#the tension and payoffs are INCREDIBLE

[e-the-village-cryptid]

please watch andor please come talk about it with me please please please i am begging

[physalian]

How to Make your Writing Less Stiff 4

Let’s keep this train rollin’! This time less down to line edits and more overall scope of your narrative

Part 3

1. Foreshadowing

Nothing quite like the catharsis of accurately predicting where something’s going to go. It doesn’t have to be a huge plot twist or a character death, it can (and should) be little things that reward your audience for paying attention. Double points if it adds to rewatch/re-readability.

Example: In The Dark Knight, this exchange happens:

Harvey: “You’ve known Rachel all her life.”

Alfred: “Oh, not yet, Sir.”

You won’t think anything of it on your first watch. Alfred is just making a witty joke that throws Harvey off. Watch the movie again, when Rachel dies, and it becomes some incredibly dark foreshadowing. Turns out Alfred has, actually, known Rachel all her life.

2. Chekhov’s Gun

Chekhov’s Gun is a narrative concept where a seemingly inconsequential element introduced at some point in the narrative (a gun) must “fire” by the end of the narrative. Sometimes this element leaves audiences uneasy or anxious, because they know something bad must come of it. Sometimes they think nothing of it until it’s about to fire and you get a one-two punch of the realization that it’s about to hit, and then the impact of the hit. It helps create tension, and tension is incredibly important (if you want a whole post of my take on it, lmk).

It also helps your narrative look more cohesive, where nothing is left on the table. Your set-ups and payoffs leave no threads dangling.

3. Repetition

The Rule of threes can apply on a micro and macro scale. I like doing lists of adjectives in threes, (e.g. My cat is soft, fluffy, and adorable) because the cadence and the flow of three is something we’re familiar with in spoken language. We like three supporting examples for an argument. Any less doesn’t feel strong enough, any more feels like you’re trying too hard. This is not a rule it’s a suggestion.

On a grander scale, you can look at the script of Curse of the Black Pearl for a masterclass in macro rules of three, like three parlays. Doing this helps your narrative look more cohesive and like every detail is thoroughly interwoven and nothing is coincidence. Your audience will get to the third instance and mimic that DiCaprio pointing meme—they will absolutely notice.

4. Motifs

Motifs as well, beyond threes, help. Colors are a huge one. For example every time you mention the color purple, you could attach it to an emotion, or a character, or an important plot beat, like how leitmotifs work for character themes in movies and TV shows.

Obvious examples in film are like lightsaber colors or dressing up the good guys in white and the bad guys in black. I did this whole post about color in fiction.

It’s a lot of other things too. Weather elements and times of day, or specific inconsequential objects popping up over and over again, like birds, or litter, fallen leaves, clothing items. Whenever the narrative mentions them, the author is trying to clue you in on some subtext within that scene.

—

My new novel is here!!! Do you like supernatural fantasy? How about queer vampires? How about acespec characters? Then Eternal Night of the Northern Sky is for you!

[rwrbficrecs]

Hope you all enjoy our recs for November ❤️ (even though they're a little late!!) Incenatus by @missgeevious (book/movie-verse)

@suseagull04: I can't recommend this fic enough! If you love Twilight and The Phantom of the Opera, this fic is for you! A mysterious masquerade, a soulmate connection, and chemistry that's off the charts all culminate to make this one of my new all-time favorite fics!

Meaning Something by bleedingballroomfloor (book-verse)

@dot524: Really enjoyed this Liam POV that goes deeper into what actually happened with Alex and Liam, his relationship with Spencer, and how Liam reacts to Alex & Henry during the book. The feelings & coming out are really well done.

Needy & Greedy by @clottedcreamfudge (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: It's been HELL of a month in good and bad ways so I didn't have time to read much. I'm choosing to recommend a series of unconnected one shots, all steamy and delicious and fun and short for casual reading when you don't have much time to commit to a 70k fic. If you like smut tis for you!

Taste the Way You Bleed by @cha-melodious (book-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: a super fun What We Do In the Shadows AU, written for the RWRB halloween fest. Alex and Henry are oblivious vampires, pining for centuries, and the rest of the super-six turn up in hilarious mockumentary-style interviews. The summary alone had me HOOKED.

Camp Llwynywermod by bleedingballroomfloor (book-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: one of my go-to for comfort, all time fave fics. Alex and Henry as co summer camp counsellors, pining and bickering for years. The tension is top notch!

@dot524: It’s funny and I really enjoyed the camp setting and their journey from enemies to friends to lovers. This is a fun and cute fic.

Downburst by @cricketnationrise (book-verse)

@rmd-writes: an AU of The West Wing ep 'In the Shadow of Two Gunmen' - mind the tags, this is an angsty but beautifully written fic with very clever use of multiple POVs to tell several stories of love (including platonic love). This is so good I was mad I didn't write several lines in it myself.

@thesleepyskipper: Truly an incredible and unique work that was done with care. The way the various memories/flashbacks are done and how they are used as part of the storytelling absolutely blew me away. Loved that we got multiple POVs here too!

Underground by @zwiazdziarka (book-verse)

@suseagull04: An adorable kid, fantasy (including mentions of fantasy classics!) and a rescue mission make this such a fun read! The world building in this fic is phenomenal too.

A Long Way From the Playground by @three-drink-amy (book-verse)

@dot524: This is a getting-back-together AU where Alex & Henry were childhood friends who grew apart in college and then unexpectedly are neighbors. I enjoyed the slow burn here and the payoff — it’s just a comforting feel-good fic!

Five-Drink Henry by @whimsymanaged (book-verse)

@daisymae-12: I was honestly already hooked from the title and the fic did not disappoint – so much so that I’ve reread it so many times the past month. Loved everything about this fic!!

The Domestication of Household Spiders by @cultofsappho (book-verse)

@daisymae-12: This was everything I didn’t know I needed from a spiderman AU! Loved it so much. There’s also 2 new recent fics published in this series – plenty of spiderman Alex to read!!

you make it look so easy, i know it's not by @anincompletelist (book-verse)

@daisymae-12: A really fun fic about Henry’s first American Thanksgiving not quite going to plan. I was already laughing from the summary alone

The great turkey calamity? by @smblmn (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: This fic tells us what is actually means to talk turkey and this once Cornbread is a star he deserves to be. It's crack, it's exsistential crisis, it's hilarious. Oh, and Alex and Henry fall in love here too.

Lay You Down by ronans (book-verse)

@inexplicablymine: when I tell you the fluff is fluffing, Henry runs a sleep YouTube and Alex is in his comment section and in his DM’s and in his head. Do yourself a favor if you need a sweet treat today and read this work

@thesleepyskipper: OMG this could not be any cuter. I loved the way we got to see their relationship grow as they got to know each other online. Truly an adorable, well-written story that will plaster a smile on your face throughout.

Risk is Just a Board Game by @three-drink-amy (book-verse)

@suseagull04: Angst, domestic fluff, college AU, the holidays- this fic has it all! A look at why friends with benefits isn't always the best idea that culminates in an ending reminiscent of a Hallmark movie.

On My Mind (Let's Go) by @sparklepocalypse (movie-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: contrary to popular fanon, Henry can dance and here he uses that to get what he wants on New Year's Eve party. No notes, just go and read it.

check out our past Monthly Faves here ❤️

[sitp-recs]

12 fics I’ve enjoyed recently…

Last year I did a short-lived “weekly rereads” series to spread love for old favourites that kept me afloat when reading new things became a struggle. I was looking for ways to stay active and contribute to the fandom with minimal effort, and I found solace in revisiting fics that I hold dear in my heart. This year, spring brought the @dronarryfest to pull me back into reading mood. Fandom is starting to speak to me again after a very long time, and the euphoria hit me with inspiration to write this short rec post for my recent reads. I am joining the party a bit late but on the off chance these escaped your radar, here are some fics I’ve really enjoyed during my catch up moment in February/March, and a few I’m planning to dive into next. It’s so nice to be able to write comments and rec blurbs again! What have y’all been reading lately?

