#is that we’re getting either a spinoff

[lolzer621]

“final episode”

lol

[lol-jackles]

https://www.tvinsider.com/1147848/fire-country-season-3-jared-padalecki-camden-bode-preview/

“We’re so excited,” executive producer Tia Napolitano tells TV Insider. “The part was written for Jared, very specifically. Jared and Max are buddies, so that helped.”

Ooo so they wrote the part specifically for Jared! I would say this lends more credence to the idea that he got a second holding deal. Would you also say this makes the spinoff a more sure thing? I mean why write a part specifically for someone you want to do a spinoff with if there isn’t at least something in the works?

I also saw a theory that makes sense given this info too - that CBS was planning this cameo before Walker was even cancelled since everyone could see the writing on CW’s walls and they wanted to make sure they wouldn’t lose him. Get things started with the cameo and by the time his spinoff was really underway Walker could have probably even done another season had they been renewed before he’d be needed for his new show. Would Fire Country have already been started being written before Walker was cancelled? It’s been filming for a little bit now and it’s been less than 3 months since the cancellation.

Link. Yup, to me the first press release means that the spinoff for Jared was already in the works. Although at the time I think CBS thought Walker would have a 5th and final season and then they would slide Jared right into Fire Country 3.0 a few months later in fall of 2025 or spring 2026, either for broadcast or for streaming on Paramount+.

So your take jives with my own, Fire Country was renewed for the 3rd season on March 12 and Jared's character's arc was being mapped out before Walker's untimely cancellation two months later in May. April and May are when showrunners read submitted scripts and interview prospective writers. Then writers are hired after Upfronts are done and then it’s straight into the writers room.

This latest article reiterates that Jared's Camden's purpose is to help Bode claim his family legacy, which is a pretty big deal because it sounds like it goes against what everybody else thinks or wants (I've only seen season 1 and was pretty burnt out by the finale. Haha, "burnt out".)

My guess is Max Thieriot will co-write and direct the pilot episode of the third spinoff and it wouldn't surprise me if he has an uncredited writing role for the 3-episode arc since it's part of an important journey arc for his own character.

[ohdoyoucomeonthen]

A partial transcript of Greg and Alex being perfectly normal about each other:

We’re just more comfortable, I suppose, next to each other and in front of those people.

And we- and we know each other. We’ve holidayed, Brittany, and I think that- that changes everything.

Oh, and it was a big holiday.

When two men holiday- Mm. -that’s when, that’s when chemistry is formed.

So what’s the biggest thing either do you have learned about each other, then, through that process? Has there been anything that’s really surprised you?

I’ve learned that Greg operates horizontally for 23 hours of the day.

[wheezing laugh] That- that is true. I mean, it’s not relevant to the show.

Oh oh, to the show? No.

Not allowed to lie down on the show. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned about Alex, and I’ve mentioned it in a couple of interviews because I am intrigued by it, and it took me a few years to realise it. And it is that Alex is- will never say no if you challenge him to do something. And I don’t mean on camera, I mean, you know, at any event you can tell Alex to do something on a dare, and he’ll do it. And I find it endlessly endearing. And I think you know he comes across as an officious nerd, but- H-hello. -beneath that, he’s actually- he’s actually quite a lot of fun, Alex.

[honking laugh] yes. And I’ve learned that Greg is- will come with me on these escapades, and is also fun. But also, and this- he won’t necessarily like me saying this, but he is very funny uh, and, uh- [laugh] I will like you saying that. Well I think that Greg’s got like in the studio, you don’t really like it when people aren’t laughing and this is very useful quality as a comedy TV host.

I don’t- I don’t like it, and it’s a sort of sad cliche of comedians, really, we don’t- we can’t stand silence and a lack of merriment. And so I think the studio records of Taskmaster- I hope if you asked, most people who have been there in the audience would say that they get more than just the show, they get more than just what you- what you see, the edited final show. I think it’s genuinely quite chaotic and immersive in the studio. And I love that.

-

This interviewer takes a bit to warm up, but Greg and Alex are obviously both excellent at putting people at ease- Alex is always so endearingly earnest and I felt like Greg’s determination to make her laugh was palpable. They really both seem so kind and their chemistry was on point.

Also in the podcast: Greg claiming Alex’s currently barking dog doesn’t exist, them being very sweet and appreciative of their fans, Greg and Alex’s M-rated (for very different reasons) Taskmaster spinoff ideas, discussion of their #1 pick for contestant who has been rudely ignoring their calls, what the show has caused them to learn about themselves, and my favourite- Greg turning on his teacher voice at the interviewer at the end.

I am honestly considering putting “I’m not interested in logistics” and “Listen. Don’t make excuses, just deliver” in a button to press when my executive is not functioning. That feels like it would be quite motivating.

[my-mt-heart]

NYCC 23 Thoughts

I know Caryl fans are more than ready to celebrate. I am too for what it's worth. Believe me, I'm so ready, but I also have concerns that some may not want or need to hear right now. And I get it. Fandom is supposed to provide a space for us to enjoy our favorite shows and characters without real life obstacles bleeding into it. My blog has really pushed those boundaries over the past year and half, so if that's not what you're looking for, feel free to scroll on by or block. If for some reason my rants are of any use to you, however, then here goes another one. Ahem.

Four middle-aged white men walk onto a stage...

…And proceed to make complete asses of themselves.

This is my biggest gripe with TWDU right now. It perpetuates the same tired, limited perspective of the upper class, middle-aged white man in not one, but all of the new spinoffs. TOWL is supposed to be about Rick and Michonne, but it's no secret Gimple favors Rick. Dead City is supposed to be about Negan and Maggie, but the showrunner only goes on and on and on about Negan/JDM in his interviews. S2 of le spinoff is supposed to be about Daryl and Carol, but...well, I'll get to that. My point is, representation offscreen matters because it affects what we see onscreen and which viewers will be drawn to watch. Personally, I didn’t feel drawn to anything during that panel, not because Melissa finally being announced isn’t exciting, but because the people speaking on her behalf always find ways to ruin the moment.

If Gimple wasn't going to talk about his show, I don't understand why he needed to be there. If it was a tradeoff, I would've rather seen Melissa up there and hear what she had to say about her own return and her own character in her own voice. If that still wasn't possible, I fully respect that, but there has to be some other way to deliver news besides constantly relying on male EPs who don't understand what her fans value about her. I worry this is how it's going to feel when I'm watching S2. I want Carol, but not a misrepresentation of her. Greg Nicotero is directing the premiere. Okay...and what about the other two blocks? Any women/POC directors? Anyone who's going to honor Carol the way she deserves instead of treating her like an extension of Daryl's story?

