#i should've written a whole scene but i feel like this is better?

[trekmupf]

Shakespeare & Eugenics in Space

Pro

Kirk backstory, and Kirks way of dealing with his trauma (immediate denial in front of others and putting up a wall, then researching and dealing in private – and later on with Spock and McCoy). Opposed to how both Riley and Leighton react

Kirk seducing a woman not for pleasure but for a secret cause / using his charm and sexuality to manipulate someone.

Unlike in the other cases of this happening he's the one being played by Lenore who is pretending to fall for him to murder him, which is a twist great

Spock immediately noticing something is up with Kirk

Spock then going to McCoy for help and support, twice! Great further development of all sides of the trio in this episode

McCoy's beautiful eyeliner is giving me happy chemicals

So many Spock and McCoy interactions

“And Please, Mr. Spock, if you won't join me, don't disapprove of me”is a line straight from fanficition

Spock correctly predicting how Riley will feel about being demoted for no reason - trying to look out for the crew and always questioning Kirk

Uhura playing for Riley who is lonely → further crew dynamics

The entire confrontation scene between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is great – it starts on a professional basis, Kirk being angry and defensive, and even though McCoy doesn't share Spock's suspicions to that degree he backs him up. Spock then turning the conversation on a personal level – it's not just about ships business, it's about Kirk possibly dying. Kirk then relenting and talking with his two friends about his feelings and the situation. Spock being Kirk's logic and information and McCoy ethics and morals

Great character work for Kirk who is aware of his responsibility, the small line separating vengeance and justice and his own morals

Kirk trying to wait to confirm his suspicions but then throwing caution to the wind and approaching Kodos when he realizes it's not just his life on the line after the murder attempt that would've cost many lives

Lenore rightly calling out Kirk at the end for using people as tools

The Kirk / Kodos confrontation is one of the best character scenes in TOS. The acting is perfect, the dialogue and emotion heavy and direct. The conflicting emotions of a mass murderer and Kirk having to deal with the emotions of confronting the man who directly traumatized him.

Kirk being able to talk down Riley with words instead of force

Kodos realizing what is daughter did making his character even better

set and costume design , fitting music

the whole play within the show thing with its stage & acting

the way the audience gets Kirk's backstory over the course of the episode along with Spock and can gather further understanding of Kirks reactions

the plot mirroring a classic Shakespeare play itself

differs from the other episodes in a nice way- very human and story driven; also murder mystery vibes and film techniques

the tension still holds up despite no real action scenes – first though the mystery of how this man is connected to Kirks past, then the ongoing mystery as well as the threat to Kirks life

Con

McCoy being careless about Riley overhearing him

Although I did like her acting, I think they should've commited to making her insane persona come out gradually / less extreme before the death of her father or play it straight and have her go insane after the death; this felt a bit rushed / sudden

Counter: Kirk fake womanizer

Quote

"Captain Kirk, who are you to say no harm was done?" - Lenore "Who do i have to be?" - Kirk

"What if you decide that he is Kodos? What then? Do you play God, carry his head through the corridors in triumph? That won't bring back the dead, Jim" - McCoy "No. But they may rest easier" - Kirk

Moment: Confrontation Kirk and Kodos - tense, well written and played

Summary: Underrated episode that even though it lacks classical sci-fi elements and action scenes introduces important backstory information for Kirk and gives further insight into his character and morals as well as his relationships with Spock and McCoy while also giving further development between those two. The acting is brilliant, especially Shatner and Arnold Moss, and the tension of the story holds up from the beginning until the end. Previous Episode - Next Episode - All TOS Reviews

[kaija-rayne-author]

Section 12 in review of Dragon Age Veilguard

96 Hours in, 94 hours playtime..

Obligatory disclaimer, feel free to jump to the cut if you've read it.

Something came to my attention. I need to make it crystal clear that I utterly love the diversity in DAV. It's fantastic. I'm also a heavily left leaning, non-binary, queer as fuck reviewer, editor, and author.

I'm on media blackout while I play this, so I'm only getting second-hand info on how awful it is right now in the DA Fandom. Please be safe and take care of yourselves. Arguing with incels and white supremacists is completely pointless. They sea lion worse than an actual sea lion. Your mental health is important.

Though, every single time the anti-queer brigade comes out for a new DA game, I sit there thinking 'have you bozos played any DA game, like, ever?' My guess is nope.

Spoilers for Dragon Age Veilguard (and other Dragon Age stuff, I'm a Lore fiend.)

Section 11 is here.

So, the whole Mourn watch section with the half Lich was very well written and put together. Had an interesting (if not difficult) puzzle and a poignant ending. Loved it.

Did the Treviso sequence where Illario gets his comeuppance. Even though it's a very stale plot idea, it was so very well written and executed (har har) that it's a shame they fired Lucanis's writer. (Mary Kirby wrote Lucanis.)

They probably should've kept her and let her write a lot more than that. The game would've been so much better. It might’ve actually approached good.

Instead of something that when my partner saw me loading it up he said 'wow, you look like you're about to be tortured'.

Rueful face. So much of this game has felt like torture that having two sections on the same day that were legitimately good is odd.

The ones with Taash in Rivain were fun or sad, depending. But still well written and put together.

Still seem to have more to do. Gonna play for a few more hours. It's rare and nice that it's actually curiosity I'm feeling while logging in tonight, vs. any of the gamut of yucky emotions this game has treated me to.

Oh! Before I forget and in the name of attempting to provide a fair review, I do really love the light puzzles and ancient elven tech stuff. That's been a great deal of fun.

There are good parts to this game, but they just don't make up for the shit.

...

A. Single. Meaningful. Glance. As an intimate scene? Fucking DAO had better than that! Are they serious? Is there more in the final sequence? Dear gods, if I'd paid for this game I'd be bloody furious. Incandescently, explosively furious.

Let's talk about consumer expectation. It's something anyone hoping to sell things has to be aware of.

In its, what, 14 year Dragon Age history? Bioware has set certain expectations with their market share. As I mentioned, DAO, while dated and with poor graphics, actually had something extremely suggestive for the intimate scenes. You had no doubt what the characters were doing. Same went for DA2. Not much actual nudity, but again, no bloody question about what was going on. In DAI, some was sweet, some was saucy, but it was even more clear what was happening.

So the expectation for a behind door scene that you got to see has been set. If there had always been fade to black meaningful stares for the intimate scenes, fine, whatever. But that has not been Bioware's history. And it certainly isn't their gaming market's expectation.

Expectation isn't as important in a standalone game. There's no weight of expectation like there is in series work. Unfortunately for everyone who bought this game, the expectation of so many years and so much material has been firmly set. And a long, searching, intense look doesn't cut it. Are all the Romances like that? I don't have the stomach to replay it that many times to find out.

I still have to finish the final sequence. So it's possible my utter disappointment will be fixed, but given the way Bioware has structured its games in the past, the Romance parts were finished before the final sequence.

My level of disappointment with this game has been high all along, but this is indeed the shit cherry on top of the shit sundae of this game.

Hah! And to think I'd actually hoped for an intimate scene between Solas and Inky! (Hysterical, breathless, cackling. OMFG.)

The problem with market expectation? And not meeting it? Is that you utterly lose the confidence and trust of the people who buy your stuff. And that means they're less likely to buy your stuff again. I certainly won't ever buy anything Bioware makes again. I'm out. I'll enjoy the previous games, but if I'm right about my predictions? Veilguard doesn't exist as part of my universe. I'll pretend it wasn’t ever made. Unless I decide to write a long fix-it fic. Because OMFG.

If, as an author, I shifted from rather explicit, panties-melting intimate scenes to closed door fade to black... I would be betraying my reader's expectations and losing their trust.

If this is it for the intimate scenes? Oh man. Bioware, you fucked up.

Pre-play pithy commentary

If you want to skip the snarky paragraph ^?

13th review here.

[eventhorizon081]

As someone who fell hard for Xiangli Yao, I have to say -- words cannot articulate how let down I was by the Moonchase Act IV story, oh my gods. Spoilers below:

In the span of twenty minutes, I went from thinking "maybe wuwa can actually write a story" to so immensely frustrated. I read Xiangli Yao's character stories and I thought this was going to be something about how it isn't worth it to burn yourself away for the sake of pursuing more knowledge but NO they just turned it into some type of fairy tale everyone gets what they wanted in the end story. I thought Pascal was being built up to be a contrast to Xiangli Yao with the whole "I should give up everything for research" belief, while XLY believes in pacing himself and not burning up just to reach higher heights.

It's so immensely frustrating that wuwa's writers got halfway there, and then completely dropped the ball. First off, Abby fully killed the mood in the "circle of doors" room (but that's more of a personal gripe, and not really all that significant). Then, the whole "corruption" in the second half of the sonoro sphere journey was just so underexplained and badly done. I think the story had so much potential, with Pascal and the other researchers finally burning out when their research results yielded nothing. And then...there was nothing more that the quest had to say after that -- at least, nothing that wasn't incredibly muddled. Everyone's looking to Xiangli Yao to save them -- but why? We, as the readers, have zero context beyond "Xiangli Yao is a genius," and I think this scene in particular could have been done better if there was more of a clear invitation from the other researchers to Xiangli Yao -- an invitation to burn himself up in pursuit of research along with them. Yes, subtlety is good, but not in this case.

I'm also really conflicted about whether they should've written Pascal's work as so successful. I think it works, but the way they did it was completely wrong, because it actually teaches the opposite lesson: that we *should* burn ourselves out, because our work will have a legacy beyond us. I think that's a fine lesson to tell, but given that it goes against everything the writers were building up up to this point, it feels a little odd. They probably should've picked one side, instead of trying to do nuance in such a ham-handed way. Also, the lack of build-up to Pascal's big old confessional really felt like lazy storytelling. We went from "it's right to do anything to discover the knowledge I need" to "I was completely wrong and I should've backed off". And yes, I know, time and boss fights and all, but it was jarring to me, at least.

Also, can we fucking talk about Xiangli Yao *defending* Pascal's ideals during the boss fight? I'm actually going to throw hands, because it seems SO out-of-character for Xiangli Yao not to be concerned about Pascal's behavior at ANY POINT in that quest, and while I do think Xiangli Yao would defend Pascal's memory, I think he also wouldn't look up to Pascal as a role model of any sorts, given that they clearly had that fundamental rift in ideals.

Overall, super pissed about that quest because I can personally relate a lot to Xiangli Yao's conflicts (at least in his character stories), and I thought I was going to get a wonderful story where those conflicts were explored. I loved the lighthearted dating sim-esque parts of the moonchase quest, but I was seriously excited when I figured we were finally going to get an insight into XLY's character. Sadly, it was a bit of a letdown. Hoping that this isn't the last we see of Yao, though, because his character stories contain some JUICY facts about the worldbuiling of wuwa as a whole.

[crazystargirl]

Hiii, i'm so glad that you are feeling better!

