#i have a seasons scene in mind that will say some of this

[hellofeanor]

I know some people are upset about this, but

Adar had a complete and narratively satisfactory character arc and here's why.

(I'm saying "narratively satisfactory" because it satisfies his purpose in the narrative even if we think he deserved better.)

The two main problems I had with Adar's arc throughout most of S2 were as follows: his decisions to release Halbrand and then rabidly charge into Eregion after Sauron make no sense, and his character was inconsistent with what was established in S1. I complained about both of these things at length with people who were willing to listen, and some people who just smiled and nodded. But certain things in ep 6 made me start to rethink, one line in episode 7 really stood out, and the events of ep 8 put everything into perspective. So let's explore.

In 6, we have the scene of Adar and Galadriel speaking about Sauron. The major theme here is that he worms his way inside people's minds, insidiously exerting his will over them. Both characters at this point acknowledge this as fact. And in light of this revelation, Adar's "decision" to free Halbrand starts to make a little more sense. All it took was that one interaction for Sauron to get back inside Adar's mind and start influencing him again. There's no reason for Adar to do any of what he does in S2 unless he's under Sauron's control. Galadriel even says it herself: this is what Sauron wants. But Adar's mind and judgment are too clouded to see.

In 7, there's one critical line. "You think it was only you who put yourself in my power?" It's Annatar speaking to Celebrimbor, but he might as well be speaking to anybody here. It's pretty telling that this line shows up in most of the character-specific teasers, including Adar's.

Which brings us to 8, where everything comes together. Adar has Nenya, which has been shown to have healing powers, and a lot of people theorized that this might lead to him reverting back to an elven form. Which is exactly what happened. But the ring didn't only heal him physically.

Previously, we've seen Galadriel gain clarity of mind through Nenya: she better understands Sauron's ploy, and her part in it, and how she fell right into his trap. The exact same thing happens with Adar. When we first see him, crouching next to a rock, hiding his face, he's not just hiding his elven transformation. He looks like he's genuinely crushed. Not by seeing himself as an elf, but from the sudden ring-given clarity and the realization that he's been used by Sauron all along. His motivation and personality do a complete 180 here, and this isn't a plot hole or a contrivance. It's meant to show that the ring healed his mind as well as his body, shaking off Sauron's influence, and he's suddenly, for the first time all season, back to where he was at the end of S1. He's himself again. The searing desire to kill Sauron is gone, and he just wants to return to Mordor and build a home for his children.

He may have taken the ring because he thought it would help him kill Sauron, but in the end, it just helps him come to his senses.

Unfortunately for him, his actions can't be undone, and by sending the uruk to war, he's put them, as Annatar says 'under my control'. The minute Annatar asks Glûg what his name is, and Glûg falters in killing him, it's over. Sauron has control of the uruk again. He's wormed his way in. How do we know this for sure?

Adar's children wouldn't have set up that elaborate ruse to assassinate him. If this were all their doing, they would have just stabbed him and been done with it. The foreshadowing all season hints that Glûg may disagree with Adar's orders, but probably would never have done anything about it without a strong push from Sauron. The scheme was all Sauron and Sauron's control. Sauron orchestrates Adar's death in the exact same way Adar killed Sauron in ep 1, specifically out of spite. Sauron even appears to watch Adar's final moments: he wants Adar to know.

Is it a shitty way to die? Yes.

Is it a shitty plot twist undeserved out of nowhere? No, because the entire season has been setting us up for this moment. Hell, even some pieces in S1 have been setting us up for this moment. Halbrand could have killed Adar way back when, but at some point must have decided that Adar was more useful alive for a while longer, and a more elaborate form of revenge was in order. Sauron gains control of Adar and uses him as a puppet warlord against the elves while at the same time setting Adar up for the ultimate betrayal at the hands of his own children once he's no longer useful.

I actually love this. It's a horrible way to go, and I'm sad to see the end of this character, but it's a complete arc for him and makes sense within the narrative. It doesn't feel cheap or undeserved or at all surprising to me. It's sad, but satisfying.

RIP Adar, you will be missed. But at least you died... uh... feeling betrayed by your own kind as a result of your own actions that you realized too late were orchestrated by the guy you hate most. And if that isn't top tier tragedy, I don't know what is.

