#pixie recaps discovery

[pixiedane]

Pixie Recaps Starfleet

Hello! There are five weeks until the season two premiere of Strange New Worlds and I am using them to photocap one episode of each series I haven't done one for yet (Discovery, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds). For Lower Decks I will be doing "I, Excretus" but for the other series I'm running a poll to decide. First up, Discovery:

Prodigy Poll | Strange New Worlds Poll

[fayewonglibrary]

A Cantopop Dream Girl’s First Film Reverie (2019)

By Oliver Wang

If you weren’t a devotee of the Cantopop world in the early 1990s, the casting of Faye Wong in Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express (1994) may not have caught your attention. Starring in her first major role, the singer looked much the fresh ingenue, cropped coif, tinted sunglasses, and all. Her character—also named Faye—was played with such a frenetic, awkward energy that she may well have been the blueprint for the “manic pixie dream girl” trope.

In Asia, though, Wong had already become one of the region’s biggest pop stars by 1994, and the movie premiered a month after Wong had released Random Thoughts, her eighth album in six years. To put her casting in contemporary terms: imagine a promising but still unproven art-house filmmaker convincing Ariana Grande to star in a low-budget indie film that happened to come out weeks after the release of her chart-topping Thank U, Next. For Wong Kar-wai (WKW), Chungking Express was a breakout international hit, but for Faye Wong, it was one highlight in an already meteoric career.

Landing a genuine pop star was a kind of capstone for a director whose previous films had already shown a deep love for the power of pop songs. A key scene in WKW’s debut film, As Tears Go By (1988), is built around a jukebox playing Sandy Lam’s Cantonese cover of Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away.” The mysterious, mesmerizing title scene in Days of Being Wild (1990), set amid jungle foliage, makes use of the minor 1964 instrumental hit “Always in My Heart,” by the Brazilian guitar duo Los Indios Tabajaras. One wonders if, in an alternate timeline, WKW would have made a great, taste-making DJ.

Chungking Express is WKW’s greatest “jukebox” film for many reasons, including its casting of Faye Wong and its prominent placement of pop tracks, plus the fact that the director uses not one but two different jukeboxes in pivotal scenes. The actual number of songs isn’t as extensive as in Scorsese or Tarantino films of the same era, but the four tunes used most strategically in Chungking Express are each repeated at least twice. In the film’s first half (which features a young Takeshi Kaneshiro alongside the legendary Brigitte Lin in her final film role), Dennis Brown’s somber 1973 reggae single “Things in Life” plays four times. In the second half, which focuses on the unconventional relationship between Faye Wong’s Faye and Tony Leung’s Cop 663, we hear Dinah Washington’s 1959 version of “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” twice and the Mamas and the Papas’ iconic 1966 single “California Dreamin’” a staggering nine times.

Most of these uses are diegetic, played on jukeboxes, CD players, or stereos. As we, the audience, listen to the music, we’re also watching people on-screen listening to music. Because of this, the songs in Chungking Express don’t just enhance ambiance, they also craft character, and these two streams flow together sublimely with “Dream Lover,” the Cantopop cover of an alternative rock hit by the Cranberries from 1992, performed by none other than Faye Wong.

Born Wang Fei in mainland China, Wong moved with her family from Beijing to Hong Kong in the eighties to pursue a performing career. Her first record label, trying to avoid associations with the mainland, gave her the generic, Anglicized stage name “Shirley Wong.” Her early albums sold, but after a few years, frustrated with her lack of creative control, she took a hiatus and relocated to New York City in 1991 as a gesture of escape and self-discovery. We can only assume she was also immersing herself in the trans-Atlantic pop scene of that time.

We don’t know if Wong heard the original “Dreams” in New York, but by the time she covered the song on Random Thoughts, the Cranberries’ song had become a signature hit twice over. It was the Irish band’s debut single from the fall of 1992, but they also rereleased it in the spring of 1994, after the massive success of their follow-up single, “Linger.” My friend, music writer Ned Raggett, described it as “a brisk, charging number combining low-key tension and full-on rock,” which is to say it’s a song filled with a sense of taut control but also giddy release. It’s easy to imagine how Wong, seeking to reclaim her artistic autonomy, might have been drawn to it.

