#they really tried to be interesting and goofy and the second season got so much more fun when the showrunner changed

[talon-x]

Yes my special interest show was canceled prematurely after 2 seasons and essentially written out of existence by other stories in the hell conglomerate of the MCU but sometimes that's just how it is🤷‍♀️

[nnnneeev]

the fandom was really hating solomon and suddenly in the last year they started to like him ( i don't if it's just me but on that time no one was really paying attention to him) 😣

I can't really tell because i joined the fandom a bit late (maybe 2021 or 2022? I can't remember lol) (before that, 'fandom' was just me and my bestie simping over the om!boys)

I got interested at him immediately because he was really cool and kinda goofy but also mysterious (plus, his hair is white) but barbatos was my number 1 at that time and he was my second (so i just flirt with this two guys in the og game 😆)

I remember rejecting the brothers' invitation just so i could get the route where he will become your partner to some ball or something (and im glad i did)

I don't really understand why some people hate him to the bone, like they always reason out that he's shady and cannot be trusted, but for me it's something like "oh i'd like to know more about this guy's secrets 👉🧍" (boy what are you hiding 👀)

Ah, but i do remember that he actively tried to convince mc to commit murder. Well, he had a pretty good reason but his execution is ... :)

Also, he tends to have some hidden agenda which often results to some commotion so i kinda get where all the hate is coming from now lol

But like i mentioned earlier, he is a reasonable guy (always into that utilitarianism shit) and from the next seasons the writers drawed his character more, much to my delight (more solly screentime, baby!!) From that, we can understand his character and personality more, his complexity and such

Anyways, im happy that people are starting to appreciate him more lol y'all are missing out

TL;DR he's a bastard in a good way i want to kiss him then kick his knees then kiss him again

[snowbellewells]

Blizzard, Frozen, and Ice please 😘❄️

Aww, thank you for the asks @hollyethecurious !! Let’s see here…

Blizzard - have you ever gotten caught in a snowstorm?

Once, quite few years ago (during my senior year in high school, actually) we had an insane amount of cold and snow - so much so that we missed weeks of the second semester, and didn’t start back after Christmas until January was almost over. I remember not being able to go much of anywhere, and my brother and I doing a lot of snow tunneling and sledding.

Also, not long after I moved to my current town for my teaching job, we had a serious ice storm. That wasn’t exactly snow, but we were very much stuck at home for a long time by the thick ice. We lost most of February out of school that time. (Though I -thankfully!- didn’t lose power and binged the first two seasons of Downton Abbey!)

Frozen - do you have a favorite Christmas movie?

That is a hard one, because I am a huge sucker for all of the sappy Christmas movies I could possibly watch!!! I really struggle to pick just one. What I usually land on is the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie Fallen Angel, starring Gary Sonia’s. There’s a really touching love story, but also an interesting familial storyline and a bit of a mystery mixed in. The goofy/sappy (bit equally true) answer is the A Very Brady Reunion special. The kids all come home for Christmas, Mr. Brady is caught in a building collapse, there’s a rousing rendition of “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”, and another miracle of 34th Street. I love it no matter how ridiculous it is! 😜 Plus, I love several somewhat holiday/wintry movies like Serendipity, You’ve Got Mail, and While You Were Sleeping, which might not actually be Christmas movies but feel that way to me.

However, just last week I saw the new movie I Heard the Bells about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and how he came to write “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, and it might well be my new favorite.

Ice - do you like going skiing or snowboarding?

I have to admit that I’ve never tried either! I would be game to attempt it, but knowing how clumsy I can tend to be, I’m not so sure how well it would work out. 😜 I love ice skating though, for what that’s worth.

[maximuswolf]

I think Fortnite is a much better game than I realized

I think Fortnite is a much better game than I realized I didn't really care for Fortnite when it came out. I don't even remember what year that was, but I was not that interested. I'm a Halo guy, love them equal starts, so the battle royale is probably the opposite in that instead of a very controlled 4 v 4 match, Fortnite is a 100 person free for all on a map in absolutely fucking chaos.So, an old friend that I used to play Rust with reconnected with me and she and her boy play Fortnite, and my little nephew does too, so obviously I got in on that, if only because "Uncle Bear" has to prove to his nephew he can game on him in his own turf. I didn't have any figures in my childhood who gamed with me, so its especially important that I tried to at least understand the deeper mechanics. I'm a good uncle like that.Yo why do people dunk on Fortnite?The answer is rhetorical. Fortnite is insanely popular, and that includes kids, and those things make people goofy. Some of the replies I'm going to get here are goofy and I really hope the mod team is up to dealing with that because this is a pretty cool topic.So where do I start?Fortnite catapulted the battle royale into the gaming zeitgeist. Its been done better since, maybe even before, but Fortnite took it and made it popular enough that now, nobody even remembers PUBG, let alone that they sued Epic over Fortnite being a battle royale.Fortnite brilliantly uses pop culture to push its entire concept. The end result is monetization out the wazoo because microtransactions bla bla bla whales etc. etc.So I played about two seasons ago with my nephew, and got to platinum III and then the next season dropped and it was way different (Mad max cars???) and I was like "Oh, it was a fluke, I'm over this game"After playing a few matches this season, no, I was wrong. Epic knows what they're doing.They tear their sandbox up every season and drop items from whatever is the theme, and that's one of the best things about the game. It keeps the meta fresh. I found a jet pack in my last match, realized I could use it to roll unexpected people on the ground, and quickly got very one-sided kills.I thought "Oh, this changes things" and then about 30 seconds later somebody else with a jetpack flew over me and scraped me out of the air. Indeed it does.I haven't played enough to talk about much more than Captain America's shield (CAS for brevity)I had used it a few times. I thought it was cool how you could block with it, throw it, and even sprint with it out. Very cool mechanics. That the crosshair is a star is just proof that Epic knows how to make these things ooze with pop culture.I didn't understand what it was good for exactly. My mind was thinking in terms of the riot shield from CoD. Then I had this engagement:Close quarters, I had a shotgun out. Dude come running with the shield. Alright, I've done this, wait for him to drop guard and plug him. So I fire off a shot to try to make him react, and he obviously blocks it, and then immediately throws the CAS at me which hit me and comes back to him. This exposes him so I am spamming my trigger trying to get the next shot but he gets the CAS back and blocks right as I fire, and immediately throws again, and I kept spamming and he worked me into the ground. Didn't even take damage.That's some solid design. Good kill random stranger.So much of Fortnite's massive sandbox is changing every season, and because of that, even in balancing they just have to make sure nothing gets too OP because by the time the meta has caught up, they drop a new season.Anyways, Kuddos to Epic for making such a great multiplayer experience, they'd probably be more bothered by basement nerds hating on it if it didn't make them like a billion dollars. See ya on the bus! Submitted September 01, 2024 at 08:00PM by LuckyTheBear https://ift.tt/n2uBKaw via /r/gaming

[getindumdums]

I bet it was because Cassandra got shafted in the movie. Which, quite unfair to Cassandra. She ACTS like a Casey Jones. She IS a Casey Jones. And Jr is a sweet baby boy. Aka. Not very Casey-like.

But the writers did mention how a apocalypse spin off with Cassandra and Jr would be fun to explore. So they still love her and have thought of a Cassandra and Jr dynamic, which I would love to see. I love both characters. And I want to see Cassandra influence Jr to do CRIME.

Honestly as much as I LOVED the movie (it really made me obsessed over the franchise). It was trying to bring in fans of other tmnt iterations. Hence why we see Leo ‘coming into being the leader’ and not much of Raph being the leader as well. And I bet it’s why don’t see Cassandra, Draxum, Big Mama, Mayhem, etc.

Honesty it’s still vague on how their dynamic would be in season three. I would love a ‘co-leader’ dynamic the writers wanted to explore initially. I would love it if Raph was STILL the leader. The writers switched roles around and I think if they could embrace this approach instead of being forced to conform because of Nick/pressure to draw in a bigger crowd it could be really special.

And it’d fit if Leo had the “Raph thing”, where he ‘tried to be the leader and realized he wasn’t cut for it’, aka. Rise Leo giving the position back to Raph. I also like the idea of continuing this mindset, and making Casey Jr Leo’s ‘best friend’ (Cassandra being Raph’s).

Also, let Rise Donnie be a “Raph” (and the second/the best fighter. I want my boy to be overpowered to compensate for him being dead last for too long). Let Rise Mikey be the ‘reasonable’ one that’s secretly insane (a Donnie). Let Rise Leo be a goofy Michelangelo. I honestly can’t picture Rise Raph being anything but the responsible big brother/leader. Taking these ‘swap’ traits but keeping the ‘core’ of their characters is so interesting.

