#simone torres

[spenglernot]

STORIES TELLING: NED LOWE AND THE DEATH OF POOR REPRESENTATION IN OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH

In history, Ned Lowe was one of the most sadistic and violent pirates in the early 18th century, so he’s an obvious choice for a villain for season 2, episode 6 – Calypso’s Birthday.  What is interesting is what the OFMD writers chose to do with him.

Lowe announces himself to the crew of the Revenge with great fanfare (cannon ball attack) and gets right to the point.

Ed is thoroughly unimpressed.

Cut to Ed and Stede tied up while Ned attempts to set the mood so he can monologue about why he wants to kill Ed.

Ed knows what’s coming. He is going to suffer but he still can’t be arsed to meet Ned with anything but vaguely bored dismissiveness (and Stede is happy to play along).

Up on the deck, Ned prepares the crew for his big, dramatic moment of symphonic torture.

Note that the Revenge crew is tied down, braced by vices and generally unable to protect themselves from imminent torture and possible death, but their spirits are up. They don’t seem terribly fussed.

Then Stede uses his people positive management style to happily orchestrate a worker uprising in Ned’s crew.

Ned’s crew responds instantly; severing their allegiance to Lowe and telling him off.

The crew sails away and talks profit sharing while Ned dully threatens to hunt them down.

Ned is now a prisoner of the Revenge crew and seems entirely disinterested in his own survival.

And Ned sinks to the depths, without struggling at all.

There is a lot going on in this episode: pay and labor equity direct action, gay love engagement bliss, kink humor, Stede being a hero and saving his crew by playing to his strengths, then having to decide whether to kill in cold blood and feel the consequences of that choice. Ed having one more reason to be done with piracy (while being so impressed with and fond of Stede), and then watching his man make a fraught choice and having to deal with the fallout from that. (And, damn, I haven’t even mentioned the passionate sex bit.) Anyway, back to the point.

Now for the the meta part

The Ned Lowe sequences are perfectly in keeping with OFMD’s signature blend of madcap violence, humor, and big emotional gut punches. But something about Ned Lowe just strikes me as off for this show.

Ned is seriously threatening the crews’ lives, so why don’t they take him seriously?

Why does Ned have such a boring, throwaway backstory?

Why is Ned so nonchalant about his own death; like it’s a foregone conclusion?

Why does Ned have a silver violin and silver spurs on his slip-on dress shoes?

Why is Ned sartorially monochromatic?

And then I realized who Ned reminds me of.

This guy,

Earnst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever (1971)

And this guy,

Scar in Disney's The Lion King (1994).

And this guy,

Xerxes, 300 (2006).

And it sure seems like Ned Lowe isn’t just an episodic villain. He is an archetype of the one-dimensional, stereotypical queer-coded villain that has been endemic in film and television throughout history. The OFMD writers have a lot to say about what to do with this kind of character:

Don’t respect him.

Feel free to openly mock him.

Don’t let him take your joy, even though he will hurt you.

He won’t disappear on his own. You have to throw something at him (take action) to make him go away.

Once he’s in the water, he’s content to drown. He’s not into what he’s doing any more than you are.

Oh and, just to be clear,

The LGBTQIA+ community has a very long history of turning shit media into better stories. So, hey, big media, prepare to have your crap characters wrecked (improved).

Now, back to our transformative pirate show with rich, complex queer characters and a multi-layered plot that surprises me every week and makes me feel big feelings - most of all, joy.

Final thought: I do wonder if Ned Lowe is monochromatically silver as a tribute to/poke at, Hollywood and the silver screen.

This meta was written before OFMD season 2 has fully aired. No idea what’s going to happen in the finale (and I’ve generally fled social media to avoid spoilers). I’ll be back, looking at everyone’s fascinating posts after episode 8 airs.

[pedripics]

[seven7arts]

WE ARE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE x4!!! 🏆🇪🇦

[driveintheaterofthemind]

Original Art - The Nancy Drew Files: Sisters In Crime Cover (1988)

Art by Enric (Enric Torres-Prat)

Simon Pulse

[spenglernot]

STORIES TELLING: ED TEACH’S JOURNEY FROM ARMOR TO AUTHENTICITY

One of the joys of watching season 2 of Our Flag Means Death is discovering the visual parallels with season 1 that add so much meaning and richness to the story. With affecting, extraordinary economy of visual storytelling, we can see the progression of Ed’s journey from choosing armor in season 1, episode 10 – Wherever You Go, There You Are, to choosing authenticity in season 2, episode 7 – Man on Fire.

