#marley on due south

[marley-manson]

There's something so interesting about Ray being essentially defined, in terms of his relationship with Fraser, by being there for him, only for the show to write him out by having him leave Fraser in the lurch to pursue justice.

Like I've written a post about how Ray is contrasted to Bob Fraser in the Pilot as someone who is there for Fraser, who is emotionally supportive and willing to drop everything for him and share his own family with him, etc, compared to Fraser's relationship with his father which is defined by distance, both emotional and literal as Fraser was mostly raised by his grandparents after his mother died.

It's a strong recurring theme with Ray and Fraser's relationship in the first two seasons in general. Fraser's "sometimes the world comes to you" in Chicago Holiday; "A friend is someone who won't stop until he finds you and brings you home;" Ray refusing to abandon Fraser despite his dad in North; Ray giving up everything from a basketball game to a Florida vacation to drive Fraser around; Ray mortaging his house for Fraser's bail money in Victoria's Secret and having his back every step of the way (in contrast to Fraser nearly running off with Victoria); etc etc.

In Vault the central point of contention between Ray and Fraser is Ray upset that Fraser prioritizes the most abstract form of duty imaginable (defending insured bank money for the principle) over their lives. Ray is always about the personal over the abstract, always prioritizing the people he knows and cares about over the law despite his job.

SO it's kind of fucking wild that Ray suddenly disappears from Fraser's life without even a goodbye to fulfill his duty as a cop and go get the bad guys.

I don't think this is intended by the writers because there's little thematic continuity with the shift from seasons 1-2 and 3-4, and it doesn't stick a thematically coherent ending. I think it was just a wacky way to write Ray out of the show. But it's definitely interesting that what causes Ray to disappear from Fraser's life is duty to the law. It's like Fraser rubbed off on Ray, like Ray wants to live up to his example. And it's just so ironic from Fraser's point of view in a "be careful what you wish for" kind of way.

[bisexualdawnsummers]

trick or treat 🎃

Thank you! I hope you enjoy these treats <3 🍬🍫 🍬

Ray winced, flipping the channel to cut off a young woman’s blood curdling scream. His lip curled, finding nothing but gruesome scenes one after the other displayed on the tv. “Ugh.” He clicked the tv off and tossed the remote aside. He plunged his hand into the candy bowl in his lap and dug around. He frowned and looked down to see nothing but empty wrappers. His stomach roiled suddenly with the realization of how much candy he’d eaten. Maybe volunteering for hand out duty had been a bad idea, but everyone else had better things to do, and Ray hadn't felt like going out anyway. He wasn’t really in the festive spirit this year. It was his first Halloween since Vegas, and Ray felt that he’d had enough of wearing a costume to last him a lifetime. He rubbed a hand over his belly as he shoved the bowl away. He stood up and headed for the door. Might as well turn off the porch light and call it a night.  He’d flicked the light off and was halfway up the stairs when the bell sounded. He paused for a few seconds, seeing if they would give up. When the bell chimed again, he sighed and trudged back down the stairs. There wasn’t anything left in the bowl, so they’d have to settle for a few pieces of the butterscotch things his Ma kept in a dish on the foyer table.  Ray’s breath caught as he swung open the door. He blinked, mouth hanging open. Either it was the best costume he’d ever seen or… “Benny?”  Fraser's hands fiddled with his hat, slowly rotating the brim of the Stetson between his fingers. The corners of his mouth wavered with an almost grin.  Ray’s eyes were wide as they swept over him from head to toe. It had been months since he had last seen Fraser. He'd been afraid that all he had left was that final glimpse of Fraser standing by his hospital bed that was half-lost in a haze of painkillers. “What are you…?” Fraser tipped his hat, top down, and held it out. His grin broke free fully, brows arching. “Trick or Treat?”  Ray huffed a surprised laugh. “Sorry, Benny, I’m all out of candy.”  Fraser’s lips turned down, a crease forming between his eyes. “Oh dear. That’s too bad.” He took a step forward, grin flickering back to life. “Well, Ray, I’m sure that you have something sweet that you can offer me as a substitute.” He lifted a hand to cup Ray’s cheek, eyes glinting with a warmth that Ray could feel ignite in his own chest.  Ray’s hand covered Fraser’s as he leaned into the touch. He shuffled closer to Fraser. “Yeah, Benny. I’m sure I can think of something.”

fic writer's trick or treat

Bonus treat under the cut (warning for mature content): A rough excerpt from my rayv/leather!mountie fic

The costume really was meant to be a joke; the idea of a leather clad Mountie was just too absurd, Ray couldn’t pass it up. He never could have imagined that the real Mountie would end up in a place like that. Seeing Fraser there had shaken Ray’s foundation. Ray had worked very hard to keep himself from thinking about Fraser and sex in the same context. As far as Ray was concerned, Fraser was like a life-sized action figure under the uniform. He had to think of him like that, it was the only way that Ray could keep working with him, keep being his friend, without losing his mind. Seeing Fraser in that place, surrounded by sin, by people who had no shame about giving in to what they wanted, no fear of what people might think, had broken something open in Ray. The sight of Fraser there, Mr. Prim and Proper, always untouched, no matter how much dirt he was standing in; It just made Ray want to mess him up even more, to see the Mountie clothes ripped open, get them filthy. Ray had barely been able to look at him; the man who blushed and stammered when a pretty woman batted eyes at him, looking for all the world like he belonged with people like that. Like he was one of them. The idea that Fraser might– Ray squeezed his eyes shut, biting his lip. His fingers curled, nails biting into the flesh of his palms. When he opened his eyes again after a long moment, Jameson was staring at him, narrowed eyes, shrewd and intent. His head was angled slightly to the side and the tip of his tongue peeked out the corner of his mouth. His arms were folded over his broad chest that that damned leather Serge was stretched across. God, he was like the perfect perversion of Benny.

