#there are links attached to their bolded names that go more in depth with each ship

[icybreaths]

❤️

|| Meme || @eatsgods ||

❤ Have they ever been in love?

Yes, she’s fallen in love with two out of her three partners.

Kakos was a dumpster fire. He was her first ever partner whom was horribly abusive towards her (she wasn’t a saint either) and traumatized her. They were a codependent, toxic ship that ended in violence. I bring him up here because Jewel’s experiences with him affected her following relationships.

Tetsuji was someone who showed interest in her right away but her mental wounds were still too freshly branded in her mind for her to let him get close. She was hesitant with Tetsuji because she was afraid that he was masking who he truly was, like Kakos did. Tetsu was an honest person though, with wholesome intentions towards her, and continuously proved that. He knew she was hesitant and accepted that. He was happy just being around her. Jewel eventually warmed up to him. They became really close friends and it progressed into a relationship, but didn’t last because of two things. One reason was their sex life. Jewel had reached a point to where her zanpakuto’s locked Shikai state was affecting her physically. Her body was too cold to engage with, and as much as Tetsuji would hate to say it, he found the frostbitten patches on her body to be a turn off. Jewel had no way around perfectly finessing her blade at the time. She couldn’t help it, and his distaste left her feeling bad about herself. Angry with herself. Disgusted. She wasn’t angry with Tetsuji whatsoever, because she agreed with him. Had the roles been reversed, she would have struggled too. It was a repetitive situation that created a rift between them. Another reason was that she was still holding on to old abusive habits she had with Kakos and Tetsuji wasn’t having any of that. Jewel knew it was wrong too, but she still went on to repeat her traumas with him. He dumped her.

Grimmjow is someone that took a long time for her to develop something significant with. There was an initial pull there between them but neither was willing to get too close, assuming violence was the only thing that would come of it. At this point, Jewel was mentally drained of the idea of romance because of the consistent failures. She thought the whole love thing just wasn’t for her, which sucked because she wanted it to be for her. When she started to feel something for Grimm, she stamped it down. She was angry with herself because – look at him, look at his behavior. He hates my kind, and even if he didn’t, he’d jus’ be a Kakos 2.0. Defeatist assumptions. To be fair, she had worked on her character and weapon all the while. She wasn’t like she used to be as far as abusive tendencies went, but she had no hope. She wanted to hope, but the anxiety that twisted her gut told her not to bother. There was no denying how at home she felt around him though. She found his violent fighting style reflective of her own, and his laugh to be contagious. She found him to be a kindred spirit in his wild nature and need for freedom. A wanderer, hunter, and killer fluent in conversational body language with a humor that mirrored her own – everything about him drew her in. She found herself openly admiring and complimenting him, and it was reciprocated. Slowly but surely they showed up around one another more. From idle company, to morbid jokes and playful flirting, a sense of comfort developed between them. It was understood that neither of them needed the other. There were no demands or trying to ‘tie the other down’. They simply enjoyed each others presence whether they were doing something or not. Jewel didn’t even notice the trend right away, but when she did, she was okay with it. They were friends and there was no pressure. Their affections gradually shifted from a platonic note to a more sensual one, in the way that they were more handsy with each other and didn’t mind being nude around one another or sleeping near each other. It wasn’t even sexual at first they were just that comfortable with each other. They eventually did progress into a sexual relationship but it didn’t dominate their interactions. Jewel came to appreciate how slow things were with him. He had no trouble with how cold her body was. She felt like he fit her like a puzzle piece. He was a breath of fresh air. They had a conversation about defining the relationship and went from there. Grimmjow is Jewel’s endgame so the road to romance ends with him.

[backlinkservices]

Jawbone up vs Fitbit flex; The Battle Begins, Which One is Better in 2023?

Every one of us wanna live a happy life. And if anyone wants to ask me how? My answer would be, ‘The primary key to being happy is good health.’ Yeah, I know; it sounds pretty debatable, right? But trust me, guys, I’m telling you the truth. Also, being healthy is a thing that you can control completely. There are a nearly infinite number of tips for being healthy. Of course, one of the tips gonna like, asking you to monitor your body to stay accordingly by the books.

And that’s where you’re like, ‘damn, how on earth am gonna analyze my body? Do I have to go to the clinic every day?’ No! You don’t need to disturb nurses and doctors; they got their own ass which needs to be covered.

Why fitness band?

My point is, there is no way you’re gonna set up body monetize sensors all around your body and walk with them. And that’s where the fitness band made the entrance. A fitness band, often called an activity tracker, is a device for monitoring your body. This device is used to track fitness-related metrics such as running or walking distance, heart rate, calorie burn, and consumption, etc. Also, in the present market, smartwatches are often used as a fitness band. And this is the reason why people get so confused about fitness bands and smartwatches. You’re looking for a decent fitness band? Then the brand named Jawbone and Fitbit is the brand that you should go for. In this post, I’m gonna review two fitness band that comes from these two brands. The battle that I mentioned earlier in the title is about to start. Back from 2013 to 2015, the amount of craze about fitness bands was high as hell in those years. A detailed comparison between two fitness band models, Jawbone up vs Fitbit flex; these are the model we will review against each other.

How did they get into my hands? After being a successful reviewer of luggage, we started to receive stuff for review. One of those packages contained these two fitness bands. The letter attached with the box mentions reviewing these bands after continuously using them for 1 week. And here am I after 2 weeks. I took so long because I want to give you an in-depth review. Suppose anyone of you wanna purchase these bands. In that case, the buying link will be included as this affiliate commission will help the website grow more.

Why those two? Yeah, I know the question. These two fitness bands were launched in the market many years ago and are still available. Then, why the hell I’m writing the review in 2021? The answer is eternal rivalry and the request of the provider of these bands. Let’s start Jawbone up vs Fitbit flex showdown. This battle or comparison, whatever you think, will be divided into five parts. In each part, we going to discuss the details about both fitness trackers. Jawbone up vs Fitbit flex

i. Design: Jawbone up – As you know, 1st the product got into my home unnoticed. After a long day, when I was tired, I went to my cabin where I plan review tests, and right now, I’m also sitting there. After a few minutes later, I noticed something on the table. After thinking about 5 minutes about the box, I started to unbox it. The box came in white. The pack includes the band itself and tons of manual; the brand also provides a charging cable from USB to a 3.5 mm female jack. The box mentions the mobile app available for IOS and Android that will sync with your band. The look is more versatile than it looks in the box. The band has no strip with a bold and straightforward design, and it springs on your wrist and is simple as hell to put it on and take it off. The people won’t even notice that you’re wearing a fitness band. The look is perfect for making people fool, jokes apart. Honestly, the band is incredible. It looks like a regular rubber band. At the end of the band has a little cap that covers up a 3.5mm jack for charging, which can be put to your mobile for charging. The band got two ends. One with the 3.5 mm jack that I mentioned earlier, which is covered all the time with a jawbone logo cap on it. Another end has a switch that wakes the device and flashes a small LED light shaped as a flowered icon. The rubber design and the designing of the app are mind-blowing. Fitbit Flex – Did I mention there was another box in that package on the table?

I think I didn’t. Yes, there was another box from that package. The box contains a fitness band that goes by the name of Fitbit flex; yeah, that band also came with the same package. The box came in a very strangely designed paper box. When it comes to the design, the Fitbit Flex is slightly better than Jawbone up. The rivalry doesn’t end here. The moment I saw the box, it’s stolen my attention. The box has two-compartments, and 1st things that came to hand is tons user manual and a dongle that can sync with any device. The design is astonishing; the product is available in multiple colors. The band’s entire body is made of rubber with 4 LED lights that signal your activity. Later in this post, I’m gonna explain how this LED works and how you would understand the blinking of LEDs. And if you want to charge the device, you don’t need the whole body of the band as the band’s primary device can be separated from the rubber body of the band. Let’s move on to the primary device that can be separated and charged. The primary device is like a capsule. If you push too hard on the front side of the band, the central device comes out from the back. If anyone is talking about design, the Fitbit Flex has an advantage as it has a futuristic design. Unlike the Jawbone Up, it indicates the signal with led. Jawbone up vs Fitbit flex

ii. Features: In the matter of features, I can’t decide which one is better; maybe later, I can say which one is best as we’re at the 2nd part of this epic battle. Let’s start with the Fitbit Flex. Fitbit Flex – In the previews part of the battle, I mentioned that Fitbit has advantages against Jawbone. And that’s why I started this part with Fitbit, as the band has multiple features that we’re gonna discuss. Futureproof: The band can be separated from the device. It can be used separately as a tracker that can be put in any pocket. Water-Resistant: Yes, guys, it is also a water-resistant fitness band. It has the capability of 1 ATM of water resistance. This means it can be used on the sweaty day of summer, and you don’t have to bother to take it off even in the rain. But keep it in mind, it’s water-resistant, not waterproof. Activity tracker: The band does everything that can be done with any other premium fitness band. It calculates how far you walked or ran, and after you achieve that goal, the band rewards you within the app. If it blinks just one time, that means you didn’t fill up your goal, and if it’s blinking non-stop, that means you’ve done a great job. Fitbit Flex also shows you how many calories you burned and the busy time of your body through the app. Sleep tracker: Fitbit used a technology that can track your sleeping time. Wake you at the perfect timing without any noisy alarm that disturbs you, and you got to snooze the alarm. It uses a silent vibration alarm that forces you to go deep sleep to regular sleep. You woke without rubbing your eyes. Jawbone Up - If we are here to know about the features of this band then, we must understand that this band made entry into the market many years ago, nearly about 7 years. So if anyone asks me how I expect from this device, then I must say I have no higher expectation regarding this product. But if we’re gonna know how Jawbone up is as a fitness band, then I would give it 5 stars out of 5. As Fitbit flex, the Jawbone up has everything that a decent fitness band has. The design was easy to put on and off, but we discussed this earlier, didn’t we? Water-resistant: The Jawbone also has the same water resistance as Fitbit Flex. This has the capability of 1 ATM water resistance. This also means that you can wear it on a sweaty day of summer or rainy evening for monsoon. Activity Tracker: This band tracks your vital metrics from your body, such as calories that burn, the distance you crossed, how much do you sleep. This band calculates everything in your body that matters to you to stay fit. The band itself also wakes you with a silent alarm that buzzes you from sleep. As I used this fitness band, so I know how it is. Especially for alarm, I love Jawbone up than Fitbit flex for sleeping alarm. The light vibration always tells you when to run or when not. In this part of the battle, both sides win. As it seemed, they are nearly similar to each other when it comes to the features.

iii. Battery: Here we are 3rd part of this epic battle. In this part, we will discuss the battery from both devices and see which one is better. As we know, batteries are necessary for any electronic device that is also portable. And we also know that fitness bands are wearable. So the battery is more essential for these kinds of devices. Jawbone Up – The battery of this band is pretty standard. The battery is a lithium coin battery. But the battery management of this device is remarkable. It can give back up up to 7 to 8 days on a single charge. 1st I thought, “No man, this is not gonna last for 3 days.” But after 3 days, I see no blinking, then I decided to use the device until it’s dead. But sad for me, I lasted almost 8 days. After this shocking matter, I started to research the battery, but the battery was typical as hell. Then I realized it is not the battery; it is the device that gave me such a backup. And it is pretty easy to charge; just plug it on your mobile phone and configure it from the UP app and, Boom. Your band is charging. So, I became its fan. Fitbit Flex – But this fitness band also meets my expectations. The super fitness band got excellent backup on its battery. After unboxing, I put it in charge. After a full charge, I started to use this band on my wrist. Now, I got two bands on both hands. But unlike the Jawbone Up, it lasted about 10 days. Yeah, guys, I’m not even joking. I was shocked as you. So, I kept testing as mentioned; I tested them around 14 days by using them on both hands. So in this part of the battle, the Fitbit flex beats the Jawbone up.

iv. Tracking: Here we are, the battle almost complete, and two parts of the fight remain, the other three completed, and Fitbit flex has an advantage over Jawbone up. Fitbit Flex – Fitbit flex has multiple sensors to track. It can track the calories that you burned, and distance you crossed, etc. The Flex has every tracking feature that is needed for a fitness band. This fitness band also tracks your sleep. And I think it is pretty good than Jawbone Up. I don’t have any personal issue with the Jawbone, but the truth is always bitter. As I used both bands in my hands, I know the differences between those bands. Without any doubt, even in this situation, there is no way that the Jawbone up could match up with the Fitbit flex in tracking. As the Fitbit flex is more user-friendly than Jawbone up. So, I excluded the Jawbone in this part of the battle as it has no match with Fitbit flex.

v. App: As we proceed, we are at the final part of this epic battle that waged as soon as these products launched. Yeah, both product brand provides a very user-friendly app for mobile devices. Their both app is available in IOS and Android. Jawbone Up – See? I have no personal issue with this product; Jawbone Up provides an ultra user-friendly app called UP. As soon as you want to set up the band, the 1st thing is that you should sync your band with the phone. You open the cap of the end of the Jawbone UP band and put it in your phone’s 3.5 mm audio jack. Launch the app. Then it will guide you through the whole setup process. For me, it was the most straightforward setup ever. The app will ask for some of your personal details, such as your height, gender, name, age, etc. After that, you’re free to use the UP app and the band. As we finished this fitness band setup, let’s move on to the Fitbit flex. Fitbit Flex – The app that comes with Fitbit flex is named the Fitbit app. It is pretty easy to use; it shows you the calories burned, the steps you take, or your active minutes. The thing you should do for the first time is set up the Flex with the app. Charge the Flex by the USB charger provided in the box; after full charge, insert the tracker in the rubber body. Open the Fitbit app and sign up; if you are an existing user, just log in to the app and click on ‘add a device.’ After that, select the band category flex and bring your phone closer to the band. After that, enjoy your happy and active hours or minutes with Flex.

Conclusion: At the end of this article, we are sure you’ll have vast knowledge about these devices. I was surprised by both devices. And why shouldn’t I? I thought they will never meet my expectations. To be honest, I got my own apple watch for everything that I need from a fitness band. But I can do anything for the review. That’s why I put my apple watch away and put these bands on both of my hands. Both of the devices were amazing, and thanks to that provider for providing me with such products. I used the Jawbone product; the band has a thoughtful design; it is the truth everyone will confess. But for me, it was good but not the best. On the other hand, I got no previous experience with the Fitbit. But I knew they manufacture the quality. And in this post and for me, it is now proven. Now, I got to tell you the thought about these bands. Both of them were awesome. But the winner is the Fitbit Flex. My whole team made the decision not only by me. I just shared the experience with these devices with them. In the 1st, 3rd, and 4th part of this comparison, the Flex had advantages over the Up. That can clear the air. Jawbone up vs Fitbit flex; the battle ends here. Thanks for reading.

[rhosyn-du]

Never make a mess when a total catastrophe will do - Chapter One

Pairings: Jimon, past Clace, background Clizzy, a bunch of other minor background pairings Rating: Explicit Art: @cor321​ Beta: @all-thestories-aretrue​ Tags:  Alternate Universe - College/University, fake dating, oh my god they were roommates, friends with benefits, idiots to lovers, pining, miscommunication, holidays, drinking games, mistletoe, symbolically significant Oreos, domestic fluff, brief mention of past character death, Jace’s self-worth issues deserve their own tag Summary: What do you do when you find out your sister is not only dating your ex and love-of-your-high-school-life but is also bringing her home for Christmas? Bring your annoying, hot, annoyingly-hot roommate as your fake boyfriend to show them you're totally fine with it, obviously! There's no possible way this could backfire. Link: AO3, Tumblr Master Post

Chapter One

“Lightwood’s Mortuary, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em. How may I direct your call?”

