#this captures the whole scene and their dynamic so well actually

[i-swear-its-only-ironical]

Sorry guys I have to reblog this again.

OP you actually do not realise how obsessed I am with this edit. I think I watched it every day at least five times since i first stumbled upon it and,,,,,, the song choice, the scenes, the cut right after the kiss that sounds like they're breathing in again because the tension finally broke. I think this thing is one of my favorite edits of all time i am in fucking awe.

Cinderella boy is out now, so i can finally release this edit i made weeks ago for everyone to see! Please enjoy :)

if you’d like, go to my TT to like it over there too, same user but add a 9 at the end

[writingtraumaforever]

SONIC 3 MOVIE REVIEW (SPOILER FREE ABOVE LINE, SPOILERS BELOW IT):

I am so mixed feeling’d about this movie right now. On one hand, I loved it. It had such a good telling of Sonic and Shadow’s dynamics and stories and how they view one another, and I loved that and will be elaborating more on this in the spoiler section. The changes they made from the video game were 50/50 to me. Some I get, others I just was really disappointed in. The action scenes are AMAZING. Battles are SICK, and I have admittedly been on the fence about Keanu voicing Shadow, but he won me over completely after watching the film.

Team Sonic’s dynamic is top tier in this movie. Knuckles, Sonic and Tails are the lights of my life, I love these brothers so much.

But if you are going into this film expecting a SHADOW movie???? You’re gonna be disappointed. This is, do not be mistaken, absolutely a Jim Carrey movie. This is a Robotnik movie 110%. Idk if they just couldn’t afford too many lines from Keanu or what, but Jim stole most the screen time. Which was hilarious and all, but it definitely stole from the deeper/darker story that was suppose to be at play. They went the insane/funny mad scientist route with Gerald rather than the vengeful and broken man he was, and this kinda falls flat and makes the whole thing feel less dangerous and life-threatening than it actually is.

I will say that what little we ARE given of Shadow is amazing. Thankfully us die-hard Shadow fans are use to picking up whatever scraps SEGA throws at us with this hedgehog and absolutely running with them. And in terms of that, we were given a MEAL. But Shadow’s story was definitely rushed rather than fleshed out. It’s like they gave us about 4 minutes of background for him and were like “Alright. That’s it. That’s him”. And then we just roll with it from then on. My hopes on the reason they did this is because we’ll perhaps get a Shadow the Hedgehog show or movie in the future where they elaborate on all this even more. But as for this movie??? Just be ready for a LOT of Robotnik.

I still think Gerald should’ve just been dead so Shadow could have more screen time instead of them cashing in on Jim Carrey. The movie as a whole was so unserious because of him.

That’s really my biggest letdown.

The whole plot felt VERY rushed. Like they were too worried about getting to the next action scene to really flesh out the story properly. Sadly this happens a lot when writers just ASSUME we know the story already so not all of it needs to be told when we just REALLY want all of it to be told. It’s also obvious they cut back on some plot points so it could stay kid friendly.

But don’t let this discourage you too much! Like I said, it really was a good movie. And it’s probably still up there as my fav simply because Shadow IS in it and Team Sonic’s moments save it for me. Not to mention Sonic and Shadow’s interactions, though few, are absolute perfection and capture them both so dang well like—

I will cherish those scenes forever. Sonadow fans have a FEAST with the scenes they were given, okay???

I give it a solid 7.5/10. Maybe 8 if they add more deleted scenes later or announce a Shadow show. :)))))

10/10 if you’re only there for Jim Carrey (whom I personally don’t care for).

Now for Spoilers:

Pros:

LIVE AND LEARN WAS USED AND WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST.

The moon is successfully pissed on.

They very much did their best to make it apparent that Sonic and Shadow are the same but were simply given different fates and it’s SO GOOD BUT SO SAD. Like. Two sides to the same coin very much came across.

Them punching each other across continents was SICK.

Shadow pinning Sonic by his head was GAY.

Sonic pinning Shadow by his chest fur was GAY.

Sonic and Shadow’s talk on the moon is easily my favorite thing in the movie. Followed closely by their Super battle against each other and then their Super battle in space. I’ve recently written in my stories about how being super together creates this special bond between them, and these scenes 100% confirm/reinforce that!

Maria and Shadow scenes are PRECIOUS! Her playing guitar for him, him dragging her around the compound with her in skates, them watching the stars together- it was all beautiful!

I’m really glad they allowed a brief moment of clarity that Gerald did in fact love Shadow and care about him at one point because he’s literally the biggest butt the rest of the movie and just uses him.

StoneXRobotnik shippers will be both elated and heartbroken.

So many perfect Sonic and Tails and Knuckles bro moments omggggg their dynamic in this movie was so dang good I died. From Tails saving Sonic’s butt multiple times to Knuckles putting his angry and fiery disposition aside for his brother and handing over the master emerald— it was perfect. Knuckles is big lovable idiot energy, absolutely, but it’s not overdone. He’s serious when he needs to be and is SUCH an oldest brother. I loved his conflict with Sonic AND how he was the one who saved both Tails and Sonic at the end.

WADE IS THE GUARDIAN OF THE MASTER EMERALD.

Shadow being a feminist with his latinas.

“Vengeful guac.”

Shadow and Sonic fighting together in space and constantly checking in on the other! Shadow asking Sonic where he is and using chaos spear to absolutely annihilate every robot after Sonic ahsjdkglg boyfriends protecting each other vibes.

Tbh, the entire scene where Shadow and Sonic are fighting side by side gives such huge soulmate vibes like oh my god they were VERY MUCH CONNECTED.

Their banter is EVERYTHING.

Shadow quoting Maria “even when the star is gone, its light remains” and then looking at Sonic?! GAAY.

Tom and Maria both poking Sonic and Shadow in the chest and telling them who they are in their hearts and who they choose to be is what counts. THIS being what brings them together?? PERFECTION.

Despite my annoyance at the amount of Robotnik in the movie, Eggman’s sacrifice and message to Stone was very touching.

Tails and Stone are the dream team.

Knuckles is forever scared of ghosts.

Shadow going after Tom ONLY because he thought it was the General and then immediately regretting it and feeling guilty when he sees it’s not and then having to watch Sonic cry over his body while Shadow sees himself crying over Maria is PEAK. BROKE MY HEART.

Sonic revisiting his cave. Shadow HAS to find and live in that at some point.

THE DID THE POSE THEY DID THE POSE

“HOT TOPIC”.

AMY ROSE AMY ROSE AMY ROSE AND SHES SO PRETTY AND STRONG OMG SHES SO SICK I LOVE HER SO MUCH ALREADY it looks like they’re trying to make her appear older than she is in the games, so I’m pretty sure they’re gonna be putting her with Sonic at some point. Which is fine by me cus I ship Sonamy too and to me, movie Sonic would be the one of all the versions of Sonic to want to settle down with some girl one day. I mean. His whole story is LITERALLY based around him finally getting to settle somewhere and have a family instead of continuing to run. Makes sense.

METAL SONIC METAL SONIC METAL SONIC

SHADOW PICKING UP HIS INHIBITOR RING AT THE END

Cons:

Um. The words “Faker” and “Ultimate Lifeform” are not ONCE uttered in this movie, and to me?? That’s absolute slander. That alone brought this movie down a whole point in my 1-10 scale, okay??? Negative 5,000 aura. Disgusting. Maybe the Commander possibly mentioned him being the Ultimate Lifeform, but Shadow never did and that’s just WRONG. This is a whole plot point in the game and in their characters from then on in the franchise, and it’s just glossed over!

Maria isn’t sick. The ARK isn’t in space. She isn’t shot. It’s all kinda dull in comparison to the game, tbh. They’re definitely still after her and shooting to kill because the soldier says “we have our orders” when Walters tries to stop him, but he still don’t shoot her so like— again. Dimmed down.

No Prison Island scenes other than the beginning when Shadow breaks out. Which was. Super disappointing.

It’s all just so unserious. Especially the Robotniks.

Chaos are just Japanese mascots. Which is big sad for Cream and Cheese fans.

No creation of Shadow = no Biolizard

No “Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog”. They tried to reference this with a joke from Jim Carrey, but it fell flat imo.

Indifferent/Open to:

Shadow came from a meteor. He wasn’t created. While I hate Gerald didn’t inherently create him, I am also glad this leaves room for the Black Arms to become a thing. It’s also very possible GUN and Gerald were both just lying about this. Because it very meticulously did NOT show Shadow actually coming from the meteor in any scenes. It just showed the meteor crash site and how it had Shadow/Balck Arms coloring. So maybe Gerald still did experiment on a hedgehog and stuff and it’s just lied about because that’s like— not okay??? But also, I noticed it never showed any like. Major accident that would’ve caused GUN to suddenly invade like that?? They just suddenly decided Shadow was too powerful and they needed to kill everyone while in the games, there were multiple incidents where people were hurt or compromised by the artificial chaos experiments before GUN invaded. PLUS Towers had seen and reported Gerald making a deal with the devil (Black Doom). So like— why would GUN just suddenly decide to annihilate everyone in Project Shadow like that??? It would be one thing if they just decided to shut them down, but they were actively going in there to KILL! So like— I feel like we’re missing pieces and being mislead.

Rouge isn’t there. Which I GET because how/why would she be?? By the end of the movie, there’s definitely ways for more mobians to start appearing (Amy is a prime example). So it makes sense that Rouge isn’t there yet because it’s EARTH so how WOULD she be??? And Shadow using chaos control at the end could open ways to other worlds (like in Sonic X when Sonic went super the first time and more Mobians started arriving on earth). But there were SO MANY MOMENTS SHE WOULDVE BEEN PERFECT. So it’s a shame, but understandable. Plus, how could they have made room for Rouge when they barely had room for Shadow with all the JIM CARREY.

I’ll probably continue to add to this as I process this movie over the next few days.

