#this is a joke both are fucking amazing and I’d willingly die defending both

[ardbar]

Seawatt x Evbo is good it has all you could want in a ship ie toxic Yaoi but it can’t compare to EMF x Evbo it’s literally god x his favorite little guy and that is peak fiction im sorry I don’t make the rules I just say it like it is

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 3X18 - Bleeding Through

If you don’t like Cora, then I’d recommend you EVA-cuate before this review begins!

...Fuck what you say! I’m proud of that one!

Anyway, the review is under the cut!

Press Release

After Zelena steals Regina’s heart, Regina casts a spell so that she can speak across the realms to her dead mother, Cora, to discover the truth about why she abandoned Zelena, and Belle stumbles across what Zelena’s ultimate end game is. Meanwhile, in the Fairy Tale Land that was, young Cora is duped by a man claiming to be a prince and finds herself alone and pregnant. But a chance meeting with a real prince could lead Cora to the royal life she’s always craved, but she must keep her pregnancy a secret or risk losing everything.

Main Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness

Past

The Cora insight in this episode is so great. Like we really see how a woman with ambitions of royalty, but still a level head becomes someone so driven like the Cora who abused Regina so she’d become royalty. ”Revenge is a long-term plan.” I like how even in an episode that is more-or-less leaning towards sympathizing with Cora, there are nuggets of her darker side wedged in there. It really helps balance the story and remind the audience that yeah, this is Cora. There was always that darkness to her, even while she still had her heart.

Everything in this flashback also completely recontextualizes what happened with her and Regina and Daniel’s relationship. Like, of course a love with a commoner would leave Cora just a bit apprehensive. That’s not to excuse her for SHIT, but I do this it’s important to point out nonetheless.

Present

It’s weird that we don’t really reach the meat of this story until the halfway mark. Everything beforehand is more setup than anything and it’s unlike most every other episode in that regard. The closest comparison that I can think of is “Coming Home” which spent its last fifteen minutes as an epilogue.

I compared the Regina/Zelena/Cora conflict to the Snow/Regina/Cora conflict in the past, and I guess now’s as good of a time as any to unpack that. Just like how Snow did something that hurt Regina without meaning to at all, so did Regina to Zelena. Both Snow and Regina in their respective situations were innocents and so were Regina and Zelena victims of Cora. So, is there a point to pointing this out rather than to just say that it exists? Well, I think the latter instance shows the only good way that a complicated issue like this can be resolved: communication and understanding. Snow and Regina grasp this about each other and finally, this is where the bulk of their issues are put to bed. While Snow’s divulgence of her secret comes out, it’s going forward played for laughs in the instance of a corrupted state or as a “what if.”

But ANYWAY, that aside, the Snow/Regina dynamics sits at the heart of the present segment’s story. It’s hinted at early on and blossoms from the end of the failed seance onward. Snow’s apologies to Regina throughout the episode allows for these two women to finally confront the complicated nature of their run-ins with Cora. Cora was a bad person who in the end, got what she deserved, but the mess she left behind wasn’t deserved by those with whom she left it.

All Encompassing

THAT ALL HAVING BEEN SAID, ”She didn’t want to give up Zelena. She was forced to by my mother.” Everything Snow recounts about her possession is utter BULLSHIT and makes me think she has no comprehension skills! To put it bluntly, that aspect of the ending fucking sucks! This would be one thing if this were a few episodes ago, but she’s contradicting things that have and will be in mere minutes literally clarified. Cora DID willingly give up Zelena and all Eva had to do with it was making sure Leopold wasn’t swept up by it. THAT is why “My best chance” is the swerve of a line that it is, because it’s a mother giving up her child to die in the woods with absolutely no remorse! Because of all that, the moment where Snow “exposits” about the present ends up as the weirdest story hole that paints everyone involved in such an unnecessarily weird light. This is either the result of the writers not communicating with each other about the framing or the framing being flat-out wrong. Like, they’re trying to make this a more complicated issue, but are going in the reverse order of things! How did they fuck this moment up so badly?! If they wanted to do that, Eva should’ve been shown in the episode to be a lot more malicious than she was instead of exposing a liar. The actions should’ve been worse, but I’m more on Eva’s side than Cora’s. OR FUCK! LEOPOLD has a giant ass hatedom and he was the one who proposed to someone he was roughly four times older than! Make HIM the baddie! Have him outright reject her for the pregnancy and kick her out, no lie attached. That way, you get to keep the message the same, but give that assholery to someone who deserves it. Just...this element that makes up the moral center of the story is utter GARBAGE here, and it’s so sad given how well set up everything else was. Eva’s move was only douchey if you remove the fact that Cora was keeping such a big secret!

