#reptiles are the best

[lupucs]

Susie spills the tea... ☕ Or should I say, chalk, moss and apple-scented shampoo?

(Watch with sound 🔊 Music: Kevin MacLeod - Itty Bitty 8 Bit)

[omg-snakes]

[minda0627]

zesty 🐊 & smokey bear ☁️

[critter-creature-or-beast]

Submitted for classification by @metal-requiem

"Ziptie my corn snake?"

[skunkes]

staring at me after i closed up my duffel bag right in front of her eyes

[radicandy]

my mascot Chompy! They wear a party hat to trick people into giving them sweets ❤️ give them candy or they'll bite!!! 🐊

[zzthekaiju]

Best of the Reptiles in Media - 01 - Godzilla (Monsterverse)

I figure that while I'm using this blog, I might as well post my ramblings on a subject dear to my heart: That being the representation of reptiles as characters in media. And not just villainous or vile ones like we're so used to. I'm talking about ones that inspire me. The ones that are legitimately compelling to me. And these posts are an excuse to espouse why.

Plus, it's just fun. You can thank the likes of @tyrantisterror and @bogleech for inspiring me to do these.

So who better to start with than with the lizard who's been an inspiration to me for almost my entire life. That being the one known as Gojira. AKA...Godzilla.

This is the one character in these posts who probably needs no introduction. Ever since his debut in 1954, the walking embodiment of the horrors of nuclear war, among other things, has been nothing less than an icon. This is the beast people think about when they hear "giant monster" or "kaiju". This is truly the King of the Monsters.

My introduction to Godzilla was a children's book called "Godzilla on Monster Island". It was a fun read full of neat monsters living together and teaming up to stop an evil plan. And it left me wanting more. I wanted more stories of these fantastic yet friendly beasts being friends and living together while having fun adventures. Little me was a bit disappointed to find that Godzilla spent more time fighting his fellow kaiju and trashing cities instead.

The truth, as I would find out, was that Godzilla is never just one thing. He is a fun defender of the Earth. He's the terrifying consequences of our tampering with both nature and science. And in recent memory, he's been a lot of other things. But most of the time, he's either hero or mankind's hubris on two legs. To me, he was a giant dinosaur that could fire thermonuclear breath, and that was all that mattered. It was after hearing about the historical significance of him that my respect doubled.

Back then, I would tell you that my favorite Godzilla from a design standpoint was the 2002 version. Personality wise, almost every Showa appearance post-1964.

But in 2014, everything changed. In came a Goji that seemed to have everything I could ask for. So, we're going to look at the one that resonates with me the most. The Monsterverse version.

That right there is perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring entrances I've ever seen in a cinema.

Before the release of Godzilla (2014), the franchise had entered something of a slump period. The last film was all the way back in 2004, and sadly, the kaiju genre was still something of a niche thing growing up. Here in America, you either liked superheroes or real-life celebrities as a kid. If you liked monsters, let alone giant monsters, you were one of the weird kids. That, or one of the kids who never lost their passion for dinosaurs. But those were rare.

Then Gareth Edwards unleashed this film, and while one could argue that Pacific Rim (2013) got the ball rolling, THIS ultimately resurrected the entire franchise of the Big G, and got him a degree of general respect from most film-goers (so long as you ignore the irritating internet drama regarding screen-time back then).

But let's get to the meat of this post. Why is this Godzilla so much better to me than the rest? A few things, really.

First off, there's Godzilla's role in the Monsterverse's narrative. For the most part, he is a guardian of the natural order, a means of bringing balance to imbalance. He is a metaphor for how nature is capable of righting itself, and how we either have to deal with it, or live with the consequences. In practice, Godzilla ends up going up against almost every monster, most of which are only a threat because we awakened them/created them. Yet despite this, he doesn't go out of his way to destroy us. He's not mindlessly destructive or particularly vengeful either. He knows we're a part of the world too. We just tend to grate a bit more on his nerves because of how much we screw up. If there's one thing this series isn't afraid to show, it's that...well, "the arrogance of man is thinking nature is within our control, and not the other way around."

Design-wise, this is one of the best Godzilla's around. He's bulky, has a killer stare, and there's something oddly endearing about how...well, meaty he is. He's like if my aforementioned previous favorite design, the 2002 one, put on both a lot of muscle and weight. It also ties into his fighting style, said to have been inspired particularly by bears. Even the sounds associated with him are amazing. From that hype-inducing charge of his thermonuclear breath to what might be the best rendition of the classic roar.

