#i mean eric was the last victor but no one knows what happened to him

[just-an-enby-lemon]

It might be the overfixation going on but now that I have watched TBoSbaS I'm deeply into a Hunger Games AU for TMA with Snow as Jonah.

Jonah has a very similar vibe with the circunstances that leaded us to the awfull person we became where a huge part but in the end we are the villans we are because the choices we made. Besides Snow's fear of losing control parallels well with Jonah's fear of death and I dare say Jonah made even more choices in betraying friends: Albrecht von Closen, Jonathan Fanshawe, Barnabas Bennet and Robert Smirke were all different levels of turning points just as Lucy Gray and Sejamus.

[beardedmrbean]

NEW YORK — Just two days after pleading not guilty to federal corruption charges, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is focusing on faith.

Last Thursday, the mayor was indicted on federal corruption charges including bribery and conspiracy. A 57-page indictment alleges he solicited illegal campaign donations from foreign nationals. Adams pleaded not guilty Friday.

The mayor dug in his heels Sunday and reaffirmed he is not resigning at two appearances at houses of worship.

Mayor Eric Adams speaks at 2 NYC churches after indictment

Adams leaned on his faith and faith leaders on the heels of his historic indictment. 

"Sometimes you have to let go and let God," Adams told parishioners at Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church in the Bronx. 

Parishioners and faith leaders in the Bronx remained neutral on their support for the mayor.

"It's not a question of supporting him. It's a question of praying for him as a church," said Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Manso, with Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church.

Later at Mount Sinai United Christian Church on Staten Island, he said, "No one wants to go through this. No one wants to deal with what I am dealing with right now. No one."

"We unapologetically support his right to due process," said Bishop Victor Brown, of Mount Sinai United Christian Church.

Rev. Al Sharpton was among the faith leaders showing support for Adams during a rally with the National Action Network on Saturday.

"I've known Eric Adams 35 years. I've never known him to have any leanings toward criminality. He deserves due process," Sharpton said.

The Sunday Service stops weren't the mayor's only visits to houses of worship over the weekend. On Saturday, he visited Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in Jamaica, Queens, and a gospel music event in the Bronx. The mayor says putting his focus on the church is nothing new.

"I am more in my foundation of my faith than I've ever been in my life," Adams said.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams says he's "gonna step up" in response to calls for him to step down

Adams continued to stress Sunday that he has no plans to resign.

"So you hear the small number of loud people saying, 'Well, he should step down.' No, I'm gonna step up. I'm gonna step up," Adams said in the Bronx.

He added, "When people say, 'You need to resign,' I say, 'I need to reign.'"

On Sunday, when asked what his message is to those who have been telling him to step down, Adams said, "To watch me."

He continued, "They're the same people, January 1, 2022, were saying the same thing, that's the same list of people, but we have been able to ignore their commentary and say their noise is not going to get in the way of the numbers, and the numbers show we have moved this city forward."

Despite calls for his resignation, he says he's not shifting focus.

"While the attorneys handle the due process, I'm going to handle the management of the city," he said.

NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams prepared to step in as mayor if Adams resigns

Should the mayor step down, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams would replace him until a special election is held. That's something Williams said Sunday that he's ready to do.

"When you run for public advocate, part of it is knowing that if something happens, you have to step in. You don't want that to happen because that means that something went wrong with city government," he said.

He added, "I ran to be public advocate and so I'm very happy doing that. If something happened for any reason, we're also prepared to step in to do the job that we were elected to do in all eventualities. But the main message is the continuity of government."

Law professor expects case will be "a very tall mountain for the mayor to climb"

Adams is expected to appear back in court Wednesday, where his attorney says he will be demanding evidence from the prosecution, in addition to asking the judge to throw the case out.

"The case may ultimately be one that Mayor Adams can win in the sense of ... having a jury find him not guilty. But the idea that these charges are going to be dismissed out of whole cloth before the case gets to a jury is fantasyland," said Hofstra University law professor James Sample.

Sample says corruption cases are hard to prove, but the feds wouldn't bring the case if they didn't feel strongly about the evidence.

"If the case turns into a simple 'he said, she said' and it's really only Mayor Adams' version versus one or two witnesses, then he's got a real chance at winning," Sample said. "I suspect there will be numerous cooperating witnesses, extensive documentary evidence and a very tall mountain for the mayor to climb."

While Gov. Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Adams from office, she has not yet indicated if she plans to do so. The mayor said they are in communication.

[emma-frxst]

Smooth Criminal (Chapter 14)

Pairing: detective!Colossus x Criminal!Reader

Summary: Piotr falls in love with you, an art historian. He doesn’t know that you have a secret double life as an ex-spy turned art thief selling your stolen art to Sebastian Shaw. What happens when your two worlds collide?

Warnings: sad professor X, knives, mention of weapons.

Authors note: please read about tags at the end! I’ve re-written this many times trying to get the pacing of the story right without having this chapter being way too fucking long. So here’s what we’ve got! There’s just a few more chapters and this fic will be done!! Im so excited. Ps I’m a Charles x Eric shipper but for the purpose of this story I’ve got Charles x Moira.

-

Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters

1407 Graymalkin Lane, Westchester County, New York.

You walked up the stone path to what was once a blossoming school. Students ran amok while the teachers kept a watchful eye on the young mutants.

But time had taken it’s toll on the place and the man who ran it. Last you heard, Charles Xavier was a bit of a lost cause these days. You went to knock on the door but before your fist could make contact with the wooden door, it opened, revealing a sickly looking Charles. It saddened you to see an old friend in such a state.

Loneliness and guilt plagued him.

The guilt of past actions haunted you both, it seemed.

“Hello y/n” he said. “I heard your thoughts as soon as you stepped out from the car. Please come in”.

“I thought your powers didn’t work with Hank’s cure’?” You inquired, stepping into the mansion.

“Ah, can’t seem to turn the mind completely off.” He stated, tapping his temple with his index finger.

Ever since Charles had erased Moira Mactaggert’s memories he has become a recluse. He didn’t care, he was depressed and angry. His true love didn’t even know his name. He had shut down the school, opting to be alone with the exception of a visit from old friends every now and then.

“I suppose you didn’t come here to reminisce on old times.” He stated rather than questioned.

Ah yes old times.

You worked with Moria to help keep Xavier’s mansion off the CIA and SHIELD’s radar. You and she had prevented many a sticky situation on the professors behalf.

And now you needed him to repay that favor.

“No, I didn’t come for reminiscing. Um.. I have a..problem with someone with a strong healing factor. I need them dead. Not gone, not injured, but dead. I’ve got cash.”

The professor scoffed. “Money..” he mumbled. “Who needs it.”

“Do you?“ you questioned.

“No, my dear. Money is no fun unless you’ve got someone to spend it on. Come on now.”

He said, motioning you to follow him downstairs.

“You’re not trying to kill Wolverine are you?” He joked.

“No, his brother Sabertooth, actually.” You said, deadpan.

The professor seemed a bit shocked at your confession.

“Always getting ourselves into sticky situations, aren’t we?”

“Yes.” You replied. “I wish Moria was here to help get me out of this one.”

Charles remained quiet as the two of you approached the weapons vault. Maybe you shouldn’t have brought her up.

The vault opened revealing weapons of all kinds.

Hoping he’d give you the biggest one, you were disappointed when the professor put a small dagger in your hands.

You looked at him with disbelief, he didn’t have to read your mind to tell that wasn’t what you were expecting.

“This blade is made from carbonadium.”

Your face scrunched into confusion.

“It is a radioactive metal that is vastly stronger than steel, but more malleable than adamantium. It can slow a healing factor to a stop.”

It was then and only then that you realized the challenge that laid out in front of you.

Victor was a brute. He was tough and mean. Animalistic would be a more fitting adjective. He was also impulsive and reckless when his judgement was clouded by revenge and anger. Meanwhile you were calculating, cautious, and able to keep your cool.

“Thank you, Charles.”

“Not a problem.” He said, closing the vault and walking you back upstairs.

“It’s a shame you have to live such a lie after what SHIELD did to you.”

“It’s not a complete lie..” you explained. “I’ve found something so pure and..right despite it all.”

The professor quirked a brow.

You couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Piotr.

“Yeah, I um-“

“Want to talk about it over tea?” Charles questioned.

“I would Charles, but that pure and good thing I found..doesn’t know I’m here and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“I understand, off you go then.” He said, walking you out the front door.

“Thanks again, Charles.”

He gave you a small wave and closed the door.

You looked at the dagger in your hand and took a deep breath.

Oh what had you gotten yourself into?

.

\ weeks later /

You let out a long sigh, it had been a long day of selling books, talking about books, talking about books about art history, hanging a few replica paintings in the bookshop, helping some students with projects. Just book stuff..No crime, no lies, no Victor.

You left the inventory and cash counting for tomorrow, Piotr was picking you up for dinner and you couldn’t wait. He had been working overtime for the past two weeks and you missed him dearly.

You stepped outside the door, enjoying the light breeze that swept through. Maybe you could convince Piotr could go for a walk after dinner. The warmer months made it great for post- dinner sunset watching.

You turned to lock the door. While doing so you heard heavy footsteps from someone walking up behind you, a cool shiver made its way down your spine.

��Did you miss me?”

-

Dun dun dun..a cliff hanger! Is it Piotr? Is it the professor? Is it Victor? Is it an old colleague from SHIELD? find out next week when chapter 15 is published. Love you all!

Note about tags- I had a note in my phone for everyones tags separated by the character/ series they wanted tagged for..but while trying to put this post in my tumblr drafts (after having too much wine) I’ve messed it up so if I’ve tagged you for the wrong character/series/ fandom let me know otherwise I’ll just keep tagging everyone lol. I’ve got my det loki tags sorted. I’ve also got @brujademente only being tagged for the steel heart series.

Tags: (tag list of open, send me an ask if you want to be tagged, removed or only tagged for certain characters.) @chromecutie @xenomorphique @evelyn120700 @nightriver99 @iamwarrenspeace @this-that-and-every-thing-else @hsk-puma @bungeewabbit @pianomad @lesbianstarkx @hazilyimagine-blog  @super-darkcloudstudent @thehuntress26 @siren-lamented-vampire @mooleche @rovvboat @leo-writer @dandyqueen @nitemaremotionless @thewintersoldierswife

I’ve also got these folks who I think asked to be tagged for colossus stuff but I might be tripping and have just imagined that. so let me know if you want me to keep tagging you. (Saying no won’t hurt my feelings I promise.)

@master-sass-blast

@reiner-exodus-rasputin

@xytoskeleton

@tinytiana

@lesbianyondu

@hunbun-posts

[doubleminor]

i just started watching hockey (like 3 days ago) and what’s going on with the sabres?

welcome to hockey!!! i hope you have fun watching hockey, if u have any questions about it pls feel free to pop in and i’ll do my best to explain anything u might wanna know! anyways, sabres stuff is...down below, i got a little longwinded, sorry hahah

--

first of all, for context, the sabres are one of eleven teams that have never won the stanley cup, and were inducted into the league in like, 1970.

they’ve been one of the bottom teams in the league for the past couple of years (they haven’t had a very good winning percentage, been p consistently at the bottom. and in case u were wondering what winning percentage means, it’s calculated by adding wins to one-half ties, then dividing by games played. “the estimated probability that team A will defeat team B in a given matchup”)

it doesn’t help that the buffalo sabres have not made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season, which means they’ve missed the playoffs for nine (soon to be ten) seasons. they hold the longest active playoff drought in the NHL atm, and they haven’t made a stanley cup finals appearance since ‘99, which is a 20 season drought. for the record, 16 out of 31 teams make the playoffs every year (covid exception), so to not have made the playoffs in so long...ouch.

plus the ‘99 stanley cup finals was a whole ‘nother issue, it was between the buffalo sabres and the dallas stars, there’s a whole controversy about it because of a goal, you can read about it right here. (tldr the last time the sabres made a cup final was a Thing, kinda rubs salt in the wound a little)

BASICALLY the sabres have had some rough patches in recent years, and then it’s all blown up since...about when the pandemic started?

as for the sabres thing...so @goalofsson​ made a really good timeline of when stuff started to go down, definitely take a look for the details. highlights include:

pegulas, current owners of the sabres, fire a shit ton of people and refuse to pay arena employees during covid19, they’re basicallysuper not great at being good owners basically

sabres goalie carter hutton reveals that he had played the ‘19-’20 season with an eye problem (aka playing injured!!! during the season!! bad!)

sabres GM jason botterill is fired, everyone and their grandma is fired, someone gets rehired bc presumably he was fired accidentally in the mass firings, pegulas make a horrible PR move and say they promoted their new GM cos they’re “more familiar with him”

harborcenter boards need to be replaced because when they melted the ice in march they didn’t monitor the HVAC system properly, leading to the boards warping, etc. this solidly puts buffalo out of being a potential playoff hub city out of contention.

then starting w the start of this season / during the pandemic break, sabres make some moves, sign taylor hall to a Very Large contract, sign eric staal and a couple other people, etc. etc.

for context, sabres now have some pretty talented players on their roster, including 2018 first overall pick rasmus dahlin, 2015 second overall pick jack eichel (who also happens to be the captain), they’ve got taylor hall, jeff skinner, victor olofsson, eric staal, etc. (if you don’t know who these players are thats fine just know that they’re good players)

and then the season starts. sabres are playing in the “east division”, which means they’re up against some pretty stupid strong teams, like the washington capitals, boston bruins, pittsburgh penguins, philadelphia flyers, new york islanders, new york rangers, and new jersey devils. 

the season starts, and they start playing. they aren’t doing too hot. 

as of when im writing this ask, mar. 17, 2021, the new york islanders are 2nd (42pts) in overall NHL league standings, caps are 5th, pens are 8th, etc. 

the sabres as of right now are 31st in the league. aka in last place of all the teams. 

they have 16 points. they’ve gone 6-18-4, meaning they’ve won 6 games, tied for 4 games, and lost 18 games out of 28 games played.

they’re currently on a 12 game losing streak. 

additionally, there’s some really obvious miscommunication between the club, the head coach, and the captain of the team, which i hope we can all infer is very bad. jack eichel, the captain, has been out with an ubi for a bit, but when he was first out, when media asked about it, head coach ralph krueger said that jack had missed morning skate due to an injury sustained in warmups, but jack himself later contradicated HC krueger and said that he had been injured in new jersey, not during warmups. (source)

and then there’s MORE drama when one of the top sabres player, jeff skinner, is benched and made a healthy scratch (aka he’s healthy but they’re making him sit out of the game) for like, three games in a row. (x, x) admittedly, jeff skinner hadn’t been doing very well and only had one point (he had an assist and 0 goals) in the fourteen games the sabres had played so far, but when you aren’t given the opportunity to play...idk, you tell me how you get points without playing in a game. 

AND lets not forget that yeah, this is The Pandemic Season, so of course sabres are going to get embroiled in some covid drama because why not! 

basically, the new jersey devils were at one point in time, shut down by the NHL and their games were postponed because all their players got covid. 12 out of 17 devils that were placed on the COVID list had just played against the sabres on ice during the weekend (before the weekend, 2 devils were on covid protocol and in quarantine). the sabres, who were concerned about playing the devils during the weekend, had asked that the NHL / devils give them more information but never received any information. shortly after playing the devils, the sabres began testing positive for covid, one after one. 

the sabres eventually were also put on hold by the NHL and had most of their roster, including players and coaches, test positive for covid. one of the dmen, rasmus ristolainen, explained what having covid was like for him, and it’s really scary. he “says there were nights where his symptoms were so bad he didn’t know if he was going to wake up in the morning. He’s 26.” Also that “'When there was chest pain,” Ristolainen told Ilta-Sonomat, “it felt like my heart was cracking as I walked up the stairs.’” that’s fucking terrifying and i hate it. 

+ the sabres fanbase has lots of criticism for the way the club is currently being handled, goalofsson also has some posts you can read here, here, and here. john vogl from the athletic posts an article: “Former Sabres captains weigh in on team’s woes: ‘A whole new kind of unwatchable’”, here are some highlights, which i hope emphasize the point that everyone, even former sabres captains, are sad and tired and experiencing Feelings about this club: 

and then recently a buffalo newspaper posted an article ranking the bufflalo sabres at the dead last of their rankings, even under the seattle kraken, an expanion team that doesn’t exist yet. 

and and and sabres opened up the arena to fans to come watch games. that seems fine right? no no it isn’t lmao because “The Sabres announce tickets to the March 20 game against Boston will go on sale to the general public today. So, that means season-ticket holders declined to purchase all 1,970 tickets.” read the whole thread and initial tweets about it, it’s a doozy, and here’s an article on it if that tickles your fancy. 

when a fanbase that has faithfully stuck with the team after almost a decade of not reaching the playoffs, through very tough history (you can read about the sabres history on their wikipedia page for an overview of their entire history), decides that even they are tired and disappointed and sad, i think that says something. 

and then now finally they’ve fired head coach ralph krueger as of...a couple of hours ago. interim HC seems to be assistant coach Don Granato, there’ll be a new conference in an hour from GM kevyn adams w more info. edit: in general the consensus is that the firing is a good thing i forgot to add that part

basically, the sabres have reached rock bottom and seem like they aren’t digging their way out of it anytime soon. which as a sabres fan, is really really depressing. (’:

oh also the sabres AHL minor league affiliate team have postponed games and practices due to covid rn so that’s a dead end for the sabres too oopsies

[afaimsarrowverse]

Arrowverse Update 2021:

I am doing one more of those before the new Seasons are rolling in, because we got major news about one project and some more bits about everything else, so… let’s start with the bad news and then continue with the rest:

 Green Arrow and the Canaries

 Is officially dead. It is currently unknown if and how we are going to get a resolution of the cliffhangar from the Backdoor-Pilot and its other open plot-threads. Yes, we were promised that all of this would get resolved somwhere else, if the show would not get picked up, however that was one year ago. Since then a lot has changed.

