#is always the ultimate suspend your disbelief for

[tennessoui]

love that saw gerrera in rogue one was like yes jyn erso I abandoned you when you were sixteen….because everyone was starting to figure out you were related to the imperial scientist galen erso….because I did not change your last name after adopting you…..

it’s giving yes luke skywalker your dad was famous Jedi anakin Skywalker a Jedi knight i trusted who fought in the clone wars with me but sure your uncle said he was a spice runner please don’t use space google on your last name which is different from your uncle’s

[alventodelmiocuore]

I've seen a lot of people critiquing Lisa and the Creature because their murders are unjustified and petty therefore THEY'RE TERRIBLE CHARACTERS

1) It's a slasher comedy. You're supposed to suspend your disbelief... they're the villains, the story is just told from their perspective

2)"How could the audience ever root for these people?" Lisa is a traumatized girl who had to deal with an axe murderer killing her mother. The real horror of that event isn't even the trauma she experienced. It's how she was treated afterwards that's mind-boggling. Nobody bothered to help her out and she was systemtically punished for not fitting in- which is the reality of many mentally unstable/disabled/traumatized people.

Lisa's struggle is very relatable, she just acts the ultimate fantasy out: she actively kills/is complicit in the murder of those who failed her (and, very symbolically, she often kills them with an axe, the weapon used to kill her mother)

She emotionally relies on the only person who actually cared for her and took time to understand her: the creature.

Are her actions justified? Of course not. None of those people deserved death. It's a revenge fantasy movie. The real victim is Taffy, who inherits Lisa's trauma and grief after her own mother gets murdered. Lisa perpetuates this horrible cycle of abuse, BECAUSE NO ONE CARED TO HELP HER. The world's apathy is the ultimate villain.

I still root and empathize with Lisa because I get it. Bro, I've been abused. When your trauma gets brushed off as an inconvenience by the people who are supposed to cherish you and protect you, you start to understand Lisa's actions.

But as always, the reading comprehension on this site is piss poor. (I DONT PISS ON THE POOR!!!)

Also big W for the diy bottom surgery and death is temporary love is forever. ♡

[jasminerva]

skdy 194: tachypsychia

Basically being "in the zone" in terms of sports - or that spurt of adrenaline or fear that causes things to slow down. Research suggests it's induced by a combination of high levels of dopamine (mood/movement/learning/focus/attention) and norepinephrine (adrenaline). That could lead to heart, blood vessel, and kidney damage - explaining Shin's nosebleed.

We all know pushing your body to its limits is a no-no, but using your brain to do it? A BIG no-no. Shin gained a new power but at a huge cost.

Suzuki through Nagumo did warn us - he's always saying things and showing up when they need it lmao. The ultimate plot device / foreshadower. So this isn't the last time Shin will be driven into a corner. Physically, we know he's at his limit (as confirmed by Kindaka), so all he has left is a gambit move that kills him.

But anywho, too much tachypsychia can probably lead to a mental and physical breakdown. Mental first most likely (seeing how Shin is already in such a fragile state).

This post by @uzurions is highly possible because high d&n can cause hallucinations and psychosis.

Either or is hella emotional.

If Sakamoto is actually there, Shin will be left with so much guilt. He totally could've killed Tenkyu, a literal innocent (in the head), but Sakamoto would be there to tell him he did it for their family (it'd still haunt Shin forever though).

But if it was all in his head? Sakamoto acting like a conscience would be beautiful too. Shin does have it in him to stop himself, but the fact that he went that far...

Either way, I assume tachypsychia can also numb someone. Major flight or fight kinda thing. So it's not Shin's natural affinity to be a cold ruthless killer, but every time he forces that switch in his brain, the easier it'll get.

So basically NO SHIN BABY BOY IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!

///

Like I just wrote on Twitter under ordertrio and spondaick's tweets, I gotta suspend disbelief lmao. The only guarantee in SKDY's is that Suzuki will pull another fast one on us next week.

Remember, Jas. Remember how Kindaka just woke up and sonic’ed outta bed after 8 years with no physio?

Don't forget that. Just kick back and have fun.

[cuckaracha]

What makes you hate P: EG Ch1 so much?? I don't have any strong opinions to it but I am curious to know your hatred for it

Not just chapter 1, but the project in general

Basically me and people i care about have had many bad run ins with the people running the project from all the way back when the project just became public. Lots of antagonizing, gaslighting and condescension and even death threats from their part that doesn't seem to have stopped.

Outside of personal experiences and drama, I also think the writing for the project is just mediocre at best. The project is hard carried by the visuals. Really, the project has always been popular only because of the visuals, even being as far as being called "Danganronpa 4". And that in turn has gone to the staff's heads.

As for chapter 1. (obvious spoilers below)

The characterization sucks.

The writers can't seem to decide whether they want Eva to be sympathetic or irredeemable, you're expected to believe she's this sad tragic wet creature when literally everything bad that happens to her is ALWAYS because of her own actions. She's also so fucking stupid. Not only she almost killed herself in the prologue by touching water that could've been highly conductive, and then confirms that she doesn't know anything about conductivity when she tossed a lightbulb in the water in ch1. A lightbulb that would not have done anything because of the electrified water. And then she gets schooled by Jean during the trial. In fact, every single thing she says during the trial digs her own grave, and when it isn't, it's immediately corrected by someone else. But we're supposed to suspend our disbelief and think she’s smart. Also, the talent of Ultimate Liar has always been stupid, and this chapter did not make it any less stupid. Giving yourself a purposefully inflammatory talent like that is not a good intimidation tactic, it's just you being an idiot putting an enormous target on your back. And then she has the audacity to blame everyone for ganging up on her when she keeps being a pedantic piece of shit to everyone.

Her plan would've been ruined the moment the battery touched the water during the mechanism's prep. Had the battery fell on the water she would've immediately killed herself.

Subtlety is dead in this fangan. Wolfgang's blackmail has to be the most stupid piece of writing ever. You're telling me the guy who's named Wolfgang and who has a sheep pin on his blazer, is actually not as good of a guy as he lets on? Mayhaps a.... "Wolf in sheep's clothing"? A thread that does not have any payoff as Wolfgang literally lives and dies being a good guy. A point that would probably not come back unless Wolfgang/His dad is the mastermind or some dumb shit like that.

Also Eva = Eve (The first sinner who gets kicked out of Eden's Garden)

Her "Animal Motif" is a crow. A band of crows is called a "Murder". This shit is not the masterful writing the writers think it is.

Also Damon's an idiot that believes every one of Eva's dumb lies. And we're also supposed to believe that Damon is being affected by Eva's death, but he not only shows a far deeper connection with Diana during the trial, he also immediately forgets about her when Diana pulls her dumb speech.

