#mini led television

[faisalshaikh10009]

Buy Haier 65 Inch Mini LED TV with Dolby Atmos (H65M95EUX)

[gizchinaes]

Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 2025 irrumpe en Europa con impresionante resolución 4K y Google TV

Xiaomi ha presentado su último modelo de televisión insignia, la Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 2025, orientada al mercado europeo. Esta serie está disponible en tres tamaños de pantalla: 55 pulgadas, 65 pulgadas y 75 pulgadas, pensados para adaptarse a diferentes preferencias de visualización y prometiendo una experiencia visual impresionante junto con un rendimiento robusto. El diseño de la Xiaomi TV S…

[gadgetshowtech]

98" Samsung Neo QN90A is absolutely huge Smart 4K Television

Who would buy this? or one of the smaller sizes are in the black Friday sales. Quantum HDR 2000 HDR10+ Matrix Technology, Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus One Billion Colours. PQI 4500 (Picture Quality Index)FreeSync Premium Pro & Dynamic Black Equalizer.AI Sound (SpaceFit Sound, AVA, Adaptive Sound),Multi Voice Assistants: Bixby, Google Built-in, Works With Alexa.Mini LED Backlight, Local Dimming,…

[cherrygirlfriend]

✶⋆.˚꩜ .ᐟ polaroids

pairing: stepbro!rafe x reader synopsis: stepbro!rafe blackmails reader into letting him use a vibrator on her warnings/tags: smut, STEPCEST, DUBCON, blackmail, MDNI! wc: 1.5K a/n; i’m not sure if this would be classified as dubcon or noncon but please read the synopsis before reading! originally posted 10/19/2024

rafe cameron masterlist ♡

"rafeee, can you get my charger? it's in the top drawer of my nightstand!" you called up from downstairs, making your stepbrother roll his eyes.

"fucking get it yourself!"

"the food's gonna burn!"

despite you being on the first floor, rafe could hear the whiney tone in your voice, and almost picture the way your lip bottom lip would be pulled in with that despicable pout that managed to get you everything from both his father and your mother, and so, begrudgingly he opened the door to your bedroom.

he rounded the corner of your four-poster bed, bending to open the top drawer of your nightstand, spotting your charger on top of a bunch of your other shit, and letting out a small scoff as he threw the charger onto the bed.

but when rafe spotted a small key peeking out from underneath some stupid fashion magazine, his interest was piqued; he didn't even need to pick it up to know what it went to. it was the bottom drawer of your nightstand, him having an identical nightstand in his own bedroom, and knowing the almost scandalous contents of his own bottom drawer made him curious as to what you could be hiding in yours.

he picked it up, observing it for a moment before slamming the top drawer closed, swiftly putting the key in the lock and twisting it open. when he pulled it open, at first it appeared as if nothing was in it, but he knew better. he pulled the false bottom off, throwing it onto the bed, and when rafe's eyes fell onto what was in your nightstand, he couldn't help the grin on his face.

some of the contents were pretty tame; a pile of notebooks that he assumed were your old diaries, some weed, and some adderall that he knew you used to pop like fucking skittles back when you were in high school and had a big test coming up.

but his eyes widened slightly when he spotted the bottle of lube and the small, pale pink bullet-shaped vibrator; sure, he knew you had your vices and you weren't an innocent girl like you led your mother to believe, but you'd always been kind of a prude; you'd never let any of your old boyfriends mark you up even back when you'd been in high school like most girls that were too horny to even realize, and even now, he saw your face flush whenever there was a fucking sex scene on television and you conveniently looked down at your phone for the duration of it.

what really struck his eye was the stack of polaroids he knew you'd taken with the instax mini camera ward had gotten you for christmas, and when he picked up the stack and turned them around, only the first image was enough to cause his jaw to slack slightly.

it was taken on a timer, and you were kneeling on your bed, your hand splayed on your neck, wearing a sheer pink lingerie dress, lacy pink panties covering your pussy while your nipples were covered by red, heart-shaped pasties.

he went through the polaroids, his eyes widening and his shorts tightening with each picture, shots of you wearing different lingerie sets, ones of you looking over your shoulder seductively while you were kneeling on the bed, showing off your ass in a pair of thongs, pictures taken where your tits were soaped up and just covered by your arms, ones-

"rafeee! did you find it?!"

he chuckled at your called-out question, so unaware of the things he had found, putting the polaroids back in the bottom drawer, "yeah yeah!" he called back out, but as he was starting to put the false bottom back in, he got an idea.

and so, before he put the false bottom back in the drawer, he slipped the bullet-shaped vibrator into his pocket.

you could feel your heartbeat in your throat; you had no idea where it could've gone, having used it literally that morning. even though you remembered putting it in its usual spot in the bottom drawer of your nightstand, it was nowhere to be seen.

you thought that maybe you'd accidentally left it on your bed; your bedding, now on the floor. maybe it was on your top drawer instead, the contents dumped on the floor next to it. now you were going through your bookshelf, your teeth biting into your bottom lip so harshly you could taste blood in your mouth.

it wasn't only that you didn't want anyone to find it; it was also that you were so fucking sexually frustrated. you'd already gotten yourself off in the morning, but still, everything even slightly sexual had caused you to press your legs firmly together to seek some relief.

you nearly jumped out of your skin when you heard someone clear their throat, and when you turned to look at who it was, you were faced with your stepbrother, a smug smile on his face.

"looking for something?" rafe said, holding up the pink device you'd been looking for, your eyes widening when they landed on it

"did you go through my stuff you psycho?!" you stomped to him, rafe holding the vibrator over his head and out of your reach when you tried grabbing it. "give it to me!"

"i don't think that's how you speak to someone when you want something from them." rafe tsked, his jaw clenched as he pressed you against your bedroom wall, his hand on your chin, making you look up at him, "see, you're supposed to ask nicely. didn't mommy teach you that?"

"what do you want, rafe?"

"you know, when i found this little thing," rafe tapped the small vibrator against your cheek, "i found some really interesting pictures." he grinned, your eyes widening, your heartbeat picking up, immediately knowing the pictures he was talking about.

rafe turned on the vibrator, letting it travel down your chest, until coming in contact with your clothed nipple, slowly, involuntarily pebbling under the vibrations, your stepbrother's breath hot on your face, an obvious tent in his sweatpants. "it would be such a shame if your mom saw them, you know?"

"they don't show my face..." you said with a small sniffle, your eyes starting to sting with tears, meanwhile you felt your cunt starting to get slick with arousal from the stimulation to your nipple.

"aw, she might be stupid but she's not an idiot. you really think she won't recognize that pretty little body? all those pretty marks and dots on your body. are you willing to risk it?"

rafe's hand started traveling lower, the vibrations trailing down your ribs and abdomen, causing you to tense up your muscles as you spoke, your teeth gritting together, "what do you want?"

"to own you."

rafe had you pinned down on your bed, your hands gripping onto your already crumpled sheets; your lacy panties clinging to your pussy, thoroughly soaked in your arousal, and you knew they were beyond saving.

your flimsy top had been pushed up to reveal your breasts, and he'd been using the vibrator on your poor pussy for an hour now, and somehow it had been the most excruciating yet exhilarating hour of your life.

"i can't..." you whined as rafe brought the vibrator to your clit, and even though it was covered by the soaking fabric, it felt as if there wasn't any barrier at all, the stimulation bringing you closer and closer to your third orgasm. "'s too much... feels too good…"

rafe let out a cruel laugh at that, only bringing up the volume of the vibrator, pressing it even firmly against your clit, causing you to let out a yelp that turned into a moan, roughly grabbing at the fat of your breast as he brought his face closer to your face.

"you're gonna take it." he smiled, pressing a small kiss between your breasts, before standing up. "keep it in place." rafe commanded, and you brought your hand to weakly hold the vibrator at your clit while he walked around your room, in search for something.

"what... what are you doing?" you mumbled, your mind hazy from the pleasure coursing through your body, your eyes widening when rafe turned around, holding your polaroid camera. "r-rafe?"

rafe walked towards the bed, turning on the camera as he kneeled over you, swatting your hand away from the vibrator, replacing it with his own. "this is gonna be your best picture yet."

before you could protest, you were blinded by the flash, trying to use your arm to cover up your eyes, the picture slowly coming out of the camera, and rafe set it down next to you on the bed while it slowly changed from black to a picture of your body, showing your bared tits and the soaked panties that had molded to the shape of your pussy, rafe's large, ringed hand holding the vibrator against your clit.

rafe turned off the vibrator, throwing it onto the bed, grabbing the photo, and shoving it into the pocket of his sweatpants, before leaning closer to your ear.

"i own you." he whispered roughly, tapping your cheek before standing up and leaving your room.

[fashionsfromhistory]

Ensemble designed for Pattie Boyd

The Fool

1967

The Fool were a Dutch design collective led by Marijke Koger and Simon Posthuma, best known for their work with the Beatles, which included designing the tunics the band wore for their 1967 television broadcast of All You Need Is Love, decorating John Lennon's piano and George Harrison's Mini, painting a circular mural at the Harrisons' Surrey home Kinfauns, designing the inner sleeve of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band LP and, most famously, painting a three-story psychedelic mural on the facade of the Beatles' short lived Apple Boutique in London's Baker Street, which was subsequently painted over by order of the local council. Pattie Boyd and her sister Jenny were fans of the collective and would model their clothing designs for the Apple Boutique. According to Boyd, this brocade ensemble was custom made for her by The Fool and she recalls wearing it during a trip to Greece with all four Beatles in July 1967 to explore the possibility of buying a set of Greek islands.

Christie's: The Pattie Boyd Collection (Lot 13)

[felmonth]

(Edited and slightly better developed! Will be updated until further notice)

Hey, neighbors! I am alive! XD

AAAAH! I finally managed to finish Tom's sheet, but for Au "Actors," the author of this AU is @ frillsand. I've been wanting to create drawings related to this AU for a while now, and there are still comics that I want to share.

Wally won my heart -cries- 😭💘, of course, haha. I'll be sharing with you all the comics that come to mind regarding this AU.

WARNING: Before proceeding, this may contain sensitive content, you have been warned. I hope you enjoy the extended blog and the extra mini-comic to lighten the mood.

Well without anything else to say about it...let's start with Tom Sweetheart, the stylist!!

Tom Actor's Story:

In a town called "Titirilquén," Tom Sweetheart grew up alongside his mother and brother Diego Sweetheart. They depended on each other for everything. They didn't own a television, but they would find TVs on in stores where mostly there were news and interviews with celebrities. Both of them dreamed of becoming actors inspired by the experiences shared by those celebrities on television. Their school further fueled their interests, as it offered a theater subject and a variety of art-related courses.

At school, Diego exhibited a captivating personality in his school theater performances, earning admiration from everyone. However, Diego felt uncomfortable because nobody paid attention to his brother, who was also improving with each performance and costume. Therefore, Diego decided to involve his brother in everything to make him stand out just like himself...

Over time, the school grants Diego a special scholarship that involves working in one of the largest studios in Titirilquen despite being very young. This news greatly delights Diego, so he mentions it to his brother about this opportunity to become what they wanted to be at that time. Unfortunately, those who gave Diego the opportunity were very disappointed when he brought Tom to work with him, so they reluctantly accepted Tom only because Diego requested it.

When Diego was not around Tom, they assigned him different tasks than what an actor should do, completely deviating from the agenda that Tom had planned for the week. This led him to become overloaded with tasks, but he didn't complain because he thought it had to happen when living the life of an actor.

Diego and Tom were the first young actors (They were about 20 years old, Diego 22 and Tom 20) in the Titirilquén studio. They initially performed in a few presentations for a museum, and then the director decided to create a program with them. Both did their best until they became somewhat more known thanks to the news in their town, and Tom was no longer as ignored as when he first joined. They reached a broader audience, leading them to want to learn more about the people in their town. So, they started learning sign language and refining their voices for musical sections to begin a small program aimed at families.