The main problem is that the project was just buried a couple of days ago, meaning that there is no chance for anything of this to be resolved in this TV-Season, which is already completly planned through for all the Arrowverse-Shows (and even half filmed already in some cases). The other problem is that a good portion of the people responsible for „Green Arrow and the Canaries“ is not a part of the current Arrwoverse anylonger. Yes, Marc Guggenheim could come back just to do a Crossover that resolves all that is still open, but why would The CW want its next Crossover Event to revolve around a never picked up show? There would have to be something else in that Crossover Event, provided one of those could even happen any time soon. As for doing just a singular episode the problem is where. The shows with ties to „Green Arrow and the Canaries“ might not be around any more or be in their final season by the time such an episode could be made, and all of the shows might again get shortened seasons, so the producers are going to have other priorties for their own shows in the next year.

So we might not get a resolution to „Green Arrow and the Canaries“ at all. On Televison that is. There is the alternate route though: A Comic Continuation.

As of now however it’s way to early to know anything for sure though. They are looking into it, but as I said, things are a lot more complicated right now, then they were a year ago.

Batwoman

 Season two is rolling around in a few days, therefor they released a new accurate synopsis and The CW has been and is still putting out a lot of promo material. You can watch most of it on Youtube.

A couple of days after I wrote my last one of these, it was reported that Christina Wolfe will be part of the main cast this season. In other news, we also were told that we will get yet another version of Victor Zsasz. The Arrowverse-Version will be played by Alex Morf.

Also David Ramsey will guest star as John Diggle and also direct an episode (but probably not the same one). And yes, this might be the Crossover Episode. However is has to be said that is has become awfully quite around that illusive „Batwoman“/“Superman&Lois“-Crossover. Given the news about David Ramsey being in all shows, it might have been replaced by a Diggle-Storyline that goes through all the shows including „Batwoman“. We will have to wait and see.

The Season opener will go into Kate Kane’s fate (without her being in it though) and Gotham will have to confront the False Face Society and new drug called Snakebite in the opening episodes. The tone of the new Season might be drastically different from before, there are hints for that, and I am not speaking about BLM instead of LGBT-issues. The words „goofy“ and „fun“ are kind of present, if you know what I mean, however this could just be promotion.

 As for the episodes:

 2.01 „Whatever happend to Kate Kane?“ (Directed by: Holly Dale, Written by: Caroline Dries, Airdate: January 17 2021)

 2.02 „Prior Criminal History“ (Written by: James Stoteraux & Chad Fiveash)

 2.03 „Bat Girl Magic“

 2.04 „Fair Skin, Blue Eyes“ (Directed by: Menhaj Huda, Written by: Ebony Gilbert)

 2.05 „Gore on Canvas“

Black Lightning

 Everyone is still very tighlipped about the final Season of „Black Lightning“. So I have nothing new, apart from titles (which are in line with the previous seasons and therefore not telling us anything, if we are honest):

 4.01 „The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter One“ (Airdate: February 8 2021)

 4.02 „The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Two“

 4.03. „The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Three“

 4.04 „The Book of Reconstrucion: Chapter Four“

 4.05 „The Book of Ruin: Chapter One“

 4.06.

 4.07 „Painkiller“-Backdoorpilot

The Flash

 So, yes, someone on the Production Team was tested posivite, and they had to shut down the production for a short period of time because of this, but it remained a pretty isolated case (or so it seems) and the production did resume. To make up for the lost time the Christmas Break was shortend, and they are back to filming already, so no need to worry, everthing is on schedule.

This season will see the return of John Diggle to Central City. David Ramsey will also direct an episode (but probably not the same one). We will also see the return of the Meta-Human Task Force, which will clash with Frost. This storyline will also involve Joe. Eric Wallace has hinted before that there will be a storyline involving the police and abuse of power with Joe in it, and I did assume it would be BLM-storyline, however this is „The Flash“, so this storyline might be what he talked about instead, and we might get a Meta-Human are being hunted and abused-Storyline as a substiute.

 As for the first couple of episodes:

 7.01 „All’s Wells that Ends Wells“ (Airdate: Feburary 23 2021)

 7.02. „The Speed of Thought“ (Airdate: March 2 2021)

 7.03 „Mother“ (Airdate: March 9 2021)

 7.04 „Central City Strong“( Airdate: March 16 2021)

 7.05 „Fear Me“ (Airdate: March 23 2021)

Superman & Lois

 The new Morgan Edge is in and it will be Adam Rayner, who will inherit the role from Adrian Pasdar. We also learned that Joselyn Picard will play the other Cushing-Lang-Daughter Sophie. Reporters we will get to meet on the show not only include Ron Troupe but also Chrissy Beppp played by Sofia Hasmik, while Leslie Larr played by Stacey Farber will be a cold former idealist, probably tied to Morgan Edge, and presumable an antagonist.

David Ramsey will guest star as John Diggle somewhen this season and will direct an episode as well. He will make his way through most of the shows (as Diggle) and might be the Crossover-Factor of this season. Even though the „Batwoman“/“Superman & Lois“-Crossover is not officially of the table, we haven’t heard anything about it in a while, so maybe this actually is it.

We got a proper look at the new suit and also the first real trailer, which is … unusal. More artsy then revealing, but is around one and a half months until the season starts, so there will be another trailer coming out soon.

 The first couple of episodes:

 1.01  Pilot (Directed by: Lee Toland Krieger, Written by: Greg Berlanti, Todd Helbing, Airdate: February 23 2021)

 1.02  „Heritage“ (Airdate: March 2 2021)

 1.03  „The Perks of Not Being a Wallflower“ (Airdate: March 9 2021)

 1.04. „Haywire“ (Directed by: James Bamford, Airdate: March 16 2021)

 1.05 „The Beacon“ (Airdate: March 23 2021)

Legends of Tomorrow

 Aliyah O’Brien will guest star as Kayla a fearsome deadly alien warrior in this season, who won’t be to happy about the Legends, because she is a pro, and they are …. well … the Legends. David Ramsey will also guest star this season, however he won’t be playing John Diggle, but another role instead. Who or what this other role will be remains a mystery. He could play Diggles ancenstor or descendant, if time travel is still an element in Season 6, or a shape shifting alien or an illusion, however they could also go full prosthetics and have him playing a character with no connection to Diggle at all.

David Ramsey will also direct an episode this season. Caity Lotz did already direct an episode, Episode 5, and given that she tweeted about the strain of directing and acting at the same time, we will see more of Sara in this episode than in last year‘s „Mortal Khanbat“. However still expect less Sara in Episode 4 and 5 than usual.

There was an early air-date floating around for „Legends“, which proofed to be a mix-up. Don‘t expect Season 6 (or any mid-season replacement for that matter) before the end of May, and even that would be early.

 As for the episodes:

 6.01 „ Ground Control to Sara Lance“ (Directed by: Kevin Mock, Written by: James Eagan & Mark Bruner)

 6.02 „Meat: The Legends“ (Directed by: Rachel Talalay, Written by: Matthew Maala & Morgan Faust)

 6.03 „The Ex-Factor“ (Directed by: David Geddes, Written by: Grainne Godfree  & Tyron Carter)

 6.04 „Bay of Squids“ (Directed by: Sudz Sutherland, Written by: Phil Klemmer)

 6.05 „The Satanist’s Apprentice“ (Directed by. Caity Lotz, Written by: Keto Shimizu, & Ray Utarnachitt)

 6.06 „Bishop’s Gambit“ (Directed by: Kevin Mock, Written by: James Eagan & Emily Cheever)

Supergirl

 Here we are again, with crumbs only. I still can’t tell you anything with value that happens this season. A couple of casting tapes leaked, one involving a prison break plot, however there is no telling if this isn’t just a single scene that leads to something totally different or the beginning of an actual sub-plot. We do know however that Young Alex and Young Kara will make their return this season.

We also know, that „Supergirl“ is about the only show on this list that does not have a finished Episode 1 as of now. They might have one or two finished episodes around Episode 5 or 6, but that’s it.

The reason we know this is that even though they are up to Episode 6 with filming, just like the other Vancouver-based shows, they did start a lot later, meaning they did not film whole episodes. The other reason we know that is that Melissa is just returning to the show this months. And there is no way she won’t be in Episode 1. She might sit out a couple of episodes that star Young Kara and Young Alex instead, but there is no way she won’t be in the first six episodes at all.

We will also get less Alex this year, or tob e more accurate less Chyler. She is having her directorial debute this season. Episode 6 is her episode, and this is the one with Young Alex und Young Kara in it. However present day Brainy und Nia are also in it, so it won’t be a total Flashback Episode. However, expect Chyler Light Episodes 5-6. Episode 7 will be directed by David Harewood. David Ramsey will also direct an episode this season and will guest star as John Diggle, however probably not in the same episode.

Also Odette Annable is back for the final season in some capacity. Wether as Sam or as Reign or both and for how much is unknown at this point.

And yes, „Supergirl“ is also the only show on this, where I can’t give you an episode list, because this is all we know.

Yes, it is the final season and they are extra-tight-lipped because of that, and also as I said they don’t really have finished episodes at this stage, but still it would be nice, if someone up there in Vancouver or someone from the Writer’s Room would give us anything. But it seems like they are holding back with any kind of promotion at least until Melissa starts filming if not longer.

[dashuisofanubis]

*for the head cannon thing* I'll give you 3 options, do however many you want lol: the vague Eric sweet/John Clarke drama, Walfie or Koy bc I'm a slut for them.

Eric and John were 100% the Eddie and Jerome relationship at school. They bickered a lot, but they also liked to mess about and get into trouble together, though Eric worked hard too. Though they had the troublemaker reputation, the only time they got suspended was after a chemistry lesson when they accidentally broke a window.

They were roommates (Oh my god they were roommates) in Hathor House, and both harboured feelings for the other, but due to the times they both ignored it. They drifted apart after graduating, Eric starting a teaching degree and John getting an engineering apprenticeship.

They both attended each other’s weddings, though neither of which lasted long. (This tragically meant there were no Eddie-Jerome playdates, as Eddie moved to America and Jerome went to boarding school)

Eric doesn't hear from John after becoming Headteacher, which is when Victor lets him in on the secret.

He can still remember the sense of shock that overcame him when he read of John's arrest, which happened around the same time Jerome arrived at the school. He made the decision to keep an eye on him for his father, and as such Jerome's gotten away with a lot more than he would have done (along with the fact he can't be expelled anyway bc they need him as the Clarke descendent at least till Poppy arrives).

He goes to visit John somepoint after, and they talk about a lot of things. John asks that he doesn't tell Jerome anything, he doesn't want him to know he has a failure for a father. Eric wants to console him, that he's sure Jerome thinks of him highly, but thinks of his own son, thousands of miles away and wonders what he thinks of his dad. Neither of them are very good at this parenting thing

They keep the visits going until the year of the Chosen Hour, when Eric finds he suddenly has a lot to worry about and take care of.

There are parts of the school Eric can't go to without cringing at the memory of what he and John did, like one point on the outside wall where they used to stand and look 'cool'.

Sometimes Eric sees Jerome and Eddie bickering in the corridor and it reminds him so much of his past that he has to look away

Their reunion after s2 is awkward, but they do end up becoming friends again.

Both of them are trying to repair their relationships with their children so Yes this means Eddie, Jerome and Poppy get stuck doing 'family days out' together and Yes they do all the clichéd things and yes okay maybe they do love it.

The kids also like finding out about all the trouble they got into together. ("But you gave me detention when Alfie and I did that!")

Sorry this went overboard so I'll probably do Walfie and Koy in another post!

[mcustorm]

Thoughts on Jamie Johnson 5x06

SPOILERS

Old habits die hard...forgiveness...cancellation. This episode's main theme is how it can be hard to shake who we’ve been, how we have to reconcile that with who we’re trying to be. Zoe and Liam both are having a mirror thrown up in their face, and they unfortunately act pretty much like how I’d expect.

First things first, the show is called Jamie Johnson! Our title character is entering that Hey Arnold!-esque role where we are now fully aware that so much of the show’s strength is because of the ensemble. Anyways, Jamie’s going through it; he’s delusional and just kinda wants to yeet off his cast with a quickness, kinda like how we here in America basically said “Yea, the virus is over.”  As I fear we may find out soon, these things take time. So Jamie finds solace in video games (Let’s discuss how *terrible* I am at FIFA). Which isn’t too bad...for now.

Let’s talk about how Boggy is such a good friend to these people. Episode 1, Boggy could not care less about football. Episode 50, it is basically his entire identity, and he doesn’t even play! Football had an extensive hand in ruining his relationship, ehh nobody cares. I don’t like how Boggy constantly is the biggest cheerleader for various characters in the show (Jamie, Jack, the whole mascot era, this episode he went out of his way for Zoe), but *whenever* he has something of his own to do (which is rare!), they just pat him on the back, say “Oh you’ll be fine,” and head off to the pitch. Justice for Boggy!

Before we start with Liam, let me preface by saying I like Eric and Freddie. They remind me of younger cousins of mine, warts and all. And the show has really humanized Alba in her episodes. The point is, generally, I like those characters. I do not necessarily like that trio’s dynamic. I said last week I didn’t trust Liam, well I still don’t. One of the scenes that I really liked from seasons prior is after Dillon gets kicked out of Hawkstone Academy, Hansard sits him down and basically tells him, “You lost out big not because they’re jealous, not because of your diabetes, but because you’re a shithead.” Point blank period, “You’re a shithead, Dillon.” Some people just need to be told.

And for me, a large part of what makes Dillon’s character so compelling is because in that moment, he really dashed his chances of becoming as successful as he could be. I mean, it still could happen, but it’ll be a helluva lot harder. Hence why Liam’s “redemption” I’m really cold on. Both Dillon and Liam have to learn the same lesson: How you treat people has substantial impact on how successful you’ll be. But Dillon never had a shot of making it back to the Academy, so he used that lesson to impact his general outlook. That’s why he told Jamie “don’t do it sis” when he started to steal the bikes with Jethro. He was being empathetic.

Liam, on the other hand, is only using that lesson to get back on the pitch. He realized that shit-talking to Alba took him off the field, so he plays nice with Alba to get back on. That easy, right? It’s not genuine. And Alba knows that he’s gonna play nice with her, so she’s fine letting him back on to win. The only people who are as unsympathetic to this character as I am are Eric and Duncan the Snake (Mike keeps shading him about how much of a snake he was, so there ya go). Also, you wanna talk about redemption? Duncan has just about done everything right since the incident.

Is Eric arrogant? Yes! Is he absolutely right to not like Liam and not want him on the team? Yes! Was he wrong in being cold and cautious? Naaaaah. Was he wrong in being openly antagonistic, as well as dumping Liam’s bag when it had certainly already been searched? Okay, fine I’ll give you that. Were Alba and Freddie wrong for saying “Oh Eric, you’re being an angry shithead again. We’re going to hang out with Liam who is totally and completely redeemed because he picked up some trash!” AN EMPHATIC YES! 

Ruby is also here, and this week *she’s* the one to tell Dillon he’s a shithead. The only thing these quick scenes do is 1) tide us over till next week, when this is gonna get gud and 2) inform us that Dillon has already scored a date-but-not-a-date with Elliot?! WHAT? What in the hell is going down in those DM’s?! We DEMAND a Jamie Johnson text app, Andi Mack style.

Finally, Zoe. Oh Zoe. What’s her last name again? Sharapova? I’m gonna be straight up: I am VERY hot and cold on this character. I cannot stand the whole “there can only be one” trope, because it only ever is applied to girls, and of course Zoe is the embodiment of it. Remember when she bent over backwards to avoid having Jack know about the contest, and then got mad when she found out Jack neglected to mention it to her? 

For the record, we don’t know if Jack did this intentionally or not. All we *know* is that Jack told her before the deadline and encouraged her to apply, way more than Zoe ever planned to do for Jack. At worst it was a front-stab, and everybody knows you’d rather be front-stabbed than back-stabbed.

And then of course there was the whole stealing incident that she only did to undermine Jack’s success that day. So yes, Zoe is a hater, and a hypocrite, and a snake. And I forgot all about it after Jack left. I actually was warming up to the character, especially as she pushed to lead the team last season. But then, Jack showed back up and her character reverted back like 1.5 seasons. Haven’t cared for the character since then.

So now, there’s a new girl in town, and Zoe is back on her bullshit. Once again, she is insecure. Once again, she is projecting. Once again, the girl tries to be nice to Zoe and she gives her nothing but grief. Now, in a full circle moment, it’s Dillon’s turn to tell her “Hey, you’re kind of a shithead to these girls.” And just when I’m about to forgive the character and move on, the plot steps in and says “Nah, bruh. We still got like 7 episodes left this season. Maybe later.” The show pulls the ol’ “if she had stayed just 3 seconds longer she would’ve gotten the whole context” trope. So for now, I still can’t stand Zoe and I’m patiently awaiting her redemption. Also, Kat needs to put the damn necklace in a picture frame or a lockbox or sumthin. 

