#this has been your daily gwen rant

[gregmarriage]

a bitch (me) being nearly 25, and getting the third degree, every time i want to do literally anything

[gejo333]

Jealousy

Miguel x fem! Spider! Reader

Pt. 2

Summary: You spend all your time training the new recruit which makes Miguel jealous. 🤭

Extremely light fluff.

It’s been a while since I did one-shots. But reading so many amazing Miguel fanfics sparked my passion again. I stayed up late finishing it, so I apologize in advance if I made any grammatical mistakes.

Miguel x reader one shots requests are open.

word count: 1.4k

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Miguel began to grow annoyed by how quiet his office at the Spider HQ had become in recent days. Before you came into his life, he liked the silence. But for the past year he has heard your sweet voice echo through these walls. Your laugh, your rants…he enjoyed listening to you.

While he worked, you would usually be near him trying to help in any way you could. You would watch one or two of the screens to help find anomalies to help ease his stress. During your early days here you were lost, which at the time greatly annoyed Miguel. But your persistence on helping him, finally had him cave as he then taught you a few things you could monitor. After that, you became part of his daily life. You always tried to ask him questions about himself, which bothered him at first, but now he cherished the conversations he had with you.

Except, in the past five days you have barely been around. Most likely because you were mentoring the newest recruit, Gwen. You were so excited when Miguel brought Gwen to HQ. Finally someone you can mentor. However, your attention towards the young female spider made another spider jealous.

“I don’t get it. How do you shoot your web like that without looking in that direction?” Gwen huffed in annoyance as for the tenth time she couldn’t do what the older female spider could. You chuckled at her frustration.

“It takes a lot of practice Gwen. It took me months to perfect that skill. I only showed this skill to you this afternoon.” You shot your web out, grabbing a water bottle without even glancing in the direction. You then tossed it to Gwen.

“Let’s take a small break and then we’ll continue your training.”

“Awesome!” Gwen tried again to shoot her web out like you did but she frowned when she heard Pavitr yell in surprise. Her web landed on the side of his face, scaring the poor spider half to death.

“Sorry Pavitr.” Gwen cringed which made you laugh at the scene.

“All good Gwen.” Pavitr chuckled as he removed the web.

“I see your learning from the best Gwen.” Hobie walked over, curious about what the trio was doing.

“Yep! Hopefully I can be as awesome of a spider-woman as her one day.” Gwen smiled. You pulled her into a hug from how adorable she was.

“Aww Gwen! You’re so sweet! But you already are an amazing spider woman.”

“Get use to the hugs Gwen. She’s a hugger.” Hobie chuckled as he saw Gwen slightly surprised by your gesture.

“Hey Y/N?” asked Gwen.

“What’s up?”

“Who taught you all your cool tricks?”

“I’m actually curious as well.” said Pavitr.

“I never told you guys?”

“Nope. But I thought you were just naturally gifted.” said Hobie.

“You’re sweet Hobie, but nope. I was once an amaterr too. I was taught by-” You paused when you saw Lyla appear right next to you. “Speak of the devil.” You mumbled out loud. Your comment earned you a few confused glances from the young group of spiders.

“What does he want now?”

Ever since you started training Gwen this week, Lyla has appeared multiple times a day telling you the same thing. Miguel wanted you back at the office.

When he sent Lyla to do this at the beginning of the week you complied. But you quickly realised he only wanted you back in the office for no particular task. Today it was the fourth time Lyla has graced her presence during Gwen’s training today.

“Same thing. I’m assuming it's the same response?” Lyla sighed.

“Yep.” With that she was gone. You sighed, hoping it was the last time she appeared today.

“Wait, hold up. Miguel O’Hara. Mr. Grump. Trained you?” Pavitr's eyes widened, jaw open.

“He did. And he isn’t a grump all the time. You just have to get to know him a bit better.”

“Oh God, training with him must have been hellish.” Hobie chuckled.

You chuckled remembering the first few weeks of your spider training with Miguel. Hobie wasn’t wrong. Miguel was not the most patient and easy-going instructor. At least for the first couple of months.

“It's ok if you need to go back to the office. He seems like he needs your help.” Said Gwen.

“I don’t need to be at the office. My time is more important here, training you to kick-ass!” You ruffled her hair slightly, which she tried to swat your hand away. Gwen didn't have an older sister. But definitely felt like Y/n was her sister.

“Breaks over! Now let's see how long you can last hanging from your web.”

Gwen began her endurance training as you timed her. Suddenly you felt a hand on your shoulder. It was Jess. She looked nervous.

“You alright Jess? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. I’m just worried about what's going to happen to you. Miguel is looking for you. And he looks more annoyed than he normally is.” Jess chuckled.

“Thanks for the heads up Jess. I’ll handle him later when I’m done. You got this Gwen. Hold on a little-” You gasp as large hands grab you by the waist and throw you over a well-built shoulder.