Idk if you write for him or not, but if you do, can you do an ethan x reader fic? Where yn finds out the ethan is ghostface and confronts him and he gets ashamed and apologizes but when she tries to comfort him quinn andofficer bailey show up. quinn stabs yn as officer bailey explains that she was a liability as ethan sobs on the floor. oh and i want yn to die lol

you can add more if you'd like, i'm requesting this at three in the morning and my hand is beginning to cramp so that is all i will be asking for.

i love your writing so much! i'm sorry about the toxic relationships, i'm glad you're doing better now!

too bad

pairing ! - ethan landry x fem!reader 

word count ! - 0.6k

a/n ! - OMFG MY EYES LEGIT POPPED OUT WHILE READING THE REQUEST HELP 😭 ive only written angst once before so this might be the shittiest thing ever

your whole world was current crashing down

it started on wednesday night, you went to your boyfriend's house after a long day of classes only to find him fucking dead

literally he was on the bed, throat slashed and bleeding out all over the comforter

you stared at the scene in horror and then noticed something on the ground

it was a small pocket knife and it was the exact same one your best friend ethan had always showed you

so after a few days, once the whole news that your boyfriend was murdered, you went over to ethan's house

you were now here in ethan's bedroom and ethan sure as hell knew something was up

"y/n/n what's wrong?" ethan said, confused but continued stroking your hair as you laid on his bed, throwing a pillow up and catching it over and over again

you sit up looking him straight in the eye but when you spoke your voice was somewhat shaky

"ethan…i found your pocket knife at my boyfriend's house…the same night he was murdered" you say, holding out his pocket knife

"shit that's nothing" ethan says trying to grab it from you but you put it back in your pocket

ethan sighed and sat back down and took your hands in his

"look y/n i didnt want you to find out like this but im one of the ghostfaces" ethan says, unable to look you in the eye

you're shocked but probably not as much as you should've been, this has all happened to you before when you found out amber was ghostface

unknown to you and ethan, quinn had snuck into the room, positioned behind you before stabbing you right in neck, then under the rib, then in the feet so you were unable to run, not like you'd be able to anyway

you screamed out in pain at every stab as ethan desperately tried to get you away from quinn and clutching you, quietly sobbing as he saw the light that he had once adored leave your eyes

"what the fuck did you do that for?!" ethan yells at quinn, still clutching your limp body

"i didn't much care for her to be honest, she seemed like she was just there since you looked so pathetic" quinn said, flipping the knife

"for fucks sake ethan you were desperately pinning for her while she had a boyfriend so i took care of her for you!" quinn says gleefully

ethan turned to the door as his father came in taking one look at ethan clutching you and just scoffed

"she was a liability ethan, she was bound to end up dead at some point. not only that but she distracted every damn time" wayne said as he walked over to quinn

"plus don't get mad at quinn, i asked her to kill y/n since i knew you wouldn't have the strength to and if we plotted her death with you around you would've flipped out"

ethan sat there, still holding you and even holding his hands over your ears as if he could stop you from hearing anything his dad was saying

"get out…get the fuck out of room both of you!" ethan yelled at his sister and dad

quinn scoffed and wayne came over to ethan's bed to take y/n's corpse but ethan gave him such a cold stare that he left the room with quinn

"what the actual fuck is wrong with them" ethan muttered into your head, stroking your hair as if that mightve brought you back but in the end he knew he'd have to bury you at some point

too bad wayne and quinn didn't know ethan was going to anything to make sure they paid for killing his y/n

taglist ! - @xyzstar, @gwenlore, @dizscreams, @kaesworldxx, @urmomcomsiimiamour, @nonniesworld, @chemtr4ilz, @abodyhasbeenfound, @phsychobanana

lmk if you want to be added/removed !

©crazystargirl || do NOT copy or repost without my permission

[ruegarding]

Aaah percy-poseidon dynamic is killing me (saw your earlier post) because we could have much better(especially in heroes of olympus). I wish we got them interact and maybe see poseidon suffering from split personality? Romans arent fan of Neptune either did he went crazy like Athena? Or what?? And maybe a bit rage?? After his son fell into hell?? They fought against polybotes side by side but not even a crumb of that noooo. I find it hard to believe that their first interaction after tlo is in cotg. Oh man im not even gonna talk about neptune. Anyway, we were robbed and they are my roman empire.

agreed, the fact that they never really talk in hoo is wild to me. the only time poseidon responded to percy w radio silence was when he was trying to hide percy's identity, so his absence in hoo is uncharacteristic of him. the whole "gods weren't allowed to talk to anyone bc of zeus" thing doesn't really make sense either, bc gods were constantly interacting w the seven. and they were on the ocean! percy was fighting his siblings! percy fell into tartarus! like can we get anything? a fish that said "hey" or an offhand mention by another god abt the poseidon/neptune disparity to explain his absence would be better than nothing.

the lost potential of camp jupiter and the roman conflict, ugh. rick made this entire thing abt the romans fearing neptune and then never explored it (aside from the brief mentions of frank's ancestry, iirc). and there isn't a counterpart to percy, like nico and hazel or thalia and jason. percy being praetor should've done something, and could've began to unpack this, but the way it's written in canon it's like he was praetor specifically to fist bump jason abt it.

and in hoo, percy has this entire bit abt fearing drowning, rejecting his powers. and then he goes the opposite direction, pushing the boundary of what's acceptable. like, are we not gonna react to this?

but what really gets me is there's this scene that happens right before the end of tlo:

it feels like it's setting something up, except that something never happens!

[chaifootsteps]

Media Illiteracy anon here.

Onto the dreaded episode 4... Warning for SA and all that, of course.

I would like to start by saying that by Definition I am a CSA survivor (I was sexually exploited from age 10 to 16, made to produce CP). But I don't really consider myself to be one since I am not... traumatized by it? I just don't care that it happened. So I don't think I can say much in the way the episode handles SA or even how it might trigger someone who was also exploited for the making of pornography.

That being said. Yikes. I think this episode is the best one so far, as much as it pains me to say that. It's the best paced and it sticks to one plot and the plot... has Some good moments. I really liked the scene where Valentino yells at Angel that he should get rid of Charlie and how he physically abuses him. I think that scene is The best scene in the entire show because of how terrifying it is and how well it shows the damage he causes to Angel as well as his relationships with other people.

I think that scene should've literally been it. It shows physical abuse, it shows Angel's fear, how Valentino owns him (literally) and even implies the SA to come when he says he's going to make him work all day. Overworking is already a horrible thing to put someone through, but as a sex worker there'd be a point where it's no longer enjoyable and you want to stop, which is where it then also becomes rape. That line was Terrifying and made you feel dread with just the Implications of what was gonna happen to Angel, as if This wasn't already bad enough.

Then they ruined it with that stupid song.

Now Poison is not a bad song, in my opinion. I think it sounds nice, and even looking at the lyrics (which is not something I usually focus on, due to the Illiteracy I mentioned), I don't think it's awful. But putting That over a scene where Angel Dust is getting raped On Screen is a bit Very tasteless. That whole scene was Awful, you could easily tell that whoever made it clearly had a thing for it. I'd seen the leaked clip before and that was enough for me to realize how fetishized it was, but seeing there was more was just. Augh. Do they have no shame? It's so blatantly obvious I felt like I was looking at a NSFW Twitter animation.

I kind of hated the aftermath, too. Angel going back to the hotel and drinking was good, but I hated him coming onto Husk like that and then pulling a "a nice guy like me is too good for you anyway". I feel like I had never fully realized before that the Angel and Husk thing was sexual harassment, cause you grow up with movies and shows where like. A female character coming onto a male one is just. Normal, and the result would be them getting into a relationship Anyway, so it was harder for me to recognize that it qualified as Harassment. I think Angel saying that shit made me realize it was and then it was just. Weird. Also the way the line is worded and delivered, it sounds less like that's something Angel is parroting back from what Valentino usually tells him, and more like he wholeheartedly believes it, which certainly didn't help.

Following scene I also kind of like. The bar scene. I liked that even if Husk was reluctant in going, since he doesn't like Angel, and was stalling for time so he wouldn't have to talk to him, he Still stepped in when he saw someone putting something in his drink. I think if this show was written better that could've been a way to show that even those who think they've hit rock bottom are still humans with morals at the core of their beings, and that they still have the ability to care and do good even with years worth of bad decisions and an environment that encourages depravity.

I also liked him getting him out of there and trying to care for him, in his own grumpy old man way. I liked the dark revelation that Angel knows when he's being drugged, and that he just let's it happen because he thinks it gives him some control and that if he's broken enough by this random men, Valentino will finally let him go. That was really messed up.

Then Loser Baby comes on and fucking.

Okay so, I Really like Loser Baby. It's the best show in the show so far. The instrumentals are nice, it's catchy, the lyrics are a little silly and fun, and Keith David carries it, though Blake Roman is not half bad. It's the context in which is used that makes this song just flop HARD.

I think everyone understands what the song was meant to be, and I think it doesn't do Too horribly at connecting both of their situations and how they're not alone because they have each other. It fails at everything else though, because beyond "both are owned by Overlords", Angel's and Husk's situations have Nothing to do with each other, they are Not comparable.

Also calling Angel, a rape victim, a loser is not. Good, even as lighthearted as it is. The song is "suck it up, slut", and while kind of in character for someone in Hell or as grumpy/harsh as Husk, it's still. Yikes? It minimizes the situation way too much, this is not an "Oopsie, made the wrong choices in life" moment. He's getting actually abused and that's not his fault.

Also Alastor fucked off for 7 years and all he makes Husk do now is man a bar where he does nothing all day except drink alcohol. Angel is going through the worst Alastor could've done to Husk, on a Daily Basis, and even if Alastor could be cruel, it would be extremely out of character for him to straight up Rape Husk too. Or torture him without killing him, even torture doesn't seem like something he would do, at least not to Husk specifically.

Husk's lines are tone deaf and kind of offensive, but I think they're passable since it's at least Trying to say something positive, even if they're doing it poorly. Angel's though... Again, you can just Tell someone with a fetish is writing him. I hate how he says "I've got an appetite for samplin'" and "I've got no holes left to deflower". That's super insensitive, it doesn't even feel as an Hypersexuality thing, especially that second line. It doesn't feel like it's "i love being a slut because it's reclaiming my stolen sexuality", it feels like. Shock? Value? like "i'm a big whore", and that's it. It's hard to put into words, because the message comes across in every bad possible way, I have Nothing positive to say about it.

The only good thing about Loser Baby that I like, aside from the sound of the song itself, is the little dancing bits between Husk and Angel. They're kind of cute, I like how he's trying to cheer him up by pulling him up and making him dance with him a little bit.

Augh. After that there's this bit where Husk says Angel needs to learn to respect his boundaries. I Like this scene but the context diminishes the impact it could've had by a lot. It's trying to acknowledge that Angel's sexual harassment is Bad, whether it's a trauma response or not, and that he needs to Stop. And Husk is willing to start from zero with him and become friends if they start like that.

I kind of Like that they're acknowledging that it's bad, and i Would've liked Husk telling him they can be friends if he learns to respect his boundaries but like. Do we Really want to be like that about someone who sexually harassed someone else? That they can be friends? I feel like that is a bit insensitive and offensive to victims. I myself would Not like to be friends with my abuser even if he begged on his knees to be my friend.

It's also implied that Husk and Angel end up romantically involved. If you could excuse the befriending thing, saying that maybe it's not the same since Angel never Touched Husk sexually, i still think that going and making them Lovers is harmful. A "he yanks on your ponytails because he likes you" kind of situation. I like them as friends, hate them as lovers.

Another big problem I have is Charlie. She's a cardboard cut out in her own show. She's a background character in the episode where she causes the main conflict.

She's a bit of a pushover, cause she's nice. Even with pilot Charlie I don't think she's too OOC since calling the news reporter a bitch and defending yourself against her is not really comparable to being face to face with a rapist who is actively harming your friend. She can't just kill him, sinners reform eventually, and then be would be even angrier. Not at her but at Angel, because it's his fault Charlie even got to lay a hand on him in the first place. I think it's a more complex situation than "why didn't she just kill him".

But for as complex as the situation could be, Charlie is extremely. Simple. She barely appears and it's just "I'm sorry" and it's all fixed. I feel like there could've been a bigger emphasis on Charlie's and Angel's relationship (even while still keeping Husk's involvement in it all). I also kind of hate the treatment of her? Like how when Angel says he forgives her, she Cries and is carried away by Vaggie. Idk, that scene made me a bit uncomfortable. They treated her as if she was a child and it was Weird.

I think this episode had a lot of potential to be good and fumbled the bag catastrophically. Husk and Charlie are Worse characters because of it.

That's all. I can only hope the plot twist leaks aren't true, because this story is barely salvageable and that "Rosie is actually Lilith" bullshit will just ruin my experience from how stupid it is. You can be as painfully oblivious as me and this show will still find a way to make itself as dreadful as possible. I really don't understand why so many fans are so aggressive about criticism, I think they also see the disappointing bits but are far too committed to back down and admit they were wrong, so they just double down. I liked Most of the show, even though it's mostly because i already had Some attachment, curiosity and knowledge from before. But it's not as good as it had the potential to be, nor is it the single best show to have ever existed. It's honestly sad that many people, such as myself, have to go on anon on a poor person's blog to lightly criticize the show, because they're too afraid to be harassed or sent their literal house address on a direct message.

Thank you and goodnight, Chai!

You see, this is what I get out of running this blog. You guys write up these fabulous essays taking all the words out of my mouth, and it's deeply cathartic.

