#the kings are no different to the whites re loyalty

[bobbie-robron]

Well, if we’re talking about who’s done what to who, Jack… you’d be as well to look a bit closer to home, MATE. (Part 2.2)

Jack has Robert drive him to the Kings, his first encounter is with Max but no Tom or Jimmy so onward to the next King residence. Swirling finishes his questions with Andy and Daz. Andy and Daz ponder what’s next for them. Tom lets Jack know Jimmy will live and lets him in to talk. Things take an unexpected turn when Matthew insinuates Robert was involved in all this business. When Jack goes back out, Robert is gone (time for Jack’s Stelllllaaaa!!! moment at the very end). Next episode… Robert is disowned by Jack!

29-Jul-2005

[witchthewriter]

@spider-silk. ✧˚.⋆

𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐂

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒉, 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌 & 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍… okay so look.

You said you were poly and this is the first time I've had the opportunity to ship someone who is poly. I completely believe being in a relationship with three other people would work. Especially because of your species in this world.

𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔

A mermaid, living in the depths of the ocean with your sisters. Sharp teeth and clawed nails; you eat those who get too close.

But curiosity always got the better of you. Wanting to know the life on land, but never wanting to go too far from the sea. The pirate life is perfect for you and your partners.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔

The four of you work because living in piracy ... doesn't have rules. With Elizabeth as the Pirate King, Will as ... well Davy Jones, and Jack being as infamous as he is - you're all powerful individuals.

And because of that, you have your indepence but know that you always come back to each other.

With Elizabeth, it's like fire; a passion, a heat, a yearning. She is so adventurous, that you cannot help but follow her ship.

Will is as easy as swimming. Such a calming personality, you feel like there's not a problem in the world with him.

And Jack ... oh Jack Sparrow. Like a forbidden fruit you cannot help but pluck.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈

First Kiss by Howard Shore

Kingdom Dance by Alan Menken

True North by Joseph Trapanese

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔

Opposites Attract

Home Is Wherever You Are

Makes A Mess (Jack) x Cleans The Mess (Will) x Is A Mess (You) x Has To Re-Clean The Mess Because It Wan't Done Properly The First Time (Elizabeth)

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆

Defying Expectations

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖

𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍: He loves that you two can open up and be yourselves together. There's no pressure to put on a certain face, or act a certain way. There's just each other, connecting. 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌: Loves your free-spirit. He finds similarities in you and he feels like you're both a lover and a great friend. 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒉: Loves your rebellious spirit. But also loves that you want to be close to her - it makes her feel needed. And that makes her feel invincible.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅

Tia Dalma! You've become absolutely best friends; ever since you started doing business with her. It's because you're both creatures of the sea. Having an affinity for water, for waves, the ocean deep.

𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆

A mix of Will and Elizabeth - honorable, dutiful, but rebellious and daring. You have strong loyalty and great knowledge of many things. Sometimes you surprise yourself with what you know.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒕

Just as dangerous as your pet, you seem to have a connection. It was made once you dominated the creature - let it know that you are the monster in these waters.

𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐃

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒉𝒂𝒆𝒏𝒚𝒓𝒂! The bridge between the two when things became rocky; you didn't let the women go down different roads. Alicent is a good match because you're both intellectual - you have brilliant games of chess. Whereas Rhaenyra loves your passion. You walk to the beat of your own drum, and that's something Rhaenyra mirrors.

𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔

You are 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏, fully by your parents. With dark purple eyes and silver-white hair.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔

No one but the three of you know about the relationship. No one would accept it. So you hide it. Use it as being close in friendship. And everyone buys it.

Travel to Dragonstone and that's where you can find solace in being together. Without the formality of being at court.

Alicent is more of a listener, where Rhaenyra loves to talk. You're moreso in the middle. But love when Rhaenyra rants.

Rhaenyra loves braiding both your and Alicent's hair. Once Otto chastised Alicent for it and ever since then had to re-do her hair before seeing her father.

Alicent doesn't want to fly on dragon back, so it's just you and Rhaenyra in the air. Chasing each other around, laughing and carrying on as Valyrians do.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈

Fire In The Water by Feist

Would That I by Hozier

The Wedding by Bear McCreary

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔

Moon (You) x Eclipse (Alicent) x Sun (Rhaenyra)

The Impulsive (Rhaenyra) x The Hyperactive (You) x The Unheeded Voice of Reason (Alicent)

Soulmates Sometimes Come In Threes

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆

Friends to Lovers

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖

𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕: Your analytical mind - she loves when you play games together. She feels like you're a worthy opponent. Rhaenyra isn't one for those type of games. She doesn't like all the rules.

𝑹𝒉𝒂𝒆𝒏𝒚𝒓𝒂: Your creativity astounds her. Inspires her even. She loves when you think outside the box, it makes her feel less alone.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅

Your dragon is your best friend in all honesty. You love spending time with her; flying but also just being near her. No other dragon rider has that kind of connection with their mount. You see her for the being she is. With a mind of her own, a beating heart and want for freedom.

𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆

A mix of Rhaenyra, Harwin and Helaena. Creative, enduring, kind, opinionated. Your love for adventure but also the little things. Like to be looked after.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒕

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒇𝒚𝒓𝒆! Known for her blue scales and maternal nature, she is both loving and full of fire. Said to be the mother of Dany's three dragons, Dreamfyre was also the mount of Rhaena Targaryen (the granddaughter of Aegon the Conquorer) and Helaena Targaryen, the Queen of Westeros.

𝐆𝐎𝐓

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒚! She would absolutely defend you with her life. Adore you, love you, give you whatever you need - hell whatever whim you want! She would definitely use her abilities as Queen to get you anything. When it comes to you, she is completely at your defence.

𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔

𝑶𝒇 𝑶𝒍𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕... with the purple eyes you weren't a completely obviously to the eye that you herald from Old Valyria. In her your hair there is a thick stripe of white, that you can cover up if you wish.

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔

Loves to 'baby' you. Definitely gives you the Princess treatment. Wants you always to be comfortable and wanting for nothing. Puts your wellness before her own.

When you found each other, it was like fate ... destiny. The world made sense. Dany felt less alone. She wasn't the only person with purple eyes and the afinity to ride dragons.

It was a wonder seeing her children for the first time. The beasts were magnificent, and to this day they still are. It never gets old seeing them. Their size, the way they're shaped, their scales and how they're always warm. The constant ... rumbling that can be heard when near them.

Has a few guards to protect you whenever you're without her. They are your sworn protectors - because if anything happens to you, then she will kill them.

Loves being you jewellery, all sorts - from everywhere you go. Like this. And this. And this.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈

Scotland by the BBC Symphony Orchestra

The Train by James Newton

Romantic Flight by John Powell

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔

Found Family

Like Calls To Like

 Tragic Past x Ray of Light (goes both ways)

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆

Legacy & Legend

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖

Dany loves your intellect and intelligence. You teach her things that she wouldn't know without you. She finds you absolutely fascinating. One who is truly wise; even if you don't see it for yourself.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅

Missandei is your best friend. You're like sisters; you rely on her for a second opinion on everything. And have actually taken her flying on dragon back.

𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆

I think you're a mix of Sansa, Arya and Pod. Curious, rebellious, helpful, caring, loving and protective of those you care about. Maybe you say you like being alone but you do get lonely.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒕

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒏! The gentlest out of the three. You two would have a bond so unbreakable that people think you can talk telepathically. He understands you and you him. Both wanting love, and easily showing it to one another.

Where you go, he follows. And if he cannot fit in the room, you can find him either on the rooftop; waiting for you, or in the field outside your bedroom window.

He cannot sleep at night if you haven't given him a kiss goodnight.

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 26: Discord

Gather around everyone and I'll tell you a tale. It's a tale of my reactions to someone else telling me a different story in book form. Many book form, to be technical. And I already know the story, so my reactions will be very spoilery for all the books. Every book. If that's gonna be a problem, plug your ears or something I guess.

This chapter has a harp icon because it's Thom time! I'm as happy as Rand is to see him.

Rand, I may have been too hasty in leaving Stedding Shangtai the way I did. When I do go home, I may be in a great deal of trouble.

Not sure why you couldn't just lie about being a young Ogier from Saldaea or something, Loial. You all can't keep that close a set of tabs on each other. Or is the unbearded look a dead giveaway?

When they came pounding through the common room, Rand winked at the innkeeper, then laughed at his startled look. Let him think I’m off to play his bloody Great Game. Let him think what he wants. Thom’s alive.

What is it about needing to keep a low profile in inns that makes Rand so reckless? First Baerlon and his channeling sickness, now this when he doesn't even have that excuse.

The innkeeper was a woman with hair as white as Thom’s, and sharp eyes that studied Loial as well as Rand.

Innkeeper size, and therefore loyalty, uncertain.

The slender woman sitting cross-legged on the bed with her skirts tucked under her was keeping six colored balls spinning in a wheel between her hands.

Dena meanwhile has to be small so that Jordan can fit her into the fridge more easily.

“I have never heard of a woman gleeman,” Loial said.

And this frankly makes Dena's fridging all the more exhausting. Why are there no gleegals anyway? Surely there'd be a good source: women who go to the Tower to become Aes Sedai and then get put out again when it's clear they're not worthy but who don't want to go back home now that they've tasted the world. Especially since this world seems to be pretty low on sex work, you'd think that gals who don't have much else in the realm of prospects would pick up the job.

But also, it's infuriating that Dena is intro'd in this way and then killed off and then we never have any other woman who tries to take up the mantle later. One can hardly blame Thom for being in a hurry to pick up a lady apprentice given what happens to Dena and the events of the next few months, but by the time he ended up in Ebou Dar it should have been going again. It's a wasted opportunity.

They hang a scrap of painted canvas behind them, supposed to make the audience believe these fools are in Matuchin Hall, or the high passes of the Mountains of Dhoom. I make the listener see every banner, smell every battle, feel every emotion. I make them believe they are Gaidal Cain. Seaghan will have his hall torn down around his ears if he puts this lot on to follow me.

And here's another apparent revolution in the world's culture that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Theater exists; there's a play held in Andor much later, but apparently Gleemen will stay the preferred style for now. I suppose after the circus it's probably for the best we didn't pick up a subplot of players.

“She listens to a tale once—once only, mind!—and she has it right, not just the words, but every nuance, every rhythm. She has a fine hand on the harp, and she played the flute better the first time she picked it up than you ever did.”

Yes yes, we all know she's too pure for this sinful Earth.

She’ll be court-bard to a king or a queen before she’s done.

Okay but for real Thom, there's only so many monarchs in the world and I doubt many more nobles besides their immediate subordinates could afford court-bards so what are all the women in the world who aren't mind-bogglingly talented supposed to do in the performance arts? They can't all just give up their dreams and move on. Why are they absent?

“Your clumsy sheepherder’s fingers were never meant for the harp.”

There is something very sad in Rand not being meant for the sophisticated forms of art (and science) that he'd really rather be a part of than conquering.

There is even a lord in the city has what he claims is the Horn locked up inside his manor. He says it’s a treasure handed down in his House since the Breaking.