“Miguel! Put me down!” You bang your fists against his back. You gasp from him pinching your cheek to make you stop.

“Y/n?!” Gwen asked, confused why her mentor was slinged over the boss’ shoulder. Jess stopped her from going after you as she chuckled. That poor spider was going to get it tonight.

“Pay up Hobie. I won the bet.” Pavitr pushed out his arm towards Hobie, asking for the money.

“Now hold on. You both lose. I said he would get her in five days. You said a week, Pavitr.” Jess grinned, to which both disappointed teenagers handed her the winnings.

“What just happened…” said Gwen.

…

Miguel enters his quarters where he finally removes you from his shoulder, setting you down. Your cheeks were red, from the embarrassing journey here. Being carried like that in front of all her colleagues. It was humiliating.

You notice Miguel went into his bedroom, coming out a few minutes later already out of his suit and into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt that perfectly shaped him. He handed you a pair of short sweats and tank top that were a part of the few clothes you kept at his place.

After you slipped on what he gave you he gently grabbed your hand as he led you to his bedroom. He got on his side of the bed before you suddenly were grabbed by the waist and laid in between his legs, your back pressing against his chest. Now that you were both settled you finally broke the silence.

“So, what was that all about? Constantly asking Lyla to come fetch me and then carrying me here like a sack of potatoes.”

Miguel knew you were annoyed with him, but this was the first time in a week since he got to see you.

He kept quiet as he left butterfly kisses along your neck. Of course, if you weren’t annoyed at him you would melt into his touch. But he wasn’t going to get away with his actions.

“Miguel.” You groaned as you sat up and turned yourself to face him. “Please answer me.”

“Te extrañé, mi amor. It's been a week since you laid in bed with me. You spent all your time training Gwen.”

Your annoyance with him faded and was replaced with guilt. He had missed you being by his side.

Your breath hitched at the way he sat there in front of you with starved eyes, wanting only one thing. You. You moved back over to him and sat in his lap. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you gave him a loving kiss on the cheek. You chuckled.

“¿Por qué te ríes?” Miguel frowned slightly, eyebrows furrowed. You placed your hand on his cheek which he took and placed gentle kisses on your wrist.

“I think it’s cute that you’re jealous.” You lightly giggle. Your comment made his loving affection briefly stop as he sent you a playful glare.

“I’m not jealous.”

“Baby, you don’t need to lie to me. You totally were.”

Your giggles soon stopped as Miguel flipped you on the bed, now on top of you. You stare wide-eyed up at him as your cheeks were dusted pink.

A grin makes its way to his plush lips. He slowly begins kissing you up from your collarbone to your cheek as he removes your shorts. Now lips right against your ear, he whispers, “You won’t think twice about ignoring me after I’m done pounding myself deep into your pussy until morning.”

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Translations: “Te extrañé, mi amor.” = “ I missed you, my love.”

“¿Por qué te ríes?” = “ Why are you laughing?”

My Spanish is not the best so I needed a bit of google translate to help.

But I hope you enjoyed this light fluff one-shot. There will be plenty more to come!

[king-killaway]

Aftermath of the Moment of Truth (P-1)

There is absolutely, undoubtedly, in any way whatsoever, that Arthur believed Will's accusations. Perhaps he did at first, while still processing everything that was happening, trying to piece together what he had truly seen, and in the moment of the man's death accepted his final plea; his final dedication to his friend.

Will wasn't a sorcerer.

If he was they're wouldn't have been a need for them to come in the first place. He wouldn't have hesitated to save his friends and family.

Because why then did they ask for help?

Arthur sat in silence as people worked about all around him. His eyes flickered from person to person as they set constructing Will's pyre. They all work tirelessly even though visible exhaustion attacks their body. However, it was Merlin who both caught Arthur's attention, and who was working the hardest. Slumping over as he drops several logs adding to the structure. His back straightened as he stands, before returning to get more logs. Arthur didn't think he should be overexerting himself, rather resting and grieving properly, but Arthur knew better than to meddle right now.

Instead he pondered over all the information he now has. Will lied. Plain and simple. Yet, it wasn't so simple, because that meant Merlin is the one who casted that spell.

And damnit Merlin can't be a sorcerer.

He just can't be, but he very clearly is. And Arthur had to admit he probably knew that even before now. Hell Merlin even admitted it himself to the King of all people; Arthur had played it off then because he wasn't just going to watch his manservant throw away his life.

And the whole affair with Sophie. Oh yeah. Arthur wouldn't have eloped even if he was enchanted. Plus he remembers going out to the lake anyway, he wasn't unconscious, but his eyes too tired to open, he remembers being pulled back to the surface, strong but shaky hands holding him close and panting breath that soon turned calm knowing he was okay, against his ear. He just didn't know how things would be different if he let them know, so he let the lie go, allowing it to spread.