[pigtailedgirl]

BLORBO POLL

BLORBO POLL

Rules: make a poll with five of your all-time favourite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone's favourite.

Got tagged by @variousqueerthings and I'd have my two Due South blorbos but that's cheating so only my fav of. So hard. Let's go!

I tag @marley-manson, @portlandwithyou, @gayvecchio,@lanninglurksnomore, and @winterdebacle

[denimbex1986]

'Writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah has died aged 65, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour eight weeks ago.

A statement posted on his Instagram account confirmed he died in the early hours of Thursday.

The statement said Zephaniah's wife "was with him throughout and was by his side when he passed".

"We shared him with the world and we know many will be shocked and saddened by this news," it added.

Zephaniah was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham, the son of a Barbadian postman and a Jamaican nurse. He was dyslexic and left school aged 13, unable to read or write.

He moved to London aged 22 and published his first book, Pen Rhythm.

His early work used dub poetry, a Jamaican style of work that has evolved into the music genre of the same name, and he would also perform with the group The Benjamin Zephaniah Band.

As Zephaniah's profile grew, he became a familiar face on television and was credited with bringing Dub Poetry into British living rooms.

He also wrote five novels as well as poetry for children, and his first book for younger readers, Talking Turkeys, was a huge success upon its publication in 1994.

On top of his writing work, Zephaniah was an actor and appeared in the BBC drama series Peaky Blinders between 2013 and 2022.

He played Jeremiah "Jimmy" Jesus, appearing in 14 episodes across the six series.

Zephaniah famously rejected an OBE in 2003 due to the association of such an honour with the British Empire and its history of slavery.

"I've been fighting against empire all my life, fighting against slavery and colonialism all my life," he told The Big Narstie Show in 2020.

"I've been writing to connect with people, not to impress governments and monarchy. So I could I then accept an honour that puts the word Empire on to my name? That would be hypocritical.

He often spoke out about issues such as racial abuse and education.

When he was younger, Zephaniah served a prison sentence for burglary and received a criminal record.

In 1982, Zephaniah released an album called Rasta, which featured the Wailers' first recording since the death of Bob Marley.

It also included a tribute to the then-political prisoner Nelson Mandela, who would later become South African president.

In an interview in 2005, Zephaniah said growing up in a violent household led to him assuming that was the norm.

He recalled: "I once asked a friend of mine, 'What do you do when your dad beats your mum?' And he went: 'He doesn't.'

"I said, 'Ah, you come from one of those, like, feminist houses. So, what do you do when your mum beats your dad?'"

In 2012, he was chosen to guest edit an edition of BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Zephaniah was nominated for autobiography of the year at the National Book Awards for his work, The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah, which was also shortlisted for the Costa Book Award in 2018.

During a Covid-19 lockdown, Zephaniah recited one of his poems in a video for the Hay Festival.

"Benjamin was a true pioneer and innovator. He gave the world so much," the statement announcing his death said.

"Through an amazing career including a huge body of poems, literature, music, television and radio, Benjamin leaves us with a joyful and fantastic legacy."

A statement from the Black Writers' guild, which Zephaniah helped establish, said: "Our family of writers is in mourning at the loss of a deeply valued friend and a titan of British literature. Benjamin was a man of integrity and an example of how to live your values."

Others paying tribute included author Michael Rosen, who said: "I'm devastated. I admired him, respected him, learnt from him, loved him. Love and condolences to the family and to all who loved him too."

Actress Adjoa Andoh posted: "We have lost a Titan today. Benjamin Zephaniah. Beautiful Poet, Professor, Advocate for love and humanity in all things. Heartbroken. Rest In Your Power - our brother."

Peaky Blinders actor Cillian Murphy said in a statement: "Benjamin was a truly gifted and beautiful human being.

"A generational poet, writer, musician and activist. A proud Brummie and a Peaky Blinder. I'm so saddened by this news."

Broadcaster Trevor Nelson said: "So sad to hear about the passing of Benjamin Zephaniah. Too young, too soon, he had a lot more to give. He was a unique talent."

Singer-songwriter and musician Billy Bragg added: "Very sorry to hear this news. Benjamin Zephaniah was our radical poet laureate. Rest in power, my friend."

Comedian, actor and writer Lenny Henry said: "I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend Benjamin Zephaniah. His passion for poetry, his advocacy for education for all was tireless."

Writer Nels Abbey said: "To call this crushing news is a massive understatement. He was far too young, far too brilliant and still had so much to offer. A loss we'll never recover from."

The X/Twitter account for Premier League football club Aston Villa, whom Zephaniah supported said everyone at the club was "deeply saddened" by the news.

"Named as one of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008, Benjamin was a lifelong Aston Villa fan and had served as an ambassador for the AVFCFoundation. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."'

[burningexeter]

PITCH:

Attack On Titan: Deathwatch

An Adult Swim Original Series

Only On Toonami

What is it —

A full-blown American made animated sequel series to the Attack On Titan anime that is also a female-led spin-off starring Historia Reiss and Mikasa Ackerman as the protagonists.

