#i mean hot take apparently but if you commit genocide you're not a great person!!!

[stormtide-leviathan]

Next time I see lord ruler apologia I’m killing somebody

[roswelldetails]

Episode 2x04 - What if God Was One of Us

EPISODE SUMMARY:

AN ACT OF GOD — On the verge of a breakthrough in her quest to save Max (Nathan Dean), Liz (Jeanine Mason) turns to Kyle (Michael Trevino) for one last favor that could potentially land him in hot water. Meanwhile, Michael (Michael Vlamis) and Alex’s (Tyler Blackburn) investigation into Nora (guest star Kayla Ewell) leads them to a farm, where they meet a historian named Forrest (guest star Christian Antidormi). Elsewhere, Cameron (guest star Riley Voelkel) confronts Jesse Manes (Trevor St. John) about her sister’s whereabouts, and Isobel (Lily Cowles) uses her powers for good. Amber Midthunder also stars. Shiri Appleby directed the episode written by Steve Stringer & Christopher Hollier (#204). Original airdate 4/6/2020.

DETAILS:

Roy said that he took veterinary training, which is how he was able to help with Louise and Nora's injuries.

"How come it feels like you don't know what I'm saying, but you know what I'm thinking?"

Roy moved the truck (with the pods in it?) to the livery.

"Boss's wife won't let him blame the drought on God so that honor goes to his foreman -- that's me."

Kyle on The Science:

"You're telling me that Michael Guerin used pinball parts and a car battery to cause cutaneous perfusion?

(Cutaneous perfusion...i think it is circulation of fluid/blood through tissue, but it's a bit above my head)

The device Liz needs is a "Personal Genome Machine". She ordered it when she still worked at the hospital.

Before entering the Crashdown, Graham Green tapes a Missing sign on the door for Hank Gibbons (who Noah killed in 1x13).  Apparently someone covered it up.

The sign is HARD to read, but I think it says:

"All viable leads reported to Graham Green's UFO Emporium will receive a free keychain.  Make certain you subscribe to the Weekly Probe as we dive deeper into the untold stories of Roswell and answer the question on everyone's mind.  ARE YOU NEXT?"

Graham Green references that he's the "creator of last week's 39th most downloaded true crime podcast." (Assuming that this is the Weekly Probe, referenced on the poster).

Graham Green is opening a 1947 themed malt shop at the UFO Emporium

U.F. Doughs (the Crashdown's new donuts).

Isobel's been coming to the Crashdown every day for weeks.  (Note that this episode is the first one that really doesn't have a clear time context).

"Feliz cumpleanos, mama!" Happy birthday in Spanish, of course, but note Kyle's choice term of endearment for fic purposes!  And she responds in kind "Gracias, mijo!" (Mijo = male version. Arturo calls Liz mija = female version)

"A wild Michael Guerin finally emerges from his weeks-long hibernation in a lab and a library."

Again, non-specific time frame.

"When every other farm was struggling, the Longs experienced record-breaking crops.  Summer of '47. No one could explain it…till October '48. The day after that photo ran in the paper, the farm was devastated by a massive fire.  Foreman, entire staff killed. Whole place burned down."

"What caused the fire?"

"Well the paper called it an act of God.  Said it was a freak storm. Bolt of lightning strikes the barn the same night that my mom's caught and locked up in Caulfield."

Wyatt Long's horses are named "Diamond" and "Silk".

Jesse Manes' beer of choice is "Polestaff".

Cam's postcard from Charlie (Likely the reason she came back to Roswell) says:

"See you back in Roswell --Charlotte"

Top left corner says "Greetings from Roswell, NM".

It was mailed to Jenna at the Green Hill Motel in Dayton, Ohio.

Jenna says it's not Charlie's handwriting.

Isobel in the mindwarp: "And what's your dream, Arturo? What would be your miracle? What do you pray for?"

Arturo & Rosa's fight… 

"Did that fool give you drugs? I'll kill him!"

"Ow! You're hurting me! That's child abuse!"

"Everything I do I do to hold you up and you see it as abuse. I don't know what to do anymore!"

"Yeah right." Rosa falls down and laughs.

"This isn't funny! Sheriff Valenti won't give you any more chances."

