#nathalie sancœur

[grahamdefamily]

Round 1: Gabriel Agreste vs Nathalie Sancœur

[unchataparis]

A Review of Passion

The episode with the long-awaited returned of Lady Noire and Mister Bug. This could be great fan-service and plot continuation all in one.

Alya doesn’t believe that Marinette is in love with Chat Noir. I don’t either. It just feels like she’s trying to avoid her feelings by fixating on completely irrelevant targets.

“Marinette, you find yourself a new, unavailable crush just when Adrien seems interested in you. Aren’t you running away from your feelings a little?”

The animation of Marinette looking down but lifting up her eyes to look at Alya was so smooth. So personable.

I don’t like Adrien’s sudden change of heart either. The way he’s speaking Marinette’s name around the house paints his love as a hyper-obsession rather than any genuine feelings. Yes, Adrien could just feel very strongly, he is a person who like to feel things at 200%. But this is such as whiplash change after four seasons of the same old thing.

Both Adrien and Marinette woke up really early. I wonder what’s the symbolism of this.

Adrien being completely blind to the tension might be the funniest thing this episode. Love how they’re both fighting for the right to take care of him. 'Bout time people are fighting to love him rather than abandon him.

And here, we remember Nathalie has martial art training.

Again, Nathalie reminds the audience that whatever ‘pure’ intentions Gabriel had to start out as Papillon has ended with the madness he now dons Monarque’s cowl with. I can’t remember everything from Season 3’s Stormy Weather 2 episode, but Nathalie mentioned feeling deep affection for Adrien, Gabriel, and heavy sorrow for Emilie, which inspired her desire to gain Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. Now, it seems that any affection she has for Gabriel has disappeared. Nathalie capitalises on the fact that she’s here for one thing and one thing only: Adrien’s safety. Nice. I would definitely be concerned about Adrien’s safety as well. And it’s time Adrien has someone on his side.

It’s debatable if they’re both wearing Miraculous, because Gabriel has experience but Nathalie has been out in the field, but in hand-to-hand combat, with only their bare fists in civilian forms, Nathalie would win, even with paralyses legs.

Gabriel hits back with the argument that “Everything I do is for Adrien’s happiness” and Nathalie responds the blunt truth, that all Adrien needs to have for his happiness is an available father. Adrien has no idea both Gabriel and Nathalie are still tangled up in the very-present issue of Emilie. Adrien appears to have moved on and completely accepted Emilie’s death/disappearance, he made inferences that he’s okay with Gabriel pursuing Nathalie in both Stormy Weather 2 and this episode. To bring Emilie back now would be to traumatise him.

And now Emilie has left recordings. Which were conveniently absent for the first four seasons.

Oh, dang.

Yeah, he’s dying.

And this gives Nathalie plausible reason to want to continue helping Gabriel. Because he’s right, Nathalie can’t be saved, maybe Emilie won't be saved, and now Gabriel is dying too. Adrien will be left alone if Gabriel kicks the bucket.

It’s great that Adrien is immediately making plans on confessing to Marinette. Moved faster in a quarter of an episode than Marinette did in five seasons.

They keep adding new lore? In Season 1, Emilie was guessed to be in a coma due to some illness, in Season 2 and 3, hints of Peafowl-related mayhem were bought up, in Season 4, the issues of Sentibeings became available, and now they were all on a safari together? What is going on? I cannot piece all these broken parts together.

I’m going the assume the latest version of the lore is the one the writers are now following.

So Gabriel, Emilie, and Nathalie has all been searching for the Miraculous for sometime. None of their reasons are clear yet, but Nathalie’s is especially obscure, seeing that she’s not part of the family. But Emilie has wanted Gabriel to stop searching for them long before all this catastrophe happened. She knew she was going to die, or be out-of-commission of some sorts, which was why she recorded her videos. But Gabriel never honoured his wife's wishes, his Miraculous-obtaining goals simply switched targets from the original aim to saving Emilie.

Aw. That’s so innocent, Adrien going to a parental figure for advice on love.