CAST:

Trina Nishimura as Mikasa Ackerman

Bryn Apprill as Historia Reiss/Christa Lenz

Zelda Williams as Daniella Ryback

Kiefer Sutherland as Tobin Foster

Bruce Campbell as Brisco Walsh

Kirk Acevedo as Sam Vahue

PREMISE:

Four years after both the Rumbling and the Battle Of Heaven and Earth and one year after the epilogue, we find that the Queen Of The Walls is no longer Queen Of The Walls as we at first follow Historia Reiss, now going by her former alias 'Christa Lenz', who's currently residing in Manhattan, NY (yes, you read that right and you'll get the detailed explanation later) with her daughter Ymir, having put aside her crown and role as ruler of Paradis in order to give herself and her child a new life that's as ordinary as can be. But the chance at said new life and starting over doesn't come easy in any way, shape or even form as Historia is struggling to live a normal life with her kid as a modern-day person in the Big Apple for she's working an underpaid job as a hospital nurse, is already behind on rent, lives in a closed down bookstore she turned into a home and top it off, she owes debt to three dangerous people who are tied to the criminal underworld running drug trafficking in the big city.

It's through the latter that one of the three she owes payment to takes an interest in her and drags her into said underworld where after Historia betrays and (spoilers) shoots her the first chance she gets once she gets a sniff of enough money to pay off her debts and give both her and Ymir the life they want, the person reveals that not only (more spoilers) do they have grotesque regenerative and contortionistic powers but that said person is none other than Mikasa Ackerman herself.

Against her will and being given the same abilities as her, Historia is forced to not only marry Mikasa and be her wife but also be part of what Mikasa's been truly plotting only for it to unfortunately go south due to the effects of other storylines interweaving with each other and ultimately leads Mikasa down a path of redemption and letting go of Eren Yeager while it leads Historia down a path of hope and letting go of her girlfriend Ymir, her husband Wolfgang and her sister Frieda.

NOTES/TRIVIA/DETAILS:

• First things first, what's up with the modern-day Manhattan, New York setting? Here in Deathwatch, it's revealed at least here in the anime continuity that Marley and Eldia are only just ONE side to this universe as the rest of the world is perfectly fine and exactly as it is today with said rest of the world having completely ostracized Marley, their allies and Eldia in absolute horror and disgust but now after the events of the series finale, the modern world is now paying full attention to their side now that 80% of them were wiped out and the Titans are gone. This is introduced to us through Historia watching CNN on one of the hospital's flat-screen TVs.

• The show will not only go back to its grounded and grittier roots of the first two seasons of its predecessor as no matter how big and fantastical as it gets, it still remains somewhat grounded or grounded to some degree especially with the characters, action sequences and scenarios but also be done in the animation style of the first two seasons of its predecessor as well with Mikasa and Historia being in their S2 designs to which they fully acknowledge their new appearances.

• As for who the other characters are, I won't give anything away however I will only tell you about two to give you a good taste of what I'm cooking — Tobin Foster (Kiefer Sutherland) is at first what appears to be another criminal who is an enforcer keeping things in line only for it to be revealed that he's in fact an undercover FBI agent ready to take this drug operation down while Sam Vahue (Kirk Acevedo) is an escaped prisoner on the run who's not only guilty of his crime but is also used as a pawn in the chess game that the characters including Mikasa and even Historia are playing.

• Now let's get to the good stuff with Mikasa and Historia — here after the bird returned her scarf to her that Eren wrapped around her when they first met, Mikasa starts off as a totally different person but not in a good way. She's now a deadly and extremely dangerous bounty hunter who at first hunted and killed modern-day criminals and is currently working certain gangs against each other for her own gain. Top of that, her personality is different too.... she's cunning, smooth-talking, twisted, sadistic, boisterous, vile and controlling with a dark sense of humor and enjoys tormenting Historia. At least, that's how she starts off. For as it goes on, Mikasa begins to open up to Historia once she realized she and her have a lot in common with each other and starts showing a softer side to her. It's this softer side that romance begins blossoming as well in this dark underbelly. They start becoming a genuinely loving and caring couple with Mikasa doing whatever it takes to protect Historia, her beloved wife. It's shown that the two of them, despite their horrifying start at the beginning, do truly love each other and end up becoming a power couple right down to where whenever one of them is in trouble, the other is always there to get her out of it.

• Others added into the mix are flat-out horror elements, the animation being more expressive and fluid, Mikasa's body movements being cat-like, it having brutal but grounded violence on the same level of something like Oz and Bound, the fourth image above being the looks and outfits of Mikasa and Historia and last but not least also showing flat-out sex and full-frontal nudity.

• Just for fun, both Mikasa and Historia will have their bumbling, screw-up and boobish moments like these three examples throughout to show that they're anything but perfect yet it makes sense in the context of the show because Historia is getting back into any sort of actual action before she became Queen and Mikasa thinks that she's been through so much and has fought against so many odds that she makes no mistakes at all.

• Another thing just for fun is that there will be a few easter eggs here and there sprinkled in from other media that anyone whose a fan of all sorts of different types of said media can catch quickly. For example, Historia uses a black Egyptian book to beat a certain character on the head multiple times.

