#like i said it isn't a terrible season I just wish it had been paced and wrapped up better

[misty-slays-blog]

Okay I'm going to give my quick, abridged thoughts on Haladriel/Saurondriel this finale (could be better, could also be worse), and some ramblings about the series going forward, before taking a couple of days to let it all sink in.

We have been fed. Was it a lavish six-course meal? No. But I hadn't expected it to be, and it wasn't crumbs either. We did get Sauron admitting he cares about Galadriel (his Queen of Light) and that he doesn't want to kill her. So what Charlotte Brandstrom said - Sauron loving Galadriel - yeah, I can see it. And that gives me hope going forward. Saurondriel isn't dead at all (despite what they may claim on reddit).

I dreamed of a Dark!Galadriel arc but never expected it outside the realm of fanfiction. In fact, what went down is pretty much what I envisioned they would do. I am okay with it. Also let's not forget that they had written S2 already before the release of S1 and before the huge fandom reaction to Saurondriel.

(And mark my words, I think the wound in Galadriel's shoulder will play a role going forward - side note, did anyone else love Gil-Galad's line when Galadriel woke up? He's so done with her antics, bless him, I love them both).

But my critique of the fight is the same critique I have had for the entire season: it's way too rushed. I can see what they were going for, I can stand behind what they wished to convey, but the execution was just way too hasty. It's like we got all the pieces ("his queen", him not wishing to harm her, Galadriel faltering when she saw Halbrand, also really loved how Galadriel actually put up a fight against a literal god and even had the upper hand at one point, etc.) but they just didn't dwell long enough on them to really mean something. This is the result of having too many storylines crammed into too little time. I would much rather have them spread their budget over 10 or even 12 episodes instead of 8 because now, so many characters sadly lost their place in the spotlight, and certain emotional scenes lacked impact.

Another critique that I have is that the women didn't shine this season. Galadriel was captured by a man for a huge chunk of the season and then rescued in the end by three other men. We lost Bronwyn, Estrid only existed as love interest, and Míriel, Nori & Poppy hardly had anything to do. The only female characters who weren't really reduced, were Disa and Eärien.

I didn't really keep track but did they even pass the Bechdel test this season?

Seriously, they would do well to hire more female writers and fix this.

They are rejoicing on reddit right now, that the finale seems to mark the beginning of a "wise" Galadriel who will forever steer clear from the battlefield. Honestly this misogynistic mumbo jumbo makes me sick and I hope, hope, hope that the writers don't think this would be a good idea. Yes to wise(r) Galadriel, character development and growth, no to domestic, perfect Galadriel staying at home while the men around her go to battle. Please let her be flawed, let her be tempted by the darkness, let her be a warrior. She is one of my favorite characters and I dread the idea that they might actually reduce her to a side character.

I know I might be in the minority, but I actually liked season 1 more for that reason than season 2. Yes, it had its flaws, mainly in pacing and editing, but the world just felt more alive and fleshed out.

Overall I'm rating this season not great, not terrible.

[nellie-elizabeth]

Roswell, New Mexico: Dig Me Out (4x07)

Honestly, really liked this episode!

Cons:

In some ways, I liked it so much that it shed a light on some of the pacing issues this season has had thus far. This felt like the point in which several plot threads were finally starting to find their footing, things moved forward in interesting ways, and I think if I were taking a red pen to this season, we'd want to have hit this point in the story maybe just one episode earlier? Cut away some of the sluggishness and extraneous stuff?

I was so happy to see Rosa again! This is maybe a nitpick, but I wish that the scene at the restaurant had gone a little differently. It felt super hasty for Rosa to get up and storm out after Liz and Shivani were talking science for like... forty-five seconds. It undercut Rosa's attitude in the next scene where she's being all mature and telling Liz to be herself. I would have rewritten that slightly so that Rosa stays at the restaurant but looks visibly uncomfortable/annoyed, and then afterwards when they get back to Rosa's place, says something to Liz about her behavior. That would have felt more mature and less awkwardly extreme. How many times have you actually gone out to a restaurant, sat down to eat, been annoyed by a family member for a minute, and actually got up to leave?