Yeah, he suspected. Guess he was right.

But, they aren't in Camelot, or even in the kingdoms borders. He didn't have to do anything, just act like nothing happened or changed and continue living the same daily routine with Merlin hiding from him.

No, things went too far this time. It's not just a lucky break this time; tree branches that thick don't just fall Merlin. Magic was done right in front of him and there is no way he can just pretend he didn't see it.

Arthur was pulled from his thoughts when Merlin walked up to him, pulling off his neckerchief and wiping his brow. His eyes seemed heavy and full of worry about the male in front of him.

"You alright, Sire?" Why was Merlin asking about his own sake? Arthur wasn't the one who just lost a dear friend.

"Don't worry about me, Merlin." Arthur watched as Merlin sighed, giving in slightly as his eyes watered with unshed tears. He forced them back unwilling to let them show. But, how could Arthur not notice? "Sit." He commanded, gesturing next to where he sat on a fallen log. Merlin was hesitant, but obeyed.

"Sire?"

"I know this will come across as insensitive, but we need to talk." Merlin's brows furrowed and he frowned. He fidgeted with the cloth in his hand, avoiding eye contact.

"About what, Sire?" His voice was quiet, obvious that he knew what Arthur was referring to, but wanted to avoid it for as long as possible, and Arthur couldn't blame him. And Arthur knew he needed to stay calm. It would do no good to get angry.

"Will wasn't the one who casted that spell." Arthur mussed, voice calm and refusing to make eye contact, instead staying locked on the pile of logs. He physically felt Merlin tense next to him. The male clenched the cloth until his knuckles were white.

"I-Sire? I don't- I'm not sure..." Merlin tumbled over his words. Arthur sighed, reining in his frustration.

"There's no point in lying to me Merlin, I watched it happen. I'm also not an idiot. They wouldn't have needed the help of Camelot if he had magic." Merlin is silent, but he glances at Arthur. And he seems to relax when he doesn't see anger or fear, but a relaxed composition.

Arthur doesn't press any further. Instead, he watches as the light the pyre. The fire starting small, before quickly overtaking the wooden structure. The smell of burning wood is almost enough to mask what else is burning.

Merlin never looks at the fire, he can't. His best friend just died for a lie he couldn't even keep for another hour.

They never look at each other as it burns. Arthur muttering a few words of praise for those that died, but it's under his breath. Merlin stares at the dirt, digging small holes with his foot, trying to think of a way out. He's not successful yet.

"I'll stay." Merlin calls, as the burning slowly comes to an end, finally glancing up. Arthur is taken aback.

"Excuse me?"

"I'll stay here in Ealdor." Merlin states, getting to his feet. Arthur is actually a little offended.

"Like hell you will." And perhaps Arthur could have been a bit more subtle, because this sets Merlin off.

"And what's waiting for me back in Camelot?!" He shouts, grabbing the attention of the others, but when he notices, he quiets down so only Arthur can hear. "Huh? My own fire? An axe? A lifetime spent in a cage?" Anger still vibrant in his words. His eyes finally meeting Arthur's, filled with a type of fear he never wants to see in Merlin again.

Arthur sighs, shaking his head. "Merlin. Isn't Camelot your home?"

Merlin shivers, shaking in anger. "Ealdor is my home!" He points to the ground. "Here, not there!"

"And what about Gwen or Morgana?" Merlin's eyes widened slightly, and it's clear they had slipped his mind in his rage. "What about Guias?" Merlin has stopped shaking, eyes welling up again. "What about me?"

"What about you?" The venom isn't quite there anymore.

"Merlin, you're such a dunderhead. You're my best friend."

"What?"

Arthur laughs, standing up himself. Placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder, he grins. Merlin looks so confused it's honestly hilarious.

"My only "friends" are the knights, while are only nice to me because if they aren't Father will banish them. You, however, are so incompetent at your job, you don't care. You talk to me like we're equals. And you're the only one." Arthur explain through his laughter.

Merlin is silent, watching Arthur.

"Besides, I've known for awhile now. You're pretty obvious. My father just can't fathom magic being used for anything other than evil, that he's blind to you."

Merlin's jaw drops. He's at a loss for words. And Arthur is slowly falling in love with the way Merlin's brows furrow and the way his eyes dialate in shock. It's such subtle movements, but it screams such emotion.

Arthur gives a final pat on his shoulder, then walks off toward Hunith, asking if there is anything else to help with. Leaving Merlin behind in utter bewilderment.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

That night was spent once more in Hunith's small home. Gwen and Morgana sleeping in the bed, while Merlin and Arthur sleep on their roll beds on the floor. While Hunith slept on a makeshift bed of furs and blankets next to her bed.

