#the reeds council seems really dumb

[lit-80soul]

Inside your mind (Chapter I)

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pairing: Wednesday Addams x male!hybrid!oc (Reed Turner)

summary: Wednesday has witnessed some strange behavior from the new kid in Nevermore, and she won't stop until she finds out if he's connected to the recent attacks.

warnings: Wednesday being a little stalker, physical attacks, and injury.

word count: 2,376

Another day had passed at the Nevermore Academy when Wednesday was on her way to return to her shared dorm with Enid after her past midnight walk. Her impenetrable and focused eyes travelled to an odd spot in the corner of the hall. You see, she never lets her attention linger on most students, not even for a split second. She judges that most of them are stupid and frivolous teenagers and a waste of time that she has to share the space at the school, but an unusual scene catches her attention.

Eugene was struggling to help a boy that seemed pretty beaten up. He was way taller than Eugene and had his arm around the shorter boy’s neck, Eugene and the stranger boy seemed to be in a hurry. Wednesday frowned a little whilst watching the boys disappear when turned on the hall, the mysterious boy hissed a bit while walking.

The brunette’s eyes stared at the floor for a second, thinking about who was this guy she never saw in the surroundings, why he was hurt, and why Eugene was helping him. They looked like had trouble obviously and that was the weirdest thing to the girl because Eugene was literally a weak dull person. In a good way.

Eugene was like her little brother, Pugsley.

She looked up again and went to her dorm sure that she’d find out what she just witnessed tomorrow.

Wednesday has been watching Reed for a couple of days. You were presented in her class the day after she saw you and Eugene at the school hall. Weems said Reed’s name, and age and that he was a hybrid, just the basic information needed.

But as soon as the days passed by, rumours started as it was expected. But one of them was true, Reed was expelled from his last school because of his aggressive behaviour, even when was in his human form. The principal Weems did not want to tell, which only intrigued Wednesday more. I mean, it wasn’t long since the first and second attacks on the town and no one had any idea who was doing that, and yet the council admitted a new student, which could be very dangerous when turned into his real form.

It was all odd to Wednesday. But it was Nevermore, she wasn’t a bit surprised at this point.

She decided to follow you without your notice, of course. Reed spent most of his time in his room, a dorm just for himself. It was isolated as well, the last one at the end of the hall. Reed didn’t seem to talk to anyone, just sometimes with Eugene, but that was it. Always alone with a book in his hand and earphones plugged into the phone, Wednesday heard through the students’ scattered conversations that he was the outcast of the outcasts.

You also seemed to really, really enjoy drinking coffee. He was an assiduous customer at the Weathervanes, even though he exchanged some weird glares with Tyler. Especially if he was talking to the raven girl.

She even told Thing to spy on him, but he was like a book very well looked at. Much harder to read. Thing wasn't able to find anything that would be interesting.

She had shared her suspicions with Enid. Wednesday kind of was obliged to because the werewolf girl noticed the slight difference in the schedule of her friend and how she was acting, more secretive than usual. The Wednesday usual, better saying. Sometimes Enid amazed Wednesday, but the raven one never took the friend by dumb. Too talkative, joyful, nosy, and a nuisance, but not dumb.

Wednesday was writing her novel on her desk by the window. The night was breathless with the stunning pale moon and foggy weather. It was very dark outside if wasn’t for a frail yellow moving light moving at a hurried pace. Wednesday stood up and got her binoculars that were hanging on the rack, it was Reed.

The raven got her coat and finally seemed to get attention from Enid shift to her. The girl was glued to her phone talking to her boyfriend and listening to music, she refused to listen to Wednesday’s weird songs that were playing.

— Where are you going? — Enid said watching her. Wednesday was at the door already and didn't turn around to answer:

— Find out what is going on with this new guy.

— Wait, Wedn-- 

Enid tried to talk, but the raven left. The werewolf growled but put her shoes on and followed Wednesday right after, she couldn’t let the raven one goes alone and follow Reed through the dark forest.

— Wednesday! 

The raven scoffed and returned to Enid, letting her face express just a little bit that she was annoyed. 

— Can you not yell? We are not supposed to be out of our dorm at this time. I have to go, I might lose track of Reed if I continue this conversation. Goodbye.

— Why are you so obsessed with this boy? — Enid followed her once again. — Does Tyler know that?

— I'm not obsessed, I just told you, Enid. I think he might have something to do with the attacks — and then she knits her eyebrows to look at the girl. — Why are you bringing up Tyler? What does he have to do with this matter?

— Isn't he like… your boyfriend or something? He's always been all over you — she smiled suggestively.

— It's intriguing how you can make such assumptions based on nothing, Enid. It is almost astonishing, really — Wednesday fixed her clothes and got a flashlight. — But to answer your question about my private life, no, we have nothing. He's just an acquaintance. I have to see if my coherent suspensions are correct now. Goodbye.

— I don't understand. It all happened before he came here, right?

— Yes, but he seemed to be very harmed a night before Weems presented him as a student. Without the fact that he has a dorm isolated just for himself and gets to the principal’s office way too much — Enid listened attentively while looking at the slightly shorter girl, she didn't realize that one of the employees of the school was passing by and almost caught the to girls, but Wednesday was faster and took Enid's hand and managed to hide behind the door. — And he's a puzzle to me, I know there's something wrong and I'll find out tonight.

— Ok, Sherlock, I know you're not gonna let it go. Even though I think you're just oddly obsessed with this mysterious boy, I'll go with you — Enid sighed.

— Why?

— I won't let you go out by yourself through that dark forest, Wednesday! People are getting attacked, you just said yourself that the Reed could have something to do with this.

— I can take care of myself just fine, Enid.

— I know — the werewolf gave her a small smile. — But I just want to make sure you're not gonna like… die out there because I'd literally freak out if I had to listen to your horrible music for eternity because I don't know to turn off that damn record player.

Wednesday cracked a little smile with that girl's little speech. She then agreed with the werewolf with a simple nod. Enid raised her eyebrows in pure shock.

— That was the first time I saw your smile! — she jumped excitedly. Wednesday’s stoic face returned immediately, but Enid did not care. — OMG, I can't believe I made you smile. You have to work on showing that you're genuinely happy with this smile, but I'll stick to what I have for now.

