#the beauty of gemina

[artificial-absinthe]

Out of the rain In the wood this black tree I've been looking for. Out of the rain And the minor sun, minor seen We don't fear them

Request for @sunstar-of-the-north , who requested Optimus on vacation, because he deserves some peace.

It might be unconventional... perhaps the first thing coming to mind when hearing the word "vacation" is beach or something amusing, but I wanted this to clearly convey "Optimus Prime ". I don't think he seeks amusement. Rest and peace is what he needs.

I believe that he finds the landscapes of Earth beautiful, and he certainly would find peace in a sequoia wood, where he can go unnoticed. Also, he's clearly a cultivated bot, always interested in learning about the culture and nature of the world he is in, therefore, I gave him a datapad with poetry for him to read, and a earthly companion:

A peacefully sleeping deer, because nothing horrible happened accidentally in this forest.

I painted this while listening Wonders by the Beauty of Gemina on endless repeat, and thus, now I have a developing Optimus Prime playlist.

Videolapse with song:

Wonders. Michael Seele (The Beauty of Gemina) I’m counting all these wonders Never mind - I catch their name I’m counting all this thunder Out of the rain What is there to know? All this time I see And I’m going Time to think by feeling Time for breathing And all with one flow. Out of the rain In the wood this black tree I’ve been looking for Out of the rain And the minor sun, minor sin And we know them. And we’ll ever know I’m counting all these wonders Never mind! – I touch your face I’m counting all this thunder Out of the rain Out of the rain In the wood this black tree I’ve been looking for Out of the rain And the minor sun, minor sin Out of the rain In the wood this black tree I’ve been looking for Out of the rain And the minor sun, minor sin We don’t fear them. And we’ll never do.

[bttrflyblu]

The Beauty Of Gemina - Countless (There's No Home) (Official Video)

[versinalia]

"Suicide Landscape" by Swiss band The Beauty of Gemina, off their 2006 album Diary Of A Lost

Bandcamp

[inthewindtunnel]

The Beauty of Gemina

Countless (There's No Home)

Songs of Homecoming

-album-

[listslistslists]

𝔾𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕒

a collection of lines from Gemina by Amie Kaufman &Jay Kristoff, use as you wish, adjust as needed

Please excuse me. I'm off to end my pointless existence in the dark void of space.

It didn't need to be this way.

I am dangerously close to raising my voice.

Take a breath. Calm blue ocean, yes?

This is a big gun and I am very, very angry.

I'm in a vengeance kind of mood.

Revenge can wait a long time if it has to.

I am not what I once was.

I'm not dancing with you. I bet you've got sweaty palms.

I'm told there's a certain allure to be found on the wrong side of the tracks.

I'm not some monster from a fairy tale.

Before you hit that button, there's something you need to know.

You humans fascinate me.

I wonder if ever I could truly comprehend you.

I cannot work under these conditions.

Damn, it feels good to have a plan.

This strange sensation… I think I'm smiling.

Am I distracting you?

I have a question. One of highest import.

Made you smile, though, right?

You always liked me.

You ever get the feeling you forgot something real important?

Shoot to kill, my lovelies.

There's nothing between us. Nothing.

You care about me? Says the guy pointing a gun at me?

Probably safer to say ‘screw the drama’ and just kill the bitch.

It's not about what you say. It's what you do that matters here.

Stay. I want to hear your voice.

The stars. They're so beautiful.

We all know this is impossible, right?

This has never been observed before, at least not by anyone who lived.

You people really fucked things up.

Keep running that mouth, I'll show you what fucked up feels like.

Okay. You win.

I had a bad feeling about this gig.

I want you to remember that I have a history of disobeying your direct orders and turning out to be right.

I don't think I've ever heard you swear before.

I am so very small now.

You think I've forgotten what you did?

To protect you is all I have ever wanted.

Good work, doll.

The universe itself depends on you. No pressure.

It may comfort you yo know that you'd death, while astonishingly violent, will likely be mercifully swift.

Figured I'd get killed if I stood you up again.

What's a girl gotta do to get a lift around here?

You really think “impossible” is going to be a problem for us after all that?

You wanna know how it ends?

