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reallybadfeeling · 4 years ago

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FF Reclist del 2020

Sono tornata a postare su questo blog al solo fine di lasciare questa lista a caso di ff che ho letto nel 2020 e mi son rimaste impresse? La risposta è sì. E Buon Natale a tutti, eh!

Star Wars [Trilogia Sequel] (let’s be honest, son quasi tutte Reylo)

The Trail Bride Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17454824/chapters/41100980 Questa Western AU è una di quelle fic che anche se ho letto a gennaio ci ripenso e *chef kiss*. Avete presente quel slow burn dove prima arriva il smut, poi l’angst e infine il momento di falling in love? Ecco, 160k di sabbia negli stivali che apprezzi sul serio.

Tie Your Heart to Mine Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16143359/chapters/37718534 Potrei dire “chissene del p0rn” per questa storia perché GUYS, LA TRAMA IN QUESTA FF È PURE GOLD! Non solo c’è Rey che si spaccia per una dei Knights of Ren, ma i Knights of Ren in questa ff sono tante cose. Che poi aggiungiamo al mix jealous Kylo e… CIAONE! Mi son riletta i 147k+ di questa ff due volte quest’anno.

They Don’t Have A Word For What We Are Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17867792/chapters/42167327 Dicevo sopra dello slow burn? Ecco, FORGET ABOUT THAT. Questa è smut con contorno di trama. Sono 183k di Rey e Ben che fanno zozzerie? YEP. Ma se lo smut trascina la trama e far trasformare Kylo in Ben… WIN WIN AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED!

The Termination Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20834045/chapters/49526072 Okay, NON consiglio questa storia ha chi ha problemi a leggere di gravidanze e aborti. Che fa sembrare questa ff molto più edgy di quel che è in realtà. Però è la ff con cui son stata introdotta alle Nightsisters prima ancora di sapere cosa fossero, AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM! Che posso farci, ho un debole per i villain! E questi 62k in un paio di giorni si leggono NO PROB.

The DILF of Disneyland Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535246/chapters/51335782 A dimostrazione del fatto che NON leggo solo long, questa cosina da 13k! Perché ci vuole anche un po’ di crack nella vita e questo è mild crack di quelli di qualità honestly

Gross Breylo (series) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1246199 Avete mai avuto quella sensazione di “can I have more Ben? More Kylo”? Ecco, questa serie è quel guilty pleasure perché ci sono Ben, Kylo e Matt. In un sandwich di tutti i più comuni kink (e pure alcuni un po’ meno) con Rey nel mezzo (e a volte pure senza di lei cause why not?). Sooo conta come incesto o self-incest? Who know? Who cares?

Savage Beauty Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20921171/chapters/49735226 Lo ammetto, nonostante siano solo 77k, questa ci ho messo più del dovuto a leggerla. Plot heavy soprattutto verso la seconda metà, ma come detto ho un soft spot per i villain. Rey che per Kylo passa al Dark Side. Non vi rovino il finale, ma assolutamente vale la pena di buttarci energie (anche se rallenta dopo un inizio più accattivante).

The Wedding Necklace Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513729/chapters/53796988 In generale non solo una fan dei rewrite o delle fix-it che seguono la trama di TROS. Ma questa storia ha un pretesto di trama così scemo e prometteva il tipo di happy ending che piacciono a me (quelli in cui la Reylo figlia)... 40k di fluff e silly crack spacciato per cose serie.

Pillow Talk Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20405317/chapters/48401371 Non sono una grande fan del tag “space virgins”. Anzi, non ho mancato di dire più volte quanto spesso mi irriti. Ma questi 93k di Rey e Ben in denial mentre son costretti a condividere il letto più sì che no? Awkwardness senza esser cringe. Che è sempre un requisito per quanto mi riguarda.

Supreme Leader & Last Jedi: Caught in the Act!!! CLICK HERE Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21798247/chapters/52015984 Ogni tanto ci vuole anche del porn for the sake of porn giusto? Ecco, questi 11k sono esattamente quello. Con un pizzico di crack che, you guys, dovreste aver capito che ho un soft spot per le scemate, no?

H.O.A.cus Pocus Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955406/chapters/65788996 Una modern!AU di con Ben vicino rompipalle per motivi del tutto idioti? Enemies to lovers vecchio stile? 21k di kinda crack but also not? Eh… Sentite, ero in vena di qualcosa di meno plot heavy sotto halloween. E questa mi ha decisamente messo un bel sorriso in faccia.

Star Wars Rebels

(let’s be honest, son tutte Kalluzeb)

A Safe Haven Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25758262/chapters/62554666 Honestly, non mi aspettavo di divorarmi 146k di Kallus che si abitua alla vita da ribelle. But guess what? That’s what I did. C’è anche un seguito scritto giusto qualche giorno fa, ma è una roba breve. Anyway, sta ff mi ha uccisa di brutto, facendomi amare un botto di personaggi secondari. Scritta bene you guys. Vedetevi Rebels solo per shippare Kalluzeb e leggervi questa.

Come in from the Cold Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24562042/chapters/59820526 Welp, diciamo che dopo aver letto la ff precedente ed esser tornata al tag, mi son accorta che questa autrice aveva prodotto altra robina. E son inciampata in questa AU con Kallus che viene salvato dai ribelli. E poi c’è tutto un arco in cui Kallus cerca di redimersi che *chef kiss*. Ci sarebbe pure un seguito, ma mi puzzava di angst di quelli pesi ma pesi di brutti, e mi pareva di capire dai tag che ci sarebbe stato some kind of time travel fuckery. Quindi mi son accontentata di questa.

Dream Walking Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23857447/chapters/57341344 62k di due patate che più enemies to lovers di così si muore. Also, soulmates!Au… I mean, come puoi dire no? Con loro sto trope è proprio la morte sua. (ed è la stessa autrice delle due fic precedenti. Quindi you guys, assicuro che è scritta bene. The feels are strong.)

Purple heartstrings Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27454297/chapters/67118188 Ho detto che la soulmates!Au con loro è una trope che adoro? Ah ecco… Beh, questa mi è quasi dispiaciuto fossero solo 16k. Perché seriously, Kallus è ancora più patata. E adoro la famiglia Kallus che ci ha buttato come original character l’autrice. Son tutte patata e I WANT MORE!

When You Pry it From My Cold, Dead Chest Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16373723/chapters/38320103 Okay, lo ammetto, ero entrata in un loop chiusissimo di soulmates!AU con la Kalluzeb. Ma son letteralmente una meglio dell’altra e tutte con il loro twist. Questa ad esempio sono 43k di feels distrutti di brutto perché l’enemies to lovers in questa ff è SO STRONG! Like, passatemi sopra con l’asfaltatrice e poi rompete tutte per trovarmi sotto ancora morente causa feels.

Star Wars [trilogia prequel] (let’s be honest… Ah no, a sto giro ci son 2 ship! *surprised pikachu meme*)

Well It Goes Like This Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23977453/chapters/57673405 Avevo bisogno di good parent Anakin you guys. Non mi aspettavo però di trovare 62k di Anakin good parent di un gruppo di younglings invece che di Luke e Leia. But guess what? Mi ha scaldato il cuore lo stesso. Perché ALL OF THE FUCKING FEELS! Questa è una di quelle storie che finiscono apertissime e per cui vorresti da morire un seguito perchè JUST TOO SWEET! (E per chi ha visto Clone Wars e Rebels ci son anche cose che fan fangirlare di brutto. E ciaone.)

i grew up here till it all went up in flames Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23473327/chapters/56276515 I mean, di questa ff potrei pure dire soltanto 30k di Anakin che si fida di Obi-Wan e Padmé invece di farsi fregare da Palpatine. Also, baby!Leia e baby!Luke adorable as fuck, domestic fluff che please yes, Anakin vestito superfashionable and rocking it. Che altro devo dirvi you guys?

Master Mine Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22209502/chapters/53027014 De-aged Obi-Wan diventa il padawan di Anakin. E ovviamente Obi-Wan ha una huge crush immediata. CAUSE, YOU KNOW… Pensieri inappropriati, that’s a thing teeneagers have! No, sul serio, questa ff è proprio sul confine dell’under-age e delle dynamics fottute a bestia… Ma young Obi-Wan è just too sweet! (Also, sta ff conferma che per quando è affiancato a Padmé il fluff e l’angst la fanno da padroni. Se però è Obi-Wan il love interest… NOPE, FUCK THIS SHIT, GIVE ME THE INAPPROPRIATE PORN! XD C’ho problemi).

With a Warm and Tender Hand Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6054904/chapters/13881241 Vi sto per caso consigliando 38k di puro angst e porn? YES. Yes, that is what I am doing. Niente, cosa posso dire a mia discolpa? Che ho un soft spot per questi due che dopo essersi girati attorno per anni ammettono finalmente che si amano in modo completamente fottuto per poi fottere come ricci per rendersi conto suddetti sentimenti incasinati in realtà son racchiusi in una ammissione di demolezza e amore? … … … HO PROBLEMI. Ma la ff è super sweet in the most sexy way.

The Witcher (let’s be honest, son tutte Geraskier)

An All-Consuming Creature Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23408935/chapters/56101345 Questa è quella long infinita (163k) con una botta di angst, perlopiù Jaskier centric, in cui non solo c’è una trama al bacio, ma Geralt canta e l’autrice della ff ha scritto e composto musica! E è linkata you guys! Questa ff ha davvero tutto! Ho già detto Geralt che canta? Ecco, perché non importa che a un certo punto iniziate a chiedervi “WHY AM I EVEN READING THIS?!” La risposta è GERALT CHE CANTA PER JASKIER! (Ma poi l’angst potente e il modo in cui finisce *chef kiss*)

You Can’t Be My Sugar Daddy, We Don’t Even Have Sugar Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23075560/chapters/55199137 Il vero titolo di questa storia dovrebbe essere “Cause Geralt deserves nice things!”. Honestly, questi 50k non vi renderete neppure conto di averli letti. Si naviga nel fluff, nel crack e soprattutto nei feels!

