#laura does(shes fascinated by the plot and characters)

[im-smart-i-swear]

at it again with MORE fnin stuff!!!

(felix and net are arguing about fnaf lore btw)

[tofixtheshadows]

Id love to hear ur interpretation and analysis on falin! She’s one of my favorite characters and and I was wondering what ur thoughts on her are

Man, I struggle to think of anything I could say about Falin that others have not already said. But she's one of my favorite things about Dungeon Meshi too.

So much of the story revolves around Falin, and she's not even there. Tumblr loves to talk about haunting the narrative, but Falin might be one of the best examples of it ever put to page. She's dead. She's alive. She's dead. She's alive. She's alive but she's missing, she's alive but she isn't herself. She's dead but she might wake. She's dead but she's frozen in ice. She's alive but she's sleepwalking. They chase her ghost and they chase her body all through the story.

I think what Kui does with her is fascinating. Not just as character with a personality we can analyze, but as an object in a narrative- that's why I say she's one of my favorite things about the story, because I also mean it in a mechanical sense. As a writer, Kui's really good at misdirection- that is, setting you up to believe or expect something about a character or a plot, and then turning that on its head. It's most apparent with Kabru, but it works really well with Falin too.

Because the precious little sister is a very well known character archetype, right? So is the gentle healer. The heart of the party. The white mage girl. The damsel in distress. The martyr.

And this isn't a Laura Palmer situation, where we find out that beneath her wholesome surface there's something dark and troubled. No, Falin truly is a kind and gentle person. That isn't where the misdirection leads (and that, too, I think, is another misdirection- it's not "Plot twist, she isn't as nice as you thought!", which would almost be too easy).

The misdirection here is more about structure than about character (but also, yeah- a little about character).

What I mean is, with these archetypes firmly in mind, along with a whole other host of fantasy genre expectations, I think anyone who goes into Dungeon Meshi un-spoiled probably expects Falin's rescue to be an endgame event; at least on a subconscious level, where you're not really thinking about it but in the back of your head you're already stretching out the story to place Falin firmly in the distance. Fire breathing dragon at the bottom of the dungeon is perfect final boss material, right? Slay the dragon. Rescue the princess.

And Falin is the perfect prize in the traditional old school fantasy that the concept of the titular dungeon is a send-up to. Blonde (white), soft-spoken, sweet-natured, beloved by everyone. An angelic figure.

Maybe that's why Ryoko Kui gave her white wings.

It is sort of jarring when chapter 23 rolls around and it's already time to fight the red dragon. And it takes a few chapters, but they succeed. And then Falin's impossible resurrection succeeds. But by then you guess that this is not going to be the story you expected it to be.

I want to point out that Falin spends a lot of time getting, well, babied, post-resurrection. Marcille washes her in the bath, despite Falin stating that she's capable of washing herself. Marcille schools her about her mana use despite Falin demonstrating that she is not hurting for mana, and brushes aside Falin's explanations. Both Marcille and Laios refuse to actually tell her what happened. Laios scruffs up her hair like she's a little kid and scolds her for something she can't remember doing. Marcille explicitly calls her a little kid when Falin tries to talk about how much she's grown.

Of course I'm not saying that Laios was wrong to act like a big brother, or that Marcille shouldn't be worried about taking care of her shell-shocked friend in the bath. But the framing of it clearly shows a Falin who is struggling to be heard.

If you'd like to address the big gay elephant in the room while we're here, I want to state for the record that- whether you read her as gay or not -I think Marcille is completely oblivious during this. Because Falin is her little friend from school. Her best friend, yes, but also the young tallman student she, in her infinite elven wisdom, had to mentor and look after. Marcille has not yet accepted that Falin is an adult now, nor has she accepted that she, herself, is only barely past teenagerhood developmentally and is not nearly as mature as she believes. Of course she'd scrub Falin in the bath and fuss over her.

Falin, meanwhile, seems more than aware of her own adult body and the inappropriate way Marcille is treating it.

The mana-sharing scene is, I think, Falin trying to get a little of her own back. How do you like it, Marcille?

And she tries again in bed.

Maybe she's wondering if their relationship will change now that they're grown ups. If Marcille prefers her as a little girl, or at least as a woman who lets herself be guided like one; if Marcille will react badly if Falin keeps trying to assert herself. She also might be subtly trying to signal to Marcille that bed sharing, like bathing, carries a different weight to it when you do it as adults rather than as children.

With all this in mind, the decision to turn Falin from the precious prize they rescued into to the vicious dragon they have to slay, hits a lot harder.

Falin with a powerful, monstrous, destructive body. Falin, who couldn't even stand to cause people pain from using healing spells, slaughtering half a dozen people in brutal ways. And that's not her, she's being mind-controlled, but as an object in the story she has completely flipped. From damsel to threat.

And I love that she carries a little bit of that with her when she's resurrected again.

Because she's no longer the girl who's going to let herself be stifled by her brother's and her best friend's co-dependency, no matter how much she loves them. She's different now: stronger, eyes open, forging her own path instead of following in their wake. Falin is still going to come back to them again, but this time it won't be because they chased her. It'll be because they let her go.

[buckybarnesss]

Someone recently called Derek a "whiny edgelord" and I was like, wow, so you've seen two gifsets and not the actual show then.

Literally everybody else complains more than Derek. I think Derek complains one single time and it's when he points out that Allison and Lydia screwed him over and never apologised.

Dude is literally dying during season 4, and is like "well, i'm 23, it's clearly my time to go" and just naps.

derek has peak millennial energy but what's so funny to me is that one of derek's major character features is that he refuses to discuss his traumas with anyone. ever. at all. he would rather die. it's a huge plot point that no one knows that kate argent was the one who killed the hales. except derek.

like, laura goes back to beacon hills and begins looking into the fire. she does the footwork that peter later uses for his killing spree. they don't know it was kate. derek does.

the fire was never a mystery to derek but he didn't tell anyone because of the guilt he felt for the role kate forced him to play in what happened. he never told a soul what kate did to him.

only stiles and peter figure it out once they have enough of the puzzle. neither of them advertise the information.

derek doesn't even speak to kate all that much when she taunts him in the tell and later when she captures him.

the closest we ever get is in code breaker when he says to scott in the strongest case of projection beacon hills has ever seen:

"you want me to risk my life for your girlfriend? for your stupid little teenage crush that means absolutely nothing? you're not in love, scott! you're sixteen years old! you're a child!"

derek hale never talks about paige. other people talk about paige. not him. he never, ever says her name to anyone. jennifer and peter are the ones who co-opt the tragedy for their own purposes.

he doesn't talk very much about what's happening to him in season 4 and when this man is on his deathbed he tells stiles -- someone who means a lot to him and clearly is hesitating to leave him -- to go save scott.

derek hale don't talk about shit. sure he does get vocally angry about things and annoyed like you mention. he does with scott and stiles all the time and with lydia and allison in chaos rising:

this one [lydia], who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle--thank you--and this one [allison], who shot about thirty arrows into me and my pack?

it's why his pants are so tight. they're holding in all his trauma. i mean what's he gonna do? talk about it? hell fucking no.

it's why stiles being derek's secret keeper is such a fascinating choice this show made. stiles learns all of derek's darkest secrets such as his involvement with kate and what happened to paige without derek having to explicitly tell him.

but derek knows stiles knows.

derek letting that lie and stiles not only never telling anyone else but never really confronting derek over these things is an act of trust.

anyway none of these characters were really whiny. not even jackson. they're just traumatized and that makes people uncomfortable.

