#the space/alien imagery

[heich0e]

wait why is down bad by taylor swift literally iwaoi

[whereserpentswalk]

A Stalker in the Darkness

[wonderful-emoji]

What is your favourite emoji to combine? Do you prefer funny or cute combinations?

[bumblingbabooshka]

Real.

[grayrazor]

Other people who grew up watching Star Trek, what was an image that traumatized you as a child?

I think most of mine were from TNG. Some episodes, especially from the early seasons, were crazy edgy...

[bobowizard]

ad in marquis style no. 1

[thagomizersshow]

Ranting about how JP is not a good critique of capitalism made me want to talk about a sci-fi monster movie that is an excellent AND highly relevant exploration of anticapitalistic themes: Alien (1979).

First I want to say that if you haven’t seen Alien, please do so before I spoil it for you. It’s not just one of my all time favourites, but also one of the greatest pieces of science fiction ever created. For real, please go watch it.

The biological aspects of Alien are often the most talked about themes in the movie, which is fair, because they’re simultaneously very interesting and in-your-face. Most viewers remember the movie for the gory sexual imagery, not for an authentic depiction of class struggle. I actually wrote a video essay a while back that I never made about how our innate disgust and resulting fear of parasites/parasitoids is the primary driver behind the xenomorph’s ongoing popularity. I’m not immune to this aspect of Alien’s eternal intrigue, that’s for sure.

However, there’s one narrative element that makes Alien ripe for class analysis, especially today, and that is the film’s portrayal of artificial intelligence.

AI in Alien is consistently shown to be hostile to the crew, but not because of a glitch, like HAL in 2001: Space Odyssey, or because they decide to rise up against their oppressors, like in Terminator. No, what makes Ash, the android, and MOTHER, the ship’s AI, so threatening is that they are doing exactly what they were programmed to do — whatever it takes to ensure corporate interests. In this case, they are programmed to ensure the survival of an extraterrestrial monster at the cost of the crew.

The audience isn’t privy to all the things that Ash does to meet this goal, but at the very least he breaks quarantine protocols, does a shitty job of watching the facehugger, lets Kane join the rest of the crew for a meal (when they still don’t know what it did to him!), plays dumb once the xenomorph is on the loose, and attempts to murder Ripley when she discovers his mandate. If it weren’t for Ripley being a determined badass, Ash might’ve gone unnoticed until the whole crew was dead and the Weyland-Yutani Corporation had their mitts on the alien so they can cause another catastrophe.

This horror, that you will encounter AI whose programming doesn’t care if you live or die, is what makes Alien’s take on the subject so relevant. Dipshits like Elon Musk or some shitty tech journalist might try and convince us that ChatGBT scary because it can fake being human, as if Skynet is right around the corner.

No, the real horror of AI is that the people in power (our bosses, our politicians, etc.) are going to use it to exploit us, just like how they use everything else.

In the end, it takes being skeptical of things that seem trustworthy for Ripley to defeat Ash. The audience finds out from the Nostromo’s captain, Dallas, that Ash was a last minute addition to the crew, as chief science officer. This is a role that inherently engenders trustworthiness in the face of the unknown, especially for a crew that is basically a bunch of working joes. It’s not unbelievable to conceive this was purposeful by Weyland-Yutani to make Ash above suspicion. That, combined with literally naming the ship’s AI MOTHER, of all things, shows that the company is deliberately weaponizing aesthetics to foster a positive relationship between the crew and their AI agents.

Alien serves as a reminder to be vigilant as we enter the AI boom, because these programs will be used to exploit us, and corporations WILL try to cloak this purpose behind relatability, convenience, and trust. The AI we encounter is more likely to be Ash or MOTHER than it is to be Data or Skynet.

[ozzgin]

wtf HOW WAS ROMULUS OZZIE Hello??????? I CANT WAIT TO WATCH ITRTR i miss david 8 tho 😓😓 “you finger and i blow” ok gorgeous whatever you say

Ok ok, I let it sit overnight so I could formulate a less feral opinion. I'll do my best to be objective, though you should keep in mind that I'm very biased when it comes to the Alien franchise.

Alien: Romulus First Impressions

Plot. The movie takes place between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). If you've seen the old Alien movies, you will notice it follows the same formula: somewhat slow beginning, a grand reveal, a lot of high-stake escape attempts, shady android behavior, and the classic, speedy succession of plot twists where you think you're safe, only to be surprised the very next moment.

While this movie is meant to behave more like the pre-2000 releases, it does bring some novel elements, which, in my opinion, helped build its own authenticity. Additionally - and without spoiling you - it will involve its own Xenomorph variation. Fantastic idea, and I cannot believe it hasn't been done earlier.

The cast is a group of orphaned youngsters who want to escape their space mining colony. You're introduced to a dystopian, grimy world of overworked humans who've never seen the light of the sun. The main character, Rain, is accompanied by her "brother", Andy, an android programmed to take care of her after the death of her parents. Here's another aspect I enjoyed: an anxious, imperfect android who seems to display an emotional bond with his human.

Rain's friends discover a shipwreck which may contain enough sleeping pods to take them away from these unbearable conditions. Their plan is to sneak in, take the pods, and speed away to a more humane station while in cryosleep. The twist? It's not just any regular ship. They have stepped into the Romulus and Remus research station, operated by Weyland-Yutani, and haunted by yet another failed attempt to contain the Xenomorph horrors.