[xtra7s]

Hi hi omg i love your writing it’s amazing! Can i request a Reneè fic where reader is in a famous band and admits in an interview how much she loves and admires Reneè (yk that clip where Reneè is like “Date me” for Rachel Mcadams) and Reneè responds and they get close and collaborate or whatever you want!

𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐝

Pairing: Renee Rapp x Reader

Synopsis: Y/N, the bassist for Eclipsed, gives Renee some props during an interview and ends up hanging out with her.

Content: mainly fluff

Word Count: 2k

a/n: okay so this one was a bit confusing to write mainly because I felt like nothing was really going on, I didnt know if you wanted smut or something else so I apologize if it isnt what u wanted :(

masterlist

The excitement buzzed in the air as Y/N YL/N, the talented bassist of the rising rock band "Eclipsed," prepared for a much-anticipated interview. The band had been making waves in the music scene, and the media was eager to learn more about the individuals behind the electrifying sound. Y/N, known for their skillful bass playing and enigmatic stage presence, was ready to share their journey.

The interview took place in a trendy studio, with the band seated on a chic, modern couch. Y/N's fingers idly traced the frets on their bass, a well-worn instrument that had seen countless gigs and late-night jam sessions. The interviewer, a music journalist with an infectious passion for the industry, dove straight into the questions.

"So, Y/N, let's start with your musical journey. How did you find your way to the bass guitar?" the interviewer inquired, leaning forward.

Y/N grinned, the memory of their musical awakening evident in their eyes. "I actually started with the guitar, but one day, I heard this deep, resonant bass line that just spoke to me. It was like the heartbeat of the song, and from that moment, I was hooked. I switched to the bass, and it felt like coming home."

The rest of the band nodded in agreement, acknowledging the pivotal role Y/N played in shaping the band's distinctive sound. The lead singer, Maya, chimed in, "Y/N brings a unique energy to our music. The bass lines add a whole new layer, creating this dynamic and powerful sonic landscape."

As the conversation flowed, the interviewer shifted gears, asking about the band's creative process. Drummer Alex spoke about the collaborative nature of their songwriting, while the guitarist, Jake, discussed the influences that shaped their sound. Y/N interjected with tales of late-night jam sessions and the organic evolution of their music.

"We all bring something different to the table," Y/N explained. "It's like a musical potluck. Each of us has our own tastes and influences, and when we come together, it creates this fusion of sound that defines Eclipsed."

The conversation turned to the band's recent successes, including a sold-out show and a growing fan base. Y/N's eyes sparkled with gratitude as they reflected on the journey.

"It's been incredible," Y/N shared. "Our fans are amazing. They connect with the raw emotion in our music, and that's the most rewarding part. Music is a language that transcends words, and seeing people resonate with what we create is truly humbling."

As the interview with Eclipsed continued, the interviewer shifted gears, a mischievous glint in their eyes.

"Now, Y/N, the music world is full of incredible artists, and one rising star who seems to have captured a lot of attention is Renee Rapp. Have you had the chance to meet her, and what are your thoughts on her music?" the interviewer inquired, a sly smile playing on their lips.

Y/N's expression lit up at the mention of Renee Rapp. "Oh, Renee is fantastic! I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her in person yet, but I'm a big fan of her work. Her music has this raw authenticity that really resonates with me. It's always refreshing to see artists who pour their heart and soul into their craft."

The rest of the band nodded in agreement, expressing their admiration for Renee Rapp's talent. Maya, the lead singer, chimed in, "I love how she fearlessly embraces her uniqueness. It's inspiring to see artists who aren't afraid to be true to themselves, both in their music and their persona."

The interviewer pressed a bit further, asking if there were any specific songs or aspects of Renee Rapp's music that Y/N found particularly inspiring. Y/N thought for a moment before responding, "I really connect with the way she uses her voice to convey emotion. It's powerful and evocative. As musicians, we're always drawn to those artists who can create a genuine connection with their audience, and Renee does that exceptionally well."

The conversation then meandered into a discussion about musical influences, with each band member sharing their favorite artists and the impact those musicians had on their own sound. It was clear that Eclipsed Echoes drew inspiration from a diverse range of genres and artists, contributing to the richness of their music.

"And, Y/N, given that you've expressed admiration for Renee Rapp's talent, do you have any comments for her?" the interviewer asked, a faint hint of curiosity in their tone.

Y/N, ever composed, smiled with her teeth. "I do,-" She paused, looking at the camera directly. "Keep your head up, bitch. you're effortlessly you and that shit is wicked. You gotta remember the comments of your loved ones are the only ones that matter."

The rest of the band nodded in agreement, sensing the delicate nature of the question. Maya, the lead singer, added, "Absolutely. It's crucial to separate someone's art from their personal lives. We're all here because of our love for music, and that's what we should celebrate."

The interviewer, quickly shifted gears steering the conversation back toward the band's music and upcoming projects. Y/N, always poised and focused on the music, gracefully navigated through the interview, steering it away from personal matters and back into the realm of creativity and passion.

As the interview concluded, it was evident that the members of Eclipsed were not only talented musicians but also individuals who valued respect and professionalism in their interactions. The episode served as a reminder that, while curiosity about an artist's personal life may arise, the primary focus should always remain on the artistry and creativity that unite the diverse and dynamic world of music.

A few days after the interview, Y/N found a pleasant surprise in their Instagram inbox. It was a message from none other than Renee Rapp herself. Excitement bubbled within Y/N as they read the message.

"Hey Y/N! 🌟 I caught your interview, and it was awesome hearing your thoughts on my music. Your band's sound is killer! Would love to chat more and maybe hang out sometime. What do you say?"

Y/N quickly replied, expressing their gratitude and enthusiasm for the unexpected message. The conversation flowed effortlessly as they exchanged thoughts about music, shared favorite artists, and found common ground in their passion for creating authentic, powerful art.

Renee suggested meeting up for a casual hangout, perhaps grabbing coffee or exploring a local record store. Y/N eagerly agreed, and plans were set in motion for a meeting between two talented musicians who had connected through their shared love for the art form.

As the day of the meetup arrived, Y/N couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. They met Renee at a cozy cafe, and from the moment they greeted each other, it was clear that the connection extended beyond the digital realm. The conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter, shared stories of musical journeys, and a mutual appreciation for the creative process.

Y/N and Renee's casual hangout unfolded into an afternoon of shared laughter, animated discussions about music, and an undeniable chemistry that lingered in the air. The cozy cafe provided the perfect backdrop for their burgeoning connection, with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enhancing the warmth of the atmosphere.

As they chatted about their favorite bands and musical influences, Y/N couldn't help but be captivated by Renee's infectious enthusiasm. The conversation flowed seamlessly between topics, from the intricacies of songwriting to the exhilarating rush of performing on stage. Each shared anecdote deepened the connection, forging a bond between two artists who understood the unique challenges and joys of their chosen path.

The flirtatious banter began subtly, with playful glances and gentle teasing. Renee's laughter resonated like a melody, and Y/N found themselves drawn to her magnetic energy. As they strolled through a nearby record store, fingers lightly brushing against vinyl covers and sharing recommendations, the air seemed charged with an unspoken tension.

At a moment of quiet contemplation in the record store, Renee's gaze met Y/N's, and a playful smirk played on her lips. "You know," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "your interview made me curious. You mentioned appreciating someone's art without focusing on appearance. Do you always manage to separate the two?"

Y/N felt a flush of warmth creeping up their cheeks, realizing the subtle shift in the conversation. With a coy smile, they responded, "Well, I believe in appreciating the beauty in everything, whether it's in the artistry of music or… other things."

The air between them crackled with a newfound tension, and as they continued to explore the record store, the playful exchanges deepened into a more overt flirtation. A gentle touch on the arm here, a lingering gaze there—each gesture spoke volumes, creating an atmosphere charged with unspoken desire.

As they wrapped up their hangout, Y/N and Renee exchanged contact information, promising to meet again soon. The connection they forged went beyond the shared love for music, evolving into a magnetic attraction that lingered in the air, leaving both of them eager to explore the potential of this unexpected and thrilling connection.

In the days that followed their initial hangout, Y/N and Renee's connection deepened through playful messages and shared playlists. Their conversations became increasingly laced with flirtatious undertones, a dance of words that hinted at a mutual attraction.

One evening, Y/N received a message from Renee suggesting a joint songwriting session. The prospect of collaborating ignited a spark of excitement in Y/N, and they eagerly agreed. As they settled into the cozy ambiance of Y/N's home studio, surrounded by musical instruments and the gentle hum of creativity, the air seemed charged with both anticipation and a growing sense of intimacy.

As they worked on a new song, Y/N couldn't help but notice the subtle shifts in Renee's body language—the way she would lean in slightly, the lingering touches on shared instruments, and the occasional laughter that held a hint of something more. The energy between them was palpable, a magnetic force drawing them closer with each passing moment.

Renee, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, suggested taking a break and grabbing a snack from the kitchen.

As Y/N and Renee took a break in the cozy kitchen, the atmosphere crackled with a potent blend of creative energy and unspoken desire. The shared laughter and flirtatious banter lingered in the air, creating a magnetic pull that neither could ignore. Renee, feeling the palpable tension, decided to take a bold step.

As they stood near the kitchen island, discussing the finer details of their latest composition, Renee's gaze lingered on Y/N's lips. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she leaned in, closing the distance between them and placing her hands on Y/N's waist. Time seemed to slow as Y/N felt the soft warmth of Renee's lips pressing against their own, and their back hitting the counter.

The kiss was electric, a spontaneous spark that ignited a fire between them. Y/N, momentarily stunned, soon reciprocated, their hands instinctively finding each other in a gentle embrace. The kitchen became a canvas for this unexpected moment, a dance of passion and shared connection against the backdrop of a creative haven.

Breaking the kiss, Renee grinned, her eyes filled with a mixture of playfulness and genuine affection. "Well, that was unexpected," she teased, her fingers gently tracing patterns on Y/N's arm.

Y/N, catching their breath, couldn't help but smile in response. "Glad you did it, Renee."

