#need the grittier survival side of the universe

[citrine-elephant]

saw some ducks eating in some mud, webbie toes covered in mud, and now i desire returning to the fuckin eden-6 thing I KEEP WANTING TO DO IT WHY DOES ADHD BRAIN HOLD ME DOWN

[kazbrkker]

Chapter 7: Bloody Reunions

Chapter summary: Time to get the Wolf. Alexis conducts interrogations like the badass she is, but sometimes it sucked being that good at her job. (Protective couple... you don’t even have to squint.)

Warnings: Misogynistic POS, emotional detachment, blood and violence, mild graphic detail of torture. (4490 words... i went hAM lol)

28 October 2019, 0630 "Alexis" and "Alex" | Codename Aces CIA with Demon Dogs Rammazan, Urzikstan

   "Place is a freaking morgue."

Judging by the piles of stacked bodies on the medical beds, it was a justified statement. Morgue might be an idoneous word for hospital. The patronising smell of death bypassed her as usual, but not the disturbing scene of unnaturally still bodies.

The handiwork of Roman Barkov.

There was a twisted satisfaction when Alexis shoved another magazine in her M4A1, knowing one of these bullets had Barkov's name mentally carved into it. She couldn't wait to see it lodged between his eyes.

"Check the bodies..." Sergeant Griggs ordered. The Marines and both CIA agents warily slithered along the occupied stretchers and medical beds—hoping none of them was sleeping with a gun.

It was a gut-wrenching sight. Bloodshed and raw injuries everywhere they turned. Not even sure if those alive should be considered lucky.

Suddenly, one of the civilians bolted into a sitting position, making everybody on edge. Frantic shouts and language barrier only escalated the chaos. Not willing to see another dead body, Alexis interjected in mediocre Arabic, calmly demanding the man to lay back down.

"More than a pretty face..." She looked distastefully over her shoulder, the Marine didn't bother wiping the smirk off his face and instead, shamelessly winked. Revolting, but she merely rolled her eyes, though a much younger her wouldn't hesitate to deck his face.

Gender discrimination in the military was a blast. There came a time when a heavy chip weighed down her shoulders—excruciating, yet she thrived under it. Often, some misogynistic meathead would challenge her.

Emotional, weaker, probably a lousy spotter, wouldn't last a week in the jungle.

Eventually, they all ate their words.

Alexis broke through every damn glass ceilings she went: the only female recruit in her company, made Lieutenant, then transferred to JSOC's Task Force Black. Impossible was understating things.

Her unconventional transfer to Task Force Black was a statement in itself. It finally felt like she earned it. Though she loved 88, the CIA was a nice change of scenery, where there were lesser suffocating males with inferiority complex and women were actually appreciated.

Five years later, such remarks were a humourless punchline to her. On the contrary, Alex fantasied how good Demon 1-2 would look with a bruise on his face. In the shape of his rifle stock.

Truthfully, even she considered shoving a middle finger. The weather was hot enough to vaporise her and having a tactical vest strapped against her sweaty body, was not it.

Things changed when another civilian to their 3 o'clock pulled out a gun targeted at the uniforms. While everyone was still busy hollering around, she shot a precise bullet between the hostile's eyes.

With a thud, the man fell off the stretcher.

The female agent scoffed, returning a satirical wink of her own, "Stay frosty, 1-2." He tripped around his words in shock, until Sergeant Griggs forced the gratitude out of him.

Well. If the Universe wanted to send it her way, who was she to reject it, right? She shook her head at the inevitable smirk on Alex, a subtle one hanging on her lips too.

It was a shame that the peace was ephemeral, by this time, several of Sergeant Griggs' men went radio silent. She religiously trailed behind Alex. They pushed further into the hospital, only to be met with a minigun.

"Mini my ass," Alexis laughed nervously as bullets sprayed inches away from tearing her abdominal—because of her ballsy move to switch covers.

"Holy fucking... Okay! Don't give me that look, Alex!"

She thanked the Heavens that Alex's yells were muffled over ricocheting bullets. Several smoke grenades later, Alex sniped the gunman and lo and behold, they finally reached a heavily chained door.

Score, imagery confirmed the Wolf was inside.

It was her job to clear the room while Alex secured the Wolf. Her index finger pressed lightly against the trigger, swallowing the adrenaline that dangerously swirled inside her. Upon Alex's signal, they sneaked in and hid behind messy shelves. The visual of the three missing Marines came into view, with one held hostage with a knife against his throat as the Wolf filmed another propaganda video.

"Check... Five hostiles."

"Affirmative. On my mark," Alex replied. A split second later, he tackled the Wolf from behind. His men's reactions were quick, but her years of muscle discipline was borderline supernatural.

"Clear!" Griggs rushed to untie his men. "You two good?"

Alexis nodded, tightening the zip ties uncomfortably around the Wolf's wrist. She began examining his body language, hopefully finding nibs of his tells to use against him in interrogation later.

Omar Sulaman was strangely calm for a man with a foiled plan. There was slight reluctance in his steps, but still, silence.

"Saint to Watcher, Wolf is in the bag."

Her voice was a stark contrast to the boyish tones that surrounded the room—earning the Wolf's attention, who made the bold decision to turn around abruptly.

"What are you doing here, daughter?"

Alexis felt the entire world's gaze burn into her side profile, equally as confused as the lot. She shrugged and walked away.

Inwardly, the interrogator inside was thrilled. The Wolf was in for a helluva surprise.

━━━━━

28 October 2019, 2100 Sakhra, Urzikstan

The air-conditioned room in the embassy was a godsend, not a word of complaint as the cold air blanketed her. Alexis, Alex, Farah and Hadir patiently waited for Price's arrival.

When Alexis expectingly popped a piece of mint gum, Alex knew. Though it didn't take an expert to discern the ominous aura around her. Alexis hadn't said more than what was necessary in the seven hours since they captured the Wolf, busying herself to study the Wolf.

Alex was smarter than to cut in between. Like Alexis said, she was damn good at her job. Interrogation was one of her most valued expertise, perhaps arguably why the CIA wanted her so badly and the reason why JSOC refused to let her go.

There was a secret to her tactics—compartmentalise. Alexis sat opposite the Wolf, gaze cold as ice. It was a chilling sight even for Alex.

Unscrewing his bottle, Alex greedily rehydrated himself, still observing Alexis. The grittier bite in her tactics was certainly noticeable. He guessed it had something to do with her incident. Having been captured once or twice, that was the closest Alex came to ever understanding her.

Sometimes Alex swore he never got her back.

Physical detachment was a given while she was... compartmentalising, although the rising situation gave him no choice. A shiver ran down his spine as he tapped her shoulders. At the slight arch of her eyebrows, "Bravo's three mikes out."

