#one of the few likable characters in that disaster

[dilfiesz]

deep down, when i face it, all i want is you. 🎀

[tzilatza]

NATLA Review - spoilers

Woke up today still feeling annoyed after finished the Netflix ATLA remake last night, and I think I've figured out the core reason.

It's the fact that: If they had held truer to the original source material, we could have had a truly great show. I disagree with those calling it a complete disaster. The acting was good, great in some cases. The effects were very well done, the bending looked about as good as it can in a live action media. The scenery was lovely.

But what happened in the writer's room?! The way they just reveal all the back stories up front EVERY TIME is honestly insulting to the audience. It's like they're so terrified that smartphone culture has made the public so accustomed to instant gratification that they have no faith we will stick around and keep watching if they make us wait for anything.

They're also clearly terrified of complexity. One of my biggest gripes with this remake is Jet's story. They completely took out his plans to murder a whole town of innocents in order to get a few enemy soldiers. Now, Jet isn't my favorite character, but his story is so important. Because it is real. The world is full of people who have been so brought down by injustice that they lose their sense of right and wrong, and we need to see that on screen. If Jet is too complex for them, how will they handle Ba Sing Se in the second season.

This goes along the same lines as removing Sokka's sexist moments. They felt they had to do it to make him more 'likable.' Yet the writers themselves went full sexist on Katara's character. They've taken out so much of her spark, her righteous and justified anger, and they've done it because even in 2024, people expect women to be more passive to be palatable. Enough people have already commented on them removing Aang's choice to run away. Heaven forbid the main character not be an absolute paragon. Did y'all notice that they even made Hahn likable? Hahn?! What reason do you have for making Hahn likable Netflix?! His role in the narrative is to be an example of toxic masculinity that is clearly the bad choice compared to Sokka who has learned and grown out of his own.

Don't even get me started with what they're doing with the fire nation family, I'm not ready to tackle that. In general, I have no problem with Azula getting a little more backstory and humanizing, but why season 1? Throwing in all these extra scenes just sacrifices screen-time where they could've actually fleshed out the real season one plots instead of rushing through things at breakneck pace. (ex: Aang escaping Zuko's ship in about 2 minutes flat)

At the end of the day, the scenes I most enjoyed were those that held true to the original like the Blue Spirit sequences. They could've easily done more of this, held onto the important plot points and even more important character complexity, while maturing it for an adult audience. I'm not disagreeing with every change they made. Go ahead and take out the silly Nickelodeon gags, add cussing and more realistic violence to get your mainstream viewers. Go ahead. They could've easily made a darker more mature version of the show and still held onto all the old fans in my opinion. But claiming that you're making a 'more mature' version and then removing the complexity and subtlety because they didn't think viewers could handle it...

What makes me most sad is that there are a lot of people who will experience ATLA for the first time through this show. There are a lot of adults who are not willing to watch original ATLA because they refuse to acknowledge an animated series can be anything other than a kid's show. Those people will watch this and think it's the real deal, and that just makes me sad.

If you've read this far, a very sincere thank you for listening to my rant. If you're an OG fan who enjoyed it, I have no problem with you. It was a fun watch, I was just hoping for more. If you are a new viewer who has never seen ATLA before, I sincerely want to hear your opinions. Is it a great show to someone who isn't holding it against the context of the original? And do you plan to watch the original now?

[moviemunchies]

Well, it was either this, or review Netflix’s Twilight of the Gods. And that was trash. So I figured I’d rather talk about a good animated movie than a crappy animated trash fire.

The final Dreamworks film to be animated in-house, The Wild Robot is the story of servant robot ROZZUM 7134, a robot washed up by accident on a wild island in the Pacific Northwest. While perfectly suited for serving human households, serving animals in the wild is much more complicated. Most of the wildlife rejects her as a monster. When Rozzum accidentally crushes a goose nest, destroying the family aside from a single egg, she takes care of it until it hatches, and takes a new task: raising the gosling to be ready to fly south for winter. Fink, a red fox, agrees to help for the food and shelter he gets out of hanging around Rozzum.

Is the end of an era for Dreamworks? This is supposed to be the last movie they animated themselves. Future work will be outsourced. Which is sad, because Dreamworks is one of the great animation studios of our time. Their last few movies that I’ve seen looked really good, too. At least they’ll still be making movies, though not animating them.

This is a gorgeous movie, too! It’s a movie very much about nature, and so Dreamworks gave us stunning visuals of a natural world untouched by human hands (except for a couple of scenes where we see human society). There are a ton of animated movies about the outdoors, and even the wilds of North America, but most of them don’t look anywhere near this good.

Though I should say: this movie doesn’t shy away from depicting how rough nature can be. A large part of Rozzum’s development is learning that animals have to kill and eat each other to survive. This is nature! That’s how it works! Getting around that is a large part of some of the character development, but it’s not a matter of them all becoming vegetarian. It’s a fairly idealistic movie, but not that much. The viewer recognizes that the cycle of life will continue after the events of the film (albeit, with perhaps less vitriol).

There’s something interesting about the setting–yes, the movie is in the wild, but it’s heavily implied that this is some sort of dystopian future. It’s definitely some type of future setting if it has advanced service robots. There are little hints throughout: the migration path, for instance, shows a submerged bridge, and a city in a dome. Is this the result of a climate disaster? Was the island even originally an island, or was its attachment to the mainland also flooded? It does not say explicitly, though, as this movie is not about humans! It’s about a robot and several animals.

[Also! For once, this isn’t a movie where humans make everyone better. It’s not unusual to depict humans as bastards, especially in movies about animals, but recently I feel like so much fiction is about robots/aliens/gods/whatever learning the meaning of life because humans are oh-so-special in a way that no other species is. I found this take relieving, sort of.]

This movie doesn’t end with the goose migration; I half expected it to, given that’s how these movies tend to go. But no! There’s still a lot going on. And I liked that, because the movie wants to deal with the consequences of these events, and what happens to the characters left behind on the migration. That’s nice.

It’s not a completely original story, I should say: look, the idea of a robot learning how to be part of a family, or a character learning to be a parent–these are stories that we tell over and over again. So it takes work to make the story feel fulfilling. Luckily, The Wild Robot did the work–it’s not afraid to tackle dark subjects when the story demands it, it’s willing to show how rough nature is, and it develops its characters to be both likable and complex.

The Wild Robot is a fantastic film. See if you get the chance.

[themousefromfantasyland]

Wish (2023): Movie Review

I have to start this by saying how much I hate the online discourse about this movie.

It's okay if you think this movie looks and sounds boring. It's okay if you don't want to support Disney anymore. And it's okay if you just don't want to watch it.

I see plenty of people saying you have to watch this, otherwise the studio will go back to releasing only sequels and remakes, and it's a very stupid argument. Movie executives are buttholes, and they always learn the worst lessons. Regardless of what Disney does next, it won't be because of the public.

You don't owe your time to Disney.

Said that, I loved this movie, and I struggle to see what exactly turned so many people off. I watched twice just to be sure, and I had an amazing time going through this movie.

Make no mistake, I feel like it definitely could be better. I feel like it's a weaker movie if compared with Tangled, Frozen, and Encanto, but along Encanto, it is definitely one of the most enjoyable entries in the WDAS catalogue since Moana in 2016.

The animation was great. I loved the texture and colors, especially in the night scenes. Some of the backgrounds gave me Silver Age Disney flashbacks, which is great because the Silver Age (1950 - Alice, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, etc.) is my absolute favorite era of the studio.

Keep in mind, that I had to pirate this movie because it still hasn't come out here in Brazil, and even with the image being a bootleg filmed straight from the movie theater, the animation still looks impressive and beautiful.

Asha brings nothing new to a Disney Heroine, but Ariana DeBosse enfuses this character with life and makes it pretty likable. She never failed to make me laugh at the situations Asha finds herself. I think Asha is the perfect embodiment of a human disaster.

I hate the discourse about the Adorkable Disney Heroine that ModernGurlz brought up, because it pretty much feels like the Mary Sue discourse that I had to endure from Star Wars fans. People just regurgitate the online talking points, project their own grievances on them, and add nothing new to the conversation.