It's so funny to me how Max has become like the only person on the show who's thinking about Alex's role in things... specifically, when Michael is talking about going home, Max is like "uh you have a boyfriend." I'm just petty and selfish and Alex means so much to me, but it bothers me that Isobel didn't also think of Alex when she and Max were discussing Michael's future and his dreams.

Last thing I'll say negatively about this episode: the timeline of this season is BONKERS if you think about it for more than a second. I'm bad at tracking these things, but I'm fairly certain it's been like... less than two weeks since the season started with episode 4x01. This makes sense in some regards: Alex has been missing for say, seven or eight days, and that's well within the bounds of how long he said he'd be gone for his work, so it makes sense that Michael isn't panicked about him. But in other regards, when you think about how little time is passing? Mimi died like... what, five days ago, or something like that? Maria's walking around and reminiscing fondly and talking about her mother being at peace, as if it's been months or even years! And Michael only met Bonnie and Clyde like a week ago, all of this relationship development and wondering about home and the future has happened lightning fast when you really think about it. Max was going to propose to Liz just days ago! Isobel and Anatsa went from "I love you" to their breakup in less than a week! It's just kind of bonkers and poorly paced all around. Probably shouldn't consider it too hard.

Pros:

But as I said, I really enjoyed this episode.

To start with, seeing Rosa really was such a treat. I've missed her terribly this season, but she's living her best life in New York with cool artsy roommates, and it makes me so, so happy for her! I love how she was able to step in and be big-sister for Liz in that conversation. Liz was able to acknowledge that seeing Rosa's success made her feel small, which is an understandable thing that happens sometimes with siblings. And Rosa was able to feel settled in her own accomplishments and also give Liz advice on how to stay the course on the path that will make her happiest.

Max really pissed me off with his decision to give up his powers last week, but I kind of like being angry with him. I like that this feels like a real, concrete thing for he and Liz to clash over. Liz, I felt, could have been a little less self-righteous, and acknowledged that while Max shouldn't have done it without discussing it first, it ultimately should always have been his decision. It's his powers, his body, and Liz's position in that argument was very much "but we need your powers" instead of acknowledging what Max actually wants. BUT, ultimately even if Liz could have handled things slightly better, Max is still so in the wrong for continuing his pattern of unilateral decision making, always trying to be everyone's savior. I like a conflict I can really sink my teeth into. I do wish Max had already learned some of these lessons, but hey. These things take time.

Isobel and Dallas hanging out in the hot tub made me smile! They're so cute, I love how much Dallas fits in with the rest of his alien family. It was so funny when Isobel got all flustered at shirtless Dallas, and also how she made sure to check that he wasn't about to spring surprise feelings on her, the way Kyle did. Then, we get some juicy backstory details for both of them, in the form of flashbacks! It was so lovely to see Roy again, and to learn more about what Theo and Dallas were up to during the '40s. Dallas was able to learn the location of the special glasses, and we also got some insights into what Nora was working on, and hints about where her ship might have been hidden. I just really like spending time with Dallas, getting to see more of Theo, and Roy. Since the start, this show has always done a good job making the flashback stuff feel relevant and interesting, instead of a waste of time since we already know the outcome. This is no exception!

And Isobel... apparently Tezca was once her teacher, back on Oasis! This is an interesting twist, and brings Isobel back into the main story in a way I didn't realize we were missing. She's been sort of banished to relationship drama land for most of the season thus far, and here we finally get to see her with her mother's sword again, ready to face down Tezca while her brothers lie there with tranquilizer darts in them. It was such a cool moment to see Michael, Max, and Isobel teaming up to learn more about their origins and their enemy's plans. I want more pod squad time, please!