[formerheroeswhoquittoolate]

fall of x is over and I have FINALLY figured out how to articulate what pissed me off so much about the whole talon/synch thing. because obviously it pissed me off a lot. and that's because it was Fucking Boring Romance when the other option was not boring.

now, granted, I am extremely aromantic and asexual, so this may in fact be a side effect of me not being able to relate to most romantic plots. so take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt. anyway on to the post.

okay so. laura and synch and darwin spent a couple centuries in the vault. synch gets out and the others don't. laura and darwin get resurrected. we are all on the same page.

synch and laura fell in love in the vault. I don't think I like it character-wise but they bonded romantically and it happened so. sure. four hundred years is a long-ass time. and it's kind of interesting? laura hasn't really had a romantic relationship since teen!warren went back to his own time, and synch has been dead for fucking ever. *benoit blanc voice* it makes no damn sense. compels me though.

synch remembers it, laura doesn't, and they're on the x-men together. this would probably have been an interesting time for them to have some tension? synch probably knows way more about laura than anyone ever, and laura has literally no idea what or how much he knows. something about her has changed but it's impossible to tell what it is because she doesn't know what happened in the vault. duggan touched on this once and then just sort of ignored it. they could have had to reconcile this? synch, a lost love he will literally never experience anything like ever again. laura, a complete stranger who somehow knows everything about her. synch probably barely remembers this laura, anyway. laura can literally smell when people are attracted to her. this is, quite possibly, the most interesting ending to a rather bland "they were the only two people in the world" love story I could conceive of.

and instead. the problem is removed from the story. synch is no longer in love with a version of laura that doesn't exist, because she does exist now, actually, and talon takes laura's place on the team. off laura goes to x-force to be slotted into the role of daughter rather than unwilling object of romantic interest.

the problem doesn't get solved, it gets erased. and that's what pissed me off so much about it. it was a fascinating problem! it was reducing one of my favorite characters to a very unremarkable role but it was still an interesting problem. it had potential. (it even had potential to fix that reduction and actually address laura from a character perspective, but that's another ramble.) the route duggan took was, almost completely, the most boring possible route. at least laura had a conversation with talon. the problem is not solved. the problem is not solved! nothing is resolved! the answer to "what will laura and synch end up being to each other?" is "fucking nothing, actually, because talon is here now and everything is okay" and it's STUPID.

okay that's mean. it's not stupid but it is boring. bad answer. does nothing for laura or synch (or talon, either, but she's so aggressively apathetic about laura that it's really hard to say anything about her without accidentally starting a whole unrelated ramble.) the romance took priority over the relationship. and That's why I'm pissed about it. (well aside from my love of laura.) there was a more interesting, character-development-inducing, potentially emotionally fraught option and they chose a fairly bland romantic relationship. and again, maybe this is my aroace ass and general inability to find romantic relationships compelling. but this feels like the worse of the two options.

[isagrimorie]

[initial reactions] Critical Role: Bells Hells episode 49

That was such a good episode, I know that the characters were stressed being on board the sky ship, eating up time as the Apogee Solstice creeps ever forward but it was such a great moment for the characters to unwind a bit and talk. I always love their planning stuff despite how many people gripe about it on the chat and reddit, I love their thought process and the way they try to mitigate the damage they do.

I already love Laudna but IMO she was in fine form this episode, finally cracking Ashton open and getting that long awaited talk out of the way. I can see why the dynamic of Keyleth and Percy work so well in C1 and I wish its something they can show more in the animated series. *crossing fingers for season 3 of TLOVM!

It does feel like its a dynamic Taliesin and Marisha want to recreate in a different flavor with Ashton and Laudna, and they're doing so successfully. I love how Ashton and Laudna talk, and call each other's bullshit out but this episode especially, Laudna is showing off the wisdom she learned in 30 hard earned years she's lived.

Orym's also successfully reaching out to people with Dorian and I love how we're getting hints of things in EXU Prime that in their end, things are also very dicey. Opal getting dark???

I am so into that and Fearne's immediate concern is apparent. But also, Marisha knowing the details of the EXU Prime plot is so juicy!

The gang accomplished so much recruiting Ira, finally telling some more people in authority or approximate authority about how dire the situations are. Telling Pike, even though she can't do things, maybe? Possibly? Apparently, things on Tal'dorei are also very dicey, so Whitestone might have its own problems with the Ziggurat.

I'm going to heap more praise towards Laudna because of the interrogative sort of femme fatale honey pot play she did with Ira, getting Ira to talk more about it, tagged teamed with Fearne at the end.

Speaking of, Fearne is very much still ambivalent towards her parents, sure she's nice to them but as she told Nana Morri, her parents feel more like strangers than people related to her.

Also, Thank Goodness, the team's finally equipped but I need Dani to remind the cast that they still have residuum and the bracers of defense!

I feel like there's gonna be some Mad Max shenanigans that's going to happen on the Apogee Solstice, and its going to be heart pounding and epic and so great.

FCG also learned some things about himself, about how he is not alone and Devaxian also stressed how from this point on he is gifted with a chance to own his own future. A future of his own making. (A theme that will be repeated a lot!).

And then there's that moment when Imogen meets with Liliana again and, and, and I am VINDICATED!!! LILIANA IS A TRUE BELIEVER. She might even be Ludinus's real right hand and not Otohan which would be DELICIOUS.

I love that Liliana tried to get Imogen on her side and Imogen genuinely considered it because the vision she painted was tempting, for someone like Imogen who was tormented by her powers that's a siren call.

But of course, Fearne and Orym was around in the dream and they played it as silent observers instead of actively interacting with the dream space like how the others did it. It does feel like Fearne and Orym are still at heart, a unit. In a similar but different way to Laudna and Imogen. I love the talk they had about Imogen, about the possibility of Imogen turning because of her mother. Orym and Fearne will do what's necessary to stop things from happening and it's really fascinating how that will go.

Laura's face was interesting the whole time too.

And then, and then just when the group thinks its hopeless they get a possible help and distraction of the big army with Keyleth coming in, sounding exhausted and heart sick but still willing to help to put Ashari volunteers to help. I hope the group remembers to warn Keyleth about the antimagic that's going to happen.

I feel like Keyleth and the Air Ashari can act as distraction while the Bells Hells, as a strike team can go and take down the Malleus Key. Everyone in the cast looked happy at this development, except for Marisha who looked worried and had her Thinking Face on.

Near the end, Imogen talks to Orym and asked how he can go on after everyone he lost and they have a heartfelt talk. Orym tells Imogen that he believes in her but Imogen is not convinced but doesn't try to read his mind to know if this is true. Instead, at long last, after many episodes.

Imogen goes back to the room she shares with Laudna and finally talks to her. Whatever impetus it was: her fear, uncertainty, or the realization that she shares some similarities with her father and that's the reluctance to talk.

Laudna asks if Imogen is okay, and automatically, Imogen answers she is. Laudna gently tells Imogen she didn't need to lie to Laudna about 'being fine'. And so Imogen opens the conversation with admitting that she's been afraid of really talking to Laudna after she was resurrected, that she had something to tell Laudna.

Laudna asks Imogen what it is she wanted to say but Imogen hesitates and then says something about her fear and god I love how Laudna approached her talk with Imogen. I love that Laudna went about it with understanding because, of course, who more than Laudna hasn't thought what would have happened if life had been different.

Laudna had thirty years to think similar thoughts, to wish a different life than the one she had. She candidly told Ashton she made Patê so she won't lose her mind wandering alone.

But through everything Laudna lived through she is very cognizant too the reason she met Imogen and the other Bells Hells was because of who she is and became. And I think Marisha has her answer to Aabria's question from the 4 Sided Dive a long time ago -- there is a part of her that is a little grateful for Delilah or whatever patron that made her a Hollow One, that she has this powers now and ability to be spooky. Things she enjoys.

It's a little messed up and complicated.

I also love that while Laudna didn't hear Imogen's promise about how Laudna will always have a choice, Laudna unknowingly echoed back Imogen's words. Imogen has a choice. She will always have a choice and having the ability to choose is a power all its own. Its not something gods can take away.

Honestly, I love how Laudna is talking to Imogen from a place of understanding and I think more than anything, this helped Imogen solidify her grasp of why they're fighting. It's not just because its wrong and kill other people. All morally right reasons why they need to stop Ludinus and his group.

It's because every individual deserves a right to choose. And that love also means loving every part of a person, especially the weird parts of them.

Imogen might have lost her nerve to tell Laudna she loved her, loved her, romantic stylez and Laudna might slowly be waking into the part of herself that can access it. But its plain as day they love each other and I'm okay to wait on how long and slow this will cook, but also saying things like:

"I feel so comfortable and bonded with you. We transcend words in our relationship.

"You'll always have me."

"I'll always be there to support you whatever choice you make.

"You're my tether."

"That tether goes beyond this realm and this life."

C'MON. Those words are my ship Kryptonite! If I hadn't already shipped them, this would have definitely tip the scales! And I feel very well fed tonight!

God I love them. I love the Bells Hells.

[utilitycaster]

(this might be a silly question, and please take this in the best possible faith, i don't mean it to be any kind of a gotcha or a trap, okay now that that's out of the way) i'm a cr fan who hasn't started c3 yet (still trucking through c2 and loving it) but i've been a quiet observer to whatever tf has been happening in the tumblr tags for it and have enjoyed your takes/opinions. so, asking this as someone without context who's not trying to comment on any recent ship developments (don't worry about spoilers though, not trying to avoid any), are there parts of c3, either characters or plot or backstories or whatever, that you do really enjoy/find compelling? (you might have already answered this, i've only been following you for like. a week and a half.) thank you!

