#ok phrased like that it sounds comedic

[awhoreintheory]

I just had the brain spark idea for ANGST with Peter in Gotham with Jason as Uncle Ben. What if it is when he is still mad with anger from the Lazaraus Puts, and Peter's first meeting with him is when he is in the middle of one of his homicidal rages?

Like, Jason is back with the Batfam, and he is on the good guy side, but it's before he has reached a balance on his anger, and he still struggles to control the pit madness. And the first time Peter sees him and recognizes his face, Jason is momentarily going crazy?

Ooooo wait this is such a good idea!!

Imagine Peter, whose uncle has only been dead for 2-3 years at this point, seeing a man who has his uncles face repeatedly punching an unconscious man? The city's vigilantes are trying to pry him off, distract him from turning that poor guys face into a mushy pool of broken bones and blood.

Some are trying to comfort him, for some reason, while others say... less than polite things. The blue one electrocutes him, his not-uncle, successfully, which only serves to move his focus from the bloodied body to the vigilante. Which, well, was the point, but it feels wrong seeing his not-uncle be electrocuted repeatedly and beaten with a bo staff.

Batman even shows up to restrain him, his uncle had always been larger than life, in the metaphorical and physical sense. Peter's uncle was a gentle man, and the only time he ever used his size was when he was out on duty, to save people's lives.

His eyes glowed a neon green, and his weirdly youthful face was framed by premature white hair. His nose was busted and bleeding, staining his teeth. It made Peter nauseous. The last time his uncle had been covered in blood, he...

"Stop it! What are you doing to him?!" Peter screamed, finally finding the strength to leave his hiding spot behind a dumpster.

He stared. What else could he do?

He hadn't been in this universe long, hadn't found any signs of the Parkers ever even existing here. How could he be so stupid? Of course they could've existed with different names— his dad and uncle had been adopted. They probably have completely different families and last names because Peter... doesn't exist here. They're alive because Peter doesn't exist here.

The blue one, Nightwing, stepped forward. "Hey, this is no place for a kid, alright? We've got this handled." He took the tone Peter often took with scared civilians as Spider-man.

"No, you're— you're hurting him! Stop it!" Peter moved to get closer to his uncle, but was held back gently by Nightwing.

"Get the kid out of here, now!" Batman snapped, struggling to hold down his uncle.

[niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian]

Cream: "Hey Gemerl! Do you want to hear a joke?"

Gemerl: "Cream, you know that I can not express certain emotions of amusement the way you can."

Cream: "I know, but I want to try it out for when I see the others later!"

Gemerl: "Very well. Proceed with comedic phrases."

Cream: "Ok, why did the teddy bear say no to dessert?"

Gemerl: "I do not know."

Cream: "Because it was already stuffed!"

Gemerl:.....

Gemerl, sounds of system processing: "HA."

Cream: "W-was that an actual laugh?"

Gemerl, voice glitching: "It was very amusing, Cream."

Cream: "But, you sound like you're in pain...."

Gemerl, voice continues glitching, more rapidly now: "Comedy is pain."

[castlebyersafterdark]

Ok this might sound strange but there is something so 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 about the phrase "went down on" both in fics and in spicy posts. Will blew mike? cool, okay. Will WENT DOWN ON MIKE???? going feral barking and chewing on glass. Idk anytime someone says it it always just sounds...more intimate while also embracing that lusty aspect. Like, I get the vibe that if Will went down on mike and vice versa...it was long and drawn out and noisy as all hell because of how good they made each other feel. Whereas with just the ordinary descriptors (blew, etc) it's like oh ok they had to be quick doing it against a wall or something because they didn't want anyone coming home and catching them with their pants down 😂 lmao (though that as a concept can be hot asf too. Dgmw.) this might just be me being particular about word choice, but idk...anyway. moral of the story is I need more fics where mike and will go down on each other, whatever that means for them 💙💛

I love that you love that, anon!! You are so right!!! I try to pay so much attention to word choice and descriptors because there are definite preferences I personally have and things I feel are hotter or make more sense in certain situations, or just to switch things up a bit. And I think as fans who are well-versed in the world of fanfiction, word choice is very important. "Went down on" is absolutely a preferred phrase. It's a lot more intimate! Blew/blowjob are almost too commonly comedic or vulgar in a way that's not hot I suppose. It's a casual phrase, it's not intimate. "Oh, fuck off. Blow me" for example. "I want to blow you" doesn't sound as hot as "I want to suck you off/go down on you" in my opinion. Hot hot hot.

But moral of the message received and agreed - more people should talk about and write about our boys going down on each other!! Never enough of that!!

[dreamerswriter]

Tsum Tsum’s Invade Savanaclaw and Octavinelle

OK, but can we appreciate that they even find the Tsums adorable?! Also, Ruggie is acting like Leona’s dying or never coming back. 

If anything, this is an adorable leader! Though... This does imply that the Tsums could stay and rule the dorms, right? Imagine this as your dorm leader! Side note, Jack has the best common sense in his dorm.... And to not panic. 

BELLY UP?! I WANT TO SEE THAT! 

Can I have the receipe? I want to turn Idia into one. Ortho and Azul too. Malleus as well! Wait! Let’s get Rollo to drink this! 

Ruggie... Do you have his funeral planned? This just sounds like he does. 

Dear gods, you’re idiots, but comedic at least. 

Same. 

Ok, 1) Does Ruggie have a phone? Like, my main hyena man is fighting to survive and support his grandma and the kids, but does he have a phone? 2) Leona has instagram, and I don’t know how to entirely feel about that. 3) He also expects his dorm to check it. Leona, your dorm lacks common sense. I think you need to do something about that. 

Why did you panic first?! 

He even knows Jack is smart. 

Hey, you can turn it into your mascot! Adorable creatures sell! Look at Pokemon! 

I love that Tsum Floyd’s first instinct was to squeeze the hand of the human Azul. He should recongize him and he just thought to squeeze him. On another note, those twins are acting like their child is committing arson and their proud.

I don’t think Flod really cares. 

Or that

“Deep blue sea?!” That’s a common phrase for you?! 

Ya’ll crazy the destruction of a tiny creature. 

I feel like that’s a terrible idea. Just make plushies of the thing and sell it. Mark it at $8 and advertise it with your restaurant! Make an ad where this little guy does crazy stunts and claim the stuff toys can too! 

Does this imply Azul’s done that before?.... 

That is evil. So evil. Do you pay your employees at minimum wage at least?! He’s calculated the money and making sure he doesn’t lose a cent! Frick, I would hate to be an intern under you! Wait, how much do you pay for part time? How does full time work when you have school? Does it account for weekends? I have so many questions.... 

[1nm806]

ykw fuckbit ok i’ll do taht right here right now

Socks, he’s very optimistic n is rarely ever seen unhappy ( great tool for angst, he bottles up most of his sadness >:) ) he’s a goofy lil guy, a major prankster. he’s autistic af. he’s very much comedic side character energy?? like i genuinely dunno how else to say it. he tries to make the best of every situation and make light of anything bad if u get me

he’s a very sweet guy tho, very irish accented , he would hurt someone if they hurt his buddies/lovely bf and if he was in modern he would be a twink. not to say he already isn’t but PFT /lh.

mads is very country horse girl giggly and talks about spot like she’s a popstar that she’s in love with . she’s very hyper and likes ta talk a lot!!! in her little southern accent. i like to think jack asks her if she’s ever seen a cowboy.

ANYWAY THATSVJUST SEEPING INTO HEADCANONS. BIT UOU GET ME

jack looks at her with wonder like "wow. cowgirl." when she is, in fact, not a cowgirl.

