#tais rants

[endlesslyhyperfixating]

Oh, Carmy, Carmy, Carmy. The man who can turn a beef sandwich into a Michelin-worthy masterpiece but can't seem to manage his own mental health. Season three of *The Bear* has been a rollercoaster of culinary highs and personal lows, with Carmy spiraling into the very chaos he once sought to escape. But then, in the season three finale, enter Chef Terry—Andrea Terry, if you will—a beacon of wisdom in a sea of culinary turmoil.

As Ever's doors prepare to close, Chef Terry imparts a nugget of wisdom to Carmy: "You have no idea what you're doing, and therefore, you're invincible." At first glance, it might sound like a chef's version of a pep talk gone awry. But let's break it down, shall we?

Throughout the season, Carmy has been haunted by the ghost of Chef David Fields, his former mentor who believed in the "tough love" — or realistically more like abusive — approach to culinary excellence. Fields' methods left Carmy with ulcers, panic attacks, nightmares, trauma doomed to be repeated in an abusive cycle, and a fun memory of the chefs general disdain for black pepper. In contrast, Chef Terry embodies a nurturing spirit, emphasizing the importance of people over perfection. Her mantra, "Every Second Counts," isn't about relentless pressure; it's about cherishing the moments and the people who make them meaningful. The BACKSTORY of her famous mantra is even tender and born in sweetness and family, a start difference to what was Carmy's experience with Chef Fields.

By telling Carmy he's invincible because he doesn't have it all figured out, Chef Terry is giving him permission to embrace uncertainty. She's encouraging him to let go of the need for control and perfection, to trust his instincts, and to lead with empathy rather than fear. This is the antithesis of the Carmy we've seen in season three—a man so consumed by the pursuit of excellence that he alienates those around him, and begins to lose himself in the middle of his unprocessed trauma through the only thing he knows which is working the human away.

"The more people I cut out, the quieter my life got"

Okay, my self isolating king!

But lets take, for instance, his interactions with Sydney. Instead of fostering a collaborative environment, as he often claims this season, Carmy often undermines her, believing his way is the only way. It's not how it starts in season two and the beginning of season three however, where they work shopped the menu together (despite his changing it everyday [🙄])This dynamic leads to tension and missed opportunities for growth. Chef Terry's advice serves as a wake-up call for him: it's okay not to have all the answers. In fact, embracing the unknown can lead to unexpected brilliance.

Richie has done to understand and he's tried to embrace in his own personal journey, and that difference in character is also what's keeping their divide all season, their serious lack of communication causing a strain in their relationship. But the strains present because they do truly love each other(this is a rant for another day)

I digress, this season concludes with a cliffhanger—Carmy's reaction to a seemingly mixed review from the Chicago Tribune—it's clear that change is on the horizon. Chef Terry's words are a catalyst for Carmy's evolution. They signal a shift from a leader driven by fear and perfectionism to one who leads with heart and humility. This transformation is essential for the survival and success of The Bear.

Not only chef Terry's words, but I believe and hope that when he finds out about SYDNEYS OFFER from Shapiro.

Ooph, oh boy that'll be a wake up call.

In essence, Chef Terry's parting words are a gift—a reminder that vulnerability and imperfection are not weaknesses but strengths. For Carmy, embracing this philosophy could be the key to unlocking not only his potential but also the true essence of what it means to be a chef.

Terry's vulnerability and tenderness is similar to Sydney's all throughout the series, especially season three(even referring back to the first episode when she encourages him to call Richie to make things right between them. The relationship that matters. Not Claire.)

If and (hopefully) when Carm finds out about Sydneys potential leaving, this will be a real pushing point for him to out into action Terry's words, realize that his control and repeated cycle of everything he's been through needs to change.

Just as Syd expressed early on in season one, The a bear became the very thing she wanted to escape from. People yelling and pushing, the constant chaos of what their industry is. And she and Carm both knew and still know that it can be different.

