#james bond henchmen

[rabbiteclair]

i am this close to building some kind of space station to blow up the earth while cackling and instructing my jumpsuited henchmen to torture James Bond

[wanderingmind867]

Here's my ideas for a season five of Batman 1966. This took so long to write. It felt exhausting. So I think this is my last post on all this for a while. If you read all of it, I don't think I'll be blamed for that decision.

Season 5: Season Five would be the last season before Robin goes to university and Batgirl goes on to become a congresswoman (or perhaps it's the season where all of that happens). I will work those story beats in somehow over the course of this season, but the more important thing is maintaining a sense of charm with this season. It'd still have 70-80 episodes (probably), but I think some of my focus would become dedicated to Introducing the League of Assasins, and having Batman '66 embrace the vibes of James Bond or Mission Impossible.

Episodes 1 and 2: Batman and Robin deal with Tiger Shark (Lloyd Bridges), a rich oceanographer who lost everything in a big scandal years ago; and who now moonlights as a cutthroat criminal in tiger patterned scuba gear. His hideout would be at the docks somewhere, and his henchmen would all have aquatic themed names.

Episodes 3 and 4: Batman and Robin team up to fight against The Minstrel (Van Johnson), their old musically inclined foe. He's broken out of jail to get revenge on The Dynamic Duo (as he promised he would way back in Season Two), and only the dynamic duo is capable of stopping him. But when The Minstrel hacks into all the computers and technological devices in Gotham, it becomes clear that they'll have to fight both him and his army of machines.

Episodes 5 and 6: Batman and Robin encounter The Bookworm (Roddy McDowall), who's now using famous crimes in books as the inspiration for his own crimes. But this episode doesn't explicitly feature too many Sherlock Holmes references. Mostly because I want to save all those references for a later date, because they can probably sustain a whole seperate story with The Bookworm.

Episodes 7 and 8: Catwoman (Julie Newmar) opens up a bold new discotheque in the heart of Gotham City. But things don't end up going according to plan. When Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson stop by to experience a night of fun and entertainment, they end up stumbling onto Catwoman's plot to rob all the dancers blind. Coincidentally, Barbara Gordon was also in the crowd that night (on a date with Jason Bard) and so Batgirl hops into the fight too!

In the end, it becomes clear that at least two of the Catwomen were involved in this fraudulent operation (Eartha Kitt was in on it too), and that means double trouble for our terrific trio! Can our heroes successfully save the day? Or have the feline felons finally achieved the impossible!?

Episodes 9 and 10: The Penguin becomes engaged in a new crime spree, when he learns that the deed to his family's old manor was never actually handed off to anyone. Technically, he's still in charge of the old Cobblepot estate! So Penguin manages to challenge all this in court, and successfully manages to win himself back his ancestry.

Batman and Robin still end up investigating him, though. Especially since his estate is now being used as a hideout for some of gotham's worst criminals and crooks. It'll be hard to prove, but Batman and Robin need to break Penguin's clean new record, and end the sympathy he keeps evoking by always talking about losing his heritage. Because he can't be allowed to use his manor as an aerie of evil!

Episodes 11 and 12: A story involving Mister Freeze.

Episodes 13 and 14: The League of Assassins storyline really begins here, as The Mad Hatter (David Wayne) returns to Gotham from England. He was released from Scotland Yard on good behaviour, and now he's seemingly all set up to establish a fine haberdashery in the center of town.

But despite trying his best to remain on the straight and narrow, The Mad Hatter ends up relapsing into hat thefts and mad schemes. Batman and Robin have to be called in to stop him, and he ends up sent back to the penitentiary. Meanwhile, a mysterious shadowy figure is watching from a high tech monitor, directing all their other agents to begin attacks on the Batman. He's meddled in their affairs for the last possible time…

Episodes 15, 16 and 17: Batman and Robin run into The Scarecrow, who's looking to break into a science lab to expand the power range of his fear toxin. Batman is too late to stop him, as The Scarecrow successfully tests the fear toxin on him. That's why this is a three parter, by the way. It's because part two is just one long flashback, finally introducing us to all the core events in Bruce Wayne's past. Losing his parents, being raised by his Uncle Phillip, deciding to become batman, etc. But in the end, Batman still manages to defeat Scarecrow. Mostly through the help of Robin, who helps his mentor and father figure recover his sense of self.

Episode 18: This episode would be a solo adventure with Batgirl and Jason Bard again. It'd also be the episode where I begin setting up Barbara's political ambitions. Barbara and Jason go to see a popular youth politician in the Gotham area, when said politician finds himself under attack by Poison Ivy and The Siren. Both are attacking him for different reasons (Poison Ivy for ecoterrorism reasons, The Siren for mysterious reasons tied in with the League of Assasins), but they successfully hypnotize his entire campaign team into turning on him.

When everyone turns on him, Barbara suits up as Batgirl and goes into action alongside Jason Bard. They manage to save the day, but Barbara ends the story very sad and reflective. The Gotham area doesn't have too many youthful faces in politics, and she fears it's breeding apathy. She wants to try and do something about all of that…

Episodes 19 and 20: A Christmas Special, and one of the last few storylines not to be tied to the League of Assasins plotline (for a while, at least). Mister Freeze and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds team up to hatch a mad scheme involving eternal winter and the theft of as many diamonds as possible. Batman, Robin, Batgirl and Jason Bard all end up having to deal with this case, even though it's all happening the same week as Christmas.

Sadly, crime never takes breaks, so neither can our heroes. But still, the story would end with a happy ending of sorts: Bruce Wayne and family spending the holidays with Commissioner Gordon and family. Meanwhile, the state penitentiary has organized a Christmas party. Safely allowing mad criminals like The Joker, The Riddler, Catwoman and The Penguin their brief moments of respite and revelry in a life of mad crime capers and failed schemes.

Episodes 21 and 22: A famous international criminal known as The Great Dane (Victor Borge) arrives in Gotham City, and he brings his remarkable talents with the piano to bear a most delightful fruit. While he performs in concert halls all throughout Gotham, his men go out and rob the city blind. Nobody can pin anything on him, though. He's one smooth operator.

Batman and Robin successfully manage to locate his hideout, but then they learn that the Dane was expecting them. And he's prepared a most devious trap. With the push of a button, Batman and Robin are lowered down a trap door and locked inside The Dane's Wolf cages. His babies, his wolves are the dane's pride and joy (and his engine of disposal for enemies).

Episodes 23 and 24: Batman and Robin end up dealing with The Joker, who's broken out of jail because he's been personally slighted. A popular entertainment magazine listed the best comedians of our era, and they never mentioned him! Him, The Clown Prince of Crime! Joker takes this as a sign that the world doesn't respect him, and it leads him to break out of jail to prove his skills as a comedian.

Harley Quinn also shows up in this story, serving as joker's partner in crime. She's more or less his permanent assistant now, joining him on all his capers (but occasionally pulling some of her own). But their efforts to prove their comedic value leads them to once again match wits with Batman and Robin, as the greatest comedy caper of all begins.

Episodes 25 and 26: A new villian comes to town on Valentine's Day: Cupid (played by Dean Martin), a suave performer who plans to hypnotize the citizens of Gotham. He wants to have a world where everyone loves him and fawns upon him, and he's going to use any and all methods at his disposal to achieve said result.

