#i tentatively plan to watch all the episodes but i'm not 100% how that will go down logistically and if i will take notes on them all

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

my favorite scully and mulder moments from s6

the long kiss between mulder and hallucination/time warp scully in episode 3, which he says is “in case we never meet again”. she responds with a fist to his face- and he remarks that he was expecting a left hook instead of a right. i will think about this forever

scully listening to his rambles after he's been rescued from the ocean and placed in a hospital bed: “i would’ve never seen you again, but you believed in me” “in your dreams”, she laughs

and of course: “hey scully? i love you” “oh, brother” (fade to black as he cradles where she punched him in the face with a smile... haha, yes!!! the surface-level fluff and then the angst beneath it!!!! GOD!!)

episode 4’s area 51 roadtrip dialogue: “outpost 134. two miles to go” (the driest scully voice imaginable) “i’m allllll atingle”

(and then the heart-wrenching monologue of hers that follows: “don’t you ever want to stop? get out the damn car?”, and his frail insistence that they do have normal lives and nothing needs to change..... wow. it hurt splendidly)

they meet up again in episode 5, and scully can't figure out how to get mulder back into his own body. “you don’t look too happy. don’t tell me i’m going to have to put two kids through school” “that is you in there, isn't it, mulder?” <- sobbing. loudly. to recognize someone outside of their own body....

and when he tries so hard to convince scully that she can prove to kersh the nature of the body swap, never doubting her for a moment, she says “i’d kiss you if you weren’t so damn ugly” <- oh!!!! OH!! OH!

him giving her the sunflower seeds to remember him by when they think they are being separated forever... 💔 but don't worry! everything is okay in the end! thank goodness!!

mulder telling her the spooky story of lyda and maurice in episode 6; she tells him it is a great story, and he told it very well, but she has to go spread some holiday cheer!!!

the skeletons they find in the haunted house were wearing their outfits. mulder laughs: “how embarrassing”. and when they realize it's somehow THEM, they FREAK out!!!!!!

lyda teasing them about their feelings for each other, and mulder’s absolute certainly that scully would NOT kill him, no matter what <3

scully coming to his door the morning after the whole debacle instead of opening presents with her family like she said she would- she’s still shaken up, so she asks to come in (her! asking! to come into his apartment!), and he grabs her by the shoulders and guides her in

and he agrees with her claim that all of the ghostly adventures must have all happened in their heads, trying to push the implications out of both their minds

AND the gift exchange that follows, even though they agreed not to buy each other anything… their giant smiles as they tear into the presents on his couch, snow falling out the window <3 when i tell you i could have cried....

they way they look at each other in episode 8 when mr. hardt describes his town as “sexy through the lens of weather”, as if they were going to debrief and laugh about it the INSTANT they got in the car... it was SUCH a besties moment, i lost it

and all of the many times in that episode they were mistaken for a couple... i'm a simple woman, okay? i like simple things

scully responding with absolute silence when mulder says he is helping mr. hardt find a date (“... mulder, when was the last time you went on a date?” “i will talk to you later!” he declares, hanging up)

scully carefully checking mulder for any signs of concussion while he proposes the wild theory that someone purposefully threw a cow at him... really just an average day for them, tbh

the way they worked together to doctor up skinner in episode 9... he turns off all the lights and dangles a desk lamp so she can investigate... oh, that was a GOOD moment among a list of very good moments!!!

scully showing up to the gym where he was playing basketball in episode 11- he shoots a three pointer to impress her, and she says “mulder, it’s my distinct impression that you just cheated” <- get his ass!! (he wanted to WOO HER WITH BASKETBALL🥲)

she shows up again to the gym after they get in trouble and lose their jobs: “scully, you wanna go one-on-one? we’ve got nothing but time now that we’re on administrative leave” “aren’t you curious what i’ve got in the box?” (<- and that's Them, isn't it? he wants to play ball, she wants to play show and tell with the secret documents, they're both getting in trouble, saving the world, ignoring the consequences of their actions... i just love it)

(AND when she shows him sensitive photos of his father with CSM, she waits for him to say that he is ready before moving onto the next picture, trying to give him time to process his world being rocked... so what if i cry?)

being soaking wet and cranky with each other in episode 13: “he’s seen things i’ve only read about” “because sea monsters can only be read about, mulder, because they don’t exist” <- TELL HIM! 🦑

scully’s reaction to learning he has a waterbed in episode 14 AND his puzzled face when he discovers she was not, in fact, the person who gave it to him (WHY DID HE SEEM TO THINK IT WAS HER?? I'M STILL LAUGHING OVER THISSSSS)

their mid-time loop conversation on the nature of fate and free will: “i think that we’re free to be the people that we are- good, bad, or indifferent. i think it’s our character that determines our fate” “all the rest is preordained? i don’t buy that; there’s too many variables”