Hi anon!

Yes, there definitely are! I completely get where you're coming from for this question, too, but I appreciate the context because I have gotten questions before where I feel like someone is trying to corner me and say CAN'T YOU BE POSITIVE??? Anyway, more on that at the end because I want to get to the things I do like, because there are, in fact, a lot. Also, because you've been vaguely following stuff this is chock full of spoilers just FYI.

Ashton, Chetney, and Fearne are all great characters. There is a lot of thought put into all three by the cast members who play them, I find their backstories and their inner lives rich and interesting, I am actually pretty patient with the Hishari plotline because Ashton has so much else going on that while I'm curious, I don't feel deprived. Chetney is just a great concept (for real people need to play older adventurers more often) and Travis is perhaps an unparalleled generator of interesting plot hooks, and Fearne constantly surprises me with her emotional depth and mischief - after two campaigns of Ashley playing characters who were often more, if not subdued, restrained or thoughtful, it's wonderful watching her let loose and be chaotic and cause problems.

Imogen is tricky because she's a character archetype I love, but her closest relationship does nothing for me. I would really love to see Laura lean into the darkness and moral ambiguity more. With that said her relationships with most of the rest of the party are great and I'd like more of them, and her family dynamics are also fascinating. With Imogen...I do want payoff but there has consistently been enough to keep me going.

Orym and FCG are interesting cases because I always liked Orym well enough but he was extremely Just A Guy - he delivered consistently but never wowed me - and I could not stand FCG earlier on. However, Orym's current arc is phenomenal. Liam's style doesn't always work for me but when it does, it really does, and the past few episodes have been top-tier Orym content. Similarly, after FCG learned of their history and met Dancer, they have been on an upswing that has not ended. I have never before turned around on a character to this degree but I love what Sam is doing. So if you're early on and FCG pisses you off: valid, but he gets good around episode 31 and then keeps being good.

The party split arcs are great. I love Uthodurn, I love Molaesmyr, I love getting to see some of Issylra, there's some great combat, the guests are all fantastic, it's a standout Laudna arc (quite literally part of why I've been recently frustrated with Laudna is because it's like every scrap of character development vanishes when she's within 15 feet of Imogen, like the dumbest paladin aura, but episodes 59-63 Laudna you will always be famous.

Earlier on, everything while Dorian is there is a fun time. Eshteross is precisely up my alley as are the Green Seekers. I also love the Twilight Mirror Museum heist.

The Bassuras arc is rough because there's a lot of good stuff going on but the plot is all weird and slow and I did not enjoy the guest arc. That said: some great interpersonal conversations, and also the Deathwish Run is a fun time if, like me, you love combat.

Yios casino episode, also a good time. The best way I can put it for someone watching through is that like...episodes 1-23 are typical finding one's characters/figuring out what's going on early campaign stuff, enjoyable overall, and the flaws within them can be attributed to that. 24-38 have plenty of bright spots within them (some of which I talked about) but it's a real slog at times. 39-42 are great. 43-45 are nonstop lore dump time, which isn't to say they are bad - there's some good stuff in there - but after 24-38 being lore dump and weird setup city it's a bit exhausting. Once the party goes to the feywild in 46 things get good and stay good. Like, for all the current romance isn't doing anything for me it's also, at this point, literally 2 minutes in an episode that otherwise fucking rules.

So just to get back on the bit about positivity: I tend to talk a lot more about what isn't working than what is. Some of this is because I firmly believe complaining is an art and a skill and is more fun to write. Some if it is also because I think if I like something, I just...like it! I can probably figure out why I like it if I want, but there's something very enjoyable about, well, just enjoying something. But if I don't like something, it's important for me to try to tease out why. Sometimes it's just that it doesn't work for me. There have been past CR characters who, while I can talk through the things I find I don't like about them, in the end it really comes down to "I think this personality is annoying, and that's valid and also a personal opinion." But sometimes I can frame it in terms of lack of narrative weight or momentum, or mechanically suboptimal builds that don't fit in with the character, or what have you, and I think it's valuable to be able to say that instead of just "wow this sucks." Like, there's meta to be had in why I don't care for something, whereas, for example, Fearne's incredibly clutch moves in the most recent episode were things I called out in my liveblogging but I don't have much to say other than "Ashley made some baller combat choices."

[gallyg]

The Killer Inside: Amanda Young in Saw X

Amanda is a weird character. Her first act as a disciple of Jigsaw is to assist with the bathroom game of Saw I by kidnapping Adam Stanheight. The struggle to subdue Adam leaves Amanda a panicked mess, which she is visibly still calming down from when she delivers Adam to the bathroom. When the game is over, Amanda can't stand the thought of Adam slowly starving to death, alone in the dark. She violates John's command. She breaks the rules. She kills Adam. John sees all of this and says nothing.

The next time we see Amanda in the chronology of the classic films, she appears to be a fully-fledged Jigsaw killer. If you think about Saw II's plot twist and take it seriously, everyone in the nerve gas house was a bit player in the real game, Eric Matthew's game. Amanda calls Eric "[her] first test subject," which means that John was actually assisting Amanda on this particular Jigsaw operation by talking to Eric for two hours. What a cool, supportive dad. And Amanda seems so much more confident in this one! Saw II was one of the more elaborate schemes pulled against law enforcement in the franchise, and Amanda was the mastermind at the core of it.

For contrast, though, consider how legitimately scared and traumatized Amanda is by Xavier's rampage and Laura's death in the nerve gas house. Was that all an act? I don't know. Recall that five minutes after being locked in the bathroom, Eric Matthews beats the shit out of Amanda and calls her "nothing, bitch," sending her into a PTSD doom spiral that ends in her attempting her second off-book murder. Was that an act? I don't think so. Amanda in the Saw II era puts on a great show of being the next Jigsaw, but it is an illusion.

Saw X explores the path from Amanda's Saw I-era anxiety to her Saw II-era mask. The intermediary step proposed is an interesting one; what if Amanda simply expressed her misgivings to John, attempting to reason with him? "Perhaps," Amanda seems to think, probably subconsciously, "if I had simply asked John if I could free Adam, he would have let me. Nobody had to die." And so Amanda pleads to John that Gabriela isn't so bad that she needs to play a game, that her soul is not so thoroughly corrupted that this is the only option left. John does not hear these pleas.

This is extremely interesting to me for a few reasons. For one, it suggests a capacity for emotional intelligence Amanda has not previously demonstrated. The Saw movies don't explore Amanda's life before being arrested and framed by Eric Matthews, but DVD commentary for Saw III suggests that that film was made with unspoken assumption that Amanda holds a deep-seated anger within her, originating from her experiences growing up with an abusive father. This creates a picture in the mind of Amanda being someone who never had a chance at a normal life at all. But in Saw X, we see Amanda expressing her desires with expectation that they might be considered fairly. She learned that confidence, however small, from somewhere, however distant. Her life could have been different.

How tragic, then, for Amanda's concerns to be fully dismissed. She was an abused child, wrongfully convicted as a young adult, became a heroin addict in prison, and was then tortured by John Kramer. There's no way Amanda has a surplus of people in her life that she would feel comfortable opening up to, especially considering the few pre-Jigsaw relationships of hers we know of.

Beyond just rebuffing the plea to free Gabriela, John then goes on to belittle Amanda, asking her how she will ever handle anything if she can't handle this ("this" being, again, not torturing a young woman, possibly to death, for being a drug addict). Remember that Eric Matthews belittling Amanda is what drove her to attempted murder. This is a real pain point for her in the Saw II era, and we see the seed of that pain point here in Saw X. John Kramer is another abusive father figure.

The second reason I'm fascinated by this moment of Amanda requesting an alteration to John's plan is because of how this frames the arc of John and Amanda's relationship. First, in the Saw I era, Amanda's insecurities are unhidden yet undiscussed. Then, in the Saw X era, her insecurities are expressed but ignored. Finally, in the Saw II era, Amanda hides her insecurities behind a mask of confidence.

(Not to get ahead of myself, but this trajectory aligns well with Amanda in the Saw III era desperately clinging to this mask while her insecurities have only grown stronger. Compare how Amanda talks while expressing her doubts in Saw X vs Saw III. In Saw X, Amanda tells John that drug addictions are complicated in a timid tone that comes across as almost rehearsed. She's careful with her words. In Saw III, Amanda says "I can't do this" between sobs and later delivers the iconic "fix me, motherfucker" speech while literally trembling with rage. In Saw X, she is asking to be heard. In Saw III, she is no longer asking.)

