#just after 3.09

[murkyhazed-is-archiving]

LIKED : dialogue starter / @w1dowed

featuring: michonne hawthorne and maggie rhee

               ❝   we’re   going   to   kill   him…      eventually.      men   like   that   don’t   stop,   he’s   a   poison.      tried   to   kill   me,   tried   to…      point   is,   he   won’t   get   away   with   it.   ❞

[scoobydoodean]

You really just can't unsee it once you see it though, can you?

Sam starts blaming Dean for what he's going to do (work with Ruby) way back in 3.09 because Dean isn't going to be around to be Sam's mommy, which is going to force Sam's hand.

After Dean comes back, Sam actually blames Dean for him working with Ruby by saying Dean wasn't there to protect him (4.04).

Dean repeatedly begs Sam not to work with Ruby and is ignored repeatedly (3.03, 3.04, 3.09, 3.16, 4.01-4.04, 4.12-4.22).

After telling Dean to open up to him and trust him (4.08), Sam calls Dean weak and pathetic for being traumatized by hell and says Dean is holding him back and therefore deserves to be lied to because he can't be of use (4.14) Sam says it's not what he really thinks when they both know it is (and Sam repeats it to other characters in 4.16, and 4.18) and then he admits it's the truth again to Dean's face in 4.21.

Sam accuses Dean of not trusting him enough (4.21).

Bobby blows up at Dean for not supporting Sam enough and calls him a pansy after Sam strangled Dean near unconscious, and tells him family is supposed to make you miserable (4.22).

Dean tries to reach out to Sam and Zachariah and Cas actively prevent him from doing so (Cas only at first) (4.22)

Zachariah (5.01) and Cas (5.02) both tell Dean the apocalypse is his fault because Dean didn't reach Sam in time to stop him from killing Lilith.

Dean says Sam hurt him, Sam is the one Dean depended on the most and Sam hurt him in ways he can't even voice (5.01). Sam apologizes, but then in the very next episode, shoves Dean into a wall for not trusting him like Dean is crazy and irrational when Sam doesn't even trust himself (5.02).

Sam says he thinks they should go their separate ways and is shocked when Dean agrees easily. Dean says that he spends more time worrying about Sam than he does doing the job right and time apart would be good. Sam reiterates that he's sorry and Dean gently says he knows Sam is (5.02).

Cas asks Dean if he's okay even without his brother, and Dean says "Especially without my brother. I mean, I spent so much time worrying about the son of a bitch. I mean, I’ve had more fun with you in the past twenty-four hours than I’ve had with Sam in years, and you’re not that much fun. It’s funny, you know, I’ve been so chained to my family, but now that I’m alone, hell, I’m happy." (5.03)

Sam says he wants back in. Dean objects, on the basis that he thinks they're stronger apart. Dean says they're each other's weaknesses and it's being used against them (5.04, but the weakness line is repeated from 3.03 and 3.16).

Zachariah pushes Dean into a future 2014 where Dean never met up with Sam again, and as a result, Sam said "Yes" to Lucifer, and billions of people died. All because Dean didn't want to be around Sam after being hurt and never reconnected with him (5.04).

Dean reconnects with Sam (5.04) even though he clearly doesn't want to, because the first case we see them on again, Dean struggles to trust Sam and leaves to go drink alone because he doesn't want to be around Sam (5.05).

Sam says part of the reason he went off with Ruby was to get away from Dean, because Dean is smothering. Dean is the problem in the relationship, because Sam feels inferior compared to him. Dean apologizes for being too smothering (5.05).

What does all of this tell you? Dean can't win. Dean will always be the bad guy in the family. He loves too much, or he isn't loving enough. Sam needs him and Dean wasn't there for him and so Sam went down the wrong path, but also Dean is smothering and Dean being smothering is the reason Sam went down the wrong path. Sam is not a trustworthy person, but Dean doesn't trust him enough. Sam not being trustworthy is Dean's fault. Dean doesn't deserve trust, but Sam deserves Dean's trust no matter what and not giving Sam his trust is the worst possible thing in the entire world and also again makes him smothering. The apocalypse is Dean's fault. Every single thing Sam does every single mistake he might ever make in his life is always at least partly Dean's fault and Dean's responsibility.

[thespnreferencedesk]

A Fic Writer's Guide to the 1967 Impala

Part 1: Exterior | Part 2

Click for the full-size, annotated versions of images! Unlabeled screenshots here

The given dimensions for the four-door hardtop Impala are 213.2 inches long (17.6 feet, 5.4 meters), 79.9 inches wide (6.6 feet, 2 meters), and around 55 inches tall (4.5 feet, 1.4 meters). Its wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axles) is just shy of 10 feet. For comparison, the Impala is about three feet longer than a modern Toyota Corolla with a 1.5 foot longer wheelbase, but the same width and height. Fully loaded, it weighs easily over 2 tons and rides low to the ground. Baby is big.

Baby is a “hardtop” Impala rather than the sedan. This means it does not have a support post between the front and rear windows. The bit of trim/seal between them is part of the rear window and retracts with it when the window is rolled down. The exterior color is Tuxedo Black, and this color is still available today. It has a faint metallic finish to it due to small suspended glass particles that catch the light.

The original plates are Sedgwick County, Kansas front and rear plates with the number KAZ 2Y5 (referencing Kansas and 2005, the year the show started). After 2.19, they switch to Ohio front and rear plates with the number CNK 80Q3. When John first buys the car in 1973 in 4.03, it has a vintage rear Kansas plate with the number RPC 45P4. In 4.13 and 11.08 flashbacks to 1992 and 1997, the front and rear plates are Kansas BQN 9R3. In the djinn dream in 2.20, both plates are Kansas RMD 5H2.

The Impala has a circular driver’s side mirror, but no passenger side mirror. Between 1.01 and 3.09, it also features adjustable spotlights/searchlights on both sides. It also has two-speed chrome windshield wipers, an antennae on the front passenger’s side, and bumper guards on the front and back bumpers.

Up through episode 3.09, the Impala has chrome aftermarket Unity spotlights mounted on both sides. Mounting instructions and a up-close view of these on a fan replica can be seen here. Note that Baby's spotlights have black handles with a thin red stripe. Turn the handle to turn the spotlight's base (up/down), and twist the handle to turn and aim the light (left/right). There is a small switch under the half-sphere part of the handle that locks the light's position.

Baby's wipers have chrome arms and have two speeds, low and high. The doors feature mounted door handles with opening buttons just below them. You push in these buttons to open the door instead of pulling on the handle itself. If locking the door by pressing the door lock button on the window sill, these buttons need to be held down while closing the doors so as not to hit the physical locking mechanism.

Unique to the 1967 are these cage-style corner lamps. They are completely absent on the '66 and different on the '68. The headlights are controlled by a knob on the dash and a high beam button down in the floorboard (pushed with your foot). These come on when the parking lights are turned on. Of the two inner circular lights, the outer one is the low beam and has a low and high filament. The inner circular light is the high beam only and comes on when the floor switch is pressed. The rear lights feature the outer turn signal, center tail lights, and inner brake lights (see below).

