#if not to parallel him to the only character we’ve seen opening it?…

[chirpsythismorning]

WALK IN THE DOOR AND THE FIRST THING THEY BOTH DO IS GO STRAIGHT TO THE FRIDGE 🤣😭

[h0neylevi]

Chapter Two

After a major shift, your life has become a series of monotonous routines. Eat, sleep, go to work, repeat. But when you find a man bleeding on the subway with no idea how he got there, things become anything but ordinary.

General content warnings: isekai/parallel universe, modern AU, mentions of blood and canon-typical violence, some light angst, eventual smut.

chapter warnings: brief discussion of human trafficking

word count: 3.2k

“Where did you find him again?”

“On my way home last night on the subway.”

“... And he was–”

“In the full scout uniform, yeah.”

Your friend and fellow nurse, Allie, pauses in the wake of your words, eyes fixed on the door at the other end of the hall where one of the hospital’s doctors took Levi to be examined.

They’ve been back there for over an hour now, and you’re starting to get nervous. If this goes badly, you’re never going to live it down with your coworkers.

“Is he hot?”

Your jaw hangs when Allie’s words register, and you turn back to her with an incredulous look.

“I told you all that and that’s what you take from it?”

She raises her hands up in a defensive gesture. “I’m just saying, if the universe decided to drop a man into my lap that thought he was Erwin Smith, I would take advantage of the situation.”

That, oddly enough, makes you laugh.

“He isn’t Levi Ackerman,” you say once you’ve calmed down. “He probably just hit his head on the way from a costume party and got confused.”

On the other side of the nurse’s station, Allie groans and gets up. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“I’m being realistic,” you defend.

“We see weirder things walk into this hospital every day.��

“I think an anime character come to life would surpass anything we’ve ever seen.”

With a defeated little sigh, she grabs a file and rounds the corner. “Well, whatever he is, I have to get back to work.” She taps the file on your shoulder as she passes. “Have fun with Beyblade. Let me know what Paul says.”

Just as she starts down the corridor, the door at the end of the hall opens and Dr. Paul Holloway exits the exam room. His expression is solemn as he gestures for you to join him.

“Thank you again for doing this on such short notice, Dr. Holloway,” you greet him. “Did you find out anything?”

He looks down for a moment at the clipboard in his hand. “Well, the only thing really to note is that he doesn’t seem to know what year it is or where he is, but all of his tests and scans came back normal. Cognition and reflexes otherwise seem to be just fine.”

He rifles through the pages for a moment before continuing. “There are no drugs in his system, and no significant injuries that I could find that would cause this sort of temporary amnesia, so I would have to refer him out to a specialist if you wanted more answers. But as of now, my only guess could be that maybe he was trafficked and escaped. Possibly in a fugue state for so long that he has no recollection of how he got here.”

You listen intently. That wouldn’t explain the clothes you found him in, but it’s worth considering all the same. Large cities were usually hubs for human trafficking. It’s more likely than Allie’s theory at least.

Dr. Holloway seems to sense your thought process. “He should recover his memories soon, but I would suggest maybe filing a police report. I’m sure he has a family out there somewhere who’s missing him.”

You consider it. “Yeah,” you say, nodding. “I’ll mention it. Thanks again, Dr. Holloway.”

“Of course.”

You wait quietly as he opens the exam room door again and beckons Levi out.

He’s just as passive as ever when he sees you waiting. With a departing nod, Dr. Holloway continues down the hall to another exam room.

“So,” you begin, “how are you feeling?”

“Like a test subject,” Levi grumbles, falling into step with you. “Four-Eyes would love this place.”

You turn to look at him. “Huh?”

“Nothing,” he quickly says. “So, are you satisfied now? I can go?”

You walk through the nearby exit door on the side of the building and onto the street.

“Well, Dr. Holloway didn’t find anything wrong, so I guess you’re welcome to go wherever you like,” you say. “But I really think you should go to the police. I think something really bad has happened to you, Levi. They might be able to help you.”

While you speak, Levi looks around, studying the cars as they pass and the tall buildings.

“Somehow, I doubt that,” he sighs. “I think I’m too far from home to go back.”

The recognition that bleeds through his tone makes you curious. “Do you remember where you’re from?”

“It doesn’t matter.” His mouth twists into a frown. “It’s definitely not around here.”

You want to keep pressing but ultimately decide against it. It isn’t as if it’s any of your business, but you feel a sense of responsibility for his well-being. You were the one who found him, and if you have the means to help him get to where he needs to go, you’d be willing to offer. It isn’t as if you’ve got anything else going on in your life, but you can only do so much when he doesn’t want you to pry into his personal life.

“Well...” you trail off, unsure. “I need to get some groceries but once we get back to my place, I can wash your clothes before you leave. That’ll give you some time to decide what you want to do.”

To your surprise, it doesn’t take him long to agree.

“Okay,” he nods. “Let’s go.”

**

The supermarket isn’t far from your apartment, so you get onto the city metro together. It’s a familiar route to you, but it’s clear that Levi isn’t accustomed to the amount of people that cram themselves together into the narrow space at once.

There aren’t any seats when you climb on, so you’re forced to stand together in one of the corner exits. At the very least, Levi remembers to grab onto one of the handrails just before the train starts moving—an action that he still seems to find disgusting despite the necessity.

“What?” you laugh at his pinched expression.

“I think I preferred it the way it was last night,” he remarks, not doing anything to hide his distaste while looking around. “How often do these things get cleaned?”

You blink. “Uh, I don’t know. Probably only when something seriously hazardous happens. Like blood or puke.”

The look on his face only grows.

“Don’t worry. I have sanitizer in my bag. I can give you some when we get off,” you promise. “I never got rid of the habit from covid.”

The way Levi’s brows furrow suggest that he doesn’t know what either of those things are either, but you just shake your head, wordlessly promising to explain later.

Once you’re off the train and back out onto the street, you move to the side to pull the aforementioned bottle out of your bag. Levi watches quietly until you reach and squeeze some of the liquid into his upturned palm.

He lifts it closer to his face. “What is this?”

“It’s sanitizer,” you say, rubbing your hands together. “Just rub it in like this. It kills the germs on your hands that you can get from touching random surfaces.”

He follows your example, albeit a bit more slowly, and you set off again down the street.

The rest of the walk is done mostly in silence. Thankfully, Levi doesn’t seem to mind. He chooses mostly to walk along beside you, occasionally looking up at skyscrapers as you pass them or balk at the occasional interaction on the street. There’s a sense of wonder and curiosity that settles on his face, smoothing out the stern glare that you’ve seen him wear since you first found him on the metro.

It really is like he’s never seen anything like it before, and you wonder again about his history. He doesn’t seem afraid of anything, merely curious as he walks, and he carries himself confidently. Like a soldier…

No, that was Allie influencing your thoughts. There’s no way this man was the Levi Ackerman. Even if he had his hair, his stature, the same sullen expression, and similar mannerisms to ones you’ve seen in the anime. It’s an impossible thought. You’re not even considering it.

“What are you staring at?”

You blink and realize that he’s looking at you now and holy shit, his eyes are even that shade of blue-grey.

You turn forward again just as a crosswalk changes for you to go. “Nothing,” you say quickly. “You just… remind me of someone.”

He doesn’t reply—most likely because he doesn’t care—but you’re grateful that he doesn’t pay it any mind.

But by the time you’ve entered the supermarket and grabbed a cart, your curiosity outweighs your hesitation.

“Can I ask you something?”

Beside you, Levi scans the produce aisle you’re approaching with passive interest. “That depends.”

Ignoring him, you press forward. “Is there some reason you won’t tell me what’s going on?”

You speak and he turns to look at you, his brows furrowed.

“I mean, it’s pretty obvious that there’s more to what happened than you’re letting on,” you continue. “And I know it’s none of my business, but…”

“You’re right. It is none of your business.”

The comment stings more than you expect, but you try to quickly brush it off. You don’t know this man, and in a matter of an hour or so he’ll be gone. You’d promised yourself that as long as he was healthy, you wouldn’t meddle.

But after everything you’ve done for him, it still feels unfair to treat you so dismissively. He acts like you’re a nuisance more than the person who cleaned him up and gave him a place to sleep out of the cold.

The ensuing silence is tense. You push your cart forward, suddenly eager to get out as quickly as possible. The faster you get home, the quicker he leaves. If that’s what he wants after everything you’ve done, he can have it.

You’re moving through the selection of deli cheeses when Levi speaks up again.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he says in a low voice. “I wouldn’t believe it myself if I wasn’t witnessing it with my own eyes.”

You look around, following his gaze as it skims over the refrigerated walls of pre-packaged meat and cheese.

“What are you talking about? It’s a grocery store.”

He huffs. “That doctor said the year was 2024.”

You change course, leading the way into an aisle of canned goods. “Yeah?”

It’s quiet for a long moment. Levi’s arms are crossed over his chest as he follows along.

“I don’t know how it happened, but I’m not from here.” He pauses for a moment as you pull some cans from a shelf and place them in your cart. “I’m not from this time.”

You stop for a moment and look at him. On his face is the same look he had the night before, that same sincerity when he told you he’d been looking for some sort of headquarters.

You can’t help it. You chuckle. “You’re talking about time travel.”

“If that’s what you want to call it.”

You continue down the aisle and turn into the next one. “Levi, there’s never been a recorded instance of time travel…ever. It’s never happened.”

Levi rolls his eyes. “See? You don’t believe me.”

“It isn’t about believing you. It’s impossible.”

But even as you say it, you don’t feel entirely convinced that it’s true.

Improbable, sure. Very unlikely. Insane that you’re even considering it, but the more you think about it, the more the pieces seem to fall into place.

The way you found him, his clothes, the way he looks around at everything like he’s seeing it all for the first time. There’s no indication that he has a serious head injury, so you can’t fall back on that anymore. And the trafficking? Well… You’ve been trained to look for red flags, and nothing about his situation seems to fit with that explanation.

Plus, there are the coins you found in the pockets of his clothes this morning. Copper and silver ones bearing symbols you don’t recognize. The silhouette of a woman in a crown.

You’d looked up every conceivable country that you could think of that might fit the bill and nothing had matched.

There’s no way that what he’s saying is true though, right? If you believe him, you’d have to believe all of it—meaning that he is Levi Ackerman and that the events of Attack on Titan are real.

No, that’s silly. In all of recorded history, there’s never been a single event that coincides with the existence of man-eating titans. Belief in giants is a fringe theory not backed by actual evidence.