Episodes 27 and 28: The Riddler bursts onto the scene once more, as Gotham is menaced by riddles and clues delivered via acrostics. It's a new method for The Riddler, one he's hoping will help him finally get one up over Batman and Robin! But when Batgirl and Jason Bard also get involved, well… will four heads prevail where two might fail? Only this episode of Batman has those answers!

Episodes 29 and 30: King Tut is back in town, and he's become convinced that Catwoman (Eartha Kitt) is the goddess Bast. So he kidnaps her and tries to force her to be his queen. The Terrific Trio of Batman, Robin and Batgirl all have to come together to rescue Catwoman, as Tut himself has built an incredibly elaborate shrine to Bast's glory. Catwoman also tries to sneak out of Tut's pyramid, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to escape from. For once, King Tut has spared no expense in his worship of the gods.

Episodes 31 and 32: Batman and Robin run into The Penguin and Egghead, both of whom are competing to steal different rare bird and/or egg themed objects. The dynamic duo go out on the hunt for both of them, and they do eventually manage to capture them. But our heroes never even realized that these villians had more to their rivalry than just wanting the same objects.

No, they were competing for the rights to join the League of Assassins, a prestigious criminal guild looking to expand it's tendrils into Gotham. Lola Lasagne was the one who came to them with the proposal, and she was using them as pawns in the league's schemes. Since she escaped punishment here, she'll be back to menace Batman some other time. Namely, she'll be back next episode, as Batman and Robin travel to Texas to confront her!

Episodes 33 and 34: Batman and Robin travel to Texas to bust up Lola Lasagne's branch of the League of Assasins. But she's got a new partner down in Texas, a crooked gangster (played by Walter Matthau) who's invented many elaborate traps and gadgets to stymie the dynamic duo.

While Batman and Robin try to deal with the League, they end up accidentally running into an old set of allies: The Green Hornet and Kato! It turns out their neck of the woods was being victimized by the League of Assasins too, and so they'd come to Texas for the same reasons as Batman and Robin. So this old group of four teams up once again to battle the forces of evil! They go their separate ways at the end of the story, but they both wish each other luck on their quest to defeat the League.

So while there is an established story reason for Batman and The Green Hornet to reunite, this story is also me cynically attempting to pitch a Green Hornet season 2, where The Hornet and Kato fight off the many powerful members of the League of Assasins, who're attempting to infiltrate the criminal underworld.

Episodes 35 and 36: Batgirl and Jason Bard are helping defend Gotham while Batman and Robin are away, but they end up running into an old foe again: Signalman (played by Andy Griffith). Signalman has broken out of jail to try and get the attention of Catwoman (played by Lee Meriwether) who has some kind of connection to him. What that connection is remains unclear. But the one clear thing is that Signalman really cares about her, and he wants to draw her attention again.

Episodes 37 and 38: This could be a two parter, or it could be another tv movie. But Two-Face is back again. And this time we're going to do the comics thing, with the split personality and the anger and the paranoia. Harvey Dent is Gotham's District Attorney again, and he's interrogating an infamous mobster in one of Gotham's Courthouses. But just when it looks like he's got the crook on the ropes, he pulls out a vial of acid and splashes Harvey right in the face!

Since Batman was sitting in the gallery (in his civilian identity of Bruce Wayne), he was unable to get to Harvey in time. And by the time he does get to him, it's too late. His previous deformation has happened again, and this time it might be permanent. Two-Face is back, and his two sided crime spree is just beginning anew! Robbing two piece suits, bicycle shops, bicoloured stores, etc. Everything fits the Two theme, or else!

So this episode does actually have all the tragedy of a modern Two-Face story. Because it's clear Harvey Dent is mentally unwell, and that he's got a temper and probably really needs help. But the silly aspects are kept in touch too. Namely the obsession with the number two. Everything is dictated by his coin, and all his crimes (whether they be good crimes or bad crimes) hinge on some variation on the number two.

Oh, and the final note about this story: Batman is led to believe the League of Assasins is responsible for Harvey's disfigurement, which makes him now have a personal vendetta against the League. But did the League actually do it? Shockingly, no. This time it was all the Court of Owls (something we're not gonna learn until at least a season or two away from now).

Episodes 39 and 40: The Cluemaster and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds team up to commit a series of deadly crimes involving magic and puzzling clues. Batman and Robin are almost defeated and killed by this mad team, but they eventually manage to capture them. And once they have them in custody, we learn that they were brought together by the League of Assassins, who had many agents and allies in the Gotham area. Marsha and Cluemaster refuse to rat on their allies, besides giving Batman a clue to investigate in London.

Episode 41: Batman takes off on an cruise to London, little dreaming that Catwoman (Julie Newmar) is also on the boat, planning to hold it for ransom. Her and Batman end up getting in a scuffle over it, but by the time their fight is over, the boat has been utterly ruined. So Batman sends her to jail, and then prepares to take a flight to London instead of a cruise. But little does Batman know; a second Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) is continuing to follow him. She masquerades as the pilot on his plane and helps him get to england.

And before anyone asks: Robin isn't in this episode (or the next few in this league storyline). Batman was worried about Robin after his near death in the fight against Cluemaster and Marsha, so he's forbidden him from following him to London. All this means is that Robin and Batgirl are going to a nice team-up story back in gotham, however.

Episode 42: With Batman leaving for London, someone has to guard Gotham. So Robin and Batgirl guard it while Batman is away. Batgirl successfully manages to find time away from running her political campaign to help, leaving Jason busy running all of that (and unavailable to help in this episode). And while it's just the two of them in gotham, they end up having to deal with both The Joker and The Bookworm, who are competing to steal a rare copy of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, which has recently been acquired by a famous antiquarian living in Gotham.

Episodes 43 and 44: Arriving in London, Batman ends up fighting off against some old enemies of his: Lord Marmaduke Ffogg and Lady Penelope Peasoup. It turns out that they're the ones responsible for testing Cluemaster and Marsha to see if they were worthy to join the League. But before Batman can get to them, they distract him by sending The Puzzler (yet another of the league's operatives) to bait him into a trap.

The Puzzler leads Batman to a castle near Loch Ness, where him and another of the league's operatives, a young socialite known as Lady Ophelia Keswick, bait Batman into a trap involving illusions and drugged food. Batman manages to escape from their trap in the castle dungeons, but he's too late to capture Lord Ffogg and Lady Peasoup. They escaped. But at least Batman can take The Puzzler and Lady Keswick to Scotland Yard. Then it's back to the United States, where Batman has to await news of the League's activities.

Episodes 45 and 46: Before Batman can leave for Gotham, he's baited into investigation a mysterious crime wave in Paris. The perpetrators? None other than The Clock King and The Sandman! Both members of The League, they've combined their skills to make a sand that can freeze time. So together, these two have been robbing Paris blind with their new "time sand". Only Batman can stop them now; but is even the dynamic duo up to the challenge?

This episode would definitely have a famous french celebrity in a wall climbing cameo. Maybe Maurice Chevalier, or Leslie Caron or something? Definitely a famous french celebrity of the 60s or 70s.