"You should be happy. You wanted me to be on the field hockey team, remember? You said I should make friends and have good American fun."

"Who sold you the pills?"

"I stole them."

"Was it Frederico?"

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Tell me the truth!"

"It was Mom! She's either too high to notice that they're missing, or she knows and she doesn't care."

"You're lying to me. I don't know how to help you."

"So stop trying then. I'm beyond hope anyway, right? That's what everyone else in this town thinks."

"Maybe you're right. I'm going for a drive."

Arturo tried to register with Instagram as PancakePapi!! He ended up with PancakePapi58!

Scene with Steph and her dad...FIRST MENTION OF SOPAPILLAS ON THE SHOW!!! 🤤🤤🤤🤤 (They're the best...in New Mexican restaurants they're like, both an appetizer and a dessert.  They're like hollow fried bread that you eat with honey. Delicious.)  See here:

Plus it gave the show another opportunity to be authentically New Mexican through food references.  (Last season it was in episode 2 when Arturo asked,"red or green?" And Liz replied "Christmas!". In New Mexico that means half red half green chile smothering her plate.) Like so: 

1948...unclear how much time has passed, but Louise says months.

The kid's name is Walt.  (Walt Long?? Some other last name?).

Nora says that under the tarp is the "pumpkin launcher" and it's a surprise.

Nora says it's not safe for Michael here, "but soon."

"Hey do you smell that? It smells like rain.  It's what you smell like under all the grease and bourbon.  It's what your workshop smells like. Something alien happened here. Not that I can still smell it 70 years later."

"This is the best evidence I've seen that Max and Isobel's mother survived the initial firefight. This is something that you do with family."

"Nora's my mother. If she was here at the same time as Louise…"

Note - when did they confirm who Louise was or that she was Max & Isobel's mom? This has not happened narratively yet.

Since Walt was a young kid, Alex thinks there's a chance he's still alive (though at the end Nora definitely thought he died when the barn blew up. I suspect that Walt survived and is the key to the story...not fact, just speculation.)

Forrest: "The foreman, Roy Bronson, was definitely hiding something.  But it wasn't Little Green Men. It was Nazi spies."

"This is like Junior Year eraser room, getting caught by Coach Wiggins."

OG callback to the eraser room being the high school makeout spot. OG, "the eraser room takes our innocence." 

Rosa in Spanish "¿En serio?" Basically "are you serious!?!" Or "really?" When the blender shorts out (awfully similar to her first Noah nightmare in 2x01)

"...when Charlie told me she had stole classified documents, I reported her.  I thought I was doing the right thing and the military put her in prison."

"Right. Where she was safe."

"No. I… I didn't know who she really was when I turned her in. I didn't know what prison would do to her."

"She wanted you to turn her in, Jenna. She set you up to do so. She knew that as long as she was in government custody no one could get to her."

"Charlie fought in two wars.  Who was she afraid of?"

"A private securities firm, most likely.  You know that I met her? She was working on this genetic sequencing project that had the potential to save lives, but also destroy them. And there were some people out there who saw applications for her research that went beyond her intentions."

"She was doing research that could help save lives, and people wanted to use it to create a bioweapon."

"Well yeah, she created this pathogen that could seek out and dismantle specific sequences. Just think about it -- a smart bomb that could be detonated in the middle of a crowded city, only harm it's intended target. Think about the innocent civilian lives saved while you take out leaders of terrorist organizations."

"Or commit genocide. If her work fell into the wrong hands, it could quietly wipe out entire groups of people because they share a certain genetic code, while their neighbors go about living their lives.  Why do you know so much about this? What's your interest in my sister?"

"I believed that I had a use for her pathogen, at one time. But my fight is over now."

A few notes about this exchange.

Clearly Charlie's pathogen is the key ingredient in the smart bomb that Flint was developing, as discussed in 1x12.

Liz's "personal genome machine" can break down the alien genetics and give Project Shepherd what they need to use a smart bomb on the aliens. 

Don't forget, her lab is protected by Air Force security set up by "Alex's team". (Badbadbadbad!)

Rosa describing her bipolarism. 

"I get these mood swings sometimes. Like, I can be happy and singing one minute, and then, all of a sudden, this darkness just closes in over me, and I have all these voices telling me that I'm worthless."