(but doesn't that show so much of who they are in so few words? isn't that an amazing view into their characters and how they fundamentally differ? AHH, i want to yell about it!!!)

also, there was never a universe where the two of them didn’t charge into the bank to save the day, because that is just who they are ❤️

ALL OF THE FAKE MARRIED MOMENTS IN EPISODE 15!! the angst in the way she shoves him off of her when all the neighbors leave… but how excited they were to search the house for clues… their dramatic commitment to staying in character… “how was your first night?” “oh, it was wonderful; we just spooned up and fell asleep like little baby cats”... cuddled up on the couch in front of the HOA president… scully grabbing his hand when he is told he can’t have a basketball hoop… her awkward laughter at dinner with the neighbors when he makes a joke about eating dolphins... LORD. i was the fan they were servicing

and despite all the silly stuff, they work SO well together to try and get information out of the neighbors.... BUT! scully does not let him kiss her cheek when she gets up to leave and it nearly cracks their facade, lmaoooo

mulder’s gasp when scully emerges from their shared bathroom with a green face mask- and then he immediately tries to play it cool!!!

mulder is digging a hole, and scully asks “do you care to hear what i think?” he answers “always” (screaming a little here)

mulder luring in scully to get involved with the mysterious dog-related deaths in episode 16 by hanging up the photos in their office, because he knows her so well. she's ignoring his ridiculous pun as she focuses on the impossibility of a dog doing these killings: “mulder, i don’t have to tell you how absolutely and completely wrong that seems” <- yeah girl, we know! you want to autopsy right now!!

mulder infodumping on cryptozoology to the cops and scully apologizing on his behalf: “animals that aren’t supposed to exist, like the sasquatch and the ogopogo and the abominable snowman-” “don’t mind him, he’ll go on forever” <- the gentle teasing, the familiarity of it all... to know someone enough to know when they cannot stop... her being so used to his nerdiness... it's all so good

scully knows that karin is tricking mulder the whole time. when she tricks him AGAIN into sitting at the hospital all night, scully snatches the magazine from his hands and turns her body away so that there is visible distance between them DESPITE them sitting on the same couch.... ooooo, that angst is GOOD!

(and later, she falls asleep on the couch, and he uses the magazine to gently tap her awake......)

at the end of the episode, mulder is blaming himself for what went down. scully realizes this, sitting on the edge of the desk, saying that karin analyzed him exactly right, and perhaps in doing so meant to pay him the ultimate compliment. he rubs his eyes like he can barely stay awake, and fidgets with a screwdriver as scully asks him if he will be alright. she's not telling him that it isn’t his fault or rubbing in the fact that she knew he was being manipulated- she's just trying to show him that karin admired him, and she means every word

scully gets so SENSITIVE in episode 17 when she proposes the human combustion theory, which resulted in us getting the incredible line “dear diary, today by heart leapt when agent scully suggested spontaneous human combustion”

flirting in the basement in episode 19: “mulder, it is such a gorgeous day outside. have you ever entertained the idea of trying to find life on this planet?” “i have seen the life on this planet, scully, and that is exactly why i am looking elsewhere” (god, that one had me LAUGHING)

then they spend a long time teasing each other, with him stealing her fake ice cream, and oh!!! the way she LAUGHS when she realizes he was looking at archival baseball scores the whole time!!!

and of course, the beloved baseball date- mulder paying some random kid to put the balls in the battling machine. his hands on her hips. their faces are so close together. he talks in a silly voice on behalf of the bat. rearranging their hands over and over again. she’s giggling. “shut up, mulder. i’m playing baseball”

all of the sweet, sweet hurt/comfort in episode 22 as mulder hears wild ringing noises in his head- scully checking him for a fever and trying to get him to go to the doctor. leading him out of the room when he’s in pain. him insisting he’s okay, but being unable to form a sentence and tell skinner about what they found. her trying to cover for him when he accuses skinner of spying on them. and then scully fully believing that she can speak to him without being hurt despite the fact that he is in a padded room, violent, yelling, and inconsolable....... wow 💗

[poetry-protest-pornography]

ThamePo Episode 10 rambling crying:

I am a mess. This show is incredible. I need twelve hugs.

