#masterful. insane. i deserve an award

[straightbaittournament]

📣 round 1 results

i will be posting results in reverse chronological order. unless some of them are slightly out of order then i never said that. they are as follows:

tobias funke and debrie bardeux vs SAM WINCHESTER AND EILEEN LEAHY

valkyrie and thor vs ALEXA, LIANA, JEREMY, AND IAN

grace blackthorn and christopher lightwood vs ANGEL AND CORDELIA CHASE

entrapta and hordak vs BUFFY AND SPIKE

SYLVIA AND WILL vs spada and raptor 283

kaname date and hitomi sagan vs JEAN-LUC PICARD AND DOCTOR BEVERLY CRUSHER

sosuke esumi and miu suto vs NOREA DU NOC AND EL5N

shin and noi vs NATHALIE SANCOEUR AND GABRIEL AGRESTE

jason grace and piper mclean vs PEGGY CARTER AND DANIEL SOUSA

BRIENNE OF TARTH AND JAIME LANNISTER vs merlin and morgana

livvy blackthorn and kit herondale vs TIM DRAKE AND STEPHANIE BROWN

bellamy blake and clarke griffin vs KATHRYN JANEWAY AND CHAKOTAY

sam winchester and rowena macleod vs SELINA KYLE AND BRUCE WAYNE

the twelfth doctor and missy vs ROMAN ROY AND GERRI KELLMAN

ted lasso and rebecca welton vs LUKE SKYWALKER AND LEIA ORGANA

KIPO OAK AND BENSON MEKLER vs chrissie cunningham and eddie munson

AVA SILVA AND MICHAEL SALVIUS vs nina zenik and matthias helvar

matthew and mary crawley vs WILLOW PARK AND HUNTER

ASH KETCHUM AND MISTY vs hikaru hitachiin and haruhi fujioka

ALEC HARDY AND ELLIE MILLER vs oscar francois de jarjayes and andre grenadier

EVA GARVEY AND GABRIEL vs tyler rake and nik khan

tatiana slozhno and curt mega vs ASAMI, BOLIN, KORRA, AND MAKO (originally just mako, korra, and asami; mod decided to change it to all four)

FOX MULDER AND DANA SCULLY vs clara oswald and the twelfth doctor

robin buckley and steve harrington vs ROY MUSTANG AND RIZA HAWKEYE

cali and flynn vs AKKO AND ANDREW

edward elric and winry rockbell vs MAKA ALBARN AND SOUL EVANS

keiichi maebara and rena ryugu vs HARDWON SUREFOOT AND MOONSHINE CYBIN

bow and glimmer vs GALO AND AINA

asuka tenjoin and yuki judai vs MAKO MORI AND RALEIGH BECKET

JEFF WINGER AND BRITTA PERRY vs izuku midoriya and ochako uraraka

himmel and frieren vs ABBIE MILLS AND ICHABOD CRANE

and last but not least:

KUROSAKI ICHIGO AND KUCHIKI RUKIA vs lisa cuddy and gregory house

once again i am so so fucking sorry for how i matched up the contestants except i'm also not because it was very funny, even though twelveclara and twissy both getting eliminated in round 1 will be my roman empire.

A FINAL AUF BREEDERSEHEN TO...

TOBIAS FUNKE AND DEBRIE BARDEUX

VALKYRIE AND THOR

GRACE BLACKTHORN AND CHRISTOPHER LIGHTWOOD

ENTRAPTA AND HORDAK

SPADA AND RAPTOR 283

KANAME DATE AND HITOMI SAGAN

MIU SUTO AND SOSUKE ESUMI

SHIN AND NOI

JASON GRACE AND PIPER MCLEAN

MERLIN AND MORGANA

LIVVY BLACKTHORN AND KIT HERONDALE

BELLAMY BLAKE AND CLARKE GRIFFIN

SAM WINCHESTER AND ROWENA MACLEOD

THE TWELFTH DOCTOR AND MISSY

TED LASSO AND REBECCA WELTON

CHRISSIE CUNNINGHAM AND EDDIE MUNSON

NINA ZENIK AND MATTHIAS HELVAR

MATTHEW AND MARY CRAWLEY

HIKARU HITACHIIN AND HARUHI FUJIOKA

OSCAR FRANCOIS DE JARJAYES AND ANDRE GRENADIER

TYLER RAKE AND NIK KHAN

TATIANA SLOZHNO AND CURT MEGA

CLARA OSWALD AND THE TWELFTH DOCTOR

ROBIN BUCKLEY AND STEVE HARRINGTON

CALI AND FLYNN

EDWARD ELRIC AND WINRY ROCKBELL

KEIICHI MAEBARA AND RENA RYUGU

BOW AND GLIMMER

ASUKA TENJOIN AND YUKI JUDAI

IZUKU MIDORIYA AND OCHAKO URARAKA

HIMMEL AND FRIEREN

LISA CUDDY AND GREGORY HOUSE

my deepest condolences to the fallen and congratustraightions to all the winners <3 straight you soon, see you baiter, etc etc. rejoice! round 2 is imminent. if YOU want me to publicly endorse your straightbait candidate (translation: draw propaganda for you) follow the instructions here

as always, if you have any questions about the definition of straightbait within this tournament,

read the FAQ

and as a final notice, we will be taking a short hiatus from all tourney/poll activity from the 16th-the 22nd aka the entirety of next week starting sunday, in observance of the strike for gaza and to give me some time to set up round 2. for more ways to participate click here. i know that the uscpr also tends to have lists of local protests by location on their site. and here is a post about writing letters to the editor

[successfulgoddess333]

MY LONG AWAITED SUCCESS STORY PLUS RANT/YALL NEED THIS STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND READ

First things first

I’m tired of being nice

I have took time out of MY day to help you guys

EVERY DAY

I have given tips methods

Advice answered questions

Replied to countless amounts of DMs

Etc etc I’m not providing false hope here I AM trying to help you guys

I’m getting so many different suggestions and asks

Let me say this

STOP

from now on

No more questions

If it’s urgent

Like you really wanna know something

DM me

I WILL respond

No more questions asking how to enter the void

My account is literally talking about HOW TO ENTER THE VOID STATE

Are instructions not clear?????

Get off your butt and fucking do it!!!!

Stop procrastinating stop being lazy stop asking questions you spreads know the answers to

And for the love of God

STOP ASKING ME TO ENTER FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!

I’m doing what I can to help you all manifest

But it’s YOUR job to make it happen

Y’all used my kindness against me and it’s pissing me off I’m tired of people not even asking anymore

Just begging me

I AM NOT A MAGICIAN

I was literally YOU

not too long ago

I am a nice person but I am at my limits

Stop repeating questions

Look at my page for the answers you need

Stop asking me to enter for you

If it’s not happening

DM me for ADVICE

I used to be the kid that got asked by others to do their homework for them

If I didn’t put my foot down

Y’all were gonna drive me insane

Literally

I love y’all but stop depending on me

Just ask

For advice

But stop treating me like a Genie

And I manifested for someone and it doesn’t work

Then what

Am I a liar now???

Am I fake??

Like are you serious

Bruh I’m serious when I say

I’ve had enough

Read this story to see how YOU CAN ALSO

Transform your life

I literally went from

TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️

I went from slitting my own wrists and going in my closet trying to hang myself EVERY FUCKING NIGHT

I used to stare in the mirror

Crying about how my body looked

I used to go to school scared because I was getting abused by guys there and bullied by girls

All my friends turned their backs on me and I literally said

FUCK IT

I don’t deserve this fucking life so you know what I did????

I changed it

It’s so easy it’s insane

I too over complicated it

I too was desperate

But your desires are yours

They just are

Ignore them MF negative thoughts

Matter of a fact don’t even call it that

You are giving your “intrusive” thoughts power by saying they are negative

Don’t label them as intrusive thoughts

THEY DO NOT EXIST

THEY WILL NEVER MANIFEST

And I’m not just saying that it’s true

It’s soooo fucking true

By labeling them as “intrusive” or “negative” you’re giving them power

To take over and control your life

When this is not what you want

Don’t fear your own head

Bitch it’s YOUR BRAIN

It can’t NOT listen to you

Change your goddamn assumptions

You are a bad bitch you’re hot beautiful

You’re THAT bitch

Bad bitches don’t beg we make shit happen

Get off your cute ass and go get your dream fucking life

Bitch you can have it all

You can marry Shawn Mendez

Be the sexiest model on the planet (but you’re only 5’3) OK ANDDDDD

Marissa Rose is the first 4’11 runway model

You mean to tell me it’s not possible???

They have plus size models

Shirt models

Models with tig ol biddies

Models with tattoos models with piercings models with scars etc

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

You can get a call back from that job

Better yet fuck 9 to 5s

Bitch YOU ARE RICH

You are literally Jeff Bezos

Don’t manifest “small shit” cuz if you can get an apartment and a job

You can also manifest $100 million and 2500 square feet mansion

You can have superpowers

You can be a master manifestor

You can become a celebrity and overnight

You can meet your favorite celebrities at awards shows

You can sit next to Ice Spice at the Grammys

EVEN SHE MANIFESTED HER DREAM LIFE

There’s proof in her old tweets and in your interviews

YOU CAN HAVE HARRY STYLES TICKETS FOR WHENEVER HE DECIDES TO DROP AN ALBUM

YOU CAN BE THE NEXT BEYONCÉ

YOU CAN MEET OR EVEN PERFORM WITH TAYLOR SWIFT

YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE MONEY YOU WANT

YOU CAN SHIFT TO ANOTHER REALITY AND MEET MICHAEL JACKSON

YOU CAN HAVE THE SINGING VOICE OF AALIYAH OR MF MARIAH CAREY

YOU CAN MANIFEST THAT YOUR DOG NEVER DIED OR THAT

YOUR EX STILL MISSES YOU

KANYE WEST MANIFESTED KIM K

TOM HOLLAND MANIFESTED ZENDAYA

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU CANT HAVE

MICHAEL B JORDAN WAITING ON YOU HAND AND FOOT????

YOU CAN ENTER THE VOID MANIFEST YOUR Sp

AND WAKE UP NEXT TO YOUR CRUSH

YOU CAN MANIFEST BEING IMMUNE TO BAD SHIT BEING A GODDESS BEING SO BEAUTIFUL THAT PEOPLE FORGET MEGAN FOX EXISTS

YOU CAN MANIFEST LOOKING LIKE MARILYN MONROE

OR MADISON BEER

YOU CAN MANIFEST TALENT

BITCH ITS ALL POSSIBLE

You OWN THIS SHIT THIS IS YOUR LIFE BOO

Go fucking get it!!!!!!!

SUCCESS STORY

I was tired of own shit so I used the method that I created

I already posted it

Go read it

Here’s what I manifested

1. SP

I manifested a girlfriend because I’m bisexual asf

And I created her on my phone

Just write if list of what she looks and acts like

I manifested my dream career

I manifested platonic SPs

As in friendships

Money

A strong intuition

More knowledge

A better self concept

Immunity

The ability to hypnotize with my eyes(OK I HAVENT TESTED THIS OUT BUT IM EXCITED TO)

Meeting a celebrity

Can’t say who but I manifested it for the future

I even got pets now!!! A puppy two kittens and two snakes!!

