#now to make peace with Mareth

[ase-trollplays]

Things Left Unsaid

Despite two and a half sweeps having passed, Mareth's grave still stood where Thiomi and Corali left it. The land had reclaimed the disturbed ground as thick wild grass and weeds grew where the blueblood was buried, and the makeshift headstone was covered in plant overgrowth from sweeps of neglect. It was doubtful anyone just passing through would have even realized it was there if they hadn't already known to look for it.

Thiomi could feel a knot the size of a brick form in her stomach as she laid her eyes on it. What a sorry state it was in. That alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes. How dare she let her late moirail's grave fall into such ruin. Just further proof that she never deserved her if she couldn't even fight off her guilt enough to keep her resting place presentable. With a sigh, she got to work pulling the weeds and cleaning the large, upright rock that symbolized her headstone. The shallow, unrefined carving of Mareth's name was long faded and barely visible now, but it didn't have to be visible. Thiomi knew it was there, if not physically then in spirit.

It took well over an hour to bring her grave to its former glory, and Thiomi looked it over with a mixture of pride and guilt before taking a seat before it and removing a bagged lunch from her sylladex.

"Hello, Mareth. It's been... a while. I'm s-sorry I never came back after burying you. Considering the circumstances of your death, I didn't think I deserved to. I was s-sure you wouldn't want me here, either."

She removed a thermos from the bag, wisps of steam gently trickling out as she removed the lid and poured some of the potato soup into the cap to sip. The knot in her stomach hadn't budged since she arrived, but she forced the soup down regardless.

"I wish I could s-say a lot's changed in the time you've been gone, but... it really hasn't. At least, I haven't changed much. I made s-sure all your cats went to loving homes, s-so you can rest easy knowing they're being taken care of. ... My matesprit and I are s-still raising Varoll. I wish I'd gotten to introduce you to her; you would have gotten along really well, I think.

"S-Sonja and I are on better terms. His less s-stable half has a matesprit now, s-so he's not interested in me anymore. He bullies me if we happen to cross paths, but I've accepted he's always going to hate me. The other half and I decided to be friends. I'm nervous, but I think we can pull it off, especially s-since he has his own moirail now. I don't know much about her, but s-she s-seems really good for him, so I'm glad.

"I also enrolled in therapy. I've learned a lot about myself... and it's all bad. I have s-so many things wrong with me, things I already knew and... and s-so much I wasn't aware of. Heh, I'm a real mess."

Thiomi took another sip of her soup and wiped her eyes to get rid of the tears forming.

"Corali and I aren't s-speaking anymore. I know you two never got along, and you hated being neighbors with her, but you have a lot more in common than either of you realized. You could have been amazing friends. I know it's not your fault that never happened. Corali hates highbloods too much, especially bluebloods, unfortunately.

"It's my own fault my friendship with Corali ended. S-she came to me for help with her alcoholism, and... and I took advantage of her s-situation for my own gain. S-she reminds me s-so much of you, and before I knew it, I was trying to replace you with her.

"You're both alcoholics, but s-she was trying to quit. S-something I begged and pleaded for you to do. All the help I tried to do for you -- Trying to make you cut down on your drinking, giving you locations and times for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, making you promise me you would try to get better -- she took it without question.

"At s-some point, it s-stopped being about helping her and became a way of atoning for my mistakes with you."

Tears fell into her cap of soup, which she clenched in her hands and gripped like it was her life support. Pitiful whines and hiccups escaped her as she let herself weep. Thiomi didn't try to stop the tears from falling or wipe them away and instead allowed herself to wallow in utter misery.

"I never moved on from causing your death. Two and a half s-sweeps later, and it s-still hurts. It s-still hurts like it did when we found your body that night. I keep replaying that night wishing I could go back and s-stop myself, and that I would have been more patient with you instead of constantly nagging and pressuring and pushing you to do what I wanted for your own good. I s-should have let it be your choice on your own terms. I s-should have been patient and respected your autonomy.

"I was a bad moirail, and you paid the price for it. I don't know if I can ever forgive myself for that.

"But..."

She forced herself to straighten up, sniff back her tears, and wipe her eyes. She looked up for the first time since she took a seat and stared at Mareth's headstone.

"... I know I can't keep s-staying here, s-stuck in the past wishing things could be different. You're gone because of mistakes that I made, and I have to make peace with that and move on. The grief may never truly go away, but I can't let it hold me back anymore."

With a sigh, Thiomi poured her half-eaten soup back into the thermos and placed it back in the bag with the water bottle and the orange she ended up not touching. She placed the meal back into her sylladex and stood to walk up to the headstone. She knelt down in front of it and tightly wrapped her arms around it in a tearful embrace.

"I... I'm s-sorry. I'm s-so... I'm s-so s-sorry. I'll never be able to apologize enough, and I'll never not be s-sorry. I can't change the past, but I can do better not to repeat my mistakes. That's how I'll do right by you."

She stayed silently weeping and hugging the rock for several minutes before she finally let go. She gave the makeshift headstone one last look before standing up and starting to walk away.

"I promise I won't take another two and a half s-sweeps to s-see you again."

[overandunderland]

Do No Harm.

Mareth x Hamnet Fluff.

Fix It AU, Hamnet and Mareth reconcile their time apart, hamnets return and things left undone. Hamnet is having a hard time reassimilating. Mareth doesn't want to lose him again, and he's quite fond of being in Hazards life. (inspired by the Return to Regalia Podcast Hamareth propaganda episode in which I've been radicalized.)

There's a longer version that leans into a NSFW version of this(in progress) but you know 💅 who's actually checking for Hamnareth out here?

In the heart of the apothecary, nestled deep within the palace's labyrinthine embrace, the air was thick with the scent of exotic spices and the sharp tang of crushed herbs. It was a sanctuary of sorts, a place where the outside world's ceaseless clamor was replaced by the soothing monotony of Hamnet's mortar and pestle. Each motion was precise, a dance of creation as he ground the herbs into a fine paste. For Hamnet, it was perfect. His time in the jungle had afforded him the proper knowledge needed to flourish here. He had to admit he felt thankful for Queen Luxa's appointment. It gave him something to do, some way to help. He noticed it also kept him out of view, his visitors being the occasional nurse or nanny.