The shared laughter that followed sealed the moment, turning the kitchen into a haven where the boundaries between music and personal connection blurred. As they chatted over a plate of shared snacks, their knees brushed against each other under the table, creating a subtle yet electrifying connection. As they returned to their songwriting session, the newfound intimacy lingered, infusing their creative collaboration with an electrifying energy that promised more harmonies to come. The kitchen island, witness to the impromptu kiss, became a symbol of the uncharted territory their connection was now exploring.

[oacest]

oacest scholars, do you have any gcest fic recs for a beginner?

we decided to answer this in brief and limit ourselves to three recs each or, as evidenced by past failures to answer this same simple and straightforward request from other people, we'd spend forever quibbling about our choices and never actually post the dang thing. here, in no particular order, are some good jumping off points:

trill's recs:

1) @snickfic's baby, you're gonna be the one that saves me, aka my fave fic (technically series, it's got two parts) in this entire fandom. in which liam gets knocked up in the mid 90s by someone who's not noel, to noel's intense anguished jealous heartbreak mild dismay. even if you're not really into mpreg this one is well worth it. the characterization is god tier. bal and i insisted that jackie, who staunchly doesn't like mpreg, read it and even she was converted.

2) i could be your lover, you could be all mine, by hapaxlegomena. a collection of unconnected porn ficlets. lots of extremely tasty stuff in here, i reread random bits of it regularly.

3) the D'YA WANT SOME? series by one of our own triumvirate, bal! im sure she's squirming in horror that im including it but it is by far the best, most well-written, most well-characterized, thoughtful, hilarious, hot, fascinating work in this whole fandom imo, and is a perfect intro to the whole concept of pre/early days oasis and what noel+liam might have been getting up to behind the scenes (as it were) before they were famous.

bal's recs:

1) Filmstar, an orphaned fic on Ao3. This one gets recced plenty but for good reason. It's very funny in a deadpan way and the Liam in it is such a perfect little weirdo. It's a great fic to start with, readable even if you don't know all the lore and whatnot.

2) outta sight and outta mind by lustmord. this author writes Trauma and specifically the brothers' trauma in a way I find endlessly compelling. (for all that Everyone Knows about their shitbag dad, it is still such an unspoken and often unpredictable presence in the room; you can't really get into them without tangoing with it in some fashion)

3) Let Me Be The One, by @savageandwise. absolutely fantastic Liam voice, this author just GETS him. I often think about this quote as a literal thesis statement for Noel's whole insane deal:

You think he's perfectly willing to allude to it in public if he's the one pulling the strings. Cause he thinks he's cleverer than the rest of the world. He thinks it's edgy and rock and roll when he does it. It's his brand of anarchy. And when you do it you're just stupid and embarrassing and determined to destroy everything.

jackie's recs:

1) Trying To Find A World That's Been and Gone by @storyshark2005. my colleagues graciously let me be the one to put it on my list because this is Thee fic. as we were all getting into Oasis initially, this fic was our constant companion and teacher, holding our hand as the fixation unraveled within us. it's a present-day fic that beautifully and masterfully unpacks the entirety of their relationship from the glory days to the estrangement and it is so jam-packed with research and details, you can just assume that everything that's being referenced is based on something that actually happened. in my opinion, this is where any new fan should start.

2) If I Had a Gun by @savageandwise. it's probably cheating to put another fic by this author when bal's already done it, but... I don't care lmao. in many ways we're splitting hairs because all this author's fics are worth your time. but I do hold a special place for this one because it so wonderfully captures the tenuousness of their dynamic at any given moment. how they could go from fighting to flirting to hating each other to needing each other in rapid succession. it feels so true.

3) Here's Looking At You, Kid by RedheadAmongWolves. don't be thrown off by the fact that this is one chapter away from completion, it's still totally worth it. the characterizations are great, the vibes draw you in, the UST is delicious. honestly, this is really meant to function as an overall author rec. there were several here I could've chosen.

[televisionenjoyer]

WHY ARE MOVIES GETTING DARKER I AM ON MY KNEES

Ok fuck it let's go. My amateurish opinions on the three biggest mysteries of film: why they're getting darker, less vibrant and harder to hear. As someone who has worked on camera, montaging, effects and animations, colorimetry when I'm allowed, and on one weird occasion, audio (but I'm an enthusiast ok?)

The short answer is because of technology. The long answer is more nuanced

- Why are movies getting darker?

The "official answer" that filmmakers give actually is technology. Digital cameras allow for much more detail with less lighting required. It also allows videographers to play with different light and exposure settings on the go, instead of having to go with the limitations of the pre-bought film's asa and the precalculated ideal settings. Also film is notoriously bad at capturing dark scenes and responsible for much of the graining we see on analog tv and film.

So basically, they claim it's a stylistic choice. Which could be debated, I mean, after at least five years of everyone complaining about poor lighting, you'd think they'd finally give it up.

BUT there's the whole fact that (certain) special effects are generally easier to pull off when the viewer can't see enough to detect any flaws. They require less care and thus are cheaper and faster to produce. Any studio's wet dream.

Less notably, it's easier to work "down" on colorimetry than it is to work "up." Taking away light from a shot is easier than "creating more light", the latter sometimes leading to very "digitally broken" results. It looks bad. Just grab any video and crank the exposure. It looks horrible.

"But what does exposure have to do with color?" Everything!!! Color IS light!!!

Which leads me to the last reason, HDR. Which leads me to one of the reasons why everything looks so dull.

- Why are movies less vibrant?

So. What is HDR? High Dynamic Range refers to technologies that achieve a much wider light variation. And as we established earlier color IS light, okay? So. More light, more color, brought to you at the hand of display technologies such as OLED and microdimming.

These technologies ramp up the price of domestic screens exponentially. This is why you see domestic televisions that are way above the 2000 dollar mark. And then people will say "oh but my low end television supports HDR, so that's not the issue". Yes. Supports. As in supports files encoded in HDR. Doesn't mean that they have the necessary technology to take advantage of it. Yet they get to put the HDR10 label on their product and get in on the newest marketing fad (it's the new 4k dude. Which is the new 3D. You get what I mean)

And since it is the newest fad, then of course filmmakers HAVE to get in on it. I mean, it's more quality, who doesn't want more quality?

me!!! please stop. not everything has to be aimed at high end equipment (more on this when we get to the audio aspect, aren't you excited?). HDR looks like DOGSHIT if your tv isn't actually OLED. And most consumer TV's aren't OLED.

Tech rant over, I assure you that there is a cultural aspect to this. Don't worry, you're not insane. And it probably is related to the clean girl minimalist iOS style UX modest and demure mentality that is advancing on the 2020s. But it is also related to an art medium shift that we've been undergoing since wayy back when. The sixties.

Yes. I'm gonna go there. I'm gonna talk about Star Trek. I'm going to elaborate on my previous slight outrage.

So. Star Trek marks the beginning of a transition from black and white television into color. It also lands on that weird spot where the whole medium of film and television was still figuring out which elements to import from the ancient medium of theater and which were best left behind.

As a result, Star Trek is very theatrical. And color is a good friend of theater, a medium where everything has to be maximized so that the people in row fifty could appreciate the show almost as well as the people on the first row. Color is a good friend of theater: in wardrobe it helps the performers stand out, boosts up the characters' personality traits, etc. And in lighting, it amplifies moods, conveys emotions and atmospheres related to particular scenes.

The version of Star Trek that you can find on streaming these days is considerably altered from the original product, remastered to make it more palatable to our contemporary brains. As a result, many scenes have been visually altered. The following example shows the original master on the left and the remaster on the right

And while at first I held my head in my hands and asked "why, god, why??" The answer is probably that this reads as unserious as fuck. Having the technology now to desaturate scenes and make certain settings look "cloudy", "gritty", "dark and grim," and so on changed the way we perceive colors in regards to mood on modern film and television. This primary color ass setting in today's context reads as goofy, on a scene that is actually meant to impose concern on the viewers. This wouldn't read this way on theater, but it does on television, because we see them as completely separate mediums.

(however I insist that, star trek being a culturally significant show, making these type of creative decisions strips it of its original intent and shits on its cultural value as a window into how they did television in the sixties. so like. fuck you paramount)

Now, television has been getting thematically darker this century (some call it the post-9/11 effect. I wouldn't know. I am latinoamerican) and our palate as viewers has grown more used to these desaturated settings, to the point where seeing something vibrant like the original star trek makes us feel like we're watching a kids show. And not even a modern kids show, more like teletubbies or barney, because have you guys even seen bluey?? It's so... pastel-y.

It's not just HDR. Movies have gotten less vibrant because we're miserable. Sort of. And television and film have grown obsessed with appearing more serious. (Not that sitcoms and comedy movies have ceased to exist, I'm generalizing.)

- But why is dialogue less intelligible?

Official Answer? Technology. Nowadays we are able to capture subtleties in dialogue, so actors don't have to project their voice 24/7, and we can get more intimate dialogue, something almost intended to be a secret that you shouldn't be listening to, making you feel like an intruder. It's the intent.

Unofficially? Technology (marketing fad edition). It's surround audio!!! That's the real culprit!!! And listen, I love surround audio, I have two 5.1 systems at home that we bought secondhand and work like a charm. All that being said: why is star trek tos in 5.1? (YES I'm still on star trek). Why is everything natively encoded in surround audio on streaming these days, left to be down-mixed in real time by your tv?

I'm going to quickly explain surround to y'all using 5.1 as an example. On stereo (which is how most consumers watch film and television) you have two audio channels: your left and right speakers. 5.1 has six: front-left, center, front-right, rear-left, rear-right, and subwoofer. Most dialogue goes through the center speaker. Downmixing is when your tv takes all these channels and mushes them into two: left channel (containing left-front, left rear, center and subwoofer) and right channel (right front, right rear, center and subwoofer). So your center channel is suddenly competing with all these other frequencies and gets a bit muffled.

