#this episode has just been me saying jesus...... and like indeed

[hauntingblue]

After all this I wonder how relieved zoro is of fucking up doflamingo's shit

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[spoilers below cut]

oh boy, the first episode (+ review) of the year! i am SO EXCITED what they have in store for us for all of 2025, i'm SCREAMING!

(the following is my live reaction:)

god i missed the intro

"...but you can watch the other episodes" no no it hits different

OH we're doing transitions, huh?

he's so silly 💙

MARIO HI

quite a resolution but mario please drink water

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, FOUR

just love the small bits of smooth animation, fantastic

HOLY SHIT FUEGO you came back

and we still got James to voice him, let's gooo!!!

well uh, i didn't expect that song

WHEEZE he's going full-on Mary Poppins, bye bye

if you're gonna make it, don't jinx it mario

sure, we ran out of water, but at least Luigi is supportive :)

HUH what do you mean we're sold out of water? how convenient

...mario don't you dare even think about it

NO NO NOOO

and it exploded, wow

oh HI SMG3!!

*inhales* Three... honey.... can i ask why?

is it bad to say that this feels out of place? idk maybe that's just me

then again, welcome to the SMG4: where literally anything can happen

also great to see the Crew here 💙 hi to all

enjoy the salt! :D yummy yummy

goddamn we started a whole dry-out apocalypse

*ghostbusters theme* ��� when it's the end of the world and you're about to die, who are you gonna call? the military! 🎶

worse than death? oh, tummy aches. understandable have a great day! *mary-poppins out of there*

i find it peculiar that we're getting a lot of moments with jesus hmmmmm....

not even God could save us

desperate times call for desperate measures

...well all that just happened and still nothing? maybe throw some explosives to crack the bottle?

damn Three, whatever's going on with this idea of yours, it's not working

but it's nice to have Eggdog helping his dad out

y'know Mario can be a great salesman (learned from the best by Nintendo)

eh close enough, welcome back Sonic Adventure 1 *explodes*

and you got your water Mario, i see no problems here :)

oh plot twist! i didn't think we were gonna get another scene with Fuego tbh

🎶you drink. must drink. you need your zinc—🎶 oh Mario c'mon, that song was really getting into my head

and as always, a chaotic ending

Congrats to Axel (who's indeed here on Tumblr) for your art featured at the end credits 🎉 love your Saiko art 💙

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

I gotta say, this has been a good start for 2025! I'm so glad the Team was able to get a break before then (which they honestly deserved) and now we have a silly little episode today, you just gotta stick with the chaotic vibes of the show :D

And WOW Fuego's return was not on my bingo card but here we are. That was a nice surprise. Plus, some of the creative choices made really went well with its funny moments. It just spices it up, y'know.

Just learned that Shadow sang the song bit at the beginning of the episode and voiced the one fish guy (I FREAKIN KNEW THAT VOICE SOUNDED FAMILIAR) which is awesome fun fact!

And apparently there was an extended scene that was trimmed for today's episode by Star, that you can see the full version (here's the link for you to check it out!)

It feels great to watch an episode that feels like it belongs in the show itself. And no, i haven't forgotten the Dasani x SMG4 lol (ah yes, the true ship of the show) Like I said, it's a good start and I'm so excited what they got for us bc I know the Team's scheming something, I can FEEL it. 4 dollars, bet on it!

And an extra certified point from me FOR NOT ADDING FLAREGLOW OMG I WAS WILLING TO ALLOW IT IF IT WAS GONNA BE A JOKE BUT IF IT WAS A LEGIT SONG I'M GONNA GO INSANE GONNA GO CRAZY I WILL TAKE THE DRINKING WATER SONG ANY DAY THAN THAT PIECE OF—

thanks for stopping by and remember: numbers go first! :) and I'll see you in the next one!!

[wendytestabrat]

kyle is an arrogant know-it-all

i swear there are are sooooo many moments in the show where like cartman tells the guys abt something or some shit and then kyle’s smug ass ALWAYS has to fucking correct him abt it or act all skeptical and start arguing for no fucking reason. it’s moments like those where i totally feel for cartman on why he finds kyle annoying af and thinks kyle is always out to get him LOL. bc A LOT of those moments cartman is telling the truth and talking abt something that’s legitimately happening and then kyle always has to be like “no way” or “you’re lying” EVEN WHEN CARTMAN IS RIGHT ABT SHIT. and in a lot of those moments cartman isn’t even talking to kyle, he’s telling the other characters something and then kyle butts in and makes it all about him LOL. like that’s arrogant AF to always feel like you’re right and have to insert your unwarranted input even when you’re deadass WRONG. i’m an arrogant know-it-all too (i mean i’m a leo i can’t help it LOL) and correct people A LOT but i only do that shit when i know for a fact that what someone is saying is wrong or not true & the stupidity is making my head explode and i have the facts & receipts to back it up. people who just correct you just to correct you are the most annoying bitches ever bc i’ve been around soooo many people like that. i’ll be saying something that I KNOW FOR A FACT IS TRUE, and i’m not even trying to start an argument, i’m just talking about something and then some bitch feels like he/she needs to discredit what i’m saying for no fucking reason even when the shit they’re ‘correcting’ me about is flat out not true LOL. like it’s such a clownish thing to do when people feel the need to do that shit. what that tells me is they’re insecure af and threatened by my intelligence so much that they feel like they need to undercut me over the most trivial things that they have 0 knowledge on and haven’t done any research about. kyle def is right in a lot of these moments and is legitimately calling cartman out on something he’s being stupid abt or making up, but the fact that there are soooo many moments where kyle is WRONG and cartman turned out to be right, but he STILL feels like he has to undercut everything cartman says rlly shows how jealous of cartman and insecure he is. like kyle should know by now that cartman does have a lot of valuable insights to share and comes up with fun ideas and shit even if cartman SOMETIMES turns out to be making shit up or doing something dumb. i think the best example of kyle’s obnoxious arrogant know-it-all attitude was when he was sooo damn sure he was right abt leprechauns not being real and even when kyle fucking LOST the bet he couldn’t just admit he was wrong and still kept trying to justify why leprechauns can’t exist (and wouldn’t suck cartman’s balls LOL). kyle was rlly being the dumbass in that episode, not cartman. and with all the crazy shit he encounters in south park shouldn’t he be more open-minded that there can indeed be leprechauns and cartman is telling the truth? this is the same kid that has encountered jesus on a regular basis even tho he’s jewish LOL.

[sublimacje]

Some thoughts about The Chosen S04E07

SPOILERS AHEAD (as resurrection may be a spoiler, I mean we all know Lazarus' story... but, you know, spoilers)

I think it was the most powerful episode so far.

To be honest – when I read the story about resurrection of Lazarus I always felt happines, but after today's episode I feel grief – just as Mary M.

And for the first time I thought that maybe seeing miracle like this one wasn't really easy for Jesus' followers. Seeing something like this and not understanding any of it must've been very difficult. As we see, disciples are only humans – they don't understand Jesus' words and actions most of the time. They think earthly as if they're not ready to think other way, for now.

And how hard it had to be for Jesus as He knew His time has come. I like how writers showed us His emotions for He was a human. And I think it's one of the greatest mysteries of all time that He was a God, just as He was a human.

As for Thomas, I read some comments saying that killing Ramah wasn't wise choise for writers. And I think I can see why they did this. Seeing Thomas grief was hard to watch as, I can bet, all of us had to face similar grief in our lives.

But I believe that, as Jesus said it Himself, following Him is not easy. But His ways are not our ways. I'm glad that writers decided to show us that following Jesus is not always simple, because indeed it's not. And sometimes, even if we praying and begging, the God's answear is still no. And it's hard, but I believe, I want to believe, they're greater ideas behing His intentions.

