#there are no shows that emotionally devastate me as much as those two do

[anarchypumpkincowboy]

what if i rewatched black sails AND the magicians to add incredible emotional distress to distract me from the irl emotional and physical stress I’m in

[queenofmalkier]

Moiraine being 70 vs 40

(Alright this one took me a minute because corralling my thoughts is a challenge in the best of times.)

To begin with I will admit... I am one of the people who was indifferent towards the age change in the beginning. They're Aes Sedai, they live nice, long lives, and I wasn't like, emotionally attached to a younger, canon-aged Moiraine. It does make her early years more poignant, but I'll touch on that later.

Primed for older Moiraine, the show started and after two seasons I can safely say I am so gung-ho for 70 year old Moiraine I might actually be feral.

Here's why I, personally, think it was an excellent choice: Rosamund Pike is 44 as of writing this, so she visibly fits into the book age. As an audience nobody is really questioning her age - a few show-onlys I watched season 1 with actually remarked on how refreshing it was to see an older female character allowed to just exist and be part of the narrative without trying to sex up and/or grandma-ize the role.

Little Did They Know.

So you've got an audience that's mostly accepting of this character being in her 40s, and then you hit them with "Oh she's 70 and lets explore just how horrific that fact actually is together, it'll be fun!"

It was not fun, it was gutting.

One of my main critiques of the book has always been how we have these long-lived women, powerful women... but we never really take much of a look at the reality of that concept. Nor are we given POV characters who are really old enough to remark on it. Pevara at least thinks about her family, but Cadsuane doesn't give two figs about hers.

And here's the thing... they're Aes Sedai, but they're still human. What happens to them as they get older, but the people who fill their life are the ones aging? How does it feel to watch a mother, a sister, a child, friends, acquaintances, EVERYONE succumb to time in a way you won't for a very long time after?

That has to be impactful and I wanted to see those stories - and the show delivered. Seeing Moiraine with Anvaere? Chilling, horrifying, heartbreaking. Liandrin and her boy? A kick in the teeth. Even Alanna with her family, knowing very well she's probably the oldest one sitting at that table.

The point is, being an Aes Sedai means being powerful and respected, but it also means living through a very specific kind of suffering and trauma. They're basically vampires in terms of lifespan and we should see how that shapes them.

In regards to Moiraine being older and therefore not basically a child during the foretelling, it does change that particular hit... but by no means did the show let the viewers not understand how that moment altered Moiraine's life forever.

Instead of her being sort of an unformed girl hardened and honed by a lifetime of searching for Rand, one who never got much chance to be anything else, we get a woman who was already beginning to build her life, who had achieved the shawl, found love, and was exactly where she wanted to be.

And then all of that is taken from her.

It's devastating to watch the double-barreled whammy of Siuan and Moiraine giggling about being fishwives and walking into what was in many ways their deaths. Because the Moiraine and Siuan they were before walking into that room were gone forever. They would never be able to go back to the women they were before. They never even had a chance to mourn that loss. Moiraine went hunting and Siuan set her sights on the Amyrlin Seat.

I do understand for a lot of people her age is a sticking point, and that is completely fair and valid! It's a change that I fully agree did not need to be made... but by making that change we're given such a stark insight into the lives of older Aes Sedai who are just beginning to experience what it means to outlive everyone they know, watching one by one as cherished friends and family members pass on.

Soon all they have left are the children and grandchildren of those people, fractured mirrors that are just enough of a hint at the original that it must be painful to know them - which explains even further why so many Aes Sedai cut off contact entirely with their families. It's too painful to keep them in their lives.

[popquizhot-shot]

O my gosh do you think you can do a Miguel x teen reader. Where the reader has been in a depressed mood lately and no one can figure out what's wrong till they reveal that their headphones broke on their last mission and it was the last thing their remaining family member gave to them before they died and they blaime themselves for not being more careful with them.

Headphones-Miguel O’Hara x teen!reader.

As someone who’s emotionally attached to her heradpjones yes I can and will write this. Thank you all so much for the love and support from my last post! I’ll be taking a short break after this and I hope you all like it! Please comment and reblog if you do :D love you<3333

Warnings: Implied Hobie brown x reader; mostly fluff dw, crying.

ART BY THE AMAZING @thattripleabattery

“Is it just me, or is something off about her?” Miles nods towards you who is sitting all alone away from and sipping juice desolately as they all listen to Miguel’s newest monthly goal meeting.

“Something looks off about her, like something’s missing.” Gwen narrows her eyes at your figure.

You just keep nodding at intervals and try to pay attention but all you can think about are the headphones your brother had given you.

You considered them an extension of you, going so far as to even sometimes wear them during light missions while you waited for the threat to show up.

Your last mission had been gruelling, so bad to the point that both Jess and your dad had suggested you take a break from fighting to recuperate.

You were so devastated on the inside, all you did was just nod.

You knew that Miguel knew you were off. It was obvious that you joked less and acted tired. Not to mention the little amount of sleep you got.

It was stupid really, all this drama over a pair of headphones. Yet, they were the last connection you had to your brothers and it felt like you had truly lost your family when they broke into two.

Your mind was literally empty as you nodded at whatever Miguel was saying. You just dipped your juice and kept zoning in and out. It felt wrong that they weren’t there around your neck where they usually were.

Miguel started to notice your constant fidgeting and the way your hands kept rubbing your neck. He had also noticed your dull nature and the way your sweet smile stopped making its way onto your face.

Even to his lamest dad jokes, you’d respond with a huff and small twist of your lips.

As he wrapped up the plan, his eyes flit to yours and he saw you still nodding, your eyes glassy.

He takes a deep breath, “Dismissed, all of you leave. Now.”

The shuffle of chairs fills the room as everyone files out one by one.

He says your name, “Stay back.” And turns around to look at the hologram.

Miles and Gwen look at each other and then at you, who breathes in and nods without a word.

Once everyone has left, he turns back around to find you looking at him with your hands behind your back.

“What happened?” He asks and you sign.

“Nothing.”

“It’s rude to lie.”

“Manners maketh man and all that jazz.” You reply with a roll of your eyes.

“Seriously.” He raises his eyebrow and his hand rests on your shoulder, “You okay?”

“Yeah, god I’m fine! I was just an irresponsible shit and I broke my headphones.”

His eyebrows furrow, “The ones your brother gave you?”

You clench your jaw and nod, eyes smarting as you struggle not to cry at the thought.

He shrugs, “They’re just headphones, kid. You can always get another.”

You just scoffed, “Yeah, I know.”

“I mean, you get it right?”he tips his down to make a point.

“Yeah, yeah whatever.” You smile wryly and turn away so that he can miss the tear forming in your eye, “Cool, I’ll uh catch you later boss man.”

He stares after your retreating figure with remorse, did he say something wrong?

“You dumb idiot.” Lyla pops up.

“What?” He snarls, whirling to look at her.

“She was really attached to those headphones, Miguel.”

“She can always get new ones, Lyla. I’m getting them for her anyway.”

“Miguel it’s as if her brother died all over again.” Lyla replies firmly, “She’s hurting, ans you made her feel worse.”

Miguel hangs his head, “Shit.”

The last thing he wanted to do was hurt you, but after years of shutting himself out, he didn’t understand people’s feelings like he used to, and he wanted with every fibre of his being to cheer you up, and he managed to screw it up.

“You need to go apologise and fix this.” Lyla points towards the doorway.

——————-

“It’s okay. Let it all out.” Hobie’s soothing voice is calming as his hand travels up and down your back to soothe you.

You breathe deeply before letting out another broken sob that only makes you more embarrassed, and in front of Hobie of all people. The guy just oozed absolute “don’t care” energy while still simultaneously being one of the most caring people you’d ever met.

Your apologies are hushed and he takes your face between his hands and wipes your tears from your cheeks, “You look pretty even when you cry.”

You roll your eyes, “Shut up.”

You hug him again, “Thank you.”

“I know what it’s like to lose something like that, and I’m sorry. But I know you will get over it and I salute you for being so brave.” He winks, “I’ve gotta run, catch you later.”

He quickly kisses your forehead and dashes off, leaving you stunned. After a few moments, a smile makes its way onto your puffy face.

“I’m going to kill that kid.” Miguel seethes as he watches from the camera.

———-

You were exhausted after a long day of training and you couldn’t wait to just go and fall asleep in your quarters.

The door swung open easily and your eyes flitted to the shabbily wrapped present on your bed. The bed that was unmade in the morning but was miraculously made and cleaned now.

Your eyes narrow as you tear away the wrapping to find a near identical pair of headphones to the ones that broke and your eyes widen in shock as you hold them up in front of you.

