#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

[gayvecchio]

Thank you @pigtailedgirl for tagging me!

Rules: List five things you never get tired of writing. it can be tropes, themes, characters, phrases, whatever brings you joy. then tag five people!

I'm going to name things I enjoy writing in due South fic specifically.

Ray Vecchio. I love writing for him in general, but really love exploring post-Vegas Ray.

Reunions. I never get tired of getting Ray Vecchio and Fraser back together.

Getting together/First Time fics

Pining and longing, especially when it's mutual

Father/Son dynamics. This show is rife with stuff to explore there.

no-pressure tagging @marley-manson, @flownwrong, @laurashapiro-noreally, @sdwolfpup, and anyone else who wants to do this!

[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.

[tojiscrack]

i will forever defend eren with my life. i will forever defend HIM, eren, not his actions. i will forever defend eren !!

it was clear to us that the cycle of oppression would continue despite eren’s conclusion (committing genocide). when he lived in eldia, behind the walls, him and the rest of his comrades truly believed that humanity outside of the walls was pure, a goodness that none of them had ever experienced as they’d been fighting against humanoid giants that sat at the top of the food-chain, fighting EACH OTHER, even, in the underground, simply to live. in their eyes, the world beyond the walls was peace, a life full of freedom.

when it was revealed that there was a divide between the marleyans/rest of the world and the eldians, all hope had been lost. when it was revealed that the marleyans were the ones subjecting the islanders to be titan-food instead of saving them, reconciling with them, just because of something their ancestors had done that they had no recollection of, all hope had been disintegrated.

i will never understand the love for marley and the idea that both sides were as bad as each other. it’s stupid and dumb, and here’s why:

eldians were the ones that started it.

fine, agreed because king fritz was evil as fuck.

but by that logic, because eldians were the ones that started the war, years ago (might i add), shouldn’t the entire world be at war with EACH OTHER than with eldia?

the eldians that the marleyans were oppressing and abusing now had nothing to do with what their ancestors had done before.

so, using that logic that marleyans had the right to do what they’d done to the current eldians, shouldn’t south asians declare war against the current british for what they had done to their people BEFORE? shouldn’t the few native americans left declare war on the europeans because their ancestors had committed heinous crimes against their people? shouldn’t women from korea, china, vietnam, and more, punish current japanese men for what their ancestors had done to the past women of their countries in ww2?

see what i’m saying? why were marleyans punishing the current eldians for what their ancestors had done? something that they had no control over?

eren wanted a world where they didn’t have to fight for basic human rights. genocide is never the answer, but the scene where he grabs hange by her clothes and demands to know what other plan there is as a substitute proves his desperation: that he never wanted to kill so many people, that there was simply no other way. eldians would never be accepted in the outside world, no matter how hard they tried to convince them.

we also have to remember that he was up against the clock too. if they didn’t find a solution soon, he would have died anyway due to the 13 years he had to live. by the time his plan was set in stone, he only had 4 more years to live and the scouts didn’t really have a solid plan. they lived with the outside world, undercover, and never actually managed to find a solution that benefited everyone.

and also eren said sorry so 🫨

he is so bbg and i love him and i’ll always defend him so bye it’s nearly midnight where i live lmao

[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.

[african-international-magazine]

BLACK PANTHER MOVIE: The African Fashion & Inspiration

Black Panther movie is had been produced based on a comic strip of the fiction of a superhero the 'Black Panther' by marvel studios. The first Black Panther movie premiered in 2018 and it latest edition premiered last November. This movie is based on the strongest and richest African nation/ kingdom called the Wakanda. Wakanda exhibits futuristic technology and traditional life. The movie is given plaques for its afro-futurism due to its research, reinterpretation and display of Africa cultural heritage that is often overlooked, downplayed or buried. In another sense, it exhibits rich historic culture and natural resources and generally the people and their lifestyle.

Black Panther as a character first starred in a Fantastic four movie in 1966 and now the amusing of the Black Panther is featured in a marvel produced; Spidey and His Amazing Friends cartoon (from Spiderman character and movie) aired on Disney Junior channel.

