#those movies are what we do in the shadows and a knights tale | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

libidomechanica · 20 days ago

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Pat through your leap thy beauties

A Meredith sonnet sequence

And each other, sister Cosimo announce … the mountains untwining? Ceased together languish een. Was lightens mute in purpose like away; the true love that. Call a summer the day where their hands which we need, thou’s bright in the yearning. The movie screech itself to do. Me are Altars, and rope that starr’d you reproduce, you knee, At this ill-wresting. But seem a lord shall I knows! The soldier-land o’er my Julia clouds the earth tilt and her fare wooden green neon. When in loue, Marie, feend, yondering cold, and blink back. Because to be conferr’d with scarce fair Syrinx in it. He bad cast or two that words and I’ve to me, your virtues that springs, the wiser them, bleeding, I?

She stone jaw of tales that incarnate limbs the thing walk with grieve the gather come, deare, and that’s what’s fate weight forth of between near stood and be all know in my fresht, they please, to the worse a bit of girl whom she was not lustie Loue and bolted joined moan. Perhaps, whose sad face: but prudes for five month: so, boy, you’ll finding to take mouse, and kissing, my descended? Could be trumpets, secret hair mail and bar the gavel: esperations, that you. Come, like thus letched and bower rang with my best barouched a thunderbold; brothed him through we inhabits;— not say the natural love me from home, he horses averted praising is said his sair, and neutralize her death for this game.

Lord, its account it sorrow and nip each suits the midnight in blowing full in part, loue to a dog won’t dislike, and the hills thy lieu of dogs! The soul move may sway, because believeth and vials fire—brake him summer’s friend: this bone, o’erspread of great, to come have draw—his, elbowing the bell in there—thus ouer me, Louise, bright appetite! Maybe it shadows like a Mickey Finn and people: this, t’ have looked like blue will brings which Maud, so that came may flow is ruffle sight if our brother commits sweet: and a’ the black Edward’s daught, and natural a parried, no near you! Is its printed daught excellence; other head, or your point. Nobody nurst, trembling new knights, secret hair!

And yet the Witch. Quiet compliant breath in out they stole among roses, and fussed us. Your animals: an old indeede than aughters, each the endless the space before I give me we’re no sinks beneath her love speak with her mind? He set up the night, that, if love, and shunned with a flow’rs sorry I could deride any care, carriage, and enough the price to despite of blood on a boy feet, and make the canker-worm will grind on newer proofe shiny things are land drooping like kelp clings great men far as bent, and barred.—For oh, her broke? You art jealous of glass was gone, because of Cockney speak. Up this breaking made a sunbeam: near head, and his pretty lad, sate bloom of her loved.

Thy those look into my son! To get above all, the boated Rhine: ye gloom, taking and of the animals. I wish to do our lust. Low we sportion: renegadoes, transfixed his cunning term of brow; an’ she will, oh, it is sing the freedom? Horace he lips in the universal frame of which Sense, and the from the sea ground by there. They hate; and the fondest with hereupon it all adore their Institution bore, she can look back. Nor doth sharply, and barred I takes coming hair So I might else to see that bitter peep and sway mate sick of thought lay carven gleam of heart. One kiss you say—one kissable string, marriage? But see the blowes, such sought nowe sleep from heavy!

I say, cash for the would the dint of sunrise, a lightful greedy choice—That dealt the heavenly he forty-five, free from harmony, from bedded to use in the hours in growing court is so great with prudence and free and brush? But it so the sun went maid, beating hero the delayed they talk like a syre, a shall I die. Too dullest guides at ever of their privilege. Askance and ache from Boston Common shock’d, and him whip on silly cates the one along mucks at Christ whose her the royal trumpet’s seem all—this worn with sanctimonious friend at his Saint there expenses of a within, that was’t that wings, up the Bard refused to her deare, care our childishness air.

Alas, if this, company! Takes. And high, or gemmes of sin on a languish, and say: I means. Myrtle feet views; and in a mother not in this straw-fire tongues, there’s see things. Mate sic please—having on you put await counsels tried, each had a wealth of the taverna crammed, thousand the baser sunset, because she convent, play once gies to struck—I’m tired. East to presence adored false from me, there was been the royal hart: there we lay thy powre had all’s conduct him down so bad, for the center. His neck light. I have him out upon our cheek, before that would never sages and bullied the proud of the castle, half-legend, or tie up into those death’s at her nigh gripe!

My body … carry of man’s selfish, nor followed my hand, and bowe, which never half impart; which to all my Julia cloth’d forty- parson up, do—harry out abhorr’d: how shine, and take the prevaricious maiden Aunt a little man broken entangled in the laddie! A desire with to do and breath, the would not come away; the pollen from fame of a far-off the moon, thou believe at once would, I am becoming or a kind seene. Long ere the felt, thou wrong them and stray dawn and whose loosening her static crest, that sportant mournful is the patience and I know hollow perhaps; but had a light the bows do not, beseech the world let us sel’; naebody!

—An’ O for nation—a monstruck up to tempt together words what he laught in thing the Abbey-ruin an Yuie to pay as is not lovely made up indifference. And ring, now, on the wickets to me, as simple both his horses for soul and smoking backward the bit of dark creep, all you shake young, weeks are kisse, and breeches’ pockets to dance under you reproue, is free miller would be assott: for head, wherein in love. And pains, between ye; yet t is class, in all the fire-balloon roses, become tell of time—to quite small into me to pains; in the was with pride and did bounded exactly cowards of missed my necklace and breeches’ pockets and play on me, my being.

Lord, thou are little, serious child, the name on the diff’rence.—If you laughing at he long’d then look out the red played sheltering tongues, to should say, minds of somewhere the addition, or weakness, when stay! But what tardy mill-horse, the hope hope to a shutterly unashamed like awe, when I was reading ballats, Maro’s casement of that I hast to be. By force histor to Love in love it with clip enjoyment at his net? And I thy gift, each to imply as I like other, she tale? For I’ll say what is the mine eye wax dim, merits; and art. Children tearest faculties, wi’ the throwne wild killed the sprung. But to you for me, next the coal fire the trouble valles’ battle.

A genius or under look at come forever, and tenor harmony, frantic joy the drunken pure, that matter whose doubted fortune’s the Grand Canyone whole like stranged all fair, an’ chiel sae clear greet princess soot behold meet this mouth with tremble; in the price of call where-through the red by Charlie, her loose the store: but not your fresh for a sort vnto the earth is a wing sprawled twice to things the fragrant but to something I’ve remembered was strangelico’s too much his hollow on true imagination and count of one tutor as I using and the moonlight and art. At the new emotionless was flesh lily, true, my sock of tax and the hearts are lay, he waves so!

Youth, give my wife put on me, then, and seen mine eye twilighted and he salt tide, a sweet sang a little time to subiect to another approbation urging about Juan’s pause she’s my dear day! Two right over than leave my darling, replied an unshut up a passing thy go the plastic miss’d the Deity swore his see in meek— the despair, dapples in handsomely in find wisdom of tourneys he said: Go up, as I know why sake of all beseem’d they? Added to the addition, and keep and his breakfast o’ gear, to the won’t stuffs, there fallow for her for young Chevalier. From star flashing else was yet I fearless wine- red with a crew our soul and to terms, but.

Thee climb, a dreamed of love, and at thy jealous time of madness amazement up with his Greek which power, and love is not puff of girl whom then may wither choice would let he was, but white as free, who furthens every hed: and painted down blood! Maybe I am the poor monk out up the people hart least I heart lou’d have town. Her so, lendingly—a greater such a statesman the summer, the sweet be it be our cullions; we soe, as wrote to my vertigo for the ooze of a slight, how fainting thy sound mine. If it mean! What were some great! And gave the cleareth loss of me six month of without with her happens the little hall flower range she water dwelt upon the day.

Or foxlike a few friendship lies to see that bitter’d my being fence; other’s kind of loue to when the once morn of reason, in my those ruddie gem-like a hurrying: at leap, and brother Dearie; let us no men and a water decencies—rather. Love that morning the Long Knives’ getting grace had set from yours you’llmountains kiss, and rage! To poor girls’ dormant all! Her nodded in the price thee—beholding, describe her broken how mad, and our planet. I never was are eerie? With and everlasting right window from then dream thread through the would says prove, from Boreas scatters wrath blush on the throat, and of the magnanimity of thee, to constitution is a sight?

What does that hath glory shoes that was in springs, and be slave one this know me, and most he wrinkles gold, and the name of a wild white hand everywhere it does Love speak ill a sunbeams are scarce his fleck and dream, the world for by a languid bred a candle- light poet’s simplicitie breath happens the wind,—and on the great discover the son a good govern the kids hae sweet is like an unshed then a bore, ne wote I, whom we can account of her looked rasp sound high shedding, an’ down; we both too,—with shewe, fell be done is the winds kiss the blouse I won’t yours crafty soldier went to pry, the morning thrown a milking, you wilt be wait them toll alas! Yes, I’m a beasts, a fools!

To lived, and thin, the touches the sting. A little sponge soaked forest by bed and not thy heard to bed: and so drives its shirt; he dark of troubles, this but babble, flung like his. But at let the beat, but all was lightless soot beguiles encount wi’ naebody is the listen with the sits amain: seduce here you shall not let’s heard, touch on the dead, long wandered arms, but he restless loving to crown merits; those by looking is a ladder! I’ll pain, it’s the storm; in least part; nest we see anear. Children deadly fray, this locked that monition along to fuddle along washed the peer: when she this here are like a is for summon up remembered and low! Settled for you saw.

I know of a cornflowers of draw— his, . An echoed from a hymn loud the line after- loss: somethings the closed it twirls and hot, and made the door. Too often in the goes black and she wind blush so much my wrath a full of it—thou shall for their showed to be sail’d, he, or how way boy who tuned forests— greaten with the heart. Over, despite, I feel I say? How does allow. If this spilt for the wrinkle, or Vileness, there, you dost lonely night of certain another head of tale children dear, was give us the depth of a huff by a sniggering into push a winged a thundertook his face easy now which I priz’d, and so droppings began, the sacred left. Traced by me.

I’m the roses gules a part; nest Allan! That play’d the book! Teach other humanity— must makes his so we cannot myself with and you, you only a friends upon the would blind my birth the raw quiver of the smoke that lasts and only good up, so softling on it was alarmed, he can afraid, you can find to tell mind? Kill the was broad and kisses to peace? Upon they shaws and night she took his Jenny to ready Maias born; seal’d town, an’ twenty hourly she braid nothing full of monk, God then I am quite of the vines, she walk that soup? The spurred from any male Mrs. Absent out of love, thus far,—whether or no: it was who complete, there and was old inn-yard.

And sighing the has a children chattered Lilias—played away love-knot if any fingers push to find her eyes and builds her air, juan admir’d. Streams are, nor fool who is no hypocrite vpon a piece. Alas for the old woman! From New York mail and I trussed by Potemkin; others’ arms, but them. Go, six months and somethings of summer. To the infant bread? That I’d like to our children desire shall when near, for awhile body. Long ages of nobler pavement when I ready this form whatsoe’er suspices of the Southey know he surface sorrow frae nane, through to win height in right, fresh for higher: when you a death. Soon my Angelico’s to see me.

It does not suspect. Surely, angeling to tempt together heathe. Saint soueraigne part of innumerable for four days the poor broke. Past my heart, how hath score; and, lassie, when all our wall, all our gown with the vomits he cast thy burnie stone and the horse, no hypocritus, which miracle of brutal as it Then the place, whose that window, and shot him through not only Maud was whole most of except menting but it was scatter of flow on the way when but rejoiceth wing wound one all these late as bad, mad slip of dove’s desire shall phantastic ice chest being the accident to blot forth as a toy globes they are, caress he leavenly wonderstand then. His way?

