#the last 2 episodes had me absolutely bawling

[cuttyflammm]

I’m not okay, by the way

[zutarasbuff]

I watched the Netflix adaptation of ATLA today and being a hardcore fan of the OG series who knows every nook and cranny of the ATLA world, here’s my unbiased and truly honest review (It contains both the negatives and positives of the series, so dear reader please enter to read at your own risk).

Firstly, let’s talk about the wonderful additions to the already magical world of ATLA.

1. The depth of the genocide

Well, I always wanted to know how the air nomads were suddenly wiped out and how it would have been for them? Why didn’t they resist? I got my answers in the first episode where we explore how the unhinged power of the comet was “actually” used to create a genocide on a massive level. Before that, I had only heard about it in the OG series. Those few scenes were so powerful that they had left me sobbing uncontrollably and Gyatso’s concern regarding Aang had me bawling.

2. Suki’s Characterization

In the OG series, we do find our Suki the fiercest warrior, but here in the live action, she’s an absolute goddess. She is perfect in every sense. She understands the responsibilities she has being a non-bender and is fearless. Her character is what I believe to be was the strongest one of all.

3. Graphics & Music

We never talk about a film by M.Night (that didn’t happen), but this one is really a visual treat for you can readily set yourself up for some mind-blowing bending scenes, plus the fight scenes are quite impressive. It seems that the VFX team had really done their homework this time. Plus, both Momo and Appa are so freaking cute. I loved the fluffy Appa. Good work over there. The revival of the OG theme is also a highlight plus the sun warriors’ chanting in the end is given a new but intriguing twist. The background music especially in scenes where Aang unravels his Avatar powers is mystical in every aspect.

4. Life in motion

I don’t know about others, but I have always been a sucker for animation as well as live-action where characters are operating even in the direst of the circumstances. Life is there and even after they know what happened a hundred years ago, they are still trying to believe and regain their past confidence. This is beautifully portrayed and I was very much impressed by the way people are continuing their day-to-day activities even in the middle of a crisis.

Overall, the series serves the purpose of an adaptation carrying its unique colors (at least better than the previous live-action disaster that didn’t happen).

Now let’s move to the bad side, and when I say it’s honestly what I felt, you need to take my word on it being a hardcore Atla fan.

1. Weak writing & lots of exposition

ATLA remains at a 9.2 IMDB rating even after years because of its writing, strong plot, and very few plot holes. This time, the writers are the real amateur ones. Despite adding more to the already flourishing universe of ATLA, sadly, they killed the quest of the viewer to find answers. There is too much exposition. It seems that every character just wants to see the end of the war and keeps on revealing things after things. Plus, some of the OG moments that were the soul of the series are not even included. The way Aang finds Momo and then decides to keep it with him as a last remnant of their bygone air nomad civilization is nowhere to be found. In fact, the replacement of Roku with Kyoshi is the biggest disappointment. I love Kyoshi like no one else but that was unnecessary as per the cycle.

2. Bland acting

Even the worst writing shots can be digested only if the acting appears real good. Sadly, this is another issue that I found with the NETFLIXED version. No doubt the characters must have done a lot of hard work for this, yet, they lack the expressive power. Gordon as Aang is super cute but the goofiness is not even there. Katara seems a nerd who doesn’t like to talk much even when it’s necessary and Sokka’s jokes are forced. Meanwhile, Dallas seems to save the day at one point, but again his over-the-top angry young man attitude ruins it for me. Maybe the actors will learn from the criticism in the upcoming season (if Netflix plans to go with it).

3. Major changes

Yes, it’s okay to change the narrative while you are working on an adaptation, but targeting the loyal viewers who are OG fans of ATLA means that you have to be very careful when you are trying to implement your changes in scenes that are the real soul of the OG. You can’t change the Omashu myth as if it’s nothing when we actually see even the cute animated version of the folklore. You cannot portray Roku more as a perpetrator of the genocide and Bumi as the evil king when in truth he’s the mad king who’s known for his genius ways of teaching. I hated that. Plus, reducing Zhao’s authority and taking Uncle Iroh’s sarcastic attitude is just meh. Mai again doesn’t even seem perfect as a cast. Jet is good as far as the aesthetics are concerned but Jet being in Omashu doesn’t even sit right with me. The amalgamation of multiple storylines creates so much confusion and this persists till the end.

4. Bending at convenience

We all know how Katara’s bending progressed throughout the first season and it’s little effort each day. However, in series, one day she’s unable to bend even a droplet of water and the next day she is capable of producing ice crystals. This was unacceptable for me because I was anticipating her learning strategies. Besides, Aang doesn’t learn much water bending throughout this season and in the end, it’s him being the savior in Avatar state. Thoughtless bending sucks despite the great VFX and that’s one thing at which you can’t convince me otherwise.

5. Forced friendships

We all know how it took some time for Sokka to embrace Aang as a chum. However, here Sokka keeps on calling him “the kid” and remains mostly alienated from Aang. Talking to Katara, then she also seems more interested in helping Avatar fulfill his goal than being with a friend. I hated the scene where Aang comes into the Avatar state and instead of hugging him just like in the OG series, Katara runs along Sokka and keeps on calling his name. How is that going to build any organic friendship? I think the first mistake began right from the very moment when Aang was taken back to Wolf Cove on a boat in his unconscious state. Upon opening his eyes, the first person he finds near him is neither Katara nor Sokka but a tribesman who’s playing guessing games. Writers were really high when they wrote that.

6. Lack of the four nations’ biodiversity

Maybe in live action, it’s difficult to create all the marvels of the four nations when we talk about their natural biodiversity. In the OG series, it is indicated by Aang that even after 112 years, he has still not forgotten the animals that define different regions in the four kingdoms and that’s exactly why he wants to finish those “important tasks” alongside saving the world. His important tasks included keeping a check on the natural biodiversity of the lands and exploring whether the Hundred Years’ War had not damaged the majestic animals. Actually, his first dialogue right after regaining consciousness is to go for an otter penguin’s ride with Katara. When I thought about that I felt that somewhere in Aang’s mind he was always connected to nature and that’s why he wanted to regain that connection by being an avatar. Sadly we never see much of the biodiversity but I hoped that maybe they will.

Also, how come Aang had that silent whistle for one hundred years when in the series he only discovers that accidentally? I missed the OG Yip Yip for our Appa. There are lots and lots of problems with the Netflix version, and no I am not being a nitpicker. I appreciate how the current creators credited the original ones, but now I know why Bryan and Michael bade farewell to this project. On a scale of 10, it’s a 4 for me or 4.5 if I am being too generous.

If I am asked to review the live action in a single line, I would only say this:

“The Netflixed ATLA makes you go back to the OG series and you end up watching the animation to give your mind a much-needed respite from a carefully crafted artistic disaster aimed at the sensationalized generation.”

[armageddon-generation]

The Bear Season 3 is a bridge season that feels weird on purpose, but also has some big problems: A review/ramble

Season 3 is clearly a bridge season, and suffers from having been written & shot alongside season 4. As a result, unlike the seasons 1 & 2, it doesn’t feel like a distinctive or complete chapter of the restaurant’s life. Just half of one.

This is partly because there’s no ‘end-goal’ like in S2, or clear progression/visible improvement to the restaraunt like in S1. Season 3 is about stagnation. Most of its storylines are left unresolved- the review, Sydney’s job offer, Tiff & Frank’s wedding, Marcus being inspired by his mother’s death, Tina and the dying farmer’s market, Carmy’s conflicts with both Claire and Ritchie. All these threads will roll into Season 4, and Season 3 suffers from that.

PACING, FLASHBACKS AND TONE: FORM REFLECTING FUNCTION

HOWEVER. This being a ‘bridge’, character-focused season isn’t inherently bad. Individual episodes of The Bear still tear when they want to. Episodes 1, 2, & 3 are a very strong setup for the season and establish good momentum. Episodes 6 & 8 are fantastic character pieces, and 8 in particular made me bawl. Even the finale, though bogged down by masturbatory celebrity chef cameos, was a strong episode.

The problem is all the stuff in-between. The actual day-to-day running of the restaurant feels hollow and empty now. There’s a distance between the characters and it feels like they don’t interact as a group anywhere near as much.

Part of this is absolutely deliberate. People joke about S3 'method acting' its way into bad reviews to reflect the restaraunt, but losing steam and the connections between characters is genuinely a formal reflection of the kitchen crew's moods, as the day-to-day grind of running the restaurant wears them down.

The use of flashbacks in 3x1 is excellent, but Season 3 quickly becomes way over-reliant on them (episode 9 especially, oh my god). Again, this feels like a conscious choice to reflect Carmy’s state of inertia/the fact he’s perpetually trapped in the past. It makes sense, but that doesn’t give the show a pass for being boring, and 3x9 was the first time I’ve ever felt genuinely bored by this show.  

FUCK THE FAKS & NEGLECTING POC CHARACTERS

My other problems are much more clearly the fault of the show; I do not give a flying fuck about the Faks. Neil is cute in small doses. The brothers are great as soundboards for other characters; Theo getting Sweeps to talk about his backstory in baseball, the brothers comforting Donna at the end of 3x8 Ice Chips, or the haunting argument finally forcing Carmy to talk about Claire.

But on their own? When they’re just bouncing off each-other? These guys aren't half as funny as the show seems to think they are. And their scenes drag on so long. For example, the B-plot of 3x5 Computer wastes half of an otherwise strong episode with pointless fucking around, propped up by a pointless celebrity cameo. I do not Give. A. Fuck about haunting, Mr. Cena, why the fuck are you here.

