#monsters at work s2 you will always be famous

[eyluvu]

the JOY when i see that stupid monster james p sullivan on my screen again

[fgmetanoia]

💙💛 Blue and yellow: a study in media's mlm couples' color-coding 💛💙

So, since I've apparently lost all ability to write an introduction, we're gonna do without.

Let me just say, originally this was much shorter and then somehow it became a monster, I'M SORRY.

* sigh * I'm an overthinker, I can't take absolutely ANYTHING easy. Enjoy.

Quick disclaimer before starting: what follows absolutely doesn't claim to be a theory. It's more just like me trying to put some pieces together and see if something coherent comes out of it. So don't expect many deep thoughts in here, but any contribution is more than welcomed.

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Okay so, let's get started.

In the last few years, explicitly queer couples have increased in the media and I've started noticing a recurrent theme in their color-coding (I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I never saw anyone talking about it so... Sorry if I say banal stuff)

We all know about the blue and yellow deal:

Mike and Will, Simon and Wille (technically Simon is dressed in purple half of the time, but let's just ignore that for now), Nick and Charlie.

I know that these are just three cases, but I tend to notice patterns when they're there, and THREE times in THREE major queer Netflix show is enough of a pattern for me.

Plus, these are just some of the most famous ones, I'm sure there are more (feel free to add them in the tags).

Firstly, let's note how the yellow character is almost always 'the gay one' (horrible saying, sorry, but I don't know how else to put it) usually also out, or somehow the most notably queer one of the two, and somehow the most "innocent", pure of heart and/or idealistic.

While the blue one is usually bisexual and either not out yet for various reasons or in denial of their own sexuality (at least at the beginning of the story).

Jumping from one thing to another and at the cost of sounding super obvious, in color theory if you put yellow and blue together, you'll get green.

It's kind of obvious how in these shows they use green to symbolize the connection and attunement of these characters, with the most obvious one being Nick's green sweater (you know which one, I'd put a picture but tumblr has a limit), but when he and Charlie are in Paris in S2 they're also often dressed in green.

Plus, even if Simon and Wille are a little bit different (we'll see them later), they're also dressed in green to symbolize attunement and/or longing.

And don't even get me started on Mike being constantly dressed in green in S1 after Will goes missing...

So, yellow + blue = green. Green is a thing, right?

Now, I'm not an expert in any way when it comes to queer culture and historical coding, but I know that in 1800s queer men used to signal each other by wearing green flowers. Oscar Wilde himself used to do that if I'm not mistaken. It could be the origin behind this trope...?

This is stupid, I’m just babbling and it probably means nothing? Yes, absolutely, let's move on.

Let's instead indulge some more in symbolism and color psychology, because why not.

As you can see from this ugly but crystal clear infographic I found on Pinterest, yellow is usually a color associated with fun, optimism, happiness and whatnot.

On the other hand blue symbolizes trust, reliability, security, etc.

I don't know if everyone can see what I'm trying to underline, but I work in marketing and these are very common codes used by brands too.

Like, just pick the first 'yellow brand' you can think of and compare it to a blue one. It's always a matter of happy vs reliable. Here, let me visualize it for you:

Now, back to our shows, these associations are perfectly in line with our characters:

Will is described as a sensitive boy. He's gentle, artsy, warm and before the traumatic events of S1 we can presume he has an enthusiastic and happy personality. On the other hand, Mike is much more grumpy, but he's a leader, he's trustworthy and (except for when he's busy sticking his head up his ass for his own reason denying his own queerness) he's a safe person and reliable.

In the same way, Charlie is portrayed as soft, innocent, happy and bubbly but not in a exuberant or overabundant way. Nick on the other hand, is somehow the pillar of the two, in S1 he's the one that steps up to protect Charlie from Ben. He's the leader of the rugby team, and before he dumps them, of his friend group too.

Simon and Wille in my opinion are more complicated: for one thing, there is the color metaphor. As I anticipated, we don't only see them coded in yellow and blue (+ green) like the other characters. They often wear purple and orange too. But the reliable vs carefree metaphor sticks here too: Wille represents monarchy - steady, reliable, leader... Blue - while Simon is a queer artist - he's an idealist, carefree (debateble, but surely more free than Wille) and unapologetically himself -. On a side note, I find it interesting that they resolved them and closed S3 with white, as if to symbolize a clean canva, a new start. They could've more easily gone with green again, but they chose white.

Where am I going with this, you'll ask. I don't have the slightest idea, okay? At this point I'm just rambling.

But let's take some time to analyze them better.

Mike and Will

Despite the fact that Stranger Things is a horror/sci-fi TV show, Mike and Will's arc is all about coming to terms with themselves and living a life true to their nature. It's a common theme in the show, really. Nancy talks about it ("My mom was young. My dad was older, but he had a cushy job, money, came from a good family. So they bought a nice house at the end of the cul-de-sac and started their nuclear family. [...] Screw that."), Jonathan talks about it ("Do you wanna be normal? Do you wanna be just like everyone else? Being a freak is the best. I'm a freak") and there are characters whose entire existence's point is only to show that (Eddie and Argyle just to mention two).

Out of the two, it's Will the first one who comes to terms with himself and accepts himself (at least at some level).

Mike on the contrary, stays longer in denial of his own sexuality and is not only scared of it, but a victim of heteronormativity, to the point that he attacks Will when he tries to get his attention and away from El in S3 ("It's not my fault that you don't like girls").

Hopefully, in S5 they'll get together and their arc will be completed, with Will who overcomes the shame put there by his father and Mike who get some unconditional love (finally) and learns to be his true self despite of what other people think.

Simon and Wille

Now, young royals is a different story from Stranger Things. This show is a whole campaign against monarchy and, honestly, ALL kinds of systems that (on various levels) cage people and force them to live inside the closet certain lines and behavioral rules (celebrity industry? Nope? Okay).

Simon is free, he accepts himself and his only problems, before Wille, are about his family and being marginalized in a rich-kids school because he's poor.

Wille on the contrary arrives at Hillerska without knowing a damn thing about himself. He's angry and caged by the crown's rules about clean image and whatnot, which only makes him more angry.

When he clicks with Simon he has some difficulty to accept himself at the beginning, but quickly overcomes that and the whole damn problem from that moment until the very end of the show are caused by his public image and the control the crown has over it.

The whole point of this story, in brief, is for Wille to free himself of the chains of royalty and his public image.

Nick and Charlie

Once again, Charlie is the first one to come out (and he gets bullied and marginalized because of it, like it happened to Will and possibly to Simon too?) while Nick doesn't know he is bisexual until he meets Charlie and starts liking him.

Despite the fact that queerness is at the very center of this show, though, coming to term with it is not an issue here. Nick accepts himself almost immediately and no main character is a dick about it (his father and brother are not relevant enough for the purposes of this post, because homophobia is not the enemy in Heartstopper, fear is).

The actual thing to overcome here is identity. Nick could've lived a perfect straight life, never knowing he is bisexual (unless something else happened, but that's beside the point), but would've it been a truthful life? No. He would've lived lying to himself without even knowing it.

Meeting Charlie and falling in love with him frees nick of the chains of his straight identity, allowing him to discover a whole new side of himself.

So, let's recap it quickly: yellow character is optimistic and carefree, he knows and accept himself, while blue character, the reliable leader, discovers some queerness inside of himself thanks to yellow character and proceeds to be a little bit in denial of it before overcoming it and becoming his true self, completing his arc.

At the end they both free themselves of their own chains.

All of these three stories are about getting free from chains (societal chains in ST, system chains in YR, and identity chains in HS) and live truthfully.

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So, there's that. And like, I'm not saying it's EVERYWHERE but it's definitely something.

Just to quote some other tangential (and potential?) couples that don't completely fit in the previous scheme, Steve and Eddie are yellow and blue too:

In s4 Steve has a yellow sweater and Eddie has his jeans vest (blue). A reach? Yeah probably. Especially if you consider that Steve is the grumpy one out of the two, he's the leader and the protector, while Eddie is the Jester, the funny one, happier and artsy of the two. Yes, yes, I know, they're switched. It's the reason why I didn't include them above, but still...

In The Song of Achilles there are no color mentioned that I remember, but somehow certain versions of the cover are blue and gold. Coincidence? Probably. And yet we have another mlm couple associated with yellow and blue:

And honestly, I've always headcanoned Achilles as the yellow/golden character because of his appearance and Patroclus as the blue one because of his personality.

If they'll ever make a movie/TV show adaptation I'll bet my left asscheek that they're going to be color-coded like that.

And again, in Call Me By Your Name (book) the only colors mentioned are the ones of Oliver's swimsuits (4 colors: red, yellow, green and blue, with the attention put on the red and blue ones). And YET the cover of the movie looks like this:

Let's close with a Waterparks quote, because a touch of emo is always a good idea

I'm color-coding my moods, you're yellow, I'm natural blue

Let's get together and be green like my insides

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, as you can see this is less then half-baked, and I've probably only discovered hot water [do English speakers say that? I don't know, it's an Italian way of saying that means you've pointed out something obvious] but I can see a pattern. These are all mlm couples with a repetitive scheme-color, similar narrative arcs, and all these media pieces came out in or after 2017 or so.

I have the feeling that this is something.

I'm very curious to hear other people's thoughts on this, especially if you think this is a bunch of bullshit, debunk the shit out of me, I'll appreciate it 🙏 thank you

[electromignion]

Young Jeremy Bradshaw fanart! (Bridgewater my beloved)

“Dad? Can you hear me? Are you out there?”

Here’s my latest Bridgewater fanart! I wanted to explore more young!Jeremy Bradshaw; especially as in S2 he mentioned having been tried Wicca when he was younger; so it struck me directly — what if he tried witchcraft overall? And my mind unraveled to that point to now 👌

If you want more explanation about the fanart and my headcanons about Jeremy you can click on read more (because again details are detailing way too much)✌️

So let’s first start with young Jeremy, as he admitted to believe, I wanted to show how he tried to explore all the possibilities and I totally see him as a little bit of a rebellious teen as he is still in denial and as he is aching for the come back of Thomas. That’s why he tries to contact him with the pendulum, he wants to believe.