Episodes 47 and 48: Batman returns to Gotham City, only to find it's now been taken over by the combined forces of Nora Clavicle, Poison Ivy and The Siren. Turns out Nora Clavicle was an agent of the League too, and now she's planning an extra special trap for Batman and his allies. Locking him and robin in jail and manipulating most of the city's women, it ends up falling on Batgirl and Batwoman's soldiers to save the day and rescue Gotham from the evils of these three villainesses.

And yes, this episode contains a record number of women. Pretty much all the major female henchgirls over the past four seasons make minor camoes in this episode, excluding the ones who actually seemed to reform. That's just to give you an idea of how intensely jam packed this episode set is.

Episodes 49 and 50: Batman and Robin have to deal with The Minstrel, once again. Since The Minstrel's whole attire and gimmick revolves around Gilbert and Sullivan's song: "A Wandering Minstrel, I", The Minstrel has logically decided to take everything up to the extreme now. Crimes specifically based on different Gilbert and Sullivan operas drive the Minstrel's new crimes. Can Batman and Robin stop this musical maestro before he steals the spotlight (and the spoils) once more?

Episodes 51 and 52: Barbara Gordon's political campaign is almost destroyed by False Face and Clayface II, both of whom have been hired by the League of Assasins to distract Batman and Robin. So Batman, Robin, Batgirl and Jason Bard all end up having to deal with the tumultuous chaos of False Face and Clayface's frame job on Barbara Gordon's congressional campaign. Meanwhile, the leads on The League of Assasins are still null and void for Batman, something that won't change for at least a few more episodes.

Episodes 53 and 54: Batman deals with Shame, who's currently working solo again (since Nora Clavicle convinced his wife to leave him).

Episodes 55, 56 and 57: The Joker and The Scarecrow both end up breaking out of jail at the same time. But instead of having those two disrupt the orderly structure of gotham society, a new villian pops up to steal their thunder! Presenting The Thespian (Leslie Nielsen), a dramatic tragedian capable of bringing a tear to anyone's eye. With a charmingly delivered speech, this mad performer can dampen anyone's mood (including The Joker and The Scarecrows).

So while Batman and Robin start out Episode One planning to deal with Joker and Scarecrow, Episodes Two and Three end up firmly focused in on The Thespian and his tragic crimes. A real showstopper, this villianous rogue commands the scene whenever he's in it. With his hideout at the theatre and his henchmen all having themed nicknames based around tragedy and sadness, he truly is a foe to be threatened by.

Luckily for Batman, though, him and robin manage to successfully defeat The Thespian by turning his own gases back around on himself. Now reduced to a crying wreck, Batman manages to learn that he's another agent of the League of Assasins. And from him, Batman successfully pries the location of Lord Ffogg and Lady Peasoup. So finally, Batman can get back on the League's trail (solo, once again).

Episodes 58, 59 and 60: Batman heads to a small country nestled in the Balkans, where he finally manages to confront Lord Ffogg and Lady Peasoup. But before he can defeat them, they reveal their new ally in the form of Doctor Cassandra Spellcraft and her husband, Cabala. Yes, these two old foes of Batman were also members of the League of Assassins, and Batman has walked right into their trap!

Now trapped in a dungeon, unmasked and at the league's mercy, Batman ends up meeting Talia al Ghul (played by Sophia Loren), daughter of Ra's al Ghul, the head of The League. Teaming up with her, the two of them successfully manage to escape from the dungeon and confront our four antagonists. But in the middle of the scuffle, Lord Ffogg attacks Talia with a blade. And in retaliation, Talia shoots Lord Ffogg in cold blood.

After Batman comforts her for a little while, Talia leaves without a word. She leaves Batman to report Lord Ffogg's death, and to get the other three criminals to jail safely. But now that Batman has made himself known to the highest echelons of this secret society, it's only a matter of time before their leader comes looking for him…

Episodes 61 and 62: Batman returns to Gotham, just in time to help Robin deal with a new crime spree being put on by The Riddler and The Bookworm, who've come to realize they're not that different from each other. Together, the two of them have led a massive crime spree while Batman was in Europe. And Robin was unable to handle them all alone. So now that he's back, Batman has to try and help Robin deal with them.

Episode 63: Batgirl and Jason Bard have an adventure completely independent of Batman and Robin. While the Dynamic Duo is busy with The Riddler and The Bookworm, these two have to deal with The Penguin, who's been planning to orchestrate a separate scheme involving the illegal smuggling of some priceless caviar and cigars. His expensive tastes require him to smuggle most of his fine food and amenities in from across the ocean, you see. So Batgirl and Jason have to go out at sea and play coast guards for the day, as they prevent Penguin's shady smuggling deals from going through.

Episodes 64 and 65: Batman has to deal with Lady Shiva (played by Nancy Kwan), an elite member of the League of Assasins who was sent out to try and kill Batman. She stalks him all over Gotham City, which leaves Batman so distracted he never once manages to find the time to investigate Robin's absence. But that's a topic for the next episode. For now, we get a martial arts style brawl between Batman and Lady Shiva.

Episode 66: While Batgirl runs her political campaign and Batman deals with Lady Shiva, Robin has successfully snuck off from Gotham City to try and pursue the League of Assassins. So in this episode, we catch up with him in the middle of asia somewhere. While he's trying to infiltrate the league's headquarters, he accidentally runs into Catwoman (Lee Meriwether) too. It turns out she's been hunting the League since way back in episode 34. So she's successfully gained entrance into the League, and now it's time for her to report back to Gotham with her findings.

But because of Robin entering the picture, things get more intense. Catwoman and Robin have to successfully escape from the league's headquarters without being caught. We catch brief glimpses of Ra's al Ghul and his men, but we don't really have any guest villians this time. This episode ends with Robin and Catwoman getting caught by Ra's, and it's really more of an episode designed to build up to the dramatic two parter that begins after this.

Episodes 67 and 68: Batman is confronted by Ra's al Ghul (played by Ricardo Montalban), head of the League of Assassins. He's kidnapped Robin and Catwoman (Lee Meriwether), and he baits Batman into working with him to save Dick Grayson from a rival assassins society. But the twist is naturally that there was no rival assasins society, and this was all just an excuse for Ra's to test Batman.

Batman finds Robin half beaten to death, and he loses it. He beats Ra's in a fencing match, a hand to hand combat duel, and then successfully blows up the league's hideout somewhere in asia. This looks like the end of Ra's al Ghul and his League of Assassins. But it probably won't end up being the end…

Episodes 69 and 70: Batman is trying to deal with a still recuperating robin, yet an old enemy from the past has resurfaced to menace gotham yet again. The Cavalier (played by Tony Curtis), that evil musketeer of mayhem, has returned to loot gotham for everything it's worth. And Batman has to stop him, while also protecting a recovering robin from taking excessive damage.

Since Robin is injured and Batgirl is away (currently running for congress with her campaign manager Jason Bard), Batman has to turn to Batwoman to help him stop The Cavalier. And Batwoman brings in her niece Bette, the original Batgirl (although she now goes by Flamebird). So this new/old trio of crime busters now have to team up to stop The Cavalier and protect Gotham City.

