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generallypo · 4 years ago

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[ Constellation ’Director of the False Last Act’ is looking at you. ]

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dark academia!hsy, yeeee! the white coat is fantastic, but unlike kdj and yjh, she doesn’t really switch up the color scheme. no, her bum-aesthetic purple hoodie does not count. i think she’s super hot. i yell about how much i love her under the cut.

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yo han sooyoung is actually amazing, incredible, powerful, witty, drop-dead sexy... what makes her so irresistible? let me explain

1) yeah, kdj takes the kdj company to end of the scenarios, but please. how many times does he have to kill himself to get there? not to mention his intentional (and unintentional) kill count?

sure, he does the job, but damn is he kind of inefficient about it. say what you like about hsy’s methods or personality, but the 1863rd round far surpasses the 1864th in terms of the lives preserved while still managing to take the team to the end.

without the benefit of cheat-like knowledge, skills, and resurrections, hsy almost single-handedly orchestrates the events of the 1863rd round to a satisfying finale. kmw, problematic as he is, survives and becomes an admittedly better person, yjh finds a timeline where he can rest in peace, and the rest of the cast have their eyes set on the hopeful end of all scenarios. all this, while only being HALF of a person (hsy originally split off into two after misusing her avatar ability). do her actions lead to the happiest ending? no. but it’s the one that sacrifices the least and saves the most. for the greater good, in other words.

hsy may be an intrinsically selfish person, but unlike kdj, she has the ability to grasp the entire picture and avoid tunnel-visioning into a crappier, more convoluted and self-sacrificial solution. ironically, it ends up saving more lives. perks of being a talented writer, i guess.

and the 1864th hsy emerges as a leader in her own right as well. the epilogue arc shows her assuming roughly the same role as her 1863rd self in kdj’s absence: yjh breaks off from the main group (AND BECOMES A TERRORIST AKFDJDSLKSL HAHAHA) to assume a similarly antagonistic role to the remaining members of kdj company. as a result, she’s the most powerful lawful incarnation remaining, and once more the incarnations circle around her for direction.

2) independent, confident, competent (hot and kinda shameless about it). this woman has the most delightfully unrepentant attitude towards life -- how to defeat the man with the strongest defensive ability without dealing a single blow? summon a horde of your naked dancing clones to terrify his innocent sensibilities, and then cackle at his helplessness. the fact that her sponsor is literally the chuuni-est cringefest in the entire galaxy and she gives no fucks about him is just additional comedic gold. her undisguised disgust for what should otherwise be a highly respected/feared entity is a clear indicator of her supremely dominant position over everyone else, and i admire her consistent irreverence of everyone and everything.

hsy is the only character who can consistently bully kdj, brush off his deflections, and bully him again. 1863rd round hsy gives kdj about 50 migraines in the span of 5 minutes of conversation before confirming her superior wit. jhw comes close, but unfortunately, she actually respects the rat bastard. i wish i could mention yjh, but let’s be real: he -- and just about every existing version of him -- has been whipped for the guy for at least 250+ chapters now.

hsy, on the other hand, has no regard for anything except herself... man, i respect that so much. what a queen.

and i won’t lie! i didn’t like her in the first fifty or so chapters. plagiarism? homicide? kind-of-in-general-just-being-an-obstacle-to-kdj’s-plans? yeah, i almost fell into the trap of disliking her purely because she didn’t cave immediately in the grand scheme of kdj’s plotting -- thereby denying me the power rush that came with seeing kdj bulldoze his way through the puny attempts of small fry characters. she’s neither a friend nor a despicable foe, but rather someone who acts independently and in her own self-interest, WITH the ability to thwart major players if need be. aka, the one who frustrated kdj’s plans -- and me -- the most.

going by my previous isekai/power-fantasy trope experience, i figured she’d get pegged into the sexy-but-sassy harem candidate, or get killed off if that didn’t work out. in hindsight, i’m just pretty fucking dumb, but honestly, i can accept that with gratitude --

-- because in fact. the whole ‘she-gets-in-my-way-so-she-either-goes-into-the-harem-or-dies’ trope in light novels/webnovels and the like, is, frankly, misogynistic and boring as hell. i had some admittedly low expectations for ORV, which consequently blasted my ass to the moon and left me there sobbing for 42 years as i mourned my stupidity and paid my respects to its incredible ending and character development. hsy is a particular delight, especially in her meta awareness of these tropes -- blatantly stating she isn’t obligated to kdj for saving her life and declaring the damsel-in-distress cliche as ridiculous, for example.

and it really is, because suspension bridge effect aside, you’re not gonna want to bang a total shady stranger in the middle of the apocalypse. it’s the little statements of self-awareness, self-worth, and frankness that build up hsy’s charm. as ORV progresses, these little windows of her personality bloom as her presence takes stage center -- and then BAM! you really get to know how strong she is, how hugely capable of love she is, how subtly but wonderfully she expresses it, how she leads and protects those close to her, and how damn good she is at it. hsy is amazing. we stan an iconic queen -- no, black flameS EMPRESS. *kneeling*.

3) writes an entire EPIC, just to keep one lonely, broken fifteen-year-old alive. like. at that point in ORV, i knew. i knew. hsy is the fucking GOAT. seeing her spend the rest of her life on WOS, making sure it reaches completion because it’s the only thing that will sustain kdj until the advent of the scenarios... that hits too hard. inadvertently, it also damns the rest of the world to the terror and tragedy that the star stream brings.. but that’s the call she makes in order to save kdj’s life.

obviously, there’s no precise beginning to the timelines -- ORV is so neatly crafted in its cycle of writer, protagonist, and reader -- but i’d have to argue that hsy holds the greatest power in the trinity. creating the existence known as ‘yoo joonghyuk’ and granting life-changing hope to an otherwise forgotten boy.. is pretty powerful. yjh, for the most part, is a slave to the scenarios (until he breaks free in the 1863rd and 1864th rounds, in particular), while kdj (unwittingly) admits it himself: he’s truly the most powerless god in existence. i forget exactly where he mentions it, but it’s in response to lgy’s reverent commentary that, with all his knowledge and presumed confidence, kdj seems like the protagonist of story or a god to him. kdj’s inner monologue, of course, is appropriately self-deprecating and scarily accurate.

in a lot of ways, WOS -- and ORV itself, really -- is a love letter to readers. it’s a two-way connection, writer and reader, between someone who creates with all their passions and someone who consumes and responds with equally sincere feelings. Ways Of Survival -- the story of a man who defied death and grief and great powers far beyond his being -- is a fictional guide to surviving in a ruined world. but to a battered, bullied, and ostracized boy, it’s not just escapism, or wish fulfilment anymore. WOS is the map to navigating the hell of his reality. there’s a certain power in the right words being spoken -- or in this case, written -- at the right time, even if it’s only for the temporary burst of endorphins upon reading an especially delightful chapter. even if it’s forgotten the next day, you’ve managed to connect. you’ve touched another person’s heart. you made them think about questions they’ve never considered before; maybe, you made them smile.

what can i say but the honest truth? ORV, without a shadow of doubt, has most certainly reached me. i’m a goner for this story and its excellent characters -- long, long gone. something has changed, something that wasn’t there the previous day.

the mark has been made on the reader -- small as it is, it’s irrevocable. behold, in all of its little magnificence: the power of a writer, and their story.

#omniscient reader's viewpoint #omniscient reader #orv #han sooyoung #dark acadamia aesthetic #fanart #long ass emotional screeching #wow these are the nights i wish i had someone to yell about orv with #otherwise i stay up at ass-o-clock uncontrollably writing and groaning and writing #anyways hsy is best girl and sexy as fuck

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chris-evans-indian-fanfic · 4 years ago

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Worthy

One-Shot

Description: What happens when Steve goes to collect the Soul Stone instead of Natasha and Clint?

Warning: Curse words, spoilers for Avengers Endgame

This is for the awesome, caring and super-talented @jtargaryen18 's writing challenge. She eased my mind about the plot. Thank you 😘 Click here to know the rules and participate!

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I don’t consent to have any of my work published or featured on any third party app, website or translated. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but tumblr, it has been reposted without my permission. In that case, please do share the link and let me know.

...

Who was he? Steve Rogers? Or Captain America? Are they both different people? Or are they two sides of the same coin?

Steve wondered as he gazed down the cliff at Vormir, home to the Soul Stone.

When he had first arrived alone on the barren planet, he had been shocked and angry to see Red Skull guarding the infinity stone. To think that he went under the ice all those years ago stood for nothing. To have lost his life, his partner, his best friend and for what? Hydra was still active, the world was still suffering from war and now Red Skull was still alive, floating in space.

But as he understood Red Skull's predicament, Steve realised that while he himself was a man out of time, Red Skull was stuck here in his miserable existence till the end of time, out of place, out of touch. That brought him some satisfaction.

He was glad they had decided to send Natasha and Clint with Tony, Bruce and Scott to 2012. There was just too much ground to cover with 3 infinity stones in the same city. It made sense to have more eyes on the ground.

There was no way Steve would sacrifice anybody from his team for the stone. They had lost too many lives already. And if they were successful, then they would need all hands on deck to manage the chaos that would follow once everybody was brought back.

Steve sat on a rock and pulled out his compass. He sighed as he saw Peggy, "What do you think Peg?" he murmured, lightly running his thumb over the photograph.

After a few minutes, he clicked a button on the rim and the compass flipped open, revealing the hidden compartment beneath. He pulled out a folded piece of paper from within. It was as old and worn-out as Peggy's photograph. He closed the compass and looked at the other image. A black and white Bucky laughed back at him while at his side, a thin, scrawny Steve was looking scornfully at the camera, his face bruised. Steve chuckled as he remembered the day this photograph was taken. He had gotten into another one of his infamous back-alley fights. Some drunken idiot had punched Bucky because he had been flaunting his Sergeant's uniform at the bar amongst the ladies. While Bucky could have easily mopped the floor with the guy, Steve had decided to step in and push the drunken idiot. Then, as it always happened, Steve was dragged into the back-alley to be turned into a punching bag, with Bucky finally saving his skinny ass.

This photograph was taken later that night, with Bucky laughing at the whole incident.

The cold Vormir wind brought Steve back to the present. Ever since he could remember, he wanted to do the right thing, save the innocent people and just help those who needed it the most.

While the asthmatic 90-pound Steve Rogers couldn't do that, the 240-pound Captain America was able to do that and much more.

That's why he loved being Captain America. He could finally do what he had always wanted to do. It didn't matter whether the Government labelled him as a criminal or whether the press questioned his every move. He was able to help people, change lives for the better and protect the little guy. Isn't that what mattered?

He opened the compass again. Looking at both the photographs, he whispered, "Thank you."

He picked up his shield and faced the cliff.

"What are you doing?" asked Red Skull, as if guessing his next move, "How do you know this will work? You are Captain America," he declared.

Steve looked at him, his mouth turned into a smirk, "How would I know? I am just a kid from Brooklyn," and with that, Captain America jumped into the abyss below.

…

Steve's entire body was shivering with cold as he lay in the water. With his teeth clattering, he barely managed to sit upright. He started breathing rapidly as he took in his surroundings. He was still on Vormir. As he tried to get up, he realised two things. One, he was completely naked except for his time travel bracelet and vibranium shield, and two, he was holding something in his right hand. He opened his palm to look at the yellow Soul Stone. Almost laughing in relief, Steve looked down at himself. He saw he had the same scrawny body as the Steve in the old photograph. Shivering further with cold, he pressed a few buttons on his bracelet.

…

One by one as the Avengers returned to the compound, they looked around excitedly at their peers, relieved to find them safe. Steve was the last one to return. His knees buckled as soon as he landed. Hiding his naked bony body behind the shield, he threw up on the floor, his body not able to handle the stress of the quantum time-travel.

"Oh my God who is that?!" Scott exclaimed as Tony, Natasha and Clint stepped tentatively towards Steve. As his body convulsed with pain, he held up the stone towards them. The second Nat took the stone, Steve collapsed.

…

Steve woke up two days later on a hospital bed.

"We are trying our best to keep your bodily functions from collapsing onto themselves. You should be thankful that we have medicines to treat most of your ailments. What were you thinking?" Tony spat with frustration.

Steve saw large swollen bags under Tony's red eyes. Steve was willing to bet that Tony hadn't slept ever since his return. He smiled, "It had to be done Tony," said Steve, his voice flat, having lost its 'Captain America depthness'.

"What happened on Vormir?" asked Natasha gently. Steve tried to sit, "The stone demanded a sacrifice. A soul for the soul stone. So I sacrificed him."

"Yeah and left us without a leader. What are we supposed to do now? You are meant to rally the troops. You are meant to lead. How do you think you will do that if you need an asthma inhaler every time you try to take a walk around the compound?" Tony voiced his concerns. "Tony, calm down. Shhh now," Thor said from his chair.

"You look like you need a sandwich," Rocket commented, seated besides Thor.

"Your vitals look good Cap... ahem I-I mean Steve," Bruce flustered while checking Steve's reports.

"Captain America was never about one person. It is about what the title stands for; Bravery to face any challenge, Courage to stand up against the greatest powers for the right reason and Having a clear sense of duty, of what's right and wrong. Captain America can be anyone," Steve said, pointedly staring at Natasha.

He turned to look at the shield placed by his bedside table. Carefully, he picked it up with a bit of struggle and held it out for her.

"I can't think of a better person to lead us," Steve said decidedly. Wide-eyed, Natasha looked at him with bewilderment. "No Steve. I am a spy. I am not a soldier. I cannot be trusted with…"

"You are not a spy. Not anymore. You have been leading the Avengers not just on earth, but across the galaxy, especially when most of us had given up. You are right though. You are not a soldier. You are a leader, Captain."

Natasha looked at Steve, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice almost breaking "I have too much red on my ledger Steve."

"You wiped that ledger when you joined the Avengers Nat. You deserve this," Clint supported her.

As Natasha took the shield and tried it on, Tony asked her, "We will have to render your suit. Do you want black with Red, White and Blue?" Natasha nodded. As Tony left, Natasha mouthed the words, "Thank you," towards Steve as he brushed it off.

"Have we brought everybody back yet?" Steve asked.

"No. We are just finishing the gauntlet. It should be ready by tomorrow," Banner said.

Clint looked at Natasha proudly. "We have a female Captain America now."

"No," Steve said. He grinned at Natasha, "We have a Captain America now."

…

2014 Nebula kept her attention at Antman near the Quantum Time Machine. In the last two days there had been a lot of activity in the compound thanks to Steve's return. It would have served as a good distraction, but unfortunately, there were people working around the time machine. She was itching to bring her father and his army to this future. However, for that, she would need to have patience. A lot of patience. They were planning to undo the snap tomorrow, that's when she planned to strike. She cannot afford to fail her father. She must not.

…

"All the best guys," said Steve as he sat in the car, ready to leave the compound. There was going to be a tremendous blast of gamma radiation from the snap. Steve understood that he might not survive the blast and instead, had offered to bring falafels from the nearby restaurant for lunch.

He reached the modest Middle Eastern eatery. Only two tables were occupied when he placed his large order to go. The server looked at him in suspicion. He doubted whether Steve would be able to carry all the packages by himself. Still, he shrugged, large orders such as these were a boon in the post-snap world.

After 5 minutes, the restaurant shook with a wave of energy blast. Steve fell down from his chair with the impact. As he got up, brushing himself off, he saw black dust materialising in front of him. He looked on as the dust came together to form a person, a man. Steve noticed this happening all around the restaurant. Within a span of a few minutes, the entire restaurant was filled to capacity, with more people appearing on the sidewalk.

He heard terrified screams of people around him. Then guns were fired into the air. Steve turned, trying to determine the source of the violence, when he felt the ground shake.

"EARTHQUAKE!" someone screamed and they all tried to take cover, mostly bumping into one another. There was a loud deafening sound of a missile exploding, then another 4-5 such sounds in rapid succession as the ground shook relentlessly with the impact of the missiles.

Shit, Steve thought. Who would be attacking them now?

A few moments later, when everything went quiet, Steve stepped out of the restaurant and looked in the direction of the Avengers Compound. He could see dark smoke rising into the sky, with a huge spaceship eclipsing the sun. Thanos.

Without a second thought, Steve entered the car. "F.R.I.D.A.Y," he commanded, "Take me to the compound right now." "There has been an attack Mr Rogers, I am not sure if…" the AI tried to reason with him, but Steve interrupted, "Now!" "Yes Mr Rogers," she said in resignation.

…

He reached as close to the compound as the car could take him. The debris of the buildings and the gaping holes in the ground preventing the car from going any further. Steve stepped down, and started making his way to the centre of the ground.

As he used his asthma inhaler, he realised Tony was right. If he couldn't even walk this much without needing his inhaler, how can he help them?

When Steve reached the centre, his heart broke at the scene before him. Tony was lying on the ground having sustained multiple injuries. Natasha was trying to get up, her arms and legs badly cut. Thor was fighting with Thanos, but it seemed that was a losing battle as well. Steve couldn't just give up. He never had.