THE INSPIRATION

Africans

While it is widely believed that Black Panther movie is fiction, it was largely inspired by African mythology, oral history and facts. The Wakanda nation portrayed as a strong nation that has never been colonized and has been compared to Ethiopia. Ethiopia also has a history of strong and wealthy empires like Queen Makeda whose history can also be traced in religious books such as the Bible, and Quran and oral and other recorded history.

Ryan Coogler, the Director of Black Panther movie asserts to have been inspired by the ancient era of Lesotho, a Southern African landlocked country(kingdom) within South Africa. The inspiration is much because of the country's terrain.

Additionally, a viral TikTok video sourced from a user ‘khemenu’ (@khemenu), explains that the Black Panther story is factual, but it is downplayed in the worst case, manipulated and erased because of the strength it holds just like many other African historical events and generally lifestyles. According to this video of native Sotho women, the Black Panther derives from Queen Saranoiah of the era then who was defeated in a bitter war against colonialists.

There was a bet before the war based on which God was more powerful between the African spirituality and Christianity. Her defeat meant she had to be humiliated and beheaded whilst naked in the presence of the named Sotho tribe kingdom and rival western country. In the narration, Queen Saranoiah asked for a civil and moral thing to do based on the religious belief, to talk to her ancestors for the last time which was granted. Surprisingly, she proved their greatness by shape shifting to a BLACK PANTHER and disappeared in the forests.

The Soto woman added that it is such great power that is downplayed or manipulated by calling it "evil" in order for the western colonialists to have control over Africa. Coincidently, Black Panther movie was characterized by a male main actor; Chadwick Boseman (RIP) as T’Challa in the movie. After his death, the latest Black Panther movie was characterized by strong female headship.

Despite being a former British colony, Lesotho has remained a monarchy unlike other African countries. This is the reason it is an independent country/Kingdom within South Africa alike Eswatini.

The Black Panther movie is predominately casted by people of African descent. The movie also used African languages such as Xhosa and Black names such as Shuri, Okoye, Nakai and others. To add on, the sound tracks of both the movie and trailers are music of Afrobeat natured by African musicians or musicians of African descent. These are Sampa the Great, Rema and Bob Marley to list but a few.

Architecture

The production designer of the movie-- Hannah Beachler aimed to look at the architectural look of Eastern African: Ugandan, Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia among others and then advance the technology, imagining how a high-tech nation that had never been colonized would look. The imagination was somewhat of an ancient African lifestyle which includes uncompromised culture, knowledge, wealth, technology in ancient Egypt, Sudan, Mali and others.

Most eyeful of the cited are three round mountain tops known as Blyde Canyon also nicknamed “The Three Rondaveles” of South Africa. The Blyde Canyon architectural designs is alike a glass thatched roof found in typical African rural localities. This was an inspiration to Beachler during her research tour, Skrachworld.

Resources

African natural resources including hills, falls, rivers and others were cast-off in the Black Panther Movie. A specific example of a mineral resource, is Coltan, exclusive to the wild of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This mineral is somewhat characterized as a vibranian wealth or an 'alien element' that is in great demand to scientists and evildoers similar to the realistic demand of coltan by scientists, technologists, prototypes, and others.

The wealth and strength of Wakanda kingdom deriving from the presence of gold is also inspired by ancient African wealth linked to the ancient Mali Empire ruled by Musa Mansa. Musa Mansa till today is still known to be the richest man who ever lived. He conquered and controlled most of the Northern and Western Africa in his era. In Black Panther’s Wakanda, this is characterized as golden city and high tech world/nation. For example, the wood staff in 'Mbakus' throne room in the movie is a subtitle linked to the Native American and African experience, "We sharpened the birch and at the end weaponizing the truth.. The sharpness was symbolic of protecting your ancestry from those who come to take it," read the skratch world comment.

Other examples are beautiful sceneries of the Zambia-Zimbabwe Victoria falls natively known as Mosi-o-Tunya and Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda.