And I thought how Jeremy would express himself in this situation? That’s why I gave him black nail polish, an earring, and you can’t see it much but he has some black eyeshadow, to me it was his way to express himself.

As a way to express himself too, on the picture framed on the left in the red frame, it’s him as a teen with his mother and his step-dad, as I heard in S1 EP01 that Jeremy’s mother said dad to talk about the guy and Jeremy corrected her, I thought about that grudge must have been lasting for a huge while, so that’s why he put a post it and crossed it as well, because he has always refused to replace Thomas in a way, and he looks quite uncomfy on the picture too.

However, another picture is framed: baby Jeremy with Thomas Bradshaw and this one is fully visible. It’s probably one of his only picture with his dad so he cherished it a lot. (My headcanon is that Jeremy had the film camera and took a picture by accident as he was excited to see the camera, and when they developed it they kept the picture as it was too adorable, and I love Jeremy with his one little tooth 🥺🥹)

He also cherishes the letter his dad has written to him for his fifth birthday, so just before his disappearance. As I don’t know if you will be able to read my handwriting here is my transcript:

“Dear Jeremy, Son, l know I promised to be here today, but *scribbled words which are “you know”* work is work sometimes. I’m sorry. You will probably understand later. You have plenty of birthdays to come, so I promise I’ll make it up to you. Take care of your mom ok? Happy 5th birthday, proud of you, x Dad”

Which makes it even more hurtful because he never got to celebrate another birthday with his son. (Yes I suffer, you suffer with me /lh)

For the context of this fanart, I thought it would be in the year 1995, so Jeremy would be 20 years old and it would match. So I then looked for Gameboy games which were out in North America before 1995 because I really like to be accurate, and I put Batman first because it’s a nod to Misha Collins’ role in Gotham Knights as he plays Harvey Dent! (Btw as an other Misha nod, I did the bed blanket pink for the famous pic of Misha with his pink blankie but that’s really anecdotal but that’s what I enjoy). I really wanted Jeremy to have Pokemon Red/Blue but unfortunately, it was out in Japan in 96’ and then 98’ in NA/EUR and import at the time was so-so, but as he likes myths and folklore he would love to catch pocket monsters for sure. (Maybe a next time??)

I put another paper taped to the wall which is just the Bridgewater triangle with the locations of each angles of it, I like to think that Jeremy was trying to find more information on it, that was his way to have a visual reminder of it all.

When it comes to the X-Files… because his t-shirt is some accurate 90s vintage t-shirt X-Files merch with “the truth is out there” written on it (I like details way too much), I think it is time to explain why TXF is so present in my full Bridgewater fanarts (the Big Blue mug reference to Quagmire 3x22 of txf, or even the I Want To Believe poster which is present usually in Mulder’s office ) not only the show is really important to me, but I really found the vibes of it in Bridgewater, and then it struck me, Jeremy had been Scully coded in the beginning of the S1 to then go to a sort of epiphany realising that things might end up real. But I truly don’t think that it stops here, because to me — we come to the headcanons — Jeremy has watched the X-Files as it aired. It started in 1993, he had 17 years old, he was not feeling good, he wanted to believe, who wanted to believe as well? Fox Mulder.

And it’s easy to draw the parallels: Jeremy has lost his father nobody cares anymore and he is only aching as he had been hoping for him to come back, his father disappeared in strange circonstances in the Bridgewater Triangle. Mulder has lost his little sister, Samantha, whom he was persuaded as a kid to have seen getting abducted by aliens, and everybody has lost hope on finding her, it’s easy to assume that Jeremy saw himself in a way in Mulder. Their seek for the truth is important but even when his belief starts to crumble I think he is still attached to the show and starts to find himself in the character of Scully, scientific and down to earth before anything else because it hurts less, and it’s his trauma response. But I think he ends up with the IWTB poster in his house as an adult as no matter what, he still wants to believe into the hope of finding Thomas again although he doesn’t believe it anymore.

For the witchcraft part he also has a tigers eye stone bracelet because it’s supposed to have strong properties of protection, and the pendulum is in amethyst as it’s supposed to bring soothing energy and good vibes — which might be useful to get contact with Thomas.

Then we come to my favourite fanart “plotwist” which I’m super proud of: the incense behind him as it’s burning is spelling “Jeremy?” which is a supposition that his contact with Thomas was indeed working — the veil hum hum cough cough — however he could not see it so not believe it, whereas ironically, the cone incense in front of him was burning normally, so this “séance” not working might have crumbled his beliefs into the supernatural too which put them into more into the rank of myths instead of real tangible possible things (and we can see his interests into myths and folklore already as the three books he has on his shelves are about it!)

As a ref of young!Jeremy Bradshaw I took refs on pics of Misha in his twenties 😭✌️

I hope you enjoyed my fanart (it took me roughly 13 hours this time) and my little explanation and thank you for reading it all! Lots of love 🫶

[oveliagirlhaditright]

It's just- even though Dark Angel season two was massively different than the first season, it didn't have to be as bad as it was. There were SOME good ideas here. Like, the best thing this season brought was the anti-transgenic plot. Keep that for sure. And while I thought a lot of the stuff with the Breeding Cult was silly--and I would've changed most of it--the idea that this comet comes every billions of years and wipes out humanity... and that Manticore was actually created to try and find a cure for that, is an interesting idea. I don't like that this suddenly made Max a chosen one (a plot point I hate in all media. And that she refreshingly WASN'T in season one), but I can live with it. This could have been edited some and probably worked decently. Also... even though Sanderman--the supposed creator of Manticore--wasn't mentioned at all S1, keep him and the search for him in S2: it could've been interesting (and make him Normal. God, I love that theory and I'm sticking to it). Just convolute things less.

Now, the things that need to go: the Virus, the Virus... for the love of God: the Virus. This is still probably the stupidest idea I've seen in anything ever... While I guess I'm OKAY with freaky-looking transgenics (I didn't used to be, as I thought this was one of the things that, like, changed the genre of the show between seasons), because how else will the anti-transgenics plot get off the ground? ...Do them differently and better. And I don't even know how to specify how. I have no magic solution here. But this is what turned a lot of people off of S2, so... I guess for starters, don't make them cheesy monsters of the week. NO LOVE TRIANGLES. For the love of God, this was never what DA or Max was about. And I'd honestly say... just leave Max and Logan happy. They'd earned it (or have Max come back to Logan eventually. Maybe the trauma of being back at Manticore keeps her from being able to jump right back into the relationship when she comes back, but eventually she does and Logan is patient and waits for her without pushing). This may be hard to believe, but you CAN have a couple without drama in media and still have people care about the show and them (think Vaughn and Sydney from Alias, for the most part. Who are actually a lot like Max and Logan, and who I have my suspicions might have actually inspired them). You just have everything AROUND them be the drama, and them be the audience's sanctuary through it. Or at least have them be this for a long time--and most of the time--but if you want to add some drama in there every once in a long while, fine. Have Logan get "killed", like the audience thought Chloe did going into that safe house in the season three finale of Smallville. And have Max and the audience believe it for episodes, if you want, as Max tries to avenge him. Keep him out of the opening credits for a while and everything (also what Smallville cleverly did when they were trying to convince us Chloe was actually dead), and then in time bring him back, reveal he lived and explain how, add him back to the opening credits, yada yada ya... This is an idea I like less than the above--and for the most part, I still standby the idea of "leave Max and Logan alone already"--BUT you could have Logan start to cross a moral line with his Eyes Only stuff. One famous DA fanfiction did this, and it worked pretty well. Like, still keep him good, I'd say--like I def don't ever see Logan killing inmocents or anything like that, but maybe begin having him push back against the bad guya too far?--but I HAVE always found it interesting, like Max did, that he was willing to grease the bad guys... And he was always so intent about bringing them down... And his enemies in power--who WERE evil--called him a terrorist... and in the Eyes Only Dossier, Logan thought he'd had stuff in common with the extremist we see in "Prodigy" and hoped that their similarities ended when Darrius was still good. IDK... While I don't want it (and for him to be saved in the end), I think an "He Who Gazes at Monsters" plot could've worked and maybe been interesting for Logan. And I do think all of the above would have better ideas than the Virus. Also, MAX could've gone vigilante for a while instead, or something, and they could have had drama there, if needed. Or they could've done the Logan, Seth, Max thing that the novels did (even though I also kind of hate this. But it's still probably better than the Virus). Also, maybe get rid of the clone and breeding partner things... they really made no sense. I'm not saying get rid of Alec! I guess I'm wishing for an alternate universe where someone else played Ben, Jensen was Alec, and they weren't clones.

Things to bring back from S1 that weren't there in S2: Manticore flashbacks of Max's, her sibs from S1 (GIVE me Jondy), the Eyes Only and political corruption stuff, Lydecker... maybe he could be wavering back towards Manticore ideas again.

And- while I DO think the idea of Max eventually burning Manticore to the ground, and freeing all the transgenics from it, was a good idea and WOULD eventually want it to happen... I think the season premiere of season two was a bit too early for it.

[shenmeizhuang-blog]

Do you have any cdrama suggestions for a baby beginner? I think Empress of China is the most famous one I’ve heard of but I’m curious about others too!

B-baby beginner? No, my friend, when it comes to cdrama, we simply throw you into the pit…

Just kidding! Although, for a myriad of reasons, being a Chinese drama fan outside of Asia without a hold of the language is admittedly rather difficult (so to the “international” cdrama fandom: you guys rock!). 