There’s a post-it stuck to the wrapping paper and you read the note that is unmistakably written by Miguel. You can recognise his chicken scratch handwriting.

“Im sorry for hurting your feelings this morning. And I hope this makes up for it. Don’t blame yourself, it was an accident and accidents happen. Im proud that you learnt your mistake and that you act so wise for your age, despite the fact that you decide to go to a weird British punk spider for advice, I am still proud of you. No es tu culpa, none of this is your fault.

Love,

Dad.”

—————-

“She seems to be in a much better mood today.” Gwen nudges Miles.

“She’s smiling and trying to get him to laugh.” Miles grins at your antics.

“Wait her headphones! They were missing, they’re back around her neck, that’s probably why she was in a shitty mood!” Pavitr reasons as Gwen nods in agreement.

“Are the three of you paying attention?” Miguel looks pointedly at the three kids and his glare then falls in Hobie who is seated next to you.

“Everyone dismissed!”

As everyone files out he says yet again, “Hobart, stay back.”

[queenpinesofdomino]

You know why the conversation between Sally and Poseidon is so good and has us losing our shit?

Because of ✨context✨.

I feel like these days the majority of the scenarios don't show you the way the character feel but just the way that they act. Which sometimes those two things are different. Do you know where was the last time that a show showed us well written context behind actions and words? In that kiss scene in Good Omens.

The conversation between Sally and Poseidon is so amazing because it appears that it's just two parents talking about the future of their child, which it is, but it also turns into a conversation between a couple who still loves one another but for reasons can't be together.

Let me show you how I analysed this moment.

So here Poseidon is stating a fact. That Sally doesn't want to sent Percy away and she's responding truthfully that she doesn't. The context behind her multiple no's is :

No Im not ready to separate from him yet

No I don't like the idea of him being away from me

No I can't lose him yet because i feel it'll be like losing you again.

And now you'll say "where do you get the last one from pines?

From here.

"Tell me why" I believe has a double meaning as a sentence.

1 tell me why you can't lose him yet and get it out of your system

and

2 tell me you still love me and miss me

The way he said it with much longing and so strained, in my opinion, that I feel the context behind it is:

"Tell me why you can't lose him. Tell me that you see me in our son. Tell me you miss me because I can't tell you how I feel."

Thats why Sally says "you don't wanna hear why" and if you watch carefully youll see them chuckling a little.

She says "you don't wanna here because if I tell you we both know you'll drop everything and come to me and that can't happen."

I don't have the full subtitle here but Poseidon says

"but you have no one to say it to, and maybe that's the most unfair part of it"

Meaning you don't have any one else who understands what's like to raise a demigod and also you don't have any one else to lean on, to listen and comfort you when things get rough. And that's unfair because I want to be here for you.

And then he says the line that's literally my new roman empire

"YOU SAY IT AND I WILL LISTEN"

(screaming in a pillow)

Context "I will drop everything and come to you if you tell me to. You call me and I'll be here in seconds just like I did now"

I can't this is killing me..

Then we have Sally turning the subject again on Percy with the "I want him to know who he is, before your family tells him who they want him to be" only to counter it with

"he is better than that" and context wise I'm sure she says "you are also better than that. Than them."

I think that, because the camera points at Poseidon at than moment and the when Sally says " he has better things in him than that" she takes a little credit for her contribution into who Percy is, which honestly fuck yeah girly you deserve all the credit, and that's when the camera points at her.

Then Poseidon starts explaining her how the situation is going to be and how it'll be for both her and Percy and he finishes with this

Which also has me screaming and crying on the floor because so far is the closed he's got to look at her. So far he looks down or up front.

And he's so poud of her and I'm... I can't.... He loves her so much......

And because it's obviously a very sensitive sudject emotionally for Sally who's trying to move on or to focus on her child she changes the subject (kinda) again by asking Poseidon

And here we start seeing context purely for Poseidon

I can't post more pictures, but he turns and side looks at Percy and you can seeee that he's considering it very much. He almost says yes. It's so tempting and devastating for him. Only for Zeus to throw that thunder. At first i thought it was Poseidons thunder (as stormbringer) to represent his inner conflict but while I was waiting for it to be heard I noticed that it took to long and that his face didnt show resignation until after it struck. So I strongly believe that, that was Zeus warning him about interving.

And thus we reach the ending monologue where Poseidon states that when Percy is ready, as his mother sees fit he will be at his sons side supporting him as he very much wants.

I swear the context here is so good I'm gonna be thinking about it for days.

Now I'm gonna cry watching Sally/Poseidon edits on the clock up because I physically can't :')

[stars-n-spice]

So, this is it, huh?

I figured the least I could do was write something down before shit goes down because I know after tomorrow I don't think I'll be emotionally available to do or say much about the show and what it and the fanbase means to me.

The last few days, my mind has been a whirlwind of emotions and I don't think I've ever really suspended my disbelief since it was announced that this would be the last season.

I felt like Po honestly, in Kung Fu Panda 2, when he's like "But I just got Kung Fu!" when they're talking about Lord Shen making that weapon that straight-up kills people who practice Kung Fu (I'm going somewhere with this just bear with me-) because I'm fairly new to the animated shows of Star Wars fandom and didn't start hyperfixating on Bad Batch until midway through Season 2 while those episodes were still releasing.

So when they announced that the 3rd season was the final season I was devastated. "What do you mean no more Bad Batch? I just got Bad Batch!" - I didn't want to believe it.

But here we are. Final season. Final episode.

I can't describe how the obsession started. It just did.

When the first season was coming out, I was still on Season 6 of TCW, so I got into it a little late. Then when it was over I immediately jumped into watching Rebels and became utterly obsessed with that show while Bad Batch just stayed, "Oh, neat show I watched."

Then the second season came out. I don't know how or when or why but suddenly something just went off in my brain and I became obsessed. I became attached. I fell in love with Wrecker in a way that I've never once felt or experienced towards any other fictional character, or person for that matter. I grew to understand Crosshair on a deeper level that made my heart ache for him and made me reflect on my own past and choices. Echo became a comfort character and an anchor in my life in where he's the first thing I think of when I'm down to put myself in a better mood. Suddenly I was ready to give Omega the universe and everything good in it. Tech became a lifelife (ironically) a hope that despite how I am and who I am, I'm capable of loving and being loved. And recently I've become so incredibly attached to Hunter because as the oldest child of five as well, I know that crushing weight of responsibility. Of failing your siblings. Of trying to be better.

This squad. This family. Cheesy as it is, I can't describe what they mean to me but Force, I'll try.

Recently I've been wondering why I'm so attached to this show and these characters. Jokingly, part of it is yes, the Bad Batch are lovely to look at and that does play a role in why I enjoy watching the show so much, but that's not completely it.

I think I speak for a lot of us fans when I say that I didn't fit in as a kid. I still don't even as an 'adult.' Look, I'm a biracial guy from two VERY different cultures that don't feel like home to me. On top of that, half of the time I don't know how to identify myself in gender and sexuality because I don't feel either most of the time. I'm introverted. I have anxiety. I probably have autism. I'm a burnt-out former gifted kid. I quite simply don't fit in.

"No, I'll stay. You guys don't fit in here either."

That? Yeah.

This show is for all those kids. Everyone who never fit in. Everyone who was told they were strange or weird, for the kids who ate glue in the back of the classroom, who were told they were too loud, who were put down because they didn't express emotion a certain way, for the kids who sat alone at lunch, who got left behind in their friend groups, for the kids who felt like they had no one so turned to harmful things, for the kids who were told they were special only to be discarded later in life, for the kids who don't know their place, don't know where they fit in and if they even do or ever will.

It's a show that tells those kids you're more than that. You're worth it. You're worth loving. You're worth protecting. You're worth the second chance. You're worth being loyal to. You're worth teaching. You're worth forgiving. You're worth it. You're worth it. You're worth it.

In the end there's hope for us. There's hope for all of us. And I think that's why I cling to tightly to this show. Why it means so much to me. Why I so desperately need these characters to make it out alive.

It's what Star Wars was from the start. About hope. About family. About loving and being loved and learning to love despite your circumstances. It's a show that took a bunch of neurodivergent absolute daddies and packed in so much angst but also feel-good moments with stunning animation, beautiful, moving music, and phenomenal voice acting. It's a show I can't help but love and love immensely because it feels like it was written for me.

For that kid who spent their recesses with their nose buried in an animal encyclopedia or talking to imaginary characters from their favorite books. For that kid who always felt so utterly useless and hopeless whenever they got less than an A- for a grade because they were supposed to be the gifted one. For the kid who struggled so much to be the older sibling they never asked to be. For the kid who just wants to find someone, anyone, who will love them as they are and fight for them. For the kid who valued loyalty above all else, always has, always will, and never gets it in return. For the kid who never fit in.