(Also let Cassandra and April be lesbians.)

It's so annoying when people think that casey JUNIOR is the casey jones of rise when we all know who actually is. Say her name! Cassandra Jones! She wasn't such a badass to be forgotten or left aside just because her son is a boy

[decompose1]

hey i've been seeing these 'object shows' here and there but i don't really know what they're about. i tried getting into hfjone and i don't think it's for me. but your analysis of a phone character's morals was really good and got me interested in them! could you explain the premise of these object shows very briefly? and recommend any series that have good/complex character development? it'd be really appreciated!

Aw sure anon!!

So ONE is definitely. This is a weird thing to say about silly object cartoons and i don't mean it in any elitist way at all, but ONE is what i'd consider an "advanced" object show. It's definitely sort of meant for people who already know the genre, because it works as a deconstruction of common object show tropes!!

I'll cover some of the big ones here, otherwise this is gonna get MEGA long, but know that there are a lot of object shows, and they vary a lot!!

Battle for Dream Island:

The one that started it all! This was the very first object show... ever!

Created by twin brothers Michael and Cary Huang in 2010, when they were just 12 years old!

Based heavily on shows like Total Drama Island and Survivor

The object contestants are competing to win Dream Island, which is a luxury island with lots of cool amenities.

This is both the oldest and longest show to date, i believe. It started the whole genre, so i DEFINITELY recommend starting with it if it seems up your alley!

General vibe: A more lighthearted, silly, whimsical show with a few hard-hitting moments and topics.

4 seasons

Deaths: Not usually serious. Characters die often for slapstick comedy, and are usually just revived without issue. There are only a couple times a death or near-death is ever plot relevant, this show focuses more on interpersonal conflict within alliances.

S1 is hosted by the Announcer, an alien in the shell of a speaker box. He's cruel and monotone and pretty funny. I cant say much on S2 without spoilers for the end of S1!!

S3 was cancelled after only one episode because Cary went to college

S4 is the longest (split into 4a and 4b), and is hosted by Four and X, two aliens taking the form of algebraic symbols ("algebraliens"). They're a lot more like.. wacky and strange as hosts, i like them a lot.

Inanimate Insanity:

My personal poison of choice. I make no claims about you liking it as much as i do. HEHE.

Created by Adam Katz in 2011, inspired by BFDI and TDI.

The second object show ever!

3 seasons (2 of which are ongoing. S3 is a side season that isn't canon to the timeline of S2!)

Contestants are competing for $1,000,000

General vibe: About 50/50 comedic and serious. There is a LOT of comedy, the show is generally pretty silly n goofy, but they also tackle some extremely serious, very real subjects (including capitalism, abuse, mental illness, and queerness. Yes i'm being serious)

Deaths: Mixed between comedic and serious. There's a fair bit of slapstick, but there are also some plot-relevant, upsetting, and/or permanent deaths. MePhone4 is the only method of recovery.

Hosted only by MePhone4, who is essentially this universe's iphone (4). There are other MePhones, but it's only 4 who actually runs the show (barring 5 specific episodes in which he isn't able to).

S1 is... quite old. It definitely shows its age. I love it to death and still recommend it to those who choose to watch ii, the plot is good, but please keep in mind it does have a few offensive jokes. The creators were bein' dumb kids, they've grown!

(I can clarify further, should you message me (feel free to! i'm friendly!). I have a CW list for those who'd need it!)

Late S2 is where it really picks up. It starts to take a much kinder hand to the characters and their problems. I will warn you that season 2 gets extremely dark. I went in blind, expecting it to be like BFDI, and ended up experiencing. like. the doki doki effect. Legitimately shocking. The topics brought up in late S2 are handled very well, though, IMO!

S3 (Inanimate Insanity Invitational/III) is a lot more lighthearted and silly as a breather while the crew finishes the darker story of S2. It's cute!

The Nightly Manor:

A smaller, shorter, but extremely serious and tragic object show.

Created by Allen Lee only a year ago, and still ongoing!

There are only 5 episodes out, but they contain multiple original songs and have already made me cry. TEARJERKER SERIES.

General vibe: Starts comedic, quickly turns to a murder mystery and then a tragic story about grief. It's so fucking good.

Deaths: ALWAYS serious. TNM does not have recovery.

A non-competition show- this one is a mansion murder mystery.

This one is a personal fave.

Honorable mentions i don't have a solid list for right now:

Sacriverse (particularly Obsolete Battle Show and Happy Star's Guide to Object Shows)

Animated Inanimate Battle

[glorified-red]

Could I request hcs for subtle ways the boys express their protectiveness?

Thank you for the request my love! I got to play a fun little game of ‘Eenie Meenie Miney Mo’ for which request to do.

Protective BatBoys

word count: 1600~

warnings: insinuation of someone getting hit by a car, mentions of attackers

I was quite tempted to write Bruce headcanons to this but I must hold back ><

Dick Grayson

Ah, Dick Grayson, the King of small romantic protective gestures

Every time, without fail, Dick will wait until he watches you get inside your house safely before driving/walking away

Its a really cute tick of his because he covers it up with a goodbye kiss and goofy waves that leave you giggling even after you close your house door

But its so he knows where you are, and he can see for himself that you made it safely inside because the second he turns away too soon, you may get locked out, or someone can crawl out from the bushes and nab you

Paranoid, he knows

He constantly wraps you up in things, when you two go swimming he’ll patter up from behind you and place a towel around your shoulders, patting you dry along the way

Very insignificant gesture but he doesn't want you to catch a cold in the A/C or Gotham wind

He’ll do the same with his jackets, maybe even plop his hat on your head when it's gets to the snowy seasons 1. Because its adorable seeing the hat fall into your eyes and 2. Because it'll warm your head up

Scarves too, he’ll even go on a tangent about how cold it is outside while he wraps you in it

Dick will always offer to drive you places, even if you insist on driving yourself to meet up with him or walking there, Dick will still offer because it means he’ll be present if you get into a wreck, sucks but then he can help with first aid

If you decline his offer though, he’ll politely ask for you to take Titus or Ace with you whenever you walk somewhere, they’re trained and he trusts them to keep you company/safe when he can't 

Jason Todd

Jason’s protectiveness comes from a place of knowing how cruel the world actually is

He can't stand the idea of anything happening to you

If he has to, he will use his reputation of Red Hood as a way to keep you safe, putting a man at gun point and sneering out, “They’re off. Limits.”

He’d bust a whole trafficking ring if it meant ending a person who touched you or hurt you in any way

But Jason’s protectiveness doesn't stop while he's wearing the helmet

Even when you two are sleeping, Jasons unconsciously protecting you, no matter how you two cuddle, Jason always positions himself as closest to the bedroom door

Whether his back is to the door or he’s facing it, Jason needs the comfort of knowing any person coming into the room would have to get through him before even reaching you

He also envelopes you, he's a big guy so its pretty easy for him to wrap you up in his arms as an extra layer of protection from the outside world

Jason doesn't really like the idea of training you past basic combat or gun skills, hell, he doesn't like involving you in the family business if he doesn't have to

So he inserts himself into any situation you may need protection in

Which is exactly why he starts going to the gym with you as a work out buddy

Jason makes it sound like he just wants to spend time with you or help you achieve your goals faster since he knows how the body works from his Robin days

But deep down you both know his true intentions: he wants to keep an eye on you

The gym is crawling with creeps that have the guts to ogle at you or get too touchy, but having Jason’s 6 foot beefcake of an ass standing beside you the entire time is like an instant creep repellent

Plus, he gets to spot you and make sure you don't get injured from bad technique or from pushing yourself too hard

He’ll even encourage you with innuendos the entire time, but at the end of the day, he’ll gladly walk you home

Tim Drake

Tim is the most subtle about his inner protectiveness, a subtle King if you will

Most times when he gets protective, you never even notice

When you two cuddle in your house, it takes him a very long time to actively fall asleep because he doesn't trust your home security system if you even have one so he forces himself to stay awake just incase anything happens

But don't worry, he’ll eventually get to updating the security in your house

He does get these protective eyes whenever something is off when he's around you, they narrow a bit and latch onto whatever is off, glaring holes into the offending object until its all clear

Its quite terrifying to witness and very hard to miss when Tim is staring dead at the man speaking to you from across the room at a Gala, sipping his drink in the corner

If he feels the need, he will walk up and control the situation, whether it mean inserting himself into the convo or simply being present for it, he’ll do it

The thing with Tim though, is when he's protective, he’s almost always touching you in some way

His fingers playing idly with the ends of your hair as he speaks to a random person who walked up to you, clinging to your shirt/sleeves when he’s analyzing a situation and doesn't want you to go forward just yet, or even as simple as holding your hand as he leads you home

Tim also keeps small snacks/waters on hand at all times to protect you from Gotham heat and pesky hunger, very much like a mother hen because he also carries a first aid kit everywhere

He follows you whenever you walk alone around Gotham at night, he’s already on patrol so he might as well make sure you make it home safe, if anything happens he won't think twice about intervening as RR

If your going out somewhere alone he always always always asks you to call him until you make it to your destination, he doesn't care if he's working on something or in the middle of a board meeting, he has an assistant for a reason who can give him notes

Its become a normal thing for you to send him your Uber tracking link so he can watch it, if you don't send it he won't hesitate to hack into your account just to find it

Damian Wayne

Damian? Wayne? Being subtle?