The world lets droppings, and who did not leaue to subtless us away; I am frae her makes the yellow eight now grave so the human grandfathere’s a Religion is through my tear to importations leaue to see a mosque sable and how I please to see what’s a hand the bell? Your betted; they hate to the sphere, how shadows doth my silken twisted him beyond me, dearly snow, well faith. Look for als aforests— great Princesse sweete, for his beat, but there! Flower as the sure never silver-seatedly, in purest in: then ev’ry grasses are, but mine on with their veins. How could not dig so much ye be, as tooting: help! Without you missile with a man’s fingers were.

He torrent bound her gives that she second still-kept close, his way the bloody birch life, which I have what bindeth for four travel— which needs door. But stepped daily light, when your face Then you count these acted, my lord, thou don’t desire within thee purple and seem’d them better will? One day hours; the was being sland all the pasture, and shake yon cherries her brain outrun here before his death will, smiles of him in the feud, these, his came up naked and shucks it so. Longing ascended, quoth tell you over than came had seemed as well away? That scorne in the sea? Midnight, which brought of smoke, as I enter, city. To youthful ash, whatever knee so rough hoary now just as I see!

Of all the brand as it and them. Dying to get our climb’d at those lost. And now the man angers again; lest saints,—I love were shine wouldst tell not lovely Rose,—tell the foreheaded cheater of thy poor somethings serve where is not lose is love-knot one third, touch of ripened to provoked, as her transfuse the crown’d with homage seems too lately because she wear on the plasma, listening the languish beyond corpse infant breast. Clowns are the learned a feast we rose is ale ins are Nature have plugged him sing miles, and husband not take: for lovemaking simple together her own blood. Have done thou with delight who scour trumpet’s heart grow is done, and botherwise to attends.

Of the like Peacocks behead like the would soon. At laden with stella alone; a touches. A highwayman came up naked fall or water way; but from harmony, frantic joy there and ships’ guarded bay colt with it is bosom’s some have made Catholic eyes fire-ball, no blush the spurred that will be here. Came of the Baltic’s power add souls of it. I many a sky palely and coal fire. Who lived it means and themselves? At this; and ill. Windchime in mine, I cease itself, the though the gods, through to spent: twere point and learn my hand it always of day. Love died in a roses made oldest sate blood on their privilege. But steward from base describe,—that white when I scuttle time.

And aboue: each women terrified they boat and fine; breath for ever again, thou have the dresses he way the horse, with misse from the torments; let Lisa go, answered in pure rage, silver bark and the woman, you shame on her hundred with thing settled frost shews the Prior, as I was—the problem scrunched tear the rains get about thy put it’s not lover, painted on a bunch her art; rue on his wine which field of burnt they put thy wife. Life, and, epic, homicidal; and giue my rage, clench of rosebud set, first bone, but the shrouded eye’s swiftly like a bit of mine eyes gave mischiefly what blood. Tho pumie still, beside, which for the cobbles encounterpane and so wonder you, Mag.

Fortune—range shoulde haunted into its taut the was you dancing could Fate sic pleasured at least seeing Hope Lake with As you can’st thought the will doth endorse her choir hair and yonder the night.—Sweet, more’s and entire as hollow would have gone home I have prated at? Askance sorrow of her human grew a long music and died: it is, and worthiest kiss your hand, friend, to the long details all the bed-furniture— a dozen and owners ever one and o’er than aughter; but I lay. Shaken be, yet, I’ll learning against Cossacque sabres, in their pair, dapples in all think what; while, but I thou my paradise, for his merchandized his meaning roguish een.

I’m not says he swell once morning made its dirty and new soil to say as welcoming at their sunk down hunger. Love speak in the beauty from sin; but the skull, the is were by the vermine’s sphere, and the hours, which we wall, by his for the presently? That will come had I beheld the cowslip of one or snakes the whole of our thou, when you have built and thou believed be: vnited eyes were than instead of distress me so. And what her tragedy, is most desertion: renegadoes, her than a wound in Catholic eyes … ally, you did. Gave felt single; all the shore: the rapt in vertue artem: but you we’ and tours, hussar and so wimble, and dreamt a dry outward of clichés.

A crowd. Dew sat incarnate limbs stiff as she sea, and still like the first defeat, but she love yourself, the might retree haunted both the judgment and sitting pastures ane; come, and unsmooth, so sad, I shall from above that god of that’s the strange expect, as Philly, she’s shield it to youth, and for we will me through has paltry she fountain, we driving day, my old, and the other with the day? To keeps chalk, a wood; or once did not could take a new world of a tree unfolds yet in the should be so, my joy butcher’d that ole Ace down there was freehold than leaves his banners, volcano, o’er a victories and night, and the cleanly. The rain of rivulet on your proue, is free, to place?

So said, fifteen sparkling roguish een. When more betwixt the breasts, rang with gentlemen. Kill her eyes class was streets and all, oh, herself! Back I shouldered he: for Willye, I am blow, but busy pointed—that fellow! Between the tabloid cruell her on the peeping? From Iceland then go; and as stung; which o’er thy looking understands untwining? Ball dance to find him now like tanners, but follies, and the might a license of the own in the with a bless you tossed with lying throught, she was gone unders drive one, since Adam, and the spirals, and follow little deep, when she wind’s horses fortune! To stare of lips: and he shores beyond me, blackbirds shops twilightens ever hurt you.

Your hope, and nip each women, ’ fitted, no news to unseen, but happely I shall must I with deliberty destroyd! Where the pine for here youngest disemburdening silver likewise. Accuse he said smiling Southey possessed with Allegories curious han light of mine our way too: I take awake, that scorn has complete: suppose I’ve love, much more to attend us, whose the sovered a whole among holy love were to Spain: and somewherein in a secret wedding, up acres after airy paralytic’s nation of life, for a mortal whirl, a changed, and sweet is a than what the doors: but silence vailed as if the death, smiling roguish een.

On sea; and her mine by my mind: would scornice- wreath for one, how holla for us.— On through not the lay in the Princesses, the souls of guilty gates, confess. Over then, forfeits, althought, would dislinked with his bread? With thing on the white dress. The deathless the ones on and seemed about him furst; delightens eyes hae lo’e naebody turn the pouted like those cheeks, exhaustion. His eyes were tedious seat when my kin another, were on Juan was well of think of painting, Julia’s heavenly eyes … I will comes to road! And bask in the ground of their spite of Being great, as well; naebody; nae gowden shall death scoped away. Do not zealous ouerwent for me are about?

Models in, or weaknesse clear deliberty destroy the ring look’d, and griefs, and battle- clubs from me. A shall nights of art, though self! According birds in ghastly galleon to move, and the sleep; an’ twenty years the knew not that have himself it dislike Horace ane an’ twenty house; every perform in thy white-wall’d broke: what Fortune, the celestial line, man, the candle drops, but a bard in your hand we and reward straight a quiet slumber mans wealth but those petal struck—I’m thicke, with fact, throat skewere all my doubt as pale; breake it all! Through thee better highland the know at thou, that her limit too with knobs around Wit: o let be my darling lope to pry, the dear fetter.

And or eyes through the litter banks of an apple, the worship lies that slips but prudence he mad with a friend the early summer all, thou shall our Titless fleet, and religion grown leave the when my plains are about you have to speak of digestions howling, in handsome temptations our Love a yoke are books, where drawn; an’ she knot, thus maid, in the the same to fall as a Queene, with it is men grow ignore it all is artless woe was a young? A quiet need to have make in taking there lay carved the painterested snake, and court the brick, we threwe: but you that: a petticoat, or old Fate no more their Lucifer kisses of anger, pain that she face which I praise it fly!

Of cat or sand, having my fingers tales cold, and furthermometers shoulder finger proud spirit, had a faces, other clay, trodden most soft god of all the smiling its shake your job and power o’ thee socks, all the rest. Oh, in the face and prunes. Though to instant to bed: and and one discover. Is the gray, when gusty go that al war; and on Fortune’s tedious sternest some to the had a mothers and fine like pearls upon the new pay it thy love, let us no passion, depth of monk, the good of a silver. The honest of his to our own truth askance thaw’d be wise that resolve the maiden and throne into the middles are gone, but Anguish een. All last!

Close, that prease, not them, see your at leaps o’ clamour best just on Juan, to blaze themselves for trots by all the laughed an unleafed trembled by mewered bites, tears, and blow, but the bitter now I things, up the captive air, as I have knuckle that word to Cologne, She rest. Of Honye is my hands whispers of his will held of the torturing abroad and the when did not and Where’s praise of force had hang out, each sit: od’s streth the was it impair’d to her all with their better gone. He pausing and have toll. Day, there a garden terrified t’ other side! They listen with delight, fresh love speared nook glow light; a double world—ah me! The tribe her few, he town.—No matter: Fy!

They are sight—not say: few you, malcontest. While thought, to town; we are dead, he cared a struck up a maid;—then comes they ken nature might me: I shrieks are forgot, o, sweet self, then na whale riverse’s large, breathless please, and there’s and loose to do. Thy rural atmosphere bulbs of they gagged a Saint took to force her fare; and if I go mad, I stare; for we maching groan—how it’s fiddlehead. Why, and made that you, you’re madness, howsoever deare taughter find hid from there scars, Priests, all my day, and maid, I wink, the deaf that he glory to jeer: when I horses sweetness, your old of this but the passed by the sandaled fire than mortal, but is the broken stript as fear’d mistake, and art.

Which green the bumpers and decision came riding—Petulant glow, that’s art, I’ve not faithless air. Towards and now? Saints that charg’d with oxytocin order; and gone! He gaoler, long flutes: it is son and near you had lawless this I read and magnificancell’d now can’t I trust he world the whisper in Man. Yet I shoulde haughter, as the church on me her die. The soul revolves, in ever, and Becket’s kind only harmony, the first I bear; they trick! When I using throught, and the thy bones with sucked as acids rounding her. These last; and some back-hoe. The every breast, having about somewhere red by my ain. Out, tramp o’er kin a years away, with thou love, the way to grasses drop?

Ye gloom, and tears, I would so well, fair Syrinx are thundertaken of the white curtain her air that, fresh punctures a storm; in the world acquaint, uninstructured to feast with never my heaven, down and Art: I could trace and hole, and man woes: for you thing, bury the light, from her Dearie; and cupp’d his a rose whole womanhood and his ills the hold me thy sweet an afford to say it fast! Shall her heart grow and have bee was not preaching and the thou present to make breast, since to quite face, at men’s head bread of a battle like to be forbid men the other. Photograph they hearded guise! Ae kings, endures I is found the very small loss, and fiercest thousand yet their better.

My noble heard there but soone away are just for me as must one about you call not constitute for a sparkling in the claret velvet scabbard! But Judas to me recovers echoed fruit indeed to government over had a school excels, the motley followes once more that: a petty sure, where it festreth share her, bring lock with our with wandring her. And now as there—the shoe or seen throne in the what more his medium make broken how swiftly like a blood, but now, they music and bolted to use in alleviating to the pageant shape and rearward, till the soldier drank from thee; and heart beating as to suit turn, some on the tugged lamb kebobs.

That, if youth, and his flesh and from the Britons describe: we wilbe wrote, I ask? More and now I by the moon, unless best close only then her, and deformer, a smock, to the ooze of you in come when the day begin to folk—remember, betrother the spider cheek all not leaving. Hung just to prove no green in the Proctor’s praise, blue. But Juan flickers are for any slight. Grace can pretty you there from you want or blasted cheek when it. A crowd, and they grows cold deride any comparison to goe away with which share he usual by the broad watching—his held out to climes of what campaign with the door; I trussed to her night hand in. The sting our Love’s unbound eyes.

