#i really liked the first season and the cliffhanger was absolutely unbearable but then i just. moved on.

[ekkoh]

i haven’t thought about the loki show in like… 2 years?? anyway, visual representation of me being dragged back in kicking and screaming

[snkpolls]

SnK Episode 64 Poll Results (for Manga Readers)

The poll closed with 227 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Please note that these are the results for the Manga Readers’ poll. If you wish to see the results for the Anime Only Watchers’ poll, click here.

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RATE THE EPISODE 218 Responses

As has been the trend, the episode received mostly positive reviews, with over 90% of respondents giving the episode a score of 4 or 5. Not too shabby for one of the most anticipated episodes of the season!

Absolutely loved it!

MAPPA's winning streak continues with a near perfect adaptation.

Epic as hell wonderful adaptation. 

I was on the edge of my Seat the whole time, even tho I read the Manga. It was amazing. 

Best cliffhanger yet

PHENOMENAL!! THE TENSION DIDN'T LET UP FOR A SECOND

I really liked the episode. People can criticize, but Mappa couldn't have done the episode in another way. They're doing an amazing job, the animation is beautiful, the musics are amazing 

Fairly good 8/10

It was ok, would've preferred a better climax.

Almost perfect episode

I thought this episode was adapted incredibly well; I enjoyed it more than I did previous episodes. The opening theme still isn't working entirely for me, though.

Best episode of season 4 so far. Also, Rage Mode is back…

Most anticipated episode and Mappa 100% delivered. MAPPA GOAT

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING MOMENTS WAS YOUR FAVORITE? 220 Responses

As expected, the cliffhanger of the episode was the most favored moment (with 40.5% of the vote) with Eren transforming during the declaration of war was finally brought to life. The subsequent favored moments all contained various partts of Eren and Reiner’s basement reunion. 

Reiner ready to protect Falco over himself made me love him even more, this moment needs more spotlight

Eren and Reiner's voice actors really went out of their way this episode. Their performance was ✨phenomenal✨

Reiner is really well-done in this episode. They were really able to capture his inner torment, not to mention the voice acting is amazing.

WHICH INTERPRETATION (BY RBA) OF THE OLD MAN’S STORY DO YOU THINK IS CLOSEST TO WHAT THE MAN ACTUALLY THOUGHT? 217 Responses

At 56.7%, the majority believe Bertolt was correct in that the old man RBA spoke with wanted to be judged before his death. 23.5% agree with Reiner that there’s no way they’ll ever know, and only 19.8% agreed with Annie in that he wanted to be forgiven.

IN THE SAME VEIN, WHICH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INTERPRETATION FITS REINER’S STATE OF MIND IN THE BASEMENT SCENE? 217 Responses

In that same vein, the majority (52.1%) also believes that Reiner wanted to receive judgement, perhaps from Eren. Just a little under 31% believe that in addition to receiving judgement, Reiner also wants to receive forgiveness. Few believe Reiner solely wants forgiveness. Finally, a little under 9% simply aren’t sure what Reiner wants.

He knows what he's done and he knows it's unforgivable so I think he just wants a release from it all

He is depressed, has PTSD, and feels tremendously guilty.

He wants to die for his sins, I don't think it's either for for forgiveness or judgement, but his own internal quilt..

He wants to be free (of this world) da guilt too much

He wants to be judged and killed 

He wants to die

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET A HUG FROM PIECK? 219 Responses

An incredibly serious question with a lopsided result. Just under 84% would like to receive a hug from Pieck, in contrast to a miniscule percentage who’d rather not. 12.3% don’t really care about stuff like this.

DO YOU THINK HELOS ACTUALLY EXISTED? 217 Responses

The plurality (little under 42%) believe Helos was a complete fabrication, down to his very existence. Some others (26.7%) think he existed, but wasn’t anybody special or (17.5%) think he existed and was actually involved with ending the Great Titan War. A bit under 14% just don’t care.

“I’M THE SAME AS YOU.” EREN SAID THIS TO REINER A FEW TIMES IN THE EPISODE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? DO YOU THINK EITHER OF THEM HARBOR A GRUDGE AGAINST THE OTHER? 108 Responses

One of the episode’s (and the adapted chapters’) focuses is the meeting between Eren and Reiner, in addition to their general relationship. Many people seemed to give their thoughts on the central motif of the meeting, and whether either of them bear a grudge against the other:

yes and no- they’re both broken by what they’ve done (and will continue to do) to each other, and those feelings are as mixed as can be. 

No, they understand each other, and the horrible acts they do is the result of seeking the best for the ones they love, in an unbearably cruel world they were born into

Probably not, from Reiner i think it's just a lot of remorse for what he did, as for Eren, he's probably beyond all of that.

They were forced to do what they had to do and both were ignorant as kids.

No grudges. And I think Eren believes he and Reiner are the same, and therefore that Reiner can understand what he is about to do and why. Eren didn't need to have this conversation with Reiner, and yet, he risked Reiner possibly interfering in his plan to talk to the one person he believes understands what he is about to do. Eren no longer believes his friends will understand his actions, which is why he did not confide in them, but he clings to the idea that Reiner will. However, I personally do not believe they are the same. Reiner's actions, while horrible, were those of a brainwashed child. Eren is an adult, about to set in motion genocide on a much larger scale. There is just no comparing it. 

There's definitely animosity between them/they genuinely dislike each other from this point on. Last battle of Shiganshina Made it clear imo.

No, if circumstances were different, they would be best friends.

They share a lot of similarities, but it all comes down to the path they take by the end of the story. While Eren decided to commit mass genocide, Reiner is regreting his past actions and trying to save the world. I don't think they absolutely despise each other, they understand their struggles but both are ready to stop one another even if it means killing them in the process

Not sure. Reiner took Eren's family so not completely same-same trauma

Yes and no, feelings aren't particularly concrete between any two people ever. There are parts of Eren that still hate Reiner, and parts of Reiner that still hate Eren, but the same can be said of their comradery. Their relationship is pretty complex

No. Reiner doesn't hold a grudge for Eren because he is guilty. Eren doesn't hold a grudge towards Reiner because he also sees himself as a mass murderer. 

Yes, Eren still wants to inflict pain on Reiner. He just claims that Reiner didn't care about his/his family's suffering either.

No, there are no hard feelings between them. Eren has forgiven Reiner since he has understood the current state of the Eldians and how Marleyans are ( they are humans just like him). But still, Eren will keep 'moving forward' and suffer from his actions like Reiner did (him talking Bertolt and Annie into breaking the outer wall and carrying the burden).

They both know it's inevitable. There is no other option.

Not consciously, at least: both of them came to understand the larger systems and powers at play, and both of them were manipulated as children by them

DO YOU THINK THAT EREN AND REINER ARE EFFECTIVE FOILS TO EACH OTHER? 215 Responses

The vast majority (88.4%) seem to agree with the notion of Reiner being a foil to Eren, be it a complete or partial foil. Some others dissent and argue that there’s no comparison. 

They mirror each other, they have different reasons but they did the same things and had I believe very similar baseline motivations 

I had learned that a foil is defined as a character who brings light to another character's traits or motivations through the contrast between the two. So if Eren and Reiner were foils to each other, then they would have had opposite personalities, as how foils are used. But Eren said 'I'm the same as you' and they do indeed share a lot of similarities. The only significant difference is that Reiner is at the point of giving up whereas Eren still keeps moving forward. So, no, they are not foils I believe. 

I think they're more like tragic, star crossed lovers (minus any romance) 

aren’t they parallels of each other? can they be foils and parallels of each other simultaneously? or i guess  just don’t be know what either term means

SO, WAS THE DECLARATION OF WAR EVERYTHING YOU HOPED FOR? 219 Responses

Overall reception of the execution of the Declaration of War was positive, with 47% stating they were “quite pleased” with it, and another 33.8% barely being able to contain their hype at all. There are some who felt a little overwhelmed by it for one reason or another, stating it could have been better but also wasn’t bad. Others think MAPPA did the animation well but didn’t pair it with the right kind of music. A small percentage were just disappointed in it, period.

It was pretty much a 1:1 from the manga, so it was great.

Absolutely incredible, while the last music choice wasn't the best (it isn't a huge deal tho, it still fits), the rest of the episode was marvelous (direction, lighting, voice acting, music for most of it, animation) and managed to make justice to the manga chapters

i really don't care about the declaration so i wasn't hyped for it either way

It was great though music was a bit too triumphant for me (though ruined is way too strong)

I feel like such high expectations were held upon this chapter, so we're really critic about it. I would've liked a more intense music build up and manga-like animation of crushing the stage. 

I loved the music choice throughout the episode, but for the declaration itself it could have been a bit more horrorish. Still loving it. No hate for the studio, they are doing great! 

I wasn’t too happy about it at first but it’s grown on me so quickly that I think it’s well on its way to being my favorite episode out of the entire series.