And well, whatever happens in the finale, I'm so grateful, so blessed, and so honored to have been a part of this journey with all of you.

[honestlywtf04]

𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡

warning: mention of death/car crash, sad!vinnie, nudity, crying (not sobbing), brief mention of different mental illnesses

summary: the passing of his ex-girlfriend led to him being afraid that you are going to leave him one day for good. you love him, but does he believe that?

ignore any mistakes. also big thank to @chicovinniehacker for helping me with this 😚🫶

he isn't a sexual person when it comes to you, or when it comes to anyone as a matter of fact. sure, he loves when you both end up naked in the sheets making love to each other. but it doesn't happen as often as most people would think. to him, sex isn't something that is needed to show he cares.

he reminds you daily that he loves you, you can never get enough of those three simple words "i love you." he suffers a lot from depression, anxiety and ptsd, with the constant fear of you leaving him, or that maybe you'll end up dying suddenly. his past girlfriend is the main cause of this, she left him for a man she called "better", two weeks later, he got a call by her mom saying that his former girlfriend's car got crashed into and she tragically didn't make it.

it was devastating, he cared so much for her. he got into a heated argument with her "boyfriend" about her death, blaming each other when neither of them were the reason she passed away.

he never questioned his love for you, he knows he loves you. 13 years of friendship that he's glad never went away. you've been there with him through thick and thin, you helped him mentally and emotionally. he's so happy, so proud of you for dealing with someone 'like him.'

every moment he spent with you, he realized he took you for granted. he never saw how beautiful you were, he never realized how much you care, he never realized how much he loved you.

he gives thanks his late ex-girlfriend- her death was hard for him. he doesn't hate her, that can't be farther from the truth. she was an easily influenced person, someone who falls in love quickly and it took him years to realize that.

"i'm sorry vin but i found someone else, bye."

he lives in fear that one day, you'll do the same as her. he doesn't realize that you don't see yourself with anyone else but him, you always wanted him, now you have him and you are never letting go. he doesn't believe that because he doesn't allow himself to believe it.

he's still struggling, you can see it. the most you can do is be there for him constantly assure him.

"i love you, you know that right?" you whisper to him, he sighs.

"i know you do," he whispers back and softly places a kiss on your lips. "and i love you too, more than you can ever imagine."

"you don't have to worry about me not being here with you. there is only one place i wanna be, and it's wherever you're at," you caress his cheek and wipe a tear that slips its way out of his eye. "i know it's hard for you to accept that, and i understand. i want you to know, you and i, are never gonna end."

he swallows the lump in his throat and let's out a shakey breath. "i wanna feel you please." you smile and take off your shirt, along with your shorts and every piece of clothing until you're fully naked. he does the same. he gets on top of you and lays his head on your chest, listening to your heart beat.

his arms make their way to your back and makes sure he can touch as much as possible, not in a sexual matter. he loves the feeling of your skin on his, it shows him that you are here, you are alive, with him.

your hand softly rubs his naked back, feeling his skin get goosebumps from your touch. your other hands goes to his hair, scratching his scalp while playing with his dirty blonde curls.

his hair was soft between your fingers as you scratched his head, cradling him closer for him to feel that you were here, as you promised.

"i'm here for you, you know that don't you?" you softly ask him. he takes a few seconds before taking a deep breath and saying, "i think so."

it's a process, he's getting better and that's all you ever want. he loves you, and you love him.

[bonnefeta]

I recently saw a tiktok talking about which of the Fallout protagonists people most prefer, in light of the fact the Fallout show is coming out soon ish.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the most popular answer was the courier, which makes sense because New Vegas is a masterpiece, but also a lot of people talked about liking their backstory being less scripted.

Like compared to the lone wanderer or the sole survivor there isn’t like a cut scened backstory about your family or anything, the courier just pops up with a blank slate you can imagine however you want.

I totally get that, don’t get me wrong I love New Vegas, but having thought about it I do find the journey of the sole survivor and the lone wanderer effected me a lot more.

Especially the lone wanderer who I reckon is probably my favourite.

The characters I remember from New Vegas often have very little to do with my character. Like I remember the NPCs I met but the courier is basically just my eyes and ears, a much more blank slate.

With Fallout 3 I remember feeling gut punched by a lot of those moments, leaving the vault for the first time, finding your father and then loosing him, they really hit emotionally because I’m invested in the story of my player character.

But the main one I want to focus on is one of the moments I’ve found most impactful across all the games I’ve played,

Leaving the vault for the 2nd time.

Now not everyone might have done this quest, I’m pretty sure I missed it on my first playthrough, but if you haven’t ever done it you absolutely need too.

After your father dies if you return to Megaton you can pick up a distress frequency from the Vault where you hear Amata (your old bff and one of my favourite minor characters) asking for your help specifically. Something has gone wrong back home and you need to came back to fix it.

So you toddle off back home, and either help (or hinder) the vault get through a mini civil war. For the purposes of this post we’ll go with help.

So you save the vault, Amata is now in charge and everyone is safe and sound again, thanks to you. You’ve managed to save your home.

But you can’t stay.

Amata breaks the news to you that even after everything you’ve done there’s too much bad blood for you to stay. People blame you for the chaos, the change it’s brought. Amata can lead them into a better future but you can’t be at her side while it happens.

So you leave.

You walk out the vault door again, and as it closes behind you and you head back out into the wasteland you’re alone again.

The first time I played it (and honestly every time since) I was hit with such a strange grief. Like a hollow sad feeling I wasn’t expecting. Loosing your father is sad but this felt more impactful to me for some reason.

Maybe it’s the one-two punch of it, like lose your father and lose your home. But I for me it’s always reminds of the quote “you can never go home again” by Thomas Wolfe.

I don’t know exactly why this concept has always stuck with me, like it’s just stuck in my brain and it never really leaves. Maybe it’s from moving inter-state when I was a kid, and a few times since. But that idea of wishing to go back to a place where things were better, where you were happier, only to go there and realise it’s not how you remembered, and that you don’t belong any more, I guess it hits home.

You’ve been cast out into the wasteland, gone from your relatively comfortable and happy home into a world of violence and chaos and horror, only to lose your father. You fail, your defeated by the enclave, you’re starting again after a devastating setback, and when you’re at your lowest you get just a crumb of hope.

You get to go home, back to that place, but it’s not the same. Even when you ‘fix it’, you end the violence, there’s still no place for you there.

You just don’t fit any more.

And so you leave, you’re alone again. There’s no going back to when things were better, and the road ahead is more than hard, it’s probably impossible and even if you do succeed life will still probably never be easy.

But the vault door is sealed behind you, there’s no where to go but forward.

I know this is reading so deeply into a very minor side quest from a game from 15 years ago, but I honestly think it’s some of Bethesda’s best storytelling and kind of criminally overlooked in all the new Fallout talk.

[ladysomething]

You said you wanted to hear everyone's reactions to Chapter 17, so here I am, and wow. . . I can't say I'm surprised with where they've ended up? Especially with your warnings of rock bottom incoming, but man if I'm not still devastated for both of them.

People have been wanting more honesty from Max, but I feel like this chapter just proved exactly why he's been so unwilling to come clean to Charles. Yes, the confession was certainly too little too late, but Charles saw him unraveling and went for the throat anyway, throwing all of Max's feelings and insecurities back in his face— which I think he would have done in some way even if Max had been honest earlier because there was no way he'd just believe him. There really hasn't been an ounce of trust between these two since the beginning and it SHOWS 🥲

I feel like there can be so much virtue signaling in media these days and it can water down some narratives because it's easier to have it all be black and white and pick one character to be "good" and assign another as "bad", but you've managed to create two complex and, ultimately, flawed characters who are both of these things and so much more, and each completely sympathetic in their own right. Like even when it hasn't been "right", I still completely understand what lead them to make those choices.

I know we still have some time in the trenches ahead of us, but I am very much looking forward to seeing these idiots both realize how much they've wronged each other so they can start building something real! 👏🏼

ps Max saying "You lied to me, it's not nice is it?" should not have been as hot as it was. . . like I could SEE the angry, cocky head tilt 🤭

pps the whole scene with all the alphas smelling his heat was so tense, and then Max mentioning that he heard what the others wanted to do to him— Charles just really had no idea what horrors Max's crazy rules have been shielding him from 😭

LAST PART, I SWEAR! I'm still not exactly sure what I think happened with Kelly, but it was obviously something that was devastating to Max and given how emotionally stunted he is and how little genuine care Charles has shown toward him, I don't blame him for not opening up about that yet. He probably just didn't want to make himself vulnerable, but he clearly didn't realize how terrible Charles assumed him to be 🥲🙃

honestly ... If Max had sat down with Charles at the beginning, Charles wouldn't have had anything to throw back in his face, but he certainly would never have believed him. I doubt it would have changed Charles' actions at all, really. After all, there's a reason Max said:

Christian sighs, then puts his hand on Max’s shoulder and squeezes. “I know you think that doing all this is better than being honest,” he says. “But is it really what’s best for Charles?” 

