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i-am-skinny-sir · 3 months ago

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If we’re in the business of giving out awards for deserving, boundary-pushing work, then Chalamet’s best actor campaign – unofficial and often unspoken efforts to sway awards voters and build public sentiment – deserves its own Oscar. For the past several months, ostensibly in support of A Complete Unknown but seemingly just as much for laughs, Chalamet has embarked on a rare press run of consistent wins that generated viral moments and appealed to the reference-averse, absurdist sensibilities of his generation, bucking the usually staid methods of Hollywood promotion. Whereas past best actor hopefuls have erred on the side of grateful, serious and dutiful to the self-importance of the boomer-skewing Academy, Chalamet has worn kitschy outfits to red carpet events, treated social media like an ironic art experiment and made the rounds with influencers. In other words, though Chalamet is technically a millennial (born in 1995), we are witnessing the first genZ Oscar campaign.

And what a delight it’s been. There is plenty to be cynical about when it comes to awards season – the repetition, the speeches written by consultants, the cloying campaign-ness of it all – but Chalamet out-predicting professional sports analysts on College Gameday (?!) is not one of them. The first sign that Chalamet would be up to something different – that he would be in on the joke – was back in October, two months before the domestic release of A Complete Unknown, when he crashed a crowdsourced lookalike contest in New York’s Washington Square Park, temporarily causing gleeful pandemonium (until the cops showed up). He followed with a series of wacky, weird, surprising public appearances that have deftly threaded a needle of sincere and unserious, from dressing up as Bob Dylan circa 2003’s Sundance, blond bangs and all, to remixing Dylan deep cuts on Saturday Night Live as one of the few musical guests who isn’t a recording artist.

A non-exhaustive list of highlights: riding a Lime bike on to a red carpet (and later telling a French interviewer that he was fined £65 for illegal parking); giving podcast bro Theo Von a lesson on publicly subsidized housing (Chalamet grew up in Mitchell-Lama arts housing in Manhattan); fanboying over Kendrick Lamar in a ride-along “interview” for the Super Bowl; hosting a bizarre Instagram live from an empty warehouse in which he smashed a guitar, writhed with confetti to the 2009 Black Eyed Peas track I Gotta Feeling, and appeared in front of a screen with intentionally misspelled messages like “congratulations timmothee”.

For every conventional, in-the-feels interview stop – a classic Serious Artist Rolling Stone cover, a 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper on honing his ambition, an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe on inhabiting Dylan’s music – there have been multiple ridiculous, internet-aiming victory laps. See: talking Brat with oddball Canadian music journalist Nardwuar, and an absurd and delightful interview with YouTuber Brittany Broski in which he described his lean aesthetic as “empowering the anemic”. And that’s not even getting into a series of lo-fi Instagram videos in which Chalamet sings along to various songs – the Dylan track Visions of Johanna, a number from the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack – at various outdoor locations in a style I can best describe as “aspirational performing arts school project”.

All of this evinces a fact that many forget: being an actor and being a movie star are not the same thing. Timothée Chalamet is a phenomenally talented actor who, by his own admission, strives to be considered one of the greats. He said the quiet part out loud (unusual) in his Sag acceptance speech a week before the Oscars – his first major award after nearly two dozen nominations by the age of 30: “I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” he said, wearing a lime green shirt, leather suit and bolo tie in tribute to another archival Dylan look. “I know people don’t usually talk like that but I want to be one of the greats.”

But awards campaigns are never just about talent, and Chalamet is, crucially, great at being a celebrity. This entire press run has evinced his concurrent talent for holding attention in the ways he wants to, for not taking oneself too seriously while also maintaining deep reverence for the craft, for balancing the esoteric and the very dumb, with some clear YouTube research. And mostly, to laugh at oneself in a way that also benefits one’s appeal, a through-line from the lookalike contest to showing Cooper a video of his high school rap alter ego, Timmy Tim. Chalamet is the rare extremely famous person who seems to actually enjoy being famous – or, at the very least, is having some harmless fun with it. So here’s to Chalamet’s Oscar campaign, a breath of fresh air in a practice that tends to range from just moderately enjoyable to outright annoying. Especially this year, the Oscars season, and pop culture at large, needed it.

#timothée chalamet #a complete unknown #oscars

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star-s-631 · 12 days ago

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hi kou, same anon as before who asked about your hate-to-love fanart. your reply inspired to write a little snippet of marc turning the 'knife' onto vale so to speak:

The boiling point of water is 100 Celsius.

It takes only a few minutes for water to reach boiling point.

Marc imagines his rage as a contained tank of water put on the boiler, simmering, simmering. It’s been on the boiler since Sepang 2015, perhaps even Misano of the same year, but he’d never let it show. Not a hint of weakness, he promises himself, nothing the world can pick apart, an open wound of a carcass for the vultures – for Valentino – to tear into.

But Argentina –

This is a very bad situation, because he destroyed our sport, because he don’t have any respect for his rivals, never.

I'm scared - I'm scared on the track when I am with Marquez.

It’s not any worse than what Valentino Rossi had ever harped to the media about Marc.

But it is the boiling point.

The sun is a blazing white spot in the corner of his gaze, spilling around the brim of his cap. Marc blinks back to the present. Mics are thrust into his face. Eager eyes, hungry faces. Heat beats down on him; perspiration beads down the back of his neck, his heart pumps, blood searing through his veins.

He can feel his PR manager’s presence at his elbow, radiating thought as heat from the sun: Take the high route, Marc. Disengage. Deescalate. Diplomacy. Say the words, Marc. Say, About this of course I am completely disappointed…

Instead, what comes out is, “About this, what Valentino is saying, of course I am not surprised.” Attention swings upon him with renewed sharpness. A camera flashes, white-outing the sun, a black spot in his vision. He blinks sweat from his eyes, goes on, “In my career I never go straight to one rider thinking that I will crash him out - always I try to avoid, of course. But it’s like this, when Valentino struggles in a race, he blames others, no?”

He smiles, all teeth into the cameras arrayed at him, not unlike rifles.

“What was it that, ah, Casey Stoner said? Ambition outweighing talent?”

He laughs, cackles, like he’s trying to downplay it, like it’s all lighthearted carousing, and a few of the journalists flash him nervous smiles, uncertain.

They might not know it, but the man on the other side of the camera lens will know what it is: a gauntlet being thrown into the same dirt where Valentino had ground Marc’s heart underfoot.

And maybe he’ll know, too, that at long last, something’s come to an end.