Looking around him at the ground, he saw a big piece of concrete. Lifting it, he tried to throw out with all his strength, but the concrete didn't even fall within 10 yards of Thanos. His eyes then went to Thor's Mjolnir on the ground. He still had to try right?

He rushed towards the hammer and pulled on its handle, Mjolnir feeling surprisingly light in his hands. He aimed and swung for the ugly purple head. With Mjolnir hitting the mark, the hammer dutifully came back to Steve.

"I KNEW IT!" exclaimed Thor, his reaction earning him a kick from Thanos.

Thanos's surprise was short-lived. He charged towards the little guy. Steve threw the hammer again but Thanos easily deflected it with his double-edged sword.

Before he could reach Steve, Natasha attacked Thanos, diverting his attention. "F.R.I.D.A.Y," she screamed, "get Steve a sandwich."

This isn't the time for a joke, Steve thought as he summoned the hammer and threw it at Thanos again.

Thanos threw Natasha to the ground and headed for Steve. A back-handed smack sent Steve flying in the air. He wouldn't have survived the fall, if it hadn't been for the S.A.N.D.W.H.I.C.H.H- an iron-man suit in the darkest shade of blue. The suit wrapped itself around Steve as it broke his fall. "Welcome Mr Rogers," greeted F.R.I.D.A.Y, "Do you like your new suit? It stands for

S - Steve

A - Always

N - Needs

D - Dangerous

W - Weapons

I - In-order-to

C - Cover

H - His

H - Homies"

Steve was still panting from the impact of the smack as he lay on the ground in the suit. "Not one of Tony's best acronyms," he managed to say between breaths. "Yeah," agreed the AI, "but he only put this together last night."

Steve struggled to get up again. He heard Thanos mumble something, but he couldn't care less. He stumbled in the new suit, barely being able to walk towards the giant alien, but still, willing to fight till his last breath. Just then, the microphone in his suit crackled a bit, "C-Cap, you ther--re?" He heard Sam's voice…

…

Steve couldn't believe it. The entire universe had come to fight with Thanos. He looked at humans and aliens alike, pissed off and ready to face the biggest threat to the universe. He managed to make it to the front of the line besides Thor, summoning the Mjolnir.

Natasha smiled at the army behind her, then turned to look at Thanos with a deadly stare.

She raised her shield as she called out to the warriors, her voice bellowing on the battlefield, "AVENGERS, ASSEMBLE!"

#steve rogers #captain america #avengers #Natasha #black widow #Hulk #hawk eye #iron man #rocket #Thor #infinity stones #soul stone #tony stark #bruce banner #avengers assemble #30daysofchris2020 #30 days of chris 2020

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hunterguyveriv · 4 years ago

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Sometimes a Stranger can help you Heal

Another 2 day combined into one for the Day 5 (Conversation in Black Lion) & and Day 6 (Battle Injury/Angst/Healing).

Both Keith & Acxa may seem out of character, but this is how I see the span of time between the time of Zethrid’s ship and when the lions land on the planet Acxa was stationed. It is meant to only center on Keith & Acxa

"What if she makes a move against him? We barely survived our last ground encounter with the Generals, let alone them in the Sincline ships!" The voice of an older female could be heard, "I trust my son enough to hold his own. One of our training regiments was close-quarters combat to simulate an attempted Cockpit takeover. Besides, if this Acxa DOES makes a move against him, I won't need to worry about him..."

In a matter of seconds, the mouth was pressurized and filled with oxygen. Keith landed with the full force of their weight on his left shoulder, causing it to dislocate. The cockpit pathway was now available to both of them as Black turned and rejoined the other lions. He grabbed his numb unresponsive left wrist, picking it up from the area between her navel and waist, letting it drop to the floor. Keith grimaced as the angle his arm was in caused more pain, which he couldn't focus on.

He jumped up, holding his left arm, rushing to the cockpit. Once in, he greeted his wolf, and delicately stepped over him. He was quickly hitting some buttons on the console. The console had a loading wheel before flashing off. He promptly sat in his chair, grabbing his left wrist again and resting his arm on his hip, hand limply hanging between his legs before holding the right-hand joystick. He shifted black to regroup and take the point in the formation.

Acxa was a mere 50 seconds behind him when she entered the cockpit. She saw Keith deliberately not using his left arm but saw some movement out of the corner of her eye. She saw and wast both shocked and startled that he had an injured Tlvdatsi Wolf. She looked back at the paladin, trying to figure him out. Figure out how the ruggle he got an animal supposedly extinct due to Zarkon hunting them down, wanting to unlock their teleportative abilities. She sat down slowly next to the wolf, not to seem aggressive or to jostle it, causing more pain. As she sat down, the wolf whined in pain, causing her to instinctively stroked his fur and prove some sort of comfort.

Over the comms came the voice of the one she knew from the Weblum as Hunk "Guy's we need somewhere to do close by to land and charge the lions! They can't take much more." A soft voice came from the floor, "I know of a place you can hold out." Keith looked at her as she typed on her gauntlet, "Go to Planet Verolgah-VI. You can lay low for as long as needed while they charge up."

Keith typed in the Planet's name and saw it would take 8 hours at their current levels to get there. Plotted a course, and everyone followed. He turned to face her and thank her for everything she had done, but she had fallen asleep next to his wolf. Stroking his fur gently, she had one of the most peaceful looks on her face.

She was woken up by some strained grunting. She looked up and saw a helmetless Keith standing near the cot for the Black Paladin. He had his hand in between the railing to get in it and the wall. He had is bayard in his mouth, chomping his teeth, which some looked Galra, and some looked human on it as he tried twisting his arm. She heard a growl escape his throat, which prompted his wolf to lift his head and look at him cocking his head. She saw him twist his arm relatively fast and yank. She heard a sigh come from him as he reached up and stroked his shoulder a little, telling her it was dislocated. She watched with abated interest then horror as she saw him take his arm from between the wall and railing and then slam his left shoulder full force into the wall. She winced, hearing a blood cruddling pop and a Yelp-like growl from being his bayard.

She watched as he flexed his left arm, even open and close his hand. He took his bayard from his mouth and let it dematerialize into its storage area in his leg armor. He turned, seeing her watching him, causing his cheeks to burn "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." She waved her hand slightly and stiffly got up "It's all right, but if you needed help you should have asked." She got up and felt his left shoulder region for any severe damage.

Keith stopped feeling heat around his neck, "I know, but I'm still not used to asking for help." She rested a hand briefly on the space between his chest armor and shoulder pad. They stood there in awkward silence for a group of seconds before getting flustered. Keith went back to the pilot's seat. Acxa sat on a small ledge to his right, "But you are the leader of Voltron."

Keith typed on his console's right panel, transferring power and controls back to the left side. He flexed his arm briefly before taking the left joystick releasing a sigh of relief. He looked back at her with a somber look, "Ever since my father died and and my mother-Krolia was out of the picture since I was a mere baby, all I could rely on was myself." Acxa to tell he was still hurting from his past as he looked back to his view screen, "Sure I had Shiro after he recruited me for the Galaxy Garrison and eventually became a type of brother figure to me, but…"

"You still remained an outcast." He nodded as she finished his thoughts. "Even now, when I am with the team it feels like I am still kept at a distance." She sat there intently, "but what of the one called, I think Hunk, from what I remember of the Weblum, he seemed like he was trying to get close."

She saw Keith reach up and touch the area of his right trapezoid and breastbone area. "Yeah, during a trying time, besides Shiro filling that brotherly role, of the team he was the only one who bothered trying." She looked at him, puzzled, causing him to sigh and looked at her. "I was in a dark place leading up to the battle in which Voltron fought Zarkon. Up to possibly a week prior to that battle, I had gone my entire life believing I was human. That was until I met a Blade member by the name of Ulaz."

He reached a concealed compartment that had mostly chewie snacks for his wolf, which prompted his wolf to get up and sit next to his arm, nuzzling it for some, along with his knife. He grabbed a couple of pieces of dried meat for the wolf and his knife. The wolf eagerly took the chewies and ran to "Daddy's Cot" and jumped on it.

Acxa, in a very long time, giggled at the defeated sigh but put her attention back on Keith. "My beliefs that I was completely human started to falter when Zarkon said, 'I fought like a Galra Soldier' which don't get me wrong was quite a compliment in itself." He saw her nod, "As you should." He held his knife forward, the same knife that transformed into a large sword at the Kral-Zera "But it was seeing this emblem on Ulaz's weapon that shook my foundation."

"Once we met with the Blade of Marmora to be potential allies against Zarkon, but things nearly spiraled out of hand until Blade-Master Kolivan put me through the trials in which I awoken the blade." As he put his knife in a secret hilt, he had specially made for his armor, "That is when you learned you were Galra?" He looked at the timer to reach the Planet that her base was on compared to the remaining power time for the lions, it was cutting it rather tight "Correct." He went back to piloting Black. "How did the others react?"

She could see she struck a still-raw nerve with his demeanor change, "Sorry…" He politely waved her off, "No, no, it's okay." He initiated the auto-pilot, he shifted to face her. "Lance, the loud pain in the ass actually didn't insult me about it. He said it even made sense since I made Galra consoles work, and the jacket I wore before leaving for a time reminded him of Sendak's armor. Pidge, she looked at it from a scientific standpoint and Coran. Coran told me he already knew, but felt it wasn't his place to tell me.

"Is that why you helped me out in the Weblum?" She saw him smirk, "Yes and no." She gave him a puzzled look. "Honestly I had no idea you were Galra until I saw your insignia. But my father who was a firefighter, had taught me from a young age that if I saw someone in need regardless of who they are you help them." "Sounds like he was an honorable man," she placed a hand on his forearm. "He was, infact that is how he met mom. Watching a vision from the Quantum Abyss, she crashlanded on Earth preventing a scout from revealing the location of the Blue-Lion…" Smirking quite ironically "something that still irks Allura quite a bit."

That last bit, she barely caught, but something definitely caught her attention "It seems, we are destined to keep crossing each other's path." He looked at her, "Oh?" "Affirmative. According to you, we met the same way your parents and ever since, we have been crossing each other's paths." His face in a matter of Milliseconds to a sudden realization, "You may be right!"

"But why… wait, what about Allura's reaction?" "Maybe because of it? We had grown close before the revelation. We were always stealing glances from one another when others weren't paying attention. Of all the Paladins she was always eager to join me, even was the toughest on me because Red was her father's lion. But it all changed after my trials..."

Acxa could tell he was still hurting. Hurting that, he experienced something that she, Lotor, Narti, Zethrid, and Ezor grew used to in nearly a quarter of a century. "All she saw was me as a Galra. Keep in mind I had a lot on my plate, I needed support from my team, my ENTIRE, team. But she cut me so deep that I was willing to take a suicide mission. Even after her… attempt of an apology, how could I lead someone who didn't want me there in the first place." Acxa nodded, sensing there was more anger and bitterness under the surface.

"Well it's her loss." She placed a hand on his and squeezed it softly. "You will find someone worthy of your devotion." Turning to hide the blush on his face, "Maybe I already have." He flipped his hand over, so their fingers intertwined. They gazed into each other's eyes briefly faces slightly red and purple before the proximity alarm brought them back to the immediate reality.

Planet Verolgah-VI was approaching fast, with systems starting to shutdown. Acxa uploaded a map to her base, which Keith sent to the rest of the lions. She even announced over the comms that they have to be careful entering the atmosphere due to Ion storms that had a tendency to appear out of nowhere. Keith gave the order to put their helmets back on and divert life support and any other unneeded energy to thrusters. Seconds before entering the upper atmosphere, more and more systems start to fail in the lions, "Anyone who isn't piloting, strap in! This is going to be rough!"

#keith voltron #acxa #kacxaweek2020 #kacxa_week_2020 #kacxa week 2020

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mudaship39 · 5 years ago

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Alpha Centurion War: The Battle of the Andromeda Galaxy and the Battle of the Milky Way Galaxy:

Listen to these while reading the following.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZsYgIz_xuk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F0-mvVRLFc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CoHkpCYvOk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psl3r4eKsp0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se32Kwa2sm4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXyhRnUx24c. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB4lEnN2SrM. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KigK6C3-vPI. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf9BnHy0qyY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdRm1taxorE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FAK6IZy5IY. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH_hgvcOM3I. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVp2GoJ36Yk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFUS_nTrXL8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ASwT9-0uEA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrCKvKXvN2c.

As a young adult Alexander Mack “Alex” Smith/Alexandra Macy “Lexi” Smith (he/she/they) returned to their genderfluid species intergalactic empire that spanned most of an entire galaxy and went to a coming of age trial to be seen as an adult by their species. To do that he/she/they enter a yearly held competition in a circular arena. This colossal octagonal arena has been built inside eight walls. With four of the walls made entirely out of corundum and four walls made entirely out of diamonds walls. It has a roof made out of steel, tungsten, & titanium and chromium floors. The audiences are protected by an advanced forcefield. The contestants are protected with advanced plasma shields, laser shields, energy shields, & hard light shields. This massive arena is located in a neighboring planetary empire in an affluent empire. An event with seating for hundreds of thousands of spectators watch in person and billions watch live streamed on ultra 8k high definition. It is an event where thousands of humans, alien humanoids, magical humanoids, & alien individuals with and without magic as well as with and without superpowers compete in highly publicized events. It is an event that is televised across the universe, multiverse, & omniverse on ultra 8k high definition holographic smartphones, tablets, & laptops. The walls, floor, & roof of the arena are decorated with so many things. Such as scenic murals, mythological murals, patterned murals, historical murals, murals of historical campaigns, murals of peace, & murals of historical wars. Such as hard light and plasma weapons such as spears, clubs, war hammers, battle axes, & swords. Such as combat and power armor. Such as knight and paladin armor, capes, helmets, shields. Such as historical relics, sacred relics, & religious relics. Such as historic tapestries, mythic tapestries, & tapestries of battle. Such as statues of rulers, statues of gods, statues of mythological heroes, statues of famous military heroes, statues of famous leaders, statues of famous sages, statues of famous scientists, statues of enlightenment thinkers, statues of artists, statues of inventors, & statues of doctors. Such as religious alters, spiritual alters, & ancestral alters. Such as national banners, faction banners, royal banners, & family banners. Such as religious and spiritual shrines. All of these including inscriptions were used as decoration. There were loudspeakers constantly playing music of loud vocals, loud percussion from giant drums, woodwind instruments, string instruments, & brass instruments. In the arena there are also public announcements, theatre performances, public ceremonies, coronations, & battle reenactments. They also competed in jousts, melees, archery competitions, shooting events, school sporting events (similar to sporting events of high school, two year community college, four year university, military academy, & Ivy League university), Olympic events, kendo, fencing, full contact lethal & nonlethal hand to hand unarmed martial arts competitions, full contact lethal and nonlethal melee combat competitions, war games, team fighting, capture the flag, & trial by combat. Contestants’ intelligence was also tested with magical shogi, magical go, & magical chess. They fight with lethal and nonlethal magical and futuristic melee weaponry and fight with lethal and nonlethal magical powered or super powered hand to hand combat. Contestants were often hurt, injured, seriously injured, & even died in these events. Aliens, magical humanoids, alien humanoids, & humans also competed in track races and chariot races. There were also masquerade balls, ballet, & ballroom dancing. The other entertainments were bards, magic shows, trained animals, acrobats, performers, jugglers, musical contests, open mic slam poetry contests, parades, staged exhibitions, & storytelling contests. There was betting with a large prize pool for the winner in which you won money, weapons, armor, etc. So it was here that the Harlequin Hippogriff (Alexander Smith/Alexandra Smith) grew to love theatre and combat.