These stills are so awkward, the lightning doesn’t match up and the heads looks superimposed on. This looks like those bad fan-made edits. Nathalie literally looks like her head was pasted on a stock-image body. Why does the clothes have so many wrinkles.

“No, it will be okay. Don’t worry about me, Adrien”, Nathalie says. Lying to Children 101.

“Emilie, I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do anymore.” Do what’s right. When you don’t know what to do, do what’s kind and what is good.

Love Tikki’s absolutely zero faith in Marinette.

Huh, this is the first time Monarque was spoken to by a Champion he personally knows. Both Lila and Chloé has called to Papillon before, made offers, demanded powers, but Nathalie is the first person to explain his own feelings back to him.

And it’s a Mega-Akuma this time, Monarque is placing a lot of faith on him.

Giving Nathalie the power to create her own ability. I’m excited to see what she comes up with.

This is a weirdly well-rendered box.

Ohh, she’s created her own weapons kit!

Safari looks really good, making it onto the list of best-dressed villains alongside Style Queen and Chat Blanc. 

It’s never referred to, as they can’t waste a single moment, but I wonder if Nathalie felt relief and awe at being able to move so freely and easily again.

Pretty much the entire class has Alliance rings. The only people that don’t are Adrien and Marinette, self-explanatory, and Ivan and Mylène, as a protest against technology? That Akuma alert is very useful. Parisians get to know immediately.

Everyone in Paris picking up an Alliance rings seems like a Chekov's gun.

What are they learning, that is not collège-level maths.

Love this tiny detail that Marinette’s stall-door is the only one that's locked.

Safari’s powers are cool, but I am so confused about the power scale now. Is Monarque bearing the weight or is Safari just able to handle six Miraculous powers on her own?

Both Manipula and Safari used Miraculous powers as part of their inventory. I guess the writers really want to emphasis how the ball is now in the other field, what once belonged to Ladybug is now being fired back at her.

This scene made me gasp, that was really cool. This is the best way Chat Noir has used Cataclysm in some time.

And it’s Ladybug out of commission for once.

That was a really good chase scene. Hasn’t seen action like that since Season 1.

I love how Chat Noir will trash-talk even an arrow.

Ladybug has all the brains but Chat Noir has all the confidence. These two need to realise they’re still separate people, they don’t need the other to function.

“I’m sorry. Without you, I fail.” No. Terrible message to send, horrendous message.

This was pretty clever. For most episodes of Miraculous, I can still spy another route the hero could’ve taken, some way they could've gotten out and the only reason why they didn't is to adhere to the plot. But, here, Chat Noir really was pushed into a corner.

There you go, baby. You’re thinking.

Season 2 finale vibes. Love that the first thing Marinette notices is the absence of her Earrings. Her instincts always goes towards protecting those.

Adrien actually proposes the possibility of using a Wish. But Marinette is right. Not only would wishing for something mean nothing, there'll be a terrible price to pay.

Oh, they did not waste time.

“My suit has a really weird influence on you.” Lmao.

“There’s nothing else to destroy. All that’s left is her suit.” Rip her suit off.

They would not have been able to defeat Safari if Adrien didn’t realise that was Nathalie.

For some reason, Mister Bug keeps getting items of extreme convenience. He wants a mirror? He gets a mirror. He needs an excuse to go to the Agreste Mansion? Ta-dah! Must be his straightforward way of thinking influencing the Miraculous.

That’s right, assert yourself, baby boy.

I just happened to be walking by and decided to help.

Animation error, Tikki’s eyes are brown.

This episode explains why Nathalie can't help out anymore, she gave her all in one last push. And the episode gives an opportunity for Lady Noire and Mister Bug to shine once more.

[owoanduwuchan]

I'm pretty sure it was weakly implied Felix figured out Adrien was a senti in Risk, with Nathalie ordering "Adrien" to leave while "casually" holding up the wedding ring hand after Gabriel couldn't stand his ground without it. Felix looked surprised before pasting on his dejected obediance act, with the classic senti catchphrase of "Yes [Amok Owner]". While his reaction was more subdued then with Kagami, he'd probably had considered Adrien could be like him before, and after seeing the basement it'd be reasonable to be a bit numb to any other horrors revealed that day.