Unfortunately, your answer did not really help me narrow down my answer after all. I believe Moonlight Drawn By Clouds, your recent fave, is very romance-centric, but I feel like everyone tends to vacillate in their mood, preferring super romantic escapism one minute and demanding tight storytelling the next. Anyway, I’ll stop rambling and actually get to the point:

personal recs, in general*

I just couldn’t really “categorize” these?

peace hotel (2018): currently in the midst of watching this still, but I’m really enjoying this! honestly. especially with how the female chars (most of the chars are written.) it’s this mix between super suspenseful espionage and really cathartic humor. the plot twists are also so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

let’s shake it! (2017): alien crashlands to the tang dynasty! it’s super cute and quirky, but there’s also a strong, coherent plot and some angst in the latter parts. definitely one of my faves of last year, though it’s punny sense of humor doesn’t always get through. it’s also very appreciatively meta ;) the subs apparently aren’t complete, as my friend complained to me, but I personally find the language real simple

medical examiner dr. qin (2016): the interactions between the crime-solving trio are gold. also, like the only modern show here?? (as you can tell, I am really mostly a period show watcher.)

go princess go (2015-16): it’s really low-budget and cracky, but trust me, there’s a reason it went viral. zhang tian ai does feel like the saving grace a lot of the time though, and I didn’t exactly give it a high score, but it just might be your thing. who knows?

nirvana in fire (2015): i don’t think it’s the best c-drama ever, unlike a lot of people on this site, but it’s still a very solid show. I also find it a lot more shoujo than most fans—it’s really not just a revenge-political drama—but when it was emotionally gripping, boy, it was emotionally gripping. 

wuxin: the monster killer (2015): technically only season 1—I have yet to see s2—but weirdly enough, I found the poignant ending especially fitting. just assume from the title? yue qiluo is one of the more interesting villains out there, and gosh I just adore yueya so much

bu bu jing xin (2011): extremely poignant, complex look into polymagy/patriarchy during the qing dynasty from the lens of time-traveller zhang xiao who takes the identity of court lady ruoxi. even if you don’t ship any of the romances, it is so worth it for pretty much everything else. but if you do, obviously also an extremely heart-wrenching watch. a lot of people’s first cdrama. 

schemes of a beauty (2010): lots of spying, secret chambers, poison, women control the men. 

*I would want to recommend The Legend of Zhen Huan and The Glory Of Tang Dynasty, but they’re 76 episodes and 92 episodes long, respectively. Content-wise, it’s also stuff that requires lots of trigger warnings, and overall just not for the “baby beginner”. Battle of Changsha is definitely shorter, and a definite recommendation, but also just not for the “baby beginner.” 

no dubbing 

(Peace Hotel, Battle of Changsha, NiF, Medical Examiner Dr. Qin)

the advisors’ alliance (2017) + growling tiger, roaring dragon (2017-18): a mix of no dubbing and some dubbing. it’s a pretty creative to take the viewpoint of sima yi in this three kingdoms historical piece. I feel that it’s rather accessible to viewers, honestly, and the production values are great on this one. 

nothing gold can stay (2017): only 4 eps in—it’s very solid so far (74 eps though, but I would say quite mainstream and easy to watch)

ten miles of spring wind can’t compare to you (2017): do I really want to rec this though? in the end, I really did wish I had someone to vent about this to and discuss with about, because in a lot of ways this really did give lots of food for thought. let’s just say that our three main chars are deliberately rather fatally flawed…and I still feel rather ambivalent about how to feel about this. (the first 10-15 eps are super cute, meta, adorable but also with great sexual tension and then it sort of goes to melodrama but anyway…) you could at least practice your chinese? it is harder than the average modern cdrama, given how pretentious qiu shui can get

shoujo period romances

We all have a soft spot for these :’)

sound of the desert (2014): just yesterday, there was quite a lot of discourse on this show on my dash, interestingly. female lead xin yue (liu shi shi) is raised by a wolf pack, though she eventually enters the capital city sometime during the han dynasty. she does at first fall for a crippled, broody flute player played by hu ge (imo one of his more lackluster roles) but it’s her chemistry with HAWT general wei wuji (eddie peng

female prime minister/legend of lu zhen (2013): again, freakishly sizzling chemistry. it focuses more on lu zhen rising up the ranks as lower-level female ministers, but mostly still very very romance-centric. (the otp falling-out in the last 10 eps or so was kind of stupid, I will admit, and also 200% all on gao zhan but it had such a strong addictive quality to it.)

gong/jade palace lockheart (2011): I haven’t seen Boys Over Flowers/the Japanese original/any official remakes of whatever that is, but a lot of people have called it Boys Over Flowers + modern girl time travels to the Qing Dynasty + 9-prince succession conflict during Kangxi’s reign. it was rather stupid and petty at times, but it’s more comedic and the romance is super addicting. I don’t care about the half-bald Qing queues at all, and this is actually one of the only roles that I’ve found Feng Shaofeng attractive in. (yes, it is possible to love bbjx and enjoy this)

Oh yeah, and all these end all happily and fairytale-like. None of the above would qualify as my “faves” at all, but all are very accessible to someone unfamiliar with cdrama and love the Romance and the Pretty. 

others (I found rather lackluster or dropped): Perfect Couple, The Eternal Love (very popular among international audiences, but not for me), General and I, Oh My General 

wuxias/xianxias

This is just going to be an embarrassing amount of childhood nostalgia. Like, literally, with the exception of the first one, I watched all of these in elementary school, with varying amounts of rewatching in between. The recent wuxias and xianxias just haven’t been to my liking. (I could get into how NiF takes lots of wuxia elements but I would just confuse you a lot so, strictly on the more fantasy/action side of things here.) I simply haven’t watched Eternal Love/Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (very, very popular) at all. I’m sorry. 

vigilantes in masks/strange hero yi zhi mei (2011): I believe the international equivalent is “Iljimae”? It’s like Robin Hood, sort of, but mostly Liu Shi Shi’s Yan Sanniang is so amazing here. 

chinese paladin 3 (2009)

return of the condor heroes (2006)

chinese paladin (2005)

lotus lantern (2005)

also 武林外传, which is 80 eps, but kind of more like a wuxia sitcom way back in the day. there’s in-show ppls, tons of modern references, etc. and also like lots of satire/social commentary. I did a rewatch (of brief clips ofc, I don’t have that much time) recently, and realized I missed so much when I watched it with the family back then. (I’m kind of embarrassed about the more lewd references…lol…)

*line break*

Whew! Anyway, the takeaway is, there is a lot of stuff to choose from, and I definitely left out a lot of stuff. There’s also a lot of modern cdramas. This answer might clarify about those shows. 

(that being said, I really personally would not recommend empress of china. I mean, aside from 96 eps, just 2 eps in I could tell it was going to be an unsubstantial mess >_

[emilywatchescursedshow]

S2 E8 - Crossroad Blues

Meg was in the flashback. Let's goooooooooo.

Ah a real back in time flashback. These people look like they're all having a pretty good time. Am happy all these Black extras got paid.

Oh no there are some weird sounds and the guitarist is freaking out. Is he going to get attacked by hellhounds.

Everyone else seems pretty nonplussed and so far no one has spoken... is that because they have to pay more for speaking roles?

Ah yes leave the bar and drop the one weapon you have. Are they going to uh.. show the dog

No he's just having a fit on the floor and dying.

Dean is in the feds database. Love how Dean's gloating at Sam abt it, real big sibling move to brag about something that's actually bad and make your younger sibling suffer.

"the cushiest joint in town" jarp said that like "coochiest joint in town" and i was confused

thank god i'm watching this show alone bc my watch method would drive anyone else insane

Black Dog is the monster. We had some more good paper props.

Sean always gets the tributes.. jealous building manager apparently. Sean used to suck and then overnight becomes a big deal. Very sus. "Geniuses seem to die young" well van gogh was super depressed and mozart died of illness?? i think??

Dean asked the secretary if her boobs are real. We're really going in with the three line joke with him huh. The jackbox guy would be proud

Myspace link so this one is for Sam

"Is it some sort of porn sight" Dean asks

Dean just starts taking the photographs off the wall. The maid seems fine with it.

Oh that was some interesting special effects. Not sure if we are to take it that she's being followed by something creepy or if she was imagining it.

We're investigating based off of flowers. Botanynatural.

Digging in gravel fucking sucks I bet someone on set did it for them.

Deal with a devil classic, classic

Ah yes, hellhounds.

Here the dogs come. OH LMAO IT'S CALLED THE BASKERVILLE MOTEL THAT'S ACTUALLY A FUNNY JOKE.

How convenient that the dog is invisible. I guess it's time for that lady to die.

Ah yes, back to our protagonist from the beginning of the episode.

Making out with the devil, how fun. Well I guess that's that and he just is the best blues player ever. Robert Johnson I guess.

What exactly is the point of this episode? Dean is on the side of "let them die"

Why are they at this guy's house? I'm confused about what the chronology is supposed to be.

That is.... a lot of whiskey

Goofer dust ... voodoo ... keeps out demons. hm

I see so this guy just want to get killed by the demon also

The guy has a sob story. The demon just kept making deals at the bar. Apparently they didn't know? Ok so I'm getting the point of all this now.

Hudson. They gotta go save Hudson.

This actor did a good job and the paintings are interesting.

So the Black guy made a deal with the devil and all the innocent people who accidentally made a deal are White how i n t e r e s t i n g

"I got some bills to pay"

ooh more creepy effects.

Wow great bedside manner there boys.

Also all the White people got rich and famous and the Black guy didn't.. amazing

Sam take your fucking cast off

He made a deal to get his wife?? That's kind of fucked up actually.

I need to go buy potatos

Oh his wife was dying ?? He used his deal with the devil to cure cancer.

Dean is pretty relentless about being unhappy with the deals with the devil thing. I hope it comes back around to their dad at the end bc Dean knows he made the deal. And then he has to tell Sam so we can progress whatever myth arc.

Here we go. Yes your dad made a deal with the devil.

I guess that's all it takes to get Sam to go along with Dean's insane plan.

Oh she's a White lady now.

There's a Winchester newsletter.

Using the goofer dust to keep the hellhound out. The man is definitely going to leave the circle.

"Like father like son" so that's confirmed to the little bois hm

Wow he could have hidden it better.

Did the demon not take his deal? I guess not because the other guy is still getting attacked.

There was some pretty intense jacting happening behind that fence.

I guess they are not going to tell us what Dean's promise was ? No the hellhound just got tired of knocking at the door.

Wow that was a pretty risky ploy to try to trap the demon if the first one doesn't work.

show meee theeeee doggggggggggggg

Run Sammy run!!!

Did the demon call off the hellhound?

Ew why did they make out. Dean also didn't like it.