Alexis blinked slowly in comprehension, not realising Alex's first announcement shot past her. She nodded methodically, the metal chair screeched as she got up. She charged determinedly to an isolated hallway and slipped down against the wall, burying her head in her tucked knees. Despite the rapid intakes of breaths, it didn't suffice.

She loathed every single second in interrogations. Doing the Devil's work, she thought. The irony in this situation was her call sign. For someone called Saint, she didn't know anything else more normal than this.

Saint wasn't a moniker given to her because she was virtuous, innocent or some shit like that. Hilarious to think that, for its darker origin.

Every time she conducted an interrogation, she had to subdue the gag-inducing hypocrisy. How could she, after St. Petersburg?

The reports claimed it was a miracle she survived. Fuck that, what did they know.

That birthday was memorable, to say the least. He had even arranged something special that faithful day—nothing said happy birthday! more than electrocution.

152 days.

"ты прекрасна, ангел... (You are beautiful, angel..)"

"Fuck!" Her eyes shot open, desperate to let the ugly fluorescent light blind the image. Autonomously, her fingers scratched wildly across her arms. After a particularly deep breath, her head fell against the wall and like clockwork, she exhaled all her anxiety.

She was too good at pretending.

It was her desire to stay in solitude longer, but the shrilling embassy siren obviously had other plans. Doubling back, she found Alex at the doorway already looking for her.

"The Butcher and his men are about to breach. We need to leave, now." She peered into the room, barely seeing the tinted glow of the fire outside. Noticing the rising blood clots and angry red streaks on her forearms, Alex clenched his fists to restrain himself from reaching out, knowing she would only flinch. So, he settled for a hard swallow of his saliva, "Follow me."

Price's voice rang in their ears, "Saint and Echo 3-1, primary extraction failed. We're down on the roof."

"Understood. What's the call, Captain?"

"There's a saferoom in the basement. Head there. We'll be right behind you."

When they reached the basement, Alexis basically scrambled to the CCTVs for a sitrep–she had half a thought to join the sweep, eager to rid the hypocrisy from her systems. Eternity later, or in reality, twenty minutes later, their backup arrived.

Price.

The SAS Captain squeezed her upper arm in greeting. Lucky for her, it was where the bullet had previously scraped her. Price clapped Alex's back while glancing at her patched-up injury, "That fast, huh?"

Missed you too, old man, she thought, rolling her eyes as a response. Her coldness confused the Captain, eyes darting to Alex for an answer. He understood when Alex cocked his head at the Wolf.

"Let's move. Clock's ticking."

"You heard her..." Price ordered the Sergeant to direct the Ambassador secretary to safety and the rest headed to the parking lot. While Price and Farah went to retrieve the Ambassador's secretary, the two CIA agents stood guard at the car park entrance.

Under the flashing red coat of the emergency lights, there was no mistaking in the comfort Alex's concerned nod brought her.

It was apparent that Alex was her anchor. But in this state, she couldn't bear to look at him for long, internally disgusted by herself. All these years, she was petrified to ask if he was repulsed by her hypocrisy.

Then, she felt the hesitant touch of a coarse, large hand. She accepted it immediately—much to Alex's surprise. Their fingers intertwined secretly in the dimly lit hallway. Her eyes had long adapted to the darkness, able to witness Alex looking down at her and just like that, a sense of serenity flowed through her.

The unreadable expression on his face was a stranger to her in all their time together. Under the magnetic allure of Alex's gaze and the soothe whirring of his touch, it felt like they were worlds away from a war zone. Until gunshots unforgivingly interrupted.

She immediately retracted her hand.

Afterwards, the group slotted the obtained garage keycard. They fought through waves of Al-Qatala soldiers in low light, courtesy of the lacking streetlights.

The Ambassador's residence was no sanctuary either, as another wave of AQ fighters drew closer. Afraid the rising situation might delay their timeline, Price ordered her to start interrogations immediately. Her heart jumped at the unexpected news, suddenly thrown in the ring.

Hadir and Farah sent nods of encouragement before running out the residence. Price, despite raging at Laswell through the comms, mustered one last small smile for her.

That left Alex, who looked equally worried as her. Wordlessly, he tapped at the base of his neck. She understood instantly, feeling the cool metal of his dog tag against her skin. Obviously they had airtight obligations to not carry personal items, zero accountability and all, but it was Alex. She had corrupted him enough to not give a fuck.

The dog tag was nothing informative, only a simple 'X' carved messily from Alex's kitchen knife. Useless to her enemy, but deadly if it was ever pried from her neck.

It was a matching set. She mysteriously woke up with it after that night with Alex. His way of saying they'd always have a piece of each other.

With one last longing look, that unbeknownst to both of them—burned their insides, Alex left her alone with the Wolf.

━━━━

Her immediate observation? The Wolf was talkative.

It didn't faze her—narcissists simply could not shut up. Past thirty minutes, zero words retaliated and the Wolf was still going on.

Please. She wanted to yawn. Her legs swung restlessly while she sat on a table, undermining whatever authority the Wolf thought he had. The folklores he told in his grandiose sense of self-importance was vexing but valuable.

He hated women in combat. She learnt that when he tried to recruit Farah and even her, just minutes ago. Omar Sulaman thought women were weak.

Exciting.

As he rambled on, she almost failed to suppress a scoff. A woman wielding more power was his stressor, this meathead would be even easier to break.

"You have killer eyes," The Wolf said, tone switched from persuasive to intimidating. He exhausted everything—telling stories of what Barkov's men did to "weak" women, trying to scare her into his protection. Alexis hadn't bothered reacting, which pissed him off.

Victory surged past the fog of irritation inside her. She had conditioned the Wolf by staying quiet, truly a personal achievement. His narcissistic tendencies were itching to get out, evident from how he was desperately reaching for straws.

Alexis reached for her stripped vest and carelessly dug around for a plastic bottle. Popping the lid open, she chucked a mint gum in preparation.

It was time. Clouded by anger, he'd make mistakes that she would catch.

"Somebody hurt you."

She couldn't resist a huff at his eleventh-hour tactics. So the Wolf was now gunning for her emotional side? Fine, she'd bite.

"Don't act like you know me."

"Oh, child... I know more than you think. The look in your eyes, fear..." The Wolf paused, smirking arrogantly even at her mocking smile. "You put a great act, daughter. But I've been around longer than you... seen more."

"I bet... Because what makes a freedom fighter wake up and decide to switch sides?" Alexis circled him in pretence thought, "Money?" Noticing his jaw clenched, she pressed on it. "Power? That's why you made those videos?"

Alexis interrupted at the sounds of his protest, "Surely freedom fighters must not pay well. Maybe you got sick of that and switched?"

"I didn't switch sides! I was always on the right side."

