#it feels like showing that kindness can still work here is a very heartwarming message

[strawberryjamsara]

My most unpopular undertale opinion is that I think Underfell was actually pretty good in concept.

[okwonyo]

mutuals appreciation messages 🤍

ohmygosh , i love this ask sm ><

@nwjws — thank you for always being a shoulder i can rest on and a the rock that supports me, i would have never come this far without you.

@okwons — i miss you a lot, your are always there for me with your heartwarming words and encouragement, i am grateful for that.

@byhees — your soft soul and principles are admirable; you are doing so well and no matter what you do, i will forever be rooting and proud of you.

@iiuvhay — thank you for always checking up on me, for always coming to me, for always asking me how i am and telling me about your day. you made my life so much more fun.

@wonryllis — you are so passionate and inspiring, you helped me so much times that i lost count. you are my big sister, basically, not by blood but definitely by deep in my soul.

@atrirose — i am grateful for the fact that you keep on showing that you truly love me, i am sorry for always forgetting that. i love you a lot.

@hoonvrs — you are the cutest person here (i keep on telling you that) and genuinely so nice, never let anyone tell you otherwise.

@isoobie — i am happy that you were one of my first mutuals. you support me since my debuts and you never fail to make me want to be better and better with your nice compliments.

@boyfhee — you are missed a lot (by me) on here, and you always have been nothing but nice to me. you are also very funny and your works are to die for. (and i still want to make a shared board on pin)

@bywons — your personality is extremely comforting (?) to me, you make everyone around you happy, like a ball of sunshine.

@hysgf — we talked a lot those past few days, and i am grateful for that. you are a sweet person to talk to and i am grateful to be your kurumi.

@jjunae — i am the coolest but you come close second; you always make me smile and laugh, i love interacting with you.

@copyhanni — you are doing great, never let anyone tell you otherwise.

@lilacnini — you are so, so kind, it makes me want to cry. you also work so hard, it makes me proud to be an inspiration for you, i am proud of you.

@naespas — you should always believe in yourself, no matter what.

@wonifullove — thank you for supporting my works, i will make sure to return thus support to you soon.

@wvnkoi — your soul is as pretty as your face, and you are the definition of kindness.

@bambisite — you are always so sweet and bring nothing but positivity with you.

@tyunni — your theme and personality are so, so cool.

@wondipity — you are so soft and brings nothing but comfort and endless kindness.

@onlyjjong — you are too cute to be scared of interacting with people, you are a sweetheart and i loved the only time we talked.

@lcvclywon — you are so adorable, i hope we’ll talke more in the future.

@lilyuwon — i love whenever you are in my inbox or whenever i see your account! you seem really nice.

@cornenhapovs — you played a huge part of this account growth and i will forever be thankful for you.

@ms-no1kpopstan 一 you are cute and your interactions with other people always make me smile.

@euncsace — i want to take care of you and make you feel so loved that you will explode, i miss you a lot and which you all the luck with school.

@yeokii — you are very fun to talk to and i will protect you from all your weird anons.

@100203s — you are so, so cool and thank you for always including me in your moot games. let’s interact a lot in the future.

@voikiraz — i missed you a lot on there and i’m so happy that you are back; i love talking to you so much and knowing that you are there makes me so happy.

@weoris — you have an adorable personality and i want us to talk a lot more in the future; also, thank you for creating wonyjiah.

@leaderwon — thank you for trusting me, i will always be there if you need help and you are doing well.

@wonfilms — you are so nice and cute, your works are so comforting and i love whenever you like my works.

@soov — you make me so comfortable, genuinely, i feel so safe when i’m talking to you, i’m thankful for you and the fact that you always support me.

@sainns — saw you a lot on tl before following you and you are genuinely so fun and nice, never let a man make you feel bad.

@yenqa — i am grateful for you and how you support me on almost each one of my smaus, i will miss you a lot. take care and take your time, we are all patiently waiting for you.

i’ll stop there because it’s getting a lot, but know that if you are my mutual or even my follower; i love you to the moon and back. i’m rooting for you, not as okwonyo but as jiah, and i will always be there if you need me >3<

[buckys-wintersoldier]

Surprise

First of all, thank you to everyone who joined me and helped me with that idea. For finding those nice words, even when she knows that you appreciate her, even when she knows that you love her work. And a special thank you also to @lives-in-midgard, without her, I would not have found the courage to really do this. You helped me when I was just a minute before I threw that all away.

Skittle? @mrsbuckybarnes1917

Finally, you are allowed to know about the surprise. I made this to thank you. I know you already know that I appreciate you, but I wanted to show you that not only I do, but also other people do, and it’s a better way than just telling you.

But thank you so much for always being so kind and helpful. You’re not annoyed, and even when the day isn’t perfect, sometimes it never changes your kindness. Not many people are like you are, and I hope you know deserve all the good and the best and that you’re worth it.

It’s an honor to be your friend and get your support personally and with fics. It's always fun to talk to you about ideas and add details, but it’s also fun to talk to you about everything else. I hope you know that I will always be there for you and support you as much as I can. The moment you started following me and whenever a notification with your name appeared in my notification, it made me so happy because it was and still is such an honor.

And I’m not the only one who thinks like that, so here are some people who think so too. Enjoy their messages for you.

@ellemj: You were the very first writer to ever reach out to me on Tumblr and honestly, I freaked out a little when I saw your user and realized I'd definitely read your work before. It was like I was living out some kind of dream. You're so kindhearted and willing to talk to other members of the community, it's inspiring. I feel lucky that I've gotten to be on the receiving end of your kindness. Thank you for being a friend and thank you for sharing your amazing works with us all!

@lives-in-midgard: Dear Skittle, I want to let you know that I really enjoy reading your stories and always love to see what you came up with! 💗 Beside that I also really love to see you in my notification or on my for you page. Reading your comments on my fics always makes me smile! I'm sending you hugs! 💞

@buckyysdoll: hon, you truly seem like such a genuinely sweet person. the way you interact with the fics you love and reblog on your page is honestly heartwarming, and you can see even from an outsider’s view how affectionate and encouraging it is. keep up your kindness hon, & happy belated new year too! we need more people like you in this world 💛🌻☀️sending love & hugs from a stranger xx

@sergeantbarnessdoll: I love her. She always has something nice to say, even when you’re having a bad day

anon: I love your work, it always puts a giddy smile on my face and brightens my day. When I see a new post I do a wee happy dance in my seat (or bed).

anon: Hi Skittle I love reading your stories! And I always get excited when I see that you have a new one shot!

@rogersbarber: such an incredible and talented person!!🖤

[komajordan]

Media I’ve Experienced in 2024 (February) SPOILERS

Same as last time, in order of when completed on a scale of 1-10

Clone High (2023) Season 2 (8/10)-Like a lot of people I wasn’t really on board with Clone High’s revival. If you want to know my thoughts it’s honestly a 6, it has some good jokes but it’s weighed down by more forced and obvious comedy. Season 2 however really surprised me, there were a ton of jokes I found funny, brought in some fanservice like Skunky Poo coming back and Cloney Island being fully realized, and a ton of the character chemistry works.

Bumblebee (10/10)-I never thought a solo Bumblebee movie with humans would work but it turned out to be pretty heartwarming and emotional. Charlie and Bee’s relationship felt real along with some fun action scenes.

Clone High (2002) (9/10)-I tried to watch the original Clone High back in 2022 but my memory got clouded by a lot of personal stuff at the time. So checking the original out felt like a reminder of what the show used to be. The bait-and-switch comedy is top notch, Gandhi’s prescience will always be welcome, and by God the emotional soundtrack makes a ton of scenes even funnier.

Hello Kitty:Roller Rescue (5/10)-Pretty basic beat-em-up, cute soundtrack and visuals, nothing too special. I’m probably just spoiled from playing Island Adventure.

The LEGO Movie (Rewatch) (10/10)-I watched this movie on the exact day of its 10 Year Anniversary and by God, this movie is as funny as I remember it. And after I just watched Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s other work in Clone High I can definitely tell I was spoiled from their comedy from age 8 too. The animation still looks great and I can basically recite the script from how many times I watched it in the past. While yes I’m biased, it’s a very sentimental type of bias that I can never let go.

The Lost Boys (7/10)-The Lost Boys is an old but fun movie. It captures the feeling of adolescent summer fun on the boardwalk along with the relatively small sense of horror of the vampire cult.

Us (9/10)-Back on Halloween last year I watched Get Out and I thought it was good as a psychological thriller but not really scary to me. Us on the other hand was a step-up in my opinion. The doppelgänger plot is really cool and the way the tethered family goes around terrorizing everyone felt thrilling. And man the twist, I’m not gonna spoil it but that twist felt like a complete game changer.

The Marvels (2/10)-This movie is not good but not the worst MCU movie ever. Personally I liked the interactions between Kamala, Monica, and Carol even though I’ve grown to dislike Carol overtime. But otherwise the villain is forgettable, a lot of the fight scenes are complete white-noise, and a lot of scenes are completely cringy and predictable.

Epic Career Quest (7/10)-Waking up after a Super Bowl aftermath was weird for me. I don’t know the general opinion is on this series but I found it entertaining. The characters being mismatched kind of works for me as someone who likes these types of ensembles like Drawn Together. And as a growing adult their messages about imposter syndrome and making your goals really stuck with me.

Terrifier (6/10)-I don’t know if this is a personal thing after seeing so much Invincible and Mortal Kombat but the violence here literally had no effect on me. Sure, this movie is scary but the plot kind of drags for me personally.

Terrifier 2 (8/10)-This movie is a step up in terms of scares and production value. Not to mention there’s more of a plot when the first was just a simple murder plot here it’s an extensive plot about people’s perception of Art The Clown and who he is. Where this movie falls flat for me is the sword thing, I personally thought that was an asspull and kind of out of place in a serial killer movie that a fantastical item just doesn’t fit.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Season 2 (8/10)-Moon Girl Season 1 was a fun show that does a lot of cool superhero stuff while also doing enough to stray away from Marvel to make it its own. What do I think of Season 2? It’s on the same level. Nothing really noteworthy, they still do fun things, visuals are nice, and some of the plots are interesting.

Megaman X4 (9/10)-Probably my favorite Megaman X game given what I think about future games. The gameplay is fast paced and fun, the bosses are challenging but fun too, and the transition from SNES to PS1 translated greatly. And the cutscenes exist, if you know you know.

Jujutsu Kaisen (9/10)-Yeah I decided to ride the JJK train and unlike Naruto I do understand the hype. The animation is fluent especially with the domain expansion and curse enemies. I loved characters like Gojo, Maki and Nobara from their entertaining personalities. And Where Our Blue Is will always be one of my favorite songs in anime.

Freddy Vs. Jason (7/10)-The human parts suck especially if they get in the way of crossovers. But Freddy and Jason when they show up together they make the most out of them fighting each other and killing others. Not to mention the setup that has Freddy provoking Jason to getting into Elm Street works really well.

Venom:Let There Be Carnage (3/10)-If I described this movie in one word it would be annoying. Venom is a very obnoxious character who constantly screams and complains about everything. The cliche drama between Eddie and the rest of world is insufferable. The only remotely good part of the movie is the effects on Carnage as it was done pretty well. But other than that I have no desire to watch this one again.

Re:Cutie Honey (8/10)-Kill La Kill mixed with Ghost in the Shell. I honestly thought this was animated by Trigger. But in all honesty I love the fast paced action and character moments.

Resident Evil Revelations (4/10)-Boring. The ship location gets old and I wasn’t scared even once. I honestly like RE6 more than this considering that game has a lot of variety and fun gameplay. This game is so slow and unfulfilling.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (9/10)-I love how subversive this anime is. Flipping magical girl tropes to be grim dark was a unique twist and made the characters more real than the traditional magical girl stereotype.

[professorchaos]

Realizing because of your tags that myself and the friends I trust with South Park opinions all have worked with kids for many years. I'm sure much of the audience are parents now too. I don't really see many of the fandom opinions; I track a few specific blogs that are thought provoking but that I trust to think critically. So it is disappointing to hear how many people don't get it, but also kind of heartwarming to recognize the connection between us adults who know what kids are actually like, and can seperate the two. I also think it's part of what makes the simple stuff sweeter; appreciating that they're still kids underneath it all. - kennymcnuggets

this message honestly made me feel a massive sense of relief LOL it is really nice to know that there are other people out there in this fandom who know + care about children... i'm not working with kids at the moment but there are kids around that age in my close family (some of whom i live with) and it makes it extra painful to see people just with the most insane things to say all the time, doesn't it?

i feel like most people (in general!) would benefit greatly from thinking back to the thoughts and emotions they experienced during childhood and adolescence a little more often... i think kids are amazing and funny and weird and the show does a really good job of portraying the way it is to be a child (i see people talk about how it's "disturbing" to see them as children sometimes because they are often in "adult situations" which i find frankly bizarre- and also, as an abuse survivor, on some level personally insulting lol). we live in this world all together! for some kids there is no luxury of illusion. for most there is less than we like to pretend. if you think that children don't swear, or watch the news, or grieve or have big thoughts, then i'm very sorry to say that either the children in your life do not trust you enough to discuss their reality with you or you are simply not listening. but you are also not talking to them like people if you assume malice from the random things they parrot. they're learning! they wanna know other peoples' opinions on things so they can form their own! they say outrageous things just to get a feel for it! it's really scary getting to the point where all the horrors start to make sense.

(tangentially i thought it was funny that people were genuinely upset at kyle and tolkien making cringe tiktoks lol... um... sorry guys that's. that's what kids are doing right now. matt and trey know this because they have children. if you don't like it i'm sorry. delete tiktok is all i can say to you).

sorry for ranting a little! i'm just happy to hear from you on this bc the attitudes one sees round here and on twitter all the time are crazy-making... thanks for the breath of fresh air.

[commajade]

gnc fashion anon here (lol) but i tried the denim + tucked black t-shirt and flannel today and felt very good about it!! i still need to get a t-shirt that isn’t too tight on the chest (though today i also discovered that if i wear a normal bra with a sports one on top it makes it looks more flat!) but i felt pretty good abt myself. you were so right about the way carrying yourself helps! i was always a bit self-conscious whenever i tucked a tshirt but today i went for it jjsksk and the hands in pocket also made me feel pretty good. sorry for the long ask but tysm again for the tips!

this is so heartwarming.... i am so happy for u.... i showed this message to my gf cuz they helped me respond to ur original ask :) my gf was in their accidental transmasc phase when i started dating them and had very good gnc fashion tips :D

they said that for them, going braless actually made it much easier to hide their chest cuz the shape of bra cups makes it more obvious that u have tits. if u have the right kind of loose fitting shirt and/or jacket, ur chest looks way flatter by just not wearing a bra. way more comfortable than 2 bras too.

u should be rly careful about how you bind/compress ur chest cuz it can affect ur spine, ribs, and breathing. before i got my breast reduction surgery i used to wear a binder sometimes and it didn't quite work for me cuz my chest was so large. when u do a double bra or other kinds of compression make sure u only wear it for a few hours at a time and stretch after u take it off!

for cultivating masc mannerisms, u rly have to just practice on ur own and integrate it into ur physical habits and get comfortable with it. and it's gonna be kinda cringe at first. in college when i started transitioning i rly rly wanted to have that ease of movement that teenage boys have, i wanted to be troy bolton so bad. and i wanted to have the automatic confidence and taking up of space that men have, but like not obnoxiously so. and now i rly don't think about it, i simply am masculine in a way that i am comfortable with and enjoy. and my gf saw that immediately on our first date even tho i didn't think i was behaving in a particularly masc way. i had been closeted again and living with my parents for a couple years at that point and feeling rly insecure about my gender presentation cuz i was used to doing the whole daughter act, and it was rly affirming and transformative to have someone i just met confirm that i had come that far.

[wannameetmyson]

Hellooooooo just wanna pop in to say thank you for your reblog comments about my Obey Me MC in HDD costume 🥺💕 (it's the one with Diavolo & Belphie leaning towards my MC) not sure how to reply a reblog since it will end up in my own post? (I don't play tumblr that much so I'm still confused 😭)

Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your comment so much and it really flutters my heart reading it 💕💕💕

Of course! I tend to reblog a lot without tagging or commenting so when I feel like it I try to say something about the art. Very thankful to be fixated on a fandom/game that has an active and talented community

Thanks to you for sharing your MC and your art! I think it's kind of tricky to match the character designs of canon a lot of the time, so it's really cool that you did have the fancy get-up match the others. MC's family and they're here to stay so of course they should match! It's just heartwarming, especially because its shown in a sweet happy moment too.

