#i wish they had the mascot game on tv

[travisdermotts]

top moments from last night:

- willy giggling throughout the entire thing

- pettersson almost tripping over the carpet during warm ups

- connor mcdavid being handed a giant bag of cheetos and immediately forgetting how to function

- willy fully standing up to make fun of pasta's shot after the one timer challenge

-nate and sid taking up an entire bench which made matthews and barzal have to kneel on the ice during one of the performances

- gritty punching a kid across the ice from us

- pk subban's three outfit changes

- willy taking sid's stick out of his hands to measure it against his own

- willy then immediately taking a selfie with sid with his naked ass phone

- sarah nurse

- bedard trying to talk to auston as auston continuously skates away from him

- bedard finally cornering austion alone on one of the benches during the performance

- willy's picking talbot because he was "across from him" and then proceeding to absolutely light him up

- gritty getting five (5) breakaway chances during the mascot game and missing every single one

- carlton's goalie goal and then immediately getting mobbed by his team

[right-brain-left-brain]

A potential idea for Deltarune's chapter 3 secret boss

I think this post might get me some weird looks, but fuck it we ball.

I'll just stop beating around the bush and propose the idea (ramble): Chapter 3 will have a Sonic-like secret boss.

You have Woody Theory, now get ready for Sonic Theory.

Now please, hear me out.

The core idea here isn't to just rib at all the bad Sonic OCs in the internet (okay, maybe it was), but I wanted to reflect a theme that fits Chapter 3's take on a TV themed world well (a Hollywood-like setting); stardom, or the loss of it in this case.

For context, in the 90s, due to Sonic the Hedgehog's success, there was a trend where every mascot platformer tried to emulate Sonic (mainly his US portrayal at that time, an effort to make him appeal to the American market more) as much as they could; high speed/fast paced action, a mascot with a cool and snarky attitude, and advertising focused on just how fast the game could go and/or how cool and edgy the mascot is. As with all trends, it eventually died out, with a majority of the titles fading into obscurity (though the Sonic series it self is still very relevant and thriving) if not remembered for how tacky they were.

Basing a secret boss on this fits with the currently known secret bosses’ theme of forgotten and/or discarded objects (Jevil = jester card, Spamton = spam mail). In the context of Chapter 3's Hollywood-esque setting, this makes for a character that was once a star. They were the talk of the town, a household name until they suddenly fell from stardom, mimicking the fast but short lived success of the trend. Now, they wish to reclaim the fame and star power they once had, no matter what and how.

All the secret bosses are heavily tied to the theme of freedom and control. Jevil, believing that he's the only free person in the Card Kingdom, feels like he can do anything (as in being in full control). Spamton constantly seeks freedom and to release himself from his strings. Making the Chapter 3 secret boss an in-game game character also reflects the themes of freedom and control; game characters tend to be played (or controlled) by something beyond their world (players). As a game character, this secret boss's take on freedom and control could be interesting. Instead of wanting to no longer be controlled, they want to be controlled, to have a direction for them to go along with. Now abandoned, they have nobody to follow and be guided by. This mimics a game; playable characters only do something when you move them, let go of the controller and they just stand there, waiting to be moved again. This can also play with the theme of you, the player, and your dynamic with Kris, the character. Kris, someone who's haunted by the idea of all their actions not being in their control, being met with someone who wants to be controlled all the time, their antipode, can make for interesting encounters.

The Dreemurr household has a game console with two controllers; one official and the other a knockoff/off-brand one. Toriel mentions Asriel liking a character who is essentially the Deltarune universe's version of Yoshi in its version of Super Smash Bros. As 'Super Smashing Fighters' is a clear reference to Super Smash Bros, which as a series is played on consoles, this further confirms that there's a game console somewhere in the house. As the game console is something that Asriel have ties to, this gives Toby the chance to further explore Kris as a person, their thoughts and fears, and dynamics with others (especially family) even with Chapter 3's more lighter and gameplay focused take. The console is currently tucked under Asriel's bed which, while it looks like a problem, I'll get into a bit later.

Video games can still make sense in a TV World that puts emphasis on performance; they're entertainment played on television by connecting a device onto it (at least home console games). The secret boss being the main character of a game can be translated as an actor, someone who carries out the directions provided by a 'script' of sorts (the game itself or you/the player). In a way, video games are movies or shows that the player themselves have full control of; they share several elements with other forms of media, only this time with giving the consumer more liberty in enjoying.

The Deltarune status updates reveals what the OST calls a 'Green Room'. A Green Room is a "a room (as in a theater or studio) where performers can relax before or after appearances". Fitting for the direction that Chapter 3 takes for a world themed around TV entertainment. Not only does this reinforces the actor and performance theme that Chapter 3's direction goes for, which can especially be applied to the secret boss, but it confirms something; the Dreemurr house's second floor being involved. Before this sneak peek, a lot of fans assumed that only the living room will get Dark World-ified, but this single screenshot seems to be saying otherwise. We get a loose layout of the second floor's hallways, the potted cacti are the same in shape, the couches mimic Kris and Asriel's bed, the starry wallpaper comes from Asriel's side of the bedroom, and some even say the box of (prop?) swords represent Asriel's pencil box. This still gives the chance of the game console as a secret boss, or any other things in the second floor to be referenced as well.

In one of Spamton's QnA answers, we may have the elements of the next secret bosses revealed. Spamton himself have the Puppet/Cat element, sharing it with Tasque Manager according to the game's files. We can assume that Death/Scythe in this answer belongs to Jevil (though the game's files lists it as Chaos/Chaos, possibly as a joke), as the JevilsKnife is basically a scythe and Spamton dislikes him. This leaves us with Thunder/Light and Dark/Star. Thunder/Light fits well with the secret boss being a Sonic expy, as both are very fast things, while Dark/Star could refer to what this possible secret boss is; a star that fell from fame into obscurity (or darkness).

Now, onto fan theory territory.

1. Memoryhead: There's a theory suggesting that the Memoryheads represent the currently known and future secret bosses. Here's the Memoryhead itself, along with the circled parts showing Jevil (red) and Spamton (yellow):

Obviously these aren't the only faces on the Memoryhead as we also have this face:

Should look familiar right? Of course this isn't really definitive proof of the concept being plausible. I wanted to point out just how eerily similar one of the faces on the Memoryhead is to Sonic's conjoined eyes.

2. SOUL colors: A more common theory is that each secret boss would have their own SOUL color/modes based on the Undertale Genocide Route bosses in reverse order (Sans = Jevil = Red, Spamton = Mettaton = Yellow). On top of this theory, another theory from Reddit says that the secret bosses reflect an inversion of each color's virtues; in the case of the currently known secret bosses, Red for Determination, Yellow for Justice. Jevil accepts the truth with no resistance and deludes himself into believing he's free to do anything (the opposite of Determination) while Spamton is a crooked salesman who pressures Kris into making bad deals and scams his customers (the opposite of Justice). Following this pattern, the Chapter 3 secret boss's SOUL color/mode is either Purple or Green. Let's talk about how this could work for our Sonic ripoff.

Purple is the color of Perseverance. Inverting Perseverance could give us something along the lines of Apathy. To persevere is to stand tall even against the odds and the many trials of life. As the trend of Sonic-esque platformers lived for quite a short time, it can be said that it didn't persevere through the tests of time. Maybe we could have someone who's long gave up their dreams of returning to the spotlight, where they consider their current state as being eternally lost, until an opportunity (Kris and their SOUL; something to control them) presents itself. This sends them in a more frenzied and desperate state that makes them do whatever it takes to become famous again, no matter what they'll face in their path to have 'freedom' once more. This portrayal can both invert Perseverance as well as display a twisted version of it.

Instead of spiderwebs, the lines could be TV scan lines, tying the chapter's TV theme with the secret boss' basis of a video game character. The lines could also refer to game consoles and controllers, with both using wires to connect themselves onto the TV.

Alternatively, this secret boss uses the green SOUL, the color of Kindness. Inverting Kindness gives Selfishness or Meanness. This still lines up with the secret boss being a Sonic clone, as the games that tried to ride and capitalise on Sonic's success tend to forgo Sonic's kindness and heroism for being cool and edgy for the sake of being cool and edgy, ending up with a character whose only defining trait is 'being totally rad' even to the point of self-centeredness. With that interpretation, the secret boss can instead be selfish and shrewd, disregarding others and doing whatever they can no matter what to get their hands on Kris' SOUL. On the surface, they still try to keep a kind and heroic persona (but not without the snark) despite no one remembering them. All of this to reclaim the image that they once have, their stardom, and their life. Why should they matter? They're not the ones who have their lives and acclaim suddenly robbed from them right?

While it skips the Purple SOUL, the Green SOUL returning in Chapter 3 can be inferred from Seam saying that the "next opponent" (presumably the secret boss) is impossible to beat without the 'Shadow Mantle'. A mantle can mean many things, for one it could mean a cape of sorts or a covering. As Seam says that we need the Shadow Mantle to fight the next secret boss, it can be inferred that it acts as a second shield for the Green SOUL, covering the area not protected by it.