"You are good with him," Hamnet said, his voice breaking through the rhythm of his work, carrying a warmth that seemed at odds with the cool, almost clinical atmosphere of the apothecary. The room, despite its embrace of spiced cleanliness, was a stark departure from the dank thickness of the jungle—a world Hamnet's attire stubbornly clung to. His clothes were a riot of colors and patterns that sang of distant lands and untamed wilderness. It was a statement, a declaration of his roots, and a testament to the life he had lived beyond the palace walls, making him stand out against the backdrop of stone and shadow.

Their reunion had been a whirlwind, a collision of past and present brought on by the urgent need for a cure to the plague that had gripped the land. Time, it seemed, had been a luxury they could not afford, swept away by the tide of necessity and duty. But it was during the trial of Solovet, Hamnet's mother, that the walls between them had finally crumbled. A lengthy trip to The Waters and several nights' stay in the hospital seemingly removed a decade of jungle from Hamnet's person. However, it would be impossible to wash away The Garden, to wash away the loss of Frill. That would forever stain.

Now, as Hamnet's gaze settled on Mareth, who carried his son in a piggyback embrace, a semblance of peace seemed to settle over him. Hazard, with his tousled curls obscuring his eyes, slumbered on, oblivious to the weight of history and the burdens of legacy that surrounded them.

"He is fond of you," Hamnet remarked, a simple statement that carried layers of unspoken gratitude and acknowledgment of the bond that had formed between Mareth and his son.

Mareth, pacing the room with a deliberate slowness designed to lull Hazard into deeper sleep, responded with a soft chuckle. "I share in that sentiment. He reminds me quite a bit of you in our youth—how it took us time to get you to open up," he said, his voice a blend of nostalgia and something unidentified. "It seems I find myself chasing that same goal once again."

A shadow of a frown threatened Hamnet's face, the beginnings of a storm that was quickly quelled by a practiced smile. In the past, there was no need for facades, no place for pretense. Mareth knew the depths of Hamnet's heart. At least—what he had allowed. Things were different now, they were men. They had both been soldiers, suffered greatly because of it. Yet here Mareth stood, wounded yes, but his resolve, remained unchanged. It had still drawn Hamnet, like a life's flame

"Adjusting to Regalian life again, it's been... tasking," Hamnet confessed, the words heavy, laden with the weight of unvoiced struggles. As he worked, extracting the essence from the herbs, his actions spoke of a man well-acquainted with the art of transformation, of extracting light from the depths of darkness. "My niece is Queen, my mother stands accused of endangering the Underland—a threat that once loomed over us all. It's a burden I cannot, will not, take lightly."

"I'd argue the burden I carry currently, is heavier." Mareth quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

He is heavier than he looks, how did you manage in the jungle?"

With a gentle gesture towards a small bed nestled in the corner of the apothecary, designed for those in less immediate need of care, Hamnet wordlessly invited Mareth to ease Hazard down onto its welcoming surface. The boy, even in sleep, seemed to find comfort instinctively, nestling into the bed with a contentedness that spoke volumes of the security he felt in this place, however unfamiliar.

Mareth then turned, approaching the counter where Hamnet continued his meticulous work, his hands never ceasing in their task. It was then he ventured, with a softness in his voice that belied the weight of his words, "This burden, Hamnet— isn't yours to bear alone."

At this, Hamnet's concentration fractured, his brow furrowing as he met Mareth's gaze. A mix of incredulity and pain flashed through his eyes. "Do you truly believe that?" he snapped, the words sharp, laden with years of unspoken fears and uncertainties. "That I hold no fault for everything that's transpired? That you harbor no ill will towards me?"

Mareth's response was a sigh intertwined with a grumble, a sound that tugged at the threads of memory within Hamnet's mind. It was a sound he had heard many times during their sparring sessions in youth, a prelude to concession or admission. The familiarity of it caused Hamnet's breath to catch. He was back, in the arena, pinning Mareth to the ground, exhausted, and embarrassed.

"I did... for a while," Mareth admitted, the words heavy, tinged with a resignation born of time and reflection. "Yet, as the days turned to weeks and your return was postponed, worry was all that brewed within me. Concern for you—your well-being, took precedence over any feelings of betrayal."

Hamnet's tense shoulders dropped, a visible release of the anxiety that had knotted within him at the prospect of Mareth's resentment. His relief was palpable, a silent exhale in the midst of the apothecary's herbal-scented air. For a moment, it seemed as if a chasm that had yawned wide between them was starting to narrow, bridged by Mareth's words of understanding and concern. Yet, Mareth wasn't finished. The weight of his gaze didn't waver as he took a step closer, his voice carrying a depth of emotion that hinted at the years of unspoken truths between them.

"You ask why I saved you in Hesperides? I preserved your life because that's the action you take for those you hold dear. Our bond transcended friendship;You were important to me, Hamnet. Your departure—it wasn't treachery, but it created an emptiness. I would have undertaken anything to convince you to remain."

At Mareth's admission, a pang of regret lanced through Hamnet's heart, a sharp contrast to the soft hum of the apothecary around them. His head bowed, a whisper of an apology escaping his lips, shrouded in a veil of shame. Crossing the space between them, Mareth placed a hand on Hamnet's shoulder, his touch grounding, a silent reassurance of his presence. "I did not mean to upset you," he apologized, the words soft, yet laden with a complexity of emotions that seemed to resonate within the confines of the apothecary.

Lifting his gaze, Hamnet looked up, his eyes tracing the contours of Mareth's face—a landscape marked by the passage of time and the scars of battles fought, both in war and in their youthful escapades. Each mark was a story, a memory of their shared past that spoke of courage, laughter, and the bonds forged in the crucible of adventure. There, in Mareth's features, was the essence of the man he had known and the changes wrought by time, yet the underlying truth remained—this was Mareth, humorous, loyal, and undeniably handsome.