The aggravating time-wasting is made worse by The Bear continuing to neglect and underuse its POC characters. This is the second season in a row where I’ve felt Syd only got the bullet-points of an arc. She is the LEADING LADY. Ayo is now the show’s biggest breakout star. USE HER.

I really enjoyed Tina's focus episode, but unlike Forks and Honeydew last season it doesn't move the plot forward, and unlike Fishes the flashbacks don't contextualize Tina''s actions in the present because she's barely doing anything in the present, despite the show setting up her struggles in the kitchen early in the season.

Meanwhile, Ebra got crumbs again and Sweeps got a single scene, which is tragically at least better than he had last year.

Marcus’ arc this year is a fascinating microcosm for the show’s themes, but it barely gets a second to breathe because we have to cram in another five minutes of the Fak brothers arguing about that time Neil got taped into a cardboard box. It’s ridiculous. And then they showcase Nat being all protective of Marcus in an episode he’s barely in, when she barely interacts with him. It feels unearned & disingenuous, using Marcus as a prop for a Hell Yeah gotcha moment.

I liked Josh Harnett though, that casting had purpose, and both Chef Terry and Luca were used excellently.

CAMEOS

The surprise celebrity cameos this year felt distracting and indulgent in a way last year’s didn’t. In Fishes the slew of cameos were a dramatic tool meant to disorient the viewer. This year, John Cena is here to distract you from how pointless this B-plot is, and we've brought in a bunch of famous chefs to tell you direct-to-camera why cooking and the service industry are so important.

The chefs in particular are bizzare after season 1 spent most of its time telling us how evil and toxic the fine dining industry is. But now it's actually just the fault of a few bad apples, and these guys are really rad actually?

CLAIRE

Much has been said about how Claire was an underwritten archetype for Carmy to project onto. Now, I don’t much give a fuck about shipping in this show, but it’s clear Claire & Carmy’s romance didn’t connect with most people. It felt hollow. At the time, I thought this was deliberate, like the tone and flashbacks this season; Claire’s writing reflected Carmy’s perception of her as a saintlike childhood daydream who could deliver him from all the stresses of his life.

But this season, not only does the show refuse to let Claire go, it doubles down on objectifying her as a prop for Carmy’s self-loathing, trapped in his memory.

Again, this might work thematically if I knew Claire as a person, or was at all invested in their romance, but I don't and I’m not. As it stands, the multiple extended flashbacks with Claire feel like futile attempts to plug the holes in Season 2's weakest storyline, and drag their episodes down. If we’re supposed to root for Carmy to find happiness outside the kitchen, this is having the opposite effect, and it’s made worse by it all being left unresolved by the finale.

Either do something with this character or move on, because right now every time Claire appears I clock out emotionally, and that’s not her fault, it’s the way the show treats her.

CARMY THE ASSHOLE

All this contributes to an overriding problem that I again think is deliberate, but risky; Carmy isn’t likeable this season. He causes his conflicts with Ritchie and Syd, to whom he has passed down his generational trauma. Carmy's menu is the biggest thing dragging the Bear into bankruptcy. Carmy has stopped working to resolve his familial trauma like in seasons 1 & 2, just as Nat starts making headway. He functionally doesn’t exist outside the kitchen, entirely preoccupied with the past & a girl the audience doesn’t care about.

Unlike previous seasons, the few times Carmy is called out for his bad behaviour he doesn’t make much effort to listen or improve. Again, I get that this is the point. Carmy is on a low, self-destructive ebb, and hopefully when things start resolving in season 4 he’ll snap out of it. But him dragging the show down with him has consequences.

EPISODE COUNT & FINAL THOUGHTS

A lot of people are saying that S3 only had enough plot for 2-3 episodes, and while I think that’s disingenuous- The Bear has always been a character-focused, vibes-first show- I do think it should've returned to the 8-episode count of season 1. You can consolidate the same amount of ‘plot development’ into fewer episodes while maintaining the deliberate sense of inertia. Cut back on the Faks and flashbacks to give more time to the kitchen crew, and many of the complaints would disappear.

Anyway, all this to say that The Bear season 3 is not Bad like some are saying, but it is a step down from its first two seasons. It feels like it’s got lost in its own head and lost a part of itself along the way, and while a lot of that is deliberate- formally reflecting Carmy’s internal conflict- it exacerbates existing problems (underwritten POC, Claire) and creates several new ones (celeb cameos, overusing flashbacks, unresolved plotlines) previous seasons were able to sidestep.

[nervouswhizkid]

i. am so mad. i'm mad at season 4 and at every one of you that interacted with my last post abt vld season 3. i know u were all sitting there giggling at me as i walked into s4 knowing full well it was going to destroy me. no WARNING??? i don't even want to sit down and write about it, i'm gonna start crying all over again

i hate that keith left the team. i have to actually practice breathing techniques right now because it's making me so mad omg. i know i said last time that voltron without lance was unthinkable, but i didn't mean that keith should leave. THAT IS NOT WHAT I WANTED!!!! that also means that there was less keith (and klance) content this season, which i take personally. they did that to hurt me specifically. and on top of that, the team was being so mean about keith's wavering priorities. i feel like when anything goes wrong, with lance and keith specifically, everyone is so mean to them??? god forbid they make a mistake or have personal struggles, DAMN

i feel like this screencap says it all.

guys how about let's talk to each other instead of being passive aggressive and icing people out (i do want to point out though that lance seems more sad/disappointed here than anything. my little klance heart is breaking 😭) AND THIS SCENE??

the moment i realized keith was about to walk in my stomach dropped. they all look so angry and here comes Mister Puppy Eyes McGee. i actually can't take it that's my son everyone leave him alone!!! 🤺🤺🤺🤺 i know they had a big group hug after but that's not good enough for me, they should have tied keith up or handcuffed him to the ship, or something. WHY ARE WE LETTING HIM GO WITH THE BLADE OHMYGODDDD

look at this, like??

the camera setup is what gets me. you have keith smiling with all of his friends in the background and then it swaps to a dark, yawning hallway with the most heartbreaking frown on his face. that doesn't look like someone sure of their decisions to me. this boy is in pain!! i'm also just confused about shiro being able to pilot the black lion. maybe confused isn't the right word, but i'm not sure how to describe it. i'm not convinced?? black already denied him, so why now? i kinda feel like it would've been better had he not tried to reconnect with her at the end of last season, because there was no suspense for me this time. the moment he decided to go try again i was like "oh it's gonna work this time isn't it" i get that it's likely black could sense keith's internal struggles and feel him pulling away and maybe that's why she gave shiro a second chance, but shiro becoming the black paladin again gave keith the excuse to leave, because why do they need him now? they have a black paladin, and it's not him. but to me, it should have been. he went through all of that growth last season, and for what?? just to abandon them when things get rocky?? ugh, i hate this!!

i can't even talk about episode 2 without crying, so just know that i'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face as i write this. i was really excited to finally get some closure on the whole pidge-missing-family mystery, considering that's been a subplot since the beginning of the show. as much as this episode broke my heart, i really did love it. they executed it so well. the scene where pidge lands on that planet with the graves? and they're running and pleading for it to not be true, all the flashbacks of cherished memories and images of matt? dropping to her knees in front of his grave in disbelief??

now that's fucking cinema. you best believe i was bawling my eyes out the whole time. i have a little sister and our relationship is very similar to pidge and matt's, so this was just excruciating. i'm very glad he wasn't actually dead, but part of me almost wishes he was? that sounds SO dark, i hope you guys get what i mean. they just put the audience through the absolute wringer and then they're like "oh, actually he's still alive LOL gotcha!" and that makes me really happy for pidge, but man, what a plot twist that would have been. they've been searching for their brother all this time, so you expect some kind of payoff for dedicating so much time to that storyline, but what if he was just dead?? and there was nothing she could do?? wow this is painful to talk about why did i start watching this show if there's a fic where someone explores that possibility then pls share, for some reason i want to torture myself again, i just love how they did this episode. it's very trope-y, but sometimes you just have to lean into it and enjoy, and this was one of those times

the classic fighting-each-other-unknowingly and middle-of-the-fight-identity-reveal? i'll eat it up every time!!

real talk though why is matt so attractive 😏

soo, zarkon is back. fantastic. do he and haggar just not care about each other?? they haven't mentioned the fact that they're married at all and haggar basically still acts like his loyal follower. i'd entertain the thought that maybe it's been so long that it just doesn't really matter to them anymore, but haggar sounded like she actually cared when she realized they were husband and wife last season. but now it's like nothing happened?? i don't expect them to act all lovey-dovey, but there wasn't even a single line of acknowledgment. and i still cannot understand what lotor's plans are. what is his agenda? he wasn’t bothered at all by zarkon reclaiming the throne, and even went to the trouble to make them think he cared. he got that comet and made a couple of ships, but i still don't know what he plans to do with them. also– i can't believe he killed narti!! i know, i was literally just talking about how she specifically frustrated me, but i was so not expecting their death. i get why he did it, but now the rest of his group doesn't trust him.

i'd say that the one bright spot in this season was episode four. that episode was just so silly and gave me so much secondhand-embarrassment i actually had to look away at times LMAO is this where we got the whole Loverboy Lance and Lone Wolf Keith thing from?? i thought that was purely fandom-made, i was not expecting to hear that in an actual episode. talk about whiplash. and we got this ICONIC scene:

he did that wayyy too naturally. lance, buddy, got anything to share?