Both were directed by the same assistant, "Ron," but due to unforeseen circumstances, he had to retire because he had to move to another country for another job opportunity where he could earn more money to support his family. They had a new assistant, a woman named "Jenny" (She was 24 but was not interested in working with puppets.) and from this moment, problems arose. The new assistant was serious and easily stressed when the director had to tell her what to do. As a result, she left the job of directing to the two young actors.

This assistant was starting to have too many problems with the brothers, she envied that both brothers mentioned the previous assistant's actions. However, they did not say this with bad intentions but rather so that he could do his job well, since the director was demanding regarding what should be on the schedule of both brothers. Over time, the work environment between them improved, but something was missing in the assistant's life, the brothers did not say many things to her or chat with her, but instead spoke only among themselves.

One day, Jenny overheard a conversation between the two brothers about the previous assistant. Jenny misinterpreted this as a threat to her job and felt worthless to both brothers. He decided to come up with a plan with his fellow students. The plan was to put one of the brothers in a problematic situation so that she could do something to help them and get recognition for it because according to her, the brothers did not value her.

The chosen target was Tom, as Jenny considered him weak and incapable. After finishing his singing section of the show, Tom left the studio to take a break and have a drink.

He noticed that his co-workers near a restaurant were calling him to chat, Tom without noticing any suspicion in them, approached them with great joy, because he admired what his co-workers were doing in the studio.

And being recognized and starting a conversation by them was a great joy for Tom, since he always lived underestimated as just a simple doll who cannot stand out among humans.

Unfortunately, there were ulterior motives. While they were talking to Tom normally, they took him behind the studio, which looked like an alley, and there a cruel scare developed. These coworkers mentioned negative things when they entered the alley and Tom felt uncomfortable by his coworkers' sudden mood swings. He tried to back away, but was easily caught. While saying negative things, they gradually destroyed parts of his body, including arms, legs, wrists, and fingers. They showed no concern for the little puppet's screams and fear because, to them, he was just a doll that couldn't feel pain, or so they claimed, they made fun of him for being too dramatic when he screamed.

When this situation came to an end, the group of companions left, leaving him alone, Tom remained on the ground, crying without understanding how the situation took such a sudden turn. Just a few moments ago everything was fine and now he was helpless on the ground, motionless. He could only see the cotton sticking out of his body and his limbs outside his body, he could only move his head at the moment, he felt completely useless. He prayed that his brother would find him and help him, but then Jenny appeared, pretending to be worried about Tom. She helped him in this terrible situation and took him to the emergency tailoring service.

Now, with Tom recovered, he was mentally depressed and shattered. He looked at his stitched-up body and felt very insecure about venturing into the streets inhabited by humans. He didn't want to go through a similar situation again, so his only support rested on Jenny.

Tom was immensely grateful to her for helping him in this terrible and stressful situation. After a few long minutes of silence, he told his assistant that he didn't want to continue his acting career. This surprised Jenny, but she said nothing and just listened, offering ideas. She felt quite good about helping Tom in these moments of stress. She informed the director about this decision, and of course, he was very concerned and saddened, especially when Tom requested not to inform his brother.

When Tom was discharged on the same day as the accident, he didn't want to go home because a thought crossed his mind: he had always depended on his brother and was only causing him problems. So, with a heavy heart, he decided to distance himself from his brother. The assistant supported all of Tom's ideas, including the idea of complete separation. She was happy that Tom depended on her, so she found him a job outside the country without consulting him.

From Diego's perspective, after the accident, he found it strange that his brother didn't appear on the show. He asked the director why there were sudden changes in the program and why his brother wasn't there. The director decided to be tough with him, saying they hired him and not his brother. He gave Diego new rules for the new direction of the show. Diego was devastated by this news. He considered quitting his job but thought better of it; he wanted to see his brother at home.

When he arrived home, there were no traces of his brother or his belongings. He tried calling him, but there was no phone coverage. In his desperation, he contacted the authorities to inquire about his brother, but they only started working after at least two days of being missing.

This situation was stressful for Diego and his mother. They were very worried and considered various possibilities of what might have happened. Tom decided not to tell them anything when offered a call by the authorities and declared that he wouldn't return home. His family was concerned because they heard a weak voice through the phone, but it was all they could do as the studio was too secretive with the information.

Both brothers remained separated for a long time. For Diego, nothing was the same without Tom, and the show looked depressing. Despite this, he maintained a forced smile for his audience. Children asked a lot about his brother, leading him into deep depression.

Tom, moved to another country, working in a new studio as a stylist. He adopted a fearful, anxious, and panicked attitude, afraid of everyone. To distract himself, he overloaded himself with work, trying to maintain composure by breathing deeply. He couldn't stop thinking about his family, and he knew what he was doing wasn't healthy, but he wanted to stay away for a while.

Well, that's roughly the story. It's long, but I feel that now it's better understood than before. Thanks for staying to read and loving Tom Actor! -cries-

Curious facts about Titirilquén today:

Lately, I've been hooked on a series called "31 minutos," so I included some things from that series. I highly recommend it, it's in Spanish, but there are English subtitles available. Titirilquén is from that show.

Titirilquén doesn't have hospitals because literally no one gets sick there. However, there are places like Mrs. Juanita's service, who takes care of the damaged puppets in this town.

Titirilquén was a town of only puppets but tired of being anonymous and as an unknown town, they decided to include people in their town, building a civilization, the negative of the town only benefits the humans that its own puppet inhabitants.

Facts about Tom:

(Diego's data was deleted to create his respective sheet)

He is 27 years old now.

He speak spanish but he learned English thanks to Jenny.

He is very naive, and that works against him, as he decides to trust everyone.

He has a puppet friend in this studio and his name is Lulu but he affectionately calls him "Wolfy" After going through hell with Jenny, he dates Wolfy but that's when he realizes he doesn't want a romantic relationship.

When he first arrived at the studio, the studio people confused him with Wally, so since that day, some just call him "Pink Wally." (This is due to his height, skin tone and hair shape, so Tom changed his look to messier hair to not look like Wally)

Tom is a very good worker, but he always hides after finishing his work and doesn't get distracted by anything while working. If a human talks to him, he ignores them, but if it's a puppet, he takes time to chat.

Despite hiding, he is found by children, most of whom are human.

He misses being an actor but is very afraid.

Alongside his brother, they worked on a children's educational program called "Sing until Counting to 3." They taught children songs that included sign language. However, when they leave, the program is completely forgotten by the director.

Tom and Diego are not the same height, Jack has to bend down to hug and talk to him.

Tom usually wears makeup, always in pink or fuchsia, which is his favorite color.

Tom often sees little due to his poor eyesight, so he sometimes needs glasses to see clearly, but he usually doesn't use them because he finds them unnecessary.

Tom has fallen in love with Jenny because of her concern for him but by the time they are "boyfriend and girlfriend" Jenny ignores him, she is with him out of pity. Sometimes Jenny yells at him and hits him when he is loving with her.

As you can see, Tom is afraid of humans, and you rarely find him crying in studio places where people don't live, or even paranoid. If you find him in this situation, make him feel comfortable because he is completely unstable at that moment.

People consider him strange and curious because he often hides and is fearful, and they don't understand why he behaves like that. (It doesn't mean he avoids bad situations with the studio's humans; some of them respect the puppets, while others decide to hate them.)

Tom in this Au has a human brother, in the style of muppet protagonists. His name is Diego Sweetheart and they are both very close and have achieved many things together by working as a team. Diego is very attentive to his puppet brother, caring for him and trying to understand him as best he can.

Will Tom manage to become an actor again? Will his life improve? Will his brother Jack locate him after a long time? Will Tom continue to call himself unfortunate? Find out in the next episode... *Felmonth bids farewell to the viewers watching the video.*

NOW, COMIC! YAY!!

Title: "First unlucky day"

Reference movie: "White Chicks"

I don't know what Janet's design is like, I didn't find any reference, so I made it with what I found.

And well that was all, I hope you liked everything, I did the best I could and as always if there are questions ask without problems.

Bye byeeee!

Extra: It is assumed that in this unplanned part, Wally told Tom "Consider yourself unlucky for working with me from now on." (No canon for me xD but extra)

Bye uwu)/💐

[asgoodeasgold]

The anticipation for Department Q is building up!

Various recent articles...

18. “Department Q”

Ever since he hit Netflix, filmmaker Scott Frank’s career has finally ascended to where it should be: right at the top with productivity off the charts. The creator of the series “Godless,” “Monsieur Spade,” and, of course, the big one, “The Queen’s Gambit.” His latest and third series for Netflix is “Department Q,” another detective story. This one is based on the popular Danish book series about a former top-rated Edinburgh detective assigned to a new cold case while wracked with guilt following an attack that left his partner paralyzed and another policeman dead. Matthew Goode stars alongside Chloe Pirrie, Alexej Manvelov, Kelly Macdonald, and Leah Byrne.

Premiere Date: TBD via Netflix, but it shot early 2024, so the wait may not be too long.

Sticking with Netflix’s UK output for 2025, we move onto Department Q, which is a killer team-up between Left Bank Pictures (known for Netflix’s The Crown) and Scott Frank, who has so far delivered two killer shows for Netflix in the form of The Queen’s Gambit and Godless. This next project is a new crime thriller based on the novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen.

Consisting of eight episodes, the series follows Carl, described as a former top-rated detective in Edinburgh assigned to a new cold case whilst wracked with guilt following an attack that left his partner paralyzed and another policeman dead. It’s a mix of a Nordic crime thriller alongside a Harlan Coben thriller and we’re here for it.

It was filmed in Scotland throughout the first half of 2024 and features some excellent talent, including Alexej Manvelov, Chloe Pirrie, Matthew Goode, Kelly Macdonald, and Leah Byrne.

Department Q

It’s been a while since the heyday of the Scandi crime trend, but Department Q just might kickstart a revival. Based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s book series of the same name, it’s an Edinburgh-set adaptation starring Matthew Goode and Kelly Macdonald as a troubled cold case detective and his therapist. But the juiciest detail? It’s made by the creators of The Queen’s Gambit. Date tbc, Netflix

22. “Department Q” (Netflix)

Celebrated screenwriter Scott Frank’s fourth mini-series following the western “Godless,” chess sensation “The Queen’s Gambit,” and 2024’s Clive Owen-led noir “Monsieur Spade”. The eight-episode crime thriller sounds like Nordic Noir meets ‘Slow Horses’ as it adapts Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen’s book series about a group of basement-dwelling misfit cops who solve impossible cold cases (this shifts the locale to Edinburgh).

[venusvity]

2022, the year Venus finally secured the Converse and a Pepsi sponsorship. Arguably, this is the least liked year of Venus for a majority of Constellations for numerous reasons. Trying to replicate the success of Summer Luv!, the girls would release their 8th mini album, VENUS HIGH! with the title track Hi-Tops, along with a collaboration with the brand Converse.

Commercially, the song peaked at number ten on the Gaon Digital Chart and topped the Billboard K-pop Hot 100, their first number-one song on the chart. Following the release of Venus High!, Venus promoted the song with live performances on several South Korean music television programs and amassed six music show trophies. They also held a concert by Converse, which sold out in seven minutes.

VENUS' collection with Converse. Each girl got to desgin their own shoe. The collection sold out in 15 minutes.

Venus would come back with their fourth full album, their last project with beloved creative director LEXA. Love, Venus would feature the title track, "So Sweet," along with eleven other tracks.

"So Sweet" won eight first-place music program awards in South Korea, including a triple crown (three awards) on Inkigayo. It also won a Melon Weekly Popularity Award.