Max shakes Christian’s hand off his shoulder, standing up and pulling away from him. 

“You don’t know Charles like I do,” he snaps, arm crossing tightly over his chest. “Trust me, he’ll think that the truth is worse than this.” 

and thank you for the note about the characters. they are both incredibly complex, right and wrong in their own ways, good and bad in their own ways. they are products of their respective environments and desires, and personally exploring their morality is one of my favourite parts of this fic.

Max leaning against the car ..... tight white shirt ... sunglasses on .... getting the upper hand over Charles ................ if so toxic, why so hot??

[arabian-bloodstream]

HOTD S01E10 thoughts

Well, I thought the finale was awesome. Also, apparently, Rhaenyra is TOTALLY my favorite character, not Daemon, LOL!

- Emma D’arcy is amazing. Period.

- Sorry, ya’ll, but I completely understood where Daemon was coming from throughout the whole thing. He was like YAAAAS, I finally have a reason to take these motherfuckers down, go to war on Otto and his bootlickers after nearly 20 years. YAAS!!!! Woohoo!!

- Why, why, why would he even remotely want to be there when Rhaenrya was going through that childbirth which could possibly lead to her death when he loves her so much when he went nearly through the same thing with Laena who he didn’t love even remotely near like? Daemon has shown in the past that he does, you know, like cowardly shit. He runs when it’s too much. This is like the ZENITH of way, way, waaaaaaaaaay too much. Of course, his ass wasn’t there.

- As for Daemon choking her, duh! four things:

1. That was all about Viserys and Daemon’s major, major issues about Viserys. Never being good enough for Viserys. Viserys never choosing him for anything. Finding out that he had been heir to the throne for how many freaking years and Viserys had NEVER told him this HUGE fucking thing? And to find this out the day or so after Viserys died, so he can’t even have a good vent to Viserys about it because he’s still dealing with his major grief over Viserys, you know, dying.

2. Daemon is dealing with a shit-ton of emotional shit. A) Viserys, the brother he deeply loved, died. B) He just lost his baby. C) His wife’s throne was just usurped. D) He’s all hepped up on YAAAAAS! I can finally kill Otto and Crispin and all of those other cunts who have annoyed me for years!!

3. Daemon hurt her physically. And then Rhaenyra gave it right back emotionally. Did you see her reaction once he let go? She was all (with a smile on her face, no less) “You didn’t know? Hahahahaha! He never told you!!” Yeah, she hit back at him where it fucking hurt!

Yeah, these two fucking fight dirty as fuck!

4. Daemon Targaryen is NOT an anti-hero. He can be a monster. He can be a bad guy who does a lot of really, really bad things. Yes, he loves his family. Yes, he does, but he is not some woobie. He does really awful, terrible shit. That be who Daemon is. This is NOT out of character for him. No, sireebob!

- Rhaenyra making sure that Rhaena and Baela were part of the war council discussion... chef’s kiss.

- I love Jace. That is all.

- Every moment with Luke made my heart hurt because I knew what was coming.

- The contrast to the birth episode from the first episode compared to this one, gah. All the awards for Emma D’Arcy. ALL. THE. AWARDS. Throughout the labor, pulling out the stillbirth baby girl, holding her, wrapping her up. Gah. And even Daemon coming upon her and unable to come in because it was too much for him and then his grief on his own out in the waves. My heart!! Gosh, it was devastating.

- Vhargar is huge. Aemond is fucking evil. I hate him. I know, he didn’t mean to kill Luke, but still!

- Rhaenrya tried so hard for peace. She. Tried. So. FUCKING HARD. And Daemon was such... ugh, he kept acting like he was in charge, and some of the looks she was giving him like, “Fucker, I AM THE QUEEN, dude!” And then likewise when she wouldn’t let him kill Otto, he was all, “but, but, but.... I wanna! Why won’t you let me kill me him?!?!?” (And, honestly, I was thinking same. “Rhaenyra... let Daemon kill Otto!!”)

- Ooh, I loved the callback to Daemon and Otto facing off on the Dragonstone walkway and then here comes Rhaenrya on Syrax. And this time, Rhaenyra was WITH Daemon. So cool.

- Finally, oh, I LOVED when Ser Erryk brought out the crown, knelt and declared himself loyal to the Queen, said his vows. Oh, I was all verklempt. Then Daemon put the crown upon Rhaenyra’s head, called her “My Queen” and then knelt before her. And all followed suit. That was great.

Really, I think if the showrunners had known how well the show as going to do they would have stretched things out more and THAT would have been the end of the season. It would have been a fantastic contrast the to previous episode’s end, and such an awesome end to the episode and season. Ah well.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic episode. Emma D’Arcy was really the MVP. Just fantastic. Ep 9 was meh, but this one was awesome. Can’t wait to rewatch it on Sunday night!

[hopeymchope]

"Rascal Does Not Dream" Double Feature review-ish thoughts

I attended the North American "Rascal Does Not Dream" double feature (subtitled edition) yesterday on March 24th. This was one of those Fathom Event things, and it served as the official North American premiere for both Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out and Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid. At 73 minutes apiece, they're pretty damn short for movies... but I've seen even shorter in the anime world, weirdly enough. These would be the second and third movies after the "Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai" 12-episode series and its first movie sequel, 2019's Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl.

If you're completely unaware of this series, I implore you to ignore its admittedly awful titling convention. This is all based on a set of Japanese novels revolving around teenage (ofc) protagonists Sakuta Azusagawa and Mai Sakurajima as they contend with the bizare phenomenon that's come to be called "Puberty Syndrome" (sometimes called "Adolescence Syndrome"), in which the emotions of teenagers/pre-teens/young adults are able to somehow affect reality via quirks of theoretical quantum physics. So in this world, if someone wishes they could redo a bad experience? They might start looping said experience ala Groundhog Day. If someone feels two sides of their personality are diametrically opposed? They could literally split into two separate versions of themselves. Only somehow resolving the underlying issue can fix these bizarre sci-fi events.

The first four arcs of the TV series could be described as "A boy is made to understand and empathize with how hard it is to grow up female." After that, starting with the final arc of the TV series and up through these movies, you could describe the story as "A boy is made to understand and empathize with people who struggle with disabilities." I have tons of respect for how the series is basically all about trying to provide deeper understanding/sympathy for everyone around us.

I'm an anime-only plebe who hasn't read the books these are based on or the manga adaption, so that obviously will affect my view of the story. With that said...

Sister Venturing Out is basically the emotional sequel to the TV series' final arc, the "Sister Home Alone" story. That one contains an emotional sequence that has made me cry on MULTIPLE viewings, which I consider to be some of the highest possible praise. I have to say that Sister Venturing Out has a similarly devastating scene that flips the script on what was so painful in "Sister Home Alone" and effectively shows the pain of the OPPOSITE side of the relationship. So: major props. It's a slow-build sort of tale without the tension inherent to some of the franchise's arcs — the central gimmick of "Puberty Syndrome" barely plays a role here — but it works well at delivering on emotional payoffs and character moments. I previously felt that "Sister Home Alone" was the most emotionally intense story in the series, but Sister Venturing Out is an easy rival to it.

Knapsack Kid, on the other hand, is all about Puberty Syndrome business and the suspense of how to resolve it. Unfortunately, I don't think it works nearly as well as Sister Venturing Out because it's so clearly in need of a longer runtime to flesh out its ideas. As the story stands here, the existence of the titular "Knapsack Kid" is never even remotely explained! Series fans know that we usually expect Rio Futaba to provide some kind of quantum theory that suits the weirdness occuring, but Rio only shows up long enough to vaguely hand-wave the reality-warping shenanigans at play. Nobody ever provides any justification for why Sakuta is being guided by an all-knowing childhood version of his girlfriend. How does she know so much about what's happening? How can she jump between... realities or timelines or whatever she's doing? Why her, and more importantly, why her as a child? Shouldn’t the CHILD version of Mai know LESS about this stuff? Normally, the series would have fun explaining this; here, they want us to stop thinking and just feel it. And admittedly, the emotional moments are still pretty strong. I just think I would've felt them harder if I understood more about how and why this was all happening.