"And what side is that?"

"The winning side," He snapped, "This occupation will never end if we hold sympathy for others."

A narcissist with a saviour complex, laughable. Alexis returned to stand in front of him, the grin ever present on her face. "But you didn't deny my claims—you want money and power."

The Wolf wanted to charge at her but was tied by the restraints, heavy creases in his forehead as he snarled, "No! I am saving Urzikstan!"

"Murdering people is saving them? I know people just like you, hiding behind a cause. After you kill Barkov, you will only start your own regime." Alexis chuckled darkly, "I'm not gonna let you do that. Don't bother holding out, nobody's coming to save you."

"Is that what you tell yourself?" At her strained expression, he continued, "If I die today, I die a hero. You? Your death will be meaningless, a secret." He continued laughing, "You Westerners... Busybodies, you have no business here. The price for that is death–"

He paused, not because of her killer gaze, but as if something in him clicked, "You have no family... That's why you are here." Loud waves of laughter escaped from the man, like he figured it out. And fuck, he did, word for word.

Alexis must have reached Nirvana or gained enlightenment, shocked by her restrain to not blow Omar Sulaman's brains out. She dare not move a muscle, refused to prove him right.

"When my men come, and they will. I will spare you, kill everybody but you. Maybe even make you watch that young man who loves you so much. Then, you shall know fear, child..."

That was it, her trigger point. Blood red. Hot flashes of anger. Picturing Alex's dead body was enough to chuck everything up. The wrathful voice inside her absolutely shattered her restrain, no longer concerned with not letting the Wolf gain an edge.

Alexis bit.

In a flash, she tipped his chair behind and roughly circled a hand around his neck.

"Don't. You think you know fear? You don't know shit until you carve your name on a disgusting brick wall with your bloody fingernails because it was the only way anyone would know what happened to you." Alexis spat, eyes boring at the choking man rendered helpless under her. "So don't fucking talk to me about fear, old man."

When the Wolf thrashed around to breathe, she waited another three seconds before releasing him—the once tipped chair landing wobbly with a sharp shriek. Her sudden outburst gained a new terror visible in the Wolf's eyes. No longer the delicate soldier his sanctimonious mind painted her as.

"Now," She slapped the invisible dust off her hands, tone bouncing scarily fast to normal. "Where is the gas?"

"I... I don't know."

Sighing, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and asked again. Still receiving the same reply, "And I don't believe you. Nothing escapes the Wolf. Someone stole the gas and you knew about it..." Alexis abruptly paused, fingers tapped against her forehead, "No, wait. You made a deal. Help whoever steal the gas and they promise to help you chase the foreign powers out?"

His silence was abundant.

There wasn't a tinge of remorse when her fingertips glided along a screwdriver.

"Since you have been here for much longer... You know this next part." As soon as she wiggled the screwdriver between her fingers, Alexis had him in the bag. The slight twitch under the Wolf's right eye was his tell, fear. Alexis witnessed it when she choked the living hell out of him.

Too damn easy. She should dress a big fat red ribbon across him right now.

"And since you know me so well," She gestured between them, "You definitely know that I'm a big believer in second chances. Right your wrongs, blah blah. I'll give you second chances. Many more, actually, I'm pretty generous... But I'm not sure if you can take it." With that, she ruthlessly stabbed into his left thigh, a devious smile spreading wider with the increased intensity of his screams. The metal tip squelched when she dug around.

"The gas?"

"I... Stop!" The Wolf bellowed in pain when she yanked it out, sprays of blood following. For someone called the Wolf, he had an embarrassing low pain tolerance.

She tilted his chin up, pleased as she surveyed the sweat that broke. "Here's your second chance. Third is when I snap your femoral artery and hang you for all of Urzikstan to see you bleed out. Your legacy will be a joke."

"Y–You can't do that..." He shook his head weakly, eyes blinking in pain. "Everyone will know the Americans are here... You'll be buried with me."

Reducing to eye level, she smiled wholeheartedly, "I'll make sure to dig a grave big enough for us both. Last call... Your third chance is coming," Alexis taunted, nodding towards the electrical screwdriver—witnessing the fear shudder across his body. "Where is the gas?"

She came so close to breaking him, practically seeing the words trying to tumble out of his mouth. Literally a blink later, a truck wildly crashed into their room, crumbling the house's weak foundations. Jerking to a standing position, she instantly reached for her sidearm and fired.

At least five men exited the truck, spraying bullets that forced her to tuck her body behind the slim profile of a cupboard.

They had AKs and she had a handgun, do the math.

She hurriedly pressed her comms, "I lost visual on the Wolf!"

Her instincts wrangled between fight or flight, seeing that she was severely outnumbered and the door was literally on her left. But the morality in her warred on. Suppressed under heavy fire, she still had no visual of the Wolf, but assumed he was freed by now.

She yelped in surprise as a painful tug tossed her out into the open. A burly man wasted no time to attack her. She barely raised her Glock 21 before he swiftly grabbed her wrist and pressed the magazine release button.

He wanted to reach for her Glock's slide lock before she elbowed his jaw, making him stumble backwards but made a quick recovery. He threw her into the metal table and she lost the grip on her gun.

Alexis' back arched painfully across the table, hands scrambling for purchase to rid the tightening hands around her neck. She weakly tried to pry in between his arms, but her lungs burned from the depleting oxygen. Fingers scrambling to poke his eyes and finally mustering enough strength, she sent a cheap blow to his nuts. He hunched over just enough for her to inhale loudly.

Seeing that, the Wolf's man started firing again.

She kneed him in the gut, put him in a chokehold and propped him up as her shield. The man's body jerked in reaction to every bullet he received.

Her ears picked up on the distinct sound of M4A1s approaching closer to her location. The Wolf motioned to leave, dust spluttering her way as their truck wildly reversed, with the Wolf grinning victoriously in the passenger seat.

"We will meet again, daughter! And your lovely man."

He left her alive. Like he said he would.

Miraculously still breathing, the man in her grasps used this distraction to tug on her legs. Seconds later, she felt a splitting pain in her head.

She was on the ground when she reopened her eyes, hazily feeling a wet sensation drip down her temples. The pain mirrored a wave, boggling inside her. Black spots started to consume the edges of her sight.

No no no.

From her blurry vision, she managed to squint out something glimmering in her 12 o'clock—she assumed a knife or her god damn screwdriver coming back to bite her ass.

Not like this.

The shuffles of dragged footsteps echoed in her brain, almost a warning from her body. She blindly saw the shift in light source, presuming he was walking towards her.

Incoherent words tumbled out, forcing herself to speak so she wouldn't pass out. Shaking, she pushed her upper body off the floor and stretched for her fallen sidearm...

That one bullet in the Glock's chambers was still waiting.