I manifested lots of cool talents

I improved my dancing!!!!!!

I was insecure about my voice

So I changed it

Deadass I sound kinda sexy now

I wanted a whispery ass voice😭😭

So I got oneeee

I also manifested a LOT of personal stuff that I won’t share

Unfortunately I’m SUPER protective of my soul and just overall self

And I’m not posting a face reveal

This might seem surprising to most

My passive aggressive behavior but this is literally how I am daily

I really am nice but y’all just make me ANXIOUS

But still

I love you darlings soooo much

Like for real

But please just pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Don’t make me your wish granter

Make your own wishes come true

If it’s cool with y’all

I’ll manifest tonight

That entering the void will be easy for you guys

But you HAVE to do it yourself I can only guide you

You got this babe

If you got offended it’s working

That means you needed this

Take this tough love and go use it for good

I better see some goddamn success stories this month or we gon fight

(Not literally that’s just my humor talking)

Love you bitches

Now go meditate before I appear under your bed tonight and yank yo shit

Love youuuu💗💗💗💗💗

[absolutebl]

Best 23 of BL 2023 - Quirky Awards

SHOCK & AWE AWARDS

1. Biggest BL surprise of 2023:

The last 3 months of 2023 in general got my biggest WTF award.

GMMTV fielding OffGun AND TayNew in the same quarter while also airing Last Twilight (arguably one of their best BLs ever)

That they ALSO optioned 3 JBLs

That there's a high heat omegaverse BL staring Pavel

That there were 20 BLs airing and none of them Korean.

With 5 VAMPIRE BLs announced for next year

But my prize in this category goes to My Dear Gangster Oppa.

It's just crazy:

Thai talent, Korean money + IP (this is adapted from a manwha) airing on a Chinese channel (iQIYI). Plus it was GOOD and made smart reuse of a pair who richly deserved it. I'm delighted by the eclectic insanity of this production. And wonder if any other film genre could even do anything like this.

2. The “that country did WHAT?” award:

The 8th Sense from Korea?!

I mean, seriously?! Dealing with metal health, suicide, darkness, therapy, age gap, & first time love BUT FROM KOREA? And then openness and casual boyfriend physical affection? What's next? An actual hard fought coming out narrative with an HEA? Gay domesticity and families?

Careful Korea, you'll strain something. Possibly your own culture and film industry.

I should stop having expectations of Korea, they keep surprising me.

Runners up: Korea letting OnlyOneOf do Bump Up Business not to mention that OmegaX thing. AND Korea adapting Why R U? What are you up to, Korea? Qua? Is this a coded message? Should we send help? Do you need snacks?

3. Biggest casting whoa! where did you come from? award:

GeminiFourth in My School President.

Seriously? Babies what? How did GMMTV find you? How do you exist? How is BL this lucky?

4. That studio did WHAT now? award:

GMMTV putting EarthMix into Moonlight Chicken.

And then doubling down with G4 as the damn sides.

Fucking genius.

5. I’m sad you were ignored award:

Destiny Seeker.

It's just a really fun little Thai pulp, the pairs were good, silly dialogue, plus consent and other good rep. I enjoyed it. No one talked about it AT ALL.

6. 2023 BL That Actually Made Me Lose My Mind Award?

Laws of Attraction. -The casting, the crazy story, the soapy drama! But specifically: Film playing Charn - the range of his smiles alone. GLORIOUS

I mean I Feel You Linger in the Air also sparked something in me, but LoA drove me actually nuts.

NARRATIVE AWARDS

7. Best story 2023:

La Pluie

I know, you're surprised, right? At the time I didn't chat much about it but I really enjoyed the discourse others were having. I love anything that really examines the fated mates (soulmates) trope and the idea of "the one". What a clever way to do that. (This is one reason UWMA is my favorite Thai BL.)

This one reminded me of the way Color Rush approached allegory and that's no bad thing. Such an impressive little piece.

8. Best narrative structure 2023 award:

Unintentional Love Story.

I know this may seem a simplistic pick. But I love the tidiness of this no frills contemporary romance, how the culture of work and personal ethics and corruption fight against the main character's affection and integrity. Poor baby boy is driven into a corner and then punished for it. But it is punishment he feels he deserves, and so it is up to his (now) ex to figure out what went wrong and why.

It's just great. I love it when no one is stupid or wrong, it's just impossible circumstances and unintentional love deeply felt.

9. Best 2023 dialogue (script) award:

Jun & Jun

Never before has Korea laced a BL with that much perfectly executed innuendo. It was a master class. I didn't know you could be that lascivious in Korean, quite frankly. Plus the way the 2 Juns constantly seamlessly transition between formal register (work, public - where they are boss/employee) to informal register (when they are alone and age mates + childhood sweethearts).

Beautiful to hear and watch.

10. Favorite scene 2023:

The dub con scene in I Cannot Reach You because I AM TRASH for an out of control seme. I'm sorry I just AM.

I have said it before, I will say it again, NO ONE DOES THIRST like Japan. And when that thirst bubbles over, it is heart-clenching and very hot.

11. The most rewatchable BL of 2023 award:

Our Dating Sim

That scene where they lie on the floor + the stolen kiss + giggle? Come on, it should be on comfort repeat in war rooms. It could bring world peace.

ACTORS & CHARACTERS AWARDS

12. Best performance of a queer actor in a leading role, 2023:

Fluke in Make a Wish.

It was fun to see him as an irreverent immortal and while I love OhmFluke I also really enjoyed this new pairing. It was a genuine pleasure to watch.

13. Best pining 2023:

The moot pining in Tokyo in April is...

Boys, seriously? Japan must you destroy us like this? Hurts so good.

14. Best wingman 2023 (The Namgoong Award)

Tiw from My School President

I mean, come on, of course it's him!

(Also can you believe Mark went on from this to do fricking Only Friends!? To Last Twilight! Come on GMMTV GIVE HIM A LEAD!)

15. Biggest OMG I LOVE you boys together, YAY!

Dimpled McMafia & Feral Bunny Foo Foo from Kiseki Dear to Me.

They were feral for each other.

We were feral for them

It was a whole delightful THING.

16. Most unexpected return of a BL pair? award:

The Private Lessons pair showing up in Love Class 2.

I know it was only a cameo, but SERIOUSLY? Thank you SO MUCH Korea! A big studio picking up a Strongberry pairing? I love you.

Seriously tho between them, Taiwan & Korea tried for ALL THE CAMEOS this year.

17. Well aren't you two just the prettiest? award:

NetJames in Bed Friend.

Need I say more?

18. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Bah Vinh in Vian & Mr Cinderella 2. I did like either show but I loved him in them. Especially the make outs.

Yes you have chemistry with all the boys in Vietnam and you kiss beautifully. But it's okay now honey, you have the crown. Relax, you're stressing us out.

RANDOM PICKS

19. Favorite Linguistic Moment of 2023:

Our Dating Sim

Caught in the act by the elevator scene. OMG it's so funny. They're being such boyfriend shits to each other, and to be caught in the act by THAT character, and try to manifest formal language whole cloth? Hilarious.

Honorable mention to War Peanuts in Destiny Seeker.

20. Biggest disappointment of 2023:

You Are Mine

Seriously Taiwan, AGAIN you disappoint me with an Office BL? You're Taiwan, land of offices and suits. This should be YOUR SETTING TO WIN. And yet... argh. I mean it wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. Stop it Taiwan, do better.

Runners up? Between Us, Chains of Heart, Dangerous Romance - this was a HOTLY contested category.

+ 2 Winners in the sub-category of FUCK YOU FOR THAT ENDING award:

The Director who Buys Me Dinner - I mean this nicely but: you have your lane now Korea, stop hurting us, that's Japan's responsibility and they do it better.

I Feel You Linger In the Air - I'm just hugely disappointed. Thailand ALMOST got its second 10/10 from me, but that damn ending.

Argh.

21. Best Wardrobe/Prop Use 2023

The shower of packaged bedsheets in My Personal Weatherman

Amazing. Brilliant. No notes.

22. Best Queer Rep 2023

Chot in Step By Step

In fact, all the queer characters in this show were treated with great integrity.

AND props to this cast for refusing to do fan service. GOOD FOR YOU! Fuck those sasang wankers.

Runners up? The found family cast of Love in Translation and the Rainbow Rice Cakes in The New Employee.

23. Best Meta Trope call out

Tin Tem Jai

Come on, what a zinger, but at themselves (and Taiwan)

Final question: which of the 23 was the hardest for me to pick?

Honestly? Question #1 this year. But also question #20.

(Last year: 2022's Version) 

Remember I only pull from shows that were completely finished by the end of 2023. Or The Sign probably would have taken multiple categories. But it will fall into 2024 offerings.

(source)

[yourdoseofapple]

I think there should be a building game show for Minecraft. Like Lego Masters, most cooking shows, etc. Like listen. I think fighting is cool and all, and I myself was raised on watching bed wars and Minecraft hunger games and all that, but like also… builder are insane? Like I love watching, Empires, Hermitcraft, other big builders (and redstoners for that matter) because I’m so fascinated by how their brains work???? Like you’re telling me Bdubs took some dirt and made a literal mountain as a BACKDROP for his build in a season??????? Bro????? Like I want some builders to go head to head in a building challenge.

Like, okay hear me out, each week their “building themes” could go from mimicking IRL architecture styles - medieval, French colonial, minimalism, etc - OR could rely on game mechanics. Like you gotta make a build, but it must include five red stone functions - could be as simple of auto lighting and stuff - all the way to farms included into the make of the build!

Judging wise, I think that would be the hardest thing to pin down, because the issue with Minecraft building is that there are a lot of factors when it comes to the concept of building because every builder has an inherent “style” they have and so to compare isn’t necessarily fair???? Because what one person likes may not be the same as another person, so I don’t believe you can judge inherently on how a build looks, but more so if it fits the criteria - did you do your research and keep to the prompt 100% or did you take some liberties in the favor of making it seem stylistically “better” - also, while I am inclined to be like “hey look we could have it audience choice” I am aware that in previous Minecraft events - every tournament event live-streamed like ever - every YouTuber is gonna have bias on their side, and if there is someone with a larger viewership that others, there is of course going to be favor towards them. The ONLY way I could see this being different is if it was all pre-recorded and episodic, but I still believe there would be a heavy amount of bias if someone was on the show with more viewership than others. We would want it to be fair. I do think audience participation is important though, and should be a major inclusion! Like, before an event is to occur I think it would be fun to choose the prompt of what they’re building that week, but the contenders just can’t tweet/say/promote one they wish to do, so it is STRICTLY up to the audience without bias.

Also, I think everyone should come out a winner, not in the “No one came out on top because we are all equal” way - because while that is important it is still a tournament, and as we’ve seen in literally every competition show ever there is always a first place winner - but more so in the, while you didn’t win, let’s reflect on how you are still fantastic and getting something out of this. I know it sounds a little basic, so I do think it would need to be extrapolated on. But I wouldn’t want anyone who “loses” to just go away with “you got clout” award. You were featured on the show, that’s inherent, you deserve more than that, again this can be fleshed out later, but they deserve more too, somehow.