The build up was amazing. Sure we hoped for more actions, but Mappa couldn't have organized the episode in another way. It was really well executed and the final scene simply left me breathless 

It was perfect, but I'd have preferred having either the coordinate/attack on titan/S4 trailer theme playing but music choice didn't ruin at all the experience

BACK WHEN WILLY ACCUSED EREN OF WANTING TO INITIATE THE RUMBLING, DID YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT WAS EREN’S GOAL WHEN YOU READ THIS CHAPTER FOR THE FIRST TIME? 212 Responses

Are we still allowed to say “hindsight is 20/20?” The majority of the fandom had more faith in Eren back when these chapters were first published, with 25.5% saying they had a suspicion that he might, but didn’t want to accept that possibility and believed in the better of him. 19.3% felt that Willy was genuinely full of crap just for the sake of demonizing Paradis, and 14.6% felt that though the Rumbling would happen, Eren wouldn’t be the one at fault. On the flipside, a smaller amount of voters fully saw this coming, with 14.6% believing this to have been Eren’s goal, but with the hope that he wouldn’t make it a reality, and 11.8% now having the pleasure of saying, “I told you so.” 

At the time i just thought it was willy's assumption he used to get the other nations to side with his agenda

I cannot even remember what I thought... too long ago

I didn’t think the rumbling was gonna happen at all, actually.

When I read the chapter the rumbling had happened

I already knew the Rumbling would happen before I read the chapter, so I don't have an opinion on this other than Willy ended up being right, even if it's only because it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I sadly had that plot point spoiled :(

At this point, I genuinely did not think the Rumbling would happen at all. 

I thought that Willy and Eren were playing along for the sake of "common enemy - unites the world". With sacrifice on both ends.

WE’VE GOTTEN A SNEAK PEAK OF YELENA IN THIS EPISODE. NOT SO MUCH THE DESIGN, BUT MORE SO THE VOICE. IT’S QUITE LOW. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? 217 Responses

When it comes to Yelena’a introduction, it’s about as mysterious as it was in the manga. The difference however is the inclusion of a voice. The reception came out to be overwhelmingly positive, with people deeming it fitting, sexy and cool (in that order). Some others (24%) thought that it was as low as it was now only because she was imitating a soldier. Just a little over 10% simply didn’t care. 

I assume it's low right now because she knows Pieck will recognize her, but also Yelena could sound like a literal elephant and I'd still want her crazy beautiful ass to step on me

I didn't hear it well.

Reminds me of the voice actors in Claymore. It was perfect.

ANNIE STILL HASN’T REUNITED WITH HER FATHER, DO YOU THINK SHE EVER WILL? 217 Responses

In spite of both Annie and her father coming back to the forefront in recent manga chapters, they still haven’t been reunited. A plurality believes that they will. Just under a third thinks that it’s a possibility. Finally, a little over 20% don’t think that the meeting will happen.

THE NOTABLY IMPORTANT SCENE BETWEEN WILLY AND MAGATH RIDING IN THE CARRIAGE AT THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 100 IS MISSING IN THIS EPISODE. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO IT? 214 Responses

When it comes to the rather important scene between Willy and Magath and its lack of inclusion in this episode, most people (57.9%) came out thinking that the next episode will open up on that exact scene before transitioning into Willy’s death. Some others believe that it’ll instead be shown either sometime in the next episode or just before the arc ends. On the flip side, 20.6% believe that the scene was simply cut and that’s that. 

Either it's completely cut or will appear in a flashback again

Has to be shown at the start of episode 6 otherwise that's a colossal fuck up on Mappa's part and will affect how I view this episode

Much of it was implied through the fear on Willy’s face the whole episode.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM - THE MUSIC. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CHOICE AT THE END OF THE EPISODE? 218 Responses

The music choice for the climax of the episode wound up being very controversial, as many had different expectations than what MAPPA’s final product delivered to us. Though, it seems that overall the majority weren’t bothered at all by the music direction. 28% felt that it worked well with the scene, 22.9% very much enjoyed the music direction. 17% didn’t even notice the music much, being more immersed in the animation and overall development. Some felt let down, but realized in hindsight that maybe they expected too much for certain tracks (new and old) to be utilized. The rest either don’t care about the music or were massively let down by the execution overall.

It felt like Tyburs orchestra was playing them throughout the episode. It felt immersive. 

Dude it was bloody brilliant, what's everyone on about?

Not a let down, but I found it kinda funny that they chose that one. It seemed too... intense, upbeat, I'd say. Though if I was an anime-only I probably wouldn't care, because I wouldn't know what Eren was really gonna do.

I imagined *that track* behind this scene since reading ch 100 years ago so it was weird to hear different music, but as I rewatched the ep a couple of times I changed my opinion: the music they used fits just as well.

What I cared about most was proper execution of the scene, not the music. They could have used no music at all for all I care. I seriously can't believe some "fans" were so bitter about them not using YouSeeBigGirl for the declaration of war that they personally attacked the director and made him feel bad. Have we already forgotten that if it wasn't for MAPPA, we wouldn't be getting a season 4 at all?! The ungratefulness and toxic criticism is something else, man.

I was waiting for intense music, I didn't care which, but I was let down by the lack of intensivity build-up for me.

My month is ruined

It could've been better, but fuck the assholes who harassed the director over it. 

During the whole speech it was just perfect, you can really feel that growing tension. End music could be better though 

If they had just synced up 2volts explosive chorus right as Eren busts through the building in his titan form, then I think it would've worked out so much better. But yeah, I think I just over anticipated a different OST for the scene. Overall, it's okay. 

It was ok, an 8/10 choice of music

While watching I was so focused on what was happening that I didn't even notice the music so when I saw the complaints I was shocked. Keeping that moment low key until the very end with no musical signals of what was to come was perfect! Anime audiences (you know, the people this is actually for) were completely caught off guard by Eren's transformation. They legit thought Eren was befriending Reiner in that moment by lending him a hand. Having musical cues would've ruined it.

WHEN WILLY TYBUR NOTED THAT HE WISHED FOR THE EXTINCTION OF ALL ELDIANS, THE MANGA SHOWCASED A PANEL OF ZEKE, FORESHADOWING HIS ULTIMATE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. IN THE ANIME, THIS IS JUXTAPOSED WITH REINER’S SUICIDAL PLEAS. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CHANGE? 213 Responses

MAPPA seems to be keeping the audience even more in the dark about Zeke’s motivations than Isayama himself did in the manga… by excluding just about everything hinting at him having any motivations other than pure loyalty to Marley. In episode 64, the opted to juxtapose Willy’s speech with Reiner and Eren, leaving Zeke out of the equation. 43.2% overall were disappointed in this decision, with 24.9% feeling let down by the lack of foreshadowing of Zeke’s plan, and the other 18.3% feeling saddened by the lack of narrative contrast between the Yeager Brothers. 17.4% are hopeful for some anime-only foreshadowing.

i don’t really care about the juxtapositioning because i think the average anime only would not pick it up. but i am disappointed that the scenes that made zeke more enigmatic and suspicious were cut

Didn't even notice

I never noticed this detail in the manga, but i feel like it was better being left out to keep it as a secret.

I found it to be an effective way to make Zeke's motives even more mysterious. I also didn't mind the scene being juxtaposed with Reiner's scene because it serves as a reminder of Reiner's guilt and brainwashing from the past. Both of these things have torn him apart mentally.

It works either way for different reasons

WHICH SCENE FROM THE PREVIEW ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? 218 Responses

The majority (52.3%) were most looking forward to Eren’s fight with the War Hammer Titan. 19.3% were hyped for Eren’s initial emergence from his titan form during the fight. 9.6% were looking forward to the Survey Corps throwing Pieck and Porco off guard, 8.3% were looking forward to Eren’s assault on the military and the remainder were looking forward to seeing Udo and Zofia die. Magath got a very tiny sliver of the pie.

Can't wait to watch Eren giving them the deaths they deserve again

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE?

I felt tense most of the time, just like when I was watching most episodes of s3 pt. 2 :')

The suspense truly killed me!!! Even tho I knew what was to come!

....I just want to know if miss tybur gets a goddamn given name already... but considering how long it took for us to get “Pieck Finger”? Dx

I likes the addition of the marley soilders approaching where eren and reiner were talking, it gave it an extra bit of intensity.

Was on the edge of my seat for the entire episode despite knowing what would happen. The VA's also delivered some of the best performances of the entire series so far. 

I absolutely loved the whole episode, the overall atmosphere, the tension building during the speech, and of course the soundtrack was excellent imo, I was not even expecting YSBG myself as I don't watch SoulMadness' videos, so in my mind that scene played out to some botched mental version of Counter Attack Mankind instead... :P

I may have known what was happening... But the music made it so much better and intense.

Also I wholeheartedly believe those professional and experienced directors know better than randoms on the internet who never directed anything. I never thought such a thing could be so controversial. :) - Ryuuhime (I lurk on reddit but almost never post)

Amazing aside from the ost at the end and the lack of direction for the transformation 

We should thank Mappa for the amazing job thus far!

