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ae0nx · 3 years ago

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FRUITS BASKET S3 EPISODE 8 RECAP AKA THE KYORU CHRONICLES PART 2 (plus a quick recap of eps 3-7)

aaaaaaAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!! I gotta get it out of me otherwise I won't be able to concentrate on work and I will be scrolling through the tag till the day I die. Everything from episode 3 of Season 3 literally hit me like an avalanche - literally cos I marathoned 3-7 over the weekend which I wouldn't advise unless you want an accelerated heartbeat - and I'm starting to realise... maybe I just wasn't ready for season 3. Despite asking for it, haha. Not gonna put as many screencaps for this one cos tumblr editing bay be trippin and I just don't have time nor emotional energy to be fighting with the picture uploads, sorry lol

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Episodes 3 - 7

I spoke before about how (despite my feelings about the characters) the English dub VAs for Akito and Shigure pair up really well audibly. And I think I feel the same way about both Yuki and Machi's English VAs! They both have the same soft spoken yet scratchy element to their voices almost like they are holding slightly back. Although, I'd argue that Yuki has been losing the element of slightly holding back as the anime has gone on which I wonder if the same would be included for Machi's performance?

I really like the presentation of Machi's trauma through her family's expectations to be perfect and how physical it is? How Yuki kind of encourages her to let it out in a healthy way? (Btw the whole chalk breaking scene in the meeting was SO FUCKING SMOOTH. YUKI IS A NERD BUT HE IS SO EFFORTLESSLY COOL A LOT OF THE TIME)

The age gap between Isuzu and Haru for sure isn't the worst age gap in this anime/manga but it's still a bit... hmm...

Episode 4:

In all seriousness, I know Akito deserves some sympathy but it doesn't change the fact that I still see her as a villain. Hurt people hurt people but it doesn't mean they should get away with it, I was honestly pleased Haru got that big confrontation with Akito to tell her WHAT'S WHAT but it was also somewhat... merciful?

Hiro's growth has been so beautiful to see, him realising there are bigger things than him from the event with Rin to his relationship with Kisa to then the birth of his little sister.

Kureno choosing to get his hands a little dirtier and paying the ultimate price for it (as far as we know so far in the anime lol) was great, he is the moon side of Tohru's sunshine.

Shigure... I still don't really get him and Akito's relationship. It's clear he's waiting for Akito to grow the fuck up but at the same time he's not creating an environment for her to grow and develop. He's decided to go with the 'tough love' route which I'm still deciding whether I like it or not tbh. Sometimes it feels necessary, at other times it feels shitty. I respect that he knows he's a scumbag and I don't deny that there are people out there who take revelry in the fact that they are awful but at the same time, him remaining unchanging despite everything feels... unrealistic. But considering throughout this story he doesn't seem affected by trauma, it's understandable, I guess?

Also... that scene where Shigure ponders about whether he should've been with Tohru is THE creepiest creeper shit he's EVER done in this series. No. 🙅🏾‍♀️

Momiji is best bunny boi regardless of how tall and 'manly' he becomes. 🐰His scene with Akito was so authentically him and he really did that shit. We love him. <3

I love the way that the curse breaking should (on surface) be a happy event considering all the trauma the zodiac went through because of it but it's presented mostly as loss as well as happiness. It's the realness of getting out of a bad relationship

Shigure basically laying it out to Tohru how Kyo means nothing in a very taunting way was an excellently painful scene and I choose violence. It was heartbreaking seeing how worthless they all saw Kyo compared to how Tohru saw him but... by this point I was just living in the pain so 🤷🏾‍♀️

The story visually showing how Isuzu is more willing to be soft after her whole ordeal through her fashion choices (e.g. the pastels, the cardigans) was really nice. And Haru being happy about Isuzu making friends with Tohru was cute!

It was nice we saw that Kazuma was still wary about whether Tohru loved Kyo for the right reasons, you'd assume after everything Kazuma would love Tohru as a match for Kyo but he's so emotionally intelligent and also just a protective Dad! Yay, good parenting!

Tohru's confession to loving Kyo was amazing however I still adore Kyo's confession a little bit more. Just a bit. Lol. However, if you add the moment later in episode 8 it trumps it completely. Ethereal goddess.

Kyo and Tohru's grandfather having a scene together was great and nice

Now that I think about it, I wish there was more a visual link in the story between Tohru adapting her speech to imitate her Dad and Momiji adopting his Mum's German accent. Albeit for slightly different reasons, it just adds to the unique connection Tohru and Momiji have. In short, I'm seeing this ship with my third eye now. I get it lol

I don't wanna screencap the scene where Kyo is haunted by both his deceased mother and deceased Kyoko and potentially deceased Tohru because it's the stuff of nightmares. But, it was a wonderfully done scene. You definitely understand fully and clearly why Kyo buried all of that trauma under his hatred for Yuki (I CAN'T WAIT FOR EPISODE 9, YOU GUISE!)

If Akito is a villain, Ren is the final boss. Although, with her type of villainy... I feel like I can kind of enjoy a bit more. She reminds me of a Greek God in the ways she master manipulates people and her desperation for control and power (I just read 'Mythos' by Stephen Fry, it's a great read lol)

It lowkey feels like every female character who's comfortable in expressing their sexuality in this story is punished in some way for it... this is an incomplete thought

Shigure as a child feeling like they should all be pitied is so... mature... I feel like I need more of an explanation for why Shigure is the way he is

Akito's ego death with Kureno? Amazing. I loved that she was at least aware enough to realise how Kureno had been coddling her all this time but again... doesn't excuse her crimes

But anyways...

EPISODE 8

Honestly? I really don't have much to say about this episode besides 3-5 points I wanna get out of my head. It's not a bad thing at all, it's just that there's still a lot left to play out from this 'arc' and this season in general that I wanna complete my thoughts on.

But I'll start with this:

Lol, isn't it funny?! Isn't it heart-wrenchingly funny how the relationship between Kyo and Tohru has kinda reverted back to how they were at the start of the series? The coldness of Kyo at the beginning of this episode (and throughout) was a bit of a gut punch considering all the light and fluffy moments that we've gotten between the two since the True Form arc.

Talking about the True Form arc, I feel like this episode is somewhat a repeat of the same emotions, same trials of the True Form arc. Kyo still 'runs away like he always has' but this time we get him being the most honest and confrontational with his own emotions and trauma than he ever has been during the course of this whole story. While trusting someone (Tohru specifically) for the first time with the whole truth of his story! He always seems to move one step forward and then three steps backwards and while it's a tad bit frustrating, it feels very... real. I'll probably complete my feelings how this arc reflects the True Form arc when we finish this section of the story in future episode(s).

Considering the fact that 80% of this episode is Jerry Jewell monologuing as Kyo and I never got bored really just sells his performance. Kyo was being incredibly cold this episode and yet the range of emotions through his performance made it feel understandable enough for you to empathise with it.

BrattyKid!Kyo to lighten the mood 😹I still wish he and Hiro had more of a relationship, I feel like they could have taught each other a lot. Well... mostly Kyo teaching Hiro tbh

Kyo rejecting Kyoka for her honesty and kindness and then later rejecting Tohru? Oh... kid...

Wow, I felt so good about that whole episode of Kid!Yuki helping Kid!Tohru get home and then it's slightly soured knowing KID!KYO was running about the streets alllll night into the morning?!?! I really did feel Kyo's frustration at not getting that win to actually do something right. And the irony of that being linked to him being unable to save Kyoka from the oncoming car?

Honestly, I don't know what my feelings are on Kyo being unable to save Kyoka. I don't even know what my feelings are on Tohru pretty much pushing that aside in favour of her feelings for Kyo. It's... complicated and I've been mulling it over in my head for the last 10+ years hahah However, if I was in Tohru's position I think I'd eventually come to a point where it feels like it's too late to really do anything about how bad I'd feel about it. Kyo's intentions weren't horrid, if anything he was just being a scared kid and he's allowed to be that. I just wish Tohru had a bit more time to evaluate it but considering she knew her mother well and assumes that wouldn't have been the full scope of what she had said, I don't have much of a problem with it in general

Lol, I love when Tohru gets a 'FUCK YOU, I LOVE YOU' moment with Kyo. 😂Another reflected scene from the True Form arc... only thing is that this time... it doesn't quite work. 😕

(Again, I love how all of these reflections are resolved in later occurences in response to the duality but I'll get to it next week when it shows hopefully)

Laura Bailey only had a few sentences in this episode but she killed it as always. Comparing her performance in 2001 to now is just... growth!

Ok, so Yuki automatically gets Best Boi in this episode for meddling and chasing after KYO of all people. Showing how he's personally done with hating Kyo. Realising Kyo is pretty much the only person who'll make his mother happy. I think he also lowkey wants to understand Kyo? But, we'll get to that next week.

....Oh yeah, Akito is there.

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In total, I liked this episode even though it has me anxious for the next one. We finally get the full picture of why Kyo is the way he is! Ahhhh - a weight off all our chests, I'm sure. I kinda don't like that they put the ending theme at the end of these episodes - the joyfulness doesn't really match up with the intense theme? But, that's just a minor gripe. And hey, maybe they just want the audience to know... it's all gonna be okay :)

See you next week!!!

#fruits basket #furuba #fruits basket season 3 #fruits basket 2021

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mulderist · 4 years ago

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DEVIL AT MY DOORSTEP

Post-Orison Hurt/comfort || MSR, UST || Scully POV || Moderate violence || AO3 link

A/N: This fic was originally written way back in 2001 when I was in college. It was my first post-episode fic and I posted it to FF.net back in the day. I unearthed it 3 years ago and gave it some extremely heavy edits because it’s that ridiculous and dramatic (lol). I then nervously posted the revised version to AO3.

@today-in-fic

"If you want to pack some things we can get outta here," Mulder said as he walked into my bedroom. I pulled open a dresser drawer revealing my copy of the Holy Bible. I felt the strong weight of guilt in my hand as I lifted it out. Mulder noticed the book. "You can't judge yourself," he tried to reassure me. I walked over to my bed and carefully sat my beaten body down.

"Maybe I don't have to." I told him.

"The Bible allows for vengeance."

"But the law doesn't."

"The way I see it," Mulder began as he leaned toward me, "he didn't give you a choice. And my report will reflect that, in case you're worried. Donnie Pfaster would have surely killed again if given the chance."

"He was evil Mulder. I'm sure about that without a doubt. But there's one thing that I'm not sure of," I said softly.

"What's that?"

"Who was at work in me? Or what? What made me - what made me pull the trigger?"

"You mean if it was God?"

"I mean - what if it wasn't?" There was a beat of silence and I could sense that Mulder wanted to say something. Instead I felt his hand gently slide across my upper back. I looked up at him and could see the concern written on his face.

"I'll finish up out there," he said. Then he moved past me and back towards the bedroom door, pulling it behind him.

I slowly stood and went to my dresser to find some clothes. I tossed an outfit on the bed and stripped off my pajamas leaving them in a heap on the floor. As I absentmindedly packed an overnight bag I took a look around my bedroom. The bookcase I had pulled over on Pfaster to slow him down resulted in a disjointed cascade of books and broken trinkets. There were stains of crimson blood, more than likely my own, which dotted the once clean carpet. The thought that blood was shed in my bedroom made me swallow hard. I scanned over my bed to the wall where my mirror once hung. All that remained were jagged pieces of glass and the remnants of the frame. More pieces scattered the floor. I closed my eyes briefly attempting to block out the events that had occurred. Then a shudder shook me back into reality and I turned to leave my room.

The police had finally cleared out leaving an unsettling calm in the apartment. I was grateful Mulder took it upon himself to answer their questions. As I walked to the living room I could still smell a faint scent of lit matches combined with the dying fragrance of my candles, though they had been extinguished for some time now. I stopped after I crossed the thresh hold and looked down at the large burgundy stain on the rug. Very faint markings of a chalk outline could still be seen on the floor. I saw Mulder sitting on the end of my couch with his elbows on his knees, hands folded. He rose when he realized I was in the room. I said softly,

"Let's go."

Mulder nodded and followed me out the door, locking it behind us. Once we got outside he took my bag and popped the trunk to place it inside. I took my place in the passenger seat and winced slightly as I reached across to grab the seat belt. My eyelids felt like lead weights and I couldn't help but let them close as I leaned my head back against the headrest. I heard Mulder get in the car and start the engine. He tried to make conversation on the ride to his apartment but I think after a short while he realized I didn't want to talk just yet. He knew me well. The remainder of the drive was in silence. Even after Mulder parked the car we still said nothing. It wasn't until we had stepped inside his apartment that he uttered,

"I can put some coffee on." I glanced up at him and nodded with a heavy sigh.

"I think I want to take a shower."

"Sure," he replied, sounding slightly wounded, "It'll be ready once you're done."

Jesus, why are we doing this awkward small talk? He handed me my overnight bag and before I went down the hall I squeezed his hand. After I closed the bathroom door behind me I put my bag on the floor then turned on the water for the shower. As it warmed up I slowly shed my clothes and inspected myself to see if there were any injuries I might have missed. I turned slightly and saw the initial stages of bruising setting in on my upper back. My naked figure in the mirror was unsettling. I had never seen myself look so vulnerable. I turned away from the defeated reflection and pulled aside the shower curtain, stepping into the warm waterfall.

Steam began to swirl around in the tiny room, creating an eerie fog. The slight burn of the water began to relax me as it massaged my tired frame. I self-consciously crossed my arms over my breasts and placed my hands on my shoulders. I then ran a hand over my wet hair. "Ah, dammit," I hissed. My index finger found a remaining chip of glass hiding at the back of my head. A speck of blood oozed from where I was pricked. That's when I noticed my fingernails. There was a fine line of scarlet caked under them.

Blood.

Blood that was not mine. My hands showed traces of the struggle in my apartment. I flexed and tightened my right hand noticing how awkward and stiff the movement was. Sprain, edema, contusion, hematoma: bland clinical terms I knew all too well. I took the bar of soap off its dish and began working it into a lather. As the suds formed on my arms, I tried to wash away the gritty feeling, the sense of guilt, and the memory of Donnie Pfaster.

Pfaster. His cryptic face clawed its way to the surface though I tried desperately to suppress it. His was the face of pure evil, a vision of a demon that shook me to my core. When I took the case I tried to prove to myself that it didn't bother me. I had gone through the counseling sessions during and after Minneapolis. Bouts of anxiety would return every once and a while, flashes of terrible things usually triggered after a particularly difficult assignment. Subconsciously I knew I was kidding myself when I thought I had overcome what happened.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to melt away as I stood there breathing in the heavy steam. Water pushed the soapy residue from my body and I saw a light red trail spiral down the drain. I closed my eyes for a moment but couldn't shake the chaos that happened in my apartment. Pfaster was in my home - the devil at my doorstep. I angrily grabbed a bottle of shampoo and squeezed some of it into my hand. As I massaged the gel into my hair the familiar scent wound around in the air and my mood softened. Then my thoughts turned to Mulder. He told me not to look any further and I followed his advice. I don't know how he ended up in my living room with his gun drawn, ready to do what I was shockingly more capable of doing. He always managed to find me – to save me. I was still in shock when he rushed over and held me close. I just stood there, motionless, letting my weapon slip from my fingers. Every time I ended up in his arms I had this overwhelming feeling that I'm safe and it's a sensation I never want to lose. As I rinsed my hair I did what I feared most.

I lost control.

The water felt tepid as it mixed with the scalding tears in my eyes. I brought my hands to my face as if to conceal the pain and anger from myself. Oh God I thought. Everything was rushing at me too fast; horrible sounds and smells returned shocking my senses. I lost the comforting warmth that had enveloped me. Stability failed and I placed my left hand against the cool tile wall. My knees softened and with a hand over my mouth, I tried to muffle my crying. My shoulders lurched as I sobbed and I moved my hip closer to the wall for support. Water raced down my bruised back. My arms slid across my stomach and I held on, trying to shield myself from the terrible thoughts flashing in my mind. I leaned a shoulder into the wall almost as if I expected it to open up and embrace me.

"Mulder…"

I didn't realize I had said it aloud. It's not the first time I've called out to him but it felt different as I stood in his shower. I needed to say his name. I needed to know he was on the other side of that door. I needed to allow myself this one fleeting moment of vulnerability and begin to accept the unacceptable. As my sobs slowed one was caught in my throat. I hated how I sounded when I was upset and more often than not tried desperately to express sorrow in silence. Over the roar of the water I exhaled deeply and wiped my eyes. My hands found their way to my shoulders once again and I breathed in the last few clouds of steam. Then I turned off the faucet, pushed aside the shower curtain and stepped out onto the waiting bathmat. I pulled a towel off the hook and gently dried off, finding comfort in that familiar scent once again.

I got dressed and combed my hair then walked out to Mulder's living room. There was a lone mug on the coffee table. I happened upon him lying down on the couch, eyes closed. I moved closer and noticed that his brow was furrowed. I touched his shoulder causing him to stir.

"Mmm, sorry I must have dozed off. Did the shower help? " he said while he sat upright and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I think so. I feel a little more human." I joined him in the space he had cleared. He stretched then reached for the mug and took a long swallow. I leaned back against the couch.

"I can pour you a cup if you'd like," I heard him say. My fingers began to fiddle with a tender spot on my left hand.

"No thanks." I know Mulder could tell I had been crying, puffiness under the eyes was not easy to conceal. I could feel my cheeks flush and I licked my lips as I searched for something to say.

"I'm sorry, Mulder. I'm still having difficulty finding the words right now and I can't stand this awkward small talk."

He shook his head after swallowing a sip of coffee. "You know I can see it on your face. And this awkward small talk wouldn't be so awkward if you would just let me in. It's like I told you earlier, I've never seen something give you this much of a head trip before."

"I have to be able to accept this on my own terms, Mulder." That tasted bitter. "I've been trying to forget for five years. I just can't do this right now." I got off the couch and started to head for his bedroom. After pushing the door slightly behind me, I turned down the sheets and slowly crawled into the large bed. I gingerly placed my head upon Mulder's pillow and felt the smoothness against my skin. Every muscle in my body struggled to unwind. Before I closed my eyes I noticed a shadow move in front of the door.

"I'll be fine." I muttered under my breath.

The last thing I heard was the click from the door being closed.