3. Heaven and Hell: So far, all the known secret bosses have made references to Heaven or Hell. Jevil, besides being a demonic jester, says “MY HEARTS GO OUT TO ALL YOU SINNERS!” before one of his attacks. Spamton have made several allusions to Heaven (“ARE YOU WATCHING, [Heaven]!? IT'S TIME FOR SPAMTON'S [Comeback Special]!”) and has an angel theming (the mini Spamtons that heal half your health, Spamton NEO). Making the Chapter 3 secret boss a star past their prime by basing it on a dead gaming trend still fits this theming. They’re a star that fell into obscurity. In other words, Lucifer, the morning star, a fallen angel.

Okay, all of this is cool and weird. But then, what about the flowers? The ones Asgore gave to Toriel? Wouldn't that, a discarded thing that sits fairly near to the living room, also be secret boss material?

Simple, they can still be a part of this potential secret boss, just not as the boss itself.

Instead, the flowers can be the stage for the boss fight. A lot of Classic Sonic games (read: Sonic games at the 90s) start off in places with a fair amount of vegetation, especially trees and flowers. I can see the flowers also acting as the trees. In short, the trash can itself will be the stage for the secret boss's fight.

And now, some personal ideas.

1. Speech quirk: As an embodiment of a long gone fad, this secret boss's speech quirk would be speaking in 90's slang frequently while putting certain letters in bubbles, as if they're buttons on a game controller, with T being replaced with a + to evoke a D-pad. Something like so:

2. Gaster design motif: It's heavily implied that Gaster have some involvements with the secret bosses. They also have design motifs that they share with Gaster; Jevil have Gaster's eye cracks (or is it just clown makeup?) while Spamton have Gaster's fashion sense. I think, for a character that plays into the theme of a former star that long for their fame to return, the Chapter 3 secret boss will have a hole on each hand, just like Gaster's hands. On top of rings being the main collectible of every Sonic game as well as loop-de-loops being a common feature in Sonic level design, hands with holes can symbolise grasping for something (in this case fame/stardom), only to fail.

3. Amusement park ride: Each secret boss so far seem to have an amusement park ride theme of sorts, with Jevil's fight being in a carousel (or at least similar to) and Spamton's fight taking you on [[a ride around town]] on a rollercoaster. As the rollercoaster is (unfortunately) taken, I'm gonna have to go with a pendulum ride. Besides being a very fast ride (some even swinging in a full circle, just like a loop-de-loop), it can symbolise this character's arc of wanting to reach their past stardom only to slip away.

Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire cowboy thing ended up being a hint to the actual secret boss itself, but, knowing Toby Fox, I also wouldn't be surprised if it isn't. If this ends up being inevitably deconfirmed by Chapter 3's release, I can still claim him as an entirely original secret boss complete with an orange SOUL mode. All in all, I just needed to put this out somewhere, for some unfortunate souls to read.

TL;DR: The Chapter 3 secret boss is a Sonic expy as a riff on the Mascot with Attitude trend from the 90s and to parallel a movie star past their prime (according to Chapter 3's direction), desperate to be guided and to have fame once more.

[panelshowsource]

If you had to pick a top three favorite episodes of any panel shows EVER, which would you choose? One of mine would have to be Terry Wogan guest hosting old NMTB, which I am dying to watch again in my lifetime. Your old-NMTB-posting reminded me just how amazing and formative those old episodes were for me. Anyway, it got me thinking… I would love to hear yours!

as long as i'm allowed to answer this totally subjectively...! because the objectively most iconic panel show episodes are probably quite different to the ones i gravitate to especially for rewatching — and especially in this difficult recent climate 🫥

this choice is almost bizarre knowing me, a huge huge huge sean lock fan, but this episode of cats does countdown — without sean! and not even golden era, probably, whatever that is in my mind — is so ridiculous and chaotic and stupid that i've watched it about 1000 times. there's something very specific about the dynamic between jimmy, jon, roisin, and joe without sean; those four have been in quite a few episodes without sean and they're like actual children without an adult in the room: jon is goofier and completely lets go of the game, jimmy throws even more to roisin (we do not talk enough about what a fucking kick jimmy gets out of her), roisin and joe's insane sibling dynamic becomes next level. anyways—this episode, which includes rly funny mascots, glory hole, the fucking hoop game and joe eating an onion and jon eating peppers???, THE UNICORN, its sheer childishness just cracks me up every time :') (if we're gonna mention the golden age, 2.02 is very iconic — from rhod killin it and always arguing with jimmy to claude to nick x susie hahaha but i have sooooo many catsdown episodes i love love love)

i really love the episode of 8 out of 10 cats following jimmy's tax scandal. it's not one of my favourite panel shows in general, but the circumstances of the news and the discussion epitomised what the show was meant to be: panel show meets reality tv meets a comedy central roast. watching that live, as the news was running it so heavily that even the prime minister mentioned it, as the press and twitter were reacting to it... wild times. it holds up incredibly well — it's hilarious watching them rip him to shreds, because he deserves every word and they're having a ball doing it to him, and i really appreciate jon grounding the conversation in just how tax avoidance hurts their country and some of its hardest workers — a really interesting, engaging mix of comedy and anger and wit and disappointment and political commentary that is not only funny but strikingly relevant no matter how much time passes. like so, so many people who were so, so disappointed in jimmy, this was the foundation of his carrying the responsibility, shame, reflection, and growth that people wanted to see — and that he truly needed to. since then he's talked a lot about not only righting the wrong (in paying back what he owed in avoidance) but just how the system is so broken — and taking the least complicated, most honest road forward since.

now i want to pick 1000 different things this is why i don't make lists or rank things!!!!! while my instinct is to pick a big fat quiz, i'm actually gonna go top-level nostalgia and say this episode of buzzcocks when stephen fry was a guest. what can i say — simon, stephen, it was two intellectual, mildly bitchy homosexuals on a stacked panel including josie long, dominic cooper, and yet another skinny white rock man for simon to pretend he's not trying to flirt with. stephen saying "there is a history, in pop music, of recto-veginal insertion" and denouncing god, like, in the first 5 minutes? stephen doing the intros round?? did i mention history boys-era dominic cooper??? such a throwback!!! (not to cheat but this ep with josh groban & martin freeman is my runner up)

i want to apologise to big fat quiz, taskmaster, wilty... THE WHOLE HISTORY OF PANEL SHOWS... I WISH I COULD CHOOSE YOU ALL

[broken-clover]

9- Safe

Getting into Crash Bandicoot was interesting. I've got a soft spot for mascot platformers and I was partly drawn in by Crash 4's lovely art style and was surprised by the bits of darker plot going on it, only to look back at the series and go 'wait what do you mean there's a guy with a missile embedded in his head who's kept alive solely by a life support system powered by the literal thing that's killing him are you sure this game is for kids'

Nonetheless I've developed a fondness for the series, and especially alternate Tawna. The more recent Crash games have had some really interesting character designs, I like it a lot.

This one's a bit darker than the others have been, hopefully this is the lowest it's going to get, but when you're involving the canonical deaths of your protagonists' alternate universe counterparts, it's a little more downbeat. Still, I tried not to get too dark or graphic with it

-

Nightmares weren’t really like they were in TV shows. You didn’t jerk awake like you’d been shot out of a cannon and hit any low-lying ceiling with your already-rattled head. She knew that from experience. Sometimes she wishes it did, because the ensuing pain would give you something else to think about.

The hut was too high-roofed to manage that, anyway. Crash and Coco had been all too willing to let her bunk on their couch for a few days. She wished they had turned her away, even though she knew they never would. Those two were the same in any universe.

Tawna fought back a shudder. It still felt all too fresh in her mind. That dream again, the one that had been popping up over and over for years now, never letting her get a moment’s rest from her own memories. Always the same, always the exact same feelings of helplessness and desperation, frozen in place and unable to do anything but look on in horror. She was close enough to see everything, yet just far away enough to do nothing-

Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around her chest and stared down the hall. They…they had to be fine, didn’t they? It was just a dream. Nothing could have happened to them, not to these bandicoots, not like…

A queasiness bubbled in the back of her throat. Forcing herself to stand, Tawna moved towards the bedroom as quietly as she could. All she could think about was every time she had physically reached out to them, tried to remind herself that they were real. Even the fur of their hands felt just like the Crash and Coco of her home dimension. They were so similar that it made it even easier to imagine them in the place of their own counterparts, both so strong but somehow so fragile.

She was already at their door. She tried to quell her anxieties with that. They weren’t far away from her. If something happened, she would be able to step in. She reached for the knob, tried to turn it.

It didn’t move.

“Wh-” she tugged on it a little harder, jiggling the metal to see if it would come loose. No such luck. Any calm she’d managed to give herself swiftly went out the window, and before she realized it, Tawna was rattling the thing as hard as she possibly could until the hinges thumped. “Come on, come on- !”

“Pardon me.”

She yelped, stumbling over herself from the sudden shock. A familiar wooden mask hovered over her, its expression hard to read.

“You’re going to wake them up with that noise. What are you so concerned about at this time of night?”

“I…” Awkwardly, Tawna picked herself up again and leaned against the hut’s wall. Aku Aku must have seen something in her posture and gestured towards the front entrance.

“Miss Tawna, may I speak with you outside?”

That did not sound like a good time by any stretch of the imagination, but she couldn’t think of a good reason to say no. She only shrugged and shuffled off in the direction she was told.

