#not necesarily correct but interesting

[imflyingfish]

this show where diving aircraft is yuri kiss powed and everybody is born a girl and has to choose their gender once turned seventeen at times postponing it to remain as neither a man or a woman; essentially rejecting adulthood and remaining as a religious pilot to defend your homeland. to become a man is to change your body and grow up and give up your life, to become a woman is to remain lesser in society yet divine. You only have one chance to choose what you wish to be physically and in society. its irreversible. you're doing it to save the society. you're doing it for the holy. shit.

[emmondsokolov]

// I don't really like or care for labels and don't feel comfortable advertising that about myself much, but for my OCs it can be an interesting development point, though I'm still not sure how I feel about talking about it openly, but here goes...

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Marloix has said to a few people that he "doesn't do the whole 'love' thing." And he does genuinely mean that. He's not just trying to be edgy nor inviting any challenge to make him fall for someone. Man's an Aromantic Homosexual, he's not built that way, he just wants to be fecked and then left alone. He'll help out and do work and favors for the people around him to keep his mind busy, but he's not in it to make relationships with anyone. He's not quite above making friends though. He may think he is. And truthfully he's a horrible friend who tries not to get attached to anyone too deeply though, for reasons. But it still happens on occassion. Sex is just another way to pass the time for him, and in his canon he wastes a lot of his meagre earnings on prostitutes and brothels. I'm still not sure enough of the ff lore to be able to comfortably bring this sort of thing up outside of his canon though... Surprisingly Marloix is also extremely respectful when it comes to consent and privacy, sexual jokes and teasing aside, so it probably wouldn't come up anyway. On a sidenote, since I started drafting this post up Marloix has been called a Masochist after he started to speak a little more openly on such things. And... hmm... while I suppose the sentiment isn't entirely false, its also not exactly accurate either. With his nerve damage and severe, deep depression in general, he's rather addicted to seeking out any kind of high he can get, not necesarily through pain, he doesn't even like pain, but pain is definitely an option. He didn't correct them though, he'll let anyone weave and believe whatever story in their head they hold about him.

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Nelandrie is possibly one of the Straightest characters I have, and likes men in almost every aspect. She stubbornly believes herself to be above falling for anyone though, and remains aloof and uncaring. She has the elven lifespan to justify not rushing into any sort of deeper romance and her work is far more important to her than any kind of relationship, beyond a fast means of stress relief. Sex is a huge stress reliever for her, and she is stressed a lot of the time. A lot of men who push her into a rage may unintentionally find themselves sharing a bed, or more accurately, a broom closet with her. (Though I'm not in any way going to write anything even remotely like this with people I don't know, god no!) Despite being completely straight, Nela is not against showing off a bit of skin for the ladies though, they can stare all they want for all she cares, she'll take it as a compliment. And honestly she would be as polite as her snarky, prickly nature can manage at turning them down if any woman ever came forward about it. She is particularly fond of an ugly little workaholic halfling man though. Not romantically of course! Its just nice to finally meet a man with very similar ideals and takes their job seriously. Definitely nothing romantic about it. Certainly not. No. Never... sips.

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Urzula is both Biromantic as well as some flavour of Grey Asexual. She develops crushes on anyone who is nice to her for more than a few minutes and tends to get taken advantage of because of it. She has no idea what to actually do with these feelings and has no desire to act on any on them other than staring and pining from across the other side of the room with sad puppy eyes and not saying a word. Urzula also has almost no concept of long-term commitment to a relationship and is largely oblivious and obtuse to the fact that anyone could actually want that from her, she has unintentionally broken a few hearts this way. Her self doubt is far too strong, and most people only end up with her out of a sense of pity anyway, "I can fix her," etc. It's no surprise they get heartbroken when she doesn't respond in the way they expect. She's far too set in her ways, and most people see that as a bad thing or something that needs to change, rather than simply accepting it. Urzula's a little autistic in this way, combined with a lot of past trauma. She doesn't feel safe with change, and will shy away from anyone who insists she can, or worse, should change. Losing the relationship is just the safer option. No hard feelings intended.