"So Sweet" debuted at number one on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart. It remained atop the chart for thirteen weeks, becoming the longest-running number-one song in its history. The song debuted number one on the Billboard Vietnam Hot 100 chart issue. It topped the chart for three consecutive weeks. In Japan, the song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and number 13 on the Oricon Combined Singles Chart.

The music video would feature heavy Pepsi product placement but is still beloved by fans as it's the last video directed by LEXA. Lexa would make a lengthy Instagram post announcing their departure from Angelico and Venus' creative director, leaving fans and the girls concerned in what direction they would go in next.

LEXA'S DEPARTURE LETTER: it only feels right to share my favorite moments with my favorite girls, though there are plenty more. if i could post 100 images on this post i would lol. as of today, i have officially stepped down as the creative director of venus. these five girls are so special, talented, and overall wonderful visionaries i wish had more freedom over their careers. i do not wish to get sued so i won't say much, but i hope you all can use critical thinking skills as to why i've decided to leave angelico. i wish yoonah, bliss, chloe, sena, and jiah nothing but so much love and well wishes for the best. I'll always have so much love for my five favorite stars in the sky 🌟 until next time, venus! ❤️

The girls would take a short break, something unheard of in their career, to regroup and find a new creative director. In comes Adrian Reyes. Adrian would take over as not only their creative director but producer and marketing manager, ushering Venus into their most controversial era.

??? would be the ninth mini album by Venus with the title track GOTCHA. The ??? era would be defined by the marketing used to prepare for the era. Posters were posted around the world about the "missing sister of Venus" with four girls on the poster. Billboards asking, "Have you seen our moon?" would be put up around LA, Seoul, Busan, Tokyo, Shanghai, and various other cities featuring the four members Sena, Baebi, Jiah, and Bliss, but no Chloe. This led fans to believe she wasn't going to be included in the comeback until a thirty concept film, "Why Venus Has No Moons: ???" It was posted to their YouTube channel.

Venus was finally getting lore, and fans were...very mixed about it!

Stills from "Why Venus Has No Moons: ???" directed by Adrian Reyes.

The album would come, and the title track, GOTCHA, would cause a mass debate on Twitter on whether the song was good or not. The debate still goes on to this day. "GOTCHA" won 10 first-place music program awards, including a triple crown on M Countdown.

In South Korea, the song debuted at number 17 on the Gaon Digital Chart for the issue dated and peaked at number 5 in its second week. It also debuted at number 1 both on the component Download Chart and on the component BGM Chart.  In the United States, the song debuted at number 5 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart. It also debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Global 200 and 29 on the Billboard Global Excl. US during the same week.

Venus would win Artist of the Year and Best Female Group at the 2022 MAMA Awards.

[paintyoureyeswithavividmind]

close to home | chapter forty three

close to home | chapter forty three

plot: the reader is brought to her new life at the Sanctuary, and makes a friend that saves her life

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 2,232 Warnings: violence, blood, typical twd A/N: thank you for reading!!!

Darkness consumed you once again for many, many hours. You didn’t move from the spot on the floor, curled up in a ball. Your tears, which once were a never-ending wave, finally dried. You were given food thrice a day, so you assumed it had been two days from the six meals you'd eaten. Negan visited one, but you turned your back to him on the floor and refused to talk or move.

You were in and out of consciousness as you fell out of shock, and there were times when your mind hurt so severely you wished for it again. 

Glenn’s face was all you could picture throughout the day, and Maggie’s screams haunted you. The guilt you felt about Glenn’s death was consuming. You didn’t know Negan would do that; you just wanted to save Daryl. And it came at the cost of Glenn. 

When the door opened, you flinched. You were expecting Negan again, but this time it was someone else. It was a woman. She was carrying a tray of food and sat down on the floor across from you, sliding the tray over. 

The food was similar to what you refused to eat earlier. 

“I’m Sherry,” The woman said. “It’s nice to meet you, (Y/N).”

You glanced at the woman and sat up. “What do you want?”

Sherry glanced outside at the door, at the man on guard. Then she looked back at you and nodded toward the food. “Negan sent me to talk to you. He’s taken a liking to you.”

“Yeah, well, he can go to hell,” You said. 

A ghost of a smile appeared on Sherry’s face before she blinked away the expression. “You need to submit to him. It’s only going to make things worse.”

“Submit?” You said, “What am I, a dog?”

Sherry looked down and slowly shook her head. “No. You’re smart. This favor with him will expire if you don’t use it to your advantage. Come on, I’m going to take you to our room. You can shower and meet everyone.”

You looked at her as if she was crazy, but you could see through the look on her face. She was unhappy. And she was trying to help you. So you took her outstretched hand and stood. 

“She’s not hungry right now. I’ll make sure she eats later,” Sherry told the guard, and he nodded to her. What kind of influence did she have over the men?

You followed Sherry quietly down the hallway, after hallway, up many flights of stairs. The area was still a maze to you, and you knew trying to figure it out was pointless. So you focused on the back of Sherry’s head as you walked. 

Finally, you reached a long corridor with a few rooms, and she led you to the last one. It opened into a sitting room with a few couches and a minibar in the back and was beautifully decorated. It was much nicer than anything you’d seen at the Sanctuary. 

A few women were sitting around the room, all in matching black dresses and heels. They all stared at you as you entered, and you felt out of place. You were grimy and dirty, and you knew the exhaustion and depression were evident on your face. They all looked beautiful. They looked clean. 

“This is Amber, Frankie, and Tanya. There are more of us, but they are probably eating dinner downstairs.” Sherry said to you. 

“I don’t understand,” You said. 

Sherry looked at you, “Follow me." 

You did as she asked and was led out of the room and up the hallway. “Mine is across the hall; this one will be yours,” She explained, pushing open a door and leading you into a room. 

It was small, and it reminded you of a studio apartment. There was a bed, a mini kitchenette, a sage green recliner chair, and a television set. There were even windows that let you look out around the compound. It was the first time that you got a look at the area. 

“What is this?” You asked. 

“This is what could be yours if you submit. If you say that you’re Negan.” Sherry shut the door behind you and sat down on the bed. “He wants you to be one of us.”

“One of what?” You asked, wiping your hand along the counter. There was a toaster oven, a deep sink, and a full-sized refrigerator. 

“One of his wives.”

Your hand stilled, and you turned back to look at her. “His wives?”

“There’s a group of us. The girls you just met, and a few more you’ll meet later. Negan took a liking to you. He likes your attitude and the way you talk to him.”

“You can’t be serious.” You shook your head. “I would rather die.”

“And Daryl?” Sherry asked, “What about him? Are you prepared to let him die? He’s here.”

“What?” Your fingers twitched.

“Negan took him. I overheard him talking to Dwight about wanting Daryl to work for him. He knows you care for him, that he cares for you. That will be a weapon.”

You leaned against the counter and crossed your arms. “He’ll kill Daryl if I don’t marry him?”

A ghosted look crossed Sherry’s features. “It might not be that. But it’ll be something. All of us… we all needed something we couldn’t get, so we married him.” 

Your fingers twitched, and you felt tears burning your eyes. “If I say yes, how will I know he won’t hurt him?”

“Negan’s a man of his word,” Sherry said. “I know it doesn’t seem like it. But he is. (Y/N), I want to help you. I know what you’re going through. When he comes to you tonight and asks you who you are, just say you’re Negan. You’ll be treated good by him.”

Your stomach flipped, and you felt bile rise. You rushed to the garbage and emptied the contents of your stomach. Sherry was by your side instantly, pulling back your hair and rubbing your back. 

“I know, I know.” She whispered to you. “Dwight was my husband before and after. But I had to marry Negan to save him. I live with it. So can you. If he loses interest, he won’t kill you. You’ll be a worker, working for points and barely making it. Just say yes, (Y/N).” 

You were crying as you knelt back, wiping your mouth with your hand. “What are they doing to Daryl?”

“Whatever it takes to break him. Marrying Negan will be the only way you might be able to help him. I'm sorry, (Y/N).”

***

Sherry took you to the bathrooms and waited for you to wash up. She gave you one of her dresses and a matching pair of heels and then helped you get ready to see Negan. You felt sick. You felt like throwing up again and again, but you could only focus on Daryl. 

Of course, you were going to do whatever you needed to do to keep him safe. You would be Negan’s wife if it meant Daryl would live. That was what you could do for him. You knew Daryl wouldn't break. You knew he would rather die standing than submit. So you had to do what little you could to protect him. If he were to die, if you lost him... you'd never recover.  

You were sitting in the wives' room with the others, partially listening as they spoke. They didn’t talk about anything substance, and they all had a drink except Sherry. You knew Negan would be here any minute, and you were anxious. 

When the door opened, he walked in, and all the girls dropped to their knees. You looked at them for a few seconds before slowly doing the same. 

“Ladies,” Negan said, and they all moved to stand up. 

You did the same and glanced at Sherry. She gave you a nod of encouragement. 

“Oh my goodness,” Negan exclaimed as he walked around to the couch toward you. “Did you do all this for me? You shouldn’t have, baby,” Negan said. 

You stayed silent and slowly raised your head, meeting his gaze. Negan stared at you with that smile that made your skin crawl, and you brought your shaking hands together in front of you. 

“Who are you?” 

Your mouth was dry, and you felt dizzy. “I’m-I’m… I’m Negan.” You said, closing your eyes for a moment. The words were ash in your mouth, and you wanted to take them back, but not at the cost of Daryl’s life. 

Negan looked at Sherry for a moment and then turned back to you. “Well, I guess I gotta ask the only other question that matters. Will you be my wife, baby?”

“Yes.”

Your lips trembled as he approached you, and you prepared yourself mentally for the kiss he was heading towards. But at the last second, he changed direction and kissed your cheek. “Welcome to the family, baby,” 

When the doors shut behind him and he was gone, your knees went weak, and you fell back onto the chair, sobbing. Sherry came over to you and wrapped her arm around you. “You did good, (Y/N), you did good. It’ll get better.” 

***

The following day was the first time that you saw Daryl. You’d been pacing your room repeatedly, heels clicking and hurting, when you heard a commotion outside. You had run to your window to see and saw him. 

It looked like he had almost escaped but was caught. And your eyes filled with tears when you saw Negan approach him with the bat. Your hands shook against the glass, and you wanted to scream at him. 

But Negan didn’t kill him. And you knew Sherry was right. 

When Negan left, and the group of saviors advanced, you couldn’t stand watching them beat Daryl. You had to look away for a few minutes and then watched them drag his body back inside to a part of the compound you knew you couldn’t reach. 

***

Later that day, Sherry gave you a tour of the Sanctuary. You knew the floor you were on after walking back and forth, all the rooms belonged to the wives, and Negan was on this floor as well, but you didn’t know where. 

But she showed you other areas. You learned where Negan’s men were mainly housed, but it was spread out, and there were rooms in between that she didn’t show you. 

Sherry took you to the bottom level, where you saw just how many people lived and worked in the building. She showed you the trading post and walked with you around the floor. 

“If you see something you want, just go up to the table and take it. You don’t wait in line,” Sherry told you. 

“What?”

She looked around the room and spotted a table where one of the baker’s tables was. The line wasn’t long, and most workers couldn’t afford the points needed to buy them. But the saviors made the baker do it anyway. 

“Come on,” Sherry said. 

You followed her to the table, hesitantly waiting behind her as she grabbed an entire pie from the table. Without saying anything, she turned to you. “We take what we want when we want.”

You didn’t respond as you followed her to what looked like a cafeteria. There was a mix match of tables, with a few people eating. Sherry made you sit and wait and then came back with two forks. 

“You’re one of Negan’s wives now,” Sherry told you. “We have full access to anything we want. If you want it, you need to take it. We’re untouchable.”

You watched as she started eating, and when your stomach growled, you copied her actions. It wasn’t the best pie you’d ever had, but it was better than anything you’ve eaten since the end of the world. 

“Why do you do it?” You asked, “You see how these people live.”