i really would have loved to see keith with the team during that episode. i can just imagine how he would've reacted to having to do all of that stuff. god, that would've been hysterical!! the images of the parasite in coran's brain made me gag though, was that really necessary🧍‍♀️

i don't have a ton to say about the final episodes. i mean, it was two episodes of them fighting on naxzela. it was definitely a bit of an avengers endgame feeling with all people they helped in previous seasons showing up to fight, so that was cool! i'm curious as to what purpose naxzela served to the galra empire though. were they always planning to use it as a bomb? and couldn't they still do that technically? they only broke the witches connection with it, so all they'd have to do is get another ship out there and she could do it again. what do you even do with a planet like that?? just destroy it?? i also just want to point out that lance said they should get out of there immediately, and nobody listened!! and then five seconds later they were like "oh no, we need to get out of here!" justice for lance i stg ohmygod and LOTOR is on their side now?!?!?! i actually can't wait to see how this plays out!! total transparency, i love atla and i could absolutely see this being a zuko redemption arc situation. it's clear his parents don't like him at all (are they actually heartless or something??) so why not join the other side!! I'M HERE FOR IT

i have to be honest, this definitely wasn't my favorite season. we're getting into the later seasons and i've heard plenty about how the writing goes a little left-field (though i'm not sure when that happens. most people seem to agree season 8 is shit, but i've heard complaints about s6-7 as well) so we'll just have to see! i'm sticking it out as best i can🚶‍♀️‍➡️ onto season 5!

[happypopcornprincess]

The Sign Final Episode Rant 2/2

Link to 1/2

okay... where was I? ah, yes.

Phaya and Tharn. Soulmates. Star crossed lovers. Black Cat and Golden Retriever energy through the fucking roof. Tortured Reincarnated souls. Absolute morons (affectionate)

Why? for making my heart drop five feet through the ground watching Tharn to be found nowhere while his side of bed was flooded with water everywhere which only meant one thing.

Tears rolled down my eyes NON STOP watching Phaya loose his senses looking for Tharn 💔

Nothing on my mind except them

Fuck you Dr Revenge Seeker Snake Man for literally using the same thing to kill Phaya that killed your one sided love and her boyfriend centuries ago... knowing the fact that your Tharn will jump in to save him no matter what.

Also I can't ss all the flashback scenes but shit man... it had me bawling my eyes out looking at all the happy moments of Phaya and Tharn throughout the series like that in mere seconds💔

Think I'll make a whole post on the scene where Tharn get's stabbed by Chalothorn's weapon so I ain't putting that here [just know it will most probably turn into an essay I'm sorry]

Long haired Phaya >>>

How long was he looking for Tharn for him to look like this?

All the friends in their story are such huge green flags like??? they are there for him while he's grieving, helping and also supporting him all while trying to bring him back to his normal life in a positive way >>>>

THE REUNION HAD ME HEAVING FOR OXYGEN BY THE WAY I WAS CRYING LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW WHAT THE FUCK!!!!

and last but not the least....

THE POST CREDITS??? THE CAMEO??? SAINT???? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE???

ALSO WHERE IS THIS FOOTAGE OF PHAYA IN HIS UNIFORM ALSO IN HIS GARUDA FORM????

PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL EPISODE!!!!!

thank you /,3

[rocketturtle4]

15 people, 15 questions

Thanks for the tag, @callipigio

1. are you named after anyone?

Someone from the bible, aren't parents creative!

2. when was the last time you cried?

Um define "cried"

Eyes got prickly - yesterday during this video essay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdmhiv7O5m8

Tears rolled down my face - Saturday during the WDYEY Finale

Bawling/sobbing IFYLITA Episode 11

I'm an easy cry ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3. do you have kids?

No but someday

4. what sports do you play/have you played?

Ahh all under the age of 17 (most under the age of 15) but:

Swimming, Netball, Tennis and Dance

5. do you use sarcasm?

does snark count?

6. what’s the first thing you notice about people?

How they talk/the way they sound, Peoples voices tend to stay with me, and catch my attention

7. what’s your eye color?

Blue grey. Like you mixed together a dark blue and a light grey

8. scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings. Always. Scary movies aren't my thing

9. any talents?

umm, define talent? I can touch my nose with my tongue...

10. where were you born?

Down Under lol 🦘

11. what are your hobbies

ummm I have many that come and go and then come and go and then come and go in a cycle.

BL, Reading, Video games, Quilling, Painting, Sketching and Rock Climbing are some.

12. do you have any pets?

Personally no, but across my immediate family (parents and siblings, I live with my parents) we have 1 lizard, 2 birds and 7 dogs.

13. how tall are you?

1.67m I think?

14. favorite subject in school?

Science and Wood Tech

15. dream job

Palaeontology Curation at a museum or University I think, although to be completely honest I am absolutely desperate to be a parent someday and if I had to pick, I'd pick that.

Tags for those who wish, no pressure

@thegalwhorants @sorry-bonebag @visualtaehyun @plantsarepeopletoo @shouldiusemyname @italianpersonwithashippersheart @pandasmagorica @slayerkitty @troubled-mind @wen-kexing-apologist

[celestial-sapphicss]

i have finally finished my only 12% and if you saw me curled up crying on the floor no you didn't. some of the choices made in the show were so absolutely phenomenal i just have to talk about them (no matter how incoherent i may be)

i loved that the storytelling wasn't rushed. like desis like to say, itmenaan se batao, tell it with patience! it's very easy to make the show dragged out, especially when it's a slowburn romance, but i was still at the edge of my seat all the time! (except maybe last 2 eps but that says more about me than the show lol, if i start to rant about the father I'll never really stop)

in continuation of the above point, the choice to let the scenes linger a little bit longer after the plot point/conversation was over was so good! for example, literally every scene with the friends doing their basic kids nonsense! (bestest friend groups really <3)

that terrifying Eminem poster that gave me a jump scare everytime it was in shot ☠️ also the fleabag poster for some reason, in a show set in late 2000s/early 2010s!!! (i.e. make a show so good that even bizzare mistakes seem negligible)

speaking of the show's setting, oh such a core memory to see MSN, the flip phones, skype, that box windows computer, adding relationship statuses on Facebook, peak 2012. (im a sucker for nostalgia!)

i don't think i have to talk about how beautifully written CakeEiw's friendship was! them cuddling to sleep and Cake just spreading his arms for 'HUG! 😁', yeah. adorable

Eiw's discovery of his sexuality (with Love of Siam) and Hom being so supportive of him! im so glad Eiw had such a supportive family and friends! no matter how much of an 'other' Eiw felt like, no one near & dear to him let him feel like that and its SO important (snickering at the fact that Earth is older than Prem).

the entire America plot, omg, bawling. who hasn't had that friend who moved away, or who hasn't been the one to move away at some point? it was so well done, and all the scenes between CakeEiw post Cake telling Eiw that he's moving had such a bittersweetness to it, especially on the last day when they're promising each other sweet nothings! (kudos to the actors!)

Eiw saying that he's sad that he discovered his love for Cake but now he has to move away? KNIFE IN MY HEART! Eiw sniff kissing Cake and Cake coming back from the car to hug Eiw even tighter? NO PAIN

the letter/email style story telling in ep9 🤌 i love that they didn't go for the "they grew apart in the 3 years" or "one of them isn't replying" etc etc tropes because not only i don't like them but also it would be so out of character for them! and correct use of emerging tech!

love the confidence and the glow up for Eiw! he joined so many activities, making new friends, becoming part of the drama club, dresses like a fkn model, also got his hair dyed, GOOD FOR HIM

Cake in Blonde™! Him immediately begging his mum to let him see Eiw after getting back (in the middle of the night!). him crying and wiping his tears when Eiw hugged him at the bus stop. he's everything to me. Eiw repeating Cake's name on repeat and asking him to always respond? 😭

the enitre subplot of Pu & Tal wanting to be with Eiw was so funny to me skskskskks because have they seen CakeEiw together? one could be with their partners but would still feel like a third wheel in front of them. (and that's BEOFRE they officially got together) INSUFFERABLE

oh the post-show CakeEiw fight, & Eiw saying "Have you ever had to be the one who waits?" holt saying PAIN.gif. that entire confrontation/confession was so intense that i understand the choice to spread it out in between two episodes. and finally Cake saying "then i will be gay with you" had me laughing in the middle of all these tears he's such a best boy i love him dearly. (i was lowkey scared of the 'im not gay i just like you' making a comeback lol)

CakeEiw's relationship being written just as good (if not better) than their friendship!!!! the scene with "i love everything about you"? crying screaming shaking. Cake being basically a puppy? love that for Eiw

in conclusion, CakeEiw best boys and i miss them dearly and i want them back already

[missfart]

Coming back to say a few more things about the Owl House finale now that I’ve had time to digest it a bit more:

- I’m glad Owl House didn’t pull a “one of you has to die or you have to break up” trope with Lumity. We love our corny book sapphics and we love to see them thrive. (I’m also here for older Amity’s undercut, a true lesbian if we ever did see one.)

- I’m here for STRONK GURL supremacy with Willow, genuinely love her character arc and her being the even keel strong girl to Hunter’s anxiety ridden twig boy.

- I can forgive the finale more for not bringing the Hexside crew’s story arcs into the finale because throughout the series, each one of them did get their definitive episodes showcasing them overcoming their biggest personal challenges which was a much more organic way of doing things than trying to shoehorn in a bunch of characterization wrap ups at the very end. It’s a sign of a good show even if they couldn’t give each of the crew a more defined final episode moment.