Also, responding to somebody's tags on your post:

1) technically you could reblog your post from me with your response in the commentary? Seems a bit silly I know, but I'd be notified of the tags and so would the original poster (you). Plus I don't see anything wrong with reblogging great art you're proud of/worked hard on! Your followers have voluntarily shown up to see whatever you'd care to share with them yknow

2) in the corner of a post there's a black chat bubble icon where you can talk with people without reblogging. This means you don't have to show the same post a bunch of times to have a convo. This also means that you can put your 2¢ on the post without having the post actually be on your blog. Also people have to select the chat icon to see if somebody has used this form of interacting, but all the messages left go into that post's personal void forever (I think you can delete but double check me). You can @ a blog you specifically wanted to talk to, and I believe that the original poster also is notified of any messages left?

3) you know that you can reblog the post with your additional text, but the post's history wouldn't show what my tags were/what you were responding to. Some people will take screenshots of tags, include the photo as a receipt of some sort, and type their response. Other people have also retyped the tags they're responding to and linked that with the url of the post in question on the other person's blog. (I know that's wordy and not really coherent, just click the notification of the reblog then grab the link from where it took you)

[introvertguide]

Abuse of Children Portrayed in Film

I like to use movies as an escape from the harshness of the real world and one of the things that I have learned about in my education is the effects on children when they are mistreated. I have a Masters Degree in Developmental Psychology and one of the hardest classes for me to handle was Abnormal Development in Children and Adolescents. We covered everything from dealing with dyslexia and ADHD to surviving severe abuse and loss at a very early age. We had guest speakers that ranged from people who had escaped genocide as children, to individuals who had been sold into prostitution by their parents, to people who had suffered severe abuse from their parents or guardian. I have heard stories that will stick with me forever and that is nightmare fuel that I don't want to share.

Because of my background education, I take note of the treatment and behavior of children and adolescents in the movies that I watch. There have been many great movies over the years that have depicted the suffering of children and it has always been difficult for me to deal with. There are more well known examples of films that focus on suffering but throw in more of a "sometimes we all suffer, even the children" message that demonstrate that kids aren't immune to great travesties (basically any film about The Holocaust). There are also well known films that show children "coming of age" through hardship (Annie 1982, Oliver! 1968) but end perfectly. There is a more current series of films that focuses entirely on a boy discovering a fantasy world that was robbed from him when his parents were murdered by a tyrant (Harry Potter series). But in this list I want to review some lesser known films that show examples of abuse. Even after all that I have seen and heard, the following list of films have affected me personally for one reason or another. Sometimes the children in these films endure and overcome their situation in the end. Sometimes these children do not survive or sadly remain in their misfortunes. To me, this can make the movie all the more powerful because of the incredible amount of pathos that endangering a child character can add. It can also make it a heart wrenching experience that is painful to watch. Here are some powerful films in which children suffer and the struggle is one of the main plot lines of the movie:

SPOILER WARNING AND VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISORY!!! I AM GOING TO GIVE AWAY THE PLOT TO THESE FILMS AND IT SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT SOME OF THE PLOTS ARE DISTURBING!!! EITHER WATCH THE FILM IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS OR CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING SUMMARIES IF YOU WOULD RATHER JUST HEAR WHAT HAPPENS SO YOU KNOW IF YOU WANT TO WATCH OR NOT!!!

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Sybil (TV Movie) 1976

I just recently saw this film after I had heard of the story in my abnormal development class almost 10 years ago. It is the story of a woman who developed multiple personalities to deal with a childhood in the care of an undiagnosed schizophrenic mother. The movie stars Sally Fields and is based on a true account of Shirley Ardell Mason and her treatment by psychologist Cornelia Wilbur. The acting in the film is overdramatic at times, but it definitely reminded me of some of the actual old videos of Shirley Mason and her sudden strange switches in personality when she was scared or anxious. Dr. Wilbur used hypnosis to actually introduce Mason to her alternate personalities and she was able to recognize her disassociative identity disorder and overcome it. It still hurts me to think that this person was mentally wounded so deeply by her parents that it basically shattered her into pieces in an effort to make sense of things.

Leon: The Professional 1994

I mention this film a lot because it is a heartwarming story of an assassin teaching a young orphan how to murder. It is the breakout role for Natalie Portman and it is just amazing. Leon is a "cleaner" that lives next door to an abusive and addictive family with a troubled girl named Mathilda. The father gets in trouble with the mob and some enforcers come by and slaughter most of the family while Mathilda is getting groceries. She returns during the massacre and realizes what is happening so continues next door and pleads for shelter. Leon takes her in and teachers her the trade and protects her from the men who want to finish her off. The movie was written and directed by Luc Besson and stars Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, and Natalie Portman. The suffering that this girl endures because of her parent's addictions hurts me, yet I have seen and enjoyed this film many times. I recommend watching when in the mood to be deeply affected by the trials of a little girl and the killer who protected her.

Kids 1995

This film came out when I was early in high school and bothered me greatly. It is a story by Harmony Korine, and one of his many attempts to capture the hopeless lives of unmotivated and unsupervised teens. These are young teens having unprotected sex, stealing money to do drugs, and attacking people in the park. I did not really go to these kinds of parties when I was that age (or ever really) and it has bothered me to think that adolescents would partake in this kind of behavior. It is hard for me to believe that these kids had the ability to mentally comprehend the consequences of their actions and some of the characters end up contracting HIV from each other. I would not recommend the film because it is a depressing day in the life that no youth should have.

Gummo 1997

I would not call this a good movie and I wouldn't really recommend it. It is another work by Harmony Korine and really details the depravity that can occur with unsupervised youths living in low socio-economic conditions. This movie is just depressing and motivated me to find something to motivate me into action. I got into both psychology and teaching, which has served me well for the past 20 years. It was this film that showed me how low the bar for quality of life could be, and I guess for that I am thankful. However, I still wouldn't recommend it.

Happiness 1998

This movie I didn't see right away but noticed it at the video store on many occasions. I final watched it when I was about 25 on the recommendation of a friend and one particular storyline greatly disturbed me. It is basically the story of 3 sisters that feel they should be happy and project a face of happiness, yet they are miserable and have horrible lives. One sister in particular is married to a psychiatrist who turns out to be a pedophile that rapes the friends of his young son. At one point rather early on in the movie, this man confesses to his son that he raped the boy's friends and that he would do it again. The son is so confused that he asks his father why he never raped him. It is so disturbing to me because I know the boys that were assaulted will be forever damaged and this boy who was not actually raped will be mentally scarred as well. The fact that there are people in the world that would harm children that way, recognize what they had done, and then know they didn't have the self control to stop themselves from doing it again is horrifying to me.

Lilya 4-Ever 2002

This film is deeply disturbing and I highly recommend never watching it. I will spoil it for you now so you never have to see it if you don't want. A 16-year-old girl named Lilya lives with her mother. The mom gets a boyfriend and the couple move to America and abandons Lilya with a neglectful aunt. The aunt movies into the old apartment of her sister and Lilya is forced to move out and become a prostitute to make money. A boy comes along and convinces her to move to Sweden to escape her life. When they arrive, this boy sells her to a pimp and she becomes a teenage sex slave. She almost escapes, but is then captured and beaten almost to death. She escapes again and this time commits suicide so she won't be recaptured. This movie is awful and changed my mind about giving every film a chance. I wish I could forget this film, but I can't. Perhaps it is just not for me, but this film presentation is definitely an experience that you won't soon forget.

The Kite Runner 2007

I read this book in my twenties and saw the film in my thirties and both affected me greatly. A well-to-do boy and his friend are in a kite battle competition and the friend is beaten and raped when he goes to retrieve a fallen kite. The well-to-do boy denies knowing what happened to his friend (he does know) and basically shames and abandons him. This action haunts the well-to-do boy for the rest of his life. How the boy who was raped is basically falling prey to blaming the victim is heartbreaking, and the lifetime of guilt of the other boy is pitiable. Neither boy was the actual attacker yet they both were the ones that suffered.

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There are many other examples of movies along these lines and could be found if you feel like suffering. I can't say that I would recommend them because they are very difficult to watch. Beyond just dealing with the content, it is rare to find child actors who can actually portray somebody who has truly suffered. The mix of bad acting and a depressing plot can make for a terrible movie going experience. The genre of movie involving suffering does exist, though, and it could be enjoyed (?) by some. Just not generally by me.

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About "Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" from The Owl House

Wow. They are really pushing it for that secret message, huh?

Anywho--Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons!

I think it goes without saying at this point that Season Two of The Owl House is setting itself up as a season without filler. Now, filler episodes aren't always bad. Yes, it hurts when a series turns away from the main plot for a week. But at best, they're utilized as a chance for the writers to play around with the characters and developing said characters without it relating to the overarching story. So, some people who see that consider it a bad thing that a series doesn't have that many filler episodes.

I like to call those people: F**king morons.

Don't get me wrong, I see where some of you are coming from. And I'd be willing to agree...if The Owl House was a plot-driven series. Which it's not. It is a character-driven series. Because for every plot thread and narrative that the show presents, they always relate to the characters and develop them further each time these threads get brought up. For example, look at "Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty's Door" (It pains me just to write that). Several narratives move forward, and it’s all done to make the characters grow. And to explain how requires going into spoilers. So keep that in mind as you continue reading.

Now, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Hooty: Might as well start with the character that this episode is about.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't a huge fan when I found out we're getting a Hooty-centered episode. I've grown to love him over time, but he is a comedic character that's best used in small doses. Primarily due to how his voice is grating to me (My ears are still bleeding...). With that said, I do really love his contributions in "Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" (Seriously, there couldn't have been a less awkward title?). Hooty's antics when trying to help everyone are as hilarious as they are heartwarming. He deeply cares for his friends but just doesn't understand how his plans could do some unintended harm, which is pretty lovable if you ask me. We also get some surprisingly great insight into his character, as he feels insecure about basically being the comic relief who doesn't really do that much other than being funny. Rarely do you get that level of dimension from a comedic character, and it's even more uncommon for that to work out as well as it does here. It once again proves just how competent the writing is in this series to the point where we get an episode about Hooty, and it's funny and heartwarming instead of being annoying. And whoever is responsible for that, you're the best.

Lilith’s Letter to Hooty: I mean it when I say that I love how Lilith kept her word about her and Hooty becoming penpals. Their friendship was something I would have never expected to love, and I'm still shocked that it works so well, so seeing it continue like this just warms me to the bone. Plus, it is pretty sweet that Lilith's kind words are what inspired Hooty to do what he's done in this episode...meaning it's Lilith we should thank here--SON OF A WITCH! Even when she's gone, she's still working her way into my heart!

King going through Puberty: What?! KING IS EVOLVING!

(There, I made a Pokemon reference. Do I get my cookie now?)

Eda Keeping Herself Awake to Train Herself: I'm willing to bet a large sum of money that this has everything to with Raine getting captured last week. If Eda was still the most powerful witch in the Isles, she might have actually saved them. But she isn't, and now the love of her life is in the clutches of a tyrant planning something that could potentially be the end of everything. So I can understand Eda pushing herself to her limit to get back on top again, as I would probably do the same. It's not healthy in any way, and Eda would be doing more harm than good. But when it comes to the people you love, logic doesn't always win out in the end.

Luz Wanting to Make her Way into Amity’s Heart by Making the Echo Mouse Happy: ...That's it. I Just...I just love everything about it, ok?

This was also when I knew that I was wrong to doubt that there would be zero Lumity in this episode. I realize my follies now, and I humbly apologize.

Hooty Teaching King About Demons: This was so funny. So, so funny. Probably doesn't come as a surprise, especially since The Owl House proves itself as a comedy before, but the jokes have never hit as frequently and as hard as they did here. From Hooty getting offended by King's dance to him and Dana's insert wanting a "DNA sample," everything managed to successfully make me lose my s**t. It does come at the expense of King suffering, but I can stomach that much more than if it were Eda or Luz. And, as a bonus, we get lore about how demons work, added with another great joke of King getting in trouble with Hooty for saying he already knows this stuff. Humor isn't always the show's strong suit, but when it works, it f**king works.

King Wanting to Know What he Is: But despite how funny King's vignette was, we still get to see more of his character grow. We learn that he's frustrated now that there's this big question mark over his life now, feeling extra angry that his father "abandoned" him to leave such a present mystery. It shows the hidden resentment he has that Lilith inadvertently brought out, made even worse when King's father hasn't responded to the video yet. King hasn't really gotten that much development until "Echoes of the Past," so it's pretty cool that the writers haven't really slowed down on it. Especially when it leads to these great moments of King venting his frustrations.

King’s Shouting Powers: KING learned FUS RO DAH!

(And now that's a Pokemon reference AND a Skyrim reference. WHERE'S MY GOSH DANG COOKIE!?)

Eda’s Nightmare: If King's vignette hits you hard with the laughs, Eda's will absolutely hit you harder with the feels (never make me say "feels" unironically again). Knowing that Eda's life got thoroughly screwed over by the curse is something we could figure out on her own. But seeing just how much the curse ruined her life and tore apart relationships that mean the world to her really does a swell job at ripping apart the soul. What's even more tragic is, technically speaking, it's all sort of Eda's fault too. She kept hiding the curse, refusing to be a burden to others who would do all they could to help. If she had only been open and honest, things probably wouldn't have changed much, but they most likely would have been better than they are now.

Eda Attacked her Father as the Owl Beast: ...I don't know what I was expecting when "Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances" hinted that there was some possible tension between Eda and her father...but it definitely wasn't this.

The fact that we see blood where his eye used to be doesn't make things any happier, either.

Raine Broke Up with Eda: Before we get into anything else, let's celebrate the fact that it's now confirmed that Eda and Raine really did use to date in the past. Because this show is just f**king phenomenal with its LGBTQA+ representation!

But, seriously, this is a fantastic reveal that goes far beyond just shipping...well, sort of. It shines a new light on Eda and Raine's interactions from last week, revealing that while they're not a couple anymore, they still very much love each other. It helps make their last interaction especially tragic, as they were both on the same page now and could very well be together again. Only for them to be forced apart for the second time in a way that's much worse than the first. And I frickin' adore that this series changes the impact of one episode one week later. Again, it shows just how competent these writers are, and kudos to them for making something so...perfect.

The Moon Person: WHO THE FU--Nope. Nope! We have more than enough mystery bulls**t to deal with through CreepyLuz and Philip Wittebane, so I am PUTTING YOU ON THE BACKBURNER FOR NOW!

(They're probably nothing more than a one-off character, anyway)

The Owl Beast and Eda are Connected: Through visuals alone, we, the audience, can clue into what the curse really means. The Owl Beast doesn't want to be a part of Eda as much as she doesn't want it to be a part of her. Whether they like it or not, and they very much don't, they're stuck together. The thing is, and this is what I love the most, they still decide to make the best of their situation rather than let it ruin their lives even more. This might be the best possible turn Eda's curse could have made. It'll still affect her, and there are probably more negatives than positives, but at least now, it's not the worst thing in the world. And I feel like that's all anyone can ask when in a position like her own.

Eda's “Pretty Dream”: I don't know what emotions are toiling inside me more with this moment. Awe and wonder over how beautiful Eda's dream is, or heartbreak over the implication that she has only had nightmares since getting cursed...I'm gonna say both. Yeah, it's definitely both.

Eda’s Harpie Form: Well, fan artists are gonna have a field day with this...especially the freaks.

(You know who you are. And you're weird!)

Luz Calling Amity a “Cotton-Candy Haired Goddess”: ...Have I ever mentioned how much I love this show?

Hooty Kidnapped Amity: ...Hooty, if your stupidity wasn't charming, I would be more than willing to call the authorities over how you kidnapped a girl in your version of a knapsack and locked her in the basement. For that is going to ring SO MANY alarm bells in people's heads.

Amity and Luz Stuck in a Tunnel of Love: *Smacks lips* Mmm. The adorable awkwardness of this moment is just *chef's kiss* magnifique!

