#just watched 2x07 + 2x08......

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Megathread: All Clues concerning “Elrond = Sauron” in “Adar meeting/Kiss scene” (2x07) - Part II

Part I

III) The Aftermath

"What do your Maiar eyes see?"

In the night after the tent scene, we have a scene of Sauron looking over the Orc camp, with anxiety and worry on his face.

No one is watching Sauron doing this (he has his back turned on Celebrimbor). Why is he looking so worried? We know for sure he isn’t concerned about the battle because everything is happening according to his plan... except for one thing (Galadriel wasn't suppose to be Adar's prisoner). Or... is he trying to see if the “seeds he planted” at the Orc camp are finally breaking free? 

He's also strangely emotional in this whole scene:

"Arondir Ex machina":

At the beginning of the “Sauron’s worried sick” scene, we see him with his eyes closed, as if he’s performing some sort of sorcery. But we aren’t shown what he was doing. Celebrimbor is working on the Nine, so he wasn’t doing anything to him.

When Galadriel finally breaks free, it’s Arondir who shows up to “save the day”.

And Galadriel says the strangest thing: “Whatever force it was that brought you here, soldier, I am grateful for it. Come, I know a hidden way into the city. We must find Sauron." Hmm...

Adar's Death

Adar's death scene in 2x08 appears to parallel a scene we already saw on "Rings of Power". And I'm not talking about the opening scene of 2x01, which is the obvious answer.

In 2x06, when Halbrand/Sauron wants to kill Adar, for the first time, in the middle of the woods, but is stopped from doing so by Galadriel. During this scene, Adar tries to make sense of why this "mortal man" wants to kill him:

"A woman? A child?" Adar asks Halbrand/Sauron.

At this moment, in particular, this interaction was meant to be a clue towards Halbrand’s true identity (“he is Sauron”), because of Adar being the one responsible for destroying his previous physical form in betrayal. Halbrand wants to kill Adar with a spear (Sauron’s weapon of choice). 

However, in 2x07, Adar really does causes pain to the woman (she-elf) that Sauron loves. At the Battle of Eregion, Adar displays Galadriel trapped in a cage, and has one of his Orcs pierce and bled her neck with... a spear. 

And how does Sauron have Adar killed, at the end? In the middle of woods, like he meant to in 1x06. Using his children to cause him pain, and kill him. And Sauron does it in front of Galadriel, the woman he loves and was, previously, hurt by Adar. 

There are more references to 1x06 in 2x08, because when Sauron appears as Halbrand, he repeats to Galadriel his words to her in those same woods he wished to kill Adar.

Hence: this parallel can mean that Sauron, in fact, witnessed Adar flaunting and hurting Galadriel on the battlefield.

"What did you expect, mate?"

Galadriel: All this... was your design from the beginning. Sauron: Please. You think too much of me. The road goes ever winding. Not even I can see all its paths.

As I’ve already theorized on my “last temptation” post, Sauron went up there to collect everything that belongs to him: Morgoth’s crown and sword, the Nine, Nenya and Galadriel herself. However, he somehow believes that Galadriel will just accept him.

Sauron’s reaction to Galadriel trying to kill him, in 2x08, is actually hilarious, because he looks outraged: "why are you trying to kill me?

Is Sauron this self-deceiving and lacks so much self-awareness that he was really expecting Galadriel to forgave all of his recent atrocities with Celebrimbor (mostly) and bind herself to him, freely? This doesn’t make any sense, unless he already asked for Galadriel’s forgiveness in advance and proved himself in someway.  

And Sauron might think that Galadriel recognized him in that tent. But she didn’t. And what does she says to Elrond when he asks for her forgiveness? 

And, so, Sauron arrives all victorious and ready to reclaim his “reward”. Only to find Galadriel is not going to join him, let alone bind herself to him, freely. And then, he goes for plan B.  

Glûg's Death

Glûg's death has "well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions" vibes for having betrayed Adar and sided with Sauron, instead.

Tolkien never specifically wrote about the Orcs lifespans: we know they aren’t immortal like the moriondor (Adar and the other Elves corrupted by Morgoth) and they reproduce like every other “humanoid” being. Meaning, Glûg has never met Sauron before, and has only heard the tales. He was already suspicious that Adar was sacrificing the Orcs for nothing, with other Orcs believing he was chasing a ghost. Well, when Glûg meets Sauron for the first time, he’s shocked to discover that he’s not terrible or cruel like he was told, but rather “nice” and soft-spoken (even asking his name). And, so, Glûg has the confirmation that Adar was, in fact, wrong and killing off his children for nothing... (well, he came to regret that at the end). 

However, Glûg is the one who places a blade at Galadriel’s neck during the “Adar and Elrond tent scene” in 2x07, and we see Elrond’s reaction to it. And so, if Adar was to give the order, it would have been Glûg who would kill Galadriel in that scene.

In 2x08, Sauron kills Glûg after Galadriel throws herself off a cliff.

Many assume this was done in a rage fit, but this isn’t Sauron’s character. And he already lost control with Celebrimbor in this episode and that’s why, according to Charlie Vickers, he cries in that scene: Sauron recalls his time at Morgoth’s side and doesn’t want to end up destructive and nihilist like his master was.

So I would argue the “rage fit” explanation is not it. Could it be, that Sauron - who is always gaslighting others and in self-denial trying to find justifications for his own actions and project them onto others (as Celebrimbor told him in 2x07) - kills Glûg because this Orc was the last being he saw threatening Galadriel’s life? And projects his own guilt onto him? And how could he know that, unless he was the “Elrond” in the room? Because Sauron is powerful, but he isn’t able to see everything just yet. 

IV) Plot holes:

Plot holes from 2x06 and 2x07 that only make sense if it's Sauron and not Elrond in that tent with Adar.

What did the corpse that showed up at Eregion in 2x06 truly said for Sauron to react in such way (when no one was looking at him)?

Clearly it didn't say "Where is he?" because Halbrand/Sauron was the one who told Adar that "Sauron" was in Eregion, in 2x01, to plant the seeds for the Battle of Eregion.

This could also explain where Sauron got the pin. We know Galadriel loses her cloak and pin in 2x04, when she faces the Orcs and gets captured by Adar. If Sauron was keeping an eye on her (pun non intended), he could have retrieved her pin there. And this would also explain Sauron's reaction to the corpse in 2x06: it was a message from Adar revealing that he had Galadriel in captivity. 

Why didn't Adar take Nenya (nor even checked) from Elrond in that scene?

It was the ring he wanted to destroy Sauron. Why sacrifice more Orcs and waste time? And what guarantee did Adar have he would see Elrond again, alive or even with the ring on his possession? Was it only because Adar had a "flair for the dramatics"?

And why does Adar looks into Elrond's eyes before lifting him up (to make sure it's actually him?)?

Why, after obsessing over her for the whole season, we, the audience, didn’t get to see Sauron’s reaction to Galadriel being locked in a cage?

Sauron was at the walls of Eregion with Celebrimbor and the guards when the Elven army arrives, and the scene shows him looking in their direction. Are you telling me the "mastermind" behind this battle wasn't interested in knowing what would happen next!?

Note:

If the only the argument against this theory is that Robert Aramayo and the showrunners already gave interviews explaining the kiss, I would like to recall that Charlie Vickers spent the whole of Season 1 promotion saying that “Halbrand is just a man”, or them saying that “Haladriel wasn’t romantic” for two whole years. And, apparently, Galadriel has been in love with Halbrand, all along (and this was only revealed after Season 2 finale).

I would advise my fellow fans not to placed too much trust in interviews concerning this theory, or any other, really. “Rings of Power” follows the “Game of Thrones” formula: it’s a show full of mystery boxes and plot twists, sometimes from one season to the next.

The only question here is: will Season 3 reveal it or it will be an abandoned plot, or left ambiguous.

[thoughtfulchaos773]

All About The Vibes

Richie always has a very knowing, keen eye—a sixth sense. Like speaking into existence with a simple don't blow a fuse—this is the start of Richie and his relationship with vibes and lighting.

If Richie didn't turn on the lighting in 1x05 and sent out the vibes, we wouldn't have gotten this Sydcarmy moment:

Richie also has a thing with walls (patching up walls with posters, chalking walls, breaking walls, and ceilings). He wants to keep the walls up from the old restaurant, but they're crashing down.

He's mainly helping sydcarmy with the current- creating the right atmosphere for them. In 2x05- even with Claire there, Richie is desperate to stay to make more amperage- more electrical current to flow through the bear. He's unknowingly looking out for Sydney and Carmy and is even taken aback. He looks at Sydney, rolling her eyes as Carmy wraps up the night.

The fixing up of Claire and Carmy goes to Fak, who's waiting on the roof for his tools and creates the right atmosphere for Claire and Carmy to happen. His vibe is more of an 80s romcom.

Richie roots for Carmy and Claire but it's for the benefit of knowing about Tiffany and Frank- and although Richie is happy to hear that carmy has a girlfriend in 2x08, he asks Carmy to stay a bit longer- to delay the call with Claire and focus on creating the right environment. Had Carmy stayed longer- he probably would have been closing the bear that night and spent more time with Sydney.

Richie is still happy for Carmy and even puts a heavy hand in directing Claire and Carmy at the end of season 2, but it backfires. Now, in season 3, Richie takes a step back, and who does he let take over the direction?