[yannaryartside]

God I just saw a video essay about the Bear and the guy who made it even recognized that the clairexcarmy scenes that seem to try to makes us care about the relationship and all the other Claire scenes where so perpetually shallow, that she is still a manic pixie “bunny girl” in his own words, but he suggested that she may need her own episode so the audience can get “to know her mind”…🤢

Like, I know is difficult to tell what exactly is so wrong about her, but is interesting that even the people that straight up don’t care about a ship that is two seasons in the making don’t get to imagine is because that’s the intention of the show. Is like those characters that you may not trust but may not completely dislike either.

But this guy also seemed to think that Syd didn’t have a right to move forward from the Bear so…

My biggest problem is I also understand the people that say Syd doesn’t do much, and I am pretty sure that’s her arc, to let her take the wheel of her own life next season once and for all.

There is a lot of racism and misogyny involved in this discussion, but even the people that are not stupid like that, seem to not suspect of Claire (in part because is the shows intention to misdirect them) but also because what they have seen from Syd is not enough for them to root for her. The same way some people didn’t root for Richie until “Forks”

God I am rambling. There is a discussion to have about what makes people care about characters because I rooted for Richie since the phone call in the trip to the store.

I refuse to believe that they haven’t make Claire unlikeable on purpose when Richie was the most obnoxious character and was reddened in my eyes whiting two hours of content while Claire was showcased for two seasons already and is still so shallow. If this was a relationship/character to root for they would have managed to make us care. Shippers or not. She is a doctor for Christ sake, one of the most noble professions in this world and she is still impossible to swallow.

And I rooted for Sydney upon seeing her, because I know what is like to be in an industry you don’t seek to be made for. She is genuine and flawed.

I love her to death. But she frustrates me. She is also stuck in an awful narrative that Carmy is the catalyst for. All her insecurities and fears keeping her in place and I know that’s the intention.

All this to say Storer, you better giver Syd her own episode and it has to be better than Forks and Napkins combined.

[bucksdaffy]

re: tommy and his involvement in the S8 opening disaster

we obviously haven't seen the final part of the premiere yet, and we have no way of knowing if tommy's involved in the rescue in any capacity. however, i think we can safely assume that he is not landing the plane (which, after watching 8x02, i can't say i'm disappointed about) or assisting with the landing from the ground. 911 is a show that, while dramatic, remains grounded in reality. it bases the emergency calls on real-life events, though amped up for entertainment purposes.

tommy is a pilot, yes, but we don't know for sure if he flies both helicopters and planes. even if he knows how to land a commercial plane, that's great—but why choose a random firefighter, who may only be slightly familiar with the process, over an expert in the field? i love the theory, but it was far-fetched from the start, given that 911 isn't, as some might believe, that unrealistic in the events it portrays.

i think IF tommy is involved, the best-case scenario is that his primary role will be connected to buck (let's keep in mind that tommy isn’t a main character; he is a supporting character whose primary role is to serve as a love interest for one of the main characters. while he exists as a character in his own right, separate from buck, his role primarily centers on being buck’s love interest, whether we like it or not). i think he might worry because when the 118 arrives at the scene, buck's nowhere to be found, and then he learns he's on the highway with bobby while the plane is coming straight at them. once the plane has landed and everything is more or less under control, he and buck will reunite and that will likely be the extent of it. this is what i hope to see, but i'm ready for the possibility that i might be setting myself up for disappointment.

if tommy is involved but his role isn't connected to buck, i would expect him to be in the background, simply doing his job. then, if the show includes scenes centered around individual main characters, we may see him interact with buck in relation to their relationship.

i think these are the most plausible options for tommy in the 8x03. there is also a possibility that he won't appear in that episode at all (or that he will appear only in the individual scene with buck), but personally, i think it would be a strange choice, given that 217 is at the scene.

unless we don't see him next week, i can't say i'm disappointed with how this opening disaster has played out. i thought i would be, but after seeing 8x02, i realized it's much better this way. i love the idea of tommy helping to land the plane, and i beg my fellow fanfiction writers to make the best of this concept. i think it would work great in fanon, but i don't think it would translate effectively to canon, especially now.

this is not the buck and tommy show; it's 911. and once again, tommy is not a main character; he's a recurring love interest. buck and tommy's romance has only just begun, and they're still in the early stages of their relationship. we need them to build that connection, and the writers need to make the GA care more about (buck)tommy before we can get some gut-wrenching, heartfelt moments similar to those bobby and athena have. for now, we might get only small parallels, if anything, and that's okay. we need time to get to the big moments so that they can hit harder.