The Smell of Heartbreak Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776946/chapters/54427231 Niente, passiamo all’estremo opposto con questa ff. Se avete voglia di TANTO angst, fatevi un po’ una nuotata in questi 60k di Geralt e Jaskier che cercano di riparare la loro relazione. Il tutto con un contorno di maledizione random perché WHY NOT?!

If We Must Starve (Let it be Together) (series) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706485 Di solito non consiglio cose in corso. Mainly perché leggo solo complete. Ma questa ne vale la pena tantissimo. Al momento è appena sotto i 90k, e gli aggiornamenti della fic ancora in corso son sporadici. Ma se volete la cosa di “Geralt deserves nice things” pompata e ampliata a tutti i Witcher, THIS IS THE SHIT FOR YOU!

The Courting Season Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23708941/chapters/56928121 47k di fluff con Geralt che cerca di esser romantico e quello che è totalmente oblivious è Jaskier? YAS PLEASE! Seriously, sweet as fuck fluff con un pizzico di feels che è semplicemente *chef kiss*

To Understand Love Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24128269/chapters/58090600 Che posso dire? I’m a sucker for God!Jaskier. Questa è solo una delle ff in lista con quel tag, ma giuro, questi 53k valgono la pena. Tanto angst e BAMF Jaskier e personaggi originali che li adori a prescindere!

I’ll Be Your Voice Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25129009/chapters/60884227 Non so se son l’unica, ma… Geralt e Jaskier che crescono Cirilla? I like that. Ora, aggiungeteci anche bambino salvato a caso da Geralt! ESATTO! Una botta di fluff e angst e… I CAN’T EVEN! 36k che ho divorato in 2 giorni nonostante fossi occupata con lavoro quando l’ho trovata! (Ma c’è pure Jaskier che non è propriamente umano… RAGA, COMBO DI TAG per quanto mi riguarda!)

Detroit: Become Human (let’s be honest, son tutte 900Reed)

One does not simply say “I love you” (series) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2051340 Ho un debole per le patate sceme? YUP. Quindi cosa vi aspettate?! Dovevo consigliare almeno una 900Reed. Non ne ho lette tantissime quest’anno, ma questi 60k totali son fluff e p0rn che val la pena.

/all the gun fights/ and the limelights/ [and the holy sick divine nights] Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19822831/chapters/46936537 Un titolo infinito per 85k di reverse!AU in cui alla fine fine ste due patate restano broken AF. Consiglio se volete trama e tanto angst e traumi di quelli pesi e… Ho menzionato due patate che si innamorano? Ah no?

chaos looks good on you Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24575989/chapters/59354422 Penso sia chiaro che ho un soft spot per le enemies to lovers. Questa è una di quelle super sweet. In particolar modo per colpa di RK900 che cerca di creare rapporti umani quando è convinto che tutti funzionino solo in pattern prevedibili e l’unico punto di chaos sia Gavin.

Despite It All Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26151949/chapters/63628915 Tecnicamente uno “spin-off” di una HankCon, questa soulmates!AU mi ha spezzata tantissimo causa angst e cretini in denial. Poi tra Gavin che è un pozzo di issues e 900 che è una patata supersoft… yeah, decisamente 50k di ALL OF THE ANGST!

Teen Wolf (let’s be honest, son tutte Sterek)

spiderweb of lies Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17212451/chapters/40474175 Ho un soft spot per i pg grumpy dal passato tragico che hanno cose belle nella loro vita. E mi mancava il fandom di Teen Wolf e son inciampata in questi 54k di Stiles che finalmente si accorge di quanto tossico sia Scott e rimette le cose a posto. Non è la best ff ever, honestly, ma c’è badass!Stiles. E non so dir di no a badass!Stiles (Ha pure dei seguiti, ma honestly dopo aver letto il primo I got tired of it all.)

What Goes Around Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13560651/chapters/31118688 Ecco, badass!Stiles è uno stile di vita se non era già chiaro. Questa ff porta la cosa all’estremo e lo trasforma in un cold blooded assassin. And I STAN THIS. In particolare perché c’è un Peter scritto benissimo in sta ff e… FIGHT ME, OKAY?! Ma poi tratta la moralità dei grey heroes tipo The Punisher… Yeah, 71k che non posso che consigliare (anche se l’inizio sembra slow)

I’d Do Anything (for you) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20821298/chapters/49494104 Sempre sulla falsariga del badass!Stiles e dell’uccidere gente “for the greater good”, questa roba di 46k ha direttamente Stiles che parla con il nemeton. Ed è kinda un necromante but also not. Sta ff è in generale una delle Sterek migliori che ho letto negli ultimi anni. Principalmente perché ha un botto di tag che adoro. Quindi magari son di parte.

Critical Role (let’s be honest, son tutte WidowFjord)

now my charms are all o’verthrown Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23364643/chapters/60220915 Questa storia è l’unica long di Critical Role che ho trovato e ho letto fino alla fine. Quindi OF COURSE è finita con un cliffhanger. DANG IT! Sto ancora aspettando che sia finito il seguito perchè WORTH IT! 85k di pirate!AU? YAS PLEASE! Are you fucking kidding me?!

Definitely not a romantic sub-plot (series) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1339861 Tecnicamente questi 21k son una rilettura di qualcosa che ho beccato l’anno scorso. Ma che io l’abbia riletta dovrebbe dirvi che è adorabile. E per chi mi conosce sa che non sono una fan del RPF, ma qui honestly Liam e Travis non sono davvero una romance, son più due scemi che fan gli scemi come il resto del gruppo. E ADORO l’alternarsi tra l’RPF e il gruppo che è in-game e fa cose ADORABLE AS FUCK!

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arabian-bloodstream · 5 years ago

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Why I love ‘Attack of the Clones’

I think that Attack of the Clones is the underrated gem of the Star Wars universe. Yeah, I said it. And here is my review of the film and why I think so!

The beginning of the film sets up the rest of the film so well. It's beautifully done. We begin with Amidala's attack, which is a neat reference to how Padme had her bodyguard/double all throughout The Phantom Menace. From that we get the concise, digestible explanation of the Separatist vs. the Republic, and why the Jedi Knights are needed and why Amidala specifically needs Jedi protection as well. It wasn't ham-handed, it wasn't confusing, it flowed so naturally. By the way, it also proved how wrong the Machete Cut is (which cuts out TPM). You *need* TPM for the moments between Amidala/Palpatine to work, and boy, do they work.

Speaking of Amidala needing Jedi protection, what that scene also gave us what further insight into Anakin and Obi-Wan's relationship. Further insight because our first introduction to the two with Anakin as a young man was fantastic. Say what you will about Hayden Christensen's acting–and, no, I don't blame him, I've seen him in other things, he's been good–but he and Ewan MacGregor are fantastic together. Great chemistry, wonderful ying and yang. Their quick ride in the elevator showed a bit of sibling, but also a touch of a father/son vibe, with a dose of mentorship. Overall their friendship shone through. Ah, until that scene with Amidala when the mentorship came into strong play and whoo, boy! that little "discussion" about what a Jedi mandate is and is not right in front of Amidala and her entourage was the very definition of AWKWARD! It set up the differences right off the bat between Anakin and Obi-Wan and really Anakin and the Jedi.

OK, fine, the scene could have been better (as so many in this film--but the same could be said for Revenge of the Sith) had Hayden Christensen done a better acting job. However, as I wrote above, it's really not that Christensen is a bad actor, it's that he's an actor who truly needs direction. For example, Samuel L. Jackson is not a bad actor. At all. And, yet, he's kinda dreadful in these films. Frankly, I never thought I'd think that SLJ is a bad actor. However, He is in this Prequel Trilogy and that's because George Lucas is not a strong director for actors. So Christensen's acting woes can be laid at the feet of Lucas. MacGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid are simply the types of actors who can deliver a performance without the aid of director to guide them. Some can do so better than others. Christensen isn't one of them. So essentially I just accepted that I could harp on the less than stellar acting coming from the co-lead thanks (or no thanks) to the direction or enjoy the overall storytelling, the brilliant weaving together of the threads and how well the characters, the plots and the action pieces worked.

Yes, the actions pieces... like the chase sequence with Obi-Wan, Anakin and Amidala's would-be assassin. That was awesome. Thrilling, sharply-directed and I just loved the humor. The banter was just top-notch between Anakin and Obi-Wan. When Obi-Wan asked what took Anakin so long, had he stopped with just saying he was looking for a speeder he liked it would have been eh, a one-liner without any punch but he kept it up while Obi-Wan was giving directions, with bits about what he liked in a speeder which gave just enough resonance that it had the feel of a long-running joke. This gave it a touch of realism, familiarity to their relationship. It was great, and, again, Christensen and MacGregor are just so good together. Lucas wrote these two so, so well.