Try to hang in there. Vivzie's fandom will probably never go away completely, but I really do think their reign of terror is coming to an end.

[lgbtlunaverse]

I think i need to explain why this line makes me go so feral

I think the "fine! I'll kill myself after I kill you" line from nie mingjue in chapter 49 permanently altered my brain chemistry and it has something to do with precisely how i got into the mdzs fandom space in the first place.

I've mentioned it a few times but i started watching the untamed in late 2019 right as it was blowing up everywhere and, likely due to a combination of undiagnosed adhd wrecking my ability to be interested in anything for longer than 4 seconds and me very much not being used to the specific style of acting, especially during fightscenes, i never finished it. The only concrete memory i have of it is seeing wen qing's face and meng ziyi completely short circuiting my little gay brain. I remember more of staring endlessly at pictures of her than I remember of the plot. Press F to pay respects.

Flash forward a few years and a friend recommends me a fic writer for an fma fic (the fic riter in question is metisket) and i like their stlye so much i decide to read other stuf they've written. Here we get to our prime suspect: "the one body problem" a genuinely hilarious fic where jingyi gets posessed by wei wuxian like a year before the plot happens and they become awkward brain buddies. 10/10 i loved it (and still do) even though i remember huasiang showing up in my first reading and I, having fully forgotten his name, had no fucking clue what was going on. (Little did i know...)

Anyway flash forward ANOTHER year and I decide to reread that fic, and then the other untamed fic metisket wrote, a wen qing time travel fix it that's also real fun. And then i'm like. huh. that's fun. wonder if there's anything in their bookmarks.

And then, within 20 days, I had read approximately 350 fics. Many of them 100k+ words. I cannot stress enough how much this CONSUMED my brain's ability to do or think about anything else. I now think back to the early days of getting my adhd diagnosis and insisted that while i had pretty much all other symptoms, I did not get hyperfixations. Lol. Lmao, even.

I am mainly focused on wangxian and the junior quartet becuase they are my baby ducklings and i love them. I do come across some 3zun fics and I think huh... this is interesting. But the 3zun brainrot is LIGHT at this point.

The thing about reading more than 350 fanfics is that at some point you kind of piece the plot of the source material back together backwards. Especially because my favorite genre was time travel fix its, where characters relive the whole plot and like to make allusions to all the ways everything went wrong last time.

Because I'm still squarely in my wangxian + juniors (plus a heavy dosis of yunmeng sibling reconciliation) corner here... the feelings on jin guangyao in my fandom corner are. different from where I'd end up soon after. He is my special little guy though, so I do kind of immediatley develop a fondness for him, and I approach my 3zun and early nieyao thoughts specifcially from the assumption that the widespread opinion is that nie mingjue is a fine good guy and jgy is the evil one (I have not seen the bad nmj takes yet. well... I am seeing DIFFERENT bad nmj takes but they're nice to him. In, like, the wrong way. With no solid undertanding of the inherent tragedy at the heart of him that makes him so blorbo to me. But still.) major reactions to the stairs scene as I see them on twitter are "girlboss! He should've kicked him harder 💅"

And the baby jgy apologist in me goes :/ me no likey. And at this point I am also actively seeking out metas and analysis posts so i'm seeing some better opinions than that and getting a halfway solid graps on the themes. wwx and jgy being foils becomes very obvious to me very quickly. So, with my curent understanding of the plot, I go... you know all you people who are like "god i wish nmj would have killed jgy sooner" it uhh... kinda sounds like he'd have died if he did that. If he'd killed him before meng yao had gone off to spy there is a very big chance they'd have lost the sunshot campaign and most of the main cast would be dead. If he'd killed him at the stairs that's... well that's killing your sworn brother, which by the canon's own admission is a universally reviled crime, and jin guangshan could easily take advantage of this by demanding nmj's head in retribution, since he already wanted to get rid of him anyway. He doesn't give a fuck about a-yao of course but he could pretend well enough that he does. And what leg would nmj have to stand on? The jin clan is canonically both willing and able to slaughter entire clans for the murder or attempted murder of the leader or his family, and nie mingjue is the kinda guy who'd immediately offer himself up if it meant the rest of his clan would be spared.

This combined with jin guangyao specifcally dying for his murder of nie mingjue, with huaisang basically not caring much about everything else he does and wanting to get revenge only for his brother, it gives nieyao a sort of mutual doomed soulmates feel. For either of them, killing the other would spell death for themselves. They either both die or they both live, one cannot live on without the order. That's crunchy. I like it.

The fire palace though? well, on meng yao's part there is a real argument that if he'd let nmj get killed immediatly instead of dragging it out he wouldn't have been able to get wrh alone and distracted enough to assasinate him, so that's one half of the mutual doom coin, and if nmj had killed him during their fight there he's also done for. But after? Right before Xichen intervenes? I had no answer for that yet.

(You know what's coming. I did not)

It is at this point that i realize that if this is gonna keep being A Thing then i need to read the source material before I catch fatal fanon poisoning. Yes, I can piece together the plot and themes from seeing what stays consistent across fics and what are the author's own opinons. But I know just as well that sometimes fanon just agrees on shit that didn't happen and treats it like canon, and I have no way of knowing which is which. So I start reading the novel.

And of course, eventually I get to the empathy sequence. And remember, my "nieyao both live or both die" theory is heavy on my mind at this point, and the only stickler is that nmj could sort of have killed meng yao after the confrontation with wrh, still believing meng yao was actually working for him, and not a spy, and get off... not scott-free, Xichen won't be happy, but it's not gonna cost him his life.

And then I read THIS.

Please Imagine dropping a whole block of pure elemental sodium into water. Except the sodium is this quote and the water is my poor little delicate brain. Not only is my theory right, it is ten times more unhinged than i thought it was.

And considering that Nie Mingjue does not seem like the kind of guy who'd consider something like a life debt to have an expiration date, and because after this he will link himself legally and socially to jin guangyao as family and declare that one among their brotherhood turning against the others is to be met with a painful death, I can no longer read the scene at the stairscase in jinlintai without the impression that he is still planning to die afterwards. Which, if you wanted to make that scene even more painful, this is a very efficient way of losing all your remaining hinges.

I think I'd have gone crazy about this line no matter what context I heard it in, but this one specifically? where I'm already obsessed with idea of nieyao's deaths being connected by the narrative and missing just this one piece and having it confirmed? out loud? from one of the characters himself? It's like giving cocaine to a baby.

[thebadboysuprememcshizzle]

Not that anybody really cares, but these are my personal takes on the first 2 PJOTV episodes.

1. Grovers character so far is getting too much hate! I, personally, think that the additions of Grover aren't that bad of a change for him. The scene in the office genuinely show how he is willing to risk his friendship just to save Percy. Also, be mad at Chiron for that, not Grover. Chiron made him do it.

2. Mr. D is adapted so well in this, and you cannot convince me otherwise.

3. Gabe is actually NOT written too nice. As someone who has dealt with manipulation/emotional abuse he is almost exact to the people who are like this (atleast in my personal experience.) Like, I'm no pro, but it's pretty spot on.

4. I don't really like Lukes character development... you're supposed to like him before the big betrayal and his character just feels super stiff.

5. THE BLACK SCREENS FOR TRANSITIONS ARE SO ANNOYING AND A TERRIBLE CHOICE. It doesn't really take away from the episodes, and I still enjoyed them either way, but it was still a really lazy and weird way to show a time skip.

6. Episode 1 had really weird pacing and went super fast. I can't really explain it, but it just felt rushed.

7. The fight with Ms. Dodds was super disappointing :( although Percy being unconscious on the floor while everybody is standing there was really funny.

8. The mythomagic for training is actually a really cool detail and I'm super excited to see how that helps him and Nico bond in the future! However, it's gonna make Nico running away hurt even more😭

9. Clarisse is amazing. The restroom scene felt a little disney channel, but she is so cool and well executed I love her anyway. Also, THE CAMO PANTS!! I am so happy that made an appearance.

10. Walkers sass for Percy is literally the best, he is literally him. Same thing for Leah for Annabeth. The small detail with her fixing Percy's strap was hilarious. Her blunt "tell it how it is" attitude is honestly such a good personality trait for her, and I think will mean a lot in the further episodes.

Overall rating?

Episode 1: 7/10

It was a great start to the series! The editing is certainly... a choice. Felt kinda rushed, but I really loved some of the changed made. Kind of mad that the outro song isn't Riptide (PJO version.) Still got me hooked!!

Episode 2: 8.5/10

They shouldve knelt when he was claimed. Pacing was better, but the weird transition point was still there. Lukes development is super boring, and I genuinely considered skipping his scenes. They should've shown the Council of the Cloven more, but I don't really care about that, it was just a missed opportunity. Loving Annabeths character, even if she wasn't there a whole lot! Chiron is making me mad, though. I LOVE DIONYSUS.

I'm super excited to see what they do with the characters. I'm trying to be super patient with the characters development, since its only the first 2 episodes, but I'm super worried that 6 more episodes won't be enough to properly execute everything necessary for the book. This is especially because most of the book is spent explaining things and is mainly world building. Everybody is almost exactly how I imagined, with maybe a few minor details, but nothing I even mind.

[thewriterowl]

So, I'm exhausted and stressed and can't focus fully on writing fan fiction but seems ready to unleash creative spew on the SW-series we have gotten and how it could've been SO much better. I wanted to start with one, the one that seemed to have been the trigger of this weird ripple of poorly written series and see if I can unleash more for others (Not you Andor, you are perfection)

Book of Boba Fett

Scrap Din. Completely. Remove him. He doesn't even touch the show. Mentioned is acceptable, maybe even a sort of cameo where Fennec comes in to see Boba talking to him but hears nothing as they disconnect. Boba makes some note on what Djarin is doing as a way to express how much time has passed since the end of Season 2 of the Mandalorian. Maybe. But that's it.

Instead, there will be more memories opening up the episodes, even after Boba heals and is back to true form. For one, I think it would be beneficial to show a bit more young-Boba and show how angry and hateful and scared he was after Jango's death (let's get some re-makes of Clone War scenes) and how it shows his anger is consuming him. Show clips of him connected with Cad Bane and the dent in his helmet. Give little pieces to show how he went from that very angry and feral child to the rather composed man in Empire Strike's Back-Return of the Jedi to where he is now.

The tension of the politics are stretched out more. We will see Boba trying to actually take on a leadership role as Daimo but has the urge to be like he was before. And it's only when he starts allowing more of his self out does the good leader really blossom (ie. his brilliance of having the dinner above the supposed empty cage). He can even have conversations with Fennec of, "I was reckless and stupid with my anger before. And I got a face full of a scars and a head with less hair because of it." With her, ever the snarky wise one, going, "Being angry doesn't mean you be stupid."

Street kids are good, but not with the motorbikes. I feel they should've been more like the one character Kenobi met (his daughter in real life) who was telling him to get high and forget his problems--it's easier that way. They felt too punk and it was out of place for this planet at this time. They steal, maybe Robin Hood things here and there but are mostly out for their own group and themselves; exactly how Boba and Fennec were just a short time ago. Fennec could even connect to that girl and scoff in memory, "You're tough...I met a kid just like you on a job before" and now we have the presences of Omega within this series and how important she is here and not just in a singular location and can give audience the hope Omega and Boba will one day meet (season 3 of Bad Batch sorta helping confirm or deny this). While Boba is able to connect and warn them to not be like him and let their anger and hatred fool them into trusting arrogance. maybe someone makes a point, or maybe Boba realizes it himself, but this sounds very Jedi-esque and that haunts him.

Boba spent so many years hating the Jedi (mainly Mace) so having these moments of maturity would make him pause. It would end, of course, with him denouncing the belief because he is Mandalorian, like his father before him, and not everything is about the Jedi, because he fully believes in revenge and anger just not like how he used to. Now, he controls it. It doesn't control him. And he can let his hate for the Jedi finally go (ghost Mace, who was probably watching him the whole time is so relieved and lets the man go as well; not in the show but just in my heart).