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I guess I'll mention Emmond since he's listed here too. He is an Aromantic Asexual who thoroughly believes himself to be a perfectly healthy and normal straight guy. His marriage didn't work out but he has a daughter, Aleks, as a result. He loves his daughter and would do anything to keep her safe.

[lycanhood]

Thoughts on Motherland: Fort Salem (So Far)

Hey so I know I may be a little behind on this one, but I’ve finally binge-watched Motherland: Fort Salem and I’ve had alot swirling around in my head about it for the last few days. This is a little bit of a review and a little bit of rant, but there will be SPOILERS ahead which I’ll try to mark accordingly. 

I think the concept for this show is so fucking cool. Really and truly, alternate history in which the witches of Salem made a deal with the Massachusetts Bay Colony to form a military and fight the New World’s wars in exchange for mercy from extermination essentially. So they form a Witch Army. And Army of Witches!! That’s fucking cool. It is. Sadly, I think the concept may be entirely too cool for Freeform. 

By that I mean to say that this super cool and entirely edgy idea is just too heady for Freeform to do properly. This idea belongs on HBO or Netflix, because those networks thrive on subject matter like Motherland: Fort Salem. (Sidenote: wtf is it called that? Just name the show ‘Fort Salem’. That kinda tells us everything we need to know about the premise right there in two word. Adding ‘Motherland’ in there just makes it too long and oddly Russian.)

There are just alot of little things about this show that kept it from realizing what I felt could have been some pretty amazing potential. I’ll try to organize those little things as best I can. But the one big problem I had while watching this was that the best thing about this show is it’s alternate history premise isn’t given enough attention.

What I mean is...I’m interested in the show, because I’m interested in what the world (what America) might have looked like if we had a military operated by supernaturally powered women for the past 300+ years. And Fort Salem just doggedly refuses to actually show me that world. The show doesn’t like to explain itself or really explore what it means to be a woman (witch or otherwise) in this alternative America. Most of the show takes place on Fort Salem, a military headquarters of sorts that is mostly strife with political games, attack strategies, training drills, and odd rituals. I have so many questions about this world: Are non-witch women treated differently due to the fact that their country is run and protected by women? There’s a female president in this timeline, so that’s certainly a possibility. If there are male witches as well, why don’t they fight in the same army as the female witches? And since they don’t fight in the main army, what is their mysterious role in this world? We see them making weapons and babies, that’s about it. In 1x5 “Bellweather Season”, the unit goes to a wedding which celebrates a 5 year contract of marriage between the couple. What’s up with that? Why only 5 years? Are they expected to have a child during this time period? if they do have a child are they expected to stay together longer than the 5 years? How many times are the male witches expected to get married? How many children are expected or allowed? Because this show is full of only-children which is statistically different from our own reality. How long are wicthes expected to serve in the military? They’re entire lives? We don’t see any female witches living as civilians at any age (other than Tally’s mother due to tragic circumstances). 

What is the source of the witches powers exactly? They’re abilities are sonic/auditory in nature, usually requiring the use of their vocal cords. Why? How? There are brief moments where it seems like sound is less necessary like when Raelle heals, or when the witches use Linking to connect to one another. There is also the use of herbs/drugs to fly, that doesn’t seem to require sound at all. 

We’re told the female witches get some kind of power-up or energy boost from having sex (or perhaps just feeding off the sexually energy?) with the male witches. Hence, the Beltane orgy ceremony in episode 1x04. What’s up with that? Does this power-boast only come from sex with male witches or would sex with human men do just as well? Would human men have a less potent effect? And is the power-boost depended on heterosexuality? Because throughout Raelle & Scylla’s sexually relationship no such power-up is ever mentioned. 

See so many questions, that the show simply doesn’t feel the need to answer. I understand the desire to avoid bogging down a show with exposition. But their are ways to do exposition right and in interesting ways. Exposition is sometimes necessary, because the more the audience knows about this world, the more rich and detailed, and so close to real is is to them, the more likely they are to be invested in it. 

And make no mistake the world and my curiosity about it is what kept me watching. 