So all in all, a delightfully frustrating episode that does exactly what it’s supposed to do: set us up for some juicier content down the road. The first stop on that road being next week -- *the* episode of the season so far and Love, Victor (early!). Yall already know what time it is.

[amelia-pinches]

Days at Anubis

So here is the first one-shot

Majority of the ones I will write will be based off of @ron-stepupable‘s post (but also I will take requests. )

Warning: I’m not the best writer, and I haven’t written fanfiction since I was 13... so uhhhh take that as you want. 

AO3 

FF.net

based off of ron-stepupable: "Fabian having an efing backstory. Maybe some daddy issues so he can relate to the other boys (wow just realizing all the boys have daddy problems to some extent) like maybe just a distant father figure who's not really invested in his sons life. Idk but I want SOMETHING" Its set right after everyone finds out about Eddie being Sweetie's son, and Fabian tries to comfort him.

link to the post here: post/611405919847415808/things-i-wouldve-done-differently-in-hoa

Fabian stared at his roommate as he entered their shared room. Eddie was staring blankly at his computer with earbuds in his ears. He looked like he was crying heavily. There was a small frown on his lips; his hair was a dirty mess, and his eyes were bloodshot. 'He looks like hell' Fabian thought.

"Uh, mate...are you going to plug those in?" Fabian asked, breaking the silence.

Eddie, having been broken from his trance, looked up and stared at him in confusion. Fabian pointed to the end of the cord of his earbuds, which was laying on Eddie's lap.

"Oh. Uh...I, erm, don't need to... I have the music memorized, and, erm, can listen without actually listening.."

Fabian raised his brows at Eddie. Eddie sighed and bowed his head. He looked back up at Fabian, and mumbled, "Go ahead. Have your fun. Everyone else has."

Fabian chuckled and shook his head.

"I am not Jerome or Alfie. I'm not going to make fun of you for being sad...or for being 's son."

Eddie looked at Fabian in bewilderment. He just got him in such a vulnerable state, perfect for blackmail. All of his friends back home would have jumped at the chance to make fun of him. How come Fabian wasn't? Fabian offered him a weak smile. He understood what Eddie was going through as of late. .

"I'm serious. I know what it's like."

Eddie scowled, "Sure you do."

"I do," Fabian retorted, "and even if I didn't, I wouldn't make fun of you for being Sweetie's son. I have too many daddy issues of my own to make fun of someone else's."

Eddie furrowed his brows. He gave a low chuckle and tried to imagine exactly what daddy issues Fabian could have. Fabian was his father's dream kid. He was convinced that if Eric had the chance, he would trade Eddie for Fabian. Eddie rolled his eyes and whispered, "Sure, you do."

Fabian noticed the shift into the tense atmosphere. He knew that if he wanted to comfort Eddie, he would have to prove that he wasn't pitying him or playing him. Fabian shyly spoke up as he sat on his bed, "My dad hates how nerdy I am. He says it's too feminine. All he has ever wanted was a son that could kick a football without falling or getting nervous"

This caught Eddie's attention. He took out his earbuds, despite no sound coming through them at all, and looked at his roommate. Fabian was biting his cheek, hoping he didn't say the wrong thing. Eddie gave a low chuckle.

"Sounds like a dick."

"Aren't all dads? Sometimes they despise their sons because they aren't athletic enough, and sometimes they are the headmasters of prestigious British boarding schools."

"Bro…," Eddie snorted, "did you just make a joke?"

"It's been known to happen," replied Fabian in a monotone voice, "But, erm, bro...if you do need anyone to talk to, I am always here. After all, it's not like I can go anywhere."

Eddie smirked. He considered talking to Fabian; right now, he needed someone to talk to. However, could he really talk to Fabian? Would Fabian really care, or is he just saying it to be a good roommate.

"Thanks. I'll take you up on that offer after 10 and before you go on your little midnight adventure, so that way I can assure you won't leave. Just promise me you won't say 'bro' again."

Fabian rolled his eyes. Eddie was so much like Patricia in the sense they both wouldn't open up for the life of them. He turned to look at Eddie. Eddie looked less hopeless as before, but he definitely looked like he needed someone.

"The teasing will stop soon. You're cool, so most people will forget about this in a week. If not, they will be too scared of Patricia to continue."

Eddie tensed at the mention of Patricia. It was her fault he was in this position. Well, it was an accident, but she should have been more careful. Eddie mumbled in a low voice, hoping Fabian wouldn't hear.

"Patricia is the reason I'm in this situation. She'll probably egg them on."

Fabian gazed at Eddie. He felt bad for him. He knew Patricia never meant for this to happen, and she would have kept Eddie's secrets to her grave. But he also knew how it felt to be a target.

"You know…," started Fabian, "When I first came to this school, I was bullied a lot…"

Fabian sighed as he lowered his head and ran his fingers through his hair. Was he really about to tell his roommate about his traumatic early school days? He didn't think he had a choice.

"They used to call me names, and I would get pushed around a lot. Once, I was walking to the library, and these kids came up behind me. They shoved me in a locker, and I was there all night...I thought that if I tried sports, they would stop, and well, my dad would be proud of me. So that's what I did. I went to the football tryouts, and I did horribly. The bullying got worse, and my dad was pissed at me-"

"Shit, dude, I-I-I'm sorry-"

"I'm not finished...I thought I was done for, but my old roommate, Mick, found out about what was going on, and he was so angry. He couldn't believe that his teammates would be so cruel, and he couldn't believe none of the teachers did anything. To their defense, I don't think they noticed. Therefore, he wanted to take revenge in his own hands, and consequently, everyone in the school found out. I was so embarrassed, and I was terrified everyone was going to think I was a pussy or something-"

Fabian put his finger up to shut Eddie up before he could interrupt again. Eddie laughed quietly, and muttered, "Sorry, It's just weird to hear you say 'pussy'. It's weird to hear you cuss in general."

Fabian rolled his eyes, "Will you let me finish? After Mick's rampage, nobody bothered me again. Eventually, I started to make friends, and people respected me. I know how it feels when the whole school is against you. You feel like you can't trust anyone, and you feel so alone. You retreat into your head and anxiety takes over. You hate waking up in the morning, and you wish something would just save you. All you want is a shoulder to cry on, but you can't allow yourself to ask for help because you don't know their intentions… I don't want you to pity me because I was a loser. But I do want you to come to me. You obviously need someone to talk to right now…"

Fabian trailed off as he looked down. Eddie glanced over to Fabian as he digested what his roommate just told him. There was a pregnant pause between the two teenage boys. Neither knew what to say as the uncomfortable silence dragged on. Eddie spoke up in a quiet voice.

"I'm kinda glad everyone knows, ya feel? I wish it wasn't like this. But I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I don't have this nervous feeling of people finding out or saying the wrong thing. I guess I just wish people didn't...care as much. I like my dad as much as they do. That's why I did all those pranks against him. Well, one of the reasons, but that's not the point. I just wanted him to notice me. I wanted him to care about me. Hell, they know more about my father than I do. Sure, he is my biological father, but in no way is he my..actual father. He has been more of a father to the kids here than he has to me."

Fabian glared at the floor after Eddie's confession. "They care because it makes them feel better," comforted Fabian.

"Well yeah, who can miss the chance of fucking with the principals son?"

"No, I mean, when they pick on you, they deflect from their own issues. Look at Alfie. Last year, Alfie had to lie to his father and act like an entitled jackass just so he could get his father's approval. When he makes fun of you, he makes him feel better about his own asshole father. Everyone who goes to this school has some sort of issues with their parents. Even if their parents are straight out of a parenting textbook, they hold resentment towards them for sending them here. Nobody likes to talk about it, but we all know it."

"The UK is fucked up, man."

Fabian gave Eddie a confused look as Eddie silently laughed.

"The UK is fucked up? A-A-And America isn't?"

Eddie burst out laughing, and soon Fabian joined in. The two boys laughed loudly before dying down into a lull.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. America is pretty fucked up, but the UK is just as bad.. but you were wrong about one thing. You aren't a loser, dude. To be fair, you aren't as cool as me, but who can be as cool as me? Regardless, you are still kinda cool."

"Oi, fuck off, Eddie!"

Fabian threw his pillow at Eddie's head as Eddie was roaring. Both boys looked at each other for a moment before being interrupted by Victor's voice, "It is 10 o'clock! You have 5 minutes precisely, and then I want to hear a pin drop!"

Eddie looked over to Fabian. "Well, night. Try not to wake me up when you go off to play your midnight game of hopscotch," he said, emphasizing hopscotch with a faux English accent.

Fabian mumbled him a goodnight and laid down. His mind drifted to sibuna. He didn't know how they were going to finish these tasks, but he knew they would. They would have to; there was no choice. As he got up to leave, he looked towards Eddie, who was now sound asleep in his bed. 'Patricia has good taste," thought Fabian before he left his room and headed upstairs.

[cookiedoughmeagain]

Haven DVD Commentary: 5.10 - Mortality

Commentary with Speed Weed (writer of the last episode) and Adam Higgs (writer of this episode)

AH: This was my first episode of Haven to write. It was a lot of fun. SW: Yeah you came in when we were already a couple of episodes into the season, and you just got up to speed so fast, it was really great. AH: It was a really nice room to come into, great writers, good people. So we changed the opening of this episode a lot. This fist scene of 5.10 was at one point at the end of 5.09, we had it further down near the end of act one at one point. [As we see Audrey driving] SW: There’s the Toyota integration AH: Yes, and a nice beauty shot of the Toyota there. So Audrey here is coming back from dropping off Hank SW: And Emily is talking here to Lucas Bryant’s wife, who did such a good job on the show [as Rebecca Rafferty] AH: I really wanted to start this episode with lots of tension. I thought Speed took us to a nice level, everyone’s against each other, there’s so much conflict going on, and I wanted to start this episode really hot and just push through. And keep raising the tension to be honest. SW: Yeah, and it ramps up very high, by the time we’re done.

AH: So, the fact that this contagion does set off Troubles like crazy, made this episode have some of the most Troubles SW: I don’t think we’ve ever had nearly as many Troubles on one episode as this one AH: I think we might have trumped it with our next pair of episodes, but up to this point it’s a record SW: And it was great to have your fresh blood in the room because, we sort of have this exhaustive pile, or what we thought was an exhaustive pile, of potential Troubles. And you had the challenge of having a bunch of little Troubles, or not little - they were big Troubles but we didn’t make big stories out of them. So you had to sort of ping them here and there; this Trouble’s happening, then this Trouble’s happening. And you did a really good job of getting a whole bunch of Troubles into one episode that we’d never seen before. We as a room had never talked about before. AH: it was a lot of fun. There’s a list for the room of Troubles that they wanted to have in previous episodes, but didn’t have enough context to tell a whole story around, so we were able to talk those dribs and drabs and mush them together to make one big story.

AH: Another nice shot of the inside of a Toyota there [as Charlotte puts the dashcam on.] And this is a nice little scene here, a bit of Haven meet-cute. SW: Yeah; for our first date we can go to a firing range and you can shoot me! Adam you wrote some scenes for Laura’s audition [Laura who plays Charlotte]. Was it a version of this scene? It was before we had actually gone to script on these episodes. AH: Yeah, there was a version of this scene, and then a version of another scene which is coming up later. So we got to hear her perform some of this in our audition.

SW: There was even an earlier version where Dwight’s last line in 5.09 was “I’m going to tell her [Charlotte] about the Troubles.

*both laughing at Mara and Duke’s first lines to each other* AH: I like the interplay between Duke and Mara SW: Yeah. AH: It’s nice to pair certain characters off together; Duke and Mara, Charlotte and Dwight. SW: It’s a big decision for Duke here, it alters the course of the entire season. AH: What a different show it would be if he was just like; Nope. And left Mara chained up for the rest of the season. And that nice sly smile from Mara there.

AH: So again a couple more Troubles here to demonstrate [the Guard member turning a banana ripe with her touch]. One of the things we wanted to do here was just really try to deal with the reality of what it would be like for a person of science to see the Troubles and really accept what it is. And so we see some push back, instead of how often on a show like this, or on this show, it’ll be like; I’m magic! And there’s just an acceptance right away. But we wanted to really push to see what it would take for someone to buy it.

[As Vince is talking to whichever public official it is in Bangor] AH: So here is Conrad Coates who I worked with on Republic of Doyle, it was fun to have him here for this storyline. We got to have Vince throw his weight around a bit, which I really enjoyed. SW: I love that he decided to wear a tie but keep the plaid shirt. AH: And I think Conrad is now on a sci-fi [SyFy?] show … I want to say Dominion I think he’s been cast in, as a new regular.

[As Audrey and Nathan are on their way to the cells to speak to Victor Kirby] SW: Here’s a story line that worked out very well, but I wish we’d had a chance to do your original - you were going to do a nod to Kristine … AH: Yeah so Victor Kirby who we’re about to meet, has a very different Trouble from what he originally had. We had planned to have him have the machine Trouble SW: Louis Pufahl’s AH: Right, machine man with the zamboni episode where machines fell in love with him and reacted accordingly. And Kirby was going to have a Kristine-like Trouble, but instead of the machines loving him, because he treated them poorly they were trying to kill him. So we had this wonderful sequence with a car chase and Nathan trying to take out the engine and stuff and it was great. We went pretty far on it; Rick, the director had it all story-boarded out, and then we ended up having to cut it. SW: It just proved too expensive in the end I think ,right? AH: Yeah, it was a cost issue. So we went and looked for a different curse for him to have. And one of the fun things here was to bring back something from a past episode. And the ability to see the future, in a way, was a fun one just to tease what’s going to happen. SW: Well the pay off is great. It did much more for the arc of the season than the Kristine one would have done. AH: Exactly, it did just fit into place a lot better. SW: Yeah; he sees Audrey’s death. AH: Vanessa Stanley’s Trouble. And it also reminds us of Duke’s experience of this Trouble in terms of the vision Vanessa had of the arm, which we’ll play on in episode 26.

AH: I love that little dog on Duke’s dashboard there. And again, it was such fun to write these scenes. Mara has such a different voice from a lot of the characters on the show. And again this is a really tense episode, the stakes are really high and she’s able to inject a bit of humour, a bit of fun. AH: And this was fun, getting to have Stan have a little interplay here with Eric. SW: Good old Glen Lefchak, such a nice guy. AH: So we’ve got a Victor Kirby and Stan the Man references, going back to my love of the printed form. So references to Jack Kirby, and then Stan Lee, for Duke’s “Stan the Man” line. I think that’s all I did in this one, sometimes in other episodes I’ll name everyone after a hockey or something, so I always try to have some kind of naming convention. SW: Oh that’s good, I’ve never done that.

[As Charlotte is looking through press clippings about gas leaks] AH: And again we’re trying to deal with the reality of it all. SW: Yeah, make Dwight earn it. AH: And it’s kind of fun to deal with the layers of it all. One of the things we haven’t talked about yet is how Vince and Dave have been using the paper to hide the Troubles, but now we’ve also got this character Peter Palek who’s been using information and data to hide the Troubles for years - his whole life basically.

[As we see the Troubled bear suit in the station] AH: I love this music, it’s such a great little cue. And it was great how well this bear curse lined up with what’s going on with Audrey. SW: Thematically with Audrey, right; her worries about is she just an empty suit like the bear AH: There’s some wonderful resonance there. And I like the interplay here with Nathan and Audrey too. It was fun in this season, and coming on board in this season, with the relationship between them being a bit more solid. It’s not a will-they-won’t-they thing, it’s more of a; We’re a couple and we’re in a relationship, and what is like when you’re in a relationship; how you protect each other, but can still give each other space, because you’re in that comfort zone of knowing that this is going to continue. You don’t have to always be buying flowers and dinners every night. Though I’m sure Nathan still does do that every night. SW: Oh, for sure. AH: And again there’s some call backs to previous Troubles there [as Nathan is mentioning douens and golems]. It was fun to come onto a show that has so much mythology and so many stories to highlight. And I think one of the goals for this season was just to lean into that a bit and make reference to where we’ve been and - [sentence cuts off abruptly, presumably as they go to the ad break]

AH: There’s Jayne [who plays Gloria]. I liked writing for her as well, she has an interesting role as a character where she can say some things that no one else gets to say. SW: Yeah, totally free of pretence

SW: It’s interesting about Audrey and Nathan’s relationship. It makes me think that in a lot of ways - I certainly hope the show comes back, but we were writing it to 5.26 imagining that it might not, and wanting to wrap it up in a satisfying way. And, as all shows do, or certainly supernatural shows as they age they become much more serialised, and you can see how much more serialised we’re getting here. And it allowed us to take Audrey and Nathan to a new level, because we didn’t have to build up from there. But if the show comes back, it will come back in a way from 5.26 that has to be reinvented; it coudln’t be the same show. The stakes get too big AH: Yeah we can’t just pick up from where 5.26 left; so much has changed, so much is different. SW: No, I mean, we bring in William Shatner, that’s now big it gets. The Captain himself.

AH: So again we’re ratcheting up the tension here SW: Yeah, if 5.09 was structured as a farce, this is structured as a disaster movie.

AH: It’s interesting, five seasons into a show, getting to see how characters grow and change. Like Speed was saying, it becomes more serialised. And just to see how far Dwight’s come since his first episode when he was a fixer in the background. SW: Yeah, huge change. AH: And he’s now in charge of the Guard, in charge of the police. He’s the hero of this town and he has to act like it. Big decisions, big pressure. SW: And we did that because he let us. He came out of wrestling, never really having acted before, and just did a phenomenal job. And every time we gave him a new inflection, he really delivered. So we really came to feel that there was nothing we could give him to do that he wouldn’t just hit out of the park, and he did. He has a long career in Hollywood if he wants it. AH: For sure.

