#the judge from hell 1x06

[1liv]

"Judge! How could you do this? If it were your beloved family that was killed, would you have made the same ruling?" THE JUDGE FROM HELL 1x06

[ragnarssons]

Hi! Can i send another small rant?

I still get annoyed when I think about the hypocrisy in episode 6. The way Maria judges Joel. There is no way that she didnt do anything wrong in the years before Jackson. In this world one thing is certain that being a good person doesn't save you. In this world you have to do what you can to survive. And it's easy for her to judge Joel because she now lives in the comfort of Jackson and not in the world where morality has a different meaning now. And it seems like Tommy didn't even tell Joel that he was alive and well, because in the first episode Joel and Tess were looking for a battery for a car to find Tommy. And Maria protecting Tommy by saying "Tommy just followed Joel" He is a grown adult! Joel didn't force Tommy to join the Fireflies and he sure as hell didn't force him to kill people. We can't compare the world in tlou with our world.

Oh anon, the worst part remains the whole "only people who you trust can betray you" and then dun dun duuuun! Joel did exactly that! At least that's how the writing of the show wants you to see, like they're gonna rub everyone's faces in that Maria quote: "wELL MARIA WARNED ELLIE!!" *shrugs*

And then they certainly won't have the time to delve into that, Maria and Tommy's relationship cuz *checking watch* we gotta speed through yknow, the awesome events of TLOU2 and we sure aren't gonna adress Joel's brother backstory or his relationship, huuuh! (even tho by the time of the beginning of TLOU2, and Joel's confession to Tommy, Tommy will probably be a father too... but oh will they adress that? Nooo because we gotta paint Joel AS THE BAD sElfIsh GUY- and yknow, he'll have enough on his plate, hum)

Dark!Sasuke Neil Druckmann thinks his story about revenge bad, violence bad and girls suffering is so gRoUndBrEaKiNg, what you gotta do, good writers who can maintain consistent writing and respect their characters for more than 2 seasons tops, aren't on HBO *side eyes at D&D*

The most brutal part really tho, is the fact that they literally said they don't want to steer from the source material (so the games) but even if they take idk 5 years to adapt TLOU2, there still won't be enough time for a new game to have come out (if ever). So they're literally end their show Like That. I really hope Neil Druckmann gets torn to shreds by public humiliation.

Anyway, to come back to your rant, anon: don't you get it? You're supposed to think that Maria was actually right! Because see, she threw a prophetic quote at Ellie!

(Also yes I do think how Maria was presented on 1x06 was a little too black and white for the whole setting of the show, the fact that they made her into a prosecutor being like... "i put bAd gUyS in jail" didn't help either...) (cuz rotten prosecutors don't exist *cough*) (cuz at this point she seemed so self-righteous and preachy that I was like "how the hell did she end up with Tommy??" because that's some heavy mental gymnastic you gotta do to see that man as an innocent baby dove who was just forced by his brother yknow) (I do hope they give her, and the relationship, more depths later on the show, but me thinks they'll barely care)

[tiodolma]

I've always thought the prophecy was about both striking a balance. Merlin was meant to keep Morgana in check and Morgana was meant to keep Merlin in check.

Me too. Even Alice Troughton in the dvd commentary with Colin Morgan for s4 admitted that love/hate were always coexisted with each other.

Morgana certainly had the power and the invincibility for it, to keep Merlin in check, to draw him out, to make him face his dark and human side, to make him face his wrongs his sins and his victories.

Unfortunately Morgana didn't have the information he had. Merlin had all the information and he used that against everyone. Moreover her magic matured too late (with respect to Merlin's).

I think the real tragedy of Merlin's life was that he was already conditioned to kill from the very start (ep 1x06 Remedy To Cure All Ills ironic title ngl). That episode alone started it all. He was so so new and naive to everything and in that episode he showed absolutely no remorse at "accidentally" killing someone who offered him guidance and knowledge (at the expense of gaius).

And look I get it, he panicked. But after that he never wondered why Edwin was so so righteously angry at Gaius. Remember, Gaius sold Edwin's parents out to Uther and let young Edwin escape. Edwin's gravitas was so justified, you know? Merlin never tried to learn about the things Gaius did to protect "others" and most importantly to protect himself and his position. Even if Gaius thought black magic was evil, he still threw others under the bus for fighting for their lives. He still left Edwin (and Merlin) an orphan.

How does this relate with Morgana? You see from that point on, from episode 1x06 up to "2x03 The Nightmare Begins" Merlin has already killed at least seven people, most of them magic users.

Edwin,

Mary Collins (indirectly but him thwarting her plan zapped her of all energy),

Aulfric,

Sophia,

The Black Knight (who had a reason for it's anger),

Tauren's goons,

Nimueh

Sigan

Hengrist's goon's

plus he almost choose to get Mordred killed... 2 times.

He knew the reasons most of these had, but they didn't matter to him, he was never allowed to properly emphathise with them (Gaius taught him very very very well). Because his orders were always to "eliminate the threat" "kill them" for the sake of his destiny.

As Morgana's magic truly manifested in S2, Merlin was already too far gone and too far deep in the liar and vigilante game. Merlin was continuously performing treasonous and unlawful tasks UNCHECKED for two years! TWO YEARS!

TWO YEARS OF "JUSTIFIED IN HIS OWN HEAD" HOMICIDE AND MURDER WITH NO REAL REPERCUSSIONS.

And also I get why they had resorted to that kind of actions. One of the definitions of extremism from wikipedia said:

In addition, extreme acts are more likely to be employed by marginalized people and groups who view more normative forms of conflict engagement as blocked for them or biased.

That kind of radicalization and extremist training by both Gaius and Kilgharrah was effective as hell.

Morgana only started the proper coups at around mid-s2. She hasn't truly killed anyone for magic yet (aside from Tauren in S1). Even in Fires of Idirsholas she felt guilty of accidentally collaborating with Morgause.

It took 1 year of isolated training away from everyone for Morgana to be fully radicalized, forged in the fires of extremism herself. Even then, even in 3x01 and 3.02 when she killed one guard and she actively helped set in motion Morgause's terrorist attack, she still was willing to hear Merlin out in the crypts. She even laid out all her cards, showed her strengths and vulnerabilities for him to see and judge. Morgana still choose to be diplomatic despite it all.

What Morgana didn't know was that she wasn't dealing with a proper negotiator, she was dealing with a vigilante and secret agent who has three years worth of (1)all the vital information, (2)unchallenged power, (3)unchecked morals, (4)numerous kills, (5)experience in deception and (6)extremist conditioning. And the worse part was that the person who she thought was her friend, Merlin, even with everything he had, genuinely believed he had nothing to offer in exchange for her peace.

I think that's the tragedy of it.

With her truly coming into her full power only at s4, Morgana was too late to have a chance to inspire change in Merlin as a proper equal to him. Merlin has been in that overpowered and unchallenged state for 5 years at most. And by the time Morgana had become truly confident in s4, both of them had gone in the farthest ends of the extremes of their idealogies.

Merlin knew everything about her. But Morgana lacked the most important piece of information, the identity of Emrys.

No one could keep Merlin in check in the proper diplomatic manner anymore.

They have to come to arms.

[hellskitchenswhore]

#angst (Volume 2)

➸ Five Years by @darling-i-read-it - Matt reappears after the #blip

➸ The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen by @murswrites 

➸ The Last Time by @allthatyoulove - Reader is kidnapped by the Hand along with Karen

➸ You Will Forever by @modern-vellichor

➸ Morally grey vigilante!reader HCs by @raelwrites

➸ Vigilante!reader fic by @modern-vellichor

➸ Stay, please by @letstevengrantsleep - angst and #stitches and love

➸ "Why can't you just be honest with me?" by @matt-erialgirl

➸ borderline. by @hoewkeye

➸ Matt knows there's a ghost in his apartment by @biderboy - #no romance

➸ lucky night by @barnesafterglow - #stitches

➸ special and loved differently by @thedevilyk - You walk in on him and Elektra.

➸ after hours by @barnesafterglow - You get in an argument with Matt, and he surprises you.

➸ To Be Ripped Apart by @coalix - Matt loses everything in the #blip, including his morals, #mega angst

➸ Keyholes by @ellephlox - You get assaulted on your way home. Matt's not there to save you.

➸ in another life by @saintmurd0ck - You're getting married, just not to Matt.

➸ Catholic Guilt by @amchapel - #vigilante!reader, #breakup

➸ I Always Have by @m4tthewmurd0ck - Matt's phone call in 1x06

➸ Uneasy by @peterman-spideyparker

➸ i broke my heart for you by @atlaese - #angst and #breakup

➸ Dusk by @briefcasejuice - You took the sun with you when you left. #breakup

➸ Fighting Dogs by @stress--relief

➸ paint me a pretty picture by @literaila- season 3, #mega angst

➸ Loving You Is Killing Me by @m4tthewmurd0ck - #breakup & elektra

➸ Bittersweet Truth by @that-sarcastic-writer - Foggy calls you the night he finds Matt

➸ Tie Your Heart to Mine Part I, Part II by @coalix - A red string to lead you to your soulmate. Pain to move you to find them

➸ "We can't afford to do this anymore." by @mattmurdocksscars - Matt tries to break up with you to keep you safe

➸ Sound of Silence by @undiscovered-horizon - Matt gets the silent treatment

➸ go ahead, tell me more by @literaila - Matt saves you from a kidnapping

➸ Imagine showing Matt your scars by @undiscovered-horizon - #tw self harm

➸ Flinch (Part II) by @mattmurdocksscars - Matt learns about your past #abusive relationship, #hurt/comfort

➸ "Who did this to you?" by @toomanystoriessolittletime - Matts worried when you miss work, #abusive relationship

➸ Devil's Lil' Bat by @inkareds - Matt knows you're hiding something, #wayne!reader

➸ Ultraviolence by @cellophaine - Matt wonders why you don't want to go home, #abusive relationship

➸ Only You by @cellophaine - #breakup, eventual smut

➸ Gone by @devils-dares - You've been kidnapped, #mega angst

➸ Running Red by @titan-sl8yer - You're mugged and hurt, savior!matt

➸ The Calm and The Storm by @cellophaine - Matt comes to you after his very first night out

➸ Talk Too Much by @lene-loki - You're quiet after someone tells you that your talking is annoying the group

➸ A Fall From Grace by @cellophaine - Matt cheated on you, #mega angst

➸ Falling by @toomanystoriessolittletime - Your coworker is an asshole, Matt x plus-sized!reader

➸ Teasing The Devil by @toomanystoriessolittletime - Matt doesn't show at an important event and you get revenge while he's in church, #smut

➸ Judge and Jury by @itwasthereaminuteago - Matt runs into the little girl who started it all

➸ Please Lower Your Volume by @martyrmurdock - Matt and Frank's yelling sets you off, #past abuse, #platonic

➸ Another Night by @januaryembrs - Your abusive brother shows up, #savior!matt

➸ "The night is long and the path is dark" by @undiscovered-horizon - Matt prays over your broken body through the night

➸ "We've got this" by @shenanigans-and-imagines - You show up at the office after matt forgets your date

➸ home by @rogueonestan - While patching your wounds, Matt tells you about the night his dad died, #vigilante!reader

➸ No Yelling, Please by @cuddly-dean-baby - After a long night out, your yelling is too much for Matt to handle

[tadpole-san]

are we still friends? ;  d.g. part two pairing: titans!dick grayson x reader, on-and-off relationship warnings: dick being his therapy-needing titans self, slight canon divergence from titans 1x06, and an ending that may or may not lead to a part two a/n: i will never let go of my personal dick grayson grudge, but this exists solely because i love @capricorn-stark

The last time you had seen Dick Grayson, he’d outfitted himself with packed belongings and a one-way ticket to Detroit, Michigan. Seeing him off at the airport would turn out to be the last time you saw him for a year - a fact you hadn’t picked up on at the time, but did, in fact, predict. To a degree.

“You could come visit,” he’d offered, just steps away from his gate. “You - well, you said you had plans to go to Chicago, right? The drive’s not too bad.” It was hard to say no.

Because this was Dick Grayson, and he had to be so earnest about everything he did. Even when it was asking you to come see him as he was moving hundreds of miles away from Gotham (hundreds of miles away from you, a part of your mind whispered, even as you reminded yourself that this didn’t have anything to do with you so much as it had to do with his fractured relationship with Bruce). Because he was trying to make things work.