The Tribe is not dead and, instead, at least a few survived (ie the child and the warrior and a few others; we did not get that incredible train scene for them to be all killed off camera) and we see Boba, who is dealing with the trauma of everything in his life, have a moment where he breaks down and apologizes to them (maybe not anything specific; maybe not really to them but to his younger self who never had a chance) seeing this as his fault. They forgive him, cause he needs forgiveness in some way, and offer him a home within their smaller tribe but he isn't ready for that and they accept it. Now, they are the ones who return to him and assist him in the final battle. This will also lead up to where it comes full circle for him. He will offer them a place within the city but they do not accept (they are a colonized people after all; I do not see them wanting to be within that city) and instead are welcomed to his territory as a home-base to return to should they ever wish and they part on good terms and promises of seeing each other again. It would end with Boba watching them leave into the setting suns, feeling longing but also a sensation of peace that they were going where they should go and he was where he was needed. So, he turns from them as they disappear into the melting suns and grunts out, "Just a simple man who made his way in the universe." And FIN.

We can keep a lot of the other craziness--he has his Rancor (i love this part of the story), he deals with corrupt politicians, Peli meets her next boy-toy cause Din (name cameo) suggested her for Boba's use, Black Krrsantan is in the picture, Cad Bane is the big bad who shoots down Vanth (and that final end scene is still there), and so many other ridiculous parts! They could all connect and make sense!

And there can be this theme that is trying to beat Boba over the head about anger. Because we have seen anger so much through the eyes of Jedi--this can really be a new type of accepting and letting things go. More akin to the anger we see constantly simmering and boiling over in Andor but in a more personal way and showing that it doesn't need to be snuffed out but honed (controlled). It can be why Boba seems so mild at times, it's because he is learning about who he is to be, but then is able to show us the (fan) Boba that was so popular is still there--he's just someone who is trying to fill a role he thinks he has to completely change for.

[whentranslatorscry]

Ikusamonogatari

Full EPUB

Hitagi Honeymoon, by nisioisin

001

There was something odd about the name Araragi Hitagi. No matter how I try, it just doesn’t sit right with me. If I were to trace our acquaintance back to our freshman year at Naoetsu Private High School, where we became classmates, I would find that I have known her for almost a decade. Yet every time I see this name, it feels as unfamiliar as if we had only just met. If you ask me to pinpoint whose responsibility this unshakable strangeness was, I can say with absolute confidence that it was none other than mine, still it felt as though trying to force together two jigsaw pieces that don't fit.

Look at the joints; they're practically crumbling.

It was at the hallowed grounds of North Shirahebi Shrine, in the presence of its very god herself, that we swore an irreplaceable oath to bring each other happiness. But once married, there was a hideous sensation, akin to smudging the most precious aspect of a person I hold most dear in my life, the one and only Senjougahara Hitagi, with cheap paints. It was an indescribably disgusting, unsettling feeling.

The wedding gown and white kimono were meant to symbolize something pure, “a canvas ready to be dyed in the colors of our choosing.” This oft-repeated phrase, while understood, felt old-fashioned, archaic to say the least. Moreover, for reasons unbeknownst to me, I had stripped her of her most precious and fundamental possession: her name. The mere thought of this fact felt like a sharp stab, an eternal reminder to accompany me for the rest of my life. Truthfully, the confidence to create a blissful and harmonious home had eluded me.

How unfair, how unjust.

How utterly tragic.

Under such circumstances, it was simply impossible for me to say that I had no sense of guilt.

“It's not bad at all, Koyomi. I think it sounds even better. Araragi Hitagi, see, it rhymes and rolls off the tongue with such ease it's like it's been my name this whole time.”

Although she claimed not to mind, I couldn't help but be painfully aware of the burden imposed on her that should've been equally shared: we were no longer on equal footing, and the intense sense of immorality did not fade as time went on. If anything, my guilt only intensified.

What I mean by “burden” encompasses the need to reapply for a driver's license, passport, and license plate number, among various other things. The name she had carried for a quarter of a century was forcibly and legally stripped away—wasn’t that an unbelievable, unforgivable act of barbarism?

Just like the domestic violence that suddenly emerges after marriage.¹

The life of Araragi Koyomi had always been one of ceaseless battles against all kinds of unreasonable circumstances. So, even now, he should continue to fight for the sake of his family name. But this time, his opponent was not a monster, nor was it a mystery or tale of supernatural transformation, regrettably—it was the country of Japan itself.

Well, it could be argued that there wasn’t much difference between the country of Japan and its world of supernatural creatures, but I can't simply let that claim go unchallenged. As an experienced public servant, someone who had truly sworn loyalty to both the nation of Japan and its people, it was hard to advocate for the immediate abolition of the antiquated custom of married couples sharing the same surname. After being transferred to the FBI for advanced training and subsequently being headhunted for employment, and after buying my own home there, I found myself questioning my own patriotism.

Naturally, if we were to go by logic alone, rather than Hitagi legally becoming Araragi Hitagi, I would have become Senjougahara Koyomi. In fact, I had secretly been working on this plan behind the scenes. At first, everything was going smoothly, but the surreptitiously obtained written documentation was soon discovered by her. Hitagi, that is.

Well done, I must say.

“From the very moment we met, I felt a sense of harmony with Araragi-kun—like we were meant to be together. Also, I don’t want my father's surname to be combined with ‘Koyomi.’”

Okay.

Setting aside the latter part, even she shared the same sentiment as me in the beginning. No matter how fiercely we fought, it seemed as though we were ultimately conquered by convention.

Although marriage itself is inherently a form of constraint, and whose surname is used is of little consequence, in the end, tradition dictates that the wife takes the husband's last name. This custom has been ingrained in society for ages. Indeed, it may make sense from a logical standpoint, but ultimately, it is not logic that we must bow to in this matter.

As I recall, the family of Hachikuji— the god worshiped within the grounds of North Shirahebi Shrine, where I pledged myself in marriage—all bore the mother's surname, Tsunade. But alas, as the twin-tailed lost god once confessed to me:

“In the end, things didn’t work out well for my family, you see. We’re no longer a family. During my third year in elementary school, my parents divorced and I had to change my name. I wonder what the point of it all was.”

That’s all.

When I first heard her speak of that, I was young and naive, so I played it cool and responded with a smooth and seamless reply. Now that I’ve become a party to the incident myself, I can’t help but ruminate on the workings and procedures of the law.

Even when putting aside the fact that I work in law enforcement, it’s not something that a civil servant should say, but indeed, one might call it quite bureaucratic. I have inherited this occupation of police officer from my parents (albeit reluctantly). I even believe that I don’t need to inherit the family name.

If it were high school Hitagi, especially during her most intense and edgy days, she would have unquestionably shoved a stapler deep into my mouth just to make me Senjougahara Koyomi.

She should have been resolute in not relinquishing her father's name— I guess you could say that she has grown softer over time. Well, whether she’s grown soft or not, I guess she’s grown up, too.

Back in my youth— or rather, in high school, I would have said to myself, “Won’t get married then. We won’t be bound by a little piece of paper. To preserve our names, our identities, we'll live together with two surnames under one roof. Hell, even with Oikura if I have to.”

Though in the end, as usual, it would most likely have led to a not-so-happy but rather bad ending. But inside the mind of twenty-four-year-old Araragi Koyomi, countless unbearable adult rationalizations came rushing in like a storm, saying, “Well, but things don't usually work out that way, do they? When you are a member of society, you must take reputation and position into account, and in the long run, Hitagi might also find it hard to live such a stubborn life. Besides, it's self-evident that various procedures would become troublesome if we don't enter the marriage registry, so, on the contrary, if it's just a matter of a single piece of paper, it would be best not to fuss about it and get it over with.”

But wait, what’s this? Has Araragi-kun suddenly become so enlightened that he begins to admonish all those ordinary families who have married uncomplainingly and blandly, keeping their own surnames? The times have changed. Nowadays, you can even go by your maiden name at work. Don't be so annoying and nitpicky about it. People like that aren’t popular, you know?

In all honesty, the idea of living with Oikura is tolerable, but the notion of taking Hitagi as a common-law wife is rather unsavory. As a career officer of the Japanese police force and an unofficial member of the FBI, it wouldn’t be surprising if I suddenly died in the line of duty, at least to the same extent as that hellish Spring Break. With the chances of an unforeseen accident being about fifty-fifty, I would rather avoid a situation where Hitagi might be kept from witnessing my final moments due to a bureaucratic technicality like a discrepancy in our last names. I'm sure everyone is well aware of how prone I am to life-threatening situations. No insurance company would ever enroll me in a life insurance policy.

On the other hand, the reverse was also a possibility.

Hitagi worked in the Japanese branch of a foreign financial firm, and you might think her life wouldn't be in any real danger. But she once confided that because she deals with massive amounts of money within the company daily, when she’s seriously out and about, she needs the accompaniment of bodyguards who cling to her like stalkers. I’m not sure if she was pulling my leg, but every time she leaves her home, she carries the latest version of her will with her.

“How strange, I was once swindled out of all my possessions, and now my job is akin to that of a swindler, treating strangers' money as my own and making it multiply incessantly—through stocks, foreign exchange, and cryptocurrencies that I'm not even sure really exist. It's all an enigmatic, ethereal mystery.”

Though her words carried a hint of self-mockery, it was because she had been both a pampered heiress in a mansion and a penniless tenant in a wooden box that she had managed to acquire certain skills. Good or bad, she believed that money was but an illusory thing.

Of course, that's not to say that she could approve of the person she was when she lost her weight and her mother… no, that too was a cherished memory and a cherished trauma.

It could never be forgotten.

Right.

These were the life experiences of Senjougahara Hitagi. Could they really be covered up with just my surname? As if erasing her individuality.

“I think the name change is fun, like a game. But why do you care so much, Koyomi? Is it because you're thinking of another person?”

“Another person?”

It's hard to ignore the seemingly lighthearted remark that it's like a fun game, it feels all the more like an attempt to escape reality. But for now, let’s let it slide. So, who could this other person be?

“Shinobu. Although I’m not sure if I can call her a human person. Come to think of it, Koyokoyo, wasn't it during that Spring Break that you cruelly stole her name?”

Koyokoyo.

The endearing nickname I miss so much…

I also used to call her by the nickname “Gahara-san,” but after she changed her surname, I could no longer address her in this way. It’s embarrassing for adults like us to use such nicknames, but hearing that I could never use it again made me feel as if I had been deprived of a basic human right, leaving me in a state of distress.

It was true, no matter how you put it: the King of Aberrations, the iron-blooded, hot-blooded, cold-blooded Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade— the name of the vampire who has lived for six hundred years.

But it was taken from her, just like life itself.

After losing her prestigious title, the oddity specialist Oshino Meme gave her a new name— Oshino Shinobu.

The man in a Hawaiian shirt said, employing his specialist's surname as a constraint, he would seal her away, deeply and securely.

Which, to be honest, was contradictory and riddled with double standards. Yet, for me, calling her Oshino Shinobu resonated truer and felt more befitting for her as I have known her by that name for longer.

Of course, nobody refers to her as Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade nowadays, but there seems to be a faction of specialists who still call her the “Old Heart-Under-Blade.”

Old Heart-Under-Blade.

What an antiquated name.

“When you think about it, it's a strange and wonderful thing to have the word 'old' added to your name. Don’t you think so, Old Gahara-san?”

“Indeed, if you are going to keep calling me that, I don't want to continue this conversation.”

“I have already experienced the guilt of taking away someone's name… What's going on with this marriage, it's like I'm making the same mistakes over again.”

“It's almost like a de facto remarriage.”

“No, it's a first marriage, actually.”

Although this example exposed the depths of my subconscious, it didn’t entirely resolve the issue which had already taken deep root. It seemed that because I had done it once before, I no longer cared about doing it again now, as if to say that killing one person was the same as killing two. This frightening thought was something that neither Japan nor America would endorse.

Rather, should we not learn from our mistakes?

That had been an emergency measure taken out of necessity for Shinobu, so it couldn’t be said that it was entirely wrong… In this day and age, I can't help but think there might have been another way to do it. It's hard not to question whether my decision to barely keep alive by turning the vampire— the King of Aberrations— that otherwise faced certain death, into my slave, was an immature one, driven by a child's desire for simplicity.

Even as the former Heart-Under-Blade happily gobbles on Mister Donuts in my shadow… And since it's acceptable to use your original family name in the workplace, why then must we discriminate and not apply the same rule to other situations?