To the best of my knowledge, Baby has 15x7 (15" diameter, 7" width) chrome steel wheels in the front and 15x8 in the back. This particular style is currently discontinued but was sold through a variety of brands under different names. The brand Cragar refers to this style as the "Super Spoke."

Outside of the in-universe book series’ fandom, four door Impalas are not sought-after or particularly “cool” classic cars. The Impala was marketed as a mid-luxury “family” car rather than something sporty or muscle-y. Other classic car buffs that Dean comes across might appreciate the way Dean has maintained the Impala for a daily driver, but not compared to a show car. They may also find the Impala underrated, but it is not a typical "dream car" the way a classic Camaro or Chevelle might be.

Without Dean, Baby would have likely ended up used for parts for other more desirable cars. This generation of Impalas is also virtually identical to other Chevrolets like Caprices and Bel Airs. Since Baby is debadged except for the “Chevrolet” on the grill, anyone who recognizes it as an Impala would be a massive nerd.

Just like Dean.

[moistvonlipwig]

OUAT Week Day 4: Favorite Plot Twist

The first season of OUAT tells us that Regina adopted Henry and raised him for ten years without ever having any idea that his biological mother was Snow White's daughter, the woman prophesied to bring about her downfall.

The third season of OUAT reveals that this isn't entirely true.

In 3.09 "Save Henry," we learn that Regina found out the identity of Henry's birth mother shortly after taking him home. Frightened by the tangible connection to Emma Swan and Snow White living in her house, she tried to take him back to the adoption agency, but in the end she couldn't leave him there. She chose Henry, knowing he was related to her greatest enemies, knowing his presence in her life would no doubt ensure his birth mother's eventual arrival and her own subsequent downfall. What's more, she then chose to forget that she knew this -- thus leaving herself even more vulnerable to Emma Swan -- so that she could, as she said, "put her own troubles aside and put her child first."

By this point in the show, of course, we know that Regina loves Henry; even if some of the audience weren't convinced by her declaration that she does in the pilot, she's proven it time and again throughout Seasons 1, 2, and 3. But it's not until "Save Henry" that we understand just how much she had already given up for him before Emma even came to Storybrooke. Even as a villain who had not yet begun to redeem herself, Regina still chose Henry over the curse and her revenge, ten years before the series began. Regina herself may not remember the events of this episode's flashbacks, but they change the audience's perspective on her character and her relationship with Henry for good, and confirm for us with absolute certainty that no matter what, she will always put Henry first.

[fromville-divorce-lawyer]

Thoughts on 3.09

* Poor Fatima. What Elgin & Kimono lady are doing to her is terrifying. How is Elgin that gullible?

* Boyd and Donna are both going to have a break down if Fatima isn't okay.

* Jim is uncharacteristicly chill that an adult man took a trip into the woods alone with his daughter. I'm not sure if that's an indicator that he's changing or just because Jim doesn't think he can bully Randall like he thought he could Jade.

* Jim did a good job with Ethan, so maybe he's actually going to change.

* Even Randall is giving Jim life advice these days.

* Sara winning points by telling Boyd about the voices.

* Acosta reaching for her unloaded gun. 🤣 Girl, what?

* They made us wait three quarters of the episode to find out what Jade is up to. It’s nice that he still has a fun (for us) relationship with his hallucinations.

* "He's not broken." 💗 Jade couldn't have given Henry better advice about Victor.

* Jade seemed a bit more distant again. He was clearly starting to care about Tabitha (either romantic or platonic) and Ethan, and as a result, he got verbally attacked by Jim. I hope Jade doesn't slip into full asshole mode because of it.

* Victor really needed a hug.

* After Tabitha's memory at the end, I think Tabitha is stuck in a cycle of reincarnation. I'm not sure of her age, but she could've been born after Miranda died. She's been reincarnating since the 1800's (or whenever that dream she had took place). I also think Jade is Christopher and is also reincarnating. The things he's been seeing are from his memories.

[starogeorgina]

𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬

Pairing: Harwin Strong × Targ oc

Warning: Childbirth, mentions of violence, swearing, blood, character death

3.09

“If he wasn’t my kin, I’d have his head on a fucking spike!”

Harwin gently tilts your chin up so you’re facing him. His fingers are coated in your blood from your nose, but it seems insignificant in comparison to what your son has suffered. “You need to have a maester check you over, Vaella.”

“And take them away from our sons?” Feeling overwhelmed with his hand on you, you brush it off and start pacing again, using the movements as a way to not only cope with the adrenaline of anger bubbling inside you but also the pain slowly seeping across your body. You felt as if a sudden fever was coming on, but you refused to let up. “I don’t understand why he would do such a thing to his own flesh and blood.”

“Some people are just inherently bad.”

“But he’s my brother,” you weep. “That should mean something.”

Tears sting your eyes as you look at your sons through the doorway as they speak with the maesters. Aerion's eyes were red and puffy from crying, and when you excused yourself to go clean up your nose, which had started bleeding again, distressing Aerion further Harwin asked Elinda, your sister's handmaiden, to stay by your side. The young woman was coddling him as if your eldest son were her own. Vaegon was lying flat on his stomach in a deep slumber due to the high volume of milk from the poppy he had consumed, with maesters surrounding him. Each of them is trying to figure out the best way to treat injuries to his lower back.

“Oh, my baby, my baby.”

Harwin chokes back a sob. You had expected him to be full of rage, but instead he looked defeated. Exhausted from the worry and frustrated from not being able to help. The palms of Harwin’s hands had small crescent-shaped cuts on them from him clenching his hand so tight.

When you feel your nosebleed has stopped, you go and sit beside Aerion again, holding him close to you as he sobs, “It’s my fault. I couldn’t stop him; I couldn’t protect my brother.”

“Shh, none of this is your fault.”

“He called us bastards,” Aerion sobs. “And Jace, Luke, and Joff. He said I was the only one who didn’t know.”

You look up at Harwin; his eyes are glimmering with what you suspect is fear. Harwin crouched down to be level with him and spoke softly, “Listen, lad, I will tell you the truth. This isn’t about bastardy, the greens... They don’t want a woman sitting on the throne. They will say anything to discreet princess Rhaenyra and her sons, so the king's firstborn son sits on the throne.”

Aerion looks from Harwin to you, confused. “But if anything happened to Princess Rhaenyra and her sons, the throne would go to my mother before it did to my uncle; she’s the second-born child of the king.”

The sweet innocence in his voice breaks your heart.

“They would just do the same to your mother, lad. The Hightowers want the firstborn of Alicent to rule.”

“Will they kill us so Aegon will be the heir?"

You kiss the crown of his head multiple times and say, “No, SweetPea, it won’t come to that.”

—

You let out a sharp breath as the maester explained the extent of damage your son was suffering. Vaegon had snuck out to confront his uncle after overhearing Aemond say Aegon would be king one day. When Vaegon told him he was wrong, Aemond called your son’s bastards, then pushed Vaegon down the concrete steps.