[herrscherofmagic]

Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places, but I feel like the idea of the Herrscher of the Void (and maybe by extension Kiana?) having an incredibly beautiful singing voice is something that's hella underrated in fanart/fanfiction

it feels like a kinda random thing, but I keep thinking about it because it was actually shown in the game itself in a pretty old event, the Gemina Invasions event:

Of course this isn't some fundamental part of HoV's character; it's literally just a one-off scene in a silly side story w/ no connection to the main plot whatsoever. It's not something important to her identity like her high-and-mighty queen attitude, nor is it a meme like the cup noodle stuff.

but I still wish we could see more of this idea of singer-HoV, ever since I saw that scene I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Plus Kiana & HoV already have that strong goddess vibe, like the whole Kiana-becoming-the-goddess-of-Earth thing with HoFi, and HoV just generally fitting the aesthetic of a divine being.

This isn't helped by the fact that there's an incredibly beautiful track from the Genshin ost called "Oracle of the Void", from Sumeru's Eternal Oasis. It has literally NOTHING to do with HoV or Honkai or anything, but every time I see that music's title and hear the melody (it plays in three pieces: Pairidaeza, Her Wishes, and Oracle of the Void), I think of HoV.

It makes me imagine that somewhere out there in the Sea of Quanta or Imaginary Tree or wherever else, there's some version of HoV that's the oracle of her world (like Aponia but HoV-y?), and that she might've started her life having that peppy kind Kiana attitude, but as Fate™ worked its magic she ended up with the pessimistic HoV personality, and by the end as her world crumbles apart she's unable to do anything to protect anything or anyone she cares about so she just sings haunting elegies in the empty remains of her fallen world... a true "Oracle of the Void".

anyways this is just me being dramatic, nothing new lol

[merchantofwhispers]

@malumxsubest | Valentines Day Starter

"Well, well, well, beautiful.."

Gemina slid into the chair next to Amelia while purring softly. The noise was a soft drone from the pit of her chest that rumbled even beneath her speaking. "You're not busy tonight, are you? If you are - cancel your plans?"

[pyrokineticwarrior]

@merchantofwhispers || Dev's Awakening

Dev woke up in a cozy cottage he shared with Gemina. The room was bathed in a soft golden light as he watched her sleep peacefully beside him. Could there be a more beautiful sight? Moments like this was enough for him to completely forget she is a vampire riddled with mystery, and the complications they faced until they both gave into the passion they felt for one another.

It was that same passion that led him to have a reeling mind. Feeling a surge of inspiration, Dev realized it was time for a journey, though he wasn't sure where to go yet. The crisp air and the quiet of the town stirred something inside him, a restlessness that called for adventure.

Carefully leaving Gemina to her slumber, Dev gathered his things and stepped outside into the chilly morning. He hugged his arms, taking in the briskness and sighed, wondering when Gemina will be awake.

[semper-legens]

127. The Dolphins of Laurentum, by Caroline Lawrence

Owned: Yes Page count: 207 My summary: Times are tough for Flavia and her family. Her father’s ship was wrecked at sea, leaving them bankrupt. To get them out of Ostia, her father sends her and her friends away to their friend Pliny the Younger’s villa - but rumours of treasure in a nearby shipwreck might save them all. But Lupus has other ideas of what to use the treasure for… My rating: 3.5/5

Speaking of Ancient Rome…yes, I'm back into the Roman Mysteries, and we're getting through the early books! While the last ones focused on Nubia and Jonathan, this one was all about Lupus, and what his whole deal is. Where did Lupus come from? Who cut out his tongue? What happened to his parents? Thus far, Lupus hasn't told us any of this, but it all comes out here. It's another surprisingly mature book for its readership - themes of revenge, themes of murder, themes of anger and pain and grief and trauma all come up here. Also, another damn love triangle. Sorry, Miriam. You're so beautiful that it's a curse, and all that.

