#our favorite crime fighting/committing gang

[allis-tblr-i-guess]

Clarice: Does pineapple belong on pizza?

Ardelia: No, girl.

Will: Sure.

John: Only when I'm drunk.

Jack: I suppose by definition anything can go on a pizza.

Clarice: Anything...?

Hannibal: ... no.

Barney: *brings a chicken and waffle pizza*

Hannibal: WHAT IS THIS BLASPHEMY?!?!?!

[tmnttracks]

"From Leader to Lost: Navigating the Abyss of Abandonment"

So the long awaited Leonardo focused issue is out for the TMNT (2024 -) run and once again, the writers really know how to make you feel for the older brother. I have never been a fan of Leonardo in any of the different versions that he has been in, except for Rise but it is hard to not like any of the brothers in that series lol.

I never could relate to him and even though I could empathize about the heavy burden he bears being a leader, he was just always boring to me. However, despite him being my least favorite I was just as moved in this issue as I was in the other two, almost more so which just goes to show how amazing the writing has been. If a writer can get me to care deeply about a character I am not a fan of, well they deserve high praise.

**Spoilers Ahead**

First, let's do a brief recap of our boys in green and where they stand as of now.

TMNT (2024 - Issue #5)

In issue #1 we focused on Raphael and how he has been in prison for the past few months, working undercover in exchange to have whatever crimes he committed written off. (Crimes which we still have no idea what they were.) Eventually it ends with the new and improved Foot Clan framing Raphael for murder and despite Raphael wanting to forget his brothers, he escaped arrest to start his journey on finding his brothers to warn them of the threat.

TMNT (2024 - Issue #5)

In issue #2 we are introduced to Michealangelo and discover that he moved to Tokyo, Japan and became a famous TV star staring in his own TV show. Despite his outgoing personality out in the public's eye, we noticed that once he is in the privacy of his own penthouse, he is actually depressed and feels like he has become "old and boring". We still don't know what event happened to cause such a huge rift between the four brothers, but it took a huge toll on Michealangelo. He is angry at his brothers as we see towards the end of the issue in the final panel when he attacks Raphael unprovoked after Raphael found him to warn him of the Foot Clan.

TMNT (2024 - Issue #5)

Now we have Leonardo who once was a confident leader but has become a turtle ready to die after losing his purpose and sense of self after the family fallout.

~~Trigger Warning, brief mention of suicidal ideation~~

The issue starts off with Leonardo walking through a village nestled along the Ganges River after hearing rumors of a species of turtles that eat corpses to where they leave nothing but bones behind. His plan is to find this turtle colony so that he could "feed them something that has died". That inner thought right there took me by surprise. We went from a strong and stoic leader of a ninja clan to a broken individual who feels like he has lost everything that the only way he can move on is to committ suicide in the most unconventional way possible: having fellow turtles eat him alive.

However the turtles ignore him and in his mind taught him his first lesson: "The turtles may eat the dead, but they don't kill them". This revelation causes him to bury his swords in the sand and then mediate non-stop for months waiting for the next revelation that would give him a sense of purpose again.

After months of meditating, kneeling and waiting to be accepted by this turtle colony one turtle finally acknowledges him, however it wasn't in the way he was expecting. It is here we find out that the reason he is having an identity crisis is because his own brothers abandoned him, no longer wanting him around.

Leonardo had spent his entire life doing everything he could to be the perfect older brother and strong leader to train and protect his family. It was his sole purpose in life and with it being ripped away from him, he no longer knows what his role is anymore. A theme that has played out in every variation in the expansive TMNT metaverse, only this time he doesn't come out of it refreshed and renewed.

After his fight with the poachers, the mud turtles finally accept him and for a short while Leonardo believe he has found his purpose again. To live as a turtle amongst the turtle colony as their protector and leader. He believes this was the enlightenment he was searching for and so the mud turtles become surrogate brothers to him. Brothers who need him and want him around.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy for the Hamato clan and just like with Mikey and Raphael, the Foot Clan find him and try to take his life. However, even after a long period of giving up the way of the ninja, his past meets up with the present and in under five minutes after retrieving his katanas, the enemy had been defeated and his colony saved.

It was after this battle that he had to come to terms with the harsh truth about his path to seek enlightenment and ones self-worth. "The only way forward is to go back the way you came. To unsuture an old wound and let it bleed all over again."

Similar to Rapahel, Leonardo realizes that he has to take up the mantle again as clan leader and find his brothers to warn them of the threat. Knowing full well that it will not be easy and have to finally come to terms with their new family dynamic. He will have to convince those who once respected but now despise him to come together as a unit one last time to save their family.

After stealing a helicopter and leaving a Foot Soilder to drown in the river, he finds out that the next destination was Tokyo, Japan and just as he forsaw, when he arrived he saw Mikey and Raphael in a full on brawl while fighting foot ninjas at the same time.

(Side note: I actually laughed at this scene above because of the confused look on the foot ninjas faces as they watched the two brothers engage in a serious fight and argue over something stupid, which also made me chuckle.)

It didn't even take two seconds for Leonardo to fall right back into his role as leader once he arrived to get his brothers to stop fighting so they would listen to him. However, the reunion was far from happy despite the fact the two brothers did finally stop fighting each other when Leonardo appeared before them.

In the past there would be tight hugs and excitement of finally seeing each other again after so long, however any type of affection they used to have has been replaced by resentment, abandonment and betrayal. This is made very clear due to the amazing job from the artist who was able to show just how fed up they are with each other. I also love how the artist has aged this turtles as well, with numerous scars and a more rough around the edges look compared to the flawless skin and smooth lines from Volume 1.

The fans will finally get to see the turtles as full fleged adults and tread new waters that has yet to be done in the Turtleverse. A broken family forced to come together to save the city of New York once more and how they try to overcome their past to become a family once more and I am here for it.

At the end of this month we get Issue #4 which is centered on Donatello and a continuation from where we left off with him at the end of Alpha #1. I will be reviewing both of those in my Issue #4 review at the same time. I have to say I am also really excited for this issue because even though I try to stay away from spoilers, we finally get to find out where Volume 2 falls regarding continuity from Volume 1. November 27th can't get here fast enough!

Be sure to check out my previous reviews and as always, I welcome any and all feedback and comments to help me become a better review writer.

[mikeellee]

Can't stop thinking about a CiderDeku focused AU in which our favorite seltzer boy and Midoriya work as part time vigilantes together.

And since Izuku has a fire bending quirk in this AU, the contrast of his quirk and Cider's (who is named Mizunami Himura in this story) make people start calling them "Steam-Bow couple" as their unofficial vigilantes name.

Still thinking about the details of how they started their crusade together as vigilantes, but I like that idea I mention in other post about Mizunami saving Izuku from Bakugou when both of them still were in Aldera and Midoriya was around 13. Mizunami still was the leader of the Cider House gang (and maybe two years older than Midoriya) but later he left the group because he felt his members started to be way too problematic and getting in worse situations with civilians and heroes, something he didn't like because while Mizunami commited crimes like robbery he never tried to harm innocent people during his operations.

Besides he started feeling for Izuku after protect him from Bakugou, and since Izu wanted to stay with him after the incident they both start to get along and quickly became good friends, Mizu also helping Izu no being so shy and insecure about himself due the years of bullying.

He start helping Izuku to train his quirk and body during his free time, which served a lot for Midoriya to get in good shape and develop a fight style for the years to come as he still intented to apply to at least a low-middle tier hero school (and this will became important later).

I like to think the incident with the Sludge monster from chapter 1 was what caused a twist on their relationship, as unlike what happens in canon here when both of them are attacked by the Slime that escaped from A.M, Izuku and Mizunami give the monster a big surprise because they were able to fight back.

Slime turned to be quite vulnerable to water and fire combined, which allowed Izu and Mizu to restrain him in a bottle of soda and left him for the heroes finish the job later, as they run totally excited by the experience.

After escape and being safe, Izuku suddenly jump to the arms of Mizunami and they started kissing out of the excitement of the moment. When they calm down both smiled and since that moment they became officially boyfriends, and decide they would have more moments like this in the future so they will start fight criminals together.

Also the incident also give Izuku the final confidence boost he always needed and when Bakugou provoked him after school trying to make fun of Mizunami who was there for walk along Izuku to his home, Midoriya decided he had enough when Katsuki insulted his boyfriend.

So what happened next is that Izuku deep breath and expelled a big green fire ball from his mouth, which resulted in Bakugou getting a lot of first degree burns and loosing his eyebrows (something for what he would be mocked a lot later).

Mizunami used his water quirk to extinguish the fire over Bakugo's clothes who is totally terrified, then Mizu and Izuku laugh at him take a picture with their funs for future reference and run away together.

Hi @nyc3

CinderIzu is great and Cinder as a character was ignored, slept on ...bc villain stans are predictable into hot villains like dabi and shig(yes, shig is hot even in his possum way) and ...damn this fandom waste a good opportunity for a ship.

For a moment, thought you were talking about my idea.

I do like the idea Izumi being considered so beautiful even with her scars (she is prettier bc of her scars bc this woman survived) so in a country where the woman's value depends on her beauty...Izumi carrying her scars and being hot is amazing. Cinder would be into!

Cinder would also be into kill bk!

Her entire story, as she describes what BK did, seems like SA. See? The difference of boy and girl here is how people perceive the violence.

But I'm into this ship.

I do like sgdk a lot.

I do like dabideku too

But CinderIzu??? I'm open and so far like the ideas.

[drakyions]

all i ever do is ramble about ff7 on here. but i have another ramble that's just a cleaned up discord ramble <3 thanks ever crisis for fucking me up again

anybody else insane about the fact that shinra is continuously shown to prey on literal children or the otherwise less fortunate in general and makes them complicit in horrific acts of crime and colonization under guises of unity or abuse so horrific that it's inconceivable to imagine doing otherwise? anyone else insane about how shinra constantly pits the 'lesser men' against each other to avoid any sort of rebellion against them?

sephiroth, unable to see the kids fighting for their island as simple children because he is one too and does not see why that's so messed up. children are not innocent, untouchable beings - they are capable being hurt and hurting in return, of being a weapon just like he is. they are no different than any man. it's kill or be killed, in his own words. angeal, who grew up poor, constantly clinging to his ideals of honor because it's all he has, becoming a soldier (in his eyes, unaware of shinra's involvement with him) to make money to help repay his family - and given his actions towards others, likely to help people in his situation too. zack being a starry eyed wannabe hero, cloud being an ostracized small town country boy trying to prove himself, etc. etc. glenn, a full grown adult who desperately needs money for his family's survival, is the first person to go "this is wrong, i can't do this" only after participating in the slaughter of an entire people. anybody else want to SCREAM about how shinra takes these otherwise kindhearted people and sinks their claws in them so hard they are fully complicit+active in normalized horrific acts. does anybody else think about how barret and yuffie are actually extremely important characters within the narrative as survivors of the other side of shinra's - and by extension, those who work for them - horrific actions that are often downplayed/ignored/etc.

it just makes me so sad when people ignore What shinra is actually doing, boil down wutai to a big joke, woobify cloud or zack, and so on. i am not trying to say your innocent baby cloud strife a definitively bad man by saying he willingly joined a company that's committing atrocities, im saying it's an important part of his character (especially considering how he grows!) and serves the worldbuilding of ff7 of how deeply rooted shinra's ideals are within the world. in universe its insanely normalized to be nasty against anything that's against shinra. shinra's hold is so deep that even barret gets upset at the idea that he's aligned with wutai because of shinra's propaganda despite us knowing firsthand (through knowledge we'd only get as a player) wutai hasn't done jack shit to deserve that reputation because all its ever done was try to fight back. yuffie is like that for a reason. she's a child who has passively witnessed, and at least directly witnessed once (you know, the mission zack was on) violence towards her home and her people, and is trying to cope with it and take things into her own hands the only way a sixteen year old like her knows how. it's tragic! and many people ignore the 'fan favorites' active participation or complicity in, even though it serves their character and the narrative better.

to drive in the point, the downfall of shinra isn't even due to rebellion of those it has hurt through oppression/conquering. it was set in motion way before that due to a connected web of relationships relating to personal actions done to a small group of people. that's so fucked! not in a "bad writing" way, but just in a realistic-world fucked up way! its not "evil company gets whats coming to it from Rebellion by the Good Guys!" its "evil company gets fucked over because it fucked over some specific people on a personal level and that sets other things in motion." even with our main gang of 'heroes', OG makes a point of a lot of our casts motivations being more on a personal level and that Saving The World/Fucking Over Shinra just happens to be a side-consequence of that.

i love ff7 so much and i wish people would stop trying to sanitize or woobify the darker aspects of it when they serve such an important part of the narrative... anyway tldr

[project1939]

1952 -> 2023: Adjusting to the Leap Forward 

What was it like transitioning back to 2023? I have a terrific memory of the first time I watched any visual media from 2023. I put on a video by one of my favorite Youtubers, and at first I legitimately thought something was wrong with my screen. It seemed waaay too bright. The colors were so blinding, I thought something was wrong. Then I realized this is what 4K looks like compared to kinescopes and prints of old films! The lines were so crisp and sharp, and everything looked so insanely vivid and detailed. I literally felt like I was fucked up on a hallucinogen- I couldn’t stop giggling for about an hour, it was so trippy!