Its usually pretty obvious when Damian gets protective over you

He’s the type who won't hesitate to pull out a knife out of god knows where and threaten whatever is responsible for you being uncomfortable

This leads to very interesting encounters of you having to hold him back because ‘oh no a random guy bumped into you and didn't apologize’ and suddenly Damian is missing 

He’s also incredibly blunt, saying things like “Cover your drink” at galas or handing you one of those hand held tasers before you go out and saying “Go for the neck”

Will insist on training you himself, whether its hand-to-hand combat or with a sword, Damian wants to keep track of your progress himself so he can make sure all your weaknesses are trained

Its also because he doesn't want his grimy brothers near you, so its protective on all counts

But subtlety? Theres a few you can notice after being with him for awhile

He’s very careful when going out around Gotham with you, Damian knows he can fend for himself so he will gladly take the brunt of any possible situation

This leads to him always walking on whichever side of you thats closest to the road, so on the off chance a car derails, he’ll get hit first

Always making sure to match your pace when you two walk together, he doesn't want you getting too far ahead of him because he'd have to run to get to you, too far behind and he might not notice you getting taken silently, he wants you right in arms reach at all times

He has a permanent scowl and narrowed eyes but when he's protective, they get even more prominent

Bonus

All the BatBoys do the same exact thing out of instinct when it comes to protecting you

None of them will hesitate to step in between you and any attacker, pulling you behind them so they are in the line of fire now

Its a subtle action that each of them do, albeit with some differences

Damian will push the attacker back as far as he can from you, putting plenty of distance between the two of them and you, so if anything breaks out, you can run away easily

Dick will hold his arms out, fully covering you but keeping his hands in the fray so if the attacker tries attacking you from any angle, Dick is ready to protect

Tim will grip onto you somehow, keeping his hand right on your bicep or forearm so he can still hold you, he doesn't know if there can be a hidden attacker from behind that will pry you away from him, so touching you is his way of making sure he doesn't lose track of you

Jason will slip in front of you and cross his arms, its a sign of nonchalance but obvious dominance, showcasing that he doesn't need his hands to be intimidating to the attacker, he’ll glare and challenge them so all attention is on him now and not you

Taglist ♡

@anothertimdrakestan

@bungunz

@red-hood-redemption​

[twistedtummies2]

The Devils I Know - Number 8

Welcome to “The Devils I Know!” For this spooky time of year, from now till Halloween, I’ll be counting down My Top 31 Depictions of the Devil, from movies, television, video games, and more! Today’s Devil proves that the fast-food industry is the most evil thing in the world. Bua ha ha. Number 8 is…Sadao Maou, from The Devil is a Part-Timer!

It’s been a spell since our good pals from the very weird world of Japan paid a visit on this countdown, hasn’t it? I went over a couple of anime-style Devils in the Honorable Mentions, and believe me, there are plenty more out there…but out of all the different takes on the Demon King one can find, there’s really only one that I felt was worthy of placement in the top ten. That is Satan, a.k.a. Sadao Maou, from “The Devil is a Part-Timer!” Based on the light novels by the same name, “The Devil is a Part-Timer” is a semi-dark comedy anime series. I say “semi-dark” because, for the majority of the show’s runtime, it’s pretty much pure silliness. It doesn’t take itself seriously in the slightest, most of the time, and just about every second there’s something new and crazy to make you giggle and smile. However, at it’s heart, the show is a story about demons, angels, holy warriors, and the freaking Inquisition, so…yeah, it can’t be completely funny ALL the time. But even in its more dramatic moments, there’s usually something in the mix that sort of punctures the pomposity, bringing things back to a comical place. The show recently got its second season going after a several-year hiatus, and I’m happy to say it’s still just as goofy and weird and generally fun as its first season, even if the art style has undergone a slight face change. The plot of the series begins in an parallel world to Earth called “Ente Isla.” In this fantasy landscape, the Devil himself – Satan – attempts to, of course, take over the world. His plans are foiled by the half-angel hero, Emilia, so Satan and his most loyal general, Alciel, flee through a portal to our own world, with Emilia in hot pursuit. This is where things get daffy, because upon reaching the “real” world, these characters have to deal with real world problems on a mundane, low level: the Devil ends up getting a job at a fast food restaurant, his nemesis works at a service call center, both have to live in apartments and deal with bills and coworkers and all that jazz…that’s really where the humor of the show comes from. These fantastical characters being thrown through the ringer in some of the most drab and utterly ordinary positions a person can find themselves in. Satan – who goes by the alias “Sadao Maou” to try and fit in – is an interesting twist on the Devil. I keep hearing people refer to him as a misunderstood character, but I don’t really think that’s the right terminology for him. He meant everything he did, as far as I can tell, and what he did was not necessarily very nice. However, there is a sympathetic edge to his character: the whole reason he tried to take over Ente Isla was because he wanted to make that world a better place for his own kind. It was a noble ideal, but…well…perhaps being a demon, he went to extreme lengths to try and achieve this goal. He admits that he feels the power might have gone to his head, and that he really didn’t fully understand what being human was really like. The great irony is, now that he’s stuck in such a place as he is, he’s gotten to understand humanity on a different level, and even though he still wants to take over the world, it seems to have created a conflict in him. He’s no longer interested in hurting people, and he actually does his best to protect and help people whenever he can. As a result, he becomes a more enigmatic character: we can usually guess what he’ll do, the real question is why he’ll do it. And, of course, he’s freaking hilarious. I think the best way to describe Satan in this series is that his priorities are a complete mess: he’s somehow both a total drama queen and one of the most laid-back characters of the whole bunch at the same time. He’s given to grandiose speeches and has a flair for the dramatic, but it usually comes out in a hilarious way: giving a big monologue while wearing nothing but his underwear, naming his bicycle Dullahan and referring to it as his “royal steed,” and talking about promotions and sales at the restaurant like he’s fighting a great and glorious war. Then, in direct contrast, he’ll just be completely dismissive when Emilia tries to kill him, or when a corrupt priest is trying to make a monologue of their own, or when he’s doing something incredible like holding up an entire building with his magic. It’s that weird sense of taking everything and nothing completely seriously at all that I think makes him so amusing, and it really describes the entire series in a nutshell: nothing is sacred, except when it suddenly is. In the original Japanese version of the show, Satan is voiced by Ryota Osaka. Most people would know him best for the role of Marco in “Attack on Titan.” I, personally, know him best beyond this series for playing Ex in “Grimms Notes.” Osaka does a good job, of course, but in my opinion, this is a series where the English Dub is MUCH better than the original. It’s just so much FUNNIER, in my opinion, as the voice actors are given a lot of liberty that leads to some really hysterical line reads, ad-libs, and performances overall. At the same time, the moments of drama feel even more impactful in the English version; these actors really give it their all and every scene and line hits hard. In the Dub, Satan is voiced by Josh Grelle; he’s also an alumni of Attack on Titan, having played the role of Armin there. He’s also the voice of Tokoyami from My Hero Academia. Whichever version you choose to watch, the series is a riot, and if this campy craziness sounds up your alley, you should definitely give it a try. Tomorrow, the countdown continues with Number 7! HINT: “SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!”

[farawayfromdryland]

"Pretty good episode tonight. Bill Henrickson has got to be one of the biggest pieces of ***** in television history. He is a complete self absorbed ********"

Late coming to this discussion by several years but I just finished Episode 4 of Season 4. I agree entirely that Bill is a total sack of *****! I really thought he was an upstanding dude when I started watching BL, and even though he was a bit misguided with the plural marriage thing, he wasn't an awful human being nor did he view women as chattel in a "Joy Book" to be used as trade. However, throughout the series all I notice is some creep with serious narcissistic ideals of himself, and inflated sense of importance. He doesn't seem to care who he mows down in the process of pursuing is interests, agenda, or personal desires, and every single time he WANTS to do something, he chalks it up to "Heavenly Father" giving him some prophetic revelation. From there, he berates, belittles, and sabotages any attempts of any one (including his own wives) to even slightly disagree with him, or have any input at all, and tries to pull this act that all the choices he makes is about keeping his family together, doing God's will for those he loves, and providing for his wives and children. In reality, he doesn't take anyone into account of how his choices destroy them mentally, emotionally, and even physically. He gives and order, and expect submission, even from people NOT in his family. I don't believe a thing he does is about being the leader and looking out for his family, it's all about him and this constant desire he has to be noticed and in control of everyone and everything around him. His humility act phony, because he is the least meek and mild person in the series.