Insights - Stream of Consciousness

-”Red apples are so sickly sweet. Don’t you agree?”That must be an Enchanted Forest thing, because not in our realm, or at least not compared to Granny Smiths!

-Okay, Zelena’s plan to get Regina’s heart was sinister and ingenious as fuck!

-The way Roland just drops the firewood in his hands upon seeing Rumple is so fucking adorable! #bestcharacter

-Aww! Regina’s first thought when she loses her heart is to ask if anyone was hurt!! <3

-I love the background music in the flashback’s first scene. It’s so bouncy and peppy and just makes me smile!

-Jonathan’s such a sneaky asshole-ish fuck. He has his seduction of Cora down to a freakin’ science!

-”I’ll turn this ring into gold.” Bitch, she’ll do it herself!

-”Can you please tell your mother that we’re not naming your brother Leopold?” Yes! Please don’t!

-”Eva might not work for a boy.” Edwin?

-The Dark Vortex is hands down the silliest thing this show has ever done and I kind of love it.

-”Oh don’t be jealous.” ...This line was said from Zelena to one of her monkeys. Do her monkeys have crushes on her?

-I like the explanation for why they don’t use the seance more. I am curious though, do you think people who have moved on can be communicated with? Like, if Neal were killed with an actual weapon and Zelena were present for it, would he have been able to be summoned?

-FUCK YOU, JONATHAN!

-”Good luck finding me.” Why? You’re a gardener. You’re pretty easy to find. ...Okay, so you’re just gonna run away from your job? ...You are such a loser.

-Hey! Pre-scummy Leopold! Decent to see you!

-Jeez. Hearing Emma talk about how powerful her magic is hurts! Damnit!

-”I’m not in the mood for a heart-to-heart.” “I’m not sure that’s physically possible right now.” XD That’s an underrated joke and Regina’s chuckle was well earned!

-”You can help with the teacups.” Why is it that teacups are this show’s equivalent of being soft and cute?!

-I love how you can see how freakin’ amazed young Leopold is when Cora takes his knife to make the fire.

-The way Emma says “Boom!” is sooooo cute! She’s so excited and I want that as my fucking text tone! <3

-...I love how Belle for once gets to interrupt someone at Granny’s. This is ending up as the best Belle episode ever and she’s not even the main!

-”You should have a woman dress you more often.” I can’t say that I disagree.

-”Why a heart? Why courage? Why a brain?” Do you think Zelena knows that there’s not only a book series, but a classic movie based around these things?!

-”My son is not lost. He’s dead.” Don’t remind me!

-Haunted house! Why are there so many Halloween episodes that have fuck all to do with Halloween?!

-I love how the possession blends into the next flashback scene! That was COOL storytelling!

-...I know Rumple’s playing her, but damnit, the dude’s dashing as fuck. If I were Zelena, I’d have fallen for him too.

-Damn! Zelena’s touch starved! Have a listen to those gasps!

-”And he said I have a tough placenta, which somehow came out creepy.” Yup, that’s Whale for you.

Arcs - How Are These Storylines Progressing?

The Wicked Witch - So we now have Zelena’s plan and I while I stand by what I said in my “It’s Not Easy Being Green” review in saying that it’s kind of pointless going back in time when Cora only wants a child that will grow up to be royalty, the process of how she time travels is nonetheless a good one and Zelena’s the kind of character who is both cocky and talented enough to make it happen.

Regina’s Redemption - We get so much of Regina’s Redemption in this episode and once again, it’s all just spectacular! “If she wants to kill you, she’s gonna have to go through me.” Like, Regina’s not only defending someone who she used to HATE, BUT is freely standing up to her mother. That’s so impressive!

Killian’s Redemption - I think it’s a big show of how much Killian has grown as a character that while not romantically pursuing Emma, he’s still doing everything he can to help the cause while he comes up with another plan. He’s definitely in a complicated spot here and not telling Emma is definitely a mistake, but for his current situation, he’s doing what he can to ensure everyone’s safety.

Rumple’s Redemption - Rumple made a really impressive stride here. Just as much as Rumple mourns for Bae’s loss, he wants to honor the sacrifice he made and thus refuses to resurrect him at the cost of invalidating that sacrifice. Look, Rumple has a tendency to put his needs above others, but with Bae, he will never do that again.