You know, I'm willing to believe that this lord really does have a 3,500 year old horn in his basement. Obviously not a magic one, but still. Stranger things have happened.

“Moiraine says it’s the Horn,” Rand said. Thom’s mirth was cut short.

Thom takes Moiraine as gospel even now.

“I don’t suppose you are talking about simply riding to Shienar and handing the Horn to—who?—the King? Why Shienar? The legends all tie the Horn to Illian.”

I suppose this must be one of those myths that grew in the telling. That or there was some confusion with a Foretelling and the sea that the Horn gets tossed into is off of Illian's coast.

“Thom,” he said at last, “are there any books that have The Karaethon Cycle in them?” Easier to call it that than the Prophecies of the Dragon. “In the great libraries,” Thom said slowly. “Any number of translations, and even in the Old Tongue, here and there.”

Thom of course has to answer slowly because Rand's question has given him a heart attack and he needs to take deep breaths. This might well be one of the more terrifying moments of Thom's life, having a young boy taken from his home on suspicion of channeling asking about the Prophecies while waving the sign of their imminent fulfillment around. Or at least this would be the case if Thom was taking it at all seriously (he's not, not yet).

For a moment, Rand could only gape at him, and when he could speak, his voice was unsteady. “The sword makes five. Hilt, scabbard, and blade.” He turned his hand down on the table, hiding the brand on his palm. For the first time since Selene’s salve had done its work, he could feel it. Not hurting, but he knew it was there.

Moiraine of course thought she was fulfilling prophecy but as Rand points out the coat counts for nothing, though funnily enough the sword and the coat are echoes of the later, true markings: the sword setting Rand on his path away from home and the coat being Moiraine naming him among the candidates as the real deal.

Thom's got to be happy Rand's denying it though.

I suspect Aes Sedai would want to make events fit the Prophecies as closely as they can. Dying somewhere in the Blasted Lands would be a high price to pay for going along with them.

Thom's a very kind mentor for actually telling Rand straight out what the price of being the Dragon is and suggesting that if he's just doing it for the Aes Sedai that it's time to do something.

“Then why ask about the Prophecies? Why send the Ogier out of the room?”

One of the problems of being an expert player of the Great Game is that when a novice shows up and starts blundering around, you're going to mistake his idiotic moves for strategic ones. Thom correctly identifies Rand's got an ulterior motive for his behavior and skips right past the obvious, simple, and true answer in favor of a conspiracy theory.

“I’ve learned a few things since we parted, Thom. They will come for whoever blows the Horn, even a Darkfriend.”

I'm not sure you've learned that at all Rand, and I suppose we should have taken Thom not knowing that detail as warning enough that it wasn't true.

“Owyn held it off almost three years. He never hurt anyone. He didn’t use the Power unless he had to, and then only to help his village. He. . . .” Thom threw up his hands.

The taint on saidin was an absolutely masterful counterstroke if you think about it. The perfect way for the divisive paranoia of the Shadow to worm its way into the minds of Light aligned individuals. Thom knows that Owyn was a danger to society but he still tries to make excuses out of love.

If Moiraine’s let you go, then you are well out of it.

While Rand outplays Thom through naivety, Moiraine outflanks him legitimately.

“A clean break is best, boy. If you’re always coming around, even if you never mention it, I won’t be able to get the Horn out of my head. And I won’t be tangled in it. I won’t.”

A cruel move by Thom, but one can hardly blame an old man for trying to refuse the call. One can blame the Wheel for how refusing the call plays out for him though.

Ruefully, he realized he was considering whether to tell Zera the truth or let her continue thinking as she did. All it takes is to think about the Great Game, and I start playing it.

Politics as a whole are a rather infectious way of corrupting the Light too, and the fools do it to themselves. It's no wonder part of Rand's coming is resetting the whole damn board on the players.

Coat or no coat, Rand was still only a shepherd. If he had been more, if he had been what Thom once suspected—a man who could channel—neither Moiraine nor any other Aes Sedai would ever have let him walk away ungentled.

Frankly, I think Thom's very much hiding in denial here like Rand does. He has to know that the facts don't add up in any way that's good but he pretends he can send Rand away and not have to worry about it.

Ah well. We have to part ways here too. See you next chapter!

[southeastasiadiary]

Day Twenty-Six, Part One: A Day in Bangkok

I’ve got to admit that, even after nearly four weeks of travel in four different countries, Bangkok could still overwhelm me. There’s only one word for the places we went today: breathtaking. Every time you turn around, there’s a scene that’s even more spectacular than the last. Neither my words nor my photographs will, I’m sure, do the city justice, but it is undoubtedly a place like nowhere else on earth. No wonder Jim Thompson took up residence here.

To begin with, you have to understand that Bangkok isn’t the real name of the city. The real name (and I’m not making it up) is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. When my guide, Rich, pronounced it, it almost sounded as though he were singing a pop song. Of course, if you only had a four-week vacation, and you said that one of the places you wanted to go was Krung Threp etc. (or, in honor of Yul Brynner, “Etc., etc., etc.”), your four weeks would be up, and you wouldn’t even have left the travel agency yet. So, Bangkok (meaning “The Village of Wild Plums”) is a useful nickname.

Our first stop of the day was the Grand Palace, a place that almost redefines the meaning of both grand and palace.

Rather than a single building, the Grand Palace is an entire complex of buildings in white, gold, and a host of other colors that manage to be impressive without the “Oh, come on, now,” overdone nature of the White Palace at Chiang Rai.

Around one portico is a series of 178 scenes, recently restored, from the Ramayana. Here, for example, is an image of the monkey army pledging its loyalty to Rama.

Demon figures guard certain doorways.

The quality of the carving and painting is exquisite.

A large gold stupa stands surrounded by smaller stupas, each of which is impressive by itself.

Around each corner is another phenomenal building, such as this one

and this one.

Golden Naga snakes lead up to gold inlaid doors.

On one wall, in another scene from the Ramayana, the monkey king, Hanuman, pursues the mermaid, Suvannamacha. (This story would become important again later in the afternoon when we saw it re-enacted at a dance recital.)

[meandmyechoes]

Kingohger ep19

i know i said this is the first week i hadn't felt nervous but i turned on the computer to write the little pre-essay and got myself worked up thinking about hcs lol the magic of midnights i guess also i woke/was woken up at 5am this morning

homemade extended nitiasa with Blazar-kun :)

START!!

scream JERAMIE DOES SLEEP IN A NET!!!!! HC CONFIRMED

gosh i'm like dying for more Kagu-Yanma common man combo

lmao the throne room has to have best only reliable internet reception

take the crumb of Rita naming Yanma first? But! Rita is on first-name basis face-to-face with the team now!

The OP visual is one continuous shot of them all standing together 😭😭😭😭

"You were worried about me, Kuwagon?" "I'm alright :)" talking-to-the-Shugods Gira is the cutest

Blue and White are making up? YESSSSS Grandson combi? Kidult combi? Prankster combi???

I'll never not laugh at Jeramie calling Racles 'that brat'

Racles stress relief squeeze ball… merch it bandai or you're a coward

hi jeramie you know that iiko grandson of yours called you the culprit 2 episodes ago

they don't have to be showing Jeramie and Yanma walked right past Kaguragi but it's so funny

Suzume can make outward calls the whole time??? (or she's just benefitting from the chaos)

Suzume carrying the whole Shugoddom National Theatre troupe they should've let her train one in those 15 years if only she needn't be kept secret

the reaction difference between improv theatre with kurokos vs. with Shuggodom guards lol

i'm not entirely sure but… if Suzume is helping Racles make sure his guards are safe (because they both know the guards are too loyal to leave their king)…

Douga-san… his old-fashioned loyalty + quick to adapt. lately Douga-san has been shown quite positively huh HEY WHERE'S BOSHIMARU

hi i'd like to donate to the Get Shugoddom's Green Screen A Real Carpet/Brick Road Fund

gawd did not expect my tears to break formation at the orphange reunion

fking flute ver of inferno

the people's recognition *single tear*

this ep is just full power Racles whump huh

Grandson combo

yo nkosopa bgm new arrangement

is racles overacting here 🤔 (racels's second-rate villain act, not yano-san's)

"The King will not escape"… (ep17 title)

??? who's the villain here???

did Jeramie just called Racles worse than 'what came out from the bottom' (shit. he meant racles is shit.)

so Gira doesn't want his brother dead 😏 or does he not want Yanma a killer? 🤔😏

eh iyaiyaiya kingoh can you stop with the tone whiplash??

*claps* good the script remembered to resolve Yanma and Jeramie' conflict in ep13. Grandpa-son combi YESSS

omg Rita-sama 🙇🙇 late to the group henshin and had Morfonia work over time so they can fit Ohsama Sentai into the acronym NERD

[outside the gate] Kaguragi: do we still wait for rita or go in first Himeno: well the boys can't stall much longer i'll have to make sure rita's timing is perfect

[jumping up and down from the awesome fights to OP]

this level of female-female ranger combo action… used to be the crossover extravaganza 😭😭

they can perform such a compliated choreo in such narrow space SAs saikou 😭😭

YES I LOVE THANK YOU FOR BOTH KAGU AND YANMA CROUCHING while dismissingly shooting at MOTW like the grassroots they were

they have six people but divide into 4 groups

literally i'm 3 years old again what's better than Super Sentai

"The only crime I should be accounted for" sigh I know this line will come back to bite us re ep1

Himeno-sama you can't keep acting cute towards Rita to get what you want… They are about to run out of social battery

WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS [FOAMING AT THE MOUTH] WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS [FOAMING AT THE MOUTH]

them getting in each other's way - what kind of basis is this for me to develop a partnership obesession with these two

rita scream i asked for just last night?

duel? DUEL? DUEL??? MY EPISODE 18?? brothers showdown i asked for last week??

they chose a low ground to duel this time

ohohohoohoooo WEDDING YANO MASTAO YOUR RING BETRAYED YOU

Yano Masato = Tom Holland of Kingohger

that's the same mantle as Lionel's…

ngl slightly disappointed at Suzume's boring white dress

this man's soul has left his body

[craigtarot]

Unlocking Symbolism in The Fool Tarot Card

Delve into the hidden meanings behind The Fool tarot card and uncover its symbolic significance in tarot readings

The History of The Fool Card

The Fool card has always been associated with the concept of ‘the fool’s journey’ or ‘the hero’s journey’ in tarot. It represents the beginning of a new chapter in life, a leap of faith, and the willingness to embrace the unknown. The Fool card is often seen as a reminder to trust your instincts, follow your heart, and embrace the adventure that lies ahead.

In most decks, The Fool is depicted as a young person embarking on a journey, symbolizing new beginnings and taking risks.

The energy behind the card is that of the Court Jester. As the jester, The Fool assumed power over the god endorsed royalty as in most medieval societies, only the jester could mock the king and there by serve as a balance or regulating influence over a possible tyrant. In modern playing cards, the fool has morphed into the Joker.