Asha and Anna are the only Disney heroines that really fall into the Adorkable character archetype, and even then they have enough character circunstamces to set them apart.

King Magnifico is a absolutely delicious villain. Chris Pine chews the scenario with this one. He is one of the few characters with a real arc, and is a corruption arc. I absolutely love how we see his insecurities, his pride, his narcissism, his greedy slowly take a tool on him. I love how he is not a villain from the start, but how he succumbs to villainy over the course of the movie.

And no, Magnifico is not good or right under any circumstance. He is not a tragic hero guys.

I actually think it's funny how he has a character arc similar to Wanda Maximoff, but with fewer redeming qualities, and although people correctly called her out on it, because he is an attractive man people keep trying to find excuses for him.

The songs are bangers. I don't think the lyrics are that atrocious. I understand people not liking them, but they are meant to be playful, and the visuals during the their sequences absolutely sells them, at least for me.

On the downside, Wish's script is very underdeveloped, with some parts very rushed and not properly fleshed-out. But even with that it has very unique and original ideas that I wished had been explored better.

I love the theme of wishes and dreams being physical things that you can use to manipulation, harm, and control people. I think it has a lot of real life implications that I may explore on a different post.

The room with the wishes as magical blue orbes is the most striking scene for me.

I don't know if the original concept was better and Disney forced the team to neuter their vision, or if Jennifer Lee just doesn't know how to write sincere fairy tales.

Either of these possibilities makes complete sense, especially since I don't like Jennifer Lee's vision for the studio.

Overall, Wish is a weak Disney film, and I understand people being disappointed, especially since it is meant to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the studio, but it still has plenty of things to enjoy.

It's very sweet, full of heart, and with so many live action remakes laying around, this isn't soulless at any point.

It definitely could be better, and we should expect better coming from one of the most powerful media corporation on the planet, but Wish isn't mediocre, and it doesn't deserve the online hate.

Wish is a good movie with good ideas and concepts, that could be better developed.

I especially struggle to see why this movie was so hated when some of Disney's more recent movies were much worse and didn't got that much negative attention.

Anyway, I think Asha and her friends deserve better and I love them so much.

I just hope Disney doesn't lock up Asha and them on the vault. They totally deserve better from Disney and from the fans.

[gunsatthaphan]

🏆 𝒯𝑜𝓅 𝟣𝟢 𝑜𝒻 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟤 💫

a few anons have requested this and also I was in the mood so here are my Top 10 BLs of 2022 (only including the ones that finished this year). Also I have posted more lengthy reviews for each of these shows already so I’m gonna try and keep it short lol. 

not much to say here, if you know me and my blog then you know how much this show and firstkhao have taken over my life this year lmao. I loved the story so much and everything about it felt so genuine all the way through. FK did an incredible job at actually becoming their characters and I was so in awe of their portrayal. They made something incredible out of a little budget and that’s why I cherished it so much. The plot wasn’t perfect, there were holes and weaknesses but firstkhao, paired with the watching experience, made it perfect for me. 13/10. 

this one gets the award for most underrated show of the year lmao. I loved it so much. like.... what an actual masterpiece?? the cinematography was stunning and the whole concept was so captivating. jimmysea delivered big time and while there were some draggy parts in the middle, the script ultimately proved itself to be absolutely outstanding. Sadly it didn’t get the attention it deserved. 

OOF. I mean. How can I not include this mess of a project lmao (affectionate). was the script oscar-worthy? no. did it make a lot of sense? nah. but did I have the time of my life watching it? hell ya. The craze that surrounded this show was insane and it made the whole thing 10x better lmao. It was hilarious, the characters were likable and the chemistries were fire from every couple involved. It was the watching experience that made me put this as my no.3 because I had a blast.

This was such a nice surprise for me because I wasn’t in the mood for another KBL after the disaster that was To My Star 2 lmao but this was absolutely amazing. The script was genius and so was the entire production quality. This was the first show I saw with the 2 leads as I didn’t watch Kissable Lips but I was very pleasantly surprised by their chemistry. I would love to see them in more stuff in the future!  

GOD. This show has my whole heart lmao. I would consider it a guilty pleasure though because it’s definitely not for everyone. But it hit the nail right on the head for me. It was SO adorable and SO hilarious and I have a huge weak spot for kaownah and turbo because they are just so lovely together. Lots of crack but the best kind lmao. Perfect. 

🥺🥺 what an absolute gem of a show this was. A+ comedy and also the perfect proof that you can actually make something out of what seems like the most basic bl plot ever lol. But what they made of it was amazing. MekKim were super entertaining, also Lee and Park had no business being the most adorable couple I’ve ever seen??? sickening. I love them so much. The setup was super nice and it plays with several bl clichés in a very cunning way. Loved it!!!! 

YES I LOVED THIS!!!!!! This show polarized a lot when it aired, mostly because of the body swap plot and also the disney antics lol and tbh I was expecting to agree with the critical opinions as I don’t like body swap tropes but I was surprised by how much I loved it. How they handled the plot was funny and adorable, plus the whole roadtrip theme and all the sceneries were so nice! And needless to say you can never go wrong with EarthMix. they always deliver and especially Mix’s acting left a big impression with me.

This show never got a lot of attention and most reviews were not good but guess what I disagree kfjdghfd. I loved it so much. The dynamic between the mains was fantastic and with so much cuteness it made me sick dfkjghf. The power of this show lies in its minimalism for me, there were so many small endearing things and everything felt 100% natural. Also they were one of the few pairings in a KBL that actually felt like a realistic couple lol. Han Gi Chan was outstanding and considering this was Holland’s acting debut, he did a very decent job as well. Also the cinematography? stunning. I went in with zero expectations and came out with teary heart eyes lol. 

I was fairly excited for this one as it was Joong’s GMMTV debut and I was not disappointed. It doesn’t hold up with some of gmm’s other highlights this year but I liked it!!! It relied a lot on JoongDunk’s chemistry which I’m not mad about though. They’re really good together. The rest of the cast was also top-notch with an A+ friend group lol. The plot wasn’t super elaborate but once again, the watching experience did it for me lol. 

I liked this one a lot!!! It was the first KBL that I thoroughly enjoyed since Light On Me and it was so much fun to watch!! The chemistry between the leads was top-notch and even though it doesn’t quite hold up with some other KBLs for me, I still wanted to put it on my list because that’s what it deserves lol. 

thank you 2022 for giving us good gay food lmao. here’s to an even better 2023!! ✨

[magnorious]

Am I The Only One Who Didn’t Want More Loki?

Loki, up to Infinity War, was probably my favorite MCU character. He was wildly entertaining and Tom Hiddleston portrayed him with such charisma that he was more likable than the protagonists from time to time. I remember all the fanfics post-Avengers posing what-ifs, that Loki was the unwitting victim of Thanos’ larger plan, that he himself was under control of the scepter. Redemption arcs and FrostIron all over the place.

Even when his arc yo-yo’d around from actual growth to being flung back to the same damn shenanigans over and over again. Even when they kept killing him just to bring him back. The Dark World managed to be not a complete disaster of a movie for one singular reason: The criminally brief team-up between Thor and his brother. I rewatch that movie now only for those scenes.

I don’t love Ragnarok, but it’s grown on me over the years, mostly thanks to Loki. I wanted to see if they’d finally make him a reluctant Avenger. He’d have been an incredibly powerful asset to the team and the drama and comedy potential sitting right there for the taking could have made for some excellent growth for the entire core team. Imagine the potential if he’d survived the Snap and the remaining Avengers had to accept his help because he was all they had left? Imagine if it was Thor and Loki that had to go to Vormir, instead of Clint and Natasha? Imagine Thor grieving the real, final death of his brother and the rest of the team, who still never trusted him, trying to put aside their differences to keep Thor from falling apart? If Endgame was supposed to be a swan song for the original cast, Loki should have been part of it.

But Endgame came and went. And then “Loki” happened.