HP fics:

Wet Leather by @lqtraintracks (E, 492 words) - Harry/Sirius

I live for LQT’s rare pair drabbles especially when it’s for my beloved Sirry because nobody writes this ship like them. The A+ characterization always takes my breath away: so much tension laced with yearning, it feeds my horniest deepest Sirry cravings tripping between guilt and absolution. This short is full of heat, want and sweet indulgence, with the usual tenderness underneath driving me up the wall and making me soft and hot for these two. Also, “my drenched little pup” excuse sir I’m??? 🥵

Nightswimming by @sweet-s0rr0w (M, 5k) - established Drarry, Dron, implied Dronarry

One of my instant faves this year, what a masterclass in tension building! As always, I’m so impressed by sweets’ short form. The brilliant banter and relentless sexual tension put me at the edge of my seat praying for MOAR. The atmosphere is so captivating I could feel the temptation on my fingertips, and have I even mentioned Ron’s spot on voice?? Superb bromance dynamics, late night drive aesthetics, an impressive amount of characterization within 5k and a teasing ending full of promise, come and feast!

Borrowed Time by @the-starryknight (E, 7k) - Dron + Harry

Another delicious Dronarry treat, now showcasing established Dron, body swap, the sexiest UST you’ll see today and an incredibly satisfying payoff. Once again Starry delivers peak romance with their “hot & sweet” trademark mixing compelling dialogue, witty flirting and uncomplicated smut full of want but also trust, understanding and intimacy. Forget the maddening anticipation, the domestic slice-of-life tone made me swoon - the characters are so clearly fond and familiar with each other it’s only natural for them to come together like this.

Heart to Hearth by @jtimu (E, 7k) - Drarry

This fic is a breath of fresh air and I still remember how excited I felt reading it for the first time. I’ll never get tired of seeing Harry get utterly horny confused at an attractive and carefully guarded Draco being competent at his odd yet surprisingly fitting job. Repairman Draco is indeed mouthwateringly efficient with his long hair and coveralls, and their tentative and awkward dynamics are just excellent. Love the subtle humour, the bits of repair magic theory and the earnest slow burn, with a smooth progression towards deliciously indulgent smutty times. Amazing concept, perfectly executed.

Long Haul by @wolfpants (E, 8k) - Drarry

Wolf is killing it lately, loved their Dronarry but this fic stole my heart with the long haul love premise. The image of their encounter - Harry holding his passport between his teeth, Draco with Muggle headphones around his neck - stayed with me the whole night. Harry loves flying and connects with NYC for the same reasons I do, so this fic spoke to me in a very personal way. I love everything from the title and bold flirting to the scorching hot and intimate smut with smooth daddy Draco! Not too long ago I prompted Florence’s “End of Love” for Wireless - unknowingly, Wolf wrote the NYC fic I’ve dreamed about when I thought of it 💜

Permanent by @citrusses (M, 14k) - Drarry, Dron

I’ve always been drawn to time travel and Citrus set up a thrilling, mysterious mood that’s impossible to resist. I was deeply intrigued not only by the plot but also by the complexity of these characters - a belligerent Harry with daddy issues and a saviour complex (yes pls!), edgy and focused Hermione, perceptive and kind Ron charming his way inside our hearts, and a lonely Draco trying to make sense of the plot, handle his feelings and find his foot in the post-war world. I loved being inside his mind - such brilliant characterization - and seeing the golden trio through his eyes. This fic has a wistful, melancholy tone mirroring Draco’s longing for Harry that hit me right in the solar plexus. It is also a great Ron study, and I’ll admit that made me fall even harder for Dron. Finally, it is tender and devastating as all good things are. A brilliant read and an instant favorite.

Dick Chicken by @oknowkiss (E, 15k) - Harry/Draco/Ron

Believe me when I say this is the Seinfeld AU you didn’t know you needed because you don’t wanna miss out on this. Hands down one of the most entertaining fics I’ve read in a while, this is hysterical funny, witty and steamy. The perfect mix of crack-y and casually horny vibes with a quirky Draco, a lovable and relatable Harry, and a hot Ron who’s 100% there for the ride, this chaotic trio will pull you into an unhinged journey and you’re gonna thank them for that 🤣 superb Harry pov, a warm and playful atmosphere that feels intoxicating, and a glorious shower scene followed by a fake orgasm competition. You’re heard it right. Run don’t walk!

Knot Your Average Coworkers by @thecouchsofa (E, 22k) - Drarry

Office romance is my kryptonite and I couldn’t stop giggling as I made my way through this wolf!Draco treat. I was instantly smitten with the charming characters, the delightful silly knotting jokes 🌝 and the good old oblivious friends/coworkers to lovers dynamics that always gets me. Pining Harry wooing Draco through cooking is SO my jam, the perfect mix of sweet comfort & unbearable UST that fills me with joy and anticipation while also wanting to smash their heads together “kiss kiss fall in love” style. Yum!

Cargo Case by @sleepstxtic (E, 23k) - Drarry

This was such an exciting ride, I love the inherent yearning & intimacy of break up/make up stories and this case fic kept me engaged and rooting for Drarry (and Pansy/Parvati!) the whole time. It was wonderful to see them not being antagonistic after a break up for a change - there’s delicious ust, fabulous Draco & Pansy brOTP, not to mention their super cool job. I was as invested in the plot as I was in the romance, and I’ve had a really fun time following them around. Undercover boyfriends for the win!!!!

Truth to Materials by @toomuchplor, lately (E, 54k) - Drarry

Another fabulous plor fic as per, this artist!Draco story immediately won my heart with the hilarious opening scene and the perfect combo of Draco’s “brazen gay” voice and Harry’s “bi panic” mind. What a delight! Love the clever dialogue, the mood so chaotic horny but the humorous tone making me giggle my way through the delicious loo sex scene. Unique premise, great pacing, fantastic cast and charming characterization - this fic is so easy to devour it doesn’t feel like a 50k journey at all. The story is great fun, very engaging but also delivering multiple tender and heartkick-y moments. It checks all my boxes including our king Ron Weasley putting a banana into Draco’s sculptural arsehole 🤣 what else could I ask for?

Skybound by @xanthippe74 (T, 61k) - Drarry

As a longtime fan of Ghibli’s movies, I was over the moon to see one my own faves adapted to fit the HP universe. This is the Howl’s Moving Castle AU we deserve, a light, enchanting and fun read with a lovely smooth Draco and a lovely earnest Harry making such a great pair. I love how Xan played with the original material making adjustments here and there, and giving life to Timpsy, the apprentice elf with a whole subplot involving mistreatment of magical beings. Very sweet and creative read!

Other fandoms:

a man—with human flesh by spqr (E, 14k) - Paul/Duncan, Dune

I love that this author writes for all of my favorite ships, I feel so spoiled! This is (yet another) banger following the 2nd Dune movie and a fascinating dive into Paul’s fractured mind struggling between his long-standing affection for Duncan and the intrusive thoughts under BG’s influence. So intense, vivid and thought-provoking. I was hooked from beginning to end and deeply immersed in this universe. Love me a fic about emotional implications and complications while delivering excellent character studies, this is the shit I live for right here 🤌🏼

Next up on my to-read list:

Home series by @hoko-onchi-writes (E, 22k)

In which Draco grows up hiding and finds out he doesn't want to do that anymore. And he doesn't want his son to hide, either. (…). In which Harry grows up in darkness, falls in love, fucks up, learns some things, and falls in love again.

Passing Stranger by @lettersbyelise (E, 53k)

Five years after the war, Harry, listless and depressed, stumbles upon Draco Malfoy playing the violin in an underground bar in Muggle London. The catch? Draco lost his memories five years ago. Ignoring his friends’ advice, Harry befriends an unwitting Draco, overlooking the fact that their mutual attraction might not survive if Draco’s memories return.