So, yeah. About that title. First of all, “The Book of Carol” is an odd choice in itself. The biblical allusions are annoying because they don't speak to who Carol is as a character. I’m not mad that it implies we’re getting Carol’s POV—quite the opposite—but I don’t like the confusion it’s causing either. Let’s be clear, Carol is not a short chapter in Daryl's story. She is Daryl’s story. Calling Melissa a "series regular" is extremely poor wording, and a sincere fuck you to whoever approved it for the announcement. She is a lead with EP credit and creative input. I am so sick of AMC leaving it up to the fans to debate her worth. Tell us she’s vital to the show, tell us it’s her show, and use clear language. Stop giving her haters more ammo they don't need and stop giving her fans more anxiety they really don't need.

Honestly, it would’ve been easier to accept if S2 was formally called TWD: Book of Carol. The problem is "The Book of Carol" is not the title. It's a subtitle of a (sub)title, and it's bullshit. It feels like a scam, another way to try to convince us we're getting what we want when we're not really getting much of anything. I don’t know if they're worried about false advertising since S2 won't be a Daryl and Carol story—more like a Carol story which, again, I’m not mad about as long as it leads to a reunion and canon by the end. Or maybe they’re stubbornly clinging to the belief that Daryl’s name is what sells despite the atrocious ratings suggesting otherwise. Daryl AND Carol do sell though, so why not lean all the way into it? Why risk turning the show into a laughing stock with obnoxious titles? These characters don’t deserve that.

Another thing that worries me is how it'll be promoted. As "The Book of Carol" or Daryl Dixon S2? Is it going to vary based on who AMC is trying to placate? Is "The Book of Carol" going to be smaller than Daryl Dixon on all the key art? Including Carol in the title was supposed to show that Daryl and Carol are equals. That way, Norman and Melissa would also be treated as equals by viewers and by co-workers. This doesn't look very equal to me...

Why —why 😩— do they need to keep rehashing the filming location's origin story, and by rehashing, I mean lying about it and dragging Melissa and her fans through the mud when all we want to do is move the fuck on? I don't like that Gimple (savagely) threw Norman under the bus, and I don't like that Norman, whatever his intentions were, threw Melissa under the bus. Again, this is why we need to hear Melissa's thoughts on the show, specifically what Carol's (and Caryl's) journey will entail not just plot-wise, but emotionally. It's not fair to put all that responsibility on her to make everybody else look good, and I hope it won't come to that, but the people on that panel yesterday really weren't doing themselves or the show any favors. I was pretty unsettled by the number of times I heard the phrases "I wanted this" or "we wanted that." Has anyone ever taken the time to understand what their audience wants? Or has the show really just been a vanity project all along?

I was wary about Zabel pretty much from the start, but finally getting to hear him talk about Daryl cemented how poorly he understands who he is and more importantly what he means to fans. A man being torn between his former way of life and his new one is nothing groundbreaking. It's actually a pretty standard formula that can fit a lot of conventional heroes, but it does not work for Daryl Dixon. Daryl Dixon is not a conventional hero. Daryl Dixon is the most loyal character in TWD history, and it's been well established his loyalty is to his found family of over a decade--Rick, Michonne, Maggie, and especially Carol. We will never buy that Daryl could be torn between them and people he's only known for weeks/months. Someone who tries to force that should not be showrunning. Period. I am terrified to learn more about how Zabel views Carol because so far, it sounds like he doesn't think much of her at all. If he did, maybe he would've written something more substantial for her in the finale.

We'll see what happens on Sunday. Hopefully they'll release the S2 teaser. Hopefully it’ll provide more reassurance. Hopefully something will. At the moment it just doesn't seem like AMC is capitalizing on Melissa's return as much as they could, and they're definitely not capitalizing on Caryl yet. That being said, and I can’t stress this enough, I do trust Melissa’s judgment. If she chose to come back—and she did—it’s for good reason. The wait is going to be difficult, but next year we’ll have six full episodes of Carol trying to find her soulmate. Nobody is taking that away from us no matter how many times the men put their foot in their mouths.

[chososcamgirl]

SJAP APINOFF FOR TOGE IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA OMG IF U DO UT I WILL LITERALLY BECOME UR SIGMA ALPHA BETA IN CRIME AND GIVE UP MY LIFE FOR U IYA SIGMA ALPHA PLEASEEEEE IM ACTUALLY BARKING RN STOP THIS MADNESSS ARFHRBRBRBBRBEBEBEBE IM BEGGGINGGGG GIVE US A TOGE SPINOFFFF AEBEBBEHEBEBEJDBEBENE OMG ILY SM POOKIE OLEASEEEEE *stomaxhe starts grumbling from how STARVED I am* *points at your brain* GRHAHAHWBEBEHRBBEBRBRB PLEASNEHEBEE EIM GOING FERAL ALPHA MODE OH MY SIGMANSNEN RAHHHH HEARTS LITERWLLY BULGING OUT OF MY EYES FOR U SIGMA IYA ILYSMMM PLEASEEEEEE GIVE US A TOGE SPINOFF AND MY LIFE… IS URS‼️‼️🙏🐺😭🐺😈😣😢🙏😍😍😍😍😘😘😘😘😖😖😖😖🥰🥰🥰😔😔🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🐺🐺🐺🐺 PLEASEEEEEEEER!!/!/!/!/!

(Can you tell inumaki is my fav ?? 😋😋)

ANYWAYYYYSSSS ilySMMMM iya i always check ur acc and we’re literally sigma alphas in love u js don’t know it yet hehehehevwv… ur my fav smau creator and i EATTTTTTT up ur updates EVEYTIMEEEEE RAHHHH ILYSM hope u have a SIGMA day‼️🙏 ILYYYY SIGMA IYAAA 🥰🥰 (was not joking abt the toge smau tho 😖🙂‍↕️)

- 🐺

YIPEEE i will get on it right away then😈 i love u alpha u r the greatest hype anon ever u never disappoint with ur asks they always make me giggle 🤞🤞🙂‍↕️

AWWW i’m literally blushing rn alpha i love YOU🫵 you are my rock fr😈😈🐺 HAVE A SIGMA DAY ALPHA!!! (i wasn’t joking either i WILL be plotting…)

[ordinaryschmuck]

The more I think about it, the more I realize that we’re never going to have an animated show like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic again. And I’m not talking about the show’s quality, I’m talking about the fact that it was a series with nine seasons, twenty-six episodes in eight of them, a canonical movie in theaters, a spinoff series that inspired more cartoon crushes, and more than enough time to develop a lot of characters in an ever growing cast. All while staying in this relatively stagnant level of quality that made it fun to watch weekly.

