#i lost interest soon after for a variety of reasons

[tipytap]

anybody else sick of the grind? sick of the “oooh ive found something im good at!!! now how can i monetize it?”

[ladyluscinia]

Izzy Hands Is Manipulative, But Not That Way

...or I finally finish that long ass meta post about why I love the fucking Navy Plot lol

The Izzy manipulation debate has been really interesting to me pretty much since it started, because I'd see a post arguing he's manipulating Edward and go "No, and he couldn't if he tried" and then the next post would say he sucks at manipulation because he's a blunt fucking instrument and I'd go "Yea- wait. Hmm. No, he can be targeted and tricky as fuck." Which does, on its surface, seem like a contradictory stance, but I swear it works.

Because the thing with Izzy - and this is such a fun thing imo - is there are two core types of manipulation that characters engage in, and Izzy fucking sucks at the one you expect his style of antagonist to focus on. But he's scarily good at the other.

Long meta under the cut, so get comfy.

...

From his role under Edward to the protagonist vs antagonist dynamic setup to his introduction scenes, Izzy is very much invoking the conniving second in command. We know this character from other media. He doesn't have the full power he wants so he's constantly scheming to get it. He can't or won't challenge his boss for some reason, so he settles for being the devil on their shoulder or working behind their back. He's the voice constantly ready to inflame insecurities and turn relationship cracks into chasms, and usually he's lying constantly to do so. His fingerprints are all over his boss's problems up to the moment they show some weakness, and then their loyal second goes right for the backstab. He is THE ambitious manipulator. The shady advisor. The snake.

And then you actually look at Izzy and he is not that guy. In fact, it's a testament to the strength of Edward's character arc how much his evil little henchman is not causing his problems.

So - Izzy and manipulation:

Izzy Can't Convince People To Do Things

Like. He really can't.

This interpersonal struggle is fairly fundamental to his character. And moreover, it's a skill that Izzy is intensely aware that he lacks, so usually he doesn't even try.

In his first episode he walks right up to Buttons and just straight up asks him for the information on his party. He doesn't even resolve to steal the hostages until he realizes that Stede has lost them in the bush already, and Izzy obtains them by buying them. When Stede confronts him they end up splitting the pair in a very above-board negotiation and he pretty much just goes with what Stede suggests.

Then in 1x03, people make a big deal of Izzy "manipulating" Edward by not clarifying that Stede didn't know who he was when he turned down the invite, but kind of importantly he repeats the damning line of the conversation faithfully. If he was going to lie, then why not lie? Why even go see Stede at all? And, if he didn't want Stede dead until after the conversation (understandable, tbh, since "Iggy" was stab-worthy), surely he could invent a better insult to rile Edward up. It makes his omission hit more like being bitchy about Stede not recognizing the obvious - namely that Izzy Hands works for Blackbeard and literally everyone knows this - than a slander campaign to get him killed. And once we properly meet Izzy and Edward in 1x04, Izzy's inability to manipulate becomes his main struggle.

Izzy's a blunt and direct person. He leans on authority bestowed by Blackbeard to take control of situations, playing the role he's supposed to play, and without it he lacks a Plan B. In 1x04 he doesn't have any authority over Edward, so his efforts to get him to take the danger of the Spanish seriously amount to "Well as bored as you might be, if you don't make a decision soon we're gonna fucking die." And this is true! There might be a very subconscious attempt at manipulation in his resignation speech before the "That's Blackbeard. I'm Stede, remember?" line - of the piss him off to get him to get his shit together variety - but Edward literally makes a joke out of it so not exactly effective.

And once Edward stops giving Izzy authority in general, his plan to make Lucius do stuff is still just... brute force. Which works at first when Lucius doesn't realize that Izzy's on his own now, and stops working as soon as Fang breaks ranks. His last ditch blackmail attempt isn't manipulative either - he just plans to tell the truth to Pete and assumes he'll be pissed about it. My guy loses a fight over the pirate equivalent of making an uppity employee clean the coffee maker while the boss is out. Not only does he fail to manipulate the crew in a conniving antagonist way... he doesn't even try.

I mean, the only time he (somewhat) succeeds in talking someone into things is 1x06. Getting Edward to agree to killing Stede isn't really manipulation - Izzy gets Fang and Ivan to back him in a very straightforward way because they all actually do have a stake in this - but he's passably able to push Stede to go through with the fuckery via fake compliments. It's not exactly high level work, though. Stede being vulnerable to ego-stroking / dares is pretty obvious.

So what is Izzy good at?

Well, if you can't make people do anything other than what they were going to do in the first place, you might as well lean into that.

...

Izzy Manipulates Situations, Not People

Situational manipulation is one of those fictional tropes that rarely can happen in real life, but there's not much resemblance because real life rarely gives you all the building blocks for a proper gambit and lets you loose. Too many factors. In narratives, though? It becomes one of my favorite ways of having a character be clever.

And before I get into this too much, a really fun sidenote - I think Izzy does situational manipulation more like the way protagonists do it. See, antagonists are usually emotionally and situationally manipulative (ex: provoking the hero to lash out and using it to frame them for a bigger crime), but it's not a good look when your hero drives the target to do something bad and then punishes them for it. So heroes lean on stuff like Batman Gambits - where the lynchpin of the scheme is the target fucking themselves over by behaving completely in character. They've written Izzy so ineffective at emotional manipulation that he pretty much has to rely on other characters' flaws or histories to cause problems, which has a very similar result. And it's wild.

...

Going back to the 1x03 confrontation in Jackie's bar, Izzy doesn't really do anything abnormal in how he conducts himself, but people are picking up on an agenda for a reason. Namely, the whole damn conversation quickly turns into a trap, and Izzy fully sits back and watches Stede spring it from sheer idiocy.

There's no indication that when Izzy walked up he wasn't going to carry out his task with all the bitchy professionalism expected of him, while probably hoping that Stede would eventually stick his foot in his mouth without Izzy's help (assuming he's the kind of idiot Izzy thinks he is). His first section of this conversation is nearly polite:

Izzy (about the Nose Jar): "I have a few colleagues in there." Stede: "Ugh. You again." Geraldo: "Mr. Hands, welcome. It's been a while." Izzy: "(To Geraldo) Yeah, because I hate this fucking place. (To Stede) But for some inexplicable reason, my boss would like a word with you. Bonnet."

It's not until Stede starts talking that I think Izzy clues in that Stede doesn't actually know who his boss is. He didn't introduce himself until the literal last second of their 1x02 interaction, so it wasn't obvious Stede wasn't literally bolting into the forest in horrified realization.

And Stede? He goes hard on being a bitch right out the gate. Brushes Izzy off, tells him to "get in line", calls him the wrong name, says he doesn't care who Izzy is...

Izzy so far has met Stede in a public place, in front of people who clearly treat Izzy with respect and fear. He doesn't bring up their previous interaction, Stede does. He doesn't even goad Stede beyond existing. He corrects him on his name, and watches it not register in the slightest. The next line is the clincher:

Izzy (slightly incredulous): "So I'll tell my Captain that you're declining then, yeah?"

As Izzy is speaking the conversation becomes a trap - he chooses a reasonable way to refer to Edward that isn't "Blackbeard" and waits to see if Stede will make this worse. The jump from "no I'm busy" to "tell him he has terrible taste in flunkies and he can go suck eggs in Hell" is all Stede, completely ignoring context clues as Geraldo stares on in horror. Hell, Jackie only refrains from later de-nosing Stede on the spot because Geraldo knows what's up, and Stede still doesn't pick up on the fact he should maybe be asking some questions (though I'll give him the knife was distracting).

Izzy returns to the ship, quotes Stede directly for his damning line, and waits to see what Edward will do with it. It's not good behavior on his part (and if he could have seen the future he might have tried worse), but switching mid-conversation to offering Stede an opportunity to fuck himself over is a very different mindset than simply lying to / provoking Stede or Edward to get what he wants. He's mostly being petty.

Stede did insult Edward of his own volition, after all, and just because Izzy fudges the truth to hide he didn't know he was insulting Blackbeard instead of just Izzy and a random stranger doesn't change that. All Izzy did to "escalate" that conversation was give Stede a second opening to do so himself.

But there is a far better example of Izzy masterfully manipulating a situation than this in-the-moment bit of pettiness, so let's move onto my favorite bit... explaining in extensive and slightly awestruck detail why the Navy plot. Fucking. Rules. Because it does. Ready?

...

How to Mastermind the Decisive Removal of One Stupid Fucking Stede Bonnet Over Drinks

Ahem. The Navy plot. Masterclass in intimate betrayal. Izzy's biggest escalation in the total collapse of Edward and Izzy's relationship, but also a completely fucking fascinating glimpse into whatever tangled web of codependency they've got going on, because Edward isn't even mad after 1x09. This wordcount is going to be insane enough without me getting into the Blackhands relationship connotations, so I will... attempt... to stick to breaking down the actual scheme.

