#number 16

[humblegrub]

today on the list of things that are gonna keep me up at night (courtesy of depthsofwikipedia ig)

I don't think this is actually her but this is a photo of a specimen from the same species that comes up when you search for her.

A reminder that humans can and do form years - DECADES - long relationships with creatures much smaller and much different than us.

Rest easy, Number 16. You were taken from us too soon.

[perimorp]

a war machine that shuns war is nothing but a failure

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️ Ranking Richonne

#16: It's For You (S4E09)

This blog has always been a place to focus on whatever is beautiful about Richonne and truly the best word to describe this moment here is beautiful. And masterfully done. I adore this scene and, while we don’t even see Richonne interact, we do get to see the telling and joyous way they both react to each other. It’s a precious visual of how much they already mean to each other at this point. Their connection is one of a kind, and I love how Rick and Michonne's pre-canon moments are still so romantic, like in this ep here where TWD really gets the storytelling of it all exactly right...

After a really well-done episode getting to see where Michonne, Carl, and Rick are at after the fall of the prison, I adore that "After" ends with magnets finding their way back to each other.

I’ll forever be glad that when splitting up team family, it’s Rick, Carl, and Michonne who got to spend this time traveling and bonding together as the show’s golden trio. I’m telling you, the universe knew Rick and Michonne were not meant to be split up for long. 

So first, I’m already just feeling so proud of Michonne that after reflecting on the tragedy from her past she decided she’s not going to return to that numbing lone wolf state and instead, she’s going to follow the footsteps that lead her to her family.

And then she finds them because sis always finds what she’s looking for, be it a prison, a savior outpost, or Rick when she eventually finds him in TOWL. 👏🏽

And without words, Danai so stunningly conveys how elated Michonne is to look through that window and see Rick and Carl eating side by side.

Her boys are so cute in that living room, and after their spats throughout the episode, it’s nice to see Rick and Carl finally having a peaceful moment together.

The choreography of this whole thing is great with Michonne reaching for her sword and then releasing it when she sees them. It's symbolic to her knowing that she’s found the ones she can most let her guard down with. She found her family. 🥰

The way Michonne sheds tears and smiles and has that emotional little laugh just upon seeing them. Beautiful. 🥹 She even looks up to the sky - cuz she knows the universe was on her side with this one.

Rick and Carl mean so much to her, and at this moment you know she knows it. Finding Rick and Carl specifically has to be so rewarding because, as we saw at the prison, they were who she was starting to get closest to. 

It’s also really cute and even playful almost that she knocks as this way to sorta surprise them. She could’ve just said it’s her or whatever but this way is so much better. I know deep down she knows they’re about to be stoked to see her, cuz those Grimes boys always light up when she’s around. 😊

So then just like we got to see Michonne’s beautiful raw reaction to Rick and Carl, we also get to see Rick’s unfiltered elated reaction to seeing Michonne and it is such a heartwarming thing. 

Let me tell you, Michonne breathes life into that man so effortlessly. Just the sight of her on the other side of that door seemed to have Rick feeling a bit less tore up from the floor up.

And I will always love that Rick can be a little extra when it comes to Michonne so he looks out the peephole and sees her and can’t help but make it a whole moment as he takes a breath, slides down to the couch, and starts laughing with that smile only Michonne can bring out of him. It’s the absolute best. 😊♥️

Like homeboy can barely breathe, but he’s still gonna have a tickled pink reaction to knowing his crush and his son's bestie found them lol. Who else is making Rick Grimes giddy like this? No one but Michonne, honey.

And Carl is like, alright my dad is being extra so what is this about. I low-key thought Rick was about to tell Carl...

lol. But Rick instead says something even better as the scene ends with one of my favorite endings to an episode of TWD.

Because Rick looks up at Carl with a smile and then perfectly says, “It’s for you.”

I will forever love this line. 😍 Like it’s so good and Andy’s delivery is flawless. I love that Rick knows the bond Carl and Michonne have, and he knows how excited Carl will be to open that door and see her.

And while the line indicates it's for Carl, Rick's pleased reaction says this is absolutely for him too. And truly it feels like Michonne’s return to their life is deliberately for them and for her because they all need each other so much. Seeing her is a certifiable W, and Rick knows it.