I really don't see much of a difference between Bill and the rest of the toxic and misogynistic weirdos on the compound, and he is operating his own little cult, that is pretty much just a spin off of Juniper Creep but in suburbia with nice suit, and paved roads. It's easy to say that all his wives made a choice to live that way, but in actuality, Bill took advantage of their individual state of minds, upbringing, and intentions. Regarding Barb, he knew that she would want to keep them together, at any cost, because her marriage to him meant everything. He knew Barb wants to trust him, follow him, and do what is right according to the doctrine of the LDS and they teach about the so-called priesthood holder of the family (the husband and father), she deeply loves and even admires Bill, so went along with his goofy polygamist revolution stuff, even though throughout the series, it is boldly apparent she is absolutely miserable, and developed personal self-loathing for becoming a polygamist. She gave up contact with her maternal family for him, was excommunicated from the mainstream Mormons for him, has ZERO friends or contact with anyone really, outside of the family. She is always crying, frustrated, and trying to keep a dysfunctional mess together with this inflated expectations from Bill who shows her no support or awareness. Not to mention, anything she earns she has to hand over to him. I feel like when Nicki came to help nurse Barb back to health, Bill decided he wanted to bang Nicki, plain and simple. I think Nicki in a way had her own agenda as well, because she always does. However, Bill knew since Nicki came from the polygamist lifestyle and it was normal to her, it wouldn't be a struggle to convince her to be a second wife. It would be an easy shoe-in, and Nicki would be more than eager. Bill knew Nicki would do basically, whatever, and submit to it all. So, suddenly, he had an directive from God to marry her, and Barb was just supposed to...go alone with it, because....religion.

When it comes to Margene, the story isn't that much different. Bill hired her as a sitter, she was young and hot, he wanted to boink her, so again...he another godly epiphany telling him to go ahead and make her a third wife because Jesus and Joe Smith said so to him. Margene was young, impressionable, didn't have much of a religious background, came from sordid relationship with her own mother, and probably thought the idea of a solid real family sounded more than appealing. Bill, being an attractive, wealthy, successful, older man who put on the "gentlemen" good guy act, made it easy to convince her to join them. Nicki, even though she wasn't thrilled about Margene, wouldn't have issues over another wife since that was all she knew, and once again, Barb doing anything to make Bill happy, went along with it, sinking more and more into what appears to be serious depression from it all. I don't believe for an iota that Bill did all this subconsciously or without realizing it, and I don't believe he wasn't aware of how badly it took a toll on Barb. He just, wanted to have sex with them and that was his way to do it. It wasn't different than when he tried to bring Ana into the picture either, but he couldn't control her or force her to be subservient , so it didn't last.

Both of Bill's oldest children, Ben and Sarah, are beyond messed up from the experience. Not only from having to live through it against their will, but it suddenly being part of their lives in their mid-teens, and being told to accept it without question. Ben seems confused, constantly on edge, unable to control his anger, and has a need to be in charge of women, mixed with insecurity, and a delusional worldview. He goes through his own absurd self-loathing over very normal and natural things, which he was clearly never taught about on a healthy level, simple because he gets erections, had sex as a teen, and finds a young Margene attractive. Sarah, utterly hates her family, and seems to want very little to do with them. She has to seek out support groups just to get by every day, and again, I don't think that Bill isn't aware what sort of mindset he put her in, he just doesn't care.

Bill goes throughout the season, making decision based on HIS desires, claiming he takes his wives into consideration, but he barely listens to them and I have yet to see once choice he made benefit anyone but himself. He leaves a trail of destruction wherever he goes, and he is constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul regarding his cover-ups and trying to find a way to dodge the consequences of his previous decisions. He tells his wives NOTHING, but demands they share everything with him. If they voice any concern or doubt, he starts literally screaming at them, and then stomps out of the room like a toddler. He only considers their vote when he feels like it, and clearly, it isn't a home that is ran on consensus or any sort of democratic rule, because he can override any vote that doesn't go in his favor, which he usually does. He is such a megalomaniac, that his wives aren't even given the option if they want to be pregnant any more or not, and Nicki has to sneak off and take birth control pills undercover? She is a GROWN-**** WOMAN, and has to hide her contraception like a teenage girl (who shouldn't have to do that either) then gets trampled into the ground verbally by ALL of them, ambushed, BLOCKED by Bill from leaving the kitchen (illegal and physical abuse) given death look by him, and then passed out in the kitchen because they made her hyperventilate over it. Now, this doesn't excuse Nick's other shenanigans of course, but considering the background she came from, it doesn't surprise me that she would fall into financial crisis and not realize how to manage money like a normal adult. Bill doesn't make it easy, by forcing his wives to account or every penny spent when he never has to account for anything, ever , at all, and by taking what little money they do have. Giving them an allowance like babies. Then, he even disconnects their phones for "their own safety?" To me that says he isn't any different than the compound, viewing women as property, not human beings with rights equal to him. They don't really have their own houses, cars, money, choices, careers or even rights over their own children. It ALL belongs to Bill. So, there is no exception to Bill and the FLDS polygamists from the UEB, and nothing that separates how he functions compares to how Juniper Creek functions. They are trapped, just like the women on the compound. No options, no way out, no financial safety net, nowhere to go if they do leave, and will lose their children. So, they stay out of fear and lack of security and support. That's how the FLDS church functions. That's how Bill Henrickson functions. Doing exactly what he was raised to do.

He seemed profoundly shocked when he went to Sarah's house about the Native woman's baby, and Scott didn't kowtow to Bill, refusing to order Sarah to give up the child on demand Bill stood gaping mouthed and wide-eyed when Scott explained that he doesn't dictate anything to Sarah, and that isn't how their marriage works Barb even seemed thrown-off as well, as if neither of them had ever seen two people in a marriage function as partners, not one being the master, the other being, the servant.

By this point in my series watching and after all the total and utter devastation Bill has put SO many through--the people he's screwed over, those he has used, abused, and dumped when he was done, the outrageous things he expects of others just to suit his fancy, and his baloney "good guy Mormon badge" act-- I am totally despise him! Then, he continues to compound all this, and goes and demands that Don "take the bullet" for the undocumented/illegal workers issues???? Just comes right out and basically TELLS Don that he IS going to do that. Don, who is a bit of a push over, obliges, even after the past couple of seasons of Don clearly being fed-up with Bill's domineering egoism.

when r/biglove don't got me i know 247sports dot com user anon5373348 got me

[friendlyneighborhoodamara]

(Edited on July 23, 2021)

So. Luz Noceda.

Quite possibly one of the best written protagonists in a Disney animated show, and easily one of my favorite protagonists in fiction.

Admittedly, if you know me, you may not be surprised I like her this much. I love kindhearted protagonists who are extremely energetic, unorthodox, goofy and proactive, and this describes Luz in spades. Even at her lowest points, she has a never-give-up attitude that’s just so endearing to me. In fact, I’ve described her as a female shonen protagonist to many of my friends in the past, and it’s not uncommon for people to compare Luz to Mabel (while she is also a rather complicated character I adore, this comparison is faulty for reasons I’ll get into shortly.)

If this was all there was to Luz—a warmhearted, generous dork who goes to any lengths to help the people she loves—I’d be satisfied. That relatively short, shallow description describes Goku almost to a T, and I absolutely love Goku, inside and out.

However, the writing staff of The Owl House, thankfully, chose to go the extra mile with Luz and flesh her out far beyond her superficial confines.

While all are extroverted, sweet girls, Luz differs from similar characters like Mabel Pines, Anne Boonchuy and Star Butterfly due to her far lower status on the social ladder: if Camila is to be believed, Luz - prior to entering the Boiling Isles - doesn’t have a single friend. Having a protagonist who is a disliked underdog with low self-esteem is far from new, especially in kids’ media. In some cases, it almost feels like a prerequisite to have the character be the victim of petty school bullies, even when they’re a skater punk high schooler played by a 27-year-old Andrew Garfield. However, in Luz’s case, her past as a teenage outcast (and implied history of bullying), her neurodivergence, and her subsequent retreat into fantasy as an escape informs every single facet of her characterization and cannot be stripped away from her without making her far less interesting.

How so?

