#jt ramble time

[jtl07]

jt (finally) watches warrior nun - s1 e9 (pt 1)

Started slowly making my way through e9 but I wanted to post really quickly about Beatrice’s “Trust your team” line to Ava - because I never knew the context!

First of all, it’s amusing to me that though Mary at first refused to give Ava her ring (I’m assuming Mary is who Ava got it from?) because she didn’t want to “catch heat from Beatrice,” it’s Ava who was the center of Beatrice’s scolding.

Second and mostly, complete empathy for Ava: here she is, given a chance to really be part of the team, to have trained for her part, and just so eager to help (there’s a bunch of times when she’s grinning and wiggling with excitement - though, sidenote, I’m not sure if the moment ~5:20 when they first enter the security room if she’s supposed to be smiling; it looks like Alba’s trying to hold back a laugh? idk it’s cute either way)

Sorry got sidetracked by Alba’s smile - what I’m trying to say is that Ava’s so eager to do the thing! But her role is literally to be chauffeured around and protected so that she can use the halo to phase into the tomb. After all that she’s been through so far, to be ordered to just hang back? That has to suck.

But it also makes me love that line even more. Because Beatrice doesn’t say something like “Do what you’re told” or “Stop messing up the plan” - she tells Ava to trust. Which has been the hardest thing, yes, but also in the context of an elite military-esque team, it’s interesting.

Because Ava hasn’t been part of a team like this - hasn’t been part of a team at all, really. She’s been an army of one, she has no idea how an actual elite army works - how trust works in a team like this. Because “trust your team” has an unspoken “because your team is trusting you” - everyone has their role, and everyone is expected, is being trusted, to play that role. Additionally, in an elite team like this (or any elite team of any sort really), there’s a trust that if something goes wrong, you’ll be able to figure it out. And if you try to adjust but it still doesn’t work, there’s a trust that you’ll communicate that, so that the team can help or make adjustments, etc.

Which is all things Ava has not had experience with at all. She’s barely built any trust with these folks - and vice versa. How can she trust that they’ll protect her if she’s not involved in the protecting? So she falls back on doing more, being useful. And maybe that’s why Beatrice takes gives an instructor type of lecture (instead of, say, a dictator doling out punishment) - because she recognizes what Ava’s doing because she does the same thing. They do it in different ways: Beatrice does what she’s told to the most perfect letter and prepares 20 steps afterward along with a dozen of contingency plans, whereas Ava tries to jump in and do whatever needs doing, even if she’s not the most competent at it.

It’s remarkable how that line lowers the tension while also impressing upon Ava how important her role is - that yes, it sucks not to be able to do anything, but be patient and trust because your role is just as important; it’s just not now. In a way it’s somewhat like a plea, an entreaty - it’s just as much a request as it is a command. idk I just find it so interesting how Beatrice is always riding that line with Ava, and how Ava responds to that.

Okay that’s my first thought for now - we’ll see how long it takes for me to actually finish the episode lol

[potatobugz]

do you think the mess in oshiros hotel is meant to signify that hes been letting his problems pile up until its become too overwhelming to handle.

im thinking about the fact that he's definitely the one who's been making the mess but he doesn't even realize it. he ignores the clutter until it becomes too hard to ignore you know? like when it starts actively blocking the way to the presidential suite. he insists that he and his staff will handle it and that madeline shouldn't clean up his own mess, but he still doesn't do anything about it. does he know that the staff is gone? that it's just him there?

mr oshiro is so hell bent on impressing madeline so that she'll stay in his hotel. he's so in denial of everything. he doesn't even realize he's dead, he still thinks his hotel never got shut down. I think his insistence on her staying is bc he really wants to believe that the hotel is open, and a costumer would affirm that belief. it could also maybe be a mixture of loneliness too. (also, him treating her as a costumer even after she says no is absolutely him being in denial. that man is very unhealthily attached to this hotel,)

and even though it was nice of madeline to clean it up, there's still parts of the hotel she can't fix. the plumbing. the windows. the, hole in the ceiling (oops.) she's not qualified to help him, and that's why I think the chapter ends on a bit of a sour note. madeline is of course not a bad person for wanting to help, the point is that she can't. it is unfortunate but true

anyways mr oshiro is a very good character i like him a regular amount. im normal about that old man

[smilesrobotlover]

I am pretty harsh when it comes to criticizing games, but I don't think you should blame yourself for "overhyping TotK" for yourself. That's the whole point of marketing, I'd say, so if something underdelivered, then I think that's on the game and not the person unless you went in unreasonably expecting the impossible (which I doubt)

Yeaaaaah. But I feel the hype of the game is what ruined the story for me. But echoes of wisdom is clearly not as hyped as totk so hopefully I can like it

[oh-no-its-bird]

Staring in a mirror swinging a pendelumn back and forth in an attempt to hypnotize myself: "ooooo you wanna finish your WIP sooo badddd"

[larabar]

sonic music will have you trying to learn egg gate on your violin

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

our tree fell over merry christmas ! [Breakdances]

[marblebagcollective]

one day i will have all the words 2 explain why the ctommy "finale" (its not canon in my heart like at all ive never considered it canon) was so horribly harmful

[parkeryangs]

anytime someone calls me parker i swear i like . gain another life

[nyupuun]

Won Top 4 at locals for the Age of Overlord Sneak Peek (this made me so happy I have to share it everywhere.)