Watching Rick and Michonne’s separate reactions to each other just made it so clear they have something special between them. And I know these reactions were specifically because of the three of them, more so than it being about finding just anyone in tf.

Rick, Michonne, and Carl were always meant to be family, and moments like this confirm it. 

This whole moment was screaming romantic, y'all. Like how lucky are we that Richonne’s story features so many heartfelt and swoon-worthy moments, both pre and post-canon.

Also, I was thinking about something...Back when season 4 was airing, Richonne fans who were far keener than I at the time knew moments like this "it's for you" one were planting the seeds of a Richonne romance. This then prompted other TWD fans to mock and grumble that Richonners think the show is a love story.

And no The Walking Dead is not a romance, but best believe once Rick met Michonne, a powerful and significant love story began to unfold and became central to why Rick Grimes, TWD's main character, fought to keep going. After all, what are any of these characters fighting to live for, if not the love they have in that world?

This is why I'll always stand by the fact that Rick and Michonne's love is important to the plot. And hey, look how far we've come from dealing with grumblings about us thinking TWD is a love story to now Rick and Michonne's final TWD chapter being officially (and repeatedly 🙌🏽) declared an "epic love story " with TOWL. Looks like those early Richonners were onto something huh 😋

And it's precious moments like this "it's for you" one that add such a heartfelt element to Rick and Michonne's slow burn and love story. It is just such a special scene and I get why Andy said it's one of his favorite endings to a TWD episode.

I love the quietness of this scene, the emotion of it, the kismet aspect of Rick and Michonne finding each other and being joyous when they do. What a beautiful ending to an excellent episode and a refreshing step forward in the making of Richonne. 😌

[twistedtummies2]

Year of the Bat - Number 16

Welcome to Year of the Bat! In honor of Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Richard Moll, I’m counting down my Top 31 Favorite Episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series” throughout this January. We’ve reached the halfway point of the countdown! TODAY’S EPISODE QUOTE: “Fear’s a prison, you see, and I’ve just broken out!” Number 16 is…Never Fear.

Out of all the Scarecrow’s appearances in B:TAS, this episode from the TNBA era is generally considered to be the best. It’s one of several stories taken directly from the comics, too, as the episode is (somewhat loosely) based on the comic tale “Fear For Sale.” The original comic was published in 1987, and was chiefly created by writer Mike W. Barr, and artist Alan Davis. While that story is really, REALLY freaking good – seriously, one of the Top 5 best Scarecrow comics, in my opinion, without question – I honestly think the Animated Series adaptation is even better. Not only that, but in some ways – despite the fact no one actually dies in this story (though several come awfully close) – I would argue the cartoon is darker than said comic, as well. Wrap your head around that! The premise focuses on the Scarecrow returning to Gotham City, presumably after a long dormancy, with a brand new form of his Fear Toxin: instead of the usual method of installing fear in people, causing them to hallucinate violent apparitions and have horrifying visions of their greatest phobias and traumas, this new gimmick TAKES AWAY people’s fear. Now, one may wonder, why is that such a bad thing? Well, here’s the thing: fear is a rational human response, intended to keep us out of danger. We run away from things that scare us, or stay alert for trouble in times of distress, for self-preservation’s sake; we avoid doing certain things at least partially because fear reminds us of the consequences of those actions. If you REMOVE fear…then a person has no restraints, no cares, and quite possibly no conscience. This is where things get interesting: while going undercover to try and figure out Scarecrow’s plans, Bruce gets a dose of the Anti-Fear Toxin himself. Batman becomes impulsive, thrillseeking…and, most alarming of all, homicidal. It’s therefore up to Robin to keep Batman from going down a path he must not travel, while also trying to stop the Scarecrow’s newest bid for power. The first thing most people talk about with this episode is Scarecrow himself, and for good reason. The character is given a brand new voice, provided by Jeffrey Combs for this outing, as well as a brand new look, which most people agree is far superior to the one from the first three seasons. While the Scarecrow is great in those earlier seasons, I do agree with the apparent majority that the version found in “Never Fear” is a superior rendition, simply because he’s much more creepy to behold and to hear. I was never really scared of the Scarecrow himself in his earlier outings, but this version is a whole new story. The uniqueness of his plan in this story is also worth commending, whether it’s based on an already-published comic or not. However, I think a lot of people underestimate what a good episode this is for Batman and Robin, as well. I may or may not have said this in an earlier entry, but I actually preferred Tim Drake as Robin over Dick Grayson, at least in the Animated Series. This episode is a great example of why. Robin really takes the spotlight and initiative here, as it’s ultimately really Tim that saves the day. There’s this great scene that I absolutely love, where Batman – under the influence of Scarecrow’s toxin – tries to convince Tim, after Robin ties him up to keep him from hurting people or running into trouble, to let him go. Kevin Conroy’s performance is so convincing, it almost tricks the viewer, as well as Robin himself, but Tim doesn’t take the bait. The two really do feel like partners here, in a lot of ways, and it’s a great tale for both. Whether you love it for the heroes or the villain, “Never Fear” is arguably the pinnacle of Scarecrow storytelling in the Animated Series. I say “arguably” because of one other episode I’ll get to later in the countdown…but that’s another story.