[I have to point out the gorgeous cinematography here. Panning down on the left, panning up on the right. The clear resolve of S2 E7 Ed turning to ascend to the deck. I also love the timing of both shots. S2 E7 Ed is turning toward the red silk that S1 E10 Ed will release.]

S1 E10 Ed considers the red silk. The symbol of his tenderness, softness, and vulnerability.

S2 E7 Ed hoists his leathers and his firearm - his literal and symbolic armor and protection - to the edge of the deck.

S1 E10 Ed releases his tenderness, softness, and vulnerability to the sea.

S2 E7 Ed releases his armor and protection to the sea.

S1 E10 Ed throws the person who understands what he’s going through and is in a position to help him work through it in a healthy way, into the sea.

S2 E7 Ed makes breakfast-in-bed for the person with whom he shares emotional and physical intimacy. An act of care and service that strengthens his bond with Stede.

Show, don't tell doesn't seem adequate to describe these two sequences. They are masterful and say so, so much.

The double-edged sword of self-awareness

You’ve really got to give it to Ed. He’s making huge progress. Making a better choice for himself. Moving forward.

Change can be terrifying. For Ed to release that which protected him for decades is, well… it’s courageous and demonstrates hard-won self-awareness and integrity.

Of course, choosing to be authentic to yourself doesn’t translate into automatic relationship building. Understanding and communicating with other people, particularly the person you are in love with, is a related but different skill set. It is also true that, once you know that you can’t perform a persona to please other people, no matter how much you love them, you risk losing them.

Ed in the second frame, above, kills me. He knows that piracy might be the wedge that drives Stede and him apart. He is trying to share how he feels. But Stede is so enamored with finally being a successful pirate (and glowing from the best (and only) love-sex of his life) that he can't hear Ed.

I love that OFMD takes no shortcuts in matters of the heart. If these lads are going to be together for reals, they are going to have to work for it, and there is still much work to be done.

I'm looking forward to likely being simultaneously emotionally fulfilled and mentally devastated by the season 2 finale in about 30 hours.

This meta was written before OFMD season 2 has fully aired. No idea what’s going to happen in the finale (and I’ve generally fled social media to avoid spoilers). I’ll be back, looking at everyone’s fascinating posts after episode 8 airs.

[pedroam-bang]

Inara Serra - Firefly (2002-2003)

[larojauniverse]

Training | 22.06.24

[the-hottest-band-tournament]

Round Four of The Hottest 80s Band Tournament

The Cure

Defeated opponents: Dexys Midnight Runners, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cross

Formed in: 1978

Genres: goth rock, pop, dark pop, new wave

Lineup: Robert Smith - vocals, guitars, and keyboard

Simon Gallup - bass

Lol Tolhurst - drums

Roger O'Donnell - keyboard

Porl Thompson - guitars, keyboards, sax

Boris Williams - drums and percussion 

Albums from the 80s: 

The Top (1984)

The Head on the Door (1985)

Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987)

Disintegration (1989)

Propaganda: the band, especially Robert, has such a dark beauty to it, especially when photographed or even more through their music. I think they way they write and sing songs is probably the hottest thing about them, a very sweetly delicate, but often miserable, tone in the guitar; Robert's soft, breathy voice, and their lyrics. they are a very nice sounding and looking group, in short

Bon Jovi 

Defeated opponents: Salt-N-Pepa, Violent Femmes, Queensrÿche

Formed in: 1983

Genres: Hard rock, area rock, pop rock

Lineup: Jon Bon Jovi- vocals

 David Bryan- keyboard 

Tico Torres- drums

Alec John Such- bass

Richie Sambora- guitar

Albums from the 80s: 

Bon Jovi (1984)

7800 Fahrenheit (1985)

Slippery When Wet (1986)

New Jersey (1988)

Propaganda: Genre-defying powerhouse of a band. So many classic songs. Every member was some flavor of hot but Richie was married Heather Locklear hot and Jon was hot enough to make you want to take a risk on a Jersey boy. Their stage show was iconic with Jon, Richie and Alec fitted with wires so they could be lifted up and fly out over the crowd mid-performance. (See the video for Livin' on a Prayer to see this in action) They're still performing to this day and Jon is still married to his high school sweetheart which I think is kind of adorable.

[calyxthenerd]

Something about platonic soulmates of “opposite” genders is so personal to me

[pensat-i-fet]

[a-member-of-minuteswithmandm]

So this is a Grey's Anatomy post because I can't help but marvel at the number of doctors that are related to each other in this show 😂😂

You know how Kylie and Kendall Jenner only got famous because they're related to Kim Kardashian? And the Scarlet Witch (AKA Elizabeth Olsen) probably wouldn't be who she was without Mary Kate and Ashley? Or even how Maude Apatow (Euphoria) and Jaden Smith struck lucky with their parents - Judd Apatow and Jada Pinkett/Will Smith?