More blood flowed messily down her head, further impairing what was left of her vision.

Muscle memory dictated the rest—the grainy grip of her Glock, index finger looped around the trigger.

Alexis prayed when she fired.

At the assuring sound of a body collapsing, so did Alexis.

━━━━━

Price was the one to spot her.

"Clear!" He burst open the door, finding a jarring hole in the walls and an unconscious Alexis laying beside a dead man.

"Shit," Kyle said from beside him. "Is she breathing?"

Price shouted for Alex and the man instantly appeared beside him. Careful not to move her unnecessarily, two shaky fingers checked Alexis' pulse, Price felt his heart threatened to burst out.

"She's alive."

No one heaved louder than Alex. They examined her injuries, a large gash splashed across her right temple that hopefully a few stitches would solve. But her unconsciousness was troubling.

"How long has it been?"

"More than a minute..."

"Fuck, we need to do something!" Alex yelled frantically. Please, please, please wake up. Her chances of a brain injury increased by the seconds. Fuck! He should have stayed with her, why didn't he stay?

His hands gently cupped the sides of her face, feeling an onslaught of tears starting to form amidst the rising stuffiness in his nose. As his light-blue jeans was tinted a carmine red, he decided this was his fault.

Alex jerked at the mention of his name.

"Let me clean her injuries..." Farah coaxed, a cloth that reeked of disinfectant in her hands. Alex reluctantly shifted, kneeling beside her laying body and watched Farah dab carefully, venomously demanding her to exact more care.

"Alex," A powerful grip tugged on his vest, lifting him to his feet to meet John Price. "Ease off. Let Farah and Hadir do the work."

"Captain..."

"She will be fine, trust me." Price chuckled to himself, "Unbelievable. That woman is still an excellent shot." He whistled lowly, staring at the man with a fatal shot to his heart.

Price said with a knowing look, "Clear your head, son."

"Yes sir," Alex exhaled, going to retrieve her fallen comms set on the floor.

Seconds later, Farah yelled for them. The two men doubled back, finding Farah holding Alexis down from wiggling about. Alex heard a groggy mumble of his name.

"Alex..." Alexis repeated, head rolling around despite the yells of protest. "Where..."

"Here! Here! I'm right here. You need to stop moving, baby." Alex skidded to her side and held her outreached hands. His eyes raking over her as if he had the superpower to mentally check her wellbeing.

A weak grin formed at the realisation that he was alive, breathing and right before her. "The Wolf... He... The escaped... He... car... men."

"Shhh, we'll get him," Hadir tried to pacify her while handing Farah a clean cloth.

Ten minutes passed before she started making sense and was fully conscious. Though the pounding in her head was enough to last a lifetime. Her eyes averted to the dead man.

Jesus, the pain...

"Alexis." Price sternly warned.

"Get me up... I'm fine... Don't be a pussy."

Carefully positioning her to sit up, she weakly laid against Alex's chest. The man could care less when her blood seeped into his shirt—evident as he steadied her head against his own, refusing to let her move it wildly.

Staring at her bewildered teammates, she hazily slurred: "Well. Don't all of you look like shit."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓

a/n: i really went with the "i'm injured and my lover finds me and cradles me in my blood" trope and y'know what. y'all are welcome ;) btw sry for the late update... i edited this chapter 17 times lol i was so insecure about it. thanks for waiting lovers!

taglist: @flyboidameron​​ @wanderlustgiant​​ (wanna be tagged? lmk!)

[cap-ironman]

Cap-IM Big Bang 2019: Obscure Canons

There are 3 months left before the 2019 Cap-Iron Man Big Bang claims happen - plenty of time to start drafting your submission!

You're probably familiar with the main universes for Stevetony - the comics continuity of Earth-616; the Marvel Cinematic Universe; the grittier, darker Ults comics; the more lighthearted animated series Avengers Assemble…

You might also love some of the smaller universes or versions that you've seen of Captain America and Iron Man, like Gladiator Steve, Sorcerer Supreme Tony Stark or the Avenger Babies!

But what if you're after a more obscure canon to inspire you? There are dozens of alternate universes in the Marvel Multiverse Listing, but that's a little overwhelming, so we've pulled some out so you can get excited about a different take on Steve and Tony and their relationship!

They've had plenty of inspiring and dramatic moments over the years for you can draw from. Perhaps one of these will prompt you to write you Big Bang fic this year!

Some of us are still not over Civil War, and could use a little more suffering and angst in our lives...

...why not pick up What If? Civil War #1 (2008), where Tony dies from the Extremis virus and Cap's anti-SHRA rebellion is a failure? Diverging from Earth-616, this What if can start you off exploring a Steve who's lost his Tony. Whether there'll be a happy ending or not is up to you!

Maybe you want to imagine a happier end for Steve and Tony, where they get over their differences and both survive...

…What If? Civil War #1 has your back for that, too! Bill Foster gets saved by Iron Man, changing the course of events so that Captain America joins Iron Man to successfully compromise on the Registration Act - leading their colleagues into an era of amicably registered heroes. Peace all round!

Or you're after something that screams domestic fluff from the outset?

Try Earth-65, where in Spider-women Alpha #1 (2016), we find out that business mogul Tony Stark is the owner of coffee chain Starkbucks. The Avengers don't currently exist in this 'verse, so it'd be up to you to figure out if you want to write non-power AU or not. It's a veritable feast of potential tropes!

Maybe you like your tropes a little more on the wild side? How about the Undead Avengers…

…In which Cap's a werewolf, Hawkeye's a "were-hawk", Thor is a mummy, the Black Widow has a spider's face, Tony is [insert cool supernatural beast here],  and together with the rest of the Avengers, they've united to protect the world! [Secret Avengers #33 (2012)]

Or maybe you can re-imagine a dystopian future after the Avengers have been defeated by Ultron… 

...and Tony Stark raises the next generation of superheroes in secret. The Avengers' children grow up on tales of valor about their parents in Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow animated film, and those can be revealing!

You could conduct a thought experiment about what defines Captain America from the rest of the Avengers…

…In a world of supersoldiers! One alternate dimension, glimpsed by Reed Richards in Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #2 (2009), had a serum that granted superhuman abilities to anyone who wanted them, populating the world with enhanced meta-humans. What kind of life would Tony Stark and Steve Rogers lead there, where Captain America's superior strength and senses are the norm?

Perhaps you're interested in a very different sort of fundamental transformation…

(image credit to @wingheadshellhead)

…The classic genderswap AU, for example? In Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #25 (2007), the famous space flight which turned the Fantastic Four into their mutated, heroic selves instead ... brought back a bacteria that killed all of Earth's men. It's a great set-up universe for an all-female Avengers team, as well as some dystopian feels!

Or something more sci-fi and high-stakes?