Adjusting to a different schedule was also a process. I kept stopping things I watched when an interesting quote occurred so I could write it down- doing that for the daily blogs had been a habit for 91 days. There were also times where I felt tired in the late afternoon and panicked, thinking, “You’ve got to stay awake to watch a movie and get some writing done tonight!” It was nice to just let myself be tired and go to bed early if I needed to. 

Best thing about being back in 2023: I have free time again! 

Worst thing about being back in 2023: I quickly noticed the cynical negativity of much of our media today. Even after only one day of it, I felt drained and depressed and angry in a way I generally didn’t while watching 1952 things. Yes, many times the sexism and racism in 1952 made me angry, and, yes, the news in 1952 was pretty depressing, but overall, the media had much more positive vibes. 

I also miss having clear daily goals that I achieved each day. It felt good to accomplish difficult things every single day. It also felt fantastic to be writing much more than I normally do. 

Do I feel any affection or nostalgia for the 1950s now? I’ve been asked this a few times. The answer is a resounding “no!” I feel some affection and nostalgia for the project and the process, but I do not view the 1950s in any kind of rose-colored way. Just reading or watching the news media of the time takes the sheen off the idealized version of the 1950s many Americans now have.  

-There were hysterical fears of communism, witch hunts in Hollywood, and the government perpetuated the idea that communist agents were everywhere.  

-The H-bomb was first successfully tested in 1952, ramping up fears of total world annihilation.  

-America was fighting a losing war in Korea, while boys were being drafted and forced to fight.  

-A highly contentious presidential election was held, and in both the Republican and Democratic conventions there were intense inter-party hostilities. A physical fight broke out on the floor of the Republican convention.  

-Civil rights issues were really flaring up in the South as everyone awaited the ruling on Brown v. the Board of Education. Black people were being lynched. Most couldn’t vote.  

-Gay people were being arrested and then having their names printed in the paper. Those suspected of being gay in the government were hunted down and fired. Families disowned them, and the medical community treated them as sick, often performing torturous “treatments” to “cure” them.  

-Booksellers were fined and put in jail for selling or mailing paperbacks deemed “indecent.” (that today would be PG-13) 

-East Asian people were routinely mocked in movies and television. Anyone not white was invisible in TV and film.  

-Parents and elders were constantly warned of “juvenile delinquency,” something even the FBI called the greatest threat to America. Young people were supposedly all disrespecting authority, using drugs, having sex everywhere, committing crimes, and fighting in gangs. They were seen as spoiled and lazy. (Sound familiar?!) 

-If you were a woman it was assumed men could whistle at you, make inappropriate comments under any circumstances, and grope and touch you without your consent. If a husband raped his wife, it wasn’t considered rape. Women had no access to credit without a man signing off on it. 

-People with disabilities were thrown into deplorable institutions or hidden away.  

So, no, I don’t think these were The Good Old Days!  

It's also interesting to remember that in the 1950s people were looking back on the 1920s as The Good Old Days when everything was better and more innocent! 

[kasey-writes-stuff]

Lover of mine- Wilbur soot

Lover of mine

You had been instructed by Wilbur to wear whatever you wished though he did seem to hint for you to check your closet… So you did just that, you opened your closet and were shocked to find a simple black dress that looked as if it would fall a little above your knees. Along with a brand new pair of maroon converse and small bag, upon opening the bag you saw an eye shadow palette and lipstick you had been eyeing the other day but never bought… You shook your head grabbing the items and getting dressed, you quickly curled you hair and dosed it with hair spray hoping for the best…

You made your way to the living room and smiled looking around seeing the room dimmed, and noticing a small set of speakers and your old rainbow disco light. Before you had time to question anything suddenly out from the kitchen burst Wilbur in some nice black jeans, his pair of docks, a simple black button up and a maroon tie! He quickly bowed and held his arm out for you to take as you slowly made your way to the dining room “my lady this way please and dinner shall be served momentarily!” You smiled and shook your head “why thank you kind sir, I must say that your tie looks rather nice” he nods “thank you my lady I must say I rather fancy your trainers there” you smirk softly “thank you they were a gift from my boyfriend”

He nodded as he released your arm to pull out the dining chair for you “ah he must be the one your having dinner with tonight then I presume?” You smile brightly “he is he is” he tsks softly “what a shame I was hoping you would be dining alone so that I might be able to ask to join you” you laugh softly “ah I appreciate the offer truly I do but yes I don’t think my boyfriend would take too kindly to you joining us” he nods “yes yes you’re quite right, well my lady just give me one moment and your food should be right out” You smile softly “thank you thank you you’ve been a wonderful waiter I’ll be sure to leave a good tip” he smiled brightly “oh thank you thank you that truly means a lot”

And so Wilbur runs off to the kitchen and in a few minutes returns with the dishes! He places yours in front of you first, you thank him before quickly glancing over the meal sat before you… On your plate sits steak, green beans and a bake potato “your food madam!” You smile politely “thank you sir thank you! You haven’t by chance seen my boyfriend lurking around anywhere have you?” He frowns softly shaking his head “unfortunately not but perhaps he’s just running late because he had a last minute surprise to pick up”

You nodded “that does seem like a very him thing to do… well thank you for your wonderful service tonight kind sir, may I get your name?” His eyes widen as he quickly tries to think up a name wanting to commit to the bit fully “uhm… uhm my my name? Um name name name… oh right! My name is bill!” You hold back a giggle as you nod “hm funny my boyfriends name is wil well actually Wilbur but I adore calling him wil because it makes his face a nice rosey pink” bills cheeks dust that rosey pink and you giggle softly and he quickly excuses himself “well he sounds like a wonderful guy my lady! I truly hope he shows up soon! I’ll be leaving now”

You thank him and he’s off down the hallway and within moments down the hallway comes Wilbur in the same outfit just a blazer added over it… He smiles brightly kissing the side of your head “hello my dear sorry for keeping you waiting I just had to make sure I picked the right tie” You smile brightly rubbing hey cheek softly “Your tie looks absolutely wonderful” He gives you a quick peck on the cheek before sitting down “Thank you my dear your shoes look wonderful” You roll your eyes fondly “Thank you they’re brand new” He holds back a giggle “Are they? Are they really?” You nod “Yea I opened my closet and there they sat” He snickered “Well that’s quite peculiar to just have brand new shoes show up” You nodded “It is indeed it is” You both looked at each other and broke into giggles and after a bit you both finally calm down and Wilbur smiles

“So ready to dig in before this gets any colder?” “Oh yes it looks so good” “It does does it? Well you’ll have to give your compliments to the chef later then won’t you?” “I will I definitely will” And so throughout the meal you make nice small talk discussing random stories from your day and plans for the rest of the night and in no time you had each finished… Wilbur took your plates to the kitchen and came back with some white cake decorated with simple white icing and some colorful sprinkles.. You thanked him and he simply nodded softly and you each at your cake in relative silence and once done he took your plates to the kitchen and came back and grabbed your hand leading you to the living room.

You have a small curious smile on your face as Wilbur lets go of your hand and turns on a small set of speakers and grabs his phone.. Suddenly lover of mine by five seconds of summer starts playing.. You smile widely as Wilbur sets the phone down and comes back to you grabbing your hands and adjusting your body into a dancing position. You begin to sway around the living room together and Wilbur begins singing into your ear as you’re dancing

Lover of mine

Maybe we'll take some time

Kaleidoscope mind

Gets in the way

Hope and I pray

Darling, that you will stay

Butterfly lies

Chase them away

Hmm

As the chorus begins suddenly Wilbur begins spinning you slowly and softly and as the lyrics say red and blue the lights change to match before going back to the rainbow colors, you’re in shock smiling widely at him with pure love

Dance around the living room

Lose me in the sight of you

I've seen the red, I've seen the blue

Take all of me

Lead to where your secrets are

Where we've been a thousand times

Swallow every single lie

Take all of me

I'll never give you away

'Cause I'd never make that mistake

If my name never fell off your lips again

I know it'd be such a shame

When I take a look at my life

And all of my crimes

You're the only thing that I think I got I right

I'll never give you away

'Cause I'd never make that mistake

Lover of mine

Gentle tears brimmed your eyes as you realized he had changed some of the lyrics, he noticed and gently kissed the tears that began falling down your cheeks away… He pulled you closer to him a hand gently rubbing your back soothingly as he rested his chin on your head

I know you're colorblind

I watched the world fall from your eyes

Ooh

All my regrets

And things you can't forget

Light them all up

Kiss them goodbye

Dance around the living room

Lose me in the sight of you

I've seen the red, I've seen the blue

Take all of me

Lead to where your secrets are

Where we've been a thousand times

Swallow every single lie

Take all of me

I'll never give you away

'Cause I'd never make that mistake

If my name never fell off your lips again

I know it'd be such a shame

When I take a look at my life

And all of my crimes

You're the only thing that I think I got I right

I'll never give you away

'Cause I'd never make

that mistake

As the song ended suddenly Wilbur pulled away and began to reach for something in his pocket, you gasp softly as he begins to get down on one knee… He holds out a small maroon colored box and opens it slowly… You already have so many tears in your eyes you can barely see… He begins to speak and has to clear his throat a few times before he can actually get the words out “Y/N my dear you know I could sit here for hours going on and on about how I love you and recounting all our favorite memories but quite frankly my dear I’m just gonna keep it short and simple… Will you marry me?”

Through your tear filled eyes you quickly wrap your arms around his neck and he stumbles a bit before stabling himself and giggling softly awaiting your verbal answer “yes yes yes yes!” You beam widely unwrapping your arms from around his neck and sitting in front of him, he gently slides the ring on your finger and presses a kiss to your forehead before pressing in to your nose and finally a king one to your lips…

You were so overjoyed you could burst! You wanted to rush to tell all your guys friends but instead you sat just a little longer in silence with Wilbur just basking in each other’s presence before Wilbur spoke up “so it’s about time we tell Tommy and the gang isn’t it? So him, tubbo and ranboo can start fighting over who’s going to be the ring bearer and Tommy to say how he deserves to be my best man” you giggle softly nodding your head “yes let’s go ahead and get it over with” you each smile brightly and make your way to your set up quickly calling the three boys and then calling the rest of your friends….

And so the night ends all the calls made all the dishes cleaned and put away now all that’s left is to spend more time with each other

The end

[maxwell-grant]

Vincenzo: The Gentleman Villain Reborn

Long before there were loudmouth buff guys in spandex, there was the gentleman villain.

There once was a time when the gentleman villain, whether a gentleman thief in the Raffles or Lupin mold, or murderous arch-criminals like Fu Manchu and Fantomas, organizations like Les Vampires, and even in-between figures like Rocambole and Judex, was the coolest thing in the pop culture block. The figures right around the corner of Baker Street, when Nick Carter and Sexton Blake and any billion old serial detectives weren’t quite cutting it. Their time was not to last long in the spotlight, as the pulp heroes consolidated domain in the 30s and then the superheroes took over, but every now and then, they return in various forms, never fully gone. But I’d dare say I’d never seen a gentleman villain story quite so bold, so modern, so dynamic and so gloriously over-the-top in pride over it’s existence, until I began watching Vincenzo.

Vincenzo is BADASS and I don’t use the term lightly. Not just the titular character, but the show itself. It’s currently a couple episodes short of the finale and you should stop everything you’re doing or watching and go watch Vincenzo. It’s been an utterly glorious ride from beginning to end with no shortage of great characters, terrific writing, great relationships and jaw-dropping moments as every episode succeeds in topping each other in WOW HOLY SHIT factor. It’s a shot of adrenaline and storytelling excellence to the eyeballs and you don’t have anything better to be doing right now than watching this.

I mentioned a while ago that Black was a show that, besides being also terrific in quality, captured my interest as a Shadow fan specifically because I saw in Black what I believe is the heart of The Shadow as a character: an embodiment of evil, motivated and created and warped by social catastrophe and strife, set loose to punish true evil in order to protect humanity. In that regard, if Black is where I find the heart of The Shadow, Vincenzo is where I find the spirit of what I like about The Shadow as a series: Cathartic urban fairytales where an extraordinary agent of change, armed with incredible cunning, sleight-of-hand and combat skills, rises above a dark background to command a folk brigade of ordinary people who reveal themselves to be extraordinary through their newfound purpose, to right the wrongs of society’s predators, by being better at their tactics than they are and turning their tools against them. 

I’m gonna spoil it a bit under the cut but please go watch it. I cannot praise this show enough and I’ll do my best to try.