AH: Now I don’t remember exactly what the combination is on this lock [on the safe in the police station with the aether in], but I do know it’s a Stephen King reference. And this was fun for me to write [as Mara and Duke hid under the desk when Dwight comes in]; inadvertent sexiness. And I’m sure it’s going to be OK that Mara knows the combination to the safe now. SW: She’ll keep it to herself. AH: Exactly, she’s a very private person.

AH: I like Conrad Coates’ wardrobe here; he’s rocking that yellow tie with the yellow shirt there. Very different palette. And these were some of the issues, you know that maybe somebody influenced a political campaign, the Troubles in other parts of the world besides Haven, when we came up with the idea of the shroud, this was an answer to what’s happening outside Haven with the Troubles.

AH: Peter Palek is named after a doctor friend of mine, a good friend of mine, Gary Palek. And I’ve named a couple doctors after him in various shows. And we looked at Contagion the movie to get some of this nice research - and then of course, looked it up. But this R0 stuff [that Peter is writing up on the blackboard in the morgue] SW: And the other source of information that we had that was very helpful in these two episodes, is Adam has a close relationship with an epidemiologist in Canada, right? AH: Dr David Kelvin, my girlfriend’s father, is one of those WHO (World Health Organisation) doctors who travels around the world. He’s in China right now actually, there’s a bad outbreak there. So, if it goes really bad, then sorry you’re listening to this at the end of the world, but enjoy! [I feel the need at this point to note this was being recorded in 2015] SW: I love that the dude has a farm in the middle of nowhere in Canada in an undisclosed location, and suggests that everyone have such a place for armageddon. AH: Well the scariest thing was over Christmas I was told to stock up on tamiflu. But he was a great resource for some of this information on how diseases travel and how a CDC doctor would react. And odd fact about him is he wanted to be a screenwriter when he was younger, and ended up becoming a doctor instead. SW: Oh really! You can shoot him a freelance someday.

AH: Oh here we go, this was the scene that I wrote for the audition [Charlotte telling Dwight about tearing her containment suit in the middle of an outbreak in the Congo]. And she nailed it then and she nails it here again. And those were really the first scenes I wrote for Haven, and Speed gave me really good notes on them. I have to give huge props, and it helped so much to get that out of the way before I got to write this episode. So thank you again Speed. And there’s a reference to Cake Lady again! We love cake lady [the woman who everything she touches turns to cake] SW: She comes back in 26 doesn’t she? AH: I think so. SW: I hope she does. I haven’t seen a cut of 26 yet. AH: I have yet to see it as well. There’s a lot of cameos in 26 though. SW: There are; a lot of people involved. All shot in Canada. AH: Really good work by the two actors there in this scene. And props to Rick, the director as well.

[As Dwight is talking to Kirk in the hospital] AH: So this was an interesting bit of casting here, where we had numerous different characters in this role and it ended up working really well because Kirk continues on in the next two episodes. SW: Very prominently, and we’ve seen him before. AH: We have, and this was a different Guard member for a couple of drafts; it kept changing. Very happy where we ended up though.

[As Mara watches Charlotte leave the lab] AH: Now for everyone at home who’s seen the next few episodes, this is a big moment for Mara. SW: Huge. AH: Huge moment. She just saw … somebody who she’s kind of related to

[As Nathan and Peter talk to Dwight about how Peter is the source of the contagion and we see him struggling to stay calm about it] SW: We’ve always been interested (since I’ve been on the show starting from the beginning of season four) in people that you can’t Trouble Whisper. Shernold and I wrote an episode, 4.12, about a Troubled baby; you can’t Trouble Whisper a baby. And Adam did a great job here with someone that you can’t Trouble Whisper because Troubles work on emotions and Peter Palek is Asbergers - we never quite say it but, AH: He’s on the spectrum SW: Right

AH: I remember this was a later addition, this oxygen Trouble [Kirk’s Trouble sucking the oxygen out of the room], and it worked really well SW: It worked really well. Though we went back and forth about how Duke could actually move when everyone else was down. I forget what we added; oh he’s a scuba diver AH: There’s a scene that was added where he gasps for air at the open window. But we had gone through a bunch of things.

SW: Different Troubles are different in our universe. If someone dies in the middle of expressing a Trouble, some people the Trouble dies with them, other people it can live past them. We think it makes sense. AH: I think so. It was interesting coming on to the show because everything is well thought out. Nothing is random. There’s so much logic behind everything. The history of Troubles of how everything happened in previous episodes is all thought about, nothing is discarded, everything has to line up. And it was interesting to come on board and find how to tell these stories within those margins and those rules. Which I thought made for better stories.

AH: Now Nathan here is not remembering what you learn on an airplane that you should put the oxygen mask on yourself first. SW: He isn’t, but there was only one. He had to put it on his beloved.

AH: So here’s Duke taking a big breath out the window before he goes inside the hospital SW: His pearl diving. For black pearls.

AH: I love the shaky camera work here [to show the lack of oxygen]. Really good work by Rick. SW: Absolutely. I wonder how he shot that; is that a Go Pro on her chest? When you see their arms in front. AH: I think you’re right I think it would have to be. SW: Rick our director was a camera operator and then a DP and then a director, and you can really see that the camera work is just exceptional.

[As Peter is talking to Duke with Mara outside the hospital] SW: This ability of Duke’s has been quite the story engine for us over the years. It’s a real curse, to get a great benefit from killing somebody. What do you do? It’s a moral dilemma of the highest sort. And we’ve done a lot of flavours on it, but we hadn’t done this yet, where Mara forces the issue. Super cool, you did a really good job on this Adam. AH: And that ability, the fact that Duke is special, that Duke is different from everyone else, really builds for the end of this season and then even into the next SW: Much more so for his finale, so to speak AH: I really liked this a lot how all of the Troubles aren’t just powers they are actually curses, things you wouldn’t want to have. And they’re emotional, everything is routed in emotion, and there are places for the characters to go because of that.

AH: So there was originally an additional scene. This [where Dwight wakes up on the lab floor and Charlotte finds him] was not initially the last scene between Dwight and Dr Cross here, we went further on the first draft of this episode where they actually kiss. SW: Oh I had forgotten that. We just have to wait until 5.11 I guess right? AH: It might be 5.12 I think. But it would have been too fast to have it here. It was a great choice to wait. And the chemistry between Audrey and Nathan here is great. I loved writing them as a couple.

Nathan, on screen; “Things are finally starting to look up.” AH: Oh, can’t have that, things can’t go too well in Haven. Audrey; *coughing fit*

AH: And it was fun to tidy up this episode with all these little coda scenes at the end because  there’s just so much more coming. SW: And I just love this scene Adam [Mara talking to Duke in the front seat of the landrover], really, it’s the kind of emotional scene that we don’t get to do too often. It’s very real. It takes a supernatural thing where he had to kill this guy, and talks about the manipulation behind it. AH: It was interesting, I do believe personally from a writing standpoint that with Mara there is some honesty here. There is some truth in what she’s saying. SW: Yeah. AH: This isn’t just her trying to trick somebody. And that’s a fun device too, of Mara knowing everything that Audrey did, having all of Audrey’s memories. It’s a really unique way of utilising a character when you can flip their perspective completely and you still have all of that context. Mara, to Duke; “We’re on our own.” AH: It’s fun to think of this through the filter of what Mara just saw, seeing her mom.

[danrdarrenc]

5 Christmases + 1 Christmas Eve

2019

Will blinked awake to the early morning sun streaming through their window. Sonny’s arm was draped over his waist, his body a warm weight against Will’s back. Will turned carefully so as not to wake Sonny and smiled softly at his sleeping husband.

“Morning,” Sonny mumbled, half-asleep.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Will whispered.

Sonny smiled slowly and opened his eyes to look at Will. “I’m certain a little monster is going to wake us any second.”

Will huffed out a laugh and brushed his lips against Sonny’s before snuggling closer so they were nose-to-nose.

Sure enough, a minute later, the door opened and the bed bounced with the weight of a seven year-old.

“Daddies, wake up! It’s Christmas!” 

Will and Sonny laughed together and let Ari drag them out of bed and downstairs to see what Santa brought her.

* * * * * * 

2021

Sonny woke to the first rays of sunlight peeking through the slats in their bedroom shades. Will was sleeping peacefully next to him, their faces a breath away. Their legs were twined under the sheets and the hands in between them were brushing. Sonny lifted his other hand to trace lightly over Will’s face. 

This past year had been nothing short of a roller-coaster of emotions: the divorce; finding out Maggie had been the one responsible for Adrienne’s death and that Victor had framed Will for it; Will being released from prison; Will insisting that Sonny be happy with Evan (”What happened will never go away, Sonny! It doesn’t matter that I didn’t do it!”); Sonny insisting that Will not being responsible did make a difference (”Of course it matters, Will!  All the reasons you gave me for not being together don’t exist anymore!”); them getting back together on their anniversary (”Husbands for life, remember?” Sonny asked before kissing Will senseless); their third - and final! (or so Sonny hoped) - wedding in August on the anniversary of Will getting his memories back. 

And now they were here, in their own apartment, settled again, and happy.

“I can hear you thinking,” Will said, popping open an eye to look at Sonny.

“Sorry,” Sonny said with a cheeky grin. “I didn’t mean to wake you. You looked so peaceful.”

“What were you thinking about?” 

“Everything that happened this year.”

Will blinked fully awake and his hand found Sonny’s under the sheets. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They kissed lazily for a long time.

“It’s so quiet,” Will whispered.

“That’s what happens when there’s no almost nine-year old monster in the house on Christmas.”

Will grinned.  They had dropped Ari (and all the presents for her) off with Gabi and Stefan after the Horton tree trimming the night before. She had spent Christmas with them for the past few years (just Sonny, last year); she had asked to be with her mom this year and they readily obliged. 

“What do you want to do today?” Sonny asked. 

“Can we stay in? Or do we have go to your family?”

“Staying in sounds like the best Christmas ever,” Sonny answered, kissing Will again.

After sleeping another couple of hours, Sonny made them pancakes and they exchanged their gifts for each other (a new watch [Will’s was lost in the accident] and journal for Will, and new gloves [Sonny’s were hopelessly worn out] and new pages for their photo album for Sonny). 

Together they opened their families’ presents: from Eric and Nicole they received a framed photo of a quiet moment between them from their wedding that they hadn’t known he’d captured; Sami, Lucas, and EJ had jointly sent them Italian chocolates and two expensive bottles of wine; Justin had bought them season tickets to the Cubs home games; John and Marlena had bought them the stereo system they were missing; Kate gifted them a weekend at the Green Mountain Lodge; and Arianna had drawn them a picture of the three of them and a puppy (her way of telling them she wanted a dog) and bought each of them matching pens with her allowance money.

When they finished with all their presents, they settled on the couch under a fuzzy, warm blanket, with cups of hot chocolate in their hands, and spent the rest of the day watching silly Christmas movies and snacking on the Italian chocolate and popcorn.

* * * * * * *

2023

Will, Sonny, and Ari strolled through the Christmas market in Switzerland, Ari carefully cradling a cup of hot chocolate as she perused the stalls.  They’d already purchased three bags full of jewelry, tchotchkies, and various gifts for Gabi, her grandparents, and great-grandparents.

This Christmas they had decided to take Ari to visit Sami, Lucas, EJ, the twins, and Sydney, and follow through on visiting the European markets they had talked about so long ago. They were also going to stop by Carrie and Austin (who had reunited) and Noah while they were in Switzerland.  It was to be their last trip out of Salem for a while, with the babies due to be born in February.

“Daddy! Can I go on the carousel?!” Ari asked, looking up at Will. At almost eleven, she was in ways both very much a teenager and still a kid.

“Sure, Little Lady,” Will said. He still used the old endearment whenever possible, certain she wouldn’t tolerate it much longer.

She grinned, handed Sonny her empty cup, and ran to the carousel.

Sonny laughed, linked his fingers with Will’s, and together they followed Ari to the carousel to pay for her ride. 

* * * * * * * 

2024

Their first Christmas with the twins was chaotic.  It started when Ari grumbled to get out of bed early, even though she was excited to open presents (although she would never let on that she was, she was too old now).  Then it took them an extra hour to get out of the house with two ten-month olds and a pre-teen than it normally would have and they had four different places to hit before they could collapse back home.

Their first stop was the Kiriakis mansion to visit Justin, Maggie, Victor, and Sonny’s brothers who had surprised them all for coming to Salem for Christmas this year. They had planned on only staying an hour but Maggie had insisted they stay for tea.

So an hour behind schedule, they headed to the Brady Pub to visit Roman, Kayla and Steve, Stephanie, who had also come to Salem for the holidays, Hope, and Shawn, Belle, and Claire, who had been released from Bayview the previous year.  At the Pub, they ate lunch, and the twins fell asleep in their carriage.

With the twins still asleep, and bellies full, they made a pit stop at Kate’s apartment, where they made up some time, managing to stay only a half an hour with the excuse that they had dinner plans and still needed to see John and Marlena. It wasn’t a complete lie as their dinner plans were with John and Marlena, but Kate didn’t need to know that.

The babies woke up crying somewhere between Kate’s apartment and John and Marlena’s townhouse, so they lost time again as they had to stop to soothe them.  Eventually, with one baby in Ari’s arms and one in Sonny’s, and Will pushing the now empty carriage, they rang the doorbell to the townhouse.

Brady greeted them with his four-year old daughter on his hip. 

As they were pulling off their coats and scarves, Paul appeared from the kitchen with his new husband, followed by Claire, Belle, and Shawn, who had beaten them to the townhouse from the Pub.  John and Marlena appeared shortly after, hugging Will and Sonny and Ari and cooing at the babies.

An hour later, they sat down to dinner, Ari chattering away about the presents she received and loudly and pointedly about the ones she hadn’t. 

* * * * * * * *

2030

The Christmas before Ari’s nineteenth birthday she didn’t spend in Salem. Johnny, Allie, and Sydney had decided to spend the two weeks covering Christmas and New Year’s in Aruba and Ari had cajoled Will, Sonny, and Gabi into letting her go with them. Allie had promised Will that they wouldn’t let Ari drink (”Will, Dad is an alcoholic and I’ve had more than my share of days clinging to a toilet bowl.”), but he knew in his bones that Ari would have a drink at some point during the trip. 

“I have to give Ari credit though,” Sonny said after getting off the phone with her on Christmas morning.  “In all the times we’ve spoken to her, she’s never sounded even tipsy.”

“Should that worry us?” Will asked on a laugh. 

“No. I don’t think so. Ari’s a good girl. She’s not a partier,” Sonny said seriously. “I think I’m more concerned about her switching a paternity test or something.”

Will howled with laughter and the twins appeared from their bedroom to see what the commotion was.

* * * * * * * *

+ 1

2040

After Julie passed away earlier in the year, Doug already passed two years before, Jennifer had offered the Horton house to Will and Sonny. With Chad, Abby, Thomas, and Charlotte permanently living in Paris, and JJ in London, Jack and Jennifer had decided to relocate to Paris to be closer to their family.  Because the apartment was feeling crowded with two teenage boys, and because Arianna was now married with a baby on the way, Will and Sonny thanked Jennifer profusely and accepted the deed to the Horton house.

And so it was their first year hosting the annual Horton tree trimming. 

“Adam! Make sure the boxes of ornaments are down from the attic!” Will called from the kitchen where he was checking on Sonny’s cookies. 

Adam huffed and begrudgingly put down his book to trudge up the stairs to the attic.

“Chris, can you help me with the tree?” Sonny asked, struggling. Chris jumped off the couch to help position the tree in front of the window.

“How does it look?” Sonny asked Will who appeared from the kitchen. 

“Looks great,” Will said with a smile.

Chris and Sonny high-fived as Adam came back downstairs, the two boxes of ornaments in his arms.

“Thank you,” Will said, as the doorbell rang. 

“I’ll get it!” Chris announced. A minute later he came back into the room with Ari and her husband, Jake.

“Dads!”

“Ari!” “Sweetpea!” Will and Sonny exclaimed at the same time. 

“Merry Christmas, Dads,” Ari said, enveloping them both in a hug. “Merry Christmas, squirt,” she said to Adam, ruffling his hair as she passed behind the couch where he was sitting, reading again.

“Ugh!”

Ari giggled as he fixed his hair. 

“Who else is coming?” Ari asked Sonny as the doorbell announced another group of Hortons.

“Where are my favorite grandchildren?” Lucas called from the foyer. He, Sami, EJ, Johnny, Allie, and Sydney had all come in for Christmas. They were seeing Sami, EJ, Johnny, Sydney and their respective wives (Sydney had come out to the family as bisexual three years ago) at the Brady Pub tomorrow for Christmas. 

“Hi, Grandpa,” Ari said softly, who was the first to reach Lucas. “Merry Christmas, Aunt Allie.” 

“Merry Christmas,” Adam mumbled into Lucas’ hug. Allie laughed under her breath as she received the quickest hug in existence from Adam.

“Merry Christmas, Grandpa, Aunt Allie,” Chris said cheerily.

Jennifer, Jack, Abby, Chad, and the kids were the next to arrive, followed closely by Hope and Ciara.  Eli and Lani came next, toting their baby daughter, Violet, who was named for Eli’s mother who had passed away last year. Maggie and Sarah were the last to arrive just as Will was passing around Sonny’s cookies fresh out of the oven, and eggnog. 