The final reason I love Amanda in Saw X so much is that it gives a bit more depth to her philosophy as a Jigsaw killer. While Amanda would like to spare Gabriela, she thinks Cecilia should skip her test entirely and be put into an inescapable death trap. She doesn't phrase it quite so directly in the moment, but that is what she's telling John when she says that Ceclia "doesn't deserve anything."

Thinking about Amanda's list of victims and her reactions to their fates, this lines up perfectly. Amanda has no problem with Adam or his comparatively minor crimes, and it hurts her to see him suffer. Kerry is arguably an accomplice in Eric Matthews' crimes, and Amanda shows up to watch the angel of death trap go off in person. Amanda is stone-faced as she watches Obi burn to death, but sheds a tear for Laura as she succumbs to the nerve gas. With this framework, the ambiguity of whether these reactions were authentic is gone.

This all speaks to Amanda's motives being just as multifaceted as John's. The need for revenge, the need for release, and the need for approval were always there, but Amanda hasn't always felt all three as intensely. The emotions that led her to suffocate Adam were the same emotions that led her to shooting Lynn. Her cruelty is her mercy. Her love is her hate. In Saw III, she's the only one who's honest about it in the end. Saw X shows us the moment she learned to hide it.

As one final note, I also like that Amanda is a baby dyke in Saw X. I cried sapphic tears of joy when she pulled off that pig mask, and I never got tired of watching her stomp around in her combat boots. But I like the character development a little bit more, sorry.

[lottieurl]

tagged by @mistyquigly and @lesbianlotties

rules: share some unpopular opinions about 5 different fandoms of your choosing

tagging @lesbianalicent @itsheliotrope @marlokelly @sameensass @ethanilsa @narraboths

okay Please do not read it if you might get angry or upset ok? pinky promise me rn

yellowjackets

everyone who follows me is pretty familiar with all my unpopular opinions i think? jeff is a shitty person AND a bad character, laura lee could have a fascinating corruption arc linking her faith to their cannibalistic rituals, i think lottielee is insanely toxic because they both enable each other in the worst ways even tho they genuinely do care about each other and have the best of intentions (which seems unpopular because lottielee is seen as this pure sweet little ship? which it is Not to me), jackie could Eat People you just lack imagination, mistytai is fun and compelling, shauna's pregnancy/motherhood s2 storyline was disappointing and retconning of her character. can't think of much else? um one thing i don't think i ever talked about outside of dms - although it's more of a fandom pet peeve than a show one but still - is that i Hate when people make all their munchausen by proxy jokes about misty. firstly because i have an intense aversion to that entire label like it's wild to me that there is a "disorder" that in order to have you have to abuse another person? be so fucking real with me right now. it's just an excuse used in courts to defend abusive parents and other legal guardians really. and secondly because that doesn't even fit misty. and it never did! like i KNOW people base those jokes on misty's behavior around ben in those like four episodes but we have a modern timeline in that very same season where misty snorts goddamn coke to stop nat from relapsing. like it just irritates me because it's such a boring take and such an unfunny joke and well the entire disorder is something i take issue with

person of interest

regardless of what you think about the plot of s5 due to the season being much shorter the pacing is really bad and it's so rushed none of it feels satisfying and earned and that goes for everything so whether i liked some specific direction they took a character or a plot or i hated it doesn't even matter. and this is i think not quite that unpopular but giving the machine root's voice was a terrible choice especially in a show that is so well known for making an AI character that has no distinctly human features. i think it's lazy and cheap

lucifer

mazikeen/eve is so bad SORRY i hated it so much it was so rushed and there was no built up. realistically if maze ended up with a woman it would be linda and their relationship was far more interesting and developed across seasons

the last of us

don't doxx me but i didn't like the gay old men episode it didn't make me feel much and i think it contributed to the show's overall bad pacing. i am a casual viewer and i have no idea what the fandom at large thinks but i didn't like it. i'd say more but i don't care enough to do that really it just did nothing for me much

a league of their own

i'm soooorry to the enjoyers but carson/greta does nothing for me and in general i wish the focus was more on a character like lupe or jess or jo instead. it's like okay i think although i wish there was MORE of max screentime she got a good amount but i did not care for the carson/greta romance. plus like. yeah yeah feminine white lesbian romance at the forefront idk i'm yawning there is literally lupe there. can we focus on lupe

[lordkingsmith]

Billy Cranston canon and au children, adopted and otherwise.

WOW they tried hard to get this character paired up with a girl. There are so many potential girls. If I miss one please let me know. I’m adding adoption because we know while Minh is his co-ward by way of Zack…they basically adopted her. She’s basically their adopted kid.

Canon children of Billy Cranston:

Minh Kwan. Aged about late teens, probably seventeen at most. She still is legally taken care of by Billy and Zack after all. Minh is the orphaned daughter of Trini that Billy and Zack co-parent. He and her definitely seem to have a lot healthier relationship after the movie. She’s a yellow ranger, like her mother. Technically I should put her name Kwan then middle name then Minh but I don’t think her middle name’s been revealed? And when I find out Trini’s I’ll fix that as well

Alternate reality children of Billy Cranston:

Marge (last name unknown);

Marge and Billy were the two smartest people in their school, and Marge asked him out to one of the school dances. They were both sent to the dark dimension when a monster, Madame Woe, mistook Marge as a power ranger. After, Billy continued seeing her because he felt bad. They ended up with a son, Jordan Cranston. Seventeen. His parents are separated and he doesn’t see Billy. Terrified to tell his mom he’s gay. His entire life is plotted for him, and while he’s brilliant he’s feeling a little bit….stifled. He’s been spending time with the punks of his high school and might be falling hard for a red ranger. Which is illogical because he’s never even seen his face. Jordan sells answers and helps people cheat. Not because he needs to, but it’s the only way he knows how to rock his life off the carefully plotted course it’s on. Easier said than done.

Violet Arias;

Violet was Billy’s high school art class partner. She was another one of the smartest kids in their school, and was very kind. Although they fell out of contact for a few years, they interned at the same company, and reconnected. One thing led to another, and they have two kids, a house, and a very friendly relationship. They decided not to get divorced until both of their daughters, Indigo and Lavender, were eighteen. They’re still good friends so it’s not like it’s a super big deal, after they talked it out.

Lavender, aged 16, has brought her girlfriend over on more than one occasion. The only big problem was the fact the girlfriend is a vampire. Billy and Violet had to, on top of comprehensive sex education, subject the two to comprehensive blood sharing education. Lavender is a vegan and very artistic. She’s fascinated by Rita and her putties, to the panic of her parents. Lavender is honor roll, A+ type student. She’s preppier by far than her younger sister. Constantly doing things on purpose to make Indigo leave her room. Such as turning off the electricity when she knows Indigo needs to get out and has saved her stuff. Aka big sister notices little sister js doomscrolling and does something about it. Lavender is not associated with a color.

Indigo is fourteen. She’s figuring herself out. She’s too smart for her own good, and is very hacker punk. More rebellious than her sister, and likes thinking she’s smarter than her dad. Billy is constantly left a bit flabbergasted at the audacity of his tiny child. Everyone who knows them considers this hilarious. She’s just like him, down to the glasses. Indigo wants to hack into the morphing grid however, and that’s a bit concerning. Indigo when she gets older will be a yellow ranger. A very very snarky yellow ranger.

Laura (last name unknown);

Laura and Kimberly were both scoutmasters for their Angelette troop (power rangers version of girl scouts). Billy was hoping to get data on a rare solar storm, and he and Laura began flirting. Billy and Laura got together, and then shortly after a kid, got divorced amicably. Turns out, Laura and Kim were a better fit in this reality, as well. Laura and Billy's single kid is William Cranston, aged 24. He wants to be a weather man and is going to school for it. Being a meteorologist has been his dream since forever. He's a green zeo ranger. He gets on fine with Billy, who never remarried, and his step mom of Kim, who adores him. Mild mannered, but he's not the kind of person to forgive easily. once he's been wronged in a way that would completely break his trust, that's it. He's done. It makes it difficult given an ex is also a teammate. Billy's a great source of advice for William, and very helpful in William's career. He's always offering ways to balance his civilian life and his work life, and gadgets to make his work life easier. Doesn't always work, but it's appreciated. Kim is also helpful in William's life, and he enjoys going on hikes and things with her. He appreciates his mom and Kim sat him down and asked permission once they were ready to properly date. It meant a lot. Of course the answer was yes, and he considers his step mom as a good friend. William's considering he might maybe be a little bit bi. for a villain. which...well. weirder things have happened to him.