And what a scheme it was.

Let's start at the beginning. Jack showing up to lure them into the trap at the start of 1x08? Nope, earlier. Izzy getting kicked off the ship and going to Jackie at the end of 1x06? Further back. Edward proposing the "kill Stede" plan at the end of 1x04, which is the domino that starts all this, right? Closer, but still no.

Izzy's first appearance on screen is in episode 1x02, and that episode is where the seeds of the Navy plot are first planted. See, during Stede's confrontation with Izzy, both of the hostages chime in:

Hostage 1 (Wellington): "Believe him, he's quite insane." Hostage 2 (Hornberry): "He does have the eyes of a madman. Sorry, you do."

Wellington says his line in a tone of voice that clearly indicates a story to tell, and it should also be noted that he is the same one who earlier jumped at the chance to tell the tribe chief about Stede murdering their captain - Nigel. And he's the one that Izzy leaves with, in a sour mood and wanting information about this "Stede Bonnet" character.

When Izzy later reaches out to the Navy, it's no coincidence that he finds Chauncey. He's known since right after their first meeting that Stede was directly responsible for the murder of an Admiral's brother and that the English Navy would know soon enough, since he was literally about to ransom a hostage back to them who would tell the story. And he filed that information away until it was useful or relevant like a clever pirate should.

Moving on to Jackie's bar in 1x03, Izzy gets more potentially useful observations / inspiration. Jackie is actually the first person in the series to make a deal with a naval power. Izzy and crew track the Revenge to the Spanish warship, which means they must see Geraldo sold out Stede to them. Izzy isn't stupid. He knows Geraldo and Spanish Jackie, knows that she's the brains and brawn behind this deal, and has seen enough of Stede that he'd absolutely believe that he did something to get Jackie pissed enough to plot his murder. File away Jackie wants Stede dead and details of how she nearly succeeded in offing him for later.

Izzy spends 1x05 up to the fuckery demonstration observing Stede's crew while waiting for Edward to pull the trigger. I definitely want to note the scene where they interrogate the Frenchman at the beginning of 1x05, because Izzy is staring directly at Stede as he leans away from Edward threatening violence (we know this will later be in his love montage so not actually a turn off, lol, but like... it looked like one). His opinion of the crew is that they like to fuck around without structure (1x05 during the party), probably that they enjoy more standard pirate levels of violence (not shown directly since they are kept out of the 1x05 raid, but fairly obvious), and that they are really easily awestruck by the chance to hear "real pirates" tell charismatic stories (1x06 ghost story).

Any of that sounding like someone we know?

And now to go back to Izzy in 1x06, when he gets sick of Edward being cagey about the plan to kill Stede and decides to "make" him stop stalling, he's straightforward again. Getting Ivan and Fang to back him isn't emotionally manipulative, but it does give him weight in the conversation. They are the ones who bring up the whole "love of a pet makes a man weak" thing, and they do it in the context of calling out hypocrisy. Izzy knows the standards Edward holds his crew to. He lets them convince Edward it's time.

Taking the chance to suggest Stede try a fuckery is a strong blend of situational and emotional manipulation, and later challenging him to a formal duel knowing he'd be overconfident enough to accept is more situational again. Even the terms of the duel are designed to take advantage of the situation. And then Izzy loses in the most comedy way possible, Edward lets him get banished, and Izzy decides that if he was ok with just sending Stede Bonnet on his way to fuck-off before... he's fucking gonna kill him now.

My guy is not a creative thinker, but he's definitely a logistical one. And as he rows away from that ship, all the pieces fall into place.

First, Spanish Jackie. Who listens to him bemoan his relationship woes because she likes him (Izzy gets Jackie in the divorce). Who wants Stede dead and has the clout to summon and deal with a distasteful ally - Chauncey. Together, they concoct an arrangement where a trap will be set and Chauncey gets Stede and only Stede. This isn't a tip-off or a free-for-all. Stede comes from Chauncey's world and they are sending him back. Permanently.

Then it's time for the trap itself, which needs to do two things: get the Revenge somewhere that Chauncey can corner it, and get Edward out of there. And Izzy? Izzy knows Edward. Knows there's one particular person in his past that will have no trouble integrating with the crew, getting Edward to act more like a pirate than a gentleman, and who happens to have a great ambush location on hand.

I've said this before but I'm gonna say it again - I don't think outside characters realize how hard and fast Edward is falling for Stede. The BlackBonnet bonding moments happen almost exclusively when they are alone. The place Izzy dramatically fails to manipulate the situation is not having the evidence he would need to predict Edward going back for Stede. He (and Jack) both think that a precise wedge between BlackBonnet - one that Jack delivers near flawlessly by playing into real issues - will be enough to remind Edward that Stede isn't his people. This isn't a plan to murder the love of Edward's life while his back is turned. It's a plan to get rid of Stede, and remind Edward why he was on board with doing that in the first place. "That's fair," Izzy says about a punch to the face.

Instead, Izzy's plot accidentally backs Edward into a corner and forces him to publicly pull a grand-gesture relationship level-up that he was not emotionally ready for, and the fallout from that explosion is way worse than any of our conspirators were counting on.

Still... you gotta admit. It was a really good plan.

[bezetka]

What a year, huh?

Since some of you may be wondering about my absence, I thought that a short update post like this would be in place.

I'll start by establishing what's new: I can proudly say now that after five long years I've graduated art school, thus reaching one of the biggest milestones in my life so far. As you can guess, senior year was somewhat rough in the aspect of all of the grades I had to keep up and exams I had to take, but also my art diploma I spent a whole year in the making.

And so, the reason of my dead social media begins to surface: with so many things to take care of, I simply lacked the time or energy to post any updates (...Not to mention that the diploma I was making consumed almost all of my free time and I made like maximum three digital paintings in the span of past year...).

Despite it all, I never lost interest in the fandom I'm still in. I've been here for every CRK update, occasionally doodling some characters when I found the time and hyping myself up. Some drawings piled up, and in due time I'll post the most valuable ones of it all 👀

My art style has quite evolved since then, and soon you'll be able to see the fruits of all this timespan. Since summertime is coming and I can finally relax in a way, I'll make sure to post updates frequently. I've also made a promise to myself to be somewhat more active on platforms such as Tumblr or Twitter, 'cause the last time I was online I didn't quite catch the essence of these platforms... Oops

So, you can @ me all your heart desires, message me or flood me with your ideas. It may be a big AMA to be honest... And I want to spend more time interacting with my followers here 😌

I've got some plans in mind regarding my social profiles, but I'll keep it all simple for now. With college prep ahead of me I've still got a variety of things to work on, but hey. Whose life isn't packed with big changes, especially if more than a year had passed?

If you've read up to this point, thanks for listening to my blabbering!! I know I've got a small bunch of followers right now, but sharing my artwork with even a handful of people that have the same interests as me really motivates me. Have a good day now :))

[retrogamingloft]

Zac Banic is a vertical shoot 'em up released in 1982 for the Sord M5, where players control a spaceship and must survive for three minutes while avoiding alien enemies and what appear to be comets. The game grants three lives, and any contact with an enemy or flying object resets the timer to 180 seconds, forcing the player to start the countdown from the beginning. The starship can move freely from left to right, and players can shoot down enemies and obstacles to clear their path.

The biggest issue with Zac Banic is its monotonous design. The gameplay loop lacks variety, and after completing the first stage, there’s no compelling reason to continue. While surviving for three minutes is entirely possible, the game features an unfair AI that occasionally puts the player in situations where escaping is impossible. At times, enemies and objects corner the player with no way out, resulting in unavoidable deaths. This kind of forced failure strips the game of any real sense of skill or progression, making it more frustrating than challenging.

Because of these flaws, I had no interest in playing beyond proving that the first stage could be beaten, so I deliberately lost all my remaining lives as soon as the second stage began. With no meaningful progression, no real sense of accomplishment, and an AI that feels designed to cheat rather than challenge, Zac Banic is an uninspired experience that quickly exhausts whatever novelty it may have.

[dokidokitsuna]

(mild spoilers ahead) I finally finished my first run of Side Order! DX Tbh, I haven't had that much time to play lately, but I'm still kind of ashamed that it took me this long...^^;

...I'm also ashamed that the boss that killed me on both failed runs, Asynchronous Rondo, didn't show up on the run where I finally succeeded. So it feels like I didn't really "earn" the victory, which is a little frustrating...I'm sure I'll handle it next time, though. *knocks on wood*

Overall, I would rate Side Order a 10/10. ^^ It's simple, but it works.