The Star Splitter by @oflights (E, 219k)

On a routine time travel assignment to the past, Draco stumbles upon 7-year-old Harry Potter and witnesses his neglect and mistreatment by the Dursleys. In the moment, there is only one solution, even if it goes against all his training as a Time Agent: he has to bring Harry back to the future with him. In which Draco burns his life down for the sake of his former school rival.

[schmem14]

It’s my birthday! Celebrate with me by reading my top favorite fanfic discoveries this past year. (Feel free to flail with me in DM’s!) I feel so lucky to have found so many wonderful talented friends and amazing stories! 

1. flour and flesh by foxglovetonic (nocturn) Hermione x Pansy, wc: 666 rating: M

(Mind the tags) This sapphic horror fic gripped my soul from the moment I read it and it lives rent-free in my head because of its amazing imagery and masterful use of unreliable narrator. I’ll be forever creeped out by carving pumpkins and pie (but in the BEST way, I swear!) This is the #1 reason Halloween is my fav. 

2. Usually by @lumosatnight Percy x Oliver, wc: 1k, rating: E

What’s not to love about banter, chess as foreplay, and stripping down until there’s nothing left but heart-pounding hot AF sex? This pairing is fantastic, and Lani’s writing is on point, as always, and I was incredibly impressed by the real live chess match taking place in the background. Read it, you won’t regret it! 

3. drink up, boys by @emilyrickman gen work featuring Parvati Patil, wc: 1.5k, rating: M

(Mind the tags) I URGE you give this gripping revenge story a chance! Between Parvati’s confidence and the absolute heartbreaking and empowering ode to sisterly love, this story gave me goosebumps. Emily is such a great writer, and I can’t stress enough how well the feels come through on this one. Also, give the song What It Means To Be a Girl by EMELINE a listen as you read, it will elevate the whole experience! 

4. One Woman’s Trash by @nanneramma Lavender x Hermione wc: 2k, rating: T

My friend Nan can do it all, and I don’t care that coffee shop AU has been done a thousand and one times before, THIS is the one to read! Lavender is to die for in this, and the fluff is pure, gourmet sweetness. It will have you kicking your feet and squealing by the end. 

5. Head Over Heels by @vdoshu Narcissa x Mrs. Zabini, wc: 575, Rating: M

This itty bitty fic is singlehandedly feeding my Narcissa Mommy delusion. I want her to step on me SO BAD! Ugh. Doshu packs a punch with every story, and the punchline of this one is sure to have you gasping like a beached fish. Please come scream at me about it if and when you know what I mean. 

6. Welcome, Peasants by @fluxweeed Draco x Ron x Harry, wc: 15k, Rating: E

It was nearly impossible for me to pick just ONE of my favorite fics from Dronarry fest this year, but I narrowed it down to two. Strap in for an hour and immerse yourself because the payoff is WORTH IT!  This one blends the juicy polyjuice trope with a healthy dollop of mistaken identity and a pinch of jealousy. Better yet is the twisty reveal and the absolutely smut-tastic finale that follows.

7. For I Have Found Salvation by @lumosatnight Severus x Harry, wc: 7k, Rating: E

Yes Lani, I couldn’t resist another! I feel like I have to preface this by saying I’m not usually a Snarry fan, but this filthy Priest AU fic is EVERYTHING. The dynamic of guilt and forbidden church sex (while church is IN SESSION) is so fucking delectable. I’m going to just say it and embarrass myself: Insta-Wank Bank. Yep. 

8. Nightswimming by @sweet-s0rr0w Draco x Ron (x Harry), wc: 5k, Rating: M

…Which brings me to my SECOND Dronarry fest pick from this year, and I love it so much because it’s all banter and hypotheticals. Draco and Harry are a couple, but Draco and Ron share a car ride where it comes out that maybe they’ve been considering a three-way with Ron. They don’t even fuck, but the tension of them just talking about it is too hot to handle. Bonus: There’s art at the end! 

9. Mistletoe Mojito by @amethystheart2421 Sybill x Severus, wc: 3k, Rating: E

This fic knocked me flat on my ass. This lust potion fueled one-night stand fic had me laughing and crying (from hilarity and absurdity and sadness) all at once. Such delightful writing, and the perfect example of crack taken seriously. 

10. All That Is Beautiful, Burns In The Making by @sailtomarina Narcissa x Bill, wc: 8k, Rating: E

Narcissa is hot. Bill is hot. We all know this from canon, but imagine they get together and how much hotter they are as a couple! This fic contains such delights as werewolf Bill, seduction, forbidden love, infidelity, knotting, endless refractory periods, voyeurism, rough sex, and mating. It’s not quite A/B/O but it has a lot of the elements that make it such a juicy AU.

11. A Perfect Answer by @p1013 Draco x Harry wc: 9k, Rating: E

Downton Abbey AU. Harry is Draco’s valet and the love is very much forbidden. Contains: pining, jealousy, decorum, emerald cufflinks that Draco favours, and BATHS. Something about it reminds me of Jane Eyre, though I know that’s a different time period and there’s no crazy wife in the attic. I loved this fic so much because it was a well-written AU and it brought a breath of fresh air to an old favorite otp. The angst is divine, and the ending is such a lovely payoff. Enjoy! 

[historyartthings]

Is this a safe space to say that, whilst the episode overall was really well done and I enjoyed it a lot, I don’t think the ending was….. actually as good as the rest? Although I did still find that last moment, and those last words, very sad.

Ngl I would've preferred that they didn't reuse the same shots of Launde for the most part, i feel like they could've filmed some different moments of it specifically for the ending.

and I think the whole thing shouldve been longer, tbh - it could’ve done with a bigger stretch up to it. As in, they could’ve let the tension build more imo? that might just be me tho who didn’t feel it so much in all fairness. not in that last wee bit, anyway. and in relation to that i think the actual walk to the block and the execution itself would've been better served as an uninterrupted scene, as opposed to being intercut with other shots

Also for sure thought we’d get that moment with Christophe. why else introduce him for this series? alas, no.

Also also, i so wanted the payoff of 'put an edge on it'. they were happy to have him say other thoughts from the book out loud in the series, why not that one? and i wanted to see his father there! that connection was the crux of the scene as Mantel wrote it, really

Not that i'm saying the brutality that you'd need to at least hint at for that should've been shown in a very graphic sense. I don’t know the best way to go about it tbh. But those parallels were so incredibly impactful, it seems a shame to lose them. I imagine they thought it was too much? and/or too close to 'the tudors' for comfort….

I did also like Wolsey being in the crowd though, in his bright scarlet. And the music was beautiful, as always

[slaygentford]

im actually so curious. dean/bela

IS YOUR MIRROR EVER A MIRROR. the most interesting thing about them and about that season in general TO MEEEEEE to me. is all the parallels that they keep pointing to obviously but also specifically the abuse parallels that they keep on purpose and not on purpose both pointing to. they're both so damaged which they both keep saying which is ssoooo fun. I guess she'd dom him or whatever but "takes one to know one" is way more interesting to me I think one of the few good things they did was NOT have them fuck because for once in their lives they maintained the tension in a season for more than 5 seconds. s3 is hilariously despite all odds one of the most intentional and best constructed seasons imo. it doesn't feel slapdash to me and never has, it's just rushed, but it's shockingly coherent for spn and theres actually suuuuch good payoff (getting dragged to hell). anyway idk how to tag this but I'm about to start talking about abuse and sexual abuse and specifically child sexual abuse so stop reading now. it's a crazy coincidence that victor my best friend victor makes that crack about it to dean in the same season that we find out Bela's backstory and I think the idea that they both have sexual trauma is sooo interesting and contributes a lot to their horrible self concept and self worth and self image and "youre so damaged/takes one to know one." not saying dean's is childhood but like obviously he has sexual trauma. an incredibly rare instance of I like what they have in canon and in my mind palace there's not even that much to add unless of course we got some sort of dean trauma backstory in conjunction with Bela's. my millionth favorite thing about them is that they never like each other. there's never a moment where they see eye to eye and share a mutual peace like with dean and victor. they fucking hate each other to the very end because they hate THEMSELVES just THAT much. NO comfort NO resolution. looking out for number one until the BITTER fucking end. you think their development is going to be they start liking each other nope. try again next time. it's SO tasty. and then of course the way on their last phone call that dean thinks he's going to get out of it. he really thinks he's going to get out of his deal. and he's so resolved and sure of himself as he leaves her to die alone. he's so so so fucking sure of it. just like she was so sure of it. and both of them are wrong. and then they get dragged to hell <3

[pinkpinkmermayyy]

guys I have an idea for how it would got if house of mouse came back

@orchestra-of-demonic-screeching @champmorado @x0stormie0x @anemoia42 @thisismisogynoir

Imagine the house of mouse starting off with Mickey announcing to the gang that he’s rebooting the show, this time inviting not only the new Disney characters in store, but also the Pixar characters!