Vincenzo centers around the titular character, Vincenzo Cassano, an Italian lawyer who works for the mafia as a consigliere, adopted by it’s Don at the age of eight. After the death of the Don and an attempted betrayal by his son, Vincenzo flees to Seoul and ends up taking residence at a ramshackle building called Geumga Plaza. Geumga Plaza is the hiding place of a gigantic stash of gold hidden by one of Vincenzo’s former clients, and he intends to retrieve it to rebuild his life somewhere else. Naturally, not only is the hidden room completely impenetrable, but the building is occupied. by residents who are being forced out of it by criminals working for the Babel corporation, which intends to take possession of the building. And thus, Vincenzo has to put his skills into working out progressively bigger problems, as his efforts to uncover the gold turn into a fight against Babel and it’s lawyers, as the problems take on bigger and bigger proportions. 

Vincenzo’s got a lot of what you’d expect from a k-drama at first glance. The leading man is a dashing young man, the leading lady is headstrong and stubborn, you see their romance coming a mile away and they take their damn time getting there, there’s emotional backstories that take a long time to be revealed, lots of wacky side characters and comedy interspersed with the darkest moments, a focus on corporate corruption, and so on. But it’s got an intrusion of elements brought by Vincenzo’s inclusion, such as mob drama, tonal and cultural imbalance, and the gentleman villain tropes that Vincenzo brings, as the catalyst of change whose antics backflip through action hero, romantic hero, super hero and super villain, cunning puppetmaster and gun-toting warrior alike, and start to have an effect on the world around him. His allies become stronger, more determined and effective, and the villains grow smarter and more horrid as they desperately try to avoid their own downfalls.

On paper, Vincenzo is almost a textbook example of how to craft a villain protagonist. He’s a mysterious foreigner with a hidden past and incredible skills who shows up uninvited in��“our” world, who starts terrorizing and manipulating people into doing his bidding. He’s got a hotheaded and foolish investigator chasing after his every move, and frequently employs misdirection and sleight-of-hand to fool the authorities. He commits crimes and employs underhanded methods in the service of stamping out people worse than himself. He never really makes any claim of being a hero and actively rejects the notion he’s fighting for justice, but instead states he’s doing it as a matter of principle. One of the characters early on even states he gives off the vibe of a movie villain, even Vincenzo himself tells Hong Cha-Young, the female lead, that he’s teaching her how to be a proper villain. In another series, Vincenzo would be the hypercompetent sidekick to the main villain, or secretly the main villain, the lone badass that the action hero would have a tough fight against before defeating and moving on. But Vincenzo does not allow himself to be dismissed so easily. 

On the first episode, when we’re introduced to him in Italy, he’s painted as the badass to end all badasses. But the minute he arrives in Seoul, he falls for a trick at the airport and is mugged by two cabbies, and has to walk around penniless and without dignity, shouting curses in Italian that nobody understands. He has to sleep in a broken down apartment, his “taking a steamy shower with classical music playing” fanservice scene keeps being interrupted because the shower doesn’t work, and a pigeon chattering outside his window keeps ruining his sleep. 

The tenants of the building are all introduced as varying levels of unsympathetic and useless, or downright creepy. The tailor screws up his favorite suit, the chef who claims to have studied in Italy is a total fraud, there’s tenants who scare us by passing as ghosts and zombies, and Hong Cha-Young is introduced as an unlikable stooge for Babel. Vincenzo is a villain protagonist who is forced out of his grand mafia epic film, where he conducts business around lavish manors while classical music plays, and stumbles onto a korean drama, a world that operates by different rules and where no one has any reason to take him seriously at first, and gradually finds out that the difference between both worlds is not as big as he’d imagined.

It’s only at the very end of the first episode, when the neighborhood gangsters show up to terrorize the tenants, that Vincenzo starts to kick ass again, and he has not stopped so far. In fact, not just him, ALL of the tenants have gradually started kicking ass with him. Hong Cha-Young severs all connections to Babel and proves to be, as his main partner in crime, just as cunning, twice as driven, and three times as batshit and kooky. The tailor who ruined his suit turns out to be an ex-gang member capable of fending off groups of thugs with only his scissors. The creepy piano girl reveals herself a hacking genius, the zombie impersonators become incredible actors, the failed wrestler and badass wannabe becomes his most active field agent along with his equally strong wife, the chef improves his cooking and lends his restaurant as a meeting center, all of the characters, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM gradually become incredible, competent, resourceful people, really no different than they were before, it just took a little courage and pushing. 

The headstrong and foolish agent pursuing Vincenzo becomes 100% smitten with him and quickly becomes one of his greatest allies. Even the neighborhood gangsters, after being left to die by Babel and forced to start anew, quickly become some of his most loyal allies, and gradually redeem themselves in the eyes of the tenants to the point they become friends. In departing from his old family, Vincenzo forms a new one, even if never by his intention. They even all get matching suits.

This incredibly potent, human core surrounding the antics of an extraordinary figure of action is part of what used to make the Agents of The Shadow such a special, meaningful and beloved part of the series, and something every adaptation since then has been 100% poorer for neglecting. But Vincenzo does it, and does it right. I could watch a billion adventures with these people and never get sick of them. 

Vincenzo is a slick, modern take on the gentleman villain that takes many of it’s oldest conventions and provides blueprints for making them work in modern times. His plans often take a performance art-edge as he employs tactics both old-fashioned and modern, like using social media to stage an event in front of the Plaza so the bulldozers set to demolish it won’t be able to pass, or copying files and passing them to his police contact while keeping the real ones when said police contact inevitably betrays him. The tenants put all of their skills to use, no matter how unusual or seemingly useless. Every episode lays the groundwork for a smashing finale where all of the threads come together and we bare witness to a grand tapestry of karmic retribution.

The villains themselves are no slouch, and also have that modern edge that gradually ramps up. They stage discreet assassinations involving gas leaks and watches meant to burst into flames. They stack the deck impossibly against all characters. They employ masked goons by the dozens, armies of lawyers to smudge any connections between themselves and their actions, and every sector of society in covering them, from journalists publishing pro-Babel propaganda to police commissioners. The assistant of the main villain does zumba classes amidst ordering assassinations, and is often likened to a snake and a witch with her "Crystal Ball” (the name she uses for ordering assassin contacts by the phone), complete with a cowardly, scheming assistant she bullies at every turn. The CEO of Babel has a dual nature not out of place in a Jekyll & Hyde/Dorian Grey kind of story. 

The main villain is often painted as a slasher villain backed by massive corporate power, murdering people with hockey equipments and even outright named “Jason” at one point, with a tense string theme song accompanying his deeds. The show hides the villain at plain sight by using one of the most familiar set-ups of romantic dramas and the tension never stops even after he’s revealed. 

Mobster films tend to paint an idealized version of it’s protagonists, not necessarily because of a genuine love or interest with mobsters (I mean, it really goes without saying that real life mobsters are obviously not admirable figures), but out of a sense of displaying a “this is what it could be” fantasy, a fantasy where the mafioso is a dark hero who will still ultimately do the right thing and stick up for the little guy, in a similar way to how superheroes often function as police officers except, y’know, actually dedicated to protecting people. 

Vincenzo does go to great lengths to address the imbalance of putting such a dark figure as it’s hero, through showing how the situation can only be addressed by the intrusion of a figure such as Vincenzo. There’s a scene where Vincenzo and Hong proceed to explain extremely succintly to their cop ally why the “bad apples” argument is horseshit.  One of the show’s characters, someone who’s spent his entire life being the best person he could, and dedicating himself 110% percent to fighting evil even at the expense of connecting with his own family, someone who absolutely should be the hero to take down Babel, admits shortly before dying that it wasn’t enough, that it was never going to be enough, and that what the situation calls for isn’t a hero, but a monster. That monster being Vincenzo, who is not only powerful and monstrous, but commands the loyalty of people high and low class alike, criminals and law enforcement agents, to fight Babel. In his words, “the ultimate monster”, something even the world’s biggest badass cannot defeat by himself. 

On most other set-ups, Vincenzo would be pretty unmistakably the villain. But here, when he’s set up against a starkly realistic depiction of how corporations actually function in our world, depicts that Vincenzo’s ability to clear his way through goons John Wick-style is nowhere near enough, and to that end, he’s gonna have to fight impossible battles using his brains and his allies. And in the end, he defeats them, time and time again, and proves that they were not that impossible after all. 

One can only hope he’s on to something.

Oh yeah and THE PIGEON BY HIS WINDOW ALSO KICKS ASS and I will not explain how, just watch the show, I can’t do it justice no matter how much I talk about it.

[sailorbadger]

The Fandom’s Least Favorite Character - an analysis on Kate

Kate is probably the most hated character in the Robin Hood fandom. Not even probably, she is the one who consistently gets the most hate. So, what has she done? Did she commit several murders? Did she kill off a beloved character? Did she do something so problematic that she deserves to burn in hell? Did she do war crimes? No, her biggest sin is existing among unfair circumstances.

The title of this post is kind of a lie. This analysis is not really about Kate as a character, but about how she is written, how the narrative presents her and how this all affects the fandom’s treatment of her. I started writing this because I am sick of seeing so much unnecessary hate for Kate. This is just me commenting on larger trends I have witnessed and a decade’s worth of frustrations finally being written out. If you do recognize yourself from some of my descriptions, I hope that this post will give you something to think about, but just know that this is not meant for any one person in particular.

I’m not going to try to convince anyone to think of Kate as their favorite character. I’m not even trying to make anyone like her. I’m just trying to see why she is so hated within the fandom. So, let’s start off with how it all began. Grab some snacks, you’re going to need them; this is a long one.

 Introduction: Is it all Merlin’s fault?

To understand the context in which Kate was introduced to the show, let’s first look at where we left off at the end of season 2. I’ll start with the in-universe changes first. The biggest change obviously is that Gisborne murdered Marian. This altered the whole course of the show. Marian was such a central part of not only the show but also the Robin Hood legends, that at that point it was obvious that things were going to change. Will and Djaq left the show as well. Them leaving is not as dramatic of a change for the show’s narrative since they were not as central as Marian, but they did make up one third of the gang. This meant that there was a need for new characters to be introduced in season 3.

In our world, things changed between seasons 2 and 3 as well. There was a larger gap in production than before (with seasons 1 and 2 coming out in consecutive years and there being a gap year between seasons 2 and 3), and some of the people working on the show left or were replaced. Robin Hood’s spot on the BBC schedule was taken over by Merlin for 2008 so I guess we could blame that show for everything that went wrong in season 3. (I’m obviously joking here but conspiracy theories are welcome.)

The most important change in my opinion – and I think this is even more important to how season 3 turned out than anything that happened in-universe in season 2 – is the fact that Dominic Minghella was no longer writing or producing the show. It’s surprising to me that the fandom as a whole doesn’t ever really talk about this, when in many other fandoms creators or showrunners leaving the show are usually a big deal and mark the end of an era. I myself only found out about Minghella’s departure from the show before season 3 this year, but it seems to explain a lot on why season 3 felt so different from seasons 1 and 2.

With all that out of the way, the stage is set, and it is time to look at how exactly Kate came into the show.

 Six boots, two feet

Season 3 starts off with my least favorite episode of the whole show (see my episode ranking for more details). It tries its best to address the events of the season 2 finale, but in a way that will let it quickly get to the season 3 storylines. Unfortunately, the things that happened at the end of the previous season were so important that they would have needed several episodes to cover the full impact of the events.

Kate herself is introduced in episode 2. She is immediately given a reason to hate the villains and join the fight when her brother dies. She doesn’t join the outlaws right away, but when she does, she essentially has to take over three roles at once. I do not think it’s a coincidence that I think episode 4 is Kate’s best episode and that she’s at her best before she actually joins the gang. That is the point in the show when she is allowed to be her own character rather than someone who is trying to fill a void.

Like I said, Kate has three roles to take over; she gets Djaq’s spot in the gang as “the girl one”, Will’s role as “the peasant with personal connections to the people’s suffering” (and interestingly, since Kate’s family is around, her connection could have been even stronger than Will’s) and Marian’s as “the love interest”. Since the season 2 finale got rid of both of the only female characters in the show, it was inevitable that they would eventually be replaced if the show wanted to include any romantic storylines (it was, after all, 2009, so queer representation was out of the question). With three pairs of boots to fill, and only two feet, it should not come as a surprise to anyone that Kate can’t possibly do it all alone. The show does introduce Tuck and Isabella as well to help fill the gaps, but I think Kate gets labeled as “the replacement” far more often than the other two.

 A triangle without a base is just an angle

Kate had all the potential for a good plotline. Her brother died, making her hungry for revenge, yet this part of her is only sprinkled in every now and then instead of being a part of her character arc. Instead, she is made a part of not one, not two, but three love triangles.

I’ll start with the Much/Kate/Allan one. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t actually exist. All sides of this “triangle” are… weird. The writers try to frame it as a legitimate love triangle, when only one person in it seems to have any real feelings for another character. Much is shown to be interested in Kate, but we as the audience are never given a reason for why he likes her or even how he fell for her. I guess we’ll just have to take his “I fall in love very easily” (from 2x4) quite literally. Kate does not seem to have any romantic feelings for Much, and she seems oblivious to his feelings as well.