“Because we can.”

“And what do we do in return? Besides dressing like this.”

Sherry’s eyes glazed over, and she forced herself to eat another piece. “You’re expected to do what wives do.”

You nodded slowly. “I’m going to have to fuck him.”

“He’ll give you an adjustment period. But eventually… we all have to.” Sherry said sadly. 

You shook your head and forced yourself to eat a few more bites. Between the two of you, nearly half of it was eaten in a few minutes. 

Someone sat at the table across from you, and you and Sherry jumped. You could tell from the look on her face that this wasn’t usually for her. “Jake, what do you want?” She asked him. 

The man--Jake--ignored her and stared right at you. “My brother was in that outpost you gunned down.” He said. 

You swallowed the lump in your throat and straightened your back, not allowing him to frighten you. “That sucks,” You said. 

Jake chuckled and shook his head momentarily before standing up and walking away. 

Sherry grabbed your arm and looked at you. “You need to be careful. You’re untouchable now, but that doesn’t mean people won’t try. And stay away from Jake. He’s not someone you wanna be around.”

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

The Marcusgate

It all started on a lazy Sunday, which was now Carmy's favorite day of the week, and with Syd and Carmy binge-watching Netflix's Blue Ribbon Baking Championship and remembering that Sandra Lee was a regular Bear's customer whenever she was in Chicago, so they pinged Richie to get her number and congratulate her for the show that Sydney was crazy about.

Syd maniacally took notes on all the recipes on the show and came up with variations of each that she planned to run by Marcus the next day. She was overjoyed when one of the bakers used lemon-macerated Concord grapes in his cake, and that excitement was quickly replaced by disappointment when that same baker was the first to leave the competition. And when she saw Sandra Lee in tears over a cheesecake, she knew she had to ask Marcus to add that cheesecake recipe to The Bear's menu as soon as possible, so she asked Carmy to contact Sandra and try to get all the intel.

In time, this led to all four of them starting a Blue Ribbon group chat that included Syd, Carmy, Sandra, and Marcus. They exchanged recipes and talked specifically about logistics to ensure plagiarism wasn't one of the ingredients when Marcus made The Bear's version of those desserts. Not only to avoid any potential legal complications that could affect the restaurant's or Marcus' reputation, but also because both Syd and Carmy knew that plagiarism was the fetish of those who can't, the lowest of crimes that only mediocre criminals commit, and they were way above that, as naturally so was Marcus. They also greeted each other on their respective birthdays and, of course, invited each other to dinner whenever that could be arranged.

One day, over one of those dinners that took place at Casa Sydcarmy, on a Sunday night when Sandra happened to be in town, she pitched an idea to the Michelin Star award-winning chefs: "What do you guys think of joining me as Executive Producers on my next project: Cordon Blue Ribbon?"

"Cordon Blue Ribbon?" Marcus was intrigued.

"You mean the Cordon Bleu version of your show?" Syd quipped.

"Exactly, and only Michelin Star award winner pastry chefs could compete on it and the prize would be a million dollars, instead of just $100K." Sandra's eyes met Marcus and stayed laser-focused on him.

Carmy was still silent and in disbelief when he looked at Marcus with a mix of curiosity and shock on his face, to know what he had to say to that.

"Sounds interesting..." Marcus added as he popped a mini cinnamon churro in his mouth, courtesy of Sandra who knew better than to show up empty-handed to a dinner party thrown by 2 Michelin Star award chefs.

"That's what I told my manager! When she came up with the idea, I was super interested right off the bat. You'll see, I have a 3-year contract with Netflix, and making another Pie Blue Ribbon cooking show wasn't going to cut it. It was more of the same, and innovation is a must in television if you want to stay relevant."

"You should know... having an Emmy under your belt, right?" Syd fangirl had entered the chat.

Sandra laughed and graciously accepted the compliment, meanwhile, Carmy had no idea what the ladies were talking about because he had never watched one of her shows before Syd came into his life, let alone a daytime Emmy award show.

Sandra went on and kept focusing on Marcus.

"So we decided to bring in more award-winning chefs and raise the stakes for this next project. That was the only way we could get the million-dollar prize approved. So... what do you think Marcus? Would you be on board? Would you be interested in competing for a million dollars?"

Marcus looked at Syd and Carmy, like asking for their greenlight and they both smiled and silently agreed.

So it was settled and when the show happened, he was going to be there, front and center. Sandra assured him.

Fast forward 6 months and the pre-production of the contest was being kick-started in Los Angeles.

Syd and Carmy declined the offer Sandra made them to be Associate Executive producers of the show so that Marcus could be a participant and no conflict of interests compromised him. Marcus, in exchange, offered them a cut of the prize if he won and Syd and Carmy agreed to only take credit on social media about being his sponsors and mentors but vehemently declined every penny he offered.

"You owe us nothing, Marcus, this is all you," Syd said.

"What are you talking about? Carmy believed in me when all I knew how to barely make were buns and you pushed me to be better, Sydney, to push myself. I wouldn't have gone to Copenhagen if it weren't for you, guys..."

"But because of your amazing work we also got a Michelin Star, Marcus. That star was a team effort, you're one of us. That's more than enough payback if you ask me." Carmy clarified with a: "Period" tone.

Marcus heard the subtext and was quick to be on the same page "Heard, chef."

Shortly after Marcus was wowing the judges with his creations, all 100% by Marcus Brooks. He took no inspo from the recipes he got from the chat he shared with Sandra, Syd, and Carmy. His only inspiration came from his loved ones, his affections, and people that he had met along the way and that had had a true impact on his life. Including Luca and Michael.

Marcus slayed the competition one killer dessert at a time.

There were 9 rounds and the grand finale. The level of complexity was evergrowing.

Marcus was a serene force of nature on that set.

He bagged the first round with a peach pie served in a sundae dish with a scoop of lemon buttermilk gelato at the base topped with balsamic caramel sauce and a half-moon shaped, fresh peach hand pie. The hand pie was hot, just out of the oven so the contrast between that and the ice cream was what really got the judges. They were amazed by Marcus' talent, from day one and knew he was final-round material from the get-go. There was no doubt about it in their minds because he was not only incredibly skilled but also calm and focused. He didn't falter under pressure.

The second round was also in Marcus' pocket when he served a petite croissant over a brass cooling rack dotted with Pearl sugar and honey filled with a gooey Délice de Bourgogne cheese and finished at the table with black truffle, inspired by Chicago's Kasama. The judges' feedback was amazing. They said it was exquisitely clever to use this as a cheese course. "The technique and execution were exemplary," they assured.

Then it was the turn of the most luxurious and rarest ingredient of them all: Criollo.

For those viewers at home who may have not been too familiar with this ingredient, Sandra gave a brief presentation:

"Criollo is a very rare and precious variety of cacao that was at risk of extinction for many years. It is the cacao of the Mayas and the Aztecs, the cultivation of which has been progressively abandoned owing to its low yield. It is a delicate cacao and makes up just 0.01% of global cacao production. Tonight, our chefs will use it as the primary ingredient to bring us the Wow factor we are looking for and that will earn them immunity in the next round. Let the Criollo games begin!"

With that, Sandra dismissed the participants and allowed them to go to their stations to start working their magic. They only had 50 minutes to make it happen and make it count.

Marcus decided to go with something a little bit different. He crafted his chocolate pyramid with a creamy ball of guava sorbet and a tasty coconut foam. He also crowned it with a thin sugar collar sprinkled with sesame seeds, flecks of red chili, and a little black garlic, providing complementary flavors and a subtle warmth too.

Immunity was his bitch.

For the next round, seeing as he was untouchable he decided to go rogue, he had the liberty to make whatever he wanted so he decided to make what he called: "Dreaming of Lod Chong". The judges were blown away when he served his creation in a small bowl that displayed this square of pandan parfait in a sauce of salted coconut cream. Marcus added specially treated crushed ice as a final flourish, too. Those little ice pieces looked exactly like diamonds. It was an unexpected success, expertly balancing sweet and salty notes. "The ice also added great texture. It was a solid finish.” That was what the judges had to say about it. Again, Marcus blew them away.

He kept advancing to the next rounds till he got to the semi-finals and the judges put the chefs through the wringer like never before.

The assignment was to make the outside of the dessert look like the main ingredient on the inside. The goal was not to sacrifice flavor to achieve uncanny and realistic resemblance, plus never losing sight of creativity and originality.

Most contestants failed the test because they presented obvious desserts that anyone could find in any respected bakery.

But Marcus, Marcus Brooks told a different sweet story with his dessert. And it wasn't even that sweet. It was acid and sweet and perfect.

Mojito Pie.

This was a memorable pie, the judges said. It had a buttery graham cracker crust topped by a very light lime and mint mousse that was dusted in lime powder to resemble an actual lime. This was served with a lime sorbet and spritzed with rum.

"It was adorable to look at and even better to eat," Sandra concluded.

That pie granted him a spot in the final.

Marcus was tense for the first time ever in the competition. He hadn't been that nervous in a long time. It was unlike him to be so high-strung.

Two days later, when the final episode of the show was being shot, Syd and Carmy surprised Marcus and showed up at the studio, along with Chester, for emotional support. The Bear was closed, Marcus was that important to them. The only other time when the restaurant was closed was on the occasion of Ever's funeral service.

Now it was Marcus' turn to be blown away. He was over the moon. And Carmy tried to give him some sort of pep talk but all he managed to say was: "You're already a winner, Marcus, just don't fuck it up and you'll be fine."

Syd dramatically rolled her eyes at Carmy's words and added: "Marcus, don't think about the prize ahead, think about what you've accomplished so far. You got this. And we got you."

Marcus smiled at her kind words and then the little moment Syd and him were having was interrupted by Chester's heavy palm on his back that sounded like a slap but was meant to be supportive and encouraging.

"My man! The million-dollar chef!"

"Not yet, Chester. Not yet!"

"What are you talking about?! That big fat check is yours, Marcus. What show have you been watching? They freaking love you, man. This finale is just paperwork, go get 'em!"

Marcus couldn't help but snort and nod. "Will do, Chest, will do, thanks, man!"

So, when the judges announced it was showtime, Marcus' entire life as a baker flashed before his eyes.

The final assignment was a triple one: They had to come up with a 3 step-sweet menu inspired by their past, present, and future as pastry chefs. And there was a catch: The future had to be a sweet version of a savory dish and look on the outside like its original savory version. They only had 3 hours to complete all 3.

Marcus knew he could pull a trifecta off, but he was afraid that pulling it in only 3 hours was pushing his boundaries as a baker a bit too far.

He went for it anyway.

For the past version of himself as a pastry chef, he decided to make "The Sydney's Donut", which was nothing but a Copenhagen-inspired and elevated version of the donut that Carmy had destroyed like a little bitch. That one was easy but he elevated it by presenting it on an edible marshmallow carved bowl.

Marcus' present at The Bear after winning a Michelin star was far more fancy, so he served the judges a "Turkish Delight, Almond, Manjari, Chocolate, and Rose." This chocolate bar hid a light, creamy chocolate center with a lovely layer of almond panna cotta. Arranged on top were Turkish delights, almonds, crystallized rose petals, and a quenelle of silky smooth almond ice cream. This dessert was currently part of The Bear's menu and it was the most popular choice among its customers with a sophisticated sweet tooth.