“You know,” Izzy said, “that joke would land a lot better if you hadn’t turned green last week when I mentioned getting to do my first cadaver dissection.”

“First of all,” Jace said, abandoning his laptop in favor of flopping back onto his bed, “it’s creepy that you say ‘getting to’ instead of ‘having to.’ And second of all, no one wants to hear about how much fun you had slicing up dead bodies over Thanksgiving dinner.”

“Max wanted to hear about it.”

“Max also can’t wait to get to middle school because he heard you get to use actual fire in science class,” Jace pointed out.

“Max is just into science like his big sister,” Izzy countered breezily. “Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Christmas.”

“Please,” Jace said with far more enthusiasm than the situation probably warranted. “I’m desperate enough for any distraction that will take me away from trying to memorize third declensions that I would love to discuss whatever family holiday drama is so colossal I’m hearing it from you instead of Alec. Is Robert planning to show up uninvited to Christmas dinner with his girlfriend again? Oh! Did Mom finally snap and kill him? Is that why Alec isn’t calling? Is he helping her hide the body?”

“Oh my god,” Izzy laughed. “Dad and Annamarie are spending the holidays in Provance with her family, and there are no bodies to be hidden. This is what you get for taking Latin instead of Spanish like a sane person.”

“This coming from a woman who’s studying both,” Jace pointed out.

“Yeah, because a basic understanding of Latin and fluency in Spanish will both help me get into med school, and I need all the help I can get if I’m going to get into Grossman. Besides, I’d never imply anyone in this family is sane. If you studied more, you’d know that ‘Lightwood’ is just Latin for ‘totally fucking cracked.’”

“Please,” Jace snorted. “It’s not even a Latinate name. It’s Germanic. ‘Lightwood’ is Old English for ‘totally fucking cracked.’ Speaking of which, what’s the Christmas disaster?”

“It’s not a disaster exactly,” Izzy hedged, and Jace felt a sudden frisson of actual unease. Izzy normally had no problem speaking her mind. “It’s not a disaster at all, actually. It’s just. I invited someone.”

“Oh.” Jace relaxed. He didn’t know why Izzy was making such a big deal out of this. In the years since the divorce, Maryse had often encouraged her kids to invite any friends without a place to go to join them for holidays. Izzy’s own roommate had come for Thanksgiving last year. “That’s cool.”

“No,” Izzy said, like he was missing something obvious. “Jace, I invited someone. Someone I’m seeing. Seriously.”

“Oh,” Jace said again, this time with dawning comprehension. “That’s great, Iz. I’m happy for you. Wait, Mom’s not doing her overprotective, no-one-is-good-enough-for-my-children thing again, is she? Is that why you called, you need me to run interference?”

“No, no,” Izzy reassured him, although her voice still held an underlying tension. “Mom’s been great, actually. They knew each other already, so that probably helps.” Jace heard a shaky inhale before Izzy continued. “You, um. You know her, too, actually.”

“Oh yeah?” Jace said with forced ease, wracking his brain for any clue as to what could have Izzy so freaked out. Whatever it was, Jace wasn’t going to add to her stress. As far as he knew, Isabelle had never even been serious enough about someone before to even use the term girlfriend or boyfriend, let alone bring them home for Christmas. “Who’s the lucky lady?”

“It’s Clary,” Izzy said in a rush. “I’m dating Clary.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis, and Jace was glad he was already lying down.

“Clary?” he repeated. “M—” He just barely stopped himself from saying “my Clary.” Because she wasn’t, not anymore. Not for a long time. “Morgenstern?” It was a clumsy recovery, but it was the best he could manage. “You’re dating Clary Morgenstern?”

Jace and Clary had met at the beginning of Jace’s junior year of high school. Clary, a year younger, had just lost her mom, and the two initially bonded over the shared experience of having lost parents. But Clary was fierce and bold and so full of passion even in the depths of her grief that Jace really couldn’t help falling in love with her. They’d dated for nearly two years—practically forever in high school terms—and even though they’d both known they were growing apart by the time Jace had to choose between his first-choice college in Boston and staying in New York to go to NYU, Clary would always hold a special place in Jace’s heart as his first love.

“Yeah,” Izzy said on a heavy exhale. “For a while now. That—that’s why I called. I didn’t want it to be weird, you know? For us all to just show up and for it to be a surprise. But I guess I probably shouldn’t have done it over the phone, either. I just didn’t think—”

“Izzy,” Jace said, much more calmly than he felt. “Breathe. It’s okay.”

“God, I should have told you sooner,” Izzy continued as though he hadn’t even spoken. “I just knew it probably would be weird for you, so I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure—”

“But you are now,” Jace interrupted again. It wasn't really a question. “Sure.”

“Yeah,” Izzy breathed. “I’m so sure.”

“Then it’s not weird,” Jace lied. “I mean, come on, my sister is dating someone who makes her happy and who I know will treat her right. What kind of idiot would I have to be to complain about that?”

“Really?” Izzy pressed. “Because I told Clary I wanted to talk to you before we finalized plans. So, if it is weird for you, or even if you just don’t want to be the only single person at the table on Christmas—”

“I won’t be,” Jace interrupted.

There was a pregnant pause, and then Izzy squealed so loud Jace had to pull the phone away from his ear.

“Oh my god, Jace! That’s amazing! Why didn’t you just say you were bringing someone, too, you jackass? Do you know how worried I’ve been about telling you about me and Clary?”

Which wasn’t what he’d meant at all—he’d only meant that Maryse was single, too—but Jace couldn’t resist the excitement in Izzy’s voice, not after her earlier panic.

“If I’d known you were all freaked out, I would have said something sooner,” Jace improvised. “It’s kind of new, and I haven’t even had the chance to tell Mom yet.”

“Let me,” Izzy insisted. “I’ve been trying to get her to admit that she and Luke are an item for ages, and maybe knowing that we’re all happily attached will be the push she needs.”

“Hold up. Mom…and Clary’s stepdad?” Jace was starting to wonder if this was some bizarre stress nightmare brought on by impending finals.

“Yup,” Izzy confirmed, popping the “p.” “They’re not even subtle about how much time they’re spending together, but Mom keeps talking about how they’re ‘just old friends.’” Jace could practically hear the eye roll.

“Anyway,” she continued, “if I leave now, I can catch Mom closing up the bookshop and maybe finally get her to crack. Don’t worry about Christmas plans. I’ll take care of everything. Talk to you later!”

“Iz, wait,” Jace started, but he was interrupted by the telltale beep of the call ending.

Jace stared at his phone, wondering how, exactly, he’d managed to make such a disaster of things. He couldn’t deal with this right now, he decided, tossing his phone aside. He just had to get through finals, and then he could come up with some excuse for why his nonexistent girlfriend couldn’t make it for Christmas. An excuse that wouldn’t make Izzy suspicious. Or Clary. Or Alec. Or— Fuck. Not thinking about it.

He turned his attention back to his laptop only to realize after several minutes of staring blankly that he wasn’t prepared to think about Latin anymore, either. Fuck it. He was going to spend the rest of the evening on the couch, drinking beer and watching stupid people doing stupid things on TV and thinking about absolutely nothing at all.

Because Jace just couldn’t catch a break, he found both the couch and TV already in use. He wanted to be annoyed, especially since he knew this was at least the dozenth time this semester his roommate had watched Return of the Jedi. Part of him was annoyed. But another part of him was…not annoyed. And that was yet another thing Jace wasn’t going to think about.

Jace’s first impression of Simon Lewis, when he’d walked into History and Literature of Music their freshman year, had been that he was kind of hot, in a nerdy way. His second impression, when he actually talked to Simon a few days later, was that the guy was annoying as hell. Over the course of the year, as they somehow ended up hanging out with the same group of friends, it became a tolerable sort of annoying. So tolerable, in fact, that when Jace found himself desperate for a roommate the next summer when Raj bailed on him last-minute, he’d agreed to let Simon have the second room in the surprisingly affordable apartment he’d found.

Jace’s third impression of Simon came four days after they’d moved in together, when he happened to be walking down the hallway at the exact moment Simon stepped out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, a stray droplet of water trailing down his surprisingly well-defined abs. In that moment, Jace must have lost his mind, because he had the sudden, almost overwhelming urge to follow the path of that droplet with his tongue and, oh. Oh no. Jace had been wrong this entire time. Simon wasn’t just annoying. He wasn’t just nerd-hot. He was annoyingly hot.

And Jace was maybe just a little bit in trouble.

Because he’d seen the kinds of people Simon dated. Thoughtful. Driven. Well-adjusted. Unlike Jace in pretty much every way that mattered. Not that Jace dated, but he wasn’t the kind of person Simon hooked up with, either, he was pretty sure.

(Jace confessed his fourth impression of Simon to Maia several months later, after many, many shots of tequila. Maia laughed at him for a solid five minutes, but she also poured them another round and never mentioned it again after they sobered up because she was actually a pretty good friend despite how much she always seemed to enjoy Jace’s suffering.)

“What’s wrong?” Simon asked around a mouthful of instant ramen. Jace refused to acknowledge that the way his cheeks puffed out when he ate was cute.

“Just.” Jace shook his head. “Holidays. Family stuff.”

“Your sister planning to make Christmas dinner again?” Simon asked.

“Worse,” Jace said, flopping onto the other end of their stained Goodwill couch. “She’s dating my ex.”

Simon winced. “Ouch, dude.” Simon poked at his noodles with a pair of well-used disposable chopsticks. “You still have feelings for your ex?”

“What? No, of course not. It was ages ago, and we were practically still kids. And the breakup was mutual.” He made a face. “But Izzy’s bringing her home for Christmas.”

“Okay, yeah, that could be a little awkward,” Simon conceded.

“It gets worse,” Jace admitted. “When she told me, I kind of panicked and said I was bringing someone home, too.”

Simon frowned. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”

“I’m not,” Jace told him. “Which is kind of the problem.”

“Wow. You really know how to make things difficult for yourself.”

“Thanks,” Jace said. “Very helpful.”

Simon shrugged, then said, as casual as if he were offering to toss Jace’s towels in with his to make a full load at the laundromat, “You could always take me home with you.”

Jace stared. “What?”

“I mean, I’m going to be in the city anyway,” Simon continued, “and it’s not like my family does Christmas. I think Mom and Becky can manage the traditional Chinese takeout and Fast and Furious marathon without me.”

“Your family watches The Fast and the Furious on Christmas?” It was the only part of that Jace was emotionally prepared to process.

“It used to be Die Hard, but Mom’s got a thing for Vin Diesel, so now we alternate years.”

Jace stared a moment longer, waiting for any of this to make sense. On the television, Boushh threatened Jabba with a thermal detonator.

“Right,” Jace said when it was clear the situation wasn’t going to make sense of itself. “Okay. Rewind to the part where I’m supposed to take you home with me for Christmas and, what, pretend you’re my boyfriend?”

He could picture it all too easily. Simon wielding his enthusiastic charm to keep Izzy out of the kitchen while Jace helped Maryse make dinner. Simon joining Alec in coaxing Jace toward the piano when it was time to sing carols. Simon flushed and smiling after a couple mugs of Magnus’s deceptively alcoholic eggnog. Simon’s hand in his because that’s just something boyfriends do.

It was a horrifyingly tempting prospect.

Jace pushed those thoughts away, crossing his arms over his chest and directing all the scorn he felt at himself into the stare he leveled at Simon. “What’s that supposed to accomplish other than giving me a headache?”

“Hey,” Simon said, setting the dregs of his ramen down on their secondhand Ikea coffee table, “I’ll have you know that I make an excellent boyfriend.”

That wasn’t exactly news. The fact that Simon was friends with basically all of his exes said as much. But Jace wasn’t about to let on that he paid that much attention to Simon’s dating habits. Or to pass up such a good opening. “That why you’re single?”

“Not the one currently desperate for a holiday date here, pal,” Simon pointed out.

“I don’t know, you seemed pretty eager to be my holiday date just a second ago,” Jace said, adding a wink just to be obnoxious.

“It was an offer, jackass. One which I now deeply regret.”

“Which you should,” Jace told him, turning to the TV and pretending to watch. “Now we can both forget this conversation ever happened, and I can go back to figuring out what I’m going to tell my family about why my nonexistent significant other can’t make it for Christmas this year.”

“Right,” Simon muttered, picking up his bowl and turning his own attention back to the movie.

Jace told himself he didn’t feel just the tiniest bit disappointed.

“The thing is,” Simon said several minutes later, as Boba Fett tumbled into the Sarlaac pit, “my cousin Rachel is getting married on Valentine’s Day. And my Bubbe Helen is still pretty cranky with me for breaking up with Maia.”

Jace frowned at him. “You and Maia dated for like a month and a half. Over a year ago.”

“Yeah, well,” Simon said, “Bubbe Helen really liked her, but I think maybe that’s because Maia’s the only person I’ve ever brought to a family function. So, I was thinking maybe if I brought someone else to Rachel’s wedding, she’d get the hint and drop the Maia thing. And then you suddenly needed someone to take home for Christmas, and I thought we could, you know, help each other out.”

It was a terrible idea, and Jace meant to say so. He really did. But what came out of his mouth instead was, “You want to introduce me to your grandmother?”

“I mean,” Simon said with a shrug, “she’d probably be happier if you were Jewish, but I honestly think she’d be happy to see me with anyone who’s not a total asshole. Ever since she found out Maia and I aren’t together anymore, she’s been acting like I’m going to end up a lonely old maid or something, which I totally don’t get, because A, I’m only twenty-one, and B, she doesn’t think it’s a problem that Becky’s single and Becky’s two years older than me.”

“Glad to know I meet the very minimal requirement of not being an asshole.”

“Not a total asshole,” Simon corrected with a teasing grin.

“You’re really making a compelling case for trying to convince our families that we’re a couple,” Jace said drily. But he was maybe just a little bit weak for Simon’s smile, so he added, “But you might as well tell me how exactly you think this would work. Theoretically.”

“Theoretically,” Simon repeated. “Right. Well, we’d need to come up with a game plan, obviously. And rules. Rules that we actually follow, because that’s where things like this always fall apart, when someone ignores the rules.”

“Where things always fall apart,” Jace repeated. “Is this something you do often?”

“What? No! I just mean like in movies and stuff. Fake dating is practically its own genre, so we have a ton of examples for how not to do it, and…” Simon frowned as his voice trailed off. “And now that I’m saying this out loud, I’m realizing how dumb it sounds. You’re right. We should forget this conversation ever happened.”

“Or,” Jace said slowly, knowing he was going to regret it but unable to stop himself, “we could spend some time coming up with a plan and then decide if we think it will work.”

“Wait, really?” The slow grin spreading across Simon’s face did nothing to ease Jace’s sense of impending doom, but it did fill him with a soft warmth that made the doom easier to ignore.

“Why not?” Jace shrugged with practiced nonchalance. “I’m done with classes at noon tomorrow if you want to do it then.”

“I’ve got a break from then till three if you don’t mind meeting near campus,” Simon said. “Say, Java Jones at twelve-thirty?”