The island air had a distant familiarity to it, but there was something indescribably different between it and the one from home. It still felt good on the lungs. For a moment, she closed her eyes to take it in, only to wince as the images flashed through her mind again.

Aku Aku hovered nearby. “I understand this must be disorienting and difficult. This isn’t your home.”

“I don’t care,” she snapped, immediately wincing at her own voice. “S-sorry.”

“I take no offense.” The mask bobbed in the air, glowing faintly in the dark. “I’m sure I know what’s bothering you, but would it make you feel any better to talk about it?”

“It’s just a dream. Not real. It shouldn’t get to me.”

“But, clearly, it still bothers you. And it seems it’s more of a memory than a simple dream.”

That would likely be obvious, even to someone who wasn’t a powerful magical mask, but it still felt invasive. She wanted to shove him away, shove all of them away, like she’d learned to do after last time, but it felt so hard now. She wanted to be around them again, even if she knew it was a terrible idea.

“Of all the universes out there, why did mine have to be the one where I had to watch them die?”

Nor was she going to cry. It didn’t matter how much her eyes stung, she’d dig her fingers into her forearm and force it to stop. Crying hadn’t solved anything before. It hadn’t done anything to save them.

“Miss Tawna…” Aku Aku spoke quietly and gently. “There’s nothing you could have done. You can’t save your Crash and Coco, nor can you keep these ones safe from everything in the world.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better somehow?” She scowled.

“No, it doesn’t seem likely. I worry about the harm that may come to them every day. I do my best to offer them safety, but in the end, I know I can only do so much. I can’t control what they do at every moment of every day.”

“I trained to make myself stronger after they…after I lost them. I thought I was strong enough before. I hoped I would be when I faced N. Tropy again. I trained and trained and trained, what’s the point of all of it if it’s never enough??”

“I often wonder the same things, myself. Transcending my physical form as I have carries with it certain duties. Had I died a natural death, I would never have been involved with so many threats to time and space as I have now. But even with all this power, I cannot ensure the safety of a couple of bandicoots.”

Tawna sighed, raking the hair out of her eyes. “How do you put up with all of it?”

“I find and hold onto every bit of joy that I can find,” Aku Aku said. “Every moment that I know they’re safe and well, I can take comfort in that. Impermanent as it may be. Whenever I see them happy and remain delighted by the world around them, I know I am doing some good.”

“Getting by with the little scraps.” She managed a bitter little chuckle. “If that’s the best I’m gonna get…”

“I find that in practice, Miss Tawna, those small moments add up very quickly. Scars may never fully heal, but their edges fade in time.”

[arcplaysgames]

Nanako set up a tanabata ornament in the house and it's just super sad!!!!!!

While tending to the garden with Dojima and Nanako, Dojima mentions he doesn't know what to wish for. I tried checking every night but i never saw his wish and don't know if he settled on one. Goddammit Dojima.

AND THEN MOROOKA DIES? THE MEAN ASSHOLE TEACHER? WHO HAD A WEIRD THING FOR RISE BUT CALLED EVERYONE A SLUT?

/points. Copycat. That's a copycat.

Everyone is confused and decided we should totally ask Teddie if he sensed anyone in the TV last night.

EXCEPT TURNS OUT TEDDIE IS JUST HANGING AROUND JUNES. which, yanno. amazing cover, tbh. of course you'd see him around a place like this, he's a mascot!

I feel such kinship with Teddie. Also, what the fuck is Junes an equivalent to? I thought it was a Costco or Target but like they have MASSAGE CHAIRS? What is this place?!

Per Teddie, Morooka did not get thrown into the TV at all. I am still calling copycat on this.

KANJI IS CONTINUALLY DENIED. LET HIM TOUCH THE FUR.

is that how that works, bud

....

i can't even handle the epistemological implications of this.

how do sit-ups give you a HUMAN BODY?

what the FUCK is Teddie??????

besides a blond haired blue eyed anime boy?????? I guess??????

/looks helplessly around

I'm sorry Chie but I will be encouraging Teddie at every turn. I love chaos too much.

I'm so glad we aren't in the fucking horrible springtime anymore, I am having MUCH more fun now. I like everyone again. 8) (tho especially kanji, natch)

lmao chie if not for the shit yosuke pulled on you and yukiko at camp, i would be saying what the absolute hell you've crossed a line

buuuuuuuuut the turns have sure tabled. good for you, girl.

uuuuh rise is our friend, that's how it works when you save someone's life, that's like instant friendship. what kind of detective are you if you don't know that????

Naoto is poking around. He also doesn't think that Morooka fits the pattern. I'm saying! Copycat!

oh my god the pitch her voice jumped to made me move my headphones, lmao.

oh. oh its like that huh, lmao. she really did just move in and grab Reverie's arm.

I can't believe I forgot that Teddie becomes a real human boy. I think we're reaching the point i fell off this game back in 2009 because I don't remember much from this point on.

If anyone knows: about how far into the game are we? 40%? 50%?

.... oh god i haven't even reached summer vacation yet, have i.

[twistedtummies2]

Year of the Bat - Number 25

Welcome to Year of the Bat! In honor of Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Richard Moll, I’m counting down my Top 31 Favorite Episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series” throughout this January. TODAY’S EPISODE QUOTE: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to meet the great Batman! He’s here because he hasn’t got a clue!” Number 25 is…Riddler’s Reform.

This was the Riddler’s third and final major appearance in the show. Mind you, the character would show up in a couple of cameos in later episodes (as well as a small supporting role in a Superman crossover episode, “Knight Time”), and there were several good comic stories featuring Edward Nygma spun-off from the DCAU. However, this was the last starring role the character had: apparently, the creators behind the series found it really hard to write for the Riddler, which is why his appearances were fairly few and far between. While I do wish we could have seen more of the character, to be honest, it’s a pretty great note to go out on. Ostensibly, “Riddler’s Reform” is one of several “Villain Reform Episodes” the TV series tried. I say “ostensibly” because…it really isn’t. Which I think is why this episode seems to have a somewhat polarized reaction from fans: some people consider it one of the greatest Riddler stories ever told, while others consider it a missed opportunity. I personally don’t go into either category, fully, but I do think this is a great Riddler story, in general, and by far my favorite from the Animated Series. The plot is as follows: after being declared sane, Edward Nygma is released from Arkham Asylum, and forms a business partnership with a toymaking company. The head of the company decides he wants to rework the Riddler’s puzzling iconography into a corporate mascot, and gives Nygma a chance to create a variety of puzzles and games for his factory to produce and sell. However, it becomes very obvious very quickly that Nygma hasn’t ACTUALLY reformed: he’s still pulling off crimes out of the back window, so to speak, in a way that makes it hard for Batman to pin anything on him. The World’s Greatest Detective must somehow figure out a way to outwit the Riddler and prove his enemy hasn’t gone straight after all. In a way, this feels like an episode of the 60s Adam West series, and I mean that in a good way. There were a number of episodes in that show with villains pretending to go straight just so they could pull off crimes with impunity (the Penguin was the most common example of this, but other villains tried this tactic, too). However, this one goes a bit more in-depth into the Riddler’s psychosis than other versions, as it really plays a LOT with the obsession Nygma has. He’s become fixated on the idea of besting Batman: he can’t give up his life of crime, he claims, specifically because he feels he can never retire until he finally defeats the Dark Knight. Indeed, as the episode goes on, it becomes clear that Nygma is enjoying life on the straight and narrow, being wined and dined and rubbing shoulders with Gotham’s economical elite, being praised and rewarded for his work in a way he never was before. However, both he and Batman realize…none of that matters. None of it WILL matter, because until the Riddler wins the game for good, there’s no way he can simply give up his life of crime. This obsession leads to another great ending to the story, just like in the first Riddler episode. I won’t give away what happens, but ironically, the episode seems to showcase Riddler going DEEPER into depravity rather than coming out of it, which I think is an interesting move. It’s sad that we never got that much more of Edward after this (at least in the show proper), but as far as final proper bows go, this was a good show for the Count of Conundrums to go out on.

Tomorrow we move on to Number 24! Hint: “As Napoleon told me, ‘A strong will can fuel a frail physique.’”

[ggitty]

(JN anon) Heh, rediscovering my love for the series, it's a miracle the flash games from the promo shorts and movie prologue survived. Oh, the fact he had a THANKSGIVING balloon before SPONGEBOB. An Orlando Studios ride. (Even saw old drawn promo art and newspaper-like comics on auction sites. It's so funny things kept weaving back and forth between his movie design and his show one) Jimmy was a Rugrats/Spongebob-tier MASCOT in his day.

Speaking of 3D, I get this show hasn't aged the best, but if we're talking bad animation {NOT art-style, which I think most usually mean when referring to it}, this show ain't it and it's kinda sad some often point to Jimmy as an example. It's from the start of the 2000s, 3D stuff was still finding its footing. Even Shrek. I could tell even back then, this series had a lot of heart and effort put into it. You can see a clear improvement from Johnny Quasar to the 3rd season. (Imagine how it could look TODAY.)