But, still. Just to humor him.

“What time are you from then?” you ask.

“854.”

You stop and stare at him. “You realize that’s…over a thousand years ago, right?”

With his mouth in a thin line, Levi nods.

You continue to stare, waiting for a break in his composure. The inevitable laugh that will surely come, marking this entire conversation as a joke, but it never comes.

“You’re serious,” you finally say.

Levi blinks. “You believe me?”

God, what do you believe? “I…” You bring your hands to your face. The middle of the pasta aisle is not the place to be weighing the possibility of time travel. “No,” you finally say. “I mean, I don’t know…can you prove it?”

Levi raises a brow. “How am I supposed to prove it to you?”

“I don’t know. You’re the one claiming to be over a thousand years old.”

“I’m not claiming to be—” he cuts himself off with an irritated sigh. “You’re just as bad as the brats back home.”

Something in your patience finally snaps.

You start walking again, needing space. “You know, you could stand to be a bit nicer to me considering all I’ve done for you.”

For a long moment, there’s only the rattling sound of the cart’s wheels as they roll down the aisle.

“I am grateful,” Levi finally says, surprisingly still following next to you. “But I didn’t ask you to interfere.”

“Well, most people wouldn’t have just left a man to bleed all over the metro. I’m sorry I have basic human decency.”

“Basic human decency would have been pointing me in the direction of the nearest sink,” he points out. “You let me sleep on your couch.”

You turn to glare at him. “I’m sorry, are you complaining right now?”

“I’m saying that I don’t like owing people,” he says.

You resist the urge to roll your eyes. “You don’t owe me anything. I would have done the same thing for anyone.”

Levi doesn’t look like he completely believes you, but at least he lets the matter rest. 

He follows you the rest of the way through the store in thoughtful silence.

Left to your own devices, you grab things without thinking, relying on muscle memory to lead you to the items you usually buy. It isn’t as if you deviate much from your favorite meals, so the rest of the process is quick.

By the time you’ve grabbed everything you need, your mood has improved enough that you feel a bit remorseful for doubting him.

Even if it was a weird idea, Levi appeared genuine. Like Dr. Holloway had said, he’d probably regain his memories soon. If he really didn’t remember anything about modern life, he was going to need someone to help him.

Maybe he shouldn’t leave so soon.

It isn’t until you turn around to speak that you realize you’re alone. A quick look around the aisle confirms that Levi’s nowhere to be seen. That’s odd. When had he wandered off?

You begin searching back through the aisles and after a few minutes, you spot him. Standing in front of the long, neat shelves lined with tea and coffee. Something akin to dread settles into your stomach at the sight.

He glances over as you approach and places a box back on the shelf. A beat passes before he clears his throat and says, “I’ve never seen so much tea in one place before.”

“Do you want some?” you ask, glancing at the box he put back—a black tea blend. He doesn’t respond, simply skimming over the labels again with a peculiar glint in his eye.

You don’t wait for an answer and pluck the box off of the shelf. He doesn’t stop you as you place it into your cart.

It’s a truce. An apology and an acknowledgment that you’re helping him all in one.

You turn your cart back around and lead the way toward the front. “I’m all done. Let’s go.”

**

The walk back home isn’t as tense as before, but it isn’t exactly comfortable either.

You keep watching Levi every chance you get. He appears more thoughtful. His gaze lingers just as it always has on the buildings and the people walking past. Cars, billboards, restaurants, all of it.

It’s got to be overwhelming. Not that you're believing him, but if he believes that he isn’t from this time, it has to be a shock to see so many unfamiliar things at once.

“What are you thinking about?” you finally ask.

His expression remains passive as he takes a deep breath, like he’s grounding himself. “Everything just looks so…”

“Artificial?” you supply when he pauses, but the look on his face tells you he’s confused by the word you use. You try again. “Uh, not natural?”

“I was going to say clean.” His voice goes soft as he looks around again. “The air is clean.”

Not sure how to respond, you turn forward and continue down the street.

It doesn’t take much longer to reach your apartment.

Levi helps carry the bags of groceries upstairs and into your kitchen, where he stands awkwardly as you unload everything into their respective spots. Luna, still curious, climbs onto the table nearby, making Levi scowl.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t shoo her away when he decides to take a seat, and he even goes so far as to let her sniff him as he looks out of the window.

You smile when you hear her chirp. A noise that you know she makes when she feels like she’s being ignored.

“You can pet her, you know?” you look over your shoulder to tell him.

He meets you with a bored look. “I know. I don’t want to.”

As if she can understand him, Luna meows again.

After you put the last item away in your fridge, you move to sit at the table across from him.

“So what are you going to do?” you ask.

“I don’t know,” he replies, and for the first time, he sounds truly at a loss.

“Well, you’re welcome to keep staying here for a bit longer,” you say, petting Luna when she slinks over to you. “Until we figure something out.”

His eyes narrow slightly. “We,” he repeats.

You meet his gaze evenly. “Look, I don’t know where you came from or how you got here, but you’re here now and you’re still a human being. As long as you’re open to letting me help, I will.”

He seems to think on it for a moment before agreeing. “There are worse things in the world, I suppose.”

And you think that’s as close to a thank you as you’ll get.

[miscellaneouzz]

More Vox Machina meta time bc I feel like people do NOT talk enough about how complex Pike and Scanlan’s relationship is. First off the show is very good at steering away from the typical he’s-annoying-so-she-eventually-gives-in misogynistic approach a lot of those types of dynamics have. Like it initially comes off as just cute and flirtatious until their dynamic ironically becomes the least romantically driven of the main ships in a way that’s far more layered than I expected. It always feels like Pike’s complicated feelings come with observing Scanlan from a distance, she’ll flirt back and play along but ultimately wants to see the person he COULD be, the more sincere and earnest side to him (which can also be tied to Zerxus’ comment about her taking pride in “redeeming” her friends).

But then from Scanlan’s perspective, becoming the person he “could” be means distancing himself from Pike completely, because he’s in love with her and in his mind he sees that as an example of him clinging to his old habits of “finding all the wrong ways” to fill his emptiness. His scene with her on the balcony felt like such a culmination of both their complicated feelings– him relying on those coping mechanisms and Pike recognizing that– and I think that’s part of why he cried and why Pike pulled away at the last second. After that scene, we pretty much see Scanlan stop pursuing romantic interest in Pike for the rest of the season, but she’s still the only person he’ll be vulnerable with.

So then comes this heartbreaking irony that Pike’s been wanting more sincerity from Scanlan for a while now, only for Scanlan finally opening up more about his feelings to include him saying things that end up hurting and pushing away Pike. Because now Scanlan being more vulnerable and sincere means finally admitting he doesn’t view Vox Machina as his “real” family and that he never thought he mattered when he was with them and I don’t think that’s something Pike was truly ready for. And in the end Scanlan is still defining his worth purely on his relationships with others– if he’s no longer pouring his identity into romance/sex, he’s gotta pour it all into his newfound parenthood. He’s still flawed and not in a way where everything just hinges on Pike to “fix” him.

I think when it comes to the romantic relationships in the series it’s the one I’m most invested in from a character perspective. They’re the only pairing that’s yet to sincerely confess or discuss feelings for each other despite how much their relationship focuses on the need for sincerity and it’s so interesting. Like through the relationship struggles of Keyleth x Vax and Percy x Vex, we still see them be more open and upfront with both the conflicts and resolutions of their feelings for each other.

Pike & Scanlan are the only ship we’ve seen neither for, neither a straightforward conversation on the conflict of their relationship itself nor a sincere resolution to their feelings. And I think it has a lot to do with the parallel you can make about their own crisis of identity. Their character motivations and struggles with identity are not entirely dependent on each other as Scanlan has a tumultuous relationship with parenthood and Pike with her faith yet they impact each other so deeply.

There’s a lot more to say BUT for now… onto whatever season 4 brings for the gnomes!

[heavens-secret]

🌹 IN DEFENSE OF TAI: A NOVEL🍷

So listen I get it, there’s the writing style to consider and the repetition of the detached, seemingly lifeless man in power being recycled that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I fully understand the people saying they want more passion from him, and I hope to see it fully awakened as we go further along. He’s seemingly got the same stoic facecard no matter what context, which can get frustrating because we want a certain degree of vulnerability from our LIs.

But to play devil’s advocate on the subject that is Tai, let me paint this portrait of how I hope to see his character being developed. Because I can’t help but think about the glimpse into that psychotic family we’ve been given in Episode 9 & feel that up to this point, Tai’s mannerisms and general demeanor actually make so much fucking sense.

Like Tiss, he’s essentially been primed for war from an early age. He was primed to rule, to make difficult decisions, to represent his house with pride, and to never show weakness. And yes, he’s undoubtedly enjoyed a certain degree of privilege due to his status. But while his sisters get to explore their interests and amuse themselves in court playing with people like their puppets, he’s tasked with the ultimate responsibility of a society’s future as the family heir. A task I don’t think he takes lightly, given how well read he is and how involved he is in political affairs. And unless there’s some mentor we haven’t learned about yet, Foelh seems to have been his only role model to imitate when it comes to being a man and being a leader. Imagine having that dude as a father figure. Whatever we’ve seen of Foelh so far, I assure you he’s a thousandfold worse. It sort of reminds me of learning about Lucifer’s background & how Satan raised him. There are more parallels to him and Satan than you’d originally think. Both are self-serving, sadistic narcissists with little empathy for others’ suffering. They make decisions not based on what’s best for the people or what is just, but based on what strengthens their authority or feeds their ego. Not to mention both would be willing give up their only son to a win a political chess match if it came down to it. When Tai was briefing him on the murder of the princess and told him he was prioritizing minimizing bloodshed over interrogating everyone, Foelh literally said that he would have executed him were it not for the fact that he was his only son. With a parental figure like that, it often feels like you’re walking on eggshells & consistently made to feel like you’re never good enough. It doesn’t necessarily justify the problematic aspects of their personality down the line, but it humanizes them and puts a lot of their actions in context. It’s also fertile ground for solid character development. Because imagine the sort of coping mechanisms you’d have to adapt to be molded by a sadist while enduring life-lasting fractures to your body and/or soul. Repression would be chief among them. And then imagine meeting someone who challenges everything you’ve ever known and done, who forces you to start feeling again.

