#s1 the parting of the ways

[miametropolis]

literally took my dumbass until today to realize that the s1 finale is a direct parallel to “the dalek” in that the doctor ‘loses’ rose and decides to betray his usual code because “I lost her once. I can’t do it again” only for him to think in the finale that she’s really gone (cut to the pile of ashes he falls dramatically onto and holds in his hands) and THAT’S why he sends her off in the TARDIS, that’s why he has that look on his face. he can’t bear the thought of losing her, he knows he’s going to die. but he sends her back, not just because he loves her (duh, she’s the ‘woman he loves,’) but because he lost her once that day. and he’s not doing it again.

[laurrelise]

picture this: it’s your second week at the commission. your boss is a fucking fish. your coworkers are way too friendly. your higher-ups’ biggest concern is a random ex-employee who you’ve never met, her next being her fashion game. and her daughter is just running around wreaking absolute havoc.

and then one day the meanest 13-year old you’ve ever seen in your life walks in, finishes his case in 10 minutes, and immediately after gets recognized as the best worker in the room full of adults.

im quitting on the spot wbu

[gcballet]

Doctor Who S1 (2005) as Penguin Classics

| ->

[wtslpod]

some lesbian thoughts on elrond & galadriel

The dynamic between Elrond and Galadriel, despite being central to the show, sometimes feels under-appreciated in the fandom. Like many relationships in TROP, it doesn’t easily slot into a single category. It’s not merely one of friendship or kinship or mentorship

It’s not romantic, but it is emotionally intimate—and that seems to trip a lot of people up, even before 2x07. We’ve always appreciated how emotionally open Galadriel and Elrond are with each other, particularly given how guarded Galadriel is with most other characters.

She and Elrond have a long history prior to their reunion in the first episode, and during the course of the show they rely on each other as they navigate disappointment and loss, both personal and as relates to elven-kind.

They don’t always see eye to eye, but even when Elrond feels hugely betrayed by Galadriel’s choices, it doesn’t erode the love between them.

They’ve been separated during their respective darkest moments, but find solace and healing in each other’s presence. They bring light into each other’s lives, and together will be instrumental in banishing the rising darkness.

One of the strengths of Tolkien's work, and one of the reasons fans (including queer fans like us) return to these stories time and again, is the focus on platonic bonds that defy societal norms through the strength of their intimacy and commitment.

Of all the relationships we've seen on the show so far, Galadriel and Elrond embody this wonderful category-defying emotional intimacy most of all.

[magnussonwilliam]

12 NOVEMBER, 2015 ✦ TORSDAG, 13:20

13 MARS, 2018 ✧ MARDI, 09:00

10 MAGGIO, 2018 ✦ GIOVEDÌ, 14:40

16 MAI, 2018 ✧ MITTWOCH, 11:29

01 JUNE, 2018 ✦ THURSDAY, 3:34PM

25 OKTOBER, 2018 ✧ DONDERDAG, 12:34

27 OCTUBRE, 2018 ✦ SÁBADO, 21:17

16 NOVEMBER, 2018 ✧ VRIJDAG, 10:11

04 PROSINAC, 2024 ✦ SRIJEDA, 15:56

[spritepespi]

bad wolf/the parting of the ways rose tyler my beloved

[mossiistars]

martin is done serving tea. now, he serves c*nt (i feel bad saying the c word as an american. the american version would be saying that he serves premium american boy pussy with a side of freedom but I'm not sure if that fits the vibe I'm going for)

[classic-blue]

Nature of the Arcane- Positive and Negative Energy

(For reference, Arcane = the series; arcane = the magic) Come help me figure out how the heck the magic system of Arcane works.

What is the anomaly? Why was it born? Why is it that other mages in the series don't seem to cause anomalies, but Hextech does?

I refuse to be content with a magic=good or magic=bad explanation, and Arcane loves to play with nuance. I was trying to sort out my thoughts on why some magic has bad side effects while others don't, and this is where I'm sitting now. My (spit-balled, half-baked, and probably leaking) thesis:

The arcane/using magic has 2 separate outputs: the order you placed (Hextech) and the resulting exhaust (wild runes; the anomaly). Hextech can use runes to control magic, but there's a second output of natural, wild magical energy, that Hextech doesn't account for. Both of these energies can build up, and when they're reunited, they have explosive reactions (see: Mage Viktor's world, the final blip that takes Jayce and Viktor, and possibly various smaller explosions throughout the series).

For example, when positive and negative charges meet, lightning strikes.

Justification below the cut.