The theming and atmosphere is very polished and immersive-- tbh I was convinced as soon as I saw the little animation when you step into the cage at the beginning of a level, and it SNAPS shut kinda violently, just enough to sell that oppressive vibe. ^^; It's those little aesthetic details that make Splatoon special...I can't think of another game that does that as successfully.

The gameplay itself is harsh, but fair. Every time I screwed up and lost a life (or failed a run...) I never felt like it was the game's fault; it was always in a moment where I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings or my ink levels...and conversely, when I made sure to pay attention to those things, I always did well. Basically, it feels just difficult enough to reward you for staying focused. I also think the design of gaining power-ups as you go (including dropped items in-level) was a great move for this game mode-- not only does it make gameplay feel rewarding by its very nature, but it makes it stand out from the rest of Splatoon's game modes, where things like specials and extra ink are treated more like precious rarities; things you shouldn't use until you really need them. On the contrary, in Side Order I really let loose with Splashdowns and Inkstrikes for the first time...ever, actually. ^^ Like, I've gained an appreciation for specials now, after being trained to do without them for so long. It makes battle feel refreshing and dynamic~.

Finally, I'm glad they actually filled the game up with relevant goodies to collect. ^^ Palettes, color chips, Marina's diary entries, Cipher's merchandise, even hint-descriptions for the chips and enemies...when they said Side Order was designed to be replayable, they weren't kidding. My completionist instinct is already champing at the bit to accomplish as much as I possibly can...this is one of the main things that was missing from Return of the Mammalians, in my opinion. In RotM there are collectibles, but half of them are just objects lying around on the ground-- if you wanna 100% the game mode, you better count on spending a very dull hour inking the map to try and dig them all up. And once you're done...hurray, I guess?? You found all the meaningless trinkets... :/ Then the other half is just replaying the meaningless missions with multiple weapons...which isn't a very engaging challenge. Despite being more complex than Side Order's floors, they're much more linear-- you basically just do the same thing three times, and either it's embarrassingly easy or frustratingly tedious. I think the main reason I still haven't done them all is because I just can't be bothered: what's the point in trying to replay an annoying mission when the only difference in the gameplay is that it'll take a little longer to move and shoot...? So I can get rewarded with a tiny checkmark...? No thanks...

With Side Order, on the other hand, the collectibles either flesh out the characters or affect the gameplay (or in the case of the locker decorations, actually look nice), and the sheer randomness of the experience keeps things fresh. ^^ No two runs are alike; the simple objectives paired with creative map designs invite a variety of approaches even with the same weapon, and even on the easiest difficulties. The game itself encourages you to roll with the punches, strategize with what you're given and get creative, which not only makes replays exciting and interesting, but fits perfectly with the story's message. Like I said, 10/10~

[everygame]

Star Soldier (NES)

Developed/Published by: Hudson Soft Released: 13/06/1986 Completed: 10/07/2024 Completion: Beat it using all warps, saving at the start of each level (and before each boss. I’ll admit it!)

The Star Soldier series is an interesting one–or rather, its position in the pantheon is interesting. If you’re a Japanese gamer, it’s legendary–the core franchise in Hudson’s yearly “All-Japan Caravan Festival” where the company toured its games across Japan and players took part in timed score-attack challenges. For everyone else, it’s… a shooter series that is barely remembered and not especially highly rated.

Without an equivalent caravan–and the series not being released in arcades–there would have been little chance for western audiences to get exposed to Star Soldier, so unlike your Gradiuses or your R-Types, where you would be thrilled by it in arcades and then want whatever home version you could get your hands on, with Star Soldier you were taking a gamble on something that didn’t look like much of anything–especially when this wasn’t released until 1989 in North America!

And, to be honest, such a gamble would have been… ill-advised. It’s not that Star Soldier is bad as such, it’s just that in 1986–never mind 1989–it’s just a bit… underwhelming. Coming just two months after Konami’s superb port of Gradius, it already feels like a throwback to the immediate post-Xevious era as a visually simple vertical shooter with an emphasis on enemy patterns and hidden tiles that feels undoubtedly workman-like, with little variety from stage to stage.

It does have its quirks, however. The power-up system offers some risk-reward in that after a few power-ups you’re quickly given full multi-directional firing and a shield that protects you from basic enemy shots, but as soon as you take a hit you lose the multi-directional firing for a straight double shot, but you can’t get it back until you’ve lost your shield completely. Every power-up you pick-up instead works as a smart bomb, meaning that you have to either endanger yourself for later gains or rely on the occasional power ups as pressure releases (trusting, of course, that you can navigate to them on screen when they’re at their most useful.)

The secret tiles also offer more than just points and extra lives–at the cost of obscurity that is often worse than The Tower of Druaga. In fact, unless you’re playing on an actual Famicom, you can’t access one of the tiles at all (as it requires shouting into the second controller’s microphone.) That one is “Takahashi’s Expert Thumb” which allows you to get 16 shots on screen at one time, but there’s also a laser power-up that only shows up once(?) that requires you to press select at the right moment, and then of course there’s the new, post-Super Mario Bros. essential, warps, which can get you through the game skipping half the levels if you’re able to ensure your score matches digits at the hundreds and thousands, which is not easy to do.

So far, fair enough, but not every quirk is to the game’s benefit. The biggest and most baffling thing that any player of Star Soldier will immediately experience is that sometimes your ship goes under the stage. While that’s happening, you can’t shoot or be shot, which sounds like it would be good if you could control it, but as far as I could work out–and I’ve spent ages searching for information on this–it is close to random. 

It feels like it doesn’t happen if you try and cross over tiles from the side, but there are many situations where you have to approach them from the front, and it doesn’t always result in you going under. If there’s any true rhyme or reason to it it’s locked away in some ancient Japanese strategy guide that’s never been digitised–but I wouldn’t be surprised if that also threw its hands up.

All that really matters is that any time it happens, you don’t want it to. Because you can’t control it, you can never think “oh, I’ll pop under this bit of the stage and chill out while I’m being swarmed” instead it’s usually “gotta get that power up!” [goes under stage, misses power up] or popping out from under directly into enemy fire or straight into an enemy.

Additionally, the game is seriously punishing when it comes to the bosses. There are only two–which I can’t be too hard on, I mean Gradius really only has the one–but if you can’t defeat them within a harsh time limit the game throws you back quite a bit through the level and demands you try again! You’ve got just ten seconds to defeat the Star Brain, and thirty to defeat the Big Star Brain.

The sneaky trick here is that the game offers you auto-fire once you’re powered up, but in order to defeat in particular the Big Star Brain using it you have to be perfect. My own experience is ultimately anecdotal, here, but you are actually expected to do your best Takahashi Meijin impression by hammering the fire button to fire faster than the auto-fire–and even at that, defeating the bosses is probably more efficiently done with the double shot.

It feels a touch cruel and probably a reaction to the fact that the game honestly doesn’t feel that difficult outside of that. It’s not something you’d breeze through–and I definitely didn’t attempt to master its intricacies–but most of my deaths during the levels seemed to come from frustration with dipping under the stage, meaning that the bosses feel like the major issue (though if my anecdotal evidence is correct, you might be able to breeze through them with a good autofire.)

Ultimately? The fact is that nothing Star Soldier does is all that interesting–apart from the things that are annoying about it.

Will I ever play it again? The value in any shooter really is in how much you’d like to play it from the beginning and see how far you can get or how high you can score. I feel no interest in that here.

Final Thought: Not only were North American players who were unfortunate enough to buy this denied Takahashi’s Expert Thumb, Taxan’s release was so lazy that they missed that the game features an entire second, increased difficulty mode that can also only be unlocked by using a code that involves shouting into the second controller. It’s even got different graphics!

Support Every Game I’ve Finished on ko-fi! You can pick up digital copies of exp., a zine featuring all-exclusive writing at my shop, or join as a supporter at just $1 a month and get articles like this a week early.

[townsenddecades]

1317 – Day 1 – Witches’ Coven

Edith’s death isn’t the only reduction the household goes through in these three months, although the other parting, while bittersweet, at least isn’t as final. Simon has turned thirteen years old recently, and as foretold by Elea, his magical abilities have started stirring. They have always been there, but while it had been a barely noteworthy hum beneath his skin before, he can now feel it as if it were a stream’s current under his skin. He tries to call upon it and is amazed to see sparks follow the movements of his hands.

Elea has given him instructions where to find her for exactly this case, and Benedict, though reluctant to let his son go after just losing his daughter, agrees that it is likely for the best. Who knows if unrestrained magic won’t burn their house down? A fire is be the last thing they need. So, Simon sets out to go to her, alone.

It is a long, wearying journey. Simon can hardly believe that Anna and Edith once tried to do it on their own.

The thought of his lost sister shoots an arrow into his heart. She had been so interested in what Elea had told them, so happy that she had been right and that there was a witch living in these parts. And now, she won’t even see what Elea had to teach him. It isn’t right. He can only hope that whatever he’ll learn will be able to prevent another tragedy like that.