It’s honestly nothing short of a miracle that compared to Foelh, Tai has been nothing but respectful towards Tiss up to this point. He doesn’t have an interest in blind subservience or abusing his power for an ego trip like his father does. His calm and reserved nature makes him a lot more open minded & reasonable. On the Falcon path, he likes her challenging him on matters others wouldn’t speak up about & even respects her more for it. These are all qualities that will help him create impactful change when the time comes for him to reign. It feels like she’s awakening sides to him that have long remained dormant, like she’s a literal breath of fresh air after he’s gotten so used to holding his breath entirely. At the same time, however, he knows how dangerous a personality like that is and worries for her. She was always under threat of death but I think he feels guilt and anger at himself that he’s put her in actual tangible danger, like he slipped up somewhere leading to Foelh using her as a manipulation tactic. Maybe he is remaining reserved because that is the best way to keep her safe, because showing passion will only prove that she is a point of vulnerability for Tai. And the more their feelings grow, the truer that becomes. And that will certainly lead to her death, unless Foelh is killed first. Tiss is feeling like a pawn right now, but I’m telling ya’ll she’s gonna checkmate the King.

[emilylawsons]

HI I’M BACK AND I FINISHED SEASON 3 AND I HAVE THOUGHTS™️

Newsreader spoilers under the cut

Okay first: THE NEWSREADER IS ONE OF THE GREATEST TREASURES TO GRACE TELEVISION AND IT DELIVERED ON EVERYTHING

ANYWAY…

The open ending as far as Helen and Dale goes—my shipper heart is a little sad we didn’t get a more explicitly romantic ending for them BUT these two have so much healing to do, and it starts with being exactly where they are. Finding peace and happiness as individuals before they give themselves to any relationship. And I think, no matter what any fan was hoping for, they can take this ending and decide how it goes for them. (Also the loving way Helen spoke to him and looked at him while she was talking to him off air. 🥹) They’re both exactly where they need to be and in their element, and that’s what the audience has been rooting for since day one.

THE PARALLELS AND CONNECTIONS TO THE FIRST EPISODE IN THE LAST ONE. Dale singing Kyrie in the car. Helen taking Dale home and talking care of him and “coming up with a plan.” Fucking brilliant.

Helen’s journey this whole season—getting a diagnosis and coming to grips with it. Being resistant at first but coming around and COMMITTING to getting better even when it’s hard and she hates it—frickin’ facing the place where she was locked up and endured additional trauma. She truly came into her own, and I’m just continuously blown away by Anna Torv and how, in every single project she does, she puts so much care and thoughtfulness into how she portrays her characters and the difficult situations they face. And she’s just a fucking incredible actress. THE SCENE IN 3.03 AFTER SHE GOT HER DIAGNOSIS AND CALLED DALE BROKE ME. I don’t think anyone else could have portrayed Helen. I just don’t. And Helen’s arc was all the more satisfying because the writers/creators decided to trust their talent and make her just as much a part of the creative process.

And Dale…oh my boy Dale. Sam frickin’ Reid the actor you are. Dale’s character arc has to be one of the most intense and challenging I’ve ever seen on TV, and Sam probably had the hardest job. Dale’s breakdown? OH MY GOD. We always knew Dale needed to break. He would have to be driven to the brink to be human again. And, just like with Anna as Helen, there was no one more qualified to bring Dale Jennings to life. Holy shit. Incredible, meaty, deep storytelling happens when you have creatives with a vision and actors they’re on the same page with. Sam got it from day one, and he saw it through to the end.

But Helen and Dale, stars of the show they are, are not the only incredible arcs we got to see. THE SATISFACTION OF WATCHING LINDSAY CUNNINGHAM GET KICKED OUT ON HIS ASS AND DENNIS SITTING IN HIS SEAT. The stuff of legends. And not just Dennis getting his moment (which we absolutely saw coming after he clocked Lindsay last season), but JEAN FUCKING PASCOE yelling at him from across the newsroom. I clapped. I cheered. And you know, I even cheered a bit for Evelyn Walters in all of it. She’s out for herself and still doesn’t get it (and Geoff was far from a victim), but she stood when it counted. She took action on one good thing. And watching them all collectively work together to get Lindsay what he deserved? Delicious.

And then we’ve got my girl Noelene who also went through The Most™️ oh… She’s got so much to figure out about standing up for herself and what she wants, and Rob’s got so much growing to do to be a better husband and father. But she did stand up for herself. She stopped being afraid to tell people how she felt and what she needed. She called Rob out on his racist tendencies and opened up to him about her work/motherhood balance, and she called out Helen for using her like everyone else and overworking her, and they both listened. She has hope ahead of her, and it was beautiful to see.

A few other small notes:

The whole Dale/Kay dynamic was so strange, but it needed to happen. Her constant comparisons of him and Geoff helped fuel his necessary fall. And it served to show what a terrible place Dale was in.

Cheryl got married!!! Good for her 🩷

Fuck Bill, and congrats to Helen for being like “I’m not gonna be punished because I didn’t wanna fuck you”

Tim gets a well deserved love and happy ending!!!

I’m really happy they brought back Linus. What a treasure.

Overall, as sad as I am to see this show go, they delivered on all counts. Everything they said they would be, they were. Every arc, satisfying. Just so beautifully and masterfully done, and with love by everyone involved. 18 episodes of perfection. And if Michael Lucas and Emma Freeman ever produce another show together and hire Anna Torv and/or Sam Reid or any of the wonderful-across-the-board cast? I will get my VPN’s worth as an American and be there for it.

[xoxodropletsneedsmorefanfics]

Hey! Read this rant/OLNF-XOXOD theory I wrote instead of writing the essay for my finals

It’s 3am, I rambled a bit, but it’s still interesting to me. #BaePyounforOLNFStep2

Alright, this has been keeping me up at night and I need to share this theory with the XOXOD/OLNF community.

Who's gonna be the other member of the jerk squad that shows up in OLNF?

Based on my sources (aka, random sneak peeks l've seen after obsessively going through old posts), I know my husband Pran shows up in Step 1 in OLNF, just like how Shiloh showed up in Step 1 of OLBA.

In OLBA, we met Shiloh in Step 1 as a 7 year old, met Jeremy in Step 2 as a 12 year old, and saw the both of them again in Step 3 as 17 year olds (and Nate briefly showed up too, but only by text box).

So that opens the question: is another jerk gonna show up with Pran in OLNF?

Answer: I dunno, maybe. I wish. I hope.

A better question, the one l've mainly been cracking down on is...who's it gonna be.

JB is probably never going to show up, she'll probably only be mentioned again.

(Can't wait for the randomized moment where I get to ask Pran how things are with her...if he even talks to us)

We've already had Jeremy and Snake Boy in OLBA, so they're out.

It might be possible, but I feel like Nate and Everett are out too. Just because they were both thrown in boarding school super young. And although it'd be fun to 14 year old Nate or Everett, I really don't think it's likely...unless they're on a field trip or something. Which I really don't see happening in the fall, but I could be wrong.

So we're left with the most likely option, Bae. I wish I would stop here, but the main reason this account exists is to write XOXOD scenarios.

When we met Jeremy in OLBA, there was the "Oh, a green haired boy? Sounds like Cove!...Never mind, get this green chihuahua away from sweet baby Cove."

Imagine meeting Bae: Tamarack/Qiu/ Another Character tells the MC "Yeah. There's this new kid visiting. He’s like our age, but acts way older!” And everyone who knows Baxter is just like “????”

I don’t actually know if Baxter’s gonna disappear after Step 1 or not

Reactions to Bae could vary like, Qiu, Baxter (if he’s around) and Ren disliking his sarcasm, maybe Tamarack not even realizing he’s being sarcastic, and MC having the choice to either hate the sarcasm or not understand the sarcasm.

It’d be funny if we had the option to just flat out punch Bae like we could Jeremy.

Plus, it would be a good chance for Bae and Pran’s “relationship” to be developed.

And the parallels of the Shiloh —> Jeremy pipeline with the Pran —> Bae pipeline would be so beautiful.

I know Pran hates everyone (except for Jeremy and the rest of the King, JB if she befriends/romances him, and seemingly Lynn), but I don’t think we’ve seen Pran fully hating Bae. There’s a whole scene in XOXOD where Bae’s just yapping away to Pran about some random thing and Pran actively decides to stay and listen because “he had nothing better to do”

Bae even covered for Pran during the field trip on Pran’s route.

This was supposed to just be me explaining why Bae’s probably also going to be in OLNF, but now after writing all this down at 2am. I REALLY want Bae to show up too. I wanna see baby Bae and baby Pran. And then the two of them interacting one on one as teens through the OLNF gang.

GBPATCH! MAKE THIS A REALITY! AND MY MONEY IS YOURS!

Ok, I’m done now, bye.

[erikiara80]

Byler and Will having powers wouldn’t come out of nowhere

I know I know, many people have already talked about this. But the writing process is one of my favorite things, and I love Will’s character, so... Here I am. 

I’m gonna start with Will's powers. I’ll talk about things that everyone, not just fans who analyze the show, can see. I’ll only use some of my theories to speculate about the nature of Will’s abilities (imo they’re different from El’s, that’s why it makes sense that the reveal happens in the last season)

I’ll start with this. 

If I’m right, this could be like the reveal of One’s existence. If there’s a girl named Eleven there must also be a number One. It was always there. 

And if Will has always been connectet to the supernatural plot, either he’s like Frodo, or he has powers too. 

The fact that people have found explanations for what we’ve seen so far, like Will just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or his connection to Vecna just being a consequence of the possession, doesn’t mean that they’re correct.

But that’s a good thing when you write a mystery.

If you don’t want to reveal something till the last minute, you keep leaving hints and clues but also let people find plausible explanations for what they see, otherwise they become impatient to know the truth, and get distracted. 

What the writers could use to reveal that Will has powers

Will and El are the only characters connected to the supernatural plot since S1. 

Will’s vanishing, one of the most iconic scenes of the show. It’s different from all the other attacks, something even many causal viewers noticed. 

Will is the only person who survived alone for a week in the UD. If that’s what really happened, of course. But the fact that it’s still a mystery means that they’re hiding something important. Oh, and he was definitely Vecna's target (here)

The fake body. Either the lab was able to make a perfect replica of Will’s body in two days simply because they were spying on everyone in Hawkins, or there’s another explanation. 

Nobody doesn’t really know what those scientists are able to do, and nobody asked in S1. Actually, they never asked anything. But IF Vecna targets Will again in S5, he will have to finally ask himself: Why me?

Will and El big parallels in S2. Now we see WILL in the lab, with Owens, his “Brenner”, who knows the truth.