“Before we hang the ornaments, I just want to thank everyone for coming,” Will said. “I know this year has been rough for some of us, but it’s also brought us some joy, I hope. I, um, I know living here, and hosting this party has a long tradition and is a lot to live up to. But I hope that we can do justice to Gran and to Doug and Julie, and Aunt Jennifer, of course.  So Merry Christmas and let’s decorate this tree!”

They all cheered and clinked glasses, and Will started the tree trimming by hanging Tom and Alice’s ornaments right at the top of the tree under the star.

[fly-pow-bye]

ThunderCats Roar - “The Horror of Hook Mountain”

Co-Executive Producer: Victor Courtright

Supervising Producer: Nate Cash

Producer: Marly Halpern-Graser

Story by: Joan Ford

Teleplay by: Eric Knobel

Directed by: Jeremy Polgar

There is a horror in this one...but is it the episode itself?

Our journey begins with Tygra taking Lion-O on a hike for him to learn one of the many, many lessons he needs to learn to become a good Lord of the ThunderCats. One of them happens to be climbing the titular Hook Mountain, which is both terrifying and super cool according to Lion-O. Tygra had to admit that he is right with the latter, though not with the same definition of "cool".

Lion-O: Good thing we got our booties!

Don't worry, he means boots. Really really tiny boots that would not protect him from absolute zero, but boots nonetheless. Cold temperatures aren't the only danger, either, as this mountain has super avalanches, trick snow floors, and lethal stabby ice canyons! Yes, that is exactly how Tygra puts that last one; I could imagine he has to lower his vocabulary to a level Lion-O could understand, but it could be more for the sake of having a running gag where he constantly calls stalagmites "stab canyons."

Treading this mountain would require a leader that can trust his teammates, and, for Lion-O's lesson, Tygra decides to have him do the classic trust exercise. Even before Tygra could even explain what a trust exercise even is, Lion-O reveals that he does know and decides to fall so Tygra can catch him.

Unfortunately, he takes it too far by falling from a very high part of the mountain right on top of a bunch of hungry pterodactyls who just say "yum, yum, yum, yum", which he managed to climb off-screen with the power of cartoon logic. This episode definitely establishes which one of these guys is the straight man. We get to see Lion-O seemingly falling to his death, while Tygra rushes around, tiring himself out.

All of that just for this rather poorly drawn reaction with maybe a little too much attention on the booty. Here, I really do mean posterior! In the name of trust, he decides to trust Tygra's training on this leader stuff, and he starts climbing the mountain with a sentence that shows his confidence as a trusting leader.

In the middle of that sentence, we see Lion-O and Tygra struggling to get up the mountain, as even Lion-O realizes his little booties and cape aren't enough for him to survive the cold atmosphere. They do find a cabin, and Tygra, being the more down-to-Earth fellow, decides to ponder about whether they should trust. Of course, Lion-O decides to take out his Claw and shoot a grappling hook towards the door. Why didn't he just use the Claw Line to climb the mountain? They actually have Tygra ask that question, and Lion-O just shrugs. See kids, we know we're being stupid!

Lion-O sleeps on the snugly bear rug, kind of like, well, a cat. Tygra, without much hesitation, decides to sleep in the bed. It's almost as if Tygra knows he's being forced to do something that would most likely lead to him getting eaten by whatever creature owns this house by the script. He is tired, but still.

The next morning, we get a reason to use that classic "dun dun dun dun" cue, and surprisingly, they didn't even use it until now. They did not even use it for the minute long trust exercise gag! Okay, maybe it wasn't a minute long, but it felt that long. That "dun dun dun dun" was for the reveal that a yeti owns this cabin, and in what horrifying way is this yeti going to greet his unwanted guests?

Yeti: (singing) 1, 2, good morning to you!

It turns out that this yeti seems to be a nice guy, and actually likes having visitors around. He introduces himself as Snowman and also introduces his pet sabretoothed cat, Snowmeow! They also really like to people-watch any people that come to their home to sleep, which gives Tygra more of a reason to not trust them. There's a few more things here and there that could raise his suspicion, namely that aforementioned bear rug suggesting he may hunt, but that's the big one.

Speaking of that rug, Tygra tries to alert Lion-O about that suspicious guy who likes to stare at people, who is still resting on it. They decided to have the all important detail of Lion-O farting as soon as he gets up, complete with a fart cloud coming out of him, because...I have no idea.

Of course, as a good leader who is following Tygra's lessons, he decides to blindly trust this man and his wild cat. Lion-O does get horrified by the snow cat, but only because this cat is nude. This is an obvious joke on how this bipedal cat is reacting to a regular cat. One interesting reference that pops up from this is that he pulls out a spare outfit, and it happens to be an outfit with an abdominal opening like the original Lion-O's.

Tygra is none too happy about this blind trusting, and tries to literally carry Lion-O out of the house.

Namely, as soon as he reaches for the door, a bunch of steel bars pop out of nowhere.

Snowman: You're not going a-ny-where!

It's here where one might expect the obvious twist: that this guy is probably Mumm-Ra in another one of his many disguises. But no, he has a different reason to trap them. As a spider crawls out of his fur just to make him seem more gross, another way to get people to believe Tygra's side of the story, he tells them that it isn't safe out there, because of...

Snowman: The Sparkle-Maw!

I'm certainly sparing the readers all of the wacky close-ups this episode has, because there's a ton of them. In this episode, they outnumber the "dun dun dun duns", which is kind of an accomplishment. He then talks a little history about this Sparkle-Maw, including how it is able to camouflage itself, and that it ate all of his friends. He slowly looks at the one photo of his blizzard buds with tears in his eyes, only to be interrupted by a smoke alarm.

Snowman: Oopsy-poopsy! Bacon's burning! (throws possibly only picture of his friends out of frame, presumably breaking it)

Wow, everyone just doesn't really respect their fallen friends in this series, do they? Whether it be Jaga just shrugging off the destruction of his planet with a "oh, everything splodes someday!", or Snowman just throwing away what is probably a sentimental photo. I get that they're trying to subvert our expectations, but it does take a bit of weight from this.

Tygra doesn't believe him, because, even in this weird world where pterodactyls still exist, there seems to be a man for every type of animal, and the unicorns roam free, he just knows the Sparkle-Maw isn't a real creature. Knowing Lion-O must see through this as well, he tells him to use the Sword of Omens, but Lion-O doesn't want his friends eaten by that Sparkle-Maw, and decides, as a good leader, that he will trust everything this man says. Tygra tries to clarify he didn't mean blindly trust, but the smell of pterodactyl bacon just can't be resisted.

A long time seemingly passes, with Tygra writing in his journal about how unbearable it is that he still hasn't figured out Snowman's horrible plan as he stares at him passing along a ball of yarn with the two other cats in the room, Lion-O included in that. There's a lot of jokes about how they're cats, and they're not particularly cringe-worthy.

That long time turns out to be 375...unbearable...minutes, and I could just imagine Tygra actually counting the seconds in his second, scratching a number with his claws on the wall, as Snowman, his pet, and his other guest remains blissfully unaware. Either Tygra is gradually going nuts, or he's reacting like anyone should when almost everything else seems to add up to a Hansel and Gretel situation. Then again, he did climb into a stranger's bed, he can't be that sensible.

Tygra does get an idea based on Snowman's love of playing games: a game of Thunderian Picture Guess. It's like Pictionary, minus any royalties to Mattel. Since Snowmeow can't talk, and Snowman seems to only see everything as the Sparkle-Maw, Tygra draws something he really wanted Lion-O to say: "lightning purr shovel." At least, that was one of Lion-O's guesses.

Lion-O eventually gets the right answer, "thunder thunder thunder thundercats hoe", which ends up causing the sword to shine through the cabin and right into the Cat's Lair's disco ball. We got to see what they were doing throughout the episode: watching an apparently boring cooking show that only Panthro was interested in. I was kind of worried this would lead nowhere, as if a ThunderCats Roar could fail if they're merely bored. However, they do decide to go after it anyway, though it's suggested that WilyKit is just going with it because the show was just so boring. It's a little more justified than a similar scene in one of the earlier episodes.

Lion-O and Tygra look out the window, and Tygra uses this as proof that there's no Sparkle-Maw out there, as he just sees the ThunderCats in their Thunder Tank, and a bunch of spiders that came out of nowhere.

These must be those Sparkle-Maws Snowman was talking about. He tells Snowman that he should trust him and his teammates, and he eventually decides to let him free, telling him that he's going to miss him. Lion-O valiantly runs forward...far away from the Sparkle-Maws, leaving everyone else to do all the dirty work. From what I've seen in the original, this isn't too far off so far.

We get our higher-budget fight scene here, and I'd put it somewhere in the middle. The animation is above-average, and while there's not as many clever uses of weapons as, say, Boggy Ben, it's doesn't feel like an afterthought either. It's also not one-sided, as the Sparkle-Maws manage to trap them with their big claws.

Thankfully, Lion-O seemingly running away turns out to be a strategy that ties in with one of the first jokes in the episode. Here's a hint: it's almost as long, and it's kind of silly. Also, the Snowman eventually joins the fight, too, getting over his fears and trapping one of the Sparkle-Maws with his net gun. That seems like a good bit of progression with his character, though there might be more to it than that.

In the end, Lion-O reveals that Tygra messing up big time has led him to learn the importance of trust, and Tygra just kind of accepts it. Honestly, the real lesson should have been that Tygra shouldn't have been so prejudiced against yetis, but maybe leaving that unstated is a good thing.

Most importantly, Lion-O gets to celebrate that they defeated the Sparkle-Maws. Sure, he was talking about THE Sparkle-Maw rather than a bunch of them, those spiders didn't really have any camouflage abilities, and those spiders didn't really have anything sparkling on them nor did they have particularly big mouths, but maybe that was just him embellishing the monster...right?

Pretty much every episode of ThunderCats Roar ended in a way where everything went back to normal, and this episode is an outlier. It's strange because there's no other episode that ends like this yet. One will see what I mean.

How does it stack up?

I didn't really have too much to say about this episode, but not much to complain about, either. Well, except for maybe the overuse of exaggerated, but that's kind of the norm for the series.

I'm going to put this whole episode in the middle. Not great, not terrible. Three cats.

Next, this show with messy animation gets literally messy!

← Lost Sword 🐈 ThunderSlobs →

[mashitandsmashit]

America’s Got Talent: Season 14 - Judge Cuts 4

Alright, let’s get this over with...

Easily the most underwhelming show of the round...Even Jay Leno didn’t look very excited to be there...He didn’t seem very invested in what he was talking about and just mumbled it in his signature Porky Pig voice...Pretty disappointing for such a big personality! When Brad Paisley is the best guest judge of the round this season, you know you need to step it up next year!

But most importantly, none of the acts really excited me either...Granted, I have no arguments with who made it (which is saying something since four of them are singing acts), but there was nobody who stepped it up to the point that I’m going to remember them into the next round...But I guess that’s what happens when Berywam, ADEM, Marcin and LBK are all used up by the last week...

I guess the most unfortunate casualties for this week were SOS, Trigger, Callie Day, Dominguez Poodles, and I was curious to see more of Victor Moiseev’s performance, since it went by so fast that it took me a moment to realize it wasn’t a flashback to his audition that we didn’t see...That said, I won’t exactly be mourning any of them either...

And I DEFINITELY won’t be mourning Jonathan Burns or Kara with a K after showing how useless and annoying they truly can be! I mean, Burns probably just got pressured by the producers to do something pointless, but Kara, MY GOD! I can see now that she’s the type who just won’t shut up and insists on being the center of attention! Even in the Youtube promo showing all the acts just standing there doing a pose in slow-motion, she was the only one moving around, shaking her hair like a diva just to be silly...I am glad that they silenced her, and they better not bring her back as a Wildcard!

So let’s move on to the ones that matter...

7: Benicio Bryant. Well, as usual, I must give props for writing his own song...That said, it didn’t give as much opportunity to show off his range as what he covered in the auditions, and the result was an adequate voice singing a rather humdrum song...He might have backed himself into a corner by reaching the original song phase so early...

6: Jackie Fabulous. As I believe I’ve heard Howie say to Vicki Barbolak last year, being a good comedian is not just saying funny things, but saying things funny...Allow me to use that as criteria for Jackie: Her jokes here were actually pretty funny! But my issue with her is that she kinda stays on the same tone of voice, and in effect, it made them a little LESS funny...A good comedian commands your attention with all of their vocal progressions; That’s something I think Ryan Niemiller pulls off very well! My ADD kinda kept tuning out a bit from her, and that’s not the best sign...I see promise in her, but if only one comedian’s going to make the final round this year, I see Ryan as the more likely and deserving candidate...

5: Voices of Service. Not much to say; Still some solid harmonies, and we even got to hear more from the big guy! Nonetheless, the lady’s still the leader here...

4: Marina Mazepa. I will admit, I kinda forgot about her audition for the most part, and it took me until her appearance this time to remember that her gimmick is being weird and creepy...At the very least, this is a pretty effective way to make a contortion act interesting, and I shudder to think of what she’s gonna do in the next round...But in a good way!

3: Emanne Beasha. I guess I can appreciate this act a little more when the song choice is one that I’m NOT sick to death of...yet...So I’ll take a slightly more fair look at this girl, as she probably is the best of her kind since Jackie Evancho (and the cutest since Jackie as well). So...uhhh...she’s really good for her age, and...Well, to be honest, Simon kinda summed up my frustration with these kinds of kids when he talked about how she just had a natural gift...And yes, she does...ALL of these opera girls do! And because of that, they don’t really need to do much other than pick from a VERY narrow selection of arias and perform it, and the judges and audience will all love them for it! This is kinda why in the Final Four of Season 5, Jackie was actually my LEAST favorite to win, because she was surrounded by who appeared to be seasoned professionals, whereas all she needed to do was stand there and sing in her angelic voice, and she would be put on some kind of pedestal over these other acts who worked hard to get that far! (Keep in mind, Jackie wasn’t even a contestant until the notorious Youtube show!) But back to Emanne: She’s really good! I have no real arguments with her getting the Golden Buzzer! It just frustrates me that girls like her don’t really have to do much to be put on a pedestal and pushed all the way to the end of the game...That said, if she did all of her performances while holding her stuffed unicorn, and maybe an ice cream cone from her parents’ shop (though not lick it until the very end of the set as the dairy would mess with her voice), then sign me up!

2: Charlotte Summers. Comparing her and Emanne is like comparing apples and oranges; They’re both great singers in unique ways...But like I just said, Emanne makes it look effortless, whereas Charlotte clearly puts work into sounding and commanding the stage like she does! Also, Charlotte is her own thing, whereas Emanne is, like, the dozenth of her kind we’ve seen on this show...All I’m saying is, Charlotte TOTALLY should have gotten the GB!

1: Eric Chien. I guess it’s bias why I’m putting Eric at the top of this list, but in terms of who in this episode I would see in Vegas, he’s my pick! As Howie pointed out, Shin Lim set a VERY high bar over the last year, and this guy still hasn’t even APPROACHED the level he was at! Granted, Shin didn’t excite me at first either, but looking back, he did start at a higher level than this guy is at now...But enough about last year’s winner, as I don’t want Eric to go on as “the guy following Shin Lim’s footsteps”. This was still a pretty good trick, but there were no big surprises this time (perhaps aside from making an ink stain magically appear on Leno’s hand...and Leno not going Corleone in response!) I’d actually say his audition was better...But I guess he has several more rounds to prove himself...Some people have linked videos of other tricks he did and use them for arguments on why he’s even BETTER than Shin Lim, so I’m curious to see those tricks in later rounds...

Aaaannnnd, the Judge Cuts have ended with a whimper! Oh, wait, that’s Jay Leno trying to speak...

I’ll be back later to predict how next week’s show’s gonna go down, though we already know one act who’s DEFINITELY going to make it...Look at the line-up and you’ll know who I’m talking about...

For now, let’s predict who the Wildcards will be: At the top of my list is Matthew Richardson, who both the judges and audiences alike felt great sadness to see leave so soon...He didn’t impress me that much, but I still see some potential and wouldn’t mind him coming back...

Other candidates include (but I guess aren’t limited to) The Sentimentalists, Lamont Landers (please, no), Gingzilla, ADEM Show, Verba Shadow, Revolution, Ansley Burns (again, rather not), Edson & Leon, Melissa Arleth, Dominguez Poodles, Ben Trigger, and...Jordan Ravi? Nah, if he mattered that much, we would have seen him in the auditions...Right?

And then we have acts that were dropped somewhere between the judges saying yes in the audition, and the actual next round...IDEGO fits the mold after the other acts of this nature from the last two seasons involved advanced technology and special effects as well, but I don’t think they intended anything other than testing their technology on Howie Mandel, and the AGT auditions seemed about as good a place to get the opportunity as any...So I for one don’t think they should come back...Human Fuse on the other hand seems worth giving one more performance to, even though I know he’s not advancing any farther than that...

Those are my guesses...And now, I shall follow the tradition I set last year, and pick my own personal Golden Bu-It’s Marcin! Surprise, surprise!

However, there is one NEW tradition I would like to introduce this year, and that is giving my co-commentator, frankensteindr, the opportunity to select HIS own Golden Buzzer act! Just remember the rules: It has to be someone who has already advanced to the live shows by traditional means! It can’t be an act that was eliminated, it can’t be a wildcard, and it can’t be anyone who already HAS a Golden Buzzer (which includes Marcin since I got first dibs on him...because it’s my blog, nyah-nyah).