In Mighty Avengers #1-7 (2008), Tony's armor goes nuts and then Tony emerges female, naked, evil, and in love with Jan Van Dyne... It turns out Ultron, the sentient robot/A.I. that Jan's ex-husband Hank Pym invented, has possessed Tony's body! The perfect scenario for fairytale love for Steve conquering all.

Tony's not the only one that unexpected things happen to! Steve has hidden depths, too!

What If? #26 (1981) casts Steve Rogers as President America, which can lead to all sorts of questions - importantly to us though, is which position Iron Man would be appointed to? And what about Tony Stark?

There are plenty of canons to choose from, and we'll only know the full story if you decide to tell it! So sit down and get writing!

Running since 2011, the Cap-Iron Man Big Bang challenges the community's writers to create Steve/Tony-focused fic with a minimum of 25,000 words. Artists are then invited to claim a fic and create accompanying art! To sign up as a writer you need to send us your 20,000 word draft and summary by September 25th.

For the full 2019 BB Event Guidelines and information for writers and artists, click here!

[amandajoyce118]

Friday Five: Not Just For Kids

Since I’ve been watching a lot of animated series while working on articles lately, I thought it would be nice to rec some “kids” shows for you guys. Now, when I say kids, I don’t necessarily mean series aimed at little kids. There’ll be a mixture here. I just think with animated shows, family shows, etc, there’s this stigma that only young kids can enjoy it unless it’s created by Seth MacFarlane. That’s not the case.

Five: Naruto

Since I wasn’t exceedingly familiar with the show before being assigned to write about characters from it (I’d only seen a handful of episodes when I was outlining my Naruto and Hinata list), I binged several story arcs to jog my memory and get a better feel for the characters. I actually expected, based on the few episodes I’d seen beforehand, that it was aimed at 10-12 year old boys. That is sooooo not the case. There’s a lot of more mature themes in the series and the story can get pretty dark. The anime, based on the manga, follows a young ninja-in-training who wants to grow up to be the leader of his village. His path is complicated by seemingly everyone hating him, not having a family, and the fact that he has a demon fox sealed inside his body.

Real talk: I don’t love the title character. He’s fun and all, and it is nice to see his arc play out over three series and multiple movies, but I actually love so many of the side characters more. Hinata, Shikamaru, Temari, and Asuma are my current faves. Make of that what you will.

Four: Miraculous: Tales Ladybug and Cat Noir

I’m going to admit that I only became interested in this show after seeing a dozen or so gift sets pop up on my dash. I was curious about just how a ladybug translated to a superhero theme and just why so many people thought the title characters were made for each other. So, I picked up the Free Comic Book Day issue this year… and then promptly binged the entirety of the show that was available on Netflix… and then went looking for more recent episodes online.

Yes, this show has some cheesy moments, and yes, there is the whole thing where kids learn a lesson with every episode. But, the mythology behind the powers, which you learn more about as the series progresses, is fascinating, and the characters are all very fun. There is some stereotypical slotting of characters into specific roles, but the longer the series runs, the less like stereotypes those characters seem. You also cannot help but root for Ladybug and Cat Noir to eventually figure things out and realizing the hero they’re fighting with is one of their classmates. It’s so fun, you guys.

Three: Sailor Moon

Kind of falling in the same line as Naruto, Sailor Moon is aimed more at teens than young kids, but with the way the show was dubbed and edited in the 90s, I think there’s this persistent reputation that it’s for youngsters. It can get very dark and very violent, so that’s not really the case.

I think everyone knows the gist of the show: reincarnated Moon Princess and her bodyguards have to save the world over and over again. If your knowledge is limited to what was aired in the US in the 90s though, you’re missing out on lesbian couples, nonbinary superheroes, complicated psychological traumas, and more. (Unlike a lot of Sailor Moon purists, I actually really enjoyed Sailor Moon Crystal as well.)

Two: Scooby Doo

What? I had to have a true classic on this list. I will admit that even as an adult, if I’m flipping through channels and happen to see an episode on, I’ll stop and watch. I will even watch the live action movies if I catch them on TV. There’s something ridiculously entertaining about a group of hippies solving mysteries with their talking dog.

As a side note, if Scooby Doo is just too cheesy for you, there is a grittier take. Scooby Apocalypse reimagines the characters in a world where there has been a zombie outbreak of sorts. It’s a comic book, and the art alone is worth the price. Everything is ridiculously detailed. It’s amazing. Of course, not all of your faves survive either as recent issues have shown, so read it at your own risk.

One: Power Rangers

I couldn’t possibly do a list of kids shows that adults can enjoy and not include Power Rangers. Power Rangers is probably the “youngest” in terms of tone and the way the show tells the stories. There’s an obvious need to market it to young kids in an effort to make the bulk of its money in toy sales. That doesn’t mean it’s not also enjoyable for adults. Specifically, Power Rangers: RPM, which basically threw out all of the universe’s rules, made fun of itself, and is set in an alternate dimension, is amazing. The recent comic book series, and the recent Lionsgate movie have also gone a long way in making the franchise appeal to older audiences.

I did not plan for everything on here to have movie and comic book adaptations as well. That’s just how it happened, okay? Even Naruto and Ladybug have live action movies in development. Also, apparently, I really prefer kids shows where everyone is a hero? I feel like that surprises no one.

[elpomberoreads]

This is the Way: Choosing a Core Rulebook for Your Star Wars Campaign

Did you like The Mandalorian? Do you want to play in a campaign that is similar to the show? Did it pique your interest in playing a Star Wars RPG but you don’t know where to start? Are you interested as playing as a Mandalorian? Have you played D&D and wanted to give a Star Wars game a try? If so, this series will show you The Way!

In this article, I will explain the different core rule books published by Fantasy Flight and why you might choose one over the others. Regardless of which system your friends or DM chooses to run, thankfully you can play as a Mandalorian regardless of which system you’re playing in. Future articles will discuss differences with D&D, character creation, and various builds. I will skew things towards the Mandalorians since they’re my favorite Star Wars faction.

When it comes to Star Wars roleplaying games there are a lot of options, even a D20 one based on 3.5. I’ve had fun DMing but if you’re looking to play a campaign that captures the feel of Star Wars I recommend The Star Wars Roleplaying Game by Fantasy Flight. It is composed of three different core rulebooks — you only need one of them to play. It’s a bit different from a D20 system so there are a few things that may be confusing to someone who has played only D20 systems like 5e. I’ll cover some of the differences later. Thankfully the basics are identical and it’s very interchangeable regardless of which core set that your party uses, unlike the OOP Warhammer 40k RPG books that Fantasy Flight had previously published.