Upon returning to Hong Kong in 1992, Wong reclaimed her birth name by changing her stage name to Faye Wong, and she immediately began to score a string of best-selling albums, many featuring covers of alternative rock hits. “Dream Lover” isn’t the only example to appear on Random Thoughts; the album also includes a pair of Cocteau Twins’ covers.

Showcasing “Dream Lover” in Chungking Express so close to Random Thoughts’ release was surely a savvy marketing move, common in the Hong Kong entertainment industry. However, the use of the song—alongside Wong’s real-life stardom—also works beautifully with the narrative and logic of the movie. From the moment Faye is introduced at the start of the second half, she’s already living in a dream of sorts. When we first meet both her and Cop 663 (Tony Leung), she’s working at her cousin’s food stand and blasting “California Dreamin’” out of a kitchen stereo. It’s so loud that 663 has to awkwardly shout at Faye just to put in his order, but Faye seems unfazed by the volume. With each repeated playing of the song, we’re meant to hear it as a commentary on Faye’s dissatisfaction with the drudgery of work and her weariness of Hong Kong’s gloomy, wet climate. California—“safe and warm”—represents a fantasy to escape to, first in her imagination, later in reality.

“Dream Lover” obviously extends the same “dream” theme, but as it’s also performed by Wong the singer, in scenes featuring Faye the character, there’s a rich meta-text at play. In “Dreams,” the Cranberries’ Dolores O’Riordan sings of trying to grapple with her sense of fantasy and reality in the context of an existing relationship. Wong’s “Dream Lover” has different lyrics that seem to recast the song as one about a lover who may be real or may be imagined. That ambiguity echoes Faye’s infatuation with 663, which she goes out of her way to avoid making explicit. 663 may be the lover in her dreams but not one she is keen to pursue in reality. As if to stress this point, we first hear “Dream Lover” after Faye has stolen his apartment keys in order to sneak in to dust his shelves, swap labels on his pantry cans, even drug his water bottle so she can continue her clandestine cleaning while he’s passed out. (This probably seemed more quirky and charming in 1994. Today, it’d likely be cause for a restraining order and psych eval.) Faye wants to be in 663’s presence, but only indirectly. She has more of a relationship with his domicile than with him.

That first use of “Dream Lover” is played under a montage of an extended cleaning session, and cinematographer Christopher Doyle shoots Wong with a handheld camera, adding to the already off-balance feeling of the scene. My colleague Brian Hu has astutely noted in a video essay that this shooting style seems to deliberately mirror the aesthetics of Wong’s music videos of the time. Hu’s analysis posits both the movie and music videos were shot in such a way to present Wong/Faye as a “whimsical dreamer,” “a free spirit,” “inquisitive and mysterious.” Moreover, in real life, Wong left Hong Kong to “find herself” in the U.S., and that story would have been well-known to any Cantopop fan watching Chungking Express. Film Faye is so tightly interwoven with Faye Wong that one wonders, if Wong had been unavailable or uninterested in the role, would WKW have abandoned the character or storyline completely?                                      

When I first sat in a Bay Area theater to watch Chungking Express in the mid-nineties, I knew absolutely none of Wong’s backstory, and yet I still found the song immensely affecting, especially when it returns a second time, forming a coup de grace moment during the film’s final scene.

To recap: the last chapter in Chungking Express occurs a year after Faye has decided that, rather than meet with 663 at the California Bar, she’s going to travel to the actual California instead to see if it lives up to her dream. Now a stewardess, Faye drops by her cousin’s food stand only to find 663 there, no longer a police officer but now the stand’s owner. Before, Faye was the one infatuated with “California Dreamin’,” but now it’s 663 playing the song, also loudly, on the kitchen stereo. He is surprised but clearly pleased to see her. She, however, is nervous about having her “dream lover” in front of her and begins to make excuses to leave. At this point, the will-they/won’t-they tension from earlier in the film returns, and as viewers invested in their potential pairing, we’re left anxious that this moment too will end without resolution.

But 663 then retrieves the letter Faye had left him the night she departed. It’s a hand-drawn boarding pass but rainwater has blurred out the destination, and Faye offers to write him a new one. When asked where he wants to go, 663 replies, “Wherever you want to take me,” and the last we see of the pair is Faye inking a new pass on a napkin while 663 stares with affectionate intensity. One final moment flashes back to the stereo, where “California Dreamin’” had been playing just before. This time, it’s “Dream Lover” that swells up and kicks in before the end credits flash on.

