#in this panel hes in the realm of insanity

[venom-ass-daily]

From Venom: The Madness issue #3

[ajaxbell]

Fangs of Fortune (Bai Ze Ling): perfect on pure aesthetics alone, but also it will tear your heart out while being very gay.

I was lured in to this show by Tumblr gifsets and friends on Bluesky talking about how queer and poly this show is. I'm old and I've been in fandom more than half my life. I know how to read queer subtext. I'm also pretty well versed in cdramas, so again, I know how to read subtext. So I went into this ready to, well, read the subtext.

But no this show is just puts the queer it right there in the text. The vague information we have about Chinese censorship repeatedly left me asking, 'wait how are they getting away with this?' Like some of these jokes and implications are just so blatant it seems incredible this show ever made it to being broadcast. It just feels very much like queer media made for queer people even if t's more subtle than something western like Queer as Folk.

Even without the heavy coloring of gay this show is incredible and so much more than I expected from the title and the promo. The premise is essentially the death of the goddess, who governed relations between humans and demons, leads to an influx of demons in the human world. This brings together the goddess's disciple, Wen Xiao--seeking to restore the goddess's power. WX's childhood sweetheart, Zhuo Yichen--seeking to restore the demon-hunting bureau after the powerful demon Zhu Yan killed his father and brother. It opens on Zhu Yan, in human disguise as as Zhao Yuanzhou, volunteering to help the imperial court restore the demon-hunting bureau to quell the chaos. They are joined by Pei Sijing, a retired female general from the rival demon hunting sect, and a very young doctor (and comic relief) named Bai Jiu. It starts off as a sort of monster-of-the-week with a grim Scooby gang doing detective work and fighting monsters. Each major demon has a mini arc that relates to the larger case (restoring the power of the goddess to balance the realms), and they are repeatedly blocked by either the demons or the rival demon hunting sect. Each mini arc also acts as a mirror or parallel story to slowly revealed backstory of all the main characters as well. In true cdrama fashion it's a mix of adventure, intense emotional drama, romance, and comedy. And queer and poly jokes and romance. It also has a kind of manga vibe in the way the comedy is woven into the more serious story, and in the fantastical depiction of the characters and how the story unfolds.

It is also just insanely beautiful. Every single shot is lovely. The costumes, make up, and hair are incredible. The casting director made all the major demons inhumanly beautiful. The sets are spectacular. The effects are nicely done. Every bit of has the vague surreality of a fairytale. The perfection of each shot ads to the manga vibe, as if we're seeing each critical storytelling panel come alive. There's recurring water-based special effects that are just gorgeous. Based on aesthetics alone this show would be worth watching to me. That it is combined with a complex, very emotional story is a spectacular gift to the watcher. A lot of the negative reviews of this complain about the staginess or that it's overly contrived in how each scene is shot. But I think it's gorgeous, works perfectly with the storytelling, and if we criticize art on whether it achieves the goal it intended then this show is doing exactly and perfectly what it means to do and doing it beautifully.

Additionally the acting is also very good, but Neo Hou is the stand out for sure. I enjoyed him in Back from the Brink, especially the later part of the story, but in Fangs of Fortune he's transformed, utterly embodying the role, the way Dylan Wang is Dongfang Qingcang in Love Between Fairy and Devil. Neo Hou has the right look, a slightly uncanny beauty perfect for a gorgeous immortal not of this world. The show does incredible things with his styling between the various looks and personas the role requires. But in acting he somehow manages to utterly transform his face and demeanor to manifest each aspect of the character as story demands changes from him.

There is a lot of crying in this drama. Like early on I joked that there was going to be a character crying a single perfect tear in every ep. Lol nope. Multiple single perfect tears per ep and many outright full on sobbing scenes. This show is just waiting to rip your heart out and you see it right from the beginning. But it was such sweet pain all the way through. Just a truly engaging and utterly wrenching set of intertwined stories.

My only criticism is that the pacing falls apart in the last 3 episodes. But overall the story is solid through the end, though like so many cdramas, it's saved by the epilogue.

You should absolutely watch it if you want the chaotic bi polycule (it's her, her girlfriend, her boyfriend, her boyfriend's boyfriend who is also her boyfriend, their two idiot sons, and her boyfriend's ex-who is also eventually sort of his boyfriend again), or if you want your heart torn out and stomped on. Or even if you just like really gorgeous cinematic things. Also if you watch, please don't skip the ending credits, as they change as the arcs change, and the radiant joy Tian Jiarui has as he dances is an excellent antidote to the emotions of each episode.

[crazylittlejester]

i don’t know if this is something Jojo is doing on purpose, or if it was an intentional detail but i grabbed and ran away with it, or if I’ve just completely read far to into things and entered the realm of just making shit up, but Warriors and his little crooked smile are so GODDAMN important to me and I am shaking him like a squeak toy (gently)

(big yap/analysis under the cut)

disclaimer, i just have a lot of thoughts, probably way too many thoughts, and 97% of them are about Wars so I might be insane, and what you’re about to read provided you’ve stuck around so far might be the equivalent of your high school english teacher yelling with tears in their eyes about how the curtains were blue to “symbolize her sadness”. also my apologies for weird spelling mistakes or oddly misspelled words, i am dyslexic 💔 but with that being said:

Warriors to me comes off as someone who’s constantly acting larger than life. He masks a LOT in front of the chain, he acts overdramatic and a bit ridiculous on purpose, and to an extent he just is a bit ridiculous, but his reactions to things are sometimes blow way out of proportion or are just larger than life in a comedic way where it just seems like he’s doing it intentionally. He comes across as a very extroverted, talkative person, and he seems like he’d honestly be a bit loud too (whether that’s who is REALLY is or what he’s REALLY like is a yap for another post). His (physical) image and the way his character/personality is perceived by others both seem like things that are not his CORE values or the things that mean the most to him, but they do seem to be at least a LITTLE bit important to him just based on how he presents himself and the way he acts. And to an extent, the whole thing with him caring so much about his looks is canon in LU, with that one sketch of him and Legend where he’s looking at his eye in a reflection of a shield and Legend says “alright break it up you two” being the first thing that comes to mind (which is in the post “Mirror Shield”, click the name for the link)

To me, from what I’ve seen and from my perspective, there are very few times we see an actual genuine smile from Warriors, and when we do it tends to be in moments where he’s not in the spotlight, he’s not trying to command the center of attention, and/or the focus is NOT on him. It tends to be moments where he just seems genuinely happy or at peace, and those seem pretty rare. He smiles a LOT, but the majority of his smiles seem big and flashy and performative, and not that that means he’s not happy AT ALL in any of those moments, but those smiles seem a lot more controlled and closely managed because he’s aware of the attention on him and therefore thinking about how he’s perceived. (I’ve made some posts in the past and I’ll probably make others in the future about how I think Warriors puts on this “Captain” or “Hero of Hyrule” persona because of how an entire war was started because a sorceress found him beautiful, and how he feels like him being just him isn’t really good enough for that and how he feels like he needs to fit in and look/act/seem like the legendary heroes he’s being compared to. He’s created this idea of what he COULD be and that’s what he presents to others, fake it till you make it and all that, but thats another yap for another day)

However there are these little moments where we see him smile, and the same one side of his mouth is pretty consistently always just a little bit higher no matter which way his head is facing (here’s a few examples):

@/linkeduniverse, from the 2023 monthly art, “January- Cold Sunrise”

@/linkeduniverse, both from “Dawn pt. 2”

And the thing that really started this whole headcanon of mine that his REAL smile is crooked was this specific part of Dawn pt. 2 where Warriors sees that Twilight is gonna be find for the first time after most likely worrying about him and being up all night:

That middle panel, to me at least, is probably the most genuine expression of a positive emotion we’ve seen from him this entire time. No one’s focus is on him, no one’s really looking at him, he doesn’t have the pressure of being the center of attention on him, and honestly even if that WERE the case, the genuine relief that hit him once he was Twilight was gonna be okay probably would’ve been enough to get a genuine smile out of him anyways. But the second he walks into the room officially, he kinda, for lack of a better way to put it, announces his presence and starts “acting” again (also from Dawn pt 2):

And while that same one side of his mouth does seem a bit higher and not very straight, it’s definitely more even than it was just five seconds previously