And Sydney has that opportunity with Shapiro, but Carmy will totally freak without her to enact that change.

Phew.

Anyways, I can't wait to see the post-review chaos, and hopefully some real growth on Carmy's end.

Season four, anyone?

[namtanlovesfilm]

this exactly why I ADORE the beluca boys 🥰

in the bangkok to macau flight, there were only 3 seats per row so offgun didn't sit together but off sat next to taynew. he also felt up tay's chest (as one does 🤭):

but THEN in the return flight from macau to bangkok, they SWITCHED and new sat next to offgun so that offgun wouldn't be separated twice 🥰 AND new took from off's action of touching tay's chest and touched gun's chest in the same way LMAO:

I LOVE THEM SM IDHWJEHDOWHEOE

[cosmichate]

i feel like it’s important within the yellowjackets fandom that has pretty much every ship possible, that we recognize the representation we were given — taivan have been extremely important to me as an individual considering this isn’t something we get very often, a black empowered lesbian who is in a relationship with a butch lesbian who are both characterized very well and played by two queer actors.

i’ve seen far too much taivan discourse on my TL recently and it breaks my heart, people are entitled to their own opinions but hating on a canon ship and then continuing to push an agenda about two characters that aren’t canonically interested in each other romantically (maybe even platonically) doesn’t sit very well with me and the other people i have curated this post with. it’s a very rare circumstance that this representation is brought to the light with a mainstream show and we should as a fandom collectively respect and view these two characters differently. i hope with season 3 they touch on their relationship more because representation goes such a long way even if it is only two characters.

[heavens-secret]

🌹 IN DEFENSE OF TAI: A NOVEL🍷

So listen I get it, there’s the writing style to consider and the repetition of the detached, seemingly lifeless man in power being recycled that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I fully understand the people saying they want more passion from him, and I hope to see it fully awakened as we go further along. He’s seemingly got the same stoic facecard no matter what context, which can get frustrating because we want a certain degree of vulnerability from our LIs.

But to play devil’s advocate on the subject that is Tai, let me paint this portrait of how I hope to see his character being developed. Because I can’t help but think about the glimpse into that psychotic family we’ve been given in Episode 9 & feel that up to this point, Tai’s mannerisms and general demeanor actually make so much fucking sense.

Like Tiss, he’s essentially been primed for war from an early age. He was primed to rule, to make difficult decisions, to represent his house with pride, and to never show weakness. And yes, he’s undoubtedly enjoyed a certain degree of privilege due to his status. But while his sisters get to explore their interests and amuse themselves in court playing with people like their puppets, he’s tasked with the ultimate responsibility of a society’s future as the family heir. A task I don’t think he takes lightly, given how well read he is and how involved he is in political affairs. And unless there’s some mentor we haven’t learned about yet, Foelh seems to have been his only role model to imitate when it comes to being a man and being a leader. Imagine having that dude as a father figure. Whatever we’ve seen of Foelh so far, I assure you he’s a thousandfold worse. It sort of reminds me of learning about Lucifer’s background & how Satan raised him. There are more parallels to him and Satan than you’d originally think. Both are self-serving, sadistic narcissists with little empathy for others’ suffering. They make decisions not based on what’s best for the people or what is just, but based on what strengthens their authority or feeds their ego. Not to mention both would be willing give up their only son to a win a political chess match if it came down to it. When Tai was briefing him on the murder of the princess and told him he was prioritizing minimizing bloodshed over interrogating everyone, Foelh literally said that he would have executed him were it not for the fact that he was his only son. With a parental figure like that, it often feels like you’re walking on eggshells & consistently made to feel like you’re never good enough. It doesn’t necessarily justify the problematic aspects of their personality down the line, but it humanizes them and puts a lot of their actions in context. It’s also fertile ground for solid character development. Because imagine the sort of coping mechanisms you’d have to adapt to be molded by a sadist while enduring life-lasting fractures to your body and/or soul. Repression would be chief among them. And then imagine meeting someone who challenges everything you’ve ever known and done, who forces you to start feeling again.