- I don’t know why the moment I absolutely lost my mind and began bawling my eyes out was when Hooty comes back to life with his absolutely SNATCHED eyelashes and reunited with Lilith. There’s something wrong with me.

-It’s actually funny as fuck that they just… got rid of Odalia’s storyline. Since they had to truncate the final season, it’s understandable certain storylines would get dropped or shortened. But it’s such a power move to completely retcon her becoming the dragon to Belos’s Big Bad as they had set up at the end of season 2 and instead have her be a nanny to an eldritch horror only to completely get rid of her in the epilogue. And it worked because absolutely no one liked her or her storyline to begin with.

-Even though I thought it was a little too saccharine that literally EVERYONE lives, every pair is canonized, the final episode is almost entirely a Luz storyline, and everyone lives happily ever after in both worlds, I understand that the finale was more of a “we love our fans and this is our gift to everyone as a goodbye” than a dynamic story arc wrap up. I mean hell the very last shot is the entire cast looking directly into the camera and saying “byeeeeee.” Is it narratively the best case scenario? No. Is it sweet and touching to give the fans the ending we all needed to be ok with Disney killing the show in its prime? Absolutely, and I’ll cherish it forever.

[beaker1636]

Just because I thought it might be fun I figured here’s a walk down memory lane aka the times I’ve gotten to meet my favorite musicians!

First up we have 2 of the 4 members of a kids cover group, I know not actually famous but it made Miss Bree obsessed with getting to meet members of the bands I went to see 🤣

Then we have the first time I met my all time favorite singer and musician, my absolute fucking idol, Tom Keifer of Cinderella. The man’s story of having all the surgeries to continue doing what he loves and preform is a true story of a man who loves making music. I got him to write a set of lyrics in his own handwriting for my tattoo and I also made him laugh by panicking and went holy shit you’re Tom Keifer and he was like yeah that’s my name, and I have a photo of him laughing at me saying that! It was totally accidental, I walked right into the dude after the show!

Next up I met 2/4 members of Jackyl, they played at the Surf Ballroom which is a venue that legit is a hard wood finished ballroom (known as buddy hollys last place he played in before dying.). I slipped on some beer that was spilled, smashed my face on the stage in front of the bassist Roman’s feet. I was the DD and was waiting for everyone to show up and their tour bus pulled up next to me as they were leaving.

Next is Tom Keifer again! This time I was at a show of his that was much smaller and got him to announce my pregnancy with my son to my aunts who were with me, I got a little onesie for my son and his merch girl made sure to get it to him before the VIP so he could give it to me for his “youngest” fan in front of my family. I have a video of it somewhere and it’s one of the cutest moments of my life! Spent half the set after puking my guts out because morning sickness but 🤷‍♀️

And the last one I have a photo with is motionless in white, my favorite band! we legit got so lucky. The vip was sold out for our show and a few weeks later I went to check it in a depressive episode and somehow got through and got two… for the show on my friends birthday. I went skipping in super excited, got next to Vinny who was the first one near me and bawled my eyes out almost instantly in sheer panic. Him and Ricky gave me huge hugs, Chris liked my makeup, I made them all laugh by saying we were making my husband stand outside with our merch while we did this.

Some honorable mentions I don’t have photos of: Steven Pearcy of Ratt, he was drunk as fuck and the photo turned into garbage.

Brett Michaels in a random gas station when I was like 10, no clue where my grandpa has that photo.

Ted Nugent with my father, yes he’s a raging asshole but my father loves Ted so we jumped on the chance to see him together.

Aaron Carter, not on purpose, he played a show at my college and came into the bar I was working at after and I happened to be the bartender on duty.

and the best experience that I’m super bummed our phones were both dead: my husband and I went to chicago for our honeymoon, and we’re going to a rock festival out there. The entire fucking lineup of the festival stayed in our hotel, we watched the busses come rolling in and decided to hang out in the lobby. We got to meet and talk to: Shinedown, Jellyroll, Saliva, and Juliet Simms. But we just had gotten back for the day when they showed up so we have no photos 😫. Best day ever man!

This was a fun little walk down memory lane for me, I know there isn’t that many people listed but I legit live in the middle of nowhere iowa, 3+ hours away from the nearest venue for shows so I’d say I didn’t do half bad through the years 🤣

Who have y’all met before?

[fairy-writes]

SO this is a day late; whoops, I meant to post this on New Years' Eve

I did this last year and wanted to do it again! So here’s a list that no one asked for of the top 10 anime series I watched this year, including two honorable mentions. They are ranked from (in my opinion) best to worst!

Animes I Watched This Year: 

Arcane: League of Legends

IDK if this counts as an anime, but I love it so much that I’m including it anyway. 

Literally my favorite animated show of all time. 

It beats out Moriarty the Patriot, Demon Slayer, all of the animes. 

People who have been following me since my Arcane obsession began know of my love for Viktor.

He’s my favorite and deserves the world. 

But the show is stunning; every shot is amazing, the music is astounding, and everything about it is breathtaking!

Jujutsu Kaisen 0

Ok, I saw this in theaters, and I wanted to cry because it’s so beautiful. 

I already owned the manga and had read it, and the fact that I love the movie more than the manga is something to consider.

There was never a boring moment in the movie, all the characters were memorable (with the exception of very few), and I absolutely adore Yuta.

Like, I already loved Geto because of that flashback arc we had in the manga, but Yuta beat him, he beat Gojo, and he beat everyone in the entire anime as my favorite except for maybe Inumaki.

This was truly Yuta’s movie, and I can’t wait for season 2!

Demon Slayer Season 2

THIS SHOW BLEW MY EXPECTATIONS OUT OF THE WATER

The CGI used was absolutely amazing. THIS IS HOW CGI SHOULD BE USED PEOPLE TAKE NOTES

Uzui is actually my favorite Hashira, save for Iguro (my least favorite is Rengoku, don’t come for me) so seeing a season dedicated to him was great.

I own all the manga, and this was one of my favorite arcs, so seeing it animated was like a birthday present. 

Bungou Stray Dogs: WAN!

THIS SHOW IS SO CUTE, BUT ALSO MADE ME CRY WTF

Like episode 10? Had me pretty much bawling my eyes out

I also watched it in dub which was also a treat. I really like the BSD dub, and this was no exception.

Someone, please talk about it with me.

Like I can’t.

I need someone to cry with.

Spy x Family

Normally slice-of-life shows aren’t my thing. 

But this one is the exception! 

This show is so fun, so colorful, and so just utterly amazing that I can’t help but want to rewatch it a bunch!

I don’t have any complaints about it. It’s just at number 5 cause I love the other shows more. 

Chainsaw Man

So I’m collecting the manga right now. 

I already read it online and remember pretty much none of it. 

This is what I get for reading it during finals week lmao

But the show is so cool!

It helps refresh my memory of what happens and every moment (save for the first kiss) is animated so beautifully!

They use CGI really well, with very few moments looking awkward or just out of pace. 

This is only down at the halfway mark because it hasn’t gotten to my favorite part of the manga yet, so I can’t accurately judge how much I’ll love my favorite parts.

The Case Study of Vanitas Season 2

THIS IS SUCH A PRETTY SHOW

The only reason it’s down this far is because I didn’t actually finish season 2. 

I didn’t even see the final fight between everyone and the Beast of Gevaudan, or however you spell it

So I really can’t judge this show until I finish the entire thing, haha

Blue Exorcist

I’M ONLY ON EPISODE THREE AND HAVEN’T SEEN IT SINCE 2014 DON’T COME FOR ME

I’m watching it in English Dub, and I think this is the only role that I actually like Bryce Papenbrook in. Anything else, and he just comes across as slightly annoying, but I really like him as Rin!

But this show is such a nostalgia trip. It’s great to rewatch, and the animation holds up really well!

Also, the opening is one of my favorites. I absolutely adore it. 

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

This one is so bizarre, but I still really enjoy it. 

Like the premise is so cool, and the animation is great!

It just fell kind of flat. 

They just needed more episodes to really explore everything they wanted to, but overall, 7/10 would recommend it to someone looking for a short but fun watch!

High Rise Invasion

I’m not even done with episode 1, but I already really enjoy the guy with the sniper rifle. I think he’s called Sniper Mask?

Anyway, the whole bit at the beginning of that one cop or whatever trying to make the main girl take off her clothes wasn’t the best. 

It is part of what brought it down to number ten.

The other part is just that I haven’t finished it. 

I’m noticing a trend with my watching habits, lol

Honorable Mentions

Sk8 the Infinity

Literally, the only thing beating this out of my top ten list is Adam. 

I actually had this idea of writing a story of a detective from America coming to Japan and arresting him because that was hilarious to me, and he didn’t deserve the ending he got. 

He deserved much worse, and no one can change my mind. 

Millionaire Detective: Balance Unlimited

Oh. My. Gosh. This show was SO BORING

I CANNOT

I WAS DYING

The first couple of episodes were really fun and jazzy and whatever, but by the end, I was doing literally everything I could just not to watch it. 

[cigarettestreetlight]

All of Us Are Dead spoilers//

I'm barely through half of All of Us Are Dead and I decided a few episodes ago that it is now my absolute favorite show. Specifically zombie shows, but also better than most other shows I've been obsessed with. And I know I'm very late but this is my absolute favorite thing ever and when I finish it I'm immediately going to start rewatching it. I love basically everyone, besides obviously na-yeon and gwi-nam but I appreciate the storylines for those characters at least. But I love everyone and I needed to know spoilers because istg if dae-su didn't make it out I would never finish the show. I could not handle it if something happened to him.