Luz being afraid of getting made fun of:

Amity’s look of hope: I mean...just...f**king--LOOK AT HER:

That is the look of a girl who, while embarrassed as hell, still is ecstatic to learn for a brief moment, everything that she is hoping for has a high chance of being real. Who, in their right mind, wouldn't go "Aw!" at something so pure and innocent?!

Luz Destroying the Tunnel of Love: This is how to effectively utilize dramatic irony. The audience can understand why Luz is tearing the place apart because she explicitly states that she's afraid of Amity rejecting her in the end. They also know that's bogus, thus making it extra painful to watch Amity's heart break more and more with each second (which is perfectly represented through Amity's expressions). You feel bad for both of them, and even worse when you know that it can easily be prevented by the simple art of communication. That's what makes it great dramatic irony. Knowing the point of view of each character results in a scene that evokes emotions in two different ways.

Hooty’s Breakdown: This was...genuinely hard to watch. Not that it was badly written, far from it. It just...hurt seeing how destroyed Hooty was when he realized he failed the people he has such an admiration for. On the upside, a wholesome moment follows soon after as the Owl House gang tries to reassure Hooty that he's done a lot of good that night. It's a pure action that shows even though Hooty gets on their nerves all the time, they still care about him...damn it. I think I'm gonna cry.

Eda’s Advice for Luz: ...Eda...You're the best.

You found out that your surrogate daughter wants to ask a girl out, and not only were you quick to deliver the best possible advice ("Just go for it!"), but you also quickly reassure her that it doesn't need to be perfect.

And you know what? That's it. Eda is the best cartoon mom! She might not technically be Luz's mom, but I don't give a s**t because she is the best!

Luz and Amity Ask Each Other Out: Shh-sh-sh-sh...

Do you hear that?

...

...

...It's the sound of dozens of Lumity fans collectively losing their s**t...and I'm one of them.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

HOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!

IT!

IS!

CANON!

AH-HAHAHAHAHA!

HOLY S**T! Holy s**t! Holy s**t...might just be the best way I could possibly describe this! Finally, after all the waiting, speculating, and praying, THESE TWO IDIOTS FINALLY GOT TOGETHER! AND IT WAS PERFECT! I mean, it was awkward as s**t, but that's what makes it perfect! You know why? You wanna--Hey! *snaps fingers*. You want to know why? It's because they're teenagers. Of f**king course, it's going to be awkward! This is their first relationship, so there will be a lot of missteps along the way. And that, in itself, brings me to the best (second best part?) thing about it happening in episode eight of the new seasons. Most endgame couples get together in the climax or even at the end of the series. But to have them get together this early on, means there will be quite a few episodes dedicated to showing them grow as a couple.

And better than that--EVEN F**KING BETTER THAN THAT--dozens of kids are going to see these two, a realistic depiction of young love that just so happens to involve two girls, and are going to learn once and for all that there is nothing wrong with being who they are. That fact alone is f**king incredible. Yes, it sucks that season three got cut short, and we'll have even less time with Luz and Amity, but knowing how many kids have felt seen today almost makes it worth it in the end.

And if I see one mother f**ker saying this was poorly paced, I might just hunt them down for SPORT...Sorry if that was an overreaction. I'M JUST SO HAPPY! Because they're happy! Look at them. Listen to them! It's so...GAH-HAHAHA!

“They’re adorable! And deserve all the happiness!”: You're darn right, Hooty! You're darn right.

King’s Father(?) Shows Up: What the--WHAT?! They're doing this now?! Here?! After everything else?

Oh, man. What could this mean? What dynamic changes will this cause in the main cast? How could the writers fit this in during the next two episodes? And what--

Hooty Eats the Letter: ...Pfffft--HAHAHAHA!

Oh, man...I should be mad, and I wouldn't blame others if they are...but that is too much of a brilliant f**k you that I can't help but appreciate it. Bravo writers. Bravo.

WHAT I DISLIKED

...Dislikes? Dislikes? You would honestly believe that after everything I witnessed in this episode, that I would have the gull to list anything wrong with it?!

HOW DARE YOU ASSUME THAT I WOULD BE SO CALLUS TO--Actually, I do kind of have an issue with the episode's title. It's just too much of an awkward mouthful for me to get behind. I understand that the writers wanted to sneak the K into the secret message, but were there really no other titles starting with K that they couldn't come up with?

But that's just a personal issue, and in no way do I think anybody else would feel the same way. Especially with how well-written everything else is anyway.

IN CONCLUSION

"Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" (title aside) is another A+ episode. It was hilarious, heart-wrenching, and downright adorable while keeping me entertained with every minute. I'm sure there are some issues I was willing to ignore due to how expertly written everything else was, but why bother looking for the chinks in the armor when I could just enjoy a perfect episode for being so...perfect! Some of you might be willing to disagree with me, but to that, I say: Don't knock it till you've tried it.

(Now, if you don't excuse me, I'm going to go lie down. It's...It's been a day.)

[hamliet]

The Girl Who Gets to Have It All: Buffy Summers

So with @linkspooky​‘s encouragement, I have binged Buffy the Vampire Slayer and relived my childhood culture. And, it's a 10/10 for me. Not that it doesn't have flaws, but it's genuinely one of the best stories I've seen, with consistent character arcs, powerful themes, and a beautiful message. It's also like... purportedly about vampires and demons and superpowered chosen ones, but it's actually all about humanity.

Buffy was able to be a teenage girl, allowed to like the things teen girls are scorned for (boys, shopping, etc), to be insecure about the thing teenage girls are insecure about (future careers, dating, school, parents), and to be a superhero with its good and its bad aspects. The story wasn’t afraid to call Buffy on her flaws (sometimes she got in a very ‘I am the righteous chosen one’ mode) and to respect and honor each of her desires (to be a good person, to be loved, and more). The story listened to what she wanted and respected her desires, giving her the challenges needed to overcome her flaws while also never teaching her a lesson about wanting bad boys or romance is silly or any manner of dark warnings stories like to throw at teenage girls. 

It respected teenage girls--nerdy girls like Willow, jocks like Buffy, lonely wallflowers with trauma like Dawn, and popular/snobby ones like Cordelia, girls gone wild like Faith. It never once reduced them to the stereotypes that were lurking right there: each character was fully rounded, human, flawed and yet with respected interests and goals. This is so rare for a story that I’m still in awe. 

The story as a whole follows Buffy from 15 to 21, of her as she grows from teenager to adult. She acts like a teenager and grows to act like a young adult, wrestling with loneliness and duty. The adults, like Giles, Joyce, and Jenny, are not perfect either, but neither are they “bad parents” or “bad mentors” necessarily. Joyce in particular says something terrible to Buffy, but she tries to do better, and it’s rare to see a parent in YA stories shown with such nuance. Basically, it wrote the long-lasting adult characters as human beings, too. 

Speaking of growing up, I appreciated how Buffy’s love interests mirrored this. Angel was someone Buffy loved and admired, wanted to be like, but who was always either extreme good or extreme bad, and combined with Buffy’s own tendencies towards black-white thinking, made for a beautiful relationship to help her grow, but didn’t necessarily form a foundation for a long-term partner. Spike, on the other hand... they both saw each other at their worst and were drawn to each other even then, and were inspired to become better because they couldn’t bear to be a person who treated the other person so wrongly. They pushed each other to become the best them they could be, and believed in each other. Also, Spuffy is an enemies to lovers ship for the ages. 

(Also, most of the other ships were well-done or at least can be understood. Riley was very obviously wrong for Buffy which paralleled Harmony and Spike in being 100% wrong for each other. Cordelia and Xander were a fun ship even if we all knew it would never last, and Willow and Oz were beautiful and cute. But Xander and Anya and Willow and Tara? OTPs. As were Giles and Jenny, the librarian and the computer teacher.) 

That said, it’s not a perfect series. No story is. All of the characters and ships had problematic aspects to them worthy of critique, and the writing is very 90s in a lot of ways. It’s a product of its time, and in many ways it’s good society has progressed beyond some of the tropes/metaphors used in the show. In other way, though, the show was ahead of its time, and in a good way it wasn’t bound by the fear of purity policing with its takes on redemption (many characters would never fly today). 

So, in order of seasons ranked from my very favorite to my “still enjoyed it very much” (no season was actually bad, imo), here’s my review. I’ll also review my top 10 villains in the show, because Buffy does villains very well in terms of the redeemable and irredeemable.  

Season 7:  Yep, the final season was my favorite. 

Overall Opinion: Buffy's finale is literally "f*ck them men, our power is ours" and while it seems cheesy it actually works (also, f*ck in both a literal and figurative sense). The series strongly hit all the themes: love as strength, and redemption. Buffy consistently shows love as her strength--*all* kinds of love. Friendship w Willow/Xander, familial with Joyce/Dawn, romantic with Spike/Angel. These types of love are also never pitted against each other as is so often the case in current-day media. It's beautiful. Also, Spike’s confrontation with Wood was so powerful in terms of exploring forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation: where they overlap and where they don't, and what it means to move forward. 

Unpopular Opinion: I have seen a lot didn’t like the inclusion of Potential Slayers, and while I agree they could have been better incorporated/characterized, it was a great way to show Buffy’s final stage of growing up to be ending her chosen one status and projecting/multiplying her powers over the world. 

Biggest Critique: Kennedy was female Riley--the anti-Tara to Riley’s anti-Angel (by ‘anti’ I mean opposite in every way). Kennedy was annoying and immature. Her role, like Riley’s, was less about exploring her as a character and more about her just being stamped as “love interest: lesbian.” 

Favorite Episodes: Beneath You, Lies My Parents Told Me, Touched, Chosen

Season 6: 

Overall Opinion: I said this on Twitter, but I felt like this was Buffy’s The Last Jedi or Empire Strikes Back moment. It is polarizing and dark, deconstructing the tropes it stands on--but by digging to the core of these tropes, it actually makes what’s good about them shine brighter. Everyone’s enemy was the worst versions of themselves. Giles left Buffy, Willow's struggle to relate to the world led to her trying to destroy it, Buffy hurt everyone through her anger, Xander abandoned Anya at the altar, Spike... yeah. It ages well as an integral part of the story, and the Trio were eerily prophetic. 

Unpopular Opinion: Dawn is a great character with a good arc. A traumatized teen acting out and struggling to come to terms with loss and identity? She wasn’t whiny; she was realistic. 

Biggest Critique: Willow’s addiction coding (I’ll discuss this below) and Seeing Red as an episode. I see the argument for both of its controversial scenes from a narrative perspective: Willow starts the season not grieving Buffy but instead being determined to fix it with magic and needs to learn to grieve, but. Still. Bury your gays is not a good look. For the Spike scene... he conflates sex/passion and violence (”love is blood, children” is something he said way back in season 3), but like Tara’s death, it had more to do with Spike (as Tara’s death did for Willow) than with Buffy’s arc, and as for the actual execution... they really botched that. Did it like... have to go on that long or go that far? No. Also, the framing was good, but inconsistent with the rest of the series (Xander to Buffy in the hyena episode, Faith to Xander and to Riley, etc.) 

Favorite Episodes: Once More With Feeling, Smashed, Grave

Season 3 (tied with Season 5):

Overall Opinion: The opening continuity of Buffy meeting Lily/Anne after saving her life in Season 2 was sweet. The Witchhunt episode had really powerful subtext: stories of deaths that aren’t even true are actually demons that possess the town and convince them to turn against their children in the name of protecting the children. It’s a good commentary on, oh, everything in society. Faith’s character arc was fantastic, and her chemistry with Buffy was off the charts (look, I may be Spuffy all the way, but Fuffy has rights). The finale was satisfying in so many ways, seeing the entire graduating class unite to destroy the Mayor and the school with it, symbolizing Buffy et al’s readiness to move on to college. Oz's relationship with Willow was very sweet and meaningful for a first romance for Willow. 

Unpopular Opinion: I actually don’t really have one. Maybe that the miracle in Amends was earned? I think you can make a decent case that Season 3 is the best written of the seasons, but can only truly be thematically appreciated to its full potential in the light of subsequent seasons (which finish Faith’s arc and deconstruct Buffy’s).  

Biggest Critique: It forgot Buffy killed the hyena guy in Season 1, making her continual insistence that she can’t kill people very ????? 

Favorite Episodes: Lovers Walk, Amends, Graduation Day Part 2 

Season 5, which ties with Season 3:

Overall Opinion: The entire season is about family and what it means, from Tara’s to Buffy’s to the Scoobies. I loved Glory aka Enoshima Junko as the Big Bad, I loved Dawn’s interesting meta commentary on retconning (like, the fact that she’s retconned in matters), and most of my ships are still alive. Joyce’s relationship with Spike is one of the most heartwarming aspects, and Spike’s arc’s desire is clearly highlighted: he wants to be seen as a person. The episodes after Joyce’s death are the most honest portrayals of grief I’ve ever seen, and absolutely brutal to watch. 

Unpopular Opinion: Buffy’s choice at the end seems a deliberate inversion of her choice at the end of Season 2 (sacrifice a loved one to save the world), but it actually isn’t: much like at the end of Season 2 where Buffy skips town because she’s devastated after killing Angel and doesn’t want to sort out being expelled, her mom knowing she’s the slayer, and her own trauma, Buffy’s sacrifice here was as much about her wanting the easy way out of relationships, family, college, etc. as it was about saving Dawn. Buffy’s death is coded as a suicide, which Season 6 emphasizes as well. 

Biggest Critique: Like Season 3, I don’t have a lot to critique here. I wish the suicidal coding had been a little more obvious in Season 5 itself, but also I’m not sure it could have been more obvious; it’s pretty apparent if you pay attention. Maybe also that Buffy and Riley’s relationship failing should have been more squarely blamed on Riley, you know, being insecure and cheating. 

Favorite Episodes: Family, Fool for Love, Intervention. 

Season 2:

Overall Opinion: Heartbreakingly tragic but exciting and revealing at the same time. It asked the viewer interesting questions about redemption and forgiveness and atonement through Angel being honest about his past, and then decided to show us his past now reenacted, challenging us. And still, we saw them save him in a parallel to saving Willow in Season 6 (but Season 2 was tragic because it wasn’t enough, while Season 6 was not). Jenny’s death was agonizing, and the scene were Angel watches Buffy, Willow, and Joyce get the news through the window was powerful. We didn’t have to hear them to get the grief. 

Unpopular Opinion: Jenny’s death isn’t a fridging; it works for her arc too when you consider her history. She worked to save the person whose life she was tasked to ruin, and it cost her her own--yet she still succeeded, because Jenny brought joy and wisdom to the show. Kendra’s death, on the other hand... was because they needed the stakes to be high--but we already knew that before she died. So, her death was useless. 

Biggest Critique: The subtext was Not It. It was essentially “do not have sex. Your older boyfriend will lose his soul, kill your friends, you’ll lose your family, your school, your home, and have to kill your true love or else hell will literally swallow earth.” 

Favorite Episodes: School Hard, Passion, Becoming Part 2.

Season 1:

Overall Opinion: I really liked it; it’s just lower on this list because the others are just better. It’s a great introduction to the series and to its characters, from Giles to Buffy to Willow to Jenny to Cordelia. It has great subtext a lot of the time (for example, Natalie French as She-Mantis is a literal predatory bug who engages in predatory behavior with students). Additionally, it subverts the typical YA trope of two guys and a girl, in which the girl is usually the least interesting character. Buffy and Willow were both fully fledged characters from the beginning with distinct strengths (even before Willow became a witch, as she wasn’t one in season 1 yet), while Xander was the more ordinary of the group. 

Unpopular Opinion/Biggest Critique: Xander’s arc showed its first flaws that unfortunately continued throughout the series: his writing was either very good or very indulgent in ways it never was for other characters.  (cough, the hyena episode, cough, in which he gets to skirt responsibility--and acknowledges that he is skirting it--for something the show will later hold others to account for). Xander’s just kind of inconsistent, which weakened his character over all. (Which is why both his love interests--Cordelia and then ultimately Anya--were good for him: they did not indulge him.) 

Favorite Episode: Witch, Nightmares. 

