

Mahiru Koizumi was a kind soul, some might even say an angel. When she heard about how Hiyoko had trouble with her kimono, Mahiru was quick to offer her services.

So from then on, Mahiru would help Hiyoko whenever she needed it, and thus caused them to become quite good friends, one of the only ones Hiyoko had. She, as you might know, had a tendency to be rude and snobby to others, so it was a little hard for her to make friends.

With that being said, let's set the scene.

It was the night before Hiyoko had a performance. Mahiru decided that Hiyoko should have a bath beforehand so that she didn't waft around an odor when she danced. Although Hiyoko was a little hesitant at first, Mahiru managed to persuade the little dancer to clean herself up.

Since Mahiru knew she couldn't always help Hiyoko with her kimono, they had a little agreement that everytime Hiyoko would have a bath, Mahiru would help her practice putting on her kimono. Hiyoko had been making progress with this, and was almost able to do the whole thing by herself, but very slowly, and not very efficiently, and also with a little help from Mahiru.

As Hiyoko came out from her bath in her undergarments, ready for her little lesson, Mahiru handed the kimono to the small girl and she got to work.

"Mahiru, can you hold this here?" Hiyoko asked as she signaled to a spot on her side.

"You mean this?" Mahiru responded, accidentally poking the spot where Hiyoko had shown her.

This caused Hiyoko to slightly squeal and quickly recoil, and almost mess up her progress on her kimono.

"H-hey!! Don't do that Mahiru!" Hiyoko shouted, trying to sound angry, but her voice was a little shaky and nervous since she let out such a ticklish reaction.

Mahiru had a slight grin on her face since she had already put two and two together, figuring out why Hiyoko had reacted the way she did.

"W-why are you smiling like that-?" Hiyoko asked, her voice now sounding a little more nervous.

Mahiru then quickly wiped the grin from her face. "It's nothing. Come back here and let's finish, you're almost don't anyway" She said, as if nothing had happened.

Hiyoko slowly went back over, and Mahiru held the part of the kimono that Hiyoko had asked her to earlier.

The dancer then finished doing her kimono and looked in the mirror. She saw it was a little sloppy and not as perfect as she had hoped.

"Hnnn, it's all sloppy and gross! It's all your fault Mahiru!" The small girl quickly shifted the blame, as she had a tendency of doing.

"It looks good to me, besides, it doesn't matter right now, you're still learning, so it's still gonna be sloppy from time to time" Mahiru reassured her.

"But I have that performance tomorrow! My kimono can't be sloppy!" Whined Hiyoko.

"Don't worry, I'm coming, so I'll be able to do it for you and you'll look stunning! I'll take pictures as well to show you afterwards" Mahiru said with her bright beautiful smile.

Hiyoko slightly grunted and pouted.

"Oh stop that. Now take it off and put your night clothes on, you've got to sleep now if u don't want to be tired tomorrow" Mahiru said as she placed her hands on her hips.

With another small whine, Hiyoko began undressing. She then began to slip on her night clothes, which consisted of a silky orange tank top and a matching set of shorts, perfect for the tropical air of Jabberwock Island.

Once Hiyoko finished changing and hopped onto her bed, Mahiru quickly pounced on her and pinned her to her bed.

"M-Mahiru!!! What do you think you're doing?!" Hiyoko shouted quickly, the sudden attack scaring her a little.

"Well, to be completely honest, when I accidentally tickled you earlier, I knew I just had to take advantage of it~" Mahiru said as she had a wide grin on her face. Her hand had made it's way down to Hiyoko's soft tummy while she spoke, and traced slow circles on it as she teased the little dancer.

"Nnng- Q-quit it Mahiru!! I'm n-gggh- not ticklish!!" Hiyoko fought back her urge to explode into flustered giggles, but her tummy was one of her most sensitive spots, along with her ribs and sides. Since these spots were always covered up, they weren't used to being touched, making them more sensitive.