The last few episodes have had me crying my eyes out too. Like I already know who's gonna die by the end bc I needed to know and looked it up. But still, gyeong-su? God damn that one fucking hurt and it seemed like I barely knew him in the show, he didn't get as much of a story as he deserved. Mostly I think I felt bad knowing how cheong-san was hurt by it, especially after what happens to him mom? Good lord.

But freaking i-sak? That ending scene for her had me freaking bawling. And again, I think this was moreso me being sad for On-Jo, but also mourning what these characters could have been if they had survived. And my god I'm still hurting from all of this.

It's still my favorite show now, but if I lost Nam-Ra or Dae-Su that would be end. I could not handle that, especially when season 2 comes out and if they weren't there? I don't care about most of the other characters so it would be awful, imo.

But that's all. This is the first time in a while I've lived a show with my whole heart while repeatedly getting my heart ripped out by said show, and I kinda love them for it.

[captnjacksparrow]

Hey. So when do you think Sasuke realised his true feelings for Naruto? I feel like he knew since part one itself, in some way at least. He was aware of something. When Sasuke tells Naruto his body moved on its own, I feel like there were seeds of realisation or at least a trigger point. In Shippuden, he always seems like he is fully aware of his depth of feelings for Naruto, he gets super emotional because of it. The fact that he is driven to ask Naruto again and again about his feelings, and is disappointed except for chapter 698 proves that he knew this feeling was somehow different, and he wanted understanding from Naruto, maybe to validate his own feelings, since he is equally inexperienced if not oblivious like Naruto.

He knows deep down that Naruto is special to him, he adores Naruto privately, he had since before the genin days. At the end of vote 1, I think he realises it fully, his true feelings for Naruto. What do you think?

Wonderful Ask, Anon!!! 😍😍😍. 

[[Lengthy Post ahead]]

WHEN DID SASUKE REALIZED HIS TRUE FEELINGS FOR NARUTO?

I am damn sure, like 100%, the moment he realized his true feelings is when he thought he was going to die and recollected all the memories he shared with Naruto (including the Accidental Kiss and Roasting Sakura for insulting Naruto) for one Last Time in the Land of the Waves Arc.

You might be thinking now, "What makes you so sure?"

Well, Kishimoto just hammered into our faces in many plotlines.

How is this panel has to do anything with Sasuke?, You may ask.

The answer is here.

"You will realize what you are, as death comes to embrace you".

Itachi, no matter how cold he acted before Sasuke in that battle, he simply couldn't keep up his Evil Brother act at the final moment of his death.

He just smiled. That is who Itachi really was and always will be for Sasuke.

Again, you may ask, 'All this happens much later in the series, Kishi might've had a different mindset back when he was drawing part 1'.

You are right. But Kishi's mindset was the same all the time. He even established this 'True face before Death' theme very strongly in Land of the Waves arc itself.

This is who Zabuza really was. He didn't treat Haku like a Tool. Infact, his final words were, "I wanted to go the same place as you".

Kakashi made sure to convey this message to Haku in the War Arc, when he fought with the Edo Tensei'ed Haku and Zabuza.

And there are many characters who died in this series. Almost all of them projects their true feelings before their death. Just rewind the deaths of Nagato, Yahiko, Konan, Obito, Madara. You might've noticed that there won't be any lies. For Example, Obito. When he died for the first time, he was really thinking about Kakashi and Rin. He even said, ‘I wish I could’ve spent more time with them’. That’s who Obito really was. He was convinced with that Tsukuyomi plan because he wanted to live in a dream world where Rin and Kakashi will be with him happily. 

So, a person, at their final moment thinks only about all their memories shared with that 'precious' person signifies only one thing. That person must have unconditionally loved the one they thought about.

Sasuke realized that he loves Naruto at that moment and he had no regrets because he smiled before falling into Naruto's lap.

And I always wondered, 'Why did Sasuke thought only about Naruto? Didn't he have any other good memories other than the ones he shared with Naruto?'.

Well, this goes way back when he was just 8, right after the Massacre. Yes, the chapter 698 confession. But I am not going to attach all the panels here as I will go in-depth about it later in this post.

However, there are three panels that provides the general gist of what Sasuke felt about Naruto, the whole time.

Happiness:

Whenever Sasuke watches Naruto, he reminded him of his family and it made Sasuke 'felt relieved' or 'feel warm and fuzzy'. Simply put, Naruto's presence made him happy.

And did Sasuke ever felt relieved?

Yes, he did!!

This above scene happens sometime after the massacre and yet, somehow Naruto could make him smile even in that distressful situation.

And this is one recurring feeling which Sasuke experience whenever he comes in contact with Naruto. After the Massacre, somehow Naruto became his source of happiness or relief. This panel right after massacre, that smile before his ‘supposed’ death, on seeing the Great Naruto Bridge with a relaxed smile, VoTE2  smile.....  

Sasuke smiled at all these scenes and you know the reason why!!!

Weakness:

This is exactly opposite from how he felt earlier. And this conflicting thoughts are what Sasuke was battling in his mind throughout Part 1 and Part 2 until Chapter 697. He liked Naruto's presence. But, For him, the very thought of bonding with him made him feel weak. 

According to Sasuke, the stronger he bonds with someone the more he has to worry about losing them and the very thought of losing them will put him in a precarious position which is considered as a weakness. And Sasuke doesn’t want to experience this again. 

Meaning, Sasuke doesn’t want to feel the pain of loss over someone, ever again. He wants to be the person who don’t care about anyone.

Did Sasuke ever expose his weakness?

Yes he did!!! 

This is his absolute display of weakness and this is what he always wanted to avoid. The very thought of something is going to happen to Naruto made him do something that put him under immense pain. 

Yes, In his mind, he doesn’t want to care about anyone’s loss. But his body doesn’t seem to listen to him. And that’s why his body moved on it’s own.

God!!! This made me cry!!!!

Pain:

Now, this feeling Sasuke had towards Naruto was very evident in the War Arc. That one time he sensed Naruto’s Chakra in Konoha and asked Orochimaru to hurry up. Also when Naruto was bawling after seeing countless shinobi’s deaths, Sasuke’s reaction changed from ‘I don’t care 😶’ to ‘How dare you😠’, I consider all these moments where Sasuke was bothered about Naruto . But since, I want to focus only on Pre- Land of the Waves moments, I’m not going to add those moments here.

Did Sasuke felt pain in Part 1?

Of course, he did!!!

Well, I always consider this scene as something ‘very personal’ for Sasuke. 

In this post, I’ve written about how chapter 3 is masked by the ‘Accidental Kiss’ as a comical facade but when you analyze it deeply you will find that Naruto and Sasuke’s rivalry thing goes long back, even before the series started.

After hearing Pinky’s insensitive comment, what Sasuke did here was completely extreme. He was just giving her a ‘Murder Stare’ which was way too extreme for Naruto, if he was just a teammate. When in reality, Naruto was not just his teammate. That’s why I think Sasuke was bothered by this insensitive comment and roasted her because he knew Naruto was suffering from this loneliness ever since he saw him when he was 8. And when someone made fun of his loneliness, Sasuke just couldn’t keep quiet. 

Isn’t this some form of feeling pain of the person you care about and standing up for them?

This is another scene which I don’t have to go in detail about. 

On my first watch, I always wondered, ‘Why Sasuke was making exceptions for Naruto? They just know for a very few days and yet why was he giving his lunch and standing up for him, which he doesn’t have to in the first place? It’s just 2 episodes in and Sasuke has already made 4 exceptions, why was he doing this?’

But after watching Episode 478, I came to the realization that Sasuke did all these because he knew about Naruto before the series even started. 

It’s funny that before this scene, Sasuke was giving his long-ass serious speech to Pinky about how he is an avenger, he was crying at that time, he wants to get stronger than someone and wants to kill him, he can’t waste his time here..... And yet when he saw Naruto suffering from Hunger, he just gave his lunch without minding the consequences. (Ninja Career says Hello!!!!)

Now, Let’s get back to my previous question I posed here, 

Why did Sasuke thought only about Naruto in his final moments? Didn't he have any other good memories other than the ones he shared with Naruto?

The answer is, ‘Sasuke always felt any one of the three extreme emotions such as Happiness, Weakness, Pain in the presence of Naruto. And all these 3 extremities are not something you feel for everyone unless that person shares your blood or the person you love unconditionally. Sasuke, at this point has no one that shares his blood plus the only blood relation left was the one he wants to kill. And since Sasuke thinks he is going to die, he doesn’t mind thinking about his happiest moments with the person he considers as ‘precious’ , because somehow Sasuke considers Naruto as ‘His Person’ or you can say ‘a part of himself’’

And that’s why I think Sasuke realized his true feelings just when he was about to die. 

At the end of vote 1, I think he realizes it fully, his true feelings for Naruto.

I had this same thought before, anon!!! But after multiple re-watches, I realized something else. You cannot realize your true feelings and say a painful ‘Good Bye’ at the same time.

Realizing true feelings works only in two ways,

You either say a ‘Good Bye’ to someone. After leaving that person you may realize you miss that person and eventually you may come to term with your feelings.

Or

You already have a strong feeling established in your heart and say a painful ‘Good Bye’. And VoTE 1 belongs to this category.