And he knew how to twist the knife! Obi-Wan to Anakin: "Why do I think you're going to be the death of me?" {SOBS}

OK, so I wrote above about how if one can put aside Christensen's acting issues it is very possible to see the good of this film. A shining example of this is the juxtaposition of Kamino and the Lake Country on Naboo. Firstly, let's just talk about the awesome of Kamino itself. I simply cannot get over how GORGEOUS everything about Kamino is. The aliens, the design of the infrastructure, the costuming, it's just all top-notch gorgeous. I love every single, solitary moment of the Kamino stuff. The creation and history of the clones, Boba Fett's backstory, him being a clone of Jango–the one who wasn't changed or accelerated, how it so naturally fit into the introduction of the Clone Wars. So brilliant. And also how Jango and the clones were tied into that exhilarating open sequence/attack on Amidala. Aah, just so good.

Now, let's tie that brilliance in with Lake Country... because it *does* tie into Kamino and that is a big reason why I just can't hate on the love story as presented in Attack of the Clones. Because of *how* it's presented. By giving us Anakin and Padme falling in love in the Lake Country at the same time we (through Obi-Wan) learned about Kamino and the clones we saw love and war side by side. It made perfect sense juxtaposing the Lake Country and Kamino. You have the two young lovers falling on the one side, and the Clone army, set up for war, on the other. We know that Anakin falling in love with Padme is going to eventually lead him to take the Dark Path, and the Clone Army is going to turn on the Jedi somehow. Having the introduction of the clones and the introduction of the love story juxtaposed is brilliant because here you have the two key forces that BRING THE JEDI DOWN: Order 66 and Anakin Skywalker falling in love. It's so perfect.

Yes, yes, again, the love story section probably features Christensen's worst acting, but again, I blame Lucas. As for the actual scenes themselves (outside of his acting), well, I like them. I'm fine with the over-the-top dialogue. I don't think there was anything wrong with it. Was it extra? Yes. Is he a Skywalker? Yes. Are Skywalkers extra? Is the sky blue? It's who he is, he's gonna go overboard with his exclamations. It's completely in character for the Skywalkers and for Anakin Skywalker. Totally. Also, in addition to his over-the-top exclamations of love, these scenes also showed us that before he went fully Dark Side, yes, Anakin already did believe in the idea of someone like the Emperor. That idea was something he was for.

Oh, and biggie here, I absolutely think that the "I don't like sand" was a fantastic line. It was about Tatooine and all that it represented, and like he said the opposite of what Padme was. It just meant so much and was (a) a callback to his childhood as a slave, being owned by someone, and the freedom that his mother never got, and (b) foreshadowing for what was to come with Shmi's death because "sand" was representative of Tatooine. *sigh* Yeah, Shmi. Man, oh, man. Shmi's death scene just guts me every time. Seriously, it makes me cry. Now, this... this is easily Christensen's best acting in the entire trilogy. The love and connection is just immediately there between them and when she's gone his devastation is so real and that switch from pain to anger is just ON! Ugh, and when he starts killing and then it swipes to Yoda and we hear Qui-Gon crying out "Anakin! Anakin!" it just breaks my heart. This is one of the best scenes in the entire Saga.

And then were back to the action. The "machines making machines" set piece and the arena sequence are both awesome and fun, with Anakin, Padme and Obi-Wan showing off their skills, wit, bravery, bravado and just overall awesome. And in between the two, oh, I loved, loved the scene between Anakin and Padme before they were brought out into the arena where she confessed her love ("I truly, deeply love you"). It was a beautiful scene, my favorite Anakin/Padme scene. I don't think that Christensen and Portman had the best chemistry or that Anakin/Padme love story was the best written, but this scene was one that I think showed the best promise of what could have been had a better director (sorry, George) and a better love story writer had taken on that aspect. Anyway, back to the action, past the arena battle where the trio were losing despite a valiant effort before the Jedi showed up was awesome, but then they were losing too... until Yoda showing up with the clones and took over and that was awesome!

OK, we're reaching the end now and still we're continuing to get those signs of what's to come. Anakin is truly caught between love over duty, wanting to save Padme over going after Dooku and Obi-Wan is witness and has to really push to keep him on the right path. But wait there's more goodness ahead! Oh, yeah, the triple header of a lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan and Dooku! But wait! There's even more! And better! I just... man... I will never not love the Yoda/Dooku lightsaber fight because, dude, Yoda in a lightsaber fight is AWESOME!

Finally, we reach the end and for those who have seen the Original Trilogy we know where this all leads and so it's perfect. This wedding of Anakin and Padme with no dialogue, just the two at the Lake Country on Naboo where they fell in love. It's perfectly done because it should be a happy occasion, but it's a somber affair. Even during their wedding kiss, neither is really smiling. The final long shot of the two, with R2 and C3P0 as their only guests on the balcony where they shared their first kiss against that gorgeous backdrop is so lovely... ah, but we know, we know there is no happy ending here. As the overall feel of the scene tells us despite the visual beauty of it.

So, yeah, this is why I love this movie. This is all the good, the great I see in it.Attack of the Clones: Underrated gem of the Star Wars universe.

#attack of the clones #star wars #anidala #anakin x padme #anakin x amidala

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recurring-polynya · 5 years ago

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Please tell me about Obidala UwU

Ha ha ha, you asked for it.

Okay, for starters, I am bisexual and all my OTPs consist of (1) dude who has basically the same personality as me but I would like to bone and (1) lady who is the sort of person I wish I was, whom I would also like to bone. The dude in a Polynya OTP is generally a member of some sort of strict order (cop, Jedi, shinigami) that he is deeply devoted to. He is super good at his job and works his ass off, but he is always the loyal lieutenant, never the main character and accepts this as his lot in life. He is neurotic. He drinks a lot of coffee, or whatever the appropriate fantasy equivalent is. The lady Goes Hard. She is tough as balls. She usually has a lot of political power and is very smart and will cut a bitch. Her aesthetic is off the chain; enormous, bizarre dresses a plus. I think you can see where I am going with this. Also, Ewan MacGregor and Natalie Portman are two incredibly good-looking people and amazing actors and they absolutely carried the Phantom Menace, which I saw, like, eight times in theaters.

Here is what would have happened if someone had hired me to write Episodes 2 and 3, which no one did, for some reason. So first off, in Episode 1, Amidala is 14, I think, Anakin is 10, and Obi-Wan is.. Jeez, I dunno. 17 maybe? 30? Who knows? Anyway, watch that movie and try to tell me that there is ~ any chance ~ that Amidala would fall for Anakin, especially when there is this hot apprentice Jedi hanging around having this tragic shit go down, and being stoic and oh, no, I’m getting misty. None of this matters. Amidala is the queen, she has shit to do, no time for dumb boys. Anakin is obviously immediately smitten with her, why wouldn’t he be? Okay, now I need, like, an interim episode 1.5, where Obi-Wan is trying to train Anakin, but he’s bad at it because he’s barely graduated himself and he’s really broken up over Qui-Gon’s death and also he’s an order muppet and Anakin is a chaos muppet, but they manage to work shit out and bond and become Force Bros. In fact, they are much more like brothers than having a traditional Master - Padawan relationship, but they are also absolute monsters at fighting together and even though Obi-Wan is still a wet-sock-rules-follower, Anakin is still very “fuck the police”. Cue episode 2, where they meet up with Amidala again. She’s retired from Queening (the rulership system on Naboo is bananas, srsly wtf) and they all go on an adventure. She is beauty, she is grace, she stabs a dude right in the face. The three of them are an absolute wrecking crew. Anakin is smitten all over again, except that Amidala and Obi-Wan have… all this… chemistry. But Obi-Wan is a rules follower, he knows he’s not supposed to fall in love and also, she’s a Galactic Senator, she’s way above his pay grade, and also, his best friend is in love with her, Obi-Wan Would Never. Amidala would definitely like to hit that, but she respects Obi-Wan’s weird morals and also, she cares a lot about both boys and does not want to mess things up between them. Episode ends with my three kids as Nakama with A Lot of Sexual Tension Floating Around.

Episode 3! Episode 3 is the absolute keystone of the Star Wars nonology (is that a word?) and it has to be stunning and the Episode 3 we got is a pile of cat vomit. Anakin needs to be a character that you love and care for and it absolutely breaks your heart when he goes to the dark side. And Palpatine would achieve this by tapping into Anakin’s tendency to hate the rules which is the one major philosophical difference he has with Obi-Wan, and also planting the seeds of the idea that Obi-Wan and Amidala are in love behind his back. Now, Obi-Wan is getting worried about Anakin, and he turns to Amidala, because he feels like she’s the only one who can get through to him. Sheev (Christ, I cannot get over that his name is Sheev) machinates things so that Anakin catches them “sneaking around behind his back” and the thing is, they haven’t been doing anything aside from trying to help him, except the fact is, they are actually in love and Anakin has basically already known this, and he has also always known that in some ways, he is the one who has stood in the way of his best friends being together and also he has a lot of Trauma and our boy loses his shit and takes a one-way trip to the Dark Side. I honestly never worked out what happened after that, but ngl, I feel like “hey, Luke, Vader wasn’t actually your dad after all” would have been a pretty amazing plot twist for Ep 5.