For much of this first season, the characters don’t have any room to become people. I don’t dislike these characters, but they have yet to really bloom into more than archetypes (Abigail: the legacy, the leader, the overachiever. Tally: the innocent, the hopeful, the lynchpin. And Raelle: the rebel, the cynic, the shitbird)

Alot of time in the early episodes were spent following the same formulate. Raelle runs off, ditching training to go wander around and finds Scylla. Abigail and Tally follow after her, because they need her to do well in training because they pass or fail as a unit. I can not even tell you how many times Raelle causally ditches training, gets caught, gets told how much trouble she’s in, and then doesn’t actually face any consequences at all. She has to do guard duty overnight once. And that was just for being late, not even all the times she leaves in the middle or doesn’t show up for training at all!

I just wish this show focused on different beats in the pulse of this story, and made more of an effort explore this world and these characters through the lens of 3 young women who have just been essentially drafted into the military. Instead of skipping all that training I wish I could have seen so much more of it! That would have been a fantastic way to explain this world’s magic system to the audience! It’s built-in easy action-paced exposition right there! That the show just has no interest in. 

And at last, I’ll talk about the show’s main romantic pair, Raelle x Scylla. Sigh. I’m not hardcore against this pairing. I’m really not. But I am frustrated with the way the writers chose to unfold their relationship. We find out early on that Scylla is an agent of the Spree (big bad witchy terrorists), and I hate that. Because then they try to make me ship Raelle x Scylla even though I already know that shit is going to end in pain and betrayal. I cam’t ship something that I already know is built on lies, dude. I just can’t. That could have been a big awesome emotionally reveal in the later half of the season, instead of the dreadful thing I was anticipating from basically the very beginning. I’m as big a fan of enemies-to-lovers as anyone, but not like this. It’s more fun when both parties know they’re enemies, you know what I mean?

Anyway, I know it’s easy to point at the writers/devlopers and say “Man, I would have done this so differently...” but in Fort Salem’s case it’s my biggest take away.

Even from the very first opening scene, where the Spree (Scylla herself) commits a frightening and ruthless act of terrorism at the mall. Okay, big bad introduction for the Spree there. But how about introducing the audience to the world of this alternate history first? Use that awesome premise. Do a cold open, Salem, Mass 1692 Sarah Adler is about to be hanged as a witch until she opens her mouth and changes the world forever. Show me that. Set the stage of history. The villains could have come later. They always do.

All in all, I don’t hate this show ( I know this may have turned out more rant than review, but...) I was just really disappointed by the execution of a premise I felt had great potential. But, it’s not necesarily too late. Season two can still course correct and pull us into this world outside the fort’s walls, and manage to bring the characters into their own as they find their way back to one another. I’ll keep watching, because if this show did anything for me, it made me curious. 

[takomeex]

SEASON TWO FINALE TITLES: THEORIES AND PREDICTIONS

Today finally we got titles for the last episodes of season two, why am I doing this since there’re no synopses yet? This is just to see how many my theories go correctly, and just for fun, since this got released I’m excited for what’s upcoming! Let’s start with this, feel free to share your thoughts…

(Also, the titles are just so damn intense, I just can’t stop staring at it)

“RAID THE CAVE”:

A completely speculation on this, since this is just for fun, the caves I remember were Ludo’s and that monster from Storm the castle, maybe they’re coming back to rescue Glossaryck, since he’s kidnapped maybe a rescue sounds logic, more than just going to rescue him. With this in mind there are quite possibilities to happen in this episode. 

“TRICKSTAR”:

I’ve got nothing to think of this, maybe w’ll get another episode from the wand, or the magic, maybe even Star is going to perform something, this one is really blur to me, and I can’t get a clear image of what it could be.

“BABY”:

Baby? I think babies, we’ve seen Buffrog’s ones, maybe we’ll get another Babysitter episode, with this in mind, maybe we’ll see how they got grew up since last time we saw them they’ve legs now. Maybe… I’m intrigued by this one, and by the possibilities it has.