Simply put, Break ups and Love realization cannot happen simultaneously.

And that’s why Sasuke casually said, “To me, you’ve become my closest friend” without any hesitation. Because he already knew it otherwise obtaining Mangekyou Sharingan (MS) will not be possible if you don’t have such a strong feelings established already.

That whole battle started off as a way to obtain MS but then it changed into his desperate attempt to cut off his bond with Naruto to become stronger and only killing him can sever it because it’s such a strong one. It’s not a bond that will be severed by saying a simple, ‘Thank you’.

At this moment, Sasuke must be realizing he simply cannot cut off this bond and he is again making an exception by letting this one weakness to exist and embracing it by being closer to him for one final time.

And this is one of the hauntingly brilliant way of conveying A Connection indirectly. And the best part is... this scene is not accidental. We know Sasuke felt stinging pain in his arms and knelt down & coughed up blood. How did he end up straight above Naruto’s face?

It’s because Sasuke simply wanted to convey his unbroken bond with Naruto by deliberately leaning towards his face. Rain falls on Sasuke and all those droplets passes through Sasuke’s face and falls upon Naruto’s face or it is very possible that Sasuke might by crying and his tears might be touching his face, but either way, it creates a Connection which he couldn’t able to cut off. In the fillers, Sasuke’s sweat drop falls on Naruto. It’s almost similar to how at the end of chapter 698, both of their blood connects together to form a connection. Which means only death can separate their connection.

That’s why I feel that this is the moment where he is painfully saying his Good Bye for one last time, it pains him immensely because he already knows that leaving his ‘precious’ person who became a part of himself is not very easy added to that he hurt him so much during the battle. And for this reason, Sasuke felt ‘leaving Naruto is like ripping off half of his body’.

He knows deep down that Naruto is special to him, he adores Naruto privately, he had since before the genin days. What do you think?

Sasuke always fights this inner battle within himself. Mind Vs Heart & Body. 

His mind says, ‘No more Bonds. Just stay alone. That will save you a lot of pain’.

His body says, ‘Create Bonds. Feel Relieved’. 

When Sasuke met Naruto near the lake pier, His body wins the battle and that’s why he smiled back at him despite the trauma he went through few days earlier. This is when Naruto became special to him.

When Sasuke attempted to make friendship with Naruto. His body wins the battle and that’s why he offered food, trained along with him.

When Sasuke died for Naruto by casting away his dreams, his body moved on its own.

At the beginning of VoTE1 battle, his mind said, ‘Leave Naruto. Pursue your dreams by treading in a darker path by filling your heart with hatred’. His body said, ‘Be with Naruto. Achieve your goals by filling your heart with Love’.

By the end of VoTE1, Sasuke came to the conclusion that he really couldn’t sever his bond with Naruto, no matter how hard he tried. That’s why his body moved on its own and ended up straight above Naruto’s face for one last time. Carrying all the heart break of a painful breakup, Sasuke treads towards the darker path. For the very first time, Sasuke’s mind won the inner battle. And he was extremely saddened by it.

Throughout Shippuden, Sasuke mostly listened to his mind and whenever he does, he was seen pushing Naruto away like leaving with Orochimaru, ramming chidori through Naruto’s Shadow Clone when pursuing Itachi, promising to kill Naruto before Attacking Konoha, wanting to fight with Naruto in VoTE2.

But whenever he followed his heart, you can see scenes like Sasuke occupying Naruto’s personal space in Orochimaru hideout, Sasuke smiling at Great Naruto Bridge, asking Obito about Kyuubi (Naruto) when he joined Akatsuki, stopping his rampage on seeing Naruto’s eyes under The Bridge, asking Obito to wait and listened to Naruto under the Bridge, sensing Naruto’s chakra in Konoha and getting concerned about it, prioritize saving Naruto over everyone in the War Arc, switching off Sharingan at the last moment. These are all the moment where Sasuke’s heart was winning over his mind.

And finally at the end of VoTE2, Sasuke happily claimed, ‘I lost’, meaning, his mind which always asked him to cut the bond with Naruto lost to his Heart and Body which always wanted him to be with Naruto. And when Sasuke felt that he was unconditionally loved by Naruto who was willing to share his pain, Sasuke cried happily and finally sealed his Bond with Naruto.

But anyways, I still get this question, why do Sasuke had to battle his feelings for Naruto like a lover? And why Naruto had to act all Tsundere towards Sasuke for most of the Part 1 if only they are friends!!! Like Shikamaru was never shown to be acting tsundere towards Chouji or Naruto. Or Obito was never shown to battle his feelings towards Kakashi!!! Itachi was never shown to be obsessed about Sasuke all the time. Or Hashirama was never obsessed about Tobirama either. Like we were shown many fraternal bonds, friendly bonds throughout the series. And yet why none of those bonds fits for Naruto and Sasuke? 

Well, this post is not the right place to cover these questions and I am simply going to leave it at that. 

Sasuke realized it very early and that’s why he decided to push Naruto away by the end of Part 1. Whereas Naruto truly realized his feelings at the end of Part 1 and decided to put himself close with Sasuke in Part 2 and finally confessed in VoTE2 that, ‘Remember, you once gave me your food during the Bell Test? It’s because you simply can’t tolerate to watch me suffer before your eyes.... I also feel the same way about you.. I simply cannot see you suffer alone when you were willing to give your body to Orochimaru... It just hurt me a lot inside’.

They finally realize the feelings they had for each other is a love in a broader sense which cannot be labelled under a certain term (it may include a father, a mother, a friend, a lover too) and we can call them as Pure Soulmates, where one cannot live without the other, where one cannot bear to see the other one suffer and they always wanted to be standing next to each other sharing their happiness and pain in their hearts. 

[qqueenofhades]

did you watch lucifer season six and what are your thoughts pls and ty

Ahaha. Yes. Yes I did watch it. Then I cried for a literal hour and attempted to compose myself, only to start crying again when I lay down and kept on thinking about it. Then I had more feelings. Then I slept like the dead due to emotional trauma. Then I reblogged gifsets and had More feelings. Then @buffaluff and @flynnanimal watched it and also required emotional support due to drowning in their own tears. So, uh... we're all fine here now. How are you?

My main takeaway from the final season was the sheer amount of love for the characters, story, and fans that you could feel shining through all the episodes, and which made SUCH a refreshing change. I had feelings in my tags the other day about how a show about the devil was constantly goofy, hopeful, loving, and uplifting, rather than all the grimdark nonsense they could have easily done with it. (As I said, just imagine it as written by the GOT idiots?? NO THANK YOU.) The writing really loved everyone and wanted to give them a proper ending and emotional journey, and it wanted to show the fans that they weren't stupid for having invested six seasons of effort and emotion into this, and just... that is so much rarer than it should be? Compare all the movies and TV shows that treat their fans like the enemy, that want to outsmart them at all costs even if it means changing major plot elements, that ferociously guard spoilers and think that "shock value" means good writing, by throwing hackneyed cliche upon cliche and making everything Depressing, and just... Lucifer had its hiccups and slow points and missteps, of course, but I am SO glad they didn't do that. The entire show consisted of Lucifer slowly but steadily progressing toward being a better man, despite mistakes and setbacks and sometimes a little too much will-they-won't-they. (Season 3 was the only one where I got bored and skipped over the filler episodes with Pierce/Lucifer/Chloe in order to get to the end).

That is an essentially simple premise, but they stuck to it, and they didn't try to create more drama by randomly wrecking what they had already established. I wrote a fic all the way back in mid-season 2 (In Nomine Patris) that ended up predicting quite a few of the future characters who had not yet appeared on the show at that time, including Eve, Michael, and Azrael, and several plot points, including the very major one of Lucifer returning to hell for the sake of his daughter with Chloe. And while this might mean that I am just that good at guessing TV shows (I would like to think this....) it also means that the writers set expectations, followed through on those expectations, and didn't suddenly derail everything or turn it totally on its head just for the sake of cheap shocks. As we can all attest, they certainly caused PLENTY of drama, anguish, pain, and suffering, but they did it in a way that remained faithful to the overall premises of the story and the characters, and wanted to see them become the best versions of themselves. I cried my eyes out at the end and then thought, "hey, I might want to watch the whole series again," which, if you ask me, is the mark of doing your job right. There have been so few TV endings recently where I didn't immediately swear off the whole thing or have to pretend that canon didn't exist, so yeah.

As I said, it was just refreshing to watch something that had that essential deep generosity at its core, where the message is that everyone is worthy of love if they make the hard and painful effort to change and become better, and that even if earthly things feel small next to all this messy celestial drama, they still matter, and that you are loved no matter what. I loved that Amenadiel became God and Lucifer returned to hell as a choice in order to help all the trapped souls be able to work through their guilt and go to heaven. There were obviously certain echoes of The Good Place in that ending; I don't know if it was something they had planned all along or if the success of TGP, another series asking deep questions about life, death, morality, and human nature within the framework of a goofy heaven-and-hell sitcom, influenced it, but either way, it worked so well. Even if it tore my heart out and stomped on it on the ground, it was fitting and oh so lovely to see Lucifer, once the most selfish being in the entire universe, following in Linda's footsteps and becoming selflessly dedicated to helping other people. Just. Chef's kiss.