Favorite Dynamic

Belle and Regina. Let’s talk about that apology scene and how good it is. I like how at the start of it, Regina does what she did with the Lost Boys and points how how them working together could benefit them both, but upon seeing that that won’t work (Or that it will, but Belle deserves better), she gives a real apology. And I like how Belle, while working with her, doesn’t necessarily accept it. It’s also a good moment in that it gives Belle a voice as she gets to react to things and get angry, and as Belle isn’t often granted that by the writing staff, I think it’s something that makes those moments stick out more.

Writer

Jane Espenson and Daniel Thomsen finish out their work for the season here, and they were doing such a good job...but then they fucked it up! Like, the mistake was easy to fix. Either make Eva do something FAR more villainous than convince Leo to test Cora or axe the “my mom was evil too” angle. But by not going all in on one or the other, you lose the center of your story, and that’s exactly what happened here.

Rating

8/10. Not gonna lie. That 8 comes solely from the ending resolution on Eva and Cora. That lack of understanding of what your own narrative was saying is so shocking and appalling to me that I had to take off more than just one point for it. The rest of the story -- both of them -- are so good. How did they not stick the landing? I feel like they were trying so hard to make Cora more complicated that they neglected Eva in the process.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Captain Swan - This is such a weird moment to love as a CS fan, but I still do. Emma’s finally opening up herself more to Killian and Killian can’t do the same, but Emma’s still trying and she’s trying fairly hard! Also, I want to know how that conversation would’ve gone had Belle not stepped in! Would Emma have gotten the truth out of Killian? Would there have been cuddles? It’s anyone’s guess!

Golden Heart - Just gonna point out that when Cora finally showed up, it was in by a spinning wheel of all things!

Outlaw Queen - I like the present buildup to Robin and Regina getting together. Regina’s softness and understanding of them being soulmates on top of their chemistry really helped the expedition of their romance work. Robin’s subdued presence alongside Regina and Snow’s conversation about her resilient heart really helped their kiss come together.

-----

Hey guys!! Thank you all for reading and to those fine and fabulous folks at @watchingfairytales for birthing this project! Also tagging the marvelous @daensarah by request! Love you all and I’ll see you all next time!

Season 3 Total (169/220)

Writer’s Scores: Adam and Eddy (39/60) Kalinda Vazquez (26/40) Andrew Chambliss (34/50) Jane Espenson (28/30)* David Goodman (29/40) Robert Hull (30/40) Christine Boylan (20/20)* Daniel Thomsen (28/30)*

* Indicates that their work for the season is complete

Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

[lukatheselkie]

Paragraphs from my original work

I’m really excited about this work, but very few people have noticed it. I thought, maybe if I post a paragraph from each chapter I’ve written so far and tag the blog I made for it, people might interact. Here’s the blog @everythingbeautifulhasthorns

I’m randomly grabbing a paragraph from each chapter. Each one I pick will help the reader understand the character more, without giving away important plot. This is an LGBTQ+ book, and it’s 16+

Chapter One - Lysandros’ P.O.V.

    There’s a soft knock at the door, and for a moment I think my best friend has stopped socializing with his cool friends to check on me, but it’s a stranger’s voice I hear through the wood. I think it’s wood? It looks like it, but then again it could be that lightweight linoleum designed to look like wood, but be much lighter and cheaper to replace if ruined. Which might be a good idea with me around, because I’m suddenly feeling queasy. I focus on the words as they float through the door made of to-be-determined material. “Uh… You’ve been in there a long time… Did you drink too much? Did it make you sick?” They don’t really sound all that concerned, and their words slur together like they have had plenty of their own to drink, but I find an urge to respond to them.

Chapter Two - Albion’s P.O.V.

“Do you have to splatter the table with mashed potatoes? We’re guests here, you know. We might get invited willingly next time. But that’s only if you don’t make such a big mess!” I roll my eyes, but swipe at the potatoes with my napkin anyway. “That’s better. Wayland doesn’t like messes.” I knit my brows together. How in the world does she know that? It doesn’t seem like common knowledge. And it doesn’t seem like something he would let just anyone know. I’ve seen him make a mess before. Did he do it to fit in? He’s wonderful how he is. He doesn’t have to do anything to fit in. He sets the stage for everyone else most of the time. I guess everyone wants to fit in, to some extent. Even the people everyone looks up to. But Cicilia has her ways with things, so she probably knows that fact about Wayland for a strange reason. I don’t want to know.

Chapter Three - Lysandros’ P.O.V.