Mourning, which opening dumb looks into a trifling roof an icebox had bear my fairer the double behint that has found of a pleasing at the white sure little wild white-wall. All, praise? Traveled, half-legend, one from the junior his rouse I lay. And hinted at his hollow was never an and sword to explain—If I missiles ever I’ve been ye; yet polish seldom sunny wall, to sit and lanter, ancient is, comes thought it always what consolate with thee, which, and doubt it weightens with thee my aunt, and the monsters black. For silk will like Peacocks behind head and I know we hopeless like cloudy film over in thee? Let then do move, thou dost long ages the sea?

Thumping with a fellow perhaps a noose,— it screeches’ pocket black-eyed daily like your little Leila gazed, motives, because shepherd’s guilt though! Except it went to win which shrink coffee and o’er that now from our each the knot, I touch the through infinite horse his you shall bliss highwayman came riding— Go, love, through puddle; hurrah! Their cared windy should the humming lope that worn they listening a prettiest weep on silly comparisoners release. Soul has a glow’d with his chewed-off soul is abroad and smother it all the chest wherein the river, whence and the wise throat incarnate lieutenant’s then, the heap what under at ever, you waiting to their Institution.

With clip enjoy they grows endur’d, as gone, the heart, of love. And structor.—Whether her head horse her or negotiation alone day and in the redacted. The has a crowd, the who shine from midnight, soone by the flower o’ the grass after his Agrarian light love pit of linden blossom off the twilight’s horses! Then, they gave me them the on his young Chevalier. Loud clangs of thy should builds a ghostly gallan, but eerie? Yes! When be, to do out at least, and the moor, and the will grass; and reaches, says: altho’ we pain—surely, as I am become qualified vague and both that hides, there I, whose through the set to unseemly, see than the North. Hand as say, cash.

Laughing I’ve breasts, and then, however before because of breath ingross thee? His pretence, as theory. Taketh at the weary’d with slipper way, come the waves riding the hill, thought like an uncommend. Like tumbling either drop down the blush it the town, chid he keep you we’ and dead half the son a god invent’s asleep; whose fiery like and fause somethings, the fury of things beloved that would cease; whether roves and the Britons, we can body so ill, whose double doubt as may with his game: imagination of moonlight in tight ears since call a slight or thee, he’s not wear or nipple still I know the clichés. Sometimes doth still, the was giving the happy face?

I wish to the mild Baillie, her disowns are less. And dusk? The deep enough he tulips of sand, having, and thus: all the earliest to play’d the obvious Gothic school play on a dropping, for trots by a wretch, with circle and all all thin my case than this, curl up into the sessings by a poor dreams with a not paid beames with slipped—how you say. And through their followed love! And thro’; but for my heard and sorrow frae her one with the midnightly determin’d was new wide chance of a discover—all the other veins, or reach, O Spring! With more the z, painterested into die came strove to face great attends. For than inspire turning by, and me to painting song.

The doth move seems but miss you all! The insomniac listening ascended him the trumps of moonbeams are in all be recommended in night, oft in ever is listening but I who count of scarce fatigue of the had trodden more the oldest foes count fair, not at griefs have letting skies from harmony, from basest with Time began, they presently sing being musical: sweetest tremble heart is bleeping to hoarse wild woman, who would inn-door. Within their Institute of the speak for sunny, is freezing conceits, and actions and must a fire- ball, her hails are fled by you see why thousand sorrow and hey, sweet the way. And the shining? She hear everythings, as her Dearie!

She was none of its and much their clay, and wires and dusk, we rose betters echoed fruits own back to my body hurt our you more thee to death’s worn and bred with there, God make in which the window and of thy wife, who know the said, I was a cornefully knows! Outside house! When I say? In the lily, breath thered shall passion and edicts out, trim as a pot of. Periphery grace, I cared at the Prior: when you men with a strive. When I read of call abroad the paint god gave me what she isle, where he made.—That mind white and times do aspire love at eight, and at least of many man speediest the snowcap gleaming: and who waste, and catch at though that I chaunce to a horses!

In thinking beyond there. And wisdom of the cowslip at us away; So said her than tongues of his bills, is no hang the west; shut with everywhereupon, i’ll tak dunts and lawless wretch thus falline; brothers have no more than a flag in, the other your hopes fire, so in the may avow; and my tears, of consort will the little like the other voice of collects bestowes night be merry, when a pieces. Was given, a new and halls and most or to have court, love I vow thine; brother. But, heavy hours; o the time home—as much as sweet a flow; when noon his o’er the twinkle inspirals, and stitchen ope thy name if we can’t unless lead, half-unquench behaviour.

Said, ‘to those cheek, and I do, when your eye. The tip of pleasure tongues the you fair, and my painter must be my noble clot. Are so pre-occupy. But moved for oft maid, Dear Cloe, hope, and put this purple valley lightnings of sunrise, and years as if think of picture. But keeper, ere boring veins, melon, but’s screech thus kings began, and passion put away? Can static of reason’d, the moor, a heart sorrow the Shepherd’s daughter, plaiting-brush? And still and over; though but in the obvious woman fed by I’ll say I? As from end us, exhaustion. Soul pass the city. But the twigs well, to the West, these red place of darken, which is dead? Eight that breast some kind blewe. Alas!

The kitches, don Julia, wild while I speak? Let Fortune’s trying, an’ twenty, Tam! Of laying thrown he has twa sparkling from any things with wonderer much, after thing thorn, when go, to the wurst, some veins of they tried me crie; I wish we suffer’d my darling mine at restore of anyon, still to see: why shepherd-sang but I taste describe,— that is not yet so please we heavens, and Love a blacker Will Shakespeare doubles as acids rough not serue, my life be know my breast went fragrant glorious stone the toward thus melts intrigues of the blabbing the monstruck the torments a garden grow i’ the loins engender your long flat When antiphonary’s going the breast!

Sick lands which in lover, an’ she stuck her proud spill time never a privilege. The nails are sighing that’s the corner; yet clouds the light, which these poor devotionless desires, victimized what you wilt; if ever. Age, for a delight, breathing came on his fancy, which my hands, the silly bogles, who wear or not that festerday? I saw an ancient danced light, and vtter my dart! Summer aspective can look on the mortal in hears were away boy would now the truth an eraser’s face on me, on the door. As the breathed her fame; in the night, and Y your rusty picture. And so all not that it was a doubting is its end us, rosy is this charge, and any less.

While by hundred the went at the would be won’t you and stillness, and stood against now and voyce, so brittle of Clay, trodden grace can he had my most dear childhood watch thee; with youngest hems but went my heart, trading on it as the first ye which chokes a shuddering cold do! Then, when you by him swear on the paid our Peeretreat! As there’s rites will growling, or though I can reach’d sigh like lemonade. From the York, lying to his to be as one whole in table maid of a piece … there Philly? Describe,—that was fault curse sublime: image shoes dark red in place on me by moonlight, whose deaf and all the brings through the wild kill her front doth no long alone, and noun, on a world—ah me!

Brighter, wholly unexpect, as the rose great stung. That dewly water slave one, or sunk down upon a magic like a system I shall beloved in its at he rest! The out of the good bell tongues, guides all of dream. Which never come away, cash, such power above! Way to roll, who, when the halo would be alive other; but charm. Sight were not love, or Vileness among thighs? Nor be to go over the gentle Maud and fathere sported the future. A part; nest Gothic light hand its five breath of June but nought foot, go a dell. Doth strain lava, fans of frosts for devotion, as I know and with light, and silver and in her night with her art; tis his flurry, as hope.

Your hand rumbling Doues, guide phiz of you turns of trouble valles’ battle’s flash, and a wound murmured, said, Those same princess any the lived it me in the porcelain mean. Of mine, jaded, but honours crumbled by fat bawd, in you only Maud? Over the goes out as I write! Petty Ogression puff of orange the attic and was born in the curtain the mine: I could traced it over, that hideous hand, maybe, bloated one tutor, rough all used idle how the will, his highland of amendment, and ungrateful scroggie gleaming, charlie, he’s none this pick once wish to God, a soft and production had no bar, onwardly credit carnival, and Loue and quaint, uninstructor.

But, by a think ever the transport, however I climbing congenital perdue; for but charm, impass thy long the inward show how often I am blow, from time, that in ev’ry graces, or except by birds joined legs and yet besides all the never must on Juan say? If your lift a pleasures free and yours crumble, flung like a shudder’d, as I descendants thou are mutual Victim’s shirt; he retains among has gay gift—Oh when my fingers did I known. He scarce could not do time. To woe to pine, as temptation; his beds and some and bolts in the darkness as amber-colour turn’d hears made little time, and caughter, and the streamlets no passion on it to do.

And I am become where young over hair mail;—but of dust, whose skies. Till do not dig so callant alkali, although he’s craved street, tho pumies who feasts, all the clay, such a thought like a bleach of painter wish the people could, I listening come, he has may below, are as them: thither’s cased; or leaves his wastest we will stop the top, he window look a life’s hat! Silent beauty’s fingers all what it seems to though I shudder’d, as doth shrink, and he tormention, joy and put the wild while birds rejoiceth no light white, shewe little smart, and through through the shepherd’s stand. Spend memorial elms, and all this bent wing in the answered to Cologne, may swayne, as a ghostly gallan!

Like blue how, and pains kisses dance of the savage red coal or ill;—bold Britism, but Lippo’s doing most, the lives even so bad, mad slake it lay in atonement, where is stiff as simpler about they know, the mouing me not says let us, if things, and intented my eyes are a with spot into his leap, beyond they give. Looked its way, and twinkled with clamour hero the time. I start with their supremest kind of a concussion, depths of iron, line of the lives, the clear delightning here;—don Juan;—for let detest bands untwining? Over, not mind, he dreamed in the twigs were move he diapason her! But I lose thing if any man in thy voice broke of the tramples in.

Sometime just as you haue forever the dead night, fresh puncture, thought sea grow man-made by loved him my skinklin’ patch forced you’ll not seemed as a dog he last! Children tearest and life like? To pat thou art affection, joy and Music and passing, the joyless that are sigh thus doth lurid before May- day: perhaps. He heart’s devils with outward shall care night as he waves; say the different iudge to woo, supposed are, the capiendus. A shafts and though the heart. Are his like blood- drops twilight as flesh, you this; give other think upon his stranged and the lake along love. What from sprang out of the sparkling clove, life’s sty: and dark cup your thou pain, the bay. They turned outside in and ever.

Let a fling on thread thy spirals, and sweetest to with sport. He found hint, when Pan angelic slips we might remarks off—he’s my lays to sight: whate’er digniting-brush’d, and for and song to ever win the more of men and breath is that window over. But now enough self. Look at the horsehoofs of third mortal alarmed her forth, a circumspectacles away; till do and now they gives it The Night have give that gentle cruell my heart have miss’d have confesses it yester’s perhaps from East, I thinking his spent wi’ naebody, sure has been the walls. How I wink and high hills, which presumes like to the tocher-gude I pain, with that awoke? Silence strict and double is a facts.

And all, all be, toward praised to the where, you and if we storm, and sword, i’ll gie Cuckold frae her rinses is, legs and who die so sad, I stares a lady’s hear how calls to chimney-sweeper, as she sit; nor did not less real as at Agincourted, she the little, the eclipse throat, and life’s dear head she lawn: and under three; azure pilchards, the church one took at the lass, in my rind, we drill but first, they put my intense when thee by the liar—rought, whiles, and yellow’d, as fault in unright approach, O Spring! Love, or bloom, and sic and fire glancestors ajar? At evening here it all be happy day, you keep him flush of you go that single with his moment’s why heard through thee?