And I think that a lot of us – Christians – know something about it. Because we pray but we don't get what we prayed for and we beg but still don't get what we begged for. And sometimes we see other people getting exactly what we desired to get... And we ask: God, why not me...?

Yes, it's very hard and I don't understand it completely to be honest, but do you all remember His words from season 2?

But in this world, bones will still break, hearts will still break, but in the end the light will overcome darkness.

PS. Something sweet to end this post. The meeting between Mary and Matthew? And Matthew words? Still unusualy pleasant to look at? I loved it.

[kaikaidenkai]

Stupid decisions get you in stupid situations. CH.1|| Truck-kun makes an appearance!

Stupid decisions get you in stupid situations… or in which [Name] gets themself in a stupid situation, getting hit by Truck-kun which was their own fault. They transported themself into the world of their favorite anime they’ve just finished watching the last episode on, Bungo Stray Dogs.

italics= thoughts

italics with “ around it =spoken in japanese

BSD X G/N READER

—————————————————————————

[Name] listened to music on FULL BLAST through their wireless earbuds as they walked down the bustling sidewalks of LA at night. A stupid decision indeed as they wouldn’t be able to predict the tragedy that would happen next partly because she was blasting music in her ears at full volume. 

“Hey, watch out!!”

Someone yelled at [Name] through the crowds.

Though, [Name] wasn’t able to hear their warning until it was too late.

The stranger yelled again, and [Name] went to take out their earbuds.

As they took them out, everyone had a shocked and distressed expression before a truck slammed into them at full force. Apparently.. a truck got out of control and began driving around without a driver.

To make it worse, no one got hit except [Name] who died on impact against a wall, their body splitting in half.

RINGGGGGGGGG….

{Name’s POV}

I heard an annoying, high pitched, long lasting ringing in my ears before it all turned black.

Seriously..? I’ll never be able to finish the BSD manga now, I mean.. I mean I never said goodbye to my friends! 

… 

What friends again..? Okay, well… anyway, this was kind of peaceful. The beautiful darkness surrounded me, and the idea of death was beautiful too!.. Ha.. Ha……I .. think i’m going insane. 

.

.

…

”Are..Are they dead?”

……

Huh..? Who… where… 

Everything was blurry and even the person who was looming over me words were blurry.. blurry words..? What am I— 

COOOURGGHHHH CAOUGGGH!

I let out two vile, crunchy coughs.

“Jesus.”

“Oh, they’re awake!”

“What the fuck did you just say?”

What.. Wait..

I rubbed my eyes to find a white headed boy in front of me with a haircut that splits horribly like how the truck split my body.

Atsushi?.. ATSUSHI FROM BUNGO STRAY DOGS?! 

“Hello? What’s your— What’s your name?”

He spoke in Japanese which I in-fact, did not understand. And.. And… Uhh… Ah.. I’m screwed, aren’t I?

“I.. uh.. English?”

”What..? Oh! English, English..”

Atsushi spoke in Japanese, then a semi-transparent blue screen popped up in front of me.

·················•·················

Hi hi~!! Ready to begin YOUR ADVENTURE in the world of Bungo Stray Dogs? If not.. too bad! You made a stupid decision and you’re starting it anyway regardless of your answer :3!!!!  Ah.. Now let’s get you started. You have 10 Skill points to spend on from your starter pack! Which is..

• ¥1,000,000 Which is enough to last you at least 6 months!

•Basic apartment •Japanese Passport/Citizenship

• 10 Skill points

Let me explain the skill points!

You have many different skills you can improve on with skill points which are given to you by progressing in the main story or purchased with Yen. You also can improve on them by completing a side quest given to you to improve on that specific skill. Now.. choose on what you want to improve on.  •Japanese Speaking Skills 0/30 

•Japanese Writing Skills 0/30

•Stamina 17/30

•Endurance 23/30

•Strength 11/30

•Speed 18/30

•Intelligence ERROR/30

•Looks 21/30 (NOT ABLE TO IMPROVE)

•Ability Cooldown {LOCKED}

•Ability Damage {LOCKED}

•Ability Duration {LOCKED}

Oh.. don’t mind the error and locked… Also.. Your ability is— I’m not allowed to say until you find out yourself, good luck, [Name]! 

ABILITY: N/A

·················•·················

Erm… Well alright.. I guess half will go into speaking Japanese and half into writing.

·················•·················

↑Japanese Speaking skills has been improved↑

↑5/30↑

↑Japanese Writing Skills has been improved↑

↑5/30↑

·················•·················

”Uh.. Your.. Your name?”

He said in English unsurely after the long silence there was.

”[Name], my name is [Name]”

I somehow responded back in Japanese.

Then.. a black haired man spoke up who was sitting on a desk. We were in.. The ADA?! Holy shit, I just realized that… Atsushi was kneeling in front of me as I was seated on the floor and the black haired man— or Ranpo was sitting on a desk. The other ADA members were also staring as they cleaned the office. Off topic but anyways..

“Who are you, and how did you get here?”

Masterlist

[shizukateal]

Grimm Variations - Episode Three Review: Hansel and Gretel

(Buckle up, everyone, this is the call-back episode.)

Hansel and Gretel live a pretty routine, gray life at their orphanage/boarding school, with their fellow classmates and their mama and papa- wait a fucking second, that's Sakura's great-grandfather from Card Captor Sakura!

Jesus Christ, CLAMP, I know designing old men isn't your wheelhouse, but that's no excuse to be lazy! Anyways, their life is pretty boring and restricted, so Gretel usually acts out and Hansel gets swept up until they're both grounded. Finally, one time after too many antics, their "parents" decide to spice up the punishment by leaving them to sleep outside in the forest. They're warned that they can sleep near the fence if they want to, but of course that's too boring for Gretel, so they go on a walk until they find a small wooden cottage, although it does have two ca- Yuuko.

...

I never really finished XxxHolic. I only watched the two seasons of the anime, so I didn't really experience Yuuko's death, I just spoiled myself. Still, it gets me unexpectedly emotional. To see a version of her blessed with the ability to age.

So the Dimensional Witch and the kids get to talking around some cocoa, and Yuuko incites the kids to find out about The End of the World. Her words, not mine. That's silly! reply Hansel and Gretel, the world doesn't have an end, it's spherical! They would know, they've been taught a lot of suspiciously advanced scientific stuff in school. So Yuuko proposes them to do a little empirical research to settle the debate. Next time someone loses a ball during a game they should go pick it up themselves, instead of letting their "parents" get to it first. Hansel does that at the first opportunity he gets and indeed, he finds a forcefield, proving Yuuko correct.

This discovery sparks a fire in Hansel, so he gets himself deliberately sent out to the forest again and Gretel does the same to accompany him. He reaches a bargain with Yuuko: she'll help him discover what's real and in return he will help her grant her own unspoken wish. She tells him to look for unusual things in his school and gifts him a tube filled with what could be candies or gems, saying that they'll help guide the way, but to not eat them or they'll run out of it.

Hansel and Gretel start paying attention to their surroundings and finally the weirdness of their situation starts to stand out to them, like how their classmates keep disappearing out of nowhere and nobody bats an eye, especially when there's photographic evidence about their numbers dwindling in the school group pictu- Syaoran.

And 2/3 of the Clamp School Detectives!

I find it hilarious that Nokoru and Akira are here, but Suoh had to be deleted from existence because his blue hair would've stood out too much. RIP, lmao.

Anyways, Hansel decides to try to see if he can find a way out through the forest and obviously his sister goes along with him. Before they can properly set out, however, one of the candies acts up and opens up a portal. The siblings go through it and they find themselves in a mysterious space station of all things, with data of all of their classmates. Soon enough their "mother" finds them sneaking around and they run away from her, using up the candies to open doors. But when Hansel almost gets squished by a closing door, Mother sacrifices herself to save him, confirming to everyone that she is, in fact, a robot.