Letting the demon go? Or not? Ugh Now we're guilt tripping Dean.

Ok I guess the demon is de possessing this girl now.

So now they know their dad made the deal. And Dean can't get over himself.

Actually it sounds like your dad kind of sucked at being a hunter.

I guess Dean told Sam that he had talked to the demon about making a deal. And basically admitted he would have gone through with it.

[dramaticnerdwithanxiety11]

it’s been like 11hrs bc i forgot about this but like hello im here to talk about it now

AHEM

so starting off with a list of things i wanna say

1. No romantic subplot between main characters (and also marks gf) 2. female character on the main cast who’s pretty sick (and has two dads) 3. the a n g s t 4. harper and leo 5. spyder 6. the year and the tech 7. the 36 

Okay starting with the lack of a romantic subplot (between main characters): YES. THANK YOU DISNEY. Look, im all for romance if it’s good, but had they gone with the stereotypical “omg girl and boy on main cast fall for each other so cute uwu” i wouldve hated this show. But they didnt!!! They could’ve made Harris and Veracity fall for each other, as they’ve been frenemies/friends since kindergarten (or before), and there were a lot of jokes made about them dating etc etc, but they didn’t. They stayed friends, even when she joined the main cast. They also couldve paired Veracity up with Ryan, as he’s the main character, but they didn’t! And it makes sense, because these guys are in highschool and have other priorities (yaknow, saving the world, for example) beyond dating. 

Now, Mark on the other hand, he actually does have a girlfriend. And she’s great. She’s a side character, which means I’m not being exposed to unnecessary romance, just a little sprinkling from time to time. They met at this gaming con thingy that had a famous sports player doing signings, they met in the line. She’s a cosplayer for this game that I forgot the name of and she cosplays this warrior elf lady who’s pretty awesome. She’s nice but not Too Nice, and she laughs when Mark acts all full of himself (he flirts with her rihgt off the bat and she goes “Smooth” and then he says something about her outfit matching her eyes all awkward and she goes “Less smooth” and laughs, its adorable). She takes him to a con and helps him make a cosplay later in the show where he plays the male warrior that the character she cosplays is dating, and he makes a comment like “so when do i get to save you?” and she gives him a look and then laughs and goes “oh no, you have a lot to learn” because it turns out the male character is the “damsel” in distress it’s great. She also breaks up with him at some point in the show because he was ghosting her due to all the time he spends in the robot, and he wings her back after Harris, Veracity and Spyder all try to repair their relationship bc they were cute. He apologizes, she communicates with him, they get back together. Plus! It makes more sense for him to be dating. He’s in his last years of highschool (while the rest of the main cast are freshmans), and while he does have quite a few commitments he doesnt get with her until after he’s only attending one after school activity (bc his whole thing is that he’s super good at sports and is in like all the teams). Plus, as the mechanic he’s not always at the robot.

Also, side note, the only other romantic relationship in the show is Harper and Grace, who get together early on in season 1 after she goes there to find work catering (she’s a chef btw) and the boys all break in to try and open the monster heart. After getting caught she scolds them, grounds Mark for a month for snooping, and then goes on a date with Harper just to spite him. They’re actually super cute, and if Harper weren’t the main supervillain I wouldnt have minded their relationship.

Anyways, moving on to part 2: Veracity (female main cast character)

So Veracity shows up in season 1 as this side character who knows Harris. They’re like scientific rivals, it’s cute. When s2 comes around and they move schools she slowly becomes more important (helping them out, working with Harris at Harper’s, etc), until eventually Harris gets injured and she gets recruited to temporarily take his spot as Defense in Mech x4 (she also thinks he’s going to ask her out when he invites her and politely denies him which is nice). She’s very independent and doesnt really know how to work as a team, and one of her biggest dreams is to get into this all girls hogwarts-style school for science. She almost does, thanks to Harris (who was mind controlled-ish at the time), but ends up not going when there’s more work to do and she has to take over Defense again. Also: she has two dads. We never meet them, but it’s mentioned, and I just want to appreciate that considering this is a Disney show from 2016.

Part 3: the an g s t 

for a kids show, this shit is so fucking angsty /pos. Like, unlike other fandoms I want fics of the like normal parts of this show that happen off camera; like the main cast bonding or shit like that, because there’s so much fanfiction-like angst in it i dont even need to read fics for it. And it’s like the good angst too!! Not even shitty angst, the good shit, and it’s not too over the top either, which is amazing.

Part 4: harper and leo

So, Harper is the main badguy. Seth Harper, owner of Harper Futuristics (a big tech company), creates this giant monsters out of orange goop because he wants to play god. More specifically: he intends to wipe out the human race except for the few people he deems “worthy”, then create a paradise for them to live in after everything is over. He’s actually kinda funny and neat when he isnt going all evil bad guy.

Leo, on the other hand, is the old mentor kinda guy-ish (he’s not actuallyt old he’s just like 30 but in comparison to the kids he’s old). He built Mech x4 (and also Mech x3 and presumably two other robots before), he’s super smart, etc etc, but he’s also a little fucked up. He was imprisoned deep under the sea by Harper for two years in solitary pretty much, and before that he was running experiments to create superpowers (resulting in Ryan being born with his Technopathy). He was on the run from Harper along with a lot of his experiments (who all willingly volunteered), before he went into hiding to create the robots and eventually got caught.

Leo and Harper actually went to college together. They were roommates and their relationship was akin to being like brothers, but then something split them up (presumably Leo coming up with the idea for the monsters and Harper deciding to end the world with them). When Harper turns to the good side (kinda) they bicker a lot and are very brother-like, especially when it comes to the tech on the robot.

 Part 5: Spyder

he gets his own category, fucking fight me

anyways, Spyder, aka Conner Johnson, is great he’s like the best character. He’s best friends with Harris and Ryan and he runs Weapons. He’s been to prison (”This is harder than it looks!” “Yeah, well, so is prison!” “Eh, it’s not that bad-- er, so i’ve heard!”) presumably multiple times, is failing all his classes and “has the attention span of a squirrel”. He’s super reckless and chaotic and loves chaos. He’s generally seen as the comic relief who’s pretty empty headed but is still very very important to the friend group and main cast.

Part 6: the year and the tech

This has been bugging me since i started rewatching it recently, i have no idea when this show takes place. Like you’d think it takes place in 2016 (or like 10 years in either direction) but then you see the tech and how at their science fair thingy harris making a device that can manipulate light and dim or brighten any and all lights from a distance and veracity making a black hole in a box is just normal and overlooked pretty easily (even if they did win the fair and the jobs). The tech from Harper Futuristics is all completely transparent and water proof, and also might i remind you that we have a 150ft tall fighting robot with a “plasma punch” and also giant hybrid monsters made of g o o. So no idea when this story takes place, and i think that’s interesting

Part 7: the 36

The 36 (i honestly dont remember the numer so we’re just going with 36) are the results of Leo’s experiments. They’re all allergic to technology and are slowly dying. They live together on this little farm thingy in the middle of fuckall and have an ore that protects them from techy shit. Ryan’s birth parents both live here. The leader of the place and her flunkies try to force Ryan and Leo to cure everybody, almost killing Ryan in the process, before she gets imprisoned for this. In the end Ryan gets a power booster device thingy from Veracity and cures all of them which is sweet.

Anyways I probably have more but i have places to be so enjoy this lmao

there are so many Words i could say about mech x4 but it's 6am and i don't wanna open my laptop so in like three hours prepare for a really long rant about a disney kids show 😎

[jellojolteon]

Hi! I know you get a lot of asks on the grey long Ay but I was curious about something. How are some of the main characters supposed to get Akumatized. Eg. Nino wanted Adrien to have a birthday party but that didn't happen because Gabe was being a jerk, or Alya when she got Akumatized because she wanted to find out LB secret identity. I know this might be too much to ask but I'll ask anyway. Could you make a master list of how the Champions were made in this AU? (pt. 1)

No, no worries! Every ask I get makes my day! In fact you made my dreams from last night come true by filling my inbox haha ;u;

So as a basic pretense, the champions still come about the same way; the folks who get made into Champions are still upset about something when Greyling reaches them, but it’s the handling thereafter that makes the difference between what Hawkmoth does and what Greyling does. I can still make a master list for you of people who have been akumatized up to S1 (sorry if I miss anyone lol), but there are only a handful of changes. 

As for Chloe? An excellent question. I think it’s complicated because she’s still Adrien’s oldest friend and now she’s indirectly doing him a huge favor, but he is also much quicker to wake up to the bully she’d become since he see what she’s like when he “isn’t watching”. 

Unfortunately for this end of the story I’m more interested in the interactions between the main three, so it’s likely that a lot of this, if I can get this big ol thing off the ground, won’t make the actual cut.

(See below cut- numbering is not indicative of order, but if order is important I’ll mention it. Also note that this may change in the final go, if I get there.)

1. Stoneheart - This is LB’s first fight against Tux and while the theory of it is the same, Greyling does not exist yet to bring Stoneheart to life. Marinette encourages Ivan much the same way as she does in canon and he and Mylene still get together.

2.  Stormy Weather - We’ll go with this one as Greyling’s first Champion. Aurore loses the weathergirl competition, but Adrien tells her that if it’s recognition she’s looking for, he might be able to help. Help he does.

3. Mister Pigeon - Ramier gets chastised by the police for feeding the pigeons. Adrien consoles him (somewhat regrettably considering his allergy) and tells him that pigeons are not inherently bad, and that a good way to show how honorable and invaluable pigeons can be might be for Ramier to help enlist them to fight Tux. This champion marks the beginning of Mari’s internship.

4. Lady Wifi - Alya snoops in Chloe’s locker, she pitches a fit, gets suspended. Greyling comes to her explaining that he knows her intent was innocent, and that if she really wants to show everyone she’s the bigger person, perhaps she can help him fight Tux today. Alya is of course like “oh fuck, I’m communing with my homegirl’s crush” and wholeheartedly agrees. Things look dire, and hers is the first instance of possession we see. I’m going to (unoriginally) henceforth call this special “ability” the Butterfly Effect.