RARGHH I LOVE THEM!! Socks is so funny actually. Socks and his emotional attachment to a pair of socks VS Dimes and his emotional attachment to his tie.

Dimes would just ask anyone who doesn't sound like they're from NYC/New Jersey why they sound like that. He does not comprehend the size of the world. I think he would ask Mads why she says the words she does (assuming she uses southern US slang/phrases).

oh i love them. im insane bout them. im a big mads fan tbh i think she's so fun.

[facesblind]

@valour-bound

∗ 33﹕ sender hovers over receiver’s shoulder as they complete a task . ( IUNNO HES CURIOUS 🥺 )

          𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹  𝗶𝘁  𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲,  𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹  𝗶𝘁  𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.  𝗳𝗼𝗿  𝘁𝗵𝗲  𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲  𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗱,  𝘁𝗼  𝗯𝗲  𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲  —  just  as  her  &&.  leon  are  conducting  an  investigation  in  fucking  alcatraz  of  all  places.  well,  it's  safer  to  say  she's  merely  assisting  from  above  as  the  dso  agent  tours  around  the  sewers  underneath.  disguised  as  tourist,  she  joins  the  group  of  familiar  faces  silhouettes  ;  blends  in  with  the  crowd  (though  neither  jill  nor  claire  tried  to  do  so  considering  their  outfits.  seriously,  ladies,  what  the  fuck?).

          for  questions,  there  will  be  time  later  —  both  to  their  guide  &&.  to  leon's  acquaintances  ;  phrases  like  the  fuck  are  you  doing  here?  and  how  did  you  get  inside  with  a  gun?  have  to  wait,  remaining  undercover  crucial  for  both  parties  involved  in...  whatever's  happening.  about  that,  she  also  wants  to  ask,  alas  the  circumstances  won't  allow  her  to  voice  any  of  her  concerns  aloud.  some  people  though  should  be  banned  from  talking. permanently.

          ❝  i  gotta  say,  uh...  this  bed  suuuucks!  ❞

          vloggers.  architecture  enthusiasts.  receivers  of  awful  trip  oriented  gift - cards.  regular  people.  civillians.

          rattling  of  prison  cell  bars  gives  miriam  a  headache  (fuckin'  youtuber  wannabe)  —  but  that  perhaps  can  be  linked  to  the  sudden  cut  in  communication  with  dso's  golden  boy.  she  can't  hear  him  &&.  there's  a  chance  he  can't  hear  her  either.  so,  are  they  on  the  right  track  with  their  snooping,  or  is  it  just  the  awful  reception?  fuck.

          just  in  case,  a  smartphone  with  cracked  screen  is  taken  out  of  mimi's  pocket,  and  she  types  a  quick  message.  feeling  a  familiar  frame  hovering  over  her,  after  pressing  the  send  button,  she  types  some  more.

[  to:  leonardo  dickarpio  //  from:  Do  Not  Answer!!! ]  whats  wrong  with  the  comms

[  to:  leonardo  dickarpio  //  from:  Do  Not  Answer!!! ]  r  u  ok

          might  seem  stupid  to  send  a  regular  text,  but  she  does  it  nonetheless.  better  safe  than  sorry.

leons  here  too  hes  in  the  sewers  probably  shits  going  down  since  youre  also  here  lol  anyway  been  a  while  whats  up  nice  shirt

          the  attempt  at  some  comedic  relief  is  however  abruptly  interrupted.  familiar  growling  &&.  snarling  reaches  miriam's  ears,  eyes  following  the  direction  of  the  sound.

          not  again...

[cowboy-robooty]

ok actual review for people who gaf.

SPOILERS BELOW

i am a die hard deadpool fan and watched the first two when they came out in theatres. Ive been waiting on this one for a loooooong time and ngl it disappointed me. I dont think it was the worst thing in the world but it definately had marvel disney aids infect it. Somehow it feels less raunchy and vulgar compared to the last two? I feel like the film steadily declines in quality as it goes on, with the last third feeling like its just dragging on. I dont think there were enough fourth wall breaks or meta quips despite the fact that many were included. It felt like it was still lacking... like a blizzard without enough brownie pieces. I think deadpool doesnt have enough quips or little jokes sprinkled in throughout fight scenes and there actually felt like a distinct lack of comedic homoeroticism somehow. Like deadpool and wolverine definately had insane tension and that car fight was them having merry sexmas until the literal crack of dawn and deadpool even did that whole gay orgy joke in the beginning, but like this is nothing compared to the gay shit hed do to colossus with in the first two movies. I know I sound biased because I love deadpool x colossus, but seriously this couldve been fixed quite easily by just adding more yaoi lolz to the existing scenes with deadpool and wolvarine. If i were to give suggestions like.. how about in that scene where they are clawing/shooting eachothers sides why doesnt deadpool instead tickle his sides for a moment and then for a bit it turns into some fairy gay tickle fight for the lolz. or how about more on screen dick fondling from deadpool during any of the many, many scenes they have where they're laid down together/pressed against eachother. just anything like that really you know like remember deadpool is all about the jokes. I felt like sometimes he wasnt distinct enough in calling shit out. Like the joke where we see dramatic openings for the random motherfuckers in the boarderlands as a way of making fun of how marvel movies always have the "audience stand and clap" intro shots too. Its obviously a joke, but I wish deadpool mocked it a little more and talked more about it out loud, since his entire thing is not letting anything go and having to be annoying about everything. There were a lot of moments like that, especially when wolvarine forced deadpool to spare cassanova. I was expecting a lot of banter for that moment and honestly deadpool killing her because thats the deadpool way. I thought at the very least if they didnt kill her (because marvel rules) he would at least go "if she becomes a problem later im saying I TOLD YOU SO!" and then a call back to that when she inevitably ruins everything from being spared. but there was nothing and it made the movie feel less deadpool because of that. He just simply doesnt make enough quips. Also there were some jokes that actually made me cringe in a way of thinking "this will age so poorly". I like deadpool because its cringey and vulgar in a way that it makes you regress back into a 12 year old again where swearing and violence is the coolest shit ever (bc it is). But i really didnt like how deadpool used some lingo that obviously will age badly like saying "let him cook!" I know deadpool is all about using popular slang and referencing popular media, but the first two movies still feel timeless because they never cut out exact phrases like that which will be so distinctly dated in a few years. The pop culture references are timeless ones in the first two movies and anything that will become dated is subtley put in like the adventure time watch he wears n stuff. I actually like that theres references like these only in the visual details, because I think that him wearing a watch like that and having small details in the bg with his items makes the pop culture references feel much more deadpool and funny, since it isnt him just saying shit to sound relatable, its just him owning this stuff because he genuinely likes watching the show.

Theres an entirely different feel to this movie and it is definately from the heightened budget and change in management from the shit going on with studios or whatever. The first two movies felt closed off in a way. The world honestly felt kind of empty but I liked it because it was acknowledged in universe and utalized to make the limitations of a lower budget just apart of the joke. This movie feels like an open, normal world and it is definately because now they have the resources to make it have more than like 3 guys talking. I like both feelings honestly, and this is a neutral change to me since it is just a fundamentally different sensation for the movie experience. The problems i have with the different vibes though is that the first two movies felt distinct from other marvel movies. The plot is small. its simple. the movies feel succinct and the limited cast is worked to its advantage so you really feel a dynamic between everyone. And most importantly, the stakes are hinged upon primarily interpersonal relationships rather than saving the world. I think that deadpool is so fun because wade wilson has never been about doing the right thing for justice, hes about just doing the *right* thing. I like that the first two movies had stakes that boiled down to being like saving his gf or a stupid kid (since cable was gunna kill him anyways lol like the world would not end if deadpool didnt save him). It fits his character and gave him the wiggle room to do marvel movie sins like actually killing the bad guy without giving a fuck and just doing fuck all sometimes. It really does feel like Deadpool 3 is suffering from catching a case of marvel aids and honestly that is the biggest thing that let me down. Its the root cause of all the other problems I see like the lack of incorporating previous movie characters and shit, having too much shit going on, unsatisfying execution of core themes, etc etc. I dont want to keep writing about this, but yeah deadpool 3 like didnt kill my grandma but it is SIGNIFICANTLY worse than the first two movies. I'd definately rec the first two as i adore them and theyre classics but the third is really mehhhh if you wanna watch it go ahead *shrugs*

watched deadpool & wolverine wif wiener today.... 0/10 no deadpool x colossus yaoi what was even the fucking point

[radiolilo]

My friend and I were talking about tap dancing and she made the mistake of getting me started on asked me about the movie musicals of Old Hollywood. She claims she doesn't regret it (bless her), but then I realised, y'know who I haven't shared my Opinions™️of Old Hollywood Musicals with? The Old Hollywood sideblog I made for that very purpose.