Wednesday wanted to roll her eyes, but they were running out of time.

— Control your emotions and write about this fascinating fact you just saw in your journal later, Sinclair — Wednesday started to walk again, with Enid by her left side. — You may join me, but if you mess up, I'll feed you to the monster myself.

— Well, that's lovely.

— Can you sniff him? — Wednesday asked, ignoring the bothering on the werewolf’s voice when they silently left the inside of the building. No trace of the boy. They talked too much.

— Now I see why it was so easy to convince you to let me come along.

Once again Enid was quick to read Wednesday.

It wasn't long until Enid found the trace that Reed could be, and both of them wandered through the silently screaming forest. Only the sound of the animals of the night and their silent breathing was heard. Along with the cracking of dry twigs as they made their way through the forest, that was all that the two girls heard when a sudden, out of nowhere, a force made them fall on the ground and roll over. The sound of footsteps was a crescent sound, but before the two of them could process, they were thrown to the ground.

Wednesday fell a foot away from Enid, who was unconscious with the thud.

— Enid?! — Wednesday was a little bit dizzy and felt a sting on her forehead, with a warm thick liquid that she immediately knew was blood and was starting to slowly run down her head.

She didn't care about it though, she was exclusively concerned about the werewolf girl who wasn't responding. 

Not with her balance recovered enough, she tried to stand up and go to Enid and help her friend, but when she was about to, footsteps noises were heard. A tall figure, it was a shadowed silhouette of someone Wednesday who couldn't identify obviously. It was approaching them and the raven girl was ready to accept her fate for her presumptuous self to think she could find a good thing coming here and follow a mysterious boy. Possibly the same boy that'd kill her now. 

But the only thing on her mind was Enid, she shouldn't let the girl come with her. 

— Are you out of your mind, Addams? What the hell are you doing out here?!

Yes, it was Reed. All bruised up and with clothes basically looking like rags. His wavy black hair was a total mess, not that usually it wasn't, but right now it was a real mess.

— It seems like I came to make your services easier — she tried to prop herself up, and almost fell, so Reed took one step forward to help her, which made Wednesday flinch and step back. Reed got the memo and went to his earlier place. Wednesday managed to stand up by herself. — I know you're the monster, but I just want to ask you to leave Enid alone. She didn't see your face. 

Reed stared at Wednesday in disbelief for a second and then scoffed, breaking eye contact for a second. Wednesday kept glancing at him, well she had to try to at least plead for the werewolf’s life. She knew she wouldn't stand a chance against the boy in front of her.

— I'm not the monster, Addams, and I don't intend to hurt you or your friend either.

— And what are you doing here then? And in that state? — Wednesday looked at him from bottom to top.

— I asked you first — he retorted.

Wednesday remained silent. She thought if she continued talking about her certainty of him being the monster, Reed would not think twice and kill her and Enid.

— Let's get out of here, it's not safe for you two — he said and went to Enid, to pick the unconscious girl up, but Wednesday stood in front of her, shielding Enid and stopping the boy who was lowered in front of the body. — I'm not gonna hurt your friend, Addams. I need to get y’all out of here before it comes back, I won't be able to protect you two.

— You're really not the monster? Why should I believe you

Reed sighed, annoyed. He was hurt, his body was sore from the fight with the monster and Wednesday's insistent accusations were starting to get on his nerves.

— You want to pay with your life and see that I'm not the monster or do you want to come with me and leave this forest alive with your friend? — he snapped, trying his best to let his tone low.

— Let's go — Wednesday decided to go with him. It wasn't like she had too many options anyway.

Reed carried her in a bridal style through the entire school until the three of them got to the girl's dorm. They had to be very discreet and thoughtful to not be caught by any school employee, but they managed to do it successfully.

***

Fortunately, Enid was fine. It wasn't anything serious but was enough for Wednesday's worry. She didn't know she cared that much about the girl until she thought she was dead. She only noticed that one tear had run down her cheek when a comforting hand touched her shoulder. She was startled a bit by Reed's strong yet delicate touch on her clothed shoulder. Wednesday had forgotten about him while looking at Enid, sitting beside her in her bed.

After he said “Don’t worry, Addams. I'm sure she'll be okay”, she kicked him out. 

Reed didn't even get the chance to ask if Wednesday was fine, because of her wound on the head, and when she looked at him, she saw that he was honestly concerned about her looking at her head. And that irritated her.

In any case, Wednesday was sincerely relieved and swore she would never ever again expose the werewolf girl to that danger again.

2 days passed by after the incident in the forest. Reed should attend 4 classes shared with Wednesday, but he didn't show up. Nor was seen at all at the school. 

Maybe he had left because Wednesday discovered his secret, but when Wednesday asked some of the teachers about his absence, they said that the principal informed them he was sick and that's why she was absent from the classes. Wednesday then went to the medical wind, the nurse said that he never stopped by.

She decided to confront him once and for all. Wednesday expected to talk to him, but since he hadn't shown up, she'd go to him.

The string about Wednesday is that she wouldn't settle down while she didn't solve this puzzle.

[kurtty-drabbles]

Scooby au(fantastic four)

N/A: Ok, here we go.

@djinmer4 @dannybagpipesarecalling @sailorstar9 @discordsworld @look-ma-no-hands336

Sue Storm is a woman who pledges alliance with the X-men, even if her husband was on the fence about the matter, to the point she often drops by to help the students. Today, Sue and her oldest son, Richard Reeds, a boy with great powers and only being 7 years old, decide to visit the X-men and this make the blonde woman smile. She´s going to see friendly faces.

"Mommy?" Frankie asked, the boy is often praised as a God, but, he and his family understand he´s just a mutant and needs to be ground to reality, to his humanity "you really don´t like the Avengers?"

"Well, I don´t like how they take sides so easily" Sue replied, her son is a powerful mutant, but, still a child and don´t need to know certain details of her brief time in the Avengers.