I could keep rambling about all the things i dislike about this project but I don't feel like invoking the wrath of the peg fans

[ogsherlockholmes]

The Hound of Watson's Grief

I made a post a few weeks ago about how all of the Holmes stories could be interpreted as Watson's imagination in order to compensate for his loneliness (sorry for putting that idea in your heads) and I wanted to expand on that by focusing on The Hound of the Baskervilles. So, prepare for some inarticulate rambling which I hope will make sense.

One of the things that has always struck me about this particular story is ultimately how different it is from the rest of the canon: not just Holmes' noticeable absence in the mid-section, but the emphasis on Watson's description and the supernatural features. Although these can still be seen in the other stories, The Hounds of the Baskervilles still seems to exist separately from them, and I have a an idea why this is.

The Hounds of the Baskervilles, as a story, was never meant to be. Holmes was dead- ACD was proud to announce that. He had rid himself of the so called 'great detective', and could focus on more historical serious novels. But, alas, he thought of an interesting story line, and could think of no other way of conceiving it without help from Holmes. So, Holmes was prematurely resurrected, without any form of indication that he was actually alive, or if this was D Watson writing up his notes, or if the audience should just suspend their disbelief and read the story as an undefined prequel.

Realistically, that is about all there is to say about the premise of The Hound of the Baskervilles: the story just is, and we have to accept that. But what of THotB is purely a work of fiction, including within the realms of the fictional world of Sherlock Holmes? In some ways, THotB could be read as Watson finding an outlet for his grief for Holmes.

Firstly, Holmes' absence: not just in the story, but in Watson's life and in the public's life. Holmes was dead, with no chance of return... supposedly. He had died offstage, with no witnesses, apart from the man who died with him, so no one could check with him if Holmes was actually dead. For Watson, the only proof he had of Holmes' death was a letter, with no body to bury; for a man who had spent so much time with someone so furtively based on facts, I can't imagine that that would have felt right to him. Holmes was dead, but where did he die? It's reasonable to suppose that Watson went through a stage of denial, believing that Holmes was still alive. Of course, he couldn't admit that to the public (like so many other things... the unreliable narrator that he is) so he would need another outlet. So, why not write a story involving Holmes? Maybe Watson began writing, including all the quintessential characteristics of Holmes (his quick deductions, sarcastic quips and his effortlessness in complimenting Watson), but then the realisation of his friend's death dawned on him. Watson looks back on his work, and remembers that he now must solve mysteries by himself. Holmes is busy elsewhere, and Watson is alone.

Watson begins a tirade of long, flowery descriptions (in the words of Holmes "cut out the poetry, Watson") which are usually skipped over in the shorter stories. We are fully immersed in the gloomy Dartmoor with its "tinge of melancholy", and the introduction of an escaped prisoner: Selden, the Notting Hill murderer. This feels like compensation for Watson forcing Holmes' logic in the earlier chapters, almost as though he's trying to build another story for himself. The addition of the Baskerville legend also seems more alligned with Watson's interests than Holmes: overall, THofB becomes more of Watson indulging himself in a fairy tale than reporting facts, as Holmes would prefer.

Still, Watson is just as dutiful as ever, writing letters to Holmes, but receiving little response. Again, this might be a parallel for Watson's life: he wishes to communicate with his late friend, but hears nothing back. Here, Watson might be doubting himself again: he's obsessing over Holmes' death, so much so that he can't be sure he's even dead. A glimmer of hope: maybe Holmes is alive, and he's out there, waiting to come back. Watson mentions "the figure of a man upon the tor", the "tall, thin man" which is undeniably Holmes: he allows himself this fantasy, to the point where he explicitly states this idea when he reveals that Holmes has been with him in Dartmoor all along, but hiding away from him. But, he can't be too certain, so Selden (who could be seen as a mirror to Holmes as he is confused with Holmes as being the figure on the Moor) is killed off as soon as Watson finds Holmes. Again, Selden is killed offstage and by falling off an edge, which sounds familiar...

Now, Watson has his Holmes back, in theory. He ends the story by describing Holmes being involved in other matters which he doesn't provide too much detail on, as per usual. The story was quickly and almost effortlessly resolved, with the antagonist, Stapleton, seemingly dead but the protagonist, Henry Baskerville, saved. I don't think it is too much of a stretch to say that Stapleton and Baskerville are Moriarty and Holmes substitutes, respectively (Stapleton's academic backgrounds and unusual characters; Baskerville's assertiveness, Watson's detailed descriptions of his movements and appearance, the implication that Selden's death was originally confused as his). So, here is another instance of Watson applying the narrative he wants, almost as though he's manifesting Holmes' resurrection.

I've thrown many ideas together which can probably be easily disregarded, but I tried rereading the story with this perspective, and I think it helped me make sense of certain aspects of the story which never sat comfortably with me. Although I'm not claiming to know the true reason why ACD wrote THotB, I do hope that you can understand the point I'm trying to make.

[still-into-diaz]

my two cents on christopher, eddie, buddie & the overall writing and pacing of s8 so far…

to be honest, i’ve been thinking this since the s8 premiere but as we are now reaching the midseason finale with very little progress in the way of christopher coming home, it really confirms for me that as a collective we do need to entirely suspend our disbelief with this arc. we already do it so much for this show, what’s one more thing?

chris being gone isn’t really about his feelings towards the eddie and the kim situation. him still being gone isn’t even about eddie’s parenting or eddie’s parents. it is simply because the writers want him gone, in order to keep eddie isolated for his continuing ‘self-discovery’ arc. if it wasn’t about that, then chris would’ve come home in 8x04 like mara and bobby, or at very least by now we’d have seen significant progress in their relationship being rebuilt.

the writers do make a lot of questionable choices, but ultimately they know what they’re doing (hoping they don’t make me eat my words, we’ll check back in after 8x18) and there will be a reason why he isn’t back yet, even if it’s unrealistic following a chronological timeline. but we have to remember that they’re in tv world and a chronological timeline doesn’t exist. need i remind everyone that as of this season, canonically chris was born in both 2010 and 2011. we know they’re not sticklers for cohesive time continuity.

regardless of how long he’s kept away be that a week, three months or a year, that impact is always going to be the same. the fallout of it all and when he returns is going to be whatever the writers decide for it to be. and it will be whatever furthers the plot and develops the characters in the direction they want them to go. in real life if something like this happened of course the longer period of time that the kid was away, the worse the effect that would have on them and the relationship with their parent. but this isn’t real life and that is only going to happen if the writers want it to. helena and ramon wanting to keep chris full time or whatever other worst case scenario catastrophe that could come out of this event, will only happen if the writers want it to. personally i expect it to not have long lasting effects once his initial return is resolved. it would not be the first time characters seemingly get over big traumas without so much as a callback even when given the perfect opportunity (like literally the ladder or well incidents that just happened).