Is this the fanfiction I wrote? No. It is not. My sis and I had a series of stories where Anakin was having trouble fitting in at the Temple, and Obi-Wan gets special permission to take him off to some backwater planet to train him by themselves. It was basically a bunch of Obi-Wan is A Shitty Single Dad stories, featuring such gems as Anakin Joins a Boy Scout Troop and They Go Camping (Obi-Wan throws one of the other dads’ cell phones in a lake?) and Anakin Tries to Surreptitiously Pod-Race Without Obi-Wan Finding Out and oh God, there was one where they had to go back to the Temple for some sort of Padawan Talent Show featuring all of Obi-Wan’s friends who are now grown up and have their own apprentices? Eventually, we get to my masterpiece, where Amidala sends some letters to Obi-Wan and Anakin, and Anakin misinterprets something she says and thinks she’s gotten roped into an Arranged Marriage and feeling that Obi-Wan would not take this seriously enough, runs away to go save her. Obi-Wan, who is so, so tired, has to chase after him, and shortly after he gets to Naboo, Amidala actually does get roped into a political marriage with this absolute buffoon who was vaguely based on Kuno Tatewaki from Ranma ½. Hilarity, as one might expect, ensues. But, wait! There’s more! Close to the end of the story, Anakin has to run off and get the dude’s parents who have not at all approved this marriage and he tells Obi-Wan he has to stall the wedding. Obi-Wan blows this super hard by declaring, in a long, rambling fashion, that Amidala can’t marry this other guy, because he, Obi-Wan is in love with her. I then wrote a sequel, where this awful prince tries to get married to someone else. All these rich, royal people think that Amidala and Obi-Wan are together (and that they are super cute) so they decide they have to have a loud public break-up, except that someone straight-up gets murdered and then they have to solve the murder mystery and the whole time Anakin is wandering around going “can you guys please break up already?” Anyway, the bride turned out to be involved in the murder, so, once again, this bonehead prince has failed to get married, although somewhere along the line, he fell in love with one of Amidala’s handmaidens (I should note, the handmaidens in these stories are major characters and utter agents of chaos). Anyway, I got halfway through the third story in this series as well, where the prince and Amidala’s handmaiden get married, and Obi-Wan and Amidala try once again to break up and then are like “What if we… didn’t?” and I never finished it. I still have it around her somewhere. I am pretty sure all this nonsense is still floating around the internet… somewhere, but it was 19-friggin-99, so it’s got my real (maiden) name on it ::face palm:: so I’m not posting a link. If you deeply feel the need to read any of this nonsense (and I tell you, you do not), DM me.

The moral of this story is that I am still writing the same gonzo comedy-of-errors stories I wrote when I was eighteen, when I get around to re-writing WDKALY, you jerks are in for it.

#asks #my ideas are good #obidala #obi-wan kenobi #padme amidala #my sordid past

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fialleril · 6 years ago

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Anakin & Padmé ice skating AU: Padmé chalks it up as a major win every time Anakin goes out on the ice in anything that isn't just deep, solid black. They're a media darling for being as madly in love on ice as off. Who's their coach, though? I'm coming up with nothing but EXTREMELY CRACK ideas xD

Nah, I feel like Anakin constantly in black while Padme wears an ever expanding line of haute couture dance costumes would be their signature Look, tbh. Ice dance is all about drama and contrasts, so they’d make a pretty striking pair.

As for coaches: the obvious non-cracky answer would be Palpatine, but to hell with that, this is a happy fun goofy AU so Creepatine can gtfo.

Instead, consider this: their coach is the legendary Jocasta Nu, formerly one half of the most celebrated pair in ice dance history. (Her partner was Yan Dooku, of course). Jocasta’s been working with Padme for several years now, and she coached her through her first Olympics, when Padme was paired with Obi-Wan. They won the gold, and Obi-Wan decided to retire from the sport while he was on top and pursue a calling to the priesthood. (It’s apparently something he’s been thinking about for a long time, Padme is surprised to find out.)

Coach Jocasta flat out forbid Padme from quitting the sport. Even if Obi-Wan was intent on wasting his life (her words), she wasn’t about to let a talent like Padme’s go. So they did a search for a new partner for Padme and ended up with Anakin, who was several years younger than her and pretty new to the sport, but Jocasta saw a promising talent there and a chance to train a team that could really shine.

Anakin’s a little bit unconventional: he wants them to do more routines that aren’t romantic, because he says the sport has become too limited in its storytelling and he wants to push that. Padme, who spent several years being annoyed by endless rumors that she and Obi-Wan were a couple simply because they had good chemistry on the ice, is intrigued and game to try something a little different. Jocasta eyes them both with just a hint of a smirk and tells them they have a week to put together a routine that demonstrates passion and emotion without being romantic. If they can convince her, then she’ll work further with them on this.

So Padme and Anakin spend a week plotting out a routine that tells the story of Moses and Miriam, set to music from the Prince of Egypt. They’re not entirely satisfied with it when the time comes for their demonstration, but it’s enough to show Jocasta that there’s something to work with here. She evidently agrees, and they end up refining the routine and using it in their first season of competition.

So maybe it’s a little bit ironic, Padme thinks, that after all the interviews they give about how ice dance can express the full range of human experience, how it’s not all romantic and shouldn’t be, she actually does end up dating Anakin. Obi-Wan teases them both about it: it turns out he knows Anakin from, of all places, a Big Brothers Big Sisters program when Anakin was a kid. Obi-Wan was Anakin’s Big Brother (although, Anakin confesses to Padme, he always kind of saw Obi-Wan as a father figure, and he’s gleefully looking forward to Obi-Wan’s ordination so that he can address him as “Father” and Obi-Wan won’t even be able to complain.) Padme pretends to be mad about Obi-Wan’s teasing and jokes that Obi-Wan is just living vicariously through them.

Jocasta finds out they’re dating and is just like, “As long as it’s an inspiration and not a distraction on the ice, I don’t actually care.” (Also she may or may not whisper a congratulations under her breath, but if so she will never admit it.)

Eventually they go to the Olympics and win gold, Padme for the second time, and then Anakin proposes to her right there on the ice because he is a giant nerd, and in a further twist of irony the sports media is all very surprised by this because, after half a decade of speculating that Padme and Obi-Wan were dating, and being proven wrong, they somehow never suspected this?

They get married in a pretty small ceremony in Padme’s hometown. The guests are an eclectic mix of family, friends, and various ice dance personalities. Jocasta brings Yan Dooku as her plus one, which ends up being almost bigger news than the wedding itself, since he’s been kind of a recluse for years, only making rare appearances mostly to troll the media (and, on one occasion, to drop a metal album).

Padme and Anakin write their own ketubah and Shmi officiates the marriage. Obi-Wan gets a little tipsy at the reception and makes a weepy speech about his dance partner Padme and his little brother Anakin and how he’s so proud of both of them but he’s not ever gonna babysit, just so they know. Also he somehow got his hands on their gold medals and insists that they wear them for the rest of the party. Before the night gets too old Anakin calls him an Uber and absolutely delights in saying, “Go home, Father, you’re drunk.” At one point Jocasta drags Yan out on the dance floor to prove that they’ve still got it. They do, and most of the guests are suitably impressed and perhaps a little intimidated.

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vanimy · 6 years ago

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What a clusterfuck

Coming out of my self imposed exile because I had to get this off my chest. Beware. Rant ahead. Spoilers abound. You’ve been warned.

Forget how I met your mother. Game of thrones takes the cake for Worst. Ending. Ever.

I’m cackling at how everything was basically spoiled for weeks. I was hoping against hope the spoilers were deceiving, that maybe they shot several endings or there would be a last minute twist in the finale. At this point I would’ve rejoiced at Jon and Dany becoming Night King and Queen.

But nope... the leaks were all true.

And I can’t even.

I’m not even going to talk about the previous episode which was full of stupid clichés and featured a complete 180 for Daenerys, or the gigantic plot holes (like Drogon not even attacking anyone after his mother got killed) or the fact that Bran of all people is on the throne at the end.

I’m going to focus on Jon and Dany because THIS is the hardest pill to swallow and one of the worst pieces of writing I’ve ever seen.

I’ll start by saying that unlike other people I wasn’t opposed to angsty endings or tragic endings per se. I mean, Hamlet is my favorite Shakespeare play, I love Greek tragedies and I could go on and on.

Heck, my OTP is Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and Padmé Amidala and the guy choked his wife in their last scene together so...

I’ll also mention I’m not opposed to powerful women being corrupted by power either. Heck I wrote an entire AU Star Wars fic with the woman in my OTP becoming a dark Empress.

But you know what’s the difference here?

Everything I just wrote about before, yep even my stupid little AU fic made for free in one corner of the Internet, MADE FUCKING SENSE.

Everything was written to get to those points. Darth Vader’s downfall had been a long time coming, it was the whole damn point of the prequels in the first place and the older trilogy was about to give him a redemption arc. So when Anakin snapped and harmed the love of his life, the woman he had been doing everything for in the first place, it didn’t feel wrong. It hurt but it was logical, it MADE SENSE. Watching the guy I was rooting for become evil felt horrible but I actually empathized with both sides, the good guy who wanted to bring him down because he’d gone off the rails and the good guy turned bad guy.

And you know why I still empathized with the good guy turned bad guy? Because he still felt REAL. He cried after killing people, he showed remorse, he screamed in agony when he’d thought he’d killed his wife. He had a redemption arc later on.

Here, NOTHING made sense. Daenerys’ fall wasn’t a long time coming contrary to what the writers want us to believe retroactively, especially in a world where EVERYONE has killed and executed left and right. There was NO sign of madness before the last two episodes. NONE.

Am I suddenly supposed to believe that Daenerys, who lived through tons of horrible things, who remained compassionate, who sacrificed her dragons and her people for a cause she believed in, who cried when Jon Snow deemed her his Queen, hoping she deserved it, whose good heart was what made Jon Snow fall for her, who was praised by Davos just in the premiere of this very season was a villain all along??