Now, acknowledging there is an art style, and that I also just might be insane, but Warriors’s smiles for the most part (when they seem controlled) appear to be a Lot straighter and more even to me than when it’s a more genuine moment and he doesn’t seem like he’s “acting” so much (and just a note: it certainly isn’t EVERY time, but in general, in moments like these his smile seems consistently straighter unless he’s just flat out smirking. and im not saying it’s PERFECTLY straight either, just noticeably more even). When he’s being more dramatic or intentionally obnoxious or the attention is on him, it really does feel like his smile is more controlled: here are just a few examples, obviously this isn’t every single time he’s smiled in all of LU

@/linkeduniverse, from “Swords”

@/linkeduniverse, from “Shady Escape pt 2”

@/linkeduniverse, from “Divine Dark Reflections pt. 8”

@/linkeduniverse, both from “Magic Sword”

am i looking too far into a little thing? probably. am i insane? yeah. but i just really love the idea that when Warriors is truly, genuinely happy, the part of himself that he tries to hide, the sweet and caring person he hides underneath all the dramatics, that true self he’s probably kept hidden away since the start of the war who’s been buried under insecurity and hidden because of the fear that who he is just isnt ENOUGH peaks through, and that person comes out through his happiness in the form of his smile. and yeah it does probably mean nothing and Jojo might not have done any of this on purpose, but i’m crazy, and Warriors’s crooked little smile is so so important to me *insert image of a guy crying face down on the floor because unfortunately i’ve hit the image limit*

[kyri45]

✨ISAT Sky: Cotl!AU Q&A (22-09)✨

Welcome to the Q&A! A space where I can answer related or similar question about the ISAT Sky: Cotl!AU! If you submitted your ask anonimously, then you’ll have to check the whole post if it’s answered here, if it’s not, worry not! Your asks might have been used for a future comic or just in the queue~

Anonimo ha chiesto:Hey your ISAT Sky: COTL crossover comic is what got me to try out sky, it's pretty fun even if players approaching me is a bit intimidating for my socially anxious self. The comic itself is pretty nice too and thank you for getting me into such a cute looking game :3

Thank you so much!!!♥️♥️♥️ sky is wonderful, it became my personal happy place!

@lunarmoff ha chiesto: Hello!! Hi, you probably have a lot of asks in your box but I wanted to thank you for getting me into isat! I first read your Isat sky au when I was in the sky fandom and I loved it even though I didn't know the characters at all! Now that I've gotten into the fandom and gotten to know the characters, I understand your au a lot more now. I love your art style and how you added a bunch of peoples sky kids into your story! I myself would have given you my sky kid but I found your comic a little to late to give them to you. Just know that I love your comic, and I can't wait to see how it ends!!!

AAAAAhhhhh that's awesome!!!So gad that you like ISAT! It's an emotional rollercoaster but it's soooo good!

@a-tired-human-draws-junk ha chiesto: I've been reading ur sky cotl x isat au and its driving me NUTS isat is a newer brainrot for me and sky is an OLD one like I havent played sky properly in over a year and you dragged me back into the game w ur comics DURING THE SEASON OF DUETS and I've been playing daily so I can get stuff AND I CANT BELIEVE AN ISAT AU IS WHAT DRAGGED ME BACK TO CANDLERUNNING HELL /lhj Anyways love the sky cotl x isat comics I see siffrin is still an idiot (Also I cant stop imagine siffrin honking at his family like a goddamn excited moth while running around them goofily as per average sky kid interaction and the mental image is so funny)

ASDFGHJKL YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I NEED SIFFRIN TO JUST- ACT LIKE A GOOFY EXCITED AND INNOCENT SKY KID AGAIN. HE'S JUST A LITTLE GUY!!!! HE DESERVE ALL THE HAPPYNESS AND FLUFF IN THE WORLD AND I'M HERE TO GIVE IT TO HIM (after I made him suffer hell of course)

@o-rainknight-o ha chiesto:I just want you to know that I love your art! It's so beautiful!Your LMK AU is amazing. I haven't played Sky in a while and I've never played ISAT but my sister has, so I know a little about it. It's also very pretty the way you draw it.Make sure not to overwork yourself too! We are all strangers here but a lot of us care :)

Ty!!!! I hope you get the chance to play sky as well!

@scarftale-bryan ha chiesto: Why did the lads skip the plains and wasteland?

cause I don't have the time or will to draw all 6 the realms. And also cause geographically, I don't know where the wastelands could be placed in Guadeloupe

Anonimo ha chiesto:

crying wailing throwing up over isat cotl i love it so much

AAAHH TY!!!

@puppetxtheatre ha chiesto: I don't even like sky but your comic was so good it convinced me to play ISAT and now I'm in love with the game thank you

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HELL/pos

Anonimo ha chiesto: is it bad that i keep tricking myself into believing your isat comics are canon?

omg I myself have to do it otherwise I would just go insane over the fact we will never have comfirmation to what happened to the forgotten island

Anonimo ha chiesto:I don't know anything about children of the sky (is that the name???) but I really like ISAT and I ADORE your comic. I'm so pumped to see all them colors and pretty stuff in your awesome style

Thank you! Me as well omg you have no idea (even though then panels will take double the time to color

@kestrel-bee ha chiesto: Hihi!

I’m loving your Shadowpeach AU, loving the current angst :]

but when going through your profile I saw your ISAT x COTL AU, which reminded me of the fact that I’d been intending to buy ISAT for a long while, so I finally did.

That was yesterday and I am now 6hrs in. Thank you for the new hyperfixation material 🙏

LMAO THAT WAS ME. THE FUCK (I finished the game in 3 days.)

Anonimo ha chiesto:I would just like to say I am in LOVE with the way you draw the sky kids! This is making me inspired to draw my sky kid!!

Thank you!!!

@sunsetcannon ha chiesto: Considering I am both an ISAT fan and a Sky fan I'm going to be permanently rotating this AU in my head like it's a microwave so thank you for that

And I need you to know that unfortunately you'll remain in said microwave for a lot more/pos

@selfdestructivecat ha chiesto: Hello! I have a question about your ISAT: COTL AU comic! So Nesting guide was there! Does that mean that Season of Nesting had already happened in this universe? Presumably Season of Revival will be happening once the dust has settled on this comic and everyone works on restoring Aviary Village, so does that mean that Revival happens after Nesting in this timeline? And will Duets, the most recent season, also have happened before Revival? (I’m just very happy because now my skid, a nesting moth, canonically can exist in this au! XD)

You can find the timeline of the AU here!

[evasive-anon]

jason todd inspo for dpxdc

So I know not everyone is gonna read through comics so here is some dope Jason panels that I think absolutely SCREAM danny phantom xover material.

After coming back from the dead, Talia dropped Jason off with the All-Caste which is like a sect of warrior monks who do magic.

The All-Caste have a nexus chamber that can go ANYWHERE and ANYWHEN and looks absolutely insane and is filled with door ways. It absolutely screams GZ/Infinite Realms material. Jason has been in it multiple times both when learning magic bullshit as a teen and again as Red Hood when trying to track down The Untitled after they killed off all the All-Caste.

Below is a pic of Jason just after he left the All-Caste after getting kicked out and I do think his hair looks like Danny's here so I'm dropping it in for all those ppl who like writing fics where Jason is Danny's universal variant.

I have not found any panels where Jason actually has glowing green eyes but he does glow with occult symbols when meditating.

If you don't know about the All-Blades then just know are fire swords Jason can summon and use to destroy evil. Also they come with a mystic disembodied voice talking about balance and shit sometimes. They're powered by your soul so you can do some real weeb shit with that.

Bonus, sometimes Crime Alley or Gotham are referred to as Jason's Haunt and I think that's beautiful.

[iamumbra195]

!!!SBG SPOILERS CHAPTER 77!!!!

THIS CHAPTER WAS EVERYTHING HOLY FUCKING SHIT!

The dynamics between the kids and how comfortable they've gotten around each other, especially with how Ashlyn was totally okay with Taylor and Aiden messing with her hair-- which is something I absolutely adore in this chapter she looks amazing and badass. The fact that Logan felt comfortable enough being snarky like that is also everything. Like this kid has been bullied relentlessly and the fact that he knows he can be snarky and mess with Tyler like that without getting hurt because of it shows so much growth. And the little moment of childish delight between Taylor and Aiden at the idea of racing around and the fact that Ashlyn doesn't tell them to focus or be serious but instead tells them they can do it later?? Early Ashlyn would get so annoyed and now she's just chill with it because she knows they all have their own ways to cope and deal with the stress and that's honestly so sweet.