But wait! It gets worse! 5.1 is now ancient by technology fad standards. For a while there was 7.1 and now the newest, incredibly expensive marketing fad is Dolby Atmos (you might have seen it as a badge on streaming services such as Disney plus). This protocol supports up to 64 channels. You know, if you're crazy and rich enough.

Dolby Atmos was originally developed for cinemas but it's now being sold to direct consumers. According to Dolby, the ideal sound configuration in your home in order to listen to this material the way it was intended from the comfort of your living room is of at least eight (very fancy) speakers and up to 12 speakers.

So. Even with a 5.1 system your audio is still down-mixed.

In conclusion:

Film and television did not get shittier (well, they have, but that's not the sole culprit of this crisis), it just became less accessible and overall uninterested in catering to the average consumer.

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Episode 2 Debrief (by yours truly)

Hi again! Here's episode 1 if anyone is interested. This is going to be another outrageously long post, just a tw

I absolutely loved the ominous start and then it's just:

They really captured the Zuko/Iroh dynamic the cartoon had in this scene. I hope they keep this sort of thing throughout the show. Also, side note, but for whatever reason Zuko seems a LOT more violent in this version. This child needs some serious therapy.

I guess this is their version of the map joke, huh? Low-key disappointed but not as mad as I thought I would be.

I'm not sure how I feel about the writers prolonging some of the conflicts that were resolved back in the SWT into this episode. I guess it makes sense that they would have to extend the drama, but I'm a little disappointed these thoughts didn't make it into the first episode. I'm glad they're included, but I think at this point team avatar had started to feel like family already in the cartoon, so it's kind of annoying and misses the mark a bit.

Yes I'm so glad they put GranGran's blessing back in! I was really mad when they took it out, but this honestly feels more meaningful than it did in the cartoon. It's a precious cultural artifact rather than just a couple of blankets. This is similar to what I was mad about with extending SWT conflicts, but I don't have nearly as much of a problem with it, as it seems like they're carrying a little piece of home with them rather than just extra drama.

The burial scene was very sweet and sad. It gave us a bit more insight into Air Nomad culture, and a sense of closure the cartoon didn't really give us. A+ for Gordon's acting as well (he is perfect for this part, even if he does still need some more acting experience)

Zuko has officially mastered the "my uncle dragged me here and I'm an agnsty teenager" face. A+ to Dallas for this entire scene. I am absolutely LOVING the Iroh and Zuko dynamic. Never change (jk I wish you a wonderful redemption arc)

Suki looks just as beautiful as she did in the trailer. Unfortunately can't say the same for the Kyoshi statue (I wish it had been made out of wood), but there is something to be said for the little shrines to the avatars instead of a few big ones. I actually kind of like that they changed that element, and I hope they explore it more in future episodes, because I assume some of the spiritualism surrounding them would have to be changed. Side note: but I've seen nothing of the spirit world so far and I'm getting a little nervous. I guess I wouldn't mind if they decided it was some long-lost avatar trick or is introduced in the NWT, but if they get rid of it altogether I'm gonna be pissed.

I'm glad they decided to make Kyoshi Island a matriarchal society instead of having a male leader. It just makes sense based on the lore and I like to see more strong adult women than in the cartoon. Also Suki got a mom! Maybe she'll get some development too!

This Aang speech was very in-your-face storytelling, but I feel like the whole show is gonna be like that so I'm just accepting it at this point. I think it stayed true to his character while getting the point across, and it also kind of helped his character compared to the cartoon. He's very emotionally open and has a charming nativity about him, but he's clearly trying to help. Loved it.

He's so awkward I love it. This whole interaction was really cool, because it expanded on their relationship in a cool way. They're both struggling between doing what their parents expect of them to help their respective villages, but are being faced with a pull to the outside world, Suki with her "big heart" and Sokka with his need to protect Katara. Thishonestly gives more depth to their relationship and I don't mind the writers dragging out first episode conflicts if this is how they're choosing to explore them.

Aww look at these cute little siblings. I like that the writers are giving them more time to progress from strangers to besties. Their interactions seem more natural, and Aang's grief more realistic. It's also great to once again see Katara growing more confident and powerful in her abilities. I love the smell of some good character development in the making.

Look at her face! She's like,"I'm so good at flirting. Mother would be proud." Meanwhile Sokka's scared of her. Anyway I'm living for their scenes and they're making me giggle. (Despite Sokka's sexism being toned down it still exists to a lesser level and I love to see her beating his ass while he tries to flex)

I love the new subplot! I love that flashback! I love this conflict! It gives more credence to his fears as a prodigy. Whatever writer came up with this deserves a hug.

AHH the ship is sailing! I love Sokka learning to be more open minded! I love Suki learning to be more open-hearted! I love when characters in romantic relationships learn from each other! This is giving Suki and Sokka development in ways the cartoon did not without trying to play Sokka's sexism off as a joke and also giving us more screentime and when I say I love it I mean I am doing a happy dance right now!

Okay, so just a quick word on shipping besides Sukka because as Zutara trash I am legally required to do this:

It seems like they are keeping the zutara hope parallel intact, with Katara and Zuko both finding hope in the avatar but in different ways. However, I don't think this really changes anything. So far, there's beven nothing to suggest they're going with ZK instead of KA, and I'm a little worried that they're trying to parallel Sukka and KA wwith the way they're setting up both girls as kind of a "teacher" to the boys in a way and giving both ships a huge amount of screentime in the same episode. Also, and I hate to say this, they might be attempting to fix KA by toning down Katara's anger and her "dark side". She didn't get angry to break the iceberg and they're eliminating her entire waterbending scroll plotline. They're trying to make them a better match for each other by watering her down and therefore increasing her connection with Aang and decreasing the chance of a future connection with Zuko over their anger and shared trauma. It's sad news that I didn't want to deliver, and I've seen spoilers that there is another ZK moment later down the line, but at this point, I think KA is a lot more plausible than ZK. *cries*

In slightly less depressing news, they're inserting the avatar state plotline a lot earlier. This makes sense with the condensed timeline, and I think I like the way they're going with it so far. I hope they keep the concept of avatar guide intact, though, and I'm worried that they're going to play into more of a connection to all of his past lives instead of just Roku. I kind of hate Roku but I do think that's a major concept I don't want them to get rid of, and his inaction during a time of adversity mirror's Aang's own challenges with confrontation. Their dynamic is a good one, and I wouldn't be opposed to changed but I really hope they don't entirely throw it out.

Scratch whatever the fuck I said before. I'm back on my shipping bullshit I can't believe we got a BONUS FIGHT! Also kudos to whoever decided Zhao should burn the village instead of Zuko. I was always so pissed at him whenever I rewatched this episode and now I can sleep easy knowing it was that military dipshit instead of him

I love Kyoshi to an unhealthy extent but I kind of wish Katara had been the one to go off on him. It would have seriously fixed things.

COUPLES THAT FIGHT TOGETHER ARE THE BEST COUPLES CHANGE MY MIND

Also, side note, but I love the hair these in fight scenes:

Most action movies hairspray the shit out of them but these actors are allowed to look a little disheveled while they kick ass. Huge thank you to whoever decided that more natural hair is superior cuz they are 100% correct

THE BONUS FIGHT SCENE IS NO LONGER COOL I REPEAT THE BONUS FIGHT SCENE IS NO LONGER COOL

I think this was the perfect conclusion to Sukka (for now)! Sokka learned something so much more valuable and impactful than in the cartoon, in my opinion. His masculinity is handled very well in my opinion, and even if I would have liked to see him wear the warrior outfit, there's something really great about the way he continues to embrace protectiveness, a masculine trait, while having rid himself of toxic masculinity, such as not being able to learn from others. He's leaving a more open minded and humble person and I love the way they portrayed it.

Okay the speech was a little on the nose but I liked it. One of the best things about ATLA was the way they executed Aang's childishness ending up beneficial for the world. I think the new conflict is expanding on that nicely while staying true to its roots. *pats writers on the head*

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IS THIS REAL I LOVE IT SO MUCH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

IM TRYING SO HARD NOT TO THINK ABOUT THIS LINE AND HOW IT COULD BE ANOTHER PARALLEL TO K/A I HATE IT BUT I LOVE IT AT THE SAME TIME LETS JUST FOCUS ON SUKI SAYING SOKKA HELPED HER AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Also the fan was so cute. That last scene on Appa really wrapped everything up nicely. I like the way they tied in the conflicts between the siblings while engineering growth for Sokka.

Daniel Kim delivered in his two seconds of screentime. Zhao was such a bitch but idk what else I expected. Can't wait to see more of these two bastards in future!

Anyway, to recap:, things I did like:

Aang's new conflicts

Sokka's mini arc

SUKKA

Expanding on Katara's PTSD

Zhao burning the town instead of Zuko

Zuko and Iroh's dynamic

Things I didn't like:

Katara's characterization

Lack of Aang's actual avatar guide

K/A hints and lack of zutara implications

Postponing the Zhao and Zuko agni Kai

Overall, I have to say I think that they're playing into the core themes very well while expanding on the characters. If it weren't for the whole Katara debacle this would be a 9/10 episode, but with the Katara debacle imma give it a 7/10. Still, I can at least understand why the writers made their crappy decisions, even if I don't agree with them. Hopefully certain things are fixed in future episodes, but as it stands I think I'll live (barely)

[shitpostingkats]

Your Lunafreya fan fic "Dear Beloved Stranger" was incredibly well written! You gave Luna such an amazing voice! You capture the frustration and confusion she feels about her circumstances, but also her determination, kindness, and a little bit of silliness too.

Luna's final scene of her laughing among the syllablossoms as she comes to understand her feelings was very heartwarming to read. After spending all this time keeping her true emotions close to her chest, Luna allows herself to let out everything she's been holding inside. She accepts that Noct won't ever her, and neither will she love him, and instead of being disappointed, it's liberating to her. You've written her with much more dimension than what we were originally given, but you still kept the core aspects that make Luna, well, Luna!

Long story short, I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to your future writings!