5. The Bubbler - Mari introduces Adrien to Nino and Alya via video chat. Adrien is super excited to have friends and both Nino and Alya want to meet him. Adrien’s birthday is soon and Nino suggests a party. Gabe never yells at him directly but Nino finds out from Adrien that it’s a no and gets upset on Adrien’s behalf. Greyling suggests later, when Tux attacks, that it’s no birthday but hoo boy would Adrien think it great if Nino helped fight one particularly nasty adult. It might help get all those negative vibes out.

6. Copycat - This one might ultimately not happen in the AU, just because the pretense is so intertwined with the canon dynamics.

7. Kung Food - This is the first time LB witnesses and must repair a cataclysm death. Mari is lucky that her Uncle is in town to help her through the experience. Greyling reasons with Kung Food in Chinese (which is much better pronounced than in the show) that the cooking competition isn’t the end of the world, and that he’ll help him get another chance to prove himself in a fair environment.

8. Darkblade - not sure where this one falls, but when D’Argencourt loses the mayoral election, Greyling explains that maybe he can help show Paris true nobility by standing up to another person who has usurped the peace.

9. Vanisher - Greyling catches Sabrina at a low point when Chloe is snubbing her. He points out that there are many many unsung heroes throughout history but if it would help her, he might be able to arrange something that would get her recognized in the form of assisting LB.

10. Antibug - Here’s a fun one! This one doesn’t go super hot but I think this is where Chloe develops a little bit. Greyling tells Chloe that if she really wants to make a good impression on LB, maybe getting in the way isn’t the answer. But what if she was a champion instead? Chloe is too bitter to be working alongside LB at the moment, but things eventually turn out ok, even if it involves Tux getting the upper hand for a bit there.

11. Horrificator - Mylene is scared and Greyling explains that sometimes it takes some help to face your fears. I’ll help you face down the scariest monster in all of Paris, and I assure you that you’ll always be able to face your fears after that. This one is also a bit of a shaky one but it works out ok because as she grows bigger, Tux gets more frightened by her.

12. Timebreaker - another that I’m not sure happens? I feel like time travel is a bit of a slippery slope in this AU for some reason.

13. Princess Fragrance - After Chloe belittles Rose, Greyling compliments her heart and says that helping him fight tux might be a good way to prove Chloe wrong. (Aside: I can’t imagine a lot of these kids would normally have the sense to take down a murderer. But Ladybug hasn’t lost anyone yet and the trust they put in her to keep them safe is immense)

14. Reflekta - You might see that showing Chloe what a good person looks like is a pretty common thread here. Greyling gets good at convincing people that Chloe is wrong and that fighting Tux with the things she demeans about them is a great way to prove it. She slowly learns.

15. Evillustrator - Nath wants a date with Mari, and also for Chloe to Not. This one doesn’t go well.

16. The Puppeteer - This is where Greyling figures out that Tux is his dad. In his rage, he makes a very bad decision to send out Manon after Tux. Granted she’s not doing anything directly but still. Ladybug deadpans him a look through Puppeteer and he has an ‘oh shit’ moment. He pulls her out and goes for Simon Says instead.

17. Simon Says - Adrien isn’t quite ready to let go of his petty yet and this is just as much for himself as it is for Simon. Nooroo and Adrien have an important talk about choosing champions after this battle is over.

18. Heartbreaker - Much of the same spiel about proving Chloe wrong, though I don’t know how his powers could be of threat to Tux. Not sure if this one makes the cut.

19. Rogercop - After getting fired, Greyling hits Roger with the whole “If you really want to serve and protect, boy could I really use your help.” After Roger’s proven bravery against Tux, he regains his job. There are probably more long-winded effects of this in the au but I’ll have to get there before I figure it all out.

20. Animan - When Kim insults Otis’s prized panther, Greyling suggests that maybe a catfight is exactly the kind of shakeup Tux needs, and it would certainly prove Kim’s ridiculous comments wrong. As for Alya and Nino getting together? I can still see them getting locked in the exhibit for their own safety.

21. The Gamer - Mari and Adrien kick ass in a gamer tournament, and Max gets upset because he’s overthrown by someone he’s never even met. Adrien just has a lot of time to play video games when he’s shut in, y’know? But Adrien realizes he may have gone a little too hard and requests Max’s help defeating Tux. He fluffs Max’s confidence by pointing out what a skilled and analytical fighter he is. Ladybug could use someone like that (instead of someone who sits from afar… hm…) in her fights against Tux.

22. Guitar Hero (pffff oops) - “Hey Jagged Stone, you know what would absolutely skyrocket your popularity? Riding around Paris on a DRAGON while blasting a cat man with SOUND WAVES. Does that sound like some killer album art to you? It sure does to me. Also I’ll throw in glowy tentacle hair as a bonus, I’m a big fan of your work actually.”

23. Pixelator - Greyling says, “Hey, man, maybe let the guy have some space, y’know? Being famous is stressful. Here, if you really want to be like him though, help me fight this guy.” Please don’t ask me how that works Greyling just gets real good at his job at some point.

24. The Mime - Fred’s meddling understudy tricks him into missing a performance, but Greyling sees an opportunity for the most kickass show of Fred’s career. He’s not wrong.

25. The Pharaoh - unfortunately, another one I’m not sure happens? Remnants of this ep might be involved though, with Jalil helping LB uncover some of the history of the miraculouses. Looks like the Kubdels get off easy in this story haha

26. Volpina - Lila’s compulsive lying gets her into a sticky situation (probably actually not with LB tho) and Greyling tells her that maybe he can give her a true story about herself worth telling. Greyling has been itching to get out for a few attacks now and this is where he finally gets the opportunity to go out. He just has a bad feeling about things and goes out to check. As I mention in the comic about their first “meeting”, Greyling’s intuition is correct and he saves LB from a nasty head injury as she passes out on top of a building from a previous wound. This also incidentally marks, for the most part, the end of Greyling’s use of others to fight. He still brings a few out (maybe I’ll get to integrate some from S2?) but this pretty neatly ties up most of the pre-outside timeline.

Sorry this got so long, but thanks again for the ask, @randomstar365! I hope this is a satisfactory answer. 

[imthepunchlord]

Me Rewatching ML: Volpina

Oh boy, ok, gotta be honest with you guys, kinda not looking forward to this. This is the only ML ep thus far that I didn’t enjoy first time I saw it and largely think it could’ve been better written. So, if you guys enjoyed the episode, I’m happy for you, and I’m sorry if I wound up saying something you don’t like or agree with. Maybe now that the heat of Lila’s reveal has died down, maybe I’ll enjoy it more. I’m hoping. 

Ok here we go. 

You know, the first time I saw this episode, I was so excited because the focus started out on the Agreste manor. I thought we were finally getting an Adrien centered ep. Not yet. Hopefully s2. 

Why does Gabriel keep that depressing painting in the foyer? Strange choice Gabe.

On the phone call, Gabriel snaps that he was doing something important, yet this person on phone is important enough that he’s up to answer and talk to them. And by the tone, he doesn’t like them and is definitely annoyed.  

Gabriel has the book open and appears to be reading over the LB hero. 

Evidently it’s a call about work, garments not matching up and some one or a few people messed up on the pattern. So looking into miraculouses are more important than fashion. If Gabriel for sure has an objective to get his wife back, it would make sense. 

In this ep, he has a show coming up in 3 days. 

Plagg loves dirty secrets. This cat has a bad habit of snooping. And he’s encouraging Adrien to snoop. Adrien doesn’t want to upset his father and betray his trust. 

Adrien is supposed to head up to fencing now, and is making excuses why he can’t snoop. Adrien has fencing in the morning. 

Gabriel has a book on Tibet, a portrait of Mama, the peacock miraculous leaning on her picture, a hotel flyer, the miraculous book, a journal, and it looks like... 3, 4 scrolls? Plagg I note has his back to the peacock miraculous and doesn’t turn to it at all.

But he does focus on the miraculous book and does mention that he recognizes it, then quickly changes the subject about being hungry. In the French dub, he says it in a hurried tone, like he really wants to redirect Adrien’s attention. I’ve always took this as a sign that Plagg knows more than he lets on and is reluctant to share more with Adrien. 

Adrien is surprised to see HM in the book, confirming that he was unaware that he was fighting another miraculous user. Also, by looks of it, the butterflies used to make heroes should look purple with white on the rim of their wings, instead of black with white/purple markings. 

Adrien refers to HM as a monster. Plagg is kind of drooping beside him, frowning with his ears down. It seems like something he wanted to avoid and is regretting snooping and Adrien now looking in the book. It’s back even more with Plagg demanding cheese, trying to distract Adrien. 

Adrien decides to hold onto the book, and for a split second, he had an angry expression, hinting that he’s now suspicious of Gabriel. At least it seems to me. 

Lies Lila has told:

She knows Prince Ali, even flew in his private jet (told this to Rose).

Jagged Stone wrote a song about Lila (told this to Chloe). 

Lila knows all the Hollywood directors and would mention Nino to Mr Besielberg (told this to Nino). 

Ladybug saved her life and that they were close friends (to Alya, and later Adrien). 

She’s friends with LB (to Adrien).

She’s a descendant of the vixen hero Volpina, and is the most important hero, and is stronger than LB (to Adrien). 

Marinette is a bit wide eyed to hear all of this info with Lila. And despite her and Alya arriving together, Alya knows Lila already while Marinette doesn’t. I’m guessing this could actually be Lila’s 2nd day of school, this allows her to know the lay out of the school, what to say to impress people, and is able to talk to Alya before Marinette and Adrien meet her. The first day it can easily excused that Adrien and Marinette were occupied with an akuma. At least what I’m speculating as to why Alya already knows Lila while Marinette doesn’t. 

Adrien looks so uncomfortable, but he’s open to make a new friend. Poor child. 

Marinette is very stressed and insecure, equally caught up in the lies too. Lila is officially the 2nd girl to get Marinette stressed about getting Adrien to fall for them, the other being Chloe. It doesn’t help that even Alya praises Lila to be incredible and is super excited that Lila is attending their school. 

I wonder if Lila is possibly famous, because Alya is delighted that her blog got more hits after the interview with Lila, suggesting that a lot of people wanted to know what’s going on with Lila. 