To be honest, I don’t think Kate ever really saw Allan as an option either. At best I could admit that maybe she had a slight attraction to him, but I never got the impression that it was something she would seriously pursue. I don’t think Allan was seriously interested in Kate either. His flirting with her is quite similar to his joke-y flirting with Marian and Djaq. My friend and I talked at length about this, but Allan doesn’t seem like the type of person to flirt for real. This could be a whole analysis on its own, so I won’t go too deep into it here. But I don’t think Allan considers Kate a legitimate romantic option.

So, this “love triangle” only exists in Much’s head and in the narrative the writers try to force on the audience. The Kate/Allan side of it is practically dropped the minute Kate/Robin becomes a thing.

Then there is the Much/Kate/Robin/Isabella triangle that is not a triangle either. I already covered Much/Kate for the most part, so I won’t go into it. Since the Robin/Isabella relationship is not that central to Kate’s character, I won’t bore you and myself by going through it that deeply. The buildup for that relationship is practically nonexistent, and so is the end of it. The whole Robin/Isabella relationship feels forced, because the writers didn’t know how to properly replace Marian while coming up with something new.

Kate’s crush on Robin seems to develop out of nowhere as well. It looks like a pattern when it comes to romances this season. Robin himself doesn’t appear to have any romantic interest towards Kate until he and Isabella “break up”. After that point, their relationship progresses way too fast. It doesn’t help that they seem to have no chemistry between them, and Robin treats Kate like a child and then five seconds later proceeds to make out with her.

Honestly, if Kate had to have a romance with a character on the show (and with it being 2009 obviously they could not fulfil my dreams of Kate being bi but that’s beside the point), it should have been with Archer. The two of them had more chemistry in the 30 seconds they worked together in 3x12 than Robin and Kate had the entire season. It would have also made me far less uncomfortable, since the characters would have been closer in age. Which brings me to my next point.

 “There is only one thing worse than a rapist – a child”

How old is Kate supposed to be? Seriously, this show can’t seem to make its mind about her. In general, I do not trust anyone’s age on this show unless it’s been stated somewhere. I know some people try to base the characters’ ages on the actors’ real ages, but to that I say, “fuck that”. Archer is the best example of the fact that this show did not even try to cast people who are the right age, or even look the part. (Seriously, he does not look even close to being 20.)

That being said, Kate is written like she is both 15 and 25 at the same time. I don’t know if the writers had a specific age in mind when they were writing her, but there is a huge difference between those ages. I think it’s the most reasonable thing to assume that she’s in her late teens, maybe at most in her very early twenties. She is still living with her family (I know that most women at the time married in their 20s but it’s not like this show is concerned with historical accuracy) and her behavior is a little immature at times. With all that said, I hope it doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone that I find it incredibly uncomfortable that all the men that are presented as possible love interests to her are fully grown men.

It is the most obvious in Robin and Kate’s scenes. Like I said earlier, Robin treats Kate like a child and speaks to her in a condescending way, only to then make out with her in the same scene. I must wonder why the writers didn’t just age up Kate. I think it would have been more interesting to make her someone who is already married, and instead of losing her brother, it would be her husband that dies. Of course, I would prefer it if Kate didn’t have to be a part of any of these love triangles to begin with but aging her up would have made the dynamics far less uncomfortable. (I do have to also point out the fact that Meg is also written like she is a teen girl. The show then tries to pair her off with Gisborne, who is even older than the men Kate is being forced into love triangles with. So… yikes.)

 Let’s take a break, drink some water

Let’s take a moment to recap what we’ve learned here. First of all, Kate entered the show in unfair circumstances and with only two feet to fill three pairs of boots. She was only ever allowed to be a part romance plots, and she didn’t get a proper character arc of her own. In general, the women in this season were not written well (not that seasons 1 and 2 were the height of feminist television either), and they were reduced to being love interests or tools to further the male character’s plotlines. Without Dominic Minghella involved and with a full year between seasons 2 and 3, the show lost some of its charm. Unfortunately, this meant that Kate was not the best written character. But I do not think she deserves all the hate the fandom has given her over the years.

 Interlude: Doctor Death

Before I get too much into how the fandom has reacted to Kate over the years, I feel like I should explain my own history with this show and the fandom surrounding it.

I started watching the show when it was first airing here on TV. It was some time during season 2, and once I had seen my very first episode, I watched all the following ones as well. With the finale, there was a problem. I had seen 2x12 and knew that the final episode of the season would air the next week. I was so excited for it, but then my mother decided that we would all go out and have dinner. I kept looking at the clock all day, hoping I would make it home in time. I got home just to see the credits rolling. I’m still a little bitter about it.

After this, I was desperate to see how the season ended. I’ll remind you that this was before it was common for shows to be put online officially. Streaming wasn’t really a thing yet. I did the only thing I knew what to do; I went to YouTube. The thing is, I did not know that what I had been watching was the second season of the show. So, you can imagine my confusion, when I find the very grainy version of 1x13 on YouTube and start watching it. Eventually I figured out my mistake and watched 2x13. At some point I watched season 1 as well, but I honestly don’t have that many memories of when I first watched this show. My clearest memory is being betrayed by my own mother when she forced me to go out for dinner.

Since I do not remember what year this all happened in, I did some googling and if I’m correct, season 2 aired here for the first time in the summer of 2009, with reruns in the summer of 2010. Because I have no other memories for context, I can’t say whether or not season 3 was even out in the UK at the time. Anyway, I did not watch season 3 for a few years. I also didn’t engage with the fandom until 2012, when I joined Tumblr. (A side note: while trying to find out when season 2 aired, I found the episode titles and descriptions. Apparently 2x4’s Finnish title was Doctor Death. There were some real gems on that list but this one was my favorite.)

Over the years, I had read bits and pieces about season 3 on the internet. I was still upset about the end of season 2, and the things I read did not make me want to watch season 3. Sometime in 2012-2013 I finally gave in and watched season 3. I was mostly disappointed by the season as a whole, and as for Kate specifically, I found her annoying. In the fandom, I went along with the Kate-hate that was popular in the fandom at the time.

I did a full rewatch of the show with my friend in 2016–2017. During that time, I didn’t hate Kate as much as I did before. Maybe it was that I had a fresh perspective, maybe it was that I had matured in those few years. Who knows? I was mostly disappointed by the bad writing. Even back then, I wished that Kate had been given a proper chance.

The next proper rewatch of the whole series I did was this past winter. I watched the show in a non-chronological order with someone who had never seen it before. This time, I was angry at the writers and found myself half-ironically becoming a Kate-stan. I also began to really pay attention to how the fandom has talked about her over the years and was unnerved by the hate has she gotten.

So, here we are. Time to take a look at how the fandom has treated Kate. Most of this will be based on my own experiences and memories, so if someone else has a different point of view to offer (especially from the early days of the fandom while the show was still ongoing), feel free to comment! I just wanted to give you my own history with the fandom to show that I have indeed been around for most of the fandom’s history.

 The hate-train for Kate-town leaves from platform 4

It seems that from the very beginning, Kate was disliked. I remember reading negative comments about her way back in the early 2010s (I would try to look for examples, but I just spent 30 minutes trying to find out when season 2 first aired here and it’s currently 1am so I am not spending any more time googling right now). There are fics that make fun of her and how badly she was written, and most of the jokes and dislike about season 3 seem to always come back to her. This attitude has been present in the fandom in other contexts as well. Over the years, the hate towards Kate has come and gone along with the popularity of the fandom.

Every once in a while, someone has tried to either write Kate better or even see her as a character that was let down by the writers. Mostly this has not led to any significant change in the fandom’s attitudes. I feel like whenever some of the older fans outgrow their Kate-hate by either just maturing and realizing it’s pointless or just not wanting to waste their time making fun of her, new fans come in and start the whole thing all over again.

I am grateful, however, that the general consensus in the fandom seems to be (at least in the year 2021) that the actress is not to blame for Kate’s faults. It still does make me uncomfortable that people go so far as to cross out her face on pictured etc. just to show how much they hate the character. This hate that Kate gets feels very misogynistic at times and is at least partially the result of the show’s misogynistic writing, but the actress deserves no negativity for playing Kate.

 What about Isabella?

One thing that is very interesting to note is that while both Kate and Isabella were newcomers in season 3 and were both replacements for Marian in the sense that they were love interests for Robin, only Kate has received a significant amount of hate over the years. So why does the fandom not hate Isabella?

I think that a big reason for why Isabella is tolerated – not necessarily liked, I haven’t seen too many people genuinely enjoying her character – better than Kate is the way the narrative treats them. Kate is essentially forced down our throats. The show is so desperate for us to like her that they end up making her unlikeable. Isabella, on the other hand, is eventually made into a villain, and thus we’re not meant to sympathize with her in the end anyway. (I could write a whole rant about how Isabella’s treatment in the narrative is bad but let’s not do it here.) Isabella also has the advantage of being Gisborne’s sister, so her backstory ties better into already existing characters. I think it’s reasonable to say that Gisborne being a fan-favorite in certain parts of the fandom doesn’t hurt Isabella’s case either.

Isabella is also only involved with Robin, while the show keeps pairing Kate off (unsuccessfully) with almost half the cast. I think she was written in a way that reminds people of Mary Sues, and considering how fandoms tend to not like characters like that, it’s no surprise that Kate got all the hate she did.

 Murder and being annoying – they’re the same thing, right?

So why exactly does the fandom hate Kate so much? Obviously, the writing is a big reason. Season 3 is not written well, which means that Kate is not written well either. She doesn’t really get a storyline of her own, and instead her main purpose is to be someone else’s love interest. I would also add that Kate doesn’t really get hate for her personality. Most of the hate that she gets in terms of character traits revolves around her being annoying, but that’s not really a personality trait. So I think the issue is not her personality, but her role.

The next reason won’t surprise anyone who has spent as much time in fandoms as I have: Fandoms do not like female characters. Well, I should probably rephrase that. Fandoms tend to hate female characters more easily than male characters. I’m not going to analyze too deeply on why this is, as I’m sure someone has already done research on this with references to actual feminist theory. There is a lot of internalized misogyny in fandoms, and female characters get hate for even the slightest wrongdoing, while male characters who commit far worse crimes often have a strong fanbase that will defend them despite these flaws, especially if said male character is played by a conventionally attractive man.

Kate is also blamed for things such as breaking Much’s heart, even though she was never really aware of Much’s feelings in the first place, so it was definitely not intentional. She’s blamed for every small wrongdoing in a way other characters in the show are not. I’ve seen people criticize Kate for small things that she has not even done on purpose. Some of these people then also go on to ignore the fact that Gisborne has committed several murders, taken part in the oppression of the poor and done many many more atrocious things, and paint him as a more sympathetic character than Kate. I understand if you do not like Kate, but it feels misogynistic that the female characters are held to different standards than the male characters. I can already hear some of the Gisborne-fans saying “but I acknowledge his actions and think what he did was wrong! I just find him to be a misunderstood and/or interesting character”. To those people I will just say: Why are you not applying this same logic for Kate? Why are you making outright hateful comments about her? If you don’t like her, why not just ignore her? If you are a Gisborne-fan and have never made these comments about Kate, this obviously doesn’t apply to you. And even if you aren’t a Gisborne-fan, but you do recognize this way of thinking in yourself in regard to some other character, I encourage you to think about it critically. I just used Gisborne as an example since I know he’s perhaps the most popular male character in the fandom (at least if Ao3’s numbers are anything to go by). I’ve also seen a similar attitude from a lot of Allan-fans, though in their case the hypocrisy is often not as obvious, but I’ll return to Allan in a moment.

Many female characters end up getting hate because they get in the way of a popular (often m/m) ship. In this regard, Kate is kind of an outlier since she doesn’t exactly do that, since there isn’t really a ship to get in the way of. Sure, she’s eventually paired off with Robin, but Marian is already dead by the time she shows up, and if people were truly bothered by someone other than Marian trying to get Robin’s attention, they would also hate Isabella with the same intensity. I do think there is one “ship” Kate does come in the middle of, and here’s where we get back to Allan.

Now, the ship Kate does get in the middle of is not in fact canonical. I am of course talking about the popular Allan/OC trope. If you go on Ao3 or Fanfiction.net, you won’t have a hard time finding fics where Allan is paired with an OC. This is understandable, seeing that the show only has four main female characters to begin with, one of whom is already in a love triangle with other people, one of whom canonically ends up with someone else, one of whom is actively hated by the fandom and one of whom just does not interact with Allan.

I want to make it clear that I think it’s fine if people want to come up with their own OCs for the purpose of shipping them with existing characters, it’s just not my thing, especially when those OCs are any level of self-inserts. (I personally don’t feel the need to ship Allan romantically with anyone. I just tend to not like OCs in any fandom.) Since Kate is presented as a potential love-interest for Allan, I think many fans who would rather see Allan with their own character or even themselves view Kate as an obstacle or a threat.