Aerion squeezed your hand; your poor boy blamed himself. He saw his brother leaving and chased after him, but Vaegon inherited your stubbornness and refused to go back to their rooms.

“Unfortunately, it’s too early to tell if the price will ever walk again.”

Tears sting your eyes, making your vision slightly blurred. “Is he able to travel, or will it cause him more pain?”

“I’d advise a high dose of milk from the poppy for the boat ride back to avoid any distress... but in truth, Princess Prince has lost feeling below the waist.”

You grip tightly onto Harwin’s arm; none of it seems real. You glance at the door when Elinda enters the room; she reminds you of a frightened mouse with how she trembles as she walks over to you. The handmaiden had been sent to bring your daughter and to inform your sister and father that they needed to come as a matter of urgency.

“Where is Ada?” Harwin is alarmed.

“Ser Harwin, Princess... She is with Princess Rhaenyra in the great hall. There has been another incident involving Prince Aemond.”

—

All eyes are on you when you burst through the Great Hall’s main door. The handmaiden who informed you of the incident was running not far behind; she had briefly filled you and Harwin in on the conflict that transpired between the children and the adults. The first thing you notice are the drops of blood on the floor and Rhaenyra holding her bleeding arm while your father's dagger lies by Alicent’s feet. There was a clear divide in the room, with your family standing on one side and Greens standing on the other.

“Ada?” You call for your daughter, and panic sets in when you can’t see her among the various bodies in the room. “Ada!”

“I’m sorry!” She comes out from behind Lord Lyonel and runs to you, her cheeks flushed from crying. She clings to your growl and sobs, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

You brush her hair out of her face and say, “It’s alright, my sweet, it’s alright.”

You clap your hand over hers, keeping her firmly by your side; she grabs ahold of Harwin’s hand as well. You look to your father for any kind of indication of what he was planning to do, but he seems lost in his own thoughts, so you turn to Alicent.

“Did he tell you what he did to—”

“The king already knows about the slander hurled towards my sons,” Rhaenyra says.

You feel blood dribble from your nose onto your lip as you stare at Rhaenyra, speechless. You quickly wipe it away with the sleeve of your dress. An insult was the least of your worries. But she didn’t know; none of them did. One son suffers in agony, while the other's heart fills with guilt. All the while, your brother went off and happily claimed a dragon. You glance at your Aemond, feeling void of sympathy that he’d lost an eye. He was smiling beneath his bandage; he was proud of what he’d done.

“Do you have any remorse for what you did to my son?”

Your father finally finds his voice. “Vaella, what happened to my grandson?”

Aemond looks down at his feet, the smugness on his face fading, which only infuriates you further. Your voice cracks as you speak, “I’ll give you one last chance; tell them what you did.”

Alicent looks at you stunned; it’s clear she has no idea what you’re referring to. She waits a beat, then speaks thickly, “My son was attacked by Prince Lucerys. He lost an eye.”

“An eye? Prince Aemond said the Hightowers were planning to usurp my sister's throne, and then he almost killed my son. ” You turn to face your father and say, "Your grace, your grandson has been maimed and may never walk again! And his brother is traumatized from witnessing such a horrendous act.”

Madness and rage were spreading inside you like poison; perhaps you should have listened to your husband and stayed with your sons.

“Vaella…”

Harwin tries to say something to you, but you storm over to the king, who looks just as defeated as the rest of you. “Father,” you speak in High Valyrian. “This is them; this is the greens. I’ve told you again and again about the agenda that they have been pushing. That a woman isn’t fit to rule and your grandsons are bastards, and now the lies have run so deep that her son thinks it’s okay to physically attack mine and Rhaenyra’s children.”

“Vaella,” he sighs. “I cannot change what has been done; I cannot mend the wounded.”

��Do something.” Tears roll down your cheek. “Aemond is just a boy repeating what his mother and grandsire said. Alicent has just assaulted the heir to the throne and attempted to harm Lucerys. Arrest her, and I’ll feed that traitor who dare calls himself your hand to Varos!”

“Alicent is my wife.”

“Your wife?” You scoff. “The Hightowers are parasites feeding off dragon's blood. My love for her children is the only reason I’m not bringing fire and blood down upon their entire house.”

Harwin places his hand over your chest, urging you to step back. Harwin wasn’t fluent in High Valyrian, but he knew it well enough to recognise the threats you were making. “The king wishes to do nothing.” He picks Ada up with one arm and takes your hand with the other. “The best thing we can do is get our family back to Dragonstone.”

“I’ll have a ship prepared immediately,” Lord Corlys says. “It will be ready within the hour.”

Harwin nods and says, “Thank you.”

You felt your heat tearing itself apart; not only were your sons suffering, but your father had become so weak he was no longer able to defend your house. Shaking your head, you go to leave the great hall with your daughter and husband but stop when you reach the doorway. You thought you could handle the pain in your lower abdomen, but a sudden sharpness causes you to claw at the fabric of your dress. You sway on your feet slightly, and Harwin wraps his arm around you, keeping you up right.

“Send for a maester!” Daemon calls out.

“Fuck,” you grit your teeth and squeeze his arm tightly, feeling blood trickling down your thighs. “The babe is coming.”

—

“You need to push, princess.”

“I am fucking pushing!” You bark. “This shouldn’t be happening; it’s too soon.”

You grit your teeth and try to focus on the warmth of your sister's hand on your back, grounding you in the present moment. Harwin was waiting in the next room with your children; you were glad. You couldn’t bear to look at him, not when this was your fault. You should have made sure the knights posted outside the room your children were supposed to be sleeping in were capable of stopping them from sneaking out. You shouldn’t have allowed yourself to become so upset. If anything happened to your baby, it was your fault.

Rhaenyra’s eyes were focused on the bloodstained sheets below. You had been pushing for hours with no results. “Don’t let them do it to me,” you sob. “I don’t want to die like our mother.”

Tears roll down her cheeks, but she forces a smile. “You will have a baby in your arms soon, and the pain will be over.”

The contractions come hard and fast now, like waves crashing against rocks. Sweat trickles down your forehead; the pain intensifies, but you know it's nature's way of telling you to start pushing again. You bear down with each passing moment, feeling the muscles in your abdomen tense and release as if they were being pulled apart.

A few more moments of agonizing pain pass, and then the room is filled with a baby’s cries. The midwife cuts the cord and then places the baby on your chest. “It’s a girl.”

“Cassandra, her name is Cassandra.” Tears of happiness streamed from your eyes. Your beautiful girl had thick, dark hair and eyes to match her fathers. “She’s perfect—oh fuck, I think another one is coming.”

One of the midwives pushes your legs open and says, “The princess is crowning.”

The room fills with the sound of people rushing around, and blood starts spilling onto the ground. The bleeding was heavier than before. One of the handmaids gives you an apologetic look as she lifts the baby from your chest and says, “I’ll clean her up, princess.”

“Take her to Harwin.”