For the future, Marcus took inspiration from Syd and Carmy as a whole, and their collective impact on his life. Their love inspired him and so did the invisible string that seemed to connect them long before they met. When Marcus heard the whole story about Sydney's favorite meal and saw the pictures she had taken, he was deeply moved by it because it looked like Carmy had literally put his heart on the plate for her and it was exactly the kind of story that his mom used to love and cherish. So in honor of Syd and Carmy's love story and of his late mom, to whom he was going to dedicate the victory if he took the prize home, Marcus decided to make a fake heart-shaped Paupiette of hamachi with blood orange sauce. For the Paupiette of hamachi, he used molded white chocolate that he wrapped in a fine vanilla crepe and carefully colored with some cinnamon powder for it to look precisely like the original fish. The blood orange sauce was based on its original recipe minus the garlic and the chili flakes and he elegantly topped all that with a thin sweet potato chip sprinkled with sweet chili flakes to replicate the exact aesthetic of the fateful dish that proved to be Sydney's favorite.

The alchemic reaction was epic when the judges tasted that masterpiece. There was no more contest and the other two chefs knew it even before the unanimous verdict was announced.

All 3 of Marcus' works were mindblowing but the Paupiette of hamachi with blood orange sauce was not only flawless, but its appearance was exactly the same as Carmy's dish. There was no way to tell them apart.

To wrap up the award ceremony and his acceptance speech Marcus was asked to say a few words about each dessert on his menu and go over the reason behind each choice. When the time came to explain why he had chosen to make his own version of Paupiette of hamachi with orange sauce he said that Sydney, his mentor, and friend, had confided in him a long time ago that the best meal she had ever had was that dish, by Carmen Berzatto, back in NYC when he was the best CDC in the world and they hadn't even met yet. Marcus went on to mention that Carmy, or "Bear," as he called him, was also his friend and mentor and that without them, he probably wouldn't be there. And that he was forever thankful to both.

Carmy was saucer-eyed, he had no idea that he had made the best meal she had ever had. A dish he instinctively made for her, breaking all the rules and defying his boss' direct orders.

Syd looked at Carmy with that intense yet sweet but never condescending look she reserved for him only and took his hand as she smiled at him and tightened her grip.

Carmy smiled back and then re-directed his attention to Marcus when he elaborated on the background story of his winning dessert when Sandra said: "Wow! That is unbelievable and disarmingly sweet! You're telling me he made the best meal she ever had before they met and now they are husband and wife?!"

"Yes." Marcus smiled and looked at them.

Sandra was beside herself and declared: "That's the most romantic story I ever heard! Did Sydney just tell you one day: 'Oh by the way, Paupiette of Hamachi with blood red orange sauce is my favest and Carmy made it for me before we met in New York when he was the best CDC in the world?' Just like that? Is that a story she just tells everybody to, I don't know, break the ice?"

Marcus was finally loosening up and laughing out loud and he casually said: "No, no, we were having dinner at her place and..."

Carmy didn't hear what Marcus said next, he just looked at Syd as if he had just been shot and was bleeding to death right before her eyes and went: "WAIT, WHAT?!!?"

A/N: This fic was inspired by that Netflix baking show that I just binged entirely in 2 days over the weekend and Marcus' recipes come straight from the Michelin Guide because I can't even make French toast... My meta on the dish is embedded in the first mention of it.

Enjoy! 💋

[justforbooks]

The actor Lou Gossett Jr, who has died aged 87, is best known for his performance in An Officer and A Gentleman (1982) as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, whose tough training transforms recruit Richard Gere into the man of the film’s title. He was the first black winner of an Academy Award for best supporting actor, and only the third black actor (after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier) to take home any Oscar.

The director, Taylor Hackford, said he cast Gossett in a role written for a white actor, following a familiar Hollywood trope played by John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, Victor McLaglen or R Lee Ermey, because while researching he realised the tension of “black enlisted men having make-or-break control over whether white college graduates would become officers”. Gossett had already won an Emmy award playing a different sort of mentor, the slave Fiddler who teaches Kunta Kinte the ropes in Roots (1977), but he was still a relatively unknown 46-year-old when he got his breakthrough role, despite a long history of success on stage and in music as well as on screen.

Born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Louis was the son of Helen (nee Wray), a nurse, and Louis Sr, a porter. As a child he suffered from polio, but became a high school athlete before a basketball injury led to his joining the drama club. His teacher encouraged him to audition professionally, and at 17 he was on Broadway playing a troubled child in Take a Giant Step, which won him a Donaldson award for best newcomer.

He won a drama scholarship to New York University, but continued working, in The Desk Set (1955), and made his television debut in two episodes of the NBC anthology show The Big Story. In 1959 he was cast with Poitier and Ruby Dee in Raisin in the Sun, and made his film debut reprising his role in 1961. On Broadway that year he played in Jean Genet’s The Blacks, in an all-star cast with James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Roscoe Lee Brown, Godfrey Cambridge and a young Maya Angelou; it was the decade’s longest-running show.

Gossett was also active in the Greenwich Village folk music scene. He released his first single Hooka Dooka, Green Green in 1964, followed by See See Rider, and co-wrote the anti-war hit Handsome Johnny with Richie Havens. In 1967 he released another single, a drums and horns version of Pete Seeger’s anti-war hymn Where Have All the Flowers Gone. He was in the gospel musical Tambourines to Glory (1963) and in producer Mike Todd’s America, Be Seated at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

His plays became more limited: The Zulu and the Zayda and My Sweet Charlie; the very short run of Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights, in which he played a black man owning a white slave; and a revival of Golden Boy (1964), with Sammy Davis Jr. His final Broadway part was as the murdered Congolese leader Patrice Lamumba, in Conor Cruise O’Brien’s Murderous Angels (1971). Gossett had played roles in New York-set TV series such as The Naked City, but he began to make a mark in Hollywood, despite LAPD officers having handcuffed him to a tree, on “suspicion”, in 1966.

On TV he starred in The Young Rebels (1970-71) set in the American revolution. In film, he was good as a desperate tenant in Hal Ashby’s Landlord (1970) and brilliant with James Garner in Skin Game (1971), taking part in a con trick in which Garner sells him repeatedly into slavery then helps him to escape.

In 1977, alongside Roots, he attracted attention as a memorable villain in Peter Yates’s hit The Deep, and got artistic revenge on the LAPD in Robert Aldrich’s The Choirboys. The TV movie of The Lazarus Syndrome (1979) became a series in which Gossett played a realistic hospital chief of staff set against an idealistic younger doctor. He played the black baseball star Satchel Paige in the TV movie Don’t Look Back (1981); years later he had a small part as another Negro League star, Cool Papa Bell, in The Perfect Game (2009).

After his Oscar, he played another assassinated African leader, in the TV mini-series Sadat, reportedly approved for the role by Anwar Sadat’s widow Jihan. Though he remained a busy working actor, good starring roles in major productions eluded him, as producers fell back on his drill sergeant image. He was Colonel “Chappy” Sinclair in Iron Eagle (1986) and its three dismal sequels.

But in 1989 he starred in Dick Wolf’s TV series Gideon Oliver, as an anthropology professor solving crimes in New York. And he won a best supporting actor Golden Globe for his role in the TV movie The Josephine Baker Story (1991). He revisited the stage in the film adaptation of Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class (1994).

Gossett twice received the NAACP’s Image Award, and another Emmy for producing a children’s special, In His Father’s Shoes (1997). In 2006 he founded the Eracism Foundation, providing programmes to foster “cultural diversity, historical enrichment and anti-violence initiatives”. Despite an illness eventually linked to toxic mould in his Santa Monica home, he kept working with a recurring part in Stargate SG-1 (2005-06). A diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2010 hardly slowed him down.

Most recently, he played Will “Hooded Justice” Reeves in the TV series Watchmen (2019), in the series Kingdom Business, about the gospel music industry, and in the 2023 musical remake of The Color Purple.

His first marriage, to Hattie Glascoe, in 1967, was annulled after five months; his second, to Christina Mangosing, lasted for two years from 1973; and his third, to Cyndi (Cynthia) James, from 1987 to 1992. He is survived by two sons, Satie, from his second marriage, and Sharron, from his third.

🔔 Louis Cameron Gossett Jr, actor, born 27 May 1936; died 28 March 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[georgefairbrother]

One of the more interesting casting choices for Henry VIII (aside from Sid James), would have to be Ray Winstone for a 2003 Granada/WGBH mini-series. Winstone made the conscious decision to speak in his natural voice, and played Henry as a boisterous East-London crime-boss with a hint of fading mid-70s Elvis charisma.

He had some very strong support in terms of additional casting; Helena Bonham Carter as Anne Boleyn, David Suchet as Cardinal Wolsey, Mark Strong as the Duke of Norfolk, Assumpta Serna (Sharpe) as Katherine of Aragon, Emilia Fox as Jane Seymour, Emily Blunt as Catherine Howard, and Sean Bean as Robert Aske.

There were a few classic quotes and moments; Norfolk is not confident in portrait artist Hans Holbein’s ability to capture Anne of Cleves ('You know these artistic types, unreliable!'). During negotiations following the Pilgrimage of Grace, King Henry calls Robert Aske 'a cheeky sod', and when Thomas Cromwell (Danny Webb) turns up for his execution, the young, nervous axeman assures Cromwell that he had been practicing all night, then buries the axe twice in Cromwell’s back (complete with sound effects and audience reaction) before finally managing slice off his head, to a big cheer from the crowd.

It was originally to be written by Alan Bleasdale (Boys from the Blackstuff) but it appears that creative differences with the producers and early funding uncertainties led to him being replaced by Peter Morgan.

The series won an International Emmy for most outstanding television movie or mini-series.

[fallingblueroses]

A little snippet I've written that I might flesh out later. In this one, Layne is, on paper and in public, the owner of Stein Productions, a large and powerful entertainment company. Geoff is the power and brains behind Layne's throne. Eli is a government agent trying to bring Geoff down. Earl is one of Geoff's bodyguards/security people. And Kathy is a cleaning lady caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

***

Kathy tried to keep a calm face as the black-suited security guard led her off the elevator on the thirty-fifth floor with a hand on her shoulder. Her heart was pounding in fear and her palms were sweaty. She'd been vacuuming an office when she'd accidentally knocked a folder off of the desk, and had been trying to gather them up when the guard had caught her. He'd dismissed her explanation with a curt "Tell it to the boss."

He led her down a hallway and through a door, down another short hall, and then stopped in front of a door. Kathy could hear piano music coming from the inside as the guard pressed an intercom button beside the door. "Mr. Castellucci?"

The music didn't stop, but a deep voice said "Yes, Earl?"

"I caught the janitor going through papers in Mr. Stein's office, sir."

"Ugh. Not that old trick again." A dramatic sigh. "Bring him in."

"Her, sir."

Irritation tinged the voice. "Well, bring her in then."

The guard opened the door and pushed Kathy into a recording studio. A black piano was in the center of the room, and the pianist stood up and turned to them as they entered. Kathy's breath hitched a little. She hadn't expected "the boss" to be a handsome, fit man with graying brown hair and wearing a pair of jeans and a black sleeveless shirt.

He raised an eyebrow as he looked Kathy over. "Good old Jacobson. Right on time." His face hardened. "So. What did he send you to look for?"

She swallowed. "I wasn't trying to find out anything. I knocked some papers off the desk while I was vacuuming and I was just picking them up."

"Hmm." He put a finger under her chin and turned her face from side to side. "What were you doing in Mr. Stein's office, then? We have people to keep our private offices clean."

"I'm just here for the day to cover a staff shortage. I usually work--"

"I don't care. Answer me."

"The supervisor told me to sweep all the offices and hallways on that floor."

The boss walked back to the piano and sat down. His eyes closed as he began to play again. "I'll have to have a talk with him. He knows better than to send temps to that floor." He fell quiet as he played.

The guard cleared his throat. "Mr. Castellucci, sir? What should I do with her?"

"Put her in one of the guest suites. I'll deal with her later."

"Yes, sir." The guard pushed her out of the studio and back toward the elevator. "He's got something special planned for you." His voice was tinged with malicious amusement.