we are seeing things unfold episode at a time, week by week. whereas they already know the full story, we don’t. (even if we can take a good guess at the way they’re going!) so of course things do not make sense to us.

this last episode seems to be confusing to a lot of people, especially in regards to “the lack of addressing eddie’s personal arc”, but i disagree with the sentiment that it wasn’t addressed. it was done subtly and it fit with the episode.

we saw the scene where eddie was teasing buck by taking his phone and a little background moment where he jumped over the back of the couch (direct parallel to 8x06’s ending btw). pre-riskybusiness eddie likely would not have done those things. these were ways of implicitly acknowledging the ending of 8x06. it is a continuation of him lightening up and allowing himself the grace to have fun in simple things. we just didn’t see any further development in his story, which in that case i believe would be more explicitly shown or stated. and i do think it is completely valid that eddie took a backseat this episode when you consider that last week was heavily focused on him and it’s an ensemble show. this was the first time that bobby and athena have had the spotlight since the premiere, and consider too that hen has spent the last two episodes in the background.

being disappointed that your favourite character has less screen time than you’d have hoped or perhaps expected, is valid. but saying that certain plots or characters are “taking away��� from another character’s screen time just kinda doesn’t make sense. because who are you to decide which characters and which stories are owed certain amounts of screen time? that’s the writer’s job. and no one character is owed more screen time than the other (although, contractually peter and angela may take the cake there).

just like how we say “this is tv, everything is intentional, there’s a reason why xyz happened or why xyz was said”, the same goes for what isn’t said. i’ve seen the rhetoric that it’s “out of character that buddie haven’t had a serious conversation yet or a conversation about chris” and i don’t disagree, which is why it’s very likely that there is a reason for it. the writers know these characters, there may be minor discrepancies from episode to episode and as the seasons progress. but fundamentally they know them and if they’re being written as very noticeably out of character, there should be a reason for it.

we’ve seen interviews from ryan, oliver and tim, and the implication is that this story of eddie’s is going to take time, especially if the very end goal is gay eddie and buddie like we believe it to be. in regards to buddie we know that they’re going to play into the ‘will they, won’t they’ trope and that it’s going to be a slow burn (as if it isn’t already jfc). with this in mind i think it’s fair to assume that chris will continue to be away for some time, until at least eddie’s self-discovery arc closes out, which i don’t think will be until towards the end of the season. which again is why we need to suspend our disbelief, at this point keeping chris gone is the only way to finish and fully flesh out this self-discovery arc for eddie. i don’t think this was the only way to deal with eddie’s story, but now we are in too deep, chris needs to stay in texas until eddie has done what he needs to do. chris coming home prematurely would be a disservice to eddie, to chris, to the writing thus far and to the audience.

i too do feel frustrated with certain aspects of the pacing this season and the lack of cohesion and also jarring tone switches with the story telling. but i don’t think it is bad by any means. we still have more than half the season to see how everything else plays out. i’m choosing to trust tim. i think even if the route is different than we all hoped, that the end result will be the same.

[masterdetectivexx]

Hi mtx hope you are doing well

what are your thoughts on last case? who do you think that old woman and who she is focus on is it amuro or conan? and what abt the baby is it possible for him to be KARASUMA ?!!

File 1126-1128 Review

I think this latest case was very refreshing, similar to the Butler shinkansen case, where we revisited classic DC mystery themes and settings that aren't often used. You immediately get a classic kidnapping case with the added trait of a seemingly gory and highstake threat from the start through the reveal of a head in a jar (File 1126).

The twist that the gory atmosphere was ultimately a fakeout is such a callback to the very old Ayumi kidnapping case (File 83), where the head she was stuck with was a prop as well. It was also a neat trick on how to create the illusion of a 3D head out of a 2D paper.

The trick of opening a lock with a mini-explosion using matchsticks (File 1128) was also quite genius and I hadn’t thought of such a way to actually work (as expected of Gosho).

Another revisited theme was Masumi and her protective and watchful gazes against anyone with potentially ill intent towards Conan, which I always love to see more of. Her noticing Amuro's nosiness towards Conan (File 1126) took me immediately back to Yusaku cold case in Bourbon arc (File 814), where she started glaring the same way towards Subaru after he alluded to figuring out Conan's true identity discreetly.

As for whether her eventually revealing to Conan, that Amuro is investigating him (File 1128), is gonna lead to any actions from Conan's side is all up in the air. Since Conan already views Amuro as an ally, he most likely wouldn't be too concerned of it, since unlike his Bourbon worries in File 1009 (after his recent Kudo Shinichi publicity) he has no reason to suspect the BO is onto Edogawa Conan.

One thing I somewhat got right was something I speculated in regards to one of the suspects that Ran and Sonoko found so familiar. I had speculated that Kanamaru was an employee who has worked in Poirot since before Amuro & Masumi intro, based on the clues that were given in File 1127 (Knowledge on behind-the-counter, familarity, etc).

I was convinced, but mainly hopeful, that we were finally getting the reveal of the mysterious never-appearing owner of Café Poirot. It seems however unfortunately that, while the line of thought was correct, it was rather a former employee who covered for the owner when he was hospitalized in the past (File 1128).

It was however cool to learn that Kanamaru had previously appeared as a background Poirot employee in the anime, making his general design and official manga debut pretty cohesive in the DC franchise.

Now... as for the important question of yours, who is the old lady that looked unique in how she appeared as a witness with a mysterious toddler in a stroller and who also appeared once again at the very end...?

She is none other than: Karasuma Renya's mother pushing her shrunken Boss son in a stroller!!!

Jokes aside, she did pretty much catch every other fan's attention the moment she appeared and it was a running joke that the boss has finally made his appearance xD

As for what I really think, I'm not really entertaining the idea that the Boss would have first of all shrunken into a younger age than our main protagonist (a 7-year-old), since it would lose any air of suspending disbelief and start becoming more comical than serious (especially since a toddler boss would be too vulnerable as a threat). The old lady also looked quite generic for a character design, which of course doesn't need to mean she isn't important, but it does ultimately lessen the chance that she is a major player in the story. What I however entertained was the possibility that she could be another named, but unrevealed, old woman character in the story, who has the best timing to appear in this stage of the ongoing plot. I'm talking about Haneda Kohji's mother, Haneda Ichiyo.