_________________________________________________________________________

Scott Summers never was the one to analyses deocration´s details, yet, the man was sure the main hall and the dining room weren´t blue. In the dining room is possible to see the lonesome figure of a normal teenage girl smiling in the lonely space and that shouldn´t be so terrifying.  On the other side, Nightcrawler is there in the shadows, a normal picture on the surface...yet, Scott does not want to invade their space(Kurt looks at Scott as a hunter looks at its prey)

What is happening here? Was the room always so blue? Crystal and dark blue mixing in the space and time...screams of the death and horror, what is happening?

"Scott?" Jean asked worry laced in her tone and Scott feels relief and hope once again and a smile graces his lips "are you alright? you´re staring at the door for 5 minutes"

"Fan of blue too?" Jubilee asked with sunglasses indoor and Scott has no room to comment how strange that is.

"No, I was...just thinking about our last mission" Scott can´t and does not want to lie.

"Often thinking about the missions, Scott!" Jean speaks in a soft tone "there´s more in life than missions, come on, let´s do something else. Me and Jubilee were talking about dinner"

"Oh, right, I completely forget about dinner, who will make this time?" Scott asked gladly to leave that door behind.

"Silly Scott!" Jubilee shakes her head amused.

"Yeah, silly Scott, that´s what you get for your mind travel miles and miles away from this galaxy" Jean speaks gently and tap his nose "is your time to make the dinner"

Scott smiles thankful for Jean and this times promises to make a meal Jubilee can eat it. He´s not getting why she´s chuckling at that.

______________________________________________________________________

Sue Storm enters at the school as Frankie shows the way, excited as if he knows where a good present is hidden and soon enough, and soon enough, mother and son are in a blue room, crystal blue, to be more exact, and a figure of a small teenager girl is greeting them.

Sue Storm feels at home(flashes of her mother hit her mind and she can even taste the homemade pies her mother used to make for her kids. She can even see Jonhy eating a large slice) and she´s not questioning anything nor is Frankie.

"Hi, my name is Shadowcat, fellow human" Kitty replied waving at Sue and Frank, who in turn, are in a total state of bliss. "Sit, let´s talk about human things, sex, war, crime and more humane things"

Is not an odd request by the duo as they sit closely to Kitty(not on the same couch, no, they are sitting on the ground) as the teen is still smiling with her deep blue eyes, a deep manly voice echoes through the place, yet, Sue and Frankie see nothing of the ordinary.

"You´re really pretty, miss Shadowcat" Frankie speaks in awe and Kitty nods.

"Thank you, do people are that quickly to throw the word God so easily? especially at a human child?" Kitty asked and Sue answers "Richard thought so, but, it was proven wrong...Frankie is just a child, he has great powers, of course, but not a God, please, believe us, we never intended for anyone to think in such way"

"I know, is ok, I know, now tell me Sue Storms, what is your husband´s goal? Does he want to be a god?" Kitty asked as the room is getting white and white and Sue is now feeling fear.

(The absence of colours! No, anything but that)

"Richard thinks he´s better than all the humans, but, no he does not see himself as God, far too atheist for that" Sue explained. Kitty closes her eyes and opens revealing more blue than ever "hubris, oh, it has been a while..."

The manly voice is speaking something and Sue and Frank don´t want to understand or heard this voice ever again.

"Mr Fantastic is creating a project called Supergenes, which is nothing more than little humans playing as God, destroy this project for me" Kitty orders as a mother would to a son who refuses to clean his own room.

"Oh, we´ll, believe, me and Frankie will do that, trust us" Sue promised.

"Yes, I´ll use my powers if is needed, that project is gone!" Frankie speaks strongly.

"Good, as a mother you´re ought to protect your family, Ben, Jonny, Frankie and ..." Now Kitty lunches forwards calmly and gently touch Sue´s belly "and the little girl you carrying"

Frankie is surprised and looks to his mother in awe, it was common knowledge that Sue Storm couldn´t get pregnant again as Frankie´s pregnancy was ...far too complex(it was needed a cesarian and according to Dr Reeds and everyone around it was a miracle that Sue didn´t die along with the baby)

Sue is crying. Tears of joy. "Am I expecting a girl?" Frankie asked if he could touch his mother´s belly and the woman lets, Frankie will have a little sister.

"Thank you, thank you so much" Sue speaks and Frankie promised to end his father´s project. ________________________________________________________________________

"You know..." Nightcrawler leave the shadows once the mother and son are out of the mansion "the humans have a word for that...mommy kink"

"One, I´m the mother of all things, two...EWW" she replied and Kurt merely chuckles amused as now he sits next to Kitty resting his face on her shoulders "So, the Fantastic Four is all yours now?" Kurt asked.

"I´m planning to get Ben and Jonnhy, I suppose that by proxy I would have to accept Reed, but, I pass, I killed Reed's council" Kitty now is laughing at human´s ignorance "I don´t want to deal with more Reeds...if you want him for your cult...he´s all yours"

"Uhm, I think I´ll" ____________________________________________________________________________

Sue Storm breaks into Reeds' lab and spares no time to destroy the samples. Frankie shows no mercy as starts to use power to prevent his own father to stretch and save what he can about project Supergenes.

"Sue? Are you out of your mind?" Richard asked. Ben and Jonnhy are there, not to help Richard, but, to make sure the project Supergenes is over forever.

"Darling, all I do is to protect my family, I can´t let you continue on this project" this is her only explanation.

"Ben?!" he asked as his best friend is breaking the machine with such violence that not even Hulk could muster.

"Rick, I´m your best friend, and I´ll always support you, however, playing as God is never wise...I can´t believe I´ll say this, but, not even Dr Doom would do this project and he´s evil"

"Yeah, Rick" Jonnhy states "when not even our greatest supervillain would do this experiment ...is time to think about priorities"

[doctorofmagic]

Stephen’s indelible sin

For those who follow me for a while, you’re probably aware that I speak of guilt and self-loathing A LOT when it comes to Stephen. Once I wrote about his most terrible sin, but since then, I’ve gathered MORE information concerning Stephen and Hulk’s relationship. And, on a personal level, I think both fans and writers should explore this bond more, given their history.

Today, I’ll bring a detailed review on Stephen’s mistake and how it escalated into a pain that will never cease to exist within his heart and soul.

Warning: get your handkerchiefs ready, this is about to become sad quite rapidly.