With this in mind, I might as well create a business card featuring my Senjougahara pseudonym while at work. I wonder if it's possible to mark your former name on the police officer's guidebook. I'd have to ask Chief Kouga about that next time.

“A seemingly insignificant battle, huh? Ah, yes, an infinitesimally small skirmish indeed.”

“Sounds like you're saying ‘overmorrow's tomorrow.’”

“Even if you were to take the name Senjougahara, it wouldn't make any difference. It won't even make you feel better. It's like we share the same hardships, but it's not the same at all, it's not. The constant labeling of hardships might be painful as well.”

“Do we have no choice but to fight against the state?”

“That’d be quite the unexpected turn of events. Just imagine your high school supporters, they would be flabbergasted as they watch Araragi Koyomi take on the world of politics in a sequel.”

“But I can't overlook those die-hard fans' support. So, should I run for office under the name Senjougahara Koyomi?”

“In that case, to ease the voter process, it might be best to simplify the complex kanji in 'Senjougahara,’ say, using hiragana instead.”

“Must I change my name even if I run for office? Just because it's hard to write. What a troublesome thing, follows me everywhere. But revolutionaries didn't use their real names either.”

“Are we talking about starting a revolution now, like Hanekawa-san?”

“I can't use my real name to run a campaign and cause trouble for my parents. I'm not that unfilial.”

“I wonder about that. It may not be limited to revolutionaries. Nowadays, it seems that a pseudonym one can choose themselves is more valued.”

The conversation had delved into the complicated topic of real names versus pseudonyms… In such an era when anonymity is held in high regard, aren't real names becoming more important than ever? Apparently, in the past, one could not reveal their real name to anyone other than their parents.

“I'm not sure if I can let such a thing be erased on a whim.”

“Was marrying me also on a whim, Koyomi?”

“I retract my previous statement and apologize under the name of Senjougahara Koyomi.”

“You are apologizing under a pseudonym.”

“I apologize under the name of Sen jou ga ha ra Koyomi.”

“Please stop apologizing like a politician. I don't want such a person to be the future chief of the National Police Agency.”

“Your demands are too high for a husband.”

“Philosophy and thought do warrant contemplation, but let's think more about the pressing needs of life, Koyomi. Weren't we supposed to be excitedly discussing our honeymoon destination?”

Right, we were.

Having completed the wedding ceremony, with a god as our witness, and the tedious paperwork, we had finally settled down and arranged a meeting, albeit belatedly, to discuss our long-awaited honeymoon plans.

Although the novel coronavirus could be said to have been eradicated from the earth, given that I currently have a foothold in the FBI and Hitagi is a young leader at the Japanese branch of a foreign firm, we were communicating remotely more often than not. Nevertheless, we both understand the importance of a meaningful face-to-face conversation. After all, it would be impolite not to attend to such a significant matter in person.

Our wedding had narrowly avoided taking place entirely remotely, but fortunately, it was held with only family members present, regardless of any infectious disease-related concerns. It was charming and intimate.

“The only thing I regret is not getting to drag empty cans behind the car; I wanted to try it.”²

“Back in the old days, you would've tied me to the car and dragged me around the city as a public execution. But a honeymoon, huh?”

To begin with, neither Hitagi nor I were particularly fond of traveling; in fact, we both frequently shuttled across the Pacific Ocean. So, the word “travel” doesn't strike a deep chord in me. It's merely a transfer through different places, and it's difficult to attribute more significance to it.

I'd much prefer leisurely chats at home like this—without having to specifically go somewhere.

“I agree. Why not take a short trip then? How about the supermarket?”

“That’s too close.”

“But it sounds so super.”

“Well, you have a point. Supermarket is a pretty bold name.”

“But then, if the honeymoon has no significance, we’d better have not had a wedding at all, since it wouldn't be significant anyway.”

This statement sounds like something the old Hitagi would say—not Araragi Hitagi, but Senjougahara Hitagi.

In fact, many people these days consider weddings to be a grand waste of money, and couples often quarrel during their honeymoon, that’s why “Narita Divorce” gets thrown around as a phrase.³

Nowadays, you might also hear “Haneda Divorce” or “Kanku Divorce.”⁴

“Traveling has a way of revealing a couple's true nature, for better or worse. That's why I think it's a necessary ceremony.”

“A ceremony, huh?”

Surprisingly, Oshino was a man who valued such customs.

We can't take this lightly, then… considering our relationship.

“Speaking of which, that plan to go to Hokkaido to eat crab still hasn't come to fruition.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to go?”

“It’s tempting to tie up loose ends like a completed achievement, but it might not be the best season for that. I'd rather enjoy the best crab in wintertime anyway, that's what I really want.”

It's a tough one. Hokkaido, seemingly near but further than Washington D.C., has gradually taken on the nuance of being saved for our enjoyment during our twilight years. However, since we have refrained from indulging up until this point, it is only natural to savor the finest crab in the ideal setting of Hokkaido.

Yet as we speak, the warming of Hokkaido progresses at a steady pace. By the time we reached our retirement years, would it still be a snowy landscape?

“If we were to travel overseas, I think we should consider Europe or Africa. Including South America, both of us travel to the Americans for work often. Or what do you think about crossing the Atlantic Ocean?”

“There is also Oceania. Why not eat crab in Australia? I think you can't climb Ayers Rock anymore… Maybe New Zealand?”

“Apparently the stars there are beautiful. It's famed as a World Heritage of starry skies, they're even working to register it as an actual World Heritage site or something.”

A bit vague, but hmm.

Come to think of it, ever since high school—no, even before that during her sheltered upbringing, Hitagi has had a profound love for the starry skies. An unapologetic adoration.

If I recall, our first date was also at an observatory.

“In that case, what about revisiting that observatory nearby? It's only a few hours' drive.”

“Might take a bit longer if we dragged a heap of cans behind.”

“We probably shouldn't try that on Japanese roads, you know.”

As a cop, I couldn't pardon this.

The idea of revisiting a dating spot from our youth was not a bad one, but Hitagi didn't seem too keen on it, and she exaggeratedly tilted her head—a gesture straight out of the anime.

"What's up. If there are no lodging facilities, we could rent a camper van or something. The state should…"

"There's no need to bring up the state for that. You should be able to rent a car by yourself, right? Anyway, over there, I go pretty often, usually with my dad and Kanbaru."

"Really?"

While I was training as an FBI investigator, Senjougahara and Kanbaru rekindled their relationship… It's good that she's getting along with her family, which was delicate for a time, but still.

Whether that's how she truly feels or not, at least Hitagi says it's fine with her, but what does her father—and my in-law—think about it?

To have the surname he gave his daughter smeared by some random guy's…

Whoops, gotta stop thinking about it. If I'm not careful, my thoughts get pulled in that direction. The gravity of the issue is too strong.

I'm sure the meaning is just as precious either way, but the name Senjougahara is quite rare, so I can't help but contemplate the loss…

"Rather than somewhere you always go, like the supermarket, it should be somewhere special for the ceremony. If it's too familiar, the memories don't stick as strongly. Shouldn't you make memories of going somewhere you've wanted to, like an observatory? Or New Zealand is good, but wasn't there an amazing one in Hawaii or something?"

“Hmm. Electronic telescopes on that scale exceed my realm of expertise. But in the end, it seems we come back to America. Another idea is to go all the way to the Arctic Circle to see the auroras.”

“The Arctic. Mm, I wonder if Kagenui-san is doing all right.”

She doesn't live at the North Pole year-round of course, but when I hear “Arctic” she’s the first thing I think of—her and her shikigami. With that shikigami we could go anywhere in an instant... But the days of merrily living with a corpse doll under the same roof ended quite some time ago. Fraternizing with corpses is strictly forbidden nowadays.

The auroras. Not an uninteresting prospect.

I believe they can be observed either in Canada or the Nordic countries. If given a choice between the two, I would lean towards the latter in this case.

How about Finland, often said to be the closest to Europe? Who wouldn't want to taste the cinnamon rolls straight from their birthplace? The progress of women's social advancement in the Nordic countries is also noteworthy, and I assume, with a vague image in mind, that there wouldn't be any stipulation requiring spouses to share the same surname.

“Aha!”

And then it struck me.

It struck me like a shooting star.

As I've grown older, my brain has lost its freshness, and such instant inspirations have become all too rare these days. But at this moment, I felt that I had truly been hit by inspiration.

Not merely a shooting star, it could be likened to the brilliance of the Aurora itself.

Too bad about the Finnish licorice, but there was no need to cross the ocean for one. Couldn't there be an equally fantastic location in our very own country for our honeymoon? Although we wouldn’t be able to see any auroras for sure, the destination would more than compensate for it. We could call it a return to our roots.

Nay, there's no other way to describe it other than our roots.

“Senjougahara.”

“What? Do you still intend to rebel against our nation?”

“No, no, it's my love for our country! And our honeymoon destination.”

“……”

“Let's go to Senjougahara. According to our class president who knows everything, it's one of Japan's most beautiful marshlands for stargazing.”

Next Chapter

Originally: "DV". Refers to domestic violence in Japan, where men who were previously reserved but become violent after marriage are called "DV Men".

Dragging empty cans behind a car is a couple activity, the loud clatter they produce being a symbol of auspiciousness.

Tokyo Narita Airport is the largest international airport in Japan, and a necessary stop for many newlywed couples traveling abroad. However, because some shortcomings or habits of each person are exposed during the trip, many couples choose to divorce after leaving Narita Airport when their honeymoon comes to an end.

Haneda: Tokyo Haneda Airport. Kanku: Kansai International Airport. 

[variousqueerthings]

ok having watched two episodes

Pros:

Kenny and Shawn Payne are very well-written siblings and the plot gives them some really beautiful moments of brotherly support

Kyler and Brucks have some really good (and funny) growth

Sam and Tory teased as learning to get on, but there's still more to do for them

Johnny has a moment of real ADHD vibes while at Larusso Auto (his leg just goin BRRRRRRRRR)

There is a moment of (potential) Johnny growth when he joins Larusso Auto

Kreese's gay fuckn hallucination

Chozen and Johnny have some fun bonding moments while Johnny gets a house

Chozen + Larussos poly-threesome vibes continue

Robby and Miguel are N'Sync

I like that Miguel is getting more focus again -- trying to figure out if he should go for uni when he doesn't know if they can pay for it, but deciding to go for his dreams

I like the new Miyagi-do image with the eagle flying overhead, I can get behind that

Kim Da-Eun. I really like her inclusion in the lore. I'd do it differently, but the thing is she's there, and that's better than if she weren't there, and the rest is fanfic! (where's that post about Kim Da-Eun making out with women? someone get her and Carmen to meet stat!)

Cons:

stupid fuckn weird Korean Spirit Quest that undermines the whole point of Kreese in the OG movie

Carmen... listen in my head Carmen has a rich narrative going on that I'm writing parallel to this plot happening

Johnny still isn't someone who ought to have another child/his growth is far too slow and far too late + it very rarely comes from within (there is a scene where he uses the "fist-clench" keeping in anger technique he learnt from Miguel back in s1 and that was fun, but mostly it's like "ah the roof caved in we need a new house, thank goodness this guy recognises me back from 1983 and is willing to rent for cheap")

feel like there hasn't been much going on with Daniel so far and I worry about what we're going to get with him

I feel like Sam should've been there for Kyler's growth, I think that would have been a minor healing moment for her, but alas this show is evermore dividing its plotlines into "the boys over here and the girls over there," which also makes it more obvious when "the girls" aren't in the plots as much because there are wahaaay more boys

overall, more pros than cons so far + I mean. I knew a fair few of these cons were gonna be there, which is kinda relaxing to me. I'm there for the pros, that's what I'm watching for. as for the rest... I'm not not noticing it, but I am like. *shrug* I know you of old

[mischas]

i think you’ve talked abt this on the blog before but the js decision that sethmer was the “light/fun” couple and ryissa was the “dark/angsty” couple genuinely aided in the destruction of the show. the balance was so much better in s1 - there’s a sweetness to ryissa that’s never replicated again (for obvious bts reasons ofc, but the writing didn’t help either) and the push and pull of sethmer feels rlly natural instead of how contrived it becomes in late s2 and with the college arc. having the comic book storyline happen alongside the trey storyline is laughable and is probably when the show starting jumping the shark when it comes to relationships. there was so much depth to sethmer that got wasted and of course josh & stephanie’s only storyline ideas for marissa were just ways to punish mischa.