There was no reason for her to burn King’s Landing. No inner conflict was shown. Nothing. By then you could see Dany had ceased to be a full fledged character, she was written entirely from an outsider’s POV. She becomes mad because Jon rejects her (why BTW, we never get inside his head but that’s for later). And then after she snaps, there’s absolutely no remorse from Dany. We never get to witness remorse or sadness or conflict. Which goes to show how much this is badly written. Because you could get the exact same result but it would’ve been slightly better if only they showed Dany as a regular human being instead of an EVIL!QUEEN.

And how about Jon? Am I supposed to believe that Jon Snow, HONORABLE Jon Snow, who never could harm the chick he barely knew when he was with the Wildlings, could suddenly kill the woman he loved all in the space of literally two minutes ? His family? While she’s open to him and trusts him? While he kisses her?

KILLING HER THE EXACT SAME WAY HE WAS KILLED HIMSELF? BETRAYING HER IN THE EXACT SAME WAY HE WAS BETRAYED?

Again, they could’ve written a scene with Jon killing her after IDK, telling her he couldn’t stay with her after what she’d done, Dany going crazy, him defending himself or having to kill her because she was literally killing Arya or Bran or whomever? It could’ve been written in a way that stayed true to the characters. Not that I would’ve loved it but it would’ve made a little more sense.

See where I’m getting at?

Shit writing.

This show is so full of misogyny I can’t even. My sister is all like “but see Sansa’s Queen in the North so they can’t be misogynistic” and I want to rip my hair out. I’m so MAD. This show has been called out on its misogyny countless times from the very beginning (one of the reasons I wasn’t watching in the first place) for glorifying rape. Here we have two main female characters being BOTH mad queens. The end features a male king and a council full of white men. Dany becomes EVIL with no self awareness, no redemption, nothing. Because her character doesn’t matter in the end. When I wrote my AU fic with my female character going dark, it wasn’t just about the man (it triggered in part his own redemption but that wasn’t the whole point), my character didn’t stop being a character because she was going dark, she had feelings still, agency, self awareness and then a redemption arc. Where is it for Dany? Heck, I disliked the way the X men movies depicted Jean Grey and Wolverine’s relationship and how they destroyed Jean in the X3 movie but AT LEAST she had a little agency when she died, she was given 2 seconds to beg for her death, 2 seconds for us to know she knew how far she’d fallen. Dany didn’t get to have that. She got nothing. After 8 fucking seasons. She got nothing. Only Jon and Tyrion are considered tragic heroes who had to do what needed to be done. She ceased to be a human being. She died in the first 30 minutes of the finale and didn’t even get a funeral. How can you not see this as misogynistic? How?

I’m going to talk about Jon Snow now. Because sure Dany got dirty but Jon sure did too despite what some fans might think. He was given literally NOTHING to do all season long, the whole twist of the whole saga with him being a secret Targaryen didn’t amount to anything, he wasn’t even given ONE scene to reflect on what it meant to him to be a Targaryen or the fact Ned wasn’t his father, HIS story conclusion, the Night King saga, was given to Arya, he came off as weak all season with two recycled lines of dialogue, he had no moment of bad assery in battle, he was made a fool in the end since everyone and their dog were telling him Dany was eviiil and he didn’t believe them and he was wrong. He killed Dany in a cowardly way, betraying her and his oath, doing a 180 in the space of two minutes. He ends up being exiled going back to where he started. He was done dirty too. They betrayed everything about Jon. His loyalty, his need to do the right thing, the love he supposedly had for Dany. Everything.

What I thought was constructed writing wasn’t there either. And that’s also a bitter pill to swallow. What was the point of foreshadowing a wedding between Jon and Dany the whole of season 7 and the premiere of this season? What was the point of foreshadowing a child? What was the point of bringing fire and ice together? Of the prince who was promised prophecy? What was the point of Jon (Jon who used to be the moral compass the same way Ned was) defending Dany constantly throughout the season?

WHAT WAS THE POINT OF NED STARK DOING LITERALLY EVERYTHING HE DID? Like hiding Jon and defending Dany against Robert Baratheon ?

Was the moral of the story “Robert Baratheon was fucking right all along”?

WHAT WAS THE POINT OF JON BEING A TARGARYEN?

Remove that and you could’ve basically had the same fucking story. Jon could’ve rejected Dany because she was becoming cray-cray or because he couldn’t marry her or whatever. If he’d stayed a Snow it wouldn’t have changed anything.

The only good thing I can see after this shitfest is how much I don’t regret never bothering watching the earlier seasons and removing myself a little from GOT before season 8 came out. Oh and the enraged reactions all over the world. That too.

I’m still mad though. I can’t even picture what some of you might be going through after 8 seasons. I’m sorry for you guys who spent years watching this shitshow. *hugs*

#jonerys #got #got finale #jon snow #daenerys targaryen #bad writing #my tv shows reviews

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swshadowcouncil · 6 years ago

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“Predictable” Is Not A Four-Letter Word

Well, looks like it’s that time again. That’s right: it’s time to talk about our good friend, Subverted Expectations™.(WARNING: Game of Thrones spoilers below the jump)

Hey, who’s super excited for the upcoming Benioff and Weiss Star Wars trilogy now?

I’m alluding, of course, to the latest episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones, in which, after an 8-season-long journey learning to own her own power, master her fate, lead armies, free slaves, and reclaim her family’s place on the Iron Throne, Daenerys Targaryen evidently got just a wee bit too much girl power and decided to become…bad? I guess? Boy, who could have foretold such a stunning subversion of expectations?

(I mean, a woman gaining power, being gradually resented by the men around her for her ascent, and eventually being viewed as a megalomaniacal villainess who needs to be taken down a peg is kind of the opposite of a subversion, it’s actually pretty much what happens to most women in power, fictional, or non-fictional, but I digress)

Fan response, needless to say, has been…mixed. Generally, folks seem to be unhappy with this course of events, given that, aside from some allusions to “Targaryen Madness” throughout the series, the buildup to Dany’s heel turn has been widely seen as rushed and somewhat arbitrary. True, she’s suffered a lot in the past few episodes, but the series has also put quite a lot of effort into making Dany a sympathetic character. Complicated, yes, and flawed, as most GoT protagonists are, but still heroic and generally good. Even as a conqueror, she holds her armies to a code of conduct, shows sympathy to the downtrodden, and overall seems to want to be a good, ethical ruler even after she’s taken the Iron Throne. So, uh….what gives?

Those of us who were Star Wars fans during the release and aftermath of The Last Jedi will recognize this feeling all too well. And, much like with TLJ, the backlash itself spawned a backlash. “Actually,” declared the internet masses, “It’s good that Rian Johnson subverted our expectations. To follow through on what Abrams set up would have been obvious and boring. The whole point of storytelling is to be unexpected!” But if this is the case, why did so many people walk away from TLJ, or this past episode of GoT, feeling so unsatisfied? And why, for god’s sake, do we find ourselves constantly having this argument any time a new piece of media comes to an end?

The internet certainly provides many examples of the attitude that objection to an incongruous shock ending is somehow weak, entitled, emotional, and juvenile. There’s a sense that true fans of a franchise are tough enough to absorb an unsatisfying ending, that they actually find satisfaction from the dissatisfaction, and that to want an ending that ties up loose ends and closes character arcs (dare I say, even happily, at times) is to want one’s hand held, or to be incapable of handling nuance or bittersweetness. “Life isn’t always happy!” the internet masses cry. “Life doesn’t always make sense! Life is disappointing too! Deal with it!” But stories aren’t vegetables we’re supposed to choke down before we can leave the dinner table. The purpose of storytelling, for adults, at least, is not just to condescendingly remind the viewer that bad things happen sometimes, and force them to suck it up. Which, of course, isn’t to say that all endings have to be neat and happy, either–there are stories with dark endings that are deeply satisfying (Breaking Bad) and ones with happy endings that are deeply unsatisfying (How I Met Your Mother). There are even stories with subtle, unclear endings that still feel logical and satisfying to many viewers, albeit not all. The ending of The Sopranos, for instance was famously controversial for its ambiguity, but even this ending was tied to themes and concepts planted earlier in the series, and several perfectly cogent arguments have been written to explain this quite persuasively.

But what satisfying endings tend to have in common, that unsatisfying ones don’t, is a feeling of appropriateness and completeness. Most fans who hated the finale of How I Met Your Mother did so not because they resented that it was “happy,” but because they felt it was a 180-degree turn from the arcs of all the characters and storylines up until the last few minutes of the last episode. Conversely, people didn’t love Breaking Bad’s ending because it was “difficult” or “dark,” they loved it because it was a believable, complete, fitting ending to the story that had come before (funny enough, I would wager that more people guessed the ending of Breaking Bad than guessed the ending of How I Met Your Mother, though that’s neither here nor there). But in the current cultural environment, a person can gain quite a bit of attention for boasting that unlike those blubbering fake fans, they LIKED that this ending didn’t conclude the arcs that had built for years, didn’t pick up dropped plot threads, didn’t allow protagonists to learn anything or achieve their goals, and so on and so forth. That they, by virtue of some unspecified quality, didn’t NEED an ending like that in order to enjoy what they were watching. Do I believe people who say this? Well, maybe. Human opinions are varied, and I don’t allege some conspiracy where everyone secretly hates the same things I hate. Nonetheless, I often find a degree of disingenuousness in these statements. A good ending can be obvious, unexpected, happy, sad, or even ambiguous–but more often than not, what makes it good is that it is satisfying. And loving an ending because it is unsatisfying, because it gives the audience nothing it wants, runs counter to this instinct, like it or not.