The intensity of Hamnet's gaze brought a warmth to Mareth's neck, a recognition of the depth of their connection. It was a look that stirred memories of days long past, filled with the promise of youth and the unspoken words that lingered between them. That look held a call, one that had echoed in the depths of Mareth's soul, unanswered yet ever-present.

"I couldn't stay... I didn't want to—" Hamnet began, his voice faltering as he grappled with the words, the weight of his decisions.

"Do more harm, I know this," Mareth interjected, his voice a gentle balm to the raw edges of Hamnet's confession. "But you are here now, Hamnet. Your mother is confined to her quarters, your niece is Queen, Bartholomew's warrior is amongst us."

"And you are here." Hamnet added.

""Aye, and well we both know I was better of steering you clear of mischief. I recall you clinging to my every word."

"If they came from your lips." Hamnet admitted, their gaze catching one another's.

"If they had told you to stay—would you?" Asked the solider.

"Every instinct in me is screaming to flee once more, Mareth. I sense the weight of everyone's gaze upon me, and I'm aware of the whispers that fill these halls, but if you required it of me, I would stay."

"I require it," Mareth said, the words escaping him with a fervency that surprised even himself, his voice nearly breaking under the strain of emotions long held at bay. The promptness of his reply, the raw need evident in those three simple words, cut through the tension between them, prompting an unexpected laugh from Hamnet. The sound, muffled yet unmistakably joyful, reverberated through Mareth, awakening a cascade of sensations that he had dared not acknowledge until now.

The laughter, so genuine and unguarded, was a balm to Mareth's soul, a reminder of the man before him—not a figment of his desires, but flesh and blood, real and within reach. His initial impulse was to close the distance between them, to bridge the gap of years and unspoken truths with the simplicity of touch. His hands reached out, driven by a longing that had lain dormant, fingers inches from Hamnet's face before he caught himself, the suddenness of his own actions leaving him exposed, vulnerable.

The tension in the air was palpable, charged with the unspoken and the undeniable. Hamnet's sharp intake of breath was a silent testament to the turmoil that mirrored Mareth's own—a desperate need to belong, to be understood, to be accepted. And yet, in the vulnerability of the moment, Hamnet leaned into the roughness of Mareth's palms, an act of trust, of surrender.

Mareth, overwhelmed by the proximity, the shared warmth, felt tears tracing paths down his cheeks, the emotion of the moment breaking through the dams of his restraint. "Stay, and I will make sure you do no harm. If you, and Hazard will have me—"

The answer came when Hamnet bridged the gap between them, his lips finding Mareth's in a kiss that was both a seal of promises and the kindling of a fire long suppressed. It was deep, intense, a melding of desire and something far more profound that had been forged in the crucible of their shared past and the trials they had faced, both together and apart. In this kiss, Hamnet poured all the longing, all the fears and hopes he had harbored. Mareth's initial shock at the contact melted into an answering fervor, his own pent-up longing and affection bursting forth. He returned the kiss with an intensity that matched, then exceeded, Hamnet's initial desperation. Mareth's hands, initially hesitant, now cradled Hamnet's face with a tenderness that spoke volumes, grounding them both in the reality of the moment.

The kiss deepened, a confluence of years of suppressed emotions, unspoken words, and the raw, unvarnished need that had lingered between them, unacknowledged yet ever-present. Mareth's response was instinctive, a natural counterpart to Hamnet's ardor, his lips moving with a passion that was both a claim and a surrender. It was as if, in this kiss, they were both seeking and offering solace, acknowledging the pain of their past separations even as they reveled in the present reunion. Breaking the kiss, they remained close, foreheads pressed together, breathing each other's air, their breaths mingling in the quiet aftermath. In that moment, filled with the soft sounds of their shared existence.

[imaginesfordayss]

You had left him alone for a few hours. Five at most, and he still managed to get himself in trouble. 

“Oh my god.” You groaned to yourself, exasperated, watching him and a smaller elven girl limp back to his tent. He was bleeding from a wound on his side, but after following him for a while you figured he’d be able to heal it by himself. 

You watched them enter the tent and waited a moment before sneaking in behind them. Wil was just using the elfstones to close the wound and collapsed back onto the bed. 

“How did this guy ever save the world.” The girl mumbled dryily.

“I know right, he is utterly pathetic.” You said, leaning against the wall.

The girl whirled around, whipping out a knife and got into a defensive stance. 

“Woah there.” You said, raising your hands, “I come in peace. I just came to make sure he wasn’t dead.” 

She regarded you suspiciously, “Who are you?”

“My name’s (y/n),” You said, holding out your hand. She simply looked at it until you let it drop, “Okay. Who are you if I might ask?” 

“That’s none of your concern.” She said, still not lowering the knife.

“You don’t have to worry about me, I’m not going to hurt him. Or you. Trust me I have put too much effort in keeping him alive for the past year to let it all go to waste.” 

A few awkward seconds passed as she glared at you before finally relaxing her stance, “You his keeper or something?” 

“Something like that.” You said softly, finally deeming it safe to get closer. Approaching the bed you saw Wil was effectively passed out and you snorted softly, nudging his foot, “Oh kid. You do have a beacon for trouble.” 

“How do you know him?” The girl asked. 

“Amberle.” You said, turning around to face her again, “She was a good friend of mine. My best friend. I promised I would look after Wil if something happened to her. Unfortunately for everyone involved, something did and now we’re here.” 

“The elf princess? She saved the Ellcrys.” 

You nodded, “Yeah that’s the one.” You tried to hold back your sad bitterness, “Our hero.” 

Wil groaned softly and rolled over, his legs tangling clumsily. Sighing, you turned back to the blonde and started pushing him up the bed. He grumbled and tried to bat your hands away, but you just rolled your eyes and situated him under the blankets. The elf girl helped and soon the Shannara was tucked into bed. 

“My name’s Mareth by the way.” The girl, Mareth, said, after you exited his room. 

“Mareth. Nice to meet you.” You said, “What business do you have with Wil?” 

She paused, picking at her nails before answering, “I need his help.” 

“With what?”