It absolutely did. It's ridiculous and shoots them all in the foot early. The shifts in s2 were massively impacted by irl stuff though so bts dynamics and writing were going hand in hand. I reckon they were going hand in hand all the way back in s1 too and we just didn't totally know about that until recently. At least I didn't. Not as much, at least. The bts stuff also comes from JS' preference for Rachel and SS as his self-insert relationship that only grows as s1 progresses. It just does, and that we've known for a long time. I think there was some old late s1 press saying the writers were partial to SS and were never gonna make them unlikeable. And it's just like... ok then. First off, being likeable has nothing to do with emotional resonance and grounded storytelling. There's a reason Adam says their stuff should've been stretched for entire seasons to really make things impactful and tell a worthwhile story. And I think he says it in the nicest way possible, but he's basically saying they never made it meaningful enough. Or at least beyond s1 they didn't.

Seth's 127 departure is so impactful on 201 and that iconic scene at the end of 202 but then it's mentioned like... one more time in 214? Summer spends s2 mad at him but flirting with him in the same breath. And that's fun but like... give us something meatier. We later learn in 310 that Summer's mother abandoned her. Let's dig into that!! And how Seth leaving and coming back expecting a reunion was incredibly fucked up! But they just do not go there ever in a real way and it's too bad. Seth has done fuck all to deserve Summer's forgiveness/love in 214 but he gets it anyway. And his obsessing over her sex life is not cute!!!!

I'm sure I've written entire books worth of content about RM needing more lightness. Their s1 balance being what it is just makes me more sus of bts influence. Marissa's dealing with SA/death/violence/depression/substance abuse this whole time and they can never spread that wealth around to ensure everyone's got some good drama going on. It's essentially that Squidward window meme from s2 on, lol.

[the-owl-house-takes]

https://www.tumblr.com/the-owl-house-takes/743803748916314112/httpswwwtumblrcomthe-owl-house-takes74359614?source=share

Revisting a take I made regarding Ammy.

I admit, looking back, my take on Amity was worded poorly and was not so good in general. I'm willing to admit that and learn from my mistake.

I do not hate Amity nor think she's badly written, though I believe she is far from perfect in terms of writing. (Still, not bad).

Regarding me mentioning me not liking how Amity's dream of joining the emprrors coven was shifted into something Odalia wanted. What I meant is that, I thought it should've stayed something Amity wanted outside of her parents. It's just something I would have preferred happening, and imo it shouldn't have been something just mentioned in a one scene. It should've been a little more present throughout the show, even when she's dating Luz. I'm not saying they should've made a whole ass episode of it, no, sudden mentions and scenes would have been nice imo but atlas you know who was being a bitch. I didn't agree with the crew only waiting to bring it up again 1 season later and only to just reveal to something Odalia wanted, (On a side note I think Odalia wanting that of Amity should've also been shown instead of told. We were pretty robbed of getting more depth to the Blights as a family).

Next, regarding Reaching Out going against my point of Amity not having much of a goal. When I said goal, I didn't mean goals like 'Going to the gym', 'Sleeping eariler'. I meant life goals, like what she wants to be when she goes up Yada Yada. But now that I look at it, I'm fine with it either way. (I just hate that the episode was also used to try and get us to forgive Alador. Heard there was a deleted scene where he was meant to be shown more as an abuser). However, she's 14, and I was an idiot to expect much of her.

Again, I apologize for my bad take, and I'm willing to say myself it was poor. I know Amity was 14. However, I still believe they should've better developed her outside of Lumity. Like giving her a little more moments to reconnect with Willow after years, I would have preferred for them to show her trying to figure out a life goal out for herself to better develop her. I feel like if Amity genuinely wanted to join the coven, it would have been a tad better. Maybe I'm just being a greedy like slime and asking for too much but it's food for thought. Again, I'm not saying to give us a whole ass episode of these moments, just B plots or scenes. That's it.

The whole 'Amity is just tomato gay girlfriend after lumity' thing also refers a little to the fandom, I've seen countless people reduce her to just Luz's girlfriend and refuse to see her as more. It pissed me off, honestly. Again, Amity should've had more moments outside of Luz and had more time to develop her as a character and her relationships with other characters.

Also, sorry for how angry I sounded in that take, I was having a shitty day, and my mood was just scrambling itself into nonsense. Unfortunately, my thoughts get a little nonsensical and shit so I apologize for that as well.

I still stand by the Huntlow and Alador opinions, however. They're getting the boot. *kick*

-

[scarabjewels]

My Only Qualm With The Nightmare Before Christmas

We are all thinking it, so I'll say it out loud: Sally and Jack should have had better chemistry in the movie, other than Sally being down bad.

I know that this goofy spooky tale of a burnout artist rediscovering passion by committing a plethora of crimes yet turned out to be a beloved weirdo favourite character of all time is a beautiful movie, I just wish the side love story was BETTER.

I'll say it: Tim Burton should've had more say in that part of the story because Henry made it a little too...meh.

From what I have observed from Burton's work on love stories, he does know how to incorporate chemistry within his characters, even if they aren't in love stories. I only knew 3 movies of Selick and his work on how couples work isn't too bad but not so great either. This is purely opinionated, by the way, to take these words with a grain or maybe a teaspoon of salt. In James in the Giant Peach, the centipede and Miss Spider were given "already married" vibes. Their chemistry was good, but their journey was not fleshed out at all because it wasn't needed. The same goes for Coraline's parents. I don't think he clicks well with those kinds of stories. Otherwise, he is very good with epics or the classic "hero's journey." For Tim, he is actually quite the romantic. He did well with his previous works that I saw, like Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, and even Dark Shadows. Before you say Wednesday, it was okay. I just didn't like Tyler, I was suspicious of him from the get- go, my sensors were going off the roof. Anyway, the point is it would have been a little different if Burton had directed it, but he loved Batman Returns a little more.

Now, to the important topic, Jack and Sally's love story.

The movie didn't really give them the chance to progress and build ACTUAL chemistry. We were literally introduced to Sally sneaking around to see or stalk Jack, which can be normal given the context that the townsfolk of Halloween Town is well Halloween-y, but we don't get much about them together. If the love story wasn't added but those scenes of them interact remain, I would've thought they were good friends with potential, and fanfictions would have written better plots for them to get together. Honestly, we know they did. They are good friends, and I can really see that, but they really missed the mark in the show and tell with their relationship.

Case 1: Sally is basically living her own tale already, yet had little interaction with Jack.

I understand that she is supposed to have a crush on her friend, the Pumpkin King, but she was doing quite well with her own arc! The movie showed her estranged relationship with her "creator," often sneaking out and would even go to lengths of poisoning just to have some agency for her life. That was already pretty good, yet the point of her character was supposed to be...Jack's rock?

Look, Sally as a stand alone character is so good but the lackluster of actual substance between her and Jack is just so empty and it's like there was no build up for their ending. The movies just gave us their similarities and differences, separate journeys as individuals, and how well they can actually work together. Yet we get a nom conversation scene of Sally sneaking out to help Jack with her potions and ideas, sewing Jack's Santa suit and Sally blushing when she gets saved by Jack. Hello? Where is the chemistry??? At least give me small cute interactions of "Hey Sally" "Hey Jack" every time they interact.

Case 2: Jack and Sally seemed to be friends and then out of no where, they become a couple?

I was young and stuff but I feel like I missed the build up of them falling in love?? Its like The movie convincing me that there was a ham on the table the whole time when I smelled no meat cooking? Gaslighting me much???

Sally has a crush on him. WE GET IT. How about Jack??? What he saves her then suddenly he realizes he liked her the whole time? HOW? It's frustrating to find no clues at all other than polite words of "I am trusting you with this important task, my dear friend!" With that showmanship gusto. What I'm just seeing is that Jack sees her as a good friend, like how he sees most of the citizens in Halloween Town. We didn't see an actual intimate status of how deep their friendship is. I mean, if a small conversation of them just happened when Sally gave her trinkets to help him on his midlife crisis (actually, I want to just call it a hyperfixation), they really could've done something more with that storyline. A HUGE MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

Case 3: The movie literally was gaslighting us with this "love story"

The whole time, we were LED to believe Sally's feelings were unrequited and that she was at least APPRECIATED by Jack. And then, Jack saves her and Santa, suddenly he realizes he likes her? HOW DID WE EVEN GET THERE??

I was losing my mind like, did I miss something? When did all of that happen? What kind of message is this movie sending?

"Hey kids! Remember, if you try hard enough, they just might like you back".

Look, Sally is quirky and as much as I adore her, I do not condone her stalking tendencies. I get that she was trying to help in her own way and in the context of Halloween Town, this kind of behaviour is probably either fine or normal. The citizens' job is to literally sneak and scare. But, it still could send a misguided message.

I was reminded of Dylan's (Dylan Matthews, Dylan is in Trouble) commentary on "The Devil Wears Prada" where he said that movies really have to be careful with sending messages, he was referring to how Andy was seeing success in her job but dropped a dress size. While a lot of people could interpret this as bad sacrifices for a career, some could misinterpreting it as success equals those types of sacrifices, which is a no-no. The point of that scene is that Andy was engaging in toxic behaviours to succeed in a career she didn't even like in the first place.

Now, with the Nightmare Before Christmas, they were a little careless with the messages of how the two characters' love story worked. It came across lacklustre and had terrible to NO progression at all. They really messed up with this. Lucky for them, people still loved those characters as their individualities were fleshed out well. Also, because the games and books fixed this problem a little bit.

To my point, there was no love story during the whole movie, just a lovestruck girlie pop and a burnt out artist. Then, a Houdini magic show somehow came into the picture and decided to have Jack and Sally kiss by the end.

But here is the thing, the video games gave us the chemistry that lacked in the movie.

Kingdom Hearts delivered what I was deprived of.

Also, I got this image from a subreddit post that didn't like Sally because she "never believed in him". And the replies were good: "because Jack has bad ideas" and a reply to that comment: "that's the exactly the point, the town always gets swept up by his ideas and Sally is level headed enough to see that it's not a great idea".

She really is though, Jack is a showman with either hit or miss ideas and Sally is essentially the woman behind the man, so I guess it kinda makes sense that she would be the town's Pumpkin Queen.

I have YET TO READ IT AND I HAVE THE PDF!!!

[galvanizedfriend]

hi, love <3 so, here's a random thought I'd like to share with you.

I always mention how much I would've loved to see The Wolf instead of The original as a TVD spin off, but, even though my though I still stand this statement, I think it would've not been the same.

Let me elaborate:

as I said many times before, your writing is the key of the whole story. Since you always narrates things such as inner thoughts, feelings and point of views, we also get an explanation about why a certain thing is happening ( i.e. the ending smut of chapter 30). However, no matter how talented the actor is, this thing never happens in TV shows, and it sadly leads to misinterpretation (either of the character or their action) and "randomness".

For example: Caroline is my babygirl, but I just know that if people would've *watched* instead of *reading* The Wolf, they would've hated her. Calling her a bad s/o, mother and friend because they would just judge her by her actions without knowing what's going on with the characters, misinterpreting her struggle for bitchness or something along those lines.

In conclusion, even though I would pay MILLIONS to just erase TO and bring TW to live action, I'm also happy to know that my favs are "covered" from the hate they have already received because the shows never portrait them and their issues in the right way.

that's it, just wanted to share this piece of mind that have been floating around my head for a while! lemme know what you think!

Under the cut because I got rambly. 😂

That makes sense. Obviously books/fics/any written content will always be much more dense than TV shows or movies because you get to be inside characters' heads, while on TV content you can only count on actors finding a way to translate these emotions, and some of them don't even have that capacity tbh.