It took to 2020 for Nick to be like "Oh yeah, people liked Jimmy, right?". Here's a complete series and movie DVD, some game appearances including Roblox, Portal Chase cameo, shirt and cup merch, a Funko [with more on the way], and two Youtooz plushies. Oh, and a reboot that didn't happen, that should be enough for the fans, right? :P

Yeah, Red Acres was supposed to about some fast food guy that ended up in space, right? But Nick said no to adult [human] protagonists cause they think it wouldn't work. (Though I've also had read that Planet Sheen had a more serious plot initially than what it ended up being. Had they went with it, might have fared better.) To be honest, wouldn't surprise me if Planet Sheen is why Nick is so paranoid at the thought of investing in Jimmy again. (If a reboot does happen, I wonder how they'll handle acknowledging Planet Sheen. It could go so many ways)

I wouldn't mind them experimenting with a 2D-animated episode; I've always envisioned that if such a thing were to happen, it clearly would NOT have the FOP-artstyle from the Power Hours. (A New Wish is basically what FOP would look like done in [stylized] 3D. JN characters are modeled like a figure that can be viewed at any angle. It's like the Peanuts Movie vs Puss in Boots 2.)

True, but if there is a silver lining, a lot of the old crew has expressed that they're willing to come back to work with Jimmy again just like old times. Should they [finally] have their way, the main concern is how much free-range they'll have. (Cause I could see certain elements not coming back, or be changed to accommodate modern times.)

It's really a miracle that this survived lol, usually these things fall first. I remember finding it and being like, “Oh no way this survived,” but it did! It was nice to find a part of JN's history that I couldn't directly touch at the time of its life

I'm not from the US or an English-speaking country, so my first experience with this franchise is quite different. I found out about the movie's promo shorts only years later lol (imagine how confused I was by the scenes from the movie in the first opening, I just couldn't understand where those scenes came from and why I never got to that episode lol) But yes, it turned out to be a BIG show for the network at the time

Exactly! We can talk about outdated textures, rendering or questionable visual choices, but the animation itself, the way the characters are rigged and the details in the animation and body language, especially by the time of season 3, still hold up and, as troubled as the production was as rumored, I can't say that those who worked on it didn't give a damn because oh they did a fantastic job, ESPECIALLY for a show from the early 00s with a TV budget and a tight schedule.

It IS impressive how much they were able to squeeze from the powers of the early 00s CGI on publicly available 3D software! And JN is absolutely not deservedly put down just because a show from the 00s doesn't look like a Pixar of that time. Well no shit geniuses!

“Oh well, throw them something" content lol I never even heard about Roblox collab (because the only thing I played there was Warrior Cats Ultimate a few years ago and some dragon simulator) but it was such a big deal that I found a whole one video about it, and it's on TikTok, in Spanish lol

Yeah, I mean Nick has been kind of paranoid in recent years about anything that doesn't reach the highest standard of viewership and payback (and unfortunately this trend has been airborne or something, considering how many good shows are being canceled)

So I really wouldn't be surprised if every time someone brought up the topic of a reboot/another season of JN, somewhere in the Nick's heads collective corporate minds the opening of Planet Sheen starts playing ominous lol

(You know that clip from Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated where they acknowledge the existence of Scrappy-Doo? I would die for this lol This show is a blueprint for the concept of “Old media with a new twist and a more mature setting done right” )

Absolutely! Like, give it your spin, experiment with it, but I definitely can't handle intentional or not weaving JN into FOP any further. I love these shows like Cake and Mashed Potatoes, as separate meals lol

True! In the end, it always comes down to the people responsible for the creative process and their never-ending fight for vision in the face of the networks “safe content zone” (although I agree that if the show returns, some elements just haven't stood the test of time for one reason or another)

[thehellishtrinity]

1-7 and 17 for whoever you wish! -🎧

Hmm since you didn't specify who I used a random generator to pick a random Trinity character to answer for each question!

1. If your oc was to host a TV show, what would it be about? Would your oc be good at it? What sorts of guests would appear?

The Hierophant Honestly, I think if Hiero were to host some type of TV show, it would be something like Blue's Clues where she has some sort of kid-friendly educational show that encourages the kids to solve whatever puzzle with her. Her guests would be like.. other people from other popular kid's shows... like she probably would've had a Pikachu mascot as a guest star at least once.

2. Can your oc play any instruments? Have they ever wanted to learn how to play any? Why?

Novel I've decided at this very moment that this man knows how to play the harp only because I think it would be funny (his weapon is wires). I imagine he doesn't have a strong inclination to learn new instruments or anything but back in the Good Ole Days, he probably picked it up to learn with Remy and Fable.

3. If you were to choose another name for your oc, what do you think it would be? Did you choose it for how it sounds or for its meaning?

Page Hmmm..... Page's name was originally chosen because he was supposed to be Book Squip, so I chose a name loosely related to books. If I were to choose a different name for him back then, I'm sure it would've still been something book related like Scribe or Scroll or something... If I were to pick a different name for him now...... maybe Phylas which, according to behind the name dot com, means "to maintain, preserve".

4. How does your oc fare in the dark? Are they scared? Do they trip over things really easily or navigate like they have night vision? (Or do they have night vision?)

Muse He does relatively well in the dark! Muse is afraid of very little things in this world and the dark is certainly not one of them. He navigates the dark like he has night vision. Lore-wise, this is because he is good as sensing his surroundings and he has a good intuition. Meta-wise, this is entirely because he is cat-coded and cats can see in the dark.

5. How well would your oc fare as a teacher? What subject would they be best at teaching? What about the worst?

Melissa and Wallis, the twins They would be awful teachers. They are children. They would be so bad at teaching. I think they'd be great at making like How To Play XYA Game tutorials and playthroughs but anything else that's academic? No chance.

6. What was your oc’s relationship with their parents like? If they didn’t have any parents/didn’t know them, who in their life was the closest to a parent to them?

Dov Really good, actually! In universes where he has parents, he's a little bit of a mama's boy. He's the type of person who'd visit home every holiday and text his parents regularly. One of the very select few who actually has a healthy relationship with his parents. In canon, he's pretty close to his creator and they keep in contact!

7. Does your oc have any allergies, intolerances, or other sensitivities? How dangerous is it? Does this affect their daily life in any way?

Fable Probably a boring answer but Fable doesn't really have any allergies! He can eat almost everything and he will eat almost everything. His spice tolerance is pretty high (no where near as high as Virus's but who's keeping count?) and he's the type of person who likes to try new dishes all the time!

17. How well can your oc keep secrets? Is there a difference between how they handle their own vs someone else’s? To what lengths would they go to keep something hidden?

Script He is very good at keeping secrets :). In fact, there is a big secret he kept in old Trinity canon that was never unearthed (the rewrite doesn't have the same secret tho but it's the thought that counts). He will go to extreme lengths to hide things that he deems necessary! He's a bit looser with other people's secrets though because, I mean, they're not his secrets. While he does his best to keep the secrets, he isn't losing sleep or going to extremes trying to keep them hidden for other people.

[jamiedotorg]

Unpacking

This review includes Spoilers.

Unpacking came out in 2021 and was developed by Witch Beam. It was designed and directed by Wren Brier, with co-designer and programmer Tim Dawson and composer Jeff van Dyck.

I found this game on Xbox Game Pass, and of course gravitated towards it because it was shown on true achievements as having a completion time of only 2 hours and an extremely easy difficulty, which it did since the game's sole mechanic is click and drag. I have to say however that it took me 4 hours and almost 40 minutes to complete the game entirely, I did have to move from one spot to another in the house, had laggy connection and was very precise in where I placed things inside the house as I was unpacking, which leads me to the gameplay.

You begin as a girl growing up and moving from place to place, starting in her bedroom as either a child or teenager. As you unpack the boxes to fill her bedroom, you get a sense of who she is as a person; she has some action figures, some books, video games, posters and of course the mascot of the game itself, toy plushies. As she graduates, you see her move into her first small apartment as she gets ready to start university.

Throughout the game, she accumulates items of the same manner, such as a collection of game-cube and DS like games, movies, books, a journal collection and even a small collection of plushie chicks and chickens, which she gains a new one in every move like a token of her life. You see her move in with her first boyfriend where the apartment is clean, hyper organized and everything seems to be in black and white. Her move-in colors the place up, and she even states she can barely fit herself into it. You see her move back in with her parents after the assumed break-up, and finally move into her own home where after some time, the boxes coming to the house change into a different shipping company.

In the final move, you can see she has moved into her forever home with a partner and a baby's room. The aesthetic of the homes is comfortable, cozy and filled with the character's personality. While I started the game with the goal of achieving another 1,000 Gamerscore...I stayed for this game's atmosphere and story, and the addictive nature of filling the rooms and finding out more about the character through the things that she surrounded herself with.

It was to this effect that I completed the storyline and went back through the levels to discover even more secrets hidden in the objects around her, like turning on the tv to start the game console or putting fun objects in odd places. This unlocks an in-game achievement system in the form of stickers on her photo albums, as well as unlocking Xbox/PlayStation achievements and trophies.

As previously stated, I did take a lot longer to complete it to 100% as I was distracted and did not want to just take things out of the boxes and put them anywhere on the floor, though I don't blame anyone for doing so if the goal is to simply complete as fast or as easy as possible. I was very specific in putting away her clothes, stacking her dishes away neatly and making sure her books were organized on the bookshelf. I was also a little tiresome after the third house of clicking and dragging items around as I was playing on a console instead of a computer where the controls might have been easier.