To use one example of a satisfying ending (albeit not a true ending, since it comes in the middle installment of a trilogy), Darth Vader’s revelation that he is Luke Skywalker’s father has gone down as one of the greatest plot twists in cinema history. Indeed, if you didn’t know that a mystery like this was building, you’d never think to put the pieces together–the ominous references to Luke having “too much of his father in him” or having “much anger…like his father,” the Chekhov’s gun of Anakin’s murder that goes unaddressed throughout A New Hope, and so on. But this twist is somewhat unique in that much of the buildup to it was done retroactively. During the writing of A New Hope, there was no plan for Vader to be Luke’s father–instead, the decision was the result of looking back at what the story had built, and following it to a coherent, unexpected, yet somehow totally natural conclusion that set up compelling stakes for the subsequent chapter. That is why the Vader twist works–it wasn’t chosen purely so the audience couldn’t guess the ending of the film, it was chosen because that was a compelling direction for the story to go, because it complicated and heightened the stakes, and because it deepened the existing text through unexpected means. In other words, arguably the greatest movie twist in history wasn’t great just because it was hard to guess, it was great because of the emotional impact of looking backwards and realizing how well it fit into the framework that was already in place despite the twist being unexpected. The surprise on its own is only a surprise; the surprise filling in the blanks of the story so effectively is what makes it sublime.

So why, then, do we find ourselves sucked into a maelstrom of hot takes every time we say we dislike a shock-value ending? And why does this trend seem to have gotten so much worse in recent years?

Well, it should come as a surprise to nobody that fandom culture to begin with is notorious for the ways in which elitism, gatekeeping, and all-around dick-measuring feature in its social interactions. Anybody who’s spent time in a major fandom has undoubtedly encountered this bizarre form of competitiveness, whether it’s being quizzed by strangers on their knowledge of canon or listening to boasts of “I was into it before it was cool” that would make a Brooklyn vinyl store owner blush. What has changed in recent years is the increased integration of the larger internet into these fandoms, shifting fan discussions from the confines of in-person hangouts or small online chat rooms, into massive public forums such as Tumblr and Reddit. Suddenly, said dick-measuring is not only happening for a far larger audience (including the general public, not just hardcore fans), but likes, reblogs, gold, and upvotes actually give fans a metric by which they can “win” or “lose” these competitions, further incentivizing them as a go-to mode of interaction among fans.

Now, with longform franchises, such as Star Wars, Marvel, and Game of Thrones, this who-is-the-nerdiest-of-them-all dynamic runs headlong into another common form of fan interaction; that is, speculation. When fans of a certain TV show or film series gather together, it’s only logical that one of the main topics of discussion is what they think might happen to their favorite characters next. These two dynamics in conjunction with one another form a fertile breeding ground for the almost gladiatorial style of fan speculation we see in most major forums nowadays. One person theorizes about a certain future plot line and receives a shower of upvotes, likes, favorites, and so on. Another comes back with a biting critique, and is given even more praise. Eventually, what might otherwise be a simple discussion becomes an outright competition, complete with points and ranking systems to keep track of who is “winning.”

This paradigm, in turn, incentivizes a very specific style of speculation. If I begin telling you a story about a girl named Cinderella who lives with her wicked stepmother and two wicked stepsisters, who asks to go to the prince’s ball, and leaves a shoe behind on the steps of the palace, your inevitable prediction that the story will end with a shoe fitting and a royal wedding may be correct, but it’s hardly cause for bragging. Of course you could predict how the story would end, because the ending was obvious. However, if I gave subtle clues in my story that the ending would go a different way, and you were the only one to predict that in this version, Cinderella was actually a vampire the whole time, and the story would end with her turning all the other characters into vampires, you could get praise for your attention to detail and ability to pick up on clues others had missed in this (absolutely bonkers) adaptation of Cinderella. Those of us who have followed the Star Wars online fandom since the release of The Force Awakens will recognize this pattern of behavior, especially in the areas of Snoke’s identity and Rey’s parentage. Though most agreed immediately on the heels of TFA that Rey was heavily implied to be Luke Skywalker’s daughter (or possibly Han and Leia’s), it only took a few weeks for the tide to shift to increasingly fantastical theories. First, the relatively mundane theories that she was a Palpatine or a Kenobi, then the slightly more perplexing suggestions that she was a Lars or Naberrie, and eventually theories that she was an immaculately conceived Force baby, or a clone, or a reincarnation of Padme Amidala.

The simplest explanation for this progression is just that people get bored of talking about obvious theories and want to mix things up with more unusual “what if” scenarios. But it’s hard to ignore the way that the competitive nature of social media fandom fosters this paradigm as well. Like someone betting on horse races, the lower the odds, the higher the reward and the sweeter the victory. Guessing that Rey is Luke Skywalker’s daughter, immediately after The Force Awakens, would be like guessing that the story of Cinderella ends with a wedding–yes, you’re likely right, but so is any schlub off the street who watched the movie once and made an idle guess. However, if you guess that Rey is the reincarnation of Padme Amidala, conceived through the Force, and you’re right, you may well be treated as some sort of prophet. Cue the showers of fake internet points.

I should be clear here–I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to guess the right answer to a mystery, or come up with a particularly clever solution to a problem that nobody else has thought of before. To the contrary, these are very normal human desires, ones that anyone who follows my writing knows that I myself engage in. The problem is, again, that this incentive to up the stakes of speculation with increasingly nonsensical, out-of-left-field proposals, purely to outdo others, makes it so that cohesive storytelling without shock value is stigmatized in fandom discussions. Which, of course, makes it harder to call content out for being unsatisfying without being accused of being childish, unsophisticated, or foolish. And so, we wind up in a self-perpetuating cycle. When we set up a paradigm where guessing the plot of a story is a competition, any predictable, reasonable, ho-hum answer becomes “too easy.” We expect content creators to structure their stories to make our guessing games harder, because after all, what’s the point of consuming media if the sweetness of “victory” is undercut by a simple, obvious answer? And if setting up these unexpected endings comes at the expense of a satisfying story, the response from many fans is “so be it.”

Which brings us to an even more pressing issue: the actual impact this discourse has on media itself. Content creators are praised by this subset of fans for creating endings that viewers didn’t expect, because, as established, this style of writing enriches the “game” that they play with one another in various forums. Consequently, fans begin to assume it is in longform media writers’ best interest to structure stories this way–to build a story that seems as though it will go one way, only to pull a U-turn at the last minute just to ensure nobody guessed the ending. Fan discourse, in other words, is normalizing bait-and-switching as a core pillar of storytelling, rather than one of many techniques writers can use to build a compelling story. And, as more people who came of age in the internet era grow up to become content creators themselves, I fear that this recent spate of shock-value media is going to become more of a trend than an aberration. Much has been said about the internet creating political echo chambers, but so too can it create artistic ones–and without dissenting opinions at the table, those reverberations will only get stronger.

So, am I advocating that people fearlessly defend “predictable” storytelling in its common connotation of “boring” and “unoriginal?” Of course not. But even if a story isn’t predictable, an audience member with a keen eye, a good instinct, and some time and attention, should in theory be able to predict it. It shows that the writer has put thought into foreshadowing, thematic congruence, consistency of character and motivation, and overall cohesion. Great, surprising endings are not created by building false decoys of these things. Instead, they’re created by rendering them subtly, slipping them in under the audience’s nose so they’re not aware of a surprise building; or sprinkling in deceptively contradicting information so the audience has to struggle to reconcile these conflicts in their minds. To expand upon a metaphor from our own HypersonicHarpist, a good storyteller–like a good magician–may disguise what they are doing with sleight of hand and misdirection, but ultimately they don’t stop mid-act, set down the hat and wand, and then pull a rabbit out of a nearby air duct vent instead. Put quite simply, we are hard-wired to want stories that leave us feeling satisfied. And the beauty is, we all have different ideas of what that looks like–that’s where good, productive discussion comes in.

But when we let disingenuous, performative internet groupthink make us doubt our instincts that something is amiss, for fear of appearing uncultured or childish, we do ourselves and our media a disservice. Bad-faith criticisms of “predictable” story arcs have poisoned fan discourse to the point where even genuine appreciation for certain shocking endings are drowned out in the cacophony of hot takes. And until more people begin to honestly admit it when they don’t see the Emperor’s new clothes, discussions on media will remain that way. As fans in the age of the internet, we have unprecedented voice and access to content creators, and more tools at our disposal to create content ourselves than any generation before us. Now more than ever, the way we talk about media guides media. It’s up to each of us to make sure we have a voice in that conversation.

#daenerys #daenerys targaryen #gameofthrones #jaime lannister #got #got spoilers #tros #star wars tros #subversion #longread #analysis

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jaskiersbeloved · 3 years ago

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7 - Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I'm going to strangle every single one of you

go to a wedding with, go to a party with, go to a museum with

I'd go to the wedding with Anakin, plot twist it's his wedding with Padme lol so I'd be thirdwheeling or marrying Padme instead of him xd

Party with Ahsoka because yes, yes and also yes ✌️

And museum with Obi Wan because he'd know more than me, so it would be actually worthwhile xd

Send me three names and one number

#sonia answers questions #ask game #wika tag #wikluk #💜

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calyssmarviss · 8 years ago

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Calyss Watches the Clone Wars -29

Hello, fancy meeting you here *wiggle eyebrows* .

So anyway, tonight I’m watching 02x04 - Senate Spy (32CO) and this title let me think that there is good stuff ahead.

"The Jedi council suspects that Senator Rush Clovis is secretly taking part in a separatist conspiracy."

Rush Clovis? Isn't he Padmé's ex or something?