Then there is the body language. This Godzilla's usual gait is slow, almost plodding at times. He shows clear signs of exhaustion in some scenes. What he goes through is hard, and his job is even harder, but he still does it. It really helps sell his personality most of the time.

Part of why I like the Monsterverse so much is that, for the most part, the kaiju are treated as characters in their own right (that's not to say they weren't in previous iterations, far from it, but it's a bit more pronounced here than most of the post-Showa stuff). Sure, some films in this verse are better about it than others (more on that later...), but I like how you can glean what Godzilla is thinking of just by looking at his eyes. Of particular note is how they widen in "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" when Ghidorah gains the upper hand during the final battle, his absolute sneer of anger in the first movie when the male MUTO approaches him, or...this.

This scene. This one right here encapsulates so much of what I love about this iteration. Where Godzilla, dazed and thoroughly battered by both the fight with the MUTOS and having a building fall right on him, locks eyes with a tiny little soldier. You see a sense of tiredness, of pain, of acknowledgement, and maybe even a little wonder. This is not just some mindless beast fighting for its turf. It's a thinking being. And he's hurt. The most powerful creature on the planet isn't invincible, neither on the outside and definitely not on the inside.

And you know what? I've been there. There are times where I feel like I'm carrying the weight of the world, that there are things too heavy to bear, and its suffocating. Godzilla constantly shows throughout the Monsterverse that his job as a living balancing act is wearing on him. He gets put through so. Much. Crap. From getting buildings dropped on him to being personally dropped from a distance above the clouds to watching his symbiotic partner/mate die, it's almost unfair how we're expected to not really sympathize with him as much as...I'll get to that later.

But he never gives up. Despite all the pain and fatigue, he gets back up, and he fights. And he fights. And he continues until the deed is done. Someone has to rise to the occasion, and it might as well be him. If not him, then who?

That is the biggest reason I resonate with this Godzilla. His awe-inspiring design is one thing, but he gave me the strength to persevere. I don't give up, because he never did. Never before had the Big G been such a hero to me. Such that in 2014 I found myself silently sobbing to myself when it seemed like he was dead near the end even though that was clearly not the case. It's hardly a surprise that I based my personal Godzilla AU on him, albeit with the more sympathetic traits dialed up. Stuff like this made G14 and KOTM some of my favorite kaiju flicks...

...which made it more than a little disappointing when Wingard took the helm and basically said "screw that, this is about the monke now!" Yeah, GvK is the weakest entry in the series for me for a reason. Godzilla's more redeeming qualities are buried under a narrative that clearly is not interested in giving him the time of day or even the benefit of a doubt. Both it and it's successor, GxK, are Kong movies through and through, and that means poor Big G is put out of focus.

I cannot tell you how much I HATE this idea that the only way a monster can be relatable is if it either looks almost just like us or is really cute. Yes, I understand the universal appeal, but they had such a good thing going for Godzilla! And they throw almost all of it away just so that they can make Kong look better by comparison.

Credit where it's due, these issues are slightly improved in GxK. It's not only firmly established that Godzilla is an overall benefit to the world for keeping the other Titans in check, but we get some interesting bits with him like how he instantly responds and prepares to answer the call of the Iwi and help them. It shows that despite his tenuous relationship with humans, there are ones he clearly gives a lot of thought to. And there's also how he makes the Roman Coliseum his own personal bed. Not only is it kind of hilariously adorable, but if you remember how in KOTM he had his own man-made temple, you get the impression that he has a bit of homesickness. That's the kind of thing I like to see! More of that and less "he's only ever angry and he only ever fights, character is for primates only".

Also, while the Evolved design has nice details, I WANT THAT GUT BACK! it just looks weird otherwise with that disproportionately skinny waist.

But thankfully, our prayers might be answered:

With GxK's roaring success (ha!), it's more than likely that the next Monsterverse entry will finally give Godzilla an overdue character arc that doesn't begin and end with "destroy everyone and act big and scary and nothing else". Just please make sure that he doesn't have to die to get that. There are plenty of ways you can make us invest in the guy's story without having to kill him. I WANT to see more of that emotional vulnerability teased across the movies. I want to see him come to terms with how he's been going about his job. And more importantly...I want to see a more explicit Mothzilla scene. A nuzzle and everything. But that's just me.

Whatever the quality of his current status, nothing is taking away how much I love this version of Godzilla. He's taken me out of some very dark places, and for that, I say long live the king.