why create a plane disaster and not involve buck's hot pilot boyfriend in a significant way? well, perhaps the opening disaster is meant to set the tone for S8, suggesting that we’ll see more air rescues in the future. it might also serve as an opportunity to introduce us to the 217 team, allowing us to get to know one or two of tommy’s coworkers who could come in handy as the show progresses. it could also foreshadow a significant event later in the season involving buck and tommy, such as a helicopter crash. maybe tim also wanted to give buck and tommy the chance to work on the same call together? or perhaps he simply thought it would be exciting for 9-1-1 to tackle a plane disaster, without any specific implications for our favourite pairing.

either way i do think that as the show progresses, we'll see tommy become more involved, not only in his relationship with buck but also in the central dynamics of the show with the other characters. we just need to give it time and have trust—rome wasn't built in a day, after all. let's just appreciate what we have now and avoid being greedy. i think tim's doing a great job so far of balancing everything for the audience. as fans of the show, i think we should be grateful for that.

[abitcaughtinthemiddle]

Okay so I thought I’d share some of my theories for this season now with the benefit of having seen the first 3 episodes. This is just what I think based on the threads being pulled at so far. I think some of these have already been thrown out there so forgive me if I repeat something everyone is already guessing (‼️CAUTION: campaign 1 spoilers for show only folks‼️)

There’s no way they’re nixing Glintshore and it’ll be the catalyst for Vex to admit she loves Percy (true love’s nat 20). I think they’ll do a similar thing to Vex’s death where we end one of the three episode releases with his death- leaving us waiting a week for the next episodes (and I know Laura is gonna fucking kill the voice acting for this scene) so I think it’ll happen either episode 6 or 9 (I’m guessing 6 so they can get Ripley out of the way to focus on Raishan)

I think the chroma conclave arc is ending this season and we’ll see a lot jam packed in episode 12 to set up the Vecna Whispered One arc (based on the opening credits with the siphon/portal being shown at the end)

I think we’re going to get The Bard’s Lament at the end of the season (ep 12 after Thordak) and the fact that Pike is the only one who has checked in on Scanlan about his daughter - and Scanlan’s anger at Vax (who technically knows that Scanlan has a daughter but has never followed up with him about this) and Vex (who’s been railroading him and his ideas most of the time) are going to be the biggest points of contention. Maybe we will get a Scanlan “what is my daughter’s name?” jab instead.

This is just fan service and something I just really want to see- but with the dynamic shake up between Vex and Vax being the ones pushing away the person they love, it would be so nice to have a scene with Percy and Keyleth mooning over/venting about the twins to pay homage to their friendship in C1 (let them be drunk besties together please!)

For vestiges, I think we’re not going to get Whisper at all (Vax having two vestiges in C1 was awesome but kinda OP imo and with the time constraint I think they’ll just leave Whisper out entirely)

This is a wild guess based on nothing really (just the talks of grief and facing fear being huge themes this season) but I think we’re gonna get the disintegrated Vax moment this season so we know for sure he’s on borrowed time. (it would be diabolical for Vex for it to happen so close to Percy’s death but I wouldn’t put it past them - they serve us pain on a platter and I say thank you every time) And since The Matron of Ravens has this ability to show Vax the future - we won’t necessarily need to know about The Whispered One threat to give reason for Vax to stay longer. I mean how angsty would it be to have them think Vax is going to die after they kill Thordak and then when he doesn’t, they learn about The Whispered One? (Oh it’d be so juicy but this theory is founded on nothing but my insane need to create the most pain possible this season in my head)

Anyway these are just theories from my unhinged mind.

[dangermousie]

I was thinking about what my favorite cdrama OTP is for 2024 and - rather surprisingly even to myself - it is Fan Xian x Lin Wan’er from Joy of Life 2.

Now, JOL2 is my favorite cdrama of 2024 so far and it will take a sizable miracle to dislodge it in the coming three months, so perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that my n1 OTP is what it is.

Except the thing is, JOL2 is not a romance centric drama at all. This is a year with some glorious romantic cdramas (The Legend of Shenli alone is what my dreams are made of.) JOL2, however, is not primarily or even secondarily a romance. In fact, Fan Xian does not even reunite with Wan’er eps and eps into this season.

So why?

I think it’s a twofold thing - one is when I love characters and narrative, their emotional entanglements, all of them - become more vivid and important. Fan Xian is in my Top 3 cdrama leads of all time (!!) so of course I am just generally more invested in his emotional life. But the other, bigger thing is that I just love what this ship does and has.

