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jnnul · 2 years ago

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things he reminds me of (nct dream)

a/n: i know i was supposed to post this on friday oops 😭 i just...have so many thoughts when it comes to love and these boys are some of my greatest muses

genre: fluff/slice-of-life maybe, just love, different types of love, young dumb broke kids in love, LOVE, idk did i say they’re in love yet, tw: mentions of kissing & hickeys lol

word count: 1.4k (idk either man)

MARK

gif credits: @jsuh

that moment when you realize how much someone truly loves you

guitars that have so many stickers, you can barely see the wood

buying a new fuzzy blanket

the little scratch of stubble when you kiss

laughing when his glasses poke you in the forehead

falling asleep with your legs on top of his on the couch

massaging his head when he’s had a long day

oversized sweatshirts to avoid the paparazzi when he’s coming over

long facetime calls even though it’s three in the morning in his time

voice messages instead of texts bc he wants to hear your voice

hearing your voice in a song

turning your little doodles into the cover of his next solo

whispers about the future that dissolve into the hot summer sky as he looks at you with eyes filled with hope

musky cologne that reminds you of the forest after it rains

the color gray

love.

RENJUN

gif credits: @faerenjun

never letting you open the door yourself

succulents for every anniversary until you have a forest in the living room

brushing his lips over your forehead before he leaves for work

having a faceless picture of you and him as his background

buying you a necklace with his initials and a matching bracelet with yours

always, always, always feeding you because he’s scared you won’t eat if he’s not there

teaching you mandarin and kissing you every time you get a word right

filming a ‘day in my life’ vlog every couple weeks that you rewatch on your anniversary to see how you’ve grown

sunset lamps that don’t work the way he thought they would

painting together in absolute silence

having a french window with billowing curtains and a bench that the two of you sit on

adopting a dog together only to find out that the dog is a demon

fighting for the remote but he lets you win every time

rubbing your shoulders when you’re stressed

forgetting why you were so stressed when you look at him working so serenely

love.

JENO

gif credits: @seomarkno

the thunder that rolls in ten seconds after lightning that shakes the high-rise apartment

quiet cups of coffee as the two of you wait for the rest of the world to wake up

words of endearment that are saved only for the most intimate moments

the wracking shoulders when he tries not to cry because he doesn’t want to burden you

the soft comfort in sleeping in his arms

the feeling of all of his worry melting away when you reach for him, even in your sleep, and look for his love

the color red that stains your white dress when you and jeno get wine drunk

waiting for the other to come home to them

home-cooked meals that are a little too hot so he has to blow on it

fights that turn into whispered i love you’s because he can’t stay away from you for too long

listening to the same song, even when you’re hundreds of miles apart

opening all the jars for you, even if you say you can do it yourself

watching a show together and hoping for different pairings

mature conversations about investing in the future

meeting his family a little too quickly - but it’s okay bc they love you

love.

HAECHAN

gif credits: @huangrenjuns

quirked eyebrows as you vehemently counter his argument about ice cream

making you sit on his lap as he games until ungodly hours to feel your warmth

kissing the nape of his neck bc you love the way he melts in your arms

dropping the cake on his birthday, only for him to eat it anyway so you wouldn’t feel bad

secret getaway trips that you have to beg and plead the company for

telling him how much you love him and seeing his eyes well up

feeling his heart swell with pride when you come home with a new accomplishment

only saying i love you when he really means it - but he says it every morning

gently explaining to you why you should love yourself the way he loves you

green accents everywhere bc you think it’s vibrant

calling him a loser affectionately

looking at him like he put the stars in the sky

the deep rumble of his chest when you’re curled into him

the way he hums when he thinks you’re not listening but you are

being able to calm you down within 30 seconds no matter what

love.

JAEMIN

gif credits: @jaemtens (thank u for doing the lord’s work)

letting him play with your hair until it looks ridiculous

making peach cobbler but you accidentally added too much sugar

waking him up with a mug of fresh coffee and so much affection

letting him pull you into a dark corner to press a soft kiss to your lips

him tugging a blanket over you as you fall asleep waiting for him

carrying you from the kitchen counter to the sofa, insisting that he was going to cook for you tonight

letting him buy you pink accessories bc he says you look soft

getting the silent treatment from him when he’s mad but he can never stay mad for too long

promising him that you’re never going to leave him when he’s scared about your relationship getting discovered

surprising him backstage at an overseas concert

seeing his eyes light up when you walk into the room, no matter how long it’s been since you started dating

feeling the hard planes under his shirt when you bandage his back after a long dance practice

texting you at insane hours to sneak over to his place and order takeout

frowning when he sees you wear revealing clothes only to say, “you wear whatever you want, baby. i can fight.”

he can’t fight but he tries to seem tough for you anyway bc that’s what he thinks you want. you don’t. all you want is him.

love.

CHENLE

gif credits: @jjsungie

oversized jerseys which all say ‘curry’ on them somewhere

buying him presents only to find out that he already has it

seeing him cry when you tell him about your deep and personal secrets bc he’s never felt so much pain for someone else before

convincing you to get matching tattoos but both of you pussy out

renting out an entire arcade to go on a date

not letting him rent out an entire arcade bc wtf who does that chenle

always celebrating your anniversaries in a lowkey, private, and humble way

going 50/50 on everything in the relationship even if chenle would rather die than make you pay

playing rock, paper, scissors to decide how to split the chores. for. everything.

playing cards against humanity except the two of you are just looking for the craziest combinations

brightly colored scrunchies for his hair, not yours

stealing the blankets bc you run cold and he runs hot

wearing sweatshirts to colleges that neither of you attend

sober advice bc he doesn’t understand why you get stressed sometimes

knowing that you compliment each other, rather than complete each other

love.

JISUNG

gif credits: @leemarkies

thinking he’s rizzing you up but it just looks rlly silly

asking you what-if questions at ungodly hours and then leaving you on read

do not disturb until he dies. and then he comes back with a pinterest reaction meme.

feeling frustrated when he can’t tell you how much he really loves you

getting confused between love, lust, and like but knowing that he feels so incredibly safe and warm with you

fighting his instincts to run every time he realizes how down bad he is for you

having to physically drag him out of the dance studio bc he’s going to collapse from exhaustion

not letting anyone but you touch him when he’s sick

telling you abt his dreams to become a big star

rambling about his theories abt humanity and the universe for h o u r s

not realizing that his sweatshirts are disappearing until you wear them around him

nearly having a heart attack the first time you give him a hickey (and then asking for three more)

the purple light glinting in his eyes as he rewatches his stages for mistakes

gently coaxing him to be a little less perfectionist

splitting a pizza with you and thinking it to be peak romance bc it is to you and him

love.

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atiny-for-life · 15 days ago

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Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - Part 29

Masterlist

Golden Hour: Part 2 - Diary Entries:

While we didn't get a clear explanation in Golden Hour: Part 1 Entries as to how Ateez returned to their world, we now get told that they didn't have a choice.

After getting backed into a corner, Z shattered the Cromer which automatically sent Ateez back home, just as it did last time when Yeosang shattered one which tells me one thing:

Whenever a Cromer is destroyed, it'll cause anyone nearby who isn't from this world to be sent back home, bar the one who broke it (otherwise Yeosang wouldn't have been left behind last time).

Following a brief recap of Wooyoung's journey to becoming a flight attendant, we now pick back up where we left off: Mingi and Yunho on the plane with Wooyoung:

Wooyoung: "Huh. What're the odds?" Mingi: "I was supposed to take an earlier flight home after the fashion show in Dubai, but it was overbooked. I needed to get back for our appointment tomorrow, and this was the next best flight I could get." Wooyoung: "And there were only economy seats left? What if someone recognizes you?" Mingi: "I was worried about that, too; but this was the last one open before the weekend. Still, it worked out. Right? I get to see you and Yunho!"

Side-Note: Shoutout to this snippet of dialogue between Yunho and Mingi in which Mingi jokes about crushing on Wooyoung:

Yunho: "Hey, is it really okay for a safety announcement to be this cool?" Mingi: "I know. I fell for him and nearly asked for his number."

The three of them begin chatting about Yunho's career path which gets Wooyoung wondering internally whether Yunho plans on finding another artifact that may take them back to the Z-World.

He doesn't dare to ask about it. The conversation moves on.

Yunho praises Wooyoung's performance, says it reminds him of their shared past as Ateez, which is when we find out they're all planning to gather for a congratulatory party in honor of Hongjoong's successful launch of his novel's sequel.

Mingi: "I filmed [your entire performance] on my phone, so let's all rewatch it together at Yeosang's place tomorrow." Wooyoung: "Hey, it's supposed to be Hongjoong's congratulatory party." Yunho: "Why not? I'm sure everyone will love it. We always end up just talking about the past when we meet, anyway. If anything, I'm worried your video will get everyone too fired up and they'll want to start dancing again." Mingi: "He's not wrong, and you know what? Jongho's a producer now. Who knows, he might just offer you a solo after watching it." Wooyoung: "Cut it out. Stop messing with me."

The dialogue is followed by some cuteness between the three as Mingi smiles mischievously at Wooyoung who fakes feeling hurt while Yunho laughs at them, before we wrap up the section with the devastating line that is:

With silly jokes only they would ever get, they soothed their longing for each other that had long been locked away inside.