Cestria;

Solaro Cranston is 25, and a very unusual hybrid. the Aquitarans were unsure if this could even be a thing, but Cestria (later realizing he was more of a Cestrio) and Billy decided to see anyway. Surprisingly, human and Aquitaran genetics are compatible. Solaro has some Aquiraran features, such as the face spotting, and needs to stay hydrated, but he's more human than Aquitaran. He spends his summers on earth however, with Billy, who is an interplanetary dilplomat with his now fully transitioned husband. Solaro is not associated with a color, but he is good friends with the legacy rangers. He's never been chosen by a color, but doesn't feel left out. Almost as smart as his parents, but like Cestrio he wants to be a healer in some form. Is working on getting into medical school. Billy is super proud of him. He and Cestrio are also considering a second child, but via other means, and Solaro is slightly weirded out by this but is overall supportive of his parents. Often gossips with Minh when he sees her. He quickly adopted her as adorable little sister.

Trini Kwan;

Minh, in this reality, Billy is the unnamed father. Minh and a younger brother, aged 10. Hao and Minh go to live with Zack after Billy inadvertently gets their mother-his wife-killed. as of course, he tells them the truth. Even after, they don't forgive him, but Minh does somewhat reconcile. Hao, however, needs time. Nobody blames the kids for not being able to forgive, least of all Billy.

Kimberly Hart;

Kimberly and Billy made a pact in early highschool if both of them were single by the time they were thirty, they'd get together. Incredibly, this happened. They have one son, Waylon Cranston. Aged 18. Waylon is a blue ranger and a gymnast. Not interested in romance or a lot of friendships, he's more goal oriented, and that means he's got a forty four step plan on becoming a gold medalist and the youngest geneticist in the world. For his own good, Billy actually suggested he see if Mighty Morphin Blue or Pink or...any color...work. Blue likes him. Waylon hates this but it's getting him out of his head and forcing him to learn how to be a team player. Still not interested in romance, but hey, nothing wrong with that. All Billy and Kim are happy over is that he's talking to people.

Zack Taylor;

They adopted Minh together basically. But in an alternate reality they got married and have two adopted kids, Harlow, aged 19, Selena, aged 17, and one kid by surrogate, Dylan, aged 9.

Harlow was adopted by Zack and Billy when he was seven, and is the first kid they adopted. He and the senator bonded over a shared love of music, and breakdancing. He bonded with Billy a little bit later over Billy mentioning that like Harlow, he used to have a fear of fish and water, and it was fine feeling irrational fear. Harlow tries really hard to make both his dads proud. He's got a lot of pressure he puts on himself. He's a perfectionist. Everything has to be perfect all the time. Billy's the first to try to get him to see the beauty in sometimes things just...not...being...perfect, and it's okay if he's not immediately good at things. Tommy Oliver is his favorite honorary uncle, and is a huge help with how he feels and living in a family. Is the blue ranger, alongside Selena, who is the orange ranger (there is no pink on their team).

Dylan was born a couple years before Selena was adopted. rambunctious kid. Gives his dads a heart attack all the time. His mom was Aisha, and his dad was Billy. There were long talks about it, but it was actually decided by a coin flip because Aisha could see they were psyching themselves out, and were going to talk themselves out of a choice they very much wanted. So she took charge for them. They love Dylan, and Dylan loves his dads, and his brother, and his sister. He likes music and playing pirates. He's one of the smartest kids in his grade school class, but Billy and Zack want him to make friends, so he's not allowed to jump a year. He does get supplemental lessons by both of them, though, so he doesn't stop being curious. Not associated with a color.

Selena has a lot of self doubt about being in this family, and doesn't get why Billy and Zack keep going to bat for her. They go to bat for her because they see in her a lot of themselves, and a lot of Tommy. She's a cheerleader at their school, and does baby sitting as a side job. She struggles to feel worthy of being the orange ranger, but she likes her new brothers, and she likes her dads, and she likes being able to show some of how grateful she feels back to them.

In a small variation, Minh would come live with all three of them as their sister and yellow ranger.

Jason Lee Scott;

Jason and Billy weren't actually expecting to get together; this kind of just. Happened. Jason's dad disinherited him, and Billy's parents welcomed Jason in with open arms. They've been together since Jason came back and became a scuba instructor. Billy became a science professor, Jason is still a scuba instructor. They have two kids, one adopted and one was a magic spell turned oopsie baby. Jackson is adopted, but not human. He's a Xybrian who ended up on earth after a freak accident with his parent's ship. He's purple haired, and Billy and Jason offered to take him in until a good Xybrian option could be found. No better options were found. He's 27 but still going to school as lifespans of Xybrians are far far longer than humans. He halves his time. school year is on Xybria, breaks are on earth. Extremely protective of little brother Zachary, who is seventeen. He does find it a bit of a whiplash, going from non psychic society to planet full of them, but he's adaptable. Is interested in becoming a cartographer. while associated with purple, he's not interested in being a ranger as of right now.

Zachary was intended to be something entirely different than what he is. Vile created the perfect copies of Billy and Jason's strengths and combined them. Unfortunately, this was what they themselves considered their strengths. Billy's intelligence of course, but his sense of fashion as well. Jason's fighing skills yes, but also his adaptability, and his sense of humor. Vile deemed this a failure, but instead of a spell destroying the young man, he got turned into a baby due to quick thinking from Zack and Rocky. Billy and Jason figured since he existed, they'd just raise him. He's fairly well adjusted, excitable, and really passionate. A little bit of a himbo, a little bit too smart for his own good too. not associated with any color. He was named Zachary Rocky Scott in honor of the two who managed to keep him alive.

Tommy Oliver;

After surviving the world of the coinless together, the two got very close. Tommy was the first person Billy came out to, Billy was the first guy Tommy went all the way with. They have one daughter. Her name is Amanda Oliver. Aged 19. Amanda is adopted, and completely spoiled by her dads. She wants for nothing, and she loves them back deeply. She's a karate instructor, and a power ranger mentor. She's got a really open relationship with her parents, and trusts them to trust her, and they do. A little bit of a heartbreaker, finds it difficult to lie, loves science and kids.

Eugene Skullovitch;

After being best friends as kids, then not, then sort of friends, then maybe more...they have two kids. Charlie Cranston, aged twenty two, and Oscar "Skid" Cranston, aged twenty. Charlie and Oscar are both via a science experiment, where Billy combined his and Eugene's genetic codes in a randomizer, to see if anything would happen that was viable as a sperm and egg equivalent. Yes, he got permission for this from Eugene. He sold the patent, and lives happily with his and Eugene's kids. Charlie is a blue solar ranger. She has been since she was seventeen. Billy didn't know at first and when he found out....he grounded her for not telling him. Then came back thirty minutes later, apologized, ungrounded her, and told her to be careful. Eugene doesn't get it as much but he's trying, he really is. He worries more than Billy, though Billy does often find himself staring up at the stars on late nights with tea in his hand, knots in his stomach and hoping he sees his daughter for Christmas. It's different, somehow, when they're in space and not in town.

Oscar is friends with a Bulkmeier, of course. He's the family "problem child", in a general sense. The prankster, and he's super smart. He is mild enough nobody really thinks he's as smartass and clever as he is. His entire motivation is cause as much chaos as possible. He used to prank his sister once a month until she left, and he's the one who let slip she's a power ranger because she was thrown through a building in front of him. She didn't know he knew, and he's been apologizing since via no more pranks, and gifts. so many gifts. Her favorite foods, updates on her favorite bands, jewelry she'd like. He doesn't have to but he feels bad. This was the closest they ever got to the family splintering. Trini, Zack, and Jason do their best to help the three deal with Charlie in space. Oscar works as a janitor, isn't really interested in dealing with school or anything. He likes doing his hobbies while having a stable job.

variation; they get together when he helps Skull with his newborn son. Spike takes care of his little siblings, and helped Oscar get his nickname and his current job. Billy is eternally caring to his adopted kid, and does the best he can by Spike.

variation 2; Charlie becomes Charlie from A Team. This time, Billy DOES ground her. she never hears the end of it

Matthew Cook;

When Billy loses his ranger status and goes to work for Grace, Matt is also there as the green ranger. Billy keeps his distance for a while; the guy is more or less a massive dick. Especially over something that wasn’t Billy’s fault. Billy’s also not taking pot shots at his friends or Zordon over it with Matt. They start dating after the War, and Matt’s final betrayal. More because he finally wore Billy down, but Billy had a good time hanging out with him again. And then both of them had the rude realization at the same time of “I am attracted to this man-fuck he noticed-oh he’s into it” which snowballed. They adopted one kid, and had another via help from alien technology mixed with a little magic. Nora, aged 26, is a professional hockey player. Matt decided he was going to support her sport even if it wasn’t his sport. Billy quickly developed a love of baseball at one of her events when she was little. Mostly because this game is ridiculous. Though he does worry about her on the ice. A lot. They adopted her when she was five, and she’s loud and enthusiastic and very rarely is she ever sad or genuinely upset. Her opinion on things is mostly “be friendly at it or challenge it to a fight” and generally speaking the options work enough she’s never needed to figure out other plans of action. She met her wife during a game. She’s from an opposing team. Nora gave her a concussion; she knocked Nora’s front teeth out. This was par for the course and they bonded in hospital. Billy’s still trying to figure out HOW. Matt thinks it’s hilarious. Is the green dragon ranger. She is legitimately feared by most and can solve most problems without suiting up. The threat is enough.