The Fool Card in Different Tarot Decks

The Fool card is present in almost every tarot deck, but its depiction can vary significantly from deck to deck. Different tarot artists and creators bring their unique interpretations to The Fool card, resulting in variations in symbolism and imagery.

For example, in the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, The Fool is depicted as a young man with a feather in his cap, a small dog at his side, and a white rose in his hand. In contrast, The Fool card in the Thoth tarot deck portrays a jester-like figure with a mask and a feathered headdress.

The varying depictions of The Fool card offer different perspectives and nuances to its symbolism. Exploring different tarot decks can provide a deeper understanding of The Fool card and its significance in tarot readings.

Key Symbolism in The Fool Card

The Fool card is filled with symbolism that holds deeper meanings within the tarot. Here are some key symbols to pay attention to when interpreting The Fool card:

eh eh eh – The Cliff: The Fool is often depicted standing at the edge of a cliff, ready to take a leap into the unknown. The cliff symbolizes the risks and challenges that come with embracing new beginnings.

– The Bag: The Fool carries a small bag or bundle, which represents the experiences and lessons learned from past journeys. It serves as a reminder to carry wisdom and knowledge forward into new adventures.

– The White Rose: The Fool often holds a white rose, symbolizing purity, innocence, and new beginnings. It represents the untainted potential of the journey ahead. In the medieval world, the white rose represented the purity of the Virgin Mary and was knows as The Mystical Rose of Heaven in the early Catholic faith.

– The Dog: The Fool is accompanied by a loyal dog, symbolizing loyalty, protection, and trust. The dog serves as a guide and a reminder to trust your instincts and intuition on your journey.

– The Sun: In many tarot decks, The Fool is depicted with the sun shining brightly in the background. The sun represents optimism, vitality, and the positive energy that comes with embracing new opportunities.

These symbols work together to convey the essence of The Fool card and the message it carries. They remind us to approach new beginnings with an open heart, trust our instincts, and embrace the adventure that awaits.

Interpreting The Fool Card in Tarot Readings

When The Fool card appears in a tarot reading, it carries a variety of interpretations depending on the context and the surrounding cards. Here are some common interpretations of The Fool card:

– New Beginnings: The Fool often represents the start of a new chapter in life. It signifies the need to embrace change, take risks, and trust in the journey ahead.

– Spontaneity and Freedom: The Fool card encourages embracing spontaneity and living in the present moment. It reminds us to let go of fear and judgment, and to embrace our authentic selves.

– Trusting Your Instincts: The Fool card serves as a reminder to trust your intuition and follow your inner guidance. It encourages you to listen to your heart and take the path that feels right for you.

– Taking Leaps of Faith: The Fool card symbolizes the need to take leaps of faith and step into the unknown. It reminds us that without taking risks, we may miss out on valuable opportunities for growth and self-discovery.

Conclusion

These interpretations are just a starting point, and the meaning of The Fool card can vary depending on the individual’s situation and the specific question asked during a tarot reading. A skilled tarot reader will consider the other cards in the spread to provide a more nuanced interpretation.

Original blog - https://www.craigtarot.co.uk/unlocking-symbolism-in-the-fool-tarot-card/

[jennawynn]

Enterprise Season 3 Eps 13-18

Episode 13

Of course they didn't have a backup of the incredibly important data.

Honestly... they really should have sent T'Pol home and lined the ship with the stuff that would stop the _rest of the crew_ from getting fucked up with gravity stuff. This is like... the easiest of the tough decisions they supposedly have to deal with. Putting the whole crew AND the ship at risk just so you can keep one person on board?

It really bothers me that the Andorians use 'pink skin' as a 'slur' towards humans. The assumption of white people as default.

Episode 14

I think they overdo the whole in media res thing where they start an episode in the middle of deceit and then show how they got to that point. Every time an episode starts with Archer not in uniform, it's obvious that there's some kind of deceit happening to keep the audience in the dark too, but that kind of thing only really works if you use it sparingly. Plus the Plot Armor of the crew means Archer being the Last Survivor of anything is laughable.

Episode 15

Ok, there was a line I legit laughed at during Trip and T'Pol's confession scene.

Episode 16

I actually kind of like this one- the deep dive on Phlox and T'Pol and their differences while they're the only ones on the ship awake and slowly going mad. Also "I'm a physician, not an engineer!" I understand that reference.

"Are you suggesting I should read the manual??" lmao. When I was in the Navy, I was what you would call an engineer. I worked in the engine room of an aircraft carrier. We were required to use the manual and go step by step on damn near every little thing we did. Every pump, every machine, pretty much every valve. The only time we didn't operate step-by-step by the book was during a casualty response when we did specific things we trained and drilled on constantly. Hell, sometimes we had one person reading the book out loud while the rest of the people did the work. The manual is written in step-by-step fashion for everything, not a theory text but a how-to guide for start up, shut down, and everything you could expect to do in between.

Episode 17

There it is. Tension between Archer's compassion and Trip's anger. Trip wants to take a torch to the hatchery of Xindi insectoids while Archer wants to save them. This is what I was talking about- this is what they should have been leaning into all along. Reed and Travis are in on it, too. But then when Reed and Travis voice discontent with the decision, Trip's loyalty kicks in and he starts making up reasons why this is a good idea actually.

Oh, nm, it appears that something is causing them to be protective of the eggs, to their detriment. Ok, that's an interesting twist. I wish it didn't come at the expense of them actually doing what they should've done all along because that means this is temporary, but it's interesting for what it is.

I'm sorry... the Eugenic WARS? What?

Oh even more interesting- that really was just Trip's loyalty to the captain. Only the captain is affected.

Episode 18

More Inconsistent!Archer. He could've waited 4 hours to see if Tucker made it back in time before firing on the station that found them.

Archer really needs to stop trying to sacrifice himself. He must not have been a very good chess player. Sacrificing the King means checkmate. I guess it's because he's Starfleet and not military that he's too cowardly to make that decision. He opts to sacrifice himself because he couldn't live with himself afterwards. Aaaand then T'Pol as the acting captain wants to sacrifice herself ahem I mean attempt a diplomatic mission.

When you skip past so much stuff that could fill time (personal and intership fights take like 1 min of screentime, they do a lot of decision making and setup for actions off screen) you end up also fast forwarding through a lot of plot, too... which means you can find a hidden weapon in a huge expanse (teehee) of space in a single season... so if you don't want to wrap up the show at that season finale.... you've gotta redirect and make a new enemy and move the goalposts. I guess that is classic storytelling trope use though... keep making the threat bigger (a first story in a franchise might be about saving a town, the second might be about saving a country, the third about saving the world, etc.). It just feels like it's less about bigger and more about redirecting. It isn't narratively satisfying.

Bet they had fun destroying the set for this episode lmao

Why don't hull breaches have automatic closure protocols? Why does Malcolm always report them then wait for the captain to respond before closing the bulkheads??

The amount of destruction at the end of the episode is almost stressful... except that the show hasn't shown that they'll actually have long-lasting repercussions. Repairs will take a week.

[weakforarwen]

Did anyone notice that when the characters of colour were enchanted, it's played for horror (like shade!Lancelot, possessed!Elyan & evil!Gwen) but when the white characters got enchanted, it's played for laughs (like Formorroh!Merlin, simpleton!Arthur and goblin!Gaius)? Sure, there is one exception when Arthur gets enchanted by Sophia, but the terror of having your consent taken away was never dealt with consistently & that really bugs me.

I'm sorry I forgot your ask! I think you sent it last week? I remember reading it, but then I immediately forgot about it, lmao. Sorry! At least you haven't been waiting that long?...

You make excellent points! And the way the narrative treated these incidents is kinda reflected in the audience's response to them. No one cared that Merlin tried to kill Arthur in that one episode, but Gwen deserved to die or worse for doing the same under the same circumstances (re: Morgana). The fandom just hates Gwen, I guess...

Furthermore, there are no consequences when the white characters are enchanted but the characters of color pay a heavy price. Lancelot died a traitor after first dying a hero. Gwen's character and life were ruined in 4.09, and she lost her brother and killed a man in season 5. Also, it was Elyan who nearly died in 4.07 though the other knights had been enchanted by Lamia too and he could've died (a traitor) in 4.10. And what's worse is that there was no resolution or justice for the characters. Morgana's involvement in 4.09 was never exposed, so neither Lancelot nor Gwen's characters were ever avenged - Lancelot was never spoken of again and Gwen had to live with the fact that she had deeply hurt and betrayed the person she loved and was loyal to the most for reasons she couldn't conceive. Also, she lost Elyan but wasn't allowed to grieve nor was she allowed to come to terms with nearly killing her husband, killing a man, and being controlled by Morgana for weeks. And Elyan nearly died and was possessed by the ghost of a boy in 4.08 and 4.10, but after Arthur saved the day in both episodes we didn't see him again - this is especially weird in 4.10.

Compare all that to when Merlin or Gaius were possessed - they learned the truth of what had happened to them and there were no consequences to their actions. When Arthur was enchanted to fall for Sophia and Vivian, it was more serious because he nearly died, but, in the end, no one thought less of him and he learned the truth of what had happened with Vivian at least. 1.07 is much darker than 2.10, but, at last, all was well. Neither episode ended like 4.09 or 5.06. And it's sad that there were no consequences to what Merlin did in 4.12, but nothing too horrible happened to Arthur anyway - he lost a bit of his dignity but what else is new - his honor was restored in the end.

There is also a huge difference in how the characters are treated when they're possessed. Merlin quickly realized that Arthur had been made to fall for Vivian and that Gaius had been possessed by the goblin; Arthur and Gaius weren't looked at with suspicion or accused of treason. And Gwen and Gaius figured out super quickly what had happened to Merlin so he was never accused of betraying the King. Arthur, Merlin, and Gaius were blameless and those who mattered knew it (with a few exceptions). Yet, when Elyan was possessed in 4.10, the Knights thought he was seeking revenge for his sister, and Arthur at one point feared it too, though it was obvious Elyan would never have done that. Although Merlin and Arthur learned the truth, his character was first put into question. Moreover, everyone thought Lancelot and Gwen had betrayed Arthur, and even Merlin never knew the truth about Gwen. And when Arthur saw Gwen with Morgana in 5.09, he kind of questioned her character at first (though that bit of dialogue is ambiguous). My point is, Gwen, Lancelot, and Elyan's morals and loyalties were questioned (and tarnished in the case of Gwen and Lancelot), yet Arthur, Gaius, and Merlin came out of it unscathed and were never accused of betraying the King.

Anyway, that was a really good observation, thanks for pointing it out! I hadn't really noticed it, but it's so obvious now you've said it. I'd noticed how the characters of color were treated on Merlin compared to the white characters but I hadn't made this particular association. I'm always happy to be enlightened and educated though.

Also, Merlin is fucking awful with consent. Poor Arthur had his taken from him multiple times and it was always played for laughs. I guess it's because he was a man, so being kissed by Sophia against his will, kissing Vivian, unknowingly fucking non-Gwen, and being toyed with by Merlin, were all played for laughs. Arthur never even learned the truth about Sophia and Merlin...

Thanks so much for the ask!

