#it’s honestly one of the greatest cameos of all time. ever.

[therighthandofvengeance]

proud rebo & zooty fan 4 life

[alltimefail]

This song, "For Forever" was on George's Edwin playlist (he said so in a Cameo) and holy fuck it's perfect for Edwin and Charles.

Knowing the current fate of our beloved show it stings a little extra hard to talk about, but not in a bad way and I want to talk about why that is. Warning that I'm going to wax poetic here, maybe definitely cry a little along the way, but please stick with me. 🖤

These boys have a bond that is special; it defies hell, rejects heaven, scoffs at the classic tragedies with a molotov cocktail in hand, rewrites the expected "bury your gays" trope (surprise, the gays came back as ghosts!), and says fuck a soulmate - I willed this, I chose this, I chose you, fate may have brought us together but I stayed with you and I'd do it again. No one can change that they are together for forever, two friends having a perfect day every day because the other one is there. They'll always have each other in every universe, they'll be together until the end of time and not even death herself can (or would) split them up. For Charles and Edwin it's just sky for forever, inside jokes, silly dance sessions, late night games of cluedo, reminiscing and confiding, puzzling cases, paperwork, infinite backpacks to organize, spells to master, books to read aloud (Edwin doing the reading of course while Charles enjoys), and long walks to wherever, whenever, because they've got nothing but time.

These two silly ghost boys will have the promise of endless possibility, content with the life they've made in their death, just letting the world pass them by for forever and it's everything, better than a life either of them could have ever imagined. Charles and Edwin have known so much tragedy and injustice in their respective lifetimes, they know loss intimately and are constatly fighting tooth and nail against the many forces that try to separate them along the way, but they still choose to do good, to help others, and they are happy because the reward is enough: the ability to bask in the light they've found in eachother is more than enough. Regardless of how you interpret that love, it is truly eternal and pure... so much so that it honestly makes some of the greatest love stories and epics pale in comparison.

All that to say, every time we talk about these two and tell their stories (through another television adaptation, through rewatching season 1 and analyzing every little detail, through fanart, through the comics, through their appearance in doom patrol, and so on) we only add to that cosmic universe that they'll exist in forever. Their story doesn't end with the Netflix adaptation, just like it didn't really start there either.

"You say 'There's nowhere else I'd rather be, and I say me too... we just talk and take in the view."

That line ⬆️ is the essence of the boys whole dynamic, and you know what? That is really fucking beautiful. The whole drive in this song - its steady, epic build and sensational crescendos that convey excitement, awe, a little bit of uncertainty, and an abundance of unbriddled emotion - is exactly how Charles and Edwin's dynamic feels and it's a goddamn treasure, a fucking whirlwind, a blessing to witness. Frankly the love they share is worth celebrating, it's worth honoring and creating for because it's breathtaking, pure joy, warmth, and unyielding devotion. It's a one of a kind story with two boys who will always come to each other's rescue, who will do everything in their power to make sure the other is okay, who will accept each other and pick each other up every time and love each other enough in death to make up for all the people who dared to not see the brilliant light they shined in life.

Netflix may not want to tell their story any more, but we can. We can keep making art, writing fics, supporting Jayden and George who brought our boys to life - and Kassius and Yuyu who gave us their sensational living counterparts as well. I know I love these dead boys and their alive girl companions and that their story will always mean the world to me. I love their love, the found family they've created, and all the residual joy and inspiration it causes; but most of all I love that they've brought us all together in our own little found family. No one can take that from us, nor can they take that from the writers, cast, and crew who put everything into starting this legacy.

So let's do what we do best and get back to our work...for forever, yeah? Maybe another streaming service saves our show (and that would he fucking mint, aces, BRILLS!!!!) but at the end of the day, fandom can immortalize this story.

There's still cases to solve, rights to wrong, jobs to job! No reason to stop just because Netflix mucked this up royally. 🔎💀

[directdogman]

Doggo, kind sir, I have a couple of questions for you about the 'original managers' and their DT counterparts (or lack thereof).

To get the one DSAF question(s) out of the way: It was mentioned that Harry fought in Vietnam and joined the managers when he got back, but how did the other managers get into the job? Were all they veterans that decided pizza was the logical next step?

For the DT (aka the important) stuff: Were there ever any plans to include Joe and Everett in DT, as either part of the main game or in potential DLC? (I imagine Scott would have been a no from the start, for obvious reasons.) And what sort of role would they have played if they did appear? (Also, what is the nicest thing that Tango could say about Abel?) Thank you for your time, sir!

DSaF question answer: Nah, the other managers weren't vets. Harry was the youngest of the set, prime drafting age during the Vietnam war. It's part of the reason the other managers were so protective of him and reacted so angrily when they find out that Abel had him phoneified. Most of the other managers had pretty ordinary jobs before ending up on the ground floor of the company, with some kind of expertise in a skill that made them indispensable to the founder.

It's been a long time, but if memory serves, the story I think I finally landed on for Joe was that he was a stockbroker (which is why he had such a foul mouth) before he ended up at Freddy's and floated the founder money to expand the company, and his expertise in finance wound up being so instrumental that he got roped into the company's inner circle, basically transitioning from an accountant on the peripheral of the group to someone the founder relied heavily on. Abel resented this, which sewed the seeds for their mutual antipathy.

His former career is also why Joe was able to somehow keep the company financially solvent for a stupidly long time despite the pile of bodies being churned out each year, between Abel and Harry's tenures as the head of the company, and why the company entered its greatest period of expansion under his leadership. Harry was really just a status-quo guy who emulated what Joe taught him without completely understanding it and signaled the beginning of the end for Freddy's, beginning with a slow decline.

For the DT questions: There is another holdover cameo in the DLC very early on (whose sprites I only finalized last week, actually), but it's a surprise who it is.

And honestly, Tango could probably think of at least a few nice things to say about Abel, such as: "He's managed to keep the funfair in business for years and manages to turn a profit despite its modest revenue flow!!! AND he's a snappy dresser!!! His head is stylish and nostalgic!!! Very classy guy!!!"

[astra-galaxie]

🍕🥊❤️✂️🧠✏️💎💀🍩 for john savage please? :)

I’m sensing a theme with your OC choices, Issy!😉 This must be the father section! First, we had Aslan, then Léon, then Elijah, and now we have John, James and Fili’s father!

Let’s see what Mr. Savage’s answers are!

🍕 - What is their favourite food?

Fish and chips. It might be stereotypical of him to say, but John loves a good plate of fish and chips! Fili teases his father by comparing him to people who only order chicken strips and fries at restaurants because if fish and chips are on the menu, John will be ordering them! John doesn't mind because he knows he’s guaranteed to like the food, so he prefers sticking to what he knows best.

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Love: Writing. John has always had a flair for writing and enjoys creating poems and short stories. Quinn always tells him he should try publishing his work, but John has never attempted it. Maybe one day, he’ll look into publishing his writing, but for now, he’s content with writing for just his family and friends.

Hate: Getting his picture taken. He doesn't mind so much when he’s taking photos with others in the frame, but when someone tries to take a solo picture of him, he tries to find an excuse to get the camera out of his face. He doesn't like being the center of attention and drawing it to himself (his scar does that enough), so John prefers to hide in the background and let others be in the spotlight.

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

Reuniting with his oldest son, James. Even though John kept telling himself he had to leave and stay away for James’s protection, he was angry and disappointed in himself for leaving his son alone for so long. When Fili told him how James reacted to finding out he has a younger half-brother, John feared the damage he caused was irreversible… And while all was not forgiven when they finally reunited, James heard his father out, and John couldn't have been happier to be granted his greatest wish of hugging his oldest son. They still had issues to overcome and past mistakes to make up for, but John will cherish the memory of holding his boys close for the first time.

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Leaving James when the man was just a child. John didn’t want to leave his son even if he and his first wife chose to separate, but his work forced him to do so to protect James. John will never forget the heartbroken look on James’s little face when he told the boy he had to leave and didn’t know when he would return. If John could have taken James with him, he would have, but he knew the boy would be safer in Grimsborough with his mother, so he did the hardest thing he ever had to do: leave his son. It's a decision John’s regressed since the day he walked out the door…

🧠 - What do you like most about the OC?