Bonnie and Clyde's relationship is so screwed up and twisty! I love how Clyde manipulates our heroes into going to the cave where they think Nora's ship might be hidden, when all along what he was after was Theo's bible and glasses. That was a good switcharoo I genuinely didn't see coming, so when we get to that standoff between Clyde and Dallas at the end, with Bonnie as Clyde's bargaining chip, I genuinely wasn't sure what he was going to do, what he might be capable of. He seemed genuinely anguished about having to use Bonnie like that, but a second later he threw her into the quicksand, so... it seems Clyde's fanaticism about the Alighting is no joke. I'm so excited that Dallas has been pulled into quicksand land, and found Alex's necklace... we're so close, guys! Do we think maybe Dallas will find Alex next week? It's possible!

Before I turn to Maria, I want to give a shoutout to Max and Michael having their chats and supporting each other. Their relationship has really come so far from where we started with them in season one. Max is being the pragmatist, raining on Michael's parade a little bit, but Michael admits that he was keeping the map from the rest of his family because he wasn't ready to exit the dream part of things and think about the practical side of things. Max in turn admits that his savior complex is a problem, that he needs to spend more time contemplating and considering the consequences of his actions. Look at that. Some real growth, there. Please let the lesson stick this time, Max!

So all season I've been moaning about the lack of Alex, frustrated that we weren't moving a little faster, at least towards someone realizing that he was in trouble. But honestly? After this episode? I'm already forgiving them for a lot of the Alex drought. Maria has been trying to figure out what her mom wants to tell her, since her mom died. And we saw last week that strange things have been happening around her, signals that we assume came from Mimi. My trust issues with this show means that I never even considered that it might be Alex trying to reach out to Maria. Why? Because Alex doesn't seem to matter much to his friends outside of Michael! If you think about season three, how much screen-time did Alex get with any of his supposed close friends? Barely any with Kyle, and virtually none with Maria or Liz. So to have a plot setup where Maria's whole subplot the past couple of weeks has actually been leading her to Alex? To see Liz and Maria discussing Alex, his favorite soup and milkshake flavor, the concert they went to as kids... it brings Alex into the fold in a way I have been missing, honestly, since season two.

I was worried that the Alex rescue mission was going to be Michael alone, which obviously I would have loved seeing for the sake of the Malex of it all, but I like Alex as a character a lot! I want him to matter to a larger contingent of the cast. I want his absence to be a Big Deal and the Main Point of next week's episode, and having that cliffhanger ending with Maria and Liz realizing the truth, and then Dallas finding that necklace, it gives me hope that we're going to get something truly awesome for 4x08. I miss Tyler on the show, but if they can make Alex matter to the other characters even if we don't get to see him, I'll be more than satisfied.

So, yeah! That's where I'll leave things! I've already seen people hating on this episode because they hate Maria for like, existing, and for her having anything to do with Alex because they think she's an evil monster or whatever. Honestly at this point I just have to roll my eyes and feel kind of bad for those people. Imagine willfully misreading the show to support your continued irrational hatred of a fictional character who honestly has just as much of a right to take up space and time on the show as any of the other leads. Sounds exhausting and not so much fun.

Can't wait for next week! I'm vibrating with excitement!!!

8.5/10

[alo-piss-trancy]

Okay so quick opinions on this season without writing a whole review:

Good: Some of the new characters were really cool/interesting, some standout episodes, new smaller interactions between different sets of existing characters to help flesh their dynamics out (ex. Rir/ika and Ma/ry, Mi/dari and Ry/ota, Mar/y and Ryo/ta, M/idari and Trad. Cult. Lady), The Tower of Doors was adapted, R/ei fit in pretty well for being an anime-only character, More acknowledgement of Yu/meko's serious flaws and negative effects (which I love as a contrast to s1 setting her up as a sherlock/savior), the wheelchair girl (Te/rano?) is super cool and intimidating and I hope we get to see her properly in s3 (if we get one)