Naturally, this leaves Hansel with more questions than answers, so after coming back to the school he and his sister straight to Yuuko, who gives him the Matrix choice of taking a pill to forget everything or learning the truth. Hansel chooses the latter and Yuuko takes them back to the space station, explaining that the earth has long since become inhabitable and that the school is teaching the children how to restore it until they deem them fit to go there. Her previously mentioned "wish" is to send them all safely there. Hansel is apparently fit to travel already, but he starts dithering about the choice, especially because the space shuttle only has one seat, so where is Gretel to fit?

That's when the curtain is lifted: Gretel doesn't exist. She's a mental projection for cowardly, dithering Hansel to act out decisively on his own impulses while mentally excusing himself for following along, but now that he has come this far on his own accord he doesn't need her anymore. Hansel, with Gretel's encouragement, chooses to leave, but he still cries tears of bitter regret at loosing his "sister" to the truth instead of taking Yuuko's offer to forget.

Alas, however, he arrives at earth, where his lost classmates have grown up and welcome him with open arms. Yuuko eulogizes the mom-bot, congratulating her for raising the kids and then welcomes Syaoran to her hut...

Oh boy, ok, this one's a doozy, let's see where to start.

Ok, I'm gonna start with the blatant Revolutionary Girl Utena references and work up from there, because if I don't it's gonna drive me insane. Here's the thing people, it's not a sin to reference RGU; in fact I'd encourage it, but if you're gonna pull iconography from there of all places, then you'd better be really fucking conscientious about The Themes™️ and what you say with them.

So this episode presents us with a school in which time is apparently bubbled, constricted by The End of The World it represents, supervised by two figures emulating the heteronormative family structure, contrasted by a witch who at first seems like an outcast but is actually essentially powering the whole thing (maybe), and where students disappear without anyone properly remembering them because if they dare to figure out what lies behind the curtain of the system, just like Ohtori Academy. So far so good... kind of.

The implication is that the school is deliberately set up as this secret test of character thing so, like Hansel, the students learn to be independent. There's even some clever hints that disobedience and figuring out the mystery gives them the passing mark before we watch our protagonist. But then like... why do the students forget whenever one of them leaves? In Utena that's implied to be the magic of whatever time bubble Ohtori is in keeping everyone ignorant to perpetuate itself without objections, but more important that the explanation itself is the metaphor it's in service of. Ohtori students forget because the system wants to present a narrative about itself without any blemishes, so tragedies get trivialized into gossip, victims swept under the rug. Even if you assume that this schools timeloop or whatever is also passively mindfucking with the children, why is there so much focus on the dadbot and especially the mombot keeping things like the forcefield hidden? What is the purpose of that? What commentary is it making? What does breaking the cycle of apathy and blind obedience mean in this setting?

It might sound like I'm doing a pointless nitpick here, but trust me when I say that the viewing experience is already too confusing because of the tone and its use of the imagery. The school really is portrayed like if Othori met the orphanage from The Promised Neverland met an oscarbait period flick about world war II. Like, you genuinely expect that the twist is that the school is farming the children for their brains or something. It took me until I was writing this review to actually put the pieces together as to what the robo-parents motivations are, because their secrecy and strictness is completely antithetical to them wanting the children to grow independent!!!

The truth of the matter is just too soft for the themes its exploring and the imagery is presenting. Hansel created Gretel because he's afraid of taking responsibility for his actions, the same way a character in Utena projected a Rose Bride to not acknowledge the fact that he killed like a 100 people in a fire on purpose. So one would assume, based on how fucking creepy the school and the parents are, that he has some real good fucking reason to reach that extreme of cognitive dissonance, but no!!!!! Even the parents sending them out to sleep in the forest lands like mere chiding!!!!

But going back to Gretel, the usual initial portion of the episode is about how Charlotte doesn't seem to like her character in the original fairytale. How she thinks Gretel should be punished for getting Hansel into trouble which... istg I have NO idea how this show is trying to engage with its source material at all, because that is NOT a conclusion anyone would reach after reading the fucking fairytale, but whatever. It's fine. Or rather it WOULD be fine if there was a smidge of actual feminist commentary in this script which goes OUT OF ITS WAY TO REFERENCE ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMINIST PIECES IN ANIME, but noooooooooooo it's all so bittersweet. On the one hand I'm glad he chose to grow up, and since I don't believe in punitive justice I don't think he needs to be punished to get there, but I'm still upset the character of Gretel gets reduced to this when she was an active heroine in her own story. Guess Charlotte succeeded in her purpose then, although it is curious that she casts herself as the twins.

Like, am I evil for expecting Hansel to straight up die in that oven-shuttle? In her original universe, Yuuko was an agent of karma. If she was scary it wasn't because she was evil, but because she would give you exactly what you want and not shield you from the consequences. It would feel weird to me if she were to endanger children the way she does some of her customers, but it would not have been completely out of place in this "grimm variation" that is about our protagonist literally deluding himself to avoid taking responsibility for his choices to end up with those consequences catching up to him in a terrible fashion.

Guess I shouldn't have expected all that much better. Although I am surprised that they didn't just straight up turn Subaru and Hokuto from Tokyo Babylon into Hansel and Gretel. Alas, to be a CLAMP fan is to suffer, and it seems that these past 20 years have not taught them much about theming. This is why I'm still terrified of reading Clear Card Arc, even though I should.

[karizard-ao3]

My reactions to Evangelion, episode 15: Lies and Silence

Before I begin, I was thinking about it this morning and I'm wondering if NERV is indeed trying to bring on the apocalypse (and to create an Eden for fetus Adam to live in) and the Angels are in fact the good guys trying to stop them. There's a lot of talk about saving humanity but it kind of seems to me like the second impact was due to humans killing an Angel, who then exploded? It makes me wonder what kind of research they were doing on that Arctic base (Antarctic?) Idk, but to me it seems like humanity as a whole has not been in danger from the Angels: it's just NERV. But I'm also kind of hung up on the Instrumentality part of the Human Instrumentality project. Instrumental for what?

Anyway, I'll keep wondering on it, but I'm going to start the episode.

"Every project is interlinked"

is the first time we're hearing about the Marduk institute?

Oh, okay. So it sounds like the Human Instrumentality project is about trying to find kids to pilot the Evangelions. That makes sense. They are the instruments in piloting the Evas. So perhaps Adam has been genetically engineered to be the perfect pilot.

Asuka! Oh my gosh! Girl who cried wolf!

Shinji has been preoccupied with Rei since that thing happened in Unit 0, maybe?

Asking Rei for advice on how to talk to his own dad. Poor kid

He's comparing Rei to a mother. IS SHE A CLONE OF HIS MOTHER. Also, he's so awkward.

Or maybe she's a robot with his mother's personality inside. Oooooooh.

When Asuka asked to borrow Misato's lavender perfume my first thought was of Love Spell.

Oh, he's going to see his mother tomorrow! She's alive and also apparently negligent.

I'm chuckling because my first thought on seeing Kaji was, "You couldn't even shave for your friend's wedding?" and then Misato got on him for the same thing lol.

Nope, his mom is actually dead.

That's a very stark cemetery.

So he can't remember her face, there are no photographs that exist, the grave is just a facade... So mysterious.

"I see." What an ass.

I didn't know Shinji played an instrument! And so beautifully!

Shinji is so sweet and positive. I just love him so much.

Ritsuko's comment on transistasis and homeostasis has me thinking about the potential that NERV is trying to force human evolution. Perhaps they want to create a symbiotic relationship with the Evas? I don't know about that... Trying to evolve them to be compatible with technology? Space travel? Is the planet doomed?

Kaji is such a smooth talker.

Yeah, kiss her. That'll shut her up.