"Somehow I just can't believe you~ you are grunting and stuttering quite a bit. Trying to hold back laughter I assume~?" Mahiru teased, knowing she could most likely embarrass Hiyoko, which she very much liked to do since she found it adorable.

Hiyoko's face turned a slight shade of pink, Mahiru's plan was working, and Hiyoko was getting embarrassed and flustered. She decided it was best not to say anything, since she knew if she opened her mouth a whole lot of giggles would spill out.

"Hmm, not gonna answer me? I'll get you to open that little mouth of yours~" Then, without warning, Mahiru quickly dug her fingers into Hiyoko's sensitive sides.

Hiyoko immediately shrieked and flinched greatly, but didn't go anywhere since Mahiru had her pinned. "KYAAAHAHAHA!!! M-MAHAHAHIRU STAHAHAP IHIHIT!!!" Hiyoko screamed. She couldn't help but scream and kick all over. Oh how she hated being tickled.

Tickling was the one thing where she couldn't talk or cry her way out of, she was completely helpless when it happened, especially on sensitive spots like the ones she had.

"Awwww~ you're soooo ticklish Hiyoko~! Why haven't I known about this before~?" Mahiru couldn't help but speak in a teasy voice when she questioned the helpless ultimate.

"I SAHAHAID STAHAHAHAP!!! LET ME GOHOHOHO!!!!" Hiyoko screamed at Mahiru as she desperately tugged and tried to escape this ticklish despair.

Mahiru giggled. She loved seeing Hiyoko laughing and smiling, and now she had the perfect way to see it whenever she wanted.

Mahiru then began to squeeze and poke at Hiyoko's sides, both of them. "Tickle tickle tickleeee~" She teased, trying to fluster Hiyoko and make her feel even more embarrassed.

"SHUHUHUHUHUT UHUHUP!!" Screamed Hiyoko as she began to lightly blush.

"Awww are you blushingggg~? You must love this~!!" Mahiru then began to knead Hiyoko's soft tummy as she hummed casually.

"AAAAAAAHAHAHA MAHAHAHIRUHUHU!!! DOHOHOHONT DOHOHO THAHAHAT!!" Hiyoko only blushed more from Mahiru's teases, and screamed as she tickled her soft, pale little tummy.

"My my, such a delicate little belly~ and yet, it looks sooo tasty~!" After saying that, Mahiru quickly placed a big raspberry right on Hiyoko's belly, causing her to scream bloody Mary as it happened

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Was what could be heard from Hiyoko's cottage.

Mahiru then quickly stopped as she heard Hiyoko scream so loudly. "Quiet down Hiyoko, the others are gonna think you're being killed!" She said as she covered Hiyoko's mouth.

Hiyoko panted heavily, tears of laughter streaming down her cheeks as she tried to catch her breath.

When no one came to check on Hiyoko, Mahiru then uncovered the little dancers mouth. She had caught her breath by now and was about to start cussing Mahiru out, but was quickly cut off by feeling Mahiru's nail tracing her belly button.

"Hehe, I thought for sure someone would come check on you after a scream like that~ but since they didn't, I can keep going for a bit longer now~" Mahiru said, that same grin appearing on her face.

Since Hiyoko was caught off guard from this, she wasn't able to hold back her giggles this time. "Stohohop ihihit Mahiru! I dohohont want anymohore! Plehehease!!!"

When Mahiru heard her say please she quickly stopped and couldn't believe what she just heard. "Did you just say please~?" She said as she stopped tracing.

Hiyoko nodded and looked away, catching her breath slightly once again once Mahiru stopped.

"You must not want this then huh?" And with that, Mahiru got off of her and layed down next to her.

Although Hiyoko absolutely hated being tickled, she found that it felt quite different when Mahiru did it, so when Mahiru layed next to her, she shyly grabbed her hand and placed it on her side, her cheeks growing red and hot as she did so.

Mahiru however, quickly smiled and pulled Hiyoko close to her, gently tracing small circles on the girls sides.

Hiyoko bit her lip and tried to keep her giggles in as Mahiru did this, and she gripped her wrist, but didn't try and stop her.