Check out the conversation in 3x05 "Children," where we spend too long on the Faks arguing in the background as Richie talks to the photographer. This is the only time he takes back the director and fixer of vibes this season. The photographer says the light is too hot- the password is iridescent (maybe iridescent lighting for the perfect Bear Vibe?)- and Richie directs Fak to get out of the lighting.

I do wonder Richie's perfect vibes? To get the Faks out of the way, sorta like Sydney and Fak feeding Fak to dismiss him.

I always wondered why 2x07 Forks wasn't so similar to 3x07 Legacy. But it is—they're Richie episodes. Richie is watching Carmy but taking the director's approach of letting the actors do their own work and watching the magic happen.

He can write notes- what he thinks should be the vibe but he's going to let carmy write in his own destiny.

For carmy, his perfect vibe setting with Sydney- natural lighting, flowers, enough bright living so he can stare at Sydney for as long as he needs, because true intimacy for Carmy is just staring at a woman.

My theory is that Sydney will be the vibe setter for season 4. She tells Carmy that her dad being off with her is like a vibe, and she's spot on that Emmanuel wished she was doing something else. In season 3, she asks Shapiro what the vibe is if she takes the position at his restaurant, and he tells her whatever she wants it to be —foreshadowing season 4. Because Carmy's vibe, if he could have it, is Sydney being the ship's captain.

Richie, we appreciate you, but it's Sydneys turn to put out the vibes.

Tagging: @currymanganese @ambeauty @mitocamdria @whenmemorydies @turbulenthandholding @vacationship @brokenwinebox @outmakingmoonshine @fresaton

There's meta on Richie being the director I'll add in the replies

[ladyluscinia]

2x08 Reaction #7

Ok, last episode thing in this series I've finally circled around to being pissed about is framing Izzy as a mentor to Edward.

Because what the fuck.

When they had Stede do the whole "taught him everything he knows" bit in 2x05 I thought it was pure flattery, to the point I thought it was wild that Izzy even gave a little shrug like he might believe it. I thought we had established pretty clearly in S1 that Edward was the creative thinker and leader in their dynamic.

Izzy was useful - probably even essential - but he was the support. The tool. Good at the execution.

And he certainly seemed to know this. In 1x04 where they establish their pre-Stede dynamic, Izzy expects Edward to come up with a brilliant plan and tell him what to do. He only doubts him enough to try and take charge at the last possible second, seems mostly aware his own idea is "get shot fighting back instead of sitting and dying", and feels genuine regret for both having to shoot down Edward's first plan and insulting him at all once he saves them in the end.

Because Edward is brilliant. He's earned his place as the leader between them. As Blackbeard.

Which makes it absolutely infuriating that in pivoting him into a "wise mentor" role they have Ricky say to Izzy's face that he was the brains behind Blackbeard and Izzy doesn't even refute it??? Paired with killing him off as the mentor (supposedly), and paralleling him to Auntie as they really double down on the "mentor who has authority over strategy and is proud of you" thing, and the displays of respect in 2x07... it kinda feels like the show is saying Edward learned most or all of his shit from Izzy.

And, like... if they just meant swordfighting and getting an approving nod when he pulled off a complicated disarm that would be one thing, but they kept focusing on things like "brains of the operation" and "how to lead the crew as a Captain" lessons.

And Edward is so much less interesting if Izzy actually taught him how to be Blackbeard, or if he was doing things as Blackbeard for Izzy's approval.

Like I guess I'm glad they didn't flesh it out enough to make the implications fully textual so you can fudge them away from that direction, but they don't really tell you not to read it that way. The man is even giving emotional development advice for fuck's sake. The mentor thing is jarring enough because the authority and respect dynamic really never flowed in Izzy's direction, but it's also putting Izzy in a position where I feel like they are implying he made Edward the man he was for better and worse, and... no. Don't do that.

Stop giving Edward's anxiety-ridden henchman credit for his atrocities - he worked hard on those.

(Plus we literally already know the first authoritative figure in piracy he got round two of Daddy Issues and his fucked up ideas about piracy from. How many symbolic fathers pushing him in dark directions does one man need to kill / be visited by in purgatory / watch die before he can start addressing those???)

[crownspeaksblog]

How the hell does ofmd manage to give me everything i love about tv shows, in one show?!!

It's funny, silly, stupid but somehow at the same time it's serious, deep and well thought out!

Characters change and develop in prominent ways, characters have arcs, what they go through affects them, things aren't stagnant. (1x01 stede is a coward who's trying to hide from the English, 2x08 stede throws himself over 2 soldiers, he's brave despite the fact he's out numbered. 1x04 ed wants to quit piracy but doesn't know how, 2x08 ed quits piracy a second time with stede even when the first time doesn't work out)

It's a beautiful romance, a queer romance between two people who have insane chemistry, a love story that has ups and downs, but in the end they're right there for eachother because what they have is True Love!

The show is shot so beautifully, it doesn't look boring, so many shows I've watched (although entertaining) are shot in the most boring/basic ways possible, ofmd has so many gorgeous still shots, a couple of fun one shots! (The bar fight one shot in 2x07 deserves more attention! Mer!stede and ed looking at eachother while floating in the water is genuinely one of the most beautiful shots I've ever seen!)

The outfits characters wear changes with their arcs and it makes sense story wise and the outfits are just so fun looking, it's interesting and different and so, so not basic. (Stede going from aristocratic silly little outfits to pirate shirts with deep neck openings and leather pants!! Hot! Also can't wait to see eds s3 outfit.)

The song choice is fun, the lyrics, beautifully add another layer to the story (I'm still not over the "I've loved him since he was born" lyric!)

The women in this show, although few and not main characters, they're interesting, different and not basic "normal" women, so many shows and movies I've watched, the men get to be weird, kooky and interesting while the women are just painfully normal, but in ofmd, the few women we got are either insane, wild, weird, violent or just not fucking "normal"! (the most "normal" woman we have is probably mary who was gonna stab her husband with a skewer through the earhole!! Also the addition of archie, former snake cult member is just amazing!)

The action we get every once in a while is just so fun! I love a fight scene and for the most part, they look good, it looks well done (again the bar fight and ed killing motherfuckers left, right and center in 2x08 is just so goddamn fun to watch!)

I know so many other shows have most of these things, but the fact ofmd has all of these things, that i just fucking love in one show is amazing, it's appreciated and on top of all of this, the show just makes me happy whether I'm watching it or watching people's reactions to it or even just thinking about it! I love this show even with the criticisms i might have, i love it!

[alittlehurtwithyourcomfort]

The Uncanny Counter: Counter Punch Whumplist

(GIF credit to @leedongwook)

Character: So Mun (played by Cho Byeong-kyu)

Age Rating: TV-MA

Show available on Netflix

Genre: Action, Superpower/Superhero, Supernatural, Found Family, Ensemble, Fantasy

(The styling of this whumplist is inspired by @love-me-a-lotta-whump​ who has an amazing blog, go check them out! They also have a list for season 1!)

Synopsis: Demon hunters pose as workers in a noodle shop in an effort to catch evil spirits hoping to find eternal life. (via Google)

Note: SO. MUCH. WHUMP! This is a list for just season two of the show! The found family dynamics are really what make this show so fun, as well as the unique superpower system. Also, the main character, So Mun, is a sweetheart and I love him so much.

TW’s (for overall show): frequent blood, mild gore, mild body horror, suicide, violence towards children, child death, child abuse, bullying, bullying of a disabled character, domestic violence, self-harm, violence towards women, mental illness, implied dementia, PTSD

List Key:

bold = most whump, best whump, or favorite whump scenes

~~ = scene break

THIS LIST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES!

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

2x01: asleep ~~ upset ~~ fought, threatened with a knife, concerned

2x02: extremely worried, watches someone die, teary-eyed ~~ shaky voice, teary-eyed, at a funeral ~~ sad ~~ sparred, hair pulled (comedic) ~~ fought ~~ concerned for his friend ~~ angry, losing control of his powers ~~ shocked, scared

2x03: *emetophobia warning ⚠️ skip from 42:00 to 46:12* (scene cont. from end of previous episode) shocked, scared, angry, straining powers, shaking, heavy breathing, concern for him, half-collapsed, crying out in pain, nose bleed, sweating, weak, helped to stand ~~ upset ~~ talking about his parents death, shaky voice, teary-eyed, crying ~~ sore, groaning, bruised knuckles, concern for him ~~ hair pulled (comedic) ~~ sparred sweating, knocked into the air (comedic), dazed, strained voice ~~ sad ~~ fought

2x04: (scene cont. from end of previous episode) fought ~~ rough fight, bloody face, sweating, heavy breathing, angry, yelling, cut face, slammed against the wall by telekinesis, screaming in pain ~~ groaning in pain, shaking, screaming, telekinetically strangled, bruised neck, heavy breathing, stumbling, losing control, struggling to stay upright, strained voice, shocked, shot in the arm and shoulder, groaning in pain, concern for him, cradled ~~ bruised face, talking about his self-sacrificial tendencies ~~ brief fight ~~ shocked

2x05: shocked ~~ restrained, stressed, shouting, panting, sad ~~ teary-eyed ~~ concern for him, anxious ~~ inhaling gas, stumbling, half-collapsed, heavy breathing, concern for him, sweating, strained voice, swaying ~~ shocked