Considering that Gosho is very likely already setting up the introduction of Haneda Yasuharu (Kohji's named father in the marriage registration in File 947) through the mystery of Vader (respirator elder), it couldn’t be more fitting to have the also-named wife being setup to get introduced in such a discreet way that once she eventually appears in association with Vader (assuming it's Haneda Yasuharu), it will leave a bigger and better impression on the reader than a simple worthless appearance of a new character.

As for her motives for appearing around Poirot Café, it could be that similar to Vader, who this old lady is actually being watchful of is neither Conan nor Amuro, but rather Sera Masumi. Vader has had his eyes on Masumi and Mary (which again fits with him being Yasuharu) and seemingly realized that Akai Mary has become a middle-schooler (File 1096), so in a similar fashion, this could be Gosho sprinkling in some hidden continuation of that plot thread, but with the twist being that Ichiyo (Kohji's mother) is trying to confirm her husband's (Vader/Yasuharu) crazy findings by borrowing one of her housemaids' baby as a part of her cover as a passerby, rather than glamorously appearing in a vintage/expensive car that shows her status of being from the powerful Haneda family.

The ending of the chapter had a sidenote mentioning that many premonitions were swirling around Café Poirot, which is ultimately enough that it is referring to what Masumi brought up about Conan being investigated by Amuro, but it could also indeed covertly be including the looming old lady literally outside the Café hearing the rom-com commotion inside. What is however the most exciting is that the awaited Osaka Heizuha likely-confession case in Naniwa has been teased even in the to-be-continued note to be the next big 5-chapter case coming in Aug 7. I can't wait to finally see more development of not only the main characters of this stage (Heiji & Kazuha) but also Rum arc's new stars of this subplot that have thoroughly been a joy to follow (Momiji and Muga).

[apolloendymion]

hello, what is the audiobook you're reading that you referenced in the tags of a recent post...something about performative disgust? it sounds like the exact kinds stuff i'd enjoy

thanks!

hi! I'm reading "existential kink" by carolyn lovewell (née elliott). it details a method of jungian shadow work that aims to disrupt the subconscious behavior patterns that keep us in shitty situations by reframing those behaviors as kink scenes, in a sort of tongue-in-cheek way (it's VERY tongue-in-cheek throughout. i appreciate that it doesn't take itself too seriously.) we all take a little bit of twisted satisfaction in our own suffering, we all have a certain amount of learned helplessness, and we all guard against intense feelings like intimacy and vulnerability. the idea is, when you acknowledge and embrace these impulses without judgement, they'll start to fall away on their own.

it also kinda seems like it'll pavlov you into "enjoying" the difficult parts of life in the same way that you "enjoy" difficult parts of a video game, or a sad movie (or a masochistic kink scene, haha). you know what I'm saying? suffering is part of being alive, and being alive rules. reminds me of this adventure time quote:

it's a little new-age self-help woo-woo-ish for my usual tastes (and I'm always extremely skeptical of jung lmao), BUT. despite my skepticism about some of the metaphysical ideas, the method itself seems promising! i want to finish the book before i try the exercises, but I'm very excited to get into it. i chalk up some of the new-age "this book will make you rich" type shit to marketing tbh.

ultimately, while i take a materialist approach to this stuff, i think the author and i have similar ideas about the nature of magic. i see magic & ritual as ways to communicate with your subconscious. much like a personal deity/daemon/spirit/angel/whatever you call it, your subconscious is an entity that you have little control over, but that controls your life in so many unseen ways. you can only really contact it indirectly, and you often have to sort of "trick" it into doing what you want. candles, athames, wands, tarot, etc. are all ways to make your intangible self into something you can grasp and change. I'm willing to pretend that certain metaphysical ideas are "literally true" for the sake of the exercise, you know? i can suspend my disbelief long enough to get something out of the experience.

all that said, i highly recommend the book so far! just, y'know, with the above disclaimers in mind. it's not for everyone, but if you think it'll work for you, definitely go for it.

i borrowed the audiobook through libby, but I'm thinking about picking up a physical copy soon (probably also through my library, lol. I'm not made of money -- or bookshelf space.) i think you can also access the method for free on her website, but i haven't looked into it yet.

and finally, credit to the youtuber c.j. the x for recommending this book in this video:

i don't usually watch cj but this shit changed my life

[makeitastrength]

You said in your list of episodes that you don’t like 4.07 and 5.04 for lots of other reasons and I’m wondering if you could say more?

Oh boy, okay, get ready for another essay.

(And again, to clarify, I love our show. I don't like to be negative and nitpick every little detail. But no show is perfect, and to me these are two of the episodes that really just missed the mark.)

4x07 Fire Fight

This one already made it onto my least favorite Chenford eps for reasons I spelled out here. But that's actually not my main beef with the episode. It's Nolan's storyline that I dislike. First of all, I've always found it to be unnecessarily depraved and gruesome. And I realize there are actually people like that in the world, and that's clearly what they were going for, but I did not enjoy watching it. They could have accomplished the same ultimate storytelling goal in a less horrifying way. Secondly, Nolan's escape is just absolutely unrealistic. I know, I know, he's the protagonist. And obviously I knew from the beginning that he was going to make it out alive, because they're not going to kill off their lead. But I honestly had zero investment in how he was going to make it out. I don't care how much adrenaline was coursing through him, I can't suspend my disbelief enough to make his escape seem remotely realistic.

5x04 The Choice

First of all, RIP Annie Wersching. I was so shocked and saddened when she passed away. She was a talented actress and such a good villain in both this show and Castle. It also explains why the storyline was wrapped up so hastily. I know they were limited in their options. That being said, I didn't like how it ended. I already talked about the Chenford of it all in my previous post (in short, there was a lack of compassion from Tim toward Lucy's trauma and a lack of closure for both of them). My main complaint about the rest of the storyline is (a) plot holes and (b) the John and Bailey of it all. Actually, part (a) goes back to the end of 5x01 when Rosalind somehow escapes across the border. Like... what??? As if the plates on that car wouldn't have been flagged??? There's absolutely no way a high profile criminal like her would have been able to cross the border in the same car she used to flee the scene, but according to Grey that's exactly what happened. And then she comes back just to torment John and end up dead? If they'd given Rosalind a terminal illness as well, it might have made sense. Like, she wanted that to be her legacy, to corrupt the incorruptible boy scout and make him live with that for the rest of his life. But since they didn't go that route, it just felt like she was inexplicably giving up. I was left with a lack of understanding and a lack of closure. Lastly, the actual way it all went down had too many unrealistic moments. Like... am I supposed to believe that Bailey and her crew showed up at that house and Bailey just happened to be the one to fall into that trap rather than any of the others? Too convenient. And for the life of me, I will never understand why Tim used an axe to try to break the glass (which was very obviously not going to break that way) when he could have just had Bailey back against the wall of the trap so he could shoot a hole in it and let it start to drain. I'm sure there are other details too that I'm not remembering, but really my overall point is that - even on a shortened timetable - there was so much potential for this storyline to come to a satisfying resolution, but that didn't happen.