There are DOZENS of show runners who would kill for series like that, and likely won’t in a long time. The only other show that manages that was Bob’s Burgers, which is still going and is still good, but also came out around the same time as Friendship is Magic. There is rarely a show nowadays that gets past three seasons or even TWO, with show runners being lucky enough to have more than eight episodes a season. And that’s because studios and networks, for one reason or another, don’t want longer shows anymore. Maybe it’s because people are so used to the binge format of streaming or studios don’t want invest too much in a show if it’s not an instant hit. Either way, longer shows don’t feel like a thing anymore, with Friendship is Magic being a once in a blue moon type of success.

Now, I’m not saying EVERY series should be as long as it. If anything, Family Guy proved that sometimes a show should just stay dead. And another reason why Friendship is Magic lasted for so long is because it was based on a popular franchise to sell toys to girls. The more people bought, the more seasons they got and all that. But much like how every show doesn’t need to be too long, not every show should match that standard. A show runner should feel like that they have enough time to tell their stories or develop their characters. Not feel like they have to rush everything out of fear of a sudden cancellation.

[titsthedamnseason]

juli!!!!! now that the like us series is over (thinking about when we'll ever get another hale pov 😭) what have you thought? and what are you most hoping for with the cobalt empire?

hahaha what a loaded question! i’m also sad about the hales hence me rereading dlu already lol 💚 but also on patreon kbr have started posting extras in kinney’s pov which i am so grateful for. great way to keep us connected to the younger generation / give a sneak peek and i feel lucky it was with my favorite girl!! i am relying on this content to hold me over lol (plus next we have XANDER’S BOOK!!!!! to look forward to. which i almost expect to get sooner than we might think 👀)

my thoughts on the series as a whole are kind of hard to articulate but i’ll try? i think the series started really strong and sort of devolved from there. i think going back to dlu put a lot into perspective for me because right from the beginning they did a lot of great set up and left threads that were still being picked up in luna’s books so i applaud them for their forward thinking and planning in that regard (i know that either krista or becca - i don’t know who is who lmao - is super dedicated to going back and rereading all the early books and making sure everything is still flowing and connecting and i must say that’s very apparent looking at the big picture. a job well done for sure). i think all of moffy and farrow’s books, definitely oscar and jack’s book, and i’ll even say jane and thatcher’s books, function well on their own. moffy and jane’s books also do a nice job in contributing to the series as a whole

but obviously there was also a lot left to be desired and i think that despite whatever flaws the earlier books contain, things REALLY started going off the rails with sulli’s books (my poor girl 💔). while the overall series arc ended up functioning pretty well imo, as the series progressed the plots of each individual book just kept getting wishy washier. i wish kbr would just realize that romantic and interpersonal development is enough to drive a story without needing a bunch of other distracting side plots that actually take away from the main focus of the book and divert readers’ attention from what the twins are best at writing. like the romantic plots should be enough to sustain a book IF THEY ARE DONE WELL, and kbr are capable of doing them well, but they got so caught up in trying to include other things that they couldn’t give the real focus of the stories the attention they really deserved if that makes sense. i’m at least glad they don’t rely so much on the third act break up or use miscommunication between couples to drive the books

i also think that now that they’ve taken such care to establish quinn and frog as a budding romance, oscar and jack’s book should have been its own thing outside the series and maybe started a different (cobalt-empire-esque?) spinoff for all these side characters that they’ve grown attached to and insist on making books for. charming like us is a great book on its own but doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the series (is the original / sub-heading / tagline of the like us series not “billionaires and bodyguards”????)

as for the cobalt empire…..i’m trying to go in with a very open mindset. ben’s book was honestly the last one i was expecting but definitely the most ideal scenario for me!!! im really hoping these books won’t be super dragged out and bogged down by extraneous and unnecessary side plots and characters (one book per brother honestly sounds ideal but i know that’s a fool’s hope). obviously a really big thing i’m looking forward to reading about is the evolution of ben and charlie’s relationship and also seeing ben grow closer to all his brothers and finally finding a place within his family 💙 this is why ben’s pov is great to start with because we’re going to see him thrown back into this environment with all his brothers and this time they’re all older and there’s no parents. i know that apartment is WILD in a way that ben cobalt simply is not (or is he? 😏)

i’m also now conflicted about whether the ben and xander resolution should be expected in burn bright or if we have to wait until xander’s books (BUT IT BETTER NOT HAPPEN IN BETWEEN!). i made a post about this at some point but i also think if kbr can’t keep it down to one book per brother, and overlapping style similar to addicted / calloway might work really well as opposed to the clunkier progression of the like us series.

i CANNOT WAITTTTT to finally get into charlie’s head also. that’s going to be a wild ride. i can’t wait to get a deeper look into charlie and beckett’s interactions and for the two of them and their love interests to be the best friend group ever. the cobalt boys ALL have really really really good tropes setting the scene for them (expect for ben who is the only one we’re kind of in the dark about right now) and im excited to see that unfold. also!! as much as i love the hales, its going to be great seeing rose and connor more again! it’s not an aspect i’ve spent too much time thinking about yet but they have such unique and different relationships with each of their kids so im excited to see each of their interactions. ALSO!!! FREEDOM FROM BODYGUARDS GOD BLESSSSSS 🙏 none of the cobalts are super close to their bodyguards to my understanding so after the like us series this will feel like a breath of fresh air

and the last thing i must say - what i’m really hoping for is that harriet isn’t going to play a big role…..i know this is clowning since she JUST moved to new york and the same college as everyone and is lowkey the only person that’s been introduced as a possibility for ben’s love interest but god that idea just bores me lol. especially when all the other brothers already have such compelling love interests and book premises. but alas i am probably wrong and will need to get over my unreasonable dislike of this poor girl who never did anything but be luna’s friend. i think my ideal way for the harriet situation to play out would actually be if she started dating xander but then they broke up before his real books start because i think it would be nice for some of these kids to get some real dating experience before ending up with the love of their lives forever!!

anyway. sorry as always that i’m incapable of being normal about kbr books and can’t just answer with “the series had its ups and downs but im excited for what’s next!!!” but that functions as a great tldr i guess lol

[tyrantisterror]

While we’re on the subject of Billionaire superheroes, what are your top ten favorite Batman stories? And by that I mean your favorite Batman stories in which the character of Batman himself is the focus rather than one of his villains. I recall you stating that you usually gravitate more towards Batman’s rogues than to Batman himself, but that a few writers have managed to get you to do the opposite. I’m curious to know which stories those are!