I awoke in the dark to a stinging sensation in the side of my head. My mouth was sore and I could taste blood. There was a taunt strip of cloth tied tightly around my head causing my cheeks to hurt. My hands were bound behind my back and my bare feet were tied together. I weakly struggled to shift positions, fighting the pain in my temple. Once my eyes focused I slowly maneuvered myself near the light source coming from the crack underneath the door. Where the hell am I? I couldn't see anything in the room aside from the hardwood floor. I attempted to sit back up and tried to figure out how I got here. Adrenaline had kicked in now and I started thinking of a way to escape. Then I saw a shadow sweep across the floor. Suddenly the door pulled open. I shot back against a nearby wall in a lame attempt to protect myself. I looked at the figure in the doorway and it didn't look human. The figure bent down, grabbed my ankles, and dragged me on the floor out of the closet into the empty room. I writhed and twisted in its grip. A dim light from somewhere else in the dilapidated house illuminated the figure just enough so I could distinguish human hands as they removed the tie from my ankles. The man reached over and forcefully pulled me up by my shoulders to my feet. Our eyes met for a split second as I stood and in that moment I felt malevolence swarm over my body. His pushed me in front of him and a smile snaked across his lips.

His hand roughly clung to my bare shoulder as he shoved me down a hallway. Everything in the sparsely lit house looked the same, bare and unremarkable. There was a warm glow coming from one of the rooms on the left and he led me in that direction. It was a master bedroom. Once inside I was shoved towards the bathroom. I saw an oversized bathtub nestled in the back under a window. There was a double sink to the right and the white porcelain toilet resided next to it with a towel bar hanging low over the tank. Candles covered just about every surface to provide mood lighting for whatever diabolical plans he had in mind. He moved me over to the sink and untied my hands for a moment, only to tie them to the towel bar. I saw the horrible smirk form on his face as he stepped back to look at his work.

"It'll all be over soon." And with that he left the bathroom. My mind yelled at me to escape. I pulled violently at the bar, foolishly hoping that I could pull it off the wall and run. Then I leaned my head down to meet my hands and try to loosen the gag. As I feverishly worked I heard a thud from the other room. I stopped for just a second and listened and to my horror I saw the man pull Mulder's body into the doorway and toss him on the floor.

No!

"Mulder! What have you done to him?!" I yelled against the gag. The man lunged at me and struck me across the face. Then he snatched my jaw and pressed the flat side of a knife against my cheek.

"Don't worry Girly-Girl. I have plans for him too." I fought the tears welling in my eyes. He moved away from me and went toward the bathtub, reaching for the faucet to turn on the water. I tried to free my hands from the towel bar while he was distracted. My fingers squeezed together and with a tug I was loose then I quickly removed the cloth from around my mouth. I looked out into the other room and saw Mulder stir but just as I did Pfaster noticed I had gotten one step closer to escape and took measures to slow me down. With a flash of metal his knife came quickly across my right hand. I tried to grab it; tried to disarm him for even a moment. He caught my arm and plunged the blade in-between my ribs. I screamed. He attacked me again, this time hitting my upper arm. I took all the strength I could muster and kicked Pfaster in the gut sending him back towards the bathtub. I cried out over the roar of the water and fell to the floor just missing the edge of the sink. I started to crawl in a prone position to the door and out into the bedroom, blood soaking rapidly through my tank top. I had to get to Mulder. He was lying face down on the floor and I could tell he was injured or God knows what else.

"S-Scully.." he muttered as he lifted his head revealing a gash on his cheek. My injured hand reached out for his, finding his fingertips and holding as tight as I could.

"Mulder, please…" I pleaded. "I need you to get up. I can't –" Pfaster was on his feet now. He turned around sharply and quickly ran out to seize my leg. I kicked him in the shin but he still managed to pull me in his direction. I cried out for Mulder as I was dragged back into the bathroom. Pfaster brought my arms above my head and held them together while straddling me. My right arm went numb from the stab wounds and blood started to seep into the bathmat as my body was pressed onto the tile. I winced as he tightened his hold on me, pulling my injured arm more than needed.

"You know," he began once he caught his breath, "I didn't think I'd finally catch the one that got away. That red hair never left my mind. I wasn't going to stop until I found you." My lips moved as I tried to form words, but no sound escaped. He stood and yanked me up off the floor. I could barely fight against him and that's what frightened me the most. I was running out of time. Still with a grip on my shoulders he turned off the water to the bathtub.

"Let her go, Pfaster," said Mulder from the doorway, his voice sounded dark. Pfaster pressed a hand over my mouth before I could put a voice to my suffering. The taste on my lips was nauseating.

"You're not going to take her from me. Not again," said Pfaster. Then he brought his face close to me and smelt my hair making my skin crawl. Then he dropped me in the tub, holding me under. I kicked and thrashed as hard as I could but I was growing weaker. I heard Mulder yell.

Two shots rang out.

The frigid cold water sent a shockwave through my body and stung my wounds. It hurt to move. It hurt to think. I could feel my body shutting down. All of my energy started to fade and I physically couldn't struggle anymore. I couldn't move. My breath slowed as I stared at the ceiling. The lights from the remaining candles flickered back and forth across the walls.

My life started to slip away.

Then I saw Mulder's face above me as he climbed into the tub. He reached in and quickly picked me up from under my arms then shifted my weight so he could slide his right arm under my knees. As he lifted my limp wounded body out of the bathtub I closed my eyes and heard him say "I'm sorry, Scully. God I'm so sorry." He carried me out of the bathroom, leaving the body of Donnie Pfaster behind.

Mulder knelt down with me on the floor of the barren bedroom, holding me tight in his arms. I coughed and sputtered, expelling the bathwater. He pulled out his cell phone and I knew he was calling for an ambulance. "Yes this Agent Mulder with the FBI, I have an agent down!" He gave some more information then tossed the phone aside. One hand pressed firmly on my side, adding compression to the oozing stab wound. "Help is on the way. Just hang on." My eyelids fluttered and I said his name.

"Scully, talk to me. Come on."

"What happened to you?" I asked weakly.

"That bastard cold-cocked me once I made it upstairs. He must have already had you tied-up in the bathroom. God, I should have shot him as soon as I saw him."

"I can't Mulder…" I said with a shiver.

"No. No. You have to stay with me, Scully" he said with a wavering voice.

"I can't feel …I don't…I'm sorry," My words were nonsensical as I tried to focus on him. My fingers grazed his shirt before I lost consciousness.

Mulder began CPR.

His lips felt so warm against mine as he forced air into my mouth. I felt the wetness of his cheek as he leaned in to deliver each breath. I was so numb I barely felt the chest compressions. His hands were soaked in my blood. Desperation crossed Mulder's face after he gave two more sets of compressions and saw no change.

"Dammit Scully, come on! You can't leave me!" I heard him say as he pressed on my chest. His composure was gone as he tried frantically to revive me. Mulder choked out a sob as he clutched me to his chest. He rocked back and forth then let out a primal, gut-wrenching scream.

A siren was heard howling down the street. Red lights flashed in through the window and danced along the ceiling as the ambulance pulled up. The paramedics flung open the door to the house and called in inside. It didn't take them long to find us. They rushed in and took me from Mulder so they could begin their work. He slid back a little and sat with his head in his hands. The EMTs readied the defibrillator to restart my heart. One of the medics cut open my shirt and stuck pads on my bare chest to prepare me before using the paddles. Then a paramedic called,

"Clear!"

I cried out and woke with a start; my hands pushed me into an awkward upright position on the bed. Disoriented at first and head spinning, I started to piece together where I was. The layout of the room became more familiar as my senses came into focus with the morning light. My weight shifted to my left elbow and as I rubbed my eyes I heard the bedroom door open, Mulder said my name as he entered. I sat up and he joined me on the bed. The wave of tension broke and quickly I leaned forward to wrap my arms tightly around his neck.

"I had a bad dream," I said softly, feeling my lip start to tremble as I pulled him closer. I felt like a child that needed to be consoled.

"Tell me," he whispered.

"I was in a house, like when I was taken before." My throat felt dry causing my voice to falter. "Pfaster dragged me into a room lined with candles and was intent on finishing what he started. You were there too but you couldn't - There was so much blood, Mulder," I pulled away from him and drew in a breath to try and regain some sense of composure. "It all just felt so real. " I shook my head and ran a hand over my hair leaving it to rest behind my neck. We sat there for a moment, no words between us. At one point he tenderly kissed the top of my head. Finally he said,

"I was hesitant to tell you, but I heard that song as I was getting ready for bed last night."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," he looked down and motioned to take my hand, "I tried to call you but you didn't pick up. I guess you could call it divine intervention."

"That was playing in my apartment. He was playing that damn song…" Mulder leaned in and embraced me.

This time I buried my head in his chest and unwillingly started to hear the opening notes of the song fade in once again. My eyes closed and my hands pressed harder against Mulder's back, pulling him closer.

With those phantom tones I was replaying what had happened mere hours ago. The panic of knowing Pfaster was in my home, the anger that drove each blow I threw at him, the fear when he had me pinned down and screaming out for help.

Don't let go.

The tempo sent me reeling back to Minneapolis. That house. That closet. The feel of the rope around my wrists. Falling down those stairs and feeling paralyzed by fear. What was going to happen to me? Would I ever see Mulder again?

Hold on to me.

The rhythm began to fade and I felt the mist in my eyes. I pushed back for a brief moment and looked at Mulder as he brushed away tear that found its way to my cheek.

"Stay with me," I whispered. He nodded and I moved over, allowing him to slip into bed alongside me.

"It's alright. I'm here." He kissed the nape of my neck knowing there wasn't much else he could do but hold me. And that's all I really wanted him to do. At that point I didn't care that I had broken down. I had never wanted him closer to me than in that moment.

I was so tired. My body ached and eventually my sobs began to subside. The air was no longer caught in my throat. I began to listen to the cadence of Mulder's breath and I wasn't sure if he was still awake. My inhale met with his. Once he noticed my breathing began to slow he slid his hand from under mine. Fingertips found a strand of hair and placed it behind my ear. I could feel the sunlight coming through the bedroom window.

"Thank you," I uttered, my voice raspy and heavy with exhaustion.

"Rest. I'm not going anywhere." I struggled to shift positions and turned over to face him. My hand found his cheek and I moved closer, sharing his breath. The hint of smile tugged at his mouth. Ever so slightly my lips parted and I felt warmth as his lips met mine. Soft and tender.

At last I was able to begin to forget.

#I wrote this #xf fanfic #fanfic anniversary #msr #hurt/comfort #xfiles

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red-moskito · 4 years ago

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24. April. 2020

Málaga, Spain

For many of us, the last time it felt like the whole world was having the same conversation was on September 11th, 2001. For me, it was also the day I left London for Faedis, Italy. A few people around me on the train were murmuring about some kind an attack. When I got the airport, it was so quiet. People stood frozen in front of televisions watching two plumes of black smoke rise into a blue sky.

I’d met Marco while he was in London for a couple days to sell some wine. We both quoted Biggie Smalls and the Big Lebowski. He was just getting the family vineyard going as a proper business. I had no plans beyond the next weekend. I said I liked the idea of working on a vineyard. He said, cool.

The house was a kitchen and a bedroom above the cantina. Almost everything inside was older than me. The roof in the bedroom sloped down to the floor. We opened a few bottles and ate dinner.

While insects buzzed and chirped outside the windows, we watched our world reorganize itself towards endless war on television. It was cold that night. We slept under scratchy blankets on little beds made during times of less abundance.

I stayed until the end of October. We often ate lunch in Orsaria with his parents, Paolo and Miriam. I liked them. They acted as if Marco had just found a younger brother they had somehow misplaced. I also liked their house. It was big, beautiful and warm. They had comfortable sofas and a computer for sending sentimental emails and downloading mp3s.

I did my best to match their enthusiasm for every course. E buona la pasta, Tito? Si, si... buonissimo! Marco, perché non mangia di più? When I got sick, they had a doctor come to the house. He brought a stethoscope in a leather bag. Nonna introduced me to grappa as medicine. The first glass felt like hot wax going down my throat.

I annoyed Marco with my plans to marry his sister Barbara, even though she thought I was a sfigato. We drove down gravel roads to parties in little bars where his friends played reggae like some of mine did back home.

No matter how late we stayed out, or how many bottles we left empty on the table, Marco was up with the sun and ready to work. He’d drink flat Coca-Cola before his coffee. Some fuel to get the engine started, man. Good for the stomach.

Winemaking is agriculture, science, art, design, engineering, sales, marketing, gambling, guessing…. When there aren’t vines to trim, there are tanks to check, fertilizers to buy, grapes to take to the laboratory, grass to cut, cases to deliver, bottles to label, fill, cork... People we’d meet throughout the day said, buon lavoro as goodbye.

Whenever something could go wrong, it often did. Marco’s momentary frustration would quickly just become something else to laugh about. Stay calm. Piano, piano. We have to be the Tom Cruise of the situation, man.

Sometimes he would sketch out the plans for our day on scrap paper. Little cartoons of machines, grapes, tanks and tubes with arrows between them. Numbers and notes floating around the edges. He never drew us. We were always moving anyway.

During the vendemmia a crowd arrived to help. Friends, traveling workers and his family, of course. Nonno laughed and shook his head at me and my allergies. I never really got the hang of the tractor, but I loved cutting the grapes free. We stacked crates and tipped them into presses. They all knew far more about my country than I did about theirs. We debated the merits of Sublime, compared Berlusconi to Bush and retold our favorite Simpsons episodes. Every day we all ate lunch together on the patio beneath a sunshade of interwoven vines.

The wine we made went to tables all around Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and parts of Europe. I brought a few bottles with me when I left for Torino. Some went to rest on shelves in the cantina.

The last time I was in Faedis was in August 2016. Marco still sings while he’s walking between the rows of vines. 'Biggie Biggie Biggie can’t you see…’ I mean come on. man. He was really the best. You know it. The best... ‘It was all a dream. I used to read Word-Up Magazine…’

The TV in the kitchen is gone. There’s a wood stove there now. They watch movies projected on the wall of the room we used to sleep in. A futon for guests has replaced the little beds. Marco had remodeled the house to make room for another proper bedroom.

He dug out some grimy bottles of our wine. It was six years younger than I was when we made it. I didn’t get to see Barbara. Paulo and Miriam’s house is now a bed and breakfast. Go there if you’re ever near Orsaria. It’s even more beautiful now.

Friuili is 300 km from Lombardia. In February, Marco and I started talking and texting about the virus. I’d already started veering away from people on the sidewalk. There was a movie I wanted to see in the cinema, but I didn’t go. I avoided the port full of cruise ship passengers. But I still went out.

On March 6, I’d had an internal debate about going to the botanical gardens on my day off. It’s outdoors. It’s low season. It’ll be empty. It’s windy and warm. And anyway, Málaga isn’t Bergamo. I rode my bike there, and while I was locking it, I reconsidered again. I saw a couple walking down from the mountains across the road. Should I just hike up this trail instead? Instead I went inside. I’d only been in summer before. I wanted to see what it looked like at the beginning of spring.

While I was having my coffee, a woman sat at the other end of the picnic table. When she started blowing her nose, I told myself it would be silly and rude to get up. Then she started coughing. I looked at the unwrapped sandwich I had brought from home. My open water thermos. Mentally measuring metres and wind speed. Still feeling like I was being ridiculous. Her daughter brought the drinks and sat down. Ecco la tua mamma... I picked up my things and moved to another table.

I spent the next half hour telling myself I was being paranoid while trying to focus on the plants in the sunshine. Doing impossible math in my head. There are 60 million Italians.... they could have been traveling for weeks... maybe they live here... anyone could have it... there are so many old people here... I heard that man couch under is hat... it could have been on the coffee cup anyway… the bartender washes them in the sink... how hot is that water?

I walked to the end of the gardens where a gazebo was built for the view of the cathedral and the sea. I watched turtles swimming around the little pond. Marco texted me. Stay at home. I called him to tell him about the Italian women and my paranoia. They walked by while I was on the phone, and I moved upwind. Still feeling ridiculous.

He was calm as always. The main problem is there aren’t enough beds for the, how do you say... the reanimation. The people they are just fucking dying in the corridors. They don’t know for sure who is the patient zero, but the patient one or two. He’s a 38 years old guy. He’s been on the fucking respirator for weeks. In Cividale there are three cases. It’s crazy, man. What we have to do is just fucking close everything like they did in China. But that will never happen you know man, because this is Europe.

Two days later the Italian government locked down Lombardia and fourteen other provinces. The following day they extended to it include the entire country. Within a week, most of Europe followed suit.

Seven weeks later the Italian government agrees with many of you about the essential nature of wine. So Marco is still working. Since the lockdown started, he’s been in the hospital twice. He was in a car accident in March, and then something more serious happened in April.

He sent me a selfie from the hospital bed. I called him and he answered laughing. His wife had thought he was faking a stroke to play a trick on her. Fucking unbelievable, man. I tried to drink the juice. You know in the morning, the orange juice, and I put it all over my t-shirt. I couldn’t put it to my mouth. I couldn’t say nothing. I was like blah, blah, blah. My brain was no good. Anyway, how are you, are you good?

The hospitals in Udine aren’t overwhelmed, but he was only allowed one visitor per day. He asked his mother to bring his laptop, so he could get some work done. Everybody say rest. Rest, rest, rest. Okay, I’m in the bed.

When he was discharged he sent me a photo with his wife and baby walking between the vines. Their daughter, Emilia, has unruly red hair. In every photo she looks overjoyed and a little surprised to have found herself inside her new body. Are you ok? Super ok, man. Super ok. They were all smiles. Glowing in the green grass. Paola looks far too smart to have fallen for either of us back when we would try to out-charm each other every time a woman arrived at the vineyard.

Marco’s still getting up with the sun. But fewer and fewer Italians have money for wine. He’s not loading pallets with boxes bound for dinner parties in Oslo or Chicago. No American tourists will be giggling at his accent this summer. The local restaurants are dark and full of stale air.

For almost twenty years, whenever I’ve called Marco to talk about moving or just getting away, he reminds me of my house in Faedis.

Next to the front door there are photographs of family and friends working together since long before the days of color. Behind the house, up on top of the hill, there is a little shack with the year 1867 written above the door. It will still be there once our world has reorganized itself yet again.