That is the road his mind travels while he walks through the dark, damp forest beyond the ruined village of Lüghaven, until he finally makes out a tower through the barrier of trees. He blinks at the sudden appearance of the building, so unexpected this far from any other dwellings. He had expected a small hut, not a residence of multiple storeys.

Elea greets him in her small garden, a smile on her face.

“I’ve felt your approach. Your magical aura has grown considerably.”

“That’s why I’m here. I can wield my magic now, but I still can’t control it. I want to learn.”

“And learn you shall. It’s been a long time since I’ve had an apprentice. My own daughter hasn’t been granted the gift of magic, sadly.”

That takes him by surprise. “You have a daughter?”

“Mariora, yes. She lives with me. You will meet her soon. But first, I want you to show me your magic.”

And so he does, until a lovely, dark haired girl around his age walks outside to tell them – her mother, really, as she starts with surprise when she sees him – that dinner is ready. Simon can’t respond at first, too busy staring at her. He doesn’t know what he expected, but a girl this beautiful wasn’t it.

She has the same striking blue eyes as her mother.

Mariora leads them inside. He starts when he sees the ruined interior of the house, even asks if taking the stairs upwards is safe, but the women simply smile. And with good reason: while the stairs look unsafe and the lower story hardly has walls and is full of debris, the upper storeys are comfortable, warm and in perfect repair.

“The damages in the lower storey are real enough”, Elea informs him, “but there is a glamour on the steps to make it seem as if they are about to collapse. Keeps people from being too inclined to stick their noses where they don’t belong.”

That is reasonable enough, he supposes, although he has a lot to learn.

Mariora turns to him while her mother busies herself with putting something away. “So, you’re the apprentice my mother has promised.”

Simon smiles nervously. “I suppose I am. It still feels strange to be a witch’s apprentice.”

“Only if you haven’t grown up around magic. I only hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Simon Townsend.”

He frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Mariora, don’t frighten our new guest.” Her mother walks over with their food floating on a tray before her. “Be happy that we have company to offer us some variety.”

“Of course, Mother.”

But her words don’t leave Simon’s mind for a while.

WATCHER’S NEWS:

Lady Gwendolen Dudley has celebrated her thirteenth birthday.

Prev: 1317, Day 1, Part 1/2 <--> Next: 1317, Day 2

[nothingnothingaaa]

Olivia Hussey

English actress Olivia Hussey was the darling of late 1960s/early 1970s frock flicks. After her star-making turn in Romeo and Juliet, the dark-haired, Madonna-faced actress went on to key roles in Death on the Nile and the TV miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii … and then things sort of flickered out. According to a 2018 interview in Variety, it seems to have been just dumb luck. But she has kept working (her last production was in 2015), and she’s very active on social media.

So, let’s appreciate this frock flick as an ingenue and a mature actress!

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Still a classic, and for a good reason! 15/16-year-old Hussey plays a beautiful, age-appropriate Juliet in the adaptation that actually did historical accuracy (and great filmmaking) right.

Beautiful 15th-century costumes.

Hussey’s HAIR. Is so gorgeous!

A promo for the film.

Look at those sleeves! And the other actress’s hair pearls!

Jesus of Nazareth (1977)

Alright, I know nothing about this period, but this seems plausible.

Gotta have your black-clad weeping women!

Death on the Nile (1978)

This big-budget Agatha Christie adaptation (of a Hercule Poirot mystery) includes Hussey as Rosalie, protective daughter of a dramatic romance novelist.

Set in the 1930s, Hussey CUTS HER HAIR!!

Luckily she looks great with a Marcel wave.

She suits this period beautifully.

The Bastard (The Kent Family Chronicles, 1978)

Is this where things went awry? In the 18th century, a literal bastard (i.e., illegitimate son) goes from France to England to America in search of his fortune. Hussey plays Alicia, one of the love interests.

I have no idea who thought this was a good idea, but I was highly entertained!

I will say she plays against type in this.

She’s back to her long hair (and very few hairpins).

The Thirteenth Day: The Story of Esther (1979)

Hussey plays the title character in this TV adaptation of the Biblical story of Esther, the Jewish wife of a Persian king.

I have my suspicions!

Edited to add:

Ivanhoe (1982)

I CAN’T BELIEVE I FORGOT THIS!!!!

The Last Days of Pompeii (1984)

A major TV miniseries about, you guessed it, Pompeii before the eruption. Hussey plays Ione, “a soon-to-be priestess of Isis; sister of Antonius, and love interest to Glaucus.” We’ve gotta review this sometime, just for the laughs!

Hussey is nicely costumed compared to many of the other female characters.

Okay, I like the drapey tunic and the braided coronet.

I guess this is priestess gear? It seems very Egyptian.

The Corsican Brothers (1985)

A TV adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel, which is about twin brothers from Corsica (shocking, I know) who follow different paths. Both are in love with the same woman, played by Hussey. You know I’m tempted to track this one down for Snark Week!

18th-century feathered bangs!

The Jeweller’s Shop (1988)

A jeweler sells rings to two different couples, and various truths about love and marriage are revealed. I THINK this is period? mid-20th century? But I’m not positive. Hussey plays “Thérèse.”

Right? This looks 1930s or 40s to me.

Quest of the Delta Knights (1993)

I have heard Sarah mention this film so many times as what I think may be the ultimate cheese, but I admit, I don’t really know anything about it! But when I saw it on Hussey’s filmography, I knew I had to include it. Ah, I just saw it was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000, which tells us something. Oh! And it was filmed at our renaissance faire (Black Point), in northern California, which sadly no longer exists but was The Best! Ok, now I gotta watch this.

Per Wikipedia, “The plot revolves around a young boy named Travis who learns from his master that he is the key to saving the world from an evil plot. He joins the secret organization of the Delta Knights and embarks on a quest to attempt to recover the lost treasures inside the fabled Lost Storehouse of Archimedes.” Hussey plays “The Mannerjay.”

SO many questions!

Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994)

A TV series continuation of the ultra-popular 1980s Western miniseries. Hussey is in three episodes as “Olivia Jessup,” and I’m guessing she’s some kind of saloon girl/gambler?

Ringlets, fringe … all very stereotypical!

Hey, her hair’s up!

Mother Teresa (2003)

As, you guessed it, Mother Teresa in what was originally an Italian TV miniseries that was then released as a feature film.

zzz

Chinaman’s Chance: America’s Other Slaves (2008)

What I think must be a low-budget film set in the 1870s, about discrimination against Chinese Americans. Hussey plays “Mrs. Duncan.”

The hair looks VERY faux-period.

What’s your favorite Olivia Hussey frock flick role?

[the-monkey-ruler]

The Flying Superboard (1990) 날아라 슈퍼보드

Genre: Animation

Country/Region of Manufacture: South Korea

Language: Korean

Date: 1990-08-21 (Korea)

Episodes: 36

Single episode length: 22 minutes / 23 minutes / 24 minutes / 25 minutes

Also known as: New Journey to the West / Fantasy Journey to the West / 21st Century Monkey King / Variety Monkey King / 新编西游记 / 幻想西游记 / 二十一世纪孙悟空 ／ 百变孙悟空 

IMDb: tt4938396

Type: Reimagining

Summary:

As a punishment for causing havoc in Heaven, Sonogong is locked in a huge iron mass for 500 years until Samjang Bupsa, an old priest embarking on a mission to rid the world of evil and spread peace throughout the land, rescues him. Sonogong becomes Samjang's disciple. He meets Saojung who enviously eyes Sonogong's amazing Superboard, and a brute swine oil seller Jopalgye. After several twists and turns, they join on Samjang's journey. Wherever they go, they meet overwhelming enemies and get into trouble. But they don't get frustrated and find ingenious way to defeat monsters.

This Korean Journey to the West can be said to be a modern version of Journey to the West. Tang Seng drives a small car, Somersault Cloud turns into a super skateboard, Wukong wields a nunchuck, and Bajie uses a hot weapon bazooka. These innovative designs make it hard for those who have seen it to forget. Remember the plot, but forget the name. The name of the animation is "Monkey King". "Journey to the West" is the friend of every child born in the 80s. From childhood to adulthood, how many versions of Journey to the West have we seen, I guess you can't remember.

"The Ever-changing Monkey King", also known as "New Journey to the West". This Korean animation is quite innovative. It is still the story of Tang Monk's master and apprentice, but it is no longer about going to the West to learn Buddhist scriptures. Tang Seng's task is to eliminate evil in the world and seal all kinds of monsters. In addition to the changes in the plot, great changes have also been made in the character settings. Wukong: The Wukong we are familiar with wears a tight hoop on his head, holds a golden cudgel, and steps on somersaulting clouds. In "Variety Changes", the tight hoop turns into a helmet, and the chanting of the tight hoop spell turns into a wooden fish. The golden cudgel became a nunchuck (still very heavy), and the somersault cloud became a skateboard. Wearing hand and knee pads on his hands and feet, Wukong is like a hip-hop boy playing a skateboard.