Season 4:

Overall Opinion: it’s still a good season. It’s a good portrayal of college and the growing pains of branching out, the strains of college growth on relationships (romantic and platonic). It shows us the first hints of Spuffy, giving us some serious Jungian symbolism between Spike and Buffy early on, and does well in establishing Xander/Anya and Willow/Tara as beautiful OTPs. Faith and Buffy’s foiling is fantastic. The Halloween episode was very fun as well. However, it suffers because its Big Bad, Adam, is not all that compelling thematically--yet, he could have been. See, the final battle pulls off the Power of Friendship in a really strong way but notably the season does not end there. Instead, it ends on dreams of each character’s worst fears, continuing what we saw in Nightmares in Season 1. Why? Because it shows us that the characters’ wars aren’t against monsters, but monsters of their own making: their flaws. Adam, as a literal Frankenstein, exemplifies this, but it wasn’t capitalized on as well as it could have been. 

Unpopular Opinion: Beer Bad isn’t a bad episode, at the very least because Buffy gets to punch Parker. It’s not one of the series’ best, obviously, but it does give Buffy an arc in that she gets her daydream of Parker begging her to come back, but she has overcome that desire and her desire for revenge. If we wanna talk about bad subtext in Season 4, Season 2′s Not It sex subtext continues in the Where the Wild Things Are episode in this season; it’s a powerful callout of abusive purity-culture churches, until the fact that the shame creates a literal curse undermines the progressive message it’s supposed to send. Also, the Thanksgiving episode (Pangs) is a nightmare of white guilt and Oh God Shut Up White People. 

Biggest Critique: Riley is awful. Like Kennedy, he had “love interest:normal” stamped on him and that was it. The thing is, he could have worked as an Angel foil, representative of the normal-life aspect of Buffy to Angel’s vampire/supernatural aspect, but the writers never explore this and seemed to even try to back away from that later on. They threw all the romantic cliches at the wall to see what sticks, from klutzy “I dropped my schoolbooks, that’s how we met” to cliché lines that had me rolling my eyes. Do you know how bad a romance has to be to make me dislike romantic tropes? 

Favorite Episodes: Fear Itself, Hush, Restless

Villain rankings: 

Dark Willow, the only villain to be truly sympathetic. While the addiction coding was insensitive and, while unsurprising for its time, aged extremely poorly. That said, Willow’s turn to the dark side after Tara’s death worked well for her character and the story: it was believable and paid off what had been building since Season 1's “Nightmares” episode (Willow’s inferiority complex). 

Glory managed to be genuinely terrifying, and humorous/enjoyable too. Her minions and their numerous nicknames for Glorificus were hilarious, as was her intense vanity. Her merging with Ben--a human being who genuinely wanted to be kind and good--added complexity and tragedy to her role. 

The First. A really good take on Satan. The seventh season as well as the First’s first appearance in season 3′s “Amends” had kind of blatant Christian symbolism, and so the First being essentially Satan works. Their disguising themselves as dead loved ones and the subtle manipulation they used to alienate people was really disturbing and well done. 

The Mayor, who was a terrible person but a truly good father. He provided an interesting contrast to the normal ‘bad dad’ bad guy character, in that he provided Faith exactly what the other characters refused to: he saw the best in her and offered her parental support, while the heroes didn’t and wound up pushing her away. 

The Trio, who were villains ahead of their time: whiny fanboy reddit dudebros, basically. The stakes seemed so much lower than fighting Glory, a literal god, the previous season. But that’s why they worked so well for Season 6′s human themes, and were especially disturbing because we all know people like them. I also appreciated the surprisingly sensitive takes on Jonathan and Andrew, who got to redeem themselves, but Warren did not, and I don’t think he should have either. 

Angelus + Drusilla. I’m ranking them below the Trio because Angelus was just sooooo different from Angel that it was difficult for me to feel the same way for him. He was still Angel, so it wasn’t possible to enjoy his villainy, but he also wasn’t nearly as sympathetic as Dark Willow, had no redeeming qualities like the Mayor, and wasn’t as disturbingly realistic as the Trio. However, the emotional stakes were excellently executed with him as the Big Bad, in that you were never quite sure how to feel and it just plain hurt. Also, Drusilla was a favorite recurring character. She was sympathetic and yet batsh*t enough to be enjoyable as a villain at the same time. 

The Master, who was just completely camp and really worked as an introductory villain. He was scary enough to believe he was a threat, and was funny enough to introduce the series’ humor as well. He was, like Glory, an enjoyable Big Bad. 

The Gentlemen, the one-off villains of Season 4′s Hush who were genuinely terrifying. It’s not as if they got a lot of explanation or any backstory, but they didn’t need it. 

Caleb, the misogynist priest. Fitting with the First’s Christian symbolism, Caleb serving as a spokesperson of all bad religious beliefs felt appropriate. He was also a good foil to Warren--being actually supernaturally powered instead of a wannabe--and to Tara’s family in being full-out evil. I despised him. 

Snyder. Okay Snyder is not a Big Bad like Adam is, but let’s face it: Adam is lame compared to the other villains. But Snyder as a principal? He was so irritating and yet really well used in the series to critique overly strict, hypocritical teachers. Like, we all know teachers like him. I loved to hate him, and his ending was so satisfying. 

[closedafterdark]

Beginning

Kwon Eunbi x Male Reader

9703 words

categories: smut, oral, mommy kink

Read on AFF

The first week of classes was always a struggle. 

You weren’t much of a morning person, preferring to sleep in until early afternoon. But life doesn’t always work the way you want it to. So, you had no choice but to get out of bed at the asscrack of dawn and drag yourself on campus.

You tapped your pencil to the rhythm of your foot as you looked around the classroom. A lot of bright, young faces. Mixed in with them were people you could align yourself with. Seasoned veterans, those who knew to cheat the system by doing the minimum amount of work possible in order to pass. You sat in the very back of the lecture hall, making sure your seat was as close to the doors as possible. Since most people chose to sit in the front, you had the entire row to yourself in the back. Your backpack was plopped on the seat next to you.

Sitting in the back meant you had a great view of the entire lecture hall. You were able to see most people’s laptop and phone screens. Many were focused on the current class or one of their others, while others were texting friends or browsing random videos. Since you have finished almost all of the classes required for your major, this was just to meet a graduation requirement.

“One last quarter, let’s get this over with.” you muttered to yourself as you closed your eyes.

“Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?” a soft voice called out.

You tilted your head up, opening your eyes. You were a bit annoyed, having almost fallen fully asleep. Looking up at the beautiful face smiling at you, your facial expression quickly changed. Her long, black hair flowed neatly down her shoulders. Her large, dark brown eyes could be seen even through her heartwarming eye smile. Her face was extremely symmetrical, milky in color and complemented by full, pink lips. You’ve never met someone so easy on the eyes.  But what really got your attention was her large chest, her bra outlined by a skintight white shirt that showed off her toned tummy. She completed the look with a pair of light blue jeans that highlighted every curve on her body. Wide full hips, powerful looking thighs, and a cute round butt that was begging to be spanked.

“Is anyone sitting next to you?” she repeated, pointing at where your backpack was.

“Oh… n-no.” you replied, taking your backpack and putting it behind you.

“Thank you.”

The beautiful woman takes off her bag and sits next to you. As you watch her take out her laptop and notebook, you can’t help yourself from smiling. She truly was attractive. At the same time, you looked down the row and the one across your left side. Both were completely empty, save for the two of you.

“I don’t mind but why did this beautiful woman sit next to me, of all places? Every other seat here is unoccupied.”

The woman sees your face deep in thought and smiles shyly.

“I sit in this area every time I have a class here, had at least one in the past three years. In this particular lecture hall, it’s my favorite spot. Don’t worry, I don’t have a crush on you or will follow you around campus like a lost puppy.” she teased, having seemingly read your mind.

“This is my favorite spot too. And I wasn’t trying to say you were-”

“Unless…”

“I uh-”

“I’m just kidding. Hi, my name is Kwon Eunbi.” her big, bright eyes shined as she extended her hand out to you. You take it in kind, introducing yourself as well.

“So, what’s your major?” Eunbi asked you.

“Biomedical Engineering, how about you?”

“Wow, you’re so smart! I’m in Broadcasting and Entertainment.” she replied.

You smiled. You just met her and she already made you feel comfortable. Talking to strangers was never your strong suit. Before you could ask her more questions, the professor entered the lecture hall.

“Welcome, all. This is Physics 136, Particle Physics. I’m your instructor for this course. Those of you who expect an easy A or are taking this class as a graduate requirement, I encourage you to leave now.”

The moment the professor stopped speaking, several students got up from their seats and began to exit the lecture hall. You and Eunbi looked at each other, both feeling uneasy.

“I take it you’re not a physics kind of girl?” you whispered to Eunbi.

“I’m not even a math kind of girl. I barely passed Calculus with a C-.” she whispered back. “But you’re good at physics, right?”

“Regular physics and a little bit of quantum for conversational purposes. I have no idea about particle physics” you replied.

You saw Eunbi’s momentarily shocked face before she smiled.

The only reason you took this extra class was because your academic adviser told you you needed a few more units in order to graduate. As it was only a few weeks before the quarter began, most classes were already full. You looked up all available options with open vacancies and ended up choosing this course. You learned Eunbi did the same thing.

The next few weeks came and went rather quickly. Particle physics was the only course you had to try in, all the others were general ed courses that you could have slept in and still passed. You and Eunbi continued to sit in your unofficial assigned seats in the back of the lecture hall. Sometimes she would switch it up and sit in your corner seat. Whoever arrived early would have a snack or drink ready for the other. Her warm smile was something you always looked forward to seeing in class. While you two kept your talking during lecture to a minimum, walks after class were fun as you two complained about the lesson or talked about what was going on in other classes. On a random Friday after class, Eunbi asked for your phone and inputted her number. You then received a text from an unknown number, seeing a simple smiley face. She smiles as she reminds you to save her number. The two of you got to know each other even better through texting. She was extremely witty and fun to talk to, often sending you multiple short messages at once. Most were about how boring her classes were or a photo of what she was currently eating.

The quarter has now entered the halfway point and as such, you no longer dreaded your morning class. Starting your day off seeing Eunbi’s pretty smile and her beautiful face were a great beginning to the school week. Experimental particle physics and the Large Hadron Collider didn’t even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath of air as Eunbi’s weekend beach trips with her friends or the new poses she learned in Pilates class.

You found yourself waking up at the usual time for the morning class, but leaving your apartment earlier so you could be the first one to the lecture hall. You wanted to talk to her a bit more, even if it was just a few minutes. You and Eunbi would meet up after class as well. Study sessions in the library or grabbing a quick bite to eat in the campus dining area. The more you two spent time together, Eunbi began to open up. You learned her mother was hesitant about her major since she wanted Eunbi to choose marketing instead. She worked several part time jobs every summer before a new school year in order to have some money saved up. During this time Eunbi became more physically affectionate, choosing to link arms with you often or finding excuses to softly hit you.

“I’m telling you, there’s no way you’re older than me!” Eunbi whined as you two were sitting under a tree at the on campus park.

“I told you, your brother is only a year older than me!” you said, laughing.

“Prove it.”

You handed her your campus ID. Eunbi smiled, seeing your photo.

“Nice picture..”

“Hey! My friend was with me. He made funny faces which caused the photo to look like that.” you replied.

She looked at your ID and gasped.

“Y-You’re… older…”

“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing. Plus, we’re only a year apart.”

Eunbi puffed her cheeks and pouted. She was convinced she was older, making you call her noona and being a tsundere when doing nice things for you.

“Awh, is my little Eunbi mad?” you said, pinching her cheeks.

She pushed your hand away. You laughed, Eunbi was always so cute when she sulked.

“I’m sorry, I thought you knew.” you said, looking at her sincerely.

“It’s just… it was nice being called noona for a change.” she said quietly.

“I can still call you that, you know. Nothing has to be different between us. Noona”

Eunbi looked into your eyes. You smiled, causing her to do the same. What you didn’t expect was for Eunbi to raise your hands and eat the remaining bite of your sandwich.

“What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is noona’s.”

You weren’t willing to admit it out loud, but you began to have feelings for Eunbi.

At long last, finals season arrived. The campus libraries and study centers were filled with students who looked like zombies, not caring about their appearance as the tables in front of them were littered with textbooks and other course materials. One person in particular dozed off with a coffee cup still in hand. You used to be one of these people, feeling like you had eyebags that made you look like a raccoon. You thought of the caffeine fueled all nighters that were pulled, cramming notes and binders full of work that ended up being more of memorization than actually studying the material. Those days are thankfully long gone. Now you only have the physics finals left to take, all you have to do is pass with a C. It’s safe to say, you were hardly under any stress.

Your professor scheduled a comprehensive review session the day before the final. Most finals weren’t for another week, but the entire class powered through the material which benefited both the students and the instructor. You decided to go, figuring you might actually learn something instead of coasting by like you have the entire quarter. Assuming your regular seat in the lecture hall, you look at your phone. It was only a few minutes until class began. You looked around, trying to find any sign of Eunbi. Thirty minutes into the review and she still hasn’t shown up. Never one to be late, you thought of all the possible scenarios for why she wasn’t currently next to you. Did she oversleep? Maybe she decided to just study at home. Is she sick? Maybe you should bring her some food. Or is she on a date? All these thoughts played out like a large film strip. You unlocked your phone and decided to text her.

“Everything okay? The final review is going on right now.”

“Ahh, yes I’m almost there! I’ll see you in a bit!”

As if on cue the moment you locked your phone and put it down, the lecture hall doors swung open and the woman you have been waiting for entered. Eunbi looked different today from her usual outfits. You knew her as someone who would wear tight fitting crop top tees and jeans, showing off her cute midriff and the tiniest bit of love handles. This time she wore a tan cardigan top with a black undershirt, one you were hoping was a spaghetti strap. She complimented the look with a gold bracelet, and rosy red colored nails that matched her tint of lipstick. The outfit was finished with a gray short pleated skirt and black thigh highs with sneakers. But what really caught your eye was her new bobbed haircut. Having grown used to Eunbi having long, beautiful hair, this was a pleasant surprise for you. It gave her even more of a mature and elegant vibe. You also could never get used to how beautiful she looked with and without makeup. Maybe she had an important date after class? You remember her talking about how one of the guys in the broadcasting club was extremely handsome. Jealousy welled inside you, you hated the thought of Eunbi being interested in someone else.

“Sorry I’m so late, slept past four alarms.” she whispered to you as she put her bag on the empty chair next to her and pulled out her notes.

“You’re dressed even nicer than usual, got a big date today?”

Eunbi looked at you and laughed softly before hitting your shoulder. “No, silly. The weather is nice today so I thought it was the perfect time to wear a cute outfit. Haven’t worn any of these since I bought them over the summer.”

A part of you wished you didn’t text Eunbi at all. The review that doubled as a final lecture had everyone’s attention but yours. Most of your time was spent stealing glances at your beautiful seatmate. You eyed the way her powerful thighs looked under a relatively short skirt and how the black thigh highs she wore were your weakness. But what you were really looking at was Eunbi’s large protruding breasts, especially when she removed the cardigan. Most of the time she wore tight fitting crop top tees or long sleeves, only showing the outline of her boobs. But now you are finally given a wonderful view of her cleavage and milky colored skin. You began to fantasize about burying your face with her breasts, or even how your penis would look sandwiched in between her soft flesh. Your eyes remained on her body like a high powered laser, scanning every inch of her body as possible. She’d probably be burned from how intensely you were eyeing her.

Thankfully, the class was finally over. You were happy you didn’t have an erection that had to be covered. You and Eunbi both sighed the moment you exited the class, both of you stretching your arms and bodies. You pulled Eunbi in for a hug, surprising her temporarily before she smiled and reciprocated. Letting go, you pinched her cheeks and waved at her. As you turned to leave, she called out your name.

“Are you doing anything after this?”

“Uh, probably going to the library and studying a bit. How about you?”

“I was too… but noona has a better idea.” she said, skipping towards you as she takes her arm in yours. “Why don’t we study at my place? I know you live on campus but my apartment is only ten minutes away by bus. It’s much quieter and I could really use my best friend to help me out.”

You looked unsure, you liked Eunbi and hanging out with her is always fun. But you wanted to actually do well on tomorrow’s exam. Eunbi tugged on the sleeve of your jacket, causing you to look down. Her bright beautiful eyes were watery as she pouted her lips and gave you the cutest sad expression you’ve ever seen.

“You can’t keep giving me those sad eyes every time.” you teased, pinching her cheeks.

“Please… I’ll even buy you dinner! Please. Oppa.”