After all, I enjoyed this game, for ease of play and enjoyment, but wish there was more to the game in the way of mechanics and gameplay.

This game is available to date on Xbox Game Pass, or to purchase through the Xbox store for $19.99

It is also available on PlayStation 4 & 5 and Nintendo Switch

Thank you and show some love to the devs by playing this game or reviewing it if you've already played it!

unpackinggame.com trueachievements.com imdb.com

This has been a game review by someone who just loves video games and achievements.

[moorheadthanyoucanhandle]

BRAVE-LESS NEW WORLD

Playing through Thursday, May 18 at Harkins Shea in Scottsdale:

Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting--Only once, in the nearly four years I lived in Washington, D.C., did I go to an NFL game. I was mostly indifferent to sports in general and to football in particular, but my girlfriend at the time was a rabid lifelong fan of the team there. It was the hardest ticket in town to get, so she was thrilled when she landed a pair somehow, during the 1991 season when they went on to win the Super Bowl.

What I remember is that when we walked in to the game on that very cold and cloudy November afternoon, a good-sized group of Native American protestors were drumming and chanting outside RFK Stadium. They were there, of course, in opposition to the team name and mascot.

I wish I could say that I had an epiphany that day, that it occurred to me that, whatever one might think about the use of native imagery by sports teams in general, this particular term was a shocking, bald-faced racial epithet on the level of, for the most obvious example, the N-word, and that its use was outrageous. I wish I could say that this led me to further consider whether the use of any such imagery and terminology, even when less obviously insulting, was appropriate for a sports team.

But I didn't. I accepted a flyer from one of the protestors, read it, and dismissed it (to myself) as an oversensitive reaction to an unimportant issue. I've since heard other people make the same argument: With all the problems facing Native American communities, sports mascots seemed like a trivial focus. This now strikes me as an evasion even if it was true, but this blunt, fed-up documentary makes the case that the matter may not be so trivial after all.

Directed by Aviva Kempner and Ben West, the film summarizes the history of the depiction of indigenous Americans in media. It's a potently painful and embarrassing spectacle of film and television clips and cartoons, including the nadir of the great Bugs Bunny, from 1960's "Horse Hare," when Bugs chillingly sings "One little, two little, three little..." as he shoots at Indians from a fort.

After providing this ugly material for context, Imagining the Indian settles into a discussion of the thousands of American sports teams, from pro to high school, that use stereotypical native names and logos and mascots. We see footage of aggrieved fans wailing at protestors that the intent is to honor, not to insult. We even see footage of the 45th President and his wife doing the tomahawk chop. And we're given a glimpse of the struggle, by native advocates, to persuade these organizations that they ought to change this imagery. There's particular focus on the tireless activism of Suzan Shown Harjo on this issue.

This activism has born fruit: After years of resistance, the Washington team retired its name in 2020, and redubbed itself the Washington Commanders in 2022. Cleveland's MLB team rebranded itself the Cleveland Guardians in 2022. Even some franchises that have not yet relented, like Kansas City's football team, have prohibited the wearing of face paint and feathered headdresses by fans at the games.

As with many documentaries of this sort, Imagining the Indian was preaching to the choir with me. Years ago, albeit too many years after my NFL game in D.C., I finally got it through my skull that it wasn't up to me to decide what other people find hurtful, and that a nostalgic attachment to a logo or a mascot, however genuinely non-racist and affectionate that attachment may be, wasn't worth callously ignoring other people's carefully and consistently and politely expressed offense.

But then, the day after I saw Imagining the Indian, I found myself watching on TV, for roughly the zillionth time, my favorite baseball movie, 1988's Major League, about Cleveland's team, and filled with references to "the Tribe" and the "Happy Hunting Ground" and balls flying "off the reservation" and many appearances by the grinning Sambo mug of Chief Wahoo. I realize that it's my own racial privilege that allows me to watch this stuff without pain, and I fully support the team's name change and the retirement of the Chief. But I'm afraid I can't give up Major League.

At least, right now I don't think I can. Check back with me in thirty years or so.

[suckitsurveys]

When was the last time you swam in a pool? 🏊‍♀️ Tuesday, and I will again today.

Would you rather have an indoor pool or outdoor pool? Both! My dream is to have an indoor pool room where the roof opens.

What was the last thing you said out loud? “That scared me” in response to an email preview I saw about something work related lol.

Do you think you could ever be an opera singer? Uh, no.

How often do you eat bread? 🥖 Fairly often I guess.

When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought you looked pale? Always all the time forever.

Have you ever wanted to be a nurse? 👩‍⚕️ No.

Would you ever want to be a nurse? Why or why not? No.

Who or what do you worship? Nothing.

What was the last thing someone made fun of you for? My coworker made fun of the way I said something earlier. All in good fun, though.

Do you own a mini sewing kit that you use for altering clothing? 🧵 No. I don’t sew.

Do you know a Ted? Yes.

Do you own a beret? 👩‍🎨 I do not.

When was the last time you wore a beret? Maybe when I was little. My mom had a few.

What is one thing you have found to be a bore? When people talk about nothing but politics or always have the news on TV.

Where do you keep your out-of-season clothes? I have drawers or them, or just keep them hung up.

If you had to pick your top three favorite colors, what would they be? Purples, pinks, blues.

How many inches do you normally have to hem up your pants? 👖 I’ve never had to do that.

What are three things you would buy if you were rich? 🤑 Endless amounts of sushi, a beach house, and my brother in law out of the family.

How many times in your life have you been stung by a bee or a wasp? 🐝 Zero, thankfully.

Have you ever swam in one of the Great Lakes? I have indeed. Chicago is on Lake Michigan so I’ve been in there plenty of times. Pretty sure I’ve also swam in Lake Erie? I can’t remember if it was that one or another one. 

….and if so, how many of the Great Lakes have you swam in? ^

Do you believe in the devil? 👹 Yeah, he is my brother in law.

What is one thing you wish were more easily accessible? Healthcare for everyone.

Do you enjoy playing icebreaker games when you’re in a group of people you just met? I do lol.

What is your favorite icebreaker game? Oh man I wish I could remember them right now but we used to play them all the time when I was in this Leaders Club group at the YMCA. I remember one where we had to line up by our birthday without talking.

What is one thing you find serene? Being near bodies of water or being in a wooded area when it’s warm and rainy.

Have you ever chopped something with an axe? 🪓 Yes.

What is your favorite genre of music? I like a variety.

What is one thing you like that tastes sour? Sour Patch Kids.

Do you think “Sour Patch Kids” sounds too much like “Cabbage Patch Kids”? Lol. I wonder if that’s where in inspo came from.

Did you ever own a Cabbage Patch doll when you were a kid? I had a couple that were my sisters, and maybe one or two of my own if I recall.

Do you like the candy Sour Patch Kids? Yes, they’re my favorite non-chocolate candy.

What was the last song you listened to on repeat? Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey.

What is one mistake you’ve made that you hope to never repeat? Neglecting myself.

What was the last thing you baked in the oven? Potato skins.

Have you ever been to a track meet? 🏃‍♀️ Yeah, to watch.

What do you call the bathroom? Do you say bathroom, restroom, washroom, lavatory, loo, toilet, latrine, or….? I usually say bathroom or restroom.

When was the last time you made guacamole? 🥑 Last weekend for my mother in law’s birthday.

Do you know of any schools that have the beaver for a mascot? Not that I can think of at the top of my head.

Have you ever stayed in a suite? Yes.

[ilyasorokinn]

welcome to new york , tyson jost

note, i am sad once again, but not as sad as i was when he was first t-worded to minnesota. as always, i am wishing tyson the best of luck with his new team and will forever support him wherever he goes. another note, this fic is part of “the jost family” series. check out this masterlist. pair, tyson jost x reader summary, tyson jost gets signed with a new team. warnings, children, pain, dramatics word count, 1303 words

(gif not mine)

Tyson getting placed on waivers was so out of left field, you didn't even see it coming. Tyson let you know that it would happen a couple of hours before it was announced so you could process it.

The thought of having to uproot your entire life again stressed you out. Even if he wasn't signed with a team and was signed to the AHL team, that was still in a different state.

You sat both Noah and Rory down on the couch, "So, we have some news for you." You and Tyson both looked at each other nervously.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Well, we have some news." Tyson let out a nervous breath, "I got put on waivers." They both looked confused, "Do you know what that means?" Noah both shook his head while Rory still looked confused, "Well, it means that..." He was clearly struggling to find the words as he looked over at you.

"Well, it means that the Wild are letting other teams sign daddy." You explained, which didn't help due to the perplexed look on your children's faces.

"They're letting me go, bud." Tyson cut in, "And it means that any other team in the league has a chance to sign me in the next day."

"We have to move again?" Noah asked, his eyes filling with tears and his bottom lip wobbled.

"I'm sorry, buddy." Tyson picked him up and sat him in his lap, hugging him.

"But we just got here."

"I know." You could tell Tyson was beating himself up about the whole waivers thing. Rory climbed off the couch and waddled over to you, seeking comfort in your arms.