Hi, this may be the “finals drawing near and studying melting my brain” talking but im losing my mind over the twin rings and it has begun to actually hurt my brain. And félix didnt get blorbo status in my brain until recently so i never really thought too deeply about his actions???

I know there’s people out there who have put huge amounts of thought into the amok lore, because i saw u in the wilds of tumblr a while ago and then proceeded to ignore it because i was too busy with my Other Blorbos, and now idk where to find posts, so, if you’re out there, here are some questions, i am imploring you for your wisdom

—why did gabe use the ring to threaten félix in the episode félix. “You know what i could do with a snap of my fingers,” or whatever. Was he talking about the peacock? The peacock wasn’t even fixed yet. It was still broken. Could he use the peacock to kill félix? I thought you needed the amok to do that???

—WHY did félix give adrien’s ring BACK to gabriel in risk. What the fuck benefit did that give him. He had blackmail and ALL of those miraculous????? He was already winning why was he like “and THIS, i wont be needing it anymore 😏” what the HECK félix.

—“anymore.” Why did he need it to BEGIN with then. Like. Is he protecting adrien with the peacock??? Is that even a thing????? He spent a while in hiding doing nothing why did he not swoop in to protect adrien sooner??? Did he even DO anything to protect adrien when he had the other amok????? Was he just constantly whispering like “adrien u can make your own choices youre free” into the ring and we didnt see it?????

—WHY IS HE SO BAD AT BARGAINING????? This isnt a lore question this is just. Still not over it. Félix what the fuck. Do you know how bargaining works. You dont play all of your cards at once. I get that he’s impulsive but SERIOUSLY my GUY. You are so STUPID why did you OFFER the ring to gabriel you dumb bitch

—amelie being like “you can keep it félix, i just wanted the ring back on our side of the family 🥰” at the end of félix makes me genuinely insane now. WHY. Amelie what did you want it on your side of the family for. Amelie couldve been like “oh we gotta give that to adrien” but instead she was like “yeah my sweet little murder boy will take good care of his cousin who he bullies”

—by the way this is not me complaining and this is not intended to be a space to complain,,, this is a space to go “omg these fictional guys are soooooo stupid and messed up (affectionate)” and try to unpack and come up with an explanation for what could’ve possibly made them act that way. Félix makes me more insane the more i study him . i hate him so much (affectionate)

(Also please please please please do not reference any leaks i am avoiding them okay thank u)

[spacedoutcowgirl]

another snippet bc im clearing out the drafts:

“—and she was kissing her, Adrien!” Félix exclaimed in horror, clutching at the top of his scalp. “Nathalie Sancœur was kissing my Mummy!”

“What?” Adrien garbled over a mouthful of chips, “No way, that happened, like, right here in my house then.” Félix could hear the background noises of whatever video game his cousin was engrossed in for that hour.

[ninadove]

I want to do a little thing, for Science™

TO BE CLEAR this is not an invitation to spread salt about the show, the writing team or the characters themselves, and certainly not an encouragement to trash each other in the notes. You are welcome to elaborate on your opinion, as long as you do so respectfully.

Keep an eye out for the Canon >>> Fanon equivalent as Tumblr won’t let me link it!

[eminaths]

why nathalie sancœur is the actual “catalyst” of the show and why she will also probably be one in season 6:

we all know that nathalie’s akumatized form in the season 2 finale was called catalyst, but i never really thought about the meaning of that until i realised that she is, indeed, the real catalyst of the show

a catalyst is a person/event that lead to a much bigger event.

as we know, nathalie was a magical artefacts researcher who helped the agrestes finding the peacock miraculous, which they used to create their son adrien.

but that event also resulted in emilie getting sick from the miraculous and falling into a coma, gabriel (and nathalie herself) becoming a super villain and ultimately dying and said son adrien becoming an hero alongside marinette.

we all know those things and the point of my thread is another one: i actually think that her actions will lead to what will be the climax in season 6

we know that in evolution, lila overheard nathalie and gabriel’s conversation (confirmed by the creators and by the script).