The next to last event he/she/they competed in were The Hunting Rights and Trials where alien and human (with magic and without magic and with superpowers and without superpowers) hunters, fighters, & warriors are sent to highly dangerous and inhospitable alien planets to: track, hunt, capture, & bring back alive highly dangerous alien: beasts, creatures, & monsters in its own territory while surviving in all sorts of hellish environments for days, weeks, months, or a year at a time to track down these dangerous alien monsters, dangerous alien beasts, dangerous alien creatures, & dangerous alien animals. These alien: animals, creatures, and monsters can brought back non-lethally, injured, hurt, somewhat injured, or seriously injured but not killed. These alien and human (with magic and without magic and with superpowers and without superpowers) hunters are also sent to highly dangerous and inhospitable alien planets to: track, hunt, capture, & bring back alive highly dangerous bionic, cybernetic, inorganic, artificial, and robotic: beasts, creatures, & monsters in its own territory while surviving in all sorts of hellish environments for days, weeks, months, a year at a time to track down these dangerous: android, inorganic, cybernetic, bionic, artificial, & robotic: monsters, beasts, creatures, & animals. These alien: animals, creatures, beasts, & monsters can brought back non-lethally, partly destroyed, somewhat destroyed, mostly destroyed, but never completely destroyed. “I admire a fellow hunter,” said Cassandra. These dangerous organic, part organic, & inorganic creatures are then killed or destroyed by the hunter in a religious, spiritual, sacrificial, & ritualistic manner in the arena itself with the assistance of their species’ priests, monks, chaplains, elders, & sages. Their people’s religion and spirituality is a mixture and fusion of pagan, Abrahamic like religions, Dharmic like religions, monotheistic, folk religions, African like religions, animism, atheistic, shamanism, new religious movements, South Asian like religions, Southeast Asian like religions, East Asian like religions, Indigenous religions, non religious, & polytheistic religions. These were the highly ritualistic, highly religious, highly spiritual, & highly sacred hunting trials and rights of his/her/their species to recreate, recall, respect, & honor his species prehistoric hunting days. They were recreating their ancient past. Remembering the days when they weren’t technologically advanced tier zero since it’s the highest technology wise a species can achieve transcendent beings they are now. When they weren’t capable of travel beyond universes, dimensions, realities, timelines, multiverses, & omniverses. This was before they could manipulate, create, & destroy pocket dimensions. Or before they could accelerate and decelerate the evolution of intelligent sentient life. No this was billions of years ago in their prehistoric past before they were a space faring militaristic species of disjointed planetary empires, armed with plasma, magical, energy, hard light, ballistic, & laser weaponry, that went to war with many species of aliens and human species. This was recreating the time when they were a tier 7 (lowest technology wise) nomadic agricultural hunting and gathering race that built highly advanced technology. Technology made by them where their evolution. Thus allowing them to make permanent settlements, cities, & later kingdoms on their planet turning them from a tier 7 into tier 6 and then tier 5 civilizations. These kingdoms then were then united by one kingdom into empires. These empires were then conquered by one empire and turned into a planetary empire. They then started to develop faster than light ships turning them into tier 4 and tier 3 species.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWpbHF4LNqg.

The technology then allowed them to hunt dangerous organic, part organic, & inorganic: monsters, animals, & creatures. Not just on their planet but from across the stars. From many planets, solar systems, galaxies, later throughout all universes, later throughout all multiverses, & finally all omniverses for sport, recreation, food, culture, & entertainment. This also allowed them to make permanent settlements, colonies, villages, towns, cities, states, & countries. This allowed them to build kingdoms, empires, & later a planetary empire on each of the planets they hunted on. Allowing them to become a divided intergalactic empire. They then become tier 2, tier 1, and finally tier 0 level species but still divided intergalactic empires. As part of this hunting trial contestants are sent to these hellish places to find their quarry, that even those blessed by most powerful divine gods, demonic devils, fallen gods, & titans dare not go. Yet they go to each of these planets alone with just the basic equipment to survive. Everything else is on site procurement that they have forage for themselves. Without assistance and sent alone. There they have to obtain food, acquire shelter, secure water, craft weapons, attain armor, gain equipment, construct defenses, construct shields, & create garments on site all by themselves. When they are sent to another planet they start this process all over again. They start from scratch with just basic equipment for survival and have to procure everything else once again everything they need on site. There was no nobility in killing a beast, animal, creature, or monster when you obviously had all the advantages over them. The true spirit of the hunt was to pit warrior and hunter against prey in a one on one contest of strength on the prey’s terms to see if the hunter and warrior had what it took to overcome all hardships and challenges. This is why he/she/they were chosen as clan hunting captain and clan hunter/huntress. All of these planets they are sent to track and bring back these beings are filled with highly dangerous: aliens, humans, cannibalistic aliens, cannibalistic humans, human raiders, alien raiders, humanoid raiders, human slavers, alien slavers, humanoid slavers, feral humanoids, feral humans, feral animals, feral mutants, cannibalistic humanoids, cannibalistic mutants, cannibalistic aliens, alien slavers, human slavers, and carnivorous plants. These planets that they are sent to are filled with subzero barren icy wastes, impassable swamps bogs and bayous, barren dry scorching deserts, methane caves, exotic death jungles and forests, & hydrocarbon oceans and hydrocarbon rivers for environments to bring back the most dangerous avian, terrestrial, aquatic, & extraterrestrial: alien: creatures, beasts, monsters, & animals in the entire multiverse back alive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpIhbDN58mA.

Several of these planets where they are sent to track and bring back these organic and inorganic animals, beasts, monsters, & creatures are heavily mutated by radiation because of a post apocalypse (after nuclear warfare) that irradiated the planet itself and the survivors of a nuclear war making the aliens, humans, monsters, beasts, humanoids, & creatures highly dangerous because they were highly irradiated. Several of these planets they are sent to hunt are so irradiated the entire planet’s surface, the planet’s atmosphere, the entire planet’s bodies of water, its winds, its fogs, it’s deserts, it’s forests, it’s jungles, & its rains are radiated as well. From these worlds the hunters would craft radioactive melee weapons and radioactive ranged weapons. Other alien: creatures, animals, and monsters are from planets so toxic because of years of the planets inhabitants being exposed to heavy industry and pollution. So much the planet’s surface, the planet’s oceans, the planet’s atmosphere, its winds, its jungles, its forests, all of its bodies of water, its fogs, & its rains are toxic as well. From these worlds the hunters would craft toxic tipped melee weapons, toxic throwing weapons, & toxic ranged weapons. On these planets they gathered materials and used these ingredients to make face paint, war paint, & camouflage to blend in with the environment. You ask why do people even dare go on these dangerous hunting trials. It is because these are the first trials in the step on becoming his/her/their species SSSS class deep black ops special operations super soldiers. Super soldiers sent on missions so dangerous even regular SSSS spec ops super soldiers dare not go. Many of these warriors join the Intergalactic Royal Honor Guard Imperial Commandos after the trials. These are the trials Alex’s/Lexi’s real alien parents faced to become field commandos of the Intergalactic Imperial Royal Honor Guard Commandos of Lord Nex. Even those that fail these hunting trails are given full rights and revered with high honor. That is given how ruthless and perilous these trials are. But those who do accomplish these tasks are given beyond cosmic and celestial god like status. Cambion Changeling (Alexander Smith/Alexandra Smith) proudly wears a necklace, a belt, and a bracelet adorned with the horns, scales, feathers, claws, teeth, and tusks of these dangerous animals, creatures, beasts, & monsters that he/she/they brought back alive and then killed in the arena.

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kcwcommentary · 6 years ago

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VLD1x04 – “Some Assembly Required”

1x04 – “Some Assembly Required”

This is probably my least favorite episode out of the first two seasons of the show, and I don’t like saying this, but it’s because of Allura. I really don’t like her arrogance and lack of empathy in this episode. I don’t like how the narrative tries to retcon it being her plan all along to unite the Paladins through their annoyance/anger against her. It’s not that that isn’t a viable plot – it’s certainly been done in other stories – it’s that this show makes it a whiplash heel-turn at the end. If the narrative of this episode had been openly setting that up so that we viewers knew she was doing that while the Paladins themselves didn’t, it would be totally different. The suddenness of her change from being overly demanding to pointing out how the team unified as a result of her being their common (temporary) antagonist is just too narratively dissonant.

This episode isn’t anywhere near all-bad though. It gives us Shiro doing pushups in his spare time.

Allura’s first rant is that they didn’t all get to the bridge fast enough for her fake red alert. Unless she has had a meeting with the team before hand to tell them that she needs for them to be ready to go on a moment’s notice, then it’s unrealistic and unfair to then complain that they weren’t ready and waiting on their own. Realistically, there are always degrees of alert status. And no one, for their own psychological health and well-being, can remain at red alert constantly. Now, if Allura had this expectation but was eventually called out on it by another/other character(s), or if the narrative resulted in her realizing on her own that this doesn’t work, then that would be a different story. As is, the narrative is written as if she were right when she’s not.

“Coran and I have been up for hours,” Allura declares. Congratulations. You’re not currently in an active combat situation, so there is this thing called duty shifts. Maybe this is a manifestation of unrealistic American society that perpetuates the idea that a person is supposed to be working constantly to the point of absolute exhaustion, but this is not sustainable. At the very least, unless it had been established among the crew that they needed to be on duty at a certain time, complaining that they were sleeping is just wrong.

Hunk tries to call Allura out and get her to recognize the significant change the Paladins have gone through from being students on Earth to being combat pilots in a universe-spanning war. Of course, Allura doesn’t even slightly try to empathize with them.

“Negative, Number 5. I have you ranked by height,” says Coran. I think this might be one of my favorite Coran jokes. I don’t remember us ever hearing him call any of the other Paladins by number though.

The sequence of the Paladins transitioning to their Lions makes the process look ridiculous. Allura was complaining about the amount of time it took the Paladins to get to the bridge, well then what about the amount of time it takes for them to get from there to their Lions? That route/journey through the ship to get to each respective Lion is way too long and is indicative of poor engineering/ship design. Realistically, fighter pilots would be on duty near their craft, not on the bridge. And of course, this show has to make another, this time extended in duration, fat joke about Hunk.

Forming Voltron is put in terms of ill-defined feeling-like-a-team, and not a mechanical process. If that is indeed how Alfor designed and built these ships, then that is bad design. I get it, the show wants to be about teamwork and the Lions forming Voltron works as a symbol that the characters are functioning as a team. It might be written in poetics, but only being able to access higher functions of a computer system/weapon when you have well-running psychology is not realistic.

I like the call-back to “I’m a leg!” from the previous episode.

“Shiro’s the head!” Keith says aggressively. “All the time?” Hunk responds. It hurts to hear Keith being so supportive of Shiro and his position of leader, knowing that this show unceremoniously rips Shiro from that position and tosses him aside.

“Feel the bonds with your Lions. Now channel your energy into forming Voltron.” This non-defined “energy” is definitely in my list of disliked tropes in fiction. It is cheap writing wrapped in pretentiousness as if it’s profound.

Allura’s callous decision to attack the Lions without prepping them for such an assignment is bad leadership. “…and inspiring you! I believe in you, Paladins. Let fear be your guide,” she says. This is ridiculous. This isn’t how you get people to trust in you and your leadership. She’s blatantly proclaiming, all with a smile on her face and a laugh in her voice, that she wants them to feel afraid for their lives. That is a dangerously dissonant perspective for her to have. Again, if this episode was about her learning to not do these kinds of things, I could be okay with this, but the episode treats her behavior as if it’s right.

Meanwhile, Zarkon is a tyrant. Haggar is creepy. They’re cartoon villains.

The Paladins are taking a break, and Allura gets annoyed. Actual training requires breaks, but Allura acts like that’s an absurd idea. Unfortunately, the show tries to assert the idea that no one is allowed breaks through Shiro in this scene too. Ugh!

Second reference to Shiro as “the Champion.” I like that the show uses several episodes to build up to the reveal that Shiro had to fight gladiatorially to survive.

On to the training deck. First up, the protect your teammates from drone attacks. Given that Hunk is surprised that his suit can create a shield, clearly the team was not prepped for this exercise before-hand. This is not how training actually works (it’s almost like it’s become an unintentional theme with this episode). Then, the invisible maze. The maze sets up its being used in later episodes by Pidge as a defensive maneuver against attacking Galra sentries and to provide a cloaking system for the Green Lion (why she never installed a similar cloaking system on all of their Lions is baffling). I think there could have been so much more to the maze scene; it had the elements needed to actually put some character development in the episode.

Back in the Lions, nosedive. “This is an expert-level drill that you really shouldn’t attempt until you’ve been flying for years,” Coran says. If that truly is so, then, again, this is not how training works. Also, if Coran can remotely black out a Paladin’s helmet so they can’t see, then that system can be hacked; it’s a point of vulnerability for them if some outside influence can make them suddenly unable to see.

The animation sequence of Shiro and the Black Lion’s eyes and faces aligning was a really nice visual way of representing the psychic connection possible between a Lion and pilot.

Then we have the clear-your-mind scene that gives us holographic displays of what each Paladin is thinking about. This scene does some characterization work. Keith thinks most about his small home in the middle of nowhere back on Earth. Lance thinks about his family. Hunk thinks about food, which honestly is not characterization work but borders again on a fat joke. Pidge’s image of her and her brother, which at this point because of the dialog regarding that photo between Hunk and Pidge in the first episode we’re supposed to interpret as Pidge and a girlfriend, juxtaposed to Coran’s narration about not keeping secrets is sign that we’re supposed to realize what we think we know about that image isn’t correct. And Shiro is focused on the Galaxy Garrison and its space missions; his deep desire to be an explorer is so endearing! If this visualization training has been available this entire time, then this is precisely where the team’s training to form Voltron should have begun, and they shouldn’t have progressed to actually attempting to actively form Voltron until they were successful at this exercise. Working on this exercise first would have been realistic training.

“I’m just… I’m just tired, okay?” Pidge says (with really good voice acting!). And Shiro (unlike in the previous break scene) recognizes the appropriate need for a break. I so love the animation of Shiro sitting cross-legged on the floor with this look of adorable curiosity on his face about the beverage that Coran hands him. Even Coran in this scene recognizes the need for a break. But…

In walks ridiculous Allura who yells at them. That Allura was a dictator in that alternate reality in 3x04 “A Hole in the Sky” is entirely plausible given how she behaves here. Juxtaposed with Zarkon in this episode, she and he have a lot in common. If Allura had been like this for the whole show, I would not have been able to stand her.

Now to fighting the Gladiator. Shiro’s PTSD results in his going up against the Gladiator triggering traumatic memories of him fighting for his life against Galra sentries, distracting him and letting the Gladiator nearly get him. Keith comes to his defense (I love their friendship!). It’s nice that at least someone has enough interpersonal insight to be able to see that something happened to Shiro. But then Allura again. Ugh! “That combat simulator was set for a level fit for an Altean child,” she says. Several things, one, she failed to notice Shiro’s psychological distress, two, I don’t see her demonstrating she’s capable of hand-to-hand combat and thus in any way credible to critique others’ fighting skills, three, she’s being beyond arrogant here. These Paladins are humans, not Alteans, so even if that combat was what Altean children do then it still has nothing to do with what humans are capable of. A good leader would easily recognize this. And again, if this episode was about showing Allura having to grow as a leader through recognizing the capabilities and limits of this team and adjusting herself to better work with that, then the episode could have been good. But the episode never calls her out as wrong on any of this. As much as she complains that the Paladins aren’t working as a team, she herself never demonstrates herself as capable of being a team-player.

We get our first look at a Robeast in this episode. It’s just a bit, and it’s nice seeing the show being willing to pace itself with action from the antagonists given how out-of-control the show’s pacing is in the last two or three seasons of the show.

And finally, the food fight scene. “Do Earthlings ever stop complaining?” Allura asks. I don’t know about Earthlings, but Allura certainly doesn’t ever stop complaining. Shiro starts the process of calling her out on it, but unfortunately the narrative is written to make Allura right. Again, if this had been written so that we knew she was trying to get them to bond through their anger at her, then it would work better. Instead, the reveal is sudden and only here at the end, written almost more to excuse her behavior than to explain it. As is, it’s a failure of narrative structure and a disservice to Allura’s character.

#voltron legendary defender #voltron #vld #voltron criticism #vld criticism #voltron critical #vld critical #vld season 1 #vld 1x04 #commentary

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aether-staza · 7 years ago

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Sheith Angst Idea

In a canon divergence AU, Shiro doesn’t return to the team with the events of season 3. Years go by, and everyone but Keith has given up on Shiro even being alive. But Keith knows Shiro is still out there, still guiding him every day. Sometimes when Keith is in Black, he can swear he hears Shiro’s voice, watching his back, supporting him…and whispering right to his heart how much he loves him. Keith never stops believing that somehow, they will find each other.

▪☆▪☆▪☆▪

JOIN THE SHEITH ANGST PROMO!

Send me the most heart-wrenching Sheith headcanon/scenario/etc. you have~

In the battle with Zarkon, Shiro’s entire being was strained, and put to the test, a mighty war of wills to bond with the Black Lion, but Shiro throws in everything he’s got to banish Zarkon’s hold over Black, knowing that no matter what else happens, Black needs to be freed in order for Voltron to win the war. Shiro is utterly spent, on the verge of burning out forever, and Black desperately tries to save her paladin, using all her power to transport him somewhere safe, somewhere he can recover. The Castle is safe…everything was safe before Zarkon was corrupted…Zarkon…Zarkon tries one more time to wrestle control of Black back, right as she transports Shiro…The former paladin is nearly out of strength himself, but his desperation is just enough. It give him just enough power to shake Black up before their bond is severed forever. The path to safety the lion has created diverges, cracks, sends Shiro to the Castle…the Castle of Lions over 10,000 years in the past, before everything had gone so wrong, before Zarkon had gone so wrong.

He is in Black, but a Black that belongs wholly to Zarkon…he can only just barely make out his bond with her before her roar alerts the Paladins that something is wrong. Shiro is rounded up and confronted by five very suspicious and confused paladins…but they aren’t without reason.