The entire rest of the day, you tried to do things that would occupy your mind and most definitely avoided social media. You ordered food in and watched movies for the rest of the night, or until Noah fell asleep.

You looked over at Tyson and could see the cogs turning in his head, "Hey." He looked over at you, "Stop doing whatever you're doing. Stop blaming yourself, 'cause it sure as hell isn't your fault." He nodded but looked unconvinced as he looked down at his lap.

The most you could do with a sleeping child in your arms was reach over and grab his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He looked over at you, "We're not done talking about this."

-

Before you both went to bed, you had a long and lengthy talk about what you would do if he were to get signed to a new team. If it was in America, you would fly out with him, wherever that might've been, and stay with him for a few days to watch him officially sign and watch his first game, then go home.

If it was a Canadian team, he would fly out alone and sign by himself, but you would watch from home, cheering him on.

The next morning, you continued with the game routine as the day before, doing tasks that would take your mind off of the anxiety coursing through your veins.

Noah was pretty much oblivious to the stress you and Tyson were both having, which was for the better. You didn't want him to worry about that.

You were halfway through your second movie of the morning when Tyson's phone buzzed on the table. You and he immediately looked over at each other before he picked it up.

He read the caller ID, then looked over at you and nodded, "I gotta take this." He stood up and walked into the kitchen. You looked down at Rory and Noah, who were already looking at you.

"Nordy?" Rory asked. Nordy was the Wild's mascot, and the easiest way to explain to her that daddy was on a business call was just to tell her that it was Nordy.

"Yeah, it's Nordy." You kissed her head as you all turned your attention back to the TV. A few minutes later, Tyson came back into the room, looking a lot less stressed and nervous.

"So? What's the word?"

"We're gonna need to pack a few bags." He told you.

"We're still in the States?" You asked.

"Buffalo." He smiled, "We're going to New York."

You let out a breath that had been waiting to be let out since yesterday, "We're going to New York." You chuckled.

"Alexa, play "Welcome to New York." The intro to the Taylor Swift song began playing and before you could even blink, Tyson grabbed your hand and pulled you off the couch, and started rocking back and forth dramatically to the music.

Rory and Noah joined in, dancing around you and Tyson as the music kept playing and even after "Welcome to New York" stopped playing. The rest of the morning was filled with more laughter, a great shift from the day before.

-

After lunch, you were packing a few bags and flew off to New York, where you were greeted warmly at the airport by Sabretooth, the mascot, and a few other members of the Sabres staff.

After getting changed, you headed over to the arena to officially sign the papers. Photos were taken of him shaking hands with the owners and all the important people and his new captain.

After getting all the important stuff out of the way, Kyle Okposo, the Sabres captain, turned to Rory and Noah, "Welcome to the team, guys." He bent down to their height and gave them high fives. You knew cameras were on you but kept your focus on Rory and Noah.

"As a welcome to the team, we got you a couple of things." Someone walked over with two bags in hand and handed them to Kyle. He pulled out two Sabretooth stuffed animals and handed them to both kids.

"Look, mommy." Rory turned around to you and showed you her new stuffie.

"Wow, look at that." You bent down next to both of them as he pulled the next thing out. Two jerseys with 'Jost' and '17' on the back, "These are for you two." He handed one to Noah and the other to Rory.

You looked over at Tyson, a shocked look on your face when you saw the number on the back of the jersey. He only smiled and nodded.

-

There was a game on the day you flew into Buffalo, but things were too last minute, so Tyson's Buffalo Sabres debut was pushed back a few days.

While Tyson trained with the team, you made a quick trip to the store to create a sign with Noah and Rory. You wrote 'Welcome dad. We love you!' then let Noah and Rory draw all over it.

You got them changed into their new jerseys and bundled in many layers before heading off to the arena. You got through security and got your family passes, then made your way down to the glass.

You sat in the seat in front of the glass, Rory in your lap, while Noah stood in front of you, holding the sign.

The lights dimmed, and you watched as, one by one, each of them skated out. You waited until you saw Tyson skate out, "There he is." You pointed this out to both kids.

Noah held the sign up higher, trying to get his father's attention. Tyson looked around every side of the glass before he finally clocked you, and he skated up.

Noah beamed brightly as he and his dad did their special little rituals. Before he skated off, he tossed a puck over the glass for Noah, then one for Rory.

You caught them both and handed them to each child, before looking back up and Tyson, and blowing him a kiss. He smiled and blew an exaggerated, dramatic one back to you.

-

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add yourself to my taglist!

i also don't know if he's number 17, but I'm really hoping he is. he can't be 10 cause someone else is also 10, so we can only hope he's number 17 again :)

[yukidragon]

Do you think as a kid Joseph used to daydream about having loving parents and caring friends like the characters he saw on t.v (comfort characters). To cope with being ignored and unwanted by practically everyone in his life?

I suspect that might be the case. There’s plenty of neglected children who turn elsewhere for comfort when their parents simply... don’t care about them. Sitcoms paint a picture of the perfect family at times, where problems are easily solved and everyone loves and supports one another. It would be something an unloved kid could wish for with all his heart...

For all we know, Joseph was a fan of a TV show with a clown mascot similar to Sunny Day Jack. There were plenty of friendly clown characters on TV over the years after all.

As stated in this post on the official SDJ tumblr, the concept of comfort characters and the psychology behind why we need them is one of the core themes that inspired the game. Sunny Day Jack and MC’s relationship strongly ties into this, but I think it’s possible that Jack had a comfort character of his own as a child.

As an adult, Joseph finally got to be the comfort character for others... and all the positive and negatives that come along with it.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney

[rockstar-chuck]

Im going to make a long post on my thoughts about 2.0:

Honestly, i feel like there were ways cec could have moved on from animatronics to live shows that were much better.. i think the biggest crime is the minimalism and, in my opinion, somewhat ugly design choices of 2.0. All the previous stages often had nice decor and themes, and the whole store would have nice artwork on the walls and nicely designed signs. It looked pretty busy at times, but as a kid, it was fun. It stuck in my brain as a 'fun thing' more than any boring, minimalist design would have.

Here is some comparisons. I will say i think the colorfulness of the design in the top middle picture is okay i guess, but the fact that theyre just... silhouettes... makes them a little bland. The bottom middle is actually from my childhood location that had a studio c when i was a kid. It had a lot more decor, lights decorating the stages, and studio c had a lot of fun gimmicks like the blue screen and cameras. Not only that, but with the animatronics being out all the time, even when there was no show id frequently go back to look at our studio c chuck and watch him or even pretend to talk with him with my siblings. What happens when theres no live show going on in a 2.0??? Sure kids might want to dance on the light up stage by themselves, but.. I remember i liked to dance in the party room just fine WITHOUT the encouragement of a glowing square on the ground lol.

The problem is, cec just seems to be downgrading every bit of itself. They're remodeling, sure, but taking out every ounce of personality. From what ive seen from my converted local locations, theyre even taking out about half of the games per location for whatever reason. Theyre removing the animatronics and replacing them with a ~fancy glowing screen~ on the ground, which seems to also mean chuck e's presence in Chuck E. Cheese's itself will be reduced to tv skits that can just be played from youtube anyways and an occasional dance from an employee that isnt being paid enough to put on a performance (not an insult to the employees that dance with no enthusiasm in a fricken cec mascot suit, its just something ive noticed at every location ive been to recently and i wish cec either paid them more and/or hired people who were like. Performers. So that it actually seemed worth the trade of animatronics)

What they could have done was, like i just said, actually make their emphasis on performance mean something, especially if it wont be out for the kids to see constantly like the animatronics were. Hire dancers, and pay them more or something, do whatever disneyland does for their mascot wearers. Heck, i remember cec used to try to be on par with disneyland, but i guess it became too expensive for them or something because theyre not trying to be a fantastic, magical experience anymore. They just seem to be doing the bare minimum to "upgrade". I know animatronics are expensive, i know remodeling stores is expensive, but i just dont understand why theyve decided to renew cec with something so bland... wheres the creativity, wheres the fun? Why couldnt they have come up with an innovative and fun way to upgrade the stores that were becoming old and broken, why did it have to be like this?

[remnantoforario]

Remnant’s Top Ten Anime of 2020

2020 Was certainly a ride wasn’t it? To those that managed to make to make it through in one piece, or any piece, good job. Hopefully 2021 is better to us all. 

Despite the world mostly being on fire, I’d hazard to say that a lot of good shows came out in 2020 (despite a number of them being delayed to either later in the year or this year altogether). I meant to release this list much earlier, but I kept changing it around. 

Anyway, here are the ones I thought were the best. 

Honorable Mentions:

Dorohedoro

Synopsis: The plot centers on a man named Caiman and his search for his real identity after a transformation by a sorcerer left him with a reptile's head and no memory of his former life. 

Along with his friend Nikaido, he violently assaults sorcerers in the Hole, with the aim of taking their heads into his mouth, where a strange face will appear and confirm whether the sorcerer he has bitten onto was the one responsible for his transformation or not.

As the residents of the Hole, the En family and the Cross-Eyes gang, along with many others, collide with one another, the mystery of Caiman's identity begins to unravel, reigniting ancient grudges and threatening to forever change both the Hole and the sorcerers' world.

