#laurel rewatch got

[laurellerual]

Laurel rewatch GoT - Part 15

A name for Gendry

In the books Arya adds Dunsen to her list for the simple crime of robbing Gendry of his helmet. Even after parting ways with Gendry on less than happy terms, she continues to repeat Dunsen's name in her prayer. It may be just a stolen object, but it seems clear that for her the wrong suffered by the Bull is very serious, in fact she places it on the same level as Polliver robbing her of Needle.

In the show, Arya adds three names to the list because of Gendry. These are Beric and Thoros, who betrayed him and sold him like one sells a slave, and Melisandre who bought him and essentially kidnapped him with the veiled intention of harming him. Except that at a certain point she totally forgets that for some reason, and removes them from the list. And the most wtf thing is that we find out about this change the same night she and Gendry have sex. I mean, she's been flirting with him for days, it's clear that she's still fond of him... but since he survived Dragonstone, I guess the buying and selling of human beings is forgiven and forgotten?!

[halfstayed]

for real (!!!) there’s definitely some tension there, especially when picking up the mask basically REQUIRES her to be disillusioned with the system. and i feel like working at the DA’s office contributed quite heavily to her frustration (and general unhappiness) in s2. because you’re directly participating in a broken system. and in her single-minded focus to catch the vigilante she chose to cast that aside, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t living that very reality still… like with the case of prosecuting moira, it doesn’t matter whether she personally believes in or wants to do it, she still has to. and i imagine some level of dissonance there, especially for someone who is fundamentally motivated by compassion.

actually laurel should’ve been a public defender after CNRI

[themysteriousashe]

your dirty little mind || cs55 and cl16

notes: this is my first threesome smut, and it is grammarly edited, so wording and/or flow might be weird. i was inspired by all the sweaty videos and pics of the two ferrari boys from the charity game on tuesday. additionally, i listened to charles jeffrey by ray laurel on repeat to write this.

warnings: smut, threesome, p in v sex, oral sex (male and female receiving) anal sex, penetrative sex, minors dni, 18+ only, grammarly edited

word count: 4.2k (just under, but rounded up)

The game was intense. First, Charles ate shit to try to make a goal, and Carlos was injured. The whole football match had you gnawing your bottom lip in nerves but also in anticipation. Watching the two men play and gradually become drenched in sweat did something to you. Maybe that something was remembering the nights the three of you spent together, bodies moving passionately and sweat glistening on various shades of skin. Your hands gripped the fabric of your linen pants, one foot tapping to release the energy building in your system.

The weather wasn’t hot, sitting at a pleasant 72 degrees Fahrenheit, but your body grew worked up during the match from anxiety and being turned on. You would curse mentally whenever you saw the boys wipe their faces with their shirts, revealing the chiseled abdomen hiding underneath. Carlos’s boxers peeking out from his shorts almost ruined you, your mind flickering to a time you took them off of him. They would catch your eye occasionally, shooting a smile your way. Each time, your cheeks heated up, and you shifted in your seat to get more comfortable.

As soon as the match ended, you followed the crowd filtering out of the game. As you patiently waited, your phone buzzed in your bag; the bag was close enough to your body that you felt your phone go off, and you immediately reached in, curious about who could have texted you. The message was from Charles, surprising you at how fast he could return to the locker room.

You smiled to yourself, knowing you were egging Charles on. You tucked your phone away, descending the steps to the line of cars waiting for people. You walked the line of vehicles, avoiding people standing on the sidewalk. Carlos demanded you have a driver since you were in Monaco, the city of luxury and allure. It was a fight you would never win, despite telling him how many times you didn’t need one. Charles hopped in, taking Carlos’s side. His selling point was the two couldn’t be seen with you before the race events; it needed to be after.

You begrudgingly accepted his reasoning, agreeing to the driver on the condition you wanted a ride in Charles’s Ferrari; once it was acceptable, you could be seen together without speculation arising on the internet. The driver was an older gentleman standing outside a black car with tinted windows. You greeted him, giving him Charles’s address. It was an apartment you visited what felt like a million times; it wasn’t foreign to you and was a familiar hook-up spot for the three of you if you all happened to be near. You got into the car, the driver closing the door behind you, and buckled up for the driver.

The ride to the apartment was quiet. To keep yourself occupied and at ease, despite your heart hammering in your chest at what was to come, you scrolled your phone, already seeing photos of Charles and Carlos in the match. You bit your lip, shamelessly rewatching the clips of Charles lifting his shirt and wiping his face with the jersey. When you were about to close Instagram, you were greeted by a post to Charles’s story. You tapped on it, a snort leaving your nose in amusement. You typed a quick message to him, saying, “Me fr,” knowing he’d get a kick out of it. 

You loved how Charles could joke about his mistakes and watch the fans’ reactions. Watching the internet speculate about his personality filled you with pride because the both of you frequently sent each other stupid shit daily. So the internet wasn’t wrong when they claimed Charles was a meme lord.

The car pulled to the apartment, and you thanked the driver, undoing your seatbelt. You assured him he didn’t need to exit the vehicle, stating you could open the door yourself. He smiled at you in the rearview, and you returned the smile as you opened the car door. You stepped out, gazing up at the looming apartment building before you. Your lips quirked up in a smile as you pushed the door closed, stepping forward towards the entrance.

You typed in the code to his apartment as you had done many times before, a buzz and the click of the door unlocking signaling your access. You carefully opened the door, sliding through as thin of a crack as you could. You greeted the security with a nod and a smile, receiving one in return as you headed towards the elevator. You clicked the up arrow, pulled out your phone, and checked your notifications while waiting for it to come down. Once the doors opened, revealing an empty car, you stepped in and pressed the button to Charles’s floor, immediately pressing the button to close the doors quicker.

The elevator ascended, your heart pounding as to what was to come. Your phone was tucked in your bag, your eyes intently watching the numbers tick until a ding announced your arrival. The doors opened, and you stepped out, walking to Charles’s door. You knew it would be unlocked since the boys didn’t want you to mess with a key and prolong the fun. You opened the door, walked in, and closed it behind you. As soon as the door closed, a figure appeared before you and immediately smashed his lips on yours. His hands made their way to your body, gripping your waist while the other grabbed your back.

Immediately, your body reacted to the action, your arm falling and your hand tucking your bag off, letting it fall to the floor. You returned the kiss with the same fervor, hands flying into the dark strands. By feeling alone, you could tell it was Carlos, as he was a little bulkier than Charles. His tongue immediately parted your lips, and you moaned, letting him explore your mouth and teasing him with your tongue. He pressed you against the door, the hand on your back falling to your rear. He gripped your ass, pulling your flesh against his body. You could feel the slight presence of an erection pressing against your thigh through his jeans.

“Starting the fun without me?” Charles asked, leaning in his bedroom doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. You pulled away from Carlos, soft pants leaving both of you. His pupils were blown wide, pushing the beautiful brown to the edges. You looked over at Charles, smirking as you pulled away from Carlos. You began to head towards him, a pat on your bum from Carlos causing a jump in your step.

“Carlos was just saying hello, Leclerc. I do enjoy his greetings,” you teased, gently pushing Charles in the middle of his chest as you entered the bedroom. He chuckled, following Carlos in. You turned in the center of the room, the darkness from the large windows penetrated by the soft lighting of bedside lamps.

“Now you have me here,” you said, sticking your arms and hands out to the side of you before they dropped back down.