Although the series has always had its emotional moments in each story arc, the fact that these two stories have so little room to breathe means we lose out on a lot of the humor and witty dialogue that the TV series managed. There's still some of it in here; it's just not as common because we don't really have much time to spare onn comedy.

We do, however, seem to have time to spare on setting up future stories! Two plot threads are set up that do not pay off in these films but instead are events for the upcoming "University Arc." A little tease at the end of the second movie (after the post-credits scene; don't miss out on that) says that "Animation Production is Confirmed" for the University Arc — whatever the hell that means. A new TV season? There are four books so far in the "University Arc," so that seems possible. A bunch more movies? It definitely implies something longer than just one additional film. Whatever this turns out to be, I look forward to it.

[theflyindutchwoman]

I’m piggy backing off our 5x20 anon cause I read your answer and I had thoughts and I was gonna comment on the post but I thought it might be too long 😂

Anyway, I’m really interested to see what they do with Lucy’s UC (long term ops) but on one hand I can see that she really does love UC, but I don’t necessarily believe her when she says she’ll be fine being gone for 6months to a year. She’ll absolutely be good at the work aspect of it, but emotionally being away for that long I don’t think she could handle. She was like almost devastated at the thought of not seeing Tim every day and their shifts not syncing up when she was going to transfer and again when they were discussing the detective vs metro hours. You could see how much she hated the idea of being away from him, and yet she’s gonna be okay not seeing or speaking to him while under for a long time? Idk it just doesn’t sit with me. It doesn’t seem in her character.

And then with Tim — I firmly believe when he asked her out, he already knew she was going UC and probably was already mentally preparing. He knew from the jump what being with Lucy would entail. So I do believe him when he says he’ll be fine. Cause knowing Tim, he thought it all before asking her out and taking that chance with her.

So how interesting would it be if it ends up being flipped. She’s not okay with it but he is, in a way — cause he really won’t be fine fine but he’ll manage cause he loves her.

You know what I mean?

Also I have a feeling it’ll go something like — she does a semi long op between 6a and 6b and comes back realizing she doesn’t like long term and just stays doing short term for a while and then stopping when her and Tim get married and eventually have kids. Cause that’s also what she wants and I highly doubt she’d want to still be doing UC like that once they’re married and have tiny humans and all that.

But also I want Lucy to have whatever career she wants lol she’s a badass.

Disclaimer : this is going to be a very long post… So hopefully Tumblr doesn't eat the 'keep reading' line. Also, I know how polarising the undercover discourse can be, so remember, those are just my two cents.

This is exactly why I hope we get to see Lucy on a long term assignment soon. So that she can find out if UC is truly something she enjoys doing and something she can handle. With all its ups and downs. Not just the part of playing a different character for a few days/weeks : this, she manages without trouble. I'm talking about the separation, the anxiety, always being on edge, the lies and deception, leaving the people you love behind (including the ones she might get attached to while undercover)… All the things she has been told about but hasn't really get to live yet. She needs to experience this to determine if that can be compatible with what she wants in life. The catch is she has to be a full-time undercover agent first. But she deserves to give it a try. Actually, more than that : she owes it to herself to try. Maybe she will decide that it's not for her (at least not long term UC)… Or maybe she will love it...

I think part of the reason why this seems out of character is because we don't really know why Lucy loves undercover work so much, what really attracted her to this line of work in the first place… The fact that the show has often portrayed it in an unflattering light doesn't help at all… It just creates a bigger dissonance. However, we need to remember that she is just starting her career, she's still figuring things out… Up until she joined the Academy, she didn't know what to do with her life. These are her words on the topic : Being a cop is the first thing I've ever been serious about… (1.04) I've been adrift since college, trying on different hats and different personalities, and nothing's felt right, until… Until this. (3.10) That's her whole driving force here : she finally found something she loves, that has meaning to her. That is so important. Even better : she is fully supported in that endeavor, including by people whose very lives got turned upside down by undercover work. We saw how much she loves the danger. It's not a coincidence that she asked Tim if he ever wished he had a normal job. Both of them can't fathom being anything else. Playing different roles is something she clearly likes and so far, only undercover work can give that to her. It's also the only department that showed an interest to her… At the end of the day, this is what makes her feel fulfilled, so I understand why she wants to pursue it and thinks she can handle it.

And maybe she can! Lucy is often underestimated, but she always proves herself. Don't get me wrong, I agree with your assessment : she did look rather devastated at the idea of spending less time with Tim… And yet, that didn't deter her one bit. She was still ready to move to another station. She still went along with the five-player trade despite Nyla's warning that the Metro hours were brutal. She was still studying for the detective's exam. Obviously there's a big difference between seeing less of each other and being completely separated for months. But my point is, she was still ready to make the sacrifice for Tim and she doesn't seem to regret it. She may not like the idea of being away, of not talking to him (and her friends) for months but that doesn't necessarily mean she can't handle it. Those are quite two different things. Wanting a family and a job that takes you away from your loves ones might seem contradictory, but she's not the first woman who finds herself in this conundrum. And notice how in the first two cases (moving in another station + Metro), she was fine with the trade-off (spending less time with Tim) because it meant that he would get to do something he loves, something he would find rewarding. If UC is that for her, then she deserves the same support.

As you mentioned, Tim absolutely knew about all of this and still decided that it was worth the risk. He was aware of her choice of career long before he even realised his feelings for her. From the moment she graduated, he's been nothing but supportive towards her goal. He was the one to convince her to go to the UC Academy. He asked her out mere days/weeks after she last went under (seriously, that was the episode right before). Undercover work is even the reason why they got together in the first place… which is so ironic when you think about it. When he said they were worth taking the risk, he meant it. Just like when he told Isabel that Lucy was different, I have no doubt he also meant it. He has some experience in the matter, he has some inklings as to what being separated for months truly means. Now it can be a hindrance, since it could trigger some bad memories - like we saw during her last undercover op. But it can also be an asset : he can learn from the past and avoid to make the same mistakes. I'd like to think that having both Tim and Nyla as her 'guardian angel' when she goes undercover is not just a happy happenstance. They both know the pitfalls of this job in a very different way and can guide Lucy on how to avoid them, to succeed where they previously failed. And let's not forget that he knows what's it like not to be supported… Ashley was trying to make him quit his job - I can't see him doing it to Lucy. I believe that Tim's biggest challenge will be to express his feelings, since he tends to internalise them. That's why I'm glad that he and Lucy were able to set things straight, to set their boundaries. Like you, I also think he is going to be fine (under the circumstances), but it was an important step for them. They can only make it work if they're both honest and communicate with each other.

And hear me out : maybe they could be the ones to make it work! So far, with the exception of her first solo op, Tim has always been involved… and even then, he managed to insert himself in the equation. So maybe that could be an alternative : having Tim as her case officer. It's not like it's impossible : her last assignment was supposed to last weeks or months, and Grey didn't have an issue with Tim being Lucy's handler. It would also solve a lot of issues : they would still be in direct contact, he would be able to immediately know if something was wrong and raise the alarm if necessary and she has complete faith in him, so knowing he's the one who has her back would probably make her feel more comfortable. And apparently they are not against the casual hookup during their debriefing ;).

You know, sometimes I wonder if we are just over thinking it… The writers have been teasing us with this long term UC mission since s3 and so far, the longest period was the 2-week op she did in 3.14. That and the month away at the Academy if we want to make it count… So who knows if we are ever going to get one. Maybe the writers are just going to follow what NCIS LA did. I don't know if you are familiar with the show, but basically the agents had to often go undercover to solve a case… it ended up being mostly short assignments so the mission would fit in one episode - two in rare cases. A bit like Lucy has done until now. Also, her getting married or having kids doesn't have to mean the end of her career. She could still work undercover. She could be a case officer herself. Or coordinate/supervise UC missions. Or mentor new officers… You know, be in a leadership position, which would be perfect if that happens in a couple of years. Or maybe she can be recruited by another division like Porter suggested in 5.02.

I want Lucy to have whatever career she wants lol she’s a badass. YES! I couldn't agree more! That's why I'm a bit sad at the idea that she has to change her dream… All the other main characters got their dream job. Sure, that job doesn't take them away for a long period of time but hey, it's a show, they can find a way to make it work. In the end, I don't know if she'd enjoy long term UC… I understand why you think she won't : that definitely wouldn't have been my first choice of career for her. But regardless of my opinion on the matter, I just want her to be able to make that choice for herself, you know? To determine what's best for her, whether it's going forward with UC or doing something else. The only scenario I would completely hate is if that decision is taken away from her… That Primm blocks her. Like they did with Nolan and that Union guy… Because unlike with John, I doubt there would be a Golden Ticket waiting for her...