Tikki teases Marinette for being jealous something I would think she would scold Marinette for?? Especially with Marinette’s reaction to this girl? This is an even worse reaction than what Chloe sparks from Marinette and she doesn’t even know Lila officially yet? 

To me personally Marinette’s feeling a bit OC here, but I suppose she’s just caught up in how much Lila is built up? Or what they were aiming for? It’s kind of bothering me. Or it’s me? Bleh. 

Tikki isn’t scolding Marinette for snooping and stalking and being a petty jealous, something I would think she’d be disapproving of. 

27, Tikki zips around in the open following Marinette to the library. 

The library is on the 2nd floor of their school and can be reached through the stairs in the courtyard. 

Tikki has a much bigger reaction about the book than Plagg. 

28, Tikki floats in the open, a kwami on a mission. If someone looked up, they would see her hanging on top of a bookcase.

Lila already has homework for her supposed first day. And Adrien said he had to go to fencing, why isn’t he going? Or maybe this is more midday? Marinette wound up skipping the morning and she and Alya were arriving during the lunch period, and if Marinette was gone in the morning, that would give Alya the chance to meet Lila before her. 

Adrien was going to look more into HM while waiting for Lila. 

Lila just takes the book from Adrien. For some reason he tells her it’s a book about superheroes... Is that really something he should reveal? I suppose there’s no harm but obviously this isn’t a book you should be sharing willy nilly. This is Adrien’s off episode where he just doesn’t think it seems. Cause you learned Plagg can open the safe, you could go and look at that book later why did you bring the book to school, especially since Gabriel could come back and find it gone. 

Lila is surprised to see Ladybug, a hero of Paris, listed in this book of superheroes. Lila is annoyed to see Adrien go dreamy about LB. 

“A girl doesn’t need to wear a costume to be amazing, you know?”

“I don’t know...” 

...Um, Adrien, that, that’s the wrong answer. That, I, I find this line very out of character?? Your answer should be immediately be yes, you have acknowledged that girls are amazing and they don’t wear a costume. For sure you have done so with Marinette and you don’t consider her to be LB. This response also kind of suggests that you think LB is only amazing in costume and we know that’s not true. 

Maybe I’m overreacting but this line from Adrien really bugs me. That response feels out of character. 

I don’t get why Adrien is being defensive about having a crush on LB? He’s not shy about, especially when Chat, and he’s certainly not shy about it with Nino. Then again, he is among people he is comfortable with then and he’s definitely not comfortable here but it’s still kind of odd to me that he’s denying his crush on LB. 

Even Lila knows not to talk about hero stuff in public and says she and Adrien can continue talking in the park. I’m going to assume this is lunch period which is why no one is rushing to class and still hanging at school, if it was over, everyone would be heading home.

Marinette was ready to fight, going in snarling and this is really odd cause only other ep I can think of her being jealous is Bubbler and she was a lot more sublte about it. Only time I see her this snarly is when Chloe is pissing her off being a brat and even then it’s not even this much. This, everyone feels off. 

Adrien does have to go to fencing. 

I do like the tactic of how Lila steals the book, very sneaky. 

Marinette is now put off and suspicious. 

Marinette wants to let Adrien know that Lila is a thief. Tikki isn’t sure if it is the miraculous book and wants to wait to see if it is what she thinks it is. Though, I’m sure if you just had Marinette steal it, you could’ve avoided the events of Volpina. Marinette is a damn good thief. I bet she could’ve easily stolen the book away from Lila. You know how good at stealing she is Tikki why not make use of it? You are fine doing sneaky tactics to help with LB duties. 

Tikki isn’t willing to tell Marinette the book may have miraculous secrets. Though if she did this would help push Marinette to get the book, and you might as well since you have already let Marinette meet the Guardian and you will let her officially meet him in the end, deeming Marinette is ready too. TIKKI YOU MAKE NO SENSE THIS EP. 

No one seems to be making sense... am I the only one that feels everyone is kind off? 

29, Tikki is hanging out in the open. 

Yes Lila, toss a book full of superheroes into the trash, never mind that you do have a bag there. And as a clever liar, you can just reveal you have it and say “Hey, you left this behind.” 

Lila seems to have a habit of grabbing people she’s interested in and pulling them along, thus far, only with Adrien, grabbing him and pulling him along when he’s reluctant or moving too slowly.

 “You take care of Adrien!” What exactly do you expect Marinette to do?? Make a scene? Shouldn’t you have her more focused on getting the book instead??

30, Tikki moves closer to them and is moving about to get the book. It would be so easy for Adrien to end up seeing her. 

Physically kwamis are limited, Tikki is struggling to hold up the book. 

“This is the book!” Tikki’s priorities. 

...Well, at least Adrien does raise a brow. And he believes her. Adrien this, this should be a red alert, especially since Plagg told you from the start that as a hero, no one should know. LB backs this. This should be suspicious or put you off at least a little cause you don’t share this information lightly. Why would she trust you with this? She doesn’t know you’re Chat. 

Also, if she’s friends with LB and reveals herself to be a hero, you who has worked a whole year with LB, don’t question why you haven’t seen Volpina? Or why LB hasn’t mentioned Volpina? 

Lila is quick to act to make sure Adrien doesn’t check and see if the book is gone. And build up her being Volpina, including being stronger than LB, and that LB isn’t even in the top 10 wow. Marinette is understandably irked. Also, Adrien, LB is your partner and crush, shouldn’t you be a bit bothered that someone is saying stuff like this about your partner who you have feelings for? I would be. Where is the loyalty Adrien? 

Lila sets it up that her grandmother gave her the necklace. 

Tikki deems Lila is a good liar. 

Marinette is done with Lila’s bullshit. 

And she’s going to leave the book on the ground so she can transform and confront Lila. 

Adrien asks Lila if this is a miraculous. He just revealed to Lila their official name, something not even Alya may know, at least I don’t recall her ever calling them miraculouses. Maybe she has? 

LB so salty. I can get why but this still feels like an overreaction. 

Lila starts crying while LB tries to remember where she saved Lila and where they became best friends, which does make her seem more the victim though LB isn’t in the wrong for calling Lila out for her lies (she definitely could’ve done a better job handling it though, I’m cringing). 

Also it appears no one else is witnessing this. It looks like they’re pretty alone so not to many, if any, know about LB confronting Lila. 

Adrien is very horrified by LB’s confrontation. His heart is going out to Lila.

This is very Chloe behavior right here and it feels so odd to see this coming from Marinette. I suppose this is to echo the similarities between Marinette and Chloe but this just feels odd. 

Adrien snaps at LB, then quickly shrinks down, which is odd since as Chat, he has no issues being clear when he doesn’t approve of LB’s behavior. He has no fear of LB not liking him for doing it. It makes it odd that he seems to have a fear that she wouldn’t like Adrien for doing it. I guess it’s to make sure he wouldn’t be too Chat like? Still, it’s strange to see him hunch up so much. 

Who is the liar from your past Marinette? Who told lies about you, because this reaction here, if we’re going to count this as canon, this suggests it’s very personal to you which is why you’re so aggressive about it, making it unlikely that it’s Chloe who told lies about you else you’d have a bigger reaction with her in general, especially in her interactions with Adrien. Was it someone similar to Lila? Is that why Lila is able to get such a rise out of you? 

 Adrien is equally concerned and confused. 

LB does acknowledge she went overboard, but she isn’t that bothered by it. 

Lila thinks she has no chance with Adrien now, and hates LB for revealing her deception to him. 

According to HM, Lila does desire to be a superhero, along with jealousy and deceit as traits he notes of her. For me, of what’s given of Lila so far, she wants to be a hero to be admired and number one. 

HM tells Lila that he’ll give her powers of illusion, which may or may not be the actual fox miraculous powers. If it is, HM knows either looking through the book (if he’s Gabriel), or Gabriel possibly told him. HM may know other miraculous powers. 

“Gain LB and Chat’s trust.” Pffffft, gain their trust, ha! Imma need a minute. 

I really do lik Volpina’s design, it’s a solid design for a fox. 

Where the hell does the flute come from? It just slides into her hand. 

Meteor falling, so dramatic and flashy an entrance. Also Volpina’s illusions do make sounds, making it seem like they’re there. 

Gorilla doesn’t move at all as he watches the meteor fall. 

Evidently no one in all of Paris, who would be watching the meteor go, including LB and Chat, don’t question it suddenly disappearing for plot conveniences. 

Confused pigeon is confused. 

“I am Volpina, the only superhero Paris needs!” Yeah! That’s a great way to start gaining LB and Chat’s trust! Say that you’re only hero Paris needs, no way will they bothered by this. At least for sure LB. She’d be totally find with it. 

Chat is fully accepting that a new hero named “Volpina” has showed up and is up to work with her, just after a girl he just met said she was “Volpina” and confirmed lying to him and ran off upset. Noramlly, Adrien and Marinette instantly lock on to someone being upset and are at least suspicious of potential akuam. He isn’t suspicious at all while LB is. I want to shake him. Godman this episode. 

“Hey I’m just saying she seems awesome.” Adrien this, this isn’t your episode, this is not turning out good for you.  

Volpina drops in and starts giving them orders. Not personal introduction of herself to them at all. She’s just rushing them along and having this all set up in one ep doesn’t work well. This should’ve been a two parter I say. 

LB and Chat automatically know what HM look like, which is strange since they’ve only seen him as a giant floating head made up of butterflies. 

LB is understandably confused and wants to figure this out.

Volpina pushes to act and Chat is all for it while LB is bothered with this. Chat, you are not being a good partner this episode. We see that you ultimately trust and care for LB even when she makes a mistakes, you trust her judgement and follow her lead. But here you’re up to follow a new face and not listen to your partner? Wtf? 

LB is bothered to see them flirting. 

LB tries to bring up how unusual this is and wants to discuss it with Chat, only he responds out, “I’m finding you unusual today, everything ok?” Chat. This is unusual and suspicious. Meteorites don’t rain from the sky everyday, and new heroes showing up is curious; this is unusual and suspicious. You are really not pulling through as a hero and partner this episode. 

LB does not appreciate someone coming in giving orders. 