Jesse gives Cam the name of the security firm looking for Charlie.  We don't see the name of it. He warns her to be careful. "I may be hobbled but they are not."

"Now, you were hunting aliens, and I gave you Max's name. Why didn't you lock him up in Caulfield with the rest?"

"I don't know.  I guess I feel like there's a story unfolding in Roswell. Has been for more than 50 years.  You can't blame me for wanting to see how it ends."

Catherine Zeta-Jones in a laser maze -- Liz is referencing the 1999 movie Entrapment.

Liz trying to science-intrigue Kyle….

"Interesting historical footnote. There was an internment camp in Roswell. Nazi POWs built half this city.  Hence the iron crosses. My great-great grandfather BoDean's foreman got busted for hiding a couple of women here. According to him 'A couple Nazi spies escaped and strudeled their schnitzel for room and board right here on this very farm.  See, I was never really as into shooting squirrels as Wyatt is, so, when I came out here for summers as a kid, my cousin Kate and I -- we'd prowl the property for artifacts."

"You know, what we're doing you and me -- it doesn't only have to be for Max...once Max is healthy, we could use this genome machine to Target cellular apoptosis.  I mean, we could craft polymerase sequencing in human DNA. We don't have to stop. We have no boards, no restrictions…"

Apoptosis is also sometimes referred to as "cellular suicide" or "spontaneous single cell death".

Polymerase is like the building blocks of DNA.

In other words, Liz is really, really smart.

FORREST LONG!!!!!! 😂😂😂. 

Alex on the bullet shells: "These match the M1917s the airmen used in '48.

"They were scattered all over the property. Legend has it the Nazis we're building some kind of bomb in the barn. Then one night the Air Force showed up."

"The night of the fire."

"The blaze burned so hot it turned sand to stone. Papers say that lightning struck the barn and everyone died in the flames, but...that's bull.  See I think the Air Force covered up the massacre that happened when they discovered that weapon.

A few things on this scene… 

Forrest mentions his cousin Kate...Wyatt's sister who was murdered by Noah in 2008.  So Forrest is Wyatt Long's cousin. 

Substitute Nazi for alien and it's probably all based somewhat based in truth.  In the 1940s that definitely would have been a reasonably obvious way to cover it up, especially given the history that Forrest cites and the military culture in Roswell.

Note: POW = prisoner of war

The iron crosses Forrest references…

Article on the German POWs in the Roswell Daily Record…

Walt was hiding in the barn when Tripp made it explode.  Explosion looked shimmery, like the alien ship & tech. 

Also, more info than you ever wanted to know about the Roswell Army Air Field/Walker Air Force Base/Roswell International Air Center...including some info on the POWs.

Sheriff Valenti's theory on Noah's death:

"I think Max Evans poisoned Noah and left him in the desert the night of the lightning storm, and I think Isobel Evans was in on it."

Kyle says it would take gallons of acetone to poison someone.

Tripp was Alex's great uncle

Nora was working on a ship to take the pods home.

TRIPP MANES!!!  Full name is Eugene Manes III.

Alex finally gives Michael the piece of alien ship he's had.  He doesn't want to be another Manes man standing in Michael's way.

Cam's voicemail to Liz.

"Got a lead on my sister.  Give me a call when you get that tin-star-wearing E.T. awake, so I can curse him out for worrying us all. Good luck Liz. Bring Max home."

Arturo's Spanish to Liz and Rosa.

"Das gracias a Dios.  Gracias todos los dias."

Translates generally to "Thank God.  Thanks every day."

Isobel's monologue at the end:

"The idea of God always freaked me out. Like, apparently he made people in his own image, which, first of all, get over yourself. And also, does that apply to us? Does every planet have its own God? Let's say that we're all clones of the big guy in the sky. Well then, doesn't it stand to reason that we're all capable of slinging light? Well I guess by that same token we're all capable of tremendous wrath. We're walking contradictions. A never-ending mercurial rise and fall. Darkness and light. I guess the real miracle is choosing the light. Despite the ever-present darkness. Look at us. You're in the middle of a downright biblical desert, galaxies from where we started. I mean, our very existence is a miracle. I'm capable of so much more than I thought I was, Max. I really think that maybe I could do great things. I need you to come back, okay? I need you to be the thing that I can believe in. That doesn't let me down. I just need this one little miracle, and I promise I won't ever ask for anything ever again."