Tomorrow we move into the Top 15! Hint: “Kids these days. No respect.”

[subbie-dreamz]

✨two newest tattoos, both by a new artist✨

[shitmydadhassaid]

"you're a wild card I'm intrigued to see what your wedding would look like if you have one, you could either be wearing a dress and high heels just like your mom or a suit with those God damn checkered vans"

[centaur-dreaming]

NUMBER ONE?! NUMBER FUCKING O N E?! ON TUMBLR?! T U M B L R ? !

[locusfandomtime]

The maths fandom is wild. “Real” and “imaginary” numbers? I think you mean canon and non-canon. You guys seriously go “this is my number oc his name is i and he is the square root of -1” when in numbers canon lore it’s actually impossible to square root a negative but sure whatever. “Complex numbers”? I think you mean a character x oc ship. “f(x) = 3x - 5”? That is self-insert fanfiction.

[odetojupiter]

uhhh so the number four is associated with death in certain cultures, including japanese, which is fitting for the butcher’s son, yes but just remember neil was supposed to be number three and jean was supposed to be number four ,and in every draft but one jean dies. he is symbolically saved from that fate by dodging the number four (being given, instead, the number three which represents REBIRTH of all things - i made a whole post about that if ur curious) because it means he was never marked for death. so in this draft, where he’s number three, but was supposed to be number four, he comes so close to death - to the point where renee doesn’t know how he’s still alive - because he was supposed to die, doomed by the narrative, but that number three saves him. that number three represents resurrection, and so he doesn’t die like he was supposed to. because he’s not number four, he’s number three. he comes back. he transforms, he heals. he becomes number 29 (i will eventually make a post about jean and the 29)

neil, though, was marked for death. he had the number four tattooed on him, and he goes through his own narrative believing he will die by the end of it. his survival, however, is foreshadowed in the very moment neil thinks he’s about to die - when he is kidnapped. lola burns the number four - the signifier of death - off his face, leaving him scarred, yes, but not marked for death anymore. and so he lives. and guess what: the number 10 represents the start of a new chapter, that one cycle is coming to an end and a new life is starting, one that you’ve worked hard for. so for the number four to be burned off of neil, that tells us neil is going to live. and when neil becomes neil legally, he settles into the number 10 properly. and his new life begins.

[tinynerdycthulu]

ranking svsss characters on how likely they are to get an abortion

shen qingqiu/yuan: 0/10, obv he would never if it was binghe's. as far as i know the only major character to have a stance on abortion at all (if he was binghes mom hed never abort him) how can anyone deny him the chance to live out his milf dreams

luo bingmei: -10/10, its literally shizuns child, how could this lowly disciple ABORT it???? hed probably get jealous of his own unborn kid tho

liu qingge: 3/10, he'd probably keep the baby due to his personal sense of honor/morals but if his life was in danger he'd pursue an abortion. the baby might just like. die on its own tho. this man cannot take care of himself

shang qinghua: 7/10, would keep it if mobei-jun asked him to. otherwise has no parental instinct. is probably actively terrified of both pregnancy and having a kid for valid reasons.