His design is probably my favourite. It's simple, but the scar across his face has always made him a favourite of mine. I also like his backstory (even though I need to add some things). He did so much for his family without them knowing, and he wanted no thanks or recognition for it; he just wanted the satisfaction of knowing his family was safe, healthy, and happy.

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Very little, considering that John has only made occasional cameos since finishing my S1 story. But with the return to Grimsborough in S5, I want to write more about him, Quinn, and James (the last one more than in canon) since Fili will be reuniting and living in the same city as his family again!

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

No, the thought has honestly never crossed my mind. While I’m sure his death would cause a lot of heartbreak, I have no plans of killing John off!

After all, I don’t want an angry Quinn, James or Fili after me! (And that’s not counting extended family, friends and fans!)

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Catoptrophobia - the fear of mirrors.

It's related to the scar across his face. Still need to work on the backstory for that…😭

🍩 -Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

John currently doesn't have an arch-nemesis or rival. But he has plenty of enemies from his past as an MI6 spy, so I’m sure one of them could fit the profile if I were to build on the idea in the future!

And that’s that! Another request down; however many more to go!

Thanks for the ask!

[jade-kyo]

RvB 20th rewatch: s6

And here it is- possibly my favorite season? At least it was the very first time I watched the show but my favorites for everything in this show have changed so much over the years it’s hard to say. Either way season 6 goes hard and I go feral.

Omega at blood gulch: silly goofy villain who wants to rule the universe // omega at Valhalla: straight up horror movie shit

KAKAINA MY BELOVED

“Good luck with your empty base and raging insanity” heavily quoted line

Added to Sarges list of superpowers: he can turn into cardboard

I think it’s very funny that Sarge recommends Wash find Caboose but not Doc who arguably has way more experience with Omega

GAVIN

“How sad would it be to not have a brother and lose a brother all in the same day” i once saw someone apply this quote to Church and Carolina and I am in agony.

Rip joahnness

The way Wash almost drops the ai reveal in casual conversation

Honestly Wash is kinda dumb for not realizing Church was the alpha the moment he heard the same name as the fucking Director

“We don’t! That’s part of our charm! Quit fucking it up!” Quoted line

CACKLING there’s an error in the dvd version where one of Caboose’s lines doesn’t have audio so his head just silently bops and Church responds to nothing 😂

“THAT WAS FUCKING BULLSHIT”

“WHAT PART!? HOW BOUT THE PART WHERE I GOT THROWN EIGHTY FEET IN THE FUCKING AIR BY THE GODDAMN THROWING THING!!”

NOT MY FAULT SOMEONE PUT A WALL IN MY WAY

Ah yes the moment Washington became one of my favorite characters- shooting South. Listen I like my men a little unhinged

I mean Wash��s logic is pretty sound tho- South had established a habit of betraying people so making sure she couldn’t do that again wasn’t a bad idea…

“I am completely and totally sane… now if you’ll excuse me I need to go blow up this dead body” he’s so sexy

GOD WASH IN THE BACKGROUND JUST DESTROYING SOUTHS BODY AKSHKAHSKDHKS CACKLING

“Wow what a ringing endorsement *explosion* I am filled with confidence” another quoted line

CONTROL F U

RED TEAM!!!!!!!!

Simmons was gonna confess his love obviously

“I AM THE VOICE OF GOD” Church just like me fr

Wash is so sexy

FREELANCER POWER ACTIVATE

WASH SARGE VOICE MY BELOVED

“You can’t copy an ai” Simmons single handedly smarter than every single freelancer

Wash is so done with everything… man doesn’t know he’s gonna find his inner silly again

I cannot get over the silent “you suck” as Wash is looking for Epsilon- these are definitely Church fragments alright

“You are the Alpha” is possibly one of the greatest and most well executed plot twists I have ever seen. Even to this day, after 20 rewatches, I lose my mind every time. I feel actual chills every. Single. Time.

The first time I watched it will also always be one of the most memorable moments of my life. My jaw was on the floor. I literally had to stop the episode and go outside and scream and freak out for a whole 30 minutes.

I genuinely believe this was the exact moment that Red vs. Blue became my favorite show ever. Of all time.

Anyway Grif and Simmons are gay

Church truly drinking that denial juice. Just like me fr

BOO MOTHERFUCKER

TUCKER VOICE CAMEO

“What’s a matter daddy didn’t love you enough” thing is for Carolina that was literally actually the case

Okay but if Church did have full access to his ai powers could he show them some porn?

Emp

What would have happened if the emp hadn’t gone off… would the alpha have fully reformed sans his memories? G o d. I am in agony.

I hold onto one solace and that’s that Alpha and Beta were together in the end. Chex my beloved. My new headcanon is that Alpha and Beta actually got a similar ending as Chex did in restoration- reunited, with time relative to them, maybe not perfect but together.

Church being the director was also a masterfully done twist. God it’s so fucking good. I love this show so fucking much.

S6 my beloved… it is always so good to watch this season I love it so much.

[highladyluck]

Season 2, Episode 2 Liveblog

Teaser:

Good lord the WLW Agenda on that girl! flawless, no notes

Oh Rand honey, your heart is in the right place but your hands are not

How long, Selene? How long EXACTLY?

Rand is here and he’s having a bad time

Rand made fun of Mat for wanting to pay rent by sleeping with the hot innkeeper, but here he is, doing just that!

Oooooh the Foregate! Oh, this is interesting! Rand the nerd is always researching, and I guess he’s researching madness.

Lmao Verin is such a smartass

Moiraine you are being such a regular ass right now

Eeeeey it’s the fly trap! That’s a neat little book cameo. Oooooh and the dead Fade too.

Oh yeah I was waiting for someone in Cairhein to give Rand shit for looking like an Aiel 😅 gonna give that guy even more PSTD

Ok, looking at this guy’s waffleknit bathrobe… Donal Finn is RIGHT, Mat has been wearing a bathrobe this entire time. I want him out of Liandrin’s weird torture basement and into some fancy duds immediately!!!

I bet this guy reminds Rand of Tam, assuming he knows Tam’s backstory

Wow who vets these employees?

Liandrin like ‘I’ll just pocket this deadly poison don’t mind me”

I am here to watch Nyneave Heal and to make snarky comments about Liandrin and I have paused the episode so I am temporarily out of snarky comments about Liandrin

Oh I like the Accepted sleeves

“Men who can channel are not a disease” You tell her, Nyneave!!!

I don’t think they should let Liandrin teach Accepted either >:( also lol @ thinking you could stop Nyneave from being a Yellow, that ajah has her name all over it

…honestly I’m with Mat, we just saw her palm a poison and Liandrin doesn’t give anything nice to men without an ulterior motive

Ok I laughed at Mat’s choreography

I really hope he’s breaking out and not breaking into A Secret Dagger Chamber or something

Oh Elayne you are about to get a shock

Oh Egwene’s face was PERFECT

“You know, some of the greatest pairings have been between novices in adjacent rooms” Good lord the WLW Agenda on that girl! flawless, no notes

I would also be like ‘yeah yeah’ if a Green told me the Last Battle was coming, tbf. They’re the Apocalypse Prepper Ajah, you gotta take it with a grain of salt.

Love the canon detail of Nyneave never giving Aes Sedai their honorifics

Watch Nyneave discover Mat’s oubliette but he’s already gone 😂 (my guess)

BIG FISH

Oh Verin :D

Uh oh, I remember this part with the Trolloc mask.

Oh Rand honey, your heart is in the right place but your hands are not

Lmao she does not ever stop

This is not femdom!!! Illegal illegal red alert 🚨 🚨 🚨 Robert Jordan is rolling unquietly in his grave 😡 although I guess Selene got what she wanted so maybe it is femdom 🤔

Hah, I was wondering how Elayne got away with fancying up her room.

Liandrin loves someone??? OH SHIT that’s her son.

Awwwwwww we needed Min and Mat bonding and this is giving!!! I love that the show really shows how these people are friends

Mat is sharing his spoon, my heart ♥️

Moiraine like ‘oh god shut up, fine’

I do love the pond story, straight from New Spring :D

I cannot wait for Mat and Min shenanigans!!!