Arthur stayed awake, rethinking of all that happened. While Merlin wouldn't shut up. Although admittedly he was being quiet, talking under his breath to himself, occasionally asking open ended questions to nobody in particular. And Arthur was the only one who could actually hear him. And occasionally he'd answer the questions. Merlin not noticing and just continuing to rant.

Arthur found it amusing.

"What am I gonna do when we get back?"

"Get me a decent meal." Arthur joked.

"Guias is going to be so disappointed. 'I told you to be careful, and what did you do instead?' Not that."

"He'll understand." Arthur mussed in response.

Merlin continued, unaware he was even responding to Arthur. "But if he doesn't he'll have my throat. I'll be doing chores until he dies, and then I'll still have a huge list of things to do."

"Don't forget, you've still got work from me."

"And Arthur will try and drown me in work, that not even magic will save me." At that point Merlin realized and became eerily silent. Arthur frowned, turning toward him, only to be met with Merlin's back.

"Merlin," Arthur sighs, taking a moment to find the right words, "I'm not- I'm not upset." It's not exactly convincing, and Merlin agrees, giving a scoff.

"Surely, Sire." The air is thick as Merlin responds, sarcastically, words lingering dangerously. A beat passes, then Merlin shuffles to meet Arthur's stare. "Then what are you?"

Arthur has to bite his tongue to keep from snapping back, knowing it would do no good to anyone. And Arthur watches him, actually struggling to find the right phrase. Because his honesty would destroy everything they've built.

Because honestly, Arthur had been silently in awe when he saw the large twister. Bewildered and scared. As Merlin's actual power began to sink in. How easily this physically small and frail person could completely destroy whatever he wanted. And how much Arthur found that idea appealing.

The raw power found Arthur starstruck and wanting to explore it. At first he was angry at himself, for being so tempted into the idea of magic. All magic is evil. He heard his father's voice. And yet, it's Merlin. The least evil being Arthur has ever met.

And then that anger quickly melted away into curiosity, and alongside it an alarming want to explore. Explore what set this creature off. Explore what he could do, how far he could go before he collapsed.

And Arthur was never good at ignoring his curious nature.

"Arthur?" Merlin's voice cuts away at his thoughts. Catching Merlin's eyes, he can't help but notice that even now, there was concern.

"I'm not upset, let's leave it at that." Arthur answers finally, turning to stare at the house's ceiling. Closing his eyes, he hears Merlin mumble.

"For now." And Arthur smiles, before letting himself fall asleep.

[lydiaandarry]

{The Murder of Alternative Character Design}

Hello there!

    My name is Arabella, but you can call me Arry if easier. You may be looking at the title and feeling a bit confused by it. “The Murder of Alternative Character Design” may be quite a confusing title and leave others wondering what the hell it even means. But that is why I am here to spread awareness about this horrible phenomenon that is going on in recent pop culture. Especially with superheroes. ‘Alternative Character Design’ to me is when a character (usually a superhero) looks different from the traditional standard of the type of character they represent. I can name quite a couple of alternatively dressed superheroes who get made into more traditional wear or boring wear in their live-action debut. So let’s invade the topic!

(The poor costume design recently...)

    I don’t know if you have noticed but the quality of costume design and the importance of comic accuracy has lowered in demand. It seems now like live-action adaptations of a comic book character just throw whatever they can to seem “different” or “out there”. Yet it murders the costume design to begin with. Recently in “Birds of Prey”, one of my favorite DC female characters ‘Black Canary’ has had her main outfit leaked on set. And there are no fishnets to be seen or a bodysuit or anything that represents the character in the comics. I personally love Black Canary for that reason with how different she looks and how she isn’t afraid to wear leather, fishnets and reveal skin, things that could be seen as hooker-ish. She rocks and makes it look stylish and badass. Yet in Birds of Prey, it seems like they went for a more ‘preppy’ approach where nothing about her screams ‘Black Canary’ but perhaps the colors. Even then, black and yellow in DC and especially to non-comic book readers just screams Batman. Netflix recently released a show called “The Umbrella Academy” and I don’t really know much about the comics except that it was created by My Chemical Romance babe Gerard Way who I grew up listening to his music. Even after they broke up. It saddened me to see the complete difference from the comics to the actual live-action adaptation. The art is nearly killed with the inaccuracy as Allison Hargreeves doesn’t have her awesome purple-blue hair. Klaus didn't have his awesome skull shirt, ouija pendant necklace and signature bright orange hair. Diego’s long, blond hair is completely disregarded despite the lack of longer hair on dudes in superhero shows. All of this is disregarded for a more preppy, modern and “up to date” look that kills the character design that made the comics look so different in the first place. And it’s Gerard Way’s creation for crying out loud! He was part of an alternative group! They didn't look nearly as normal as the people in the show look. Even Klaus looks normal compared to how these people used to look. It’s changed for diversity and relatability to other characters but where’s my representation? Where’s my second personality’s representation? And this isn’t just on DC’s end. Marvel does this as well with my favorite X-Men character, Kurt Wagner, a.k.a Nightcrawler. Who seriously wore a Thriller jacket in X-Men Apocalypse. It was the worse outfit I have ever seen on Nightcrawler. Nightcrawler in the comics is basically Gothic. He wears dark clothes, looks kind of scary to the point where people fear him on a daily basis, and has hints of red here and there. The usage of color in Kurt’s design is usually creative and done justice. Now I could understand if they were going for a more X-Men Evolution Kurt but even then, the outfit was better and Kurt is rarely seen as blue in that outfit because when he is blue, it is shown to hardly work with being blue.The colors don’t go well with his skin. Also, his personality is a lot different to X-Men Apocalypse’s but we are talking about character design not writing. And can someone please show Legion FX how to dress punk people? Don’t say David Haller is punk when you hardly dress him as punk.