Episodes 71, 72 and 73: It's Halloween Night, and Bruce Wayne is holding a fancy party with Kathy Kane. Dick Grayson is beginning to recover, so he's there alongside Bette Kane. Batgirl and Jason can't make it, but Aunt Harriet, Leslie Thompkins, Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara all show up. The night is going incredibly well; all until Solomon Grundy shows up to ruin things.

Yes, it turns out that all the old rumours about Slaughter Swamp were correct. Every Halloween Night, he rises from the grave to wreak havok on the people of Gotham. Being a mindless creature of the swamp, there's no way to stop him. You can only delay him until he sinks back into his grave. So with him on the rampage, Batman, Batwoman and Flamebird have to save the day yet again. They delay Grundy until the Dawn of November 1st, but he still seems unstoppable. Over the course of the night, Catwoman (Julie Newmar) even joins them, but nothing helps.

It's then that a dimensional wormhole opens, and The Huntress (Helena Wayne) steps out. She reveals that Solomon Grundy actually isn't from this earth. He's from Earth-Two, and he needs to be sent back where he belongs. So Batman, Catwoman and Huntress team up to capture him (while Batwoman and Flamebird protect the citizens of Gotham). During this episode, we'd hint at Helena's parents being the Batman and Catwoman of her earth, but we'd never say it outright. And after Solomon Grundy is corralled back through the dimensional portal, we'd never see her or solomon grundy again. So yeah, the Halloween special would be absolutely wild here.

Episode 74: This hour long finale barely even features Batman in it. It's all about Batgirl and Jason Bard. With Batgirl running for Congress in her civilian identity as Barbara Gordon, election day is about to come to pass. Will Barbara win!? Well, we won't know that until the end of the special. Because Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn decide to crash the polling stations, and they bring chaos and mayhem to the streets. Batgirl has to suit up and prepare to go into action against them.

So Batgirl defeats Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and then saves the day. After that whole adventure, we get the results of the election: Barbara won her election, and she's going to DC as a Congresswoman! Flying out to watch her get signed into Congress are Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Kathy Kane, Bette Kane and Commissioner Gordon and his wife. It's a beautiful moment. It's also probably one of the last times we're going to see Batwoman and Flamebird. But rest assured: this isn't the end of Batgirl. No, Batgirl is going to do what she did in the comics: continue doing superhero work, and balance that with life as a politician.

[countesspetofi]

Today in the Department of Before They Were Star Trek Stars, George Takei guest stars in "The Silent Saboteurs," episode 10 of the second season of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (original air date November 28, 1965).

Takei plays a Chinese officer who teams up with David Hedison's Captain Crane to hunt down a mad scientist who's built a superweapon to shoot down American spacecraft, from a secret base in an unnamed Southeast Asian country I can only assume is supposed to be Vietnam. A native guerilla fighter helps them locate the base. If you find the politics of this episode confusing, that makes two of us. Then it turns out that Takei is not a Chinese officer after all, but one of the mad scientist's henchmen. And then it all turns into sort of a mini James Bond movie, with the added confusion of starring an actor who went on to play Felix Leiter. But it's all good fun.

Other Trek connections: The guerilla fighter is played by Pilar Seurat, who played the empath Sybo in the Star Trek episode "Wolf in the Fold."

[caw4brandon]

We Like, Are Totally Spies

When we think about shows that will appeal to boys. Action is the easiest to relate. Something like; Ben 10, American Dragon Jake Long, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Justice League will be on the list. It has drama, it has fights and it's cool!

However, there has been a movement in that era where specific cartoon shows aim to get girls into action. Kim Possible, Juniper Lee, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and The Winx Club are perfect examples of such shows.

There is an odd case for more girl-centric shows. Something about the need to balance femininity with action. The show needs to feel like an action that happens to have the main characters be girls. This is where today's topic comes in. We're talking about how;

- How's the Mission, Spies? -

< Totally Spies > by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel follows three teens; Sam, Clover and Alex from Beverly Hills living a secret life being Super Spies for WOOHP (World Organization Of Human Protection) under their boss; Jerry Lewis.

Their missions involve travelling the world. Fighting mad scientists and twisted outcasts who seek to dominate the world with style and gadgets that conceal themselves as fashionable equipment.

The trio plays specific archetypes. Sam (green) is the brains, Clover (red) is the fashionista/ boy obsessive and Alex (yellow) is the athlete and occasional nerd. Despite their differences, they share several common interests such as their love for shopping and spy skills of agility, hand-to-hand combat and espionage.

Across six seasons, the girls matured from high school to university students. Confronting the daily struggles of homework, social lives and their petty arch-enemy, Mandy.

As a vibe, < Totally Spies > fully leans into the Beverly Hills lifestyle of fabulous fashion and some familiar pop culture names of that era. The show has a mix of the James Bond type of super spy world filled with dull henchmen, high-tech machines and some tacky villains.

- Time to go to Plan B! -

The episodes are condensed into their own episode. Although there have been some arcs that follow specific villains who have a bit of history with the main characters.

Tim Scam is a former agent who went rogue against WOOHP and Terrence Lewis; twin brother to Jerry and a sore thumb to WOOHP. There also reoccurring allies as well. Brittney (cyan) who joined the team as a trainee, Dean from the three-part series < Evil Promotion Much? > and Blaine a freelance agent who dated Clover.

The conflicts, if we can even call them conflicts at all have aged rather strangely. Some of the villains commit petty crimes like kidnapping celebrities due to jealousy or act extreme. Like being anti-consumerist with the solution of destroying malls.

Yet, some are still relatable to this day such as a kid villain who is mad at his father for being busy as a commentary on how parental neglect can cause warped ideas in a child. Whatever, it's a pre-teen show. Let's not look into it too deeply.

The world of Totally Spies is also interconnected with several other shows; [The Amazing Spiez] and [Martin Mystery].

< Martin Mystery > follows Martin, a paranormal investigator for the Center with Martin's step-sister, Diana Lombard and Java the Caveman. Fighting monsters, urban legends and aliens.

According to a special crossover episode. Martin's boss; M.O.M (Mystery Organization Manager) and Jerry know each other. Likewise, in Amazing Spiez; Jerry is also the boss of the Clark siblings. Lee, Marc, Megan and Tony. Sadly, these shows were short-lived and cancelled.

It does raise an interesting point. Why is Totally Spies more popular? As a guess, I think it's because the chemistry between the characters is a lot more interesting and fun.

The three girls are best of friends and while they sometimes bicker over boys, responsibilities and opinions. They will always put their friendship and mission first above all else. It feels more real, in a superficial way.

That an actual girl would have a girlfriend group this tight-knit and if they ever become a part of something bigger than them. They would do it together.

- Here We Go Again! -

Tacky villains, cute super spy girlfriends and awesome gadgets aside. The show has a few good jokes here and there. Its art style borrows a lot from Anime and its colors are groovy to the eyes.

For a show that was meant to attract girls into action. The show has also garnered a large following from boys as well. I think another secret to the success of < Totally Spies > can also be because of its approach to the subject. Like I said in my introduction.