[mirageofficial]

— WELCOME TO THE UPSIDE ! !

with a total of 22 shows and 16 stops across eight countries, MIRAGE finally takes center stage at their very first headlining concert series: ENTER THE UPSIDE! the setlist is an attempt at performing the group’s staple hits (and solos) while feeding fans with the most beloved b-sides since debut—it also features the unreleased songs monster + shooting stars (their latest english song). the live songs will share a glimpse of MIRAGE’s lore, friendship, and lessons learned in real time. the members were able to promote their english hits at broadcasting stations and festivals throughout the many countries they visited.

tickets were in high demand before the presale period opened, especially due to the fact that the majority of booked venues were smaller-scale arenas (minus south korea, japan, united kingdom, and indonesia’s stadiums). VIP, meet & greet, and standard tickets sold out within hours overall—some instantly in certain countries— and it’s reflected MIRAGE’s overlooked global popularity beyond south korea. since the announcement of the tour, netizens have been discussing whether or not KQ ENTERTAINMENT, their small label, has the strength (and money) to continue managing/supporting MIRAGE as they continue to climb to the top of the charts… or would a different label ruin the group’s strategies?

( full setlist ! )

( opening VHS ) intro: end of the world

act i the jinx

i + opening roll the dice

ii ( mashup ) black mamba + illusion

iii bewitched

iv breathe

v addicted

vi + act i finale secret story of the swan

act ii changes

interlude ( visuals ) natural

vii interlude: illusions

viii changes

ix relapse

x the happiest girl

xi + act ii finale rainbow spectrum

act iii maknae unit + elder line's solos

xii + extended intro monster ( xepher, nako, & arin )

xiii halfway ( nari )

xiv + act iii finale queen of the night ( eunae )

act iv vivace

interlude + VHS WE ARE THE PIXIES

xv starlight

xvi greedy

xvii ( mashup ) alive + outro: vivace

xviii ( mashup ) a little different [eng. version] + not a stereotype

xix + act iv finale shootings stars ( unreleased eng. song )

act v our promise

xx wanna:be

xxi + special VHS for PROMISE domino

xxii chillin' with you

( finale ) our promise

( encore ) mago

DID YOUR FAVORITE SONG MAKE IT TO THE SETLIST?

between the first two opening nights in seoul and the first half of tour, many kpop stars came out to see MIRAGE in action! which guests do you think caused the most commotion/drama on stan twitter?

ATEEZ

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

NCT ( taeyong, mark, jungwoo )

WAYV ( winwin, kun, hendery, xiaojun )

THE ROMANTICS ( rue )

MANIA! ( byeol )

UNIVERSE-4 ( jihun, marley, sakura, AJ )

FROMIS_9 ( saerom, jiheon )

SEVENTEEN ( seungkwan, DK )

THE BOYZ ( kevin, sunwoo, new )

PENTAGON ( jinho, kino, shinwon )

NOAH ( @qtnoaly )

AESPA ( qiao @darkestlovers )

TAGLIST | @qtnoaly @neocityocs @alixnsuperstxr @darkestlovers

JOIN THE TAGLIST HERE

[unknownmarley]

໒꒰ྀི｡- ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১

ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴍᴀʀᴍᴀʀ!!

hiii i’m marmar or marley, whatever you feel like calling me!! i go by she/her, and i am a mix girly and unfortunately live in the deep south so sorry if my writing contains “y’all” every other sentence!

i will be posting fanfics on here, but my ff will not be the best writing due to my dyslexic but i do put a lot of effort into my work.

all my work will also be posted on wattpad @/unknownmarley, which all my work will be posted there first fyi.

i will not be writing smut, sorry.

but i’m in fandoms such as; the sandlot, the outsiders, the karate kid, re, criminal minds, twd etc.

i’m a big fan of lana del rey, dolly parton, elvis, and very much folk music. but i’m always open to new things!!

this is infact not my main acc, this is just for my writing. my main acc is @everyonesfavmarley which is more of an account where i just girl blog and yap, if that’s sounds like something you would enjoy be my guest and go follow.

i will try to do request if y’all want x reader but i usually do x oc just so i can have creative freedom but i can totally try x reader if y’all like my writing which i’m praying that y’all do.

[karizard-ao3]

While I understand this was not relevant for the story, it would’ve been great to see some linguistic differences between the Paradisians and the Marleyans when speaking Eldian. Both seem to speak Eldian as a primary language, thanks probably to two thousand years of Eldian Empire. (Despite the scene where Ymir reads Marleyan to Reiner and Bertholdt). But Paradis was isolated from the world for a hundred years and became very much backwards. Meanwhile continental Marley gave rise to a more multicultural society full of scientific and economic development.

Isolation alone is a factor that changes language over time. Development is another. Just take a look at Korean after even less time of division. They’re still mutually intelligible, but in the north it’s more “purist” while the south is more “modern” and came under a lot of influence from English. I don’t know for sure if it’s the same with English, but German and Japanese adopted a lot of new words from English and slang, in a way that would have been unthinkable of 100 years ago.

All of this to say that the absence of contact from the outside world and lack of significant economic development in comparison means that Eren, Mikasa, Armin and everyone else in Paradis speak Ye Olde Eldian. And would have the same vocabulary as our grandparents.

Considering Paradis seems much more medieval while the rest of the world was like in the Belle Epoque, depending on the severity of it Berthold, Reiner and Annie infiltrated the walls and to them everyone was casually using their equivalent of “thou”, “thy” and “thee”

You know, I have actually thought this myself. There is a brief mention of it being good Eldian is a common language but I always thought the Paradisians would at the very least have distinct accents, although you're right that there would very likely be distinct vocabulary differences as well. We could argue that the volunteers could have helped them modernize their speech in preparation for their visit, but the accent would be hard to overcome.

English is already such a messy mishmash of different languages that it's hard for me to think of new additions, but I'm sure they exist.