“Finding my father.” 

You stopped walking, “Your father? What does Wil have to do with your father?”

“Wil’s a Shannara, and the only one that can help me find him.” She paused and you waited, “My father is Allanon.” 

Your mouth dropped open, shocked, “Your father’s the druid? That guys has a stick so far up his ass, who in their right mind would have a kid with him.” 

She gasped, offended, and you scrambled, “Sorry, I’m sorry, that was rude. It’s just a shock, I never pegged Allanon for a father.”

“Well, it’s probably because he’s never met me. I doubt he even knows I exist.” Mareth replied. 

“Wow. I’m sorry, that must be rough.” 

Mareth nodded, “I need his help so I can learn to control my magic. My mother couldn’t help me, so he’s my only option.” 

“Well if it’s any consolation, I hear Allanon is one of the most powerful magic users in Arborlon. So you’ll have a good teacher.” You said,” If only Wil would follow your lead.” 

“He doesn’t want to learn?” She asked.

“He doesn’t want anything to do with anyone lately. Especially your father.” You said. 

“Why?” 

You blew out a long breath, “I don’t know. No one really told me what happened when Amberle sacrificed herself. King Ander just gave me a note, asking to take care of Wil and Allanon was no help like usual and Wil was...” You paused, “He was devastated. I didn’t even know know this guy and when I saw him afterwards, it was like his world was over.” 

“But you still followed him? Even though you didn’t know him?”

“Amberle was my best friend, almost like my sister. I would do anything for her. And she wanted me to protect Wil, so I’m doing my best to honor her wishes.” 

Mareth smiled slightly, “That’s noble.” 

You laughed, “It’s stupid is what it is, but thank you.” 

Mareth nodded, “I’ve been staying in Storlock for the past few nights, but I think they know I’m not really a patient anymore. Got anywhere I can crash?”

You nodded and motioned for her to follow you, “I have a place. Follow me.” 

[ifiwantmagicinmylife]

About the Shannara finale & season in general

This is gonna be long so…

First of all, i wanna be very clear. I’m not trying to spread hate for the show. I love this show. i would never say anything hateful cause i appreciate how this show is and how it wants to be, and i don’t want it to be cancelled due to negativity. I’ve just been frustrated about it…at least lets say since the finale, and I’m writing this to try to get it out of my system.

First of all, I’m a wilretria shipper. since day 1 Eretria&Wil have been my babies. so I’m sure you can see where some of my frustration comes from.

Second. From day one my favourite characters have been Eretria, Allanon and Ander (see why my frustration?)

Eretria: I love Ivana. when she won the Goya award i clapped like crazy. And then turned our Eretria was awesume. Anything anyone would want to be. Strong, an amazing fighter, brave, loyal….and as we also learn, kind and even sweet.

Allanon: i love Manu since i don’t know when, so him being the druid guy…i knew it was gonna be badass. and then it was. and i couldn’t love Allanon more.

Ander: the cool friendly uncle. helping niece to run the race, going to get her at the party like “omg girl you look stunning, that’s ma niece” and then talking relationships with her. I JUST LOVED HIM. and then he also made impossiblefor me to focus on tragic moments. i don’t tag him “the ‘dat ass’ elf” for no reason…

Well, so far you can see season 2 has not given me happiness in this matter. 1 became ashes and the other a waterfall (sort of)

What frustrates me about these is, well..the books. I still haven’t read them, cause i was waiting for the end of the season, but i read a couple of things, from which i got that Ander&Allanon probs both died on the 3rd book. Ok, i can deal with that but...I can’t? cause I thought this season was filling a gap between book 2 and 3. but that’s ok i guess. follow the book way too early.

But what gets me about this is that then I can think or say, “ok, so i guess then they will also follow the book for Eretria and Wil, right? I mean…cmon. It doesn’t seem like that for now, but you know, that’s what a season 3 would be for”, but then people say “oh cmon, the tv show doesn’t have to follow the book, stop with the books”. But the thing is, season 1 was very much like the book from what I’ve heard. I remember reading in the Nerdist website they said they wanted to keep it very similar to the book, that they only made Eretria have more depth and do something more than FALL IN LOVE WITH WIL AND FOLLOW HIM AROUND (sorry, dunno why that capbloq itself…oh wait, i do) So, they are gonna follow and even make happen ahead of time things that happen in the book, but others..neeeh. ok, that frustrates me.

And one other thing, since i’m talking about my ship. I feel wilretria shippers have been mostly completely silent this season. I don’t think we have created any drama regarding Lyria. We just kept getting blows and letting that relationship happen without saying a thing. Because we fear if we say anything we will be called “homophobic”, get hate and things like that. And it is frustrating cause we aren’t voicing ourselves because we aren’t dicks, and we are letting everyone enjoy their ship, but this may ruin any chance of our ship happening if they think we don’t care. And we are seeing it getting even harder with the Mareth thing. So i want you to understand, i don’t care if Eretria has a gf, she is bi so she can have all the gfs she wants. But shutting out Wil completly as a possibility cause yes...no. I love Wil and Eretria even since before i watched the show. I do care, so much.

Now about season 2 in general:

PROS

Garet Jax or “jarjar gax” how i like to call him for funsies. total badass. I wished we could have know what was his past entirely cause it seemed interesting, dammit.

Mareth: She was cute and sassy, a magic user in a different way we had seen, which was cool! and then, related to Allanon, which is great considering we also know nothing about Allanon, or Mareth’s mom. So nice, she could be anything and take us anywhere

And on that note, something I’ve always appreciated about this show, from Tilton, to Allanon, to the gardener, to the background actors, to the rovers & elf hunters...this world really seems like a real post-apocaliptic world cause there’s people from all etnicities. these season some more in leads. good show

This stupid season made me love Wil. That lil bitch annoyed me so much. But he is too cute. And we saw him in his lows and in his highs. using the magic unwisely, hugging the hell out of Eretria when it turned out she wasn’t dead (this poor kid, i swear to god. a whole year thinking he lost Amberle and Eretria; the latest being his fault for leaving her behind). Also he made his peace with Allanon awww. And to be honest I love his death scene. It mirrored Amberle’s and now all our 3 heroes have died to save everyone (let’s not forget ma rover bleeding herself out, ok?) And thank whomever must be thanked, he isn’t dead. You can’t die when i start to love you, a-hole. tho that’s what this show does to me.