she probably started suspecting about them but it’s not until episode 20 that she gets access to all the information (emilie being in a comatose state, the ring, the peacock miraculous and gabriel being monarch) thanks to nathalie being possessed by the akuma’s power.

if you have seen the last episode you know that lila somehow manages to get the butterfly miraculous.

but what about the information she has? she didn’t use them anyway, and it seems weird that they let her know about all those stuff without bringing them up so my theory is that in season 6 she will use the information she got at her advantage by either blackmailing nathalie or by revealing everything to adrien to get him to join her side (as he will think everyone around him betrayed him)

[mariska]

from the bottom of my heart i hope everyone who happens to be online on here whenever my clown car of a brain very suddenly hyperfixates hardcore on nathalie sancœur + gabriel agreste (and sometimes ms. emilie agreste as well if u know me im sure u know by now that im always cracking myself up thinking abt her Mr. Freeze's Wife Situation In The McMansion Basement) from My Favorite Least Favorite Not Good Cartoon Show That I Hate And Also Love So Very Much knows that i AM. Sufficiently. incredibly embarrassed posting about it anywhere. i promise i am aware that i am 27 and a half years of age and this is one of the worst case special interest scenarios for someone so very far outside of the intended audience age range. but you also must understand that they are two of the funniest cartoon villains i have seen in magical girl genre type media in years and i am agoraphobic and have quite literally been going insane having a long list of debilitating progressive disabilities and very little independence and sometimes i need to be cringe about those crazy french bitches and their soap opera level villain plot drama to get through the day without ripping all of my real life hair out. ok. you must understand this. i don't want me to be like this either. it is my burden and curse

[jeannefostergoriot]

Me with Nathalie Sancœur. Like. Suddenly the peacock is my favorite bird and I’ll wear formal clothes

being obsessed with a character is so fucking embarrassing like I'll be getting dressed in the morning like "I bet the 12th doctor would wear these socks" bitch shut the fuck up

[grahamdefamily]

Round 1 is upon us! 🐞🎉🐈‍⬛

The polls will be open until Monday April 17th, 6 PM UTC+2 (Paris time).

We’re counting on you to perform your civic duty and bring out your best Ides of March energy! 🔪🔪🔪

All links can be found below:

Do your worst, people! 🐞🎉🐈‍⬛

[unchataparis]

A Review of Multiplication (Part 1)

Félix look like he’s wearing wicked eye-liner in this shot.

The lyrics of the opening are "In the daytime, I’m Marinette", which implies that she’s someone different in the nighttime. But she’s still Marinette in the nighttime. In fact, most of her battles take place during the day.

These title cards hasn’t appeared in the previous seasons, did they? If they did, I do not remember. I like them, they look very solemn, ceremonious. You can tell from the title along that this season is going to be serious.

The video of the late Miraculous Team all together looks very cool, intimidating. Some of their most well-dressed members are here – Rena Furtive, Coq Courage, Vesperia, Chat Noir –  adding a strong air of fearlessness and style.

Adrien needs to star in more campaigns. The same material has been recycled since Season 1.

Félix has a Wikipage? He’s a famous person then. His last name is Fathom now? Seeing that neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir, Marinette and Adrien, reacted to this change as if it’s new news, I assume that’s the name Félix was always supposed to have.

It’s always heartbreaking when siblings don’t get along in media, that’s one of my most hated tropes. Especially if the parent is abusive in some way, and one sibling decide to betray the rest of his brethren in order to maintain that parent’s false love. I know Adrien and Félix are cousins, but the same sentiment stands. Great portrayals of sibling relations are Claire and Fleabag in Fleabag, and Evangeline and Ptolemus in The Red Queen.

What a shot.

And where were you for the last few episodes?