Not to say that The Wolf would've been better than the actual show (I mean, I have my biased opinions, but that's just me 😂), but I think the writing on The Originals obviously contributed a lot to how bad the show was a lot of the time. It simply lacked substance, there were many times when things just straight out didn't make sense. At first glance it might seem like TW and TO are almost interchangeable, but they're really not, and this is a point I have been making over the years. It's not just about the obvious changes (Caroline instead of Hayley, which is a BIG change btw), but it's especially about the more subtle ones. The amount of thought I put into those scenes, characters, dialogues - it might not seem like it, but it's crazy. And so if you read the final product and you think 'wow! this makes sense! it should've been like this!' it's because there were loads of changes done to not only that part, but parts that came before, that suddenly, when put together, paint things under a completely different light.

The problem with TO for me is that it starts off from a place of complete nonsense, so everything that comes after that is building on top of a fragile foundation. I mean, they start off the show by retconning every single character to a certain degree. What can we expect after that? They were more interested in erasing everything that came before on The Vampire Diaries than in doing justice to the characters, so there's no way that could've ever been 100% solid. It had its moments, I can't say that it didn't, but it was mostly scattered scenes here and there, or ideas you could see that were good in theory (like the premise of S3), rather than entire story arcs within the show.

My point is that I don't think the lack of inner monologuing is the main problem with TO. There is a way to have compelling and profound writing even when you don't have narration to compose your scenes, and the fact some screenwriters are incapable of doing that is the reason why so many book to TV adaptations are so crappy. You have to be really inventive to make it work, and the crew on TO simply wasn't. But there were moments!

However, regarding Caroline and the things she does throughout the story, like going back to Mystic Falls in TW2 for instance, or when she leaves the compound in TW1. Honestly, even if that had been written by the best screenwriter in the world (obviously not me), and if Candice King had given an Oscar-worthy performance, people would still call her a bitch. 😂 There's a real edge of misogyny in how people judge female characters a lot more harshly than their male counterparts, especially when the things they do displease the male character, which was the case here. I got so many comments from people who were mad at Caroline because 'she should've just trusted Klaus, Klaus is a hybrid, he's the strongest, he knows better', completely disregarding the fact Klaus is basically a psychopath with trust and anger issues who was by no means a pillar of warmth and sanity a lot of the time. Caroline was, from start to finish, the most reasonable, stable person in that entire story, but there were many times when people were blaming her for things that were just not her fault. She was pregnant, alone, scared, trying to stay alive, to protect her child, and Klaus was at the peak of a downward spiral where he was listening to absolutely no one, but somehow Caroline was the one in the wrong for not trusting that he wouldn't act like a maniac. 😂

I'm not saying that is what you're saying, btw, I'm just saying Caroline would've been judged no matter what. But yes, she probably would've been very harshly criticized if this had been the show. Already she is! There's a lot of people who dislike her for how hard she was on Klaus, like he didn't deserve it. 😂

Having said all that 😂 I do give myself some credit for the fact people were feeling so much for Klaus in spite of everything lol He's very intense and dramatic in how he takes offense. If he thinks he's been wronged (and he thinks he's been wronged whenever someone doesn't take his side in a dispute, whatever that might be), he just goes all out, and he's merciless in how he judges the people around him, alwaus making himself out to be the victmized party. He might regret his actions later (usually because of that darned little thing called consequence), but never initially, and he's also terrible at apologies. So I wanted his POVs to be about how the whole world was against him, and how he knew what he was doing, and he couldn't trust anyone, etc etc, and people bought it. Personally, I was always on Caroline's side, but even though I know people were likely to side with Klaus anyway because that's the way it is, and people are biased towards him, I also think I might have manipulated them a little bit.

But I just reminded myself today that there is a very basic difference between canon and TW that means one could never replace the other which is that Caroline is a witch. 😂 That justifies her getting pregnant, but then it changes her entire backstory.

I hope my response didn't come out as though I'm being harsh or anything. Your pondering just got me thinking, and that's actually something I've thought about a lot throughout the years because I have certainly gotten many comments like what you said. Thanks very much for sharing! I really love reading that kind of thing. ❤️

[kiss-my-freckle]

Full Episode Commentary

1x22: Founder's Day

One of the things you should know about the writing… some of these episodes end completely opposite how they start. Elena opens the episode as Katherine. Katherine ends the episode as Elena.

I feel the need to point this out while she's dressing up as Katherine because it builds and builds as the seasons move along. "Did Stefan think that he could use me to replace her?" Note how she puts this necklace on whie standing in front of an oval mirror. It's as if Stefan's desire is becoming a reality.

Damon and Stefan are at the Founder's Day event. Stefan hsa the nerve to ask Damon what he's doing there, treats him as if he doesn't belong. I love Damon's response. "Why wouldn't I be here? Bonnie deactivated the Gilbert invention, Isobel is gone and it's Founders' Day! I'm here to eat cotton candy and steal your girl." This is what it sounds like for Damon to feel at home again, and he's being honest. He plans to steal Stefan's girl, he's just not ready. "You started this, Stefan... with that whole 'I'm insecure, leave Elena alone' speech." Damon is just as honest here. He's saying the same thing I said. Stefan should've left Isobel's words with Isobel. Stefan knew better, but he let his jealousy get the better of him. Damon is now a danger to the Stelena ship. They show Damon's rebellious nature over and over again. I feel this is the aspect of Damon's character that Katherine preyed on.... his rebellious nature. "Who needs rules?"

Damon is a rebel, a rule breaker. Tell Damon not to do something, he's gonna do it. You see this in the pilot episode.

Stefan: Not here. I won't allow it. Damon: I take that as an invitation.

You hear this again in 1x6.

Elena: And yet you let him get involved with Caroline? Stefan: Forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous, believe me.

Hear it again in 1x13.

Damon: My father never approved of anyone I dated, which only made me want them more. Of course. 

You even see this in season 2.

Katherine: I knew that if I begged you not to kill Elijah, that's exactly what you'd do.

So when I say that Stefan should've left Isobel's comment with Isobel, trust I mean it. Stefan knew better, but he let his jealousy get the better of him.

Stefan: History will not be repeating itself where Elena is concerned. Do you understand what I'm saying? Do you understand?

What you get with Damon and Elena in this episode is the direct result of Stefan disrespecting Damon, in thinking he's the one who gets to make the rules.

Damon: Hey look, I get it, I get it. I'm the better, hotter, superior choice. And you're scared now that Katherine is out of the picture, that I'm gonna turn all my attention to Elena. But don't worry, Elena is not Katherine. Stefan: You're right, she's not.

This mantre works in Damon's favor. Stefan believes it works in his because Elena is a good person, so he believes she'll always choose the "good" brother. It was always Stefan for Katherine. It will always be Damon for Elena.

I love how this mantra spills from Damon's lips as Elena comes out dressed as Katherine. History started repeating itself from the moment Stefan entered Elena's life pretending to be human... just as Katherine entered their lives pretending she was human. I'm basically saying Stefan is a little late in telling Damon that history won't be repeating itself where Elena is concerned. That's not his choice to make, it never was. I love her dress. Their responses are a direct result of her being dressed like Katherine. Damon isn't happy with it. She's dressed like the woman that abandoned him. But Stefan... he's quite comfortable with his Katherine replacement. Elena's curtsy in this scene is a basic way of paying respect to the man that escorted her at the Miiss Mystic pageant. That's why she directs it at Damon.

Anna stops in to see Jeremy as he gets dressed for the event. He's part of the parade, so he's dressing up like 1864 Damon. I love how Jeremy is written between these brothers. He's having a hard time, now stuck beteween John and Anna. He understands wanting John to protect the people in the town, but also understands vampires wanting a place to call home. If not for the tomb vampires wanting revenge, Jeremy would've completely sided with Anna and saw John for what he really is. I'm not sure what he expected Anna to do… but staying in the town that killed her mother isn't gonna happen. Anna hands him a vial of her blood so he can turn into a vampire. He's changed his mind… for the moment. I honestly would've loved to see Jeremy as a vampire in season 2.

Damon: Oh, and when you do tell Elena and she needs a friend to talk to about anything, I'm here for her. Stefan: I just… I wanted to tell you before Damon dropped it on you in some typically inappropriate way.

Damon gets Stefan to reveal his jealousy. If Damon had any intention of telling Elena about John, she'd already know. Stefan makes a lot of assumptions about Delena's friendship.

The 1864 of it all. Resurrecting a character. Some fans mistake Damon's character journey. They're not redeeming him, they're resurrecting him. His redemption takes place in his human life with Elena. A resurrection is what you'd want for a character that spends 145 years being something other than himself.

Jeremy is pretty damn pissed at Elena, and I honestly don't blame him. She took away his choice to mourn Vicki properly. She also took away his choice to not have vampires in his life when she invited the Salvatores into hers. This knife cuts both ways. Stefan invited Damon into Elena's life when he chose to enter her life, then Elena invited the Salvatores into Jeremy's ife when she welcomed them into hers. Elena is having a difficult time because she's trying to be the best friend and the parent… and you can't be both. That's why Jeremy is so pissed at her. She made a parental decision for him, and kids hate their parents for a reason lol

"Why don't you have Damon erase my memory again? Then I could go back to being your in-the-dark little brother." Secrets keep people in the dark. That's why Elena needed to know they're vampires... Stefan had her dating him in the dark. Damon acts like a light in the dark for Elena.

Like Jeremy, Tyler is dressed like 1864 Damon.

Damon: I was fighting for the South. It's not exactly a time I like to reminisce about in front of my friends." Oscar: Yeah, you had the same opinion back then. Hated everything your side believed in. Hey, you wanted to desert, but feared shaming your old man.

And again, Elena is dressed like Katherine. It's best to understand going forward that the parade float is for the Miss Mystic pageant, so you'll understand why these scenes are the way they are.

Damon's signature moment is literally put on parade. Stefan was devouring Amber during the pageant. One episode of playing suicidal vamp, and everyone forgets about the girl he nearly killed in the woods.

This is Damon playing off of his moment, and you can click to view larger if you want.

This is how Elena responds in Stefan's jealousy of their friendship.

This is the whole of their "near touch" dancing. This is every bit why you get Valerie vervaining Caroline's skin in season 7. It's to make it so Stefan can't touch her. He has to understand the purpose of the near touch.

Carol: There's no touching during this part. Katherine: No touching, Mr. Salvatore. Those are the rules.

For now... he's the same with Elena that he was with Katherine.

Damon has been trying to get a clean slate with Bonnie since 1x9. The difference between this attempt and his last two attempts is the lack of benefit. He has nothing to gain in this scene, he truly wants a clean slate with her. "The device that Emily spelled could have killed me. I don't take what you did lightly, so thank you." She's withholding the truth about the device. It can still kill him. It can kill both of them.

It takes a long time for Bonnie to understand Damon.

John is setting up the vampire device in his brother's medical office. A lot of this is additional to their Augustine storyline. I don't know when they decided on Damon's 1953 storyline, but a lot of their seeds were in place before season one finished. Most of their seeds for the Augustine storyline can be found in 1x5. They also use 1953 for Stefan's "date war" with Mr. Tanner in 1x3.

Any vampire within a five-block radius of the device will be at risk of death by fire. Given the way they cut scene, it's to my understanding that the vampire leader is John's source on their revenge plot. I'm assuming he made a deal with this tomb vampire for the sake of taking out all the others. So 15 tomb vampires plus the 2 Salvatore boys. That's what John is looking to kill. Their soundtrack in this scene refers to the night Damon and Elena first met...

Somewhere in this city is a road I know Where we could make it But maybe there's no making it now Too long we've been denying Now we're both tired of trying We hit a wall and we can't get over it

Lifehouse - It Is What It Is

Damon is the only one that tells Elena the period look didn't suit her and he likes her better like this. Just Damon. He basically tells her the "Katherine" look didn't suit her and says it's a compliment of the highest order. He has no plans to repeat history… that's really what Stefan's comment boils down to. Stefan tells him that history won't be repeating itself with Elena… when Damon had his heart broken by Katherine. I'm just glad they took their time with Delena because I didn't want Elena to be a rebound for him. But I do consider her a rebound for Stefan. In the 145 years he's been a vampire, Lexi is the only woman he's been emotionally involved with.

They're both withholding their conversations with Stefan. Elena does everything she can to avoid the Salvatores fighting over her. She pulls this… back-to-back silence in 1x22 and 2x1. She doesn't tell Damon that Stefan was talking smack behind his back and she doesn't tell Stefan that Damon tried to kiss her. "History will not be repeating itself where Elena is concerned." I love the way Damon responds to Elena in this scene. "No, nothing worth repeating."