“Loki” happened to debut at that phase of Disney+ when “MCU fatigue” was still just the unfounded complaints of an unhappy few. We hadn’t yet experienced bomb after bomb of disappointed and disjointed messes that became Phase 4. If something was bad, well, that was the exception. It would get better.

Between Loki and Wandavision, and Hawkeye and Moonknight, Loki was the only post-Endame property I was excited to see (excluding SpiderMan). So I ignored all the marketing and waited for most of the episodes to air before sitting down to watch.

And… *wow* was that story awful. I can’t be the only one who looked at the Loki on screen and thought “That’s not Loki. That’s fanfiction.”

Can I?

Complaints about the show have been done to death but one point I haven’t seen raised much is what made me quit the show, and Phase 4: Loki was basically aro/ace for 7 entire years of MCU… until he wasn’t, in about the worst way possible.

I know comics Loki is different (and in mythology). I know he was never explicitly aro/ace. I know the MCU has never handled romance well. But we take what we can get, can’t we?

From his introduction in Thor, Loki has never been motivated by lust or romance. All he’s ever wanted is respect, power, and to escape Thor’s shadow. He lasted 7 whole years, four movies, with no need for romance. They could have written something awkward in The Dark World between him and Jane, or given more subtext to him and Black Widow in Avengers, or even him and Valkyrie in Ragnarok. Only they didn’t.

He never had a monologue about wanting to settle down with a pretty girl (or guy). Was never made to look jealous over Thor’s suitors. Was never bitter at not having a love life. Romance did not matter to his character, and no one in the audience thought he was lacking because of it. Loki was, for all intents and purposes, aro/ace for his entire arc until his death in Infinity War.

So I’m watching his little mini-series and, already, the idea of taking 2012 Loki and injecting him with a little video montage of the Real Loki’s development, and trying to pretend that will work, should have been all I needed to know about the trajectory of the series.

Then Sylvie showed up. Her with her magic powers just like Loki’s, a spitfire attitude and curly blonde hair. My first thought was: “Oh my god it’s a young Frigga!”

Frigga, who, in Endgame, had her attendants make sure her adoptive son was entertained in his cell, who taught him magic, about the only soul on Asgard he really gave a shit about when she died, and the only soul on Asgard who gave a shit about him.

The second I saw her, I thought the whole “video montage of character growth” shot was just a little bit of groundwork, reminding the audience of how different 2012 Loki was from the one we’d watched since Avengers. I thought the rest of the series would be about him and young Frigga redeeming this version of her son before he could make the same mistakes the original Loki did. I thought, surely, this is how he becomes a full-fledged Avenger.

Frigga can still die in the end, and he can get the goodbye he deserved, since I’m pretty sure he wasn’t allowed at his own mom’s funeral. The core, the soul of this series, would be that doomed mother-son relationship we were robbed of for shock value in Dark World (I still stand by that a witch as powerful as she was getting stabbed in the back by some grunt is an insult to her character).

Then Loki and Sylvie had that horribly paced episode on Purple Planet (whose name escapes me) and I picked up on the vibes going down and thought… oh no. Oh she’s his love interest. Oh they’re really gonna put him through a rushed, by-the-numbers, bickering-rivals-to-lovers plot. This isn’t Frigga. It’s really just a female him tossing a rotten bone to the LGBTQ Community with a cheap throwaway line.

I still can’t decide which kiss was more cringey, Loki/Sylvie, or Rey/Kylo in Rise of Skywalker.

“Cosmic Narcissism” indeed. Whose idea was it to not only give Loki a love interest he never needed, but make it a female version of himself? Perhaps having Tom Hiddleston kiss an actual clone of himself would have been too off-putting for conservative viewers, but Owen Wilson’s character was right there. Instead, they *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* a hint that Loki’s bi without committing to the bit, ignore an actual interesting same-sex relationship, to have him fall for Sylvie, as if she was everything missing in his life this whole time.

If you ignore how bizarre it is that they decided the perfect love interest for Loki was himself. If you ignore how they kicked Mobius to the curb. If you ignore the abysmal development they actually gave the relationship… Loki was a beloved character long before he ever had a love interest.

He didn’t need Sylvie. He didn’t need Mobius. He had motivations, he had other relationships they could have strengthened. He had a rich history, and future, within the MCU. He was, at least to me, my aro/ace icon, and he could have kept right on being that with zero effort or input from Disney. They didn’t have to slap an ace flag over his poster and incur the wrath of the anti-woke. Loki was *fine*.

Instead, what we got was a thousands-year-old mage who forgot he has powers until it was convenient for the plot. We got a character robbed of 5 years of development who didn’t once consider that the clip show might’ve been an illusion. Loki’s supposed to be cunning, quick-witted, silver-tongued. He’s supposed to be a bit selfish and arrogant and flimsy with his loyalties. He’s supposed to be a self-serving asshole until he feels safe enough to let his guard down. He’s supposed to let ego and pride get in the way of humility and admitting when he’s wrong. He’s supposed to be his own worst enemy.

Which… I suppose, by having Sylvie betray him in a scene everyone saw coming, fulfills that one aspect of his character.

I haven’t seen the trailers for season 2, but if the last few MCU releases are anything to go by, it’ll just be more of the same. I love Loki’s character, but satisfaction is the death of desire, and he should have had the curtains drawn in Endgame.

[allstartrekgames]

Star Trek: Resurgence

Original Release: 2023

Developer: Dramatic Labs

Publisher: Burner House

Platform: Xbox One/Series, PS4/PS5, PC

Star Trek: Resurgence is a story-based “choose your own adventure” type game from Dramatic Labs, a developer made out of some ex-Telltale staff, who have been doing this kind of game for a while.

While a few known characters do show up, this game is focused on a unique cast of characters on the science ship, the USS Resolute. You play as two members of the crew: Jara Rydek, the ships new first officer, and Carter Diaz, a lower decks engineering crewman. They’re both very likable, and the dialogue options let you have some sway over their personalities – for example, Jara can choose to fully trust her captain, or can fight to do what she thinks is right.

The rest of the crew range from likable to immediate dislike but grows on you (or you end up feeling sorry for them). Most of them are well written (the only exception is the the tactical officer, who goes psycho later on), with their characters flaws serving the story and your choices in some manner. the ship suffered a disaster before Jara was brought back on board, so you have to deal with the comradery that came out of that experience.

Due to an intense ion storm, the Resolute was picked to transport an Ambassador to the Hotari system, where previously peaceful races, the brutish Hotari and the militaristic Alydians, both species with great designs that look like something that could still be achieved in live action. The Alydians have provided technology to the Hotari, while also using them as a labour face to mine the dilithium rich moon of Hotari Prime. However, this is interrupted by the emergence of an ancient and powerful civilization. I’ll leave it there for details of the story, but it was one that I loved the entire way through the game, with lots of stunning locations that you get to visit.

As for the gameplay, it changes a lot throughout the course of the game to meet the scene’s requirements. Most of it is spent on foot, walking around then pressing dialogue options and quick time events when prompted. Sometimes you’ll have to use your tricorder to scan, swapping between different modes to further analyse components, or a phaser, which is used for non-combat reasons during the walking sections.

There are some shooting sections, but in those you’re behind cover (and can occasionally swap cover), popping out to take shots. Other action sequences include piloting a shuttle and stealth sections. Some parts I absolutely loved was interacting with consoles, including a brilliant segment where you get to use the transporter, having to counter interference. It’s a really great depiction of what a transporter chief actually does during difficult transports.

While the gameplay itself is simple, it all helps the game feel immersive and works really well with the world. I’ve always disliked Telltale’s story games due to a “stiffness” about them that Resurgence manages to avoid. It’s a joy to experience the Star Trek Universe in this way and there are some meaningful references to a few episodes – even using a very disliked episode of The Next Generation in a great way.

I absolutely loved my first playthrough of Resurgence. The characters and story are extremely enjoyable, with lots of great different moments. The characters definitely make the game and I think it helps that this isn’t the “best” ship in the fleet – it gives a wonderful insight into Starfleet. You’ll also be given insight into how each character reacts to your choices, showing approval, disapproval or indifference, and I do like that it mentions that the character is a bit confused if you do flip-flop.