Your eyes widened hearing her call you oppa, knowing she only reserves that word for when she really needs to. You were whipped for Eunbi, even if she was just your best friend. The truth was, you weren’t going to study at all. You were going to grab a meal and maybe a few drinks with friends before you went home and browsed through tv shows until it was time for bed.

“Fine. But I expect a really fancy dinner.” you teased, squishing her cheeks together as Eunbi pouted.

Eunbi squealed, happy you could never say no to her. Her stomach had other plans, making loud noises. She placed her hand on it, as you both looked at each other and laughed.

“Why don’t we eat something first?” you said.

“C’mon let’s go, noona knows a wonderful cafe we can hangout at for a bit.” she said as she held onto your hand and dragged you along. As Eunbi hummed and talked about how happy she was the quarter was about to end, you couldn’t help but notice how short her skirt really was. Every step she took showed off her well sculpted thighs and the tiniest bit of her round butt cheeks from where her shorts ended. You felt like they were teasing you, asking to be spanked.

The two of you reached the cafe. It was very modern, a minimalist approach to the interior and shiny countertops and machines scattered throughout. Eunbi’s arm was linked with yours as you two found a cozy table and sat down.

Eunbi pouted at you the moment you two sat down.

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

Eunbi remained silent, watching you intently. You looked down and saw her holding her phone.

“Does noona want me to take her photo?”

She nodded, smiling brightly at you.

“I really should be asking payment for being your photographer.” you said, laughing. You decided to take several photos of her, ensuring that she would like at least one. As the two of you scroll through the photos, you hear someone approaching your table.

“Welcome to our cafe, here are your menus. You two look like a lovely couple-” The slightly deep voice of the waitress caused you to look up.

“Oh, oppa!”

“Ting…”

Eunbi looked at the waitress and then you, slightly confused.

“Ahh, this is Chong Tingyan. She’s an old friend from when I took cooking classes a few years ago. We got really close after and her name amongst our friend group is Elkie. Ting, say hi. This is an unnie from oppa’s university.”

“Really? Hello, my name is Ting. Or Elkie as oppa likes to call me.” Elkie says with a laugh. Her husky, deeper sounding voice was a pleasant juxtaposition to her beautiful face and model-like body.

“Ah, yes. Hello.” Eunbi said timidly. She tucked several loose strands behind her ear. You could have sworn you saw the slightest hint of jealousy in Eunbi’s face, but decided not to say anything about it.

“How have you been, oppa? We never see you anymore! The girls always talk about you… and I miss you.” Elkie said, the last part in as quiet of a voice as possible.

“What was that?” you asked, a bit confused on what you just heard.

“I meant… Yeeun misses you! You know how she always hung around you whenever we all met up after class.”

“I miss you guys too. Ask the girls know when they are free, we need to catch up like old times.” you said, laughing softly.

“I will.” Elkie said, laughing as well. “What would you guys like to drink?”

“I’ll take a mocha frappuccino. What about you-”

“Your favorite drink still hasn’t changed, oppa.”

“With everything else changing, it’s nice to have something constant.” you replied.

“I’ll take an iced americano.” Eunbi simply interjected.

“Sure. I’m usually the barista but since one of the girls called out, I’m doing both today. I’ll be right back with your drinks.” Elkie said as she gave you a fist bump and walked away.

“Iced americano? You don’t normally drink coff-” Turning to Eunbi, you saw her nostrils flaring as there was a glint of anger in her eyes.

“Oppa. We’re going home after this.”

The two of you drank your caffeine filled beverages in relative silence before you went to the counter and thanked Elkie. This was quickly cut off, as Eunbi dragged you away. The walk to and wait for the bus was filled with more silence. You weren’t sure why she was so jealous of Elkie, deciding you would ask her about it when you were at her apartment.

“The bus is here.” Was all she said as she finally broke the hour long silent treatment. Eunbi boarded without a second glance at you. You sighed, tapping your phone at the digital farebox at the front. Since it was the middle of the afternoon on a weekday, there were no empty seats available. The ride from the cafe to where she said her apartment was wouldn’t take too long. But with each stop, more people got on than those who would get off.

The ride to her apartment was extremely bumpy, filled with steep hills and pothole laced asphalt. As fate would have it, you had an unexpected erection that would unintentionally rub against Eunbi’s butt through the fabric of both of your clothes. Internally cursing yourself for wearing joggers, you looked down and let out a silent scream as you saw a visibly noticeable bulge. Trying to move your hips sideways and not draw even more attention, you were temporarily successful until the bus running over a giant pothole caused the person behind you to push you onto Eunbi once more.

You were extremely nervous, the tip of your cock repeatedly pressed against Eunbi’s ass through her skirt as the bus continued to toss people around unforgivingly.

“Oppa…” Eunbi whimpered, nervously. “Oppa, I think someone’s poking my butt with their thing.”

As she reached behind to try and find out if it really was a pervert molesting her in public transportation, she swiftly turned around once she gripped onto something. Looking up, she found you extremely embarrassed, your face a beet-colored shade of red. Eunbi was right about someone poking her butt with their penis, but not that it was you accidentally doing so thanks to the rough bus ride. It took her a few seconds to register what was going on, before she released her tight grip on your penis and quickly turned around. Eunbi’s face reflected the same shade of red as yours when you both made eye contact.

Coughing slightly, Eunbi turned around and remained silent for the duration of the bus ride. Both of your faces felt warm as neither of you could do anything about your cock rubbing against Eunbi’s ass. While you were slightly turned on, you were mostly embarrassed of the entire situation.

Fortunately, this only lasted several more minutes as the automated recording message announced Eunbi’s stop. You thought about exiting several times, but worried about leaving Eunbi by herself. How were you supposed to face her now?

“Oppa, it’s our stop.” she said to you.

As the both of you got off, you wore your backpack in front while carrying her bag. Normally, Eunbi would have put her arm in yours by now. But after what happened at the cafe and bus, you weren’t surprised she just walked next to you. Eunbi knew what you were trying to do, but remained silent in order to save you from further embarrassment.

“Is our class the only final you have left?”

You looked over and were surprised, yet thankful she took the initiative and started a conversation after the incident on the bus.

“It is. I already finished my other two a few days ago. What about you?”

“Ours will be my first.”

The two of you smiled, happy to put the awkward situation behind you. Eunbi hit your shoulder softly as she returned to linking arms with you. You ended up laughing the entire walk over until you reached the outside of her apartment door. With one simple press of her passcode that you found out was her birthday, you entered Eunbi’s apartment.

It wasn’t much, but for a young single woman like Eunbi, a cozy one bedroom apartment felt like a house for a university student who relied on part time jobs and a bit of allowance from her parents.

“Make yourself at home, oppa.” She said to you, placing her bag on the couch and went inside her bedroom to change.

This was a foreign experience to you, having never been in any woman’s apartment or dorm room before. You admired the simplicity of her home, the bright colors and minimalist art pieces were a reflection of her personality.

“Let’s get started.” You heard her say from behind. Looking up, you mentally cursed yourself. Eunbi returned to wearing a tight fitting top, showing off her toned tummy as you noticed the words “Unknown Heroes” printed on the shirt that you desperately wanted to rip off. She changed into jean shorts, which still gave you a good view of the bottom part of Eunbi’s buttcheeks.

Her hips swayed with each step before she finally sat on the cool wooden floor. Patting the adjacent empty space, Eunbi invited you to accompany her. You took your laptop out of her bag and placed it on the low table in front of you both.

“Why don’t we study by ourselves for half an hour? And then ask each other questions afterwards.”

“Oh, sure. Sounds good.”

The truth was, you have already been studying throughout the week. You used it as an excuse to spend more time with Eunbi outside of class. Unfortunately, your plans for a wonderful day with her were ruined from the awkward meeting with Elkie and the dreaded dry humping that was still fresh in your mind. Slowly, you began fantasizing about Eunbi and her wonderful body, which caused your penis to become erect once more.

“What, why is this so hard! Oh my god!” you heard Eunbi scream, causing you to stop daydreaming.

“W-What happened…”

“This question is so hard! Can you show noona why she can’t solve this problem to completion?”

You sighed, thinking another incident was going to happen even though you were both sitting next to each other side by side. Eunbi handed you her notebook to review the homework question.

Reviewing what she had written down, you felt Eunbi leaning closer to see. Unfortunately, you felt her large, soft breasts firmly pressed against your arm. She placed her left arm on your upper thigh, rubbing it unconsciously. You were afraid she was going to touch your erection again. Eunbi’s body was so close to yours, you could smell the intoxicating scent radiating from her body. It was a beautiful floral fragrance, one you thought to be cherry blossoms which were a nice compliment to her natural body scent. Your heartbeat began to increase rapidly as you felt a lump start to form in your throat.

“So how do I complete it?” She asked, rubbing your thigh once more.

“To solve the question, you first… uh… get rid of the m on the r-right side and then divide by… uhh… uhm… V.”

“Really? That’s so easy! Thanks, oppa.” Eunbi said with a cheerful smile, returning to her side of the table.

You finally were able to catch your breath again, thankful she didn’t place her hand on your crotch once more.

Eunbi really wasn’t lying when she told you she wasn’t a Physics kind of girl at the beginning of the semester. She had no problem hosting the university’s radio program or talking to strangers, but finding the force at which an object drops was not her thing. She had many more questions for you as the two of you continued studying, and each time she placed her hand on your thigh and rubbed her pillowy soft tits on your arm.

After the first few times, you weren’t sure if Eunbi was doing it on purpose or not. You constantly questioned if this was her way of flirting with you. It was already a bit strange how she liked being physically affectionate with you, but you wondered if she placed her hands on thighs and rubbed her breasts on the arms of other guys before. You wanted to confess to Eunbi, but all the worst case scenarios played through your mind. How would she react to it? Would she think you were getting close only to get in her pants? Trying to decipher every word she was saying and her actions were doing you no good, it gave you more stress than the actual final at this point.

“Oppa, are you okay?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh y-yeah, I’m fine.”

“Why don’t we take a break? I’m tired of studying.” she said, leaning in close to you. Her soft voice tickled your inner ear as you felt the familiar sensations of her hand on your thigh and her breasts rubbing against your arm.

“That sounds great!” you replied, quickly going to the kitchen and opening the refrigerator. The sudden cold rush of air felt wonderful on your hot face and body.

There was no denying it at this point. All of Eunbi’s hints and innuendos pointed to one thing. And although you have fantasized and touched yourself at the thought of fucking Eunbi, you constantly told yourself someone like her was way out of your league. The worst part was, you’ve never been intimate with a woman before. Spending almost all of your time in college cooped up in the library or going straight to work after classes gave you little time for meeting girls at all. You enjoyed fantasizing about her, since it was the only way you could feel like you wouldn’t disappoint her in bed.

“Want anything to drink?”

“I’ll take another iced americano. Thanks, oppa!” She called from the desk, not bothering to look at you. Foraging around her refrigerator filled with various half eaten meals, you managed to find some and create drinks for the both of you.

“Hopefully this is strong enough for you.” You said to her as you handed her the drink.

The short coffee break was enough to re-energize you two to finish studying. Another half hour later, you did just that.

“Thank God, I’m so done with physics. I don’t want to look at another formula again after tomorrow.” Eunbi said, stretching her body as she leaned onto the couch.

The two of you began studying in the middle of the afternoon, looking outside the window to see it is now nighttime.

“Oh man, we studied for that long? Guess we should get some dinner.” you said.

“How about chicken and some beer? I know a place that delivers really quickly. I’m basically on their speed dial.”

“Sure, whatever you’d like.”

Eunbi took out her phone and began scrolling through, asking for your input to make sure she ordered the right flavors.

“Food should be here in about 15 minutes.”

The doorbell rang, indicating Eunbi’s order had arrived.

“Oppa, here’s my wallet.”

“Don’t worry, it shouldn’t be too expensive.”

Thanking the delivery driver, you grabbed the two plastic bags and placed them onto the study desk that Eunbi had cleared out.

Eunbi turned on the television and explained to you how she watched the program being aired every week, not wanting to miss a single episode. This was the first time the two of you shared a meal together. You tried your best to eat quickly while being clean, not wanting to show her how fast you could finish your meal. Eunbi on the other hand had other ideas, aggressively biting the chicken drumsticks and not bothering to wipe her lips.

“Ahh, that isn’t ladylike.” You said, wiping her lower lip with your thumb. Eunbi replied with a mischievous smile, telling you she was at home and as such, didn’t need to worry about others seeing her eat this way. Her cheeks were stretched as she stuffed copious amounts of food into her mouth. Her beautiful smile was pleasant to look at, it always made you smile back in response.

Just then, both of your phones dinged and your lockscreens were brought to life. Both of you had preview messages hidden, the only thing displayed was a new email notification. Eunbi leaned in closer to you, her breasts pressed against your shoulder. You sighed, trying to wipe your fingers clean before opening the message.

Dear Physics 136 students,

Apologies for this email reaching you all so late. It seems I have accidentally reserved the exam hall for this week, and not tomorrow like originally planned. As such, the exam will take place in exactly one week from tomorrow. I’m sorry once again and will look forward to seeing you all.

“I guess we have one more week to study then, huh.” she said.

“It seems so… why don’t we have more beer since we don’t have class tomorrow.”

Eunbi looked at you in pretend shock. “What happened to the oppa who only wanted to focus on studying?” she teased before swaying her hips and going to the kitchen. She returned with two ice cold cans of beer.

“I have a lot more so you don’t have to worry about drinking them quickly.”

As the two of you popped the tabs open, you raised the cans into the air.

“To particle physics!” you proudly stated.

“To particle physics.” Eunbi replied, giggling.

The two of you clinked cans and each took a sip. The cold alcoholic beverage mellowed your tense nerves. Dinner continued on as you both took bites of chicken and alternated pieces of pickled radish in between. The two of you shared stories from when you both first started university. The night was filled with embarrassing moments and fun filled laughter. Eventually, all of the things she ordered were consumed; many empty styrofoam packages were sprawled all over the desk.

“Thank you so much for dinner, noona. I really should be heading home though before the last bus arrives.”

“Awh, don’t leave. The night is still young! And you haven’t finished telling me the story about your roommate. One more beer. Just one more. Please… oppa.” She pleaded, using her giant, sad filled eyes to convince you to stay. You looked at the clock.

“I guess one more can wouldn’t hurt.”

Eunbi squealed in excitement, grabbing two more cans of beer as she listened intently about how your roommate got locked out of your old apartment when you went home one weekend to visit family. She managed to squeeze the truth about the beer only being one can, as the one can soon turns into two and then three.

“Eunbi, I really should get going.” You finally said, slightly slurring your words.

“Hmm… I don’t think you can, oppa. Look.” She said, holding out her phone and showing you the last bus just departed for the night.

“Don’t worry though! You can spend the night here!”

“A-Are you sure?” you asked. The both of you have consumed so many cans of beer, it was starting to affect your decision making.

“This couch is pretty comfortable. I’ve fallen asleep here many times when watching shows late at night.”

Besides being slightly intoxicated, you thought sleeping on the couch would be the best thing for both of you since it meant nothing you both would regret the next day would happen.

“Oppa, let’s have one more can!”

You sighed, before sitting back down and chugging the fermented beverage.

Crushing another can in your hand, the drinking moved onto the sofa as the two of you were feeling uncomfortable sitting on the floor. The alcohol certainly helped you feel more relaxed around Eunbi. The two of you changed topics and suddenly began telling each other secrets.

Leaning her head onto her fist, she turned to you slightly.

“So, oppa. How many girls have you fucked?”

You coughed, almost spitting out your beer. Her tone was a mix of joking and serious. You couldn’t take her seriously as she slurred her words and her cheeks were a deep shade of red.

“I think you should say how many guys you’ve fucked before.”

“That’s not fair! I asked the question first!” she whined.

“And I told you I failed my permit test the first time I took it! No one knows that.”

“Fine.” she said, rolling her eyes before sighing. “I’ve slept with four guys. And one girl, but that doesn’t really count since we just did oral stuff. Now it’s your turn to tell me.”

“I’ve slept with so many girls, I can’t remember off the top of my head.” you said arrogantly, laced with a hint of uncertainty.

Eunbi sensed this in your vocal tone.

“You’re lying!” she said, waving her can of beer in the air.

“It’s true! I can’t remember how many women I’ve bedded. I’d say close to a few hundred!”