Also, Ben using sign language and being understood and the others trying to find solutions so he can warn them of danger or something he is about to do is so sweet. They're so accommodating and caring to one another without even having to think twice, it's honestly so sweet.

Alex helping them with the card without question is really sweet but I have bad feeling it's gonna backfire on him and I don't like it.

And the rules of the phantom dimension are literally so weird. So technically they don't need to sleep or eat but they should because it helps them feel better when they're awake? I knew I was onto something when I made that post about how the fact they're technically living 31 hours a day should effect them more physically.

Also, The fact that the facility has a fucking armory is insane but also works so perfectly for the Mike-centric AU I've been trying to cook up and speaking of Mike, OH MY GOD HE'S IN THE PHANTOM DIMENSION, I REPEAT, HE'S IN THE PHANTOM DIMENSION!!

Does that mean the other parents are there too? Is it just him? Is Emma with him?

Also, both dad and daughter being certified badasses and having the same instincts??

We also got Mike with facial hair again lol but I'm kinda worried about what the means. Like they probably gave them stuff for basic hygiene right? Did something happen? Is he spiralling? Who was the one that screamed in this moment?

Also-- THE WAY ASH STARTED CRYING WHEN SHE RECOGNIZED HIM??

Oh my god, idk if we're gonna have another hug moment where he's comforting her again or if we're gonna have all the kids hugging their parents but either imma start crying.

Also, if she's crying but she thinks she's the one who dragged her dad into the phantom realm and feels horribly guilty about it again I'm gonna fucking cry.

My thought process is all over the place but if you stayed thanks and here are some of my other favourite panels in this chapter.

the second one and aiden shooting the guns has some good pfp potential lol

Anyway, the new outfits and Ash's new hair is everything (she looks adorable I wanna squish her cheeks she looks like a chipmunk oml) and I can't wait until next week holy shit.

[lynn-tged-posting]

tged webtoon 162 spoilers and thoughts except i'm a little bit late with them just a tad but it's okay we ball

.

.

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i think. genuinely. the art and panels for this episode are my new top tier THEY'RE SO DAMN FUNNY I WAS LAUGHING THE WHOLE FUCKING TIME HAHAHAHAA

LIKE LOOK AT THEM THE DOUBLE TROUBLE DUO EVER I FUCKING LOVE THEIR EXPRESSIONS they're menacing in such different ways but at the same damn level they're so duo i love them so much stupid fucking guys /aff

now back to the top heehee VERKIS GOING STRAIGHT TO THE DAMN MOON

he knew the horror that was about to fall out of lloyds mouth and did not warn anybody bro just went to spectate i love him so much

also a glimpse at the planet lorasia is on!!! yippee yippee! it looks very similar to earth but the continental shapes are different,,, wonder if bk moon will ever write a story thats cross continental!!! is that how u use that term idk

AND CHRIST WAS IT HORRIFYING

LLOYD. LLOYD UR SINGING COULD DESTROY NATIONS. U COULD CONQUER THE WORLD JUST BY CALLING ONE NOTE. THIS IS AUDIO WARFARE WHAT THE HELL WHAT THE HELL this is way too OP HAHAHAHA

ALSO ALSO HIS STANCES BEFORE AND AFTER HOLY FUCK. THE AURA IN THEM I FEEL INSANE lloyd you motherfucker ily so much never stop slaying both literally and metaphorically THE ART IS SO SO FUN

AND THEN THATS HOW RAPHAEL SAYS FUCK LAKDJFLSKDFHAAA HELPP he knew he was done for he could tell. his fucking blank ass face ohhh god i feel so so damn bad for this guy LOL

THAT BACK AND FORTH BY JAVIER AND LLOYD WAS CALCULATED AND ALSO MONSTROUS AS HELL. INSANE MOVE INSANE THEYRE SO FUCKING. AJDFLKJSLDFKJSDFH in sync <3 the boyfs ever beating up angels together <3 i LOVED how much they matched/paired with each other in these panels its so fucking good

SO many matching pfp moments here in this ep and i think these two in particular are my favorite HAHAHAHAAA ive said this before but i love how differently they showcase their menacing behavior hehee

AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT THE MOMENT RAPHAEL WAKS UP LLOYD GOES STRAIGHT TO GASLIGHTING. OH MY FUCKING GOD HES SO ANNOYING I LOVE HIM SM

also more duo expressions here heehee i just also really like this panel javier looks like he does Not want to be this Evil despite the fact that he's doing it anyway. lloyd youve taught him so well <3

also poor raphael again god he looks so fucking beat up LMFAOOO just a mf coughing baby :sob emoji:

AND THEN AND THEN. JAVIER BARGING IN he looks so fucking stiff here he's trying his mf best at this role he's found himself playing AHAHAHAHHAA

AND THE FUCKING. THEM HOLDING EACH OTHER BACK I WAS GIGGLING SO FUCKING BAD . ALSO THEM JUST HOLDING AND HUGGING IN GENERAL I LOST MY MIND WHAT THE FUCK. THEY'RE MATCHING THEY'RE MATCHING HAHAHAHAHAHA I LOVED HTIS BIT the timing of it was so gold THEYRE SO FUNNY

javier's sentences being short and stiff he's a terrible fucking actor HAHAHAA

i feel so bad for raphael bro completely fell for it,,, poor little hamster,,, little guy doesnt know whats coming,,, that contract sealed his fate,,,,,,

WE ALSO GOT A >:3 LLOYD I THINK THATS AN IMPORTANT THING TO ADD. NOW WE HAVE A TOTAL OF TWO :3 LLOYDS OFFICIALLY IN THE WEBTOON here is to hoping we get more. its my favorite stupid expression i need more of it. lloyd is so >:3c to me that when i type that i think of him

again tho thats so damn evil of lloyd taking advantage of raphael's naivety :sob: silly guy ilysm

ALSO ALSO. THIS SERIOUS LLOYD MOMENT WHERE HE ACTUALLY MAKES A DAMN GOOD POINT ABOUT HOW THE HEAVENLY REALM HAS BEEN TREATING THE LOWER REALM. OHHHHH THAT WAS SO SO GOOD he's so cool when he's proving a point / spitting fire i love it when he does this and im glad he said smth, i rlly hope raphael can help w the realms and their communication so that shit like the jewel of truth getting illegal'd / other things like that can go smoother

the crossed arms n everything THATS SOOOOO HEHEHEHHEHEE DANCING AROUND

AND THEN NOT EVEN A MOMENT LATER HE GOES STRAIGHT INTO CONTRACT MODE I LAUGHED MY MF ASS OFFF HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

EVIL BASTARD. U AWFUL SCHEMER U. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH HAHAHAHAHAHA

do you think zhongli and lloyd would get along in a weird fucked up kind of way? i do. i think they should form a contract somehow and then fuck around a little bit

anyway im VERY excited to see what lloyd has planned for raphael exactly and also, since the jewel of truth is gonna get finished, what its going to say!!! swear to god fate better be beatable or im going to like. idk. curl up and cry. i need lloyd to finally get the happy ending he wanted, the lavish and carefree life he's been working for his entire life, one that's surrounded by people and family and loved ones and peace peace peace PLEASSSEEE HE'S WORKED SO HARD

sorry about this being mostly reacting too btw im just. eehehehehehe much action not much to say so im just giddy over this ep LOL

thats all from me for now!! see yall next week!!!! (aka tmrw when the update drops. bc this post was a teensy bit late. heehoo)

[cerealforkart]

Dungeons and Daddies the Manga Lesson 32: Con Mayor

Read right to left

[first] [prev] [next]

[masterpost]

Transcript under the cut

Transcript reading guide / key

[xxxx] =  identifier of text source

- =  break between panels

(xxxxx) = text outside of normal speech bubble

The Heart Wants What It Wants (Page 125)

[Normal]: I know we’ve been through a lot lately, I need you guys to put yourselves in a headspace to receive some really upsetting information.

Hermie, our friend, has stolen Teeny the Teen and gone to the Goofs Realm. 

[Link]: Gentleman.

-

[Taylor]: I don’t feel so bad about forgetting him all the time anymore.

[Scary]: Good for him. 

[Link]: I knew it.