Ask yourself and your group what kind of Star Wars game do you want to play? Despite what some people think there are really different elements to Star Wars. Some love the dichotomy between the Jedi and Sith while others prefer emphasizing the War in Star Wars. Others like the political intrigue or playing a Western in space. So, this is something that should be discussed in Session 0.

There are other questions that must be answered including what time period people would like to play in. So far the rules have mostly covered the Galactic Civil War, but they could easily be adapted to take place before or after the OT series. There also has been some work done on the Clone Wars namely Rise of the Separatists and Collapse of the Republic. Another thing to consider is what kind of party everyone would want to play: Do you want to play a party of force sensitives trying to evade the Empire? Would you like to be a band of bounty hunters looking for their next score? Would you like to support the Rebellion against the Empire? The answer to these questions will determine which core rules your group would be best suited for.

The three core books have slightly different campaign mechanics but they overlap very well, so you can take races, classes, and weapons from separate books, even ones meant for the other core rule books! So it’s quite possible to play a force-sensitive character in a Rebel cell or one that fell in with a smuggling operation. The main difference is the group mechanics and flavor.

Age of the Rebellion was the second core book to be released but is often the first that people think of. As the name suggests you work for the rebellion and are attempting to take the fight to the Empire. As you work with the rebellion, you gain Duty which roughly represents how much trust the Rebel Alliance has with you. As you succeed with more missions and with your personal role within the rebellion they trust you with more and more resources. However, the more Duty you have, the more likely it is that the Empire will recognize you as a threat and therefore they will deploy more assets to destroy you. This book lends itself to a more heroic campaign and most closely parallels the original trilogy. It could also be used to emphasize the War in Star Wars so it can be darker if the DM wants to emphasize the darkness of war. So this is the set you would utilize if you’re looking to focus on the war between the Rebellion and the Empire.

It can also be adapted to the Clone Wars quite easily, just replace Duty for the Rebellion with Duty for the Republic or the Confederacy. Some have even adapted the ruleset to The Old Republic and Legacy Eras.

The first core book to be released was Edge of the Empire. Although you may participate in the Galactic Civil War, the emphasis of the book is on living in the outer rim, outside of the law, or in places that aren’t as impacted by the war. Whereas Duty is the driving force behind Age of the Rebellion in Edge of the Empire your character has Obligation. Obligation represents past obligations like old debts, belonging to a secret society, or abiding by a moral code. A great example of this in the original trilogy is Han Solo’s debt to Jabba the Hutt. Another great example is in The Mandalorian: Din follows a strict code of conduct and because of that he has to get Grogu to a Jedi. In Edge of the Empire, you can take additional Obligation in order to get even more XP or credits but this comes at a steep cost with in-game consequences. Edge of the Empire is generally grittier and greyer than the other two core books. It’s what I’d recommend if you wanted to play a game in which your character is just trying to make their way in the universe.

The third core book is Force and Destiny. Like its name implies its emphasis is on force-sensitive characters and running a campaign entirely based around them surviving the Empire. It has a morality system and there’s the possibility for a character or party to fall to the Dark Side and be redeemed. It’s possible to play force-sensitive characters in the other core books but Force and Destiny place them front and center. If everyone or the vast majority of players want to play Jedi or force sensitives, this is the core rulebook you should consider. It can also be a good start if one is looking to replicate Knights of the Old Republic.

The good news is that since the system is very flexible it’s possible to be a Mandalorian even in a Force and Destiny campaign: We know that the Dark Saber was wielded by a Mandalorian Jedi and this blade was often wielded by Mandalore or the leader of the Mandalorians. So even playing a Mandalorian Force wielder could be possible. Personally, I’m not so interested in playing a Jedi Mandalorian as it is very rare and any Mandalorians that were taken into the Jedi would really not be connected to the culture of the Mandalorians, which is what makes them Mandalorian. If you want to run a Mandalorian Jedi and the DM is lax, more power to you! But if you’re like me and you’d rather avoid breaking lore, you could still pull it off by making a Mandalorian who is force sensitive. One way that you can do this is by making the Mandalorians not even be aware of their force sensitivity and focus on force powers that increase their combat effectiveness. In particular, I am fond of the notion of the Starfighter Ace specialization. Basically, such a character would use their force sensitivity to be a better fighter pilot. If you didn’t want to play a force-sensitive character at all and had your heart set on a Mandalorian you could still tag along not unlike Canderous Ordo in Knights of the Old Republic.

Age of the Rebellion could have Mandalorian characters too. Sabine Wren is a great example of this. Mandalorians often find themselves on both sides of conflicts as we got to see in Rebels. We don’t know what happened exactly but we know it ultimately didn’t end well for the Mandalorians that took up arms against the Empire. If the Mandalorian was a bounty hunter or mercenary, perhaps the rebellion hired them at some point in time.

Edge of the Empire is most likely the system you’ll use if you want to emulate The Mandalorian. Its Obligation system fits in pretty well with Mando’s code of honor which is the driving force behind his actions in the series. Out of all three systems, this one feels the most like a Western. In my opinion, it also works out well if one is looking to do a campaign based around a heist, Noir, or simply exploring the galaxy. It works out pretty well if you want to play as a group of bounty hunters if your group is looking to play in a morally grey campaign, or somewhere that the law is weak like the outer rim, Nar Shaddaa, or heck even the undercity of Coruscant.

What are your thoughts? Is there a particular system you prefer? The next article I will write will be about the dice and difficulty, and how they differ from a d20 system.

This article contains affiliate links.

If you’re interested in playing I’ve put together some useful links! The Starter Sets have some pre-created characters, a small adventure, dice, and some tokens. The Master Kits have GM screens and some additional optional rules, for example, the AoR kit has a section on squad and squadron combat.

Age of the Rebellion Core Rulebook

Age of the Rebellion Starter Set

Age of the Rebellion GM Master’s Kit

Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook

Edge of the Empire Starter Set

Edge of the Empire GM Master’s Kit

Force and Destiny Core Rulebook

Force and Destiny Starter Set

Force and Destiny GM Master’s Kit

Star Wars RPG Dice

[quillyfied]

having seen Rogue One again, i think...i like jyn better now?

major spoilers ahead

again, maybe i’m just a screwball of emotions bc of changing medications and being a complete sucker for genuine familial affection, but i was so close to tears during jyn and galen’s interactions (i count the hologram shhhhh), and i was searching for a meaning behind her inclusion beyond “father/daughter storyline bc star wars is about family”

a couple weeks ago it was brought to my attention that, with some very minor tweaking, Jyn’s character arc could have been given to Bodhi Rook and it would have worked out more or less the same. I chewed over that for a while, and realized they were right: both have an emotional connection to Galen Erso, and Bodhi’s delivery of the hologram could have won Saw Gerrera over if Jyn was never a factor; Bodhi could have been the Imperial pilot no one trusted, the person who lost everything only to find himself and find what he believed in was worth it, Bodhi could have developed the stronger bond with Cassian and Chirrut and Baze and K2, and all of that would take some very minor doctoring of the plot and script.