We’ll begin our journey of angst in 1967, as seen in Strange Tales #156-157. In order to prevent Umar from walking on Earth, the Ancient One advises Stephen to release an evil and powerful demon called Zom. The demon is able to defeat Umar, but his strength is overwhelming, enough to give the Ancient One a hard time. Zom’s power is so evil and cursed that releasing him is a deed that catches the Living Tribunal’s (undue) attention. The Living Tribunal is so offended he wants to destroy Earth. And guess what? He blames Stephen, even though he was a mere apprentice imbued with blind obedience at that time.

The Living Tribunal imprisons Zom again, while Stephen convinces the deity that Earth deserves another chance. Stephen basically saves the planet, as usual, while Zom remains dormant for literally decades.

We’ll skip now to a not-so-canon event called “the birth of the Illuminati”, or “how Stephen ruined his life for good out of arrogance and toxic masculinity”. It’s uncertain when they first gathered to boss around the planet, but according to History Of The Marvel Universe #3 (2019) and New Avengers: Illuminati #1 (2007), they made this decision after the Kree/Skrull War, creating a secret council to answer for all humanity, even though humanity itself wasn’t aware of those dubious representatives. The Kree/Skrull war dates back to 1971, which means they spent decades plotting their hidden agendas.

Still, they’re heroes, right? They wouldn’t harm people, would they? They wouldn’t harm their friends or make mistakes. They’re supposed to be the smartest, most powerful people on Earth. Oh. Let me tell you something. Their very first mission was the reason why we had Civil War and Secret Invasion. Yes. It’s their fault that the Skrulls invaded Earth. And yes, Stephen is to blame because he was there with the group when they first threatned the Skrulls never to come back, or else they’d face them. Hah.

However, this is not his indelible sin. As you all know, what I consider an irreparable mistake was sending Hulk to Sakaar. And what’s even worse? It wasn’t the first time that Stephen tried to banish Hulk, as seen in The Incredible Hulk v1 #305 (1985).

But why is Stephen so haunted by banishing a menace? Because Hulk was, foremost, a dearest friend.

From Defenders v1 #12 (1973)

When it comes to Hulk’s friendships, people always think of Rick Jones, Amadeus Cho, even his cousin Jennifer Walters. But few people remember that Stephen and Valkyrie were two of the first heroes to treat Hulk kindly and with respect, even though Hulk always called Stephen names (the most iconic, “dumb magician”, which is a personal favorite of mine).

Stephen has always treated Hulk as an equal, as someone who is so much more than a mindless brute. So it’s really strange for me to read that, at some point, Stephen tried to banish him twice.

Sadly, it happened. The first was not as iconic as the second, though. So I’m focusing on the latter. Remember the Illuminati? The group thought they had the right to decide Hulk’s fate after he went berserk and destroyed Las Vegas. And Stephen agreed to it. Namor, who was also a member of the Defenders along with Stephen and Hulk, was the only one who refused, as seen in New Avengers: Illuminati One-Shot (2006). The three of them were the original members. Stephen should’ve known better. So why would he agree to this?

Because, again, the Illuminati are a very dubious group whose foundations are based on toxic masculinity. Powerful, egoic men left unchecked. And Stephen, as Earth’s most powerful sorcerer, couldn’t resist the call. The Ancient One was dead. The mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme was his. Clea left him years later - and he never told her about his dirty little secret, something that is subtly confirmed somewhere between New Avengers: Illuminati #4 (2007) and Avengers v4 #9 (2011).

Thus, it seems that Stephen, at some point, decided that he was better than everyone around him, a trait that was supposed to be buried in the past along with his arrogant neurosurgeon self. The kind man who has always praised his allies was now gone.

Except... World War Hulk happened. Long story short, Hulk ended up in Sakaar and found a new life after defeating his captor. He married and became king, and he was happy (you can get a very shady glimpse of this story in MCU’s Thor: Ragnarok, but that version is quite family friendly. World War Hulk is far worse). But then, the ship which the Illuminati created to send him into space exploded, killing his wife in the process. Spoiler: it wasn’t the Illuminati. It was Miek, who framed the Illuminati so Hulk would call revenge upon them. Enraged as never seen before, Hulk was truly decided to kill Reed, Tony, Black Bolt and... yes, Stephen.

At first, Stephen tried to reason with him. But Hulk’s hatred was beyond words. Stephen had all his fingers broken, ouch. Imagine his pain, assuming his hands were once injured in the car accident and still hurt from the damage and all the surgeries he has been through...

Now, as you know, Stephen is stubborn as hell. Remember the demon Zom? When everything else failed to stop the Hulk, Stephen finally corrupted his soul and let the demon possess him. Obviously, he lost control and almost harmed innocent people, which was enough for him to be distracted long enough for Hulk to finish him off.

In the end, Hulk discovered the truth behind the explosion and, after a rage outburst, transformed back to Banner. Stephen almost died that day by the hands of his friend. But he didn’t. All that was left from that sad event was guilt. Endless, heavy guilt.

One could arguee that Stephen is out of character. And I would’ve agreed with you, except... Nor time nor actions were good enough to heal Stephen’s heart. It never went away. Never.

The reason why he forfeited the mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme? Because he used Zom’s dark magic and hurt Bruce deeply. And that affected him on so many levels that he didn’t find himself worthy anymore.

From New Avengers v1 Annual #2 (2008).

It didn’t stop there. He tried time and time again. He was never able to find the proper words to apologize because he knows words will never heal the pain he inflicted on his friend.

These thoughts are Stephen’s. “Two words I’ll repeat for the rest of my days. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” (From Incredible Hulks #618)

And poor Stephen even goes and tries to compensate his lack of expertise when it comes to interpersonal relationships, projecting his relationship with Hulk into, well, another Hulk. He’s so afraid of making the same mistakes he doesn’t even know where the line is drawn.

From Weapon H #2 (2018).

As I said, it will never go away. And Stephen knows it.

From Defenders v4 #1 (2011).

The point is, people make mistakes. And sometimes these mistakes are just too painful to be erased. Stephen strongly believes he’ll never be forgiven, which is quite sad because this sin will always be a source of guilt for him. Whether or not Hulk forgives Stephen in the future, it will always remain a burden.