I did play again immediately after and the flaws of the game do show up – although it’s more the flaws of the genre. As the main story beats have to be consistent, some of the choices don’t matter. Plenty of them make smaller changes, including which characters you interact with, some character deaths or injuries and how some of them treat the main two. If you did your second playthrough after a break, it would be a better experience. Although I do think that the game should be better at punishing you – some of the actions you take can be pretty bad, but the consequences are very mild.

Resurgence is a brilliant game that captures Star Trek extremely well. It has engaging story and characters, and the gameplay, while simple, helps to compliment it all. It’s a wonderful way to experience a slice of the Star Trek universe.

[thehubby]

If you still have the opportunity, go see Godzilla Minus One in the theaters. Right now, most theaters are playing it are showing the Minus Color version of the movie, which is an added bonus. Reasons you should see this:

• It's a good movie. This isn't just a good Godzilla movie, it's a good movie overall. You could swap Godzilla out with an invading army, a natural disaster, or some other sort of applicable crisis and it would still be good watching. There's a real plot here with real people who have real problems outside of just a big monster. They are often flawed, especially our protagonist (who demonstrates PTSD in an uncomfortably believable way), but they're trying and they are generally likable. I wanted almost every human in King of the Monsters to die; they were that stupid and arrogant and unrelatable that it made humanity seem like it deserved extinction. Here, you want the characters to overcome their own problems -- and not all of them do. It's not a perfect plot, and I think the movie fumbles the ball at literally the very end, but it's a good story, and for a giant monster movie? This is a great story.

• Godzilla is terrifying. This may be the scariest Godzilla we've ever seen. Even if he's not as bizarre as Shin Godzilla or possibly not as strong as the Godzilla of the Monsterverse, his presence and strength compared to the world he exists in is overwhelming. Remember the opening of Evangelion with the third angel, Sachiel, an unstoppable, incomprehensible force attacking Tokyo-3, a city built to fight its kind with Evangelions in reserve and a confident military? Remember how that went? (It went very badly.) Now imagine that a creature like it instead attacks a Japan still reeling from its defeat during World War II, with a neutered military and a public with no shelters to flee to, no safety protocols. This Godzilla is massive, strong, resilient, and its breath weapon literally causes miniature atomic explosions to occur. In many Godzilla movies of the past 30-40 years, people are scared of Godzilla, sure, but here they are panicked, with good reason.

• The filmmakers understand less is more. Remember when Jedi were cool because they were rare and mysterious, and lightsabers only came out when stuff was really about to go down? Or how in the first movie Jaws only showed up occasionally and that's when it hit the fan? That's how it is here. Unlike in recent times, Godzilla is only a small portion of the film, an occasional force of nature that shows up, wrecks house and is then driven off or leaves. You don't get a chance to become tired of him or inured to his presence as a result. This sets up a palpable tension as you have no idea when Godzilla will next appear, and I admit I was somewhat false-started a few times from a thudding sound in the theater next to me that I thought could have been it approaching.

• It's practical and understandable. Modern Godzilla movies often use pseudo-futuristic technology like genetic cross-manipulation of alien species, cybernetic mind-transplanation, vocal analysis replication, oxygen destroyer bombs and other such nonsense to fight the giant monsters. The people of post-WWII Japan use real equipment and techniques to battle -- conventional weapons like guns and bombs, known gases like freon and carbon dioxide, underwater speakers. They use human ingenuity to form tactics that match the known science of the time and seem like rational leaps to make. They don't know if it's going to work! They are just desperate. The ships and planes featured are authentic and real. The suspension of disbelief is very easy to achieve here, which only accentuates how scary it would be to fight Godzilla when you don't have, like, military grade nuclear powered lasers or something.

• The Minus Color version looks astounding. Don't get me wrong, the color version looks great too (although like most modern kaiju movies, the color especially during energy and breath attacks is oversaturated), but they really put in an extra effort to give it the feel of the early black and white Godzilla movies. The resolution is toned down ever so slightly instead of the crispness of 4k; the light and dark contrast is balanced properly. You get more clarity into what you're watching and the subdued tones really match the despair and fear that people are going through. It really feels like, if we filmed the very first Godzilla movie in 1954 with modern cinematic techniques and CGI but black and white film, this is what we would have ended up with.

Ultimately, this is easily my favorite Godzilla reboot, and probably my favorite Godzilla movie. The original Godzilla of 1954 has a special place in my heart, and just as people should still appreciate Pac-Man even though Ms. Pac-Man made it obsolete, we should still appreciate that first movie. I just think this is, frankly, better in just about every way (although they deviate from the original creature design in a couple ways I'm not thrilled on). If you must have monster-on-monster action, then either Destroy All Monsters from 1968 or King of the Monsters from 2019 are what you're looking for, but you'll have to sit through ridiculous plots (and sometimes infuriating people) in both cases to get your fix. I'll hope for a sequel from these folks.

[picturejasper20]

Cartoon characters you think had the biggest fall off in terms of writing?

Well, can think of a few examples

Vlad Masters from Danny Phantom

This one is quite obvious: He was a pretty interesting villain with unique motivations in the first two seasons and had a specific relationship with Danny that moved his character arc forward. He was a really good foil for Danny in the way their morals clashed.

Then Season 3 comes and sends most of that characterization to the trash, leaving a superficial version of him. He acts more as a generic villain, his motivations seem to change every episode he shows up. He is introduced as main antagonist in the season and barely does anything, with D-Stabilized being the closest you get to that, etc.

I would include Valerie Gray in the spot as well, but honestly i feel like she was more mistreated than her writing ¨fell off¨. She still acts like her usual self in D-Stabilized and it is probably her best episode along with Flirting With Disaster.

2- Marco Diaz from Star vs The Forces of Evil

Marco is a character that was having some pretty solid development in the first two seasons. He even forgave and befriended Star ex-boyfriend who only saw him as a rival. He learned to overcome his own insecurities and date a girl he really liked since he was like 10.

...And around Season 3 he like... started to flirt or date with half of the teenager girl cast. He almost started to gain a harem for all the girls that were into him. Not to mention that he kissed Star when she was dating Tom... after he spent a lot of time trying to be in good terms with him and telling him that he wasn't a thing with Star. That's not to say Star didn't mess it up big but at least she was improving in other areas like helping the monsters.

The writers took a character that was overall likable and turned him into harem dude. It was like they didn't know what to do with him after Season 2 and just matched him with every girl they could think off.

3-Mordecai from Regular Show

This case is well known and self explanatory. He was in general a good character in the first seasons. Then he got tangled in all this romance between Margaret and CJ, he messed it up so badly that CJ never spoke to him again and she didn't appear in the series later on.

The irony is that while Mordecai was getting worse, Rigby was improving in some ways by taking classes and finally graduating from school. He grows into someone more mature and responsible.

And this drama romance in the end didn't seem to have importance later on since Mordecai didn't end up with Margaret, instead he ends up with a bat girl he meets in the time skip montage.

4-Morty Smith from Rick and Morty

This is a bit weird because it isn't that his character got ruined but it feels like in some ways he has regressed to the way he was on Season 1 and Season 2.

I feel like the main issues that many have pointed out is that Rick is allowed to get better, while Morty can't. He can't process his own trauma and the way he is treated by his own family (yes, it isn't only Rick the problem). So he is stuck going back and forth with his evolution as character.

My theory is that, because the show has this thing of trying to keep the status quo, changing Morty too much would mean that the writers have to change his dynamic with Rick and... that would mean the show changing its status quo as well.

5-Charmcaster from the original Ben 10 series

I don't recall that much about her but i do remember she was someone who practiced dark magic and was mistreated by her uncle in the original show. Then in the series that followed she became someone a lot worse?? Like she started killing a lot of people for some reason. It was super weird.

6- Nine from Sonic Prime

I wouldn't call it character assassination. However, he feels like he becomes a very different character from who he was in Season 1 and Season 2.