mobei-jun: 5.5/10, would probably keep it prior to airplane extras if it was politically beneficial and post airplane extras if it was sqh's but otherwise feels no sense of obligation to a fetus

shen qingqiu/jiu: 9.9 repeated/10 bordering on 15/10, this man gets abortions regularly. in fact he is the sole reason why there is a dedicated abortion clinic on qian cao. he wishes probirther fearmongering was real and abortions actually caused fetuses to scream and bleed so he could personally be witness to his child's 'life' being snuffed out. the only reason he isnt a 10/10 is bc after aborting like 10 yqy fetuses he realized it actually caused yqy more pain if he KEPT the baby. unfortunately the baby is kinda useless (sorry its not shen yuan) and he just. ditches it.

yue qingyuan: -5/10, sj demands that he does but this man does not have it in him to abort sj's child. paradoxically this leads to them somewhat fixing their relationship.

liu mingyan: 8/10, too busy writing yaoi to parent BUT she might keep it for shits and giggles and to use as a reference when writing bingqiu mpreg kid.

ning yingying: 9/10, shes baby not mommy. also shes neither qualified nor willing to parent, maybe in the future she could deal with the responsibility

ming fan: 6/10, he wouldn't want to but it would be forced upon him c-drama style. hes the shu son and the main wife cant stand his kid being the first grandchild. do you see my vision.

luo bingge: 10/10, this man doesnt believe life begins at conception OR at birth hed perform post-natal abortions if his kids annoyed him enough.

[hairmetal666]

NSFW; Modern AU

Eddie feels like the luckiest man alive, that he gets to count Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley as his best friends, but he wasn't sure about it at first. No matter how often his new little sheepies praised Steve, Eddie remembered high school. He remembered the Steve that was a grade-A, top-choice asshole. But then--Robin comes out to him. And Steve knows. Steve knows and he's cool about it. So, Eddie comes out to them and Steve is cool about that too.

It fucks Eddie up a little, if he's being honest. Like, Steve, objectively, is hot, but Eddie's only ever been superficially attracted to him. He thinks the whole jock archetype just doesn't do a lot for him. Too much negativity attached to their whole thing. But he'd be lying if he said part of him isn't intrigued.

He doesn't develop a crush on Steve, though. Somehow, through all the charm and bitchiness and not-so-secret kindness, his heart remains unmoved. It must be the jock thing.

And then he's scrolling on Twitter. He's scrolling on Twitter and he's not looking for porn, not even in a "Oh no, I never look at porn on the internet" way, and there's this video.

The first thing he sees is the lowered waist band of a pair of 90's-style basketball shorts, Pacers logo just visible. Then it's the long fingers, the broad hands. They're skimming down a tanned, toned torso, not a six-pack but it's somehow sexier this way. Their path draws Eddie's eyes to the dot of moles, the spread of freckles. They're so kissable, Eddie's mouth waters. Those fingers, they linger against the trimmed thatch of dark hair just peaking out over the elastic, before pulling that waistband lower.

Eddie's hard. Rock hard. Fuck, he's so hard a wind gust could make him come.

The guy on screen, he's got his gorgeous dick in hand, giving himself slow strokes and thumbing at the tip to collect the obvious slickness beading there.

It's not really a decision when Eddie unzips and shoves his jeans just low enough to take himself in hand. On screen, the hand speeds up, the stomach shivering, breath coming in soft bursts, somehow almost more intoxicating than the jerking off.

Eddie times his strokes with the video, coming apart faster than he ever has watching porn. He can tell the guy is close, his grip goes tighter, his breath shorter. Eddie's about to go off like a fucking rocket.

The hand stills, the guy's cock fucking quivers, and he's ready for the money shot, will totally come at the same time, except--it doesn't happen.

The screen goes black.

Eddie comes all over himself.

"Fuck, shit, goddamnit," he hisses. He flails around trying to find something to clean himself up with and pause the video so he can read the fucking text.

As wiped up as he can be without showering, Eddie runs the video back a few seconds to see the words, "want the full experience? Subscribe to my OnlyFans."