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at which point idk how vale would react. i agree with you that our reality's vale loses it because marc acts like he doesn't care, but for alt!vale to be hit with this vitriol, i can see him doubling down, but what would make him want to reconcile? what would be the impetus? marc getting injured in 2020-era? vale with an olive branch at the hospital but marc telling him to GTFO, and insert here your iconic 'Congrats Valentino. It’s too late.' line that just haunts me.

and then at this point i think of the second part of the art where 2015!marc is weepy abt if vale ever loved him. i was thinking alternate reality swapping happening. 2015sad!marc eventually reconciles with his vale/they are together in2025 but then our2025!vale gets sent to i-hate-vale!AU and promptly crashes out mentally at the reality of a marc who hates him... while alt!vale is all awkward in our universe at this soft, loving marc and cursing himself for not seeing what he was losing when he was busy ranting on podcasts abt his conspiracy theories.

okay, rant over, thanks for listening to my tedtalk. just wanted to let you know that your art is THAT inspiring. have a great day/week ahead of you :))

Oh my-!!!!!!?!?!!!!?!?!?!?ANON!!!!!!!!!!WHAT!!!!?!?(previous ask )

Okay okay let me, no like I’m crying you’re so good at this omg. Love EVERY detail of this. The way Marc snapped is exactly how I imagined. Like you said, he’s anger was like boiling water. And this “and a few of the journalists flash him nervous smiles, uncertain.” Aaaaa yes yes they definitely didn’t have any ideas that Marc could be like that cold. HATE someone. Hate ROSSI. Eeeeeee I love it soooooooo much I wanna kiss you anon and the swapping au too!!!?!! Aaa it’s all great idea because hate au vale might realizing how good he could have if he was humble enough to forgive Marc? And 2025 vale met sad Marc so he finally understood how deeply he hurt Marc??? Aaaaaaa amazing I’m living for these!!!

And about how vale would react,

I imagine he’d be super shocked. Because he nEVEr thought Marc could be like that. Like I said hate someone, hate him OPENLY. To him, to some riders, Marc is the easy one to blame because he’s young but not innocent on the track. Because Marc hides anger or disappointment in front of cameras. Because Marc has never talked badly about other riders with intentions. But here it is. That young boy’s anger stabbed Valentino deeply. And all vale could do was laugh nervously. He slowly realized that what he did to that younger rider was totally unfair and he deserves to hate from Marc. Maybe Casey helped that. Because their relationship was equal. Hated each other. Vale doesn’t like Casey’s attitude and Casey doesn’t like whole vale’s show. But it wasn’t equal relationship between him and Marc. But still every rosquez drama happened irl happens this au. Vale couldn’t control his ego in front of media. That’s why it’s too late.

I don’t know how they reconcile in this universe yet, but it surely takes A LOT of time. I think this hate au Marc isn’t kind to academy riders too except Luca and Franky. He’d never say something about them randomly but if Bez or pecco said something about him and Alex like “typical Marquez”, then Marc would say something like “typical vr46 kids”.

I have so much thought but I gonna finish it here today!! Thank you so much for all of this anon!!!! Mych love from me!⚡️💐🤍come yap with me if you have anything to share with me please because your amazing✨😘

#asks #rosquez:hate to love?au #kou’s yapping #rosquez

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jokeroutsubs · 2 hours ago

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The Price of a Dream: Bojan Cvjetićanin & Borut Pahor Talk Art, Pressure, and Purpose at SOF 2025

Written by IG anjastokelj for JokerOutSubs. Proofread by IG GBoleyn123. Published on the 17th of May 2025.

Our team at JokerOutSubs had the incredible opportunity to attend and cover the 34th Slovenian Advertising Festival (SOF), held on the 15th of May 2025. We were very lucky to witness a special conversation between Bojan Cvjetićanin and former President Borut Pahor during Mastercard’s ‘Podcast of Inspiration.’ So let’s dive straight into this unique experience and go on a journey behind the scenes of SOF 2025!

The event took place in the historic Magazin Grando, a former salt warehouse in Portorož, now transformed into a captivating venue that seamlessly blends industrial heritage with contemporary design. It may appear weathered from the outside, but inside it unveils a vast, modernised space featuring impressive 28-meter-long wooden beams, the longest of their kind in Slovenia.

Photo: Magazin Grando exterior and interior

This unique blend of rustic exterior and contemporary interior served as an ideal venue for the festival, which was a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation, bringing together industry leaders, creatives, and enthusiasts to explore the future of advertising and communication.

Upon arrival, it was immediately clear that a lot was happening inside and outside the venue. Each attendee received a goodie bag by Lidl (Translation: "One day you're young, the next day you already have your favourite grocery shop"), along with gifts from local brands.

Additionally, there were Poli stands offering free Poli-flavoured crisps and quick meals. Brand promoters were also circulating, promoting Spar’s newest “Choose It Your Way” collaboration with Joker Out—a slightly fizzy drink that comes in Mango and Grapefruit flavors. These low-calorie carbonated drinks contain added vitamins and deliver a very refreshing taste.

But of course, we weren’t just there for the snacks! Let’s jump straight into the main event: Bojan’s podcast with former president Mr. Borut Pahor, and everything Joker Out-related that we learned from it.

PHOTO : The panel room was locked betwen lunch and the panel, creating scenes reminiscent of a Joker Out concert - with a little less running and screaming!

The panel began with Pahor introducing Bojan as “a successful and famous artist, actor, and musician who has always dreamed of being a rockstar, and is now living that dream.” The conversation explored the fine line between achieving one’s dreams and being overwhelmed by them.

PHOTO: Bojan adjusts Pahor's microphone before the start of the panel.

Bojan reflected on how, as we grow and our dreams become reality, the initial spark and childhood joy are often replaced by ambition and pressure. He emphasised that losing creative joy and becoming consumed by thoughts of success are early warning signs that things may be going off course.

While many frontmen say they always knew they were destined for the stage, Bojan admitted that his vision as a child leaned more toward being a pop star. He reminisced about his childhood dream of singing "Život ide dalje, život brzo prolazi" by Plavi Orkestar.

He shared a defining moment that embodied his dreams: two Cvetličarna concerts in 2021, where the band felt pure euphoria. That experience, he said, was unique and hasn’t been replicated since.

Bojan also opened up about an anxiety attack he experienced during a 2023 performance in Ptuj, the result of burnout. Though he’s not completely healed, he’s in a much better place now, largely thanks to reconnecting with the childlike joy of doing what he loves.

He credited the band’s internal community as his anchor. These are the people he started dreaming with, and their shared experiences have shaped their bond. They spend more time together than with their families, forming a deeply connected support system.