“Will you chill out? She’s one of us.” YOU DON’T KNOW THAT FOR SURE. THIS IS SUPICIOUS AND STRANGE AND...  I want to pull my hair. 

Volpina is able to control illusions from a distance. That or they are able to move and think on their own. 

Chat’s plan in attacking HM is just charging in, no plan besides chasing him. 

LB didn’t suspect Lila to be Volpina, even though she did hear Lila say Volpina. 

Huh, here the fox miraculous looks more golden in color than orange. 

This right here is a solid hostage situation for Volpina. The building is far away, there are a lot of civilians, LB is locked under the threat of weapons, and no Chat Noir near to help. Far more believable than “Hey I got Adrien!” 

Chat doesn’t get why Volpina, who Lila claimed to be and was upset, is an akuma. You know, maybe this would work out better if Lila never revealed the hero name as Volpina that way they wouldn’t have known the name previously but now it just seems like they have conveniently forgotten it. 

...How do you know she’s going to Adrien’s house? Volpina never said she was going to Adrien’s house and that there was just an illusion the real Volpina not with you... I even rewatched the scene just to be sure. Volpina doesn’t mention going to Adrien’s house so how do you know??

This ep wasn’t planned out well. 

For some unknown reason, Adrien thinks it’s best to be himself. Even Plagg, who is usually more than fine to not transform, points out that Chat would be more useful here. 

Adrien thinks he can get an akuma to see sense, evidently still trusting Lila fully despite her earlier deception to him. This is why he thinks it’s a good idea to be Adrien instead. Uuuuuuuuuugh. 

At least he’s raising a brow at Volpina’s declarations. 

Adrien argues against goign on a date with Lila. He corrects himself and says it could be a date when she turns and gives him a glare. 

Plagg was right. Adrien isn’t up to really think about being in the wrong here. 

It appears Volpina may need to play to activate her illusions, though I’ve only seen her play about twice now. Maybe there’s a time limit to the illusions and playing the flute resparks her making them. 

This climax is all Adrien’s fault. If he didn’t show up as Adrien, LB wouldn’t think Volpina has him. 

There are stripes on Volpina’s miraculous, most likely being the time limit to a special move that would drain Trixx’s power. And if fox has a special move that can drain the miraculous’ power, the other miraculouses do too. 

I’m, I’m sorry this climax is so dumb. 

There are two superheroes below them, two heroes that are fully capable of catching “Adrien” if Volpina let him go. I know you guys can survive a fall from the Eiffel Tower, that you have saved people threatened to fall or were falling from the Eiffel Tower.

LB up to give her miraculous for this set up is so dumb. I can’t see this as a romantic or endearing cause the set up is so stupid. There is such an easy solution here for LB but no! Must give up the earrings even though she can easily save “him”. 

This is probably the first time Chat’s action has really scared LB. 

Third time Volpina plays her flute, this time summoning a lot of illusions here. I really wonder if she has to play each time she makes an illusion. Don’t think so since I can see that giving away a fox’s location when they need to sneak around. 

Lila doesn’t acknowledge that she was in the wrong. She walks away clutching the fake fox miraculous. 

I do see Chat throwing some shade after Lila for rejecting LB’s apology. So now you’ll back your partner. 

HM notes that Lila is still angry. He states that Volpina will return. I really can see the possibility that Lila as Volpina will return and help HM with his akumas. I also do really think Alya will be going by a different name than Volpina, it’s odd to think she would use that name. 

Despite the clear issues the partnership had this episode, largely from Adrien, LB and Chat are acting like everything is fine and there are no issues. LB is also locked on checking on Adrien. 

Adrien is exaggerated and adores her stubbornness. 

Adrien’s answer to LB problems are showers.

Marinette is probably really confused and flustered why she keeps almost walking in on Adrien when he’s showering. 

The door scene was good. 

Marinette isn’t bothered that Adrien had the miraculous book. She sees this as another opportunity to connect with him outside the mask... are there Ladrein hang outs we don’t know about? 

According to Tikki, Fu has been looking for the book for a while. But how accurate the claim is, it’s hard to say since we don’t know when was the last time Tikki was active. Last time she was active Fu could’ve been looking for it then. Perhaps not now and he was aware that Gabriel had it. Though that is kind of slim. 

According to Tikki, Fu knows how to read it. He will probably be the one to reveal future powers to Marinette, suggesting that kwamis themselves don’t reveal more than the basics. Or maybe it’s up to the kwami and the Guardian. 

Tikki officially deems Marinette ready to meet Fu. 

Adrien is suspicious that Plagg took the book. 

Was that Wayzz who closed the door or can Fu use the Force? 

So rewatching it, Volpina is my least favorite episode of ML. It doesn’t feel well written, Marinette and Adrien felt OoC, and... I think it could’ve been better a two parter. I also do like the idea of this being a reverse Antibug instead, testing the partnership and their loyalty to each other. This also could’ve been a good Adrien centered episode with him messing up with Lila since Marientte being a jealous mess, we have seen it before and it kind of felt out of place and just too aggressive for Marinette. Bonus if Marinette does wind up liking Lila, sees Adrien mess up and hurt her feelings, showing that he does have flaws and can be imperfect. 

If you like this episode, I’m glad you did and that you were able to enjoy it; I wasn’t able too. This ep bothers me too much. Especially in writing. 

But! I just Origins left! Probably do those tomorrow. Then I’ll have officially rewatched s1. And now have notes and references for writing. 

[jondalars]

movies, tv shows, and books of 2017

((as before,  * is a rewatch/reread; currently watching; can’t get through))

Skam (s3, s4)

The OA (s1)

Misfits (s1*, s2*, s3*)

My Mad Fat Diary (s1*, s2*)

A Series of Unfortunate Events (s1)

Smallville (s4*)

Don’t Breathe (2016)

The Eric Andre Show (s1, s2, s3, s4)

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid

Hidden Figures (2016) & *

Schindler’s List (1993)

Sophie’s Choice (1982)

Timeless (s1)

Shadowhunters (s2)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

The Imposter (2012)

Tickled (2016)

Riverdale (s1)

Jenny and the Jaws of Life by Jincy Willett

In the Flesh (s1*, s2*)

Till We Have Faces by CS Lewis

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

Doctored Images by Robert Sherrier

Moonlight (2016)

The Happening (2008)

Love & Friendship (2016)

The Office (s4*, s5*)

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Cléo de 5 à 7 (1962)

The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall

The Witch (2015)

Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman

Grey Gardens (1975)

Holy Motors (2012)

Lion (2016) & *

Plein Soleil (1960)

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

Becoming Native to This Place by Wes Jackson

Moana (2016) & *

Arrival (2016)

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Confirmation (2016)

Get Out (2017)

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

Roswell (s1*)

Pride and Prejudice (2005) ****

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

The Ultimate Gift (2006)

Cold Magic by Kate Elliott

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Men in the Off Hours by Anne Carson

Pain & Gain (2013)

Cold Fire by Kate Elliott

If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Anne Carson

The Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis

The Plays of Oscar Wilde by Oscar Wilde (LWF, S, WNI, AIH, IBE*) 

Degrassi: Next Class (s3, s4)

Big Little Lies (s1)

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)

Face/Off (1997) *

Degrassi (s10*)

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (s1)

Cold Steel by Kate Elliott

To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf *

Feud (s1)

13 Reasons Why (s1)

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

The Social Network (2010) *

Bowling for Columbine (2002)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Extras (s1)

Chewing Gum (s2)

The Virgin Suicides (1999) *

And Then There Were None (s1*)

My Cousin Vinny (1992) *

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin *

Vineland by Thomas Pynchon

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017)

The Handmaid’s Tale (s1)

Personal Shopper (2016)

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The Handmaid’s Tale (1990)

My Own Private Idaho (1991)

Gosford Park (2001)

Kynodontas (2009)

The Island (2005)

Notorious (2009)

Busanhaeng (2016)

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The Girl on the Train (2016)

Law & Order: SVU (s18)

Rize (2005) *

Phoenix (2014) *

American Gods (s1)

The Bank Dick (1940)

Gentlemen Broncos (2009)

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (s3)

Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

The People Look Like Flowers At Last by Charles Bukowski

North & South (2004) *

The Beauty of the Husband by Anne Carson & *

The Keepers (s1)

The Girls by Emma Cline

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) *

Clue (1985) *

Finding Dory (2016) *

The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

The Great Gatsby (1974)

The Great British Baking Show (s3)

The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

Suite Française (2014)

Across the Universe (2007)

Casting JonBenet (2017)

Life (2015)

Blindness by Jose Saramago *

The Iron Giant (1999)

Freaks & Geeks (s1*)

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Jurassic Park (1993) *

Habibi by Craig Thompson

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) *

Jurassic Park III (2001) *

Jurassic World (2015) *

Children of Men (2006)

Oh, Hello on Broadway (2017)

Queen of Katwe (2016)

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins

Testament of Youth (2014)

The Final Girls (2015)

Wandafuru raifu (1998)

Updraft by Fran Wilde

Okja (2017)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle *

Unbreakable (2000)

Dunkirk (2017)

A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015) *

War & Peace (s1)

Stage Beauty (2004)

Defending Your Life (1991)

Sleepers (1996)

Game of Thrones (s7)

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

Odd Thomas (2013)

Spirited Away (2001)

In Bruges (2008) *

12 Years a Slave (2013) *

Elvis & Annabelle (2007)

Showgirls (1995)

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

Almost Famous (2000) *

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Kill Your Darlings (2013) *

Francis Ha (2012)

Much Ado About Nothing (2012) *

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Iris (2015)

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Tiny Furniture (2010)

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Following (1998) *

Meet the Blacks (2016)

The Falling (2014)

Amélie (2001) *

Death Note (2017)

Anastasia (1997) *

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin *

The Good Place (s1)

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente *

The Red and the Black by Stendhal

To the Bone (2017)

Experimenter (2015)

The Land Before Time (1988) *

A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle *

Wonder Woman (2017)

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood *

It (1990)

I, Claudius by Robert Graves *

The Reader (2008)

Bojack Horseman (s4)

It (2017)