However...I realized Jyn’s utility as an extra body and as a storytelling mechanism were both valuable to the Rogue One experience.

For one thing, at Scarif, the way the plan shook out, Rogue One had just enough people to pull off the heist: commanders for the ground troops (bc yeah RIGHT you’re gonna separate Chirrut and Baze, and someone from the main cast needed to be with the rebel soldiers to guide them and give them more emotional relevance than just good people dying for a good cause; K2 couldn’t have done it, Cassian could have but he needed to be with K2 fetching the plans, Bodhi definitely couldn’t have); the getaway driver (Bodhi, obviously, and a tech guy to patch into the radio frequencies of the Alliance and relay the Very Important Message of GET THE FORCEFIELD DOWN, WE SENDING U A PRESENT, which couldn’t have been done from anywhere but the launch pads due to Security); the point man (Cassian, cool under pressure with a commanding air who can blend in); the hacker (K2, the saltiest droid in the galaxy and new robotic love of my life, but more importantly excellent cover as an imperial droid); and the informant (Jyn). Bodhi could have taken on Jyn’s emotional role, but unless the plot variance also allowed him to see the hologram, and have a better knowledge of Galen Erso somehow, Bodhi couldn’t have known the Death Star plans’ code name (which, without Jyn, could have been anything), or even have passed on that the Death Star had a weakness at all. I very much doubt even in a world where Jyn doesn’t exist, Saw would have let Bodhi see the hologram, or that Bodhi would have taken a peek at something Galen probably told him not to look through, just deliver.

And as we’ve seen in the Star Wars universe, three is the best number of people to have in a small elite squad accomplishing the impossible, three people watching each other’s backs and bringing different skill sets to the table. K-2SO is necessary for hacking into the Citadel’s computers, Cassian’s role as an intelligence agent and skill at blending into whatever situation he’s in will carry them through the Citadel, and Jyn counts as both another good fighter and the extra person who could carry on the mission should her teammates be killed or incapacitated. Jyn’s presence is insurance. They needed a third person anyway, and since the plot made it so Jyn has a personal connection with the architect of the Death Star, her inclusion is just kind of necessary. Bodhi, bless him, is too nervous in-person, with good reason. He’s endured torture and deception and being shot at all within the span of a few days, and as the Galaxy equivalent of a truck driver and mechanic…that’s a lot. Bodhi defected because he’s a good person who knows what the Empire does isn’t right, but that doesn’t make him a fighter. That doesn’t make him someone who is equipped to deal with an infiltration mission. He did admirably in several war zones, but the man has no poker face, not even over radio (unless he has time to compose himself and get his story down straight, like at the shield gate on Scarif. Please also note that once he has a script to follow, he’ll stick to the script, even if he stumbles through it). Chirrut and Baze stick out too much, so they couldn’t have been part of the reconnaissance squad without abandoning weapons (and I dare you to tear Baze away from his epic collection of guns. I dare you). Jyn, however, is small, Jyn is light, Jyn has been in war zones and battles and fights since she was a child—Jyn is a fighter, raised to be a rebel soldier and then fending for herself. The Rogue One crew probably couldn’t have gotten along without her, even in her capacity as a fighter rather than an informant.

Her narrative arc is pretty good, as well, although thinking about it, it’s similar to Han Solo: disillusioned youth cares more about survival than about The Cause, until something hits close to home and they are forced to care (Jyn loses her father again, Han makes friends). Like Han and Leia, Jyn and Cassian play off each other narratively pretty well, the rebel without a cause or loyalty clashing with the rebel with a cause and strong belief in that cause. Cassian is downright fascinating, a good man with dirty hands, a killer with “the face of a friend”, a man who sheds light on the grim realities of warfare, what it does to people, what it makes people do even on the “good” side. And Cassian has absolutely no qualms about calling Jyn out on her hypocrisy, which is delicious, because unlike Han and Leia, Jyn and Cassian’s interactions are bitter with their clashing ideologies and not dissimilar life experiences, Jyn’s surprising naivete and Cassian’s weary determination. They don’t bicker. They ARGUE, and it’s a hard anger behind their motivations, dual worldly cynicism with very different outlets. Jyn and Cassian’s distrust is as palpable as Han and Leia’s sexual tension. But it’s a connection, a strong emotional bond that turns to kinship as the Rogue One crew fully assembles, and at least for me the actors had pretty good chemistry, anyway.

I wish the movie either had more time or better writing to devote to developing Jyn and Cassian’s relationship, because to me Cassian’s heart attacks about Jyn’s safety on Jeddha and especially Edu are sudden, but the spiritual callback to Han and Leia is familiar, at least, if not heartwarming. But Rogue One is like that: it’s Star Wars, but darker, grittier, more human, a love letter to all the stories buried in the Star Wars universe, the hard truths under the fantastical plotlines.

I love Rogue One, and I’m happy to add Jyn Erso to the “like” roster, because the movie is so much more enjoyable when you don’t let her presence and character arc spoil everything XD

[rob-blog1234]

WEEKEND TV HOT FILM PICKS!

Check out my guide to the top films on TV this weekend and the best of the rest. Enjoy!

LATE FRIDAY 4th AUGUST

HOT PICKS!

TCM @ 1845       Bullitt (1968) ****

This fantastic cop thriller has been somewhat overshadowed by its fame for the glorious car chase scene, but it really shouldn’t be, Bullitt is an intelligent, focused and realistic crime drama with well-placed action and suspense. With Steve McQueen pulling out an understated but wholly credible role as Lieutenant Frank Bullitt he lifts this already great film to higher ground. As I have filled my recent film viewing with CGI heavy spectaculars full of clunky exposition and sacrificing script for mass glitzy destruction sequences, it was an absolute pleasure to return to the films I love. Films with intelligence, perfect sound tracks, with tone and mood matched perfectly to the story they are telling, realism, impressive live action scenes with no CGI… Bullitt certainly fits the bill.

Film4 @ 0220     Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) ****

A bizarre little slice of quirk all wrapped up in a charming comedy. 3 Magazine employees go on an assignment to interview a man who placed a strange classified ad seeking a companion for time travel. This offbeat comedy is funny and with some great interactions between the leads - part romance, part comedy, part Science Fiction, all good. Get it on the planner.

Best of the rest:

Film4 @ 1650        Home Alone (1990) *****

Film4 @ 1855        I, Robot (2004) ***

Horror @ 2100     The Ninth Gate (1999) ***

FIlm4 @ 2100       The Green Mile (1997) ***

Sony @ 2250        The Game (1997) ****

ITV4 @ 0035         The Naked Gun (1988) *****

Film4 @ 0040       Red State (2011) ***

SATURDAY 5th AUGUST

HOT PICKS!