There’s the Toy Story gang, the Bug’s Life gang, Monster’s Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and everyone else in the Pixar studio is invited to join this new show in the House of Mouse. The new Disney characters such as those from Wish, Encanto, Frozen, Tangled, Moana, etc is also invited.

That includes…the villains.

But we’ll get to them later.

anyways, Mickey and the gang feel overwhelmed with how many more guests there are now, with Mickey especially feeling like he isn’t doing enough and isn’t being grand enough for the “much more advanced and futuristic characters”. But Minnie reassures him and over time this inner conflict is resolved with great payoff. This will also connect with the second conflict of this:

The Pixar and Disney heroes not getting along. They have their tensions during the opening episode, but there’s a moment in the climax of it where they start arguing with each other about everything due to a big moment enacted by the villains.

Oh by the way, let me bring up those villains again!

Similar to ‘the House of Villains’, this time, The Evil Queen, Maleficent, Jafar, Chernabog along with Auto, Syndrome, Hopper, and Lotso lead the Disney and Pixar Villains into a total overthrowing of the house of mouse, getting all the protagonists kicked out while the antagonists and villains reign free in the house. We could have a little gag here where when the Disney villains are singing and they point to the Pixar villains, they just go “oh we don’t sing sorry lol” and they have an “ok whatever” moment and continue.

This makes the tensions between the Pixar and Disney characters that were previously established reach its peak. It starts off with one of the Disney characters saying that it was the Pixar characters’ fault for not stopping them since they’re so much more advanced than the Disney characters. It then blows off from there, and, at least for me, I’d wanna see a moment in this huge argument where someone shames mater for being just an idiot tow truck, with lightning defending his best friend by saying “oh so dopey and goofy are allowed to be silly but mater can’t? Give me a break!” Or maybe something where lightning or mater respond but this time making fun of the early disney princesses for just being damsels in distress who sing with animals, with the princesses gasping in shock and the sidekicks of snow, cinderella and aurora being like “how DARE you!” (Especially grumpy because. He’s Grumpy). You could only pick one to keep the consistency but both are funny ideas for this.

This argument ends abruptly with Mickey yelling “ENOUGH!” which leaves everyone silent. He starts talking about how all the fighting they’ve been having is not only pointless, but extremely damaging to any chances they have at taking back the house. He goes on saying that the Pixar and Disney villains were able to cooperate and they become stronger, and if the protagonists couldn’t do the same in time then they’d be letting the villains take over everyone’s worlds. The other Pixar characters such as (but not limited to) woody and buzz join in as well as other Disney characters talking about their stories and how they’ve had to grow to understand others to get to their goals and more importantly to not let evil prevail. There’s a little heart to heart before Carl from Up interrupts saying “well, how are we gonna defeat them together? We can’t just believe in the power of friendship to do this!” and then Mickey gets an idea. And the training montage starts.

Mickey and his gang along with Woody and his gang of friends are the leaders of the operation, and they decide to use the magic of Disney and the technology of Pixar and mix them together. Thinking of Antonio from encanto leading the bug’s life characters into battle, miguel and moana getting an epic team up with maui as they fight against tamatoa, and some other cool stuff with other characters but the thing that I’m thinking about the most (because I’m a die hard cars fan and since this probably won’t happen I don’t have to worry about the other characters) is the idea of LIGHTNING MCQUEEN MATER AND THE OTHER CARS CHARACTERS DRIVING WITH TINKERBELL’S PIXIE DUST. LIKE IMAGINE LIGHTNING ZOOMING BY AND ABSOLUTELY BESTING CHICK IN A RACE WHILE FLYING WITH TINK’S PIXIE DUST AND MATER BEATING UP THE LEMONS WHILE A BUNCH OF GLITTER IS EMITTING FROM HIM OMGGG

Also like tinker bell teaching them how to control themselves while flying with her little bell voice and them learning how to steer and stuff and lightning stumbling a bit in the beginning omggg

but the final act comes from sorcerer Mickey. There’s a moment where the villains are weakened where Maleficent decides to transforms into her dragon form as a way to finish the battle quickly. Mickey shows up in his wizard attire and they go in a final battle which ends with Mickey winning, and saying that the villains are allowed in the house of mouse, but ONLY if they don’t pull a stunt like that again, which they reluctantly agree to.

This ends the opening episode for the new house of mouse, and with the heroes from Pixar and Disney being closer now.

Now here’s some ideas for other episodes in this new house of mouse. Keep in mind this is all cars related because I am a massive fan of cars, and I’m not really thinking of the other franchises for this as it probably is not gonna happen. If you have any ideas for the other characters though, feel free to share them in the notes!

here’s the first idea:

Lightning and Mater enter the house of mouse, with lightning talking about how great Cruz has been in training and in her races, as well as both of them just being glad that they’ve found the time to be in the house of mouse again. But then, we focus our attention to the evil queen from Snow White, who has a new magic mirror after her old one quit to work as Walt Disney’s co-host (my headcanon btw LMAO). She asks her iconic question and it shows that MATER is the fairest now, due to his naturally optimistic and kind personality and how everyone enjoys his company. She then decides to try and kill mater, first using some poisoned gas to try and kill him. Lightning, who knows exactly what’s going on, kicks the can of gas away before mater can consume it. We get a whole montage of the evil queen in her hag form trying numerous ways to kill mater but failing as the episode progresses while the different cartoons are played, only with the hag having a breakdown after not being able to kill him. Mater asks what’s wrong and the queen replies saying that she just wanted to be the fairest in the land, which mater says he can help with, since “that’s what a tow truck does!” The episode ends off on a comedic note, kind of similar to that one 2013 Mickey Mouse cartoon short, where despite still being an ugly hag, the queen is much happier than she was before, and mater being proud of himself for helping someone out (while lightning is slightly uncomfortable but still happy for his best friend).

now here’s the second one:

Here we have lightning and mater in the house of mouse again, this time with lightning remarking that he hasn’t been spending much time with Sally, especially since he’s started training cruz. He goes to look for her with mater only to find her hanging out with…the Disney villains! She’s seen sitting at a table and laughing with all the female Disney villains, such as Maleficent, lady Tremaine, cruella, madame Medusa, the evil queen, and more. Lightning shows up to the table asking her why she’s hanging out with the villains of all people, with her replying that yeah sure they may be a bit eccentric, but they’re actually fun to hang around. The episode progresses with this conflict and Lightning realizes that because he has been neglecting time with Sally, she actually feels a little hurt because of it, even though she knows racing means a lot to him. Lightning convinces Sally to not hang with the villains and apologizes to her for not giving enough love to her, which Sally forgives him for. This one isn’t as strong in my head as the first one but if I think it through it can be decent.

hope yall liked this train wreck of a post though! I might add more who knows lol

[canmom]

Animation Night 195: több magyar

Back on Sunday. Apologies for confusion with time, but maybe by alternating days to a degree, I can entertain people who are limited to each day...