(Why is this an issue?)

     So, why is this an issue? You may ask me when reading this post. They’re characters, Arry. They aren’t always going to be comic-book accurate. Why are you so upset over all of this? As an artist, to me, character design and clothing choices is just as important as personality. Appearance is the first thing you see of anyone and it can say a lot. You express yourself through your appearance more than you think. When creating a character, I always make sure that I have the character design down pack. It’s my favorite thing to do. I am not against preppier clothing or modernizing things. I understand that this is something that has to be taken into consideration when taking a character and placing them in live-action. There are some things that are too difficult to carry over. But why make a live-action adaptation of something if you are not going to use the version that everyone who reads the comics is familiar with? What’s wrong with having abnormally colored hair? I get that diversity is a hot topic right now and it’s amazing that everyone is getting representation in one way or another. But diversity goes deeper than just skin tone. I have never seen a true alternative like character outside of cartoons that was done right. And I have tons of favorite goth girls in cartoons (Gwen & Crimson from Total Drama, Sam Manson from Danny Phantom, Mandy from The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Triana Orpheus from Venture Bros, Jinx & Raven from Teen Titans, The Hex Girls from Scooby Doo, Rogue from X-Men Evolution, Joan of Arc from Clone High, Marceline from Adventure Time, Marie from Ed, Edd, and Eddy.) the list goes on. These aren’t characters you see in live-action though. These aren’t female characters that are even considered in live-action or even superheroes for that matter. And comic books are incredible for the reason that you don’t have to conform to normality. You can make any character you want. That’s why we have such unique characters in comic books and even in cartoons. Justice Friends has a colorful witch named Miss Spell and Valhallen is a metalhead. This is one of the many reasons why Neil Gaiman has been picky and harsh over making his Sandman comics into live-action because Sandman features so many subgenres of styles. Goth and punk, mostly. These characters aren’t represented in live-action adaptations. They are forgotten about or normalized. Kurt Wagner is a background character and they still couldn’t dress him how he is in the comics. The Umbrella Academy normalized its characters a lot in clothing choices. And it’s sad. There are people who dress like this and should be able to see themselves in at least one superhero. Kurt Wagner teaches us that not all goths are gloomy and depressed or dangerous. He’s a goth with a pure soul and good heart. Sandman comics make Death and Dream and Delirium seem normal, like they don’t have to change to be liked or good-hearted. They are who they are. The Umbrella Academy basically showed that you could wear abnormal costumes, have colored hair, have longer hair for a dude and still be an awesome superhero. X-Men has tons of abnormally colored hair characters that rarely make it onto the big screen, they are usually brought to small screen like Blink and Polaris in The Gifted. And in Legion FX, the most evil and villainous character is a punk. David Haller is not a good person on Legion nor can he be considered an anti-hero anymore. He is a despicable being with a god complex. Punks already get the bad rep of being dangerous, angry, and mean-spirited. Do we really need a character in mainstream media to be punk while also had killed multiple people and raped his girlfriend? That’s not progressive, that’s moving backwards. Superboy doesn’t even have his leather jacket, leather gloves and black circle sunglasses anymore with his undercut. He’s just narrowed down to a tee shirt and jeans most of the time.

(How can we change this issue?)

     I am not exactly sure. I know it seems kind of lame to like… bring up an issue and then not offer a solution. I feel like the best way to fix this problem is to hopefully notify costume designers that the world is in need of different styles. Their designs are not “out there” or “different”, as the comic book characters designs were already out there and they completely changed them. I am a huge judge when it comes to costume and character designs in live-action adaptations and I may make a post on why that is. I feel like we need to open our eyes to newer looks. To give some representation to those who dress differently from others. The issues that I brought up are already done and over with. Bad representation for punks as evil and villainous. The Umbrella Academy normalized every character, even Klaus. And hopefully Marvel can give us the Nightcrawler that we deserve as Fox no longer has the rights. All we can do is hope that this comic inaccuracy is a pasting phase and that creators will soon give the outcasts a voice and a chance for better representation. To stop being the villains or bad guys.