I was not sure about Donal b/c I loved Barney, but he makes his eyes sparkle & the little half-smile is pure Mat, so I’m sold

Ah Mat, you’ll change your tune on knowing the shit headed your way, if only so you can better dodge it

Awwww stabby??? No no stabby!

Lmao Selene he absolutely can hurt you

How long, Selene? How long EXACTLY?

Oh my god Elayne making hooch in her dorm room is the canon I never knew I needed, she absolutely would

Accepted Test! Accepted Test! *bangs on the table in rhythm*

The music in this series is so gooooood

Lan don’t read that, it’ll give you nightmares

Moiraine like ‘I knew you were the one when I could abandon you and you’d survive’ but a) you could not, Lan’s deathwish is So Big and b) I see Moiraine’s mentorship strategy at play here lmao

Moiraine is absolutely trying her best to platonic lifebond break up with Lan

(And ‘we were never equals’ is not a denial)

The battle sequences feel very RJ- chaos, impressions, brief intense focus

I would NOT want to piss off Loial

Also I only JUST realized it was the Seanchan a beat before the damane showed up, b/c I recognized the Samuri-ish armor

They all have baseball bats!!! This is so funny to me, I’m sorry, but then again what is more American and Japanese than baseball bats? (Besides imperialism)

They look so scary!

Oooooh American accent! Not Texas enough but still

Damn Rand, did you intend to take his job? Yeah, ok, I see you did. Damn, that’s cold! On par with book 2 Rand tho

[agentnico]

Paddington in Peru (2024) review

Antonio Banderas 👌 - that’s it, that’s the review. Alright, just kidding, but honestly Antonio Banderas is an absolute GOAT in this!

Plot: Paddington and his adopted family, the Browns, decide to visit his aunt Lucy in Peru, but circumstances lead them towards misadventures in the Amazon rainforest and mountains of Peru.

So I went to see the third Paddington movie… don’t know why. I don’t even like the stupid bear. That marmalade-loving son of a bear is the cause of so much property damage and trouble, but disguises himself under this super polite gentleman facade making everyone think he’s cute so can get away with everything. What a spoiled brat! I don’t care if Nicolas Cage thinks Paddington 2 is the second greatest film of all time, we need to stop defending this tyrant of the London streets. Luckily this time around he’s leaving London and going to Peru, so let’s hope he doesn’t break anything. Surely not, like there’s nothing to break in a jungle, right? Right?!

He sinks a boat. The bear sinks a full boat. Unbelievable. And all he has to say is “oh dear, where’s my marmalade sandwich”. It’s no cute - he’s a damn criminal!! Anyway, enough with my personal vendettas against Paddington. Let’s be honest, these movies are an innocently delightful watch, with Paddington 1 & 2 both offering a lovely family viewing experience. Oh, and let’s not forget Hugh Grant’s exhilaratingly entertaining performance of the dastardly villain Phoenix Buchanan in the second one - one of the best baddies in a children’s movie in a long while. Naturally with the third chapter of these types of films one starts running out of ideas of what to do with these characters, hence why sending them abroad is a common decision. Hence why we head to Peru, in all its glorious CGI form!

Major difference in this instalment is that it is not directed by Paul King, who was busy working on the Wonka film at the time, and his absence is felt. Don’t get me wrong, Paddington in Peru is still as charming and delightful as ever, with the story and characters all having that easy cosy element to them. However with Paul King’s first two movies, there was something magical about them, and I guess the fish out of water, or should I say bear out of water, scenario of Paddington living in the UK brought with it a lot of natural enjoyment. Setting this one in Peru meant that all those gags about the bear getting accustomed to British nuances are gone, making this a pretty by-the-numbers jungle adventure. Still miles better than Jungle Cruise though, so don’t be too disheartened. The other change is that Sally Hawkins does not return as Mrs Brown, and is instead recast by Emily Mortimer who is okay, but Hawkins is really missed. Mortimer is a perfectly passable Mrs Brown, however Hawkins has a more natural approach to playing a loving and caring mother figure.

What makes Paddington in Peru pop are the new character additions. Olivia Colman is a not-at-all-suspicious nun who keeps saying “suspicious” and Colman has so much fun here rolling her eyes and acting, well, really suspicious, whilst also dancing away like she’s in The Sound of Music. Then there is Antonio Banderas who, even though he does not reach Hugh Grant’s level of absurdity, really embraces his over-the-top caricature nature of the river boat captain, and he’s a joy to watch. There are some scenes involving him talking to his ancestor ghosts (with perfectly enjoyable costume changes) which are fun, and also I can never get tired of his Zorro/Puss In Boots voice. The guy should consider getting into audiobooks, just saying. Then there is the most wonderful cameo appearance at the end of the movie that is truly hilarious, however also ends up reminding the viewer how this movie is not as good as its predecessor.

Look, I enjoyed this film immensely, and it gave Stuart Little vibes, and there’s great fun to be had with the gags, quips, adventures and out of the blue Werner Herzog references. It may be the weakest of the Paddington films, but that still means this one is a wonderful time, no matter how much we don’t want to admit that Paddington bear is a menace!

Overall score: 7/10

[underratedandoverit]

Maybe One Day You'll Become That Star (1/?)

Kip has never wanted anything more in his life than to study magic and become a real wizard, no matter what it takes, no matter the hurdles he has to overcome to achieve that dream. So when a chance to study under one of the most prestige wizards in the country rises, he's more than ready to jump on it. But could it be that there's something else he finds himself fascinated with, even more than the magic itself under the apprenticeship of this intriguingly odd wizard…?

Kip Sabian/Orange Cassidy (eventually). Slow romance. Modern with magic AU.

Kris Statlander makes a cameo in the first part, Chris Brookes is mentioned. Most likely we'll be seeing more of Best Friends and Penelope as well.

On AO3 here

I'm an absolute beginner with anything in the realm of even slight fantasy, so please bear with me while I try to learn how to do this. This concept was just too cute and too good to pass up, so I'm willing to try to get out of my comfort zone to create some more magical fluff. Hopefully this'll only be a few parter and it's not gonna suck complete ass ajsndjkas Also thank you @midnightpretenders0 for this idea and being the amazing moral support I needed to get to writing this, couldn't have done it without you 💜

@stormbornpirate

----------------------

Clutching his belongings against his chest, Kip scanned the door standing almost threateningly in front of him. He had honestly lost track of time for how long he had been standing there, trying to build up courage to give the door a knock and get this over with. He was here by his own will, so why was this so hard to do? He was sure the people passing him by on the busy street were staring at this point, so many of them wondering what he was so nervous about, how long he had been there, what he was waiting for, even if they just observed him for barely a few seconds while walking by.

Kip wasn’t sure what kind of a reaction he was going to get, if he ever managed to get himself to go through with this in the first place. He wasn’t an expected guest in this place, he wasn’t going to be a customer, he wasn’t… Well, it was probably a shorter list to mention what he was. Or what he was hoping to be, hoping to become by coming here.

And Kip wasn’t sure if the great wizard that occupied this residence even wanted to have an apprentice, let alone someone like him.

Straightening his suit jacket, hoping that he looked much braver and put together than he actually was on the inside with his nerves going absolutely crazy, Kip finally reached a hand towards the door. The balled fist stopped inches away from the wooden surface though, making him second guess it once again. Was this the right move? Was this really what he wanted, what he was meant to do? He had already flubbed his chance once before, despite thinking he was ready for it, so what good would this do to him? What proof did he have that he was made for this, that someone like an actual wizard would even want to see him, let alone consider teaching him anything?

Kip pulled his hand back, pulling the notebook he was holding with the other hand even tighter against his chest. This was ridiculous. He had no idea why he had even listened to Chris about this. Sure the man knew how much Kip wanted to study magic, how much something like this meant to him, but to take his advice, advice from someone that had no idea how any of this actually worked. Sure as a performer Chris sometimes worked with wizards and magicians and what have you, but that didn’t mean he had an idea what actually studying under one would take. Or how that stuff would be approached. Or anything outside of how it all related to the show business.

It had been a mistake to listen to him in the first place, and yet somehow Kip had convinced himself to try out Chris’ stupid advice. And now he was here. Standing in front of a door leading to the residence of the greatest wizard, at least according to Chris, on this side of the country. Having no idea what to do or how to actually proceed with this plan that he didn’t really even have in the first place.