In Season 1 and 2 he was someone who was looking out for himself. He didn't want to cause harm on purpose and just wished to live in a place he could be safe. He is just a kid who hasn't had the best life and wants someone that can be his friend.

Then in Season 3 he starts putting people in danger intentionally? He actually attacks people and threatens others. There isn't exactly a proper build up to this character change. It just happens.

It doesn't help that he doesn't have that many moments he seems to regret his actions. He just keeps going and going. So when his heel turn comes it feels... cheap, again because there wasn't enough build up to that.

I would include Chloe from Miraculous Ladybug but i haven't watched that series so..

These are the ones that come to my mind at the moment. Maybe there are others that i'm not able to recall at the moment.

[mediamixs]

Twisters (2024) Review - A Thrilling Ride Through Tornado Alley

Twisters, the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 blockbuster Twister, delivers an exhilarating and visually stunning experience for fans of action-packed disaster movies. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the film follows a new generation of storm chasers as they confront a series of unprecedented and terrifying weather phenomena.

Impressive Visuals and Sound

One of the standout aspects of Twisters is its breathtaking visual effects and sound design. The tornadoes are bigger, scarier, and more captivating than ever before, thanks to advancements in movie technology. The sound design is particularly impressive, with the bone-rattling rumble of the cyclones pulsing through the theater. Watching Twisters on the big screen with surround sound is an immersive experience that puts you right in the heart of the action.

Engaging Characters and Story

While the story may follow a familiar formula, Twisters introduces a likable cast of characters that are easy to root for. Glen Powell shines as Tyler Owens, the charming and reckless social media star, while Daisy Edgar-Jones delivers a solid performance as Kate Carter, a former storm chaser haunted by a past tragedy. The film's pacing keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, with a few unexpected twists and turns along the way.

Homage to the Original

Twisters pays homage to the original Twister without being a complete reboot or retelling[1]. The film features several Easter eggs and references that will delight fans of the 1996 classic, while still introducing a fresh story and new characters. The use of the iconic Dorothy machine, a key element from the first film, is a nice nod to the past while showcasing the evolution of storm chasing technology.

Conclusion

While Twisters may not be a cinematic masterpiece, it delivers exactly what it promises: an exhilarating, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. The film is a must-see for fans of the original Twister and anyone who enjoys action-packed disaster movies. With its impressive visuals, engaging characters, and nods to the past, Twisters is a whirlwind of a good time that will leave you breathless.

[nonuggetshere]

15 and 16 for my baby girl PK?

Full disclaimer, I pulled an allnigter so this might not be comprehensible

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

HMMM. Okay, so I really love PK x WL/WyrmRoot, I adore big height differences and guys just obsessed with their wives. And they're both morally grey, nuanced characters, doomed to fail from the start, so they're both already pretty high up on my character likability tier list and when you put them together it's even better. They support each other's wrongs. They haunt the narrative together. What's not to love?

I also like PK x Grimm/PaleNightmare and PK x TL for other reasons.

Visually, I like the aesthetic of Grimm and Pale King together, and the dynamic some people give them - of Grimm being one of the few people who can irritate and stand up to Pale King and get away with it - I adore a lot. This dance of power and how far one can push the other is something I enjoy in ships. Also, two old fucks finding comfort in each other's company.

Pale King x Traitor Lord is just very amusing to me. It would make the Traitor Lord a gigantic, stinking hypocrite and that's funny to me. Also, I enjoy mortals winning over gods and being the "dominant" one in the relationship, so to speak. That's it, that's the only two reasons. Mostly, it's funny. I love old man yaoi.

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

I'm gonna say Lurien x PK/PaleWatcher. I flip flop between disliking them and liking them, and I think it has to do a lot with how they're written. I KNOW it's played up for a joke so I don't really mind it as much, but boiling down Lurien's character to "the guy obsessed with the Pale King" rubs me the wrong way (I keep saying how I don't like characterisations that serve no other purpose than to prop up or demonise another character, and this falls under that category methinks). But it's 99% a joke so it's fine. I'm personally not a fan of how some people write either of them (most of the time Lurien) to be hopelessly pinning after the other, just not my cup of tea specifically for these two. I want them to be two weirdos who just Get each other, are one of the very few people who truly understand each other, but there's still this dance around the...let's say proper mannerisms, statuses and societal expectations. I feel like you get me like no other but you are my king/my subject and I cannot get closer to you than at arms reach, even if I crave it, I need it. I also want them to get completely weird about it in a worshipping your deity kind of way (yes I know it sounds kind of similar to Lurien being obsessed with PK I mentioned before. It is not, not in my soul or heart. Just trust me on this one okay, don't question it).

So overall I don't necessarily dislike it so to speak, it's just my least favourite ship because it can be very hit or miss (I guess they never miss) kind of relationship for me

(For the briefest of moments, when I realised that I'm talking about a ship that I don't even dislike, I thought about switching this answer to Radiance x PK because that's the worst ship I could think of without it being downright gross/triggering. And then I promptly realised it'd be fucking hilarious and now I want to see them make each other worse. I want to observe this toxic inevitable disaster like a fly on a wall)

[raining-anonymously]

infodump to me please.

ok but as you may know i am hyperfixating on a dnd series that none of tumblr cares about. it’s 1 For All DND by Deerstalker Pictures on Youtube and it is so funny and chaotic and well-made. i think i saw in a behind the scenes video that they film with a black magic camera (which i have seen in practice before and it’s. like. very good and expensive) and edit with adobe premiere (my beloved).

anyway series concept is that there are four Guys—Patrick the DM and his three players Eva, Antonio, and Nicole. Eva plays a half-elf fighter called Evandra who is tough and cool and scary and also bisexual. she has a sword and armor. sometimes she’s the common sense and sometimes she is Not. is that not top-notch character design? also her hair gets progressively cooler throughout the series which is very amazing of her.

Antonio plays a human bard named Antrius, who is incredibly full of himself, flirts with everyone (including a villain he successfully seduced, two paladins, evandra, his rival bard, a vampire, a random knight, a dwarven couple whose child evandra murdered, himself, etc), carries a lute but also plays everything from a kazoo to an accordion. he once said, “There’s no I in team. There’s an A, though—which stands for Antrius!” before doing a silly dance.

then there’s Nicole’s character, a tiefling sorcerer named Nixie. she can be a bit on the oblivious side—her intelligence score is zero—but she makes up for it with FIRE. like. literal fire. she’s adorable and pink but also she has one plan ever and it’s FIREBALL. also she likes women. when she was a kid she accidentally burnt her whole family to a crisp, probably due to wild magic and repression. disaster.

then there’s Pat the DM. who just wants a nice campaign. he also plays Every NPC (excluding a few roles later on) regardless of species and gender. he has to put up with the party’s shenanigans, which are exhausting, but he clearly does enjoy what he does, which is nice.

of course, this alone is great potential for a series—but what really brings it in for me are the side characters. aka guest players. over the course of the series, there have been a LOT of those: Vlithryn the triton cleric who’s tired of the party, Annandale the warlock who everybody hates, Dargle-Bark the… eccentric druid, Lorienne the paladin (who eva and antonio flirt with both in and out of character), the catlike Rogue who Nixie flirts with and Evandra hates, Mogdar the pacifist half-orc barbarian artist, Godfreya the incredibly amazing paladin, and my personal favorite—Zephyr the air genasi bard, who a) is Antrius’s ex, b) is Antrius’s rival, c) flirts with Antrius despite all this, d) is a bit (read: a lot) of a prick actually, and e) is crushingly insecure and cries himself to sleep.

that last character appears in a one-shot and one full episode, but that doesn’t stop him from being my blorbo. i have also watched the episode and gone over each shot and frame so many times that yesterday i realized that there’s a mistake towards the end where his flute switches hands in the very last shot of him. because i’m at that point where i have to see every facial expression from every character in that (musical!) episode, including nixie and evandra’s glorious background actions.

there’s also another earlier musical episode, which happens to be the best-rated episode of the series. the party’s been captured, and antrius (mis)uses bardic inspiration to get them out of it—and it’s beautiful. it’s just beautiful. wonderful cinematography, wonderful singing, wonderful lyrics, wonderful acting, wonderful script, just wonderful.

the episodes are short which is great if you have a wildly fluctuating attention span like me. the characters are often terrible people but they’re somehow still likable and hilarious. tw for extreme fantasy violence and sex jokes, but it’s a great series with great humor and the rest of tumblr needs to watch it so i can see fanart and fanfic without having to make it myself. you guys would love annandale

[romancomicsblog]

Who should play Booster Gold in the DCU?