"It's a bit late now isn't it? You wouldn't mind if I stayed the night would you?" Mahiru asked the dancer.

"I don't mind, as long as you don't tickle torture me again" Hiyoko said as she then nuzzled into Mahiru and closed her eyes.

Mahiru chuckled and held Hiyoko close to her rubbing her head. "Thank you~" She whispered.

"Mhm. Thank- um- thank you.. Too-..." Hiyoko said softly and shyly.

"Your welcome~" Mahiru said back.

And with that, they both fell asleep in each other's arms, and would have many ticklish nights to come~

Thanks for reading if u read the whole thing, I know it was loNg. I just wanted to say that I'll be taking requests.

However, this is what I will and will not do when taking a request

I will not do bxb

I will do gxg

I will possibly do bxg

I will do Danganronpa and Genshin Impact fics

I won't do anything 18+ related

And that's all, thanks 😌

[batwomanandmotherpanic]

(Updated January 1, 2020)

I've mentioned a few times across various posts here that I strongly believe Kate Kane was officially involved in boxing at West Point, but I haven't really explained the reasons for that, at least not all in one place (apart from a few fanfics). So that's what I'll attempt to do now.

But there's a larger point here, too. This is a specific example, but it works to illustrate how a lot of information about a character can be gleaned from reasonable extrapolation and a bit of research, even if that information may not have been intended by the authors. It's a window into how I tend to read characters, and I think the principles described here can be applied in many different cases. I certainly don't claim to have invented it (especially since it's strongly related to Watsonian textual interpretation), but I do think it's a valuable exercise.

So first, let's look at the scene where this all spiraled out from, in Batwoman: Rebirth #1:

I try to research as many avenues as I can about Kate and the things she has probably done or experienced, but this was particularly interesting to me because it overlapped with a sport I love.

The first order of business was to establish a timeline. We know that Kate left the Academy early into her final fall semester, that DADT was repealed in September 2011, that Kate was 20 when she left, that Kate is 27 as of her 2017 series, and that there needed to be at least a year between her dismissal and the repealing of DADT, or else she would easily just have re-enrolled.

I really don't like that Kate was de-aged in Rebirth, but it does still work out; this scene with Sophie has to take place in fall 2010.

The next question then became: could women participate in boxing at the Academy at that time? After all, on the surface this scene says nothing about that one way or another. Maybe Kate and Sophie were just renting out some of the Academy's trunks and shoes for some private, unofficial sparring.

The answer to this question proved to be more complicated than one might think.

Through various articles, I found that female cadets were not required to box until fall 2016... but prior to that, if they completed all PE requirements in their plebe year, boxing was available to them as an elective, provided that they were each paired with another female cadet of similar weight (co-ed sparring was strictly prohibited).

I also found that West Point's women's boxing club started up in mid-to-late 2009, and that early 2010 was when some of their members competed for the first time, before they officially achieved club status. So that worked out as well. There was also, unfortunately but unsurprisingly, quite a bit of sexism from Academy officials regarding the formation of the club; this potentially serves as a valuable subtextual parallel to the homophobia already present in Kate's time there. Like her potential military service, it is yet another thing that became officially integrated and accepted after her time. Thematically speaking, this seemed like a right thing to include in her story.

With all this in mind, other things about that initial scene started to click into place and confirm that I was on the right track. And the beauty of it was that, like so many such things in comics, I don't know if any of it was intended to stack up this way. But it did.

There's Sophie's first line to Kate, which implies that Jacob helped her in a similar situation:

That is to say: a previous fight. Looked at from an internal perspective, why else would Sophie be saying this? What else could it be about in this context? It can't be a reference to Kate's kidnapping and rescue, because A) wow that would be a super inappropriate thing to be talking about in this situation, especially so flippantly, and B) Sophie says "help," not "save."

So, if Jacob helped Kate in a previous fight, it had to have been at a public event, which, based on the established timeline, would have been the 54th Brigade Open. And given the context of the line, since Kate is losing to Sophie here, it means Kate won in part due to Jacob's help. He gave her ringside coaching, in other words.