We move on to Jongho in his studio where we get some more details about the fight between the young idol group he's now producing for.

He helps them overcome their differences, drawing from his own experience with Mingi before he's left alone in his studio. It doesn't take long before the memories get to him and he begins listening to his first song, the one he recorded with his own members back in the day.

Unable to listen anymore, he went to turn the music off, but hesitated at Yeosang's soft voice. Then Wooyoung's melodic voice followed and Jongho gave up on turning off the music. As Yeosang and Wooyoung, Seonghwa and Yunho, Mingi and Hongjoong, San and Jongho's voices came and went, an image as clumsy as a colorful drawing unfolded in his mind. The members' voices pierced his heart. It felt as though, unknowingly, he had unleashed a certain long-gone and now unattainable past. [... H]e longed for those clumsy but oh-so-beautiful times, and shed a tear.

A fire alarm goes off, ripping Jongho from his memories right before Seonghwa rips open the door, clad in his fire protective gear.

Jongho: "Seonghwa...?" Seonghwa: "Can't you hear the alarm?! Hurry! We need to get out of here!"

Some idiot had tossed a still lit cigarette and set fire to the building's exterior. Luckily, no one got hurt.

Out of concern, Seonghwa still lectures Jongho for a bit while they retreat from the chaos to get a moment of privacy.

Jongho smiled happily at Seonghwa's nagging, which he hadn't heard in so long, and handed Seonghwa a drink. Seonghwa smiled back, as if he had missed these familiar interactions with the group's youngest member.

The two talk for a while about Seonghwa's job, his motivations behind it, and Jongho thinks back to all the people they couldn't save in the Z-World.

He knows it had been hard for Seonghwa, for all of them, to cope with the trauma upon their return, so he's glad Seonghwa found something to help him heal.

He looked at Seonghwa's face in the clear light. Seonghwa stared back at Jongho in the same manner. Jongho, the baby of the group, suddenly looked all grown up. 'Even Jongho's an adult now. It's strange. It makes me feel proud, but also sorry,' Seonghwa thought quietly to himself. Jongho: "You're coming tomorrow, right?" Seonghwa: "Nope." Jongho: "Wait, really? Why can't you come? This'll be our first time getting together in nearly a year." Seonghwa: "It's already past midnight. So yeah, I won't be going tomorrow, but I'll be sure to make the party today. It's Hongjoong's party - there's no way I'd miss it." Jongho: "Oh, come on!"

We skip ahead to the party in Yeosang's antique villa, the one in which they all gathered at golden hour, dressed comfortably as they took their seats around a large dining table and began sharing food, laughing, talking, as if no time had passed, as if they haven't been drifting apart steadily for far too long.

Hongjoong: "How did you manage to look this sexy on a plane? I thought I was watching a performance of Birtney Spears' Toxic or something." Wooyoung: "Hey! I told you guys not to show them that!"

While everyone was still goofing around, feeling right at home, Hongjoong begins handing out copies of the sequel to his first book.

The members all praise him, easily brushing aside all of Hongjoong's concerns, before the topic shifts to Mingi.

Hongjoong's mother is a huge fan of his, as is Seonghwa's boss, so Mingi takes some time to first call Hongjoong's mom and chat with her for a bit before he leaves a little video greeting for Seonghwa's boss who didn't pick up the phone.

As they continue chatting about Mingi's success, Wooyoung's gaze falls on the reconstructed Cromer in an antique cabinet beside the window.

Yeosang had collected the pieces after they'd been forced back to the A-World and, back then, Wooyoung had considered it odd. But now it was him who felt odd for thinking so back then. Of course Yeosang would want to keep such an importan part of their past.

The conversation shifts then:

"Huh? Wait, I think I recognize that. It's that thing Left Eye gave us!" Yunho cried out, looking at a ruby-colored stone in a compartment next to the Cromer. Jongho: "It's that thing! That- He gave it to us saying it was something thrown away at the Strictland Disposal Site along with the voices of the Grimes Siblings." San: "Yeosang, you mean you took this without telling the rest of us?" Yeosang: "What're you talking about? I asked you over and over which one of us should take it." Everyone was shocked by Yeosang's sudden remarks. Yeosang continued, "I asked you all again and again in both World Z and World A, but either you weren't listening or changed the subject on me. I had no choice but to bring back myself." When the members questioned "When? When did you ask us?" Yeosang replied: "Don't you remember me asking you all 'What should we do with Sopro?" Wooyoung: "Sopro?"

They remember then and guilt quickly sets in as they realized they'd forgotten all about it. Absentmindedly, they trace their hands across the stone as they switch topics, their minds drifting back to their time in Z-World.

Jongho begins playing music from their past then, further transporting them back in time as they begin to dance, memories of past choreographies kicking in and getting them moving.

The atmosphere is light and liberating right up until Wooyoung voices what the rest of them don't dare to, not even in jest:

Wooyoung: "Why don't we give it one last try?"

While all other members brush the idea aside "with their usual drunken promises", Jongho responds seriously, saying he likes the idea, that he even has songs written already.

Wooyoung, likely fueled by the words, begins talking about how he feels like they didn't give it an honest enough try last time.

Wooyoung: "Let's do it for real this time. Give it one last go. Doesn't it bother you? To just accept defeat like this?" Yeosang: "I don't consider my current life to be 'defeat'." Wooyoung: "So, then, you think we've all achieved our dreams?" Yeosang: "Let me put it this way: You think any life that doesn't follow your original dream is a failure, then? Something to be ashamed of?

The sudden tonal shift has the other members growing pale.

Yeosang is reminded of Z-World and all he learned there: the importance of emotions, art, dreams, and hope, and how blind belief in anything can get extremely dangerous.

Yeosang: "Grow up. How long do you plan on acting so recklessly?"

The harsh words wipe all reasonable arguments from Wooyoung's mind, leaving him with nothing but jumbled thoughts. Where he wanted to say 'Until we truly fail, I want to keep giving it my all.' or perhaps: '"Making a living" is nothing but an excuse for you because you're scared of confronting our reality.', what instead comes out is:

Wooyoung: "Maybe it's that you don't even have the courage to be reckless. But the others might. Why are you getting in my way without even listening?" Yeosang: "Can't you tell?" Yeosang stood up from his seat as if to say, 'Go ahead. Ask.'. Wooyoung looked at the other members, believing that at least one of them would respond positively, 'Let's try it again together.' But each member only turned their eyes away from Wooyoung's gaze. Wooyoung felt like a fool. Jongho: "Wooyoung, I really did mean it. I want to... but let's organize our schedules first and then..." Wooyoung: "No, forget it. This was supposed to be a celebration, and I messed everything up. I'm sorry, guys. I'm just a little drunk... I'll head out first.." Pressing back his tears, he kicked away his seat and stood up. The members rushed over to comfort Wooyoung and his broken heart, but it was too late. Wooyoung walked away quickly into the darkness.

Sitting alone at the train station at night, Wooyoung contemplates going back and buying some apology snacks before he dismisses the idea, knowing doing so would hurt his pride too much.

Unable to shift his thoughts elsewhere, Yeosang's words and the others' eyes keep dominating his thoughts. He feel hurt, starts getting angry, thinking them spineless, without passion and spirit, and wonders aloud when they all changed so much.

He looks up to the stars, wonders if one of those lights is the Z-World.

And it's then that he notices a reddish star appearing, twinkling up there through the clouds.

Wooyoung: "Sopro."

Memories of ruby-red stone resurface alongside the face of Left Eye so long ago, back when they were on that ship, sailing toward the Android Guardians' bunker in search of the Cromer.

"Sopro is a sort of magical spirit that synchronizes the feelings of those who hold it with those who draw breath around them. According to legend, one of the four priest guardians of Halazia gathered the breaths of all of Halazia to create it. "[...] Why [do you think] was something as precious as this thrown away at the Strictland Disposal Site?" An elder sister of the Grimes Siblings replied to Left Eye: "It must have been swept up and thrown away along with the countless particles of emotion or our voices. I doubt they knew what it was and just tossed it away." Left Eye turned his head to the side and examined the stone which shone the enchanting color of blood. "Legends are just legends. It might be dangerous. Let's only use this as a last resort."

At last, we know what the red object in the bird's mouth was at the end of Crazy Form - it was the Sopro and they used it to sync up the emotions of the people in Strictland to set them free.

After this flashback, we rejoin Wooyoung who is no longer where we left him:

Wooyoung, returning quietly to the villa where the members slept, headed to the living room. He passed a table covered with empty bottles and leftovers, went to the antique cabinet, and picked up Sopro. Wooyoung: "So if I use this... I can sync my and the members' emotions?" Sopro's red light wavered as though in response to Wooyoung's question. Holding the stone tightly in his fist, Wooyoung brought his hand to his heart and earnestly prayed: "It's as though they've all forgotten what it was like to be happy. Reignite our passion like it was back then, and let us be happy together again. Please." Red light spilled from the gaps between his fingers, a ruby aurora dancing throughout the dark room.

#ateez #ateez lore #hongjoong #seonghwa #yunho #yeosang #san #mingi #wooyoung #jongho #golden hour part 2 #golden hour series

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lightsoffwhentheyshouldbeup · 3 months ago

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The media has referred to Liam Payne as “the Gary Barlow of One Direction” multiple times before, and when I recently rewatched the Progress Live concert dvd and saw that Gary’s mic colour was red (so was Liam’s during One Direction’s active years as a band) I started thinking about it.