Some people get all the luck - they are connected to the right people and it makes their lives a thousand times better than the rest of us 😭. Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital has it's own share of family and friend drama most of the time (remember the Link - Amelia - Owen - Teddy - Tom drama? or Meredith and her surprise sisters?), but sometimes even these characters take it too far and we have to call it out!

So just to lay out the family relationship (not including romantic relationships) on this show:

Meredith: 2 sisters (Lexie & Maggie), and her mom Ellis Grey

Derek: 1 sister (Amelia) and 1 nephew (Lucas Adams Shepherd)

Owen: 1 sister (Megan)

Andrew: 1 sister (Carina)

Jackson: his mom (Catherine Fox) and his grandad (Harper Avery)

Richard Webber: his bio daughter Maggie (this is a technicality but still!)

I won't even get into the tangled web that is the dating chart of the doctors at the hospital! So many characters have gotten jobs that they really weren't qualified for based on the relationshipsnthey have

Join us as we talk about the characters who have basically had everything handed to them on a platter with virtually no effort (cough cough Amelia Shepherd). The rich and/or connected doctors that have a guaranteed cheat sheet to success! What do you think, did we leave anyone out?

Please watch the video and let us know what you think!

[icepandawarrior]

[fcbarcelonaupdates]

Official Squad list for the USA tour

[butchwink]

i got the best and worst booster box ever i pulled three blue eyes. but this was pokemon and it was the fucking duck. quaxlys evolution. i got a bunch of everything cause its a booster box but i pulled three quaquavals. i did it like an advent calendar with my friend. we opened maybe five packs the day we bought it and restrained ourselves for a month and had a pack a day it was so fun pulling these!

the third quaquaval was the rare one but not the gold one and i was so mad lmao it was the second last pack. forreal! and my pulls other than the full art wooper (lets fucking gooo) were shit i wanted a clodsire! i pulled one buying three packs a few days later no big deal lmao but i was so mad at this box.

the last pack had the rare tinkaton. i also got a full art boss's orders too im so happy it was such a funny fucking box in the end i pulled three fucking blue eyes i swear if i saw a fourth quaquaval too early i mightve actually ripped it in half. my problem is I LOST THEM ON THE FUCKING BUS AND LIKE MY WALLET ITS FATE IS WITH THE HUMANS OF OTTAWA AND THE FUCKERS AT OC TRANSPO THAT I TRUST SO MUCH FUCK MY LIFE

[fc-marrythesemen]

[ineshb]

jugadores de la selección española como canciones de taylor swift

luis enrique - dear reader

se podría ver como una carta dando consejo a los jugadores, especialmente a aquellos más jóvenes

"You don't have to answer, just 'cause they asked you"

"No one sees when you lose when you're playing solitaire"

pedri gonzalez - only the young

canción dedicada a las generaciones más jóvenes y el impacto que pueden tener en la sociedad

The game was rigged, the ref got tricked, the wrong ones think they're right, you were outnumbered, this time, but only the young (...) only the young can run

gavi - karma

muchos dudan de sus habilidades y lo consideran sobrevalorado

"You're terrified to look down 'cause if you dare, you'll see the glare of everyone you burned just to get there"

"Ask me why so many fade, but I'm still here"

ansu fati - shake it off

"'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate"

"I never miss a beat, I'm lightning on my feet"

aymeric laporte - exile

hay que imaginar que se la canta a francia

"You're not my homeland anymore so what am I defending now?You were my town, now I'm in exile, seein' you out"

morata - i know places

places = la portería contraria

"They'll be chasing their tails trying to track us down"

"They are the hunters, we are the foxes and we run"

"Let them say what they want, we won't hear it"

ferran torres - mean

para todos los que se meten con él, pero él sigue en la selección y marcando

"You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me"

"Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me and all you're ever gonna be is mean"

unai simon - haunted

esta hay que imaginar que se la canta al balón

"You and I walk a fragile line" la linea de la portería

"Oh, I'm holding my breath, won't lose you again"

"Come on, come on, don't leave me like this, I thought I had you figured out, something's gone terribly wrong"

sergio busquets - the last great american (spanish) dynasty

el único que queda de la selección que ganó el mundial 2010

pablo sarabia y carlos soler - paris

juegan en el psg

alejandro balde - run

no tiene sentido lo rápido que es este chico

"We can go where our eyes can take us, go where no one else is, run"

la roja - red

taylor nos dedicó un álbum entero porque ella también tiene fe en la selección