There is an odd case for more girl-centric shows. Something about the need to balance femininity with action. The show needs to feel like an action that happens to have the main characters be girls.

This show is a girl's show. The girls are unapologetic being girly. Doing girl things like shopping, manicure, dating and going on dream vacations but with their secret life as spies. The show balances it out with good action and is still using that girly theme to add to its gadgets.

Heck, some of the gadgets are stuff that I would personally want to have. The Jet Pack backpack, The Wind Tunnel 3000 Tornado Blast Hair Dryer, Lazer lipstick and the Compowder are on my list. Especially with its costume change function.

It's a show that embraces both ends of the spectrum and allows it to show its respective strengths rather than shy away from the themes. With the announcement that this show is going to have a season 7/ soft reboot. It does look promising with several concerns.

But I am hopeful that for a beloved show such as this. The girls will have a proper return and inspire a new generation of girls (and boys) to be < Totally Spies >

[romanceyourdemons]

and now it is my great honor to recommend the dragon lives again (1977). bruce lee, played by bruce leong, dies and goes to hell, where he teams up with the one-armed swordsman, kwai chang caine, and popeye the sailor man against the godfather from the godfather (1972) and his henchmen james bond, dracula, the man with no name, emmanuelle, zatoichi, and the exorcist from the exorcist (1973), who plan on overthrowing the king of hell and his lackey, zhong kui. it is every bit as terrible as it sounds. every last bit and then some. when they introduce fake bruce lee he’s unconscious with a blanket over him and it looks like he’s got a massive fucking boner. but then they take off the blanket and it’s his nunchucks

[barkingbonzo]

THUNDERBALL 1965

Thunderball is a 1965 spy film and the fourth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the 1961 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham devised from a story conceived by Kevin McClory, Whittingham, and Fleming. It was the third and final Bond film to be directed by Terence Young, with its screenplay by Richard Maibaum and John Hopkins.

The film follows Bond's mission to find two NATO atomic bombs stolen by SPECTRE, which holds the world ransom to the tune of £100 million in diamonds under threat of destroying an unspecified metropolis in either the United Kingdom or the United States (later revealed to be Miami). The search leads Bond to the Bahamas, where he encounters Emilio Largo, the card-playing, eyepatch-wearing SPECTRE Number Two. Backed by CIA agent Felix Leiter and Largo's mistress, Domino Derval, Bond's search culminates in an underwater battle with Largo's henchmen. The film's complex production comprised four different units, and about a quarter of the film comprises underwater scenes. Thunderball was the first Bond film shot in widescreen Panavision and the first to have a running time of over two hours.

Although planned by Bond film series producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman as the first entry in the franchise, Thunderball was associated with a legal dispute in 1961 when former Fleming collaborators McClory and Whittingham sued him shortly after the 1961 publication of the novel, claiming he based it upon the screenplay the trio had written for a cinematic translation of James Bond. The lawsuit was settled out of court and Broccoli and Saltzman, fearing a rival McClory film, allowed him to retain certain screen rights to the novel's plot and characters, and for McClory to receive sole producer credit on this film; Broccoli and Saltzman instead served as executive producers.

The film was exceptionally successful: its worldwide box-office receipts of $141.2 million (equivalent to $1,365,200,000 in 2023) exceeded not only that of each of its predecessors but that of every one of the next five Bond films that followed it. Thunderball remains the most financially successful film of the series in North America when adjusted for ticket price inflation. In 1966, John Stears won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and BAFTA nominated production designer Ken Adam for an award. Some critics and viewers praised the film and branded it a welcome addition to the series, while others found the aquatic action repetitious. The movie was followed by 1967's You Only Live Twice. In 1983, Warner Bros. released a second film adaptation of the Thunderball novel under the title Never Say Never Again, with McClory as executive producer.

[mando-abs]

Okay, so my sibling and I were watching videos and came across one asking “what is the craziest, most out of pocket cameo you’ve seen in a movie?” I gave it some thought and I must tell you of one of the greatest throwaway jokes you’ve never heard of.

And it’s in the 1999 Inspector Gadget movie.

Inspector fucking Gadget

After the movie’s villain Dr. Claw is arrested, his henchman Sykes tries to make an identity for himself outside of being henchman. To heal from his trauma, he joins a Minion Recovery Group. And who is Skyes giving a speech to?

Former henchmen

Now there are only two legit celebrity cameos here. One being Mr. T (front second from the left, known from the A*TEAM) and Richard Keil (front third from the left, known from James Bond as Jaws). But!!!! There are 6 more minion character cameos in frame.

(This is observed left to right from our POV.) Oddjob from James Bond (front far left), Tattoo from Fantasy Island (front far right), Kato from The Green Hornet (middle far left), Igor from Frankenstein (dead middle), edit: Cato from The Pink Panther (middle right), and Tonto from The Lone Ranger (middle far right). Granted, I don’t know all of these medias nor how they hold up over the test of time. But ask your parents and grandparents about them

But that’s not even the kicker. Nooooo no no.

This scene was a 15 second end credit scene.

All of this set up and two celebrity cameos…for 15 seconds…in the credits….Crazy. And I’m not even mentioning the other end credit cameo. What’s arguably even funnier is how they were credited (sorry for its blurriness but granted it’s a bit older)

So just remember when you’re watching Marvel’s famous (or infamous depending on who you ask) end credits scenes, Inspector Gadget not only did it first but also did it better.

Oh yeah, and Inspector Gadget was the first movie to have All Star by Smash Mouth among its soundtrack, not Shrek……OK BYEEEEEEE

[batmannotes]

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 4K Ultra HD Review

Jason Momoa reprises his role as the King of the Seven Seas in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which comes 5 years after the original film was released. Once again Aquaman’s most notable rogue, Black Manta, is back seeking revenge for his deceased father. This time, Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and sinister force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman makes an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction. 

I must admit, even though I consider myself a superhero aficionado, it has been 5 years since the first solo Aquaman flick hit the theaters and remembering certain details regarding the movie were hazy for me at best. Fortunately, there are flashbacks to some of the pertinent moments from the first outing. As in the original movie, there is a healthy dose of action and adventure sprinkled with some hit and miss humor. I enjoyed the unlikely bond between the brothers, and it is hard to argue that Black Manta is one of the most iconic super villains to hit the silver screen in a comic book flick in recent memory. Unfortunately, Manta is paired with a far less interesting character named Dr. Shin (Randall Park) and a collection of henchmen and women with little to no depth in this underwater adventure.  

The visuals of this film are the real treat, and with the 4K format they really shine. The underwater computer-generated sequences are particularly aesthetically pleasing, but I really wish this movie stuck to scenes beneath the sea. There are tons of incredibly interesting creatures in the ocean that an Aquaman movie has yet to tap into. A number of times the movie gets caught trying to copy other films, particularly Star Wars, however, this movie lacks the interesting intertwining plot points and character development of the sci-fi classic. Even with the beautiful 4K eye candy most of its visuals project, there are the occasional, (Joss Whedon) Justice League-esque CGI that leaves you wondering, “where did that come from?”. I also did not care for Aquaman being out of his classic orange and green costume for most of the movie, as I felt that it robbed me of that superhero feel.