MUSIC:

1. LEN "Steal My Sunshine"

2. Spacehog "In The Meantime"

3. Duke Ellington "Take It Easy"

4. Maná "Como Te Deseo"

5. Oasis "Don't Look Back In Anger"

6. Ben Harper "Waiting On An Angel"

[tori-artemis]

@aussie-tea I have something else to add. You were "pissed off" about something I never even said. And completely misconstrued that entire first paragraph from my first post. But then you tell US to get off our "high horses". (Cause who knew being an intersectional feminist and pointing out toxic tropes that give feminism a bad name...is us being on our hIgH hOrSeS - sure Jan. Whatever it is you need to tell yourself. 😒)

Because - and here's the thing - now I'm PISSED OFF - that you had the sheer AUDACITY to accuse ME and @lotus-eyedindiangoddess of being in support of, in YOUR OWN WORDS, MIND YOU -

'we all know that if Loki did the same thing to Sylvie you'd all be going "uwu, aww what great boyfriend material, he wanted to keep her safe 🥺." (direct quote)

Not only do you disregard our entire posts on how we HATE TOXIC BEHAVIOR BEING PRAISED AS POSITIVE, you also make it sound like you're implying that...the only reason why we're defending Loki is cause he's a guy. It just sounds way too close to how typical male fans dismiss female fans as "you girls just like him cause he's hot." Which - for one you don't even know if either of us are gay or ace for that matter, so if you actually are implying that... you're making yourself look like a presumptuous ass. Not to mention, for someone who loves to call out "misogyny" - you fail to realize that those types of assumptions are inherently misogynistic in nature. So I truly hope that's not what you're implying here.

But even aside from that...you come off so unbearably condescending - only to get upset when we reply with equal vehemence and indignation. Understandable on both our parts here, cause you are the one who had the indecency to tag US. Like I get that you're mad about our responses to your last post, but there's a way to address that more respectfully, as in, NOT assuming we'd be a-ok with toxic displays of abusive behavior as long as it's done by our fave! That's a really great take you got there! 🙃🙃🙃 *sarcasm*

For the record, and let me be crystal clear here, NO, WE DON'T LIKE SEEING CHARACTERS BEING ABUSIVE AND HAVING IT BE EXCUSED, AND EVEN PRAISED, BY FANS. EVEN IF THE ABUSE IS BEING INFLICTED BY OUR FAVE!

Also - HAVING COMPASSION AND EMPATHY FOR A CHARACTER DOES NOT EQUAL EXCUSING THAT CHARACTER'S HARMFUL ACTIONS.

For you to even suggest that we'd be OK with Loki being the manipulator/abuser is downright insulting. Especially since, ya know, some of us have had personal experience when it comes to being abused. I suggest you get off YOUR HIGH HORSE and STOP ASSUMING you know what we're feeling and thinking. Cause you're way off mark.

Finally, I WILL NEVER understand how fans can just excuse a character being abused cause "hE dId BaD tHiNgS!" No shit, really??? I had no idea *sarcasm*

Look - just because we point out Sylvie being toxic, DOES NOT mean that we excuse every single thing Loki's ever done in the films. Again - just cause we SYMPATHIZE and feel deep COMPASSION for the guy does NOT mean we excuse all his previous actions. Newsflash - WE DON'T. We know he's been manipulative. We know he's caused harm. You don't need to condescend to us about Loki's harmful actions, cause we know.

We know about the attempted genocide (tho FUNNY ENOUGH, I DON'T SEE ANY OF YOU CALLING OUT THOR AND HIS PRO-GENOCIDE BULLSHIT - LIKE THE NEXT TIME THANOS PUMMELS HIS ASS, OR TORTURES HIM OR SOME SHIT, OR MAYBE WHEN SOME OTHER CHARACTER BEATS HIM UP OR MANIPULATES HIS ASS - I'D SURE LOVE TO SEE YOU GUYS GO "WELL HE TRIED TO COMMIT GENOCIDE ON JOTUNHEIM BEFORE BEING BANISHED TO EARTH - SO WHY ARE Y'ALL THOR STANS COMPLAINING????" But you won't. Cause apparently only Loki deserves to be "held accountable". And by held accountable, you actually just mean endlessly punished and abused.)