Rhaenyra wipes a cloth over your forehead. “Sister, are you sure?”

“I don’t want her in the room when I die.” You let out an agonizing scream. “Just take her and go!”

Your eyes become heavy, and your vision fades as you watch the handmaid wrap your daughter in a blanket. Rhaenyra shakes your shoulder, yelling for you to stay awake, but your sight is locked firmly on your newborn. Before she disappears from sight, your vision goes black.

—

Feeling his wife’s absence, Harwin opens his eyes and sits up in the bed, squinting. He looks around the room, hoping to see her, but Vaella is nowhere to be seen. He looks down into the crib next to him and sees Cassandra scrunching her face up while sleeping. His little girl was smaller and sickly-looking, but she has fed well from the wet nurse and is now sleeping soundly. Getting to his feet, Harwin goes straight to the door and is about to order the knights on the opposite side to search for her, but hearing a humming noise, he stops.

He follows the noise to the balcony and finds Vaella sitting on the ground, rocking, and Rhea in her arms, as if the dead baby would take comfort in being in her mother's arms. When the handmaid brought Cassandra through to the other room, he knew something was wrong and went to be beside his wife. The maester and midwife tried to force him out of the room, insisting it was no place for a man to be.

“And which one of you is going to make me leave my wife’s side?”

Rhaenyra interjects before anyone else can respond, “Ser Harwin will be staying by my sisters side.”

Harwin had felt so helpless when he first saw her laying on the birthing bed, with him unable to do anything to help his wife, who no longer had the energy to scream. Aerion, Vaegon, and Ada needed their mother's strength and courage, something no amount of love from him could provide them. Vaella was covered in sweat and blood; he was so sure he’d lose her. But his princess was a fighter and pulled through, yet the second girl she gave birth to did not.

Harwin was conflicted; he didn’t want to disturb her, but he didn’t want his wife to feel alone.

His decision is made when Vaella looks up at the sky, watching the dragons flying above, and begins talking out loud. “The golden dragon is Sunfyre; he’s bonded with your uncle Aegon. The blue one flying beside him is Dreamfyre, your auntie Helaena’s dragon. The largest one is your brother Vaegon’s dragon, Nightmare.”

Harwin fights back at Sob when Vaella’s voice breaks when she mentions Vaegon. He backs off slowly. She needed the time with Rhea as their daughter's funeral would be held once they arrived on Dragston. Ser Laenor and Rhaenyra had left on Dragonback, so arrangements would be made for their arrival. The maesters advised waiting until Vaella was fully healed before traveling home due to her blood loss, but she was desperate to return home. So did he. Harwin didn’t doubt the masters of Driftmark’s capabilities since they worked miracles to save his wife, but he also didn’t trust any maesters he didn’t know to care for his children.

Hearing a soft knock at the door, Harwin goes over and answers. His mouth goes dry. “Brother.”

“I hope I haven’t woken the princess.”

Harwin steps into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Without being asked, the knight on duty goes and stands at the bottom of the hallway, giving them privacy. From the way the sun peeked through the clouds, Harwin guessed it was roughly five in the morning. “Is this an urgent matter?”

“Yes.” Larys puts his weight against his stick and whispers, “My bees have been busy. And I’ve heard whispers.”

“I’m not interested in gossip.”

Hints of a smirk appear on the clubfoot’s face. “It involves Princess Vaella and the unfortunate events that took place last night.”

Rage burns inside of him, and Harwin fits a clench at his side. “What do you know?”

“Do you remember what type of tea the princess was drinking?”

The question throws him off. “It was red and had a horrid smell to it. Vaella said it was her first time tasting it.”

“Hmm, that’s what I feared. One of the ladies cleaning the room said the smell reminded her of barberry.”

“A fruit tea?”

Larys nods, as if the answer were obvious. “For you and me, it’s perfectly safe, but not for pregnant women, as it can trigger miscarriages. Tell me, did the princess suffer from any vomiting or nosebleeds prior to going into labor?”

Harwin gulps down. “She spat the tea out.”

“But she may have ingested it in small doses without knowing,” Larys leans in again. “Between us, brother, I find it rather particular that princess Vaella was perfectly fine on Dragonstone, but as soon as she arrived on Driftmark, she’s poisoned.”

“My daughter is dead. We will speak of this another time.”

Harwin enters the room and presses his back against the door. If what Larys said was true, then this was... He couldn’t even begin to process what it all meant. Not now, not when he needed to grieve.

[miss-musings]

How badly was Tech's Death handled in The Bad Batch S3?

I'm planning to do a full season review for The Bad Batch Season 3, and while prepping, I started thinking back about how Tech's death was handled.

I wonder if The Bad Batch never really mourned Tech on-screen because they all blamed themselves for his death:

Hunter bc he's the leader (even Hemlock noted this)

Wrecker bc he was trying to hold the rail car

Crosshair bc they were trying to save him from Tantiss

And Omega had never really lost anyone before, so she probably didn't know how to cope.

The time jump didn't help either.

Arguably it'd be in-character that their "mourning" style is just avoiding the topic. They hardly brought up Crosshair in S1 after he was mind-controlled.

Hunter shuts down the group's conversation about Crosshair in 1.03 partly bc he feels guilty about leaving Crosshair behind (even tho they didn't really have a choice). Consequently, the group doesn't really mention Crosshair except in passing after 1.03.

Look, I ultimately think the writers *should* have let the characters mourn Tech in a meaningful way. It'd allow them and us to have some closure. But they didn't, and that's partly why so many people expected him to come back (namely as CX-2).

Tech also just had such a suspicious "death":

No body on screen

He fell with all or most of his gear on him, and Hunter survived a 500+ foot fall on Daro without much issue

Hemlock as an unreliable death certificate

A character running around in S3 who was conditioned by Hemlock (who supposedly found Tech's body) and who moves & talks like Tech, and has significant interactions w/ Crosshair and Omega plus a weird scene w/ Phee

It didn't help that CX-2 survived *everything* - multiple explosions, falls, etc. Plus, we never saw him without his mask, unlike CX-0 in S2 and CX-1 in 3.06.

If the TBB creators wanted to avoid any theorizing that CX-2 was Tech or anyone else we knew, all they had to do was show him without his helmet at the end of 3.07. Boom, problem solved!

I really expected a CX-Tech reveal up until 3.14 "Flash Strike." But by then, we'd run out of time to bring him back properly. It really feels like the writers baited us, or something was changed last-minute during S3 production.

Even if we'd gotten a scene in, let's say, 3.05 "The Return" where the Bad Batch finally and properly mourned Tech once they were all together, I'm sure people still would've theorized CX-2 was Tech. But, I do think there would've been fewer.

As it stands, neither the characters nor the audience ever had a proper send-off for such a prominent character.

And CX-2 had all that screentime & build-up to justify cutting off Crosshair's hand???

TBB S3 was great in many respects, but how it handled Tech's death was a major flaw.

But, I just wanted to play Devil's Advocate for a bit. Maybe it wasn't as bad as we thought, and arguably was in-character for Tech's brothers to hardly ever mention him.