Personally, I believe that blaming himself for what happened to Hulk is even worse than blaming himself for Clea’s departure. Because, see, Clea has forgiven Stephen over the years. They still love each other and, once you ignore Fearless Defenders, there’s no sin. They both agreed to take separate ways, even though their love still existed.

But Hulk? It’s a story about betrayal between friends. It’s quite cruel and sad for both sides. I can only hope that, someday, a writer will make it up for them. They deserve another chance. And, as unreliable as I am, all I want to see is a happy Stephen.

[popculturebuffet]

Ducktales Della Arc Reviews: The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!

Hello all you happy people. I’ve been dreading this one.. not because it’s bad. Quite the oppisite. In fact on rewatch I was marveling at how brilliant this one was and remembering why it was on my best of list. But because the ending, as you all well know, is the most gutwrenching part of the entire series. Three seasons and lots of other heartrending moments.. and the ending of this episode from the big reveal to that final shot above tears you the fuck apart. It’s hard to watch even know it all works out in the end and that i’d be watching the conclusion the next day instead of having to wait a rather painful week like I did at first airing. It’s just that good. So join me under the cut for a review of one of the series finest half hours and some of David Tennant’s best work as we crash the Sunchaser one last time.. for this season... and i think Launchpad crashes it again in the finale so I don’t get that title. 

So our plot for the episode is that 

Yes Clan McDuck is taking their version of a vacation. It’s off to Monocrow for the E.X.C.E.S.S. Expo! Yes it’s the EXCESS Expo! With the latest in racecars lasers and many more! The EXCESS Expo! With booths from such welcome guests as Stark International, Muppet Labs, S.T.A.R. Labs, VenTech, The Franklin Sherman Memorial Fishmobabywhirlomgig Institute, TCRI, Gryzzl, Sumdac Systems, G-Heavy Industries, Tylerco, Lexcorp, Wayne Enterprises, Quickstart, The Gizmonic Institute, Alchemax,and Baintronics! But that’s not all! We also have huge paneeellls! Hank Pym’s “The ethics of dating your robot grandaughter”, Reed Richards “How to Dispatch an Evil Council made up entirely of yourself!”, Victor Von Dooms “CURSE YOU RICHARDS I’M SMARTER FOR I AM DOOM”, Stanford Pines with “How to Kill a Godlike Demon and Get your Smile Back”, Dr. Bunsen Hondedew with “How to abuse your assitant in 2020″ Dr.Light with “The Ethics of helping your robot child fight an evil albert einstein”, Profesor Henry Hidgens with “The incoming apocalypse with songs from Working Boys: A New Musical” Ray Palmer “Welcome To Pain”, and you know our friend Ass Dan will be in full effect> yeah bitch you know he’s going to live forev... what’s that? He’s dead. oh shame. Someone call rusty venture. Yes I know i’m typing this. Shut up. THE EXCESS EXPO. BE THERE OR WE’LL SEND OUR ROBOTS AFTER YOU. 

... Where.. Where was I? Oh yes, big vacation. Monocrow.. which sadly is not just a big field with just Crow T. Robot in it. Someday you’ll get MST3K/Ducktales Jake, someday. Point is our heroes are excited, and Scrooge is also there to find the Maltese MacGuffin, a mysterious artifact no one’s ever seen. And the kids and Scrooge have their own specail guest joining them: Bentina! Yeah turns out she has hundreds of vacation days built up, and simply hasn’t used them so she’s using a few to join them. It also once again shows how much less of a heartless money monster this Scrooge is as any of his employees asking for a vacation, paid or not, in the comics would result in this:

So their off on their greatest adventure.. with Louie having’ bought something mysterious along with him he’s only telling the other kids about. On with the intro!

Beakly.. is intstantly not at ease as they take off after driving their jeep into the plane. She feels launchpad is reckless, rightfully so not helped by a lack of seatbelts on the plane or his cheefully saying the closest he’s got, a floatie, will help “When” we crash. She’s also equally annoyed by Scrooge’s cavalier attitude, having intrusted the kids to him only to find out what the adventueres are really like. And this is the only part of the episode that REALLY doesn’t work. She KNOWS these two idiots too well for this to be beliviable. Launchpad wrecks part of the mansion at least once a day, and before Duckworth she had to clean that shit up. He’s there all the time.. and more damingly HE DROVE YOU AND YOUR KID, YOUR KIDS BEST FRIENDS, AND YOUR KIDS GIRLFRIEND TO THE FUCKING MOVIES. I can’t buy given how bad a driver launchapd is she didn’t wrench the wheel from him to prevent their early graves. Scrooge meanwhile is her BEST FRIEND. And until season 2 for her and 3 for him ONLY friend. Sure she works for him, but outside of one incident in this episode he treats her as his equal more than his housekeeper for the entire series. They trust each other more than anyone else at this point. And the only other two people Scrooge ends up trusting as much are Donald and Della. She’s been around him enough to know how he is. What did she THINK he was going to be like with the kids? She’s met the twins, and even mroe so is on good terms with Donald even into the pilot and they only got off on bad terms due to clashing over house rules. So she KNWOS this is what he does with children. You can’t be shocked Scrooge took children on death defying adventures in a barely secured plane after all this time. It’d be like giving Donald a turkey to carve and being suprised when it ends in this...

It just dosen’t work especially with a professional spy! Her job is reading people! And yes I know many of you are going to say “Well she misread Bradford”... but so did Scrooge and so many others. NO ONE suspected him. He’s that good. So her suddenly having a complaint about all this stuff when she could’ve come along anytime to check it out or just looked at the plain bothers me a LOT. Thankfully it’s only really present at the start as while it sets off her concern their back and forth soon has a far deeper meaning. But Scrooge insists Launchpad take her on a tour to ease her worry, seems like a contrdictary set of sentences there, while he flies. How hard could it be. Somewhere on the Moon, Della has the sudden urge to kick her uncle’s ass. 