Hey, thank for the kind words! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Yeah, I started getting Luna Feelings when I was playing through the chapter in Altissia and you go and see her wedding dress. Like! Up until that point Noctis seems kinda uncaring about the wedding (though he obviously cares about Luna) but it's the first time we actually see him mourn what could have been. And it just hit me like 'Oh! This was their safety net. They both thought of this as their chance at stability.'

And then after that she dies and in that cutscene they both are children, because despite seeing her in-person mere moments ago, he can't conceive of the two of them talking as adults. The juxtaposition of pinning their futures on each other while also being almost complete strangers. And then I started pacing around and the more I thought about their dynamic the more I wanted to chew on concrete.

The amount that themes of rest permeate both their stories. She's the constantly working Oracle and he's the prince of Insomnia. They both die during the main story and get pulled right back to work minutes later. The fact that the ending of the game is them leaning against each other and closing their eyes. I just wanted to keep pulling at and exploring that thread and then I blinked and I had a whole fic in front of me.

Made me more insane about them, honestly. 10/10 platonic soulmates of all time.

[epickiya722]

You know what, season 2 broke a lot of our hearts, didn't it? Well, here's some moments I thought were funny, heartwarming and just off the wall to lighten things up!

Starting with the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death Arc and if y'all want, I'll do a part 2 for the Shibuya Incident!

NOTE: I may have talked about some of these moments before in other posts.

Utahime, just all of Utahime in the first episode. She's awesome, I adore her. "SHOOOOKOOOO!!"

Chibi Satoru and Suguru. Especially the part of Suguru walking up the stairs as the others were talking. "Urusei."

"SENSEI, I SAY WE STOP THIS HUNT FOR THE CULPRIT!"

"SO IT WAS YOU!"

"Blegh!"

Shoko dipping out.

Suguru was really about to jump Satoru with a curse!!!

The fact that Suguru even went from wearing regular-waist pants to high-waist ones from manga to anime is glorious. Whoever decided that knew Suguru was meant to be a fashion icon.

Digimon

That WALK!!! Y'all, those are Special Grade sorcerers!

Suguru scowling Satoru on his behavior, also... "Satorrruuu~" Did he have to purr? That was a purr!

I love Satoru Gojo, I do. But with those glasses, he really do be looking like one of the Three Blind Mice from Shrek.

I don't know how but Toji somehow made saying he took his wife's last name scary. Like, he was very intimidating that it bypass me the first time of how cute it is that he loved Mamaguro a lot.

They actually added Suguru fixing himself a cup of tea in the anime!! This teenager really had that man captured by some Kissing Curse, told him he couldn't be a rice farmer and had himself some tea. Iconic.

Ooh, Satoru didn't have to do Bayer like that. But I applaud him for taking such a selfie!

Shoko trying to explain how RCT works actually irritated Satoru... which is rare!

Riko actually was the first to defeat Satoru. Did him dirty!! Suguru actually laughs at Satoru getting slapped while in the anime he looks shocked. Either way, his reaction is funny as hell.

"You look like a liar! And what's up with those bangs?" Then Riko got jumped for that!

Suguru's bangs ain't that bad, come on!

Knowing how Suguru turns out, it's something he's the one to tell Kuroi that she's Riko's family. Years later, he had his own "family". It's actually heartwarming he tells her that.

That old man didn't even get touched yet and he was already seeing his dead dog from 50 years ago!! Man's life flashed right before his eyes and he even says that! The whooping Suguru put on him was so bad that he was having visions!!

The one time Satoru is shown to have some sort of charm is with a bunch of school girls. The teacher should be locked up though.

Baghead man really had on the All Might cosplay.

Toji didn't have to say a word to that man and he still scared him shitless. Alright, Toji, I see you being all scary!

Satoru really be carrying kids like they're bags of groceries. Did it with Yuji, he did it with Riko.

"I failed!"

Kuroi being rescued! Satoru really stomped on those guys!

The plane scene. Satoru checking each passenger all with a glare. Meanwhile, Suguru was just chilling with a book, sitting there all pretty.

The whole beach scene!! "IT'S A SEA CUCUMBER!!"

Teen Kento having that hairstyle and his dynamic with Yu is just too adorable. He looks like he has Wii music playing in his head all day. Such a good kid!!

I cannot believe that DIO's VA is also Toji's. It's funnier when Toji has had beef with Satoru as a kid and DIO has had generational beef with the Joestars.

I just know that Worm Curse was having the time of its life on Toji's back while he was jumping around and being tossed about. Also, Toji smiling the whole time while fighting.

Suguru actually has mad hops! Did y'all not see that long ass jump?!

Squid gun. Speaking of, where in the hell did all those squids come from?! I need a story on that one!

Toji talking about how he fights for a while before Suguru tells him to shut up and die.

"Am I pretty?" "Sorry, you're not my type." Okay, well, damn.

The Worm Curse pretty much "NOPE" at Suguru.

That kick was fucking personal, I just know it! Also, the fact that Toji actually thought about the curses inhabiting Suguru's body is something. Especially, given later. I actually question that when Suguru dies in JJK 0, did Satoru have to deal with any curses?

Toji remembering Megumi.

Also, if you pay attention to the Worm, that thing sometimes matches Toji's expressions. It's like Reki and his headband (SK8 the Infinity).

Satoru standing all menacingly outside for Toji.

"Is he high?" Well, given that a few moments later he'll be floating in the air.

The fact that people have described Toji's death as "turned into the Apple logo" to "the Rengoku treatment". Y'all are out of pocket! And he looked so disappointed, too.

"Mommy... hug me..." That scene is just...

"I like girls with healthy appetites!" Yu, never change!!

Yuki's reaction to what Suguru tells her about what he has heard about her. "She's pouting."

"I heard you the first time. That's why I said 'huh'!" Bro was just that mad.

Shoko. Just Shoko when she and Suguru meet in Shinjuku.

Heartbreaking as the scene is, you had one lanky ass teenager looking deranged on one end and the other with the "I'm going to the store real quick" fit on having this fight in front of KFC. Becomes even funnier when you remember the slogan "finger lickin' good". What does this have to do with anything? Think about Yuji.

One, where did Suguru get the robes from? Two, given he was born the following year in February after Satoru, if I did my calculations right... Suguru really started a cult at 17. No wonder there were objections. After he killed that guy, I'm sure everyone was like "oh, he's unhinged".

Okay, but the head rubs he gave the twins were so cute!! Look, they may been raised as killers, but it's sweet that they were Suguru's family. He adored those girls and they adored him!

The first meeting between Megumi and Satoru!!

Satoru waking up and seeing his students was just so heartwarming!!!

[skygemspeaks]

I finally got to sit down and finish episode one, and i've got some thoughts!!

I think that introducing garp as a big player right from the get go is a really great idea. His presence at the execution made sense, and his dynamic with roger did well to help establish both of their characterisations

Roger's actor did a phenomenal job with the eerie laugh and his complete irreverance in the face of his own death. I love how he delivered the wealth fame power speech!

It was a bit surprising to me that they showed roger actually getting killed, but honestly i'm in total approval of this direction they're taking with the live action. I really like the more brutal approach, especially because oda's refusal to kill anyone outside of flashbacks pre-marineford is one of the biggest complaints i tend to hear from people. Seeing zoro dragging around the top half mr 7's corpse was so jarring, but it was a good choice

Ilia's perfrmance as alvida was absolutely amazing. I like that they changed her catchphrase from the most beautiful woman on the seas to the most powerful

Overall, i really like the different transitions between plot points, and how this episode set things up in future arcs. All the different things that go on in shells town feel so much more better interconnected than they did in the manga. I'll go into this more in another post, but like one example of what i'm talking about is how the reason zoro allowed himself to be tied to the post was because morgan threatened that if he didn't agree to it, he wouldn't be able to collect any more bounties from any marine bases. It also gives zoro mire of a reason to join luffy - he knows that at this point there's no eay he can continue being a bounty hunter now that morgan has it out for him. So how else is he going to meet other strong swordsmen? By joining a pirate crew of course.

The shanks flashback was awesome! His dynamic with luffy was really endearing, and again i do like that they didn't have higuma attack shanks. That's one thing that never really made sense to me in the manga - i get thst yoy don't have to solve everything with violence, but there's no reason for shanks not to have fought back against someone who was attacking him, even if he did know they couldn't possibly hurt him

Also on shanks' flashback - the scene where he found out luffy had eaten the devil fruit was AMAZING. What a fantastic idea to have little luffy framed in sunlight! And the utter heartbreak on shanks' face as he realizes that there's no way luffy will ever be able to have a normal life now...

Of course, we gotta mention the snippet of Binks' Sake we heard in the scene where shanks is stitching up luffy's cut. I recognized it instantly and it made me really emotional. Love all these little easter eggs they have for long time fans of the series. In addition to this there was alsp the cavendish, foxy, and bellamy wanted posters which we knew about from the trailer

Speaking of wanted posters - what a COOL way to introduce the other pirates!

Morgan going on his monologue about capturing kuro is SO funny know what's gonna happen on a few episodes. Oda played it a lot more subtle in the manga but i like that they came right out and said it here.

And while we're talking about foreshadowing, it was a fantastic idea to include the mr 7 fight in this season! I really hope we get a season 2, just sp we can get the payoff for this great setup.

I'm a little sad that we didn't get to see the luffy and koby hug that was shown in the behind the scenes video (i think that was the one?). I really hope that wasn't cut because i loved that little scene. Maybe it'll happen later in the season?