[hello-eeveev]

Self Rec Tag Game

tagged by @spottedenchants thank you!!!

Rules: Share five of your own fanworks (fic, art, etc.). Then, tag five more people to share the things they've made.

1.something you absolutely adore

On the Nature of Attraction

T, Essek/Caleb, 7.5k

What more can I say about this fic that I haven't already? It's a very vulnerable fic that came from a very vulnerable place. It means a lot to me, and I love that it seems to mean a lot to other people. Sometimes art is sending out a call and receiving the answer: you're not alone. That, and I truly do just like it. I like the story, I like the pacing, I like how I wrote Essek's inner monologue. Unironically, it's a banger.

2. something that was challenging to create

All Things End, All Things Change

T, Essek/Caleb, 2.8k

Fun fact: this is an entirely different fic from what I had intended it to be at the outset. I had been planning an Essek POV romp through Aeor where the main tension was pining that would culminate in hand-holding that's not explicitly romantic but they both kinda know what's going on. Instead I got Caleb POV emotionally devastating choice in Aeor where the main tension is pining for power that you know isn't worth the risk and for a past you can never return to. Does result in hand-holding though, so good for them :) One thing I learned in this fic (and re-learning in the current fic I'm working on) is that Caleb's darker moods are more difficult for me to write than, say, Essek's. And once I get that internal feeling down, it's hard to figure out how much of that should be revealed through dialogue, what exactly should be revealed, and how should it be revealed. It requires some real intentional thought, a lot of brain power and brain space, makes my dopamine-starved adhd brain go noooooo lol That said, I am particularly proud of how I explored why Caleb chose Essek and Essek alone to accompany him to the T-Dock. I think I hit on some tasty stuff there.

3. something that makes you laugh (or smile, if that fits more comfortably)

oh, by the way (also on tumblr with a small coda here)

G, Beau & Caleb, 932

This fic gives me a chuckle every time. It's got all the hits: empire siblings, Caleb playing a silly little prank, Beau's over-the-top reaction to said prank, the "Yasha doesn't get how Sending works" gag. Beau is a fun POV to write. I don't swear much in my day-to-day life and I am not prone to irritation or anger much at all, but those are pretty key to Beau's voice, especially in this little scenario I've crafted for her, so it was fun to play around in her headspace during this low-stakes, overdramatic moment she finds herself in.

4. something that surprised you (in how it turned out, how much other people liked it, etc.)

The Shadowhand Becomes A Baker

G, Essek/Caleb, 2.1k

My first critrole fic! This one surprised me in a couple of ways. Before this fic, I had thought that a beauyasha wedding one-shot I planned shortly after the c2 finale would be the first critrole fic I published, then I thought that I would re-spec a ramble about the relationship between Essek and the Bright Queen and publish that as my first critrole fic, then Ephred the Shadow Baker showed up and my twitter moots convinced me it was Essek in disguise (still holding on to that belief btw) and then I wrote this fic in 2-3 days before anyone else had the same idea. And I was so pleasantly surprised by how kind and eager shadowgast fic readers were! I had seen it ofc, but it's different to be on the receiving end. Before writing critrole fic, I had written some Fire Emblem fics that existed in corners that were far less active than shadowgast in general, much less shadowgast in 2021, so I had not been expecting such an enthusiastic response. It also surprised me that several people complimented my descriptions of the baked goods because at least two of them involved citrus in pastries, which is something I actually hate. I just pretended that someone might like them for the exact reason I hate them and really leaned in to everything I hate about cinnamon rolls that have orange in them. Turns out when you do that, you get some really vivid descriptions. So... writing tip, I guess?

5. something you want other people to see

How to Rest Chapter 1

G, Essek/Caleb, 3.2K

Shadowgast first date! This chapter makes me so soft! Back in my rom-com era! They have a picnic! They stargaze! Caleb flirts! Essek bluescreens! It is one of the joys of my life to make the wizards be awkwardly in love with each other (or, in this case, not quite in love yet, but on their way there), and this date is chock full of it. The hello and goodbye are two of my favorite moments. I really enjoy the imagery and how I conveyed the very blush-y, awkward first-date dynamic. I also love their conversation and Essek's subsequent introspection while they're stargazing. It's sweet and tender and layered, and I got to make a subtle nod to one of my favorite Fire Emblem games and the role that made me fall in love with Matt Mercer in the first place because sometimes two of your favorite ships are about people finding each other against all odds and who knows why their lives are intertwines, but man, are we glad they are.

tagging: @awesomefrogofawesome, @astrasia, @esseekthelyss, @quinn-of-aebradore, @cogsandsprings

[naranjapetrificada]

Good morning, crew mates.

Last night when I should have been asleep, I read about the rumored behind the scenes bullshit that tried to take our pirates away from us. This morning, I'm thinking about Batgirl and that Scooby-Doo film that both got canceled despite being almost complete. I'm thinking about Coyote vs. Acme. I'm thinking about Turner Classic Movies.

But also, because of my current WIP set in a similar (but OFMDified) world, I'm thinking about another IP owned by Warner Brothers now. One that even before Zaslav the Destroyer arrived, was canceled earlier than it was meant to be. One that was also groundbreaking in its own ways. One that's offering me a type of consolation in these trying times.

I'm thinking about HBO's Rome.

It was absolutely not perfect, especially around certain things to do with in-world consent and sexual assault. I'm not making this post to litigate that, though I will say that it was made in 2005, when we as a society certainly weren't having mature conversations about consent.

[Also that it was set in a society so patriarchal that daughters didn't receive their own given names, just names that said who their fathers were and designations that told you where they fell in the birth order (i.e. the daughters of Lucius Vorenus are named Vorena the Elder and Vorena the Younger).]

But it did pave the way for the sort of gritty, trope-inverting, epic series we saw different networks take a stab at in its wake. Many people say, correctly, that Rome walked so Game of Thrones could run. And yeah, GoT eventually ran right off a cliff, but the fact remains that networks, including HBO again, became willing to make large initial investments in shows with lavishly and lovingly detailed sets and costumes, top-notch casts, and beautiful but expensive effects in part because of the prestige and lasting praise for Rome.

So what does this have to do with OFMD? Besides being canceled after two seasons when there were plans for more, the way it redefined a setting and genre that previously felt stale, and the way people will probably talk about its unanticipated influence for years? I'm thinking about scenes that I'll never forget, and how both shows have those indelible moments, and how emotionally cathartic certain moments from Rome feel in the context of the cancelation of Our Flag Means Death.

I'm thinking about the rivalry between two characters in particular, Atia of the Julii and Servilia of the Junii, and the way the show depicted their conflict during their bitterest, most desperate, and most devastating moments. Obvious spoiler warnings for the second season below, including the death of a character, but also TW for a brief mention of rape, and for canon-typical (but not especially graphic?) attitudes toward and depiction of suicide. Because Rome was ugly, and if the show had one guiding principle it was to remind viewers that Rome was ugly.

But also: a character reading another for absolute and utter filth, and two truly terrifying curses, in case there are any studio executives you're feeling angry towards.

Firstly, there's the moment when Servilia curses Atia, inspired by IRL lead curse tablets found in Roman Egypt iirc.

"Gods of the inferno, I offer to you his limbs, his head, his mouth, his breath, his speech, his hands, his liver, his heart, his stomach..." indeed.

The second, which I won't embed because it is quite dark, features some things that I'd guess lots of folks have increasingly wished on Zaslav, especially "let [him] taste nothing but ashes and iron" for me.

And last but not least, some hope. Even if our efforts for a reversal of the decision or a move to another network don't come to pass, we will still be here. Artists will keep creating and figuring out new ways to share their work with the world.

Zaslav is not the first executive to destroy an industry but the fundamental human impulse of art is eternal. Remembering that makes it feel much more possible to look at this whole fucked up situation and these fucked up capitalist ghouls who aren't unique at all and point to their predecessors and say "go and look for them now."

[waitmyturtles]

THIS. EPISODE. DID. ME. IN. Moonlight Chicken episode 5 thoughts:

1) Let’s just call this episode ONLY FRIENDS, AMIRITE? Alan, Jim, let me tell you about this showwww...

2) No, seriously, this was another case -- as I am learning about Aof’s oeuvre -- where he packs SO MUCH into one episode that my head is left spinning (I’m still recovering from episode 10 of Bad Buddy). Like I reblogged earlier today: I LOVE that Aof is messing with the couplings, the GMMTV recipes. Love it, love it, love it. Seeing First and Mix get cute gave me the shivers, I can’t lie. 