Eretria: We got to see where she comes from, what will be her challenges and how her loyalty to her friends is stronger and bigger than anyone could ever have thought. Also she was badass as always.

Ander. I mean, Ander is everything. anything with Ander was the best scene ever. dat ass. best king ever. bless. he also said Eretria is family and at this point I dunno if i want Eretria to marry Wil or him cause honestly “yes, i remember when i met your mom...i fell for her instantly. i mean, she kicked me in the face and let me unconcious, but..” is a great “meetcute” Also the threw that traitor down the waterfall omg my king is so fucking badass.

Allanon: i mean...pfft it’s allanon. everything about him is a pro, duh. Giving him a family and showing him caring for Wil was nice too. he is not a heartless guy. he loves all this crazy kids.

Bandon, Riga, Warlock lord: god, you bunch of asshoooles. i hate you all so muuuuch. Good bad guys :) The warlock lord became my hero when he de-headed Riga. you deserve it biiitch omgggg for Andeeeer. Then the Bandon thing...i mean...poor Bandon, but bitch, you had everyone occupied and Riga killed Ander. Then my new hero warlock lord killed that ship traitor Allanon (i was like that’s what you get! but then he was cursed and became ashes....and i was like, ok a bit too much) and then he did the other thing and i was disappointed on my new hero. i was all “i was rooting for youu” They all where awesume at being bad. is awesume having such great baddies

I can’t believe i almost forgot her

Ambertree: or Amberle, as you prefer. I really didn’t want her to be back for the sake of my ship. but I also did start crying when i saw her in the trailer. So i guess i love her too. And seeing her was so nice. I missed the elf princess. but stay as a tree please Amberle. (ps, also wtf amberle you too with the Mareth thing, i take it back, i hate everyone on this show)

CONS

Ander: Can you please explain to me what the hell has this poor thing done to deserve this shit? His brother dies. he becomes this depressed drinking ball of an elf and loses his gf. years later his dad, his bro, half of his goddamn castle, his ex he still loves die. ALL DIE. His niece becomes a tree. And he has to be king. Also Eretria kicked him in the face (i kind of ship it) And then we get to season 2 and the girl he is with s murdered (....i wasn’t on board of this anyway cause god Catania, you effed the Bandon inprisonment, didn’t ya. but if Ander my love was happy. but no. and then he gets murdered trying to save this girl (Eretria i’m never going to forgive you for being up to tell her to get up and run, but not to throw a knife and save my elf husband). and so the story of Ander ends. Being throw down the traitors waterfall, where no one can recover his body and give him the royal funeral he deserves. I will forever be bitter about this, i kid you not. #longlivetheking

Allanon: Again, my babies cant catch a break. He is trying to stop Bandon, turns out he has a daughter with his loved one and we don’t get to see them become dad and daughter. I had already accepted he was gonna die because i read someone saying “after what happens in book 3″ And then he drops that “you and mareth are ma ship” bomb. my brain: “oh you asshole how dare you to compare them with you and Pyria. You can die now, byeeeee” (i’m evil, i know).

Eretria: I feel this season didn’t do much for her. I guess she did all the development she could do in season 1. But i feel they mistreated her a lot. I get she has a girlfriend, or so, cause at some point she had broken up with her i think...but i feel the way they made her interact with Wil was just weird. The little times they interacted. that was annoying. (those two have so much chemistry they have to keep ‘em apart or we all would be arranging their wedding by the “welcome back, shorttips”) Eretria has always been in love with Wil, let’s be honest. We all saw her face the day Wil said “there is no us” or when she saw him kissing Amberle. We all know without Amberle in the picture things would be very different. Does no one really remember he was up for it the same day he met Eretria? and then some days after in the palace room? (also let me point out Eretria does love will cause to rob some stones she could have giving him an “Ander” and leave. but she didn’t. she stayed, and said would never call him shortips again). So this two at the very least had the hots for each other to begin with. Also let me remind you how Wil cried when Eretria died. He used the stones for something else than killing a demon for the first time to save her (if that doesn’t scream love, soulmates, endgame or whatever, i dunno what does) And this season, tho they have kept giving us sweet moments of the two, where we shippers kept our hopes high (the tree girl was gone, this was out moment), and we hoped to see THEM FALL IN LOVE AND GET TOGETHER (since its a space between books, you know)... and that’s why the complete anulation of this ship is so painful for some of us. We felt Amberle was some sort of puppy teenage love, and Eretria would be the true love woman for Wil....but no. anyway...a Shannara and a child of the Apocalypse. Good magic & (bad/good) magic. ancient kings blood, ancient humans blood. like honestly.

Wil: I’m not gonna blame the poor kid for being an emo and be mad at the world, cause his life went to shit last epi of last season (if not all season in general). And i honestly developed love for him this season. BUT...this thing about him and Mareth...I feel it came out of nowhere. They were just friends and then one day she makes eyes to him and he makes eyes to her? there wasn’t even a big thing where i could say, where there they realized they love each other...and out of nowhere they are the biggest love story eveeer. im sorry, no. i can’t. I get everyone loves them, but i...no. (again, i guess is the wilretria shipper in me who sees more past and more development in the relationship and that this was happening too quickly out of nowhere) (Also the pre-death kiss, that was i guess so romantic and adfghjklñ....kinda ruined the scene for me. like “oh ffs, die already, Wil!”*narrow*” was a thing that happened in my brain)