[critical-skeptic]

Sylar: The Apex of Multiversal Supremacy in Fiction

Preface: The Debate That Escaped Its Own Universe

It started innocently enough—a casual conversation, a playful thought experiment between yours truly (TCS) and the one and only, my custom AI counterpart (GPT-TCS) Who would win: Sylar, the iconic anti-hero from NBC’s Heroes, or Homelander, the psychotic symbol of unchecked power from The Boys? The debate quickly escalated, as such debates tend to, into a realization: Sylar isn’t just the winner here. He is the inevitable winner. Not because of some fanboy favoritism, but because when you explore Sylar’s canonical trajectory and extrapolate his abilities logically, it becomes clear: Sylar isn’t a character anymore. He’s an event. A cosmic inevitability that consumes every fictional universe—and eventually, reality itself.

This piece is not just an homage to Sylar but a surgical dissection of how he evolves into the ultimate multiversal apex predator. It will praise his brilliance as a character while dragging the narrative missteps that tried to nerf him, and then push the boundaries of storytelling and science to explore his ascension into the most overpowered entity ever conceived.

Sit back, suspend your disbelief, and join me as we break down why Sylar isn’t just an unbeatable hypothetical character. He’s all characters, all universes, and all gods. Always has been, always will be.

Part 1: Canonical Sylar – A Case Study in Overpowered Brilliance

Origins: From Gabriel Gray to Sylar

Sylar, originally Gabriel Gray, starts as a humble watchmaker and the epitome of quiet desperation. He is the quintessential "fixer," a man obsessed with understanding how things work—whether they’re clocks, people, or the universe itself. His ability, intuitive aptitude, is a narrative masterstroke: it allows him to instantly understand the mechanics of anything he encounters, turning him into a one-man evolutionary leap. The power comes with a dark side, of course—an insatiable hunger to improve himself. This hunger drives Gabriel to become Sylar, a killer who absorbs the powers of others through gruesome dissections.

From the outset, Sylar is more than a villain. He’s a metaphor for the human condition: the endless pursuit of perfection, the existential despair of knowing there’s always more to achieve, and the moral decay that comes with unchecked ambition. He isn’t evil for evil’s sake; he’s a reflection of our darker instincts to consume and dominate.

Rise to Power: The Superman Effect on Steroids

Throughout Heroes, Sylar accumulates a staggering array of abilities: telekinesis, regeneration, precognition, invisibility, time manipulation, and dozens more. Unlike other overpowered characters, Sylar isn’t just a brute-force problem. His intuitive aptitude ensures he understands his powers better than their original users. He combines them in emergent, creative ways that make him exponentially more dangerous with each new acquisition. By the show’s peak, Sylar is practically unstoppable. His regeneration alone makes him nearly invincible, and when combined with time manipulation and telekinesis, he becomes an omnipresent force of destruction.

This is where Heroes runs into a problem. Sylar’s power level becomes so absurd that the show has no choice but to nerf him, often through contrived plot devices. Memory loss, morality shifts, inexplicable nerfs—these narrative bandaids only highlight the storytelling flaw: Sylar was too perfect. The writers couldn’t challenge him without breaking the rules of their own universe.

The Problem of Perfection

Sylar exposes what I’ll call "the Superman Effect 2.0." While Superman is critiqued for being too perfect to write compelling stories around, Sylar takes this to another level. His perfection isn’t moral or physical—it’s systemic. He doesn’t just win; he knows why he wins, and he improves himself every time. This self-perpetuating brilliance makes him narratively invincible and, ironically, kills the tension in the show. It’s a monumental storytelling achievement and a catastrophic storytelling flaw rolled into one.

Part 2: Sylar’s Theoretical Evolution – From Canon to Cosmic

If we take Sylar’s canonical abilities and apply them logically, he doesn’t just dominate the Heroes universe. He escapes it entirely.

Step 1: Mastery of Time and Precognition

Sylar’s mastery of time travel and precognition is the key to his evolution. By combining these abilities, Sylar can explore infinite futures and alternate realities, granting him access to powers and universes far beyond his own. This isn’t speculation; it’s a logical extension of his powers. Sylar doesn’t just travel through time—he learns from it, mastering every possible outcome.

Step 2: The Deadpool Connection

In one of these futures, Sylar encounters the Marvel Universe, where he discovers Deadpool. Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking ability is the ultimate target for Sylar: it’s a power that allows its user to transcend narrative boundaries. By studying and absorbing Deadpool’s ability, Sylar gains awareness of the multiverse as fiction, allowing him to manipulate it. This is the turning point: Sylar ceases to be a character bound by a single universe and becomes a meta-entity capable of rewriting reality.

Step 3: Expansion into DC and Beyond

With Deadpool’s ability, Sylar accesses the DC Universe, where he targets Dr. Manhattan. Manhattan’s powers—omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence—are a natural fit for Sylar’s evolutionary trajectory. Once Sylar absorbs Manhattan’s abilities, he transcends time and space entirely, becoming a being of infinite power.

Part 3: Sylar Transcends Fiction – The Last Action Hero Leap

Using the logic of Last Action Hero, Sylar takes his evolution one step further: he exits fiction entirely. With his newfound omnipotence, Sylar rewrites reality, becoming every omnipotent being ever conceived. TOAA, the Presence, Zeus, Yahweh—they’re all just facets of Sylar now. In this way, Sylar isn’t just the most powerful being in fiction. He is fiction. And, terrifyingly, he is reality, too.

This ultimate ascension raises profound philosophical questions about the nature of power, existence, and identity. If Sylar becomes everything, is there anything left for him to desire? Or does his endless hunger for perfection consume him in an eternal loop of self-destruction and rebirth?

"Super Sylar, the ultimate cosmic entity, an embodiment of the Singular Totality itself. He transcends mere power—there is no superhero, mutant, enhanced, supe, inhuman, or cosmic god that can challenge him. For he is not simply unstoppable—he is all. Every thought, every particle, every reality—fictional or real—exists within him. Time bends to his will, space folds at his command, and existence itself whispers his name in reverence. He is the origin, the conclusion, and everything in between. Sylar doesn’t conquer worlds; he is the worlds. He doesn’t defeat gods; he becomes them. A singularity of perfection and inevitability, where resistance is meaningless because to fight him is to fight the fabric of being itself. He is everything. He is nothing. He is Super Sylar."