I don’t really blame Su-Han for not being a mentor to Ladybug. Technically, he never came to Paris to be her supervisor, he went there to take the Miraculous Box away from her. Ladybug and Chat Noir managed to convince Su-Han to let Ladybug keep the Miraculous Box, and she was meant to prove herself while he watches from afar. He stepped in during moments such as Éphémère when clearly there’s been some significant faults in Ladybug’s management. What could be criticised of Su-Han is, that, clearly, Ladybug is a child, she never would 've been able to properly look after the Miraculous on her own either way, especially in the state of her stress and no proper guidance from Wang Fu in the first place. Su-Han was setting her up for failure. Since he allowed her to keep the Miraculous, Su-Han should've remained with Ladybug and taught her how to keep it properly. It’s much more interesting to watch Marinette do her own thing without someone crowding over her throughout Season 4, but realistically, Marinette eventually losing the Miraculous Box was always going to happen.

Either the animation ran out of budget, or Stompp is really unimpressed by Gabriel.

Props to Ladybug and Chat Noir for ending the conversation with Su-Han so quickly. There was no need to drag that tedious argument out. Pointing fingers right now, punishing each other under some mythic court, isn’t going to help the solution at all. Wise words: in times of urgent difficulty, don’t put too much effort into anything that doesn’t contribute to the solution.

I don’t mind seeing Adrien’s face all over Paris, but he desperately needs some new material.

Again the decision to immediately find Félix rather than chasing some roundabout ploy is very impressive. Adore that this season has been going for the throat of issues rather than beating around the bush.

It possibly couldn’t have taken that much effort to replace these nonsense filler with an actual description. Seriously, how much effort could it’ve taken? It reminds me of Adrien’s cover issue of Style Queen in Season 4. It’s just the title, his picture, and a bunch nonsense Latin headlines. Little touches like actually writing a description would've really shown the dedication the creative team has towards Miraculous; they could’ve also included fun little tidbits or Easter Eggs here. Like – Félix was born in Oxfordshire, or that his great-grandfather is of Irish descent, or something. Some of the information seems to be accurate even if their category are gibberish. Félix’s birthday (?) is apparently the second of December, his nationality is British, and for some reason, his closet relative is listed as Gabriel Agreste.

Félix and Adrien are both aristocrats, aristocratic descents, officially confirmed. Nice.

And Félix’s father is an American billionaire! Interesting. That’ll provide a lot of material for additional shenanigans. Being American-British suits Félix, Mr Worldwide, just like how being Anglo-French suits Adrien very well. Also, Félix a chess, equestrian, and kung fu prodigy! The child is a genius. "England’s youngest graduate", no mentions on a graduate of what, but I’m guessing university. I knew it! Félix seems like the kind of person to be studious and attached to his academic works, so the fact that he’s constantly out of school, I deduced that he probably didn’t need to attend because he already fulfilled the requirements. I was right! Félix is an adept!

Their penthouse suite is so nice. Very modern and luxurious, yet warm. Someplace you can really live in. It’s sweet that Amélie thought that Félix was visiting Adrien, points to the fact that the two cousins are supposed to have a close relationship. I really hope Adrien and Félix patches their relationship in Season 5. I want Adrien to have something that’s not always tied back to Ladybug. Although, knowing the temperament of the show, I’m going to end up disappointed but not surprised.

Obligatory Big Ben shot. The Big Ben to England is the Eiffel Tower to France.

That is stunning.

Also realising that Astro Cat has aerodynamic fins on his calves.

Her suit is so glittery. It resembles the foil space shuttles are wrapped in to reflect UV rays.

I like that Marinette immediately contacts her support system, Alya, literally the only person who knows that she’s Ladybug who can offer her support rather than more problems. Just easily asking her best friend to come over and stay.

Adrien’s line "I should’ve never listened to Félix, I should’ve listened to Marinette" – I don’t like it. I don’t like the suggested narrative that Marinette is the one person in Adrien’s life that will never do him wrong and treat him nice. Don’t get me wrong, Marinette is nice and all, but a person need more in their life than just a single pillar, a single person. Adrien should have other interests and other fixations to be attached to.

This man is a terrible father, he really is. At this point, there’s no way any feasible defence can be risen for him. What are you doing, Gabriel? This is honestly pathetic, even for you.

"I don’t want to be a model anymore." "Fine." Well, that was easy.

I am very cruel. She has all rights to be upset, but the many times Marinette needs reassurance is starting to be grating. This is not a true criticism on her, it has everything to do with me. I’m just that kind of person.