Also, he brought Mothzilla into the public sphere and every Mothzilla pic made since is the cutest thing ever, so I just love him even more.

[reptile-ruler]

Wow... hugs and kisses... peace and love on planet earth....

[sandelion]

doing some cleaning and campbells was trying to figure out if i had foods Campbells '21 0.1 Albino Eryx colubrinus

[prismaticsaltedink]

She do a lil' wiggle.

Among other silly things.

@theunimpairedcondition @nyobody @red-lyrium-renaissance @schmordy-blog

[omg-snakes]

Reasons I generally don't bother trying to measure corn snakes, Exhibit A

[raverswifts]

syzoth the type of guy to say “me and my girl don’t argue. she tells me to shut up and i do”

[cthulhusstepmom]

Another dichotomy Soap finds is just how jarring it is to wake up from the best sleep he's ever had in the arms of the man he's been obsessed with since they'd first collided. He doesn't slip out while Ghost is still asleep but it's an embarrassingly near thing, largely stopped by the tight grip his Lt has around his middle. He doesn't register drifting back to sleep but the next time he wakes a heavy hand is jerkily stroking through his hair in absentminded movements. It's the best thing he's ever felt. He doesn't want it to end, especially considering the talk that would follow it, awkward at best and soul crushing at worst. Soap doesn't want to lose this, not when he'd just barely got it.

He can't remember what he'd tried to say, something stupid he's certain, but before the first syllable is even out of his mouth Ghost drops the hand from his hair, he doesn't even have time to be disappointed before the same hand is cupping his jaw and the rough pad of a calloused thumb is passing gently over his lips. Soap feels more than hears the quiet, content sigh from behind him. Normally he would rail against being hushed, he's grown goddamn man for gods sakes, but all he can bring forth is an answering sigh as he feels the tension leave his shoulders. Soap doesn't remember falling asleep again but when he wakes up, the bed next to him is empty and he feels a bolt of cold dread before he hears the quiet sounds of a rain shower from the attached bathroom. At his feet on the bed are two sets of clothes. He doesn't feel much like showering, unless it would be with Ghost and that idea appeals to him all too much, so he simply forces himself up. Both of the offerings are Ghost's clothes though one could be considered slightly smaller and Johnny quickly slips them on before he has to explain himself. He sits quietly as Ghost finishes his own routine and no words pass between them as Ghost slips on his own clothes as well as what Soap has dubbed the "around base" balaclava and they leave side by side to get breakfast from the mess to eat in the rec room. And if they stand closer together than would strictly be appropriate, it's no one's business but their own.

Johnny grabs his bag of arugula from the communal fridge as Ghost gets up to follow him, snagging a couple of strawberries from Gaz's side of the fridge to loud protest. There's somewhat if an awkward pause at his door and he can see doubt start to well in Ghost's eyes. Can't fucking have that, Soap decides.

"I wasnae lying when I said it's a mess."

"S'alright" Ghost replies quietly, angling himself to leave.

"But if you want ta come in you can meet mah wee babes?" He offers. "Course got a couple snakes wouldnae want to make you uncomfortable, Wee Man is a big bastard but I promise yeh he's-"

"Ok."

Blue meets brown and there's a momentary heavy silence before Soap nods and reaches to unlock his door.

It's surreal, seeing Ghost in a space he's dedicated himself to keeping Ghost-free. At the same time it feels so right, like a missing piece he'd just realized was gone. Soap stands by the door as his Lt moves forward into the room, partly for a ready escape and partly because neither of them are small men and it would get very cramped very fast.

"What eats that?"

Soap sits there for a long moment blinking dumbly before he realizes Ghost is pointing to the arugula in his hand.

"Oh uh this is for the lizards, blue tongue up there named Yzma and the Beardie next to her, her name's Freya" shortly after receiving Yzma the skink he'd been able to hook up a home for Bart the leopard gecko and even quicker after that ended up with Freya, an 8 year old leatherback bearded dragon. "They also need some bugs, hope you don't mind roaches."

It's an awkward dance to get past Ghost to his closet and it ends with Ghost sitting cross legged on his bed for which Soap isn't complaining. It's easy, slipping into prepping the salads with easy familiarity. Ripping greens into smaller bites for the baby skink and slicing the strawberries as a treat. As he preps the salads he finds himself talking at Ghost as he usually does, unsure if the man is listening but not necessarily needing him to. He talks about his childhood and his Da's reptiles, Martha and Bowser back home, he talks about his first snake bite from a wild grass snake he'd found when he was 10. He talks about his rescues as he rummages around in the dubia roach bin for the right sized bugs, talks about why he does it and a little about each animal as he dusts the bugs with calcium powder. Soap undoes the lock on each cage, dropping them in and smiling as the lizards jump after them, before relocking the tanks and turning back to face Ghost, startling at the intensity in his eyes.