He's mentioned 7 times in S3:

Wrecker has an indirect mention in 3.02

Omega in 3.03

Echo in 3.05

Phee in 3.08

Crosshair in 3.09

Phee in 3.12

Crosshair in 3.15

And we know that last one is the most heartbreaking one of them all.

Phee and Echo seemingly have made some peace with losing Tech after 5-6 months. But it's clear Hunter & co still haven't. They all compartmentalized his death and never addressed it. Crosshair's little "Plan 99" speech in 3.15 proves that, I think.

Anyway, just throwing this out there. I'm planning to do a S3 review soon and go over the three best and three worst things about the season. SPOILERS: Tech's death and the CX-2 baiting was definitely one of the worst!

[cottoncandysprite]

Honestly I know we joke about "that's his boss" and Guillermo technically not being Nandor's employee for a few seasons but I genuinely believe he ISN'T. Like, textually. If I recall, Nandor never actually re-hired him after relieving him of his service in 3.08, or again in 3.09, Guillermo just kinda Stayed. Like he's straight up not his familiar anymore.

[theflyindutchwoman]

You don't let anyone ever tell you you can't do something. Not even me.

| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION 3.09 - Amber

This really feels like the end of an era… and that scene encapsulates this feeling so brilliantly. It represents their relationship to a T, highlighting so many facets of their usual dynamic - supportive, loving, teasing, flirting… Plus, having Tim and Lucy's last conversation as TO/rookie in the parking garage - a place that holds dear memories for them - is also a perfect touch to close this chapter.

Tim has spent the whole year pushing Lucy to stop second-guessing herself so much, it's only natural that his parting words as her training officer would be to empower her again. The direct parallels with Plain Clothes Day make it a full circle moment, with the evaluations, the message… It brings home just how far Lucy has come since then. How much more confident she now is. And then, there are all the other little moments, that are so inherently them. That makes their relationship so beautiful. Like her "gift" : pranking has become one of their love language, their little tradition. Or how Tim spends the whole shift pretending he isn't going to miss her, only for him to admit it in his evaluation (and that was so reminiscent of his denial at having fun during their paintball game or at staying all night by her side at the hospital). Or the way he stares at her with his signature Lucy-induced "heart eyes", shares that longer-than-necessary handshake or smiles fondly as she finalises their checklist. How she looks proud as well, for her success, for exceeding all his expectations (and then some), teaching him some lessons in return, for getting back at him for his Tim-Tests. And the way she's beaming and glowing and touched by his words.

Words that are so important. She said it herself, she values his opinion and we saw how crestfallen she was when she didn't get his support for her career choice in Revelations. She needed to hear this, to know that SHE did it, that she deserves the recognition, and to be reminded to never let anyone tell her what to do. Especially after he voiced his doubts again earlier in the episode (and we'll have to talk about THAT scene another time). Especially in light of her parents' disapproval and disappointment. She needed to know that there are some people who are proud of her and are supportive of her, unconditionally. And with Tim calling her by her first name or shaking her hand at the end, it also feels like the beginning of something new. Of something more...

[argoandjahan]

Nandor's Penis Arc

Let's talk about Nandor's Penis Arc

3.03 He's feeling his vampire joy in being reunited with Gail at the hotel, and he lacks a self consciousness in his nudity. He swings his pre-djinned penis from side-to-side, doing his little half-nakey dance to Bob Seger. No shame. Just joy. And feeling it in his body and expressing it without anxiety and self-consciousness.

3.09 Nandor has fallen into vampire existential crisis and depression and decides to take a super slumber. He has no energy to deal with Vampire Council business and lets Nadja take center stage, and tells her that she can say that he's dead. But then, the vampires want to see his body--specifically his penis, since "it is said that he had one of the most impressive members in all of vampiredom both in length and girth."

But upon inspection, after much expectation, the vampires are disappointed and unimpressed by his "pretty average," "not substandard but nothing special," "not small," "average weight/pliability/wiggliness," "standard mid-tier pecker."

4.03 One whole episode later, we have Nando who wants to have the largest penis in the world.

4.05 And very self conscious now of his looks that he asks the Djinn to give him alterations.

Our babygirl is anxious about how others perceive him after that super slumber incident.

[jojameswinter]

I feel like we don’t talk about the way jj bends down to hug kie in 3.09 enough?!? like that hug is insane of them actually. The gasps the noises as well coming from both of them in pure relief?! I just can’t cope. God I hope Rudy and maddie bring all of this again and more to season 4, we’ve been waiting 4 years for established jiara 💝

HA FHAIHF AH ANON WHAT ARE YOU DOING PLS MY SANITY IS SO FRAGILE

No, like I've said it before - kisses are great and all, but their HUGS??? Their HUGS????? Fucking show stopping, scream inducing, absolute insanity. Emotional, perfectly tender while also being all consuming and urgent. The breathless way they say each other's names, the faces crumpling. They hug better than any damn ship I can think of!!!! I find myself returning to those scenes and thinking about their hugs the most!

I'm choosing to keep the faith that Rudy and Madison will continue to bring it; I have no reason to think otherwise after their S3 performance! Established is a whole other thing though; it's going to require a lot more closeness/touching/intimacy. God, that's thrilling just typing it out HFWOEHFOIWEH anyways! Jiaras that clown together stay together, right anon???

[scoobydoodean]

Okay now it's time for an extensive breakdown of Sam's incredibly manipulative pleading at the end of 4.21 that I was making fun of yesterday.

My whole life, you take the wheel, you call the shots, and I trust you because you are my brother. Now I'm asking you, for once, trust me.

There are many lies packed into these two sentences and I want to go through them one by one.

Lie 1: Sam always does what Dean wants to do.

Sam presents his whole life as a life where he has always done what Dean wanted. Sam suggests he has never deviated from Dean's wishes.

However, on many occasions when Sam and Dean have arrived at an impasse, Sam simply went his own way, which directly contradicts his claim that he always takes Dean's lead.

1.11: Dean wants to go on a case John directed them toward, and Sam wants to go to Sacremento to search for John (who doesn't want to be found) with nothing but an area code. He has Dean pull the car over, then gets out and leaves. Sam and Dean later talk on the phone and apologize to each other, but with the understanding they'll both go their own way. Sam gets worried when Dean doesn't respond to his calls (because he's been kidnapped) and abandons his plan to take a bus to California of his own accord.

1.12: Sam tricks Dean into seeing a faith healer by saying they're going to see "A specialist".

1.20: Sam starts a screaming match with John over him telling them to take the next exit on the highway, while Dean complains about them both being insufferable and always getting into petty fights.

2.10: Dean begs that they just lay low for a while and take a break and think (after he reveals John's last words). Sam runs off.

3.05: Dean shoots down Sam's plan to threaten a crossroad's demon (with The Colt) into breaking Dean's contract. Sam sneaks out at night to summon a crossroad's demon anyway and threaten her, and then kills her when she doesn't do what he wants.