“Sure,” Jace agreed to the background of Jabba’s sail barge exploding. He hoped that was less metaphorical than it felt.

~~~

“I thought we were planning a couple of fake dates, not staging a major military operation,” Jace said as he surveyed the notebooks and stacks of paper strewn across the rickety cafe table in front of Simon.

“Oh, sorry,” Simon said, hastily shoving exactly one of the many notebooks into his backpack. “I was just reviewing notes for my econ final while I waited.”

“Is all of this really necessary?” Jace asked, attempting to clear enough room on the table for his coffee and the banana muffin that was attempting to pass for lunch.

“It’s so necessary,” Simon told him, reaching over to steal a piece of Jace’s muffin. “I don’t want to end up like Melissa Joan Hart in My Fake Fiancé.” He popped the piece of muffin into his mouth. “Or Melissa Joan Hart in Drive Me Crazy. Oh! Or even worse, Melissa Joan Hart in Holiday in Handcuffs.”

“I have no idea what you just said.”

Simon sighed heavily. “I’m saying we need clear, well-defined rules if this is going to work.”

“Is rule number one ‘don’t be Melissa Joan Hart’?” Jace asked, snatching his muffin away when Simon reached for it again and taking a pointed bite.

“No,” Simon said, with far more seriousness than Jace thought the situation warranted. “That’s rule number two. Rule number one,” he continued, opening a blue notebook to a fresh page, “is ‘absolutely no sex.’”

Jace choked on his muffin.

“If there’s one thing everyone seems to agree with, it’s that things always break down when that rule gets broken,” Simon continued as though Jace weren’t struggling to breathe around a mouthful of muffin and why Simon thought they even needed a rule for that.

Jace washed the remaining crumbs of muffin down with a generous swig of coffee, then leaned back in his chair with a deliberately cocky grin. “I mean, I know I’m damn near irresistible, but do you really think you need a rule to keep from jumping me?”

“Rule three,’’ Simon said, scribbling furiously in the notebook, “treat each other with the same respect we’d treat people we’re actually dating.”

“Hey, I would have the same question for someone I was actually dating.”

Simon looked up from the notebook. “That explains so much about your dating history.”

Jace flipped him off, and Simon flashed him a shit-eating grin. “Nope, sorry, rule one. But,” he continued, serious once again, “we should have rules about what kind of physical affection we are comfortable with. Like, I know we don’t normally do hugs, but it would be weird if we never hugged in front of your family if we were dating, right? What about holding hands, is that too much? And what about kissing? I’m definitely cool with cheek kisses, but I don’t know—”

“Simon,” Jace interrupted before he could get too worked up. Or make Jace think about more things he really shouldn’t be thinking about. “You’re allowed to hug me. And hold my hand. Honestly, I’m sure I’d be fine with anything you’re comfortable doing in front of my family, so how about we just go with this: casual touches are fine and for anything else, I’ll follow your lead.”

The look Simon gave him was so searching that Jace almost worried for a second that Simon would be able to see right past his crossed arms and feigned nonchalance to the part of him that was less worried about showing physical affection than how much he wanted it, the part that avoided hugging Simon because he liked it.

“Okay,” Simon said finally. “But you have to promise you’ll tell me if anything I do bothers you even a little bit.”

“You mean like singing Shake It Off at the top of your lungs in the shower?” Jace asked.

“That was one time!” Simon protested. “I was up all night studying and under the influence of too many energy drinks. We agreed never to mention it again.”

“No, you told me never to mention it again and I laughed at you.”

“See, this is why we need rules. You’re already breaking number three.”

“Yeah, because we’re not pretend-dating yet,” Jace said. “That one might be a little rough, but I’m sure I can manage with some practice.”

There was that searching look again, but then Simon nodded like Jace had said something particularly insightful. “You’re right, we should practice.”

“We—what?”

“If we’re going to convince people who actually know us that we’re dating, then we should practice first,” Simon said, like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. “Not just the rules we know are going to be hard, but all of it, so we can work out any kinks in the plan before showtime.”

And maybe it was reasonable, but it was one thing to put on a show for his family, for Simon’s family, for a few days at a time in places that might be familiar to each of them individually, but that weren’t theirs. It was entirely another thing to do it here, in the cafe they went to at least twice a week, or on campus where they’d first met and had to keep on attending classes for at least another year, or even worse in the apartment they shared, around their friends—

“I really should have thought of it earlier,” Simon continued, blissfully unaware of Jace’s inner turmoil. “My best friend back home, she’s an amazing liar. Like, seriously, she got away with everything when we were kids. But any time she needed me to back up her story, she’d make me practice with her like a hundred times until she knew I could convince her mom and stepdad, even after I got good enough that I didn’t have to practice to convince Mom. Man, those two could sniff out the tiniest discrepancy in any story. Like, if normal parent bullshit detection is a one, my mom’s is probably a solid three, but Fray’s parents? Eleven, easy.”

“I’m pretty sure no one I’m related to has supernatural bullshit detection,” Jace told him. “And it’s common knowledge I’m a better liar than you are, so if you can fool your mom without practice, so can I.”

“Maybe,” Simon conceded. “But a little bit of practice couldn’t hurt, right?”

Jace was pretty sure that it could hurt, actually, but he was also pretty sure he was the only one in danger of getting hurt, so it probably wasn’t worth consideration. Especially weighed against the hopeful enthusiasm in Simon’s expression.

“What did you have in mind?”

“We could start by pretending we’re on a date right now,” Simon suggested. “We’re already sharing a muffin. So, just treat me like you’d treat anyone you were on a date with.”

“My dates don’t usually involve this many notebooks,” Jace told him. “And if my date stole my muffin, the date would be over.”

“Come on, you’re not even trying,” Simon said, gathering up the papers and notebooks. “You’d really ditch your date over a muffin?”

“Absolutely,” Jace insisted. “They’d have to be seriously good in bed to make up for it, and I’m pretty sure rule number one says you’ll never get muffin-stealing privileges.”

“If the biggest benefit to sleeping with you is getting to share your muffins, then I’m not the one missing out,” Simon told him.

“You selling your body for muffins now, Lightwood?” an amused voice interrupted. “I bet I know a few people who’d toss a bran muffin or two your way for a chance at that ass.”

“Which is why you’re not my pastry-pimp, Roberts,” Jace said, smirking at Maia as she helped herself to one of the table’s empty chairs. “I only trade this ass for top tier, gourmet muffins. If your muffins don’t have at least two Michelin stars, I’m not interested.”

“I give him a week until he’s working corners for Entenmann’s,” Simon told her. “He was just threatening to walk out on our date over a bite of mediocre banana nut.”

Maia’s eyes widened. “Your— Oh, shit, sorry,” she said, scrambling out of her chair and throwing them both an apologetic smile that Jace was pretty sure wouldn’t be directed at him if he were sitting with anyone other than Simon. “I swear I didn’t mean to interrupt, I just thought you were studying or something. You guys have fun, and I’ll just—”

“It’s a practice date,” Jace interrupted, “not an actual date. And Simon’s a dirty muffin thief who won’t even put out, so I’m not sure it really even qualifies as any kind of date.”

Maia looked between the two of them, then slowly lowered herself back into the chair. “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but what exactly is a ‘practice date,’ and why are the two of you on one?”

“Jace needs a fake boyfriend to take home for Christmas, and I need a fake date for Rachel’s wedding,” Simon explained, snatching the last bit of Jace’s muffin without remorse. “And we thought we should practice dating before trying to convince our families that were actually, you know, together.”

“That’s a terrible idea, and I regret any part I played in the two of you becoming friends,” Maia said flatly.

“Yeah, that would probably worry me more if you didn’t say that like twice a week,” Simon told her.

“Oh god, Simon, what did you let Jace talk you into now?” another voice asked, and suddenly there were three more people crowding around their tiny table, because apparently all of their friends were at Java Jones today. Which, in retrospect, Jace should have expected, given how often they all hung out there.

“It was actually my idea,” Simon told Maureen, sliding his chair closer to Jace’s to make room for her, Bat, and Lily. “Jace is taking me home to meet his family over the holidays, and I’m taking him as my date to my cousin’s wedding.”

This proclamation was met with a stunned silence that was broken when Lily turned to Jace and punched him in the arm.

“Ow! What the hell?”

“That’s for abandoning me, jerk,” Lily told him. “Not that I can really blame you—either of you,” she added, giving both Jace and Simon an appreciative once over, “‘cause damn—but I thought we had an understanding.” She sighed heavily. “Now that you’ve gone over the dating Dark Side, who’s going to be my wingman? You’re probably going to start doing all kinds of relationship-y things and talking about feelings—” she said it like it was a dirty word “—and crap like that.”

“I am not going to talk about my feelings,” Jace said, at the same time that Simon said, “We’re not actually together. We’re just pretending.”

“They’re planning to try to convince their families they’re dating even though they’re not,” Maia explained. “Because they apparently think that’s not just a disaster waiting to happen.”

“Oh,” Lily said, sounding oddly disappointed.

“Fifty bucks,” Bat announced, “says that when this blows up in their faces, Jace is the first one to break down and call Maia in a panic.”

“Hey,” Jace protested.

“Oh, you’re on,” Maureen said, ignoring Jace entirely. “Sorry, Simon, but no one panics quite like you.”

“I’m in,” Lily said, “and I agree with Maureen that Simon will break first, but his call to Maia will be interrupted by Jace calling five minutes later.”

“Why am I the one getting all of the panicked calls?” Maia wanted to know.

“Because you’re the only person at this table who isn’t an asshole,” Simon told her, “but nothing’s going to go wrong, let alone panic-inducing levels of wrong, so you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Dude,” Jace said, “she’s an asshole to me.”

“You like it,” Maia and Simon said in unison, causing the rest of the table to collapse into laughter.

“Okay, fine,” Maia said around her giggles several minutes later, “if you’re all betting, then count me in, too. I bet that these fools,” she looked pointedly at Jace, then at Simon, “don’t call me when this whole thing goes to hell, but I somehow end up having to haul their asses out of trouble, anyway.”

“I rescind my assessment of you as not an asshole,” Simon told her.

“I’d think twice about calling the woman who’s going to haul your ass out of trouble an asshole if I were you,” Bat said.

“Back to this pretending to be together thing,” Lily said. “What exactly does that entail?”

“That’s actually what we were trying to figure out when you guys showed up,” Simon told her. “We started a list of rules, but we only made it to four so far.”

“Your list should definitely include making out,” Lily said decisively. “Having made out with both of you, I can say with confidence that you’re definitely missing out if you don’t. In fact, you should try it now so we can let you know if it looks authentic.”

“You just want to watch them make out,” Maureen said.

“Yes,” Lily told her. She didn’t add ‘duh,’ but it was implied. “I always want to make hot people make out. But in this case, I’m also being helpful.”

The ensuing argument over the line between helpful and self-serving was thankfully cut short by the opening guitar line of Blonde Redhead’s Barragan.

“Sorry, I’ve gotta take this,” Simon said, holding up his phone. “I’ve been playing voicemail tag with Becky all week.” He looked at Jace. “Talk more about this later?”

“Sure,” Jace told him.

“Tell your sister I said hi,” Maia called after Simon as he headed away from the cafe’s crowd.

“You know,” Jace told her in a low voice, “you could always tell her hi yourself instead of always asking Simon to pass messages.”

Maia gave him an unimpressed look. “After everything I just heard, I’m pretty sure you’re the last person in this room I should be taking relationship advice from.”

“Bite me,” Jace told her, but he didn’t disagree.

[dispatchdcu]

Jason Aaron has evolved into one of the most creatively rich and productive writers at Marvel, and frankly in the entire Comic Book Landscape. His stories are saturated with texture and steeped in foundational knowledge as well as character growth. From Wolverine to the Hulk, and even Doctor Strange, Jason Aaron has taken every character he’s touched at Marvel and reshaped them into something so much more!

Well, over the past eight + years, Jason Aaron has done the same thing with the God of Thunder. So, to help new readers jumping deep into the MCU or to those that have never taken the intense plunge into THOR, here is a thorough reading order for all related Jason Aaron THOR titles dating back to 2012. This should keep you current!

Plus, if you can hang on until the end, I’ve attached single issue reviews, as well as series reviews, for tons of other Jason Aaron titles from THE GODDAMNED, to SCALPED, and other amazing Marvel Heroes in between! Thanks for the read and I hope you enjoy it.

And if you’re all caught up on Aaron’s THOR, check out my latest review of THOR #5 by Donny Cates HERE, as well as links to get your hands on current THOR issues and trades.

Thor: God Of Thunder (2012-2015)

  Thor: God Of Thunder Volume 1: The God Butcher (#1-5) 

A trail of blood threatens to consume Thor’s past, present, and future! Throughout the ages, gods have been vanishing, their mortal worshipers left in chaos. The only hope for these ravaged worlds is for Thor to unravel the gruesome mystery of the God Butcher! In the distant past, the Thunder God discovers a forgotten cave that echoes with the cries of tortured gods – and is shocked to find himself among them! In the present, Thor follows the bloody wake of murdered gods across the depths of space. And thousands of years from now, the last god-king of a ruined Asgard makes his final stand against the God Butcher’s berserker legions. As three Thors from three eras race to stop the God Butcher, the full extent of his vicious scheme takes terrifying shape!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor: God Of Thunder Volume 2: Godbomb (#6-11) 

Somewhere at the end of the time, all the gods of the universe are enslaved, working to build a machine that will forever change the face of creation. What is the Godbomb? And what can Thor do to stop it? While Gorr’s master plan continues to unfold, all hope for divinity is lost when Thor finds himself in chains alongside his fellow gods. And even as Gorr’s dark origin is revealed, along with the truth behind his bloody quest to butcher the gods, three time-bending Thors unite to lead an army of slave gods in the fight against Gorr. But will it all be for naught as the clock ticks down and the massive Godbomb is triggered at last? And after the dust clears, what will be left of the universe’s deities?

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor: God Of Thunder Volume 3: The Accursed (#12-18) 

It’s the bloody return of Malekith the Accursed! The former lord of the Dark Elves escapes his otherworldly prison, and the chase is on across the Nine Realms to capture him! Thor finds new allies to join his Wild Hunt: A Dark Elf sorceress! A gun-toting Light Elf! A gargantuan Mountain Giant! A dwarf who loves dynamite! And a particularly surly troll! But when one teammate falls, will it mean war for all Nine Realms? And as a traitor within the group strikes and Thor prepares to take drastic measures, Malekith stages his final bloody raid – on Earth! Plus: What does it mean to walk the Earth as a god? What does Thor do when he’s not out saving the world with the Avengers? It’s the return of Thor’s longtime love interest, Dr. Jane Foster!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor: God Of Thunder Volume 4: The Last Days of Midgard (#19-25) 

Thor battles to save Earth, but who can he fight when the planet itself is dying? S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Roz Solomon has a suggestion: the nefarious energy company Roxxon and its ruthless new CE O, “the Minotaur!” Has Thor met his match in the form of a multinational supercorporation? Meanwhile, millennia from now, King Thor and his granddaughters, the Warriors of Thunder, face a very different battle to save what remains of the earth – from Galactus! But even if Thor wins, is the Earth still doomed? In the present, Thor makes a final stand against the Minotaur, Ulik the Troll, and Roxxon’s forces – but not even a god can save everyone. Plus: Young Thor vs. Frost Giants! The untold origin of Malekith! And King Thor’s granddaughters discover the startling secret of his Original Sin!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Original Sin (2014) 

Original Sin #0-8 (2014) 