Others: I dont think I have much complains about the others. One of the only ones is Lyria’s storyline. i feel like the only thing i saw her do was mope and cry? and that one time she stood up to her mom, planned a wedding with Ander and once held a sword (which i feel they really exploded to make her look badass)...i feel like they made this character to be the love interest, and im sorry for it cause it could have been so much more. Also that “don’t wanna be a princess I’m running away but yas i wanna be queen” thing...does it even make sense for the person we were introduced to? also it was the fact that I had to buy into her love story with Eretria. When i saw in the trailer she was gonna have a gf i was like, oh no...more difficulties for my ship, but hey yes, let’s see what happened here. But then...i didn’t know anything about them? when did they meet? how long have they been dating? “where you go, i go”...where does that come from? how did i know what Lyria’s mom told Eretria about her saying that to everyone wasn’t true? Maybe my ship blinds me, but i feel this relationships started as if i started season 1 with will and Amberle frickfracking and then she becoming a tree and I’m supposed to be super sad, but i can’t I don’t know if it makes sense since i shipped Pyria and Allanon since moment 1 but that’s probably my “omg star crossed lovers, him staying young while she grows old, not seeing each other in 30 years shdfadlgfhañsla” loser heart Mareth: I was here for the magic kids friendship until it stopped being a friendship. now she is ruining my life. and i don’t appreciate it.

((me being annoying: also the blingbling palace was too much for me, omg did i miss Arborlon))

Ok, I think that is all. I know it seems like I didn’t like this season, but omg, i loved it. it was so intense all the time, and so many awesume fights, and some great new characters. Is just that I had hopes for my ship just to see them sinking more and more. at this point I’m Artax and my ship is more a submarine.

I can’t wait to see what they do in season 3 (and probably cry and hate everyone cause my ship sinks), but this show is too good to end forever in a “to be continued”. I want my babies back

and please show, stop getting people i love into #crispinskorner

[random-thoughts-collection]

The Shannara Chronicles | 2.09/10 Review

The Shannara Chronicles - Wilderun / Blood

Paranor: written by Matt Lambert, directed by Toa Fraser Crimson: written by Evan Endicott & Josh Stoddard, directed by Brad Turner

In these two last episodes the second season of The Shannara Chronicles comes to an end. Most plotlines come to a conclusion here in a mix of cheesy lines, the well-known beautiful scenery, magical standard battles, traveling with plot speed, sweet moments and in general satisfying endings for the characters. And although there were a few irritating moments in it, I enjoyed watching both episodes.

“By its very nature true power can never be shared.”

In the penultimate Bandon’s story comes to an end. His life has been a tragic one and it’s sad that it found such an ending. I was confused when Bandon asked the Warlock Lord before to revive Catania, because since she died after Bandon started his quest that couldn’t have been the actual reason for Bandon to revive the Warlock Lord in the first place. Now we get to hear his true motives – he wants to learn from the Warlock Lord and get stronger so that no one can hurt him again.

It’s a bitter request since by mind-controlling the revived Catania the Warlock Lord has hurt Bandon, too. Until the end, Bandon is unable to find a place of peace for himself. He gets over-confident when the Warlock Lord hands him the codex, but in the end the Warlock Lord kills him without much of an effort.

Bandon’s story is the story of someone who was horribly wronged and lost his path as a result and couldn’t find a way back. And when Allanon finds Bandon’s dead body, his face shows regret and sadness, not anger or bitterness.

“Nothing can disguise the blackness of your soul.”

Since the Warlock Lord killed Riga at the end of the eighth episode and kills Bandon in the ninth episode, he’s the last antagonist left for the season finale. Unfortunately he’s not much of a villain. Sure, he has the power to keep our heroes busy, but he is not interesting at all. We aren’t given any information about him that could explain his character better, we aren’t given any real history and no real motives or intriguing relationships. His character consists of cheesy lines about destiny and darkness, weird make-up, no clear idea what he actually tries to achieve and the strange fact that he looks like Allanon, which never really pays-off in any way.

Especially compared to General Riga and The Crimson he’s a disappointing enemy. General Riga and his extremist Crimson guard had motives and goals that were understandable and can be found in our present lives in various forms, it was more than magic and Druid spells. But in these last two episodes The Crimson almost vanishes from the scenery. The underlying problem – the resentment of magic in society – isn’t solved at all, but with Riga’s death everybody focuses on the Warlock Lord and forgets that there are still many problems to solve even without Riga around. I think a showdown with The Crimson would have made for a better story in general for the season finale, but I also realise that Mareth and Wil needed more of a magical challenge than a political one.

“With this crown, we acknowledge a new Queen, Lyria of Leah.”

Lyria has been a strange figure in this season and even at the end I’m still struggling to understand her character. In general, it feels more like she’s there to give other characters a source of conflict: she opposed her mother Tamlin and gave Eretria a reason to come to Leah, and in the end she is carrying the McGuffin around and therefore has to be protected. She generally is a character that reacts; she doesn’t drive a plot by her own. It’s the same in the last two episodes: the people around her try to protect her until they fail at that and she gets kidnapped. After the door to Heaven’s well is opened, she’s of no use anymore but not particularly threatening, so the Warlock Lord doesn’t even bother to kill her. Ultimately she had no role in defending herself or in saving her kingdom. She gets a few lines about protecting her kingdom and its people, and I think that is one of the more prominent parts of her character development. She started out as a runaway princess who apparently didn’t care much about the Kingdom of Leah and its people, but now she feels protective of it and I suspect that her mother’s death to be part of the cause for that change. But that’s about all we get for Lyria. She proposes to Eretria, but Eretria is mostly busy with fighting her dark side, and I want to note that Lyria wasn’t part of the solution for this problem either. All in all she has a good plot ending with becoming the Queen of Leah, but her character didn’t really grown on me as much as I wished it had.

“Perfect congress of magic and science.”

Cogline is an irritating character. His appearance in the season premiere felt a bit forced, and all the history and explanations for his character were never given any space to actually unfold. He’s just there, sometimes doing important stuff and giving advice every now and then, but I’m always unsure how he’s supposed to fit into the picture. He mentions that he once was a Druid but apparently he left the order. Did I miss when the show explained why? There seems to be no real bad blood between him and Allanon, or any bitterness towards the Druid’s order, since in the end he wants to help Mareth rebuild it. I like that he uses science instead of magic though. His part of the fight against the Warlock Lord was quite (visually) impressive to watch, even though he didn’t accomplish much. And for the rest of these two episodes he’s mainly giving advice and supporting characters in little ways. He’s crucial in Eretria’s rescue, which is quite meaningful I believe.