Your ask did remind me of the difference between Canadian French and European French, though. In Canada, the pronunciation is different and they have made a distinct effort to keep the language pure to its roots, so they reject introducing anglicized vocabulary and therefore still use older terms that have disappeared from the common usage in France in favor of adopting English words. I feel like this would be a good representation of the language difference between Marley and Paradis, with Paradisian Eldian remaining fairly static due to their isolation and the nobility forcing the population to stagnate for 100 years while Marleyan Eldian has changed and evolved due to their interactions with other countries.

[pigtailedgirl]

I have. And that's why I collect fanfic about it lol. Me and the hurt/comfort are peas in pods.

Also @marley-manson and tags of spoilers

#prev tags re due south so fucking true#make fraser confront what's most important to him#(except when ray does get hurt fraser kinda sucks about it lol. i can ignore call of the wild bc a) i ignore all of s3+4 anyway and b)#i don't actually remember the details enough to judge really lol#but i got some feelings about the even stevens exchange in letting go lol)#(but yk i think other circumstances in fanfic could gimme the reaction i want and make it in character)#due south

Re Due South: I wanna here your even stevens thing?

And to me Fraser sucks about it because my god the denial be strong with him. I don't think he functions if he really contends with the reality of losing. He's that kind of character.

Rationalization being Fraser’s drug of choice.

do u ever just point at two characters and go “i want that one to get hurt and i want the other one to get really angsty about it”

[marley-manson]

the backstory of Victoria's Secret is fucked up and i love that they take fraser's super mountie 'always get their man' bullshit and made it not just a flaw because he's fucked up on duty but a flaw because he should've just let victoria get away

like she was barely out of her teens, if that, only drove a getaway car for a robbery and only because she was in a relationship with the ringleader and didn't have much of a choice, and she almost escaped except her getaway plane got caught in a storm and fraser somehow tracked her in it through that weather like the T-1000??? then had an emotionally intense romantic week of trying not to die with her and becoming psychosexually obsessed, and then turned her in anyway???

like not to be all acab about a cop show lol but no wonder she became a hardened criminal out for revenge after ten years in prison, this episode is 100% a consequence of his own irrational devotion to duty and I loooove that he feels guilty about it after ten years and then does let victoria go the second time, it was absolutely the correct choice and i love that ending for her <3

(and don't get me wrong his monologue about it is incredibly powerful and romantic and gorgeous but if you look at the direct facts of the event fraser looks like he stepped out of a dystopian satire film from the 80s lol)

[bisexualdawnsummers]

due south for the fandom ask meme

my favorite female character: Victoria Metcalf. I find her fascinating and would love to read novel length fics about her pre and post Fraser life. I love a female villain in general, and I think Victoria is an example of a well done one. I love that she’s smart and competent, complex, and most of all, uncompromising. She does love (and hate) and want Fraser, but she’s not going to ‘go good’ for him. She doesn’t soften or learn the error of her ways, and I think that’s great. At the same time, I don’t think she’s portrayed as Pure Evil or cartoonish in her villainy, she’s still human.

my favorite male character: Ray Vecchio. For me, Ray is a case of if I loved him less, I could talk about him more. Idk, I just love him. I love how he grumbles and protests doing anything, but still goes along with everything – and usually ends up going above and beyond. I love how brash he can be. I love his fashion sense. I love how loyal and caring he is to everyone he loves. I love how he feels like a real, lived in character with real flaws to go along with all his good traits. I would like to write more, but again, thinking about him makes my brain overheat with love and meltdown.

my favorite book/season/etc: Season 1. Overall s1 was the best written and had the most cohesive character/story arc.

my favorite episode (if it’s a tv show): The Deal (THE Ray Vecchio episode) A big thank you to David Marciano for fighting for this one.

my favorite cast member: I guess I’d have to say Callum Keith Rennie (my birthday buddy!) as he’s the main reason I started watching the show in the first place. I’m more familiar with his work outside of due South than any other cast member. (However, my fixation on RayV has bled through into wanting to seek out more of David Marciano’s work - and listening to a few podcast interviews - so he’s catching up. I also love DM for fighting for RayV’s character. We wouldn’t have The Deal without him.)

my favorite ship: RayV/Fraser. THESE TWO!!! This ship just perfectly scratches at a very specific part of my brain. I love the way that Ray just instantly welcomes Fraser into his life, into his home (into his heart). The way he offers Fraser friendship and acceptance on a level that he’s probably not used to. I love that they have a sort of two sides of the same coin thing going on, how they are parts of a whole, how when they’re alone they are incomplete but together better than they are separately!!!

a character I’d die defending: Ray Vecchio. I’m lucky that I wasn’t around for the Ray Wars and didn’t have to fight against the ‘Ray Vecchio is Homophobic’ or ‘Ray Vecchio is a bad friend to Fraser’(LMAO) allegations that apparently were flung at him back then. I’ve encountered a bit of it in some fics and it makes me want to scream. (To be clear, I don’t mind if RayV has some internalized homophobic issues, I think that’s fair to explore, I’m talking about Ray being violent towards Fraser or refusing to be his friend if he’s gay type of thing. The stuff that is clearly written in bad faith towards RayV.)

a character I just can’t sympathize with: Hm, idk…maybe Pa Vecchio.

a character I grew to love: Meg Thatcher. I never disliked her, but I think I grew to appreciate her more in subsequent rewatches than on my first run through.

my anti otp: Hm, I’d have to say RayK/Stella, I guess, but only in an ‘endgame’ scenario. I actually find their relationship and history interesting and like reading about it in fics occasionally. I also love the idea of them reconnecting as friends because they are a very important part of each other’s lives. I just don’t like the idea of them rekindling their romance in any sort of permanent way. I think Stella makes it very clear that she doesn’t want to reconcile with Ray, so I hate to see that happen on her behalf. I feel like she had to work hard to put up boundaries to keep them from slipping back into old patterns, because while they clearly still care about each other, they’re ultimately not meant to be married. I think that’s why she tends to act so prickly towards Ray, to keep that wall up, and Ray might take any softness as encouragement. Also, I’m not a big fan of divorced couples getting back together in general. I’ve seen a lot shows/movies where couples divorce/separate, only to reconcile (usually without really addressing the issues that led to the separation in the first place), and I’m always like “Please let that woman stay divorced!”