Who shot the Watcher? Uatu, the mysterious space-god who’s been watching mankind from the moon for as long as we can remember…is dead. Thus begins the greatest murder mystery in Marvel history! As Nick Fury leads the heroes of the Marvel Universe in an investigation, other forces are marshaling and other questions are arising. Why is Black Panther gathering a secret team of his own, including Emma Frost, the Punisher, and Dr. Strange? Who is the Unseen? What was stolen from the Watcher’s lair? Fury’s cosmic manhunt leads to the far corners of the universe and beyond, but just when the Avengers think they’ve cornered their murderer…everything explodes, unleashing the Marvel Universe’s greatest secrets and rocking the heroes to their core! What did the Watcher see? What was the Original Sin?

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Original Sin: Thor & Loki – The Tenth Realm (Original Sin #5.1-5.5 2014) 

Thanks to the events of Original Sin, the deepest secret of the Nine Realms has been revealed: namely, the existence of a Tenth Realm! Now, Thor and Loki must embark on a quest to discover this strange new world – and to discover the sister that Thor never knew he had: Angela! But can Loki be trusted? And will brother and sister murder each other before the truth comes out?

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor (2014-2015) 

Thor Volume 1: The Goddess Of Thunder (#1-5) 

Mjolnir lies on the moon, unable to be lifted! Something dark has befallen the God of Thunder, leaving him unworthy for the first time ever! But when Frost Giants invade Earth, the hammer will be lifted — and a mysterious woman will be transformed into an all-new version of the mighty Thor! Who is this new Goddess of Thunder? Not even Odin knows, but she may be Earth’s only hope against the Frost Giants! Get ready for a Thor like you’ve never seen before, as this all-new heroine takes Midgard by storm! Plus: The Odinson clearly doesn’t like that someone else is holding his hammer — it’s Thor vs. Thor! And Odin, desperate to see Mjolnir returned, will call on some very dangerous, very unexpected allies. It’s a bold new chapter in the storied history of Thor!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor Volume 2: Who Holds The Hammer (#6-8, Annual #1) 

Who is the new Thor? That’s the question on everyone’s lips. Most especially the original Thor! And now he starts to narrow down the list of suspects. Meanwhile, tensions continue to flare between the All-Mother and All-Father, Malekith the Dark Elf forges his most dangerous pact yet, and the new Thor prepares to face her greatest challenge: the unstoppable machine of death and destruction that is…the Destroyer! As the battle for the hammer Mjolnir rages on, an unexpected character makes a shocking return – and the new Thor’s identity is revealed at last!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Secret Wars (2015-2016) 

Thors: Secret Wars Battleworld (Thors #1-4 2015-2016) 

The Thors of every domain, together in one book! As cosmic cops! Whenever there’s trouble on Battleworld, the Thors answer the call. But a string of mysterious murders leaves some of them asking questions that may unravel all of reality! A hard-hitting Marvel Comics police drama. With hammers. Lots and lots of hammers.

Click HERE to grab this trade.

SIDE NOTE: Check out the entire Secret Wars Event HERE. Trust me; you’ll love it!!!!!

The Mighty Thor (2016-2018) 

The Mighty Thor Volume 1: Thunder In Her Veins (#1-5) 

Dr. Jane Foster is the Goddess of Thunder -and it’s killing her. Her enemies are many as Asgard descends further into chaos, and unrest threatens to spread throughout the Ten Realms. Yet she wages her greatest battle against a far more personal foe: the cancer killing her mortal form. When Loki steps back into Thor’s life, will it ease her troubles or only add to her pain? There’s no such question about Malekith as he continues to fan the flames of a looming War of Realms – when he isn’t wedding planning, that is! And as Asgard is torn apart, the skies will shake in one of the bloodiest battles of all time: It’s Thor vs. Odin like never before!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

The Mighty Thor Volume 2: Lords Of Midgard (#6-12) 

The legend continues with Thors new and old! Loki spins a special ages-old tale of a young Odinson in action against a hulking great enemy. You wouldn’t like this Viking when he’s angry! But what incredible impact will this yarn from the past have on the present? Prepare for corporate espionage, Marvel-style, as some of the world’s most powerful and evil conglomerates go to war – with Thor caught in the middle! And as if Roxxon and the rest aren’t enough trouble, Jane Foster must contend with a new enemy: S.H.I.E.L.D.! Worse still, somehow millions of lives will depend on the God of Thunder saving Roxxon’s evil executive, Dario Agger!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

The Mighty Thor Volume 3: The Asgard/Shi-Ar War (#13-19)

As the War of the Realms rages on, the only way to defeat Malekith is with a united front – and it’s up to Thor to bring the many races together! Now heroes from across the ten worlds – including Lady Sif and Angela – unite under Thor’s command to form a new League of Realms, with the sole mission of bringing this conflict to an end! And their first mission is to infiltrate Dark- Elf-occupied territory! But when the war spreads to every branch of the World Tree, the League’s road to peace is fraught with challenges they hadn’t anticipated. To stand against the heroic allies, Malekith forms a wicked union of his own, calling on Loki and the all-new Kurse to take down Thor and her band of heroes!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Unworthy Thor TPB (#1-5) 

Unfit to lift his hammer, with another now wielding the power of Thor, the Odinson’s desperate quest to regain his worthiness takes him out into the cosmos – where he’s learned of the existence of a mysterious other Mjolnir! This weapon of ultimate power, a relic from a dead universe, is the key to the Odinson’s redemption – but some of the greatest villains of the Marvel Universe are anxious to get their hands on it as well. And when the Realm of Old Asgard vanishes, the Odinson’s hopes might go with it – unless good tidings from Beta Ray Bill offer fresh hope! Can the Odinson reclaim his honor, or will the power of thunder be wielded for evil? Let the battle for the hammer commence!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

The Mighty Thor Volume 4: The War Thor (#20-23, Generations: Unworthy Thor And Mighty Thor #1)

Who is the War Thor? The Ultimate Universe’s Thor died defending the Multiverse, but his hammer remains. Who wields it now? Ponder that question along with Jane Foster, the Mighty Thor, as she faces the Ultimate team-up! War is coming to the Ten Realms -and when the Queen of Cinders sets them ablaze, even the combined might of not one, not two, but three Thors may not be enough to put out the flames! Meanwhile, Malekith’s army grows, and the looming conflict reaches Asgard’s doorstep! But even the fire of Muspelheim pales beside the fury of the War Thor -and with his thunder comes vengeance! Plus: Generations collide as Jane and a young Odinson face an Apocalyptic encounter in ancient Egypt!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

The Mighty Thor Volume 5: The Death Of The Mighty Thor (#700-706, Mighty Thor At The Gates Of Valhalla #1) 

Marvel Legacy hits Asgard with a bang, with…the death of the Mighty Thor! The final judgment comes as the Mangog arrives. The War Thor will meet the beast head-on, but even the blood-thirst of this Ultimate hammer-wielder may pale in comparison to the Mangog’s might! The battle rages even as Jane Foster’s cancer takes a turn for the worse, and she might not have to wait for the final judgment at all. The clock is ticking, the War of the Realms is spreading, and Mjolnir cannot save her this time. Can even the legendary Hercules help avert disaster? It’s the beginning of the end – one that will lead to the most dramatic return in the Marvel Universe!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor (2018-2019) 

Thor Vol. 1: God Of Thunder Reborn (#1-6) 

Thor Odinson has regained his mantle – and with it, a wild new world of trouble on his mighty hands! The artifacts of Asgard have been scattered across the Earth, and to reclaim them, Thor will have to face some ugly truths. Like the production cost on hundreds of new hammers! And the Thunder God is going to need every last one of them if he’s going to stop the unstoppable Juggernaut. Jason Aaron takes the Prince of Asgard in a whole new direction with YOUNG GUN artist Mike Del Mundo joining him at the helm! And don’t miss the latest chapter of the King Thor saga with acclaimed BLACK BOLT artist Christian Ward, as the Thor of the far future encounters an old friend who’s undergone some startling changes.

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor Vol 2: Road To War Of The Realms (#7-11) 

Jason Aaron’s epic THOR run continues! Part the mists of time and peer into the distant past – for a tale of a young Odinson from the Viking age! Every time Thor travels to the mortal land of Midgard, he finds all the mead, battle and romance that a young god could possibly want. But he still can’t figure out how to prove himself worthy of the mighty hammer Mjolnir. Now Odin is determined to keep his son away from Midgard for good – and young Loki knows just the way to do it! Then, in the modern-day, Thor is held prisoner by the fearsome warriors of the Tenth Realm: Heven! Can even the intervention of Valkyrie and Thor’s deadly sister Angela help Thor escape the inescapable prison of angels?

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Thor Vol 3: War’s End (#12-16)

After years of Malekith’s plotting, the War of the Realms is raging full force – and for Loki, that means it’s time for a family reunion! Fatherly love is not something that the God of Lies is terribly familiar. Having been adopted by Odin as an infant and raised in the Asgardian royal family, Loki never had a chance to bond with his birth people – the fearsome Frost Giants. But now, the Giants have invaded New York City as part of Malekith’s war on Midgard. And you’d think that Loki would take the opportunity to find some quality time to spend with dear old deadly Dad! And he will. But not in the way you’d think…

Click HERE to grab this trade.

War of the Realms 

War of the Realms (2019) 

THE WAR OF THE REALMS is upon us! Malekith, king of the Dark Elves, has been conquering the Ten Realms and now has his sights set on the last one: Earth. And with armies of Frost Giants, Fire Goblins, trolls, angel warriors, Roxxon corporate soldiers, the Enchantress and the prince of lies himself, Loki, at his side, Malekith may just succeed. Asgardia is no more, Old Asgard is in ruins, and the majority of Asgardians are refugees on Earth. Now Thor and Earth’s heroes — including the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and even such unlikely allies as Venom and Punisher — are all that stand in Malekith’s way! It’s an event five years in the making as the MIGHTY THOR creative team of writer Jason Aaron, artist Russell Dauterman and colorist Matthew Wilson reunite to save the Ten Realms!

Click HERE to grab this trade.

After The War… 

King Thor (2019-2020) 

Superstars Jason Aaron & Esad Ribic conclude their epic Thor story! The creators of the legendary THOR: GOD OF THUNDER series that kicked off one of the most epic runs in Marvel history are back together for one last ride with the almighty Lord of Asgard! Seven years ago, Jason and Esad introduced the Thor of the far future, All-Father of a broken realm and a dying universe, as he stood in battle against the Butcher of Gods, wielder of All-Black the Necrosword. Now that nefarious blade has returned, in the hands of Thor’s all-time greatest enemy – his brother, Loki – for one final, cataclysmic showdown. Behold the book no comics fan should miss – the celebration of the end of a truly marvelous era.

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Valkyrie: Jane Foster Volume 1: The Sacred And The Profane (#1-5) 

Jane Foster is back! For years, you knew her as Dr. Jane Foster, one of Thor Odinson’s most steadfast companions. Then you knew her as Thor, Goddess of Thunder, who took up the mantle when no other hero was worthy. Now Jane takes on a new role as Valkyrie, guide, and ferrywoman to the dead! But her days of battle are far from over – especially when the Marvel Universe’s deadliest shot gets his hands on the sword of a god! With the Asgardian weapon Dragonfang, Bullseye has the power to kill a deity in a single stroke – and he’s about to prove it. Jane must learn a hard lesson: Not every death can be prevented. But who’s next on Bullseye’s list – and what is the assassin really after?

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Valkyrie: Jane Foster Volume 2: At The End Of All Things (#6-10) 

Jane Foster has been many things in her life, including the heroic hammer wielder known as Thor! Recently, Jane became the Valkyrie, guardian, and protector of the Norse dead, and she’s still finding her way in this new stage of her life. But now, Jane must return to the role she knows best – that of a medical doctor – when a supernatural medical emergency rears its head! Jane teams with Doctor Strange, Sorcerer (and Surgeon) Supreme; the tough-as-nails Night Nurse; Excalibur-wielding Dr. Faiza Hussain and more Marvel medics to crack a case that will give readers heart palpitations! Heroes of medicine will unite – but are they all about to become doctors to the dead?!

As of July 2020, it’s not released yet but it can be PRE-ORDERED

Click HERE to grab this trade.

Valkyrie: Jane Foster Vol. 3 (#11-15)

She’s faced the Marvel Universe’s deadliest assassin – armed with the sword of a god – and won. She took the Grim Reaper straight to his eternal reward. She’s come face-to-face with Death herself…in more ways than one…and saved Asgard from a force beyond even Death’s powers. Now Jane Foster – the one and only Valkyrie – embarks on a whole new adventure under the pen of rising star artist Mattia De Iulis! Valkyrie has already journeyed across the Multiverse in her new role…but now Hel awaits her. Along with its prickly rulers. But what does Hel want with Jane Foster? And what does Loki, the god of lies and mischief, have to do with it all? Find out in an exciting and action-packed mystery!

As of July 2020, it’s not released yet but it can be PRE-ORDERED

Click HERE to grab this trade.

BUT WAIT… THAT’S NOT ALL!!!

  If you or someone you know loves Jason Aaron’s THOR and is interested in other THOR related titles by Aaron, give the ongoing AVENGERS (2018-Present) title a shot! As of July 2020, there are close to 37 issues and seven trades you can really sink your teeth into.

Click HERE to get your hands on all the current AVENGERS trades!

Interested in more Jason Aaron stories?

Click HERE for a series review of his CONAN THE BARBARIAN run and links to the trades!

Click HERE for a review of INCREDIBLE HULK #1 by Jason Aaron and links to trades and issues in his run!

Click HERE for a review of WOLVERINE: WEAPON X #1 by Jason Aaron and links to trades and issues in his run!

Or, click HERE to grab WOLVERINE GOES TO HELL and HERE for related WOLVERINE stories by Jason Aaron!

Click HERE to snag trades of Jason Aaron’s DOCTOR STRANGE run too!

Lastly, if you’re simply a huge Jason Aaron fan, check out my series review HERE for THE GODDAMNED with links to get your hands on the trades.

Keep in mind Aaron’s sequel to this series just kicked off NOW called THE GODDAMNED: THE VIRGIN BRIDES #1, which you can grab by clicking HERE!

Additionally, check out my SCALPED series review HERE and my SOUTHERN BASTARDS series review HERE with even more access to these outstanding trades. And finally, if you’re looking for something else to read, check out my Amazon Online Comic Shop HERE. Thank you all again for the read and continued support. I genuinely hope this helped to spike you’re interested in one of the best writers in comics, as well as one of the best Marvel characters on screen and in the comics. Stay safe and stay healthy.

  Jason Aaron’s THOR: Reading Order And MORE #thor #janefoster #valkyrie #jasonaaron #odinson #Marvel #marvelcomics #comicbooks #comics Jason Aaron has evolved into one of the most creatively rich and productive writers at Marvel, and frankly in the entire Comic Book Landscape.

[crowsent]

AUgust 2020: College AU

Prompt given by @augustwritingchallenge

Summary: Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the III gets peer-pressured into going to a party and meets someone.

Pairing: Minor Perc’ahlia

Characters: Scanlan, Percy, Vex’ahlia

Word Count: 3180

CW: N/A

Notes: the tumblr version is unformatted, no italics, no bold, nothing. for that reason, i highly recommend you to read the ao3 version instead so yall get that sweet sweet tone difference.

AO3 Link: HERE

=

Let it be known that Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the III was three more unnecessarily complicated essays away from trudging downstairs into the campus basement where a supposed “demon” dwells to bargain his soul away for but a day of having a clear head for once. The migraine seemed to be permanent. A persistent, obdurate nuisance that’s making his head spin and his eyes see two laptops with furiously typed half-finished assignments on the screen. Well, it was either the cause of the migraine, or it meant that Percy needed to get new glasses.

Or, according to his roommate, one Scanlan Shorthalt, all Percy needed was, “A day off.”

Rooming with Scanlan meant that Percy had experienced more than his fair share of having to skulk to the library, cafeteria, or, God forbid, being forced to wait outside their dorm room whenever Scanlan deigned to bring back a “friend.” More often than not, he had to spend more time turning down Scanlan’s many offers to “unwind” than on actually working on his assignments. Whether it be countless invitations to various parties Percy had no intention of attending, or simply skipping class and laying about with nary a care in the world, roll a couple blunts and allow the feeling to sweep him away. Let the thoughts drift. Stop existing for just a moment.