Film4 @ 1100      ParaNorman (2012) ****

Check out this impressive stop motion animated adventure from the makers of the dark and quirky Coraline. I was immediately taken aback by the sheer detail - it is beyond comprehension. With Norman having over 40,000 different printed facial expressions you can see the level of detail they were aiming for here. You’d be forgiven for not realising this is stop motion animation. With a cracking script and great balance of comedy, horror and drama this is definitely one to stick on your watch list.

Norman is an 11 year old boy who can see, hear and talk to the dead. We follow him on his personal journey against adversity and ultimately on to saving the town.

This is an extremely well presented animated feature. Slightly scary for very young viewers but a welcomed darker side to the genre.

ITV4 @ 2100    Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) *****

I'm a sucker for a 3D film and with the news that Cameron is rereleasing it - remastered and in 3D - I for one am happy to hear it.  I have recently had to stop myself from ordering the Limited Edition release complete with Terminator Endo arm in a display case... I almost had to chop off my actual arm to stop myself... Anyway I digress.. Terminator 2. This is one of Cameron’s finest films. He really knows how to pull a great sequel out of the bag. In a similar vein to Aliens, Cameron ups the ante… all in! This is bigger, bolder, funnier and hugely ambitious in the Special Effects department. If I had to rank them I would say I prefer the grittier original but this is by no means in detriment to this stunning sequel. This film has the right combination of action, violence and a perfect sprinkling of cheese. My only qualms are Edward Furlong’s annoying voice and Arnie’s infamous thumb. Excellent casting of Robert Patrick as the pointy eared, molten metal morphing menace that is the amazing T-1000. Even after 25 years the effects still hold up strong. One of the best films of the 90’s.

Horror @ 2250     Eden Lake (2008) ****

I was surprised how horrible this film is to watch, I am surprised how uncomfortable it made me feel and I’m sure that’s exactly what they were hoping it to do. For many reasons including this one - I give this film a 4 star rating.  It is a bleak, brutal, unforgiving and more importantly a realistic horror that I never ever want to watch again.  No Fantastical beings - just the evil of people… and we are far more evil than any made up beast.  Pace picked up just when required and the story contains a few timely surprises. At the end of this film I was left sitting in stunned silence whilst the credits rolled.  This film really isn’t very nice… and really rather good.

ITV2 @ 0105     This is the End (2013) ****

There’s a party at James Franco’s house, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan, Danny McBride and the rest of the usual comedy crew are in attendance. What I love about this film is they all play themselves, albeit comedic versions of themselves, a cast of many recognisable faces, some great cameos and some hilarious scenes. The party takes a turn as an alien invasion devastates the surrounding area and the ones left after the attack hole up in Franco’s apartment and make plans for survival. Rude, crude and lewd - the comedy is thick and fast and is laugh out loud from beginning to end. There’s so much going on - there’s hardly time to catch your breath. This apocalyptic comedy may not be for all tastes - but for fans of Franco, Rogen and McBride’s style of comedy this will be right up your street.

Best of the rest:

5* @ 1150       The Princess Bride (1987) ****

ITV4 @ 1500   The Alamo (1960) ****

5* @ 1450       Willow (1988) ***

TCM @ 1250   Bullitt (1968) ****

Spike @ 1645 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) ****

Film4 @ 1855  Ghostbusters II (1989) ***

ITV1 @ 2000    The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) ***

W @ 2100        The Firm (1993) ***

Dave @ 2100  Black Hawk Down (2001) ****

E4 @ 2100       Bridesmaids (2011) ***

TCM @ 2100   Kill Bill: Vol 1 (2003) *****

ITV1 @ 2250   GoldenEye (1995) ***

ITV4 @ 2345   Harry Brown (2009) ***

Film4 @ 0110 The Master (2012) ****

SUNDAY 6th AUGUST

WARNING: Calling all Parents... Frozen is on BBC1 @ 1440 - so set an alarm for 1400 to hide the remotes or alternatively smash the telly to smithereens.

HOT PICKS!

C4 @ 2150    The King's Speech (2010) *****

The King’s Speech is very deserving of its critical acclaim. Tom Hooper did a fantastic job directing but the main success of this film is down to Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush’s powerhouse performances. It has a wonderful vein of humour running throughout. Subtle humour with a lot of heart. This film is inspirational and also interesting to delve into Britain’s history as well as the challenges faced by those with a crippling speech impediment. If you need one feel good factor this weekend, stick this to the top of your list.

ITV1 @ 1930   Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) ****

If you want big battles, wizardry and spell bounding excitement - you do get a couple of crowd pleasers but this instalment of the Potter films focuses more on relationships. It's full of teenage crushes, giggling looks, teenage kisses and romance which was funny in places but also a little more for the teenage audience. In fact the scene where Ron’s sister kneels down to tie Harry’s shoe lace is pure awkward hilarity.

I have not read the books and I did feel the need for certain clarifiers to some partly explained and explored sub plots. There is a hell of a lot going on in this film. It just about gives enough of everything to keep confusion at bay. It is one of the more busy Potter films.

As always it looks amazing, today’s standard of CGI has allowed for this wonderful fantasy world to feel completely real. The young cast have all grown into their roles and give this film quality clout. I was also particularly impressed with Daniel Radcliffe in this film, especially during the scene where he took the luck potion - It was nice to see something different from him.

Although originally this was not one of my favourite Potter films it was more than good enough to keep the buzz alive, but now after numerous watches this Potter holds strong, and what small things frustrated the first time round, now seem altogether more whole and this has become a quality instalment to the Potter series I always enjoy returning to.

Film4 @ 0200     Wild Bill (2011) ****

Well done Dexter Fletcher. A splendid directorial debut in this low budget gritty East End crime caper. Bill has just completed an 8 year stretch in prison, he comes home to find his 11 and 15 year old sons have been abandoned by their mother. It’s a pretty linear story but the brilliance of the cast, a solid script and some nifty camera work make this a very rewarding British film. What also makes this stand out is the way it handles the serious side very well but doesn’t sacrifice any humour and there are as many smiles as there are serious moments. It has a lot of heart and the connections between the characters build perfectly as the story progresses. Thoroughly entertaining.

Best of the rest:

ITV1 @ 1525           The Living Daylights (1987) ***

ITV2 @ 1710           A Bug's Life (1998) ****

ITV4 @ 2100           Cliffhanger (1993) ***

Universal @ 2100 Fatal Attraction (1987) ****

C5 @ 2305              Point Break (1991) ***

ITV4 @ 2310           Mars Attacks! (1996) ****