From the “unseen” X Factor footage we know that when the band was formed there was an idea for Liam being the leader. Gary was intended as the main vocalist for Take That, with Robbie and Mark being backing vocals and Howard and Jason being the main dancers. I don’t think One Direction was cast with certain roles in mind but it seemed like the idea was to have Liam leading most songs, Louis and Niall being more background vocals and Harry and Zayn somewhere in between.

I think what people mean when they say Liam was the Gary Barlow of 1D, they mean that even if Gary was meant to be the leader, meant to be the one getting the biggest solo career, Robbie outshines him just like Harry outshines the rest of his band mates. Which doesn’t surprise me, Robbie and Harry both have a sort of charisma that makes a star. I truly believe Harry was chosen for charisma when he was put in the band. Liam was chosen for his singing and dancing skills. I think Liam out of all five was the only one with promising talent to become a good dancer on top of being a good singer.

When Zayn left, he did in some sort become the first to leave like Robbie, leaving a four piece band behind. Liam was kind of like Robbie in his mental health problems, but he was usually compared with Gary. Harry gets compared with Robbie. I feel like in some sort Louis could be compared to Mark, I find Mark’s voice quite unique in a way. And I kinda think Niall could be like Jason and retire from the entertainment industry completely in his 40s.

Take That is still active as a collective of three of them (Gary, Mark, Howard), it would have been quite interesting to see how a One Direction reunion would have worked out (I always suspected it would be a Liam, Louis, Niall + Harry with Harry leaving shortly after that again and leaving another three out of five band behind), but I honestly never wished for a reunion of 1D. A one time anniversary performance at an award show, maybe, but never really new music or a tour.

Anyway. That’s my rambling about TT and 1D.

#one direction #fandom: 1d #liam payne #harry styles #take that #robbie williams #gary barlow #fandom: TT

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b4tracha · 2 years ago

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SKZ Reaction to You Dancing

Stray Kids x 9thMem! Reader

(Tried my best to describe no body type. Hope you enjoy<3)

Working constantly was always a struggle, but seeing the people who made it all worth it made everything feel better. Stays were very important to you, so you decided to learn a solo dance for everyone, surprising even the members. Being in Vocalracha, everyone expected you to only a ballad, something to show off your well known vocals to everyone.

But not a single person knew that you decided to perform and dance to a Baekhyun song. It didn’t help that before the music started playing, you decided to unbutton your own shirt for people to see. You didn’t go work out, but you still had a very nice body to work with.

However, after he performed stays weren’t the only ones screaming over it. Someone extremely important to (M/N) was always in awe as well.

Bang Chan: Chan is very much known for his fanboying over his members. He loves to dote on each and every member, but he was never more genuine than when it was with you. When you were both trainees, he always had a slight crush on him, but as they grew together and close as bandmates and friends, it turned to love. When you started to unbutton your shirt, he instantly screamed in his mic and tried to close his eyes. Everyone knew he wouldn’t ever stop looking as his heart started to race as your sweaty body gracefully embodied the song. He couldn’t get enough.

Lee Know: He was ready for you, smirking, the second you turned around to do something. What he didn’t expect was you turning around with an unbuttoned, wet shirt from your sweat. His lips made a tiny circle as he awed, but his smirk slowly crept back on his face. If he could without people noticing, he’d lick his lips at you. He was the one to teach you to dance before, but you exceeded his expectations with this one. You did it perfectly with your body looking perfect. Once it was over, expect him to rub your chest and stomach more often.

Changbin: Changbin was known for his very bright and out there personality. If he enjoyed something, he will make sure everyone knew about it as much as possible. The second you started, he started to fake fan himself with his hand and even got up from where he was sitting to walk around to ‘calm down.’ He immediately became obsessed with you and Bambi. He would talk about the cover all over bubble immediately after the concert. You definitely changed his life.

Hyunjin: Hyunjin was already obsessed with you. He loves his singers from you to Seungmin and Jeongin. However, he definitely saw you in a different light after that. Your body movement and ability to capture the song was beautiful to him. He wanted to see you dance more immediately. When he saw your body, he saw it as a green light to squeeze and rub your chest like he did Changbin’s. He maybe even pinched a nipple or two if he was feeling silly.

Han: Jisung curled up in a ball and hid his face with his fingers as he glanced through the gaps every now and then. He has been in love with you for a very long time, but this was a totally different like that he was seeing you in. What do you mean your upper body was out for everyone to see? He couldn’t get how the sweat you were producing was only making everything so much worse for him. Don’t expect him to say much to your face, but he will rewatch fan clips of it on repeat later.

Felix: He couldn’t say a word about it after what you did. All he could do was stare with his eyes wide and his jaw opened as wide as he could. At one point, his eyes traveled down your body as he gulped at the way your body swayed to the beat. The body rolls made him realize how much of a chokehold you had him in as he kept replaying them all in his head. He never realized you could move like that. Now he needed to see more..

Seungmin: Seungmin genuinely believes you were just out to get him at that point. Seungmin was known for his love of Baekhyun and you just happened to perform one of his best songs. He would have been better if you just sung the song, but no you had to dance to it as well. Not only that, but you were sweaty, shirt unbuttoned. He felt a dizzy as hell. Expect him to confront you after the show and touch you everywhere he can also.

I.N: Jeongin was a starer when it came to when he liked something. He was definitely staring long and hard when you were dancing. His eyes were dead on your hips(and crotch, but he will never admit that to anyone.) He almost shivered when you ended up making eye contact with him while your hips worked for the music. Jeongin got to the point where he was licking his lips and sticking his tongue in his cheek towards you. He loved every bit of Bambi.

#stray kids #stray kids x reader #stray kids x male reader #straykids #skz #skz scenarios #bang chan #lee know #changbin #hyunjin #han jisung #lee felix #kim seungmin #yang jeongin

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hashtagloveloses · 1 year ago

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any time i fall into a depressive episode i have the devastating urge to rewatch fullmetal alchemist, and the october 3rd memes also gave me the urge again. so instead of rewatching, i did something i've been wanting to do for a long time instead - looked up the sheet music for parts of the score to learn on the violin. i'm DECENT on the violin but not the best, so i thought resembool's lullaby would be relatively easy to learn with a bit of practice. i went to sight read it, and despite listening to it constantly, realized quite quickly how it was deceptively way more difficult than i thought. it has a lot of double stops, AKA when you have to play two notes on two different strings at the same time, and getting them to sound good requires a good amount of technique.

there's the basic melody that pretty much anybody could hum, but the texture between and on top of the main melody that makes it special is the hard part. after seeing 800 memes about october third "fail to resurrect your mom and burn your house" day, i realized that the song itself about the elric brothers' home represents the deceptive nature of the taboo they tried to enact. resembool's lullaby, the musical motif that runs through all their travels and follows them just like the horror they experienced after what they did as kids, consists of a few basic, easy to acquire melodic "ingredients", just like the material ingredients edward lists off that physically make up the human body. it is only when attempting to play the theme, just like the boys' attempt at human transmutation, that you realize the extra spark that makes the song come alive, just like a human being, can't be done without a cost. in the song, obviously it is technique and practice, and for human transmutation, it is a soul, which can only be gotten at a price.

this theme shows up a lot in fullmetal alchemist brotherhood - often with a choir, or an orchestral arrangement, but not always the solo violin. the solo violin, though, still has these incredibly difficult chords you have to play the whole time. the most BASIC form of this motif and this theme HAS to have two notes played at the same time through most of it, just like how the elric brothers cannot be apart from each other. the story, the lullaby, their fates, it's always about the two of them, no matter the cost, even in how the music is played.

EDIT: also, the FIRST version on the OST is Lullaby of Resembool, which is played by solo cello, I believe. While the LAST version on the THIRD VOLUME OST is Resembool's Lullaby, which is the solo violin version with the double stops. The themes show up everywhere, but if the solo cello version shows up in the first season and the solo violin version shows up in the last, it resembles how Edward felt alone in trying to get his brother's body back at the beginning, and how at the end they are completely reunited again, even though they shared the same melody, the same story and struggle, the whole time.

#original post #fullmetal alchemist #fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood #fma #fmab #edward elric #alphonse elric

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lesbianfakir · 1 year ago

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Fakir's theme (Beethoven's Coriolan Overture) always struck me as funny because it stands apart from the other character's themes. Mytho has the delicate Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Rue the somber Gymnopedie No 1, Duck the cheerful Nutcracker Oveture etc... while Fakir's theme is well... LOUD.

It characterizes his most aggressive moments, mainly playing in scenes where he antagonizes Mytho and Duck.

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This always sat a little weird with me as it is a very surface-level character theme for such a complex character. In contrast, Rue's theme tells us something about her motivations under the Kraehe persona. Fakir's on the other hand tells us that he's mean and aggressive... something any viewer who's gotten to a scene where the song plays already knows.

On one of my rewatches, though, I noticed that he has another song that functions as a sort of secondary theme: an excerpt from Scheherazade.