[swiftwidget]

Gigantomachia, “Master’s Scent,” & Izuku Midoriya

This is a portion of a larger theory/analysis paper that I am breaking into smaller pieces to be assembled later as a larger whole on Ao3 when it is complete. I wanted to get this part out before MHA 285 spoilers.

__________

Gigantomachia is a noumu created by All for One himself and is a creation that AfO’s Doctor says he tried to replicate with his own High End Noumu. He is All for One’s loyal bodyguard/servant sent to be an ally and weapon for Shigaraki, though he only willingly followed him once Shigaraki defeated the leader of the Meta Liberation Army, Re-Destro. 

In the current arc, as of MHA 283, Gigantomachia is answering the Shigaraki’s call to come to him via radio. (Gigantomachia’s eyes whited out at the command, similar to how the High End Noumu Hood’s eyes did when he lapsed into a more base state during his fight with Endeavor.) He is carving a 80 km path from the Gunga Villa to the remains of Jakku General Hospital where the battle is raging between Shigaraki and Izuku.

But before that, as we are seeing Shigaraki wake from his months-long nap, Gigantomachia smelled his “master’s scent.” 

I believe that he doesn’t smell Shigaraki when he says that. 

I believe he is sensing Izuku Midoriya. 

Gigantomachia’s own words

What does “Master’s Scent” mean? 

Did he just mean Shigaraki? Well, that’s up for debate. While the moment in question happens at the end of MHA 271, the chapter after Shigaraki is broken out of his tube and shocked to start his heart (MHA 270), it’s not a guarantee that’s what triggered the smell from 80 km away. 

Pay attention to Gigantomachia’s words. He has only referred to All for One as “Master” and Shigaraki as “Master’s Successor” and “True Successor.” 

Back in MHA 231, when Gigantomachia is sniffing out Shigaraki prior to Shigaraki proving himself worth following, in the context of his scent he refers to him as “master’s successor.” 

He calls Shigaraki “True Successor” when Shigaraki proves his strength and impresses Gigantomachia.

If he is referring to Shigaraki as “Master” it would be a first. 

Now, could it be that the “scent” Gigantomachia smells is the Quirk: All for One that Shigaraki now has? That is somewhat doubtful, I think, since we don’t currently have a precedent for individual quirks having smells. Additionally, if there was a quirk that could identify other quirks by smell, I feel All for One would have kept something like that for himself considering his interest in Ragdoll’s Search Quirk. (Granted, post-skull-crushing AfO doesn’t have a nose… but he doesn’t have eyes to add to Ragdoll’s Search Quirk either.) Even then, would Gigantomachia refer to specifically the quirk All for One as “Master” over the person All for One? That seems less likely even taking into account Quirk Singularity and the appearance of All for One in Shigaraki’s dreamscape prior to awakening.

We believe that the “scent” is directly related to All for One, the scent of All for One’s immediate family. And assuming the Dad for One theory is correct, that would be Izuku. 

In MHA 283, we have Gigantomachia barreling toward the battlefield between the Heroes, various noumu, and a battle between Shigaraki and Izuku. His eyes covered are covered by the armor plate that previously covered his chin, and he is very possibly just following his nose as he follows Shigaraki’s verbal order and “Master’s Scent” on his way “to Master.” And he literally is roaring “To Master” as he is crashing through towns. 

What comes next?

What happens when Gigantomachia gets to the battlefield and finds himself between Shigaraki and Izuku, and only one smells like “master”? Will he lash out against Shigaraki, or recognize Shigaraki’s voice but realize that this person Shigaraki is fighting shares “master’s scent” somehow? Would he recognize Izuku as AfO’s son? 

More importantly, what happens when Gigantomachia reaches the battle and finds Izuku with his “master’s scent” showcasing multiple quirks, flying above Shigaraki who is an incomplete vessel for the Quirk All for One, not able to handle the power given him, and beaten down from a prolonged fight?

When Gigantomachia was offered to Shigaraki as an ally, he lamented that Shigaraki wasn’t strong enough to be All for One’s successor, he wanted to accept him because it was All for One’s decision to make him successor but he couldn’t bring himself to because Shigaraki was weak. He attacked him and the other members of Shigaraki’s League. 

The Doctor explained that Shigaraki must prove himself and get Gigantomachia to submit - to do so, he’d have to be the kind of “king” Gigantomachia describes: someone who inspires dread, is admired, and is strong. 

Shigaraki only becomes that in Gigantomachia’s eyes when he witnesses him standing in the middle of a ruined battlefield, his enemy bleeding and beaten and bowing before him, and all the enemy’s allies frozen in awe of Shigaraki. Only then does Gigantomachia call Shigaraki the “true successor.” 

Now? Now, Shigaraki is in the middle of another ruined battlefield of his making, a near mirror image, but his enemy is not bowing down before him. The tables are turned. 

At the end of MHA 283, Izuku Midoriya is flying - floating with Shigaraki’s grandmother’s own quirk - keeping his own allies safely away from Shigaraki with Black Whip and vowing to take him down with the strength of One for All no matter what. And Shigaraki is below him, looking up at Izuku, broken and blooded because his body is incomplete and can’t handle All for One or the number of quirks he’s been using.

If someone appears more powerful than Shigaraki even with All for One, will Gigantomachia’s loyalties change or at least come into question? Would Gigantomachia see this as Shigaraki’s fall from approval? Fall from his role as “true successor?” Would Gigantomachia simply abandon him and his allies? Would he just lose his will to fight against Shigaraki’s enemies and return to lamenting that Shigaraki isn’t enough? 

If Izuku has the same “scent” as Gigantomachia’s “master,” All for One, how much more does that change things for Gigantomachia? Would Gigantomachia declare Izuku Midoriya a better successor for All for One? How would the other heroes present react if Gigantomachia were to imply Izuku is “master’s” family? The Dad for One Theory exists because there are a number of things that seem to imply, foreshadow, and work thematically that would support the idea that All for One is Izuku’s father. Is this where we get more blatant hints at it? 

As for the other heroes, they certainly have enough questions now about Izuku: 

The fact Shigaraki was after him at all 

The fact Shigaraki (All for One) called Izuku (the First) “little brother” in front of heroes

The fact that the heroes knew All for One as literally “All for One” and Endeavor even said over the radio that Shigaraki was looking for “One for All” before Izuku said Shigaraki was after him 

The fact Izuku keeps displaying new and different powers while in the same area as Shigaraki who is displaying multiple quirks - the comparison has to be drawn by someone (and, I mean, there’s even two Todoroki’s present) 

In MHA 284 Bakugou, said that people will find out eventually and Toshinori makes a point to say that it isn’t just villains who seek power (see: the Hero Commission and their sketchy dealings with paying Hawks’ family off to raising him as a hero from childhood). 

What could happen next?

As for Gigantomachia’s loyalties, what carries more weight? All for One’s son or the incomplete and damaged vessel/successor who is ultimately being beaten in a show of power? Will Gigantomachia still be under the influence of Shigaraki’s verbal commands or will his loyalties cut that tie? Will Shigaraki’s role as All for One’s successor and heir to his power come into question? 

For Izuku, despite gaining ground and seeming to strike fear into Shigaraki, he’s using a lot of power in his arms. He was already warned that he can’t tear up his arms anymore or risk losing function in them. He’s using 100% attacks, wrecked his left arm already so he has to use his extremely damaged right arm. Will the backlash of using this much power in a do-or-die fight render him too injured to fight or move? Will he need some kind of rescuing? (Will @aoimikans​ Luke Skywalker prophecy come to pass and Izuku loses a hand/arm? Will Shigaraki?)

Could we see a kind of Avatar State Izuku with the Will of One for All shining through like how All for One’s personality/will peeked through when Shigaraki was not in total control? 

If Izuku is badly injured, could we see a regeneration quirk manifest from One for All? (@aoimikans​ theorizes that the 4th’s quirk could have been healing or regeneration and Toshinori avoided telling Izuku that to keep him from being even more reckless because who knows what the drawback of that quirk might be.)

Could we see Shigaraki try to take One for All in a last ditch effort only for One for All to reject him? (And my gosh, the imagery that could go with that, AfO rejected by his brother again. Nana forced to reject her grandson.) 

Will Gigantomachia get there in time to see Izuku defeat Shigaraki and have his loyalties change / reveal something about Izuku’s father / decide he’s a better fit to be All for One’s successor? If Izuku does get badly hurt, will Gigantomachia see the other heroes and forget his orders, forget the villains on his back and simply abandon them in order to “rescue” (kidnap) his master’s son who showed more power, more promise than Shigaraki? 

(Will my old theory that Gigantomachia is noumufied Crimson Riot get any kind of hint more than my gut feeling?) 

The end of the battle has to be getting closer… probably? Either way -

We have a real chance to see some long-standing theories get thrown a bone: 

Dabi and Endeavor and Shouto are on a collision course so we may see some Dabi is a Todoroki theory finally get confirmation. 

Gigantomachia is on his way to “Master” and could be about to blow open the Dad for One theory with some blatant hints/foreshadowing/just saying it. (Or he might be literally on his way to Master, make a 90 degree turn and ram into Tartarus while all the heroes are busy which boy wouldn’t that be out of the blue?)

No matter what happens the heroes and possibly Hero Commission are going to want to know what the deal is with Izuku, his quirk, and why Shigaraki targeted him. The Hero Society is going to have so much clean up and explaining to do. There is likely going to be another major tonal shift in the world of MHA. 

But even if we only just see Gigantomachia’s loyalties come into question, if Shigaraki’s place as AfO’s successor isn’t as solid as before because he is weakened, we will have a lot to explore there as well.

[queenlucythevaliant]

I take a kind of pick-and-choose approach to Lewis’s timeline, which really only kind of makes sense. Like, it’s very obviously an effort on Lewis’s part to go back and impose some logic and consistency on a series that he planned and executed on the fly. Parts of it work, but by and large there are more questions than answers (Did Swanwhite live before the White Witch or long after? Are we really supposed to buy that the Professor is only in his fifties during LWW, despite how he’s described as having white hair? Did all the humans in Archenland and Calormen really come entirely from Frank’s line? Why does the series happen on such a compressed timescale? Etc. etc.) Therefore, I go with the impression of the Golden Age that we get in LWW: “Long and happy was their reign.” In other words, it was a lot more than fifteen years. With that in mind, have some headcanons:

Lune and his wife (prior to her death) became mentors to the Pevensies soon after diplomatic relations with Archenland were re-established. The Pevensies (Susan especially) loved and mentored Corin after his mother’s death. After the events of HHB, they adopted Cor and Aravis too.

We know that Lucy and Aravis liked each other at once. They really do have quite a lot in common: a blend of stubbornness, loyalty, and kindness, quarrelsome at times, but as true as steal, interested in warfare and other traditionally masculine pursuits, but tempered with a strong dose of femininity. Lucy became a sort of big sister to Aravis and she absolutely loved it. After having been the youngest all her life, she loved getting to advise another girl on the precipice of womanhood, pass on clothes and secrets, and just generally dote. Aravis, for her part, missed having an older sibling (we know how she loved her brother) and latched on to Lucy at once.