Characters. Let me tell you, this was a breath of fresh air. Prometheus and Covenant have left me rather skeptical when it comes to a competent cast, yet from the ashes of pathetic military personnel rose a bunch of kids who are built for survival. Rain reminded me so much of Ripley - extremely intelligent, efficient, and strong. Her friends are equally brave in the face of disaster. This was a 10/10 cast, and I'm so glad they finally found the balance between being terrified and still navigating the situation without catastrophic mistakes.

Visuals. The imagery was an absolute treat. They seamlessly combined modern special effects with throwback, retro detailing. The futuristic equipment and locations reminded me a lot of Alien: Isolation. Upon further research, it seems that the director was indeed inspired by the game! It made everything so nostalgic and immersive. The Xenomorph design was flawless as usual, involving a lot of body horror.

Audio. I am desperately waiting for the album to be released on Spotify, because the soundtracks were amazing. The music was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch, who seems to have rather big movie titles under his belt, such as It, and It: Chapter Two. Safe to say this man knows how to instil terror in you. They made sure to incorporate some of the classic pieces, then expanded on that. The alert beats reminded me of Covenant, while other tracks provided their own take on the story. The intro of the movie is aided by dissonant chanting in the background, hinting at the ancient, religious imagery used for the Xenomorphs.

Conclusion. Overall, I'd say this is a must-watch for any Alien fan. It is a tribute to the classic movies, but it still offers a brand-new take to the Alien Universe. The movie had some moments of complete silence - staying true to the "In space, no one can hear you scream" quote - and everyone in the cinema held their breaths. It will keep you on your toes.

[dmsr-art]

ALIEN ROMULUS THOUGHTS:

IT WAS SO GOOD!! the easter eggs/callbacks were fun, that one iconic line of dialogue had me grinning like crazy. the absence of sound for some of the space scenes was SO cool. loved seeing MUTHER booting up!! the design of [redacted] at the end was SICK NASTY!!!

i just wish some of the kills were a little more bloody or gruesome, that's honestly my only criticism (for comparison, i feel like covenant had more blood and gore). ok actually they could have gone a little more sicko mode at the end with [redacted] too. the plot and pacing were excellent, characters didn't do bone headed stupid shit like in prometheus. it was really refreshing.

shout out to fede alvarez for giving the xeno some foreskin i saw the way the skin slid back on its little head when it was being birthed from the acid pussy cocoon. the cock and pussy imagery in this film was on POINT 🫡

[valtsv]

i've definitely said this before but it really does drive me crazy that the alien prequel-sequel films (prometheus and covenant) set up such a compelling narrative foils-who-are-also-mirrors gothic horror in space dynamic in david and elizabeth and then just abandoned it and fast forwarded to the conclusion. i don't even think they were necessarily wrong to end it the way they did (with david killing elizabeth because he knew she would never share his god complex, destroying her species' "gods", and further violating her body without her consent by doing fucked up unethical engineering experiments with her corpse out of a perverse desire to create new life with her in the only way he can), but it feels so cheap and such a disservice to the characters that they didn't show us everything that led to that point. the development of the messed up codependent psychosexual Thing they had as the only survivors of the prometheus expedition, and its inevitable paranoid breakdown when it became clear that they were ideologically opposed in fundamentally immutable ways, culminating in one of them inevitably destroying the other. it's not like they would even have had to give up all the religious imagery/parental trauma themes that they tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to use in covenant. if anything it would've been even better *finishes my drink and leaves the bar without paying, walking out into the night before you can stop me*

[ddejavvu]

idgaf about eddie but i’ve wanted venom since i was a wee lad. venom who’s all big and mean and manhandles you because you’re nothing. talks about how he could squash you like a bug between his fingers yet here you are letting him fuck your interesting little human pleasure hole

FUCK indy i've had this brewing in my inbox and now i've finally got the time to give it the attention it deserves <3

this post is 18+, minors dni. cw for mentions/'threats' of extreme violence/death, don't like don't read.

"I could kill you," Venom grunts, not a threat but an observation, "I kill lots of people."

Your face pinches down into a grimace but the waver in your voice isn't from the imagery, "Venom, no, don't- don't say that! I don't want to know."

His viscous appendages, more tentacle than hand, edge deeper into your hole, filling in every inch of space and unconstrained by defined mortal flesh. A web of the black goopy substance holds you against an empty wall in Eddie's apartment, pinning your back to the brick and scraping your skin.

"But you liked hearing me tell you," The symbiote practically purrs, his voice gravelly and miles away from the safety of human baritone, "Your hole got tighter around me when I said it."

"No, it- I don't like- no!" You gush, unable to defend yourself but desperate to save face, "That's not true."

"It is," Venom presses, another stray tendril suctioning to the curve of your ass and leaving burning skin in its wake, "I will do it again. I am stronger than you."

As a testament to his statement, he expands the web of black fluid that's holding you against the wall, forcing it around your neck like a snug sleeve. He's right; you can't move. Of course you'd known it since the first time you laid eyes on the alien, but the effortless proof he offers you has your hole fluttering around his tendril once more.

"I could smother you," Venom continues, and you feel a distinct throb between your legs, his makeshift dick only seeping further into you, "I could flood your lungs and drown you," He threatens, the slime crawling up around your chin and mouth, hovering teasingly over your nose as you frantically gasp through it, "I could squeeze you until each of your bones break and you are helpless."

You do more than clench around him. The acrid stab of fear in your chest couples with the rising swell of bliss below it, and you wriggle your hips pathetically in his strong grip as you ride out your orgasm on his tentacle.

"I was right," Venom concludes, far from human niceties, though he still suspends you against the wall as your limbs sag with exhaustion, "You want me to kill you."