"So, I think you should stop with the flirty little comments and that eye-thing that you do." I love how Damon does the eye thing while asking her what eye thing. "Flirt with your eyes." She's talking about the flirt with his eyes at the parade. It's all Miss Mystic pageant stuff, his signature moment. Damon hates seeing Elena hurt. But honestly… his confrontation with Jeremy is something I'd expect from him. He just got done choking the hell out of Elena's biological mother for threatening her. This is where Stefan's jealousy comes in. Isobel didn't randomly guess that Damon is in love with Elena. Stefan knows they saw each other. Now he doesn't want Damon getting in Elena's relationship with Jeremy. "What are you doing? Elena's relationship with her brother is none of your business. So stay out of it!" Idiotic for Stefan to redirect Damon when he dug into Elena's adoption before he even met her… which was none of his business. He then put a wedge between her and Jenna when he revealed Elena's adoption to her.

Stefan's jealousy is hilarious. It's not like Damon was gonna knock Jeremy unconscious while there's a party going on outside. "What are you doing? Elena's relationship with her brother is none of your business. So stay out of it!" I wonder if Stefan would say the same of Damon attacking Isobel in the previous episode. "Get over yourself. We both know you're not doing this for the right reasons." Damon notes Stefan's jealousy lol... and you can tell Stefan is jealous just by the look in his eyes.

"Well, see Damon, it's only real when it comes from your desire to do the right thing for nothing in return. And I know that it is an entirely foreign concept to you. I completely understand that you wouldn't get it." Says the brother that entered Elena's life for himself because he knew what he'd get out of a relationship with her. "I have to know her." It's not like Stefan entered Elena's life simply to help her move on from the death of her parents. According to Stefan, Stelena isn't real because it didn't come from his desire to do the right thing for nothing in return. Here, have this parallel...

Liz: You've gone behind my back? Lockwood: Yeah... because we knew this is exactly how you'd react.

Stefan: Why? Because I kept it a secret from you? Come on, Elena. Look, given the way you're reacting right now, can you really blame me for doing that?

John and Mayor Lockwood are using the people in their town as bait to kill the tomb vampires. Liz is pissed and feels them both insane, but Mayor Lockwood is completely on board with the plan. John tells him to leave because plan or not, Mayor Lockwood wouldn't let him knock out Liz the way he does. He handcuffs her as far away from her belt as possible so she can't reach her cuff key.

Anna approaches Damon and informs him about the attack the tomb vampires have planned on the founding families. Because he believes the device has been deactivated by Bonnie, he warns Alaric and tells him to get some stakes ready. "Saving your life." It's adorable the way he holds Eleana's hand against his chest. He does this a lot. I love Caroline's desire to fix every fight. She's currently trying to patch things up beteeen Tyler and Matt.

Mayor Lockwood hits the Grill to tell Tyler to head home. Because they're using the townspeople as bait, he doesn't want him around when they decide to strike. He talks Matt and Caroline into going with Tyler. Anna meets up with Jeremy and takes him into the Grill bathroom. They start the fireworks, which is the planned time of the attack for John's inside source. He had his source plan the attack at the same time they start the fireworks so that he knows when to turn on the Gilbert device. The fireworks display is also the best time to do it because everyone will be too busy watching them to pay mind to the vampires dropping like flies. Damon walks in, still having no idea that the device actually works. He believes John put everyone in danger. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"John turns on the device… and they all fall down.

This scene is insane. If not for Alaric, both the Salvatore brothers would be dead. They have Jeremy dating Bonnie in season 2 when she's responsible for Anna's death. Like I said before, this device works like Bonnie's head trick, but on a much larger scale. It covers a 5 block radius, making the blood vessels in their brains go pop. That's why I think it's insanely brilliant how the writers had them doing fireworks whie using the device. Because vampires heal quickly, it can be done over and over again. Pop, pop, pop. They're all dropping because it's looping without stopping. It's because it also works on werewolves that you see Bonnie's head trick continue into season 2. They even have Elijah's witches use it. And it makes sense for the device to affect werewolves because it basically acts as a painful dog whistle. Tyler ends up getting into an accident because it's that painful. And as the medics work on him, his eyes reveal that he's some kind of supernautral. Very pretty. Because Caroline was in the car with him, she ends up in the hospital after her collapse.

I would tell you about this save Alaric pulls with Stefan, but I'm saving it for my season one gif post. He helps Elena move Stefan out of the way so that he doesn't get taken by one of their deputies. The device affected Mayor Lockwood just as it did Tyler, so the deputies inject him with vervain and put him with the tomb vampires. Anna is still in the bathroom screaming in Jeremy's arms when she gets taken. John packs up the device and leaves.

I'm not sure how many tomb vampires are in the basement, but my last count was at 16. I see 7 tomb vampires in their aerial view, along with Damon and Mayor Lockwood. Anna grabs at John's ankle. He turns around and realizes it's her. She begs him to spare her life, but he doesn't. Damon is truly trying to save her… you can hear it in his breath. He then lets out a grunt when he sees the stake go. It's insanely painful for him to watch. Some of the vampires starts to sizzle in the fire… Damon feels the need to turn his head away from them. From my count, that's 9 tomb vampires left.

Stefan describes how it feels to have the blood vessels in his brains pop. "It was like needles were piercing my skull and it just stopped." When Alaric tells Stefan and Elena where they took the tomb vampires, Stefan pieces it together. John used his brother's medical practice. Because it's a Gilbert property, Stefan realizes they were attacked by the Gilbert device. Elena thinks Bonnie deactived the device, but Stefan corrects her.

Stefan: We asked Bonnie to deactivate a device that could protect people against vampires. Elena: So we could protect you. Stefan: And Damon. Vampires.

Stefan doesn't view vampires as people. This is the second comment that I know of where he differentiates people and vampires. Damon is human-vampire specific because he sees vampires as people.

Carol walks into the sheriff's office to find Liz handcuffed. She gets the cuffs off Liz and tells her that her husband was taken, explains that he isn't a vampire. Damon catches sight of the mayor. "I'm a vampire. What's your excuse?" lmfao… he wants to know why the mayor is in the basement with him and the tomb vampires. "No, really. The vervain didn't affect you, you're not a vampire, what the hell are you?" Because the device affected Mayor Lockwood, but the vervain didn't, Damon knows they're some kind of supernatural. His interest gets piqued in season 2 because Mason shows up. If not for Mason, Damon wouldn't bother because he has no beef with Tyler. One of the tomb vampires lives long enough to kill the mayor. While Damon gets off on watching Mayor Lockwood die, John gets off on killing Anna. This is their hate written on opposite sides.

They cut scene to Tyler's werewolf eyes and Caroline's collapse. Stefan catches up to the building where the tomb vampires are burning. John is standing there, watching and smiling. Damon struggles to get up because the vervain is that powerful. Had he died in that fire, I have no doubt Stefan would've killed John. "Go ahead, you won't make it out. It'll save me the trouble of killing you myself." At least he warns Stefan that he plans to kill him. Elena tries to help Stefan save Damon, but John stops her. I love how Elena confronts him about his paternity. He confirms he's her father in his response. She then takes off to help Stefan save Damon.

Bonnie tries to stop Stefan from going in to save Damon. I love this scene. She realizes that her Grams would've died either way because Damon was in the tomb. She has to go through Stefan to kill Damon. It's because Bonnie knows she has to go through Stefan to kill Damon… that she tries to kill Damon while Stefan is busy helping vampire Caroline. Damon knows that Elena is the only reason he's alive. Bonnie wouldn't have bothered otherwise. She… wanted him dead, it's written all over her face. Stefan and Elena catch up, talk about how the fire was covered up for the sake of hiding the death of vampires.

Elena: You care about him, so do I. But I love you, Stefan. And I know that you are worried about that. Stefan: I just… you know, I know my brother. Elena: But I love you, Stefan. Stefan: I know the trouble he can cause. Elena: I love you Stefan. You! Elena: You have nothing to worry about, okay?

lol… I love the fact that Damon doesn't have to start trouble. She falls for him on her birthday. This is the scene where Elena gives Stefan his "You" like Damon's in 4x7. She goes to the school to pick up her stuff from the Founder's Day event.

Jeremy puts the vial of Anna's blood in his desk drawer. He turns to see Damon standing in his doorway. Damon's only issue with their previous scene is his lack of consideration to Jeremy's feelings. He only cared about Elena's. He tells him that Anna is dead, that he was forced to witness it and tried to help her. Damon completely removes Elena from the equation. It's just him and Jeremy. He so much as offers to compel Jeremy without permission from Elena. "Look, I know you think you took it away, but it's still there. Even if I can't remember why." This is the truth of Elena's compulsion in season 6. Damon apologizes to Jeremy for his role in Vicki's death, and in doing so, basically apologizes for his prior actions at the Founder's Day event. But Anna… her death changed Damon.

I feel this scene is extremely important to 2x1. Damon tells Jeremy that he went without his emotions for a very long time, and life was a lot easier. In admitting this, is also admitting his emotions are currently on. If not for this scene, I believe Jeremy would've killed Damon in 2x2… and would've succeeded because of the vervain. Elena has no idea about this scene, and I feel that's why they have a difference of opinion in season 2. She tries to stop Jeremy from hanging out with Damon. When 2x1 comes around and Damon snaps Jeremy's neck, he makes a comment that directs Jeremy back to this moment. A moment specific in the fact that it's about Jeremy's emotions AND Damon's emotions. Jeremy basically realizes that Damon was in so much pain that he snapped his neck. You then get the dual dialogue.

Jeremy: I did it for a… I did it for a very long time, and life was a lot easier. Elena: He doesn't want to feel, he wants to be hated. It's just easier that way.

I like this scene of Tyler and Matt. Caroline was trying to patch things up between them. Girl had to collapse and get sent to the hospital to do that. Like Damon snapping Jeremy's neck ending Jeremy's feud with Elena. Liz explains that there was some internal bleeding, and they're taking Caroline into surgery. Liz tells Tyler to call his mom because Mayor Lockwood was killed. Damon knew that Jeremy was considering vampirism based on his line of questioning. He's in his bathroom, drinking Anna's blood. He then takes the rest of the pills from Elena's car accident with their parents. I can't stop laughing at Bonnie's comment to Stefan. "Even if I have to take you with him."

This is my favorite scene cut in season one…

I love this soundtrack, Bloodstream by Stateless. The lyrics become literal with Elena's transition to vampire. Like I said, the episode ends complete opposite the start. Elena opens the episode as Katherine. Katherine ends the episode as Elena. She's carrying the period dress, the "Katherine" dress… and she is Katherine. Damon takes her dress and her purse and sets them down for her. "I'm not a hero, Elena. I don't do good. It's not in me." Damon is being honest here. He doesn't like taking credit for good deeds, doesn't like playing hero, he'll so much as do bad things so that Stefan doesn't have to…. because he feels Stefan is the hero. That's why he says it's reserved for Stefan. "Because she did it for you. Which means that somewhere along the way, you decided that I was worth saving. And I wanted to thank you for that." Damon is referring to 1x8, but he has no idea. Stefan makes a comment about it in 1x9. "I didn't kill my brother, as much as he deserved it. He has you to thank you for that." That's why Damon thanks "Elena" in this scene. He kisses her on the cheek as a thank you. Because it's really Katherine and she accepts the kiss, he kisses her on the lips. She's referring to this kiss when she tells Damon to kiss her in Masquerade. She wants Elena to feel it. Jenna opens the door and catches them kissing. She assumes Katherine is Elena because she has no idea Elena is a doppelganger. She tells her to get inside, then asks what she's doing. Katherine tells her she doesn't wanna talk about it. Jeremy finishes the bottle of pills and lays in his bed. Katherine cuts off John's fingers, then stabs him in the gut…

I'm pretty sure she did this because John wasn't supposed to add Damon and Stefan to the list, and she's pissed that he did. Elena is on the phone with Stefan when she gets home. She has no idea that John ws just stabbed in her kitchen, or that Jeremy overdosed on pills with blood in his system. He's choosing to become a vampire that can "turn it off" rather than ending his life like Damon tried to do when he was in transition.