3) We get the history of Wen and Alan. We get a lovely repeat of a trope he so beautifully memorialized in Bad Buddy. We get the other side of that trope -- when the relationship ends, the memories sour. 

How do you deal with that -- how do you process that? Oh lord, we got to see that through Wen, his processing, his thinking. His sympathy and compassion to Alan, which he still had! He still had their ring! Wen was willing to face Alan’s sarcasm, to take the hits, because he was afraid of truly breaking Alan -- until he absolutely HAD to break Alan, to break his own misery and fate. 

God, could Mix and First have done any better with demonstrating the hills and valleys of a relationship? I’m shaking my head because, while it was devastating to watch, it all rang SO TRUE. Aof didn’t flinch at the pain, the stomach twists, of the demise of this relationship. Ugh, even Alan at the bank with the loan situation. The SIMMERING! The anger, the sadness, the RECOGNITION that his bond with Wen was on the way out. With or without Jim there. AND -- Alan talking about Wen as if Wen were a possession. First SHOWED US what Alan’s fucking problems were! Oh, my gut. So painful to watch. 

4) And then. Jim and Wen at the chicken rice stall. And WEN, pushing JIM! Inherited trauma much, Wen?

We know why Jim is holding back from Wen at that point. We know Jim is preoccupied with his past. Whether or not Wen is acknowledging it doesn’t matter at that moment. What Wen is doing is pushing Jim like Alan pushes Wen. And Jim is like, hold up, hands up, I don’t want none of y’alls drama right now. I’m not there for this. (Which, to be honest, I took as a legit position at that point, despite feeling sorry for Wen. I appreciate a no drama stance from an OG uncle.)

5) But Wen. My heart for Wen. What I loved about the interconnection between his conversation with Gong and his run through beautiful outdoor Pattaya, recollecting everything he was going through -- we know what Wen’s moral conflict is. His moral conflict is that he’s earning money through a job that will destroy a key corner of Pattaya’s culture, the culture he’s experiencing at the moment of his run. His ability to function as an adult is literally impeded by his guilt towards Pattaya, towards Jim, towards the culture he’s going to influence deeply, and by his ability to afford (or not afford) his own place. His guilt towards Alan. His desperation towards Jim. His own poverty, financially and emotionally. 

Is he looking for Jim to save him? And, is that Jim’s role? 

6) And I haven’t even begun to talk about Heart and Li Ming yet. (THERE’S SO MUCH IN THIS EPISODE. I’ll come back to Jim and Wen once more before this is done.)

Firstly, with Fourth and Gemini -- LOVED THE FAN SERVICE. And I’m not even watching MSP, but I am sure the MSP fans loved the mascots and the pictures -- super sweet. Wen’s cute-cute uncle smile towards the two teens, gah, my twinkling heart.

7) Y’all, I really don’t know how much more I can take of these damn parents in dramas right now, lol. I just posted this today to help me process all the family trauma I’ve been seeing lately in the dramas I’ve been watching (and tbh, I’m doing it to myself, right, I’m choosing my own dramas, but STILL). 

But to see Heart’s parents struggling to communicate with their son. And to acknowledge that they haven’t had anyone to interpret for Heart in three years. And to see those parents actually have the motherfucking audacity to cry over Heart’s anger about literally being abandoned. 

[All bad drama parents that I’m experiencing right now -- please come with me as I lock you in a windowless room so you can ruminate on your crimes. (Which you won’t, because you’re all sociopathic narcissists, but ANYWAY.)]

@wen-kexing-apologist‘s prediction that Li Ming would become an interpreter was right for the present moment, and I loved that that came true. Along with this -- I absolutely LOVE that many of Heart and Li Ming’s conversations are not subtitled. I LOVE THIS, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT. 

What all of this does for me -- the un-subtitled conversations, the interpreting -- it demonstrates the growth of their intimacy. Why should us as the audience -- WHY SHOULD HEART’S PARENTS -- be privy to a couple’s most intimate moments? Heart’s parents think they could control him, because they were clearly ashamed of him. Heart TRUSTED Li Ming to communicate to his parents Heart’s most critical thoughts and feelings. What gorgeous intimacy to see growing between the two teens. The trust. Heart can only trust Li Ming at this moment, because he can’t trust his parents -- not only with his inner thoughts, his own personal intimacy, but to even give him basic emotional care. 

@bl-inded’s analysis was spot on. I, too, also got the sense that Heart’s parents thought that they were doing enough, because they were taking basic care of their son without further engaging with him -- because they were ashamed of him, maybe even disgusted with him. What purpose would Heart serve to them after he lost his hearing? I’m sure they asked themselves that question (or, at least, Asian viewers/us broken Asian children would KNOW inherently that they asked themselves that question). 

8) A few last passing thoughts:

- I wish I could find the post here on Tumblr, but someone once wrote that the things that we fall in love with when we first meet a person -- their sarcasm, say, their sense of humor, their stubbornness -- those things often become the qualities that we end up hating as the relationship ends. Because the sarcasm gets turned back into the relationship. Oh, Alan. 

- I thought the use of sound and music were wisely leveraged. I loved the chirping outside the outdoor restaurant where Alan and Wen were eating during the break-up. It was very indicative of Pattaya’s outdoor eating culture. AND: when did we NOT hear music? When we saw Heart’s unused keyboard on his dresser as the camera pulled back on him and Li Ming as he wept. 

- Finally: I really liked the slight flip of the paradigm of older culture vs. modern culture at the end of the episode. I kind of felt like it was the younger crew --Wen and Li Ming -- who were the brave ones of the episode, to step up and out to reflect how they wanted to move forward in their worlds. Li Ming WAS going to support Heart, no matter what. And Wen WAS going to confront Jim, no matter what, and demand comfort from Jim -- because he know that Jim has comfort to offer.

What the HELL will we be faced with tomorrow, oh my god. I’m going to need a large cup of hot water with lemon, please, my poor heart!

I’m actually going to give this episode 🐔🐔 for the Khao Man Gai Appreciation Rating -- even though we didn’t see KMG, we got a clutch cooking tip from Uncle Jim about the old winter melons. AND, y’all, I made one of Hot Thai Kitchen’s KMG sauces, nam jim tao jiew the other night and it was bomb. Highly recommend!

[mixingpumpkins]

(Good Omens season 2 long post, you have been warned lol)

Okay I know episode 2 will be a bit underappreciated in the immediate aftermath of season 2 given all the Things That Happen Later

But I REALLY need to give a shout-out to this episode. My god.

It feels like we’re getting more of S1Ep3 at first — “Oh, cute, more funny biblical-era meetings to build their relationship history,” but then. THEN.

It’s not just the funny takes on the story of Job. It’s not just adding more depth to Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s (and Gabriel’s) characters. The shift in tone during that last scene in the episode is so goddamn good.

I wasn’t expecting it and it works so well — and that was the moment I knew this season was actually going to manage being a really good Good Omens continuation without clinging too much to the same things that made the first season so charming.

Like, don’t get me wrong, I love S1Ep3 so much and was totally down for more of those kinds of historical shenanigans. But the fact this ep went from funny to heartbreaking in the last scene was just... god.

It was that little bit of difference this season needed early on to show how it was going to stand out from season 1. I fucking love it. It would have been so easy to stick with these mostly funny historical flashbacks, and instead they let that last scene linger on the sadness and loneliness Aziraphale and Crowley have to wrestle with for thousands of years. And it miraculously doesn’t feel out of place in a story that, at this point, still has the same lighthearted spirit of season 1 and isn’t (yet) in the emotionally devastating place of the season 2 finale. That is so, so hard to pull off convincingly and they fucking did it.

And the implications for Crowley’s character in that last scene alone? Holy shit.

We joke about him being a “disaster puppy” and bad at emotions and “oh my god just fucking TALK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS already,” while Aziraphale generally comes off as the kinder, more compassionate, more empathetic one, but this scene gives us the chance to see that flipped that on its head. Crowley is clearly the more emotionally intelligent of the two, even if he usually pretends he isn’t. And that scene in episode 6 later drives this home.

Yeah, he ribs Aziraphale here. He laughs and pokes fun a little bit that Azi is worked up about something that, in the scheme of things, is a negligible wrong, if it’s even a wrong at all. (And let’s face it — Aziraphale’s anxiety about doing the right thing is often played for laughs from viewers, too.)