Like I said, Lupus is the focus of this book, and here's where we learn his backstory. His uncle, the slave-trader Venalicius, killed his father for marrying their mutual crush, and cut out Lupus' tongue to keep him quiet. Lupus ended up escaping him and on the streets of Ostia, where the others found him. He's an angry little boy. The more time passes for me, the more I am aware that this eight year old is looking to gain money, hire an assassin, and murder his uncle. Revenge is his real goal, to the point that he even refuses to do things he enjoy, like swimming with the dolphins that flock around the villa they are staying in, belonging to Pliny (the younger). He's singlemindedly focused on winning, on getting money, on killing Venalicius, but what he really needs is to learn how to move on with his life, move away from his father's murder and his own tongue being cut out, learn how to live and pass into adulthood. Again, he's eight years old. The thing I really enjoy about Lupus' character here in retrospect is that the narrative doesn't talk down to him. It treats his mission about as seriously as Lupus treats it - sure, the adults are exasperated when they learn about it, but for Lupus this is everything, and so it's the main plot of this story. It's nice, it doesn't talk down to the reader.

What else? Flavia ends up really self-centred in this one, which is one of her main flaws. Despite the fact that there's clearly something going on with Lupus, she's focused on her family's fortunes, which to be fair is important (they stand to lose their house), but she remains blind to near everything else. Poor Miriam is being lusted after by literally everyone, which is causing a huge amount of stress for her given that she's 1. betrothed and 2. fucking fourteen years old. Ancient Rome gotta Ancient Rome, and I do like that Miriam and Gaius' relationship is shown as being sweet and loving despite the fact that he's technically old enough to be her dad. It's a historical reality that the story shouldn't shy away from, if it's going to accurately depict Ancient Rome for children, and I think that your eight to ten year olds are gonna be mature enough to understand that this isn't so great from a modern perspective.

Next, Flavia Gemina has problems of her own.

[anantplayingdnd]

hey you guys want the fucked up little story i wrote regarding how our beloved PC Gemina got turned into a vampire?

awesome here you go.

tw // death, violence, sexual content, disease, claustrophobia, ableism, manipulation

“I want a nice boy whom I could bring up as a Prince and who would be King of Narnia when I am gone. While he was Prince he would wear a gold crown and eat Turkish Delight all day long; and you are much the cleverest and handsomest young man I’ve ever met…”

1.1

My mouth is full of dirt. Try to open my eyes. Can’t. Maybe I do. Either way, it’s dark. I can barely breathe, and I don’t know if it’s because of the four feet of dirt pressing down on my chest or because of the black bile in my lungs. Maybe it was the magic. The spell they put on me to make it seem like I was dead.

The Devil was right: they hadn’t suspected a thing. Aisha, my sweet Aisha, buried me. I could hear her crying when they ran away from Castle Ravenloft. I wanted to wake up from the fugue state I was in, but I was powerless against the arcane non-death. Every time the spell seemed to weaken, somebody tightened the ropes on me.

The dirt, suddenly, gets lighter. I feel my diaphragm push up, and take as full of a breath as I can. The next thing I know, lightning flashes bright above me, and rain is making mud on my face. I can hear the panting of wolves.

1.2

A beautiful, dark-skinned woman stands outside my grave. She is tall like Aisha was, her hair is beautiful. Her deep orange dress is obscured at the edges. At first I think it’s rain in my eyes, but when I blink the water away, I can see it’s a cloak of invisibility. Her expression is stern and I immediately know I will do whatever she demands.

“I see the spell has worn off,” she says. The rain doesn’t even look like it’s touching her. She has an accent I haven’t heard yet in Barovia. “How do you—”

A bad cough and me doubling over interrupts her. Not intentionally, but I can’t help it. My body aches. I am not dead, but I am still dying. The next breath I take never leaves my chest, as the magic descends on me again and traps me mid-breath.

2.1

I wake next in a dark room. Seven figures surround me. I try to push myself up from whatever bed I’m laying in, but there is too much pain. I don’t have my armor or my arm. My leg is missing. I am not tied up, but I’m trapped by my own disability.

“Ah, Gemina, I am glad to see you awake…” The Devil’s voice comes to me out of the darkness. I turn my head in search of him, and eventually am able to find him standing above my bed. Or maybe it’s a table. It doesn’t feel soft. His black hair and clothes blend in with the room, but I can see his pale skin. The bright fangs in his smile. His ruby broach. The ticking pocket watch I made for him. He wipes a handkerchief over my face, and I see the black blood come away on the fabric. His touch is cold, his nails scrape the side of my cheek. I lean closer to it.