Ending with a song as robust as “Dream Lover” doesn’t just reinforce the movie’s unique, unpredictable energy, it also captures something of how we often experience dreams themselves: as intense but disjointed bursts of images and emotion that we wake from, momentarily disoriented yet filled with feeling. The exuberance of the song offers a form of musical catharsis for all the deliciously confusing tension that’s built up over the past hour. We don’t know for certain what will happen to Faye and 663 after this scene, but what the sound of “Dream Lover” offers in the moment is a rousing sense of possibility. The song’s sonic verve—with its “low-key tension” and energetic release—fuels hope that our lovers may not be so star-crossed after all, as they pursue their romantic dreams, wherever those may take them.

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

SOURCE: THE CRITERION COLLECTION

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, July 29 - Thursday, July 30

GILES: Yes. Interestingly, I don't give a rat's ass about the Council's orders. There will be no test. Quentin: The test has already begun. Your Slayer entered the field of play about ten minutes ago. GILES: Why? Quentin: I don't know. I returned there just as she entered. Now Giles, we've no business... Giles grabs him by the coat and shoves him up against the doorframe. GILES: This is *not* business!

~~Helpless~~

The Sunnydale Herald is currently looking for MOAR EDITORS! Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! For more information, send us an ask (on Tumblr) or post a reply to this post (on Livejournal or Dreamwidth)! You can also message Rahirah directly.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

By the Rose-Wreath’d Gate (Giles, PG) by aadler

Time To Go (Angel/Buffy, G) by badly_knitted

By the Rose-Wreath’d Gate (Giles, PG) by aadler

Five Slayers Giles Never Served (Giles, Maggie Walsh, Lilah Morgan, Anya, Tara, Willow, T) by punch_kicker15

All I need is the air that I breathe (Spike/Buffy, M) by Niamh

The Wrong Discovery (Giles, Willow, Angel, T) by Aaronlisa

Comfort (Xander, Anya, Willow, T) by Aaronlisa

Quella sera, nel bosco (Angel/Buffy, Riley, T, in Italian) by Troi_ontheHellmouth

The Duplicitous Dead (Spike/Buffy, Xander/Anya, Giles/Ethan, Angel-bashing, E) by Micrindle

Darkened Room (Angel/Buffy, E, in Italian) by Troi_ontheHellmouth

Live a Little (Giles/Jenny, M) by Melacka

Consequently (Angel/Willow, T) by Ladyfae

Suits in Whedonland (crossover with Suits, Buffy, Xander, Giles, G) by lateVMlover

Devil takes no shit (crossover with Devil May Cry, G) by Aragorn_II_Elessar

wives and wifi passwords (Tara/Willow, T) by danverspotsticker

spaghetti is harder than you think (Faith/Buffy, not rated) by toyhdgehog

Sunlight on a Ripened Grain (Buffy, Spike/Buffy, G) by Chibiness87

chemistry from your company (Jenny/Giles, G) by The_Eclectic_Bookworm

Obstacles (Giles/Buffy, M) by froxyn

Bad, Bad, Bad Boys and Dangerous Girls (Spike/Buffy, PG-13) by Anya_Mae

Wounds That Heal (Spike/Buffy, PG) by DarkEternity96

Sunlight on a Ripened Grain (Spike/Buffy, G) by Chibiness87

[Chaptered Fiction]

The Devil In Disguise, Chapter 16-17 (crossover with Dexter, M) by frogfarm

From Beneath Me, Chapter 1 (crossover with Marvel universe, Scoobies, G) by lateVMlover

Slayer Problems, Chapter 1-2 (Spike/Buffy, T) by EllieRose101. COMPLETE!

Slayer Problems, Chapter 1-2 (Spike/Buffy, PG) by EllieRose101. COMPLETE!