It all started when I name-dropped the spectacular Vera-Ellen and my friend mentioned something about triple threats of the time, to which I said, "welllllll..."

Anyways, I warned her that she had opened the floodgates and so I started on some famous dancing triple threats of the time. Obviously I had to start with the usual suspects- those being Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly - but I also chucked Donald O'Connor in there, because I think he's the strongest triple threat of the three of them (told you I had Opinions™️lol)

(I'm putting the rest of this under the cut because whoo-ee this got long lol)

Listen, Fred Astaire is a Master™️and arguably, THE Master™️. There's no denying it. He is an icon of dance. He had some solid comedic chops and was a good actor. But as a singer? He goes alright. Not particularly strong, but when you can dance like that, you can let your feet do the talking. I'm not saying he's terrible, but I guess you could say there's a reason he got paired up with Bing Crosby.

Now, Gene Kelly. The Man. The Myth. The Legend. One of the most influential choreographers to grace the screen. He sang in the rain, danced on rollerskates, and made some poor animators' lives hell when he danced with Jerry. He also taught Frank Sinatra how to dance and yes, do see my note on the Astaire-Crosby pairing above. Again, not saying Mr Kelly was by any means a bad singer; hell, the man started off on Broadway, didn't he? So did Astaire, for that matter. They're just not my cup of tea vocally- both of them can be a bit reedy for my liking. Gene was, however, quite a good actor, having had turns in noir films in his time.

And then there's my dear Mr O, Donald O'Connor. Like Astaire and Kelly, Donald O'Connor (or as I like to call him: Doc) worked the vaudeville circuits. In fact, the story goes that he was quite literally born into it, making his debut at 13 months old. Unlike, Astaire and Kelly, Donald O'Connor did not have formal training (he only learnt how to 'dance'/learn choreography under Louis da Pron as he made his first films), or a start in Broadway (his only Broadway credits were in the 80s in two short-lived musicals). But interestingly, he did have a surprisingly mellifluous voice.

Listen, Astaire and Kelly are good singers. They sound the way they dance- sliding as smoothly as a bow across the strings of a violin. Ok yes, this is another reference to the fact that I think they sound reedy lol but I will say they do have lovely phrasing! Fred takes all the songs he sings and makes them his own. And Gene just oozes so much charm that it's hard not to love anything he sings.

But Doc? The first time I heard him sing I Wonder Why (You're Just in Love) from 'Call Me Madam' I had to have a moment because YOU CANNOT TELL ME THAT VOICE IS COMING OUT OF THAT (with all due respect) RAGDOLL OF A MAN. This is the guy who wrestled a dummy, took pratfalls like a boss, and backflipped off walls as a signature move. And his voice was actually that deep and rounded?! Folks, if I keep going on about Astaire and Kelly being reedy, it's only to emphasise that compared to them, Doc's voice had body to it. Don't believe me? Try singing next to Ethel Merman, Broadway diva and notoriously loud singer- Fred did it once as skit with hilarious results. And listen, I'm aware that when Doc sang with Ethel, it wasn't live. But there's something about his tone that's just so rounded to go with Ethel's brassiness that just works. I'm putting it down to him working with Bing Crosby as a child and probably mimicking him in his singing, but I could be wrong lol

I wish I could speak more to Doc's acting, but the guy spent almost his whole career playing best friends/comic relief/the sweet guy next door and was never really given 'serious' roles. That being said, you won't find many actors with better comic timing and delivery than Donald O'Connor.

So, long story short?

If you're looking for triple threats, look no further than Donald O'Connor (because no one ever really looks at him in the first place)

Seriously, listen to him sing with Ethel Merman, then go listen to Fred and Gene and you'll hear the difference

I never did get back around to Vera-Ellen, but as a lovely lil tie-in: Go watch 'Call Me Madam' and fall in love with her as a fairytale princess!!! uwu

[styx1an]

A Chat about Chat

A short fic about how Chat came to be a singular being, written by yours truly. By all means, this isn’t canon, it’s just my interpretation of things.

Word count: 1,863

Fandom: RTGame, Miitopia (NGL I’m a little displeased with how I wrote the ending, but oh well!)

You know, there is this odd sense of irony in knowing how terrified Chat was of Magical John when they aren’t even human nor a singular being in the first place. Wait, so you didn’t know? Of how they became such a being in the first place? (They chuckle.) Then I suppose that means I’ll have to tell you their story. Well then, shall we begin the tale of Chat? (You see the twinkle in their eyes. They must’ve been waiting a while to be able to do this.)

> You nod. You’ve been waiting a while to understand Chat’s origins. Tonight, like many others, belongs to the storyteller.

> You shake your head. No thanks, you think you’re too tired. Dawn shall rise anew soon, and you will not waste your time with tall tales.

(They nod, pleased with your decision.) Then I shall begin to relay their tale.

Our tale begins in the vast lands known as Twitch, a domain that belongs to another, a far crueler being whose tale is for another time. It is a place where one is free to express their opinions and whatnot (as long as it suits the many whims of its Amazonian overlords, of course), and many are versed in the easy to learn, but difficult to master art of gaming. Many such masters have gained a large following, and even if they do not possess such skill, more often than not their humor and charisma paves the way to fame.

One example of the latter would be RTGame, a man of sizable repute. Aside from the frankly ridiculous story of the origin of his moniker, he is also known for doing some… questionable things for the sake of entertainment. There are still tales of his quest in the bathtub along with Gilbert (yes, the very same Gilbert on the quest to defeat The Darker Lord Khadgar!), the night of the Painted Wall’s Communion, the birth of Mr. Compost- But my dear, we are here for one of his lesser-known exploits, one that would change the world as we know it.

> You lean closer to the campfire, watching the storyteller with a renewed interest. Where does the tale lead? Where does it end? You need to know.

> It’s getting even later. You think some rest will be needed before tomorrow’s travels begin. Perhaps the rest of the story can wait another time?

It was a dark and stormy night. The then-Dark Lord Von Karma had just been unleashed upon the land, and I Want Die set along the path of salvation with his fellow party members, Mr. Bean the Warrior, Goofy the Thief, and Mint the Horse. He was pleased with the ease with which they vanquished monsters and saved (literal) faces, but the lack of actual conversation within the party had begun to get to him. Mr. Bean had nothing to offer other than a simple “Bean!” every now and then, and Goofy terrified him with all the “hyuck!” and talks of absolving the world’s many sins. Mint is a horse and therefore cannot participate in a verbal conversation unless you happen to understand what her neighs meant. She also happens to be the most normal member of the party, strangely enough.

Either way, I Want Die longed for a proper conversation.

And God took notice.