And though Percy had always turned Scanlan down without so much as a beat of hesitation, perhaps this once time was a rare moment of Scanlan being right for once. Perhaps Percy was working himself to death and maybe it was time for him to stop burning the midnight oil on an essay he was sure his professors merely gave a cursory glance at.

Scanlan swung an arm around the bedpost of his bed, sheets unmade with some of it pooling on the floor. He held a nonchalant pose even as he gave Percy a rather convincing look. “Come on. You’ve been working like a madman for hours! All work and no play makes Percy very grumpy and I, for one, don’t want to see bitchy Percy ever again.”

With another mournful look at his laptop screen, at the paragraphs dancing in his vision, Percy sighed and removed his glasses to rub the headache from his temples. “I have been rather tetchy, haven’t I?” Scanlan made various noises with meanings that might have ranged from “Yes,” to “Fucking duh,” but Percy chose to give him the benefit of doubt. With a sigh of defeat, Percy saved what little work he managed to finish and shut his laptop.

As soon as the screen made a soft ‘click,’ Scanlan let out a loud yell and pumped his fist up in the air in victory. “Finally! I was kind of thinking that you were some kind of robot.” It was the loudest thing Percy had ever had the misfortune of hearing, and he was quite sure that his migraine worsened even more at the sound of Scanlan’s voice. “Okay. I have the perfect idea for you to roll y0our shoulders a bit. Relieve all the tension penetrating your body.”

“Wording, Scanlan.”

Scanlan ignored him. “Just relax and allow yourself to experience everything that college has to offer. A couple of smokes, women, men, bad song choices and spiked drinks.”

“You’re inviting me to a party aren’t yo-”

“I’m inviting you to the best damn party you will ever be invited to,” Scanlan assured. There was fire in his eyes. Granted, Scanlan grew spirited whenever trying to cajole Percy into a party but there was sincerity behind his enthusiasm. “I know you rich kids get invited to all sorts of shit with three-piece suits and butlers with silver trays following after like lost puppies but Percy. Percival. Perc. There aren’t any fountains that shit gold or anything, but come on. If there’s ever a single party that you go to in your college career, let it be this one.”

“I really don’t think-”

“There probably won’t even be that much alcohol and drugs in it. It’ll be rated PG-mostly-13 as far as college parties go.” Scanlan had moved on from his bedside perch and had instead elected to encroach upon Percy’s space, giving his best attempt at puppy dog eyes. “There won’t even be horny assholes humping each other on the couch this time! Hopefully. Probably.”

“Scanlan.”

“Cassandra might be there, I don’t know, but Pike will definitely be there, and I’m the one planning all this for my friends and I’d really like for you to meet them so pretty please Percival Frankenstein Van Helsing Cleopatra de Rolo the Fourth will you please attend just one party to break from your perfect honour roll student life? It’s a birthday party if that helps so it won’t be as wild and crazy as the others. There will even be masks and shit because my other friends are dramatic little shits and I love them to bits and I really want you to meet them all and you don’t even have to suffer the mortal ordeal of being known so please? Please?”

“Oh for goodness’ sake, you win, Scanlan.” Another whoop and a cheer, somehow louder this time, if it was even possible, coupled with a hug that Percy only very slightly recoiled from. “I will attend, with a mask, but do not expect me to stay long.”

“Trust me my friend,” said Scanlan, pulling away with the brightest and widest grin Percy had ever seen from him, “after meeting them, you’ll want to stay.”

Percy doubted it. It had been years now since meeting the Briarwoods, but strangers still made him wary. He couldn’t bear to crush the hope in Scanlan’s eyes though, and resigned himself to an unpleasant night with people he had no intention of talking to ever again once the party was over. Well, once he left. It was going to be one of those attendances where Percy stayed just long enough to be polite. As soon as he could, he planned on booking it right back to his and Scanlan’s dorm room.

If he was already in the room, then maybe, Scanlan would have the decency to bring a potential ‘friend’ somewhere else. (The couches in the common space in the dorm were terribly uncomfortable.) Percy glanced at the clock in the room. Then to his closet, the racks and racks of somewhat formal clothing from a habit he never managed to kick. To the box he knew he kept hidden on the floor, further camouflaged by articles of clothing that don’t fit anymore. Perhaps it would be odd to bring a leather crow-like mask with goggles for eyes to a party, but then again, there was no way in heaven, hell, or any other planes that could possibly exist, that Percy would ever purchase a mask for an event he didn’t even want to attend.

Besides, store-bought masks might fall and slip. His mask won’t.

“I’m going to make some last minute prep for the party. Hang on.” Scanlan hurriedly scribbled an address down in his notebook, tore the scrap of paper off, and handed it to Percy. “Right here. A walk from campus. Starts at seven, don’t be late, see you!”

Before Percy could say anything, Scanlan was out the door, mission seemingly accomplished. He probably only returned to the dorm just so he can invite/cajole/bully Percy into attending his friend’s birthday party. Scanlan even neglected to mention the names of the friends he so wanted Percy to meet.

With a few more hours ‘til Percy has to pretend to socialise at this party, he got up out of his chair, dug out the box from the depths of his closet, and rooted out his mask. For a moment, he did nothing but stare at it.

Foreign and familiar at the same time. A distant echo of the past with a voice that only grew louder and louder the longer he held his mask. It had been years since he had last looked at it, let alone felt the tough material with his own fingers. The glass of the goggles had cracked in places, and the straps would surely no longer fit his head. But he had time, and upon closer inspection at the box itself, it seemed that Percy had subconsciously packed his leatherworking tools, along with more than enough stray pieces of metal, glass, and leather to fashion this mask into something more appropriate for a party.

The migraine still has not gone away, and with every second that passes, Percy gets closer to formulating that plan to sell his soul just to get the pulsing to stop, and he really should get some rest, but leatherworking isn’t work to him. It was relaxing. Freeing. Certainly more than any party would ever do for him. And with Scanlan gone, Percy had the chance to do some work in peace. He cleared his desk, gathered his tools and set to work.

.

“Percy?” The mask Scanlan chose covered only the lower half of his face. A smooth porcelain-like cover. With night cresting around the corner, and the cheap street lamps offering little to no illumination, (because public funding was… not particularly the best in this area) Percy couldn’t quite tell what Scanlan’s mask was made of. It fit him though. Even in the dim light, there were purple swirls that curled near the edges.

Scanlan nudged him. “Hello? Earth to Percy. Please be Percy. It would be so awkward if I was talking to not Percy.”

“Yes, Scanlan. Hello.” Percy adjusted his mask once more. It was strapped securely on his face, with buckles that would prevent any college party-goer that had one too many drinks from tugging the mask down his face.

Scanlan reached up to tap the shiny metal bits Percy managed to attach to the mask and make it look less plain. The nail of Scanlan’s finger made a soft sound as it met metal. “Huh.” Scanlan nodded and crossed his arms. “Look at you Mr. Overachiever. I thought you were just going to bring a plastic mask and be done with it.”

Percy reached up to push his glasses up his nose, only to hit the metal-plated beak of his mask. Right. The goggles were fixed, mostly, but his prescription had been altered slightly now. Scanlan looked a little blurry. “Did you honestly expect me to half-ass dramatics?” Still, with the mask on, no one could tell that Percy would be squinting for the entire night.

“Should have expected as much from the guy with fifty-thousand names.” Scanlan beckoned him over, towards a building flashing with lights and brimming with people. Pink and purple streamers hung down from the front doors, with some gold accents for flavour. “I’ll introduce you to my friends. Oh, and congratulate Vex and Vax happy birthday yeah?”

He had no idea who those were, but Percy assented. He had to shout the closer they got to the building. The music was tasteful, for a party, but it was unbearably loud. The migraine, which had subsided somewhat in the hours of silence Percy spent working on the mask, had begun to surface again. Still, he gave his word, and a de Rolo never breaks his word.

Scanlan, bless him, tried his best ot be heard over the music. Percy even tried to lean down to hear him better. All he caught was, “... nice mask… saw Cassandra…” and then, much clearer than anything else, “PIKE’S HERE!”

Now, Scanlan was a friend, possibly Percy’s only friend in the odd two years he’s been a student in Emon. None but Scanlan had the moxy and resolve to continuously track Percy down and whittle his walls little by little to form a fierce friendship with him. Percy would fight dragons for Scanlan if need be. But, he thinks with great respect mixed with even greater resignation and a little bit of frustration and regret; Scanlan packs up all logic and inhibitions and manners into a suitcase  whenever he saw Pike, and then defenestrated that suitcase as he bolted for her.

Indeed, with the occasional flash of bright light in the building, Percy saw Scanlan’s form rushing over to the side of a pretty woman with pale hair and a plain light blue mask. He could see the laughter in Scanlan’s shoulders from so far away as he and the woman, Pike, talked about things too far from Percy’s earshot.

Now he was simply alone, in a crowded room full of masked strangers with pulsing lights and too-loud music and Percy quickly took off into a corner, doing mental arithmetic with every step to count down the minutes he’d have to spend in this party he never really wanted to go to.

Mercifully, he found a punch table, several bowls lined up with various liquids. He can’t really drink anything in this mask, but he might as well look like he’s mingling with the crowd and whatnot. Percy grabbed a red plastic cup, chucked most of its contents into a potted plant, and leaned his back against a wall, looking out into the sea of people undulating their bodies with the rhythm of the music, and did his best to look like he wanted to be here.

Save the migraine and the lingering whispers in the back of his head about assignments due, the change of pace was refreshing. Annoying, but refreshing. And lacked the social obligations Percy feared he’d have to fulfill when he first came here. People saw him leaning against the wall and assumed that he was merely taking a break from the festivities or awaiting someone. It was peaceful, in a way.

That is, until a woman with an elegant blue mask marched to the punch table, grabbed two cups, downed both, and grabbed a third and joined Percy, leaning on the wall herself, body slightly angled to face him. Percy angled himself as well to face her, to be polite. The mask covered the upper half of her face, with feathers sticking out and up from one side. It matched her silvery blue dress quite well.

“Do you have a sibling?” she asked without preamble, staring into her cup.

Percy instinctively glanced about the room, trying to look for the matching shock of white hair of his sister, whom Scanlan stated might be here. “Yes, a sister,” he answered idly, if a bit sullenly as he found that she was not in attendance. “Though I’m afraid she didn’t join us this evening. A shame too, she would have made for better conversation.”

“Well, at least you don’t have to watch your sister abandon a conversation with you to trip over words with her crush,” said she. She downed her drink in one go. “Honestly, it’s not even the ‘being ignored mid-conversation’ bit that’s bothering me. It’s the pining! It’s the tripping over his own two feet! My brother is a rogue of a man who stole dad’s credit card so he can throw a couple parties and buy some new shit so I don’t have to spend a cent but have him stand in front of Keyleth and he suddenly forgets every language he’s ever known!”

Percy had no idea who this woman was talking about, but a childhood of etiquette lessons compelled him to nod. He wondered what it would feel like, to have Cassandra be so taken with someone in the romantic sense. Just thinking about it felt odd. “Well, I’ve never had the fortune -or misfortune, apparently- to know that feeling, but I can somewhat relate.” The woman gave him a look that clearly meant that she’d lap up any distraction at the moment. Percy would take a distraction just about this time, too. It would certainly make time pass quicker until he could say that he’s attended and make a beeline back to the dorms. “I was peer-pressured into attending this party by a friend, and then I had to watch that friend leave me to fend for myself so he could unsuccessfully flirt with a woman he likes. And then I’d have to listen to him pine all day when he stumbles back into our dorm room with the scent of so much alcohol on his shirt he could be safely classified as a fire hazard.”

The woman snorted and raised her empty cup in the air. “If I had anything in this cup right now, I’d toast to our shit luck.”

Percy raised his cup as well. “I also have nothing in my cup, as drinking with this mask on is terribly inconvenient, but I can toast to that.”

They tapped their cups together, the woman squinting at Percy, finally, finally getting a good look at him. “Did- did you make your mask?”

“I did.” Again, he tried to adjust his glasses, and again, he hit nothing but the beak of his mask. “Well, I made it quite a few years back, but it seems that attempting to get through Professor Groon’s dreadful history essay requirements had… sparked some of my lost creativity. Fixed a couple of things here and there, re-adjusted the straps-”

“Oh God!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t finished the essay yet.”

Neither had Percy. Seeing as he was in the middle of a party, he’d resigned himself to having to rush it in the morning. Again. “I have to admit, I’m more concerned about Professor Groon’s reaction to me not submitting the assignment than I am with taking the hit to my grades.”

She laughed again. Clearly, whatever that punch is had a kick to it that was only just now starting to take effect. “He is an intimidating man, isn’t he?”

Percy hummed in agreement. Professor Groon made a mountain seem small in comparison. “Dear God, yes. And he never seems to blink.”

“Never!” the woman laughed in agreement. “It is such a relief to hear someone else notice that too. I thought I was going mad, uh…?”

Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo the III. “Please call me Percy.”

“Wonderful to meet you dear. My name is Vex’ahlia.” She smiled at him from under her mask, face just a little bit red from the punch. The pulsing  lights made the braid draped over her shoulder seem to shine. Her hand stretched delicately out towards him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Percy.”

Percy took her hand in his and returned her smile.

He had no idea what possessed him to do so. Perhaps it was her disarming smile that seemed to knock his legs out from under him, or perhaps it was the way her eyes seemed to glow as they locked onto his, maybe it was even the migraine, throwing all common sense onto the ground. But rather than shake her hand, as he would have done in any other circumstance, Percy bent down just a tad and kissed the back of her hand.

“The pleasure is all mine.”

Perhaps he can stand to linger here a few hours more.

[mvlong]

Sirimote and google slides

#Sirimote and google slides how to

#Sirimote and google slides free

Top 11 Google Slides Animation Tips and Tricks to Use It… Presentations offer you a space to get creative.

Next up: Wondering how Google Slides stacks up against Microsoft PowerPoint? Click on the link below to learn more in our in-depth comparison between the two.

#Sirimote and google slides free