Because she had no family of her own in Narnia/Archenland, all four Pevensies (and Hwin) stood for Aravis at her wedding to Cor. Peter did the Narnian equivalent of giving her away.

We know that the Narnian navy was greatly expanded and had its heyday during the Golden Age. Peter, head of the military, and Lucy, noted lover of the ocean, were the impetus for the project, but Susan and Edmund ended up managing most of the logistics. Peter and Lucy frequently came to Susan and Edmund with new ideas and plans for the navy only to be shot down for reasons of practicality. This dynamic ended up leading to one of the biggest arguments the four kings and queens ever had. Just, absolutely legendary. Lucy and Edmund good-naturedly poked at each other about it while on board the Dawn Treader many years later.

Sometimes, Aslan would appear in Narnia many times over the course of a year. Other times, he would be absent for several years at a time. Once, more than a decade passed where none of the siblings saw Aslan. The Kings and Queens remained steadfast and faithful during his absences, but this was far more difficult than anyone but their closest friends realized.

When Aslan returned after one such long absence, Lucy was the first to see him. She ran to him and, rather than embracing him, punched and hit and kicked him until her strength left her, then broke down weeping. Aslan remained still and silent and let her do it.

Another time, Peter tried to extract a promise that Aslan would return within the year as he was leaving. Aslan made no promise, but did say that he would return soon.

Edmund kept a very detailed calendar of all of Aslan’s comings and goings. After the Pevensies vanished, it was considered a very important artifact and ended up in the treasure chamber.

As the years passed, Narnia’s holdings in the north and west expanded under Peter’s hand. Peter didn’t particularly enjoy battle and conquest (though he excelled at it), but he loved going to explore, survey, and map new regions. It was one of his favorite parts of the job.

Susan was engaged a few different times throughout her twenties, but it fell through each time for one reason or another. She began wanting children in her thirties, however, so she threw all her energy into establishing a royal orphanage. Cor consulted heavily throughout the process.

Susan became very close with many of the children who lived in the orphanage, and many of them went on to serve the crown in positions of honor and responsibility. Some of them took to calling her the Queen-Mother.

Edmund worked hard curating a Narnian library throughout his reign as something of a passion project. It contained everything from historical records and legal precedent to Narnian folklore and fiction to Calormene poetry. On the first anniversary of the Battle of Beruna, Tumnus gave him a rare volume for the library out of his own collection. Every year after on that anniversary, Edmund received another volume from the faun. On the twentieth anniversary of the battle, Tumnus surprised him by conspiring with Lucy to plan a series of branch libraries to be built in other parts of the kingdom. Edmund almost wept.

Lucy was knighted a little prior to the events of HHB for courage in battle and throughout the rest of her reign worked to build a small female knightly order. In the last battle that Lucy fought in during her reign, she fielded an entire column of her own female archers and a line of knights on the field. Female warriors in Narnia would remain a minority, but Lucy’s knightly order persisted after her reign ended, and “the Valiant Queen” was always its official head.

Peter began to find a few gray hairs in his late twenties (high kingship is a high-stress job), but didn’t start to significantly gray until his mid-late thirties. By the time he hit fifty, he looked like a second-term president. His smile lines went deep, though. He still laughed as loudly as ever.

On a related note, Peter’s fiftieth birthday was just a massively big event. There was an enormous days long feast at the Cair, and smaller parties all across the country. The Lone Islands had a parade. Susan was in hostess mode for a month. Edmund was quietly bemused by the whole thing. Peter himself dutifully put up with it, but would have preferred a much smaller affair. 

As Susan’s hair started graying, she debated cutting it a number of times, but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. She just loved having floor-length hair, how it felt swishing around her loose, all the ways she could elaborately braid it. She finally cut it to hip length when she was in her forties and kept it there throughout the rest of her time in Narnia.

We know that Mr. Tumnus was middle-aged when the Pevensies left Narnia (and there’s reason to believe that fauns live a rather long time), but they did outlive the Beavers. Mrs. Beaver went first, and Mr. Beaver not long after. Mrs. Beaver died of an illness, during which Susan scarcely left her side at all.  

Peter had Mr. Beaver buried with one of his best swords and the Narnian standard.

Edmund’s health suffered a little bit in his later years and he rode into battle less often than Peter and Lucy did. He had on and off periods of mild-to-moderate poor health that Lucy always wanted to treat with her cordial. Edmund only ever accepted it once.

None of the Pevensies ever married. Each had their own reasons, but looking back after Narnia they could see that Aslan was protecting their hearts. None of them had a family to leave behind when they finally left Narnia. They did, however, jointly appoint a successor—a Son of Adam/Daughter of Eve to take after the throne after the last one of them died. Thus, Narnia was politically stable after they vanished.

They were in their late fifties and early sixties when they left Narnia, having reigned almost fifty years.  

When Mr. Tumnus pictured his kings and queens in the years after they vanished, he did not picture the little girl he met at Lantern Waste or the four children who were crowned after the Battle of Beruna. No, he pictured four great men and women, creased and lined from decades of wise leadership, joy and laughter and tears.

[queenangst]

*sitting in front of a fic hoard* i would love some ff.net merlin recs

i’m copying this list from recs on discord, so i won’t be formatting it the same way i usually do. i’m really sorry, but there’s a lot of fic and i don’t have time. there may also be re-recs on account of cross-posting.

this list is focused on gen merlin fic, particularly whump or angst. i did toss in some general fic recs in there too.

Two Days

Post 5.13. Somehow, even without a clear view of his face, Arthur can tell Merlin's smiling. It seems like Merlin's always smiling, these days.

Fisticuffs 

When Agravaine interrogates Merlin about Emrys, he did not expect his anger to get the better of him. Nor did he anticipate Sir Percival seeing, a severely broken jaw, or an extremely unimpressed king. No slash.

Rules of Proprietary 

A young visiting princess could use a lesson in humanity. Perhaps it is the cruel streak of Merlin and Arthur’s destiny that dictates she learn it at their expense.

Healing Spells 

After revealing his magic to Arthur due to life-threatening circumstances, Merlin decides it's time he learned to heal. With Gaius off dealing with an illness in the outer villages, Merlin is left to his own methods, bearing some rather costly outcomes.

On Matters of Trust 

When Camelot faces attack by a powerful sorcerer-king, Arthur must seek the only one who can save the kingdom. Unfortunately, Emrys doesn't want to be found. Set between seasons 2 and 3.

Through the White 

In which Arthur learns rather surprising truths, Hunith pays a visit to Camelot, a witch makes a prophecy and Merlin is caught in a conflicting choice. No Slash. Gratuitous Merlin! Whump/ Bromance.

Master of Two Servants 

Morgana's plan didn't go quite right when Arthur arrived to rescue his servant. But what is a king supposed to do when he knows his most trusted friend has been cursed to kill him?

I'll Fight for You 

'But he found out just that when the king's fingers curled into a hard stone, his knuckles whitened from being clenched so tightly, fist raising beside his own head and pulling back. And before anyone's minds could catch up, the damage was already done. Because the next minute left Merlin lying curled up on the floor...' Set S2. No slash. Protective!Arthur. Hurt!Merlin.

Worse Things 

"Merlin had to dig his fingernails into his hands 'till they bled in order to drag his mind out of the forests of Longstead and back into Camelot. It was just like the Lamia all over again." Gen, friendship. Tag to 4x08.

Breathe 

Merlin saves the day - yet again - when he manages to get an injured Arthur and knights to safety. But Merlin's troubles are far from over when an investigation into what had happened to the king and knights leaves him in a bad way, and now it's Arthur and Gwaine's turn to be there for him. Gen, friendship.

Crossing the Line 

Merlin was no stranger to being tormented by the knights of Camelot, but when one ups the ante he finds that while not all of them know where to draw the line, at least some will come to his aid when it is crossed. Set during S2.

Alright, Fine, and Other Words of Wellness

"He's taken a heavy blow to the head… He should be fine, sire, but there's no telling when he'll regain consciousness." Merlin was always alright, but this time he wasn't. In the end, the prophecy will be fulfilled, one way or another. It never said by whom. They are two sides of the same coin, after all. AU ending to 5x04 Another's Sorrow.

Beyond Recall

After a terrible accident, Merlin is left with no memory of his time in Camelot. Separated from Arthur and all who could tell him who he is, Merlin tries to piece together his life and his loyalties. But loyalties can be influenced; lives can take very different paths to the ones they were destined for. And a lost sorcerer is a very powerful and useful weapon to have.

Taking Care of Merlin

A series of one-shots/drabbles about sick, badly injured, and/or hurt Merlin. Despite all that, he always seemed to have Arthur to help him out. [No slash, just lots and lots of bromance.]

Grave Knowledge

In which Arthur learns to tell when Merlin is dying. Like anything else about the warlock, this is not as straightforward as it seems. Why does ARTHUR see the light when MERLIN is dying?

Ring of Ice 

Merlin is immediately suspicious of a visiting noble- little does he know the man also has eyes on the servant.

[dianaburnwood]

Power, Corruption, and Ethics in HITMAN 3

Why HITMAN: World of Assassination is about the war you never win. 

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and decided to deep dive into these themes that are overarching throughout the WoA trilogy, but really come to the forefront in HITMAN 3 and the conclusions it draws about the nature of the world.

Unlike a lot of AAA games, HITMAN takes a firm political stance. While there are plenty of games that can be described as obviously political in the themes they explore, developers tend to shy away from that label, avoiding scrutiny, and avoiding commitment to a side. 

“Neutrality is a side. It’s the side of the status quo.” 

HITMAN WoA is unapologetically political. Yet, in HITMAN and HITMAN 2, this obvious corruption, the world that has been shaped by money, power, and assassination, is largely in the background. Why? Because it IS in the background for 47. He doesn’t trouble himself with morality, politics, or manoeuvring through the murky grey of people he’s killed versus the people that have paid for it. “I know you don’t care about politics, 47.” 

By the time he meets Grey in HITMAN 2, that has to change. It’s forced to change. And, it starts out personal. 47 and Grey had made a pact, and 47 is a man of his word. Take down Providence? Sure thing, bro. They did this to us. 

But, interestingly, in HITMAN 3, it’s no longer about that bleak individualism. The partners are dead, but the story is not over. Because Providence itself is not even the real problem. Instead, it’s the power structures that allow it to exist. Diana knows this, and by the end of the game, 47 knows it too. Taking down the partners - even taking down Providence - it’s not enough. There’s work still to be done. Otherwise, the cycle continues. 

Edwards represents this corruption so well. He’s not a rich man. He didn’t come from money, or prestige. He, in a way, has always been controlled. And he believed in the meritocracy. That his loyalty would be rewarded. That he would be seen. 

And he wasn’t. 

So, he took that power he craved. And he truly can’t fathom why anyone else wouldn’t. When 47 finally comes for him, Edwards can’t believe that Diana would not be tempted by power. He says, “This is not how people work.” And in a lot of ways, he’s right. Power corrupts. 