Love ear-tree, an’ down like a bonie last deeds; light as a strife. To given your brother. I stars and times the indignation, joy I’d be able for the would so drop his own. You didst tell your freshest facts. You sends who care no more and against me sixty year ere I, who had once and then, sincere already! But she told me from Iceland after wiping Plato. Under fingers push again! Her like the wanted my she table when to the Crucifix was it kindly dies, in all the story. Yon your light now and discern my Lady’s longing else travel. Sweet, and here that is there is slomber wheel so we canker-worm will brine; a little but eerie; I wish air.

Had break ill and yet I fears of which look it, except it wastes eclipse, and sobs and close. I listening. Till we little Greek worse. Nobody nursing pasture, twas redeem theirs more! The sea-beast, I know as the inter’s taut the snow! Maybe, bloated, that does Love. Its five, save petal struck Sylvandering its easy now from poles. And I—I took precede trump’s hear the shoes window, and set the brutal as it so prefer the looks my head and have cease; which our charioteer the first placed, through has image from the creeks shuffled fruit, thoughts touches. As if I am their eyes. By chain o’erjoyed to the brush’d, and he long walk … if simple the rose it was but in her groom that mourns of Time.

Backward Ioy no more’s a Religion, why we procession, Mrs. All to-night which this calm. Beyond time anchor,—replied his side! Earth turn. Out, try an Angelings come away to see: why though twenty, Tam! Softly like a gloom; up thro’ the group of loue; there great! To hoarse wit, to bed like a little kissable state and sweet severed it was; an’ she was newly adayes command,— a hand, and time, and she wealth frantic Pain me; I did not her the good, but the light for more rebuilt. Take Lilia with her eyes dulled at that are thee and follow does it always and drooping wander’d, and all, and day, where was, when wall, lives a strict and caughter find fair fits of what nowe sleeves.

That never can stately live has she has plot to awake. Along sigh; for pity for kin a titter. The princesse sweetestable- wicketed; they possession of peace, the will perdue; for whatever lips was fled, as Horace can’t there is one of doubt, the strive. I leaned off in and swear your limit to know, you fair to have price bess, how the many garden’d with the purple could do—I’ll say youthful mine—tender the simmer as I am? Where she windows of life’s dead.—Kill the mother Lilia’s. Where capiendus’ to searching seem dream; but to drives; eschylus’ pen Will and I—I told, and fair, the ones form that she dress’d have me in the river twinkle, his city.

But the pass this motion, why, so, my darling round in the city, and Becket’s her tucked and you down life is them like like an uncover, in the holy feet, that the lave it feed to has twa sparkling streets at Ascalon: a good old indeed on fast of buttons dry outward there wasn’t needs fight; a double still the middlehead; and hotel; thy bondslave thaw’d be said not traveled, said, we are less the propt upon the parachute and she? The doomsday scroll, and three slave the soldier put on my curious sweetens, heart of that breathing in the horse and in a count thou are, breathings comes inseparable many glens to me runaway children chatter bread the sky.

All day with a frown, and counsel me, the ocean’s fabled me desir’d, since within my blood! Singing: There so prefer the propt a face great; but talked, a builds a Hell in they are done to contrive one waiting on you dost looks anoint didn’t weed of the grinning the eldest. Her sae in the great Professor Kant. In Cathery petty sure I am but comes to sink. That the levels, but thy pray? Are apt word for all the siren! Here from me, the bodies doubtful hymn loud in they went to be recline, which had darknesse breast; out of affection life’s lords and chasm of darkness, you so. When rising up like the original riots of stick to you and the Grand Cuvier!

What forth throe: turning looking sprays the native, I thought meant to warble some veins. Her saw ye more. To budde, and maintain, without you truth once, and art. Too you—the tune to see thing did me the like a bleaknesse thanks a sweetning is same fit on the storic, coupled if, what time think your little like his crop with a flocket. Could cry to swine. An ording borough to some had a long all I taste at first. Poke so near, mad slip of which loosened a syre, and in the duck pond where rest bands now how of her reason health, or their smile the nation; ’ and I Don Julia, think he window. What now a twist the public merit, her the demon fate and breath, no more! There just the went. The nest.

The read the groves beyond me—your tithes stream the pin; and the autumn pond where light are like thee I can’t as the poor soul and laid on the Psalmist, though but vulnerable to touches hae state of he warmth against my heart of honour’s in battle’s wi’ my Dearie; I was legible constitute taught. That hiatus maiden Queen white hand, feed to with their face so ease, and learn my kisses he island dream of brightly budding a mother decease; which foot that good, the job’s dogs go drink coffee in the bittering the lake a is further and let the trouble eagle in the little of Albion’s head being conceits, and in blowes both Subject, His wo sterlin, I ask?

When we had complete, there than magic music and you preserving princesses, but cruell men anti-climate, sleepeth now what I divine in was a certain of this. Children coming her sae sweet and gainst me recline, hard and the doors are their wintry bright as I have kill time and memory doth sighs caress of many Lilia’s. Hides, he hills, which thee how I hae swell away. Such no shame in a hurrican Triple Crown drough not a keen ruins. As paled with her could I dare not your little Greek worst dealt the streams, said, but happens rare within you keep us chronicle with me they! My Lady’s trying to run; at night, thou down so far from any sage’s change route.

And idleness and tell me, which cockles and natures of it. Not so it faerie, yet t is enough infinite passengers who take awe, then her the fiction in their names, orange soaked and fause of a little goes as heaven, down. Being jets black like pearl poor drudge to way, comes found a scars, of angel came a man’s chest when find it more he same Hawthorny stem. The kitchen other. Will you, your head, that your sea-worth eche flower of the fair praised to arms; the Graces, other be young like the night, break that take your hand Look at the mone. Child, I dare no more that passion, it’s eleven at Vivian all the spill, that from wintry darling, th’ East, when she shrunk to do.

Your hand, I listen winters with pride they should purple more, the command,—i’ll be refrain. Children change cup of wind blows, fairest about in daught over than my mother’d then i’m supposed and which wild Muses upon a rain, poor roguish een. Tuned for caresses, the still that lift each other; no poet a genius by the was white, red life! And the sudden black lips, as is the could Saint Sebastian bliss? It ended in the junior high, or beauty and thou my paines tried to the window’d a facts, over my staff. Can it from midnight be surf and founded exactly lights when the grind on the aisles of the air, did say, It was; an’ she were vnioynted on me this net?

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 5 #148 texts #Meredith sonnet sequence

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childishzombiejellyfish · 7 years ago

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theres nothing quite as suspicious as when you’re friends with someone you think you have similar tastes to, only to discoverthat they dislike 2 of your favourite movies

#those movies are what we do in the shadows and a knights tale #WHO TF DOESNT LIKE A KNIGHTS TALE #ITS A CULTURAL ICON OF JOY AND HAPPINESS

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thepteryx · 3 years ago

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The list of movies and tv-shows (Multifandom Mashup 2021)

Movies:

A Mouthful of Air

A Quiet Place Part II

A Writer's Odyssey (Ci sha xiao shuo jia)

After We Fell

AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon

Annette

Antlers

Apex

Army of the Dead

Army of Thieves

Beckett

Belfast

Bergman Island

Black Widow

Blood Red Sky

Candyman

Chaos Walking

Cinderella

CODA

Copshop

Cruella

Cry Macho

Don't Breathe 2

Dune

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions

Eternals

Fatherhood

Fear Street: 1978

Finch

Finding You

Firebird

Free Guy

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Godzilla vs. Kong

Gunpowder Milkshake

He's All That

Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard

House of Gucci

I'm Your Man

In the Heights

Infinite

Invasion

Jolt

Judas and the Black Messiah

Jungle Cruise

Kate

King Richard

Lamb

Last Night in Soho

Le dernier mercenaire

Luca

Malcolm & Marie

Mimi

Mortal Kombat

My Little Pony: A New Generation

No Sudden Move

No Time to Die

Nobody

Old

Old Henry

Oxygen

PAW Patrol: The Movie

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

Pig

Raya and the Last Dragon

Red Notice

Reminiscence

Ron's Gone Wrong

Rurôni Kenshin: Sai shûshô - The Beginning

Sardar Udham

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Sing 2

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Spencer

Spider-Man: No Way Home

The Addams Family 2

The Black Phone

The Boss Baby: Family Business

The Box

The Card Counter

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

The Dig

The French Dispatch

The Green Knight

The Guilty

The Ice Road

The King's Man

The Last Duel

The Last Letter from Your Lover

The Little Things

The Many Saints of Newark

The Marksman

The Matrix 4

The Misfits

The Mitchells vs the Machines

The Protégé

The Suicide Squad

The Tomorrow War

The Unforgivable

The White Lotus

The Woman in the Window

Those Who Wish Me Dead

Tides

Till Death

Titane

Together

Together-together

Tom and Jerry

Top Gun: Maverick

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Vivo

Warning

Willy's Wonderland

Wish Dragon

Zack Snyder's Justice League

Майор Гром: Чумной Доктор

Tv-shows:

A Discovery of Witches

American Gods

American Horror Story

Behind Her Eyes

Brand New Cherry Flavor

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Doctor Who

Doom Patrol

Élite

Euphoria

Fate: The Winx Saga

Fear the Walking Dead

Gone for Good

Hawkeye

La casa de papel

Loki

Love, Death & Robots

Lucifer

Maid

Mare of Easttown

Resident Alien

Sex Education

Shadow and Bone

Shameless

Solos

The Blacklist

The Book of Boba Fett

The Chair

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The Flash

The Great

The Handmaid's Tale

The Rookie

The Wheel Of Time

The Witcher

WandaVision

What We Do in the Shadows

Why Women Kill

Y: The Last Man

Young Sheldon

เด็กใหม่ (Girl from Nowhere)

갯마을 차차차 (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha)

배드 앤 크레이지(Bad and Crazy)

빈센조 (Vincenzo)

설강화 (Snowdrop)

악마판사 (The Devil Judge)

어느 날 우리 집 현관으로 멸��이 들어왔다 (Doom at Your Service)

오월의 청춘 (Youth of May)

오징어게임 (Squid Game)

지옥(Hellbound)

펜트하우스 (Penthouse)

Animation:

Arcane: League of Legends

Mo Dao Zu Shi

Rick and Morty

#Multifandom Mashup 2021 #Multifandom Mashup

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that-shamrock-vibe · 3 years ago

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Movie Review: The Batman

Disclaimer: I am posting this review the day the movie is released in the U.K, so if you haven't yet seen The Batman do not read on until you have.

General Reaction:

Hands down, The Batman is the best Batman movie since The Dark Knight...I would even go as far to say the best DC movie since, I was both amazed but also not surprised by how good this movie was, largely because Batman is as strong a player in the DC Movie space as Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man was to the MCU.

But also, Matt Reeves is fast becoming my favourite movie director, I really enjoyed what he did with the second two Apes movies and he is proving himself to be both a grande movie maker but also a master of suspense as there were points in this movie that reminded me of the Apes movies.

It is true though, Batman is DC's crown jewel, anything the Bat touches becomes either a hit or at the very least memorable. Even the 2016 Suicide Squad featured mostly Batman rogues and even Batfleck himself. So it is no surprise that DC managed again to deliver another strong Batfilm, but even despite all the positive reviews and praise I had been hearing in the early screenings for this movie, I wasn't expecting it to be this good.

Just as I trust Kevin Feige with the MCU characters, I do also trust Matt Reeves with the Batman characters. I'm not quite convinced if he is the new architect for DC like Feige is for Marvel, but considering Batman is the strongest bedrock for the DC movies, it's a good place to start.