She laughed, clapping her hands as her face turned even redder. “You? Sleeping with hundreds of women? There’s no way.”

“But it’s true.”

She suddenly gasped, her facial expression changing from laughter to genuine shock.

“Oh my god… Oppa. Are you still a virgin?”

“N-No! Psh, of course not!”

“Oh my god… my oppa is a virgin! Oppa is a virgin!” she teased, laughing rather loudly at this newfound knowledge.

“Fine, okay! I’m still a virgin! Is that what you wanted to hear? I’ve never fucked a woman before.” you yelled out in anger, annoyed at her teasing.

Eunbi was caught by surprise as you turned away from her and sulked. She felt bad for teasing you so much.

“Awh baby, I’m sorry. I took things too far.” she said, turning you around as her hand rubbed your upper thigh.

“Why don’t we change that tonight?” she whispered in your ear seductively, rubbing your cheek before leaning closer. Your lips pressed against each other as you felt her straddle your lap. She playfully bites your lower lip, giggling when you return the action. Her tongue slipped through her parted lips and into yours, forcefully exploring your cavern past your teeth. She eventually retreated, allowing you to reciprocate. The two of you enjoyed giving each other passionate kisses as Eunbi started to move her hips, grinding against your crotch as you bit on her tongue gently. The both of you could feel your cock becoming erect.

Eunbi continues kissing you lovingly, her hand trailing down your neck, past your chest before finding its way down to your tip and crotch area once more. As she slowly forms a claw with her hand on it, you grab her wrist with enough pressure so that it wouldn’t hurt and release her hold on your lips.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“Look, Eunbi. I’m really scared. I don’t want to disappoint you. I really like you and I’m just scared that if we do this, you won’t ever want to see me again after tonight.”

She laughed softly, her rosy red cheeks prominent.

“Baby if I didn’t like you, why would I invite you to my apartment? I really like you too and no, it’s not the alcohol talking. I tried to make it so obvious. I even put on a girly outfit because I planned on today being our first date. But then I ruined it by being jealous of the barista at the cafe. You won’t disappoint me. I think it’s sweet you’re still a virgin. Mommy has a few tricks up her sleeve.”

“Mommy?” you questioned as she pressed her lips against yours once more. She deepened the kiss while simultaneously playing with the tip of your erect cock through your pants, tracing her finger around it.

“Take off your shirt, baby.” she said after breaking the kiss. You quickly do so, tossing it near the kitchen. You helped her remove hers, revealing her black laced bra. Her breasts were even larger than you imagined, a pleasant view which complimented her extremely fit body. Eunbi held onto the waistband of your joggers as she pulled them down to your ankles before removing them fully and tossing them into the void of the living room. Your cock stuck out through your cotton boxers, wanting to be freed from its fabric imprisonment. Eunbi giggled, biting on your tip gently as she noticed a dark stain soaking through.

“Someone seems to be horny.”

“Who wouldn’t be when the woman they like titty fucks their arm during studying.”

Eunbi giggled as she grabbed onto the waistband of your boxers and roughly pulled them down. She is met with a slap to the face of your cock as it sprang free. You were completely exposed in front of her. Eunbi eyed your naked body like a predator who has its sights on its prey. She looked at your cock with hunger, dying for a taste.

Her mouth inched forward, getting closer to your cock. You mentally prepared yourself for her to take you in her mouth, only for her to smirk mischievously as she deviated course and went for your balls. Eunbi’s warm hand gripped onto your shaft as she sucked on each of your full balls. Her strokes were agonizingly slow, trying to draw as much precum out of you as possible. She painted long stripes of saliva from base to tip, swirling her tongue in a counterclockwise motion. Eunbi took her time, wanting to torture you by occasionally stopping and restarting from your base, never fully taking you in her mouth. You tilted your head back on the couch, trying your best to endure the pleasure.

“That’s what you get for not asking me out first.”

Precum continued dribbling out of your tip as she made her way up one final time. As she parted her puckered lips from your shaft, you noticed her lining them up in front of your tip. Giving it a deep kiss, she began taking your cock inside her mouth slowly. You felt her soft, red velvety lips wrapped around your head as she plunged lower and lower onto your shaft. The warmth of her wet mouth and the strength of her suction sent waves of pleasure flowing through your body. She sucked your cock slowly, bobbing up and down at a snail’s pace. Eunbi was testing your limits, never breaking eye contact as she intently watched your facial expressions.

Once the two of you got more comfortable, Eunbi picked up the pace. Her lips started descending lower and lower with each bob of her head. Although your eyes were closed, you felt Eunbi reach for your hands and place them on either side of her head. You followed along to the rhythm she was using to suck your cock. You let out a loud moan as you felt your tip reach the back of her throat. Her eyes started to water as you began pushing her head deeper and deeper. You forced your eyes open, watching as the girl you liked was on her knees and giving you a blowjob. You mentally punched yourself for not having the courage to ask her out.

Eunbi released your cock with a loud pop, traces of her saliva connected to your cock and her mouth. More flowed down her chin and onto the floor below. She smiled, proud of the work she has done. You whimpered, wanting to feel your cock in her mouth even more.

“Don’t worry, baby. This is your reward for being my friend… and soon to be boyfriend by the end of this night.”

Eunbi reached behind and loosened her bra, her soft tits jiggling with each movement. Even though they were covered, you wouldn’t mind staring at them for the rest of your life. She moved slightly towards you. Creating an opening between her bra and tits, Eunbi captured your cock. Both of you moaned as you felt her pillowy soft flesh sandwich your cock in between them.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

She slowly grinds her chest against your lower body, your shaft that was covered in her saliva provided easy access in and out between her breasts. You watched as your head and upper half of your cock appeared and disappeared repeatedly from between the mounds of warm, soft flesh.

You were in awe by the sheer amount of pleasure this brought, all of your desires about Eunbi slowly being fulfilled. She tries to lick your head each time it appears from between her breasts, but is unsuccessful as only her tongue is temporarily able to make contact. This doesn’t bother you at all, as it sends waves of pleasure coursing through your body. You sat on the couch, completely under Eunbi’s spell as she continued to take your hard cock in between her warm, now wet breasts. Her hands squeeze her bra and flesh tightly around your cock. As she continues to try and suck your cock, the both of you alternate between tilting your head back and making eye contact as she looks at you with heavy, seductive eyes.

“Fuck… mommy, that feels so amazing.”

“It does, doesn’t it baby?” she replied, so absorbed at having your cock between her breasts she can’t focus on anything else.

“Oh fuck… mommy is going to make me cum.”

“Cum for mommy, baby.” she said, her full attention still on your cock but now also on the pleasure she is giving you. She increased the pace, squeezing her breasts even tighter around your shaft as it appears and retreats between her soft mounds of flesh. Eunbi pumps her chest faster and faster, smirking in satisfaction as she sees you about to reach your breaking point.

“Mommy… I’m cumming!”

“Cum, baby. Cum for mommy. Shower mommy’s face and tits with your hot, sticky cum. Cum for mommy!”

Your orgasm causes you to groan loudly, as you feel every single semen from your balls erupt from your shaft. The first shot releases while your head is still covered by Eunbi’s large breasts. It sent hot, thick semen into her cleavage and lubricated her breasts with each consecutive thrust. Eunbi tilts her face down as you feel the rest of your semen paint her chin and face, drawing streaks across her cute and innocent features. Some even managed to get in her hair.

You were a bit sad your first ejaculation wasn’t inside her mouth or pussy, but the pleasure she gave you could not be described with enough words. You were awestruck, staring at Eunbi’s cum stained face as the last few thrusts of your cock between her tits released leftover amounts of semen on her upper chest and neck. She grinded her chest on your cock as your orgasm slowly winded down.

Eunbi regretfully releases your cock from her warm, wet cleavage. She returns to her knees, running her tongue on the underside of your base until she reaches your tip. This causes your body to shiver as she pleasures your cock post-orgasm. As she sucks the last few dribbles of your cum, she stretches her body and lets you fully see your artwork on her body. Your semen was sprayed all over her breasts, the soft milky colored skin the perfect canvas for your sin. Her giant, beautiful eyes smiled sweetly at you which contrasted you defiling her face. She smiled, rubbing your cum into her skin, giving it a shiny appearance from the light coming from above.

“Good, you’ll be able to last longer when you fuck me.” Eunbi said, licking her lips as she traced your cum on her face with her fingers before consuming it.

Holding onto you by your cock, she led you to the bedroom. Removing her bra, you were finally blessed with her massive breasts in all of their glory.

“Take off mommy’s shorts, baby.”

One swift unbutton and unzip later, you were met with a matching black thong. She had a noticeable wet spot like you did earlier.

“Someone seems to be horny.” you teased, repeating her words from earlier.

“What girl wouldn’t be when the guy she likes dry humped her on the bus. Now enough, take this useless piece of cloth off mommy.”

You chuckled, the vulgarity of her words a pleasant yet welcomed juxtaposition to her sweet and innocent face. As you slid the poor excuse of fabric off her creamy, wide hips as you were presented with her bright pink pussy. You couldn’t help but stare at how beautiful she was.

“Baby… why are you staring? Aren’t you going to taste mommy?” A hint of neediness in her voice as her juices began to flow out of her cavern.

You rubbed her thighs gently, massaging her before spreading them apart. As all of this is a new experience for you, the only frame of reference you had for performing oral sex on a woman was from watching porn. All the male, and sometimes female, performers would like the receiving woman’s pussy like it was freshly scooped ice cream. Using that mental image, you sank your head into her wet pussy and stuck out your tongue. Parting her lips, you licked her slit from bottom to top, gradually increasing the pace. You looked like a dog that had been dehydrated for weeks. Expecting to hear moans, you were surprised that Eunbi giggled from you attempting to pleasure her pussy.

“Awh, baby. You really are a virgin, aren’t you?” she joked, still giggling. “My pussy isn’t a popsicle or ice cream. Why don’t you try this. Try drawing the letters of the alphabet with your tongue. Try to guess when to change the speed and pressure as you go along.”

Wanting to pleasure her the same way she did to you, you started off slow. Your tongue went between and all around her warm and wet folds. You even managed to kiss the inner creases of her thighs. As you began drawing the alphabet with your tongue, Eunbi giggled as you recited each letter. A-G was Eunbi still laughing but the further down you went, those giggles turned into moans, especially when you drew the letter V. Her skin started to dampen as you heard her breathing become heavier.

“Baby… oh my god. Baby…!”

Her right hand squeezed her tits, massaging them as she pinched her erect nipples. While her left hand pressed against the back of your head, pushing you deeper as you tasted the juices escaping her dripping wet pussy. Eunbi’s moans evolved into soft screams as you felt her back arch and her toes curl from the heightened pleasure you were giving her. Feeling her orgasm was fast approaching, she pulled on your hair to withdraw your head from her pussy.

“I want you inside me…” she moaned when you gave her a confused expression.

Your cock recovered from your intense orgasm earlier and the act of performing oral on her as well as Eunbi constantly yelling out your name caused it to become erect once more.

You rubbed your cock against her outer pussy lips, feeling her juices stick onto your tip.

“No foreplay, please baby. Just stick your cock inside me.”

Eunbi moaned as you spread her legs and pushed yourself inside her slippery cavern. The sheer warmth and tightness of her pussy felt a thousand times better than using your hand to stroke yourself. Her pussy lips wrapped around your shaft as you slowly thrusted inside her. Eunbi was painfully tight, as the nerve endings on your tip light up in delight from the new sensation.

Eunbi played with her nipples, as her left hand stimulated her clit. You massaged the breast that she wasn’t currently fondling as you thrusted deep inside her. Her tits jiggled from the motion as her body moved up and down. Eunbi was moaning out your name, but her facial expressions weren’t giving the impression that she was enjoying it. Noticing this, you slowed down your thrusts.

“Are you okay, mommy?” you asked.

“I’m really glad you gave me your virginity and I’m happy we’re finally having sex.”

“But?”

“But it doesn’t feel as good as I want it to be.” she panted, trying to catch her breath as you continued slowly fucking her. “Maybe we should try a different position. What do you think?”

“Why don’t you lay down on your tummy?”

Eunbi giggled, giving you a kiss as her back was now facing you. Her elbows and knees were on the bed as she pressed one side of her face onto a pillow. Arching her back high, she gave you a clear view of her perfectly round ass and strong back muscles. As you slide your cock inside her once more, this newfound position allowed you to enter her even deeper. Starting off slow before gradually increasing in rhythm, Eunbi’s moans became louder and more intense.

“Oh fuck, baby… this feels so good.”

You rammed your cock as hard and deep as her tight lips would allow, making sure to cover every inch of your cock with her warm and wet cavern. You joined her, moaning from the pleasure as she panted, trying to catch her breath as her ass smacked against your body repeatedly.

“B-Baby… slow down. There’s a-another position I want to try.”

Removing herself from your cock, Eunbi gently pushed you down onto the bed. You anticipated her next move. Watching Eunbi straddle your legs, she knelt over your cock before using her hand as a guide to slowly lower herself onto your cock. A loud, satisfied moan escaped her lips as your tip once again parted her warm, tight pussy lips. She firmly planted her hands on your chest for support as she began riding your cock.

In this position, Eunbi had all of the control. Not that it made any difference from the rest of the night. Eunbi got more confident the longer she rode you, increasing her pace and going faster than you did. You watched as her large tits bounced up and down along with her, hypnotizing you in all of their fleshy glory. Her moans became louder and louder as your cock disappeared into her slit.

“Mommy, that feels so good.” you managed to moan out when you feel her unconsciously tighten her muscles around your cock, providing you with a euphoric feeling.

“Oh fuck…” you exhaled. “Do that again, mommy.”

Eunbi listened to you, clenching her vaginal muscles hard. She is rewarded with your cries of pleasure.

“Baby, mommy’s going to-” Eunbi is unable to finish her sentence as her orgasm takes over her body. She tilted her head back as the waves of pleasure coursed through her body and into her core. She squeezes your thighs tightly as her toes curled from the ecstasy she was feeling. Eunbi’s body violently shakes as her pussy juices flood your cock. She continues bouncing on your cock as she rides her orgasm down.

“B-Baby, that was amazing. Now it’s your turn to cum. Can you do that? Can you please cum for mommy?”

This time, all her attention and energy was focused on you. She continued riding your cock, looking you straight in the eyes as you noticed a seductive and lust filled gaze as well as a naughty smile. Every bounce of her body on your cock provided you a tingling sensation as you felt your shaft entering and exiting her tight, wet walls. It didn’t take very long for your own orgasm to arrive.

“Mommy, I’m going to c-cum.” you panted.

“You can cum in my pussy later. Right now, I want you in my mouth.”

Eunbi dismounted you, causing you to whine at the loss of her pussy. She made you stand up on the edge of the bed as she got on her knees. Taking your throbbing cock and slapping her tongue with it several times, she alternated between sucking your tip and stroking your shaft in order to get you to cum.

“Baby… cum for mommy. Give mommy all of your hot cum.”

As you grabbed onto Eunbi’s head and forced her to take your cock all the way to its base, you repeatedly bobbed her head up and down as she eagerly awaited your hot load. Unable to hold out any longer, you let out a loud groan as you felt your cock exploding inside her mouth. Your body shakes with each spurt you release, your orgasm filling Eunbi’s wet mouth. You opened your eyes and looked down, seeing the pure enjoyment in her face that she was able to make you cum so much. Eunbi hadn’t swallowed any of your load yet, opening her mouth to show you the abundance of the creamy white present you graciously gifted her. She playfully gargles your cum in her mouth before tilting her head up and swallowing it all, letting you see it travel down her throat and into her stomach. She smacks her lips together and lets out a loud satisfied hum as you collapse back onto the bed. Your entire body was exhausted after Eunbi gave you one of the most intense orgasms you have ever had.

“You taste so good, baby.” Eunbi hums as she wipes the remaining traces of cum and saliva from her chin and mouth. You gather the last remaining bit of energy and raise your head, watching her clean her hands and fingers as her gaze returns to you. As you struggle to catch your breath, Eunbi climbed back onto her bed and rested her head on your chest.

“H-How did I do, mommy?” you asked.

“Well…” she said, cutely pouting as she placed a finger on her temple. “You definitely made mommy feel good. But since it was your first time, you were still lacking in certain areas. I’ll give you a C+.”

“Awh, a C+? I wanted an A.” you pouted, pretending to be hurt.