So will we.

https://www.cecchinimarco.com/

http://www.dorsariabedandbreakfast.it/index.php/it/

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bthenoise · 6 years ago

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Q&A: Hear How Frank Iero Wants You To Become The Future Violents With Third Solo LP ‘Barriers’

All photos by Julius Aguilar

When you think of Frank Iero, we’re sure a lot of things come to mind. He’s a musician, he’s a dad, he’s an active user on Twitter. What most people might not realize is that Frank Iero is a huge music fan -- like, the guy knows way more about things you didn’t even know existed in the first place.

For example, take a certain guitar used by a late-60′s early-70′s band called The Wrecking Crew. Frank, being the musical factoid that he is, was able to spurt out knowledge dating back years from a recent documentary he had watched. Knowing this, we knew we had to take the former My Chemical Romance member to Arizona’s approximately 200,000 square-foot Musical Instrument Museum.

There, Frank and Noise contributor Jimmy Smith were able to walk the halls, discover instruments dating back to the 1800′s and discuss the upcoming Frank Iero And The Future Violents record Barriers.

For a glimpse into the knowledgable and insightful hang out, which also dove deep into Frank’s life-changing car accident between a city bus and his tour van, be sure to look below. Afterward, make sure to pre-order Frank’s forthcoming LP Barriers before it hits stores May 31st via UNFD.

Alright, so maybe the easiest or the hardest question I’ll ask you all day: What was the best thing you saw here at the Musical Instrument Museum?

Oh man, Tommy Tedesco’s [Telecaster]. That was unreal. I had no idea that [they] had that here. Like, I’ve seen documentaries on The Wrecking Crew and you learn about the incredible players they all were and how many songs that particular guitar has been on that you wouldn't even know. And just to kind of see it sitting there, it's like, “Wow.”

Were there any out-of-the-box instruments you would want to get on a record of yours?

That's the thing. Any chance you have to get an instrument in your hands and try to learn the inner workings of it and what kind of sound you can get out of it, that stuff's amazing. I like to sometimes try to take a step back and approach it from a side I don’t know and think about like, “How would I think of this instrument if I had never seen anyone else play it before? Like, how would I get a sound out of it that I’ve never heard?” And that’s kind of fun.

What do you think is the most unique instrument you've actually used on a record?

Well, early on in the My Chem days, a theremin was on [a record] but it's definitely not like one [that’s noticable]. Because it was just really a bit of a little sprinkle on top. That's an odd one to play. On this next record that we're releasing at the end of May, there's a song on Barriers called “Basement Eyes.” I wanted church bells, I wanted the chorus to have this Phil Spector kind of vibe with like percussion and almost like that feeling you get when you listen to The Crystals. “And Then He Kissed Me,” that kind of thing. So we rented this piano -- I guess, you’re not going to be able to see this reading this -- but it's like a desktop kind of thing, like maybe three-and-a-half feet tall, not a lot of keys and maybe an octave and a half. It's called a Viber-Charm and they sold it to churches that didn't have a lot of money and didn't have the pipe organ sort of church bells and they can play different things on this keyboard. And I mean, it had to be from like the 50s. [It had] braided cables, everything looked like it was going to catch on fire at any moment. And that made a resounding sound on that song. That's how we achieved that.

So obviously with every record you do you want to spice it up and do things differently. What else did you bring to the table this time around aside from adding new members?

Well, this was this is a fun one to do because I was able to really chase tones that I wanted to get. Usually, you don't have a lot of time in a studio, especially when you're a smaller artist or self-funding and stuff like that. [Usually,] you’re going into the studio with, you know, say 17 days or two weeks or something like that and you're trying to get 12 to 14 songs out. This record, we did 17 days and we did 17 songs. Steve Albini is the one that engineered this record. He’s just such a master of his craft. And I mean, he’s the only person that you work with that doesn't have any help, it’s just him in the studio. No ones there. Like someone goes and gets coffee sometimes. Other than that, like no one touches a microphone or anything. Like, he sets up everything himself. He's at the board. He does edits on tape, of course, it's like straight two-inch tape. You need someone that is so unbelievably versed in their craft to be able to make that time work. And we mixed in that amount of time as well.

Wow. Did you enjoy having that kind of time crunch?

[Laughs] There's definitely a picture of me [and] the whole band at the end of the session I posted on my Instagram. I look like someone that is like, “Oh my god, I can't believe we finished this.” And yeah, I mean, it's hard. You sleep at the studio too. So you record [all day] and then you can go in after hours and work on stuff. But like, you're there a lot and it's the second time in my life that I had an episode of sleep paralysis. Like, one of the nights, I woke up and my brain had woken up first but my body didn't. And I was like, “Oh no!” It's the scariest experience ever. So I was definitely stressed. But we got it done.

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A post shared by frnkiero (@frankieromustdie) on Mar 29, 2019 at 2:06pm PDT

Did the sleep paralysis affect any of the songs at all? Did it make you think differently about your lyrics maybe?

No [laughs]. Like, I've had it twice. Once it happened, I was in My Chemical Romance at the time, and I don't know if we were recording but I was definitely stressed out. And I didn't know what it was. And that [time] was like, “Oh man, there must be” -- I was in a hotel, I was like, “This must be haunted.” Like, immediately I went to that because it feels like someone's pushing you down and you can't move at all but you're fully awake and aware that you can't move and that's why it’s so scary. The second time it happened during this recording, I woke up and I was on my side, and I remember being like, “Oh no, it's happened again” [laughs].

The ghost found you!

[Laughs] Yeah! The ghost found me! Like, “Oh great, he’s followed me now.” But I heard this -- it almost felt like a laser starting from the top my head and going all the way down and I heard “zzzzzzzzzzz” like I was being scanned. It was crazy. And then when it finally got to my feet, [snaps] I woke up. I was able to come out of it and I immediately Googled it like “What the fuck is this?!” So I saw this sleep paralysis thing that said sometimes when your brain wakes up before your body, you can carry through a dream that you're having. So if you're having a nightmare, you'll see things from your nightmare and that’s why people think it's like, “Oh no, it's a demon holding me” and it freaks you out. But it's like, “Oh my god” [laughs].

So just talking about the people you brought in for this record, some of them you’ve known for a very long time. Like Tucker Rule, for example. What is it like to get to play in a band with him?

Oh, man, it's a dream come true. Like Matt [Amrstrong] too, I've known both of those guys since maybe 2000 or 2001. I saw them play in respected bands that I thought were just unreal. I mean, Thursday was one of the greatest live bands, and still is, that I've ever seen. And I remember being like, “Wow, I would love to play with Tucker.” And I got to play with Tucker later on in the 2000s when our drummer from My Chem Bob [Bryar] got sick and had to go home. I think Tucker came in for an Australian tour and that was really awesome. He was fantastic. I mean, he's a fantastic drummer it was great to play with him. But I remember being like, “I wish I could write songs with him.” Like he's playing parts that someone else wrote. And that's always weird. It's almost like putting on your dad’s suit. Like, you could look good in it but you're never going to look like it's yours.

So I was like, “Wouldn't it be cool to be able to write songs with this guy?” And then Matt, he was in a band called Murder By Death. And I remember them when they were Little Joe Gould. And they came into the Eyeball [Records] family through Tucker and Thursday. And I remember being like, “Wow, I thought Thursday was good. Like, holy shit, this band is unreal!” And I mean, there was completely different instrumentation. Of course, there was a cello player and keyboard player and just the things that they were doing, I think let everyone in our little microcosm know it's not just about “I got these four chords, I'm gonna write this song.” It's like, “You should and can do so much more.” And I think that kind of blew the doors off for everybody and that's when we started to really take it seriously and try to get better. I remember thinking like, “Oh man, how cool would it be to be in a band with that guy? That kid can play.”

So is it kind of weird to think in a weird way you’re sort of their boss since it’s your band?

It's weird to be in that position because I never wanted that. I've always had bands and always started bands and ended up in that position because I was the one that started it or no one else wanted to do that job so it was like, “Alright. Well, someone's got to do it, so I guess I'll do it.” But I very much love that idea of a community being like, “Alright, we're all in this together. We all have equal say.” I like the writing process of that where you bounce ideas off of each other.

So it was collaborative writing with all the members for this project?

For this one, a lot of the songs started just in my head and that's kind of how this solo project has gone. But on this record in particular, because I think we had such high caliber musicians, two songs started with ideas that my brother Even Nestor had. And two songs, one of which made the record, started with Matt. So that was a kind of a thing like, “Hey, I have this riff. Do you think we could use it?” And we would jam out on it and all of a sudden it’s a song.

Do you have a favorite song on the record?

I do [laughs].

Which one is it?

It's called “Medicine Square Garden.” It was one of those where I wrote it, had it in my head and I was like, “This is going to be really difficult to explain to someone how this song is supposed to go.” And it's either going to work or it's not. It's going to be one of those things where if it doesn't work, I'm going to be bummed because I think it's really good but I need people to like -- I don't think I could have done it with anybody else other than this bad. It's crazy. It's one of those songs that I really took a leap of faith on. And since it did pay off and it is still one of my favorite songs, I feel like that's how I knew it it was a successful record.

Getting to hear the record early, it’s interesting that after your accident, you could have gone two ways with how you wrote it: Angry and pissed off at the world or calm and just looking to get back to basics. Was that something you considered when writing Barriers?

Well I think for me, having that accident, I knew I couldn't write a record without addressing it because it was such a huge moment in my life and it changed everything. I knew I'm a different person because of it. And there was this huge elephant in the room that I knew I had to talk about and I had to address it and it had to be, if not a focal point of the record, it had to be -- just, it was there within everything I was writing so I needed something to be dedicated to it. But everything I started to write about just didn't feel right. Like I didn't feel like I was getting everything out the way you do, there's so much to say. And the words just weren't there. I would write something and be like, “that doesn't sum it up.” It's hard to sum up a life-changing experience like that. So that was kind of my wall that I had. And I didn't think I was going to be able to do a record. That's why too I was like, “You know, I'm just gonna take some time.” And it just so happened that Tucker ended up being free. Matt became free. Evan was free and then, Kayleigh Goldsworthy, who's the fifth member of the band. And that's when I was like, “Oh man, this is a sign. It’s like now or never. If I don't write the songs, then I'm gonna miss out.” So then all of a sudden, it all started to come out and this song called “Six Feet Down Under” emerged. And it's basically just my conversation with my therapist of trying to explain how I'm feeling and like, “I know you're trying to help and the things you're saying are very nice and they come from a good spot and I know you're really smart and that's really awesome but like it doesn't mean anything [laughs] if I can't believe that this is all real.” And getting that across, I think really opened the floodgates for me to be able to finish everything else.

Have you had a wall like that in your songwriting career before?

That was a huge one.

Was there anything similar to that previously?

Minor things. You know, there's some childhood things that you have a hard time fully grasping until you get older. Like the divorce of my parents and things of that nature, like trying to make sense of all that. Family, addiction and certain things that I went through. But nothing like this one, because I feel like this was -- it's weird. Childhood trauma evolves. You know, you start to see different sides of things and you've had the time -- there are some people that say “You have your entire life to write your first record” and then you have like maybe six months to write your second basically. With this one, it was still so fresh. And [the accident] happened to me in my adulthood. It happened at a time where I kind of felt like -- like, I had a family. I thought I had things figured out. And immediately [snaps] everything changed.

It shook you up a little.

Yeah, absolutely. I feel like at 25 you go crazy. 30 you're like, “Alright, I'm okay with not knowing everything.” Around 35 you’re like, “Well, I'm starting to get my shit together. And then you get hit by a bus” [laughs]. And you're like, “Oh man, I know nothing again.”

Okay, so then just wrapping up. I was wondering if your three band names -- the Cellabration, the Patience, and The Future Violents -- have any sort of connection?

So the Cellabration was, in my head, it was my first time as a solo artist and I didn't feel comfortable in that role so I wanted to bring along something that felt boisterous and exciting so that would take away from my, you know, like, “It’s just me up here. It’s weird” [feeling]. And I spelled it differently because I like the idea of it being like a cellular thing, like this building block of life and it's going to start from here and evolve and grow and change. So that's where that came from. The Patience was me kind of getting over the idea that I needed something to take away from me. I really wanted something that would kind of even me out and just that self-fulfilling prophecy of bringing this virtue along where you kind of take a step back and appreciate the now. I've spent so much time like, “What's next, what's next? Alright, this tour is going, alright, cool. I'm gonna get home here and then when I'm home, the next tour I’m going to do is this.” And it's like, you live so fast that you don't appreciate what's actually happening. And I don't want that.

And then this time around, The Future Violents, I started to think about how life is kind of this -- it's like you're staring at a lake and you can passively take it all in and see the things swimming underneath and maybe how the wind kind of takes the current. And we do that sometimes, we live vicariously through other people and sometimes, you know, just having it be serene is nice. And then the “active” way to live by is to kind of pick up a stone on the side and throw it in and see the ripples that go on and really affect it. And I think that act is a violent act that disrupts things [but] doesn't have to necessarily have a negative connotation. You know, it's about leaving a footprint and changing things and being conscious enough to want to disrupt what's there and hopefully in a positive way and see that ripple go on and affect other people and like bellow out. So, collectively, I'd like to think that the band and the people that are listening to this record are The Future Violents, the ones that go out and create a change and hopefully listen to this record that we've made -- a record that I used to break down these walls and barriers that I had set up -- and use it to destroy their own barriers and go out there and do things that scare the fuck out of you. Because that's the only time that we do something really wonderful is when we're so frightened that we're not going to do it right. And that's the best part.

#Frank Iero #Frank Iero And The Future Violents #UNFD #Interview #My Chemical Romance

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recentanimenews · 4 years ago

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A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Kamen Rider

For fans all across Japan, Sunday mornings have long been Kamen Rider and Super Sentai time. The latter is well known to Western fans thanks to the Saban Entertainment version of the show, which took the original’s monster fight scenes and cut them with footage of American actors and released it in the U.S. as Power Rangers.

Kamen Rider received the same Saban treatment and was released in the states as Masked Rider (1995–1997), but for whatever reason, the adventures of the grasshopper-looking, super-strong, super-fast superhero never really caught on the way the Rangers did. This may soon change, though, thanks to streaming services like VRV, which is bringing the Kamen Rider shows to Western audiences. But after being out of the loop for five decades, newcomers to the series will rightfully have a lot of questions before deciding whether to give Kamen Rider a go or not. We will attempt to answer some of them.

Who Is Kamen Rider?

Well, that’s the thing, there isn’t just one Kamen Rider. There are currently 128 of them spread across 31 shows and a dozen or so movies, some of which crossover in significant ways while others are mostly stand-alone productions. However, while most Riders are unconnected to each other, they all share certain similarities. Near every Kamen Rider is a human endowed with amazing powers via one of your typical superhero origins: some are cyborgs, some wear power suits, some are magic users, one is technically a zombie resurrected by “Earth Spirits.” Stuff like that.

The main Riders’ job is to save the Earth from threats that include everything from terrorist organizations to aliens, time-travelers, or ghosts. They also do this while wearing armor costumes and helmets equipped with bug-like eyes, with the overall insect theme being something of the characters’ most recognizable feature. Except during Kamen Rider Amazon when the show briefly experimented with a lizard motif. It thankfully didn’t last long.

This is actually where the genius of the character’s vague name really comes through. By going with a name as generic as “Masked Rider” (the literal meaning of “Kamen Rider”) the show doesn’t restrict itself to any particular theme, tone, or setting. As long as you have a character that is masked and maybe occasionally rides a motorcycle, you have yourself a genuine Kamen Rider experience.

How Did it All Begin?

The first Kamen Rider debuted in 1971 and told the story of Takeshi Hongo, a brilliant biochemist and motorcycle enthusiast who gets kidnapped by the evil organization Shocker and turned into a cyborg soldier. Before they have the chance to brainwash him into becoming a mindless killing machine, though, Takeshi escapes and starts trying to dismantle Shocker as the masked superhero Kamen Rider.

Another thing you should know about the character is that he was also wind-powered. Yeah, all his super strength, speed, and agility were all activated via a turbine in his “Typhoon Belt” which Takeshi needed to kickstart with a gust of wind, usually from riding his bike. Hey, they needed to justify the “Rider” part of the character’s identity somehow. The first series might appear a bit goofy (we didn’t even get to the part where Takeshi is supposed to have an IQ of 600), but there’s a kind of endearing quality to it. Those who love older sci-fi shows like the original Doctor Who or Star Trek are sure to get the same vibe from the original Kamen Rider.

It was also this incarnation that introduced the idea of having different Riders in the same show, which allowed the franchise to grow so much over the years, but the original’s legacy was never forgotten. For example, the newest Rider, from Kamen Rider Zero-One (2019-), sports a distinct grasshopper theme that’s a tribute to the Hongo character. Although his powers come from something much more realistic than the wind. He actually gets his weapon arsenal from an orbiting satellite where he also uploaded and enhanced his mind to learn how to become Kamen Rider Zero-One in seconds. See? Much more believable.

So Where Should I Start?

The first five Kamen Rider shows (Kamen Rider, V3, X, Amazon, and Stronger) are kind of a package deal. They have a lot of references to each other and are all tied together by the mentor character of Tobei Tachibana. Thematically, Amazon is the only odd one out of the entire group because of its inclusion of magic and its storylines. But besides that, the first five shows are almost one continuous story about the rise and fall of Shocker and all the revival evil organizations that came after it like Destron or the awesomely-named Black Satan. So a good place to start is actually at the very beginning with the original Kamen Rider, and if you don’t like it, there are a few other places you can try.

Kamen Rider Black (1987–1988) was an early attempt to wipe the slate clean and introduce a Rider that didn’t come with homework. This series once again features a cyborg character, only this one battled a mysterious cult commanded by an “ultimate evil” called the Creation King, perfecting the mix of fantasy and sci-fi that would come to define many later Kamen Rider shows. The sequel series, however, once again veered into a shared Rider universe and might seem too convoluted for casual viewers. Fortunately, once we get into the Heisei era (1989–2019) Riders, things do calm down a little bit.