Also for the finalists - I’m thinking either 3 left or 2 left - it should be a mega build level prompt. Could be something like “build a city!” Or just “build a mega base with x block being the main block” and, again, not sure how it would be judged, but winner comes out, with second/third place having some reward as well, not as good, but still considerably great. I also think it would be fun to have prior contestants come on and have to participate in the “here is your block that I got to choose for you” to add some spice to it. IDK what the prize would be, I know it is normally money, and while it could be that, I think it would be more fun to have something a little different that would still be fun and a true “winners” item. Again, not sure what it could be, but it would need to hold to the truth of “oh, hey, this is a true prize and its still fun and I’m getting something out of this!”

Anyhow, enjoy the strange thoughts of my brain and if any streamers/youtubers are out there reading this, lemme know what you think cuz I’m curious. Do I think I could ever do this? Probably not cuz I’m an opera singer doing my masters so time is bet a dream to me at this point, but like. I think it is interesting and would love opinions on it just from the standpoint of discussion. I streamed at one point, maybe I’ll start back up again one day if only to have fun. I feel like that should be what it is, fun, that is the most important thing at the end of the day and builders should have some competitive fun too!

Also, I will admit that I am obviously not knowledgeable on everything - again opera singers not full time Minecraft anything - so I don’t know if something like this has been done before, and while I think it would be cool if something like this existed, it may already exist and I quite simply don’t know! Thoughts, opinions, anything else?

Anyway, if anything, have a good day!

[brunhielda]

Because this is becoming THAT blog-

The one where I review old movies we all have already seen, but I personally, have not seen for years until recently.

I just watched “An American Tale.”

If you were a child of the 90s, you just thought- “There are No Cats in America 🎶? THAT American Tale?”

Yes.

If you had that thought, you likely already know. If you have not had the absolute joy- buckle up. I am going to rant about a classic.

First of all- This is Don Bluth.

His movies do not get worse with age.

They get BETTER.

And American Tale is example number ONE.

No, it is not fond memories or nostalgia glasses, you can breath, and then go treat yourself to a viewing.

Secondly- the man did not dumb down or sanitize his history.

He said “I’m going to tell the immigrant story” and then opened with a fucking ethnic cleansing.

I said what I said.

The movie is set in the early Russian Empire, a time full of anti-Semitic sentiment and enforced laws, also seen in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Fiddler on the roof might actually be tamer on the subject.

Every other historical note in this movie is on point and easy enough to look up in a history book, if you have the common sense to realize that names have been altered.

The Statue of Liberty was not built by a pigeon, for example. It was built by a Frenchman. (Frederic Auguste Bartholdi).

I don’t know of an “honest John,” but I did guffaw out loud when he started taking names of the dead at funerals to add to his vote count. Ghost votes were very real, one of the reasons people are still so twitchy about voter fraud today.

I do not recall a moment in 1886 when the minorities of New York managed to run off prominate members of authority… but with how on point everything else is? It would not shock me.

Thirdly- Bluth DID NOT FLINCH

I don’t remember who said it first, but both Bluth and Spielberg had a belief that you could put very sad and scary things in children’s films, as long as the ending was happy.

This movie has multiple nightmare moments. Cats, monster waves, more cats, bugs and fish, and of course, the horrifying “Mouse of Minsk” (iykyk).

The thing is, it’s not even how they are drawn. Like, yes, the image is scary, but it’s the storytelling around it. It’s the lighting change. The soundtrack. The horrific sound effects. Seriously- whoever did foley on this film deserves all the awards- you make me scared of the kitty kats, and I LOVE cats. 🐈

Some people will question whether or not it is appropriate for small children. I would say maybe wait until they are six, and watch it with them, but they should watch scary things if they can. Being scared in appropriately safe space teaches you how to react to fear and handle moments when you are scared in real life. It is my major argument for Halloween. But each parent has to do as they think is best for each individual child. In any case, watch this one first before showing it to your kids- definitely more scary than you remember.

Finally- the animation on this film is a national treasure. I honestly hope this film is in the Library of Congress collection.

There are animation techniques here that don’t exist anymore.

Sparks. Sparkles. Glimmers. Stars in the Night Sky. Smoke billows.

Actually, I almost paused the film on a smoke billow. Sony is doing some things in the recent “Spiderverse” trilogy that are insane- and part of it is their mixed animation.

All the smoke billows? Hand drawn.

They look the same as Bluth’s smoke in this film, which is making me wonder if one of their artists studied under him. Maybe not- maybe they just did their homework on good hand drawn cloud formations. Either way, realizing how close they got to the master work in this film made me appreciate them even more.

Speaking of insane animation-

I don’t know WHO Bluth felt he had to show off to, but this man could DRAW WATER and he fucking knew it.

Like water is hard to do, ok? Like hands, Da Vinci had notebooks full of sketches of the substance, proving it to be the bane of the artistic existence.

Most water in hand drawn animation comes in two forms-

Flat water color with pretty things floating in it to distract you-

Or drawn over a live video of water that they spliced into the image.

Even that was hard to do, and they used a technology no longer available to us. It looks pretty cool honestly.

But no, not DON fucking BLUTH.

Not only can this man hand draw water without the underlying video, but he draws it moving in multiple different ways. He shows it from the top, side, and sinking underneath (with moving bubbles and shifting light, no flat blue for him).

He turns it into a NIGHTMARE FUEL WAVE MONSTER.

He ADDS it to SCENES it DIDNT HAVE TO BE IN!

The more I watched this film, the more I realized that if Milt Kahl had the head swaggle, Don Bluth had water, and by God was he going to use it.

He wrote plots AROUND the idea of water, so he could showcase it in every scene. “Rock-a-doodle,” and “Pebble and the Penguin” come to mind. “Anastasia,” “Thumbelina” and “All Dogs Go to Heaven” all feature action scenes in water. Heck- the one in “All Dogs Go To Heaven” came out of no where, and makes so much more sense if it was just Bluth wanting to show off.

“An American Tale” had the travel by boat sequence and our main hero being thrown over board. He could have left it there. NOPE. There were puddles and sewers and fire hoses and action scenes at the docks.

And the few scenes without water? Let’s throw some scary sparks in there. Maybe some smoke billowing. For funzies.

Also- we’re going to have a Love Song with the most incredible Night Sky you have ever seen and a Comedic song featuring fun house mirror distorted reflections because WHY NOT???

I think he was trying to make sure Disney regretted him leaving, the way you dress up when you know your toxic ex will be there, and I love that for him. 🩷

Also- the backgrounds are all beautiful water color. I love a good water color.

Also- yeah, the sound track holds up. The songs are just as catchy as they ever were- if you have ever seen this movie you WILL find yourself singing along.

As previously mentioned, when it comes to the scary parts, the composer UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT and the music easily fits into a good horror film.

And finally- the music at the finale when everything is made right, and the happy ending is finally here, is the most heart breaking thing you will ever hear. You will cry. Watch the movie, but bring the tissues. 🤧

This movie is definitely worth a watch.

This movie is more than worth a watch, it should be mandatory for elementary history and college animation classes alike.

But also it’s just fun. 🤩

[prototypelq]

MH World 50 hours in impressions:

- I cannot stop being amazed by the gorgeous environments. The dev team responsible for this lush, acidic, insane and beautiful world deserve like, and oscar or better two. I don't remember any critics awards praising specifically the environmental design, but this game needs said category to be created. I genuinely adore all of these locations. They require terrain knowledge to effectively navigate, nothing is ever simply flat - there are hills and slopes and drops and new highs everyone.

- I see now why Nergigante is the fan-fave. Vulture porcupine is really really badass. A complete nightmare to fight, but badass nonetheless.

- DODOGAMA FRIEND-SHAPED BOI ))) I am not killing him ever.

- Definitely no regrets since I installed the unlimited consumables mod. It cuts me the ingredients grind, and this game is grindy enough as it is, it also helps out with keeping the buffs on in case you faint. Cause you're not gonna use the buffs unless you really need them, and the game shouldn't punish you with even more limited resources if you're already struggling. It does lose a bit of the preparation for the environment aspect, but I have a good imagination and a thirst for that on my own, no need for the game to enforce it. Same with the speed eating and flinch free charms mod. Technically, by the game standards, these are cheating, and I know this is a game about mastering a monster to the point of killing them naked with your fists, but. I like my learning curves less steep, and my playtime has much improved after getting these mods, so again, no regrets at all.

- The kinsect evolutions are all gorgeous I want to have my own army of bugs)))

- Never tried to move into the private quarters before today, and 50-hours in I Finally Saw the multiple pets placement function. Adore this

- Love my science madlad grandma returning, I need more of her

- The game needed 50 hours to learn what monster-inspired weapon design is. I already got used to the, let's say, Minimalist, style of MHW weapons, but now. after so many hours. the game finally gives me more interesting options. It's especially funny to me that the only, so far, water glaive comes from jyro and it looks like an axe??? Badass. No idea why, but I'm not complaining

- I have basic knowledge of the four elder dragons that will come next, but I really hope they'll be more interesting than just the surface level 'elemental monster'. Hopefully, the deal with them is the same as with Nergi, and the monster looks much cooler and better in-actual-game.

[web-novel-polls]

Less Popular Danmei Character Tournament

CWs: genitalia mention, death, animal mention, slavery, murder, cannibalism mention, prisoner exchange, sex, misgendering as a joke ("princess")

Shen Zechuan from Qiang Jin Jiu

Submission: he just serves absolute cunt and is absolutely insane. like we joke about characters being crazy but shen zechuan is the 1st one where ive paused reading and said outloud oh bitch you are absolutely out of your mind. Give it up for ruthless chronically ill schemers with a sense of loyalty so strong it becomes a fatal flaw and who are also at all times 100% devoted to the ppl they care about

The son of the Prince of Jianxing, who betrays the empire out of cowardice, that must survive when his entire family is to be killed for treason. There’s actually a scene at the beginning of him losing his brother in a battle and (I believe) returning to realize his father has run away

Another of the “chronically ill schemers” type and incredibly ruthless when necessary

Refuses to die or despair; he WILL survive and will turn things around - fate can be damned

Gu Mang from Stains of Filth / Yuwu

Submission: He’s my little guy

He’s the tragic ML who betrayed the MC while also being the biggest fucking clown / the comedic relief

He truly believes he’s a fucking wolf at one point. 

Essentially, Gu Mang was a slave in Murong Lian’s household, which led him to meet the MC, Mo Xi, who is a noble of similar standing to the Murong clan. He eventually becomes the General-in-Chief of the Wangba Army (later renamed to the Northern Frontier Army bc it was a funny name) and fights for the Chonghua Empire. However, since the Wangba Army was made of slaves, not a single of his fellow soldiers were given a proper burial, which - along with other reasons - led to Gu Mang defecting to an enemy nation (that also killed Mo Xi’s father and may or may not be cannibals).  

The story begins when said enemy nation trades Gu Mang back to Chonghua as a prisoner of war with parts of his soul gone, causing him to believe he’s a majestic blue wolf. The summary is a tiny bit misleading, albeit not wrong - “they’ve slept together before” is actually more “they slept together multiple times while Mo Xi, at the very least, is incredibly in love with Gu Mang.”  