He tried to remember what Chris had said. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Kip had to admit, in that line of thinking he was right. The worst thing he could hear is ‘no’, or the door wouldn’t open up to him in the first place. He didn’t gain anything by not trying, that much was for sure.

But at the same time, he had already failed once before. How bad was it going to hurt the second time, especially if he went through so much extra effort for this? This wasn’t like the first time, this time he had no competition, and while this wasn’t a magical school of very high prestige that was extremely difficult to get into, this was something so much more, something much more personal, something ever more important to him. And while some people could claim that Kip had nothing to lose, he also had everything to gain from him. Which was maybe even scarier to him, if he was being honest.

Swallowing hard, Kip finally pushed the intruding thoughts aside, raising his hand up and knocking on the door. The sound wasn’t that loud, but it felt like it took over every other sound of the busy street behind him, swallowing him into the inevitable wait mode, just having Kip now stare at the door in anticipation, hoping that something, anything, would happen. The end result at this point was irrelevant, as long as someone would answer the knock and he would see at least a glimpse of another person at this point was all he cared about.

At least then he could convince himself that he tried, if nothing else.

Kip waited for a moment. Then another. A third. He was slowly starting to grow impatient, not really having prepared for this. Was the knock not loud enough? Would he be heard if he knocked again, or was he ignored on purpose and the second knock would just be seen as annoying and thus dooming him from any even minor amounts of success in this quest he had set himself on? Maybe there was just nobody home? Did he even have the right address, was he hundred percent sure someone lived here?

With one hand fidgeting with the corner of the cover of his notebook, Kip waited for a while longer. He didn’t hear any indications coming from inside that someone was even there. Maybe he had come here at the wrong time, the wrong day, or something.

Maybe this was a sign for him to give up on this crazy, silly dream of his finally. It seemed like the second disappointment had been inevitable, and while the saying was that third time was the charm, Kip wasn’t sure if he was able to handle this kind of disappointment after getting all of his hopes up one more time after all the efforts he had already gone through multiple times.

Finally letting out a breath he had been holding for a while, Kip leaned down, grabbing his little bag in his hand. He didn’t have a lot with him, he could find a place to crash before heading back home tomorrow. Traveling back home was a whole day's worth of struggle, but this was the best place he could have come, honestly. This is where Chris had directed him, saying this is where he could find the best wizard on this side of the country that could potentially help him, and yet…

Once again, Kip wasn’t sure why he had listened to him. Sure this was something he wanted, almost desperately so, but the amount of effort probably wasn’t worth it in the end. Trying to repair the damage he had done with the previous mess up wasn’t worth it. Traveling all this way just to knock on a door that wasn’t going to open for him wasn’t worth it.

Him trying so hard to convince himself that he was going to be a wizard wasn’t worth it, and it obviously wasn’t going to happen. And Kip just had to take the defeat and accept his fate finally.

As he turned on his heels to leave, Kip finally heard the lock on the door click. He froze in place as the wooden door opened with a soft creak, feeling the soft breeze of warm air rush outside through the doorway, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as it pushed past him. Kip could feel the eyes on his back, the air around him suddenly very expecting, waiting for him to turn around and face the fate that he came here to chase in the first place.

As much as he didn’t want to, this was the reason he was here now. This was the moment Kip had been waiting for. He straightened up a little, inhaling deeply before spinning around on his heels.

Kip wasn’t sure what he had expected, but getting face to face with a blond man roughly around his age, maybe slightly older, definitely wasn’t it. Kip had been expecting someone older, more magnificent, someone that actually looked like a wizard and definitely not… A man dressed mostly in denim wearing sunglasses on his face indoors.

…Fuck. Maybe he already had an apprentice.

Taking in another deep breath as he could feel the pair of eyes behind those sunglasses stare at him expectantly, Kip put on the most polite and friendly smile he possibly could, hoping that it didn’t look as fake as he felt it did in this situation. The blond didn’t seem to care as he just slowly, and surprisingly casually, leaned against the door frame, hands getting stuffed into the pockets of his jeans after brushing a few rogue coils of hair away from his face.

“You know the door was open, right? You didn’t need to knock. And we also have a doorbell.”

Kip wasn’t sure who this fellow was, but honestly he was slowly starting to irk him. The clearly carefree attitude, no respect for a proper attire for a man in his position – whatever that might have been, Kip knew denim was the wrong choice either way, especially compared to the effort he had put into picking out a suit for this very specific occasion – sunglasses indoors, among so many other things that were just wrong. He didn’t fit into this setting, inside this house, into the life Kip was envisioning for himself here instead. He–

“So did you actually need something or…?” Even his manner of speaking was so lazy that Kip had to hold himself back from snorting. They denied him a chance and a position in a prestigious dream school of his, but here was this dork living his dream instead. Absolutely ridiculous.

“Yes, actually.” Kip couldn’t help but to sound just a tad bit annoyed. As if he had gone all this way here to be treated like this, to be put in a position like this. With feelings like this. The blond just nodded at him, not asking any further questions. “Okay. Come in.”

Kip blinked at him a couple of times, slightly stunned. Was there really no vetting process in this place, anyone could just waltz in with whatever into the residence of a great wizard if they just said they had some business here? Maybe Chris had lied to him, to make fun of him, to lead him to a wild goose chase of a supposedly great teacher, only to land him in the house of some F grade street magician. Kip should have known, it was very on par with the kind of people Chris spent his time with anyways, it wouldn’t have surprised him if Chris would think this was what Kip wanted.

Still, something about this whole situation, this whole place, and especially this blond man that was now motioning him to follow him inside the building was intriguing to him. It was all so odd that it almost came full circle for him, that maybe there actually was something magical going on around here. After all, if everything was correct, this still was a residence of a rather magical man.

Kip nodded carefully, following the other man inside. The door slowly closed behind him, making Kip jump a little as he heard it click shut, eyes shooting over his shoulder towards it. He should have known; everything around here did feel magical now that he was inside, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise to him if the door was enchanted or something. And yet it still somehow caught him off guard. Eyes shooting back forward, Kip’s nervous hands were picking on the corners of his notebook again, trying to calm his nerves as he wasn’t really sure what to expect now that he was inside the place. The place he had dreamed for so long to be in.

As he took in his surroundings, it slowly dawned on him that the lower floor of the building seemed to be some sort of a magical shop. Long and tall shelves lined up most of the wall space, filled with books and familiar looking magical items and what Kip assumed to be enchanted tokens of all sorts, each set in their own shelves, sorted based on their different qualities. Few tables were set under the windows facing out to the street he had just been on, lined with various potions and elixirs that most seemed familiar to him, just the usual stuff. The storefront itself wasn’t anything special, Kip was assuming most of this was just a convenient side business on the side of actual magic that was performed here by the owner.

Speaking of which…

Kip looked around him, eyes landing on the blond who had moved to now sit behind the desk at the back of the store, checking over some books set on it. Maybe he was just a helping hand, Kip had hard time believing a hard practicing wizard, or even his apprentice, had a lot of time to keep up with a store of this size along with everything else. Kip breathed a sigh of relief, laughing in his mind at how silly he had been before. Of course this guy wasn’t going to be a practicing wizard, or even if he was, at least not an apprentice of any sort. Like, look at him. He looked like he could care less where he was or that he was surrounded by magical items from the floor to the ceiling on almost all sides, he was probably only in it for the money and nothing else. Kip knew his kind, the lazy type that barely cared about anything in this life. He probably didn’t even know what this store actually was about, he was just here because nobody else would hire him to do even the easiest jobs imaginable.

With a new found confidence and a smile climbing its way on his lips, Kip approached the desk with a slight spring in his step. The blond didn’t look up at him until Kip had actually stopped right in front of the desk, looming slightly over him as he got an expecting look back, still through the sunglasses. Kip wasn’t sure how he was able to see so well with those on indoors, the store was already very dim, only being lit up with a few candles and some of the natural sunlight that managed to make its way through the heavy curtains hanging by the windows. Even he had a hard time seeing at first, so Kip couldn’t even guess how it all looked through tinted lenses the blond was wearing.

“So were you looking for something specific that I could help you with?”