There's also the matter of the clothes each woman is wearing, if we circle back to the possibility that the gear was rented. Not so, it seems. None of it looks like West Point's own boxing gear (whether circa-2010 or present-day), meaning that it's almost certainly Kate and Sophie's personal attire. And why would they bother with that if they weren't involved in the sport somehow? Those articles I referenced earlier even speak of this very thing; due to budgetary constraints, many members of the fledgling club purchased their own gear.

And there are smaller, prior bits of evidence that also fit. Kate mentioning in her New 52 #0 issue that even before her Batwoman training she felt confident in her fighting ability, implying she had fought often:

(Bonus: Note where Kate describes getting beaten up.)

There's Simone's Batgirl #12, where Kate is shown jabbing as Barbara narrates that Kate is testing her reach, which is indeed one use for a jab:

Barbara's first line here also strongly ties into this discipline: boxing is at least as mental as it is physical (when done well, that is), so it's fitting that Kate would have that as a foundation for her future combat skills to rest on.

But most importantly, this participation falls in line with a few aspects of Kate's character.

Her sense of service: participating in boxing this way, at this specific time, would mean Kate was part of something that helped open up new opportunities for future female cadets at the Academy (a sentiment that a few of the real members of the club have expressed in interviews). The service aspect also ties into Kate's intended future as a leader of soldiers. A big reason boxing is required at all the service academies is not just for its obvious physical benefits, but also that it helps instill all sorts of disciplines into future troops. If you read or listen to interviews with the head coaches of the academies, they mention things like strategic thinking under stress, the ability to adapt to physical fear, perseverance in the face of hostility, etc. These are all things that would clearly translate to a battlefield situation and any good leader on that battlefield. I think Kate would have been savvy enough to seek out extra benefit in this way, and the fact that she would have had to go out of her way to do so sounds like her to me.

Dovetailing with that a bit, it also reflects her ambition: this would have presented Kate with the opportunity to be one of the first champions in a new and permanent athletic landscape at the Academy (though not the absolute first). Given the way she excelled in all other areas up to that time in her life, I imagine that this would have been another attractive point for her.

To sum this all up, the logical conclusion from all this evidence is that Kate was a member of the newly-formed women's boxing club at West Point, and won a match at the 54th BBO.

So. That was all very long-winded and thorough. Why is it important?

Well, in particular, it offers a new (if not totally revelatory) facet to Kate, and any information about a character has value.

But in a larger sense, this exercise demonstrates what I mentioned earlier: that researching a detail about a character, no matter how small, can yield a wealth of new info, even if that info was unintended or remains subtextual. To use another example for Kate: we can know a great deal about her academic skillset just from the medals she earned. Not because we're shown or even told any of that information, but because the qualifications for each of those medals can be looked up.

And this ties into a final, even more important point: this concept is a great strength of comics and other collaborative fiction. It allows for the sum to be greater than all the parts.

Even in this relatively minor case, the individual pieces built on each other and interlocked to such an extent that what they point to is pretty airtight, it seems, even though that endpoint may not have been considered by anyone involved.

Does this always happen? No, of course not, and often the exact opposite can occur, resulting in little more than a pile of narrative rubble. But when it does work, it’s incredibly cool. And if it can work for something like this… imagine the potential it can have when applied to weightier character details.

 What all is still out there waiting to be uncovered like this?

[bluephoenixdruidicprincess]

Shadowhunters 3x11, Lost Souls -- Review

It's that time of the year again where I put myself through the torture of enduring this show. Watching this show is like going on an endurance run. You drag your feet when you first start, when you get acclimated to the level of exercise, you think "hey, this isn't too bad" and then by the end, it's just pain...but also a sense of pride that you made it through. That's been my experience with the show, anyway. And it's basically how I felt about Shadowhunters 3x11, Lost Souls.

