#they're trying to create a new world full of peace

[higurehige]

Thoughts on Darkstalker

Extremely well written villain that does a hell of a job manipulating the reader just as well as everyone else in the book itself. Absolute 10/10.

[sophie-frm-mars]

Into the projected corn field

I dunno I just feel like before I can even form an opinion on the Fallout TV series I have to do something to try and get through the haze of disgust, emptiness, anger, nausea and desperation that I feel sitting at home alone watching a TV show based on the insipid corporatised franchise that was based on the highly original and artful world in which one of the (and then two of the, and then New Vegas of the) best games ever made were set in. I'm not feeling any of those feelings at the show, I just have to feel all those feelings before I can feel any feelings about the show, because everything being made is Intellectual Property instead of art, and we've spent all this time discussing AI art when everything being made is already being made by the algorithmic logics of capital. All the same things we find troubling in the idea of inhuman heuristics deciding what art is produced and how and by who are already true - we aren't watching a show about the hubris of our society and nuclear annihilation because someone (anyone) thought there would be something poignant to say in it, something to explore in our moment, we're watching it because Amazon executives knew that if they made it we'd watch and go "look, ghouls! like in the thing! and mutants! like the thing from the thing!"

The original Fallout games were made in and around and after the neoliberal end of history, the ultimate period of peace and prosperity in western capitalist society and imagined an absurd world based on the penultimate period of american imperialist peace and prosperity playing out into an almost inevitable post-apocalyptic nightmare world where the same rubrick of control and domination that led to the destruction of society in the first place constantly tries to reassert itself over a hobbesian wasteland full of strange, silly, kind, funny, odd people whose human tendency towards care and altruism makes an endless mockery of the kill-or-be-killed nature of the wasteland that mocks it right back.

In the first episode the vault dwellers gather in a simulated corn field. It's an actual corn field, they're growing actual corn in it, but the horizon and sky are projected onto the vault walls to create the only wider world the subterranean human beings will ever see, and I just... hope that someone gets what I hope anyone ever gets out of art no matter how it's produced. I hope it makes you realise that love and the revolution are the only meanings in being alive, and I hope you get that from Rothko and I hope you get that from EpicLlama's Midjourney feature film sponsored by Dogecoin, and I hope you get that from Akira and I hope you get that from Spy Kids 3D. I just think about being in a moment right between the pandemic and the collapse of the conglomerate capitalist empire watching people on a screen seeing a better world projected on a screen and I feel gut wrenchingly alienated from other human beings, but I acknowledge that could just be me.

How am I supposed to feel about Walton Goggins' performance as a half rotted rubber cowboy man? I don't fucking know man. My opinion is this show is making me derealise.

[bitterrobin]

something that's super underrated in fic is Damian having a life in the League of Assassins. It's not just training 24/7 and mind games between a boy and his grandfather. It's not just Damian getting put through the child abuse simulator so that Bruce or Tim or Jason or Dick or whoever can rescue him. Damian is a character that experiences slow growth. He goes through the "no killing" rule, but there's storylines where you can tell he's only sticking to it for Bruce and Dick. He follows their lead because he needs their validation and affection, to prove himself - not because he genuinely believes in what they're trying to do (at least not yet).

For a child to be stuck in such a mindset, tells me two things; obviously the indoctrination runs deep because he was raised in the League. He doesn't understand his family because their lives are alien to him. But also that the League shouldn't just be a place of misery and despair. It needs to be full of people who praise his actions, people who try and value him.

They are teaching Damian that the Earth is something to be cherished, that he kills to honor his family and one day lead the revolution. It's something very overlooked; the League doesn't believe that they are evil. They are a fringe organization with the fervor to save the Earth. They worship Ras al Ghul, of course, but that's because they believes he embodies what the planet needs - rejuvenation, redemption, the care for endangered and extinct animals, the dismantling of rich billionaires and corrupt governments and exploitative companies. If they have to kill and turn the oceans red with blood to ensure that the Earth exists for a thousand more years - then so be it - Ras will take us there.

Damian internalizes this. He lives in this League day in, day out. He may not always appreciate the teachers his grandfather gives him, but he learns. He absorbs. He watches the initiates being sworn in shadows. He observes the cultists and their rabid worship, gets pulled in and placed high above the clouds as a piece of god. He lives his life every day surrounded by the Shadow assassins, spies, information specialists. He is waited on by League staff who are happy to serve them. He has handmaidens he's known since he was an infant, who pamper and spoil him. Bodyguards who have died to save him. Cooks and doctors and researchers and farmers and innocents living their own lives. They come from all over the world. They have families and friends. They have lineages as far back when Ras first founded the League. They treat him like a son, like a little brother, like an older brother, like a friend, like a student, like a messiah, like a child and like an equal.

And when he leaves the League...he loses those connections. The handmaiden who took care of his hair, leaving him to slather on hair gel in an effort to maintain an image. The boy who was being trained a Shadow and befriended him, one whose deathly image he can never shake when talking to anyone his age. The teacher that taught him meditation, an inner peace he yearns to return to. The woman who taught him how to hack computers and he never look at Barbara without remembering her. The man who taught him boxing, his first experience with the life of a performer. The thief who gave him lockpicks and pilfered sweets, whose detached demeanor always remind him of Selina. The actress who taught him to manipulate his voice, a talent he will never get to show her again. The bodyguard who treated him like a little brother, whose sacrifice screams in his mind when interacting with any of the Waynes. Damian can never return to those days. He can create new memories in America, but his heart forever lies in the city amidst the mountains.

[nocturnesmoon]

I have thoughts spurring around in my head like feral cats chasing a bouncy ball, and I'm making it everyone's problem.

What if we take the world of star wars, and smash you and the 141 into it.

There are so many different combinations and turns this could take, but what I'm thinking about is the 141, ex-military turned smugglers, and you a Jedi in hiding after order 66.

The clone wars have finally come to its brutal end, and the empire has taken over the known galaxy. The Jedi have been portrayed as traitors and have been promptly executed, and the rest forced into hiding.

It looks bleak for anyone still holding onto the hope of the republic, anyone not willing to adapt to the new world gets destroyed right along with the old.

The 141 being forcefully retired, not that they minded at this point they knew it was a losing fight. With their options limited, and not keen to do the empire's bidding, or anyone's bidding ever again, they chose the obvious choice, to run.

It wasn't the ideal outcome, but with a timer on their lives, and conflicted opinions, Price took charge of the group. He knew that right now survival was the only thing that mattered, that his men would still live to see another day.

The year of acclimating to their new life was rough, they were used to sticking together but they also normally had more direction than this. Being wanted in any area governed by the empire limited a lot of work options for them.

It quite honestly didn't take long before Price resorted to less moral means, it was how their career as smugglers started.

With Gaz's excellent piloting skills, Soap's weaponry and science knowledge, Ghost's brute strength and intimating demeanor, and Price's own smooth tongue and connections, it was the most optimal choice.

And much to the their own surprise, they're pretty damn good at it.

They make good money smuggling a lot of different things across the galaxy, food, weapons, illegal goods. They take almost any job they can get in the start; they don't have time to be picky just yet, they need the credits more than good morals.

Their wanted status is likely to never get alleviated, but they combat it by never settling in one place too long. They prioritize the credits they have and get a ship big enough for both their job and to house the four of them. They're already used to being close, while this is a step further it's nothing any one of them has anything against.

They all agreed that they would stay together, they started this together and they'll end it together.

A few years in they have gotten quite the reputation for themselves, at least among other known smugglers and wanted criminals. They get bigger job opportunities, higher pay, more risk.

The bond they forge between each other is something none of them could explain, but they embrace its qualities, it's comfort and pleasure.

Some things are better to just leave unexplained and enjoy while they last. The only thing they have is each other, and they've grown quite content with that.

That was until something unexpected crash landed into their lives.

Docked at some lesser-known planet in system of farmers, they had originally planned to stop there for a few days to stock up on supplies and look for less likely work opportunities. Farmers sometimes had some strange inquiries they were quite content spending massive amounts of the little credits they have.

It was a peaceful little community, none the wiser to the person hiding amongst them. You, a Jedi who somehow survived the purge of order 66, posing as mechanic. Outside of your Jedi teachings, you had clear proficiency in anything creating and fixing.

It had been the perfect cover during the last year, who would suspect that the innocent mechanic trying to get by would harbor such a grave secret. That the kind person living in the rundown house, would be so full of survivors’ guilt that it was nothing short of a miracle they were still going.

It had roughly been 2 years since order 66, 2 years since you had survived and fled, 2 years on the run from the empire and the usual calm feeling of the force now gone.

Images still fresh on your brain despite the time, of your master, of your friends, those you'd considered your family dying from blasters that once aided them.

Every time you reached out through the force it was now hollow, the echo going into your brain and body, reminding you of the terrifying fact that you were truly alone.

You had no idea why you survived out of everyone, not even a fully trained Jedi, a mere Padawan with few accomplishments to their name. You shouldn't have survived that, someone better should be here in your place, yet no matter how much you think those thoughts, you can't change the reality.

The small farmer planet had been a good hiding spot for quite a while, you even dared to make a few friends during your stay. Despite it being less of a good idea you still kept your blade, the kyber crystal within being the only thing giving you comfort in your grief. Though you hadn't expected to ever need it again, especially not this soon.

Never had you expected that the empire would set their sights here, nor had you expected your methods of hiding had actually been that horrible. It didn't take them longer than a few days ‘til the people you thought friends practically turned you in.

You couldn't find it in your heart to blame them, the empire had very convincing methods, yet it still meant you were forced into a run for your life.

When the 141 had set their sights on this planet they hadn't expected the empire to already be here when they arrived. Price had insisted that the planet was still free, and he was right, a week ago.

They remained inconspicuous, did their shopping, and didn't snoop around too long. There was no need to get the empire hot on their tails once again.

When Ghost and Gaz went into the market, they intended on staying out of trouble, and technically they weren't the ones roped into it.

When they first spotted you, running from a few storm troopers, lightsaber blade raised, they nearly didn't believe their own eyes. All the Jedi were supposed to be dead, yet here you were, a sight to behold.

Nothing about their next actions were ruled by logic, if you ask them later about what they were thinking they couldn't tell you, because the only thing that was a priority now was to help you.

Perhaps it was some sort of obligation, maybe a sliver of hope for something better, or maybe it was just something about you that tugged at them, making them want to protect and help you.

Backed into a cornered alley, almost having lost your pursuers you felt the new threat loom behind you. A technique that was familiar in ways you couldn't explain, and too fast for you to register and counter. You were knocked out cold, and the next time you woke you were on a spaceship in space.