Given the opportunity to explain how he got into the Castle, let alone the Black Lion, Shiro explains that he is from the future, the current Black Paladin fighting to free the oppressed universe 10,000 years from now…but he knows he cannot accuse Zarkon of being the oppressor right in front of the man himself, so he carefully…edits the details of the future, about the evil that the universe faces in his own time. Reluctantly, the paladins of old are cautiously convinced of Shiro’s identity…after all, Black wouldn’t let just anyone in, and Zarkon admits that he feels a vague connection between himself and the stranger, leading back to Black.

Shiro, now vetted and and somewhat trusted, explains that he has to find a way to get back, but Alfor is uncertain if they are going to be able to replicate the circumstances that sent Shiro here in the first place…after all, Shiro can’t be completely honest with them about what he knows…but maybe he can change the past…stop it all from happening in the first place. He can at least try; he has no idea how long he’ll be stuck here, and there is no reason to believe he can’t still try to make a difference even in the past, separated from his team…and from Keith by thousands of years.

Its jarring for Shiro to meet Coran and Allura, pretend he knows nothing more about them than legends in his own time…this is going to be difficult, but he has to try. With Alfor and other scientists focusing efforts on trying to help get Shiro home, the Black Paladin finds himself being taken tentatively under his predecessor’s wing. Zarkon is not what Shiro expected; the man clearly has his flaws, but he is a devoted leader to his people, he loves his family and his friends dearly…Shiro doesn’t understand how it all went so wrong in the end. He isn’t opposed to spending so much time with the emperor, trying everything he can to guide him away from the dark fate that awaits…but time dragging them relentlessly towards their fate, and Shiro is losing hope of ever getting back to Keith and his team. All he can do is try and turn the tides now.

With Zarkon’s interests inevitably comes the interests of Honerva…Shiro was brought into the past through the intervention of the Black Lion, and massive use of quintessence, and she is hungry to learn more. She has to know if more is possible, and Shiro holds so many answers, and she will have them no matter the costs. She will understand quintessence no matter what it takes.

Shiro is getting nervous; he’s been with the paladins for a couple of years now, and he knows they are getting closer to the day that Zarkon tricks the team into entering the rift, Daibazaal getting destroyed, and a reign of terror spanning thousands of years begins. Watching the slow erosion of trust among the paladins is heartbreaking, and Shiro doesn’t know how he can stop this all from going to hell in a handbasket, but he is still doing his best to try…and his efforts are not going unnoticed. Honerva is suspicious of his motives, his intentions…before her inevitable collapse, she manages to get Shiro alone, eager to try out some of her research on this stranger from the future.

Through a judicious use of druid magic, Honerva gleans enough information to know that Shiro is trying to stop her, trying to interfere with her husband, and she will not let anything stand in her way. She instead will make a loyal servant of Shiro, a mindless warrior to protect her, her husband, and her future child no matter the cost. Poisoning Shiro’s mind with quintessence is enough for now, and her team of devoted researchers take Shiro away for reconditioning…Shiro’s last thought was regret, knowing he had failed to make a difference, and never returned to Keith.

In the chaos created by Honerva’s collapse, and Zarkon’s no one thinks to question where Shiro has gone, and too soon, history is made as the five paladins enter the rift, Daibazaal is destroyed and Zarkon and Honerva…Haggar…return from death to begin a war that will rage through the galaxy for years to come.

Shiro is gone, a running theme in his life, but a new servant has joined Zarkon, a dark armored figure that follows Zarkon like a shadow, fiercely loyal to the emperor and feared as his most ruthless commander…a commander that watches a Champion rise through the ranks in the slave pits with a rigid form, and though the shadow wears a mask constantly, Takashi Shirogane cannot help but feel like his soul is being peeled away every time that mask’s blank gaze falls upon him.

But the pilot turned arena brawler has a savior, and the Blade gets the Champion back to Earth, back just in time to kick off a new era in the Legend of Voltron. Things are only slightly different this time…Allura and Coran squint when they see Shiro standing before them, four other humans in tow, getting the strangest feeling that they have met this calm, reassuring leader before…but 10,000 years of cryo-stasis have made details of their past a little hard to remember, like the fading images of a dream upon waking…what they do know is that they trust this man, even if the rest of these children don’t inspire much confidence…

Events play out as they should, time repeating itself in a strange way for Shiro…he lives through battles for a second first time, leading up to that fateful moment when he will face Zarkon for the last time, to break his hold over Black once and for all…

All Keith knows, is that Shiro is gone. His heart aches when he sees the proud Black Lion, collapsed in the hangar like a puppet with cut strings…he knows before he even enters the cockpit that Shiro isn’t going to be there, but he has to go. The ache becomes a crack that sends fractures through his heart, breaking the fragile organ into pieces that he isn’t so sure can ever be put back together.

Shiro is gone. He is gone again, and there is nothing he can do.

He searches fruitlessly, avoiding picking up the torch that Shiro had placed beside him all those months ago, stranded together on a desolate planet…he could barely stand to look at Black, let alone try to pilot her…but the team was growing desperate. They need a Black Paladin, and the universe needs Voltron.

When Black chooses Keith, his stomach bottoms out, and what is left of Keith’s fragile heart is crumbling to dust…he takes up the mantle, reluctant and unhappy…but after a few times of piloting Black, he starts to feel it…the ghost of a touch here, the whisper of encouragement there…it gives Keith a renewed hope that Shiro lives, that he is out there waiting. Keith is bonding with Black, and just like Zarkon could feel Shiro through Black, Keith is feeling that same pull. Shiro is alive.

In the absence of Zarkon, Voltron is being kept busy by Lotor and his generals…as well as the master of a fleet that fights with more ferocity than Keith is prepared for the first few times. This shadowy commander has a scorched earth method that leaves destruction in his path every time Voltron clashes with his fleet, and it only gets worse when Zarkon returns and sets the empire against Lotor.

Through events fairly similar to current canon, Lotor and Voltron end up as allies, forced to work together or let Zarkon and his monster of a right-hand man salt and burn they’re way through the growing number or coalition planets in order to crush the rebellion.

Every time Keith finds himself facing this mysterious commander, he cannot help but feel his heart ache a little, like something is wrong, and a few missteps have nearly cost them their lives. By the time Zarkon offers to exchange Sam Holt for betraying Lotor, Keith knows they have to do this with the utmost care, or they will lose everything.

Keith and Lotor lay out the plan…Voltron will pretend to betray Lotor to get Sam back, but as soon as the exchange is made, Keith, Pidge and Matt will rush Zarkon, while Lotor will attack from behind enemy lines. The surprise of Lotor not actually being cuffed should give them enough of an edge to take down the emperor before the waiting fleets can move in and blast them all…once they’re in close quarters with the emperor, the fleet wont be able to risk an aerial attack.

Planetside, Keith feels his heart go cold when he sees the shadow commander at Zarkon’s side, just in front of Lotor’s former generals…its too many for Lotor to fight on his own even for a moment, but it’s too late now, and they can’t leave Sam, not when Pidge and Matt are so close to having their father back against all odds. Keith feels like his eyes are glued to the commander in black the whole time it takes for Lotor to cross to distance between them, even though he knows he should be watching Zarkon, watching Sam, watching the Acxa and the others with the same level of care, but he can’t. This is his first time seeing the commander in the flesh, all their previous exchanges happening in the skies, in ships that kept them relatively shielded from one another’s scrutiny.

Keith swallows, takes a minute to breath before the shit hits the fan; Zarkon’s inevitable double-cross comes, and Keith is not surprised. Keith darts forward immediately as soon as Lotor’s cuffs hit the ground and the prince pulls out his broadsword, going for his father with single-minded intensity while the others hurried to get Sam back inside the ship. He knows Pidge and Matt wont let that happen, so he zeroes in on the shadow commander. He cant let him interfere with Zarkon and Lotor’s fight; he knows that if the prince is killed their victory is going to be even more difficult. He glances to the right; Pidge and Matt are busting into the ship; they’ll get Sam…he shifts his gaze and sees Lotor get thrown back by his father just as the shadow commander’s right arm begins to glow with violet light…Keith’s stomach twists as he feels the pull and wonders…the commander is already running to stop Lotor, to kill him, and Keith doesn’t have time to question himself.

He makes sure he is there to intercept, the glowing Galra-crafted hand coming down in a deadly arc only to be met by Keith’s gleaming black sword. The hit is powerful, and Keith feels the impact vibrate through his arms, but he clenches his teeth and he presses back, prepared to risk it all to make sure this mission is a success…the rest of the paladins are on their way, he knows…they can still win the day.

Their battle is fierce, and this commander has Keith on the ropes, but the Black Paladin refuses to go down until everyone else is safe; he gasps and shudders when the impact comes. He looks down…the Galra arm is sunk into Keith’s side, and the Black Paladin can only think…oh.

He drags his eyes away from his torso, finding his bayard sunk through the commander’s shoulder, and Keith smirks. He’s finally landed a hit that counts, and Keith knows he has to press the advantage; he slams the hilt of his Marmoran blade into the side of the commander’s helmet, hoping to stun the other; the sound of shattering glass fills his ears, and Keith pulls back to strike again…until he sees a shock of white hair, a scar and grey eyes that he would know anywhere. His heart stops, and he gasps…or he tries to…Keith feels like he can’t breath.

Someone is calling his name, but he can’t move, can’t comprehend the sound beyond the vague buzzing of the words at the back of his skull.

“Shi…Shiro?” he manages…he can’t believe it. Nothing makes sense, and the world feels like its falling away beneath his feet. Static is eating at his peripheral, and all he can focus on is cold, grey eyes, staring through him with no recognition, no warmth or love…Keith feels the tears welling up, and the ache in his heart threatening to tear him to pieces. He wants to say more, wants to plead with Shiro to remember…but he can’t force his mouth to make any sound as he realized that Shiro’s hand is now wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground. The former Black Paladin yanks his Galra hand out of Keith’s side, a gush of blood seeping into the armor, following the lines of the plates to drip on the ground in a slow, steady stream. Keith’s hand slipped from the hilt of his bayard, and his Blade dropped to the ground with a clatter…Keith thinks he hears someone scream his name, but all he can do is find the strength to reach out, to touch Shiro’s cheek before the world goes dark. Shiro’s arm tensed, like he plans to throw Keith away from him.

“Shiro…I love you…always will…” he chokes out. Shiro’s eyes widen, and Keith hopes…maybe he’s reached him…but everything is going fuzzy, going dark…he can’t feel anything, can’t think. The Black Paladin is dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks, the echo of gunfire still rippling across the empty plane of this dusty planet…Lotor stands over the body of Zarkon, Matt and Pidge are landing the shuttle, their father safe and secure, while Coran, Allura and Hunk finish off the last of the Galra fleet above…Lance runs forward, his sniper rifle still trained on the Galran commander in black, praying that Keith is still alive. He calls Coran for medical backup as he runs, not even watching as the Galra falls over where Lance had shot him, intent on reaching his fallen leader in time. He collapses in the dirt next to the Black Paladin, trying to staunch the bleeding for long enough to get Keith back to the castle…Keith groans, trying to move despite his broken state, and Lance shushes him, reaching out to hold him still. “Its alright, buddy…we’ll get you back to the castle, just stay with me.” Lance pleads. Keith moans, and reaches…though its more of a pitiful twitch of his hand than anything…towards the Galran…

“Shiro…” Keith croaks before truly passing into complete unconsciousness, going limp under Lance’s hands, the Blue-turned Red Paladin panicking, his eyes following Keith’s gesture, towards the prone body he had shot down moments ago. He went cold…Shiro. Lance had shot down Shiro.

“CORAN!” he shouted into his coms. He couldn’t lose two Black Paladins in one day. Not if he could help it.

***

Okay, I am so sorry. This spiralled so far out of control, and I know its a little all over the place, but I hope this is the type of angst that you are looking for.

Thank you for humoring me

#orpheus11 #sheith angst promo #submission #sheith #omgee #yaaaas #this is what i wuz lookin fooor

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rebelsofshield · 7 years ago

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2017: The 10 Best Pieces of Star Wars Media

With installments in almost every form of storytelling media, 2017 has been a busy year for the Galaxy Far, Far Away. There have been more than a few duds, but even with a few minor hiccups, 2017 brought us some all-time classic Star Wars stories.

10. Forces of Destiny

In a way, “Forces of Destiny” may just be a glorified series of animated toy commercials. However, there is an undeniable sense of charm and energy to the series. With its simplistic but often expressive animation and all-star voice cast, “Force of Destiny’s” chronicling of the adventures of Star Wars’ heroines is a fun distraction with plenty of family friendly adventure. It’s a welcome reminder that this universe is a place of inspiration and escapism for fans of all ages, genders, sexes, and races. Also, I’m weirdly a huge fan of Sabine Wren and Jyn Erso teaming up. Let’s see that pairing again.

9. Star Wars Aftermath: Empire’s End

Despite a rocky start, Chuck Wendig’s expansive, quirky, and inclusive Aftermath trilogy improved itself with each installment before finally reaching its creative zenith in Empire’s End. With a galaxy spanning scope and a truly diverse ensemble of characters, Wendig draws to a close the narratives of three books but also creates a tight epilogue for the finale to the original era of Star Wars. The result is frequently mysterious and foreboding but just as often romantic, tragically emotional, and laugh out loud funny. Wendig’s take on the Star Wars universe feels unique to his own mind and bridges the distant war-torn galaxy to our own political landscape in intelligent and oddly relevant ways.

8. Captain Phasma/Phasma

Yes, I’m aware the duel pairing of this would really make the list “Top 11 2017 Pieces of Star Wars Media,” but Delilah S. Dawson’s novel, Phasma, and Kelly Thompson and Marco Checchetto’s limited comic series, Captain Phasma ,function as a perfect duology. Together, both Thompson and Dawson take on the task of redeeming the character of Phasma in the cultural psyche and craft the chrome armored warrior into the dangerous and surprisingly haunting villain we all expected her to be when she first debuted in The Force Awakens in 2015. The two create a strong piece of storytelling synergy that draw together Phasma’s origins and future and craft a dangerous and opportunistic woman who quickly stakes her claim as the Boba Fett of a new generation.

7. Star Wars: Darth Vader -Dark Lord of the Sith

When writer Charles Soule originally solicited this series earlier this year, he described it as “Darth Vader: Year One,” referencing the famous Frank Miller Batman comic. Soule has taken this inspiration in following the immediate aftermath of Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader and has turned in a brutal and at times horrifying character study of a man at his moral and emotional lowest point. Coupled with Giuseppe Camuncoli’s dynamic art which excels at kinetic action sequences, Soule is more than on his way of living up to the lofty legacy of Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca’s now legendary run on Darth Vader just last year.

6. Star Wars Battlefront II: Inferno Squad

While the video game that shares its name and from which it draws inspiration may have largely been a disappointment, Christie Golden’s tie-in novel “Inferno Squad” makes for one of the best Empire centric narratives told in the current canon. Following an elite Imperial special forces unit in the immediate aftermath of the destruction of the Death Star, Golden’s take on the titular Inferno Squad hammers home the dangers of fanatical fascism in the face of catastrophe or loss. The result is a tense and nail-biting story that sees squad leader Iden Versio and her allies infiltrating some of the last remaining members of Saw Gerrera’s Partisans to stop potential terror threats against the Empire. While Golden may not turn you into an Imperial convert, she does explore, in perhaps the most realistic and intimate way to date, the mindset that a soldier working for this government would have.

5. Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi

While understandably controversial and divisive, writer and director Rian Johnson’s eighth installment in the Star Wars saga is among the most creatively daring of the franchise. Upending much of our expectations for both the series and genre, Johnson’s script, even if it may run a little long, crafts a twisting and unpredictable tale of legacy, destiny, and the personal/societal importance of heroes. The result is a Star Wars movie that feels unique in its purpose, delivery, and message. From thrilling space battles, political intrigue, to musings about the place of Jedi and the Force in the galaxy, Johnson’s Star Wars is an epic space opera that tickles the brain as well as the eyes. Drawing it together are a wide string of talented performances with particular standouts being in Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac. However, hanging over the entire proceeding is a genuine sense of melancholy as Carrie Fisher provides her final, and one of her best, performance as the iconic Leia Organa.

4. Thrawn

Thrawn and Timothy Zahn are a pair as linked by destiny as any two in-universe characters in the Star Wars saga. Ever since Zahn brought the calculating, art-loving tactician to life in his deservedly iconic Heir to the Empire, Thrawn has haunted and loomed over the Star Wars expanded universe with an appropriate sense of gravitas. For the first time, Zahn positions Thrawn not as a villain but as an anti-hero protagonist and in the process creates a unique look in this iconic aliens mind. The result is a thrilling and intriguing piece of military sci-fi that functions not only as a prequel to the third season of Star Wars Rebels but also to Zahn’s work in the Legends continuity. Fans of classic Star Wars novels are sure to be as satisfied as new converts to Thrawn’s web.