     This was a short rant that I felt had to be done and I had to explain some issues. I hope you enjoyed my post and agree with some points that I made. If you have any questions on the matter, feel free to message me. If you like this post and want to see more like this, feel free to follow our Tumblr! And if you liked the post, feel free to reblog and like. I post every Wednesday and Saturday! I will see you on Wednesday. Peace out!

[meowloudly15]

Stranded: Day 7 - REPTILIAN BUG

Hello! I would like to apologise for the lack of recent updates. I have bad news and good news. The good news is, at over 50,000 words and six months of (non-continuous) work, the draft of the entire story is finally complete! All I have left to do is edit the last several chapters, send them to my beta (who has been an absolute pleasure to work with!), and post them! The bad news is, I don't know if I'll be able to stick to a consistent schedule for posting. So, in the interest of finally putting the rest of this story out there, I'm gonna post each chapter as it's finalised. It may not be consistent, but I don't feel like waiting until the next Thursday rolls around to get chapters out there. I mean, as of this one, I still have 13 more chapters left to publish. That's a lot.

So, please, stay posted for more! Thanks again to everybody who has been reading, especially so to those kind few who have commented! And no thanks to the fine folk on Tumblr, because I've learned that it's a terrible platform on which to post fanfiction! (Sorry, guys, but it's true!)

Anyway, long rant aside, enjoy!

First | Previous | Next

Gwen blinked as a ray of sunlight fell onto her face.

It was the weekend. Thank goodness. She could sleep in. Plus, she didn't have any homework assignments hanging over her head.

She fell back asleep.

Gwen woke up some time later to a buzzing in her skull. Her spider-sense wanted to tell her something.

REPTILIAN BUG

Words floated into Gwen's room, borne by the breeze. She dragged herself out of bed and approached the half-open window to hear better.

"...heard the news, right?"

"Yeah, man, I can't believe it. I can't effing believe it."

"You sure the media's not pulling our legs?"

"I'm sure... his body was found right outside the Daily Bugle."

"Wow. Just... wow. My God. Spiderman's dead."

Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no.

Gwen stumbled away from the window, overcome by dizziness.

ATOMIC DISJUNCTION

She fell over, striking the carpet, spasming insistently, head throbbing. When the disjunction passed, she attempted to stand and was struck by a powerful wave of nausea. She somehow managed to refrain from vomiting.

Gwen rubbed her head, which still ached.

She had made the wrong choice. She had let Peter die again. She had failed again. She had broken her promise.

Should she have expected more from herself?

Gwen curled up into a ball and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the world.

...

Gwen limped into school the Monday after Peter… after the incident. She felt hollow inside, like her heart had been torn from her chest.

A leaden knell sounded in the space left behind, the solemn ringing of a funeral bell.

Gone.

Gone.

Peter was dead.

And it was all her fault.

The bell wouldn't shut up. It tolled all through her classes, through lunch, through her free period. She could barely focus because of its presence. She wanted to rip out her brain and hurl it through the window. Why couldn't she stop thinking about it? Why couldn't everything just go back to normal?

A real bell sounded through the halls, drowning out the one in her head. School was out. Finally. Gwen had thought the day would never end.

She trudged to her locker and took out her jacket. A couple of girls stood a few feet off, chatting amongst themselves. When they mentioned Peter's name, Gwen couldn't help but tune in on them.

"... was always a weird kid."

"Yeah, he was quiet. And reclusive. And, like, a super-genius. It's the perfect storm, you know? Something just had to be off with that guy."

"I heard it was that weird hero who did him in?"

"Oh, yeah, that's what the cops said, at least. Something about how she started it?"

One of the girls, who was named Olivia, noticed her. "Oh, hey, Gwen?"

Gwen turned. "What's up?"

"You know how you were, like, good friends with Peter?"

Gwen tensed up, fidgeting with the straps of her backpack. "Yeah… so?"

"Do, uh, do you kn-"

The other girl, Amanda, interrupted her. "Don't talk to her about that! She's probably still upset about him."

Olivia's face fell. "Oh. Sorry."

Gwen held up her hands, saying, "No no, it's fine! I'm fine."

She didn't feel fine, but she needed to learn to bottle up her emotions. Now was as good a time as any to start.

Olivia continued, "Uh, do you have any idea why Peter, uh… why he did the thing?"

"No, I don't," Gwen answered truthfully. Well, mostly truthfully.

"All right. Just wondering. Oh, and do you think that weird superhero guy killed him?"

Gwen blinked, then said in a deadly serious voice, "Yes. I do."

She knew it was true.

Olivia smiled. "All right, thanks. And I- um, I'm sorry about your loss."

Gwen shrugged and started to walk towards the exit. She wanted nothing more than to go home.