Intense. Somehow even more intense than the manga at times. 

People really need to shut the fuck up and just be grateful that such an amazing studio is giving us what we never thought we’d see in a thousand years. Mappa has been going above and beyond to give us a great season and so far it’s taken the top spot of my favorite season, knocking Season 2 down to my second favorite. The voice acting, the added scenes, the directing, the animation, the character designs, I’m just grateful we’re finally seeing all of these things in the quality we haven’t gotten since Season 2. Bless Mappa 💖💖💖

Okay I'm kind of hoping we'll get the big panel of Eren emerging in the next episode cause that was pretty sick, but s4 is looking awesome so far and I think MAPPA is doing as well as they can- and exceeding expectations IMO considering WIT did so well and we all thought whoever took up SnK was gonna flop.

Fantastic adaptation. There was a lot to love. People need to calm down about the ost. 

It was rushed and lost some of its impact from the manga, but it was an otherwise excellent piece of anime storytelling when detached from the manga experience.

Isayama probably got a say in the play's direction. It was amazing.

I genuinely enjoyed watching this episode! I don't really understand all the hate towards it.

Overall, phenomenal and everything I had wanted it to be.  

AMAZING Episode. Wished for a better ost at the end but the current anime version is growing on me  

Very well done, the next one's gonna be fire!  🔥😎

talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Not as strong of an adaption as other episodes, but great because the source is great.

I was so hyped for the declaration of war that I forgot that most of the episode would be dialogue. A LOT of it. Uyy. Next episode will be better.

The songs are very important on a scene, but i don't think that justifies hating on the anime just for that, the episode was great, and Mappa is doing just fine.

It pisses me off how ungrateful this fandom can be. I'm not saying we cant criticise, because that's important and valid. But seeing a vocal minority, harass the director over a song choice (which had been well made, 2Volt was great for the moment as well as the OST throughout the episode) to the point where he locked his twitter account just takes it too far. People should remember that the Anime is made for anime onlies in the first place, and I have seen VERY few anime watchers complain about the episode, next to none, actually. It's always some of the Manga readers. We literally got a perfect episode, what else do you demand? Without Mappa we wouldn't have AOT. I'm just happy we finally get the story animated.

Pretty good overall. It felt really well paced compared to the previous episodes that seemed hella rushed to me. I understand the music complaints, but otherwise a good episode :)

WHERE DO YOU PRIMARILY DISCUSS THE SERIES? 199 Responses

Thanks again to everyone who participated! We’ll see you again next episode!

[vaguely-concerned]

the mandalorian episode 7 reactions

spoilers under the cut!

- during my rewatches I have been thinking ‘damn baby yoda has witnessed A Lot of murders/seen his dad get hurt even more’ and found it strange it hasn’t affected him more and little did I know they were saving it all to fucking stab me in the heart with one barbed wire-wrapped zweihander. the scared way he shakes his little green head while mando tries to reassure him fjskdfhaksd T___________T 

cara tho of all people. okay this is kind of a crazy idea but bear with me: what if baby yoda picks up a lot on mando’s feelings (in a wordless baby-with-a-Force-connection sort of way -- almost a metaphoric heightening of how babies actually attune to their caretakers in real life), and normally mando is a bit detached/dissociated around others but he’s starting to warm up to and trust cara and it’s bringing him a bit more online and the baby reads that engagement/excitement as danger because that’s the only thing he has to compare it to? like they’re clearly actually having fun but the baby wouldn’t know that because uh mando has never just had fun around him before and to the baby adrenaline seems like adrenaline no matter the source. that might be completely off base but it was what dropped into my brain right away so *shrug*

I’m so grateful mando doesn’t get mad at bb even when he gets scared like that though. it’s good for my soul. 

- cara and mando being bros is Life, is Love 

- but most of all CARA!!! I love her!!! and the effortless way mando put down his trump card.... “sorry got stuff to do people to beat up no can do my helmeted friend” “’kay. by the way we’re going Imp hunting” “:D:D:D when do we leave”

- KUIIL Y_____________Y actually I refuse (REFUSE) to accept it until someone finds his body and confirms he’s actually dead, I believe denial is my prerogative it’s almost christmas for goodness’ sake  

- when cara, greef karga and mando are about to leave for the town I actually SCREAMED at the screen “MANDO REASSURE YOUR CHILD AND TELL HIM EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE OKAY BEFORE YOU LEAVE HE NEEDS SOME SAFETY” and then he didn’t and then I cried 

- pedro pascal did some Things with his voice in this one and it was mean and unfair and uncalled for and awful. the honest hurt and fear in his voice when he says “It tried to kill him”? END ME

- mando straight up doesn’t seem to know anything about the Force at all, or at least not in a way that lets him connect it to the baby. maybe he vaguely knows jedi were a thing but not quite what they actually were. I like that, an interesting showcase of the different perspectives through the galaxy. (maybe finding someone to help out with this is going to be the story arc for next season?

- I actually think this is the first episode where they’ve tried to cover too much in too little time and had to drop the emotional consistency as a consequence. it’s understandable since they need to get all the pieces set up right for the finale, but it didn’t quite work for me (by which I mean for the love of god I needed just one scene, however short, of mando and baby yoda connecting properly with nothing else going on to help me through the stress/reaffirm the bond so it’s unbearably fresh in your mind what this is all for. yes that’s right I wanted them to hurt me more that’s how I roll)

the stuff Kuiil was doing there with his droid story also felt slightly disjointed? out of tune with the rest of the episode? I like him very much and I think I see what they were going for but it felt a little off? mando gently being faced with the fact that droids are naturally neutral and that it’s people who decide what to make them/teach them (yessss go off kuiil!) deserves more space to breathe, this is definitely my least favourite episode so far  

- lol @ the empire dude. ‘yeah okay but apart from all the genocide what did we even do to anyone tho???’ in the end he seemed to earnestly admire mandalorian culture in an almost fanboyish way, which doesn’t really surprise me; there must be some decent overlap between people who believed in the empire and people who think the mandalorian tendency towards militarism and (periodic) expansionism is Cool. (which is why I traditionally haven’t cared much for them, incidentally, they’ve always sort of bored me as a warrior culture before this series added some mystical/more overtly religious overtones to the whole thing)

also loved how mando gave him  n o t h i n g  at all to work with and cara’s ‘who the hell is this guy??’ to the new bad guy lol

- mando averting the fight between kuiil and cara just by being soft and asking for help/reminding them of the kid ;___; I love him he knows how to deescalate a situation when he wants to 

also the parallell between baby yoda protecting mando and the droid hovering ready to protect kuiil... right in the feels man. also kuiils air of dignity and experience is so effective. pls be my gruff no-nonsense grandpa who helps me with my computer kuiil

if kuiil is actually dead (which I continue to REFUSE but if) I get the feeling that mando is going to have to Reevaluate some things basically out of respect to his memory, since the way he describes putting this droid back together is framed so heavily as parenthood and surely there must be some empathy for that at least behind that beskar chest plate at this point

I have been thinking that adding a droid to mando’s little uh ‘crew’ would be thematically appropriate so maybe that’s what going on? kuiil said he could reprogram it for childcare, perhaps we’ve found the babysitter we’ve been begging for

- the one-sided vendetta between mando and the very soft spoken, very conscientious, very polite droid is hilarious. mostly because it thus far has manifested mainly in mando presumably glaring behind the helmet and being slightly snippy in saying he won’t come down for dinner like a fucking teenage boy in a sulk fjskdafhsd (I am slightly forgiving of him because droids pointing guns at the kid must be trigger central for him and I can sympathize, it’d take some time to change)

- some other high points of hilarity: three blurrgs and four people in mando’s tiny rustbucket of a ship. “It’s trying to eat me!”. the fact that greef karga was ABSOLUTELY planning to double cross them from the beginning and admitting it openly, he ain’t ashamed (the ‘mando get better friends’ campaign continues). mando describing the spectacular firefight at the end of ep 3 as ‘a bit of a run-in’. baby cackling as he finally gets a turn behind the steering stick of the razor crest. the mysterious multiplying four storm troopers (‘you said four fucking storm troopers karga!!!!’) phenomena. “well there are more. what can I tell you”. mando, with perfect disdain: “on your wall”. the panicked force choke was upsetting but the fact that ‘we do not strangle our friends’ was the Mando Parenting Lesson of the day is undeniably kind of funny.  

- anyway I am here and ready to pass out from stress waiting for mando to lose his entire shit and go on a roaring rampage of rescue to save his kid in the next episode (I swear to GOD disney there better not be any between-season cliffhangers about this or I will fucking riot/possibly just die)

ETA: I FORGOT TO MENTION: credit where it’s due the flamethrower did pull it’s weight in this one, I still think he should invest in something more reliable but it did the trick this time and fair is fair

[starlight-ascension]

Imagine.