He’s also right that taking him out doesn’t change anything. The world will continue to turn - new CEOs, same old corruption. Power never dies, it only changes hands. Grey wanted to take out the partners, but they were just replaced by Edwards, who would have been replaced by Yates, but who was then replaced by Diana - where does the cycle of power end? 

This is where we see Diana finally reject the individualism that has run her life. She has her own moral code and sense of justice, but as Vidal points out, she’s a hypocrite too. She has operated within the constraints of a broken, corrupt world of assassination, and she has not questioned it. 

And so, Diana dismantles Providence. And not like she did with the Franchise or the ICA, which were about a personal need. Dismantling Providence is about far more than a final revenge for her parents, or for what they did to 47. It’s about what Providence is to the world. A world which allowed for the creation, coercion, and control of these kingmakers. And yet, Providence is not the convenient baddie here. They are ALL as bad as each other. 

In Mendoza, this is brought to light the most. We learn that taking out Rico Delgado has had a destabilising effect on the entire region, yet Yates’ winery irrigation through re-routing water via a dam is causing huge damage to the local environment. The ICA is gone, and one party guest wonders where he’s going to get a “service provider” for his problems now. Another guest tells him to “ask for Stone” - another ICA agent who has presumably gone freelance. 

When Vidal questions Diana about 47′s trust in her, in his belief that her orders are the right ones, Diana responds, “it’s no more than what any soldier does.” Someone will always be that “executive decision-maker” - from kings, governments, and dictators across the world. Even Grey, attempting to fight the power, meant making deals with different kinds of monsters. 

So, is that your only choice? Decide what the lesser evil is? Yet, this is not your simple tale of good versus evil. Every single character involved in this is deeply fucked. 

But we finally see that Diana and 47 are not going back, blindly, like they used to. They’re not going to “win the day”, pat themselves on the back for dismantling Providence, and then wilfully close their eyes and ears again to the power that takes its place. Instead, the game recognises the work that must be done. “There will always be people like them. So, there will always be people like us.”

That’s not to say that Diana and 47 are shining examples of righteousness. Can you take the law into your own hands and not be considered corrupt? What is the line between vigilantism and villainy? Their solution is to kill more people. And they decide who the right people are to kill. 

Is that how you make up for the past? Can you? Ever? One year later, “the pact is done” - at last, Grey and 47′s pact has been fulfilled. But the work isn’t over. The world is still broken.

And that’s what I love about this trilogy, but H3 in particular. The game openly asks you, what is your responsibility to other people? Try to be whole. Try to do the right thing. You will never win, because it will never end. But you have to try. Otherwise, you allow the world to continue as it is. You are complicit. Burke’s quote of “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” is really the essence of what Grey was trying to get at, and yet - for him that evil was subjective. It was about getting what he needed, it was about confronting his past, and, for him, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. But the world of Hitman is not black and white, and I applaud it for that. Grey wasn’t even sure what he would do after finally taking down the partners. For him, that was the end of the road.

Edwards tells 47 that freedom from choice is still freedom. Vidal firmly believes that people think they want freedom, but really, they want to be controlled. And isn’t it easier to be free from choice? Isn’t it easier to not think? To look away, and distract yourself with things rather than do the hard work of real self-examination, real reflection? Isn’t it easier to tell yourself the horrors you see in the world around you are just how the world works, rather than trying to change the status quo? 

But if power never dies, then whose hands does it rightfully belong in? Is free will a burden? Do people need to be controlled? What if they ask for it? Beg for it? What if they believe they can’t function on their own? 

What does it mean to be kind? 

What does it mean to be free? 

H3 asks the player so much more than it needed to, and I really admire it for that. 

The political apathy of 47 is truly challenged in H2, and eradicated by the end of H3. And I’d argue it challenges the player to do the same. The old revenge story is not relevant here. This isn’t about “getting back” at Providence or the partners anymore - and it would have been easy to end the story there, or at least, keep it as the focus. Instead, HITMAN 3 goes way past that, and asks the player, what can you do to fix the world? And, can it ever be fixed? 

[princessmadafu]

American Thinker

I came across this remarkably prescient article by Deborah C Tyler from Jan 2020. It’s a couple of pages long but well worth a read. Ms Tyler sums up what most of us feel about Her Markleness and her appalling behaviour.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/01/the_windsors_blackmailed_by_their_daughterinlaw.html

The Windsors Blackmailed by their Daughter-in-Law

Deborah C. Tyler

Over the last one hundred years, the British Royal Family has generously provided the world with a parade of scandals more colorful and louder than the socks they wear with their kilts.  But the Meghan and Harry rupture is fundamentally different from any previous crisis to befall the British monarchy.  Prior to now, royal scandals have been cut from the same petticoats as any other public ignominies — i.e., the chin-wagging that follows uncovering some form of immoral conduct.  All the throngs of poorly hidden mistresses, caddish boyfriends, toe-sucking on yachts, assignations in the deer park while the horses wait patiently, even consorting with extremes of evildoing, such as found in the company of the late J. Epstein, arose from ordinary human weakness set against an extraordinary backdrop.  They have constituted straightforward disgraces that can unfold only among people with a shared religious heritage and moral code.

Those days are gone.

The roadside bomb in the royal family named Meghan Markle exploded not because of immoral conduct in the conventional sense.  Markle is the first duchess who hails from the American left-wing, post-Christian, anti-moral belief system that worships the journey of self-directed personal actualization.  Her justification after only a few months of marriage for urging hubby away from his family?  "It is not enough to survive, you have to thrive."  Apparently, Harry's fulfilling his role as prince prevents her thriving.  For Meghan, thriving entails doing what you want, no matter if it hurts others or depreciates the generosity that has been heaped upon you.

Meghan Markle's psychology is affected by well managed narcissistic rage.  Narcissists seek power in relationships as a substitute for the terrifying experience of offering self-sacrificing love.  Markle has two sources of power over the royal family and the millions of people who love them.  She has the ordinary power of a disgruntled daughter-in-law to hurt her in-laws by controlling access to their brother, son, and grandchildren.  She also has the extraordinary power to blackmail the royal family with the indictment of racism!  It is widely reported that Markle has been acceding to the idea that she has been mistreated due to racism and that the royals fear being called racist in a "tell-all" interview.

The melodramatic flight of Meghan and Harry is being compared to the shattering abdication of King Edward VIII in 1937.  The two cases bear no resemblance.  King Edward VIII faced a moral dilemma that arose from a conflict with a religiously based code of behavior.  He wanted to marry his mistress.  That was not acceptable to the royal family and the Church of England, so he chose to abdicate, and that was the end of it.  Meghan Markle moves in a world where "organized" religion (the kind that comes with a moral code at no extra charge) is disrespected.  Markle may spend a Christianish day at a baptism, but she is not guided by the teachings of any church, save perhaps the church of Oprah, whose liturgy is "What works for me?"

Meghan has followed the career of all power-seeking, disruptive daughters-in-law.  She could have begun her campaign of alienating her husband from his family with vague and irremediable complaints about her dissatisfactions as soon as she joined the Firm.  "They don't respect you.  They don't appreciate me."  Wobbly Prince Harry is only too happy to be led away from his family.

Meghan and Harry possess a potent psychobiological weapon: the cry of racism. Harry drops hints of the dread allegation.  Meghan, just as she has no loyalty to her own family, discreetly ignores that ludicrous speculation against the family she chose to join.  Markle is the kind of self-promoter who frames her stratospheric privilege and luxuries into a stand upon conscience, proclaiming she will not live in the U.S. while the current president is in office.  Much noise, no sacrifice.

Meghan carries narcissistic rage against the father she perceives abandoned her and against her family of origin, whom she seems to despise.  Harry carries the abiding trauma of helplessness to protect his mother.  Meghan married an enormously rich global celebrity who is a vulnerable, emotionally unstable man, who, despite the tragic history, lived a highly protected life and whom she could control.  Harry married the opposite of his mother: an older, divorced, hardened TV actress — How brave she is,  overcoming all she has suffered! — who he unconsciously senses can protect herself, thereby saving him from re-experiencing traumatic helplessness.  Thus, her weaponization against his family works psychologically for them both.  But not as well for Harry.

Meghan is an actress, part of a business that virtually requires self-serving narcissism.  Harry was not expected to develop a career independent of his royal duties.  Furthermore, he appears to be a "serve or suffer" person like his mother.  He draws energy from directly serving others.  It is sad to see a prince shilling for his wife to Disney.  It is said that when two people marry they become as one.  Harry may not know it, but that one is Meghan.

It has been said that Harry is "stepping away" from royal duties because he has PTSD and is protecting his family from the tragedy that befell his mother.  If so, there would have been no need for the couple to behave badly.  Harry may discover that a fear-driven life is a thwarted existence.  They ambushed and distressed a frail 97-year-old man and his 93-year-old wife as a power tactic.  They could have quietly created another home in Canada.  They could have skipped the public self-congratulatory remarks about financial independence, as if hustling recently bestowed royal titles constitutes independence.  Meghan did not need to complain that nobody cared about her, or that the duchess gig wasn't working for her.  Above all, they did not have to promote the unjustified slander against queen and country that Meghan has been mistreated due to racism.

Meghan Markle enjoys absolute melanin immunity from criticism.  Any challenge, however gentle, is racist!  The duchess of York was publicly pulverized for her appearance for years on end, but she's white so it was OK.  A critique of Meghan's nail polish is racism!

Racism! is a justification for the elite globalist kleptocracy to loot their nation state, because that is where the money is.  The E.U. didn't fix up Frogmore "Cottage" for Meghan and Harry; the British people did.  Such super-rich transnational lifestylers cling to a patina of virtue in their lack of loyalty to homeland, because the British, like all white people, are racist!

This hoax, the rebuff of royal duties, and alienation from his royal family are being baked into Archie's life narrative.  Concerned about carbon footprints, Meghan announced that Archie will be an only child.  (Enforcing this one-child-to-jet conviction means that she will have to buy another jet if she becomes pregnant again.)  It seems that everything is being done to diminish Archie's one-in-a-billion birthright.  But  he will not be able to escape it for an hour of his life once he is old enough to know who he is.

So let's plan a glorious adolescent rebellion for Archie.  He announces to Mom and Dad, "You people are not working for me.  I am not thriving."  He finally goes home to stay.  The king restores Archie's titles and then some.  He "Etons up," plays polo, and gets the funny socks to wear with his kilt.

[calamity-bean]

Barkskins (2020)

Lately I’ve been posting some gifs and such from a new show based (loosely, my impression is) on the Annie Proulx novel of the same name. I haven’t read the novel and knew very little about the show before I started, but I thought I’d post a bit about my impressions thus far, as of episode 1.04.

So! Barkskins is a period drama set in the late 17th century in what is now Quebec, centered around a remote little French settlement called Wobik. There are multiple plot threads at work, but the initial hook driving the narrative is the suspicious massacre of another nearby settlement. This mystery wraps around the lives of the varied people competing to survive and thrive in this corner of New France.