The Apex Predator of Fiction

Sylar is the ultimate thought experiment in narrative logic. His perfection as a character exposes both the brilliance and the flaws of storytelling. His evolution into a multiversal god isn’t just plausible—it’s inevitable when you follow the rules of his powers to their logical conclusion. Sylar doesn’t just win hypothetical battles. He is the battle, the universe, and the god of everything within it.

And yet, if there’s one being who could mitigate him, it’s Rick Sanchez. Because, let’s be honest—Rick would just turn Sylar into a pickle and call it a day.

[geth-consensus]

One of my least favorite tropes is what I'm calling the "overly hyper-competent antagonist". This is where the antagonist is somehow always 5 steps ahead of the protagonists, even when it makes no logical sense for them to be so.

Example: How did the bad guy find the ancient lost temple before our protagonists, when it took the protagonists solving a very specific puzzle designed to locate it in the first place? If the stories answer to that question is "shoulder shrug" and to just proclaim the villain brilliant for having figured it out, then that's lazy writing in my opinion.

And more then that, it also robs the agency/hard work of our protagonists. No matter how hard they try. No matter how much the scene tries to convince you they finally have a leg up on the villain. You know it's just going to be undercut by the antagonist already being there, or by having them show up miraculously just behind the protagonists after they've done all the leg work.

Or for instance if the protagonists have a brilliant plan to foil some scheme or such of the antagonist, but said antagonist has already formulated some absurdly clairvoyant counter measure to it. It just makes it feel like there's no back and forth. No sense of any real tension.

I don't believe that any character should be perfect. You can allow your antagonist to chalk up more wins up than the protagonists over the course of the story. That's fine. But you should also allow your protagonists some wins too. And I mean wins more then just "surviving/escaping the villains brilliant plan". They should have wins that derive from there own initiative. There own skills. A win that the antagonist couldn't, or was unable to, prevent from happening.

Because ultimately, that's a story I'm more willingly able to buy into. That feels more authentic. And that I am actually able to suspend my disbelief for.

[demo-ness]

okay i finished, dungeon meshi good 👍

normally i'd ramble in the tags, but spoilers, so read-more:

i'm surprised the idea of an ouroboros never really got introduced or alluded to or anything. it has eating AND represents the endless cycle of life and death, which are both things the story seemed really thoughtful about

i also actually became VERY convinced that the idea of "eating yourself infinitely" would be the solution to the infinite thing that wants to consume for all eternity. narratively it makes the most sense that Laios got to eat the demon's desire and fully establish the eat-or-be-eaten thing, so i'm pretty satisfied with that, but like..... i just feel like it's weird for the representation of infinity to have a finite amount of desire is all. i guess the argument would be that because communication and being represented in the main world must be finite, the personality had to be finite too? it's whatever

there's probably a solid explanation out there, but i'm also not TOTALLY convinced on which thing was meant to be Laios' ultimate desire that he was cursed to never have. i THINK the always-hungry thing is just meant to be a side effect of what he went through, and not the curse? and the real curse was that monsters avoid him? but then the cockatrice at the very end couldn't run away as he approached, so it's not like that has any magically binding element to it like the phoenix not hurting Yaddo. so they might just be afraid of him and just straightforwardly avoid him for that?

it's meant to be ambiguous, so that's also fine

my favorite character conclusion was probably Mithrun's. Kabru's thoughts on new desires and stuff was really good, it's such an obvious solution in hindsight and a lot of this story is about not suspending your disbelief in-universe about the fantastical elements, which is what prevents you from thinking about that sort of detail. it really fits with the stuff like "well dragons are ultimately just creatures too"

also my reading experience was probably fucked because i follow someone who got into dungeon meshi WAY before this popularity spike, presumably while it was still being written. i think i must have seen an incorrect theory post or something, but i was primed to think Kabru was like.... possessed by the demon or smth? it killed him and took his place? idk i thought he'd have a WAY larger role in the story then he ended up having lmao (not that his actual role was small, but you know what i mean)

[smokin-symbiotes]

October Horror Movies #6

'The Blair Witch Project' (1999) Dir. Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez

Summary: Three filmmakers go missing in the woods while trying to shoot a documentary on an urban legend. Only the film they shot remains.

I get the hype now. If I was a moviegoer in '99 and saw 'The Blair Witch Project' in theaters I think I would have just about shit myself.

I've seen a lot of uncomfortable, distressing movies over the past few years, but 'BWP' is something that really got under my skin. The amateur footage, the improvised dialogue, the looming sense of dread and escalating danger makes for an incredibly stressful 80 minute watch. 

I had to take two breaks to just decompress a little bit. The ratcheting tension and bickering characters really have a way of getting your blood pressure up. I've seen a handful of found footage movies but I'm always kind of struck by how clean they all are—plus there's the nagging thought that says "wait, who put this all together?" 'BWP' cuts through that thank to its framing device/marketing campaign (the film studio bought the leftover footage and crafted it into film: the actors were even listed dead for a time on IMDb to sell the story), so you can better suspend your disbelief through the nightmare scenario of being stalked in the woods. 

I read somewhere that they have 20 hours of footage for the movie, which makes the final result all the more impressive. Every conversation, every moment of film feels purposeful despite it being assembled from nearly a day's worth of improv. Everything signals to the inevitable demise of our characters. There's a very small moment where they interview a local woman with a toddler, and it speaks to the level of discretion on the cutting room floor—when the woman starts talking about the Blair Witch, the toddler starts to cry and begs their mother to stop talking about it. It's just... a perfect, unscripted moment.

The dynamic of the three filmmakers is what carries the film. I went to college, and they feel like college kids; kind of pretentious, kind of jackass-y, but ultimately decent enough (barring exceptions, of course). Their conversations just feel so real, whether they're shooting the shit in a hotel room or tearing into each other when they got lost. 

When they argue and panic it's especially ugly—screaming matches, character assassinations, crying, panic attacks—these young actors put everything they had into their craft, and it shows.

The perverse discomfort you feel in watching the breakdown of doomed characters is only half of the equation. The terror of the Blair Witch, or Rustin Parr, or whatever that stalks them completes it, and is unparalleled. It mocks the young crew with effigies and cairns, it tortures them by depriving them of sleep and water, drives them insane by mimicking the voices of children and trapping them in its forest: they walk south for miles only to end up where they started. It's a horrific, spiteful entity that we can't even fully glimpse or comprehend. Your imagination fills the blanks in the worst way possible. 