Bajie: Bajie's back was changed into a fiery pig holding a rocket launcher and driving a motorcycle. Wujing: Wujing is not hearing very well (his ears grow under the skin), and he wants to steal Wukong's super skateboard. Use a small hammer, when fighting, shout one, two, three, four, hit with the hammer, and then it will explode. The dubbing of Wujing is very interesting, it is Stephen Chow's queen dubbing Shi Banyu.

Many people call "Monkey King" a toothbrush version of Journey to the West, because Monkey will recite a spell when he transforms, and he will change every time he changes. Later, for some reason, Wukong lost his memory and did not remember how the seventy-six changes. They gave him a toothbrush, and as soon as Wukong brushed his teeth, he chanted a spell and transformed, to be funny. Speaking of transformation, the animation has a very spoof of personal transformation. That person has 6 nose hairs (the extra-long ones), and if you pull out one nose hair, you can change it once, and you can change it 6 times in total.

Source: https://myanimelist.net/anime/32136/Narara_Superboard

Link: https://m.bilibili.com/video/BV1Us41197Dn?from=seopage

[johnkatsmc5]

Georges Locatelli "Eclectic Guitar (Façon Vieux Paris)" 1976 France Jazz  Fusion  (Total Issue quitarist)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woRmryVRyxE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH5j50RBjbM&ab_channel=NepalAx%27n%27Nen%C3%AA

On August 2, 1941, guitarist Georges Locatelli was born in Paris to an Italian father and a French mother, a protagonist of both the jazz scene and the one more open to rock and pop. The first guitar at fourteen Georges Locatelli bought his first guitar at the age of fourteen after listening to Django Reinhardt. He quickly makes up for lost time thanks to talent and great passion. Three years later, in fact, he was already one of the protagonists of French jazz. At that time he played with Eddy Louiss, in trio with Joachim Kuhn on the Riverboat as well as in quartet with Jacques Thollot, and Jean-Luc Ponty; I Total Issue Soon the jazz fence is a bit tight for him. For this reason, in 1970 he formed Total Issue with Aldo Romano and Henry Texier, a group that mixed pop, rock and jazz, destined to give him great popularity. Michel Libretti, formerly with Martin Circus, is also part of the band. Their guitar-dominated jazz-rock progressive with some good folk influences conquered the European audience. The band lasted just over a couple of years. After the dissolution, Locatelli will take new paths. His album Eclectic Guitar remains interesting, characterized by a wide variety of sound effects with the guitar.....~ Tracklist A1 Face À Face A2 Une Fiction A3 Façon Vieux Paris A4 "Improvisé Sur Un Menuet De Bach Un Dimanche Après-Midi Alors Qu'il Fait Si Beau"... A5 Entre Java Et Lombok A6 Canto D'Amore (Duo) B1 Rebé Reggae Bleu Guitar – Pierre Fanen B2 Steph's Tune Bass – Henri Texier Piano – Stéphane Locatelli B3 Avec E Au Naturel Guitar – Philippe Petit  B4 Sweet And Sour Electric Piano – Siegfried Kessler

Georges Locatelli "Eclectic Guitar (Façon Vieux Paris)" 1976 France Jazz  Fusion  (Total Issue quitarist)

https://johnkatsmc5.blogspot.com/2025/05/georges-locatelli-eclectic-guitar-facon.html?view=flipcard

https://johnkatsmc5.tumblr.com/post/784177527179689984/georges-locatelli-eclectic-guitar-fa%C3%A7on-vieux

[amaliazeichnerin]

Music review: "Hearing the Bigger Picture" by Extreme Mind (Progressive Metal/Fusion)

This album was released today, on December 14, 2024 and consists of 8 songs.

Extreme Mind from Vienna are: Nora Bendzko (vocals), Lasse Tjorben (vocals), Sam Khoshnood (screams & guitar), Merlin Hochmeier (bass), Stefan Čelanović (keyboard)

The writing of the songs is a team effort.

I got a review copy, but this doesn't influence my opinion. Their music offers a vivid, powerfully driven and versatile mix of fusion (as in Jazz) and progressive metal, which also gets shown by the choice of instruments: piano, synthesizers, xylophone, saxophone and of course guitars and percussion. Each song has an enticing variety of different sound landscapes, along with rhythm and instrument changes. The vocals are also diverse: For instance, there is a clear high pitched singing of Nora, but sometimes she and Lasse also growl, or there are screams by Sam. In some songs, Lasse sings in a fast way, a

The lyrics do not tell stories, instead they are thoughtful explorations of the human experience, all sorts of problems that one may have in life and some of them sound a bit dystopian. Sometimes there is also a bit of social social criticism, for instance in the title track „Hearing the Bigger Picture“. All of the songs are rather long, for instance ca. 6 to 7 minutes.

In my eyes this isn’t music which you could listen to easily playing in the background because of all the dynamic changes and the deep lyrics.

My recommendation: Definitely give this album a try.

You can find Extreme Mind here: https://linktr.ee/extrememind

The band on Bandcamp: https://extrememind.bandcamp.com

If you want to read a short break-down of the other songs, here it is:

Mental Breakthrough This is an instrumental track. It starts calm, with jazzy vibes … and then the metal sound sets in. You might say this song is multiple songs in one, adding a xylophone as an interesting detail. The ending of it is rather calm again.

Middle of Nowhere In this song with a focus on the piano, synthesizers and guitars, Lasse and Nora sing. The lyrics remind me a bit of people who feel lost for some reason. „I feel like I never was here/here where the real seems unreal“ are two of the lines from the chorus. There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the song.

Deceased Memories A long song, starting with a melodic tune, with melancholic and almost dreamy lyrics, first sung softly, but then also with growling. There is a jazzy, playful style change towards the end of the song which escalates, getting faster and faster.

Cycles This song, sung by Nora and Lasse, begins with powerful guitars. The lyrics talk about the cycles of life in which one can get trapped, running out of time and also experiencing other problems.

The fusion elements change the sound of this song several times and there is an extensive guitar solo and a choir-like part in the end.

All the Way Down Starting with dynamic synthesizers, this song creates an atmosphere of impending doom, changing its style again in roughly the middle of the track, later followed by a melancholic guitar solo.

Paradox This starts with a melancholic piano, soon followed by dynamic guitars and fast percussion. The singing is sometimes like in a spoken song, then more melodic and also with some screams. The lyrics talk in a poetic way about a rather dark, challenging experience. After an intense solo, the songs ends with some melancholic notes of the piano.

Puzzled again This song starts almost dreamy and playful, but soon it turns darker. Again, there is fast singing with rather sad lyrics, also expressing a longing („I’m longing for a simple tune.“) A Xylophone sometimes adds its voice to the layers of the other instruments, as well as a saxophone. Lasse and Nora share the singing alternating, sometimes also together.

[savbeachy1]

Week 4 - Junk News & The Factors Driving its Spread

The rise of fake news, political propaganda, and conspiracy theories is alarming, and they pose a threat to the overall wellbeing of our society. After reading the article Three Reasons Junk News Spreads So Quickly Across Social Media, I have formed certain views on each of the contributing reasons, including algorithms, advertising, and exposure. They are as follows... 

Algorithms: The curation of content on various social media platforms is not the result of conscious human choices. Algorithms are the source of what comes and goes on our screens, as they have been coded to prioritize, filter, and limit specific information. Algorithms are used to manipulate our attention, by personalizing the substance we view online, whether it reflects our interests, geographic locations, or the things we engage in. The issue with algorithms spreading false content is how quickly it can happen and how repetitive it becomes. The article explained that as soon as you like, comment, or repost something online, algorithms immediately get to work curating tailored content. In which creates "filter bubbles" that limit the flow of nonbiased information. Individuals and businesses need to become more aware of how the interactions on social media shape the specific content they see. To help combat the spread of fake news through algorithm biases, people should seek diverse and reliable sources, fact check, and attempt to be more mindful when scrolling through social media. 

Advertising: Last week, after watching the documentary, The Social Dilemma, and Max Stossel's video, Am I using Technology or is it Using Me, I learned that when social media platforms are free our information becomes the product. The article this week further confirmed that thought by indicating we pay for services with our personal information, and advertisers are the buyers. Advertisers are tasked with the job of engaging users with attractive, interesting, and stimulating information, regardless of if it’s true or not. They play a large role in escalating the reach of junk news and political propaganda. The power advertisers have in their ability to target certain individuals with misleading, manipulative, and false information is extremely threatening. You can respond to issues like this by enabling ad blockers and declining websites to "allow cookies". I had to do a case analysis about false advertising on Kellogg’s rice crispy scandal, where they told consumers their cereal had immunity-boosting properties. It ended up being completely false, so they went to court and lost, then they had to pay millions. 