Well, for starters, Luz is seen as frustrating or annoying by a lot of people, even the friends she made in the demon realm. In Season 1, even after the lesson she learns in the second episode, she is obsessed with living out her fantasy of being a fantasy hero just like the Good Witch Azura. This is a direct result of her retreating into fantasy and using it as a crutch to get through life. She tries to befriend her rival Amity the same way Azura did with her rival, tries to whip Willow and Gus into an all-star sports team using nothing but her own gumption, and is quick to accept any challenge that comes her way. This, understandably, does not endear her to other people.

Furthermore, as a result of her ostracization in the human realm (the great state of Connecticut, as we learn in the latest episode!), Luz, subtly, sees herself as a burden. This is why she almost never defends herself when people attack her, fairly or not. When Amity, enraged because Lilith humiliated her in her duel with Luz, demands Luz admit to not being a real witch, she acquiesces, despite having no real reason to. Even after she’s become Amity’s friend (and, unknowingly, her crush), even after Amity risked her own job to help her … Luz assumes that Amity hates her because she got fired from the library trying to help Luz … when Amity was the one who insisted they keep looking. Likewise, when the detention kids accuse her of being stuck-up, Luz accepts the rejection without a word of complaint, even though their accusation is based on incomplete information. And probably most heartbreakingly, at the start of Season 2, Luz calls herself a burden on Eda. After bringing so much life to this crusty old witch’s life, to the point of not only saving her from execution but playing a huge role in her reconnecting with her estranged sister, because of the way she’s been treated for much of her life, Luz can only imagine that Eda dreads her presence.

In short, Luz (1) blunders through many of her social interactions, often leading to negative first impressions, (2) takes those blunders on the chin and assumes they’re her fault even when they aren’t necessarily, and both those (3) flaws flow naturally from her backstory. That’s rather solid character writing that a lot of creators for children’s shows take for granted. Luz isn’t determined to fix what’s wrong just because; she’s determined to fix what’s wrong because, often, she believes that she is responsible for whatever has gone wrong. It’s a more realistic, and rather sad, look at a hero, compared to most Disney properties.

But, in my eyes, what makes this all work like gangbusters is how the other characters treat Luz.

Yes, even her friends and family can be annoyed by some of her more eccentric behavior. They acknowledge when she screws up and hold her accountable for those screw ups. But, for the first time in her life, someone (besides Camila, the real MVP) is giving her the unconditional love she deserves. Eda’s response to Luz saying she doesn’t want to be a burden, Amity saving Luz from Odalia and defying her mother for the first time, hell, even the Golden Guard seems to legitimately bond with Luz in their one episode together.

Given Luz’s status as a neurodivergent girl, as an autistic fan of this show, I can only imagine how comforting a lesson that is for the neurodivergent kids watching this: “Even if people don’t value you, even if you legitimately make mistakes, you still deserve unconditional love. You have value, damn what other people say.” Disney may be a shitty, evil corporation, but the Owl House crew really created something special, something richer than the average Disney cartoon, and that puts a smile on my face.

In short, you’re doing great sweetie. :)

[theothin]

Looking back at my two weeks of binging various media. Sort of builds on my previous post about genderweird stories due to a lot of overlap.

Wayward Children (book 7) - As always, really fun and disturbing in new ways. I enjoyed having Cora as the protagonist this time, as well as bringing Regan into the larger story.

High Guardian Spice - Still baffled by the hatedom that’s sprung up around this show. I guess there’s that many people allergic to trans characters and/or adorable shows about girls in magic school?

Fabiniku - Ongoing and still fucking hilarious.

Zombieland Saga - First season starts a bit weak but gets really fun after a few episodes. The second is a bit stranger - I liked it, but I preferred the first.

Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department - Watched one episode and was not impressed. It’s funny, at least? Checked it out for the promise of genderbending monsters but the implementation is not exactly what I’m looking for.

Sailor Moon - Checked it out since @lilietsblog​ compared it to High Guardian Spice, tried a second episode because I’ve heard so much about it but... honestly, I can’t stand it. Don’t like the characters, don’t like the writing style, don’t like the episode structure.

Ranma 1/2 (season 1A) - The Hulu subscription I got for Sailor Moon turned out to include some other fun old shows. I loved the first arc (although there’s definitely some dicey stuff), but then at episode 14 the show’s style changes completely. Seems like it tries to get too fancy and elaborate, and ends up undermining its goofy brand of humor in the process. I couldn’t keep watching from there.

W.I.T.C.H. (season 2) - Sailor Moon also got me interested in revisiting a different magical girl show. Went back to the beginning of the season, since I last watched it years ago with Liliet and didn’t remember much. Its quality is a bit inconsistent, but it’s a fun show.

A Memory Called Empire - Currently working my way through the audiobook. Five chapters in so far, and the mysteries are certainly piling up. Three Seagrass is wonderful, and the empire has one hell of a name structure.

Misfile (books 14-18) - I remembered it being really slow when read serially and I remembered that my interest in it had been based on my lower standards of over a decade ago, but I had not remembered how much... uncomfortable stuff is in it. Picked it up a bit before where I’d left off and read a ways from there, still planning on finishing it eventually but for now I’m setting it aside in favor of better stories.

Sister Claire - Another recommendation from Liliet, this time a webcomic about magic nuns. I’ve caught up on the main story, and am currently working my way through the bonus section. One neat thing it does with that structure is that the main story includes several trans characters without putting much attention on that fact while the bonus section’s backstories explore it a lot further. Another one for the list of stories I’d recommend that feature major trans characters.

Mask of Shadows (book 2) - Only about halfway through the book so far, and quite enjoying it. Compared to the first one, it’s putting a lot more focus on the main character’s genderfluidity and on examining trans and otherwise queer topics in the setting. Turns out a team of elite assassins can be a magnet for queer folks.

The Legend of Vox Machina - Only three episodes out so far, but it’s already great. Definitely recommend it even if you’ve never watched the main Critical Role show. It covers some ground that seems to be lacking in adult animation at present, and I’m hoping it paves the way for others.

Evangelion (Rebuild #4) - As usual for the series, it’s a very strange movie, but I liked it. Seems like the most coherent ending Evangelion has had, however little that may say. The biggest oddity continues to be Mari - in particular, I feel like it undermines the other pilots’ stories for anyone to take so well to the job. Now I want to rewatch Rebuild #3 sometime in hopes of actually following it now, since the one time I saw it was ten years ago while I was half-asleep.

Slayers - Started this one today, Liliet’s fourth contribution to this list. I’ve gotten fond of this sort of goofy and simplistic style of fight scenes, and Lina Inverse is a delightful murderhobo disaster.

Apparently this is what can happen when you set up one-time subscriptions to multiple streaming services over a vacation. No regrets, mind.

[digital-dhampirs]

vnc episode 12 thoughts

The thrilling conclusion to the Vanitas no Carte anime’s first cour is out, and I have thoughts! I’m still considering doing a full season/ fill cour review, but I have a Lot of episode 12- specific opinions, so this review / breakdown / thing will focus around e12!

A warning before we begin— review will contain spoilers for events that take place in the vnc manga and not in the anime, and will most likely spoil some sections of the anime’s next cour. With that, let’s get started!

Episode 12 of the VnC anime covers chapters 19, 21, 22, and 23 of the manga.

To begin this review in a brutally honest way, this episode was… in my opinion as a manga reader… bad. It did have some ok moments, but generally devoted a lot of its time to a plotline that (while adorable) isn’t actually super important compared to what was left on the wayside. Vanitas and Noé’s fight over blood drinking is fine, I guess, but why’d we get that minute long flashback compilation and not Dante’s conversation with Dominique, or Roland and Olivier’s complete conversation, or Astolfo’s excitement to hunt vampires, or Mikhail?

I really truly wish the show had taken some of the money and time that went into the Vanitas and Noé fight from chapter 23 and put it into the arguably much more important and interesting parts of this episode. Ruthven drinking Noé’s blood, Roland’s threat, and Chloé and Astolfo’s introductions all had some very janky stills and animations. It truly irked me to see that time and effort went into making Noé’s mouth move while he’s mentally monologuing about wanting to drink Vanitas’s blood, while Roland’s fantastic threat from Chapter 22 got… this. click on image for worse quality

The episode also decided to continue E11’s habit of chopping scenes up and mashing them together. In E11 this was a very not great decision, but was ultimately somewhat forgiveable from a tone point of view. In E12, meanwhile, it’s just all out chaos as the anime tries to string five completely separate scenes into something coherent (Noé and Vanitas in the hotel, Ruthven and Jeanne in the street, Domi and Dante on the stairs, Roland and Olivier in the chasseur compound, and a flashback to complete the Ruthven and Noé encounter from E11). Suffice it to say the anime does not succeed in this endeavor.