So meanwhile in a secret base set up in a cargo box, the kids are working on the Della mystery. Turns out what Louie smuggled aboard was the documents shredded on the date the boys found on the Spear of Selene plans. Louie got them by smooth talking Quackfaster who even he found nuts. It also once again shows Dewey was only holding things back by keeping the other boys out as in jus weeks, since chronologically there were two other episodes between this and the last Della episode versus just one, their almost to the truth as one document from that day is simply torn into pieces and simply needs to be re-jiggered like a puzzle. Like most puzzles though naturally once they get it all together they find there’s one goddamn piece missing and it ends up loose int he plane flitting around... just as Scrooge majorly screws up and bumps things, leading Beakly to wonder where the kids are and them to scramble out. 

So yeah Scrooge seemingly crashed the plane.. except Launchpad notes that if they crashed.. why are they still airborne? This leads to everyone finding out their precariously perched on a VERY narrow rock that’s skewered the plane. Orignially the crew decided to strictly adhere to the concept that any movement would rock the thing.. but realized i’td make things boring visually so they allowed themselves some artistic license. 

So yeah our heroes are stuck in a hard place and Scrooge stubbornly digs in insisting he can fix this and turns on the plane.. which sends it spinning and prevents Dewey from getting the piece which ends up wedged in the jeep. Huh I think we need some appropriate music for going in circles. 

So yeah all Scrooge did was blow up one of the engines... I mean the blow up the engine button is right there, would’ve saved you some time. So Beakley berates him for not calling for help and digging in and for it’s next plan it’s time for Handyman Corner where he’s going to show you how to jumpstart a plane with a jeep’s engine. Beakly is not impressed and Scrooge’s case is not helped as Louie feigns fear , with Huey and Webby following his lead, so Dewey can get the piece. Unfortunately pointing out the very REAL dangers they face, with Huey giving the odds and Webby pointing out unlike most dangers they face there’s no easy way out and no villian to fight, sends Louie into an actual panic, jumpstarting the car  and causing the cargo bay to open, leading to one hell of a sequence: From Bentina driving a butterfly knife into the ground to hold the kid’s secret base crate (and wondering why it’s so heavy), to Launchpad desperatley platforming his way to saftey to scrooge swining in with his cane to rescue them. It’s some whopper animation that really shows off how damn good the team was and how gorgeous this show truly was at it’s best. 

The results aren’t good: the plane’s ballnce is now off so even a slight movement can move it, a holdover from the original idea simply saved for when it’d create the most tension. As a result Dewey can’t get the last piece as he can’t move and Scrooge berates the kids and has thems tay still watching the end credits of darkwing duck (It’s launchpad’s inflight movie and the tape is jammed to that section.

IT’s here the Scrooge and Beakley stuff went from poorly written to “oh shit” in one line. Scrooge is getting more and more desperate to prove he can take care of the kids on his own but Beakely’s demeanor has turned from annoying scolding.. to genuine concern and PLEADING with him not to go through with another dumb stunt that will leave them in a worse situation, int his case using the parachutes as counterweights to fix the engine. He refuses both rebuffing her as “your boss” (Which gets her rightfully pulling on the cord too tight) .. but then that one line comes in “I can protect her”. Beakley is confused.. but it instantly makes clear this is about Della and on rewatch now knowing the reveal at the end.. it makes it that much more heartbreaking. Part of his refusal to backdown is his natural nature as a stubborn ass. It’s been well displayed throughout this season and the ones after it: HIs refusal to backdown from nevverst, his jealousy of Dewey for being better at him and his refusal to accept it.. the man just does not back down and while it’s good in tight spots and against bad guys, as he finds a way out for him and his family with sheer grit and badassery... it’s a massive character flaw when dealing with people, as refusing to actually talk to them like a ratoinoal adult only makes things worse. And boy oh boy is he about to make things worse. But the other part is he can’t admit to himself there’s a risk in his lifestyle and that he can’t keep everyone safe constantly.. that theres inherent danger. He’s bought into the “because i’m scrooge mcduck” mantra here not out of his ego, entirely, but because he can’t let that not be enough again. He can’t LOOSE someone again like he lost Della and he can’t fail again. So his worst trait and his greatest trauma have mixed to make him act so rashly even Launchpad takes some shouting to agree to give him the other parachute. It’s clear he’s endangering EVERYONE to prove he can save them. 

Eventually though things reach their head as Dewey CAN’T take the wait anymore. He’s waited his whole life to find out about his momma, and the answer’s feet away... and he can’t let it sit any longer. He HAS to know what happened. So he goes for it, though the rest of the kids are against it since i’ts highly risky and they can wait Huey ends up agreeing to help using his Junior Woodchuck knowledge (Where Newton apparently got the idea), to counterbalance hsi weight and guide him via walkee talkee. It’s a really nice moment, not only showing off Huey’s skill and intellect but also how much they care for her. Dewey may of screwed up last time but their still the duck boys and if he can’t talk him out of being sucidially reckless.. Huey’s going to at least give him a fighting chance. 

Unfortunately Scrooge spots him mid argument with Beakley and naturally wants him to give it here... but once the ship buckles when Dewey tries we get the scene that makes the episode. Up till now the tension has been top notch, ratcheting up by bit, not knowing if the kids would get caught, if something would happen with the plane all building to this. Scrooge and Dewey’s final chase. Dewey uses the distraction to make a runner for it with Scrooge following.. and Launchapd using the fact he’s still attached to the airbag to stop him. It’s a small but excellent character moment, showing that as much as Launchpad loves his boss.. he loves his best friend and eveyrone else’s saftey more. SCrooge of course uses it to knock him back while Beakley and the kids counterbalance. We also get the best joke of the episode as Beakley tells them to stop running.. only for them to simply start tip toeing, with Bentina’s reaction being a perfectly resigned “That’s not what I meant and you know it”. 

It’s a tense chase, with both sides using the enviorment to their advantage from the parachute to the crate.. and it’s breaking open reveals something’s gonig on and causes Beakley to notice Webby has the blueprints in her pocket and once she unfurls them and finds out what they are.. she can only give a sad, remorseful “oh children, what have you been up to” She’s not even mad like they seem to think.. she’s just sad, knowing the wound that’s about to be reopened for her closest friend and the one that’s about to be inflicted on those poor children, and knowing that they’re ALL made it worst by hiding it. Toks deserves all the praise for her delivery here. 