I know someone on tumblr who mentioned that she saw fresh precure when she was 4, at the time it was airing on TV. 

At first I thought “lucky, she got to see precure as a kid in real time” but then I thought a bit more and 

Imagine. Really imagine watching Fresh PreCure as a 4-year-old, at the time when it’s actually airing, one episode a week with no way of knowing what happens next. 

Just. 

Imagine. 

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You’re 4 years old. It’s 2009. You were smiling at this episode a minute ago. Now you’re watching as Love cries and blames herself, not knowing the real reason her mother disappeared into thin air. You’re too young to properly distinguish between fiction and reality. Due to the nature of this episode, it’s all too easy to imagine that the same things are happening to you. You don’t know if things will be okay. As you watch the events transpire, you start crying. You know that’s what Soular wants. You realize you’re contributing to the villains’ goals. This thought makes you cry even more. You don’t want to. It only makes it worse. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

You’re 4 years old. It’s 2009. You stare in absolute shock and quite a bit of fear. You watch as the heroines you admire and practically worship are nearly beaten, barely pulling through against the powered-up monsters. But that’s not what scares you. What terrifies you is Eas screaming in pain, her mind crumbling, her life on the line, every aspect of her existence breaking down and coming undone. You see her scars at the end of the episode, with her clothing ripped. You can’t speak from shock and horror due to what you just saw. For someone your age, seeing something like that happen to anyone is enough to make you grip a pillow in fear. You’ve been on edge over this for weeks now, every week between episodes being aired feeling like an eternity, more so because of your young age, the wait unbearable and every episode since she first got that card only worsening it. You don’t know if she’ll be okay. What if she dies? You can’t help imagining the possibilities, and it scares you. Well, it’s time to start on another long week of waiting to see what happens next, if Eas is ever going to be okay. You’re scared. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

You’re 4 years old. It’s 2009. You can’t get Northa’s sadistic laughing out of your head. You’ve found yourself unable to sleep at night due to fear of nightmares ever since she first showed up. Now you watch as she executes her latest evil plan. As the episode progresses, you end up hiding, fighting the urge to run away and desperately clinging to a pillow or stuffed animal in terror. Northa makes a terrifying slasher grin and the camera zooms in so close that you scream. You start crying again, this time because you’re too scared not to. You’ve begun feeling dread and fear whenever she shows up on screen. You’re frightened that she might hurt you. When the episode is over, you run to the nearest parent and cling to their leg. Wait, but IS that your mom or is it like that episode where Love’s mom got hidden in a mirror and replaced by an evil clone? You remember how you stayed up until 1:20am from fear after you saw that episode. You’ve taken to hiding from the houseplants. You’ll never look at them in the same way again. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

You’re 5 years old. It’s 2009. The worst has happened. The villains have gotten their hands on Infinity/Chiffon. You’re frozen in shock and fear. What’s going to happen now? Are your heroines going to lose? You want to find out what’s going to happen now that the villains have Chiffon. When you do find out, you wish you didn’t. This might very well be the creepiest thing you’ve ever seen. People shouldn’t be acting like this! Why is everyone dressed the same! Why are they moving and behaving in such an unnatural way! Why are they acting like robots! You can’t get the lifeless chanting out of your head. But it gets worse. The girls see it on the news. It’s happening to EARTH. YOUR world. And there’s nothing anyone except the Pretty Cure can do about it. You’re too young to properly distinguish fiction from reality. And the whole world in the show is turning into this. As far as you’re concerned, this could very well be happening in real life, right now. It’s all too easy to imagine that this is going to happen to you. You wait, gripping the couch cushion and trying not to hide, for the PreCures to stop this and save the multiverse. Then the episode ends on a cliffhanger. You stare in shock. You’re going to have to wait a week to see what’s going to happen next. A long, long, long week of tension and paranoia and imagining possibilities. And there’s only more in-a-row cliffhangers after that. The stress of waiting rivals that of when you watched the mid-season arc. At least the ending will probably be worth it. 

[german-killua]

Legends of Tomorrow  S03 EP1

Oh Boy.

Ohhh boy.

When the shows took a break, so did I. And life was good. Now arrow that was stomping on my balls, a new job, money pouring in…Aside from the Looming Threat of nuclear annihilation, life was good.

Till I made a mistake today. I decided to see how Legends of Tomorrow was doing, loading up the first episode and ready to watch the Season 3 Premiere of one of my favorite shows of the last year.

To say I was disappointed would be an Understatement. A tremendous one in fact.

I am not shy to say that this Premiere was probably one of the worst, if not THE worst episode I have seen of Legends so far. And keep in mind: We had some really bad ones.

When we last left our Team, time was kinda…shakey? Well, I don’t really know how to describe a Los Angels in the year 2017 that was loaded with time-displaced people, buildings, objects and well...Dinosaurs. And I gotta say, that was a fitting cliffhanger for the show. After all, Legends never shied away from being a bit more whacky, a bit more on the fun side than other shows.

What I saw in the first 5 minutes of the premiere of season 3 however, put me on a downward spiral of horrible writing. And that spiral did not stop for the next 35 minutes.

First of all? Rip Hunter is an absolute Asshole now. Apparently, he spends 5 years creating the “Time Bureau” an organization tasked with apprehending and fixing so-called “anachronisms” which is basically a fancy word for time anomalies. How these anomalies are caused are anyone’s guess since the Show does not deliver an explanation beyond: “Interacting with your past self’s screwed shit up” How that leads to Dinosaurs and Julius Cesar roaming through the year 2017 is anyone’s guess though.

For some Reason Rip Hunter has decided that the legends are no longer needed.Which is kinda weird because I can see a lot of uses for Superheroes in an Organisation that..you know..PROTECTS TIME ITSELF!

What comes next is almost unbearable and marks the most idiotic thing I have seen on Television since Felicity Smoak hacked a VHS Tape. (And I am still not over that.)

We see what the Legends are doing after..well being kicked out.

And the suffering begins with Sara Lance Sara works a mind-numbing job at a Bed Bath & Beyond knockoff. Now I did not watch arrow for almost 2 seasons, but I am under the impression that Sara Lance can get a better job than that.

Something that becomes even more baffling since she apparently uses her real name, a fact that is mentioned by her boss who flat-out states that she came back from the dead two times by now. And that she is lucky to be employed here.

Now maybe its just me but I thought that somebody who literally worked for the League of Assassins would have some false identities to, You know…

ASSASSINATE PEOPLE.

And while the show tries to tell us that Sara is just too cool for this job by letting her throw a Knife through the store, it does not make me laugh but rather makes me question this whole set up.

A Person like her should have no problem finding any job under any identity. She was trained to blend into virtually any crowd. And even if that does not work?

Let her works as an Instructor in a GYM! She is an Athlete, a fighter by Nature! Putting her in this ed Bath & Beyond knockoff l, makes no sense because it's completely out of Character for her to be here. Especially as Sara Lance.

Seriously?! Why her real name?

Even worse, however, is Ray Palmer..who basically works for Tindr.

Well, not Tindr. An App that is a rip-off of Tindr. Something they even mention because..funny?

What screws me up even more, however, is that Ray Palmer is literally telling his Boss that he can shrink organic and inorganic matter..To which is Boss responds that “if it's not on a phone, it's not the future”.

So in Hindsight: A guy who was hailed as one of the most brilliant minds on the planet invented a revolutionary device that will forever change the world…And a Company in Silicon Valley just looks at it and goes: “Yeah but it’s not on a phone dude.”

There is making a dumb joke. 

And then there is insulting my god damn Intelligence.

And the rest of the legends? Our Beloved Sgt.Steel has become a superhero, yet he picked Star City for his heroic exploits. Kinda weird considering that the city is virtually crawling with speedsters, but hey who am I to complain?

Jefferson went back to School and Dr. Stein went back to his family.

Which leaves me with Rory and Amaya. The latter has left the team off-screen, broke up with Nate off-screen and returned to her timeline, you guessed it, off-screen.

The former remains my saving Grace in this episode and starts off right here. What is Rory doing?

Drinking and chilling on Aruba.

That’s it.

A single Scene and I am already back on the Heatwave train.

Well until he encounters a new Anomaly: Julius Ceaser, literally riding in on his Horse.

Apparently, the Time bureau did not notice of the most important figures of History just leaving his own timeline behind, so the Legends try to warn them.

By entering the obvious, completely open Office Building. Secret Organisation my ass.

And of course..they are met with hostility and literally have guns pointed at their heads. Yeah. I was just as surprised. Way to treat the literal foundation for this whole organization, the people who saved time not once but twice by now.And that was assembled by Rip Hunter himself.

At which point I also have to note that the defeat of Eobard Thawne who literally reshaped Reality to his bidding is treated like a Mistake.In fact, the Bureau flat out calls it a bad job. Because I guess saving the world is not only not a big deal anymore but actively idiotic.