Cons: R/yota was cast aside almost entirely plotwise which sucks considering the s1 finale gave us a massive development (seriously the few gambles he joined in s2 didn't even let him do anything or get into his head about it, he still only existed to worry or comment on what M/ary or Yu/meko did), Even when Yu/meko was in 'crazy mode' they didn't make her very menacing (a lot of the 'horror' faces felt too prettied up in this season, it doesn't have the batshit ugly, bold look of s1), it also feels like they focused so much on how addicted she was that they didn't give off the same impression that she's plotting the whole time (just during big reveals, the rest everyone's just kinda rolling her eyes at her and she comes off as Too Silly instead of Silly But Lowkey Serious), R/ei's arc was completely rushed to cram into that single finale episode and a lot of his/her backstory got muddled as a result as well as the impact being anticlimatic (I'd have preferred they built that up more and maybe cut Idol 2-parter 2.0 to free up some plot room), overall the storytelling and pacing of this season was just super off, 1st season was a solid 8.0 and even the couple of 'bland/filler' episodes still clearly worked into the plot and all character arcs progressed, 2nd season feels like a 6.5 with only a few really stand-out episodes, a decent chunk of bland/filler ones, and half-started plot threads hanging all around like cobwebs. It's not awful by any means, but it really does feel messy and could have been tightened up.

Also entirely petty con but I super dislike how prettied up all the visuals were in general this season. The intense faces weren't ugly so much as just really darkly shaded/bulging eyes, and I know fanservice is a given with this show and I honestly don't mind, but Yu/meko's gambling or/gasms looked like legit p/orn this season instead of still having a kinda gross/creepy pose or face to them. Idk if I'm describing what bothers me correctly but basically everything just seemed overly cleaned up/too neat, it didn't really have that visceral and vaguely unsettling quality to it. But then again I'm the type who still agonizes over Bl/ack Butler changing C/iel's eye and ring colour from s1's beautiful royal blue to that ugly ass teal. It's not even good teal it's blue green at BEST

[supergirlimagine]

Sticks and Stones pt.2

Red!K Kara x B!Danvers Reader

There was darkness around you and all you feel is Pain. You hear voices, that you can't quite place, but they sound familiar. You slowly open your eyes and start to look around. A Hospital..No the DEO, you’re in the DEO, you realize and your memory slowly sets in. The fight, the Pain, the words that had been said. Your sisters hate you, they hate you and they want you out of their Life, you knew it, you always knew it deep down, that you didn't belong to them. They were Heroes and you’re just, well..You. Your Breathing is getting quicker, the Machines around you are going wild and you just want to get out, want to leave. Now. You try to get up despite your Ribs screaming at you to lay back down and your Lungs burning. Something tugs at your arm as you try to reach to get off the bed, you realize is your IV, which you promptly pull out. Pain shoots through your arm but like everything else, you ignore it. Your feet are just about to hit the ground when strong arms wrap around you from the back, holding you in place. You just now realize that you have been sobbing and hyperventilating. You can barely see, but you’d know these Arms anywhere. “Alex”, You half whisper, half yell. Your voice sounds raspy and broken. It almost feels like you are bleeding from the inside with every word you rasp out. Neverthelss, you continue

“No, Let go! Let me go. I have to leave!”,

You start to protest, weakly trying to escape her embrace. The Blood running down on your arm painting the white sheets and gown in a dark red.

“No..Shh. Shhh Y/N. Its alright. Just lay down. I got you, just Rest.I got you.” She’s half sitting behind you on the Bed now and running her fingers through your Hair. You almost hate her for how calm she sounds, how reasonable. How the whole word could be on fire right now, but with your eldest sisters right next to you, you wouldn't even worry for half a second. You want to hate her for it, or more hate yourself for how dependent you are on her comfort, but you can't help yourself as you slowly sink into her embrace. Letting her voice calm you down until your sobs turn into hiccups.