As you may see, this fandom, like many others, unfortunately treats the women in the show differently from the men. Male characters like Gisborne are viewed as redeemable so long as they are attractive, but Kate is irredeemable for… breaking Much’s heart and/or getting in the way of Robin/Marian or Allan/OC? This is something that really bothers me. I don’t mind the fact that people don’t like Kate, it’s the extensive hate she gets that makes me uncomfortable.

 Conclusion: Where do we go from here?

Like I said in the beginning, I am not asking anyone to say Kate is their favorite character or to even like her. I just wanted to provide some things for people to think about regarding how they treat female characters. I think it’s about time the fandom took a proper look at itself and critically thought about how it speaks about female characters. It’s 2021, let’s not hate on female characters just for being a little annoying or getting in the way of shipping.

I haven’t seen the fandom analyze that much why season 3 is the way it is. I would love to see some meta about how Dominic Minghella’s departure and other behind the scenes factors contributed to the story and aesthetics of season 3. I would also love to see some actual analysis on the season 3 characters that isn’t focused on tearing them down. If the fandom never made another post about how terrible Kate is without providing any actual reasons, I would be happy. I can sort of understand this immature hatred coming from 15-year-olds, but I’m disappointed to say that I have seen fully grown adults tearing down Kate in this quite misogynistic way. I know that many people do not intend for their dislike of Kate to come across as misogynistic, but it does not erase the fact that that is how many of those hateful comments appear.

I think Kate had a lot of potential. Season 3 had a lot of potential. It is quite a move to kill Marian in the middle of a Robin Hood story, so they had the chance to take the story to all kinds of places. Unfortunately, the season 3 we ended up with was not of the same quality as the previous seasons. Instead of just hating on the characters or story in general, I think we should focus on really analyzing the season, and even coming up with our own ways of improving it. Many people have already done this (though unfortunately many of these attempts also include thinly veiled hatred towards Kate. It’s your story, why are you not treating her any better than the actual writers of the show?), but there’s always room for more takes.

At this point I will shamelessly advertise my own “Kate should have been the new Nightwatchman” theory and my Nightwatchman-fic. I wrote the latter in a way that would let it be a part of canon if necessary. I think that by refocusing the story and shifting the way we read the text, we can find new aspects of season 3, and perhaps even enjoy it more. That is what happened to me during my latest rewatch, and all it took was watching it in a non-chronological order and talking about it with someone who had never seen the show.  

I’m not trying to gatekeep the fandom and say that only thought-provoking analysis or fix-it fanfiction is allowed. I just feel like people should be more conscious of the message they are sending out when they write hateful comments about Kate, censor her name or even cross out her face from pictures. Is it actually funny? Are you contributing something to the conversation? Is it actual criticism or just hate for the sake of hate? You don’t have to start writing posts in the defense of Kate, but you can just start ignoring her. It’s not that difficult. It’s fine to make jokes, but let’s start thinking about what our jokes say about us.

I once more want to emphasize that this is not a callout post I wrote with any one person in mind. So, if you felt offended when I was talking about Gisborne-fans, Allan/OC-shippers or Kate-haters in general, I can assure you that this post was not about you personally. This is not about any individual person. I’m just commenting on trends in the fandom I have noticed over the years. I don’t think any of you have committed any sins or that you need to be cancelled. I just hope that if you did feel guilty reading this, you’ll realize that maybe this post was something you definitely needed to read. As a woman, I would love it if this fandom worked on getting rid of its internalized misogyny.

I’m not claiming to be right on all of this, in fact I have a lot of bad opinions as well. I hope this post has provided people with things to think about. Feel free to use this as a starting point for your own meta or analysis. I’ll end my rant here, and leave you with this thought:

Kate had a lot of potential to be a good character. She did not let us down. The writers did.

[bimney424]

“But Beau's body is a weapon.”

“Yeah. Damn straight.”

 Episode 124 started out pretty tumultuous with them being chased by Lucien & the TombTakers. So close in fact that magic missed them on a few occasions but does manage to hit Jester who is an owl & pulls her back 10 feet. That to me is just a little too close for comfort. I won’t lie, was a little nervous that the TT would actually catch up to them & finish the fight. Glad that they used some evasive tactics to gain some ground & give them a little time to figure things out & get the stone teleported to wherever it went cause it missed Yudala by a bit I think. Them getting to Essek was a good move for them as well. Even though I have some reservations about the whole teleporting in & out of Eiselcross, they really have no choice but to leave & come back. Regardless of what risks they may face in the journey, stopping the TT from completing their mission is more important. It is interesting that Essek is in the position that he is. Instead of having him jailed or even executed, they send him to a desolate ice hell even though he is technically a spy who committed war crimes. Why send a good person when you can send a criminal? He will prove to be a valuable asset in the fight against Lucien, but still not a trustworthy individual. Depending on who the gang gets to help them, it will be a very interesting next few episodes.

The main thought that is on almost everyone’s mind though is with the prospect of some down time in Nicodranas, will Beau & Yasha take advantage & go on their long awaited date? It would be nice for these two to have some alone time together. If that be a date or a conversation somewhere uninterrupted, that would be amazing. And since it is the same week of Valentine’s Day, that would make it even better. I am not expecting anything outside of those two things because getting one’s hopes up & then having them dashed is horrible. I do see them getting some alone time since Veth will be able to see Yezza & Luc. Jester can go see her mom & drag Fjord with her since she does have news & a need to explain her longer horns. Cad did say he would check with the Wildmother everyday until he found out if the TT found another crest. Caleb can try to discover some new spells. With everyone out doing their own thing, why wouldn’t our favorite little lezs have some much-desired alone time? No pressure on Marisha & Ashley to roleplay the fuck out of this time in Nicodranas though. Only 2 days left to see!!

[popwasabi]

“Who are you?” The scene that defines Chadwick Boseman’s legacy

Yesterday, the world lost a bright and promising, burgeoning talent in Chadwick Boseman.

I had wondered privately for a while if something was wrong with him, as others had as well online, as he appeared increasingly sicker with each interview he gave over the last two years. I thought maybe I had been looking too much into it, not wanting to jump to conclusions about who he was but now gravely we all know why.

The much too young star of films such as “42,” “Marshall,” and of course, “Black Panther” had been fighting a largely private battle with colon cancer for four years.

It was devastating hearing this news yesterday, the man who undeniably left behind a legacy of playing prominent black heroes, both historical and fictional, passed away just as he was starting to truly hit it big. When you begin to realize the man was dealing with cancer as he performed physically demanding roles in the MCU you begin to see the character and determination of a man unwilling to quit in the face of true adversity.

But he clearly wasn’t just doing it for himself when he continued making and promoting NINE more movies despite his diagnosis, afterall no one would’ve blamed the guy for taking it easy these past four years. He’s had many scenes that define his legacy over his all too short career but I feel it can really be summed up in one particular moment from by far his most famous film; “Black Panther.”

Those who know me or have read my work know that I have a fairly cynical relationship with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While I would not say most of them are “bad” per se, I would say a ton of them are largely interchangeable action comedies with pretty straightforward messages about good vs evil for general audiences. They are largely popcorn escapism and though there is nothing technically wrong with that, I was starved for an MCU film that was sincere about its story finally and had something real to say.

Enter “Black Panther” in early 2018.

“Black Panther” was everything I had long been waiting for in the MCU; a film with a real sense of vision and theme, a killer soundtrack, great supporting characters, a complicated and nuanced villain, and a story that didn’t feel the need to add a joke after every single scene like more typical MCU movies. The tip of that spear of course was Chadwick, who had already proved to be a great Black Panther in one of the few other sincere Marvel flicks “Civil War.” His natural charisma, physicality, and dramatic presence in this role made him a huge standout in frankly the best ensemble cast of any superhero movie ever.

The scene that truly sums up not just the mark “Black Panther” left on Hollywood but Chadwick’s own legacy comes at the very end though (the first of three, of course. It’s an MCU movie, afterall).

T’Challa has defeated his usurper cousin Erik Killmonger, his rule restored in Wakanda but clearly a changed man from the story’s beginning as he reckons with the complicated legacy of his father. He travels to Oakland, the birthplace of Killmonger, with his sister Shuri who he explains the crime committed by their father in this place and how it set off the events of the story. He turns to Shuri, tells her that he has decided to help this afflicted community by creating a Wakandan outreach center for the youth to give them a new hope in life. As he says this he decloaks their ship nearby, surprising the youth already in the area who are immediately in awe of it. One of the kids turns to T’Challa, smiling, a sense of inspiration and intrigue brewing inside, and asks “Who are you?” to which the young King simply smiles, then the credits roll.

It’s a simple scene but it truly speaks to the impact left behind by Chadwick and the importance of representation. 

“Black Panther” is hardly the first starring vehicle for a black man, it’s not even the first black super hero movie but what it made it different is it was the first blockbuster to truly lean unapologetically into its African identity to focus on the inspiration of a story centered around that culture. It showed Hollywood that an action blockbuster not just centered on a black star but centered on African culture had vast widespread appeal.

White kids will never have a shortage of white superheroes to grow up with on the big screen; a diverse palette of Supermans, Spider-mans, Captain Americas, and shit we’re even getting our sixth new Batman actor since 1989 soon. But Chadwick gave black kids their first real Superman of their own. 

In the years since this came out, I have seen the influence, at times, firsthand among the youth. I work part-time as a kids martial arts instructor and each Halloween party we’ve held I’ve seen a few more T’Challas among the costumes represented. When I ask kids, black, white, or Asian, what their favorite superhero is, it always warms my heart to see a kid light up when they say “BLACK PANTHER!”

(Seriously, cute AF)

This goes beyond just my anecdotal observations of course; the film grossed a billion dollars, and there are countless videos online of kids yelling “Wakanda forever!” at the top of their lungs while rocking a Black Panther suit or reciting one of the movie’s memorable lines. It’s beautiful because it speaks to that last scene’s key message; inspiration.

Growing up myself, as a half Asian American, there weren’t a ton of role models who looked like me to take inspiration from. I didn’t really understand how much this could affect me until I finally did start seeing people like myself occupy positions of influence. I didn’t start caring for baseball until I saw a slugger named Hideki Matsui smash a couple dingers in a Yankees’ uniform in the early 2000s. I didn’t care much for martial arts, outside my very early youth, until I witnessed a half Japanese Brazilian named Lyoto Machida KO Thiago Silva at UFC 94 in 2009. I didn’t care much for soccer until a striker named Keisuke Honda played out of his mind in the early rounds of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Sometimes you gotta see something happen in order to believe and be inspired by it and it’s easier to visualize it when you see someone who looks like you do it. That’s what representation means and why it’s important.

It’s easy for white America to dismiss the need for representation in media when theirs is so saturated in the culture everyday. Cries of “wHaT aBoUt wHiTe HiStORy mOnTH?!” delivered unironically while their history is proudly given front seat consideration in all forms of media, film, and influence every day. This is why it drives me so crazy when a white person tells me “representation isn’t important” because apparently, they “don’t need it.”

Well motherfucker, of course you don’t need it. You fucking got yours already!

(What every non-white person wants to say when confronted with this tired, out of touch argument...)

“Black Panther” delivered a superhero that not only black children could be proud of and love but someone they could draw inspiration from. Kids are going to want to become film directors cause of this movie, actors, stuntmen, martial artists, scientists, engineers, and so many other different things that the world of Wakanda proudly showcases and it’s all thanks to Chadwick’s leading man performance that made it possible.

Some jokes I’ve heard frequently on the internet is that Chadwick was on somewhat of a quest to play every major black role in story-telling history, what with performances as Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, James Brown, and of course Black Panther. But I think his 2018 speech at his Alma Mater of Howard really explains why he kept looking to play these major positive black roles.

(I encourage you to listen to the whole thing but the part that’s important here begins at 21:55)

Hollywood likes to pigeon hole certain demographics of people (aka non-white) to play stereotypical roles forever until they are proven to be lucrative in different ways (Qualified Immunity of film-making if you will…). Black people largely could mostly play thugs and drug dealers, Latinx can only be gang bosses and poor servants and gardeners, Asians are either kung fu masters or some other offensive perpetual foreigner. And in worst cases no role at all, instead whitewashed for general audiences (aka white folk). 

Chadwick took a stand that the color of his skin did not define who Hollywood narrowly believed he could perform as and set out to play characters and people who could inspire a new generation of African Americans and show the rest of the country that they were more than a stereotype.

When that young kid in that final scene asks, “Who are you?” and T’Challa smiles its because he knows he’s already changing hearts and minds for the future, just as Chadwick did playing this truly inspirational role.

“Black Panther” is not a perfect movie. I could discuss the ways it could’ve been better and even, less problematic in parts on a different day, but the legacy it leaves behind is one that’s undeniably positive and Chadwick was able to make that a reality. Perhaps he understood that if the world knew his diagnosis it would blunt the impact of “Black Panther’s” release, that if little kids and African Americans alike knew their superhero was already dying it would mar the film’s positivity and influence. I can’t speak for the dead obviously, and in no way am I saying one should just push through a cancer diagnosis and keep it secret, but I can see Chadwick understanding what it would mean for the audience if they just believed for as long as possible that they would have their king of Wakanda forever.