“RUNNING WITH SCISSORS”:

First, we’ve seen the dimensional scissors, so maybe they are literally swapping between dimensions, not necesarily a plot intended pne, since Adam spoke this was quite fun to record, dissmising that it might be a plot one, who knows? Till we get information this is only garbage, and with information, it might still be garbage.

“MATHMAGIC”:

Probably another episode in the school, Star it’s not good at Echo Creek education, there’s a little possibility to see her trying to pass math, maybe there are consecuences if she fails the subject, or a dissaster happens related with math, I’m curious with this one too, seems interesting.

“THE BOUNCE LOUNGE”:

Well, maybe this’ll be not a plot devicer episode, and more of an entretaining one, the title opens a lot of chances, maybe we’ll get to see a bouncy dimension, who knows, till synopses are released, I’ll get a better idea of it.

“CRYSTAL CLEAR”:

I don’t know why but the title remembers me that crystal ball we saw in Page Turner where Toffee was in, did the Counsil finally got a clear vision of what was draining the magic?, but it also makes me think of Star realizing how she was misunderstanding her feelings, and realizing what he feels for Marco, but since my las Starco Titled prediction went so damn wrong I don’t think so.

“THE HARD WAY”:

“Do you want to try it the hard way? Yeeeaah! What’s the hard way?”. Star dipping down again? Or maybe solving a problem without the use of magic? Is this a reference of how Star doesn’t solve her problems by the hard way, or making clear something by the hard way, my trashiness is screaming: She’s going to tell Marco, finally what she feels! But let’s keep the magic plot one. 

“HEINOUS”:

Miss Heinous, we meet again. Last time we’ve saw her was in Gift of the Card (one of my favorites),will we finally se her backstory? Why did she hide her marks? Is she a butterfly? Having her backstory or having her as villain again sounds fine to me, let’s hope to have more explanations to this title. 

“ALL BELTS ARE OFF”:

Marco has his red belt, what could this title mean? Is he lefting the dojo, what does this mean? The possibilities of this being another karate episode, are logic, and the titles just intriguing like the other ones. We must wait to get synopses, but this is for fun, so let’s just speculate about…

“COLLATERAL DAMAGE”:

In one of my craziest theories, Jarco ends up because one of those two realize either how dangerous is what they’re doing, or someone get’s hurt, and this starts getting trouble between our dorks. Which would cause another like “Storm the Castle” episode. On another point of view, maybe it’s Ludo finally striking against the Mewman castle, and that’s why is collateral.

“JUST FRIENDS”:

Marco and Star? Jackie and Marco? God. This is the one who has me most intrigued, I don’t buy the theorie that says: Marco realizes he just wants Jackie as a friend. I think it’s more like, let’s end this, we’ll only suffer, or something. Leaving us with a single Marco saying: Now, we’re just friends. From the Starco point of view, maybe Marco spokes to Star why could this ruin their friendship (a huge lie) and how they must stay as “just friends”.

“FACE THE MUSIC”:

Face the consequences of what you’ve done Star (or Marco), something did happened in the previous episodes, as everyone were saying that Marco will die or have a disney death, maybe this could be ehm… possible? Nah, something is going to happen and now they must deal with what they’ve caused. I admit, this titles only cause my no sleep to grow more. And they feed my trashiness.

“STARCRUSHED”:

WHAT COULD THIS MEAN! I screamed at the moment I saw the title of this one, there’re loads of possibilities for this title, I have plenty of interpretations for this one, everyone of those crazier than the predecesor. I could say, since the last titles sound a little sad, and we’ve got tweets of how intense this will be. There are three possibilities that come to my mind: Star is in trouble, literally crushed, and Marco must help her this time (like an inverse Storm the castle). Starco will be canon if this is going to be developed then the script must be written by angels, with the correct use of everything. Or the third, wich is an open one, we’ll have Star dealing with all the villains that has been stablished.

My Notes: Theories, theories damn theories. This is more of a roulette. Let’s see whose are true and dismiss those that are false, let’s wait till synopses are released, then I’ll make another post speaking of what could we really get, in them. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed this! Paul over and out.