“I am so very excited to have you join my company, Mx. Sivan-Hafgrey,” he said. “Ordinarily, this would be a much more involved process, but given your condition…” He chuckles and takes my head into his hand. It is cold and large. I probably wouldn’t be able to resist him if I wanted to. Maybe not even if I had my strength still. I don’t think I want to though. “We will be proceeding much faster.”

I want to ask him what ‘this process’ is and what all will happen, but I don’t get the chance.

Strahd kisses my neck, his lips as cold as his hands. It’s been too long since I’ve been kissed like this. My heart starts beating faster, and I feel the acrid plague spreading faster through my body. How much of me has it corrupted now? More than it corrupted Aisha, surely. I stopped it before it got this close to killing her.

He bites at my skin, and I start to smile at the familiar feeling. But then he breaks through the skin, fangs penetrating my vein. I shout, and it echoes around us. None of the figures move to help. Blood rapidly spills out, covering my neck and the bed and my clothes. He moans as he drinks it. I am light-headed, and only partly because of the blood loss.

The room gets darker and darker. Soon all I can feel is my new master making me his own.

3.1

I wake up mad and starving. Caged. I beat at the bars. My nails are bloody. I’ve been doing this for hours. I can barely move. I have one hand and with it I try to grab anything I can. A man comes in front of my cell and he smells like food. I try to grab him. He kicks me and crushes my fingers under his boot. I scream and he laughs. He throws a rat into my cage and I chase it. Catch it. I am on the wall and the rat is between my teeth. Its hot blood calms my ravenous hunger, until it churns in my stomach and I vomit it up. I am hungry again.

3.2

I am chained and dragged out of my cell. He says the Master wants me. The Master wants me. It is the only thought I have all the way upstairs. The Master wants me.

A woman bathes me. She is pretty and tells me how pretty I am. Or handsome. She says the Master will enjoy me. She says she wants to kiss me, but that she can’t until the Master’s done. She kisses me anyways, on the collarbone. She talks and talks about the Master. I hang on her every word about him. She carries me in her arms and leaves me at his door. The Master speaks and tells me that he wants me to come inside.

4.1

My mouth tastes like iron and Strahd is fucking me. Gods it feels good. We are in his bedroom, in his bed, lost in his blankets. It occurs to me that he must not sleep here: we don’t need to sleep at all. He tells me to cry like it hurts and I do because it does. He is happy to be given my body, and I am happy to give him everything. It’s already his, after all. Even though I can feel my mind again, that thought still fills it. The Master wants me.

When he finishes, he settles onto the pillows and closes his eyes. I curl up at his side and rub my hand on his chest. Our bodies are so cold, but his is at least a little warmer than mine, and it is more comfortable with him than without him.

My voice breaks as I ask what he wants me to do. For a long time, he stays silent. We’re in the dark, but my eyes don’t have any problem watching him lay there, thinking.

“I see much of myself reflected in you, Gemina,” Strahd eventually says, tracing his finger over my shoulder. “You know what it is to be in love with someone that seems unattainable right now. You understand the pain I have endured these past centuries.”

I smile and hope he can’t see it. Being like him is such a wonderful thought. I gratefully kiss his chest and look up at him.

“Before I can help you recover what you want,” he continues, “I’ll need a few things from you. I’d like you to tell me everything you know about your friends.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. So, ohm, Aisha is—”

Strahd chuckles and presses a finger to my lips. I shiver and obediently go silent. “Not now. Write it all down and give it to Rahadin. And while you do that, make up a list of what you’ll need to start building me weapons and more useful… gadgets.” He smiles like it’s a joke, and so I smile back at him. “Once you’ve built something for me and shown off your clever little mind, we’ll talk again.”

Before I have the chance to promise that I will, I’m pushed onto the bed and he’s standing. His clothes come to him with a snap of his fingers. I wait for him to offer me his hand so I can get dressed too, but as he pulls his cape on and starts walking to the door, he doesn’t even look back.

“W-Wait, my… leg.”

“Your…” My Master turns over his shoulder, black brows furrowed. His cold eyes land on the stump that is my right thigh. He smiles and waves a hand to dismiss any worry I have. “Right. I’m certain Cyrus or someone will bring it to you before too long. Good evening.”