It was inevitable. The fourth party member was always going to join, whether he wanted one or not. It shouldn’t be notable in any way whatsoever, yet here I am regaling this tale to you.

It is not how Chat had come to join the party that I wanted to explain, but rather how they came to be.

Do you remember the man I had called RTGame? I hope you had not thought of him as irrelevant to our tale, as he is the patron saint of I Want Die’s adventures. Surely you know of the vast armory that belongs to the party? The various delicacies fed to the team? All his work. Along with his followers’ contributions, of course.

Chat was what he called his followers, the ones who watched his various endeavors as he traveled across the land of Twitch. Oftentimes the crowd would conversate with him (hence their name), offering jokes and sardonic commentary whenever he did anything remotely comedic. Other times, RT would have to tell them off for being such a rowdy bunch- the usual group of thousands could never keep quiet for long.

It happened that Chat witnessed I Want Die’s pilgrimage along with RTGame. They all looked upon him with a jolly sense of humor (after all, their master is well-versed in the art of comedy), some wondering where his travels will bring him. The others who knew how it would all end kept silent at the behest of RTGame. Either way, every single one of them was enjoying the show he had put on for them. 

And came the time to summon the fourth member.

As per usual, RTGame withdrew into his workshop, closing the curtains around him so no curious onlooker could see inside. But that did not stop Chat from yelling their predictions and demands.

“EDGEWORTH” one cried.

Another begged for a certain “End Mii!”

“CHAT CALM DOWN!”

“!uptime”

“69420toesucker just subscribed for 5 months!”

“TURG”

RTGame smiled at them. He wasn’t surprised at all at their reactions, rather it was something he had hoped would happen.

“Alright then Chat,” he said, “here they are!”

His pale, thin hands reached out to open the curtains-

And unveiled a faceless, empty husk of a being. 

Under any other circumstances, Chat would’ve rioted, demanded justice against the irony of sending a faceless doll to retrieve the faces of others. But they had no time.

Almost in an instant, the skies darkened. Clouds swirled up above with vibrant shades of violet, cobalt, magenta. Bright blue lightning strikes a tree and dissolves it into dust. Somewhere distant, something roars. The air feels thick- something magical, something electric is positively buzzing. Magic truly is in the air.

And thunder strikes once again. 

The crowd is gone.

Silence fell. All that is left is the master and the doll, no longer an empty husk.

> You look up to the storyteller, their eyes reflecting the blazing flames. You have a feeling that you know how this ends, but you’d rather have them confirm it first.

> You’re sleepy. As tempting as it is to continue listening to their story, you must admit that the very idea of slumber is even more tantalizing.

RTGame had managed to do exactly what he wanted. Chat’s consciousness, placed inside of a single, physical being. A puppet controlled by a hivemind would not be very easy to control, yes. But the idea intrigued him. And wouldn’t it be better than having a large gaggle of people constantly behind him, watching his every move? It could help I Want Die on his journey too.

So it is settled. It happened that one of the members of his temple had just crafted a rather nice puppet, in case RT needed one. And he did come to use it. It does look a little plain, as both body and head are painted in the same shade of bright white. However, the face was not white like how it was in the beginning, but a disturbingly pitch-black space. No, that’s not the right word.

Rather, it was like a void had formed. That’s also not the right phrase to describe it either, as there were drops of ichor dripping down onto the ground, dissolving the once green grass. But I digress. 

Chat broke the silence that had fallen between them, wailing as a cacophony of noises and emotions spilled out. Despite what RT had done to them, they were still determined to voice their opinions. Quite in character, really. 

“RT WHAT”

“NO NO NO”

“!uptime”

“I'M ON TV!!!”

“bazingabanana just gifted 5 subs!”

“that’s kinda meta”

As their voices grew louder, ichor kept pouring out of the void. As expected, RT thought to himself. He still needs to act fast. So with a quick snap, he fastened a wooden mask the temple-goer made; the same shade of white, a pair of beady black eyes almost as dark and soulless as the void, bright purple ears. 

The yelling and complaining didn’t stop of course. Still, as their voices were muffled by the mask, it was an arguably better experience than the previous ear-splitting wails. And it was less deadly too. Ichor had stopped dripping down onto the grass, which meant that the constant sizzling would finally stop.

Now, one last thing.

RT stared into Chat’s eyes.

This in itself wouldn’t have been quite a remarkable action had it been anyone else, but it’s Chat that we are talking about. The very sensation of doing something as simple as gazing into a hivemind’s many souls wasn’t anything ordinary, either.

It felt like you had just plunged one of your hands into ice-cold water in the middle of winter and not only are you freezing, you’re scared and you don’t know whether you’d come out in one piece.

They all stared back. Thousands and thousands looked upon RT, all different yet whispering the same things, each claiming to be an individual yet virtually nothing distinctive belongs to them. A true hivemind. It’s exactly what he wanted, but he wondered if perhaps other troubles would arise.

He let himself go from their gazes. It asks too much of him.

“Alright then, Chat. Ready?”

A gaggle of voices reply, sounding their agreements.

“OK then!”

--

I Want Die finally opened the inn door, after convincing himself that he’d like this new friend. That this one would be neither an anime villain, a comedy star or a horse. Someone with actual rational thoughts and words to speak.

In front of the door stood a short figure, clad in a purple mage’s robes. Their pitch-black eyes looked at I Want Die, and a chorus of voices came from their permanent smile:

“Hi, I’m Chat!”

And I Want Die wondered if he had forgotten to cross off ‘hivemind’ off his list of potential party members.

Chat’s introduction ends here, of course. But not their tale. The journey was far from over in fact. The party had yet to meet the Royal Court, witnessed the court’s love affair, or get kidnapped by the Dark Lord Von Karma. Even the party wasn’t complete, as it was only the first party I Want Die would encounter in his tale of redemption.

And it’s not the only story either. You haven’t heard of Magical John’s past life, or how Cupcake isn’t as pure as she seems. Gilbert’s fear of the kitchen. How Jefferson came to be, and Obama’s past life with Mr. Bean.

But I’m afraid I must stop here, for it is late already, is it not? Our journey must continue tomorrow. Let us rest. Goodnight, may the stars shine for you. (They head off into their tent, leaving you alone with the flickering embers of a dying fire.)

> You bid the storyteller goodnight. Perhaps they’ll tell you another one of their stories, underneath the moonlight once more.

[sylvies-chen]

Brettsey + #13

13. "Who did this?"

Matt's office doesn't normally look like this.

He doesn't know what happened to it. He'd gone out for a pizza run with 81 for no more than twenty minutes and he'd come back to find his quarters completely made over. There's a quilt on his cot, the lamp on his desk has been replaced by a bigger, more colourful lamp, along with about half a dozen other small adjustments, and... is there a rug on his floor?

Matt stands in the doorway to his quarters, unsure of what to make of it. It's definitely a lot busier than it was before, and that's putting it gently.

He sees Severide walking past his quarters though, and gets his attention. Hopefully, he knows something about all of this. "Hey," he nods to his friend. "Who did this?"

Severide's brows furrow as if observing Casey's new decor for the first time himself. An amused grin spread over his face as he snorts. "Who do you think?"

"Right," he sighs. Because there's only one person who would do something like this as an attempt at the sweetest of gestures: Sylvie Brett.

"Nice rug, by the way," Kelly points out, giving the room one more glance over before leaving.

Ok. So maybe it's not his usual style, especially not for an office. It's not objectively bad, he supposes, it's just not fit for a Captain's quarters necessarily. Especially not his. Maybe that makes him a creature of habit, or too sentimental, but he'd liked everything the way it was before and wants it back. Badly. It's a nice gesture though, Matt knows that. How the hell is he supposed to tell his sweet, adorable girlfriend that he wants to get rid of it all?