One of my favorite characters recently announced to debut in the upcoming DCU is Booster Gold.

Booster Gold is a time-traveling idiot from the future who is pretending to be a superhero for personal gain. He is not an inherently heroic character. "The superhero story of imposter syndrome" is how the character and television show is described by James Gunn, and I am beyond excited to see what this take can be.

While I think there are a number of different ways you can go with the character, I have had a couple of ideas swirling in my head forever as to how cast him, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I love my number one pick, but I think I have two guys who could also get the job done very well.

So as always, let's start by answering a few questions:

Are there any live action past Booster Golds we can pull from?

Surprisingly, yes.

There are two live action Boosters to my knowledge, and neither is half bad.

Eric Martsolf portrayed the character in the tenth season of Smallville. He was cocky, impulsive, and was always looking to the camera. While he was a little on the nose, it was a fun take making a pretty fun episode in my opinion.

I think Martsolf playing of the hero is key. We need someone who almost feels like a classic hero but not quite. Something needs to be a little off, like Mysterio in Far From Home.

Donald Faison appeared in the final episode of Legends of Tomorrow as Booster Gold. While we don't get a lot of him, he's silly, sketchy, and having a lot of fun. Faison does not play Booster as an idiot, more of an on the fly fixer intelligence, like Star-Lord.

I think having somewhere inbetween bumbling idiot and competent is where Booster can shine. While both play into the charm and goofiness, neither of these play into the self-loathing this character can and should be able to get to.

Any other stipulations?

I'd like the DCU Booster Gold to be able to team up with Jaime, our Blue Beetle, to make up the team Blue and Gold. Someone who can play on a team well would be good.

I'd like him to feel a little older than Superman but not by much. 30s-40s is good by me.

Actors known for playing losers and comedic side characters is essential, but also who can lead a franchise and go to sad vulnerable places.

While Booster is often portrayed as white, anyone can be able to take on the role I believe.

Blonde would be great but we can always dye it.

As always, not looking for people who have played or are known for playing superheroes already, at least in live action.

Let's get into it:

3. Darren Criss

Known for roles in Glee, American Crime Story, and Hollywood, Darren Criss is phenomenal.

While he can be the smoothest guy in the room, charming and talented, in American Crime Story he did play a pathetic liar who spirals from his lies that get too out of control.

You can throw a stone and find a fan of Darren Criss. It also helps that he is not a stranger to the DCU. He currently voices Superman in the Tomorrowverse, and he was the villain of one of the best Arrowverse crossovers as the Music Meister.

Criss also starred in Hollywood with the DCUs Superman, David Corenswet, which means they already have chemistry.

I think Darren has all the right tools for the job and can make an excellent Booster. My main concern with him is that he may be too likable. We want someone who can be a little sleazy. Even when Darren is a psychopath, it's hard not to like him. But I think he'd have it in the bag.

2. Josh Hutcherson

The more I think about this one, the more I like it.

Known for roles in Hunger Games, Future Man, and The Disaster Artist, Hutcherson has the type of career I really want from a Booster.

In Future Man he plays a time traveling loser who needs to save the world, check.

In Hunger Games, he plays an emotional sad sack who really isn't that great at saving the world so he needs to depend on and learn from others, check check.

In Disaster Artist he plays a goofy side character, check check check.

It's Golden! (get it?)

Hutcherson also has a genuineness that the others don't, which could make for an excellent reveal when he isn't the hero everyone thinks he is.

Hutcherson also is built and looks like a normal dude, which really is a draw for me for Booster. I don't think Booster should be a chiseled god, he should feel like a guy playing dress up who learns the game.

I think this role is Hutchersons to lose and would love to see him do it. But my last pick is a dream that while likely never happen.

1. Bo Burnham

Okay hold on a second. What?

While Burnham is known for his various amazing stand-up specials, Burnham is a very accomplished actor and writer.

Known for roles in Promising Young Woman, Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous and The Big Sick, Burnham gonna do anything from sinister, leading man, love interest, and comedic side character. All aspects of Booster we need.

In Zach Stone, he plays a loser wanting desperately to be famous, Booster to a T. He can do charming, comedy, and drama. This is most apparent in his comedy specials but I think those aspects of his specials, specifically Inside, can transfer perfectly to Booster.

Burnham also has written and directed Eight Grade, a phenomenal directorial debut. The film tackles an awkward girls last year before freshman year. It is a funny, honest, and at times cringey film with heart to spare.

Burnham knows how to write, direct, and act an amazing mix of comedy, heart, and pain. So I am not only pitching Bo Burnham star in this show.

Burnham should write and direct as well.

I think Burnham could write an amazing story about Booster Gold while simultaneously dissecting superhero media and our attachment to it. I know he is also frustrated with the slew of Marvel films coming out, and perhaps him writing and starring in one where he has creative control could get those problems with it off his chest.

Or maybe he doesn't want to do any superhero movies, which is kind of understandable.

I know its a very out there dream, but Bo Burnham writing, directing and starring as Booster Gold would be my dream project.

Let's just hope he's not too busy with Girl Socko to do it.

Thank you for reading! If you'd like to support me, you can find all my socials here!

[the-haylien]

In a search for humorous science fiction, I found St. Mary's. It is an entertaining frolic, true to the cover description: "...the disaster-magnets of St. Mary's...hurtle around History." Just One Damned Thing After Another is the first book in an ongoing series by Jodi Taylor.

Time travel has been invented, but is limited to a few groups of people. The main character, Dr. Madeleine Maxwell is a historian. She is a very likable character and has some good flaws. She started working for St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research. The Institute sends historians into the past to observe and verify facts of important events.

St. Mary's rival is a group that wants to monetize time travel; securing the integrity of the timeline be damned. The competition leads to violence, bloodshed, and death. Has the timeline been damaged? Will they be able to tell if the timeline gets damaged? No one is safe from injury or death in this book.

I liked the book for the most part. However, it seemed a bit repetitive in the action. The middle is full of filler and unimportant mysteries that don't pan out. Also, I had no sense of how much time was passing in the present. I was surprised near the end of the book to read that Maxwell had been at St. Mary's for five years.

There was not much in the way of character growth. That's difficult to pull off in a long series, but I think somebody in some era should have been changed in a profound way by this big adventure. Maybe it was that dinosaur.

If you like time travel romps you will like this book. Will I read more in the series? I would like to, but probably not. Sorry Ms. Taylor, but I currently own more books than I could possibly read before I die. The author, Jodi Taylor says Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, and Jennifer Crusie are her influences. I thought that was an odd mix, but you know, it does show in her writing.

[calzonekestis]

Okay I don't go to Hawkins anymore but everyone is on the Chrissy/Eddie thing and may I just suggest, for hope, that we don't know if something has been/will be filmed to make amends since even the Duffers said 'oops we had no idea omg'. Like, I could see that. Especially if this is their last season or what not

There’s very much a part of me that would like that to be so… but I’m also not about to get my hopes up.

A lot of things plot wise were dependent on her death, and people’s reactions to it. It’s been compared to the losses of Barb and Bob, but imo it’s more impactful than both of them? Barb’s death served to give Nancy some guilt, and also establish the fact that no one was safe.

Bob… low key, couldn’t stick around. We all know Jopper is endgame, they kind of had to kill him, or they would have been stuck in a similar situation with Steve. Where they have a ship they want to make Endgame, but now here’s this placeholder boyfriend is played by an actor who is way too charming and now we want to incorporate him into the stories more - but that also takes screen time away from other characters.