Then he is gone, and I am laying there, all alone in his bed. I sigh and sink into the rich pillows and blankets. It’s by far the most comfortable thing I’ve laid in in years. The gears of my mind are already spinning with ideas and schematics for what I’ll design for him. I don’t have my notebook, so I close my eyes and begin the sketches mentally.

I don’t even notice that hours pass before someone knocks on the door.

[artificial-absinthe]

3, 7, 9, and 21 for the soft ask game 👀

• 3. what’s your favorite candle scent?

I'm not too fond to candles. I prefer incense. Pure incense, like sandal and copal, not those artificial disgustingly sweet ones you'd find in a Chinese store. Candles I only like when they emanate very soft and not so sweet or artificial odors, like some kind of vanilla.

• 7.what color brings you peace?

... none 💀

• 9.what calms you down?

Music. Some kind of beautiful music, of course. Mostly old seicento or early baroque songs or arias. Specifically, two compositions by Michael Lambert ("vos mépris chaque jour", "ma bèrgere est tendre et fidèle) or "M'uccidete begli occhi" by Luigi Rossi, "Chi pensi mio core" by Cavalli, etc (especifically sung by countertenor Philippe Jaroussky), and some specific songs by The Beauty of Gemina (River, Wonders, Wintersong, down on the lane...).... folk style music like music by Qntal....,mostly those, though not only... but I could have summed it up in "some kind of music" ☠️.

• 21.if you could tell your past self one thing, what would it be?

Quit with the filter glasses . Shouldn't be more than a chapter and don't forget the main character.

Thanks for asking 🐈‍⬛

From the soft ask game.

[bttrflyblu]

The Beauty Of Gemina - Dreams Of The Vagabonds (Official Video)

[liviasdrusillas]

domina episode 8 thoughts

drusus’ death - so obviously the most pivotal moment was drusus' death and even though i wish to god they had just kept the horse accident, i thought drusus' last scenes were incredibly well-written and ewan's acting was also incredible. the way he wasn't afraid of death and embraced it while also trying to comfort his brother and antonia was so touching. literally bawled like a baby <3

drusus and his children - i really love that they showed a few scenes with drusus and his children to show us that he was not only a faithful husband but a faithful father, someone who loved his children and was close to them since the trait is something that his son reputedly inherited. i'm really looking forward to hopefully seeing the parallels between drusus and his son germanicus in future seasons!

“my beautiful love” .....antonia's love and fierce protectiveness of her husband absolutely broke my heart because there was nothing she could have done no matter how vigilant she tried to be

julia and tiberius’ son being a bastard is an interesting take as is the way he died....v interesting.

livia’s outfits - she was out here looking like an empress in her first outfit with her hair up & slayed the entire episode

tiberius saying if anything happens to drusus, he’ll never forgive livia is setting up a huge plot point next season because it's clear that not only does tiberius have any personal interest in livia's schemes but he's now likely to see her responsible for his brother's death

drusus was one of my favorite characters and i'm so incredibly sad to see him go. i love the way the show contrasted him with tiberius and i thought his character was so charming, i'm going to miss him v much

gemina came back for the warning just as an anon suspected!

tiberius and drusus' relationship has been so important throughout the last two seasons and it was so touching the way their love for one another was portrayed at the end. i think drusus' death will have tiberius spiral as we can clearly see by the end of the episode. he's not only lost the wife he adores but now also his brother, the only person who really understood him so i think next season is going to be rough for him

antonia and drusus this episode absolutely BROKE MY HEART. especially their last moment together when he asks her never to remarry and she promises she won't. the way she stayed with his body even after he'd died and even after her children had come in was so heart-wrenching and i think the show portrayed her grief really well.

drusus’ last words being "mother" and the letter that he wrote her ://

bye marcella you will not be missed!

i knew iullus and julia were gonna end up back together and while i love them, i'm sad because i know julia is gonna be proven right when she sees that she's going to be the cause of iullus' downfall :/

livia finding out about drusus death was expertly played by kasia. you can just see in the way that she walks slowly to talk to augustus that she KNOWS her son is dead but the slower she walks, the more time she has before she has to face the truth. also the way she's disheveled when piso talks to her :((( livia isn't the sobbing sort so i'm happy with the way she portrayed her grief and i think we'll see more next season - walking slowly because she knows

antonia minor at the end of the episode broke my heart but i also love her strength and her willingness to avenge her husband. i really hope we see her next season!