So I think we should re-establish that while I have read some superhero comic books and consumed some superhero media, I am what comic book shop geeks would refer to as a "fake comic fan." I have barely scraped the surface of superhero comics, and even then mostly from only a few specific angles. You are asking a very filthy casual this question - you are not going to get any mind blowing answers. I haven't really felt inspired to dig into his comics very much beyond some surface level "top ten Batman stories for beginners" list stuff.

For Batman books, I like The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, and the vampire elseworlds stuff a lot, which I'm pretty sure made the people who follow me that are actual Batman fans groan in dismay and disappointment. I've been told the first two are overrated and most people seem to dislike the vampire Batman stories. I love them, though, they're schlocky and fun. I like the Long Halloween/Dark Victory duology for having fun (if imperfect/slightly contrived) mysteries, emotional origins for Two-Face and Robin, and some really gorgeous art even if some of the design choices are a bit weird.

(If we include Batman spinoffs, I could cheat and say the Amanda Conner Harley Quinn run is my all-time favorite Batman comic, but I feel we all know that's not what your question was looking for.)

Beyond comics, I like Batman the Animated Series - though if I sat down and did a "top ten episodes" list it would almost certainly be ones that focused on the villains over Batman himself. I like the 60's Batman movie with Adam West - it's Batman focused and Batman himself is very enjoyable in it. I like the Lego Batman movie too, and Holy Musical B@tman.

Honestly, I guess what makes Batman work for me is either when he's more a supporting character/part of the ensemble in a story rather than the central focus, and/or when he's played primarily for humor. The sillier Batman is, the more I enjoy focusing on him, and the more serious he is, the more I prefer him to be, you know, just one of several characters we're focused on - either splitting the "main character" role with the villain of the week or, like, the Justice League.

[japrilfools]

Predictions for Grey’s tonight/this season:

I think Kwan feels the same as Millin, but I think he’s not going to say it. If he TRIES to, I think they’ll be interrupted, and it’ll lead to conflict for the two of them all season

Helmika are going to sneak around and there will be several funny scenes that come from it

Lumone is going to have hella miscommunication all season but officially get together by the end of S20 or S21

Jolink might fight this season, but I don’t think they’re gonna break up. I think their build up era is over and they won’t break up until after they’re married and get a divorce. I love them but also it’s Grey’s and divorce is inevitable for most couples

When Nico comes back this season, Schmidt is either 1) not going to get back together with him or 2) going to wait a while before he’s willing to try again (as he should)

I think Capshaw will only be back for one ep, but I think we’re going to get a calzona endgame confirmation. I also think they might write something in about them adopting more babies

Amelia is definitely getting together or at least sleeping with that new peds surgeon (at least I think she’s a peds surgeon) from the trailer

I still think Catherine is going to die at some point this season, especially with Richard already on the edge. (And I stand by the delusion that this will lead in to a japril spinoff)

I think that we’ll have more returning guest stars than Arizona and Nico this season, but I think they’ll be unannounced (I think it’s POSSIBLE we might see a Yang surprise appearance because of Teddy)

I don’t think Teddy will die, but I think that if Yang shows up (which is a big if) she might go to Switzerland

I think that when they finally make Meredith and Nick official, she’ll be gone for good except a few guest star episodes

[walker-extended-universe]

We Need To Talk About Henry

Relationship(s): Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, August Walker & Emily Walker & Stella Walker

Tags/Warnings: Alternate Universe, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Wakes & Funerals, Family Reunions, First Meetings, Awkward Conversations, Angst

Summary: A Henry Winchester Verse spinoff in which Cordell was the one that died and Sam and Dean have to pass on hunting knowledge to the next generation.

Written for @whumpuary prompt 5: "Stay. Please."

Part 2 of Walkernatural Extras

Taglist: @theladywyn, @ihavepointysticks, @klaatu51, @itsjessiegirl1, @neptunium134

-------

Dean had almost been excited when his phone rang. After taking out God, monster activity had slowed to almost nothing, likely thanks to Jack’s influence on the world. Dean wasn’t exactly complaining about the lack of people dying, but he was starting to get antsy, stuck in the bunker for weeks on end without anything to do or research. There were only so many times he could wash Baby and clean his guns before that got old.

“This is Dean,” he greeted without looking at the caller ID.

“Hi…. Dean. It-It’s Emily. Are you busy? Is Sam there?”

“Ah- Not at the moment. Why?”

“Can you get him? I-I have news.”

Dean had a sinking feeling it wasn’t news either of them wanted to hear. “Yeah, just let me find him.”

He found Sam in the library (of course) and sat across the table from him, putting Emily on speaker and setting the phone between them. “Okay, Emily. We’re both here. What’s your big news?”

“I- Well….. It’s Cordell. He- He’s dead.”

Dean’s stomach dropped and his eyes flicked to Sam. They hadn’t had the best relationship with their other brother since he left all those years ago but it had gotten slightly better over the years, with Cordell helping some of their friends have a normal life. But things had always been different between the twins.

Sam swallowed hard but had no other outward reaction- yet. “What- What happened?”

“It was…. It’s just the job. Just… Just a normal raid,” she said quietly. “There were more guys there than they expected and he got separated from his partner…. He didn't even make it to the hospital.” Her voice wavered on the last sentence.

“I’m sorry,” Dean said. What else was there to say?

“Me too.” Emily sniffled then spoke again. “Look, we’re holding a funeral here in a few days after the DPS has their pony show funeral for their ‘hero’. It’s just gonna be a small thing, family and close friends. People that know about you. I… I think he’d like it if you came. And… I want you to meet the kids. I think it’d be good for them.”

Dean looked back at Sam, waiting for some kind of response. They should go to their brother’s funeral, but he didn’t like how quiet Sam was.

“We’ll be there,” Sam said. “Just text us the time and address.”

“Okay. Thank you. I-I’ll be in touch.” She hung up and Dean slid the phone into his pocket. 

“Sam? You okay?”

“He’s dead, Dean. How okay do you expect me to be?” He pushed himself up from the table and left the room.

Dean didn’t have an answer to that.

—------------

Cordell was dead. Henry was dead. His twin was dead.

No matter how Sam turned it over in his head, he couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.

Cordell was supposed to be the safe brother. He got out of hunting. He got married, started a family, paid a mortgage. Sure, he worked in law enforcement which was only a few steps down from hunting, but they had far better protection than any hunters did.