Thank you so much for the ask! <3

[pigtailedgirl]

Okay WORD TRAIN CHALLENGE as tagged by @variousqueerthings

Word was CRASH

My Games spin-off Fraser/RayV

“Cause you came to Chicago on the trail of your father’s killers and – and you didn’t have anywhere else to go!”

“And I married you? I made Zuko let me do that because?”

“I don’t know! Because that’s what I am; Something to have. Because you were lonely and I was there to use.”

___

That blessed Christine is the Riv

Ray's (Kowalski my friends) blood shone slick and I felt it's sticky heat coating our fingers and the metal of his gun as he pressed it to my cold hands. Iron in his eyes even as his physical strength leeched. "Frase," he gasped, "- she's, she's not him."

___

Due South Fraser/RayV I Hold You

A short bark of laughter. Nothing amusing in it. “I’m not worried about protecting me. Or Ma and the family either. It wasn’t retribution Fraser. It was house-cleaning. It’s always this. Frank – Frank’s gone too. Confession note.‘Suicide’.”

___

Perfect Date Frannie, RayV

Suddenly the only thing visible in her sight-line became her brother's sleeve.

___

Sliders Quinn/Wade something something

He looks for her in spirit and averts his eyes on every new world they trespass lest he see her face on another.

Tagging @gjdraws, @bisexualdawnsummers, @marley-manson @california-112 @alexandramrobertson

Word: LUSTY

[gayvecchio]

Ten people I'd like to get to know better

thanks to @variousqueerthings for tagging me!

last song: Shut up Kiss me - Angel Olsen

favourite colour: Either purple or teal

last book: Last book I finished was The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste. Currently reading The Mercy of Gods By James S.A. Corey and rereading The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

last movie: Dear Ex

last tv show: Just finished the final season of somebody, somewhere, and am a wreck over it.

sweet/spicy/savory: savory

last thing i searched for online: I looked up the local weather

current obsession: Due South is still holding strong, specifically Ray Vecchio (I don't know what it is about him but he makes my brain buzz like nothing else).

looking forward to: The new season of Severance

no pressure tagging: @theanishimori, @jocarthage, @billiethepoet, @marley-manson, @the-omnishambles @portlandwithyou, @pollydrawingthings, @torrentialsunshine, @systematic-and-somehow-tragic, @exuberantocean

[amandi-mga2023mi6021]

Dissertation: Primary Research Methodology

Research design: Natural/Quasi Experiment

Sampling type: volunteer sampling/random sampling

I will be using a non-experimental research method: self reports. The data collection method will be through an online questionnaire. 

This is because I want to get a range of information from a large and diverse sample pool. With an online survey, I can get responses from several different types of participants which would increase the generalizability of my study. Self reports allow participants to describe their own experiences which provides rich in-depth qualitative data. My research aims to find out audience preferences and opinions, so this is the best method for getting comprehensive answers to my aims. In addition, a self report is the easiest and most accessible research method for me and is much less costly and time consuming than conducting an experiment or interview. 

Furthermore, I’m using an anonymous questionnaire because social desirability bias will be reduced due to no interviewer being present.

I will make use of likert scales, rating scales, closed questions, and open questions in order to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. In addition, the range of different types of questions will reduce acquiescence bias. 

The survey will also include filler questions to reduce demand characteristics.

In order to have a comprehensive understanding of the sample participants, I will include demographic questions that will help me assess the generalisability of the study: participants' age, nationality, location, occupation, gender, education, and film consumption habits. These questions are as follows:

What is your age?

What is your gender? (Man, Woman, Non-binary/other, Prefer not to say)

What is your nationality?

Where do you currently live? (Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia)

What is your occupation? 

What is your highest level of education? (Secondary education or lower, High school diploma, Undergraduate degree, Postgraduate education or higher, other)

How often do you watch horror movies? (likert scale)

Aims

Is abject horror more or less effective through the medium of animation as opposed to live action?/ Is animation more effective that live action for depicting abject horror?

To what extent are audiences drawn to body genres?

To what extent do audiences experience strong physical/emotional responses to body genres?

Are body genre films enjoyed primarily by women? why?

Is abject horror enjoyed primarily by women? why?

Is body horror enjoyed primarily by women?

Hypothesis

Animation is just as effective as live action when approaching abject horror.

Body genre films are enjoyed primarily by women.

Abject horror is enjoyed primarily by women.

Controls

To avoid misinterpretations and maintain clarity, the study will include a definitions for terms the participants may not be familiar with:

Tear-Jerkers - films that are deliberately designed to evoke strong emotional responses, particularly sadness and tears, from the audience, often focusing on themes of tragedy, loss, or difficult situations. (E.g: Marley and Me, Titanic)

Body Horror- A subgenre or style of horror that involves depictions of the human body being transformed, damaged, or destroyed in unsettling ways. It is meant to provoke strong feelings of fear or disgust.