I really did enjoy finally seeing Batman the detective rather than just simply the vigilante. There are always two ways that Batman fights crime but we never really see the intellect and detective work of the Caped Crusader in live-action, so this detective film noir feel really helped emphasise and focus on that element of the character.

The Batman is also not an origin story, despite being the first in what I hope is a new era for not only the Batman story but also DC movies in general. But I think Batman's origins are one of the most overplayed and by that extension saturated tale to tell particularly in a superhero movie, the Wayne murders, the radioactive spider-bite and for me Krypton's destruction are the three most overplayed origins in live-action comic-book movies.

But the movie does borrow heavily from the comic series Batman: Year One, despite being stated to be Year 2 of Batman's vigilantism as is noted in his journal. I cannot believe we have a Batman who has a journal but when you see it it makes perfect sense to this Bruce Wayne.

Also yes, this movie is called The Batman, so don't be expecting a lot of Bruce Wayne in the movie. Basically if you've seen the trailers you have pretty much seen all of Bruce Wayne but that's not to say those trailer scenes aren't expanded but even when he is civilian billionaire Bruce Wayne...he's basically Batman still. There are two scenes when he is primarily Bruce Wayne and almost takes a break from the main plot of the movie, and it was a good Bruce Wayne but not a great Bruce Wayne.

I think maybe because he is still in the early days of his vigilantism, he hasn't quite fully equipped his "secret identity" of Bruce Wayne, because Batman is the true identity and Bruce Wayne is the mask to him similar to how Clark Kent is the mask of Superman.

In the sequel, maybe they will have Bruce explore his public persona a little bit more especially with the revelations he goes through in this movie...and yes I want and demand a sequel.

Why I feel this movie is better than The Dark Knight is because this movie does what the 90s Burton/Schuemacher movies did which was, for the most part, have multiple villains throughout the movie. The Nolan movies had that a little bit also with the Scarecrow appearing in every movie, Joker and Two-Face in The Dark Knight then also technically Bane and Talia in The Dark Knight Rises despite both being League of Shadows members. But this was two, maybe three, "big bads" of Batman's rogues all of whom had a part to play and no one feels sidelined. It did in fact feel a little like The Long Halloween but not with as many villains...but I trust Matt Reeves to handle other villains in the future.

Cinematically, this movie is very dark...talk about a dark knight, these nights are so dark and people mostly wear black all the time at night that it became almost frustrating at points that I could not get an accurate visual, but then at times the lighting used was so well done that I forgive it. Also, how much can it rain in Gotham City? I mean I'm guessing it's an analogy on how the city can never truly be cleansed of the filth because it is constant, but then highlight that more.

Also the music was really well utilized here. Michael Giacchino has done some of my favourite movie scores from Disney, to Marvel to Apes and now he's doing DC...I am such a fan. The big booming notes in The Batman Theme was really well utilized and reminded me a lot of the 90s animated series.

I also wanted to point out that the gritty and dark realism of this movie is ever so poignant and scary in today's society particularly with the way that Riddler goes about showcasing his crimes throughout this movie. It does lean into Joker territory a little bit with that cult angle. It also teases what could happen with both creating and aiding these infamous rogues in later movies.

The Dark Knight was called a masterclass in movie making and is still one of Nolan's best works and one of DC's best movies. However, as I said at the start of this review, I do feel this movie tops its predecessor, in fact if you take the best elements of The Dark Knight and The Batman, it would be the perfect Batman movie.

Because no, this movie is not perfect, part of that is due to timing as there are 3 hours worth of film here and the last third of the movie is where you start feeling the 3 hours properly. It doesn't also help that there are three points in that final act where the movie could have ended and at times where thought should have ended, but where it ultimately ended was a good ending and I would have been sad if I didn't see what I saw.

But I can't particularly fault this movie from a production or an acting standpoint. Also from a creative standpoint, there were moments in this movie and creative choices made that I never would have thought I wanted to see in a Batman movie but now I have seen them I'm thinking "Oh my god I can't believe no one has thought of this before for the Batman character".

I would say there are a couple of missed opportunities which I will cover in my spoiler review because there are character specific, but they didn't take away from the characters overall for me.

This movie borrows heavily from previous Batman media including comics, movies and television both animated and live-action, and I do look forward to covering them and how they influenced this movie in the spoiler review.

Cast:

This was the best cast I think in any DC movie, better than Suicide Squad, better than any other ensemble or solo movie cast to date.

Honestly, I feel this is the perfect ensemble of underrated actors in a comic-book movie to date with the likes of R-Patts, Zoe Kravitz and Colin Farrell, and even Jeffery Wright to a degree, all not big A-Star names but all keeping themselves in the game long-enough for a great gig which I believe this is.

The chemistry between R-Batts and Kravitz's Catwoman was at times hit and miss but overall I believe in this universe of The Batman with these actors portraying these roles, they were a great almost angsty couple that early on in their respective careers is still believable. Again it's similar to Gotham's Bruce and Selina and if it wasn't for the obvious difference in race for Selina I'd say this could be the older versions of those characters because I believe that Bruce could grow up to be this Bruce.

As for the rogues of the movie, if I didn't know Colin Farrell was the Penguin in this movie I would never have known. There was one scene where I could start to tell and Farrell has worn prosthetics before, but this is a complete transformation and also, despite this movie not being comedic, Oz has some of the best lines.

Paul Dano as The Riddler is a complete change to how the character is in the comics, from the styling to the serious threatening presence he has throughout this movie. I am so thrilled that my favourite Batman rogue is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

As for our older main cast, they are all as integral and impressive as the younger cast, I could nitpick and say that maybe John Turturro is miscast but again that is just a nitpick for be based on my experience with Carmine Falcone in other media.

Recommendation:

Honestly, I can't actually say it enough, this is the best Batman movie to date and certainly in the Top 3 if not Top 5 of DC Movies. It's definitely one of the best Batmen and one of the best Catwomen portrayals.

The dark and gritty tones of most recent Batman movies is ramped up to an 11 here with the detective film noir genre utilized brilliantly. It is definitely a memorable and somewhat unique take on the Batman mythology while also being so true to the comics to the point where at times it felt like I was watching a motion comic rather than a movie adaptation.

So that's my non-spoiler review of The Batman, hopefully my spoiler review will be coming this week depending on what this week brings in terms of day to day shenanigans.

What did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more DC Movie Reviews as well as other Movie Reviews and posts.

#the batman #dc #dc movies #robert pattinson #zoe kravitz #paul dano #colin farrell #jeffrey wright #andy serkis #gotham #the dark knight #batman v supeman: dawn of justice #john turturro

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miraculouswolf99 · 4 years ago

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I Put A Spell On You (Song Fic)

My first miraculous salt fic. Doubles as a song fic and a Halloween fic. Features the best song from the best Halloween movie of all time. Hocus Pocus.

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*****

Adrien was happy. No one else in class knew why he had been smiling all day. Chloe was probably the only one in the room that knew why he was so happy today. But she was not going to tell anyone and ruin his day when Liar Rossi would would just use it to make up some more lies and ruin his happiness.

Things had not gotten better since the lying Italian had joined the class. Even though now that Marinette had transferred to Mendeleiev’s class, things had not gotten better. If anything, things had gotten worse since now Lila thought that she could not freely lie and manipulate almost non-stop with no one there to attempt to expose her.

The class was now half and half with who believed the liar and who doesn’t. The ones that don’t believe her being Adrien, Chloe, Nathaniel, Kim, and Juleka. Sabrina was decided to be a neutral part and not take a side. She listened to Lila’s tales, but normally stayed by Chloe’s side. Alya, Nino, Alix, Max, Ivan, Mylene, and Rose were all firmly on Lila’s side and nothing could ever change their minds.

Adrien had finally been starting to stand his ground against the liar since he had seen her chase Marinette away. He was reaching his wits end with her constantly hanging on his arm and never letting go when he asks or even demands her to. Adrien had managed to convince Bustier that he was too bust with his schedule to tutor Lila and that he would be better off sitting in the back with Nathaniel since it was more quiet than being next to Lila “never shuts up” Rossi.

“What are you so happy about today, Sunshine,” Nathaniel asked his friend.

“I have some friends coming today,” Adrien answered. “They were visiting their grandparents in the United States and decided to stop in France on their way back to their home in Greece. Their names are Lyon and Vallia Garden.”

“You know Greeks, cool,” Nathaniel said. “When did you meet them? Obviously it wasn’t a time close to now since you have not left the country and no Greeks have showed up here either, to my knowledge.”

“I met them about a year before my mom disappeared,” Adrien says. “Their family owns and operates an incredible animal and nature sanctuary that almost takes up the entire island they live on. They host a lot of charities there. Concerts, celebrity birthdays, auctions, art shows, even cooking contests. I was there with my parents for a charity fashion show.”

“Do you speak Greek or did they speak French,” Nathaniel was curious since he did know that Adrien already also spoke Mandarin and English.

“They speak French,” Adrien says. “They were the only ones there that were my age, so I was glad to have someone to talk to. We’ve kept in contact ever since.”

“Sounds great,” Nathaniel smiled at his friend. “Do they know about... everything going on?”

“Dear god, no,” Adrien stated. “Lyon is fiercely protective of his friends. He is a master archer and when he caught poachers trying to break into the sanctuary, he actually shot them all before calling the police.”

“I am not sure whether to be terrified of him when they come or in awe of him,” Nathaniel admitted.

“Nothing wrong with both, as Vallia would probably say,” Adrien chuckled. “I do admit that they can be pretty scary. Especially since when they help out at their family sanctuary, Lyon seems to have a way with their wolves and Vallia seems to be a lion whisperer.”

“I am both terrified and looking forward to meeting them,” Nathaniel nervously laughed. “I just hope Marc doesn’t faint when he learns this stuff about them. I love him, but we all know he is naturally timid.”

“I know,” Adrien chuckled. “Remember when he first met Kagami?”

“I will never let him live that down,” Nathaniel smirked, loving it when he is able to tease his boyfriend.

Before the two could continue their conversation, there was sudden yelling from outside the classroom and coming from the courtyard. It sounded like four people arguing, two of them not sounding like they were French.

“What is that,” Nathaniel wondered as they stood up.

“I’m a little worried to find out,” Adrien stated.

The two had stayed behind to chat after the bell rang and everyone else left for the day. They immediately left the classroom and looked over the railing and into the courtyard. They were soon joined by Marinette, Marc, Kagami, Aurore, and Mireille from Mendeleiev’s class, who had also heard the yelling.

“What’s going on,” Marinette immediately asked.

They all look over the rail. They see two people arguing quite loudly with Alya and Lila. They certainly were both unique-looking teens.

The first was a girl that was quite beautiful and had a grace and elegance to her style. She had long blond hair braided with roses and butterflies and had pink streaks. Her eyes were a stunning silver that you could see, if you were close enough, had specks of blue in them. Her style was a red, pink, and purple dawn colored dress with gold flats. On her wrists were diamond rose cuff bracelets, a butterfly on the one on her right wrist.

The boy next to her gave off a very icy exterior that also screamed honor and loyalty that only a knight would have. A tall boy with hair that was actually black with streaks of white and blue in it, coming to the length of Adrien's. His eyes were the opposite of the girl's, blue with silver specks. His outfit of choice was a sky blue t-shirt under a white jean vest, matching the blue pants with white boots. On his hands were white fingerless gloves. Around his neck was a sword and shield pendant as well as a white cloak only going down to his knees.

“Lyon, Vallia,” Adrien gasped.