“How are you able to be friends with your exes?” you’d asked, bemused and flabbergasted all at once. It wasn’t the first time. “I really try to hate you, you know.” That got him to laugh - which was nice. You felt as though you hadn’t really smiled in a long time.

“Maybe that’s my superpower.”

“Your superpower is super annoying,” you’d deadpanned, before leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you around, Grayson.”

An empty promise neither of you acknowledged.

After that, it was all too easy to fall out of touch with Dick - one too many missed calls, excuses of taking more shifts at his police station when you were more than capable of keeping up with the news that spoke of a vigilant Robin without its bat, until eventually, total radio silence. And you were happy to leave it at that, knowing that whatever Dick was working through, he’d clearly rather do it on his own.

So when even the Robin sightings in Detroit stopped entirely, you didn’t push things. Maybe he’d finally done it: give up the costume for good, leave the life behind like he said he would do, but never actually committed to.

This was probably a sign. That you need to go see him, like you said you would do, but never committed to.

Which means that the last thing you expect, on your morning coffee run in Chicago, was to quite literally run into the man of the hour himself.

“Dick?” The word comes in a way that is akin to a strangled duck squawking.  You wonder if the man before you is real - if you’re not just imagining the figure that stands before you, cuts and bruises littering his face. As if he’s been in a fight.

With his track record, there probably was a fight. With him, there’s always the fight.

“Sup?” Dick’s not the one who answers you first. It’s the kid standing at his side, walking with a swagger that speaks volumes to the confidence of a kid who’s filling out the big boy shoes with his own ego. You try not to judge too much - there’s always a story behind a stance like his. “Jason Todd, at your service.”

A train passes on the overhead, the sound drawing you out of your thoughts. You realize his hand is still offered to you, and you shake it, still staring at Dick. He’s tense, shoulders drawn, hunched in on himself and bracing for a fight.

Something’s up. And with the Boy Wonder, it’s always something big, and possibly earth-shattering. Inwardly, you sigh. On the outside, you smile wryly and introduce yourself to Jason.

“You probably know who I am,” you say, letting go of Jason’s hand and stepping back. Your grip on your bag tightens. “Dick’s a big storyteller, once you get him going.” Dick verbally steps in before Jason can say anything to either confirm or deny your words.

“I could use your help.”

He doesn’t say we.

“I can see that,” you deadpan, motioning to his face. Your hand stops shy of actually touching the bruise blossoming against tanned skin. “A personal favor, then?” He turns his head away from you, and you spot the (quite frankly) atrocious brown car parked on the curb.

“That’s my ride.” He’s defensive, and you get the feeling that it isn’t about the car. You raise your hand in surrender, but he doesn’t relax - in a way, it’s nice to know that you’re probably not the reason he looks ready to pull a Flash and run as soon as the chance to do so opened up for him.

“You’re parked in front of my ride,” you reply, reaching into your bag and pulling the keys out. You let them twirl around your finger as you turn and walk towards your car, looking over your shoulder at him. “Am I going to need to make a stop at home to get the old suit out?” Somehow, that actually brings a smile to Dick’s face, and he ducks his head slightly as he chuckles.

“I just need you,” he calls out, finally pulling a hand out of his pockets and raising it in your direction to let you see the phone in his palm that’s open to your texts with him. There’s a new one that is likely the address of whatever safehouse he was holed up in.

You try not to linger on his words for too long.

“They’re hot,” you hear Jason say. It’s followed immediately by a yelp - presumably from Dick either elbowing him or punching his arm - and a “you’re way too young for that.” Despite yourself, you grin.

You’d missed him. Even if you weren’t going to admit it to his face.

When you finally make it to the address Dick sends you, he’s not even the one who lets you pass Bruce’s more-than-extensive security system. It’s Jason who does that.

Instead, you find Dick bent over the bathroom sink, the blade of a scalpel pressed to the skin of his arm. There’s also an unconscious body cuffed to the shower behind him, but you compartmentalize that for later.

“Are you okay?” At the sound of your voice, DIck freezes - like a deer caught in headlights - and looks up at you. You can see him visibly relax as he lets out a sigh that works to relieve some of the tension wound up in his body. You raise an eyebrow, and walk over to him.

“It’s not what you think,” he tells you, then uses the scalpel to motion towards the device discarded on the white porcelain. You pick it up, turning it over in your hands. “Bruce planted a tracker, in me, and I’m trying to-”

“Cut him out?” you finish, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Cut it out,” he corrects.

“I know what I said.” You watch through the mirror’s reflection as he finally makes the incision, thick red blood pouring down his arm and dripping into the sink. You’re already opening the cabinet to find gauze to wrap his arm with. “Let me see that-” The ringtone coming from the phone between you two cuts you off. You look at him. And then you look down at the screen. The name Kori flashes across it.

“New girlfriend?” you dare to ask, meeting his eyes in the mirror. Dick purses his lips, swiping a bloody thumb over the screen to deny the call before he’s reaching for the tweezers.

“No,” He grits his teeth, maneuvering the metal tweezers in the wound he made. “We just met,” Dick adds, meeting your eyes again. For his sake, you offer a tentative smile. He sighs, and finally retracts a tracker that resembles a battery watch. It falls into your open hand. You’re glad for the distraction, because - shit.

Those eyes.

Dick possesses what you swear is the most beautiful shade of eyes you’ve ever seen, and he models them beautifully. Those baby blues were always going to be your downfall, and seeing them had been enough for you to call in a precious sick day at work so you could help him out on whatever case brings him to Chicago. They’re the reason you have a case in your car trunk containing a suit you swore to leave in the closet.

They make you realize you can be so weak.

“I’m not dating right now,” Dick continues, filling in the space of your prolonged silence. He doesn’t take the gauze from your hand - even though he could - and instead, holds his arm out towards you so you can wrap it yourself. “Actually, I haven’t really seen anyone since I was with you.”

“I think that says less about what our relationship was, and more about you going full lone-wolf.” You hesitate to finish, and you keep a loose grip on his arm. His skin is warm. “The more you try to be the anti-Bruce, the more you’re becoming like him. You know that, right?” He’s not looking you in the eye anymore. Anger isn’t what drives him to do that, you think - it’s more like a combination of guilt, of the expression of a kid who thinks he’s a disappointment to the people leaning on him. People shouldn’t lean on a kid.

“I’m working on it.”

“I know.” Finally, you set the roll of gauze aside and release his arm. It allows you to take the chance to reach for him and make him look at you again. “And thank you,” you add. “For coming to see me.” He manages another smile, reaching up to cover your hand in his. You know what he would do if you were still dating. He would’ve pressed a kiss to your hand, and he would laugh it off, probably with some sort of cheeky quip. A I knew you missed me too much or I’d come by to see you any day.

You’re not dating anymore. And it’s confusing as hell, because sometimes it feels like you still are. On the rare days that he still calls you for no reason to tell you about a case from work he’s stuck on, or to remind you that you made a promise to see him, pairing it with a good tease about how seeing him in the new uniform would probably be too much for you. On those nights, Robin isn’t flying solo on the streets of Detroit.

“The lead brought me to Chicago,” he explains, tilting his head in the direction of the man lying in the shower.

“Is it a work case?”

“Not exactly. It’s-” you anticipate the familiar complicated. The word doesn’t come. “There’s a lot I need to update you on,” he settles on saying instead, running stained hands under the sink. “And if it’s Chicago, you’re going to be my number one. Right?”

“Right,” you agree, traces of amusement seeping into your tone as you cross your arms. “I called in sick at work,” you add. “Am I going to need to make up an excuse for the rest of the week?” The question, lighthearted as it’s supposed to be, holds weight to it that neither of you acknowledge.

“I’m probably going to be out of the state in a couple of days,” Dick says instead of answering, drying his hands off with a towel. He lets it drop in the sink, walking back out in the hallway with you. “You don’t need to - it’s a lot. And there’s these guys I’m kind of traveling with-”

“Dick.”

When he faces you, it’s your turn to shove hands in your pockets to avoid wringing them out in front of him. You take a deep breath, leaning back on your heels to look at him. “You didn’t need to find me,” you tell him. “That Jason kid? He wouldn’t be sticking around if he couldn’t be decent backup for this.”

“Are you detective-ing me out right now?” Dick’s actually trying not to laugh. You’re not sure if you should hit him or not.

“That’s not a word!”

“You know what I mean! And yes! I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with you!” By now, he’s actually laughing - and even if a part of you is annoyed, sure, there’s more of you that just feels relief. Because you can’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that, either, and it gives you a bit of hope.

Hope that the parts of him you fell in love with aren’t as lost as you thought.

“There’s a lot,” he admits, shifting his weight and trying to step back so he isn’t crowding you in the hall. “I know - the Bruce thing, you’re sick of that bullshit. I got a lot going on.” His phone starts up again, and this time, he pulls it out. The fluorescent light washes out his skin, but you can see his expression sober up. “I need to take this.” The traces of laughter in his voice are gone, and it feels like he’s slipping away again. There’s frustration that must show on your face, because he reaches out to you and moves a stray lock of hair out of your eyes in a silent apology.

“Go.” You manage not to sound as bitter as you feel - and with him, it’s not a bitterness that’s always there, but it inevitably creeps up on you. The same way the shadow of a bat hangs over him. Dick nods, and you start to walk away when he grabs your wrist again.

“You aren’t my backup for this,” he says firmly, and you know you’re fucked. Because he’s looking at you with those eyes, and it’s like you’re in that airport with him all over again, with nothing but empty promises and a broken relationship the two of you are hanging onto by a thread. “You’re-” he falters. He hesitates, and you’re ready to watch Dick Grayson walk away from you again.

“You’re everything.”

DC Taglist:

@cipheress-to-k-pop

[qqueenofhades]

helllllloo. i wanted to first say that you are a wonderful human being, your presence on my dashboard brightens my day, you’re so kind to all your followers and i love seeing you interact with us! and i am sending you all the positive adult vibes your way ✨✨✨

second, there’s been a lot of chit chat lately about all the heartrender husband fans combusting over Simon Sears’ interview and the many many feelings that a certain grumpy bear gives us for his one (1) soft spot and ray of sunshine despite all his fragility and fear. i was wondering, if you had any thoughts on how it looks on the flip side for fedyor? i cant imagine being married to the General’s right hand man is easy (it’s both the safest and most dangerous place for Ivan to be).

Okay first of all, the first part of your ask is so sweet that I read it like three different times and was like wow are u sure. Second, boy oh boy can I use those positive adult vibes (even if they sound slightly like a porno 😂) because it has been the few weeks from hell. Job rejections, family health drama, moving hassle, and other such nonsense, to the point where if either myself or a member of my family has inadvertently insulted a leprechaun, I hereby apologise deeply and unreservedly on our behalf. Sheesh.

Anyway, never mind all that. We are indeed losing our minds slightly over said interview, for obvious reasons, but yes, Fedyor. Obviously he is Ivan's little ray of sunshine and one (1) weakness and the person he allowed himself to fall in love with despite losing the rest of his family, all of which are ship dynamics that drive me/us promptly feral. I definitely feel, however, that Fedyor has plenty of ferocity of his own, which is one of the reasons Ivan is drawn to him. Book!Fedyor tells Alina in the carriage scene that he became a Heartrender instead of a Healer (despite being of a Healing temperament) because he thought that he could do more good for people as a soldier, including when he has to kill. He also says that being a Corporalki is the hardest of all Grisha paths and requires the most training and study. I imagine that Fedyor was pretty good especially at the book learning part of his training, is interested in and dedicated to Grisha lore and history, and about finding way to use that beyond the obvious and making the Grisha appreciate who they are as a people and what their purpose in Ravka really is. And I'm not just saying that because I am also a historian and like to project onto my favorite characters. Shh.

Fedyor is obviously the total opposite of Ivan, personality-wise, but I think that is also why they complement each other. Fedyor helps Ivan lighten tf up and eat a pink cookie at a party, and Ivan helps Fedyor cut directly through the bullshit when he needs to. Living in the Little Palace and around the royal court, as members of General Kirigan's inner circle, obviously requires a touch for politics and diplomacy that Fedyor is far better at than Ivan, but that means his instinct is likewise to smile and humor people even when he wants to tell them to fuck off. Cue Ivan coming along and telling them to fuck off, which means they can blame Ivan for it and not Fedyor, and Ivan is perfectly 100% fine with everyone thinking he is the biggest grump to ever grump, since the only people whose opinions he cares about are Kirigan and Fedyor. Oh Ivan.