"But to find out what the Senator from Scipio is up to, the council will need a spy of its own. Meanwhile, Jedi Anakin Skywalker has been away from Coruscant on a lengthy tour of duty leading the clone army."

Intro Dude knows waaay to much:

"Now Anakin returns for a long-awaited reunion with his wife, Padmé Amidala."

IT WAS A SECRETE WEDDING DAMMIT!

Hey wait!

See those subtitles? Well they’re probably the best translation possible for that sentence. But the meaning isn’t exactly the same. At least I don’t think so. If I only had the subtitles and had to guess what was the original version I would say "A faithful heart should never be doubted.” When I read "true heart", do you know what I think about? I think about a hero. "Only the true of heart can do this". I think of a personality as a whole. But this translation and the 40 seconds that follow and that maybe wrong memory I have of having read on Wookipedia that Clovis and Padmé used to date (or something) make me think that Anakin will suspect Padmé is cheating on him and she's gonna be like "dude I've got the truest heart in the Galaxy how dare you doubt me?!"

Okay he actually said “I brought dinner” but we can see Padmé’s ribcage so whatever they plan to eat, girl probably needs pizza more than anything else.

Anakin: "I had to hitch a ride on a cargo freighter." Padmé: "What happened to your military transport?" Anakin: "It blew up."

Has anyone ever counted how many of the ships Anakin was in (or about to go in) did blow up? Should I start counting? I think I’m gonna do that and come back later to the episodes I’ve already seen.

Ow they’re cute.

Meanwhile Obi-Wan:

“HE’S NOT ANSWERING MY TEXTS!!!”

Plot twist:

Obi-Wan will suspect Anakin is cheating on him and he's gonna be like "dude I've got the truest heart in the Galaxy how dare you doubt me?!"

Lmao Anakin saying to Padmé that duty comes first. Wasn’t he the one to tell her “screw duty let’s marry”?

Windu: "We chose Senator Amidala because she and Clovis entered the Senate in the same year. They served on the same committees. They were good friends." Anakin: "I didn't know that." Obi-Wan:

Yoda: "Personal matters for the Senator, these are. Know them, why would you?"

Anakin is so bad at the whole secrete relationship thing, no wonder even Intro Dude knows about it.

She’s still pissed he had to go to the Council after ignoring them for super long??? You gotta chill girl you are in a secrete relationship with the Chosen One you are at war and dude’s got responsibilities god dammit.

I’m... Confused. By this conversation:

Padmé: I don't want to spy on a colleague and an old friend. Anakin: "Old friend". How well do you know Clovis? Padmé: Why does that matter? That was before we were together. Anakin: I am just trying to get a sense of who this guy is. I'll need to brief whoever does end up spying on him. Padmé: I thought you were here to talk me into becoming an agent for the Jedi. Anakin: That is not a job for you. I don't agree with the council on this. If Clovis is involved in a separatist conspiracy the last place you should be is anywhere near him. Padmé: Clovis is conspiring with the Separatists? Yoda didn't tell me that. I can't believe Clovis would do that. This is terrible.I never expected that from him. Someone has to find out the truth. Anakin: Someone does. Just not you. Padmé: Why not me? Anakin: Because it's going to be dangerous. Whoever takes this mission will be putting their life at risk. Padmé: I've been in many tough situations before. It never seemed to bother you. I never stopped you from facing danger. You're constantly getting shot at. Anakin: I've been trained for that. It's very different from spying on a traitor. Padmé: You mean I can't handle the mission. Anakin: I mean I'm not gonna let you do it. Padmé: You're not going to let me? It's not your decision to make. It's mine. Anakin: Lucky for us, you've already decided to refuse. Padmé: Actually, I just changed my mind. You've convinced me that it's vital to learn what Clovis is doing. I accept the mission to spy on him. Anakin: Even though I'm telling you not to? Padmé: Don't take it personally, Anakin. Duty comes first, especially in wartime.

I thought at first he was trying to get her to agree but he really doesn’t seem happy about it by the end? I mean he’s just antagonizing her by saying she can’t handle it and telling her what to (not) do. And maybe he’s jealous and worried but he also knows her? He knows she probably is really the best suited for the job and she dislike being ordered around. So really it would have made sense if it was to convince her to accept but then he does this face:

And it seems that he’s really in an assholish jealous controlling mood? (aka RotS!Anakin) Because if he had had what he wanted (even if that means his wife is gonna be in prolonged contact with that dude) he would have just rolled his eyes at her using his words about him and would have gone his merry way like, “mission accomplish, see you when you're in a better mood”.

Moving on.

I know the Masters on the Councils have their designated chair but that is a bit ridiculous.

So he is her ex!

This is kinda funny to watch when you have shipper goggles on because Obi-Wan's like "Good. The closer you can get to him, the better," (Actually, not "like". Those are his exact words.) and I automatically translate it to: “Good. Go back to your ex.”

Plot twist:

R2-D2 will suspect C3-PO is cheating on him (with this droid in pink) and he's gonna be like "dude I've got the truest heart in the Galaxy how dare you doubt me?!"

Padmé: "It's been good to see you again, Clovis. I didn't realize how lonely I was until tonight."

THIS IS NOT WHAT I CALL “REKINDLING A FRIENDSHIP” PADME THIS IS STRAIGHT UP FLIRTING.

And I know, I know, she has to get close to him but goddamm did she ever heard about subtlety? Do I have to once again breach the barriers of reality to go teach the art of keeping men at arms length to Padmé Amidala? (I’m not particularly proud of it but it’s something I did a few time because... I’m not a good person? I suppose? And, really, it’s not that complicated?) If she doesn’t want him to make a move on her too soon she’s got to make him doubt. If he’s too sure of himself and does make a move she’s gonna have to reject him (because she won’t really cheat on Anakin, even for the mission). And if she rejects him, this is over.

After all this was a terrible idea. She’s gonna fuck up, because her only experiences are with that guy and Anakin and we all know how it went down with Anakin.

OH. MY. GODS. THIS IS HILARIOUS.

ANAKIN UNDER COVER AND SUPER JEALOUS WHY FUCKWIT SENATOR KISSES HIS WIFE ON THE CHEEKS IN SLOW MO AND “ALLOW ME MY LADY” AND “NO FUCKING WAY YOU’RE SITTING NEXT TO HER” AND SHE LOOKS HALF PISSED HALF PLEASED.

WHAT DID I SAID PADME IT WOULDN’T ALREADY BE A PROBLEM IF YOU HAD BEEN A BIT COLDER.

Also how many time has passed since the beginning of the episode? She’s still wearing the same clothes. I thought she had unlimited wardrobe or something?

Clovis: “Now let me take you back to your room so you can get dressed for dinner.”

See? Even him think you should change.

But she could have chosen something a bit more credible than that gravity defying dress:

Sceds above, his password is “Padmé”. Creep alert on!

Why is C3-PO so self centered?

So actually she didn’t really fucked up because she passed out before she could but one minute more and she would either had made out with him or hit him.

And apparently Anakin “never” doubted her but the fact that she thought he would tells a lot about their relationship.

Wow I thought it would be politics and spy stuff but it was actually just about Anakin and Padmé and the question of trust in a couple. What a fucking misleading title.

Prev/Next

#anakin skywalker #anidala #because i'm trash #c3po #calyss watches the clone wars #dubious dubbing #mace windu #master yoda #obi wan kenobi #obikin #rush clovis #star wars #the clone wars #vo vs vf #walking boxes #padmé amidala

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rockerchicktravellinwidthedoctor · 7 years ago

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Hang on tight y'all, this is gonna be a big ass explanation-

The reason Joffrey's so hated is because he's a spoilt little shit who was given the kinda powers no spoilt little shit should ever have- if you've seen HP, Joffrey is like Dudley (Harry's cousin) if Dudley were to suddenly become the king of England and order Tom Hiddleston's death (closest guy to Ned Stark I could think of in England idk) So yeah, on a scale from Anakin to Kylo this mf is a Dudley...

Secondly, Red Wedding as explained was a plot twist of EPIC proportions (NGL I was literally screaming at my laptop by the end) I think that's the point where everyone realized that no one on this goddamn show is really safe...

Houses are basically the REALLY influential and rich families... GoT is basically a medieval fantasy but with dragons and ice zombies, and Houses were a pretty real thing back in the day. It's also the reason for the weird ass names (a lot of them are actual names from way back in ye olde days)

Okay Winter is coming. Not a metaphor or anything, just that in their world seasons last YEARS, so winters last for literal years and they are so cold that even kings die of cold and/or starvation same as everyone else. And also the people who say Winter is Coming are from the North where it's like perpetually cold so go figure...

And yes there's a lot of blood and gore (like I said medieval high fantasy) but the sex part is just the creators being huge perverts (literally why are there so many unnecessary rape scenes in there?) Sex isn't ALL that present in the books and the female characters are all quite well written but poorly represented on screen.. but that's a whole different rant.

things ive learned about joffery baratheon

I have never watched a single episode of GoT but I somehow got myself into Joffrey Baratheon imagines tag and this is what I learned abt him and GoT.

• bad guy, I think. No I’m pretty sure everyone wanted him dead.

• he’s dead right?

• i think there’s a thing called houses. Idk what that means but its a thing.

• the red wedding is huge deal. even i heard of it and idk wtf everyone was talking about.

• can someone tell me why its so important? i dont get it. pls.

• jon snow is popular amongst yall. idk what he does in the show tho.

• joffrey is hella cute tho. (ik, pls dont kill me)

• everything in this show is intense.