THEY'RE! SO! SOFT!

the cautious “was last night okay” met with a shy smile and a quiet hummed affirmative, the “do I really have to go?” followed by a tentative “are you going to stay (with me)?” met with a very earnest “I really want to” and topped off with a forehead kiss before he leaves… I am goo

MARS: CONGRATS ON THE SEX *throws confetti* 🤣

Oh no

Fern, I need you to get right in the head, girl.

Oof, they're really leaning into the unhealthy parasocial relationships and the insane pressure on idols, huh? This is so uncomfortable, and I really hope that people watching are internalizing that

MARS (and Po) being 100% focused on how Pepper and Gam are handling the situation and not caring about the charts or the fallout is so lovely. All of them rushing to assure him that they will take care of everything, and that he can go be with his girlfriend so they can figure out what to do together – and Jun being the one to offer the first “we'll handle it”, even! – was wonderful. Nano putting a mask in his hand and Thame offering specific reassurance to Gam that her identity seems safe… ugh. All while people are cursing them out on social media and having full meltdowns that their idol can't possibly love them honestly if they have a partner… big oof

Oh, Gam is wonderful. And Pepper just smiling lovingly at her while she tries to come up with a plan to protect MARS… adorable

Thame really learned the adoring smile and high key competency kink from the best

Hot evil CEO lady absolutely leaked those photos to tank MARS’ song

The passing hand squeeze,I am deceased

Oh, so she leaked them because otherwise Thame would have a scandal. That's worse. This woman needs to stop placing all the blame on Thame and his members ffs

Watch it, Pem, he's going to find the solution and make you look stupid

Oh thank goodness Mick’s laziness saved Po’s job

JoongEst truthers how we doing?

I feel a stairwell yoink coming… HUZZAH

See, Ice is a good bro, Nano’s imaginary song theft scenario was absolutely correct

The *grip* Thame has on Po’s neck? hngh

Fern, girl, seek help

I love that the boys all collectively just commit to the idea that they can and should be able to follow their dreams and also have real lives; that they all agree to go against this main tenant of idol-hood, even if it endangers their future together

Po, u the real MVP my guy. Getting Baifern to get her head on right was a monumental task. Good job, boo

And Gam? Girl, your brain is beautiful, look at you bringing out strategies and shit to support your man and his friends

Oh no

Uch, they're all just so, so sad. This press conference is painful to watch, and them all holding hands under the table and the focus on Per’s not -couple ring made me choke up. The acting these boys are all delivering is incredible, my heart hurts.

The acknowledgement that Gam had just as much to lose, but was facing the lion's share of the backlash was really important, but also ouch

Ouch ouch ouch. Gam breaking Pepper’s heart –and her own– so that he can move forward and see how important he is to the group is going to be my villain origin story. I hope Po can add PerGam to his list of mended relationships 😭

Also, I've been joking about the parallels between Per and Gam’s relationship, and ThamePo’s relationship, but this self sacrifice “I'm not as important as my SOs success” thing is absolutely going to be mirrored and I already hate it

Po struggling so hard not to call Pepper and tell him that Gam sacrificed for him, clearly feeling responsible and wanting his friend to know he's important, only to be interrupted by the PAK news *hurts*

Thame showing up (still bodyguard-less! Still un-masked! Whyyyy) and slipping his hand into Po’s and dropping “I love you” easy as breathing… I can't even talk about it. About how much that means for Po, about how he smiled at Po and at the billboard like getting to tell Po he loves him was a reward he promised himself if they succeeded with the song… the way they are holding onto each other so tightly and so carefully… I am a wreck

[where-theres-smoak-2]

I can't get over the fact that Aleks last words before the destruction of the fold was "extraordinary". That's just so interesting to me. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on it? It reminds me of the scene in ep4 where he faces her and she defends her friends against the nichivoye whilst simultaneously holding him back and for a split second he smiles. It could have been a mocking smile but I like to think he was genuinely impressed by her. I think it might be the same with the destruction of the fold. Again that scene in the spinning wheel might be nothing but still I'm very curious about your thoughts.

I 100% think that smile he gives in ep 4 is because he is impressed with her. It's one of the things I love about darklina, Aleks always reacted to Alina's growing powers with awe, as he said to her he always knew she was meant for more and I think watching her achieve this and grow in power makes him proud of her. Aleks has always reacted to her powers this way, it comes back to that line, 'I've seen what you truly are and I have never turned away, I never will.'