Gu Mang’s also pretty funny, even with his memories gone, albeit the inherent tragedy is overwhelming. Idc what “evils” he committed… the Lotus Pavilion thing or whatever was fucked up. The author is so brutal to him, and for what? Funsies? (<--mainly joking, but it’s a SAD story… I’ve cried so many times) 

Anyway, Gu Mang Did Not Deserve This 2023 

Yan Zhengming from Liu Yao: the Revitalization of Fuyao Sect 

Submission: Winner of the award for highest number of times I’ve called a man a “pretty princess” 

Apparently has a fantastic character development into the Sect Leader (I’m not that far), but he’s also just a pretty princess <2

He’s the eldest disciple of Han Muchun / Fuyao Sect who was born into a rich family. He ran away at age seven and became Han Muchun’s first apprentice/disciple. He’s similar to a spoiled young master character, but he doesn’t really bully anyone; he may try to bully/clash with Cheng Qian, but I don’t think he wins (been a while since I started it - he’s like 15, and Cheng Qian is ~9-10 at this point) 

“Strict with others but lenient on himself” → responsible Sect Leader pipeline, More at 10 pm

[super-cosmic-library]

The Fruity Four and Taylor Swift

okay, so i was thinking about grown up!fruity four and their opinions on Taylor Swift because I just love the fics where all of them getting to grow old together (shout out Eddie Munson Tiktok Saga), and they’ve got to have opinions on Taylor Swift.

I think we all agree that Steve has the most basic taste in music (affectionately). He listens to whatever is upbeat and popular and will get insanely defensive if people make fun of him. So I’d like to think that Steve is an og Swiftie. He has the aura of a longsuffering fan, and has definitely hopped to her defense in many a conversation with toxic dude bros (read: mostly Eddie and his friends who would playfully make fun of him, but he did get kicked out of a bar for throwing his drink--glass and all--at a stranger for saying she was a talentless slut). When she first stepped onto the scene, Steve would hum along to her singles on the radio on his commute to work. The first album of hers he bought was Fearless, after he heard “Love Story” play exactly once. He fell in love with the artist, and bought her debut album. He followed her career closely after that. (For a good month after Speak Now was released, Steve was dead set on playing songs from it at his and Eddie’s legal wedding, that wouldn’t be able to occur for another few years.)

Corroded Coffin (and Steve) were at the VMAs in 2009 when Kanye stole Taylor’s moment. Gareth and Jeff had to keep both Steve and Eddie from making a scene. Steve because she is his favorite artist (whom he isn’t sleeping with) and she very much deserved the award, and she’s just a kid! His mama bear instincts do not stop at his kids. Eddie because he’s always stood up against bullies. And even though they were all a part of the wealthy elite, no one’s moment should be stolen from them. Even though he knew Eddie didn’t get her music, Steve appreciated that he was just as outraged about the whole ordeal as him.

The next to follow was Nancy. Nancy has the widest taste in music out of the four of them. Growing up, she loved pop music like Steve, and would listen to classical music while studying. When she started spending time with Jonathan, she got into punk and grunge music. As Eddie cemented himself into the group, she opened up to metal, finding she really liked how loud and angry it was. With Argyle and Robin’s influence, she gained an appreciation for reggae, ska, jazz, and indie. She really just likes a little bit of everything.

Nancy came around after the release of Red. She had written an article about the VMAs for her publishers, but didn’t think much else about Taylor until she heard “I Knew You Were Trouble.” Natural journalistic inquiry led her to listening to more of her discography. Steve was ecstatic to finally share this interest with someone, as Eddie and Robin tend to be more pretentious about the music they enjoy, which annoys their partners to no end. Cue Nancy and Steve belting along to “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” when in the car together.

Eddie didn’t give Taylor’s music a proper listen to until Reputation, and that’s only because Steve had mentioned that a lot of it was in response to the feud with Kanye and the negative attention the media gave her. While it wasn’t quite his taste, he admired the hell out of her for the album. His admiration only grew with her rerecording her masters. She was a total badass for that in his opinion. That’s when he decided to give the rest her music a chance. While he wouldn’t consider himself a Swiftie like Steve and Nancy, he finally understood what they liked about her music. Eddie made a habit of serenading “Hey Stephen” to Steve at random moments around their house--as he tended to do with any song that had Steve’s name in it. Steve doesn’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse that Eddie finally started listening to Taylor; however, every time Eddie started singing the all too familiar song, Steve’s cheeks would turn pink. At one point, Eddie convinced the rest of the band to do a rock cover of the song, and they played it at a show Eddie knew Steve would be in the audience for. 

Robin was the last to become a fan. Sure, she would enjoy it when Nancy put her music on. She especially enjoyed when Nancy would dance her around their kitchen to the slower songs. However, she didn’t make it a habit of listening to Taylor on her own. It just wasn’t the type of music she listened to, and that’s okay. Then Folklore and Evermore were released, and suddenly the singer was in Robin’s top artists of 2020, and she was the one leading Nancy in their kitchen waltzes. 

When the Eras tour was announced, Eddie used his industry connections to score the four of them tickets after TicketMaster had proven to be useless. Eddie, a lifelong fan of attending (and performing in) concerts, found he was more excited to watch Steve enjoy the music than watch the act himself. Robin, who still considered herself just a casual fan, was mostly looking forward to seeing girl in red’s opening set. Steve and Nancy, though? They came up with coordinating Lover inspired outfits. Pastel tye-died jean jackets, pink heart shaped sunglasses, a crop top for Steve. . . They were completely decked out. Eddie was torn between ogling Steve and being upset that he never dressed up this much for the Corroded Coffin shows he attended. In Steve’s defense, this was closer to his normal wardrobe. 

anyways, I think they all listen to her music to some capacity

[cairnparavel]

JAN 2023.

9th. The Haunting of 13 Olúwo Street, Suyi Davies Okungbowa. beautiful, gentle, patient and concise. in a genre so often "revolutionized" by plot twists and development of ideas away from the root, it does feel revolutionary to tend to one concept with infinite kindness and depth.

29th. Armless Maidens of the American West, Genevieve Valentine. A pretty nice follow-up to 13 Olúwo Street, sharing a core theme of kindness making the changes that voyeuristic curiosity never can. The idea haunts me constantly, and feels like perfectly plausible urban legend.

29th. On the Banks of the River Lex, N K Jemsin. Re-read. I liked this one more on revisit, not for any faults of the story but because I was unused to short stories that focus more on describing one slice of a moment than on interpersonal plot. I like this incarnation of Death.

29th. The Only Friend You Ever Need, M Shaw. Re-read. This one jarred me to get into, but I don't hate the concept. I'm not a fan of the protagonist but I am a fan of the monsters in this and the repercussions of his actions which balances it out. Not a fave, but solid despite it.

29th. Paper Menagerie, Ken Liu. Re-read. Deserved every award it won and then some. This one never fails to reduce me to useless tears. I don't know what else to say here. The magic is beautiful and grounded and kind. Ken Liu is a master of emotional patience and empathy.

FEB 2023.

??. The Queen of Atlantis, Sarah Rees Brennan. Re-read. This is one of my two favorite fantasy shorts ever written. Everything about it is so quintessentially childlike in tone without ever flinching from its topic or message. Foreshadowing is subtle and holds up impeccably on revisit, and this story has made me cry before. Impeccable.

??. The Worth of Crows, Seth Dickinson. Re-read. Yes, of Baru Cormorant fame, although I discovered this short before that. This one is less iconic in concept, but sticks with me more. Possibly because it is 🍊s favorite piece of short fiction. Possibly because I love necromancy done kindly.

??. Bread and Circus, Genevieve Valentine. Re-read. This one is less of a favorite of mine, but it helps give depth to her previous entry on this list from January. As ever, the human element shines relentlessly above the more by the book depictions of small social miseries.

??. More Full of Weeping Than You Could Understand, Rosamund Hodge. Re-read. God, I adore this one. Nothing does changelings well in the way this one does. They work too hard on making the fairy motives translatable, instead of presenting them as obvious fact.

??. The Prince's Shadow, Emily M Z Carlyle. Re-read. Always a beloved favorite right next to my unfindable white moonlight about a wizard after the war. The love between them is unflinching and locked tight. I love courts and I love when people don'f eschew society to cottagecore up.

??. Silk And Shadow, Tony Pi. Re-read. Absolutely insane. This is what people keep telling me grishaverse is. It's perfect. The universe is lush, the prose unflinching, the tragedy beautiful. I personally did not want the ending of inception to be hashtag solved, and the ending of this isn't.

MAR 2023.

N/A. I was ill and I was not well also. I played lots of games and re-watched giant chunks of Nirvana In Fire. I came into this knowing my reading was slowing down as my cognitive health got worse over the last year and part of that is being patient to myself on bad months.

APR 2023.

??. Remembering Light. Marie Brennan. Re-read. I'm so glad this author returned to Driftwood after the initial short had me haunted for days. This one was far more reasonable and simply reduced me to tears multiple times. The prose is steady, the worldbuilding fascinating, and the concept unlivably tender. Masterclass in short fiction.

??. The Bone House. James Lecky. Re-read. There's a different story I always try to find, and search resolutely insists that it was this one and I just forgot or misremembered some parts. Maybe so. I'm honestly less invested in the protagonist's inner struggle as I am very very interested in his father and his girlfriend, both of whom did more with less.

??. Our Dead Selves Lie Like Footsteps In Our Wake. Jeff Isacksen. Re-read. God. This was insane. The magic system is beautiful, the world feels bright and lush, and I know these people as intimately as if we were stood in the same room together. The story builds without mercy to a breaking point, but the relief is palpable and lovingly rendered.

??. And Her Eyes Sewn Shut With Unicorn Hair. Rosamund Hodge. Re-read. This honestly deserves a place alongside Queen of Atlantis for the work it does at re-writing childrens fantasy hallmarks to their own end. This time it is Narnia, or more specifically Tash, who gets folded into a new story that grabbed my neck and will not let it go.

??. Ghostweight. Yoon Ha Lee. Re-read. Finally a Clarkesworld entry! I love sci-fi that builds itself on a different cultural foundation because I love seeing what is so taken for granted that it becomes a cornerstone of a new world. This universe exemplifies that with the kites, and the characters are heartbreaking and complicated without reserve.

.

[cature]

JAN 2023.

The Haunting of 13 Olúwo Street, Suyi Davies Okungbowa. beautiful, gentle, patient and concise. in a genre so often “revolutionized” by plot twists and development of ideas away from the root, it does feel revolutionary to tend to one concept with infinite kindness and depth.

FEB 2023.

Armless Maidens of the American West, Genevieve Valentine. A pretty nice follow-up to 13 Olúwo Street, sharing a core theme of kindness making the changes that voyeuristic curiosity never can. The idea haunts me constantly, and feels like perfectly plausible urban legend.

MAR 2023.

I was ill and I was not well also. I played lots of games and re-watched giant chunks of Nirvana In Fire. I came into this knowing my reading was slowing down as my cognitive health got worse over the last year and part of that is being patient to myself on bad months.

APR 2023.