That he could help him with. Kip held back a snort, feeling almost insulted by the question. He might have failed in his life before, almost masterfully so if he was being honest, but even he didn’t need help when it came to magic from a man who clearly had no ambitions in such a field, or life in general. Lowering the notebook from his hand on the desk in front of him, Kip leaned one hand against the desk, leaning slightly over it towards the other man, who didn’t seem to mind this move from him at all as he just kept staring.

“Nothing you could help me with.” Kip watched as he nodded, but saw the slight, clearly confused tuck on the corner of the blond’s brow at his statement. “I’m here to see the great wizard that owns this place. So if you could get him for me, I would appreciate that.”

The man watched him quietly for a moment, Kip trying to keep up the confident exterior that he had finally found. He knew he was going to be fumbling over his words when he actually got face to face with the man he was here to meet, so this was the downtime before that he had to calm his nerves and try to keep himself collected, hoping to carry at least some of that feeling with him later. Kip knew exactly what he wanted, he knew what he was here for, and this was the time he was going to get it. He wasn’t going to lose anything by asking for this, it was a bigger loss if he now turned and walked away because he didn’t like the attitude this one single man that was standing in his way was giving to him.

And hell, if someone like this ignorant fool was able to be inside this building, handling this sort of business, there was nothing stopping an actual talented, passionate young lad like Kip himself from achieving that as well, and even more.

“…Okay,” the blond finally shrugged, standing up from the stool he had been sitting on. Kip watched him, the man just standing behind the desk for a moment before he sat back down. Kip furrowed his brows at him in confusion, the man responding by taking off his sunglasses, crossing his arms on the desk and leaning over them, never breaking eye contact with Kip as he did.

“How can I help you?”

Kip stared at him, not taking in this bit whatsoever. “Is… Is this a joke? Are you making fun of me?” The other man shook his head, the blue eyes still not looking away from Kip as he did. “I said I wanted to speak to the owner. Your boss.”

“Yeah, and I’m asking how I can help you.”

“This is ridiculous, what --”

Kip couldn’t finish his sentence as the front door was slammed open, making him jump a little. Both pairs of eyes shot towards it, a woman striding in the store through the now open doorway. She glanced around the place quickly, eyes landing on the two of them, her steps directing towards the desk. Kip took a hesitant step to the side as she didn’t seem to slow down at all, not even stopping to look him over as she slammed her hands on the desk, eyes locked on the blond sitting behind it.

“Cass! It worked! It’s perfect!” She pointed at her hair, Kip’s eyes traveling from the side of her excited face to the hair, seeing the shiny blue color on the whole left side of it framing her face. The blond behind the desk nodded, Kip seeing the first real smile crossing his lips since he had started interacting with him. It was brief, but continued all the way up to his eyes as he watched the excited woman talk to him, showing off her apparently new hair color. Kip couldn’t help but look on, almost mesmerized, at the sight of the odd duo continuing an equally odd interaction with one another.

“The boys didn’t think you could do it but look at this,” she stated, spinning a coil of her freshly colored blue hair around her finger, pulling it slightly away from her face to stare at it in clear awe. “They will be so jealous when they see this. Chuck is going to freak out for sure, it’s going to be amazing.”

The man chuckled, Kip’s eyes almost instinctively traveling back to him. He was fully smiling now, obviously comfortable around this odd woman who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, but who he clearly knew very well. He was listening to her go on and on about the hair, the extremely good quality of it, the magic tied to it; him just nodding along with a smile plastered all over his face, proud that someone appreciated the work that had been done.

Almost like she finally realized that Kip existed, the woman looked towards him as she finally quieted the gushing down a little bit, glancing him quickly up and down. “Sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“No, you’re good, Kris,” the blond shook his head before Kip had a chance to reply, gathering a glare from him. “Did you need more of the blend? I can make a few more.”

“Oh, yeah, if you could,” she smiled, turning back towards the man behind the desk. “I have a few other requests so I can come over tomorrow for them? I have a whole list of colors and placements I would like to try if you can make them.”

The blond chuckled, though Kip could have sworn he sounded slightly insulted at Kris’ words. “Of course I can. Just let me know what you need. I have some more of the blue from the last batch though so let me get that for you.”

She nodded, both her and Kip watching as the blond disappeared through the door behind the desk, which Kip assumed to be the storage room of the shop. As soon as the other man was away from his field of vision, Kip turned towards the woman, offering her a quick smile as he pointed at the blue streak in her hair.

“Could I, uh, see the hair?”

Kris beamed at him, handing the coil towards him enthusiastically, obviously being more than happy to show off this magical work that had been done. Kip examined the coils carefully, admiring the excellent craftsmanship that had taken place to produce such an incredible product, being nearly unrecognizable as a magical creation to the untrained eye. Which, of course he didn’t have, so it was easy for him to spot such a top notch enchanted creation.

“This is incredible,” he mumbled, observing the shiny color of the hair carefully as he turned it around in his hand. “The color is amazing, the shine makes it look so real, it’s almost indistinguishable from regular dye. Like this… This is art.”

“And lasts twice as long without a messy fade or destroying the hair,” the other man piped up as he walked back in, lowering a jar filled with something blue and slightly luminescent on the desk from his hands. Kip let the hair fall from his grasp as he straightened back up, watching as Kris reached for the jar, pulling it close to her chest as she continued to beam at both of them. “Also a custom made color. I can hook you up too if you need a refresher on that platinum of yours.”

Kip could feel a soft blush creeping on his cheeks, brushing a quick hand through his hair trying to rid of the nervous energy as the conversation had suddenly turned back to him. He knew it had been a while since he had his hair recolored, sure, but it wasn’t that bad, right? The roots couldn’t have been pushing out too badly already, he would have noticed that, being as particular about the way he looked on the outside as he was. “No need, I-I’m good.”

The blond shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He turned his attention back to Kris, sending her a little smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the rest then?”

“Yeah! I’ll stop by at some point, thanks Orange!”

She turned on her heels, with a nice spring in her step almost skipping her way back out of the store. Kip watched after her, his head slightly spinning at this odd interaction he had witnessed, before her last words slowly crept their way into his mind. Brows furrowing, he looked back towards the blond who had taken a seat behind the desk again, currently fitting the sunglasses back on his face before looking back up at Kip.

“Orange…?”

The man shrugged, running a lazy hand through his hair. “Yeah? That is my name.”

Orange… Orange. Why did such an odd name also sound so weirdly familiar to Kip? And more importantly, who the hell gets named after a color, let alone a fruit? At the same time?

“That is the name that’s on the mailbox outside. Orange Cassidy. Considering how long you were out there earlier I figured you would have seen it.”

No… No, that wasn’t it, there was some other context where Kip had heard such a weird name before. It was off the walls enough that he remembered it, not every day you met someone named after a fruit or a color. And yet, he was struggling to place it anywhere specific while trying to ignore the other man’s sassy remarks about his behavior from earlier.

“Anyways… You’ve been here for a while. Did you need help with something or…?”

Kip snapped back to the moment at hand, blinking blankly at the blond a couple of times before quickly nodding, as if he finally remembered again what his true mission here was. He couldn’t get derailed by minor details such as this, there was something much more important he was here for.

“Uh, yeah. I wanted to talk to your boss. The great wizard Orange--”

Before he could get the full name out of his mouth, Kip froze in place. All of a sudden everything made sense, the color flushing from his face as his eyes widened in horror as the realization was finally setting in. He could so vividly see the name Chris had scribbled down to his notebook for reference alongside the address where to find him, the one he deemed to be the best wizard he could find from a reasonable travel distance away.

And right next to the name, drawn the little orange fruit that Chris had thought at the time was such a funny little joke to make, considering the name.

…Oh no.

“I-I, uh, I… Um.”

The blond watched him patiently, clearly seeing Kip struggling to form words as the true nature of the situation was creeping up on him, how everything was slowly starting to make sense to him. The attitude he was getting back from the man with the sunglasses, the way he was dressed and yet handled the entire store, the whole exchange with Kris and the quality of the work done for her… Everything was falling into place, and the realization Kip was having as he was coming to terms with how he had acted earlier was catching up with him, having him finally face the consequences of it all, but especially his own actions up to this point.