-

[Normal]: It’s just like, he was with us for so long. He was our friend. 

He got burned, he got put through the ringer, he met his dad, he went to Hell and back, and it was all a lie. 

-

[Normal]: Do you know how much school spirit that takes?

It’s like I wanted him before, but now I need him. 

[Effect]: Doki!

Doki!

Planning Scamming (Page 126)

[Link]: The mayor doesn’t let anyone see her, so, you pretend to kill us…

-

[Link]: She’ll want you meet you, and when you’re there, be like, “Hey I’m here, can I see you some ice cream for charity”...

-

[Link]: When she hands over the money say: “Psych!” And then the Goofs Realm will be open!

-

[Taylor]: So, wait, sorry, Lincoln - 

[Link]: I don’t know what I said. So like, if you guys remember, great. 

Deception 100 (Page 127)

[Scary]: Just want you to know I did it!

[Willy]: You did what?

[Scary]: Oh, you don’t even know? I killed ‘em!

[Willy]: You killed the only way to get to the other realm. [Scary]: I just got mad!

[Willy]: You’re supposed to be the smart one! Normal’s the fuck up who can’t control his emotions!

-

[Link]: How do you think she’s doing?

She’s so peaceful when she sleeps.

[Taylor]: She’s really sweaty right now…

-

[Willy]: Are you fucking lying to me…?

[Dice roll, Willy]: Insight, 6

[Willy]: NAH!

[Scary]: I cast Spider Climb but I didn’t cast it very well. So they all fell down. And I cast Fireball too! And I cast my fist against their skulls!

-

-

The 5% (Page 128)

[Taylor]: Before we go, can I have a word with my dad?

[Normal]: Taylor! I can do you one better than that!

[Taylor]: I’m not interested in your witchcraft.

[Normal]: I can cast a spell called Sending, you can send a 25 word message to your dad and he can reply so long as he has at least 1 intelligence and aren’t insanely unlucky.

-

[Link]: Hey Dad, I’m not sure if you can hear me or not, but I just wanted to say: Hang on, and I’m going to CUM* get you and save you. I love you

[Text box]: *This is 25 words. 

-

[Dice roll]: Luck, 1

[Taylor]: …

[Normal]: …

-

[Taylor]: Your spell killed my dad!!!

Transcript provided by @confusedfoam

[thespianinthebackcorner]

WHAT THE FUCK

The Splatoon manga jumps. Many logical gaps but this one is just batshit insane

So these aren't lining up right but in vol 7's bonus chapter Skull gives Half-Rim a lollipop and it's made clear in one of the next few panels that he sticks in his mouth right away (real). Then there's about a page and a quarter's worth of Skull dialogue which I'd garner takes about a minute for him to say at most. Then immediately after that we get two panels of Half-Rim, except he doesn't have the lollipop either in his mouth or his hand. Granted, in one of those panels he was laughing, and the way they illustrate Rim laughing generally doesn't work with having a stick in his mouth, but not having it in his hand still proves my point.

So this motherfucker managed to eat an entire lollipop in less than ONE MINUTE without making enough sound for the manga to consider it a relevant sound effect. If he'd been cracking it with his teeth that probably would've been a background sound. That and even with teeth it takes more than a minute to eat one of those things. I would know, I do that on lollipops and am frequently told I am an idiot for it.

Like i said, the manga makes a lot of logical leaps, but being able to eat an entire lollipop within a minute isn't generally in the realm of things they do that with, and Rims isn't the type of character to be given that kind of treatment anyway. So it's just. Blatantly put out there that this guy can eat an entire fucking lollipop within a minute.

Gloves keep an eye on your sniper, please, he is rapidly getting more insane the more details I notice. Wtf man

[ineffablymischievousscamp]

Michael Sheen - Master Storyteller

In today's digital world, celebrity interviews are in abundance - especially when you consider newer mediums like podcasts that have skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade. You can find panels from conventions, access talk shows from other countries, read magazine articles from across the pond. There are so many one-dimensional, disconnected, or just plain boring celebrity guests in this oversaturated market. Michael Sheen is NEVER one of those guests.

Storytelling is an underappreciated skill. In this realm, it becomes obvious that Michael has harnessed this skill exceptionally well. As a master storyteller and world-builder, he captivates with the effortless ease of a raconteur, transforming an ordinary interview question into immersive journeys that leave you utterly enraptured.

You can't help but be drawn in by his passion. It's not just in the words he chooses or the exact experience he is relaying, but the ebb and flow of his narrative voice - a voice that exudes warmth and conviction, vulnerability and authenticity, humor and hope.

Like an artist crafting an epic, he makes it so that you feel like an active participant in the tale - present in the narrative being woven - instead of just a listener. Each story feels like a memory being created in the moment with you, rather than just a mere recounting of events.

I absolutely love when he takes a seemingly simplistic interview question that one would assume would result in a stale, depthless answer, and somehow delivers a story so engaging that you are now on an unexpected adventure alongside him. It doesn't matter the topic - he is just that magical and skilled. Michael must be a dream for interviewers. In a lot of ways, the man practically interviews himself. His tangents are so entertaining, refreshing, and enriching - delivering delicious opportunities to dive deeper into his narratives should the interviewer find themselves brave enough.

Outside of his masterful storytelling, Michael truly just seems like a wonderful human to have a conversation with. He is insanely charming, marvelously chaotic, unabashedly honest, perpetually curious, intensely thought-provoking, and deeply caring.

Do yourself a favor and listen to some Michael Sheen content this week. You might laugh until you hurt. You might sob uncontrollably. You might find yourself impassioned over a new topic. You might leave with a fresh perspective. You might find your faith in humanity restored. You will not regret it.

In closing, we all know that age-old ice breaker question - If you could have a dinner party with any 5 famous people (dead or alive), who would they be and why? Well if it isn't obvious yet, one of my answers would unequivocally be Michael Sheen. He'd be riveting in his own right, but can you imagine the stories he'd draw out of the other guests too?

Bonus Content:

For all of those that made it to the end of my TedTalk... enjoy this instant serotonin boost brought to you by Sheenie's Smile!

And yes, at my dinner party I'd 100% tell him "You've had such a profound effect on my life!"

[celestie0]

please share your thoughts on vinland saga. what is your favorite character, scene...? what is something you learnt through it?

omgogmogmgmggogm ty for this ask anon also so sorry it took me a while to get around to but i appreciate it i loooove vinland saga sm n i’d love to talk more ab it 😭🫶🏼💕 n if you’ve seen the show too i’d love to know ur answers to those questions as well aaa :””)

my favorite character for suuurrree is thorfinn :”) he is my sweet summer child, the apple of my eye, the kindest of all, my son, my heart, my treasure, my love, i adore him sm there are times where i think of him n i just start tearing up out of nowhere. imma sound so fkn insane when i say this but i really truly believe he exists in my hearrrtttt 😭💕 like he has to, there’s no way these feeligns of adoration i have for him have not manifested on some physical realm i just love him sosososooso much sobs he is my favorite fictional character of all time n i wish i could smooch makoto yukimura very gingerly on the cheek for bringing such a beautifully well written character to life. his determination to become a better person, live true to his ideals, and create safe haven for others is srs so inspirational to me i love him sm

[panels colored by @/hawta_mahmood on insta]

i would literally commit war crimes for him LMFAO (even tho that’s the opposite of what he would want anyone to do for him haha)

as for what i’ve learned n my fave scene(s) i will add a keep reading bc spoilers and also it’s gonna be really fuckin long 💀

what have i learned from vinland saga? dear god, so much. i could talk about this show for hours, HOURS, and i have before!! it is just that dense in philosophy n had my head spinning from all the reflections

of course, there is the infamous line in the show ‘i have no enemies’, which i think can mean a lot of different things to different people, in thorfinn’s case it is the line that allows him to adopt a life of tranquility n pacifism. i think for me, this line taught me to assume the best in people, and once i started doing that i think i learned how peaceful n meaningful life can be. for example, if i interact with a rude person or am fighting with someone i care about, and i am affected emotionally by it, i might think of that lesson from the show and i feel free in knowing that i have no one who i desire to hurt or retaliate against or even harbor negative feelings towards in my head(the saying comes to mind to think or speak negatively about others is to poison yourself) as someone w a lot of fuckin anxiety it’s very liberating to think that way, and i think that’s the biggest lesson i’ve learned from the show (among many, many, many others. i think another big lesson is obviously the subject of forgiveness, both in others and in oneself, but this post will end up being too long if i go into depth of all the things i’ve thought ab while watching vinland saga)

as for my fave scenes, i’ll try to just pick three 😭😭😭

1. end of the prologue. the scene when askleadd dies was so beautifully done. the moment where in his final moments, he urges thorfinn to rethink his life and what he wants from it, and to follow in his father’s footsteps. askeladd was such a cruel, violent, and objectively horrible person n was the cause of thorfinn’s journey of hatred in the first place, and yet in his final moments somehow his words to thorfinn did not feel out of character. that was the moment where i realized wow, this author knows what tf he’s doing and is truly so talented. to have a character’s traits sneak up on you like that, built so subtly throughout the show, so that the payoff feels so real and fitting and not forced, driving the direction of the story in the way we had been hoping for the whole time. fuuuckckf. also, quick mention of the scene where thorifnn finally lets go of his dagger n all the scenes from season one flash by on the metal. fuck. i cry EVERY. TIME.