The idea that something as simple as a bullet could take his brother from him just didn’t seem possible.

“Sam, you ready?”

Sam snapped out of his thoughts and realized they were parked in front of the ranch where Cordell’s private funeral was being held. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m ready,” he muttered, opening the door before he could be questioned further.

There were a few other cars. Emily did say it was going to be a private thing. Sam and Dean still wore suits, just in case.

Sam let Dean take the lead and stood a little behind him as he knocked. They only had to wait a few moments before Emily answered. She smiled softly at them and stepped aside to let them in. “Thank you for coming,” she said. “I- Everyone’s out back. We- Cordell wanted his body burned on a pyre so we set something up in the yard. I guess that’s what you call a hunter’s funeral? He put in his will so… Can’t really argue with it. I was just going to cremate him but this is what he wanted.”

Sam couldn’t look her in the eye, but he could tell she was wrecked. Not that he could blame her. He knew the pain of losing someone he loved. She was handling it better than he or Dean ever did.

“Yeah, that’s a hunter’s funeral,” Dean said. “Kinda surprised he asked for one, but I guess it never hurts to be careful.”

“Yeah, I guess not….” Emily led them out of the back door of the ranch house. There was a small group of people standing near the pyre,

There was an older couple that Sam vaguely remembered from the last time they’d been in Austin almost 15 years ago, when they were looking for Henry after Jess died. They were talking to a man Sam didn’t recognize. Standing a few feet away were two teenagers, the kids Emily had talked about before if he had to guess. They were talking to another couple that Sam didn’t recognize at all.

He had expected more people. True, Emily had said this was going to be private, but he expected close family and friends to include more people. Maybe that was just his imagination running away with him.

Emily led them over to the teenagers first. “Stella, August,” she started, “these are the… extended family I told you about before. Sam and Dean. Sam, Dean, these are your niece and nephew.”

Extended family was probably a better term than they deserved. “It’s nice to meet you two, finally,” was all Sam could think to say, smiling as best he could.

Stella regarded them cautiously. “Glad you could make it,” she muttered. 

Her brother smiled at them briefly. “It’s nice to meet you too. I… I hope you enjoy your stay.”

“Hi, I’m Geri. This is Hoyt,” said the woman standing near them. “We’re friends of Cordell. I’m glad you came.”

“Glad to be invited,” Dean said.

Emily smiled tightly. “Right. Well, I think we’re about ready- Oh, Larry!” She waved at someone behind them. “Larry, Did you bring what I asked?”

Sam looked over his shoulder to see a newcomer. “Ah, yes, I did,” the man said, holding up a gas can. “Still can’t believe he asked for this….” He eyed Sam and Dean curiously, looking to Emily with a silent question.

“Oh, right. Larry, these are Cordell’s other brothers, Sam and Dean. Sam and Dean, this is Larry James. He’s… Cordell’s partner. With the rangers.”

Sam felt more than saw Dean stiffen. He knew exactly what his brother was thinking; Henry’s partner was supposed to watch his back. And he failed. He grabbed Dean’s arm, silently begging him not to make a scene. Not here, not now.

“Nice to meet you. Heard a lot about you from Cordell. Maybe we can get drinks and swap stories together while we’re in town,” Larry offered.

“Not sure we’ll be in town that long,” Dean said curtly.

Emily coughed and took the can from Larry’s hands. “Let’s just do this? Abby’s got lunch made for everyone inside. You can all talk then.”

Sam discreetly kept a hold on Dean’s arm while they watched Henry’s body burn. He was afraid of what Dean might say or do on his own, watching someone else light the body while the man who was (partially) responsible for his death stood there like he belonged. It must kill Dean as much as it was killing him that they, Henry’s brothers, felt like the outsiders here.

The man of the older couple put out the fire as the ashes started to die down and everyone went inside. Emily introduced them to Liam, Henry’s “brother” and Abby and Bonham, the owners of the ranch and the people who had taken Henry in after he left all those years ago.

Honestly, Sam was happy for his twin. He’d managed to do something none of the rest of the Winchesters did; he built a life and a family of his own and kept them safe in every way he could. But, all the same, he was hurt that he’d essentially be replaced in his brother's life. And he knew Dean felt that too.

Sam was glad they came to the funeral. He just wished it didn’t hurt so much.

Larry James was the first to leave, not without promising to follow up on that drink offer. Sam smiled because Dean wouldn’t and they were left with the rest of the Walker family. Listening to them tell stories about Henry only served to make Sam and Dean feel more outcast and unwelcome.

They braved the stories and inside jokes they couldn’t participate in for as long as they could before they took their leave.

Emily stopped them before they went out the door. “You could stay,” she said, almost desperately. “There’s plenty of motels in town but I’m sure Abby and Bonham would let you-”

“We don’t want to outstay our welcome,” Dean muttered.

“Please, stay.” Emily's hand rested on his arm. “I- Maybe it’s not fair of me to ask this but you being here does help. And….” she sighed. “If you need a real reason to stay, Cordell never got around to telling them about monsters. I wanted him to tell them sooner but…. He always said he wanted them to have real childhoods and monsters weren’t part of that.”

Sam looked at Dean and knew what his answer would be. Whether they were welcome here or not, those kids were family. Family that was very much at risk without a skilled hunter around to protect them. If Henry couldn’t pass on the family business, they would have to do it for him.

“We can do that,” Sam said.

Emily smiled and thanked them. “I’ll- I’ll talk to the kids and let you know when to come by and give them the talk.”

“Sounds good.” Sam could only hope the conversation would go as well as Emily hoped it would.

—-------

Dean drove them to the Walker home in the suburbs two days after the funeral. “I’m still not sure this is a good idea,” he said, looking at the deceptively picturesque house from their spot on the curb.

“Someone has to talk to them,” Sam said. “They need to know the truth before they learn it the hard way.”

“Yeah, well, they won’t wanna hear it.”

“They never do.”

Emily greeted them at the door and led them into the living room where Stella and August were waiting. Again, August smiled at them but Stella refused to make eye contact.

There wasn’t a single universe within anyone’s imagination where this conversation wasn’t going to be awkward. No matter how much Emily smiled or how gentle Sam and Dean tried to be with it or how interested August tried to look. It was never going to go well. No one ever reacted well to hearing monsters were real. Dean could only imagine how much more awkward it would be when you were also learning that most of what you knew about your Dad was a lie.

But, as Sam said, someone had to tell them. It may as well be their family.