Regarding a solo career, Bojan said he doesn’t see himself as a performer without the band. While side projects may emerge, his true sense of belonging is with Joker Out. When they perform together, he feels grounded and safe: “It’s all good, we’re here, and wherever we are together, that’s home.”

Pahor noted that many bands break under pressure, and Bojan acknowledged that band life can be one of the most complex ways to live. To have five voices, consistently creating together and each possessing his own important opinions or ideas, the process of manoeuvring between those ideas - accepting, processing and validating them- can be extremely challenging. When you're doing that with a group of people with whom you cohabit, and naturally share moments of exhaustion, hunger, thirst, annoyance and so on, different energies are bound to clash.

To manage this, Joker Out has developed a system: when someone feels inner turmoil, they speak up immediately. Open communication is their way of avoiding built-up frustrations, and it’s a dynamic they’ve cultivated for years.

On the topic of role models, Bojan expressed admiration for both ex-Yugoslav and Slovenian musicians, including Siddharta, Big Foot Mama, Dan D, Trkaj, Murat & Jose, and Magnifico. Many of these artists are now his friends, but he remains their enthusiastic fan, and often loves reminding them of this fact.

Pahor also discussed Bojan’s influence beyond music, describing him as both an artist and a businessman. Bojan attributed much of his success to his love of people and natural ability to connect. From a young age, he was curious about others, especially adults, and was always eager to understand and communicate with them.

His desire to understand people also led him to spend time in recording studios, watching producers and musicians work. He absorbed everything, made mental notes, and later applied those insights to his own craft.

The pair touched on Joker Out’s post-Eurovision success and the joy of seeing international audiences singing in Slovenian. For Bojan, that was a dream fulfilled, and everything that follows now is simply a bonus.

As the event also centered on business, advertising, and marketing, Pahor asked about the band's internal operations. Bojan highlighted that no team member joined through a typical hiring process; instead, they met organically at gigs, parties, and events. Their PR and promo team came together in the same way.

Bojan believes successful promotion stems from authenticity. When their content captures the joy and energy of the band’s life, people respond. Just like with their music, authenticity is key.

Pahor noted Bojan’s openness, contrasting it with the mystery often associated with rockstars. Bojan admitted he sometimes wishes for a bit of that mystique, like Tomi Meglič, but ultimately, he’s always been an open book.

This was evident when Pahor asked him to imitate Goran Dragić and sing ‘Novi val’ a cappella - requests Bojan fulfilled with enthusiasm and ease.

The conversation also touched on the challenges of being constantly on the move. Bojan mentioned that the people he sees the least are those he’s closest to. He doesn’t see himself maintaining this pace into his mid-thirties. Ideally, he’d love a future with more routine: studio work during the week, concerts on weekends, and eventually, a family of his own.

While some musicians build financial empires, Bojan said that’s not realistic in Slovenia, nor is it his goal. He simply wants to reach a point where he no longer has to worry about the future financially.

As for what’s next, Bojan teased a big announcement: in 2026, Joker Out will celebrate their 10th anniversary with what they hope will be their biggest concert ever: an open-air, self-organised show in Ljubljana at a "known location."

That certainly narrows it down: our best guess is the Stožice stadium, with a concert capacity of 23,000. After previously filling the Stožice Arena (12,000), it seems that our Jokers are aiming even higher! An official announcement is yet to come, but one thing is certain: we can't wait!

#joker out #jokeroutsubs #bojan cvjetićanin #bojan cvjeticanin #borut pahor #SOF #JOS x SOF

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open-hearth-rpg · 4 months ago

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I first heard Eric Farmer and Eli Kurtz on their great Jianghu Hustle podcast, analyzing drama and combat in a variety of martial arts films. For Hearts of Wulin I asked them to write the chapter on describing fights and combats. Now they have built on what their experience with martial arts films and stage combat to create a new game, Sword Opera. It is now on Kickstarter.

Here's the pitch:

Sword Opera is a new tabletop RPG of melodrama and violence for 2-6 players over 2-6 hours. You play as high-powered paragons balancing their own ambitions and their loyalty to a Circle of allies who seek to dominate a wondrous underworld that you build as you play. Paragons make big, bold decisions and deal with whatever triumphs, setbacks, and crises follow in their wake.

Gameplay is inspired by Blades in the Dark, with d6 dice pools and a heavy focus on the relationships between individual characters and the factions they belong to. A paragon's pursuit of their goals and principles both drives the narrative forward and fuels their character advancement. We play to find out if our Circle can thrive in a world full of danger: rival Circles, determined nemeses, forbidden romances, fatal flaws, imminent peril, and the tension between desire and duty.

It's The Three Musketeers meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It's John Wick meets Fast and Furious. It's swords... meet opera!

You can find the campaign here.

#ttrpg #rpg #kickstarter

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book-of-forbidden-knowledge · 4 months ago

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Occult Book Reviews: The Black Arts

[I'm sharing some of my old reviews from Quora because I will refer back to them in the new ones. This one is from Dec 2020]

The Black Arts: An Absorbing Account of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages by Richard Cavendish is a book about the history of occultism and the way it has been historically practiced. I already had a copy of this book in my possession when I heard a host on one of my favorite occult podcasts say that this was the book that got them into the occult in the first place. That kicked it up my priority list! What I didn’t realize is that this book is not new; it was published in 1967. I had the 50th anniversary edition. So, I went in wondering just how out-of-date it was going to be, or whether it holds up.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from it, but I could see that it was spoooooky — spooky title, spooky cover, first thing in it is a picture of Levi’s Baphomet… Honestly, I like that. A spooky vibe certainly makes it intriguing, and helps it appeal to those who view the occult as an exciting taboo. And indeed, it takes a mainly “lefty” approach to magic, with its first sentence being “The driving force behind black magic is hunger for power,” and the last sentence of that paragraph being “Carried to its furthest extreme, the black magician’s ambition is to wield extreme power over the entire universe, to make himself a god.” Well, duh, if it’s got a title as edgy as The Black Arts, it’s bound to be a left-hand-path kind of book! And it is. Mostly. Cavendish points out that very few occultists self-identify as black magicians, preferring to distance themselves from any accusations of “black magic.”