He sits there while waiting for 61 to come back from a call, racking his brain, and decides there is absolutely no way to phrase it that doesn't make him sound like a total asshole and a shitty boyfriend.

He remembers a situation from last year though, remembers Cindy Herrmann insisting on redecorating the break room. At first, Matt shrugs and figures this is just part of the commitment to a serious relationship, but the common room didn't keep Cindy's stylings though. Herrmann, one way or another, must have convinced her to get things back to the way they were before. And they're still married which means he had to have done something right. It's stupid, but Matt soon finds himself searching for Herrmann and seeking out advice. "Hey, Herrmann."

"Hey there, Captain," Herrmann greets him while rifling for something in the fridge.

"So, uh, my office--"

"Oh yeah, Brett was raving about doing something to change it up in there, cheer you up," he recalls, cutting Matt off. It makes him wince even more at the awkwardness that's about to come. She really had just wanted to make him happy; to surprise him. Is he a dick for this? "I haven't seen it yet, but I always think hey, if it ain't broke then don't fix it, right?"

"Yeah, actually," he nods. "But, uh... hypothetically, if I were to tell her that I didn't like it, how would I do it without..."

"Without sounding like a horrible person?"

"Exactly," he sighs in relief.

"I had the same problem with Cindy," Herrmann explains with a wise nod that feels almost comedic. "And I learned that you've got to say one thing: I don't connect with the style."

"You don't connect with the style?"

"Yeah. Trust me, she'll eat that up and take everything away. That's how I stopped her from trying to turn our room into the Boho style, whatever the hell that means," he grumbles at the memory.

"Right, ok," Matt says. "Thanks, Herrmann."

"No problem." Herrmann gives a satisfied nod, glad to be of service, and then Matt heads out of the common room back to his office.

Ten more minutes pass by before ambo's back from their call. As usual, Sylvie makes her way to his quarters. He's waiting there for her, leaning on the edge of his doorway as he sees her from across the bunker room. There's a bounce in her step and her hair ruffles at her shoulders. She's unequivocally beautiful; it makes him dread what's happening next.

Matt just prays Herrmann's little trick phrase will help him a little.

"Hey!" She greets him with an excited smile. "You saw the room! I was going to surprise you but we got called out and I had to restock the ambo."

"Yeah, I saw it," he nods, gesturing to the room behind him.

"So, what do you think? You can be honest," she assures him.

Sylvie looks at him, a hopeful and expectant look in her glimmering eyes. God, she looks so excited; so happy. It's those doe eyes, he thinks. Disappointing his girlfriend is like choking the Little Mermaid with a bike chain.

"I..." he starts cautiously, looking between her and the room and sucking in a sharp breath. "I don't.... connect with the style...?"

His statement almost comes out as a question, and something about it makes something click in Sylvie's head as she arches a knowing eyebrow.

The expected heartbreak or anger doesn't come though. Instead, an amused grin spreads across her face. "You hate it, don't you?"

He scrunches his nose, not even bothering to lie to her. "A little bit, yeah," he nods.

"Yeah," she giggles. "I've heard Herrmann's 'I don't connect with the style' crap before. I bet he left out the part where Cindy went ahead and redecorated their room anyway, until Herrmann started sleeping in their studio apartment until she stopped."

"Of course he did," Matt huffs with a chuckle, rubbing at his temples. The one rule of thumb he'd forgotten about: never take advice from Herrmann. "I'm sorry, I didn't know how else to tell you. I just... liked my stuff the way it was before."

"Hey, you don't have to explain it to me," she assures him kindly, her hands flying to caress his face. "All of this stuff is totally movable, I can get it out of here in six minutes, tops. I just thought it'd be nice to make my mark on it, that's all. I know that sounds silly."

"Your mark?"

"Yeah. You know, like adding my own little pizzazz," she tells him. "Something you can remember me by when I'm out on a call, so you can know everything will be okay."

Because of course Sylvie doesn't want him to worry. She's just that considerate. He doesn't know why he didn't think of that sooner, but god. It makes his heart swell.

"I don't need a rug or a fancy lampshade to remember you, honey," he assures her, his hands moving to her shoulders and rubbing circles on the fabric of her CFD jacket. He grabs her hand with his, moving it over to his chest and right overtop of his heart. "I'll always remember you. You're right here, 'kay?"

She gives that adorably coy smile, gnawing at her bottom lip and nodding. "Okay," she replies softly.

Later, Matt and Sylvie move the stuff out of his room and into her locker to take back to her place. But Matt's mind still lingers on the sentiment behind the whole gesture, and as he's lying in bed with Sylvie in his arms that night, he gets an idea-- the idea to do something he should have done as soon as they started dating.

He comes in next shift and shows her his own take on the sentiment she'd been going for.

Sitting on his desk, in the space where his pictures of Hallie or Gabby used to go between the two other frames, lies a picture of them. It's a picture he's had for a while now, from Joe and Chloe's wedding. Technically, it's a group photo, but they'd been too busy talking to each other and blushing profusely to notice the camera had been taking snapshots. It wasn't the picture that made the final cut, but he had Joe send it to him anyway and cropped out everyone but him and Sylvie.

She kisses him as soon as she sees it, hard and tenderly, and he knows he'll look at it for years to come.

[cjracingpnf]

Day Four, Part 3: IMO the Most Disappointing Character Development

Before I begin today's continuation of this mini-series, I want to give a bit of a DISCLAIMER. There are times when I write in a bit of an over-realistic way, taking it probably a bit too seriously for an animated cartoon tv series hahaha🤣. Some would call it passion, I would probably lean towards a little bit of insanity😂. But here we are, hopefully I'll get better at it at some point, BUT today is not that day xD

-------------

Soooo, from the picture on the top of this post, you probably know who I am gonna be talking about today as having the most disappointing character development in "Act Your Age". And I just want to say, the child Baljeet character in the rest of the show doesn't deserve what happened to him in AYA. While he wasn't my favorite character, and I found the majority of the "comedic bullying" thread in the show with him in Buford to be less then funny (something I'll talk more about later on in this mini-series), his intelligence intertwined with moments of panic and comedy made for some really great episodes in the series, and I felt that he was used quite a bit and used well for being the 8th-10th piece of the show.

However, today isn't about how Baljeet was presented during the rest of the series… But rather how his character is, in my personal opinion, the very worst part of AYA, and was presented in such a way that it had almost poisoned my opinion of him in the entire show…

------------

You see, Baljeet Tjinder in the series had a childish charm about him, where his at times overbearing intelligence was turned into comedy or at least made beneficial to the particular episode.

HOWEVER, in "Act Your Age", pretty much every ounce of Baljeet's childish charm is gone, and what we are left with is someone who is too smart for their own good, or as I was told by a friend when I asked for a word or phrase to best describe that, a Narcissistic Intellectual😂.

--- Baljeet has at least four-five major parts in this episode, three of which I am going to talk about here that particularly stand out to me. The first being when he enters the boys' bedroom, with Buford waking in behind him. After he asks Phineas if he has chosen a school yet, he goes on to mention that he has been talking to Buford about Collegiate life, and that because he (Baljeet) has already graduated and been accepted as a professor, that he could "pull some strings", and get Buford into his school, followed by him saying, "Just think, Buford. You could be my student! I would be the boss of you!"

This entire part of the episode feels like the meme, "Weird flex but ok", and it feels even more that way when Baljeet responds with "It sounds pretentious" after Buford says that he is going to film school. Ultimately I don't mind this scene primarily because of Buford's comedic "Thank you" responses to Baljeet😂.