They didn’t get much further than ‘Monsters are real and we need to teach you how to kill them’ before Stella stopped playing nice. “This is bullshit.”

Emily stared at her. “Stella-”

“It is!” Stella pushed herself up from the couch and glared at her mother. “You can’t expect us to just go with this. You randomly tell us Dad has two brothers we’ve never heard about before, then they come in and tell us monsters exist so they have an excuse to hang out with us, and we’re not supposed to think that’s weird? No. I’m not doing this.” She stormed out of the room and Emily followed on her heels.

August stayed sitting at the table, staring at his hands. “You guys should probably go,” he muttered. “It’ll be a while before she calms down and she still won’t listen to you.”

“Right. Okay. Tell your mom ‘bye’ for us,” Dean muttered.

It probably could’ve gone worse, he thought to himself while mindlessly flipping through tv channels in their motel room that night. He tried not to think too much about why he and Sam weren’t packing up yet, when it was so obvious they didn’t belong here.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

Dean exchanged a look with Sam and cautiously approached the door. It was too late to be housekeeping and there was no one else who would bother them here.

Dean checked through the peephole before answering the door. “...August.”

The kid stood in front of the door, hands shoved in his jacket pockets. “Can I come in?” he asked in a small voice.

Dean stepped aside to let him in. “What are you doing here? Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

August glared at him. “I’m 15, not 5. I don’t have a ‘bedtime’.”

“Curfew then.”

“It’s not until midnight. I have time. And Mom knows I’m here anyway; she told me where you were staying.”

“That’s all well and good, August,” Sam said from his spot on the bed. “But that doesn’t answer the question. Why are you here?”

August unhunched his shoulders and looked at them with a determination that reminded Dean a little too much of Henry. “I want to learn how to kill monsters.”

“You sure about that, kid?” Dean asked. “Your sister didn’t seem too jazzed about the idea.

August looked down. “Yeah, well…. She doesn’t get it.”

“What doesn’t she get?” Sam asked gently.

August shrugged, looking away from Dean. “It’s just….Dad’s always protected us,” he said quietly. “From people and… I guess monsters too. But he’s not here now. Someone has to look after us since he’s not here anymore. Uncle Liam is going back to New York soon and Gramps is getting older and you two won’t be here forever. So…It has to be me.”

It has to be me. Practically a Winchester motto. He didn’t even need to look at Sam to know what he was thinking. “You’re a little young to be thinking that way, kid,” Dean said.

August deflated. “...So you won’t teach me?”

“Didn’t say that,” Dean said. “We will teach you. We’ll teach Stella too if she’ll let us. We owe it to your dad.”

“But it’s not gonna be easy,” Sam warned. “Fighting monsters is dangerous. There’s a reason your dad kept it a secret for so long.”

“I know. I’m ready for that.” But he didn’t know. And he wasn’t ready. Not yet. Not by a long shot.

“Right. Well, either way, we’re not starting your lessons now. Go home and get some rest. We’ll start in the morning,” Dean promised.

August nodded and left, leaving the brothers alone again.

Dean sighed as the door clicked shut behind him. Guess we’re staying in town for a little bit.” He only hoped they’d stay welcome.

[kamiversee]

i feel so conflicted because while i’m happy that we’re nearing the end of this fic and that we can finally get some answers, i wish it would never end 😭😭 i am in love with this AU!

i seriously love your writing! are you planning on any spinoffs of this AU, or any other fics after this?

- ☃️

Omg I love this questionnnn!!

So fun fact; there is going to be one spinoff but it’ll be pretty separate from TFL! It’s for the office-like men of jjk (Including; Nanami, Higuruma, Kusakabe, & Shiu) It’s not a continuation of TFL, as this story will take place some years later & the reader will be presented as a different woman than the one in TFL (does tht make sense? probably not)

Tht story is a different setting, plot, & all tht but basically Nanami will reference what was done with the reader from TFL from time to time, as all the events of tht fic are apart of his past!

& yes, there are more fics from me in general!! I have a Sukuna & Choso fic I’m gonna bring here! It’s a separate AU from TFL (& has no correlation to it) but I liked the idea of tht story when I wrote it on wp so I’ll definitely bring it here!

That, and maybe some of my other works from wattpad tht I either had out or never got to put out; I’ll make a poll to see which one people would want to see next!!

OH AND, TFL has a second book that’s a direct continuation because one of the two endings is a silly little cliffhanger! :3

[jacksgreysays]

Fake Fic Title: Seven, For a Secret--Never to be Told.

— Oh shoot I forgot fake fic titles included character and themes. I was going to say Shisui for our favorite Crow adjacent character but honestly any Crow adjacent character for the counting corvids title, and theme chromatic aberration; itsv style.

SHISUI!!!! <3<3<3<3 Also, hello damnsmartblueboxes! Also, also, sorry for the late response, work truly broke me these past few days

Okay, so if we’re doing Into The Spider-verse, but Crow Edition, possible Crows either canon or fanon or AU: Shisui, Amano, Sai, Shikako (because of course there’s an AU out there for this) … oof, who are the other three?

Uzume in an AU in which neither Shisui nor Amano are around to be ANBU Crow T_T

Aoba, maybe?

Which then could do a similar Anko version in an AU in which Aoba isn’t around to be ANBU Crow—although maybe that’s too repetitive of the Uzume one. Maybe it’s just that, in a world where Konoha trusts her (maybe because she sleuths around and is integral in ripping Danzo out of his hole in the ground, thereby saving the Uchiha clan who now have way more political clout, or at the very least, are back to the clout that they had before?) Anko becomes an ANBU and she gets Crow and Aoba—because I will give up ANBU training buddies only when I’m dead—chooses to be ANBU Snake even though everyone is leery of that mask (like everyone is leery of the Fox mask)

… Or is that, maybe, too much of an offshoot/spinoff?

I mean, I always headcanon Mikoto has having been ANBU, though not usually Crow.

… BUT ALSO, in the Spider-verse there are multiples of the same person—with, obviously, Peter Parker being the most common Spiderman—so maybe just different versions of Shisui, Amano, and/or Sai and then the lone Shikako is the outlier? OR it could be that these are distinct Crows, but for the most part, each of them know who the other are—at least by reputation if nothing else—and the fact that no one has any idea who Shikako Nara is (or, bleakly, the ROOT brainwashed non-Shikako version of herself) is the Miles Morales-esque outlier part. SHE’S THE ANOMALY IN THE CROW-VERSE! (But instead of angry, its angsty O_O… or existential?)