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This song plays most notably throughout most of episode 12, while he is bonding with Duck. It shows up a few times later in season 2, mainly in scenes concerning Fakir's struggle to write. As such, I view it as a complementary theme to the Coriolan Overture.

Listening to the song, it feels much more in line with Fakir we've come to know him. The song can be a little delicate and a little sad with gentle wind solos that lead into loud, grand orchestral sections. The repetitiveness, tempo, and use of dramatic brass and strings give these louder sections a gallant, almost desperate tone. It's super fitting that this is the song that plays throughout the episode where we get the best sense of Fakir's natural personality when he isn't putting on the cold persona.

I don't really have a deeper analysis here I just think it's really fun that as his character develops he gets an additional theme. If you think about it the music in Tutu functions as a sort of jukebox musical--the world and characters are built around the songs. Once we start to get to know who Fakir really is, the music that represents him changes to reflect him better.

#i dont know much about music pls dont crucify me if im not very good at analyzing things #also v funny itoh was like lollll I just gave him an Arabic name for the aesthetic #and then has one of his main leitmotifs comes from Scheherezade #ya know. Scheherazade. from 1001 ARABIAN nights fame #whatever i wont let her whitewash her own character not on my watch #anyways oh coriolan oveture doesnt go away it just stops being played when he's being a dick #love love love the music its so fun #other characters have secondary themes too. but this post ain't about them #princess tutu #fakir #lea posts

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magical-wishies · 11 months ago

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To love or not to love, that is the questio-

Ok whoops wrong reference. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I made a MV of the song "Darling Dance" by Kairiki Bear featuring my favourite little tricksters for the occasion!

I'd rather you go straight to Youtube to watch it because Tumblr always finds a way to cut the quality, lol.

Eng subtitles are available too!

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Here it is! Hope you enjoy my pride and joy. Basically like a hopeful child but in video format. Reblogs are specially appreciated because Youtube sucks at promoting new channels!

This also acts as a behind-the-scenes post, so let's get straight into that, shall we?

MV Project 1 "Darling Dance"

Illustration time: 37 hours

Editing time: Approx. 30-35 hours

Total: 70 hours

*Cough* Holy freakin' moly does making an MV take so long. Before you roll off your bed, I'll say that part of the reason making the art took so long was because I have trouble drawing Marx consistently.

Here's some unused assets! Look at them, they're all salty over not making the cut.

In all seriousness though, a lot of times I don't really see a lot of editors/ MV makers getting appreciation for their efforts. And now that I've personally experienced making an MV for the first time, it's also increased my admiration to the people who dedicate their time to this! All the kudos to them.

Now, I'll go scene by scene then comment along the way! Spoilers ahead!

Verse 1

Pretty good for what it is. In the first image, you see that heart behind Magolor? I discovered the motion of it on complete accident lol. Capcut is hard to figure out..

I also really like the color palette of 2nd image. That art of Marx was the last one I did during production (aka I drew it this morning), and just look at him. He's such a bastard he's the best.

Pre Chorus 1

Mmmm yeah it sure is the pre chorus! I put a bar behind the text in the middle because I didn't want people to stare into their soulless eyes for too long. That probably worked!

1st Chorus

When I first added in the expression change, I fangirled over it a little on the first rewatch. Like, come on! They suddenly look mischievous, and the color change on the background! I know I drew it but still!

For the rest, I experimented a little with all the "Nah"s! I think it ended up well. Most of the lyric editing in this MV is completely original, so I had a couple of things to try out!

Verse 2

This song is horrifically outdated because it says Twitter instead of X!! (/sarcasm)

This scene is my second favourite. I'm really proud of the details on the tabs and the editing at the beginning! Wish I could put more images but the app only allows ten. Bummer.

Pre Chorus 2

I think it's cute, and I used it as my pfp on YouTube! That's about it though.. image limit is killing me I can't put anything here :(

Chorus 2

...Not gonna spoil it! I like how I drew them, but there ain't anything notable. Unless you look at the last image I put right before the bridge. :)

Bridge

This is where my editing comes in freakin' clutch. Ooooooh it's so satisfying to look at. Chef's kiss. Also those Marxs (Marxes?) are really cute.

The second part of the bridge is nice as well! I tried to make the lyrics snap to the rhythm. Glad I added that tv effect in the bg too!

Chorus 3

This scene is my favourite! Wanna know why?

This sequence right here. I think I will etch it into my brain forever... I love me some snappy editing. Like a lot. Like a lot a lot!

The second part of the chorus is like the original song's MV! I loved the hearts popping in and out whoever thought of that is a genius. Putting it into the MV was a good decision!

And that's a wrap! Hope you enjoy the MV as much as I enjoyed making it. And, stay tuned for next time! I have a feeling a certain jester is getting his own solo MV...

Feel free to leave your thoughts either in the Youtube comments section or here. See you around!

#kirby #magolor #marx kirby #marxolor #blood sweat and a lot of tears were put into this..#curse me and my need of adding ribbons and pink to everything (/j)#i really do hope you all will like it though! all the best.#Youtube #flashing #cw flashing

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aberloony · 1 year ago

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god I just cannot get over Con O’Neil’s acting ability especially when it comes to micro-expressions..

I just finished my first rewatch of episode 6 and this time around I noticed something important. When Izzy first came up on deck, face done up tastefully and hair voluptuous, he did not make eye contact with anyone. His voice was curt, loud, telling Frenchie to follow his lead, play the tones he just ‘la, la’d.

Immediately, Izzy shifts to his singing voice. He allows himself a few quick glances around but that was it as he began. The tone is soft but still with that harsh undertone that we associate with Mr. Hands. A few measures pass and we see Izzy begin to look up to see the kind gazes of his crew staring back at him. We even see Stede give him a kind smile as Izzy begins his solo. His confidence grows as the song continues, he approaches the Goddess Calypso to extend a hand to kiss the top of her hand. He is not able to finish the song until after Ned Lowe lands in the ocean but he switches to French, singing the language of love as he looks out upon the crew that has finally accepted him.

#god yall i am just in love with the character development for Izzy this season #i’m such a sucker for the begruding yet well meaning character finally showing some warmth and parts of their true personality #i’m not used to getting everything i’ve wanted in a show and this is just spoiling me #izzy hands #ofmd s2 #ofmd #ofmd spoilers #omfd izzy #the revenge

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iwtvfanevents · 8 months ago

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Rewind the Tape —Episode 7

Art of the episode

Only four days to go until the premiere, and we're finally wrapping up with the last post of our rewatch. Just like we did for the pilot and for episodes two, three, four, five, and six, we took note of the art shown and mentioned in the 7th episode while we rewatched it, and put together our notes for reference. And, now, we're sharing our notes on AO3 too.

Six épigraphes antiques

Claude Debussy, 1914

This suite was originally composed to be played as a duet, but Debussy re-transcribed it as a solo piece the next year.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

Hieronymus Bosch, 1503–1515

Original sin is the theme of Lestat's Mardi Gras ball. The triptych shows that sin "starts in Paradise or Eden on the left panel, with Adam and Eve, and is punished in Hell in the right panel. The centre panel depicts a Paradise that deceives the senses, a false Paradise given over to the sin of lust. This deception is encouraged by the fact that the centre panel is shown as a continuation of Eden through the use of a single, continuous landscape." [From Museo del Prado.]

Let them eat [King] cake!

A historical reference this time: this is the traditional translation of the French phrase "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche," conventionally attributed to Marie Antoinette. The quote can be traced back to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Confessions, published in 1765, 24 years prior to the French Revolution, when Antoinette was nine years old; and was only attributed to her decades after her death.

Autumn at Arkville (again!)

We first saw this painting by Alexander H. Wyant in episode 2, in the du Lac family home! It was there during the funeral too but now, almost a decade after Grace left New Orleans, we see it in Rue Royale. We wonder: was this simple prop recycling, or should we ask ourselves how and why Louis came to have that keepsake from his family?

After the Bath: Woman Drying her Neck

Edgar Degas, 1898 [Identified by @nicodelenfent, here.]

This is the third Degas in Rue Royale! It's part of a series of studies of women drying after bathing, which includes charcoal sketches, and we suspect that the unidentified drawing from the hallway might be one of them.

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor

Ludwig van Beethoven, 1801

The closing song of the season is a classic, better known as the Moonlight Sonata, but the first edition of the score was headed by the title Quasi una fantasia or "almost a fantasy" (a fantasia is a musical composition with roots in improvisation).

The Graduate

Dir. Mike Nichols, 1967

Not exactly a reference, but Jacob Anderson shared in interview with Collider that Rolin directed them to play that scene thinking of the final moments of this movie. Have you taken the chance to watch it during the hiatus?

If you spot or put a name to any other references, let us know if you'd like us to add them with credit to the post! And we rounded up all the unidentified pieces in this post, in case you want to take a look and see if anything feels familiar!

We're super close to the second season, and we can't wait! Of course, we'll keep watching with an eye out for interesting references, and it's always easier to find them if we're working together. So, if you spot any interesting art pieces and other references in the second season, make sure to share with the class in the tag #vampterview, and @ us or use the tag #art of the episode if you'd like us to reblog your post into our dedicated tag for these references.

And don't forget to get your very own bingo card for the upcoming predictions bingo, here!