--- Then we get to his second part, and quite obviously one of the biggest points in the entire episode, when Baljeet breaks to Phineas that Isabella has had a giant crush on him for ages. We then have the back and forth between Baljeet and Buford telling Phineas all the ways it was painfully obvious that she had that giant crush on him, to the point where Phineas' mind is broken and he has to go outside and take a walk. After he leaves, Baljeet says that he has come up with an idea to get them both together before Isabella leaves.

ANGER. PAIN. I AM SEEING RED😡!!!

I am trying to decide if I should get mad at the writers for thinking of this possibly being the right idea for Phineas to realize this, or continue to be in character of the story and completely tear apart AYA Baljeet for breaking this news to Phineas and spilling Isabella's biggest secret AS SHE WAS LITERALLY WALKING OUT THE DOOR, and then, after breaking poor Phineas' mind, thinking that he has the bright idea of how to get them both together.

LIKE WHAT. WHY?! What was the purpose of this, why was this the way the writers decided to take one of the most important moments in the history of the show??? And if we are taking this in character, who or what gave Baljeet and Buford the bright idea that it was all of a sudden ok to just spill out Isabella's biggest lifelong secret, ESPECIALLY considering there is a history of Isabella having ominous patch related threats that we know exists.

There's a lot of things one can "agree to disagree" with about how things are done in certain shows to reach an endpoint, but the entire way this scene comes about absolutely grinds my gears to no end. There were so many better ways Phineas could have found out, and fortunately for us several of those ways have been successfully written by wonderful fanfic writers, who I am very grateful for.

--- Moving on from that before I risk blowing a gasket, his third major part in the episode is split into different scenes of AYA, and it goes into his relationship with Ginger, a Fireside Girl alum who had a crush on Baljeet in multiple episodes, and who is now his girlfriend in this one.

The first scene involves them having a back-and-forth text conversation, originally stemming from a disagreement over what movie they were going to watch. Adyson (who I personally wasn't a big fan of in the series lol) tells Ginger to "manipulate the situation" to get him to agree to the movie she wants to watch. Shortly afterwards, the Adyson and the girls decide to, using the same phrase, "manipulate a situation" to get Isabella and Phineas together, an idea that we remember from earlier Baljeet and the boys had.

We switch perspectives to the boys, where Baljeet is sitting on the couch and eating sandwiches with Ferb and Buford. Baljeet receives Ginger's text and tells the boys of the girls' idea, Buford asks, "Wasn't that our idea?", to which Baljeet responds, "Yes, but now I've got to write her back in a passive way that makes her think it's really her idea. She is trying to manipulate the situation. It is how we love."

Wow this is not looking like a very good relationship, with Ginger taking advice that I wouldn't consider very wise, while Baljeet not only knows what is going on, but is in a way toying around with it to make things seem like she is the one making the decisions and choices. And this uh, less the positive looking relationship doesn't stop there…

Later on in the episode, as the group is preparing to make the surprise dinner for Isabella and Phineas, there is a kitchen scene where Buford and Baljeet are talking, and Buford mentions about how "romantic" the setting is outside. Baljeet responds to Buford, telling him that there's "one thing that would make it perfect!", before pulling out Buford's old Cupid costume behind his back. Buford refuses to put it on again, to which Baljeet responds, "But it worked so well for me and Mishti!" On the other side of the kitchen, this response by Baljeet causes Ginger to respond, possibly out of jealousy but certainly out of annoyance, "Hmm, Mishti, Mishti, Mishti!", before Adyson tells her to, "Let it go, Ging."

Woofffffffffff… this relationship has gone from less then positive looking to just straight toxicity. Ignoring the fact that Baljeet brought back an embarrassing moment for Buford, it seems pretty clear from Ginger's annoyed response that this isn't the first time Mishti's name has been brought up and overheard in a conversation. I don't know about you, but if I was in a relationship with someone I supposedly cared about, I wouldn't be talking in such a positive way about a former crush or relationship, even if it was when we were kids.

Taking this from an over-realistic point of view, while Ginger may have some issues that she has to deal with, Baljeet's character in AYA comes off to me as someone who doesn't really care what anyone else thinks or says, and likely believes that he is quite a bit more intellectual and all-knowing then the people around him, which in his mind gives him the license to say and do more without caring what others think.

While a part of this could stem from him getting over some of the stuff that negatively impacted his childhood, including possibly bullying and overbearing parents, it has gone IMO too far and turned Baljeet into someone who's ego and narcissism I personally would not want to ever be around.

---------------

Thank you for reading! Today was the major dip on this crazy rollercoaster ride, but it was one that I needed to get off my chest, and I am glad I did. The good news is that tomorrow's portion of the mini-series will be much more positive, and deals with someone Baljeet has a lot of experience with, but whose character had a much more positive development in AYA…

Until then, God Bless, and Carpe Diem!

[thechangeling]

Ok im gonna make a disclaimer

I am way too attached to this character

He was my first latino character and when i first read him i saw no flaws because he was me and i didnt see that latino characters deserved better than be a walking stereotype of our cultures

With the only thing to show for it a few badly phrased spanish words

When i did, it hurt

Hurt to see how many harmful stereotypes he had and how bad rep he actually was if you analized enough

But I dont think anything hurt more than seeing how the fandom treated him.

So leo canonically has adhd, a lot of characters do have adhd but

Out of all of them

Hes one of the worse at masking

Hes hyperactive and bad at socializing even if he fakes it and makes up for feeling fundamentally flawed with jokes and manes up for not being able to fit in anywhere by degrading his value

I think he does stim in page but id need to reread i havent in so long

HE DOES THAT THING WHERE YOU CONVINSE YOURSELVE YOU DONT NEED ANYONE BECAUSE YOU WORK BETTER ALONE

WHILE HE HAS FRIENDS

But he just feels like they all have better things than him

There was this short story where there was a festival in camp and his friends invited him but he said he had work and that it was totally cool, but he just didnt wanna go. And had a few phrases that even after month he just didnt feel like he fit in and prefered to work on things he knew

And is always getting people mad at him cause hes blunt and always ends up saying the wrong things

But he is endlessly loyal

And he is a genius fae

Like an actual genius

He knew how to do college level math at 7 years old

He build an entire ship ON HIS OWN

Hes is the smartest heroes of olympus characters only rival (if that) to the daughet IF THE GODESS OF WISDOM

And yes he makes some rash decision making and some mistakes BECAUSE YOU KNOW

HE IS ADHD

But when you come to the fandom

They treat him like an idiot

They make jokes that he cant do things and reduce him to only being distracted and messing things up

Burning things with his fire powers

And being a comedic reliefe for the rest of the crew

They treat him like an absolute idiot

And it hurts because he is a genius and he is brilliant HE ONLY HAS ADHD

If you go through the leo tag

All you'll see are jokes about him being an idiot

Flirting with everything that moves

And reducing him only to his jokes

I hate it

HE IS CANONICALLY SMART HES JUST ND

I saw a meme once that was like the hands touching meme, you know like putting your hand in a pile up? Did I explain that right? With three hands pabeled Jesper Fahey, Leo Valdez, and Alex Claremont-Diaz and then the pile up (I'm explaining this horribly) was labeled "non white characters with adhd" and at the bottom there was the description "getting called stupid by the fandom when they're actually really smart in canon." And then the extra layer to that is two of those characters are bisexual and they are all POC and they get the flirts with everything that moves stereotype.

It's not a good look fandom culture!

This is why I don't like those "jokes" about the characters because they usually reflect bias.

Anyways we're off topic again yayyy. He sounds like key awesome honestly. I love the fire thing. Side note, why is that an nd thing? Fire? Like it just is and idk why.

Anyways fandoms stop calling ADHD characters stupid 2021!!