Way to go guys…Way to go…

What happens next is the Time Bureau being idiots.The Legends being Idiots.And well..everybody being idiots.

The Bureau flat out captures a Ceaser Cosplayer and thus believes the legends are lying, who have indisputable proof…but prefer to not show it and just steal the Waverider.

Why? How?

I don’t know.

After that, we see the teams new approach: Being like a scalpel instead of a Chainsaw.

And after proclaiming that its, of course, Sara who beats the everlasting shit out of Julius Ceaser in the middle of a group of Spring Break students.

Precision at its finest Miss Lance.

But Sara seems to have tremendous problems with heir own decisions anyway. After all, it's her who decides to bring Ceaser to the Bureau…after literally having decided against just that not 10 minutes earlier, leading to the legends stealing the Ship in the first place.

But of course, she changes her opinion again. 2 Minutes later.

And everything goes well. Except the fact that Julius Ceaser is able to steal a Book called “The Rise of the Roman Empire” from Nate.

Who literally holds it in his hands and does not notice until back in the Waverider.

Ceaser stole a book from somebody who literally held it in his hands...

Words fail me,

Of course, Time is fucked sideways now so it's up to the Bureau to fix it.

Letting them walk right into a trap set by Julius and his legion.

How a mindwiped Ceaser knew that a time-traveling Bureau was coming is anyone’s guess hough-.It should also be noted that ancient Romans speak fluent English, something the show tries to explain with some sort of time anomaly effect..Bust just as conveniently forgets about later to make a stupid latin joke.

To make a long and very stupid story short: The Legends jump back into action, kill some soldiers and get the book back which somehow fixes everything. How? Why? Who cares at this point?

All questions I can not answer.

Just like the question why Rip Hunter lets the Legends go back into action after literally berating them in every single scene he is in. Hell, they flat out tell them that they will continue with or without his blessing, a claim I have to question since he could just mindwipe them and send them back to their boring, stupid lives.

But then again: Logic went out of the window in the first 5 minutes.

All in all, this was just horrible and I seriously question who came up with this nonsense. The new Status Quo makes no sense since it goes completely against anything we have learned about Rip in the Last 2 Years.

Sara especially comes off as stupid and unlikeable and every attempt to be funny is just nauseating and forced.

I hope that Legends can go back to old forms real quick..because if this episode is any indication of what to come?

Oh, my…

Edit:

If you’re looking for logic Legends is not the show for you it’s literally supposed to be bizarre and illogical. Thats what I think makes it great

Guys, I appreciate your answers...But “illogical” is not the same as “unrealistic”.

Unrealistic is saying “A Man comes from the Planet Krypton and can fly”

Illogical is saying that i can fly because its monday.

Illogical is saying that Superman has heat vision because Batman took a bath.

Its illogical for Sara to work under her real identity because she literally has no reason to do that.

Its illogical that a tech company does not see the value IN A DEVICE THAT CAN SHRINK ANYTHING.

Tremendous difference.

[childofaura]

Rating the anime I’ve watched in 2019: A really short list

Kinda just felt like doing this, 2019 has been a REALLY interesting year in anime. I didn’t watch a whole lot of stuff, but I wanted to kind of go over what I did watch. So I’ll talk about what I thought and rate it 1-10.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: THEY’RE RATED SOLELY ON MY OPINIONS, IF I DON’T FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT ONE PLEASE DON’T GET MAD. ALSO ALL OF THESE WERE WATCHED IN SUBS. ALSO SPOILERS AHOY.

1. Dororo.

The OP was AWESOME. The animation in the first half of the series was really smooth, but there was a slightly noticeable dip in animation later on. Not huge, but still there. Actors were FANTASTIC, and the little girl who plays Dororo is so cute! Characters were incredibly well written and varied, Hyakkimaru still struggled despite his honed reflexes and training, and Tahomaru was so morally divisive, it was great. Somber tones really bring out the nasty forbidden underside of the Shogunate’s “lasting peace”. Though the ending with Tahomaru, Hyakkimaru’s mother, and his father figure all dying in the fire was rather... disappointing, Hyakkimaru forgiving his father and Dororo deciding what to do with the large sum of money left behind, to use it for the greater good, wraps everything up.

Dororo’s a solid 8/10.

2. Rising of the Shield Hero

I ended up checking this one out after hearing all the controversy it was stirring up, because I wanted to see what it was. Like always, the “controversy” was a big tepid pile of nothing, and I got to experience an isekai that operates under a different mood with different dynamics. Animation quality is consistent and good, and there’s a LOT of female characters that are well rounded and strong, like Raphtalia, Melty, the Filolial Queen, Glass, etc. Scenery is beautiful, and Naofumi’s growth into trusting again is nice to watch. Also the soundtrack is so enjoyable, Kansas is my favorite song. Cons, though few, are still there: the pacing can be a little funky at times (Mainly what comes to mind is that AWFUL filler episode where they fight the Church from the molten pit, and don’t move AT ALL. Worst episode ever), the physical growth of some of the characters like Filo is jarring (In two days she grows horse sized, after they had that montage of taking care of her) even with an explanation. The last thing that rubs me the wrong way (It’s not really a con in general, just a con for me) is Raphtalia’s crush on Naofumi. It’s simply that they spend the first few episodes building their relationship as a father/daughter, then they try to shift to romance after establishing that first familial relationship.

Rising of the Shield Hero’s an 8/10.

3. The Promised Neverland

AAAAAAAH HOT DAMN I LOVED THIS ONE. It was completely out of my range of what I normally watched at the beginning of 2019, BUT I LOVED IT SO MUCH. The animation is eerie, especially the facial expressions and how smoothly they move. The children are so darling and thinking about how they might have possibly died in S1 broke my heart, as well as me hoping they didn’t, lol. Every episode leaves off on this wonderfully tantalizing cliffhanger, so binging the episodes are a must. Characters like Mama and Sister Krone are terrifying, though in the latter’s case I love how clever she was, and was sad when she died. Her Japanese actress definitely blew it out of the water and had a lot of fun with the character. I’d say the only (not really a con, but) thing that weirds me out is how close the characters’ mouths are to their faces, but that’s a stylistic thing and I won’t fault them for that. The children are strong and resilient and I can’t wait for the next season.

The Promised Neverland’s a 9/10.

4. Demon Slayer

I got into this one late, and I hate myself for getting into it late. But nonetheless, I’m so glad I watched it and I can say with confidence it’s up there with FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s level of excellence. Tanjiro is such a kind-hearted boy who constantly puts himself through physical torture for his only remaining family; Nezuko’s “hypnotism” to see humans as family feels more like placebo because she just genuinely has compassion for people, especially when she looks at Ms Tamayo and Yushiro as family when they’re also demons. All the characters are deeply involved in this story with either known or hidden (Zenitsu) strengths that allow them to conquer their struggles. The style is unique and the character designs are pretty, and HOO BOY THE FIGHTING ANIMATIONS, THE STYLIZED TECHNIQUES. MWAH! MUCH LOVE! I love the soundtrack so much, it almost reminds me of the Pokemon movies’ orchestra pieces. The story is well paced, and no issues with filler. Showing how even demons deserve compassion is a beautifully unexpected twist in this show.

Demon Slayer’s a 10/10

5. To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts

I do love this series dearly, and while the good outweighs the “meh”, I still have to address the issues. BUT FIRST, THE GOOD THINGS: Characters in this show are incredibly in-depth, even the soldiers. The designs of the Incarnates are fantastic, terrifying and imposing. Schaal is a strong young girl who sets off with just a suitcase and a rifle and, after meeting Hank, decides to get inside his mindset to see why he’s doing what he does, and why he had to kill her father. Hank is a man in constant suffering who has to see his best friends losing themselves to insanity, knowing that they’re not the people they used to be but questioning whether he’s really doing the right thing regardless. All the soldiers have their own focal point in the episodes they show up in, showing their unique traits and attitudes, and how it links to the monsters they are now. The concept of Incarnate soldiers is parallel to veterans with PTSD. While Liza’s a bit of a ridiculous fan-service character, there’s really no complaints because the fan-service in this show is balanced; they show Hank unnecessarily shirtless a LOT (Though honestly I’d be fine if they let him wear his shirts more). But the cons. There are a decent amount of them. Animation is clunky and lower budget. Pacing is not easy to keep up with, as the split between Hank’s mission and the main conflict with Cain interrupt each other quite jarringly. Schaal’s father seemingly rises as a zombie again to serve no other purpose other than Schaal’s character growth, as we could assume that a LOT of the other monsters like Keynes, with the fire of justice, would also come back to life. Liza doesn’t really seem to do much or contribute much as a character; she came close when she volunteered to take up the Incarnate Extermination Squad’s equipment by saying she knew how it worked but she literally. Just. Held up a shield for the commander (forgot his name, Cain’s little bro) to jump off of. She needs to do more. Love the series and I love watching it, but it’s a mixed bag.