To say that Price was furious with the two was an understatement, they had more or less kidnapped someone unprompted. While Soap found the situation hilarious, he also had a feeling there was way more to this, and a possible danger they could've avoided.

When you wake it's Price that greets you, making sure to establish himself to not be a threat to you, so you didn't do anything drastic. You were on edge, understandably so, but he managed to explain the situation while also avoiding the main topic at hand.

You knew it would come up, he was toying with your lightsaber in his hands while you talked, and no matter how much you stared it down you didn't dare lunge for it yet. The dreaded question, and the answer that people had such varying reactions to.

"You're Jedi?"

You had expected something else when you confirmed to him what you were, what you've been since you could remember. A part of you had expected them to be bounty hunters, ready to turn you over to the empire at a moment’s notice. The reward on your head would be great, you imagine, yet that's not what he does.

He reminisces instead, telling you of a Jedi he once knew, of how he and his men had fought alongside a few of them on special occasions. Never had you imagine that this is where you would end up, in the metaphorical arms of people who could care maybe just a little.

He gave you an offer, they could drop you off at whatever location you requested, or they could work a sort of partnership.

You don't know what to make of it at first. They seem genuine, but people have ratted you out for less. You don't have a lot of options, going somewhere else and trying to find another inconspicuous farming planet wasn't the most viable choice, but neither was bunking with them. Who knew what kind of people they were.

Your chances were not the best, and unfortunately you had a sneaking suspicion they knew that. Whether their intentions were noble or just pity, you decided to take the risk and stay. If it all came crashing down, you'd still have your training, it had gotten you this far, it could get you further.

The first few days you stayed with them was tense, they were all in agreement on keeping you, there was nothing hostile about it, but it was still tense. It was partially your own doing, you walked on eggshells around them, never letting any of them behind you, etc. etc.

They understood to an extent, the way they met you wasn't exactly on the best of terms, it was natural for you to be cautious. So, they let you have your space, they don't pressure you into anything but do try to coax you into a more comfortable environment with them.

The crack starts to form when you see them all gathered in the main area of the ship, laughing, talking, playing a game you're unfamiliar with. Soap is the first to notice you staring, with a big grin on his face he invites you to join them. Hesitant but interested you approach.

Price explains the rules to you, and you get to watch for a round or two before you join in on your own. They go easy on you but you're a quick learner, and it doesn't take long before you become quite vicious in your play.

It becomes a common thing, almost nightly that they all gather to spend time together. The bond between each other grows fast, and it's not long before you start feeling like this is exactly where you're meant to be.

Settling in with them becomes easier and easier, as if they had always waited for another person to welcome in with them. To fill a missing part, they didn't know they needed.

While keeping the secret of what you are is the topmost priority, you end up helping them out on jobs. Due to your training you're very adaptable, able to fill any position where something was missing.

You were an excellent mechanic when the ship was down, and with Gaz's magic touch it halved the time it usually took to repair.

Soap had a really fun time explaining a bunch of different things about weaponry and the science behind it. There had been a lot of different questions you had in the clone wars that was left unanswered, you could finally have someone enthusiastic that could explain them to you.

A lot of long rides were spent like that, of you asking him questions and then more questions because the math he talked about in the first question was confusing.

Even though you were just a Padawan back then, you still had made your fair share of connections during the clone wars. People that you and your old master had come across, and old friends outside of the Jedi order.

Price found it very useful, and though most of the connections you had were friendship and not business, it could still be used as such. A few of them he even helped rekindle, you've been grateful for that ever since.

Though the Jedi order is no more you still try to keep up with your training. You have no guidance any longer, nothing new to look at, but you can maintain what you know.

The others are happy to help you with it as well, they know it's important to you and a part of them have always found it fascinating how you train.

Occasionally you'd have them all surround you in a circle, setting their blasters to stun and randomly shooting at you. It helped sharpening your senses, helped you rely on the force to guide your hand, and to deflect more accurately.

You'd do a lot of training with Ghost that wasn't necessarily Jedi training. While you did a lot of mental training on your own, the physical part was something Ghost had a lot of enjoyment in helping you with.

Sparring, running, lifting, anything he could think of that would help you, he did, and it quickly became thing for you two to train together.

It wasn't anything you had expected with them, not in a million years would you have imagined ending up here. It was a thing you couldn't predict, but neither was order 66.

Nobody you knew had been able to foresee the collapse of the Jedi order. Some things were just left up to chance, and currently here with the 141, you liked your odds.

I just finished reading the book project hail mary, and not too long ago i reread the Ahsoka book. So safe to say i've been in a bit of a space mood, still am.

And what better way to utilize that, than combine my hyperfixation on the 141 and my special interest star wars hehe.

[generic-sonic-fan]

Why the heck E-123 Omega fascinates me so much

Look I'm not going to lie to you the reason I love Omega so much is that his canon writing is actually pretty lazy. They needed a "Heavy" character to pair with Shadow and Rouge so the writers had them stumble into a robot in the basement who's Gamma's half cousin-brother-something.

Hey player, remember that robot who had an arc and turned good in Sonic Adventure? let's just do that but again. don't worry about it don't think about it too hard.

Except the writers got even lazier this time around and his ENTIRE POTENTIAL CHARACTER ARC is summarized in one line by Rouge's dialogue, "You're mad at Eggman for sealing you in this room" (Sonic Heroes, 2003). Gamma's entire character arc, summarized neatly for the player, so they can start the platforming sections as soon as possible. It's videogame writing. It's not supposed to be a literary masterpiece, so it makes sense that they're borrowing on a concept that a fan of the Sonic games would have seen before if they'd payed Sonic Adventure.

Except, in the attempt to be as lazy as possible, they accidentally created a new type of character that hasn't been explored before??

Because Omega is NOT Gamma. Omega couldn't possibly be more different from Gamma! One destroys Eggman robots to bring about peace, the other as an act of war. One is quiet and contemplative, the other loud and brash. One chooses to cease existing, while the other so desperately wants to live. One is gentle and kind, and the other is just so angry.

In a franchise full of themes about the responsibility of creators to not cause harm with or to their creations, it's baffling to me that Omega is just dropped into the narrative and then promptly forgotten about. There's so many implications with Omega that would be fascinating to dig into from a fan perspective!

What made him the way that he is? Why is he so different from Gamma, so furious?

Now that he's out of the basement, how will he learn about the world outside?

How does his perspective of his origin from Eggman color his experiences and beliefs about things?

This guy has never had a friend before. How does he react to that?

How does he, an ex-Eggman robot designed to kill supersonic hedgehogs, interact with Sonic, the person he was likely designed to kill? Moreover, how does Sonic react to him in return?

Does Omega ever get lonely, as the only robot amongst organics?

How does he relate to Shadow, who was also made as a living weapon?

Meanwhile, trying to get him to show vulnerability is like pulling teeth. It takes a herculean effort to get him to show anything other than the front he puts up. Why's he putting up this front? What could get him to let down this front, even if just for a moment?

(for fuck's sake he's a tsundere. This should be at least a popular topic to explore, shouldn't it?)

And look, I understand. The reason that Omega hasn't been explored nearly as much Shadow is because he's been in less games and, when he has been in games, he's written as a one-note comic relief. But. . . so has Knuckles. So has Amy. So has Sonic. So has Rouge. . . the list goes on, yet the fandom lovingly embraces complex fan characterizations for them. But some fans continue to see Omega as a non-character. Which, as I've just explained, is baffling to me, because this guy has so much potential and transformative fan works are a place to explore that potential.

TL;DR: funny gun robot spin in my brain like he's in microwave despite the intentions of the Sonic Heroes writers. hehe. Go vote for Omega in the Team Dark poll.

MLA Citation for Fern:

Sonic Team, "Sonic Heroes". Sega, 3 December 2003, as cited from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6-SWVIr274

@fernsnailz

[vitaminseetarot]

PAC: 11/11 Self-Care Messages 🍊🌚🦂

Hey y'all. I'm here to take a brief break from NaNoWriMo (I've been making big progress, I swear!). I've heard from some astrologers that this new moon is going to be rather strong, similar to the energy of the full moon.

After some scouring through the web to find horoscopes that weren't all doom and gloom, I figured now would be a good time to draw some cards for a few wellness messages. This was done to check current mood and energy and suggest healing or wellness methods mainly for stress relief.

I emphasize that if you have a real medical issue, best to take it to a doctor, even if you're thinking it's possibly a psychic thing.

Please choose your pile based on palette color below:

Pile 1 - Tropics Pile 2 - Pinkadelic Pile 3 - Mysterious Night Pile 4 - Solar Energy

Take care~☼

Pile 1: Tropics

The World, Peace, Surrender, Salt Bath, Receive, King of Cups, Knight of Swords, Seven of Coins

So you've done it, or it's been done. You've checked the items off your list. You've asked others if there was more to do only to be met with shaking heads saying "no, but thanks." So what to do now? It's easy to get used to this position of needing to be the big helper all the time. A king of cups taking on the world wants to solve every problem and won't rest until everyone is satisfied. But what would all of that take? Is it worth draining your cup, especially when others are learning to rely on it so much?

Your cards are suggesting a much needed rest time. If it's not a salt bath, then try just resting in bed, a brief sunbath, or a massage therapy session. It's not just resting your body, but your mind. You got two color cards which fell out. Surrender the mind for peace within the body. They're linked in this case. Knight of Swords says whatever happens to one will quickly affect the other. Recovery may take some time so please give yourself space to breathe.

This could be a specific message for some out there. I felt a brief pang in my chest that went away as soon as your reading was finished. I don't usually interpret this Salt Bath card in such a literal way, but… please watch your salt intake, more or less, make sure you're getting iodized salt. Some of you may be worried about doctor's visits? Just make sure you're drinking enough water in between salty meals. Keep your stress levels down, above all.

Take care of your heart health and try not to run yourself ragged with too many assignments and crisis alerts going off (what the heck there's a random phone alarm going off in my house now JUST as I'm typing this! And then it stopped as soon as I got up! Crazy). The message is to not respond to every single call and alarm that goes off okay! You definitely need time to rest, and boundaries for said rest. I mean deeply rest and clear your mind, let yourself suspend from the schedule with some suds. You can't get away to paradise forever, but you can create for yourself a moment in time.

Pile 2: Pinkadelic

Five of Coins, Trust, Bodega Cat, Acceptance, VI The Lovers, XVII Star, Ace of Cups

Tick tock, you've been waiting a while for this to come around in your life. I feel this is strongly a love related reading but let's see. If it's not a romantic partner you're attracting, it's a fresh start at life or spiritual awakening, the feeling of falling in love again with life. You've likely been waiting for a while, stuck in a limbo state, learning how to remain comfortable or at least steady in the unknown. Yet you're eager for that "more" or "other" kind of experience. The type of manifestation that makes life feel magical and new.