On the Banks of the River Lex, N K Jemsin. Re-read. I liked this one more on revisit, not for any faults of the story but because I was unused to short stories that focus more on describing one slice of a moment than on interpersonal plot. I like this incarnation of Death.

MAY 2023.

The Only Friend You Ever Need, M Shaw. Re-read. This one jarred me to get into, but I don’t hate the concept. I’m not a fan of the protagonist but I am a fan of the monsters in this and the repercussions of his actions which balances it out. Not a fave, but solid despite it.

JUN 2023.

Paper Menagerie, Ken Liu. Re-read. Deserved every award it won and then some. This one never fails to reduce me to useless tears. I don’t know what else to say here. The magic is beautiful and grounded and kind. Ken Liu is a master of emotional patience and empathy.

JUL 2023.

The Queen of Atlantis, Sarah Rees Brennan. Re-read. This is one of my two favorite fantasy shorts ever written. Everything about it is so quintessentially childlike in tone without ever flinching from its topic or message. Foreshadowing is subtle and holds up impeccably on revisit, and this story has made me cry before. Impeccable.

AUG 2023.

The Worth of Crows, Seth Dickinson. Re-read. Yes, of Baru Cormorant fame, although I discovered this short before that. This one is less iconic in concept, but sticks with me more. Possibly because it is 🍊s favorite piece of short fiction. Possibly because I love necromancy done kindly.

SEP 2023.

Bread and Circus, Genevieve Valentine. Re-read. This one is less of a favorite of mine, but it helps give depth to her previous entry on this list from January. As ever, the human element shines relentlessly above the more by the book depictions of small social miseries.

OCT 2023.

More Full of Weeping Than You Could Understand, Rosamund Hodge. Re-read. God, I adore this one. Nothing does changelings well in the way this one does. They work too hard on making the fairy motives translatable, instead of presenting them as obvious fact.

NOV 2023.

The Prince’s Shadow, Emily M Z Carlyle. Re-read. Always a beloved favorite right next to my unfindable white moonlight about a wizard after the war. The love between them is unflinching and locked tight. I love courts and I love when people don't eschew society to cottagecore up.

DEC 2023.

Silk And Shadow, Tony Pi. Re-read. Absolutely insane. This is what people keep telling me grishaverse is. It’s perfect. The universe is lush, the prose unflinching, the tragedy beautiful. I personally did not want the ending of inception to be hashtag solved, and the ending of this isn’t.

JAN 2024.

Remembering Light, Marie Brennan. Re-read. I’m so glad this author returned to Driftwood after the initial short had me haunted for days. This one was far more reasonable and simply reduced me to tears multiple times. The prose is steady, the worldbuilding fascinating, and the concept unlivably tender. Masterclass in short fiction.

FEB 2024.

The Bone House, James Lecky. Re-read.There’s a different story I always try to find, and search resolutely insists that it was this one and I just forgot or misremembered some parts. Maybe so. I’m honestly less invested in the protagonist’s inner struggle as I am very very interested in his father and his girlfriend, both of whom did more with less.

MAR 2024.

Our Dead Selves Lie Like Footsteps In Our Wake, Jeff Isacksen. Re-read. God. This was insane. The magic system is beautiful, the world feels bright and lush, and I know these people as intimately as if we were stood in the same room together. The story builds without mercy to a breaking point, but the relief is palpable and lovingly rendered.

APR 2024.

And Her Eyes Sewn Shut With Unicorn Hair, Rosamund Hodge. Re-read. This honestly deserves a place alongside Queen of Atlantis for the work it does at re-writing childrens fantasy hallmarks to their own end. This time it is Narnia, or more specifically Tash, who gets folded into a new story that grabbed my neck and will not let it go.

MAY 2024.

Ghostweight, Yoon Ha Lee. Re-read. Finally a Clarkesworld entry! I love sci-fi that builds itself on a different cultural foundation because I love seeing what is so taken for granted that it becomes a cornerstone of a new world. This universe exemplifies that with the kites, and the characters are heartbreaking and complicated without reserve.

JUN 2024.

At The Mouth Of The River Of Bees, Kij Johnson. Re-read. Finally a Clarkesworld entry! I love sci-fi that builds itself on a different cultural foundation because I love seeing what is so taken for granted that it becomes a cornerstone of a new world. This universe exemplifies that with the kites, and the characters are heartbreaking and complicated without reserve.

[wonderlesscomics]

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (Tom King & Bilquis Evely)

Issues # 1-8

Read January 2024

Story: 7.5/10

Hmm. This is the hardest rating I’ve ever had to give. Let me start the entire review with, I love Tom King. I find his deep knowledge of the comics industry inspiring and his ability to create interesting and exciting narratives spectacular. He has truly created some of my favorite comic books of all time. But I find myself as I close the pages on Supergirl, left wanting. Clearly this book has been made with care and love, it excels at what it wishes to achieve. The prose, the dialogue and the characterizations are top notch. The smaller stories inside of the overarching plot are gripping and emotional. However at the end I just felt like I was let down. This book just lacks an overall cohesion that pushes it past just interesting serial stories. While I understand Krem is not really the core of the story he is the driving force behind every action and decision, and he as a whole is uninteresting and boring. He is simply a plot device to allow King to tell the stories he wants to tell. He has all the answers, joins a gang of mercenaries, escapes supergirl multiple times, one of those times discovering and mastering complex magic. And because Krem left me wanting I think it affects Ruythe and left her emotional drive floundering. I couldn’t relate to her mission because I simply didn’t care and it bored me at times. My final complaint is the narrative lies King tells to trick the audience all in the name of a surprise reveal that it was a lie, when not telling us at all would have let us feel anxious and excited over the future. But because he lied, I knew what was going to happen and when they didn’t happen like that I just felt meh, like “oh good job I guess, I don’t really care”. I don’t want to sound all negative because truly this might be the best incarnation of the character ever written and I feel like I truly understand Kara more now than I ever have.

Art: 9/10

Now throw everything out I had reviewed about the plot and listen to me here; this art is fucking stunning. Bilquis Evely is an absolute wizard of the medium. The line work and character design at brilliant, simply brilliant. Thanks to King’s writing he gives Evely incredible set pieces to work on and elevate to more than I imagine he could ever comprehend when writing them. Their work explodes off the page in dazzling colors and bolstered by incredible paneling and page composition. I took too many screenshots of panels, pages and covers that made my jaw drop. From insane moments like space dragons and flying Pegasus at the end of the known universe to little details in characters faces that spoke more than Kings words on the page. I will be following their work forever now and I’ll stare at anything they draw.

Special Notes:

- what’s up with the Pegasus?

- supergirl is just so awesome and I’m not sure why it took so long for her to be done justice

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

I respect it more than I like it. That is the best phrase I can possibly write for this review. I love Tom King and will always admire and support his work, even if it’s the work that doesn’t speak to me. And by the way that’s fine. Every piece of art doesn’t have to move me emotionally or blow my mind with the most incredible plot I’ve ever seen. Sometimes a work just misses your tastes but one can still acknowledge that craft and care put into it. The level of craft on display in this book is among the best in the entire industry, from art, characters, story telling and impact. This book rocked the comics landscape in a short amount of time and it deserves every award and praise it gets. I can’t wait to see what both King and Evely do next!

[angelasscribbles]

Bad Romance Epilogue 4: Drake

Series: Bad Romance

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for series: Riley x Liam, Liam x Max, Riley x Max, Riley x Drake, Riley x Rashad

Paring this chapter: Riley x Drake

Rating: R

Warnings for this chapter: Language

Word Count: 1,268

A/N: This one is written in first person because I just heard Drake's voice in my head, all I did was transcribe what he told me.

My other stuff: Master List.

When I said I’d do anything for her, I fucking meant it. I killed a man for her. I was willing to die for her. I took a bullet meant for her, and I’d do it again. All of it. And more.

There’s no line I wouldn’t cross for her, no law I wouldn’t break, no length I wouldn’t go to in order to protect her, defend her, avenge her. I might be a little insane when it comes to her, but I don’t care. She’s the only thing that matters. She’s everything. At least to me she is. And she’s mine.

Mine to protect, mine to safeguard, mine to love. Mine to obsess about, mine to dream about when she’s not with me and mine to hold close when she is. And yes, I’m dead fucking serious when I say I would end someone over her and not think twice about it. In fact, I have.

Yeah, I know she has a husband, my best friend no less. The fucking king of the country I grew up in. Which makes her the queen. I don’t mean figuratively, she’s the literal fucking queen. My queen. And Liam’s.

I guess it is both literal and figurative. Because her being the queen is a separate thing from her being my queen. As in, I would do anything for her. Does my devotion border on worship? Obsession? Insanity? Maybe. But she’s fire in my veins and I’m helpless against the feelings she ignites in me, has always ignited in me. My heart was frozen and empty before she filled it with passion and flame.

So, do I care that she has a husband, a country to run and a boyfriend that’s practically a second husband in the form of Maxwell Beaumont? No, I do not. I did, once, but I couldn’t break away. I tried and failed. The problem was that everything in me wanted her with a potency too strong to deny. I crumbled under it. Happily.

There has always been some kind of chemistry compelling us together, from the very first moment. Like a magnet, the force of attraction drawing us nearer and nearer to each other until we were circling one another like the moon orbits the earth, unable to break free from the pull of gravity. I fully expected to fall into her atmosphere and burn up until there was nothing left. But that’s not what happened.

She’s given me so much more than I ever asked for or ever deserved. She’s given me a true sense of belonging, a home. I never really had that before. Even before my father died, we were never really settled. And after…living in the palace surrounded by nobility, without either one of my parents? Well, that wasn’t it either. But now? Somewhere along the way that same ridiculously big, pretentious palace that use to feel more like a prison started to feel like home, warm and welcoming. Because she’s in it.

Valtoria is really our home, all of us. It has more of her personality in it, and I love being there. There, or the occasional time alone at my cabin, just the two of us. All of those places feel like home now. I finally realized, it’s not the structure, it’s the people in the structure that make it a home. Safe, loving, comforting. Never before had my entire body relaxed just because I walked through the door of a certain house. But it does now.

She gave me a son, named after my father. She spelled it Jaxon instead of Jackson, but it’s pronounced the same. And the kid looks just like me, anyone paying any amount of attention at all could put two and two together. She wasn’t even subtle about it. Jaxon Nolan Walker Rys. Nolan is my middle name, my mother named me after the greatest pitcher of all time, Texas Ranger legend Nolan Ryan, all-time leader in no-hitters. He was robbed of a Cy Young Award, and everyone knows it, but that’s not the point.

She certainly made my career more interesting. Guarding Riley has been an exercise in forethought, contingency planning and diplomacy. Trying to stay a step ahead of her can be exhausting. You have no idea the number of international incidents that have been narrowly avoided over the years because someone’s boyfriend, husband or son was a little too enamored of our queen. Or, sometimes their girlfriend, wife or daughter. She attracts attention wherever she goes, and she chaffs under restraint. She has always kept us on our fucking toes. It’s infuriating and frustrating is what it is. But I really wouldn’t have it any other way because then she wouldn’t be her. And I fucking love her.