Science break! Ever been shocked by static electricity? That's because of a buildup of one charge, say positive, on you, and a buildup of negative charge on another object. Nature loves balance, so when you two touch, the charges discharge in a shock that connects the positive and negative charges and allows them to balance out. Size this idea up big enough, and you get lightning- powerful, fast, and destructive.

More importantly though, you can't just charge positive energy, without also charging negative energy at the same time-  creating one by necessity creates the other, so that there's an overall balance of electricity types (hey look, a metaphor, creating one inevitably leads to the other…).

Let's carry this idea over to the arcane. What if there's a 'positive' magic and a 'negative' magic output?

(Note, I use the electricity words here intentionally- positive/negative do not mean in a cosmic/moral/ethical way, but in a scientific, 'hey we need 2 connected words to separate these concepts' sort of way.)

Positive: Hextech; runes; the intended output. Teleportation, levitation, everything we see it accomplish.

Negative: the wild rune, the anomaly; the unintended output.

And, when the two come together, lightning strikes.

Lightning 1- Viktor vs Ekko's Z-drive. Viktor spends S2 becoming a centralized conduit of 'positive' magic, via the Hexcore and top ups from the crystals under the Hexgates. As the Machine Herald, the claw is continually using runes and doing magic behind him. In short, he's been building up a lot of positive magical energy. When Ekko chucks the Z-drive at him, it's powered by an anomaly, or 'negative' magical energy. Put the two forces together, and let the fireworks happen; a part of the Machine Herald's mask gets struck off in the blast. (But the Z-drive has less negative energy than Viktor's positive, so it doesn't totally wipe him out.)

Lightning 2- Viktor and Jayce's rainbow time. Jayce's acceleration rune might be the negative magical energy in this case (since it travels with him via Mage Viktor's anomaly), paired with the anomaly that Viktor grabbed beneath the Hexgate. That works in opposition to Viktor's compiled positive magical energy via the Hexcore and similar products. With these together, the balance between positive and negative is reached, achieving net neutral magic dispersion, and of course, an implosion that sucks in (or teleports, we can be happy) Jayce and Viktor, ending the conflict.

Perhaps in Mage Viktor's timeline, a similar explosion occurs, resulting in the destruction that we see Jayce traverse in the alternate timeline. But in the main timeline, Jayce and Viktor were able to contain that explosive potential to just themselves, via Jayce's acceleration rune.

"Pass me a tome" Jayce's (quoting Viktor) explanation of the anomaly/wild rune (S2:E3)

Jayce says that Viktor theorized that wild runes are "patterns that would occur naturally where the border between our world and the Arcane is thin." By the theory, wild runes are expressions of magic not quantifiable by traditional runes- natural outputs of magic that are uncontrollable and untamable.

This still works with my positive vs negative theory- it's just that Hextech, and by extension the boys, are only viewing it from the perspective of positive energy (they accessed magic, but really only half of it). From that view, negative charge, which they can't interpret why it's building up or that it even is, might look pretty wild and untamable- however, we see mages control this negative magical energy. Mage Viktor uses the anomaly to send Jayce back to his timeline. The Machine Herald is able to transport it and start to destroy/convert the world.

Because it's still a useable product, so long as you understand what it actually is, I'm not fully content to say that the anomaly is an entirely wild thing, or an unpredictable force. It's possible that Mage Viktor intentionally manipulated it to send Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger to their temporary alternate universes to set in motion events to save the main timeline. I think the anomaly definitely has somewhat volatile characteristics, a bit more chaotic perhaps, but it's still controllable.

(Additionally, Ekko breaks time using both hex shards (assuming they're still in the Z-drive, I'm not sure off the top of my head), and a tiny anomaly. The fact that he's able to control it to a degree also shows that the anomaly is not fully wild and untamable.)

I suppose my overarching feeling is that the anomaly is not necessarily better or worse, or more dangerous, than the 'positive' magic of Hextech- it's just a different, inevitable byproduct of magic use.

Then why don't mages cause anomalies and 'lightning strikes'?

Simple- they know how to account for both positive and negative energy in their spellwork. They know how to equate a balance, so nothing blows up in their faces.

Granted, the only mages we really see in Arcane are Mel, the Black Rose, and Mage Viktor, and the only real discussions we get about magic is from either the Hextech nerds or Heimerdinger, who may not be working with the full picture of how the arcane works. Our sources with regards to actual mage work in Arcane are pretty thin (and I probably need to rewatch Mel's S2 scenes).

But the Black Rose mentions as Mel leaves that (paraphrased) 'it's a dangerous world out there for a solitary mage.' This seems to imply that mages work best in collaboration- perhaps that allows for a balance between positive and negative energies, preventing 'lightning strikes.'