You need a quick pep talk. I might get a little cheesy with the message, but here goes: For anyone who has yet to meet you, you are that magic spark in their life. You're radiating the energy of wish making and affection and that has an effect on others around you. You're already on the way to attracting the one who will properly recognize that for you. I'm picking up on a lot of artists in this pile. Your magic seeps through to your art, your aura or energy rubs off onto what you make, and somebody special will see the talent in your work. You have way more talent in the arts than you think.

With that said, the Bodega Cat is a lucky cat here to remind you of your independence. You ultimately don't need anyone to come along and remind you of how amazing your work is. Once you see it for yourself, they will come. Once you see it as done, they will show. Perhaps more than it may seem right now. Just like the cat can be itself and people will show up to pet it and take pictures, whatever you bring forth will carry that same unique charm naturally.

You may be in the mood to go on a shopping spree. Treat yourself to something small and nice, like candy or a new t-shirt, it doesn't have to be extravagant. I recommend affirmations specifically on self-love for you, pile 2. Take a mirror marker and write nice things on your mirror. Pet a lucky cat when one stops by, as well! Sweeten your water with some fresh fruit for a sensual touch. Trust and believe. All of this beautiful magical energy is bursting outwards from you! Accept the wish that's there out in front of you.

Pile 3: Mysterious Night

Three of Swords, Growth, Dandelion, Perspective, XII Hanged Man, King of Swords, X Wheel of Fortune

I can tell that whatever has happened in the last few months, you've taken on a hurdle of challenges to get to where you are now. You've had to learn some harsh lessons, some of which may have felt like they were coming out of nowhere. The word 'Disappointment' was clear and capitalized. It seemed like you took many chances or opportunities on, only to be spun around and left in the dark to figure things out on your own. This last cycle was a particular struggle to build resilience while maintaining the motivation to keep moving toward your goals.

But look, you got both the Growth and Dandelion card in your reading! This is truly signifying how much you've really fought back and continued to nurture yourself in spite of the circumstances thrown in your face over and over. There's a spirit of not giving up even when you let yourself have the chance to process the feeling otherwise. Determination isn't about pretending to be happy in spite of comebacks. Disappointments happen; it's a chance to cry it out before smiling again, it's an umbrella and rain coat to let the day rain from time to time instead of expecting the skies to always stay clear.

You've weathered so much and gained an abundance of wisdom this past season, it's like at this point you're gearing up to be ready for whatever comes next. I don't know if you are necessarily expecting good things to come your way, however. Those might be the very things to sweep you off your feet. Or you may still be too on guard to notice the good luck. It's like the dandelion has gotten acclimated to the cracks, but is it ready for the wheel to turn and for the water to flow in between?

I feel like this whole reading is about being ready for a level up. If you need 999 XP to do so, then right now you're at 900. You're getting to the finish line. But instead of getting too worked up about the end result, however, you've mastered the art of hanging back and waiting for when the time is right. Your new perspective allows you to lay back and take a breather between these strong growth spurts. Remember to stay grounded to your toughened roots, pile 3. Try out grounding exercises and meditations. Spend time out in nature when considering the next moves you're going to make in life. No need to rush this kind of growth.

Pile 4: Solar Energy

Two of Swords, Fear, What You Seek is Seeking You, Change, XV The Devil, Ten of Swords, Seven of Pentacles, Six of Pentacles

I always forget how terrifying the devil card is in this deck lol! In fact I'm seeing and sensing a LOT of fear and anxiety in this pile which is why I went and added an extra tarot card. Six is pentacles on top of the deck is good as it shows help is on the way soon. Remember to stay centered and calm at this time, your chance to heal is coming for you, but you may need to yield some of the resistance behind allowing the change necessary to make way for that healing to occur.

It seems as though your pile conjures images of wanting to see daylight at the end of the tunnel. You feel that change is coming very soon and you're not sure if you're able to handle the next cycle after the one that you've been through. Quite the wringer you've been in for some time… I think a lot of y'all have done some shadow work recently, and it has not been the easiest. It's not always about meditating and journaling. Sometimes it's about seeing how simple, basic fears that are universal to humankind can get distorted and become something much more twisted. When you work past the scary parts, you can see the fear for what it really is. 10 of Swords is Sun in Gemini, learning that sometimes overthinking isn't going to solve the problem, especially when the worst is already past you.

A lot of good things seem to be underway for you even if they're not present at the moment. You've done a fair share of rummaging in the attic and going through all the old, little things. You're going through an extensive clearing out phase. Give yourself the opportunity to put the swords of caution down and accept a gentle wave of positive changes to restructure your life piece by piece.

I'm also getting that this pile may be particularly affected by seasonal affective disorder. Make sure to go out and get some sunlight outside, through windows, or UV lamps. I don't know for sure how Vitamin D supplements would help and you'll want to be careful with St John's Wort if you're on medication, but John's Wort is a good supplement I use for my tea to combat the winter blues. If you sense that your mental state may be getting triggered by lack of sunlight, please look into it.

This reading has not been evaluated by the FDA to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease or infection. Please ask your physician before going online.

2023, @VitaminseeTarot ™

[great20sworld]

LIVING THE DREAM 

A Viktor x Reader fanfiction 

Author's note: Chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5 and chapter 6 are available in my Tumblr page along with summary. 

Chapter 7: The Guide To Survival 

_______________________________

Battery drained. Please Recharge.

You frantically click the button.

Battery drained. Please Recharge. 

"No no no...come on, Chronoporter..." You mumble, clicking the button again and again, but to no avail as the message flashes across the screen silently, the mechanical voice gone along with the holographic projections of planetary systems which have been sucked into the tiny screen in an instant, not even allowing your eyes the time to dart across the information. 

"Is everything... alright?" A worried Viktor asks, placing a hand on your arm.

You look at the golden eyes. Concerned and ignorant about the full extent of the situation. How could you ever possibly explain to a man who exists in a world of fantasies and magic, his own existence serving as purpose for their world to continue on, who couldn't possibly comprehend an idea of his own entity being viewed from outside? Was his mind even capable of processing the intrigue beyond his own shell of a world- being the two dimensional being he was back in your realm? 

You gulp, the enormity of the chasm of his naivety making you pity him. 

However, a small voice in the back of your head, refusing to let go, like ivy leaves clinging to the back of a building- insignificant yet noticeable. 

It wouldn't hurt to try, right? 

"Viktor... I... I need you to- to help me..." 

"Yes, what is it, Y/N?" 

Ever so eager. 

"I...I don't know how to say this but... I'm... I'm not from around here..." You stutter.

Viktor's expression softens. "You're... New to piltover?" 

"No... I mean, yes, but... Not in the sense that I'm from...anywhere else you know about, that is to say... I'm an...umm...alien?" You try,  your hands joining in on the explanations with exaggerated gestures of their own like they're too desperate to stay still. 

Viktor blinks.

Then he laughs. 

Your heart is very tempted to say it enjoys Viktor's laugh like a melody from musicians but your mind is drawn back, startled from it. The innocent laugh shouldn't seem as cruel and hopeless as it did in the instant, but regretfully it did. 

"Oh well, aren't we all just... Aliens to one another?" He chuckles.

"No, Viktor I'm serious..." 

A chime from the grand clock cuts you off, striking midnight. Viktor looks back at the boxes, piled with goods for him to unpack. 

"Y/N, this has been lovely, but I need to get back to work. It's already midnight, I would like to get some of this done before Heimerdinger comes back. So if you..." 

He looks at you, but finds that you are already several footsteps away from him, standing next to the doorway. He wonders why you didn't join in on his laughter this time.

"I'm sorry I... Need to go." You shake your head, looking at him with a soft smile- something he would never understand how much grievance was held inside. 

"Ofcourse..." Viktor says softly, turning back to the bookshelf. "Goodnight, Y/N."

_________________________

The stars were beautiful that night but they looked controlled, their shine measured and there weren't a lot in these skies. Merely the illusion of them would be enough to be considered part of this world for its people- unless the story called for extra symbolism or astronomy centric themes. You stood atop one of the more picturesque balconies in the hallways marked as parts of the astronomy department. The sight of stars- giving promises of other worlds out there in this universe brought a semblance of peace. You shook your arm gently, and the Chronoporter jingled uselessly. It was really dead, wasn't it? 

You look around again. This world was an untouched paradise by the people in your world- created by the people in your world, (as you presume) but not tainted by many aspects of its origins. 

The stuff of your wildest dreams...

"You should be grateful, Y/N... So many people would kill to be in your shoes right now!" You mutter to yourself, leaning on to the railing the weight of your thoughts pushing down on your mind. However, you knew crystal clear that you were lying to yourself- hours of introspection and practice in knowing oneself had gotten you here, afterall. You suddenly feel a wave of longing- for the familiar faces back at home, your family, your friends, your coworkers, and all that you held dear. The scent of freshly brewed coffee in the morning, waking up to your alarm clock, wishing it was a friday, and the dull lull of constant traffic outside your house. Getting into work from forced motivation, the laughs and harmless gossip spreading among your friends and then after work, spending the rest of the evening either in the bookstore nearest to your house or curled up in the warmth of your blanket, trying to get work done. Calling your mother back at home and going on and on about your day as she pretends to listen and then passes the call to your father who passes it to everyone else back at your home. The silly banter and sometimes heavy thought laden nights with... everyone.

Would those memories fade from your mind with enough time stuck here wandering in another universe? Fading like photographs left too long in the sun, forgotten like the old masterpieces when the new and bolder ones arrive? The little voices in the back of your head which complained about nobody understanding you back at home, about how they are ignorant of the inner mechanisms of your mind, were silent now. How silly and mundane they sound, yet you hate to admit that...

You miss it already. 

Now you're here, and heaven knows where here, was, if it is something known by the scientists back at home, or fantasized by anyone. However, as your eyes travelled along the scenary stretched before you of a city you've only been able to witness behind a digital rectangular screen until now, something strikes you. 

Here comes a thought- born from all whom have tried to advice you back at home in the darker times. 

Learning to live and thrive under circumstances. You realise you had succeeded in finding joy in the mundane back at home, seeking out the ordinary now when you're loitering the supernatural.  This situation, was a whole new window of opportunities you were hopping for- for adventure, for the uncertainty, for the adrenaline which rides in your veins as you navigate the new world. Why were you satisfied by the mere idea of the ordinary? 