It’s honestly nothing short of a miracle that compared to Foelh, Tai has been nothing but respectful towards Tiss up to this point. He doesn’t have an interest in blind subservience or abusing his power for an ego trip like his father does. His calm and reserved nature makes him a lot more open minded & reasonable. On the Falcon path, he likes her challenging him on matters others wouldn’t speak up about & even respects her more for it. These are all qualities that will help him create impactful change when the time comes for him to reign. It feels like she’s awakening sides to him that have long remained dormant, like she’s a literal breath of fresh air after he’s gotten so used to holding his breath entirely. At the same time, however, he knows how dangerous a personality like that is and worries for her. She was always under threat of death but I think he feels guilt and anger at himself that he’s put her in actual tangible danger, like he slipped up somewhere leading to Foelh using her as a manipulation tactic. Maybe he is remaining reserved because that is the best way to keep her safe, because showing passion will only prove that she is a point of vulnerability for Tai. And the more their feelings grow, the truer that becomes. And that will certainly lead to her death, unless Foelh is killed first. Tiss is feeling like a pawn right now, but I’m telling ya’ll she’s gonna checkmate the King.

[skull-pun]

I'll never forgive KFP4 for not making Tai Lung the Vegeta to Po's Goku. That whole summoning thing should've happened at the beginning of the movie and he should have had his fight with the Chameleon then got his powers stolen and then escaped to get help from Po.

And yes I know she needed the staff to open the portal to the spirit realm so she couldnt have summoned him before she got it but idk maybe Zhen could have just stolen it from under Po's nose at the beginning so like now Po is more willing to trust Tai Lung since he knows his staff has been stolen? Man idk I just rewatched it and I'm still pissed off.

I just wanted my funny british snow leopard to get his redemption arc man.

[knine-nights]

I have a Problem

Ok I was rewatching Kung Fu Panda because reasons and it just came up again and somebody help me.

So Tai Lung right? Scary cat guy villain of KFP1. Love his voice acting, his backstory is great, his baby version is one of the cutest things ever but hold on a fuckin second. WHAT IS WITH HIS TEETH?

WHAT? There are parts here and there where it’s clearer but we never have an explanation.

Have you ever seen Snow Leopard teeth? And just to clarify, yes Tai Lung is confirmed a Snow Leopard.

It’s really hard to see in most pictures but if you see the skull it’s clearer.

So yeah that’s shockingly accurate right?

But hold on a fuckin second.

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OF THE FLAT TEETH ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM??

On this skull there are six on the bottom row.

In both of these pictures there are FOURTEEN.

THATS MORE THAN TWICE AS MUCH.

And it’s in both pictures exactly 14 so this isn’t an oppsie daisy moment.

And don’t just say that the way they drew the head meant they needed to have more bottom teeth. They could have made them wider or drawn any aspect differently. They chose this.

Why?!

[lovelaceisntdead]

Like yes this show is a tragedy and of course none of them are making it out alive but idk this just doesn't sit right with me.

[fwrails]

one day i will move to california even though i hate california so my asian kids get the cultural assimilation they deserve

[miicycle]

super upset that zhen gets to become dragon warrior. like why add her. we didnt need a new character before other than villains, but they all had references and the whole story was already written out when they made kung fu panda. at least make tigress or tai lung the next dragon warrior

either way actually why the FUCK is he passing the fucking title to someone?! thats not how it worked! he was prophecised! his journey is over! hes the dragon warrior, destined! He fought and won against Tai Lung and Kai (as well as found inner peace through shen) why the FUCK can he even pass the title on to someone else?! this shit aint real. im making tai lung help po whether dreamworks likes it or not

[vinbass]

Golden Terrace Rant Up Ahead

Final Reunion Extra

Spoilers below:

UNFAIR. HOW COME SECOND UNCLE GETS A MODERN AU BUT FU SHEN DOESNT-

anyways

This extra was such a treat it really let me understand Fu Tingxin more AND GOSH THERE WERE SUCH HILARIOUS PARTS HERE AND MAN IT KINDA SHOWS WHO FU SHEN REALLY RESEMBLES AND GOT HIS MANNERS FROM.