Fedyor is also outgoing and likes to have fun and is probably on good terms with most of his compatriots. He's clearly friends with Nadia since we see them arm in arm at the winter fete in mlm/wlw solidarity. He is also Ivan's Anger Translator, and if people have something they want to tell Ivan, they have a bad habit of telling Fedyor instead and trusting him to pass it on, rather than talking to Ivan themselves. (Fedyor: honey do you think this is even a slight problem? Ivan: no what are you talking about, it's great.)

I do think that Fedyor is just as frightened of losing Ivan as Ivan is of losing him, though for different reasons. It helps for him that they're usually in the field together (judging by his comment to Kirigan in 1x06 assuming that he and Ivan are going after Nina together) and facing the same things and same danger, even if it causes Ivan anxiety for this exact reason. I do appreciate that none of us have bothered to include any homophobia in Grisha culture, or exclude the possibility that Ivan and Fedyor could indeed be married in a church ceremony in the Ravkan liturgy. There's probably some side eye toward their relationship in wider Ravkan society, sure, but that is also tied up with being Grisha and the prejudices that they already face for being different. Behind the walls of the Little Palace, though, that is not really a factor and not something that they have to deal with. People are surprised that Fedyor and Ivan are together not because they're both men, but because "you're so nice and he is so... Ivan..."

Fedyor: I know, I know. But I love him anyway.

I also think that Fedyor is deeply protective of Ivan, not least because he is the only one who knows the truth about him being fragile and losing loved ones and everything else that he has been through, which is why one of my favorite headcanons is Fedyor going absolutely apeshit if Ivan is ever seriously hurt. Likewise, you can call Ivan grumpy in a joking fashion, and Fedyor will chuckle and agree with you, but anything else and his eyes turn red and the Heartrending hands come out like what u say about my husband bitch. Only Fedyor is allowed to roast Ivan in depth at all, according to Fedyor, and he will Let You Know if you transgress.

(Also why I want Ivan and Fedyor to meet the Crows again, Ivan sees Jesper and goes NEMESIS, and Fedyor just goes MURDER!!!)

Anyway. I'm love them. The end.

[royalsunshinehotel]

okay. (neal sampat x f!oc)

A/N: Set during/ after 1x06. OC is Marianne “Annie” NoLastName, and she belongs to @hecuba-of-troy​ and myself. Neal’s in the doghouse...again. 

@umbrielchip000​ @outofworkactress​

Neal knows he’s in the doghouse. It’s a sinking feeling he’d been sitting with the entire  day, ever since Jim asked him to be the forth on the double date from hell. 

She’d been nice enough, but she was also a Ron Paul supporter, and seemed to have sustained significant brain damage besides being a Republican. 

Or maybe you needed brain damage to be a Republican. 

Neal was stewing on the subway. He shook his head in the blue light, trying to prepare a speech that would get him out of the doghouse he’d walked straight into. 

He’s an idiot. 

Annie was perfect. Maybe not perfect, because she’s a human person, but perfect for him anyway. 

And here he’d just had to go and do a favor for Jim. He mutters under his breath a half-formed explanation as to why he had spent the evening with Jim, Jim’s girlfriend, Jim’s girlfriend’s friend, and a sad former-spokesperson for the Romney campaign. 

It had rained a little since he'd taken the F train, and coming up the stairs into cold night air made him feel a bit nostalgic. 

He missed London. He’d love to take Annie there sometime.

The thought quickly chokes off as he intentionally splashes in a puddle. Why was he so stressed about this? They weren’t even dating. She was just another hookup, and she felt the same for him. A hookup he spent most of his time thinking about, and most of his nights with. 

Neal hadn’t been to his apartment in six days. Of course, he’d broken that streak for Jim’s sake, but that wasn’t relevant. 

Was it? 

The tall man stands outside Annie’s building for a full five minutes before making the trek upstairs. Annie was on the third floor, reasonable, but taxing when the elevator was still out after a month. He’s not one to judge on maintenance, the elevator in his building was quickly approaching a year out of order. 

He makes it up the steps, pizzas still warm, and he practically sprints to her door, nerves carrying him through the entire way.

Neal distracts himself from the wait by realizing Annie’s hallway was a 1970s wood tone, like they had on the sides of cars. Her carpet was grey. 

Huh. The things you notice when you're not being dragged by someone who wasn’t your girlfriend. 

He knocks once, no answer. 

So he knocks again. Annie practically flings the door open. 

Neal’s jaw drops, brain attempting to process what he was looking at. 

Every time Annie dresses up for him, he feels completely shocked. He’d become something of a slut when he came to America, but when she does this it’s like he’s fifteen in the UK, trying to avoid getting shoved into a locker. 

The set was a lace black top with silky shorts. The open robe matched the shorts.

It sets off her skin perfectly. He’d taken it off her three days before and he’d since decided that powder pink was his favorite color. 

Neal takes in her face. She’s pissed. 

“Oh hello co-worker,” the word seems poisonous coming out of her mouth,” how was your date?” 

“Shit thanks, I brought Roma’s Pizza.” Annie’s eyes flick down to the boxes Neal’s carrying. Neal loved staying over, but Annie barely kept the house stocked. 

Annie’s hunger gets the better of her. 

“You may enter, but keep your hands to yourself.” Neal’s heart sinks slightly. Annie feels his eyes on her ass as she walks back into her apartment. She smirks lightly to herself as Neal trails close behind. 

“So how was the date?” Neal winces. “Was she pretty? Was she smart?” He thinks back to the woman he’d spent his evening with and how he’d dismantled her idol. Better not tell Annie that just yet.

And then it hits him.

Oh.

“You make pouting look good.” He smoothly replies, setting the pizza boxes down at the counter. He lifts the lid and stares a little too hard at the spinach pizza he’d gotten for himself. Neal had picked up one with peppers and tomatoes for Annie. She’d decided to eat more vegetables, and he was trying to keep up for solidarity. 

Annie’s leaning against the counter, back arched, putting herself on full display. Neal clenches his jaw. 

“Fuck you.” She casually states, not unlike Sloan Sabbith, who she’d been spending more time with lately. Neal bites back a smile. 

“Is that a little bit of jealousy?” Annie huffs, leaning a little bit closer to him. Just to torture him, no other reason. 

“Double fuck you,” Neal’s lets the smile free, letting a hand graze the hem of Annie’s shorts.

Not to be too much of an guy, but tonight was stressful, and he’d rather be on top of her than eating pizza or talking.  

She takes his hand and removes it, as if it were a bug that had landed. 

“Hands to yourself.” 

Neal involuntarily whines. It’s cold in this apartment because Annie never figured out how to turn on the heat. She’s in his favorite set and he can’t touch her. She had to be suffering like he was, right?”

Or maybe he’s not as slick as he thinks he is. The thought of Neal losing his well-earned edge was shocking, but somehow still a lovely concept. 

“She was a Ron Paul supporter.” Annie snorts in shock. Jim would never, this had to be the new girlfriend’s doing. 

“Jim made you go out with a Ron Paul supporter.” Oh Jim Harper...no. 

“Yup.” Neal takes a bite out of a piece of pizza, feeling Annie’s eyes on him. 

“He owes you big.” She says while chewing. He feels his cock twitch, and he has to kick himself again. 

“Yup.” He thinks of his former date’s points on Ron Paul, and calms down. 

“What are you going to cash in on?” It was a good question, a valid one, and the answer hits Neal like a baseball to the head. 

“I got something.” 

Neal takes a piece of pizza with him as he steps away to make a call. Annie’s tapping her nails against the counter, trying to be less concerned with what Neal was whispering on the phone. 

She’s mad. 

But she still eats the pizza, and leaves her apartment with him. No explanation of where they were going. 

“Get dressed love, we’re going to the Soho Grand.” His chest puffs a little bit thinking he had the upper hand, but then he doesn’t. 

Annie makes the conscious decision to take a subway trip wearing a dress that was just as revealing. A black dress that she’d been saving for a wedding for someone that she hated. Nothing underneath. She rode the subway with her legs partially open, and she made sure he knew. 

In the revealing dress, and a corduroy trench coat, she took the subway with Neal. 

 She was freezing, sure, but the look on Neal’s face the whole trip was beyond worth it.

Neal still wasn’t allowed to touch her. 

It’s about 2:45am when the two of them make it to the hotel. Jim had since left, but not before putting the reservation under Neal’s name instead. 

When Neal had called to ask, Jim had seemed quizzical as to why Neal would be going above and beyond for another one night stand. 

Neal had flawlessly dodged the questions, from both Annie and Jim. 

He winces a little at the idea that he’d taken Annie to a ridiculously expensive hotel and she still had no idea what he was trying to do. 

Was he really that broke? 

Oh yeah, yeah he was. 

He and Annie exhale at the same time when they step into the room. Several of the candles had since burned down, but that just made it better. Annie closes her eyes as the warm air settles into her skin.

Neal takes her coat off, pausing for a moment to look at her smooth back. God, he just wants the dress off, but the answer to all of his problems stood in the way. 

Annie turns around, face set off by the low light. He trails his hands on her forearms. She must be freezing.

“Neal I-” 

“Ithinkweshoulddate!” Annie blinks in surprise as Neal cuts her off. Neal hadn’t made a habit of dating. Hell, at twenty two, he’d never had a girlfriend. But it wouldn’t hurt to ask, right? 

“Wait, hold on.” Annie pulls back and Neal’s heart stops. “You don’t date, Neal.” 

“I mean, I’d like to!” He takes his hands off her forearms and throws them up in the air. Neal pulls away and Annie doesn’t like that. 

“Wait, I wanna date you too!” 

“You wot.” He halts. Annie smiles as Neal’s accent shines through the dull clouds. 

“I thought you didn't wanna date!” “I thought you didn’t date!” Their words overlap, and it feels as if a star just burst in Annie’s chest.

“Wait is that a yes, are we dating?” Annie holds a hand up, stepping closer to Neal. 

“I mean, I don’t steal a room at the Soho Grand for no one.” Annie huffs at this, running a hand through her hair. 

Annie opens her mouth to speak, likely something snarky. But she closes it, reconsidering.

“Okay.”

 Neal’s smile threatens to break his face in half. Annie gets on her tiptoes and presses a soft kiss into his cheek. He lets his hands touch her waist, silky fabric practically frozen. 

“Okay.” 

They’re exhausted at work the next morning. Jim still hasn’t put it together.

[thememoriesofaqueen]

In Another Life - Part 3

Masterlist (x)      

      English is not my first language     → I do not own anything of the TVD - Universe and I’m not affiliated or                   associated with the writers etc. This is only a headcanon/fanfiction.

Pairing: Kalijah ( Katherine / Elijah )

Setting: The Originals 1x06, TVD Post 5x08, cured Katherine.

TW: mention of death

Word Count: 1.226

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Rebekah is used to her name being practically shouted, growled, or called loudly. Nik seemed to have a hearing problem because there's no need to raise the voice when Rebekah can hear everyone perfectly fine.

Now it wasn't Nik who was calling her but Elijah although there's a rare sharpness in his voice which makes her wonder if she had done something wrong. Which couldn't be the case? If Elijah wanted to be mad at someone, it should be Nik and not her. In addition, shouldn't she be the one who's mad at both? They both had watched the carpet getting ruined and it had took her ages to clean the bloodstains out of it. Someone in this house has to look after things and apparently it is her.

Stopping in her tracks, Rebekah turned around and stomped into her brother's study.

"I appreciate you said 'please', Elijah. Next time, however, you can consider helping me before I finished cleaning the rug."

Rebekah smirked because she knew it's almost impossible to see Elijah an all fours, trying to get a stain out of the rug. That had, in fact, never happened before. Nonetheless, the thought amused her.

"Perhaps you should have considered Nik's gift. You look pale", Rebekah stated shortly after and started to frown. Hadn't her brother looked completely healthy before? Now it appeared like all color had left his skin as if he had just left his coffin. In fact, he was so pale like he had seen a ghost.

"Rebekah, dear, could you please close the door?", Elijah asked and tried to ignore her comments about his pale skin tone. He knew that he wasn't hungry. Even if he were, he wouldn't accept Niklaus 'gift' as he called it.