I guess you could say you’re getting the table scraps of MY table scraps, but let’s be real here, there are always a couple acts in the live shows that deserved a GB more than most of the ones that DID get it, so you still got some good choices (and I already have two or three guesses on who it could be). Choose well!

And with that, I’ll see you all (or one) later with my predictions for next week!

[kiss-my-freckle]

Katarina Rostova wasn’t just a mother. She was a wife, a mistress, a daughter, a friend, a KGB agent, and if still alive - is a grandmother. She's been in the show since the pilot, threaded in more character stories than people realize. 

An episode-by-episode list of Katarina & Masha Rostova.

Rostova: Season One

Pilot -

Gender neutrality was shown from the very beginning. Not just in dialogue, but in the t-shirt Tom was wearing as well as their adoption storyline "It's a girl."

Tom: For the field trip Air and Space or the D.C. Zoo? Liz: The zoo’s gender neutral.

We were introduced to Katarina Rostova through Red's dialogue.

Red: Abandoned by a father who was a career criminal, a mother who died of weakness and shame.

And Masha Rostova through Beth Ryker.

Liz: Your name’s Beth, right? Yeah? My name’s Beth too. I’m Elizabeth. My friends call me Liz, though. You can call me Liz if you want.

Both ballerinas.

Liz: When I was little, I loved ballet. Whenever I performed, I felt a presence.

Both children having their lives disrupted because they're in danger.

Red: Within the hour, Ranko Zamani will abduct the daughter of U.S. General Daniel Ryker.

Red: As I feared would happen, elements from Katarina’s past are circling Elizabeth like a pack of wolves in the night. I put Tom Keen in her life to keep an eye on her, and he married her. Kate: This isn’t about Tom Keen. It’s about your need for control. Red: Indeed. I need to control the danger to Elizabeth. I’ve built a vast criminal network predicated on that very principal. It’s time to live up to my mission statement.

With the presumed dead actually being alive.

Red: Then a dead man just stepped off United 283 from Munich to Dulles. Ressler: Listen up, people. The lab just pulled a latent print from the airline arm rest. Nine points of comparison. Zamani’s alive.

Liz and Beth Ryker, Zamani's daughter and son.

Zamani: This is about the children. Raymond, today on this day - I am giving their plague back to them.

The Freelancer -

This episode brought us Floriana Campo, mothers and their children.

Floriana: Do you have children, agent Keen? Liz: Uh, Elizabeth. And If all goes well - Floriana: There is no work more meaningful than being a mother. I didn’t have kids of my own. This is my one regret. But these girls that I’m trying to protect, they are my family.

Red: I think the assassin may have slipped her a lethal cocktail of the same barbiturates she uses to drug her children. She’s not the woman you think she is.

Wujing -

The Wujing - Katarina parallel, both spymasters regarded as a myth.

Liz: Do you expect me to believe that - a secret meeting with the mysterious Wujing? He's a myth.

Masik: I don’t think there are any photographs of Katarina Rostova. She’s a myth.

The Stewmaker -

Again, with the children.

Kornish: What about you? Are you a mother? Liz: No. Kornish: That’s good.

Soundtrack:

♪ See I left my mothers heart See I left my fathers home And I fell into a well of hope ♪

The Courier -

Liz: What is this place? Red: Something of a hideaway. It used to be home to one of the finest American writers who ever lived - Fredrick Hemstead. Liz: Never heard of him. Red: No, you haven’t. Nobody has. Dear Fredrick was waiting tables when we first met. Strange little man, built like a fireplug. He was living here with his mother until she died.

Gina Zanetakos -

This episode brought in the parallel between Tom and Katarina, which includes the murder case of an FSB agent named Victor Fokin.

Tom: And there’s - there’s passports with my face on it. And, uh - these names. Who the hell is Anton Pierre Louis?

Red: I knew her as Katarina Rostova. One of her many names.

Frederick Barnes -

This brings in the story of Mrs. Forrester's affair, like Katarina's affair with the real Red. Katarina allowing Constantin to believe Masha was his, like Mrs. Forrester leading her husband to believe Ethan was his. The real Red knowing he was Masha’s father, just as Frederick Barnes knew he was Ethan's.

Mrs. Forrester: Frederick is Ethan’s father. Liz: Does your husband know this? Mrs. Forrester: It just happened. I thought it was best for the family to keep the secret. Liz: Does Frederick know he’s Ethan’s real father? Mrs. Forrester: Yeah.

Liz redecorating, bringing in the grandmother. 

Tom: I like this one. Liz: Grandma’s Pumpkins? Tom: Grandma’s what?

The Takoma house scene brought in Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Górecki. The dominant themes of the symphony are motherhood and separation through war.

General Ludd -

The end of this episode gave us their swingset scene, which is current day Katarina and Masha - the "now" of their photograph in Red's flat.

The Good Samaritan Killer -

The Good Samaritan was a victim of his mother’s abuse.

Samaritan: I was a victim. My mother. She called it tough love. It was abuse.

In the opening of the episode, he killed Michael's mother for abusing him.

Meera: Michael’s mother was abusing him for years, and now she ends up dead.

Add in the DV victim, considering Red was shot and killed the night of the fire while assaulting Katarina.

The Alchemist -

Eric Trettel helped people disappear by faking their deaths. Bring in the wife and daughter. Trettel, a “bad man” like Raymond Reddington, willing to kidnap his wife and child.  

Mrs. Trettel: You shouldn’t be here. Eric is a very dangerous man. In his head, he thinks we’re still together, a family.

Anslo Garrick: Conclusion -

This episode gave us Mr. Kaplan's assumed gender.

Mr. Kaplan: What color is the sky? Liz: Red. You? You’re Mr. Kaplan?

The Cyprus Agency -

This episode brought us the adoption business to play in part with Liz being adopted by Sam, and the kidnapping of children tying in Masha's kidnapping.

Red: Lizzy, I’m giving you the chance to take down a criminal organization that is abducting babies from their mothers’ arms.

The victim they introduced in the opening scene was seeking out her child. Doesn't matter how she was conceived, that child was still hers.

Woman: My baby. Please. They have him. They - Please. My baby. They have - have him Please. Please. They - they have my baby. They took my baby. They took my baby. They - They took my baby. They have my baby.

Coincidentally, both children were kidnapped by the father.

Liz: Your legacy. You’re the father. The children brokered by the Cyprus Agency are yours.

Kate: So what he - he - he stole Masha to hurt you? Katarina: No, that’s not it. He thinks she’s his.

Five kidnapped women, all biological mothers having their children (27 total) given up for adoption without their consent.

Madeline Pratt -

This episode introduced us to Cooper's wife and children.

Red: I was just looking at the pictures of Charlene and the kids. How old are they now? The kids, not Charlene.

And Red's Bloody Christmas Eve story. No mention of a wife, just a female child.

Red: I can - I can still smell the nape of her neck, feel her little fingers on my cheek, her whisper in my ear.

The Judge -

This episode gave us Red's dialogue to Ruth, assumed to be a man.

Red: Think of him as a prisoner’s court of last resort.

Red: Of course. A woman.

As well as the dialogue from her victims.

Liz: Aram, the paper said Rifkin’s last words at his execution were “Good night, mother.” He said it to his spiritual adviser, Ruth Kipling. I just heard Hastings say it.

Mako Tanida -

Parallel of Ressler losing Audrey just as Katarina lost Raymond.

Audrey was pregnant, so she would've been a mother.

Scene cuts at the end flip between the ballet, Ressler, and Liz in the shower with Tom. Back to that dialogue from Liz in S5.

Liz: When I was little, I loved ballet. Whenever I performed, I felt a presence.

Red's scene with Christine.

Red: I’ll see you on the 22nd. And please send my thanks to your mother.

Ivan  -

This episode brought us Harrison Lee's grandmother, Ms. Lee.

Ms. Lee: A computer hacker? I can’t even set my thermostat without the help of my grandson. Ressler: Your grandson?

As well as the music box scene, which parallels Liz's scene in Gaia's episode.

Liz: You knew I’d find out the truth. And you wanted me - Red: To know that everything is going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.

Liz: I mean, that’s my one job - to protect my child. Make her feel safe at any cost. To hold her. To tell her everything’s gonna be okay. But now - because of me, because of what I’ve done, I can’t even do that.

Milton Bobbit -

This episode had Red "threatening" Craig Keen's mother at the art museum.

Craig: I don’t know what you think you’re gonna gain from all this, but I’m not gonna talk. I will die before I give you anything. If you so much as touch my mother -

The Pavlovich Brothers -

This episode brought us back to the Tom - Katarina parallel. Katarina marrying Constantin as a cover, Tom marrying Liz as a cover. Keen2′s scenes in this episode mirror Red and Kirk's torture scenes in 4x8.

Liz: Stop talking about your job! You, this. Everything was a lie! My life was a lie!

Red: You saw what Katarina wanted you to see. She lied to you about everything.

The Kingmaker -

This episode brought us the death of a wife and mother.

Liz: It must be difficult to see her so traumatized. Chandler: She’s heartbroken. Her mother was everything to her. She was everything to us both.

Berlin's episodes -

The death of Meera Malik, mother of two kids, a daughter and a son.

Red confirming for Liz that her father is dead.

Red: I’m telling you, with no uncertainty, your father is dead. He died in that fire.

Backstory characters in this season:

Sam Milhoan knew Katarina Rostova, but was not confirmed to know the real Reddington. Mr. Kaplan knew Katarina Rostova, but did not know the real Reddington. Alan Fitch, Harold Cooper, and Admiral Richard Abraham all knew the real Reddington - Katarina Rostova's lover and target. The big bad of this season was Berlin. He believed his daughter was killed by the real Reddington - our Red's assumed identity. Again ... Katarina's lover and target. 

[xxhanachanxx]

When it comes to shipping, am I the only person that’s like a die-hard fan for a ship yet my mind is not screaming that it needs to be canon? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for people wanting to see their two favorite fictional characters together as a couple; but then again I’m down with whether or not a creator/developer of a film, show, video game, book, etc. can confirm that a couple is canon. Though even if I can find that adorable, let me stick with any other aspects that I want to see in various outlets aside from romance. Or what I find better, for a fictional character I still want to think about portraying them as the way they’re originally portrayed. Sure that I understand that there are AU’s or any form of alternative just so we can make up anything about our precious OTP. Even though I’m all for anyone doing AU’s, sometimes I can’t help but to think that it would corrupt my head; but I’d like to do an AU one day! I’m usually a shipper that doesn’t think that my favorite pairings are the “oh-so perfect OTP and they need to be together forever”, because even for having a ship I do have other shippings that would involve the same character! So, this would probably be the longest text post I’ve ever wrote but at the same time a lot needs to be put down. And with some of the pairings that I will mention, maybe you would be familiar, maybe I’ll not mention your favorite OTP, but do take my conception in consideration!

So my first ship that I’m going to begin with talking about will be Moana x Ariel (or MoAriel). Do I ship them a lot? Well, I’m more in between with they could be great gfs or just best friends, but the way I see it is that they make great ocean buddies! So I cannot deny they’re cute! Do I want them to be canon? No, and here’s where I say that even if MoAriel is cute I still want my mind to be on the right path where I want to portray Moana and Ariel as the way they were originally portrayed in Moana and The Little Mermaid. For Ariel, I still need to keep in mind that she has Eric and Melody (idfc if I’m mentioning the shit sequel, it was one of my favorite direct-to sequels growing up k bye). I also like seeing Ariel and Eric together! Now with Moana, I just think she’s too good for a man and I’m not even headcanoning that she’s lesbian either. While we’re in the topic with the Disney Princesses as all of the news is spilling for Ralph Breaks The Internet, and as an avid LGBT supporter myself, it’s times that I couldn’t take a few people seriously to where they say that Merida, Elsa, Mulan, and many others are lesbian or bi. NOW DON’T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY! I’m all for seeing anything LGBT-related in animation, but sometimes I get a bit iffy on that issue with what will kids think of when they see it. I mean I understand that some people would say that it would mess the kids’ minds up. All I can think for now is that if I were to have kids, I would probably teach them about gay marriage not at a young age but maybe when they get older. I guess I’m that one LGBT supporter who can’t stand some of the SJWs… but hey, if people want to headcanon that they’re gay, well they can do them. I won’t stop them for that. Like for Merida, I’d still think she’s better off without a man but I won’t headcanon about her sexuality. For Elsa, like I get that people want her to be lesbian for the Frozen sequel, but I’d prefer wanting to know about the premise of the sequel more. And with Mulan, okay I get it that her outfit is dope and I’m all for her modern outfit. But I can’t have the mindset screaming “OMFG MULAN’S BI!” I believe that she’s a strong female warrior, and even I can’t help to think that she and Shang are great together! Okay now to get back and wrap up with MoAriel, I will say huge kudos for the shippers for making that happen. Like I can’t deny that it’s an amazing crossover between the land and the sea.

Alright, so another ship I’d like to talk about, and another same-sex ship, will be TwiDash (Twilight Sparkle x Rainbow Dash from MLP:FiM). Oh hey look, Imma throwback to one of my all-time favorite OTPs especially I happen to watch some of the old episodes again! Now let’s get to those 2 questions again: do I ship them a lot? I pretty much do, especially the fact that they happen to be my favorite ponies out of the Mane 6! Do I want them to be canon? No, and it’s not because that I think they should end up with stallions instead (and apparently, I don’t want to have those pairings be canon either!). Obviously RD is one of Twilight’s best friends, so I’d rather stick with whatever chemistry they have for each other! So because I have to bring up the fact that I also have pairings of Twilight and Rainbow with stallions, here’s what I need to say about that: Of course having TwiDash as one of my MLP OTPs, I happen to like SoarinDash and FlashLight (that’s Flash Sentry x Twilight Sparkle just to clarify in case if anyone gets mistaken for literally a flashlight; and yes, I like Flash try me bitch). And as a same-sex shipper, I’m not one for giving another character shit for getting in the way of the same-sex couples that I like. So as a TwiDash fan, I really don’t give flak on Flash if he were to get in the way (and Soarin’ too, I guess). Not even to mention that not only that I’ve had it with the Flash hate, it frustrates me to see some bronies/pegasisters making attack/kill art of him (I do have a vivid memory of seeing an art piece of Flash getting attacked by Trixie just bc the artist likes Twixie.). I mean I get that Flash doesn’t have that much character development (human or pony; in fact I’m more of a pony Flash x pony Twi shipper) aside from appearing near Twilight or Sunset Shimmer to where a lot of people scream “gary-stu” or “waifu stealer”, but I will say that I think Flash deserves better. Now I know saying this as a FlashLight shipper in where they don’t really interact with each other that much, I really couldn’t help myself thinking how cute they are together though. But then again, there’s more to MLP:FiM than just shippings! So to get back and wrap up with TwiDash, sure there’s nothing wrong with having other shippings with one of the same characters! Though at the same time, and just like I mentioned from my previous statement with MoAriel, I’m not headcanoning Twilight or Rainbow’s sexualities at all. So I’ll just let my imagination flow to wherever the hell it wants!

Okay let’s get into another of my favorite ship, and this time it’s a hetero ship, ShadAmy! Yay, time for another throwback to one of my favorite Sonic ships! Though I will get into a later topic that’s kinda like the topic with me as a TwiDash fan and not giving Flash a lot of shit for being in the way. So onto the same two questions: do I ship them a lot? I think shipping Shadow and Amy together was sudden, bc I was a huge SonAmy fan back then (and I still do ship SonAmy don’t worry) and wasn’t really fond with Shadow until to this day. I guess after seeing fan art of ShadAmy, it led me to start shipping them. Do I want them to be canon? Probably not, and it’s not that I think that Amy should be with Sonic (and as an SonAmy fan, I could care less whether or not it’s canon, and if anyone screams at me that it is canon and I can’t change anything about it, leave.); and I don’t think that Shadow and Amy have a huge chemistry with each other (even if they only interacted with each other twice in Sonic Adventure 2). Now here’s the part in where I say that as a ShadAmy fan, I’m not one for giving shit on Sonic or have to make him the bad guy just bc he keeps running away from Amy. And even if I’m more into Shadow than Sonic (I promise y’all I’m not like one of those Shadow fangirls…), that doesn’t mean I won’t stop loving Sonic! And playing the games of that blue blur will always hold a special place in my heart! So what conclusion do I have for ShadAmy? Nothing probably. But no matter what I’m okay with whoever I want to ship with Amy. ShadAmy? SonAmy? I really don’t care!

Now since the pairings that I’ve mentioned so far happen to be my favorite OTPs, let’s take this next topic with talking about a NOTP. And who will I be talking about next? Enter Victor x Emily from Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. As much as I enjoyed this masterpiece of a Tim Burton film, apparently having to think about this does grind my gears. So onto the questions again: do I ship them a lot? I’ve already stated that they’re not my cup of tea. Do I want them to be canon- okay um yeah let’s get right into that! I guess ever since I first saw the film back then, when I saw the ending scene with Emily turning into butterflies and then Victor and Victoria embraced my mind screamed, “welp, at least Victor and Victoria have each other now”. But at the same time it did sadden me to see Emily go away like that, yet then again Victor has freed her from the memories of pain and shit she’d been through with Barkis. So where am I going with this? Oh yes y’all, I actually like Victor x Victoria. And no, it’s not that I think Victor x Emily is necrophiliac. Pretty much, I’ve had it with everyone talking shit about Victoria all bc she was in the way between Victor and Emily. Tbh I could go on and on talking about defending Victoria, but to keep it a bit short it wasn’t her fault for interrupting the wedding; in fact, that can be saved for a later time. Now before I wrap up, and as I mentioned since the beginning, I’m all for alternatives or “what-ifs” made by Victor x Emily fans but at the same time we gotta accept the fact that the ending of Corpse Bride is just the way it is. Get used to it. Emily had her own happy ending.