VIDEO QUALITY 📽️ :  A 

The 2160p transfer looks glorious, even with the aforementioned lackluster CGI in a few limited sequences. This liquid beauty really carry the visual end of this film. 

AUDIO QUALITY 🔈 : A 

The Dolby Atmos English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) really is a treat for the listener at home. The dialogue is clear, and the action sequences are bombastic as you are immersed deep into the sea of this film. 

EXTRAS 📀 :  B 

Included with this single disc release is a Digital Copy and several video extras listed below: 

Finding the Lost Kingdom (21:22) - Jason Momoa, director James Wan, DC honcho Jim Lee, production design Bill Brzeski, and other key members of the cast and crew are your guides at this usually scenic behind-the-scenes featurette, which includes bits and pieces of on-set footage and others supportive clips. 

Aquaman: Worlds Above and Below (9:39) - A like-minded look at various locales on both sides of the surface that covers special effects, location shoots, and Aquaman lore by way of a few vintage comics. 

Atlantean Blood is Thicker than Water (4:17) - A short but sweet look at the history of Arthur and his half-brother Orm, again with some comics history and short interviews with Momoa and Patrick Wilson. 

It's a Manta World (10:08) - Another character-focused featurette, this short piece sits down with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and others to speak about David Kane, Black Manta, the power suit, and more. 

Necrus, the Lost Black City (5:51) - James Wan, producer Peter Safran, Bill Brzeski, and others chat briefly about the titular lost kingdom, its visual creation, and its history in the franchise. 

Escape from the Deserter World (8:05) - Another like-minded featurette about the location -- or in this case, sequence -- featured in the film, a handful of familiar faces share about its creation and execution while being supported by behind-the-scenes footage, concept art, rehearsals, costume and set design, and more. 

Brawling at Kingfish's Lair (4:07) - A quick look at one of the film's many visually overloaded action scenes and some of the goofier details and supporting characters featured in it. 

Oh, Topo! (2:12) - And speaking of goofy supporting characters, this short and light-hearted tribute acts as an appreciation and highlight reel for everyone's favorite comedy relief cephalopod. 

FINAL GRADE: C- 

The only real emotions drawn from this bloated outing are the reconciliation between two brothers and the love for their mother. Aquaman should have submerged deeper into the sea, instead of trying to mimic the tales of old from the land above. 

Order now from Amazon.

[gaykarstaagforever]

I've never liked James Bond movies, other than like two of the Pierce Brosnan ones, and only now because of nostalgia. They're boring when chases aren't happening and too long and his gadgets are unjustifiably impossible and the villains are idiots with stupid schemes, and no one ever just shoots the bastard, leaving him to constantly get out of situations by deus ex machina or blind luck. I don't know what people want from these movies, what makes the "good" ones good or the "bad" ones bad, or why anyone is invested in any of this.

That said, I just watched what is, to me now, the one genuinely good Bond movie: 1973's Live and Let Die.

Bond fights a technologically-advanced drug-dealing voodoo pimp / Caribbean island dictaror, whose evil plan involves giving away a billion dollars of heroin for free. And this plan also involves him somehow successfully killing like 4 secret agents, plus, oh yeah, voodoo and tarot magicks are probably actually real?

This feels like white people mistakenly deciding they know enough about Black people in 1973 to make a movie about their world, and it is exactly as problematic and insane as you'd expect. And I loved every minute of it.

Such gleeful stupidity, done with such a straight face, is a beauty to behold. There is also a 10 minute sequence that is just Smokey and the Bandit, complete with a fat racist idiot Southern sheriff and incompetant Louisiana state police, who get their cars completely destroyed in slapstick comedy wrecks where people crash off ramps into bogs but no one ever gets hurt.

...Except this came out 5 years before Smokey and the Bandit, and maybe the same weekend as the similar White Lightning, so I have no idea who was stealing what from whom. I guess 1973 was just the year to start making fun of Southern law enforcement with funny car accidents.

I'm not complaining. I love this crap. It's just such a specific thing for multiple creatives to seize on at exactly the same moment. I suppose art, like voodoo, is endlessly mysterious.

I got the impression this movie is a critical pariah and was a flop, but neither is true. It made tons of money, and while people in general didn't and don't like Roger Moore as Bond, it seems most people enjoyed the frenetic weirdness going on here.

This was Moore replacing Connery, who set the iconic 1960s Bond bar. Like, hostility to anything new and different was inevitable. I don't feel strongly about Connery's Bond either way, because a lot of those movies are impossibly slow and his charm doesn't redeem them. So I like Moore here. He seems like he's still figuring out how to do the character his way, but that is also inevitable. But he's drool and wry and unflappable, and any lack of charm is fine, considering the movie is far more about jumping from one ridiculous situation to another at a break-neck pace. Bond is really just along for the kooky ride, and Moore manages that.

I love the cars and the costumes. This is peak early 70s, so everything is big and bright primary colors, from the cars to the collars and neckties, to the platform shoes and afro wigs. All the suits have vests. VESTS! The villain dresses his henchmen in bright bluejeans with scarlet polo shirts tucked in. They look like Target associates went rogue. It's beautiful.

Any more analysis of the plot than I've already offered is pointless, because this is a Bond movie. So even at peak wannabe-Blaxploitation goofiness, he's still boldly walking into obvious traps, inappropriately trying to trick certainly-evil women into sleeping with him, and solving every problem with a gimmick watch and desperate flailing that somehow knocks people out.

I don't know why anyone bothers setting elaborate traps for him. Just send a guy to pick him up. He'll know exactly that you've done that and get in the car anyway. That happens twice in this movie! And the same guy is driving!

The watch in this one has an industrial-strength magnet in it, and also the face spins and acts like a tiny buzzsaw. And, fine. That's the right kind of stupid. But how the hell does all that work on tiny watch batteries? I can't forget about that, which is why Bond movies aren't for me. And it makes Bond look bad, because anyone with that watch could probably do exactly what he does. ...Except probably the thing where he uses the magnet to undo the zipper on a woman's dress. That's very specifically a Bond thing, the cheeky predator.

But he's not the only incompetent gadabout, here. Most of the story takes place in the US, and he's working with the CIA. And they are AT LEAST as bad at everything as he is. But they don't have magic watches, so I guess that's why they keep getting stabbed, and poisoned by voodoo snakes, and have to call him in, to do whatever the hell this is:

Jane Seymour is also here. She is a possibly biracial? tarot witch who has virgin powers, and is owned by the Black villain. She gets manhandled and molested all the time, especially by Bond, and his deflowering of her is a major plot point.

As I said before, there are some problematic things going on here.

But the whole affair is so earnestly cheesy and high-energy that it's hard to find fault. They were going for schlock, and they schlocked it. James gets cornered by a hundred people doing a deadly swamp voodoo ritual that involves human sacrifice and a magic robot, and after some of them charge him with machetes, he responds by blindly firing into the crowd and murdering a bunch of them. This culminates with him getting captured by the villain for like the third time, and the guy acts like all this was just part of his plan.

Then Bond wrestles with him a little near a shark tank, but kills him with a Looney Tunes device. 1960s Batman showed more restraint than this. The Austin Powers movies barely referenced this one, because it is already a parody of spy movies. It is a thing of messy, stupid brilliance.