However, this book is not actually edgy in any way, which is nice. A lot of books of self-proclaimed “black magic” (which may or may not have existed in the 60s, but certainly exist now) come across as “edgy.” They’re specifically geared towards people who like the idea of “black magic” for the sake of shock value or just because it feels taboo and therefore cool. Necromancy! Demonolatry! Satanism! Muahahaha! This book contains information on all those subjects, alongside Kabbalah, alchemy, astrology, and things of that nature. Although the book’s title is almost certainly designed to be provocative (excellent marketing strategy), the book itself is not. It may state that certain practices or correspondences (such as left or the number 2) were considered evil, but passes no judgement. This book is a history of the Black Arts, and that includes using poppets and the like to kill people and old-school PGM-type curses, which this author terms “witchcraft.” I don’t find this offensive, because this book is not attempting to instruct the reader in magic or morality. It’s describing the way magic was used and understood historically, without condoning or condemning unethical practices (like animal sacrifices, psychic attacks, targeted love spells). It has a neutral tone throughout. Cavendish is a historian, not an occultist.

A disclaimer: This book uses the word “witchcraft” in the historical sense, referring to devil worship (for example, citing Vance Randolph and the Ozark witches), or malevolent forms of folk magic. It’s a bit uncomfortable to read, especially since the book was written post-Wicca, but it’s important to emphasize that Cavendish is not using the word “witchcraft” to refer to its modern practice. I think his choice of terminology here just shows the book’s age. (He also uses the word “primitive” to mean “indigenous,” which would be offensive today, and uses “bisexual” to mean “hermaphroditic,” which is hilarious. Also, a lot of the science and psychology he cites is outdated.) So, don’t let that ruffle your feathers.

Despite not being a practical manual, it is written with occultists in mind. I can see why occultists like this book. The first few pages manage to clearly and concisely lay out many important occult principles — that mankind is like God but on a much smaller scale, that the universe at large reflects the workings of the human mind and body, that spellwork is based upon using one’s imagination to mentally conjure emotions and sensations that are then concentrated and directed towards the intended result, that humans can become like gods through reconciliation of opposites, “like attracts like,” etc. I’m very impressed by that. Its first chapter also includes a brief history of nineteenth century occultists like Levi, Mathers, and Crowley, and all of the petty metaphysical shit-slinging they engaged in, which was informative to say the least.

According to this book, occultists believe that everything in the universe is made up of rational patterns, that the universe is fundamentally orderly: “The theory that all the phenomena of the universe are connected together in a great design or pattern is one of the fundamental assumptions of magic” (62). This idea is what gives divination systems like numerology and astrology their credence, what justifies “as above, so below,” and what defines correspondences. I looked at that sentence and thought, huh, I’m not sure I believe that. I don’t believe that there is no chance and no chaos in the universe. There are patterns in the universe — it obviously has its own logic in the form of mathematics — but it’s us who assign any real significance to that. We find the patterns, and they become significant because we noticed them. And then I realized, that is the “chaos” part of Chaos Magic.

I always knew that “Chaos” referred to something more like chaos theory than literal discord, but I didn’t understand what that meant until now. Chaos Magic takes a more existentialist view of the universe, believing it to be fundamentally chaotic and with no inherent meaning, but also believing that the meanings we assign to it are still significant to us. As magicians, we can use our sheer willpower to tame the chaos of the universe. Hence sigils that you scribble on slips of paper that work on the unconscious level. Hence, “you do the magic, not the correspondences.” A random pattern of tarot cards or rune stones is significant because of the way they resonate for you, not because they are placed by divine hands. “As above, so below” becomes more metaphorical, referring to the mundane and spiritual worlds instead of earthly life and the literal heavens. I don’t think that this is incompatible with the Principle of Mentalism, either. The universe can be an emanation of the mind of God without necessarily being “intelligent design.” I don’t necessarily believe that the universe is devoid of meaning, but I do think that it is what we make of it.

Following the introductory chapter, each chapter focuses on a different occult field.

The second chapter focuses on numerology. To be honest, I don’t really get numerology. The number that corresponds to my name changes depending on how much of my name I’m using, and whether it uses the Latin or Hebrew system. I also didn’t think the interpretations provided by this book suited me. Cavendish himself admits that numerology is a bit vague and wooly, although “the same is true of astrology and other forms of fortune telling.” Astrology won me over, because all of the elements of my chart taken together result in an interpretation that is cohesive, accurate, and specific. Cartomancy also won me over because to me it works the same way as literary or art analysis — interpreting symbols, tropes, motifs, etc. in context with each other to find trends and make a point. That kind of stuff makes sense to me. Numbers do not. I really don’t like numbers. I’m sure that numerology can be as complicated and specific as astrology if one studies it properly, but I know it’s not my preferred divination system. However, from reading this, I can definitely see how someone who thinks in terms of numbers would appreciate it, since numerical patterns do appear all over the place and define the universe.

The next chapter is on the Kabbalah. It doesn’t provide any details about how to practice Kabbalah, but it provides an overview of what the Kabbalah is, where it comes from, and what each of the sephiroth represents. There’s also a section on each of the “paths” and how they relate to tarot cards, which I really appreciated, since I didn’t understand that. I still don’t think Kabbalah will ever be my preferred method of ascension, but I want to learn more about it. I’m surprised that this book doesn’t mention the Shekinah, so I still want to know more about what she is. Also included in this chapter was a section on gematria, which made my brain hurt, but it did (directly) explain the reasoning behind some of the conjecture in The White Goddess.

The chapter ends with a section on incantations and names of power — how they’re made, the theory behind them, etc. This was interesting, because I’m familiar with many of the long and unpronounceable incantations of old-school grimoires, but I almost always choose not to use them because I view them as overcomplicated and pointless. I appreciated learning where some of them come from and what the reasoning behind using them is. Some of them are based on Hebrew letters or Bible verses, but many are just meaningless gibberish (voces magicae). The point of many of them is literally just to sound impressive, without necessarily meaning anything. Although that might be pretentious, it also works — it helps to put the magician in the right mindset. It acts like a kind of pre-written glossolalia, ecstatically speaking or singing incomprehensible names that sound divine or supernatural and therefore powerful. The power actually comes from the rhythmic chanting, the magician’s conviction that the spell will work, and the force of the magician’s ecstasy. I hate memorizing long incantations and I also don’t like making noise, but I get it. Words do indeed have inherent power. God spoke the world into existence, and I write worlds of my own into existence. I also definitely agree that poetry makes for great incantations.