And that's the fucking problem. Cause you guys love to confuse Accountability with fucking Abuse! Newsflash again - THEY'RE NOT THE SAME THING! BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE DOES NOT EQUAL BEING ABUSED!

We have no problem with Loki being held accountable. What we DO have a problem with is having Loki being repeatedly abused - that is the issue here! How is that hard for you to understand??

What Loki needs - as an ABUSE VICTIM (and possible TORTURE VICTIM if we throw Thanos into the mix) - is to HEAL FIRST AND FOREMOST. Perhaps even MORE SO than being held accountable! And I mean actual accountability, not this pathetically blatant ABUSE-APOLOGIA you guys are spouting. Also by healing - Loki can actually learn to identify what's emotionally wrong with him, how to cope properly with his trauma, and learn how to do so without causing other people getting harmed in the process. You know... it's almost like by healing himself, Loki can actually hold himself accountable in the process!

Loki needs to HEAL before - or simultaneously while he's being held accountable. And being held accountable does not mean being """punished""" or abused (ffs) - it means OWNING UP TO HIS PAST ACTIONS AND CHANGING HIMSELF TO BE A BETTER PERSON! WHICH - BY THE WAY, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT - IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID BY THE END OF THOR THE DARK WORLD - AND AGAIN IN RAGNAROK - AND YET AGAIN IN INFINITY WAR! Like holy shit - how the hell did you miss all of that - do you guys lack comprehension when it comes to watching films as well???

Also Loki didn't fucking fake his death - that scene was played out as an actual death scene, and it was only changed at the very last minute due to studio interference. So it's very reasonable to interpret that scene as being a genuine death scene - only Loki didn't actually die from his wounds, and managed to survive. Also Thor saying "you faked your death does not count as proof" - it wouldn't be the first time he misunderstood his brother, or got something wrong. Ffs

Tl;dr Accountability ≠ Abuse - they are not the same fucking thing. Actual redemption is NOT being endlessly fucking tortured - it's HEALING and LEARNING TO GROW to be a better person. Which Loki already did in the previous films, mind you.

And if you don't like our responses....do YOURSELF a favor, and DO NOT tag us again.

Loki stans: OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE SYLVIE KISSED LOKI AND THEN SENT HIM TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T GET HURT BY GETTING IN THE WAY OF HER LIFETIME GOAL, SHE'S SO TOXIC.

Loki: *betrays Thor multiple times and endangers his life whilst also attempting to murder him multiple times, kills innocent people*

Loki stans:

Like, can the people reblogging that post I made of Sylvie (@lotus-eyedindiangoddess, @tori-artemis) get off their high horse because we all know that if Loki did the same thing to Sylvie you'd all be going "uwu, aww what great boyfriend material, he wanted to keep her safe 🥺 ."

Loki stans: BuT sHe'S mAnIpUlAtIvE.

Me: MANIPULATIVE HAS BEEN LOKI'S CORE QUALITY SINCE 2011. NONE OF YOU HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIM THEN!

You go on and on about how Loki is an abuse victim (okay?). Can we stop pretending like Sylvie beat his defenceless ass in the final fight?! They were in an equal fight, Loki was fighting her as much as she was fighting him.

Also @tori-artemis saying that Sylvie uses “excessive violence” pissed me off. SINCE. FUCKING. WHEN? Legit all the aggressive force was put on her first! She attacked the TVA AFTER THEY ERASED HER WHOLE UNIVERSE AND HUNTED HER WITH THE INTENTION OF MURDERING HER I THINK SHES ALLOWED TO KILL A FEW MINUTEMEN WHO TRY TO KILL HER FIRST.

THE ONLY TIMES SHE FOUGHT LOKI WAS WHEN HE INITIATED THE FIGHTING. FIRST AT THE TVA WHEN HE STARTED FOLLOWING HER AND TRYING MESS WITH HER PLANS AND THEN AT THE CITADEL WHEN HE TRIED TO STOP HER AGAIN.

IN WHAT DREAMLAND ARE YOU TWO LIVING IN 🤣🤣🤣???