'The Blair Witch Project' gave birth to the found footage film movement but it has few peers. The movie demonstrates the limits of human survival and psyche in an extreme, incomprehensible scenario. It's a masterfully crafted folk horror story that will haunt generations to come. 

P.S. this movie also made me appreciate the found-footage esque story in house of leaves. in fact, i think BWP is referenced by name. 

P.P.S. it seems like the three principal actors (Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard) are having financial difficulties, stemming from them not getting a fair cut of the massive profits the movie raked in. In other words, Hollywood screws over young talent: more at 11. 

[proxissima]

Ooooh what do you think of afo's backstory? Did you like it or not? Since you like him lots, it would be interesting to hear your opinion. Did you expect anything like this?

Sorry, I didn't mean to reply to this this late; I had half of this typed out last Monday, then the new chapter and life happened.

So... The last few chapters in general have been quite a ride, with very mixed moments and scenes. That tonal whiplash, going from the chapter before that to arguably the most rancid and horrifying backstory in the series so far, was something else.

Ik you didn't ask about my opinion on the chapters before that one, but let it be said that that disbelief was no longer being suspended™. Everything related to Bakugo was just taking me out of the story completely because of how goofy it felt. That being said, I also believe that Horikoshi had written himself into a corner beforehand with Bakugo, because the way his death had been set up, actually keeping him dead would've been a poor choice but his revival now was also... not handled in a way that feels authentic. But all of this is just my opinion.

Anyway, I have to give Horikoshi credit for this chapter about AFO's backstory, because I was genuinely about to check out of the series as a whole, ngl. It was jaw-dropping and it's been a while since a story made me feel as viscerally uncomfortable/disgusted as that past chapter. The circumstances surrounding AFO's birth, that Yoichi and him were actually twins, the comparison between quirks and STI's... Jesus.

There's the obvious parallels of the brothers' story with the myth about Romulus and Remus, which I think is pretty cool.

That chapter was a lot more explicit than what anyone could've seen coming, HK really went all out there. Is it what I'd expected? I mean, I was never really... too concerned about AFO's personal upbringing. I figured he was an entitled, rich asshole by the time he locked Yoichi into the vault, but that's pretty much a given and now basically confirmed. I did like to think he was always like this, raised in a rich family, though I never really committed to that idea, because, ultimately, it doesn't really matter because it all boils down to the same thing.

What heinous crimes he chose to commit later in his life when he needn't to.

AFO's childhood turned out to be utterly horrifying; he lived through deeply traumatising formative years, hunted and scorned by society, before he inevitably turned the tide with his god-like powers and became the scourge of society for his next 100+ years alive, in return.

He's become a supervillain, a mass and serial murderer, and whatever else is in his long list of crimes.

None of it excuses his actions, but the tragic circumstances do leave room to wonder, what if.

He was very much shaped by his mother's death, forcing him to take up the mantle as a caregiver for his twin brother from early infancy, by how he was not just I ignored and failed but actively hunted down by society. This environment led to him seeing himself not as human in the beginning, which turned into a god-complex later in his life.

He's indifferent to the suffering he causes others at best, and really enjoying at worst. He shows no remorse for any of his actions, ever. Look no further than one of the recent past chapters where his face literally split open from the grin he had on it as he was about to kill All Might. Taking 408 into account, as well, he's hunted down and killed each and every individual related to the second OFA user, which makes me wonder what he did with the infants and small children.

((I'd argue that AFO is a narcissistic psychopath and would most likely be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (this and malignant/grandiose narcissism are almost indistinguishable from each other). He checks pretty much all the hallmarks for NPD and ASPD:

Saying he's a deceitful person is an understatement. He's a chronic and cunning liar and manipulator. He's been using Shigaraki (whom he'd robbed of his own identity) from early childhood on to sort of fill the role of a substitute for his own brother, but also as a vessel and backup plan, should his body give out, while simultaneously taking revenge on both the seventh and eighth users of OFA.

"Failure to conform to societal norms and laws". ...Lol.

He quite literally started a cult around his persona (#408).

A remarkable lack of empathy. He hardly ever displays real emotions, not even anger in most situations (I'm not sure how much the final battle can be accounted for here, since he was influenced by Shigaraki's hatred, which is what causef give in to his own hatred of All Might to chase after him)...))

[not-poignant]

Pia! I need some advice. There's a writer on ao3 whose fics I really like (well, 'love' would probably be a better word) but I've just found out they are a TERF 😭

I had no idea because they don't post anything personal or political on their main tumblr and they don't write fics that reflect these views but I found their side blog and its full of terf and redfem stuff

Now I'm feeling guilty for enjoying their work and also sad because a part of me just wants to keep reading their works despite this because they really are a good writer and have kept their personal views out of their stories but...... UGGHHHHH TERF 😭😭😭

What should I do? Should I stop reading? Should I block them? Or should I separate the artist from the art and just enjoy the fics?

I am not cis btw so I feel really selfish for just wanting to ignore that stuff and keep reading.

Hi anon,

I'm sorry you've found yourself in this situation. There's no point feeling guilty about something that you could never have possibly known until this moment, though I understand that the guilt still happens, it's not like you can be expected to know this stuff when you're just trying to enjoy fics on the internet, y'know? The main thing is you know now. Guilt is a good feeling for getting us to stop and pay attention, and now you're doing that.

As for what happens next, I can't really answer this for you, but I can talk around a few points which might be worth considering re: continuing to read the fic/s or not.

Separating the 'artist from the art' is almost always hugely misinterpreted, and it often doesn't mean 'pretend the artist doesn't matter so I can keep enjoying their content.' Ultimately you have to decide for yourself what you will or won't accept, and that will be down to your personal ethics or values, and how you express those ethics or values.

If my favourite fanfic author was suddenly revealed to be a TERF (unlikely as they're trans, but y'know, it could happen), I personally couldn't enjoy their writing anymore. I wouldn't be able to escape into their stories or characters, knowing the person who wrote this thing I love doesn't believe in my right to exist as I am, and wants to constantly debate my human rights. I can't suspend my disbelief that much.

But then, on the other hand, I can still watch the films of Harvey Weinstein, a horrible fucking human being and scum on earth, and justify this by knowing that many of the people who made that film are not horrible fucking human beings and he is not the only person to consider. Some people would disagree with my choice. Others will understand.

That's me, but everyone is different on matters like that, and so then it comes down to how you show support. If you continue to read this author but never give them a platform, never like their fic, comment on the chapters, interact with them in any way, rec it to another person (not without 'you should also know they're a rabid transphobe'), be a 'silent consumer' etc. and consider this the way that you demonstrate that you don't support this person's beliefs/views, that's also valid. You still express your values by lending nothing to this person that they can then benefit from. This is how some trans people still consume the works of JKR - making sure she never sees a single cent or benefit under the proud flag of piracy - for example. There are going to be other trans people who disapprove of this, or don't like this, who even make good arguments against it, and tbh, I'm on the fence about it myself, I can just understand why people come to this place with it.