Short and spoiler-free opinion: I'm enjoying it so far! The tone is fairly dark and gritty, always with an edge of danger and even some hints of a sort of religious/folk horror element at work (we’ll see if that comes to anything meaningful, I suppose). The cast has a lot of talent, and based on what I’ve read, there does appear to have been a serious effort to value and involve indigenous voices throughout the creative process. Moreover, it’s a historical setting that interests me, and I like some of the characters a lot. I suspect that one of the biggest dangers this show runs, giving its fairly wide scope and limited number of episodes, is that it may fail to deliver on / fully develop everything it’s hinting at or touching upon... but we’ll see.

Longer description and opinions, potentially with vague/general spoilers, under the cut.

(there is a lot of focus on trees in this show. you may not have expected that from the name.)

Anyone who follows me would be forgiven for thinking that there are only two characters in this show, because I’ve only been posting the same two over and over. Shockingly, there are, in fact, more. Prominent ones so far include:

A traumatized young girl (Lola Reid) who is apparently one of the only survivors of the aforementioned massacre, yet no one recognizes her as being one of the people at that settlement.

Rene Sel and Charles Duquet (Christian Cooke and James Bloor), indentured servants newly arrived from France.

Claude Trepagnay (David Thewlis), an eccentric but ambitious French settler, and Mari (Kaniehtiio Horn), the underappreciated Wendat woman who lives with him.

Hamish Goames and Yvon Kirkpatrick (Aneurin Barnard and Zahn McClarnon) of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who are investigating the disappearance of a colleague. Goames is British, Yvon Anishinaabe.

Melissande and Delphine (Tallulah Haddon and Lily Sullivan), filles du roi brought from France to become wives of settlers.

Mathilde Geffard (Marcia Gay Harden), a no-nonsense and very observant French innkeeper, along with other townspeople of Wobik.

As you can see, most of the lead characters are white Europeans. Given the history of this era and the premise of the show, colonialism (and the conflicts/violence thereof) is naturally a major and inescapable part of the narrative. I was unsure, going in, how the show was going to handle the portrayal of Native characters and cultures. It’s not a topic I can offer personal insight into, as I’m white and not very educated in the irl history/cultures of this setting anyway, but it is a topic I care about. So I looked online to see what better informed people had to say.

This article by The 1491s’ Migizi Pensoneau discusses his involvement with the show (including his initial skepticism) and highlights the indigenous voices who contributed to Barkskins — including writers, actors, historians, and community leaders and advisors, both in the writing room and on location. In Pensoneau’s words:

“Barkskins” is still historical fiction told for television, involving multiple stakeholders and stories, and made within the studio world. In other words, it’s not perfect. But the Native spaces and Native people depicted were handled with just as much care, time, and investment as every other aspect of the show. Instead of a Hollywood producer shorting Native representation based on profitability, we placed as much control as possible into the hands of the communities depicted. The integrity with which we approached this task tells a better story, and I’m excited for everyone to see indigenous characters and communities portrayed on television in a new way.

Steeve Gros-Louis, director of the Huron-Wendat Sandokwa dance troupe, has also spoken positively about his experience of the show’s approach to his culture. Overall, I would definitely say that the story thus far has been told primarily through the lens of colonists. But there are characters from multiple indigenous cultures of the region, two of whom are leads, and general reactions to the portrayal of these characters/cultures seem positive.

(this shot was SO sepia before i adjusted it, like i did a lot and yet it is still very sepia, fair warning that this show’s indoor scenes often suffer from a chronic case of Everything In History Was Sepia.)

Most of the lead characters are also male, though there are about five prominent women so far. (...Honestly, I’ve watched period dramas with fewer.) Among these, I think an interesting phenomenon the show’s chosen to explore is the filles du roi — young women who’ve traveled from France at the king’s expense specifically to provide wives for the overwhelmingly male population of early settlers. These young women differ in personalities and motives but all seem to be very much alone in the world, and it seems clear that they have chosen this path in hope of better opportunities but are also anxious about how their lives in this “new world” will turn out. The show is closely following the journeys of two of them in particular (ambitious Melissande and shy Delphine, both of whom have secrets), and while it is a bit tiring that women in historical fiction are so often defined by their relation to a man, I appreciate that this storyline is about the wives themselves.

Personally, my two favorite characters so far are the Company men: Goames and Yvon. Goames is very much the sort of character I’m often drawn to, in terms of his manner and apparent worldview: “the implacable sort, rigid in his thoughts and actions,” serious and decent and imo with hints of a storyline challenging his loyalty to his institution, which has in the past been the sort of storyline I very much enjoy. (I uh, would be lying if I said I wasn’t also simply... drawn to Mr. Barnard in general.) Yvon stands out for his dry snark and eloquence and for the bigotry he runs into as a Native man operating within white spheres, which casts a pall over his generally unflappable demeanor, and I have a lot of curiosity about his background. Their partnership is a highlight of the show, imo, and I’m quite interested in where their storyline will go re: their individual character arcs as well as the overall narrative. I’m also particularly fond of Mari and Delphine.

(my BOYS! this is not an actual still from the show but look at Aneurin. look at his silly pose.)

As far as the content goes, I don’t think it’s been too egregious so far, but be advised:

Primary warning is for violence. It’s not overly gory, but there is fighting, blood, bodies, etc. One act of violence I will warn for specifically: in the first episode, a group of Iroquois men are killed (offscreen), and their bodies are displayed hanged and impaled. This is clearly presented as an atrocity, and the bodies are mostly shown from a distance so that they’re small and indistinct, but there are a couple close-up shots.

Also, as I’ve mentioned, characters such as Yvon and Mari do face racist treatment/remarks from white characters.

There has been a nongraphic instance of attempted sexual assault, which was successfully rebuffed.

So... yeah! At time of writing, half the season has aired — it airs Monday evenings on Nat Geo and goes up on Hulu Tuesday afternoon, and they seem to be airing two episodes a week, which is frankly annoying, I’d rather get either a proper savor or a proper binge. The reviews I’m seeing online are mostly positive (I’ve seen at least one trot out the dreaded “It’s the next GoT!” line, which I think is inaccurate re: its tone/focus and also, like, why are people still trying to say that as though it’s a good thing), and there seems to be a small little fandom getting started here on Tumblr. (Not that I’ve really met many of y’all yet. If you’re reading this, hi!) And while Proulx’s novel covers some 300 years — it’s one of those generational sagas, I gather, following characters and their distant descendants — thus far I’ve seen no indication that the show is going to be set up that way. I recall reading something that said they’d basically taken a small part of the novel and massively expanded the characters, etc., so for now, at least, I’m going to assume the show is staying within this one slice of history.

Anyway, though. I’ll admit I’ve not been devoting 100% of my attention to any given ep, as I gotta work on other things while I watch, but so far, it’s intriguing, it’s got a number of actors and characters I like in it, and I appreciate learning that it had input from a variety of indigenous contributors. Overall, I intend to continue seeing where it goes!

[rivalsofnycupdates]

“If the devil whispers in people’s ears encouraging them to sin, who whispers to the devil?”

■ ABOUT. ■

name: Samir Sarsour age: thirty-five occupation: devil’s apprentice gender: cis-male pronouns: he/his sexuality: asexual

■ HISTORY. ■

Egyptian-American Samir Sarsour wasn’t always so wild, making claims the streets raised him. For a long time, it was just him and his mom, and life was good. His father who’d left back to Egypt when he was three years old never found his way back Stateside. And his mother, abandoned in a foreign country not her own had to get by, learning to assimilate, communicate and blend in. The little community they had found in New Jersey offered what little support they could. Though it wasn’t much, for her and Samir it was everything. They had found a home…sort of. That was until, 9/11 happened.

Suddenly the community they had found, the country they had begun to call home, and the neighbors they thought they knew weren’t so welcoming. Fear began to sew its way into the hearts of their little Arab-American community, with nonstop threats and acts of vandalism causing Samir’s mom to begin maintaining her distance. And Samir, ever the loyal Taurean bull that he was, followed suit. Though the threats extended beyond the walls of their local Mosque and followed them home, they falsely believed they were safe there. His mother out of concern for their safety, had stopped wearing the hijab or any cultural clothing, changing her appearance completely. Though her accent still carried traces of the motherland, for the most part she thought her and her sweet boy, were finally safe. Samir was all-American, a citizen of the United States without a hint of the broken English she carried. He could get by, he could blend in with his peers; if it was only that simple.

Though the color of his skin was white, he looked anything but. In the remaining years that followed in high school, Samir was bullied, pushed into lockers and beat up in the school parking lot, often left with a black eye and a busted lip. Getting called names like sand n****r and terrorist became the new norm. His locker was vandalized, backpack stolen and dumped in the trash. His peers were ruthless, and Samir knew it was only a matter of time before things escalated. The first night he’d came home bruised up, Samir placed a brave smile on for his mother like she’d always done for him. He comforted her through the fit of fearful tears she displayed at their small kitchen table, convincing her differently despite the justice she desperately wanted for her son. “Don’t worry about me, Mama.” He’d said. “If we report this, the police will look into you and you’ll get deported. Who will look after me then?” The truth, ugly as it was, left them no choice. They had to endure.

Paranoid and protective over his mother, he began to isolate himself. He kept quiet, kept his head down and mouth shut, despite the numerous attempts by the school’s administration for him to come forward. Eventually it left them no choice but for them to have him face a two-week suspension, with the only evidence of there being any trouble at all being the marks on his face. Not wanting to alarm his mother, Samir spent the next two weeks pretending to go to school as usual. But it was during that time that he began to find a new community and place to call home, with his run-ins with the Devils setting him on a different path in life. One that would ensure him and the only person he ever cared about protection, in a way the government and system couldn’t.

■ WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? ■

After facing numerous beatdowns and harassment following the 9/11 attacks, Samir turned to the Devils for the protection he needed. Learning from his mother’s will to endure, Samir knew that their chances of survival in this not so new America were dependent on it. By his senior year of high school, Samir was well on his way to becoming a member. Now aged 35, his loyalty to the Devils remains as steadfast as ever, incredibly grateful for the new lease on life.

■ KEEP THIS AWAY FROM YOUR ENEMIES. ■

Many, many years after Samir had graduated and he’d been afforded the protection and support of the Devils, Samir finally sought out the justice he hadn’t been able to obtain in his high school years. One-by-one with righteous anger as his guide, Samir with the help of a few Devils, left his tormentors for dead. Though they’d disposed of any evidence and the bodies as stealthily as possible, the individuals killed remains among missing person(s), leaving their cases still very much open. For anyone who is able to make the connection between the men missing and Samir being one common connection between them, his life, as he knows it, could very well be over.

■ CONNECTIONS. ■

■ Nyla Lucas: Nyla and Samir go way back, right to his high school days. Though he would’ve considered her an acquaintance back then, his re-connection with her through his work has made her one of his closest friends, some might even say ‘best’.

■ Miguel Fuentes: Miguel was the one who recruited Samir back in the day and gunned for him, making Miguel one of the few people Samir is incredibly loyal to, beyond even the realm of the Devils themselves. Prior to Samir’s current job, he was Miguel’s shadow learning from him anything and everything he could. It was during this time under Miguel’s tutelage that he decided to seek revenge on the one’s who’d harmed him.