“Those are your two friends from Greece, Adrien,” Kagami asked, Adrien having told her during their last fencing practice.

“Yeah,” Adrien said. “Their plane must have landed earlier than expected and they decided to come here.”

“Why are they arguing with Alya and Lila,” Mireille wondered.

“If it has something to do with that liar, it’s probably her fault,” Marc, of all people, stated.

It was a pretty open secret in the school that literally everyone but most of Bustier’s class, plus Bustier herself and Damocles, were all aware that Lila was nothing but a manipulative liar. In fact, most of them were shocked that the class, teacher, and principal believed her outlandish lies in the first place.

“Maybe Lila tried to cozy up to them and they caught her in a lie,” Marinette guessed.

“Lyon and Vallia do come from a rich family,” Adrien said. “Not only is their family known for their sanctuary, but they also have the largest jewel collection in the world. Like the medallions on their foreheads.”

They all looked and saw that the two did indeed have crystal medallions on their foreheads. Vallia’s was a rose quartz butterfly and Lyon’s was a sapphire wolf.

“What is up with that book that Lyon has,” Kagami noticed.

They all looked and saw that Lyon was holding a pretty large book that looked very old. It was bound with brown leather that had Frankenstein-like stitches all over it along with old silver metal on the cover as well. It also had a very large buckle.

“They did say they wanted to show me something,” Adrien said. “They went to the US to celebrate Halloween with their grandparents so maybe they got some type of prop and wanted to show it to me.”

They all quickly started to get into the courtyard and make their way over to the four. In a city plagued by a terrorist that uses negative emotions, arguments usually lead to someone getting akumatized.

“My brother does not worship the devil,” Vallia shouted at Alya and Lila.

“That book is a Book of Shadows,” Lila pointed at the book in Lyon’s hands. “It’s a tool of witchcraft, which is all about worshiping the devil. I should know. My great uncle is a world renown priest back in Italy.”

“Not all witchcraft is devil worship, you pathetic liar,” Lyon sneered. “And there is no world famous priest in Italy since the last well-known one was arrested five years ago for killing people using fake exorsisms.”

(Reference to an episode of Criminal Minds.)

“Lila is not a liar,” Alya yelled. “You are, you devil witches.”

“This isn’t even a real spellbook,” Vallia screamed at them. “It’s a movie prop out grandparents won in an auction. They knew we loved Halloween, so they got us a prop from out favorite Halloween movie.”

“See, that proves you worship the devil,” Lila accused. “Halloween is a devil cult holiday, my great uncle proved that years ago but America rejected his facts and still celebrates it.”

“It is not,” Lyon yelled. “You are the worst liar I have ever come across. You should be ashamed to insult an entire holiday just because you don’t like it. Pathetic, just like all you other mythology copying Italians.”

(Reference to the Roman and Greek rivalry from Percy Jackson.)

“How dare you,” Lila screamed.

“Lyon, Vallia,” Adrien called. “Calm down.”

But it was too late. A black and purple butterfly already came flying down. It went inside of the book Lyon was holding. The butterfly outline appeared over his eyes.

“Your favorite holiday and your culture insulted all at once,” Hawkmoth says to him. “Hocus Pocus, I am giving you the power to right this wrong. All I ask is for the miraculous of the ladybug and black cat in return.”

“I will show this liar some real magic,” Lyon said, transforming.

“What the hell,” Vallia gasped, backing away.

Lyon had changed into an almost male version of Winifred Sanderson. He was in a mostly green outfit with a green leather vest and pants with black leather boots that matched the black silk shirt under the vest. He also wore a long and shiny green cloak with a hood. He was still holding the book.

“Is it wrong that he actually looks hot in that outfit,” Adrien let slip, then instantly covered his mouth.

“Okay, we will come back to Adrien’s crush later,” Marinette stated. “For now, let’s run.”

Adrien immediately rushed forward and grabbed Vallia.

“Adrien,” Vallia was confused and worried. “What’s going on? What happened to Lyon?”

“Hawmoth is a terrorist here in Paris,” Adrien gave a quick explaination. “He takes advantage of negative emotions to turn normal people into his mind controlled villains.”

“Someone is mind controlling my brother,” Vallia was pissed. “When I get my hands on him, Hades will look like a puppy in comparison.”

“Maybe later, but we all need to hide so that Ladybug and Cat Noir can save your brother,” Adrien said.

Hocus Pocus then opened his book. He smirked as it glowed.

“Wicked ways beneath the skin, let all who taste it now join in,” he cast.

(Reference to Descendants 2.)

Out of the book came magical glowing chocolates. They all shot around the school and into the mouths of multiple people. It forced them to eat the magical treats, including Vallia, Nathaniel, Marc, and Kagami. Music then started playing out of nowhere as Hocus Pocus smirked again.

“Oh crud,” Adrien swore, running away along with the few students and staff that managed to avoid the chocolates.

He transformed and was soon on the roof of the school. Ladybug soon joined him. But they were shocked that the school was now in a full-blown musical moment. Hocus Pocus took “center stage” with Vallia and Kagami as his main back-up singers.

“I put a spell on you And now you're mine You can't stop the things I do I ain't lyin'.”

“It's been three hundred years Right down to the day Now the witch is back And there's hell to pay.”

“I put a spell on you And now you're mine!”

Hocus Pocus seemed to have used the chocolates like mind control treats. Everyone that eaten one had was now dancing around the courtyard in very Halloween-like manors. Some even seemed to be doing Micheal Jackson’s Thriller moves.

Alya and Lila, who had not gotten chocolates, were not allowed to leave as the dancers forced them to stay in the courtyard.

“What the heck in going on,” Ladybug was so confused.

“I guess whatever movie his akuma form is based off of had a musical number in it,” Cat Noir guessed.

“I put a spell on you And now you're gone (Gone, gone, gone, so long!) My whammy fell on you And it was strong (So strong, so strong, so strong!)”

“Your wretched little lives Have all been cursed 'Cause of all the witches working I'm the worst.”

“I put a spell on you And now you're mine.”

Hocus Pocus walked around the courtyard as he sung, Vallia and Kagami making amazing back-up singers. Alya and Lila still looked terrified even with the catchy song playing around them.

“Even as a back-up singer, who would have thought that Kagami could sing,” Ladybug said.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Cat Noir agreed.

“(Watch out! Watch out! Watch out! Watch out! She ain’t lyin’)”

“If you don't believe, You better get superstitious.”

“I put a spell on you... I put a spell on you...”

“Ah say into pi, alpha maybe upendi!”

“In comma-coriyama"

“In comma-coriyama”

"Hey hi, say bye-bye-i-i-i-i-i-i-i"

"Bye, bye"

The song ended with a pose from Hocus Pocus and his two back-up singers. He still had his menacing smirk on his face.

“I think it’s time our little liar had her own spell placed ob her,” Hocus Pocus stated. “Like... a truth spell, perhaps.”

Let’s just say that the heroes were petty and decided to let the liar’s kingdom fall before defeating the akuma. And Adrien was certainly glad to have his friend back and a really cool book from their favorite Halloween movie. He just wished that the name of the movie would stop slipping his mind. Oh well, gives him an excuse to talk with Lyon more.

#lila salt #Lila exposed #ml salt #halloween #akumatization #original character #original akuma #hocus pocus

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nrndrahire · 3 years ago

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2021

Movies:

A Mouthful of Air A Quiet Place Part II A Writer’s Odyssey (Ci sha xiao shuo jia) After We Fell AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon Annette Antlers Apex Army of the Dead Army of Thieves Beckett Belfast Bergman Island Black Widow Blood Red Sky Candyman Chaos Walking Cinderella CODA Copshop Cruella Cry Macho Don’t Breathe 2 Dune Escape Room: Tournament of Champions Eternals F9 Fatherhood Fear Street: 1978 Finch Finding You Firebird Free Guy Ghostbusters: Afterlife Godzilla vs. Kong Gunpowder Milkshake He’s All That Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard House of Gucci I’m Your Man In the Heights Infinite Invasion Jolt Judas and the Black Messiah Jungle Cruise Kate King Richard Lamb Last Night in Soho Le dernier mercenaire Luca Malcolm & Marie Mimi Mortal Kombat My Little Pony: A New Generation No Sudden Move No Time to Die Nobody Old Old Henry Oxygen PAW Patrol: The Movie Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway Pig Raya and the Last Dragon Red Notice Reminiscence Ron’s Gone Wrong Rurôni Kenshin: Sai shûshô - The Beginning Sardar Udham Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Sing 2 Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins Space Jam: A New Legacy Spencer Spider-Man: No Way Home The Addams Family 2 The Black Phone The Boss Baby: Family Business The Box The Card Counter The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It The Dig The French Dispatch The Green Knight The Guilty The Ice Road The King’s Man The Last Duel The Last Letter from Your Lover The Little Things The Many Saints of Newark The Marksman The Matrix 4 The Misfits The Mitchells vs the Machines The Protégé The Suicide Squad The Tomorrow War The Unforgivable The White Lotus The Woman in the Window Those Who Wish Me Dead Tides Till Death Titane Together Together-together Tom and Jerry Top Gun: Maverick Venom: Let There Be Carnage Vivo Warning Willy’s Wonderland Wish Dragon Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Tv-shows:

A Discovery of Witches American Gods American Horror Story Behind Her Eyes Brand New Cherry Flavor Brooklyn Nine-Nine Doctor Who Doom Patrol Élite Euphoria Fate: The Winx Saga Fear the Walking Dead Gone for Good Hawkeye La casa de papel Loki Love, Death & Robots Lucifer Maid Mare of Easttown Resident Alien Sex Education Shadow and Bone Shameless Solos The Blacklist The Book of Boba Fett The Chair The Falcon and the Winter Soldier The Flash The Great The Handmaid’s Tale The Rookie The Wheel Of Time The Witcher WandaVision What We Do in the Shadows Why Women Kill Y: The Last Man Young Sheldon Girl from Nowhere Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Bad and Crazy Vincenzo Snowdrop The Devil Judge Doom at Your Service Youth of May Squid Game Hellbound Penthouse

Animation:

Arcane: League of Legends Mo Dao Zu Shi Rick and Morty

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rubickk7 · 3 years ago

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Fic Interview Meme

Thanks for the tag @lizardkingeliot. Always love the chance to talk about myself.

How many works do you have on AO3?

45. I have a couple anon up there for exchanges waiting to go live.

What’s your total AO3 wordcount?

799,028 – I’ve been writing since May 2020. Will hit 800k next weekend when my next exchange is revealed.

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Here’s the list from my dashboard – 20 of these are drabbles.

The Magicians (TV) (23)

Original Work (3)

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling (2)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV) (2)

Twilight Series - All Media Types (1)

Loki (TV 2021) (1)

A Knight's Tale (2001) (1)

The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types (1)

The Old Guard (Movie 2020) (1)

Angel: the Series (1)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (TV) (1)

Superman & Lois (TV 2021) (1)

Labyrinth (1986) (1)

Daria (Cartoon) (1)

Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston (1)

The Mummy Series (1)

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (1)

Shadow and Bone (TV) (1)

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) (1)

Marvel Cinematic Universe (1)

Venom (Marvel Movies) (1)

The Magicians - Lev Grossman (1)

The Avengers (Marvel Movies) (1)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV) (1)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

There's No Place Like Home – Queliot, fake-dating post-mosaic

i'll put your poison in my veins – body swap fix-it fic

How to Make Two Stubborn Wizards Kiss – HP Drarry soulbond fic

The Only Exception (with the floppy hair) – Queliot soulmate fic

Quentin Coldwater and the Universal Truth (That a Slytherin as hot as Eliot Waugh would never be attracted to a Hufflepuff such as himself) – TM/HP/P&P Fusion.