So first up, thanks for all the sudden appreciation from Hungarian tumblr for Animation Night 157. @70snasagay, @leafthesheep and @critterofthenight, it means a lot!

In that spirit, and since it's been long enough for certain films to get a release beyond film festivals, I'm gonna follow it up tonight with more Hungarian animation! Last time we gave an overview of the Hungarian school of animation with a focus on absolute legend Marcell Jankovics, and there is still much more of the historical story to tell, tonight I'll be focusing on the most recent animated films of Hungary. (Sadly I am limited in time and can't dive quite so in-depth, but the films I have are quite special.)

If any of you were reading my writeups on the Annecy festival last year, you might recall how taken I was with a film called Four Souls of Coyote (Hungarian: Kojot négy lelke, tho the film is in English). Here's what I wrote back then...

This is a Hungarian movie based on (nonspecifically…) Indigenous stories, with the framing device of the story being told by an old man at the Standing Rock pipeline protests. The bulk of the film is an origin story for the world: Old Man Creator - not the top god in this situation - creates Turtle Island and fills it with creatures. In a dream, he creates Coyote, and mistreats him at once; Coyote, an obligate carnivore in a world that does not yet know death, steals the creation mud and creates humans So most of the film then tells how, through a series of events, Coyote ends up complicating the idyllic scenario by introducing death into the world, and sexual reproduction, and inspiring the creation of lightning and fire before being betrayed by the humans he created, eaten, and on his final life, driven away. It’s a really interesting sort of mythological schema: even Old Man Creator doesn’t know the why of it all, and there’s this kind of idea that a lot of the way things work happened not by design but by mistake (perhaps according to the ineffable design of a higher, more numinous power), and once something is created it’s irrevocably part of the world, so we just have to make do. I have no idea what’s based on mythology and what was created by the Hungarians, but what makes this all work is the incredible animation. This is just a really really strong work of traditional animation, with fantastic colour and compositing to boot. It might genuinely be the best looking film I’ve seen this whole festival so far, which is nuts. There are all sorts of characterful touches in every shot, the magic is presented in a really elegantly straightforward way, and the whole story unfolds with a compelling degree of intricacy and tension, setup and payoff. Coyote, the famous trickster, is certainly the main character of this movie. He’s a fascinating character; arrogant, quick to lie and in love with his own cleverness but also we can see his pride comes from the rough circumstances of his creation, where he’s chewed out by his creator from the get go and everyone pushes him away.

The last arc of the film, which I won't spoil here, is where it really goes hard: bridging the gap from a mythological past to the ugly conflict of modern history and elegantly weaving the Europeans into the story it's telling. It is the moment of Coyote's greatest mistakes, but also the most character development. Absolutely incredible to watch. Kind of devastating! That's the way of it!

Alongside that, our second act is another flavour of Hungarian film entirely. This is White Plastic Sky, a full-rotoscope scifi film in the fashion of A Scanner Darkly. Its world conceit is that the ecosystem has collapsed, leaving humanity contained in small cities whose oxygen is provided by the ingenious expedient of transforming humans into trees. The main character sees his wife volunteer to become a tree, a decision he refuses to accept, and he pulls all the strings he can to first free her against her wishes, and then as two fugitives, journey to the origin of the tree system to find the scientist who created it. Which is to say: classic high-concept science fiction, with some gorgeous imagery and a fantastic mood.

This film is kind of hell to acquire in the UK. There's no official release, it's not on any pirate sites in usable quality, and in the end the only way I managed to get my hands on it was to VPN into the Czech Republic in order to buy a download using google pay. But I did that! And I found some subs which were only mistimed by 40,700ms. So we can watch this movie too!

Besides that, we have a really cool first-person short film about a fly, an amazing work of background animation. Thanks to a wonderful article by Animation Obsessive (drink), you can read about this film in parallel to another from Yugoslavia. Director Ferenc Rofusz, following in the footsteps of his mentor Jankovics, managed to convince the state it was worth producing, but struggled to find the resources to singlehandedly animate this crazy ambitious project.

There are no characters in Rofusz’s film ��� instead, the whole screen animates. Where the Zagreb Fly is an exercise in limited animation, this is a frenzy of movement. We take the fly’s perspective as it goes from forest to yard to house, only to be trapped inside with an unseen human. The sound design is anxiety-inducing: the endless buzzing, the footsteps, the human’s swings. We, as the fly, are hunted.

The whole short is available on Youtube, right here:

There are many more stories to tell about Hungarian animation - honestly Hungary rivals France for the number of interesting films drawn there, an animation tradition unique and all the more remarkable for continuing to today. but for now, I am running late already, and this will have to suffice!

Animation Night 195 will begin very shortly at twitch.tv/canmom - I hope you can join me!

[thefirstknife]

lightfall was a lot of fun, i think the only gripes i have with it is that i wish the patrol zone was a bit bigger and i wish there were more of those little holo-cats. i’m almost tempted to speculate that the people getting so up in arms were partially looking for a reason to call it a bad expansion because of nimbus.

the main criticism i saw was about the tone of the expansion not being tense enough, but i don’t think it would’ve worked to make lightfall a super tense and grim expansion because there wouldn’t’ve been much payoff for it

Yeah agreed. People got SUPER obsessed with the placeholder art we got 3 years before Lightfall which was... placeholder art. But it was basic black-and-white image that looked edgy and if you look at the fashion Destiny players prefer, you know that they like their edginess. Lmao! But yeah, the complaints about "placeholder art was a better direction of Lightfall" is so bizarre to me because like. It's placeholder. Lightfall wasn't being developed yet at the time. There was no direction.

But people wanted some incredibly grimdark expansion which is insane to me because like... This is Destiny? It does have exceptionally dark themes and background stuff, but on the surface it's never been grimdark. Even the most serious expansions have humour and whimsy in it. I also think that Lightfall was fairly tense due to the high-paced action and the looming threat of "The Witness wants this incomprehensible paracausal entity to finish the Collapse and we have no clue how it means to do that, but we know what the Collapse is and we have to prevent this at all costs."

I personally think that a lot of people just do not understand the aesthetic Lightfall went with on the account of not being old enough to know it. I don't know how much merit there is to this and there's definitely people who DID understand the aesthetic, but just don't really like it, which is fine; we all have different preferences! I personally do not vibe AT ALL with the aesthetic of Forsaken. However, I understand what they wanted to do with that aesthetic and I understand that they nailed that aesthetic for those that do love it and that made the campaign click really well for them. Lightfall wasn't made "wrong;" it had a really well defined and perfectly executed style. It's just not everyone likes that style. This is true for every expansion as well.

The 80s action movie vibe has a goofy and campy feel, but to me it did not detract from the real threats and tension because that's just how that vibe works. And I'm a huge fan of that vibe so Lightfall landed perfectly for me. There's a really silly and over-the-top quality to it, but it's underlined with a lot of emotional journeys between characters and larger-than-life threats.

Also! I really enjoy how Destiny does genre switching with each expansion and even each season. It's one of my favourite things about the setting: the flexibility to just do whatever, without messing up the base of the setting. It's probably the reason why I genuinely have NO issues with any of the campaigns or seasons. They all have problems naturally, but I can never pick what's my favourite or least favourite because they all fill different niches for me.