2x06: shocked, teary-eyed, scared, fought, pinned to a wall by telekinesis, heavy breathing, screaming, worried ~~ teary-eyed ~~ worried ~~ scared, concerned ~~ teary-eyed, slammed into a wall, strained voice, scared, crying, struggling to stand, angry, yelling, straining his powers, extremely worried

2x07: (scene cont. from previous episode), fought, thrown, grunting, stumbling, heavy breathing, restrained by telekinesis, choked, punched repeatedly, bruised/bloody face, crying ~~ fought, restrained by telekinesis, thrown, in pain, bloody mouth ~~ strained voice, stumbling ~~ cradling his friend, teary-eyed ~~ concerned, teary-eyed ~~ concerned

2x08: worried ~~ numb, hit, sad, crying ~~ sparred, punched in the face, groaning ~~ scared, rough fight, slammed into a mirror, cut face, angry ~~ thrown, groaning, shocked, slammed into a wall, choked, thrown, groaning, struggling to stand ~~ choked, screaming, struggling, scared, memory erased/powers taken away, going limp, collapsing, eyes rolling back, crying, "stay with me", concern for him, unconscious, in a coma

2x09: (scene cont. from previous episode) concern for him, protected, carried, unconscious, choked while unconscious ~~ still unconscious, attempted healing ~~ concern for him, bedside vigil ~~ (in mind/spirit world?) depressed, scared ~~ (in mind/spirit world) scared, held by the hair, crying, reliving traumatic events, crying, hugged, emotional conversation ~~ waking up, tired, emotional reunion

2x10: (flashback: teary-eyed, emotional) ~~ concern for him, shocked ~~ worried ~~ rough fight, straining powers, choked, almost stabbed, worried, shocked, heavy breathing, teary-eyed ~~ frustrated ~~ sad ~~ upset ~~ teary-eyed, crying

2x11: (*emetophobia warning: skip from 42:30-44:08*) scared, stressed ~~ shocked, yelling ~~ (in mind-scape) fought, strangled, almost drowned ~~ (in real life) unconscious, held, struggling to breathe, concern for him ~~ (in mind-scape) choked ~~ (in real life) jolting awake, heavy breathing, concern for him ~~ argued, teary-eyes, punched in the face, shocked, bloody lip, crying, sobbing, screaming, concern for him ~~ crying ~~ very rough fight, groaning, sacrificing himself, concern for him, choked, losing consciousness, coughing, weak, helped to stand

2x12: bloody/bruised face, thrown, groaning, struggling to stand, yelling, rough fight, straining his powers ~~ (in mind-scape) heavy breathing, fought, choked ~~ (in real world) unconscious, struggling to breathe, ~~ (in mind-scape) beaten, groaning, choked ~~ (in real world) choked, unconscious ~~ (in mind-scape) straining his powers, crying ~~ (in real world) unconscious ~~ (in mind-scape) crying, emotional goodbye ~~ (in real world), slowly waking up, worried, crying ~~ emotional goodbye

[raayllum]

Full Circle: Season 6 and Through the Moon

Because I love patterns and chiastic structure and watched Prince of Egypt again earlier tonight, I was thinking a lot about the utilization of repeating plot beats in TDP, as I'm wont to do. If you want more detailed examples for what I mean, check out this old meta about the Dragon Quartet in arc 1, or this meta about Karim walking Viren's previous political path.

Now on a basic level, parallels make sense. Characters making similar choices in parallel situations helps build their characterization; characters making slightly or completely different decisions in parallel / similar situations provides character growth (positive or negative / both), progression, and contrast.

However, sometimes you'll get episodes or plot structures that are effectively growing in tandem with each other. I'm going to provide an episode example first, and then a seasonal example.

Episode: In 1x06 and 3x04, Rayla is keeping a secret regarding her emotional pain. Callum tries to get her to open up / support her three times, but she refuses each time. Finally when Callum reaches out to her, she can't keep it all under wraps anymore and has a big emotional spiel / breakdown because she doesn't feel worthy of that support. While understandable and accidental, these poorly timed outbursts leads to something awful happening to Zym (egg in the ice, and stolen by Nyx).

Season: In 2x01, both Callum and Viren are denied something they want (an arcanum and a seal) because of their current lack of status (magical, political). In 2x04 they are tempted by a more self destructive path (the lightning rod and blood deal with Aaravos) but ultimately step away. In 2x07, they go back on this more positive decision, and tether themselves to Aaravos/dark magic (Callum uses it for the first time, and Viren does the blood ritual). 2x08 sees them face their mirrored reflections (dark magic Callum and Aaravos in the mirror). At the end of the season, they both achieve higher magical prowess, but for Callum it's internal (primal magic) and for Viren it's external (little bug pal) and more forcefully enters his body (through the ear). Callum is 'free' (sky magic) and Viren ends the season in chains.

What these examples mean, then, is that I think there's good grounds for a lot of Through the Moon's plot beats to work their way into Season 6, but with reversed roles than we see in the graphic novel. And here's why!

[ Warning: Spoilers for 6x01 due to con notes! If you want to go in without knowing anything, don't read this! ]

Paranoia, Nightmares, and Partnership

Back when season 4 aired, it was noted by many (myself included) that Callum and Rayla had taken on a fair few of each other's more arc 1 personality traits. Callum was more prone to paranoia and more closed off; Rayla was more open and wanting to talk about things. Callum asked her to kill him (because he's 'already dead') displaying more of her overt self sacrificial tendencies, and Rayla left the drake in the wood much the same way Callum (and Ezran) were willing to leave the dragon back in S2.

While we see a bit of a return to form in S5 — Callum is more optimistic, sunnier, and intensely supportive; Rayla is more secretive, unsure, and struggling with water — it doesn't erase their continuing parallels. Callum, much like Rayla leaving in TTM, goes to a dark place to try to protect her and then doesn't tell her about doing dark magic afterwards. They both agree on hunting down information about killing Aaravos. Rayla learns how to open up and ask for help more readily, which is something Callum was always quite willing to do ("Look, Rayla [...] I just think this cube thing might help me").

And it seems going into 6x01 that we're seeing the parallels come out even more blatantly with Callum's behaviour compared to Rayla's behaviour in TTM. The first episode indicates this in a few ways:

Rayla having nightmares about Viren and her family + Callum → Callum having nightmares about Aaravos using him

These nightmares inspire more fear and paranoia in each of them, while their partner tries to be supportive but ultimately isn't as worried

What they're worried about is something that shouldn't be a massive threat, given that Viren was 'dead' and Aaravos is trapped, and yet it persists anyway

Like in TTM, they're in close proximity, as it seems Rayla has permanently moved into Ezran's old bedroom connected to Callum's by a door, and she and Callum shared a room in TTM as well (at the Nexus and at the Castle)

Conversations about said worries do happen on beds, though

We do see some differences though. In TTM, Rayla never mentions her nightmares to Callum, or to anyone, whereas in 6x01, Callum runs right to Rayla to tell her even in the middle of the night and never tries to keep them a secret. While Rayla was scared of her family and Callum being trapped and immobilized by Viren, Callum is worried about accidentally freeing Aaravos.

That being said, the escalating fear and worry, as well as the more skeptical partner still offering heartfelt support, feels familiar to say the least.

Onto the next:

Rayla's parents

Through the Moon and S5 had some of the biggest focuses on Rayla's family and her grief regarding her parents. They also have their similarities. While Rayla deeply wants to know what happened to her parents in both TTM and 5x01, she ultimately puts it on the backburner. In TTM, she goes through the portal primarily to find Viren, just as she puts the world first in S5.

Now, there's a few valid reasons that Callum doesn't likewise prioritize Viren in TTM (for starters, Rayla hasn't told him about any of her nightmares in which he heavily features), so he assumes the main problem is about her parents. It is worth mentioning, though, that S5 likewise reaffirms this dynamic of Callum being the one to prioritize her family and her by extension even when Rayla is telling him not to.

C: Sorry, Rayla. I just... hate you seeing like this [in pain]. / You know I'm always here for you, right? / Together. That's the most important thing. Together.

While whether the Moon fam will get out in S6 is yet to be determined, and I could see it going either way (we may get an attempt, but that doesn't mean it'll be successful, for example), the chance of freeing them and the opportunity to try has never been more present. We already see what is likely Rayla reminding Callum of the current state of affairs, citing "The fate of the entire world is at stake" and that she may be more inclined to prioritize the Nova Blade, whereas he prioritizes the coins and diamonds.

Their last attempt, after all, to seek out her family 1) didn't yield the results either were hoping and 2) ended in disaster of going to "a dark place" but more on that later.

Illusions

This is more of a tiny thing, but Through the Moon is also the place where we see Rayla and Callum engage in illusions most directly together. Although this is always an undercurrent in S1 and S2 regarding whatever Rayla is holding close to her chest, Callum's plan and Rayla's ultimate approval of lying to Lujanne to rebuild the Nexus shows characteristics we see again in s5 with sneaking off to the Great Bookery.