"No, Venom," You swear, though you don't have the energy to be as alarmed as you should be, "I- I don't want you to kill me. It's just- sometimes I think it's hot to remember that you could."

Milky white eyes blink at you, once, twice, and Venom decides, "I do not understand humans."

But you're saved the effort of explaining yourself when he draws his tendril out of your sensitive hole, letting his obscenely long tongue draw your wetness into his mouth, "But if you think it is hot, I will not let you forget that I could crush you."

[grunckle]

Some disjointed thoughts on the Void Sea and the subconcious

I really just wanted to write something quickly on this, it’s not so much a theory as it is just a small analysis on the general mood of the ending, with a little contextualizing with in game dialogue.

So the subconscious is such a mysterious yet integral part to understanding the more spiritual/alien parts of Rain World. This isn’t a world in which the eldritch and unknowable lurk in the far reaches of space, but rather appear through our own minds and subconscious.

Echos appear in dream like sequences, where all other life except scavengers (in vanilla) fall asleep.

Karma flowers allow us to contact imagined worlds, other selves, dreams, and memories.

Eating a neuron of an iterator allows us to perceive voidspawn.

Our karma is raised through the mark of communication, which is linked to the brain in some way judging by Five Pebbles’s slideshow.

And, beyond that, plenty of cerebral/brainy imagery and concepts are present.

“Cabinet beasts” (the organ-like worms found in Memory Crypts) are likely some sort or mutated brain tissue, I talk about it more in this post.

Void worms also have a neural texture that covers their skin.

There’s the cut brain tree, which made it back in the game (though pretty unceremoniously) in Downpour.

And then of course there’s iterators, massive brains that are the last long-standing remnant of the benefactors’ civilization, and serve as the main driving forces of the game’s side plot.

I bring all this up just to show how cerebral and subconscious elements are pretty prevalent throughout the game, and it provides some context to my thoughts on the Void Sea.

That being said, I think the Void Sea acts as a collective unconscious, a place where the many worlds and selves of the subconscious coalesce into one, dream-like existence.

Echos appear in dream-like sequences, but are still experienced by nearby scavs. They even have different personalities and reactions to it, some being curious, while others are afraid.

Continuing on this, benefactors experienced the same dreams we do in Subterranean, shown through white pearl dialogue.

“Oh, interesting. This is a diary entry of a pre-Iterator era laborer during the construction of the subterranean transit system south of here. In it they describe restless nights filled with disturbing dreams, where millions glowing stars move menacingly in the distance”

These go towards the idea of the Void Sea and other void related phenomena existing as a sort of collective unconsciousness, experienced through hazy dreams and hallucinogenic plants by many.

But then there’s the “egg” sequence, where you swim in unison with others just like yourself. I think these are the “selves of other planes” mentioned by Moon in the Karma Flower dialogue, and I think that same dialogue is indicative on what the nature of the Void is. It’s detaching yourself from your carnal body and coming in contact with your own subconscious, and possibly the subconscious of others. Think of it like a big mind soup.

Anyway this really resonated with me because I distinctly remember the feeling I had the first time I went through Depths. As the caves around me started melting, it felt like I was descending deeper and deeper into a dream I couldn’t wake up from. That packed with the genuine horror of seeing the worms, and the dreamy ending, it really left a lasting impression.

Halfway through writing this, I realized it’s a bit longer than I was initially expecting, but I hope I managed to convey the general vibe I got.

[freesia-writes]

Ch 22: Departure

~ Master List ~ Previous Chapter ~ WC: 2.2k

Song: Where Is My Mind? by Pixies

.

“Will I see you at the Fish Dance? I know those hips do more than I’ve seen,” Luciana said, swaying her own with a little snicker as she stood across the bar from Hunter. It was a balmy day, the warm rays of sun tempered by a gentle sea breeze, yet the slump of his shoulders remained.

“Fish Dance?” he echoed, brows lowering at the name.

“I know… Who came up with that?” she giggled with a shrug, polishing a glass as she gave Hunter a wink.

“Since it takes place immediately following the annual Fishing Derby, I suppose it would be the simplest and most natural option,” Tech observed, not taking his eyes from his datapad where it lay on the counter beside his brother. He paused, tilting his head thoughtfully. “Although it does conjure imagery of the fish being the ones dancing, which is as humorous as it is physically impossible. Perhaps that adds to the tongue-in-cheek element…”

“Not really my scene,” Hunter interrupted, shaking his head at Luciana as Tech drifted off. 

“Aw, come on. You’ve been moping for months, Xyrgio. We all get our hearts broken sometimes. It gives us a chance to build up our love for ourselves instead of relying on receiving it from others, and we move on with more confidence and fortitude. Live and learn, baby. But don’t let it keep you down.” She put the glass down and placed a warm palm over his fist, which clenched slightly beneath her grasp. He hated how it made him feel, but was distracted when she leaned a bit closer, soft green eyes intent on his as she patted his hand. “You’re too delicious for that. So have a little fun. Find yourself again, you know? It’ll be like a breath of fresh air.”

He didn’t know what to do with that. Her life had clearly been so different from his own that it felt entirely alien. Self-love? Heartbreak? All this relational stuff wasn’t part of his engineering, and the whole ordeal with Lyra had shown him why. But still, he was expected to continue living this civilian life, to continue trying to act normal in a world that wasn’t made for him. He leaned back and rubbed his forehead. He’d thought he was doing better, losing himself in extra hunting time. He and Wrecker had completed an entire project on his cabin that expanded Omega’s room to provide her a space to work in a cozy room made of windows where she could enjoy the view. He’d cleaned the butcher shop from corner to corner and had experimented with new ways of cutting the meat. But the last few days had felt increasingly restless, and the repeated sleepless nights spent tossing and turning had given him enough brain fog that he didn’t feel like he cared much about anything anymore. 