Skipping the Stone, Chapter 52 (Spike/Buffy, Dawn, R) by sandy_s, Badwolfjedi

Rewrite, Chapter 10 (Spike/Buffy, R) by hopelesswanderer

Princess Buffy's Choice, Chapter 12-13 (Spike/Buffy, Angel, PG-13) by zarryspolo

Promise Me, Chapter 1-5 (Spike/Buffy, Angel, PG-13) by Lucky_19

First Wives but Second Loves, Chapter 8 (crossover with Charmed, Spike/Buffy, R) by rkm

[Images, Audio & Video]

Digital painting: Buffy (worksafe) by jamiealways

Vid: Hero (Buffy) by iwannadogirlystuff

Vid: Spike by Rachel Strayer Video

Vid: Happier (Scooby ensemble, multiple canon relationships) by WeCanTry

Video: Wishverse Opening Credits by R M

Dramatic reading: SF98 Recreates: Did It Sing? by Slayerfest 98

Dramatic reading: Buffy's monologue ["I'm standing on the mouth of Hell..."] by Rosie Ferris

Fandub: 2x01 Voiceover | Cordelia "Spank your inner moppet" by A Pixie's Whisper

Fandub: 6x06 Voiceover | Tara "Why use magic" by A Pixie's Whisper

Music: Buffy The Vampire Slayer theme ukulele and guitar cover by We Will Rock Uke

Digital artwork: Buffy (worksafe) by PennCentral9

[Reviews & Recaps]

PODCAST: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) by Silver Scream Queens Podcast

PODCAST: Does Buffy Suck? Welcome To The Hellmouth (s01e01) by Prison Wallets - A Love Story To Movies

Buffy Group: Teacher's Pet Breakdown by Joliene T. W. Gatlin

PODCAST: Buffy and the Art of Story S1 E4: Teacher's Pet and three previous episodes by Lisa M. Lilly

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 1 Episode 7:Angel (RECAP/REVIEW) by JustDaggers

PODCAST: Out of Mind, Out of Sight by Flunking The Written

Prophecy Girl Analysis by Caitlin Bloody Mary

When She Was Bad, Some Assembly Required, School Hard by Just Jossin

Buffy Season 2 Review Non-Spoiler by Chan Thorpe

Revolting Reviews: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 7 by Random Horror

10 Scariest Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episodes by WhatCulture

Chosen is a beautiful ending. by nyshasays and others

Opinion - Living Conditions is actually really funny by superb-shower

PODCAST: Still Pretty 123. Intervention (S5.18)

PODCAST: Revisiting Sunnydale 111 RVS: Wrecked S6 E10

PODCAST: Buffy Boys 078 - To Each His Nightmare (S04E22)

PODCAST: Buffering the Vampire Slayer 5.20: Spiral

[Recs]

More Links Than A Bag Of Sausages: post 1, post 2, post 3 by petzipellepingo

Episode reaction channel "After Show Reactions" recced by phereiamtosavetheday

[Fandom Discussions]

[why buffy is ‘stronger’ after she dies in prophecy girl] by starlightswait, impalementation

The 6 characters meme, but Wesley in every season he appears in by carry-on-my-wayward-wesley

the angelus arc in buffy and the harvey arc in farscape by impalementation

Re: people saying buffy’s behaviour in s7 is out of character by ofstormsandwolves, firelxdykatara, captain-keeli

Re: the parallels you see between angel/darla and bangel by demandingbillydolls

If Buffy had given Dawn to Glory by curious33 and others

Which characters do you think are most similar from other franchises [Angel, Buffy, Giles] by burrunjor

Re: Does anybody hate Cordelia? by burrunjor, Faded90

Giles in Angel season 5 by burrunjor and others

Three questions about Warren Mears by curious33 and others

Hottest Bangel scene (cont'd) by multiple people

Re: Who should have died in S7 Jonathan or Andrew? by curious33, Faded90

Who loves Dawn and Xander together? by curious33 and others

Was Gunn's old gang going to join up with Holtz by burrunjor

Clem was the kindest creature on the show by curious33 and others

Most complex relationship? (cont'd) by nightshade, Faded90, and others

Re: Should we have seen more of Tara's magic? by VisionGirl and others

Personality MBTI of The trio by curious33

Unpopular Buffyverse Opinions (cont'd) by Mr Trick, Faded90, and others

Marcie by ickle_cat1 and others

[For the final battle why did Willow have to wait until the slayers and potentials were already in the hellmouth] by mackiger