Also, Will says that the evil wants to kill everyone but him. Something they could use to reveal that his possession is different from the Flayed and Billy’s.

Will drawing the Mind Flayer is so important in S2, everybody remembers it. So, this is a connection with another kid with powers. Henry.

But in S3 and S4 something changes. Will is sidelined, and in S4 it even seems that the writers forgot his birthday. I think this is what makes people think that he’s not important. Now he “only” has this mysterious connection to the Mind Flayer (and Vecna). But in my opinion this could also be a big hint.

Will being sidelined in S3 and S4 could be part of the plan

We can dislike it, but it makes sense. 

Think about it. Will is the target for two seasons in a row, but everything changes in S3. I think it's because Vecna realizes that El can also close the gate. That's when he changes his plan. He needs that power to open his own gates. He says that to El.

But he can’t possess Will again to get to her. Will would know what’s happening, and his family would save him again. And Vecna is not stupid.

Also, IF Will is important, then Vecna doesn’t want to kill him. Will is not like Billy and the other Flayed. I don’t even think he was killing him in the UD. The parallel with Sarah means that the tendril was giving him oxigen like the chestbuster in Alien? But this is just a theory.

So, the plot of S3 is to take El’s power to open gates, the plot of S4 is to open gates so big that she can’t close them. And in S5 Vecna can finally get what he wants. Including Will?

In S4 they also reveal something very important connected to Will: that the UD is “stuck” on November 6, the day Will went missing. Sure, it’s the day El opened the gate, but see how they’re always connected? They could definitely use that. And they could use what Nancy says, that when Will was in the UD lights came to life.

Will vanishing, his mind being erased, has always been his story. And so is being remembered and saved by the ones who love him

What happens when my boy is gone? That's the big question. So I’m not surprised that he’s been sidelined.

The very first episode of the show is titled The vanishing of Will Byers. He literally disappears from the world and his family and friends must find him. 

In S2, it's his mind that is being erased and they need to make him remember.

Then in S3 and S4 he's sidelined, and there are many very intentional shots in which other characters are blocking him, so it seems that he's not even there. And it starts at the end of S2, when in the last shot of the ball Will is not there (more here)

Imo, this is no coincidence, the writers arent' forgetting Will. It’s the plot. And it would be a cool plot twist, based on a truth that has been hidden in plain sight the whole time.

Will’s powers

Finally, my theory is that his abilities are different from El and Henry’s and mostly connected to the UD. Maybe they only work there. If he’s like Bastian and can somehow influence the UD, shape things, or he's like a battery, a source of power that Vecna can use, then it makes sense that they reveal his powers in the last season, when the Upside Down starts to invade our reality.

I don’t remember who said this, but I find it so interesting. The fact that maybe there’s a reason if Will’s name is WILL. Maybe he IS power. I made a post about the parallels between Will and Cerebro I also have a theory about why both Will and El have powers, their connection, but this post is already so long. I’ll just leave some links:

Theory about Willel connection

Terry and El’s memories 

Byler

Well, in this case it’s obvious that if Will was girl, people would at least consider Byler. I’m sure there would be fights between Byler and mlv shippers, but more people would see the signs.

But I think many fans or casual viewers who simply like their friendship will be ok with it once they see how everything is connected and how important Will and Mike’s love is, not just for them but to save the world. That’s smart, it reminds me of Interstellar and many epic love stories. I love it.

Anyway. Byler has been a fundamental part of the story since S1. Their beautiful friendship, their bond, their love.

This scene!

Then in S4 it becomes obvious

I love this. One of the sweetest, most beautiful things this show has done. And it’s also clever! Making Will and Mike’s love one of the keys to save the world. That’s how you know it’s gonna be epic.

So, people could say, but there are sweet mlv scenes too. And Mike is still with El. He finally told her that he loves her. That means that they solved their problems and in S5 they will be stronger than ever. That’s the story. 

I don’t think that’s what the story is telling. El and Mike have spent two seasons fighting and not getting closer. The other kid in love with Mike had to push him twice to tell his girlfriend that he loves her, and they lost anyway (and Mike didn’t need Joyce or Jon to tell him keep going in the shed in S2). Also, the only couple that broke up had the same problem. Nancy, Mike’s sister, couldn’t say ILY to Steve. 

This means that El and Mike’s relationship is not a happy relationship. And now it’s obvious and even confirmed, that Will, the boy Mike has such a deep bond with, is in love with him. Like, this is such a classic trope. 

So, what could the writers use to show that the story has always hinted at Byler?

This

[angelwings-crossbowstrings]

Hey there, first time anon here! I wanted to review blood ties properly, since i binged it in like a few hours some time ago (oops) and let you know that i truly believe it is a masterpiece of writing, i’m talking good enough to compete with many published novels out there. I really love how this fic dives deep into one of the most interesting (unexplored!!) eras of the group, the winter, i also adore how its developed through the quarry and farm eras (i’m so excited for the prison as well) and how the real romance develops and is strenghtened by time.

 Daryl is a really hot’n cold guy just like i imagine him being in truth, i love the romance so much and the way the relationship between Daryl and our reader is the backbone of the story as it should be, it pushes the plot fowards and even affects characters that aren’t them in funny (and sort of sad) ways, your depiction of Daryl is so authentic he’s truly amazing, a bit of a dick sometimes, and so true to canon he’s not all self loathing, he’s got a lot going on and you can tell just by the reader’s POV, that even with all his flip flopping she can read him like an open book most of the time. I’m really really looking foward to how thumper being there will affect his development from now on, we know he has a Strong sense of responsibility and so now the whole prison arc (if that is where we go next, i don’t really know, you work in mysterious ways Murda) will have a bigger impact on him beyond Merle being present, also thumper too, i’m counting on her being much like him from what we’ve seen of her during the pregnancy, very smart and perceptive, you could even say... observant, but also an absolute menace (thats what i got from all the moving around at least) and i look foward to seeing all the ways she’s going to change Daryl’s brain chemistry every day, for better or for worse she will torment every minute of his day, i hope she is a true daddy’s girl that will make Daryl pay for for his every sin on this Earth by being a brat just like he is.

Most of the reason why i didn’t really comment on it normally instead of writing this freaky text is to comment on the development of secondary characters on this fic, i think they are very Strong and all feel true to the show as well, there is one relationship i absolutely love in this fic, only second to Daryl and reader really, its Lori and reader, maybe its my nerd brain overanalyzing but they almost feel like narrative foils in this fic (or is it parallels? let us know if it is intentional or not please!!).

 I really love the interactions with Lori and reader, i’ve Always felt like she is overhated in most fics (sure she kind of messes up, but only wants the best most of the time) and here she feels really close to how it truly is in the show, and its so sad, especially contrasted with the reader. They both start in different positions/ -reader is in a very casual relationship with Daryl- Lori is commited to Rick (and somewhat casual with shane, but not really) - Reader knows the ins and outs of survival out there and is not completely vulnerable - Lori relies on the men around her for everything including emotional support, - Daryl is initially cold towards reader as usual with him - Lori has the full attention of both Rick and Shane/. But slowly the places of these two in the world are reversed, not completely but still, Reader gets sick and vulnerable, she doubts herself and her destiny in this world and needs a lot of emotional and physical support, she is no longer that huntress in the woods and needs to rely on a man ( still very Strong on her own tho, that birth scene is seared in my brain forever) and others to survive.

Meanwhile we have lori, and her journey is what it was in the show, she starts off with support from a lot of people, especially Rick and even Carl, but loses it and ends up sort of lonely and the presence o our reader only makes it more apparent, reader IS what Lori wants to be now relationships wise, her pregnancy was not all well but she had the support of Daryl most of the way, while Rick is distant, Can’t imagine what its like from  her perspective, seeing reader and Daryl together, him keeping her warm Always looking out for her, meeting her needs. Meanwhile Rick is out there doing thangs y’know, stuff. But she never resents reader for it, not visibly at least, she is a good friend who reassures and comforts her, and has to mostly make do on her own (and with Carol’s help, i imagine) and is really a wise figure during this pregnancy, i think in this fic her develpment really shows how she got to her s3 form. And yeah, i really love the interactions between them very much, it’ll be even sadder to see reader’s perspective of that day...

I also adore Carol in this fic very much, i think it shows how much of a caretaker she is in canon as well, we forget that everything she does, she does for someone else, Always looking out for others before even thinking of herself and really being the rock of this group ( a rock that can easily bash some skulls in) Also love Hershel having to stick his hands in places he wouldn’t go with a gun, bless his heart for not being mad af at Daryl in That scene, i know i would have lots of opinions about having to touch the man’s fluids y’know. He’s also a guiding light though this whole pregnancy, which is depicted in such a realistic way i’m in awe every time i think about it, things i had no idea could happen, how it really makes you feel the passage of time during this winter with both dread and wonder (especially with thumper rolling around in there, kid really is a menace) and with the birth scene, i knew Daryl would be the first to fold he was Always the weak link in that van, i’m sorry. Also sure Maggie is also coming out of the van with at least one new trauma, but she can handle it, Hershel will Always be God’s strongest soldier bless him twice. Also its really funny thinking of this whole thing on Rick’s perspective, it must all be one long ‘’TF is going on back there???Omg walkers!!!What do you mean Daryl passed out???Omg herd!! What do you mean its stuck???where am i going??!!’’.

And oh my God this ‘’review’’ is more than one Thousand words long, its time to stop i sound like a stalker, so sorry but i’m a Nerd with an overactive brain, i’m almost at the point of sending fanart attached, but yeah I REALLY REALLY love this fic like many do, i hope you receive all the love you can for it and are Always succesfull with everything you do, its really one of the best finds in modern fandom i’ve seen lately. Sorry for the mistakes, i’m not even near being good at formatting and punctuation in english lol. So yeah have a great night, we’re all really excited for the next chapter, i hope you’re also taking some time for yourself as well, its very important, Thanks for everything Murda

(PS: is it weird i forgot to talk about all the smut? Its really good, one of the best i’ve ever ready, sorry lol)<3

Okay, here we go!

This review was just… I cried. Hard. I mean, I love everyone’s reactions and replies but this just… wow.

Exploring the missing months was something I was so excited to do. Especially in this sense. To have him going through these months not just growing closer to his survival buddies, slowly finding them to be more of a family, but also exploring something we didn’t see on the show at all: being a partner and a soon-to-be father. I wanted to test those waters and see if I could stay true to who he might be had this all happened in canon.