Asuka, Jesus Christ. Mocking Shinji about his dead mom to bully him into kissing you. Girl, please.

I'm wheezing! He turned fuschia!

Is it because he couldn't breathe? Omg

Asuka... Sweetheart... You're just repeating his warning back to him.

I wonder if Asuka realizing Misato and Kaji have a thing is going to interfere with her ability to complete her next mission.

There's the central dogma! Rei's in a tube hooked up to what looks like a metal brain.

Okay, so I'm thinking about how when Shinji was in Unit 0 he was like, "Oh, it's Rei. Wait, that's not-" and then creepy Rei looked up at him and jumped towards him and that is when Unit 0 flipped out and started trying to get to the real Rei. So I am thinking there are perhaps multiple people inside Rei (this is also influenced by the fact that when I was looking up to see if ep. 14 was a recap episode I saw it mentioned that Rei is schizophrenic. However, I'm not sure I believe she's actually schizophrenic. I kind of think she is actually harboring another person and that it's Shinji's mother.)

OHHHHHHHHHHHHH ADAM IS THE FIRST ANGEL?

I had kind of wondered if there was an Angel inside the facility. I had initally assumed there would be one kept top secretly but they kept saying how they needed to catch one for research so I was like, "Oh, maybe not, but that's weird that they wouldn't have on after all this time." Especially with everything they seem to know about them. I figured it had to be they either created them or were studying them.

In Closing

I'm so excited! Mysteries are starting to come to light!

Okay, let me see if I can organize my current theories:

Rei might be an imprint Shinji's mother - possibly she's an android, possibly just a person with an especially impressionable brain. But I think that there's Rei the girl and then also the additional personality/ies if this is the case.

NERV is going to perhaps force human evolution using genetic engineering. Or, they might be planning an apocalypse. The Angels may be trying to stop this from happening. I really have no idea.

I just considered that given the ages of the children and the timeline of the second impact, is it possible that children who were in-utero/ conceived around or after that time have some kind of Angel influence within their DNA? Like some kind of radiation? Could this be why only kids can operate the Evas? Are Angels neccessary for the next phase of whatever NERV has planned?

I feel like there's more but I want to hurry up and get to the next episode, so bye.

[becauseplot]

Alright party people, I just finished Episode 1 of Ordem Paranormal: Calamidade! :D My options for tonight were either work on a drawing or do a "journal" post but I just love screaming into the void (and I have to write this before all the lore I have a by-the-finger-nails grip on slips out of my head) so the choice was obvious.

First of all, I've had a closer look at the intro, and...what's really weird is that the first time I watched the intro, I saw this particular frame and I was like, "Huh, that's weirdly familiar," but I couldn't place it and thus assumed it was a to-be-revealed location BUT THEN IT HIT ME

IT'S THE MANSION FROM ONSF! The painting of the infamous "caverna" is a dead give-away. In my defense it's on screen for like 1.2 seconds. Love the detail of the door to the basement being blasted off and how the paint drips out of the painting, like it's alive. (Love love love this picture, might just make it my wallpaper or something.)

The others are less clear to me. The one on the left has a sword (Veríssimo's? Arnaldo's/Thiago's?) on top of what looks to be a Scoundrel Vultures jacket, a black book, and some sort of ritual, with the Ordo symbol behind it... The purple room could be some sort of callback to the Energy occultists from OPD ep 7? Assuming all of these are, indeed, callbacks.

There are of course the silhouettes standing with Kian but eh, I don't wanna look too much into the intro sequence. We'll get there when we get there.

Anyway episode! Was good! One thing I really liked about this one was the built-in "downtime" to allow the players to just be silly and free with their characters, like with Rubens and Balu playing pool and the team choosing seats on the plane. (Jesus Christ the plane seating scene killed me lmfao.) Not to diss on OPD but for me that's what that season was lacking, so I didn't have *quiiiite* as much fun with it. And we could get into that but this is supposed to be about OPC. Just a noteworthy difference. Downtime lets us develop the characters outside of their missions and see parts of them that you might not see when it's time to Focus and Plot and Do Things, and it means the characters can bond as friends!

(Depicted: average Balu moment.)

Oh and bond they do. Trauma bond that is. Speaking of trauma TEAM VULTURES :D And Arthur once again talking about "passing the torch" and I have. A normal amount of thoughts. About this idea. Ever since Arthur brought it up in OPD I've just been. FOAMING at the mouth at this idea. Because it's true, right? The Order passes the torch, again and again. Agents pick up the torch, run with it as far as they can, and survive just long enough to pass it onto the next agent, the next team, the next generation, on and on and on; and they have no idea if the fighting will ever be over. It's like a relay race with no clear end. All they have is their hope that the next person can carry that torch a little further, and that all their work and suffering will not have been in vain. It's. Deeply profound. Especially coming from a character like Arthur, as he himself has become a symbol of this torch-bearing theme in the series. I love the fact that this idea is being expanded on in this series since, again, Arthur was the one who brought it up in OPD when the group was talking and looking at the letter Joui left Kaiser before he was masked.

There's a good amount of...I suppose similarities developing between Arthur and Veríssimo. Both having leadership roles, both feeling the loss of their fellow agents so deeply, as if losing family, both understanding the need to just keep moving forward, moving on with life, because what else can you do? And yeah, kind of redundant to say it, considering the fact that Arthur has straight-up been referred to as being unofficially Veríssimo's right hand, as well as all of those character moments between Arthur and Veríssimo during the OPD finale. "Arthur! Eyes always open!" And of course the hug later on. SCREAMING. There's a lot to chew on here.

Oh, but the lore! The lore is lore-ing! The old couple made some sort of deal with the Devil that we don't know the specifics of but it seems it was to lure the team to the house where the Child-monster eventually showed up, and it seems they've held up their end of the bargain. No idea what the deal was for though. In any case, Arnaldo's Grimoire has revealed more secrets---new pages concerning the Devil case Arnaldo worked 20+ years ago that seems to be echoing now, specifically about a circus that traumatized people (a fountain of Fear, perhaps?) and some brothers who were trying to resurrect the Devil. Maybe that's what the circus was for? Whatever happened, the Devil wasn't summoned and instead they made a creature that traumatized Eusébio. Probably. See the issue is I can never tell if I'm the right amount of confused in this series, or if I'm so confused I'm misunderstanding things that should've been clear to me by now. Ah well, leave me to my confusion, for it is all I have.

Anyway, they're hEADIN TO ITALY WA HOOOOOO VACATION LOOK AT HOW HAPPY THEY ARE!!

Btw literally all of Guaxi and Rakin's OOC shenanigans give me life. Putting them next to each other at the table was the best decision ever. I've decided to start head-canoning all of Rakin's expressiveness and swearing as Dante's inner monologue but Dante's 😐-ass just doesn't let it show Ever. Thinking back on it, I don't think Dante has ever willingly engaged in the Sillies like other characters do, if at all. Props to Rakin for staying consistent with that because a, that's gotta be hard with a group as silly as this, and b, it seriously helps build Dante's apathetic, no-nonsense personality. And he's apathetic, no-nonsense without falling into the pitfall of typical "unfeeling aloof asshole" character! Dante cares and feels deeply, he just won't make a dick-joke, you know? In summary, good character building, I love <3 (But seriously I need ONE scene where someone in the group in-character gets not just Rakin but Dante to crack and laugh at something stupid. I need it so bad. Let it be Arthur it would heal me.)

Right, anyway, so, Italy! As I was in the discord getting ready to comment on how sweet and nostalgic the music for the Leone Mansion was, Carina opened the door and. Well.

*hiss through teeth* Yeahhhhhh. Nevermind on that one, chief.