You were free now, no work, no relations, no nothing to hold you back and with nothing to loose! Like a clean slate given to a toddler with eyes full of imagination.

You were the only one in this world who knew what the course of events would be, what happened as well as what awaited. Practically an omniscient observer! 

Again, why were you satisfied by the mundane? 

You think fast. You needed food and shelter out here for survival. Maybe you can depend on Gina for both of them, convince her to let you work in her cafe in exchange for food and accomodation. You had a feeling she wouldn't mind at all and in fact would be delighted, just some convincing would be required to let you work instead of being a rude freeloader. Some fabricated tragic backstory about how you've run away from home and trying to get your own life together would work right? Well, it was partially true. If that is taken care of, maybe you could try fixing the Chronoporter with Viktor's help. 

This is your life now- a life which you could warp in whatever form you so desire! What's stopping you? 

Nothing. 

You turn back around from the balcony, with a confident smirk on your lips, knowing not when or how. But, order be damned, you were living the dream now. 

________________________________

The council court room was filled that day. Shallow whispers and murmurs filled the room as Jayce Talice was brought into the center of the council arrangements, all eyes on him, as his usually commanding posture and charm were dulled by the matters at hand. He appeared small, unassuming and vulnerable now as he sparingly allowed his gaze to wander over the huge almost circular metallic table over which the figures who would decide his fate sat proudly, with cold indifference and a shimmer of disapproval in their eyes. Viktor watches Jayce closely. Although he was given strict instructions to not go through the journals, being the dean's assistant had its perks, and he intended to keep the privileges. What he found was…odd. Entities which ventured further into the paranormal, into realms beyond science. Either this man was on the cusp of a breakthrough, or a lost case of a broken mind- Viktor concludes. He'll need further information before he signs this one off, though. 

The trail began and as he was beginning to pay attention, a tap on his shoulder steals his attention away. He looks over his shoulder and finds…you. You grin, giving him a small wave, a small sandwich bag in your hands. 

“Oh, greetings…” he nods. 

“So what did I miss?” You ask leaning forward, a careless hand thrown over his shoulder as you try to get a better look.

Viktor frowns. Why were you so chipper about this? Someone’s work and public appearance was at stake, and here you were, come to watch it like a drama on stage. 

“It just started.” He states, stiffening a little when he notes the councilors starting to berate the man. To the point of such mockery that they reduce his work into just the accident which occured. 

“Oh, good. So, we're not at the magic part yet.” 

“Magic part?” Viktor raises an eyebrow. What even were you implying? “He wouldn't dare. If he wants to save his research and himself…”

“I WAS TRYING TO CREATE MAGIC!” Jayce declares. 

The words reverberated in the room, meeting heavy silence. 

Viktor’s eyes widened. After a split second of absolute incredulity, they dart to you, where they find you grinning excitedly and giggling a bit. 

“....where were you last evening?!” Viktor whispers to you, head tilted in your direction. 

“Oh I told you… to get some cakes…” you reply. 

“For that long of a time?” Viktor raises a brow.

“I took the scenic route” you grin, eyes crinkling at the corners. 

Viktor opens his mouth to argue when you silence him quickly. “hush, we're in the middle of something - have some patience, Viktor!” You smirk mischievously. 

Viktor shakes his head, mumbling something under his breath. 

You watch as Jayce's argument is met with gasps and flinches. At a small window of opportunity to prove himself by a question from Mel Medarda, Jayce continues, eyes filled with hope. However, he is immediately cut off by a trauma-filled Heimerdinger, who shuts down his idea, making another suggestion arise about whether he should be kept in Piltover or not, perceiving him a threat. His mother interrupts the proceedings, a woman with such a kind expression that you flinch involuntarily at the look in Jayce's face. 

“Man the ruling system here is…” you utter, looking sideways at your company, only to find Viktor's eyes trained on Jayce, as you sense the gears turning in his genius head. 

“Um? You said something?” He suddenly says, turning to you.

“Heh, no no, you keep looking at that…” you vaguely gesture towards Jayce. “You'll be spending a lot of time with each other after all.” You smile. 

“What..?” 

“Just watch.” 

_________________________________

“There. Come tomorrow morning, his research will be safely disposed of.” Heimerdinger says as he pushes one of the journals into the cavity built in the wall- functioning as a shelf. 

“Lock up!” He calls out to his assistant as he trots away. “No, no, no. Magic is far too dangerous in the wrong hands.” He mumbles in remembrance. 

You hide yourself behind a pillar as he passes by. Right after the trial, Viktor was called to assist his professor and you were left to go search for him afterwards. You gently tiptoe towards the adjoining room of the office, and see Viktor walking out, a notebook clutched in his hand and he is trying to make it as discreet as possible. It's almost comical. You can't help but smile to yourself as you sneak up behind him, swiping the book right out of his hands. Startled, he turns, stuttering. 

“Professor I was just about to lock up and-” he stops. “Oh, it's you…” 

You ruffle through the pages. The diagrams grazing the work out papers were immaculate, reminding you of alchemy symbols in your world. 

“Give me that- you're not supposed to have that!” Viktor tries to take it. 

You playfully hold it beyond his reach, grinning.

“And you are? Looks like someone was snooping around…” your worlds curl with a hint of playfulness. 

“I will report you!” He tries to look serious. 

“Hey, relax…” you laugh, giving him back the pretty journal. “You’re going after Jayce aren't you?”

Viktor sighs, looking at you. “How do you…” 

“He'll be there at the same part of the academy where the explosion happened, go find him there.” 

He takes the book back from you and looks at you with a bewildered expression. 

“You won't…tell Heimerdinger would you?” 

You look at him, your lips stretching into a thin line of sarcasm. “Oh yeah, and get you and myself thrown out of here. Very clever Viktor…” 

Viktor scoffs. “oh he would never…” 

“Oh yeah? How about I tell him you sneaked me into the private properties of his office?” You ask, wiggling your eyebrows and nudging him.

“I didn't…sneak you in! You came up here unprompted!”

“Still, I don't see you shooing me away” you say, hands on your hips. 

Viktor sighs, rolling his eyes, flustered. 

“Oh just, whatever… I have stuff to do.” 

With that, Viktor turns and starts to walk away, not waiting for you to catch up. Not that you will right now, you have places to be (Gina's cafe because your plan worked) after which you will join him.

“Oh, Viktor- make sure to tell him how you've pretended to be a student of the academy all those years ago!” 

Viktor stops and turns, his heart stuttering. “HOW DID YOU EVEN…!” But he is met with an empty hallway as you make your way down another, giggling to yourself at the scene you've made. 

You could almost sense him staring into the space which was previously occupied by you, feeling as if he was visited by a spirit or a prophecy. 

__________________________________

Chapter 8 available NOW in my Tumblr page.

[solarishashernoseinabook]

what fursonas would you assign the rangers apprentice cast?

oh boy. well. i'll do my best

full disclosure. i know very little about furries. the "jesus's fursona is a carpenter ant" thing was a one-off joke based off of his profession. but i'm gonna approach this as "what animal is this character like", and try to work with that

Will - Crow Will is clever, and a prankster, and also loyal, so I made him a Crow. They quite often play with wolves, and play tricks on them, pulling their tails and stealing food from them, but also show loyalty to people who look after them. Crows are highly intelligent, making tools to do what they like, and are skilled mimics - better than parrots. These fit with Will's ability to blend in to any group he finds himself in and his ability to find creative uses for people to do seemingly impossible things. (Ravens do all this too, of course, but crows are significantly smaller than ravens, and a defining trait of Will is his height - or lack thereof).

Halt - Wolf Wolves have reputations as solitary, independent creatures (think of how "lone wolves" are spoken about as though they're cool creatures even though we know they tend to live in packs), and also strike people as quite scary. In truth, wolves live in extended family groups, male wolves make good and protective fathers, and they tend to avoid people. Plus everybody mistakes certain dog breeds for wolves, and Halt has his identity consistently questioned by people who expect the legendary ranger to be someone much different.

Horace - Horse Gonna be honest, I was pretty torn between this and dog, but I went with horse. People often don't expect much of horses, and they're not known for their intelligence like dogs are. But horses are very dependable, do what they're trained to do very well, and can absolutely fuck you up if you get on the wrong side of their hooves.

Cassandra - Peregrine Falcon I hummed and hawed over this one, but peregrines fit Cassandra's vibe best. All birds of prey have a certain regal air to them, but peregrines are well-known for being highly effective hunters, dive-bombing their prey to snatch them in their talons, and I think that parallels Cassandra's use of a sling quite well.

Alyss - Swan Couriers in Araluen are known for wearing long white dresses (like swans), and Alyss is frequently described as very graceful. Swans also have a mean streak and can break your arm with their wings, and Alyss showed her mean side plenty of times during the series. Nevertheless, they're very caring parents to their cygnets, paralleling Alyss's willingness to sacrifice herself to save a child.

Pauline - Dove This one's pretty basic. Doves are considered symbols of peace in much of the world - and what better symbol of peace is there than the head of Redmont's diplomatic corps?

George - African Grey Parrot Parrots are well-known for their ability to mimic speech, and African Greys are among the best. Alex, an African Grey studied by Irene Pepperberg, famously asked questions about himself, generated entirely new sentences, and otherwise indicated he understood the words he was saying instead of simply parroting (heh) them back to Pepperberg. Thanks to him, African Grey Parrots are considered some of the most intelligent birds and are thought to have a similar capacity to human toddlers. So, the character who uses his words the best, and speaks at length, is the parrot.

Jenny - Cat Humans may be the only animal that cooks, but cats are still well-known for feeding each other. They over-hunt any area they're in to create a stockpile for cats in a colony who can't hunt as well, or to teach kittens how to hunt. Despite living in these colonies, cats are also quite independent, not adhering to a strict social order like dogs do. Finally, it's commonly accepted that cats basically domesticated themselves (there's more nuance to this, but go with it). Thus, Jenny, who decided who she wanted to be apprenticed to and got herself that spot, who struck out on her own to create her own restaurant, and never met a person she didn't try to feed, is a cat.

[allol12]

Arcane Characters + Universal Studios Headcanons

Hi!! I wanna be more active on here and since I've hit a bit of an artblock I've decided I'll do my second favorite thing which is headcanons!

As a Floridian, I decided to start with a topic I am quite familiar with which is of course, Universal Studios. In this imaginary situation they have the 2 parks 1 day ticket bc that's the one I usually use.

Also this would be a modern setting for obvious reasons.

------------------------------

Jinx would 100% ride as many rollercoasters as she can. She rarely gets motion sickness.

If the lines weren't too long she would ride them multiple times all day long.