Kathy said nothing. The guard took her to the forty-fifth floor, down another hallway, then unlocked a door and pushed her inside before locking the door behind her. She blinked in surprise to find herself in a comfortable hotel-style room, complete with a mini-fridge and television. The ensuite was stocked with toiletries. It was almost as if she was a guest, not a prisoner.

She laid down on the bed and tried to stay calm. She had to think of a way to convince the boss to let her go.

***

Geoff sighed to himself once the door had closed behind Earl and the woman. Strangely enough, he believed her story. There had been genuine fear in her eyes, not the bravado that Jacobson's agents usually put up. Still, it wouldn't do to just put her back on the street. Not just yet. He'd have his people check her out first.

He'd have to remind Layne to keep his office door locked. Layne was good at his job, but he had no ambition and precious few brains. It had been Geoff who had transformed Layne's little hole-in-the-wall studio into a multimillion dollar empire, strong enough to step onto the American political scene.

And if he was honest with himself, lately he'd been bored stiff. Things were running well, even with Jacobson's meddling. Geoff missed the days of playing bodyguard, of digging into his rivals' secrets, of pulling strings and triggers. Now he had people to do all that for him.

He pulled the cover over the piano keys and sighed. Hopefully the woman Earl had captured would provide at least a little bit of entertainment.

[askthechronoverse]

Last Chapter •||• Next Chapter

Kit couldn't help but look back. RJ was flanked by the five infantrymen and led by the Chief into the darkness. Bad Cop met her gaze and frowned sympathetically, falling out of rank to convey his nonverbal condolences. Kit had to be yanked through the front door to a ship that looked a little like a sailing ship with glimmering sails. Bellamy tapped the phone to keep it awake as she piled both herself and Kit into the ship.

"Take us here." Bellamy showed the mini doll driver the note on the phone, then tossed it to Kit, who somehow caught it. The human girl looked for the photo app and found a picture of herself, RJ, and Richard. RJ's grin burned through her mind, locking her into fond memories and present pain until she could feel the taxi stop. Bellamy picked her up and threw her over their shoulder. She looked around and saw she was on a plain looking street bathed in the light of a soft sunset. Before them was a yellow house with a blue roof, the only one of its kind in the cul de sac. The door swung open to reveal a woman in an overall dress and combat boots and a boy wearing a sweater that had sleeves so long, his hands were safely hidden. They both had brown hair, though the boy's held a frame of red and orange. They stared at each other and then at Kit, who dropped her dad's phone in her bag.

"Kit?" The boy's soft voice cut through the awkward silence. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad… dad told me to come here, Vito." Kit could barely get the words out. Her dad was probably halfway to Awntawp by now, she imagined. Her mind's eye could see his potential fear.

"I'll tell Mom you're here." The woman disappeared into the house and returned with an older woman with pink and blue hair. She wore a jacket that matched this color scheme and came out of the house screaming.

"Rex! What have I told you about coming to the house unannounced? You have my number. Tex-!" She paused when she saw that the man she was shouting to wasn't there. "You two. Get in this house. I need to know where RJ is and why he would let you go on your own to an unfamiliar city." As the five headed further into the house, a television started to play an urgent jingle. This jingle and everything that came after gave the woman pause.

"Breaking news today from the lunar spaceport. Rex Dangervest, the villain responsible for the Battle for Syspocalystar and Armommageddon over 20 years ago, has been taken into custody. This capture was orchestrated as part of Chief Starhawk's initiative to ensure that all villains of high notoriety that were unaccounted for prior to the founding of Unitron are brought to justice." The even toned reporting got an eye roll from the woman with the colorful hair. She muted the TV and turned to the two newcomers.

"Kit, I wasn't expecting you today. I'm sorry for yelling." Her eyes wandered to the TV where RJ's tired face was plastered on the screen, shocked that a police photo was already sent to the press. He held the tablet that showed his name and processing number with uncertainty despite the sureness in his eyes. His usual cheeky grin was replaced with a soft frown and a worried brow. Under the photo within the news ticker was a proclamation that this photo was the first time the notorious villain’s face was revealed to the public.

"It's alright, Aunt Lucy." Kit noticed how much older her father looked in that photo. Every line on his face showed itself to her and the look he gave the camera made her feel like someone simply took her father's face and was just pretending to be the carefree man she knew so well. "I wasn't expecting to come over."

"OK. Someone's gotta tell me who Chief Starhawk is and why he took Kit's dad." Bellamy glanced at the TV screen.

"So, Chief Blaise Starhawk is the current chief of Unitron. They're the law out in space. He got the idea in his head to round up every space outlaw from before Unitron's founding and try them for their crimes. Kit's father was the highest on his list." Lucy looked away from the TV. "There is room in the house for both of you. I'm sure Emmet is on his way to meet RJ at Watevra's castle or wherever Starhawk is sending him. Dinner is at 8. Curfew is at 10. Give me your phone so I can put my number in it." Kit fished out RJ's phone and passed it to Lucy.

"This is all I have. Dad was supposed to get me a phone, but…" She looked down as Lucy took the phone. Lucy saw the lockscreen and handed it back.

"Your father has my number on that phone. If you need help, call me or Emmet." Lucy headed for her kitchen.

"Mom, how long is Dad going to be out?" Vito asked, attempting to roll up his sleeves as he followed his mother.

"Uncle RJ's trial is going to be lengthy. It could take months." Lucy shook her head, her tone becoming exasperated. "Can we not talk about this right now? I need to figure out what I'm going to get for dinner. Kit. Kit's friend. Are you okay with fried chicken?" The two nodded. "Good. I'm going to get Club Cluckers. Charmy. You're in charge." She pointed to the young woman and headed out the door. Silence fell on the four younger beings until Vito turned to Kit.

"Why did your dad send you here, Kit?" The question hung heavily as Kit silently attempted to process what was going on.

"Something attacked Dad's raptors. He wasn't sure what, but I overheard him telling your dad something about a portal. Normally, nothing scares him but I've never seen him so scared." Kit looked down at her dad's phone and looked at the lockscreen. The wallpaper was of her and Richard sitting at a table. It was a candid photo, taken during a time when Richard was helping her with her homework when she was still in lower school. With a tap, the phone splashed a pin pad and requested a passcode. She shoved the phone in her bag, only just noticing that Charmy had spoken the whole time.

"Kit. Are you listening?" Kit shook her head. "You really are part of the family, huh. I was trying to say that it's super weird that your dad was so high on Chief Starhawk's checklist. The Unikingdom government has been protecting him for decades because he's a war hero. Get this: I remember they approached former President Business when this whole thing started, but they just backed away like he didn't do anything. A lot of people just think he bought them off." This knowledge was imparted with a conspiratorial whisper.

"Oh come on, Char. Don't fill our cousin's head with that nonsense." Vito rolled his eyes.

"Think about it: what has President Business done for Syspocalypstar since he was given a second chance? Absolutely nothing. He mostly stays in the background and makes money. If anybody is not repentant and deserving of a trial, it's him. At least Uncle RJ has been working to do something with the second chance he was given."

"Uncle RJ still did terrible things that he's never apologized for. I love our uncle, but Unitron going after him first makes a lot more sense." Vito spoke carefully, but he could see Kit's face turn dark.

"How long had Unitron been looking for Dad?" Kit spoke softly.

"Since the beginning. He was a big part of the chief's first speech-" Vito quickly interrupted his sister.

"And why he was hired for the position, they say. He said that, in order to start from scratch with Unitron, he needed to fix past mistakes."

"And Dad was a past mistake." Kit's words hung heavy in the air.

"To Unitron and most of Syspocalypstar, yes." Vito glanced to Kit with some sympathy, but Kit looked away. "I know it's hard to hear, but he still ended the world. That was something he was capable of and he probably still is capable of."

"I know he can be really strong and gets really angry sometimes, but that's not what he's like." Kit leaned against the kitchen doorframe for a second before moving deeper into the living room.

"Let's stop talkin' about this." Bellamy's words filled Kit with relief. "Do ya get the martial arts channel out here? 'Basics with Chopper" is on soon. I think." They reached for the remote for the muted TV, but it was gone from the spot where Lucy had left it.

"We don't have intergalactic satellite. Mom says it's too expensive." Charmy shrugged. "It's just the news right now and I know what they absolutely will be talking about right now." A soft burst of static made the three look over to the TV.

"... Bring you to Awntawp Correctional Center, where we will hear from Chief Blaise Starhawk about the recent events of the evening." The TV transitioned from a photo of a stark and stern set of gray buildings on a dusty planet to a podium with the man from the spaceport who took RJ away. Instead of wearing a spacesuit, he wore a full suit that reminded Kit of the suit her father wore during fancy Unikingdom parties. His helmet was also off and she saw that everything about him was angles and harshness, save for a small swirl of dusty blonde hair in the center of his forehead. His hair was neat and short, his face clean shaven. His expression was stern, the lines on his face relaying that he never entertained the idea of smiling a day in his life. Somehow, however, his eyes glinted with pride and joy.

"Thank you for tuning in tonight. Today marks a great day in the history of Unitron. One of our most wanted criminals, the man who orchestrated the destruction of our world over 20 years ago, is finally having his day in court. This moment has been a true test of everything our organization can do in order to hunt a criminal, which does include a lack of cooperation from the planet harboring said criminal. This should also be an embarrassing day for Meraki. The royal family of the Unikingdom has been letting Rex Dangervest run rampant in their kingdom for decades. The people of said kingdom have already expressed concern that we have captured someone they seem to call a her-" the TV was turned off as quickly as it was turned on.

"It's like this jerk has never cracked open a history book." The three standing turned to a double decker couch, where Kit was sitting on the bottom couch with the remote in one hand and gripping her bag strap with the other, knuckles white.

"Why would Meraki call your dad a hero? I know you guys are from there and Charmy keeps saying he was a war hero, but we don't really learn Merakian history at school." Vito sat next to his cousin, hoping that discussing her father in a positive light would calm things down.

"My dad helped save the planet a few times. He never asked for anything in return, just did it because he felt he needed to. I'm still coming to terms with him wanting to destroy everything at some point in his life, but he loves the Unikingdom. I couldn't see living anywhere else and neither could he." Kit watched the other two teens head over and sit on the top couch. "I don't want to turn on the TV again in case that… jerk is still talking nonsense about Dad, but is there a movie we can watch or something?"

"Not until after dinner." Lucy's voice cut through the hallway. "Can either of my children help me bring our food to the table? I bought a lot just in case your father comes back." Charmy hopped down from the top couch and helped her mother get the kitchen table ready for dinner.

"Come on. Maybe some food in you will calm your nerves." Bellamy jumped from their perch and led Kit to the kitchen. They looked at the large bucket and laughed heartily. "Is that bucket for me? What are the rest of ya gonna eat?"

"Bellamy! We're probably all sharing. So you're going to have to not eat the whole bucket this time." Kit chuckled as she sat between Bellamy and Vito.

Things largely settled down after the five started to eat. Conversation was light and pleasant, focusing mostly on talking about school and plans for summer vacation now that the four teenagers were let out for the summer.

After conversation had died down and dinner had been finished, Lucy took Bellamy and Kit to a spare bedroom, where their suitcases were waiting despite no one remembering anyone bringing them up. It was a basically decorated room that only really could fit the small bed and air mattress that were provided. Soon enough, sleep fell over the house and the small house was still.

[marxistfurry]

Going traitor: Avatar versus Imperialism

“How does it feel to betray your own race?” These are the infamous last words of the mercenary colonel Miles Quartrich, snarled at the hero Jake Sully in the final minutes of James Cameron’s Avatar; set a century and a half into the future and 25 trillion miles from our planet. But Sully and the tiny minority of humans who change sides to fight alongside the Na’vi people in the 3D sci-fi epic were far from being the only ones who became traitors.