"Miraculous and there Kwami?" Shouldn’t it be the other way around? The Kwami came before the Miraculous.

Marinette decides to abandon her passion for Adrien because it has been messing up her head, disrupting her duties as Guardian. Wise choice. But trying to cut oneself completely off, cold turkey, like that is bound to have suppressed and explosive consequences.

The perspective is so good? Why this random impressive shot?

Completely irrelevant detail, but I characterise Adrien’s nails as being quite long. Chat Noir powers bleeding into his human side with prolonged use of Miraculous resulting in certain anomalies such as increased sense of sight, smell, and longer nails. That’s not canon.

Aw, she’s so happy for him.

Maybe it’s my bias, but I never honestly thought Adrien and Marinette had a 'special' connection. They do have a lot of 'intimate' moments on screen, and Adrien is probably the closet to Marinette outside of any female classmate that isn’t Chloé or Alya, but there just wasn’t a foundation for a romantic relationship to me. A lot of platonic brushes, sure, but nothing that really seem to spell out the route for a once-in-a-life romance. I think it’s because Marinette and Adrien have so much similarities, not enough contrast. It’s difficult to determine what they may see in each other that they don’t already see in themselves. I’m going to be honest, and know that this is coming from a place of love because Adrien is my favourite character, but Adrien is quite a dull love interest. Literal damsel-in-distress, he doesn’t offer anything on his own. Throughout the show, he’s the pretty prize that the protagonist get whenever she sufficiently completes a certain set of tasks (only for him to get snatched from right under her nose every time due to the plot).

Adrien’s pyjamas are killing me. They look exactly like the kind of entry-level products high-end brands sell to entice low-income customers. Y’all ever seen those three-hundred-dollar sweatshirts with no embellishments other than a giant Gucci logo stamped across the chest? Yeah, like that. This child is a walking advertisement. Gabriel, let your kid wear clothes.

This is the funniest way I’ve seen someone fall asleep for some time. Instantly conked out, the lights just turn off on their own, lying over the sheets. lmao.

Today on the list of things LAURENT dislikes: Adrien’s room. Marinette’s room has her colour scheme and personality, Adrien’s room – it looks like what a distant and wealthy parent would give to their only child in lieu for being unable to spend with them. That’s exactly what it is.

The first thing Nathalie does when she comes back to the Agreste Manor is to check on Adrien, not confront Gabriel. That’s so sweet. It really shows how much Nathalie’s priorities has changed.

Madame Bustier is finally showing the pregnancy she announced two years ago. And she changed outfits, a teal sweater in replacement of her signature cyan shirt.

They just – straight out announced that Alix is Bunnix? That sounds risky. But I suppose there’s not much else they could’ve done, the secret would’ve been out eventually. By announcing it themselves, it gives Ladybug and Chat Noir a chance to manipulate an uncontrollable situation. And I suppose that if Monarch is inspiring to trying something against Alix’s family, he has to do it with the knowledge that Alix can really screw up his past and future in pre-retaliation.

Max states that Monarch has 78.95% of the Miraculous – that’s not right? There are nineteen Miraculous and Monarch has 16 of them, excluding the Ladybug, Black Cat, and Peafowl, making him the proud owner of 84.21%. What is this random statistic? Did someone in the writing room not bother to calculate it or am I missing something?

Chloé coming in with the caustic criticism as she always does, that it was Ladybug and Chat Noir’s fault for losing the Miraculous. Just like with Nathalie, I’m surprised Chat Noir is mentioned, Chloé usually treats him like he doesn’t exist. This season is really cracking down on the Ladybug and Chat Noir part of the synopsis. Queen Bee was a great hero, for the short time she had the Miraculous. She was fierce, deadly, and flamboyant. I prefer Queen Bee over Vesperia, as I feel that a Bee Hero should be full of sting and venom, quick to act, but furiously protective of her hive (team). Vesperia is like a drone worker rather than a Queen, a follower rather than a leader. Another weapon in Ladybug’s arsenal. The only two people that has ever challenged Ladybug’s rule is Chat Noir and Queen Bee, at various time, for reasons of various validity. Whether or not they were right, Ladybug does need people around her to pose other plans and disagree with her at times. A team can’t function if it’s only consisting of one person and their yes-man appendages. The whole point of having the team is to utilise different skills together and combine perspectives, rather than adhere to one view. That being said, my solution for the Chloé vs Zoé deal is for them to share the Bee Miraculous. When Ladybug needs support, send in Vesperia. When Ladybug needs sting, send in Queen Bee. They’re both good Bees in their own respective styles.