As Robert Downey Jr. said on social media last night “He leveled the playing field while fighting for his life.”

Though I will never know him personally, by most measures Chadwick seemed to be exactly the kind of hero he showed up to be on the big screen and his legacy will ultimately be that of one who looked to inspire others, particularly the next generation until his final breath. If that doesn’t make him a hero, I don’t know what does.

Rest in power, King. Wakanda Forever…

(Via BossLogic)

[richincolor]

Book Review: Our Violent Ends

Title: Our Violent Ends

Author: Chloe Gong

Genres:  SciFi/Fantasy

Pages: 512

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Review Copy: ARC from publisher

Availability: Available now

Summary: The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on a mission. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

Review: If you haven’t read “These Violent Delights”, please be aware that this review will contain spoilers from Gong’s first novel.

“Our Violent Ends” begins a few weeks after the end of “These Violent Delights” that left Juliette and Roma at odds with each other due to Juliette’s deception of Marshall’s death. The books begins with a literal bang with Roma shooting at Juliette and doesn’t slow down from there. The fast pace of the book (there are some quiet moments) really adds to the tension of the book, specifically the societal tension in Shanghai. There is going to be a clash between the Nationalists, the Communists, and the gangsters, which everyone can see coming, so there is this rush, this urgency to be prepared to fight for your side and to make the first move. Juliette and Roma are definitely caught up in this pressure from society, but they are also feeling pressure from inside their respective families. In this novel, we do spend some more time with both of their families and the interworking dynamics of how they tick as both Tyler (Juliette’s cousin) and Dimitri (Roma’s rival among the White Flowers) become real threats to both Juliette and Roma becoming the heads of their gangs. The monster from the first novel has evolved, so to speak, but I found that the tensions in Shanghai were much scarier. All the different groups vying for power were ruthless in how they obtained it (including Juliette & Roma) and the body count just kept rising because of that. Which, I feel is a point of the novel, because it showed how cruel humans can be towards each other in their quest for power. The terror of the monster in the first novel was not knowing when or where it would strike and how there were really seemed no way to fight it. This time, the terror comes from groups who don’t care who they sacrifice in the name of power and should anyone rise up, as many of the people in Shanghai attempt to do, they will just be eliminated. That thought was very sobering and left a great impact on me. 

As for the romance, it was very subtle again, but Juliette and Roma did manage to find some quiet time. We even get the “stuck in the middle of no where” trope, but they don’t have to share a room. Instead they are next door to each other and we have the “unable to sleep, longing for the other” trope. Both of these tropes are some of my favorites so I was definitely into that chapter. It was also a heartbreaking chapter because both Juliette and Roma make note of the tension in Shanghai, the tension between their families, and their desire to get away from it all. Though Juliette and Roma read much older than teenagers, this section reminded me of how young they actually were. It was at that point that I was wondering what Gong’s resolution of their romance would be. I’ve read many Romeo & Juliet adaptations where sometimes both live, sometimes one lives, so I was wondering here what Gong was going to do (Don’t worry, I won’t give it away) because at that point I wanted both of them to run away and live happily ever after. 

I really enjoyed “Our Violent Ends” as I feel like it really captured the essence of Romeo & Juliet, but yet was it’s own entire world. Gong added so much detail to her creation of 1920’s Shanghai while using real life events (the April 12 Purge) that really made the story come alive. Juliette’s & Roma’s struggles drew me in, as well as the other characters who enriched Juliette’s and Roma’s lives. This was a wonderful duology that you should pick up and read right now. 

[trying-write-fanfics]

Shouji Mezo X Reader part  6 Remember

They went back to class. Aizawa explained the assignment to them as Y/n typed a letter to her brother. Honestly she didn’t think her situation had reached her brother. Though they were family, they didn’t really talk about much. Maybe if someone died, their mom would be force to spread some information, but Y/n saw her as a person who would try to bring the dead back just so she wouldn’t have to talk to all four of her children. That being said, she did like her siblings, enough. They weren’t close enough in age to tease her like they use to. When they were children they did, but now they all just treat Y/n like she’s only a child that needs minimal protecting. I mean yeah they see her as frail, but she’s someone else’s job. Her oldest brother was her favorite. He didn’t change, even though he was always protective of Y/n. He didn’t understand her well, nor did she understand him, but she was grateful for his efforts to minimize the damage done. 

“Hey, Miss Velia, do you wanna sit with us during lunch?” Tsu asked.

 So she did. Momo made her nervous, but she would keep with the lie as long as she could. She didn’t know what would happen if she was found out. Everything catches up eventually. She gave out hair advice, skin care, but then they asked why she singled out Bakugo. Y/n explained being someone who isn’t hero driven can see why he wouldn’t be likeable when he made pro. It just seemed he was sticking his self worth on others and will forever compare himself which will always make him unsatisfied. He won the sports festival but felt he never got a real win. It made sense why it felt that way, but would he truly be happy if Todoroki used his left side? No something else would surely come up in her eyes. He needs to get his ass kick to taste victory for real. Then the girls asked if Y/n had any other advice. 

“Honestly don’t take my advice too seriously. I never wanted to be a hero.” She told them. 

“Then why do you know how to fight?” Mina asked. 

“It’s a good skill to have in these times. Sure hero killer stain would never target me, but that doesn’t mean other crazy people with quirks are out there. Besides with a quirk like mine it’s expected that I learn something.”

Momo’s eyes widen as she figured it all out. 

Once the students were back at the dorms Momo went to Jiro and Izuku. They were the two closest people to talk to in such a private conversation. 

“I have something to tell you guys. Aizawa lied about who miss Y/n Velia is.” Momo told the two. 

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not just some random person. Here I have a page I wanna show you.” Momo pulled out her phone.

“She’s the daughter of a government official!” Izuku was surprised, but that wasn’t all.

“She’s our age.” Jiro added. “How did you know something was up.

“I’ve met her before.” Momo said. “Her father invited my family over to a benefit to get people to sign a petition. I don’t know if my parents ever signed it, but people compared our quirks. She could create and use quirks as long as she understood them, and I could create objects as long as I understood them.” Momo explained. 

“Why would he lie about her age, and why isn’t she in school?” Jiro asked.

“From what little I know about her, a lot has changed. The next time I saw her she told me she couldn’t use her quirk, and then she just didn’t show up: but here’s this photo op with her and her father.” Momo showed another webpage. “Her name is (full name).”

 Though they were speaking quietly they were in a hallway. Once Shouji heard they were talking about the teaching aid, he listened. He stayed in the stairway. This all wasn’t as shocking as he thought. He knew something was up with that girl. Turns out she’s his age, but that wasn’t a surprise. It took like 2 days to figure something was up?

“Why would she be here though? What could she gain by helping Aizawa.” Izuku asked.

“I have a theory, but I could be wrong. Her mother is a scientist in quirk biology. She could be researching quirks and what better school than U.A?” Momo explained.

The information spread, Shouji wasn’t the only one eavesdropping one the conversation. Once it got around the class had a discussion. Of course Y/n wasn’t present yet. She was researching a topic for a busy work paper.

“Should we ask why she would spy on our class?”

“I knew something was up!”

“If we ask does the whole experiment fail?”

“We never consented to that.”

“Maybe we did in the agreement forms. No one ever reads those.”

“But why would they hire a 15 year old, so many other people would be way more qualified.” 

“Hey she has Instagram!”

Aizawa sighed. Of course they would figure something was up, not only was Y/n not the best actress, but she got into a fight with another student and asked for “the tea”. It was like a town hall debate on the girl’s existence at the school. They were wrong, she wasn’t here for her mother, she was here to get away from her mother.

“Well congratulations, you guys are good enough detectives.” Aizawa told the class. He decided to come clean with it all, her position in the school wasn’t the weirdest thing to happen. “(Full name) is here because she committed a lot of petty crimes.” The whole class gasped. Why would someone like that be in the school. “Calm down, she’s more of a threat to herself than any of you. She mostly was accomplice or accessory to a crime by letting the real criminals escape.”

 The class roared with questions. They knew she was rich, but why would someone like her have to commit a crime!

“Quiet! Next person to interrupt is going to be suspended.” Aizawa said. “She is still a minor, just like all of you. I did capture her, and use excessive force when I took her down. When the court decided our punishment, I was given the task to take care of her. Since she’s young, they’re hoping I can guide her to a better path, one that doesn’t end a jail sentence. I figured she can help you guys understand petty crimes, and help her understand her own quirk better. She doesn’t have a phone to contact anyone. We read all her mail, and she can’t communicate with her mind, so she isn’t contacting her old gang.” 

Yaoyorozu’s hand went up. 

“What do you mean she doesn’t understand her quirk?”

“Most you guys have used your quirk when you used your quirk outside of school. (Last name) was instructed to not use her quirk by her family. It seems every time she uses her quirk she gets hurt in the process, but it’s not like Midoriya’s where he breaks his fingers or arms. It’s all random what comes back.”

“Nothing happened to her when she copied my quirk!” Bakugou yelled.

Shouji raised his hand. 

“What is it?” Aizawa asked. 

“She had something on her stomach, it was a lot bigger than what I could see though. Is that the affect of her quirk?”

“How did you see her stomach!” Mina asked. 

“She was looking at it when she was picking up the assignment yesterday.” Shouji answered. 

“Damn Shouji I wanna see that sort of action!” Mineta yelled.

“Quiet! From what I know she gets rashes, coughs up blood, or a blood pressure burst, asthma attacks, and some other side effects.” Aizawa explained. 

“How do you know for sure she’s not dangerous?” Jiro asked. “She did attack Bakugo.”

“She didn’t hurt me! She just cheated is all.”

“I must admit I should keep a better eye on her. After seeing the sports festival and you work studies, any of you could probably take her now that you know her quirk.”

“But she does know how to fight.” Tsu said.

“In your future as a hero you will need to be able to combat all sorts of fighting styles. Her best strength is the element of surprise. Since all of you have seen her quirk, know its her weakness, I’m sure you guys could take her down if she tried.”

“What is she doing now?” Jiro asked.

“A paper.” Aizawa replied “she’s under surveillance.”

“When you captured her, you said you used excessive force, was she that scary of an opponent?” Izuku asked. 

“I misjudged her. I didn’t see her use her quirk much when I had to chase her down, so when I went hand to hand combat with her, I was surprised she didn’t rely on her quirk. I thought she had something up her sleeve like a bomb or a flash grenade, so I had to take her down fast. She sacrificed herself so two others could escape. She’s not the big evil scary villains you are all use to, she’s a teenager just like you, who can help you with your training.”

 The atmosphere changed. They wanted to be mad because they were really lied to and put with someone who could be dangerous, but she wasn’t as dangerous. She was just like them, wanting to help someone else in a dire time. 

“What about school for (last name)” Kaminari asked.

“She’s been an online student. She doesn’t have to show up for her classes.” Aizawa explained.

“What’s gonna happen to her now? Since we know…” Tsu asked. 

“I’ll tell her later that you guys found out, but she’ll still be my teaching aid. It’s not like she’s allowed back home.”

“What’s happening to the (last names)?” Momo asked. 

“They’re gone for long periods of time. Sure Y/n can take care of herself, but it got her in a life of criminal activity.”

The class went back to teaching. There was a gray cloud around them. Iida, Momo, and Shoto were all realizing that they met Y/n at least once. Momo already knew, but she was trying to analyze everything she remembered. Shoto remembered how she was with her mother, they were asking his father questions. It was a private meeting, but they came to the house a couple times. Endeavor kept the two kids separated. Shoto assumed it was because he didn’t want Shoto to remain childish, but maybe it was something else. Iida’s situation was the same as Momo’s, but he wasn’t as young. He remembered her father and mother joining his family for dinner. Y/n came and didn’t leave her parent’s side. He didn’t even remember her talking at all. It was a dinner about politics. 

Izuku tried rationalizing everything Y/n had said to him. How she called him beefcake, and worried about his quirk. Her mother is a scientist of the biology of quirks. She couldn’t be a criminal, but she was. How could they trust her not to do anything. They were attacked on the USJ. Now they’re keeping her nearby.

[cncofantasias]

Justice-Christopher Velez

Chapter 2: How Did We Get Here

Summary: You’ve dated your boyfriend Christopher Velez for 2 years and even now that you guys have been together for so long, there was still so much stuff Christopher refused to tell you. That is until Christopher gets arrested for the murder of a man named Zabdiel de Jesus. As the trial against Christopher goes on you learn things about him that you never thought he was capable of. Y/n is fighting between the Christopher who was her loving and adoring boyfriend and the man who’s committed so many awful crimes.

Chapter 1

-

A week had passed and today was the first day that I’d be allowed to see Christopher in a visit. Christopher’s lawyer, Mr. Pimentel had been able to explain some of the charges to me in further detail and arrange this visit for us today. But, nothing seemed real unless I saw him in here and he told me specifically what he had done.

“Cómo llegamos aquí Christopher?”

“En un carro cariño”

“Que crees? That this is a joke. Does it look like I’m laughing or I think that this is funny Christopher? You’re facing serious time y ahora ni se..” my voice cracked I looked up at him, searching his eyes for anything that could give me the hope that he didn’t do it.