What really irritates me about this is that the manga already provided a framework for the anime to work these scenes together into. A frantic Vanitas reunites with Noé, Ruthven meets Jeanne in the street, Roland and Olivier speak about the beast, we see a mysterious flashback of Chloé calling for Jeanne as they talk, cut to Jeanne in the present as Dante and Ruthven’s attendants simultaneously tell Ruthven and Vanitas about the beast’s return.

I really wish the anime could’ve just given us the conclusion to the Ruthven scene at the start of the episode, done the OP, and then followed this series of events to a T. But it didn’t, and the result is a bit of a mess.

The anime’s choice to omit half of Roland and Olivier’s conversation means Dante’s announcement about the beast being back has no meaning or weight; Vanitas running to the hotel before we know what actually happened to Noé at the cafe ruins the drama and irony of the scene; Noé’s lack of memory of what happened at the cafe is muddled by the weirdly placed cafe flashback right afterwards; the anime putting Olivier’s “what that man believes in isn’t god” line seconds before the reveal of Roland’s intelligent and scheming nature doesn’t give the line enough room to breathe and stew; and the transition scene with Domi and Dante just doesn’t fit. I can honestly say I would have preferred Dante just teleporting from the streets of Paris to Vani and Noé’s windowsill than have that scene smack dab in the middle of what’s already a confusing mishmash of way too many unconnected events.

Wow. That was a long, critical paragraph. one might even say it was just as chaotic and disorganized as the episode itself. I feel like I’m really living up to my fullest potential as a bitter manga simp. So! Let’s turn things around and talk about some of the good parts of this episode!!

First and foremost I want to compliment this episode’s music..! The soundtrack of VnC is just all round fantastic no matter what— whether it’s playing during a goofy scene or a fight, it’s is bound to be fantastic. I think my favorite pieces are the ones that play at quiet, ominous moments— the music during Vanitas and Dante’s conversation about the beast is excellent, adding something truly incredible to the atmosphere created by the illustrations of the beast and the eerie green light of the scene. The way the music lines up with Olivier’s “what that man believes in…” line during that one flashback is similarly awesome.

This episode also has very nice voice acting..! Despite all of its struggles in the visual and plot department, pretty much everything to do with the VnC anime’s audio is stellar. I’ve become a big fan of Jeanne, Roland, and Olivier’s voices (I can’t wait to see how Olivier’s VA works with all his screaming in the Gévaudan arc); Astolfo’s voice is perfect for him (I am similarly excited to see his clipped, polite tone take a turn for the insane as the Gévaudan arc moves forwards); and as always our protagonists’ voices are great.

My one singular problem with the voice acting this episode is Chloé. I don’t know why, but she sounds like a catgirl from a fantasy anime rather than a multiple- centuries- old vampire. I don’t know what I was expecting from her voice, but this wasn’t it. I really hope Chloé’s voice will grow on me like Roland’s did, but there’s just something about it that feels off to me.

However! That one detriment doesn’t detract from the fact that this episode does have some very beautiful moments, especially during that one last scene with Chloé at the end. Visually, Chloé is absolutely spot on— I only hope the show has the budget to keep giving her pretty, pretty scenes like this. The scene where Vanitas and Dante discuss the beast is also very very nice to look at. The monochromatic red section of Ruthven and Noé’s scene is excellent. And, while I’m still annoyed that this scene got so much love put into it and others did not, Noé’s spotlight-lit monologue is aesthetically pleasing as well.

With that, we’ve covered all of my main thoughts on the final episode of the vnc anime’s first cour! My feelings towards this episode’s plot and pacing are overwhelmingly critical, and the episode’s visuals are a toss up (leaning on the side of bad, @/ that Roland screenshot), b u t the episode’s music and voice acting are both fantastic. And honestly? That’s kinda how I feel about this whole cour of the anime.

Episode 12 might not have been “good”, but I believe it’s a very neat representation of the best and worst of what Vanitas no Carte as an anime has to offer.

Despite all my critiques I am still legally obligated to love this anime, and can’t wait to see the Gévaudan arc in the next cour!

Fun Fact

The weirdly technological background when Noé realizes he’s hungry makes absolutely no sense for an anime set in 1889, but for some reason that just makes this scene funnier to me

[surrealsunday]

Hello :) Kinnporche-anon again !

So I just finished episode 9 and i have so mnay emotions :((((

Well first off, I loved seeing them learning how to be a couple together, they were so adorable omg, with their first dates, and Porsche being so nervous about the novelty of it all and Kinn learning to open again aaawww...And they did an underwater kiss??? The Evak vibes of it all, all gay couples should have an underwater kiss, let's make it a rule ^^ But yeah I really love how their relationship has so much range. They can go from being the cutest goofy couple to be so beautifully tragic, and through that having incredible chemistry! Also I remain on my Porsche-is-meant-to-be-a-mafia-lord agenda, like the way he immediately sees he is at advantage and plays on it during a conversation, even when the person in front of him tries to intimidate him, for exemple when Kinn is jealous in episode 7? And how he manages to command so easily and with so much confidence Kinn, aka the Big Mafia Boss so used to being the one in charge? Sure, the fact that Kinn is super whipped kind of play into that, but I'm pretty sure Porsche could make anyone whipped for him if he wanted to so ^^ (altho i guess the fact that he can't lie to save his life could be disavantage but we'll see if he gets better)

So yeah I loved see their honeymoon phase and I knew it would not last so of course Kinn's dumb ex had to come back >:( He just framed Porsche who, tbf, made it very easy but well I can't blame him poor sweety is just in his first relationship he does not know how to handle jealousy I get that, and again very mafia-vibes to immediately jump on the spying-the-ennemi tactic ;) But i'm 100 pourcent (99 pourcent?) sure that Kinn does not actually believe Porsche betrayed him but had to act like that to save his face as the Big Leader, like he did after Porsche got drugged and Kinn punished him? Also very curious about what Vegas's attentions really are, bc he SEEMS to be sincere with his feelings for Porsche but also is very creepy and defintely sus...Kind of like Kim with Porschay altho in this situation, the fact that he truly is charmed by him is made more evident, and their first kiss was so cute but if he hurt baby chay I swear X((((

Anyway that was my rant, hope you had a good day :)

YAYYYYY KP ANONNNNNNNNNN

Oh god yes. The end of ep 9. Porsche's heartbroken 'ai Kinn' repeated over and over. It ruined my life but I also loved it so much because GIVE ME ANGST. Also I was exactly like you in terms of speculating that Kinn was just putting on a show. And I'm guessing by now you know we were correct in that assesment. Still, dumbass screwed up on not telling Porsche from the beginning. Sigh.

Them learning to be a couple and us getting to SEE them be a couple is the absolute best thing. I loved so much that the show allowed them that time. We got to actually see them as giddy boyfriends. Also yes, the gays own the underwater kiss. I don't make the rules. Thems facts.

Your 'Porsche-is-meant-to-be-a-mafia-lord agenda' makes me so happy by the way. I love your assessment and I can't wait for you to see the rest of the season and see how that plays out. Porsche is no wilting flower for damn sure. But I love the back and forth with he and Kinn. Because the love between them makes them both so damn vulnerable and neither of them are used to that. So allowing one another to see that vulnerability and trusting in one another enough to be all in when it comes to their relationship is honestly pretty beautiful. And it's very well demonstrated in scenes like the end of ep 7 (my all time fave scene btw - it just doesn't get better than that mix of love/lust/angst). And p.s. I love seeing big mafia Kinn, as you say, be so totally soft for Porsche. "Whipped" doesn't even cover it lol.

So I will be interested to hear what you think of Tawan (aside from the obvious hate because honestly I wanted to smack the shit out of him from the second he appeared on screen) and that arc. It is one place in the show where I think a lot of potential was lost due to the introduction of other storylines and more rushed pacing. But there's some satisfying stuff for sure (badass Kim!!!!). And oh god... baby Chay. Yes. Must PROTECT!

As always your rant makes my life so thank you so very much!

[chibinekochan]

Obey me! Getting your first kiss on valentines day

A request from last year and now it's the season for it-

Mammon got his own little Valentine story.

  Leviathan

It's very much the same for him.

So he does his very best to make it super special.

Honestly, he goes completely overboard.

It's a surprise he didn't hire a violinist to play for you.

He decorated his whole room with hearts and fairy lights.

For a moment you think you stepped into a different dimension.

Then Levi presents you with an entire meal, that he cooked all by himself. 

He is super nervous, so are you.

Levi can only think about kissing you the entire time but is too nervous to actually do it.

He is about to just do it another day. 

Then he remembers how you said how much you wanted your first kiss to be on Valentine’s day. 