If you don't like Bond movies, this is the Bond movie for you. Everyone can get a laugh out of this, even if they're only laughing at it.

(Also the theme is the best Bond theme ever, but everyone already knows that. It opens the movie with naked women dancing around flaming skulls. That alone probably makes it the best Bond movie.)

[bogmansfartblog]

James Bond Henchmen X Ginyu Force from DBZ

[ltwharfy]

OK ONE MORE,

“The Spy Who Was Roommates With Me!” 😎😎😎

That's the story I didn't write for the AU/Roommates prompt for Roudise Week! It just seemed like it would've been too involved to finish in time- it will probably have to be a multi-chapter thing. (which I've never written before) But I can't totally forget about it.

It's a very silly James Bond parody in the style of the three-story episodes of the show. In terms of Bond films it would be very much in the style of the campy, over the top Roger Moore films (hence the title's nod to 1977's "The Spy Who Loved Me"). So, basically it's a bit of a send up of some already goofy source material.

The weird thing is when coming up with "Bob's Burgers" analogues for the stock Bond characters, there really aren't any natural roles for the other Belcher family members, as part of Bond's whole deal is that is an orphan.

The characters as I envisioned them: Louise is the secret agent, Rudy is the scientist love interest, Calvin Fischoeder is the Villain (I mean, he looks the part...), Felix is his second in commend (of course), Logan and the Acne Covered Kittens are his hired henchmen, Ms. Labonz is M, Darryl is Q.

Basically, the story would begin with some sort of exciting stunt sequence where Louise rescues Rudy from Logan and company. Then there would be a briefing where Ms. Labonz explains to Louise that she has to protect Rudy and investigate who hired Logan to kidnap him. So Louise and Rudy have to go undercover...as roommates.

I do hope I write this. It will probably require rewatching the Roger Moore Bond movies for the first time since I was in high school (and likely recognizing dozens of exciting new problematic things about them!) But, honestly, even writing this little description of it to you here made me laugh and smile on a day where I wasn't in a great mood. So maybe that's a sign there is some value in working on the story?

Thanks for the ask!

[earlgreyinpajamas]

00q fic recs: bamf!q

1. put me to the test (honey, i'll blow you out the water) by thestalwartheart (@thestalwartheart)​

“You want me to what, Sir?”

As clearly as he’s heard the instructions, Q can’t be sure he isn’t dreaming this entire conversation. Between the agents creating more work for him out in the field and the engineers in his department demanding more of his time than usual, it’s already been a terribly long day, though it’s only noon.

And now, well. What Mallory is suggesting may well be a dream for all its absurdity.

“I’m scheduling you to take the field tests.”

-----

When Q is forced to prove he can survive in the field, James Bond plays the (concerned) menace.

~~~

ashfjj i love the “q can pass field tests and knocks bond’s socks off” trope

2. a funny worth by thestalwartheart (@thestalwartheart)​

 The pounding of his own heartbeat is the only thing Q can hear. It’s throbbing in his ears and throat. Even his eyeballs feel like they’re pulsing with it.

-----

In Austria, Q runs through a door to hide from two henchmen. It will become an inescapable memory.

~~~

it’s funny to realise that q genuinely had nerves of steel in austria, given that he narrowly avoided capture and still managed to do his job despite the overwhelming stress that probably would have caused him, because the movie (rightly or wrongly) kind of downplays the actions of everyone but bond, which fair enough, because it’s a bond movie, but also,, it would have been a nice thing to have a closer look at. but anyways, my point is that this fic does that scene so much justice, and it really filled out what was missing for me

3 I Won't Shiver, I Won't Shake by Only_1_Truth     

When Silva breaks loose in MI6, everything goes to shit.  Q is new and James is desperate - and with a madman after M, there aren't a lot of options but for James to trust the posh young Quartermaster that he barely knows anything about.  Likewise, Q finds himself being presented with a task that will ask him to stick his neck out for an agent that he doesn't really know yet... and which will also put him more in harm's way than he anticipated.  