One of my biggest concerns with every chapter is the struggle of keeping him in character while being with reader. I’m so happy that you feel like I’ve done that! The story will likely always be from reader’s prospective so to know that I am articulating what is happening with Daryl through her eyes is encouraging. I want to make sure that their struggles and victories are equally explored.

Thumper is already a daddy’s girl. She calmed when he was around, they had a connection which is 100% a thing. My daughter was slightly the opposite. She was calm and never moved much; to the point I would go to the ER to make sure she was okay. But then I found that when my sister was around, my daughter would wiggle and kick and roll. I just started calling my sister to come over if I got worried. That’s where the inspiration of having them connect like that came from.

Thumper is going to challenge both of them. I won’t say much more than that but they will definitely struggle as new, first time parents.

Merle will appear. I also won’t say much more about that.

I don’t dislike Lori. I think she made some impulsive choices to ease her pain and fear. I also think that sometimes she was more blunt or yappy than she needed to be but it came from a good place. I wanted to incorporate that, like when she wanted everyone to leave Daryl upstairs. She meant well, but spoke out of fear. Reader adores her. They had their moments but I wanted reader and her to be close, like Lori being a guide for her and just a good friend. Lori does see the changes in Daryl, really showing when she’s whispering advice to him. When she’s in the van with reader and they talk, I hope I really expressed Lori’s solemnity. Just “I’ve done this before” but you can tell that she’s carrying a burden and it’s not the baby. She’s yearning for what she’s seeing. That’s why she steps in to help. She wants to see in them what she’s missing. Yeah, that scene will be difficult.

Carol is my queen. I love her so much. She will always be the biggest cheerleader for Daryl and reader. In every story I write. Here, she wants to make sure reader had the support that she never had with Sophia. There are going to be some really deep moments that involve Carol in the next chapter. Or it may be the one after that. I also love to show Carol’s growth from the sidelines. She’s a secondary character in this series but not by much.

I honestly wish I had included more of Rick in the birth scene. Maybe I’ll do a “deleted scenes” series lol.

Omg, fanart. 🩵 @bananafire11 has done two. One for The Dixon Chronicles that was a surprise and it’s attached to the chapter. And then one for my birthday that I’m printing and hanging on my Daryl wall. I will never ask for art from my stories unless I’m going to pay for it but I will never turn it down!

This was such an inspirational review and it really allowed me to think about the way I’ve constructed this story so far (not in a bad way). I appreciate every word and I’m so so happy that the series is getting love like this. I am always so hard on myself. I’m still learning to write for myself and be glad that others like it but as a bonus and not something that defines my writing. If that makes sense.

Thank you so much for this. I hope I answered your questions and gave some insight on where my head is with certain scenes and characters.

Whoever you are, thank you. I love you. 🩵🩵🩵🩵

[dolphin1812]

Now that we’re (somewhat) back to Valjean, Hugo automatically makes sure we know his thoughts on one of the main themes of the book: poverty (and budgeting. He likes telling us everyone’s budgets).

“This vessel, battered as it was,—for the sea had handled it roughly,—produced a fine effect as it entered the roads. It flew some colors which procured for it the regulation salute of eleven guns, which it returned, shot for shot; total, twenty-two. It has been calculated that what with salvos, royal and military politenesses, courteous exchanges of uproar, signals of etiquette, formalities of roadsteads and citadels, sunrises and sunsets, saluted every day by all fortresses and all ships of war, openings and closings of ports, etc., the civilized world, discharged all over the earth, in the course of four and twenty hours, one hundred and fifty thousand useless shots. At six francs the shot, that comes to nine hundred thousand francs a day, three hundred millions a year, which vanish in smoke. This is a mere detail. All this time the poor were dying of hunger.”

Unlike with individual characters, we don’t know how much money the state has here. It’s not important. What is important is that rather than choosing to spend money on the poor, the state invests in spectacle, even for “battered” vessels like this one. The Restoration is, above all else, a façade; it hasn’t brought about a return to the old order because it can’t erase all of the changes brought about by the Revolution and Napoleon, but it also does nothing to address the problems in French society, instead covering them up, ignoring them, or distracting from them with as much pomp as it can manage. The “Spanish War” highlights this; it might be a financial war for the monarchy, but those fighting were trained under Napoleon, and it was revolting to the people because of the democratic beliefs instilled by the Revolution.

This isn’t analytical, but this passage is really beautiful:

“There comes an hour, nevertheless, when the gale breaks that sixty-foot yard like a straw, when the wind bends that mast four hundred feet tall, when that anchor, which weighs tens of thousands, is twisted in the jaws of the waves like a fisherman’s hook in the jaws of a pike, when those monstrous cannons utter plaintive and futile roars, which the hurricane bears forth into the void and into night, when all that power and all that majesty are engulfed in a power and majesty which are superior.”

Hugo is excellent at portraying the terrifying power of water (especially the sea), and this passage really highlights this strength.

The description of the incident aboard the Orion continues to display this talent, but it also parallels an earlier incident: the rescue of Fauchelevent. Like back then, there’s a crowd of onlookers who can’t/won’t help the dangling man, with his situation worsening until Valjean intervenes with a spectacular feat of strength. Like with Fauchelevent, he’s applauded, but it marks an end for him as well. With Fauchelevent, he sacrificed his freedom by revealing himself to Javert; here, his fall marks the end of 9430. Even the reveals are similar, with the name “Jean Valjean” appearing after we’ve seen this person act for some time. Once again, we see him as an outsider, ending even further from the scene that we began (a newspaper article vs the ship). He may be the main character, but we only know so much about him.

[ofrecklcss]

( max irons , 31 , he/him , cismale , Romanov 5 - have you seen DMITRI ROMANOV II?  we’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re CHARMING but also HOT TEMPERED. when you think of them , you think of THUNDERSTORMS, CLASHING SWORDS AND CRUMPLED SHEETS. * barbara’s betrothed wc

parallels: anakin skywalker (star wars) , harvey specter (suits), damon salvatore (vampire diaries), flynn rider (disney - tangled), chuck bass (gossip girl)

BASIC  INFO

FULL  NAME:  dmitri romanov ii

PRONUNCIATION:  deh-mee-tree

NICKNAMES:  dem (only by his family)

AGE:  thirty one

GENDER & PRONOUNS:  cis man, he/him

ORIENTATION:  heterosexual, heteroromantic

LANGUAGE(S)  SPOKEN:  primary  —  russian, english ;  conversational  —  german, italian, spanish, french

ACCENT:  russian

ALIGNMENT:  phlegmatic

ZODIAC:  capricorn

LABEL:  the regicide/ rebel

alternatively: the dark horse

HEADCANONS

The youngest Romanov son, Dmitri never had as much pressure put on him as his older siblings and was given a lot of freedom which formed the base of his personality. He is definitely the black horse and rebels often for the hell of it.

He was trained with the Russian military from an early age and is an excellent swordsman/soldier, sometimes acting more like a soldier often forgetting diplomacy and court protecol much preferring to speak his mind. He is hot tempered and can be very reckless to the chagrin of his advisors and the Russian courtiers.

He's never really given much thought to marriage but now that his brother is the Tsar and it is expected for him to marry for the sake of beneficial alliances, he's not too pleased but as a soldier he does have a great understanding of following orders.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

BETROTHED: Barbara of Lorraine

CONFIDANTS/CHOSEN FAMILY ; those he's fought with and spent a lot of his time growing up with during his time in the military - he trusts them and trust is not easy to come by with

BROKEN BETROTHAL: Someone his father was in talks with to arrange a marriage before he died - when the previous Tsar died and Aleksander took over, the discussions and negotiations were halted and cancelled.

CURRENT + PREVIOUS FLINGS: Dmitri was never one to believe in marriage, and he thought he would never have to think about it so he's lived a life of a Grand Duke who cared little for propriety and has had several flings over the years.

CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART; Someone who grew up visiting/spending time with the Romanovs (could be from a close country/their parents could have had some kind of alliance) where they had the chance to meet and connect to the point where everyone who saw them thought they would become sweethearts (maybe they were? open to interpretation of character taking the wc)

PEN PAL; (female - royal or high ranking) Someone that Dmitri has written to honestly and openly from a young age after meeting at some kind of state visit/event. this person will know him well even if they haven't seen each other since.

[arshipweek]

AR Ship Week - Fanwork Recs in 2023

This is the second weekly post in the lead up to Alex Rider Ship Week.  Only 3 weeks to go!

This week we’ve got a selection of shippy fanwork recs submitted by members of the fandom, two years after our previous rec post in 2021.

**Please note that I haven’t listed all the details for the fics so take care to read the tags on AO3 before diving in!

Yassen/Alex

An Uncivil Contract by fredbasset Yassen and Alex are very well written in this period fic. The plot twist is great. I can’t get enough of it. 

There's Something About The Way You Are by countessrivers Very intense, twistedly hot and excellent writing. Alex's rather unusual turn ons feel spot on and Yassen indulges him perfectly 

The Boyfriend by Suzie_Shooter  An interesting view on Yassen being Helen Rider’s boyfriend with a sprinkle of canon.

Lionceau by Too_Many_Rooks This is one of the fics that really got me in this fandom and made me want to stay, I'm a big fan of reverse verses and role reversals and this one hit all the right spots. The inherent madness to Alex's character adds a dash of adrenaline while reading and I cannot wait to get back to this fic when it isn't so fresh in my mind to rediscover it entirely!

Paying the Price by Suzie_Shooter Love this sequel. The dynamic between Yassen and Alex is beautifully written.

Pillars of Sand by Nanimok This one-shot of an aged-up Alex in university is both a unique and bittersweet one; he’s not completely in dire straits or sucked into a hopeless future, yet at the same time, he hasn’t escaped MI6’s grasp, either. I adore Kyra in this, mostly because we haven’t seen much of her in fics as a side character to Yalex driven stories, but also because there’s hints of her push and pull with Alex the way I’m highly anticipating Series 3 will. I love the touches of humor, but most of all, the Yalex! Yassen gentleness, the way he wants Alex to find peace in a way he never could, the way he actually tells Alex as much instead of keeping it to himself, closed off and private. The Yassen we get to see has communication open with Alex and it’s obvious they care for one another… and this tenderness amidst all of Alex’s internal struggle was such a breath of fresh air, for both me, the reader, and for Alex whose safe place at the end of the days lies in Yassen. Nanimok captures their dynamic in this AU brilliantly and somehow makes Yassen’s brief appearances feel so impactful; I can’t help but draw parallels between what we’re experiencing from Alex’s limited POV with Alex himself because that’s what the writing in this fic invokes for me.