And of course, Deckerstar. The Hades and Persephone vibes were IMMACULATE this season, and while it did take Lucifer and Chloe the best part of four seasons to get together, they never significantly backslid, never had third-party issues or cheap cheating storylines once they were officially a couple, and Tom Ellis and Lauren German REALLY killed it this season in particular. It was never easy for them and sometimes the drama went on a little too long over the course of said six seasons, but the love story was beautiful and incredibly meaningful and always true to the fact that the actors and characters and writers (not to mention the fans) all loved it so much. They were so much the emotional heart of this, and when they went to hell together in episode 6x03 (where they turned into cartoons because wHAT even IS this show), Joe Henderson said in an interview that this was to give the fans a view into Lucifer and Chloe's future (after) lives post-6x10, and to offer them a basis to write fanfiction. I mean... the showrunner saying to the fans "here, we love you, have something to write fic about!" is likewise pretty shockingly rare. It's again an example of how this show always audaciously poked fun at itself, never took itself TOO seriously, and was always welcoming its fans and the people who loved it to do so, rather than making them feel stupid or taking joy in wrecking beloved characters or plots.

Obviously, I loved Rory, the badass lesbian half-angel goth Deckerstar child straight out of My Immortal (seriously, she was SO edgy, it was amazing), because of the fact that Lucifer's entire arc was always about feeling abandoned by his father and that he was going to have to face it for himself. Dorky Devil Dad Lucifer trying his absolute HARDEST to bond with his daughter was simultaneously hilarious, adorable, and heart-wrenching, and yet again, the Growth. We all remember when he could barely tolerate Trixie touching him, and now we're here. Also, any variation whatsoever of "this is just a brief moment of time that we must be apart, love is eternal and stronger than death and we will never really leave each other" as a line is guaranteed to make me bawl my eyes out. So that was fun.

I got a big kick out of Ghost Dan running around and trying to get everyone to see him, and had feelings about seeing him in heaven with Charlotte and his beloved Pudding Pops at the end. I had feelings about how they handled Ella finding out the truth (or rather demanding to know why nobody had told her) and of course, I obviously loved Maze and Eve and their goth/femme wedding and the fact that they got a good three-season romantic arc (indeed, I wanted more of them). My god, Trixie is SO BIG, she used to be a tiny little nugget. I love that Linda was the moral and emotional rock all along, from the first episode to the very last, and that Amenadiel was Deeply Vindicated when Charlie's wings appeared at his first birthday party. I love how Lucifer in s6 is absolute thousands of light years from Lucifer in s1. And as ever, Chloe was Perfect. I am happy that I spent six seasons with these characters and saw them become better, and that I was never made to feel like an idiot for trusting the writers to end everything in a beautiful and emotional way. Because, well. They did. Sure, maybe I could go back and pick at a plotline here or a detail there, but I don't terribly feel the need to do so? It might not have been perfect, but it was perfect, and I am so grateful that it existed.

[mythoughtsxxblog]

I just finished Teen Wolf and I'm not okay 😭 finishing a show is one of the worst feelings ever. Not that anyone cares but here's my breakdown of how I felt about each season..

Season 1

This season was cute and a bit cheesy lol. The acting was interesting to say the least but obviously it was most of the actors' first major acting role so it's understandable that they'd be a bit cringe....well minus Dylan O'Brien's amazing self. He was great even from the beginning (as you'll notice I'm quite biased lol). This is probably an unpopular opinion but Jackson was an enjoyable character for me. He had his flaws, but something about him made me like him a lot (it didn't help that he was played by Colton Haynes who is absolutely wonderful). I would also like to add that Lydia's character development is phenomenal as the seasons go on. Seeing her and Stiles together here and comparing it to the final season.....ugh beautiful 😭 also this may be an unpopular opinion? I love Peter Hale lol

Season 2

This season was so much better in terms of acting and storylines. The scene at the end with Jackson "dying" and then coming back to life was insane. I was legit on a rollercoaster of emotions during that entire final episode. Also this was the season that gifted us the lovely Isaac Lahey. What an amazing character that deserved nothing but the best.

Season 3

THE GOAT SEASON. ICONIC. FLAWLESS. BEAUTIFUL. VOID STILES >>>>>>>> This season was absolutely incredible and Dylan O'Brien deserved a shit ton of acting awards for his performance as Void Stiles. Anyone that thinks this was just another "teen show" needs to watch this season because it's so much more than that!

Just a few more thoughts....

Although Allison annoyed me at times, I sobbed like a baby when she died.

Sorry but Allison/Isaac > Allison/Scott 🤭

ISAAC DESERVED BETTER!!!

The Stydia panic attack kiss killed me!!!! I will forever be mad that the writers didn't make them official this season. Not to say I hated Stalia because they were cute too (her being the big spoon ❤) but Stydia just felt right.

Aiden's death scene was top notch acting. I was bawling my eyes out.

Season 4

Derek's last full season 😭 ngl this season is lowkey forgettable only cause it followed such an amazing season with a great story arc. It was also randomly 12 episodes again like???

Season 5

This season was great! So much Stydia!!!! The whole Dread Doctors story arc was interesting and kept me fully invested especially considering it was a storyline for both parts of the season.

Not to mention this season introduced us to Theo Raeken aka Cody Christian! Don't know if this is an unpopular opinion or not but I loved his character even when he was a little shit lol.

Also Kira deserved better!

Season 6

I truly enjoyed 6A. Although it was annoying not seeing as much of Stiles as I would have liked, it was still very much a Stiles-centric season. Being the Stydia shipper I am, I legit cried like a baby when they finally reunited, what a beautiful scene 😭😭 Holland and Dylan's chemistry >>>>> also seeing everyone forget Stiles was so heartbreaking and I was an absolute wreck the entire time. I need to stop getting so attached to fictional characters 😂

6B wasn't as great as 6A for obvious reasons, but the finale was amazing! Minus the fact that the writers screwed us Stydia shippers over. But they're endgame and that's all that matters.

Just a few thoughts about the series finale

The scene with Derek and Stiles had me dying!!! The way he's carrying him and he faints at the sight of his toe being shot 😂😂😂😂 it was beautiful.

The scene with Stiles at the beginning spitting out his water when he sees Derek 💀

Seeing them all come together made me so happy, seeing Peter and Theo join the "good" side was rewarding because I enjoyed both of their characters so much and just wanted them to be part of the pack.

Liam and Theo >>>>>>>>

Lydia and Jackson's reunion was AMAZING!!! I cried and laughed so hard.

Ethan and Jackson ❤❤❤

Seeing Ethan without Aiden was quite sad.

Overall, I truly regret not watching this when it was airing. By rewatching the show I've also reignited my slight obsession with Dylan O'Brien 💀💀 that man is an amazing actor that deserves the best. Honestly all the actors deserve nothing but the best. Hopefully in the future a little TV movie or something happens because I need more Teen Wolf in my life.

[korra-the-red-lion]

Supergirl 6x12: Blind Spots.

Korra here! I actually watched an episode on time for once, yay! Also, holy effing smokes. This episode. My thoughts down below, and as always, SPOILERS AHEAD.

The opening scene with Nyxly and the blue alien guy tells us right away that imp magic is going to be a major issue right away this episode, which I enjoy.

Kelly and Orlando racing to help all the people who got trapped in the Ormfell building collapse and him telling Kelly that it will take too long to wait for 911 was just ugh. My heart.

The hospitals being overwhelmed, the need for extra oxygen and respirators, and the lack of empathy for the underprivileged... okay. If this isn’t a reference to both the Covid-19 pandemic and nursing crisis, I don’t know what else it could be. This one hurt.

Okay, so the Karen council woman, whose name is Jean Rankin, is awful. Pardon my language because I usually try to stay pg-13, but holy fuck I hate her. Unsurprisingly, she immediately abuses her new power. What a bitch.

Kelly calling for help but no one listening is absolutely heartbreaking. I wish Alex had at least asked her what was going on, but she didn’t and that is what makes it worse. I think in this case, it was because Alex has full faith that Kelly can take care of herself, but the lack of understanding what Kelly needs vs. what she can do is something Alex is missing.

This is small and random, but I’m glad that the show hasn’t forgotten James. So many shows have people leave the show and then pretend they never existed. SG has rarely done that and I’m thankful.

Diggle, my man! I think that this was his best appearance by far. I really liked him in the Batwoman one, because he encouraged Luke to keep moving forward, which was super touching. But him and Kelly connecting and trying to figure this out together was very well done.

Lena gets a couple of scenes this episode. The first one is driving me crazy. She has a text from Kelly, and a new notification. The point was to drive home that no one was listening to Kelly, which this did effectively. BUT, I also can’t get over the fact that Lena IGNORED Kelly’s message because she saw a new notification about Supergirl and had to race home immediately. I’m trying to keep my hopes low, but if this doesn’t scream Supercorp Endgame, what does?

Okay, but like, effing Andrea? Kelly, who is your friend and previous employee is asking you to cover a building collapse that has a bunch of people injured and dying and you’re covering TRAFFIC? WHAT THE FUCK? Girl, this is why your network is failing because of stupid ass decisions like this. Get it together.

Kelly finally losing her shit at the Super Friends was well deserved. Everyone was ignoring her this episode, and they were ignoring the serious issue on hand. Of course stopping Nxyly is important, but so is this. Kara and Alex both feel guilty immediately and Nia stops them from going to talk to Kelly so she can blow off some steam.

Kara and Kelly’s conversation was really good. I’m glad that it wasn’t Kara being completely ignorant like they do often, but instead not having her understand it from a certain perspective. I think this was one of the best moments of the episode.