Eventually the piece blows outside of the plane and Dewey refuses to give up and go after it. Things get their most tense as everyone BEGS him not to come back, it’s not worth his death to get this. It’s not worth all of this. But he simply chucks the walkee away and ignores them. We then get Scrooge going from scolding grandpa.. to dearly begging Dewey to come back... David’s delvery here is just heartbreaking “I can’t protect you. Is that what you wanted me to say. Please lad just tell me what it will take to come back inside?” And Ben Schwartz meets it with an utterly emotional “Tell me about the spear of selene”. The animation here is once again some of the series best with Dewey’s determined face and Scrooge’s heartbreak as he realizes he has to finally stop hiding this from them and he’s not ready. So he takes his uncles hand.. and if you thought all of this is painful.. oh boy.. we’re just getting started. 

So back in the plane, with Launchpad setting up a table and a proper counterbalance so they can all sit, Scrooge finally explains and the boys, webby, and us int he audience all get the answers we desperately wanted: It was 10 1/2 years ago. The Original Trio had journeyed the world, having all sorts of adventures and making themselves into legends. But eventually you hit a wall and they’d realized they’d been just about everywhere. They could still globetrot of courser and as Season 3 would bear out there were some places they didn’t know about.. but the earth was about used up. So Della, being an aerospace wunderkind, thought of the next logical place to go. The stars. The Spear of Selene was a rocket, her pet project to give her kids, who she was expecting at the time the stars. 

Thing was Donald wasn’t on board with this at all. And the clash between the two, which we see in the flashback but don’t hear since Scrooge is narrating all of this over some cool looking semi-still images, was inetiviable. As I coverd in the spear of selene review I feel Donald was burnt out at this point. That he was tired of adventures and just wanted normalcy even before Scrooge forced his hand with what was to happen next. So to him Della should just settle down, live a regular life and raise those kids. The problem is... Della WASN’T burnt out. She didn’t need a break to live a normal life like Donald badly needed. She wanted to keep going and it was her choice. While Donald ultimately was right about the risk, he was wrong to try and force her into a life she didn’t want and project on her like that. 

What happened next though was all on Scrooge and Della. Scrooge simply did the thing that’s likely part of why Donald resents him so much and it took so long to fix thing: He ignored what Donald felt and thought, sided with Della and built the ship without telling either of them. His selfishness, thinking he knows what best and treatment of donald.. all backfired horribly. Della sussed out the ship.. and I still feel she was suspicious on her own.. and that Bradford telling her was him simply handing her a lit fuse knowing it’d go off and WHATEVER happened as a result of this would break scrooge. Even if the rocket had gone off saftely and everything was fine.. he could easily claim Della threatned him,k which she probably did and he simply went with it, and either way Donald would be unable to forgive either SCrooge or Della for the deciet. It just went better, and worse than he could’ve anpiciapted: much like the fantastic four she took the ship in the dead of night and hit a cosmic storm, with Scrooge only finding out in time to try and help her.. but the storm hit the ship.. and unlike the ff instead of gaining the power to turn invisible, she simply disappeared. She was lost. He and Donald didn’t speak again after Donald found out till 6 months ago. 

If that wasn’t heartbreaking enough.. it gets worse. The kids, full of fresh pain and anger over Scrooge’s part in things, their mom abandoning them, and their uncles hiding this for decades.. take it out on the one person there. Frank and Matt recently said in an artcle detailing the best 7 episodes from one site, or at least what the site considered to be the best, that Donald was absent because  he also knew and would’ve told them sooner. I also feel it’s because he would’ve disarmed this conflict, at least admitting what scrooge did alongside beakley. As mad as he was.. his own anger had started to disapate. The wound was fresh to the boys and thus they lashed out. 

Dewey blames him for it outright, Huey tell shim he should’ve called her back, and Louie tells him he shoudl’ve sent a fleet of ships to find her. As we find out in the somehow even MORE crushing ending he did the last two and as I made clear, and the show does, this was Della’s horrible decision. She took an unfinsihed rocket, she left her kids, she did this. While she regretted it and I don’t hold it against her because she spent 10 years away from the mon the moon, she’s suffered THROUGHLY for it and I don’t feel I need to pile on, Scrooge wasn’t wholly responsible. Still partly. Dewey makes things worse by impling scrooge GAVE UP ON HER because it cost too much. 

Look the rest of it is valid, if misguided, as Beakley tries to chime in on it and correct them knowing the full story. But claming, no matter how greedy he is that Scrooge would ABANDON HER.. that’s just wrong and he knows it. It’s why Scrooge gets so upset.. and why he pushes the last two people in his corner away. Webby critisizes building the rocket and Scrooge belts out “This is a family matter, your not family”. runing his position and poisiong his one ally by lashing out at someone who DID NOT DESERVE THIS. Make no mistake, this is present day scrooge’s WORST action. The past scrooge did worse, we saw that, but this is almost worse than the goat thing. Telling a child h’ed basically adopted, ignoring the finale twist for this as it’s irrelvant and all it does is twist the knife deeper, that “she’s not family” just because he wants someone to be mad at besides his boys... that’s fowl. Everyone’s against him except launchpad and tha’ts where his stubbornesst ragically comes in: he digs in his heels refuses to explain.. and the plane crashes due to it. though safely. Their safe.. but the family is broken. 

So we get our hell of an ending scenes. Donald cheerfully announces to the boys, who earlier had no intention of leaving anyway, the boats finished.. only for Dewey to inform him “We know abotu the spear of selene” . Donald is heartbroken, not only that they know.. but that he didn’t tell them. 

But since “it gets worse” is this episodes motto, we end on Beakley, Webby and Duckworth all leaving on vacation. How a ghost does vacations I dunno, maybe he’s going to go to Amity Park. Point is Webby, despite EVERYTHING , is crestfallen he’s not even going to say goodbye and still worried. As I said in my review of the finale.. it’s her heart that makes her and while Scrooge may be a dick right now.. he’s family. So we get the final lines of the episode Beakley: Well, you've successfully pushed your family and everyone who ever cared about you away... again. I hope you're happy. Scrooge:I AM

It’s just damn heartbreaking.. once again he’s lost everything and is too bitter to admit it and try and get it back. And as we see between the lines.. the boys were wrong: He drained his bin and his buisnesses creating a fleet to get Della back, and kept going despite the expense. He did everything he could to call her back. Nothing worked.. and he only stopped because the board yanked him away, Bradford sneering with pride as his plan, which backfired HORRIBLY, had at last finally gotten him what he wanted: a broken scrooge tired of adventure. And as Scrooge sits in his chair seething.. he’s broken again, angry, with tears in his eyes, loving nobody.. and nobody loving him, eerily mimickcking his first appearance in comics. 