How does the power of the slayer transfer? by RickOShay25

Mustard Theory by NebCam101

What are some of your favorite outfits on the show? by Garlicknottodaysatan

Does anyone else wish Sophie and Clem had dated? by generalkriegswaifu

[they never take their shoes off] by howyouspeak

Crossover or returning character interactions you wish we got to see by ryanbe55

Buffy - what would you change? by lordnastrond

Unpopular opinion: the seasons ranked! by burneraccsorry

Does anybody else really love season 7? by Diccy123

As a newbie to the Buffy and Angel [comics], where to begin? by jacoma89

Which episodes do you feel really show Giles’s love for Buffy? by Pennywise-Is-All

Fashion in Film: Buffy the Vampire Slayer ft. an inspired lookbook by La Mode Darling

LGBT Representation in Buffy the Vampire Slayer - and why it still holds up! by Dan Farrell

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Robia Scott on My Best Story

James Leary on My Best Story

PUBLICATION: How Style Instagram Accounts Have Immortalized "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" by Gabe Bergado, Vogue

[tranquildr3ams]

The first day of Montreal Comiccon ended. While today wasn’t heavy on panels and too many activities, it gave time to go around to explore the Artist Alley and the Exhibition Hall which covers a great many square feet. While some vendors were the same, there were quite a few unique booths that stood out.

Here’s 17 of the booths that I’d like to share as well as some of their info so that those interested can check out their stuff further! I split them into categories of interest.

Prime 1 Studio

Just scraping the tip here with these four, Prime 1 Studio showcased almost an entire exhibit of a lot these huge collectibles of pop culture characters from anime, comic books and movies. Its pretty amazing because of its large scale and just how delicate the detail is.

BOOKS

Derek Laufman

Derek Laufman is at the comic book areas showcasing both art and his graphic novels. RuinWorld: Eye For An Eye is one of his works which really stood out with his cute little heroes on  the cover and the vibrant colors.

Mathieu Bellemare

Mathieu Bellemare shows a French CD-Book called Chants des Marais et des Morts which is a French illustration book paired up with a CD which has a full song for each story where the lyrics match the story on each page. At the booth, you can hear a snippet of the concept and its actually pretty cool especially.  It has a bit of the Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart sort of feeling except instead of a movie, its a book and CD.

TEA

Sense and Sensibilitea

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A post shared by Sense and SensibiliTea (@senseandsensibilitea) on Jul 4, 2019 at 1:13pm PDT

Full of both modern themed teas and vintage varieties, Sense and SensibiliTea is quite the discovery for tea-lovers and pop culture lovers alike. Not only are there Austen theme teas but also some planet theme ones as well as a lot of more modern ones like the one in the Instagram post above for Stranger Things.

Thesaurus Tea

I’m not going to lie that the reason this one caught my eye was its very catchy dinosaur logo. However, at a closer look at Thesaurus Tea, they have quite a few nice varieties. Some are blends in various bases while there are also some classic tea choices.

PLANTERS

Beton Neotek

Creation Beton Neotek is all about making pop culture themed concrete planters. With anime themes like DragonballZ or Star Wars theme like Darth Vader or Star Trooper. There are also other ones for younger audience like Pokemon while it also has some for Power Rangers as well as superheroes, both Marvel and DC Universe.

Mille Nuages

With the Pokemon craze going on right now, its hard to miss out on Mille Nuages booth. It is full of Pokeball designs which looks like little terrariums but with all kinds of little unique packages. Its very pretty and looks incredibly delicate.

ART

Lea Matte Illustration

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Au Comiccon de Montréal toute la fin de semaine!! Venez me voir au kiosque 2010-2012 🙂 —— At the Montreal Comiccon all weekend! Come see me at my booth 2010-2012 🙂 #comiccon #comicconmontreal #cat #awesome #art #convention #geek #crazycatlady #digital #creation #goodies

A post shared by Léa Matte (@leamatte.illustration) on Jul 5, 2019 at 9:06am PDT

Lea Matte Illustration is always a wonderful highlight. Who can miss pop culture turned into adorable cats in disguise, right? Its also so adorable to see and very interesting to see all the creativity gone into each of them.

Geek at Heart

While having seen Geek at Heart previously at Toronto ComiCon a year or two ago, her work always is one that is really cool. It has beautiful drawings, a lot of it based on Disney characters on both sheet music and storybook pages. Its a very unique idea which works on so many levels.