Just as you look up and try to forget the emotional and physical pain just for a split second, you catch Karas eyes. She standing at the end of your Bed, matching your outfit with a Hospital gown, looking like she wants to reach out to you, but hesitant and with silent Tears streaming down her face. The silence is suffocating and you can't hold her eyes for more than a couple seconds, but it felt like the staring contest of a lifetime. You turn and burry your face in Alex’s shoulder, wishing everything and everyone away.

This isn't’ real, they don’t want you. They hate you. You are a burden and Kara doesn't’ even want to life with you, you are annoying and useless, you should..

“”Y/N. What was that?”” Something breaks your train of thoughts, you must have been speaking out loud. Alex eyes are starring back at you, concern marking her features.

““I..””

You cough and try to clear you throat, which is only making the Pain worse. You try and remember why your throat hurts so damn much, when the image of your Alien sister chocking you comes into your mind and you look up to her for a second out of reflex. Your eyes meet hers for the second time, she knows what you just remembered. It’s unsure to say who was in more Pain in that exact moment.

You try again

““I said..I’m sorry. I-I. Can lea-..””, Kara looks at you panicked, to afraid to speak, but wanting to make you see that you weren'’t at fault. She can’t find the words and Alex beats her to it.

“”No! Sweetie..Y/N. I know there is a lot to talk about, but you have to know that what happened tonight was terrible and I know you are scared and confused. Kara was infected with Red Kryptonite. It made her..Not be herself. She didn't’ mean what she said. Or meant to do what she did. She’’ll tell you that herself.”

Alex looked up to her sister, trying to encouraging her to speak up, but the blonde remained silent, lost for words. She wiped her tears and stepped forward, your eyes were focused on the blonde, wanting to, but not really believing Alex. She reaches out and tries to touch your arm and you can’t help but flinch away from her touch, new tears welling up in both of your eyes. Pulling her hand away like she’s been burned and taking a step back, she lays some tissues and a band-aid on the side of your bed. Close enough so you can reach it, far enough so she’s not in your space.

“”You...”” she clears her throat.

“You are Bleeding, Y/N”, she points at you arm, where you had just ripped out the IV.

Seconds pass.

“”I’m so. So sorry.””, she says in a shaking voice before looking at Alex one more time, who begs her with her eyes to stay and talk.

She ignores the silent request and turns around to leave. You feel Alex hug you closer and you look at you arm and over to the bandages. She left you Mickey Mouse Band-aids. You know you were way too old for those, but she always keeps them just for you.

On a family trip to Disneyland you had fallen and cut open your knee while running around with Kara, who had been put in charge of you for the short walk from the Teacup ride to the Bathrooms. It was a short walk, and your Mother had been able to see the two of you the whole way over. For Kara it was the single most important responsibility of her young lifetime. Usually Alex was the one in charge of big girl stuff, but this time it was her and she took that job really serious, just like she’d seen Alex do all the time. Her heart had doubled in size with pride. She had looked your Mother in the eyes with a seriousness in her expression, you had ever seen before. Nodding with determination, when she was told to look after her little sister. You guys had been so caught up in your fun and freedom, that you took a tumble, which resulted in a minor cut with some minor bleeding on your part. Kara had freaked out and picked you up quicker than you had fallen and carried you halfway through the park, trying to remain at an acceptable human pace, to the first aid station. They gave you a Mickey Mouse band-aid for your knee and free ice cream for the Tears. You and Kara had returned to your worried mother, who had only looked away for a split second and an annoyed Teenage Alex, with smiles on your Faces and ice cream in hands. She had been mad that you two went further than she had allowed, but in an even more serious face than she had worn before, your sister had told her, that she had done what was necessary to look after her little sister and make sure she was fine. All while eating away at the ice-cream that was melting down one hand, while the other one was holding yours tight. All you could do was stare at her in wonder, from that point forward you were pretty sure that your sister hung the moon and the stars.