[we-are-inevitable]

random race hcs for ur consideration

• he always copies words under his breath

• like when someone’s talking he just repeats certain words

• people always think he’s making comments but he’s just repeating what they say because he likes the way it sounds

• has a quick temper but also cools off v fast

• one second he’s ready to fight and the next he’s smiling and calmly hugging someone idk

• people always play with his hair

• i mean,,, look at it

• he doesn’t mind tho, boy loves physical affection

ok that’s all for now

PLEASE I LOVE THIS

and when he says those words he always tries to mimic the way that people sound when they say it? for instance:

if he's copying Davey, his accent will almost disappear- you can still hear it, but since Davey's natural accent is less prominent, Race copies the way he pronounces words

sometimes he'll stretch his vowels a little more like albert does!

also, one of his favorite things is to say "water" the way Albert does ("just bring me a wah-dah") and if he overexaggerates it for comedic affect then so be it

but race is like, scary good at accents. sometimes after Jack speaks in Spanish, he'll hear Race copying a word or a phrase, but Jack rarely ever guesses it's him- he always thinks there's a native Spanish speaker nearby because its that good

also this isn't relevant but race is fluent in italian. no i am not taking constructive criticism

AS FOR THE HAIR: he really likes it when people fluff his hair up

actually he likes hair no matter what. sometimes the other boys will let him play with their hair while they're hanging out and talking and stuff because 1) he makes it feel really nice, and 2) it keeps him tethered to the conversation since he has something to do with his hands

for this reason race also knows how to braid hair and sometimes when he's really bored, albert or jack will let him put little braids in their hair while they're all hanging out. at this point race can do it, undo it, and redo it without even watching his hands

THIS ALSO ISN'T RELEVANT BUT I JUST THOUGHT OF RACE BRAIDING KATHERINE’S HAIR AND IT MADE ME REALLY HAPPY

omg and smalls. he braids her hair too. Racetrack Higgins, Everyone's Favorite Hair Stylist, at your service

I LOVE HIM THANK YOU FOR THIS

[mikanyuzu-26]

Is Chapter 139 of Attack on Titan being messed up deliberately?

*Views are my own. I barely post anything on social media but I feel the need to express my thoughts as a long-term AOT fan.

You need to be a genius in getting everything wrong. As a reader who has been following the series for 8 years, the frustration and disappointment the recent chapters brought me are beyond words. The series Attack on Titan has long been known for its well written plotline, with pieces of hints eventually leading to the reveal of mysteries, ranging from the identity of enemies to the origin of titan. Isayama the author is more than capable in building a story, as evidenced by the carefully arranged setups and successful characterization in 130+ chapters. Probably echoed by other readers, the story surprisingly went downhill since Chapter 124 (aka the alliance arc) when pacing becomes slow with no major progress in overall plot. Eren who is the supposedly main protagonist is nowhere to be found in most of the chapters, let alone his inner thought. The conclusion in Chapter 139 is even more confusing, showing clear disconnection with previous chapters and major characters being OOC. There are fans who are kind enough to summarize the inconsistencies.

Chinese netizens’ comment on the story quality

I would interpret the bad writing in Chapter 139 as intentional, with two possible reasons, or both: 1). To betray and hurt the readers as expressed in his interview. He is free! 2). To passively protest against a plot change by his editorial team

“I was a big fan of Game of Thrones, so I can relate to the feelings of those fans who were disappointed with how the series ended. But when I’m drawing, I’m expressing my own feelings, and I think as long as I’m doing that, my fans will be able to accept whatever ending I come up with for them”. The question is – was Isayama hinting at a GOT-like ending that expressed his true feeling? Looking at his response at this point of time, was he foreshadowing a disappointment?

Personally I am a believer of (2) – the plot was hijacked. I see the pacing issue starting from Chapter 124 as Isayama and the editorial team trying to buy time in reconstructing the plot. This is the period when multiple minor subplots (e.g. Connie’s mom, Aruani, conflicts with Yeagerists like Daz, formation of Alliance, Reiner’s mom & Annie’s dad) are introduced and closed off shortly after, while Eren is nowhere to be found.

Also note that Isayama did not even show up in the interview/live stream after the end of the manga in on Apr 10 and Apr 14, 2021. The editor represented him instead. It was also revealed in the most recent live stream that the editorial team had quite a lot of influence over the plot, in which they changed the last few pages of Chapter 139.

As many of you have already raised, early chapters already mentioned the “only way to put a final end to the cycle of revenge” is to do a full rumbling. I believe this is the first draft of the ending of the story as this idea has been expressed more than once directly out of the mouth of Eren.

The other possible change is the way of how Ymir is being freed. In earlier chapter, Eren clearly understands what Ymir has been waiting for 2000 years in Chapter 122, and this is also the reason why Eren is able to start the rumbling in the first place. The possibility of Mikasa freeing Ymir is not being introduced until Chapter 138 (or 139), and certainly comes out of nowhere as the only people outside of path who have seen Ymir are Armin and Ramzi.

How is Chapter 139 being intentionally messed up? The inconsistencies above suggest that at least two plot twists are only being decided at the very late stage of the story. • Eren’s true intention (Eren Requiem vs. full rumbling) and the reasons behind • What Ymir wants

Throughout Chapter 139, there are definitely better choice of words which even average Reddit/Twitter/Tumblr users were able to re-write in the past few days. However Isayama just somehow chose the worst way in presenting the story as if it is a shoutout to readers. The presentation also makes Chapter 139 memorable, though not in a way most have expected.

“Why Mikasa?” “Well…only Ymir knows that one…” When I reread Chapter 139, it seems to me that Isayama is not trying to shy away from admitting the plot change. The disbelief from Armin’s way of saying “Huh? Did you just say Mikasa?” is an analogy to the readers’ reaction due to the lack of interaction between Ymir and Mikasa before the last panel of Chapter 138. Eren is also drawn with a resigned expression. If this is an over interpretation of the frame, Eren’s next response “Well…only Ymir knows that one…” directly points out how the statement lacks a clear and sound reasoning. You can translate it into “Well…only [the company/my editor] knows that one…” or “Nothing I just want to throw this in”. Isayama clearly knows what he is writing and indeed “only Ymir knows that one” becomes a meme.

Also to add that prior to Chapter 139, Ymir has always been a parallel of Historia/Krista, not Mikasa, even as early as Chapter 51, but this plot was just somehow nowhere to be found eventually.

Why Rumbling? The most disastrous consequence of a plot change, from wiping all history and civilization (that has been repeated in his conversation with Historia in Chapter 130 and his internal monologue in Chapter 131) to an Eren Requiem, is that it takes away all the justification and rationale for Eren to eliminate 80% of the population in the first place. Whether or not Eren executes the rumbling and dies willingly, the world will still be in conflict and future generation will remain in the forest. If the plan is to free Ymir, a better way is probably just asking Mikasa to chop his head off. That saves humanity (Ymir likes drama, after all!).

Isayama could have easily used phrases like “I just want to move forward” but he put “I don’t know why, but…I wanted to do that…I had to”. This is also Isayama speaking from the Eren – he does not know why Eren is doing rumbling just to achieve the 80% plan. He just “had to” draw it.

“10 Years, At least!” This is probably the most debatable and dramatic part of the chapter. Eren expresses his love to Mikasa but the scene is presented in a way as if it is a kid throwing a tantrum. In addition to that there is Armin’s comment “Oh ok…I didn’t expect something that pathetic..” as if it is again, the readers’ comment. The scene is portrayed in an unbelievably comedic way, especially when you compare it with Eren’s conversation with Ramzi in Chapter 131, which is supposed to serve the same purpose in showing Eren’s human/soft side. Most importantly, freedom has always been Eren’s core value throughout the series. The outright contradiction this line shows only makes the whole idea of this panel questionable.