Alrighty then, I’ll be taking this last topic discussing about WildeHopps just before I wrap this whole post up! Ah yes, our favorite fox-bunny duo; yet I do have some tweaks with what I think about them for the near future.. But anyway, let’s get into the questions one last time: do I ship them a lot? Now for anyone that have followed me for my Zootopia shenanigans, I do need to say that it seemed sudden of me shipping them out of nowhere. Like sure I can’t deny that Nick and Judy have a great chemistry, but there’s more to the film than just the shipping (or any romance outlet for that matter). I guess I should say that after seeing the film and looking at the fan art of the two, it led me to start shipping them! Do I want them to be canon? Okay see, this is where I get iffy about it bc even if Disney confirmed that they’re canon (or at least that’s what I heard) I still think that Nick and Judy need to start off as best friends first and then we shall see what will happen in the future if there were to be a sequel. So yeah, I think I’m that one person who had to cool off from seeing the ending bc yeah it’s cute but I don’t think I’ll be falling for it sorry! Friends? Couple? Again, these two have chemistry and that’s all that matters to me! So for now, I’m in both platonic and romantic sides of their relationship. And even though having this thought never occurring in my head, I don’t want to think about giving in for them to have their own mate by the same species. But hey, if y’all want to ship Nick with a vixen and Judy with another rabbit I ain’t stopping ya! Which would somewhat lead me to talking about how Judy would be shipped with Jack Savage (quick fyi for those who don’t know him, he’s a deleted character that was the main protagonist of the early version of the film); while I may not be into SavageHopps that much (and this is pretty much the same thing with my TwiDash and ShadAmy topics..), but damn some of y’all are salty on him for trying to “steal” Judy from Nick. If people want to like Jack, let them. If people want to ship SavageHopps, let them! I mean hey, he’s got Skye (who’s another deleted character during the early process) and I’m all for SavageSkye y’all! Okay, yeah I know I brought them out of nowhere as this topic is supposed to be about Nick and Judy but at the same time I kinda had to bring that out there haha. Like I said we shall see where will their future will take them, and we can have our imaginations flow wherever the hell they go!

So that wraps up with what I have to say with shippings! Thank you guys for taking your time reading this~ ❤️

[fuckblizzardbearlover]

in case i cant load this file at the library. (trying to print a document so i can quickly show  Alleged well meaning ignorant trump voters why, he isnt just evil, he’s anti republican/christian and they shouldnt vote for him). Good god this was only the last 2 months. what an asshole

Trump is anti republican values

 Letting a private media network run the country

August 21, 2020 – Department of Homeland Security officials were told by Trump to watch Lou Dobbs “every night.” The Fox Business host and ardent supporter of the president was the department’s “shadow chief of staff,” said former DHS chief of staff Miles Taylor. “The president would call us and… he would say, ‘Why the hell didn’t you watch Lou Dobbs last night? You need to listen to Lou. What Lou says is what I want to do.’”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/miles-taylor-trump-lou-dobbs-fox-marching-orders-homeland-security_n_5f4066aec5b697824f98b023?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWNzd2VlbmV5cy5uZXQv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAGFv3J9DnCA3yhN9irljBGeIbETe34K6hRT9yzxk6fd6EH5rwaIC9XZg45NhSNMmcvi9VOlg6_bhNLjM5dJN0RyAgwY-OU7N6WLocW6uEbm0aIboW8YpMa9gJWFC2ROIFYRfX1D3NcVHgWKxWLeie8yY03vhUz2vWZR5jrJSGEy

 Every word of this is blatant government corruption. Trying to rig an election, putting someone in charge who gave you money  to make sure it happens? WHy does he hate america democracy so much?

August 17, 2020 – Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was accused of deliberately slowing mail delivery to give the president a boost in the November election. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Ted Lieu of the House Judiciary Committee called for the FBI to open a criminal probe into DeJoy, who was appointed by Trump in May. The businessman earned millions of dollars from a company that does business with the Postal Service. He donated $1.2 million to Trump’s election campaign.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/512284-two-democrats-call-for-criminal-inquiry-of-postmaster-general

 More corruption! Using the Presidential seat to promote a donar’s brand? Is America just a money making scheme to him and his rich elite?

August 16, 2020 – Trump said that the Food and Drug Administration “should be approving” an extract from the oleander plant as a coronavirus cure, even though there is no evidence that it is beneficial. Oleandrin had been touted by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a major Trump donor who has invested in the company that makes the extract. Lindell is not a doctor.

https://www.axios.com/trump-covid-oleandrin-9896f570-6cd8-4919-af3a-65ebad113d41.html

 Hates america and democracy. If America is so great why cant he respect the democratic process

August 19, 2020 – Trump would “see what happens” in the November election before accepting its result, said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. “The president has always said he’ll see what happens, and make a determination in the aftermath.” Two days earlier, Trump had said, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-election-results-white-house/

 More lies

August 14, 2020 – The Senate Intelligence Committee asked federal prosecutors to investigate former Trump strategist Stephen Bannon for possibly lying during its inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Senators also said that Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks offered conflicting testimony.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-08-14/senate-committee-sought-investigation-of-bannon-raised-concerns-about-trump-family-testimony

 Stole from his own voters!

August 20, 2020 – Stephen Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, was charged with cheating hundreds of thousands of donors who were told that their money would go toward building a wall along the Mexican border. A federal indictment said that Bannon, arrested with two other men, used almost $1 million for personal expenses; in all, the men raised more than $25 million. Bannon, who portrayed himself as a man of the people, was arrested on a $35 million yacht owned by fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyregion/steve-bannon-arrested-indicted.html

 Still no tax returns? If he was successful and legal he wouldnt be hiding!

August 20, 2020 – A federal judge ruled that Trump must give his tax returns to the Manhattan district attorney, who is investigating Trump’s financial records. Judge Victor Marrero rejected the president’s most recent attempt to block the release of his returns. “This is a continuation of the witch hunt, the greatest witch hunt in history,” Trump told reporters. “There’s never been anything like it.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyregion/donald-trump-taxes-cyrus-vance.html

 More voter manipulation

August 6, 2020 – White House health officials said that the U.S. might have a coronavirus vaccine in early 2021. Trump, however, claimed that one could be available “sooner than the end of the year, could be much sooner.” Asked if a vaccine could arrive before the November 3 election, he said, “I think in some cases, yes possible before, but right around that time.” No reputable scientists, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, believe a vaccine is possible before 2021.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-trump-vaccine/trump-says-coronavirus-vaccine-possible-before-nov-3-idUSKCN25221Q

  Vote intimidation is against 1st ammendment and your right to vote

August 20, 2020 – In order to prevent voter fraud, Trump said, he will order law enforcement to the polls on November 3. “We’re going to have sheriffs, and we’re going to have law enforcement. And we’re going to have hopefully U.S. attorneys, and we’re going to have everybody and attorney generals,” he said. Law enforcement is barred at polling places in several states because of concerns over voter intimidation.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/513048-trump-says-he-will-send-law-enforcement-us-attorneys-to-polls-in

 More election tampering

August 4, 2020 – Trump’s campaign sued Nevada, arguing that a bill allowing voters to mail in election ballots would lead to fraud. In a tweet, Trump called the legislation “an illegal late-night coup,” adding, “See you in Court!”

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/trump-campaign-sues-nevada-over-bill-expanding-mail-in-voting-for-general-election

 Undermining America, insulting the American system, undermining democracy and making attacks on the American people. No one hates american democracy like Trump

August 21, 2020 – Trump said he had a “theory” that if November’s election results were not known by the end of 2020, “Crazy Nancy Pelosi would become president, you know that. No. No. I don’t know if it’s a theory or a fact, but I said, ’That’s not good. That’s not good.’” In his remarks to a conservative group in Arlington, Va., Trump also said, “The more success that we’ve achieved, the more unhinged the radical left has become. Anarchists and violent mobs have rioted in our Democrat-run cities, attacking police and tearing down statues. I’m the only thing standing between the American dream and total anarchy, madness, and chaos, and that’s what it is.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/21/us/elections/trump-says-he-is-the-only-thing-standing-between-the-american-dream-and-total-anarchy.html

 No one is above the law. Refusing to comply with investigators

August 24, 2020 – New York State’s attorney general asked a State Supreme Court judge to compel Eric Trump, the president’s son, to testify in an investigation. The inquiry was looking into whether Trump and his business overstated assets “to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.” Eric Trump canceled an interview with the attorney general in July, and the Trump Organization said it would not comply with seven subpoenas that it was sent.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/nyregion/letitia-james-trump-projects-investigation.html

 Big govt stealing from taxpayers

August 27, 2020 – In visiting his own properties 271 times as president, Trump and Secret Service agents netted the Trump Organization more than $900,000. According to the Washington Post, Trump’s business also brought in at least $3.8 million in fees associated with 37 political events held at Trump’s properties.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-company-secret-service-spending/2020/08/27/9331bd86-de36-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html?hpid=hp_no-name_trumpsecretservice-1150am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

More attacks on American WOrking class. He acts like the postal service is a boogie man. Its hundreds of thousands of hard working americans trying to do a job to keep this country running

August 13, 2020 – Trump said he opposed $25 billion in emergency aid for the U.S. Postal Service. He made the unfounded claim that the coronavirus relief funding would help the service process “fraudulent” mail ballots for the November election.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 Praising Terrorist

August 31, 2020 – Trump suggested that a 17-year-old charged with murdering two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, acted in self-defense. “That was an interesting situation,” Trump said at a news conference. “He was trying to get away from them, I guess it looks like, and he fell and then they very violently attacked him… I guess he was in very big trouble. He probably would’ve been killed.” The shootings occurred during an anti-racist protest after Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by police. Trump planned to travel to Kenosha, but Blake’s family said they would talk to the president only if the family’s lawyers were present. Trump said he would not speak with them.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/31/trump-defends-kenosha-gunman-406377

Promoting conspiracy theorists

August 12, 2020 – Trump congratulated Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congressional candidate from Georgia who voiced her support of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon. “Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up — a real WINNER!” Trump wrote on Twitter. The FBI identified QAnon as a potential domestic terror threat in 2019.

https://www.axios.com/trump-qanon-georgia-runoff-marjorie-taylor-greene-50ccdb7a-89ca-4331-9b16-77710ea27b5c.html

But his whole campaign is based on baseless conspiracies

August 11, 2020 – In a radio interview, Trump said, “China will own the United States if this election is lost by Donald Trump.” He added, “If I don’t win the election…you’re going to have to learn to speak Chinese, you want to know the truth.”

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/11/politics/trump-china-biden-learn-chinese/index.html

 Anti free speech

– August 28, 2020 – At a campaign rally in New Hampshire, Trump ridiculed social justice protesters around the country. “You know what I say?” he told a small crowd. “Protesters, your ass. I don’t talk about my ass. They’re not protesters. Those aren’t protesters. Those are anarchists, they’re agitators, they’re rioters, they’re looters.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump/trump-knocks-protesters-against-racial-injustice-during-new-hampshire-rally-idUSKBN25O1AE

  More anti free speech

– August 7, 2020 – The Trump administration issued two rarely used executive orders to ban TikTok and WeChat. The popular social media networks are owned by companies in China — a frequent target of the president’s pre-election rhetoric. “The spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” Trump wrote. He did not, however, outline any specific threat from the companies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/06/technology/trump-wechat-tiktok-china.html

 Only cares about his brand and money

August 8, 2020 – An aide to Trump asked the South Dakota governor’s office what it took to have a president added to Mount Rushmore. In 2018, Trump had told future Governor Kristi Noem, “Do you know it’s my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/08/us/politics/kristi-noem-pence-trump.html

 What is wrong with him. A dr is just doing her job and he attacks her cus dead americans make him look bad? Suck it up!

August 3, 2020 – Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that the pandemic was “extraordinarily widespread.” Trump replied that she was “pathetic.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/03/trump-blasts-birx-after-coronavirus-claims-390881

 Speaking ill of the dead, Not giving a shit about Russia putting bounties on american troops heads, not caring that americans are dying

August 4, 2020 – Jonathan Swan of Axios asked Trump how the coronavirus was “under control” when 1,000 Americans were dying of it every day. “They are dying. That’s true. It is what it is,” Trump replied. In the same interview, Trump maintained that he did not know about Russia’s offer of bounties for American troops killed in Afghanistan. The bounties, though, were reportedly brought to his attention in intelligence reports. “I read a lot,” he said. “I comprehend extraordinarily well. Probably better than anybody you’ve interviewed in a long time.” When asked how history will remember the late civil rights leader John Lewis, Trump replied, “I really don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know John Lewis. He chose not to come to my inauguration.”

https://www.axios.com/trump-coronavirus-under-control-5f114a16-9952-428c-bc07-3cfa360b0977.html

    Trump is anti christian

Intentionally spreading the virus

August 27, 2020 – The Trump administration broke norms and flouted the Hatch Act by using government property — the White House — for a political convention. Trump delivered his closing-night speech from the South Portico, flanked by Jumbotrons on the South Lawn that screened campaign billboards. Roughly 1,500 people attended the speech, sitting closely together, most refusing to wear masks. A senior White House official dismissed any concerns about the coronavirus, telling CNN, “Everybody is going to catch this thing eventually.”

 Lying about dead americans to look good in the polls

August 5, 2020 – The United States recorded 1,380 COVID-19 deaths in a day, but Trump said, “This thing’s going away. It will go away like things go away.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-05/trump-says-surging-virus-will-go-away-like-things-go-away

 Do not take the lord’s name in vain. He’s trying to speak for God.

August 6, 2020 – Trump said that Biden, a Catholic who has long attended Mass, was “following the radical left agenda… no religion, no anything, hurt the Bible, hurt God. He’s against God."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 Thou shalt not covet . He’s so full of hate when obama comes up

August 19, 2020 – As Obama criticized Trump in a speech at the Democratic National Convention, Trump assailed his predecessor in tweets. He wrote, “HE SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN, AND GOT CAUGHT!” and “WHY DID HE REFUSE TO ENDORSE SLOW JOE UNTIL IT WAS ALL OVER, AND EVEN THEN WAS VERY LATE? WHY DID HE TRY TO GET HIM NOT TO RUN?” Earlier in the day, having heard some of Obama’s prepared remarks, Trump said, “When I listen to that and then I see the horror that he’s left us, the stupidity of the transactions that he’s made — look what we’re doing, we have our great border wall, we have security.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-hammers-obama-ahead-dnc-speech-so-ineffective-so-terrible-n1237359

 Lies, coveting , and being a petty man baby

August 9, 2020 – Trump cut short a news conference when a reporter asked him why he repeatedly took credit — more than 150 times — for a veterans’ health care bill that was signed into law by President Obama. “Why do you keep saying that you passed Veterans Choice?” asked CBS correspondent Paula Reid. “It was passed in 2014… it was a false statement, sir.” Trump answered, “OK. Thank you very much, everybody.” Then he abruptly walked away.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/08/politics/trump-veterans-choice-paula-reid/index.html

 Threatening American citizens, the poor the homeless, displaced. Threaten to take away money from the state so they could help those whos homes were destroyed

August 20, 2020 – As wildfires displaced more than 100,000 Californians, Trump again blamed the state for the blazes, threatening to withhold federal emergency funds. Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, he said, “I said, you gotta clean your floors, you gotta clean your forests — there are many, many years of leaves and broken trees and they’re like, like, so flammable, you touch them and it goes up.” He added, “Maybe we’re just going to have to make them pay for it because they don’t listen to us.”

https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/08/20/trump-blames-california-for-wildfires-tells-state-you-gotta-clean-your-floors-1311059

 Note: We now know he knew how deadly it was when we only had 11 cases. He held this rally on govt property knowing his own voters might catch it and die

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/wh-brushes-off-covid-concerns-amid-trumps-maskless-crowd-in-game-of-make-believe

 Willfilly killing Americans by taking away their medicine if their hospitals don’t obey him. Thats fascism. Thats murder

August 25, 2020 – The Trump administration announced that if hospitals did not report coronavirus data to the Department of Health and Human Services — until now a voluntary program — they would have their Medicare and Medicaid funding revoked. The loss of the money could force hospitals to close.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-data.html

 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour" 9th commandment

– August 23, 2020 – Without providing any proof, Trump alleged that the Food and Drug Administration was intentionally delaying coronavirus vaccine trials. “The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” he tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/22/politics/trump-fda-coronavirus-vaccine/index.html

 More easily identifiable lies. Does trump not know how to use google?