3.09: Sam stops Dean from killing Ruby.

3.10: Sam steals a hair off Dean's head so he can go into Dean's dreams with him and insists he is going when Dean objects that he doesn't want Sam in his mind.

3.11: Sam kills Dean at one point on accident when Dean tries to end his reign of terror with the owner of The Mystery Spot.

3.15: Sam wants to stay in town and find Doc Benton so he can use his alchemy to make Dean and himself immortal. Dean wants to go and find Bela, who has The Colt. They part ways, with Sam staying and Dean going to search for Bela alone.

3.16: Right after Dean explicitly states that he does not want Ruby to be summoned in a last ditch play to save his life, Sam summons her behind Dean's back.

4.01: Sam wants to kill the demons that threatened Dean in the diner, and Dean doesn't. Sam sneaks off at night to go back to the diner to kill them on his own, but the angels have beaten him to it.

4.07: After implying that Sam using his powers against Samhain is a joint decision and he wants Dean's feedback, when Dean objects, Sam runs off to face Samhain alone anyway, leaving Dean with several still-trapped teenagers he can't abandon to keep him from following to help.

4.09 (4.01-4.04; 4.12-4.22): We learn that while Dean was dead, Sam directly went against what Sam in 4.04 describes as "Practically [Dean's] dying wish" (4.04) by working with Ruby to hone his powers to take revenge on Lilith. He continues to work with her after Dean is brought back to life until 4.04, then picks the habit back up at the end of 4.12. In 4.14, he says that he is intentionally going behind Dean's back because Dean is too weak to be of use and is holding him back.

4.15: Dean says he can't stop Sam from having secrets, but asks Sam to please not treat him like an idiot (i.e., keep telling lies), when it's obvious that Sam is lying to him about what happened with Alastair in the graveyard. Sam very much continues to lie instead of just insisting upon his privacy.

4.18: Sam and Dean fight about Sam's lies and then because Sam wants to stay in town and face Lilith, while Dean wants to leave to escape Chuck's writing. Sam refuses to budge and the brothers separate until the end of the episode.

4.19: Sam wants to turn Adam into a hunter and Dean hates the idea. Sam first starts teaching Adam about hunting behind Dean's back, then in front of him while Dean watches on, sickened.

In the third heading, I note incidents where Sam and Dean had a dispute and Dean conceded to Sam's views.

Lie 2: Sam follows Dean's lead because Dean is his brother and for no other reason. It's blind faith.

Sam wants wants Dean to set aside his moral principles and his skepticism and place blind faith in Sam for no other reason than that Sam is his brother, and he frames this request as a show of mutual solidarity. He's placed blind faith in Dean, so why can't Dean do the same for him?

First, there's manipulation here in that this alleged blind faith entitles Sam to also receive blind faith in return from someone unwilling to offer it, which is nonsense. Just because you choose to (allegedly) abandon your principles and beliefs for blind faith in another person does not mean the other person is obligated to follow your lead, treating their own moral principles in the same blasé manner you do.

Second, while absolutely—there have been points up to 4.21 where Sam did not do things because Dean didn't want to do them, or where Sam did things he didn't really want to do because Dean wanted to do them... it's very shady to suggest he only ever concedes purely because Dean is his brother and he has blind faith in him.

Thinking up incidents where Sam concedes to Dean's wishes on something:

1.02: Sam objects to Dean wanting to protect Haley and her brother because they'll be dead weight in the woods, while Dean wants to protect them.

1.03: Dean insists on going on the case instead of sitting around angst-ing about John and how the leads on him have dried up, and Sam concedes.

1.10: Sam wants to call the FBI on John to find him while Dean wants to follow the coordinates John just sent them to see if he's there. Sam ends up going along with Dean then spends the whole episode taking his anger about John's absence out on Dean who had no control over it.

1.21: Sam does not rush into a burning building and die trying to reach Azazel because Dean holds him back.

1.22: 1) Sam wants to sit in a motel waiting for an unknown number of demons to arrive with three bullets left in The Colt and Dean insists they go to Bobby's to learn about demons instead. 2) Dean insists on rescuing John over revenge 3) Dean brings The Colt to save John behind Sam's back, and then ends up using a bullet to save Sam's life.

2.04: Dean thinks he's found a case (he has) and Sam thinks he's just making things up. Sam agrees to go along with it even though he's skeptical until the fact that it is a genuine case is proved to him.

2.12: Sam doesn't like Dean trying to work with Ronald to stop the shifter but they don't really have a choice.

2.19: Sam doesn't want to help people in prison and Dean does, and Sam concedes and goes with the crazy plan to get arrested and go to prison to stop the haunting.

3.01: Sam wants to take Dean to another faith healer to try and get him out of his deal and Dean refuses to go.

3.12: Sam wants to sacrifice Nancy and Dean argues against this and offers an alternative plan where no one gets sacrificed, which Sam ends up going with.

3.13: Sam agrees to go on "Their Grand Canyon" hunt as one of Dean's dying wishes and gets mad when it goes sour because of The Ghostfacers.

3.15: Sam wants to turn them into Frankenstein's monsters to save Dean from his deal and Dean says he'd rather die.

3.16: This one is tricky, because Sam initially goes behind Dean's back by summoning Ruby to save Dean specifically against Dean's dying wishes, but then after he gets caught and Dean gets Ruby's knife, Sam concedes to using Dean's plan where they try to sneak up on Lilith and kill her with Ruby's knife. Dean's reasoning is that he wants to end the cycle of them saving each other with demon deals that only turn sour.

I think the pattern shows that contrary to fanon, Sam is not some poor helpless victorian maiden being swept along by the tides of the immutable sea. In most cases, it's that he realizes he thinks Dean is right about something at the end of the day, even if he doesn't like it. Not because Dean is his brother, but because Dean won him over with a well-reasoned argument, Sam realized he was putting his desires over right and wrong, or Sam didn't (at that time) want to disrespect Dean's wishes concerning Dean's own body and life.

NOTE: You might notice season 4 is "missing". This is because when I look at all of the season 4 episodes, the closest thing I can remember related to Sam just agreeing to do whatever Dean wants is him deciding to stop using his powers in 4.04, except that Sam makes it very clear at the end of the episode that he's quitting by his own choice and Dean's wishes have absolutely nothing to do with it.

Lie 3: Dean never does what Sam wants to do, and he never trusts him.

Not only does the supposition that Dean has always taken the lead Sam's "whole life" imply that Dean never concedes to Sam's view, but also when Sam requests Dean's trust "for once"—as if, not one single time in his entire life, has Dean ever taken Sam's lead or put trust in him. My mama used to say "exaggerators are just lie makers in disguise", and this is some wild lie-making in disguise.

1.06: They go back hundreds of miles to check in on Sam's friend who Sam believes has been framed for murder, even though Dean thinks it's kind of wild for Sam to believe his friend didn't do something the police have clear evidence he did.

1.09: Dean goes with Sam to Lawrence after Sam has a vision about someone dying in their old house. The idea of going back to Lawrence is extremely upsetting to Dean, but he realizes Sam is right and they have to investigate.