Run With Me by Polarnacht Alex being afraid for Yassen is just perfect. Angry car sex is a bonus!

The Call of Blood by TheOtherBlue Very hot Vamp!Yassen AU with sensual blood drinking, a little danger and sexy times.

Don't Need A Gun by BoldAsBrass A very sensual seduction of Alex.

Stalking His Dreams by Rirren A great exploration of Alex dreaming/hallucinating about Yassen after season 1 and very hot. I love the blurring of reality and fantasy/dreams and the way it makes you wonder what really happened.

Estrov Tattoo Parlour by Too_Many_Rooks I love tattoo parlor AUs and damn does this one deliver. From Yassen's complex back story to Alex's tortured life in the present day, I couldn't get enough! Especially with the detail in Yassen's tattoo at the end, a must-read!

Duty Of Care by Suzie_Shooter Goodness, Suzie’s writing is always a bullseye straight into my heart. This Yalex fic plays a lot with Yassen and Alex’s dynamic, especially in its exploration of one of my favorite tropes/conflicts for this fandom: Alex’s incredibly complex feelings about Yassen the assassin and having to come to terms with what that truly means. The way Alex ultimately chooses to lie to MI6, the large part he plays in awkwardly accompanying Yassen’s recovery from injury, the sugary sweetness of Alex’s concern conveyed through the get-well-gift-basket even though he’s no clue the first thing Yassen does or doesn’t like. On our assassin’s end, I absolutely adore the rare and arguably one in a blue moon injured/whumped!Yassen, bloodied and battered. He’s so not okay and I’m quite fond of seeing Alex as the caretaker and more competent one of the dynamic, albeit temporarily. We love to seen tens of hundreds of iterations of the two of them meeting for the first time since Yassen’s [fanfic] survival of Eagle Strike and how that conversation might go—in this fic, it was succinct, honest, and apologetic, and an extra kudos from me about Alex sounding quite amenable to the potential of working together with Yassen! There’s Suzie’s usual beats of humor weaved in between the banter that always makes the dialogue between the two amusing and highly enjoyable, and a plot that somehow makes your stomach twist and turn like a rollercoaster or as I like to think: it’s always fun to try to guess where things are going and even more fun to see Suzie’s execution of the amalgamation of action, common loved themes such as Alex feeling unmoored since Ian’s death, the most evocative emotion, and a unique flavor of Yalex that you can check out in all her other works!!

Safe Houses by fredbassett An incredibly funny series of Alex corrupting Yassen's safe houses and his heart. Their chemistry throughout each single fic is off the charts.

Perform Under Pressure by Polarnacht A great one-shot of Alex being so fixated with Yassen, his stare is enough to get him through a very usual performance. 

Striking the Chords and Blowing the Flute by countessrivers This fic is very, very hot, with some great dubious consent and power imbalance. 

Wintermute by wewillalwaysenduphere I absolutely love cyberpunk romances and the film noir aspect to this fic makes it even better. The author's sense of detail with the setting and attributes of each character, coupled with the mysterious past of both Yassen and Alex is excellent, chef's kiss!

Quietly into the Night by loony_lucifer (LoonyLucifer) This is an older fic, but very, very good. A fourteen-year-old Alex is forced to join Yassen and the criminal he's helping to escape on a road trip. There's some great tension as Alex at times doesn't seem to realise the nature of the danger he's in and fascinating Yassen/Alex scenes.

Lonesome Pines by Suzie_Shooter I like the Christmas rom-com / thriller vibe to the story, it was both very dreary plot-wise and gleeful trope-wise with the bodies coming up and Yalex bickering about it, something I look forward to reading again next Christmas!

The Fictitious Fiancée Affair by Suzie_Shooter An amazing take of fake dating with a bit of Angst, great plot and many feelings - and the ending Yassen and Alex deserve.

A pathway into his very soul by Myulalie Amazing Siberia and royal sex, that’s all you need to know.  

The Full Boyfriend Experience by BoldAsBrass Yassen captures Alex and wants him to be his boyfriend. This fic is incredibly hot and also hilarious, with some lovely descriptions and very witty dialogue.

Blowing in the wind by kelkblr Great mission fic, very immersive with a possessive Yassen and a happy ending.

To The Sea by Suzie_Shooter A wonderful roadtrip of healing and finding each other among the jumbled up pieces of their lives.

pebbles in a stream by ireliss A beautiful tragedy of misunderstandings and missed connections.

The Art of Drowning by kelkblr This is very dark but I love the older and tired versions of Yassen and Alex in here, both traumatised by their lives and finding some kind of understanding in each other.

Smut it up before September ends by Myulalie Excellent collection of short smutty one shots.

The Well of Silence by Polarnacht A great exploration of sensory deprivation trope, very sensual and warm, with just a bit of despair and humor.

Target Practice by RavenJames A beautiful, bittersweet fic with a very grey Yassen and a sexually charged atmosphere between Yassen and Alex. 

Fake It Till You Make It by Polarnacht The title pretty much sums it all up - Alex and Yassen are made to act as boyfriends until they realize the pretense isn’t in the picture anymore.

The Final Mission by OctarineTheColorofMagic Great fic about betrayal and finding a safe heaven in an unlikely place or rather with an unlikely person.

True Love's Kiss by Polarnacht An amazing one-shot of Yassen finding a way to make Alex hold on and survive by true love’s kiss.

Dancing by Polarnacht A perfect series to get sucked into Alex and Yassen story.

Other

A Matter of Time by Polarnacht This fic has such a fascinating premise, with Yassen returning to the past and being offered his past self for the night... Includes both hot sex and some great Yassen character study. Yassen/Yasha

The Darkest Places in Hell by fredbasset Dark but not between the pairings with a lot of comfort. I enjoyed the relationships between all of them, Tom/Alex, Yassen & Alex & Tom and the hints of Yassen/OC were amazing, the OC is very fleshed out and intriguing. Tom/Alex

Only Once in Paris by Zombieheroine Really wonderful thoughtful fic that explores Yassen's relationship with sex really interestingly. John/Yassen

under observation by galaxylentil The fic does a lot with a small number of words, and really fleshes out the clone's characterisation. I love the little cameo by Julius at the end. Sasha/Alex

[babybat98]

Also you know I HAVE to ask about LotR Fantasy AU because I am a sucker and that sounds right up my alley, please!

Ok I feel like I have to explain myself on this one because the phrace 'LotR fantasy AU' sounds just Completely bonkers

It's called this because I realised I don't think there's a term for when you take a piece of fiction, put it in an AU, but the AU is the same genre as the original work. And not in a 'oh it's a star wars star trek AU, with the star wars characters in a star treck world' way but in a 'I literaly made up an entire fantasy AU not realy based on another existing work, and ploped the LotR cast in is sims style' way.

I guess it's technicaly just a regular AU, it just happens to be the same genre as the original work.

So that's what spawned this. It's less of a single story and more of a bunch of random worldbuilding but anyways. The Fellowship would still be a thing, just fighting a different (yet to be determined)evil, and with roughly the same background.

The story beggins with a big royal wedding in this worlds equivalent of Erebor. I was thinking about the wedding being Thorin/Bilbo, but tbh that's mostly an excuse to gather everyone neatly in one place. Gandalf is there as a friend of the wedding couple. Frodo is there as Bilbos nephew, and the other hobbits as his friends. Gimli is there as Glóins son. Aragorn is the heir of a human kingdom, with Boromir being his advisor, and thus invited as neighbour royalty. And Legolas is the youngest prince of the neighbour wood elf kingdom, invited for the same reason as Aragorn and Boromir. This is what gathers everyone together and people begin making friends.

I haven't writen much on the wedding but I did pen down how the three hunters met, with Legolas and Aragorn helping a distraught Gimli find his missing nibling. Legolas helps the toddler dwarfling out of a hole they got stuck in, and keeps runing into Gimli throughout the wedding until they end up friends.

“Greetings!” Aragorn said. “Sorry to disturb you, but we are looking for a red haired dwarfling by the name Thóig. You haven’t seen them?” “Oh we’ve seen them alright!” The dwarf closest to them, a dwarrowdam with ebony hair and yellow ribbons in her beard rose to greet them. “The little pebble has made themself a fine home inside this wall, and has gotten stuck to boot!” She brushed off her dress and gestured towards the opening. “We’re both too big to reach him, but maybe you two will have more luck with those long arms.”  “We’ll see about that, the rascal is pretty far in,” the dwarrow with the lamp grumbled.  Aragorn kneeled next to the opening. It ran parallel to the floor, only a couple of feet long and incredibly narrow. He studied it for a moment before looking up at Legolas. “I won’t fit in there. You’re thinner than me and have longer arms.” Legolas was not too happy with the idea of being even more underground than they already were, even when arguing with himself that it’d likely be an easier fit than old gnarly tree roots. But he was hardly one to leave a child in peril so he got on his stomach and looked into the hole. It continued much deeper than the oil lamp managed to light, but a good bit in he could see two dark eyes gleaming like a cats behind a messy nest of fiery hair. He smiled at the child.

Legolas is also the one with the most fleshed out backstory yet(unlike canon lol). His story goes that when his mom was pregnant with him she was attacked by orcs when walking through the forest. She was mortaly wounded, but managed to make it to one of the oldest trees in the forest and begged for her child to be saved. The tree responded by growing around her until she was burried under its roots. A few months later, around when the baby should have been born, the bark cracked open to reveal a little newborn elfling. Thranduil recognised the child as his son and named him Legolas.

It was in the middle of that solstice night, under the never setting midnight sun, that princess Lagoreth and her brother Thondaer would visit their modern tomb. And how fortunate that decision was, for as they stood there the wooden likeness of their mother began to move. The two siblings ran for the palace and their father, bodily dragging him from his throne and into the trees with most of the court on their heels.  Just as they reached the Old Ash a loud CRACK echoed through the woods. The bark of the tomb had split, right down the queen's stomach, still round with the child that would never be born. Or so they had thought! For the bark parted to reveal a small elfling child, sleeping soundly. A boy, with dirt on his nose and leaves stuck in his gold blond hair. And King Thranduil swept the babe into his cloak and his arms, for he recognised his son even as they met for the first time. For with her final breath Lannien had wished for nothing but the safety of her child, and the forest listened. They named the child Legolas, for no other name would have fit him. Legolas Forest-born, Legolas Ash-child, Legolas Greenleaf.