I really loved this moment for Carina, though. I took Gabi's million billion questions to Cellbit about the surroundings (is there anything moving, how many bodies, if she immediately recognized anyone, etc) as Carina's mind attempting to parse this deeply disturbing scene in the only way it knows how: investigation. Of course, she has an emotional reaction a beat after, but for a moment, her brain just immediately went into work-mode, and the emotions hit in a second wave of realization---processing the scene first and then processing it, you know?

And then we had that moment between Carina, Dante, and Arthur where Carina...I believe she took a step back and sat down on the steps? If not then she at least took a step back, and Dante took her hand and reassured her that they were there for her. If Arthur doesn't do it here, then post blood zombie fight when Carina sits down in the chair, Arthur puts his hand on her shoulder to reassure her as well. And Carina asks Dante to check the bodies for her family crest. And Dante finds the crest. And he lies to her, and she notices immediately, and she thanks him anyway. I'm. They're so much. The Greater Ordo Realitas Trauma Bond is growing.

In other news, putting this joke from the discord here because Balu, I love you, but you make a better door than a window, if you get what I'm saying.

The combat this episode was pretty good! Of course there was Balu being Balu, but Clarissa was a fucking badass holy shit, and CARINA WITH THE BEASTIAL BLOOD ZOMBIE ONE-CYCLE???? And Arthur and Rubens hit a few really good shots too. Dante hearing Carina screaming when she got tackled by the other bestial blood zombie and charging in there with his Decadence/Decay ritual already half-formed on his lips lives in my brain now. (The👏trauma 👏bond👏)

Oh yeah and Kian and Gal were here (hate them) and they brought a bunch of Escriptas and massacred the entire Leone Family (hate them even more) and it seems like they're working with the Devil? Like from the fucking Bible? Hello sir??? Probably not actually from the Bible but like. That's the fucking Devil. He just. Kinda exists. Okay! First time we encounter a Paranormal "creature" that seems to be at least...somewhat sentient? It's usually either feral creatures or Occultists, this guy seems to be a bit of a planner/deal-maker so he's gotta have something like a brain working up there but like. Mans not really human-looking anymore huh. Incheresting.

Oh and I kinda forgot. Rubens! Talking with Clarissa! Johnny most definitely horror'd :( My buddy Factorial pointed out that the flannel that Rubens is wearing around his waist looks exactly like Johnny's so uh. Yeah. Oh, and the contrast between Clarissa's "get your head in the game, we have a mission, I know you can do this" talk with Rubens on the plane and Dante's "I know this is horrible, we're here for you" talk with Clarissa on the steps of the mansion is astounding. Clarissa definitely feels very detached from the group, but I suppose that's rather the point of her character, right? Untethered? Aloof? I still believe in the strength of the Greater Ordo Realitas Trauma Bond, though I don't know if it'll be enough to save her since Cellbit oh so loves to kill off his NPCs in horrific ways <33

Anyway that's it for now. Some other screenshots I have from the discord just for safe keeping. Wa hoo!

[ollieofthebeholder]

I'm sure this has been said before, but not by me, so.

Listening to today's episode of @re-dracula, this bit...

"I greatly fear I have distressed you." "Oh, no, not distressed me," she replied, "but I have been more touched than I can say by your grief. That is a wonderful machine, but it is cruelly true. It told me, in its very tones, the anguish of your heart. It was like a soul crying out to Almighty God. No one must hear them spoken ever again! See, I have tried to be useful. I have copied out the words on my typewriter, and none other need now hear your heart beat, as I did."

...hit me like a ton of bricks.

Because for all I've been reading this line for years...I've never heard it. Or more crucially, I've never heard the lines, the entries, leading up to it. I've read Jack Seward's words, but they don't have the same impact written out, do they? Which was Mina's point. Written out, typed on impersonal paper, you're just seeing the words on a page.

But hearing them? Hearing the resigned sigh when he laments his lost love, the hope when he first mentions Van Helsing, the worry over poor Lucy, the anger when he berates himself for not being able to figure out what's wrong and fix it, the break in his voice when he sympathizes with Arthur? Jesus Christ Almighty, Mina wasn't kidding. A wonderful machine, but cruelly true indeed.

And it's a podcast. It's out in the public. How darkly ironic that we've all heard his words, and we're going to keep hearing them because I, for one, intend to add an annual re-listen of this podcast to my repertoire for years to come. For all these years, we've read his words. Now we, too, "hear [his] heart beat, as [Mina] did".

And honestly, I love him all the more for it.

[coredrill]

perhaps my most insane collection of brvn thots yet

do we think lulu is from the moon. i think this for three reasons. one: when she told superbia she was going to ride him the moon was quite large and prominent in the shot. symbolism. two: when she got her fancy hairdo, she had two little buns that looked like moons. three: “lulu” could come from “luna” the same way it could come from the first syllable of smith’s name. why would she become spanish? don’t worry abt it. also if she’s from there then maybe the “final battle” which obari allegedly said would take place in an unexpected location will indeed be on the moon (pls dont ask for a source on this bc i don’t think i could find it again but it was one of the like. EARLY early interviews iirc. or it was just a rumor. this part of the post is a joke anyways LMAO). however this IS a super robot show so i feel like the moon in general is actually a more expected location for me than like. idk. cleveland

everyone pointing out the animation differences maybe indicating different timelines is so funny to me cause like. if it’s NOT intentional, the fans are putting together a list of fixes to make for the bluray on a silver platter LMAO. also god i hope we get a western bluray release, i honestly am considering getting the jp one if it somehow winds up w eng subs though just cause i know it’s such a long shot for CRUNCHYROLL of all motherfuckers to put one together 🥲 discotek ur our only hope………………

i keep thinking abt the like. pacing of the previous fight scenes being reused in ep9 in such a smart way…………like with smith/lulu v superbia - isami/bravern v cupiridas AND with smith/lulu v knuth - isami/bravern v pessimism/vanitas they kept doing the quick jumps between each of the two fights in a way that made it clear that isami and smith were in conversation even if they were doing completely different shit, and then bringing that completely to the forefront this ep while isami is asking smith why he died and at the same time smith is refusing to die bc of his promise with isami. BLEW MY FUCKIN MIND to see the pattern reused like that, i swear to GOD everyone talks about how fun and hype this show is but it’s so damn GOOD too 😭😭 and then after that the fuckin. symmetrical docking ass cut and then later the gattai which has been held off for SO long bc they are no longer separate conversations. JESUS

called my shots too early tho w smith not melting ppl’s minds in a kaworu manner where they convolute the story x1000 to try to make him seem straight 😭 congrats white boy, your days are numbered until ppl start saying you love isami like he’s your pet dog……….also in a related fashion the giant naked smith fanarts are taking me out LMAO

you can tell idk shit abt fuck when it comes to time travel fuckery cause i rly am just here like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ atp LMAO, the serious theorizing is GONE. i trust the show to finish out in a satisfying manner and also in a way that my pea brain can understand and i’m rly looking forward to savouring these last 3 episodes :] and then rewatching the whole thing from the beginning once the remaining twists have been revealed and i Know :3 like not to get way too sentimental w 3 whole episodes left but we are so lucky to be following this story in real time you guys 😭 like i’m just gonna put the same post i made back after episode ONE here cause it’s true but times a million with what we’ve seen so far, truly this is such a special experience to have and i’m so glad this show waited until i got into mecha to get made so that i could like. Understand it yknow. anyways good for january 14 2024 version of me, you are so excited andyet still have NO idea the kind of treat you are in for 😭

“lewis” jumpscare tho omg. i forgot it took me like a week to figure out what the hell was goin on with all the characters first and last names LMAO. anyways everybody go look at sumiisa sekiha love love tenkyouken right now i am no longer asking

[honouredsnakeprincess]

Angela continues to be a paradox. Here are my thoughts on Mr Robot S2E7, or maybe E6 or E8? The episode is entitled eps2.5_h4ndshake.sme, but it's counting up from 0, and episode 0 was a two-parter. Let's call that a seven. More below the cut.