Starting with Kamen Rider Kuuga (2000–2001), most shows can be enjoyed as stand-alone productions, even if they do have nods to previous incarnations and a crossover or two in the movies. Which Heisei Kamen Rider show to go with really depends on what you are into because most of them are about its One Thing — a main theme that inspires the look of the Rider, its enemies, the storyline, everything. You like cars? Then Kamen Rider Drive is just the show for you.

You like Japanese mythology? You’ll love Kamen Rider Hibiki. In the mood for time-traveling trains? Check out Kamen Rider Den-O. Into spaceflight and rockets? All 48 episodes of Kamen Rider Fourze are waiting for you. Do you, for whatever reason, want to see Kamen Rider with a Fruit Samurai theme? Then the universe loves you because it has allowed Kamen Rider Gaim to exist. Whatever you’re into, there’s a chance that there’s a Rider show out there especially for you, and the vast majority of them can be enjoyed straight out of the box. So do some Googling, pick a show, and see why Japan has been in love with these masked superheroes for half a century.

Do you love Kamen Rider? Which series is your favorite and why? Which show would you recommend to newcomers to the show? Let us know in the comment section!

Cezary writes words on the internet. You should follow him on Twitter.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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duhragonball · 5 years ago

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Dragon Ball Z 201

Last episode, Gohan started attending high school in Satan City, but Satan City is riddled with crime, and Gohan’s afraid if he beats up too many criminals with his super powers, it’ll make his social life awkward. I really don’t understand why he’s so worried. Everyone thinks Mr. Satan has super powers, and he seems to do all right.

Anyway, he goes to Capsule Corp. to consult Bulma on the problem, and she mulls it over while smoking a cigarette. This is one of those little details that you don’t really think about much, but it’s something that you just don’t see in modern anime. I’m pretty sure Bulma’s only smoking here as a callback to her father, Dr. Brief, who often smoked and had a similar hairstyle back in the day. I mean, he still does, it’s not like he died or anything. My point is that you never see Bulma smoking in the 2010′s, even though those episodes and movies are set only a few years after this one.

I’m pretty sure that’s because Japanese television adopted stricter rules between 1993 and 2010. Did this scene make it into Dragon Ball Kai? I bet it didn’t. The only recent example of a smoking anime character is Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and they obscured it with shadow every time he lit up. Then again, Lisa Lisa smoked in full view, so maybe it’s just because Jotaro was a minor? Nonetheless, I feel like smoking has been heavily de-emphasized in media throughout my lifetime. It used to be commonplace, and now it seems like creators will avoid smoking altogether. I don’t know if it’s because they just don’t want to use it, or if there’s external pressure to avoid it. It’s a good thing, either way. I remember watching an “I Love Lucy” episode once where the four main characters all just sort of stopped talking so they could light up and get their cigarettes started, like that was a perfectly acceptable use of airtime.

Bulma’s solution is to make Gohan a disguise that he can change into at the push of a button. Gohan is amazed that such a thing is even possible, but she says she can knock it out in two hours.

While she works on that, Gohan goes to hang out with Trunks. Not the one from the future, but the baby we last saw in Episode 193.

Trunks just started training with Vegeta, who feels he’s old enough to learn from him. So naturally he puts in an appearance and chastises Gohan for losing his edge in peacetime.

This episode was a big deal to me when I first watched it in 2001. By then, I was invested enough in DBZ that I couldn’t wait for Cartoon Network to air the post-Cell Games stuff, so I started buying the tapes. I think this episode would have been on the third one I got, and it serves as our first look at the cast seven years after the Cell Games. Until now, all we’ve seen are Chi-Chi, Gohan, and Mr. Satan.

Also, I was genuinely fascinated to see what Vegeta would say or do in a scene like this. He and Gohan never interacted much in the first place, and he was a huge dick during most of that time, and the last time we saw Vegeta, he seemed to be at a crossroads. He declared that he’d never fight again, but what would he do instead? In this episode, we finally get a semblance of an answer. He’s been living here, with Bulma, training the whole time, and now he’s planning to train Trunks. As far as Gohan is concerned, he seems to regard him with a certain degree of respect, warning him that he can’t afford to get flabby.

Later, Bulma finishes Gohan’s super-suit, which includes gloves and boots from Vegeta’s wardrobe.

Gohan’s thrilled with it, but Trunks isn’t. Earlier, he asked if Bulma could make him a costume, but now he’s taking it back.

On his way home, Gohan passes through Satan City again and decides to give the outfit a test run when he spots a reckless driver. Look, if I had a muscle-car that was bright yellow and the number 69 on it, I’d drive like a madman too. This is why I’m not cut out to be a judge.

The guys ask Gohan who he is, since his ridiculous outfit doesn’t tell them anything, and he pauses to consider what his superhero name should be. At last he settles on “The Great Saiyaman,” and he does this elaborate pose to emphasize it.

Hearing this, the two men laugh hysterically, until Gohan gets upset and stomps the roadhard enough to break the pavement. They quickly apologize and promise to drive safely. Score one for justice.

Gohan returns home and Chi-Chi hates his outfit. Is it really that much different from what anyone else in this show has worn so far? I mean, Chi-Chi used to wear a cape and a helmet herself. Does she just think Gohan’s suit doesn’t show enough bare skin?

But Goten loves the Great Saiyaman outfit, so that’s something. Wait, who?

As Gohan flies to school the next day, the narrator fills us in. Basically Goku got Chi-Chi pregnant right before he went off to fight Cell, so nine months later she gave birth to this kid and named him Goten. Of course, if you’re only watching the anime, you would have already seen the boy by now, because he’s all over the new opening credits.

With his new costume, Gohan can just fly to school under his own power, land on the roof, and change back to his normal outfit with the touch of a button on his watch. He says this will save him from having to use Kinto’un to make his commute, but why was he ever using it in the first place? It’s not like he could let people see that either, right? Or did Gohan think Kinto’un wouldn’t be that big a deal?

In class, a couple of students are already talking about the new superhero, although they get his name wrong. I guess “Tireman” does sound a lot like “Saiyaman” if you pronounce it “SIGH-a-man”, like they do in Japanese. I don’t know why the dub changed it from “SIGH-an” to “SAY-an,” but whatever.

Anyway, Gohan angrily corrects them on the proper name, and then he has to make up some story to explain how he would know this. The story here is that Gohan’s so wrapped up in playing a superhero that he keeps forgetting why he wanted the secret identity in the first place. What does he care if people get the name wrong? As long as they’re not calling him “Son Gohan”, it works.

Later, Videl gets a call on her wristwatch, because everyone has a magic watch, apparently. There’s a hostage situation on a tour bus, so she has to excuse herself from class to go deal with it.

Gohan doesn’t understand, so Sharpner explains that Videl assists the authorities in crises like these. She’s basically following in the footsteps of her father, Mr. Satan, and Sharpner assures Gohan that she’s about as strong as her dad is, so she’s more than capable of handling these situations.

But Gohan doesn’t buy that, because the last time he saw Mr. Satan, he got beat by Cell in one hit. Okay, yeah, but Perfect Cell is a long way from a gang of busjackers, you know. I’m not sure Gohan fully appreciates that distinction, though the irony still shines through. It seemed harmless at the time to allow Mr. Satan to take credit for defeating Cell. Gohan clearly never waned the accolade. He’s worried about people finding out he foiled that bank robbery in the last episode. But Mr. Satan’s faux heroism has now inspired Videl to try to become an actual hero, and she might not be as lucky as her father.

So Gohan excuses himself to go to the restroom and decides to back up Videl as Great Saiyaman........ except he doesn’t know where the bus terminal is.

Meanwhile, at the bus terminal... HAHAHAHAHAHA WHAT IS WITH THIS GUY? Why is he covering his entire face with his bandit mask? How does he see what he’s doing? What’s with the chicken hat? This is insane, and it’s great.

The bus they’ve taken over is full of old people, who seem unconcerned about being used as hostages. I think the deal here is that these guys just got done robbing a bank, then fled to this bus when the cops came after them, and now they’re hoping to use the bus to escape.

I feel like this is some sort of anime trope, with senior citizen tourists being completely unworried about what’s going on around them. I’m mostly thinking of that episode of Hellsing Ultmate where Alucard and Father Anderson were about to throw down in a museum until Seras led a tour group between them to defuse the situation.

Anyway, this lackadaisical attitude irritates the crooks, but they still pose for a photo when asked.

Then Videl arrives in the air vehicle she uses for these situations.

So basically, Videl doesn’t have super powers OR a costume, and she just flies into a situation and starts whooping ass whenever she gets a call on her watch. What exactly is she doing that the cops couldn’t have done? I mean, at least they had guns.

So Videl jumps on the bus and crashes through the wndow and starts opening up a can of whoop-ass on these guys. She’s basically Batman without the suit, which is pretty awesome.

Then one of the old people takes a photo of her, and she blushes. Awwww.

Unfortunately, Videl was so busy kicking butt that she failed to notice no one was driving the bus as it rolled off a cliff. But Gohan’s here in time to catch it, and everything’s okay.

And I guess this puts Videl’s character into perspective. A lot of critics point out that she never really got any development as a fighter. When she appears in video games, they usually have Gohan or Great Saiyaman show up to help her as part of her finishing move. I think a lot of fans, especially female ones, wanted to see Videl train until she got strong enough to hang with the Z-Fighters, and it just never happened.

But, I mean, this is her second appearance, and the debut of the idea of Videl as a crimefighting heroine, and she’s already gotten in over her head. She’s not nearly as goofy as Mr. Satan, but she’s more like him than the audience might care to admit. As impressive as she was on that bus, she nearly got herself killed.

Gohan introduces himself as the Great Saiyaman and she’s as put off by his costume and poses as everyone else so far. Then Gohan addresses her by name and flies off.

Videl’s all like “How does he know my name?” But doesn’t everyone in town know Videl? The people on the bus recognized her. The crooks recognized her, which was why they opened fire as soon as she landed on the bus. Why wouldn’t a new superhero know her?

So Gohan’s pretty pleased with himself, and the narrator assures us that Gohan’s secret won’t be exposed, right? Right? You’re shaking your head, why is that?

#dragon ball #2019dbliveblog #great saiyaman saga #gohan #videl #vegeta #bulma #trunks #chi chi #goten #erasa #sharpner #mr satan #cell #perfect cell

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giveamadeuschohisownmovie · 6 years ago

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Hypothetical set-up for Agents of SHIELD season 6 (not based on any actual spoilers since I don’t know any)

The season is set a few months after season 5. To recap, Coulson is dead, May is still in Tahiti, Fitz is MIA, Deke is traveling the world, and Mack, Elena, Daisy, Jemma, Piper, and Davis are looking for Enoch’s ship.

PLOT A

In the first episode, Mack’s team finds Enoch...but the pod containing Fitz is empty. When Jemma asks where Fitz is, Enoch says he let him out early. The team asks why and Enoch says that he was keeping contact with the events on Earth.

He assumed that if the trip to the future was successful, he would hear news about SHIELD arriving back to the past to make changes to the timeline. From another Chronicom (hinted to be Noah), Enoch learned that SHIELD did make it back, thus, he had Fitz return to Earth while he went back to space.

When they ask him when he let Fitz out, Enoch says, “Around the time Daisy stopped Graviton”, meaning Past Leo Fitz has been on Earth for months now. The team wonders why Past Fitz didn’t try to find them and we get the clip of Jemma crying inside the pod.

PLOT B

Back on Earth, May is reading Coulson’s will. Most of it is normal, until she gets to the end. It’s addressed to a “Carmilla Black” and it says that he’s entrusting her with his car Lola. He also writes that a great deal of SHIELD’s success was because of her work behind-the-scenes and that he was proud of her. May is confused since she’s never heard of this Carmilla Black and Coulson has never mentioned her.

While burying Coulson, unbeknownst to May, the morgue doctors are revealed to be Skrull infiltrators. The lead Skrull, Dezan, says that Coulson and SHIELD are friends of the Skrulls and that the key to finding “Paradise” was through Coulson. When the other Skrulls say their plans are doomed, Dezan says that there’s still hope and impersonates Coulson. Dezan, under the Coulson disguise, says he’ll infiltrate Roxxon Industries as Coulson, hoping it’ll lead him to “the man in charge”.

(We’ll learn later that “Paradise” is a Skrull safe-zone designed by SHIELD in 2001 under the orders of Captain Marvel, as a way of protecting Skrull refugees. “The man in charge” is Andrew Forson, the season’s main antagonist and the leader of the villain faction, Advanced Idea Mechanics / A.I.M.)

Dezan tries to leave without anyone noticing him but May sees him. She’s shocked at seeing Coulson “alive” and follows him.

PLOT C

On the other side of the world, Past Leo Fitz is sulking away back home in Scotland, having become a reclusive alcoholic. In a flashback, we learn that Fitz suffered a massive existential crisis when he learned that his other self died during the fight with Graviton. In addition, Fitz says that the “Doctor” came out one night and that when he came to his senses, the things he did broke him mentally.

(We’ll learn later that, the day after Fitz found out his other self died, he got into a brawl with members of the Dogs of Hell biker gang. The stress of knowing he had died, combined with the stress he was already living with due to his experiences with AIDA, pushed him into full Doctor mode and he murdered the entire gang)

The reason why Fitz didn’t seek out SHIELD is because he wanted to get away from everything. His self-imposed exile comes to an end when he comes across a new character. This new character, a young woman with dark green hair, is revealed to be on the run from the Maggia, a massive international crime syndicate. Their paths cross one night and Fitz is forced to go on the run with her due to the Maggia hitmen targeting him now just because of his association with the green-haired girl.

In one of the first “drama bombs” of the season, the green-haired girl is revealed to be Carmilla Black, the girl mentioned in Coulson’s will. She says that the Maggia were hired by a mysterious organization known as “A.I.M.” to kill her. Why, she doesn’t know (spoiler: she’s lying, of course she knows why she’s being chased). Fitz brushes her off, saying that A.I.M. is a dead organization, leading us to this exchange:

Fitz: That’s absurd, Iron Man destroyed A.I.M. years ago.

Carmilla: Like how Captain America destroyed HYDRA in WWII?

Fitz: ...fair enough.

Carmilla says she’s going to end A.I.M. but can’t do it on her own. Fitz, despite being hesitant to help this new person, agrees to anyways since he has no choice.

BACK TO PLOT A

Going back to Mack, Elena, Daisy, and Jemma, they return to Earth, feeling defeated. While figuring out what to do, they receive a message from Deke Shaw. The team finds Deke, who tells them that while traveling around the world, he wanted to track down his other ancestors to get a better idea of who his family was. He doesn’t find much on Fitz’s side of the family (aside from a quick reference to Fitz’s mom) but he learns something big about Jemma’s family.

It’s revealed that several members of Jemma’s family are high-ranking members of Roxxon (reference to 616!Jemma). When the team asks why Deke thought telling them about Simmons’ family would be an emergency, we get another drama bomb:

Deke: Guys...Jemma’s father is dead.

The team is shocked when they find out that Jemma’s father was murdered. When Jemma asks who did it, Daisy goes online and learns that the number one suspect is infamous international criminal Carmilla Black, who is on the run for several crimes.

SHIELD decides to go after Carmilla to bring her to justice, not realizing that Carmilla is traveling with Fitz. Helping them is Andrew Forson, the current CEO of Roxxon and one of Jemma’s family friends. They have no idea that Forson is the leader of A.I.M., or that A.I.M. is active.

So to recap, here’s the main storylines:

1) Mack, Elena, Deke, Daisy, and Jemma are working with Andrew Forson and Roxxon in trying to bring Carmilla Black to justice. They don’t know that they’re secretly working with A.I.M..

2) Fitz is traveling with infamous fugitive Carmilla Black, who is on the run from the Maggia, who were hired by A.I.M.. Fitz doesn’t know that Carmilla murdered Jemma’s father and that Coulson knew Carmilla.

3) May is following Dezan, a Skrull infiltrator using Coulson’s identity in order to sneak into Roxxon and find Andrew Forson. Dezan’s goal is to find “Paradise”, a Skrull safe-zone developed by SHIELD and Captain Marvel.

The twists in the later episodes of the season:

1) A.I.M. is hunting Carmilla down because they created her. Carmilla is a test-tube baby designed by A.I.M. as the “perfect” assassin. Before they could program her mind to be completely loyal to A.I.M., Coulson found and rescued her. We also learn that Coulson didn’t want her to be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. but was overruled by Nick Fury. Carmilla ends up becoming the “Winter Soldier” of S.H.I.E.L.D.

2) Coulson being the one to find and rescue Carmilla from A.I.M. is the reason why he entrusted her with his car. She’s, technically, his “first” daughter, even though he didn’t see her that way. We also learn Coulson never told anyone about her because he didn’t want A.I.M. to find her.

3) Carmilla murdered Jemma’s father because he was a high-ranking member of A.I.M..

4) Jemma learns that her family are an A.I.M. clan and that she and Fitz were supposed to join A.I.M. at some point. Jemma gets disgusted by this and disowns her entire family.

5) The finale is a showdown in the Paradise safe-zone, with Dezan and the Skrulls helping S.H.I.E.L.D. battle A.I.M.. Andrew Forson survives the final battle and will appear next season, but not as the main villain.

6) By the end of the season, Fitz sorta achieves a balance between his normal self and Doctor self. He can be the shy scientist most of the time but when he needs to, he can bust the Doctor out.

7) Daisy is the one to convince Dezan and the Skrulls that they are on their side and that they can help them find Paradise. She also is the one leading the Skrull and S.H.I.E.L.D. forces during the final battle. Due to this show of leadership, Mack steps down as Director and appoints Daisy as his successor.

8) Carmilla and Dezan become agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by the end of the season, although there’s some lingering tension between Jemma and Carmilla due to Carmilla’s past actions. Dezan is encouraged to stay with S.H.I.E.L.D. by May, who tells him that he could continue Coulson’s legacy.

9) Holden Radcliffe is revealed as a member of A.I.M.

10) The season’s post-credit is Mack and Elena discovering another one of A.I.M.’s test subjects, revealed to be a little girl with silver hair. The two take her in, unofficially adopting her. When they ask what the girl’s name is, the girl says, “Kobik”. Kobik and the Cosmic Cube stuff are going to be season 7′s main focus.