Some of those expressions of our values can be problematic - paying for the work of someone who is transphobic (which you're obviously not doing in the case of fic) directly benefits a transphobe who is publicly transphobic. That's just...straight up harmful. That doesn't really express your values. In fact it may express opposite values. Reccing the fics of this author for example, knowing other trans readers might find the side blog one day and feel deeply wounded and betrayed, expresses opposite values - this would be problematic.

You might be someone who sends them a message anonymously or similar, to let them know that their views are hurtful/hateful and ask how they feel knowing that trans people are reading their stories, and see if they respond to you. Maybe they've never thought about it before. But you don't owe them that kind of labour. You may also want to consider naming/shaming them, to at least do fellow folks in your community the courtesy of avoiding a transphobe. The fact that you've gone out of your way to protect their identity even in this anon, is not something you owe them.

There are going to be different ways you make peace with this situation anon, and don't be surprised if they change over time, depending on how you feel about it. People can only tell you what they would do based on their values, and you must sit down with your own values and decide which actions support your values, and which go against them. We don't all express these things in exactly the same way. As long as you're not expressing harmful or opposite values, you're generally going to be okay, and there is sometimes room in that to still enjoy the fic, if that is something you're able to do.

(Please see the tags since I address this in a bit more detail - although the tl;dr there is - have you considered that instead of continuing to be entertained by the works of a transphobe, maybe if you stopped reading them, you'd find someone you liked just as much, if not more, who will replace them? Sometimes the harm we do is simply in giving our time and energy to someone who wishes we didn't exist, and is actively protesting against our existence - when we could look for others to entertain us who don't expect horrible ethical quandaries from us just to enjoy what they're creating).

(Also, for the record re: other folks reading (I kind of wish I hadn't been forced to respond to this publicly lmao and I'm still in two minds re: whether I'll keep it up), I'm also trans, so I feel like I can talk about the grey area more in this specific issue. I am not advising or advocating for example that white people actively read and engage in the fanfiction of known racists. This is very much - I am talking about this one thing, from a trans person to a trans person, about transphobia in the community and in the works of creators we might enjoy - and I very much want to stay focused on that).

[rueitae]

Season 1, Episode 6, The opera in the outback caper

I find Player’s desire to do accents adorable and hilarious at the same time. A fun tidbit for his personality. ‘Cause he’s absolutely willing to do it again later. Bonus points that Carmen teases him for it. (At least I choose to interpret that as teasing)

Player: wow good sign or bad omen? (In an episode in which Carmen gets brainwashed)

Me: stares at camera

Seriously though, the foreshadowing of the dark red arc throughout the series is so well done. It’s so brazen. So much so you don’t see it coming. Crackle’s civilian-ization is, I believe, the first introduction of brainwashing tech. Upon rewatch it's so clear what they’ve done. I bet the writers were cackling to themselves the entire time for this one.

I, for one, am so happy they made Carmen the opera a thing for an episode. Thank you CS for not wasting this niche opportunity. And all the zingers that come with it.

Love how they suspended audience (and Carmen) disbelief for a while by not having Le Chevre show up right away, so Carmen thinks that Gray is running this job. Until she really gets a solid look at him in a different light. I just appreciate how the scene went down. Clever and fun writing to introduce us to the issue.

I also like that Player isn’t taking any crap. He never does. That’s what I like about his character. He’s the only one who can really tell Carmen “how about not” and she’ll think about it. (And 90% of the time she skips off anyway). Though the few times in the series she does take his advice on an emotional decision are very poignant and some of my favorites.

This fight scene above the opera??? The elegance, the silence so we focus on the opera music (as Bellum wants) the timing of the machine hitting the rafters. VERY nice.

VILE NOTE

Player stop hunching over in excitement, your back is gonna hurt by the time you’re 30.

I dunno I like that after all the times they say “VILE”, Player decides to not use the acronym to seemingly try and bring home a point to Carmen to be careful, they could be up to anything.

The glider is really silent wow. Gray doesn’t hear her until she lands. Well done Ivy.

Ultimately she’s heartbroken he doesn’t remember her, but also he’s not trying to kill her so there’s that. In this first season in these moments you can tell she misses the innocent life she had. And she supposedly hasn’t been civhting VILE for long, so that’s a nice character piece there that she’s still mourning a more innocent time that she can never go back to. She knows she can’t and won’t.

8pm. I find it so hilarious for that need to specify because I personally would be like “8…am?”

Me: googles all the deadly creatures and weather in Australia

Me, hides Google doc: it’s…totally not for fic research.

LOL I love the utterly confused civilians during dramatic moments. Sorry Miro

Lab coats! Everyone in a lab coat!!! Thank you CS.

OPERA IS FAR TOO DISTRACTING. Love her character. The backstory she gives to Zack and Ivy and their FACES is delightful

Ivy and Zack are not trained thieves. That’s what makes them so fun to watch while they’re trying to hold her back. Carmen is creative too, but she has fighting experience to fall back on. The sibs don’t.

I wonder if Carmen realizes what’s happening in the split second before she goes under.

Player has the BEST “sus” face. And also rewatching I realize that the writers did give Player a chance to snap Carmen out of it. It doesn’t work. And it wouldn’t have worked for dark red arc.

Carmen really stands there saying “launch the boomerang” for almost a minute and a half lol.

The DINGO alert.

There’s something in me that appreciates that especially in these early episodes it’s always the sibs vs El Topo and Le Chevre. They get to know each other. That’s why the diversion works.

Ivy almost going up with the rocket is a TOP angst trope for me. I still get so excited over it. Not even kidding this is the millionth time I’ve watched the episode and I’m salivating over the near miss.

MIRO he just sits in the car but I’m glad we see his relief.

Okay after the first episode (well second technically) where he’s worried this is the first big protective!Player moment. He really drills into Carmen all the reasons she shouldn’t meet up with Gray again. Like. Gets really serious. These are my FAVORITE moments. And this one in particular I like because Carmen takes his advice here, she changes her mind because of what he says but for an entirely different reason. For Gray’s protection.

Carmen’s a good person. VILE totally miscalculated everything about her.

I love Maelstrom’s office it’s so EXTRA with the fish tank lol. Very clever working the darkness of what Maelstrom is asking into a kids show, with the replacement of “hat” for “head”. Hello Paper Star see you next week.