I love her, and I always have. I loved her almost from the beginning. I loved her through the social season and that stupid engagement tour, through my suspension and trail, through her engagement to another man, through her marriage to my best friend. I have loved her through four decades, five children and three terrorist threats to our nation. I’m never going to stop.

She somehow, against all odds, brought me closer to Liam as well. I love him too, I don’t mean in a sexual or romantic way, but I guess I’m as close to him as I am to Savannah. Closer, if I’m being honest. None of this would feel right without him here. This is not how I imagined my life would turn out, none of it.

But somehow, even Max has burrowed his way under my skin. I like the guy. He’s not as flighty or as frivolous as I once believed him to be. I guess he was my lesson in judging people based on their station in life. I have to admit, he has a calming effect on her, and on Liam. I don’t know how he does that. Liam and I both tend to rile her up more often than not, but Max comes along and just soothes all her ruffled feathers. I never in a million years thought I’d be going to Maxwell Beaumont for relationship advice, but he’s kind of an expert on how to navigate all of….this.

I may not have envisioned this type of relationship when I was younger, but to be fair, I never envisioned any at all. Didn’t want one, didn’t think I needed one. But as it turns out, I needed her, I wanted her. It wasn’t the relationship, per se, it was the woman. And once I let go of all the preconceived notions of what a relationship was supposed to look like….the thing I had never wanted anyway, and just let ours be what it is, that’s when everything changed. Changed for the better.

So yeah, she’s given me a true sense of home, a place where I belong. She’s given me freedom and control over my career. She’s given me a family, in the form of Liam, Max and the kids. But most of all, she’s given me herself. Her body, her heart, her trust, her devotion. This woman planned and helped execute a murder for me. There is no question that her feelings for me are real and it’s hard to believe there ever was. I love her. Completely, unconditionally, maybe a little obsessively.  

So no, I don’t care that she has a husband, and a boyfriend, or whatever Max is to her, exactly. I only care what I am to her, what she is to me, what we are to each other.

Everything.

[becca-e-barnes]

Hey doll, heard you aren't feeling right. Talk to me. What's going on?

Also smooches for you bcz you're amazing and deserve all the love🥺❤

Hey honey, thank you for checking in, it really means a lot 💗

I don’t even really think I have the words for how I’m feeling rn? I can’t even work it out honestly.

And the worst part is that nothing is actually wrong, I’m just having an off day. I think I just have so much going on at the minute and I’m a little drained, my workload has been insane this week and I never feel like I’m on top of things.

I’m just lying here crying and stroking my own hair and I must look so pathetic but it’s honestly all the comfort I have rn. It’s almost 3am here so it’s not like I can talk to my parents or most of my friends and even if they were awake, I wouldn’t bother them anyway.

I don’t even really know what I’m trying to say? I know I’ve typed a whole lot and actually said nothing important which is frustrating but I just can’t place this lil meltdown I’m having. I’ve just been making so many sacrifices recently and I’m not getting to do things that matter a lot to me. I want to be there for my friends and I want to have time to see them and I want to have time with family but I just don’t? And when I know I’m going to my second job tomorrow to work my ass off all day just to come home drained again, I really feel like quitting. But I love working there and I’ve been there my entire adult life, I don’t even remember what it’s like to not have to work 6 days a week. And writing on here is such an escape and I’ve hardly even had time to do that this week

I just feel like I should be coping with things a whole lot better than I am rn. I have a lot in my life that needs to change and I’d already promised myself I would change it and focus on myself over the next couple of months but God, it’s hard.

I nearly feel like most of the things I’m trying to do rn are meant for someone bigger than me? They’re meant for someone with more confidence or someone who can occupy more space or someone more memorable and I’m just not that person. That’s maybe just in relation to my masters though and I have no idea why I feel like that because I graduated from my undergrad with the highest grade possible and a few extra awards so if anyone has earned the right to speak up and be listened to in that space, it’s me.

None of this made any sense whatsoever, I still don’t really know what I tried to say here but thank you for asking anyway! I really appreciate your kindness and I’m sending so much love back bc you’re an angel 💗 also please don’t feel like you have to reply, I know I said literally nothing substantial here, it was nice even just putting my thoughts out there 💕

[blood-starved-beast]

Redemption arc squad for the bingo (Acxa/Farnese/Zuko/Riven/etc)

Redemption Arc squad yes (Did not include Zethrid and Ezor cause redemption - for what? Doing hot girl shit?) To start, here's the original so people have ease of access to see.

Send me more asks if you'd like me to say more.

First, Acxa

Unsurprisingly, she's the one who gets the bingo. Excluding a few others in the fandom, people get her wrong like the amount of parentfication she gets in the fandom is frankly insane why can't fandom be normal about her (saying this, as I proceed to not be normal about her). Her arc is great, and one of the few in vld that made sense, surprisingly enough. Only reason I don't give her the best is cause Haggar/Honerva is there. Of course saying so would be hitting the wasp's nest. She definitely should've gotten more screentime, and they wasted the fact that she worked with Haggar in s8 especially. Keith knew she was with Haggar in the Kral Zera no one bothered to ask her anything??? We should've gotten a backstory flashback in act 2 in my opinion. The way she went around backstabbing people like 10 times but you know she wasn't planning this shit out is the funniest thing what is wrong with her indeed.

Next, Zuko

Zuko, I don't have much opinions about as he was written very good and I'm pretty much satisfied with how the writers went about him. I'd say he gets top spot in Atla for best writing cause Aang's near perfect arc was messed up with the dumb thing to have his avatar state reopened by some random rock. Especially when the world building established that it was an emotional-psychological-spiritual thing. In that sense, Zuko was consistently the best. Zuko's most popular pairings suck and I almost forgot to put this cause my atla fandom experience was literally ten years ago but then I remembered zukk@. Zut@ra I never liked which is rich coming from me who likes friggin Rivelia but my excuse is that my fandom experience was shaped by exposure to that friggin ship war from way back then and that spoiled a lot for me. Katara deserves better and she's not a fixer, at least, not for Zuko she would. Fandom woobification besides that, annoys me especially when he can get all toxic masculinity sometimes (this was a thing established at the Beach ep). His arc is one that I'm always referencing so you could say I'm pretty obsessed with it. If you'd ask me about him 8 years ago I feel like I'd say more but I'm long overdue for an atla rewatch so I'd have to refresh.

Now Farnese

Farnese has one of the more interesting arcs in media I've seen recently. She's a bitch with little freudian excuse and does a lot of horrific things to boot. And YET her redemption arc is so so good Miura was a master at his craft Rest in Peace. I think she'd benefit more from screentime but this is just me wanting a good Berserk adaption post golden age. Her best character work is when she works with Casca and Schierke imho.

Finally, Riven

Riven I love a lot but she hasn't reached Meow-Meow stage to get the bingo (for League, that award I think, would go to Irelia). Her fandom reception is weird though, but that depends on who you look to. The cismale fans are really gross with her, and the friggin battle bunny skin is atrocious. The original that is. Which was a fan-inspired skin by the way. That and her popularity among this cohort really messed with her characterization, even in the writers room cause I'd feel like she should be Butch, but cause of it has since seen a more femme-mization in her splashart and other media. As with most non-arcane characters she needs more lore. I'd like to see a Zelda styled game for example, where she tries to atone for her war crimes in Ionia by helping people etc. Besides that I could see her working with Rell, Irelia, others. Sentinels of Light did her so dirty worse than Irelia for sure (maybe not as bad as Pyke or Rengar, but still). There were so many ways to handle that but they did her and Irelia's arc in the most superficial way that I'm dog-bites-cage-rail.jpg all about how it could've been done better. Btw, her popular ships suck cause they are with Yasuo, who I don't really like, and *shudders* Zac. Rivelia is next on the list after that but I do like that, but I have ~ issues ~ with how it was handled but also most fandom content for it is not my cup of tea at all (WHERE IS THE SPICE???).

Thanks for the ask Cat!

For everyone else, here is the original post.

[gabriel-agreste-has-no-rights]

Rating: G

Summary: While Marinette is helping Adrien and the boys clean up after the guys-only party, she accidentally crashes a kwamis-only party. (Party Crasher identity reveal fic)

Word Count: 3361

Notes: I haven’t written one of these in a while, but it was for an anon from the episode-divergent identity reveal fic requests.  I’ll probably still keep doing these periodically, but I still have a few mlbforblm commissions/prizes to finish up, so it might be a while.

XXX

“I can put those up!”  Marinette offered quickly as Adrien scooped up a pile of costumes.  It was hard to see so much evidence of the party she’d been locked out of, but she was determined to make the most of it now.

She’d gotten to spend time with Adrien in the end.  Hopefully next time she could do it without lying, but she couldn’t pretend she regretted it.

He shot her one of his award-winning smiles, the ones that made her knees weak.  “Thanks, Marinette.  You can just leave them in the closet. I’ll fold them later.”

“No problem!”  

She accepted the bundle of sequins and silk without a stutter.  It was hard to feel embarrassed when he’d seen her dressed as “Marino” and still wanted her around.

He’d seen her in her pajamas, bought her constipation medicine, let her sleep on his shoulder, and most recently, watched her dance to Station Nation as a mustachioed biker.  If all of that hadn’t convinced him she was completely insane, maybe he really could like her.

That thought had her walking on clouds as she rearranged the pile of clothes in her arms to open the closet.

When she turned the handle, the clothes promptly fell to the ground.

“Go, go, go, go!”  Kaalki was chanting as Plagg sprayed whipped cream into Xuppu’s mouth.  It would’ve been ridiculous enough even if they weren’t inside Adrien’s closet.

But they were.  Why?  How?  If anyone else had seen them here—!

Sass hissed at the others, trying to grab their attention.  Kaalki kept chanting until Marinette quietly shut the door behind her, leaving them in the dim lights rimming the top shelves.

“Marinette.”  Sass touched his arms together and bowed his head respectfully.  

“What’s going on?”  She finally demanded.  “I swear, Plagg, if you crashed Adrien’s party because you wanted cheese again—” 

“Y-yeah!”  Plagg tried to hide the whipped cream behind his back.  Considering the can was twice his height, it didn’t do much good.  “You know me.  Can’t resist a good wedge of Camembert.  I already ate it all though, so don’t expect me to share!”

Tikki flew out of Marinette’s purse.  Her antennae twitched with anger.

“You remember what happened last time you went across Paris to steal cheese!  You got us all captured by a supervillain!”

“Relax, sugarcube!  Hawkmoth already crashed this party once.  He won’t think to do it again.  Besides, Master Fu’s close enough to help if anything went wrong.”

“We rarely get out of the Miracle Box at the same time.”  Kaalki pressed her hooves together.  “Pleeease, Tikki, don’t be mad.”

“Aww, who cares if she’s mad?  Tikki’s always been a party pooper.”  Xuppu crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue.

“You mean she’s always had good sense.”  Wayzz stuck his head out from inside… a Barbie Dream House?  

Yep, it was definitely a dollhouse peaking out from under the hangers of shirts.  Marinette hadn’t expected Adrien to play with dolls.  The thought was adorable enough to make her grin before she remembered she was supposed to be angry.

“I can’t believe you, Wayzz,” Tikki huffed.  “You’re Master Fu’s kwami!  You’re supposed to know better!  Did Carapace corrupt you already?”