He's never clicked a link so fast in his life. He's never really explored OnlyFans before, but he signs up for the free trial without a second thought.

The guy's username is KingJock016 and under usual circumstances, Eddie would be disgusted, but it's too late for that. He's already scrolling through thumbnails of hands and dicks and asses and butt plugs and dildos, pausing briefly at a preview of one where KingJock is bent at the waist, perfect ass--dotted with freckles-- framed by the bands of a jock strap. He's deliciously hairy, deliciously ripe, and Eddie is firming up again.

Without fully meaning to, he hits play, and the video starts with KingJock already rocking his cock into his fist. He's moaning in this one, full throated, almost desperate. And there's something about it, something that catches in Eddie's brain, but he can't focus on that when he's watching KingJock trace a finger around his own asshole.

It's insane that Eddie is this far gone without seeing the guy's face, that his toes are curling at the mere sight of KingJock fucking himself. The sounds are obscene, the slick and snap of skin on skin, the throaty moans, the creak of the bed as KingJock rocks into his fist and back onto his fingers.

Eddie's not even touching himself, and he's already standing at complete attention, a heady ache already starting in his balls.

And then KingJock flips his head back, revealing a shock of chestnut hair, the taut lines of a mole-kissed throat, the hard line of a jaw. One eye flashes open, looks directly at the camera, at Eddie.

It's fucking Steve Harrington.

Eddie comes all over himself again.

It's Steve. His best friend, Steve. His straight best friend. Making content clearly targeted for queer men? I mean, Eddie can't fault him. Like, nice work if you can get it, but Steve???

He hasn't done anything to clean up because his thoughts are spiraling too hard. How long has this been going on? Does Robin know? Should Eddie subscribe ? Leave a comment about how this video made him come untouched? Join a live? No, no, of course not. Steve was his real life friend. He couldn't hang out with him and then watch him fuck himself on a wall-mounted dildo.

He hits subscribe though. He'll hate himself for it later. It's only for the trial period, anyway.

He wipes himself off, but the come is already drying, sticky, against his skin and in his body hair. He needs a shower. He needs to practice being normal around Steve now that he--

Shit, Steve. They're going to the movies tonight. Steve's supposed to pick him up in, shit, fuck twenty minutes.

Eddie hurls himself into the shower, moves so quickly he doesn't really have time to think about Steve having an OnlyFans, about how hard he got off to his friend, about how he keeps having flashes of Steve's perfect body play through his head.

It's hard to ignore it when Steve is standing at his door in his form hugging jeans and little t-shirt and Eddie's done for, a dead man; here lies Eddie Munson. He's just standing in the doorway, smiling at Steve and he knows it's manic, but he can't slip it.

"Are you okay?" Steve asks. Eddie hears the words but all it does is remind him of KingJock's breathy moans.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He keeps smiling.

Steve's eyes narrow. He leans into Eddie's space. "Did you drop acid again? We told you not to do it alo--"

"I didn't! Nothing's wrong."

"Your face is all flushed. You feeling okay? You could have a fever."

Before Eddie can react, Steve's resting the back of his hand on his forehead. Eddie flinches, swatting Steve away, which devolves into a brief slap fight.

"I don't have a fever, man. I'm fine. Hot shower, is all."

"If you say so. Ready to get going?"

Eddie nods. He can totally do this. He can pretend he doesn't know about the OnlyFans and the face Steve makes when he's about to come.

The drive is quiet. Too quiet. He thinks his bones are trying to rip through his skin.

He starts talking, isn't even tracking what he's saying. Dnd and then suddenly it's hobbits and then Star Trek for reasons even he doesn't comprehend. He glances over at Steve, and he's burnished golden from the light of the setting sun. He's so beautiful. How did Eddie miss it all this time? Why did he--

"Get any new subscribers lately?" He hears come out of his mouth.

Steve slams on the breaks, sending Eddie careening into he dashboard.

"Jesus Christ, what the fuck," Eddie shrieks. The car behind them lays on the horn, then speeds past when it's clear they aren't moving.