“Ahora, I don’t even know who I’ve been laying in bed with.”

“Por favor dígame algo que me puede indicar que no haciste esto,” my eyes watered, pleading to him.

But, instead he looked down.

“Mi amor, we’ll get through this. I need you to be strong, te amo. My lawyer is going to fix everything, no te preocupes.”

I paused for a second and we just stared at each other, taking in every feature like it could possibly be the last time we saw each other.

“Te recuerdas Christopher, when it was Sunday night and I was at home studying for my big exam at school. I was stressed out and I called you crying saying that I was going to fail and I was a failure. You dropped everything abd you came to my house with flowers and a my favorite pizza. Ese noche me ayudaste estudiar por horas. And when we were finished I took me to bed and you just held me—“

My voice broke, but we never stopped staring at each other. The passion was still there, it was just messed up somehow now. I cleared my voice, shut my eyes for a second and regained my strength. I had to be strong, strong for him but mostly for myself.

“You held me and for those moments; I felt so safe and I forgot about my exam, about my worries. All that mattered was you.”

His hand reached across the table and he held my hand, “I remember that night, I remember seeing your beautiful face when I came to your door covered in tears and red. I hated seeing you like that and it made me work harder so you wouldn’t have to. Amor, en todo lo que va pasar with this trial. I— I love you con todo mi alma. I’m sorry I messed up, no estaba pensando en lo negetivo que podía afectar nuestro futuro. I was just thinking about the money and how if I got us enough money we would be able to go off to some other country, after you graduated with your medical degree. You’d be this amazing doctor and I your proud husband. Necesito que sabas that through everything, you were always on my mind. Always my first priority and the reason that I did certain things.”

I shook my head and finally the tears fell, I didn’t think I’d cry in front of him. But I couldn’t help it, I couldn’t believe everything I’d began hearing since this whole thing started. All the stares I’d been getting from the cops and the victim’s family; it made me feel like I was guilty in a way. All I wanted was to believe that he wasn’t guilty and to hold him one more time. But none of that was possible.

I looked up and I stared at him, “What’re we going to do?”

He hesitated for a second, but once he saw the look in my eyes he knew he couldn’t keep lying anymore. “This is my mess and I’ll take care of it, all I want you to do is be there at my arraignment tomorrow mi amor.”

“Velez, it’s time to go!”

I looked at him one more time and I took in his face knew I wasn’t allowed to, but I reached my hand out and I nestled his face. He sucked in a breath and kissed my palm before getting up and walking away in his shackles.

-

“Mr. Velez, is a flight risk and is being charged with the murder of Zabdiel. He is suspected to be the leader of a gang. We request remand your honor.”

“How does your client plead?”

“Not guilty your honor. My client is actively involved in community projects and has a long term girlfriend at home. He is willing to surrender his passport and wear an ankle bracelet.”

“Like I stayed your honor, Mr. Velez has strong ties to the community through gang affiliation.”

“Bail is set at half a million dollars, he will surrender his passport, and will wear an ankle bracelet. If for whatever reason, these terms are not upheld on your part Mr. Velez you will be charged with contempt of court. Is that understood”

“Yes your honor.”

My chest heaved, I didn’t know how to feel because a part of me felt relieved to be able to take him home even for a few days or weeks. A part of me just wanted him home so I could hold him and we could talk in private about all of this. But the other... the other was scared of what more there was to talk about.

I heard a commotion on my right side, I turned and I looked to see a woman yelled at the prosecutor, “So you’re telling me, he kills my baby and he gets to go home still. Como si nada! Mr. Erick Colón you better start acting like a better lawyer in court or I’ll go and find a better lawyer.”

“Si entiendo señora. Perdon, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure he gets the maximum sentence. But I need you to go home and relax. You getting worked up will not help our case, only damage your health. Señora por favor, just let me do my job.”

“Ándale mami, let’s go it’s going to be okay.”

She gave him one last scolding look before her eyes teared away and met mine. I could see the grief, the wear in her eyes. But I couldn’t imagine what she was going to through and I had to look away ashamed of the fact that we were in this situation.

-

It was the following day a Friday, 2 pm. We had managed to get the half a million dollars and I was currently waiting for Christopher to be released. It wasn’t till I heard the loud buzzing and the sound of the latch on the heavy door unclick that I looked up.

There we were: him standing in the doorway with his regular clothes on and I sitting with my hands on my knees scared to get up. But, then all of a sudden it was real and I ran towards him hugging him.

“Como extraño tu olor y estos labios-“

He grabbed my face and kissed me, saboring my lips.

“Come on mi cariño let’s go, I just want to be at home with you.”

“Okay babe, vámonos.”

We walked hand in hand to the car and like a gentlemen he was he opened the passenger side of the door for me. I blushed, it had felt like we were on our first date again.

“Me agarraste flores! Wow que caballero!” I said smiling, blushing.

“Don’t worry mamita, hay más de eso,” he said winking at me. I shook my head, taking the flowers from him, “There better be, let me go put these in water and I’ll be right back.”

By the time I had gotten back, he was patiently waiting on my couch, “okay vamonos.”

He opened every door in sight for me: the front door, car door, the venue door. And he never complained, but he did make a point of being over dramatic in a cute and funny way.

When we got to the venue he quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and hopped out of the car; he practically ran to my door to open it. When he did he bowed with a, “My lady.”

“Pienso que estás olvidando algo”

“What’s that?”

“Your car keys,” I giggled to him, wiggling the keys in my hand. He chuckled and turned a bright red before taking my hand and helping me out of the car.

-

By the time we were settled in at home, it was already 4 pm. I had made up 2 cups of coffee and the pizza guy was on his way with my favorite.

So, I set his cup down in front of him at the table and naturally said, “you have a lot to explain and we have a lot to talk about.”

“Yo se mi amor, y te voy decir todo. I just want you to know that some of it is ugly.”

———————————-

Reader’s Note:

Okay ojalá que te gustaron this chapter because it was difficult to write. I had so many ideas and I feel like this chapter is bad if it is I’m so sorry. Por favor señoritas y señoritos perdóname. Let me know what you guys think!

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Pokemon, Episodes 31-34

In which the battles begin to pick up speed, and our favorite losers get a blast from the past.

Step Up to the Plate

You know, for a franchise centered around battles between fuzzy critters with different strengths and weaknesses, I haven’t talked much about the Pokemon battles in the anime version. And that because honestly, we haven’t really had many decent fights. Most of Ash’s gym victories have been secured through non-traditional shows of spirit, and he’s had very few opportunities to have a proper showdown with anyone else. That’s been okay for a while, as the anime’s done a decent job focusing on the realities of living in a Pokemon world that the games couldn’t explore, but I’ve definitely been missing the exhilaration of a proper Pokemon match around here. Thankfully, that seems to be slowly changing, because we get a couple of actual Pokemon matches over the course of these episodes, with multiple attacks thrown, multiple Pokemon utilized after one is incapacitated, and holy shit, this is starting to feel like a proper Pokemon adventure at last! We get a handful of strong back-and-forths in the Fuschia Gym, complete with an always-wonderful “mansion loaded with petty traps” cliche because the gym architecture in this series is always wonderful (using Voltorb’s Self-Destruct as a ninja smokescreen was also a nice touch). And Ash’s run-in with the bridge-bound biker gang (god, I remember these assholes from the game, JUST LET ME GET WHERE I’M GOING I SWEAR TO GOD) ups the ante with tough Pokemon like Golem and Cloyster joining the fray. There’s a lot of quick thinking, making unique use of each Pokemon’s talents... it’s not much, but it feels like the start of the anime finally starting to get comfortable with the franchise’s action elements, and I can only hope it keeps it up as it goes on.

Biker Babies

But fuck all that nonsense, because OH MY GOD WE GOT SOME TEAM ROCKET BACKSTORY! And it’s everything I could have ever hoped: they were biker punks themselves back in the day, and now they’re the cool senpais returned to teach/embarrass their underclassmen in the way of crime. Oh. My. GOD. Suddenly giving the perpetual losers a history of people who look up to them is the best move this show could have made: watching them try to live up to their former comrades’ expectations is a frigging delight. Big Jess and Lil Jim are the icons of our generation, bringing the biker gangs of today into the future with unicycles and being bounced on mid-air as they try to show their kouhai the real way to ride. Let their legacy be writ large as they dejectedly pedal out of the ocean on each other’s shoulders, tossing one last pun over their shoulders: “This is a vicious cycle.” Ye gods, they’re amazing, and I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of their sordid biker past. Picturing them as actually respected hooligans makes me too damn giddy.

Best of Team Rocket

-”Poisonous Pokemon are positively perfect for perfidious people like us.”

-”A ninja mansion calls for a Kabuki star! We have to wear these outfits!” THEY’RE SO COMMITTED TO THE BIT I LOVE THEM

-”For some reason, I seem to be losing my lequiebrium!”

-”HOW DARE YOU COMPARE US TOOOoooo I mean come on up, I’d like to have a word with you.” askjdhashkd flawless save Jessie

-”We have to say our motto, or it just doesn’t feel right!”

-And of course the literal cat Pokemon is the lion tamer in this hierarchy.

Odds and Ends

-”It wouldn’t take much time to brush, because Psyduck only has three... hairs.” Something about the way Misty says this line really makes me chuckle. She’s just so done with this daffy duck already.

-Is it just me, or did Meowth switch voice actors? His voice sounds deeper than it was before?

-”Isn’t that color a little flashy for a ninja?” I like Aya.

-She’s such a cowgirl she even turned Brock Southern for a second. Impressive.

-Good god, the Safari Zone is cool. So many incredible Pokemon in a single place!

-Is that one guy just unicycling on a Voltorb Jesus wept

-Lesson number 1: Never piss off the Kangaskhan.

-”His address is listed right here in the Safari Zone directory!” The implication that Ranger Jenny would casually cateogrize a lost kid as a wild Pokemon is something else.

-I think I hate these parents. Colonialist-ass motherfuckers.

-Oh sure, Team Rocket can soar out of a million wrecks just fine, but the instant Tommy’s parents go down in a helicopter you’re making funeral plans.

-I forgot how much I loved the Pokemon soundtrack. It’s so... invigorating.

-”Well, if a certain someone hadn’t destroyed my bike...” Oh sure, you complain, but you were 100 about to smash it over your opponent’s head yourself if it meant saving your Pokemon.

-Wow, Psyduck’s just a regular attention hog, isn’t he?

-”I guess our secret past isn’t so secret anymore!” “I kinda wish it still was.” YOU TAKE THAT BACK ASH KETCHUM

Six badges down, two to go. See you next time!

[dramioneasks]

HP FESTS: KyoDreamsFests

In Another Life 2018:

Land and Leaf by In_Dreams - T, 3 chapters - As the crown prince of the faerie realm of Timbervale, Draco is used to expectations. But he wasn't expecting a visitor to the realm to turn his life upside down. Dramione High Fantasy AU.

Treasures Untold by CourtingInsanity - E, 2 chapters - Draco Malfoy finds himself shipwrecked and injured in the hands of a less-than-thrilled Hermione Granger. The deserted island may not be large enough to house both of their egos, or the inevitable weight of their building sexual tension.

Kukulkan by I_was_BOTWP - T, one-shot - A drought has wreaked havoc on their land and their way of life. As the rulers and priests push their society to the brink with ever-escalating demands for sacrifices in order to appease the gods, a young woman questions the very foundations of her people's beliefs. Alternate Universe Dramione - takes place as the Mayan civilization in and around Chichen Itza begins to crumble (circa 1000CE).

Wild Mountain Thyme by frecklesandbroomsticks - T, one-shot - In 17th century Scotland, two head-strong magic users compete to win a coveted spot on the high council.Alternately known as that one time Hermione and Draco engaged in a vicious battle for supremacy, nearly destroying the castle in their determination to reign victorious over the other.Thanks to RoryEgg for being amazingly supportive and helpful with this. She is the bee's knees.Title taken from "Wild Mountain Thyme." My favorite is an instrumental version by Edward Gerhard and is what I listened to on repeat while writing.

The Adventures of Hermione & Draco by Frumpologist - T, one-shot -Hermione Granger is forever at odds with her annoyingly handsome coworker, Draco Malfoy. If their frenemies relationship isn’t enough already, Malfoy is up for a prestigious award at work that Hermione has been busting her arse to win. Her very career rests on the next story she covers and she’s determined to unmask the long-hidden identity of their local neighborhood superhero, The Dragon.

Return by mhcalamas - T, 5 chapters - It might not be much, but her family is proud of their periodical publishing house. There’s no way Hermione Granger will let The Daily Telegraph force them out, but she might need a benefactor to fight them off. A tale of Fate, loss and love.