A tangent — I was talking to my mother about this, and she intuited that the reason the Tetragrammaton is unpronounceable is because it requires harmonics. One person cannot pronounce it correctly. For example, one person chanting “om” is very different from a whole room of people chanting “om,” to the point where they all start harmonizing with each other into a chord — that is the music of the spheres. The Tetragrammaton must be chanted, but it would be nigh-impossible to get all the people on earth to chant it with the same intention and hit upon the right harmony. Still, it’s probably no accident that “om,” “awen,” and “Yahweh,” all sound very similar when chanted. It’s also no accident that the word “incantation” comes from a word meaning “to chant or sing,” as does “enchantment” and “goetia” and a bunch of other words related to magic.

The section on alchemy explains what alchemy was, what the theory behind it was, and how the spiritual and the chemical aspects of alchemy relate to each other. I really appreciated the outline of the alchemical process as it relates to spiritual development, and the more explicit comparison between the spiritual process of alchemy and the chemical side. It wasn’t exactly detailed or comprehensive, certainly not designed to be a practical guide, but the summary was helpful. I admit, I had a hard time understanding the practical side of alchemy; beyond giving birth to modern chemistry, which is obviously an invaluable thing, what is practical alchemy supposed to do? Turning lead into gold is not something that’s literally possible, so what’s the point of practical alchemy? I tried asking Thoth himself that, and he said, “It is a physical representation of the spiritual side, like using altar tools or symbols, like casting a spell, like worshipping gods through statues. You could replicated it with dyed water, if you wanted the fun.” That’s my UPG, so, take it with a grain of salt.

This book further validated that the raw material of alchemy is you. The salt is your body, the mercury is the divine spark within you. The book also validated something I’ve noticed, that every profound occult secret ends up being painfully obvious: “And when at last the final illumination came and the secret dawned in all its splendour on his mind, he would find that the work was not difficult at all and would scarcely be able to understand how he had been so blind before.” Yep, that’s how it works. I still don’t feel like I’m capable of transmutation, but I know that to the gods it comes so easily, they don’t have to spend any energy on it. If I want them to tell me how to do it, I have to ask more specific questions or else they’ll just assume it’s obvious, like an intermediate ballet student asking how to do first position.

The section on astrology was mostly stuff I knew. It covers the basics of natal astrology, mundane astrology, and practical day-to-day astrology, as well as addressing some of the controversies that have surrounded astrology. I did learn a few interesting tidbits. For example, a conjunction between Mars and Saturn is a very bad omen that indicates plague, and there was one on March 31st 2020. Of course there was. Also, the precise date for when the Age of Aquarius is supposed to begin varies dramatically, but this book puts it around the year 2000. If it began in 2000, then with the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in Aquarius on the Winter Solstice, we must have entered phase 2. Also, according to some astrologers, the Star of Bethlehem might have been a Jupiter/Saturn conjunction. (I saw it through a thin haze, and it looked like Venus.) The section ends with a description of the way planetary influences are traditionally used in magic, i.e. planetary talismans and planetary days/hours and the like.

The next chapter is on ceremonial magic. This is the grimoires and all the old-school stuff that’s designed to summon spirits. So, that means needing “virgin” material, long and complicated purification procedures, burning animal brains apparently… Maybe it shows a lack of dedication on my part that I don’t fast for days or make brand new materials by hand or gather all the planetary ingredients or memorize those long incantations or even so much as draw a physical circle on the floor. But hey, my Goetic evocations went pretty well so whatever I’m doing must work. Honestly, if I hadn’t already succeeded at that, I may have been scared out of it by some of the horror stories in this book. Then again, does anyone really follow the grimoires’ instructions to the letter? Is it even possible to do that? These procedures are probably meant to be impractical. I’m not sure if anyone has actually burned a cat’s brain as incense just because it corresponds to Saturn. Or drawn the circle on strips of animal skin nailed down by nails from a child’s or murderer’s coffin. The whole second section of this chapter is about animal sacrifices in the grimoires, the frenzy of the sacrifice contributing to the energetic load that causes the spirit to manifest. As a general rule, don’t harm animals for magic! Even if an old Renaissance-era book or Eliphas Levi says so! Cavendish seems to agree with me that all the details aren’t really necessary, saying that “success seemed to be obtained more in spite of the ceremony than because of it.”

This chapter provides a summary of a summoning ritual with full incantations from the Lemegeton. My own Goetic work wasn’t exactly a summoning ritual as described in the Lemegeton. I didn’t work myself into a frenzy, I just sat there with a book. It probably was pretty uninteresting to look at. I didn’t see any spirits or any other manifestations, apart from a few images inside my mind. Maybe I did it wrong, but even if I did, I got exactly what I wanted out of it. I heard the spirits’ “voices” inside my mind and interviewed each one of them. That’s what I came for, so I say I was successful. I still don’t know whether I should have treated them differently, but it was a good first attempt. The section on the Goetia in this book is evocatively called “The Lords of Darkness,” beginning with a Tolkien quote about the Nazgul. It describes how most of the demons described in the Lemegeton and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum are just other people’s gods.

This section closes off by discussing necromancy and low magic. Apparently necromancy is “the ugliest and most dangerous of magical operations,” which I would not agree with, but of course by “necromancy” he’s referring to grisly old-school rituals meant to raise a spirit by means of an actual corpse, and not to just any act of communication with the dead. These rituals involved dressing in grave-clothes and eating dog’s flesh and unfermented grape juice (oh no, not grape juice!), and evoking Hecate. (Apparently no one can look at Hecate and remain sane, so Hecate is officially a Lovecraftian eldritch abomination now, which I honestly have no problem with.) Hecate’s historical rituals definitely weren’t pretty, whatever some modern witches might have you think. Some PGM spells require that you burn feces as a sacrifice to her, so yeah, none of this really surprises me. No sense in going to all the trouble of these gruesome rituals to get a few questions answered. Automatic Writing works well enough for me.

The section on low magic does not concern modern herbalism or any more practical folk magic, but ancient love spells, mandrake lore, the Hand of Glory, and other stuff like that. That’s because this is a book of black magic, not white magic (as it were).

The first section of the chapter on devil-worship concerns how the idea of Satan originated, and changed from a prosecuting angel to a fallen angel to the de facto god of evil and opposing force to the Almighty. I knew most of it, but I’m surprised Ahriman and Ahura-Mazda weren’t mentioned. Satanism, as described in this chapter, is more of a “bad is good and good is bad” anti-Christianity than actual modern Satanism. In 1967, LaVeyan Satanism had only just become a thing, and the modern Satanic movement hadn’t really taken off yet. Cavendish says that people who practice this supposed anti-Christianity are probably rare. Instead, he discusses existing religions that are subversions of traditional Christian thought, like Gnosticism (which teaches that God is evil and that the whole world is ruled by evil beings called “archons,” which must be defied by any means possible ), and alleged or accused Satanists like (medieval) German “Luciferians” and the Templars. A lot of the accusations made against these groups were also made later against “witches.”