I would like to preface this review with saying that I am NOT a huge supporter of this show. I do enjoy certain elements of it but I'm not what would be classified as a devoted fan. For me, Shadowhunters is not a good show and I do get very critical of the show in my reviews. Honestly, for me, I watch the show because 1) I'm too curious not to and 2) I find that this show can be so bad its funny and that's how I reap enjoyment out of it. I am not at all invested in this show or its characters anymore. I'm just watching to see what happens. If you're a die hard fan and you lash out at everyone who has a different opinion than you, you might want to skip these...I'm just saying. My reviews may not be for you. If you do decide to be a total troll, well then pay attention to the below disclaimer.

This is going to be an honest review of my thoughts and feelings regarding this episode. If you're the kind of Shadowhunters fan where you only want to hear positive things about the show, this is not the place for you. If you decide to stick around and get offended by what is said, then that's on you. I warned you. Just know that if you send me any rude comments or messages, I will 100% ignore you. I find that's the best way to deal with bullies. I work 14 hour days. Do you really think I want to waste my incredibly valuable free time dealing with derogatory comments? Hell no. This review will consist of my honest opinions. Opinions are never right or wrong. I'm not telling YOU how to think and feel. I'm telling you what I, quirky and socially awkward me, think and feel. So please, lets discuss with dignity and respect. If I'm critical about this show, it's only because I want it to get better. There is, in fact, a difference between hating a show and being critical of it. I do not hate Shadowhunters, I am being critical and analyzing the flaws as I would with any other show. There are positives but there are also negatives. It's great if you want to promote positivity with this show (and I encourage you to do so) but that doesn't mean I'm not going to point out the things that are legitimately wrong with it. Also, keep in mind that despite the fact that I do like the books, me being critical of this show has nothing to do with my fondness for the books. I don't really care if the show deviates from the source material as long as the changes are good, it makes sense, and it doesn't create plot holes within the confines of the world the show has created. My problems with this show are problems I would have with any show or book for that matter. I think it's perfectly reasonable to take issue with a show that has plot holes, shoddy world building, and inconsistent characters. There will be spoilers for the books and movie.

We are at last embarking upon the final episodes of this show and if this episode is what's going to set the tone for the remaining episodes, then I'm glad it's the final episodes because...well, this episode wasn't great and is a perfect example of what I won't miss about Shadowhunters. Bland and cringey dialogue, more characters than it knows what to do with, and too much jumping across plot points. There are individual moments in the episode I enjoyed but overall, this isn't an episode I loved.

The Loss of the Mary Sue

I'm not entirely certain of the timeline in this episode. The episode never specifies on exactly how many days have passed since the 3A finale but I'm going to estimate about a week or so. Everyone believes Clary died in the explosion caused by Lillith attacking Simon.

The episode opens with Jace, Izzy, and Alec chasing after a downworlder and Jace makes some very shoddy decisions in this fight that lets you see just how reckless he's become in the wake of Clary's "death". We then get a montage of everyone missing Clary and the more significant one is Jace, that's the one they spent the most amount of time on. He's basically walking through Clary's room remembering all the times he spent with Clary...so basically three memories. Another classic example of what I've always been talking about when it comes to the adaptation changes. Clary and Jace have barely spent any amount of time together, even less actually dating and I'm supposed to believe that they're each other's one true love...not going to happen because the show didn't develop it at all. There's a moment in the montage where Jace starts looking at Clary's drawings and getting really emotional about it and I felt nothing because Jace has never been shown to take any sort of interest in Clary's artwork before. In fact, if it weren't for that one scene in 3A, I wouldn't even have known that Clary was still drawing. By the show deviating from the books in the way they did, Clace had less development but yet the show still wants to continue the aspect of Clace being hopelessly in love from the books. You can't make a significant change from the source material and then pages down the line expect to pick up exactly where you left off. By making the change, you changed the entire context of the relationship so now the entire story has to change in order to fit that new narrative. Sadly, the Shadowhunters writers have not figured that out yet and continue to make that same mistake...or they're lazy, it could be that, too. Jace eventually gets so depressed that it's implied that he's contemplating suicide but Izzy is able to talk to him and get him to think. And then she just leaves him after making him promise he won’t go through with it. If anyone's wondering, if you catch someone who you believe may be contemplating suicide, do not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, LEAVE THEM ALONE!!! Particularly in a dark room. Being in a dark enclosed space is not the kind of place that typically sends out positive energy. But I suppose I can cut Izzy a little bit of a break. It's entirely possible the Shadowhunter world doesn't really understand how to help someone who's experiencing suicidal thoughts. They certainly didn’t help out Jace’s mother. Alec also confronts Jace about this in probably the only believable scene in this entire episode. Seriously, I've never been a Jalec shipper but I totally understand why people ship them. Matt and Dom are probably the only actors who actually have any chemistry with each other. But Alec tells Jace he's doing the memory of Clary a disservice and that if Jace were to die, it would destroy him as well. In other words, Jace isn't the only one who's going to be affected by this decision. Jace eventually is called by Luke who for some reason appears to be living in a motel room. I don't know why but whatever. Luke doesn't believe Clary is actually dead and he tries to convince Jace through some really weird conspiracy theory that probably even flat-earthers would find difficult to believe. But hey, if it leads to them finding Clary, I'll go with it. And I understand why Luke is unable to accept even the possibility that Clary might be gone for good. He can't think that about someone who he basically views as his daughter and the last connection he has to Jocelyn. Luke gives the evidence to Jace and tells Jace to at least check it out.