Their other child is Abner. He’s socially transitioning, he’s 18. He wants to be a writer. He and his sister have a very loving if slightly antagonistic relationship. When Abner came out to her, Nora’s response was “well now you don’t need to steal my clothes. Give them back” which lead to an argument but not the one Abner was expecting. They negotiated the clothing situation. Abner’s not giving back a pair of boots; they look way too good on him. Matt and Billy both support him. Matt sometimes slips up with name, however he’s quick to correct himself. Billy helped Abner choose his name, and was the first person he came out to. Abner is a little self conscious about his looks, and about his public image. More in regards to if he’s going to make his family look bad. Like Matt he tends to brood and focus on negative details way too much. Like Billy he tends to strive for perfection and his vocabulary makes it hard for people to understand him.

-

if I missed any of the many many love interests/head cannoned/forced romantic possibles, please let me know! I will add them as I see them

[scavengerssuccotash]

This might get me in BIG trouble but I’m craving (possible) angst

Is there any form of Laura/farm fam in your headcanons?

Nah you’re good!

For my romantic Clintasha headcanon there IS a Laura Barton, though not in the way you might expect! (I’m also still operating under the assumption that Laura is not Mockingjay/Agent 19, nor a retired SHIELD agent. I found that reveal in Hawkeye series to be a rather lazy-hearted to import character development that was previously mishandled during the dreaded farm family introduction.)

Although I won’t spoil too much as it would interfere with future installments of my Sightline fic Universe. So all I can really say is that she is married to…Barney Barton! I have a backstory in mind for her and I’m really excited to explore her dynamic as it relates to Clint, Barney and Natasha.

(I have a very particular scene in mind in which Clint delivers his nephew/niece in the barn manger style with Natasha completely fascinated and disgusted at the birth, considering she herself is unable to have children. It spurs our lovebirds into conversations revolving around the idea of parenthood and Natasha lamenting her inability to provide that and Clint questioning if perhaps he does want a family someday. As of currently he emphatically does not, which ultimately caused the breakup between him and Barbara Morse/Mockingjay. So a nice bit of character development AND angst.)

As for the kiddos I’m transferring the parental ties from Clint to his brother Barney basically. It’s my way to have my cake and eat it too! I really have an entire backstory in mind for both Barney and Laura which will uncover dark secrets, a “from a certain perspective” Star Wars style plot twist involving Phil, and the introduction of Kate, and Kingpin. As of now, however, all I can reliably say is that this particular plot point is at least two installments from even getting started as I’m writing the Sightline Universe chronologically which covers Early SHIELD days/Pre-Avengers to Endgame.

(I’m fully aware that I’ll probably be in a nursing home ranting and raving about this fic universe until I’m dead 😭)

Once the Snap happens that dynamic and Laura’s role and relationship with Clint gets deliciously complicated, but alas I can’t say much. (Think telenovela level of drama, but the gist is that Natasha gets dusted, and Clint is all alone.)

Not a very satisfying answer to this ask in terms of romantically entangled Clintasha, so I apologize!

(If anyone knows of an MCU equivalent of this gif I’d be grateful! Lol)

[tomwambsmilk]

watching yellowjackets is a complicated and fascinating experience to me because the bones of something sooooooo good and cool and interesting are there, and truly I think the problem with the show is that the writers weren't quite skilled enough to execute their vision in a way that fully works and is thematically coherent. and that's not even a huge black mark against them because I think it would, in fact, take quite a bit of skill to successfully execute the premise of yellowjackets.

I think big-picture the main problems are: 1) there hasn't been enough thought to what they want to say about, idk, the experience of adolescence, or the socialization of women, or relationships between women, or how aggression manifests in those relationships, or any one of a number of topics that could have really grounded the show by connecting the wild and fantastical things that happen to people's real-life lived experiences. For example, I think Misty is a huge missed opportunity because there could have been a real "USS Callister" type plot with her where it's clear that she's socially shunned and it's also clear that she treats people horribly and selfishly, but it's not clear which came first. do they shun her because of how she behaves or does she behave this way because she's shunned? I would have loved to see an exploration of the really complicated ways in which kids who are socially ostracized can end up developing some really harmful personality traits which further ostracize them, and how this developed into her role as a nurse which gives her control over vulnerable people. instead they went more in the direction of "misty is fucking crazy isn't she" which is very fun for sure but feels somewhat shallow without that exploration. I think there's quite a few cases where a potentially nuanced or interesting plot or character development is jettisoned in favour of something that's "more fun"

2) they're bad at giving their characters, ESPECIALLY their secondary characters, any depth. most grating example to me is Laura Lee who is just the Girl Who Is Christian and has no personality beyond that. but she's just the most extreme version of a problem which I think plagues all the characters except possibly Shauna. every other character feels so much like a Type it's hard to care about them as people rather than as agents of a story. Jackie is Insecure Pretty Popular Girl In a Codependent Friendship, Natalie is the Druggie Burnout From A Bad Home, Misty is the Bullied Kid Who Turns Out to Be a Bad Apple, Taissa is the Bullheaded Strong Confident Independent Leader Who is Also Kind of Shitty and Doesn't Listen. I'm not sure why Shauna is the exception to the Types, but I think a lot of what the story does with adult Shauna (especially re: deceased Jackie representing everything Shauna wants to be and is not) is some of its best and most interesting stuff, and 80% of why I'm still watching, and I wish they could've brought some of that to at least the other main characters.

3) the lack of subtext. the amount of dialogue where I cringe because it's someone bluntly stating something which I think would have felt more convincing and would have hit harder if it was instead communicated through subtext. the worst example of this imo is when Jeff and Shauna visit Jackie's parents for the birthday lunch, but it's everywhere.

so watching it is continually frustrating in a way mediocre shows usually aren't because it could have been good!!! it could have been so good!!!! and in a weird way that circles back to part of the appeal for me because I'm so enthralled with the premise that I'm constantly thinking about what I would have done with it as a writer, which is a fun exercise. I'm not quite finished season 1 yet but I am going to keep watching for sure if only for that and that alone

[manuscripts-dontburn]

The Heroines

Author: Laura Shepperson

First published: 2023

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Somebody else said this felt more like a fanfiction rather than a serious literary retelling and I have to agree, while I also add this particular fanfiction was super sub-par and messy. There is a plethora of characters who all sound exactly the same. ALL the men are awful. ALL the women are abused EVERY night by ALL these men. And ALL the characters are absolutely unbelievable within the context of the myth. These are yet again, 20th-century people. Furthermore, I was bothered by the usage of expressions like "madam", "land ahoy" and "ex-husband" in what is supposed to be an ancient Greek myth. And the Viking culture, from one of the minor characters, is supposed to come..... did not exist at the same time as the Ancient Athens. So bad.

The Pearl: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in Catherine the Great's Russia

Author: Douglas Smith

First published: 2008

Rating: ★★★★☆

There are very few books in English that focus on Russian nobility (while there are plenty on the tsars). Douglas Smith wrote Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy in which he showed how that nobility was systematically wiped out after 1917, however in The Pearl he plunges right into what was probably the most spectacular time for that same privileged class. The unusual story of a nobleman and a serf getting married serves the narrative as a sort of Ariadne´s yarn, as the book provides quite a detailed and fascinating description of the phenomenon that was the serf-theater. The author does not paint the affair as a romantic fairytale, acknowledging facts like Praskovia being figuratively her lover´s property, the age difference (which, back then, was not really seen as an issue), and the power dynamics. I found the subject very interesting and the writing clear and infused with enough poetry of language not to be dry and academic.