Exposure: Individuals play a major role in the spread of junk news. Whether its interacting with, sharing, or choosing not to ignore, people need to carefully "exercise their information preferences". A big issue with this is the confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek out information that fuels/confirms our own preexisting views, which contributes to the spread of false narratives. I'm guilty of this, I typically only view certain news stations, radios, and websites because they align with my personal beliefs. It's are job to expose ourselves to a diverse assortment of information, perspectives, and media outlets to ensure were getting a variety of different content. Businesses can respond to this by encouraging digital literacy and providing the resources to do so. 

To conclude, individuals must be both diligent and vigilant when it comes to viewing online information. You must question, analyze, and fact check the content you see before concluding its true accuracy. Effective critical thinking is vital in ensuring the content you see online is true or false. 

[softchouli]

When Katniss' third trimester collided with winter, she stopped going to the woods altogether. It was a reasonable decision advised by her mother who was now on close watch, but it didn't do any good to the intense uneasiness Katniss felt most of the time.

As much as she was trying to keep busy indoors, what seemed to placate her the best even if short-lived on some days, was Peeta's contribution to their child's bedroom.

She immediately took interest when he started to block out a variety of big green sections. Then her husband picked the comfiest armchair in the house and paired it with pillows, so she could watch for as long as she wanted, her favorite person doing their favorite thing.

On breaks Peeta would sit beside her, while she took one of his sturdy and contagiously warm hands in both of hers. Tracing and caressing the colorful smudges, hoping their child could take after him and inherit those very same hands.

As days flew by, flowers began to bloom on the gradient green that became intricate foliage, but with no onions in sight. Peeta diligently embellished all the flowers Katniss had taught him about. A wildflower garden shielded from wilting, curated with all the ones that bring hummingbirds and bees around.

Even Buttercup acquired a spot on the wall, peacefully curled up, fur in a generous rendition, surrounded by the blossoms that gave him a name. An old resilient little thing, he barely hears anymore and Katniss suspects he soon won't see too. He lays on Katniss' lap while Peeta paints, the cat's new habit consists of sleeping next to Katniss whenever he sees her close enough to do it, as if on duty to protect her belly.

Later on a ladder, Peeta moves to work on the ceiling. A lilac base starts to take form with pale pinkish clouds that meet his orange right on the corner of the wall that has a window. It looks just like the sunset's 12 displays in better weather. Like Peeta is ensuring their child's little world would still have a clear sky even in grayish times. It's so limpid that sometimes Katniss swore if she was sleepy enough the fluffy clouds would start moving lethargically.

"I can repaint when our child gets a little older and asks me for something else," Peeta told her, the day when there were no more blank parts to give life.

He knows it will take time for the baby to sleep in the room, even when the little one can finally be by their side. Katniss had long before accommodated a crib by the couple's bed, just to be sure it would fit perfectly there, and it has been the furniture's designed place ever since. However, putting the nursery together gives them a sense of a new reality. It makes them both aware of a future where everything good in their family could take a life of its own.

One night when he enters their shared bedroom, the sight of his wife on the bed greets him. She's frowning, seemingly lost in thoughts while working on soft wool, baby shoes judging by the size of the yellow piece she's holding. For months she's been doing all types of small-sized garments to occupy her mind and free time, and by now they could dress a whole town.

The moment she notices him and looks up, Peeta turns the lights off.

"What are you doing?" Tone telling him her frown it's even deeper now.

His answer comes in the form of him gently scooping her from the bed, "taking you two to see a surprise."

"Peeta I'm not looking forward to seeing the floor, turn on the lights, you're going to drop us all." She's clinging to him now, knowing well her full weight, precious baby bump included, are in utter safety in his arms. The years she was steadily taken care of in their hold could prove It.

That makes him chuckle, the rumble on his chest a feeling too familiar. She wants to stay annoyed but her body, the betrayer that it is, instantly relaxes towards his stable warmth.

"Alright, close your eyes."

"I don't know if you noticed yet…" she gestures in the air, "it's already pitch-black." She tries to state the matter-of-fact information with a brisk voice, but by the last word, her hand is back on his shoulder.

So Peeta, as best as he can, presses his forehead on hers. "My love, close your eyes please." He can feel the sigh she lets out against his face, and he's sure she can feel how that only served to amplify his grin.

"They're closed now, but I could be lying, and you wouldn't even know," she mumbled defeatedly.

The sound of his steps, so distracting for hunting, grew to be the kind of noise Katniss is most fond of in their home. The comforting signal that her husband was nearby. And said noise takes her to the faintest smell of paint. Their child's room.

"You can open them now."

There's no complete darkness when Katniss does as she was told to. Diminutive spots are carefully placed everywhere and they timidly shine, like fractionated versions of the sun that mirrors on the lake's surface.

As her eyes take in and get gradually used to it, Peeta slowly walks closer for further inspection so she can make more sense of the dots. The little bright circles have shapes, it's too delicate and detailed, he must've used one of those thin brushes to make this frizzy at the edges. And it's when it hits Katniss.

Dandelion seeds.

Dispersing as if they were being blown away by the wind, twirling in pretty, fluid patterns, going up to their child sky to take the place of stars. Forming constellations that seemed to be dancing just like the fireflies that accompany cicadas and dragonflies in the summertime.

"It's luminescent paint, it absorbs light so it can look like this when there's none," he says smiling, cheek pressed against her loose hair. "But I think it looks the brightest after getting exposed to natural light."

"Their last glimpse before falling asleep." She softly blurts out in awe, and as tears are threatening to spill over the edge; she manages to release a "thank you," right by the side of his neck, her best-loved hiding place.

"Katniss just a few more days until we can see them, my love" Peeta whispers against the crown of her head, squeezing her a little tighter, his endless effort to make her lighter.

The last thing Peeta remembers from that night is blurry, a mixture of them going back to bed, the slight dampness from the tears on the nightshirt his wife was grasping. The soft sounds of Katniss humming herself to calmness.

The first thing Peeta remembers from the next morning is clear as that first day of spring. It sent him running to bring Mrs. Everdeen. To help them finally welcome the permanent visit they couldn't wait any longer to receive.

[hart269]

An Enchanting Voice

Pairing : Matt Murdock x Reader

Summary : Matt listens to your audiobooks religiously until one day you suddenly stopped posting.

Warning : One mention of guessing reader might be a woman, I don't know anything about law so I made some shit up

Masterlist

​​​Even after having his super senses through which he could navigate the world easily, one thing was sure, Matt Murdock was blind, he couldn't see colours or ink on paper, which was the reason that if he wanted to read a book he did it in braille or listened to audiobooks. That's when he found your account, he always changed artists may it be because of their voice or because of the book he wanted to read.

After returning from a long day of work, he had time to spend before his late night daredeviling. Searching through the wide variety of books, he found one interesting enough. Pressing start he sat on the sofa, your voice filled the silent room , Matt listened to it half focusing on the story half on your voice, time flied by and the episode was over as soon as it started.

Matt was a bit in surprise at how quickly time had passed but he was also intrigued, he wanted to listen to the next episode but it was also time to leave now, he knew he would have to focus extra hard that day as his mind was still doused by your voice, it led him to make a new routine, after returning from office everyday, he would listen to your audiobooks while working or simply relaxing a bit until it was time to leave to protect the city.

It didn't take Matt long to finish all of your audiobooks, he now had to wait eagerly for you to upload the next part, you uploaded twice a week, sometimes thrice if you have the time. Matt eagerly waited for each new one and listened to all of them religiously, addicted to your voice, every octave in it, as once he had listened to yours, the others had simply lost their taste.

It had been a few months of this routine, Matt returned to his house excited to listen to the new episode as it was one of the days you would upload but there was no new part, he thought maybe there was a delay, the excitement turning to frustration as he went out that night, no longer in his happy and cheerful mood. Few days passed but there was still no sign of you, he hesitated to think what may have happened, you had a very consistent schedule and you had never left a book in half before. maybe you were sick or taking a break he tried to rationalise to himself .

Matt had no choice but to listen to the previous episodes if he wanted to hear your voice, he contemplated just buying the book and reading it but if you posted after he finished it, it won't feel the same as the suspense would have ended. Matt turned up with a foul expression to his office, "Is everything okay cause you look like you swallowed ten packets of sour patch before coming here" Foggy commented as he saw him enter with recently usual bad mood.

"I'm fine Foggy"

"And I'm Tony Stark, seriously Matt what happened, is this have to something with your, you know, side gig" Foggy lowered his voice, sneaking a glance around the office.