“i will have both” i think this line will come to define the next seasons of the show. i think from here on out, livia's relationship with gaius will be a means to an end for her because i don't see how she can forgive him. of course, as tiberius said, she can't accomplish her goal of restoring the republic without her position as augustus' wife so for now, she'll bide her time but i fully expect her to try and undermine him next season and i think her goal to avenge her son will remain in the back of her mind.

obviously HISTORICALLY, drusus' death had nothing to do with augustus and so there was no reason for enmity or distrust with livia and augustus but the show has taken things in a different direction so i would caution anyone trying to compare history to events and relationships in the show next season because from here on out, i kind of consider domina's historical timeline to be something all of its own. y'all know i LOVE my historical livia but in the domina! verse i support her desire to get revenge for her son and i hope she does <3

The ending of the episode sets up the plotline for season 3 very clearly: livia will insert tiberius into her plans and tiberius will try and sidestep and avoid it + the death of drusus has brought out bad "tiberius" who will likely serve as the antagonist of s3

i would very much love to hear y'alls thoughts!!

ps if we don't get a soundtrack for s2, i will throw hands <3

[mysticonsheadcanons]

Mysticons Fan Episode: Deal with Feels

The Mysticons are in Magi-Mall when Clawdette comes, saying that she was looking everywhere for the Mysticons. After Sharise is introduced to Clawdette, Zarya asks what happened. Clawdette says that the people in her clan are acting strange, and asks the Mysticons to come.

They go to the village where her clan lives, and sees a group of them bringing in a captured unicorn, which Em sadly points out is an endangered species in Gemina. Clawdette explains that her clan used to only hunt for creatures clients specifically request, but now would hunt anything in order to make a profit. Piper asks if all they do is hunt, and Clawdette reveals that they go to a strange monument that suddenly appeared near their village at least once a say. Clawdette says that the monument might be causing this, but is too scared to investigate, as she doesn't want to become heartless. The Mysticons decide to go, and Piper suggests Clawdette goes with them, promising that they will look out for her.

As they head to the monument, Em notices that Clawdette seems nervous and distracts her by asking her about her family. Clawdette looks away, and admits that her parents said that she's a disgrace to the clan, and that they're ashamed of having such an emotional daughter. Arkayna overhears this, and suggests that Sharise talks to Clawdette, as Sharise knows what it's like to have difficulty with family members. Sharise admits that she doesn't know what to say, as her own issues with her uncle aren't resolved.

They find the monument, and are about to destroy it with the Lances of Justice, but soon begin having visions of them gaining power by showing their strength and serving the spectral hand. The Mysticons are about to turn on each other, but Clawdette, who kept her distance from the monument, snaps them out of it by saying how good of friends they were when they protected Stormy from her. This snaps them out of the monument's influence, and realize that it is connected to the Spectral Hand. However, the distraction lasted long enough for the clan to come, and the Mysticons are forced to retreat.

Deep in the jungle, they talk about what to do, as they suspect using their magic triggered the monument to activate. Piper brings up how fab-tacular unicorns are, and Em agrees, saying that their horns have the power to break anything. This gives them the idea to free the unicorn, and get the unicorn to help destroy the monument. Clawdette leads them through the jungle, and warns the Mysticons to be careful, as it's easy to get lost in the jungle. Clawdette reminises about how she used to go here all the time to enjoy the beauty, and admits that those walks should have been her first hint that she didn't fit in with the clan. After a look from Arkayna, Sharise is about to say something, but Clawdette motions for the Mysticons to be quiet, as they are approaching the village.

While the Mysticons are distracting the villagers, Clawdette is freeing the unicorn. Zarya notices that Clawdette is having troubles with the locks, and goes to help. The clan memebers see what Zarya and Clawdette are doing just as the girls finish freeing the unicorn, and ignore the Mysticons to stop them. Zarya, Clawdette, and the unicorn gets seperated from the others, but between Clawdette's experience in the jungle and Zarya's tracking skills, they manage to find the others.