TTM also has to do with illusions of course overtly in the text, with Rayla and Callum's whole "white lies are illusions you build to protect the hearts of those you love" thing that they inherit from Lujanne, and Rayla eventually uses in her justification to leave. This is the main time thus far that the 'heroes' have used illusions in a negative way, as deception ingrained magic (false Viren, hiding corruption, Aaravos' general mystery) is typically more negative, whereas the two illusion spells the main trio have used (the fake princes and Zym's dog form) were short lived and not consistent.

It does make me think about how Callum apparently makes an illusion for the pearl, though, to be kept in the castle's dungeon. It would make the most sense to me if this eventually gets worked around into real harm happening because someone (like Claudia) thought it was real and wanted it back.

I also think that while there's precedent in most of arc 1 for Callum learning the moon arcanum, which I've detailed elsewhere, TTM feels like one of the biggest switches in regards to how much he understands Rayla. If Callum does connect to the moon arcanum individually and in the show itself, I think S6 is the most likely, and it'd tie well into TTM; that was the last time he believed in any kind of illusion, and now he's understanding that even more full circle in S6, potentially.

Seeking out Information

With all this in mind, though, I think S6 may parallel TTM the most precisely because it's Rayla and Callum seeking out information, together, regarding 1) her family and 2) a threat to the whole world. While we almost saw this combination of events elsewhere — 3x08 gets close with Callum and her parents, and 5x04 gets close with the worldly threat and Callum seeking answers about her family — those ended up being more... happen stance-y.

I also feel like going to the Starscraper with the twofold intent — save her parents, stop the threat — is more adjacent to TTM because it's intentionally two folded there, too. The kids weren't trying to figure out the threat by finding more about her parents in 3x08, and they also weren't trying to find out more about her parents by going to the Bookery in 5x04.

That said, the following two sections are why I actually think S6 is going to wrap up the bulk of the Rayllum development from TTM beyond them just having their talk, and that's because of

The Underworld / The Ascent

In their quest for the information, Rayla (and Callum) go through the portal, and Callum (and Rayla) go to the Starscraper. We know thanks to the S6 teaser trailer that Callum is going to have a personalized trial of some sort with his wings and the blindfold; this could be similar in theory to Rayla having to face her fear with water in TTM, if Callum develops hesitance towards Star magic because of Aaravos... or just having to pass some kind of obstacle in order to get information they seek.

This may seem like the opposite, given that the portal is a very unambiguous Underworld. It's a mirrored reflection of our living world, and it's a literal descent into water. The Starscraper means literally going up to the heavens, and presumably no massive brushes with death. At least at first.

However, I think both places are going to pose similar problems, at least in a character-theme sense. For Rayla, going into the portal was a massive risk, with Lujanne citing, "If you pull her out now, she'll just be a mindless husk. We have to wait and hope that Rayla will be back by morning, before she's lost forever."

Since it's likely that Callum will either be 1) outright possessed at the Starscraper, or 2) whatever happens there will snowball into his possession, I think you can see where I'm going with this. Callum fears a similar loss of identity (which has also been set up, i.e. "I'm not a dark mage, I will never help you" + "I was his puppet" + "you completely lost yourself"). Aaravos' possession is like the most extreme version of the snake-bird soul transfer spell, Aaravos' soul inhabiting and hiding in Callum's body to make him do terrible things / things against his will, and Callum will be the person taking the fall for it. The fact that dark magic, and the possession subsequently, are symbolic of death only enhance these parallels further.

But at the same time, this comparison isn't all bad:

Rayllum and the Retrieval

Because they're going to get each other out.

Callum goes into the Nexus Portal — into death — to get Rayla out before she can die, and lose herself. He retrieves her. They have to work together in order to successfully reach the surface, Rayla grasping the moon phoenix feather as a tether to guide them the rest of the way.

Likewise, there's been seasons of buildup that Rayla is 1) tied to Callum's sense of identity, as he is to hers and 2) that she will ultimately save him from the possession.

This is reinforced by Elmer and Soren's assertion of compassion, names, breaking cycles, freedom, and identity: "I win, cause this hunk of wood obeys me no matter what! [...] I own you, I control you!" "That's not my name."

Callum, like Rayla, is going to meet his metaphorical death due to the search for knowledge (possibly even over her parents and a threat to the world yet again). Rayla, like Callum did for her, is going to be instrumental in getting him out, and reaffirming his identity — finding him, ensuring that he's not a lost, empty husk. Callum will likewise be helping her do so, perhaps even with another Moon (arcanum) tether, and they'll ultimately escape together.

Cause you know — Through the Moon and S6 are like poetry. They rhyme.

And what initially split them apart is now what's going to bring them fully back together. Chiastic structure my beloved.

[aceofnace]

Nancy’s Feelings for Ace

Nancy told Ace that the first time she realized she had feelings for him was during the dreamscape with the wraith, because that was her official “oh” moment, but as a viewer we know she had feelings for him long before that, even if she didn’t know it. The first real signs for us were her obvious jelly feelings as she watched Ace flirt with Amanda in 2x07 and her mind immediately jumping to Ace when she heard the sentence “the one with the pretty eyes” in 2x08. But really, it goes even further back than that.

Nick asking Ace in the last episode if it was ever really only friendship and nothing more between him and Nancy got me thinking back to the very beginning. And to be honest, I don’t think it ever was only friendship. For either one of them.

We know now that Ace had a crush on Nancy in high school. So naturally, when she started working at The Claw, that crush returned right away (even if he also had a crush on Bess at the time). And we know Nancy met Nick and it was lust at first sight and she immediately embarked on a physical relationship with him soon after. This all happened before the show began. What else happened before the show began and it’s one of the first things Nancy tells us about Ace when her narration introduces us to him?

The smoke break.

Upon first viewing, it feels like an unimportant throwaway line. A piece of information that could just as easily have been left out. But it wasn’t. Why? Because I think that smoke break, a moment we’ve never gotten to see, was when Nancy’s feelings for Ace actually started.

Think about it for a second. We know that Nancy has always found Ace attractive. When she hears the term “pretty eyes”, she’s like “Who, Ace?” When she’s under the spell of a lust dress, she lets it slip out that she’s always imagined how soft his hair would be. In as early as episode 1x02, she’s placing a hand on his shoulder for no reason while she talks and she doesn’t let go until she’s done. He may not have necessarily been on her radar in high school like she was on his, but he certainly was as soon as she started working at The Claw.

So, now that we have obvious physical attraction out of the way, that smoke break. We know very little about it. The most of what we do know about it is made up from the minds of countless fans who’ve written their own fan fic version of it (myself included). But the one canon thing about it, the thing Nancy told us herself, was that he didn’t judge her for tanking her grades after her mom died. And how did he even know about that? Because she told him.

Nancy Drew, who at the start of the show was the queen of high emotional walls who didn’t like divulging personal information to anyone, divulged some pretty personal information to this boy she barely knew (and even though it’s never discussed again, there’s a pretty good chance that wasn’t the only smoke break they ever spent together). Meanwhile, she was hooking up with Nick and even sorta calling herself his girlfriend, but any time he tried to get her to open up and talk about anything, she shut him down immediately.

I feel like this is something that should be discussed more. The fact that she was able to so quickly and comfortably share stuff like this with Ace and nobody else is a huge deal. And in the beginning, it’s completely overlooked because Nancy’s love interest was Nick, and then after they broke up, Owen was next in line. For most of season one, she did not outwardly show any significant interest in Ace as anything more than a stranger–turned–co-worker–turned–sleuthing buddy–turned–close friend. But that interest was there.

And why wouldn’t it be? As I already mentioned, Nancy was always physically attracted to Ace. She knew from before the show began that he was a good listener and easy to talk to. And then early on when she learned about his hacking abilities, she saw how smart he was. Soon after that, she learned how loyal and dedicated he was. The boy risked his entire future to break her father out of prison, and he did so without her even asking him to. He willingly drank what could’ve been poison to prove she was right and to keep her from getting arrested. Every time she called, he answered. Every time she needed help or needed a favor, he delivered. How could she not possibly fall for him?

So, she did fall for him. Most likely even in season one. It was evident during the library scene where they were reading Ryan and Lucy’s emails out loud. Hearing Ace say things like “I think I love you too” and “I want to be with you, I don’t care what anyone else says” made her feel something, hence the look the two of them share afterward. But here’s the thing: if Nancy recognized that feeling at all, she would have shoved it down so far and so fast because that feeling was something real. Something more than she was used to feeling. And that scared her.

Nick was a distraction from the grief over her mother’s death. Owen was also a distraction from that grief, as well as from her break-up with Nick. Ace wasn’t a distraction. He was a friend. A confidant. Someone she could rely on. Someone she could count on under any circumstances. This kind of relationship with a guy was one she wasn’t accustomed to. And she knew that it could someday lead to something more serious—something she most definitely wasn’t ready for.

In 2x10, while under the spell of the lust dress, Nancy theorized out loud that perhaps the dress was intensifying feelings of attraction she already had but was repressing, and she said it while turning and looking directly at Ace. Keep in mind that (somehow) 2x10 in the timeline is not that far from where they were in season one, so to assume those repressed feelings started in season one is not that much of a stretch. And looking back, even starting within the first few episodes of the series, you can clearly see she has always been drawn to him in a very subconscious way. She would always stand so close their arms would almost touch. She would lean closely over his shoulder when he was on his laptop, their faces sometimes only mere inches apart. She would practically bump into him while walking side-by-side. She’s always had this unrealized need to be near him. To be close to him. And he’s the only one. I challenge anyone to find scenes that show her casually existing so closely next to Nick, Owen, Gil, Park or even now Tristan. You can’t. Because they don’t exist.