Love Songs (2007)

Girl Asleep (2015)

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn *

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Sing Street (2016)

White Noise by Don DeLillo *

The Beguiled (2017)

Def Comedy Jam 25 (2017)

Shameless (s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, s6, s7)

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton *

Goon (2011)

The Breakfast Club (1985) *

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

American Vandal (s1)

Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017)

Stranger Things (s2)

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell *

Free Fire (2016)

You Instead (2011)

The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

Factory Girl (2006) *

Girls Trip (2017)

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Sense and Sensibility (1995) *

Emma (1996) *

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen *

Amnesiac (2015)

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)

The 100 (s1, s2, s3, s4)

Emma by Jane Austen *

Dark (s1)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Miss Stevens (2016)

Mudbound (2017)

Logan (2017)

Ex Machina (2015)

The Love Witch (2016)

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The Walking Dead (s1*, s2*, s3*, s4*)

Just Kids by Patti Smith

X-Me (2000) *

X2 (2003) *

Democracy by Joan Didion

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) *

Dancer (2016)

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

Lady Bird (2017)

X-Men: First Class (2011) *

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) *

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Lady Macbeth (2016)

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

[extraquarterblog]

Gone but not forgotten, the story of Project Offset

Project Offset

The beauty of being a gamer, is that there's always a high degree of excitement for the next AAA release. The industry over the years has delivered so many new series or sequels, that regardless of the year, there's always a title to look forward to on the calender. While some games release on time, others well, get delayed a bit, and then you have some titles, pushed back years. It's a level of frustration that few can understand outside being a gamer. All the teasing, videos, images, demos, that tug on a gamers heart for years n years till the final release date, becoming a passionately exhausting roller coaster. 

Unfortunately, history has shown, there are a select few titles, despite the enormous attention and potential, will never see the light of day. None showed so much promise, potential and excitement, arguably more than Project Offset. 

Now for some of you reading, might be wondering What's Project Offset? Well, don't feel bad if you don't have a clue to what it is. Project Offset originally made its debut a decade ago. A time where YouTube was just starting, Myspace was all the rage, and service pack 3 for Windows XP wasn't a thing yet. So back then, it was actually pretty easy to overlook a new trailer or projects studios were working on. But for those who do know what Project Offset is, undoubtedly feel a slight bit of sadness towards the game that never was. 

"We're making a first person shooter, set in a epic fantasy world, rendered at cinematic quality"

To bring you all up to speed. In 2005, a new studio by the name Offset Software demonstrated a revolutionary new engine, showcasing stunningly beautiful visuals that pretty much shocked the industry. The original demo gave several different glimpse of a Kingdom of old, under attack by unknown invaders, Dragons and Orcs. Project Offset also had a unique twist to the FPS approach as well, instead of machine guns like Halo or Call of Duty, it used crossbows, stealth and magic. The whole display screamed Lord of The Rings, which released their final film in late 2003. To quote the original video "We're making a first person shooter, set in a epic fantasy world, rendered at cinematic quality." And that was the thing,at the time, the visuals were so damn amazing, that it did appear to reach the mythical unicorn, a video game that had the visuals of a big blockbuster Hollywood film - The ultimate wet dream for a gamer. 

On-line debates of fans posting comparison pictures of the Orcs from Lord of The Rings and the Orc shown in the Offset Demo are still fresh in my mind. Though the difference was still clear that Hollywood, still several steps ahead, but everyone agreed, this has been the biggest jump towards a cinematic presentation then ever before. However - not everyone was convinced. The Gaming industry has been plagued by fake "real time" demos and constant PR bullshots for decades, why should this be any different? Especially when very little was known about Offset studios, not to mention its very small size. The few staff members that we knew were Sam McGrath, Travis Stinger and Trevor Stringer, who all previously worked for S2 Games. 

For the most part, Offset Studios was an enigma, despite all the red flags, everyone was too busy drooling over the gorgeous videos and images. 

If Offset Studios was famous for its Project Offset demo, then it was equally famous for how little information they ever gave out and their silence. Which made it incredibly frustrating for its fans. There was no twitter to make cryptic tweets, or a blog to leave little nuggets of info on how the development going, wouldn't appear till years later. Nope. Nothing. The only place, where you could get the slightest glimmer of anything Offset related was on the official website forum. Which had its own unique community, that grew over the course of Offset life, creating its own distinct culture. The lack of any information didn't stop the devoted to scrubbing through every single frame of the few videos released and discussing any tidbit of graphical hardware related to Nvidia or ATI. 

They worshiped various Idols, none so more famous than the fabled Teapot, the holy grail of the game. Some believed the Teapot would be the final boss. An unstoppable foe which could summon the very fabric of life, creating a sea of monsters to fight. All hail the Teapot! Joking aside, random objects fans happened to spot from the demos soon became viral. For instance the Teapot I was talking about, one of the videos showed a room filled with little trolls running around, and at the corner of the screen, you could see a 3D Teapot model in the background, that seemed all the trolls were appearing from. Little things like this, gave this little corner of the internet life, as fans waited hand and foot for any crumb to devour. 

Offset Software living up to their reputation of remaining silent, leaving fans empty, with hardly any details given - For years. Rumors of the entire project were nothing more than smoke and mirrors continued to grow and the online community numbers would continue to whittled down to only a few active members left. Project Offset, the most promising looking title had all but vanished. Until one fabled day in early 2007, a leaked video showcasing entirely new artwork and video footage spilled out onto the interwebs. Causing an eruption of hype, the game was real and more importantly, it was alive. Though, despite the warm feedback from the community, it seemed the higher staff was not happy at all about the video being leaked. Supposedly, it was made for internal purposes only. Official quote the man himself: It has come to our attention that a video we made for internal purposes was leaked and is being spread around. Again, this video was for internal use only and we didn't intend to release it publicly. We'd like to request that news sites, please not post this video - Sam McGrath.

Of course, this only leads to further speculation and rumors surrounding the game. Why create an internal video demonstrating the game to such a small staff size? Are they aware of what they're working on? The video is getting fantastic attention and praise, why try to remove it? Something was amiss with Offset Software, which, of course, continuing their fine reputation. Went underground, Again. 

The world of Project Offset remained silent once more for some time until an unthinkable bombshell scenario hit. Intel, the giant semiconductor, CPU making beast, in early 2008 - purchased Offset Software. It was the shot that rang across the world kind of moment. Why did Intel have any remote interest in a software gaming company? Well, if you recall, years and years ago, Intel had great interest getting in the GPU market, to rival against Nvidia or ATI. Working on their own card under the code name Larrabee. Intel GPU was supposed to deliver unheard of gaming performance, showcasing real time Ray tracing, which was unheard of at the time. So, if you had an unbelievable graphic card, what better than to pair it up with an unbelievable game, Project Offset. 

Naturally, everything about was met with mix emotions. More red flags continued to be raised and speculation about the earlier leaked internal video was originally made to pitch to Intel to seal a deal. While others felt relief that Offset Software now resting on the shoulders of Intel would have all the resources needed and time to develop the game. As for a while, people began to wonder, if this game was ever going to see the light of day...

Thankfully, Offset Software started to release a few additional demos and pictures, showcasing other interesting tidbits of their engine. Giving hope that the project was well alive and the partnership with Intel looked to be a fantastic match made. A complete 180 from a company, previously famous for being so tight lipped. A steady flow of information continued to dip out throughout 2008 and early 2009. A promising sign that the development was going well, and fans began to speculate that Offset Software was getting ready to completely unveil the game from their shroud of mystery and even possibly a release date. The game been in development for several years now, surely something should be coming.

Then everything went quiet. 

Did the company go back to their traditional ways? Was Project Offset deep in development Hell? Were things going sour with Intel? Regardless of rumors floating around. Things didn't feel right. 

Sadly, in early July 2010. Intel canceled their Larrabee project and scrapping everything connected to it. Including Offset Software, which at the same time disbanded. For any fan, who follows a game in development for years and years, this is, without any argument the very worst possible scenario. Gone, done. Goodbye. There was no Larrabee, no Offset studio, and Project Offset will forever remain nothing more than a video, sitting on YouTube. 

After the disbanding of Offset Software, few details are known what happened with the original staff. Several employees split ways left to do their own thing while a portion of the staff joined together to create a new company Adhesive games.  Who already have one release under their belt Hawken, A title you can play right now. While the former Offset leads created a new smaller company Fractiv, making mobile App games. 

Questions piled up after the fateful day, fans who chased after Project Offset was left with very little closure. No one would get any answers until a post on Fractiv website giving a few details, relating to the ending with Intel and showing off a few pieces of Project Offset:

"Our previous company, Offset Software, was purchased by Intel in 2008. Our labor of love was Project Offset and the game engine that went with it. As many of our fans already know, Project Offset was cancelled. The graphics hardware it was being designed for did not ship and our game was a casualty of this. The IP and Engine are property of Intel so its future is out of our hands. We have tried working with Intel to obtain the rights and there are some good people there who have made some effort to help us, but without success. We would like to thank all those who supported us and the project. We learned some good lessons along the way and met some incredibly talented people who we are fortunate enough to call our friends"

So with that, answered several questions relating to the fate of Project Offset and Intel. On that same blog, Sam shared a portfolio reel piece that belonged to one of the animators who worked on Project Offset showcasing never before seen footage, including a few brief pieces that included audio, showing the game was at the stage of voice acting. Sadly, that would be the last piece shown of Project Offset for several years...

Until last year, a sound engineer who previously worked with Intel, posted a few videos, all never before seen footage of stages and enemies, including a few boss fights, showcasing that the game was indeed in playable form. Answering one of the age old question, was the game smoke n mirrors, or was it legit? Seeing these final videos, shows, that Project Offset was indeed real and at some point playable. 

Despite its age, the game still looks gorgeous, the atmosphere and detail is top notch, I would be so bold to say, lives up to today's titles on the current consoles. A little rough around the edges, but that should be a true testament to just how unbelievable this game was when it made its debut a decade ago. A title with graphics that would be several consoles ahead. It's a tragic story, what could of been, to imagine not only how great Project Offset could of been, but what Offset Software could of done next.