“Now you’re here,” Carlos responded, his eyes scanning you up and down. A flirty smirk was on his lips, and you smiled. Charles stepped forward, reaching out and taking one of your hands in his, tugging you into him.

“I think it’s my turn, mon chérie,” Charles purred, leaning down so his nose brushed against yours. You looked up at him through your lashes, lips parted and breath speeding up.

“Now it’s your turn,” you whispered, reaching up to clutch the opened button-up and t-shirt combination that Charles frequently wore. He leaned down and kissed you, not as rough as Carlos’s kiss. That was the difference between them: Carlos loved to devour, and Charles liked to savor. As Charles and you kissed, Carlos stepped forward, stepping behind you. He set a hand on your hip, using the other to move your hair to the other side. He began to leave kisses on your neck, starting below your ear.

You gently moaned into the kiss, tightening and untightening your grip on Charles’s button-up as Carlos kissed your neck and Charles’s licked your bottom lip, asking for entry to your mouth. You happily let him in, his hands slipping between the both of you to begin unbuttoning the linen shirt you wore. His fingers grazed the curves of your breasts as he continued down, causing your breath to hitch in the kiss. Once all the buttons were undone, you pulled your arms back from your shoulders, letting Carlos remove the top and drop it to the ground.

Once Carlos removed your shirt, he had better access to more skin. He kissed down your neck to your shoulder, nipping at the curve of skin between them. You shuddered, goosebumps forming on your skin. You pulled away from Charles’s kiss, panting softly as you looked at him. Your eyes remained locked with his bright green ones, pushing the button-up off his shoulders. He removed it, dropping it to the ground. Your hands went to the hem of his t-shirt, fingers sliding underneath to graze the chiseled skin of his abdomen. You gently scratched his skin with your nails, pushing the shirt up. He helped you remove the shirt, bare on his torso except for the necklace around his neck.

You turned around, Carlos’s lips breaking away from your skin. He smiled at you, reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. Charles traced your curves with his hands, pressing up behind you. You could feel his arousal behind you, teeth gently biting your lip as you undid the buttons on Carlos’s shirt. You held intense eye contact, your fingers moving in a familiar rhythm. Inch by inch, Carlos’s torso was revealed until there were no more buttons.

You tore your gaze away, ogling at the Spanish beauty before you. You touched his warm skin and danced your fingers along the curves. Charles hooked his fingers in the waistband of your linen pants, leaning forward to pepper kisses on your right shoulder. You reached up under the shoulders of Carlos’s shirt and pushed the fabric away. The shirt flowed off his arms, falling to the floor. He reached forward, cupping your cheek before kissing you, his lips revealing his hunger for you.

Charles’s kisses on your skin flowed down your back, his teeth nipping at your hips through your panties as he slid your pants down. He kneeled behind you once the material pooled at your feet, kissing upward. Instinctively, you stepped out of the clothing despite being occupied with Carlos, who massaged one of your breasts through your bra. Charles stood up to his complete form, kissing your shoulder once more as his hand swept across your skin to your panties.

Your eyes immediately flew open as soon as you felt Charles’s hand slip beneath the material of your panties and graze your clit, going to feel your wetness between your folds. The kiss was broken as a moan left your lips, your back arching into Charles. Carlos chuckled between his pants, swiping his thumb across his bottom lip. He attacked your neck with kisses, nipping and sucking at the skin.

You squirmed between the two men, reaching forward and gripping Carlos’s shoulder to help you stand upright. Charles had you on your toes as his fingers lazily circled your clit as if he was playing the piano. Moans bubbled in your throat, but you let out soft pants, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of hearing how they made you feel. Carlos was occupied with reaching behind you, fingers slowly undoing the hooks of your bra. His lips were focused on the skin of your breasts that peeked out from the fabric.

Carlos slipped your bra from your form, discarding it on the ground. He knelt, hands flying to your waist and fingertips digging into the skin. He kissed the curve of your breast before bringing his mouth around one of your nipples, causing you to moan loudly. Your free hand flew to his hair, gripping the dark strands as he teased you from the front and Charles teased you from behind.

You felt the heat and tension build up in your core, signaling your nearing orgasm. You didn’t want to be the first to come, not yet. However, your mind was too distracted and overstimulated by their ministrations to focus on anything but the pleasure they brought you. You opened your eyes, staring at the ceiling and trying to get your thoughts in order.

“Let’s take this to the bed,” you panted, feeling the two pause at your suggestion. You could feel Charles’s smile against your skin, the hot breath from his mouth causing a chill to run through you.

“I think that is a wonderful decision, wouldn’t you agree, mate?” Charles purred to Carlos, taking a step back from you. Carlos released himself from teasing your breasts with his mouth, sliding his hands to your ass as he stood up. He squeezed the flesh, a grin on his lips. Finally, he nodded at what Charles had to say, pulling away and stepping to the side, signaling with an outstretched arm to the bed.

You scoffed, shaking your head as you walked past Carlos. He nailed a good smack on your ass, causing you to yelp in surprise. Laughter filled the air as the two men chuckled at your reaction before you sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on your arms. You gazed at the two men, looking them up and down seductively.

“I think you both are wearing a little too much clothing. I can fix that for you,” you purred, bringing your hands down to your panties. You hooked your fingers beneath the waistband, pulling them down and off your legs. You dropped them to the floor, keeping your legs open as the two men stared at you as if you were a meal. Carlos’s tongue darted out, wetting his lips.

“Lei sarà la nostra morte, amico,” Carlos huffed in Italian to Charles. You laughed, understanding what the Spaniard said from the little bit of Italian the boys taught you here and there. Charles laughed, walking past Carlos and squeezing his shoulder in agreement. He stepped before you, reaching out and caressing your cheek before gripping your chin. You gazed up at him, giving him a gaze of submission but also tempted to suck his thumb between your lips.

“Will you do the honors, fille chérie?” Charles asked, bringing his thumb up to your lips. You nodded, gently nipping at the pad of his thumb before reaching forward. His hand fell to his side as you undid his belt, leaning forward to kiss his flesh softly. The strap hung undone, framing the button of his jeans. Your fingers slipped the button free, teeth nipping at his right hip. His breath hitched, chest rising and falling as you slowly pulled the zipper down. You reached in, purposefully grazing the obvious erection in his underwear before tugging the jeans down.

“Putain d'enfer,” Charles breathed, pulling away from you. Your hands brushed his thighs as he stepped away. You grinned at Charles, knowing you got underneath his skin. Carlos had watched with his arms crossed, amused as you spent time with Charles. As soon as Charles was yanking his jeans and underwear off, Carlos quickly undid his belt and jeans, soon bared before you.

“Fuck, I am the luckiest woman in the fucking world,” you breathed, toes curling and eyes almost rolling into the back of your head at the sight of the two naked men before you. You watched as they stepped around, Carlos lying horizontally across the bed. His head was slightly close to the edge. He looked at you, patting his chest.

“Come have a seat,” Carlos suggested, eyes beckoning you. You grinned, crawling over to him before straddling both sides of him with Charles’s assistance. He gave you a hand to position yourself over Carlos’s face, and you thanked him with a squeeze of his hand. Next, Carlos brought his hands to your thighs, caressing the skin. You shuddered, blinking your eyes repetitively a couple of times at the sensation.