Buggy's introduction at the end of the episode was SO good. I loved his whole vibe, with him lounging so confidently in his chair, his creepy laugh, everything. I'm excited to see the next episode! They better not have cut chouchou out 😭

[james-stark-the-writer]

rewatching The Conjuring series for the first time since like 2019 (when Annabelle Comes Homes released in theaters i binged the whole series and it's probably on my twitter archive if you go scrolling back enough, but i haven't seen any of these movies since) bc i honestly do not remember most of what happened in the movies, and Alanda Parker just started getting into the series so figured i might as well get a refresher. and i'm just getting to the title card for the first The Conjuring movie and like i had forgotten how good the title card itself was just as a piece of typography and how it felt to see like it's a great title card, but also just how desperate the opening was to get you scared. like even Insidious let us breathe with the characters a little bit, like The Conjuring is so desperate to get you scared from the first second, it even plays loud sounds in the opening studio credits, and it's only partly effective as an opener bc it's James Wan behind the camera, but the framing really doesn't help it shdhsdhsbd, and the whole opener is just such an odd structural choice and such a weird way to open the movie.

so much of this opening 6 minutes is just exposition after exposition that's completely irrelevant to the rest of the movie, and only really matters as an introduction to Ed and Lorraine — which could have been done better with like actual introduction to them as people, see the second movie — and the idea that demons only possess people, for that third act "twist," and the rest of the sequence really is pretty meaningless to the rest of the movie, if i remember correctly. it's interesting worldbuilding but Insidious did it way better. like it's just strange that it's really barely even an interesting or important opening bc those two things are really the only relevant part of that entire sequence because the rest of the information is just in the text crawl that comes before the title card. fuck, the text crawl gives you more info about Ed and Lorraine than the fucking scene does bc it doesn't give you much of their dynamic. it's a fine tone-setter ig but i'd rather see the actual relevant stuff, or get a longer scene of the actual talk, instead of it being weirdly mediated through the video, which has the same framing as the fucking movie bc it does a match cut to outside the video so i'm confused on why the hell the Warrens would ever put so much emphasis on the doll's face (and where the camera is bc we don't even see it in any frame like when Ed leans forward like shouldn't the diegetic camera be visible? like it's the 60s, that shit would be huge and clearly visible. but then the placement of it would make it an odd choice in-world too since, wouldn't you want to capture the actual faces of the people since they're giving the testimony? like the whole framing and reveal that it's an actual video just raises more questions than necessary imo) bc like. she's not even sitting across from them. also, ngl, Vera's dialogue delivery... oh she was completely checked out.

sigh. anyway, now that movie's actually started, excited to see what Wan was cooking.

[cburambles]

My favs bits of 7R! Elena is how they subtly hint at how calculated she is and that her cunning side could be almost as equal as compilation!Rufus in her group & how also the group dynamic often foils her.

Her first scene has her pondering about their orders & what is actually going on.

Elena reitere that point on Mt Corel as well.

In their situation, you need to be clear & share as much intel to your subordinates so they can understand the nature of this mission which Tseng doesn't (if he even knows). & we know Rufus knows the black robes might lead to Sephiroth, which could caught the Turks out of guard & potentially lead them to their death (see what happens to Tseng in the temple).

The scene also immediately establish that Elena thinks they shouldn't follow orders blindly tho it seems she's still willing to do what she thinks Tseng would do in some situations due to her idolization of him.

During her boss fight in the mines, Elena only uses stun grenades

But during the next cinematic, a vicious smile start to appear on her face as she switches her grenade to an explosive one.

It's the only time it happens during the game & the explosion is strong enough to blow off the cliff they were standing on. She was ready to decimate the party there by taking them by surprise. if it wasn't for Red parrying the grenade. It's a good plan that get foiled by the fact Elena isn't aware of Rufus' plans of letting Cloud & Avalanche walk away to find the Promised Land & kill Sephiroth & her lack of awareness towards the way Tseng feels about Aerith.

Next we get GS & Under-saucer chapter. During this, we learn that Cloud, Tifa & Barret are now officially wanted. Dyne then appear in the GS & kill some of Palmer's men.

Elena is seemingly the one who is sent to track him down & likely found his location with the help of Gus' intel (who likely hidden from her that he had captured Tifa & sent Cloud to run in the race so he can get his money)

But instead of capturing the culprit, Elena restrained Dyne & waited for Barret & the rest of Avalanche to show up since she & Rude sent up ambush them with a whole motorized brigade & Palmer's mech,

Elena probably put that plan in place likely in the hopes to make herself look good in front of her superiors by not only capturing Dyne but Avalanche as well. And she's willing to go as far as to jump from a crashing helicopter on a moving buggy to accomplish that goal.

But once again as in the next scene, we see Reeve change the wanted posters portraits under the eyes of Tseng and we discover Rufus decided to let Aerith walk away in the hopes that she will go find the Promised Land while remaining under Shinra surveillance via Cait Sith. Goes to show that once again, her plans diverge from her superiors because she lacks the necessary infos.

As a proof of that, In chapter 12, she state she took the initiative to study what the Promised land is & compliment the whole plan with Aerith

The way she approves about the plan is interesting as well. She talks about it with a lot of enthusiasm, which goes to show that she may be naturally inclined to delve into that type of manoeuvers & calculations. The only character in their group that has been clearly depicted as being the same type until now is Rufus.

Then there's the temple of the ancients. When they discover Avalanche is on the way, Elena immediately bring the idea of ambushing them which is actually smart: They still have troops at their disposition & the advantage to know the terrain better than Avalanche by that point.If they don't take them out now, they might end up in trouble later. (Which is what happened since Reno & Rude end up being outnumbered by monsters & Tseng understimated how ready Elena was to throw down to show herself off, which result in Tseng getting wounded & Elena having to do a sacrificial stand so he can accomplish the mission)

& this is her reaction when Tseng refuses.

Reno, who seemingly had a similar idea as Elena & likely couldn't wait to have a revenge match react as well, which goes to show that it would have been the right course to take but Tseng as his own agenda as he wants to protect Aerith by avoiding her.

Elena can be brash & vicious but it's interesting to note that through the whole game, the devs keep showing us constantly the gears turning in her head & her independance & how some of the mistakes & "bad" decisions she makes could be avoided if her superiors weren't so secretive about things.

It makes me wonder if it might be a set-up for the events of Wutaï, knowing the Turks were there in OG & that there's now this new plot with Glenn's Avalanche cell & Sarruf/Rufus.

With the way they are hiding informations, it's really likely she & maybe even Rude & Reno as well are not aware about Rufus' role in all of this & I wonder if Elena inquisitve & calculated side could have an impact on it & maybe potentially lead him to share his secrets but also connect with his Turks, with the way they emphasize that he is lonely & isolated, which make it easier for Sephiroth to manipulate him. In OG timeline, it always felt to me that the Turks loyalty to Rufus was emotionnally not worked enough & un-earned post- Meteorfall (in particular knowing that the text emphasize who they are in a way a group of friends in all but name because they're seemingly afraid to get rid of that company hierarchy they've always known) so hopefully they are put in the works in 7R.

[poisonousquinzel]

I would say that this anime is definitely in the top of the suicide squad team ups (with Harley ofc) there's some,,,,, choice words and shit, unfortunately fairly on brand with stuff about them, but ya know in terms of Suicide Squad content Ive really really enjoyed this. I love the dynamic with Harley and Deadshot and her and King Shark. I really fucking love the dynamic with her and King Shark they're so good in this. And she's been treated so well with fight scenes like she's badass and they show it she's so cool

also yes for anyone wondering Joker is still a toxic bastard in this universe it's revealed at the end that the Katana that they've been fighting in the other world the whole time was him so fights that Harley had with "her" was with him actually, so he still is an abusive manipulative fucking bastard idc. Amanda Waller says at the end that he probably took on Katana's identity as revenge for her capturing Harley but I think Amanda's just wrong tbh because like???? he was fighting Harley like boy what the fuck are you doing stop attacking your girlfriend you dickhead

Also also there is a scene we see that I do believe is Harleen's actual memories that shows the Joker choking her and at least definitely dropped her in the acid, even though in the scene itself she switches with the bad guy dude they're fighting and he takes Harleen's place over the acid, while Harley's with Joker in this scene we saw.

but like he's not healthy in this either and I don't know how people are taking it that way because he's still a toxic LOSER. Harley also talks about how she can recognize brainwashing because she has been brainwashed by Joker that's what's insinuated like that's still brainwashing ??? he's not a good partner in this. It's the bare minimum and he can't even reach that bar. Like compared to other Jokers especially in Suicide Squad content yes he is not as physically horrific towards her, big whoop, but the reveal at the end really puts into question the actual love that he allegedly has for her.

AND HARLEY IS SO PRETTY AND BADASS SHE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER BABY I KNOW THAT PRINCESS / QUEEN HAS THE HOTS FOR YA GO BECOME ROYALTY WITH YOUR BIG ASS DRAGON!!!

[abyssalzones]

hey!!!! i really REALLY really love your journal 3 adaptation series... it's genuinely incredible in colour scheme matching journal 3 literally and in vibes, your art style is really good at capturing the whimsical and fantastical nature of things WHILE ALSO being grounded in reality and a sense of matureness, your ford portrayal is REALLY good, and your attention to little details is awesome. And your comic formatting is genuinely really pleasant to follow and flows really well. Also i'm just a sucker for people expanding on existing canon, especially when it comes to comics. i stumbled across the bottomless pit one first, and got really excited to see that someone else knew the tidbit that ford kept the photo of him and stan with him in his coat, and i really enjoyed how you worked it with the rest of the comic. the humour and narrative work you've got in the whole thing is extremely well made, and i had such a treat going through each one made so far !!! just out of simple curiousity, i know that it'll be focused on ford and fiddleford, but the moment with the photo had me thinking. will there be any other points where stan somewhat Narratively Haunts the comics? just with ford's complicated feelings on stanley, with him being understandably angry at him but also missing him. given how often he thinks about stanley due to all the times he writes about him in journal 3. EITHER WAY keep up the awesome work!!!! i will be seated for the next comics!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you so much!!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the ad astra chapters that exist, they were definitely extremely fun to execute and I love hearing that I managed to balance the tone well :]

I /did/ actually plan to have more about stan's absence haunting ford's life in a weird way, including a flashback sequence I was really looking forward to drawing. after the 1982 segment of the comic I wanted to include a sort of 2012 "intermission" following the more lighthearted antics of the twins' entries in the journal, as well as the latter half where ford returns home and recounts his adventures in the portal- basically anything that was in the journal that wasn't in the show, namely digging into ford's most important dynamics. the thing is that... uh... presently I don't have plans to continue ad astra per aspera as a full project. whoops! extremely sorry about that.