"No, it doesn't, I'm fine"

"is it a girl, it's a girl isn't it" Foggy's eyes light up as Matt didn't deny it.

Matt didn't said anything just moved to close his office door while Foggy yelled from behind it, "You can't escape my questions Murdock, you know you have to answer them someday"

=======

Matt heard the nervous footsteps first coming into the direction of his office, then he heard the deep breathing as the person behind the door tried to calm their nerves before knocking, he heard Foggy open the door and a light floral scent filled the room as you entered inside thanking Foggy.

He froze listening to the familarity of your voice, That's when he heard you speak again and he involuntarily shivered, it couldn't be you could it, but it sounded like you, he went out to greet you,

"Matt meet our newest client, Y/N"

"It's nice to meet you Mr.murdock"

Fuck, it was you, and oh your voice was so much nicer without the light buzz of the electronics that only he can hear and so much clearer too. He replied trying to compose himself, "Matt is fine"

As they entered and you sat down and explained your reason to visit, you did audiobooks as a part time job, you had started doing them over a year ago and you earned a steady income from it but the person who was authorised was changed and they demanded more episodes from you which you were unable to provide so he had blocked your account. And when you emailed to the company it was ignored so you had no way except to find legal help.

You didn't have much money to go to a big firm so you had founded them through a friend who had visited them before. Matt and Foggy listened to you and they reassured that they will be able to help you in any way they can. After discussing, as you were about to leave Matt offered to leave you to the door. "Thank you for helping me, Matt"

Matt wondered if he should tell you that he had listened to all of your episodes

"It's no problem and honestly I have listened to your books before"

"Oh" Your heart beat rose and butterfly erupted in your stomach as you listened to his praise.

"Truly you have an enchanting voice and that's coming from someone who mostly relies on people's voice" Matt further praised.

"Thank you so much, see you later" you cheerfully chirped, your heart skipping miles a minute.

"Later" he smiled closing the door, he sighed knowing Foggy was standing behind him and he would have to face his teasing and he did.

"Whenever there is a beautiful person involved, Matt Murdock will be there spreading his arms for them" he commented, folding his arms.

"Cmon, Foggy I don't know how they look"

"That's upto debate, cause they're really pretty and don't forget that they are our client, so no flirting"

"I understand" Matt lied.

Foggy had to remind that to Matt multiple times, everytime you visited. He obviously saw how Matt reacted when you were there,

Whenever you spoke Matt listened to you in a trance like you were a siren calling for him, and he would willingly walk in on your trap if he could hear you just one more time.

The case didn't went on for long, the person who was causing all of this was found guilty and fired, the company gave you your position back with an apology, you were happy getting your job back, you thanked Matt and Foggy profusely.

Seeing that you were no longer his client, Matt asked you out which you eagerly agreed to seeing that you had developed an crush over the time you had known him. It didn't took long for you two to make it official.

As you two began dating, Foggy just smiled congratulating you and Matt, "You two look cute together". He turned to Matt and sighed "Another beautiful person is gone in your charms" To which Matt just chuckled wrapping his arms around you grateful to have you, while you snuggled into him.

Now Matt had a new routine, after coming for work he would lay on your lap, listening to your voice as you recorded the latest episode while running your hands through his hair.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Is It Really That Bad?

“Superhero movie fatigue” is the idea that, because of the recent oversaturation of the market with superhero movies combined with the increased interconnectivity of the stories and the push for elaborate narratives with movies serving as building blocks for franchises rather than standalone experiences, audiences are getting tired of superheroes and the genre is finally starting to show cracks and die off. This idea is incredibly flawed for a wide variety of reasons (Wakanda Forever’s success alone easily debunking it), but it’s kind of interesting seeing how opinions shifted towards these movies so quickly. Obviously the oversaturation thing is indisputable as the sheer volume of releases in the wake of Endgame can attest to, but when you’re releasing that much that quickly the weaker works are bound to stand out more. To really examine why people feel this way, one must single out the weakest link in the chain, and as far as critical and audience reactions go there is no weaker link than Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The Ant-Man movies have always been a bit divisive among audiences, but I’ve always maintained that they are the most overlooked and underappreciated films in the MCU. They are low-stakes, lighthearted heist films with strong focus on friendship and family while making full creative use of the title character’s abilities. While by no means the greatest superhero movies ever, they were a breath of fresh air in between the bigger, “save the world/universe” films other superheroes got and were carried by a likable cast spearheaded by the charming and hilarious Paul Rudd. Maybe it was hard to want to call these films your favorite , but they’re even harder to call the worst or even really that bad.

That changed with Quantumania. Critics were pretty mixed on this one, but audiences were scathing, comparing the film unfavorably to Spy Kids 3: Game Over and The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl due to the cartoonishness of the CGI and the uncanny similarities shared between Mr. Electric from the latter film and this movie’s take on M.O.D.O.K. While the movie wasn’t some massive bomb, it was fighting an uphill battle from the moment of announcement and was losing handily with fans. Between this and Shazam: Fury of the Gods, people were proclaiming “superhero fatigue” was here to stay and Marvel was going down the drain… at least until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 played that Uno Reverse card and restored people’s hope.

So with the fickleness of audiences taken into account and the lack of water the “superhero fatigue” idea holds, I decided to take a look at Quantumania and see what the fuss was all about. I mean, come on, it’s just an Ant-Man movie, right? Is it really that bad, or is the fatigue real after all?

THE GOOD

I’m absolutely elated to report that my boy M.O.D.O.K. was done justice.

Yes, they did indeed yassify him to make his ultimate redemption easier to swallow (audiences aren’t nice enough to accept a really ugly person being heroic in the eyes of executives), but for me the core appeal of M.O.D.O.K. is how absolutely goofy he looks combined with being a legitimate threat, and this take on him mostly delivers on the latter while delivering the former in spades. As soon as he revealed his face for the first time, I completely lost my shit, and every time he appeared after I was pretty overjoyed.

It helps that this reimagined version is the completely serviceable but otherwise unremarkable villain Darren Cross from the first film rebuilt as a cyborg. While the writing and comedy aren’t doing him too many favors, giving him more diverse and unique powers as opposed to just being Ant-Man, but bad is a great and inspired move, and Corey Stoll is clearly having a lot of fun hamming it up as this goofy cyborg death machine. His ridiculous heroic sacrifice coupled with his delirious dying christening as an Avenger by a confused Scott really helps cement him as the best thing in this movie. Move over, Cap! We’ve got a new perfect ass in the Avengers!

As bad as the effects can be, which we’ll get to later, there are some really fun and unique designs for the alien beings inhabiting the Quantum Realm. And despite the film’s issues utilizing Scott’s powers (again, we’ll get to it later), there is a really cool sequence involving millions of Ant-Mans working together just like real ants.

And now I must unfortunately give props to Johnathan Majors, a real-life asshole who is regrettably a good actor. He takes the generic, cookie cutter doomsday villain dialogue this film affords him and injects so much menace and intensity into him that it honestly makes him seem better written then he is. His multiple variants even get a silly, comic booky mid credits scene with a whole stadium of whooping and cheering Kangs that manages to be cheesy in a good way (aside from how shitty the Scarlet Centurion looks).

THE BAD

Unfortunately, Kang runs into the same sort of problems that plagued Gorr in Love and Thunder, but it’s exacerbated by the fact he’s meant to be the next big bad of the MCU. The film wants to sell you that this Kang is an unstoppable badass who has wiped out innumerable timelines and slaughtered countless Avengers (including Thor, a god)… and yet he ends up getting killed by the combined efforts of a swarm of ants, a goofy floating head, and fucking Ant-Man of all heroes. It is genuinely baffling that they thought the best way to hype up their next Thanos was to have him lose to the goofy heist guy who talks to bugs. It’s like if Guardians of the Galaxy debuted Thanos by having him get his ass handed to him by Howard or Cosmo.

It doesn’t help that in spite of Majors elevating the writing with his performance, he suffers like Gorr did from inconsistent characterization. We are shown in flashback that despite being evil he does have honor and is willing to keep promises… and then a few scenes later he goes back on his word to return Scott’s daughter in exchange for help. It certainly does him no favors that when he’s not inconsistent, he’s a bit too mysterious for his own good, leading to it being hard to really grasp what his personality is beyond being a generic doomsday villain.

It’s not as if the writing does anyone else well, though. Scott is still charming as ever thanks to Paul Rudd, but he’s also shockingly unfunny here. Much of this can be chalked up to his entire supporting cast being written out of the movie save for his daughter and the Pym-Van Dyne family. You could see the foreshadowing to this in Endgame, with the ending featuring Scott, Hope, and Cassie together without a hint of the rest of the family, but it takes full force here with only Jimmy Woo popping in for a non-speaking cameo. The removal of at least 80% of what made Scott grounded and relatable being dropped does nothing but hamper him and lead to him feeling incredibly generic.