This somehow gives Levi the last push he needs. 

With unusual fire in his eyes, he looks at you.

Then he holds you by the shoulders and kisses you. 

It's a bit surprising to both of you. 

Levi pulls almost immediately back, he is very nervous. 

He thinks that he messed up somehow. 

Then he sees that you are an equally blushy mess. 

He isn't sure if that's a good thing. 

Levi is about to die *not really he is just dramatic*

Then you ask him if he liked kissing you, and in an almost inaudible addition if he wants to do it again. 

Surprisingly enough Levi hears you and after calming down a little bit he lets you kiss him.   

It's a great experience for both of you.

  Beelzebub 

He has the biggest issue with making the chocolate for you. 

It takes an immense amount of effort to not eat it all by himself. 

He is very proud of himself when he hands it over to you. 

You are surprised and very glad. 

It would be easier for him to give you flowers or something else but yet here he is making the one thing that is hardest for him.��

You give him the biggest smile and present him with the chocolates you made for him. 

Beel lights up like the sun. 

He is so happy, it's very nice to see him like this. 

It was worth all the effort you put into this. 

Then suddenly Beel gives you a big hug and just spins you around. 

You are surprised and almost yell out. 

Beel then notices that he made a mistake and carefully places you back on the ground. 

The room spins for a bit and Beel is mortified. 

He feels very bad but you aren't mad at all. 

Beel finds it hard to believe. 

So in the end you kiss him to shut him up.

  Satan 

Valentine's day is the perfect excuse for Satan to invite you to date. 

This is also the perfect excuse to cook for you and be all romantic, without fearing his brother’s judgments. 

You accepted his invite and got cute matching cups for you two, with a bit of chocolate to melt in it. 

Satan is very pleased with your present. 

His very fancy dinner is the present to you, and you are more than happy about it. 

Satan is extra thoughtful the entire time, he cooked all of your favorite foods and dessert. 

It's a very nice and very romantic dinner. 

In the end, Satan offers to bring you to your room. 

It's in the same building but you accept his offer. 

Satan holds your hand on the way. 

Then he kisses you for the first time. 

It feels very special to you both.

  Asmodeus 

He loves this day. 

Even when all the chocolate is a bit much and he often gives most to Beel. 

Since otherwise, he would get all fat. 

You know this very well and decide to give him a homemade card and a little self-made keychain. 

You know that valentine's day is a day for him to celebrate love with whomever he feels like it. 

So naturally, he has planned a gigantic party. 

Of course, you are a VIP guest for him. 

Asmo is thrilled when you arrive. 

His eyes sparkle when he sees your gift. 

You put much thought into what he would like and the keychain is just so adorable. 

He gives you a big hug and then gives you a single rose. 

It's very sweet of him.

Then you drink, dance and just enjoy the party. 

Asmo is pretty busy being the host but you never feel lonely. 

You also get to meet many interesting demons. 

At the end of the night, Asmo is pretty tired but happy. 

You feel the same way and just wind down with him. 

It's very nice to just relax together. 

You casually play with his hair, something that he only lets you do. 

Asmo just smiles at you and then hands you a card. 

It's obviously hand made. 

This is so sweet to you, you didn't expect this at all. 

With a big smile you give him a kiss and Asmo blushes and then asks for one more with a goofy smile.

  Belphegor

You make him a whole bunch of chocolate, figuring he would share with Beel. 

He thinks it's waay too much but claims every single piece of it for himself. 

You think it's pretty sweet. 

Then he sees that each of the chocolates is star-shaped. 

His eyes just light up. 

Belphie is so happy about it he can barely hold himself back. 

He then admits that he tried to make you chocolate but it just wasn't working out. 

So instead he customized a pillow for you. 

It has some very cute patterns on it and it's also very soft and comfortable. 

Belphie tells you that now you will think of him whenever you sleep or cuddle the pillow. 

Only to then say that you should just cuddle him instead. 

You only ruffle his hair as an answer. 

Belphie complains about that for a good second and then invites you to a date with him. 

You agree of course. 

Belphie brings you to a coffee shop. 

It's unusual for him, knowing how much he loves the planetarium. 

Belphie explains that they have this special couples meal here that he wanted to try with you. 

This is very sweet of him. 

The meal is very romantic, it's a bit embarrassing if you are being honest. 

Belphie seems equally embarrassed by the countless heart-shaped items. 

Despite this, the date is very nice. 

In the end, Belphie holds your hand and kisses you on the cheek. 

You then kiss him on the lips. 

He hums and demands more kisses. 

  Lucifer 

This man gets every imaginable gift for Valentine’s day. 

It's so bad that he almost outlaws the whole day. 

He only doesn't do it since that would also mean no gift from you. 

So instead the gifts just pile up. 

Meanwhile, you ponder about what to even get him. 

Lucifer has too much of everything. 

Of course, you make him a bit chocolate and a nice card but it's just not enough in your opinion. 

You think about giving him something unusual like a record or maybe something useful. 

Then you decide to gift him a song, well a song played by you. 

Of course, you would never be able to play as good as the music on his records but you hope that he appreciates the effort you put into this. 

Lucifer spends the day in his room, which makes it extra easy to find him. 

Lucifer seems exhausted when he opens the door but he still smiles for you. 

You want to make sure that he gets some rest at least and just hand him the chocolate and card. 

Lucifer smiles brightly at both items. 

He was looking forward to your gift. 

Lucifer asks you to come inside and join him for some tea. 

You join him and talk about a few things. 

Lucifer then hands you a small gift box. 

Inside you find a necklace that looks very beautiful and very expensive. 

It's too much for Valentine's day. 

You almost want to decline the gift but Lucifer seems to sense your intentions and tells you how much you have helped him and that this is only a small part of his gratitude towards you. 

You can't quite decline the gift now. 

Then you remember the other gift you prepared for him and ask Lucifer if you could play a song for him. 

Lucifer wants to hear it of course. 

So you play the song and Lucifer listens to it very closely, like it's the most beautiful song he has ever heard. 

He looks so happy when you are done. 

Lucifer gives you many compliments. 

It makes you feel very good. 

Your efforts truly paid off. 

At the end of the day, Lucifer gives you a good night kiss. 

  Obey me! Masterlist

[vixenpen]

Can you please do another au where the reader is in bad girls club!! I just read your Bakugo one and omfg the serotonin legend I got from it was unreal!!! Could you do sero or denki? Love your writing btw❤️

Kaminari x Badgirl Club Reader

You started out as Kaminari’s favorite YouTube personality.

He loved your wild humor, comedy skits, and even your makeup tutorials and get ready with me vids

⚡️“Guys! Y/n just dropped a new video!”

💥 Who cares? Why the hell are you watching a makeup tutorial anyway? It’s not like you’re gonna need it

⚡️Ok, first of all: you never know when you’ll need a skill, second; y/n can make anything interesting. Even makeup.

Yes, Denki’s been bragging on you since before he even met you. So much so, that he eventually gets Mina and Sero on board to watch

When they fall in love with your fun personality and cool content too, Denki is SO smug:

Eventually everyone gets on board. Even Bakugo’s cranky ass gets a chuckle or two out of your videos

So when you drop the announcement that you’re going to be on the Bad Girl’s Club, your #1 fan is holding a one man parade on social media

He goes live on Twitter to gush and congratulate you. Claiming he’s going to be having live watch parties of the entire season just to see you

He’s so cute and excited that his live catches your attention. You tweet him; thanking him for his support and asking for his YouTube channel

Honey when Kaminari sees your re-tweet his mind is:

Honey, he passes out. But not before gushing on the retweet where he drops the link and screen shotting the moment

True to his word, Denki streams every episode and live reacts. Half Your audience has subscribed to him and his reaction vids are almost as popular as your appearance on BGC

⚡️Do y’all see how they’re hating on my baby? 😠Y/n deserves better! How can anyone have beef with y/n she’s perfect! 😩Just walk away y/n, that chick isn’t worth it! Alright guys, remember to vote for our favorite, y/n, so she can stay in the house!🤩

The man is a one man hype machine!

Even you think his bubbly personality is adorable. You find yourself watching his lives and laughing along with him

Eventually, you slide into his DMs

Denki passes away when he sees your name.

He’s convinced it’s a troll

He literally let the message sit for a week because somehow, he thought the username that took him directly to your verified page was fake🙄 (look we all know baby boy ain’t the brightest bulb in the box)

⚡️y/n....is this rly u?

You: I wondered when ur goofy ass was gonna reply 😏

Holy shit it was you!!!!

Denki’s fingers are trembling through the whole convo. He’s trying his hardest to be cool and not freak out, but it’s hard

You guys do start talking and flirting subtly every couple weeks and eventually he starts to relax. You’re really cool and sweet and just a normal person.