[dirge-requim]

lavinia lore ramblings

before the edible kicks in i've been typing for so long the edible kicked in an hour ago yay

homeworld: frontier world (from this mod) | origin: crime lord | triumph: feat of greatness | darkest hour: shadow of torment

she's a somewhat well know elicit xenos wares slash drug dealer who operated in/around/out of scintilla. well known because she, surprisingly, wouldn't cheat people or ever stray from her own set of morals and beliefs (which are heretical at best, in the eyes of the imperium, but she tries to be a decent person in her own way) and has maybe the tiniest bit of a robin hood-esque god complex.

she doesn't remember much, or anything, from before she was found by a crew running a deal. it's after an exchange with xenos went south and it's assumed she was a civilian caught in the crossfire. the best explanation, from what chiurgeons were accessible in the immediate aftermath, is head trauma. some were convinced of warp trickery being involved - anomalous somethings seem to always be in her wake. she's found wearing a ring engraved with the name lavinia. she has nothing, is nothing, so joins the crew that found her. she shows immediate skills, quickly running a crew of her own, but purposefully stays mid-level in operations and scale (she's capable of incredible feats but doesn't, nor desire, going to that effort - for what additional payoff?). high perception and coercion allows her relative ease in her operations

she has all she could want and the years pass by.

against her will, and with every effort to avoid, she's eventually brought into tensions between different organizations - her feat of greatness. she triumphs, by luck or skill she's not sure, all others cowed and beaten back. as much as she wants to raze all who are left - she's naive, and an iconoclast. this leads to her darkest hour. she's kidnapped, tortured. an amount of time passes, and she suddenly comes to with her captors dead around her (her body throbs in pain and bright lights dot her vision). she has nothing, is nothing - again. she finds her way back to her crew, is healed physically (this is when she gets her neck and fang augments), and tries to go back to what was. but having something, anything, to go back to has never been a luxury afforded to her.

she continues on however she can and time passes by - theodora seeks her out.

she awakened as a psyker in commorragh. it's jarring but makes sense of so much - why she's missing her memories before adulthood, how she escaped her tormentors - the spires of the dark city remind her of scintilla, in a way.

marazhai is not the first drukhari she's had personal dealings with. she's met enough to know how to stay on the safe side of interactions and conversations, but something about marazhai gets under her skin in a way she ends up craving. in commorragh, after aligning with marazhai for at chance escape, he taunts her. the haemonculus had enjoyed her, her body now a patchwork of amusement. "how does it feel, to be alive, yet wear so much dead flesh?" the first flash of emotion, since seeing marazhai again in the anatomical opera, flares through her. she winds around on him, throwing her shoulder into his throat and hisses in his face. her fang augments are extended, her chest heaves with adrenaline - an animal pushed to its limit. marazhai lets her - he's intrigued by the sudden intensity of her emotions. they leave a sour, tanginess down his throat that he craves (it's reminiscent of blood). when they escape commorragh he joins her retinue and decides he will indulge what curiosities the dark city created in her. the song i associate with them, and their whole deal, is mudshovel by staind btw.

she adores cassia. they have meals together, sometimes even tea parties - lavinia loves hearing cassia recount whatever she's currently reading.

she and kibellah have an odd relationship (their ghost aren't too different after all) but lavinia enjoys her company all the same.

she's genuine in wanting to help yrliet - at least someone can, hopefully, get back some of what was lost.

her relationships with heinrix an argenta are strained. she can sense a crack in heinrix she could wiggle in to, open his eyes to the inquisition's dogma, but it is hard and frustrating and she's pissed he can't see the obvious. argenta is worse - clinging desperately to her faith because she is scared, because it's all she's had. their beginning aren't so different and lavinia can't stand it.

things with idira are strained, mostly because lavinia worries her existence on the ship is a reminder of theodora's loss. idira is struggling enough and lavinia doesn't want to worsen it.

in the beginning things with abelard were tense, but her actions haven given him faith in her and her decisions to change how things are done.

while not a woman of faith, she respect pasqual's faith in the omnissiah and he's able to see reason when presented with factual data so they get on just fine.

her and jae enjoy drinking in the officer's lounge together - janris was able to procure materials for a small bar, made to be reminiscent of the adeptus amasecus. questionable traders with neck augments gotta stick together, right?

[zahri-melitor]

Newish Comics (22 January 2025)

It’s Black Canary week, so I’ll be buying that, but it’s not on the shelves yet. Here’s everything else.

Absolute Wonder Woman #3: Stunning. Gorgeous. The reason for Diana’s tattoos becomes clear. Diana’s internal strength and kindness for others comes through so clearly in this title (the way she talks to Pegasus as she sends him away. Her explanation to the news crew of what she does and does not want them to film).

But I am a simple person, and Barbara Minerva running straight onto the page and immediately crashing in Diana for a clinch meet cute? Followed by bestowing the name Wonder Woman on Diana, referencing the Amazons? Ahhhh. That’s lesbian vibes I expect from a Wonder Woman title.

Action Comics #1081: and we wrap up the 12 weekly run. Personally I thought Waid resolved the ‘recapture everyone’ part a BIT pat, but he used the rest of the story space for the story he wanted to tell, rather than big dramatics of tracking everyone down. I am interested in the interaction of the timing of this story with JLU, because Waid’s writing both and I’m trying to work out the details of what he does have in and out of J’onn’s power set right now.

The Tamaki story felt whole and complete, in how it wrapped up. I think I want to reread this one separately when they put it out in trade, because I want to see how the web builds up and admire all the early references. I’m excited for when they get around to slotting the new Supergirl title into the lineup.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20: and we wrap up this title. In terms of story in this issue, the Maxine one was clearly the best. I didn’t mind the tattoo story but it hmmm needed something extra in the framing. Felt not quite polished for the point they wanted to make.

Overall in terms of book as a run: I’ve never really shifted from my initial impression, which was that it was caught in a difficult tension between being a book with Batman in the title and how much of a wider anthology it wanted to be. The biggest stumble was, for me as a reader, the concentration of how often the Bat stories in an issue were led by Bruce or exclusively focused on him, with the rest of the stories in the issue being wider picks, leaving the Batfam cast high and dry, rather than giving characters without ongoings some space for a story. They managed to shift out from that to a degree by the end of the run, but the title opening with a 5 issue, 22 page per issue Batman-and-Joker flashback story really did set the tone. It gave the same ‘this should have been a mini’ vibes that Cheer and The Long Con had in Urban Legends, but for even less payoff – it’s not like selling a Batman-focused mini is hard, whereas I can see why minis about Jason Todd and COLE CASH got absorbed into a new anthology book that started in the Covid cuts and retool.

I think the best story it had overall was Pygmalion, and as cute as that was, it wasn’t nearly as essential as some of the Urban Legends stories were (Cheer, Sum of Our Parts/A Carol of Bats, and the various Duke Batman and the Outsiders stories take it to the cleaners just for starters). The other thing I am glad it did have was a concentrated Nightwing and Deadman story, which is such an obvious angle to exploit but rarely gets done. Unfortunately for me it was written by Tim Seeley, but I know a bunch of people like Seeley’s writing more than I do, so I’m sure they had a good time. I appreciated the Black and White shorts; this was a good spot to pop them in.  

I also averaged about one story per issue that I was actually hanging out to read, meaning that I spent the entire run asking myself if I should drop it next issue, and if I had been buying it I would have pretty rapidly.

Finally this is probably a me problem, but I found Simone Di Meo’s covers made it incredibly hard to tell issues apart at a glance. His art style does not translate into visually distinct covers.

Detective Comics #1092: you know what? It’s been ages since Bruce actually had a proper short term girlfriend to date in a title, between all the Bruce/Selina and the Bruce & Talia Being Very Divorced arguments. I’m actually scrambling to think of examples since Julie Madison in n52. I think he took Deb Donovan’s daughter Caroline out for dinner before Caro tragically carked it?

So, good job, Tom Taylor. You’re simultaneously setting up a convenient excuse to point to over Bruce’s aging slowing AND we’ve got Bruce dating a civilian.

(Now all we need is the Azrael link in this plot to get followed up on)

The Flash #16: the dog (Foxy) is Dawn Summers ahahahahahaha. Perfect. I’ve already gleefully yelled about what the title is doing about Skartaris, but it looks like it’s doing something interesting with Travis Morgan on top of how it’s specifically shaking down the various West family members’ power sets. (I also need to stop mentally referring to Wade as Jack-Jack, but it’s getting hard)

Green Arrow #19: I have to say, Ollie, since when did you suddenly decide that secret identities matter again? Your entire family haven’t seriously cared about that outside of occasional editorially mandated attempts for at LEAST 40 years at this point.