Okay, okay, let’s get these Crows in their respective numbers according to the poem, I’m gonna do some logic puzzle nonsense:

Sorrow, Joy, Girl, Boy, Silver, Gold, Secret Never To Be Told

Obviously Shikako is a Secret Never Told. I feel like Uzume would be either Sorrow or Girl, meaning Amano would be the matching Joy or Boy because I want them to be complementary. Then Aoba, Mikoto, Shisui, Sai… let’s see… if Uzume is not Girl, then we could do Mikoto as Girl in a “young Mikoto becomes ANBU Crow because it’s the only way she can see any action because the Uchiha clan is being weirdly gross and misogynistic and are blocking her from taking any risky missions because they want her to marry Fugaku and have extremely powerful heirs with him” kind of way

And while not EXACTLY matching as nicely as Uzume and Amano, I feel like I could then explore my Aoba headcanon as a partial!Uchiha with Boy. And, boy, do I have a weirdly specific headcanon about partial!Uchiha Aoba stumbling into both the Crow summons (he reverse summoned himself!) and the Crow mask—both very Uchiha flavored inheritances—only after the Uchiha Massacre when he is an adult and 1) wouldn’t use the name, but also 2) wouldn’t be able to rub it in the face of the clan that rejected him and his non-Uchiha parent, especially if he was like… a bastard Uchiha child who was never claimed. ( @loveelemental and I had a discord brainstorming session about an Aoba centric fic in which his partial Uchiha heritage makes for a fascinating post-Jashin Sharingan activation, which is where we came up with a lot of details for this partial!Uchiha theory)

Which then leaves Silver and Gold for Shisui and Sai… which feels pretty good? I’d probably—because I’m biased—make Shisui Gold and Sai Silver because even if they are both (maybe) Uchiha, Shisui just FEELS more sun coded even though his Sharingan is “unbreakable genjutsu”, while Sai is moon coded (and also you can get into his brother Shin, the silver of his hair, the shine of moon on blades, and similes of second place and how even as Hikaku no one really wants him first and foremost the way that his brother Shin did T_T sad boy)

So I guess the fic would be these different ANBU Crows somehow interacting with each other, and honestly the easiest way to do this would be Crow!Shikako does a sort of seal space/pocket dimension/temporary mission team using the ANBU Crow mask as a cornerstone. An “I’ve gathered you all here because we all need to murder our respective Danzos, and together we can all help each other do that. Also, imagine the satisfaction of killing Danzo seven times… or more, if he already has Izanagi”

Another way is a more contemplative/abstract “echoes/ghosts of possible timelines” thing in which, again, the ANBU Crow mask is, like, a liminal space. But wearable. Haunted or cursed? And to make it even more angsty the echoes/ghosts only appear when you’re about to die… which, to be fair, ANBU, probably pretty often?

I guess what my brain is trying to do is more of a multi-versal Sense8 than an Into The Spider-verse thing… hm… I don’t hate it at all… it could be fun to puzzle out some more…

... I also realized, for all that I was very excited about your Shisui mention, I literally mentioned him the least, lolol

Anyway, I hope this makes sense and is interesting to you, damnsmartblueboxes :D

[my-mt-heart]

And there's that word 'friend' again. Imagine them putting a synopsis together that doesn't include it. And not just once, but multiple times. We get it, they're friends. But why so insistent on it? They doth protest too much me thinks. Or they're trying to send a very clear message so we can adjust our expectations for this spinoff and we just need to listen to it. Either way, not loving the feeling...

It’s one thing to establish where Daryl and Carol left off for new viewers (although you’d think they’d mirror the language of the series finale. Best friend is accurate. Close friend undersells it). The deliberate and excessive use in every blurb and every social media post reeks of insecurity and misogyny. The male EPs are vile and (some of) AMC is terrified of scaring away the “real” audience aka men on YouTube and Reddit whose heads would explode at the idea of romance between the eligible bachelor and the “lady” with gray hair. To them it doesn’t matter what Caryl/Carol fans want because we’re all hysterical women who can be swayed with a few cheap gimmicks. If they bothered to do their research properly, they’d know only about half of Caryl’s (active) fandom will stick around and then they’ll have to waste more time and money trying to pull in more of the “real” audience who aren’t going to commit anyway—definitely not financially—because they don’t connect with Carol or Daryl. Trying to turn them both into Rick won’t work. Mindless action won’t work either because the men AMC hire to write it can’t even do that right. I’ll never understand why they expect a different outcome when they keep making the same mistakes over and over again.

“Ultimately, both of them will have to search for hope in the one place they have always found it: each other.”

^See how easy that was? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[roosterforme]

Happy Batting Practice Finale Day, babe! I can’t believe we’re here😭. I’ve been thinking about what I want to say for a few weeks now, and I have so many things in my mind. But honestly mostly just want to tell you I’m proud of you. You did it!

This is such an amazing series. You brought Coach, Kitten, and Ev to life in a magnificent way. Their journey wasn’t always easy, and I know the journey writing it wasn’t either, but boy was it all worth it. Whether it was from the first time he called her Kitten, or all the times he played catch with Ev, or the Bronco Thigh Riding, or pizza nights, or him rescuing them both in the same way they rescued him by just being there and giving him a family while he completed theirs, it was so easy to love and get attached to them. And I know I am only one of many who can say that they’re a part of me, now.

So thank you for so many wonderful chapters and for bringing this fic (and the Mob spinoff that came with it, how freaking cool is that?!) into the fandom. It touched me in a way that only great storytelling can do, and we’re all lucky you were the one delivering it💙

Here’s to Coach! 💙⚾️

And because I know how you feel about these messages sometimes, I’ll end by saying how dare you make us feel things like this, ya bitch. Here’s the pic that started it all as my sign off.

And this gif, made when something filthy was occurring in the Bronco or on the staircase, probably:

Ah, yes. The photo that started it all. Thanks for all the brainstorming and reading and research help and everything in between. I truly loved working on this fic.

[mansionofhaunts]

Thinking about how the party split is going to be handled, because...these characters are going to be apart for a decent amount of time, so having the full party at the table while only half of them are doing anything for hours at a time seems like it’s not ideal, and they’ve been willing to experiment in past. I do think that one of two things is going to happen for sure: they’re going to have each half of the party appear in one half of the show and switch at the break, or they’re going to alternate episodes.

Here’s a couple ideas:

Let’s go with the simplest idea in terms of personnel and logistics: everyone plays a second character that’s only involved in the other cast’s storyline, and they swap stories at the break. I don’t think this is particularly likely. It puts too much on the core cast, and would require time to spin up, operating under the assumption that Matt didn’t tell them to have new characters ready at specific locations. I don’t think this is going to happen.