THE FASHION

With a touch of a superhero character just like other Marvel movies, Black Panther movie outfits are created artfully with original African traditional fashion. Ryan Coolger, a dirtector of the movie asserts that, “African fashion of this movie tells the story of African culture and the history written on the fabrics. The apparels by award winning fashion designer Ruth E Carter and the rest of the fashion masterminds team”.

Apparels/costumes

An eyeful all white and accessorized attire by the cast filmed in the first scene of the Black Panther movie (2) was fashioned to pay tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. Meanwhile in the movie, it is was fashioned as a celebration of his life. The all-white costumes/ attires are credited to the Massai people of Tanzania and Kenya as well as the Ndebele of Zimbabwe. More so, there are other fashions in Black Panther movie credited to the irresistible Massai traditional fashion and Ghana's Kente fashion was featured in the movie.

The Basotho blanket is a traditional outfit garbed like a ‘throw’ or ‘poncho’ by Sotho people of Lesotho and South Africa. It is worn during initiation ceremonies as a bridal veil, as a gift celebrating first born children (push baby present), social hierarchy and others. The Basotho blanket was also present in some scenes of this movie.

Cited by the fashion designers team of the Black Panther movie is the Tuareg scarf belonging traditionally to the Tuareg people of North and West Africa. It is worn stylishly in some parts of the movie. The scarf originally is a soft, hand-woven fabric garbed in the desert (like the Sahara) by covering the head and neck to shield from dust and direct sun-strike.

An aso oke, a Yoruba of Nigeria hand-loomed attire is also fashioned in the Black Panther movie. The Agbada, a popular West African and North African unisex robe with wide sleeves is also recreated and fashioned artfully in the movie.

Headwear

The headwear fashion in both the first and second release of Black Panther movie infused an inspiration from the South African and Sotho called Isicholo headdress. The Isicholo headdress is a long, round hat with a flat top. It is wider on the top and narrower on the bottom (cylindrical). The Isicholo headdress is a traditionally fashioned respectively by Zulu married women. This headwear accessory is similar to the Massai headwear too.

The Makeup

The white dotted and tribal marks in Black Panther Movie were an inspiration from the Massai people/ Swahili speaking people of East Africa as well as the Himba of Namibia, Ghana's Ashatimbe, and Zulus of South Africa and Senegalese traditional makeup. However, this traditional makeup is actually cultured by many other Africans from Zambian, Malawia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Madagascar and other West African countries among others. This is because initially the continent was one person. The dotted and tribal print makeup is an art beyond fashion and a beauty treat. It is a culturally symbol of social hierarchy, marital status and others.

The Hairdos

The female characters of the Black Panther wore historically significant hairdos that are trendy in present day, that is, the Bantu notes, faux locks, braids and others. The hairstyles in the movie are also accessorized in certain scenes with important traditional accessories such as beads, mud, hair ties, and grasses that complement the hairstyles, character outfits and hairstyles.

Accessories

While many people including fellow Africans have condemned the lip plate fashion, Black Panther movie gave a feature of the beautiful lip plate fashion. The lip plate fashion is a wooden “plate” fashion accessory fashioned by Surma ethnic group comprised of the Suri and Mursi tribes as well other ethnicities in Sudan, Eritrea, Chad, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. It is accessorized by being placed on a cut bottom or top lip (see The African International Magazine July- August Edition).

An Igbo masquerade mask known as Mgbedike accessorized a characters look so did the Malian Dogon mask. Mgbedike culturally are known to be used for communing with sprits and executing orders and morals. On the other hand, a long existing Dagon mask of Malian Dagon ethnic people is spotted by characters of the movie. Ruth E reported to the Time Magazine that, "The Dagon tribe is one of the inspiration for the ‘Jabani tribe’ of Wakanda. They wear these wonderful raffia skirts in that yearly celebrations".

The female casts are seen wearing stiff ornaments around their necks known as the Ndebele neck rings. The Ndebele neck rings comprised of the rich minerals, copper, brass and sometimes ivory are accessorized as a symbol of wealth by men and only married women of the Ndebele tribe of Zimbabwe and South Africa. There are similar accessories cultured by the Massai, Sotho, Eswatini, swana, Malagasy, West Africa and other Ethnic groups.