Medium - refer to the materials or techniques used to portray the film. Examples of medium include 2D animation, 3D animation, live-action, stop motion, etc. 

standardized instructions

Obtain informed consent:

By proceeding with this questionnaire, you confirm that you are above the age of 15 and consent to participate in this research.

This survey is being conducted as part of an undergraduate research project for academic purposes only. Your participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw from the study at any time.

This survey aims to gather your personal reactions and observations regarding the following films. I am interested in your individual perspectives and interpretations. Please answer each question thoughtfully and honestly. There are no right or wrong answers.

The questionnaire will take approximately [time] minutes to complete. Your responses will remain anonymous.

Main Questions

Part 1

What kinds of film create the most intense emotional and/or physical responses in you? Check all that apply. (Horror, Erotica, Tear-Jerkers, None of these)

What themes and subject matter, if any, do you prefer to see in horror films?

Part 2

Please rate your enjoyment of the following films on a scale of 1 to 5, (1 being 'Not at all' and 5 is 'Extremely'). You may skip if you have not seen the film.

The substance (2024), I saw the Tv glow (2024), Annihilation (2018), The Fly(1986), Teeth (2008)

Part 3

Watch the following film clip from Jennifer's Body

What emotions, thoughts, reactions did this clip elicit?

To what extent did the visual style and medium influence your reaction? why?

Which other aspects of the clip contributed to how you felt? Check all that apply. (sound design, character design, casting, visual style, camera work, editing, character animation/acting, the medium, other)

Watch the following film clip from Jibaro in Love, Death, and Robots

What emotions, thoughts, reactions did this clip elicit?

To what extent did the visual style and medium influence your reaction?

In your opinion, what aspects of the film contributed to your response? check all that apply (sound design, character design, casting, visual style, camera work, editing, character animation/acting, the medium, other)

Based on the clips you just saw, which film elicited a more visceral emotional and/or physical response?

Sources

Types of survey questions (no date) SmartSurvey. Available at: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/survey-questions/types (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

Survey questions: Types, examples, and usage tips (no date) SurveyMonkey. Available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/survey-question-types/ (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

Pfeiffer Library: Research Methodologies: What are research designs? (no date) What are research designs? - Research Methodologies - Pfeiffer Library at Tiffin University. Available at: https://library.tiffin.edu/researchmethodologies/whatareresearchdesigns (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

Research methods: A-level psychology (no date) A. Available at: https://www.alevelpsychologytutor.co.uk/researchmethods (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

McLeod, S. (2023) Research methods in psychology, Simply Psychology. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/research-methods.html (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

[cintasfics]

Weekend Warriors - 1x06

Marley goes with the boys to the park, thinking they’re just there for a picnic or a nice hike

Shawn: What’s with the binoculars? Marley: Birdwatching. I bought my pocket guide too, fits into the bag perfectly, see? Shawn: Amazing. How old are you again? Marley: Shut up, it’s a fun and interesting hobby Shawn: Not the words I would use, but sure, if you say so

She’s thrilled once she sees the civil war rehearsal

Marley: Oh sweet, this is just like that episode of South Park! Or The Simpsons! Gus: Does all your knowledge of American culture come from tv shows? Marley: Movies too Gus: And is that Lassiter? Shawn: Yes, it is Gus: What died on his face? Marley: Huh, didn’t take him for a LARP’er

When Shawn makes their presence known to Lassiter, Marley sends him a friendly little wave

Back at the site of the reenactment after the meeting down at the police station, Shawn catches them up on the situation

Shawn: Gus, she was hot, and she was dressed as a nurse. You know how I feel about that. [Noticing Marley’s side eye] I say with the utmost respect for the profession

She agrees with Shawn’s hunch that this is a murder case

Marley: There’s no reason for live ammunition to be anywhere near this place, and with most of the people being cops, I would hope that they would be able to tell the difference between real and fake bullets. This had to be intentional

Sitting on the bridge watching Lassie give his orders

Lassiter: Find something amusing? Shawn: Mildly amusing. More odd. Delightful, in a queer sort of way Marley: [Nodding along] I find it cute how seriously you take all this Shawn and Gus: [Send her a questioning look, Lassiter and cute not going together in their minds] Lassiter: [Is taken aback by her comment, taking a second before continuing] Lassiter: What are you guys doing here anyway? Gus: I’m a bit of a civil war buff Marley: I just love this kind of stuff

She continues to be impressed by Shawn’s memory and perception, struggling to believe he memorised the war map so quickly and was able to recreate it in their office

Having agreed to cover a co-workers shift at the hospital, she misses the trip to the dentist, but when Shawn approaches her the next day with his plan to infiltrate the camp she is immediately on board

Seeing all the cool stuff in Mahoney’s collection, and being a history lover herself, she struggles to pay attention to what they’re saying

Marley, practically vibrating with excitement: Is this real C-4? Is it authentic? Gus: Better yet, is it even legal? Mahoney: For the reenactments. We fudge the fireworks sometimes. Our audience goes wild every year when the fake cannon fire showers them with dirt Marley: That’s so fucking cool Gus: [Clears throat] Marley: Sorry. I mean, that’s really cool

Due to the lack of remaining women’s roles in the battle, Marley ends up acting as a soldier (tying her hair back and wearing fake mutton chops), much to Gus’ displeasure