Rebekah arched an eyebrow but did as she was told although she wondered what her brother wanted. Closing the door? Seemed like it was something important although she wasn't interested in getting involved in more drama. Having a pregnant wolf in the house is already straining enough, she didn't need even more added drama.

"What is it, Elijah?", Rebekah asked and eyed him suspiciously  "I suggest you hurry, I have dirt under my nails and I would appreciate it if I get to wash it off of me before it can dry."

Elijah let out a breath, trying to calm himself and get control over that fear which had grabbed a hold on his heart. Perhaps it's not as bad as he fears it is? Perhaps the problem, or whatever the reason was that Katerina had called him, was already solved.

He pushed himself off his desk and walked closer to his sister, eyes scanning her attentively. Elijah knew that Rebekah stayed longer in Mystic Falls than he and Niklaus. If anyone knew anything about Katerina's whereabouts, it's probably her.

"You've been in Mystic Falls for some time, haven't you?", Elijah asked calmly and objectively, not wanting to judge Rebekah for her poor decision of with whom she had spent her time with.

"Yes, I have. What's the matter, Elijah?", Rebekah asked, not able to make a sense of his words. She noticed, however, that he seemed to calm at least a bit although he's still radiating a certain kind of concern.

Elijah inhaled, weighing out his options. He knew that Rebekah is the only one who might have heard something from Katerina. But he also knew she despised her. Would she tell him the truth? Or is she going to taunt him about his weakness when it came to Katerina Petrova? But what other choice did he had? If he can trust anyone, it's his sister. The Salvatore might know about where Katerina is -- or to be more precise the younger Salvatore brother. He knew Katerina had a soft spot for Stefan Salvatore. Elijah, however, didn't trust the brothers at all. Asking them would result in lies and false answers. This means he had to rely on Rebekah and trust she's honest with him.

"Have you heard of Katerina? Is she still in Mystic Falls?", he asked as calmly as possible without letting Rebekah know why he asked about her. Of course she had witnessed that they had separated -- otherwise, Katerina would be here, with him. Or at least somewhere close.

Rebekah narrowed her eyes. Out of all things she had imagined Elijah wanted, she wouldn't have typed on Katherine. No idea what he even wants with that manipulative woman.

The thing is that there are news about Katherine Pierce. News Elijah apparently wasn't aware of which surprised Rebekah given the fact he is so protective of the treacherous doppelgänger. How she's been able to wrap him around her finger remains mysterious.

Letting out a small breath, she tried to find the right words. Without being too bitchy about how unfair life is. How is it fair Katherine Pierce gets to be human? She didn't even want it. She didn't deserve it. Rebekah had yearned all her immortal life for that chance and Katherine gets it without asking for it.

The only comfort Rebekah can draw from that is that the cure isn't as harmless as it seemed. And that Katherine apparently paid a high price for it.

"Elijah... I think there's something you don't know", Rebekah started, suddenly worried how he's taking the news.

If Katherine Pierce is the person on his mind, if that's the reason why he looked like he had seen a ghost, then he won't like what she's going to tell him.

No matter if Rebekah likes Katherine or not -- hell, she could be rotting somewhere for all she did care -- but her brother does matters to her. Elijah deserved some happiness even though Rebekah couldn't understand what he sees in Katherine. To be honest, she had thought he had ended things with her and is over her. Coming up with her name now is surprising because not once had he mentioned her. Even while the two of them were together, Elijah hadn't mentioned his relationship to Katherine once, although that's probably because he wanted to protect her. It's no secret she wanted to see Katherine more dead than alive after what she had done to their family.

Closing the gap between them, Rebekah carefully placed her hands on Elijah's shoulders and stared him right in the eyes. She hated to be the one who had to tell him about Katherine. As much as she despised the doppelgänger, it will pain Elijah. Drawing in another breath, Rebekah finally had the courage to speak the words.

"Katherine Pierce is human ... the cure was forced down her throat, Elijah. And ... there's a good chance she's dead by now. Things had been tough in Mystic Falls during summer. I doubt she made it. I'm sorry."

The heartbreaking look on Elijah's feature nearly killed her. Rebekah rubbed her hands over his shoulders in order to comfort him before wrapping her arms around his body, hugging him tightly. She wished he finds happiness just as Elijah is always supporting her, however foolish her wishes are.

The only comfort she could give her big brother is that Katherine hadn't died at Nik's hands. "Nik doesn't know about this. If she's really dead, her death had nothing to do with him.", she whispered and continued to hug Elijah tightly.

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A/N: Is Katherine dead? What do you think?

If you like the story, please hit the heart and feel free to leave feedback (no hate please ♥)

[stahlop]

Once Upon a Time 2x06 “Tallahassee” Review

Reviews 1x01 1x02 1x03 1x04 1x05 1x06 1x07 1x08 1x09 1x10 1x11 1x12 1x13 1x14 1x15 1x16 1x17 1x18 1x19 1x20 1x21 1x22 2x01 2x02 2x03 2x04 2x05

The mystery man from the season premiere is finally revealed and he is Henry’s father! And apparently a complete asshole. As is August. Ugh! I get that forces apparently had to converge together to get Emma pregnant so she could put Henry up for adoption and Regina could adopt him, but did she have to be betrayed by the man she loved to do that? No wonder Emma’s such a tough cookie and doesn’t let people in. Also, Emma in the past will be referred to as young Emma to distinguish the two.

Summary: Emma and Hook climb a beanstalk to find the magic compass that will get her and Mary Margaret back to Storybrooke. In Emma’s past, we meet Henry’s father and how she ended up in jail (and how she acquired the yellow bug).

Opening: Growing beanstalk

New Characters:

Neal: I know he was in new characters previously as Mystery Man, but since we actually know who he is now, I’m putting him in here again. Also, my initial reaction to him was correct, I hate him. We first meet Neal in Portland, OR as he pops up in the backseat of the yellow bug young Emma steals. She thinks he’s the owner, but it turns out he’s also a thief, so, of course, she feels a kinship with him. Now, I’m not sure why, but the costumers did nothing to make him look any younger in this flashback, so he just seems like a creepy, older pervert using a young girl to help him with his stealing exploits. I’m not sure how old he’s supposed to be, but he’s at least 21 since he repeatedly asks young Emma out for a drink and she’s only supposed to be 17. But, I’m guessing he’s more between 23-25, even though he looks his real age which is around 35. Anyway, he gets out of a cop pulling them over by being completely misogynistic with the cop, and they go on their way. We next see him and young Emma in a convenience store and she’s very pregnant, and he refers to her as his wife. Neal distracts the cashier from him and young Emma shoplifting by asking him directions to Eugene on a map. A customer comes in and notices them stealing so young Emma pretends to go into labor. This whole scene is hilarious. They leave and we find out that young Emma is not pregnant and that she was using the bag under her dress to collect the pilfered items. And then they’re kissing in the car. Ew! They go to a motel and grab a room that a family is leaving and happens to not close the door all the way. Well, that’s lucky. Young Emma notices a dreamcatcher and explains what it is to Neal. He calls it flypaper for nightmares. He thinks they should keep it. They’re still living in the bug so young Emma doesn’t find that feasible. Neal suggests getting a real place together. Young Emma is skeptical and even suggests Neverland, which angers Neal slightly. He finds a picture of a map and tells young Emma to point to a place with her eyes closed. She points to Tallahassee, so they decide that’s where they’ll go. Young Emma asks if this is what he really wants and he says what he really wants is her. I really want to believe him, but knowing what we know later, I find it hard to believe. Neal is in a mood the next time we see him. He’s apparently wanted by the FBI and he managed to snag his poster from the post office. He stole some expensive watches when he was in Phoenix. He came to Portland and stashed them in a train locker. He tells her Tallahassee is out, he needs to head to Canada. Young Emma assumes she’ll go with him. He needs to go alone. She doesn’t think so. They argue until she decides that she’ll get the watches out of the locker. They can fence them, use the money to change their identities, and go to Tallahassee. Honestly, I thought that Neal was doing this to set young Emma up even before August came on the scene. But, apparently he really does love her and didn’t plan on being a complete asshole. So young Emma goes and gets the bag out of the locker. I’m still not sure why Neal couldn’t do this. It’s not like anyone knows where he is. Why would security think it odd if he got a bag out of a train station locker? It doesn’t seem as if it’s being watched for any reason. Why did young Emma have to be involved with this whatsoever? It seems like the fencing of the watches would be the more dangerous part of this whole scheme. Anyway, young Emma brings them to Neal and he thinks he can fence them for around $20,000. He’s going to  fence the watches and reminds her to meet him at 9:00, and gives her one of the stolen watches so she has the time. Again, seems like this would be some sort of set up, except he hasn’t met with August yet. Neal is walking to meet his fence and feels someone following him. He runs off and the person runs after him. The guy tackles him and Neal thinks it’s a cop, but it turns out to be August!  He and Neal argue about who’s doing a better job taking care of young Emma. August realizes Neal actually loves young Emma. He thinks that will make leaving her easier, because he’ll want to do right by her. August asks Neal if he believes in magic. Neal considers this before telling August that he obviously does (you didn’t answer the question Neal). August says he’s going to show Neal something that will make him believe. It’s in his typewriter box. And Neal does believe the minute he sees what’s in the box. August tells him about the curse and that Emma needs to break it, and she can’t do that with Neal in the picture. August asks him if he’ll do the right thing. And the right thing is apparently setting young Emma up for stealing the watches. WTF, Neal?  We see Neal meeting with August two months later in Vancouver, Canada. He feels guilty about young Emma (GOOD!) and just wants to know if she’s okay. August informs he she got 11 months. He says it should be him in there. Well, it’s good to know he has feelings about this. Why didn’t he just get himself arrested and not let young Emma know? Why did he have to frame her? Ugh!! Neal wants August to promise he’ll be there for young Emma since he can’t. He does. He gives August the money from the watches and the car (with a clean VIN just like young Emma had suggested) to give to young Emma so she’ll have a fresh start when she gets out of jail. He also asks that August let him know when the curse ends. I’m sorry, I don’t know what could scare Neal so much that he would frame the woman he purports to love for his crime. That is not love.

Character Observations:

Young Emma/Emma: I’m just going to come out and say it. Young Emma is an idiot. She may know how to steal a car, but she clings to Neal because they’re both thieves, and they don’t have any family. We know she’s grown up in the foster system and she was moved around a lot, so she’s clinging to the little bit of stability that she can find. Even if it’s with a much older man that is a thief. So let’s just skip to the part where she’s set up, because this whole thing is absurd. Young Emma goes to meet Neal at the prearranged location after he fences the watches. She calls him up on her flip phone and finds his number has been disconnected. Then a cop comes and tells her that her boy set her up. He called in a tip and is probably off to Canada by now. Why does the cop know all this information? Neal called in a tip to check the surveillance footage at the train station. Ok. What does this prove? She took a bag out of a locker. Unless they have proof that there were watches in that bag, they have nothing. All they have is the one watch young Emma is wearing and there is no proof she stole it. Technically, it was a gift from Neal, so she’s done no wrong there. The cop tells her to give him the watch and then asks if she knows her rights. He doesn’t even say them to her. She just answers yes. Now, while this technically wouldn’t set her free, anything she would say after this would not be admissible in court, so most likely the judge would throw out the case unless there was other evidence that could be used. So when the cop asks where the rest of the watches were and she said ‘Gone, not coming back’ (and yes, she’s actually talking about Neal), that would not be admissible in court as her knowing about the stolen watches. And the wanted poster had Neal’s picture on it of him stealing the watches! Who was young Emma’s public defender? They did a real shit job for her to get 11 months for possession of stolen goods that she a) didn’t steal and b) they never recovered. I seriously cannot figure out how the hell this case even made it to trial, let alone a guilty verdict. The only thing I could even think they’d get her on was being Neal’s accomplice, but she didn’t even know him them, and they could see what foster home she was in and that it wasn’t in Phoenix.  But back to young Emma, who is feeling very betrayed, obviously. We next see her in jail. The prison guard has a package for her that she has to open in front of her. It’s car keys to the bug, with the swan keychain. The guard says at least she has a car when she gets out, and apparently a baby, as young Emma is holding a positive pregnancy test.