If they were, Cait and Vi would get sick of seeing her suffer through the long ass lines so they would just buy her an express ticket.

Ekko usually rides with her but he can only take so much.

When she was a little older, (still Powder by this point), Mylo tricked her into riding Jurassic Park (85 ft drop). He thought it'd just be a mean prank, little did he know he created a tiny adrenaline-seeking monster.

She would also violently compete against Caitlyn in Men in Black.

Favorite Universal Rides : Rip Ride Rocket, VelociCoaster, The Hulk, and Men in Black

Favorite Park: Islands of Adventure

I get the feeling Vi would be a foodie. And I can't blame her, theme park food is a lot of fun to explore. (I spent a good chunk of 2018 binge-watching DFBguide)

She would always try to go to a new restaurant every trip, and you will most likely find her chomping on a turkey leg.

When it comes to rides though, she also likes her fair share of rollercoasters. Though, she tries to ride them in the morning off the bat so she could eat in peace without feeling sick later.

I do think she'd like the 3D rides a lot too! I can definitely see her liking Transformers and Spider-Man.

Favorite Universal Rides : Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Rip Ride Rocket, Revenge of the Mummy

Favorite Park: Universal Studios

Caitlyn likes the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I know this is a bit on the nose because her VA was literally in Harry Potter, but it's a good combo between atmosphere, thrill, shopping, and treats.

I don't think Caitlyn is too into rollercoasters. I think she'd be more into rides with movement and a few drops rather than full on coasters.

The HP rides are mostly pretty tame in comparison to the rest of the coasters in the parks, so I can see her liking those the most. Gringotts and Forbidden Journey in particular.

I think she'd definitely be the most into shopping, her favorite park would probably be Studios due to this.

She likes going to Honeydukes with Vi, they like trying all the different sweets and treats together.

Lets Jinx win in Men in Black because she knows if she beats her Jinx will be annoyed at her for the rest of the day. If she's not going against Jinx though, she would absolutely annihilate you.

Favorite Universal Rides : Gringotts, Forbidden Journey, Men in Black

Favorite Park: Universal Studios

This poor man has a horribly weak stomach.

Jayce is NOT a rollercoaster fan. He is strictly 3D and dark rides only, with very few exceptions.

Hell I think the Gringotts drop might be too much for him. Not the first cart, but the second cart for sure makes him feel uneasy. (I am projecting, sitting in the second cart was not fun for me LMAO)

I think he and Viktor would have a blast looking into the behind the scenes part of theme parks, especially the engineering element.

If they're in Universal Studios Hollywood they would absolutely do the Studio Tour.

With the level of charisma he has, I can see him LOVING meet and greets. He really loves playing along with the characters. By the end of the day he'll have his little autograph notebook full of characters.

Favorite Universal Rides : The Simpsons Ride, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Transformers

Favorite Park: Universal Studios

Viktor doesn't really mind rollercoasters. He wouldn't die on them like Jayce, but he doesn't actively seek to ride them. Maybe if the line was short and the group wanted to ride it, sure.

Actually speaking of lines, he would get an accessibility pass so he wouldn't have to stand for extended periods of time. He would also make sure to sit down and take breaks as to not strain his leg too much.

Breaks could also mean going to watch the many shows Universal provides, like the Horror Makeup Show or The Bourne Stuntacular.

Back to rides though, he likes, no, LOVES Transformers. It's fast, the queue is very scientific-esc, and honestly.. transformers just give me machine herald vibes.

He is very awkward when it comes to meet and greets, so he's usually just taking the picture for Jayce. However, the only meet and greet he really truly looks forward to is the Transformers. He is extremely fascinated with the way Universal was able to create such an immersive and realistic looking replica of them.

I think him and Jayce would be intrigued by the interactive wands in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. They think it's fun that they found a way to create the illusion of magic by using sensors in the wands.

I think he'd like Forbidden Journey bc the ride makes you feel like you're flying, and he seemed to be having a blast in Ep 3 haha

Favorite Universal Rides : Transformers, Forbidden Journey, Skull Island: Reign of Kong (literally only to see that insanely realistic looking animatronic)

Favorite Park: Universal Studios

------------------------------

My god that took longer than I thought it would. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! I adore theme parks so this was a lot of fun to do.

Also as a bonus, I have a little paper Viktor cut out that I take basically everywhere, including Universal! Here's him in front of the Universal ball haha

[radioactivewisdom]

I don't understand the last anon's assumption that antinatalists think life is 100% suffering all of the time. I definetly think there's some peace and joy to be had in life but that it comes once you separate yourself from most of the world. Creating a refuge in your heart away from the world's cruelty and knowing you're not contributing to it IS the peace. Why create a new being to go through the world's traumas, just so they, too, can get their heart's pummeled by the heartless masses until they realize they have to go within to find peace? What is the point of doing that and how does one do that without risking their own safety and peace, by making themselves more vulnerable and dependant on the system because now they're now responsible for not only their own, but their child's safety in a world full of predators? And of course most people who are already alive want to keep living. Making the best of a situation that was forced upon you and putting that situation upon someone else is not the same thing. Finding peace in my life after all of the cruelty I've experienced does not mean I should comfortably assume another person will be able to go through it and reach the point I've reached. Is it possible that a child born into a drug infested, abusive home will eventually be able to find happiness in life? Of course, people can take control of their lives even when born into bleak circumstances. But choosing to birth them into that in the first place is still incredibly fucked up. All that said, I'm not involved in antinatalist politics myself. People definetly can have an opinion for different reasons and I'm not very impressed with most antinatalists. Anon is wrong that most people would kill themselves if they genuinely thought life was suffering. I do think life is generally suffering for most people and they know it deep down, but that they think their suffering is worth it as long as they can get high through a variety of coping mechanisms. That's on them and they could choose to stop suffering, but I'm still not bringing someone here just so they can have to live in a world of zombies or become one themselves. They can blame it on people being "terminally online" all they want, just like they do everything else they disagree with, but people who saw through this animal hell have always existed and chosen to not reproduce. But their common sense died with them, that's the point. Everyone who exists right now exists because two people wanted to fuck, meaning their very existence is a result of stupidity and selfishness. So of course they feel the urge to deny the nature of fucking and defend it to the death, while making anyone who sees through it out to be mentally ill.

This was wonderful to read, thank you so much for sharing your message. A refuge in your own heart is key! It can comfort you in even the most dire situations. I agree so much with what you’ve said at the end. So much defensiveness and trying to apply higher meaning to self serving urges. You’re correct in the assumption that most people want to keep living despite how much they suffer, and that’s not a bad thing when choosing for oneself. I can tell that your mind is a well of insights, this is one of my favorite breakdowns of this topic I’ve read.

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez's Full Storyline Explained - Part 5

Masterlist

Fever Part 3 Diary Entries:

The Intro provides a small history lesson on the Z-World which tells us the following: the fourth Industrial Revolution already took place which advanced science and technology and increased the human lifespan to 200 years which in turns increased the length of compulsory education to 40 years

We also get an extended explanation of something the Grimes boy already mentioned in the Fever Part 2 Diary Entries: the Central Government's use of an AI system to create their own utopian society

After all its simulations were run, it found the one unpredictable variable that kept them from achieving absolute control: human emotions

As a result, they expanded on their command and applied a deep learning technology to their AI which was told to treat the new variable as a bug - doing that allowed it to create a new market platform which could estimate each human's individual energy (something that's in reality, fully unpredictable) and use it as a tradable resource

Under this new system, the new world looked like this:

[S]ensitivity, emotion and free will gradually faded away, and humanity fell to components for maintaining the world.

Jongho, trapped in his flashback/hallucination, is reliving the last game of his basketball career, the game that left him injured and effectively put an end to his first big dream

He sees the doctor who's telling him he can live on normally but that basketball will no longer be an option

From Jongho's entry:

What all my colleagues could do was leaving me with pitiful eyes. I freed myself from the doctor's strong hold of my arm and yelled at my colleagues as they were distancing. "Please take me with you! Please, don't leave me here!" I screamed at the top of my lungs desperately.

It is then that he's freed from his hallucination by Yeosang who's pulling him up to a seated position and putting his own gas mask over Jongho's face

Once he's taken a few breaths, Jongho's surroundings come into focus and he realizes they're sitting at the edge of a cliff

Confused, he looks to Yeosang who takes his hand and tells him the Grimes girl got her voice back so they can get out of there ASAP

In the meantime, Yunho successfully dodges all of Left Eye's attacks

Seeing the recklessness in Left Eye's actions, Yunho feels a unique form of pity fill him, one that gives him the strength to further approach Left Eye, even as the other members' voices try to stop him

He gets close enough to Left Eye to see his irises shake as if the hallucination were fading

From Yunho's entry:

"It's not your fault." With the drop of his bat, Left Eye fell to the floor like a lifeless toy. "You had no thoughts of harming anyone in the first place." He looked up with sorrowful eyes and began to let go of his tears - together with the emotions he had locked up. He [must've] lived many days with the burden of guilt after his daughter died. What if, just what if I didn't send her there that day. What if I was there with her, what if, what if... Looking at him felt like seeing me stripped of everything in front of a mirror.

They all reunite and set off to the Android Guardians' prison island

Drifting across the ocean on a ship, Mingi eavesdrops on a conversation between Left Eye and the Grimes siblings who're watching a video of Left Eye's daughter singing and dancing

The three of them are convinced Ateez will be able to free the Black Pirates and it seems to fill them with a sense of peace as they watch the sun set over the sea

The Grimes siblings begin to hum a song while Left Eye playfully dances - something that makes Mingi laugh without even realizing

While the humming escalates to all out singing and dancing, Mingi's entry continues:

Someone said, "Dancing defines at least the smallest will to live. So, people dance [at] the brim of hopelessness." That's right, I could have lived without realizing this. I could not see the present because it was disturbed by past misfortunes. The hopeless sun has hidden behind the horizon and the stars of hope have made their appearance in the sky. The sway of the orange-lit sea faded as the waves embrace the shining stars.

Here, we get our first hint of a connection between night and hope. The moon phases dictate the Cromer's abilities, the vast majority of their missions take place at night, the stars guide the way, etc.

They reach the island in the afternoon of the following day

The remains of a former tourist paradise are evident by their new surroundings but since vacations and rest had become a think of the past, all that was over

Ateez leave Left Eye and the Grimes siblings behind on the ship to allow for a quick escape if needed and head out to search for the bunker

They don't have to look for long since familiar yellow fumes rise up from one singular location - a former gallery

Past the empty lobby, the yellow fumes waft along the exhibition route announced by an arrow on the floor

From Wooyoung's entry:

Some drunk Android Guardians were laid on the floor. And at the end of its view, I could see the men in Black Fedora were in a glass prison.