To the Abandoned Sacred Beast’s a 7/10.

6. Fire Force.

Well... this one is definitely gonna be tough to deal with, because I only got maybe 8 or 9 episodes in before I had to break away. So I’ll break it down simply.

Pros: Animation is SOLID. ABSOLUTE. FLUID AND DYNAMIC. It’s literally Midoriya vs Todoroki, but in EVERY EPISODE. Some characters are fascinating and enjoyable like Shinra, Maki, Joker, and Hibana. The concept of Infernals, people who just burst into flames without warning, are a solid idea to run on. The OP is a banger. The soundtrack fits the mood perfectly.

Cons, and a lot of them: There isn’t a whole lot going on in terms of variety, it’s mainly fighting Infernals in the city. It picks up eventually, but slowly. While some characters were enjoyable, others were either flat or downright unbearable to deal with; flat characters like Obi (He’s not a bad character, but he feels... generic) and Iris (Also not bad, she’s strong in what she’s had to deal with and being kind regardless, but it’s just standard quiet girl.). Unbearable character is really just two so far: The lieutenant, who gets borderline abusive (both mentally and physically) with Maki (Like I get it dude, you had trauma with fire and Infernals but you don’t need to be an abusive shit), and Tamaki, ESPECIALLY Tamaki. She’s rude, screechy, treated Shinra like utter shit when they first meet, and respects almost no one outside of her district for no real reason. And she also falls into the next con: The one-sided fan-service. Now I will defend the right to fan-service with everything I believe in, but I’m still allowed to have my opinion on it, and the way it goes in Fire Force is just... so awful. Fan-service jarringly interrupts what are supposed to be heavy emotional or important scenes (Iris sitting on the ground with nothing but a towel, Iris getting her clothes burned off by Hibana, Tamaki sticking her butt out after getting hurt by her district partner, Tamaki’s clothes being burned up and being against the wall with that weird-ass kitty pose with her wrists, etc.), Tamaki’s “lucky lechery” is supposed to be funny somehow but it makes literally no sense, and oh cool she ends up sexually harassing the dudes with it, too. I could understand this level of fan-service if it was like a harem anime or a cheese-cake-ish anime or whatever, but it’s- it’s a shounen. There’s nothing that really shows you there’s gonna be this weird level of fan-service.

I respect everyone who loves Fire Force, but it’s just not my cup of tea. That’s all.

Fire Force’s a 6.5/10.

7. Vinland Saga

THIS ANIME. THIS ANIME IS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY AND YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE MY MIND. The first OP PERFECTLY encapsulates just how much of a hellish live Thorfinn is about to live. The animation (Being from the same company as Attack on Titan and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) is SUPERB where the characters move with weight and purpose. Seriously, have you seen how the characters jump forward? With their legs and arms forward? It’s a little detail but it’s so great. Characters are multi-faceted and it gives me strong feelings about how awful they are but how clever or strong or brilliant they are. The pacing of the anime is perfect; something plot-important happens in each episode, the characters travel long distances to give you a feel of movement, and there’s not a single episode that could really be considered “filler”. Dynamics of these characters work in fascinating ways at times. The actors absolutely own their roles; Askeladd’s actor nails that perfect nonchalance where he seems surprised but you know he’s truly not, Thorfinn’s older actor knows how to scream his lungs out in anger. The main star, though? Thorkell, hands down. That guy is absolutely having fun with his character.

Vinland Saga’s a solid 10/10.

[livingwithashipname-blog]

Ermanda’s Inner Sanctum: Scorpion 3.21 “Rock Block” & 3.22 “Strife on Mars”

We are almost at the end of the season.  The 3-part season finale story unfolds on May 1st with another crazy Scorpion mission and the Quintis wedding!  Yay!  This post, which covers the last two episodes, is going to deviate from the usual format of my review posts.  Instead, I am going to map out associations or else I will be repeating topics that I have addressed many times and make the post unbearably long.  Ain’t nobody got time for that! 😂  But I devote an analysis to the end scene of 3.22 Strife on Mars.  

The trajectory of this season is circular if you haven’t noticed already.  Scorpion is making a return to the season’s beginning and cataloguing the differences and similarities in each character.  The Quintis wedding is bringing everyone together, creating more team harmony.  However, Paige’s termination creates a rift within the team like Happy’s secret marriage did last year.  

In relation to season 2, season 3 is more personal and a flip of various dynamics.  This is why we see “The Waige Flip,” the “Quintis shift,” exploration of established and new relationships, and character growth/maturation.  On its own, season 3B is season 3A in reverse in many ways.  February sweeps serves as the u-turn for the season.  In other words, the season provides most of the clues that gives us a sense of what will unfold in the last 3 episodes.  Even the rerun schedule is a guideline.  The stories realign with different outcomes and hint to what will be resolved and what will be fleshed out in season 4.  Does this mean we will not learn new things about the characters or see a new storyline/cliffhanger emerge?  Absolutely not, but we know more than we think!  We don’t need a plethora of spoilers! 😉  Furthermore, some associations that I address also show how some seemingly resolved storylines are readdressed through wardrobe, set dressing, and dialogue.

     Let’s Get It Started - The Black Eyes Peas

3.21 Rock Block 

Walter’s hilariously intrusive lectures for Quintis’ marriage: economist for commingling assets, professional arbiter for dealing with marriage spats, and a family planning expert (Side note: This sounds like Nick Santora if you know what I mean! 😂)  

Road to the Quintis wedding comes with several lessons for the couple.  Walter’s lectures align quite perfectly to the ones Quintis have faced pre-wedding.  The first links to 3.13 Faux Money Maux Problems when they share their financial woes with one another and admit they care more about exchanging “I Do’s” than securing a fancy venue AND to episode 3.22 as they combine property and other marital assets before their wedding.  The second connects to 3.22 where they make one another aware of the difficulties of working and living together.  If this is on trend, then one can assume that first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Quintis with the baby carriage (that’s made of metal and really cool hydraulics - link to 3.07 We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Vote).  We shall see! 

Toby: Weddings are expensive. You had me at six figures.  

Links to a subtle ongoing storyline about Toby, gambling, and his financial woes this season.  He’s the only character left to receive the “parent/family  backstory treatment.”  Also links to his behavioral pathology.  

Walter: That’s our single point of failure!  

Consistent reference to the series, the title of episode 1.02 Single Point of Failure, and repeated multiple times throughout season 1.  

Toby picks up a Dr. Shizz for source of phosphorus.  States that it’s a Dr. Shazz knockoff.  

Dr. Shazz is Toby’s planned engagement celebration drink from 3.02 More Civil War which is sourced for phosphorus as well during this mission.  

Paige: Bird poop, bat poop… is there anything crap can’t do?  

Toby uses pigeon poop as a source of phosphorus and nitrogen to test the space rock ash.  April 24th rerun is 3.06 Bat Poop Crazy.  Storylines from that episode are important as they provide reminders and links to the next episode(s) during preemption.

Paige: You just brokered a peace treaty like a real statesman.  Sly: I almost threw up twice.  

Sylvester goes on a negotiation spree as he learns he has acquired the Alderman seat - first, with the general in conjunction with Cabe, Homeland Security, and the American embassy, and second, in a trade of his seat for Callie reconciliation.  This links to ongoing plot to grow the character and show him conquering his fears this entire season despite his childlike tendencies.  

Cabe and Allie are sitting in the same place as Quintis from episode 3.06  

The setup is the same, minus the rocking chair.  Their mannerisms are similar to those between Toby and Happy.  The content of their conversation is alike as well.  Symbolism is present - an old car sits to Cabe’s left (representative of Toby’s vintage Monte Carlo and Cabe’s age/experience/wisdom) while Happy’s motorcycle is behind Allie.  Another reminder that episode 3.06 is the final rerun of the season. 😉  

“King’s Gold” by Michael Jecks (the book on Cabe’s chest when the team walks into the garage) 

It’s a real book!  

Story’s premise: “As the year 1326 draws to a close, London is in flames. King Edward II is a prisoner, and the forces of his vengeful queen, Isabella, and her lover Sir Roger Mortimer, are in the ascendant. The Bardi family, bankers who have funded the King, must look to their future with the Queen, steering a careful course between rival factions – if, that is, they can keep themselves alive. Others, too, find their loyalties torn. Guarding the deposed King on behalf of Mortimer, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and bailiff Simon Puttock find themselves entangled in a tightening net of conspiracy, greed, betrayal and murder.”  

Review: “Jecks does a fine job of presenting the tension of mistrust and desire for security and survival in a world where loyalty has gone awry. “King’s Gold "depicts real 14th-century life in all classes and dimensions.” –The Historical Novels Review  

Take this information as you will… 😉😂😂😂😂  

First message on answering machine is about receiving a rebate on solar panel installation.  Message gets deleted.  