Ever since then Kara had made a point of keeping Mickey Mouse Band-Aids around. Even different themes for different seasons, but she always had them ready for you. If you had a Paper cut or got a small burn from trying and failing to make any type of meal for yourself. Sometimes she would just use them to cheer you up and it always worked. She had always been right there to help you through the pain.

You looked up at the Door where she had just left out of. Never would you have thought, that she one day would be on the giving end of that Pain.

[tamiddyinyourcity]

Its really mind blowing!

Literally a few nights before, I was deadass glowing from how good things were.

And I always liked things.

Waking up and going, "Oh hey, there he is. He's still got his arm around me and everything. He looks great sleeping", or looking at his eyes.

Soft kisses awake, listening to music while drinking tea.

Sitting ontop of his Prius, (yes, that's how he got those dents,) and looking at the stars and the skyline with eachother.

Ice skating, and helping me not bust my ass several times like that.

All these cute moments are kinda dead now.

On the bright side, it was a good run. It helped me move past the last few months easier than I would've, if going solo. :)

Sucks that my Christmas plans turned from "I wanna give him something special! It's so sweet he wants me around his family for the season", to "I'll just go face down in my bed, and maybe buy a few bottles of aspirin if I *really* wanna ascend into a Holy Night."

....I'm kidding, I wouldn't use pills to kill myself, lmfao. Nah. Foaming at the mouth or falling asleep are the most pussy or depressing ways to end a life.

Or at least, not the most ideal way to end my own.

THIS IS GETTING DEPRESSING, LETS CHANGE TOPICS BRO!

I'll just not think about the future, or the past.

Both will happen at their own pace, and I cant change that.

But what I *can* do, is make sure that I eat something today.

Otherwise, I will faint, and not wake up again until its maybe two days later. Or worse, in a hospital bed.

Objective for the day:

What should I eat that will make me appreciate life some more? IHOP sounds pretty good.....

Nice.

......I wonder does he still read my blog? I think its the only think I havent blocked him on. I never blocked his phone number, but I shouldnt be out here nervous, if we know hes never gonna respond to my voicemail either.

I had a dream the other night. I went to his house to get my fireworks and my candles back, and then just to not walk away and regretting anything, I said he could say whatever he wanted to me, since he has nothing to lose.

(I figured either telling me I was a dick, that he was upset at the breakup, or whatnot would be fair game anyway.)

All I remember is him doing that awkward (yet endearing) snort-chuckle he does when he gets flustered or nervous, and saying "Well, I did check your *blog*, and....-"

Then the dream kinda cuts off.

.........kinda sad how I wish that could happen.

Whatever.

Its too soon to think he'd want anything to do with me, and too late to change the past.

All I can do is say "Fuck you, Patrick, this wasnt my fault," and "Sorry for cursing out your stupid ass friend for intruding in my business, I should have at least waited a few hours, or until the next day to see if you'd be open to talking to me about the situation again".

Which usually loops back to "But I know you wouldnt change your mind or offer any resolution, and still want it all to go your way or the highway, so Fuck you, Patrick, you absolute asshat of a person."

And then I feel alright.

.....stop procrastinating, me! I'll just end up sweating in bed all day and not doing anything. Do SOMETHING, you've got so much potential honey....

Write some more song lyrics, record a video, eat a meal; dying isn't gonna make that boy text you any sooner, or make the memories fade away any quicker.

I shouldn't feel this bad about leaving a relationship headed towards toxic territory, when he knows damn fucking well that he wouldn't feel even half as terrible as I do...

When hes the one who had chose what he chose.

2:27pm, stomach is kinda caving in. Sweating but not feeling okay enough to immediately shower, or else ill end up lying on the floor and letting the steam scald me or something. Then itll be hours, and itll get too dark to leave out.

I'll be alright. Just... forget he exists. Life has always been good. Think about your upcoming date with the other Patrick, and how good itll be to see him again. And your music and artwork. The things you want to create.

That's all. Peace out yalls, see yall later peeps. Imma go to IHOP, text laters.