Wayzz gave a sheepish smile.  “Well, Master Carapace does know how to ‘let loose’… but in this case, it was all Kaalki’s idea.”

“Me?”  Kaalki looked aghast.  “I only wanted to see the inside of a house as glorious as Monsieur Agreste’s!  It was Xuppu who decided to throw a party.”

“Yeah, it’s my first time out of the box in a century!  I deserve to celebrate!”

Marinette’s eyes flickered between the kwamis as all of them—including Tikki—dissolved into bickering.

“Quiet!”  She said as forcefully as she could without raising her voice.  Adrien’s door seemed thick enough to block sound—she hadn’t heard the kwamis from outside, anyway—but she didn’t want to push her luck.  “It doesn’t matter whose fault this is.  The point is, I can’t let you all throw a party in a civilian’s closet.  It’s too dangerous.”

“More dangerous than Master Fu coming to a party here himself?”  Wayzz asked.

Marinette sighed.  She’d been surprised to see Master Fu today, too.  She supposed she couldn’t expect the kwamis to be better behaved than their Master.

“Do you all have your miraculouses?” She asked.  “Or did you leave them with your temporary holders?”

“I have been guarding them,” Wayzz said in resignation.  He flew back into the Barbie house and returned with a stack of four hexagonal boxes.

“Alright, everyone,” Marinette looked over each of the kwamis, “now I’m the party crasher.  It’s time you all went back to Master Fu.  No arguing.”

“That isss likely for the besssst.” Sass’s head hung.  “Until next time, Plagg. Tikki.”

He accepted his miraculous box dolefully, then flew out through the back wall.

“So not cool.”  Xuppu stuck his tongue out at Marinette one last time for good measure.  It was hard to blame him.  If he hadn’t been out in over a hundred years, how could he really understand how dangerous it was?

Except he’d been there for the incident with Kwami Buster.  So either he was lying, or he didn’t count helping Multimouse fight the akuma.

“At least let me take this fabulous ‘whipp-ed cream’ back to our world?”  Kaalki asked with huge, pleading eyes.

“Alright.  That can’t hurt.”  Marinette nodded.

“Oh, thank you, thank you!”  She nuzzled Marinette’s cheek before balancing the miraculous and the spray can together.  Marinette wasn’t quite sure how the kwami managed to get them through the wall, but she did.

“My humblest apologies for their behavior,” Wayzz said before leaving as well.  Maybe he was afraid that if he hesitated, Tikki or Marinette would chew him out again.

That only left one kwami hovering in front of her.

“Hehe.  Guess I should get back to Chat Noir.  Smell ya later, sugarcube!”

“Oh, no you don’t.”  Tikki grabbed his tail.  “I know that no matter what they said, you’re the one behind this.  You’ve been nothing but irresponsible since you’ve been out!  I know your owner is lenient with you, but you can’t keep doing this.” 

“Easy for you to say.”  Plagg tugged his tail back.  “I’m the kwami of destruction.  Rules are made to be broken!”

“Could you two be quiet?”  Marinette rubbed her temples.  “If someone hears you, we’ll all be in trouble.  Now just—use your head next time, okay Plagg?”

“Fine.”  He huffed before finally flying out through the wall.

“That was a close one,” Tikki said.  “I can’t believe they’d throw a party like that!  And not even invite me!”

Marinette raised her eyebrows, and the kwami giggled sheepishly.

“I mean… oh, I wish we could have parties too, Marinette.”  She slumped.  “But I know it’s not safe.  Even when we gathered together for Nooroo’s cycle, we left you and Chat Noir alone and created an opening for Hawkmoth.”

“Oh, Tikki.”  Marinette opened her arms, and her kwami nuzzled the crook of her neck.  It had to be lonely, spending most of her day stuck in a purse, never seeing her friends… 

In fact, it sounded all too much like the life Adrien had thrown this party to escape from.  Worse, because Adrien at least got to see their friends at school.  Tikki never got to visit the other kwamis.

“Maybe a surprise party is too dangerous, but we could see how Master Fu feels about having a few kwamis stay with us sometimes,” Marinette suggested.  “If I’m supposed to be the next Guardian, it would be a good idea anyway, right?  I’ll get to know the kwamis, you’ll get to hang out with your friends…”

Tikki’s eyes glistened in the dim light.  “You’d really do that for me?” 

“Of course I would!  I know we’re friends, but you deserve to see your other friends, too.”  Marinette crouched down, fiddling with the door of the Barbie house.  “Maybe I can even get you a cute dollhouse like this for you guys to have sleepovers in.”

It was huge; she would’ve killed to have one like it as a kid.  ...Okay, maybe she still would.  Not only would it be the perfect size for Tikki, but it would go well with her Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls, and…

Apparently Adrien thought so, too. A Ladybug figurine sat at the kitchen table with a model Chat Noir.  They both looked like top-of-the-line action figures.  Of course, Adrien could afford the best.

Curious, Marinette poked around a bit more.  A hot pink car with sharpied-on black spots sat in the garage.  The bedroom, oddly, didn’t have a bed—not a toy one, anyway.  It looked more like a black sock wadded up into a little lump.

“It is a sock.”

“Don’t touch it, Marinette!  It might be important to him.  What if he finds out you went through his things?”

“Oh, it’s not like this is the first time.  Besides, aren’t you curious what his fancy dollhouse is doing with a sock for a bed?”  She picked it up.  “I wonder if it’s supposed to be some kind of sleeping bag…?”

That was when she noticed the green embroidery along the toe.  It was haphazard and awkward, as if done by a beginner.

“Oh no.”  Tikki shut her eyes as Marinette finally parsed out what the embroidery said.  It was only one word long.

Plagg.

“Oh.  That makes more sense.”  Marinette laughed.  “Plagg must have left it behind after their party.  Of course Adrien wouldn’t have a sock in his dollhouse.  Do you think Chat Noir made it?  That’s really cute of him, actually.”

“Y-yeah, I’m sure Chat Noir made it.  You should just put it back.  I’m sure Plagg will come back for it.”

“But then Adrien might see him!  I should bring it back during patrol.  Then I’ll have proof that his kwami was off partying, too.”

Satisfied, Marinette was about to stick it in her pocket.  But then the door opened.

“Marinette?”  Adrien stood silhouetted by the outside light.  “Oh, good.  I was worried you got lost in here—”

His eyes landed on the sock in her fist.  He scrambled to shut the door behind him.

“Marinette, it’s not what you think!”  He waved his hands, but Marinette could hardly process that.  She was in a cramped closet with Adrien!  Well, not exactly cramped—his closet could’ve fit, like, five of hers in it—but still, it was just the two of them alone, and—what if her breath stunk?  He could probably smell it since he was so close, but he was busy staring…

At Tikki.

Oh.

Oh no.

“Marinette, you’re…”  He laughed and ran a hand through his hair, pointing his other between Tikki and her.  “You’re Ladybug.  You’re Ladybug!”

Marinette panicked.  Acting on instinct, she went to slap her hand over his mouth—forgetting that she was still holding Plagg’s sock.

Her soul left her body.  She’d basically shoved a smelly sock in her crush’s mouth!  This was worse than being outed as Marino, the mustachioed biker.  Probably even worse than Adrien discovering she was Ladybug.

“Adrien—I’m so sorry—I—Tikki, is there a Lucky Charm that can make it so that didn’t happen?”

“I’m not Sass.  I can’t turn back time.”  Tikki sighed.  “Oh, Plagg is never going to let me live this down...”

Adrien spat the sock out into his palm.  “It’s okay, Marinette.  I should’ve known better than to startle you.  And—and I’m really sorry, too.  I know you didn’t want us to share our identities.”

“But I already know you’ve been a superhero before.  When I gave you the snake miraculous?”  Marinette’s brow furrowed.  Maybe that was why Sass had felt comfortable hiding in Adrien’s closet.  But they’d barely been together for a few minutes, unless Sass also remembered all 25,913 time loops…

Adrien deserved a hundred parties after having to go through that.

Tikki slapped her forehead for some reason.  Adrien’s head tilted.

“That’s not really the same thing as knowing I’m Chat Noir.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped.  Adrien was… Adrien was…

Oh.  That… actually explained some things.  And left her more confused about others.

But Plagg flew out of Adrien’s overshirt, shattering whatever was left of her denial.

“Hey, sugarcube.  Long time no see.”  He grinned.

Tikki smacked her head again.  “We were so close.”

“Yep.  Your holder’s pretty stupid.  I really thought she wasn’t gonna figure it out.”

“Marinette’s not stupid!”  Adrien scowled at Plagg.  “She’s the perfect Ladybug.  Besides, she found out who I am because of your stinky sock!”

Marinette could barely breathe.  Adrien called her perfect.  

Adrien was also her partner.  Adrien made bad puns and knew how to moonwalk.  Adrien had tried to kiss her.

“Plagg’s right.  I am stupid.”

“My Lady, no.”  Adrien stepped forward to wrap his arms around her.  Adrien’s arms.  Adrien’s scent.  As if her brain wasn’t already fizzling out as it was.  

“It’s my fault,” he continued.  “I should’ve known better than to have you come in here.  Plagg’s Barbie house is more conspicuous than I thought, I guess.”  He winced.

“Oh, heh, about that…”  Plagg trailed off before pointing at Tikki.  “It’s sugarcube’s fault!”

“Plagg!”

“What?  It is!  Pigtails was never gonna put two and two together.  If my kid didn’t see you—”

“He already assumed Marinette knew, since she’s holding your stinky sock!”

“Should we just let them duke it out?”  Adrien whispered with a small grin.

Marinette giggled.  Maybe she should’ve been more worried, all things considered—but Adrien was Chat Noir.  And he was still hugging her.  She might’ve been a bit more lenient about their secret identities had she known who her partner would turn out to be.

Maybe Plagg was right, and some rules were made to be broken.

“If you think this is bad, you should’ve seen all the kwamis in here earlier.”

“All the kwamis?”  Adrien’s eyes widened.  “You mean, not just Plagg?”

“You didn’t have a clue, did you?  You weren’t the only one who decided to throw a party today.”

“I didn’t actually decide to. Nino and the guys just showed up.  But if you crashed a kwami party… I’m just lucky it’s you who came in here.”

That was true.  It could’ve been much worse if any of the other boys had found the kwamis.  They might have told someone, who could’ve told someone else, who might have been smarter than her and assumed Adrien was a miraculous holder.

She could still hardly believe she’d missed it.  In the dim lighting, she could paint Chat Noir’s mask over his eyes.  When he’d been Mister Bug, his irises had even been the same.

“Marinette?”  Adrien bit his lip.  “Is this… I mean, are we okay?  I’m glad you’re not freaking out or anything, but… are we going to have to give up our kwamis?”

Not give up their miraculouses.  Their kwamis.  Marinette didn’t miss how Plagg curled protectively into the crook of Adrien’s neck.  Plagg’s bright green eyes squinted out at her, as if daring her to try.

“No.  No, I won’t let that happen,” she promised.  After the incident with Feast, Marinette doubted the Master would dare try to separate them from their kwamis again.

“Me either,” Plagg said.