Final Thoughts: 

This episode is a masterpice. It’s perfectly paced, with only a minor flaw tha’ts qwuickly snuffed out for a gripping drama. This was a gamble, taking 9 minutes where ther’es almost no jokes and just pure tensino and heartbreak.. but it paid off. This episode is one of the series finest and leads to one hell of a finale but on it’s own.. it’s nigh untouchable. This is the series at it’s best, and the finale and later information (More about Della and the spear, WEbby’s true origin, bradford’s role in all this and role as head of fowl), only make it better, with all those things being aware to the creators but not us. They really made us wait for this reveal but damn if it wasn’t perfect. 

Next Time: Webby, Bentina and Launchpad try to desperatley piece the family back together before the boys and donald leave forever.. and Scrooge’s darkest hour leaves him vunerable for his greatest foe. It’s finally time to get back to Lena as the Shadow War descends over our heroes.

If you liked this review, follow for more and you can comission your own reviews by paying me 5 bucks to review any episode you like. Message me to talk it over. And if you’d rather get a gaurantted review every month, hit up my patreon at patreon.com/popculturebuffet. For 5 bucks a month you get a review every month and as of now special thanks in each review. Even a buck a month gets the thanks and helps and my next stretch goal, which is 5 bucks away nets everyone a review of darkwing duck everymonth for my lovely patreons to vote on. Special thanks to my patreons Emma and Kev, and I will see you at the next rainbow. 

[fapangel]

TBF, I rather have a blunt guy like you say this then sean who seemed to fumble a little bit and back peddled when the press dropped. I understand the annoyances the press went to stick the anti-semetic label on him without doing two seconds of googling since I doubt any of these assholes know what a WW2 soldier looks like without a black and white backdrop. However, it was a bit frustrating he couldn't explain himself better despite being in the the sort of right.

Does it really matter? You have to remember who we’re dealing with here. These are the same people who called Bush (the former fighter pilot) a knuckle-dragging retard for his entire eight years, and explained how the blithering idiot kept out-maneuvering them by portraying him as a puppet controlled by puppetmasters that all happened to have Jewish last names. Democrats have called every Republican since Ford a moron, (except for Reagan; they called him senile.) Once this “Russia” fantasy finally breathes its last they’ll use it on Trump too, considering that he’s filled his administration with Jews. Let’s count them up: 

Jared Kushner: Senior adviser and his own goddamned son-in-law. 

David Friedman: US Ambassador to Israel, and a longtime attorney for Trump before that. 

Jason Greenblatt: Special representative for international negotiations, and longtime chief legal officer of the Trump Organization before that. 

Steven Mnuchin: Treasury Secretary - and Trump’s friend and adviser for 15 years before that. 

Stephen Miller: senior adviser for policy.

Carl Icahn: Sepcial adviser on regulatory reform issues. 

Gary Cohn: Head of the White House National Economic Council. 

Boris Epshteyn: Special assistant to the President and assistant communications director. 

Dr. David Shulkin: Undersecretary for health at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, and Trump’s pick to head the department as its Secretary. 

Reed Cordish: Assistant to the President for intergovernmental technology initiatives, and a friend of Jared Kushner’s. 

Avrahm Berkowitz: Special assistant to the President. 

This is the roster of Jews that Trump has appointed to major Cabinet positions and, even more tellingly, his inner circle of advisers and confidants. And yet Democrats (who’ve already sneered their faces off over those rich Jews from Goldman Sachs, some of them in questions on this very blog,) have already called Trump “literally Hitler,” a “white nationalist,” and accused his administration of being Holocaust deniers, having a “problem with Jews,” and berated for not “speaking out” over “threats to Jewish centers” which were made by a dumb teenager, who was Israeli to boot.

While we’re at it, you should watch Netanyahu’s Speech to Congress, or visit our favorite Fake News outlet for the transcript. Take note of this part, especially: 

Israel is grateful for the support of American -- of America's people and of America's presidents, from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.

We appreciate all that President Obama has done for Israel.Now, some of that is widely known. Some of that is widely known, like strengthening security cooperation and intelligence sharing, opposing anti-Israel resolutions at the U.N.Some of what the president has done for Israel is less well- known.I called him in 2010 when we had the Carmel forest fire, and he immediately agreed to respond to my request for urgent aid.In 2011, we had our embassy in Cairo under siege, and again, he provided vital assistance at the crucial moment.Or his support for more missile interceptors during our operation last summer when we took on Hamas terrorists.

In each of those moments, I called the president, and he was there.And some of what the president has done for Israel might never be known, because it touches on some of the most sensitive and strategic issues that arise between an American president and an Israeli prime minister.But I know it, and I will always be grateful to President Obama for that support. And Israel is grateful to you, the American Congress, for your support, for supporting us in so many ways, especially in generous military assistance and missile defense, including Iron Dome. Last summer, millions of Israelis were protected from thousands of Hamas rockets because this capital dome helped build our Iron Dome.

Thank you, America. Thank you for everything you've done for Israel.

The response to this speech was snubs from Obama, snubs from 58 congressional Democrats who deliberately and publicly skipped the speech, including VP Biden, and belittling attacks from the left-wing cheerleader outlets - all for the crime of going against The Anointed One’s Big Plan for Iran. 

These are the people calling trump an anti-semite neo-Nazi ascendant.

Do you get my point? It doesn’t matter one goddamned bit what Spicer said. Spicer could’ve defended himself with an eloquence to make Socrate’s Apology look like the excuses of a five year old with their hand stuck in the cookie jar and it wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference. These people don’t fucking care. We have always been at War with Oceana, the Two Minutes Hate will continue as scheduled, and the reporting of last year or even last week to the contrary just goes straight down the memory hole. And the people that do care figured this out long ago. 

So don’t sweat it.