"Oh, hold up," said Olivia. Amanda sighed.

Gwen turned around, one eyebrow raised.

"If you wanna talk with somebody about this stuff, if you're ever feeling super sad and stuff, I dunno, not necessarily about… this, but in general... " Olivia hesitated, unsure of where her train of thought was headed. "Uh… I dunno, but talk to somebody, you hear?"

Amanda nodded. "She's right."

Gwen nodded curtly, then walked away.

She didn't want to talk to anybody. The last thing she needed right now was for somebody to take pity on her.

She got on the bus, sat in an empty seat, and lost herself in thought.

What could she do about herself?

Why did she call herself a superheroine? She was nothing of the sort. Superheroes were kind, altruistic, helpful, good people who saved lives. She was selfish, callous, useless, a wannabe punk with a kill count. Above all, she was just a little kid, like Peter had said.

Who was she kidding? Gwen wasn't a hero. She was a villain.

But… but what if there was something that she could do about that?

Could she be better?

Gwen shook her head slowly. Who was she kidding? She may have had super strength, yet she had never felt weaker in her life.

Peter had wanted to make himself into a hero. She should do the same.

But look at what he had done in the process.

There was a difference between Peter and Gwen. Peter was doing it for himself. Gwen could do it for Peter.

What better way was there to honour his memory than to be what he couldn't be, to better herself for his sake?

Gwen steeled her resolve. She would be better. She would become a hero, a real hero, not some shoddy imitation.

How could she do that? How could she keep people from dying, like Peter had?

Why had he died, anyway? What had led him to drink the serum?

It was because she had ignored him, wasn't it. She hadn't cared about him.

Then she had to care.

She wouldn't sit back as people spiraled out of reach, whether they were in mortal danger or in danger from their own minds. She would never take a seat and idly watch somebody else's suffering. Never again.

Gwen wouldn't repeat her past mistakes.

...

But she had. She had broken her promise and had not reached out in someone else's time of need, and it had cost her another great man. This Peter had been a second chance. She'd messed up that one, too.

Just because she was in a different dimension didn't mean that Gwen was exempt from being a hero. She owed that much to Peter, to Spider-Pete, to both of them.

She still felt sick, but crime didn't care. The superhero's life was a merciless one.

It was time to go on patrol.

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[hellosaltysaladcollectionstuff]

Did you catch these pre-MCU Marvel references in Tobey Maguire's first Spider-Man movie?

Ah, Spider-Man. While the MCU era may have bolstered the popularity of dozens upon dozens of Marvel heroes over the years, Peter Parker sits pretty as the most famous of them all--and for good reason. His story has been adapted over and over, his look is iconic, his powers are so deeply ingrained in pop culture they need no preamble or explanation--he's the poster boy for superhero comics, and likely always will be.

Of course, Peter Parker's popularity pre-dates the live action movie boom--but we can't discount just how much of an impact his movies have had over the years. 2002's Spider-Man may not have debuted Peter on the big screen (that was 1977's made-for-TV movie Spider-Man) but its record-breaking box office success solidified it forever in the pop culture pantheon. Tobey Maguire became a generation's ideal Peter Parker, despite being well into his 20s as he played the web-slinging teen.

Now, 18 years after its premiere and with a brand new Spider-Man game heading for the PS5 this holiday season, we were left wondering whether or not Tobey's Spider-Man debut actually holds up--and just how many Easter Eggs and references to Marvel we'd be able to spot now that the MCU has brought the Marvel Comics universe so heavily into the spotlight. The answer is pretty surprising--it turns out pre-MCU Marvel movies were a lot less interested in cramming comics references into every frame than we're used to now--but our quest to unearth the secrets of Spider-Man turned up plenty of weird, wonderful trivia nonetheless.

Does it actually hold up? That's for you to decide. Check out these 24 Spider-Man Easter eggs and let us know your favorites in the comments below.

1. Directed by Sam Raimi

According to the book Comic Book Movies by David Hughes, Sam Raimi was one name among many on MGM's short list of potential directors. With him were names you'll no doubt recognize like Ang Lee, M. Night Shyamalan, Roland Emmerich, and David Fincher. Fincher, reportedly, nearly did make the movie--but he wanted to focus on Gwen Stacey's death rather than an origin story, so the studio went a different direction.

2. The Opening Narration

By now, Peter Parker breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience with omniscient narration at the start of his movies is basically a tradition--look no further than Into The Spider-Verse for the trope carried out to maximum effect--but it all started here, with Tobey Maguire.

3. Midtown High

There are shockingly few Marvel deep cuts in this movie--at least by modern day MCU standards. Most background signs and place names are made up exclusively for this film. One of the major exceptions, however, is Peter's high school. Midtown High comes directly from comic book Peter's teenage years.