2. i mean it’s a given, but the scene when thorfinn finally understands his father’s words and admits to a circle of bloodlust vikings that they are not his enemies, and that he has no enemies. what a wonderful full circle moment for his character arc, i get chills just thinking about it

3. this one may be a bit more random lol, but the episode that will forever stick in my memory is gardar’s backstory episode. fuck i could writr a ten page essay about this one twenty minute episode ALONE, but i’ll just pick out the one scene that just kills me. the scene where gardar helplessly watches himself in the past, as he leaves arnheid & hjalti, and there’s nothing he can do to stop himself. fucking hell. if there’s any scene that i think could perfectly show what a feeling of regret is like, that would be the scene, and what fucks me up so much about that scene is how he cannot even manage WORDS. he is a grown man, reduced to intelligible sounds because his pain is so profound and his guilt runs so deep that it is like he becomes all but a helpless child. just kill me, seriously. i had never cried so hard in my LIFE watching anything than in that episode. i sobbed so hard i had hiccups n my sleeves were covered in snot. but the ending, when he got to see his son again in the afterlife n he was the age that he wouldve been if he was still alive :”) my god. yukimura nails anything that has to do with father son dynamics, im sure its because he has a few boys of his own, and his love for his children is so evident in his writing. but also, the fact that he was able to make me feel SO MUCH for a character we hardly knew anything of, and also to use a character that the audience is not very familiar with to tell a story that i think almost everyone on this planet could relate to in some capacity (things we want to change n wish we could go back to do so…) just what a genius genius creative decision like he is just such a wonderful writer i appreciate him so much 😭😭😭

god, all of s2 is honestly my favorite scene LMFAO. the whole entirety of it is a masterclass in story telling. imma just do a quick few more of my fave scene shoutouts tho 😭

thorfinn getting his ear sliced by fox, thorfinn calling einer his brother, thorfinn climbing his way out of valhalla, thorfinn telling arnheid about vinland before she passed away, snake revealing the truth behind ketil’s name, thorfinn reuniting with his mother again. god just all of it. i swear, just all of it.

GAT DAYUM THIS IS LONG but idgaf i’d talk about this show until i draw my last breath lmfaooo thank u anon for this ask im clearly insane 🤣🤣🤣 ur probs like im never sending this bitch an ask ever again LMFAO just joking but srs i appreciate it i had a lot of fun answering :””) i just love this show so much

[donnerpartyofone]

Yesterday morning I woke up early to go to the Corpus Christi event in the park where several local parishes were converging for an outdoor mass. The point of the celebration was to affirm the literality of transubstantiation, since communion has started slipping into the realm of symbolism in a lot of people's minds and the Vatican doesn't like that. I really enjoy the pageantry of Catholicism and I will do anything for a look at the monstrance, the extremely fascinating luxury container for the holy wafer. It looks like something out of DAGON and in fact I wouldn't be surprised if that story were meant to refer to Catholicism in some way, I'm sure Lovecraft hated Catholics as much as he hated everybody else.

At one point the homilist addressed the accusation that eucharistic adoration is a form of idolatry, an impression he corrected by reminding everyone that the eucharist is not a fetish object but the literal body of Christ: "We don't worship a piece of bread!" (congregation laughs appreciatively) But I thought, why not? Even though I'm an outsider who can't take communion, I find it easy to think about its meaning in a general way; like if you believe that there is some sort of generative superlayer to reality, which I'm learning that I kind of do, and if you think everything natural manifests from that, then it's not so hard to think that food is divine. And I mean food is divine, it's what perpetuates life. We SHOULD be treating food with reverence and respect, whether you believe in a spiritual lifeforce or only a chemical one. I'm often surprised that Christians are not hardcore ecologists by nature, if you believe that everything comes from God for humanity to steward, you should have a powerful feeling for your environment--but for whatever reason this is not a standard part of the package. After the park part we processed down the street, which had been closed off for the occasion, to St. Mary Star of the Sea (even more Dagonesque!), and this part was totally amazing. The church was packed to the gills with people from all different parishes and the organist was playing some absolutely demonic music that I had never heard the likes of. When the people sang, the whole place vibrated powerfully, and in a moment of silence an old italian lady started praying at the top of her lungs, startling everyone. It was an exciting thing to get caught up in.

After that my husband and I went to a bar around the corner to stalk the building owner, who is renting a couple of apartments on the upper floors. Unfortunately he wasn't around but we got sucked into a conversation with a local who didn't look like he would want anything to do with the likes of us, a gruff older Brooklynite who engaged us about our weird shared neighborhood for much longer than I meant to stay. I tried to take it as a good sign, like maybe we could put our "vibes" on the place by integrating with the regulars, at the same time that our associates have been recommending us to the owner as good future tenants. It would be amazing if we got in there, we could move almost our whole apartment by hand.

Then it was time to go to the film festival. The screenings I saw the day before were in a theater that is hip but not particularly luxe, which made me feel pretty relaxed about what I was going to have to do--but these screenings were in a VERY nice theater, the lines were huge and everyone was dressed to the nines, and I started to freak out a little bit. The staff rushed me through my instructions with such intensity, I was just praying I actually understood it all. One of the actors on my panel is this cult film goddess who is a terrific person in addition to being shockingly beautiful, and she showed up in this like fairy tale dress that accentuated her otherworldliness to absolutely ridiculous heights. She introduced herself to me and I just started blathering; I'm not attracted to women but she's so beautiful it's insane, it almost qualifies as a deformity. Looking into her face is just confusing. Many other people there were startlingly beautiful. The director of the movie I was there for is someone I had seen on screen many times, and I always perceived him to be kind of an ordinary nerd, but in person he was enormously charismatic and sharply dressed and groomed and he had fully transformed into fucking George Clooney or something, I almost wasn't sure I had the right guy.

I also saw two other actresses-of-a-certain-age who looked so much better standing in front of me than they did in the movies I'd just seen them in, I honestly felt like I was tripping on acid. One of them was Alicia Silverstone, who sat in front of me at a different screening; she wore a highly reflective plastic tube dress and stiletto heels that were almost entirely transparent, and she had to be helped around by her entourage. The aforementioned actress I would be interviewing was also having a lot of trouble locomoting in her amazing Glenda the Good Witch getup, she too needed to be attended by aides. It occurred to me that maybe when your career is (in part) being extremely glamorous, you have to do these things that cripple you, you have to be strapped into these hobbling appliances and carried around to formal appearances. There is something fascinatingly morbid about this.

My panel was really great. I knew I was killing it. All my jokes landed with the audience and I got the film cast and crew in a really good place right away. It was late on the Sunday, the last screening of the festival, and everyone on and off the stage was exhausted until I wound them all up, which I consider a significant personal achievement. Everyone thanked me in this moving way and some stranger on the street told me I did a good job. I was aware that this was my introduction to quite a number of people, including several recognizably established folks who have certainly been vaguely aware of who I am and what I do, but now they've all seen me at full power and I could tell they'll remember it.