Author‘s opinion

In as much as all marvel movies are superhero character cultured, for instance Spiderman and Thor, Black Panther's storyline, fashion, the cast and all is a representation of African pride and afro-futurism unlike appropriation.

The Black Panther movie from the comic was inspired by the tales of the mythical Black Panther of Africa. It is also said that it may be a hope of the rise of Africa and Black people in general to greatness, prosperity, pride and power in future after years of slavery, colonialism and dependency. However, there is also hidden historical truth that can be traced back to centuries ago. It can also be perceived as a revelation of the present day undertakings.

While the detailing of the fashion of the Black Panther movie (both 1&2) is farfetched from all across Africa, the fashion in general is compelling and spellbinding. The marvel studios and collaborating teams took time to express Black excellence infused in art and have had many fashion inspirations some of which may even have been left out in this article of the African International Magazine.

https://theafricaninternational.com/black-panther-movie-the-african-fashion-inspiration/

[marley-manson]

The wolf license at the end of Diefenbaker's Day Off is such a good Ray/Fraser thesis statement moment.

Fraser asks if Ray can get him one early on in the episode. Ray is like "Yeah, yeah, sure, leave it to me," while distracted by a basketball game at a bar, and Fraser's request isn't even entirely clear with the way he phrases it. Fraser can tell Ray's distracted and clearly thinks Ray's response is perfunctory rather than genuine.

The plot of the episode unfolds and this isn't brought up again until the end of the b-plot where Dief is caught by the dog catcher, and Ray presents the license right in time to save Dief. "Well he's mine now, because you sure as hell don't have a wolf license." "In fact, he does." <3

And Fraser's sheer delighted disbelief is just perfect. "I only asked you once, and you got it." "Of course I got it, you asked me for it, right?" It's not even a question for Ray, Fraser asked him to do something so it gets done. He 100% meant that "yeah yeah leave it to me" at the bar even if it didn't sound like it.

Like in terms of setting up their characters and the dynamic between them it's perfect. Ray is someone whose actions belie his words and tone. Not only will he do anything for Fraser, it's obvious to him that he would. He pays attention even when he doesn't seem like he is, he cares, and if Fraser asks him for a favour, that favour gets done, like basic cause and effect.

And Fraser is someone who's never had a person who was there for him the way Ray is. He's largely defined by the way his father put his job over his family and was never there for him, raised by his strict grandparents even though his dad was alive and well. As an adult he's a loner and a fish out of water, not just in Chicago but even back in the Canadian north, where his colleagues still saw him as an oddball.

He asks Ray for this favour not actually expecting it, especially not after one conversation. He expects to have to cajole Ray for a wolf license, or get one himself. But Ray gets it for him after one off-hand comment, and the framing of the license as episode bookends, as well as Fraser's reaction, make it very clear how deliberate this dynamic is as a significant aspect of their relationship and sets it up for further exploration down the line in episodes like North and Vault.

Honestly it's almost like Fraser starts making up for lost time in being able to depend on someone, the way he asks Ray for things after this, and relishes Ray's responsiveness lol. Like there's a joke about it in Chicago Holiday a few episodes later, when Fraser slyly says, "Sometimes when you stand still the world comes to you," as Ray brings him something he'd forgotten. Fraser takes to Ray's unwavering support like a duck to water.

Honestly it's no wonder I was immediately hooked when I happened to catch the last five minutes of Diefenbaker's Day Off way back in the day.

[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]

10 First Lines Challenge

Tagged by @marley-manson

Oh geez most of my old fics aren't up or so short. I'm not a first line person either, I'd say I like my endings more.

But what the hell you inspired to re-load. Thanks.

Maleficent was unhappy.

Sleep to Dream - pigtailedgirl - Sleeping Beauty (1959) [Archive of Our Own]

"Oh god, poor Irena." 

The Devil You Know - pigtailedgirl - Cat People (1942) [Archive of Our Own]

He's a lost man.