#louis de pointe du lac #the vampire claudia #claudia iwtv #the titular vampire #spark in the dark #daniel molloy #lestat de lioncourt #vampterview #interview with the vampire #iwtv #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire amc #amc iwtv #iwtv amc #IWTVfanevents #rewind the tape #analysis and meta #art of the episode #the thing lay still

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m1ssunderstanding · 1 year ago

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Get Back Rewatch 55 Years On: Day 21: The Concert

Every time they're not on camera I simultaneously feel so relieved for them and so upset that I don't get to watch. Messed up of me, but hey. Remember that slightly disturbing quote where Paul said he actually does believe he's kind of public property and he's fine with that?

He looks so determined. Like the fairy tale prince staring down the dragon or Enjolras about to hijack a funeral (Literally my baby was conceived after I watched this in IMAX so if that tells you anything about my feelings . . . I'm going to be annoying I'm sorry I can't help it)

Her legs look so good in those tights! I love that Mo came not because her boyfriend needs his mommy but because she wants to see them perform! Kissing her on the mouth right now.

Danger boy Paul!

Fun fact, I was this John for Halloween in 2021 to a college party. My hair was already like that, and I had dirty white keds and black jeans, so I just did fake sideburns, fake glasses, and a fake fur coat. I tried to get my best friend to be Paul. She wanted to be a hooker, and I was like “It’s the same thing!”

See, look at him and his whorish ways!

John’s little lip-bit smile. He’s so happy with himself nailing that solo. Cutie.

Cocky boys. As they should be. I love when they’re proud of their work together. Get Back is 95% just Looks between John and Paul, isn’t it?

John and Paul instantly jump into their little “humble working class entertainers” act. You know what just occurred to me? You know how they talked about the “rattle your jewelry” comment backstage and Paul dared John to say it? I wonder if they talked about the “audition” comment too.

It really is a beautiful thing they’re doing. It’s lovely, watching everyon leave their desk jobs and their shopping and whatever else to sit in their fire escapes and congregate in the street and huddle together on rooftops. It really is just like the happy end in a sixties zeitgeist movie.

All the girls nervous to be too enthusiastic after years of being made fun of themselves and watching others like them being mocked on TV. Let girls like things, damnit!

Mo jamming! I’m in love.

John mouthing Paul’s lyrics.

“Paul McCartney singing that. What a voice.” Literally me if time travel existed.

“And if SOMEBODY loved me like she does,” Well, it is good manners to look at the person you’re talking to, I guess. But you do have an audience, John. And a mic and a camera.

“Absolutely disrupt all the business in this area.” Yes! Get those blue meanies, boys!

“No lay rishi gahd blay bloojaygoo” should replace all the stupid quotes the Lennon estate puts on everything they sell. Then I’d actually want their shit. Paul trying to magic the words from his head into John’s there. Successfully, though.

That “Pleeeeeheeeeease” is one of the prettiest beatles vocal moments. I love it with all my heart. And clearly, so does Paul. Doing that thing he does, inappropriately thrusting into his bass.

Oh my gosh it’s the song Paul and John do together on tour right now!

That “Yyyyyeeeeeah, yeaaaaaah!” (I mean the whole song, the whole concert, but especially that) does things to me.

John’s extremely blurry, because he turned his head quick enough to give him whiplash there, sorry everyone. But look! They’re having the time of their lives! They just love performing together so much!

Everyone goes to check on their accumulating audience. (except Paul. Wonder what that’s about.)Ringo’s little pleasantly surprised smile is so so sweet!

It must be so fun for them to be performing One after 909 again after all these years. Bitter sweet with everything that’s changed since then.

LMAO Kevin thank you for your service!

He’s a silly cutie.

The mic in the street asking that girl if she’d like them to come back every lunchtime. Imagine if they did? How cute would that be? Like back to their cavern lunchtime shows. Maybe that could’ve saved them.

Them playing God Save the Queen reminds me of that story where Brian was like, “This bigger manager wants to buy your contract from me, and I just wanted to be straight with you. They could probably get better deals for you.” and they were like, “If you sell us to him we’re only playing God Save the Queen from that moment on.” It’s probably a fake story, but that’s what it made me think of.

I always think that quote of Paul’s is so strange, where he was like “I never got the chance to watch John while we were playing.” Like. What are you talking about, baby?

Literally “Uh. Yeah. Uh. Yeah.” Fucking his bass. Staring at John. Okay? And I’m not supposed to take that and run with it? I’m not supposed to assume from that that you want to fuck your songwriting partner?

I think he genuinely wants to get arrested. I really do. I think he wants them all to get arrested so they can finally be alone in a room together. A lovely cell for four. Just shimmying at them. And Billy looking at him like, Bro. What the fuck is wrong with you?

Paul’s “woo” and shimmy :: John’s “woo” and weird little kick move. And Paul looks so fond, of course.

God bless Mal for stalling those little fucks as long as humanly possible. And Debbie! “Don’t actually go on the roof because it’s overweight.” Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss!

Absolutely LOVE John and George turning their amps back on. That’s right. You guys are what’s keeping the country going at this point, so if you want to play on your roof they better let you play on your roof and say thank you.

All the times when they just simultaneously turn to each other. Like, yes, this is our que to stare hungrily into each other’s eyes.

My stomach just dropped at those words across the screen. “This was the Beatles’ last public performance.” We know, Peter Jackson. You don’t have to remind us. Jeez.

John and Paul’s two very different but equally important leadership roles in the band at work here at the end of the concert. John delivers his iconic line, makes everyone laugh, and seals the band’s last performance with a very tight bow. Meanwhile, Paul’s climbing the gate to bypass the crowd and schmooze the police out of arresting Mal.

THIS is sooo cute. Heads buried together and John’s very sweet, “‘s’matter? Hmm?”

George is so cute here in the control room afterward. No wonder they don’t listen to his not wanting to do things, honestly, if he acts like this after. “What’s the law say why you can’t do that? Well how disturbing the peace? Yeah, I’m for taking over London. And every rock group in the world all on different buildings, playing the same tune.” Adorable.

Poor John. It breaks my heart that he doesn’t think his little lyric flub is funny. He’s disappointed in himself. I wish he could see that that’s one of the things everyone loves about him. George was grinning ear to ear about it. For fuck’s sake, that’s one of the reasons Paul fell in love with you in the first place. If only John could see himself the way we see him, you know?

This little moment cracks me up. John always has to be mommy’s naughty little boy, and Yoko does a very sweet job of playing her part here.

Linda and Paul are so touchy and clingy and it’s very romantic and I love that Ringo joins in and makes fun of them.

The whole after-show glow for everyone was just so palpable and fantastic. I wish they could've gone on performing together. Clearly it made all of them very happy.

#and that's that #Apparently we've got a bonus day though that I forgot existed #so that's nice #Or not for anyone that was excited to not see these on your dash lol #tumblr live #paul mccartney #the beatles #john lennon #mclennon #ringo starr #george harrison #get back

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quillyfied · 2 months ago

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HELLO, my fellow feral girlies (GN)! How about that episode, huh? Gosh I sure hope nobody was too comfortable with that ending, because as much as I have now built my house inside of the way Blitzo’s fingertips linger on Stolas’ cheek, this episode was as much setup as it was payoff and we have SO MUCH GROUND TO COVER. Buckle up, buttercups, time to dissect Mastermind! In over six thousand words!!

I CALLED IT, BITCHES, BOTH STOLAS AND IMP WERE ALWAYS GONNA BE IN DEEP LEGAL SHIT. I CALLED THAT. I ALSO CALLED BEE AND OZZIE STANDING UP FOR BLITZO. I was NOT EXPECTING this vision to come true so soon, nor for it to be covered in a single episode, but pacing issues aside…holy shit. We have FEASTED. And to be honest, even the pacing issue isn’t so much an issue for me; when Our Flag Means Death was airing its second season, they released the episodes in batches but left the finale to air on its own, and that…woof. It made the finale feel breakneck in a way that was already upsetting, given the budget and episode number cuts and then the subsequent cancellation. However, watching all of season 2 in one shot somehow fixed that issue; the finale no longer felt so fast-paced and sudden when watched in context. I do have to wonder if Mastermind is going to feel the same way upon future rewatches. Obviously I haven’t had the time to test this theory yet. Okay. Initial thoughts out of the way, now for an attempt at more chronology:

Do y’all wonder if Andrealphus’ butler has white fingertips from frostbite after years of working for this ice bitch? Because all of the imp’s extremities being white is kind of really upsetting actually.

Andrealphus is…SUCH a bitch. Like. Dramatic, evil, campy bitch. I would love to know his backstory, like how old he actually is and how much of a hand in Stella’s raising and arranged marriage he had. (There will of course be a Stella introspective later, but let’s focus on the brother for now, since he’s hogging the spotlight.) It’s interesting to me to see this episode just how entitled Andrealphus feels…to Stolas’ power and assets. And how so very carefully he lays his trap for Stolas after learning the crucial information needed to orchestrate Stolas’ downfall. It’s exquisite, actually.

(Don’t start humming Bo Burnham’s Unpaid Intern song under your breath during the intern scene. Don’t do it.)