Serves as reference to Happy’s false pregnancy/cadmium poisoning storyline that starts through foreshadowing in 3.03 It Isn’t the Fall That Kills You and is initially resolved in 3.07 We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Vote.  However, solar panels have made appearances in shots of Happy after 3.07.  Review 3.12 Ice Ca-Cabes for the receipts.  

Walter schedules dance instructor for Happy and Toby’s first dance as husband and wife.  Shares Schrodinger’s story of love for his wife.  Chooses song based on a combination of Happy and Toby’s unique qualities, expanding on Paige’s description of what a wedding and marriage emulates.  Initiates dance with Paige to test song choice.  

Moment links to several episodes about romantic love and Walter’s interactions with Paige… 

1.06 True Colors - complicates the mission in order to spend more time dancing with Paige, which he denies to the psychologist 

1.14 Charades - initially says that romantic love is junk science; thus, current change demonstrates his evolving understanding of the notion  

2.01 Satellite of Love - Paige initiates their kiss; Walter pulls away, stating they should remain professional colleagues  

3.03 It Isn’t the Fall That Kills You - hallucinates Paige dancing with him in the same dress from episode 1.06; professes his love for her; this was the rerun shown prior to episode 3.21  

3.07 We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Vote - Ralph tells Walter that he should have taken his mother dancing when he had the chance  

Season 2 follows a pattern of Paige consistently coming to Walter in ways others don’t.  She is willing to take approaches with him that others would avoid.  This characteristic takes her beyond the scope of simply being the object of Walter’s affection.  It’s a performance of her own genius.  In this episode, Walter initiates the dance offer which is a bookend, or maybe a continuum, of Walter coming to Paige in the way he should have last year as he desired (intent which was revealed in 3.03).  Oh 👀… THE WAIGE FLIP!

3.22 Strife on Mars  

Toby states that some of his stuff can go into the extra bedroom of their new home, formerly Happy’s apartment, where Happy’s motorcycle parts currently reside.  

Links to Quintis baby plot and lifestyle change.  If you recall, Happy states in episode 3.13 that she spends a lot of her money on vintage motorcycle parts.  She initially says that she is not misplacing her items in the extra bedroom to make space for all of Toby’s stuff, but flips the script as evidenced in her gift to Toby - Toby Dick properly framed!  

Experimental Mars mission in this episode shares similar notes with the Elia job of 3.03 in terms of servicing repairs to protect the project in order to secure NASA funding for the company in charge.  

Paige: I am getting off this crazy train for good.  Good luck, Scorpion.

The phrasing links to episode 2.07 Crazy Train where Paige and Walter have an intimate moment before they are interrupted by Cabe.  The conversation is about helping Walter understand why he needs to think about the people he would alienate and how much they mean to him when he chooses to martyr himself in dangerous situations for the greater good all the time.  

The music in the end scene when everyone walks away after Walter fires Paige is exactly the same music played at the end of 3.04 Little Boy Lost.  

A lot of bombshells are dropped in that episode and this is just another one.  It also places Walter and Paige in a similar situation as Happy and Toby from the beginning of the season where an issue rises between them right when things seems to be amicable.

Walter, Paige, and Ralph: That’s It, I’m Calling It a Trend  

It seems that a trend is unfolding around the same time each season where Paige and Ralph - who are a package deal - face some type of separation from Walter.  The first instance is 1.21 Cliffhanger when Ralph’s dangerous heroics and desire to be like Walter almost gets him killed.  This is on the cusp of Paige deciding whether or not to move with Drew to Maine.  When the day’s events convince her to leave, she has a huge argument with Walter.  We all know how this ends for Walter in the episode.  The next is 2.22 Hard Knox when Walter fails to put his ego in check and yells at Ralph when he is supposed to be helping him with his court case.  Paige threatens to leave if Walter ever commits such an atrocity again.  We all know how this is remedied.  In this episode, Walter is embarrassed and confused by everyone’s knowledge of the space mission events and their decision to conceal them from him.  Yet, he is more hurt by Paige than anyone else.  He claims she lied to him.  She did not lie to him; she withheld information (and subsequently lied to herself - a link to motherly advice from 3.14 The Hole Truth).  Sound familiar to another Scorpion ship? 👀😉  He eventually releases her from her duties and “transfers” her to a better paying job with Elia (the same person who solicits Scorpion for the 3.03 space mission).  In essence, Walter hits Paige with a “it’s not you, it’s me but let’s be amicable.”  He is surprised to learn that she is angered by his decision.  Yet, it is no surprise considering how he delivers the information - there is no expression of deep displeasure or grave concern in his mannerisms or tone.  So once again, Walter finds himself in a position where his actions become the antithesis of his inner desires.  He exposes the depth of, or lack thereof, his emotional intelligence.  Plus, his logic still raises some questions, whether or not he would arrive to the same conclusion. 

Was it worth the risk of resultant consequences?  As I mentioned earlier, Paige and Ralph are a package deal.  It is his fascination with Ralph, Paige’s parenting techniques, and her emotional management of the team in the restaurant/during the mission that convinces him to hire her as a communicator/liaison.  By extension, Walter provides them with stability and an environment for Ralph to flourish.  Paige’s departure signals a separation from Ralph, whether partial or complete.  So this choice is very uncanny considering how many times Walter has argued the importance of his role in Ralph’s life ever since he met the kid (especially in 3.11 Wreck the Halls). 

Did he factor how Paige’s termination would effect team harmony and efficiency before executing that plan?  Paige’s job is not exclusively for Walter; she services the entire team.  Strong, effective leaders seek guidance/information to gain perspective on big decisions such as this.  Based on the team’s reactions, Paige’s termination is a major fail.  His surprise at her anger also suggests that he underestimates the task to replace her if that is a plan.  Paige has a unique perspective which makes her the best fit for Scorpion.  In many ways, she binds them.    

Why didn’t he take a cue from Paige’s “sink or swim” lesson and create space between Paige and himself in order to process his embarrassment/feelings?  

Conclusion: Walter made an emotional decision without realizing it.  But if he is aware his decision is emotionally motivated in some way (which is less likely), then it marks another one of many out of pocket moves for Walter this season and makes Mark Collins’ words from 1.05 Plutonium is Forever VERY profound: 

I was his experiment, once. The highest IQ that he’d ever seen, other than his own. Until I couldn’t color in the lines the way that he wanted me to, and then I was gone. How many times has he avoided conflict by telling you he’s fine? You get about 1,000 “I’m fines” before you realize that nothing is fine and you are getting shown the door. And then you realize that you’re an experiment, too. You… and your son.  

It takes a huge motivating factor to push Walter to see a situation differently.  Based on what we know about the season finale story, it is only a matter of time.  If you’re still not convinced, take a cue from the foreshadowing presented during movie time in 3.10 This Is the Pits: 

Paige: Isn’t that great? He gets the girl in the end. 💙😍😱

Non-Specific, Possibly Relevant Items

Walter wears a lot more plaid, flannel, and soft cotton shirts.

Links to his interpretation of Veronica Dineen’s advice to Walter on how to capture Paige’s attention from episode 3.10.

Face mask Walter wears in 3.22 links to the same mask Happy wears in 3.04 to protect her lungs from dangerous chemicals.

If you’ve made it to this point, CONGRATULATIONS! 🙌🏾  Thanks for hanging!  Stay breezy peeps! 😘✌🏾

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

'This Is Us': The 13 Most Devastating Moments of the Season, Graded

This Is Us is a tearjerker. 

After a season filled with laughs, ugly cries and devastating twists, NBC's breakout hit gave audiences everything it could handle. And while each episode had its tissue-reaching moments, there were a dozen or so that measured heads and shoulders above the rest.

ET compiled all the moments from the first season that gave us the most satisfying cries -- and which one absolutely broke us. See them all below, graded, naturally, on a scale of 1 to 10 tears.

RELATED: 43 Questions We Still Have After Watching 'This Is Us' Season 1

1. When Jack and Rebecca learned they lost the third baby. (Episode 1)

ETONLINE

This was the moment that started it all. When Jack is delivered the upsetting news that the third triplet died and Dr. K gave his defining “lemonade” speech (the catalyst for The Big Three), you can’t help but shed a few tears and immediately get invested in the story of the Pearsons. But Rebecca’s devastation upon finding out about the third baby is just as gut-wrenching.

2. When Rebecca told William he couldn’t see Randall. (Episode 3)

ETONLINE

Throughout the season, we learned that Rebecca and William actually knew each other long before Randall decided to find his birth father. It seemed as if the two were starting to build a strong connection, until Rebecca shattered that plan by telling William she was cutting the cord on their communication.

RELATED: Mandy Moore Responds to Fans Unhappy With the 'This Is Us' Finale

3. When we learned Jack was dead. (Episode 5)

ETONLINE

There had been questions about Jack’s fate, but it wasn't until Kate revealed Jack’s urn to Toby that we got the shock to the system that he was really dead.