Cassidy looked at him, just waiting. Watching him. Observing the nerves getting better of him as Kip fidgeted with his hands, wide eyes now shooting around the room, trying to find something interesting and calming enough to look at as he was trying to reassess the situation at hand. Situation that he had created himself, unintentionally it seemed, but it was still more or less Kip’s fault that he was in this predicament right now.

“So… Can I actually do anything for you or…?”

Kip tensed up immediately, wide eyes landing on the blond. He couldn’t read the expression behind the sunglasses, but the air was thick, filled with expectations Kip wasn’t sure he was going to be able to fill. He quickly glanced down at his feet, spotting the bag he had lowered there earlier, flicking the switch on in his brain. Reaching down for his belonging, Kip pulled the bag into his hands, eyes landing back on Cassidy again for a brief second one more time.

“Sorry, I-I gotta go.”

Turning on his heels Kip rushed out of the store, cheeks flushing red with embarrassment as he didn’t turn to look back to see if the blond was calling out after him or anything, he just pushed out the door as fast as possible.

Cassidy didn’t move from his spot, just stared blankly after the Brit as Kip was suddenly gone from his view. The silence fell back into the dim little shop as the door closed shut after him, leaving Cassidy alone there to ponder over what had just happened. He had to admit this wasn’t the first time, and probably wouldn’t be the last one either, when someone had made such a mistake, thinking he wasn’t who he really was. But there was something about the way this particular man had dealt with it all, probably the most disrespectful he had ever witnessed.

Slowly his eyes moved down to the desk in front of him, a brow slightly raising as he spotted the notebook that didn’t belong to him, the one thing Kip had left behind him in his rush to get out of the store and away from him as quickly as possible.

[tessaliagrey]

So, I finally managed to catch up watching The Mandalorian. 😊

A lot of things I read over the last weeks is that people used to love the first two seasons and now hate the third.

Anybody who’s ever been on my blog or read my fics over on AO3 knows I love Bo-Katan to bits - but still, I do have my issues with this season, too. And while some people on here are sitting in the proverbial desert yelling “Feloniiiii” in a Maul-esque way, I don’t think it’s Dave’s fault (alone).

First, we have the cameos (I’m not talking famous people in little roles). We had Ahsoka, Boba, Fennec, Luke, Cad Bane,... The comment I’ve often read, that Din is like a guy who is in Star Wars but doesn’t know anything about Star Wars and just happends to stumble into all of the bigger plot lines of the franchise is kind of true, really. And in a way, it’s also fun. But it’s not really a plot.

Second, there is this feeling that Din sidelined Boba in BOBF (true), and that in turn, he now gets sidelind by Bo-Katan in his own show (also, kind of true). But honestly, I’m not that surprised, and I don’t think this tracks back to Feloni. This tracks back to Favreau. It’s something we have seen in the MCU since it entered its phase 2. The Mandalorian has always been more of Favreau’s than Feloni’s baby, and I’m afraid it shows. Though I guess Bo-Katan’s general involvement is on Feloni; she is his OC after all. (If not even his favorite OC.) And we know that he would like to tell her story.

“All I want is to watch Din travel the galaxy with Grogu, going from place to place.” - I bet you do, honey, but that, too, isn’t a plot, that’s a travel guide to the gffa.

So, we arrived at yet another problem. The plot. To be fair, I don’t think we are seeing the original plot for season three. At least not in its entirety. They plotted the season while Gina Carano was still a cast memeber, and Cara Dune still part of the overall narrative. For a production of that size, Carano was ousted comparatively late; her character most likely already written in at least half the episodes. Since it obviously was decided to not simply fill the gap with another actress, a lot of what was planned now had to be re-written rather quickly in comparison. I think that’s why some things feel so rushed (like Bo-Katan’s arc), while the rest of the story doesn’t really seem to go anywhere.

But, honestly, my biggest “problem” with this season is the absence of a good villain. “It’s time to take back Mandalore.” Yes, my dearest Armorer, but from whom, might I ask? Bo and Din were just there. Nobody stopped them. Who’s going to stop you? Sure, we know that Gideon never made it to his trial and was probably extracted by someone loyal to him - and I guess we can be sure that Elia Kane is involved - but the Covert doesn’t know that. I mean, yeah, we all know that a Mandalore’s greatest problem is Mandalorians, but ... You guys know what I’m getting at. WHO AND WHERE IS OUR VILLAIN???

So, anyway, that was my two cents to the hole debate 😁

Guess one thing still remains true: animated Star Wars is the best Star Wars.

[lorekeeper-backset]

You know, something I find interesting about the Pokemon Franchise that nobody really talks about is that they are terrible at Soft Reboots. Every time they've tried one they end up immediately going back on it.

Black and White was supposed to be a soft reboot, only giving you Unova Pokemon until the post game (if I recall correctly), not really mentioning other regions that much, and basically resetting Ash to square one in the anime which they then immediately went back on with BW2, which featured several cameos from past characters and the Pokemon World Tournament, the most fanservice-laden feature in all of Pokemon. BW2 feels very end-of-an era-y to me.

Then they tried again with Pokemon X and Y to the point where they created an entirely new timeline. ORAS even kinda did the reverse of BW2 with these remakes of past games heavily tying themselves to X and Y. Moreso than even HGSS did to DPPt. Gen 7 immediately broke this by filling itself up with cameos (in their defense, it was the 20 year anniversary) and USUM has the same end-of-an-era-y feel as BW2 what with the post game being a greatest hits of Pokemon Villains. And also Colress. The Pokemon Team really love Colress.

And then there's SWSH, which is probably one of the most self-contained Pokemon games, which the anime gleefully ignored in favor of a globe trotting victory lap for Ash before Horizons. Same with ScarVio, which only ever really calls back to SwSh and none of the other games... until they have an entire DLC set in Unova featuring characters directly related to prominent Unova characters.

I don't know if this really makes sense and honestly I'm probably completely wrong but I just think its funny that all the games that to me feel fairly self contained and like they're meant to be soft reboots are then followed by games (or dlc in ScarVio's case) that are heavily fanservice laden.

[rainydawgradioblog]

A (not very) definitive ranking of the songs on "enema of the state"

I am a blink-182 fanatic. I watched American Pie for the cameo. I have California on vinyl. I gave a shit when Tom rejoined the band (AGAIN). So what better way to introduce myself to the blogosphere than to rank the songs on one of (in my opinion) the greatest pop punk albums of all time. Please keep in mind this is all my opinion, and I have not been known for my great takes.

12. Dumpweed

Although we start off promising with a loud, catchy riff, even that can't save this song from the bottom of the list. It's not even the borderline misogynistic lyrics that have left this song in last place, it just isn't remarkable.

11. The Party Song

This is the "Joke song" of the album. Unfortunately, blink has much better joke songs. They had some great ones on their 2001 release, unfortunately, they were CD-exclusive, and seem to be just a distant memory in the world of music streaming.

10. All the small things

Maybe its because this is one of their most well-known songs, and still gets frequent radio-play, or maybe it's just annoying.

9. Don't Leave Me

Super catchy! That's all its got going for it though!

8. Wendy Clear

Unfortunaly, this is a great song. The only reason it doesn't get a higher ranking is similar to Dumpweed. It is a somewhat unremarkable song on an album filled with much more remarkable songs. :(

7. Adam's Song

Honestly I cant listen to this song much anymore, because it just reminds me of when I was annoying and depressed in high school. Only ranking so low because it is too sad for a casual listen. Phenomenal song though

6. Mutt

I don't know how Mutt ended up being so high on this list. It's just a satisfying song to listen to. Also, this was one of the first songs recorded with Travis Barker on drums, after he replaced Scott Raynor as drummer.

5. Dysentary Gary

This is what Dumpweed could have been! Everything in this song just sounds right.

4. Anthem

I feel like people often disregard Anthem. But for a closing track written for an album released 24 years ago, I find it still relates to the youths of today. but what does "I timebomb" mean. ???/

3. Alien's exist

In hindsight, I don't know how this one got so high. Maybe it's nostalgia because it was on Lego rock band, and you could perform it on the moon, to a crowd of aliens. Or maybe it's the bridge that seals the deal. Or maybe I just think it's funny they have a song about aliens, and then Tom left the band to go find aliens. Whose to say!