August 13, 2020 – Trump, who had spread the lie that Obama was born in Kenya, gave credence to the conspiracy theory that Kamala Harris could not be vice president because her parents were immigrants. “I heard it today that she doesn’t meet the requirements,” Trump said of Harris, who was born in California and is thus eligible for the vice presidency and presidency. “I have no idea if that’s right. I would have thought, I would have assumed, that the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice president.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/us/politics/trump-kamala-harris.html

  Destroying God’s land

August 17, 2020 – The Trump administration announced that it would begin selling leases for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a vast area of undisturbed wilderness in Alaska. The Center for American Progress said that the drilling — sought by Republican lawmakers for decades — would lead to the release of more than 4.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 More enviroment destruction

August 13, 2020 – The Trump administration eliminated an Obama-era rule that required oil and gas companies to repair methane leaks. The EPA said the companies will no longer pay roughly $100 million a year for repairs — resulting in the release of 850,000 tons of planet-warming methane by the end of the decade.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/13/climate/trump-methane.html

  Thou shalt not commit adultery

– August 22, 2020 – Trump was ordered by a California judge to pay an adult-film actress $44,100. The money was for her legal fees related to a lawsuit that she had brought against the president. Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, had sued Trump to be released from a $130,000 nondisclosure agreement to keep her quiet about their alleged sexual relationship.

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-08-22/trump-ordered-to-pay-44-100-in-stormy-daniels-legal-fees

 Trump is an incompetent idiot

-August 31, 2020 – In defending police officers, Trump said they can make mistakes in using deadly force in the same way golfers sometimes miss putts. “They choke,” he said. “Just like in a golf tournament, they miss a three-foot—.” Fox News host Laura Ingraham interrupted the president to keep him from continuing. “You’re not comparing it to golf,” she said, suggesting that “the media” would use that against him.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/514539-trump-compares-police-who-use-force-to-golfers-who-choke-and-miss-a

  – August 22, 2020 – “You can’t trust him,” Maryanne Trump Barry said about her brother, Donald, in a conversation secretly recorded by their niece, Mary Trump. A retired federal judge, Barry said, “His goddamned tweet and lying, oh my God. I’m talking too freely, but you know. The change of stories. The lack of preparation. The lying. Holy shit.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maryanne-trump-barry-secret-recordings/2020/08/22/30d457f4-e334-11ea-ade1-28daf1a5e919_story.html

 Blatant lies

August 10, 2020 – Trump said he would not have called for Obama’s resignation if 160,000 Americans had died on his watch. Trump, though, had said in 2014 that Obama should resign for his response to the Ebola outbreak, during which two people died in the United States. “I think it’s been amazing what we’ve been able to do,” Trump said about his administration’s response to the pandemic. “We understand the disease. Nobody understood it because nobody’s ever seen anything like this. The closest thing is in 1917, they say, right? The great pandemic. Certainly was a terrible thing where they lost anywhere from 50 to 100 million people. Probably ended the Second World War, all the soldiers were sick.” The pandemic that Trump spoke of actually began in 1918 and lasted until 1919. World War II ended 26 years later, in 1945.

https://www.axios.com/trump-obama-resign-787b042d-0361-48f1-bba5-c97b05837331.html

  https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/the-complete-listing-so-far-atrocities-1-889#2020

[museicaliteacup]

The Correlation Between Expressions of Love and Program Depiction for Minor Characters in Yuri on Ice

A year on from Yuri!!! on Ice, I want to discuss something that I’ve seen floating around various fandom circles through the months. It’s a general dissatisfaction that the show chose to highlight characters like Georgi and Michele by way of showing both their skating programs, and spent less time focusing on other minor but more easily accessible or representative characters: Guanghong, Leo, Emil and Seung-gil.

This inequality of screen time—but moreover, skating time and character development time—is an issue that doesn’t have an easy solution. The anime follows standard broadcasting time limitations, and as such, there are only so many skating programs you can show when considering the ones you have to show (Yuuri and the other eventual GPS finalists), and also all the off-ice time and story progression. Making the decision to show five programs per episode in the qualifying events makes sense, logistically. But how do you select which characters’ stories you are going to develop that little bit further, and which ones you need to condense?

My proposal is that the content of the programs, in a way, reflects the two focal points of Yuri!!! on Ice: how characters embrace, develop and view life and love. When you look closely, there’s actually a very clear distinction in the programs we are shown with regards to love in particular: some skaters emanate love in a way that is love beyond themselves, love for other people; and others either emanate love that isn’t related to people, or don’t express love at all. And that distinction is the line that is drawn between the characters that get more skating time, and the characters that get less.

However, just because characters don’t get skating time, it doesn’t mean they don’t get further development. Many of the characters get a lot of off-ice time and development, and all of the six characters I am going to analyse draw either draw parallels with or become foils for Yuuri. I think this last point is particularly poignant: Yuuri is the main character for a reason, and the ways each of these six characters skate are designed to highlight certain points of Yuuri’s own skating, storyline, and relationship.

Cup of China

Georgi: what happens when romantic love goes wrong

Georgi is our two-program non-finalist in this event, and his entire program is themed around his breakup. His programs are more than overtly about love: they juxtapose two extremes with regards to feelings, with him turning from an evil witch who wants to curse True Love because it doesn’t exist to a Disney Prince™ whose main objective is proving the Power Of True Love etc. And while people think this is boring or unnecessary to watch, it kind of makes sense. Breakups are complicated. They can be really messy, and especially if the other person was the one who initiated the break. When you still harbour very strong affections for someone, it really hurts when they leave you, and those two extremes that Georgi portrays are very much the two extremes you can end up feeling for that person.

Georgi’s performances also serve another purpose: echoing Yuuri and Victor’s relationship. His second program in particular serves as a poignant aftermath to Yuuri and Victor’s messy and difficult conversation in the carpark. Their relationship is strong enough that they are able to go from Yuuri crying and Victor saying all the wrong things to him to walking into the rink with Victor’s hand on Yuuri’s shoulder. A friend commented, upon watching the episode: “That’s not a level of physical closeness you can achieve after a fight like theirs unless you’re really close” (paraphrased). “I’ll always be, be there for you, I promised…” That’s one of those timeless statements that says I love you and this is how I will show it. Having Georgi skate this program about love overcoming obstacles and being a strong force beyond anything that might test it is a natural parallel to where Yuuri and Victor are in the story, and where they’re about to go.

Yes, Georgi seems like a bit of a comical, overly dramatic character and yes, he’s very hung up over his breakup, but he was the one who got dumped, and he has good reason to still be conflicted about it. Yuuri is constantly shown to process his thoughts and come to important realisations while skating; it’s no big stretch to imagine that other skaters might try and do the same. And, after all, Georgi’s emotions didn’t go to waste: he got bronze in the Trophée Eric Bompard, so there you go.

Leo and Guanghong: parallels to some of Yuuri’s subtler skating traits

The interesting thing about Leo and Guanghong is we actually see a lot of them off the ice. Although we get a glimpse of Georgi on the street, it’s Guanghong getting jianbing and Leo on a mission from Phichit to find Guanghong to come and translate for drunken Victor that we first focus on in China*. Guanghong is shown commentating on both Leo and Christophe’s programs alongside Yuuri and Phichit; and the two of them are shown to be trying to stream the GPF together in episodes 11 and 12, which is like, #friendshipgoals.

*(A note here regarding subs: although all the translations lean towards Leo saying that Phichit asked Leo to go to the restaurant and translate, apparently—according to a post from way back when—what Leo says has a much looser interpretation, and can actually be constructed as Phichit asking for Guanghong to go and translate; and since Guanghong hasn’t been answering his phone to Leo, we can presume Phichit tried Guanghong, got no response, then texted Leo to go out and find Guanghong for him. A different kettle of fish, but a useful clarification—after all, it makes a lot more sense that Phichit would be seeking out native speaker Guanghong to translate for him.)

But on the ice, despite their clear friendship off it, their programs either aren’t really connected to other people or aren't connected to love.

Leo’s short program, Still Alive, harnesses his prowess as a choreographer and his connection with and love of music. It’s a program that is very much about him, and what he wants to give to the world. It’s not selfish, but it is self-directed and self-focused, and the focus of the commentary is on Leo’s coolness and ability to switch up choreography to suit the competition from his friends, and about the way music influences Leo and his drive to continue and his courage from Leo himself. It’s about a thing Leo loves and is good at, but not about a person. Leo’s interpretation and self-expression are highlighted, a small parallel with Yuuri being historically noted for having higher PCS than TES; it’s not a large parallel, but it is something you see Yuuri focusing on, and all the skaters focused on here do have things that tie them to Yuuri.

Guanghong’s free skate, Shanghai Blade, is a delve into Guanghong’s thoughts about how to construct a framework for your skate that you can believably sell both to an audience and to yourself, and a look at his own hunger to improve himself and prove his worth in the world of skating. Again, it’s a very self-focused program, and features a brilliant montage of Guanghong’s internal fantasies: himself as an assassin, and then Leo as his ally who Guanghong takes a bullet for. (Also, Georgi as the bad guy. I don’t know why, but it makes me laugh.) It is interesting to note how much admiration Guanghong holds for Leo: he openly comments how cool he thinks Leo is and then fancasts him as his fantasy ally and takes a bullet for him. Even though the program is not about Leo, it is a nice piece of friendship development.

But again: the program is focused on Guanghong’s own imagination, limitations and aspirations, and in terms of the skating, not on anyone else. Now, I said all these six skaters had parallels/foils with Yuuri. Guanghong’s is that little trait of Yuuri’s mentioned in episode 2 and exemplified in episodes 5 and 12: he really, really hates losing. I don’t think in Guanghong’s case it’s hugely significant to Yuuri’s journey, but it is a reminder halfway along the line that losing is frustrating, and eventually that question is posed to Yuuri when Yuri wins the GPF: what do you do when you lose?

(Agree to stay in skating for one more year and compete against your coach/fiance until you win gold at five world championships, that’s what hahahaha.)

Rostelecom Cup

Michele: the foil to Yuuri and his relationship with Victor

I think the most animosity I’ve seen in this series is actually towards Michele, and I can understand why: he’s brash and rude to almost everyone, he’s attached to Sara almost to the point of obsessiveness, and he spends most of his time in a grump. People wonder why the series had such a key focus on him as opposed to, say, Emil or Seung-gil, the other eventual non-GPS finalists at the Rostelecom Cup. And I think there are a number of reasons at play here.

The first is that Michele is basically on par with Yuuri, and could almost be seen as Yuuri’s equal going through this competition. Recall that Michele was also at the GPF the previous year, and came in fifth (so, only just above Yuuri), with a score of about 253, which isn’t really all that high. He doesn’t have many quads, and yet he’s regarded as one of the really good skaters. He’s also the closest in age to Yuuri: 22 to Yuuri’s 23. Michele and Yuuri will have been competing against one another their whole competitive lives. He’s someone who is most likely in Yuuri’s competitive vision.

And recall also that Michele and Yuuri are, on points termed, tied for qualifying for the GPF by the end of the Rostelecom Cup. Yuuri only makes it to the final by virtue of gaining one second placing over Michele’s two third placings, and Yuuri recognises this; he recognises that he was on a knife-edge with regards to placing at this competition because everyone at this competition was on a knife-edge with placing. Michele was the one pre-determined by the creators to gain bronze, and thus there’s just cause for a focus on him.

But also, Michele’s programs are about love. It’s a different kind of love to the romance and Yuuri-and-Victor-something-beyond-coach-student-beyond-mere-lovers that we’ve seen previously. This is familial love, and moreover, it’s sibling love. It’s protective love; and it’s love which is Michele learning about letting go. I think it’s also a foil to where Yuuri and Victor are at this point: where they’ve only been mutually knowing one another and living together for eight months, and realise after a short separation that they basically cannot be apart, that’s how much they love each other and need each other and make each other better, Michele and Sara have spent their entire lives together because… well, because they’re twins and compete in different divisions of the same sport. And after 22 years, Sara knows that she doesn’t need her brother to protect her from bullies anymore, that she has her own desires and goals that are separate to his, and that it’s healthier by far for them to exist independently.

Michele processes this, as so many of the skaters do, through his free skate. He takes the time to process Sara’s message to him, and to process what it says about him and how he needs to act from there. And it’s while he’s going through this mental process and making himself let her go—and thus, actively changing the way he views his love for her and the way he needs to perceive their relationship—that his skating becomes mellower, and he begins to emanate a strong and affecting love that brings Sara to tears as he skates for her for the last time.

Michele is a foil to Yuuri, in short. He has to go on the opposite journey to Yuuri—letting go, as opposed to letting in—and in doing so while being Yuuri’s most constant competitor, falls naturally into the spotlight. Personality-wise, maybe he isn’t widely regarded as a favourite or even particularly likeable in Western fandom. But character-wise and in the way his and Sara’s relationship foils Yuuri and Victor’s, he is important, and definitely important enough to warrant displaying both his skating programs. It's healthy love via independence versus healthy love via interdependence: both options are valid, but which one is the healthier option changes between for different people and different kinds of relationships, and this is so well illustrated here.

Emil and Seung-gil: reflections on some of Yuuri’s indisputable skating strengths and weaknesses

Can I just say, Emil’s theme and music are both AMAZING. (Delving into my own bias but Anastasis is my favourite piece of music from the entire show.) Emil’s competitive but positively competitive: his aim seems to be to make friends with his rivals, and he’s basically focused on running in the Make the Program all about Quads race. He pulls off four quads, including a quad loop for the first time in competition (which, incidentally, is one of the events I think may have thrown off Seung-gil in his free skate).

Although Emil is shown off the ice to goofily and readily attach himself to Mickey and to be someone who loves hugs and generally embodies a light, friendly, open sort of love, his program doesn’t actually reflect this at all: it’s all about bigger and more and ceasing to be human, and the question is whether he can actually pull off his four quads and successfully complete his program. He gets to the end, but falls on two jumps and misses a planned combination, all in the second half; which, incidentally, is Yuuri’s forte, and where Yuuri plans all his big jumps for maximum points value.

Seung-gil performs a program that is based entirely around its objective audience appeal score, and he spends the entire program calculating his base scores in his head. He’s not trying to do a mambo because it has any personal connection or emotional meaning to him; he’s doing it entirely because it will look good and if he can physically interpret it well, up his score goes. He’s the most detached of any of the skaters to the emotive side of skating, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing; after all, strong emotions can get in the way of the technical elements, as we saw when Georgi’s distress caused him to fall landing a jump halfway through his free skate.

But Seung-gil still has emotions under his calculations; he’s shown to be visibly apprehensive and nervous before his free skate, and after it’s over, he starts crying over how badly it went. To come back to my main point, Seung-gil’s focus isn’t even on himself: it’s on his numbers and technical elements, and yet we do get to see a very human, relatable side to him. And with regards to parallels and foils to Yuuri: although Seung-gil’s focus on calculating his element scores aids him in success, it’s this detachment from musical interpretation and focus on points that hinders Yuuri in episode 11 when his short program gets a lower score than usual. Additionally, remember that Yuuri knows very well the pain of losing, the pain of not being able to do your best, and there’s a reason Yuuri’s the one that looks up and focuses on Seung-gil’s upset after his free skate.

I have one further point to make, and this pertains chiefly to Leo, Seung-gil, JJ, and, as it happens, Yuuri. It’s to do with the point I just left off on, and explains in some part why certain programs weren’t featured: what happens when a skater messes up their program really, really badly?

Leo, Seung-gil, Yuuri and JJ: loss through failure and why it isn’t shown onscreen

We know from interviews with Sayokan and Kubo-sensei that Leo messed up a lot of his jumps in his free skate, which eventually put him in eighth place. We see that Seung-gil falls on a quad loop, his signature jump, and gets up with a tight jaw and a look of desperation in his eye before his final, very low score is revealed. And we all know that Yuuri came in sixth at the GPF the previous year; that he was grieving for his dog and that he messed up his jumps; consider that the only shots we get of Yuuri’s GPF free skate are those of his falls. This is also likely in part because Yuuri is a horrifically unreliable narrator and wouldn’t want to show us the things he did well; whether he even remembers the things he did well is a mystery.

But apart from that, I recall something Kubo-sensei once said: she didn’t want to portray injuries on the show, because she didn’t want an angsty show (or something to that effect). And in a similar vein, imagine what it would be like if we saw characters fall from multiple jumps and grow visibly more distressed throughout their programs. It would be uncomfortable to watch and it would hurt to watch—we’d be in the same distress we might be in if we saw characters get injured. Yes, there are programs where Yuuri has a lot of flubbed jumps, but he usually has a broader focus, a more secure mental outlook, or Victor does most of the narration there; Yuuri flubbing his jumps isn’t intended to make us or him angst, but to help push his character development. The one time we see a program really go wrong is JJ’s GPF short program, where he unintentionally downgrades all his jumps and basically has a panic attack on the ice. And it’s really powerful to watch, because this is the first time we’ve actually witnessed someone messing up to this extent.

I think Kubo-sensei and Sayokan are trying, in part, to preserve the characters’ dignity when they fail. You don’t always need to see what happened to understand what probably happened and to feel for the pain it caused. And by showing glimpses of what can happen when you mess up, but only glimpses, they then set a really good scene for giving us JJ messing up and what the repercussions of that are. And, as ever, it leads back to Yuuri and his journey: he recognises that this is in a way similar to how he messed up the previous year, but also recognises that JJ isn’t giving up or letting himself become defeated on the ice the way Yuuri did. The other failures tie in less closely (or not at all) with Yuuri’s storyline; therefore, there isn’t a reason to show them.

In conclusion...

The most significant parts of Yuri!!! on Ice are Yuuri’s journey through improving his skating, and the development of Yuuri and Victor’s relationship; thus, the other skating programs that take the focus in the limited amount of screentime available become the ones which bear the greatest significance to where Yuuri and Victor’s relationship is currently at in the storyline. Georgi and Michele, in their respective journeys in love, provide the clearest parallel and foil respectively to Yuuri and Victor’s relationship at the competitions; and accordingly, their skating programs get more screentime than those of the other non-GPS finalist characters.