…do we need to have a discussion about how the photos the Hell Cops use are what seems like a candid shot of Loona at a party, Blitzo and Moxxie’s mug shots, and possibly a wanted poster or another candid of Millie during her solo days? Do we need to pick that apart? We probably don’t but it seems very likely to me that the picture of Loona is a snapshot of Bee’s party, possibly with Bee’s hands on her shoulders (and if not Bee, maybe Tex? It’s been a bit, I can’t quite remember), which…yikes. Feels like a paparazzi shot.

This whole sequence of trying to HIDE EVERYTHING (see: DESTROY EVERYTHING) is so deeply funny and also so…so very dark. Loona grabbing the picture of their first mission together as IMP. Blitzo doing his usual of bullying Moxxie but taking him along as Blitzo goes to get the others. Blitzo doing his best to protect his family from the Hell Cops and ultimately failing. The speed of all of this is disconcerting and it does feel very fast, but consider from a story perspective how deliberate that is. Blitzo can’t schedule a yearly shot for Loona more frequently than every five years, but Andrealphus apparently just needs a brunch hour to pull together an entire ass trial in front of every available Goetia and Sin in Hell. We also don’t actually know when Andrealphus and Stella’s conversation happened, so it’s possible this has been months in the making, but it feels like we would have some indication if that was the case. It’s so much darker and bleaker to realize that all Andrealphus needs to ruin an imp’s life is more or less just a phone call.

Muzzling Loona was just a low blow, though. Like. From a safety standpoint, she has the most natural weaponry there, so it makes sense, but it’s just cruel. I get it, Hell, but still. Yikes.

(CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHY LUCIFER’S SIGIL IS CRACKED??)

And here he is…Satan. Not disappointed by him, especially not by his little relaxation guru (Yogirt omgf), but I do see what Viv meant by his design maybe being less creative or out there compared to, like, Ozzie. And, uh, holy shit, can we talk about the background politics of all of this? There’s just so much, wow, my brain is going absolutely a mile a minute, like—look at the size differentials between the Sins. Lucifer is the smallest, obvi, we stan a short king, but we know that all of the Sins we’ve seen so far have a much larger, more aggressive form. Satan is SO MUCH BIGGER than the rest of them. And he’s presumably in his CASUAL FORM. Size is not an indicator of power but you don’t give a character that size and THAT VOICE and not expect him to be an absolute unit. Likely the strongest Sin present, the one that the other Sins seem to defer to, the self-proclaimed ruler of the dark (and yeah, it was a bit too ambiguous an acting choice to hint that Satan is lying about ruling the dark before Lucifer’s Fall just by Oz and Bee looking grimly up at Lucifer’s empty chair, but with everything going on in this episode, I don’t blame them for not taking the time to make that more clear tbh. There’s always a future episode or short. Or Hazbin Hotel). Crimson would shit himself before ever daring to blackmail Satan. Satan’s name is used in place of God’s in most of the blasphemous swears in this show, except for two very interesting key moments in this very episode. Most interestingly of all, Satan himself is the one who invokes Lucifer’s name on one of these occasions (“What in Lucifer’s Hell is this?” when Stolas hops in to save Blitzo). The other, tellingly, is Stolas, a royal demon who resides in Pride. Y’know, Pride. Lucifer’s ring. Lucifer isn’t the one running the courtroom about to execute Stolas’ beloved, but Lucifer would absolutely be one of the few Sins in that room who could maybe see through what Stolas is doing in trying to take the blame, who MIGHT be even a little bit sympathetic to an impossible love like Stolas and Blitzo’s (to say nothing of Ozzie and Bee), and the ONLY Sin who could interfere with Satan’s judgement. Like. Copyright reasons aside, there is a very real story reason for why Lucifer being in that courtroom might not be a good idea, and I will live with that delusion happily, thank you.

Cannot believe Andrealphus went the rapist angle with Blitzo. It’s so cleverly evil. It’s a multi-purpose motive: first, explain why Stolas isn’t present (didn’t want to make him face his abuser, THE IRONY); second, draw out Blitzo’s fury, bc the madder he is, the less he’s going to be able to articulate (see the “I’d just kill him myself” debacle) and thus less chance of anyone there listening to him; third, to draw Stolas out and make him admit the truth, or at least assume blame. And the ways Andrealphus still just belittles and mocks Stolas even as he’s assuming a concerned brother in law role, the VICTIM BLAMING of it all (“too weak and ashamed to come forward about it” BITCH, also say it louder for every single person who’s been railing about how Stolitz is toxic because one or the other is a rapist, you are literally agreeing with the peacock so far in the closet he thinks pointing out how hot his sister is is what straight people do and he is blending in with the Straights so well by continuing to do that, and on top of that, THE PEACOCK KNOWS HE’S LYING, congrats and maybe consider that more closely). Accusing Blitzo of sexual assault also allows Andrealphus to enforce the class divides, because Blitzo is aberrant in every way an imp isn’t supposed to be: he dares to assault his betters, he dares to run his own business, he dares to steal royal artifacts to access the mortal realm without supervision or restraint, he dares to talk back when accused. He has to paint Blitzo as dangerous, both for Stolas to come to the courtroom and to enforce to the lower classes forced to watch this tripe that this is what happens when an imp steps out of line.

And if Blitzo stepping out of line is the set dressing, then let’s all remember the real reason behind this, the catalyst to Andrealphus’ much-schemed power grab: this is all happening because Stolas slept with an imp. An IMP. Stella called him a treasonous embarrassment over it, raged over it the way she likely would not have had he chosen a more suitable bedwarmer; Andrealphus calls him a deviant freak. The fact that lending out Stolas’ grimoire is a crime on par with sleeping with the lower class really paints what a farce this whole thing is. Because lending out the grimoire? Bad, but if Stolas is being victimized here then at least it makes sense and can be forgiven. Willingly sleeping with an imp? Loving an imp? Unconscionable. Deviant. Unwholesome. Unfit for duties.

Even Oz and Bee catching flak from Mammon about slumming it with the lower classes and getting NO SUPPORT from anyone in the room over it besides each other is so much more than I ever expected Helluva Boss to give us on the class divide front. I worry for this show, because tackling such a heavy and complex topic like that can be really make or break (too little and it’s pandering, too much and it’s not a comedy anymore and we are already straddling that line too hard), but in a lot of ways, pointing out the hypocrisy and the flaws is such a huge part of the battle anyway. Fixing it should be the goal, but…I mean, we can simplify a lot in fiction. Have happy endings and redemptions in fiction that couldn’t ever happen in real life. Fandom and fiction are not activism, but they are important staging grounds for discussion, and I’m so curious about where the discussion is going to go in this show, when the emphasis is so much upon the characters and less the plot and setting (though neither of those are slacking much either).

ALRIGHT TIME TO THROW PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE OUT THE WINDOW, VASSAGO IS HERE. I love him. I love his boots. I love him cussing Andrealphus out in Spanish. I love the Harvey Guillen of him. I love how his very existence proves that Stolas isn’t alone, that there are other Goetia—and likely established Goetia—who aren’t blinded by their own importance. I want to know how long he’s been around too, tbh. I want him and Stolas to become wonderful besties. Stolas needs a friend SO BADLY.

Tiny RIP for how the amount of story and character bits that have to be given priority and thus making it so we don’t get to see Asmodeus realizing he’s in the same room as the guy who kidnapped and tried to murder Fizzarolli. We don’t get to see Fizz realizing that the cowboy fuckface who kidnapped him is testifying against his best friend. We don’t get to see Striker taking Bombproof to the vet. Tragic. (Also, is it just me, or is the scar on the wrong eye? It might just be me.)

“We don’t know who wanted Stolas dead” riiiiight, right, right, right, the only people who know that are Stolas, Striker, Stella, and Andrealphus. Right. RIGHT. RIGHT. RIIIIGHT.

OCTAVIA AT LEAST SHOULD FIND OUT SOMEDAY OKAY. LIKE. OUT OF EVERYONE, SHE DESERVES TO KNOW WHAT HER MOTHER DID.

The many ways this trial is so not about justice at all is infuriating, and rightfully so, but the way NO ONE CARES that Striker literally asked for his line and Andrealphus fed it to him is just—it’s so—AAAAUGH.

Also, I love that Satan just…lets them argue. Just straight up lets the other Sins call each other names until he finally gets bored. Because letting Sins do that is a better use of time than letting Blitzo defend himself at all. Because this was all just a show of power, a pageant for the upper class to pat itself on the back over. (Vassago’s thoughtful looks, though. This fight is only just beginning, I can feel it. Satan had the balls to call Stolas out on his hubris, when really it’s his own and absolutely Andrealphus’ that might be about to bring their own castles down around their ears?? NICE.)

SATAN SAYING THIS WILL BE BROADCASTED TO REMIND IMPKIND THAT THE SINS’ POWER CANT BE CHALLENGED AGAIN. FUCKING AGAIN. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN AGAIN. And, specifically, IMPkind. Just the imps. Not all the demons. Just imps. Only imps. Is he saying this because Blitzo’s existence is really that much of a threat to them in this moment, that his alleged actions are that much of a challenge to Hellish authority? Or is there some hidden lore in that proclamation that we’re gonna get in the future? Gosh I hope it’s hidden lore, I would love to know about how much a pain in the ass imps are despite Satan “creating them to be obedient” what the FUCK, Sin of Wrath?? How does that make any sense?