When photos of the event started turning up, that was NOT so thrilling. I was a complete mess and I didn't even know it until it was too late. It's probably GOOD that I didn't realize it earlier, when I couldn't have done anything about it. I found myself looking in the mirror at home, where things seem not so bad somehow, and trying to match what I saw there to the person that everyone's camera saw. It was pretty shocking, but I have to say that it wasn't a complete downer. I had the feeling that I can see what I need to do, and that is positive in and of itself. I might not have even realized the degree to which I need to take better care of myself if this hadn't happened, at least not for a while. Right now everything needs to change. My house needs to change, my state of employment needs to change, my body needs to change. If I can treat these things like hobbies, like projects I am authoring, rather than like obligations or fuckups I need to fix, then my chances of success are strong.

[nightfury18]

Through the timelines

Well, I've been lost for a several weeks, sorry. I needed to solve my university problems.

So, during that I've been drawing this sketch. I thought that I wouldn't be able to draw it, but here we go. Down there I'll leave some descriptions in chronological order for you.

We'll start with the background panel. After several confrontations between Shirai Ryu and Lin Kuei, the first one have failed and everyone was killed by Bi-Han and his assasins. Except Tresdes, who is immortal, but who wasn't able to save anyone because she spent too much time healing herself after being beheaded. She lost everyone she loved, so I decided to draw her alone here. She tried everything she could to resurrect them, but she failed, even being almost like a Keeper of Time.

Next one is foreground panel. After Tresdes failed to get killed ones back, she decided to move back to the past, before Kronika's defeat. She did everything helping Liu Kang win the battle and asked him to avoid the same future mistakes. She gave up all her power and memories to him, so he knew everything that happened. New Keeper of Time restarted history and made Tresdes a mere human, just like she asked, living with Tomas and both his elder brothers as a Lin Kuei member.

The left panel. In the battle with Kronika, Tresdes became a winner and a new Keeper of Time. She already had possessed similar abilities, so she got even stronger. Keeping in mind everything happened, she restarted history and, of course, resurrected everyone she missed so much. In her New Era Lin Kuei are Earthrealm Defenders, and Tomas was one of the champions. She offered him an eternal life like her own as a prize. He accepted this gift, and both of them had a happy end.

The right panel showes an opposite outcome of the battle. Shang Tsung had won and became a Titan. He had Tres as one the most powerful and ruthless warriors of his realm (and a bit insane). Well, he underestimated her and was killed. She became a new Keeper of this timeline, the dark version of herself. She found Tomas and challenged him. They made a deal: if he finds a way to kill Tresdes, she will extract Enenra out of him. They was having a lot of fun time with each other.

Well, it was a bit long, but I hope I explained everything. I could spent more time and even do this sketch in color, but it would take me months to finish. So I'll leave it as a sketch for now. Hope you liked it!

[obscurecharactershowdown]

Group C Round 2

[image ID: the first image is of the cover of Shadow Slave by Guiltyfree. it depicts a person, who is not Nephis, with medium length white hair, and an intricately designed metal mask covers their face. the second image is of "good" Tom, a young man with short medium-colored hair, sideburns, and goatee. he's looking to the left of the comic panel, saying: "A puppy is in danger." someone from offscreen says: "Again?" end ID]

Nephis

aghhh she's sooo,,, she's like. a little bit insane (canonically). she wants to destroy an entire realm (a realm that has been causing very plot-relevant problems, but still). i'm pretty sure she wants to kill god. she has so much autistic swag it's not even funny. WITNESS! some actual quotes from the story: - "It was as though she had no idea how to talk to people" - "Her tone never matched what she was trying to say. Often, she would forget to put correct intonations in her speech, making questions sound like statements or vice versa" - "[Nephis's] awkwardness seemed to disappear whenever she talked about things that she felt confident about, like ancient heroes. Or killing things" - "[Nephis was seen] intently observing how Cassie talked and behaved around them. Sometime later, Neph would randomly try to mimic small details of her friend's behavior" she's also consistently described as hard-to-read, blunt, and generally talks with a flat voice [mod note: this image was included in the submission, but I wasn't sure if it was fan art or not. either way, it depicts Nephis]

"good" Tom

Was created by the author because he felt bad about naming a one-off shitty character ("bad" Tom) Tom instead leaving him nameless. To quote the author commentary on "good" Tom's introduction page: "There is something in this comic I've been eager to include, however, and that's token 'good guy' Tom. His name is Tom, and he's a good guy, thus proving that not all Toms are like that one Tom. This Tom isn't the least bit manipulative, his extracurricular school activities all benefit society and raise awareness in some way, he's rescued at least three puppies from various situations, and he genuinely loves the first three live action Star Trek series." Note: it is later reveal that part of the reason that "he's rescued at least three puppies from various situations" is that without his knowledge he was given a magic mark that gives him the power to sense when puppies are in danger. [additional propaganda 1]

[unboundtravels]

SHORT TRIPS; UNBOUNDNOVEMBER 10/23: POWER OF THREE

As forces from beyond the realm of matter descend upon UNIT HQ, The Doctor and his Companions hide within the safety of the TARDIS. Their safety is maintained by The TARDIS' forcefield. However, with The Doctor still currently in exile, he's unable to operate The TARDIS in order to lure the strange, formless creatures away from Earth. As such, the exiled timelord is forced to make a distress signal. Although the help they send... may not be the help he's expecting. 

Featuring additions added by @mielmoto

Sergeant Benton had seen a great many things in his time with UNIT. Crazy creatures, strange machines, phenomenons in the sky— and yet the room he was standing in right now was potentially the most insanity-inducing thing he'd ever seen. One moment, The Doctor was yammering on about how he wanted Benton to get his assistant— (one plucky young Honey Banh Moto) away from the UNIT HQ as quickly as possible. Of course, Benton isn't one to abandon a friend like The Doctor— especially since, as one of UNIT's higher-ups, he was responsible for every member of staff's safety. So he wasn't just about to leave the Doc behind. 

But then that creature appeared. It appeared outside of UNIT HQ— It ate The Doctor's car, Bessie! Touched it! And in a flash of light, the car disappeared. Then it chewed threw the UNIT door! Just one contact with the goop totally destroyed the door! It went for The Doctor's laboratory table when the Scientific Advisor had ordered an escape. Until, of course, it moved to block the way— forcing The Doctor to shuffle everyone into The Police Box in the corner of the room. Benton, in a panic, hadn't questioned it— especially since he'd sworn he'd seen this box disappear, once. However— he wondered if they could all fit inside.

But inside— Inside was a whole different story. Benton stared, a bit amazed for a while. The room seemed more or less like a perfect octagon. Well, almost perfect. Some of the walls seemed longer than others, and some seemed pushed closer. All the more, it was centered off by a green console with six panels of various assorted controls. There was a column in the center, but it was motionless. Benton saw round objects on the wall, assembled in a pattern. He'd been silent for the last couple of seconds, just sort of speechless. He took his hat off, letting ruffled brown hair stick out. He was in his olive-green UNIT fatigues, and his machine gun was slung over his shoulder. Safety was on, but he made sure his hands were far away from the trigger. Especially since The Doctor hated guns. (Although, supposing he picked a pretty unfortunate job— as a military scientific advisor.) 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓's voice finally spoke up, breaking his dumbfoundedness. 

"Well, Seargent? Aren't you going to say that it's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside? Everyone else does." The Doctor wore a velvet red smoking jacket underneath a white frilled shirt. The jacket was buttoned up, and accentuated by a large black bowtie. He wore black trousers and brown shoes. His hair was very dark but had bits of faded green intermixed. Dark eyes and a strong expression looked down at the TARDIS controls but occasionally looked toward Benton to ascertain how he was doing with all this. He seemed to be taking it in well. Benton finally turned toward the console, looking toward The Doctor & Honey; the young assistant appeared frazzled only in her confused look and a slight tousle of thick bleach-blonde locks— while her outfit of a maroon pinafore dress over black poet-blouse, tied at the collar with a white bow to match calf-high ivory boots, remained as immaculate as the day it'd been made. You wouldn't know to look at either of them the sheer chaos of the day which had already played out, nor the really quite narrow escape which landed all of them securely inside the TARDIS' walls. 

"Seems pretty obvious, Doc. I've learned not to be surprised about things like this." Benton mumbled, approaching the console. There was a wall-mounted monitor that showed the outside of the TARDIS. Benton noted that right now, it was just motionless. The Doctor mentioned something about having switched on some kind of force field as soon as they entered. Looked like it was holding... for now, at least.