2. What's My Age Again?

Another classic, except I get excited when I hear this one on the radio. Something about this song is so much easier on the ears than All The Small Things. Maybe I relate to the lyrics too much? What the hell is ADD?

Going Away To College

This song was written by bassist Mark Hoppus after watching Can't Hardly Wait, a movie about kids graduating and leaving for college. Anyone who's ever left, or been left behind for college can probably understand this song. It is a rather bittersweet song, but the ability to capture the confusing feelings, and pair them with a classic blink sound is what pushes this song to the top of the list. Also, the way it fades into What's My Age Again is unbeatable.

xoxo,

sleepzo

[cosmic-star-dust]

so i have some thoughts on the state of critical role lately

so. this whole arc of c3 has been getting me thinking, and i just want to get some thoughts down, maybe for the people who also aren't super jazzed about this whole... pc cameo extravaganza that's been going on (obviously, huge spoilers for c3, up to e51)

a few disclaimers:

I love CR. I adore it. I love matt and his storytelling. All of these things are what got me into D&D to begin with. This is not just me shitting on CR or matt for no reason

i haven't seen c1. i don't know if vm have any sort of major standing in the plot. but i'm just not interested in vm, never have been, and, especially after this stint in c3, i can say with confidence that i won't ever be, unfortunately

i have so much respect for matthew mercer. i cannot imagine what it must be like to run this show. these are just my opinions as a fellow storyteller-- i can love the show, and love his work, and still not agree with its narrative structure

now i know i'm in the minority for not particularly enjoying the c1 and c2 cameos that have been happening in the last couple of episodes of c3. i understand that a lot of people love it, and i think that's great! i'm glad you guys enjoy it! i'm just not one of them, and here's why.

first and foremost, it's gatekeepy. i got my friend into CR via c3, and both of us were working on the promise that someone who was brand new to CR could start with c3 with no prior knowledge and be totally fine. but now, they've kind of gone back on that. and listen, i get it. narratives change. characters get introduced. but to have them continuously play such a large role in the narrative is really making it difficult for newer fans of the show, while appealing to the nostalgia of the older ones. this is a tough (and most likely very sensitive) topic, as nostalgia is a very attractive thing to a lot of people. but, at the same time, it robs new fans of creating those meaningful memories of the characters for this campaign, which is just kind of sad, honestly

second, the dependency on c1 and c2 characters is robbing the c3 characters of their own character arcs. now, this one... is a little spicy. i'm sorry-- character arcs are my bread and butter, and this is something i'm quite passionate about. my first irritations with the c1 cameos really goes back to laudna's revival, because, in all honesty, i don't think vm should have (or would have) helped bh from a narrative standpoint. i understand, you don't want to paint your players' former pcs as total assholes, but, by the same token, imagine it was turned around. imagine the members of vm were approached, cold turkey, by a group of random assholes who said their friend just up and died-- when they had already lost their own members. they had already failed to bring someone back. and now, this random group wants to bring back their friend who is carrying the spirit of one of their greatest enemies of all time? the dependency on the c1 characters really started here, imo, because matt showed the players that, yes, no matter how outlandish the request, they could just ask a few favors of some of the highest-ranking individuals in tal dorei, and everything would be hunky-dory.

but imagine a narrative where vm refused. imagine a narrative where vm antagonized the group. imagine a narrative where they had to continue on without laudna-- the trauma that would inflict upon the group, upon imogen, upon orym. imagine a narrative where keyleth told orym that he can't keep depending on her help every time they face a battle they can't win. imagine a narrative where bh and vm were enemies. but, no, now the c3 characters are essentially acting as little more than lackeys and frontmen for vm... and, narratively, it's just kind of... lackluster, and, unfortunately, disappointing (and i hate saying that, trust me).

now. with e51, especially. imagine a narrative where these characters, who are believed to be essentially invincible at this point... died. beau, caleb, keyleth. imagine they died because of bh's insistence that they help them. imagine the character arcs that could have come out of keyleth's death alone. if they had to face the consequences of their actions, and lost favor with vm because of keyleth's death, or orym had to abandon the air ashari because of it, or a million other ripples that could rise just from that scene alone. i love happy endings, don't get me wrong, but i also don't want it just handed to characters in a narrative. a happy ending is much more fulfilling when one has to work for it.

but now, it more feels like these characters have stagnated, and aren't actually developing on their own anymore. and i really noticed it as soon as they got vm's help with laudna's revival. it's just... a shame, honestly. i was really excited, and really hopeful, but now it's becoming an obligation to watch episodes, especially since i don't care about vm. even beau and caleb being there is like... fine, whatever, i guess it makes sense, but i would much rather have people who work with them rather than beau and caleb, themselves (and i love those two goofballs!). think of other members of the cobalt soul, or just other agents, in general. there are so many opportunities for other npcs to come in and be their allies, and it's a shame that they're just recycling old materials instead of coming up with something new.

this is not, by any means, all matt's fault, or a result of bad storytelling, or anything. there are certain players that are equally as responsible for nostalgia pandering. and i get it, you're excited to see what your old pcs are up to, and how they're doing, but, if that was the case, then just play a c1/c2 reunion campaign, as they have in the past. as far as what could be done now... it would honestly just be matt putting his foot down, and having the old pcs say "no, we're not helping you. you need to figure it out on your own." they're busy people in canon, after all!

i could go on and on (i already have), but, ultimately... if you don't like the pc cameos that have been happening, you're not alone. if you're disappointed by the narrative as it stands right now, you're not alone. as someone who loves cr, and wants to be a fan of this arc so badly, i get it. i just want these characters to stand on their own again.

[spaceofentropy]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by @medusapelagia (hi, friend! <3) so here I am, a little late but here nonetheless.

How many works do you have on AO3?

13.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

233,667 words total so far. I write long stuff.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

At the moment it's only Stranger Things. I've posted for another fandom, but the fixation has changed and so here we are.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Of soulmates and colors; What happens in Vegas...; I just came to say...; Amok; and Like a curse.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to. I might not answer to all comments in the case of people who are binging one of my multi-chapter fics and I'm suddenly overwhelmed by the idea of answering 15 comments one by one (but it's the greatest kind of overwhelm available so please don't stop!)

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably What doesn't kill you makes you a monster, but then I recently added a continuation which is angsty as fuck but has a happy ending so I'm not sure if it counts. I tend to give stuff either a happy ending or a very hopeful ending. Life sucks already so much, let me at least give fiction a positive ending!

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Uh, hard question there. What's happier? The beginning of a new relationship? Elvis officiating your wedding to the love of your life? Soulmates defying death? A little coda about two monsters still being together in their fifties? You choose.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

So far, no.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do but I suck at it. Not sure how to answer the "what kind" question O_o' The... uh... the kind where people have sex?

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Probably the heist where characters from show A meet characters from show B (which is a show where some of the actors from show A had a cameo).

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Harringrove. Gallavich a close second. Metalsandwich, Mungrove and Tigerfrek follow.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

That Gallavich fic which is 90k words already and one day I'll finish and unleash on the world.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue? The hyperfixation? Don't know, honestly.

17.What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptions. Smut.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Uh... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

19. First fandom you wrote for?

An Italian urban fantasy novel. It was for a contest.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Written already and published? It's a toss up between Of soulmates and colors (pure self-indulgence!), Amok (angst! feels! boyfriends being supportive!), and What doesn't kill you might become your friend (monsters! angst! my terrible smut!). But if we're also counting things I've written and not published yet, then my entry for Harringrove BigBang, An affinity for dead things, wins. This fic has everything! [REDACTED]! [REDACTED]! [REDACTED]! [REDACTED] [REDACTED] while [REDACTED] [REDACTED]! [REDACTED]! And it will have gorgeous art too! I can't wait for February to come, dammit!

And done, 20 questions! I'm supposed to tag people, but I'm too fried already, so, if you see this and want to do it, consider yourself tagged! U_U Now off to take care of stuff and daydream more of the new fic I'm writing, the one with the haunted car.