Monsieur Pooky Design

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Au ComicCon de Montréal toute la fin de semaine! Table 2204 venez nous voir! ☺️ #mtlcomiccon #illustration #artist

A post shared by Monsieur Pooky Design (@monsieurpookydesign) on Jul 5, 2019 at 10:29am PDT

While most of the art so far has been fairly colorful, whats catchy about Monsieur Pooky Design’s artwork is the dark back palette and how the characters pop out. Disney villains, Alice in Wonderland and How to Train My Dragon along with so many other beautiful drawings.

Pixelam

Pixelam is all about handcrafted 2 layer art pieces. To be more accurate, the concept is a drawing on the bottom while the clear layer on the top layers some other objects or characters on top to complete the look. It has this 3D pop-up look to the whole frame.

Xanworx

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And we’re off! @mtlcomiccon has begun! Come by booth 2412 in #artistalley to see all the #fandom #maps and #prints we have @xanworx. #lordoftherings #thehobbit #gameofthrones #skyrim #thewitcher #hyrule #legendofzelda #avatarthelastairbender #waterbendingscroll #narnia #winniethepooh #princessbride #harrypotter #maraudersmap #somanymaps ! #xanworxstudios #montrealcomiccon #mtlcc #mtlcomiccon2019 #mtlcc2019

A post shared by Xanworx Studios (@xanworx) on Jul 5, 2019 at 11:13am PDT

Remember all those fantasy worlds that we’ve seen in movies, books, anime, TV series and games, Xanworx Studios is all about bringing them into legit size maps. It has a very classic navigational feel to it. Some nice examples are the Marauder’s Map from Harry Potter or Narnia from The Chronicles of Narnia and even Hyrule from The Legend of Zelda among some of the many choices.

Art by Dada

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New prints available on artbydada.com 💕 #draw #drawing #sketch #doodle #illustration #art #artwork #fanart #disney #dada16808 #goodmorning

A post shared by d a d a (@dada16808) on Mar 10, 2019 at 7:40am PDT

Art by Dada is by one of my college friends and she is incredibly talented. She makes this beautiful combination of two characters from the same stories. Its super creative and talented. She’s already launched a few successful Kickstarter campaigns and has expanded her line from art to other items as well.

JEWELRY

Fox & Feather Creations

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New flower this year: Speedwell (Veronica ssp.) These little beauties did terribly in my garden last year, but this year they have exploded and I am enchanted ♡ I promise I will be back and active soon. I have needed an unexpected hiatus and Im slowly making my way back to the studio. I will be re-opening my shop this week with some new pieces (like these!) as well as some classics. #blueflower #purpleflower #veronica #speedwell #resin #handmadejewelry #etsymtl #etsy163 #resinjewelry #flower #flowerjewelry #flowernecklace

A post shared by Magical Forest Creations (@fox_and_feather) on Jun 12, 2019 at 9:33am PDT

Glass drop necklaces filled with preserved flowers is the concept behind Fox and Feather Creations’ jewelry.  With all kinds of flowers and the little creative designs, there aren’t only pieces with one type of flower but also whole garden designs in some of the larger pendants. Its so beautiful.

The Emerald Cauldron

The Emerald Cauldron is probably one of the most fantastical booths in terms of jewelry. There are many elf ear designs with the most notable being Sailormoon themed and Alice in Wonderland theme. On the other side, there are some beautiful pocket watch designs. While they also have some beautiful Pixie Lights necklaces and Fairy Bells necklaces also.

Boutique 1906

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We're at #montrealcomiccon at table 1809! Many new pieces are being debuted so make sure to come see us!

A post shared by Fantasy Jewelry & Accessories (@boutique1906) on Jul 5, 2019 at 8:52am PDT

Boutique 1906 is a very classical jewelry design. It has little hair accessories. One that caught our eyes was the Oriental designs to put into your hair and has a little origami crane hanging from it. There are also an assortment of other jewelry which are very classy and many Victorian designs as well as steampunk, gothic and whimisical ones as well.

That’s it for the rundown of the Artist Alley and Exhibit Hall booths that caught our eyes.