4. When Rebecca told Jack they had to be "enough" for Randall. (Episode 9)

ETONLINE

In fear of Randall abandoning her if she were to introduce him to his birth father, Rebecca decided on her own that she and Jack will keep William from meeting him (Jack never knew Rebecca had contact with William). She told Jack the two need to be "enough" for Randall, and treat him the same as Kevin and Kate.

RELATED: 'This Is Us' Stars Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore Talk Finale Cliffhanger

5. When Jack did push-ups with Randall on his back. (Episode 9)

ETONLINE

During Randall's karate initiation, Jack metaphorically proved to his 9-year-old son that he's his foundation, and will carry him through all of life's obstacles, no matter how big or small.

6. When Dr. K visited his wife’s grave site. (Episode 12)

ETONLINE

After delivering the show’s seminal moment (so far) with the lemonade speech in the first episode, Dr. K quickly became a fan favorite. This episode, charting the lead-up to the birth of The Big Three, explored his grief over losing his wife just months prior.

RELATED: Mandy Moore Really Wants a Kate-Rebecca Duet, Plus More 'This Is Us' Revelations

7. When we saw Jack’s funeral for the first time. (Episode 13)

ETONLINE

The footage of Jack’s funeral was brief, but showed roughly when he passed and how deeply affected the Pearsons were. In the present, it also came at a crucial crossroads for Kate, whose memories were opened up during a pound class at weight-loss camp. Knowing that Jack died when Kevin, Kate and Randall were teenagers, though, made every pivotal life moment they experienced all the more bittersweet.

8. When Kevin abandoned the opening of his play to support an overwhelmed Randall. (Episode 15)

ETONLINE

The ultimate display of family coming first.

RELATED: 'This Is Us' Fans Are Bummed the Finale Didn't Reveal How Jack Died

9. When William died. (Episode 16)

ETONLINE

The loss of Jack is distressing, but falling in love with William and learning about his life story -- cut short by cancer -- made seeing his final breath even more unbearable. We’ll just leave it at that.

10. When Beth delivered William’s eulogy (and received his postcard). (Episode 17)

ETONLINE

When Beth first discovered William had left for Memphis without telling her he knew he wasn't coming home, she was a little disheartened, until she received a personal message written on a postcard from him in the mail a few days later. And while that moment had us in tears, her speech at the family's "fun-eral" about William was full-on waterworks.

RELATED: What Does the Future Hold for Jack and Rebecca? 7 'This Is Us' Theories

11. When Kate broke down and Randall was there to support her. (Episode 17)

ETONLINE

As the family was sharing stories about William during his eulogy, Kate broke down in tears as memories of her own father's funeral played back in her head. Randall ran outside to comfort her, a moment that truly melted our hearts, too.

NBC

12. When Randall dreamt that Jack and William met each other. (Episode 17)

ETONLINE

This wasn’t the first time Randall saw visions of his late father, Jack, but it was the first moment he dreamt of his two dads meeting -- following William’s heartbreaking death. Though it’s a happy vision Randall had, the visual of Jack and William together, laughing it up like old pals and sharing their cherished Randall stories just about broke us.

RELATED: 'This Is Us' Boss Shares Text Exchange With Milo Ventimiglia About the Finale

13. When Jack gave his final speech to Rebecca. (Episode 18)

ETONLINE

We never want to see Jack and Rebecca apart, but Jack’s final monologue to his wife after they decided to separate showcased just how complicated love and marriage is. “You’re not just my great love story, you are my big break,” Jack confessed to his one true love, harkening back to their wedding vows. “And our love story, I know it may not feel like it right now, I promise you it’s just getting started.” Excuse us while we grab all the Kleenex.

This Is Us returns this fall on NBC.

For more on the breakout freshman hit, watch the video below. 

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

'This Is Us': The 13 Most Devastating Moments of the Season, Graded

This Is Us is a tearjerker. 

After a season filled with laughs, ugly cries and devastating twists, NBC's breakout hit gave audiences everything it could handle. And while each episode had its tissue-reaching moments, there were a dozen or so that measured heads and shoulders above the rest.

ET compiled all the moments from the first season that gave us the most satisfying cries -- and which one absolutely broke us. See them all below, graded, naturally, on a scale of 1 to 10 tears.

RELATED: 43 Questions We Still Have After Watching 'This Is Us' Season 1

1. When Jack and Rebecca learned they lost the third baby. (Episode 1)

ETONLINE

This was the moment that started it all. When Jack is delivered the upsetting news that the third triplet died and Dr. K gave his defining “lemonade” speech (the catalyst for The Big Three), you can’t help but shed a few tears and immediately get invested in the story of the Pearsons. But Rebecca’s devastation upon finding out about the third baby is just as gut-wrenching.

2. When Rebecca told William he couldn’t see Randall. (Episode 3)

ETONLINE

Throughout the season, we learned that Rebecca and William actually knew each other long before Randall decided to find his birth father. It seemed as if the two were starting to build a strong connection, until Rebecca shattered that plan by telling William she was cutting the cord on their communication.

RELATED: Mandy Moore Responds to Fans Unhappy With the 'This Is Us' Finale

3. When we learned Jack was dead. (Episode 5)

ETONLINE

There had been questions about Jack’s fate, but it wasn't until Kate revealed Jack’s urn to Toby that we got the shock to the system that he was really dead.

4. When Rebecca told Jack they had to be "enough" for Randall. (Episode 9)

ETONLINE

In fear of Randall abandoning her if she were to introduce him to his birth father, Rebecca decided on her own that she and Jack will keep William from meeting him (Jack never knew Rebecca had contact with William). She told Jack the two need to be "enough" for Randall, and treat him the same as Kevin and Kate.

RELATED: 'This Is Us' Stars Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore Talk Finale Cliffhanger

5. When Jack did push-ups with Randall on his back. (Episode 9)

ETONLINE

During Randall's karate initiation, Jack metaphorically proved to his 9-year-old son that he's his foundation, and will carry him through all of life's obstacles, no matter how big or small.

6. When Dr. K visited his wife’s grave site. (Episode 12)

ETONLINE

After delivering the show’s seminal moment (so far) with the lemonade speech in the first episode, Dr. K quickly became a fan favorite. This episode, charting the lead-up to the birth of The Big Three, explored his grief over losing his wife just months prior.

RELATED: Mandy Moore Really Wants a Kate-Rebecca Duet, Plus More 'This Is Us' Revelations

7. When we saw Jack’s funeral for the first time. (Episode 13)

ETONLINE

The footage of Jack’s funeral was brief, but showed roughly when he passed and how deeply affected the Pearsons were. In the present, it also came at a crucial crossroads for Kate, whose memories were opened up during a pound class at weight-loss camp. Knowing that Jack died when Kevin, Kate and Randall were teenagers, though, made every pivotal life moment they experienced all the more bittersweet.

8. When Kevin abandoned the opening of his play to support an overwhelmed Randall. (Episode 15)

ETONLINE

The ultimate display of family coming first.

RELATED: 'This Is Us' Fans Are Bummed the Finale Didn't Reveal How Jack Died

9. When William died. (Episode 16)

ETONLINE

The loss of Jack is distressing, but falling in love with William and learning about his life story -- cut short by cancer -- made seeing his final breath even more unbearable. We’ll just leave it at that.

10. When Beth delivered William’s eulogy (and received his postcard). (Episode 17)

ETONLINE

When Beth first discovered William had left for Memphis without telling her he knew he wasn't coming home, she was a little disheartened, until she received a personal message written on a postcard from him in the mail a few days later. And while that moment had us in tears, her speech at the family's "fun-eral" about William was full-on waterworks.

RELATED: What Does the Future Hold for Jack and Rebecca? 7 'This Is Us' Theories

11. When Kate broke down and Randall was there to support her. (Episode 17)

ETONLINE

As the family was sharing stories about William during his eulogy, Kate broke down in tears as memories of her own father's funeral played back in her head. Randall ran outside to comfort her, a moment that truly melted our hearts, too.

NBC

12. When Randall dreamt that Jack and William met each other. (Episode 17)

ETONLINE

This wasn’t the first time Randall saw visions of his late father, Jack, but it was the first moment he dreamt of his two dads meeting -- following William’s heartbreaking death. Though it’s a happy vision Randall had, the visual of Jack and William together, laughing it up like old pals and sharing their cherished Randall stories just about broke us.

RELATED: 'This Is Us' Boss Shares Text Exchange With Milo Ventimiglia About the Finale

13. When Jack gave his final speech to Rebecca. (Episode 18)

ETONLINE

We never want to see Jack and Rebecca apart, but Jack’s final monologue to his wife after they decided to separate showcased just how complicated love and marriage is. “You’re not just my great love story, you are my big break,” Jack confessed to his one true love, harkening back to their wedding vows. “And our love story, I know it may not feel like it right now, I promise you it’s just getting started.” Excuse us while we grab all the Kleenex.

This Is Us returns this fall on NBC.

For more on the breakout freshman hit, watch the video below.