We get to see this glass prison on multiple occasions, i.e. in Say My Name

Hongjoong immediately recognizes the men from their dreams and when he sees one of them leaning against the wall, barely able to remain standing, he feels he must save them

He throws himself against the glass twice in succession and, upon the second impact, one of the men notices him

From Hongjoong's entry:

"Finally, you are here," he said, and he barely took off his mask. As I saw his face, I was shocked. He was me. The man had exactly the same face as mine. "Listen, we called you here." In the midst of these strange incidents, I could only shake my head. "We are captured here, and somebody has to do our work. You may have noticed it. This world needs a change." "Why does it have to be us? Why do we share the same face?" I kept questioning him and tried to break the glass wall between us. But not even a small crack. "I don't have enough time to tell you the whole story. We are going to be seen by the guardians when the smoke fades. Do what I do."

The Black Pirates' Hongjoong tells all of them to put their hands up against the glass

"We all face walls. Sometimes, we think that our lives would be happier without walls but that is not true. If we earn things easily, we could lose them easily."

Hongjoong describes how there was an indescribable energy swirling between them and their alternate selves as endless questions about their situation and this new world raced through his minds

Before he knows how or when, Ateez are suddenly donning the Black Pirates' black outfits

Still dazed by what just happened, San gets pulled back into reality when Black Pirate Hongjoong shouts for them to run away before the smoke clears

In the center of the hall, an Android Guardian is burning new energy - energy which is made up of people's memories as San now comes to realize

From San's entry:

I picked some of the memories that were not yet burnt from the floor. A memory of confessing love to my lover. A memory of walking my dog on the beach. A memory of the first trip with my friends. They were all valuable and unforgettable memories. These memories were the source to live and hope. Android Guardians were burning the hope of people and they were drunk from the smoke. I felt a surge of anger coming over me. All of a sudden Seonghwa shouted, " I can't see Yeosang!"

In a panic, all remaining members run to the lobby where they encounter Yeosang running toward them from the other exhibition

He throws them the Cromer just as the Android Guardians also reach them

The biggest of the Guardians grabs Yeosang by the neck and threatens to snap it if they don't hand over the Cromer

Hongjoong tries to approach but the Guardian orders him to toss it from a distance

From Seonghwa's entry:

"Don't hand it over! Once we give it to them, they will take us too!" Yeosang shouted. It was the worst situation for us. If we did not hand it over, Yeosang would be in danger. If we just hand it over, everyone would be caught. We cannot let Yeosang sacrifice for 7 members. What can I do?

Hongjoong looked between Yeosang and his remaining members before offering to throw the Cromer if they first let Yeosang go and walk into the space between the two sides

Yeosang takes a moment to think whether there was a way to save both himself and the Cromer but quickly disregards it due to how surrounded they were

Guilt quickly overcomes him. From Yeosang's entry:

It was my fault. I should have been more careful. My friends would not have been all scattered if I had not met them at first. Then we could have not been left in this weird and dangerous place.

He makes his way into the space between the Guardians and the rest of Ateez

The Guardian shouts to throw over the Cromer and Yeosang zeroes in on the object in Hongjoong's hand

What do we know about that sandglass? I asked myself and an answer popped in my head. It may be a gamble but there was no other way.

Hongjoong throws the Cromer but Yeosang snatches it from the air, turns it once and smashes it when he sees the Guardians lunge toward him

The glass broke and sand spreads everywhere

I was being dragged away and Hongjoong tried to grab my hand. The light flashed.

Side-note: This is the little bonus scene we see at the end of the Deja Vu MV

In the Outro, back in the A-World, Ateez appear in their old hideout without Yeosang

"One, two, three, four, five, six........seven." San's quivering voice echoed in the heavy air of dawn.

Everyone is silent and looking into each other's eyes; the warehouse around them looked just as it did when their journey began

San wipes his tears and tries to pull himself together

"Jongho, Wooyoung, Mingi, Yunho, Seonghwa, Hongjoong and I..." San repeatedly shook his head. He mumbled to count again and again with a crying voice then he moaned. A shadow of despair fell on their faces. "What would happen to Yeosang? Like the Black Pirate, what if he's been..." Wooyoung couldn't finish his sentence. A heavy silence filled the space and no one could answer his question.

Hongjoong stood up from the couch he'd been sitting on and shows them his bloody, sand-covered hands before he begins to pull bloody fragment from the cuts in his palms

"We shouldn't have been there, then nothing would have happened..."

He gets interrupted by a knock on the warehouse door. His face hardens as he approaches and opens it

There was no one but something bumped into the door one last time before it drops to the floor

"This is Yeosang's drone." "Who drove this here?" Hongjoong swept dirt from the drone and placed it on the top of a drawer. He stared at the lights coming from the slightly opened door. We all surely felt it. Yeosang is alive.

[rubykgrant]

Some magical animal buddies for a concept story I was playing around with! Each of the main characters has a theme color and animal; pink/rabbit, black/bat, red/red panda (there are more that go through the whole rainbow, plus a few more like teal, gold, etc). Every guardian animal is named either after a fruit or a flower. Cherry Bunny is the companion for the pink magical hero (and an homage to two of the magical girls from my childhood; Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura). Blackberry Bat is the companion for the magical hero with black as the color scheme (and has accents of pale purple, with a little pink/yellow, like actual blackberries turn as they ripen). Rose Panda is the companion for the red themed magical hero (it was difficult but satisfying to figure out how to make the rose pattern work). These would be their "powered-up" forms, with full details. When they're just relaxing with the heroes during calm moments, they are more simplified~

There once was a team of colorful magical girls who protected the world from evil... as the years went by, it seemed that they had finally won, and could retire in peaceful times. However, a dangerous enemy attacked once more, and although the magical girl defeated it, they lost their lives in the process. A lot of buildings were destroyed during the event, with civilians being harmed as well. Many people had to move away from the area...

20 years later, the city has been re-built, and a memorial park is being built in honor of the magical girls who gave their lives to save the world. A group of boys who all lost their mothers in the event are returning for the first time; they once were friends and played together, but have lost touch and grown apart as the years went by (all having their own troubles in adult life, and still with mixed feelings over what happened). As they try to talk and reconnect, the same evil enemy from before begins to gather power and return! The boys are all at the memorial site when they get attacked, and find themselves drawn to mysterious objects hidden in the dirt; these turn out the be the magical items used by the heroic girls, which glow when the boys touch them! They discover they can all transform into "magical dudes"... because their MOTHERS were the magical girls!

They slowly learn to use their new powers and try to find their own roles as guardians against the evil enemies. At first, their outfits all match what the original magical girls wore, which is a bit... awkward. However, as they become more comfortable and confident, the outfits are up-dated to better match their own styles (and some of the dudes realize they kind of like the ribbons and frills).

The flowers/fruit/animals/colors are all part of the aesthetic for each dude, but it also relates to what their powers can do. The red hero creates various weapons from red energy that takes the form of roses, etc. They can all use different methods of attack, defense, and healing. Many of them also have elemental powers part of their theme (fire, electricity, water, and so on).

[baniigattsuu]

100 REASONS TO STAY ALIVE:

1. to make your friends proud

2. to conquer your fears

3. to see your favourite artist live

4. to listen to music

5. to experience a new culture

6. to meet new people

7. to inspire

8. to have your own children

9. to adopt your own pet

10. to make yourself proud

11. to meet your idols

12. to laugh until you cry

13. to feel tears of happiness

14. to eat your favorite food

15. to see your siblings grow

16. to pass school

17. to get a tattoo

18. to smile until your cheeks hurt

19. to meet your internet friends

20. to find someone who loves you like you deserve

21. to eat ice cream on a hot day

22. to drink hot chocolate on a cold day

23. to see untouched snow in the morning

24. to see a sunset that sets the sky on fire

25. to see stars that light up the sky

26. to read a book that changes your life

27. to see the first flowers in the spring

28. to travel abroad

29. to learn a new language

30. to learn to draw

31. to tell others your story in the hopes of helping and inspiring them

32. puppy kisses

33. kitten kisses

34. swear words, and the release you feel saying them

35. trampolines

36. stargazing

37. cloud watching

38. taking a shower and then sleeping in clean sheets

39. receiving thoughtful gifts

40. "i saw this and i thought of you"

41. the feeling you get when someone says "i love you"

42. the relief you feel after crying

43. sunshine

44. the feeling you get when someone is listening to you / giving you their full attention

45. your future wedding

46. your favorite candy

47. new clothes

48. completing goals / a milestone

49. the kinds of dreams when you wake up and can't stop smiling

50. the sound of rain

51. the feeling you get when you're dancing

52. the people who mean the most to you

53. trying out new recipes

54. the feeling you get when your favourite song comes on the radio

55. the rush you feel when you step into a concert

56. sharing your voice, talents and knowledge with the world because they're so valuable

57. breakfast in bed

58. forgiveness

59. fireflies

60. birthdays

61. realizing that someone loves you

62. spending the day with someone you love

63. eating a whole pint of your favorites ice cream

64. floating on your back in warm water, staring at the sky and thinking

65. first dates (even the bad ones make for funny stories!)

66. bonfires n smores

67. coming home to someone you love

68. singing at the top of your lungs with your friends (or on your own!)

69. cuddling

70. being wrapped up in a warm bed

71. someone's skin against yours

72. holding hands

73. road trips

74. spontaneous adventures

75. the feeling when the ocean wave rolls up and envelops your toes and ankles

76. peaceful thunderstorms

77. trips to disneyworld

78. the child-like feeling you get on christmas morning

79. the day when everything finally goes your way

80. compliments and praise

81. making someone laugh

82. taking care of yourself

83. sleepovers

84. waking up on summer mornings

85. creating

86. therapy

87. feeling like reality is finally better than dreams

88. relationships

89. friendships

90. good hair days

91. feeling confident, like you can openly be yourself

92. creating ambitions and aspirations

93. putting yourself first

94. memes and funny jokes

95. writing

96. aesthetics / visuals

97. learning to love yourself

98. falling back in love with living

99. feeling genuinely at peace with yourself

100. looking back at this moment in the future and thinking "i made it"

[oneatlatime]

The Storm

This post was delayed due to dumbass technical issues. I managed to save it from annihilation by the skin of my teeth, and learned an important lesson about saving drafts along the way.

Long time no blog. As it's currently storming where I am, I feel it's time to watch this one.

Aang in the opening credits has his tongue out like a dog on a car ride. Now picturing a car full of airbenders hanging their heads out the window.