Now, good story is good story. Good characters are good characters. A good writer needs to be able to adapt and not hold firm to their initial series bible. Like, again. Steve? Totally different from his original conception. Instead of the protector of children and queer ally he is, he was heinous in the original pilot script. The love scene with Nancy was actually going to be dater*pe, and he was going to die by the season’s end. But when they cast Joe Keery, they realized that would be a waste of him… and that with his talents they could make Steve a more likable and well rounded character.

So they changed plans before, because an actor was charismatic and endearing. That much is true. The difference here being while Steve’s death would have been comeuppance for his original characterization… it would be satisfying, but the story didn’t depend on it.

A lot this season’s plot is dependent on Chrissy’s death, and the ramifications it has on the different characters. As I talked about in the meta I posted, it’s true for the era of entertainment the show is a love letter too… but it’s still kinda sorta fridging. I get they wanted to do that First Girl horror trope, because it’s really one 80’s horror element they had yet to homage… but bringing her back after that would be tricky.

Again, it’s a science fiction/sci-fi show. There are ways you could do it, and make it an interesting story. I just don’t know that they would, given how they just have one more season. I would think it would consist more of wrapping up existing story threads rather than introducing new ones, but you never know. I know that elements of Eddie’s story have inspirations in true crime, and that another big inspiration for the show is time travel related. And there’s something with time and the upside down. It’s stuck on the day Will disappeared, a clock appears whenever Chrissy’s killer attacks. I don’t know if time travel will be introduced or undo anything, or alternate timelines - I’ve seen theories that the upside down is a like a timeline where the Cold War resulted in Russia sending nukes into the heartland of Hawkins. That this mutates life and creates things like demobats and dogs, and demogorgons. Mindflayer.

I’ve also seen it pointed out how the man made gateway in S3 needed massive amounts of power, and how Alexiei in season 3 said there were more keys all over the USSR. The Chernobyl disaster is only a few months away in their timeline, and they’ve said there will be a time jump going into season 5. I would think they’d have to address this someway.

TLDR, it’s possible, but I don’t have much any real expectation. I’d love to be wrong, for them to somehow undo Chrissy’s death - and all the other victims, but that gets into a slippery slope of fans wanting them to bring back every beloved dead character. If time travel does play a part, I see it being more of “we have to stop what happened in the upside down from happening in our reality” than I do a method of bringing characters back.

That said, I would absolutely love it if they found a way to bring back Grace (the actress) next season. I think that’s more likely than actually bringing Chrissy back to life. They killed off Billy last season, but brought back Dacre Montgomery for a scene where Max is confronted with a vision of him. The villain Vecna tortures people with their own trauma, so it was Billy for Max - and for Chrissy, it was her abusive mom who gave her an eating disorder. It would make perfect sense to have Chrissy come back if Eddie were to experience the same thing. As a manifestation of his survivor’s guilt, any feelings he may have had for her, etc.

The only thing that I think would preclude that is actor availability, and the fact they now that music can weaken Vecna’s hold on a person… but if Eddie sets Vecna back by jamming on his guitar as seen in the finale trailer? It’s quite possible that he’d hold a grudge and try to target him.

So now you have me thinking maybe we will see Chrissy again in some form, but I don’t think that she will return to life or that she and Eddie will have any sort of happy ending. Sadly. I’d love to be proven wrong. They could just start season 5 and say “she’s alive again! cause reasons! idk Brenner’s lab people took her body to study it and somehow brought her back with science! Forget the snapped limbs and hemorrhaging eyes! She’s all healed up and even more traumatized!”

I’d be fine with that. But I don’t expect it.

However I would like to take this opportunity to pitch to @netflix @strangerthingsnetflix. Give us an Eddie nightmare sequence that starts off with he and Chrissy having a nice romantic moment. We’re confused, this can’t be right - she’s dead. But oh hey they’re kissing now, so we’re not complaining. But then Eddie opens his eyes, and Chrissy is all mangled with the bloody eyes from her death scene. He screams and wakes up we scream and we cry bc Chrissy didn’t wake up.

Ooh. Yes, I would absolutely love that kind of suffering.

I don’t need any sort of credit or royalties, though I’d sign any waiver I’d need to. Y’all making that happen would be thanks enough.

[galadhremmin]

We have derived Caranthir liking the Dwarves (and vice versa) because apparently, Finrod succeeds in every field Caranthir fails, and at this point it's clear this derives from the in-universe writer of the Silm and his own biases. Think about it: "Dark Finwë" , a grumpy, prejudiced lordling, and "Hair Champion", most handsome, noble king, have met with the same people!! Yet the king of the first secret kingdom is everyone's friend, but the prince that trades with them regularly is not... seems sus.

Hence, Caranthir is friends with the Dwarves. (But that is just an interpretation, so you're free to think what you wish, I just have several opinions on in-universe prejudice and the almighty narrative.)

I think that 'we' might actually have been Dawn Felagund years ago. Maybe this reading existed even before that, but I doubt that-- she's been very influential in silm fandom and was long before tumblr was much of a thing. https://dawnfelagund.com/caranthir-the-slandered

I wouldn't say it's 'clear' that what amounts to Caranthir's entire documented personality derives from the bias of the in-universe narrator, though as you can see from Dawn's writing it's a reading you can argue for. There are a number of different approaches you can take to the Silm and its biases anyway. One of the few times when it's absolutely clear the text isn't telling the entire story is when it talks about the Easterlings. I've posted about this before but the recorded names are, uhh.... the ones to betray the elves are unlikely to actually have been named things like 'ugly lord' and 'ugly beard.' 'Dark Finwe' on the other hand is a documented reference to his haircolour being dark like Finwe's own; hardly a negative judgement!

I personally think Caranthir can be exactly as ill-tempered and prejudiced as the Silm paints him without becoming an unsympathetic character. If a writer cannot make a moody, deeply prejudiced man an interesting character that is a failure as a writer; there are after all enough books who manage exactly that. That is not to say choosing not to write him that way is a failure (obviously not), but it's not necessary in order to make a reader feel for him at all.

Just going by the text, I think it actually might make for a more interesting narrative to explore in fic to me. Because he does change his mind about something, and at a very specific moment; when he meets the Haladin. That is much less dramatic if he secretly been as nice and popular as Finrod, and got along with everyone all the time already. He's been raised by Fëanor, who said things like 'No other race shall oust us!' and rallied the Noldor not motivated enough by vengeance for Finwë alone by playing on their deep-seated fear of being replaced by the Secondborn. Very unlikely that had no impact. At best it has made him uninterested in humans in his area (while they're not much of a threat to ruling instead of the elves anyway). The text says they paid them no heed.

And yet! Caranthir sees how brave Haleth and her people are. He 'does her great honour.' He changes his mind and offers them lands. His tragedy to me is not that of a slandered figure, but of this deeply, deeply prejudiced person raised to distrust the motivations of human beings -- who overcomes those beliefs, offers friendship, is rejected! then extends that same trust to the Easterlings anyway... and it's those specific Easterlings, not the ones who ally with his brothers-- who betray them all. And cause the disastrous ending of the Nirnaeth. It's the 'to evil end shall all things turn that they begin well' part of the curse hitting him in the least fair way possible. Someone finally changes for the better, and the outcome is treason and destruction.

That is a very good character arc to me, actually. His aesthetics-based scorn for the Dwarves is reprehensible but strikes me as deeply Elvish, and part of his prejudices. Naugrim is too unflattering a name for them for it not to be common. His temper-- well why can't he have one? Sure there's only one recorded instance -- but that's imo because there are hardly any conversations in the Silm! Anyway I like some people with tempers well enough. Personally I think people are missing out on opiniated grouches.

Obviously the biased anti-Feanorian Pengolodh reading is a nice one, and I have enjoyed a lot of stories written based it. But it's not at all a reading that is necessary for me to read Caranthir as a flawed but sympathetic character. He can have serious faults and still, ultimately, be someone I feel for.