So Legolas is even more strongly connected to the forest than in canon(might have planed to have him get stuck in a cave in at some point. You know. For the angst :3)

[runninguplenorahills]

post more Yes! also from experience with my notes it's always a bit interesting to see people adamant about "the simplest/in hindsight most obvious thing is usually what the writers are going for" which, yeah. until it comes to sexuality debates where arguing for bi Mike needs So much hoop jumping. like how "boys only" comments are only meant to be taken literally when Will is making them or long explanations about how "it's not my fault..." wouldn't just end up being left as homophobia no matter how Mike really meant it. when "he was projecting" is Right There. simplest answer

Or how the family parallels are all of a sudden a hint that “Mike and El will not last but they were definitely in love once”, when “Mike never had romantic feelings for El” is right there lmao.

But bad takes from aspiring gymnasts aside, there are so many things that aren’t directly connected to what’s happening in the show which the people in the different camps (bi Mike/gay Mike) do that are just telling of what’s really Mike’s canon sexuality.

(Quick side note: i don’t mean that every single person in each camp has contributed to this but there are some things that have only happened in the bi Mike camp and things that have only happened in the gay Mike camp which I have picked up on over the past year. So again if you (general) specifically have not done any of these things that’s true and I’m not arguing against that but what I’m taking about exclusively happens/happened in your (general) camp).

For example what I said in my Doofenshmirtz post. I don’t know if there’s been more instances but I for once have seen two blogs that are openly bi Mike truthers post alternative arcs for Mike that do not include him being queer, trying to convince people that Mike wouldn’t be a jerk if he’s straight.

And why is this telling? Well, the bi Mike interpretation leaves unanswered questions. It does not explain everything we’ve seen of Mike in the show so there’s a whole lot of room for doubt. But instead of opening up their minds to Mike being gay instead of bi they think that if he’s not bi he’s gotta be straight (because for some reason people obsessively cling to the idea that Mike is attracted to girls). So they’re making up a super vague arc that somehow would explain Mike’s actions if he’s straight and tell people that Mike wouldn’t be a jerk if he was actually straight because they’ve become attached to Mike but can’t explain all of his behavior with the bi interpretation so they’re trying to make people still love him even if he was straight (even though Mike’s character would just objectively suck and be badly written if he was). And that just shows us how fucking fragile the bi Mike interpretation is.

Not once have I come across a gay Mike truthers who’s so insecure about the gay Mike interpretation that they’ve resorted to trying to explain how Mike’s character would still make sense if he was straight lmao.

Another example is the infamous question: “are all interpretations equally valid?” to which most gay Mike truthers answer with “no” while most bi Mike truthers answer with “yes”.

Gay Mike truthers analyze the show with the goal of finding out what the writers’ intention is. We’re analyzing the source material and our conclusion is that the writers’ intention is gay Mike which only logically means that not every interpretation can be equally valid as the writers’ intention cannot be both gay and bi Mike etc. The show cannot portray both, it portrays one or the other. Thus the gay Mike interpretation is more valid than the bi Mike interpretation because gay Mike aligns with the writers intention. It aligns with what the show is actually portraying. Which all makes sense given our standpoint,

So what does this tell us about bi Mike truthers saying that every interpretation is equally valid? Well, either it shows us that they’re insecure in their believe that bi Mike is actually the writer’s intention, or it shows us that they’re analyzing the show with a different goal entirely. That being just interpreting it for themselves which is also supported by the common argument that every interpretation must be equally valid since “everyone interprets things differently”.

And that’s outside evidence for the gay Mike interpretation being more valid for canon than the bi Mike interpretation if I ever saw one.

One thing that counts into this too is the fact that bi Mike truthers often preach that “every headcanon is valid” while simultaneously not listening to us when we tell them that gay Mike is not a headcanon! Which is actually just hilarious because they’re just confirming that they themselves see the bi Mike interpretation as a headcanon, while the gay Mike truthers separate these things because a headcanon is something that can be made without any regard to canon but gay Mike is the conclusion we got from exclusively analyzing the canon source material! Which makes it not a headcanon.

And my favorite difference between the camps truly is that saying “Mike is not gay” will get you notes from gay Mike truthers telling you that you lack media literacy, while saying “Mike is not bi” will get you notes from bi Mike truthers telling you that you’re biphobic.

And all of that is just kinda shows that Mike’s canonically gay which I got from simply observing the people from the different camps lmao.

[jacquelinemerritt]

Diamond Is Unbreakable: Episode 3 Review

Originally posted April 18th, 2016

Physicality enhances Araki’s excellent staging.

“The Nijimura Brothers, Part 1” is a great example of just how much fun Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is meant to be. I say that about an episode that opens with a serial killer being violently reconfigured into a deformed rock, but Jojo’s actually thrives on the use of dark material in order to enhance the fun. David Productions and Hirohiko Araki both recognize the visceral thrill that comes with being terrified, and they embrace that thrill to the fullest.

DavidPro even enhances Araki’s source material when possible; there’s a raw physicality added to the bow and arrow in this episode, where the man in the school uniform literally rips Angelo’s Stand out of his body as he pulls the arrow from his throat. That physicality informs our understanding of the bow and arrow’s power too, and it makes clear the danger Koichi is in when the man in the school uniform shoots him in the throat.

That same physicality is used to define the conflict between Okuyasu and Josuke as well, and there’s a real weight to both Crazy Diamond’s punches and The Hand’s “scraping;” the former delivered through sound design and quick cuts and the latter being shown as literal tears in the fabric of reality that Okuyasu uses to bring Josuke crashing towards him, in addition to the environment around him.

This is shown in the visual cue where the soda can on the ground flies forward with Josuke and sets up how the flowerpots will be used to bring about Okuyasu’s ultimate demise, as his lack of control over what he pulls towards himself allows Josuke to allow his environment to deliver the final blow.

The rest of the episode is devoted to Jotaro’s investigation of the bow and arrow and his meeting with Tomoko, and is fairly straightforward. Jotaro is concerned with Enya having had the bow and arrow, but he also finally has an explanation for why Dio, Joseph, and himself suddenly manifested Stands,1 and his attempt to bring Josuke deeper into his investigation spurs his meeting with Tomoko, who immediately mistakes him for Joseph and begins to squeal “I love you” into his chest over and over again.

This moment is interesting, as it shows us a side to Tomoko opposite to the hard edge we’ve seen her display, but it’s value is questionable, given that it reduces a badass mother to a blubbering mess who’s done little other than wait for the man who abandoned her to return.2 Araki’s history of treatment of his women characters is far from perfect (very, very far), and this moment exemplifies his horrible tendency to reduce the few women he does include to being completely subservient to the men around them,3 with the scene continuing on without ever questioning her unyielding devotion.

Still, the last of Jotaro’s exchange reveals a depth to his character that we haven’t really seen before; he’s actively taking on the challenges of the Joestar curse, vowing to protect Tomoko from harm in his grandfather’s place. The insight of this short exchange makes plain the conflict and internal struggle within Jotaro that had been previously relegated to incredibly minor subtext, bringing his self-doubt to the forefront in a way that also serves as the beginning of insight into the nature of Diamond is Unbreakable itself, which Araki never originally intended to write.

The story of the Joestars was meant to end with the defeat of Dio in Stardust Crusaders, and Jotaro’s self-doubt about the continuation of his responsibility to protect people from the family curse parallels the doubt Araki would’ve had about continuing this story from as absolute a resolution that he could’ve written. Lucky for us, Araki’s self-doubt leads to the most experimental and creative part of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, and that story is only just beginning.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Stray Observations

1The connection is admittedly a bit tenuous, and you’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting an explanation for why Dio/Jonathan’s body gaining a Stand would grant them to the younger Joestars beyond the implication that their familial/spiritual connection would allow Stands to manifest, but it satisfies Jotaro, which honestly makes it satisfying enough for me.

2So, I generally try not to interact with fandom much in my reviews, for a lot of reasons, but I’ve seen a number of people in the Jojo fandom make the claim that Joseph cheating on Suzie Q is completely out of character (I’ve also seen people who can’t stand him after they find out he cheated, which, y’know, fair). And I disagree completely, on the grounds that Joseph was always presented as a rapscallion, concerned primarily with causing trouble and getting a rise out of people around him.

Yes, he’s certainly loyal to his family and the people he cares about, but his loyalty is the type that drives him to fight Aztec gods and travel the world to Egypt, which is very different from the type of loyalty that drives someone to commit to monogamy for over fifty years of their life. There’s also plenty of textual evidence that his relationship with Tomoko was essentially a “hate-fuck,” with Joseph trying to take “revenge” for having his daughter “stolen” by a Japanese man (it’s all in the shame he feels towards Josuke when they meet).

So, all of that is a really long and rambly way of saying sorry, Joseph-stans, his cheating was totally in character, and honestly, that kind of complexity is one of the reasons Joseph is my favorite Jojo.

3I’m maybe going to make some Jojo fans mad here, but I think this is absolutely true of both Erina Pendleton, Suzie Q, and Holly Kujo. There’s a little leeway for Erina, as her role is mostly to create the complex love triangle between herself, Jonathan, and Dio, which is necessary for the gothic romance of Phantom Blood to have emotional stakes, but she still ends up not having much agency beyond the initial decision to be kind to Jonathan after he’s failed to save her (which admittedly is a really great moment).

Suzie Q is much simpler by comparison; she falls in love with Joseph and never questions him or criticizes him until Part 4, and her anger is entirely unseen. As for Holly, well, she refuses to reprimand Jotaro for actively calling her a bitch and being legitimately cruel to her, and that’s not even mentioning the weird dependency she has towards her father. You’ll note I didn’t mention Granny Erina or Lisa Lisa in Battle Tendency. That’s because they’re both awesome, well-rounded characters, which is one of the reasons I love Part 2 the most.

It’s super interesting to me just how much the opening of Diamond is Unbreakable clashes with the very serious, very dark tone that’s been established so far. A 70s funk inspired ballad doesn’t quite seem to fit battling a deranged serial killer, or all the body horror on display.

The visual transitions in this episode are phenomenal. Josuke’s comb sliding to a new shot, pushing into a book that’s matched from Jotaro’s to Koichi’s desk, and the record scratching sweeps across Morioh are some Edgar Wright level visual cuts.

I actually really appreciate DavidPro’s decision to have Stand users glow when they’re about to use their Stand; it keeps continuity with the sudden appearance of that glow and flight present in the final fight with Dio that isn’t there in the manga, and it makes the inexplicable appearance of flight in that battle a little less contrived (though it’s a plothole I have trouble caring much about, simply because of how phenomenal that final battle is).