"Why are you saying what the fuck at me?" Steve hisses back. He hits the gas, pulling the car to the side of the road. "Eddie--what the fuck?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he chants. He hides his head in his hands. "I didn't mean to--I'm so fucking sorry."

"How'd you find it?"

Eddie snorts. "One of your videos showed up on my TL. That's the algorithm for you."

"Jesus christ," Steve mutters. "You weren't supposed to--it's--"

"What are you even doing, man?"

"My Family Video salary won't cut it, if we're moving to Indy."

"You're not even gay."

Steve mumbles something, but he's looking out the window and not at Eddie at all.

"What was that?"

"Maybe I am!" Steve doesn't shout, but it's forceful.

Eddie's mouth drops. "Does Robin know?"

Steve stares forward, hands tightening on the wheel.

"And you didn't tell me?" It hurts, he's surprised how much, so much it takes his breath.

"It wasn't like that, Ed."

"Oh, no? Then what was it like?"

"It doesn't matter."

"The fuck it doesn't! I'm the first person you should've come to! I know exactly what it's like."

"No, you don't." Steve explodes. "You don't because you made me realize. And I couldn't talk to you about it because I like you. And, yeah, maybe starting an OnlyFans as part of my gay awakening is weird to you, but it's done a lot for me, okay?"

Steve said a lot of stuff just there, a lot of important things, but Eddie's glitched out on one part. "You like...me?"

"Yeah, like. Have you met you?" Steve slumps in his seat, like he's defeated. "You're fucking beautiful, dude. And smart and funny and passionate. Nerdy as hell. I didn't stand a chance."

"But I'm--" Eddie shakes his head. "I mean, look at me."

"I have." Steve nods. "A lot. I really like what I see."

"When I realized it was you in those videos, I came all over myself. Untouched," Eddie blurts. He flushes deep crimson immediately. "Oh my god, I can't believe I just--"

Steve is laughing, hands pressed over his mouth.

"Shut up, shut up," Eddie swipes at him. "It's not funny, oh my god."

When Steve gets it together, he finally looks at Eddie, and there's pink in his cheeks and a shine to his eyes. "That might be the most gratifying thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Yeah, well. It was humiliating."

"It's hot, Eddie."

His blush hasn't cooled even a bit. "Yeah?" His voice comes out deep, husky.

"I wouldn't mind, uh--that is, if it's cool with you--seeing it for myself?"

Eddie giggles. "You wanna make me come untouched, sweetheart?"

Steve shifts in his seat. "I'd really like that. Will you let me?"

"Uh-huh, absolutely, definitely. If you don't put this car in drive and get us back to my place, I'm going to literally die."

Steve laughs again, a bright, free thing, and he swings back onto the road. "Not yet, you aren't."

That sends a shock of pleasant shivers down Eddie's spine, right to his dick.

"Maybe we can even make a video together sometime."

Eddie, much to his deep embarrassment, whines, hips shifting with the sudden need for relief. "Oh, you didn't want me to die before because this is how you're planning on killing me."

Steve turns to him, a smirk on his lips and a devilish glint in his eye. "You have no idea what I'm going to do to you."

[hercarisntyours]

do you think megatron blocked optimus after everything or

[valyrfia]

max and charles acknowledging their own inevitability and how they were always predestined to end up where they are, always side by side no matter what oh they KNOW they're in a soulmate au

[twistedtummies2]

Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes - Number 16

Welcome to A Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes! During this month-long event, I’ll be counting down my Top 31 Favorite Fictional Detectives, from movies, television, literature, video games, and more!

We’ve reached the halfway point of the countdown!

SLEUTH-OF-THE-DAY’S QUOTE: “We're smart people. So why do we always do things that make us look like we have the intelligence of beef jerky?”

Number 16 is…or, rather, are…Zack & Ivy, from Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?

If you know me, then these two showing up somewhere on the countdown probably won’t be surprising. But if you don’t know me – or, quite possibly, if you only know the Carmen Sandiego franchise via the Netflix reboot series – then this will likely be VERY surprising, especially so high up. So, for those who came in late, as it were: the “Carmen Sandiego” franchise is an “edutainment” series, which primarily teaches social studies such as geography and history. It started off as a series of computer and video games, and was eventually spun off into four separate television programs. Two of them were game shows, the other two were animated programs for kids. The first of these animated programs – and my personal favorite take on the Carmen Sandiego franchise as a whole – was the cartoon series, “Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?”