Wan’er is Fan Xian’s peace in the maelstrom, the person with whom that busy mind can rest. I keep thinking about that scene in her carriage where in the middle of plots and counterplots and countercounterplots you just see him stop and just relax. It makes me think of a quote from Busman’s Honeymoon which probably sums up my fave ship dynamic - it’s what Lord Peter says to Harriet: “you are my corner. I’ve come to hide.”

And I love how crucial she is to him. This is a man who can and has taken on royals and martial legends, who is able and willing to change the world. And yet he is trembling and utterly undone when he thinks he lost her love (in the aftermath of the truth about her brother coming out), he is stripped bare of defenses - or perhaps not because to be stripped of defenses would imply he ever had them against her and he never has. There is something so heady about how someone so self-sufficient needs her and how someone so competent is lost without her.

And then there is Wan’er. I have seen so much criticism of her - she is not a martial genius like Haitang Duo Duo, not a schemer like Eldest Princess, not a budding genius doctor like Ruo Ruo. But I think that is why I love her - because she does not have power (martial or political or genius) but what she has is steadiness and love and warmth. She also shares an understanding of loneliness with Fan Xian because for very different reasons they stood aside from life at a remove like looking through a thick window for a very long time. In the narrative they both escape that glass and join the world for good or ill - he is the reason for that freedom for her and she is a catalyst for his (though eventually there are many more reasons for him not to be removed - once you step out of the glass cage you can’t go back in, you acquire attachments.)

But also - she is just steady. In the world where people rarely say what they mean and mean what they say, where alliances shift and bonds are uncertain, she is one of the few people who puts him first and close to the only one who is always exactly what she is with him.

I think of that scene of her and Wuzhu. Where here is the one who killed her beloved brother and he’s weak enough that she can actually avenge him (that is the only opportunity and she knows it - Wuzhu is grandmaster level and she has no power) and yet - she does not on the off chance Fan Xian may need his help on the mission he’s on. She does not know if Fan Xian will need help. She does not know if Wuzhu would be able to get there to provide it. And yet the possibility of the possibility of protecting her husband is enough for her to forego her revenge in any meaningful fashion because much as she mourns her brother, much as she wants vengeance, she wants Fan Xian safe and protected more.

Fan Xian, for all his glib manner and fast talking, for all his devil may care attitude cares an awful lot about the people he sees as his. He has an enormous capacity for love (which I think is what ironically keeping him safe with the emperor; emperor knows he has so many levers he can pull to get Fan Xian back in line if he needs to.) And with Wan’er, Fan Xian has found someone who would care just as much for him back and I find it glorious.

I guess it turned into a shipper manifesto, huh.

[rainintheevening]

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie is so much better when I put it in the context of Peter being just about to turn 18, and Edmund is wrestling with that, trying to prepare himself to let Peter go (even though he's already done one term at school without him), and trying to stand on his own without Peter, figure out just who he is without his brother.

I think the implication in the movie is that Peter went to America too, but forget that. Peter's visiting Professor Kirke for the summer, at his little cottage in the country, and working on a farm as well as getting tutoring for university entrance exams, even though he knows he's not going to be going in for a few years, or however long the war lasts.

Ed hates the idea of Peter going off to war without him. Lucy is feeling left behind by everyone (parents and Su in America, Peter on the verge of becoming a soldier, and Ed wanting to join him).

Ed by turns latching onto and getting annoyed at Caspian, because he's not Peter, but it's like having Peter there, and Caspian doesn't understand what he and Peter have, but Ed can see how much Caspian wishes for a brother, and they do become that for each other in the end.

Ed wielding Rhindon at the end, Peter's sword in his hand, like Peter hasn't left him after all, and Peter's love and Aslan’s promise are louder and brighter than any ghost or sea serpent ever could be.

Lucy shooting with Susan's bow, because she doesn't have to be Susan (or Peter or Ed) to be like her in protecting the people she loves, she just has to use what Aslan has given her.

Ed knowing he's gonna go back to England and Peter's going to come celebrate his birthday with them before he signs up, so he hugs Caspian extra hard, because Caspian's going to have to go on alone too.