The difference between “witchcraft” and the ceremonial magic described in the previous chapter is that, while ceremonial magicians command and control demons in the name of God, (historical) witches are subservient to and worship the demons. Right out of the gate, Cavendish dismisses the Murray theory (and this was written back when it was popular), but he also suspects that the trials must have been based on some existing thing: “Witches and Satanists exist today and it is likely that they existed in the past, if only in small numbers.” I disagree with Cavendish on this matter. I don’t think there was ever a real witch-cult, be they pagans or Satanists or anything in between.

It is definitely uncomfortable that he uses the word “witch” to refer to these devil-worshippers, but it’s clear he’s referring to the conception of witches in the Early Modern Period, regardless of whether they were real or not. He provides numerous accounts and confessions about the Witches’ Sabbath and what it consists of. Cavendish suggests that witches show contempt for the Eucharist in particular, because those who do magic already have the powers of God. I really appreciate his attempts to trace all of these common characteristics of the Witches’ Sabbath to their origins. I like his theory that the similarities between the Witches’ Sabbath and Dionysian worship or other pagan practices indicate the survival of similar ideas, rather than real practices.

The closest Cavendish gets to actually mentioning Wicca is this:

“Modern witches are extremely secretive and very little about their beliefs and practices is known to outsiders. There are said to be as many as six thousand of them in England, with the number steadily increasing. Like other magicians, they insist that they are devoted to good works. Their wax images are intended to heal the sick and far from blasting crops or eating babies, they try to assist the fertility of Nature. […] The witches worship a moon-goddess, whose name is secret, but who is probably Diana, and a sun-god who may be Lucifer. They believe in reincarnation and a Lord of the Underworld who determines when and where the witches will be reborn. This Lord is perhaps Lucifer as black sun and also perhaps Cernunnos the horned god. The witches say that their goddess, the Queen of Heaven and All Living, went down to the underworld and mated with the Lord, which is a version of the myth of Persephone…

The next paragraph goes on to say that witches (Wiccans) are “heavily affected” by the Murray theory, base their rituals on ancient paganism, that they celebrate the four Celtic festivals, and that they perform their rituals naked. “Whether they adore the black bulk of the Goat, squatting on its altar, is not known, but they say that their rites bring them a profound sense of security and peace.”

And… that’s it. Clearly, Cavendish doesn’t know much about Wicca, and I don’t know if that’s simply because it isn’t his field or because Wicca hadn’t gained enough of a presence in the mainstream for him to know. He doesn’t mention Gerald Gardner in the witchcraft section at all, despite Gardner enthusiastically calling himself a witch. The only mention of Gardner is in the ceremonial magic chapter: “Gerald Gardner, a member of a modern witch coven, says that witches work naked, so as not to impede the release of magical force which their ceremonies generate in their bodies.” And that’s it! Wicca obviously did not have the cultural traction that it has now, which is why I don’t begrudge Cavendish for using the word “witchcraft” to refer to devil-worship. The word “witchcraft” meant something different then than it does now.

The final section of the book is about the use of Mass in magic, and the perversion of it into the “Black Mass,” a sort of variant of the witches’ sabbath where Satanists worship the devil by subverting the Mass. It all sounds very edgy to me. I’m not sure if anyone actually has performed a Black Mass or if it’s just a shock-value urban legend type thing. Cavendish helpfully points out that most occultists don’t believe in Satan, believing that God is the whole of the universe, good and evil, and to separate it into a “good” and an “evil” is to miss the point, “failure to understand the true nature of the universe.” I agree with that, and it’s nice to have my sentiments validated.

I think that, despite this book’s age, it’s still a very good theoretical introduction to the history of and concepts behind occultism. Most of the flaws in this book come from it simply being out of date in some places. I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to know more about old-school magic, and it’s also a good resource for writers who want to add some realism to their magic systems without studying occultism in-depth. Practicing occultists probably won’t be exposed to any new information, but there’s a lot in here, and I definitely liked having a thorough summary.

#my writing #old writing #book review #occult books #occultism #occult #witchcraft #witchblr #ceremonial magic #gematria #alchemy #astrology #goetia #folk magic #long post

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delaneydiaries · 8 days ago

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10th House Careers

—Aries in the 10th House

Career Fields: Entrepreneur, athlete, firefighter, military, startup founder, stunt performer, motivational speaker

Vibe: Bold leader. Known for trailblazing, risk-taking, and charging ahead before the rest even have a plan

—Taurus in the 10th House

Career Fields: Finance, real estate, interior design, art dealing, luxury sales, farming, architecture

Vibe: Steady, success-built brick by brick. They create lasting legacies, often in beauty or security.

—Gemini in the 10th House

Career Fields: Writing, journalism, teaching, marketing, social media, podcasting, public relations

Vibe: Talks the talk and walks it too. A chameleon in the professional world.

—Cancer in the 10th House

Career Fields: Social work, therapy, childcare, nursing, hospitality, real estate, psychology, education

Vibe: The caretaker turned boss. Soft leadership with emotional intelligence.

—Leo in the 10th House

Career Fields: Entertainment, performing arts, politics, fashion, leadership, motivational speaking

Vibe: Center stage CEO. Craves recognition and knows how to shine in the public eye.

—Virgo in the 10th House

Career Fields: Healthcare, editing, data analysis, nutrition, teaching, research, administrative work

Vibe: The quiet expert. Precision and service-oriented excellence.

—Libra in the 10th House

Career Fields: Law, design, fashion, diplomacy, HR, beauty industry, art, public relations

Vibe: Polished professionalism. Brings harmony and aesthetics to high places.

—Scorpio in the 10th House

Career Fields: Psychology, investigation, forensics, finance, medicine, occult work, crisis intervention

Vibe: Power behind the curtain. Strategic, intense, and unafraid of the underworld.

—Sagittarius in the 10th House

Career Fields: Travel industry, higher education, publishing, philosophy, law, coaching, politics

Vibe: Globe-trotting guru. Wants to inspire through ideas, experience, and vision.

—Capricorn in the 10th House

Career Fields: Corporate leadership, finance, law, engineering, government, business ownership

Vibe: Born for the boardroom. Ambition + discipline = unstoppable climb.

—Aquarius in the 10th House

Career Fields: Tech, innovation, activism, science, astrology, nonprofit, entertainment, aviation

Vibe: Future-focused rebel. Breaks the mold to build a better one.