What I was asking though was if I overlooked any canon evidence of Caranthir being particularly, personally fond of the Dwarves; and it seems I did not. Also; there is room for Caranthir growing to like the Dwarves over centuries without an anti-Feanorian bias reading this strong, there is simply no evidence for friendship in the rather barebones narrative (I'm not interested atm because it's wildly overdone to me & I like variety).

That said, in my opinion making Caranthir the hidden, slandered Feanorian Finrod equivalent with a dash of Curufin's Dwarf affection is not as enjoyable as simply working with what little canon character is actually there. Because there is one (and it's not the greedy tax collector of some fanon depictions either imo)

1. To start with, wrt Caranthir as the anti-Finrod, I don't think it works that well. Sure sure dark/light, open/prejudiced, repressed/shouty, but different motivations, different locations, plus they meet very different peoples even if both are Edain-- besides, Caranthir's own older brothers do successfully ally with the Easterlings without betrayal, while Curufin (much more so than Finrod! no Khuzdul for Finrod!) is the Dwarves' Friend(tm). Also, a flawed Finrod already exists. That's just the regular edition. He has his own faults and (very different) tragic arc.

If Finrod never seems to have strong prejudices to overcome, and if he's not confrontational (which... look he's a diplomat. Make of that what you will. Pretty awkward there in Doriath, buddy!) he does have trouble facing his own complicity (he wanted to sail those ships despite the murders) until Sauron beats him to death with it. He leaves Valinor with the idea of ruling but he has to give up the crown. He's ambitious, he seems emotionally repressed, he's.. possibly paying the greater Dwarves to drive the Petty Dwarves out of their ancestral home to build a city? Oops. Depending on the version you go with in that case, of course; there's also ones where he's free of the blame of that one. Not of wanting to sail those ships and being uneasy with the guilt wrt wanting to do so despite their being stolen and murdered for though. No he doesn't kill; but he wants to use the result of it anyway, and to make it worse he is actually half Telerin.

There's also (to be fair, only for sure after the disaster of the Sudden Flame because that's the recorded instance) his guards killing random innocent trespassers to keep his kingdom hidden -- yes, that's right there in Silm, yes he's still King at the time. Beren has to wave that ring. People just seem to miss that he'd be killed without it somehow.

I think it's just too easy to reduce him to the golden perfect opposite of Caranthir. Yes he's described more positively; he's also just mentioned more because unlike Caranthir he rules an actual kingdom, the greatest and richest in Beleriand in fact; and does things that have a lot of very longterm effects, like helping B&L steal a Silmaril. They don't 'meet the same people' anyway -- the Haladin have a different culture from the Beorians which contributes to their reaction to Caranthir (and iirc their later fate).

Sidenote: Dawn's essay attributes the Green Elves helping the Feanorians at Amon Ereb to Caranthir's diplomatic skills; but why not to those of Amras or Amrod? This is the quote; 'Caranthir fled and joined the remnant of his people to the scattered folk of the hunters, Amrod and Amras, and they retreated and passed Ramdal in the south. Upon Amon Ereb they maintained a watch and some strength of war, and they had aid of the Green-elves' -- nothing here indicates it was Caranthir who got them that aid. In fact A&A are the hunters, i.e. more likely to have roamed in various forests where they would have encountered Green Elves, imo.

There's also the very desperate times to consider in which this aid takes place. This is just post Sudden Flame, and even if the Green Elves didn't like Caranthir they probably liked him better than Morgoth. Also, speaking of cosmopolitans, Maedhros allies with, yes, Dwarves (Azaghal), Grey elves, Easterlings (and you might say: Fingolfinians); even part of the remaining people of Dorthonion rally to Himring post sudden flame (that means Edain and Arafinwean followers in Himring, at least for a time), and he manages to be friendly with Felagund despite calling him a badger. ;)

Finrod is not the only other leader to forge diverse alliances, and though B&L ends happily his people mostly do not. Caranthir's not much like Finrod in any way. Not in motivations, temperament, tragic arc. That's fine. No hidden kingdom for a dragon to eat either. Finrod could probably do with being a little less like Finrod sometimes, though he's well-intentioned and likable. Caranthir loves to shout and isn't sneaky. Good for him.

2. Curufin also already exists. His love for Dwarves is one of his defining and redeeming characteristics and boy does he need them. He's daddy's favourite, a sneaky overambitious bitchy bastard who is also a talented smith and linguist, and truly considered a Dwarf friend, which is apparently exceptional. He's quite flawed; tries to help Celegorm force a political marriage, laughs with a bruised mouth, seeming to lose his mind while attempting and failing murder after first losing his own stronghold and then the city he tried to take from his cousin. He's just... a personality. Mostly a bad one! You can feel for him though, because he seems like an utter mess. Many 'i would love to study you' feelings on my part. Would hate for him to be real but also I'd pay to be his therapist.

3. And then finally there's Canon Caranthir. A difficult, prejudiced person who despite that (which doesn't at all have to mean there is no despite, the despite is what makes it juicy)

- seems to be responsible for re-establishing (large scale?) trade with the Dwarves, whatever he might think of them (and they of him) to their mutual benefit. I don't think he's greedy either. It seems like a mutually profitable situation. Access to Dwarvish goods seems pretty vital to Beleriand, and facilitating trade is a real service.

As someone pointed out in the replies, the Silm does mention Dwarvish companies travelling east to Nan Elmoth and menegroth various times, but quote wrt Caranthir says 'Caranthir’s people came upon the Dwarves, who after the onslaught of Morgoth and the coming of the Noldor had ceased their traffic into Beleriand' and 'when the Dwarves began again to journey into Beleriand.'

They stopped at some point and Caranthir's people made it happen again.

- which means he's practical. He seems like he's good at organising, and setting his own feelings aside if necessary despite his prejudice and temper (which is an achievement it wouldn't be without his, hm, everything). Also he and his people as well as the Dwarves work together well because ''either people loved skill and were eager to learn,' despite their (initial?) mutual dislike. Those aren't bad characteristics; seems like it was an exchange of skill as well as goods and possibly providing safe travel opportunities.

I don't like the 'greedy Caranthir' fanon and don't think it is even that easy support entirely with canon. 'They had of it great profit,' the text says-- both Caranthir and the Dwarves. They exchanged skills and knowledge and Caranthir seems to have helped them start trading in Beleriand again. That's hardly Scrooge Mcduck.

- Another thing we can say about canonthir (lol) is that he apparently attaches a lot of value to aesthetics (was he a visual artist? is a he a sculptor like Nerdanel? WORSE: AN ART CRITIC?! Feanorian art critic is truly nightmare fuel) and that's why he dislikes Dwarves (of all things...). Either way points to 'aesthetics' as something apparently important to Caranthir. Which makes sense given who his parents are. What is interesting to me is that this apparently DOESN'T matter to Curufin, who is a lot like Feanor in most things. That's interesting!

I've never, never seen this but I think it would be very funny to attribute his aesthetic prejudices to Nerdanel. I love her; but why should her opinions be perfect? I know she wasn't considered beautiful herself, but she's an artist. She's got to have had some strong opinions on aesthetics anyway. I doubt it's the beards; Mahtan had one as well. And 'stunted'...at least some of this comes down to the Elvish obsession with height yet again. Hm.

- eventually Caranthir overcomes what have to be some very deeply held beliefs about human beings and their place in the world, and offers what for all intents and purposes looks like real friendship, not the ruling over Men Feanor seems to have had in mind at best. He's capable of real change!

Anyway his character works just fine to me from canon, and what he achieves and the ways in which he fails are more interesting that way rather-- neither slandered Feanorian Finrod 2.0 nor Curufin 'Dwarf Fan' Feanorion without the sneakiness and murder attempts pack the same punch as a stupidly prejudiced grouchy man doing his best anyway for centuries in this stupid ugly cursed land, eventually changing for the better, opening up-- and being brutally punished for it by the Doom.

Dammit. I hope there's therapy in the Everlasting Darkness.

hm a bit long but that's what I get for trying to gather my thoughts wrt why after considering it a bit transferring Curufin's love for Dwarves to Caranthir is a bit boring to me personally. Though there are still stories that still do it very well.