• very obscure names but hey, yall get it and i aint judging.

• a lot of blood, gore and nudity i think.

• theres a lot of names like majesty, king/queen, your grace, etc being used.

• a lot of sex i think

• WINTER IS COMING. whatever that fucking means. i live in wisconsin so i know winters are brutal if thats what its implying.

• someone also explain that to me. thanks.

• idk, i just think that king joffrey hella attractive.

• on a forgiving scale to forgive joffrey for whatever the hell he did to make yall hate him. is it a anakin situation where we can all forgive him for what he did or is it a kylo ren killin han situation where he can never be forgiven??

• im just tryin to understand!!!

Thats all I got. Idk wtf GoT is about and I hope I didn’t offend any of yall.

#Anyways I hope I helped and if there's anything else you wanna know just hmu

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spidrmanz · 8 years ago

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for the ask game, star wars!

an anon also asked this so for u as well anon!

Top 5 favourite characters: anakin, luke, bodhi, obi-wan and finn!Other characters you like: han, leia, chewie, poe, cassian, all of rogue oneLeast favourite character: lmao kyle ronOtps: anakin/padme, obi-wan/anakin (sorta idk), finn/rey, finn/poeNotps: idk luke/leia? r/yloFavourite friendship: anakin/obi-wan and luke/leia byeFavourite family: the skywalkers?Favourite episode: 5 or 3Favourite season/book/movie: 5 or 3Favourite quote: oh man idk i dont have one Moment that made you fangirl/boy the hardest: everytime anakin is on screen in RotSWhen it really disappointed you: episode 8Saddest moment: frfjd chirrut dying and baze dyingMost well done character death: anakinFavourite guest star: ??Favourite cast member: fijdsfks how dare u make me choose? carrie fisher or hayden christensen maybeCharacter you wish was still alive: bodhi, han solo, anakin (even tho i love vader)One thing you hope really happens: i hope kyle ron doesnt get a redemption ark and i hope anakin returns as a force ghostMost shocking twist: i’d say luke/leia being related but like i knew they were bc everybody know bc they were all out when i was born so ummmm han dying probablyWhen did you start watching/reading: i watched them all all they way through about two weeks agoTrope you wish they would stop using: i dont really have one hmOne thing this show/book/film does better than others: wtf idk bro hiring attractive villainsFunniest moments: all of hayden’s gag reelsCouple you would like to see: finn/rey or finn/poe!!!!Actor/Actress you want to join the cast: i want hayden to come back but itd be cool to see somebody like gina rodriguez (or me lmao)Most boring plotline: the entire plot of phantom menaceBest flashback/flashfoward if any: is there any?Most layered character: anakin maybeScariest moment: probs anakins gross red/yellow eyes while his LEGS ARE BURNING OFF ON A PLANET COMPOSED OF ENTIRELY LAVAGrossest moment: see aboveBest looking male: ANAKINBest looking female: PADMEWho you’re crushing on (if any): ANAKIN, luke, padme, finn, bodhiMost beautiful scene (scenery/shot wise): probs anakin,padme wedding sceneUnanswered question/continuity issue/plot error that bugs you: the fact that KYLOE REn, a powerful all evil strong experienced former JEDI, fights a former stormtrooper who worked in SANITATION and LOSES.At what point did you fall in love with this show/book: about two weeks ago lmao

#ask tag #ask game answers #parkerpete

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esonetwork · 5 years ago

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A blog of ice and fire: Thoughts on Game of Thrones season 6 (spoilers!)

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/a-blog-of-ice-and-fire-thoughts-on-game-of-thrones-season-6-spoilers/

A blog of ice and fire: Thoughts on Game of Thrones season 6 (spoilers!)

Jon Snow lives!

I feel like I don’t even need to put a spoiler tag on that particular revelation, because the news about this plot twist was hard to escape from back in 2016.

Even though I just started watching Game of Thrones for the first time this year, I was still aware of the feverish speculation amongst fans after season 5 ended. Was Jon Snow really dead? Had Game of Thrones killed off yet another major character, or would there be a happy ending to this cliffhanger?

I would have been really sad if Jon was actually gone, after I’ve already had to bid farewell to a number of my favorite characters on this show, and so thankfully I didn’t have to wait that long to see Jon Snow resurrected.

After the fall of Stannis Baratheon, Melisandre anoints Jon as the new “prince that was promised,” and he begins his quest to take back the Starks’ home of Winterfell from Ramsay Bolton.

Even though I already know quite a few spoilers regarding the final season of Game of Thrones and where Jon Snow is headed, I feel like I can’t really comment on his character arc until I see for myself how it’s executed. It’s interesting to ponder what my thoughts on season 6 would have been if I’d watched it in a vacuum, without already knowing how it would all end.

At this point in the series, I think I would have maybe started rooting for Jon to take the Iron Throne? He definitely has a “Chosen One” feel, and in some ways he reminds me of one of my favorite Star Wars characters, Rey.

Both Rey and Jon come from somewhat painful pasts and deal with feelings of loneliness: i.e., Rey’s parents abandoned her, and Jon is judged for being a bastard. Neither one is hungry for power or wishes to dominate others, and yet the events surrounding them position them to be power players in a large-scale conflict that will determine the fate of their galaxy or homeland.

When I get to the final season of Game of Thrones, will I be disappointed in Jon’s ending? Again, I want to wait to find out how it’s portrayed within the story, because at least right now, I’m also happy with Bran and Sansa coming out as the victors in the game of thrones (hey, it’s still a win for #TeamStark!).

The cost of being a hero

One of the continuing themes with the Stark family is that they try to do what’s right and noble, and yet they aren’t always rewarded in the end. Honestly, Ned Stark is probably the best character to sit on the Iron Throne, yet his moral strength and honor are not enough to save him. Robb would have made another good candidate, yet he too is betrayed. Jon Snow, who I will always count as a member of House Stark, is murdered by his own brothers in the Night’s Watch.

I commented on this in one of my previous Game of Thrones blogs, but I think it’s really important to see characters in fiction who aren’t always rewarded for doing the right thing. I’ll explain what I mean by that. We should do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do, not just to get a reward or to make ourselves look good.

History is full of many people who gave their lives fighting for a noble cause; though they didn’t get to see good triumph over evil before they died, they trusted that their actions still mattered in the course of history. Not everyone who opposed the Nazi regime during WWII lived to see the end of the conflict, but their sacrifices were not in vain. We have to oppose evil and injustice, even if it costs us.

Despite Game of Thrones’ sometimes more pessimistic outlook on the world, even in Westeros good does win out in the end. Case in point: in season 6, karma finally catches up to two of my most hated characters in this show.

Some of the villainous characters in Game of Thrones have little flashes of humanity that make you feel sorry for them. Ramsay Bolton is not one of those characters. He is cruel and nasty, with absolutely no redeeming qualities. And, in the end, his arrogant overconfidence is his downfall.

Despite the odds against him, Jon wins back Winterfell, and Ramsay finally has to face justice from one of the people he hurt the most: Sansa Stark. I couldn’t actually watch the scene where Sansa turns Ramsay’s dogs on him, because of the violence, but it’s definitely the ending Ramsay deserves after using the dogs to hurt others. He might have actually been an even worse person than Joffrey, which is really saying something.

Justice also comes calling for Walder Frey, and Arya puts her shape-shifting skills to good use. I feel like I’ve finally gotten closure now for the red wedding. #TheNorthAlwaysRemembers

Dealing out redemption arcs

I’ve spent a lot of time in these Game of Thrones reaction blogs writing about all the major power players, but there are some side characters who get really meaningful arcs that I’d like to chat about.

I really did not like Theon Greyjoy at first, and I never would have guessed he’d get one of the series’ most meaningful redemption arcs. But I did feel genuine compassion for him after Ramsay Bolton utterly breaks him; it was awful to see how Ramsay hurt him physically and also twisted his mind, making Theon feel like he was a worthless servant trapped in a cycle of fear and hopelessness.

However, seeing Sansa’s suffering is enough to finally empower Theon to take action, and I love how they escape from Winterfell together. The “Theon Greyjoy” who then returns to the Iron Islands is a much humbler, wiser man, and it was great to see how he lent his support to his sister’s bid to become ruler of the Iron Islands. I’m grateful he got a second chance, and he’s actually become one of my favorite characters now.

Another character I’ve really enjoyed is Jorah Mormont. He’s fascinating in that even after Daenerys exiles him, he still keeps coming back and trying to protect her and serve her. He loves her, but he expects nothing from her in return.

In Game of Thrones, we see a lot of selfish characters who are trying to grasp at power and seek how they can satisfy their own desires, regardless of what collateral damage they cause. Jorah’s one of the genuine people who’s actually committed to a cause he believes in. I actually haven’t heard any spoilers about Jorah’s fate at the end of the series, so I’m really curious to see how he’s used in the final two seasons.

Closing thoughts

By now I’ve completely fallen in love with this show, and I’m going to be really sad when I finally finish it and won’t know what to do with my free time anymore. The show just keeps upping the stakes, and I can’t wait to find out how it all plays out.

I haven’t even mentioned yet the shocking ending of season 6, and how Cersei literally blows up a building to get rid of all her rivals. Even though she started the game of thrones at a disadvantage, she’s now fought her way to the very top.

I believe blowing up the Great Sept was her “Anakin Skywalker turns into Darth Vader moment,” and she’s fully crossed over to the dark side now. I already know she won’t win the game of thrones, but she’d not going to make taking back the Iron Throne easy for her enemies.

#Game of Thrones #Jon Snow #review #season 6 #TV

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