Carlos pulled you down with no warning, tongue immediately delving within you. You cried out as his tongue circled your clit before attacking between your folds, lapping at your wetness. You reached forward, gripping Charles’s forearm. He waited for you to adjust, in awe at the sight of you.

“Ch-Charles, let me, please,” you pleaded, reaching forward with your free hand and wrapping it around his cock. The motion widened his eyes, but he stepped closer, cock level with your face. You looked up at him as your hand moved down toward the base, feeling the brush of his hair. Your gaze was innocent despite your lips wrapping around the tip of his cock and flicking your tongue out to run over the slit. He groaned, hands clutching your head at the base of your hair and fingers gently digging into your skull.

You closed your eyes, focusing on pleasing Charles with your mouth as Carlos pleased you with his. You took as much of Charles as possible, removing your hand from his forearm to grip the comforter beneath you. Your other hand stroked what couldn’t fit into your mouth, but you liked to focus more on the tip. You would bring Charles close to the back of your throat before pulling back, sucking and licking on the head.

As you teased Charles, Carlos moved to suck on your clit, slipping away one of his hands from your thigh and pressing a finger between your folds. You moaned on Charles’s cock, the sensation causing Charles to pull a breath through his teeth. Carlos gently brought his finger in and out of you, adding another. Your brows were furrowed in pleasure, Carlos’s actions causing you to stop sucking Charles’s cock. It still sat in your mouth as you moaned, soon pulling away from him. A strand of saliva followed your lips, soon breaking away.

Your eyes were squeezed soft, pants and moans leaving you. You opened your eyes, brows still furrowed as you looked at Charles. He leaned down, capturing your lips in his. He could taste himself on your tongue and lips, deepening the kiss to devour more. One of his hands clutched the base of your neck, fingers still tangled in your hair. You were brought closer and closer to the precipice of an orgasm, and you reached down, gently smacking Carlos’s shoulders as Charles kissed you. You pulled away, out of breath from Charles’s kiss.

“Carlos, please,” you begged, not wanting to cum on his mouth alone. You needed both of them. Now. Carlos slowed down, removing his fingers first before he pulled his mouth away from you. He licked his lips, patting your thighs to signal you could move. Charles helped you once again, gripping both of your hands to guide you off of Carlos and the bed.

Carlos sat up from the bed, soon standing up to move. His cock moved up and down as he walked to the end of the bed, your eyes watching him as Charles grabbed condoms from the nightstand. He pulled two out, ripping the serrations to separate the two. You glanced behind you at the sound, watching Charles walk over to Carlos and hand him one.

“Thanks, mate,” Carlos said quietly, accepting the condom. Both men ripped the packaging and slipped the condoms on.

“Come here, cariño,” Carlos said, shifting back from the end’s edge but still keeping his feet planted on the floor. You went to him, leaning down and kissing him as you planted a knee on each side of his body. He returned the kiss, one hand on your back, the other lining his cock up with your entrance. You reached down as well before sliding down on him. The kiss deepened as you allowed him to fill you to the hilt, his body taking the both of you back on the bed.

Charles watched the both of you, aroused by the scene and watching Carlos fill you with ease. He stepped between Carlos’s parted legs, touching your lower back. He caressed the flesh of your ass, causing you to pull away from Carlos’s kisses and watch Charles. He took himself in his left hand, shifting to level before slowly entering you from behind. Your eyes rolled back, toes curling, and cunt clenching around Carlos as Charles entered you.

Both men gave you a moment to adjust; the sensation wasn’t new, but it was always slightly alarming initially. Charles leaned forward to kiss your shoulder before straightening back, waiting for the cue. You nodded aggressively, eyes squeezed shut as you clutched Carlos’s shoulders. Carlos kissed your temple before both men moved together, Carlos thrusting up into you and Charles’s thrusts pushing you forward. You moaned, ready to come apart right there.

They were slow at first, continuing to let you adjust like the gentlemen they were. Then, when the only noise you made was panting, they changed their pace, their hips snapping against you. You moaned, back arching, which pushed you further into Carlos. Carlos’s hands gripped your hips, fingers digging into your flesh that you knew would leave a mark behind. Charles’s grip was a little looser than Carlos’s on your waist but would still leave faint marks behind.

The pace they set quickly brought you closer and closer to an orgasm, the sensations of both pumping in and out of you overwhelming your body. Carlos thrust up, hips lifting off the bed, and a spot inside you that made you see stars. You gasped, clutching his bicep to the point your nails dug in. The sound of panting and your moans echoed throughout the room, all three bodies glistening with a thin layer of sweat.

“Fuck!” you cried out, soon feeling the tension in your core snap. You squeezed around Carlos, the tightening of your walls pulling him with you, causing his lips to stutter and his grip to tighten. Despite fucking you from behind, the tension of your orgasm was enough to bring Charles to his climax. He rode through his orgasm, slowing his pace until he stopped.

You fell on Carlos, not caring if your full weight was on him. Both of you were a panting, sweating mess. He removed a hand from your waist, running his fingers through his hair. He laid his head back, staring at the ceiling as he tried to get his breathing down to normal. Charles leaned over you, panting, but he kissed your spine. You hummed softly, weakly glancing back at Charles. Your eyes met, and he offered you a gentle smile, rubbing your back before he removed himself from you.

Charles walked to the ensuite bathroom, going to quickly clean up before he joined the both of you in bed. Carlos tilted his head up, stroking your back before gently patting your bum. You sighed, sitting up and letting him hold the condom before you removed yourself. Carlos leaned over, moving some hair that stuck to the sweat on your forehead. He gave it a gentle kiss, stroking your hair in the process.

Charles quickly returned, picking you up from the end of the bed. Carlos stood up and went to the bathroom, patting Charles on the shoulder. He carried you bridal style to his side of the bed, kneeling to place you in the middle before laying down next to you. You lay on your back, staring at the ceiling until Charles was beside you. Your head turned to meet his eyes, a soft smile on both faces. He stroked your hair, and you gently caressed his thigh and knee.

Carlos joined you both on the bed, wearing boxers he discarded on the ground. He lay on his side, close to you. You reached out to him as well, squeezing his forearm. He traced circles on your skin.

“Glad we got to fuck after we eye fucked each other during the match,” you said. Both men laughed, shaking their heads in amusement. You chatted idly about the match, making fun of Charles’s faceplant into the ground. After the teasing, Charles urged you to get cleaned up, which you did while throwing a small fit about it. You went into the bathroom, cleaned yourself up, and slipped on the panties you wore before. Charles stood next to his dresser, boxers on and a soft, folded t-shirt in his hands.

The t-shirt was extended to you, which you graciously accepted. You unfolded the material before slipping it on, following Charles to the bed that Carlos was still on. While you had cleaned up, Carlos slipped under the sheets, exhaustion from the day’s activities finally hitting him. You took your spot in the middle, Charles following you after. You snuggled up before fatigue and sleep took all three of you quickly.

[eularin]

I was watching some scenes from Naruto, and then I saw the one where Obito summons the Kyuubi in the cemetery, apparently next to Rin's grave and I was like "WTF you crazy? Right there next to your crush's grave? What the hell man" and then I remembered that Obito always does things with some justification (every villain does), but it is Canon that Obito likes to prove his PoV to others, and also to himself. So I asked myself: why the hell did Obito summon the Kyuubi near Rin's grave? What could he be thinking? And I came to the following conclusion:

He wanted to prove to Rin, and to all those other dead ninjas who probably sacrificed themselves for Konoha that their sacrifice was in vain. Obito's story, and especially Team Minato's story, is about sacrifice, promises, and tragedy.