The other easy way to get through this is to just have empty seats when one party is at the table. That allows characters to respond to sending in real time, and there’s precedent for people being gone from the table and still on set. I don’t think this is likely, either, because it’s also not that interesting, overall.

The third possibility, and I think the most likely one, is that they fill the table with a few guest characters, who would probably be a mix of returning and new characters or guests. It’s the most fun and exciting way to do it, and it provides them with new spinoff opportunities when they take breaks in the main game.

The one problem with all of this? That’s a lot of work on Matt’s plate, to balance two large parties in simultaneous stories across the world. So my big  wild prediction I only, like...twenty percent believe? A guest DM for the core game that splits duties with Matt. This feels...less likely.

I do think we’re due for another season of EXU, though, but I don’t think they’re gonna take an extended break, mostly because...they’ve got a lotta eyes on the show right now, and you don’t want to lose that momentum.

[chriscdcase95]

My thoughts on “Teen Wolf: The Movie”.

So I watched the new Teen Wolf movie. Ultimately. I'm giving it a six out of ten. While there was more I liked about the movie than disliked, I had quite a few  gripes.  

I didn't see it as horrendous as a lot of fans say it is, but there are a few valid critiques I've seen. Maybe I'm just easy to please.

I think some of the issues could have been fixed if there wasn't such a big time skip; like instead of fifteen years, five years. Maybe instead of raising a teenager, Derek would be raising a toddler. Though I don't think we'd get the same kind of story for Eli that way, especially for this generations teen wolf. 

Spoilers below.

1. So I got into Teen Wolf back in high school, and I remember being a die hard Scallison stan back then too. I'm not as big of a Scallison as I was back then, but I am glad to see them be endgame, if it wasn't for one small thing.

My main question is if Allison aged a bit after her resurrection ? Like is she still considered a teenager or is she considered a young adult now ? I feel like this is a nitpick, but some In-Universe clarification would be nice! Feels like something the writers overlooked.  

Then again, werewolves are slow to age in the show's lore, so I guess you can apply "Vampire Rules" to these kind of romances. Maybe I'm overthinking it. I mean the show used to tease Parrish and Lydia, in season four; back when she was a teenager, and he was in his 20's. As if over half the fandom wasn’t shipping Sterek.

Actually, while I was working on this post, I read that Allison was eighteen when she died, so that's...better I guess.

2. Speaking of Parrish, his and Malia's relationship...I'm okay with it, more so than Scott and Malia. I mean they didn't do much with either pairing. Maybe that's the Malira shipper in me talking.

With Scalia, it felt like they just slapped them together because Scott needed a love interest for the final season. You could make the argument that a lot has happened over fifteen years that we didn't see.

With Malia and Parish, it feels like there's a whole ass story we didn't see, but y'know, show, don't tell. 

3. While I'm on that, the movie leaves a lot open ended, that it felt like it was setting up a follow up. This is were most of my problems come from. I was thinking maybe it would tie into Wolf Pack, but I've been hearing that the show isn't meant to be a direct spinoff (or even the same universe) as Teen Wolf. 

One thing I'd like an explanation of is Eli's mother, which again feels like they're saving for a follow up. Speaking of Eli, he became an instant favorite of mine, and someone I wouldn't mind seeing again.

Also, the cursing and nudity in this movie, I'm not saying it's out of place, and far from being prudish. I like that they’re being more risqué, but I’m also glad they didn't go too overboard with it. Still,  “Darkness, you motherfucker” absolutely killed me!

Another gripe I had was that Kira didn't return. Like this is a story where kitsune are front and center, and one of the antagonists is a monster her mother helped bring into the world. 

You’re seriously telling me she’s not up for another round ?

We're introduced to a new Kitsune, Hikari, who I have nothing against, but it really feels like Kira could have (should have) filled her spot. Especially since Hikari didn't have a proper introduction for a new player. "Oh, Liam has a new girlfriend who's a kitsune ? Welcome to the team I guess."

4. The villains...here's where I have more of an issue. So the Nogitsune makes a comeback. Which is fine; I saw that coming as far back as the trailers. 

But the movie's other Big Bad is Adrian Harris, with no explanation for his survival. I mean sure, a slashed throat/strangulation is an injury you can survive, but the chances are often slim.

I could have easily bought this Big Bad Duumvirate, if there wasn't something that stuck out; Stiles wasn't there. 

I can accept that Stiles isn't part of the story. I can accept Stydia splitting up (albeit begrudgingly). But Stiles was the Nogitsune’s primary tormenting victim, and the one Harris had the most beef with. You telling me he wasn't on their radar ?!

You're telling me that even if Harris survived or came back, the first thing he wouldn't do was try to access the speed force and pull some Eobard Thawne buffoonery on Stiles ? 

Get out of town!

Anyways, the Nogitsune was a serviceable villain, but I feel like Harris could have been replaced with another past antagonist. Say Tamara Monroe, considering she was the series cliffhanger villain, and as of this movie her arc's unresolved. They probably wouldn't have been able to pull any kind of twist with her, but she at least would fit more. 

Hell, even Theo Raeken would have been more fitting; the guy such has a proud history of subverting whatever redeeming qualities thrown his way, I still have a hard time buying his “redemption” at the end of the series. Actually, it wasn't even a redemption, it was just the one genuine Pet the Dog moment the guy actually had.

Anyways, Harris probably would have been a better fit in a story that had Stiles in it.

5. Not gonna lie, Derek's death was something sorta I saw coming.

What I mean is, I certainly saw someone in the main cast was gonna die. That's like an unspoken rule in “Next Generation” sequels. But I thought it would be someone else. If not Derek, it would be one of the parents.

Who'd I'd probably have die instead would be Chris Argent. I mean if you're gonna bring back his daughter, you'd think one consequence would be that Chris would die in her place.

Derek's death, I'm more mixed on, but ultimately accept. I would have preferred if Chris was the one with the heroic sacrifice. I still think it would be a more fitting end than Derek’s.

I heard some complaints that Scott and Allison pretty much adopted Eli, but I didn't see it that way. When Scott and Eli interacted, I got more of an uncle/nephew vibe than any father/son thing. 

The way I see it, Eli just has a large support system following his father's death; a support system that just now includes Scott and Alison. And let's be honest, there's no way and hell Derek is gonna let Peter raise him.

I've been told this was intended to be the start of a trilogy, so if we get sequels, hopefully they'll fill us in on what we missed.