There are so many instances where Aleks has reacted to Alina's power with amazement and awe. Their first meeting in the tent in 1x01, the demonstration for the king in 1x03, the winter fete demonstration in 1x05, the scene in 2x02 when his hand begins to glow with her powers and he realises she is alive and that she has gained the seas whip, he says 'you've grown stronger, my Alina' and again looks very happy about that. In 2x04 when they meet in the hall through the tether bond he says that the sea whip has made her stronger and that the power suits her. Then there was the smile that you mentioned in the same episode. And of course when she brings down the fold. The other thing about the line about never turned away is if watch these scenes where she is showing these displays of power, others will look away and shield their eyes, because you know its bright as hell, meanwhile Aleks doesn't, he always stares straight at alina like he can't tear his eyes away from her, he quite literally never turns away. Its funny because most villains would not react this way to their opponent gaining more power, most would be worried but not Aleks he's just like that's my girl look at her go, even when its her destroying the fold and completely foiling all his plans.

I think for Aleks the more Alina grows in power the more convinced he is that they truly are equals, but in some ways I think he actually holds her higher than he does himself, he's sees her as the grisha's salvation, something that he has been reaching for over hundreds of years, the stronger she becomes the better chance she has of being able to safe the grisha and create that new world for them. Also a grisha's powers are tied to how long they live, Aleks is immortal because of how powerful he is, so I think the more powerful Alina grows the more he is reassured that she is just like him and that they really are destined for each other.

[surrealsunday]

Do you think Big is the mole the Major Family is worried about? Maybe that he’s a double agent for Vegas and the whole Minor family? I really liked his character but I started suspecting him a couple episodes in and I really want to be wrong. I do think he’s in love with Kinn and since he was the closest to him out of all of the bodyguards, and it seemed Kinn and his father both trusted him, he’d be one of the best people to give personal details to Vegas and the minor family while they’re orchestrating their little coup.

Also, if he IS betraying them I wonder why. Was he a plant from the start? Was it because he’s in love with Kinn and jealous so he turned on him? If that is the case, is he dangerous to Kinn and Porsche as he watches them get closer and closer to each other? As he watches Porsche get the love and devotion he always craved from Kinn? When he probably felt used and discarded after he was injured and passed around like he didn’t matter, and in contrast watched Porsche reject everything yet still be welcomed with open arms by not only Kinn, but his father as well? I also suspect that Kinn wasn’t just paranoid about Tawan being a double agent and I think the Minor family has been setting this up from the inside for a while by playing the long game. I can’t wait to watch it unfold.

Then again I could be completely wrong about all of this so I’m curious on what you think. Don’t apologize for rambling or ranting either. I like long detailed replies so gimme all of your theories.

Honestly... I don't think Big is the mole. I could obviously be wrong but no I've never really been behind that theory. And I could totally be wrong about him having a major crush on Kinn too. I know nothing from the book (as I prefer) so it's fully just me speculating. His behaviour could definitely just be fan worship behaviour. But I feel like the extra scenes tucked into the show - him trying to get one-over on Porsche multiple times, Porsche baiting him with time spent with Kinn, and then his woeful feelings of blame in talking to Chan, all just suggests they do have some kind of plan for him. And you're right... he's definitely in a good position to be the mole. But I'm with you... if that's the case, why? I could see him being a mole after finding out about Kinn and Porsche due to his anger or feelings of rejection. But right now? It doesn't track for me. You laid out some possibilities that did make me pause for a moment. I suppose there is a way they could go about justifying a betrayal by him... but they’ve also very much gone heavy on his seeming devotion to Kinn. So again, without feeling outright betrayed by Kinn (he has reason to feel that way but they haven’t shown us him feeling that way) I don’t know how this would track. So if he turns out to be the mole, I'll be interested to see how it goes down.

Also I should say that even though I said Big annoys me, I have a strange sort of affection for him and Ken too. Because honestly I would hate Porsche if I was them too 😂. Like here is this cocky, disrespectful, inexperienced guy who swoops in and immediately has the bosses favour. I would be so pissed if I was them. So the way I had sort of seen things is that it was going to go the route and Big, Ken, and Porsche having to come together to kick some ass in the end and then having a tentative sort of understanding (though they’d never be besties). But if Big does cause some drama as I am sort of expecting, we might see more animosity than that sort of situation allows. 

100% agree about the minor family playing a long game. I think Tawan did (and will continue to?) play a part in that. After the latest ep I sent a message to a friend saying 'So, Tawan was a mole? That's what's being set up here?' because that seemed obvious to me. But after seeing fan speculation and more convo surrounding Tawan cheating with Vegas... I have no idea now. I just never expected that situation to be as simple as Tawan coming in to cause relationship drama and the back story being that he cheated on Kinn. That just feels... too simple. Vegas is pretty good at preying on Kinn’s insecurities and I don’t think that’s a new thing. So in whatever capacity, no doubt Vegas played a key role in Kinn’s past pain (and I expect what will come to be his future pain). One thing I’m excited about is that I really am not sure what direction things will go. I have a bad habit of guessing key plot points in movies and shows and ruining the surprise for myself. But while I have general thoughts and feelings about the direction things might take in Kinnporsche... I honestly don’t feel sure of any of them. That’s refreshing! I feel like when more is revealed a lot of tiny details will become more significant which is just really good storytelling. I’m excited too! 