3. Doctor Aphra

Without a doubt the best creation from Marvel’s current tenure in the Star Wars universe, Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is just about everything that makes a great character in the galaxy far, far away. Originally created in the formerly mentioned Darth Vader ongoing by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, Aphra quickly won the attention and hearts of readers through her blunt sense of humor, wild schemes, and fluid morality. In short, Aphra is a queer, chaotic neutral Indiana Jones that also happens to get herself into uneasy alliances with Sith Lords, unstable Wookie bounty hunters, and psychotic murder droids. Gillen’s follow up series with regular artist Kev Walker is one of the most refreshing and stylistically unique offerings of the new canon that regularly blends heist thrills, light cosmic horror, and laugh out loud humor. It’s a series that delights with almost every issue and Star Wars fans are all the more blessed to have it.

2. Star Wars Rebels

While it may not have had anything as instantly iconic and mythic as season two’s stellar finale “Twilight of the Apprentice,” Star Wars Rebels continues to grow into a mature and superbly realized animated journey. As the series moves into its conclusion in the first half of 2018, it is important not to underplay the important work that executive producer Dave Filoni and his crew provided in 2017. While furthering the growth and personal saga’s of its central cast, the series took us to Tatooine to Yavin to Mandalore and, of course, to the now war torn planes of Lothal. In the process, the Rebels delivered the best on screen Star Wars installments of the year in the emotional “Trials of the Darksaber” and beautifully realized “Twin Suns.” It doesn’t get much better than this, but we still have just under three hours of Rebels left before the series concludes. 2018 may still top this.

1. From a Certain Point of View

From a Certain Point of View is the kind of Star Wars product that, like all of the best, is a communal stroke of mad genius. Taking the works of over 40 different authors to tell 40 stories, “From a Certain Point of View” as collected retells the full narrative of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope from a wide variety of periphery and supporting views. Through the talented prose stylings of Kelly Sue DeConnick, Paul Dini, Ashley Eckstein, Matt Fraction, Alexander Freed, Kieron Gillen, Christie Golden, Claudia Gray, Pablo Hidalgo, Charles Soule, Chuck Wendig, and more From a Certain Point of View offers a truly unique and undeniably special reading experience. In the process, A New Hope evolves into a series of moments and adventures that connect this seminal film to the prequels, Rogue One, the canon comics and books, the animated series, and even teases of the sequel trilogy in new and exciting ways but at the same time plays with the heart and mind. Even more impressive is the sheer variety of subject matter and genre on display. Meg Cabot, Cavan Scott, Claudia Gray deliver beautiful post-mortems for Aunt Beru, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick deliver a sprawling crime caper that collides with a tense table sit down at the Mos Eisley cantina. And of course, Gillen finds a way to work in Doctor Aphra. Fans of unique creative projects in the Star Wars universe owe it to themselves to read this collection. Also, a large chunk of the proceeds go to a charity that provides reading materials to students in need. Just buy this book.

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multiverseofmiracleshq · 4 years ago

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LILANDRA NERAMANI: PRINCESS MAJESTRIX

❝ This is no coup! This is a restoration of legal authority! I am Lilandra Neramani, Majestrix of the Shi'ar! ❞

← ONCE THERE WAS AN IDEA TO BRING TOGETHER →

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The extraterrestrial Shi’ar people were a vast species known across the galaxy and their Empire spanned every planet that the Shi’ar dwelled on. In charge of it all was the royal family, ruling from the artificial planet Chandilar, the Imperial Throneworld. Emperor Neramani had three children: the eldest Cal’syee, D’Ken in the middle, another sister and the baby, Lilandra. Born on the Aerie, the planet of origin for the Shi’ar, it was unlikely that Lilandra would ever sit upon the throne due to her birth order. Upon the death of their father it was Cal’syee, also known as Deathbird, who was set the rule. The eldest Princess suffered from atavistic features though which set her apart from the others. The clawed nails and wings were genetic throwbacks as the Shi’ar had only retained feathers on their persons. Cal’syee’s genetic mutation led to fits of uncontrollable anger though and one day she went berserk and murdered both their mother and one of their sisters. The royal family was rocked to the core ad Cal’syee was exiled to space while D’Ken became the Emperor.

With her brother now the only family Lilandra could claim, she did her best to swallow her anger at Deathbird and go about her life as the only Princess of the Shi’ar people. Trying to acclimate to her new normal while mourning her family members who were lost, Lilandra accepted the position of Grand Admiral of the Imperial Guard so that she could enforce the law and serve the throne. During her tenure, however, Lilandra realized that D’Ken was insane and planned on using the power of the Shi’ar M’Kraan Crystal for his own devices. Lilandra made his plans known to the Shi’ar High Council and as a result D’Ken had her arrested. While Lilandra was in captivity D’Ken started the lie that Lilandra had tried to have his assassinated so she could take the throne. As civil war broke out D’Ken held Lilandra on the imperial flagship to await her execution, but the Princess escaped in a small craft instead and fled.

For the first time in her life, Lilandra was away from the Shi’ar Empire and her duty to her people. With no friends to help her, Lilandra used her telepathy to connect with a mutant who lived on Earth and went by the name of Charles Xavier. Xavier was trying to ward off an invasion of his own, but Lilandra traveled to Earth due to its large number of superheroes and met Charles face to face. Shortly after her arrival Lilandra was kidnapped by Shi’ar agent Davan Shakari who took the Princess back to the world where the M’Kraan Crystal resided. Charles and his X-Men followed behind to aid, but as the Crystal’s power was unleashed the universe was saved from annihilation by the cosmic entity, who had recently possessed and taken over the mutant known as Jean Grey. A victim of a powerful attack while in the Crystal had rendered D’Ken nearly catatonic and incurably insane, which once again put the Shi’ar Empire throne up in the air. Awaiting to see if she would become Empress despite the fact that she had led a rebellion against D’Ken, Lilandra journeyed to Earth with Charles where the two lived as lovers. The Council eventually reached a consensus that Lilandra was fit for the title and she returned to Chandilar along with Xavier, who mistakenly believed the X-Men to have perished.

Against all odds, the youngest of the Neramani bloodline finally ascended the throne as Lilandra was named Empress Majestrix. For a while she lived on the throneworld with Xavier as her consort, but the reemergence of the Phoenix led him to regain interest in Earth. After the Phoenix destroyed a ship and Shi’ar planet Lilandra made the executive decision that it was to be eliminated indefinitely to protect the cosmos. Charles contended this and called for a trial by combat as he believed it to be the real Jean Grey. During the trial, however, the Phoenix committed suicide to stop from any more damage to be enacted and successfully nullified her own threat. Things continued to get worse from there when Deathbird formed an alliance and led a successful rebellion that allowed her to seize the throne. Once again forced to flee, Lilandra reentered exile to try and stay alive.

This time, it was a little easier as Lilandra had gained respect across the galaxy. She aligned herself with the space pirates the Starjammers and they aided Lilandra in finding a wounded Charles, who was dying. After he was healed it was impossible to get Charles back to Earth he journeyed with them for a time. On occasion Lilandra and the Starjammers came into conflict with Deathbird, but it was not until they joined forces with the Earth team Excalibur that they were able to defeat the Imperial Guard and Cal’syee. This was around the time that the alien race the Skrull’s attempted a massive takeover and they successfully replaced Charles and the Starjammers with their own shape-shifting kind. The Skrulls used their new connections to get the X-Men to help remove Cal’syee from the throne so Lilandra could be reinstated. The X-Men and Deathbird eventually realized what the Skrull’s had done and defeated them, with Cal’syee honoring her concession to the throne.

Being the Majestrix once more was just as difficult as life had been as an exile. The Shi’ar nearly went to war with the Kree people before Lilandra decided to not use a weapon of mass destruction against them. The Skrulls managed to hijack it though and detonated it in the heart of the Kree Empire and causing its decimation. The nation was then annexed by the Shi’ar and in an act of good will Lilandra named Cal’syee a viceroy and ruler of the Kree homeworld Hala because of her assistance. During the Kree’s introduction to the Empire a rebellion was discovered and squashed, but the incident put a rift through Lilandra and Xavier as they had different ideas about morality and legality. Despite this, Lilandra continued to aide the heroes of Earth with her resources and warned them of attacks when she could. As a member of the Intergalactic High Council, Lilandra was made aware that they now considered Earth as an intergalactic threat. Lilandra sent her trusted associate Cerise to Earth to warn the X-Men but had to concern herself with assassination attempts and other threats.

This was then the beginning of the end. One of the biggest threats of all came then from a woman named Cassandra Nova, the twin that Charles had absorbed in the womb. Nova possessed Lilandra and used her as a puppet to command the Imperial Guard to kill Xavier and the X-Men. The attempt was stopped and Nova was defeated but the entire ordeal was so dramatic that the marriage of Lilandra and Charles was annulled and Lilandra had to return to Chandilar to try and heal the violent damage that had been done to her mind. Sensing weakness during her recuperation, some of D’Ken’s loyalist tried to wake the former Emperor so he could regain power. In a plot twist Deathbird’s formerly mutant husband Gabriel Summers killed D’Ken and took the throne for himself through right of conquest. Despite the leader of the Starjammers, Corsair, being the father of Summers they helped Lilandra escape.

Throughout her life Lilandra fought for the Shi’ar people no matter how many times they turned on her. She was on the run from the new Emperor when she was attacked not by her sister or a Shi’ar extremist but a superhero possessed by Summers. Under the control of Razor, Darkhawk attacked Lilandra as she tried to peacefully remove Summers from the throne and managed to provide a fatal blow. The Empress succumbed to her wounds in the arms of the Kallark, the Shi’ar known as Gladiator who had just defied direct orders to execute her. Upon her death Lilandra was returned to Chandilar and Gladiator assumed the throne as Cal’syee could not and Summers had been killed. Years later it would be revealed that Lilandra had entrusted Cerise with an egg possessing the genetic offspring daughter of her and Charles. The child was to be groomed to ascend the throne so that a Neramani could continue to rule the Shi’ar Empire despite their turbulent past. Lilandra Neramani died just like many around her, leaving in her wake a complicated legacy and lost love. Heavy truly is the head that wears the crown right up until its final breath.

← A GROUP OF REMARKABLE PEOPLE TO SEE IF THEY →

CHARLES XAVIER, aka Lilandra’s great love. She fell for him before they met after meeting with him mentally and the two eventually become lovers. There was a time when Lilandra was Majestrix and Charles her consort but his ties to the X-Men and her duty to her people put a ticking time bomb on their relationship. Amidst the rebellions and battles the twos marriage was annulled even though Lilandra knew that she would always love Charles. Even when she let him go a part of him remained: a child. Their genetics combined to form a powerful Shi’ar mutant hybrid and Lilandra hid the egg away without ever telling Charles he was a father. Perhaps if she had lived they could have found a way back to one another, but is now impossible to say.

CAL’SYEE NERAMANI should have been Majestrix due to her position of eldest child in the Neramani line. Deathbird’s atavistic features took a toll on her mentally though and because of it she suffered fits of uncontrollable rage. It was during one of those bouts that Deathbird killed their mother and sister and was subsequently exiled. Lilandra found a way to forgive her sister, but Deathbird’s attempts to stage aa coup prevented the two from ever being sisters. Instead, they were rivals in a war Lilandra wished she did not have to fight in.

THE STARJAMMERS helped Lilandra escape twice when her life depended on it. They traveled the galaxy as exiles and rebels and every time Lilandra needed aid they were there. Corsair, their leader, being the father of the usurper Vulcan was never a problem. The Starjammers proved themselves more than worthy to the Empress.

GABRIEL SUMMERS tried to take the throne and the Shi’ar Empire. The mutant inserted himself in Shi’ar affairs and managed to remove Lilandra from her throne. His marriage to her traitorous older sister complicated matters as his line intermingled with her. In the end, Vulcan was successful in permanently removing Lilandra from Majestrix position as her mind controlled murderer was loyal to his cause.

XANDRA was hatched long after Lilandra had died. Her child with Charles was a genetic composite stuck in an egg and hidden away in stasis for years as Lilandra believed a Neramani should rule and her progeny would need to be protected. Xandra now stands to be the Majestrix of the Shi’ar Empire, something her mother would have been glad to see.

← COULD BECOME SOMETHING MORE →

THE SHI’AR EMPIRE was Lilandra’s entire life. She was born into their ruling family and she died in the name of the throne. Her people abused her at times and their endless wars and rebellions did weigh on her even though she continued to fight. Although she was assassinated, Lilandra was of the firm belief that a Neramani should sit on the throne and her wish is now coming true.

← & IF WE CAN’T SAVE THE WORLD, WE’LL AVENGE IT →

✗ AGE → unknown ✗ MULTIVERSE ORIGIN → earth-13130 ✗ SNAP STATUS → n/a ✗ FACECLAIM → jodi lyn o’keefe ✗ AVAILABILITY → deceased

#marvel rp #marvel rpg #mcu rp #mcu rpg #space rp #shiar #lilandra neramani #deceased #shiar empire #earth13130

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maychorian · 7 years ago

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Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #47

I am probably going to do two of these this week to catch up on all my recs before the new season drops, so hold onto your hats. I’ve been reading a lot of fics, just haven’t been posting them because I’m lazy and easily distracted.

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. Also follow @maychorianrecs for individually tagged posts, the easier to search and reblog. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

Shadows of Stars by squirenonny Words: 11,030 (1/42) Author’s Summary: The paladins have dealt a major blow to Zarkon’s empire. Reunited with their families and stronger than ever, they’re ready to launch a counter-offensive. But to do so, they need more allies. Allies like the fabled New Altea and their spy ring, the Accords. But Zarkon isn’t about to sit idly by as his enemies gather their strength. He means to put an end to the Voltron Coalition once and for all–and this war is about to get personal.[Season 3 of Voltron: Duality] [Updates Mondays] My Comments: DUALITY IS BACK! I’m so excited, ahh, one chapter in and still amazing, of course, not that I expected anything else. I’ve been reccing this fic since we were only a quarter of the way into the first volume, and the AU has expanded immensely since then. I will keep reccing it until squirenonny quits writing it, so hopefully never. It’s so good, so amazing. Obviously you should start at the beginning, and I don’t want to spoil anything with a detailed review here, but just… Take my words for it. You will not regret the investment of time to devour this masterpiece. There are lots of romantic relationships, but the focus is on the team as a whole and the war, which is incredibly well thought-out and executed. Everything is good.

Equinox by vacant houses (the_lost_robot) Words: 4,862 Author’s Summary: There’s an entire universe inside the Black Lion. There’s a ghost in the Black Lion’s cockpit. OR: the path back home is never straightforward. My Comments: Fascinating and heartbreaking exploration of the concept of Shiro as the “white paladin.” A beautiful read.

One Step Closer by wilyasha Words: 8,142 Author’s Summary: Her father is more rigid, more cruel, and she cannot stomach the thought of him destroying Altea. My Comments: I’m usually not much for fics centered on an OC, and this one is about Zarkon’s never-mentioned-in-canon daughter, which is usually a sign of shenanigans. But this is good. Really good. Reading it is a great experience, though painful and heartbreaking set as it is right before the destruction of Altea. Give it a shot.

Someday by akaashikeijis Words: 1,223 Author’s Summary: Shiro is tired and they know. My Comments: I love fics where everyone just surrounds a hurting character and does everything they can to make it better. It’s good for Shiro to get a turn.

The Poster by GlowwormiK Words: 5,199 Author’s Summary: The story of how Varkon, a policeman, managed to meet the Emperor and receivd the poster we saw in his office.Inspired by this awesome art: http://aminoapps.com/page/voltron-legendary-defenders/7445245/varkon-dream-come-true . Written for https://platonicvldmonth.tumblr.com/, but i cannot wait to post it right now. My Comments: As much as I love and will never tire of the familiar fanfic tropes of some character I love being hurt and then comforted, there’s something I love even more about fanfiction, and that’s when a story can make me feel something NEW, something I never expected. Especially for a character who is basically a one-off joke in-universe. I mean, did you ever expect to read a Varkon-centric fic? Did you ever expect to read about a Voltron Galra mall cop saving the day and meeting his hero and just being the sweetest, humblest, most genuinely GOOD guy you’ve ever met in fiction? Well, here’s your chance. Read this fic. It will make you feel things. It made me feel so much, and I am truly grateful for the experience. Just a great, wonderful thing that you will find nowhere else. Unique and memorable.

At Rest (Five Miles Behind the Front) by Mytay Words: 19,258 Author’s Summary: Shiro is no longer the Black Paladin. He is no longer the commander of Team Voltron. He is a soldier without a purpose and a leader without a legion at his back.Lance is a seventh wheel. He is not fit to be a leader, and perhaps not even fit to be a Paladin. Or, in which two Paladins of Voltron learn their true worth, and finally, there is well-earned rest. My Comments: This has everything I love, ahh, I love it, instant favorite. Shiro angst, Lance angst, both of them trying to sacrifice themselves for the other and then trying to convince each other that they’re worthwhile and important. Not to be that person, but it kind of reminds me of my own fic, Boom Crash the Sound of My Ship, except in a post-Season Three context where it feels amazingly in-canon and in-character. I’m so glad it’s so long, too. Utterly satisfying read. I’ll be enjoying it again, probably more than once.