Thoughts: This is the only Netflix anime I watched this year (I missed out on Great Pretender before the year ended), and I can honestly say I had fun with this one. It’s animation was good, the story was engaging enough, and the characters were all unique (Noi best girl). The one problem I would say with the show is that it can come off as unfocused at times, meandering from one plaot point to another with no real connective tissue. 

Still a fun series though. 

ID: Invaded

Synopsis: The anime follows the investigations of Narihisago, a renowned detective now in prison, who is tasked with diving into the id wells of various serial killers. 

Two years prior to the current events, Narihisago's daughter Muku was brutally murdered by a serial killer, leading Narihisago's wife to commit suicide. These deaths prompted him to hunt down and murder the killer, earning him his prison sentence. He is still depressed and haunted by his wife and daughter's deaths, but also uses this as motivation to take his work seriously and help stop serial killers. 

Thoughts: One of a handful of original series that came out this year. This show gave me heavy Inception/Minority Report vibes from both its premise and presentation. It wobbles under the weight of its own concepts towards the end, but it still a fun ride nonetheless. 

Gleipnir 

Synopsis: The story centers on Shuichi Kagaya, a high school student with an unusual secret. He has the ability to transform into a monster resembling a giant dog mascot costume with a zipper down his back and a large cartoonish smile. After rescuing a strange girl, Claire Aoki, from a warehouse fire, they join each other to search for Claire's older sister, who is assumed to be responsible for the death of their parents.

Thoughts: When the initial rollout for this show began I admit I wasn’t really a fan. I thought it was just going to be a hyper violent, fanservice show. Now in some ways it is that, but if you really look Gleipnir tells a very interesting tale of identity and what it truly means to have a wish granted. The music was pretty good as well, and that’s really something from me as a person who doesn’t pay attention to soundtracks. 

Hope this show gets a season 2, but if not I’ll more than likely start the manga. 

Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina

Synopsis:  Fascinated by the stories of Niké, a witch who traveled around the world, Elaina aspires to take the same course. Her determination of studying books and magic leads to her becoming the youngest apprentice witch to pass the sorcery exam. 

However, when Elaina attempts to receive training in order to become a full-fledged witch, she is rejected due to her extraordinary talents until she finds Fran, the "Stardust Witch," whom accepts her. After earning her title, the "Ashen Witch," Elaina begins her exploration around the world, visiting and facing all kinds of people and places.

Thoughts: As a fan of the Light Novels, I was pretty excited when it was announced it was getting an anime. For the most part it didn’t disappoint. Though it skipped most of the stories in the novels, the show still told a few good stories that made for some amazingly animated tv. 

Talentless Nana

Synposis: In the near future, mysterious monsters known as the "Enemies of Humanity" begin to appear, and with it so do children with supernatural powers called the "Talented". To prepare them for the upcoming battle against these Enemies, all the Talented are sent to a school located on a deserted island, where they have all their daily needs provided for until they graduate and communication with the outside world is forbidden. 

One day, a new student named Nana Hiiragi arrives at the school. Her friendly and cheerful personality lets her quickly make friends with the class. However, with Nana comes a whole litany of mysterious occurrences on the island. 

Thoughts: I can’t say too much about Nana without spoiling it’s first episode twist, but I will say that its a pretty interesting show with a fairly compelling game of cat and mouse being played. 

Now on the the actual list:

10. The Misfit of Demon King Academy 

Synopsis: After 2,000 years of countless wars and strife, the demon king Anos Voldigoad made a deal with the human hero, Kanon, to sacrifice his own life to ensure peace could flourish. Reincarnating 2,000 years later, Anos finds that royal demons now harshly rule over lower class hybrid demons in a society that values Anos's pureblood descendants over the demons who interbred with other species, such as humans and spirits. 

Finding that magic as a whole has begun to decline and his descendants weaker as a result of the peace he created, Anos, now technically a hybrid himself, decides to reclaim his former title of Demon King, but first, he must graduate from the Demon King Academy where he is labeled a total misfit.

Thoughts: Originally I was going to put Nana in this spot, but its lack of a real ending pushed it out of the list. If only slightly. Misft at Demon Academy is just a fun ride from start to finish. There’s always something about shows with ridiculous OP protagonists (Overlord, One Punch Man, etc.) that gets the blood pumping. 

It’s like junk food. Great for the right moment, but not needed all the time. 

9. Ikebukuro West Gate Park

Synopsis:  A charismatic troubleshooter tries to keep the peace between warring factions while protecting his loved ones in Ikebukuro West Gate Park.

Thoughts: I honestly had no idea what to make of this show when I first saw the synopsis, but I gave it a try on a whim. I’m glad I did because this was easily the dark horse of the Fall season. I really liked the mostly self contained story format the series had, and there were a few very good episodes here. Check it out. 

8.  My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

Synopsis: Catarina Claes, the young daughter of a noble family, one day bumps her head and regains memories of her past life as an otaku. It is then that she realizes she has been reborn into the world of the otome game Fortune Lover, reincarnated as the game's villainess who, regardless of what route the player took in the original game, is doomed to be either killed or exiled. 

In order to avoid these routes that lead to doom, Catarina begins taking countermeasures to try and avoid things going the same way as the game. This, however, ends up having unexpected consequences on her relations with the other characters of the game's world.

Thoughts: Normally I’m not a fan of Reverse/Otome harem series, but somehow Bakarina managed to pull me in, to a good result. This show was easily one of the best comedies I watched this year with a good cast and a likable protagonist. 

7.  Deca-Dence 

Synopsis: In the fortress city of Deca-dence, the lowly Tanker girl, Natsume, dreams of becoming a Gear warrior following her father's death during a Gadoll attack. She is assigned to a maintenance team led by Kaburagi whom she discovers is more than he appears. Kaburagi has a secret role in eliminating "bugs", humans who threaten Solid Quake's operations. 

When Kaburagi discovers that Natsume is listed as dead in the company database, he decides to keep her under observation and offers to train her to fight.

Thoughts: Giant monsters and giant robots. What more do you need? Watch it. 

6. A Certain Scientific Railgun T

Synposis: The Daihasei Festival has begun, and that of course means that Tokiwadai Middle School—a prestigious all-girls' middle school—is competing too. Despite the participation of the "Ace of Tokiwadai," Mikoto Misaka, the other students who are participating are still putting their utmost effort into winning, no matter how impossible the feat may seem against her might. However, not all is fun and games. Due to the the festival, Academy City opens to the outside world, and various factions have begun plotting ways to infiltrate the city. Misaka appears to be on their radar, and as the festival proceeds, people lurking from the shadows begin to emerge...

Thoughts: Not really much to say here. It’s the third season of Railgun, but good thing here is that each season of Railgun is better than the last. Truly the best of the To Aru universe. 

5. BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense.

Synposis: Urged on by her friend, Kaede Honjō begins playing the VRMMORPG NewWorld Online under the name Maple. Not wanting to get hurt, Maple opts to be a shield user with maxed out defense stats, and continues putting every status point she earns in the game into increasing only her defense level. 

As a result, she is left with slow foot speed and no magic, but her high defense allows her to endure most hits without taking any damage. This, along with her basic-level creative thinking, allows for her to make unexpected accomplishments in the game, its quests and events. By doing this, she ends up earning all kinds of equally unexpected skills and becomes one of the strongest players in the game. Thoughts: Bofuri is another OP power fantasy like Demon King Academy, but with the twist of being fused with CGDCT. The cast is extremely likable (especially Maple) and when Silver Link wants to they can make the battles REALLY dynamic. A nice comfortable watch, which was sorely needed in 2020. 

4. Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle

Synposis: The story follows Princess Syalis, a young princess who was kidnapped by the demon king, and her quest to sleep well while imprisoned.

Thoughts: A simple premise for a not so simple story. Sleepy Princess for me was easily the best comedy of the year, with plenty of heart and action thrown in as well. I was wary of the series at first, thinking that the premise wouldnt be entertaining for more than a few episodes, but boy was I wrong. Each episode was funnier than the last and Doga Kobo pulled out all the stops to make it look as gorgeous as possible.  

3. Jujutsu Kaisen

Synopsis: Idly indulging in baseless paranormal activities with the Occult Club, high schooler Yuuji Itadori spends his days at either the clubroom or the hospital, where he visits his bedridden grandfather. However, this leisurely lifestyle soon takes a turn for the strange when he unknowingly encounters a cursed item. Triggering a chain of supernatural occurrences, Yuuji finds himself suddenly thrust into the world of Curses—dreadful beings formed from human malice and negativity—after swallowing the said item, revealed to be a finger belonging to the demon Sukuna Ryoumen, the "King of Curses." Yuuji experiences first-hand the threat these Curses pose to society as he discovers his own newfound powers. Introduced to the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School, he begins to walk down a path from which he cannot return—the path of a Jujutsu sorcerer.

Thoughts: Originally I wasn’t going to put this on the list, because the season doesnt conclude this year, but I decided to make an exception since the show started so strong. Many people were hyping this up as the next big shonen, and they were right. Mappa really went balls to the wall with this show and I’m pretty hype for what happens this cour. 