Simon, understandably, is also having a difficult time with all this. And Maia returns to give him emotional support despite leaving for a very particular and totally understandable reason but Simon needs her so of course she comes back for him. It's not like Maia exists for anything else but for Simon's character arc. Both Simon and Izzy kind of passive-aggressively shame Maia about leaving. And I'm particualrly disappointed in Izzy telling Maia about what happened to Simon's family as that's a very deeply personal issue and Simon should've been the one to tell her. It wasn't Izzy's secret to tell. I get that they were trying to use that scene to exposit information to the audience but there were better ways of doing that. Hell, it could've just been Izzy making an off-handed comment about Simon. Maia could've been talking to Izzy about how badly Simon is doing with the Clary situation and Izzy could've been all, "especially with what happened with his family" and Maia could've been shocked and Izzy could've been flabbergasted because she didn't know Maia didn't know. That would've been a much better way for the situation to be handled. But I'm not too pleased with Izzy saying in response to Maia not knowing, "well how could you? you weren't around." Just the insinuation that Maia should stay around and support her man and not go off and get in the right head space to properly heal herself after dealing with the re-emergence of her abuser. But I suppose I shouldn’t expect any different from Izzy seeing as she, herself, also only exists to give support the other characters. I think these passive aggressive intonations of shaming Maia are really horrible and shame on the writer. Maia, Izzy, and Simon decide to work together to find a way to get rid of the Mark of Cain from Simon's forehead. They talk to Raphael who now works at a soup kitchen in Detroit and Raphael tells them the tale of some dude chilling in the sewers of NYC who could possibly be the oldest vampire alive and may have answers to the removal of the Mark of Cain. Maia decides not to help Simon on this as its a bad idea for a werewolf and a vampire to meet and I almost forgot that was a thing, the show so rarely does anything with the vampire vs werewolf dynamic. But of course Maia has to back off to give room for Sizzy. I’m really not a big fan of Sizzy being explored here as everything that made Sizzy fun and interesting in the books has been completely stripped from the show. I’d much prefer Saia on the show. But really, I just want Maia and Izzy to have their own character arc, though that doesn’t revolve around shipping. 

The Malec B-Plot

We have a Malec B-plot that I found just completely unnecessary wherein Iris returns and kidnaps Magnus because she wants to get Madzie back. She falls for the most obvious trap in the world and hopefully we never see Iris again. What it does for Magnus's story works I guess but I just found it to be a really obtrusive subplot that didn’t fit at all with the episode. I'm not sure if it's just the fact that I've been away from the show for a year so I can see the the show a little more clearly now but the Malec chemistry is no longer working for me. Maybe it's just that I've always paid more attention to how alarmingly unequal their relationship is but I'm looking at the body language they're giving off and its not the kind of body language you would expect from lovers. They're so stiff around each other and not relaxed at all.