Matilda

Author: Mary Shelley

First published: 1959

Rating: ★★★★★

In spite of the lack of action and being very, very wordy indeed, this book held me completely captive thanks to the beautiful language and especially the psychological depth. This ladies and gentlemen, would be a stunning candidate for a re-telling in a proper novel form.

The Fair Botanists

Author: Sara Sheridan

First published: 2021

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The greatest enjoyment I had from this book was walking the Edinburgh streets in my mind because I had visited the city last year and fell in love with it. However, even though the writing is very good, the storyline failed to capture my attention and seemed, indeed, rather boring.

The Tres Riches Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry

Author: Jean Longnon, Raymond Cazelles

First published: 1440

Rating: ★★★★★

Stunning presentation of a remarkable book. Besides beautifully drawn biblical stories some of the plates show life in medieval times, almost like a time capsule.

House of the Spirits

Author: Isabel Allende

First published: 1982

Rating: ★★★★☆

If I should compare this book to something, it would be to a lovechild of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman and books by Vaddey Rattner (though the pain in the latter´s books is inflicted by the exact opposite side than the one in this). While Isabel Allende´s style is not exactly to my taste, the family saga she wove in this book is fantastic from beginning to end, with its weird, unique, and, yes, even downright awful people. However, the sexual musings of the men were uncomfortable and unnecessary.

The Agency for Scandal

Author: Laura Wood

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★☆☆

This is a great book when you just want something sweet and to relax. Full of tropes (including there was only one bed), and a little basic when it comes to the plot (the idea of a Victorian secret society of undercover lady agents made me want much more than what was delivered), but charming in the way it is uncomplicated.

Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar

Author: Simon Sebag Montefiore

First published: 2003

Rating: ★★★★☆

Very impressive biography of a terrible person. I have not read much on Stalin (though I have researched the lives of ordinary people of Russia under his regime) so I have little to compare this to in terms of accuracy. However, the author, as always, never fails to present everything as the golden truth - including the mental aerobics of maniacs. Perhaps some skepticism and doubt would suit his over-confident narrative.

A Gathering of Shadows

Author: V.E. Schwab

First published: 2016

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This felt as long as a 30-year war. The first 300 pages are a painfully slow set-up, that is actually so elaborate (and full of passages that just did not need to exist, because they were extremely repetitive) that when something actually does happen near the very end, there is no surprise or twist at all. I mightily disliked most of the main characters (Lila is insufferable) and the villains had the actual best motivation out of everybody. Also, I felt that considering that the whole book kept talking about the Elemental Games, the games themselves had very little to do with the actual plot and left no impact whatsoever. I need to think on whether I even want to read the third book - but knowing myself I probably will, because I am a completionist.

Divine Rivals

Author: Rebecca Ross

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★★☆

If you loved Lovely War, you will love this one. The romance is impossibly sweet and well-paced, and by the end of the book, you feel that the happiness or tragedy of your two protagonists is really your personal business. I loved the medium of letters and found the atmosphere of war slowly but surely marching on to you believable and realistic. I really, really liked this - and was bummed out to realize this is not a stand-alone! I want the second book now, please!

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

PARADISE IS BURNING (PARADISET BRINNER) (2023)

Starring Bianca Delbravo, Dilvin Asaad, Safira Mossberg, Ida Engvoll, Marta Oldenburg, Mitja Siren and Alexander Ohrstrand.

Screenplay by Mika Gustafson and Alexander Ohrstrand.

Directed by Mika Gustafson.

Distributed by Room 8 Films. 108 minutes. Not Rated.

Swedish writer-director Mika Gustafson’s feature debut Paradise Is Burning doesn’t exactly have much of a plot, per se, although much of the action revolves around a very specific situation. However, the film has a loose and ambling randomness, much like the characters it is following around. Yet, at the same time, there is a real sense of gravity and tragedy lingering around the corners.

Feeling much like a documentary (Gustafson had previously worked on docs) the film (mostly) focuses on three sisters. The oldest is 16-year-old Laura (Bianca Delbravo) who has been watching over her, 12-year-old sister Mira (Dilvin Asaad) and seven-year-old Steffi (Safira Mossberg) while their mother is gone. Mom obviously takes off on a fairly regular basis for extended periods of time and so Laura is forced into the mother’s role.

They spend a lot of time with other girls from their neighborhood, breaking into homes to get food or use the pool or just for kicks. Laura is far from being a terrific role model and is quite confused about her own life, but she does love her sisters and does her best to get them from home to school, to cook for them, and shield them from harm.

Paradise is Burning takes a look at a few days in their lives, when Laura receives a call from Family Services that they need to do a wellness check on the girls and their mother the upcoming Monday. And while this eventuality does force a certain amount of focus on Laura – she has to either track down mom or find someone else to pretend to be the mother. And she does, on and off, throughout the film, but there is so much more going on here.

After all, lack of parental supervision can lead in many directions. Life can be hard, but it can also be freeing having no one ever telling you what to do. And these three sisters do not seem to be the only ones going through this, several other neighborhood girls seem to have nothing better to do than hang out and party. (There do not seem to be many boys in this town.)

Each of the sisters have a few plot threads, but the main ones show Laura getting into an odd friendship with an apparently emotionally bruised thirty-ish local housewife names Hanna (Ida Engvoll). Hanna catches Laura escaping from breaking into a neighbor’s house and becomes fascinated by her life. Laura agrees to show her what it is like to break into a home, but she never quite realizes that the older woman is not as involved in their relationship as Laura is.

Mira is growing up, dealing with her first period and is completely uninterested in school. However, she befriends a neighbor’s slightly sleazy older boyfriend and becomes obsessed with managing him as a contestant in a local karaoke contest.

The youngest, Steffi, in the meantime, is slowly but steadily growing angrier and angrier, both with the world in general and her oldest sister specifically. She spends much of her time hanging in an empty lot with a younger friend breaking most anything they can.

There are not pretty, sanitized answers in Paradise is Burning. We never find out what happens with the Family Services meeting. However, it shows us a fascinating, unvarnished view of family and aimlessness and it feels all the more real for its messiness.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: September 7, 2024.

[redjademilktea]

For the CR ask game questions: Dwarf, rogue, and barbarian! ☺️

HI HI thanks for the ask <3

dwarf: what is your favorite one-shot

It has the be the Elder Scrolls Online three parter they did before campaign 3 kicked off!! Does that count as a one-shot? I'm counting it as a one-shot. I already love the setting of Tamriel, but there was something so charming about the low-stakes "Hey, we're just trying to run a tavern here" vibe of the characters and plot. I still think about Sam reading off that incredibly long-winded order full of restaurant slang before rolling a natural 1 to finish off the episode xD

Oh, and Laura was playing a barbarian that was wonderful too!!

rogue: what was a moment that made you cry

You know this more than anyone, but Laudna dying was probably the most devastated over a fictional death in a long, long time. There was the inherent teseness of the emotional stakes in the moment (that Otohan fight, like the more recent one, was BRUTAL), of course. But, after the dust settled (both literally and figuratively), the tragedy of the situation regarding Laudna and her story really set in for me. That moment really clarified for me how much I love that spooky dead tree lady!!

barbarian: who is your favorite villain

Oh! Tough one!!! Can you count Liliana as a villain? I guess that's the really compelling part of her character because I can see the argument in all its facets. There's that tweet that always gets brought up about how Imogen has all the makings of a classic villain, motivations and all, but actively chooses to be good. And I think it's a wonderful story choice to have Liliana serve as that foil for her.

Liliana misses tending to the horses too. Liliana also dealt with the trauma, isolation, and loneliness brought upon her via her Ruidusborn nature. Liliana's only crime up until the point she joined the Ruby Vanguard was - much like Imogen - simply being born when a cursed moon housing an ancient god killer decided to flare.

It's these parallels that make Imogen's struggles with her mother so visceral. Imogen understands Liliana's motivations. She understands her struggles. But, most importantly, she simply can't understand the choices Liliana made regarding the Vanguard, working with Ludinus, etc. Why can't she just leave? Push back against the pull of Predathos? Why can't she see the harm she's causing, especially to someone she supposedly loves? Imogen can and has. What's so different about Liliana's situation? What is piece is Imogen missing from this puzzle?

It's no wonder why Imogen has those same feelings of abandonment trudged up every time Liliana - in Imogen's eyes - makes the choice to stay. Further, it's no wonder why Imogen can never fully let go of the prospect that her mother could be saved.