Josuke taking advantage of the man in the school uniform’s long conversation to slip past Okuyasu is great.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #648

Top Ten Actors Who Could Return to the MCU But as a Different Character

I wasn’t going to bother doing “stuff that happened at SDCC” because whilst Transformers winning an Eisner was cool, and Doctor Who and Star Trek sharing a panel was fun, really the only thing that I took away from the weekend was the frankly Earth-shattering news that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU, except playing Doctor Doom and not Iron Man. I mean, whaaaa, am I right?

This is one of those decisions that’s simultaneously incredibly exciting but also sort of worrying if you’re a fan of the franchise and want it to keep on being successful (and let’s face it, at the time of writing Deadpool & Wolverine has made about $700 million worldwide in just over a week, so that’s definitely successful). On the one hand, Downey is an excellent actor – who just won an Oscar, for crying out loud – and more than capable of presenting both the snarling villainy and complexity of Victor von Doom. On the other, bringing back the guy who was essentially the Face of Marvel for over decade could be seen as reaching for the “in case of emergency break glass” hammer; similarly, it opens up potentially knotty (and potentially boring) discussions over variants and parallel worlds and what have you. Also, presumably it indicates that this Doom isn’t going to stick around past 2027’s Secret Wars, meaning we’re either getting the best baddie Marvel has to offer for only two huge event movies, or else they’re going to do a mini-reboot and recast again.

So yeah, pros and cons, really.

But it got me thinking: if the biggest name the MCU ever had to offer is ready to come back to the fold after a definitive death scene (spoiler alert for one of the biggest movies of all time), who else could make a similar cinematic U-turn? Not the triumphalist return to a beloved character that Hugh Jackman has so adroitly pulled off; I’m talking about recasting someone who was notable as someone else. If Downey can be Doom, who else can be someone else?

So that’s what that list is about, then. And just before we get into it, I’m gonna say one more thing, but I’m gonna bury it below the line, as it were.

Still with me? Good.

I’m about to spoil something from Deadpool & Wolverine.

See, it’s funny this news breaking just as D&W is released, a film which (MASSIVE SPOILERS INCOMING!) features Chris Evans returning to the MCU not as Steve Rogers but as Johnny Storm, the character he played in the two Fantastic Four films about twenty years ago. So if the two biggest dudes in the whole cinematic universe are up for this, maybe the rest of these nutters will be as well…

Whatever it takes, right? “It” of course meaning in this case “$200m domestic opening weekend”.

Scarlett Johansen: I would say that of the Avengers no longer on the board she’s the only one unaccounted for, and the biggest name to boot. I feel like Black Widow is definitively dead. So who could she be? I’m tempted to say an alternate Captain Marvel, but truth be told we’ve had a lot of sort-of Cap variants. So my suggestion is Jocasta, the android girlfriend of cool Kirby creation Machine Man. It could be an amusing hat-tip to her AI trubs, as well as letting her come back in a slightly different guise (she could be performance capture, like James Spader in Age of Ultron).

Edward Norton: come on, this would be hilarious wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it? Thing is, I don’t know if he’d want to do it. Whilst I think Norton has more of a sense of humour than it sometimes appears (witness his turns in Birdman, Glass Onion, and – yes – Sausage Party), I wonder if too many bridges were burned when he played Bruce Banner. I think a cool role for him would be Maestro, the evil future Hulk; again, he’d be CG so it would obscure his face a bit, but it might be nice to see him act while hulked out rather than just smash.

Hugo Weaving: again we have another actor who I don’t think would come back; but maybe he could be persuaded. I think it would have to be a role devoid of prosthetics, and one that allowed him to cut loose either with genuine drama or at least Agent Smith-style theatrical delivery. I’m tempted to say he’d make a pretty cool Professor X, but I actually think he’d nail it as the Marvel version of Dracula (who really actually is a Marvel Comics character).

Cate Blanchett: she was amazing as Hela, both scary and funny and incredibly powerful. Whilst she left a big impression, Thor: Ragnarok was far more focused with the weird comedy of Thor, Banner, and Valkyrie. I’d like to see her as some higher-order being; perhaps the Living Tribunal? A role that allowed her to channel all that Galadriel energy and give us a more benign MCU presence.

Jeff Bridges: he was there at the beginning, gave us one of the most definitive, iconic lines in the entire sixteen-year, thirty-three-film franchise (“box of scraps”!)… and then, no more. I’d like to see him return on the side of the angels. He’d have made a good Uncle Ben, really, but he’s too old now I guess. I think he should lean into that True Grit side of himself and play a Western hero, such as the Phantom Rider. Perhaps with a twist, where he’s old and gone to seed a little bit, but redeems himself over the course of a movie.

Rene Russo: she was great as Frigga, although obviously very underused; she really just has her cool death scene and her awesome advice to Thor (“I see with more than eyes” is a badass line). If Madam Web hadn’t have happened she’d have been a good Madam Web… but right now I think she should, like Blanchett, be elevated to a higher order. I think she should play Death. Give her a skull face if you like; but the paramour of Thanos (in the comics, at least) would be a terrific role.

James Spader: he gave a tremendous performance as Ultron – and, of course, we didn’t see his face. Short of cameoing as a variant of Stark (which would be funny), I’d like to see him use that fantastic voice of his as a more comics-accurate version of William Stryker; rather than the military man played by Brian Cox (and, like, nine other people), this would be the reverend of God Loves, Man Kills, preaching mutant extermination as the will of God. I think maybe making him something of a quasi-Trumpy televangelist type would bring the character up to date.

Angela Bassett: I still don’t think she should have died! Maybe if she comes back to the MCU they’ll finally give her an Oscar? Anyway, everyone’s favourite Wakandan Queen should be given another bite of the super-cherry. And, like the other Queen on the list, Rene Russo, I want her to go a bit bad. How about if she’s Nightmare, the villain everyone keeps waiting to see in a Doctor Strange movie? Or if you just wanted her to pop up for one fan-pleasing cameo, fulfil the wish of every comic fan in the nineties and make her an alternate Storm.

Tony Leung: Leung was masterful in Shang-Chi, and although he got quite a bit to do, I’m still a bit disappointed at his final scene – and the fact we’ll never see him again. If he was coming back for good, then a really nice supporting role – maybe just a civilian or something, someone who’d pop up across films but basically just be a nice guy. If it’s just one cameo role, though, I’d go for a variant of Iron Fist; a much older version, obviously, maybe from a darker timeline that makes him even more badass.

Michael Keaton: at the bottom of the list basically because I don’t really know where he stands at the moment in the MCU; all the other characters these actors played are definitively dead. What happened to the Vulture? Did he randomly fall through a portal and land in the Morbius-verse? If so, poor sod; that’s a fate worse than death. Speaking of which: what we really want is Keaton cutting loose, Beetlejuice-style; we wanna get nuts, right? So let’s marry his charm and his patter to his ability to convey absolute menace. Keaton should play Mephisto; basically, the Devil.

There ya go. I thought this would be fun but it was actually quite hard work! Phew!

[emp-t-man]

deep breath as i try to hold onto my sanity for this because oh my fucking god i have spent probably collective DAYS thinking about it,,

realistically, and in an ideal world, no. eiffel would be stuck as he was in the finale, and would have to spend a lot of time relearning who he was and righting a lot of that version of him’s wrongs before deciding if that was the person he still wanted to be. It would give him the opportunity he had always needed to truly be forced to look at himself and the way he treated others in order to be so much better moving forward, which would be an amazing and satisfying end to his character arc. i think it would be really cool if he even went as far as holding an actual funeral for the doug eiffel he used to be, as a reflection of the funeral held for isabel before she returned and decided after learning about her fate that she wouldn’t try to be the person she used to be, anymore, even though she still owned all her memories. the parallel between losing your body but not your memories and losing your memories but keeping your body and attempting to determine if it makes someone the same person is just. so incredible to me, because if the answer is yes to one and not the other, what makes it so? can a person’s physical or mental makeup define their personhood alone, or must they exist together? there’s just so much weight attached to the hypothetical that would be more or less lost if eiffel was regifted his memories, and i’m thankful that gabriel left the answer up to interpretation because of that.

HOWEVER COMMA,

i think there could exist the POSSIBILITY of him regaining some if not all of them. through one or two different scenarios.

scenario one: alien blood ex machina.

as we’ve seen on multiple occasions throughout the podcast, lovelace’s blood serves as a sort of recovering agent. it’s what allowed doug’s hair and fingernails to grow back so quickly after his deep space misadventure as well as being what kept him alive throughout its duration, it’s what allowed isabel to regenerate her head and internal systems to bring her back to life, and it’s what allowed the crew to bypass pryce’s neurotransmitter device through what i can only assume is a constant state of restarting the brain from its last neurological save point while still being able to take in sensory information. taking this into consideration: in the visual mindspace representation of what pryce was doing with eiffel’s memories, the crates that hold said memories always shatter, but never disappear, which could open an opportunity for being able to be repaired— say, though some sort of incredibly biologically advanced bodily fluids. it would take an incredibly long amount of time depending on how much he’s given (if isabel even agrees to try it after considering the possibility), and the memories would likely return in the order of newest to oldest which would greatly complicate things, but it IS within the realm of the possible. barely.

scenario two: backup of the backup

when eiffel first has his memory scanned by cutter and pryce, it’s on the sol. the chair he’s hooked up to sends the neurological information to a terminal hooked up to the ship, meaning said information could possibly exist on a file in the sol’s software. now, eiffel crashed the sol on his way back from minkowski’s sendoff, rendering the information impossible to retrieve after the events of the finale, but someone had her consciousness transferred over to the ship and was given access to its systems between the moment eiffel’s memory is scanned in and the moment the ship is crashed. hera may have purged the mindspace present during the event of miranda’s defeat, but because of that transfer earlier on, there’s a possibility that somewhere in her code lies the backup that was obtained before. if the opportunity ever arose for doug and hera’s consciousness’ to be connected again like they were in the finale, that information might be able to be returned to him, provided hera both finds out about this backup and is able to retrieve it, and provided that a mind as brilliant as miranda’s could ever replicate such a phenomenon now that her memories are gone as well.

are either of these scenarios even remotely plausible? i highly doubt it, but if eiffel were to ever regain his memories, that’s how i could see it being written.

I'm curious about what y'all think here! If yes - how? If only some, why and how?