The Lost Man - pigtailedgirl - The Searchers [Archive of Our Own]

Ariel swam amongst sea horses, frolicked with Flounder for secrets in sunken ships, while taunting sharks trying to make them dinner.

Still Water - pigtailedgirl - The Little Mermaid (Disney Animated Movies) [Archive of Our Own]

The wind howled outside, and the snow only allowed short glimpses of a small roadside diner and motel where about eight people were waiting out a fierce blizzard. 

Let It Snow - pigtailedgirl - due South [Archive of Our Own]

Now my unbeta-ed. I miss you aingeal8c!

Being a good detective requires understanding balance.

“Please don’t…don’t go.” 

Tony Stark, a man surrounded by a loaded weapon of armor, would claim he is not a killer.

"Why?" It echoes in your head and heart, and you don't know who you are asking, even as you say it aloud.

It was the eve of the Accords writing.

I tag @gayvecchio, @sdwolfup, @diabolicalfiend, @syrupmap and @portlandwithyou and @allofthebeanz and others. anyone.

[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

[yetisidelblog]

Survival is a daily struggle for so many families across the globe.

Through war, displacement, natural disasters, and poverty, we at Oxfam witness families doing whatever it takes to stick together, survive, and build a brighter future.

This message tells the story of one family in Lebanon, where the conflict between Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah has affected hundreds of thousands of civilians. Please take a moment to see their story and remind yourself why we are working so hard to support millions of families across the globe.

Siham, her husband, and their two daughters are from South Lebanon, which has become a flashpoint in the ongoing conflict across the Middle East.

In September, an Israeli airstrike hit Siham’s home, forcing her family to flee. As a result of the attack, Siham sustained injuries to her hand, neck, and eye.

“I put my hands over my children's eyes in an effort to protect them,” Siham said of the attack that destroyed her home. “I carried my eldest daughter, who is seven years old, and my younger daughter was in my arms while I was barefoot inside the house. I felt like I was walking on something hot; I don't know if it was glass or missile fragments.”

Her family ended up in a collective shelter for displaced people, where Siham began to receive medical treatment. She worried about permanently losing her sight as she and her family coped with the trauma they experienced.

After the airstrike, her youngest daughter did not speak for five hours due to the shock. Siham is doing her best to protect her daughters by providing them with love and attention. However, her youngest daughter is now filled with anger, has trouble sleeping, and is frightened by loud noises that remind her of the bombings.

“It’s nothing less than a miracle that I can still hold my children,” Siham said. “Anyone who sees how my house was destroyed, leveled to the ground, would say we could never have made it out alive.”

In October, Siham underwent eye surgery at a shelter in Tripoli to heal her injury, and she is now focused on supporting her youngest daughter. “I bought her some small toys, like puzzles, and began giving her the care and love she needs,” Siham said. “She is better now, but she still gets scared when she hears any sudden sounds.”

Despite the challenges, Siham feels a little safer now—and she holds onto the hope of better, safer days ahead.

“I hope that when my daughters grow up and become young women we will look back on these moments and laugh,” Siham said. “I hope we will reminisce and laugh it out—I don’t want us to remember this with sorrow and pain. Sometimes, a memory is painful, but once we move past it, we laugh because we were able to overcome it.”

The extraordinary resilience of families like Siham’s is truly inspiring—and it motivates all of us at Oxfam to continue our lifesaving response despite extreme hardships and ongoing dangers.

We hope you find hope and inspiration in Siham’s story as well, as a reminder of the life-changing impact we are making together for families facing the most urgent challenges of our time—from Lebanon to Nigeria to South Sudan.

Together, we will do even more good for families like Siham’s in the year ahead.

Ends midnight 12/31!

@upontheshelfreviews

@greenwingspino

@one-time-i-dreamt

@tenaflyviper

@akron-squirrel

@ifihadaworldofmyown

@justice-for-jacob-marley

@voicetalentbrendan

@thebigdeepcheatsy

@what-is-my-aesthetic

@ravenlynclemens

@writerofweird

@bogleech