They are so similar after all. If Imogen could just figure out the right words to say. Find the right time to say them. If she just knew what thing she could do to hammer home the fact that the daughter she's so desperate to save is right there in front of her. A daughter that wants nothing more than for her mother to come home.

(Well, other than a dead lady who spookily animates random objects as a girlfriend, but she already has that).

I'm excited to see where the story goes regarding Liliana. Regardless of how it plays out, it's bound to lead Imogen to such fascinating places on a character level, and I can't wait!!

[nautilicious]

why you should watch fruits basket

I love this show and I think more people should see it. Not just because it's brilliant, but because it will give you good feelings. I've needed good feelings lately.

Fruits Basket is an anime that got rebooted in 2019. (The 2001 version is all right, but it's incomplete and does some weird stuff with the story because there wasn't enough of the manga published at the time to show more. The 2019 version is much better, so watch that one.) I don't know a ton about anime, but Fruits Basket is really something special. It's way more than a high school slice-of-life show with a wide-eyed protagonist.

Fruits Basket is emotional as fuck, but in a good way. In that, "I want to experience feelings and catharsis but not be flattened" kind of way. And the majority of the feelings are good ones.

Many of the characters have tragic backstories, and the mains are under a curse, but that's just a brilliant plot setup for a story that's about trust, connection and friendship. Relationships. Personal growth. Found family. Healing. Kindness.

The main character is kind in a way that, as an American viewer, led to fascinating conversations about how kind we could be vs how kind we should be, and Buddhist values vs the American emphasis on personal boundaries...great food for thought all around. (If you're not American, I'd especially like to hear what you think of her!)

The animation is gorgeous. All of the main characters are very attractive. And fascinating: each one of them are motivated by very different things, and yet kind of all the same thing, too. There isn't a one that couldn't have a ton of fanfic written about them.

The story focuses on the female main character and the two boys closest to her, but it's not a love triangle. The boys do both want her affection, however, the competition between them is about much more than that. I love this about the show! In some anime it would be all love triangle all the time, but this is instead a very complex and fascinating connection between three people that changes all of their lives.

The English voice acting is spectacular. I almost never say this, but: watch it in English. (Laura Bailey plays the main character, and one of the behind-the-scenes interviews said that her work on the 2001 Fruits Basket was so amazing that it inspired other voice actors to imitate her style, causing a shift in the whole industry.)

Despite the manga having begun in 1998, the show is quite progressive. For example, while nothing is stated explicitly -- because nothing was, back then -- it's clear there are bisexual characters, and more than one person we might now call genderfluid. Yes, there are a few things the author could have handled better, but I consider them cultural artifacts from that time. The author writes with such emotional intelligence that, if she were writing today, I know she'd do even better with these characters.

And the ending? The ending pays everything off, exactly how you'd want to see it. It's a fantastic journey, start to finish. It gives me such warm feelings and enjoyment. Even the stuff that makes me cry (in a good way -- we do not stan shows that leave us devastated, not in the year of our grog 2022).

If you watch it, I will watch it with you, or squee with you after every episode, speculate, discuss, and analyze. And even if you don't include me, I encourage you to do it anyway. Happy viewing!

[princeescaluswords]

Peter shouldn't be held accountable for murdering his own niece because he was "mad" yet we are supposed to take him at his word when in his ravings to Meredith he said Talia made them "weak" 🤔🤨

This question, and bear with me here because I understand how people could imagine this process is a stretch, made me think about intersectionality. Ever since I read Crenshaw's work on the phenomenon, it's been fascinating to me (I have that privilege). In Peter's case, I believe I can say that the fandom's treatment of his physical and emotional distress due to the fire is ableism. It's used to isolate fandom behavior from criticism and it works hand-in-hand with racism, sexism, and classism.

(In my mind's eye, I can see the pitchforks grabbed and torches lit.)

Ableism, as I have learned, isn't simply denying the value of a person with a disability. It's can also be reducing their entire existence to a function of that disability.

In this character's case, fandom's ableism manifests in the use of a character's trauma to simply ignore any attempt to question their approval of a character who's main activities are manipulation and murder. And they do approve, wholeheartedly. Those times in the show where Peter faced consequences for his actions are seen as injustices because they neglect the trauma he endured, even though most of the actions he undertakes are unconnected to either the event or the character’s ability to cope with the event.

The teenagers that Peter manipulates, assaults, and attempts to murder have nothing to do with his being burned and then enduring locked-in syndrome.  Even if they somehow believe that Allison should die because her aunt killed people when Allison was eleven or even if they believe that Scott is a bad person because he didn't care enough about Peter's pain to murder Stiles on Peter's command, Liam had absolutely nothing to do with anything that ever happened to Peter. They hadn't had a scene together before Smoke & Mirrors (4x12), but Peter's earlier incapacity is used to justify a plot that would have killed Liam just as dead.

The ableism manifests when Peter's physical and mental trauma is used by fandom to justify everything he has ever done, because it becomes the reason he acts that way without any visible link. They argue that he cannot be held to any standard because he was hurt.

Where does the sexism, classism, and racism come in? These other factors enable the fandom to use Peter's physical and emotional trauma to excuse his actions while being able to deny similar excuse to others. Take Laura. How many times have you heard fandom argue that Peter can be excused for killing Laura because she abandoned him (not that we know if she actually did. It was never implied in the show, not even by Peter.)? Laura's actions are criticized but her trauma isn't given the same weight -- or any weight at all -- just as Lydia's, Jennifer's, and Tamora's traumas aren't given any consideration.

On the other hand, Derek, as a member of Peter's respected, wealthy family, is treated as if he had the right to execute him and take the alpha power, because he's the sole remaining heir, but whoever sent Peter to Eichen House (if it wasn't, as I suspected, Derek himself) is wrong because apparently they don't have the right to pass judgment on the Hales? Even though Peter twice commented on the injustice of Derek's act, you never see fandom excoriating Derek for making that call.

And, of course, Scott even after all the trauma he endured (turned, mind-controlled, Berserkerfied) is expected to render flawless and uniform justice on Peter, taking into account his pain and suffering and ignoring his own. Why can they watch Peter murder ten people because of his trauma and demand he evade punishment but Scott can't even reject Peter's philosophy without deserving death?

(As an aside, it's always hilarious to me how Peter stans argue that Peter is treated unfairly compared to Theo and Theo stans argue that Theo is treated unfairly compared to Peter.)

But my point is that Peter's physical and mental trauma is given greater weight than the what others endured because of racism, sexism, and classism, and, in turn, the ableism -- reducing Peter's actions solely to a product of his physical and emotional pain -- is used to cover instances of racism, sexism and classism in the fandom.

If Lydia screamed the top of Peter's head right off his body for possessing her and then turned around and did it to Derek for sending his betas to kill her, would fandom have accepted that she went through a traumatic ordeal? You know as well as I do that they wouldn't. They barely recognize what happened to her as debilitating, even though she talks about it repeatedly throughout the production.

If the families of these hurt and dead teenagers sued the Hales and the Argents for the physical and emotional trauma they caused, would the fandom recognize this as a legitimate consequence of the Hale's actions?

If Scott had not been noble and simply tore off Peter's head and put it on the altar of Tezcatlipoca as a symbol that he was done with Hale Family Nonsense, would fandom acknowledge that he had a right to do so as long as he focused "only on the responsible ones?"

People who aren't white, male, and a member of a powerful and respected family don't get the same consideration for their pain as Peter and Derek. It always amazes me how Scott can be hated for "well, then they had a reason" after he had just spent an entire episode risking his life to save Derek only to have Derek shout at him. It amazes me how Jennifer's mutilation and quest to destroy the alpha pack can't justify the murders of innocents but Peter's attempt to kill Stiles, Allison, Jackson and Lydia in Night School in order to turn Scott into the killer he needs and the risking of Malia's, Kira's, Stiles's, and Liam's lives in La Iglesias seems acceptable collateral damage.

Of course, the answer is a combination of the Trauma Olympics (apparently, Peter's coma scores more points than Jennifer's mutilated face) and the feeble defense which could be made that Peter didn't succeed in murdering seven teenagers, so it somehow makes it okay? Why? Could it possibly be that Jennifer is a woman and not part of an aristocratic pack of born werewolves?

This is too long already, and I haven't even gotten into how fandom treats Alan Deaton, Marin Morrell, and Tamora Monroe. Or even how this confluence of prejudices similarly manifests in other fandoms (look at the way they use trauma and disability to insulate other characters from culpability -- see Kylo Ren and Tony Stark among others).

I'm more than willing to engage with good faith counter arguments.