“Alright,” he said with a sigh of surrender.

“Really?” Luciana asked, brightening considerably after a moment of utter shock.

“Why not,” he grumbled with a shrug, running a hand through his hair and ignoring Tech’s blatant stare at the side of his face. 

“Well alright!” she said, beaming at him. “It’s a date!” she exclaimed before rushing off to answer a rowdy customer at the other end.

“A curious choice in rebound options,” Tech observed, and now it was Hunter who was staring at him. 

“Rebound?” he said in disbelief.

“Most commonly used as a literal term where an item bounces back after hitting another object, usually in a sports context, ‘rebound’ is also frequently applied to relationships where an individual is still affected by the emotional distress caused by the termination of a romantic or sexual engagement. It is often characterized by unusual choices or atypical behavior.”

“That’s not–”

“It is an entirely human response, I assure you. In fact, it’s fascinatingly nuanced in the psychological sense because it reveals the various layers of one’s concept of self–”

“No, I… Nevermind.”

He felt truly lost.

* * * 

The Fishing Derby was a hit, drawing people from multiple islands to enjoy a spirited day on the beaches and seas nearby. Wrecker had joined enthusiastically, bringing Omega and Crosshair along, and as the sun set on the horizon, everyone was reclined together in one of the large seating areas on the beach outside the bar. The tables and chairs had been moved out onto the sand to clear an area for dancing beneath the string lights on the tiki patio, and additional cushions and pillows were thrown together under gazebos made of wooden frames and a light, gauzy material that fluttered gently in the breeze. 

“You nailed that big one!” Wrecker declared jubilantly, clapping Crosshair on the back so hard that his toothpick shot out of his mouth. “That was a great shot!”

“A fortunate twist of fate,” the sniper muttered, staring at his forlorn little piece of wood now nestled in the sand.

“That was pretty fun,” Omega admitted, a content smile on her face as she nursed a fruity little drink.

“We should have figured out a way to promote the Academy here,” Echo said, noting the large crowds milling all around. 

“You’ve got enough on your hands, no?” Hunter muttered, staring at the sky from his messily flopped position across a corner seat, his own liquor bottle dangling from a hand thrown over the back of the cushions. It was an uncharacteristically careless position for him, and Phee squinted slightly from her seat beside Tech.

“Enough on his hand, you mean,” came Crosshair’s little jab, quickly answered by a wadded-up paper wrapper hitting him in the face from Echo’s finished ronto wrap. 

“Only need one to kick your ass, egghead,” Echo began, suddenly cut off by a new arrival.

“Sounds like he knows my move,” Luciana announced, winking at Crosshair as she appeared from the buildings with a large pitcher and a stack of cups in her hands. She was wearing a dusty blue dress with dainty white dots that hugged her curves from her chest to her thighs, and its ruched top was framed by frilly sleeves that hung off her shoulders. Her hair was down for once, rippling in rich red waves to her collarbone where a few small gold chains dangled above her cleavage. “Now who needs a refill?”

“I thought you weren’t working today!” Wrecker said as she sat the goods down on the low table in the middle of their space and invited others to help themselves.

“I’m not! For once!” she said triumphantly, pushing her way toward Hunter’s corner and perching herself neatly right on top of one of his spread thighs. His head jerked up, surprised, and he scooted to sit upright, nudging her off his leg onto the seat beside him. Nonplussed, she poured herself a glass of the brightly-colored cocktail, then pulled her legs up onto the cushion beside her, leaning onto the backrest. 

“Make yourself at home,” Crosshair muttered, smirking as he caught sight of Tech and Phee both staring at her with unfettered curiosity.

“Thanks babe,” she returned, pursing her lips at the sniper and lifting her glass toward him. “So. How’s the week been for everyone?”

It was silent for a beat, then Echo offered something. “Got a batch graduating from the Academy tomorrow. We’ll see how many are hung over after tonight…”

Luciana laughed, casting a glance back toward the patio where the music was growing louder and the dancers were in full swing. “Yeah, any excuse to cut loose these days, eh?” 

“Hey, fishing is an important part of island life!” Wrecker exclaimed with a grin.

“No argument there!” she answered, flashing him a bright smile of her own. “Tell me all about your catches!”

He needed no encouragement, immediately launching into a blow-by-blow recollection of the day’s escapade. Luciana sipped her drink, punctuating her active listening with occasional small glances to Hunter that were filled with a warmth and subtlety that seemed reserved only for him. The conversation wore on, the group settling around her presence as she navigated effortlessly between each of them, asking thoughtful questions and genuinely delighting in their answers. 

Some eventually broke off into their own little conversations, dissolving into a contented hubbub, and Hunter was struck by the general sense of peace. Luciana was enraptured by Omega’s recount of her most recent internship, and he’d been surprised at some of the insightful suggestions the bartender offered as Omega shared her ongoing insecurities about her friend group. The music from the patio quieted to give way to the DJ’s announcement of the party “officially” starting, inviting everyone to come dance and be merry, then the persistent beat resumed, louder now as the shouts of the enthusiastic attendees accompanied it. 

“Care to dance?” Luciana asked Hunter, once Omega had turned back to Wrecker. He regarded her impassively as though trying to discern her motive, then he shook his head, leaning forward to drop his empty bottle on the table. 