(Moment of silence for how Oz’s hands are tied; he doesn’t have the power to go against Satan’s sentencing, not even for Fizz, and we all know he’d do almost anything for Fizz. But this is the hierarchy of Hell that Ozzie would be challenging, and as high up as he is…I genuinely don’t know if it’s a CAN’T, or a WON’T. It might be both.)

Hang on have to sob about Blitzo telling his family that he loves them before he’s publicly executed on hellwide television.

ONLY TO BE SAVED BY STOLAS OF THE ARS GOETIA, PLAYING THE HERO AND PROTECTING AN IMP. We don’t know how much Stolas knows up until this point, but it’s very likely nothing. He just sees Blitzo about to be executed while channel flipping; if he saw the part where Andrealphus accuses Blitzo of assault, he would have been there so much sooner. Which is why that bit of pageantry was as much for the royals’ benefit as for Stolas’, had he managed to see it.

Now. The Song. The thing giving me goosebumps this very second. Because Stolas is still catching up to the situation, he can’t address the actual concerns regarding himself that Andrealphus laid on the table, but he sure can lay down a total cover to protect Blitzo and negate anything that might possibly have been said. He doesn’t need to know the specifics. Blitzo is about to be executed and the only thing he’s done that would warrant that sort of response is using the grimoire, something Stolas knew was going to get them both into trouble from the beginning. Might as well go whole hog, then, and claim total responsibility. Not only that, but package it to the court in a way that they can understand: Stolas was using the imp for undisclosed nefarious deeds, very evil, very cunning, isn’t he just a mastermind? All of that was public. Everything else in this song that happens under the reversed color palette? That’s inner thoughts, baybee. And I highly doubt that Blitzo and Stolas can hear each other during their duet, what with Stolas keeping his back turned for most of it, and certainly no one else could hear it, but I do think that people in the know about Blitzo and Stolas and their entire messy situation could probably infer it. AND BLITZO SANG. ACTUALLY SANG. HE IS READY TO COMMUNICATE ON THAT EMOTIONAL LEVEL. SO HUGE. Like. Blitzo doesn’t sing. He doesn’t meet the people around him on that level. But he’s been trying lately. He’s been wanting to change, wanting to meet his loved ones at that level, to meet Stolas at that level. Of COURSE it takes staring death in the face for Blitzo to realize that; nobody else in this show can ever have an emotional epiphany under normal circumstances, so why would this be any different? XD But back to my point: Stolas and Blitzo have admitted now to loving each other, but. BUT. I strongly doubt that they admitted it out loud TO each other yet. I could be wrong. But I don’t think I am. I have to gush about how this inner thoughts part of the song visually mirrors both Look My Way and the Truth Seekers hallucination, what with the golden feathers and the water and the cosmos.

“You’re my light.” “You’re my heart.” “And only death can rend our love apart.” FUCK. FUUUUUUUCK. EXCUSE ME, NEED TO GRIND MY FACE INTO SOME DIRT AND WEEP. (Because, again, I do not believe that they heard each other here. They’re in sync, but not together, not yet. But, oh, the beauty of it—Blitzo is the light, the guide, the one who showed Stolas he didn’t have to live in an eternal twilight of misery; Stolas is the heart, the lifeblood, the keeper of Blitzo’s tender emotional side that’s been hurt so much but keeps persisting because protecting the heart is what keeps him alive. And they’ve always known that choosing each other would be dangerous, social and physical death in the worst ways, but living without each other is worse, these BEAUTIFUL MORONS.)

If y’all needed more proof that the emotional aside was not sung for all of Hell to hear: Satan is directly replying to Stolas’ claim of being the mastermind, reminding him and all of Hell that breaking demon law means consequences from the keeper of that law. (All the Sins, even the sympathetic ones, standing up and agreeing that Satan is the Law, I have CHILLS.) If anyone in that room had heard the emotional aside, there’s no doubt in my mind that Blitzo would have been executed simply for the crime of being beloved by a Goetia, to teach Stolas a lesson about his place in the hierarchy and what that means for him to step outside of his box as well. It would have undone all of Stolas’ work to protect Blitzo through belittling and undermining him to the rest of the court. So that devastating emotional aside is just for them, just for Stolas and Blitzo, perhaps passing in a mere moment of eye contact—enough to see each other, to have personal realizations in sync with each other, but not enough time to SAY anything to each other.

Credit where it’s due, Stolas faces death and the begging of his beloved with impeccable poise. Something that I have loved about the Hellaverse is their understated portrayal of suicidal ideation, particularly in Stolas. From his very first musical number assuring his daughter that even if he is gone, SHE will be okay, it’s been a part of his character. He’s been ready to die from a young age. And to die for his beloved? Protecting him? I’m sure Stolas could think of fewer more fitting ends for himself. Because Octavia will be okay. And so will Blitzo. They’ll be okay without him.

BUT TELL THAT TO BLITZO AND HIS TEARS, OKAY, because even as he reunites with his family, he’s vacant-eyed staring into the distance with tears falling down his face because HIS HEART IS ABOUT TO BE EXECUTED. HIS HEART.

Okay in Stolas’ defense, the executioner should not be lifting his axe like that if they aren’t planning to execute him. Ugh I just need to gush about how Stolas truly did not realize that the punishment for him would be different than for Blitzo. He has a lot to work through. A LOT. But. Like. Can we at least give him that his heart is in the right place? That he was willing to die for Blitzo, fully expected nothing less than to take on this burden for his beloved, only to get slapped with banishment instead? HOLY SHIT CAN WE TALK ABOUT RECKLESSNESS AND CONSEQUENCES? Because Andrealphus said all the way back in Western Energy that KILLING STOLAS SHOULD NOT BE THE GOAL. He knew damn well that Stolas was never in any danger of dying here. Stolas isn’t useful to them dead. But STOLAS doesn’t realize this. He has no idea he’s played directly into Andrealphus’ hands until it’s too late. And his own recklessness, his choice of love over duty, comes with a consequence: Octavia. If he had been given time to consider the choice he was really making, I’m not sure Stolas could do it. Blitzo is his light and Octavia is his Starfire. Blitzo reignited his passion for life, but Octavia kept him going when it was darkest. Blitzo is the love he chose against all expectations and rules. Octavia is the love he found in the midst of his duty, and she is inextricably tied to it, at least for now. His love for her sort of blinded him to how sheltered and naïve she is. Fairness to them both, Stella made it a difficult situation, much more difficult than it had to be, and this family situation is messy even without the power grabs and responsibilities and expectations surrounding it all. But to choose love, only to lose family? Gutting. And all too real for many in the audience, I’m sure.

I haven’t listened to Hadestown, but I wish to express my absolute delight at Patrick Page’s gigglefest as Satan. It’s adorable. He’s having fun. You can hear the fun he’s having. I love this show.

Okay okay okay OKAY OKAY OKAY. Ice Princess Andrealphus…uses FIRE…to get rid of Stolas’ chains. I don’t fully understand the implications of that but I would like to circle this scene several times with a red marker and leave at least four post-it notes for future reference. Is he actually using fire magic? Do the chains just react that way when a Goetia touches them to be rid of them? WHAT DOES IT MEAN??? (Also the silly bird expressions Andrealphus has this entire scene is just. Chef’s kiss, no notes, strip the coat off again bc it’s hilarious.)

I notice that despite this all happening according to Andrealphus’ plan…it still doesn’t happen according to plan. Stolas is stripped of his powers, but only temporarily; the rings never converge onto Andrealphus to give him Stolas’ power and legions and resources. It’s like Satan is just storing them for safekeeping (which makes Andrealphus’ wasted coat-ripping all the funnier, holy fuck I love it). Stolas is about to be way more vulnerable than he ever was before, still immortal but not powerful; I wonder what stipulations are in place for if Stolas dies before his sentence is finished, and before Octavia is of age to take on her father’s place? Prediction: Andrealphus now has Stolas in a place where his death would be beneficial. Despite not getting the exact verdict he wanted, Andrealphus still has the upper hand.

Gotta give it to Hell; they don’t waste any time showing Stolas how they feel. I have SO MANY MANY more thoughts about this situation and what it means and what it WILL mean, but let’s get through the rest of this chronology first before I go off the rails. I admit, I saw a thousand fanfics come true in the last ten minutes of this episode, but Stolas getting a Glee Slushy treatment from every other lowborn demon in Hell was not on my bingo card. Stolas, dear thing, once again didn’t think through consequences, because he didn’t expect to have to live through them. This is a very unexpected one, imo. Stolas painted himself the villain. Now he’s touchable and vulnerable and has to live with that. Wow.

The way the rest of IMP seems very spent but also awkward…I cannot wait to dig into that. Because they were the people picking Blitzo up after the fallout, so I can’t imagine they have some warm and fuzzy feelings towards Stolas. Especially not Loona. Though her giving Stolas her own sweater to wear speaks to me that she’s gonna try, because he did save her dad’s life. AND LOONA SAID I LOVE YOU DAD. THE ONLY I LOVE YOU THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW. And the LOOK on Stolas’ face after it happens?? The realizations, the implications, everything hitting him right now? Like LOL birdy babe you are IN IT now.

Blitzo throwing some casual Spanish words in this episode after the appearance of Vassago. Idk why that’s so funny to me.