Montreal Comiccon – Day 1 Recap: 16 Booths at Artist Alley & Exhibit Hall #MTLComiccon #ArtistAlley #Art #Jewelry #Books #tea #planters

The first day of Montreal Comiccon ended. While today wasn’t heavy on panels and too many activities, it gave time to go around to explore the Artist Alley and the Exhibition Hall which covers a great many square feet.

Montreal Comiccon - Day 1 Recap: 16 Booths at Artist Alley & Exhibit Hall #MTLComiccon #ArtistAlley #Art #Jewelry #Books #tea #planters The first day of Montreal Comiccon ended. While today wasn't heavy on panels and too many activities, it gave time to go around to explore the Artist Alley and the Exhibition Hall which covers a great many square feet.

[pixiedane]

Pixie Recaps Starfleet Results

Thank you to everyone who participated in my polls. Here is the list of upcoming Pixie Recaps!

Star Trek: Lower Decks "I, Excretus"

Star Trek: Prodigy "Mindwalk"

Star Trek: Discovery "Lethe"

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds "Spock Amok"

*There was a tie in the Star Trek: Discovery poll so "Unification III" is now at the top of the waitlist.

Support me on Ko-Fi

[pixiedane]

Pixie Recaps Starfleet

Hello! There are five weeks until the season two premiere of Strange New Worlds and I am using them to photocap one episode of each series I haven't done one for yet (Discovery, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds). For Lower Decks I will be doing "I, Excretus" but for the other series I'm running a poll to decide.

Discovery Poll | Prodigy Poll

[pixiedane]

Pixie Recaps Starfleet

Hello! There are five weeks until the season two premiere of Strange New Worlds and I am using them to photocap one episode of each series I haven't done one for yet (Discovery, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds). For Lower Decks I will be doing "I, Excretus" but for the other series I'm running a poll to decide.

Discovery Poll | Strange New Worlds Poll

[pixiedane]

tldr; Give Katrina a hug. Give Jayne an Emmy.

(I am going to be crying about this episode for the next year.)

Nine months ago the (ISS) Discovery was destroyed by Klingons.

Kat, barely recovered from a life threatening injury, and the resulting surgery, and having escaped from the Klingons herself like yesterday, goes to see the remains of the Discovery.

Because she can’t accept it unless she sees it with her own eyes.

Her last conversations with Gabriel play over and over in her head as she stares at the space dust out the window.

The Discovery and her secrets were the Federation’s best chance to defeat the Klingons.

Her oldest and best friend has died. Angry with her. Afraid of her. Hurt by her.

There are so many things left unsaid.

And she has exactly zero time to process any of it because they are at war and they are losing.

Nine months of acute trauma go by.

Discovery reappears.

(It’s strange that they assume it’s a trick and a trap and use Vulcan mind tricks to prove Saru is Saru but later Sarek is all ‘Lorca being a double from an AU is not the intuitive response’, but that’s not part of this story.)

Where’s Captain Lorca? Kat demands.

a) She doesn’t trust this ghost ship.

b) When she last saw him she was going to remove him from command, and if he faked his death and stole a ship she was more right than she’s given herself credit for since then, and if it’s something else she needs to know immediately.

She takes command while awaiting answers. See a and b.

c) She thought he was dead, she thought she’d never see him again, she thought that last time would be the last time, and then she got word the Discovery reappeared, imagine the emotions.

But he’s not there. He’s still gone.

Captain Lorca is dead, Sarek says.

He’s still gone.

Actually it’s worse.

The Lorca who captained Discovery was an imposter all along.

An imposter from an Evil Empire.

Her first reaction is rage. She takes it out on the cookies.

She discharges a weapon, on the ship, in the conference room, at a bowl of fortune cookies.

She is not okay.

Her second reaction is self-recrimination. She could spiral through that for days probably.

Sarek stops her.

We were all deceived — he’s speaking to Kat and to Michael. He knows things about both.

(I want to know everything about the relationship between Sarek and Katrina.)

The Discovery that was destroyed was the other Discovery. They switched.

Lorca must have switched, too. But he was alone.

He couldn’t survive the Evil Empire alone.

Alone. Without her.

He’s still gone.

My Gabriel is dead.

MY GABRIEL.

(I’m going to cry about it forever.)

(Because she can’t.)

And she has exactly zero time to process any of it because they are at war and they are losing.

They can’t tell anyone about this other universe or there will be riots.