Angela continues to perplex me. She independently figured out that Elliot and Darlene did the big hacks on ECorp, but also genuinely seems to think that the ECorp people respect her. I am skeptical of this assumption, Angela! I think they are using you as a cudgel against the legal case against them!

Angela's always smarter than I expect her to be, and I think this might've been deliberate trickery on the part of the writers, considering she confronts Darlene with discounting her intelligence! Even so, she's pretty much always in situations that are out of her depth, and now Dom is onto her!

Angela is driven and determined and very good at leveraging people to get what she wants, but I'm not confident that her decisions are good. Still, this move into risk management is intriguing.

Price's dynamic with Angela is also intriguing, and it's hard for me to parse whether him sharing the actual date of his birthday with her is an act of manipulation or trust. Turning him down was the right call, though!

Angela's analogue phishing attempt was clumsy and ended in failure, but I still enjoyed the "ohhh" moment I got when she asked to sit in on meetings. I thought this plan would go better, but obviously they know who she is and aren't going to just hand her sensitive documents. It seems like her gambit to settle the lawsuit hasn't paid off.

Elliot killed Tyrell, I suppose. I've kind of suspected this for a while, but it raises the question of who's sending the gifts to Tyrell's wife! Is it Elliot? Is it Mr Robot? Someone else?

I admire him setting boundaries with the lady at the church when she hugs him. It is virtuous to tell people to let go or not to touch you when you don't want to be touched. It's also rather funny that the lady at the church thinks Elliot is talking to Jesus.

Ray (whose name I always feel the need to verify isn't Roy, even though I know it's not, and so google now suggests "Ray mr rboto" when I press 'r'. Clearly mistyped it at some point) has thrown a curveball this episode, and while I'm intrigued, I don't know if I like it conceptually. He runs this black market site for years, and has no idea what's actually being sold there, but is willing to engage in pretty brutal violence to defend it, and then is also willing to let Elliot turn him in to the police without a fight?

It's certainly intriguing, and I can see the picture they're trying to paint, of a man who is only comfortable with his immoral actions because he refuses to look at the consequences (and indeed, it is notable that he delegates his violence to underlings), and who cannot abide himself when properly confronted with the reality of his actions. I don't know if it works!

This seems pretty conclusive, but the spoiler machine that is the internet makes me think this won't be the last I see of Ray. Either way, his former collaborators hold Elliot responsible for the loss of their livelihoods and fortunes, and that's bound to be inauspicious for him. Fortunately, Leon is providing wise counsel. I love that Leon's got things to say in this episode, he is great and is not in this show as much as I want him to be.

Ah, Elliot got jumped again. :( That sucks, but I love the way that every time he gets hit, it cuts to Mr Robot getting hit instead of Elliot. He is protecting him. :) You know who's also protecting Elliot? Leon, he of sage counsel and bladed weapons! God damn I love Leon. I don't love how he stabbed that cur in the ass, but my opinion of Leon is untarnished! He is truly the best character other than Elliot. As I write this I am grinning.

Elliot meets with his therapist again in this episode, and I continue my theory that this is a hallucination. (Once again, I learn my lesson about writing these mid-episode. I was right about there being a hallucination! Just not which one.) But wait, Elliot's in prison in this scene, so I'm not sure how to parse this.

Elliot mentions he's getting along with Mr Robot now, so this can't be a flashback, or if it is, it can't be an accurate one.

If he's been in prison thi- oh, was Ray a functionary? Was Ray a hallucination? Presumably Elliot hasn't been allowed to leave whenever Ray wanted to see him, and if that's the case, the scene with Ray getting arrested can't have occurred as we saw it, since Elliot wasn't in prison in that scene.

Ray probably can't be a functionary because the prison probably would not let Elliot hack computers. Maybe Elliot got arrested along with Ray? That seems plausible, since he is technically a co-conspirator even if he was unwilling, and the American legal system is notoriously fickle.

But that doesn't make much sense either, since it seems pretty clear that his routine is meant to be allegorical to the routine imposed by the prison. He presumably can't be in for the 5/9 hacks, otherwise everyone else would know about it. Maybe he's in prison because his psych reported him for hacking her?

Okay, Leon's in prison too. That would suggest that Elliot getting jumped was also by fellow prisoners, and so Leon's vigorous defence of him can still have taken place unchanged, but that means that the business with Ray has to have happened for the prisoners to be upset with him, or he has to have upset them by some other means.

Was Ray real? Was he some kind of nefarious prison warden?

Wow! What an ending!

[episodicnostalgia]

Star Trek: The Next Generation, 103 (Oct. 10, 1987) - "Code of Honor"

Written by: Katharyn Powers & Michael Baron Directed by: Russ Mayberry

The Breakdown

YIKES. Well that was uncomfortable to watch.

So basically there’s this alien race, the Ligonians, cast as all-black-noble-savages, adorned with what feels like a stereotypical depiction of a middle eastern/Asian aesthetic, if it had been designed in the 1930's by someone who had only read about “the mysteries of the orient” in pulp magazines.  the Ligonians all live by a code of honor so bafflingly convoluted that the Klingons seem downright reasonable by way of comparison. This code also promotes kidnapping because it's so risky that it can be deemed honourable... somehow.

So the King (Lutan) kindaps Tasha because he’s horny and wants to make her his number one babe, which obviously his wife takes issue with.  Naturally, the Queen demands a fight to the death with Tasha, because that’s the contrived way their society works.  I wish I could say that’s as ridiculous as things get, but somehow the episode continues to get weirder as it goes right up until the end.

The Verdict

I’m not going to waste time explaining why so much of this episode is in poor taste, since it’s shittiness is both obvious, and fully acknowledged by the cast and crew. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine this wouldn’t have raised some eyebrows even in 1987, but then I guess it must have since the director was fired by Gene Roddenberry himself. Even disregarding the in-your-face racism, this episode is filled with lazy writing and contrivances that would make it difficult to enjoy on any level. I’d read about this episode years ago, but had forgotten the specifics. Needless to say ‘code of honor’ is indeed dog shit, and also a valuable reminder why representation matters in front of AND behind the camera.

0 stars

Additional Observations

Oh yeah! At one point Troi essentially resorts to victim blaming when she more-than-implies that Tasha “totally loved the attention”.  Holy shit.

Data tries to learn about jokes: Laforge is the last person who should be teaching anyone about humour. His example of “what IS funny” is somehow even dumber than Data’s attempt. Also, Data has slip of the tongue? Shouldn’t he be incapable of that type of error?

Picard’s an asshole: “Is the whole ship deaf!?” Well EXCUSE ME captain, it’s just that every time Wesley even looks at the bridge you nearly bite his head off, so yeah, inviting him to hang out at Ops is kind of a shock. Jesus Christ dude, get laid or something.