In fact, there's a line in this episode where Malec has just put Madzie to bed as they're baby-sitting her and Alec kisses Magnus and Magnus tells him to stop because they have a child in the apartment currently. Alec kind of scoffs because it's just a kiss and Magnus is all, "You know how we get." And I'm like, "Do we really, though?" There's plenty of scenes of them talking and I can buy them as friends with that but lovers? I’m having a difficult time actually buying that now. Like I said before, the Jalec scene was way more believable than any Malec scene in this episode.

But Magnus decides he doesn't want to feel helpess ever again so he decides he needs to learn how to fight. Honestly, I was surprised to learn that this is implying he doesn't even seem to really have any basic self-defense capabilities. The way he was swinging the sword earlier in this episode lead to me to believe otherwise. Plus, Harry Shum Jr is a pretty buff dude but I guess maybe Magnus lifts weights and that’s it. Alec decides to help him out on this venture, though.

Siblings Reunited

We find out that Clary is indeed not dead and that Jonathon's back. I'll be real, here. It's kind of hard to feel sad for Jace or Simon or Luke or anyone really regarding the "death" of Clary, considering this entire episode is interspliced with moments of Clary being very much alive. Honestly, I think this episode would've functioned better if it was just about showing everyone going through all the different stages of grief regarding Clary and at the end of the episode when they've hit the acceptance stage, that's when we see Clary wake up in the apartment with Jonathon. But whatever. The show decided not to go that route so we have to make do with what we got. Clary wakes up and looking pretty damn fantastic for someone who's been asleep for days. Not a strand of hair out of place, make-up is flawless, and not a wrinkle to be found on her clothing. In fact, I think they're in even better condition than they were when Clary initially had to put them on. Clary also isn't even the slightest bit groggy, she knows exactly where she's at and everything. Clary does comas well. Jonathon tells Clary that it is indeed him, her big brother and that before Lillith was sent to hell she sent them away to Siberia, apparently. Clary plays nice for a little bit with Jonathon but decides to chance out in the cold of Siberia. It's nice to see that in her state of unconsciousness her muscles didn't atrophy from lack of movement or deteriorate from lack of food. But Clary fails in her escape, Jonathon finds her and brings her back. Clary tries to stab him with a knife but they both find out that what happens to one person will also happen to the other. So yeah, we're full in City of Lost Souls plot here which is ironically the title of this episode. Shadowhunters has never been all that subtle. This new actor for Jonathon is going to take some getting used to. Will Tudor did a phenomenal job with him so its difficult to see this new guy as Jonathon. But it also is difficult to take Clary's anger and hatred of Jonathon seriously when you think about all that Jonathon's really done on the show is kill a shadowhunter Clary had never met before and then injured Max and Max swiftly recovered. Clary is all about painting him as the worst possible being and indeed, in the books, he is but here, while he may be a bad guy who's done really bad things, I don't know if its deserving of that level of hatred. We haven't exactly seen a lot of his horrifying dastardly deeds. Another example of making a change and then thinking you can still keep the same storyline at a later point in the story. I'm certainly not saying I wanted Max to die but story-telling wise, it would make the emotions Clary's feeling here a little more believable. But I'm actually really interested to see where this whole Jonathon and Clary plot goes. In the books, it's Jace that's put in this situation so it'll be interestig to see how the show tackles Clary being in this situation. I'm also wondering, because they seem to be trying to stay away from the incest vibes here, is Jonathon going to gain an unhealthy obsession with Jace instead of Clary? In the books, Clary was who Jonathon was creepily obsessed with. He was equating possession with love and viewed that Clary belonged to him in every way imaginable. So since the roles of Clary and Jace have been reversed here, will Jonathon's obsession now change from Clary to Jace? Probably not but it would've been interesting to see for sure. I mean, if you're going to do a role reversal, you might as well go all the way, right?