Full Capacity by spitfire00 Words: 863 Author’s Summary: The healing pods are full. The paladins are bloody and bruised. Shiro helps ease their aches and pains. My Comments: Just so cute, gah, Shiro is the best. Everyone needs a Shiro in their lives.

the shuffle of crabs by againstmygreeleaf Words: 12,253 Author’s Summary: Dinner is loud in all but volume. Shiro and Keith don’t show. Allura keeps trying to help by saying sentimental things that don’t help at all. It grinds on Lance’s nerves but he’s too drained to tune her out. He just lets her words unintentionally pelt his battered heart like stones, and watches the subtle way her hands shake as she spoons up her goo instead of trying to eat his own. Pidge eats hers, but it’s all automatic. She starts crying midway through the meal and doesn’t seem to notice. My Comments: I don’t write major character death. I rarely read it. Awhile ago someone asked me how I would write it, if I did, and I described exactly this scenario. Hunk dies at the beginning of the fic, and the rest of it is about the others learning to navigate their grief and finding some means of continuing on even in the face of this utter devastation. I’m glad this has already been written, by an author I trust absolutely, so I don’t have to do it. It’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. But yeah, Hunk dies, and it’s brutal and unfair and hits like a rocket to the midsection. Don’t read if you can’t handle that. I almost couldn’t.

Scent by Red_Dead Words: 1,400 Author’s Summary: Lance has taken something from Allura and she’s not to happy about it. My Comments: Aw, poor Allura. Lance really didn’t mean to hurt her like that. I love that it ends with bonding.

The Sleeping Habits of Humans (Far From Home) by hulklinging Words: 1,618 Author’s Summary: Pidge doesn’t sleep much. Neither does anyone else, really. No, Lance, annoying her to death will not make her more rested. My Comments: I love Lance figuring out why Pidge can’t sleep and gently bullying her into resting. He’s so smart and kind.

The Rain is Gone by isabeau25 Words: 5,066 Author’s Summary: Keith has a bad night, but it ends well. My Comments: Another part of a super lovely and relaxing platonic coffee shop AU. Poor Keith is having a rough life, and you can really feel Shiro’s grief and frustration for him. But he’s in a good place now, with cats and sunlight and people who care. It’s a great read.

The Packrat by VelkynKarma for maychorian Words: 11,519 Author’s Summary: While the paladins of Voltron fight a war that spans galaxies, Coran has a more personal war going on right under their noses in the Castle of Lions. My Comments: Even if this wasn’t a gift for me based on my prompt, I would still rec it. I was grinning the whole way through this fic and laughed aloud several times. Coran is so good and he deserves more fics where he’s the protagonist, and he and Lance teaming up was delightful. Fun, fun stuff.

Empty by Bandity Words: 21,248 Author’s Summary: The sequel to A Lonely Mind. You should read that first. Inner strength waxes and wanes. Lance finds himself facing his inner demons again when he begins having issues with his antidepressants. My Comments: Everything Bandity writes is amazing, and this one is no exception. This one is just about life, how it doesn’t stop no matter how much we want it to, and sometimes things don’t easier, they don’t go away. Everyone struggles, everyone needs to be accepted and loved. There are good days and bad days, hopefully more than good than bad, but all we have is each other. It’s great.

give out to give in by tyrellis Words: 20,198 Author’s Summary: So typical. So fucking typical, that Lance is the youngest and worst of his siblings, and then the kids come along and he isn’t even the cutest anymore, and he only made fighter pilot because perfect fucking Keith dropped out and even when he piloted a lion he didn’t have a thing like the others, and now he can’t even have Blue. Maybe he was the one to suggest it, but he was barrelling towards this point all along; rock fucking bottom. When it becomes clear that Allura is a better pilot than him, Lance steps down as the Blue Paladin. It is, after all, the obvious decision. Lance is, and has always been, the afterthought. But who needs an afterthought? My Comments: Langst done right. Warning for attempted suicide. Lance’s depression and downward spiral feel realistic and understandable, and the emotional scenes are absolutely perfect. Klance at the end, and even that didn’t put me off. It was cute without being overpowering, and the romance wasn’t used as something to “fix” Lance, but a natural outgrowth of their development together.

All Sorted Out by genericfanatic Words: 3,135 Author’s Summary: Lance is so excited for his first day of Hogwarts, and looks forward to getting sorted into one of the four houses! His sorting doesn’t go quite as planned, however. My Comments: Absolutely adorable Harry Potter AU in which the hat stalls forever in sorting Lance, because he has qualities that would make him do well in any of the houses. Later, naturally, he worries that he doesn’t really belong anywhere, but his friends help him see differently.

Conversation in Blue by FroldGapp Words: 1,414 Author’s Summary: Lance talks to Shiro about his ‘Keith problem’. My Comments: I love that Lance actually takes steps to understand why he and Keith sometimes rub each other the wrong way. Going to Shiro for insight is exactly the right move. Keith and Lance could be such good friends, but their backgrounds and methods of communication make it difficult, sometimes. Lance is a sweetheart for trying.

Tambourine Man by oldmythologies for SassafrassRex (Serbajean) Words: 1,166 Author’s Summary: “They knew his path well. They winked in front of him as a guide as Shiro swallowed his yawn, feet dragging. He was tired; he knew he was tired. Going to bed wouldn’t fix it; he didn’t sleep there either. There he was alone, without even the lights to keep him company. In bed, he had to close his eyes, to trap himself between his ears. It wasn’t a fun place to be. Better to make sure everyone else slept well than to waste time being afraid of the dark.” A commission for sassafrassrex <3 My Comments: Really sweet comfort fic with Shiro and Black.

Don’t Let Me Be Gone by Cocopops1995 Words: 1,402 Author’s Summary: Lance comforts Keith after watching Keith’s paladin vlog. My Comments: Really sweet. Angsty, hurty fics that end with cuddling are my favorite.

Keep Them Galra Rollin (Rawhide) by Demenior for Serbajean Words: 1,377 Author’s Summary: Sendak, Shiro, ‘n Ulaz have crashed on a jungle-y Death World, and they’ve got till sundown to speed-run their way to a safe pickup location to rendezvous with a ship. They’re all grown men who are working together to take down the Galra empire (some more willingly than others), which means they’re over the whole ‘yeah i tortured and killed you that one time’ thing. Totally over it. It’s all in the past. Hint: it’s not [a birthday gift for Sassafrassrex] My Comments: The possibilities of this setup are fun to contemplate. A little on the dark side, but nothing wrong with that.

Steady Footing by SilverMoon53 Words: 3,735 Author’s Summary: Pidge is good at many things. Coding, robotics, and sneaking into enemy bases to steal information, are all quite high on that list. People, however, are not one of the things she’s good at. Or Keith has a panic attack while on a mission. Pidge has an… interesting way of making sure he gets out alive. My Comments: Very angsty exploration of Pidge and Keith and their trauma. I’m glad they eventually shared with each other.

A Bland Night Across Space And Time by genericfanatic Words: 4,156 Author’s Summary: Across the universe, people have a night in. A reward fic for getting 1,000 followers for my blog Bland Voltron Headcanons My Comments: Bit of a dizzying trip across time and space, but fun to read.

Not Just Another Mall Trip by Eastofthemoon Words: 1,519 Author’s Summary: Lance, Hunk and Pidge see many different kinds of aliens at the space mall, but when they catch a spy they discover something they never expected to see there. My Comments: Really fun little canon-divergence AU with a very different way to bring the gang together. Everyone is adorable.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

Water and Blood (30658 words) As Color Fades Away (171897 words) The Ones Who Were Left Behind (58391 words) In Sickness and Health (19550 words) - complete Ten Days (71938 words) Truce (186702 words) The Field of Blood (26588 words) Words Fail (27376 words) - complete Gate Keeper (100127 words) I'm not the Lance You think I am (67010 words)

#voltron legendary defender #weekly voltron fic recs #fic rec #vldgen

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the-kool-kyle · 5 years ago

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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Review

It's been 42 years now since we were first introduced to massive blockbuster franchise Star Wars in 1977. Created by George Lucas it has become one of the greatest pieces of science fiction in history and one of the most popular franchises of all time spawning billions of fans world wide thanks to it's fun action, unforgettable adventures, tear jerking moments and best of all....it's lovable relatable characters. Such as Mark Hamil as Luke Skywalker the brave selfless Jedi, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia the strong independent rebel, Harrison Ford as Han Solo the scoundrel with a heart of gold and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca the hulking yet gentle giant Wookie. Over the last 40 years the franchise has had the prequel movie trilogy, Graphic Novels, comic books, TV shows and countless video games. But now this decade we have the “Sequel Trilogy” which is the new Star Wars movies set 30 years after “Return of the Jedi”. The trilogy focuses on the remnants of the Empire now known as “The First Order” trying to conquer the galaxy and the Resistance lead by General Leia trying to stop them.

The Sequel Trilogy has gotten something of a mixed reception from the fans and critics since the release of “Force Awakens” some people like them and some hate them but overall everyone can agree their not as good as the original trilogy. But overall the trilogy has done a great job in introducing and building it's new characters like Rey the scavenger turned Jedi, Finn former Stormtrooper who defected to the resistance and Po ace pilot and cocky rebel. The trilogy also brings us a new villain Kylo Ren leader of the Knights of Ren and son of Han and Leia who shows no mercy and uncontrollable rage. The movies also use the original cast like Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie.

But were getting off track. Were here to talk about the newest instalment and final movie for the Skywalker story line....Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The film picks up after “The Last Jedi” where Kylo Ren is now the supreme leader of The First Order after killing “Snoke” and now seeks to conquer the galaxy and destroy anything that stands in his way. While the resistance continues to fight for freedom and peace in the galaxy....Rey tries to bring balance to the force. After the controversial and hugely discussed Last Jedi the fans are divided on what has become of the franchise. Mainly due to the massive backlash over Luke Skywalker's death and the many hated characters that were introduced in Last Jedi. However I can truly say that from the bottom of my heart.....that Rise of Skywalker is....the best Star Wars movie since Empire Strikes back! It was exciting, action packed, tear jerking, full of twists and turns, had great character arcs and truly did the franchise justice. I'll be honest there were times that I shed a tear in both excitement and sadness. Yep it's that amazing. This film was without a doubt the perfect way to end the Skywalker Story and end with a bang.

But that's just my opinion every Star Wars has always had their own crazy views and thoughts on all Star Wars material. Overall “Rise of Skywalker” is entertaining and provides answers to some questions raised in the last 2 movies but there are some plot holes and new characters who don't make much of an impact as the old ones which leads to the conclusion that the studio didn't have any of these movies as well planned out as expected but then again most franchises aren't. So there new movies are nowhere near as legendary as the original trilogy by George Lucas but still have a lot of heart and ambition.

Ever since Disney took over....the Star Wars franchise has been changed forever...but above all has divided the most of the fans. For example ever since the they cancelled the Clone Wars TV in exchange for Star Wars Rebels which was more family friendly has sparked outrage due to the fact that a lot of fans preferred the Clone Wars more mature and darker take on the franchise. Well I can't blame them since sometimes it's good for a franchise to mature with it's audience and to have more mature themes and darker story lines. Most of which were used for the Knight of the old Republic and Force Unleashed games as well as the Clone Wars TV series and comic books. Sadly how ever since Disney bought the rights most of the “Star Wars Extended Universe” has been declared non-canon. This was created after the original trilogy to continue the stories of Luke, Leia, Han and the rest of the characters as well as introducing new characters through comic books, novels, video games and other media. However since acquiring the Star Wars media Disney has removed most of these stories from canon. This has really been a major disappointment to the older Star Wars fans. But honestly why did they have to do this I can't see why most of the Extended universe and canon can't fit together. So in conclusion this new generation of Star Wars media has divided the fan base and it may never be whole again.

The Star Wars franchise's strongest suit has always been it's characters. Rey played by (Daisy Ridley) the young woman who has evolved from the lonely orphan scavenger to a strong, independent, no nonsense Jedi that has become one of the best female leads in Star Wars history like Leia, Padme and Bastila. Having been trained by Luke him self she has become a powerful, strong and the last Jedi. Daisy Ridley really works hard on bringing this character to life and earns respect for it.

Finn former stormtrooper played by John Boyega has really developed as a character since he defected from the first order and tried to run away from the war. Since then he has become the team's moral compass and greatest soldier who is always willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good which he has done many times. Proving that not all stormtroopers or first order soldiers are there by choice and just want to do whats right.

Po fighter and the greatest pilot in the resistance has really stepped us from being a background character from Force Awakens to a fun relatable hot head that will go to extreme and crazy lengths to end the war and save the galaxy. Oscar Isaac really does a great in portraying the cocky, stubborn yet brave pilot.

Chewbacca aka Chewie the iconic Wookie and Han Solo's best friend returns. Chewie is one of the most beloved characters in the franchise due to hulking size, gentle personality, fierce loyalty and iconic roar. He has appeared in over 7 Star Wars movies and can be found in a lot of the SW extended universe media due to a Wookie's long life span of 400 years and Chewie is only 200 in Return of the Jedi.

Carrie Fisher returns one more time to play the strong wise leader of the resistance Leia Organa. Princess Leia rebel and sister of Luke Skywalker. Leia has become Sci-Fi royalty in both the Star Wars universe and science fiction itself she has evolved from the Damsel in distress to a strong tough female character that still has a soft side as well as the iconic haircut. Following actress' tragic death in 2016 the studio had to take a few liberties but even with these restrictions they were still able to give give the character a perfect send off. It was the best way they could have done it and it's what Carrie deserved.

The film's main villain Kylo Ren returns this time with The Knights of Ren who the movies have only mentioned. While Adam Driver does a great job in portraying this Sith villain he has gotten something of a mixed reception from the fans and the critics. Some dislike the characters portrayal as a moody, arrogant and whiney teenager. Others like him mainly for his badass mask design and his cross guard lightsaber. But overall he doesn't quite live up to the villainy expectations of Darth Vader, Maul, Revan or any of the other Sith lords we've seen throughout the years. While some like the character and others don't he still has his redeeming qualities like his mentioned cross guard lightsaber and new battle damaged mask.

Final Verdict: So in conclusion not all the fans are gonna be happy...so people are gonna like this movie and some are not. But that's what the fans have always been like since the beginning and it's what makes them so unique. SO wether or not this film was able to stick the landing of 40 years of story telling is entirely up to the viewer. But for me the film was awesome!

Final Score: 9/10

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galra-druid · 7 years ago

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@lost-and-running : ❛ I see the death of many men when I look at you. ❜

The red paladin tightened his grip around the hilt of his bayard, currently in its sword form. He was face to face with another one of the many Galra that stood in the way of saving the universe from the clutches of Zarkon and his empire. Hearing the druids words however caused the young boy to hesitate. It was true that many species and lifeforms had suffered to his and his teams mistakes. They had almost destroyed the Balmara in the past, home to Shay and many other Balmarans in the name of protecting them. He could hear the others voices outside the room he was in, some were in pain while others kept fighting. Keith however remained fixed staring at the druid on the other side of the room. Even the Galra had something to live for, not all of them were as bad as the princess made them out to be. That was something that they had all learned when they met Ulaz, even Thace had sacrificed himself for the cause that they had been fighting so hard to achieve. Keith gritted his teeth his eyes filled with anger directed towards the one in front of him. “Then tell me, what do you see when you look at your leader?” he spat taking a few slow steps closer to his target “He’s caused destruction to over half of the known universe. He’s locked up countless lifeforms to fight for your entertainment. And worst of all, he hurt my friends.” he paused closing in the space between himself and the druid preparing to strike them down “So tell me, what is it you see when you look at him?”

Turning down a corridor and into a room to be faced to face with a Paladin with weapon drawn hadn't been what Osera was hoping for when she'd heard the ships alarms, but there he was and her first notion had been to- Get philosophical with the Human. It goes along with my motif... Osera made a small dismissive noise at her own thoughts even as she pondered the ideal escape route. Where one Paladin was, more were soon to follow. Yet, she must have hit a mark as the youth wasn't charging with his sword to cut her in two. Her own words had made him hesitate. but not enough as the Paladin approached. Osera instantly tensed up, holding arms loose at her sides with fingers clenching into claws. Already lightning was licking and crackling between fingertips as she watched the Red Paladin approach. This close, Osera could see how young he truly was. Idealistic child. "I see strength and unity, when I look at Lord Zarkon." The Druid spoke, voice filled with conviction as she closed fists to dissipate the lightning from them. "You are looking at the small picture, a scale of individuals. Worst of all your friends were hurt? How pathetic. How selfish." Osera hissed through her mask, letting it deepen the distain in her voice. "Your friends mean nothing in the grand scale of the entire universe. What are the lives of your friends to the countless lives spanning across entire galaxies. Galaxies that are all now safely under Zarkon's rule? Are you naïve enough to think each and every one of those were bastions of peace?"