“Don’t know how.” 

She caught the tiniest slur in his speech, smirking at the slight detour from his typically stoic and borderline uptight behavior. “There isn’t a ‘right’ way,” she nudged, leaning into him a bit more with a satisfied smile as he allowed it. “You deserve some fun.” Her voice was softer now, as was her fond gaze. “Consider it exercise,” she offered with a laugh, pinching his muffin top that had grown slightly after the previous months of Lyra’s savory cooking. “Then it’s a good and responsible and disciplined thing to do. Right?”

His brows dropped into a bit of a glare, then he surprised her with a laugh of his own, shaking his head. The motion combined with the pleasant buzz of the liquor sent a flurry of dizziness through him. Some of his plight was starting to make sense, if he were honest with himself. His entire life had been a heavy, burdensome plod through struggle after struggle. Now that he was free, what was keeping him from throwing caution to the wind and seeing what he’d missed? His family was thriving, happy, and safe. Things had settled into a predictable, reassuring rhythm. Perhaps he was holding too tightly to the past instead of accepting life as it was now. And he’d seen, repeatedly, where his frantic need to ensure safety and responsibility had gotten him. 

A gentle tug on his shirt brought him back to the present, as Luciana’s small fingers toyed with his hem where it was buttoned together. Her doe eyes activated a little burst of tingles in his gut and he relented, rising to his feet as she pulled him by the hand. As he stood, stretching for a moment before following her toward the patio, it felt as though he were shedding the weight of a million regrets that had haunted him for far too long, and he felt a bubbly lightness, watching her slender form weave through the crowd in front of him as he left the curious and confused glances of his family behind.

“It’s about time,” she purred, turning to face him as they reached the corner of the dance floor. She took both his hands, inviting him to join her, and he did, leaning closer. 

“What?”

“It’s about time!” she yelled, still nearly drowned out by the music. 

“For what?” Hunter said, clearly a bit foggy as she stepped in close, staggering her legs between his and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. A wave of heat rushed from his head to his toes.

“For us to have some fun!” She pressed her body against his, shifting side to side in time with the music, and he tentatively placed his own hands on her waist, still unable to shake the suspicion from his face despite the waves of pleasant buzz. “Hunter,” she said, giving him a serious look from a few inches away. Her use of his actual name, instead of the litany of pet names she typically employed, struck him to the core, and he pulled back a little to see her whole face, which was both earnest and profound. “I’m not playing games. In case it hasn’t been obvious, I think you’re amazing.” She smiled, brushing a few stray hairs out of his face before resting her hand on the back of his neck, emanating an adoration that was simultaneously confident and sheepish. “I’ve had a fat crush on you for ages. Not hiding anything, no sneaky motives, just… you’re frickin hot and I think we’d have a blast if you’d let your hair down a bit and stop holding back out of fear or duty or whatever it is. If you’re not into it, that’s alright, but if it’s just your own martyr tendencies stopping you, I think you should let go of that for just a little bit and see what life could be like.” 

He stared at her, reeling from the sheer overload of her admission, the pounding music, the cacophony of voices, the faint tipsiness, the myriad of smells punctuated by her sweet perfume, and the evocative sensation of her lithe body against his own. Closing his eyes for a moment, he sought any kind of guidance, anything that could ground him… but found none. 

“Alright Salentino,” he murmured, feeling his body loosening up at his acceptance. “Show me what I’ve been missing.” 

She beamed at him, tapped the tip of his nose, then leaned into him, losing herself in the rhythm and the pure joy of the festivities as she danced freely against him. Hunter felt fragmented for a moment, confused and frustrated, then closed his eyes too, departing from himself in an inexplicable way.

.

Author's Note: The story takes a turn, as you've seen, and I think there may be elements that seem out of character for Hunter. But I was operating under the perspective that he's just been through so much, that past failures rest so heavily on his shoulders, and that he was so betrayed/shocked/hurt when he was just thinking he could do this whole civilian life thing... That it kind of drives him to just say "F it all" in a way. Is it not a super smart or responsible response? Yes. Is he being more emotionally reactive than strategic? Yes. We've all been there, let's be honest. ;)

.

Previous Chapter ~ Master List ~ Next Chapter

Join the tag list by commenting for the discord server link or filling out my form.

@lightwise @littlemissmanga @dystopicjumpsuit @523rdrebel

@solstraalaa @skellymom @photogirl894 @youreababboon @anything-forourmoony

@reader6898 @moonstrider9904 @hipwell @lamiliani @catoo

@ilarria @padawancat97 @yve-barr @lucyysthings @flowered-bicycles

@maddiedrmr @techhasmjolnir @arctrooper69 @spicy-clones @ezras-left-thumb

@cw80831 @dreamie411 @meagmcc12 @waytoooldforthis78 @hunter-lvr

@baddest-batchers @yunggoblin @sweeticedtea @imperfectxprincess @ivyyyyy

@callsign-denmark @leotawrites @carlislecullensadilf @ivyyyyy

@thetechturn @burningnerdchild @galaxyofthoughts99 @salaminus @goldy-lots

@littlefeatherr @thiswitchloves9904 @subbing-for-clones @heidnspeak

[electronickingdomfox]

Star Trek TOS slash bits (Season two)

This is my personal rundown of all the slash scenes in TOS season two. I've omitted episodes when I didn't find anything remarkable in them.

-What I count: lingering touches or affectionate looks, clinginess, actions that show a strong concern/familiarity with each other, suggestive scenes...