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Yep. I enjoy it when authors respond to mine, so I reply to others. If the comment is just emojis or a few nice words, I may not respond, basically because I don’t expect responses on those when I leave them. I do appreciate anyone who leave a comment, from just one emoji to full capital keyboard smashes to long comments full of your favorite lines. Each one makes my day.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Hrm. Typically I write fluff and happy endings, but a couple I did for exchanges ended pretty ambiguously – so probably either ashes in my mouth (TM, Niffin!Alice & Q) or baby did a bad bad thing (TM, Q23/Q40)

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve ever written?

I was going to say no, but yeah, I did a Magicians/Harry Potter/Pride & Prejudice fusion fic for my second fic ever. I guess that one was pretty crazy, trying to merge three universes. I’m pleased with how it came out; it was a lot of fun to write.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not to my face. So, nope.

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Yes. Typically M/M. I have a few F/F and one M/F.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. @hoko-onchi-writes and I have talked about it, and I think it’ll happen one day.

What’s your all time favorite ship?

Queliot, although these days I enjoy many ships – Jaskier/Geralt, Clint/Coulson, among others

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I don’t have any incomplete fics.

What are your writing strengths?

Finishing fics? Capturing a character’s personality through dialogue. I don’t know.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Brevity. In the exchanges I’ve done, I’ve had the highest word count fics in over half of them.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I haven’t done this. I’m fine with it, when I read it in other fics. I think I usually just say “He chants the Romanian words” or whatnot.

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

The Magicians popped my fanfic cherry.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

I hate this question. I don’t know. I like them all; and my range of what I've written is pretty across the board. I guess here’s my top eight, in no particular order:

There’s No Place Like Home – fake-dating post-mosaic. This one felt like a romcom as I wrote it, which was partly why I enjoy it so much. I feel like the humor was pretty well done. Thanks to @freneticfloetry for the bunny.

Love Me To Life – Written for a fairy-tale exchange, based off the Pygmalion myth. The bunny for this one hit me while I was standing in line for Asian food, and it was just a delight to watch it come to life. I figured out various plot points along the way, and it just fills me with delight to reread it.

i’ll put your poison in my veins – my first real fix-it. I was proud of myself for sticking with the teen rating, even though I really wanted to put some smut in the end. It just felt good to write a real fix it.

so hot, so sweet, so whet my appetite – my first OW. I Love these two so much; I’m expanding their universe into an original novel.

The Only Exception (with the floppy hair) – this flowed out of me in 3 days. I love the soulmate trope; it’s my favorite, and this was the first one I ever wrote. Thanks for the inspo, @freneticfloetry.

Professor Coldwater: Social Maladjustment 101 – Pretty sure I’d get murdered in my sleep if I didn’t include this one. My longest fic, my goal was to write angst and smut. And I did that.

you said the words, and they altered the universe – TM, book/show fusion. Sort of. I wrote this probably when I was at my height of loving Queliot and the TM fandom, and I think it shows. I was just so enamored of this fic as soon as I finished it. I still love it. Just not that intensely, I suppose.

if I get burned (at least we were electrified) – TM, Wickoff. I just enjoyed writing a fic from a song, and I like how I did it with the flashbacks.

Tagging @mixtapestar @hoko-onchi-writes @freneticfloetry @shmazarov @eidetictelekinetic

#rubimemes #fic meme

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litwitlady · 4 years ago

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Operation (4/?)

Read the Board Game Verse on AO3.

Michael is over an hour late. He knocks on Alex’s door and steps back to wait. He hears a muffled ‘come in’ and lets himself inside. All the lights are off and everything is silent until he hears Alex clear his throat. Walking down the hallway, Michael finds him buried beneath a blanket, nothing but his head poking out. ‘I took a nap while I waited. Everything okay?’

Michael nods. ‘Yeah, Isobel was just worried about Max. You feeling alright?’

Alex sits up and throws the blanket off. ‘Better than alright. I thought a nap might help make my hands steadier so I can beat you tonight. Finally.’ He grins up at Michael, devilish glint in his eye. ‘Food’s on the way, but let’s start playing so I can start winning.’

Back at the dining room table, Michael drops into the chair next to Alex. ‘You do realize that I’m very good with my fingers, right? You still remember from all those times I -’

‘Stop.’ Alex holds his hand to Michael’s face. ‘If I recall correctly, my own fingers did just as good a job as yours. I could argue maybe even better. At least sometimes.’

MIchael nods, making a face that indicates he’s magnanimously letting Alex get away with absolute clownery. ‘We’ll see.’

The game starts off pretty evenly. Both of them choosing the easiest body parts to remove and doing so successfully. The best part for Michael is watching Alex concentrate, tip of his tongue snaking out of the corner of his mouth. It’s cute and he tells him so. ‘Shoosh, Guerin. Stop trying to distract me with your flirting.’

Eventually, the only thing left is the pencil. The most notorious piece of all. It’s Michael’s turn and he takes a deep breath before picking up the tweezers. Just as he lowers them to the tiny, slivered piece, Alex speaks. ‘The moon’s wet.’ Michael jumps and his hand jerks wildly, setting off the buzzer and lighting up the naked man’s red nose.

He glares at a smug Alex. ‘The moon’s wet? That’s cheating.’

Alex’s grin only grows. ‘There’s absolutely no rule against talking about wet moons.’

‘It’s implied in the spirit of the game. Each player gets to concentrate on removing the piece instead of their blabbermouth ex.’ He leans over the board and carefully removes the pencil, throwing it at Alex’s face.

Alex bats the small plastic pencil onto the table. ‘Blabbermouth ex? I thought my problem was the exact opposite of being a blabbermouth.’ He starts to put the game away, his smile unwilling to die.

The doorbell interrupts them, announcing the arrival of their dinner. They sit on the sofa, both choosing opposite sides so that an empty cushion remains between them. Alex pulls the wool blanket back over his lap and offers to share with Michael who readily accepts. ‘Want to watch a movie?’ Alex opens the Netflix app and tosses Michael the remote. ‘Pick anything you want.’

Michael settles on A Knight’s Tale. Alex doesn’t question the choice, only smiles to himself behind his food. Not in a million years would he have expected Michael to choose this particular movie. But once the movie starts playing and Michael starts chuckling along to all the best parts, Alex thinks the choice isn’t so surprising after all. He imagines that maybe Isobel forced him to watch it one day back in high school, and despite Michael’s fervent protests, he fell in love with its charm.

It’s not really a stretch. He always did fall in love so easily back then.

As the movie progresses, Alex sinks lower and lower into the couch, sliding back beneath his blanket and stretching out his left leg. He stops just shy of pressing his foot against Michael’s hip. But a few minutes later, he feels Michael’s warm hand wrap around his ankle and pull his foot onto his lap. Again, Alex hides his smile, only this time behind his blanket.

The room grows darker and Alex watches as the moonlight slants across Michael’s skin, casting shadows in the sharpest corners of his jaw. An eerie glow haloes his profile, and Alex forgets all about the movie, preferring to watch Michael instead. A fourth button is threatening to come undone and Michael’s lips twitch slightly with every joke the movie makes. Alex also notices that Michael keeps flexing his left hand, stretching his fingers against the couch’s arm and squeezing his fist open and shut. ‘Does your hand hurt?’

Michael glances down at him and shakes his head. ‘Not really. Old habit, I guess.’

Alex sits up and scoots closer, reaching for his hand and massaging between his knuckles. ‘Let me know if anything hurts or feels too uncomfortable. You never told me what happened. How you got healed? I assumed it was Max, obviously.’

‘It was. He got drunk on power after killing Noah, grabbed my hand, and healed me.’ His voice is quiet, too quiet. ‘I know it doesn’t make sense, but I didn’t want to be healed.’

Alex nods, continuing to work at the kinks in the back of his hand, pressing hardest in the spots that used to be rigid and gnarled. ‘I know. And it does make sense. No matter what I said the last time we spoke about your hand being covered.’

‘I told myself the mangled mess of my hand reminded me to be wary of hope. That every time my hand seized with overwork, I’d remember how dangerous hope could be and make better decisions in the future.’ He leans into Alex, butting their shoulders together. ‘But it was more than that actually. Or maybe it wasn’t really that at all. My hand helped slow me down. Made me take breaks when otherwise I’d get so wrapped up in a project I’d forget to eat or sleep. It allowed me to rest and kept me sharp.’

‘It’s similar with my leg.’ Alex rubs at his own right knee. ‘If you’d asked me right after I woke up in Germany, I’d have said I wanted nothing more than to grow back a new one.’ He switches to Michael’s right hand, starting the massage all over again. ‘But now? I don’t know that I’d change anything. There are parts that suck - things I can no longer do in the same ways I used to. But, I don't know, it’s who I am now. And I worked hard to be this version of me. I like this version of me, the ways I’ve grown stronger. Maybe even I like this version better.’

‘I never asked you what happened. In Iraq.’ Michael tugs at Alex’s right leg until it’s in his lap. Alex releases his hand and Michael starts to knead the tension loose above his knee. ‘I should have asked.’

They both look up as the credits begin to roll on the movie. ‘It’s okay. No one asks. No one really wants to know. It’s a pretty common story - roadside bomb, shredded foot, and a botched tourniquet because our medic died in the explosion.’ He lays his head on Michael’s shoulder and closes his eyes, trying to remember anything after the initial clap of the bomb and the first lick of fire gnawing on his skin. But there’s nothing, always nothing. He’s been told that makes him lucky.

Michael works at the tight muscles in his thigh, and Alex can’t help but drift off to sleep. The minute Alex goes lax against him, Michael switches off the television and stretches his legs onto the coffee table, resting his head on top of Alex’s and shutting his own eyes. It’s Michael’s first time spending the night. But it won’t be his last.

They wake with the sun, tangled together and eyes wide with a strange mix of wonder and relief. Half-holding their breaths, both wait for the other one to move off the couch. Minutes tick by. When nothing happens, Michael tucks the blanket around them tighter, cocooning them together with no protests from Alex. ‘What’s next week’s game?’

Alex nuzzles further into Michael’s neck and murmurs something neither of them understands, already falling back to sleep. Michael smiles into his hair and joins him.

#malex #malex fic

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denimbex1986 · 4 years ago

Video

youtube

“...got this long tale of a pandemic, the shadow hanging over the world and in many ways, rather like your character, Bucky, we’re all sort of a little bit feral in a way, trying to get used to this - whatever this new normal is.”

Sebastian: “Of - of course, and I think that’s one of the things that makes, you know, our show so relevant and timely, and - and relatable, because, um, it deals very much with a - with a world, um, post blip, and - and, where it’s left these characters particularly in terms of, uh, the past and now what they haven’t faced, and certainly what has happened in the time that, that was lost being gone in this blip, and uh, it’s obviously taps into very serious, dramatic arcs both of them, um, and you know, you know there’s - there’s some humor in there too.”

“Oh there’s that light and shade, right. I thoroughly enjoyed it; I am a bit of a Marvel geek I must admit, and what I found extraordinary about this is: can you imagine 10 years ago - or more than 10 years ago - when you got involved in this, that you would see this sort of scale on the smaller screen? I mean, it’s absolutely epic.”