It's been long enough since I watched one of these that I forgot that dream sequences tend to be tinted brown. Had a two second panic trying to remember the episode where Sokka learned airbending.

I wanted to see more of Gyatso but not like this!

Appa the morning person.

Hey Zuko's back. Haven't seen him in a few episodes. Pipi Longstocking hair is still doing him no favours. Also is he really pale this episode?

I feel like Zuko's intelligence varies wildly from episode to episode (usually to serve the plot) but this may be a new depth of dumbness: tell the crew to their faces that their lives don't matter. You know, the crew that prevents the thing you're standing on in the middle of the ocean from sinking. The crew that keeps you fed and actually going somewhere. That crew.

On the other hand, Zuko's method for creating mutiny may break a world record for efficiency. He's such a dumb smart guy.

I'm with Katara on this one. I don't like that swishing either. And if they're out of money, why were they in a market anyway?

And with a kick to the rear, this episode's 'violence towards Sokka for laughs' quota is filled.

Never before in the history of humanity's hubristic quest to tame the seas has a wharf ever been this clean.

And I'm with the crewman on this one too. Zuko's actions really do line up with him not caring about anything beyond his own concerns.

Talk about rock and a hard place for Iroh here. From what I've gathered, it's Zuko's ship, which means that Zuko's in charge of everything including keeping order. But, Zuko is also being unreasonable in the face of a very reasonable complaint from the crew. So Iroh has to pacify both while undermining neither, and not appear to be in command. Takes delicacy.

Appa gets a mooring! Also what is that cave back there?

I was hoping the show would bring this up! To anyone who isn't riding along on Aang's adventures, it sure does look like the Avatar disappeared when he was needed most, continued to stay gone no matter how bad things got, and then just reappeared randomly one day with seemingly no plan to set set things right. Did he reappear to fight the firelord? According to rumour, he reappeared to ride giant koi. What would the average person be left thinking? The fisherman is right. And Katara - will you please let Aang fight his own battles for once in his life?

Aang being the bravest person you know? Do you not remember this?

You know, this?

"That fisherman was way out of line."

Poor guy needs a blow dry. Should be possible, what with airbending and all. Didn't know that Appa had a goatee. Actually the facial hair in general in this show is pretty creative.

If this is going to be the exposition dump storytelling episode, we may all need an emotional support Momo.

These air scooter shenanigans are making me think that the first lesson airbenders learn is how to nullify motion sickness.

Is this the first airbending we see by someone that isn't Aang or Appa?

Someone's been taking fashion tips from Narcissa Malfoy.

Oh fuck off that's too much pressure for a kid. Nice Wisteria though.

Isn't the toys thing a thing in the real world? Something to do with the Dalai Lama?

If Avatars have to be told that they're the Avatar, that implies that they don't know instinctively. Theoretically, could an isolated avatar living in peace time go their whole lives without figuring it out?

Oh wise and learned council of airbenders, please tell me how relying on a 12 year old is going to save you from a war?

Baby Zuko! Baby scarless Zuko! He looks like just the prettiest little princess in these shots. Also, either this happened not all that long ago, or Zuko is majorly overdue a growth spurt, because he's maybe one inch shorter in this flashback. Also also, Pipi Longstocking hair doesn't work no matter how much hair you have to put up. Also also also, the whole reverse tonsure look he has going on in the present really downplays how round his face is. He's got chubby baby cheeks. Also also also also, if Zuko is as much of a prince as his title implies, he's right that he needs to know how to rule.

I have picked up over the course of this show the fact that the fire nation seems to prioritise aesthetic. But this is just ridiculous. And a bit on the nose too. A literal wall of fire dividing you from the commoners? Not even the commoners, the highly esteemed generals in charge of your war? How does this guy see or hear anything that's going on?

Katara asking Aang why he wouldn't be excited about being the Avatar seems out of character for me. Why exactly would he be excited about being catapulted to the number one spot on the fire nation's 'enemies of the state' list? It's not like Katara doesn't know what happens to people on that list.

Don't worry about these jerks. They'll all be immolated in a little bit.

Smelly kid jokes. That's some peak 90s comedy right there.

I love Gyatso. Solidly in Aang's corner and happy to advocate for his charge even against grumpy temple elders. Never loses sight of the fact that Aang is just a boy and needs balance.

This Zuko disrespecting old farts stuff is nonsense. Like when you get called in to HR for 'walking disrespectfully past Sherri's desk' or 'aggressive choice of footwear' and you know it's just because they're looking for a bullshit reason to fire you/force you to quit because the owner's nephew wants your job and they don't want to pay for severance or unemployment. If pointing out obvious flaws in objectively stupid plans is an offence worthy of an honour duel (I'm not even going to try and spell the actual name), then this guy needs to be dueled too:

He called bullshit too.

No

No no they're not actually going to

oh fuck no

hang on he doesn't have his scar yet is this going where I think it's going?

Back to idiot monks phew. Another rock and a hard place situation. Aang needs to be a normal 12 year old. The world needs a fully trained Avatar. The best they can do is a half trained 12 year old avatar. That would have ended well I'm sure.

Oh yeah just yank out the remainders of Aang's support system. That will certainly encourage him to quickly develop into a responsible adult, rather than an emotionally disturbed 12 year old with unmatchable uncontrolled powers. What were these monks thinking? Or were they thinking at all? Were they just panicking? Because only Gyatso seems to have his head on straight. Upset avatars destroy things - we've SEEN that - and these monks think the best way to turn Aang into the Avatar they need is to do something that will upset him probably more than any other possible thing? At least they didn't think to take away Appa too.

Katara's right. He does have a right to be angry. I like that this show gives the characters permission to feel.

Indulging my inner pedant for a minute, he never saw Gyatso alive again. His bones were in pretty good condition. Actually, given that firebenders killed him, why weren't his bones covered in scorch marks? Also, is that where all the other airbender skeletons went? Instant cremation?

The fisherman's right - the avatar did turn his back on the world. Aang's right - he did run away. Katara's right - not running away wouldn't have saved anyone. Kudos to a kids' show for not flinching from tackling topics that have no right answers. Yay nuance!

oh god here we go

Free life tip: If you ever see a dependent and/or child assume this position at the feet of their guardian, call the relevant authorities. Quickly.

And of course there's a crowd of hundreds too. Nothing like a little public mutilation of children to flex your power over the masses. This firelord's ego is so fragile.

So that's where the scar comes from. Also the firelord's line about learning respect casts a new light on when Zuko said he'd teach respect to the crewman at the beginning of the episode. Guess he was channelling the firelord.

Big repsect to Zuko for the above. He's never lacked in bravery. This is the opposite of the "shameful weakness" nonsense.

"Things will never return to normal." THANK YOU

Why is Zuko in such a hurry to go home to that anyway? Seems like the only person who likes him is his uncle, and he's travelling with him.

This is odd. I've always felt like I know Aang, and hearing his story this episode just confirms that I do know him, who he is, what makes him tick. And it lets me know him better. I've deepened an already deep understanding of who he is. However, I thought I had a surface (if jumbled) understanding of Zuko, but hearing his story this episode, and especially the final series of shots, the way they frame him as alone in darkness contrasted with brightly lit memories, makes me sure that I've never known Zuko at all. Who is this guy? I feel like this is meeting him for the first time.

There's also definitely something worth examining in the fact that Aang tells his own story but Iroh tells Zuko's (beyond the fact that Aang is the only person left who could tell his story).

Thank god some comic relief. Not a moment too soon.

I didn't know firebenders could do that. Judging by his face, I don't think he did either.

The judgmental energy in this shot is unparalleled.

"I'm not but I still don't wanna!" This old couple has some seriously good lines.

Appa saves the day once again, this time with an assist from the Avatar powers. I swear if Appa's existence was paired with Sokka's brain they could do the Avatar's job no problem.

Zuko apologises. That is good. But is it Iroh he should be apologising to?

"I'm here now and I'm going to make the most of it." A lovely message to conclude a show on. But are we going to gloss over the whole 'father mutilates his son BARELY offscreen' thing?

Appa shakes!

Final Thoughts

This section could very easily devolve into increasingly hysterical ranting about the whole ZUKO JUST GOT HALF HIS FACE BURNED OFF AS A FORM OF COURT ENTERTAINMENT thing. Lord have mercy the fire nation is fucked up. To prevent that, I am going to share one thought, and only one thought on that fiasco:

this is the first time I've really felt that I'm not the target audience of this show. If I had seen this at 8 or 10 years old, I would have been appropriately mad at the firelord for doing such a bad thing, but it would have made perfect sense, because he's a bad guy, and they have to do bad guy things. It's what makes them bad guys. As an adult, with more knowledge in general, but especially about things like power dynamics and the long term consequences of child abuse, I am valiantly fighting not to spiral down a path of horrific implications because I want to be able to sleep tonight. From both a political and a familial point of view, there was no one (who wasn't 12 and frozen) who could have stepped in. It was the firelord who did it; it appears that there is no one above him in the fire nation hierarchy. It's Zuko's father who did it; good luck getting a kid to stand up to a father in front of an audience of hundreds in a culture that obviously worships a bastardised concept of respect (zuko tried though). Iroh couldn't (or wouldn't) interfere on either political or familial grounds. As an adult, seeing a child (because Zuko may be 16 in the show but that boy kneeling is BABY) stuck in such a situation, knowing there's literally no way to get out of it, no hero going to swoop in and save the day, no judicial process to dish out consequences, well that's hard to watch. And that's all I'll say about that.

Here's a thought: did the avatar (not Aang, but the figure/concept of the Avatar) disappearing fail Zuko, and by extension the fire nation, as much as it failed the other three nations? And the natural follow-along to that thought: did the fire nation attacking the rest of the world hurt the fire nation as much as it hurt the rest of the world?

Aang made a mistake many years ago by running away. He gets to redeem himself by not running away and saving Sokka and the fisherman. Zuko made a mistake at the beginning of the episode by undervaluing the lives of his crew (to their faces, no less). He gets to redeem himself by saving the helmsman and letting the Avatar pass in favour of getting the crew to safety. But I don't think these stories are really parallel. Aang's natural impulse was the mistake. He learned from it, modified his behaviour, and did better the next chance he got. Zuko's natural impulse was to act as he should have. He was taught (violently) that this was incorrect behaviour, and modified his behaviour based on his father's teachings. This modification (not valuing the crew) is the mistake. In Zuko's case, learning from the experience and modifying his behaviour actually means unlearning the lesson he was taught and reverting to his former behaviour. Aang's natural state needed modification; Zuko's externally imposed behaviour needed to be forgotten. Not parallel.