And this makes sense. Canonically, they are soulmates. And that would explain why Ace could simply see her make a volcano erupt in high school and develop feelings for her. It would explain why since day one, Nancy has had a bond with Ace that she’s never had with anyone else. And I know the writers say that Nace wasn’t the plan from the beginning, and I do believe that, but somehow, they inadvertently set it up perfectly for these characters to end up in the situation they’re in right now: desperately in love and desperate to be together. They are each other’s person. And they always have been from the very start.

To go back to what they were before would just be staying the same. They’ve never been just friends. And the sooner Ace can admit that to himself, the sooner they can get back to trying to break that curse and securing their future together.

[wyrdsistergoldenhair]

How to Rewatch 9-1-1 Before September 26th

Okay, so if you're like me, you want to rewatch 9-1-1 before season 8 premieres on September 26th - but maybe you don't have the time to sit down and binge-watch. I've come up with a schedule where you can watch at least two episodes a day (starting on August 4th) and finish just in time for season 8.

Aug. 4

1x01 Pilot

1x02 Let Go

Aug. 5

1x03 Next of Kin

1x04 Worst Day Ever

Aug. 6

1x05 Point of Origin

1x06 Heartbreaker

Aug. 7

1x07 Full Moon (Creepy AF)

1x08 Karma’s a Bitch

Aug. 8

1x09 Trapped

1x10 A Whole New You

Aug. 9

2x01 Under Pressure

2x02 7.1

Aug. 10

2x03 Help Is Not Coming

2x04 Stuck

Aug. 11

2x05 Awful People

2x06 Dosed

Aug. 12

2x07 Haunted

2x08 Buck, Actually

Aug. 13

2x09 Hen Begins

2x10 Merry Ex-Mas

Aug. 14

2x11 New Beginnings

2x12 Chimney Begins

Aug. 15

2x13 Fight or Flight

2x14 Broken

Aug. 16

2x15 Ocean’s 9-1-1

2x16 Bobby Begins Again

Aug. 17

2x17 Careful What You Wish For

2x18 This Life We Choose

Aug. 18

3x01 Kids Today

3x02 Sink or Swim

Aug. 19

3x03 The Searchers

3x04 Triggers

Aug. 20

3x05 Rage

3x06 Monsters

Aug. 21

3x07 Athena Begins

3x08 Malfunction

Aug. 22

3x09 Fallout

3x10 Christmas Spirit

Aug. 23

3x11 Seize the Day

3x12 Fools

Aug. 24

3x13 Pinned

3x14 The Taking of Dispatch 9-1-1

Aug. 25

3x15 Eddie Begins

3x16 The One That Got Away

Aug. 26

3x17 Powerless

3x18 What’s Next?

Aug. 27

4x01 The New Abnormal

4x02 Alone Together

Aug. 28

4x03 Future Tense

4x04 9-1-1, What’s Your Grievance?

Aug. 29

4x05 Buck Begins

4x06 Jinx

Aug. 30

4x07 There Goes the Neighborhood

4x08 Breaking Point

Aug. 31

4x09 Blindsided

4x10 Parenthood

Sept. 1

4x11 First Responders

4x12 Treasure Hunt

Sept. 2

4x13 Suspicion

4x14 Survivors

Sept. 3

5x01 Panic

5x02 Desperate Times

Sept. 4

5x03 Desperate Measures

5x04 Home and Away

Sept. 5

5x05 Peer Pressure

5x06 Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1

Sept. 6

5x07 Ghost Stories

5x08 Defend in Place

Sept. 7

5x09 Past Is Prologue

5x10 Wrapped in Red

Sept. 8

5x11 Outside Looking In

5x12 Boston

Sept. 9

5x13 Fear-O-Phobia

5x14 Dumb Luck

Sept. 10

5x15 FOMO

5x16 May Day

Sept. 11

5x17 Hero Complex

5x18 Starting Over

Sept. 12

6x01 Let the Games Begin

6x02 Crash & Learn

Sept. 13

6x03 The Devil You Know

6x04 Animal Instincts

Sept. 14

6x05 Home Invasion

6x06 Tomorrow

Sept. 15

6x07 Cursed

6x08 What’s Your Fantasy?

Sept. 16

6x09 Red Flag

6x10 In a Flash

Sept. 17

6x11 In Another Life

6x12 Recovery

Sept. 18

6x13 Mixed Feelings

6x14 Performance Anxiety

Sept. 19

6x15 Death and Taxes

6x16 Lost and Found

Sept. 20

6x17 Love Is in the Air

6x18 Pay It Forward

Sept. 21

7x01 Abandon Ships

7x02 Rock the Boat

Sept. 22

7x03 Capsized

7x04 Buck, Bothered and Bewildered

Sept. 23

7x05 You Don’t Know Me

7x06 There Goes the Groom

Sept. 24

7x07 Ghost of a Second Chance

7x08 Step Nine

Sept. 25

7x09 Ashes, Ashes

7x10 All Fall Down

[heartbreakslow]

da$h watch 2x07-2x08

"Are you sniffing glue? What are you doing with this lot?....no offense..."

2x07. For the sake of misdirection we see Darren leaving St. Bruno's, thanking a shirtless Dusty for something "unexpected."

Darren hasn't been at home for two days, and Cash is talking to Harper, who doesn't have any patience for him but says that yelling at him would only make him feel better. Cash explains that he only did it so none of them would have to see Chook again. He swears on his nan that it's over (please don't be foreshadowing), and Harper finally says, "Okay."

Meanwhile, Darren appears in the doorway saying they were at their mom's house. Cash, extremely relieved, starts to breathlessly explain: "I should've been straight with you, I'm sorry I wasn't, but I didn't want to drag you into it and Chook said--"

Darren interrupts, saying they already read his text and he doesn't have to go over it. Cash tries to start talking again but they cut him off again, saying they just want to forget about it and they need to take a shower.

Darren is at the library, perusing the novel Too Much Lip. Cash comes up and tells them they can look through his whole phone to confirm he's not hiding anything else.

Darren can't lie any longer; they tell him they weren't at their mom's, they were at St. Bruno's. Cash immediately thinks of Jacob. Darren explains they did go there to see Jacob, but ended up staying with Dusty. Cash: "Please tell me you didn't hook up." Darren says they just smoked weed, talked, and played video games. Cash asks if they would have slept with Jacob if he was there. Darren says, "I’m sorry. I guess we both did a shitty thing and now we can move on."

At the assembly, Sasha says “we all know trust is key in a relationship” as Cash side eyes Darren (who isn’t sitting with him).

Dusty comes back to his room at St. Bruno’s; the door is open and Cash is sitting on his bed.

Cash looks very hostile during the whole conversation. Dusty asks why he’d hook up with Darren and Cash says “I don’t know, maybe ‘cause you have a track record of fucking people when they’re vulnerable?” Dusty says the two of them were best friends in primary school and if they were going to hook up they already would have. Cash asks what the two of them talked about. Dusty says “you. Darren says you’re ace.” Cash angrily says “fuck you, that’s…” but Dusty gives him a look and Cash finishes, “I don’t know, maybe.”

Dusty says “Darren’s way into sex” and Cash says the two of them have found ways to make it work, but Dusty says it’s only working for Cash, not for Darren. He says Darren has to jerk off before breakfast and after Cash falls asleep, and that information seems to affect Cash—“they told you that?”

Dusty concludes, “don’t you think you’re being a bit selfish asking them to give it up?” Cash says “fuck this” and sneers that he broke Dusty’s lock, but as soon as he's alone, he looks like he’s going to cry.

Darren is washing up in the bathroom after the food fight when Cash appears and says, “I know you didn’t hook up with Dusty.” Darren starts to apologize for “being a bitch yesterday” but Cash says in a strained voice, “I obviously can’t give you what you need.”

Darren protests that that’s not true, but Cash says, “then why’d you go looking for sex?” Darren says, “I was drunk and horny—you made me feel bad and I wanted to feel good.”

Cash says “you should feel good” and starts saying that Darren’s sexuality is who they are, and he loves them for who they are, and they’ll never be “free to be that person” while they’re with him. He’s borderline crying the whole time and Darren also starts crying since Cash is obviously breaking up with them. Darren starts saying that they’re really trying to shut it off and “if sex is killing our relationship, I will kill sex.” They ask how they can prove to Cash that they only want him, and he says, “you can’t.”

Darren approaches Zoe and tells her that they want to join the Puriteens, to her delight. Darren is a big get!

2x08. Darren has joined the Puriteens, but isn't fitting in too well since they jerked off 53 minutes ago (everyone else has gone weeks or months). Amerie is shocked but Darren explains that "I lost Cash because I can't control my urges" and maybe if they can stop wanting sex, “we’ll get back together and everything will be okay.”

At prom, Darren and the Puriteens are going around telling people not to have sex and giving them handmade valentines about it. Darren takes a break to have a conversation with Ant about how he should tell Harper he likes her. Then Darren looks wistfully at their valentines.