11) I don’t really care for the shippy stuff, but if we’re gonna go there, maybe Deke x Carmilla? Suggesting that since Deke and Daisy isn’t really that popular. Or maybe...Daisy x Carmilla? Also, Dezan and May aren’t going to be a thing but obviously, you can’t ignore the Philinda parallels between them. I also pictured Mack and Elena wanting their own kid, which is why they adopt Kobik in the final scene of the season.

@lostinthespeedforce, @angel-starbeam, @whistlingwindtree, @happilyshanghaied, @agentmilayawithshield, @clarasghosts, @blackaquokat

Thoughts on this write-up? Sorry in advance, I know it’s long.

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the--blackdahlia · 6 years ago

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This Life Chapter 12

Title: This Life Chapter 12

Summary: Dean Winchester is the Vice President of the motorcycle club The Hunters. After almost 7 years in prison, he's free. But things have changed and Dean has to figure out how to put things back together.

Warnings: Language, violence, attempted suicide

AN: Thank you the always lovely @sams-serialkiller-fetish ! The song for this chapter is Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.

Dean couldn’t be sure if what he heard was real or not. He had taken a strong blow to the head in the past twenty-four hours. He turned to look back at Sam, who was looking at him.

“What...what did you just say?” Dean asked. Sam shook his head. “Samuel…”

“I said….I said I tried to kill myself. And dad and I had a talk and…” Sam couldn’t even finish before he was being pulled into a hug. Dean had never been a hugging type person, but Sam was, and Dean just learned to accept it. But right then, Dean was sure they both needed it.

“What happened?” Dean asked, moving back but staying within reach of Sam. Because after Sam’s confession, he didn’t see a young adult with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Instead, he saw a little kid putting on his dad’s vest so he could be big like his brother and daddy. Sam sighed.

“I was coming back from class…”

****

Late 2001

European history ran late due to the professor getting distracted at every turn. So Jessica would already been gone to her nursing practice and theory class before heading over to her parent’s for the weekend. Sam got off the bus and walked the rest of the way to the apartment they shared in St. Claire Gardens. It was a nice night and Sam didn’t mind walking. It helped him stay in shape, even though Jessica sometimes said he worked out more than enough. As he made his way to their front door, something seemed off. Reaching into his jeans pocket, he pulled out the small pocket knife he always kept on him. He might be 6’4” and was pretty much pure muscle, but people were still fucked up.

Sam quietly made his way inside, looking for anything out of place. He walked into the living room as the tacky lamp in the corner flicked on.

“Hey son.” John said, sitting in the comfy reading chair that Jessica’s dad had given them from his study. Sam went to the little table that held the landline and the notepad and ripped open the drawer, pulling out the Magnum they kept there. Just in case. “Sam, is that anyway to greet your old man?”

“My dad is dead.” Sam sneered. “We buried him. Who the fuck are you?” John stood up and made his way to Sam.

“The safety’s on son.” John said. Sam looked at the gun, only to have it knocked out of his hand and himself being pushed up against the wall. “Sam, it’s me.”

“H-how?” Sam asked. John let go of Sam and backed up. “I mean, you and Bill…” John explained the story to him as they set down. “Oh my god.”

“I wasn’t going to bug you. But I’ve heard the Horsemen have been sniffing around Northern California. And I wanted to give you a warning.” John said, adjusting the vest he was wearing. It had once housed his patches for the Hunters. But since they all thought he was dead, then he wasn’t a Hunter anymore.

“What does it matter to me?” Sam asked. “I’m not in a club or anything like that. I’m just a law student.”

“But you’re my son.” John told him. “And they tried to kill me and I’m pretty sure they set Dean up. So it wouldn’t surprise me if they tried to come after you to get to me.”

“But if they think you’re dead…” Sam said.

“It doesn’t matter. Because my heart and soul is in Wolfpine. They want to bring down the hunters. And since Jim, Caleb, and Bobby love you like you were theirs, I’m sure that killing you would end the Hunters.” Sam just set there, taking it all in. He had flown back to Texas months ago to bury his dad and a man that was like an uncle to him. But his dad was here. Yeah, he looked beat to hell and tired, but he was here.

“I…” Sam didn’t know what to say.

“Why don’t you come out to Bakersfield this weekend?” John suggested. “I want you to meet the club.”

“The club?” Sam asked.

“Wayward Sons. Even though, just a warning, don’t get Ruby started on the name.” John said.

“Ruby?” Sam asked. “Who?”

“You’ll see.” John stood up and handed Sam a piece of paper. “That’s the address and a couple numbers to call if you need it. Just come on out.” With that, John walked out.

And, against Sam’s better judgement, he was making the four hour drive to Bakersfield early the next morning. He didn’t have a class until Monday afternoon, so that helped. Bobby kept money in Sam’s bank account to help with expenses, even though Sam wanted to make an honest way of living.

It was Saturday morning when John introduced Sam to the club. The girls both fawned over Sam. Lucifer and Gabriel were pretty civil, Gabriel assuring John that Lucifer had been taking his meds, even if he hadn’t. And Andy and Sam bonded pretty quickly.

“We’d like to invite you to the club.” John said over dinner that night. “We won’t even make you prospect in.”

“Lucky dog.” Meg laughed, punching Sam’s arm.

“I don’t think that’d be a good idea.” Sam said. “I’m not club material. Bobby tried to get me to stay in Wolfpine with the Hunters. And I told him no.”

“But Sam…” Andy started, but Sam shook his head.

“I think I should get going. I have a thing to do tomorrow.” Sam lied, standing up. John stood up.

“Sam, come on.” John said.

“I’ll see you later dad.” Sam left quickly, driving back up to Palo Alto. John had left a couple messages on the voicemail at the apartment and had called his phone, but he pretended that his Nokia with the burnt orange faceplate was too out of range to get any service. Sam wanted no part of anything club related. Hunters, Wayward Sons, anything.

Sunday, he went out for breakfast at a diner just outside of campus. He was craving biscuits and gravy, but he really didn’t feel like making that big of a meal for just one person. So instead, he settled himself in a back booth and read something for school while he waited on his food. He was about three paragraphs in when he felt someone sit in the seat across from him.

“Dad, I told you…” Sam said, looking up. He froze then. It wasn’t John sitting across from him. But instead, the original founder and president of the Horsemen.

“Hello Sam.” Cain said. Sam tensed up, moving back some. “Relax kid. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m not a Horsemen anymore. Those fucking princes drove me out of my own club.”

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked. The waitress came by and Cain ordered a coffee and pancakes to go.

“I just came to give you a friendly warning.” He said. “I always had a soft spot for you and your brother. You were good kids. It was such a shame that our clubs couldn’t get along.”

“I’m not in a club.” Sam said. Cain nodded.

“So I’ve heard. But the Horsemen don’t care.” He told him. “They’re planning something. Something big. They want to send a message back home to your family in Wolfpine. And I heard your old man is dead and big brother is serving time. The Hunters can’t take another hit.”

“Why would you warn me?” Sam asked.

“I told you. I like you and your brother.” Cain said. “I don’t know what the Horsemen are planning, or when they’re planning on doing it. I just know they have your name and they’re looking for you. And they have a reputation for fire.” Cain got up then. “You can do what you want with what I just told you Sam. But it might be a smart idea to get in touch with another club. SAMCRO offers protection for a price, but Clay is a bit of an ass. There’s a new club on the horizon that might help you out. Or maybe you should go home.”

“I’m not running.” Sam said. “I’m not scared of the Horsemen.”

“Then may God have mercy on your soul.” Cain said. He headed to the counter then to get his order as the waitress gave Sam his food.

Jessica came home that night. Sam didn’t tell her about what he had discovered over the weekend. Instead, he cooked dinner with her and they watched an episode of Friends. Jessica got up the next morning for class and Sam’s life seemed to return to normal. Until Wednesday afternoon when he left his Spanish class and he saw two motorcycles parked across the street.

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked as he walked up to them. Andy and John were standing there, waiting on him.

“We came to have lunch with you.” Andy said. Sam eyed him and John.

“That’s all. Promise.” John said. Sam didn’t believe him, but he was hungry. Sam drove his car and Andy and John were on their bikes, heading over to a restaurant not too far from campus. There was no pressure to join the club. There was no talk of the club, outside of Andy boosting about the bar and how good of a bartender Ruby turned out to be.

John and Andy followed Sam back to his apartment, just a safety thing. Sam waved goodbye to them and grabbed his keys. Jessica should be home, but you never knew. He made his way to the door when a rustling caught his attention.

That rustling saved his life, because two seconds later, an explosion inside the apartment caught it on fire.

“Jessica!” Sam screamed. He could hear her cries. He tried to get in to save her, but the roar of the motorcycles stopped him and soon, he was pulled back. Everything was in there, since he didn’t think he needed it. Textbooks, phone, phone book, clothes, Jessica. It was all in there and burning as he stood there and watched. As he waited for the fire department come to help.

Three days later, he was sitting in a house outside of Bakersfield. One that John taken taken over when he went out west and Andy had moved in to to get himself off the streets. He hadn’t spoken in three days and John didn’t really blame him.

“I have business I have to attend to.” John said. “Watch out for him.”

“I will.” Andy said. Sam had been drinking and was currently asleep up in the room that John and Andy had gave him. He had stopped crying at the end of the first night and had taken to drinking the second and third day. Now he was sleeping, and John was fucking thankful.

About an hour or so after John left, Andy heard the sound of a motorcycle revving up. He ran to the front door to see Sam speeding off on it.

“Son of a bitch!” Andy growled. He grabbed the keys to the GMC that they used when they had a lot of supplies or didn’t want to use the bikes. He dialed John’s cell phone as he ran out to the truck.

“What is it Andy?” John asked.

“Sam just fucking stole my bike and is heading west.” Andy said. “He doesn’t look good John.”

“Shit Andy! I told you to watch him!”

“He was upstairs! He must have climbed out or something.” Andy started up the truck and backed out of the driveway. He headed the way that Sam went.

“I’ll see if I spot him.” John said. “Just keep an eye out.”

“Yes sir.” Andy said. He hung up and started searching. John finished up his business and headed out to find Sam. And he found him before Andy did. At a lonely little park way out in the middle of nowhere. It had been put there back when people thought that this area would be expanded and the perfect suburban community. But now people just came out here to screw or if they wanted to be alone.

And John was pretty sure it wasn’t the former for his son.

“Sam.” John said. He noticed a half empty bottle of Johnny Walker on the ground next to Sam as he leaned against the tree. He looked drained and miserable. Much how John looked as he set on a couch in Bobby’s house with a four year old and a six month old after their mother died.

“Just go away.” Sam said. John shook his head.

“I can’t do that.” He said. “Not with you like this.”

“Just let me do this in peace.” Sam said.

“And what’s that?” John asked. He saw the flash of metal then as Sam picked up a gun and laid it in his lap. “Samuel…”

“Don’t tell Dean this is the way I went out.” Sam begged. “I don’t want him to think of me this way.”

“And you think I’m going to just leave you here to do this and then tell your brother in ten years or so when he asks what happened that you died in a random mugging or something and it just slipped my mind? I don’t think so.”

“Just go!” Sam screamed. He picked up the gun, ready to place it against his head, when he got a punch to the face, making him drop it.

“I’m not standing by and watching my youngest son kill himself.” John hissed. “I’ve lost your mother. I watched your brother go to prison. I’ve lost my club, my home. I’m not losing you too.” He pulled sam to him, wrapping his arms around him. “It’ll be okay Sammy. I promise.”

That night, Andy was pacing the living room, worried. He hadn’t found Sam and he didn’t know where he was or if he was even still alive. That’s when John and Sam pulled into the driveway and made their way inside. Sam had a bruise on his cheek from John punching him. And he was exhausted. He didn’t know that John and Andy took turns that night, watching to make sure he stayed in his room this time.

The next day, Sam joined Wayward Sons.

The day after that, they voted him as the vice president.

****

Present

Dean didn’t know what to say. So much information had been given to him in the past twenty-four hours and he was struggling to process it all. He risked a glance over at Sam and saw more of the same. Sam holding it all in, trying to keep it all together. Just like he had grown up watching his dad and brother do.

“Sammy.” Dean said. “Come on man, look at me.” Sam looked over at Dean, expecting the same pitying look that he had gotten from others. Instead, he saw fear of losing his brother and anger that he hadn’t been there when he needed him the most.

“I need to get back inside. I’ve got things to do tomorrow.” Sam stood up and stretched. “And I’m assuming you and Benny will be heading back to Texas in the morning.” Dean followed Sam inside.

“Yeah, about that…” Dean watched Sam. “I’m not leaving unless you’re going back with me.”

“Dean, I can’t.” He said. “I have a duty.” Dean looked at Sam’s vest and realized something about the patches. There was one that Dean had that he knew Sam shouldn’t have.

Men of Mayhem.

Sam had killed someone in the name of the club.

Dean stood there wide eye as Sam made his way back in.

His Sam wasn’t so little anymore, and he had grown up to be just like him.

Forever Tags: @anathewierdo @i-would-die-for-woodland-demars @dekahg @marvel-af @feelmyroarrrr @nanie5 @imboredsueme @gemini0410 @aiaranradnay @babypink224221 @mogaruke @xxwarhawk

Dean Winchester/Jensen Ackles Tags: @luciathewinchestergirl @sheris532 @bobasheebaby @flamencodiva @bella-ca

This Life Tags: @soulslaststand @jamielea81 @caplansteverogers @becs-bunker @supernaturalwincestsblog @colie87

Supernatural Tags: @bandobsession98 @mrsdeanfuckingwinchester @fangirlsencyclopaediaofweirdness @ilovetardis @missihart23

#this life #sam winchester #dean winchester #supernatural #john winchester #Jensen Ackles #Jared Padalecki #fanfiction

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douxreviews · 6 years ago

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The Shining versus The Shining

[This review discusses Stephen King's novel The Shining and the film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick.]

"This inhuman place makes human monsters."

The first time I saw the 1980 film The Shining, I felt cheated. A brilliant, world famous director took one of my favorite books, cast one of my favorite actors in the lead, and then... he completely screwed it up. For years, I felt that Stanley Kubrick had ruined one of my favorite books. I was incensed. How could he?

My opinion has recently changed. Now I think Kubrick's The Shining may be a cinematic masterpiece. But it is not really a horror movie, and it's not really an adaptation of King's novel. It is its own self. If you see it as a separate entity, it's kind of fascinating.

The book

The Shining may very well be Stephen King's best novel, and that's saying a lot for a man who is probably the most famous writer in the world. In it, an alcoholic writer named Jack Torrance takes a last chance job as winter caretaker at a luxury hotel deep in the Colorado Rockies. As he, his wife Wendy, and their psychic five-year-old son Danny are cut off from the world by the weather, Jack slowly loses his mind and becomes a danger to his family. Were the malevolent ghosts of the people who died in the Overlook Hotel manipulating Jack, or was it all in Jack's head? Or was everything that happened caused by Danny's psychic gift?

The book succeeds on pretty much every level. The story is tightly written and almost impossible to put down. The Overlook itself captures the imagination -- its beauty and isolation, its gory history, the ghosts of past tragedies. I cared a lot about Jack, Wendy and Danny, and I so wanted everything to turn out for them, even while I was aware that it almost certainly would not. (Never get too attached to the characters in King's books.) I was especially into Danny. Psychic characters are not easy to make real and believable, especially kids, but Danny is captivating. I also loved Dick Hallorann, who shines, pun intended, in the opening chapters. The first time I read The Shining, I was blown away. I was young and impressionable, and I never forgot how this book affected me.

There are arguments to be made that King's works are too internal to translate well to the screen, but I don't think that's true. What about Stand By Me, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile? (And possibly more?) I wonder if some producers tend to see the scary in King's works, and just don't look beneath the surface for what makes it work?

I initially intended to just review the movie, but I just couldn't help talking about the book first. So… on to

The movie

After my initial serious disappointment, I had never intended to watch the movie again. And then I saw a documentary called Room 237 about some of its more devoted fans. It made me want to give the movie another shot. I'm glad I did.

While the book centers on what the characters are thinking and feeling, the movie is almost completely external. The Overlook itself is the main character, and what a character it is. Nearly every shot inside the Overlook is framed in a way that reminded me of how lines are drawn to create perspective in art, with the focal point way off in the distance. We keep seeing the ceiling and light fixtures (mostly chandeliers) above, and the very strange carpets on the floor. Showing the ceilings and floors is not something filmmakers tend to do. It has the effect of making the characters look small and strange, as if they don't belong. Or as if the Hotel is swallowing them.

As fans of the movie explain in Room 237, the hotel is oddly shaped and its geography makes no sense. The long, confusing hallways are echoed by the maze, which is so immense that it seems impossible that anyone could have created it. The kitchen is also maze-like, and everything is too big; the size of the industrial cans and bottles makes Wendy look smaller. There are sets of French doors all over the small caretaker's apartment, and every book in every bookcase is tilted at an angle. There are empty chairs in nearly every shot. Jack's typewriter changes color, from white to dark gray to blue. In one scene, the pattern in the carpet actually changes. Although these are things the casual viewer might not consciously notice (and I might not have if I hadn't been primed by the documentary), we're aware of it subconsciously, and it gets our lizard brain buzzing.

One of my favorite things in this movie is Danny riding his Big Wheel through the long, strange hallways of the Overlook. It's just what a kid would probably do, but it increases the feeling that they're in this immense, bizarre place that is outside of reality.

My biggest problem with the movie is that the characters have all of the humanity and complexity of chess pieces. I suppose it was intentional. But what an unholy waste of Jack Nicholson, who is arguably one of the best actors in the world, although I'm more of a fan of his early work (Chinatown, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail) before he started playing a caricature of himself. He did a good job with what he was given, but there is really no opportunity to get to know Jack Torrance, or what motivates him. Why he does what he does is almost inexplicable.

And Jack and Wendy never feel like a couple. Was Shelley Duvall miscast? Did the actors just have zero chemistry? Or was this dissonance between them what Kubrick intended, a way of showing the unresolvable tension in their marriage? Danny Lloyd as Danny made me think of Jake Lloyd as Anakin in Episode 3. Interesting coincidence with the surnames. I don't like criticizing child actors, so I'll stop there.