Also, another person really liked the anime (specifically 5Ds) so now we're writing with one another and I don't think I've done anything harder than trying to act normal and allistic about Yugioh. Someone at Locals also said they liked how 'excited' I was about it, and I know it probably wasn't even meant in a mean way but I still felt a bit bad cause I don't even know how to be normal!!!!!

[jtl07]

jt (finally) watches warrior nun - s1 e8 (pt 3)

Okay final thoughts about e8 before I finally move on to e9 (also apologies if this comes out more disjointed than usual - seems like the franticn energy from last night was some kind of pre-cold energy because ugh my throat is not well) — in this rambling session, I want to talk about the blocks, namely the time when Ava successfully gets through 20 feet and how that connects back to those key scenes in e3.

But before that, can we take a moment to talk about Beatrice and touch in this episode? After so many episodes of her not touching people, she touches Ava and Lilith here, both to soothe when they’re in obvious distress:

Which is also such an interesting contrast to the distance Beatrice gives Ava in the hall:

Yes, it’s like she wants to give Ava space, to reassure that Beatrice is there but isn’t pushing, that she only wants to help - but I can't help but also recognize that Ava isn't experiencing pain in this moment, that there's no “excuse” for Bea to lean on that would allow her to, well, lean in - with physical comfort that is. But she does it verbally with the quiet in her voice, the focus in her eyes.

In a way it’s similar to the hallway scene in e3 after the embrace:

Both of those scenes feature Beatrice trying to get Ava to open up - and eventually succeeding. What’s interesting is that in the hallway scene in e3, it's Ava that's angry, and she's asking for Beatrice's belief, her trust. In the hallway scene in e8, Ava's scared, and Beatrice is asking Ava to trust her - again.

But I can't help but also wonder: How did we get from this:

To this:

(Side note: Getting screenshots of this moment made me love this scene even more because gosh, the way you can see how Beatrice falls for Ava here is just - ugh, KTY and Alba, y'all are the besttttt)

But instead of going the route of comparing the differences, let’s compare what’s similar.

So in both, we have Beatrice reacting on instinct, the instinct to comfort and soothe. Additionally, it’s during an act of trust on Ava’s part, trust in Beatrice to keep her safe. Episode 8 however, has the added depth of Ava trusting Beatrice with her deepest fear, and Beatrice promising her that it she’ll do everything she can to make sure it doesn’t come true. (Which gosh, how beautiful is that, to have that kind of devotion in your corner?)

But also, preceding this scene was Beatrice giving trust to Ava with her revelation. And what’s so meaningful is that Ava doesn’t treat her any differently after having learned this about Beatrice - she continues to give Beatrice her trust, in fact gives more because she tells Beatrice her fear. (And maybe it was because Beatrice had shared earlier that Ava felt like she could share with Beatrice. Trust is a reinforcing cycle in that way)

Also, both of these sharing moments were when they were each facing their fears literally: When Ava calls out Beatrice, it’s due to Beatrice kinda acting like a monster, a thing to hate; When Beatrice nudges Ava to think deeper on her fear, Ava’s encased in stone, alone.

But then they each take the other person's fear, looks at it, looks at them and says, yeah, that’s scary, but you don’t have to be afraid. Ava tells Beatrice that she’s beautiful; Beatrice tells Ava she won’t ever be left alone.

To connect back to my previous commentary about fear and anger and want: they each see the want underneath the fear and offer it to the other person, without any conditions or expectations, just pure and unconditional.

And maybe that’s why Beatrice is so … astounded when Ava comes through the blocks - just look at her face! - to have that trust returned, to be given the opportunity to give that kind of gift to someone else. And yes, Beatrice still catches herself, but the moment is there, the experience was shared: the exhilaration that comes from trust given, trust returned, trust proven - and trust making possible to overcome something seemingly impossible together.

(Huh, that makes me think also about Ava’s fall in s2 - that perhaps it was because of Beatrice’s overflow of emotions that somehow helped the halo recharge and for Ava to miraculously - impossibly - come back to life…)

Actually one more thought: The way Ava falls through the last of the blocks and into Beatrice's arms reminded me a bit of a trust fall - yeah, you're supposed to be not facing the person, but Ava didn't know Beatrice was going to be there (the last time, Ava fell on the ground). But Ava just like, collapses into Bea:

Fuzzy screenshot is fuzzy but there's no standing up from that. She has no balance, no further power it seems. Ava put her all into the last couple steps - put Beatrice's promise to the test, really. And Beatrice, even though she was caught unawares, still catches her, is joyful even to be given the trust to do it:

(This scene~~~~)

Okay I think the cold medicine’s kicking in, time to call it. Hopefully I’ll get to e9 this week (man I was hoping to get through both seasons before Aug 15 but at this rate, I have no idea lol) but I also just want to say thanks to y’all for reading and liking and reblogging!

[hollowboobtheory]

ew

[potatobugz]

nepeta for the character bingo? :o

oh nepepe homestuck, were really in it now..

[justghostthings]

My partner 💞💞💞💞💞💞🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[sweettarttt]

i know this is such an old take but i really fucking hate the way this show handled jamie’s relationship with his dad

[bones-n-bookles]

Hey why is it so much easier to add SO MUCH EXTRA DETAIL to art than it is to simplify art