Google Slides is free for life with no strings attached. At the same time, it also lacks some basic ones like the ability to wrap text around an image. Some of these features are not so obvious. Google Slides is super easy to use and comes with a lot of features. The versions are named by date and time by default.Īs I noted earlier, you can name versions too. You can now choose an older version of the presentation from the sidebar menu in the right. There is also an option to name the current version so you could find it quickly later. How to View Version History in Google SlidesĬlick on the File menu and select See version history under Version history. You can use the same method to format the text any way you want, like bold, italic, underline, change color, and so on. The line below the color icon will change when you move the cursor there. Close the menu once done and deselect the text to see the effect. You can choose any color here or even select custom colors. Select the text you want to change the color of and click on the color icon denoted by A. How to Change Text Color in Google Slides You can try resizing the image and moving it around, but that’s all. That’s unacceptable because this is a basic feature that you would find on any decent word editor, including Google Docs. There is no way to wrap text in Google Slides. There is a workaround to this problem, so you don’t have to worry. That’s a shame because a lot of presenters use music to showcase their work. There is no direct way to add music to slides in Google Slides. There are a few other options for when you want to give a presentation, and they are all self-explanatory. It can be limiting for some people, but that’s how it is for now.Ĭlick on the File menu and select Publish to the web option.Ĭlick on the drop-down menu below Auto-advance slides to select a timer. You can’t time one slide after 5 seconds and the next one after 10. The timing between each slide will be the same. The slide should now have a canceled eye icon, which is not clearly visible in my case because I am using a dark mode in my browser. Right-click on the slide you want to hide/skip in the left window-pane and select Skip slide. You can hide or skip a slide in Google Slides so that it is not visible when giving a presentation. Just make sure not to go overboard with it. You can add animations and transitions in Google Slides in no time. You can now select the timer, which begins from 1 second and goes up to 1 minute. Open the Google Slide that you want to play on a loop and click on Present to begin the presentation.Ĭlick on the gear icon at the bottom of the screen and select Loop under Auto-advance (when played) option. The presentation will begin playing from the first slide when the last one is done playing. Looping will allow you to play the entire Google Slide automatically on repeat mode. You can choose any other option in the toolbar menu as per your needs. Select the ‘1 slide with notes’ option here. Open the slide, click on the File menu and select Print settings and preview.

#Sirimote and google slides how to

Here is how to print notes for each slide. How to Print Notes in Google SlidesĪ lot of presenters, especially beginners, like to keep notes for each slide. You can now choose from the drop-down menu in the pop-up that follows.Ĭlick on Apply when done. How to Change Google Slide SizeĬlick on the File menu and scroll a little to select Page setup. Changes will be applied the moment you select a theme. Scroll to choose the one you like and click on it to apply the theme. You will now notice a set of themes available to apply in the right sidebar. Open a slide in your favorite browser and click on the Theme button in the toolbar above. The later comes with a preconfigured set of background images, fonts, layout, and colors. You can change both background and themes in Google Slides. Note: I’ve used a dark theme extension for Google Chrome and that’s why the screenshots have a dark background.

[kingofthewilderwest]

Hi! I loved your leitmotif analysis of HTTYD2 and I wanted to know if you had one similar but for the first movie. I'm making my own color-coded map of all of the themes and mostly I just want to know what the themes should be called, not necessarily every instance of each melody (I'm going to find those myself). It would be helpful if you could answer, but if not, I can analyze the music and then find those instances in the film and name them myself. Thanks!

Hello there! Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed that analysis and it means a lot to me! I will admit that old leitmotif analysis was something I wrote in 2014 when HTTYD 2 had barely entered theatres, I’d only seen the movie once, and thus I based many musical analysis claims on memory. Thus, the analysis is in some ways inaccurate or outdated.

However, I do have a few other analyses in which I’ve gone through some of the other themes, both in the HTTYD and HTTYD 2 expanded scores (not just the officially released soundtracks, since those are incomplete). In those analyses I made near-comprehensive compilations of that theme throughout the movies and discussed what that leitmotif means. I planned to do that with every single motif in HTTYD, and had it all mapped out……… but then tumblr became stricter with audio posting requirements, it didn’t allow me to post any of the music, and that project puttered out unfinished. I know the soundtracks well enough I could probably give you all the instances still, but it would take time I don’t have in life anymore, not to mention it sounds like you’re doing that project yourself anyway. ^.^ It’s interesting to see someone else doing a project that I started but never finished… I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor! That sounds great!

So I’ve made a quick video chatting about the themes as I remember them - that should help you with what to name them. I’ll quickly toss down the relevant links from my previous analyses (My blog’s #music analysis tag might get you a few more link… there’s a reason I tag shit so thoroughly for ya’ll so you can independently find this stuff yourself!), update comments where necessary from outdated posts, give preliminary thoughts on what I feel the remaining themes could mean, and leave you to your project! ^.^ Let me know if you post it anywhere because I’d be interested to check it out!

[Me playing “For the Dancing and the Dreaming” is here]

And uh, if you quote or cite or take any ideas from me, please give the credit and link to me where it’s due! Perfunctory and rushed as this admittedly is, this still took lots of work! Thanks!

How to Train Your Dragon’s Leitmotifs

Alpha theme

Prime example: Two New Alphas 2:56-3:52

This grand theme is about the great dragon leadership position: the alpha. It is first applied to Valka’s Bewilderbeast… but in the end of HTTYD 2, to the new alpha Toothless.

Astrid’s theme: [1] [2] 

Prime example: Romantic Flight 0:00+

This theme is often called by fans as “The Romantic Flight” theme. While there is a romantic element attached to this theme and it occasionally manifests in that connotation apart from Astrid, this theme is focused less on romance and more specifically on Astrid herself. 

Berk theme

Prime example: This is Berk 0:24-0:41

The theme most closely associated with Berk and the identity of the island itself. For instance, it’s always played at the start of HTTYD when Berk is being introduced/reintroduced. It’s paired with a sense of high-strung adventure, such as we hear in “Astrid Goes for a Spin.”

Berk at peace

Take the title of this theme especially with a grain of salt. My impression is that it’s a theme which is played in relatively calm, peaceful, or day-to-day moments. It’s Berk at peace, it’s characters having casual interactions. That’s what I recall, but I could be wrong.

Dragon protector / Toothless’ theme (HTTYD 2) [1] [2] [3]

Prime example: Flying with Mother 0:25-0:44

I’ve talked about this theme a lot, down to analyzing Flying With Mother as its own separate track. This is the theme of the protector of dragons - it’s what I called The Vigilante’s Theme at one point before I realized John Powell said he wrote a theme specifically for Toothless in HTTYD 2. This is the central theme of HTTYD 2 and it’s a theme that Toothless grows into. By the end of the movie, Toothless is able to adopt this melody as a dragon who protects all.

Drago’s theme

Prime example: Meet Drago 0:08-0:31

This menacing theme is about Drago and the threat Drago’s army possesses over the Barbaric Archipelago and dragonkind.

Hiccup’s relationship with Toothless

Prime example: Test Drive 0:22-0:39

This theme focuses on Hiccup and his interactions with Toothless. The music highlights how his opinions of Toothless (and more broadly, all of dragons) change - from something mysterious and feared, to something powerful, bold, and beautiful. In the end it becomes an anthem for how How to Train Your Dragon is a story of… well… flying on dragons!

Progress theme

Prime Example: New Tail 0:00-0:44

Not going to lie, I’m actually just sort of making an uneducated stabbing at this theme. I’d need to rewatch the movie and think about it more. This is more or less a placeholder name. But you never know. I could be right?

Stalka theme

Prime example: For the Dancing and the Dreaming

It’s For the Dancing and the Dreaming, essentially. This is the anthem of Stoick and Valka’s love for one another.

Toothless’ theme(?) (HTTYD) 

Prime example: Test Drive 0:00-0:22

I’ve called this the “Toothless in Trouble” theme in the past, like in that analysis you read from 2014. And it’s true we hear very specifically quoted when Toothless is in danger - for instance, in “Downed Dragon” 3:10-3:36. However, that’s actually just part of what the theme is for, because we also hear the theme in instances like the start of “Test Drive” - which is obviously not Toothless in danger. It’s also the prominent theme that plays when Toothless stares Hiccup eye-to-eye shortly after Hiccup has freed the dragon from his bonds in the woods.

Please, please, please take my comment here with a grain of salt, as I haven’t thought about this leitmotif in depth, but it could very likely be the case that this is Toothless’ general theme in the first movie. Given as it’s played when Toothless is in danger, and played when Toothless is being ridden in “Test Drive,” it could just be the dragon’s theme. In which case… you could talk about some cool motif melding, where the Berk theme and Toothless’ become played well together. Like that doesn’t say something about the melding state of this island’s civilization! But PLEASE take my idea with a grain of salt… it’s a preliminary thought of what this theme means in full.

Undeveloped as a boy

Prime example: Together We Map the World 0:00-0:34+

How to Train Your Dragon 2 focuses much on Hiccup’s sense of identity. At the start of the movie, he is unsure of himself. This here is a theme that demonstrates his lack of understanding in himself. It’s a wandering theme, just as Hiccup’s heart is a wandering heart. He travels the world because he feels unsettled inside of him about what his identity is. It’s to note that the last time we hear this theme play is when Stoick dies. Once Stoick dies, Hiccup can no longer question what his identity is, what his role is to Berk. He has to step into the role of chief. That is now his place and he is no longer an uncertain boy.

Interestingly, you’ll notice that what I’ve called Eret’s theme in the past is actually just a specific way of expressing this theme. It’s played in a very gallant and bold flavor which is why I initially mistakenly separated it off into its own theme.

War theme

Prime example: Ready the Ships 0:00-0:15

A theme focused on when the Vikings are at war or preparing for war, especially war against the dragons. Usually this theme is played in a heavy, dark matter. What’s interesting is we also hear a rather meandering, good-natured version of this theme even when Hiccup is wandering Berk’s forests attempting to find Toothless… so he can kill the dragon.

These aren’t all the melodies in HTTYD but these are most of the main and meaningful ones.

[team-adults-blog]

4.08-4.13

Hi friends. I haven’t written since Ep 4.07. And then I didn’t want to write them all individually, so here are the highlights of the season, broken down by character. I waited until after the finale to see if any of my issues would be resolved. Would not recommend reading in one sitting. Below is 6,750+ words (10 pages single spaced in word) and some tangents. Please don’t read it in one sitting, I’m sure you have better things to do.

Warning: A higher emotion to jokes ratio.

This gets pretty critical. I loved the first half of the season, but the second half was hit and miss.

Octavia (? /+)

Wowwieee what an arc. Wasn’t sure exactly where she was going the whole time, but I generally enjoyed the ride.

Kane’s body guard. Fight with Dad!Kane. Pushed off a cliff. Ilian. Still have mixed feelings about Ilian. INDRA LOVE.

I’m happy she got to talk to Bellamy in the finale, but of course, after trying and failing to tell each other they loved one another all season, the radio cuts out, preventing it again. Typical. It still hurt. But then it hurts that much more after when Clarke doesn’t get to talk to Abby.

I like the reluctant leadership role Octavia finds herself in a lot. She acknowledges she’s not a natural leader like her brother or Clarke, but she’s being pushed to lead anyway. Indra’s council that all leaders have help/ a team is so so so so so so so so important for O to realize. She’s not entitled or arrogant like Jaha. She’s strong and humble and it will make her a great leader. I’m also glad she’s like a queen or emperor or whatever and not heda or commander. It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life. And they’re feeling [claustrophobic.]

And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me- would have been another appropriate lyric to throw out, but it lacks a joke and is not as obvious a reference. Same song btw.

Indra (+)

Indra had a fantastic season. I loved the depth her character got and like whoa! Daughter! Lets go back and rewatch S1-3 with this knowledge as we look at how she interacts with Octavia. I need to talk about 4.10’s conclave because holy bajobie. Such good acting. Much emotion. Give Adina Porter a series regular role. Why the hell did they make Roan a series regular when he just died. SHE DESERVES MORE. SHE IS INCREDIBLE. Ok so. We got Indra rebuilding a relationship with her estranged daughter, who have different ideas of faith and leadership. We get serious Octavia mentorship. Her conversation with Kane when he’s telling her that if Octavia makes it out of the conclave it’ll all be because of her and he’s thankful and also like I miss you, we were friends. And She’s like… you can have multiple mentors that teach you different things. And also I hope she’s ok too. We can try and be friends again. Then boom. Guess who ruins it? Fricking Thelonious Jaha. Kindra better have rebuilt in that time gap. I need them to be friends again. Plus they’re both really important influences and mentors to Octavia so they WILL interact, even if they’re disagreeing. I’d like to see that too. Show me the friendship rebuild. I need it.

Gaia (+)

From the first moment she was on screen I said, I don’t know her, but I love her. And then I found out she’s Indras BLOOD daughter. Not adopted. BLOOD. Her face is so expressive. I would love to see where S5 takes her. She’s obvs in the bunker, right?

Ilian (eh)

A generally nice boy. He took Octavia home to meet the parents…that was a poor joke, but not bad enough that I feel the need to remove it. I can feel cringes already. He helped O out of some bad situations and helped her grow. I wasn’t a fan of the cave sex, but I think I get where it came from. I still have no idea how he blew up the Ark without being stopped. He was a decent one season character. OH. It was nice in his first ep that we got to see the destruction A.L.I.E. caused on a more personal level for the grounders. While Ilian’s story can’t represent the experience of all grounders who became chipped, it does a good job of letting the viewer see the devastation she caused. By feeling sorrow for this grounder family, you can imagine that multiplied across all the clans and boom. Lots of sadness all over the coalition.

Echo (+)

She may have done some pretty messed up things but I’m still loving her. I loved her when she and Bellamy met. I was thinking, “wow we get another badass warrior woman. This show is great.” Then she helped blow up Mount Weather and I was all. “I don’t know if I can still love her… I still want to and sort of do, but I don’t know if I should.” She made sure Bellamy wasn’t inside though, you’ve got to give her credit for that. AND THEN. She wants to be buds with Bell and he’s all like. You’re a frickin spy and you killed my girlfriend. I can never trust you. And her face falls and I’m like oh, Echooooo. Someday you’ll be buds or more. In the conclave she’s a sneaky little cheater which I want to be mad at, but it was so smart and she was just trying to save her King. Her face falls AGAIN and you get where she’s coming from. She’s exhiled. King ded. Riding in to save Bell/ sneakily following him to try and find safety. One cool grounder. I really like her. I’m glad she made it into space because that will be really cool for future plotlines/ flashbacks while she’s learning how everything works.

Roan (eh)

Everything he does makes sense for his character. Most of the conflict in the 4A storyline comes from a lack of/poor communication between him and skaikru. Banishing Echo was just, but you died 5 min later and without her Azgeda literally has no clear leader. He was p cool but not my fave. They could have explored his backstory a lot more and gone in some interesting directions had they chosen to.

Clarke (?)

-a little confused?

-I get her plans fall through at every turn

-bellamy? You’re worth something to me. She saves bellamy in the rover/ tank scene. Then at some point Jaha’s influence becomes more important. Jaha potential mentorship made for interesting parallels, and made me actually a little interested in Jaha. But then he screws her over with the bunker.

She shoots at Bellamy?!?!?! But only a warning shot. And then 30 min later she’s forgiven? Man he must really love you.

Finale: wow lots of emotional Bellarke. Wowieeee. Ofc Clarke goes to the tower. Ofc she lives. But. How? How much food was left in the lab? Assuming they actually left enough for Raven, was it 5 years’ worth? How did the bunker get buried in rubble and ash (I know it was in the temple) but Becca’s lab stay perfectly fine AND sealed? It survived the first time, and has medical equipment so Clarke could treat her radiation poisoning. HOWEVER. She should have had some scars 6 years and 7 days later. What is Clarke dying her hair with? It’s really cute that she talked to Bellamy all that time to stay sane. He gave her hope. That’s really nice.

With some kid named Maddie (spelling?) now. How’d that happen? And she’s a nightblood? I’m sure this will all be explained to me so I’m not going to spiral here.

Bellamy (+)

What a great season for Bellamy. He gets emotional fixing from S3, emotional development with his sister and Kane and Clarke. He was an absolute hero in the finale. That was prime Bellamy. Holy cow was that his episode. Sure Clarke was doing things too but. Wow. He talked to Octavia, sad. He comforted Raven. He comforted Echo. He was on fiaahhh. Very happy with his season. We need a new name for this season- Bellamarie or Bernie or something that shows his growth.