In the here and now of Earth in 2010, in the darkness of thousands of movie theaters, though purely passively and for the brief period of two and a half hours, more than one hundred and fifty million people (so far) have enthusiastically betrayed their ‘own race’, cheering on in their hearts- and often out loud- the defensive war of the imaginary blue-skinned Na’vi of the planet Pandora against the predatory corporate, militaristic, and environmentally destructive forces of homo sapiens.

And how did that feel? It felt very good; even, apparently, for the millions of people in the USA who have watched the movie. Under the headline ‘Avatar: the most expensive piece of anti-American propaganda ever made’, Dr Nile Gardiner wrote in the Daily Telegraph, a British Conservative newspaper:

When I saw the movie last night in a packed theater, I was disturbed by the cheering from the audience towards the end when the humans – US soldiers fighting on behalf of an American corporation – were being wiped out by the Na’vi. Washington is one of the most liberal cities in America and you come to expect almost anything here – but still the roars of approval which greeted the on-screen killing of US military personnel were a shock to the system, especially at a time when the United States is engaged in a major war in Afghanistan.

That Dr Gardiner was shocked and disturbed by those roars of approval is quite understandable. He is an Englishman who works in Washington, for a very wealthy and influential right-wing US think tank, the Heritage Foundation. His mini-biography, published on the Heritage Foundation website, records:

Nile Gardiner is Director of The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. His key areas of specialization include: the Anglo-American “special relationship,” the United Nations, post-war Iraq, and the role of Great Britain and Europe in the U.S.-led alliance against international terrorism and “rogue states,” including Iran . He was recently named one of the 50 most influential Britons in the United States by the London Daily Telegraph. As a leading authority on transatlantic relations, Gardiner has advised the executive branch of the U.S. government on a range of key issues, from the role of international allies in post-war Iraq , to U.S.-British leadership in the War on Terrorism. His policy papers are read widely on Capitol Hill, where he is regularly sought after for advice on major foreign policy matters. Prior to joining Heritage in 2002, Gardiner was Foreign Policy Researcher for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Working in her Private Office, Gardiner assisted Lady Thatcher with her latest book, Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World, published by HarperCollins. He served as an aide to Lady Thatcher from 2000 to 2002, and advised her on a number of international policy issues […] He appears frequently as a foreign policy analyst and political commentator on national and international television and radio, including Fox News Channel, CNN , BBC, Sky News, and NPR . He has made over 500 television appearances, and given more than 400 radio interviews, discussing foreign policy issues.

In his Telegraph article, Dr Gardiner gives a summary of the plot and theme of Avatar:

The story is set in the year 2154, and centres on an attempt by a US conglomerate to exploit valuable mineral wealth on the planet of Pandora. In the background, earth is dying with limited resources, no doubt because a climate change deal could not be finalized at Copenhagen. The American firm employs an army of marines to fight on its behalf against the Na’vi, who seem to be modeled loosely on native American tribes. Slogans such as “shock and awe” and “fighting terror with terror” are deployed to give the film a more contemporary feel. The US forces are portrayed in one-dimensional terms and are led by a sadistic general [sic], while the Na’vi are spiritual, nature-loving and peaceful tribesmen at one with the earth and creation. Humanity is ultimately redeemed by a paraplegic soldier (played by Sam Worthington) who goes native and sides with the locals against his own people. In many respects, Avatar is a highly manipulative film […] Avatar is more than just a 160 minute-long cinematic thrill-ride. It is an intensely political vehicle with a distinct agenda. In fact I would describe it as one of the most left-wing films in the history of modern American cinema, and perhaps the most commercially successful political movie of our time. While the vast majority of cinemagoers will simply see it as popcorn entertainment, Avatar is at its heart a cynical and deeply unpatriotic propaganda piece, aimed squarely against American global power and the projection of US economic and military might across the world.

Gardiner’s claim that the movie portrays the US forces in one-dimensional terms- which chimes in with assertions by other critics of Avatar that the film’s plot is simplistic- is wide of the mark. The North Americans in the movie are presented as being motivated by three distinct agendas, each personified by its own leader: the business executive Parker Selfridge, whose mission is to ensure the profits of the RDA mega- corporation by whatever means are expedient, including if possible a one-sided deal with the natives by which they would be relatively peacefully dispossessed of their territory and resources; the Marine colonel Miles Quartrich, whose aim is to ensure a brutal military solution to the conflict; and Dr Grace Augustine, the head of the team of scientific researchers who, while being employed by the corporation are motivated by the desire for knowledge about Pandora and its inhabitants, and in that learning process have developed some sympathies for the Na’vi people.

Before he finds himself won over to a position of total identification with the Na’vi, the hero Jake Sully is conflicted by the demands on him to serve these differing agendas.

Contradictions of capitalism

Despite his relationship with the Murdoch-owned Fox News and Sky, Nile Gardiner’s description of Avatar as ‘deeply unpatriotic propaganda’, as with the other right-wing attacks on the movie, has not been propagated by the news outlets of the Murdoch media and entertainment empire. In fact, the Murdoch-owned Times commented approvingly on the political nature of Avatar in its review of the film:

With the use of such charged phrases as “shock and awe” and Sully’s curt summation of the situation (“When people are sitting on stuff you want, you make them your enemy”) Cameron adds a thought-provoking political dimension to the story.

The Murdoch media empire, despite the usual right-wing bias of its news outlets, has not leant the use of its powerful ideological cannons to the anti-Avatar campaign for a very sound commercial reason. 20th Century Fox, which is part of the Murdoch mega-corporation News Corp, is raking in hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from the film, and envisages that it will derive hundreds of millions more from the inevitable sequel. Further, the astounding success of Avatar is a commercial vindication of the advances in technology which were gained by means of the many millions of dollars invested in its production, opening up the prospect of a revival in the profits of the US-dominated global entertainment industry.

The film itself contains a scene with some relevance to this contradiction. Explaining the amoral basis of his mission on Pandora, the sleazy mining company executive Parker Selfridge remarks:

“Killing the indigenous looks bad, but there’s one thing shareholders hate more than bad press — and that’s a bad quarterly statement.”

To which one could add that a stunningly successful movie which condemns the killing of indigenous people, along with other aspects of imperialism and capitalism, helps spread the bad news about the system as a whole; but there’s one thing shareholders hate more than bad press — and that’s a bad quarterly statement.

As Forbes reported on 21st January, the huge takings from Avatar means that News Corp is predicted to issue an excellent quarterly statement in March 2010; its eventual revenue from the movie may be as high as 1.3 billion dollars.

Backward Christian soldiers

Nevertheless, as the audience numbers have risen inexorably, so has the strident political campaign against the message of the film. Robert W. Butler of McClatchy Newspapers observed in a syndicated article published on 21st January:

We all love a success story.

For a couple of days, anyway. Then we can’t wait to tear it apart.

That’s what has been happening to ‘Avatar’, James Cameron’s 3-D sci-fi epic. Evidently the film is making lots of moviegoers happy. It’s raking in the cash and awards – Golden Globes Sunday for best picture and director.

But it also has detractors nipping at its heels like overzealous Chihuahuas protecting their turf from the mailman.

…conservatives hate the film’s depiction of a ravenous multi-planetary corporation that invades Pandora, bringing with it a rapacious profit motive and an army of mercenaries to enforce its will against the blue-skinned natives, the Na’vi. It is argued that this depiction puts capitalism in a bad light.

Well, duh.

…’Avatar’ may be viewed as a not-so-subtle parody of real-life corporations like Haliburton and the private security firm Blackwater. Thanks to their behavior during the Iraq occupation, the names of these two outfits have become synonymous in many minds with ruthless imperialism, rampant cronyism, unrestrained greed and unprovoked brutality.

Enter the Roman Catholic Church. A Vatican newspaper and radio station have condemned ‘Avatar’ for becoming “bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature.”

They’re referring, of course, to the beliefs of the Na’vi, who regard everything in their world – animals, plants, rocks – as having spirits that must be honored. This sort of animism is hardly new, having preceded Christianity by 30,000 or so years, and it continues to be practiced today by some American Indians and by various ethnicities around the world.

This is the sort of ‘primitive’ thinking that more recent religions (those only a few millennia old) have sought to supplant.

But there is also another reason for the hostility of the Catholic hierarchy towards the movie: the Vatican cannot but be uncomfortable with Avatar’s allusions to the period of European colonisation of the Americas, during which the Roman Catholic church served an essential role, giving its blessing not merely to the robbery of the valuable mineral wealth of the continent- notably gold- but also to the process of enslaving and killing ‘the indigenous’.

One of the most intelligent political and military activists against the West Europeans during the early period of colonization was Hatuey, a chieftan of the Taíno people who resisted the Spanish invaders in the Caribbean islands whose territory is now entitled Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Hatuey’s analysis of the religion of the colonisers was incisive. During a speech to incite a group of the Taíno people to join his struggle, Hatuey showed them a basket of gold and jewels, and declaimed:

Here is the God the Spaniards worship. For these they fight and kill; for these they persecute us and that is why we have to throw them into the sea… They tell us, these tyrants, that they adore a God of peace and equality, and yet they usurp our land and make us their slaves. They speak to us of an immortal soul and of their eternal rewards and punishments, and yet they rob our belongings, seduce our women, violate our daughters. Incapable of matching us in valor, these cowards cover themselves with iron that our weapons cannot break…

Following a bitter guerrilla war, Hatuey was eventually captured; the European forces tied him to a stake and built a fire. According to one observer, Bartolomé de las Casas, a priest asked Hatuey if he would accept Jesus and go to heaven. Bartolomé de las Casas recorded:

[Hatuey], thinking a little, asked the religious man if Christians went to heaven. The religious man answered yes… The chief then said without further thought that he did not want to go there but to hell so as not to be where they were and where he would not see such cruel people. This is the name and honor that God and our faith have earned.

The Christian soldiers burned Hatuey alive. Shocked and disturbed by this and many other distressing experiences, Bartolomé de las Casas, who was himself an upwardly mobile priest in the Catholic colonial establishment, went on to become an outspoken opponent of the brutal policies of the Europeans in the Americas, allying himself with the native people and eventually also with the black slaves who were captured from Africa and shipped to the ‘New World’ to be worked to death in the mines and plantations. Unlike the Jake Sully figure in Avatar, Bartolomé de las Casas did not go so far as to take part in an armed rebellion against the colonial masters. Instead, after being promoted to the rank of Bishop, he returned to Spain and worked to rouse public opinion against the vile methods used by the empire.

Despite that humanitarian effort, the vast majority of the indigenous population of the Caribbean islands were wiped out under European occupation, mainly from a combination of famine as they were dispossessed of their food sources by the colonizers, overwork in conditions of forced labor, and their vulnerability to smallpox and other foreign diseases which the colonists brought with them.

Today, Hatuey is recognized as a historical national hero in Cuba, and the country’s most popular beer bears his name and image.

‘Left’ critique

However, according to Robert W. Butler and many other sources, the shrill chorus against the political message of Avatar includes not only the right-wing neocons and Catholic religious zealots, but also leftists. Butler remarked:

‘Avatar’ also is taking heat from the left, with some objecting to one of the film’s essential narratives: A human comes to live among the Na’vi, is initiated into their society and at a crucial moment leads the tribe in an uprising against its oppressors.

To these critics this is just a variation on the old “white man’s burden” thinking, in which the poor benighted savages – people of color, of course – require the leadership of a white male to carry their cause. The assumption is that they certainly couldn’t do it without a “racially superior” individual in charge.