—Pisces in the 10th House

Career Fields: Art, film, music, healing arts, spiritual work, therapy, photography, ocean-related work

Vibe: The mystic in a suit. Creative, compassionate, and often guided by a dream or cause.

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jamieroxxartist · 17 days ago

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youtube

www.PopRoxxRadio.com #Ep #1469

Pop Art Painter Jamie Roxx ( www.JamieRoxx.us ) welcomes Fiction Parade ( #AlternativeRock ) to the Show!

Video: https://youtu.be/18ynRaJu_Ls Audio: https://rss.com/podcasts/poproxxradio/2008682

● WEB: www.fictionparade.com ● FB: @FictionParade ● IG: @FictionParade ● YT: @FictionParade ● SC: @FictionParade ● LT: @Fiction.Parade ● TK: @fiction.parade

● SP: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fH92IotB1DAn68vgYfWKN

The quintet masterfully combined hard rock, metal, funk, alternative, ballads, electronic music, and operatic elements into their compositions, creating a distinctive auditory experience.

Lyrically, the band wasn’t afraid to explore profound and complex themes. Their song "Money" delved into societal struggles with greed and ambition, while also offering a message of resilience and optimism. Much like their other works, the single addressed universal emotions such as loneliness, addiction, and heartbreak, always reinforcing the idea that there’s hope on the horizon.

● Media Inquiries: Brian Mohr EVP of A&R EVP of Artist Management Curtain Call Records www.curtaincallrecords.com

#Youtube

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herdemimonde · 4 months ago

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For Now, Just Me

For years, I’ve been searching. Searching for that elusive feeling I’m convinced exists—a current, an energy, something visceral that anchors a woman to her divine femininity. I’ve felt it once or twice in my life, fleeting and faint, like a whisper carried off by the wind before I could fully grasp it. I’ve seen it in others, read about it in books, listened to it whispered through podcasts, and tried to summon it through courses and teachings. Yet, no matter what I’ve done, that feeling remains just beyond my reach.

I know I’m not fully rooted in my femininity. I see it in the way I sometimes act, think, and respond. It feels as though a part of me is dormant, waiting for a spark to bring it to life. And yet, after all this searching, I’ve realized something: maybe it’s time to stop chasing it.

Not out of frustration or resignation, but because I’ve grown tired of spinning my wheels. Instead, I’ll shift my focus to what calls to me right now—what feels aligned in this moment.

I’ll immerse myself in mastering seduction, refining the art that has already brought me so much joy and fulfillment. I’ll become an even better courtesan, someone who understands the intricate dance of desire and ambition. I’ll invite more men into my life who will indulge me, spoil me, and remind me that I am worthy of every luxury life can offer.

I’ll pour myself into improving my looks and health, not out of shame or necessity, but because I want to. I want to look in the mirror and see someone who pleases me—someone I feel proud of, someone who radiates beauty, confidence, and ease.

Will any of this bring me closer to activating my femininity? Perhaps. I do believe it’s a feeling to be found—because I’ve seen women who radiate it effortlessly. But maybe it’s not my time yet, or maybe the moment just hasn’t arrived.

For now, I’ll focus on what’s in front of me, knowing that life has a way of revealing exactly what you need when you’re ready to receive it.

#femininity #divine feminine #divine femininity #musings

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confessiionario · 2 months ago

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"as the image of myself becomes sharper in my mind, the less afraid i am that someone will erase me by denying me love."

this sentence has stuck with me ever since i heard it on one of my favourite podcasts ever, "wild geese" with anna corinne. i keep on listening to her episodes on a loop, to wake up and start the day, to drift away into sleep (she has an amazing voice for that), to keep me company while i work, etc... always there, and i've actually been able to share a word directly with anna herself, and i can say for sure that she is one of the most interesting human beings i came accros in the latest years. it's really difficult to find people that i deeply, truly identify myself with—but this one was a match made in heaven. she is organising my mind, like a second brain, and giving names to ideas and thoughts i've been having lately. i've thanked her personally, which is an honour, and i'm basically recommending it to everyone, so here's another strong recommendation to hit pause on whatever you're listening to and just allow yourself to experience a deep dive on a super intricate and complex mind. it's so good to finally feel like i'm finding the true meaning of self-love, self-confidence, self-acceptance. i'm filling in the inner needs i was denying, the need to create, the need to express myself, the need to speak and write, the need to show up, the need to talk about my life, the need to share my daily thoughts, the need to engage with the community, to stay in touch with friends and family, to be active online and connect with the world again, being courageous enough to share my creations, my words, my art, my work, the way i see the world. i'm torn between feeling like i'm so many things and nothing at once, i'm constantly floating from feeling to feeling, constantly living on the edge of existence, on the edge of life. but i'm finally appreciating the run, the fact that i'm alive, my voice and my means and resources. i can only be who i am, i can only do what i'm capable of, i can dream with no limits and i have the duty, the compromise to myself, to make my dreams and ambitions come true. i'm not looking for big things, for fame, for recognition... i'm only looking to exist, my way, to validate my place in the world, and to finally share who i am and everything i've been keeping private. (and i will still keep a lot of things private, as everyone should. it's goo to evaluate and balance, always good...) anyway, i'm rambling at this point, i think you get the idea—already from the very beginning, because the quote is very self-explanatory... but i wanted to give my take and share my point of view and personal situation. i don't feel seen here, which can be good in a way, but what really matters is that this capsule of information exists somewhere, for someone, even if only me. it's always good to have reminders here and there, although life and the universe are veeery good at giving you all the hints you need and driving your way. just take your time, make your own melody, your own rhythm, dance through life, and more than anything learn to accept yourself (as you are and as you change). knowing what your essence is is the first step to acceptance, and knowing what your energy is like and what it demands to stay healthy is crucial to choose where you want to go. destiny plays a roll, of course—at least, i believe it in my heart and soul—but you also have to be able to see the chances and play with them, enjoy them, make the most of them. make the most of life and of being alive, that's the motto i guess. it's easy and difficult at the same time, i honestly think the trick is abstraction. i will say more on the 'abstraction' thing one of these days, it's a really interesting and complete concept, something i've been developing lately. i have a bunch of scattered notes that could all eventually turn into one of there blog posts... hope all of them will see the light of day (or of the moon... i normally write in the night/dawn) eventually.

thank you for listening, thank you for seeing me, whoever you are—hello, dear me. dear life. dear world. "ooh baby baby, it's a wild world" oh yes it is ma'am -- Solarpunk Guidance 10 Mar, 2025 · 04:20H ahahahahah... blaze it

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kudosmyhero · 3 months ago

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Transformers #1

Read Date: November 13, 2023 Cover Date: October 2023 ● Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson ● Art: Daniel Warren Johnson ● Colorist: Mike Spicer ● Letterer: Rus Wooton ● Editor: Sean Mackiewicz ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers (👏=didn't like it, 👏👏=it was ok, 👏👏👏=I liked it, 👏👏👏👏=I really liked it!, 👏👏👏👏👏=I loved it!)