“I couldn’t choose another Ladybug,” Tikki agreed, snuggling up under Marinette’s chin.  With the two kwamis in between her and Adrien, it was like one big group hug.

“The Cat and Bug Team sticks together.”  Adrien squeezed her tighter.

“The Bug and Cat Team, you mean.”  She smiled, resisting the impulse to flick a bell that wasn’t there.

Yes, he was still Chat Noir.  She could get used to this.

“You know what this means, Tikki?”  Her smile turned sly.  “I won’t have to get you a Barbie house after all.  You can come sleep over in Plagg’s.”

“I don’t suppose there’s any chance you’d come sleep over too?”  Adrien wiggled his eyebrows, and she went bright red.  “I—I mean, that came out wrong.  Not that you can’t come over if you want to; I always leave my window open, but uh—”

She laughed.  He was definitely still her Chat Noir.  

“Maybe in your dreams, kitty,” she said automatically, and he smiled sheepishly.  “But… if you wanted to watch a movie, or play some video games, maybe…?”

He blinked.  “Are you… asking me on a date?”

She—she was!  Despite shoving a sock in his mouth, despite dressing up as a boy, despite—well, pretty much everything, honestly—she’d finally done it!

“Yes!”  She practically shouted.  “I mean—only if you want to.  No pressure.”  She grinned nervously.

“Are you kidding?”  He laughed and spun her by her waist; her feet knocked a few shirts off of their hangers.  “I’d love to go on a date with you, Marinette!”

She laughed too, a giddy sound that built from the deepest part of her lungs.  He said yes!

“We’re going to have to watch them be this disgusting for the rest of their lives, aren’t we?”  Plagg sighed.

“Hopefully.”  Tikki smiled.  Both of the kwamis had flown out of the way when Adrien had picked Marinette up.  “Aren’t you glad to see them so happy?”

“Meh.  Just don’t expect me to share my sock with you if you do sleep over.”  Plagg picked that sock off of the ground and bunched it up in the Barbie house bedroom.

Marinette giggled at them.  She would’ve giggled at anything, at this point; all the air in her lungs felt like helium.  She could’ve floated off the ground.

In an impulsive move, she stretched up on her tip-toes and kissed Adrien’s cheek.  The grin that stretched across his face could’ve lit his whole closet.

“This is the best day of my life,” he sighed.

Hers too.  Pleasant tingles ran all through her, and that was just from kissing him on the cheek.

“If it’s okay,” she hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck, “I have an idea that could make it even better.”

His eyes softened, like liquid sunshine.  His head tilted down until their noses were brushing, until all she could see was him.

“You know I’m always ready to follow your lead, my Lady.”

With that permission, she surged up to meet his lips—

—Only to be blinded by light spilling through the doorway.

“Oh.  Uh, my bad.”

Marinette and Adrien sprung apart like magnets.

“Nino!”  She shouted.

“Fancy seeing you here!”  Adrien’s eyes were hysterically wide.  Thankfully, Tikki and Plagg had hidden as soon as Marinette and Adrien looked like they were about to kiss, so she didn’t have to worry about Nino discovering their identities.

“I was helping you clean your room.  You know, like everyone else?”  Nino said.  Adrien almost started to apologize, but Nino grinned.  “I was just looking for you because you disappeared all of a sudden.  But it looks like you’re busy.”

“I’m not—”

“We’re not—”

“I mean—”

“We’re just—cleaning the closet!”  Marinette lied.  Why was she lying?  Everyone already knew she wanted to kiss Adrien!

“Actually…”  Adrien bit his lip, then looked at hers pointedly.  “We were a little bit busy.”

Nino laughed.  “I told you she’d interrupt guy time.  But it’s all good, dude.  Just don’t forget Mylène and the girls are waiting on us!”

He winked, then closed the door on them.

“Oh my gosh.”  Marinette dropped her burning face in her hands.  “That was so awkward!”

“It could’ve been worse!”  Adrien hugged her again.  “It could’ve been Kim.  He would’ve told everyone.  Or Nino could’ve seen Tikki and Plagg.”

“Please, no one’s gonna see me.  I’m not coming out of my sock until you two are done sucking each other’s faces.”  Plagg’s voice came muffled from the Barbie house.

If Marinette’s face heated any more, she could fry eggs on it.  But she’d been more embarrassed than this before.  It wasn’t going to stop her from kissing Adrien.

“So about that face-sucking…” Adrien grinned.

She braced her hands and the edges of his jaw.  Her skin tingled at every place they touched.

“Kitty, just stop blabbing and let me kiss you.”

(He did.)

[blossom765]

Masters Of The Universe Revelation and Netflix's Problem

So, I just watched masters of the universe revelation and I totally forgot it had already come out. Most of that is because my expectations for this show were on the floor when I found out that it was only gonna have 5 episodes. And I was right. It was not great. For a big reason that I'm sure you can guess so I'll save it for the end.

I only remember watching a few episodes of the original he-man so I was basically judging this show as a standalone ( which is not surprising because that's how shows are supposed to be unless you want the audience to go scavengerhunting to understand things ). So, I'll keep the comparisons to a minimum.

Spoilers for Masters of the universe revelation and slight spoilers for the original cartoon.

Let's start with the whole Prince Adam is He-man reveal. It was quite annoying. For one thing, I think most people are tired of the whole angry because you didn't tell me a secret and that has ruined everything trope. Teela is in many ways a mess of a character. She's not dreadfully horrible but she doesn't have much to invest. Her being angry and then leaving the palace is just really a dramatic turn. Like, I get that she's hurt. I get that. But, she should be able to guess or at least slightly assume that the secret wasn't kept for malicious reasons and that these people still love her. I think it would have been a better set up to show that the people around sometimes lie to her and if this wasn't the first time. Like during the party, maybe if Adam had lied to her about where he'd been and she was a little upset about that or if Duncan had pulled her aside and given her a foreshadowing speech about being prepared for bigger things in the future ( since she's being promoted to a high rank and signifying her adulthood, it's a good time to prepare her for whatever waiting for her ) and she was upset about him not being more clear. If they wanted to do the whole secret ruins everything trope, they should have tied it into her character better and explored how loved ones keeping secrets has been a big deal for this character. By her, abandoning her rank that she worked so hard for, leaving her family and friends and her whole life because no one told her this secret, it just feels like they just used a random cliche and not a character trait to advance the story. And it wasn't like she was the only one left out of this, the king and father if Adam was in the dark for some reason. The Queen knew, why didn't they tell the King? I get they wanted Duncan to get fired but they couldn't have found any other way?

And why didn't they tell Teela? I'm assuming it was because in the original she was the sorceress daughter and she was supposed to guard Grayscull after her. They're likely going to keep that in the reboot. But, they're still keeping secrets and that hasn't turned out well. Could have actually written preparing her to be the next sorceress in the story. Like, they train her for it but she's frustrated because she doesn't know why they are training her like this. There, I just gave you another way to tie in her trust issues with her "fate".

I mentioned before that Teela's character was a bit of a mess. Some have labeled get a Mary Sue. And I disagree. The whole Mary Sue debate is a mess of it's own but a Mary Sue isn't just a perfect character. A Mary Sue actually needs to bend every other character so that everything is about the Sue. Everyone idolizes how perfect they are and they usually have to be the only important thing to which everyone else is just a set piece in their story. Teela is perhaps too perfect but that doesn't keep the other characters from at least somewhat getting their time to shine without tying back to Teela. Teela is boring and comes off as too perfect but still, not deserving of the title Mary Sue. The whole Teela is too boring and perfect problem could have been solved with more time devoted to her flaws and weaknesses. Like including scenes tying back to trust issues when people keep secrets or during the whole fear scenes. The whole thing with the skeleton ( I legit forgot his name and don't want to look it up ) trying to feed off her fear would have been a good way to show more of her character by showing her backstory explaining her fears and putting more time into showing her fears instead of just having her rise to the occasion so quickly and ending what could have been a great way to show more of the characters instead of just showing the bare minimum. So, in other words, a couple more scenes showing what, why, and how things make this character tick and we probably would have had a more interesting approach to Teela.

The rest of the characters don't have it so great either. There is very little when it comes to their development. Evilyn has a few small moments but it's weird that she went from serving Skeleton to wanting to carve her own path. We didn't get to see anything that would have made this decision. Was Skeletor's death was what did it? Is it because she realized she wasn't going to get anywhere in her life if she kept serving others? Well, I wish we could have seen that considering it made such a change in her character. And why'd she go back to skelator's side after that? Just what? And we never found out why Beastman serves her so much. What's his deal? The closest we get to finding more about characters and their development is Orko being afraid that he might be the last of his kind and showing how he felt like a disappointment but that's all we really get from him before he's completely heals and gets over all that and dies. That's another thing, why are so many characters dying so quick and why do they expect the audience to care?

I don't care that Mossman dies, I know nothing about him. I barely care that Roboto is gone because I know nothing about him. And I did not care that Orko died because he's hardly even had the screentime to be important to me. The audience is not gonna truly care that someone died unless they actually care about that someone and these characters haven't gone on a long enough journey for the audience to feel attached. Maybe they wanted to do something similar with Invincible and how their kills hot so hard but they are not the same deaths. Invincible's scene with guardians dying and the train scene showed how brutal and uncaring Omni Man was and what he was willing to put his son through. Revelation's deaths are just deaths for the sake of tugging at heart strings without putting in the work to attach the audience with these characters.

And for a He-man reboot, there's not a lot of He-man.

And that brings me to the reason on why the reboot was not great. And that is because of Netflix. I knew that Netflix's habit of shortening seasons was going to keep screwing it's shows after I saw Trese. This show is adapted from an award winning graphic novel. Most of the work is already there but Trese still didn't do great in terms of character and story telling and that was because it was given so little room to breathe and develop. It's obvious Netflix's episode limit put a strain on He-man reboot too. The shows pacing is a mess. It's too quick with it's characters and development and yet so slow with getting the characters to do something interesting. Teela's flaws and weaknesses aren't given enough time for the audience to absorb them so their easily forgotten. Her whole "everything is ruined because of secrets" trope wasn't even set up properly to avoid it from becoming dramatic. The rest of the characters can't even develop their relationships together. And the characters that die, die too quickly for the audience to care. There is no way this show could have been amazing and it's all cause Netflix expects the writers go do the impossible. How Netflix has not caught on is insane. This little strategy of theirs has screwed over Voltron legendary defender, Blood of Zeus, Trese, and now Masters if the universe revelation!

It's obvious Netflix is gonna keep doing this and that is something we should be concerned because it might end up buying the animation industry leading to fewer of these Animation. I don't know about you, but I actually prefer western anime as you know they would actually get in trouble for boobies flying everywhere and rape jokes. And i enjoy not having to brace myself for for these rape jokes everytime I wanna watch an anime. So yeah. Netflix has gotta stop decreasing the episodes for these shows and the only way that's gonna happen is if people complain.

We need to be as loud and as annoying as humanly possible to get Netflix to realize that their going to lose those dollars because people are not happy with shows that have huge potential but ultimately crash and burn because they are not given the time they need for good writing. So go and tweet or whatever. Let Netflix know you want more episodes for these writers so they can actually write!