Character Regression Needless to say, characters’ behaviours surprisingly regress back to the first arc, wiping out all developments throughout the series. The worst thing is it even kills the hype of re-reading the manga as you know the characters never grow, after all the sufferings and hearts sacrificed. Examples include: • Eren is still a crybaby • Mikasa remains trapped by her relationship with Eren and the scarf • Historia is not living proudly for herself after the Uprising arc • Reiner sniffs Historia’s letter after going through depression and wars (there is even a petition online asking Isayama to change this! You see how problematic this is.) • Jean and the horse joke

Almost everything that could possibly go wrong is wrong in 1 chapter These are written by the man who have been writing good chapters in the past 10 years. Can you believe it is just a lack of sense?

• “Thank you. You became a mass murderer for our sake.” • The “poop” that Armin gives Eren (Isayama likes using meme right? :P) • Eren’s face when he is punched

Is this the High School AU style?

Compared to Chapter 112...You can tell the difference.

The way how the fandom views Chapter 139 is certainly very divided, but even amongst those who like it, most still think “things could have done better” (source: SNK Chapter 139 Poll), showing how awkward the style is compared to previous chapters. The inconsistencies in character portrayal and plot are too hard to ignore. It pains me to see a well-constructed and reputable series, one step away from legend even just with an average ending, closed with a chapter that almost defeats the purpose of the rest. Trust in Isayama – while he can build a legend in 10 years, he can also take it down with 1 chapter.

By the way, Levi is one of the few characters who isn’t ruined. Probably also a conscious choice.

[vanishingpod]

It’s Sunday, which means another round of Podcasts We Love at Team Vanishing Act! 

1) Unwell: We may be slightly biased because we’re also Chicago-based and therefore rooting for this show (and their actors) like CRAZY, but that doesn’t mean it is not ALSO one of the most phenomenally written and produced audio dramas we’ve ever heard. It’s a little bit of everything, a surreal modern Gothic, a mother-daughter tale, a small town mystery, a supernatural slow-burn, a haunted house, a dark comedy, and many other things we don’t want to spoil for you. It’s touching, thrilling, immersive, and funny all at once, and that SOUND DESIGN! There’s an episode set in the house during a storm that is just *chef’s kiss.* It’s amazing. Find them @unwellpodcast

2) Brimstone Valley Mall: Look, we love a well-executed joke about Hot Topic so we were bound to love this. Set in 1999 in a suburban mall, with an ensemble of misfit demons from Hell, this is a show that is so specific in the vibe it wants to create and so committed to immersing you in it, you can’t help but be won over from that awesome theme song onward. It has some of our favorite comedic punchlines in any audio comedy (there’s a line about Satan’s favorite dish in episode one that I’ll never get over, I was 100% in love from there on out). Anything less than full commitment from the actors would not have worked and I’m happy to report they are batting 1000 (is that the phrase? whichever one is the great one)--perfect pairing of material to artists in every way. We love. Find them @brimstonevalleymall 

3) Mockery Manor: SPEAKING of music! This is our current binge and holy shit, guys, every song legitimately bops. There is at least one fully-produced musical number per episode and they are each better than the last--where is this soundtrack and how can I buy it? Set at a theme park in Britain in 1989, this is an old-school murder mystery filled with vivid, funny, lived-in characters and paced exquisitely. The worldbuilding of the park is so incredible from second one, I feel like you can picture it immediately. There’s a sequence in episode 3 where a character takes a late-night turn on a ride called Heart of Darkness, and the combo of writing/acting/sound design/music made my jaw drop in how vivid the picture in my head was right off the bat. I’m rationing the episodes I haven’t listened to yet because I want them to last as long as possible. 

4) EOS 10: And now, moving from our new loves, into a recommendation of a favorite that was a gateway into the world of audio drama for us. It’s pretty well known in the community at this point, for VERY good reason, and for many of the reasons we love it (ragtag bunches of misfits is kind of a Thing for us). It’s got everything: doctors--in space!, gay space pirates, an exiled hypochondriac space prince, grumpy characters learning to accept that they have a heart and care about things while fighting it the whole time, a female character that is just absolutely fucking feral (come to think of it, these are all Things for us). Our producer, Lauren, has cried about this podcast a non-zero amount of times (ok fine you got me, a non-1 and non-2 amount of times too, let me live). It’s lovely and made us fall in love with this medium and for that alone, we can’t thank it enough. Find them @eos10podcast 

If you end up listening and love them (or already do), send a review their way on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser--we’ll be doing the same! And if you have any recommendations of podcasts, send them out way, we’d love to listen! 

[moviemill]

The Mad Monster (1942)

‘A mad scientist changes his simple-minded handyman into a werewolf in order to prove his supposedly crazy scientific theories - and exact revenge.‘

‘the movie sounds like Lawnmower Man but with Werewolf’ @villainpunk

thirty seconds into the movie and two of us see the ‘wolf’ and we just go ‘thats a gotdamn coyote’

they really waste NO time getting to the mad science, we’ve got a wolfman within five minutes (through nothing more than a simple wolfblood transfusion, apparently’

science man is trying to sell this as a miracle and @bioelectriccell said it best: ‘What kind of miracle is this.��How is this in any way useful‘

oh, he wants to make an army of wolfmen, apparently.

‘ok but mad science werewoofs eat nazis is a GREAT plan actually’ @gwenfrankenstien​

debating whether this is him practicing a speech, or if he’s just hallucinating.

or if it’s just ye olde zoom meeting.

I’d like to note that this was tagged as ‘drama, horror, romance’ on IMDB.

oh the mad scientist man has a DAUGHTER here

this was apparently a double feature with The Devil Bat. It may also be the same set.

a child appeared onscreen!

whatever happened, happened offscreen but we both think the kid got ate/murdered

(confirmed several minutes later the kid did a die)

someone thinks the mystery murder beast is a dinosaur and this is funnier than it should be

‘it's wild to think blood transfusion was actually seen as crackpot science for decades’ @villainpunk​

this is part of the reason I love looking back at old mad scientist movies because its like. ‘sir this is just regular science’, minus ‘using wolf blood’.

like when radiation does anything that’s not ‘gives you the cancers’

this is just when people dress up their dogs

there’s something very charming about werewolves that are just very hairy men with sharp teeth. like. yes, those are the most important features of a wolf, apparently.

Lamenting the fact that the audio quality on my copy of this is so poor, I have misheard so many things. The Professor who gets murdered via wolfman is named Blaine, but I initially heard it as Blabe, and others got Blaze and Blame, and I’m stealing ‘Professor Blame’ as my new supervillian oc.

LOVE the old lady who just keeps trying to tell people ITS A WEREWOLF and everyone just dismisses her. one of the guys insisted at one point its a DINOSAUR or something and he wont consider WOLFMAN as a viable option.

I’m presenting this comment from @villainpunk​ without any context.

also shoutout to the phrase ‘exciting the various glands’

the wolfman has murdered a few people but we haven’t seen him eat anyone yet. I’m not sure why i’m expecting the wolfman to eat people.

‘the natural enemy of the mad scientist is the mob’ @gwenfrankenstien​

At about an hour into the movie, I realize that despite a lot of things HAPPENING, it doesn't feel like the plot has gone anywhere.

also there’s not been any romance. IMDB lied.

the wolfman spends a lot of time being very well dressed.

shoutout to another comedically abrubt ‘oh shit we gotta end this movie huh’

rated a solid ‘ok i guess’ on the beetsometer. Nothing phenomenal, but far from BAD. just got some pacing issues.

emoji of the film: sciencegasp

[Watch it on Youtube!]