Im about to send very not good pics of the parts I loved in this extra

[eksvnd]

Kung Fu Panda 4 somehow revived me to the fandom, but it isn't like the Book of Bill where I am loving every preview of it, no sir, it's more of a "how fucking dare you ruined a perfect trilogy" revivement.

[namtanlovesfilm]

I have to call out something that bothers the shit out of me: gmmtv heights. off was 180cm for YEARS but now he's 179 or 178. I've seen that they put tay at the same height as him but tay is 2-3cm shorter. they've said mond is 180 so TALLER than off & tay but mond is literally shorter of AT LEAST 3-4cm. it's driving me crazy. yes who gives a fuck & it doesn't matter but I'm going insane. I'm gonna need to line all the gmmtv artists up & measure them myself I swear lmao

[teacup-tai]

So, since like 2010, I've had this Marriage Law plot that involves Pansy and Hermione getting married, having babies, divorcing once the law is changed. And then getting back together bc, obviously, they are in love. 😌

I just needed to take it out of my chest. I have chapters written for it since then. I have a bloody title, I used to have a nice cover for it and all. I miss the Brazilian pansmione hub so much. Where are the English pansmione crew? Anyone wanna read this shit?

[firedragon1321]

There's a fanart in Matt's tag that includes Tai making a borderline aheago face so I'm gonna do a quick meta so I can push it through (please don't ask any more about this).

You ever see old dub material and like, it looks like this? This is from a book I own-

Like, where did this come from? And the dub of Ep. 1, when he first meets the Digimon- "no autographs please". Where did it come from? I really honestly don't understand.

Now, it's not as bad as, like, the Davis/Daisuke situation (where I had to go full Kingdom Hearts and refer to them as different people). It kind of works because it can be used as a cover. Matt doesn't want to deal with Feelings when there's a brother to protect and two worlds to save. But his Feelings tend to boil over at the slightest provocation.

Yet the dub kind of...ignores this. For the "cool kid" persona which ??? Maybe they were trying to make him more like Gary Oak from Pokemon (y'know- the ten year old with a car/cheerleaders). But by the end, it's clear that doesn't work. The Crest of Friendship kind of seals the deal as to who Matt really is.

I feel like this weirdness/02 playing up the "pretty boy" angle led to the likes of The Lost Temple of Ishida, which by itself contributed to years of mischaracterization. If you know about Goth TK and the Tokomon who lived in Tai's hair or whatever (who wasn't TK's partner, I think)- those broke containment from there. It was a HUGE fansite. It even fooled me.

Fortunately, you don't see too much OOC "cool guy" Matt today, unless it specifically refers to 02/tri. I feel like better access to the subs and the Lost Temple becoming inactive (along with the "squee kawaii" fangirl mindset falling out of fashion) made it easier to analyze Matt as he really is. Unfortunately, he seems less popular than back in the day. Which sucks. I want to ramble about him more.