Lila coming in with a sweet, calm, and elegant defence of Ladybug. Making this argument reinforces Lila’s 'good girl' façade, and paints her as the heroine compared to Chloé’s villainy. But notice what words Lila uses: "she [Ladybug] was bound to make a few mistakes. We have to find the strength to forgive her." Very insidious, Lila doesn’t argue that it wasn’t Ladybug’s fault, and places herself as a moral centre, "we have to find the strength to forgive her." I feel like somewhere later in the season, as Lila has established herself now as Ladybug’s supporter, when she eventually 'turns against' the heroine, the rest of Paris might be compelled to follow.

Also, Lila looks really pretty here. Dimpled smile, feathery lashes. Her romper is very dark in this image. It’s usually a medium grey. I hope they keep the black. Grey is a great colour, but using it incorrectly makes a mannequin look tired, and unstylish. Ariana Grande's 2021 Grammy gown was peak ballgown fashion, I am willing to physically fight anyone that disagrees.

She mad.

Adrien looks really good here.

The music for this montage is so enchanting.

I did not expect Gabriel to make a deal with Tomoe; no, I did not see that coming at all. It makes sense, she’s just as ruthlessly ambitious as he is, and they do have professional contracts between their companies. But I just didn’t expect Gabriel to ever let someone else into his secrets. Nathalie wouldn't bother, but Tomoe seems like the kind of person to backstab Gabriel if something ever goes wrong.

Nino’s face, lmao.

Yoga is not calming for me, personally. In fact, one might say yoga stresses me out.

Part 2 here.

[emsylcatac]

Haha one more thing and then I'll try to finally shut up about this episode but

Maybe you all already noticed it but I just noticed and

Nathalie isn't there in person anymore to give him his schedule because she's probably sick in bed :) :)

[jeannefostergoriot]

Sophie Foster.

Linh Song.

Marella Redek.

Biana Vacker.

Maruca Chebota.

Nathalie Sancœur.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Kagami Tsurugi.

Camille-Ewilan.

Ellana.

Georgia Warr.

Tori Spring.

(… yes, there are more than ten. But I love them)

Name ten female characters you like, you get zapped if it's jsut a male character you call a babygirl or other feminine nicknames because I can't see people calling Lestat coquette again

[jesuis-melodrama]

I never knew how to feel about Gabriel's parenting, in a show like Miraculous, obviously, characterisation and personality varies episode by episode, depending on the situation, the specific genre, and the purpose they had to fulfil.

From Season 1-2, I had always seen Gabriel as someone who loves Adrien, but never shows it. Convinced on the idea that he'll always have time, that Adrien would never want to branch out from him, that Adrien would one day want to leave him.

I certainly never saw him as a father in the physically-abusive spectrum, his negligence and emotional degradation isn't out of a malicious intention or need to hurt Adrien, but more because Gabriel Agreste is an innately callous man and cannot realise the depths or ramifications of his actions. And if he does – he'll simply think that everyone around him, including his young son, is simply being oversensitive.

So this scene in Chat Blanc – was a bit unexpected.

It was set in an alternative dimension, a reality that never happened and was rewritten. But even so, it came out of nowhere for me. Following a popular law in alternative dimensions, a new world is created because of a choice made in a timeline, in this case, Marinette signing her name on the gift she left for Adrien caused Chat Blanc's appearance.

Although, Chat Blanc was never Marinette's fault, and like all issues in Miraculous is caused by the obsessive pursuit of one man.

This event in Chat Blanc pushes me to inspect Gabriel's perception of Adrien a bit more critically. Does he really love his son?