The real point- The Need for Collaboration

While the obvious theme to be drawn from this is the need for balance, another interesting one is the need for collaboration. If mages in Arcane indeed do work together to prevent destructive magical fallout, this again points back to a core element of Arcane's relationships:

Things (magic in particular) work best in collaboration.

That's how the boys crack Hextech

That's how Jinx and Vi start to bring Vander back and reconcile

That's how Viktor and Sky work in the commune

That's how Ekko, Powder, and Heimerdinger crack Hextech again

That's how Caitlyn and Ambessa start to work, and how the lack of honest collaboration exposes Ambessa's selfish gains and weakens Caitlyn emotionally and politically

That's how Mel literally does everything politically (and why her arc narratively suffers when she's on her own against the Black Rose for so long [I still love her tho])

That's how Piltover and Zaun fend off Ambessa's assault

That's how Viktor and Jayce end it- together.

More assorted thoughts on this topic:

This theory somewhat requires that the arcane is not conscious, not retaliating for Hextech using magic improperly, which is debatable. The Black Rose says "the arcane is waking up," which could imply a sentient force, or simply a natural force like how the world 'wakes up' to spring after winter. Ekko also claims that Jayce 'pissed off' the arcane, which Jayce is cutely embarrassed about, which is a possibility, but not one that I'm getting into here- it's entirely possible that Ekko is also wrong! Jayce and Viktor frequently are! (also, the hexcore being sentient does not necessarily mean that the arcane is sentient- Viktor describes it as a learning matrix, so it could very much be a Flubber situation. He done taught the rubix cube science before ethics.)

As Viktor brings Jayce up to the top of the Hexgate, Viktor winds the anomaly in his staff and talks about the balance between order and chaos- maybe positive magic is one and negative the other?

@avelera and @linddzz were throwing around some awesome thoughts similar to this strain, including how it looks like Mage Viktor 'cleans up' the smoke output of the spell in the snowstorm. Their theory is that what I call positive and negative energy is actually constructive vs destructive force in equal output from the Arcane, and that balance between those two types is needed (i.e. if you want magic to do what you want, you also need to let it blow up some stuff) which would also explain what I've called lightning here. Definitely worth a read!

There are so many holes in this theory, but I still wanted to organize my thoughts about the anomaly, Hextech, and how Arcane tells the audience to view magic. In S1, Hextech is all good and great, possibly dangerous, but in S2, Hextech and its byproducts are all infectious, destructive, and never productive. I found the switch a little jarring, and went searching for a deeper meaning.

Also… does this mean that Arcane is actually a big metaphor for the dangers and impacts of technological advancement on natural society and how Mother Nature will come back to bite us all in the butt? Has Arcane been a secret Ghibli film all along???

[stopper-my-heart]

Here's another adorable mini moment (Heartstopper S1E6). Tao has just asked, "So...we're ordering a second round, right?"

As the gif shows, the group agrees, and Nick says, "Yeah, I mean, we can go and get them if you want."

Taking a closer look at this:

Nick says "we" can go and get them without specifying who "we" is, and it wasn't obvious from the preceding conversation. So not only is Nick just casually lumping Charlie in with himself, he's also assuming that everyone else will understand that Charlie is the rest of his "we".

Nick didn't even non-verbally check with Charlie before making this offer, that's how strong his assumption (or hopeful confidence) is that Charlie will be okay both with being part of the "we" and with being volunteered by Nick to fetch the milkshakes together.

Perhaps the best part of all of this is Charlie's reaction:

He does a quick double-take at Nick with a little smile sneaking in, and then he tries his very best to not get stuck on what has just happened and to remain casual in front of the group.

Charlie's slightly delayed "yeah" of confirmation to the group that he and Nick will get the milkshakes is pretty convincingly nonchalant, but it's still clearly trying to be nonchalant, basically saying, "Yeah, whatever, just gonna go get the milkshakes with Nick who volunteered 'us', no big deal".

Honourable mention of additional cuteness:

After Tao's question about ordering a second round, Nick and Charlie instinctively look at each other to coordinate their responses. They quickly look away though, possibly because they've realised they "shouldn't" be checking in about their answers (especially in front of Tao and Elle who don't (yet) know that Nick and Charlie are on a date).