Eunbi smacks your chest softly, asking for a kiss.

“It’s okay, baby. You know what they say, practice makes perfect.”

Eunbi plants kisses on your chest before swinging her legs on your lap, leaning down to give you passionate kisses once more. The newfound relationship that blossomed between you two was made official on this night. And as Eunbi guided her pussy back onto your cock once more, the two of you moaned as she planted her hands on your chest and began slowly riding you. 

It’s a good thing the final was next week, you were certain the two of you wouldn’t be able to make it to class the following morning.

[batty4dragon]

Can I just say the fact that it exists and what's in it, it's message and that it was approved made me throw up in my mouth? How can they poison some thing so pure and innocent and wholesome and important ? How can they make someone good, someone who is a good friend and supporter who friercely protects and loves his rider and family, not care about them and toss them aside and do it in most douche kind of way?

"am I not enough ? Hiccup asked Toothless. Toothless paused then dashed away."

Literally what kind of friend does that? Not even trying to confront your best friend as apparently that book still calls them that but it only just adds one more pinch of salt to injury, what kind of friend sees his friend upset and doesn't care? A shitty one, asshole, someone who only cares about food in your fridge and if you have money to take that's who and it disgusts me. Relationships don't work that way. Feelings and love and protectiveness towards your family don't dissapear just because a pretty girl you just meet appeared. Hiccup struggled and tried to be enough, but didn't manage it since he was little and in httyd 1 finally he was someone enough for Toothless and it let Hiccup unravel and develop. Their relationship was amazing and heartwarming and pure they could count on each other no matter the trouble and to see it all just tossed like yesterday's trash for the sake of this nightmare? Made me feel cold, absolutely horrified and angry and pretty duckin depressed. What's the point of making friends and relationships when even one as beautiful as this can stab you in the back and your very best friend abandoned you for a pretty girl he barely knows and doesn't care about you anymore. Because that's the only thing I'm getting from thw. Sometimes friends drift apart that's true but they still communicate, they care if other is sad and do t break things off unless one does something really really bad and remain in contact and what Hiccup and Toothless had was strong and deep and something very different from what school friends or friends from work etc have so comparing them to it is unfitting. Hell the official wiki called them soulmates which Dean apparently decided that he didn't see. The fact that Grimmel isn't even in it and apparently other dragons stay is ridiculous and insulting. The only lesson for children from that book and movie is " Toss all your friends and family aside if the girl is pretty enough. Platonic love is utterly inferior to romantic interest after all. All your friends will leave you eventually. The only way to escape and be safe from bigotry and prejudice is to hide until the world thinks we don't exist and no one is trying to make that world safe for us, if we show ourselves again it would cause chaos and we will be in danger again meaning we are sentenced to stay in hiding forever" Trully amazing message in those times.

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-night-fury-and-the-light-fury-tina-gallo/1128864180

If Tuffnut or Snotlout meet a hot girl on another island and he only exchanged few words with her but she was soooo beautiful would you still say it's okay? He should abandon Berk, his friends and his dragon for her no? Because she is scared of dragons obliviously. Even if they barely know her. They suddenly don't care anymore about anything but her suddenly after all. Sounds like magic love potion to me. That needs some hammer to the head to get rid off.

Sorry for the rant. But I just had to say something about it, it's been bubbling inside me and keeps doing it without end.

I'm exchausted. Httyd was my home away from home I retreated here when things pulled me down and it always made me feel safe, it never failed to help me rise up to remind me that even when things look bad it's worth holding on and fighting because things will get better eventually but now it's all corrupted, burned down with skeletons of what it was lying about and I feel constant danger in it now, it feels like cemetery. When THW came out I felt a string of hope httyd always gave me because exactly in that same year mere weeks before I lost my parent and was struggling to cope so I thought that it will help me rise again, remind me of that again, and since Hiccup lost his father recently too I expected to see him deal with that also, but that wasn't even touched upon at all and instead what thw did was go against everything httyd stands for and crapped on it while butchering characters to the bone, it kicked me down even lower. I felt even worse, everything felt numb, it felt like I just escaped from somewhere where I saw someone take something dear from me, stomped it down, mangled it, set fire on it and then spat on it, like nothing mattered and it's not worth fighting anymore. And I feel like giving up and leaving and I did for a while but I don't want to anymore, it's exacly what THW says to do. I have to keep fighting and believing in what httyd 1, 2 and tvshows was and showed us. I have to remember the real Hiccup and Toothless and not let them get burried by this mockery versions of them. The only way I regard THW is a nightmare, a mockery. It's what exactly Hiccup's nightmare would be.

Is there even hope of saving httyd somehow ?

[booksatm]

here’s my personal opinion on #elriel vs #gwynriel. (not that it matters to everyone, but imma state it anyway)

was the gwynriel scene touching? for sure. could she be azriel’s mate? quite possibly, i don’t see why not.

does that mean they have to end up together? NO. keep in mind, gwyn is JUST overcoming being around the opposite gender...like even at the end of ACOSF she kinda went back into her shell & had to think about attending #nessian ‘s mating ceremony cause the Rite messed her up again. she has personal growing to do, so do i think SJM is gonna toss her a man to help her get through her trauma WITH MEN...no...no, i do not. could azriel be gwyn’s mate — of course, but why can’t he just be the kind of mate who’s there for her? SJM has been laying too many clues for us regarding this mate thing; “it can be rejected”, “there can be more than one”; “it doesn’t have to result in a romantic relationship”, for y’all to believe every mating couple is going to end up together within the inner circle.

now, onto my girl elain. SHE HAD FAR TOO MUCH BUILDUP FOR THE NEXT BOOK NOT TO BE ABOUT HER. elain had so much, legitimately, so much buildup from ACOSF & all the previous books. AND IF YALL WANNA RECOGNIZE ONE POV, LETS RECOGNIZE THEM BOTH. why in the hickity heck would SJM have Rhys and Feyre talk about Elain “showing a different side to herself” for half of their POV chapter, if the next book wasn’t gonna be about her? SJM said that who the next book is about will be obvious....are we gonna ignore the elain sized elephant in the room where BOTH POVs spoke about her, and that throughout the book Elain was a quite frequent ‘mysterious’ figure that everyone was shook was finally standing up for herself? gwyn was only mentioned in azriel’s...soooo... & since we know each new books surrounds a pair that’ll become a couple; 1+1=elriel. & tbh y’all not liking the 3 brothers w/ the 3 sisters is kinda ehh cause who wouldn’t want to give the Bat Bois a chance to actually be brothers if they could??? like, i cannot think of anything more heartwarming. & let’s also not forget we had this same arguement at the end of ACOFAS with Cassian and Emerie...like y’all were so against Nesta that you really thought Cassian was going to end up with someone else, even though we’d had book after book of buildup. do we not see a pattern here? i’m just glad we’ve given up on #elucian, which was also held onto for quite a while even though we’d had book after book of evidence against that too...hmmm...another pattern. let’s not ignore evidence & SJM’s writing style.

in the end, gwyn is an amazing character, but if you came away from ACOSF thinking “oh yeah, and next she should get a romantic interest”, you got the wrong message from her story. she deserves love, of course, but not after the trauma she still needs to find her own way to overcome. & the love between her, Emerie, & Nesta was, very evidently, enough for her. and for y’all about to say “what about Nesta & Cassian, she just overcame trauma too and they got together”, THEYRE NOT THE SAME. nesta held no trauma that made her fearful of the opposite sex. trauma is different, and people have different ways of coping with it. what works for nesta is not guaranteed to work for Gwyn. most importantly, SJM is really setting us up for a powerful “choice” romance. i say that to mean, a major theme between Az & Elain is that their choices were being taken away from them. Elain hasn’t been able to make her own choices because of her sisters or Lucien, and now she can’t even decide to kiss a man she likes. Az has always been the ‘good soldier’ and wasn’t able to have Mor, a happy upbringing, and now Elain. he’s always been the “yes man”. like, i’m expecting Az to pop off and tell everyone “No, i’m doing what is going to make me happy”. he did that once when he went to save Elain in ACOWAR & i can’t wait to see him fight for who/what he wants once more (&i think being around elain makes him feel as though he can). think about it...now, why would SJM give us so much information about the “Blood Duel” & rejecting the bond if we weren’t going to see it at all...??? she wouldn’t do that. uh-uh. & for y’all who are referencing the shadows or the fact that Elain can’t give Az a baby...imma only say this once & hopefully we don’t have to address the latter ever again; the shadows leave when Az is safe & happy. so many quotes from the previous books showcase this. not saying that them dancing with gwyn means that he’s in danger, but the shadows have been shown to gravitate toward those with trauma, so they recognize gwyn’s pain & surround her. Elain allows Az to finally be at rest...his shadows can finally leave him. just think, would you really want the darkness surrounding you 24/7? no. the shadows are practically his job, so ofc he would want to be around someone who has them go away. he wants, craves some light. and with the freaking baby thing. women are not only used for procreation, but since y’all wanna keep bringing it up, technically Gwyn doesn’t have wings either, last i checked, so she wouldn’t be able to deliver the same way Elain isn’t able to. but that’s so legitimately disgusting to even argue about so, there. you can ship who you wanna ship or not, because personally, i find this all very entertaining. but if we wanna get into “whose right” or “the facts lead to gwyn”, i just wanted to present my own case for #elriel. if you simply don’t like elain with azriel because “elain is boring” “he deserves better” then please keep your misogynistic tendencies to yourself cause we stan all women in ACOTAR over here (with the exception of Amarantha). elain deserves happiness just like azriel does, so if her happiness lies with him or with a literal tree, she deserves whatever she wants just as much as any other character in this world.

[aitarose]

hi! i’ve been so inactive lately and wanted to post something today, and i realized i haven’t made an appreciation post for my moots in a hot minute—so hey hotties, here’s some cute words about uu. oh and this isn’t all of my mutuals, just the one’s i’ve spoken to outside of the discord lol asjfdkl

@hesthermay —❥ you’re one of my best friends and ilysm and i hope that we get to meet in person one day, so you can endlessly hear me talk about how much i love jimmy woo. also i want to get matching marvel bracelets or smth, gonna look on etsy later for us ajskdlf

@probablydisgusting —❥ you’re like actually so funny and sweet, whenever you pop in the gc on snap just to say goodmorning or goodnight—it really makes everyone’s day and we love having you around. plus, you were one of the first people to pop into my inbox when i was an atla blog and i think that’s so nice.

@imarizaki —❥ i literaly love you sm mari, like you’re adorable and i want to give you a hug, i feel like you give rlly good hugs. and congrats on 400!! you deserve it and i hope 500 comes rolling around fast so you can hit another milestone in the near future ajskfdl

@tsukishumai —❥ cam i swear i know your name like I SWEAR I DO! you’re like an older sister to everyone in the discord and you bring such a comforting presence like it’s so nice to have you in the chat whenever you choose to pop in. you’re quite literally the calm to our insanity

@fukurodianthus —❥ dani you’re asleep rn but when you wake up and see this i want you do know that ily wifey. pls i love it when you harass me in my inbox, i think it’s so funny AND IM GOING TO FLOOD YOUR’S EVENTUALLY I JUST NEED TO BECOME ACTIVE AGAIN ASDJKL

@missmorosis —❥ you’re literally one of my favorite moots ever and you’re always so sweet to me and everyone else around you, it’s so heartwarming to see your positivity and happiness on tumblr and how hard you work! pls ilysm

@ray-ofmoonlight —❥ I LOVE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THE BACHELOR. i haven’t responded in a hot minute, but dw i’ll answer in a bit i have to go through my messages jaksfld. you’re so nice and fun, and literally the sweetest ever

@diorzumi​ —❥ hi rheya! i’m so glad you took the time and all that hard work to make the server, like that’s insane and i still can’t believe you did all of that. pls the amount of effort you put into keeping it up is so evident and amazing!! also ur rlly pretty, like RLLY pretty

@luvoikawa​ —❥ gigi!! my face literally lights up whenever i see you in my notifs or on my dash pls. i love your energy sm and the presence you bring to the discord. like idk, you just seem really cool to me, does that make sense? like you have cool girl energy.

@sugas-cookie​ —❥ hello rissie. you should be sleeping rn, but ily and you’re my favorite and only child, and no matter what i say i would never bring you back to the ditch. but like...the frogs? i fucking hate the frogs, abolish all frogs they make me physically cringe i cannot.

@kei7ime​ —❥ CHLOEEE!! every time i see your theme i feel so satisfied, like it’s so pretty it rlly is. you’re so fun and i love talking to you or just popping in your inbox to say hi. omg hi chloe!! ok ok ily

@pxnk-velvet​ —❥ angie your drawing of us are so cute and i love them sm, and i can’t wait to read the story that you’ve been writing of our gc as a volleyball team, like pls i’m so excited. also the line “just shut up already, angie” lives in my head rent free

@miyalove​ —❥ hi dylan! i haven’t popped in your inbox in a while but i just wanted to tell you that i love u and you’re so nice and sweet and ilysm. you give off hot girl energy dylan, like for real, you rlly do.

@iwaizoom​ —❥ HI JADE. you’re so nice and your blog is so pretty, like the light green jaskljl PLS ITS SO PRETTY. i love the vibes you give off like you’re so chill and so easy to talk to sjakljdkl pls ilysm

@kageyuji​ —❥ lore i love you. like i love you. every time i talk to you i just feel happy like idk it’s this overwhelming feeling, you just have this gift where people feel comfortable when they’re talking to you. and your blog is so pretty pls asdjl

@hikariakaashi​ —❥ you’re one of my favorite moots, firstly bc of our interactions on tumblr in the early days of the discord and now on snap too. you have rlly good style, like rlly good style—and whenever you do your voice asks, your voice is like rlly pretty! girl you have a rlly pretty voice!

@ceci-chan​ —❥ hi twinnie! pls i think it’s so funny that we have literally the exact same nose, that’s actually wild. it’s so fun to watch your blog grow and your events are so cute and ily

@nekomabvc​ —❥ i buried you in here so you’d have to search for your part. literally going to say nothing i’m tired of writing about you goodbye. you called me a whore this morning. that’s not very swag of you, i’m going to report you to mab and cancel you on corpse tumblr.

@bellesowl​ —❥ hi isa! we haven’t interacted all that much, but in the times we have you’ve been so kind. and you’re rlly pretty, just sayin. you’re blog is also super aesthetic and i literally live for it, pls the muted tones are everything ajsdlk

@gellysticks​ —❥ angela pls you’re actually so funny like you’re so funny. every time your tiktoks come up in my suggested they literally make me laugh pls—but the frogs are terrible. abort frogs. this is a frog slandering blog. me and all my homies HATE frogs.

@cafemiya​ —❥ issy you give off such hot girl energy (and you are a hot girl anyways) and your energy is so contagious, like idk how it just is. you bring this positivity to the discord just by being there and i know everyone is so thankful that you’re so interactive with us jaskfdl

@biqherosix​ —❥ DANIZA I HAVEN’T OPENED YOUR SNAP YET BUT I RLLY WANT TO HEAR YOUR BAND PLAY. pls that’s literally so cool, like i wish i was in a cool band with my friends jsakdljkl. i love talking to you and we’ve been friends for like a good three months now which is crazy

@velvetfireworks​ —❥ rach i literally never read fics but yours are so good and they live in my head rent free. PLS THE SAKUSA ONE FOR THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB AUDHS. you’re so nice and so talented and i reread your masterlist OMG I JUST REMEMBERED THE MOB AU ONE THAT ONE IS PERFECTION.

@hajiswife​ —❥ hi gabbie! your blog is gorgeous and your so nice pls!! like i literally can’t believe we’re mutuals it hits me like a brick. i love your works and your energy sjaklfdjl i’ll probably be popping in your inbox later just to say hi lol

@svgashi​ —❥ NIKE!!! omg we’re literally sister wives. you’re the first moot i had on tumblr that understood how great sugawara is and it’s like a breath of fresh air from the constant slandering my friends give him. ILY

@sexy-bee-juice​ —❥ aja!! i love getting your messages and just saying the most out of pocket things with you, and your reblogs make me laugh so hard like you’re rlly funny. also my broken french is terrible but i’m glad it makes you laugh ajskfdl

@koutarousangel​ —❥ MICKEY PLS YOURE SO FUNNY. I LOVE YOUR VIBES AND EVERYTHING LIKE YOURE FUNNY. and ily too. just putting that in there in case i haven’t said it in a while <3

@hvnlydmn​ —❥ hi ains! congrats on 5k!! that’s literally so insane like omg you must be reeling rn jadskfl you really really deserve it tho, everyone sees how hard you work and how much content you produce in such a short amount of time CONGRATS ILY

@akaashi-bby​ —❥ victoria you were the first person i talked to teen wolf with in like three years pls. i’m listening to a song from the show atm and it’s making me sad but ilysm and i love talking to you about literally anything

@laineywritesstuff​ —❥ LAINE!! hi! you’re so pretty like you look like you give the warmest hugs and i feel like if i ever met you in person i’d just get engulfed does that make sense? you’re so nice and ilysm and i hope you’re have a fantastic day!