"You really love them don't you." It's more of a statement than a question but Soap answers anyway.

"Aye."

"And he's the one who bit you?" Ghost looks a little unsure nodding towards the corner of the big tank where Wee Man is barely visible curled up amidst the plants.

"Och it's a stupid story, poor lad just has shite depth perception s'all. He's the friendliest fucking snake though I'll tell you what. "

"Friendly?" Soap's heart hurts at the confusion in Ghost's voice.

"I know you haven't really had a...good experience with snakes but I promise most of them are the sweetness things."

Ghost looks deep into his eyes for a while before turning back towards Wee Man. They sit in silence for a long moment before Ghost nods minutely.

"I'll try." He turns back to Johnny. "For you I'll try." Johnny feels a weight in his throat and can only bring himself to nod.

"Thank you."

[krokaxe]

Combing around the archives and I found this Fallout throwback from 2022.

I've put her intro under the cut for anybody who'd like a little read on Gillespie's vibes. The fic has since been deleted from Ao3 but archives really are a wonder.

A creature waits at the base of the memorial.  From a distance Lars had assumed it to be a horse, equine at any rate, but the place its soft nose should be is hard and set. Its reptilian nostrils italic slits above a set of long, scissor sharp jaws. Its dark, scaly hide would be better described as mottled, but it is as alive and real as Gus. It stares at Lars in near perfect stillness as he slides out of the saddle. Hairless, all ridged scales and crested feathers, it's a colour closer to an inkblot than anything else he could compare it to. There is an elongated, cadaverous quality to the beast that has it look voracious even at rest— its three-toed, draconic feet has Lars linger for a beat too long. It might be horse-like in proportion, but his comparisons fall short when he spots its reptilian tail.

It hisses, dropping its lower jaw as much as it can against the secondary strap keeping its mouth shut. Lars catches sight of a dark tongue and row upon row of needle thin teeth, thus a hefty step away from what looks like a demon attempting to poorly impersonate a horse. It has only indents instead of ears and a feathered, spined crest where a mane ought to be— the feathers on its head and puff in warning as it jerks against its tethering rope. All that black leather does nothing to have Lars believe it's truly domesticated but, edging forwards, he gingerly offers his knuckles in an attempt to settle its nerves. Gus wickers as he sets his ears back against his head. Lars mutters in reply, “I know.” The beast snaps its teeth at his hand until he opts to tentatively offer out a piece of jerky from Gus’ saddle pack. It cranes its neck forward to sniff, nostrils flaring, then peels back its mouth to gingerly snap it away with its teeth. That does the trick. Whipping its head back to open its cavernous mouth, it devours the jerky without any real need to chew, then looks at Lars expectantly. Turning its head to stare at him with one of its high cut, yellow eyes, it cocks its jaw and clacks its teeth impatiently. Lars feeds it the rest of his travel portion. Some habits die hard. Getting close enough to run his hand over the arch of its neck, Lars squints at the silver plate on the animal’s bridle strap. “Gillespie,” he murmurs out loud. The creature lacks any visible ear flaps, but he figures they would perk them up at the sound of its name. It might be an abhorrent thing, perhaps the same creed as Deathclaws or Nightstalkers in terms of spliced horror, but it is loved regardless. It chitters a soft ticking breath through its teeth, feathered neck shuddering as Lars runs his hand over its scales. “Somebody loves you,” he murmurs. Gillespie inhales the smell of jerky from his fingers, then tries to bite at his flannel sleeve in a greedy request for more. Gus snorts, jealous. “Be mindful of her tongue.” The voice has Lars freeze. It's measured, calculated, maybe even cold. “She may take fancy with your fingers."

[realsparrowboy]

I WAS FUCKING BAWLING MY EYES OUT ABOUT RIGATONI AND MAC FUCKING LOOKS AT ME LIKE THIS

GOD I FUCKIGN LOVE MY SON SO MUCH I WOULD SRSLY DIE FOR HIM

[geosgaymer]

This little girl is getting an upgrade from her current Terrarium. I finally finished the build, now to let it establish before seeing how much she likes it.