2. Akudama Drive

Synopsis: The bustling metropolis of Kansai, where cybernetic screens litter the neon landscape, may seem like a technological utopia at first glance. But in the dark alleys around the brightly-lit buildings, an unforgiving criminal underbelly still exists in the form of fugitives known as "Akudama." No stranger to these individuals, Kansai police begin the countdown to the public execution of an infamous Akudama "Cutthroat," guilty of killing 999 people. However, a mysterious message is sent to several elite Akudama, enlisting them to free Cutthroat for a substantial amount of money. An invisible hand seeks to gather these dangerous personas in one place, ensuring that the execution is well underway to becoming a full-blown bloodbath.  

Thoughts: Want to know what it would be like if Quentin Tarantino made an anime? Well here you go. An adrenaline filled rollercoaster ride from start to finish with a crazy cast of characters and even crazier visuals. There’s even a bit of social commentary in there if you squint. 

1. Oregairu Climax

Synopsis: Resolved to become a more independent person, Yukino Yukinoshita decides to smoothen things out with her parents, and the first step toward achieving that goal is to prove herself. As graduation draws closer for the third-year students, Iroha Isshiki—the president of the student council—requests a graduation prom in collaboration with the Volunteer Service Club. Yukino accepts this request of her own volition, hoping to use it as a chance to demonstrate her self-reliance, but what lies ahead of her may prove to be a hard hurdle to cross.

At the same time, a chance for the Volunteer Service Club members to better understand each other presents itself. And thus, Hachiman Hikigaya's hectic and bittersweet high school life begins to draw to a close.

Thoughts: The gif says it all really. I could just leave that there and end this list on a somewhat high note, but I’ll explain it. 

Now objectively, there were better shows than this one (off the top of my head JJK comes to mind) but when you combine all three seasons there is no contest in my mind that Oregairu had one of the most perfect endings to a series I have ever seen. 

It was an ending 7 years in the making. The first season in 2013 was good, the second season two years later was even better, but Climax was Oregairu at is absolute best and that goes beyond the story and characters. A lot of praise also has to go to Studio feel., who took over animation duties from Brain’s Base in season 2. While BB’s animation was much more accurate to the LN, feel’s more realistic designs fit the more mature direction the story was starting to go, giving the anime some of its best moments. 

Watching Hachiman, Yukino, and Yui grow and change from naive teenagers to somewhat understood young adults was amazing and sometimes heartbreaking to watch. Hachiman’s search to find something “genuine”, Yukino’s desire to be independent, and Yui struggling with her feelings of love and friendship all clash and compliment in very interesting ways that makes these three characters even more relatable than they were before. 

Lots of long running series don’t stick to landing, but in my eyes Oregairu stuck it perfectly. That’s why its my favorite anime of 2020.

Here’s to 2021. 

[onlydreamofmysoul]

Imagine what it would be like if Remus never got injured. Like he’s plays professional hockey, was first round draft pick like expected. How would he and Sirius have met and how would they have ended up together??? Would they be on the same team or different teams or like Remus having just got traded to the lions.

I hate how much this took over my brain. (Just kidding I loved it.) These are just a couple of snapshots of what life in the Lions might have looked like with Remus as a player.

Characters of course by the one and only @lumosinlove

Sirius stepped into the locker room for his first official day as a member of the Gryffindor Lions. He’d already met all of the team but this was different, this day had weight. His mother's parting words, a hissed whisper echoed in his ears.

Toujours pur.

The Snakes motto. A not too subtle reminder to do everything he could to get traded. Sirius looked around at the little hush that fell when he walked into the room before Pascal.

There were more than a couple shouts of “Rookie!” and before he knew what was happening, Sirius was being ushered to his stall by someone talking a mile a minute. 

“Talkie, give the rookie a break will you? Much more of you and he’ll be begging for a transfer before the season begins.” Came a joking voice and Sirius looked up to see none other than Remus Lupin standing in front of him.

Sirius knew who Remus was - how could he not? He had been first draft last year and had played spectacularly since. The media couldn’t get enough of him, he was like the all American boy with his perfect hair and perfect smile and perfect family.

“Look Loops, just because you’re not technically a rookie anymore doesn’t mean I’m going to stop treating you like one so until further notice you can’t tell me what to do.”

Remus burst out laughing and pushed Thomas away lightly before those sparkling eyes met Sirius’.

“Welcome to the club.”

The team was… not what Sirius expected. Even more unexpected however, was how he never wanted to leave. His mother’s words still haunted his dreams but Sirius knew; somehow he would have to stay. So he worked. He trained and he slept. Then he slept and he trained. His days were a never ending cycle of eating, training, sleeping, repeat. Even the nights out with the boys seemed the same. Sure, they went to different places, met different people but… the essence of it was the same. The only thing that wasn’t constant in his life was Remus. Sirius couldn’t figure him out. He laughed and joked with the guys, but he was clever and sarcastic and so brilliantly witty, Sirius just couldn’t get enough of listening to him talk. Yeah, one thing was for sure, he would have to stay.

“Remus! You were so good! That goal! It was like one minute you were here and then you were there and the goalie was all ‘woah!’ and I was like ‘woah!’ and like… woah!”

Sirius smiled as he overheard Julian Lupin come in. Remus’ little brother had become the team's little unofficial mascot, appearing frequently in the locker room, peppering everyone with questions and following Remus around like he hung up the moon.

(Although, knowing Remus Sirius wouldn’t be surprised if he actually did).

“Sirius! You were amazing!” Jules buzzed, appearing right in front of him, at a level of pure excitement that only children ever seemed to fully reach. Sirius reached out and ruffled his hair. “Thanks bud, did you have a good time?”

Julian stared up at him, wide eyed. “Yeah.” He breathed. “It was so cool. And mom says I only have ten more minutes because it’s past my bedtime but I want to stay with all of you.”

“Hmm, I’d say your mom probably knows best kiddo, but…” Sirius said, lowering his voice conspiratorially and leaning in, Jules copying his movements, “That is enough time to help me with my cool-down stretches, would you be up for that?”

Julian’s enthusiastic, affirmative response would replay in Sirius’ head for days.

“You’re good with him.” Remus commented later, leaning against the doorframe in the kitchen. The muscles in his arms and shoulders tensing to support himself. Sirius swallowed and forced himself to look away. He never let himself look at Remus too much. Never in the showers - it would do too much to him. It would also hurt too much to know exactly what he was missing out on. This was at least, Sirius could pretend that Remus was horribly misshapen.

(Though Sirius would love Remus if he looked like a toad).

“He’s a good kid.” He said simply, blinking and realising several seconds had gone before he had responded.

“Yeah I think so,” Remus agreed, moving into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. “But I suppose I’m biased.”

“Nah, he’s just a good kid, no bias in sight.”

Remus met his eyes and smiled. Sirius closed his and wished.

Sirius and Remus rose through the ranks. The metaphorical ranks. By which Sirius meant they were no longer treated like rookies. They had Finn and Logan now, so Remus and Sirius were off the hook.

“So what do you think of the new rookies?” James asked him as they stood at the bar, having offered to get the next round of drinks.

“They seem okay, I haven’t talked to them much.”

James nudged his shoulder playfully. “Of course you haven’t.” He said, rolling his eyes. “Well, I like them.”

“Of course you do.” Sirius replied, taking the cue to roll his eyes. Pots liked everyone.

“Hey! They’re nice! And they already know each other so that should help them adjust a little quicker.” James speculated and Sirius glanced back over his shoulder to see the two rookies sitting with their heads close together as they talked. As he looked around, he spotted Remus, who was talking to Thomas but as he watched a girl walked right up with him and started talking. Thomas took his cue to walk away and Sirius took it as he=is cue to leave.

He could stay with the Lions. He could leave his family. He could find a new home here.

But he wouldn’t watch Remus potentially find a home with someone else.

The day Sirius made captain was the best day of his life. For an insurmountable amount of reasons. However one Remus John Lupin pulling him in for a bone-crushing hug and whispering; “You deserve it Captain.”, well that played a big part of it for sure.

(For sure - now Sirius was starting to even sound like Remus.)

For a moment, everything went quiet. Sirius didn’t know how to describe it - everything happened so fast and yet it was like it happened in slow motion. Sirius felt it like an outer body experience, like when you watch a game on the TV and see the replays. It was just like that except it wasn’t on TV and it was happening to him. Snape had made a dirty play. And Sirius was falling.

He fell for forever and for no time at all and he knew only the cold of the ice yet it felt like for a split second the secrets of the universe were revealed to him. 

Then the pain kicked in.

His eyes found Remus’ as his team rushed to him, but stayed a distance away to give the medics space. Remus came the closest, his gloved hand reaching up to cover his throat as his lips mouthed Sirius’ name. Sirius looked at him until Remus was out of sight and after that, his hazy, drug-induced dreams were full of laughing eyes, quirked smiles and ridiculously long eyelashes.

Sirius’ recovery was long, but he did it. How could he not? If the choice was hockey or no hockey, well it wasn’t even a choice really. Sirius needed hockey like he needed oxygen, both were key to his survival. He returned to the ice. He pucked around with James and chatted with the baby rookie Leo and played with the Dumais children. He hung out with Remus. A lot.

Until one day, Sirius accepted a dinner invitation, on a stormy night.

Twenty four little candles on a cake, ready to put their special little magic to use.

Sirius closed his eyes and wished.

(And well, we all know how that works out ;) )