@kiyoalex​ —❥ you’re rlly funny. like rlly funny. and i feel like we match each other’s energy pretty well in pms. pls my insanity is too real back there BUT IT’S OK I THINK BC YOU SEEM TO UNDERSTAND IT LOL ILY

@shoutamajiki​ —❥ hi nana!! you’re so nice and i’m so glad you joined the discord! and i’m so sorry i added you to my terrible private story on snap pls it’s so bad i’m very very sorry about that jksalfjdl

@sunacity​ —❥ nea i love your works so much like literally they LIVE in my head. you’re so talented and i can’t believe we’re mutuals that’s literally insane bc i love your stuff pls. and on top of being talented you’re so nice, like the nicest jaskdflj i can’t

ok ok i think that’s it for now, this isn’t all of my mutuals—but it’s the one’s i interact with the most and if we are moots and i didn’t include you pls my inbox or pms are always open to just like go insane in. ok have a great rest of your day!!

[deonideatta]

hi hi i heard you like chief kim and i'm here to get all the intel on why it's a good drama 😊 and what you love about park jae bum's other dramas 😊 pls let me know if there's romance bc that's the oxygen i breathe when i watch a show 💕

Hello!!! Thank you for asking me about Chief Kim!!!! I can go on about it for ages lol. This got a bit long so i’m putting it under a cut

Chief Kim (aka Good Manager) is a comedy office drama with 20 eps, and it aired in 2017. There isn’t a main romance plotline, but don’t let that put you off! It’s an incredible drama in so many ways. (tho there is a subtle romance side plot, but it doesn’t involve the main character and it’s never the main focus, though it is cute). It does feature a bromance that was so great that the two actors literally won an award for it tho lol, so there’s also that!

In a way, the general premise is somewhat similar to Vincenzo in that it’s the main character and an unlikely team of others fighting a big corporation. The comedic tone is also more or less the same. The drama follows Kim Seong Ryong (the titular Chief Kim, played by Namgoong Min), a man with a talent for handling numbers who goes from running a seedy accounting firm to quite accidentally becoming a champion of employees rights in one of the biggest corporations in the country. He originally joins the company with the goal of embezzling a lot money and moving abroad, but he gets swept up in office politics surrounding high executives and the sinister goings on surrounding the position he was recruited for, as well as the shady things the higher-ups want him to do and the suspicion of the other members of his department. Eventually he starts to work alongside them to fight the corruption of the higher ups, and quickly becomes the bane of top management’s existence by being so incredibly annoying that they begin to regret hiring him.

It’s the kind of drama that really gets you to laugh, while still being incredibly heartwarming. The main character is so unashamedly funny, and the character dynamics are all so warm, and none of it ever seems forced. The first tag for the drama on MyDramaList is “character development”, and that says a lot! There’s so much growth that goes on for all the characters, even some of the villains! It’s especially funny because to begin with all the good things Kim Seong Ryeong does are completely by accident, and he’s annoyed but also pleased with all the attention it gets him. Over time he begins to own it, and begins to actively try to stand up to the corrupt people at the top of the company. The other highlight for me besides the humor is definitely the characters. From the eccentric main character, to the no-nonsense second in command in his department Yoon Ha Kyung, to the aggressive finance director Seo Yul who is always eating (one of my all time favourite characters, played by 2PM’s Junho), to the janitor lady who always roasts everyone, there isn’t a single dull character, whether good or bad. And Seo Yul gets one of the best character arcs I’ve ever seen in a kdrama. You get to watch the characters struggle and triumph, and you feel for them because their struggles feel so real, and the drama really gets you invested in them. You see the ways in which they fight to survive as normal working class citizens and you want them to win.

It differs from Vincenzo in that the main character isn’t considered evil and loses his less savoury traits over the course of the drama (his character arc is one of becoming a more upstanding citizen), and the message is one of fighting against corporate greed using the corporate system against itself in order to make things better for the average working citizen. But there’s the same plotting, and the same feeling of rooting for the protagonist team to win as you watch them plot and plan. I never rewatch things, but i’ve rewatched Chief Kim twice already and i’m looking forward to rewatching it again soon (just writing about it is making me want to rewatch it right now lol). It especially hits well for me because i love office dramas, and the humor and the bromance are just right. (Also, not entirely related, but it’s the first drama Kim Seonho was in!)

Another Park Jaebum drama i can definitely recommend is The Fiery Priest! It’s also a comedy action drama with 20 eps (released in 2019), and it follows Kim Hae Il (Kim Nam Gil), a catholic priest with a real temper, as he works to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a senior priest. No romance there either, but it’s got the same humor as Chief Kim and Vincenzo, and the same overarching found family trope (that really shines for this one). It’s darker than Chief Kim, but not as dark as Vincenzo. The plot is very intriguing, and it’s the kind of drama you feel compelled to keep watching to see what happens next. And the host of characters in that drama is still one of my favourites to this day. Every character was incredibly written, and they all played vital roles in the overall story. Again, lots of character development all round, and great character arcs not just for the main character (even for a few of the villains!). Plus it was lovely to watch the various characters interact, get closer, and build relationships. Such an iconic squad. Not to mention how funny it is?? And the fight scenes??? In fact, I enjoyed it so much that when I checked Park Jaebum’s page on MyDramaList after watching it around June last year and saw Vincenzo as an upcoming project, I added it to my plan to watch list immediately even though there was only a single line of synopsis lol. It’s also got an absolute banger of a soundtrack!

When you think about it, all three (Chief Kim, TFP and Vincenzo) can be simplified to “guy with dubious past sets out to fight corruption and creates a great support circle in the process”. All three are dramas of finding people who care about you and are willing to fight alongside you, and fighting for your convictions/what you think is right. Each main character starts out as a somewhat solitary figure, and you get to watch as they each find people who are willing to fight alongside them and support them. What exactly those specific convictions are varies in each drama, but Park Jaebum writes the character development arcs incredibly each time, and the relationships between the characters are so real and so satisfying to watch. And yet the integrity of the main character in each drama is never compromised either, it’s shown that they can grow and become better without losing themselves. The growth is also in the way that they learn to work with and rely on others, because teamwork makes the dream work. And then to cap it all off he lets them have victories, and he makes it SO satisfying??? There are highs and there are lows, and you feel all of those right there with the characters, which makes the victories feel so so good. In each we see the ensemble cast get involved with the fight and the plotting, and we get to see all their epic plans and their execution, and the victories they win that build up over time. And it’s so satisfying to me! I love it a lot, just thinking about it is making me smile lol. It also shows how well humor and darker/more serious plotlines/events are balanced in the dramas, neither is compromised in favour of the other, but it always works so well that the humor never feels forced or out of place. As someone who doesn’t like overbearingly dark shows, I really appreciate that. They all give you lots to laugh at, while not losing any of the plot to the funny.

Of course there are differences, notably the romance, and the fact that Vincenzo is bad vs bad rather than good vs bad like the other two. They deal more with redemption (especially The Fiery Priest), but that works for the stories that are being told, and it’s very well executed.

It’s worth noting that Park Jaebum also wrote Good Doctor and 4 seasons of God’s Quiz. I haven’t checked those out yet, but I’ve heard good things about all of them. He also wrote Blood, I haven’t seen that one either but opinions seem to be split on how good it was. All of those are medical dramas (which is the reason I haven’t watched them lol, i can’t stand medical dramas) from before 2017, when he wrote Chief Kim. It seems he’s been on a roll since then, good for him and good for us lol. You can see everything he’s written on his MyDramaList page.

Overall I enjoyed the Park Jaebum dramas I have seen for first and foremost the comedy, but also for the warmth of the character relationships and for how well developed/written each character is. And I love how he balances the humor with more poignant/darker moments, I laughed a lot watching all three dramas, but I’ve cried over each of them as well. It’s a good balance to have, it gives you a good plot to be interested in, but doesn’t keep you stressed and sombre the whole way through. I’ve seen people say that Vincenzo wouldn’t be as good if it wasn’t so wacky, and I fully agree. It’s the same for both TFP and Chief Kim, and that balance is definitely what I appreciate most in Park Jaebum’s dramas. I know I will laugh, but I also know I will get an incredible plot and incredible characters, and that’s really important for me. Plus I know I can trust that there will be a good ending because the writer cares about his characters.

I definitely recommend checking out both TFP and Chief Kim after Vincenzo is done, especially since they’re so similar in terms of comedic tone and basic plot direction. If you ever get to watching either of them feel free to hmu to chat about it!! There’s lots of plot stuff that can be can discussed.

lol this got v long (i have lots to say about how much i love these dramas haha), but I hope it’s helpful!!!

[eurovision-del]

I’m back home after watching Eurovision with a friend, and I want to get my thoughts down!! (This is going to be a long post)

Top 5

Italy: Wow! I thought they could do it, but seeing them actually pull it off and win the whole thing is incredible! I can barely describe how happy I was when they won, I definitely found the voting a lot more stressful when my fave had a real chance at winning, but the payoff when they were announced as winners was worth it all! I’ve been a fan of Måneskin for a few years now, so seeing a band I like go from there to competing in Sanremo, to making it to Eurovision, to winning the whole damn thing is undescribable! Zitte E Buoni is such a fantastic song, and it’s going to continue to be one of my all time favourite Eurovision songs for many years to come!

Italy’s third victory was a long time coming, they’ve been consistently great over the past decade, but I’m very glad it was this song that did it for them! I also like it when a winner shakes up the perception of what a winning song should be, like Portugal 2017. This is the first time since 2006 that both a group and a rock act have won Eurovision, and personally I’ll be very glad if this causes a resurgence in both over the next few years. It’s also notable for being a song not sung in English, but I’ve got more to say on that later.

I always think it’s best when the televote winner is the overall Eurovision winner, so I’m very glad to see Italy topping the televote, and they did it by a decent margin, just over 50 points!

France: A very deserved second place. Barbara performed wonderfully and brought the magic to the Eurovision stage, she should be so proud of what she achieved. She was just unlucky that there was a better song this year, in another year Voila could have easily won. I wouldn’t mind seeing her, or especially her co-writer, Igit, who I’ve liked since he did Destination Eurovision in 2018, make a return to Eurovision, either as singers or songwriters.

Switzerland: I liked Tout l’Univers well enough based on the song, then it grew on me even more in the second semi final, so I was very happy to see it do well! Like Barbara, Gjon gave a brilliant performance tonight, and should be very proud of his third place! It’s great to see Swizterland, a country that struggled so much throughout the 2010s, pull off two top 5 finishes in a row at the turn of the decade. I’m hoping for more good things from them in the future!

Iceland: It’s such a shame that Daði and Gagnamagnið missed out on the chance to perform live in Eurovision, but thank goodness they were able to get that second rehearsal performance done as well as they did! The song and performance are so heartwarming, they utterly deserved this result. I’m really excited to see where Daði goes from here, I’ve actually already got tickets to see him live next year!

Ukraine: Like Italy, Ukraine managed to achieve the same result in the actual contest as they did in my personal ranking! I was worried the song would be too divisive, but the performance was perfect and elevated the whole thing, and Kateryna’s vocal perforamnce was flawless. Very pleased to see them achieve second place in the televote!

I’ve watched Eurovision since 2014, and I can say with confidence that this is the first time since that year that I’ve had no complaints about the top 5. I’ve also gone back and watched every Eurovision ever, and I’m struggling to think of a year that I’ve been this happy with the top 10, every place from 1 to 9 I think is either well deserved or better than I was hoping for! It’s not until you get to Greece in 10th place that I reach a song I think is mildly overrated in the results.

Other Countries

Finland: I won’t do a full run down on Lithuania and Russia, two of my other  favourites, as I’ve said it all by saying I’m so happy with the top 10, but I want to give a special mention to Finland. For a second I was really worried when their televote result was so high, as I thought it might indicate the vote for the two  rock songs had been split. I’m so thankful to be proven wrong, and for these results to show that not only is there a place for all kinds of rock and metal music in Eurovision, but that they can exist alongside each other and do well. I also really want to congratulate Finland on achieving their second best result ever! While I like it when countries switch things up I won’t complain if Finland look at their previous results and decide that they’ve found their niche in rock and metal music.

The Netherlands: My biggest disappointment in terms of result. I wasn’t too surprised, based on the neutral to negative reaction of the fans at large and the odds, but I still don’t really understand it. This song deserved a lot more than 11 points! In my ideal Eurovision I’d say this should be the sort of song juries reward, they should have the time to look at lyrics and composition and cultural influence and reward songs as good as this one. But apparently it wasn’t to be. I really hope no one gets discouraged by this result, and I’d be very happy to see more artists representing their stories and their non-European cultures at Eurovision in the future.

United Kingdom: Look, I have to talk about my own country. I’m honestly more worried about the backlash the media here is going to have than I am disappointed in this result. But I am still a little disappointed. I don’t think this song was the worst in the final, sure, it was definitely in the bottom half, but I can think of serveral songs worse than this. And the nil points was totally undeserved. That marks our second nil points, the only other being Cry Baby in 2003, and this song is leagues better than that ever was, putting them in the same category feels like an insult. That said, I can’t complain too much. This year was very strong, and I’m not actually sure where the points would have come from. Embers is a nice song, but it’s not strong enough or interesting enough to be anyone’s favourite, maybe it should rank in the middle for everyone, but why would it rank in their top 10?

I’ve seen an idea that maybe the BBC should just give the competition to ITV for a few years, and while I don’t think that would solve our problems, we do need a shake up. The BGM deal seemed like a good move, but if it’s only going to continue to produce ‘nice’ songs rather than ‘impactful’ songs, it’s not going to help us on the scoreboard. I fully believe that there’s no reason the UK shouldn’t do well at Eurovision. In an ideal world, we’d organise a national finla filled with unique entries, not the drivel that our last national final contained - I don’t think our strength is actually going to be in our pop industry at Eurovision, I think it’ll be in our less mainstream stuff. I’d love for us to also try sending a song in Welsh, Gaelic, or even Scots, something that’s full of cultural identity and couldn’t come from anywhere else in the world. It might not be a winner, but I think a song like that would have a far better song of catching people’s attention and doing well at the contest than songs our current strategy produces ever would.

Other Thoughts

This year was a victory for the unique and artistic, there’s not a single song in the top 9 that could be classified as a straightforward pop song. I also want to note that the entire top 3 is non-English, Italian and two French entries. This is the only time that’s ever happened since the language rule was abolished, and since the last few years of that produced English podium placing songs, it’s the first year it’s happened since 1995. I really hope that sends the message out loud and clear that songs in native languages can and do succeed at Eurovision!

In 2019 I talked a bit about the Juries vs the Televote, and how I wasn’t too keen on the Jury results that year. This year, aside from overlooking The Netherlands, I’d say they did their job pretty well. The combined results seem very fair, better than both the Televote and the Jury results individually, and I think that shows the system is working at its best. I’m very glad to see Portugal score well, I thought the whole entry was brilliant and it deserved the boost the juries gave it. Likewise I thought Lithuania deserved a top 10 result and was glad the televote responded to it enough to put it there. The best countries, however, scored well in both, I was happy to have a year without a surprise jury favourite. Switzerland was definitely a fair jury winner.

Closing Thoughts 

Eurovision 2021 has been brilliant! We got a really strong set of songs, some fantastic performances, and a set of results I generally really agree with, completed by my ideal winner! Maybe when the buzz has died down I’ll reconsider, but right now I’m very confidently calling this my favourite of the contests that I’ve watched live - maybe my favourite contest ever? Either way, it’s been a good one, and I’m already eagerly anticipating next year!