Obito sacrificed himself for Kakashi (and the Team) bc he thought it was the right thing to do and the most important thing. He was more loyal to the team (his friends) than he was to Konoha (am I the only one who noticed that by going to save Rin, Obito basically abandoned the Kannabi Bridge mission?)

On that mission, Obkk made his promise, Kakashi gained his Sharingan, Obito "died" believing that by joining his power with Kakashi's, it would make them stronger and in a way invincible to protect Rin (his precious people) so of course the cruel world and cruel destiny proved to the two that the sacrifice and their promise were worthless.

When Obito finally realized that his shared power with Kakashi was not enough, and that Rin's loyalty to Konoha far outweighed her loyalty to the Team, Obito had a meltdown (another meltdown). I can reflect on Rin's character later. Let's focus on Obito.

When Obito chose the graveyard to summon the Kyuubi, he was making a strong statement. He literally wanted to tell Rin (and the other ninjas who sacrificed themselves for the good of Konoha) this: "hey Rin, look! You killed yourself to stop a Bijuu from destroying Konoha, but your sacrifice can't stop this Bijuu now. See? No sacrifice is worth it. You only delayed the inevitable. You died for nothing and without meaning" - Obito must have been very angry with Rin and Minato. At least I think he was.

During the 4th war he was literally mocking Minato and his acclaimed speed. Basically he was saying "there's no point in being the fastest man in the world if you don't arrive at the moment that matters most", and I don't think he was referring to the Kannabi Bridge mission. So there's that weird conversation where Obito tells Kakashi that Rin is an impostor?!? I don't remember that dialogue anymore (I watched it with subtitles, so I really don't remember what I read years ago)

the only thing I understood was "Rin killed herself, so she's not the real Rin, she's just an impostor that this world created!" – Obito is so... crazy? logical? delirious that I couldn't keep up (I always rewatch the 4th war arc)

also, i'm thinking about it 🤔 i think obito might have been bitter towards Minato bc out of all team 7, Minato was the only one who got along in the end. get my drift: obito "died"; kakashi and rin were devastated and minato probably suffered too, but the anime only shows kakashi for most of the whole story, suffering much more. (unfortunately, the anime shows almost nothing of Rin and her personality. she's portrayed as... idk, easily disposable background character. we don't see anything about her dreams, her struggle to be a great ninja, we don't see her other friends or family... she's almost an empty character, even though she's important to the story of two big prominent characters.)

So back to the main focus: Obito "died"; Rin and Kakashi suffered, then Rin died and Kakashi was left to wallow in his guilt and pain, then Minato went and put a traumatized child in the ANBU. And we know that Obito was already spying on all of them. He certainly didn't like seeing Minato being a beloved hero, enjoying his laurel leaves after the war, so he fulfills his dream of being Hokage, marries his wonderful Kushina, plays house and has a child. In other words: Minato moves on while Obito doesn't (and Kakashi doesn't either). I bet that made Obito pretty angry. I can imagine his anger at Minato's good life. So he went there and ruined it all. 💁🏻‍♀️💀

Well, that's it. That's my theory (?) about why Obito summoned the Kyuubi at the graveyard that night.

So, what's your take on this?

[terapsina]

Shoutout to the temporary ships that were created with the intention of getting in the way of the intended ship but that I actually liked way more than the ship the writers were trying to get me to root for.

(a.k.a I kinda get a bit salty on this one)

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1. Laurel and Tommy - Arrow

As soon as they got introduced I felt the feeling of doom. Because they were so immediately adorable and full of chemistry. I loved them from the word go even though it was so clear they were going toward a Laurel and Oliver resolution (and then to add insult to injury they changed their minds on that, but Tommy was taken from Laurel anyway).

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2. Clara and Danny - Doctor Who

It's up for debate if Clara's relationship with the Doctor was meant to be romantic-coded or not (I personally prefer it as 'not' but they really were very fuzzy with the lines) but either way Danny was still used as the threat that might separate them. And that was really annoying for me because I liked Clara and Danny so much. And then they killed him (which is a scene that still tears my heart to pieces).

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3. Cordy and Doyle - Angel: The Series

They were short and sweet and I enjoyed them (and though the Cordy and Angel thing wasn't really a thing at the time, there were some signs that it was on the writers' minds... and I wasn't a fan). And then they killed Doyle (...I might have to rename this post to 'killing off the love interests I actually enjoyed to give way to the ships I didn't').

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4. Rachel and Joey - F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

This ship went past my notice when I watched the show as a kid (my entire obsession rested on Monica and Chandler) but after rewatching as an adult I actually really liked their potential. It might have come up a bit unexpectedly but there really was something quite genuine about it (and Rachel deserved so much better than Ross). I wish they hadn't ended it as such a joke.

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5. Worf and Troi - Star Trek: The Next Generation

They were created with the sole intention of getting in the way of Troi and Riker. But I liked them better. I just found them more interesting.

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6. Tamsin and Bo - Lost Girl

They were more fun to watch than Bo and Lauren, had better chemistry and I just enjoyed them a lot more ('and then you see you' living in my head rent free for years now). But instead they gave Tamsin the short end of the stick and used her as a stepping stone (in so many ways, genuinely, even past shipping they just never gave that Valkyrie a single break... and then killed her in the most insulting way possible, because of course they did).

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7. Wynonna and Dolls - Wynonna Earp

Talk about chemistry. Season 1 of that show was so good and I really did fool myself into thinking this was where they were heading but no, of course not (I should have learned my lesson about Emily Andras after she killed off Hale on Lost Girl). How is an old dude with a gross mustache more interesting than a literal dragon? The answer as far as I'm concerned... they're not (now guess if they killed him off. Guess!).

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8. Lucy and Flynn - Timeless

A tragic love story happening in the wrong order and out of time because he meets her when he needs something to hold on to and she gives him a crusade. And she meets him while he's zealously following that crusade and thinks he's just a terrorist? Dude. But no, apparently the happy ending is supposed to be the guy that wanted the cake and to eat it too (sometimes I genuinely boggle at how the writers just will not notice when they've hit gold and instead go on beating that dead horse even more to death (and yup, somehow manage to kill the gold)) .

9. Dutch and Johnny - Killjoys.

(First I have to say that I still recommend this show a 100% and this is just quibble of a shipper at heart) But how is it that when you build the whole series around the heart of this relationship, you still end up using Johnny as a brief stop point (a la basically a Married!AU) before you put Dutch back with his brother? Like, yes, they're each other's best friends and always will be but people that are in love can be each other's ride or die best friends too.

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10. Mel and Abigael - Charmed (2018)

Alright, Mel went through the intended love interests like candy (and I liked most of them well enough) but Abby was the one that intrigued me the most, so it was a great shame that she was never properly Mel's love interest at all and more enemy/antagonist/ally/friend with mostly one-sided feelings for Mel (enemies to friends to lovers was RIGHT THERE).