Murphy & Emori (+)

Good teamwork. Glad Murphy is happy with his gal.  Glad they’re both alive and in space. He’ll be the fun conflict/ complaining guy up on the Ark but still do what needs to get done. Emori is going to learn to trust these 6 other people and then no one else. I’m here for it.

Nate Miller (+)

He got rid of that trash that is Bryan. Bryan bugged Miller’s jacket in S3 or did y’all forget? Bryan wanted to let everyone die on the trip to Azgheda. Nate deserves better. He GOT better. Jackson is pure and morally right most of the time and is just way way better.

David Miller (+)

So he gave into the masses and shocked Kane. He understands mob power and mentality, but I thought they were buds. It hurt a little, but I see why he did it.

Father son guard duty was awesome.

Sacrificing for Nate was heart wrenching. I want more of the Millers.

I became strangely attached to his character after he interrupted Kabby’s reoccurring eye sex back at the start of S3. Also if you read about the casting of the millers it will break your heart even more. (link) this was all I could find in a 2 min search, but they’re really tight and it’s lovely.

Raven (+)

-so so so happy Sinclair came back in 4.11. I love him. So so much. We deserved more of him. When I saw Allesandro Juliani’s name on the opening guest credits (and not having watched any promos) I was so excited. Guys. He had a wife that I never got to meet. Will we ever get to meet her??? Abby’s already adopted Raven but you can never have too many adopted parents. I adopt them all the time. You don’t have to tell them. It’s fine. They need a good kid like me to look after. I’m cry if I keep thinking about Cindy, who was too young to actually be my mom, but was my high school mom all the same. But cooler. And with fun verb songs. Kay now I’m cryin about my Spanish teacher brb y’all. (I actually was for the record)

Ok. Back to Sinclair and Raven. Everything was beautiful. He validated her for her, not just for her super mind. That love and support was just so lovely because raven only sees herself as valuable if she can contribute with her brain. The tank scene where they touched the glass? I know that’s also common for love and hope in prison glass/grate scenes but like. Ian directed this ep. It was not a coincidence. Not at ALLLLLLLLLL. Especially with DNR written on Jasper’s hand held up to the glass. And we know Kane trying to open the bunker was a deliberate call-back to the hatch because the writers tweeted it. At this time I would like to thank Bailey and Peter for telling me I would like Lost so that I may make these connections. The ep was great because of all the emotionnnnn (4.11). Sinclair deserved better.

her surprise at the delinquents returning/ Bellamy hugging her is another emotional stab at my heart.

Raven Reyes is one bamf and I love her with all of my heart. I’m so happy she got to spacewalk, and it was really sweet Clarke figured out why she was happy about that.

Jackson (+)

Oh my gosh Jackson got a first name and a boyfriend this season and I’m so happy for him! Honestly, he delivers a lot of “the viewer needs to know this so we’ll give the lines to Jackson as him talking to Abby,” so it was really nice to see him get some development. Jackson, Nyko, and David Miller were characters that I was happy to see getting lines and screen time. Now all I have is Jackson. I’m considering getting attached to Costa but he just stands there so. Maybe not.

Nyko (-)

Nyko sacrificing himself for Luna was ok when it was for the greater good and all that, but with how Luna’s story ended up being, I wish he’d just lived. It wouldn’t have been as meaningful if someone else had died, but she doesn’t do anything that makes him dying for her worth it. It just makes me sad.

Luna (-)

I understand Luna’s resentment of being used for her nightblood. However, I don’t completely follow her path to wanting everyone to die. All of her people died, so there’s pain there, but Luna was supposed to have turned her back on violence, despite being good at it. The shift from I am reluctantly helping you (when Raven convinces her and Nyko dies) to I hate this one group of people so much I have now changed my perspective on the human race that they are all terrible and need to die. If I have to spend significant time retracing Luna’s story in my mind to try and figure out how she got to this point, the writers aren’t doing their job in tying episodes together and making her arc progress logically. I’m a nerd. I’m willing to take the time and try and figure it out. But really? Luna could have entered the conclave with the idea to share the bunker, which would have made sense to me? But then Octavia wouldn’t be able to have that growth. So. I don’t really know. Generally disappointed.

I will say, I love a good parallel or call back. When Ariana (that kid who came to Arkadia with Luna and Nyko back when Flokru died) was dying, she said something like “from the water we are born to the water we return.” When she said it again as she drowns Roan it was so cool. I’m sorry for Roan and all, but it was a cool variation of yu gonplei ste odon which all the other grounders seemingly say. I find both expressions pleasing because of the ability to shift their meaning based on tone and context. Mercy and comfort vs basically die bitch. Love it.

Kabby (+++, End--)

Kabby, as a unit, because these characters are more than their relationship. Holy cow. 4.01: we see guilt and forgiveness and love and a face caress in front of Clarke, who we see is cool with it, but also a little sad. 4.02: SEX BA-BEEE. Jake’s rings. Heart eyes. Then Abby takes the rings off- off camera. Which is not super cool because we didn’t get to see her make that decision, but they just had sex and I will pick my battles. Hug. Abby returns to go where she can be useful. I LIKED THIS because it recognized they are individuals with different skill sets and allows them to have plotlines and conflicts of their own. Abby is not just hanging around Polis and all those grounder strangers and popping onscreen to be Marcus’ girlfriend lady. I respect the separation. I HATED THIS because it separated them. Which meant less kabby scenes because they were not in the same physical location. The walkie scenes warmed my heart. That was beautiful. BUT THEN. They were apart. For ten episodes. Ten. There were thirteen total episodes in the season. They were together for three. I know Clarke’s story is the A plot darling and more important and I accept that. But her narrative and decision making process was all over the place this season and I do NOT accept that I was denied a reunion scene after Kane and Abby were apart for ten. Episodes. And then completely left out of the finale. It’s disrespectful and rude. To the characters and their storylines, which now have unanswered questions (to follow below) and a 6 year time gap. We’d better get some fucking flashbacks or something because last time there was only a THREE MONTH time gap and the emotional consequences of Mount Weather was mishandled or brushed off until Bellamy had to get a redo to fix the shitshow that was his S3 this past season. I have concerns.

Abby (started off +, end of season MAJOR--)

Kabby amazingness at the beginning and then Abby getting her own plotlines was super satisfying. I had some issues with Abby and medical ethics, but SO DID SHE! Those are hard questions to grapple with and I’m not mad at her for anything she did there. She got talked into a lot of the questionable things she did- which is good in that I can defend her to these assholes, but not good in that she was able to be talked into a morally grey decision. Abby and Raven were great. As they always have. Even when they fight and I have to explain the fight and why it’s ok to someone who will continue to say, “Whatever. I still hate Abby.” You’re entitled to your opinion, but it’s wrong. Kids these days don’t want to empathize with the adult and try to see things from their perspective. Ofc Abby doesn’t want Clarke putting herself in danger. She’s her MOM. Ofc kids identify with Clarke. But take a sec and try to understand where the other person is coming from too. Abby and your own parental unit. Sympathy and empathy are important. I don’t want anymore “oh I didn’t think of it that way.” Once you’ve considered Abby’s side of conflict, and you decide you still don’t like her (and not just to make me mad), that’s totally fine. You can feel that way, Z.

Didn’t like that Clarke and Abby were in the same room and not talking to each other? Yeah, idk.

Freeing Bellamy was awesome.

Not telling Kane about being sick- I have conflicting opinions. On one side, she’s sick and doesn’t think she can do anything about it, so don’t worry Kane until you’re together. They haven’t really had alone time since they reopened the bunker, so are we surprised she didn’t tell Kane yet? Not really. Then there’s the “don’t worry anyone at all by keeping it a complete secret” method. By keeping it a secret, you don’t have to face it full on. Your loved ones don’t know, so they don’t treat you any differently. I don’t know if this is super common or just in my head, but with cancer, it’s not uncommon for parents not to tell their kids that they’ve been diagnosed until they’re in later stages and showing symptoms? Alternatively, if their relationship is as solid as it is in my heart, there’s no real reason to keep her illness from Kane. He’s hurt, but aside from her own fear and denial, there’s no real reason for omission.

UNLESS. She’s not sick. Hear me out- Raven is having multiple seizures each day, and Abby began having hallucinations around roughly the same time. So if the illness was affecting them the same way, she ought to be symptomatic. Unless she’s not? It could be affecting her differently. But there were other people in the lab who know about Abby, and I have faith in Jackson that he can be subtle, but how did he avoid spilling the beans in front of Kane before Raven? Abby is his fam and you know he’s gonna be checking up on her even if he does have a super cute new relationship. So that means Abby isn’t progressing with her illness at the same speed Raven is, which is plausible, but she apparently hasn’t had a seizure or any other issue since the one hallucination. So I’m feeling the Clarke with radiation was a dream. BUT Jackson did a scan back in the lab, which is how we know she’s sick, so how do we explain that away? Why even bring up the fact that Abby is still sick and that Kane didn’t know, just to LEAVE THEM BOTH OUT OF THE FINALE AND NEVER ADDRESS THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS OF: 1) how will Abby get better? 2) how will Kane and Abby deal with the fallout of a secret?

We don’t know. We time jumped 6 years and 7 days and don’t know. Flashbacks are the only solution.

Deciding to die? Let’s tear that apart. It happened right after David Miller wrote Nate’s name down, sacrificing himself. Abby’s feeling hella guilty, but I blame Jaha for making her feel like shit. Abby is the most hopeful, stubborn character on the show, and it felt a little out of character for her to decide she wanted to die, straight out. Not sacrifice herself for someone else. If the sickness and the guilt are supposed to be the motivators I’m still not convinced Abby wanted to die. Maybe just me. This scene was awesome for Kane, great writing, but Abby was just there for him to be a great character off of? A little confused.

Kane (++/eh)

I would like to start calling him Marcus at this point but I think that would make everyone uncomfortable?

Sillyness first: SHIRTLESS TWICEEEEEEEE. Ok done. Kane could not catch a freakin break. Abby leaves, which sucks but it’ll be ok. Then his daughter starts causing trouble and he has to ground her, but she dies on the way and he’s thrown in jail with his son. But they find out she’s ok. A little awk talk with stepdaughter Clarke (pre-clack phase) is a momentarily nice, but then no one wants to listen to him and he’s right about everything, but what use is that when no one will follow you? What’s a being to a mob? Jaha ruins everything (again) right when he had helped get Octavia back on track. He’d just started to fix things with his bff Indra too. Everything comes crashing down.

Like Jackson, Kane said things that were advicy but in character, but that maybe weren’t always merited? I don’t know how to explain it, but there were times when it felt like the show was going HEY. MORALS. HEY. THIS IS IMPORTANT. But Kane’s saying it so it’s THEME important instead of the viewers need these deets, Jackson tell ‘em, son. After the diplomat stuff early on, I’m not really sure what Kane as supposed to be doing? He was just sort of there in a leadership role, saying these wise things. Which he did beautifully, I might add. But he didn’t have a clear story going with all the worry and distress he went through. Unless that in itself was the point? Looping back to the issue of being right vs being an effective leader- if Kane and Jaha were being presented in that light I get it but there ought to have been more?

Dad!Kane was fantastic. Lots of hugs. I’m happy with this side of his character. Beautiful and emotional acting. Ian is my fave forever.

Jaha (-)

How dare you bring up Jake. It’s NOT the same situation. And Clarke? Was? Standing? Right? There? Rude. Abby told Jaha about Jake thinking she was talking to a friend. She ain’t yo friend no mo. She thinks you’re an insane but charismatic leader. Marcus was a good man. Damn right! I was screaming HE STILL IS SHE’S GONNA SAVE HIM! And then Abby gets to say the predictable and extremely exciting He still is. And then stab him. Justice. The entire world cheered. She should have stuck him with something more lethal, but that’s not who Abby Griffin is, and I respect that.

Jaha is a dick and I hope he died in the S4/S5 time gap. But I would also like to see his death. Is that too harsh? Ok so. Jaha as Clarke’s leader was interesting when I thought he was relating to her, and I was on board to explore where that would go. We know they would have had a past relationship on the Ark, and an actual personal one because of Wells at that. But all he wasn’t a positive guiding figure for her. He made her hate herself. He made Abby hate herself. He made Kane hate himself. But get this: He made them hate themselves by putting the blame for HIS OWN IDEAS AND ACTIONS ONTO THEM. He has no soul. He takes zero responsibility for what he did on the Ark, or Allie, moving into the bunker or like. Suggesting the lottery system. He says it, even if he didn’t think it was a good idea, at the Clarke and list incident in Arkadia. He RESUGGESTS it in the bunker in 4.12, only to go “Marcus, this is a shit idea, we can’t do that. They’re already about to riot. How can you make them stop?” Thelonious frickin Jaha. This was your idea. You moved these people into the bunker. YOU are the reason they are comfortable and just got used to the idea of surviving and now it’s being taken away. Marcus Kane had NOTHING to do with that. Don’t you put that evil on [his soul], Ricky Bobby. And you also TOLD the dude with the kid to fight against the grounders- which would get EVERYONE kicked out of the bunker if they lost (which ofc they would) according to Octavia’s rules. Everything that’s going wrong right now is your fault.

I have some serious issues with his wardrobe. The monk hood was a little silly, but I preferred that to the forever 21 boob shirt he was rocking for the second half of the season. If you’re going to wear a chesty shirt, go on and show some cleavage, Jaha. Don’t wear a shirt under it. They should have just left him in the normal zip up from 4.01. He looked normal. It was nice.

We loved to hate him, but now that he’s making everyone feel bad about themselves, good riddance. Be gone foul demon.

How the show talks about/writes/deals with death

Killing main characters is good for keeping viewers on the edge of their seat with the knowledge that no one is safe. With warring factions, plague, and radiation, we’d be fools to think that any character (aside from Clarke, probably) is completely safe. Grey’s Anatomy has killed-off a huge number of their cast when actors decide to leave the show, so I’m super used to the concept and also super worried all the time. SPOILER: I was so worried they were going to kill Stephanie instead of writing her off the show, but they didn’t. Her exit was strong and hopeful and I’m v. emo about it. However, Shonda Rhimes and the Grey’s writers, at least I hope and think, have learned that killing characters for dramatic effect and because you’re running out of plot ideas, so let’s just kill someone is poor writing. Thus the last few main and secondary characters to leave the show have been write-offs instead of kills. It’s more fulfilling. Still, in the setting of the 100, it makes more sense for characters to die than to disappear into the background. Yet when killing characters, writers have to be careful about the message they’re sending.

Lexa and Lincoln both had deaths that upset the fandom because of the real-world context fans are living in. The show got a lot of backlash for the killings and gay-baiting with Lexa appearing in the finale. Plot wise, Lexa was badass and really interesting as a character past the love relationship with Clarke; her relationships with Indra and Kane, and her role as commander and a peace broker were much more interesting to me. However, her character development was inconsistent- she died fighting for peace and “blood must not have blood” which, come on, they could have come up with a new catchy slogan, but then pops up in the C.o.L. all slashy and war-time-killing-machine-Lexa. Lincoln’s fall-out was because the show was killing another P.o.C. when white characters had been in near-death situations and survived.