Gus: Why do I have to wear all these tassels and feathers, while she gets a regular uniform? Marley: Gus, buddy, I’d swap with you if I could but I think it’ll be a bit of a squeeze on your end Gus: What are you trying to say, Marley? Marley: Nothing! You’re just a lot broader in the shoulders than the guy this costume was intended for Gus, to Sally: Maybe you could alter it? Sally: I’m sorry Gus, it’s just not possible Shawn: Well, I think you look great Gus: Be quiet, Shawn

She admonishes Shawn for bringing his tv and portable stove with him, saying it goes against the whole idea of camping out, but can’t deny the temptation of his gaming system

When they find out Sally is the target after investigating the field and tree

Gus: Why would someone want to kill Sally Reynolds? Marley: Well, she works in insurance Shawn: So? Marley: Money is a good motive for murder, top 10, some would say Gus: But she only writes the policies, she doesn’t gain anything Marley: I don’t know, but I’m sure it plays into it somehow

They steal Sally’s dress, with the intention of putting Marley in her place but they’re stopped by Juliet, who refuses to let them endanger themselves

After Juliet comes out unscathed and they find Mahoney’s uniform on the other side of the hidden tunnel

Shawn: Wait. This doesn't track. Why kill Sally? She's hot, they're friends. She even wrote his insurance policy [Explosion] Marley: That was the C-4! Shawn: That didn't come from the battlefield, it came from the south [All three of them share a look] Shawn: I solved the crime! Gus: No, I did! Shawn: I said it first Gus: I identified the uniform Shawn: I found the button near the tree. I said it first. Tap, tap, no take-backs Marley: Guys! You’re forgetting something very important! Both: What? Marley: I solved it yesterday!

Back at the station, as Lassiter passes the three of them to leave the room after wrapping up the case

Lassiter: Excuse me… [pauses to look Marley up and down, the woman still in her uniform, sans the hat] gentlemen…

[pontevoix]

i'm too handsome to do paperwork, * jean to armin.

the  temperature  drops  the  closer  to  the  sea.  it’s  only  recently  that  armin  has  started  to  understand  this  properly  -  it’s  only  recently  that  he  has  started  to  realize  that  the  inland  summer  sun  can  wage  war  against  him  &  win.  his  hair  plasters  itself  to  the  skin  of  his  neck,  to  his  forehead.  his  cheeks  wear  an  ugly  smear  of  raspberry  red.  it  dishevels  him,  ruins  the  professionalism  that  he  tries  to  maintain.  professionalism  is  necessary  in  this  era  of  diplomacy  &  could-be  peace.

through  a  scratched  window,  he  glances  at  the  summer  heat  with  petulance  ticking  his  lips  downwards.  he  finishes  off-loading  boxes  of  papers  &  books  into  his  make-shift  office.  he’s  scheduled  to  work  for  the  next  month  in  this  nation  —  south  of  marley  &  a  hub  of  commerce  &  hot  in  the  summer.

jean  is  scheduled  there,  too,  though  armin  is  unsure  when  he’s  due  to  arrive.  it  frustrates  him;  he  hates  missing  details  like  this.

he  finishes  off-loading  boxes  of  papers  &  books  into  his  make-shift  office;  he  drops  them  heavy  onto  the  waiting  desk.  armin  feels  furtive  &  young  when  he  casts  his  gaze  sideways,  wipes  the  sweat  of  his  hands  on  his  pants,  expects  that  no  one  will  see.

jean ( @deiikara  ) tsks  from  behind  him.  he  announces  his  entrance  &  leans  against  the  door  frame  like  he’s  something  casual.  grudgingly,  armin  concedes  that  jean  doesn’t  look  half  as  touched  by  the  heat  as  he  does.  he  concedes  that  jean  holds  onto  his  professionalism  with  a  type  of  ease  that  suits  him.  meanwhile,  armin's  cheeks  wear  an  ugly  smear  of  raspberry  red.  it  dishevels  him,  ruins  the  professionalism  that  he  tries  to  maintain.

still.  they  make  their  greetings  in  the  fond  way  that  men  do,  that  comrades  do.

it  makes  it  a  little  easier  to  breathe.

it  makes  it  a  little  easier  to  fall  into  a  routine  where  they  work  at  their  desks  side-by-side  until  the  evening  or  until  one  of  them  has  a  meeting  across  town.

it  feels  like  older  days.

still  .  .  .  after  a  week,  armin  has  to  pretend  that  he isn’t  slightly  pleased  to  see  proof  that  jean  is  more  affected  by  the  heat  than  he  had  initially  shown.

it’s  nearing  the  end  of  the  workday.  from  the  corner  of  his  eye,  armin  sees  jean  prop  his  legs  atop  his  desk  &  abandon  work  for  the  day.  it’s  too  hot  to  work. armin  keeps  his  pen  pressed  to  paper.

he’s  been  told  before  that  he  is  exceptional  at  making  people  feel  judged  even  when  he  says  nothing  —-  so  it  doesn’t  surprise  him  when  jean  defends  himself  with  a  half-assed  excuse  :  i’m  too  handsome  to  do  work.

armin  almost  smiles.  he  finishes  writing  his  sentence,  signs  his  name.  he  straightens  &  studies  jean  a  little,  flits  his  gaze  over  him.

‘  yeah,  okay,  ‘  his  voice  lilts  with  something  teasing.  it  promises  :  i’m  indulging  you.

but  he’s  glad  for  this  —  for  the  opportunity  to  laugh  at  something.  so  maybe  he  means  it.  just  a  little  bit.