The Doctor moved to slide up a heavy switch, and a loud thud echoed through the console room. Concern flickered across The Doctor's features. Resetting the switch and repeating the motion several times yielded the same result. "It's not working." The Doctor huffed, standing up with a concerned expression. His fingers rubbed at his cheeks and chin in contemplative thought. He eventually circled toward a small grey compartment on the console. He lifted it up and pulled a switch out that caused a red light to flash repeatedly on the console. 

"I've sent out an SOS... I hate to have to do call them, but, there we are." The Doctor mumbled, looking toward the monitor in the TARDIS, before turning his expression toward Honey. She responded with a curious lilt of her head in kind, mouthing 'them?' back with wide eyes; wondering for a moment if she was right about exactly who 'they' were— but the Doctor's solemn expression served confirmation enough. He crossed his arms and his legs were about a shoulder length apart. He seemed to resist the incessant urge to pace around. He just stared off, contemplatively. Benton, who had nothing else to say, just stood there. There wasn't much silence, though. Perhaps about two seconds had elapsed since anyone had spoken before it was broken by the blonde.

"What exactly were you trying to do, anyway? What was all that—" she mimicked the gesture of his labors before, and motioned to the uncooperative switch in question, "—stuff about?"

"All that stuff from earlier..." He began, "Was an attempt to lead this creature away from Earth." He finished, looking back down at the TARDIS before attempting to divert as much power to the shields as he could, "I would figure in an emergency situation such as this— They would've sensed the danger and at least allowed me to utilize the emergency return switch—" He pointed toward an auxiliary switch underneath the take-off lever, "To return us to Gallifrey in the case of an emergency— or perhaps I could've at least tried to route us to a place where nobody could be affected by the creature." The Doctor huffed again, eventually just moving his head away from the console and looking back toward his assistant.

"However, it seems it's immobilized The TARDIS. I can't take us anywhere. We're trapped here." He admitted, rubbing at his chin whilst his arms remained crossed against his chest. "If I only I'd taken some readings with it on my Sonic Screwdriver before it'd chased us in here..."

"That sounds... really, like, not the best, boss. But we've got some kind of backup plan, right?" Honey pleaded; doing her best not to focus on the words 'trapped' and 'immobilized'— or, indeed, thinking of the gelatinous thing just beyond the door which was making so much trouble in the first place. "What can we do, now?"

"At the very least, I've boosted power to the shields." The Doctor replied in an optimistic tone. "We're safe in here as long as I can continue to boost power from the ship's unused flight systems to the defenses." He said amidst the sequential clicking of various switches. "Hopefully, They get our distress signal." He looked from her toward the monitor, now feeling a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. "Or else we'll be stuck in here for a rather long time."

Benton finally approached Honey whilst The Doctor worked at the console. Sheepishly, he leaned down toward the blonde and cleared his throat. "I can't help but feel a little loss, Miss." He mumbled, "Who're they?" Benton asked, occasionally looking from Honey toward The Doctor. 

"Assuming I'm right? They, are the other Time Lords... which means we're in for something pretty serious."

On the mighty planet 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐲, things weren't exactly going well. A massive spatial rip above the planet yielded a massive electrical storm that was attacking the defenses of the capitol. In a control room at the very top of the capital, two screens stood side by side. One was actively showing the spatial tear above the planet. The tendrils like lightning crackled against the planet's outer shieldings. On the other screen, it showed the laboratory on Earth. This blob-like creature remained stationary outside of The Police Box, but it expanded ever so softly... ingesting more things from the laboratory. A woman on the center observatory platform with tied-up black hair and white-and-gold ceremonial robes was standing next to the operator of the control room. This was the current president of Gallifrey, and behind her was The Director of The Celestial Intervention Agency, who was currently acting as the defensive coordinator for the attack on Gallifrey. The Director was a woman with long bright red hair, and her robes were patterned with dark greys, whites and blacks.

"Is The Doctor holding out?" The President asked, looking down at the technical officer operating the console. He was an older man, more experienced with the equipment. He had a long bushy beard and flowing silver hair, and his robes were dark blue and black with silver accents. He spoke firmly, very matter-of-factly as he read the readings on the console and gazed up towards the bigger view screen. "We're giving his TARDIS all the energy we can spare." The Console operator spoke.

"The Hostile?" The President inquired about the blob creature outside the Doctor's TARDIS. "Unidentified so far, my lady." the operator answered back.

The Director stepped toward the operator's opposite side, looking toward the beams attacking the planet, "What about this spatial tear? Where does it go?" The President also gazes toward the secondary screen. The lightning attacking Gallifrey appears to fade within a black hole that's eating apart the space around their very world. The report flickered back toward the console operator, "It's some kind of no place. A void. According to all known readings, nothing is capable of existing there." He replied to her inquiry. 

"Yet somehow," The President began, "Through this black hole— a vital cosmic energy is draining The Eye of Harmony despite our attempts to disrupt or contain it." She placed her hand near the control panels near the console operator. Her amber hues took in the massive storms of lightning and energy draining at the planet's shielding. As soon as they were through the defense barriers, she knew it would start to drain at the central core of The Eye of Harmony. "Currently, we're unable to deploy any TARDISes off of Gallifrey. The storm rips any departing ships up before they can even enter the space-time vortex." She reports, gesturing to the primary viewscreen. "Only an off-world TARDIS could make any kind of trip." 

"Who could be doing this?" The Director looked toward her President, despite the mask of stability she wore, there were still hints of shock and awe in her voice at the idea of such an unfathomable power.

"It must be a force equal and opposite of our own power..." The President spoke, and a chill at the thought slightly ran up her spine. For a moment, her eyes were caught at the screen— eyes glued to the Police Box before finally the president spoke up. "Someone must aid The Doctor." The Madam President decreed, and The Director couldn't help but agree but alas, she stated the facts. "No one can be spared, Madam President. Everyone is needed to combat the energy drain." The President's features hardened at this, and she went into a very long pause before. She contemplated the situation, deciding here and now that if ever there was a time for her to prove her leadership capabilities... then it was now.

"No... but perhaps he can help himself." The President spoke, looking toward the console operator. "Show me The Doctor's time stream... show me his previous incarnation." She looked up toward the screen on the right, which shifted to show a different-looking fellow than the one currently trapped within his TARDIS. The Director's eyes widened at the version being shown on the viewscreen. Her heels clacked as she stepped forward. "My Lady, you can't allow him to cross his own time stream! Apart from the enormous energy it would need, the First Law of Time expressly forbids him to meet his previous selves!" 

"Madam Director, we are in a state of emergency."

The Director paused, face cringing. For once, The Director was unsure of what exactly would happen. Softly tightening her fists, she eventually relents. "Be it on your own head, Madam President."

The President exhaled, looking toward the screen. She looked toward the console operator.

"Make it so."

Back in The TARDIS— The Doctor, Honey & Sergeant Benton were watching the amorphous blob creature through the viewer screen on The TARDIS. Suddenly, The Doctor's head snapped back when he heard the sound of The TARDIS' materialization circuit. "That's odd." He commented that the central column on the TARDIS did not move at all during the sound that bounced throughout the console room. "Did either of you touch anything?" He asked the only other two in the room before he approached the console and began to flick various switches. Benton shook his head, while Honey raised both hands in a display of innocence, which caused The Doctor's brows to furrow in confusion, "But you heard it, didn't you?" The Doctor mumbled. Honey moved to his side as he operated the console.

"Not just heard it, but felt it too." The assistant replied, with an edge of worry to her tone. "...Do you think it was that stuff outside?"

"No, I don't think so—" The Doctor paused, noting something that hadn't been on the console previously. He reached out, taking it. It looked to be a small ivory recorder with a blue stripe painted around it. The Doctor took it in his hand for a moment. "What's this...?" He mumbled, twisting the recorder in his fingers, "It's... strangely familiar to me.." He placed fingers over familiar holes within the recorder. "Is it yours, Honey?" He looked toward the blonde.

She gave it a strange look and shrugged. "Not mine— I'm more of a lute gal than a flute gal."

The Doctor hummed, "Well, properly speaking, it's a recorder—" Before suddenly, a third pair of fingers grasped around the mouthpiece. A hand yanked it out from The Doctor's in an almost frantic manner. The figure fully appeared across from the console. He was a shorter man, about five foot three compared to The Doctor's six foot two. He wore a large cotton black jacket, a bright blue dress shirt, and a polka-dotted blue bowtie. His trousers were a baggy patterned and his shoes a worn and busted brown. He held the recorder as Benton and Honey gasped once he fully formed. His hair was a bed-razzled black, his eyes a bright blue, and his skin was a flushed white. 