#ic #V:Default #idfk a thread name yet #lostandrunning #..I wrote a lot #orz #...I think I should use bold for MASK VOICE #I need to be consistent tho

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agrestenoir · 8 years ago

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Miraculous Ladybug and Voltron Roles (and everything after)

So the Miraculous crew get flung into space riding on a Blue Lion, crossing the universe to a mysterious Castle, and into a war that spans millennia—a war they never knew about. Here’s what happened next.

· Tikki (Princess Allura) and Plagg (Coran) have the most powerful weapon in the universe at their fingers, but it’s not their destiny to wield it. Luckily, five teenage pilots unintentionally stumble through their front door, awaken them from a 10,000 year nap, and proceed to shake the very foundations of space and time. Tikki, connected to the Lions and has a strong bond with quintessence itself, knows exactly where each pilot will thrive, eventually growing into the Paladins the universe needs.

· Marinette is the Black Lion, the head of Voltron. She’s a tricky one—impulsive and trusts her instincts—nearly a good fit for the Red Lion, but she’s exactly the strategic, decisive head that Voltron needs. She’s meant to be leader—and it’ll be a journey to reach her full potential—but that’s part of the fun anyway. (She’s exactly where Keith would be at the end of Season 2 of Voltron in Shiro’s absence, which makes it all the more fun).

· Chloe is the Red Lion, a supernova that burns bright. Temperamental at the worst of times, passionate at best—she’s a spitfire intent on raging into the world like a shooting star. Only she can tame the Red Lion, and once she has her hands on the controls, there’s nothing stopping her in the heat of battle. But she has a lot to grow before she comes into her role as Paladin, from spoiled Princess of the Garrison to a Paladin of Volron—but only time can tell what the future has in store for her.

· Alya is the Green Lion, as the tech-savy journalist of the group. Whether she’s chasing a story or a conspiracy, she’s got the highly inquisitive mind and the daring nature that the Green Lion embodies. Always hunting for answers, going out of her way for the truth, a thirst for knowledge that burns deep—it’s why her and Green have one of the tightest bonds of the bunch. She’s a natural born Paladin, and that’s just what the universe needs.

· Adrien is the Yellow Lion, with his sunshine smile and sparkling eyes. He’s always been quick to raise his friends up, supporting them and defending them when the need calls. The Yellow Lion holds the armor and defense to protect its team, and Adrien wouldn’t think twice before throwing himself in front of a shot to protect anyone he cares about. With the strongest and most resilient Lion, Adrien always answers the call of duty and does whatever it takes to protect the team.

· Nino is the Blue Lion without question. The Blue Lion is the most open of the Voltron lions—friendliest and most accepting, just like Nino. The boy who took a chance to see the real Adrien behind the “famous model” mask, and welcomed him into a friendship with open arms, it’s no wonder the Blue Lion did the same for Nino. He flows like water—easy going and adaptable, with the confidence to muster nearly any situation—and is truly the heart of Voltron. Open and honest, Nino fits the key ingredients to pilot the Blue Lion.

· The Paladins accept their duties after a stunning and deadly battle that nearly destroyed the Arusian homeworld, knowing that to step away might sentence Earth to the same devastation the Galra spread to numerous other planets, the same that cost Tikki and Plagg their people, their planet, and everyone they loved. It’s hard though, as Earth was their home and their families remain behind, with questions unanswered and no bodies to bury.

· Marinette misses home the most deeply—she aches for it like a missing limb. With only her mother and father, their little family was a close-knit one, and the fact that she can’t go back—may never go back, though no one will ever say it out loud—hurts her more than any of Tikki’s wild training exercises. She’ll stand in the control room, watching the star map twist planets and stars around one another in a celestial dance, a soft blue glow painted over her face, with a small frown as the only sign that something deeply troubles her. She’ll never tell the team, except for maybe Alya. She already struggles with being their leader, and one more chink in her armor might give Chloe the chance to make a crater.

· Adrien’s job is to be a rock. It’s what his Lion stands for, and it’s a duty he takes pride in. Whether he’s protecting his teammates or acting as their crutch, he’s always by their side as an ever-present guard. Outside of battle, it’s even more clear—especially with Marinette. He supports her in her journey to become the leader that Voltron needs. In moments of hesitance and fear, he places a hand on her to offer her stability in the tremulous world they’ve been through in. Outside of Alya, he’s her closest friend. From Adrien, a few words of kindness are all his friends need to curb their worries, fears and insecurities, and any general sadness that might tinge their smiles. He’s the perfect picture of steady and sturdy, but even the rock can have its cracks.

· Adrien’s story was written in tragedy. It happened a year before, when Adrien was a blossoming young pilot under the Garrison’s eyes, son of the man who would fly the Earth to the farthest reaches of its solar system. Gabriel Agreste and a team of scientists led by Adrien’s mother were assigned the Kerberos mission, the most famous man-driven missions of the Galaxy Garrison, until an incident occurred, and the crew went missing. The Garrison passed the disappearance off as a pilot error, but Adrien, who had learned to pilot under his father’s watchful eye, knew that his father wouldn’t have made a rookie mistake and crashed a ship into a moon. Alya swears the Garrison was covering up the truth behind his parents’ death, but right now, Adrien believes more than anything that his parents would find a way to survive. So, while he’s flying in space with magical robot lion, he’s on the search for answers amidst the stars.

· Alya’s got her eyes on the prize—looking for answers to the truths the Garrison tried to hide. This villain they’re facing, the Emperor Hawkmoth of the Galran race, wants Voltron for a reason, and she knows she’s seen him mentioned once or twice in the Garrison’s database. Tikki and Plagg have never heard of Earth before, but the Blue Lion was on Earth in the first place. There’s something going on here, and she’s determined to discover the secrets the universe has tried to hide—especially the truth about her mother’s demise and whether the Kerberos crew she was on really did die on a backwater moon of Pluto.

· Alya spends most of her time immersing in Altean culture in the Castle of Lion’s library. There’s so much to learn about, whether it’s the history of the Voltron lions or how exactly the Blue Lion ended up on Earth and who King Fu (King Alfor) was. Tikki and Plagg are mum when it comes to history, and Alya’s always had a curious streak that might kill her (and Nino who she always manages to drag along). And if her and Nino lose track of time in the dark corner of the library, where a musty smell of age-old books tickles their noses, the rest of the team doesn’t really question it. If anything, at least the two Paladins are growing closer.

· Nino’s just along for the ride. Spotting Chloe sneaking Adrien out of the Garrison, who was he to let his best buddy be smuggled away in the middle of the night? Course, Alya and Marinette had to be dragged along if Adrien and Nino were involved, if only to protect them all from Chloe’s unique brand of sufferance. In the heat of the moment, only Marinette could knock Chloe down a few pegs, which Chloe could fire right back. Nino, on the other hand, melted into the group like water, filling their spaces and cracks like an ebbing tide that can be tugged in any direction based on whichever moon in his system pulls the strongest. Accepting and open to nearly anyone, he trusts the most and holds the others in the highest regard—he is truly the heart of the team. He’s the only one who sees Adrien’s cracks, who can keep up with Alya’s ideas, who can bridge the divide between Chloe and Marinette, and who can keep Voltron together on the worst of days. Without him, things might just fall apart.

· Chloe only meant to show Adrien the weird carvings of lions she’d stumbled upon one day while exploring a group of caves her father, as Director of the Garrison, had declared as forbidden territory. It’s dangerous, he’d told her, but since when had her father’s words ever stopped her? Normally she could wrap the man around her little finger, but when it came to her safety, her father wouldn’t move an inch. Naturally, Chloe pushed him off the edge entirely and molded her own path. There was something calling to her when she was out there, something that needed to be found, and Adrien was into the whole conspiracy shit in the first place, so of course she’d show him her discovery. What she hadn’t expected was for the Nerd Herd to come along—that never ended well. And she was right. She meant to show her closest friend some weird cave drawings, and the next thing she knew, they were hurtling across the stars in a magical robot lion. What’s a girl to do?

· (Getting the Red Lion was a surprise to everyone—including Chloe. She’s not the type to rely on instincts, skill, etc—she was only in the pilot class because she knew her way around a stick and her father was easy to please. But the more time she spends in Red’s cockpit, with the controls in her sweaty palms, chest heaving as she pulls up from a dive… The more she realizes, she was born to fly. She was born to be here—to sit with an old soul who’s just as passionate and fiery as herself. There’s something to be said, Chloe believes, that she feels more alive in space where she has literally nothing, versus back on Earth where she had everything.)

· They’re a mismatched batch of kids, pilots pulled from Earth in a jaw-dropping, heart-throbbing whirlwind through a wormhole, but… It’s funny, how well they mesh together. It surprises Tikki and Plagg sometimes, who watch with wide eyes as they execute training drills and mission-ready exercises. By all accounts, they should be divided—they’re children pulled into a war they didn’t know about—children who haven’t embraced their roles as Paladins, their bonds with their Lions, or their relations with each other.

· Marinette and Chloe have butt heads from the beginning. Marinette will NEVER be Chloe’s leader, her superior, or commander, and Marinette will never become friends with Chloe Bourgeois, but these two simple facts prevent them from forming Voltron. Reluctant acceptance would probably best define their relationship—or a necessary evil. But as they form Voltron and take on the Galran forces, it becomes something else entirely. Lke fire and ice, they contrast each other so drastically that Tikki expects one of them to spontaneous combust one of these days, but somehow Marinette and Chloe have found a way to make it work. With Marinette’s strategic thinking and Chloe’s cutthroat tactics, they make the perfect team in combat and on missions. (Though, if Marinette shows even an ounce of weakness, Chloe will strike, and Marinette is always quick to rise to bait). A toxic potion indeed, one might assume, but one that cancels out the poison to become an antidote entirely.

· Slowly but surely, they’re coming together. They still have a long way to go—a lot to grow into—but Tikki and Plagg are certain that they can save the universe. Whether it’s the mystery of the Agreste family, the truth behind Hawkmoth, the childish bickering or saving the universe in general—Voltron can overcome anything.

· It’s just gonna take some time—and a wild ride to survive.

#voltron #miraculous ladybug #voltron au #my posts #miraculous #my fic

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demidon117 · 8 years ago

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Suicide Squad Review

***Author’s Note: So, this is a review I wrote about Suicide Squad in a week long fury binge. IT IS LONG AND IT IS NEGATIVE. If you liked Suicide Squad, great! Don’t let me keep you from enjoying the things you like, these are just my angry, personal feelings about a movie. This is a seven-page review; like I said it’s long; if you read the whole thing, and agreed with it, give me some notes! Maybe follow? If this gets attention then I’ll post more film reviews here. Thanks for reading!*** Suicide Squad. Where do I begin?

Well, first, this movie leaves me with such an irrational fury, I needed at least an hour of ranting and raving before I could sit down to write this. The lack of understanding of the original characters is astounding, its attempts at trying to be an all-out action movie and superhero team up are laughable, and its manipulation of emotions to try and get a response out of the viewer is sickening. This movie doesn’t only fail as a superhero team-up movie, it also fails as an action movie, which is inexcusable since we have movies that have already done this correctly. But, enough being angry, let’s get into the reasons why this movie fails so spectacularly.   Amanda Waller wants to create an off-the-book, black-ops squad of the worst of the worst to do tasks that no one else wants to do. So, she hires Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc, Diablo, Captain Boomerang, Katana, Enchantress, and a team of Navy SEALs, all the while the Joker tries to save Harley and Enchantress’s brother saves her. Do you see the problem here? There are way too many characters in this stupid movie. It’s obvious what this movie wanted to be, it wanted to be the Anti-Guardians of the Galaxy. It wanted to be dark and gritty and prove that DC could produce the same kind of movies Marvel could and give us a big superhero team-up. Except, that Marvel devoted several movies establishing characters before throwing them all together in a big blockbuster, and Marvel also knows how to devote time to showing these characters as relatable people. Suicide Squad tries to establish even more characters than the Avengers or Guardians did and do it all in two hours. But, hey, what about X-Men? They had a lot of characters and that movie was good. Yes, it was, but that movie already had the team established and didn’t give us background on every character in the movie. It focused on Rogue, Wolverine, and Magneto and that was it, and it was enough. This movie tries to develop every. Single. Character. And it doesn’t work in the slightest and it’s manipulative and disgusting. Half of the characters don’t even need to be in the movie. We don’t need Enchantress’s brother, Killer Croc, Captain Boomerang, or the Joker. Hell, I’m not even sure we needed Rick Flag and his group of Navy SEALs. The movie is so saturated with terrible characters trying to take the spotlight that it’s maddening. The only characters that were really interesting and had any depth at all were Katana, Diablo, Harley, and Deadshot. Those four could carry a movie and it probably would’ve been fine. But, I’ll get to that soon enough.

  The next problem is the villain they’ve got to fight. The character, Enchantress is is inhabiting the body of a scientist who’s in love with Navy SEAL Rick Flag, the leader of the Suicide Squad and basically the bodyguard/parole officer of Enchantress. Enchantress is some old god witch who was trapped in a doll, along with her brother Incubus. She escapes from Flag and frees her brother and the two of them try to take over/destroy the world for reasons. Do you see how complicated that is? In a movie where they’ve got Harley and the Joker trying to love it up, Deadshot trying to take care of his daughter, and a dozen other plot lines that don’t matter. The villain is too complicated for a movie like this, and she’s too powerful. The Suicide Squad isn’t a group of superheroes. There are only two Meta-Humans in the team, the rest are just highly skilled people. They’re a strike force, not a superhero team. Enchantress is a powerful goddess type character and her brother is equally powerful, if not more. This is not the job for a bunch of side villains. Especially when they go out of their way to show the Flash and Batman in the movie. A villain of these stakes needs to be saved for the Justice League movie. I mean, it’s such a powerful villain, ANOTHER city has been completely destroyed and abandoned, the aftermath yet again saved for another movie. When will these stupid movies address the destruction without destroying a city? All this death and destruction is becoming meaningless, and I hate to say it, but boring as well.

So, it fails as a superhero movie, what about an action movie? No. In fact, that part is even worse. The movie takes two hours, and it’s split up into two halves, the first half establishes the characters and the second has them fighting. If you don’t know, this is a terrible idea. Firstly, the first half of the movie moves at a mind-numbing pace. I could take in what they were saying just fine, but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t care about any of these characters because it didn’t give me time to care. It just kept going and going without giving you time to breathe. It introduces the main characters fine, I suppose, but then it tries to establish the dozen necessary plot lines. Let me tell you something, Fast Five had a lot of characters, and it had to establish a lot, but it didn’t do it in the span of just an hour. Sure, some of the characters were returning from previous movies, but people can sit down and watch Fast Five and enjoy it without seeing the previous four movies. Then, there’s Hardcore Henry, another great action movie, that keeps the plot moving at a comfortable pace and it would stop to have serious character moments and have a deep scene or two. “But you can’t compare those movies!” Some may cry, “Those aren’t genre movies!”

That doesn’t matter. Suicide Squad desperately wants to wow you as an action movie without caring at all to make it coherent or exciting. The second half of the movie moves at a snail’s pace compared to the first half. It kept dragging on in muddled blackness. The fights were boring because there was too much going on. Yeah, that’s right, there was too much fighting in the fight scenes, so much in fact, that it sucked all of the fun out of the air. There were too many people fighting, I couldn’t tell who was supposed to be impressive or not. Am I supposed to focus on Harley? Katana? Croc? Deadshot? Because lord knows it sure as hell ain’t Captain Boomerang. He throws, like, two boomerangs in the entire movie. Two. And his damn name is Captain Boomerang. Not to mention, most of the fight scenes in this movie are just people walking around shooting guns. It’s boring to just watch people walk around shooting guns. It could be impressive if it just happened once or twice, but it happens every time there’s a fight scene. The SEALs in this movie are so efficient that they could’ve carried the movie, it’s like they wanted to be Battlefield LA. So the movie, at the big climactic battle scene takes an hour to play through and it’s boring as sin. There are hardly any super powers in this movie about a comic book, y’know, the thing these characters are known for? “But, what about the end? There are super powers then.”

Oh yeah, that. Spoilers here, so skip to the next paragraph to miss it. Though, I’m not sure why you’d want to. Anyway, at the end of the movie, the characters end up fighting Incubus, Enchantress’s brother. Anyway, they’re getting the snot kicked out of them, and the whole movie, Diablo is building up to something, saying he’s holding back, and thus far, he’s been impressive, so what could he be holding back? Well, the fact that he turns into a giant flaming Aztec skeleton, and I’ll be perfectly honest, it was amazing. He shows up speaking Spanish in a demonic voice and just throwing fire at the Incubus and punches him and it’s awesome. And then he runs out of juice and his pinned to the ground by, well that’s okay, they’ll save him right? No. They don’t. Despite the fact that he’s weakened the thing and that Katana already showed that she could cut off hands and that they obviously had enough time to save him because they took the time to debate it, they use a high powered explosive to kill Diablo and Incubus. But, they kept Captain Boomerang, because “Hey! Wacky Australian antics!” So, one of the two characters I cared about died, thus ruining any chance I had to watch the second movie.