[struggling-author]

I have that struggle with all media tbh, and even internally. I think in many cases character death can be fitting and improve the story on a thematic level, there is something more raw and real about these stories and it raises the stakes and the drama exponentially by making you doubt if there’ll ever be a happy ending

on the other hand though, it is the single thing that can perhaps most easily ruin even an otherwise great story, because no matter how well written something is, if your favorite character dies, or the one you most relate to, or the ship you were desperately hoping to be endgame is torn apart by death, then there’s not much holding you to the story. Even if you make it to the end, even if it’s meant as a happy ending, it will probably feel empty to you

The rare JJK small mention, i think last one was when you got a finger

Yeah I don't think I'll ever actually watch JJK I've heard it's one of those shows were alot of the characters die and I'm not a fan of those types of shows it's the same reason I could never get into attack on titan or the walking dead I fear getting really invested in a character only for them to die

[gffa]

Hi Lumi! I’m the anon who asked about your thoughts on the sequel trilogy. Thanks for your answer! It made me kind of want to rewatch TROS with this new lens because I do get what you said about the bones of the movie being good. Another thing your post got me thinking about was the concept of “The Chosen One” because I know a lot of people were frustrated that the sequel trilogy seemed to throw Anakin’s last act of bringing balance to the Force out the window. And I got to thinking that nowhere in the originals or prequels does it state that once Anakin brings balance, there will always be balance. Unfortunately, evil rises again. Anakin brought balance and it’s not his fault things became unbalanced again. That doesn’t diminish the moment and impact of his sacrifice. And with Anakin dead and Luke not in a place to answer the Force’s call, the Force needed to find a new Chosen One. And years after the sequel trilogy takes place, there will probably be a new threat that needs a new hero to be called. I kind of like the idea of there being a sort of community of Chosen Ones rather than one person carrying all of that. Anyway, I’ve written a mini essay in your inbox so I’ll sign off now. Thank you for all you do!

Hi again! To be fair, I can't make the movie more polished than it is, it's always going to feel like so much wasted potential, but I do genuinely like the bones of what's there and will always defend that. As for the "Chosen One" thing, that's exactly my view of things, too! Rey being a Chosen One doesn't take away from Anakin being a Chosen One, because, like, what is balance of the Force? It's when there's stability and light in the galaxy. It doesn't mean that the actions of one single Jedi fix all the problems, it means they take the Sith Lord out and the galaxy has to help heal things. Anakin killing Palpatine doesn't mean the Empire suddenly implodes, it means that without the Emperor there, the Rebellion can get to work on establishing the New Republic, it means everyday people can start cleaning up the mess of the Empire. Anakin is the Chosen One meant to destroy the Sith and balance can be restored through that. But what happens when the galaxy gets lazy and the New Republic isn't proactive enough? What happens when people decide to rest on Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa's laurels? Evil rises again. And looking around the world today, that's an incredibly salient message, especially when this movie came out. "Oh, we beat the Nazis in the previous generation, we don't have to pay attention to that anymore!" Yeah, we fucking do. And Luke's not there to be called on to defeat the rise of the First Order, he's cut himself off from the Force. So, the Force chooses a new Chosen One, Rey, and puts her in the position this time, she destroys the Sith, but the galaxy still has to rise up and help her on the bigger stuff. One Jedi cannot defeat the entire oppressive regime, but everyone in the galaxy standing up to fight back against the First Order? That is what balance should be. Rey removes the Sith Lord, so that the rest of the galaxy can help each other again. Because I don't think one Sith Lord can be the sum total of what determines balance. The Force lives in everything, every living thing has the Force moving through it, every living thing contributes to the Force. If the quintillions of people in the galaxy are suffering, if they're angry at the state of what's happening, if they're hurting, then how can that not affect the Force? One Jedi can't fix all that, but if Rey gets rid of the Sith Lord and the rest of the galaxy says, yes, we are going to help this time, we're determined, we're going to hold on to hope, we're going to fight to help others, which they can do because the worst part of the catalyzing of those feelings is gone? Then I really love that as a message. Rey being a Chosen One doesn't take anything away from Anakin being the Chosen One of his time, because they're not the sole determiners of the Force. Everyone has to do their part, no matter how big or small, that fits the theme of "balance" so much better imo.

[gay-dorito-dust]

do you have your own batboys fancast? Also who do you picture as Bruce any fic with him I just picture Christian Bale, sorry I love asking people this to try help me with my own because for the life of me I cannot place jason I just picture him as a comic drawing, I cannot unsee Brenton Thwaites as dick and I don't want to because he was perfect imo And Anna Diop was the perfect starfire! I want a starfire movie with her 😩 I LOVED the Gotham Alfred but also Michael Caine forever also, I think David Castañeda would be a good older damian especially a Batman damian. Idk if you've watched any arrowverse stuff but I freaking loved their Nyssa!! Also do you have a Talia fancast, I also just picture Talia as a comic drawing because I cannot place her although I sometimes picture her as Tarja Turunen because I think Tarja is so cool! Sorry for all my rambling I hope I'm not being annoying apologies

Totally unrelated but I am forever in love with the arrowverse Laurel Lance, she also needs her own movie 😭 on the verge of rewatching that entire ass longgg show/crossovers for any Laurel scraps I can get, she was actually perfect 🥰 All the canaries were so cool esp when Sara became the white canary

I don’t usually get into the whole fan cast stuff as if probably suck at it tbh but when it comes to Jason I’ve seen Jensen Ackles come up along with Matthew Daddario, both of whom I love but just don’t see as Jason Todd in the slightest.

Like yes Jensen did voice Jason in under the red hood but I don’t think that’s a plausible excuse to have him play as the live action version. I love him but no.

The guy they had as Jason in titans brought a lot of emotion to the character as Jason practically wears his heart on his sleeve, but he just didn’t fit, I love him but he didn’t work.

Dick I’m not too certain tbh

Anna Diop, love her, gimme more of her as Starfire plz and thank you.

Michael Cain was amazing as Alfred, would love to see him as the character for a small part but I don’t think he would tbh.

Damian Wayne, all I can say is I hope they don’t fuck his character up bc people already do that enough with mischaracterising him to be someone he isn’t, I haven’t read comics and even I know half of the stuff ppl make up about him are bullshit.

So I just hope they get him right for DC’s sake.

There is a lot of dc characters that I don’t see a lot of actors being able to fully embody bc no one is ever going to be happy with the outcome, everyone is hard to please as they want the casting to be perfect and that’s just not possible.

I don’t watch much of the arrow verse but the actress for Laura lance? Love, love,love her. Gay as fuck for her ngl.

Now for Talia? I’ve got no clue, none at all, as I’ve said before fancasts aren’t my thing and I haven’t seen many ppl talking about how they would like as Talia tbh. If they ever do I hope it’s faithful to the comic character and not a watered down version of her but that’s asking too much apparently.

[madwomanwithawarehouse]

Unthinkable 10 Years Day 3: Favorite Episode of Season 2 - "Time of Death"

Okay this is one of my all-time favorite episodes for so many reasons and definitely the one I've rewatched the most ( I'm pretty sure I can quote all of the Felicity/Sara scenes by heart)

This episode explores so many dynamics in so little time, but somehow doesn't come off feeling rushed or overloaded (at least in my opinion). Laurel being angry at everyone, but trying to help her parents get back together, her fight with Oliver in the hallway that feels like the first honest moment they've had in years, and her reconciliation with Sara finally leading to her first AA meeting.

We also get to learn about why Sara looks after Sin (side note: still pissed we got no elaboration on them after s3) and Thea beginning to notice the cracks in Oliver and Moira's relationship

The biggest focus, however, is the changing dynamic in Team Arrow now that Sara has joined full time (and has gotten back together with Oliver), and specifically, how it's affecting Felicity.