The valentines transition into Cash giving himself a stick and poke tattoo of a broken heart while saying “Ow! Ow! Ow!” but Nan suddenly bursts into the bedroom yelling at him to go to prom because “you’ve been going to that school for fifty bloody years” and she just wanted one picture of him at prom.

He mopes about his breakup, saying, “I would do anything--why does it have to be the one thing I can’t change about myself?” and she replies, “Everyone’s walking around with a poo in their pants…I’m serious! Everyone has something.”

She starts talking about how he and Darren have been “living in their own romantic novel” and now they’re getting to the tough part of the relationship. Cash says, “I just feel like someone’s always going to be making a sacrifice if they’d be with me,” and Nan says, “There’s more than one way to love someone, to be with someone. You don’t have to play by other people’s rules. And, to be honest, that was never your style anyway.” We get a wide shot of Cash resting his head on her shoulder, which looks a little weird because he’s in his underwear, but go off I guess.

Anyway, Cash shows up at prom, the first time we see him in a non-eshay fit, and he looks great! He’s wearing a purple flowered suit with a white corsage (ace colors kind of) and instead of his chain he’s wearing pearls, which was a really cute choice. He comes into the prom to “I Feel Love” by Blondie, nervously adjusting his hair and clothes, but forgets to be nervous when he sees Darren with the Puriteens and marches over to them.

Cash: Are you sniffing glue? What are you doing with this lot? Darren: Being accountable.

Cash is such a people-pleaser that he says “no offense” to the Puriteens before continuing “but this isn’t you” to Darren. Darren says, “But it can be! It’s not just about sex with me, Cash!”

Cash looks taken aback and like he's about to say something, but then Spider grabs the mike and that’s IT. Yep, that’s the end of this story arc! It just ends mid-conversation! (At least Darren and Cash start heckling Spider, which is how I feel. Let Cash finish!)

If you pay really close attention, you'll see the following things:

Darren and Cash go together when everyone goes outside to see the Ned Kellys.

Then when the school catches on fire and the students are escaping, there's some really romantic background acting! Cash is grabbing Darren's face and saying something to them intensely and then he's running outside with them and he has his arm around them and is holding their hand.

Later Darren tries to run into the burning building after Quinni, but Cash grabs them and holds them back and says “I won’t let you go.”

As Amerie and Rowan get out, we see the mains all together interacting as a group, ending with all the kids walking away from the burning building, but Darren is just kind of standing there in shock, so Cash pulls them along with the group.

Later (after Darren and Quinni have made up) Darren walks over to Cash, who's sitting on the ground, and clears their throat. He looks up at them tenderly and lets them pull him up. They slow dance, Cash looks at Darren and kisses them, and the two of them hug.

Thoughts: I was really disappointed when I got to 2x07. This is my third watch, but it's been my closest watch, and now I see just how badly the ace/allo storyline was Frankensteined on top of the Chook storyline. In s1, and in parts of s2, this show is meticulous about showing an arc very consistently across lots of big and small moments, some of which you wouldn't even notice if you're not watching closely. It's a pleasure to rewatch because of that.

But even for the closest viewer, there is almost no arc of Darren being sexually frustrated/repressed.

For most of the season I can pick out a very consistent storyline about Cash's past, his secrecy, and Darren's feelings about this.

In 2x07, this is dropped for the reveal that Darren is sexually frustrated. And it's done in a way where I'm confused what the truth even is. Darren is saying they don't need sex, but they're also saying that they will "kill" and "shut off" their sexuality to keep from losing Cash, so they're an unreliable narrator--they just want to not need sex because they think he'll dump them. Meanwhile, Dusty tells Cash that Darren's really struggling, but Dusty has been set up as a really slimy dishonest character, and some of what he says is obviously shitty, so…what exactly is Darren actually feeling?

I'm going to go off the little bits I have, and guess that they're kind of swinging to the opposite extreme from how they were in S1 (which makes sense IMO--Darren's an extreme personality and they know they acted badly). They're pent up, they're hiding that from Cash, they feel guilty for being sexual, and they're worried about imposing on him.

Possibly they've become ashamed of it--it's just become another way of being "too much." They don't want to unpack that they wanted to cheat or why, because they're afraid that if Cash knows they're having a hard time, he either will break up with them, or he'll do things he doesn't want. That's why "we both did a shitty thing and now we can move on"--they're afraid of talking about it. But then he breaks up with them for being too much anyway, and they just escalate the track they were already on by joining the Puriteens.

As for Cash, he really likes positioning himself as a caretaker, and he doesn't like to impose on people. The idea that Darren is making a sacrifice for him is intolerable, so instead of talking to them, he just cuts it right off. It's a really (unintentionally) cruel scene to me. Clearly Darren isn't going about things the right way but Cash comes in with his decision made and just doesn't respond to them at all.

Now that we know Cash has a history of self-harm, there is a little implication with him giving himself a tattoo (esp how much he seems to be hurting himself while doing it--the tattoo he gave Darren hurt, but they weren't yelling in pain the whole time).

I can't with Cash and Nan talking like the relationship was perfect until Cash found out Darren was sexually frustrated. The boat scene was two episodes ago! Moving on.

I see her advice as being basically good, though, and covering a bunch of things that I'd like to see these guy*s explore:

-Just because things aren't simple doesn't mean a relationship isn't worth having

-There are a lot of different ways to have a relationship (psst, please talk about nonmonogamy or at LEAST sit down and have a real conversation about Darren's needs vs. what Cash is comfortable doing)

-Everyone makes sacrifices in relationships and has sacrifices made for them

And I don’t care, I’m going to read the final Cash and Nan scene as meaningful in the overall arc of Cash being Like That. He confided in her and accepted support from her, instead of always trying to take care of her (as she pointed out he does in 1x08).

Given how this arc just kinda trailed off, I saw some reviewers/reactors think that Cash and Darren were broken up at the end of the season. They're clearly not, but…yeah, my da$h watch has definitely ended with a whimper.

[monstrousgourmandizingcats]

ItaliJackets episodes 2x06 through 2x08!

Vaffanculo Count: 25, 13 for season 2. Shauna->Lottie about killing the goat (side note--Bruce the GOAT possible subtle New Jersey cultural pun?) in 2x07, Shauna->everyone in the argument in the Sharing Shack in 2x08.

IL NOSTRO BAMBINO, dice Lottie

"We hear the Wilderness and It hears us"->"Noi ascoltiamo i Boschi ed Essi ascoltano noi", yet later It becomes 1. singular and 2. feminine. "I Boschi," "the Woods," are "Essi," a formal (somewhat antiquated?) "They," but "It," when it isn't specifically denominated as the plural "Boschi," is "Lei," "She." Girlboss! #feminism #womenswrongs

"La Natura" for "the Wilderness" would just come across as non-insane Franciscan spirituality, a problem we already encountered in 1x10 where the ancient gods of "il cielo e la terra" in Lottie's bear prayer just didn't hit the same as the ancient gods of "the sky and the dirt".

Shauna giving birth is a real low point for Ben. He was their health teacher.

o hai beata vergine maria. when ueda akinari wrote "the blue hood" about an insane cannibalistic gay abbot, he was thinking of shauna!!!!!!

Shauna on Callie: LEI FA QUELLO CHE CAZZO LE PARE

Speaking of Callie, Roisin Nicosia is a new standout VA in these episodes.

They miss an opportunity for nude Christina Ricci in quella bara d'acqua, but we knew that already; sad.

It's so interesting what slights against others Misty does and doesn't understand as problematic. The woman is a persistent sexual harasser (maybe worse) and might be a serial killer as well, yet she understands exactly what's wrong with failing to be present through Shauna's birth, or getting Crystal or Nat killed. It's fascinatingly selective.

Caligula!!!! Racconta me, Meesty. Fidati di un uccello che ha il nome di un imperatore romano. Great stuff.

LA CARNE IPERCALORICA DELLE TUE CHIAPPE

They didn't do Tawny Cypress's ad-libbed "to tonight's impending scissor party. SAD!!!

The end of "Sepoltura" and beginning of "Sceglie" do NOT get easier to watch in translation.

Akilah still just calls the rat Nugget.

@stracciatellino: "I think we're past fingerless gloves season at this point"

"L'FBI???"

"E con la pelle grattata via come la crosta del pecorino!"

@stracciatellino and I have a longstanding friendly disagreement on the choice not to show any discussion of or brainstorming about the card game, and we have it in Italian too: I think it's an interesting and moving choice not to show it (like the lacunae at the climaxes of some Ozu movies or Austen novels), whereas he thinks it's a missed opportunity to depict an important moment in the group dynamic. Sometimes seeing all the groundwork laid for something but not the culmination invites questions that are more interesting than an answer would be, but when it does and doesn't work is entirely subjective.

Nat's defiance is so hot.

It's interesting that they don't just kill Travis. He's right there, he's broken the rules so he should be fair game, they have a knife to his throat, and yet they double down on going after Nat instead. @stracciatellino: "I guess they started up with the Queen of Hearts being a very strict rule and downgraded it to a suggestion."

Not at all a new observation, but I love how Lottie has very specific, damning points to make about almost all of them, but then when she gets to Van she's just "what happened to you, man? you used to be cool."

I BOSCHI HANNO SCELTO! RIP, Javi.

One more episode!

[ladyluscinia]

It's so fucking weird to me how much of the OFMD S2 "discourse" on the side of praising and defending the decisions keeps centering on "if you just rewatched the show as a whole you would see it all fits!"