In the EF, Emma volunteers to climb the beanstalk with Hook, which makes him very happy. He has a magic cuff they need to use to climb the beanstalk as it’s enchanted so no one can climb it. Was this instituted before or after Jack? Mulan gives Emma poppy powder to knock out the giant. She also asks Mulan to cut down the beanstalk after 10 hours. Emma’s story is about trust. Hook asks her to trust him several times, but after the betrayal of Neal, it seems Emma can’t trust anyone. Or at least not flirty, innuendo dripping, hot pirates. They manage to knock the giant out and get to the treasure room (with a lot of flirting from Hook, and a lot of eye rolling from Emma), before the giant wakes up and comes after them. Hook gets trapped under some fallen pieces of the roof while Emma freezes when the giant comes after them. Emma manages to trap the giant in his own cage. The giant shares with her that he is alone and how the dried bean he wears around his neck is a reminder of how all humans are killers. This hits a bit too close to home with Emma and she walks away rather than kill him with Jack’s poisoned sword. The giant frees himself and shows her a way out as a favor for not killing him. Emma starts to leave but negotiates another favor since she could have killed him twice. Turns out she wants him to not let Hook go free for another 10 hours after Emma rescues him from the rubble and then conveniently handcuffs him to a chain that happens to be there. Emma says she can’t take a chance she’s wrong about him as Hook pleads with her not to leave him there. She tells him he’ll be okay, she just needs a head start. Emma manages to get down the beanstalk right after the original 10 hours is up. Mary Margaret is upset that Emma told Mulan to cut the beanstalk down. Emma tries to explain but Mary Margaret makes it clear that they go back to Storybrooke together.  Emma hugs her (awww!) and agrees.

Hook: He’s overly flirtatious with all the ladies, but especially Emma. He’s the master of innuendos, and he’s sexy and he knows it. Plus, he can read Emma like an open book. He guesses correctly that she’s an orphan due to the same look in her eyes that the Lost Boys have. He also realizes she’s had little love in her life and asks if she’s ever been in love. She lies and answers no. But after she sees Milah’s tattoo, and deduces that Rumplestiltskin most likely killed her as well as taking Hook’s hand, she confesses that she may have been in love once. This whole conversation is weird. What does having been in love have to do with her perception of Hook?  He continues to be flirtatious throughout their whole journey up the beanstalk and once they reach the giant’s lair. And he’s dead sexy when he has to tie Emma’s hand with his scarf. Yummy! Sorry, but that’s just hot!!! He asks Emma to trust him several times but she just can’t do it, which leads to him being handcuffed in the giant’s castle and pleading with Emma not to leave him there. She tells him she just needs a head start, and he screams for her. I think we have an angry pirate now.

August: Ok, I cut August some slack for leaving Emma when he was seven, because he couldn’t handle that kind of responsibility. I get that. But now he’s technically behind her going to jail because he somehow spooked Neal into leaving her? He calls himself young Emma’s guardian angel and he’s trying to make up for leaving her when she was young. Okay, I get that, but to help frame her so she goes to jail? What’s that all about? August admits to Neal that he can’t say no to temptation, that he’s not built that way. This is true, Pinocchio was never good at making the right choice, but it’s such a cop out. And then it gets worse. Neal gives August the car keys and $20,000 to give to Emma so she has a chance to start over once she’s out of jail. Emma gets the car keys, mailed to her from Phuket, where August apparently took the money meant for Emma. August is an even bigger ass than Neal is. Neal at least felt guilty. August only came back to help Emma break the curse because he started turning into wood. That money could have let her keep Henry.

The Giant: We don’t get a lot of backstory. Only that it seems the fairy tale and EF history got his story wrong. That Jack attacked him and killed his family and he’s the only giant left. He’s very angry toward humans because of this. But in the end, he finds an ally in Emma and gives her the compass and agrees to watch Hook for 10 hours so she can get a head start.

Mary Margaret/Aurora: They find some common ground due to both having been under a sleeping curse. Aurora is having nightmares about a burning red room and someone inside it watching her. Mary Margaret seems happy to have a princess to mother, since Emma won’t let Mary Margaret mother her. And Mary Margaret goes all mother bear on Mulan when she tries to cut the beanstalk down. Mary Margaret makes it quite clear to Emma that they are going home together, no matter what.

Henry: He’s apparently having dreams of the burning red room with someone else watching him as well.

Questions:

Was Cora really going to climb the beanstalk with Hook? She doesn’t seem the type to do that.

Has Mulan been to Oz? Poppies are what put Dorothy and her crew to sleep in the movie.

How long have young Emma and Neal been together by the pretend pregnancy scene?

Is Neal having nightmares? Is that why he wanted to keep the dreamcatcher?

The map that Neal has young Emma point to is a map of all the states the motel chain is located.

What does being in love have to do with being perceptive about why Hook wants revenge on Rumplestiltskin? If Emma had never been in love she wouldn’t understand that Rumplestiltskin killed Milah? That would make her a pretty bad bail bonds person if she couldn’t figure things out like that.

Why does young Emma say Neal got away clean with stealing the watches? The wanted poster has a picture of him stealing the watches! Why does Neal have to explain about the security cameras?

Why is Neal running to Canada? They have extradition laws there. He could still be arrested and sent back to the US. Better to go to Mexico instead.

Is Neal not wanted by the FBI anymore? How is he currently living in New York if he’s still wanted by the FBI? Did he change his identity? He would have to if he has an apartment and seems to working somewhere that requires a suit.

How long has Neal had this train station locker? I don’t know what lockers were like in 1999 or 2000, but according to Google, you can only store something in a train locker for a day.

What’s in the box, August?! What’s in the box?!

Neal doesn’t seem to find August talking about curses weird at all? Could he be from the EF?

Why didn’t Neal just leave? Why did he have to set Emma up to go to jail? Just ghost her and run. 

What does it matter if Hook steals other things from the giant? 

If Neal felt so guilty about what happened to Emma that he wanted to know when the curse broke, why hasn’t he come to Storybrooke to find her? Or is he currently on his way?

Why did the giant have the compass on him? Was he expecting someone to try and steal it? Was it special to him in some way?

Are Aurora and Henry seeing each other in the burning red room? Will they be able to communicate with each other?

Did Emma spend two years in Tallahassee waiting for Neal? Or did she just like the idea of Tallahassee enough to go there after she was free?

Observations:

It’s nice that Emma’s false eyelashes stay on so well throughout this entire journey without bugging her at all.

There are apparently no more magic beans to make portals with, as they were destroyed by the giants after a great war led by Jack the Giant Slayer. 

The swan pendant Emma wears around her neck is the keychain Neal stole for her.

Tallahassee is not near a beach. The closest beach is about 90 miles away.

According to the wanted poster, Neal’s birthday is March 23, 1977. That makes him 22-23 at this point.

Now we know why young Emma went to jail in Phoenix; that’s where Neal stole the watches.

The giant’s castle seems to be made pretty shoddily if just walking makes everything shake and pieces of the roof cave in.

Jack’s skeleton is still in the giant’s castle and his sword has his name on it.

Emma has a flower tattoo on her left wrist.

August says that Emma was sent to a minimum security prison in Phoenix. In Desperate Souls Emma says she was in juvie and her records were supposed to be sealed. A juvenile detention center and a minimum security prison are two separate places. Juvie means she’s under 18 and minimum security means she was tried as an adult.

August sent Neal the postcard in Broken.

That’s a pretty big cage considering the giant’s enemy seems to be humans.

Once Upon a Time Firsts:

We actually saw a dreamcatcher hanging in Neal’s apartment in Broken, but this time it’s shoved in our faces and we will be seeing them again throughout the series.

Hook asking Emma to trust him.

Emma’s tattoo.

Names:

Neal Cassidy: Neal Cassady is the name of a beat poet in the 60’s and hung out with Jack Kerouac. Not sure if this was intentional somehow by the writers or if Neal made up his name being that he’s a thief.

So, I’m extremely angry over young Emma’s shoddy frame job, and the fact that Neal and August got away scott free apparently. I love Hook’s flirtiness and his innuendos. All in all, Emma’s backstory was really important to understand why she doesn’t trust real easily, but I don’t see her trusting Hook any time soon, regardless of the circumstances. But she’s finally starting to trust Mary Margaret and hopefully see her as her mother.

Please leave comments and reblog! Let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future reviews.

@searchingwardrobes​ @thisonesatellite​ @justbecauseyoubelievesomething​ @laschatzi​ @profdanglaisstuff @mariakov81

[just-a-dumb-gay]

OKAY THEORY TIME!

So Posie do the dance and everything. But while they are dancing Lizzie goes snooping around (I'm assuming she isn't actually competing in MMF judging by what can be seen of her outfit here) and finds the note Peez gave Josie. So obviously she reads it.

Now there's 2 ways I can think that would be good for it to go after this.

1 - While Lizzie is reading the note thats also when we find out what it says.

So then she questions Josie about, asking something like "Why the hell would she give you this?!" kinda pissed off that Josie never even told her about it.

Josie takes it away from Lizzie explains she doesn't know what it says and has no intention of reading it.

Then Lizzie starts telling Josie what parts of it say and Josie just gets angry and walks away.

Not entirely sure what could happen after that but I'm sure it would be good (as long as Peez lives).

2 - Same thing, Lizzie goes snooping around and reads it but we don't see what it says. We just see Lizzie go through a bunch of facial expressions that make us curious.

She then questions Josie and, same thing, Josie takes it and says she had no intention of reading it or finding out what it says.

Lizzie then tells her she needs to read it but Josie just walks away.

Josie goes to find Peez and Peez instantly looks worried thinking Josie is mad about whats in the letter. Actually Josie is just pissed at Lizzie.

So Josie hands Peez the note and asks "What does it say?" and Peez gets nervous and says something like "I gave you this so I wouldn't have to tell you face to face."

Josie - *seriously but not quite mean* "No, I want to hear whatever you have to say from you, not from a piece of paper."

Peez - *hands Josie the note back* "Well first, I read it a hundred times before giving it to you so I don't need to read it from this." And then she tells Josie what it says.

And there's a couple ways it could go from this too.

2.1 - Once Peez is done talking Josie is completely stunned, has absolutely no idea what to say. Peez takes Josie's silence as a bad thing and walks away thinking Josie is mad at her. Later in the episode (or the next episode, depending on how times work out) Josie goes and talks to Peez and they actually talk everything over and it goes well. Nobody dies and they end the season maybe not together but at least friends.

2.2 - Same thing, Josie is stunned and doesnt say anything so Peez starts to walk away. But before she can Josie grabs her arm, Peez turns back round surprised but before she can question anything Josie kisses her. Not gently either, more like the one in 1x06.

They both pull back and Peez doesn't know what to say, and Josie just smiles. After a second Peez nervously asks something like "So you're not mad at me?"

Josie laughs and then says something like "Well, you have been kind of a bitch so I'm a little mad." then smiles more, "But right now I'd rather just kiss you." AND BOOM!!! CUTE POSIE KISS!!! EVERYONE LIVES!!! SEASON 1 ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND DESPERATE FOR SEASON 2!!!

-----

Okay so I got a little carried away with 2.2 but I'm desperate for Posie so oh well.

[laufire-writes]

Soldier anon: thanks for the answer. It changes from Americans. I recently left a fandom because the American fans either glossed over the main character of the movie being an American Marine or swept it under the rug after saying the military was bad and preyed on vulnerable people. Some of them even wrote lists of potential reasons why she would have joined the military, chief among them being “to go to college”, so people “don’t judge her too harshly”. Her opening scene being her in (1/2)

Afghanistan giving candy to children then raiding a house with her team isn’t that bad because she’s black. They don’t even seem to think that openly admitting that it’s not as bad and imperialist for someone to invade a country and terrorise civilians if you’re not white or want to go to college. They’re openly admitting that they don’t consider non-American lives to have much worth and don’.t see anything wrong with that.

As a non-American I have zero respect for their military (mind you, I have no respect for my country's military either lmao), so I can promise my writing choices aren't going to go down that route. Among other things, every time I see the college argument it's just... smh. Makes me want to ask people if they'd be willing to become assassins to pay for college lmao (presumably the answer is yes as long as it wasn't of American citizens RME). Hell, even other "sympathetic" reasons people cite like how it might be the only way someone can escape poverty or an awful family situation sound empty to me because I don't think those are worse fates than murdering innocents.

Also LOL, are you talking about Nile from TOG? That fandom certainly has that attitude wrt her military background RME. I don't know what it's worse, that they might truly believe all of their arguments, or that they end up saying such awful things because they... like a character and can't stand the idea of anyone judging her/judging them for it rme.