"Thank you." The Cosmic Hobo mumbled, "I was wondering where that'd gone too." Excitedly, he wrapped his lips around the mouthpiece and played a few notes before showing visible disdain at the sound. The Doctor grew from a shocked and flustered expression to a furrow-browed and stern-eyed stare at the entry. There appeared to be a moment of silence where the little fellow cleaned out his recorder and attempted to diffuse the tension caused by his arrival. "You haven't been trying to play it, have you?" The Little Fellow asked before sliding it into his coat and tapping his fingers. Excitedly, he looked around the console room. He appeared to show excitement in its altered design.

"Oh! You've redecorated!" He waved his finger around before looking toward The Doctor and Honey, "I don't like it." His face suddenly frowned before he spotted the gelatinous blob on the console. His face suddenly went stern, "Oh dear. Well, we do seem to be in a bit of a bind now, don't we?" He looked toward the console. Adjusting his bowtie, he reached down and flipped a switch as if he knew exactly what the switch did. For a moment, The Doctor winced in embarrassment, watching as The Cosmic Hobo was able to retain the memories of which switch took an environmental scan. The Little Fellow's fingers tapped together in a way that further established it as some sort of fidget. "Just as well I turned up."

"Just as well you 'turned up'? You just—???" Struggling to put together a coherent thought amidst the shock, Honey stumbled over a few words before turning to The Doctor, "Doctor, who is—"

"Doctor!" Benton suddenly shouted toward The Little Fellow and said it as if it were true and familiar. As if he was disregarding the other, taller version in the room. "Where on earth did you spring up from?" He rushed toward The Hobbit-sized Hobo and shook his hand, which The Doctor reciprocated with an awful amount of glee, his oversized outfit ruffling as he did so. "Corporal Benton! How on Earth do you do man?" The Smaller "Doctor" exclaimed before Benton showed him his promotion badge, which The Little Fellow ogled at with wide-eyed curiosity. The two exchanged brief greetings as if they were old friends.

In light of that little revelation, Honey pulled her Doctor aside, gathering either of his arms in her hands and fixing him with a scrutinous, (if bewildered) gaze; expectant for a proper answer. " 'Doctor?' " A question in and of itself, after hearing Benton greet him so heartily, "Boss, what in the world is going on here? Who is that man and how did he get in here?"

The Doctor rubbed at his chin thoughtfully, but also wore a face of embarrassment. "Well, that's rather difficult to explain, Honey—" The Doctor exhaled, exchanging a look with the smaller fellow. Already, there seemed to be a developing tension between the two, "You see that man—" He exhaled, "Is me. Or at least, he's one of me—" Her Doctor explained before he suddenly winced at the Small Doctor's shouting toward the other, taller one. 

"Oh! No, no no!!" The Smaller one moved to gently pull the Witch away from her Doctor, almost gently and very carefully, despite how quickly and spryly he was moving. "You see, my dear— I'm afraid that tall fellow's confusing you, and I hate to be contradictory but— he's clearly lost his marbles in his old age so, I feel like you should get the proper explanation!" The Smaller Doctor explained, giving a look toward The Taller Doctor.

"You don't mind, do you?" "Yes, I do—" "I didn't think so."

"You see—" The Smaller one starts, "I may call you Honey, mayn't I? You see," He gestures to the one across, "He is one of me!" He taps his fingers together, fidgeting quietly, awaiting her response. She exhaled, eventually though. She knew better than to try and interpret this any less than what was literally being spelled out. "Right. Okay... So you're both timelords."

The Little fellow hummed quietly, "Well— quite... but... Not quite— Not just timelords. We're the same timelord." He said it very sternly, the little fellow. It was a bit overdramatic, but it was also very matter-of-factly— his tone. However, Her Doctor seemed reluctant to settle for that and stepped in soon after. "Listen here you little troll, you're only confusing the poor girl." He looked down at Honey, holding her by bother her shoulders and speaking very firmly. "He is me and I am him."

"And we're all together, goo goo ga joob?" She hummed quietly, a migraine forming in the middle of the exchange she was caught between, as The Small Doctor and The Tall Doctor both seemingly raised an eyebrow at her questioning. "I-It's a song." She looked between the both of them but they still seemed lost, "By the Beatles?"

"Really? How does it go—?" The Little Doctor raised his recorder. "Oh do be quiet!" The Tall Doctor shouted back.

Eventually, though, The Tall Doctor pushed through his frustrations and arrived at a central point. "What I'd rather like to know now is: what you're doing here. You've no right to be here."

The Little fellow immediately retaliated.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." "Oh, Is that right? What about the first law of time?"  "If I could perhaps explain—" "Perhaps you should."

The Little Fellow raised his hand up high, pointing at the sky. "As a matter of fact! Our fellow timelords are just as much under siege as we are!" He then swung his arm mightly toward the screen, before resting his hand against his stomach, his other hand soon rejoining it. The Tall Doctor suddenly grew rather disturbed in expression, "What? Gallifrey is under siege? But that's impossible—"

Cutting in, The Smaller Doctor continued, "I'm afraid it isn't, old chap! This attack is taking a heavy toll on their resources. So much so that all they could afford to do to get you help was to pluck me out of my bit of our time stream and plop me down here! Into my future, so to speak." He shrugged at the end, wondering if he had visualized it correctly. Although he was cut off by The Tall Doctor's immediate follow-up question.

"Why?" 

Chuckling nervously, The Smaller Doctor furrowed his brows. Was he really growing this stupid in his future? That's alarmingly concerning, "My fellow, you are being a bit dim, aren't you?" He paused, The Tall Doctor squinting in response. "Your effectiveness has just been doubled with me here!"

"Halved, more like."

"Oh!" The Small Doctor exclaimed he'd clutch pearls if he could! "Well, there's no need to be ungrateful! Suppose we have a look at our problem! Two minds are better than one—" He reached down, about to switch at a control. "Er, well— you don't mind, do you?" He raised his eyebrows as if waiting for The Taller Doctor to say something. 

"Oh, do be my guest." The Tall Doctor gestured towards his console.

"Thank you, dear fellow~!"

[earthplanet]

Foucault's Goya (On "The Madhouse")

In the ‘Panopticism’ chapter of “Discipline & Punish” Foucault briefly mentions the painter Francisco Goya’s depictions of the “masses”; “To begin with, this made it possible - as a negative effect - to avoid those compact, swarming, howling masses that were to be found in places of confinement, those painted by Goya or described by Howard” (200). In contrast to Bentham’s panopticon, Goya’s depiction of the “masses” consolidates its persons into one entity. One such Goya painting is “The Madhouse”. Painted with oil on panel, “The Madhouse” would have required a painstaking amount of layering to complete–which makes the shroud covering the depicted masses that much more intentional. Prior to the hundreds of added layers, it is possible none of their faces were painted to begin with and instead negatively fleshed out as the absence generated via the anonymous shroud his shadows convey. This contrasts to the very humanistic vision of totally deprived rights the panopticon creates. They are subjects of inner communication and never objects of information, the inverse of the panopticon inhabitants (200). 

Goya also inverts the panopticon’s extreme power differences. A man stands in the middle of the painting, stepping over a line in the pavement. Beyond that line, what looks like guards play extremely ambiguous roles. Nude with feathers on their heads, at first they seem to be one of the insane. But at second glance, what looks like a carefree guard wielding a baton is actually someone falling, holding his ankle in pain. The line in the pavement symbolizes the guard’s crossing between the inhabitants’ and the guards’ respective realms. While the line parts each side, the guards’ ambiguous mental states, and the patients’ painfully sober woes suggest the line only emphasizes the illusion of a boundary. In contrast, the panopticon categorically precludes this kind of power ambiguity–especially if its boundaries lie in space and time (203). While the guard symbolically exits his power by switching from one position in space-time to another, the panopticon warden consolidates power without any need for his existence. So long as the prisoners are certain they can always be watched without their knowledge, the panopticon functions effortlessly (201).

Painted after losing his hearing near the end of his life, perhaps Goya felt an ambiguity between what he felt was a mastery over his work only now turned against him. His senses gone, they became symbols of lack. Symbols which made the previous lucidity feel like an insanity. Hence, this painting’s place among Goya’s “Black Paintings”.