-What I DON'T count: friendly gestures (like smiling or looking amused when someone says something funny), scenes taken out of context, physical proximity just because there's not enough space...

I'll try to illustrate some scenes when necessary, though screenshots usually don't do justice to it.

For season one analysis go here.

Metamorphosis:

There's no slash per se, but the episode has an underlying theme of love being independent of and transcending the sex of two individuals, or even their species. Spock comes off a bit more narrow-minded than the others, since he only considers the possibility of the Companion being in love with Cochrane once he learns the Companion is female. However, Kirk and McCoy had already reached this conclusion long before they knew the Companion even had a gender. And then there's, of course, Cochrane's indignation about men of the future being so open-minded, and having "no notion of decency and morality". An attitude that Spock defines as "parochial". And McCoy's take on it: "There's nothing disgusting about it. It's just another life form, that's all. You get used to those things." (And may I say, good for him to be used to alien entities entering him, considering the whole katra affair years later...)

It's been pointed out that Kirk's heartfelt speech about the Companion being unable to join "the man", is actually a revelation of his feelings for Spock. Personally, I think that's too much of an extrapolation. Even supposing that Kirk's talking in part about himself here, this may be just because of his inability to have a long-lasting relationship with anyone (not just Spock). Something that the show has already established firmly at this point.

Friday's Child

Spones Spock finds Eleen holding McCoy's hand, and McCoy quickly removes his hand, as if embarrassed for being caught cheating by his boyfriend. Unlike other times, when Spock looks amused by men flirting with women, this time he seems rather disappointed. Besides, this episode was written by D. C. Fontana, the same writer who introduced the concept of hand-touching as a specially intimate act for Vulcans.

There's also the scene where McCoy tries (unsuccessfully) to teach Spock how to hold a baby, which mirrors the one where he teaches Eleen the same.

Who Mourns for Adonais?

Spirk When Kirk regrets that Spock can't come with the landing party, it seems as if Kirk's mind was wandering in an altogether different place.

Amok Time

Spirk Many instances. For starters, Spock's hand gets really trembling when Kirk approaches him, and later when he grabs his wrist during a confrontation. Notice that this kind of nervousness happens mainly when Spock is approached by women (potential mates), as when he throws Chapel's soup, or when he hears Uhura's voice through the intercom. Later, Kirk is willing to risk his career to save Spock. And once in Vulcan, Spock breaks through the plak tow to beg for Kirk's life, even if he shouldn't be able to even speak in that state. Then there's, of course, the fight itself, which could be interpreted as a placeholder for sex, considering all the suggestive imagery, and the fact that it resolves magically Spock's pon farr.

As for the outcome of the fight, Spock refuses to "live long and prosper", after seemingly killing Kirk. His reaction upon finding out that Kirk's alive wouldn't be so noteworthy if Spock was a normal human. However, such an open smile is very, very rare for Spock. McCoy (like any good shipper) notices at once his unusually intense emotions.

Spones There's another character that elicits a trembling in Spock's hand, while getting physically close for a medical check-up. A clue: it's not Chapel.

The Changeling

Spirk Kirk grabs Spock very tightly after Nomad's mind assault (and probably accidentally, Shatner squeezes Nimoy's pec so hard, that he hurts him).

Right after this, Kirk still holds Spock for a very long time, until he's sufficiently recovered.

The Apple

Spirk Spock jumps illogically in front of Kirk to save him from the poisonous flowers, and almost dies as consequence. This earns him a reprimand from Kirk, who points out that he could have just shouted a warning. Apart from this, Kirk compliments Spock's appearance with the flower bracelet.

Mirror Mirror Spones McCoy risks being left stranded in the mirror universe to save Spock's life. And it's not even HIS Spock! Kirk acknowledges how important this is for the doctor, and grants him those extra minutes. Right after, mirror Spock corners McCoy against a wall, and forces a mind meld on him. While Bones behaves quite submissively. It's both suggestive and disturbing.

In the end, McCoy says that he liked Spock better with a beard, since it gave him "character". After his similar scene with Kahn, it seems that McCoy just has a thing for "bad boys".

The Deadly Years

Spirk Kirk makes a videocall to Spock while half naked, so his tits are right on his face. Unlike the similar scene in "The Corbomite Manouver", Kirk doesn't have a particular reason to be half naked here, and he's calling Spock specifically.

And this may be a bit far-fetched, but while flirting with his previous girlfriend, Dr. Wallace, Kirk compares her with his First Officer.

McKirk Kirk is quick to point out that McCoy is growing some white hairs, in a good-natured way. And he's a bit flirtatious while the doctor reprimands and checks him.

Bread and Circuses

Spones Pretty one-sided on McCoy's part. He's touched by the fact that Spock saved him in the arena, and tries to make amends and open his heart to the Vulcan. However, he fails to get a "genuine, warm, decent feeling" from Spock, and gets very hurt by his indifference (one could say, he feels "scorned"). After this, he lashes out at Spock in a specially vicious way.

Then the scene transitions to...

McSpirk ...once McCoy and Spock both admit how worried they are about Jim.

Meanwhile, Jim is in no danger, but fooling around with Drusilla. And later, he seems ashamed to tell them about his affair with her. Of course, there's also the fact that Merik and the Proconsul know immediately that putting Spock and McCoy in danger, would be the best way to blackmail Kirk into cooperating.

Journey to Babel

McKirk It's just a little thing, but Kirk and McCoy seem to be dressing in the same cabin.

Spones McCoy is eager to learn anything about Spock's childhood from his mom, specially the embarrassing details. And he beams with joy upon finding out that Spock used to have a "teddy bear".