This talk made me cry. Brainy is showing Kelly her new suit, and she asks him “Does it get better?” Jesse’s face is just agony when he tells her that there was still a lot of problems. I cried during this scene. It’s so frustrating. We have come a long way, but there’s many more steps to take.

THE NEW SUIT IS AMAZING. KELLY LOOKS SO GOOD. AHHHH.

Orlando is speaking truth. Why should he trust the new Guardian just because? It hurts but Kelly understands why she’s gotta prove herself.

Kara fights that idiot Rankin, but she’s mostly holding her attention so Kelly and drain her energy and return it to the people. This scene was really cool, ngl.

Okay, scene number 2 that made me cry. Kelly (magically I have to say) comes down from the building to speak with the people, mostly Orlando. She’s encouraging him to take a seat on the council. which is really sweet. But the scene when the one little girl says “I’M GUARDIAN” while the other holds the trash lid... I just....it speaks volumes. Remember when Supergirl first came out and little girls everywhere were so excited to see themselves on screen? Now little black girls can have their representation too. I’m actually tearing up writing this.

Lena gets home and you know it’s magic because snail mail beat her CatCo jet. Now she has a spell book!

Bye Diggle! It was fun having you around. The last thing he says to Kelly about Jefferson is so wonderful. Remember that now post-Crisis, Black Lighting is the OG black superhero that people looked up to. I just really loved this full circle moment.

Now the last scene. UGH. Kelly putting her hair up in a wrap. Her wearing the “Say Her Name” shirt. The music choice. Kelly telling Alex what she needs and Alex listening. Kelly crying in her arms. I bawled. This scene. I loved it. It was the best way to end an exhausting episode for Kelly.

Overall, not only the best episode of the season, but one of the best episodes of the entire show. I can’t say enough about it. Even if you stopped watching SG, I think everyone should watch this episode at least. Really powerful stuff.

Also, a promo! Yay! Looks like we’re getting a fun chaotic episode, which I think after an emotionally taxing episode like this, it’s needed. Until then, everyone!

[xenteaart]

You’re a Cat, Hargreeves

Pairing: Five Hargreeves x Reader

Request 1: Hello, so Five has been through a LOT in just two weeks, so can I request something where the reader and him have a bit of intimacy but are not together yet. Then something happens that is just the last drop to him and he shows up to the reader with red and glossy eyes and collapses in her arms? She just holds him (because boy, he needs it) and after a while he manages to talk about things letting his feelings for her slip in the process. Then she can just calm him down and make him feel loved.

Request 2: Could I request a fanfic where Five has a terrible day at the Commission or in the Apocalypse and at bedtime the Reader comforts him, and he suddenly becomes the little spoon for the first time? Idk I think it would be cute to see him shy and secretly liking

!!! Note: Since these two requests have a common theme of Five being stressed as fuck and having a breakdown I’ve decided to combine them. Personally I imagine this scenario in my Commission AU, HOWEVER, I intentionally didn’t make it very specific in terms of the circumstances so you can headcanon whatever u like <3 also sorry its not the exact scenario from your requests but i hope you don’t mind me taking some creative liberty.

also both Five and Reader are in their 20s here coz otherwise i’m very uncomfortable

massive thanks to @wonders-of-the-multiverse​ for helping me out with wording the physicality of certain things <33333

GIF: @maxiemayfield​

You’ve seen Five in many different states.

You’ve seen him anxious and spiraling, you’ve seen him furious and borderline insane; depressed and distant, lost and confused. At this point, you genuinely thought you’d seen it all but, apparently, you were wrong.

“I am just so tired.” Five whispered almost inaudibly with a sigh so desperate that it made your stomach turn.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” you asked, your voice small as you weren’t quite sure how to act yet.

He glanced at you, and you couldn’t help but notice his eyes glistening with salty wetness that was about to spill out and smear his frustration all over his cheeks.

You always loved Five’s eyes - his huge, almost puppy dog eyes that made you absolutely lose yourself in their depth. Whenever you looked into them, you saw wisdom, maturity, exhaustion and patience, dedication and passion, all at the same time. There was a whole other universe behind his blue orbs, and you admired it endlessly. Looking into his eyes right now, however, was nowhere near as exciting and pleasant. Instead, it felt like some strange and violent ache was gripping you at the very heart and squeezing it without mercy, and you winced at the sensation as worry and concern were uncontrollably blossoming inside your ribcage.

Five didn’t grant you with an answer, too busy trying to hold back his tears and clenching his teeth proudly as if there was any point at all.

You got up on your feet and approached Five slowly, careful not to freak him out as you were giving him the time to get used to your presence in his personal space. Normally, he wouldn’t mind yet you couldn’t tell if the same rules applied to scenarios like the one taking place.

“I’m here, yeah? It’s okay, you’re okay,” you kept repeating like a mantra as you pulled Five into your embrace.

He buried his face in the crook of your neck and you instantly felt your skin getting damp. In just a few seconds Five’s entire body relaxed into yours and he wrapped his arms around you tightly, finally letting go and allowing himself to have a proper cry. He hadn’t had one in years, and, by all means, he was entitled to this breakdown.

Most of the time, Five was the one protecting you - looking out for you and leading the both of you out of dangerous and potentially lethal situations. Not that it was a completely one-sided dynamic but it was true that you tended to rely on him quite a lot in times of crisis. Five was good in crisis, exceptional actually. He made decisions quickly and didn’t hesitate to do absolutely anything it took to achieve his goals, which, unfortunately, meant that he was often forced to make choices where humanity and ethics were no longer a top priority.

Despite all that, Five always seemed in control, and even when he wasn’t, you knew he’d get it back eventually. You had placed your trust in him at all times, and only now were you starting to realize that it must have felt like a huge weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Granted, he was objectively smarter and more capable due to his superpowers but he was still human.

Hearing Five’s hopeless and feverish sobbing was unnerving, and you could only imagine what was going on in his cluttered and clearly overloaded mind as he was bawling his eyes out with such raw and genuine fury. From the lack of a better idea you simply waited for Five to cry himself out, patiently holding him in your arms and whispering words of reassurance into the air, not so much out of hope he’d hear them and listen but more as a means of letting him feel you were still there.

“I’m so fucking tired,” Five finally uttered but his words rather quickly got drowned in his weeping. You still got the message, though.

“You deserve to rest, Five,” you replied, feeling your legs start to shake from the weight of Five’s entire body leaning on your form. As much as you wanted to stay like this for as long as he needed, you couldn’t exactly go against your evident physical disadvantage. Five was a heavy gentleman, after all.

“Hey, let’s move to the bed, yeah?” it was more of a statement than a question, so you stepped towards the bed suggestively, expecting him to follow you. To your relief, he didn’t resist and followed your lead right away, seemingly too exhausted to even think, let alone disobey.

Five’s body was limp from the absence of energy, all of which had presumably gone into crying, and he could barely manage to walk on his own, so you grabbed at his shoulders to steady him.

It felt like his physical self was now merely a vehicle with no pilot to steer it, and his mind was long lost someplace else.

As you sat Five down, you caressed his cheek with your thumb, wiping away the trails of his tears whilst also trying to gently break him out of the prison of his troubled and restless brain. To your disappointment, it failed to spark any sort of response.

Right in this moment, he looked almost defenseless. Sure, he wasn’t an incapable baby all of a sudden but he was relying on you, reversing your roles and putting all of his worries and pain on your shoulders, basically asking you to carry them for him because he simply couldn’t anymore.

“Fives. Fives? Look at me, please?” you called, trying to shift his attention to something on the outside because you knew it was the looking inside that pushed him to crumble.

“Focus on my voice, alright?” you tried to keep your tone as steady and stern as you possibly could because right now you were his only bridge back to reality.

You pressed your palms against Five’s shoulders and slowly climbed onto his lap, resting your weight atop of him completely and hoping the pressure of it would manage to snap him out of his almost delirious daze.

As your hand reached for Five’s, you placed it on your chest right where your heart was beating and said:

“Can you feel it? It means I’m alive, Fives. I’m a human and a consciousness just like you. And I'm never leaving your side, no matter the circumstances. You’re never going to be alone, I promise you.”

You took Five by his chin with your other hand and softly guided his gaze upwards to meet your own, noticing his red glossy eyes finally regaining some clarity. The very peak of Five’s episode had already passed, and, as he was coming down from it, he encircled your waist with his arm and let his head sink to your shoulder with his eyes closed shut.

Still sitting straddled across his lap, you brushed your fingers through his soft silky hair and began to massage his scalp in a calming manner, trying to release some of the tension and lull him further into peacefulness. As your fingers moved a little lower, you knew you’d hit the sweet spot because Five literally purred into your skin as soon as he felt your nails gently scratch at the nape of his neck.

“How many times did I say you’re a cat, Hargreeves,” you rolled your eyes at his reaction and couldn’t resist a wide smile as you buried your nose in his hair. Five hummed quietly, and it was the only response you were going to get from him, which, to be fair, was already a big improvement so you couldn't really complain.

“How about we get you into some comfier clothes, wash your face and then you can tell me all about what’s been on your mind, hm?” you proposed confidently, still holding Five close and practically enveloping him in your warmth.

Your every movement was saturated with such understanding and care that not for a split second did Five feel like his vulnerability was making him weak or unworthy. It was quite the opposite, and with each passing moment he was beginning to feel like you were only making him stronger.

He nodded at your suggestion approvingly but didn’t move an inch, and you took it as a hint that he needed a few more minutes of sitting in silence; the bridge of his nose pressed to your collarbone as he was still finding his way back into the present.

You didn’t mind at all.