It doesn’t help the Pym-Van Dyne family all end up being a bunch of assholes, aside from Hank who is now a silly old dad obsessed with ants and leads an army of hyper-advanced socialist ants into battle against Kang, which might make him the most badass character in the movie. It’s understandable the others can’t measure up to anything that cool, but just how awful they are is still pretty egregious.

Hope is bland and mostly inoffensive, but I think that just makes her worse; Evangeline Lilly is an anti-vaxxer, and if you’re gonna be anti-vaxx you need to really bring your A-game for me to overlook your moral failings for the duration of a film (like Letitia Wright in Wakanda Forever). She didn’t even bring her J-game. Then there’s Janet. Janet is a fucking horrible person. All she does in this movie is offer vague foreshadowing, conceal the truth from her family whenever possible, and reveal she once fucked Bill Murray during his awful, pointless cameo. Michelle Pfeiffer’s talents are absolutely wasted in a role where she exists seemingly to dump exposition.

Finally, there’s Cassie. Emma Fuhrmann’s portrayal of the character was one of the most praised aspects of Endgame, with her giving a very believable and emotional take on the character as a teen. For reasons beyond my understanding, they recast her with Kathryn Newton, and I’ve gotta say she is not even remotely believable as Scott’s daughter. She’s easily the worst character in the movie, to the point you have to wonder what the point of the recast was. Did they want Cassie to suck?

Then there’s the Quantum Realm itself. Aside from some cool alien designs, the Quantum Realm is unbelievably boring and does nothing to allow our heroes to use their skills in fun ways. The fact it’s rendered in really unconvincing CGI like an early 2000s Robert Rodriguez kid’s movie does nothing to beat those Spy Kid allegations. At least with those movies the cheap CGI felt like part of the charm; coming from Disney, one of the most powerful studios on earth, it’s just unforgivable.

But what ultimately kills this movie is that it is a film designed for literally no one. The story feels like an AI was prompted to generate a Marvel script written by an MCU hater, as it has every cliche associated with a mediocre superhero movie on full display. You have abysmal special effects and costumes, terrible editing, awkward humor undermining drama, and an absurdly high-stakes plot, the hallmarks of any bad superhero movie, but even then it manages to fuck that up. As high as the stakes are in the plot considering it concerns the literal annihilation of multiple alternate timelines, there’s not really a sense of thrill or urgency at play here, for instance. And every single problem is compounded by the fact they chose Ant-Man as the lead.

What makes Ant-Man’s solo films work is the low stakes and fun supporting cast, and that’s all absent here. Everything there is to like about this character is excised so he can be inserted into a plot to prop up the next big villain, which as stated above the film also fails to do. No character really develops here, there’s no personal growth at all for Scott, and it just ends up feeling like someone mashing action figures together rather than any attempt at a coherent story.

And his powers are never used in creative ways either! It’s all shrink-grow-punch, with the alien world leaving no room for things like enlarging Thomas the Tank Engine or shrinking down buildings. Nothing about this film allows the hero to be utilized properly outside of one scene; you could replace Ant-Man with almost anyone, even Hawkeye, and it would make no difference at all because in reality this movie exists to debut Kang, nothing more and nothing less. The hero never mattered at all, and in the end it just shit all over a good character for nothing.

IS IT REALLY THAT BAD?

This is, hands down, the worst film in the MCU.

Every other bad or divisive movie in the MCU at least has some semblance of understanding for story structure, even if they go about it in stupid ways. Thor: The Dark World furthered the relationship between Thor and Loki while still being part of a larger story; Love and Thunder at least told a self-contained story that exists on its own merits without tying in to some grand storyline; Black Widow at least developed its characters and made them feel like a believable if dysfunctional family; and Eternals is trying really damn hard, and has tons of fascinating ideas and concepts. Whatever you feel about these films, they at least have some grasp on how to tell a story, however tenuous a grasp it may be.

But Quantumania just doesn’t. It’s supposed to be an Ant-Man movie, but it doesn’t understand why people like the character. It wants to hype up Kang, but it doesn’t understand what’s needed to make him feel threatening. It wants to be an epic sci-Fi comedy adventure, but it’s not utilizing the right characters in the right locations to excel in any of these genres. And most of all, it’s trying to be an important and major foot forward for the MCU, but it’s structured in a way that is generic and, most damningly, pointless. It does not feel like this movie matters at all aside from a mid-credits scene, which wouldn’t be an issue if this film wasn’t so desperately trying to feel important. It says a lot about how hard this film failed when the audiences responded more warmly to a Black Panther movie with no Chadwick Boseman than to the film introducing the overarching big bad of the next few years worth of films and shows.

It’s not even just that this is a bad movie, though; it’s also boring. I actually fell asleep for a minute while watching this because there was nothing engaging. These aren’t the characters I cared about in previous films, there’s no emotional grounding at all. If Corey Stoll’s giant goofy head isn’t onscreen, what is there to give a shit about? Why not close my eyes and dream of something better?

The fact this film is above a 5 boggles my mind. How is this rated higher than She-Hulk? How does this have the same rating as Ms. Marvel? In my eyes this movie deserves a 2, max, and that one extra star is entirely because of M.O.D.O.K. I couldn’t even recommend this in a “turn off your brain” kind of way because it’s not fun or exciting enough to hold your attention even if you don’t think about it. It frankly disturbs me there is a growing coalition of people on Twitter trying to gaslight people into thinking this movie was good, because I genuinely can’t think of a single thing this film does well enough to justify watching it over almost anything else.

With all that said, does this prove that “superhero fatigue” is real? No. If anything, this film’s failure and the success and acclaim of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 prove the exact opposite. What we have is Bad Movie Fatigue. Audiences are sick and tired of sloppily-written, lazy, overindulgent CGI spectacles meant to advance decade-long storylines and sell toys. We want films with strong emotional cores, well-crafted stories, and characters we can relate to and empathize with. We want stuff like the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, The Batman, The Suicide Squad, or Peacemaker, and we’re not gonna settle for procedurally-generated cookie cutter slop that feels like it was made by someone who hates the genre. We want good movies, and if we can’t have that at least make an entertaining and stylish mess like Multiverse of Madness.

Quantumania is Marvel hitting rock bottom, but you know what they say about hitting rock bottom: There’s nowhere to go but up. The final Guardians of the Galaxy proved there’s still hope for Marvel; let’s just pray they never make anything as pointless and forgettable as Quantumania ever again.

[quickdeaths]

@ult-mechanic

Normally, Rio didn't make a habit of going into other people's laboratories without permission. Her own was set up exactly as she liked it - habitats and enclosures in one space, active research space in another, and an office space to catalogue her papers and files. Giving tours or showing off the birds to interested school children was one thing, but letting someone have their run of the place without her supervision? Ehhh... That didn't seem like a great idea, for a variety of reasons.

Still, Rio only hoped whoever ran the lab she'd stumbled into would forgive her the intrusion, especially if she mostly kept her hands to herself and didn't break or disturb anything. It had been a long two-day trip down to the beaches with some of her adult colleagues after some nature bloggers had caught sight of a spoon-billed sandpiper milling about out of season. Hours spent combing the coastline and they'd finally found and tagged it, and in absence of any other sightings, it had been decided that Rio would bring it back to her lab for a few days until it could be decided where to send it to help a breeding program.

The poor baby seemed a little malnourished and small, to the point where Rio didn't feel comfortable administering a sedative. That, combined with the long hours she'd been out, however, meant that the bird had slipped out of her grasp and flown off through campus as soon as she'd arrived. Rio had really been looking forward to building a pillow fort in her room, settling down, and binging some seasonal anime, but it was of vital importance that she find the little birdie first.

Which, brought her to the dark lab connected to a garage that had been left with just enough of an open door for a small bird to fly in. "It's okay," Rio cooed, interspersing her words with clicks from pursed lips, her best impression of its contact call. "I'm gonna take care of you, so there's no need to hide." With a small flashlight to guide her, she finally caught sight of the bird, sitting dangerously close to some gears inside a half-disassembled (or, reassembled?) machine.

With a slight squeak, she quickly reached in and gathered it up, an instinctive response with no thought for how one mistake or inopportune activation could have been really dangerous. Only a moment after, as she turned to leave, did the lights come on and the girl tense up. "Sorry," she said with a weak, apologetic laugh, turning around with the bird still in hand. "This little guy got lost, so..." Ah... That was one of the third years standing by the door, wasn't it? With all the tools and machines lying around, it made sense that it would be his lab, but running on little sleep and panicked about her new little birdie buddy, she hadn't realized. "You're... Soda-senpai, right? Sorry, again. I didn't touch anything except what I had to get him out."