At this point, if I'm forced to see a character in the military I rather the show/film in question portray the atrocities that would invariably come with it. One of the few examples I've found diverging just a bit from the norm on this front is actually the introduction of Atticus, the male lead in Lovecraft Country, mid-episode in 1x06 (told from the perspective of a character in the occupied country). He was a sympathetic character and lead in many respects, we'd spent the first few episodes on him, we'd seen his "good" reasons for enlisting (in his case, escaping an abusive situation)... and his introduction in that episode is when he shoots an innocent civilian woman dead, point-blank without hesitation, without pauses or camera shots designed to show his ~inner conflict.

I would have to see the next few episodes (one of these days...) to see how all of that holds up afterwards. But even in 1x06 (where he's not the focus, Ji-Ah and her own conflict is), although Tic is a character you're meant to understand*, at no point did I feel his actions in the army were excused or romanticized or softened to show him as the "exception". It might not be a perfect depiction or not how fully I would write a character in this situation, at least, but it was far better than most ra ra muricah content you get about this topic lmao. The bar is low, and yet barely any films or shows manage to reach it xDD

*mind you, I prefer it this way. The whole point of having this kind of storyline with "sympathetic" characters is to show that it's not just "a few bad apples"; not just people you can dismiss as rotten to the core and plain born evil; that commit such monstrous acts. But that the problem is systemic and extended through all the military.

[adorealeclightwood]

SH 3x08 Theory [Spoiler Alert!]

[If you don’t want to know anything about 3x08 or any of my theories yet, don’t read this. Click the back arrow. Read my book review. Ask me questions. Stop reading this though. If you just want to watch the promo clip, my theories will begin under the cut.] 

For those of you that don’t mind spoilers and speculations, welcome!

As usual, our beloved Shadowhunters aren’t taking their feet off our necks. We only get a couple of hours to breathe after an episode before they start hitting us with promos for the next one. 

Here’s the first promo clip (that I know of) for 3x08, titled “A Heart of Darkness”.

Clearly, there’s a lot going down in 3A. (I’m not complaining.) 

First off, we have Miss Lilith showing her face instead of using Jace, or one of her many disciples. (For those of you interested in a head count, she had 32, then Ollie came so it was 33, but two disintegrated, so now she has 31, unless you count Jace, which would put her back at 32. The numbers are confusing.) 

Enough with the mental math - moving on. 

As you can tell from my “Girl WHAT?” post, I had a few questions. One of which was about Lilith, and whether or not she’d be coming for Simon. Judging by the promo, the answer to that is: of course she is, because everyone loves picking on the boy for shit he can’t control. 

Yes, I’m bitter.

On the bright side, it looks like we’ll finally get a little more insight as to what the mark actually means, and why the Seelie Queen chose Simon specifically. I’m also hoping we learn why he became a daylighter in the first place, but I’m willing to cross one bridge at a time. 

By now, we know that Seelies may not be able to lie, but they’re famous for finding all sorts of ways to bend the truth. Remember what darling mama Lightwood said to Izzy back in 1x06?

“Never trust people who can’t lie. They find much more inventive ways to stab you in the back.” 

If anyone has learned anything from the Seelie Queen in season two alone, it’s that Maryse told no lies. 

So what does any of this have to do with Lilith? I have a theory. 

It’s far-fetched, highly unlikely, and impossible to prove/disprove because the main person involved is dead. 

Remember when the Seelie Queen decided to align herself with Valentine and start a war? Anything to be on the winning team, right? Right. What if, during their little walk, Valentine got to talking, and got in the Seelie Queen’s head with his ideas of ridding the world of demon blooded creatures? 

I mean, it’s hard to be considered the losing team if your team is the only one left standing. 

Then Valentine goes and kills Jace, which makes Clary get all knife happy and take him out, so his plans die with him...or so we assumed. 

Hear me out. 

WHAT IF, the Seelie Queen did some...Seelie Research (I don’t know what else to call it. Digging maybe?) and discovered a mark. A mark unknown by any Shadowhunter, vampire, or warlock, that packed enough power to take out anyone - even someone as evil as the mother of all demons. All she’d need is a vampire with the ability to walk in the sun, and she’d be all set. 

(I told you it was far-fetched, but I’m drinking Jack D. again, and I needed to post this.)

Whenever one of Lilith’s children/disciples/minions/whatever the fuck you want to call them dies, we know that she can feel it. It’s why she left to retrieve the sliver of Clary’s soul herself; she’d just felt the death of the demon she’d sent out to find Clary, only to be killed when Izzy came across it. Again, just recently in 3x07, two of them approached Simon, and were disintegrated by the mark, which caused Lilith to scream, either in pain or frustration - we don’t know yet. 

Lilith knows about the mark, and exactly who gave it to Simon, so she goes straight to the Seelie Court to have the queen remove it. Naturally, that condescending little wench said something that translated to no, and Lilith didn’t like that one bit, and held her hand up as if she were ready to take the Seelie Queen out herself (thus disabling the mark and rendering it useless? Again, I don’t know. I’m tipsy.). 

While I don’t approve of killing people when they don’t give you what you want, I’m perfectly fine with her taking this issue up with the Seelie Queen and not Simon directly (at least in the promo), because that boy can barely button his shirt properly these days, and he never asked to be a part of any of this. (The mark, or the shadow world in general.)

Alright, so that’s my stuff about Lilith. 

Now for the heart wrenching shit.

Jace is whole mess. He’s out here struggling, but the only good thing about this clip is the fact that it’s the real Jace! That means that Catarina was right, and Magnus was able to think outside the box (like the boss he is) and figure out a way to help Jace, even if it’s only temporary. 

The down side? He’s holding a knife, and appears to be begging Izzy to kill him with it. 

“If I go with you, she’s gonna find me. She’s gonna make me do worse.”

This is another up/downside. The gaps in Jace’s memory have probably been filled in now that he isn’t under Lilith’s spell, but now it looks like he knows what he’s done, and he’s terrified of having to do it again. So much so, that he’d rather die than risk her finding him. 

THIS IS WHY I WAS HOLLERING JUST NOW. 

I refuse to believe things managed to get this fucked up over the course of one episode. Jace may have his faults, but he doesn’t deserve this, just like he didn’t deserve losing control of his mind and being forced to go around harming people. They went through all the trouble of catching up with him and saving him, only to get him back scared and suicidal? 

What kind of fucked up shit is that? 

I know, I know. Don’t start. 

jAcE iS hOrRiBlE.

hE’s A bAd PeRsOn.

He DiD _____ sO hE dEsErVeS tO bE mEnTaLlY aNd PhYsIcAlLy AbUsEd AnD sExUalLy HaRrAsSeD bY tHe DeMoN lAdY.

rEmEmBeR wHeN jAcE *inserts old shit that literally no one cares about anymore*

If there was ever a time to focus on what was happening and why as opposed to who it was happening to - this is it. If this were any other character (literally a n y other character) you guys would be rioting. Shitty things don’t suddenly become less shitty when they’re happening to Jace, alright? Alright. 

I don’t have a theory for what’s going to happen, and it scares me, because I don’t want anything (else) bad to happen. If Jace gets seriously injured or killed, not only is it going to fuck me up, but it’s going to fuck Alec up; it would literally destroy him. And Clary, to the point where she may never forgive herself, just like when Alec couldn’t forgive himself for what happened to Jocelyn. And Izzy, because I know for a fact that if she’s the one to stab Jace and end up killing him, it’ll wreck her. Hell, even Simon would feel some type of way. 

This would effect everyone. Including my sappy ass, so I’d like things to start working out for Jace quick, fast, and in a hurry, if that’s alright with all of you. 

On one hand, I can’t wait for more promos, but then again, part of me wants to shut my eyes and not see anything else until next week. 

That’s all. Thanks for coming to my tipsy Ted Talk ft. me, and five shots of Jack. 

[once-upon-a-ouat]

OUAT Rewatch 1x10 “7:15 A.M.”

Okay, I don’t usually do that, but for this episode I feel the uncontrollable need to review it scene-for-scene because I have something to say about every scene and they were all freaking awesome. That will eliminate the need to point out favorite and least favorite scene in this episode, but I’m keeping the favorite and least favorite lines. With that said, let’s dive right in.

The opening scene with August and Henry built up the suspense as to who August is and what he’s doing in Storybrooke and also served as a set-up for two more scenes throughout the episode. I also loved Regina’s worry as to who that might be. First, Emma came to town and started trouble, and now another person just showed up. You could practically see the cogwheels turning in her head.

The weather forecast we heard as background in the next scene informed us about the storm which played a major role later in the episode. Mary Margaret was very funny in her hurry to go out. I loved how quickly she came up with a lie to tell Emma. We know she’s not that type of person and yet, she lied to her closest friend because she herself knew that what she was doing wasn’t right and didn’t want Emma to know about it.

It was quickly revealed why Mary Margaret was in such a hurry. It’s really sad how desperate she was for even the smallest contact with David. And the fact that he was buying two coffees just made it even worse (there goes OUAT with the details once again). It would’ve been plenty horrible on its own, but seeing David walk up to his car, give one to Kathryn and kiss her cheek was just heartbreaking (and I also felt horrible for Kathryn because I know how this is going to end and that she’ll be hurt). Good thing Emma showed up as the voice of reason. I loved how she didn’t judge Mary Margaret, but also firmly and clearly told her that she had to put a stop to that. She’s understanding and supportive and yet, doesn’t let her friend fall even deeper.

Snow looked hella badass with that spear in that next scene. So she didn’t flee the kingdom? Or did she? I’m a little confused. The parallels between the two timelines were cool though. What I’m not a fan of is Snow’s desire to get rid of her feelings in both realms. I know loving someone when you know there’s no way for you to be together hurts, but that doesn’t mean that you have to erase them from your heart. For me that just doesn’t do a favor to their romance and the idea that it’s the greatest romance ever.

Snow and Rumple’s scene was awesome. I loved the way he used her hair to make the potion ‘personal’ because no two loves are exactly the same. That was such a great idea. I also loved how he said that love is the most powerful magic and then made that look horrifying. Given what we know about his personal experience with love, it just became even sadder. Also, now that we know what he used her hair for, this scene is just more brilliant.

Mary Margaret’s shock when she saw the pregnancy test was heartbreaking but I do have a problem with that scene. David’s words in the cabin and his actions on the whole imply that he and Kathryn don’t even have sex. Why did she think she was pregnant? I loved how Regina had only two lines but managed to make a bitch of herself. Also, I loved that she and Kathryn were shopping together. I think this can count as one of the genuine moments of their friendship and I loved it.

The dialogue between George and David was awesome. You can understand where both of them are coming from and sympathize with them both. I honestly couldn’t pick a side in that scene. The implication that George had loved before was very important to me because in many scenes later on in the show he comes off as heartless and it’s nice to have a reminder that that’s not true.

I love how they used the doves as transitions between scenes several times in this episode. The dove is a symbol of love and they used it to show that Snow and David’s love transcended realms and even the Curse. I think it was genius.

I loved how Snow wanted to help the dove so badly. Especially when she learned that it would be alone for the rest of its life if she didn’t get it to its flock. I feel like she was seeing herself in the dove a little bit and that was super weird, but I love how she was determined to help it. It’s just an animal but she did everything in her power to help it. I also loved how she rejected David’s offer to help her. She practically told him “I’m no damsel in distress”.

I loved the scene between Regina and Emma. It once again showed that the one thing that can make them work together is Henry. It was manipulative on Regina’s part though because August’s ‘interest’ in Henry was not the only reason why she wanted to know about him. She thought that she would use the Savior in order to learn about a potential danger to the Curse. It was brilliant.

I love how the dove landed on Snow’s hand while she was holding the vial with the ‘cure’. The joy on her face when she read the letter was so genuine and heartwarming. Damn that show!

Even faced with the very real danger of the storm and the obstacle of the road being closed, Mary Margaret still didn’t give up on her quest to help the dove. The transition between that scene and the next was just fucking awesome!

I love how Snow quickly figured out a way to sneak into George’s castle, but it doesn’t say anything good about the security of said castle. And just when she was about to reveal herself to David, the guard caught her. I really wanted to scream (but it was 2a.m. so that wasn’t an option).