Then 2 weeks turns to every week and every week turns into every other day

Eventually, it begins to come across on camera that y/n is sneaking off to make phone calls often and smiling at her phone

The entire Internet starts speculating that you and Denki are a thing, but surprisingly,’the two chattyist people on the planet manage to keep it a secret for a while

That is until the girls take a trip to Japan for a special episode

You: Pikaboo 🥺🥺 I wanna see you

⚡️ I wanna see you too Boopie! 😍😍 can you sneak off set?

You: I’ll make it work

When you let him know that you’ve touch down in Japan, Denki is practically bursting at the seams. The whole squad is giving him weird looks, but he could care less.

He picks you up from the house in a blacked out sports car and the two of you start making out immediately. Got baby boy like:

Baby is just: 😩😍😩😍😩😍 the whole time. Lord have mercy this man loves him some you

He takes you to some cool, secluded spots in Tokyo and just gazes at how your face lights up at everything

You guys go to different food stands, shopping, karaoke, discreet little bars. You name it, he takes you, and he has the means to do it with his hero money

By the time Denki drops you back off, the sun is coming up, but at least you two managed to have some discreet fun with out getting caught

Or so y’all think

Then next morning fuzzy cellphone pics of the two of you club hopping, partying and making out are all over Twitter the top trending post and your collective fans are BUZZING honey!

Denki’s line is blowing up from the squad calling him, his follower count is climbing, live streams popping, the BGC audience has practically doubled, and poor y/n ain’t getting no peace in the house now that everyone knows she’s connected to a hot, rich, foreign hero

⚡️So much for keeping it a secret

You: 😂 we tried so hard!

Eventually, you two are forced to go public with your relationship, but the internet eats it UP!

Both your brands get a popularity boost

Y/n is invincible in the house, pretty much guaranteed to win and Denki has a new side career as a social media celeb

The two of you are perfect together. Bombing each other’s live streams to flirt, crack jokes and answer fan questions.

Your subscribers are WELL fed on content, and when you finally do win BGC, the first thing you do is fly out to Japan to celebrate with your man.

[swanhookheart]

Angry Grishaverse book review time!

After watching and LOVING s1 of Shadow and Bone, I read the trilogy! I was not impressed. 

Spoilers incoming for Grishaverse stuff, so if you don’t want those, don’t read on!

Watching Shadow and Bone this past weekend, I was hooked : Darklina, the lore behind the amplifiers, the Aleksander backstory… I was really impressed and hoped that this was it--that at last, I’d found a fantasy series that was going somewhere big, something I could really, thoroughly sink my teeth into. 

*Sigh* 

Then I read the books.

The reader / viewer enters the Grishaverse associating darkness with pure evil. The Fold, described early on, is shown to be this bleak, awful, ruinous place where people go to be eaten alive by volcra and hope goes to die. We therefore, naturally, associate the Darkling--who possesses the power of shadow--with that evil from the off. I’m speaking as someone who only got into the Grishaverse last Saturday. My initial thoughts were, “oh, he’s being set up to be viewed as dark and scary; this is the expectation Bardugo wants us to have so that we’ll be blown away by some great twist later. Count me in!”

But that twist never came. He was set up as evil, and he stayed evil. Surprise, he’s the Black Heretic! Surprise, he’s an abomination effectively created by Morezova’s greed! Surprise, he’s ruthless and horrible and does cruel things! Except none of those things are actually surprising, given he was SET UP from the beginning to be viewed that way. He did bad things, walked a bad walk, and talked a bad talk. I kept thinking “ah, so he’s gonna get a sweeeet redemption arc,” and then he just never did. That element of the story was predictable to a nauseating degree, and that predictability made the entire universe feel a bit flat. If the reader saw more of his backstory, had more real, logical, sound justification for why he does the things he does (like in the show, where they at least tried to paint his actions as borne of some misplaced sense of servitude / protection for the Grisha or where we saw him actively struggling at points to grapple with the darkness inside him), then maybe the trilogy wouldn’t have been such a letdown. And yes, I know about his sacrifice or whatever later on. It’s not enough.

In villains, I and probably plenty of others like to see humanity. We want to empathize with our villains to a certain extent--to understand them just a little bit--so we can fully commit to hating them when they violate our trust. The Darkling didn’t have that human, redeeming quality, though--at least, not in the books. In the books, he was just a power-hungry jackass who simultaneously didn’t want to be alone and kept trying to kill his only opportunity not to be alone. His single-mindedness, his lack of human empathy, the simplicity with which he pursued this made him seem almost stupid to me as a reader. For someone who’s lived hundreds of years, he’s kind of an idiot when it comes to other people--which, itself, almost seems incongruous with his having lived for so long. If he’d maybe had more backstory or more in his story to justify his actions, maybe he’d feel like a better villain. But atm, all I’m doing is rolling my eyes with him. I couldn’t love him because he didn’t put in any work toward being a better person. Even in the end, he doesn’t actually do the work or repent. But I also can’t hate him because the source material hasn’t given me enough actual human qualities to hate or to feel betrayed. His character just… missed the mark for me. 

As did Mal’s. Fucking MAL, oh my GOD! This dude’s literal only personality trait was loving Alina. Cool, he could track--for Alina, mostly. He could fight--for Alina. “I am become a blade”? Sir, you got a whole-ass tattoo announcing that you’re an object in this woman’s service? No WAP is worth that, and I’m speaking as a very bisexual woman. My dude, it’s weird, it’s extra, it’s just too much. I’ll go back to the Darkling for two seconds to say that, ofc, his actions were painted as problematic and misogynistic and gross. But, like, the possessiveness Mal displays with Alina kinda feels on that same level? Why are we pretending he’s better when he actively tries to keep her low, keep her powerless, and keep her his? Again, dude got a tattoo of her sigil. He was fully prepared to be the leader of her guard even if she married Nikolai just for the opportunity for some sexytimes. I know that YA is about really intense emotion, the fire of teenage hormones and stuff, but that all just felt a bit toxic. The way that his entire life revolved around her while she tried to balance the role of saint, hero, orphan, and all the things she was just felt goofy and like a wildly unhealthy dynamic. 

Their whole relationship also felt really obvious, as I guess the Darkling being revealed as the trilogy’s big bad did. It was predictable, set up to be that way from the start. There were no surprises. It was Mal, and then it was still Mal, and in the end, it was also Mal. We weren’t really shown any of what made them so drawn to each other, we were just kind of told and expected to be fine with the intensity of it. But it read as being way too much for me, and god, it kept getting worse. Again, this one felt like low-hanging fruit--low effort, lazy writing. Nothing about it actually read to me as romantic, just as too much. They didn’t so much as fall in love as just start out that way, and reading that was somewhere between boring and uncomfortable. At least with the Darkling or hell--even Nikolai--we saw some of that chemistry unfold on the page. We were shown some of what made them work the way they did. There was something underpinning their relationship, and not just “oh, they’re supposed to be together”. I mean, after all JKR’s bullshit, I feel totally fine saying fuck authorial intent. If you can’t even be bothered to actually put your shit on the page, don’t ask me to blindly accept your version canon as gospel truth. 

We could have had Deckerstar vibes, Beauty and the Beast vibes, seen light and dark come together and surprise us by actually working well together. But no, we saw a special girl lose everything that made her special and settle for some mediocre fuckboy from her hometown. We get characters that actually have the potential to be dynamic and make for a good story, but she still ends up with this bland, vanilla, trick-ass bitch? It’s a major letdown when you’ve actually been exposed to decent fictional couples, tbh.

OOF! And the ending? Oh jesus fuck, that ending. Darkling just… dies. Just like that. I read three whole books for that? I know he comes back and dies again and all, but the whole trilogy felt like it was building up to something more, something deeper and greater and more profound. He was horrible for the things he did, sure, and he deserved defeat as long as he refused to waver from his power-hungry, destructive path. But his death brought about no closure. He and Alina never actually had the fight they needed to or reached an understanding with each other. Everything is left undone, unsaid, unexplored. The ending just felt super anticlimactic on the page, and so, the trilogy as a whole fell completely short of any mark I hoped it might hit.

Did I hope Darklina would be endgame? Sure. But I’d also have been A-okay with a tragic ending if it had been done right. Did I think it would have been a lot more interesting to see a redemption arc for Darkling than just… more of the same? Or maybe Mal develop a personality outside of Alina? Absolutely. There was so much potential, and it really feels like Bardugo squandered all of it. And for what? This was nearly as disappointing as the eighth season of Game of Thrones. I probably won’t be watching future seasons if they follow the books, but I guess I’m glad for the day or so of fleeting pleasure I got when I still had hope for a properly told story.