Q might not be the battle-trained agent that 007 is, but one thing is for sure: now that he's promised to help the man, he might bruise, but he won't break.

~~~

you gotta love q staying strong in the face of a ton of violence being inflicted on him AND coming out tops because of his brains

[fraulurker]

Working on the asumtion that we are in a James Bond-like world, with volkano bases and such, how do you think you would do as, not a spy, but as a someone's henchmen?

Ooohhhhh

My knee jerk reaction is "bad", but assuming by the time I became a henchmen I was adequately qualified (E.G, I had decent cardio + got some kind of vehicle license) I think I'd do pretty well!

My nickname irl is Goon, as in somebody's goon/henchmen, dubbed so by my father who's only been recently made aware of the current brainrot trends. I'm very physically strong and take direction well, and am pretty big. So I'd imagine I'd probably be pretty reliable for physical work if nothing else.

I think that would also depend on the villian though. Cause if we're talking "has several hundred henchmen in a corporate spoof" villian I'd be late all the time and probably drop important stuff into lava alot. If it's more of a "main villian with his two right hands", I'd probably fair better. The villian would probably be my man greg or something and we'd probably be chill

Interestingly enough I'd probably do better as a spy. I mean actual spy, not James Bond sports car spy. I'm pretty unassuming and lie casually to strangers alot irl.

[persephonethewanderer]

if i may continue to inquire you about raoul silva things 🤓☝️ what do you think raoul's relationship with his agents/employees (such as patrice, sévérine and all his other "henchmen") looks like?

i've been thinking a lot about it cause while i see him trying to distance himself i also can't see him being 100% cold and calculating in interpersonal relationships despite his best efforts. maybe he's trying to walk the line between inspiring trust and devotion while not creating personal attachments (he fails)

tbh i like the thought of him employees being super loyal to him (like that guy giving his all trying to kill bond even if it costs him his life) but that's more of an amusing hc than a narrative analysis lmao

please continue to inquire all you want! i love talking about him <3

anyway i tend to agree with you. he clearly considers everyone and everything “superfluous” only that— he doesn’t. arguably he’s the most intensely emotional antagonist in the series. his desire is for revenge not for world domination or whatever. so it makes sense that he pretends he doesn’t care about his collaborators but such a devotion (as you mentioned in patrice he does die for him without revealing his name to james) cannot happen without charme and connection. so yes, where they scared of him? yes. did he also court them and charme them? also yes.

the most crystal clear case is severine. i do believe the beginning of their relationship was sincere. i do believe she was in love with him — and he was with her in his own way. but the thing is, everything pales in comparison to his revenge. his obsession with m. i think it got worse and worse and more convoluted and something severine couldn’t keep up with. and once he understood she wasn’t going to follow him forever he deemed her superfluous. because he’s been abandoned and betrayed before, so he thinks ahead and prevents any possibility by getting rid of her.

ultimately severine is an ex sex trafficking victim caught in the game of silva, bond and m (and isn’t this such a good commentary on colonialism too?)

[alcamcat]

James fraternal support

The brothers have a very strong bond and have always tried to support each other, even in the Abyssal Plains. Now that they are in the human world, they are freer in their actions and they continue to help each other even without magic. How does James show his support? A glimpse at how he uses his own skills to help his brothers. (The other brothers get their own scenarios) 

-I don't own the game or the characters-           

Even back in the Abyssal Plains, James was trying to teach his brother Damien to read. However, limited by his own training and the constant supervision of his father and his henchmen, there was little he could do other than read in his mind and hoping his youngest brother would learn from it. Now that no one can break them apart or cut their time together, James likes to use his time to teach his brother how to read and write. He thinks it's important for Damien to learn these skills and is actually a very good teacher. He is patient, understanding and, thanks to his wide-ranging knowledge, can fall back on many tricks and tips, which he is also happy to pass on. Of course, Damien isn't the only brother supported by James. Because even if the relationship between him and his brother Sam is not one of the closest bonds, it is also James who helps Sam as a training partner for his almost daily combat training. Sam has a hard time accepting the new ways of the human world and fighting is one of his ways of dealing with it. And since James is one of the brothers who are definitely strong enough to take on Sam, he regularly offers himself as a sparring partner. Of course, this also has the advantage for him that Sam can work out and become a little calmer and more sociable in general. Just because he helps doesn't mean James can't benefit from it.

"Oh, for the love of God, Sam!" James quickly got to his feet, rubbing his sore side. Even in his demon form, the hit Sam had landed during their training together was so painful that he had to pause for a moment. A luxury he wouldn't have in a real fight, but that was training. It wasn't often that James yielded to his brother's will and trained with him in their true form. The fights that followed were all the harder each time, neither of them wanted to hold back and their physique alone made them significantly stronger than in their human form, even if, as agreed, they didn't use their magic.

"Heh, what’s up with you? It's not like I really hurt you…" Sam crossed his arms loosely and grinned cheekily at his brother. James knew he liked being able to throw a punch at his eldest brother now and then, but that didn't mean James wouldn't do everything in his power to retaliate. And the opportunity arose shortly after as they continued to practice punch sequences and kicks. Sam was quick and very skilled, but James had been preparing for the throne for years, not without success. He knew how to defend himself and also how to corner an attacker, even without magic.

More minutes passed during which the fight remained relatively even. Both attacked, parried and took turns landing hits, although it never seemed really clear which of the two had the upper hand. And while James often teased his brother for overly relying on the brute part of his nature, he knew that Sam was well aware that his eldest brother appreciated his fighting technique.

Also, Matthew and Erik, sitting at the edge of the room and silently watching their brothers' practice match, knew that when it came to fighting, nobody came as close to Sam's strength as James. It had taken James a while to admit to himself that his little brother would probably be superior to him in a real fight, but after a few training fights and some time in a world where he was no longer the one whose life depends on always being the best, he had slowly come to terms with the idea.

Finally, they finished their training. As Sam headed off to shower, James patted him on the shoulder as he passed. And even though Sam only growled at him in reply, he could see the slight smile that crossed the middle brother's features. Words didn't always have to be exchanged to express mutual respect and affection. In the case of Sam, James knew that no matter how many times he rebuked him, the two would bicker over trivialities, the mutual respect was ever-present. And that was something James was clearly proud of.

Five minutes later, James opened the door that led to the kitchen. Damien was already sitting at the kitchen counter bent over a book when James entered and he greeted him with "You shouldn't have done that..." James knew what Damien was talking about. He'd reactivated his spell that made him appear human, knowing how reluctant Damien was to face what they really were. "...but thanks!" As James stopped beside him, Damien looked up from the book with a shy smile.

"All done?" James settled into a chair next to him while Damien pushed the book towards him. "I'm three pages ahead. The trick you showed me yesterday helped. Though I'm really having trouble with this one.” Damien pointed to a set of words that, despite the capitalization, still gave him a headache. James scanned the lines before leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. A sympathetic smile spread across his face, he struggled to keep his thoughts kind as optimistic as possible.

"Okay, let's do it then. Remember last week's rules?" James gave his youngest brother a brief moment to recall what they had discussed a few days ago. He could see his brother's face light up as he seemed to realize what James was talking about. For a while James explained various rules to his brother and gave him tips to make his reading and writing tasks easier and Damien listened with interest and inquisitiveness.

But as quickly as the joy had arisen, it was gone just as quickly. James recognized the subtle change in his brother's posture even before he opened his mouth again. "I don't think I can do this..." What followed was a serious conversation between the eldest and the youngest brother in which James made it clear, not for the first time and certainly not for the last time, that he believed in him. That he knew Damien needed time, but that he was sure that sooner or later he would be able to read and write as if he had never known anything else.

Such conversations happened again and again and James would never pass up the opportunity to promote his little brother. And also, to convince himself that he was a good big brother. Because it was in his blood to want to be perfect at everything.

At times James still found it hard that he was no longer the one with armies of demons standing at attention, but he had come to the human world for a reason. He wanted a free life for himself and his brothers. And he would do anything in his power to help them be happy.

[denimbex1986]

'A luminary from Oppenheimer, who thoroughly enjoyed being part of this summer’s blockbuster, is now shifting his gaze beyond his Oppenheimer role. He’s set his sights on a coveted future aspiration: portraying a villain in a James Bond movie. He is none other than David Dastmalchian, who played William Borden in Oppenheimer.

...a proposal put forth by David Dastmalchian has caught everyone’s attention.

Does David Dastmalchian Have What It Takes To Be A Bond Villain

...David Dastmalchian stands out as an actor who consistently delivers an unsettling aura. His knack for inducing chills is well-established (just consider his role in Prisoners, where his eerie portrayal was impeccably executed).

“Whoever is reading this, take it as a sign. You were meant to be reading this line at this moment as you’re thinking about the future of what you guys are doing with the franchise,” Dastmalchian told Slashfilm. “Trust me when I say that I can bring something to an enemy of 007, whether he or she or they be played in a way that no one has ever seen Bond brought to life before, which is of course the way that you guys always do it. I think there’s no one to push Bond to the limits of their capabilities the way that I could, and I would love to do it. So there’s my pitch to them. I can’t wait for them to read this. And then I will owe you when or if I ever get that role, I guess 10%.”

Those who have witnessed Dastmalchian’s performances in his more sinister roles would readily acknowledge his ability to effortlessly embody a disconcerting Bond adversary. While the future remains uncertain, the prospect of this casting choice receives a resounding endorsement based on his track record.

David Dastmalchian Has Previously Worked With Christopher Nolan

Renowned for his intimate connections with his cast, Christopher Nolan frequently exhibits his penchant for casting familiar faces across multiple projects. This practice has solidified his renown for cultivating a cooperative and encouraging creative atmosphere. Therefore, it’s entirely expected that, for his inaugural venture into biographical filmmaking, the director has curated a remarkable ensemble of performers who have previously shared his cinematic journey.

David Dastmalchian’s acting repertoire spans a wide spectrum. It includes appearances on television in iconic productions like The Dark Knight trilogy, as well as lead roles in notable works like Blade Runner 2049 and The Suicide Squad. Prior to his portrayal of William L. Borden in Oppenheimer, Dastmalchian had the opportunity to collaborate with Nolan in The Dark Knight, where he played one of the Joker’s henchmen.'