We quickly see how well Sara can hold her own against Oliver and Dig at the same time, inter cut with shots of Felicity looking worried, relegated to the sidelines. In the overhead shots you can even see that her computer chair has been moved from its usual spot, showing how displaced she is from her normal routine

They pause and compare scars, but when Felicity offers up her own story, it further reinforces how different she is from her teammates. The same (mildly flirtatious) "You're [still] cute" from Sara that was sweet during their introduction, now feels condescending when Felicity is feeling insecure. Her later attempts to train where she gets her form corrected by Sara brings out her bitter side in a way we haven't seen directed at anyone other than Oliver before, and Sara picks up on something being wrong

Her insecurities about her place on Team Arrow get further compounded with the arrival of the Clock King.

One of my favorite villains mostly due to the fact that his whole timing is everything/clock shtick does not really match his hacking capabilities thematically. He times everything, kills people with clock parts, quotes "tempus fugit", but yeah his thing is that he's a good hacker who robs banks. 10/10 no notes.

This is the first time we've seen Felicity go up against another hacker and well, he bests her, badly. I think what's almost worse is Oliver's complete belief in her abilities to beat him, which just makes her feel even more worthless when she can't and Sara comes up with a lead instead (using her computers). She's been sinking lower and lower into her self doubt and then Tockman blows up [her part of] the lair.

And it's the final straw. She was part of a trio, she was "the girl", (she was even kind of Oliver's "girl"), she had a place, a specialty, she felt like she mattered for the first time in a long time. This also comes only an episode after she reveals that her father abandoned her and her greatest fear is experiencing that again and Moira threatening that she's going to lose Oliver if she reveals Thea's paternity. So it's especially fragile, this state she's in now. Oliver's attention has shifted, 3 becomes 4, her space is not really hers anymore. In her mind, she's no longer special, now she just doesn't fit in. Dig's pep talk comes too late. How can she be irreplaceable if she's already been replaced?

So is it any wonder that she does something reckless to try to regain some control?

Felicity proves her technical prowess by tracking Tockman down and her badassery by taking a bullet for Sara and giving Tockman a taste of his own virus, knocking him out.

Now that she has proven her worth to the team (entirely to herself, as no one else doubted her), the combined efforts of Sara, Oliver, and some "aspirins" are able to raise her spirits the way Dig had earlier. Sara knows just how to compliment her and Oliver reaffirms her place in his life/the team and all is right again with their resident genius.

(And bonus, Sara and Felicity are now forever bonded by the homoerotic nature of life saving and nursing back to health)

All in all, such a good episode with solid character building, real consequences, and a quirky villain that is extra for no discernible reason. Iconic.

[elderflowergin]

SBS Hyena, episode 1 rewatch (part 2)

I realise I haven't tagged/warned for spoilers, but this will be full of spoilers. I'm sorry.

So the first we see of her… is Kim Hee-sun. Gorgeous hair, beautiful no makeup-makeup face, and...near-bare feet. (This is entirely from Hee-jae's perspective, so his observation of her feet is probably intentional. It’s also not the last time he’ll do it.)

(I assume Hee-jae's writing paeans to her cute turquoise toenails in his note-book.)

I love Hee-sun's oversized white shirt. It’s  interesting that she should wear that, because in the scene just before this, Yoon Hee-jae sheds his shirt in his office and throws it in a bin. And here she is, in a lovely bit of continuity, looking like she might have just picked it off his floor and worn it, along with that cool preppy sweater. 15/10 for style, infinity/10 because she's Kim Hye-soo, and in this house she's everything.

Moving back to daytime —

This is the first time we've heard any reference to Hee-jae being related to a judge, and it's in this unnaturally coy fashion. 

We’re meant to see Hee-jae as a legal force to be reckoned with. He’d have to be, given what we’ve seen so far. Here, he's assuring a result to a client because of who he'll have on his team. He's coasting on Atty Ma's team's work (whether he admits it or not), his own big guns and lots of unearned confidence like any other corporate blowhard. 

I say his confidence is unearned, but he’s probably never had the reason to believe otherwise. He’s a big boy working for one of the big boys - things have never not fallen the way he’s wanted them to, because that’s the way their world functions. Money talks, and they have so goddamn much of it that there is never a real contest. This is the status quo of Yoon Hee-jae’s life, and it’s about to be undone in the most wildly spectacular way possible. 

Yoon Hee-jae has never had to pay his dues or prove his worth - that’s always been for other people to do. Whether he wants to pay his dues or prove his worth…is a different, and more interesting question. He does prove to be smart, thoughtful and deeply strategic as a lawyer later in the show, but we’re not going to see that side of him for a few episodes. 

And then, we find out his grandfather was the former Chief Justice. 

Yoon Hee-jae doesn’t bring this up until Ha Chan-ho brings it up first. It’s not really mentioned up till now, although it gives important context to his success and confidence. He's very comfortable talking about his pull, but he doesn’t talk about the source of the pull, if that makes any sense. I think there are two reasons for this. 

This speaks to a spectacular kind of privilege - this sort of disclosure usually opens doors, but when you’re in that stratosphere of class and breeding, it’s probably declasse to say it out loud, and more than that, it’s unnecessary. People know it and so the doors are always open, 24/7. It’s like the difference between having to tell the maitre’d at The Fat Duck that oh, by the way, you’re Meryl Streep, and you’d really like a reservation, please, and having the table by the window set aside for you every Friday night. 

I also think he wants to be seen as a good, successful lawyer, and not necessarily just Daddy’s boy. That is vital to Hee-jae in a way that seems, again, almost overtly privileged. In a society that is largely only concerned about Getting It, thinking about How You Got It either comes from having the moral backbone of a Hwang Si-mok or the extreme privilege of a Yoon Hee-jae. Those are the two warring forces in Hee-jae - wanting to be known for being a good lawyer, and yet resting on the laurels earned by those before him.

An all-black suit, for a douchey comment about hooking up with one's client's younger sister. That is cackle-worthy in light of what said younger sister does a few episodes down the road. 0/10 for the sister comment, Hee-jae. 

Next up: the prettiest girl ever. 

BOO HYEON A, BEST GIRL, BEST OF ALL. APART FROM JIEUN. 

@thefeastandthefast once said her hair probably smells of raspberries, and that is entirely correct. She is the loveliest and her belted jacket is so chic. (10/10. I dock no points from Ms Boo.)

She, too, is in all-black, like Hee-jae, which positions them similarly against all the other lawyerbots. This dovetails with things we will learn later about both characters. Both are second kids; both come from incredible privilege, and both are the softest marshmallows who will come to love and adore Jung Geum-ja.

I'm constantly amazed by Yoon Hee-jae's total and utter lack of chemistry with anyone other than Women Who Can Step On His Neck. Park Se-jin and Ju Ji-hoon have such a friendly vibe for two very good-looking people. 

Unlike, say.....

THEM. THEM. 

Yet again, this entire encounter feels surreal, in the way the best romances often do. For starters these two aren’t knocking elbows with five other grumpy people looking to do laundry. Yoon Hee-jae doesn’t dress like this, ordinarily. (As an aside, his soft old man cardigan made me giggle. I had at least two bosses who wore cardigans like this, so at least this is somewhat accidentally accurate to me.) I mean, when Ga Gi-hyeok visits him late in the series, he’s wearing a cool bush shirt (thank you @rain-hat) that looks like something Dries van Noten might have put out. (I think it was Gucci, though, I stand to be corrected). All his soft lil sweaters are reserved for the woman he loves.