A Private Little War

Spirk At the start of the episode, Kirk is so worried about Spock's injury, that he snaps at the bridge crew in frustration. And he goes back to sickbay to check on Spock's condition, despite having been there a few minutes before, and having just called McCoy about it. His looks at the unconscious Spock say it all:

McKirk Bones is very caring towards Kirk for most of the episode, specially since the latter is injured several times. And he's also quite worried about the possibility of Kirk being really enslaved by Nona. Apart from this, there's his gentle caressing of Kirk's naked chest...

Spones McCoy is reluctant to leave Spock and beam down to the planet, after having just said that doctor M'Benga could perfectly take care of him. At the end, McCoy is overjoyed to find out that Spock is alright (it's remarkable that Kirk, instead, doesn't react visibly to Spock's voice). However, the Vulcan dismisses McCoy's reaction, once again embittering him.

On the other hand, what the hell was going on between Kirk and Tyree!?

All that talk about them being "made brothers", and Tyree's refusal to tell his wife about their past... Nona seems even jealous, and says she's also "his sister" (kind of putting Kirk in the same level as Tyree's wife). McCoy tries to make Kirk reconsider his strategy of arming both sides, by reminding him that Tyree could also die in the war. And during the final fight, Tyree is about to crush Kirk with a rock, but Kirk's intense stare makes him recover his sanity.

The Gamesters of Triskelion

Spones Despite all the bickering going on between Spock and McCoy in this episode, the following exchange reveals that McCoy is actually eager to meet Spock's expectations:

SPOCK: I would welcome a suggestion, Doctor, even an emotional one, as to where to look. MCCOY: First time you've ever asked me for anything, and it has to be an occasion like this.

Spock looks at him surprised, together with comedic music in the background. At the end, McCoy finally smiles, when Spock accepts his help to rescue the others.

Obsession

McKirk Very similar scene to the one in "Balance of Terror". McCoy enters Kirk's cabin while he's in bed, and tries to comfort him, saying that he wasn't responsible for the deaths aboard the Farragut. However, the argument gets intense, to the point that Kirk warns the doctor not to push their friendship.

The Immunity Syndrome

Spones There's a lot to unpack here. At first, Spock and McCoy are competing for the (dubious) honor of entering the amoeba. But then Spock makes McCoy understand how truly dangerous the mission is, when he asks him to wish him luck. McCoy is taken aback, and can only do so, shyly, once Spock can't hear him anymore.

Later, he seems sorrowful when Spock reminds him that he should have wished him luck. Still, McCoy doesn't want to believe that Spock is dead:

KIRK: What's on your mind? MCCOY: Spock. Is it me, Jim? Am I so sentimental that I just have to keep believing that he's still alive in that mass of protoplasm?

At the end, McCoy is so happy to find Spock alive, that he blurts out an order to rescue him, forgetting he's not the Captain, much to Spock's amusement. The doctor seems a bit embarrassed, and he feels the need to berate Spock afterwards, in true tsundere fashion. Meanwhile, Kirk seems to be having a lot of fun with all this.

By Any Other Name

Spones McCoy holds Spock for a long time, after he's shocked while mind-melding with Kelinda, even when Spock is already up and walking. A bit later, he's still concerned and hovering over him. He also keeps Spock in his arms when the latter induces a trance on himself, and in general, he's very close to him whenever they're in the same scene.

For his part, Kirk's fight with Rojan is rather suggestive, specially since he gives him a long speech while grabbing him like this:

After this, he takes him by the shoulders in the typical "Kirk embrace", usually reserved for women he's about to kiss.

Return to Tomorrow

Spirk At the end, Kirk is devastated when he thinks that Spock has died. So much that Sargon, having understood how important Spock was to him, had saved his conscience beforehand, so he could be revived.

Patterns of Force

Spirk The kinky episode. First we have Kirk's uniform fetish, when he regrets that Spock's uniform isn't as attractive as his. And then, of course, the prison porn scene. A half naked Spock climbs on top of a half naked Kirk, while the latter sweats and screams "Oh my goodness. Beautiful. Oh Spock, Spock!". Has to be seen to be believed.

I'd be almost tempted to include the bit where the nazi guards catch them all inside a closet, under the pretense that McCoy was drunk, if this wasn't taking things too out of context.

The Ultimate Computer

McKirk McCoy comforts Kirk when the latter is feeling insecure about losing his command to a machine, and assures him he's not being unfair at all. Later, McCoy comes to Kirk's quarters to have a drink together, and makes a toast for him. Then Kirk... recites poetry to McCoy.

The Omega Glory

Spirk A redshirt is seriously injured and lying on the floor, and yet Kirk quickly forgets about him and is like "Mr. Spock! Are you alright!?"... But Spock is just standing there, looking perfectly FINE.

Kirk and McCoy's worry is justified later, once Spock is injured for real, but here is kind of hilarious.

Summary

Spirk: 9 out of 26 episodes Spones: 9/26 McKirk: 5/26 McSpirk: 1/26

Season one was the Spirk season, but in this season Spones has gained a lot of ground.

[artist-issues]

So if you could tell everyone about your favorite movie, what would you tell them about it?

PS I love your blog and your media deep dives

Thank you! So kind! Anything good I have to say is really just because of Jesus, not me. I'd tarnish and ruin good things, left on my own.

I keep trying to tell everyone about my favorite movie, but I get so choked with all the things I want to say—and knowing that the more deep I make it seem the less they'll like it because they're not accustomed to deep-diving into children's media and that'll skew their enjoyment of it—that I wind up falling back on the tried and true "it's so good, you have to see it, I can't believe you've never seen it before, we have to watch it!"