Anyway, the superpowers are kind of cool and the effects are impressive, but it’s hardly seen in the actual fights and it’s just disappointing. Like, I get it, you want to show how dark, edgy, and serious these characters are because they use lethal force, but seriously, it’s so boring to watch because it’s just shooting guns. Katana who could’ve been the most fun to watch, and would’ve been incredibly popular among those sword wielding weebs, is hardly seen because Will Smith and Margot Robbie are the most famous people in this movie. And the movie knows that because they get the most lines, the most screen time, and the most development and it sucks. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with most critics in that they were fantastic. Will Smith brings a depth to Deadshot most people didn’t know, even though his backstory and motivations are stock and generic, and Margot Robbie does a great job as Harley, I honestly can think of anything she does wrong, it’s all the fault of David Ayer for ruining the character. Like, who wears underwear to a war-zone? I’d even accept a stupid skirt. And I wouldn’t say there were bad performances, per se, just bad characters, so it made the performances hard to care about. Well, one exception, Jared Leto as the Joker is one of the worst things I’ve seen in the history of the universe.

I usually like Leto, I think he’s a pretty good actor. He was good in Mr. Nobody and Requiem for a Dream. He did a good job of being a douche bag in Fight Club, though, I’m beginning to think that wasn’t all acting…

Anyway, his portrayal of the character was just all wrong. His laugh, his mannerisms, his antics while the movie was being filmed, it’s just… Stupid. It’s easily the worst Joker performance I’ve ever seen. Especially when we’re coming off the heels of Heath Ledger’s legendary performance and Mark Hamill’s iconic voice and laugh. There’s so much inspiration on how to do the character right, and the fact that this movie got it so wrong, it makes me feel ill. And I’m all for taking the character into your own, but this portrayal is just so wrong. Leto just doesn’t have the necessary charm or intimidation to ground such a character. Worst of all, he’s not funny. Say what you will about The Joker, but he was funny. He’d crack jokes, he’d play pranks, yeah he’d kill you, but he’d still try to have fun. This Joker tries to be more realistic as a gang leader, kind of how Heath Ledger made his Joker more realistic as an avatar of chaos. Leto is able to make the Joker erratic for sure, but it’s so stupid. There’s never any reason as to why people follow him. Ledger promised people a revolution, Hamill ruled them through fear, Jack Nicholson was already a gang leader when he became The Joker. Leto? Well, he’s erratic. All we see is that he knows how to use guns, like every other character in this movie. So, why is he in charge? There’s never a moment where we see why he’s in charge, only that people follow him for some reason. Finally, my biggest problem with this entire movie, the worst thing that happens, the thing that makes me so damn angry about it, is how it plays up the romance of Harley Quinn and The Joker.   Let me be clear, in case you don’t understand, the Joker is the evilest creature ever put to paper. He is not sympathetic, he is not caring, and he is not someone to be put into a relationship with someone like Harley Quinn. Their relationship is not loving and romantic, it is abusive. From her conception, Harley was meant to show just how heartless the Joker can be. He would hit her, berate her, and use her as a human shield, but she followed him because she had Stockholm Syndrome. She was tricked into thinking she was in love with him. And the Joker knew that. So he’d drag her along and play along with her delusions, so long as it benefited him. The current run of the Batman comics shows the Joker being so monstrous to Harley it’s honestly hard to read. The Joker and Harley are not a loving couple. So, whenever this movie shows The Joker caring for Harley in any way, it makes me sick to my stomach. It’s because of this stupid movie that people started romanticizing the two again. This part of the movie is so big and important to the story that I can say this is one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. The Joker does not love Harley, he just can’t and just won’t.   Finally, there’s a bunch of superficial garbage that I hate about this movie. The music is so irritating. It feels like they wanted to do what Quinten Tarantino does with having a soundtrack of recognizable songs that flow with the story. Except they don’t flow with the story in the least bit and are way too recognizable. It really feels like they had a list of popular songs and just slapped them in during the late stages of editing. Listen, music is shockingly important to movies, watch a movie on mute and you’ll realize how important backing tracks can be, even during quiet scenes. You can have popular songs in your movie and have them work, Tarantino does it, dozens of other action movies do it, but they do it sparingly. This movie feels like an iTunes playlist was shoved in. It’s so irritating and it pulls me out of the film each and every time a new song comes on, and it sucks because the original score is honestly pretty good. That’s one of the few things I’ll give to DC movies, the original score is usually pretty good. I can’t hum any of the melodies, but I remember a scene where Diablo shoots fire for the first time in the city, and the thing that struck me the most, was the music, it was loud and dramatic and perfectly encompassed the shock, horror, and amazement we needed to feel at that moment. It’s just such a shame they had to drown out all of it with annoyingly recognizable music.   Then there’s the editing. IT’S SO DAMN DARK. No, not the story and subject matter, the actual brightness in the movie was too dark, so any of the fighting scenes in the movie were practically impossible to see. I don’t know if it was the Amazon Video version, but I had to adjust the gamma on my screen to watch the film. I’ve never had to do that before. Then, during the scenes where they were introducing the characters, they had these neon graffiti effects show up and had caricatures of the characters. It was actually kind of cool, if not trendy, which is actually bad, so I guess this compliment doesn’t work, but whatever. It would’ve been nice if that color was peppered throughout the rest of the movie because the rest was so muddled in blackness that I couldn’t tell if this was a horror movie or a superhero action romp.

I remember right before this movie was released, they actually had to go back and reshoot some scenes to make it funnier. And I thought, “Great, it’d be nice to laugh unironically,” But, guess what, it wasn’t funny. It was obvious they added scenes of Captain Boomerang and his gross fetish with a pink unicorn because it was shown twice and completely forgotten about. This stupid unicorn was important enough to bring into a war-zone, but as soon as he dropped it, it was forgotten. Then, when they showed people getting evacuated (which was an obvious attempt at trying to show us “Hey! We learned from Man of Steel!”) there was a girl walking around with her friends in party dresses and said something like “This is the worst birthday ever.”

Why? Why would you add that? It wasn’t funny, thousands of people are dying/dead, and you’re going to take time out of your two-hour movie to shove in a line like that? No. That’s not okay. It’s not funny, it’s not amusing, it’s insulting and completely ruins the immersion. I was never more aware I was watching a stupid movie than right there and then.

NOT TO MENTION, the first half of the movie just feels like extended trailers all smashed into each other. There’s undeniable whiplash when they enter the city. Actually, they had two different editing studios work on this film. Like, DC just didn’t know what to do, so they had two different studios work on it, and instead of thoughtfully using the edits to make a good, coherent plot, they literally smashed the two different versions of the film together to make some disgusting half-trailer-half-cinematic monstrosity. Honestly, this would probably explain the piss poor pacing of the first half.

So, I’ve been ripping at this movie, being angry and ranting, but not giving any real ways to try and fix this movie. And yes. There are ways to make this movie work. And yes, there are ways to make it work. Keep in mind, this is all coming from my own story choices. Were I in charge of the movie, this is how I’d write it.    The first thing to change is the villain. The Suicide Squad is a hit squad, meant to do secret operations you don’t want people to ever hear about, or to take down a target that only super-villains could take down. This Enchantress character, as I’ve said, is too powerful for these characters to take down. So, instead of them fighting Enchantress, have them go after the Joker. I’m not kidding. This would set up a lot of moment of conflict for Harley and would give Margot Robbie something to reach for other than edgy scene girl. The flashbacks into her and the Joker’s past would have more meaning and show how manipulative he is into tricking her into loving him. This would also set up a good relationship between Harley and Deadshot. They had undeniable chemistry together, as I expected of Will Smith and Margot Robbie. I’ll admit it, I wanted Deadshot and Harley together. Sue me.  The next thing would be to cut out most of the characters in the Suicide Squad. All you need are Deadshot, Harley, Katana, and Diablo. Why? Well, for one, these are the only characters in this stupid movie that have any decent backstories, and for two, they all have incredible potential to make good characters. Send those four after the Joker and it’d add up to something pretty tense. Hell, you could even keep Batman in the movie like the animated feature they made. Then, you stop using that horrible soundtrack. The original score was good enough, don’t keep throwing in pop songs. It’s not fun and it’s distracting as hell. Then you use ONE studio to do the editing, and I’d say that’d add up to a pretty enjoyable film.

I just can’t believe DC ruined another movie like this. If I were them, I’d immediately drop the rest of the plans they had for future movies because there’s no way they can salvage this universe after Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad. This movie was just poor decision after poor decision, and instead of making a movie that’s so bad it’s good, like The Room or xXx, this film is just bad enough to be infuriating.

#movie #review #critic #suicide squad #dc comics

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aion-rsa · 3 years ago

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10 Best Star Wars Villains Ranked

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Star Wars is a story about good triumphing over evil, the heroes overcoming all challenges before them and defeating the villains. But we love to watch the antagonists, too! What would the saga be without its iconic, larger-than-life villains?

The hum of a lightsaber echoes in a hallway filled with smoke. A mastermind works behind gilded walls against his enemies. A bounty hunter zips through the sky with his jet pack. A dark lord awaits her prey from the core of a dying planet. These are moments that stay with us long after the credits have rolled, and they’re the reason why a few of the villains on this list are considered some of the best ever created regardless of the medium.

We’ve ranked our top 10 favorite Star Wars villains below:

10. General Grievous

Like many characters and concepts in the Prequels, Grievous is perhaps most notable for his visual design and powerful presence. A spindly four-armed droid, he looks like a mix between a robot, a spider, and a dinosaur. This non-human form wields four lightsabers at the same time, all of which he stole from Jedi he killed.

While Grievous’ personality isn’t really the draw here (he has a brief backstory and a tendency toward the dramatic), you can see some of his history in the excellent The Clone Wars episode “Lair of Grievous.” But we’d especially recommend you check out his first on-screen appearance in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars microseries. Scary stuff!

9. Grand Admiral Thrawn

Inspired by Sherlock Holmes and legendary military strategists like Alexander the Great, Grand Admiral Thrawn is the first character on this list to originate in tie-in books. He also has the distinction of being the first major villain of the post-Return of the Jedi era. The “Thrawn Trilogy” in the 1990s remain the most famous books of the lot for rejuvenating the franchise and introducing this tactical genius.

The epitome of working smarter, not harder, Thrawn is a no-nonsense thinker who can tell what a culture’s war strategy will be like based solely on their art. His clashes with characters from the Original Trilogy to the Rebels crew to his own Chiss Ascendancy are beloved as tactical puzzles and a showcase for his intimidating personality.

Stream your Star Wars favorites right here!

Fans love Thrawn so much that he was one of the first non-canon Legends characters to be retconned back into the Disney continuity after the House of Mouse bought Lucasfilm in 2012. The Mandalorian season 2 has even set up the Grand Admiral to make his first live-action appearance at a later date.

8. Kylo Ren

While there’s some debate among fans about whether Kylo Ren should still be considered a true villain after The Rise of Skywalker, his appearance in The Force Awakens is our favorite, and he’s firmly in bad guy territory there. From the intimidating crossguard lightsaber to his chaotic nature that makes the audience feel like even he doesn’t quite know what he’s going to do next, Ren’s vivid characterization and volatile personality (not to mention Adam Driver’s performance) helped sell The Force Awakens as a worthy successor to the Original Trilogy.

He sometimes borrows too much from Darth Vader in that first installment to be truly unique, but that’s the point: Kylo is a fan of the villains who have come before, a member of a new generation of characters who inherit the saga and choose which role they want to play. Ren joins the dark side knowing exactly where it will lead.

7. Asajj Ventress

Ventress has been many things. A witch, a bounty hunter, a Jedi, and a Sith disciple, but her different roles are all in service of finding what she really wants: A home.

Introduced as the acrobatic and creepy antagonist in the first and second seasons of the Clone Wars miniseries, she goes toe-to-toe with Anakin Skywalker on several occasions during the galactic conflict. Throughout The Clone Wars, we also see how her part in the war changes, all while she tries to fill the hole in her heart created by her separation from her parents and death of her mentor when she was just a child. Ultimately, she’s both a tragic and sympathetic figure but also a frighteningly unpredictable villain.

6. Kreia/Darth Traya

Knights of the Old Republic II features one of the most inventive and critical explorations of what it means to wield the Force. The game’s Jedi and Sith are conflicted, use their powers in unique ways, and hold personal philosophies about the light and dark sides beyond the beliefs of their respective orders.

Into the life of the game’s Jedi exile protagonist comes the mysterious Kreia, a Sith lord disguised as the hero’s mentor in the ways of the Force. And her teachings about the ancient energy are unlike anything else we’ve seen or read to date.

Instead of following the light or the dark side, Kreia feels the Force itself is a malevolent barrier between people and free will. Although her philosophy technically leads her to the dark, her ideas about going beyond that dichotomy entirely make her one of the most thought-provoking characters in the series. It’d be interesting to hear what she thought about the Force dyad from The Rise of Skywalker.

5. Boba Fett

Boba Fett began his Star Wars career as a mysterious cartoon character in The Star Wars Holiday Special and as a faceless villain in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, before making the jump to the classic Legends tie-in books and comics. Now, he’s back for the first time in the Disney canon, thanks to The Mandalorian, which gives a new generation of fans plenty of reasons to love the iconic bounty hunter.

Although he isn’t the first actor to portray Boba Fett, Prequel Trilogy veteran Temuera Morrison brings newfound charm and power to the legendary bounty hunter, whose armor, jetpack, and laconic personality made him a breakout star despite his relatively minor screen time in the Original Trilogy. On The Mandalorian, we finally get to see his legendary prowess as he single-handedly breaks stormtroopers with his bare hands before even regaining his armor.

Boba Fett’s history is almost as long as Star Wars‘ itself, debuting in 1978, and he’s been a fan-favorite ever since, living many other lives on the page beyond the movies. He’s worked for the Empire, teamed up with other bounty hunters, and even become the leader of the Mandalorian people. With his return to Disney canon, he gets a whole new future full of adventures for fans to look forward to, including The Book of Boba Fett.

4. Darth Maul

Maul just keeps coming back. While he was easily one of the best parts of The Phantom Menace, it’s his development in The Clone Wars that really puts him near the top of the list. A perpetual student always looking for a master, Maul’s tutelage under Sidious means he never really learned how to live outside the structure of the Sith order. That mentality clashes with the Jedi in one of the most dramatic confrontations in The Clone Wars, where Maul reveals he knows the Empire is coming and the Jedi are too late to stop it.

From a martial arts expert to the galaxy’s Cassandra, he’s played many different roles, including the secret leader of a galaxy-spanning criminal organization in Solo. In Rebels, his death serves as a moving capstone to what began in the Prequels, when Obi-Wan Kenobi finally ends his life in a battle not of martial skill but of the kind of mercy and solace only a Jedi at their best can offer.

3. Moff Gideon

While the villain of The Mandalorian hasn’t had nearly as much time on screen as many of the others on this list, he’s climbed to the top through force of personality. Giancarlo Esposito gives even Moff Gideon‘s expository dialogue a sinister life.

As an ISB agent, he differentiates himself from most Star Wars villains by not being a Force-wielding warrior first and foremost. He’s cool because he thrives on information, and frightening because of the lengths he’s willing to go to get it. And don’t forget, he’s willing to handcuff Grogu. You get in the Villain Hall of Fame for that.

2. Emperor Palpatine

The mastermind of many falls (Anakin’s, the Republic’s, Ben Solo’s), Emperor Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious, is the shadow looming over the entire saga. He has a hand in everything, from the inability of the Jedi to hold on to even their own Force powers (as they discover in the Prequels) to the rise of the First Order. He’s the ultimate example of ambition gone wrong, the desire to rule the galaxy for the sake of ultimate control in human form. And the performance by Ian McDiarmid through the decades has become a staple of pop culture.

1. Darth Vader

From the first part of A New Hope to the finale of Rogue One and beyond, Vader’s intimidating visage is synonymous with Star Wars. Designed by Ralph McQuarrie in part after the shape of a samurai armor, the apparatus that keeps Vader alive was made to look dark, intimidating, and “spooky.” He doesn’t have to run or use flashy lightsaber moves to kill you: instead it’s his inexorable approach and brutal moves that are so fearsome. And he has no problem Force choking his own men to get what he wants.

While part of what makes Vader number one is how frightening he is, that’s not the whole story. As Anakin Skywalker, he also brings pathos to the saga and inspires endless debate. His choice to turn to evil is the event on which the rest of the saga turns. Decades later, he’ll inspire Kylo Ren to start down a similar path.

Let us know your own ranking in the comments below!

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