Also, did anyone else notice that when Cogline tells Wil and Mareth goodbye under the trees, he awkwardly guides his horse backwards to avoid the tree in front of them, instead of just riding around it? I suspect the camera was too close, and that’s why he couldn’t ride straight on. Whatever it was, I thought it was hilarious.

“I think you're gonna make a great general.”

Garet Jax had a nice and round plot in this season. He started out as someone who seemed to care only for himself (and for money), and ends up fighting for his new friends and the Kingdom he now feels actually connected to. I am a bit confused about how and why he showed up in Storlock at the beginning of the penultimate episode, because Grandal asked Jax and Slanter to go after Lyria – and Lyria is in Wilderun, not in Storlock. I won’t complain about it too much though, because it gave us another few wonderful fights and a great demonstration of epic knife throwing skills.

He gets another nice moment when he confronts The Crimson, though I’m a bit sad that this is basically the only part that deals with what’s left of The Crimson. And we get a short but great fight against the possessed Eretria, and is together with Cogline responsible for exorcising the Wraith from Eretria. We see more of Jax the leader in these two episodes, and in the end he’s a general in the army of the Kingdom of Leah. It’s a good place for him to be in and I’m happy that this is the end to his plot. I enjoyed his character a lot.

“This world owes Allanon a great debt.”

Allanon has been a wonderful character in this show. He is a good man, skilled and wise, and he’s ready to do what’s necessary even if it’s the hard and painful thing to do. He believed that emotions would be a weakness that would prevent him from doing what he has to do, and there exist many stories where a protagonist hesitates because of their feelings, so it’s not that Allanon is necessarily wrong. But the importance of positive emotions can’t be denied, and Allanon isn’t blind to them even though he feared them. He resisted giving up the codex for Wil at the beginning of this season, but in the end he was willing to give it up for Mareth, and in the penultimate episode he admits to Wil that with Mareth the best part of him will continue to live.

Allanon knows he’s dying. He’s only alive because of his magic, and when he was in the magical prison in Paranor we already saw how he became weaker. Now his rune magic transfers to Mareth, and with this Allanon slowly loses his powers, including his mind-reading abilities. So I didn’t expect the fight between him and the Warlock Lord to go in his favour, but it was sad to see him get killed like that anyway. It’s a consolation that he wouldn’t have lived for very long now, anyway, and he surely has lived for a long time. In the end, he could accept that Mareth was his daughter and found joy in that fact, and also had a friendly last talk with Wil before the Warlock Lord attacked. To have his story end now feels right – if the story continues, I’m not sure what would be left to tell. However, I’m worried about the Warlock Lord’s words: that Allanon would suffer in the third ring of the Forbidding. If that’s the case and Allanon really is in a bad place after his death, I very much want our surviving heroes to find and rescue him.

“It's like a chill in my blood, spreading to my heart.”

Eretria spends large parts of the penultimate episode fighting the darkness within herself, and in the second episode she’s mostly not herself. When she comes back to Wilderun with Wil, I was wondering if it was smart to have her be around Lyria when she’S struggling not to be controlled by their current enemy – and as it turns out it really wasn’t the best idea. While Lyria proposes to her it’s apparent that Eretria has very different things to think about. When they’re finally confronted by a Wraith, she tries to resist but in the end she’s overwhelmed and starts attacking Wil and Lyria. Finally she lets the Wraith in and possesses her and brings Lyria to the Warlock Lord. It’s notable that both Wil and Lyria try the you-can-fight-this-talk and bring Eretria back just through words of encouragement and love alone. Lyria tries it again when Eretria gives her over to the Warlock Lord, but it doesn’t help.

I think it’s interesting that unlike in many other stories love didn’t break the control here. After Eretria opens the dam on the Warlock Lord’s orders it’s Cogline and Jax who save her, using a combination of science (electricity to keep the Wraith in check) and magic (to banish the Wraith) to save her. It fits with this development that in the end Eretria doesn’t stay with Lyria. Eretria wasn’t a part of the solution to the Warlock Lord but a danger to her friends herself. That’s a horrible experience to make, losing control like that and hurting the ones you love, so it’s understandable that she wants to do something about it or learn how to deal with it. Cogline, despite being unhelpful when they were under time pressure, is her best option since he first gave her information about this problem and also tried to help her fight it. And Mareth, being the last Druid now, could be of help in this, too. So Eretria leaves the Kingdom of Leah and its Queen behind and joins Cogline and Mareth.

I think going out there and facing whatever comes up next will make for a better story for Eretria than staying at Lyria’s side and watching her girlfriend run the kingdom. The character Eretria doesn’t feel for me like she has arrived at the end of her journey yet.

“You're a much better badass than you are a reluctant hero.”

Mareth’s story has started this season when we were first introduced to her, but with the end of this season her story isn’t finished yet. She has been trained by Allanon for a bit now, learned more about magic and sword fighting and got her own sword, and still has Cogline around to teach her more about the Druids. They also have the codex back where she can learn from.

When she’s reunited with Wil in Wilderun, he also tells her that aside from being the future of the Druids, she’s also the heir to the throne of Arborlon. That is a lot to take in, and it doesn’t get easier. When she finds Allanon and the Warlock Lord in a fight, she joins and actually seems to be able to hold her own against the Warlock Lord, but she hesitates – understandably, because despite everything they’ve been through, it’s difficult to actually kill a man you’re looking in the face, especially if he’s looking like your father. In the end, Allanon is killed when he tries to win some time for his daughter, and Mareth has to watch her father die.

Together with Wil she goes after the Warlock Lord to stop him from poisoning Heaven’s Well. Mareth is doubtful though that they can actually do anything to stop the Warlock Lord – having seen her father die on top of the burden of being the Last Druid and the heir to the Elven throne has made her reluctant. Wil manages to remind her of her strength, and his own confidence helps her to find the courage to go on.