My phone vibrates again, and I toss the blanket aside. It’s Albion. I click on the message, and smile a bit when I see he’s sent a picture, as requested. It’s no surprise he’s wearing a shirt, now that I know he has anxiety, but he’s got this stupidly cute expression on his face. His nose is scrunched up, and his tongue is sticking out ever so slightly. The eye under his pushed-aside bangs is closed, and he’s grinning. I didn’t even know it was possible to grin while sticking your tongue out. My eyes travel to the bookshelf, which extends out of frame in all directions. It really is huge. He’s pointing at one, and I bounce excitedly when I see the title. Oliver Twist! I love that story! Charles Dickens is a genius! He was so ahead of his time. He must have an amazing phone camera. There’s at least a hundred books in the picture, if not more, but I could read each spine if I wanted to. I watch another message pop up.

Chapter Four - Albion’s P.O.V.

“I suppose he was attractive. We have pretty similar eye colors, actually. And our hair is somewhat similar in style, especially at one point in his life. Are you secretly flirting with me?” Well. There goes that careful consideration. Why can’t I ever stop my mouth from saying what I’m thinking? “I’m kidding. I don’t actually think you are. Gods, why did I say that? I probably just blew my chance to be your friend, fuck, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t. And I’m super sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I understand if you-” Laughter comes to my ears, causing me to fall silent. (This chapter is NSFW so there’s not much I could grab lol)

Chapter Five - Lysandros’ P.O.V.

"You better not die on me. I'd miss you too much.” He (Wayland) sighs heavily. “Jokes aside, I think you should go to therapy. I've thought you might have an anxiety disorder for awhile. If you do, and that was a panic attack, then you deserve help. You shouldn't have to go through that.” He pauses, looking away. “And I hate not being able to help. You’re my best friend. I’m always going to want to protect you. But there’s some things even I can’t protect you from. If there’s a chance of you being able to do it yourself, or with help, then you should. I’ll stand behind you. I’ll support you as much as you need. After all, I am the place for your Butterfly to Land.” I laugh brokenly, tears springing to my eyes again. Wayland pulls me close, placing my head on his chest. “Maybe it’s a good thing Albion is trying to be your friend. You might be able to ask for suggestions on dealing with anxiety, if you have it.”

Chapter Six - Albion’s P.O.V.

    “I hope they give you the help you need. And if anyone feels the need to be mean to you because of your cane, Cicilia and I are always here to defend you, if you’re too tired to.” She smiles thankfully at me.

    “That is very much appreciated. I don’t mean to pry, but you’re not straight, are you?”

    “Absolutely not. Have you been having trouble with straight men flirting with you?” She tosses her head back and groans.

    “Yes! Why are they so persistent? They don’t even listen when I tell them I’m a lesbian! They just say they can ‘change my mind.’ Gross.” She shudders.

    “It’s their misogyny.” She bites her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing. “And probably their toxic masculinity. Getting a no from a pretty girl hurts their pride too much to go on, don’t you know? It’s an absolute travesty they cannot bear.” She lets out a short bark of laughter.

    “You’re absolutely right!” There’s a lull in the conversation. Cicilia takes the opportunity to change the subject. (I am aware this isn’t a single paragraph, but I love the interaction so much.)

Chapter Seven - Lysandros’ P.O.V.

(His little sister is speaking.) “I made a new friend today! Mommy wouldn’t let me bring him home though.” She sticks her bottom lip out in a pout. “He was the prettiest frog you’d ever see, bubba! He was bright green, and he had a light and dark brown stripe that went from back leg to back leg, crossing over his cute little nose and through his eyes! He hopped right up to me at outside time! He let me pick him up and stayed in my hand all the way until Mommy picked me up. Then he hopped onto the seat!” She giggles gleefully here. “Mommy asked me about him, then said he would be a lot happier in the wild, so we took him to the park. He’s safe there. I hope I can visit him!”

Chapter Eight - Wayland’s P.O.V.

“You can wear that. You’re pressed on time and it looks fine. Now let me brush.” He places both hands on the sides of my head, and positions it so I’m looking forward. He pats my hair reassuringly, then gets busy untangling it. Even though it’s been in a braid, it’s still an absolute mess. I close my eyes and let myself enjoy it. He’s always gentle with me. But then again, he’s gentle with everything. I’m so glad he’s my best friend. I couldn’t have asked for a better one. “You’re going to have to wear it down today. I don’t buy thick hair bands. I don’t need them.” I chuckle, and carefully look at him.