They are all surrounded by death. Death, loss, destruction. It makes people do crazy things.

Another surprise, they brought Evil Philippa back with them.

(Even if they weren’t the friends I believe them to have been, Captain Philippa served under Admiral Kat. But I believe they were close. And I believe Emperor Philippa recognizes her.)

Philippa’s dark twin. Like Gabriel’s dark twin. The resemblance is remarkable.

Kat is over it. She wants to take all these secrets and and all these criminals to the Starbase, to Command. She has a headache, she needs a break. She’s so tired, she’s been tired for a year, and she can’t let it show. She’s lost so much and everything she gets back is twisted. She wants to cry and she can’t cry and it is all unfair and she is over it. Put Fake Philippa in Not Prison and let someone else be in charge.

But she’s still in charge.

They arrive at Starbase One. It’s a relief.

a) It was a perilous journey but they made it.

b) Maybe, with Discovery’s secrets, they have a chance now.

c) Maybe she can get a moment to relax, to process, to let go, to let someone else makes decisions for half a second.

But the possibility of respite is ripped away. And that’s the least of it.

It isn’t the first Starbase she’s seen destroyed. It might be the biggest, the deepest in.

Three starships gone.

Like the Shenzhou. Like the Buran. Like the Discovery.

No life signs.

A large contingent of our leadership. Starfleet Command. Her colleagues, her friends.

It could have been her. It should have been her.

(All my versions of Kat’s backstory include a life of loss, of being left standing. I recognize it on her. I relate.)

She is shaken. She is spent. She is raw.

And she has exactly zero time to process any of it because they are at war and they are losing.

She grips the chair, she catches her breath.

People start to panic. Kat’s been in a constant state of panic for the past year, she’s just good at hiding it. Until now.

(I will never be over this scene. It is so, so important to me.)

(And it is a Master Class in acting. The body language and facial expression. I can’t.)

Saru steps up.

Kat escapes to her ready room. Which was Evil Lorca’s ready room. I don’t think it helps her relax.

She confronts L’Rell. She is desperate.

L’Rell is surprised she survived. Kat thinks maybe she didn’t.

The Klingons are destroying everything that matters to her. Stripping away her sense of security and identity.

She wants to know why. What is this all for. How does it stop. What is all this hate and loss and fear and suffering and why. Why?!

L’Rell only has her answer. Her truth.

It’s not a good answer. It’s a terrible truth.

But it lets Katrina breathe.

Michael shows up with a plan.

(I think I ship it.)

The plan is bonkers but it’s a plan.

There is hope. Kat is a little giddy.

She is not okay.

Kat convinces Starfleet to plot an all out assault on the Klingons starting with their homeworld.

She hates this plan. She doesn’t see any other choice.

The birth of the mushrooms is pretty.

Sarek shows up with a plan (off-screen).

(I know I ship it.)

The new plan is even more bonkers. They hate it. They don’t see any other choice.

They put their most powerful ship, their bonkers and desperate last ditch plan, their future — in the hands of a conqueror every bit as ruthless as the Klingons.

Kat lies to 99% of the crew and who even knows who else.

She trusts that Saru and Michael won’t say a word. She’s good at reading people. And manipulating them when necessary.

(I’m so proud I sorted her Slytherin, I love being right.)

Kat, Sarek, and Emperor Philippa are playing a dangerous game. They all have reasons to play it.

Nothing good will come of this.

Sarek knows. Kat knows. They think they have no choice. How much loss can one heart take. What would you not do to save your family.

She is not okay. And she has exactly zero time to process any of it.

Someone give Katrina a hug. Someone give Jayne an award.

[pixiedane]

Read the Recap @ State of Flux

[pixiedane]

New theory: Lorca is getting the Seska arc I always wanted.

read the recap @ State of Flux

[pixiedane]

Lorcan’t Believe It!, on Seska, Mirror Lorca, Mirror Philippa, and why “What’s Past is Prologue” is the most satisfying episode of television I’ve seen in years.

[pixiedane]

Read the Recap @ State of Flux

[pixiedane]

Read the Recap @ State of Flux

[pixiedane]

Read the Recap @ State of Flux

[pixiedane]

Read the Recap @ State of Flux

[pixiedane]

Read the Recap @ State of Flux