(But not alone, no. They have the Lion's promise. They all do.)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

At your side [End of Season 2]

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[beskad]

ok, so i know we’re all going feral over the honda fight scene was a fuck scene and I agree, that shit is loaded with subtext and it’s on purpose.

however 

let’s not lose sight of really juicy character stuff going on here

so, in terms of movie/plot this is obviously the Low Point that has to happen so the heroes can pick themselves up again and eventually win, screenwriting 101, etc. simple.

yes, they’re beating each other up in spectacularly entertaining big-budget-movie fashion. and yes, the homoeroticism is very much there (and played for laughs to avoid alienating the predominantly cishet white dudebro audience, though i find it very enjoyable regardless)

BUT. 

this moment is Worst!Wolverine’s new rock bottom

Logan allowed himself the absurdity of hope that they could get out of this and that he can fix things, that he can undo what he did, he can save the people who he “allowed” to be massacred. (the exact circumstances are left intentionally vague, and i think we’re supposed to understand that he is very possibly less at fault than he considers himself to be and he’s punishing himself more than he needs to. he’s always been good at torturing himself. i like that it’s vague and we only have his unreliable account and the ghosts we hear in his head via cassandra.)

that hope has been dashed and with the most insultingly silly turn of phrase too, “an educated wish.” and now he’s angry. he has to punish himself for allowing himself that hope, and punish the person responsible for putting the idea in his head. there’s no hole to crawl into, no bar where he can drink himself to death. there’s no way for him to turn his anger and disgust inward and go back to rotting away.

that anger needs an outlet. 

his self-hatred is unkillable, what better outlet than beating the ever loving fuck out of a man who is also unkillable. an eternally-regenerating punching bag for his eternal rage and grief. 

and somewhere in the middle of that fight (cough cough that grin as he's pinned beneath wade and blood splatters across his mouth), he's fucking enjoying it. he leans into that rage and grief and along the way, comes alive. he hasn't had a fight like this in years, absolutely feral and filthy, blood and blades and equally matched in his total inability to just fucking die already.

getting so fucking angry that his grief is overridden by rage, and through that unrestrained rage, coming alive again????

that shit is tasty as hell, and i don’t want to forget about it amidst the spectacle of the rest of the scene

[sskk-manifesto]

Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple and how “ability users” (opposite to “normal people”) learning to accept themselves through the acceptance of their own abilities is a queer metaphor of acceptance of own's sexual orientation and gender: an essay by me

[heyaritou]

"I'm so relieved…"

[wiser-girl]

It's less about the ship itself and more about them hating Aang tbh

Do I hate Aang? Absolutely not, that’s my boy. Do I hate Aang as a genuine 100% endgame presented as they are love interest for Katara? …yeah sorry

[wakeupthemembersofbylernation]

It’s wild how so many people are fundamentally incapable of recognizing queer characters unless they explicitly say the words, “I’m gay” on screen

[cerealbishh]

"You get to see her understanding of how things really are. And so that becomes much more present on the surface. (...) In this season, we get to see her fall deeper in love with him but also navigate those challenges. And also becoming an anchor for Rhett but also struggling with his decision, 'Is this what I want for my future as well, as much as I love this man?'." - Isa in an interview with The Knockturnal(x)

[spicypussywave]

kongart and kanghansailom are the same. just in different fonts

arthit, kang - bully kong, sailom - victim. uses homosexuality against them

arthit, sailom - repressed queers, lack of pda kong, kang - "what is shame?"

kong, kang - flirts everytime they can arthit, sailom - flustered but plays cool

kong, sailom - fell first (at a random first meet arthit, kang - fell harder (doesn't remember first meeting

arthit, kang - bi/pan (most probably bisexuals kong, sailom - gay

arthit, sailom - successful tutors kong, kang - obedient students + "rewards? 🥺"

kong, kang - rich arthit, sailom - not rich,

kong, kang - can't handle spice (losers

both pairs role play (real)

both shows had p'lit as one of the directors

[beaft]

are you excited for good omens 2?

I was talking to a friend about this just last night! Yes, I'm excited to see where it goes, and I'm excited that Jon Hamm is going to be in it more (he was one of my favourite parts of S1), and I'm especially excited that John Finnemore is on the writing team. He does really great, natural-sounding dialogue, and I think his sense of humour will fit in well with the overall Vibes of the series. I loved S1 for its optimism and charm, and for its lead performances, and for how much care clearly went into it - but a lot of the humour really didn't work for me. It was a sweet, faithful adaptation of my favourite book, it just wasn't quite "there". (Subjective, of course; I know a lot of people loved it unreservedly.) What I've seen of S2 looks really promising, and I'm curious to see how it pans out.

[sunflowers-and-sweetviolets]

hi????? im gay????