Aang = hope is an interesting conclusion. It's only possible for him to represent hope because he dashed everyone's hopes by disappearing and staying gone. If the avatar had defeated the fire nation 100 years ago and prevented a war from ever happening, he would not have been a symbol of hope. I don't know what he would have been a symbol of, but it's the fact that he's been gone long enough for things to get really bad that makes him a symbol of hope in the present. So if Aang was always meant to be hope, then he was always meant to get frozen.

Aang = hope is also interesting in that it positions Zuko on the side of the enemies of the fire nation. If Aang represents hope to the world, and Aang represents hope to Zuko, then Zuko is not on the Fire Nation side of the conflict (whether he knows it or not).

The humour in this episode was minimal but very welcome. The old couple was heaps of fun, Sokka got a couple of good lines (although never enough - still waiting on a Sokka episode), and the juxtaposition of humour and very serious themes was artfully handled. It was never jarring or tonally off. The switching back and forth between the two story threads was well done too, especially how they tied in at the end.

I'm kind of annoyed that Katara got relegated to shouty defender of the actually-a-little-bit-guilty or Agony Aunt. She deserves better. I'm not at all annoyed that Momo filled the role of cuddle administration. That was lovely to see.

It didn't even occur to me to check if the art/animation in this episode was pretty. That's usually a primary concern with me, but I was too wrapped up in the plot to notice.

I can't believe a kids' show went there, but they did. And they did it well. This episode felt much longer than 20-ish minutes, in a good way. It was packed. Definitely going on my rewatch list.

[pedropascalunofficial]

Why aren't you speaking up about the vile fans that are harassing Pedro, his friends and family. I am devastated that no one has put these fake fans in their place. I thought you of all people would.

I must preface this by mentioning that I'm Irish. We're biased on this issue. We have had help to find relative peace after years of division and terrorism. We are all too aware of how lucky we now are.

Why arent I speaking about the "vile fans" that are harrassing Pedro?

I report the twats in this fandom who he can't see pulling bullshit that affects his and his friends' personal lives so they can better protect themselves from it. I only call them out publicly when their bullshit over flows into my life.

Fans asking Pedro to call for a ceasefire are not pulling bullshit.

They're commenting on his replies to posts because they are frustrated by his silence on an issue that WILL affect all of our lives, and their passion is showing in disruptive ways that aren't to everyones taste. Replying to his comments is futile, but please don't shame people for trying to act in a time of desperation. Do I like it? No. Will it change his opinion? Probably not.

Their timelines are full of images of dead children, injured children being pulled from rubble to be labelled WCNSF (Wounded child. No surviving family), kidnapped people or murdered families. They're willing him to call out the same issues that the United Nations and many other governments are because people have lost their humanity.

We all know he used to love sounding off about political issues in support of the underdog but Pedro has been quiet since the Gina episode. Whether he would be in the right or not on political issues, Disney and Lucasfilm will not take kindly to him creating any controversy.

However much I would love to see him asking for a ceasefire, it isn't going to happen for a multitude of reasons. He's not going to be the person we tell him to be. He has free will. We must respect that. We need to manage our expectations with regards to what we see as the role of celebrities in political issues. It isn't in their job description and they usually fuck it up and the noise caused from that drowns out the credible sources trying to break through.

And yes, I've noticed how fake some of the fans are. The phrase "you're doing great girl" comes to mind. (Bless that man's sassy interactions with fair weather fans) Some are posting about his sexuality in the same cycle of stories as calls for him to denounce war crimes. It's completely fucked up.

Oh, and holding his fucking stalkers up as if they're the beacons of hope around here?! Those delusional psychos only posted saying they wouldn't talk about the gala AFTER ppl threatened to call them out if they posted about it. Never fall for their clout chasing bullshit! Their only motivation is social engagement, not the future of humanity. You can tell coz when they aren't virtue signalling, they're dehumanising a man for likes.

Since you've read this far..... if Pedro can't/won't speak, we can. Share international news outlets! Share factual information from countries who aren't financially supporting the war! Seek it out. Share it. Some people still haven't seen the full story. Some are choosing to pretend there aren't humans involved on both sides. Some are keeping quiet for personal reasons. Some because their employer will fire them or sue them for speaking out.

If any fans have questions around the issue of asking for a ceasefire and denouncing the current war crimes before the whole world descends in to a sea of international incidents of domestic terrorism at the request of Hezbollah and Iran, supported by Russian government, giving China the opportunity to fucking go to town, please feel free to educate yourselves below.

THE UNITED NATIONS HAS CALLED FOR A CEASEFIRE

BASIC BREAKDOWN OF STATISTICS (Nov 7, 2023)

PODCASTS THAT EXPLAIN THE IMPLICATIONS AND HISTORY OF THIS CONFLICT

NEWS OUTLETS

An IG account that gives me hope

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[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Mark Henn, loooong time Disney animator who was still with the studio in the recent years, has spoken recently...

He's pretty much kind of done with Walt Disney Animation Studios, feeling that the minimal 2D work he had been doing lately (alongside veterans Eric Goldberg and Randy Haycock) wasn't very "meaningful". He is open to going back to finish a short of his own, that he was working with producer Clark Spencer on, but that's just about it. As the Brew notes, his full-time career there is over. He started on THE FOX AND THE HOUND, which released in 1981, to give you an idea of how long he's been there.

It's quite telling how many of the greats departed or were laid off under both John Lasseter and Jennifer Lee's leaderships. Glen Keane, Chris Sanders, Nik Ranieri, Ron Clements, John Musker, the list goes on... I know a lot of animation fans desperately want Disney to do 2D features again, but I don't see it happening. I haven't seen it happening in years. Whenever a piece of 2D for a short or a promo or a commercial surfaces, twitter goes gaga and says "See Disney?? You can do 2D! No excuses!"

It's not about excuses, they simply DO NOT WANT TO. For whatever reason, no matter how silly it may seem to us.

Henn said it best:

"Since then, I think it’s just too difficult for the studio to justify essentially creating a second studio within this current studio in order to do 2D, which is what you had when we had Princess and the Frog and Winnie the Pooh. We essentially had literally two smaller studios under one roof, and I just think that that became too much of a financial risk. Right now, we’re barely able to house everybody that we have on staff. So, I mean, there’s all kinds of logistical things from where you’re going to put people to taking that risk."

I've talked about it, exhaustively, myself. It's just, the larger Disney company isn't too interested in being - to quote former Disney storyman Steve Hulett - a "Renaissance art factory". In addition to 2D really not being conducive to editorial and a one-a-year assembly line model, WDAS management are simply making movies that they think the public wants to see. They spend upward $135m+ on them, and they try to get one out every year. They're lucky to even be making movies, since they've been nearly shut down far too many times to name... As recently as 2006, even, because one Steve Jobs felt they didn't need to be a thing anymore now that the company owned Pixar. I see them as a "legacy brand" at this point. Still alive, still kicking, probably by virtue of being the thing that created the whole company in the first place... But that's just it. It's very "Disney, the way you always liked it" these days. I think that's part of why STRANGE WORLD and WISH had trouble theatrically, among many other things. Pixar had one miss with LIGHTYEAR, but a leggy sensation with ELEMENTAL. It remains to be seen how ELIO does a year and a half from now. Universal on the other hand is somehow keeping audiences coming back for both DreamWorks and Illumination's movies. With the rare miss every now and then. (SPIRIT: UNTAMED, RUBY GILLMAN, etc.)

But yeah, I've kind of made peace with it. Disney Animation is currently not in the business of making movies for people who can spot a Milt Kahl head swaggle from a mile away, they're making movies for the folks who put on Disney+, and then put on ENCANTO and such as background noise. It just... Is what is. 2D is still there in some way or another, like in short films and small bits of animated effects and whatnot, but... It's a crapshoot to think that they'll do a full feature like that this decade, I feel. If anything, they'll just keep tinkering with the art style of WISH, which... Didn't work on a lot of folks. So... Do they go back to the tried-and-true TANGLED/FROZEN/MOANA house style? I don't know, I don't have a crystal ball. I don't even know if they'll have a movie by Thanksgiving of this year. That new Disney+ series they made that's coming out next month, IWAJU, looks like a slightly upscaled Disney Junior show.

I still look for something I'll like in the upcoming stuff, because... Well, even though Disney Animation is merely a cog in the massive Disney machine at this point with little of an identity left (much like the live-action/CG tech demo end of things), this studio's output... Decades and decades of it, has been formative for me. At least one WDAS movie was someone's gateway to the wider world of animation, methinks. It was certainly my VHS tapes of BAMBI, THE JUNGLE BOOK, and THE LION KING, among many others in my library at age 8, that's for sure. I even *liked* the recent films, I have yet to see WISH all the way through, but I did enjoy STRANGE WORLD enough, and liked ENCANTO, RAYA, FROZEN II, etc. a good deal. It's just, a lot of it is nothing really special to me in the end. Just fine at best, with some impressive stuff here and there. Like, say, some of the directing in ENCANTO. Just fine, adequate. I don't think that of the Disney animated features made before this decade. Even my least favorite animated Disney work of the '70s, '80s, '90s, and '00s still has something very unique and influential to it. I don't intend for this to be a knock on the crews' hard work, it's only my personal feelings on what I've seen. It's what they seem to want to be making, or what the management is approving of... I can kick and scream, but, that won't do anything. I'll just see what's next and say "Well, let's see... What will I get out of this one?"

I've long accepted that the ship sailed on 2D features at WDAS, and most of the other big theatrical studios for that matter. Many of whom never even MADE a 2D feature. Pixar never made one, Illumination didn't, Sony Animation didn't until FIXED, you get the idea. The only other one that's still chugging is DreamWorks, and they made their final 2D feature back in 2003. Twenty-one years ago. I look elsewhere for that kind of thing, and I found just that... KLAUS, WOLFWALKERS, you get the idea. The best you'll get in theaters is an adaptation of a 2D animated show or pre-existing franchise, like THE BOB'S BURGERS MOVIE. I doubt that pending-theatrical release Looney Tunes movie, THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP, will be the great decider of the future of 2D animated movies in theaters. Ditto FIXED, *if* that's still aiming for theaters. (It got its rating from the MPA a long while ago. It's done. It's in the can... and there's no release date for it.)

So... Yeah... Is what it is. WDAS seems to refuse to do a 2D feature, and have been refusing for over a decade (I really think PRINCESS AND THE FROG and WINNIE shut the door permanently, like an encore that they fought to make happen), and the kind of movie that they're making now may just not be for me and others for the foreseeable future. We'll see where their next path takes them... As long as they come out whatever happens still making movies...