Dick Hallorann is a favorite character of mine in the book, and even though Scatman Crothers did a good job, I hated how Dick was treated in the movie. But I did love the strange female nudes with the huge afros that decorated his bedroom in Florida.

A few more random comments about the movie that contributed to the mood it creates:

-- In one scene, Wendy and Danny are watching television, and there is no electrical cord visible. In another, Jack, seated, is reflected in a mirror and it looks as if he has two sets of legs. (Because, of course, Jack is becoming another person.)

-- In yet another, Jack is sleeping at his desk, but he is balanced on the edge of his chair in such a way that if he had actually been sleeping, he would have fallen off.

-- We never actually see Jack do any caretaking. There is one scene with Wendy in the boiler room. The boiler room is a big deal in the book, almost nonexistent in the movie. Sigh.

-- We never see much out of the windows except for glare, which makes it seem even more that the outside world doesn't exist.

-- There is no music during many scenes. When there is sound, it is disconcerting whines and screeching, or eerie wavering vocals like the score of Kubrick's 2001, A Space Odyssey. In fact, a lot of this movie makes me think of 2001. Which I believe is a better movie. (I should probably get around to reviewing it someday, but it's intimidating, I'll admit it.)

-- In the opening interview scene, Ullman (Barry Nelson) does some very strange things with his hands. It's like they don't belong on his body.

-- In the car, the Torrances talk about the Donner Party. Jack seems to think cannibalism is acceptable in order to survive.

-- The Torrances bring more luggage than would actually fit in the trunk of their tiny VW bug.

-- The walls of the maze are thirteen feet high. Who would do that?

-- The word "overlook" has a double meaning, of course.

-- The hotel decorations have a Native American motif, leading fans of the movie to think that Kubrick was commenting on the genocide of the American Indian.

-- In many rooms, especially the notorious Room 237 which may have been the ugliest hotel room I've ever seen in my life, colors and patterns clash. (Although maybe that was just the seventies.)

-- In the final scenes, Wendy is wearing what may be the ugliest outfit I have ever seen on a leading lady in a mainstream movie.

To conclude, I can look at the movie now and appreciate its brilliance, but it doesn't generate emotion, and I don't find it the least bit scary. For me, it's like looking at a beautiful object at a distance. The book is more of an intimate experience. But then again, books usually are.

Opinions? Comments? I've tried to avoid spoilers in this review, but feel free to talk about anything -- spoilers are permitted in the comments. (And if you haven't seen the movie or read the book, beware!)

Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

#The Shining #Stephen King #Stanley Kubrick #Jack Nicholson #Jack Torrance #Danny Torrance #Wendy Torrance #Movie Reviews #Book Reviews #Doux Reviews #something from the archive

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afterspark-podcast · 6 years ago

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G1 Episode 5: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

Stinger

O: Why don't you tell me one or two of your favorite Transformers ships and why?

S: Half the ships are dead.

[Intro Music Plays]

O: Hello and welcome to the Afterspark Podcast- an episode by episode recap of the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon. I'm Owls!

S: And I'm Specs!

O: And today we're going to be talking about episode number 5, Roll For It. Let's talk about giant robots today, shall we?

S: Yeah.

O: So, last time on the Transformers: Spike was kidnapped, Bumblebees’ memories were dicked with, the Decepticons “perfected” the Space Bridge, and Megatron went on an unscheduled trip to Scenic Cybertron.

S: And that's “perfected” in quotation marks.

O: [Laughter] It didn't go well- is what we're getting at here. Anyway, like any good episode we open with two Jets and Soundwave flying through the sky.

S: And Soundwave’s in robot mode, though it would be super weird if he was flying as a boombox.

O: I swear that happens later. [Laughter]

S: Probably, I mean it would be funny but it would be weird.

O: As they're flying Starscream is espousing about being, “The new leader of the Decepticons!” Uh, He almost hits Soundwave while flying because he's a jackass.

S: Soundwave appears to momentarily consider changing sides because his Decepticon symbol is mis-colored red for this shot.

O: They're normally purple for those of you who don't know this off the top of your head.

S: So purple.

O: [Laughter]

S: They attack a dam, blasting through a plate-glass window.

O: Okay, I think it was like a hydropower plant bu-but to me that translates over as a dam, right? So why are they so obsessed with dams? This is the second time, right?

S: It's just a convenient plot point.

O: Clearly. People freak out and call in a Decepticon sighting, like. Do you think there's a hotline? I feel like, at this point, there's like a hotline to the Autobots that are like, “Holy fuck, there's Decepticons here.”

S: Either that or 911 has actually started, you know, putting together a code for a giant robot attacks and then it gets forwarded to the Autobots.

O: I'll believe it. I'll believe it.

S: Yeah, probably.

O: Anyway, the best part about this that is the security guards attempt to take out giant transforming robots with handguns.

S: Not even like fancy-ass handguns.

O: No, no- they're just little handguns!

S: And then the Decepticons have terrible aim and blow up some barrels and crates but, mysteriously missed those pesky little humans.

O: Starscream proclaims himself as amazeballs. I.E. he's doing an amazing job. No, he's not. And orders Soundwave to begin collecting Energon.

S: And here they have is tape deck open but you cannot see the inside of his chest like, it doesn't exist- there's just a blank blue void.

O: [Laughter.]

S: That matches the rest of, or, well there isn't a void is what I'm getting at.

O: [Laughter] There's no hole. Anyway, Optimus Prime, Cliffjumper, and Brawn show up-- quoting I think Cliffjumper, “Just your friendly, neighborhood Decepticon Wreckers.”

S: Honey, you guys ain't the Wreckers.

O: [Laughter] Right!?! Uh, so the Wreckers are something that will show up in other media later. They’re basically kind of like the Autobot Brute Squad. Sort of?

S: Sort of? Yeah, they're the Autobot-- They're not special operations but they're like the special hit squad or something. It starts out with Impactor and like, Rack and Rule [Rack’n’Ruin]--something? And then the triple-changers. uh, Springer, Sandstorm, and Broadside get added and--that's, that’s neither here nor there. It's not at all relevant to this. So...

O: Basically, it's kind of funny with the phrasing because the Wreckers as, like, a group of Autobots is a thing that exists later. So it's mildly weird that it's used here.

S: In multiple ver-- multiple iterations in this--

O: Yeah, it's a thing in multiple iterations just not, like, in this specific version of G1. So everybody fights and then Optimus and Starscream end up in a tug-of-war match, which only ends when they accidentally blow up all the Energon on the Decepticons were stealing.

O: Yep. And then Brawn, the immovable object, gets a bunch of movable objects thrown at him.

S: One of which is Cliffjumper!

O: Um, Soundwave being the only intelligent one here orders a freaking retreat.

S: And then Starscream flies off past a super pretty rainbow. It's very pretty, honestly. Why did they put so much detail in that?

O: My question is what happened to the other two Seekers in this scene. Like, they just completely disappear- we don't see them flying out of the factory or the plant or whatever.

S: They snuck off for makeouts?

O: [Snorts] Possibly. Soundwave because he can't turn into a jet and, presumably, completely forgot he can fly- makes the goofiest escape imaginable. Running really awkwardly outside, nearly tripping, and then through what looks like a volleyball net?

S: It really does.

O: Presumably it's not, and is supposed to be a fence, but we say volleyball net because, like, the actual, like, grid or net part doesn't stop--start until a good ten feet off the ground---

S: Because it's not--

O: It's like up to his knee!

S: And it's not connected to anything else?

O: It's very strange. I don't know what it's for and I would love to see the freaking, like, show notes for this to know what the heck was going on here. It's a very very strange fence.

S: I'd like to see the show notes for like everything that's happens because this is a trip.

O: So, something that I've heard about said about Jem and the Holograms is like, they'd write something and the animators would do something very strange with it so, like, I look at a lot of the stuff here and I’m like, “Is that what happened?” I'd really like to know or did they just say Soundwave ran off and trips or something-- like what did that look like?

S: Could be. And then Prowl and Bluestreak give chase?

O: Where did they even come from? We didn't see them with the other Autobots, so they just show up the hell out of nowhere. Uh, so they show up, they hit Soundwave who flies into the air, turns into a boombox, and is promptly caught by Starscream.

S: In-in his belly hatch. Is this where he sticks all the Energon?

O: [Laughs] Soundwave is riding cargo, with the Energon. Poor Soundy, he's having a bad day. [Laughs]

S: And then Bluestreak shoots both Starscream and Thundercracker.

O: Okay, but where did Thundercracker come from and where is Skywarp?

S: Uh?

O: Eh? Anyway, when we get back to the Autobots, Optimus Prime is there with Prowl and Bluestreak. When it cuts back, Prowl is standing and Bluestreak is in car mode but Bluestreak is the one shown talking in the next shot. So--

S: Like, you can see his face.

O: Yeah, it's clearly Bluestreak.

S: And it's not like one of the things with-- from Robots in Disguise (2001) where, there's his face in the little stupid dash thing--yeah.

O: Yeah, it was Bluestreak, he was the one standing up there but not in the long shot. Prowl and Bluestreak pursue the Decepticons. Uh, Thundercracker insults Starscream's leadership capabilities as they escape.

S: And now back on Cybertron, Megs wants to go home because Starscream is an idiot.

O: Shocking no one. So, Megatron contacts Starscream and orders him to attack a lab as planned to get the antimatter-- to get an antimatter formula, apparently.

S: And we're back to astroseconds. 5 billion?

O: Why!?!!! Why would you count anything in seconds, Megatron!?!

S: Astroseconds, cuz we’ve got to be dumb robots.

O: [Spluttering] I’m just like--I’m just like, “WHY!?!”

S: And then Shockwave seems way more energetic today. I mean did Energon actually come through? I didn't think anything came through with Megatron.

O: Eh, it could--did, did some of it make it through or is it the fact that his bass--his boss is back? You decide. So, uh, evil Ray of Doom and poof Megatron is back on Earth.

S: Where he is promptly greeted by Laserbeak and Rumble.

O: Laserbeak actually lands on his arm? I still think it's weird he's pretty reasonable with the cassettes a good chunk of the time, given how much of an ass-hole he is to pretty much everybody else.

S: And then Rumble gives them an update, and oh my God, Rumble is so tiny!

O: He is! Like, so, uh, if you ever play the video games it is hysterical if you have fight Rumble because it's like fighting a leprechaun that comes up to your knee. [Laughs] And you're just like oh my God, die!

S: Oh, that's amazing.

O: It- it really is, I'm just sort of like, “Why am I having so much trouble with this thing?” I don't even remember if it was Rumble or Frenzy, but fighting both of them sucks! Anyway, so we cut to a lab, Bumblebee drives up. Bumblebee is apparently wheelchair-accessible.

S: He's really ahead of his time cuz, well, uh, I wasn't expecting a Volkswagen Bug to be, uh, wheelchair accessible, but it's frankly awesome that they did that.

O: Yeah, I like that clearly he had configured himself slightly differently to help Chip out. I think that's actually cool. Um, they're greeted by a guard with really long legs.

S: Just, it looks like you got designed by Clamp. Clamp legs.

O: Super long legs. [Laughter]

S: Yup, and then Reflector observes the guard entering his passcode in the lab. It looks like he's actually taking photos of--

O: Of like when he's pressing the buttons.

S: Yes.

O: And he says it was as, “Easy as a piece of oil cake.”

S: Maybe we should be keeping track of these crumbs of Cybertronian culture, I mean...

O: Do they bake cakes? Like, do-do-

S: Do they--

O: How does that work!?! I want to see a recipe, god dammit.

S: I feel like someone's made reference to oil baths but I mean none of the stuff in here is super consistent.

O: Tch--but that was, that was--Presumably oil baths weren't edible.

S: I know.

O: Or weren't meant to be edible?

S: I know but it's like, variance of oil, is like, this oil for food, is this oil for--

O: Water!

S: I don’t know!

O: It's like, oil bath, mineral bath, same thing. So we're introduced to Chip, a fourteen-year-old, we think, boy in a wheelchair. He will be another recurring human character in the series. We couldn't seem to confirm his age on the TF Wiki [but] he's Spikes’ best friend, so presumably they are the same age-ish?

S: Maybe, at least close in age? He is really adorable and is one of the more appealing characters in the series and he is also super freaking smart.

O: Oh yeah!

S: I think he's smarter than the robots? Honestly?

O: We'll see that later. I-I don't think that's an exaggeration. [Laughter]

S: And Bumblebee agrees with me! And okay, it's kind of creepy, maybe, he's totally petting Chip in one of these shots.

O: [Laughter] I mean it's clearly like, a thing of endearment but yeah, you have the Giant Robot who's like, ruffling the guy's hair. [Laughter]

S: Yeah.

O: As we said, Chip is super smart and, apparently, has had a hand in the antimatter development going on in the lab they've arrived at. He is then handed a bendy floppy disk that will, apparently, allow his home computer to communicate with the lab computer.

S: Which is called, ”Betsy Brainiac,” and it's also Autobot Orange-- the entire interior of this lab is like, Autobot Orange.

O: Of course it is. [Laughter] Uh, as they're leaving they are attacked by Laserbeak.

S: And so they were in the desert but now they're suddenly in a city!

O: Yeah, it's very strange, uh, they escape into, like, an underground parking garage? [Laughter]

S: Yeah, yeah- that scene change was really weird.

O: It was very-- it was not fluid, not at all. [Laughter]

S: Yeah and then Laserbeak reports back to Megatron.

O: I'm serious this is the second time, just in this episode, that Laserbeak has landed on Megatron's arm. I don't think he does this with anyone else but Megatron and Soundwave, correct me if I'm wrong.

S: Eh, as far as I can remember I don't think he lands on anyone else but I haven't watch the full series in a while.

O: I'll make note of it happens again, because I can't remember off the top of my head. Meanwhile, all the Reflectors pose like a weird robot boy band behind Megatron during all of this.

S: This is... surprisingly not the only time some Decepticons look like a boy band. Apparently--

O: I'm not shocked by this at all.

S: They look just like striking some cool poses--look like they're going to lay down some sick beats, I guess.

O: [Laughter] So uh, Chip is dropped off at home where he attempts to warn the lab that they are about to be attacked by Decepticons, presumably.

S: And as Spike and Bumblebee are driving off we get to see Bumblebees’ bright pink seats, again. They tell the Autobots, presumably, that the attack is going to happen and Optimus is heading towards the lab.

O: Meanwhile, Bluestreak and Prowl have caught up with the Seekers and Soundwave who are cannibalizing some Earth jets for parts.

S: I guess they're making repairs? I feel like repairs should work differently from this. It really just looks like they're sticking a new wing on Thundercracker.

O: Yeah, it just-- it just sort of felt weird when like, Prowl and Bluestreak walked in as they're just, like, attaching jet parts to each other. [Laughter] It's very strange.

S: [Laughter] Where did they get the paint?

O: I don't-- [Laughter] I don't know. [Laughter]

S: I mean are--so the way that jets generally work is that there are fuel tanks in the wings. How did they keep the fuel tanks from bursting?

O: I mean, so kinda--just.

S: I also don't know if that's how it works with military jets, but I’d assume so?

O: Eh, maybe. Regardless, I do want to point out that the Decepticons don't really have a doctor so, it's kind of, like the fact that they're repairing themselves-- one) I find kind of amusing, but two) it was also like, does that make Starscream their doctor? Or is Soundwave--

S: A combination

O: -or something?

S: Or combination Soundwave/Starscream, we see what they do in Fire in the Sky?

O: That's true. So it's kind of weird. Uh, later iterations we'll actually get a few doctors, um, one of our favorites is Knockout, obviously. Uh, we don't really get one here, they don't really have doctors oh, so it is kind of like who does repair them?

S: I think the, um, Constructicons are technically considered their doctor when--er doctors when they show up.

O: Yeah, that would be one way to do it, oh, okay.

S: I don't know if they're actually--well, Hook, I think, is a surgeon. Not sure about the others but Mixmaster could probably--

O: Yeah, I wasn’t--I wasn't sure if Hook being a surgeon was, like, a fanon thing that had become really widespread or he was actually labeled that way in the show, but--

S: I don't remember, uh, let me look this up cuz yeah it could definitely be fanon.

O: I like, it showed up in a fanfic I was reading and I, and I honest to God don't know if it, if it's in the actual canon or not.

S: Eh, okay he considers himself an artist, Master Craftsman, let's just-- let me just read the, uh-

O: Fair enough.

S: -the wiki to you.

S: The snob of the Constructicons Hook considers himself an artist he looks upon the rest of the Decepticons almost as peasants, underneath him to a degree. Though full of himself, Hook is a master craftsman, having truly earned his insufferable ego. His high standards that he holds himself and others to means he takes extra care to ensure that even the most simple of jobs is completed to the nth degree of perfection. It doesn't say that he is the-- is a medic but, ermm--

O: So I think it's safe to say we're not sure if it's something that will show up in canon, or not but it is pretty prevalent in fanfiction or in just, like, the fanon with the Constructicons, so we're not actually sure.

S: I guess, yeah, Soundwave and Starscream, they get to be the medics.

O: At least for now.

S: A fight ensues.

O: As it always does.

S: So much fighting.

O: We cut to Megs, Rumble and Reflector who are using the passcode to gain entrance to the lab and I have to ask, why didn't they just blast through the freaking wall?

S: That, pfft, I mean, God, we see them blast through--

O: Yeah, just wait for it.

S: Walls, windows, and everything.

O: Uh-huh, just wait for it. [Laughter]

S: So back with Chip, he's attempting to contact the lab via his home computer.

O: Apparently this is a really nice setup for the time, although I couldn't tell you either way.

S: And, well, you can see a bunch of college flyers on Chip’s wall like, at least one of those looks like it was a fancy tech college or some sort of research college. Apparently the dude's got his future planned if he isn't already taking pre-college courses.

O: Or went through college because he's super smart, you decide.

S: Um-hm.

O: Anyway, remember that thing I asked about why the Decepticons didn't blast through the wall? Now Megatron blasts through the wall. And Megatron demands the antimatter formula from the scientist. [Laughs] He calls him a flesh creature.

S: The scientist deletes the formula, but Meg's calls him out on his bullshit by using his [sigh] psychic hands to determine that he uploaded the formula to someone else I.E. Chip.