It's Lilo & Stitch.

Lilo & Stitch is incredible for so many reasons.

It was an underdog in the Disney Studio. One of their lowest-budget movies, in their B-Team Shabby Florida Studio, and only a handful of higher-ups really believed in it. And now it's one of their biggest, longest-lasting, farthest reaching worldwide franchises.

Disney was stuck in a rut of making only a certain handful of movies; Triumph-of-Humans Adventures, or Princess-Fantasies. And Chris Sanders, the guy who basically invented their Story Department during the "renaissance" period, came along and said, "let's break the mold. Let's just try something small, quirky, bold, and new. Let's flip the script on everything except good storytelling." Instead of Princesses, you get Normal Humans Living in a 2002 rural beach town. Instead of Magic you get Sci Fi—but only like five minutes of Sci-Fi. Instead of a Romance you get Family. And when we say "family," no, we don't mean, "Epic Lion King or Tarzan Coming-of-Age Destiny Stories—" we mean "orphans about to be split up by the foster care system, needing a friend." Instead of Lassie (pet movies, like 101 Dalmatians or Lady & the Tramp.) you get something closer to Gremlins meets E.T. Instead of an Epic Adventure, you get Smalltown Sister Tries to Find a Job. Instead of Dashing or Loveable Main Character you get Mildly Disgusting Main Character who picks his nose and pushes little orphan girls down, for fun. Instead of a Namable Famous City on Earth, like New York or London in their old movies, you get Nameless Town in Hawaii. Instead of Hero Triumphs, you get Villain Redeemed.

The style. All the alien ships look like fish, all the alien creatures look like some take on small-town animals like armadillos or pigs or bobcats, or more aquatic life. And then it matches with what? Small Town Hawaiian Imagery. So you get the idea that not only, stylistically, do the visuals of the movie blend well, but, Stitch not only doesn't belong in outer space among those aliens—he doesn't belong on Hawaii, where even the locals have something in common with the Galactic People, and he does not.

Watercolor backgrounds. Nobody was doing that. Nobody is doing that. They didn't have to do that. It's just beautiful, and soft.

Stitch. As a character. Name one other character whose arc starts with "you can never belong; there is nothing inside of you that is good." and then ends with "loved unconditionally, adopted into a family that loves him in spite of the trouble he brings them. In spite of his inability, at first, to love them back."

Lilo. Lilo is loved that same way by Nani. Nani willingly invites trouble into her already fraught life if it'll make Lilo the tiniest bit happier. Even though Lilo already makes Nani's life hard. Lilo, too, is about to go into the next phase of life with nothing—if the social worker takes her away, she'll have lost her parents, her sister, her home, and her hometown, which she's shown to know and love—and we've already seen how feeling lost and like she doesn't belong causes Lilo to act destructively, because her classmates treat her like she doesn't belong and Lilo beats the crap out of them. The directors said it like this: "Lilo is a future Stitch," if she's taken away.

All these characters have holding them together is this commitment to this definition of family: "Nobody gets left behind or forgotten." Lilo and Nani were "left behind" by their parents, because their parents died. Or they could think of it that way. But Nani doesn't. She does whatever she can to keep Lilo with her, and refuse to "leave Lilo behind." She's eighteen, nineteen—she could go on to college, live in a dorm, while her troublemaking sister goes to foster care. She has all these surf trophies on her nightstand—she could've been somebody if she'd left her family behind. But she doesn't. Whether Lilo loves her back or not, she won't leave Lilo behind. And guess what? Whether David, the surfer boy, gets Nani's love back or not, he loves her and is there for her. Whether Stitch loves Lilo back or not, she sticks with him—until she almost doesn't, but guess what, by then it's okay, because he's learned. He's been transformed by the idea "nobody gets left behind," which is just another term for "unconditional love."

The commitment to FOCUS. Chris Sanders is always good at this. But this movie could've been about, or addressed, DOZENS of social issues. It could've picked up the "government worker" flag. It could've picked up the "racism" flag, or the "classism" flag. It easily could've picked up the "feminism" flag, or the "be yourself" flag, or the "find who you truly are," or the "you're worth everything" flag. But it didn't. It CUT OUT previous scenes that would've addressed racism or classism. It JUST later-focused on one, universal, unifying theme that every human on this planet can understand, and relate to, and needs to be reminded of: "family loves unconditionally."

This movie is why I looked into being a storyteller. Just this movie; no other movie did it for me.

[droshawoluv]

FULL VIDEO HERE: TOP 10 SCARIEST MOMENTS IN FINAL FANTASY GAMES

Celebrate Halloween with us, at FINAL FANTASY, we have:

Extraterrestrial Horror with an Alien that broke out and went on a rampage spilling blood everywhere

A Deranged Mistress that mutilates young women faces

Loving parents turned into grotesque Chimeras and struggling to retain their humanity until they kill themselves (Fullmetal alchemiste, anyone?)

A Tomb filled with deadly traps like a sentient wall that crashes your bones, and filled with many Undeads of different types.

OP Witches that mess up time and space and create the creepiest imagery in your head ("Squall do be dead?")

The Soul monster equivalent of Freddy Krueger tormenting a mourning guy for a year.

I see dead people

The whole town of Nibelheim

Vincent Valentine, the party memberfication of Horror Characters

(There's also my favorite creepy Lightning Returns quest where we get a "Anime character going insane" type of moment but it's hard to make a gif out of it)