[lunar-wandering]

do y'all think Macaque is falling back into the role that Azure and the others put on him by remaining on the outskirts of the group because he thinks his input/presence is unwanted (and yeah his presence isn't really wanted by MK and the others BUT. something about the fact Macaque is placing himself at the edge of the group, the edge that Azure and the others pushed him to, doesn't really sit well)

[akascow]

its so amazing how smart viktor and jayce actually are to figure out the hexcore like. its wild magic, ancient runes, and they implememted a raw harsh stone, refined it into a usable energy source and launched their city into greatness

like im not the first to mention it but

first of all theyre incredibly smart, piltover's next smartest professors and inventors couldnt crack it after heimer, jayce and vik disappeared (as seen when that one dude got absolutely dusted lmao)

second, theyre never looked down upon. which is probably an odd thing to say but idk it seems like inventors and extremely smart scientists are usually made fun of in medias (no thanks to the anything before the early 2000s lmao) ig its different bc piltover kinda revolves around invention so idk if that totally applies but still HAHA

and yeah we have autistic twink jesus incarnate in the corner which could very well be seen as a stereotype (his body type is 100% due to his illness tho lol)

but we also have jayce talis over here whos like this 6ft hunk and completely and utterly a genius and everyone loves him (which is lowkey the conflict in s1 but im brushing past that rn)

what am i saying rn HAHAHA

anyway they work so well together and they love each other completely (romantic or platonic, whatever u prefer it works both ways). they are from two different places, two different upbringings and yet they manage to come together without judgement or belittling to create this seemingly perfect tool that aforementioned other geniuses were not only unable to crack, but terrified of it

alls to say that the scene where jayce just starts scribbling the anomaly on the cave wall just from memory and starts analyzing it from almost nothing, in the moment we think 'oh hes losing it' but hes literally trying to figure his way out of this alone, again FROM NOTHING. all he has is a broken leg, a pity fire, a rock, a wall, and a fucked up hammer LIKE BROOOO theyre both so intelligent and we dont talk about it enough OUGHHHHH

but also EKKO too like bro figured that out and understood it in a few days it literally took jayvik a decade to decipher it all HAHA (sure heimerdinger was there too but) we moved on from ekko being so gd smart way too quickly lmao

[vaggieslefteye]

CHARLIE MAGNE from HAZBIN HOTEL (2019): Pilot - "That's Entertainment" ↳ "So, I've been thinking: Isn't there a more humane way to hinder overpopulation here in Hell? Perhaps we can create an alternative way to change souls through... redemption?"

[isagrimorie]

Star Trek Voyager, 3x26 - Basics, part 1

Captain Kathryn Janeway as a Brilliant Tactician, part 1, 2, 3 (version 1) (version 2)

This battle is often overlooked but I think this is also an amazing showcase for Janeway and the Voyager crew.

Voyager was up against 4 large Kazon (formerly Trabé ships). Significantly larger than Voyager many times over. Janeway's other talent is bringing together all the suggestions her crew threw together and executing it.

In this instance, using deflector and holo-technology to create ships to draw fire from Voyager.

Plus Janeway's job is to time their attacks precisely. One of the first example of Janeway having nerves of steel. She had to be patient and not let the distance or number of her enemies spooke her.

Voyager was winning the battle against the big Kazon-Nistrim ships-- until the moment their Kazon prisoner blew himself up, sabotaging Voyager.

(Honestly, I wish they repeated this tactic in other battles because it worked really well).

This is just a taste of the war leader Janeway becomes.

[poisonedfate]

bbc merlin - 03x08 The Eye of the Phoenix

the difference between the guy who is well into his "arthur is a prat...or is he" journey and the guy who just started that same journey

[pmpknsoup]

i actually am a defender of georgie and melanie and basira being mean or rude to jon bc that man really needed to be put in his place sometimes. like i understand that they were also wrong sometimes— basira is hypocritical and the other two could be nastier than necessary, but i literally cannot blame them at all. jon was so out of line sometimes

[noirineverysense]

tbh didnt really like how bisma's arc about her relationship to her headscarf was handled. Her braider was completely out of line and not challenged on it. There was this constant idea that being black and being muslim were separate. That she was exploring other parts of herself when being muslim and black isnt an experience that you can take apart like that. It seems to indicate that theres one way to be black and it involves being visibly less muslim and i think if we were shown more of a black muslim community around bisma and better rep of black muslims in we are lady parts this idea would be very obviously shown to be wrong in the show.

to be clear i dont think bisma having an arc around showing her hair more is bad, or even tieing it with wanting to wear braids like the black women around her or for any other reason, but the way its set up 'tobi, i'm muslim' 'yeah but we're black too', just sets up this idea of two parts of an identity in conflict with each other which doesnt speak to the way black muslim communities have tied their religion and culture together in such beautiful ways and i wish that was being represented on this show.