O: I have no idea if he'll ever use this random ass ability again.

S: I mean, I doubt it. If they had wanted to be consistent they could have just use that stupid chest tentacle that--

O: Let's not talk about the chest tentacle, ahh! [Laughs] Um, Prowl and Bluestreak continue to fight the Seekers, Soundwave and, uh, now Ravage.

S: Yep, and then Prowl shoots Ravage who goes and hides behind Soundwaves’ legs.

O: Save me Daddy! Uh, Soundwave shoots Prowl, taking his battle computer offline.

S: No one else has one of these, but Prowl, apparently.

O: Prowl uses his ear antenna to hunt for another online computer so he can use it to help fight.

S: Battle buddy!

O: This allows him to link up to Chips home computer--

S: Somehow.

O: [Laughs] Chip remote controls Prowl through the fight.

S: Honestly Chip would own at competitive video games now. He’d probably be amazing, either that or he would totally own at BattleBots.

O: [Laughter] Oh my God, I would love to see that! Although er-- ironically I just like the idea of Transformers building tiny robots to fight like, at, like, human competitions.

S: That would be incredibly entertaining and I could kind of see Wheeljack doing it.

O: Oh yeah! For shits and giggles? Like, I know they don't have the Holo forms, uh, like they do in the comics here but I could totally see him showing up and being like, “This is my robot!” and just like, you know blowing humans’ tiny puny little minds. [Laughter]

S: I could see, I could see Swindle like, setting up some sort of betting thing.

O: Oh god, he would! [Laughter]

S: Yeah, and then Bluestreak looks like he got drunk and lost his chevron here for a bit.

O: Uh, basically his colors are all fucked up.

S: Chip has Prowl use another jet to shoot missiles at the Decepticons.

O: This is a normal people jet, uh, I'm not sure why this is more effective than just, you know, shooting them, but they retreat so, ehh?

S: Oh, oh we forgot, we forgot Prowl is riding the jet here.

O: Oh yeah, like, he like, I mean like, he's fucking straddling the jet, somehow- like, reaching into the cockpit making it fire missiles. I'm like, I don't know why that was Chip’s first instinct but okay.

S: It's amazing and then the-- the Decepticons escape and hunt down Chip, because of course. [claps hands]

O: And Chip, our resident squishy badass, rips up the floppy with his bare fucking hands, that had the formula on it, having memorized the formula himself.

S: And then Ravage just, crashes through Chips’ bedroom wall like the freaking Kool-Aid Man and proceeds to kidnap Chip, wheelchair and all.

O: Door! Technically Ravage did burst down the door, not a wall, he's not a complete heathen, thank you. [Laughter]

S: That's true. That's true.

O: He's oddly careful while doing all of this, uh, besides going wheelchair first through a window, of which Chip is completely unharmed.

S: I wasn't expecting controlled defenestration today.

O: [Laughter] Ravage aims to please. Uh, I- I just think it's weird, uh, the Decepticons are sort of oddly careful with Chip through all of this, like, yes I know they just crashed through window but beyond that like, they basically just, you know drop him into, uh, I think Starscream? And they're off.

S: Yeah, something like that and then Soundwave reads the teenage boys’ mind in order to get at the antimatter formula.

O: Oh, the things he must have seen. I don't even want to know!

S: [Sighs]

O: Autobots then sneak into the lab using the power of Illusions and Rumbles’ own goddamn stupidity.

S: Why are you a rolling rock, Hound? Why? And I mean you can see, you can see Mirage’s footprints.

O: Yeah, it's very strange. Mirage turns invisible and Hound is pretending to be a rock. This is how they get past Rumble.

S: That's rolling! And I think they talked to him?

O: Yes, basically, he- I think, Rumble said something to the effect of, so it must have been nothing and I want to say Mirage uh, was like, “That's the most intelligent thing you've said all day,” and he's like, “Hey!” But he still can't see anybody. So Soundwave then hacks into the computer by shooting a little laser beam from his hand.

S: He goes all rainbowy while doing so, we never see this again.

O: Why?

S: Um, I think.

O: I mean, welcome the recurring theme of this podcast.

S: Yeah.

O: The Decepticons have managed to create antimatter.

S: And then Hound confuses Megatron through the power of Holograms and possibly throwing his voice.

O: Yeah, I would hope so, like, to me I feel like they should be able to tell where the voice is coming from otherwise. Bumblebee and Spike do make it in and they rescue Chip.

S: Bumblebee cradles Chip rather tenderly. I don't know if Chip would have been thrown out of his wheelchair at this point?

O: I think he was. That's why he picked him up but I maybe wrong. So to escape, Bumblebee sort of transforms around Chip and Spike and then books them out of there.

S: By driving up the stairs.

O: Stairs are, uh, of no consequence to a giant alien robot, thank you. They're promptly followed by Hound and Mirage.

S: Who also drive up the stairs.

O: With no problems, yes.

S: I have issues with the Formula 1 car doing this, but okay.

O: [Laughter]

S: Meanwhile the Decepticons fail to hit anything or anyone relevant.

O: And then we get another environment animation sequence and then all three vehicles crash through a window and make a graceful exit from three stories up, surprising the hell out of Rumble. Rumble is also having a bad day.

S: A very, very bad day.

O: It'll get worse.

S: And then Hound is suddenly blending in with the environment, he's apparently decided to go camo.

O: [Laughter]

S: Because he’s very tan instead of green here, oh no, he's cosplaying Swindle!

O: [Laughter]

S: Like two seasons beforehand.

O: [Laughter]

S: Optimus bursts into the lab with Sunstreaker, Bluestreak, and Ratchet in tow. Are they in- Are they in his trailer when this happens and then do they get released from the trailer?

O: Yeah, I think that's how that went. Anyway, while doing this, they hit Rumble in the process. As we mentioned Rumble is having a very, very, very bad day.

S: Yeah. Yep. And then Megatron throws the antimatter, blowing up the entire lab?

O: But not really? It's still standing, I don't really understand.

S: Oh-oh before this we just saw the Autobots burst through walls to confront Decepticons and like, each Autobot has their own individual hole except what appears to be Ratchet.

O: Who we think is actually supposed to be Ironhide through, like, this entire scene but he's colored like Ratchet.

S: Yeah cuz, err, I don't know, later when we get back it seems like Ratchet’s been back at the Ark the entire time, but let's get back to what we're actually at.

O: Back to our--back on our shit.

S: [Laughter] But yeah, so a lot more Autobots exit the lab then we saw entering.

O: And Optimus says, “we’ve suffered losses but we've not lost the war.”

S: Who died Optimus? Who died?

O: I'm convinced, Sunstreaker’s paint job was the only casualty.

S: Yeah, and his arm.

O: [Laughter] Poor Sunstreaker.

S: Yeah and then when the Bots get back to base they act like Ratchet’s been there the entire time like, like I said.

O: Yeah, Ratchet’s just like, “Woah guys, what are you doing? You got blown up!” Uh, so Chip starts to beat himself up, uh, over the, you know, the Decepticons getting the code but Wheeljack’s like, “Buddy, we can use your brain for better uses, let's go blow shit up.”

S: He's so understanding, Wheeljack, he's just, so understanding.

O: I think he just wants help with his mad scientist experiments in the basement.

S: Probably!

O: [Laughter]

S: I mean people give him lots of shit for blowing shit up but we haven't actually seen him blow a whole lot of shit up.

O: Yeah.

S: Except for that one bomb he made we're doing that.

O: Um-hmm. This is about the time Megatron and the Decepticons decide to attack the Ark.

S: And off go the Lamborghinis to fly! And thus Sunstreaker and Sideswipe commit atrocities against jets.

O: Jet Judo! Also, weirdly enough Sideswipe doesn't appear to be wearing a jetpack, but Sunstreaker is?

S: Um, I don't really remember who's supposed to be wearing the jetpack but canonically Sideswipe does have one. I just don't remember who has it in this scene.

O: Like I said I'm pretty sure it was Sunstreaker and I was like, “How is Sideswipe flying and why does Sunstreaker have the jetpack?” But whatever.

S: I don't know.

O: We get some decent animation here as the brothers fight the Jets.

S: There's like some really nice, it’s-it's really nice--

O: This is where the budget went, hello.

S: Um-hm. And nevertheless when they get shaken off by the Jets they have those extremely convenient parachutes like, like what Mirage had after his thing.

O: They all survived! Uh, Megatron then shoves? Absorbs? Antimatter into his chest. What the--?

S: Do The Voice!

O: Oh, okay- I can do that. [terrible Megatron impersonation] “Beware, Autobots! I am about to transform into the most powerful weapon in the universe!” He says, uh, as he turns into gun mode. Which I have to ask, what the fuck even is antimatter!?!

S: Gun Viagra?

O: [Groans] Moving on! Starscream starts shooting Megs at the Autobots.

S: And Hound is trapped by rocks, again? This might be a running theme-

O: [Laughter]

S: -But I don't know he just seems like he's buried in the rocks now like, like.

O: And this is time number three, right? Or is it just two? Starscream continues to fire.

S: And then Brawn hides in a ditch to toss his boss at Starscream. ‘Cause Starscream is on the ground and--

O: Instead of flying--because he's a jet. And no, we're not sure why this was the plan they went with, either.

S: I guess they're just working with their environment since there was that incredibly inconvenient ditch, but I mean how did Brawn get in there? Did he go like the long way around and sneak? How did, how did Starscream not hear him or [claps] see him, or something? Because I feel like Starscream was pretty close to the ditch.

O: [Huff of laughter] Eh, he was too busy getting Megatron off. [Laughter]

S: [Laughter]

O: I knew I’d sneak one in there somewhere. Anyway, Optimus knocks Megatron out of Starscream’s hands. Megatron then gets picked up by Skywarp. Meanwhile, Skywarp is accosted by humans who put on Wheeljack’s device and that device gives them control over Skywarp’s body.

S: They-they just stick it to his leg, like--so how it goes is Spike comes running over with what looks like a freaking jackhammer and then Skywarp picks him up and is like, “Squishy, I'm going to shoot you,” and then Chip wheels over, sticks the thing on his leg, and is like, “No, you're not!”

O: And then they're basically remote controlling skywarp. So Skywarp begins to fire at the Decepticons and random landmarks with Megatron. Uh, Megatron returns to his robot mode because the antimatter he shoved in his chest is about to reach critical mass. [Sighs]

S: Of course it is! Um, so of course this means he's got to start dumping [deep breath] dumping the cubes out of his boobs.

O: Predictably, uh, the cubes explode and the Decepticons retreat, Megatron vows revenge as the episode ends.

S: [Sighs]

O: [Laughter]

S: Is-is this the bit where they just fly away looking really tired, or is that the next episode?

O: I think that's the next one, like, the next episode basically ends very, very similarly, like with a fight with the Autobots vs the Decepticons, again, at the Ark. They start to blur together after a while let me tell you. [Laughs] So--

S: We have some recommendations, there's three fanfiction recommendations and then one piece of art, actually animation that Owls has to recommend. So let me go into the, uh, the fanfiction and then we will get to the animation.

O: [Laughter]

S: So the first recommendation I have for you today is “Always the Wrong Lid” by Bibliotecaria_D, which is sort of an alternate universe of G1, it's more taking everything that happens in G1 and treating it seriously, uh, I guess. It's rated K, Gen, there's no pairings. So, the characters-- Chip Chase, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Soundwave, Reflector, and Shockwave. And in summary, “It's an alien look at human racism, and bodily fluids.” There's an awful lot more in there than that. Um, so our main character that this rec- that this recommendation is based on is Chip Chase and then it's a One-Shot.

S: Um, the next one is “Lockout” by MariaShadow, which is G1 cartoon, rated K, Gen, no pairings. Character- main character is Prowl and then, I believe, there's some human original characters. So, main character’s Prowl and in summary, “Prowl endures for stress leave, and competes in a chess tournament.”

O: [Laughter]

S: Um-hmm, and, er our theme here is Prowl, because yeah, we got to see Prowl do some pretty neat tricks with Chip piloting him.

O: [Laughter]

S: And it's a One-Shot.

S: And our last recommendation is “Snap, Crackle, Pop!” by ShyLight. It's G1 cartoon, rated T, it's General, so there's no pairings. Uh, the main characters are Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and the Decepticons and Autobots. So in summary, “Sideswipe hates teleporting and therefore, by association, hates Skywarp. Sunstreaker unleashes an unholy wrath upon the Decepticon base due to a misunderstanding. No jetpacks or GPS systems were harmed in the making of this fic-- beyond repair, anyway.” And so the theme for this was, Skywarp, Jet Judo and so on and so forth. Also teleporting and things ending up not where they're supposed to be, or people, I guess. And this one is a complete five parter, I think? It's complete. And so those are the fanfiction recommendations done, let's go over to the art and animation.

O: So just a reminder, uh, anything we talk about on here you can find links for on our Tumblr. We're not spelling out names and stuff, but all the links should be pretty easy to find so if you're interested head over there, that way you can, you know check out the lovely fan art, or the fanfic. We're also going to be trying to reblog a lot of the fan art, if it's on Tumblr so that it's easier to see, basically. [Throat clear]

O: So our fanart for the day is Masterpiece Reanimated and this, is someone who has reanimated scenes from Generation 1 but using the Masterpiece figures. We’ll be including a link to a specific scene that was actually from today's episode and honestly it does a better job with continuity than the actual scene, which I find kind of hysterical.

S: It's amazing.

O: It is. So if you remember kind of where we opened up where are the uh, the Jets were in the--

S: Dam?

O: Dam--hydropower plant, or whatever. Uh, basically they do that entire section up until, I think the jets fly off, uh, which also means we get Soundwave walking through the volleyball net- fence whatever and it is delightful, I highly recommend it.

S: And transforming and being caught by--

O: By Starscream-- they did such a good job, you should go watch it! Um, anyway they've got a YouTube, a Twitter, and a patreon and we will post links for all of those so you should go check that out because it was really fun to watch and they actually have more videos but I thought er, we thought this was the most um, applicable one for today. Since it was a scene from the actual episode.

S: Um-hm. Like I specifically look it up to show you.

O: It was hilarious, I loved it! So join us next time for episode 6, Divide and Conquer, where Optimus Prime nearly dies for about the fifth time, um, and the Autobots have to get onto Cybertron to retrieve something to fix him with the help of Chip and there's a lot of random things that happen. Including but not limited to: glue guns, Shockwave can't hit shit and, uh, acid rain.

S: And that just about wraps it up for us today. Remember to check our Tumblr at Afterspark-Podcast.Tumblr.com for any additional information, show notes, or links that we may have mentioned. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at Aftersparkpod (all one word) and SoundCloud and YouTube at Afterspark Podcast. Till next time!

S: I'm Specs!

O: And I'm Owls!

S: Toodles!

[Outro Music Plays]

#transcript #afterspark podcast #g1 episode 5

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ae0nx · 5 years ago

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FRUITS BASKET ‘19 EPISODE 24 VS FRUITS BASKET ‘01 24-26 (PART 1)

*takes a sip of wine* ...I honestly don’t know how this review/recap is gonna work cos... I have a whole load of notes on the new 2019 episode, the three last 2001 episodes and the manga. And I thought I was gonna do a simple comparison but goddamn it... those last three episodes of ‘01 go way off the rail.

If the last three episodes of ‘01 were Mario in Mario Kart, it’d be him just doing a continuous drift... way into the grass... while trying to pick up Princess Peach, Bowser AND Luigi... even though the game wouldn’t allow it and he has a one person car.

*sigh* So, let’s start off:

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When I think of the True Form Arc, I think three simple points are vital to be shown:

Kyo’s true form is to be revealed to the audience and to Tohru

Kyo’s past with Kazuma and his mother/(partly)father

Tohru still accepting Kyo and declaring her love need for them to be together and share each other’s pain and joy

The True Form Arc is a very important story, very emotional story, but at most is a stepping stone to a bigger arc/conclusion and 2019 understood this the most and pretty much followed the manga to the book, with a few flourishes they took from the 2001 anime. 2001 did... well... it did a disjointed mash up of a sorts. So, I’m mostly gonna use the 2019 version to talk about things I found interesting about the main plot as well as the particular things they did that intrigued me this time around. And I’m gonna pretty much try and compare it the 2001 version when it does relate and try and treat the other non-canonical stuff it puts in as a sort of ‘elseworld’ story and not judge it on it’s accuracy but if it’s interesting or not. Cool?

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- I’m still not comfortable with the way the episodes are split up for the True Form Arc this time around. If I can give one compliment to the 2001 version, is that they really let the arc sit with you and for the audience to digest it and feel it (oh, the ever lasting rain). Yes, three episodes of true form Kyo was way too long! But I do think that at least 1.5 episodes would’ve been perfect for me.

- In general, I really love that Kazuma is respected by all the Sohmas. Even Shigure manages to behave himself!

When I took a first glance at Kyo’s kinda cold/awkward attitude to Kazuma, I just assumed it was as was said, that Kyo was being shy about his feelings toward Kazuma and also not wanting to show any slither of ‘weakness’ or vulnerability around Yuki. But then, I found myself thinking...

Have you ever been in a situation where you’re with a group of some friends and they’re good friends and you’ve just gotten to know them fairly recently but then your BEST friend comes along and they’ve known you for pretty much most of your life and you are genuinely happy to have them there... butttt they also know EVERY single dirty secret about you and you are just silently internally begging them to not tell your other friends about that time you threw up in their bed when you were underage drinking at their house party? That was the feeling I got the most and I love it haha

First tears of the evening. The fact that Kyo would be so vulnerable to let someone even touch his head must be so shocking for the new viewers and I’m so excited for them.

LOOK AT HIS SMILE! I CAN’T. I COULDN’T SAY NO TO THAT SMILE.

I just love his metaphor of the ‘lukewarm bath’. God, my boy is really not adjusted to this slice-of-life living, he really does think he’s in a shonen anime lol. But, in all seriousness, I’ve found this to be a thing most commonly amongst the straight, cis guys that I know. They find it hard to have personal and emotional friendships (let alone relationships) and the reason - that I’ve been told anyway - is cos they’re scared that with that much softness it’d just give way for them to fall completely apart... It’s really unfortunate that sometimes society won’t let them fall apart and sometimes they can’t find a safe space to fall apart.