[hellsurvivr]

I wanna see the ship I stalk you for. Aka Payne & @razorfst

*      ―    ﴾  𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙴  ﴿ // still accepting ( @razorfst )

who is more likely to hurt the other?

now depending on the verse, this pretty much goes both ways okay. the two of them are big ass dumbs. and have the emotional range of a teaspoon at times. so they tend to hurt the other emotionally. not physically as hell they ain't about that (unless its harry potter verse). but emotionally, they're pretty even.

who is emotionally stronger?

erm i want to say they're both quite emotionally strong. given the shit they've both been through (no matter the verse). like don't get me wrong they both have their moments of breaking down if needed. both both know how to check their shit and keep it in line.

who is physically stronger?

now in main verse and supernatural, that has to be payne. given shes pretty much at the top of the food chain given her demonic and divine nature. but in any other verse, definitely andrei. don't get me wrong payne is strong, but have you SEEN those muscles.

who is more likely to break a bone? 

payne. hands down payne because shes an idiot and does not possess a fear gene .... at all.

who knows best what to say to upset the other? 

going back to the first answer ... they're both good at saying shit to upset the other. because they know each other pretty damn well. which yeah can lead to some hurtful shit being thrown around.

who is most likely to apologise first after an argument? 

pretty 50/50. but definitely, payne once she gets over her pride. as she hates hurting those she loves in an argument. so she will attempt to apologise. but again, gotta get over her pride.

who treats who’s wounds more often? 

again andrei treats payne more often then not, coz shes an idiot. but don't get me wrong, she deals with enough of andrei's too.

who is in constant need of comfort? 

both, have you seen their tragic histories. jesus they both need a hug, pronto.

who gets more jealous? 

hahahahahaha both of them okay. and when they get jealous they get violent and murdery. so it's best no one sparks the jealousy in question. it wont end well.

who’s most likely to walk out on the other? 

now if we go by our threads. deffo got to say payne. this bitch has a tendency to run quite a bit to avoid her emotions. and lordy.

who will propose? 

id say andrei, but don't put it past payne to make a move a claim her man. especially if he's taking too damn long with it. she wants everyone to know he's HERS.

who has the most difficult parents?

in most verses, andrei does. mostly because paynes are dead most of the time, so kinda takes them out of the equation.

who initiates hand-holding when they’re out in public? 

payne, mostly as a sense of comfort because of her anxiety. but again also to make sure people know andrei is HERS.

who comes up for the other all the time? 

they are always there for each other, without fail. that is their person, and even if they're no longer together. they will be there for them as much as they can.

who hogs the blankets?

  payne. its a her thing to do, if not she'll just sprawl all over andrei .... but still be stealing all the covers.

who gets more sad? 

again as i said theyre both emotionally strong so the sad episodes don't happen often. but id say its payne, especially when remembering her mom. then she gets very sad indeed.

who is better at cheering the other up? 

payne. mostly as she uses her words and knows the right things to say sometimes. and well shes observant so she knows just what to do in those situations. either talk or be quiet but there.

who’s the one that playfully slaps the other all the time after they make silly jokes?

deffo payne. she's the jokester but can very much act like that. so deffo her.

who is more streetwise?

in main verse, it's payne as she's been running for so damn long that the streets are pretty much her habitat. but in other verses, definitely andrei more so, given his childhoods.

who is more wise?

hey look, they are both smart motherfuckers okay. just idiots when it comes to emotions. but brains, oh that's them both.

who’s the shyest? 

do either of them look fucking shy to you. nope not at all. but if anything sometimes it's payne, mostly as her anxiety can make her shy if there is a shit ton of people. but soon she just gets very blunt and everyone knows her feelings

who boasts about the other more? 

ANDREI. he boasts about his girl all the damn time and shows her off. he just can't help it okay.

who sits on who’s lap? 

please, payne is the size of andrei's lap. so of course it's her. she curls up in that thing like a bloody lap cat.

[cheese-water]

Alright, @ranboolivesaysstuff, you asked for criticism of Genloss, so here it is. This was my personal biggest flaw with how the story was written, plus it was a fun writing exercise. Feel free to discuss in notes why I’m right or wrong. It makes me very happy. :D

Do you know what would have, for lack of a better phrase, royally sucked? If we had gotten the "live" ending.

I mean, sure, being dragged away kicking and screaming while being brainwashed is indeed horrifying. But for the conclusion? Compared to the ending we got? I’m just going to say it—it’s the box. The most important (and expensive) part of Generation Loss was only used because of 3000 people. WHAT?!?

How lackluster would that conclusion be? We would lose the disturbing imagery of the crucifixion as the credits silently rolled, but also all of the subtle allusions and foreshadowing months beforehand that Showfall planned for the broadcast? ALL FOR NAUGHT? Ranboo, it should only be your character that wasted their time and effort for an ending that was just out of reach, NOT YOU TOO! So many people adore the ending of episode three, regardless of how they voted at the time. That really says something. But after the true "live" ending was revealed, I’d bet the poll would have a much larger split than 55/45, which, like, defeats the purpose of a moral dilemma if one of the options is objectively cooler than the other.

"But Cheese, why are you complaining about an ending we didn’t even get? Isn’t that pretty pointless?" Trust me, I hear you loud and clear. And to that, I say "no." We were pretty damn close to choosing "live." 55% is not a majority ruling. If the poll ended a minute earlier, we’d all be singing a different tune. Also, even though Ranboo has discussed exploring different media for future generations, it’s likely we’ll see another live experience from them. And if he keeps assuming the audience will choose the best or morally correct choice every time, disaster is bound to happen.

So, how do we make it better? I'm not saying you need make a completely new ending, Ranboo. No, no, no. You already have your ending. You’ve said that you really wanted that box closed on your head, so we're making it happen no matter what we choose. It's just way too cool and integral to the show to cut out. What changes is what Hetch says in response to the choice: "The audience has voted for you to LIVE! We will see you soon~" Ranboo screams out "NO—" and is cut off by the box. Maybe a more aggressive reaction from your limbs as they slowly fall to a still as the credits begin to roll.

There. The box has been shut. Round of applause lmao. Not only do we keep the Jesus imagery, but this hypothetical ending also has interesting lore implications. Cast members have been revived before, including Ranboo himself, so the death isn't jarring to the audience. The parallels between the box head and the TV screens in the background are greatly strengthened. The juxtaposition of the "die" ranboo being set free and the "live" being even more trapped by the box: even though "die's" body is gone, he still has himself, while "live" still has his body but their mind is forever lost. We even maintain the core mindset held throughout Genloss’s creation: "Changing your perception of reality in order to influence your choices for desired outcomes."

Plus, if people choose to complain that "Ranboo still died even though we voted for them to live," I’ve thought of a couple responses. For instance, how and why is the box execution the only way cast members can truly die? When have our choices ever mattered in the grand scheme of the series? Why would the final one be any different?

But my favorite response would be in the Founder’s Cut. The credits end, the screen fades, and, oh, look! There’s an additional after-credits scene! It’s the beginning of a new show, and we see what looks to be the back of Ranboo’s head, his scalp visibly wounded and mutilated, and bits of hair matted with blood. Hetch off-screen counts down "3 2 1." As Ranboo turns to introduce himself to the audience, we see their Showfall Media mask in perfect condition. However, possibly to cover up the rest of the scaring, he obstructs their eyes from view with a pair of green ski goggles (sunglasses). In its reflection, we see the camera, a reflection of ourselves forced to face the consequences of our choice.

END OF TAPE

As someone who’s been a fan since October 2020, do you know how harrowing that would be to see? The implication of Showfall making their own corpses "presentable" is deeply disturbing in itself, and it ties the content creation allegory into a nice little bow on top. Just a few changes would have made the "live" ending an equally satisfying conclusion to the series, rather than the ending we’re "not supposed to pick."

Long story short: Ranboo, you don’t have to possibly sacrifice the best part of your show for the impact of an execution. You are the creator, and I implore you to have your cake and eat it too.

[dekaydk]

Step By Step Ep 10

I really want to like this show but I keep getting plot, pace, dialog and character icewater dumps on my head.

Spent the entire episode thinking that Jeng is incapable of thinking even tactically about his love life, much less strategically. Especially not about how this intersects with work. This dude should not run a (whatever the Thai equivalent) of a chaebol even if daddy does hand him the reins in the future.

Pat is repeatedly smarter about all this than Jeng is. Jeng sees Pat's reasonable caution as naive lack of confidence and rolls right over it.

What is this color inversion between Chot and Pat’s outfits?

Sound weirdness in the screening room scene - did they loop the dialog?

Again with the open mouth pose!