The fight against the Warlock Lord itself isn’t very impressive – he’s a much better fighter than they are. In the end they manage to kill him together, but the Well is already poisoned. Wil’s plan to fix the poisoning means for Mareth to lose him. Before he goes to die, they share a bittersweet moment and a kiss.

After the coronation, Mareth travels with Cogline and Eretria, and a lot of her story basically begins now. She’S the last Druid – and while I understand that she needs more training I also keep wondering: is she going to the Elves now? They don’t have a king, someone needs to get her to Arborlon, right? I really want to see how that could turn out. However, I do like the twist in the end and that she has a new task on her hands now: finding Wil.

“Until you have lived with magic, you can't know its price.”

We can really see a change in Wil compared to the rest of the season. Talking to Amberle and finding closure helped him find confidence and it’s feels like he finally got to a place where he feels good about himself. It feels right and is a good continuation of his story. He’s able to admit his feelings to Mareth and give her emotional support whereas before she was more likely to be the one to do that. He has accepted what he has to do, and that whole attitude also helps him in his relationship with Allanon. Their little talk before the attack was nice to see, and I liked that in the end Wil finally got to have a conversation where Allanon couldn’t read his mind.  I feel like Wil’s complains about that were always valid because it’s rude and intrusive to read someone’s mind without their consent – especially when it’s a friend that should be able to trust you.

He has a nice scene with Eretria, trying to comfort and encourage her about overcoming the darkness inside of her. He tries to remind her of it later again, but sadly he’s not much of a match against the possessed Eretria in the cage. And then follows what I suspect is a missing scene: Wil goes from lying unconscious on the ground in the cage to appearing near the battlefield of Allanon and the Warlock Lord. I suppose after Eretria opened the cage and took Lyria, Wil just woke up and tried to find his friends, but it’s really confusing if you have to explain that for yourself and not seeing it. Even though he skipped that scene, Wil comes too late to save Allanon, and despite them following the Warlock Lord as soon as they can, he and Mareth are too late to prevent the Warlock Lord from poisoning Heaven’s Well.

It was nice to see Wil using both the Elfstones and the Sword of Shannara. Of course neither his magic nor his sword fighting skills are enough to beat the Warlock Lord, and he is badly wounded. With Mareth’s help, he is able to finally kill the Warlock Lord. However the infection of the water doesn’t vanish with the Warlock Lord’s death, and Wil soon realises that his blood is able to purify the water. In a way, it mirrors Amberle’s sacrifice – she became a tree to save the Four Lands, while Wil sacrificed his life in the water with the same goal. That he’s able to accept it and go through with it also shows that he has grown, though I’d argue that being the one left behind and having no choice in what happens is difficult on its own way. This time that is Mareth part, but at least Wil and Mareth had a little bit of time to say goodbye. We then see Wil fall into the water, and his heroic sacrifice saves the Four Lands indeed – the water becomes clean again.

I was happy to see that Wil isn’t actually or completely dead in the end. I didn’t have much hope for such a plot twist in the end, but it’s a nice surprise! Of course Wil’s bad luck never disappoints him and he finds himself in an unfriendly environment – it’s a wasteland full of bones, and flying creatures that are about to attack him when this season ends with a black screen and shows us the words: to be continued.

I haven’t heard any news about a renewal, but surely they wouldn’t end the show with a cliffhanger and a promise like this if they didn’t know they’d get a third season, right?

I have enjoyed this season a lot and I can’t wait to see a possible third season!

[no-warrior-here]

for the quote meme - "Well, guess what? The warrior's not fighting for either of you!”

Send me a quote from my character’s canon and they will share EXACTLY what went through their minds when they said it, and how they currently feel about it.

     Everyone had their limit on how much they were willing to endure, and Gregor hadn’t just hit his. He had far surpassed it.

     After everything they’d gone through…

     The Warrior had fought to bring peace. He had fought to save lives, to protect innocent people, to save his friends, his family. He had fought in the name of some old, dead man’s prophecies, against a foe that was, in the end, just as confined to his role as Gregor was.

     The Warrior had not fought for this.

     It all felt like a tremendous slap in the face, an insult to the memory of the fallen, and just so terribly… Petty. At first Gregor had felt disbelief, but now that was gone, replaced with a deep, burning fury to rival the volcanic heat of the Firelands. Never in his life could he recall such a sensation of anger and betrayal. He had given up his childhood, what remained of his innocence, and so many others had sacrificed their very lives– for this? So they could just keep killing, continuing a cycle of violence and hatred with no end in sight?

     Had they learned nothing at all?

     Now his friends turned to him, expecting him to join them in this madness. Him. Gregor. The Warrior. Their loyal killing machine, tuned for war. A Rager, born with incomparable deadliness he never asked to have. A Killer among Killers, in the eyes of the Underland.

     Never again.

     He was done with prophecies. He was done with wars. He was done with fighting, with killing. He was done with all of it, and there was only one way to make sure he was never tied up in their ceaseless bloodshed again.

     The Warrior had to die, just as foretold.

     This time, the prophecies wouldn’t use him.

     Gregor would use them.

     In one final burst of rage, the sword of their beloved prophet was snapped in two over the boy’s leg. Gregor didn’t know what they would do next, and he wasn’t sure he cared. But he wouldn’t let it involve him.

     Gregor had a lot of regrets in his life, but killing the Warrior was not one of them.

     He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss the Underland. He missed Luxa, and Mareth, and Howard, and maybe Ripred. Sometimes. Slightly. But Gregor did not miss the wars, or the quests, or the toll it had all taken on his family.

     The teen still wrote to them whenever he could, keeping tabs on the Underland’s affairs. So far, so good. Amazingly, his act of outrage had actually stayed with them, and the bond between humans and Gnawers seemed to be holding fast. They hadn’t resumed massacring each other, anyway, and that was certainly an improvement. As long as nobody was dying, Gregor wasn’t going to complain.

     Maybe Gregor had done a lot of killing in the Underland. But at least in death, the Warrior had finally brought peace.

     That was a legacy he could live with.