(I will however note that the modern option of the ‘cover your nose and mouth with a buff’ style of mask does actually address the hoary old joke of ‘everyone knows because of your facial hair, Ollie’. Smart call)

Justice League Unlimited #2: In terms of the Justice League as a property, it’s actually hugely compelling that we’re going for a J’onn focused plot in the opening arc, because if there’s a character for whom Justice League is THEIR primary title, it’s J’onn. A good call from Waid.

Metamorpho: The Element Man #1: oh Ewing and Lieber went REALLY old school with this and it’s pure Silver Age nostalgia. I’m not going to continue with this, but if you’re a fan of modern tribute comics to the Silver Age like Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, it might be worth trying.

The Warlord #82: this week we are again barely in Skartaris - we catch up with Tara for Tara to miss Travis for a moment - but then we’re back to the future in the 24th century, where following a nuclear attack there’s been a military dictatorship imposed on America and basically all civilians have been enslaved. Travis Morgan, being Travis, is outraged that such a thing could ever happen in the United States and foments a slave rebellion.

(The remaining population of the US is small enough that apparently the President just stands around watching slaves work. There might be all of 300 people or so in America)

[snooze-mode]

My thoughts on Revenant

Under a read more for obvious spoilers, and also because I have a LOT to say. This is me spitballing and essentially rambling, rather than a planned and carefully considered thesis, so I apologise for any redundancy or moot points. These are all base reactions and they may change in future. With those disclaimers out of the way, essay below:

Revenant had a lot of potential, but I don't think it was actualised very well at all. The Lore we got is INCREDIBLY interesting, and I'm happy Eramis finally got some damn closure after 3 years of narrative teasing, but the entire experience is sullied by the butchered delivery system for the sake of the experiment, and the fact that the layoffs have hit and hit HARD in QA.

The Story

I was incredibly invested in the story's hook. The Scorn being back and elevated, now with untold paracausal power at their fingertips. Misraaks' curse manifesting and the worry of whether or not he's going to make it, and what happens if he doesn't. Eido being thrust into a leadership role and having to balance the very real threat of the Scorn with her own emotions as she's being forced to watch her only family member in the process of actively dying at the hands of a literal God. Eramis being brought into City custody and contending with her feelings as well as her duties for her people. These are all things I find incredibly interesting.

In practice, however, things fall a bit short.

I'll start with my biggest gripe: The Kell of Kells plotline. I... I'm not a fan of how this was concluded, to be honest. It feels a bit ass to have this important figure of Eliksni folklore decided by a process of elimination. I'm not averse to Misraaks being the Kell of Kells, far from it (My hopes were either him or Eido, but the latter was most definitely the least likely option and I was totally okay with that being the case), but it feels like the story has actively robbed him of such an acheivement by him being it because we killed or otherwise removed all other contestants. I'll parrot what everyone else is saying: The prophecy was not fulfilled. I'd personally have liked one of these options:

The Echo actively CHOOSING to cure Misraaks and infuse him with Light. This isn't too far from what we got, but I just wish it was a case of the Echo choosing rather than Eramis deciding to cure him for the sake of everyone else. It wouldn't be exactly fulfilling the prophecy, but the idea of a culmination of Riisian Eliksni consciousness actively selecting Misraaks as their champion would at least come close to it. You can still have Eramis as the Echo bearer in this, just have the Echo act independently of Eramis for a second. I feel her redemption is better communicated via her actions to help us throughout the storyline rather than a single act of her sparing Misraaks at the last second.

The more blatant choice, but would require significant rewrites and create a lot more plot threads than it solves: Misraaks succumbing to the curse and us having to put him down, after which he is resurrected as a Lightbearer. This ofc leaves him without his memories and thus creates a lot more issues further down the line, but it would resolve the idea that he needs to be actively chosen by the Light to fulfill the prophecy.

Finally, I kinda wish we'd gotten to fight a Neza-wrecked Misraaks. Have the third Kell's Fall run end as it does, but then either have a separate mission afterwards or an additional boss fight after the fact of us having to weaken Misraaks enough for Eramis to come in with the Echo and purge Nezarec from his body. As it is, it feels like his storyline hits the climax and then is IMMEDIATELY robbed of the payoff of all that tension by having Eramis immediately cure him. I'd have loved an "Oh shit" moment as we see Nezarec attempt to start his reign of torment rather than have it cut off the second it begins. Again, this is just me spitballing, though.

My other gripe comes with how Eramis' redemption doesn't get enough focus imo. I was SO excited to hear she'd been assigned a therapist, and I would have loved that to have had more impact going forward. Even with her being stubborn and refusing to talk, have Eramis ultimately internalise some of what the therapist has said, even if unintentionally, and have her speak and act accordingly. I think this is what the intention was, especially with her choice to actively remove herself from the source of her ongoing pain to try and start anew, but if that IS the case it was not clearly communicated well enough. She just gets jailed and then we free her. As it is, it just feels like a waste of time to have even put her in said jail as it just wasn't utilised enough.

I think ultimately act 3 should have opened with her being busted out of jail, rather than it being the end of Act 2, for the sake of giving more time for her to simmer over her thoughts and be won around to our cause. Have more direct conversations between her and Eido, which serves both this point and the idea that Eido's plan came out of left field by giving us more time to see Eido come to the conclusion Eramis would do better outside of a box, and for Eido to get frustrated with Crow's insistence on keeping Eramis in said box.

The Execution

The story didn't feel like it had time to build tension, it was bugged to all hell and that included missing dialogue bugs that meant we actually missed out on some of the set dressing and stuff that could have eased the jank of the main storyline. I'm incredibly frustrated by Bungie's decision to hack up an existing piece of content and then glue it back together instead of doing it in Heresy, where they have the time to do it properly.

The end result is a very janky and disjointed experience, where you're having to actively pray the game will let you hear its own story because its liable to bug out at any second. I shouldn't have to be consulting the Destiny Lore Vault to check if I missed out on parts of the story despite having done literally EVERYTHING the game has to offer in terms of the story content. I know this comes as a direct result of the layoffs, so do not mistake my anger for being towards the development team; This lands solely on Bungie's upper management. In an ideal world, the whole lot would be thrown out and the competent people they fired brought back, and the game be put in the hands of people who actively gave a shit about anything other than filling their pockets.

Conclusion

I'm... honestly conflicted. I want to like Revenant, but I think that everything that has gone on around it has thoroughly soured my feelings towards it. I know this is me getting caught up in all the negativity surrounding Destiny rn, but I'm incredibly worried for the game's future. Whilst the hopeful reading from this ending is that we may actually get to go to Riis at some point, my main concern comes from whether the game can actually survive for much longer for us to actually get to this point. With Revenant being the culmination of the Eliksni storyline, I'm worried this is might end up being how my favourite group of characters goes out.

If you made it this far, thank you for listening to my insane ramblings. I have other thoughts, but for the sake of time I am not going to delve into all of them in this ramble format. Feel free to let me know what you think, I'm eager to see other people's opinions that aren't just "omg i hate eramis" as so much of the playerbase's reactions are.

[saljoyy]

mandatory epic the musical post because my brain has vacated my skull and now it's only musical thoughts

my favorite song from each saga!!

The Troy Saga - Just A Man. Listen. We cannot compare when we cannot compete. This song is the blueprint like no other. I remember the first time i heard it was in a TOH edit and i was like "WHAT IS THAT MELODYYYY" Ever since then my brain has been consumed by this musical. this song haunts me in my dreams. No character playlist is complete without it. the build up, the payoff, the emotions UHG. SO GOOD. I'm just a man indeed.