It was adorable to see Snow so determined to break out of the cell and not wanting to give up. Meeting Grumpy was awesome (so he tried to get back with Nova then?). I just loved how this episode kept portraying love as the worst thing ever (sarcasm, if you couldn’t tell). Holy shit! I had completely forgotten about Stealthy. Damn! That’s one of the best twists on the show. I love how Grumpy decided to get Snow out of there too.

David showed up just in time and thank God. He saved Mary Margaret’s life. It kind of sent her not-a-damsel-in-distress attitude to hell though. Even that way, I’m not mad because she could’ve died or gotten seriously injured, seeing how she wanted to keep going even despite the storm.

Stealthy’s death was pretty heartbreaking (mostly because of Grumpy’s anguish but still) even though we didn’t know anything about him really. I loved how Snow was ready to sacrifice herself to save Grumpy even though they didn’t really know each other that well. That’s really admirable about Snow.

Mary Margaret’s little rant was heartbreaking but I really liked the fact that she decided to get all that out in the open. I also liked the fact that she didn’t let David kiss her but not the reason behind it. If she hadn’t seen that pregnancy test, she would’ve given in. Given her turmoil about David choosing Kathryn over her, it just felt like she didn’t have any self-respect.

I don’t really know what to make of the scene between Emma and August. They really built up the tension as to what’s inside the box and then just showed us. Granted, that didn’t make August any less mysterious. I loved how Emma was calculating if it would be better to let him buy her a drink and learn what’s in the box immediately or just leave it be.

Well, that storm turned out to be awfully convenient. Not only did it stop the flock from departing, but it also gave Mary Margaret and David a chance to talk about their feelings and possibly make some more mistakes. I loved how Mary Margaret pulled her hand out of David’s. Honestly, David’s indecisiveness pisses me off so much. If your feelings for Mary Margaret are so real, then just leave Kathryn and be with her. It’s not that difficult, goddammit!

The scene between George and Snow was intense. We once again saw that George was ready to do whatever it took in order to save his kingdom and I liked that. His plan was also very smart although I’m not really that certain if it would’ve worked out the way he imagined it would. I really loved the part with “He’s not my son”. You could see George’s disappointment because if it were actually James, he wouldn’t have betrayed him like that. In this episode, just like in 1x06, it’s easy to understand where George is coming from. You still don’t support his actions but you see the driving force behind them and that helps you empathize with him. That complexity was later lost and I’m really sad about that.

The scene between Snow and David was so awesome but also heartbreaking. I loved the fact that she let him hug her and hold her hands for as long as possible. She wanted to get as much as she could out of that encounter because she thought it would be the last one. I also loved how she couldn’t make herself say “I don’t love you”. She said it but in parts and she actually told him that she loved him (“Love you”). She quickly came up with a reason why she had come all the way to the palace too. And her face when David couldn’t see her anymore just killed me. And David also started crying. My heart! (That was my favorite scene if you couldn’t tell.)

Kathryn was so insanely adorable. You see how much she wants to make it work but also that David’s behavior hurts her. And yet, she didn’t want to be a bitch about it. She was trying to be understanding. And she wanted them to be a family and have kids but she knew that they weren’t ready and didn’t try to rush it. She wanted to get help and fix what wasn’t working. I just love her so much! And I’ll give credit to David for actually trying in this scene (although he threw it to the wind pretty quickly).

The scene between Snow and the dwarfs was very cute. I loved that after all the statements in this episode that love is horrible, we finally got another perspective. Because yes, it is, and it hurts us in the worst way possible, but that makes us who we are. Also, it was sweet of them to offer her a home and their support.

I loved the quiet scene between Mary Margaret and Emma. It showed that Mary Margaret was trying to be strong and that Emma was there for her and supported her. Their relationship was already so strong that they didn’t need words.

They never showed what made David go after Snow and it just came off as random and odd to me. Ruby’s face when David said “I will always find her” tho. She was like “I ship it”.

Seeing that Snow took the potion broke my heart all over again. And just when hope showed on the horizon. In Bulgaria we have a saying that states that no one can do to you what you’ll do to yourself and I think it fits the occasion. Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy. Grumpy’s face at the end of the scene ruined my life.

I guess they really can’t stay away from each other (Ruby’s face during that scene though). What I hated about that scene was that “She’s not pregnant” was the engine for their kiss. So, yeah, it’s okay to lie to her as long as she’s not pregnant. Way to go! I loved the fact that Regina saw them though (and her face). Even walls have ears... or eyes in this case.

Favorite line: “As wretched as it is, I need my pain. It makes me who I am.” - Grumpy to Snow

Least favorite line: “Come on! I helped you when no one else would.” - Snow to Red

That was just manipulative as fuck and I really didn’t appreciate it. I know Snow was desperate but that was just nasty. Just guilt-trip your best friend. That makes sense!

This episode was so amazing. I just don’t know what to say. Every scene did something for the story or the characters. Everything was on point. They managed to establish a clear difference between David’s two personalities. The acting was awesome. The episode was mind-blowing and I was hooked from beginning to end.

P.S. Sorry for the confusing format of this review. I myself see that this doesn’t really work so I’ll stick to my original format and try to avoid another review like this one at all costs. I just really had things I wanted to discuss from every scene and I’m sorry if it’s scattered or confusing.

[redwhale]

The following was sparked off by the sentiment ‘Thomas would think Flint a monster and would hate him for the things he’s done’ (briefly mentioned here). I didn’t want to attach the following as a reblog to poor @my-truest-flinthamilton directly because the rambling below is waaay too much of a tangent, but I find the topic really interesting, and I have Feelings on the subject.

Spoiler: I think it would be complicated, but still nah.

I do think Thomas' reaction to what Flint has done depends, among other things, on what kind of hell Thomas himself has been through. We have no concrete answers outside the fact that Thomas was taken to Oglethorpe's plantation. Unless someone bribes Thomas related answers out of Steinberg and Levine (can we do a fandom Kickstarter?), it's ultimately up to the viewer's discretion. From the events of Black Sails, there is a tenuous timeline that can be established, but it’s still up to the viewer’s discretion. I actually have an unfinished post about this, and I wish I’d finished it before this post!

Some of the TL;DR re: the timeline:

The real world maps used as props on the show demonstrate Georgia and Savannah exist within Black Sails’ world in 1715. (Thank you to the incredible sagestreet!) In the case of the latter map, it was in wide enough circulation to the point that a copy of it is displayed in Governor Raja’s office in Havana. It’s fair to say that Savannah may have been established for awhile, and if Oglethorpe plays a similar role within the world of Black Sails to his real world counterpart, he may have been in the Americas for a decade or so. My assumption in turn is that the plantation may have been around for a few years. Georgia and Savannah weren’t established until 1733 in our world, but Black Sails exists in its own ball of wibby-wobbly timey-wimey. With some extra wibby and wimey.

In regards to what Thomas himself has been through, we have a lot of variables. How long was Thomas in Bethlem for? Was he ever in Bethlem? How long has he been at the plantation? What is the treatment of those at Oglethorpe’s plantation like? For all of Oglethorpe’s pontificating, the reality of what we see on screen is no more than a small sugar cane plantation. My hope is that the treatment of those imprisoned there is still better than other plantations, but there are dangerous realities inherent to sugar cane plantations regardless. Even if Oglethorpe’s plantation was the Nicest Sugar Cane Plantation Ever—now there’s an ironic statement—it’s still a one way trip for those imprisoned there. (Slightly off-topic, but I had a very different image of what the place was going to be like from Max’s dialogue in 4x04. ‘Cared for, tended to...’ Yeah, they’re certainly tending to something.)

When it comes to Thomas’ emotional state over the lost decade, along with whatever transpired at the plantation and the possibility of being held in Bethlem, there’s also the conundrum of what Thomas was told about James and Miranda from Peter Ashe. Did Thomas think they were dead? Did he think they were alive, still out there somewhere?

The amount of hell that Thomas himself has been through would certainly contribute to how Thomas feels about his father, Peter Ashe, England, Nassau... and all that James has done as Flint. Thomas in London was already a stubborn, passionate man with a temper and very strong ideas about the world. Would he be broken after a decade ? Would that fire be even more inflamed?

The Thomas we knew in London was in an extremely privileged position, and he wanted to pardon the pirates of Nassau for both financial and social benefit. That was before Bethlem or Oglethorpe’s plantation. (Lord Thomas ‘I Want To Pardon The Pirates’ Hamilton. P.S. ‘Yes, All of the Pirates’. P.P.S. ‘Did I Fucking Stutter?’) 

Judging by Hands’ talk to James in 4x04, it seems like Blackbeard was already established in prominence when Lieutenant McGraw came to Nassau. From Hands’ dialogue, it seems like Hands himself may have been one of the men that murdered Governor Thompson’s family. Thomas wanted to pardon the pirates back in London whilst Blackbeard and co. were at large, and was still willing to do so even after James brought back the news of all that had transpired there. It was a decision that ended quite badly, mind, but with James’ encouragement, Thomas decided to continue on regardless. If Thomas was willing to pardon these pirates, some of which had also done some pretty horrific things, I think it’s a fair assumption he wouldn’t be washing his hands of James and ‘Captain Flint’ so easily. Thomas was very much in love with James back in London (see the Meditations inscription, among other things), and Thomas still seemed very much in love with him from the reunion in the finale.

[Tangent: how the hell did Hands hear that Flint used to be a Navy man, and that McGraw was there when they took back Nassau from the English?! Only Miranda would have 100% known the specifics.]

In regards to how Thomas views people and humanity in general, we can also only look to the episodes themselves. As Miranda says in 1x06, he was Mr. Devil's Advocate back in London: Thomas would have played that game with you from dusk until dawn. And everything you hold sacred, he'd leave in tatters. Not from malice or hate, but from love. From a desire to see the yoke of shame lifted from your shoulders.

Considering what we know of how Thomas reacts when he’s dragged off to Bethlem, and how loyal and protective he is over Miranda and James, I can’t imagine that he would be all that aggrieved by Flint killing Alfred Hamilton or Peter Ashe. (Miranda, 2x05: Before they took him away, he made me promise him that no matter what happened next, that you and I would take care of each other). Again, pardoning the murderous pirates of Nassau wasn’t really an issue for Thomas in London. Alfred Hamilton and Peter Ashe destroyed the lives of Thomas, Miranda, and James—and ten years later, Miranda is now dead because of it.

Speaking of darling Miranda, I think it’s also important to look to Miranda as a counterpoint to Thomas, in regards to her feelings on James, and James as Flint. Thomas and Miranda absolutely are not the same in personality or actions (the latter is more sensible and realistic than the former, among many other things!), but they have a similar character trajectory. We don’t know anything about Miranda’s backstory, but considering she married the son of an Earl, she must have come from at least decent social standing. Thomas and Miranda are both outcasts from society in different ways: Miranda, as a brilliant, forward thinking woman who society wants to keep in place, and Thomas, the radical Lord who is whispered to be mad by half of Whitehall and who’s sexuality is punishable by death. In London, both Thomas and Miranda fall head over heels in love with James McGraw. After Ashe’s betrayal, they are separated from each other, and both go from London high society to a terrible and horrifying fall.

Throughout all of James’ years as Flint, Miranda never stopped loving James. Miranda didn’t think of James as a monster, and never treated him as such. Miranda was the only character in the 1715 timeline of Black Sails that looked upon James wholly without fear. She was afraid for him, but never of him. In the killing Alfred Hamilton, James and Miranda were partners, with James wielding the blade. We see that Miranda didn’t approve of all of James’ choices, but we know how much she loved James regardless. ETA: I had completely forgotten about Miranda’s 4x08 dialogue re: Flint, until Bean’s gif set reminded me: You can defend that man. There are good arguments in defense of him. 

And, god, my poor beloved Miranda, who finally got to express her own fury at the world after the horrifying realization of how deeply her little trio had been betrayed, had it all cut short by a bullet to the head.

(not. over. her.)

Regardless of how you read the specifics of the relationship between Thomas and Miranda, I also think it’s important to consider the love between them in regards to how Thomas would react to some of Flint's actions. We see how deeply Thomas and Miranda cared for each other, both from Miranda's present day dialogue and through their interactions in the London flashbacks. So how does Thomas react when he finds out what happened to Miranda? (I’m still so bitter that we didn’t get to see.) How does he react to what James did in the aftermath of Miranda’s loss, and of Peter’s part in it all? In both London and in Charlestown, we saw Miranda’s enraged fury over the loss of Thomas and the revelation of how they all were betrayed. Miranda wanted to see Charlestown burn. I have no idea if Thomas would want destruction on such a scale, but it seems wrong to dismiss that Thomas wouldn’t have his own grief and fury about Miranda’s loss, especially considering how much her cared for her.