But the moment it’s clear that Aziraphale is fully, actually in-tears devastated about the fact that he’s lied and truly believes he has fallen, Crowley stops laughing immediately. His body language and what we can see of his face change like that. Even as the character whose WHOLE DEAL is saying “fuck it” to rules and shoulds and not caring if he riles Aziraphale a little — or a lot — he knows there is A Line here, and he will not cross it. (And right there, it’s immediately clear that this is one of the moments we’re not supposed to see Aziraphale’s distress as funny, either.)

Because as ridiculous as Crowley finds a lot of what Aziraphale believes and worries about, Crowley doesn’t want to hurt him. He doesn’t back down from his points, but he’s so, so gentle about it. It’s “I don’t agree with you, but I can see that this whole circumstance is actually very painful and terrifying to you and I am here to be sincerely supportive because I know what that feels like and I don’t want you to have to try to work through that alone.”

And that’s exactly what Aziraphale needs here. Crowley could have easily been more dismissive — he’s the one who actually fell, so he probably had it much, much worse. But he’s also had time to work through his feelings, as well as being the one who always put less stock in what the higher-ups thought of him anyway. I just love how for so many scenes in season 1, Aziraphale always seemed more like the older, more paternal, old-fashioned one while Crowley mostly brought the younger, edgier, street-smart vibe. And here, that dynamic does a fucking backflip. Crowley gets the chance to be the older, wiser one guiding a younger, less emotionally mature angel through a crisis. And then you can’t unsee it in the rest of the series (previous and subsequent episodes alike).

And the “I’m a demon. I lied” callback... *chef’s kiss* Every flashback scene with these two helps us better understand their relationship, but this final scene of the episode was a pivotal one. It really changes how you can see all their chronological interactions past that point, while not undoing everything the season 1 flashback scenes did.

This episode, man.

[mega-ringsandthings-world]

I'm back on my bullshit, and I'm about to make it everyone's problem! Sorry if everything's a bit scattered; I'm trying to get my thoughts in order, but I have so much stuff in my now overflowing brain folder. I'll have to sort it out later. Again take everything I say with a grain of salt I’m sure I will love your au wether I’ve got the right idea about it or not!

But oh my god! Your sketches are so good and clean—mwah, chef's kiss. And the sword before Yoru is peak "Hawk-boy has a type," and we all can see it. I wonder if he had it personally made to prepare to take on Yoru as a main blade later, if it existed at this time? Did he go through a catalog of specific special grade swords and go, "Mmm, yes, big blade!" and never look back? Sorry, off-topic, but he deserves a fancy, pretty blade, and those purple and pink jewels are very much like that for him and his vibe.

And huh, him showing Shanks kindness with the handkerchief! It's sweet, and Mihawk's already attached. Normally, Mihawk wouldn't have given Shanks the time of day until he could fight him, but adversity and the lack of autonomy have made him somewhat less controlled, or at least trying to gain some type of control, even if it's just making sure someone uses a handkerchief instead of their shirt. And Shanks, it kinda feels like Shanks already has a crush. He's emotionally defeated, devastated, and probably terrified, and here comes this guy, gruff and rude, but he doesn't ask about Roger, he doesn't want anything from Shanks, and he gives him something beautiful he made himself by hand, just so Shanks could wipe his tears and blow his nose. Fuck it all, I'd fall in love if someone did that for me.

They already feel so enmeshed; like the handkerchief sealed some type of pact with fate. Like the universe has turned and slotted these two together. And your wrote it so seemlessly! Shanks is vulnerable and unable to hide behind drinks, parties, and adventures. Mihawk is out of control, a big and main part of his character that later on becomes like a second skin. As much as he seems okay, this is pushing him into behavior that would likely be out of character if not under these circumstances. Gods, this is the type of character study I love! I will definitely be comparing and contrasting these two and their canon counterparts as they change, and the fic goes on. Tulips are probably about to become Shanks' favorite flower. And of course, Mihawk can embroider. He's a man of perfection and patience (ha, I can relate to that; never perfect indeed), and the delicate, slow needlework of embroidering sounds just right up his alley. Probably his form of meditation. I bet he does all the flowers on his shirts. I bet Shanks will tear his clothes in the future just so Mihawk will embroider flowers on them.

Now off to the boys for a second. Let's talk politics, specifically the revolutionaries. Are the revolutionaries going to be a big part of this fic? Because as you mentioned, the world government is about to commit an oopsie on the highest scale. Are some of those monsters going to be snatched up by Dragon and his revolution? Because this is about to radicalize a lot of people. A lot of powerful people. Hmmm, I wonder if he'll even be interested in what's happening to the pirates who got caught. He seems like a good and kind man, but a man who's willing to put the needs of the greater good over the needs of a few criminals. Pirates aren't exactly the good guys, so to speak, and if they were just headed for Impel Down, I don't think he'd do much for them. But I don't think that's where you're pulling this, and again, he is pragmatic and willing to mess up what the world government has planned. The oppressed, no matter their station or morals, are fellow oppressed, and I can see him looking into what the government's doing and maybe disrupting it to screw the government over. I don't know; just throwing thoughts out there.

But more importantly, in this AU, it seems that the Roger Pirates will be hunted even more than in canon, considering the Marines are on a mission to destroy piracy at the root, and a lot of would-be pirates they would have had to worry about just got snapped up! I don't think they'll be able to help Shanks even if they wanted to. And Garp, where's he in all this? On one hand, I can totally see him advocating for the eradication of the pirates and setting the trap. On the other hand, I'm not sure about him being so gung-ho about taking in Shanks and doing whatever the Marines plan to do with him. It might be a side plot for later, unless, once they get the prisoners, this all goes to Cipher Pol agents and out of the Marines' hands. Maybe this was their idea in the first place; it seems more up their alley than the Marines in general. Maybe a collaboration? Guess I’ll find out when I read.

But also, governments aren't good at mass arrests. How many civilians do you think got snapped up by accident?

Anyways, that's all I have for now. The art I promised should be posted tomorrow, hopefully; I just want to make a few adjustments. Should be all good. Also, do you have a playlist for this AU yet?

I'm pumped anytime I get your asks, hit away all you like! I love hashing this AU out like this. Most times you've hit it right on the head! I'm making it everyone's problem too. !! Glad you like them! Allow me to go on a moment, the 'before Yoru' sword is supposed to be modeled in appearances (jewels, handguard, inlaid blade) after a spanish or italian cusped falchion, and in utility, after the german kreigmesser. Based on appearances, they look closest to Yoru, and yeah, it's exactly 'Mihawk has a type.' He'd be the kind to find a design he likes and stick with it. Kreigmessers were military swords, used often by mercenaries, and used two-handed. Again, like Yoru. I think Mihawk would have obtained/made a sword suited to his fighting style, and that style does contain a lot of extended slashes. Yoru does exist, and I have a whole thing for how he will get it. Let's just say he becomes acquainted with it due to the marines. And yes. More pink and purple everything, actually. Those colors work for him so much. ^^ He's attached and he doesn't even know it himself. He thinks it's simply purely utilitarian, purely practical to make sure Shanks cleans up properly, but it's also to see what Shanks will do. If he'll refuse it, or be insulted, or double down, or turn his nose up at Mihawk's refinement. None of which Shanks does. And yes, also to retain control over the situation. If he has a handle on what is happening right beside him, it 'frees' him concentrate on the more severe aspects going on. Shanks does have a crush. Probably love from first handkerchief. Again, he doesn't know it yet either. Right now he's too steeped in grief, and he also would think Mihawk is out of his league. Still, Mihawk is his only sense of stability at the moment. Mihawk's indifference and stoic-ness is what will unwittingly keep Shanks sane, because at a time when he would have been drowning in despair, he instead is pressing back against Mihawk's opposite personality. And admiring his handkerchiefs. (A thing about the handkerchief, most sailors now how to sew, they have to. Shanks would know how to sew as well, which is why he isn't surprised at Mihawk making the handkerchief, but at it's prettiness. Shanks has never had the occasion to work beauty into the things he makes for himself. Also why he thinks a sweetheart made it for Mihawk) Just so! They don't have the mental armor of their older selves. They do not have the presence, the power, or the coping methods. They are not established. Mihawk is so young, nineteen is nothing, really, and the sympathy and care we only see bare glimpses of in his older self is not sealed away as it is then. At this age, he's haughty, but that is a projection of haughtiness as much as anything. Pitting older and younger against each other is so fun in that regard! Oh, that's for certain. Tulips become and remain his favorite flower. I embroider, and embroidering is relaxing, but requires focus, so perfect hobby for Mihawk. And he gets to use something sharp and pointy. His perfectionism is perhaps what leads to him taking up embroidering and even actual tailoring in the first place, he'd want total say over how he decorates/designs his things/clothes. And YES to Shanks deliberately making Mihawk have to mend his clothes. got to make a pt. 2