I haven't said as much officially because right now I'm in a weird place of not entirely knowing what to do with what remains of the project-- I put a lot of love into it. like, a "thousands of words of written outline" amount of love. the thing is that since writing ad astra, my priorities have entirely shifted. I planned everything out during a time in my life where I had no idea there would be more gravity falls official content, much less anything following up on ford's story. there was so much overlap in the things I wanted to convey in ad astra and the meat of tbob (namely in terms of bill's ongoing abuse of ford, which. I mean there was a scene in tbob that was eerily similar to something I had written months prior. at the time I had thought what I wrote was a little on the nose... now? not as much) that I felt too swayed to stick to my original plan of not including any of the new stuff that had been established... but the outline had already been written in such a way that changing it wouldn't have been easy. and to be honest, I felt fulfilled by what we got in tbob in a way that made the point of what I wanted to get across in ad astra per aspera moot. I had wanted to extrapolate and shed light on aspects of the story I saw in the margins of the journal so to speak, and then tbob did that exact thing for me. does that make any sense ?

that isn't to say I don't have ideas for more comics about that era in particular, of course. in fact I could definitely draw isolated parts of the outline that I still like some day! but all in all, it's a combination of feeling like I don't need to do it anymore, and the fact that I would like to focus on telling my own stories, as far as long-term projects go. hopefully that isn't too disappointing for people to hear and I really appreciate how much everyone enjoyed what I did end up making :]

[wetcatspellcaster]

Can I ask if you ended up romancing Lucanis in Veilguard and what your overall thoughts on it were? Like obviously it was ridiculously underwritten (I actually laughed out loud when he said he loved my Rook like bro….u don’t even know me) and yet after finishing the game I cannot stop thinking abt Them and consuming fic to make up for the lack of content lol. Somehow it still captured my waking thoughts in a way (is this a safe space) DA2 romances did not. Love your analysis so just curious abt your thoughts!

"oh my god... they were coworkers."

hello anon.

I would like to preface my answer with: yes, my Rook romanced Lucanis. And like a fool, I'm writing a fic about it. Bc that's the only way I know how to cope with this much unfulfilled potential, tbh.

my thoughts on the romance are under the cut bc I still have mutuals who are still playing and trying to avoid spoilers!

yeah, so, my feelings are pretty much the same as yours. The two most overwhelming thoughts I have about it:

the writing is so fucking inconsistent. like yes, it's underwritten, but surely that should mean the throughline is easy to follow? you'd think, wouldnt you! you'd think it made sense!

the two of them truly have NO chemistry as written. the romantic parts of their story feel so odd and out of place because there's no build up to them. in the words of my best friend, 'that's not a romance, that's a secondment placement'.

The first one is the biggest issue for me. There are parts of the Lucanis romance that I genuinely enjoyed and found compelling! I somewhat controversially loved the scene in the lead up to the final battle! but the peaks and troughs (and outright plateaus) in the writing means that no single part matches up with anything that has come before or after. That's not even bringing in how he treats Neve if he's romancing her instead, which would be understandable (Neve is hot, and their romance gives the Treviso/Minrathous debacle a resolution if you're not romancing either of them) if it added up with anything that we see of his treatment of Rook!

i KNOW people are being weird about it and hating on Neve, but the problem isn't her. It's that Lucanis' dynamic with her seems to add a whole new alternative characterisation into the mix. To me, the most frustrating part is that nothing adds up. If he's holding back from Rook bc of his trauma and uncertainty, WHY is he romancing someone else? if he's got so much to fucking work through, why is he part of NPC romance plotline? it just doesn't make sense!

And people have started to reach the point where they're trying to make it make sense, glossing the almost kiss and how wildly different it is from anything else he does, or about the fact that the 'locking-in' dialogue is the most painfully platonic thing imaginable, and everyone's coming up with excuses and headcanons, and it's just... lads. it's just bad writing.

as for my second overarching... well. that's the one that's made me angry to write about it.

At the point of me writing this answer, Mary Kirby has now come out and said that the Lucanis romance is so underwhelming bc he's demisexual, and a virgin. which... you know... I could just personally find offensive from so many angles, the least of which being she seems to be trying to use diversity and queer language as an excuse or shield for what is... yep. bad writing.

But I'm sorry, *looks at my entire ao3 profile and whispers "bet"* that statement is just patently and stupidly untrue! you can write good demisexual romance, actually!

As someone who is on the asexual spectrum, and who writes romances and ships who probably all have a little bit of that asexual seasoning sprinkled across the top... Attraction and chemistry are different things. I have read and written many compelling romances with asexual characters - and you know what? regardless of the characters' orientation, their interest in another person and their appeal to another person is never in question.

If you wanted to write an ace-spec character as sincere representation, there's so many routes you could've gone down. But you chose the power fantasy of a romance - trust me, I know, because it's the same decision I make every time I open up a word document or an ao3 page. the least you could do is do it well.

I'm sorry, it's just bad writing.

As something of an introverted demisexual loser myself, I would love to see Lucanis as representation. But I can't. Because it's not true to any of my experience, and I just don't think it's actually written itno the game. It's being retconned to make up for the fact the romance has landed terribly, and the fact that so much of this game is underwritten and underwhelming and a disappointment.

It's why I think the fic will be good, because I know there's potential there separate from what we've been given. And it's why i'm now writing about it. I wasn't ever sure if this wip document was going to see the light of day, but I guess, if I want to see a demisexual romance actually done right, I've got to do all the fucking work myself.

But yeah, anon! I enjoyed it, and I unfortunately also see the fucking potential!!!! and now it's my problem!!!! and it's up on ao3!!!!

[justlarkin]

Mentioning some events that I liked in the midst of beefing with LWs' writers. It's mostly due to very specific things that occur in the events rather than the events themselves to be completely honest with you.

-Casual and fun beach event. Can't go wrong there. Good moments envolving most of the characters. Nomad, Azazel, Kengo, and Oniwaka in particular for me. They deprived me of Azazel content, so this is my only morsel to latch onto. Plus we got SQ Galore, including ones for Mononobe and Lil Salomon.

-The softcore discussion of gender dysphoria was a pleasant surprise and I liked the parallels drawn between MC and Astarte as "trophies". In particular, I liked how this event revealed how much the other guys actually love MC. They were completely indifferent towards Astarte while she was the beloved, which was super weird to her, and when MC switched places with her, they immediately clocked that something was off, but not because they could visually tell MC was obviously not Astarte. They just thought Astarte was more radiant than usual. They were all over MC and giving away their shells because they're MC, not because they were the beloved.

-That scene where Heracles falls into Narcissus' Pond and he comes to the realization that his narcissism and cowardness was what led to Hylas' fate. He thought that a hero of his caliber was too precious to even risk being lost to the naiads, especially not for a guy who was practically beneath him. Heracles put himself before the life of his friend who was willing follow him to hell and back, abandoning him, and he regrets it. The parallels to Hylas' abduction with Heracles' fall as well as dialouge and narration as MC dives after him are an absolute banger. "I knew. I knew you'd come. Not by another's comand but your own free will. Your radiance makes me want to weep. Before you, the thought of the man who failed to follow Hylas makes me want to cry." MC took the leap Heracles never did for Hylas, making them a better person than himself. Such a great moment. Absolutely adored it.

-First of all, exile reveal. Second of all, the reveal that Shiro's crush is more of an all-consuming OBSESSION. Always thinking of them. Always following them whatever path they decide to take. Knowing that they relied on him was his greatest source of happiness. He wanted to help them, to shoulder any and all of their burdens in the hopes that they would eventually feel the same way as him. Shiro was desperately striving for an insane, unhealthy co-dependent relationship where MC validates him by constantly needing him to help them and it's just ?!?!? This came way out of left field.

-Algernon. Algernon. Algernon. I absolutely loved it when he randomly got jealous and tried to change the topic when MC called Yamasachihiko hot. I love that he found someone who could keep up with him, an equal, in MC. I loved that they did a little tapdance routine together while killing the slimes. Oh. And Hombre Tigre. I'm not really a big fan of him. I just really like how interesting his dynamic with Quetzalcoatl is compared to everyone else. Hombre adoring Tezcatlipoca so much that he couldn't even begin to grasp why Quetzalcoatl would leave him behind and envying him for being the one who could consume Tezcatlipoca's thoughts and breaking him in such a manner.

-Sherlock Nomad and Assistant MC, the event we had all been waiting on. Anyways, y'all should know why I liked this event. It's that one scene where they beat Hermes' and he's just sitting on the floor like a pouty little kid when MC grabs his hand and he continues his little tantrum by telling them to let go while doing nothing to stop them. Hermes finally found a friend who could look past all of his lies and accept him with MC and I'm very happy for the bastard.

-That whole chase scene where Balor reveals that he's actually been a twat this entire time and he goes after MC, trying to capture them, is mwah. Love it. Also when Boogeyman triggered that ratfuck, Balor's, PTSD with his sacred artifact just the reveal that Lugh never had a choice in the matter and that Balor caused this fate to be forced upon him, something that he feared for himself in the first place. And the reveal that Balor didn't exactly regret killing his grandson. It was just the fact that Lugh didn't choose to fight him himself.

-The way Vapula was completely indifferent to his golemns until the very end where they're all silently gazing out into the sea after Sand Dragon self-deleted while following orders and are clearly fucked up about what they just witnessed, truly understanding how morbid Sand Dragon's existence was and the inevitability of his death, when MC turns to Vapula and says "Vapula.... We never got to name him" and Vapula just starts BAWLING.

-Oh look. A well executed plot twist. Loved the way that they conveyed Horus and Seth's true bond through how compatible and fluidly their memories were able to work together to fight against the group. Then there's the use of Seth's old memories to reveal that Horus had been on his side the entire time and that he was even the one who let him flee Duat. Also, an expansion on what seemed to be such a simple rule. Being able to control the sand being way more powerful than expected through a technicality.