Coldfire by RoryEgg - not rated, one-shot - Hermione needs to get across the shores. She's had visions of the Iceman, and knows that he is destined to die there unless she follows him there and keeps him from being murdered. DRAMIONE VIKING AU

The Making of Draco Malfoy: Love, War, & Marzipan by bionically - G, 5 chapters - Meet the Honourable Mr. Draco Malfoy, rich, entitled, and bored, and the adventures that just might turn him into a reluctant hero. Regency England AU featuring the Napoleonic Wars.

Rejecting the Gods by slytherindramaqueen - T, one-shot - Hermione, the kingdom’s princess, starts to show signs of magical abilities. The royal sorcerer, Lucius Malfoy isn’t keen to teach her, but his son Draco, being discovered as a magic practitioner himself, is about to begin lessons of his own.

Hootin by MykEsprit - T, one-shot - For generations, the Malfoys and the Grangers have been fighting over the village of Hootin. With the death of Lord Granger and with Lord Malfoy being away at war, it is up to their heirs to end the feud.

Sky of Dragons by BoredRavenvlaw620 - G, one-shot - Life as a king’s knight is a pretty cushy affair, until a neighboring kingdom introduces dragons into their army. Maybe it’s time to get out. Written for the In Another Life Fest.

To the Stars By Hard Ways by Maloreiy - T, WIP - Captain Hermione Granger and the Gryffindor crew of the Fortuna Major have been assigned a very special intergalactic mission. Unfortunately, that mission comes along with the company of some Slytherin officers, including the massively irritating blond git known as Commander Draco Malfoy.

Unraveling by DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns - T, one-shot - Unraveling someone's mindset was serious business. Was it too late to change her mind?

The Sight Of A Warrior by Rosella_Burgundy - M, WIP - Viking AU: All young Vikings are taught the stories of Norse history. But what happens when a young pair stumble into an epic situation of their own?

Forge by Hystaracal - not rated, 7 chapters - In the aftermath of a cataclysmic new regime, Draco and Hermione traverse the distance between persecution and revolution.

The Price of Freedom by Kyonomiko - T, 3 chapters - Near death and fear bring the lost Malfoy heir to England. Lady Hermione Granger makes it almost painful to stay.

'Even Though I'm a Thief and Pirate' by fandomfairytales - E, 7 chapters - Port Royal, Jamaica, 1687 is a harsh place for those who do not agree with the fact of life that is the slave trade. Plantation owners treat men like cattle and those who find it barbaric are forced to accept there is little they can do to change it.Hermione Granger, a healer by trade, simply cannot sit idly by while good people suffer under the orders of men like Lucius Malfoy, or his lackeys; so she hatches a plan, to spirit as many as she can to safety in the dead of night.Naturally, things do not go according to plan and on the path to escape, she commits her first act of piracy; simultaneously losing and stealing a heart during a fortunate encounter with Draco Malfoy, heir to his father's fortune but perhaps not his views. Magic, Mythology and the Wizarding world cast; fused with the classic film Captain Blood (1935). Plenty of romance and adventure on the high seas with villainous pirates and mystical sea creatures making mischief for our intrepid couple & crew.

Regarding Jane by Pronunciation_Hermy_One - M, 2 chapters - AU: Hermione Longbottom nee Granger barely escaped the life of crime she was born into as the daughter of the head of the Granger Family, finding protection with Neville Longbottom, the only family more powerful. But when her husband is murdered and all fingers point toward her, can a face from the past she thought long gone save them both? 

Submerged by crochetaway - M, one-shot - Hermione Granger is excited to finally meet with the leader of the Mermish population in the English Channel. But when she gets down there, everything goes wrong. Who will she discover when she's down there? And what will she do to get back home?

Cherchez La Femme by Felgia_Starr - M, 3 chapters - Draco attempts to move on after a terrible tragedy. He ignores his father’s letters from France and travels to the States. He claims he wants to start a new, normal life with a new, normal identity, far away from all the guns and gangs his father has put him in, so why does he choose to go to Chicago of all places?

Stranded or Why is it so F****** Cold on this Planet? by savedprincess85 - T, one-shot - Future Space AU/No Magic: Draco and Hermione crash into a planet, injured, and a snowstorm is brewing. What happens while waiting for it to pass? Read and Find out! :)

A Touch That Never Hurts by JuweWright - T, 7 chapters - When Draco Malfoy, a gentleman in Victorian London, finds he has a half-sister, he decides to take her into his custody. To make the move easier for little Livia, one of the workers from the orphanage, a young woman called Hermione Granger, finds herself as the child's companion. But Miss Granger isn't just any girl and Mr Malfoy isn't just any gentleman...

To Live and Die in LA by IRisEaGLeS - T, 11 chapters - Film Noir AU. With the death of his partner, Draco Malfoy is forced into a world previously unknown to him - something dark and sinister lay underground. Something that only a mysterious dame can show him and bring in the light.

Heart of Winter by Prisioux - E, 3 chapters -  A cold that froze the Wizarding World and a tragedy that took their children... Hermione and Draco, despite their past, joined Harry and Luna on a suicide mission in hopes of saving their world - but will they survive long enough to see Spring come again ? Prompt: Ice Age.

It Beats For You by CordeliaOllivander - G, one-shot - Princess Hermione Granger has two choices for a husband, and she wants neither one. Her heart wants Draco, the only one she's ever felt herself around, but being from a rival King's kingdom makes it impossible for her to be with him.Draco Malfoy has loved her since the moment they met. When his mother sent him away to live with Sirius Black to avoid their evil King, Draco never imagined a happy life. Now, he has everything he wants, except for her.Will Hermione follow her heart and chose Draco, or will she honor her Father's wishes and marry the one he chose?

Of Monsters and Men by MrsRen - M, 6 chapters - Following the grisly discovery that London is being haunted by a serial killer, Hermione Granger finds herself with a stalker that blurs the line between reality and horror. Draco Malfoy is assigned to protect her, but with every twist and turn, she wonders if fate will let her out alive.

The Light in the Grey by chefke - E, 3 chapters - After the death of her parents, Hermione Granger is now a lowly peasant at the mercy of the Church. When they discover her Wiccan secret, what will she do to stay alive and will it be enough to save her from the grey-eyed monster intent on ravishing her?

This fest is ongoing.

[jcylenz]

4, 11, 16, 19 (if you want) 😚⛄🌈

ask meme for muns

4. Can you tell us about your 5 favorite muses?

In alphabetical order, bc I can’t make an actual top list ranking them, but I still need some kind of order.

Alice Fortescue - The one baby I played the longest and in most situations and groups. My actual baby. She is the mother hen of Hogwarts, has a knack to become a martyr for the causes she believes in, she fiercely loves her friends and family and suffers I think one of the most tragic fates in HP altogether.

Darcy Palmer - (tw death) Translator and interpreter who traveled the world and fell in love with a woman high up in a gang (unknowing of all of that) that resulted in her witnessing the murder of the woman she loved, almost dying herself and her own sister getting killed in the process as well. Now she has to make her way through life in witness protection under a completely new name and identity, separated from the rest of her family while having to deal with her demons in the dead of the night.

Glenda Chittock - My tiny baby who started out with her nose in between the pages and who felt more comfortable around books than around people. She barely did anything, barely experienced everything. And then an illness of her little brother opens her eyes and makes her realize that she has to go out and try things. Ans slowly she opens up, can communicate with people more. She has a never-ending knowledge that she always spurs out at people whenever she is nervous. She first works for the Daily Prophet as a journalist, and then eventually realizes that while her rambling doesn’t work in writing, she can’t get her points across, in a medium where she can talk, she can be captivating and interesting, hence why she starts doing her own radio show - which is the only canon fact we know about her.

Heidi Bergen - (tw abuse) Oh boy, where do I even start. This baby went through so much shit in her life to get to where she is. Happy first few years, then being separated from her dickhead father and older brother, her mother practically abandoned her little sister and her so she had to raise her sister. All of this turned into anger that she didn’t know how to handle, isolating her from everyone except for her own sister. She was angry at the world and the world was angry right back at her. She found a release in boxing, but the attitude and the need to push most people away remained - while also clinging to any romantical partner she had with tooth and nail, desperate to find somebody who wouldn’t leave her in the end. Resulted in her being in an abusive relationship that she could barely get out of and after she ran off to halfway across the country to make sure she is really far away from the dude. She’s a kickass criminal defense lawyer and in different versions of her she was either fighting with any kind of clients or specifically protecting crime syndicates.

Isabel de la Vega - My narcissist, self-centered merm whose backstory resembles the little mermaid’s story in many ways, but is so completely different from that fictional character. She arrives to Soapberry, a town where the supernaturals can openly walk around and be themselves, running from her past mistakes and failures and tries to make a new life for herself while also having a superiority in her, a constant need to be right, be the center of attention and not share anything personal about herself.

11. Can you tell us about your favorite ship?

Uhhhh, why are you doing this to me? How am I supposed to choose just ONE? I’m going to cheat and say top 5 here too because I’m horrible and can’t be helped. In alphabetical order, bc I can’t make an actual top list ranking them, but I still need some kind of order.

Alice Fortescue/Amos Diggory (@theeriinyes) - my first Alice ship that started out as a kind of “oh we won’t go there because it’s not canon” and ended up with us absolutely going there because we couldn’t help it. They grew up together, fell in love slowly. He was a playboy, she was the mother hen. He wanted nothing more than to keep his family safe, she wanted to fight in the war beyond reason or logic. They loved each other more than anything and it’s been years and years and I’m still not over them honestly. They had a baby in the mids of the war and after Alice suffered the fateful ending of hers, Amos visits her every day, hoping that she’d wake up one day and remember him and their family. And now lemme just go and weep.

Ariel/Eli - My first ever big otp in RPing. Ariel was my OUAT indie who was struggling with having her memories back, dealing with the real world and the fairy world being so different and wanting to leave Storybrooke to explore and have adventures while not being able to because of the border-amnesia thing, while Eli was a wandered who had a shadow inhabiting his body since he was a kid, they were one and a same at this point and the two of them accidentally met and fell in love and oh boy was it beautiful. I loved them so freaking much and even though I’ve lost touch with the player of Eli since then and it took me incredibly long to even find Ariel’s old blog, I still think about them sometimes and weep over how beautiful they were.

Darcy Palmer/Diego Chavez (@diegojaimechavez) - Honestly they came as a surprise I think to both of us because we originally planned to have a completely platonic relationship between these two, but then they both went and had feelings for one another and there was no stopping them. “Enemies” to friends to lovers where they were forced to work together considering Diego was charged with keeping Darcy safe, so even though they were constantly fighting with each other, they couldn’t just stay away due to their situation, and then slowly they started opening up to one another and realizing their own errors and finding the good and lovable in the other and now they are dummies in love who refuse to admit or say it out loud but still have such huge trust and respect for each other that nobody is breaking that.

Carlota Fuentes/Gianluca Romano (@pedrazamaria​) - I mean, any of our babies could be on here, I could have really just made a list of top 5 just out of our babies but I restrained myself lol. But these two. One is the daughter of the leader of a huge gang while the other is a drug dealer in said gang. They didn’t really notice each other until one night they hook up and then they fall in love without meaning to. One never really looked for love but found it with him, the other was never considered worthy of love until she came along and they were happy. And then shit went down, torture and hatered and misunderstanding and they are pulled apart and for years they barely even interact, only for a family tragedy to bring them close again. Him hurting her on accident, without intent, and then her hurting him back in ways she knows would cause most pain because she is trying to protect her heart. It’s a mess, it’s tragical, they probably should stay away from each other, but they love each other too much to not gravitate back to each other sooner or later.

Alice Fortescue/Evan Mulciber - Unfortunately I can’t tag anyone here either, and I know this looks weird and unnatural to anyone who knows just the tiniest bit about the Marauders Era, but I swear it worked and it was beautiful. Alice was the one who would give the benefit of the doubt to anyone, Evan was the misunderstood antihero, ruthless to most but fiercely protective over those whom he considered family. They dated and were arranged to be married. And then the Mary incident happened and Alice broke things off, but the arranged marriage stayed. They were platonic, but Alice still saw the good in him and he still considered her family. He was impulsive and she tried to think through things, he was blamed for so many things he didn’t actually commit and she saw through the lies and knew he wasn’t to blame. It was complicated and simple all at the same time. And as weird and strange as this pairing sounds, I loved them so, so, so incredibly much.

16. How long have you been roleplaying?

It’s really fucking insane to write it down, but it’s been close to 10 years now. I started RPing around the end of S1 of Vampire Diaries. It was on LiveJournal, I brought Anna back from the dead and played her in a Hungarian RP. After that, I transitioned to Tumblr and did an Ariel OUAT indie for a long while before I fell into the world of groups and the rest is history.

19. What do you miss about old roleplay? (Roleplay before 2017?)

The amount of time I had to dedicate to it. I actually started working in 2017, before that I was in uni and high school and I remember having so much more time on my hand. And with that I miss the speed that I could move plots along. These days a lot of the time I can only get through my replies and then I already have to go to sleep or have other things to do, while before I could just do back and forths almost daily and that was so great. (Then again, back then my replies were mostly like one paragraph long, now I prefer long-ass paras, so that might be a contributing factor in it too.)