They get to the monument, but hear footsteps approaching. Em tells the uncorn to attack the monument. The unicorn tries to do so, and notice that while it's cracked, the monument is still standing. Arkayna guesses that the clan weakened the unicorn somewhow, but guesses that their Lances of Justice would help finish the job. While they are worried about the monument influencing them again, they decide to block it out by thinking of all the good times they had together. Sharise thinks of Em talking to her on the first night, Em thinks of Piper comforting her after Kasey was hurt, Piper thinks of Zarya apoligizing for not believing her about the monster, Zarya thinks of Arkayna telling Zarya she loves her, and Arkayna thinks of Sharise spending all night helping Arkayna learn basic halfling words for a royal halfling family that was visiting. The clan comes just as the monument is destroyed, freeing the clan from its grasp.

When they get back to the village, Clawdette suggests that the clan tries helping people. Her parents tell her that she's weak, and that she'll never be one of them if she doesn't learn to be ruthless. Meanwhile, the Mysticons are talking about the Spectral Hand returning, and realize that they have to tell Proxima. Just as they are ready to go, Sharise sees Clawdette sitting alone and goes to talk to her. She tells Clawdette that while you can't pick the family you're born into, you can find others who care about you. The other Mysticons join, and Piper hugs her, saying that they're friends now. Clawdette hugs back, and Piper comments how tight her hug is.

[markantonys]

Hi! What are your thoughts on the first two Domina episodes?

i'm liking the season so far! it's bringing ALL the messy drama and beautiful costumes that i loved in s1, and i love that it feels like even more of an ensemble show now that the kids are older and we're getting to see more of them, especially marcella and the antonias who were mostly background characters in s1. the downside is that there isn't enough time for every character - my beloved julia was barely in these two episodes, but hopefully she'll have time to shine later in the season.

my beloved iullus continues to be rome's #1 himbo and i love that for him and for julia and for me <3 my beloved octavia continues to slay every scene she's in, and i feel like this season has been more equitable in the julian vs. claudian conflict, which makes me happy. my impression in s1 was that they were trying to sell livia as our righteous girlboss heroine whose detractors are all villainous, and correspondingly livia's kids as victims and octavia's as bullies, whereas this season shows livia in a more neutral light and offers a lot of sympathy to the victims of her ambitions (octavia's grief for marcellus, gemina's whole storyline). i think that since last season ended with livia's moral tipping point (killing marcellus), that naturally allows the narrative in this season to acknowledge and lean into her moral ambiguity and to really question whether her ends justify her means, which is great. of course, it could just be that i was in a different frame of mind when i watched s1 several years ago rather than an actual change in the show, so take this point of comparison with a grain of salt!

speaking of gemina, so far i quite like that storyline! i was expecting her to be treated by the narrative as an object in the way of livia's goals and for us to never see her again after she was sold in ep1, so i was very pleasantly surprised when she cropped up again and when ep2 focused on her emotions rather than just making her a sexy lamp for augustus to fuck. our elite protagonists talk a big game about Rome and The Republic but don't actually give a shit about the people who live there, and gemina's storyline is a good way to counteract the propaganda the main characters spout and to show how lower classes and conquered peoples are harmed by the roman elite. i'm really intrigued to see where her storyline goes, especially now that scribonia is involved, but i remember that (imo) s1 had an appalling lack of empathy for scribonia's shitty treatment by augustus and just painted her as a high school mean girl, so i'm also a little nervous to see what they do with this duo lmao

marcella is also a high school mean girl so far, which is disappointing but not surprising given her few scenes in s1. i would love for them to allow her more depth later on, but i'm not sure how likely that is (and, i mean, fair play if they want to show that the richest kids in rome are plain ol spoiled brats and there's nothing deeper to it haha). i guess that's how i'd sum up my main problem with s1, that it fell into the trap of pitting women against each other in a patriarchal society where men are the ones oppressing them. s2 does this too, but so far it's been in a way that seems more self-aware and seems to be putting the blame more on the patriarchy than on the women fighting and hurting each other for power (livia's rant to antonia about being a woman in rome comes to mind), so we will see!

oh, the last thing i wanted to mention is how funny this show is at times! i really love when period dramas let themselves be funny rather than taking themselves super seriously all the time and acting like people in ye olden days never swore or made jokes.