[redjennies]

I agree, I don't think Astrid set them up at all; she just thought Caleb would be able to handle the covert operation. Now I'm worried about what happens next for either consequences for her or a step back in the ties she was reforging with Caleb in order to protect herself.

I absolutely cannot sleep so I am going to answer this ask about Astrid because I have Thoughts about why Astrid not betraying the party is a more interesting storyline and it really comes down to two things: the first being that everyone expects Astrid to betray the party and the second being that the Nein really haven't ever had to deal with collateral damage.

to me, it's more of a twist if Astrid isn't trying to screw them over. of course, I don't think her helping Caleb is entirely altruistic. she has her own ambitions and ulterior motives, but I also think there's a real temptation there that might go beyond just using Caleb to her advantage against Trent. Astrid is an incredibly smart and ambitious woman who has spent her entire life caught in someone else's web and tried to make it her own because there's never been a viable exit. the narration has implied that Astrid is watched constantly. maybe she doesn't want to be a good person or whatever, but I did get the feeling after that dinner that she was much more affected by the Nein's presence than she was in that initial meeting with Caleb. it was a different light. Caleb wasn't just coming to her and telling her things she already knew and being pitiable; instead, he was a different way of being, contrary to everything Trent had taught her. and yeah, I'm putting a ton of stock in "the glimmer," but only because when you make a Nat 20 insight check and the DM tells you something like that, it's usually to communicate that this avenue isn't a total dead end.

so maybe she did actually want to tentatively try to foster trust between herself and Caleb again, maybe primarily in hopes that he will kill Trent and help her get what she wants, but also out of nostalgia and a tiny part of her that wants to believe maybe Caleb and the Nein are right and there are other ways to be. but even trying to get him to help her with her main goal requires trust, which they don't have. so when Caleb comes to her for help, she takes the opportunity to give him all the information he needs for a heist at her own risk. she warns him when Trent is more likely to be there and all the traps laid out, and as you pointed out, she has every reason to believe someone who's had the same spy training as she has and who infiltrated the damn Dynasty should be capable of at least attempting a covert mission without totally fucking it up.

and then Caleb totally fucks it up. granted, it wasn't 100% his fault, but the second things get a little complicated, he starts slamming armored guards against the ceiling and shooting lightning and fireballs all over the place and insisting to the lookouts that everything inside was going exactly to plan when it wasn't. and this is where the collateral damage comes in. it's easy to understand that Caleb was having a moment due to putting himself in a place so deeply associated with his trauma, that he wanted revenge. it's easy to understand that the guards weren't exactly guarding the rainbows and bunnies shrine of the Everlight. but Caleb wasn't really thinking about how this could lead to Trent being alerted and how that could lead to Trent not only walking in on him but Veth and Jester as well. Caleb wasn't really thinking about how if Astrid was genuinely trying to help and didn't sell him out, this could directly lead her getting arrested and executed for treason. (though I'm sure she has some contingency plans for this going awry; she is very clever after all.) still, it was careless and brash, and understandably so, but careless and brash nonetheless. I've said it already but Astrid didn't need to sell Caleb out. Caleb and the Nein did absolutely everything to get caught.

and it's easy to say well Caleb's the good guy and Astrid is literally evil so who really cares if this backfires on her? "she deserves it." but I think there's something more interesting in this than it was violent or who is evil and deserves what. Caleb is grappling with whether or not he can trust Astrid, but he very clearly illustrated in this episode that when things go sideways, Astrid maybe can't trust him. she warned him this would require a delicate approach and he took a sledgehammer to the situation. and to me, that doesn't really matter if Astrid is good or bad. you can't really control other people or truly know their intentions but you can control how you conduct yourself and if you want to be trusted, you have to be reliable and trustworthy. still, I think that concept will land better if Astrid wasn't trying to set them up and really was trying to help her ex-boyfriend steal some necklaces for his mission into the tundra, even if there were ulterior motives and wizard manipulations behind it. I think it's the better plotline if Caleb just massively fucked that relationship up because he was too busy with his own shit and not trusting her to realize it's a two-way street.