Now to be clear this is not true - I rewatched all of S1 quite literally right before S2 started dropping, and I rewatched 2x01-2x07 right before 2x08 dropped. I am, in fact, basing my analysis of the whole season on the whole season (even if I'm not inclined to rewatch / get more pissed), I'm not relying on year old fanon to tell me what happened the season before (actually I encouraged S1 rewatches all through S2 for that issue), and I still have criticisms. Many.

But moreover... What kind of insane streaming-poisoned take is it that having watched a season play out over 3 weeks has made it so fans cannot trust their evaluation of the story and arcs?????

Like people are genuinely, with their whole chests, arguing that the main reason other fans are criticizing things is because they just got too many ideas in their heads with the episodes spaced out instead of just appreciating the story that was intended. Or that the pacing felt off just because of waiting for episodes. Or that fans have straight up forgotten the context of scenes that aired less than a month before the finale.

What.

I made an argument on how fandom is changing due to streaming schedules vs traditional cable airing but have so many fans just straight up forgotten how television is consumed??? 3 weeks. THREE FUCKING WEEKS?

I do not know how to impress upon you that if a tv story falls apart the moment you are not consuming it in a singular 4 hour block then it is almost certainly not a good story. Having a week between episodes to speculate on ideas does not create an entire alternate fanon that fucks up an airing story. Good pacing is achievable even if your audience takes breaks between episodes.

Like fuck I guess I'm glad if a rewatch made you feel better but what the actual fuck is this idea the first watch is inherently corrupted just because people might have engaged with it like a tv show???

[imminent-danger-came]

Hello friend. At first, I thought it was a joke that there's a Lego show that people love. I've seen you post about it a lot so I figure it's just one of those things that maybe a couple people really really love otherwise, whatever. But I just sat that clip of that characters death and it made me realize I know nothing about anything ever lol. What is the Lego show about? What do you love about it? I'm just super curious

Well. Okay. My embarrassment aside, I totally get it—it is a lego show, but it's my lego show and I'll gladly tell you about it!

(my apologies this got a little long)

*inhales cigarette* I remember starting to watch lmk (Lego Monkie Kid) and not expecting anything except some very pretty animation—it's just legos, right? And then it completely blindsided me. Then I did some digging and realized it's a modern retelling of Journey to the West (jttw—one of the great classic chinese novels), and that half of the whole reason this show exists is to retell a familiar tale to the modern age. That's how the show opens, and that's how s3 ends.

And, at the risk of sounding a little deranged, I'm going to say that the show being legos is thematically relevant. It legitimately adds to part of the story they're trying to tell—and the story Lego Monkie Kid is trying to tell is legitimately very solid. It's super good. They completely blew me out of the water with season 4.

So. The first special and s1 isn't anything too unique on a first watch through. The characters are charming and the show is very pretty, but it's nothing I'd write home about (though, 1x09 is very good—in my opinion—and 1x10, the season finale, builds plenty of intrigue).

But here's the thing: legitimately so much is set up in s1 and you don't even realize it, and it's STILL being re-contextualized well into s4.

So, then the s2 special happens right after s1, and it's like, alright! The plot seems to be going somewhere! We get introduced to a few more antagonists and the status quo from s1 is already somewhat disrupted. But then the last half of s2 comes around. And they're all bangers. 2x05 Minor Scale is GREAT. 2x06 is pure game motif. 2x07 gives us backstory and continues the main protags negative character arc. 2x08 is one of my favorites in the whole show. By this point you realize how consistent the character writing is if you've been paying attention. 2x09 is the beginning of the end. 2x10 ends the season on quite the cliff hanger, and it's like. HOLY SHIT. WHAT IS THIS ABSOLUTE GEM OF A SHOW.

s3 is lovely, and the end of the s3 special has one of my favorite scenes in anything. s4 is so ridiculously good. Lmk honestly has what I would consider to be god tier pacing. They have 10 minutes to achieve their goal, and by GOD are they going to do exactly that.

But like, what do I love about the show specifically?

The animation. The characters. The themes. I kid you not a major theme in s4 of the show is the fact that every single thing you do leads to pain. Being the hero or the villain, it doesn't matter—you cause suffering and destruction with every step you take. You hurt the people you care about. No, seriously. I'm not kidding. THAT'S one of the main focuses of s4, and oh boy is it a wild ride. You get used to legos crying. I am unironically expecting s5 of this show to be a tragedy.

I can not recommend it enough!

(If it's your thing that is! I TOTALLY get not being able to look past the legos, and the fast pacing isn't for everyone.)

Anyways, here's a bonus gif of Mei to end off!

[whumpypepsigal]

Hi! Idk if you are currently taking gif requests, but the show LA's Finest has one of my absolute favorite whump episodes but sadly no one has heard of it/watched it, and maybe seeing some awesome gifs would help? But 2x08 is just a huge whump fest (it actually starts at the end of 2x07) that involves a member of a team being kidnapped, driven to the middle of nowhere, and then stabbed while on a ransom video call to his team. And then the team racing to save him while he slowly bleeds out. It's soooo good!

hi there! i took a while to reply back because i couldn't find a good HD copy of the episodes you requested. so yeah, sadly, can't make the gifs. im so sorry to dissapoint.

[darkangel1791]

TV Fanatic

Shadowhunters: 31 of Our Favorite Malec Moments

Rachel Foertsch at July 23, 2018 3:37 pm.

The relationship between Magnus and Alec on Shadowhunters is one of the best 'ships currently on television.

Alec is a Shadowhunter and head of the New York Institute while Magnus is the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Seeing as they're both in charge of two groups who don't particularly get along, they have the odds stacked against them in almost every way.

Despite their struggles, Alec and Magnus never let their differences keep them apart. They have proved throughout the series that their love is strong enough to overcome anything life throws at them.

Not only are they great representation for the LGBTQ community, but they also have a pure and healthy relationship that everyone can look up to. They're one of the many reasons we're all fighting so hard to #SaveShadowhunters.

It's obviously impossible to name every amazing Malec scene, but we compiled a slideshow of 31 of our favorite Malec moments below!

And don't forget you can see these moments for yourself by watching Shadowhunters online right here on TV Fanatic! 

1. Their first time on 2x18 "Awake, Arise, or Be Forever Fallen"

There are so many amazing things that could be said about this scene as a whole. The music, the kissing, and Alec telling Magnus how beautiful he is officially ended us all.

2. Team work makes the dream work on 3x02 "The Powers That Be"

Anytime Malec teams up in the face of danger they always accomplish their goal. It's clear that being around each other makes them stronger.

3. Alec and Magnus' first kiss on 1x12 "Malec"

This was the iconic kiss that no one will ever forget. Alec literally walked back down the aisle of his own wedding to plant one on Magnus in front of everyone. And yes, Magnus and Alec are so epic that they actually had an episode named after them.

4. That time they turned Shadowhunters into a crime drama on 3x02 "The Powers That Be"

Somehow, Magnus and Alec are the best partners in crime and the worst. Being sneaky and subtle is not their strong suit, yet surprisingly they still managed to get the job done.

5. Malec gets domestic AF on 3x03 "What Lies Beneath"

Alec's cooking may not have been the best but thankfully Magnus was there to make some er...magical improvements. But you know what they say, a couple who cooks together stays together.

6. AU Alec pulls a Magnus on 1x10 "This World Inverted"

When Magnus and Alec first met Magnus inferred that Alec was playing hard to get. It's a good thing Magnus and otherworldly Alec both love a challenge.

7. Magnus and Alec kill us with cuteness on 3x01 "On Infernal Ground"

This scene was all kinds of adorable. Once Magnus is truthful with Alec and admits he doesn't want him to go to Idris, Alec tells him that his real dream was finding someone like Magnus. He assures Magnus that he's not going anywhere.

8. Cuddling ensues the morning after on 2x18 "Awake, Arise, or Be Forever Fallen"

Their first morning after was everything we hoped it would be and more. It's clear just how much these two love each other and what the night before meant to them.

9. Magnus being a worried boyfriend on 2x13 "Those of Demon Blood"

Seeing Magnus worry about Alec going out alone was absolutely precious. Honestly, these two couldn't act any more married if they tried.

10. Malec is here to stay on 2x08 "Love is a Devil"

We already knew that Malec was a permanent thing, but hearing Alec say the words out loud to Magnus was especially satisfying.

11. Gift giving on 2x07 "How Are Thou Fallen"

Like Magnus said, Alec is always surprising him. In just one of many examples of him being an adorable boyfriend, Alec gives Magnus an Omamori charm which is said to offer health and protection.

12. Magnus and Alec talk it out on 2x01 "This Guilty Blood"

It's impossible for couples to go through life without facing challenges. But Magnus lets Alec know that they need to work through problems together instead of getting nervous and pushing each other away.

13. Immortality angst on 3x05 "Stronger Than Heaven"

It's not that we love the angst but well...we love the angst. The fact that the basis of Magnus and Alec's fight was that they never wanted to be without each other was somehow both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

14. Alec comforts Magnus on 2x15 "A Problem of Memory"

Magnus finally opened up to Alec about what he was going through and Alec did the only thing he could. He was there for him completely.