The Cyclops Saga - My Goodbye. I MUST DEFEND THE CYCLOPS SAGA AT ANY GIVEN POINT. If this saga has no fans I'M DEAD. It's soooo, i don't really know how to describe it but it feels like a musical musical. With the characters running around i can imagine the stage and props. This saga is so good and i'm tired of pretending it's bad. Ok anyway back to My Goodbye, THIS SONG SLAPS!! Athena's voice is amazing and this song is so fun to siiiing!!! "if you claim you are so much wiser? why's your life spent all alone? You are alone!" OK GAGGEDDD

The Ocean Saga - Ruthlessness. This saga altered my brain chemestry i fear. If there's one thing about me, i LOOOOVEEE choirs and chants. When the ocean saga came out i had a hyperfixiation on the GOW games and Ruthlessness starting with the ensamble chants "Poseidon. Poseidon!!!" was right up my alley. There are parts of this song that i really didn't like at first (sometimes the heavy rock influence made me skip it) but the more i listen to it the more i grow to love it. GET IT POSEIDOOOON!! Oh also this saga came out while i was spending my summers at the beach so it was just fitting.

The Circe Saga - There Are Other Ways. A lot of these are the last song of the saga huh... WELL. This song is a showstopper. What can you even say about it??? it's literally built different. The Circe saga wasn't my favorite and it's taken me a while to not skip songs in it BUT i've grown. This song was a instant banger though, Circe's voice is incredible and she SHINES in this. It's also just good. i'm running out of words BUT YOU GET IT!! IT'S THERE ARE OTHER WAYS WHAT MORE CNA YOU SAY??? The Underworld Saga - No Longer You. THIS IS MY FAVORITE SONG IN THE WHOLE MUSICAL SO FAR. Everything about it is SOOOO well done and executed. The waltz tempo, the foreshadowing and the ending with the ensamble???? i told you i'm a sucker for chants and choirs. This is (to me) a perfectly done musical song. It's absolutely stellar. The softness of Tiresias' voice draws you in and makes you believe his role (especially because of the tempo change. "time i've unlocked it" and having a tempo change from the rest of the musical?? SO CLEVER!!) I don't know what else to say but i remember saying to my friend that even if the rest of the musical is trash it is still worth listening just for this song.

The Thunder Saga - Scylla (SCREAMS) this song is. wow. just wow. There's a lot of callbacks and yet it feels fresh thanks to Scylla's incredible voice. The softness at the start and how it slowly unveils into a raw enchantment. The way she haunts the entire song, even if only the end is about the actual monster. The tension between Odysseus and Eurylochus. Also a moment i love is the "You are quiet today" "Not much to say" ODYSSEUS. MR I TALK MY WAY OUT OF EVERYTHING DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY??? yeah that means we are dying. And lastly Odysseus harmonizing with Scylla?? NO WORDS. NO CRUMBS. ATE.

The Wisdom Saga - All of them?? Ok listen. Usually with epic saga's i always have one song that i like over the rest. BUT THIS ONE??? HOW COULD YOU CHOOSE???

Legendary is the PERFECT character introduction for Telemachus, it's sweet and earnest. He's a boy yearning to find his place in the world and also asking himself where his father's legacy will lead him. It's refreshing and summery, and great!! ALSO... Boy...

Little wolf. is NOT what i expected, it's so much better. AND ATHENA'S COMEBACK TO THE STORYYYYYY!!! this song feels like when you play a zelda game and you slowly help link grow stronger.

We'll be fine is also adorable. I love telemachus in this and it's great to have Athena's incredible vocals back in the musical! "You are a good kid" sobbing. The fact that Athena finally understands that giving up on mortals because of their flaws isn't how she'll make them succeed. it's good

Love in Paradise I really wish Calypso has another song in the future BUT the second half of this has me singing "aaAAaAAAAATHEENAAAA" since it came out. Also the voice for Calypso is soooo cooool <3 <3 <3 please let Odysseus out tho my mans is not having a fun time

GOD GAMES. Ok we all KNEW she was going to be THAT girl. ever since the snippet of Aphrodite's verse came out i've been OBSSEEESSED. Do i wish this song was a little longer... yes... BUT IT'S JUST BECAUSE I WANT MOREEE The idea of each god being a "level" for Athena to beat is genius. And the way each section sounds different is so fun!!! AND ZEUS AT THE END???? ok like we all KNOW she's that girl. and it's honestly a testament to the rest of the songs that this isn't my favorite from the saga.

Gosh this was a lot of yapping

[sitp-recs]

HP Rec Fest 2024

day 27: smokin' hot fic

it’s been so long since I’ve recced a rare pair fic for @hprecfest, and I thought this prompt would be the perfect opportunity 🙌 once again I’m going for 3 fics that imo are not only a masterclass in smut but also phenomenal character studies. they took my breath away with superb sexual tension, brilliant characterization and indulgent porn with feelings. I even listed the kinks explored in each fic bc I’m nice like that :))) I feel lucky to have come across these, and I hope more and more rare pair lovers can appreciate them too. happy meals!

Slip Free of My Grasp by @lqtraintracks (E, 3.4k) - Harry/Sirius

rimming, public sex, sex while sore

I’ve recced this masterpiece so many times before - and I’ll do it again! this is probably my fave Sirry fic of all time because I read it every two weeks for skin cleansing and other purposes 🌝 jfc, what a Sirius pov. I’m so weak for the dirtybadwrong vibe and the way this fic explores Sirius’s guilt x want x devotion conflict, and sweet, wanton Harry being just as much into it, has me hyperventilating. this fic checks all my boxes for this ship - public sex being just one of them ;) while we’re at it, make sure to also check the ultimate nip clamp fic!

A Case of You by @ruinsplume (E, 10k) - Scorbus + Albus/James

begging, hair-pulling, face slapping

I could go with pretty much any fic by RP - one of my all-time favourite HP authors, and a master of emotional smut - but this poly fic with Scorbus + Pottercest owns my body and soul. the angst! the devotion! the kink indulgence! no other fic has made me feel so much for Jalbus than this one. such a phenomenal character study, scorching hot, yes, but also raw with emotion and so very tender and heart-wrenching. my heart *cries*

Still the pine-woods scent the moon by @fluxweeed (E, 15k) - Harry/Remus

scent kink, voyeurism, subspace, overstimulation

I can’t remember the last time I went for this ship without Sirius in the picture but holy shit, flux got me on the floor with this masterclass in sexual tension, so thick you can almost taste it. I’ve read this in one go at the edge of my seat, shaking with anticipation and salivating for more. the scorching build up is incredible and the payoff is equally delicious; bonus points for great pacing and incredible characterization (love this thirsty Harry going for what he wants!)

[sprout-fics]

I just binge read all of Snowblind this weekend for the first time and by the, like, third chapter I already knew it was gonna be a Fic of All Time for me. I'd been hungering for just that type of medic!reader fic, one that felt so visceral and real I could get lost in it, and I absolutely did. I can't tell you enough how much I fell in love with all of your characters, especially Fix. The way you crafted her arc was so beautiful and heartwrenching, and very relatable to me in certain aspects like the fear of abandonment and that feeling of never being good enough. I couldn't sleep and had to keep reading until you brought us out of the thick of it lol I couldn't bear to leave Fix without that little bit of relief knowing that things were gonna get better for her. And then we got to the second arc of the series focused on the relationship between her and Ghost... Boy, what absolutely brilliant and immersive storytelling throughout that part, too. The most recent chapter was just so so fucking good too, a perfect balance of different types of tension and then that payoff that was just so very them. You've made it so abundantly clear why they care for each other and how there's this mutual admiration and real desire between them. It's just so good.

I really can't find enough good things to say about this story haha thank you very much for sharing your writing and, through it, a piece of yourself with us 🩵

This got lost in my inbox AFGFDSADF IM SO SORRY!!

This ask means EVERYTHING to me. This is the exact reaction I write for when I write this series. I really do try and put my whole heart and soul into Fix's journey. She's so much like myself, and writing her struggle and moments of triumph and victory make me so happy. Seeing everyone care for a character I put so much thought and effort into, and having people see the way i imagine she and Simon put all their broken edges together means the absolute world to me. This is one of the most favorite asks I've gotten about this series and I'm so incredibly thankful. THANK YOU!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️