And kid, we all know from the New Year’s episode that you scream when you don’t know how to express complex emotions of love - stop kidding yourself. God, that episode still has my favourite Kyo smile.

- Right. So, I really don’t like that Kazuma forcibly takes off Kyo’s beads without Kyo’s consent or want to reveal his true form. And I think a lot of it stems from this additional scene in ‘01 with Akito that reveals that this was an actual premeditated idea formed between the two...

I really don’t like that addition at ALL. I haven’t re-read the manga completely so let me know if I’m dissing the canon, but Kazuma knows that Akito does not have the best intentions for Kyo. I get that Akito is the head of the family but I feel like characters like Kazuma, Ayame and (kinda) Kagura tend to skip across the lines and regulations that Akito sets. And this just made no sense to me. Why would he?

But regardless of that addition, I still don’t like the decision to take off Kyo’s beads forcibly. Kyo needs help breaking down his exterior, yes but I do question whether he maybe would’ve ended up telling Tohru in his own time? Hmm... Maybe not. But I do like that in the very near future (spoilers), Kazuma does recognise this action he took.

I love this moment so much. Shigure and Kazuma are actually on the same page for just this arc in taking actions that will manipulate situations and hurt people for a greater good and it’s insane when you think of it like that - especially when you hate Shigure as much as I do. But Shigure being well aware of the personal catastrophe that could await from pulling off a move like this shows he’s aware at the very least... (not that he cares *sigh*)

- Kazuma confronting Kyo for the eventual reveal, I really loved in the 2019 version. The spinning camera definitely made that intense feeling a lot more real. And the rain... and Kazuma essentially playing the villain was a different take than ‘01′s version. In general, Kazuma in ‘01 just looks so tired and almost haunted?

Maybe it’s the grey hair that’s doing most of the work, but he just looks and acts so exhausted and weary which is interesting when you include Kyo’s later thoughts on why he doesn’t want to burden Kazuma with having the title of ‘father’ in relation to him. I definitely prefer ‘19!Kazuma. You can tell he loves Kyo but he does run a dojo so he has more of an edge and a sternness about him so if he’s gonna teach Kyo a lesson he’s gonna fucking mean it lol. But tbh, Dameon Clark sells it in both versions. Even the way he says ‘you haven’t changed’ in the ‘01 version is heartbreaking. You can tell he knows there’s many facets to this character and he puts his all into it in both iterations.

SO MUCH CAN BE SAID IN ONE LOOK. THESE BABIES. 💔

While I will get into what I like and dislike about what 2001 did with these three getting involved in what is essentially Tohru and Kyo’s story in part 2 of this review (it’s already way too long and I’m scared I’ll lose the whole thing), I do also respect the original manga story of them essentially just turning their head away from Kyo and it’s implied that they can’t help it(?). It really just solidifies to the audience what Kyo’s position in the family is. While he is liked by what seems like a lot of members of the zodiac, they can’t help him because they are under the same rule of Akito and the order of the zodiac. Which is why I really love what Kagura says in ‘01 to Yuki after Kyo runs off...

But... you’ll have to read part 2 to see what I feel about the next part of the episode. 😈

Link to Part 2 here!

#fruits basket #furuba #fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket 2001

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enbouton · 6 years ago

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Better Call Saul Rewatch, Part 7/30: Guilty As Sin

Bingo (Season 1, Episode 7)

Written by Gennifer Hutchison / Directed by Larysa Kondracki

If someone asked me “I want to get into Better Call Saul, what’s a good episode to start with?”, I would tell them “START AT THE BEGINNING and don’t skip anything!!!”, but I would also be tempted to say “Bingo”. It has everything: Chuck and Jimmy together, Kim at work, sweet McWexler moments, inept criminals, Jimmy charming the elderly, a What’s Mike Doing?™ sequence. It’s poignant and heartfelt and makes you feel for our long-suffering protagonist as he’s thwarted once again, but there are notes of hope and optimism too.

Having said all that, it feels weird to pivot and point out that the episode opens with a shot that quite clearly frames Jimmy as a wanted criminal:

Irate Abbasi comes for his notebook, which Jimmy claims to have stumbled upon in the parking lot. Abbasi isn’t buying it, but he can’t prove the theft, any more than he can prove that Mike is the killer he’s after. He leaves after delivering Mike a breathtakingly cruel parting shot: “Hopefully whatever you are didn’t rub off on the rest of your family.” Mike takes it on the chin.

Sending Jimmy away, Mike talks with Sanders, who you get the feeling knows exactly what happened that night in Philadelphia. He says that if Stacey has nothing to tell them, that ends it. He’s not unsympathetic: a lot of people thought that Hoffmann and Fensky had it coming. His younger colleague just needs to learn that “some rocks you don’t turn over”. The world isn’t as black and white as Abbasi would like it to be.

A chrysalis hangs from a leaf in the foreground as Jimmy drives up outside Chuck’s house. He finds Chuck outside, attempting to build up his tolerance to EMFs. After what happened, he says, he has to find a way to get better; it’s a rare, pure moment of hope, and it energises them both. Jimmy brings in boxes of case files, claiming lack of room in his office. He just needs to fill out the 413s on some wills, he says. “You mean 513s,” Chuck corrects him. A deliberate error to entice Chuck? Either way, he takes the bait, and Jimmy watches him through the peephole as he starts rifling through the files.

At a palatial office building, Kim and Jimmy explore a vacant suite. Huge and bright, it could not be more dissimilar to his cramped nail salon digs. “It’s time to invest in myself,” Jimmy says, using the language of self-improvement again. “Gotta look successful to be successful, right?" But he’s saving the very nicest room, the corner office with the sweeping views, for her.

I like the handling of Jimmy’s romantic gesture here. Kim is genuinely touched by it, but her attachment to HHM isn’t something that she can just shake off, nor is she ready to change the course of her carefully planned career. (This is also the first scene that refers to HHM having put Kim through law school and the debt she owes them.) Noting his disappointment, she defuses the awkwardness by saying she wants to see the kitchen. Jimmy lingers in the empty corner office, looking crestfallen.

At HHM, Craig and Betsy sit hand in hand. Kim is outlining a plea deal she’s arranged for them. Betsy hates the very word “deal” (”a deal is what they got O.J.!”) Kim tries the word “arrangement”: sixteen months in prison (down from 30 years) as long as the money is returned. “But there is no money,” Betsy says. Kim— who stays patient and professional despite her obvious frustration— reminds them that if they go to trial, Craig will most likely end up in prison for decades. She asks them to consider their children, “seeing their dad through bars on visiting day”. Betsy coolly tells her that she’s fired.

Howard blames Kim for this, which is the kind of thing you might think would account for a lot of why Jimmy seems to hate him so much.

Called away from the bingo game he’s officiating (the bingo machine on this show always sounds like a pot of boiling water about to spill over), Jimmy meets the Kettlemans at Loyola’s. The moment where the server comes over with coffee and Betsy waves them away just as Craig reaches out his mug is just perfect. The Kettlemans want to hire him, with certain stipulations: zero jail time and no deal. Jimmy, reluctant from the outset, tries to convince them to go back to HHM (sweetly, he adds “and apologise to Ms. Wexler”), but they won’t budge. “If there were any money, there would have to be a full accounting of it,” Betsy tells him. “Every penny.”

(“All of it,” Craig chimes in, after Jimmy has got the message. “That includes the $30,000…” / “He knows, Craig.”)

At HHM, Jimmy finds that Howard has evicted Kim from her office and sent her to the unseen east wing, the “cornfield”. We get a gorgeous repeat of one of ep. 1’s best shots:

In defeat, Kim is wry. They discuss the hopelessness of the case. No deal is possible without the money. Back in his office, Jimmy rifles through legal texts (one copy of the New Mexico Statutes is open to the page headed “Embezzlement”), then looks up. Toward the ceiling.

Mike is up to something. In a lovely, deft, unhurried sequence, he sprays a stack of cash with some substance, puts it on the back of a remote-control car in the Kettlemans’ yard, then retreats to the back wall with his transistor radio and eats apples off a nearby tree while listening to baseball. Several apple cores later, Craig retrieves the money. After the Kettlemans have gone to bed, Mike enters the house and uses a blacklight to follow traces of fluorescent dye to a compartment where they’ve stashed the money. Later, Jimmy ruefully adds the $30,000 he’d stashed in his ceiling to the pile. He’s doing “the right thing”, he tells Mike, making air quotes.

In the morning, Jimmy goes to the Kettlemans’ house— interestingly, he’s back in his dark brown double-breasted suit here, after an episode and a half of Matlock linen— and confronts them. They have to take the deal; the money is on its way to the DA’s office. “Criminals have no recourse,” he quotes Nacho. They could report the bribe he took, but that would implicate Betsy as well as Craig. Jimmy does twist the knife just a bit with the reference to “inter-prison visitation”, but then Craig entreats Betsy to think of the kids, and she breaks down and sobs. The show invites us to marvel at Betsy’s wilful blindness to reality, but when she confronts it at last, it’s not pretty.

Jimmy returns the Kettlemans to HHM, where Kim mouths “thank you” at him through the open elevator doors. It’s a bittersweet victory, though: without their bribe, Jimmy can’t pay for his new office any more. Even the suit he’s wearing reflects that he’s back where he was pre-Kettlemans. Alone in the large, airy suite, he kicks the door repeatedly and cries. Then his phone rings; he composes himself. “Law offices of James M. McGill, how may I direct your call?"

Misc.

“As you well know, there is a 60-kilovolt transformer 200 metres south-southwest of my front yard." I love Chuck because he’s a nuanced, sympathetic, complicated character and also because he says things like this.

Jimmy wants a cocobolo desk. He doesn’t know what it is, he just likes saying it.

For those keeping track of colour symbolism, Betsy wears a bright coral suit to their meeting with Kim; Craig wears pale pink, literally a watered-down version of Betsy’s colour. Later, orange features in both Craig and Betsy’s clothing:

As the Kettlemans hurry out of HHM, you can hear Betsy telling Craig “don’t look back, honey. Always look forward. Always in life.”

Craig and Betsy aren’t sure what elder law is. “Maybe if we were older...” Craig muses.

Timeline: a few days in early to mid July, 2002

Music

"Tune Down” by Chris Joss (2009), as Mike steals the money back

References

Cracker Barrel (hey, I didn’t know what it was until I visited the U.S.) is a Southern-style, country-themed restaurant chain where the front porches are decorated with rocking chairs.

Guy Lombardo, one of Jimmy’s bingo references, was a big band leader and member of the Royal Canadians.

Mrs. Landry’s cats are named after Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar, the lead characters in The Odd Couple (play, film and TV series).

The 25th Hour is a 2001 novel about a man’s last day of freedom before imprisonment for dealing drugs. The reference may or may not be anachronistic; the film adaptation was released in December 2002, a few months after the events of the episode take place. Ned and Maude Flanders, meanwhile, are Homer Simpson’s relentlessly cheerful Christian neighbours.

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#bcs rewatch #better call saul

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jupitermelichios · 6 years ago

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Smallville Recaps: S1 E1 “Pilot”

I realised I never actually reviewed the first 2 episodes of Season 1, so I’m going back to rewatch them and share my (mostly confused and angry) thoughts.

Hey Smallville, Goldeneye 007 called and it wants its CGI back. (Actually that's not fair. The PS1 had way better graphics than this. I think this may have been done on a ZX Spectrum.)

Huh, weird that our first non-CGI shot of the show is a teaser for Green Arrow that won't pay off for several seasons. Also Lionel trying to bully his son into not being afraid, because he really is the worst parent.

I love that Lana's aunt Nell clearly hates Martha and Jonathan exactly as much as they deserve.

“Where are her parents?!” Jesus Jonathan, take it down a notch. She's with her aunt, it's not like the kid's just been abandoned!

So apparently Lana has magic powers in the pilot?! She pretends to grant Martha's wish for a baby like 3 minutes before they find Clark.

Jesus fuck is this a horror show?! Why is there a naked teenager crucified in that Cornfield begging passing children to help him?! What the actual fuck Smallville?

Oh good, and now the kid is dead and probably so is Lex. What a way to start your show!

Remember kids, if you look up and see a large meteor flying towards you out of the sky, it's important to stay exactly where you are so that your 4 year old daughter can watch you die and be traumatised by it, and not, for example, take two steps to the left and survive.

They kid they chose to play baby Clark is a) about 7 and b) possibly Latino?! I mean, it's not the weirdest casting choice in this show, but it's still fucking weird.

I love that Martha's first thought upon finding Clark is 'yoink, this is my baby now!' and not 'oh shit, we'd better try and trace this kid's family.

To give the writers their due, having Lex loose his hair because he was present as a kid when Clark's spaceship crashed is actually a pretty genius idea.

Flashfoward to Clark being... 26? 15? I have no idea how old he's supposed to be. Wait he's in highschool. 18? Seriously, I have no idea.

Why do Teen shows all think “really wants to play sport but can't because of his special powers” is a super relatable plot, especially to the kind of teenagers who watch Superhero shows. Speaking as someone who has been in a teenager in their life, it's really not!

Okay so a) Smallville's population has gone up by 20,000 in ten years, which seems a lot, and b) Smallville's population is 45,0001. How?! There's 1 high school, apparently only 1 junior school since they've all known one another since they were 5, no theatre, no cinema, and a single factory employs like half the adult population of the town, and the population is 45,000?! The nearest town to me growing up had 1 high school, 2 primary schools and a cinema, and that had a population of 3,000!

“You can't play football, that's suicide.” The actor playing Clark is ten years older and two foot taller than everyone else at the school, but sure. Suicide.

Apparently the naked dude crucified in the cornfield thing is a Smallville tradition that Chloe has never heard of before this exact moment. Also what he fuck kind of high school tradition is that?! That's some fucking Cabin in the Woods ritual bullshit right there. The football team are probably all going to turn out to be demons in disguise or something.

Lana having a kryptonite necklace is actually a pretty good idea for the whole love triangle thing. If Lana's parents hadn't been killed by a kryptonite meteor hitting them. As it is, she's just coming off as really weird and super morbid.

“Which are you Clark, man or superman?” “I'm still figuring that out.” Good line if you know he's got powers. If you don't know, and you're just making a weird Neitzche joke (you know, like teenagers do) then it just makes Clark sound like an absolute nob. Which he is, of course.

You know I said Whitney is the best human being in the Dramatis Personae? The major exception is in this episode. But even here, his first line isn't asking Lana to do his homework, it's asking Lana to read over his homework because he was up super late finishing it. Because even in the pilot, Whitney is secretly a super-nice dude. (Apart from that whole naked crucifixion thing.)

Lex's character introduction: driving a very nice porsche while dramatic rock plays. Okay, so we're supposed to think Lex is the coolest character, right? That's definitely what I'm getting from this.

Holy shit, Clark is actually being selfless and saving Lex from a car crash. That may be the only nice thing he does all season.

Ah, the introduction of Clark's habit of watching Lana change through his telescope. Because Clark's a totally relatable guy, and a hero.

“Hey your lucky charm, isn't that the thing that killed your parents and a bunch of other people and gave Lex alopecia?” “Yeah I figure just because it's always been super unlucky up till now, maybe it'll be lucky this time.” That's some fucking weird figuring you're doing there Lana.

“Hey you look like that Scarecrow kid” is a weird way to greet someone who you had a direct hand in putting into a coma twelve years ago.

Oh good, naked crucified kid from the opening now has superpowers and he's back for revenge. Question – why has he waited 12 years?!

Lex brought Clark a truck. And so begins the tradition of Lex buying Clark inappropriately expensive gifts because he doesn't understand how friendship works.

Making Jonathan Kent irrationally hate the Luthors was a really weird writing choice. Really weird.

Wait, Clark doesn't know he's an alien?! How the fuck did he think he could do any of this shit?! What have Jonathan and Martha been telling him all this time????

Oh man, I'd forgotten Lana's habit of riding horses through graveyards. Like normal teenagers do. If I was Nell I'd be seriously worried about Lana.

Lana thinks visiting her parent's grave with flowers is weird, but Clark hanging out in a graveyard where no one he knows is buried is totally normal.

Clark is pretending to hear dead people. Nothing like a séance with a girl's dead parents to really set the mood.

Clark just walked Lana home. She arrived by horse. And walked home. What happened to the horse?!

“Hey you want to go to the dance with me?” asks Clark to a girl in a long-term relationship who he's only ever had one conversation with. You know, like normal non-stalkers do.

Until proven otherwise, I'm going to assume that the writers decided the Luthor family would all be into fencing because they thought Lex would look hot with a sword. And they weren't wrong.

“Do you believe a man can fly,” is one of the strangest pick-up lines I've ever heard, but oddly it seems to be working for Lex.

Chloe sees a guy she's never seen before in a town of 45,001 people, and just assumes he must be some kind of immortal and starts checking 12 year old school year-books. You know, like a normal person does.

Chloe tells Clark that she's been investigating strange goings on in the town, Clark responds with “You should have told me about this.” Fucking why Clark?

And now we see literally the only bad thing Whitney ever does, and it's weirdly jarring. He's such a nice dude in all the later episodes, but now he's beating Clark up, stripping him to his boxers and trying him up in a crucifixion pose in a field for the sake of some cheap jesus imagery. Also giving away the necklace that he knows is super important to Lana. What the fuck writers?

Man, school dances in 2001 were wack. I mean, we all remember slow-dancing to Linkin Park kock-offs right? That was a totally normal highschool experience.

Fun fact – if you electrocute a car, it will start. And none of the electrics will be fried. Because that's how cars work.

Wow, villain gets convenient amnesia may be the laziest fucking 'we've run out of time to resolve the plot' get-out I've ever heard.

Okay, so Whitney is captain of the football team. And Lana and Whitney are Homecoming king and queen. But they definitely aren't seniors, because it's going to be seasons yet before they graduate. How the fuck old are these people meant to be?!

You know, fantasizing about slow dancing with Lana may actually be only relatable thing Clark ever does. Good for you pilot episode.

#smallville recaps #charlie watches a thing #smallville #s1e1 #the character assasination of whitney begins #protect whitney 2k18 #disappointed they didn't stick with the super goth characterisation of Lana #i'm honestly kind of digging it #it's all very byronic

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