Miranda and James went through horrific emotional trauma over the decade since London. Trauma that shaped their actions, their emotions—specifically, their rage. Thomas, at the very least, would have gone through a lot of emotional trauma, with the possibility of some horrifying physical trauma as well. I don’t think it’s a reach to say he would have his own heartbreak and rage at the world in turn.

I also have to link to @sidewaystime‘s wonderful Thomas meta that expands on what we can infer of his character from the text of Black Sails itself. In the case of this post, I’m linking to it with special emphasis on Thomas as a character (the man isn’t exactly innocently Mr. Soft and Fluffy), alongside his dynamic with Miranda and James. Also, just go through sidewaystime’s tags anyway to read all of her godly Miranda meta and meta in general ohmygosh. ohmygosh

All of this to say: from what Black Sails itself shows us, I don't think Thomas would hate James, nor think of him as a monster. That’s not even bringing into the equation of what Thomas may have been through himself, as he hasn’t exactly been sitting around picking daisies for the last decade. I think it's fair to say some elements of Captain Flint Thomas would support, and some of it he would not.

..but Thomas hating James and thinking of him purely as a monster? 

Miranda didn’t. I can’t see that Thomas would, either. 

[hellyeahrpmemes]

※ FROM DUSK TILL DAWN: THE SERIES 1x07: PANDEMONIUM SENTENCE STARTERS ※

starters from the seventh episode of the first season of el rey’s “from dusk till dawn: the series”! feel free to change names/pronouns/etc.! 1x06 • 1x08

“Let me ask you this… is this really where we belong?”

“It’s true, we put on a good show, and we have a hell of a time, too.”

“Is this really what we deserve? To crawl at the feet of our masters?”

“We are so much more than slaves. We’re brothers and sisters. We share the same struggle.”

“The truth is… they are weak. And we’re strong.”

“That’s the girl that led me here.”

“The hell you doing here?”

“Your investigation led me to this place.”

“What do we do!? What do we do!?”

“This is supposed to work, why isn’t it working!?”

“I have no clue what these things are!”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say these things are vampires.”

“Yeah, definitely vampires. Go for the heart.”

“You think you can fight me? Your fight’s over.”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Stop, why did you do that!?”

“Get that gun out of my face.”

“You know, all this time, I thought that I was the one that brought us here.”

“Are you kidding me right now? After everything I’ve done for you?”

“I ditched it at a liquor store hundreds of miles from here and somehow it finds its way back to you.”

“We need to find a way out of here.”

“There’s no way out.”

“This place is sealed up tighter than a drum.”

“You knew about those things? I begged you to let us go!”

“Setting aside the sheer absurdity of this conversation, they have fangs and die when you stab ‘em in the heart.”

“They terrorize people, hunt at the nighttime, tear ‘em apart limb from limb, with fangs and scales and wings.”

“The kid’s not far off.”

“He’s tried to hit on me.”

“You? You’re a professor?”

“I decided to follow him, and it brought me here.”

“Now, I’ve been studying this cult for over 10 years.”

“This is their territory.”

“I’ve seen their writings before, but never anything like this.”

“We’re standing on sacred ground.”

“This place is a source of immense power for these people.”

“It’s been that kind of day.”

“We better make sure that these things are dead. I mean, really, really dead.”

“This wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

“Moon queen, you are my world.”

“No more mistakes.”

“I could feel her inside my head, and she was pulling me close.”

“Maybe us being here pissed them off.”

“This entire club is destined to lure people in.”

“If it’s blood that they want, they’re gonna want more soon.”

“How do we shut it down?”

“You’re one rude little bastard.”

“Let’s just worry about the next wave.”

“We need a plan.”

“We’re gonna need a better plan than that.”

“Thirty million dollars. Is that worth the chance of exposing us?”

“You think I can’t see the bullshit in your eyes?”

“You were in charge, which you reminded me of every five seconds.”

“What is this act that you keep talking about?”

“You are so up your own ass right now.”

“Now I was an easy target. In a million years, I wouldn’t have seen this coming.”

“You know, you’re right. We have a sacred bond.”

“I wouldn’t be so quick to judge.”

“I know you’re scared. I am, too.”

“Do you think that I don’t know that money was for Vanessa?”

“You honestly think I would be here if I was gonna bail on you? Does that make sense?”

“I did it all for you, you understand me? I said goodbye to my only chance of any kind of sane, normal existence.”

“Oh, that’s it, isn’t it?”

“I’m getting real sick of you calling me a traitor.”

“As soon as we’re out of here, you and me, we’re done.”

“It looks like somebody hurt your feelings.”

“Underneath your heavy French perfume, some of us can still smell your fear.”

“Tonight is special. Tonight, all the little surprises are gonna keep on coming.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“There’s a difference between being a slave in your body and being a slave in your soul.”

“We have suffered too long, now. But it ends tonight.”

“You have a choice. You join us, and live free, or… you die being slaves.”

“What did you do to me, fool?”

“There’s a fine line between self-defense and depraved violence.”

“I had the craziest nightmare.”

“I know you better than your brother does.”

“I asked you to trust me, but I didn’t tell you what was coming.”

“The world is much more complicated than you know.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I need you. And you need me, too.”

[hikaru9]

Shadowhunters 2x18 - Magnus’s walls

Everyone is having a “great” time, enjoying the beautiful flashbacks, how Malec is going so far in such a short time, how their love is pure even if circumstances are terrible, but I am probably the only one feeling very scarred and terribly sad. Absolutely no criticism to the show, because the episode was FANTASTIC. I’m really talking about the emotional journey it put me through so, let me vent it out a bit, because as many as you, I’m a mess. I’m sorry it’s going to sound terribly sad.

The situation

As I said in my previous commentary on episode 2x17, the problems between them were “healthy angst” kind of issues, that would help them see the differences between them, face it all and be better for each other. I was expecting things to get even more meaningful because of the teasers and spoilers we had so I thought I was prepared, but I wasn’t.

The flashbacks

The flashbacks were extremely important. However, let me tell you something most people won’t agree with: I was a bit wary of them (but I was still open to them, mind you, and I’d never judge before seeing them). I was one of the few people who enjoyed 2x07 IMMENSELY; I thought it was a beautiful, well done episode that came in full circle. To understand it, we have to sit through it and grab all the tiny details that the writers put out, so that the end would make even more sense. I never saw the problem with consent, since I absolutely understood what Magnus was saying, how afraid he was that Alec would “go” the morning after and thus that he was “using” him for experience. Nonetheless, I ABSOLUTELY understand people who didn’t enjoy it as much as I did, and their arguments and point of view make sense. I respect their opinions. Still, 2x07 includes all my favourite Malec moments: the date, the Omamori (my favourite moment ever), the smooch attacks, their first time. After saying that, however, I am infinitely grateful for these flashback. I’m so glad they created them and put them in this episode, in THIS way, because they fit perfectly and made us understand so much more, so I was scared for nothing. I ALWAYS wanted to know what happened during that “infamous” night between 1x06 and 1x07: what did they talk about? How was Alec behaving? And Magnus? How did they feel after talking about everything and nothing, after drinking and being in each other’s company for so many hours? And here I have it, that tiny little moment in the morning after. I don’t know if you notice, but it was such a wink to the “Bane Chronicles”: Alec sleeping on the couch after a “mission”, waking up to Magnus making coffee (note: in the “Bane Chronicles” he would do that many times, and it’s Magnus who would wake up with the smell of coffee in the air and Alec being busy in his kitchen). I loved it. I loved seeing the difference between season 1!Alec and season 2!Alec, how insecure he was, how everything was new, how he was still ashamed of what he felt and what he was doing, how he almost smiled and was genuinely surprised by Magnus when he stopped thinking about all those insecurities and how he would crash all his emotions the moment he started overthinking. I loved how Magnus was tiptoeing around him as well, trying to make Alec feel comfortable but still trying to flirt as well; the surprise he showed everytime Alec said something he didn’t expect. Season 1 gifted us of so many feelings.

And then the night between 2x07 and 2x08 happened. Everything was so well done but what I am immensely thankful for is that they didn’t change the “tone” of 2x07. It wasn’t presented as “here, we fixed what you didn’t like it”, it was a natural following of everything the built in that episode: them entering their room with their lips locked, both being extremely greedy of each others’ touches, the bed gloriousness, Magnus “losing” control. THAT scene, above it all, was so well done. Magnus continued to being completely immersed in his feelings and it showed through his confused way of speaking (it was the SAME in 2x07 when he tried to explain to Alec he was afraid of losing him). It was so important for him to be accepted by Alec after seeing his warlock’s marks during such an intimate moment, even more after we saw what happened with his family.

Magnus

Here I am, being terrible. I know the WHOLE episode was beautiful and I know it was absolutely well done but it destroyed me seeing Magnus like this. It was so sad. The PURPOSE of the flashbacks was to remind Magnus what he had, and what he could lose if he accepted the Seelie Queen’s offer. And throughout the episode, what we see is Magnus putting back the walls around his heart. It was REALLY painful to watch, as a Magnus fan. It was AMAZINGLY well done and Harry Shum Jr. remains a BLESSING for this fandom, for me as a huge Magnus fan and for everyone in this show. It’s unbelievable how he can deliever so much without speaking. You can see him hardening his heart in those tiny little moments before and after the flashbacks: there, on that couch where Alec stayed with him after all the mess in 2x12; there, when he holds the Omamori (I’m gonna meta the hell out of it one day) and looks out at that rainy sky; there, at the Institute, holding Alec’s hand; there, when he goes out from the infirmary, looking at that cursed flower again, missing Alec and having to go through everything alone. Yes, alone. That’s one of the things that made me EXTREMELY sad. He was ALONE throughout the episode. Not even Max nor Bat, who were physically wounded, were alone. He was the only one; everyone else had someone by their sides. He was alone at home, and NO ONE checked on him but Alec (who needed him both physically and emotionally for the terrible Max’s situation); he was alone at the institute as well, even if surrounded by the Lightwoods, because NO ONE but ALEC talked to him. He was alone going through his memories and his emotions, no one to talk to, no one there to ask him if he was okay, as if everyone was expecting him to BE okay, since he’s immortal, powerful and the High Warlock of Brooklyn (yes, those are the things EVERYONE and Alec included, at first, thought about him). And that’s another terrible aspects of it all. He’s so conflicted about the whole situation with the Seelie Queen because his emotional life doesn’t get along with what the Downworlders and the Shadow World expect him to do. People expect him to be a leader, to protect the warlocks and the Downworlders in general, to destroy the possible menace, to bring peace. And Alec is RIGHT, they can work together to make them get along, to make it possible, but I think he feels the pressure of it all, and seeing how the misunderstandings between him and Alec and the problems the Clave is causing make Magnus vulnerable to be nudged towards duty. He’s doing what season 1!Alec was doing, and it’s understandable, even more if you think about how afraid he was and is. At this point, after 7 weeks of knowing each other and falling in love, he probably knows Alec is THE ONE. And we know how scary it is for Magnus, after all the lovers he lost, after all the people who just used him and left him alone. Remember who Magnus Bane is, and how he was shaped to be like that. After 400 years of experiencing loss, starting from his own mother and family, to all those lovers, who would either judge him, leave him for someone else, continue their lives, die on him, saying he wasn’t enough, saying he was too much; after what he went through with the torture in Valentine’s body; after finding someone who loves him and he can trust, it’s really easy to see why he’s trying to hide his true self, and put those walls around his heart again.

Alec

I have no words to express how proud I am of Alec. During this episode he has shown once again how brave and passionate he is. He’s the perfect person for Magnus, from the way he holds him and touches him, to the things he says to him. He’s brave also for saying sorry every time he understands he made a mistake; for the way he ALWAYS tries to make it work, TOGETHER, and being stronger than before. I love him and Malec forever.

Having said all that, as @alyxhavok wisely stated: let’s be patient, and wait for the Alliance rune and for Catarina (who may do something like in book 6, talking to Magnus about how Alec is important for him and stop fooling around). And a HUGE shout out to the cast, writers and directors, who did an amazing job not only with Malec, in this episode, but also with everything else.