■ RELATIONSHIPS. ■

■ Garrett Miller > Currently shadowing, literally and figuratively. Unless on a job or sending a message, Samir tends to follow after Garrett like a duckling. Where Garrett goes, he follows.

■ Elisabeth Duncan >  Also shadowing. Samir is nothing if not loyal with being available always to the leaders of the Devils.

■ Dallas King > A friend. Samir likes to sit next to him quietly and smile at him.

■ Isaac Abrigo > Likeable enough. Samir often lurks behind him, and watches him from a corner.

■ Domino Jackson > If the word ‘intimidating’ were a person. Samir is often giving her nervous glances and any confidence he’s gained goes right out the window around her.

Samir Sasour is an OPEN character and is portrayed by Rami Malek who’s FC IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.

[gibelwho]

Top 5: Movies with Swords

A Top 5 filled with adventure and swashbuckling - this list considers Movies with Swords. A few qualifications, the swords must be made of metal (thus disqualifying laser swords from a certain space opera fantasy) and must be central to the plot. Just because a movie has a scene with a sword fight doesn’t earn its place on the list; rather, the sword must be integral to the story, advance the plot, or play a role in the main character’s journey. Come with me to fantastical times and consider the best films that feature swords.

Gibelwho Productions Presents Movies with Swords:

5. The Mask of Zorro

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

3. The Princess Bride

2. Kill Bill: Vol. 1

Hero

The Mask of Zorro (1998): During the first training session with his adopted protege, the original Zorro, played by Anthony Hopkins, asks a scruffy Antonio Banderas who is holding a sword -  “Do you know how to use that thing?” Banderas, who is hoping to become the new Zorro, responds “The pointy end goes into the other man.” Hopkins takes a moment to internalize how far Banderas is from the swashbuckling hero with the famed prowess for fencing; indeed, the young Banderas’ showy swinging of the sword is easily lobbed away by one swift stroke of Hopkins steady and controlled blade. Luckily a few training sequences transforms Banderas into a Zorro reborn, and when Banderas emerges in the full Zorro regalia, fighting his enemies with the true form of a warrior, we are ready to exult in his fencing skills. While the fight between Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones doesn't hold up through today’s lens of gender dynamics, the overall comedy, drama, and athleticism of the action scenes all featuring sword choreography is pure fun to watch.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003): The film’s hero Will Turner is an aspiring blacksmith with a talent for making exceptionally crafted swords and the knowledge of how to use them. The opening action sequence features Orlando Bloom’s Turner and Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow sparring in the blacksmith’s workspace - a converted barn with streaks of light illuminating the open space. The sequence opens with Sparrow threatening Turner with his trusty sword, only to have the aspiring blacksmith grab one of his completed swords to parry back. They cross blades, the music matching punctuating beats with sword clashes, and Sparrow begins to analyze the form and footwork of his opponent; Turner then displays his true abilities by throwing his sword accurately and with enough strength to lock the poor Captain inside the barn. The rest of the fight features clever stunts and humorous blocking, with each party grabbing from the voluminous store of swords to spar back and forth. The fight culminates when Captain Jack Sparrow pulls out a pistol to match Turner’s sword, leading to the blacksmith’s protest of “you cheated!” to which Sparrow reminds him - “Pirate.”

The Princess Bride (1987): Not including this classic on the list?! Inconceivable! Although this film benefits from a dose of nostalgia, it truly has one of the best sword fight scenes in the history of cinema, the sparring between Mandy Patinkin and Cary Elwes. There is no villain in the scene and the viewer’s loyalties are divided between both parties; to the untrained eye, the actors are doing great work, good form and footwork, and the banter between the two men brings a levity to the fight. Elwes, with his calm and confident form, matches Patinkin’s boyish flair; and they fight with both hands, starting off left-handed and then swapping to their right - just fun and delightful! Elwes’ final sword fight is won via a battle of words, followed by a threatening pose with his sword drawn, just enough strength left before he collapses after the villain has been restrained. Patinkin, however, does finally get his revenge with the fight that made the phrase famous - “Hello. My name is Inego Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003): In college I went to a double screening of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 - shown as Quentin Tarantino intended in one installment. My inclination at the time was a preference for the second film; the first volume focused more on the action and fighting set pieces and less on the narrative, while the second gave more insight into the Bride’s character and motivations. For this list, however, the first film fits the...bill. The Bride travels to Japan to convince a retired master swordsmith to forge one more weapon so she can extract her revenge on Bill and Tarantino spends an entire scene where the master lovingly presents his work of deadly art to the Bride. She then takes his masterpiece to fight an elite group of fighters known as the Crazy 88 in an outrageous and fantastic fight scene. Uma Thurman, clad in her famous yellow tracksuit, methodically takes out various groups of fighters and Tarantino employs different cinematic techniques to highlight the different groups, including in black and white, as silhouette against a blue background, wire work fighting on a bannister, and an epic final battle in the snow. In each segment, Tarantino focuses on the sword as a beloved weapon, having his fighters pose menacingly with swords drawn, closeups framing their face next to a raised hilt. While it would actually be impossible for one woman with a single blade to defeat the overwhelming numbers of the clan, Tarantino puts in enough quick cuts, whip and clang sound effects, wildly spurting blood makeup, and shots of Uma swinging her sword dramatically to give the scene thrills. Tarantino’s reverence for the Japanese sword and Uma’s convincing pose while wielding her Hattori Hanzo ranks this flick so high on the list.

Hero (2002): This tale, fashioned in the style of Rashomon, is framed around an assassin who has infiltrated the king’s palace with intent to kill, but who has a conversation with the man first, almost as a form of psychological warfare. The stories they tell are used as set pieces for the sword fighting that is highlighted in the film and each scene is a creative masterpiece in filmmaking - combining choreography, set design, costumes, editing, and color pallet to achieve striking sequences. There are too many incredible segments to highlight here, (each scene deserves individual analysis), but let us choose just one to discuss. In a flashback sequence, two assassins are shown fighting their way into the guarded palace, their intensity just plowing down the opposing army, swinging their swords with swift and relentless fury; they are clad in green robes that are in stark contrast to the black and white uniforms of the mass guards they are pushing through. When one assassin reaches the interior palace, bedecked with flowing green decorative fabric, and faces the king himself in combat, the intricate choreography begins. Each set piece is unique, but all employ the use of wire work, enabling the actors to soar, spin, and strike while in motion through the air, almost like a deadly dance. The flowing robes also add a lyrical quality to the fighting, yet there is a relentless ferocity that shows the actor’s skill in actual combat, proven by the use of long takes that pause long enough for the view to actually absorb the intense moves. As much as there are dreamlike sequences with fantastical movements, there are also really intentional clashes of blades that convey the weight and intensity of the combatants. In the end, the calligraphy of the character for the word ‘sword’ sparks the king’s final poetic speech that appeals to the assassins true understanding of an ideal warrior - which is the desire to not kill. The assassin makes his final choice and, with a shot of his sword clanging to the floor, paves the way for a united China.

Honorable Mentions:

Hook (1991): An extension of the Peter Pan story, this film tells the tale of a Peter who has grown up and forgotten his past self, who must re-discover his inner child and save his own kids from the nefarious Captain Hook. When a reluctant Peter has returned to Neverland and incites an imaginary food fight, he finally reclaims the mantle of Peter Pan when one of the Lost Boys presents him his old sword - lifting it up into the air in triumph cements his transformation back to his true self. He then takes that sword and rallies the Lost Boys to fight the pirates and rescue his children, going sword to hook with the Captain himself.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993): Another Mel Brooks classic starring Cary Elwes, this time as Robin Hood in a parody of the gang in Sherwood Forest. The ultimate fight between the Sheriff of Rottingham and Robin of Loxley is high in a tower in front of the locked up (in more ways than one) Maid Marian - and the fight is a microcosm of this roaring flick - the Sheriff is outrageously evil, Robin engages in cool banter delivered with witty charm, and Marion is over the top with her nasally simpering.  Another highlight of the fight is Robin’s blind companion Blinkin having a daring sword fight with a statue. Also, Patrick Stewart makes an appearance at the end as King John, with the full knight regalia that includes an awesome broad sword that he uses to bestow the Knighthood upon Robin of Loxley!

Mulan (1998): The Disney telling of the Chinese tale of a woman taking the place of her father in the army to fight the Huns was always a favorite of mine. As a child of the Nineties, it reinforced the girl power message, had awesome music, and great action. The sword plays a pivotal role at the beginning of the movie, symbolizing Mulan’s decision to abandon her traditional role in the family, save her father, and begin her journey to discover her true self. In the middle of a stormy night, Mulan draws her father’s sword, a determined face reflected in the steel, and cuts cleanly through her long hair to begin her transformation. It is a powerful moment of sacrifice for her family, as well as slicing off her old identity, one that didn’t quite fit her perfectly, and she leaves in the night to protect her family and China.

The Three Musketeers (1993): Another Disney film on the list, this time a live action adaptation of Alexander Dumas’ famous novel, one that prioritizes campy dialogue, fun action sequences, and power ballads over substance. But dang, when all four (spoiler alert) of those Musketeers are facing a collection of opponents, with their fancy blue cloaks and drawing their swords in unison, it’s just so fun! The swords here are some of most beautifully designed, with elaborate silver hilts that come with the prestige of the position being in the king’s guard. There is plenty of fencing in the film, among the musketeers themselves, between the evil cardinal’s guard, and the villainous Rochefort - and the climax of the film finds just the valiant three Musketeers facing a cadre of red clocked villains, when their fellow Musketeers, who had been disbanded by the evil cardinal, reveal themselves to stand aside them in battle. When in victory, the men hold their swords high, crossed together to show their unity (while the power ballad soars) - All for One and One for All!

Upcoming

Mulan (2020): Disney has been getting around to re-making all of their animated classics, with Mulan next up on the list. This re-make, however, is not solely based on the film from the late Nineties, although one can hear melodies from the score in the new film’s trailer, but the filmmakers have gone back to the original epic poem that inspired the animated tale. While that means an excise of Mushu (most likely for the better), it may also mean more of a focus on Fa Mulan’s journey and her fighting prowess. In the trailer, the Huns are seen galloping toward a town, doublefisting a sword and a curved scythe in their hands, overwhelmingly a dangerous threat. To face the enemy, China puts forth a call for warriors from each family, but Mulan’s family has only daughters to offer; their father takes up his sword, but knows he is incapable of carrying out his duty. Late at night, Mulan takes down the same sword, emblazoned with the characters for loyal, brave and true, and shows some skill with the blade as she makes her choice. It seems that in both the animated film and this live action re-telling, the sword plays a crucial role in Mulan’s decision to fight for her family in her father’s place. The trailer does show some glimpses of action sequences, with the sword as Mulan’s weapon of choice. Although with the release date now delayed by the spreading coronavirus, I am excited to see this film’s modern portrayal of Mulan taking up her true power and identify, with her steel by her side.