4. The Spider-Camo

This movie pre-dates the introduction of Miles Morales by 9 years but one of his most iconic and unique spider-abilities--the power to camouflage himself with his surroundings--is actually discussed at length here in the movie, despite Peter not winding up with that particular mutation this time around.

5. Oscorp

Oscorp is shown as a giant, smoke-spewing factory here in the movie, which is unique--in every other Spider-Man film, and typically in the comics, Oscorp is headquartered in a sleek skyscraper similar to Avengers Tower.

6. Green Goblin

Norman Osborn was almost not in the film. The original draft of the script made use of Electro and Sandman as the main villains. Sandman was eventually incorporated into Spider-Man 3 but Electro would have to wait until the second Andrew Garfield movie to make his big screen debut.

7. The Lunch Tray

The scene where Peter catches MJ and her lunch in the cafeteria is, shockingly, not CGI. John Dykstra, the head of the VFX team for the film, confirmed that it was done practically with only some adhesive to secure the tray to Tobey's hand. It took 156 takes.

8. Organic Web Shooters

The (pretty disgusting) concept for Peter's organic web shooters was actually James Cameron's idea, apparently. Thanks, Jim.

9. Flash Thompson

Flash Thompson is played by a virtually unrecognizable Joe Manganiello--a name you'll recognize from things like True Blood and Magic Mike. It's really no wonder why no one remembers him being in this movie.

10. Web slinging

Peter tries out a handful of familiar superhero catch phrases when trying to make his web shooting work on purpose for the first time--the gag being that the character catchphrases he uses are all from DC Comics, including Superman ("up, up, and away web!") and Captain Marvel ("Shazam!").

11. The Stingray

One of Peter's costume sketches is actually a reference to an obscure Marvel hero called The Stingray. Don't worry if you've never heard of him--there isn't much to know. He was introduced back in 1967. Sometimes he works with Namor. He wears an exo-suit that allows him to work underwater. That's pretty much it.

12. Bonesaw McGraw

Randy Savage's iconic character wrestler Bonesaw McGraw was invented for the movie. In the Spider-Man comics, Peter faces off against a wrestler named Crusher Hogan.

13. Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell has a cameo in every one of Raimi's Spider-Man movies. Here he can be seen as the ring announcer for Peter's match.

14. Octavia Spencer

A pre-breakout Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water, Hidden Figures) plays the woman who registers Peter for the wrestling competition.

15. Quest Aerospace

Oscorp's competition, Quest Aerospace, was invented for the fim and, strangely enough, never made the jump to Marvel Comics even after the movie broke box office records.

16. Lucy Lawless

Another big-name cult cameo--Xena herself, Lucy Lawless, shows up during the talking head interview segments as "punk girl," who thinks Spider-Man has 8 hands.

17. Eddie the Photographer

J. Jonah Jameson and the Bugle are introduced almost exactly halfway through the film where, mid-rant about what a menace to society Spider-Man is, one of JJJ's subordinates explains that "Eddie's been trying to get a picture of him for weeks." This is a reference to Eddie Brock, who wouldn't be properly introduced until Spider-Man 3.

18. Betsy Brant

Ned Leeds doesn't exist in these early Spider-Man movies but his wife, Betsy Brant, does, in her comic book accurate role as a Daily Bugle reporter played by a pre-breakout Elizabeth Banks.

19. SFX Goof

In the shot of Peter swinging away from Times Square with Mary Jane in his arms, he is shown swinging from left to right while Mary Jane's hair blows back from her face as if they're swinging from right to left. She's also very clearly holding on to a Spider-Man mannequin, but we'll forgive 2002 for that one.

20. Nearly Goblins

According to Amazon's X-Ray commentary feature, before Willem Dafoe was offered the role of Green Goblin, Bill Paxton, Mel Gibson, Nick Cage, Charlie Sheen, John Travolta, and John Malkovich were considered for the role.

21. The Spider-Kiss

Now considered one of Spider-Man's most iconic moments, the upside down kiss in the rain actually originated here in this movie. Apparently it was a nightmare to film and Tobey's nose kept getting flooded with water. Gross.

22. Fin Fang Foom?

One of the more eccentric masks in the Osborn household looks like a very oddly rendered model of Fin Fang Foom's head, one of Marvel's weirder villains: A giant, green dragon.

23. The Bridge Scene

The scene in which Spider-Man is forced to choose between saving MJ and saving a cable car full of children was adapted from one of Peter's most famous fights with Green Goblin in the comics. In the comics version, however, the scene on the bridge is done with Gwen Stacey and ultimately results in her death.

24. Norman's "death"

Norman being impaled by the spikes on his own glider is taken directly from Norman's first death in the comics in The Amazing Spider-Man 122. To be clear, Norman definitely did die for real here in the movie universe--but he was resurrected (several times over) in the comics. You know how these things tend to happen.

from GameSpot - All Content https://ift.tt/37WhZAa