The originator of this mode of objection to the movie is a cultural commentator called Annalee Newitz, who describes herself as a Marxist. Newitz posted an article entitled ‘When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like “Avatar”?’ on her sci-fi website. Ms Newitz alleged:

Avatar is just the latest scifi rehash of an old white guilt fantasy […] Our main white characters realize that they are complicit in a system which is destroying aliens, AKA people of color – their cultures, their habitats, and their populations. The whites realize this when they begin to assimilate into the “alien” cultures and see things from a new perspective. To purge their overwhelming sense of guilt, they switch sides, become “race traitors,” and fight against their old comrades. But then they go beyond assimilation and become leaders of the people they once oppressed. This is the essence of the white guilt fantasy, laid bare. It’s not just a wish to be absolved of the crimes whites have committed against people of color; it’s not just a wish to join the side of moral justice in battle. It’s a wish to lead people of color from the inside rather than from the (oppressive, white) outside. Think of it this way. Avatar is a fantasy about ceasing to be white, giving up the old human meatsack to join the blue people, but never losing white privilege. Jake never really knows what it’s like to be a Na’vi because he always has the option to switch back into human mode.

This is not an entirely accurate rendition of the plot of Avatar. In the film, Jake Sully is indeed eventually accorded- despite much initial skepticism- a leadership role among the natives; by taking that path he clearly loses the option of re-joining the ‘white’ side, and by the end of the movie his identification with the Na’vi is so complete that he emphatically closes off the possibility of returning to ‘human mode’, by deciding to allow his lover Neytiri to kill his physical human body.

Annalee Newitz’s own identification with the ‘people of color’ and, presumably, the exploited population of the Third World, is apparently so complete that she regards it as objectionable that it should be metaphorically represented that one of their struggles against white and colonial domination should be led by a privileged white ‘traitor’ from the USA; and furthermore she feels she must assume an intellectual leading role on behalf of the non-whites- by pointing out to them and their sympathizers that this is the dreadful subtext of Avatar.

No doubt she believes that it is her duty to do this because, as she asserts in her article:

…the fundamental experience of being an oppressed racial group […] is that you are oppressed, and nobody will let you be a leader of anything.

Ms Newitz herself is a privileged white person based in the USA. There is more than a hint of hypocrisy in her position.

Kill more natives

But, rather oddly for a supposedly ‘left’ critique, the main proponents who have enthusiastically espoused it can hardly be described as leftists. They include John Podhoretz, who wrote in the course of a splenetic article against Avatar in the Weekly Standard:

The only salvation for Pandora lies with our man Jake Sully turning into the leader of the blue-skinned people, rallying them to the cause of protecting their planet against the Evil Corporation. This, too, is unacceptably paternalistic, in my view; after all, why should giant blue people have to learn these things from a shrimpy white guy who doesn’t even have a tail or built-in Skype?

John Podhoretz was previously a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, and after that became a passionate advocate for the US invasion of Iraq. When that dream was realized, he criticized the tactics of the invasion from the point of view that the US forces, even under the leadership of George W. Bush, had failed to kill sufficient numbers of Iraqis, particularly those of the Sunni faith; and he extended that criticism to Israel, which in his opinion has not killed enough Arabs. In an article in the New York Post, Mr Podhoretz said:

What if the tactical mistake we made in Iraq was that we didn’t kill enough Sunnis in the early going to intimidate them and make them so afraid of us they would go along with anything? Wasn’t the survival of Sunni men between the ages of 15 and 35 the reason there was an insurgency and the basic cause of the sectarian violence now?

If you can’t imagine George W. Bush issuing such an order, is there any American leader you could imagine doing so?

And if America can’t do it, can Israel? Could Israel – even hardy, strong, universally conscripted Israel – possibly stomach the bloodshed that would accompany the total destruction of Hezbollah?

John Podhoretz is a key intellectual figure of the US neoconservative movement, hence his role as regular writer for the Weekly Standard, which is an influential magazine of the radical imperialist right wing in the United States.

The other main US exponent of the supposedly ‘left’ objection to Avatar is David Brooks, who remarked in a piece for the (non-Murdoch owned) New York Times:

The plotline [of Avatar] gives global audiences a chance to see American troops get killed. It offers useful hooks on which McDonald’s and other corporations can hang their tie-in campaigns. Still, would it be totally annoying to point out that the whole White Messiah fable, especially as Cameron applies it, is kind of offensive? It rests on the stereotype that white people are rationalist and technocratic while colonial victims are spiritual and athletic. It rests on the assumption that nonwhites need the White Messiah to lead their crusades. It rests on the assumption that illiteracy is the path to grace. It also creates a sort of two-edged cultural imperialism. Natives can either have their history shaped by cruel imperialists or benevolent ones, but either way, they are going to be supporting actors in our journey to self-admiration.

Like Podhoretz, Mr Brooks is a prominent right-winger and a frequent contributor to the Weekly Standard magazine. He was was a keen supporter of the US invasion of Iraq, and following that he went on to lend his weight to the Republican candidate John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. Recognizing that the current US president is making no major shifts in the USA’s imperial policy, and is even implementing a big ‘surge’ in US troop numbers in Afghanistan, David Brooks has since shifted his allegiance to Barack Obama.

Hell is a place on Earth

In Britain, the most strident opponent of the political message of Avatar is Will Heaven, whose three comment articles attacking the film on the basis that it is ‘racist’ have been published in the Daily Telegraph; a further ‘news’ article in that Conservative newspaper also promoted the claim that the sci-fi epic is imbued with a racist theme.

In his 18th January article, entitled ‘Two Golden Globes won’t change Avatar’s patronizing and racist subtext ‘, Will Heaven expressed his exasperation at the success of the movie in almost hysterical terms:

Why has the world been so willingly taken in by James Cameron’s 250 million dollar con-trick? …Cameron’s cringing acceptance speech highlighted the film’s real purpose. “This is best job in the world it really is,” he said. “Avatar asks us to see that everything is connected, all human beings to each other and us to the Earth.” It’s an environmental parable, in other words, and a clumsy one at that. I’ve written at length about Avatar’s patronising and racist subtext: how the blue-skinned Na’vi, a pastiche of this planet’s “ethnic” races, are utterly powerless without the help of a principled white man. And how I was disgusted that the Na’vi – like the Africans in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness – demonstrate a “triumphant bestiality”. (Cameron is so obviously 2009’s worst lefty.) What I have yet to hit home, however, is Avatar’s overall failure as a film. But you know what? The Vatican newspaper already has that spot on . It’s “bland”, a reviewer wrote in L’Osservatore Romano last week. “It has a great deal of enchanting, stunning technology, but few genuine or human emotions. Its significance is in its visual impact rather than in the story, and in its messages, despite the fact that they are hardly new.”

Finally, the review lays into Cameron who, “concentrating on the creation of the fantasy world of Pandora, chooses a bland approach. He tells the story without any profound exploration.”

L’Osservatore Romano doesn’t speak for the Pope, but according to Father Federico Lombardi, the pontiff is worried by the transformation of environmentalism into “a new divinity.” He’s right to be worried – but you can bet Cameron, environmentalism’s very own prophet, won’t be listening. Mr Heaven, an enthusiastic supporter of the US / UK troop surge in Afghanistan, has obvious loyalties to the Vatican; this is also the case with David Brooks, who is an advocate of the ‘progressive’ historical role of the Catholic church. John Podhoretz, on the other hand, is Jewish; Annalee Newitz is of half-Protestant, half-Jewish origin. Another Jewish voice, that of the Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Shalom Center, had a rather different take on the film. He noted: The film AVATAR is an obvious metaphor for the European-USA destruction of Native America and Africa; for the corporate destruction of the Amazon forest and its tribal human eco-partners; for the US destruction of much of Iraq and parts of Afghanistan […] Why does the Torah command that even in wartime, we must not destroy the enemy’s fruit trees? (The US Army did precisely this to the forests of Vietnam; the Israeli Army has done this to Palestinian olive trees; in AVATAR, the invading Earthians do precisely this to the sacred trees of the Na’vi. Why?)

In another article, entitled ‘Refuting The “White Savior” Attacks on Avatar Movie’, the Rabbi remarked:

Some knee-jerk leftists have criticized the heroism of Jake Sully as merely another racist case of a “white male Marine” becoming savior of the exploited community. Indeed, some conservatives have stolen that rhetoric to discredit a widely celebrated film that clearly threatens to undermine the corporate-military-NeoCon alliance. But there are two mistakes in this rhetoric: … it is not Sully who leads the Na’vi; it is his Avatar who joins the resistance, becoming a blueskin transformed from his life as a Marine, just as Moses the Egyptian prince remakes himself into a leader of the Israelite slave revolt . AVATAR describes how some Earthians turn their backs on the military-corporate attempt to shatter the Na’vi and instead join the Na’vi resistance. They become – let’s not mince words – traitors. Or rather, they transform themselves into the Avatars that actually become Na’vi, loyal not to oppressive Crushers but to the web of life. What do we Americans, we Westerners — who have already done so much to crush the life from many parts of our planet and threaten to destroy the rest by choking its Breath, its Climate — what do we make of that? What do we owe the indigenes of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Nigeria, Burma?

Traitors and humanists

Avatar is not a documentary, nor is it Dostoievsky; it is mass-market Hollywood fiction. That a colonialist from Earth who learns about the alien natives, connects with them and becomes a military leader in their struggle against imperialism is a reliable plot device, which ensures that we the audience, who are humans and at the start know nothing about the blue-skinned Na’vi, can travel with the main character on a journey of understanding about not only the Na’vi and their culture, but also about the humans and their exploitative culture, from the standpoint of the natives with whom we increasingly identify.

Nile Gardiner remarks that Avatar is ‘manipulative’ in winning the audience to cheer the armed struggle of the oppressed Na’vi against the mercenaries who are of our own species; but it is no more or less manipulative than any other successful product of the US film industry. That the former human Jake Sully becomes the action-hero of the alien forces is an extension of a tried and tested Hollywood formula, which- along with the innovative cinematic technology used in the movie- has guaranteed a record-breaking global audience for a film which carries a pro-environmental and anti-imperialist message.

The allegation that the plot line of Avatar is ‘unoriginal’ misses the point by a mile. The story of the struggle of the oppressed against the exploiters, as Rabbi Waskow reminds us, is as old as Moses; and within that, the tale of the privileged person who takes the side of the oppressed and eventually becomes a leading figure in their struggle against the exploiters is an archetype which has strong factual roots.

The self-described Marxist Annalee Newitz might recall that Karl Marx and Friederich Engels, both from respectable privileged backgrounds, were the originators of the movement to create a global working class dictatorship and by that means to overthrow privilege itself.

Expelled from Germany for their radical activism, Marx and Engels settled in Britain, whose vast empire included the neighboring island of Ireland. It is notable that in the struggles of the mainly Catholic Irish against the mainly Protestant British oppressors, some of the most important leaders were either ethnic Protestants, or were of British rather than Irish origin. Among them, Wolfe Tone, the leader of the 1798 rebellion against British occupation and who is considered the father of Irish republicanism, was a Protestant. Erskine Childers, who became a political and military leader of the Irish for independence and national unity in the early 20th Century, was the scion of an elite British-based Protestant family. Childers was executed in 1922 by the dominant faction in the Irish leadership who, having accepted a deal with the British government which involved Britain retaining control of the North of the country, were opposed to the continuation of the struggle to unite the whole of Ireland as an independent nation.

In another former colonial country, South Africa, white-skinned turncoats played a hugely important role in the African liberation struggle. The white males Joe Slovo and Ronnie Kasrils, both from Jewish families, were key leaders in Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress. Slovo was elected general secretary of the South African Communist Party, a party whose membership is mainly black and which is part of the ‘Tripartite Alliance’ comprising the ANC, the trade unions, and the Communist Party. He died in 1995. Kasrils went on to become Minister for Intelligence Services in the South African government.

Slovo was, and Kasrils still is, a forceful opponent of Zionism and the anti-Palestinian policies of the US-sponsored Israeli state. Traitors to their ‘race’, loyalists to humanity and humanism. If Avatar moves even only a tiny minority of its multi-million audience towards a similar understanding, the talents of James Cameron and his team of actors and technicians have been well employed.

From 21st Century Socialism