GOD I HATE IT WHEN THE CHARACTERS GET SELF ABSORBED AND DON”T HEAR EACH OTHER IN AN EXAGGERATED WAY okay this was less exaggerated than usual

“I know that Mr. Jeng thinks of you beyond work” Oh you do know that for certain? gonna let this one slide

This bit about "the relationship will be awkward at first" YA THINK

“Krit doesn’t think about hard launching you at all” what pray tell is hard launching

God the stupid sound effects totally take the emotional weight out of this scene

Okay, Chot crying awwwwww. So happy for him.

Pat crying is probably a little tough for Jeng to interpret at first

SPEAK ENGLISH TO ME BABY (insert scene from A Fish Called Wanda)

Wait, in the kitchen in front of the windows?

Phone screen protector as a metaphor AND product placement?

Confirm/Delete is even a question?

The music makes it seem like following on social media is a bigger deal than the other stuff?

Okay, enough with the screen protector

Pat’s presenting

Assistant dude has a suspicious thought or two

Okay, cubicle handsies cute but debatably smart

Office parking garage messing around HONK giggle start over

Badminton again and assistant dude is SUSPICIOUS

Theory: assistant dude has a crush on Jeng

I think people are cruel. SO RIGHT JENG

Office meeting: assistant is taking notes on what he sees

Pat's Dad is still around?! Oh okay everything’s cool “take care of my son” with a side order of “when did we become buddies”

“Phi Jeng/Nong Pat”

Okay, Pat has the seduction thing down

I wasn’t feeling the chemistry before but I’m sold on this scene

Aww fantasy wedding

But…isn't it a smidge early to be talking about geting married?

Jen and Jaab moment

Wait Jaab is with someone WTF PLEASE why are we learning this now (once again we have a time gap that is tough to follow)

(Got a bit of a Bible vibe just now; this is a compliment to both men)

Vasectomy WELL IF YOU NEED ANOTHER ONE LEMME KNOW thought bubble

OH WAIT CONFESSION

This is nicely mature and resolves this hanging thread

Wait Pat as the head of the department? This is not going to go well. His business smarts aside he’s never even been a manager, much less a senior manager/director level. Jeng, don’t promote people too fast; it’s not fair to them or the team. “What are you playing at?” indeed!

Office gossip scene. Wait, queen office bitch is in their corner?

Jaab is seeing someone called Paint. And pining over Jen, the two-timer.

Whoa nasty office sticky notes!

Marcom jerkface strikes again

What does he have to do with the board and why is he telling Jeng about the board? (Update: forgot he was Jeng’s uncle)

JESUS THIS WAS FORESEEABLE JENG YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER

Condo. Pat wants to talk in bed. Jeng: grabs Pat. Not gonna sex it away dude SEE

And don’t close your eyes, Pat is trying to TELL YOU SOMETHING Pat is being smarter about this than you are.

Next morning: WHOOPS SHITTY PEOPLE CLIP SHARING

Pat is fed up with Jeng not listening/treating his concerns seriously and he's outta here and gonna do what he's gotta do. That resignation letter is gonna get delivered.

Wait. Pat scrammed from the condo without saying anything and wecut to Jeng having coffee like nothing happened?

Pat resigned. Okay again probably the right move. He has less to lose and he knows it. (Back to “What are you playing at?”)

The president approved it? This will be interesting. Why is the president involved? Pat is twenty layers down the org chart. That would be like Tim Cook approving the resignation of some junior manager at Apple.

Okay, time to read everyone else's takes.

[romilly-jay]

Deja-Vu: A Time-Loop Movie With Somewhat Savage, Somewhat Problematic Elements That I Still Love (**WHY**??) And Re-Watch At Every Opportunity

***spoilers -incl a few big ones, but this movie is from 2006 so...***

***content warnings - murder, terrorism, natural disaster, suicide***

This is a movie I still really enjoy, partly because I will do my best to be onside for anything at all with timey-wimey elements and partly because I continue to find Denzel Washington endlessly watchable.

(Side note, I have a long-ago memory that there was a study which found that people with symmetrical facial features are considered [more?] attractive and giving DW as one example - and... there was:)

But, that said, goodness, 2006 does feel like a long time ago.

(Yes, yes, I know - just watched an episode of University Challenge where a contestant nailed the music question from a few seconds of the intro and then confirmed that no, he hadn't been born back when it was released... in the long-ago year of 2000.)

Specific to the cast and creatives on this movie, 2006 was:

Before Director Tony Scott suicided (2012) and LONG before the sequel to Top Gun, planned for shooting in 2013 with Tom Cruise starring and TS returning as director, finally made it to a well-received theatrical release (2022). NOT before Jim Caviezel played Jesus for the first time (2004) though knowing that he had increases the dissonance of seeing him play a domestic US extremist here.

So I was surprised and pleased to find that a contemporary review of the film is still accessible on The Guardian's website, by film critic Peter Bradshaw, who nearly two decades later still writes (some) reviews. Not bad going, PB! Here's the link to the review:

Here's what PB had to say about one of the two, erm, TRICKY moves the film has to make in order to drive the plot forward - making the POV detective care enough about the female MC to go beyond the standard requirements of his detective role and risk his life for her:

Washington's heart is melted by discovering the body of a beautiful woman called Claire (Paula Patton) who appears to have been separately killed by the terrorist before the bombing took place. Some meet-cute this is. She is a drop dead gorgeous gal who has dropped dead. Washington conceives for the spiffing stiff what I have to say is an unwholesome and necrophiliac tendresse. Who was she? How did she fit in? Carlin is astonished to find that a top-secret team of funky boffins can help him...

Tricky, indeed - and on this, the ?fourth? time of watching, it FINALLY occurred to me that Claire is unreasonably pretty in death considering what is supposed to have been done to her [redacted].

The other 'bigly' problematic aspect is the time is spent watching Claire in her underwear/and occasionally in The Altogether... For context, there's a blah mcblah device that allows the aforementioned funky boffins to look back in time four days (i.e. before Claire was killed). Apparently, they mostly want to use this expensive and top-secret device to hang around in Claire's bedroom. CREEPY. Snaps to the one (Black/female) boffin who questions the need and to the writers for bringing the issue into the room but without going one step further and rewriting to make the surveillance LESS CREEPY - Perhaps they'd argue that the ick was the point? Hmmm OKAY.

Sooooo - what did I like about it, again?

Plenty, but my FAVOURITE thing about it is the liminal space we find ourselves in as soon as the DW MC goes to visit Claire's home.

This is AFTER she's been found dead and BEFORE he discovers the Time Spies angle. The scene is packed with things to tell us (SPOILER) that DW has been here already: the unfriendly cat recognises him, there's a glass that turns out to have his DNA all over it, there are bloodied rags in a bin that turn out to be linked to a bullet wound he receives - and, most intriguing of all, magnetic letters on the fridge that spell the message: U CAN SAVE HER.

If she can be saved, why is she still dead? DW hasn't decided to go back in time yet - he doesn't yet know that this is an option - but he's seeing all kinds of signs that will later tell us - he's already been there.

This would seem entirely logical according to philosopher David Lewis - his position was that time travel is philosophically possible but/and would create some outcomes that seem odd to us. For example, events in the past that are *caused* by things that happen later, chronologically speaking. He says that Time Happens Once, so if a time traveller is going to be in a past moment, anything they will do when they are there has already happened. Just like in this scene.

He also says that time travellers (probably) can't change anything - and that if they do, the timeline will split, possibly with multiple universes or possibly with the original timeline disappearing. In practical terms it doesn't matter either way to the time traveller because they could never get back there.

These ideas are reflected pretty closely in parts of the film and I don't think it's a big leap to imagine that the writers were familiar with Lewis's short article from 1975 where he laid out his thinking:

Fun! With Impossible Time Stuff! Fun!! Fun!! Fun!!!