-This one might actually be my favorite event. No. Not because it's a Fuxi or bird event. Shut your slut mouth. Banger music, great story, great picks for the characters and the dynamics, an exile reveal. Fuxi being so unhinged that he tries to fight literal children and Simurgh playing the straight man to his funny man will always be funny. Also, there was just that one moment where MC went "pull the trigger pussy" while Simurgh held a gun to their head and that's so based of them. Mostly dissapointed we didn't get more Nüwa lore.

[ppeasants]

I have been dealing with some major writer's block recently while trying to write the latest chapter for my Time Hollow AU.

I've managed to write out almost the entirety of the chap by now, somehow, but now I have to edit basically the whole thing. Fun.

In the meantime, here's a WIP of a scene from the chapter! It's a flashback to about a week into their time in the Mindscape - not a lot of time at all in the grand scheme of things, so the two aren't super close yet.

Lemme know what y'all think of this! Lemme know if I captured Luz and Hunter well, their characters and their dynamics!

(scene under the cut)

“Hunter? Can we – can we please slow down?”

“No! Not yet! We can’t stop yet?”

“But we’ve been running for – for hours now! Surely we – haah – we’ve gotten far enough away by now!”

“Look, human. If you want to stop, so you can be captured by Unc-Belos, then be my guest!”

“Ay, dios mío…” Luz continues to grumble under breath as Hunter drags her along, weaving between the trees of Belos’ Mindscape, holding her arm tightly as they run, obviously never actually going to act on his threat of leaving her behind. 

They’d been running for a few hours now, jumping between memories and forests, trying to escape from Belos.

It’s been about a week since Luz was teleported here alongside Hunter. About a week since they’ve been running, never taking a break for longer than necessary until they ran again. About a week since the two of them were trapped, forced to live through the torture that Belos had put The Isles – put Hunter – through. About a week since they learned that Hunter’s entire life was a lie. 

About a week since Luz learned just who Emperor Belos really was. About a week since she learned what Phillip Wittebane was planning to do with the Day of Unity. About a week since she learned that she helped him. That she was complicit in genocide – it’s already been a week they need to get out of here to stop it she needs to fix hermistake itsherfaultherfault –

Luz is pulled out of her thoughts by Hunter, who jerks her arm forward again as she begins to flag, forcing her to keep pace with him. She tries to tell him to slow down once again, but is unable to actually get the words out, her own heavy breaths cutting her off, her legs like jelly as she stumbles through the forest.

She doesn’t know how much longer they’re forced to run – minutes and hours blending together – until she suddenly stops, nearly crashing into the back of Hunter, the former guard standing still as he takes a look around at the clearing, his eyes freezing between various picture frames.

“You could – you could warn me if you’re – ” Luz has to take a moment to catch her breath, unable to finish the sentences through her exhaustion – how is Hunter barely even panting? “If you’re gonna stop in the – middle of nowhere!” 

“It’s not my fault you weren’t trained properly.” Hunter scoffs, tearing his eyes away from one of his memories to look down at Luz’s hunched over form, returning the glare she sends his way – the way Hunter is still holding her arm, holding her up as she recovers, clearly having stopped so she can get breath back betraying his seemingly uncaring words.

It takes a few minutes, but Luz is eventually able to bring herself out of her exhaustion, her breaths getting steady as she takes in one last deep breath before straightening out, bringing her hands off her knees to take a look around at the clearing they’ve stopped in. 

Luz has been getting used to clearings like this, gray trees surrounding gray grass - darkness enveloping them becoming an unfortunately common sight for her. Wooden frames hang from various trees scattered around them – so many terrible memories built up from centuries of stolen life. 

These memories seem more recent, images of the dull halls of the castle filling the background of most of the images surrounding them. Various figures stand in them – images filled with Coven Heads getting crowned their positions, with prisoners standing trial before their petrification, with Hunter kneeling before his next mission, his next scolding, his next beating, his next –

Luz forces herself to tear her eyes away from the memories, the thought of anybody being abused like that almost too much to bear, the images replaying in her head as she turns to look at Hunter, his gaze frozen once again at one of the memories of him begging for forgiveness – and only getting more wounds in return.

She wants to reach out, wants to pull his head away from whatever torture he’s putting himself through, but her hand freezes just above his arm, not knowing how best to help him, not wanting a repeat of the last time she touched him without warning – the bruise on her ribcage still healing. Instead she just looks around again, wanting to find anything else to distract him, to distract both of them, when her eyes catch onto a memory, and she squeaks in delight.

“Hunter, look! It’s a party! Or a banquet! Or ball or – or something! Whatever, just – come on!”

“Wh – hey!” 

Hunter’s yelp is cut off as Luz grabs him by the arm and drags him – how does he like it? – towards the image hanging behind them, jumping into it, nearly falling flat on her face as she stumbles into the hall, the artificial light of the room nearly blinding her as she stands up again.

The banquet hall of the castle is absolutely enormous, with golden walls stretching out farther than her field of vision, never able to see both ends of the room. Ceilings just as golden raise high – higher than even the roof of the castle looks from outside it. Tall, thin windows are spaced out evenly along the walls, reaching out to the ceiling above them, the darkness outside the only reprieve from the blinding chandeliers hanging above them.

The room, as big as it is, is somehow filled with guests, as if everybody living on The Boiling Isles is gathered in this one place. Coven members and heads, teachers and students, families and soldiers – squished together as if they couldn’t be anywhere else but here. Knowing Belos, maybe that was true. Luz looks in awe anyways, taking in the sights and sounds as if this party was meant for her.

“This place is huge!”

“It is a big castle. I doubt you’ve seen every part of it.” Hunter stands up beside her, dusting himself off as he stands up next to her, trying his best to look aloof at being dragged around and falling flat on his face, but his annoyed pout betrays him. Luz just smiles back, glad her distraction worked, but her attention is taken once again by the sounds of the other guests around her.

“I wonder what this party is for?” Luz questions as she takes another look around the room, picking up various conversations around her, mutterings of parties and invitations, witches and prisoners, food and drink – when’s the last time she was able to eat something? – floating into her ears, not quite telling her what this gathering is about. “I mean, it seems pretty big, but I don’t know what it could be about. What do you think?”

“It was a celebration of a successful raid.” Hunter answers, his own eyes scanning the room, looking around for any exits should they need to escape. “Coven heads Eberwolf and Darius found and arrested one of the biggest holdings of wild witches in years. Belos wanted to hold a banquet in their honour, a day before their petrifications.” He says it so casually, like he’s reading off a report, and not speaking about the murder of dozens of innocents.

“Oh.” Luz’s voice is quiet, processing the thought of so many people coming together to celebrate the death of others. She can see the way Hunter’s face falls again, his own mind rewiring itself once again, changing what he once believed was just, mourning these witches as if he was the one who captured them, who damned them to this – before another thought crosses her mind.

“Wait, you know what this party was about? Were you here?”

“Yeah. I was.” His voice is still low, but he tilts his head to one of the room’s edges. “Stationed at the west exit.” Luz looks to where Hunter is pointing, seeing a youngest Golden Guard standing watch. 

A yellow mask covers his face, the cowl over his head blocking everybody from seeing under it. The cape behind him drags along the ground, his fourteen-year-old body still too short for him to year. He stands stock still – one could almost mistake him for a statue if it wasn't for the steady rotation of his body as he scans the hall over and over again, artificial staff in one hand, a sparkling glass of something in the other.

“Looks boring.”

“It’s my job, Human. Was. My job.” Hunter exhales before he continues. “Doesn’t matter if it was boring, it’s what I had to do.” He pauses before he tilts his head to her, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Not everything can be all sunshine and painbows like your Azila books.”

“¡AY! Azura is a renowned series, and deserves to be treated as such!” Luz indignantly sputters, trying to shove him, but stumbles as he dodges out of the way, both of their smirks growing wider – wasn’t Luz supposed to be comforting him?

“Besides, there’s nothing wrong with wanting a party to be grand!” She continues, looking back up at him. “The second volume had a party, after Azura had saved the dragon from a tyrannical prince. She saw Hecate there, and they shared a dance! It was beautiful! Magical! And it! Was! Not! Boring!” 

“Hey, don’t you have any good stories about parties?" Luz interrupts herself before Hunter has the chance to insult Azura again "Before you were just ‘doing your job’?” She puts that last part in quotations, and Hunter looks off to the side, seemingly lost in thought.

“There was one party I can remember going to – before I was the Golden Guard.” He responds, a slight smile on his face. “When Belos still wanted his nephew to make some public appearances. I remember meeting the Blight twins for the first time then. I thought they were so annoying.” Despite the harsh words, Luz can see the light in his eyes – Hunter never being able to hide emotions when he isn’t wearing his the mask.

“The two dragged me away from Unc – Belos’ side, asking me all sorts of questions about what it was like in the castle, what it was like being a prince – they never shut up. The only way I could get them to stop was by answering their incessant questioning.” Hunter turns to his side – the side of the room where his past self isn’t – presumably tot he spot where the twins brought him all those years ago.

“Eventually, they seemed to get bored and pulled me over to the punch bowl and put in a few drops of something.” Hunter’s expression turns mischievous as he continues. “I tried to get them to stop, but honestly the way Darius screeched as he dropped his cup and stained his shoes made me glad I didn’t.” nLuz can;t help the laugh that escapes her throat.

“Sooo you do know how to have fun.” Luz wiggles her eyebrows as Hunter sputters, shaking his head vehemently at the very insinuation that a prank could ever be fun. She giggles again, her face softening before she continues, poking his skull. “You know, I’m glad there are at least some happy memories in there.” Hunter scowls, before letting a smile appear on his own face.

“Yeah. I had fun.”

-----

Lemme know what y'all thought! Hopefully the chap will come out soon - depending on how much I can push through this block <3