1.12: 1) Sam tricks Dean into seeing a faith healer which upsets Dean, but even so, Dean does what Sam wants, goes into the tent, sits where Sam wants him to sit, and goes up on stage to be healed at Sam's request. 2) Sam says they cannot kill whoever is controlling the reaper because they're human. Dean respects Sam's moral principles by doing what he wants to do.

1.14: 1) They go on this case because Sam has a vision and Dean puts his trust in Sam's vision. 2) Sam insists they can't kill Max because he's human, and Dean respects Sam's moral principles by doing what he wants to do.

2.04: Dean goes with Sam to Mary's grave even though he doesn't want to be in Lawrence or to be anywhere near Mary's grave.

2.05: Sam orders Dean to stay away from Ansem because he's vulnerable and Dean easily agrees, going a long distance away to observe from afar with a rifle.

2.09: 1) Sam has a vision that Dean is going to kill someone. Dean is skeptical, but agrees to go along with Sam anyway. 2) Dean doesn't kill the dude infected with croatoan virus partly because of Sam's pleading that it would be wrong, and Dean finding he agrees. Sam is right.

2.04, 2.09, and 2.10: Dean trusts Sam with insights into his emotional state/why he wants to die after Sam asks him to open up about how he's feeling.

2.12: Dean thinks they should have told Ronald about the shapeshifters, but concedes to Sam's perspective.

2.22: Dean begs Sam to rest for a while instead of immediately getting back on the trail after Azazel, not wanting to lose him again, but Sam insists they go, and Dean concedes.

3.07: Dean wants to go face Gordon alone. Sam breaks down in tears and begs Dean to just be his brother again and stop doing reckless things. Dean instantly softens and agrees to lay low.

3.10: Dean doesn't really want Sam in his head invading his privacy but doesn't stop Sam from joining him in his dreams.

3.11: Dean lives over 100 Tuesdays of Sam bossing him around in various ways, including repeatedly insisting they can't leave the motel and he is not allowed to eat breakfast or go anywhere by himself. Dean puts his trust in Sam even though each time he has no clue what's going on and often has little to no context.

4.04: Sam insists they tell Jack Montgomery that he's going through a metamorphosis so that he can try and stop himself from eating people, and Dean agrees.

4.06: Sam spends the whole episode telling Dean what to do and telling him he needs to go places he's scared to go.

4.09: When Alastair breaks into the church, Ruby tells Sam he needs to use his powers to crush Alastair. Dean starts to protest, but concedes after Ruby says they'll all die otherwise.

4.10 #1: Sam enacts a plan that puts Dean and Ruby at extreme risk (Dean with the angels who have threatened to throw him back in hell, Ruby with Alastair). Both put their trust in Sam and his plan.

4.10 and 4.11: Dean opens up to Sam about his trauma from Hell.

4.19: Though he argues with Sam vehemently multiple times about what he's doing, Dean never actually stops Sam from teaching Adam to be a hunter.

Dean trusts Sam multiple times, and follows his lead on several occasions (even a few times with extreme moral reservations, such as 4.09 and 4.19).

I've also pointed out before that Sam picks most of their season 1 and season 2 cases, contrary to the popular fanon claim that Dean is always dragging Sam everywhere to hunt when he doesn't want to. In season 3, Sam leads them to hunts in 4 different episodes (3.04, 3.05, 3.11, 3.15). Dean finds two (3.02, 3.13). Who picked the rest of their season 3 hunts is either not stated, starts with them being contacted by a friend which leads them to investigate (3.01, 3.03, 3.10, 3.14), or is just them getting into a situation against their will (3.12). 5 cases are Sam's idea in season 4, and two are Dean's. The remainder are unknown, mytharc episodes, or kidnappings.

Lie 4: Sam is just asking to be seen as an equal, and Lie 5: Sam trusts Dean.

Sam's most overarching manipulation here is this idea that he just wants equality. He's showed consistent trust and blind faith in Dean and he deserves the same. He's been Dean's loyal follower going wherever Dean wants him to go, and he wants to be treated as an equal now who receives trust equal to the trust he alleges he places in Dean. However, he plainly shows the entire season that he does not want equality. He wants Dean to be beneath him. We see this just a little before this bit of the conversation, when Sam says Dean can't do anything—that he isn't strong enough and only Sam can do this. Sam shows almost the entire season that he doesn't respect Dean as an equal by lying to him over and over about what he's up to, going behind his back, refusing to believe that Dean can stop the apocalypse as the angels have said. He makes it clear in 4.14 that he is keeping his actions a secret because Dean is too weak and pathetic to be of use and is holding him back. We confirm this following episodes (4.16, 4.17, 4.18, 4.21) where Sam explicitly says Dean cannot do what needs to be done and Sam has to take over. Dean is not capable. Sam has no faith or trust in Dean at all.

[dramaturgical-sense]

succession fic rec list

In honour of succession s4 coming out, I thought I’d make a list of my favourite succession fics. These are all either romangerri or tomgreg, but other characters tend to feature fairly prominently. I’ve split these fics up into two categories: missing moments in canon and fix-it fics. The first category features fics that stick closely to the events of canon and are true to the tone of the show. The latter includes fics that try and give the characters more functional and healthier relationships, and are more optimistic. Fics with an asterisk are my personal favourite. 

As always, check the tags and warnings on ao3 before reading. And without further ado, see below for the fics :)

romangerri

missing moments in canon

the nutcracker [M] by @thefudge [1,218 words] - “Roman. Behave.” (or Gerri and Roman see The Nutcracker. Holiday prompt). 

This fic would fit right in with one of the early s2 episodes, it nails their dynamic from that era perfectly. It’s a romangerri classic: sexual-but-not-really-sexual contact, and its super hot. A must-read.

Must Be Love [T] by @everybodyilovedies [2,719] - On the plane ride back from Tuscany, Kendall and Roman get some time alone to talk about dickpicgate, and the woman at the (attempted) receiving end of it. 

Even if you aren’t a romangerri shipper, I would recommend this fic just for the hilarious dynamic between Kendall and Roman. The author manages to tease the possibility of a reunion between Roman and Gerri, while also staying true to the events of canon. 

the true encounter [M] by wellprince [1,354] - “Hell yeah he is,” Roman says. “He’s about to splash his cum all over this great white nation of ours. And I’m the invisible hand behind the handjob. Look, you’d love him if you met him.” That’s probably not true. Gerri doesn’t love anyone. Whatever. 

This fic is the perfect coda to ep 3.06. Not only is it really well-written, it also functions as a great analysis of Roman’s character, his sexuality issues and explores what pulls him towards both Mencken and Gerri.

**You Could Make a Killing [M] by gaycoruscant [3,633] -  After watching Logan slap Roman, Gerri struggles with conflicting loyalties. 