15. True love's kiss on 2x03 "Parabatai Lost"

Things were not looking good for Alec this episode. His soul was lost alongside his parabatai's and getting Jace back was the only way to wake Alec up. Although it (sadly) didn't work, the fact that Magnus tried to kiss Alec back to life gave us all the feels.

16. Magnus and Alec's first date on 2x06 "Iron Sisters"

A first date was much needed between these two. They finally got to talk about the things that were important to each of them. Despite Alec not being at all experienced and Magnus being extremely experienced in the dating world, they showed how determined they are to make things work.

17. Malec teaches us about healthy relationships on 2x20 "Beside Still Water"

In the words of Magnus Bane quoting Alec Lightwood, relationships take effort. Magnus and Alec both understand that in order to have a healthy relationship they need to put in the work. And these two are willing to do whatever it takes.

18. Alec tells Magnus he loves him on 2x10 "By the Light of Dawn"

After Alec spent a few horrifying moments thinking that Magnus was dead, we got an epic declaration of love. Their first I love you is always going to be one of Shadowhunters' best scenes and it's impossible to watch it dry-eyed.

19. Love at first sight on 1x04 "Raising Hell"

From the moment Magnus and Alec met sparks were flying. You can tell from Alec's nervous smile and the way he can't keep his eyes off Magnus that he is crushing hard.

20. Magnus and Alec get back together on 2x20 "Beside Still Water"

When Magnus and Alec are together it almost feels like everything in the show is going to be okay. When they were apart the world was very literally falling apart around them. Alec tells Magnus that he can't live without him, and we connected with Alec on a spiritual level.

21. A magical dinner by the fire on 2x17 "A Dark Reflection"

When Alec misses their date, Magnus brings the date to him with a wave of his hand. Having a boyfriend with magic powers sure does come in handy.

22. Alec (literally) gives Magnus his strength on 1x06 "Of Men and Angels"

Even warlocks can run out of power and Magnus was fading fast. Thankfully, Alec was there to offer his own strength in whatever way he needed. Magnus was obviously surprised by Alec's inclination to help him and admitted that it's rare to find a Shadowhunter with such an open heart.

23. The aftermath of Valentine's destruction on 2x12 "You Are Not Your Own"

This entire episode was absolutely tragic. When Magnus is hurting so is Alec, and the devastation when he realized he couldn't take away Magnus' pain is agonizing. This moment may not be a happy one, but it definitely made us emotional.

24. Alec opens Magnus up to love for the first time in a century on 1x06 "Of Men and Angels"

Although Magnus had been in love with both men and women before, he closed himself off from feeling anything for anyone for almost a century. But from the moment he met Alec his heart immediately opened back up. If that's not true love than what is?

25. The heartbreaking goodbye on 3x10 "Erchomai"

This scene was a mess of emotions. Magnus couldn't stand by and do nothing while he watched someone so important to the man he loves fade away. Alec told Magnus that he needs to make it back and of course, Magnus' reply was perfect.

26. Unofficial first drinks on 1x06 "Of Men and Angels"

What Alec doesn't know in this scene is that he's sharing his first drink with the love of his life. Of course, with the way these two couldn't keep their eyes off of each other they must have had some idea.

27. Malec's photo booth pics on 2x19 "Hail and Farewell"

Magnus staring at a photo strip of him and Alec after their breakup was devasting. But we couldn't help but fawn over the fact that Magnus and Alec actually had the chance to go out and do cute couple things. Where's our flashback of the photo booth scene?

28. Magnus tries to convince Alec to call off his wedding on 1x12 "Malec"

We were right there with you Magnus. Even though Lydia was a great character, Alec was only marrying her out of duty and obligation. Magnus could see right through him and tried to get Alec to admit who he really had feelings for.

29. Hug and make up on 3x07 "Salt in the Wound"

These two still had some things to talk about, but in this moment the only thing that mattered was their love for each other. With other things taking precedence, they just had to take a moment to make sure the other knew they were sorry.

30. Handholding on 3x02 "The Powers That Be"

Alec was pretty nervous about being the only Shadowhunter in a party full of warlocks, but Magnus was quick to help calm his nerves.

31. Reconciliations on 2x13 "Those of Demon Blood"

After Alec realized he was in the wrong for asking Magnus for a piece of hair to verify his innocence, Alec assures him that he never has to prove himself. He trusts Magnus implicitly.

[mesillusionssousecstasy]

TSITP 2x07 & 2x08 : Leaks

I found the "leaks" for episode 7 and 8.

Here (Not everything is in the right order apparently) :

Laurel comes, she knew about the situation of the house ownership so Conrad and Steven get pissed at her. But she thought that Susannah had figured out something before she passed.

They take Conrad to go take his exam

Conrad sees Belly and Jere kiss

“So you wanna be with Jeremiah? So you’re just doing this to catch my attention” “Its not about you”

“Belly, which one of us is a better kisser?”

They argue, Conrad super petty (as he should be idc)

Conrad “go to Jeremiah” thingy

They go to a motel, and three of them sleep in the same bed, light shines on Belly and Conrad

Flashback to Susannah, Belly’s mom tells her she doesn’t have much time left

Susannah tells Belly to take care of Conrad

Milo releases new music and wrote a diss album about Steven

Steven and Taylor talk about how they’re finally glad Belly fixed things with ‘him’, but they were talking about two different people lmao (Steven = Conrad, Taylor = Jeremiah) it was like a “wait who are u talking about moment? I’m talking about —“ moment

Steven and Taylor fight about who’s better for Belly on their first date. Steven being team Conrad vs Taylor being team Jeremiah.

Steven says that Conrad is better, because he challenges and sees the best part of her. He defends what he did during prom.

They agree its up to Belly whoever she chooses

“I can’t believe we’re spending our first date arguing” “Oh c’mon Taylor, arguing is what we do’ “not always” she leaves

Conrad says of course I still want you to belly.

Jeremiah and Conrad talk, Jeremiah tells him to tell belly to tell her he loves her.

Laurel and belly talk over the phone. She ask her mom when she knew when she didn’t love her dad anymore. “I want you to have lots of lovers before you settle for one person”

Belly approaches Jeremiah, he thinks that she chose Conrad but she kisses him with xo playing in the background

Belly and Conrad talks, She tells him she chooses Jere. Exile plays.

“Goodbye Conrad”

Conrad lets them go together and just tell them to drive safe

Conrad goes back to Beach house and set him Belly’s room, putting back junior mint and glass unicorn

Taylor and Steven makes up after she bails on him.

Taylor and Steven end up together, “this weirdo confessed to me” bickering like a married couple

The season ends with them watching Taylor and Belly volleyball game, Jeremiah shows up with her and Taylor goes all ‘team jellyfish” lmao

Belly does a little speech trying to get back into the volleyball

The last line of the season is the one in the trailer and book, “the future is unclear, but it’s still mine.”

What do you think??

[wolframpant]

Now that I have finally had time to process episodes 2x07 and 2x08 these are my impressions:

So I think episode 7 was kind of weaker of the two and it was all because of that chase in the woods. There was so much happening at the wedding - and there are so many characters the show has to explore - that watching Livia run around the woods half the time felt like a waste of time and it didn't further her story in any way.

The only thing I liked was Tycho finally asserting himself a little, and saying the Republic sucked. I wish, in the end, when Livia says "You are wrong about the Republic" they elaborated on it more. Why does she believe it, beyond the promise that she made her father, that the Republic has to be restored? I wish in general that we have seen the characters like Drusus, Piso, and Livia discussing what was good about the Republic, why they want it back, what they would potentially change, etc. Because so far they're endlessly repeating "Restore the Republic" falls a bit flat for me, like it has no meaning.

I still don't get the point of the character of Ursa. What is her role supposed to be?

I loved the gambling idiot Drusus and his pissed wife Antonia.

I also loved both Antonias and the sisterly relationship they have this whole season.

And poor Julia.

I think Octavia gave Augustus a reason why to kill Drusus. We don't see much of his inner thoughts or struggles as opposed to Livia, but I wonder if he tells himself I am not killing Drusus because he is threatening me but because it was my sisters dying wish.

Episode 8 was so intense I got a genuine headache watching it.

I loved the little moment they gave Drusus with his children. I would have liked to see little Claudius but well, the guy has whole miniseries all to himself, and we got to see little Drusus, yay.

Ofc the whole thing with Drusus dying was terrible but he went out like a champ.

I liked that Tycho's and Antigone's daughter finally got some role and something to do.

Iullus and Julia finally aligned together and I am curious where they take their relationship and how they portray their downfall - if we get season 3. My guess next season there will be two factions whose aim will be to make Augustus miserable.

But I felt sorry for Marcella a bit. The writers made her an absolute bitch this season but on the face of it - was she doing anything else than Julia is doing. Well, I guess Julia wasn't that nasty to everyone around her, but still.

Their take on the death of Tiberullus was interesting but I am not sure I like this "Bad Tiberius" storyline. I think it is cheap to blame something on mental illness. Watching how a decent man turns into a monster would be much more interesting and I think I, Claudius did it much better.

I am also not sure I like this "Gallus is a dick to Vipsania" storyline. It just doesn't ring true to me?

I also like that the main characters finally have some other motivation than "the Republic" and that Livia is finally told or admits? that she likes the power she has under Augustus and she would automatically lose that if he went down.