Reactions As I Read: ● new Transformers! this might help alleviate my disappointment that IDW lost the licensing ● first page is already heavy. jeez! (I'm here for it) ● is this Spike and Sparkplug Witwicky? are they alluding that Buster died? ● Carly's van is EPIC

● that… was a long-ass fall. I'm not sure Carly and Spike should have been able to get up and move around after that 😳 ● Starscream is on the ship with the Autobots? I'm so curious of what has happened! ● 100 years of war is a little easier to wrap one's head around than millions of years of war ● oh, Jetfire. why would Starscream be the one you choose to wake up first? ● dude, that panel of Optimus Prime bent clear over backwards in his attack on Starscream is rather creepy… but it emphasizes the fact these guys are robots ● I thought one of O.P.'s eyes were damaged?* ● Ratchet 💜 ● Soundwave ♥️ ● where Starscream shot Bumblebee in the face… will he not be able to speak in this version, I wonder? like in the movies? ● wait--Bumblebee isn't dead, is he? nah… right? ● *OH, his eye was repaired when the Teletraan thing woke him up ● JESUS! poor Dave! ● 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

Synopsis: Spike Witwicky finds his father, Sparkplug, asleep in a bar. Spike asks his father how long he’s been there, to which Danny the bartender answers since noon. Sparkplug notices that Spike has his brother Jimmy's telescope with him. Spike tells him that he and Carly were planning to go up to Hanger's Rock to look at the full moon. He says it helps him remember Jimmy, to which Sparkplug grouses that it's better to just forget. Spike fires back at his father, telling him he won't end up like Jimmy. Meanwhile, another patron is drunkenly ranting about how he saw a giant boxy jet fly down from space. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Sparkplug's co-worker, Davey, here to pick him up for their shifts. Sparkplug tells Spike that he has to grow up eventually, to which Spike angrily asks if he means being like him. As the adults drive off, Carly arrives to pick Spike up in her van. Carly consoles a dejected Spike by suggesting they go "pretend they're on another planet."

At Hanger's Rock, the pair climb the mountain in search of a better view and discuss their future ambitions. Spike has recently been accepted to the University of California, Berkeley, where he wishes to follow in Jimmy's footsteps and become an astronaut, though he's reluctant to actually tell his father about it since Jimmy's death. Carly, meanwhile, has been looking at art schools, but she and her father are struggling to make it work financially. Carly takes Spike's hand in hers, telling him how sorry she is about what’s going on with his family. As the two teenagers lean in closer, an earthquake shakes the ground, causing the mountain to split open and sending the two plummeting into the depths below. Recovering, they find themselves inside a giant circular structure — the booster of a giant spacecraft. Spike ventures further inside the spacecraft and finds the main control room, littered with the mangled bodies of what appears to be some sort of giant robots.

Jetfire flies into the Ark and transforms, grateful to have found his fallen friends. He activates Teletraan One to repair and reconstruct his fellow Cybertronians, granting them new forms he found on Earth. The first to be reactivated is Starscream. Jetfire warmly greets his old friend, having not seen him in centuries. Starscream thanks Jetfire for waking him and says that he's glad he "picked the right side" before immediately turning to the nearby Bumblebee and blasting his head off. The stunned Jetfire, unaware that their people have been at war for the past hundred years, tries to stop him, but Starscream turns his weapons on his old friend for showing weakness. Starscream aims his weapon at Jazz next, but he is stopped by a reconstructed Optimus Prime!

As the Autobot leader and Decepticon warrior fight, Prime notices the humans and instinctively dives to protect them from Starscream’s fire. Starscream's attack is halted by the intervention of Ratchet, right as Teletraan One reconstructs Skywarp. Realizing the computer is reconstructing them randomly, Starscream tells Skywarp to bring their fellow Decepticons closer. Optimus realizes that the Decepticons will outnumber them and orders a retreat, telling Ratchet to load their fellow Autobots into his new form's trailer while he fends off their opponents. He reaches for his ion blaster but is intercepted by cannon fire from a revived Soundwave. As he recovers, he sees Bumblebee's remains, cradling him in despair before being beset by Starscream and Ravage. Seeing this, Spike and Carly run out and push Prime's blaster to him, allowing him to fight back.

Left with no choice, Optimus fires at Teletraan One, destroying the computer and preventing the remaining Decepticons from being reconstructed. As Teletraan explodes, Optimus grabs Carly and Spike. He and Ratchet transform and drive out of the Ark into the mountains below, Starscream and Skywarp in hot pursuit despite their low energon levels. Jetfire regains consciousness and follows after them, firing on Starscream much to his regret. Starscream volleys back, critically wounding Jetfire. Fortunately for the Autobots, Skywarp begins to run out of energy and the Seekers are forced to retreat.

Needing to recuperate, Spike leads the Autobots to an abandoned quarry. As he succumbs to his injuries, Jetfire apologizes to Optimus; so much has changed since he left Cybertron in hopes of saving it. Optimus tries to use the Matrix of Leadership to heal Jetfire, but Ratchet tells him that his injuries are too great. Optimus grips his old friend's hand as he passes, still lamenting his failure.

Back in the Ark, Soundwave reports to Starscream that he is unable to fix Teletraan One, as they lack both the energon and the raw materials necessary. Until it is repaired, they are the only Decepticons left. Soundwave has already sent Laserbeak to scout for possible energon sources, but the job of harvesting it falls to Starscream since he has the most energon reserved. Begrudgingly, Starscream accepts. After all, he is leader of the Decepticons now.

As Davey and Sparkplug end their shift at the nearby power plant, Davey tries to talk to Sparkplug about his recent troubles, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Starscream, irritated he has to be the one doing all the work. The pair try to escape, but Starscream notices them. Sparkplug hides inside the plant, while Davey is snatched up by the giant alien. Starscream smiles to himself as he crushes Davey in his hand, amused at how fragile, squishy, and pathetic the humans are.

(https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers_(2023)_issue_1)

Fan Art: IDW Transformers TCM Variant by uncannyknack

#image #image comics #my image read #transformers #comics #comic books #fan art #fanart

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