(He stares at her feet up. Just sayin'.)

(Next up: we're upping the ante, the stakes, and most importantly, the hotness. A violet dress makes its appearance. A man's dignity makes its disappearance. IYKYK)

[fibula-rasa]

Seen in ’23: Annual Roundup

Top new-to-me films of ‘23 

(in the order I saw them, not preference)

The Blizzard / Gunnar Hedes saga (1923) [imdb | letterboxd]

The Rafter’s Bride / Koskenlaskijan morsian (1923) [imdb | letterboxd]

Funeral Parade of Roses / 薔薇の葬列 (1969) [letterboxd | imdb]

Dorian Gray in the Mirror of the Yellow Press / Dorian Gray im Spiegel der Boulevardpresse (1984) [letterboxd | imdb]

Drylongso (1998) [letterboxd | imdb]

The Cruz Brothers and Miss Malloy (1980) [letterboxd | imdb]

The Burning Crucible / Le Brasier ardent (1923) [letterboxd | imdb]

Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) [letterboxd | imdb]

Merry-Go-Round (1923) [letterboxd | imdb]

Dream Demon (1988) [letterboxd | imdb]

Mazel Tov / Ost und West (1923) [letterboxd | imdb]

The Signal Tower (1924) [letterboxd | imdb]

The Second Track / Das zweite Gleis (1962) [letterboxd | imdb]

Restless Blood / Levoton Veri (1946) [letterboxd | imdb]

The Man Without Desire (1923) [letterboxd | imdb]

Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena / 少女革���ウテナ アドゥレセンス黙示録 (1999) [letterboxd | imdb]

---

Honorable mention:

Ritratto di donna velata (1972) [letterboxd | imdb] (because it’s technically a mini-series)

Spirits of the Dead / Histoires extraordinaires (1968) [letterboxd | imdb] (because it would make the year-end list for “Toby Dammit” alone TBH)

So, according to letterboxd, only 33% of the films I watched in 2023 were rewatches. In an unexpected bit of consistency, that’s also my proportion of rewatches for ‘22 and ‘21. Sometimes crunching the numbers teaches you potentially meaningless things about yourself.

On my letterboxd, I put together a list of my top new-to-me films of ’23, in case you want an easier way to check if there’s anything you might want to add to your own watchlists!

READ ON BELOW THE JUMP!

As I continued my tradition of watching films as they turn 100, the 1920s was my most-watched decade as it was in 2022.

I was startled looking at the stats that the 1930s were so underrepresented! To ward that off in 2024, I think I’ll binge some pre-codes. Maybe we should all watch pre-codes in March 2024 to dishonor Will Hays on his birthday?

My top individual years were:

1923

1987

1986

1920

1911

1971 (unexpected!) 

1988

---

In another bit of unexpected consistency, I seem to have watched roughly 60% American-made films every year for the last 3 years?

Regardless, I think my MVP for this year was Finland. Teuvo Tulio is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors and the silent films from Finland that I watched this year were highlights too!

---

My most watched actors for 2023 were:

Alice Howell

James Finlayson

Stan Laurel

Snub Pollard

Katherine Grant

Marie Mosquini

Christopher Lee

Jackie Cooper

Lois Weber

Mabel Normand

Noah Young

Oliver Hardy

Richard Smith

Can you tell that I watched a ton of silent comedy in 2023? Of course Marie and Snub are making a return appearance here from last year, so I suppose I watched plenty of comedy shorts in ‘22 as well.

If you were only to count the feature films that I watched, Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, Douglas Fairbanks, Vincent Price, and William Haines would top the list!

---

My most watched directors were:

Alice Guy

Dave Fleischer

George Jeske

Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass

Charley Chase

John G. Blystone

Lois Weber

Richard Smith

Maya Deren

Phillips Smalley

Another affirmation that I watched a whole lot of silent shorts, but this time because of the fantastic Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers set. I highly recommend picking up a copy (or checking it out of your local library). Not only is the set well curated, but there are so many great extras to put the films in context. 

For Christmas ‘23, I got the Cinema’s First Nasty Women set and I’m very excited to marathon those and be influenced into a year of behaving badly.

Maya Deren makes the list because I re-watched her films in advance of my cosplay/profile of her. If you haven’t dug into Deren’s short but fascinating filmography yet, I highly recommend it!

[lupeloto]

tag game time!

thank you for the tags @creepkinginc @energievie @lingy910y @mickeysgaymom for tagging me!

name: laurel❄️

location: united states

astrological sign: gemini sun, gemini moon *backs away slowly* and virgo rising

What's a TV show or movie you plan to re-watch this year? i plan to rewatch spn for the billionth time (boooo) and umbrella academy before the new season! (i'll prob end up rewatching seasons of shameless because i have no self-respect)📺

Whats a book or fic you will probably re-read this year? i'll re-read every one-shot i've ever enjoyed as i do weekly, and i'll prob re-read the outsiders as i do yearly📖

What is a song you will likely continue to play on repeat? unknown/nth by hozier🎶

What's a tasty treat you look forward to eating more of this year? chocolate chip cookies, i have really been in my era of the ccc and i shall continue that journey🫡

What's a time sink that you will continue to sink time into this year? mindlessly scrolling on tik tok for too long, writing just to end up hating it and then writing some more, watching the same 3 shows over-and-over🤫

Did you pick up any habits in 2023 that you plan to continue? creating a to-do list daily! not just for schoolwork but for everything has been so helpful for me📃

What's your toxic trait? how much time you got? how many characters does tumblr allow again...?

What is a coping mechanism you will continue to indulge in this year? my ole faithful...escapism through television😁

Tell me something you like about how you look! my style! it's kinda cool ig...

Give me at least three adjectives describing things you like about yourself. funny, .... that's all i got!

i'll tag some peeps @heymrspatel @jademickian @michellemisfit @gardenerian @gallawitchxx @krysmiss @golden28s @transmickey @ardent-fox @stocious @such-a-barbarian if you havent joined yet and would lieklike tooo

[thecustomcosplayed]

aw man this is "in the midst of rewatching legends S2 and thinking abt Sara too much" part two because I have so many thoughts

(once again, semi spoilery if you care and me rambling)

OKAY LISTEN

Season 2, episode 11 is one of my favorite episodes in the entire series. There's so much happening with all the characters, and a lot of growth in most of them (also Sara angst potentials are through the roof)

I think this episode is one of my most rewatched in the entire bc of how much I love it. Some of the parallels with Sara go so hard in this episode it's actually insane

So obviously Rip appears in front of Sara, Rory and Washington (go with it) and bc he's all brainwashed and stuff he shoots her and leaves her for dead

AND JUST THINK ABT IT FOR ME. JUST FOR A SECOND

Sara dies/is left for dead by somebody she once considered a close friend who is no longer a friend because they were brainwashed by an evil force and she got shot.

ITS LITERALLY PARALLELING HER GETTING KILLED BY THEA???

Obviously it's not a one for one (arrows vs bullets, motives, etc) BUT ITS THERE? And the brainwashed friends were brainwashed in association with Malcom Merlyn????