[eosofspades]

I am asking you about the magic in KFP

thank you for asking!! this is gonna be an INSANE take from me, number one fantasy enjoyer of all time, but i... i really don't like the magic in kung fu panda.

every sequel in this series just ups the magic factor and i don't like it. kfp1 had just enough that i felt like it worked, and it was more of a mildly fantastical take on the actual technical science of acupuncture and nerves, which was super cool. in kfp2 the "inner peace" thing i ALSO feel worked, mainly because it tied in hugely with the entire rest of the story, the themes, and the text. it wasn't even about learning magic, it was ABOUT inner peace, and the "magic" that po was able to do at the end was about balance and harmony. it also sort of narratively functioned as a foil to the more "technological advancements" of lord shen's army.

i... i actually am not crazy about kfp3. i DID not like the full-blown spiritual power of chi that everyone could do, i didn't like kai as a villain on the whole (this is more about themes and narrative, which is a separate rant i have, but him being a "spirit warrior" was so ridiculous to me i laughed when he said it, rather than actually being intimidated.)

part of this is because it just plainly deflates the ending of kfp1 - po using the wuxi finger hold was like this HUGE thing that the whole movie had been building up to, and in kfp3 now EVERYONE can do it?? with ease?? i feel like it cheapens the intensity of the first movie's ending.

i have a harder time describing the second reason i dislike it, so please bear with me, but i feel like the magic elements in the third movie in particular (kai turning everyone into jade creatures, po's giant golden dragon), are... dissonant, to me. jarring? i feel like they are TOO over-the-top and these Big Important Things to the point it feels like this doesn't line up with the previously established rules of this universe. there was VERY little magic in the first movie at all - the nerve attack is more scientific; the only truly *magical* moments are oogway going to the spirit realm, and tai lung being sent there, and both of those times, it feels much less like characters are using magic, and much more like magic is happening to or through them.

but the BIGGEST reason it bothers me is because it is thematically wrong. despite the brief magical moments in the first movie, the story was NEVER about learning or using magic. in fact, it was the oppsoite; the story was literally about the fact that there WAS no magic! the whole point of the first movie, literally the entire message, was that there WAS no magic power! there was nothing magical about the dragon scroll!! there is no magic there is no secret ingredient it is just YOU and what you are going to do with the body and mind that you already have!!!!

for what it's worth, i know animated film trailers almost always suck, and kfp4 MIGHT surprise me, but i doubt it. the chameleon might be a cool character, but i truly believe if they included a chameleon character in kfp 1 or 2, their power wouldn't have been actual shapeshifting, just good kung fu and maybe camouflage abilities; definitely not a full-blown shapeshifting power. because the first two movies used supernatural abilities / events with just enough moderation that it struck a PERFECT balance between the themes of the story and the previously established rules and bounds of the universe.

[notanotherockstar]

I think sometimes people HAVE to work with abusers because the industry is just so filled with them that you can't boycott them all or it's actually you who are being boycotted or jobless. But date? That too when she is already on this level. This was SOOOO avoidable and yet she willing chose him. Willing looked past all of his racism and what not and for what prize? Ratt Mealy?

yup, exactly

many up and coming female (and even some male) actors and artists find themselves with no other choice but to work with horrible men

recent examples i can think of is chloe bailey - a lot of people gave her so much shit for working with chris brown without thinking that she simply may not have had a say in who her record label wants her to collab with

as well as with the women who end up working with sam levinson, i doubt either sydney sweeney, alexa demie, barbie ferreira, hunter schafer or lily-rose depp enjoy having to be canvases that sam can paint his p*rn fantasies upon

but that being said taylor, the biggest pop star in the world, is definitely not being forced to do anything especially not date an absolute and utter shithead

this whole thing reeks of when taylor dated john mayer, a very obvious racist and misogynist but back then she was a child who just seemed to be so hopelessly infatuated with him who just couldn't see what was wrong with him

but now she's a grown thirty three year old woman and she's once again dating an obvious racist and misogynist only this time it's very obvious that she knows about the things he's done and she knows what her fans (and even just the general public) are saying about her - about them and she's just choosing to ignore it

and that isn't it, especially when she's choosing to stay quite about politics and social issues while working with people have done incredibly shitty things, traveling all around the world in her private jet whilst there's a climate crisis going on, and performing in states like florida and texas whose governments are doing everything in their power to the strip rights of women and the lgbt community