And the FUCKING FIREWORKS FOR BLITZO NOT BEING EXECUTED. There’s about to be some class warfare up in here, huh? BRING IT ON, HELLUVA BOSS. I’M EXCITED.

Hang on, obligatory moment to pause and reflect at how pretty Stolas is while he’s devastated, and how sweet Blitzo’s affection towards him is, and ignoring my own uneasiness and sense of impending doom, loving the canon couch fanfics, daydreaming about Secretary Stolas, hold it, hold it—

Got it. Time to ruin my own parade.

Feeling very nervous about the future of Stolas and Blitzo and their relationship right now (they’re endgame but it ain’t the endgame yet lol), because I feel we are just beginning a new phase of shit: Stolas just had his circus fire moment. He doesn’t realize yet just how damaged his relationship with his daughter is, he hasn’t gone through the “slapped in the face by his father and banned from seeing his mutilated best friend” part yet. But he’s in shock, shown best by his pupils not disappearing yet. He’s processing. He’s floating. He’s numb. There will come a break here soon where he has to expel all the venom inside of him, the unfairness of what just occurred, how much he hurts. And a lot of that is going to be him regurgitating some classist internalized shit, some clueless woe-is-me-ness that tbh…at least he isn’t dead. At least that was never on the table. Unlike for CERTAIN BELOVED IMPS. However. To give Stolas grace and put the crock of shit that Stolas has landed in into perspective: Stolas is only to live like a commoner for a century, but he’s a young Goetia with a young daughter to think about. This is destroying him mentally to contemplate. He already thought he had no more stories to be told at the tender age of twenty-three at most; a century is nothing to the immortal royals but it’s everything to an immortal royal who hasn’t even cleared his first half of a century yet. Who hasn’t even hit FORTY yet. No WONDER he’s so shellshocked and listless. One hundred years without Octavia? When they’re both still so young, feel the passage of time so keenly?? You know how to you, an adult, a year passes in a blink, but to a kid, five minutes is an interminable hell? YOU KNOW HOW THE PASSING OF TIME IS WORSE WHEN YOU’VE EXPERIENCED LESS OF IT??

Like again holy shit he isn’t okay at all, and he still doesn’t realize how bad things are still going to get, because the bird had further to fall in this arrangement always. Blitzo gets the raw end of the deal and he dies, like he always expected to (maybe not in a televised public execution holy shit), but his reputation and social worth was always pretty low. Stolas is a prince. Stolas lives on a golden perch. That is a steep fall, baby bird. And now that he’s willingly sacrificed his image for Blitzo, become the bad guy, only to get thrown to the wolves? Andrealphus knew what he was doing and I am positive is going to try to kill him again. He is without powers and without resources. He’s vulnerable as shit.

And the thing which causes me more unease about all of this: their positions are reversed. Socially, Stolas is now the most hated being in Hell while Blitzo has just moved up to most beloved, and that success is more than likely about to affect his tax bracket (or at least what kind of apartment he can afford). Blitzo is soft and caring and protective while Stolas is unresponsive and numb. Blitzo’s relationship with his daughter is thriving while Stolas’ is falling apart. It would be so easy to enter a period of total reversal, where Stolas is rejecting Blitzo’s advances on the grounds that Stolas feels he doesn’t deserve them and Blitzo is somehow lying to him. However. I hope that there is movement forward, instead of reversal and regression (and not just because a full regression would be boring as hell). Blitzo took some important steps; admitting in song that he loves Stolas is HUGE. And nobody changes overnight. This episode likely feels too fast paced and too unearned for many, as it did at first for me, but remember that we don’t know if Stolas and Blitzo could hear each other during their duet; I think not, for reasons I’ve already stated. So no explicit declarations of love have actually happened yet. Blitzo and Stolas aren’t together. They haven’t talked. They are not there yet. They don’t know that they’re emotionally on the same page, because the rest of Stolas’ book just got ripped to shreds before his eyes. Once again, the timing just isn’t right. Blitzo kisses Stolas’ cheek as he sleeps (and kills me dead in my own home), but it’s just another selfie for Blitzo to hoard and look at privately. Blitzo is learning to deal with his shit. Stolas now needs to learn how to deal with his—once the final blow of losing Octavia properly lands. This episode is not an END of their journey; it’s the BEGINNING of the next leg, the next set of circumstances they’re going to have to grow through in order to not just be together, but to BE THEMSELVES.

Blitzo at the beginning of the show could not handle Stolas as he is right now. Blitzo as of Full Moon and Apology Tour couldn’t handle Stolas as he is now. Blitzo had to face losing everything on multiple fronts, then losing Stolas emotionally, then almost losing Stolas physically, before he finally realized not just what he wants, but how he wants to react and treat his loved ones. He loves his family. Stolas is his heart. I think some very cruel and entitled things are going to come out of Stolas’ beak as he adjusts and truly comes to process and realize what being a lower class demon means; I think Blitzo is in a better place to cut through the bullshit and hear the pain and cry for help in the middle of all of that. And I hope to high holy hell that Vassago is going to be a friend to Stolas because there are some revelations Stolas needs to talk himself through without Blitzo taking the brunt of it. Unlearning shit sometimes comes with vomiting up the internalized bigotry and examining it; the would-be victims of that bigotry don’t need to be in the room for that. (And also, I think Vassago is exactly the ally that Stolas needs with the Goetia, and also I love him and want to see him in more scenes and want him to sing and everything.)

Pivoting to Octavia and Stella for a moment: Octavia is a child with a mother who hates her husband more than she loves her daughter and who was prepped and ready to both stop Octavia from running to him and to comfort her when Octavia thought she was losing him for good on live fucking television, no less; the Mother Gothel vibes are off the charts, but Octavia does love her mother. She trusts her mother. She certainly didn’t want her father to die trying to save some weird red dickhead and instead get banished, leaving her behind somewhere Octavia couldn’t follow. She’s vulnerable and about to be manipulated to heck and back by a mother who just wants her ex-husband to suffer and an uncle who wants all of her father’s power for himself. Stella is a shit mother for this manipulation. She can be a shit mother and still love Octavia in her own way. It’s messier and more complicated and realistic than if she didn’t care for her daughter at all tbh.

Obligatory Stella Introspective: Moment of silence for Stella as a character doing everything she can to ruin the man she’s been tied to her literal entire life. Her fucking name is STELLA. She was marked as Stolas’ property from BIRTH. This does not excuse or justify anything she does. I just find it tragic in the way that throwaway character details in a comedy take on a different light when the genre changes to something more serious. Like Davenport in The Adventure Zone: Balance; if you know you know. Also the fact that Andrealphus loosing a pretty impressive show of power right in her face results in her just screaming him back down; she’s a miserable selfish creature who nevertheless found her power in a world pretty set on denying her any and uses it liberally. Of course her own daughter is just another avenue for hurting Stolas. Octavia was only ever a means to an end, a failsafe in case something happened to Stolas. But she’s still Stella’s daughter, and that has meaning, even if it isn’t a healthy or good meaning.

Can we also talk about the fact that it’s entirely likely that Stella’s looks are the only positive trait that Andrealphus can attribute to her because the rest of her personality is so well-known? What’s he gonna do, call her sweet or delicate or kind? He’d be laughed out of the courtroom. Everyone there knows that Stella is none of those things. She never tries to be anything but what she is. The fact that she punishes Stolas for trying so hard when she doesn’t have to try at all is just. It’s so twisted and juicy a dynamic. Yknow? They could have been friends. Two people trapped by social convention in a marriage and forced consummation to produce an heir, likely arranged from birth, or Stella’s birth at least, because again SHE IS LITERALLY NAMED AFTER HIM, or named after something deeply related to him (the stars, in case I’m being too opaque). Instead, she’s cruel and demanding and degrading and the personification of everything Stolas struggles against in royal society. This sweet bird bowed to imps as a child; someone with so egalitarian a view was never going to have Stella’s respect. She is the embodiment too of his own self-hatred and the disapproval of his own family; the tragedy of it all. I hope we get more details about her one day entirely separate from Stolas, but she is explicitly a plot device to challenge and hurt Stolas. Plot devices don’t often get their own stories. She’s literally only ever worth her pretty face and the hurt she causes. This too is tragic. I pity her. I’d pity her more if she wasn’t using her daughter as ammo against her ex-husband.

Anyway. Stella introspective over. I wonder how complicated it’s going to be for Stolas to try and be the IMP secretary when he can’t go four feet without someone throwing goo at him. I wonder how badly it’s going to hurt me when Octavia refuses to see Stolas and he finally hits absolute rock bottom. I wonder if this show is going to go the route of “can’t be together until they’re finished growing” or the route of “they love each other, let them grow into themselves and their relationship together.” I wonder how the cosplayers are going to get them Vassago boots high enough. I wonder how many Andrealphus cosplayers and artists are going to be making the “Grandmama, it’s me, Anastasia” joke. I wonder if I’m ever going to stop clutching my Blitzo and Stolas plushies to my chest.

One more episode in December, gang! Can’t wait to ugly cry with you all!!

#helluva boss #helluva boss spoilers #quilly's hellaverse theories #SINSMAS GONNA MAKE ME AN ABSOLUTE WRECK GANG #BECAUSE MASTERMIND HAS DEFINITELY DONE THE SAME

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