Please tell me somebody else sees this because what the heck? This is such good writing (even if it wasn't fully intended)

And also, slightly more far fetched, but I think it also included her kind of "passing the torch." She makes Laurel want to become the Black Canary, and she makes Jax the captain/puts him in charge.

Maybe I'm just crazy and like this show a little too much but like tell me you can't see it a little bit?? This episode is telling/helping move along like three different plot points at once and one of them is a parallel to Sara's first actual death.

And she does die! Rip snaps her neck and she just dies (thank Gideon for her not staying dead 🙏). The show doesn't pull a "aww no rip finds the goodness of his heart-' no he kills her!! Jjst like Thea did!!

He does it without a second thought. Thea does as well (though she does regret it later when she finds out). They both kill her and Sara literally doesn't talk about it

Like maybe I haven't watched S3 in a while but I don't remember it ever really being brought up again?? They just don't mention the fact that Sara died again? To Rip no less?

And it makes me wonder how much Rip actually tells the bureau. Did he tell them about that time he got brainwashed and killed the captain and tried to kill the rest of the team?? Does Ava know? How does she react when she finds out? How much does Sara tell her about that entire shenanigan? I want so many answers that can't be solved 😭

ALSO I AM ALMOST FORGOT BUT. This happens on December 25th, which yes is Christmas Day BUT ITS ALSO SARA'S BIRTHDAY. She died on her birthday. like she legitimately died for a bit on her birthday. That's so insane????

tl/Dr: Season 2, episode 11 is an amazing episode and my favorite of the entire series!!! It raises so many questions and a lot of great fic opportunities (imo)

[userlaylivia]

What ships do you love now but hated at the start? Which character do you feel is most like you and why?

ily <333

jake/cassie from the secret circle, I thought they had chemistry but he got between my otp and I still do have a couple issues but after rewatching so many times I started shipping them!!

zig/maya from degrassi, I really don't know why I hated them honestly maybe because I shipped camaya so much but now I love them so much!!

there's some I started off shipping them stopped then regained my love for them back like oliver/felicity from arrow and barry/iris from the flash even though my otps are oliver/laurel and barry/caitlin lol

character most like me is hard because there's many lol but brooke from one tree hill and she's the most relatable to me, she's strong and loyal and will do anything for her friends and family and I believe I'm the same way!

[hislittleraincloud]

Rewatch Wednesday S1E08 and I’m sure the fic brain cells will immediately get ready for battle (fix canon).

Pretty please, with marshmallows on top? I swear we’ll all be very good and quiet until you’re done.

I've been keeping it on a loop (generally, except when Netflix hates me) and 8 still pisses me the Hell off. Fucking disappearing staff...fucking how the fuck did Wednesday even get from fucking Raven Island back to the goddamn school when there were no fucking boats except the one that Laurel and Tyler used to haul her little ass to Raven Island to begin with...fucking Bianca and her sword...I got some good answers for these...but Part 2 is most likely going to be mostly Wenovan aftermath after the first ~3(?) sections.

And when I mean 'people need to leave me alone' I mean IRL, not here. I don't mind being bothered here by people, it's the ones that give off aerosols around me that I can't stand/fuck up my brain space.

Worry not/no need to beg, 8 is happening. I already got more than half written (plus the Epilogue, which is only an Epilogue for the very end of the first season, not the series).

Hella tired rn though, I think I need sleep 💀

[zhouxiangs]

my top albums of 2023

(but i'm cheating, probably, because of course i am)

tagged by @theelast-straw <3

in no particular order except for roughly release date/order in which i got obsessed with each album, i present you: the albums i've had on loop for most of 2023

i like to listen to albums from start to finish, i think for the same reason that i tend to rewatch the same movies when i can't sleep (the sense of familiarity) but i'm picking a favourite from each because all of them had that one (1) song i got obsessed with and/or made it into one of my very specific playlists... some even more than one, if i'm honest lol

my world, aespa (2023)

what can i say about my favourite gg except that i love them so much? their title tracks are always a 10/10 for me but so are most of the sides, and for my world we got some amazing track videos (my favourite was of course i'm unhappy). plus there's the added layer of collecting pcs and the friends i cry about pieces of cardboard with, and while i admit i went a bit overboard during my world and that may be one of the reasons i got overwhelmed and eventually bored so now i'm stepping back from collecting, i still had lots of fun and this was my soundtrack for most of it.

perfume, nct dojaejung (2023)

my sons and jungwoo, do i really need to say anything else... i was lowkey scared i wouldn't like the mini for some reason and yeah that wasn't a problem, i am still obsessed with perfume lol i think this came out right after i decided i wouldn't buy more physical albums except the ones that i really loved the design of, and then i loved the songs so much that i ended up getting doyoung's box... and eventually two pbs from ktwt because i wanted to make covers out of them, and then never did lol

golden age, nct (2023)

pado and baggy jeans are my most played songs of the year; wish i could say i've gotten over the brain worms baggy jeans caused but nope, it's still on loop in my mind months later and i fear it's not going anywhere 👖

nil, the gazette (2006)

so this one is not new... but for some reason in the first half of the year, i think? i got back into the gazette; i've been listening to nil now and then throughout the years but now i also listen to their whole discography regularly. it's like being 16 again but with back pain lol happy to announce nil is still my favourite album of all time, and that i somehow remember all the lyrics! for this one i'm picking cassis because it has been one of my favourite songs since it came out and then cemented its place forever in my heart when i saw them play it live, which is something i'll never forget.

fact check, nct 127 (2023)

ICONIC MOVE, MY MOTION. i adore fact check, 127 never miss with their title tracks and i always go through at least a few days where i need to play them on loop because they won't leave my mind otherwise... but this time, if i could only pick one song from the album, it'd have to be angel eyes. i don't know if it's the happy 90s boyband energy or what but it's so special to me, makes me happy every time i listen to it <3

ร็อก เล็ก เล็ก, micro (1986)

we all know when and where this came from, don't we? one thing i'll always be grateful to only friends for (other than sandray both as characters and as a ship) is the music; i discovered so many wonderful songs and artists by listening to the playlists, and of course my favourite was micro, particularly this album which i started to listen to because both อย่าดีกว่า and อยากจะบอกใครสักคน are in it, and while they're still my favourites i really like the rest of the album too.

the land is inhospitable and so are we, mitski (2023)

i think i discovered mitski back in 2018 when be the cowboy came out, but for some reason i never listened to her music a lot? i had a pearl in my playlists, but it wasn't until laurel hell came out in 2022 that i started to listen to more... and then this year we got this amazing album and she's now one of my most listened artists of all time. my favourite is my love all mine because, like for most of twitter, that was (one of) my sandray song(s).

something to give to each other, troye sivan (2023)

this album came out right when i was itching for new music and to make more playlists because i was bored of always listening to the same songs. it was kind of a break? not because it's super different from other things i listen to, i don't think, but idk it was exactly what i needed right when i needed it. there's something about can't go back, baby that has always made it stand out to me, but don't ask me what.

to. x, taeyeon (2023)

mother! taeyeon has been in my life continuously for the longest time; her voice is such a comfort, it doesn't matter if i stop listening to kpop for years (which i've done a couple times in my life because i am that dramatic) i don't think i could ever quit her. honestly the whole album is perfect, no notes, and we even got a live clip for all for nothing. best way to end the year!

not tagging anyone but if you see this and want to do it you can consider yourself tagged <3