The Clave Acting Shady AF

The Clave is being super shady right now. They appear to be doing experiments on the incarcerated downworlders and all I can say is, "do we really need this?" And also, "Why is it being implied that Jia knows about this and is okay with this?" The interesting thing about Jia in the books was the fact that she was the first step in the leadership to help get rid of the more corrupt aspects of the Clave and instigating change. But I suppose it's per the norm for the show to make everyone but the main group a bad guy instead of morally grey. As I've said before, this show has no concept of subtlety. I can only imagine that this is leading into the part in City of Glass the show hasn't done yet wherein the alliance rune is going to be introduced but instead of using it to fight Valentine, they're going to use it to fight Jonathon. That's what these downworlder experiments seem to be leading into as it reminds me a lot of Valentine experimenting in the books. I'm sure there was 0 social commentary intended when writing this into the show, though...but I think its safe to say it's totally social commentary. The show isn't very subtle, once again.

But good news is it looks like Ollie is gone for good so yay! I am side-eying the show, though about that. What was the point of introducing her if you weren't going to do anything with her? I'd say they probably wasted about half of 3A with Ollie unnecessarily. But maybe if this show hadn't been cancelled, Ollie would've played a more significant role? Well anyway, at least some of the fat has been trimmed.

My biggest issue, as always, is the dialogue. The dialogue felt extremely one-note. It was almost like the writer made a flow chart of what they wanted to happen in this episode and was like, "crap! I guess my characters do need to speak, here's some lines to explain what's going on." The dialogue basically existed solely for the purpose of giving exposition but the real kicker is that it was really unnecessary. I could've had this episode on silent (and that might've even have made it an improvement) and I would've understood what was happening perfectly. The dialogue really didn't add anything to the experience, it just made the episode feel more awkward than it already was. And then there continues the trend of Shadowhunters treating their awesome plans as if they’re the most clever plans in the world when in actuality, the plan is beyond obvious and it was super cringey and awkward seeing Izzy being treated as this amazing strategist for making the obvious move. And the episode was already plenty awkward with the constant cutting. It's really difficult to enjoy any particular subplot going on in this show when we only spend maybe 30 seconds to a minute on any particular moment. I kind of wish this show structured their episodes more around themes as opposed to plot. Plot is temporary, plot is always changing but exploring themes through plot gives you more of an appreciation not only for the characters but the story, itself. While I didn't mind sequences in this episode, at the end of the day, it just kind of left me feeling empty. I also think the acting felt a little stilted as well. I wasn't a big fan of any of the performances given in this episode and whereas I've never thought anyone on this show was oscar-worthy for their performances in the past on this show, their performances have always been maybe a C+ to a B. But in this episode, it just didn't feel like any of the actors' hearts were in it. Now granted, that could be a side effect of the script because, as I've mentioned before, the script wasn't great. Or it could've been the directing. There's a lot of reasons for why acting can feel stilted and it very rarely has to do with the actor or actress being bad at acting.

I've made notes about how the dialogue and acting was stilted but those weren't the only things that were. The fight choreography and the blocking felt a little off as well. For starters, the fight choreography did not feel organic. It was strangely reminiscent of season 1 fight choreography. The constant jump cuts so you don't see too much of what's actually happening and just feeling like fight scenes move very slowly. Like the reaction times between sword swing to parry were very slow and it kept on taking me out of the moment. Then you also had moments where Alec and Izzy catch up with Jace in the sewer and everyone's staring at the seelie they're trying to capture for a good 5 seconds before the actual fight continues. And then there's just strange blocking choices where a character walks to a point in the room and then delivers their line but the walk to the new mark wasn’t organic and actually made the line feel more awkward.

I'd probably give this episode a C+. It was passable, with enjoyable moments but ultimately not something I have any desire to return to. There were cute moments (primarily Jalec and Madzie), but overall as an episode, not something to be too terribly impressed with. And yes, there were moments I did like. It’s not my fault the show just had more bad parts I felt compelled to talk about.