[dxsturbia]

It’s the absolute irony of Celine Dion presenting that award I am going to put the Taylor Swift can’t shit to rest it’s no longer true

What’s the amount of time it has taken her to get the proper control over her voice compared to her peers who are doing twice the work a 22 to 24 episode television season

World touring television movies By requirement but not by opportunity you’re making a cameo appearance in Miley Cyrus’s contract theater debut not even because the concert that started the Jonas Brothers career and started yours in the pop market

With one little actionnnn The chain reaction will never stop

This is a massive opportunity for you because you’re 17 Miley Cyrus is contracted to do this we have known it’s been coming for three years she’s been competing with high school musical the whole time

And she was 14

I understand that you are an incredible strong writer but they have had to wait until their adult career to get the recognition they should have gotten and I wish I had another way to say this in their prime

Except for maybe Selena Gomez and you have been sitting on an album for two years having just released an album two years ago

And I just got a greatest hits CD to accomplish what you have been doing with your entire discography oh my God will you please if you have 13 now can you please go away for a while but really honestly go away not reputation go away go away



It’s the absolute irony that while Taylor Swift is screeching over Max Martin tracks this is what Beyoncé is releasing and she has the balls to resubmit that album for album of the year

Yes I am going to buy everything you have ever put out and actively hate on you because I think you need someone to keep you humble

There are women songwriter that no matter how many times they stand up to for you because politics or take photos with you because politics will be better than you at the entire job

While you were up here fighting for an award you never deserved in the first place she can’t even get her name on the ballot will you move?! And everybody’s pissed off because Jay Z pointed that out fuck you and your fans

She deserves it she has earned it multiple times over and you are in her way I hate to blame you for it but I’m going to because you have the power to help us

And every black woman who is looking for a career behind her these aren’t just trophies this is the epicenter of everyone’s career you’ve gotten all of the validation you will ever need will you please fucking move?!

[thealmightyemprex]

1.   Who are your three favorite characters from The Muppet Show, Muppets Tonight, The Jim Henson Hour, the Muppet movies, etc. and why?

Sweetums:I have a soft spot for scary looking characters who are sweet

Statler and Waldorf :They just crack me up

Gonzo :Of the core group I just adore this eccentric artist the most

2.   Who are your three favorite characters from Sesame Street and why?

Oscar the Grouch :I like that this show has a grumpy character who isnt a villain

Big Bird:ITS BIG BIRD ,HES SO LOVABLE

Count von Count :A number obsessed vampire is just a fun idea

3.   Who are your three favorite characters from Fraggle Rock and why?

...Ummmm....I never saw Fraggle Rock

4.   What is your favorite television program starring any of Jim Henson’s creations (e.g. The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Dinosaurs, etc.) and why?

Well not really Muppety,I think the Story Teller is Hensons masterpiece .It combines his dark fantasy films with the medium he had mastered over 30 years

5.   What is your favorite Muppet movie and why?

Muppet Treasure Island babbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbby!!!! It got adventure ,its got some hilarious comedy , its got some great tunes,and it has the best performance Tim Curry has ever done

6.   What is your favorite Muppet/Sesame/Fraggle song and why?

I wanna say Rainbow Connection....But honestly Im Going To Go Back There Someday

7.   If you could have dinner with any living Muppet performer who would you choose and why?

Gonna go with Frank Oz just cause he not only has the Muppets ,but he has been in one of my favorite franchises (Star Wars) ,cameoed in a favorite horror film (American Werewolf In London ) , and directed a film I adore (Little Shop Of Horrors ) ,I just have a lot of admitration for him

8.   If you could tell Jim Henson one thing, what would it be?

Thank you

9.   If the President called you and asked to discuss Muppet projects, what would you tell him was the “Greatest Muppet Moment of All Time”?

OK I thought about this ,whether I pick a poient moment like the End of the Muppet Movie....But instead I am picking this

10.   What’s the name of that song?

11.   If a judge ruled that Grover had to be your personal assistant for a month, what jobs would you have him do?

Loan him to people I dont like

12.   In your opinion, what is the worst Muppet production ever made?

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie.I didnt like it as a kid

13.   Who is one celebrity you would love to see cameo in the next Muppet movie?

Idris Elba

14.   If you could take a picture with any Muppet, who would you choose and how would you pose?

Sweetums and act astounded

15.   What is your favorite piece of Muppet merchandise that you own? (Feel free to include a picture!)

My laserdisc of the Muppet Movie

@the-blue-fairie @themousefromfantasyland @ariel-seagull-wings @princesssarisa

THE GREAT MUPPET SURVEY

@softlytowardthesun

1.   Who are your three favorite characters from The Muppet Show, Muppets Tonight, The Jim Henson Hour, the Muppet movies, etc. and why?

2.   Who are your three favorite characters from Sesame Street and why?

3.   Who are your three favorite characters from Fraggle Rock and why?

4.   What is your favorite television program starring any of Jim Henson’s creations (e.g. The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Dinosaurs, etc.) and why?

5.   What is your favorite Muppet movie and why?

6.   What is your favorite Muppet/Sesame/Fraggle song and why?

 

7.   If you could have dinner with any living Muppet performer who would you choose and why?

8.   If you could tell Jim Henson one thing, what would it be?

9.   If the President called you and asked to discuss Muppet projects, what would you tell him was the “Greatest Muppet Moment of All Time”?

10.   What’s the name of that song?

11.   If a judge ruled that Grover had to be your personal assistant for a month, what jobs would you have him do?

12.   In your opinion, what is the worst Muppet production ever made?

13.   Who is one celebrity you would love to see cameo in the next Muppet movie?

14.   If you could take a picture with any Muppet, who would you choose and how would you pose?

15.   What is your favorite piece of Muppet merchandise that you own? (Feel free to include a picture!)

[punz4lyfe]

Pokemon Journeys Episode 117 Review

Pokemon Journeys Episode 117. Let’s review:

Once again, another better battle than Leon vs. Alain.

The whole fight between Iris and Cynthia absolutely oozed with good pacing, spectacular strategies, and great demonstration of character from both sides. On Iris’ part, it was a nice touch having her use the Pokemon she’s had the closest bonds with (Haxorus, Excadrill, and the eternal-jobber Dragonite) and for Cynthia, it was great seeing more depth of her battling side, showing just how tactical and ruthless she truly is. (and the fact that she keeps her Keystone in a lipstick dispenser that she applies upon activation is just iconic) And when things got to Haxorus and Garchomp, it was really amazing callback to their previous battle when the former was just an Axew.

It was additionally fantastic to see Cynthia suffer some losses on her side and see her ever so slightly get frustrated during the heat of battle. Many people LOVE saying that she’s some kind of undefeatable, untouchable queen when NO people, she isn’t. Just play literally any game she’s fightable in.

Outside of that, it was nice seeing the other Master 8 members comment over both trainers as they battled. I mean, seriously, who’d ever imagine Alain talking about Iris? And like last time, Team Rocket’s commentary over the battle was super great, as they talked about how proud they were if their former adversary being the Champion of Unova and how far she’s grown. Hop’s reaction to Ash knowing a lot for both Iris and Cynthia due to past adventure and Goh just being casually used to it himself was also very funny. And of course, seeing Alder, Trip, Georgia, Stephan, Bianca, Drayden, Reggie, Volkner, and Flint watch over the fight were all nice cameos. Strangely no Cilan, though, I’m just gonna give the anime the benefit of doubt and assume they have something planned for him later.

The one thing I didn’t like was the episode’s ending, more specifically, Ash “comforting” Iris. It started out great at first with Ash silently leaving Goh and Hop to make his way to Iris and talk with her, but what we got afterwards was honestly quite lackluster. Iris cries, Ash says some things, Goh shows up, and then everything’s all cool and chill. There really should’ve been some more to it, like Ash and Iris so that the latter could have both physical and emotional support during a low point in life and Ash’s words having a bit more meaning to them, like calling back to all of his previous league losses. Ash would say that his losses stung at first, but he didn’t let them bring him and he just kept competing, eventually leading him to become Alola’s Champion, and the same is destined for Iris; she would go through her losses, but as long she doesn’t give up, she’ll become the greatest Dragon Master in no time.

With all of that said, I’d give this episode a 9/10. Great battle and character interaction, only knocked a point down by a lackluster ending. Can’t wait to see Ash vs. Steven... whenever chance I get. Going on a one-week vacation tomorrow, so who knows when I’ll be able to see it.