Because of the blacklash, the show brought up the two again, giving them some respect and saying that their deaths still affect the characters. BUT. I liked that they did this, more-so with Lincoln because it felt so important for Octavia’s character development, saying “look where you’re headed, is this who you want to be? This isn’t who Lincoln would want you to be.” Which worked well, provided the characters saying those lines to her actually knew him at least a little. Abby talking to Clarke about Lexa was perfect and sufficient for her respects because it shows Abby accepting her daughter as Bi and Clarke’s pain over lost love.I don’t really get how Niylah and Lexa would have met, but Clarke being able to talk to her about Lexa was good, I just wish Niylah did something outside of that “support Clarke” role for most of her scenes.

BUT. Maybe I’m cynical in thinking that the only reason Lexa and Lincoln are brought back up is because of the backlash, but other characters have been completely forgotten. Pike is mentioned a bit, but no one got super attached to him over his villain-arc and redemption episode that came too late in the season to gain him much sympathy. Monty’s mom, on the other hand, would have played significantly into Monty’s character development, but is never mentioned (?) Monty tells Clarke that she’s not the only messed up one, which is sort of him saying that he’s going through grief of killing his mom. Twice. But he’s apparently fine other than the one fight he has with Clarke over the List™, which was actually more about his part in Mount Weather than his mother. Hannah Green has not been mentioned since her death.

Which leads me to serious concerns about how Jasper’s death has been and will be handled…

Jasper (major -)

So this is where shit’s gonna get real for a few minutes. This plotline hurt me. The whole season I was thinking, “I hope Jasper doesn’t die like this. I’m ok with him dying, but not like this.” I didn’t want Jasper to commit suicide. His narrative has gone from goofball to grief to depression and if you’re telling me the only end to depression is suicide- on one of my favorite shows- I have a problem with that. I have an even bigger problem with Jasper being semi-responsible for a mass suicide pact.

I don’t think showing serious topics such as suicide is wrong; a show representing real emotional and mental thought processes is good. But they cannot drop the ball and not face the real world consequences of showing that story in a way that doesn’t deal with Jasper’s story after he’s dead. His story isn’t over just because he’s not on screen, and that’s an important message the writers need to show. I need to see how fucked up Jasper’s death leaves Monty. My point is, it’s important to see how killing yourself doesn’t end the pain. Let Monty be mad. Let him be hurt. Let him be upset. But show us it. Don’t tell me that he went through his grief process in space and is now A-ok. We need to see it. Otherwise. Jasper’s death has no emotional consequences- like Fox or Monroe, except that he was a main character and needs to have consequences.

This season was so dark. If Jasper’s death doesn’t come back in the emotional ways Lincoln and Lexa’s were, and instead is relatively forgotten like Hannah Green, showing that storyline was irresponsible. Don’t make people hurt just for the dramatic effect of it and then treat that hurt like its meaningless.

Harper (-)

If Harper is meant to be the opposite of Jasper in that she decided to live, and is the “hope” character, or the character that came close and then realized not wanting to live is different from wanting to die, I see what the writers were going for, but they failed. Here’s why: Harper has only functioned as a love interest for most of the season. In S3 she was working for Kane with Nate Miller and it was awesome. S4 has her going down a dark path, which it perfectly believable any one of her plotlines from the start could turn someone dark: crash-landing as a delinquent, being drilled in Mt. Weather, being around for all the darkness of S3 plot, and leaving the guy to be trampled. So I understand how she got here, I just don’t like that we’ve only seen it through her interactions with Monty. Let her be a person outside of the relationship too. So my issue with Harper is more of a Monty issue. We don’t get to see Harper making the decision not to drink the tea. We see her say “I love you” back to Monty, which as its own story independent of everything else happening would be fine. She realized she wanted to live. Good. However, when she said it wasn’t the right time on Monty’s side. His best friend just killed himself in front of him. He’s afraid his girlfriend has killed herself too, which would amplify the pain he’s already experiencing. Harper’s fine on her own, but when I compare her to Jasper (as I’m thinking I should) I hate her storyline because it didn’t fully get to the level it needed to. Monty tried much harder to be there for Harper, which could happen, but it pisses me off because Jasper is his best friend and you don’t abandon that just because you’ve got a girlfriend.

Monty (-)

Sometimes it’s hard to be sympathetic when you can’t empathize at all in the situation. Monty cannot imagine what Harper/Jasper’s going through, and that’s hard on both of them. It’s frustrating not to understand. I’ve been Monty, hating someone for “not trying hard enough” when they were just doing their best to stay alive. I’ve been Jasper too. It sucks to know you’re a mess, but you can’t explain it to make someone who hasn’t been where you are to understand. It’s frustrating to see how you’re affecting people you care about, but you can’t stop being the way you are.

We didn’t get to see Monty deal with the death of his mother. We need to see how he deals with Jasper’s death. Or if they decide not to flashback in S5, we need to see that the death of his best friend has changed him. I’m worried that the show will glaze over it or say Monty’s ok because he had Harper to help him get through it. Jasper’s death has to have real consequences for Monty so that we see how suicide affects the ones you leave behind for both Monty’s development and to make Jasper’s death mean something on the show. He could have died in the black rain if they didn’t want to carry the emotional weight of suicide and upset viewers and they should have thought that through.

Why I’m glad Bryan was written off instead of killed (+)

The whole gay-killing would have been worse after Lexa, even though I predicted his death. Good on them for writing him off. Bryan and Miller had important, basal, essential differences. The show demonstrated how you can love someone, but can’t be with them because of irreconcilable differences. If there had been more time to show the emotional fall-out from their break-up, it probably would have been clearer that it was actually a break-up…

Predictions made back at the start and how they worked out

 My death predictions were Bryan or Harper dying. I didn’t want Harper to die, and I saw problems with Bryan dying, so I’m glad he was written off instead. 

 I got tired of writing and stopped. I didn’t proof read this.Trying to remember 6 episodes worth of stuff was hard. Never again.

Kabby baby 2k17// Radiation + 6 years and 7 days. Make it so. Or like. Give them that little boy Jaha has no business acting as a guardian for. I maintain that Wells was good despite his father/ because he didn’t like the coldness of Thelonious, not because he was a good father to Wells. I’d prefer they take that child.

I cannot believe you read this whole thing. You are a very nice person for doing so.

If Kabby is not together is S5 I will no longer be watching the show because on/off relationships make for annoying writing and in reality probs unhealthy relationships. Do better writers. No Ross/ Rachel. No MerDer (But that actually was ok because it wasn’t forever and then they had real issues to work through which was good). More Jim/Pam. Ben/Leslie. Coach and Tami Taylor. Time man/ Penne. Time man and Penne x infinity tbh. Can Sonya guest star on the 100? Please?

Happy Hiatus.

My attention turns to GoT: Ser Jorah and Petyr (Bae)lish.

Hopes: Daniel Portman keeps his real life facial hair because I would like Pod even more

[5axismachiningchina]

Nice Arch Global Precision photos

Posted from 5 axis machining China blog

Nice Arch Global Precision photos

Some cool arch global precision images:

Eiffel Tower – Paris Image by Arch_Sam The Eiffel Tower (French: La tour Eiffel, [tuʁ ɛfɛl]) is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It was named after the engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair, it was initially criticised by some of France’s leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.[1] The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 6.98 million people ascended it in 2011.[2] The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010.[2]

The tower is 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall,[2] about the same height as an 81-storey building. Its base is square, 125 metres (410 ft) on a side. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930. Because of the addition of the aerial atop the Eiffel Tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 metres (17 ft). Not including broadcast aerials, it is the second-tallest structure in France, after the Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second. The third level observatory’s upper platform is 276 m (906 ft) above the ground,[2] the highest accessible to the public in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift (elevator) to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. Although there are stairs to the third and highest level, these are usually closed to the public and it is generally only accessible by lift.

The design of the Eiffel Tower was originated by Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, two senior engineers who worked for the Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel, after discussion about a suitable centrepiece for the proposed 1889 Exposition Universelle, a World’s Fair which would celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. In May 1884 Koechlin, working at home, made an outline drawing of their scheme, described by him as "a great pylon, consisting of four lattice girders standing apart at the base and coming together at the top, joined together by metal trusses at regular intervals".[3] Initially Eiffel himself showed little enthusiasm, but he did sanction further study of the project, and the two engineers then asked Stephen Sauvestre, the head of company’s architectural department, to contribute to the design. Sauvestre added decorative arches to the base, a glass pavilion to the first level, and other embellishments. This enhanced version gained Eiffel’s support: he bought the rights to the patent on the design which Koechlin, Nougier, and Sauvestre had taken out, and the design was exhibited at the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in the autumn of 1884 under the company name. On 30 March 1885 Eiffel presented a paper on the project to the Société des Ingénieurs Civils; after discussing the technical problems and emphasising the practical uses of the tower, he finished his talk by saying that the tower would symbolise.

Work on the foundations started on 28 January 1887.[13] Those for the east and south legs were straightforward, each leg resting on four 2 m (6.6 ft) concrete slabs, one for each of the principal girders of each leg but the other two, being closer to the river Seine, were more complicated: each slab needed two piles installed by using compressed-air caissons 15 m (49 ft) long and 6 m (20 ft) in diameter driven to a depth of 22 m (72 ft)[14] to support the concrete slabs, which were 6 m (20 ft) thick. Each of these slabs supported a block built of limestone each with an inclined top to bear a supporting shoe for the ironwork.

Each shoe was anchored into the stonework by a pair of bolts 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 7.5 m (25 ft) long. The foundations were complete by 30 June and the erection of the ironwork began. The very visible work on-site was complemented by the enormous amount of exacting preparatory work that was entailed: the drawing office produced 1,700 general drawings and 3,629 detailed drawings of the 18,038 different parts needed.[15] The task of drawing the components was complicated by the complex angles involved in the design and the degree of precision required: the position of rivet holes was specified to within 0.1 mm (0.004 in) and angles worked out to one second of arc. The finished components, some already riveted together into sub-assemblies, arrived on horse-drawn carts from the factory in the nearby Parisian suburb of Levallois-Perret and were first bolted together, the bolts being replaced by rivets as construction progressed. No drilling or shaping was done on site: if any part did not fit it was sent back to the factory for alteration. In all there were 18,038 pieces joined by two and a half million rivets.[13]

At first the legs were constructed as cantilevers but about halfway to the first level construction was paused in order to construct a substantial timber scaffold. This caused a renewal of the concerns about the structural soundness of the project, and sensational headlines such as "Eiffel Suicide!" and "Gustave Eiffel has gone mad: he has been confined in an Asylum" appeared in the popular press.[16] At this stage a small "creeper" crane was installed in each leg, designed to move up the tower as construction progressed and making use of the guides for the lifts which were to be fitted in each leg. The critical stage of joining the four legs at the first level was complete by the end of March 1888.[13] Although the metalwork had been prepared with the utmost precision, provision had been made to carry out small adjustments in order to precisely align the legs: hydraulic jacks were fitted to the shoes at the base of each leg, each capable of exerting a force of 800 tonnes, and in addition the legs had been intentionally constructed at a slightly steeper angle than necessary, being supported by sandboxes on the scaffold. Although construction involved 300[13] on-site employees, only one person died thanks to Eiffel’s stringent safety precautions and use of movable stagings, guard-rails, and screens.

Equipping the Tower with adequate and safe passenger lifts was a major concern of the government commission overseeing the Exposition. Although some visitors could be expected to climb to the first or even the second stage, the main means of ascent clearly had to be lifts.[17]

Constructing lifts to reach the first platform was relatively straightforward: the legs of the lower section were wide enough and so nearly straight that they could contain a straight track, and a contract was given to the French company Roux, Combaluzier and Lepape for two lifts to be fitted in the east and west legs.[18] Roux, Combaluzier and Lepape used a pair of endless chains with rigid, articulated links to which the car was attached. Lead weights on some links of the chains’ upper or return sections counterbalanced most of the car’s weight. The car was pushed up by the links below, not drawn by those above: to prevent the chain buckling it was enclosed in a conduit. At the bottom of the run the chains passed around 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in) diameter sprockets. Smaller sprockets at the top guided the chains.

The puddled iron (wrought iron) structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes, while the entire structure, including non-metal components, is approximately 10,000 tonnes. As a demonstration of the economy of design, if the 7,300 tonnes of the metal structure were melted down it would fill the 125-metre-square base to a depth of only 6.25 cm (2.5 in), assuming the density of the metal to be 7.8 tonnes per cubic metre.[50] Additionally, a cubic box surrounding the tower (324m x 125m x 125m) would contain 6,200 tonnes of air, almost as much as the iron itself. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7.1 in) because of thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.

At the time the tower was built many people were shocked by its daring shape. Eiffel was accused of trying to create something artistic without regard to engineering. However, Eiffel and his engineers, as experienced bridge builders, understood the importance of wind forces and knew that if they were going to build the tallest structure in the world they had to be certain it would withstand them. In an interview with the newspaper Le Temps (Paris) of 14 February 1887, Eiffel said:[52]

Now to what phenomenon did I give primary concern in designing the Tower? It was wind resistance. Well then! I hold that the curvature of the monument’s four outer edges, which is as mathematical calculation dictated it should be … will give a great impression of strength and beauty, for it will reveal to the eyes of the observer the boldness of the design as a whole.

Maintenance of the tower includes applying 50 to 60 tonnes (49 to 59 long tons; 55 to 66 short tons) of paint every seven years to protect it from rust. The height of the Eiffel Tower varies by 15 cm (5.9 in) due to temperature.

Transport

The nearest Paris Métro station is Bir-Hakeim and the nearest RER station is Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel.[56] The tower itself is located at the intersection of the quai Branly and the Pont d’Iéna. Popularity

More than 250 million people have visited the tower since its construction in 1889: in 2012 there were 6,180,000 visitors.[2] The tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world.[57] An average of 25,000 people ascend the tower every day which can cause long queues.[58] Tickets can be purchased online to avoid long queues.[59] Restaurants

The tower has two restaurants: Le 58 tour Eiffel, on the first floors and the Le Jules Verne, a gourmet restaurant on the second floor, with a private lift. This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide. It is run by the multi-Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse[60] and owes its name to the famous science-fiction writer Jules Verne.