This fic explores the contradictions of Gerri’s relationship with Roman and her support of his father. Gerri is beautifully written - she’s multi-faceted, and the author does a really good job getting into her head. The writing is beautiful, and there’s a delicious tension between Roman and Gerri throughout. 

fix-it fics

live near your fire as winter blows [E] by @alittledizzy [10,047] - Roman invites Gerri to a cabin in the Catskills and they manage to work through some (not all, but some) of their shit. 

Roman and Gerri get their shit together in a way that feels very in-character. I especially enjoy how the author has handled the age gap - this fic does not shy away from the fact that Gerri is an older woman, which makes both her character and the sex scene feel really natural and authentic. 

Ring the Bells That Still Can Ring [E] by moreculturelesspop [1,800] - Roman considers fatherhood and an alternative life with Gerri. 

This fic is exactly what I imagine the inside of Roman’s head sounds like. It’s very well-written and presents a really interesting study of Roman’s views on parenting and his feelings towards Gerri. Fantastic Roman POV.

holiday [T] by @dollsome-does-tumblr [2,107] - Gerri steals Roman away for breakfast on the last morning in Tuscany. Set after 3.09. 

If you’re worried about what will happen to Roman and Gerri in s4, or still hurting after the s3 finale, read this fic. This fic gives a real sense of closure to the events in Italy and still leaves open the possibility of a reunion in the future.

tomgreg

missing moments in canon

**the old way with the sledge [M] by @round-thedecay [4,390] - Tom takes care of Greg, with many layers of bargaining, withheld information, and slaughterhouse imagery in between. Meanwhile: Tom's marriage will be a slow death.

I can literally hear Tom and Greg’s voices in my head as I read the dialogue in this fic. Even though Shiv only shows up at the end, she feels like such a presence throughout this fic. Both her character and relationship with Tom are really well-handled.

Subterranean Homesick Blues [M] by @envius [9,077] - After a month of separation, Tom gets everything he thought he wanted.

The author really understands the dynamic between Tom/Greg and Tom/Shiv, with both relationships feeling balanced and in-character. This is MY s4, so no matter what happens in the show, I know I’ve always got this fic. 

Three Legs [E] by @neroxsporus [6,603] - Tom and Greg celebrate Greg's moving up. It's hard to say who gets more out of it.

Excellent coda to ep 2.04, where Greg uses Tom as a human footstool. This fic nails the weird, homoerotic aspects of their relationship and explores the culture of toxic masculinity and power at Waystar. Very funny and in-character.

**Saturn's Stomach [M] by baffledbear [6,549] - Things take a turn for the worse when Logan invites Tom and Greg on a secluded hunting trip in Virginia. Deep in the wilderness and with nowhere else to run, the pair must rely on each other in order to survive a deadly game.

This fic feels like it is written by someone who really understands Tom’s arc and what the narrative is trying to convey. The ending is incredibly satisfying, tying in many of the themes from the show. The relationship between Tom and Greg develops in a really plausible manner, and while they are endgame, Tom and Shiv’s relationship is still incredibly meaningful throughout. 

fix-it fics

put your money where your mouth is tonight [E] by asphaltworld [6,964] - Greg smokes and tries to think of what to do, like, with his life in general. 

Greg loves being a sugar baby: The fic. This is a very plausible take on Greg’s character, and the author does a really good job delving into Greg’s POV and his thoughts on Tom. This is a fun, lighthearted read that fits in well with the end of s3.

[wardensantoineandevka]

I keep thinking about how Lark and Phineas are still wandering around the Highest Light trying to figure out how to find Sherman. It's been two days since 3.04: Foundation? It's been like 18 hours minimum since Tzila got home on her own, and given that 3.09: Baron is almost certainly a day after the dinner (I don't have a subscription, don't tell me, I'm speculating), that's like Tzila has been home for almost two days by the time we get back to them.

Like, what do they do NOW? I mean, what do they do after they find out that their quest log has actually been cleared for a while now. Are they even going to FIND Sherman, or are they just going to get arrested on the way?

Anyway, since I'm playing in this space because truly what do they do, I think Lark, Phineas, and Sherman would end up in the most tense comedy of errors where they're in his living room trying to process that the most wanted person in the cosmos and someone who would be very wanted if anyone knew he was alive are inside Sherman's apartment because they didn't get the memo that Tzila made her way up here on her own two like entire days ago, then they have to deal with Spahr, one of the worst-best people to show up, making a social call to Sherman unannounced and for reasons that are NOT clear to any of the three of them because he ALSO is still looking for Tzila and did not get the memo. Might as well imagine that while I still can lmaoo, just for fun

But, legitimately, can't wait for Lark and Phineas to find out that their work order has been canceled and they're some of the LAST people in the cosmos to learn where Sherman is. This was a bit of a doomed endeavor from the start anyway, because literally they had no real ability to acquire his address anyway. I love these two and their terrible long-term planning skills.

[tangleddd]

She donned the Louise Gilbert personality like an old dress she hadn't worn for a while but it fit as well as it ever did. It felt almost comfortable now, after all this time. Where Vivienne's self-preservation instincts would make her run, Louise stubbornly held her ground, and her brow furrowed into a disapproving frown that would make her wrinkle prematurely if she wasn't a vampire. "Klaus." she breathed his name with judgement in her voice because that was what Louise would do. Being Louise Gilbert meant trading her survival instincts for morals. The corners of Klaus's mouth twitched in delight, making her instantly wary. "You seem nervous." "I'm not nervous. I just don't like you." Vivienne told him primly, pursing her lips. There was not much of a difference between channelling Louise Gilbert and Vivienne Pierce. Tangled Diaries 3.09 'Homecoming'

[gregoftom]

I don't think enough people are talking about a very distinct parallel between Tom's s4 relationship with Shiv v. his relationship with Greg. One of Tom's major problems with Shiv is that he sees her as selfish, "incapable of thinking of anybody other than (her)self", and how she finds it difficult to think about him. But then we see Greg throughout the entire season doing nothing but thinking about Tom: when Tom calls him to tell him of Logan's death, Greg (Logan's actual great-nephew) hears Tom is upset and asks him if he's ok. He also checks on his well-being before boarding the plane to Norway, and notices Tom's burning the candles on both ends, and worries about whether he's getting enough sleep. And also how he dutifully "sings Tom's song" to every important person Greg encounters (I fully believe what you say about Tom being included in Greg's desired "quad"). Greg even thought to get Tom sushi (albeit "bodega sushi", lol). There's also a deleted scene where Greg sulks over Tom rejecting his efforts to set him up on a date with hotties, saying "I did this for you, Tom"; that scene suggests that Greg wasn't really into the whole Disgusting Brothers thing, that he was only going along with it for Tom's benefit. Long story short: Greg in s4 has pretty much taken over Shiv's role in Tom's life, it just took Tom till the end to really start to realize/appreciate it.

YES no exactly i agree 100% that’s the thing like. greg acts as tom’s spouse throughout s4, the kind who takes care of their partner, who looks after their needs in multiple ways. he took on the promise they made at 3.09 seriously. it really was like a marriage vow to him hehe. and as has been said, they wish they were getting married 🥰