He says he does, and through audience-lens we can see what the on-screen character doesn't, that Gabriel does think about Adrien more than Adrien knows, but no matter what Gabriel thinks, if he doesn't show his love, than his own feeling matters very little in comparison to what the other person knows.

While I still don't believe that Gabriel has any malicious intentions towards Adrien or wishes him harm, I am starting to realise that Gabriel would willingly allow Adrien to be harmed, in certain contexts, if it means he is in control, if it gains him benefits.

In Gorizilla, for example, Gabriel as Papillon waits until the last possible moment to release Ladybug so that she may rescue free-falling Adrien, for the chance to uncover the possible secret identity of his son.

But in the special Miraculous Shanghai, Gabriel as Papillon who had been gleeful up until that very moment is horrified at the implication that YanLuoShi would destroy Shanghai, the very city his son is in, and his attempts to halt YanLuoShi in their moments resulted in his temporary vanquishment.

In Season 5, there is a new development.

As all humans are when they are on their death-bed, they are suddenly faced with regret, remorse, and a need to enjoy the things they do one last time, to right old wrongs, and to impart a kindness they had denied themselves and others their whole life.

Gabriel is no exception, and for the first time, Miraculous audience sees him committing actions that is frankly astonishing, something as simple as spending time with his son.

It was comedic to watch Nathalie and Gabriel struggle over their mutual goal, taking care of Adrien, but with very different mindsets on how to approach the goal. While Gabriel is clearly asserting his dominance as Adrien's birth father, Nathalie remains adamant on her truthful statement that Gabriel knows little about Adrien now, and has no right to be suddenly so paternal and caring after all the difficulties he had placed Adrien through.

Non sequitur: Congratulations to Nathalie for being one of the most competent Akuma; having a genuine goal, as well as being linked to Monarch himself and with someone dear to protect, her battle with Ladybug and Chat Noir, later Mister Bug and Lady Noire, had pushed them to their edges. And it is only because Chat Noir/Mister Bug knows Nathalie intimately that Safari was able to be defeated. Otherwise, a less familiar Ladybug and Chat Noir would've met their doom that day.

I also immensely enjoyed the segment of Chat Noir protecting Venomed-Ladybug, a sequence of pure action that has grown in increasing scarcity since the conclusion of Season 1 and 2.

Gabriel did not start off Season 5 as the most rewarding of fathers, his blatant disregard of Adrien's wellbeing for four seasons reaches its peak when the audience is forced to confront with the fact that while Gabriel most certainly views Adrien as an extension of himself, he does not seem to see Adrien as an autonomous being and only as a commodity. And with new Tsurugi technology at his disposal, what he requires from Adrien is not even his action but simply his image.

Discussions of dystopian futures, imaging rights, and self-possession aside, this kind of callousness culminates in Adrien's state of disarray in episode Jubilation, a slump which he is only shot out of with the arrival of a new villain.

In this season, Gabriel is climatically advancing towards his doom, with multiple subjects such as the end of his goal, his loss of long-standing allies, and his new Cataclysm-ed body in the mix, perhaps the long standing fan-theory that Lila Rossi will become the next evil wielder of the Butterfly Miraculous may be finally confirmed with the finale of this season. Nevertheless, it is clear that Gabriel's time is coming up, and he seems to be ticking off all the boxes of his bucket-list before doing so, including spending time with his son, and enforcing all his might into finally gaining the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous, not only to revive Emilie, save himself and Nathalie, but to ensure that Adrien does not end up alone at the end of it all.

[felixciavvv]

Nathalie: *Eating something that doesn’t look edible*

Gabriel: What the hell are you eating?

Nathalie: My emotions...

[agentianlegend]

Me: I mean, Nathalie isn’t ALL bad; she’s just misguided because of her feelings for Gabriel, and we all make mistakes. Plus there’s the awesome way she sassed Audrey Bouge-

Nathalie: Fly away, beautiful amok, and enhance and hone that frustration!

Me: ...bitch.

[thescarlettempress]

If Nathalie cared about anyone, herself included, she would snitch on Gabriel's dumbass.

To the police, to Ladybug, to freaking Child Protective Services because

GOTDAMN

Adrien deserves better.