In the pre-Netflix era of the franchise – and, by extension, in “Where on Earth?” – the premise remained largely unchanged: the title role of Carmen Sandiego is the main antagonist of the series. Carmen is a master thief, and the mysterious head of a legion of robbers, spies, and blackmailers known as “V.I.L.E.” She and her cronies go after rare and one-of-a-kind targets, stealing everything from white lion cubs to Elvis’ pink Cadillac to the Statue of Liberty itself and so much more. Trying to capture Carmen and stop her crimes is the ACME Detective Agency: an elite team of sleuths whose primary objective has become the defeat of Carmen Sandiego, who was once a member of the Agency herself before turning rogue.

In the original computer games, before the cartoon show came out, the Player was the lead detective (although they sometimes had helpers who were fellow ACME Agents in different titles). In the game shows, similarly, the players had the roles of the sleuths on Carmen’s trail. Naturally, for “Where on Earth?” this format wasn’t really going to fly: the creators needed specific protagonists, characters with personalities and lives all their own to go after the arch-villainess. Enter Zack and Ivy: the brother and sister teen detective duo who act as Carmen’s arch-nemeses in the series.

Zack is a computer whiz kid who seems to know almost every foreign language under the Sun. He’s a wisecracking jokester who loves riding his skateboard almost as much as he loves catching crooks. (Did I mention this show was made in the 90s?) Ivy, meanwhile, is an expert martial artist, rock climber, and all-around awesome gal who prefers more hands-on methods of detective work. She tends to be a little more serious than her brother. The two are, in some ways, total opposites, and in other ways they work like two peas in a pod: both have a tendency to grow impatient with one another, but each also cares a lot about their respective sibling. What I love about these two is that neither is really treated as the “top detective” of the two; there’s no clear leader or follower between them. Each compliments the other very well with their respective abilities, as well as their respective personality traits. Throughout the show, they use their knowledge of history, and their respective talents, to solve Carmen’s numerous clues and try to stop her crimes.

I absolutely love Zack and Ivy, and many other people seemed to like them, as well. They were even adapted into the video game lineup that sired the franchise: “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Junior Edition,” which was loosely inspired by the cartoon series, featured the pair as helping hands for the Player. They would also become the template for several other characters who would appear down the line in the franchise. Most notably, the two were later reimagined in the aforementioned Netflix reboot; in that version, Carmen is reinterpreted as an anti-hero instead of a straightforward villainess. Zack and Ivy, similarly, are reworked from a pair of intrepid and brilliant detectives out to catch her, to being her two partners-in-crime, and tend to act as the brawn to Carmen’s brain, in some ways. While these new versions of the characters were fun, and fit the new format, I’ll always prefer the original teen detective duo from the first cartoon show.

I was actually sorely tempted to include the pair in the Top 15, but after much deliberation, I felt others earned the higher ranks better. Still…when your arch-enemy is the World’s Greatest Thief, and you do manage to arrest her a couple of times? You’ve earned your stripes, to say the least.

Tomorrow, the countdown enters the Top 15!

CLUE: “It’s called a hustle, sweetheart.”

[compaculaaa]

I'm curious, who named the sparklings? Did Alpha Trion named them all or Sentinel named some of them?

Alpha wanted sentinel to name them but after everything, alpha gave them names in the dark and damp cave they resided in

Names that gave him hope

[18catsreading]

Brennan: Fox goes to work for a second, stops and coughs, and a baseball sized pearl falls out of his mouth.

Eursulon: that's good luck! Your next one is free Fox!

Fox: good luck? Getting a rock is good luck? There was a rock in my food.

Ame: it's a pretty rock that humans like

Fox: okay. Congratulations to humans on loving rocks

Ame: what did a rock ever do to you?

Fox: so much. Rocks have been a constant problem for all of my life. Sometimes they shoot up out of the ground and you can't get past them. Sometimes they're in your way when a rabbit's running. I say no rocks.