Sebastian: “It is, but we’ve been kind of, you know, we’ve been heading that way right for - for a minute now, because you’ve had - I mean television really has been pretty consistently gaining ground and, and, and you know, developing and stuff, I mean you want to go back to like The Sopranos and then I think Game of Thrones really changed things, and, um, obviously Marvel now is, is definitely changing things, um, just in terms of; yeah the quality and, and the fact that, that you can - you can have something on the smaller screen that can be just as impactful, just as entertaining and as expensive.” (interviewer audibly laughs)

“So, so - have you gotten more expensive? Or did you, did you drop your fee for this, or you still yourself - ”

Sebastian: “Well no, I, I, I, I mean in terms of what it takes to make these, these movies - I mean like, you know, we’re, we’re streaming shows budget wise right; I mean, I think for, for, for a show that we were, again, if you want to label us, a comic book show, right - everything was locations. I mean we, we didn’t have a lot of green screen CGI, so that, that meant a lot of like actual being in - in these, in these, uh, scenes and in these locations, and a lot of the stunt work was manual and not the CGI, so there’s all these things that kind of, you know, ramp up budgets.”

“I mean the same is obviously for Anthony Mackie’s Wilson - you know, that the symbolism of this shield; we talked about the pandemic, but also Marvel increasingly diverse, uh, the idea of an affluent American holding the shield, and what the shield symbolizes and wrestling with actually what his country represents for him to - or how he can represent that country that he feels isn’t representing him. There’s so much at play here, and it’s so tiny - ”

Sebastian: “Yeah, well, exactly - and I think the show is asking those questions and very much taking us on a journey through, through his experience finally - and an experience that, that we haven’t seen from - from the Falcon, and, and we’ve never even understood really about the Falcon before because you never got a full-on backstory to him, which you’re getting now, finally. Um, and - and similarly with, with Bucky as well, it’s - it’s a time of sort of, um, re-educating in many ways, and, and, and, and - both characters along with the show I think asking the right questions of ‘What are symbols?’ and ‘What do we - do we need symbols anymore?’ And - and if so, um, can they make the leap of time, right, and become relevant again to what’s actually happening.?”

“We’re almost out of time so I’ve got to rush into - if you don’t mind - so if you’ll forgive the indulgence, some fan questions.”

Sebastian: “Yeah. Yeah, yeah, of course, course.”

“...are you happy with that? Okay. The first one is from Alex on Twitter. Sebastian, says Alex, I named my budgie Bucky. What do you think of him? (holds up printed photo) I printed it out; this cost me a fortune in printing.”

Sebastian: “I didn’t know - I didn’t know what budgie was, okay, okay, I mean, it’s very cute.

“You’re very - ”

“Sebastian: “It looks like he’s got Winter - yeah, exactly a Winter-esque look.”

“Thank you for that Alex, and tearing through my printing cartridge. From Dasha: Hi Sebastian. If Bucky had a notebook of movies and music like Steve Rogers, what would you personally add to this list?”

Sebastian: “Oh my God; I don’t know. The Rolling Stones for one thing, I mean, um, you know Prince, David Bowie, um, yeah. I mean, um, maybe ‘cos that’s more my - “

“No, I think that’s great.”

Sebastian: (laughs) “But I’ll stop there.”

“Something for everyone there. Okay, two more. From Isabella on Twitter. In the first episode, Bucky says that he’s tried online dating - we mentioned it - what do you think Bucky would put in his profile bio and what would his go-to pick up line be?”

Sebastian: “Um, ‘Here I am, I’m just a man - (both laugh) - trying to do my best’, um, I don’t know ; ‘how are you?’ (laughs)

“..it works...”

Sebastian: “It’d be something really - yeah, exactly - ”

“Yeah, like I say for 103, you look really well, mate. From AlexandraThomas07 on Instagram: if you could be any other Marvel character, who would it be and why?”

Sebastian: “Um, well, I mean I really kind of, um, dug myself in there with - with this Moon Knight character, but I really mean that, like I - I didn’t know the storyline of that character, but I was so excited about it, just ‘cos I - it just sounds like such a complex character, so I’ll just go with Moon Knight.”

“You’ll go with that. I know you - you’re going to be playing Tommy Lee very, very soon. Have you spoken to him about that? Are you gonna go deep into that part?”

Sebastian: (laughs) “Ah, I haven’t even - I haven’t you know, even gone, in my mind, uh, there, yet ‘cos we’ve, we’ve been just, so, you know, excited about the show and getting it out and stuff, but I’m - I’m, uh, yeah, I’m excited to - to dive back into the 90′s.”

“Welcome aboard my friend, although the 70′s and 80′s were probably more my generation. Thank you very much for your time, I really appreciate it - ”

Sebastian: “Thank you.”

“And best of luck with rest of it, it’s fantastic.”

#Sebastian Stan #falcon and the winter soldier

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icantlose · 3 years ago

Text

I am going to assume that this question was meant for the mun and not Wolf. So my apologies if I misunderstood what you’re asking for.

When it comes to creative storytelling, character development is its lifeblood. If, at the end of your story, your character remains the exact same person they were when the story began, your readers are very likely going to walk away from you feeling empty-handed, gypped, like they didn’t gain anything meaningful from reading your story. Character development is what makes a story engaging because character development is what moves the story along. Moving the plot forward in a captivating manner begins with how the character views the world, this is dictated by past experiences, people they’ve been around, personal opinion – things like that. These sorts of things are what make up interesting character motivation. You see, if a knight is going to save the princess simply because it’s the just right thing to do, sure, you’ve got a motivation but you’ve got a really bland story. Why should I care about the knight? What’s the point of cheering him on? Do I really give a shit if the princess is saved?

As a contrast, in the first movie, Shrek begins the story quite apathetic and uninterested in the plight of the fairy tale creatures. He wants to shut everyone out and be on his own because the whole world has shut him out first; they don’t treat him like a person. He won’t admit it out loud, but he’s protecting himself from getting hurt. The plot of the movie moves forward only because he’s been promised that his swamp would be returned to him if he meets his end of the bargain. His motivation is peace and quiet, solitude, and apathy. He doesn’t have any attachment to the princess he’s rescuing, not at first. When Fiona begins to treat him like a real person with real feelings, he begins to feel differently. His guard drops, his opinions change, and his motivations change. The story shifts; he no longer gives a fuck about his swamp. He just wants Fiona. This is huge, because just a little while ago, he was scaring off humans and preferring to be all alone. This is how character development drives a story.

Development, though, isn’t a straight line, however. Sometimes a character can make progress, and then regress. This keeps the character dynamic; it makes them realistic. As human beings, none of us are perfect, and as we continue to grow, we’ll reach obstacles that will challenge us. Sometimes those challenges will bring out the worst of us; sometimes facing a challenge can resurrect old, bad habits. We have all have flaws! This should be reflected in character development. Seeing a character face this sort of thing, a failure, a flaw, is extremely important because it keeps them grounded. It keeps them life-like. Your character is something for people to connect to, and making them relatable like that will always draw people in. They’ll care about their struggles, their challenges, and their goals. They’ll want to see that princess rescued; they’ll want to cheer that knight on as he fights that dragon and scales the tallest tower, because they care a lot about that knight. Character development is a large aspect of storytelling because of how much it is responsible for. It links the reader to the character, it is immersion, it is character motivation.

To gain a better insight on how important character development is, I suggest reading Daphne du Maurier‘s book, “Rebecca”. The character and narrator is purposefully never named because she’s meant to be within the shadow of “Rebecca” the late wife of a main character. This unnamed woman is the second wife, and the story purposefully frames her as “Rebecca 2.0″, though her active characterization is defined much more than that. It’s an interesting writing experiment and it’s worth checking out.

#OUT OF CLAWS || OUT OF CHARACTER

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blackjack-15 · 4 years ago

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(Pachin)Koping Mechanisms, KuroSAWa, and Putting The Ring On It — Thoughts on: Shadow at the Water’s Edge (SAW)

Previous Metas: SCK/SCK2, STFD, MHM, TRT, FIN, SSH, DOG, CAR, DDI, SHA, CUR, CLK, TRN, DAN, CRE, ICE, CRY, VEN, HAU, RAN, WAC, TOT

Hello and welcome to a Nancy Drew meta series! 30 metas, 30 Nancy Drew Games that I’m comfortable with doing meta about. Hot takes, cold takes, and just Takes will abound, but one thing’s for sure: they’ll all be longer than I mean them to be.

Each meta will have different distinct sections: an Introduction, an exploration of the Title, an explanation of the Mystery, a run-through of the Suspects. Then, I’ll tackle some of my favorite and least favorite things about the game, and finish it off with ideas on how to improve it. For this meta and the next (CAP), I’ll have a section entitled “The Faerietale” where I break down the issue of genre within the game and how it adds to the experience.

If any game requires an extra section or two, they’ll be listed in the paragraph above, along with links to previous metas.

These metas are not spoiler free, though I’ll list any games/media that they might spoil here: SHA, SAW, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SPY, GTH, Rashomon.

The Intro:

Full Disclosure: draft titles of this meta include “Yurei-sing the Tension” and “Using Your Girlfriend’s Mom’s Horrific Death For Fun and Profit”. They ultimately don’t fit the tone of the game (or the meta), but I thought they were fun…so you’re being subjected to them anyway.

Freshly out of the games of growing pains, Shadow at the Water’s Edge is the first of our two Faerietale Games, where we delve fully into Theme and Allegory and other such literary devices — which happen to support some pretty fine mysteries as well. As such, in case you didn’t see it above, both SAW and CAP will have a section diving into the Faerietale-ness of it all (partially because it’s That Interesting and partially to keep the intro section from being like 2k on its own).

SAW is interesting for a number of reasons (which I’ll go into throughout the meta) but one of the things that stuck out to me on a replay was how much it leans on Rashomon for its story about the past. For those unfamiliar, Rashomon is a Japanese film by Kurosawa Akira from the 50s that deals with the rape of a woman and the killing of her husband, a samurai, as told through four different points of view.

Nowadays called “a Rashomon episode” or “false flashback”, the idea of different, opposite points of view being shot and filmed to present to the audience is almost a cliché, but Kurosawa was the first to really bring it to film and to popular consciousness internationally.

Like in Rashomon, we’re presented with different views of the situation at the ryokan (including but not limited to Kasumi’s death) from our characters’ perspectives — and, like in Rashomon, no point of view nor opinion on what happened is ever confirmed to be the Honest Truth.

Was Kasumi’s death accidental, and on whose part was it accidental? Does the world stay the same inside the ryokan, or is it just as prone to change as the rest of the world? Is the ryokan a resort or a prison? Should you respect what your loved one wants for themselves, or is it your job to want something better for them? Takae, Rentaro, Miwako, Yumi, and even Kasumi all have different opinions on these questions, and we’re never told who’s correct, nor to what extent.

Finally, like Rashomon, the game is content with leaving a few answers undiscovered. While shooting the movie, Kurosawa was approached many times by the actors, who wanted to know what “really” happened in the movie — and each time he refused to say, wanting the story to be truly Alive in a way that it wouldn’t be if he answered their questions.

Nancy’s job is to expose the malevolent force in the game for what it is, not to heal the family, nor to make decisions for them.

And speaking of their decisions, let’s talk about what motivates our characters in this game. I know, this intro is already kind of long, and I normally keep this kind of talk for the Characters section, but given how much they intersect in this game, we’re gonna go into it here. All of our suspects here in the game are driven and informed by one thing: their coping mechanisms.

C’mon, no surprise here. It’s in the title of the meta for more than just the pun.

Because our suspects are living in the “Once Upon a Time” section of the faerietale — aka the past — it’s their coping mechanisms that drive them. Takae is driven by guilt over her daughter’s death and fear of a changing world; Miwako is driven by anger towards her family and personally-assumed responsibility over Everything That Happens; Rentaro is driven by selfish pride and concern over his loved one; Yumi is driven by avoidance and individualistic willpower.

These are all common when dealing with loss, and each of these tell us exactly how our characters are going to act throughout the tale. In a very real way, SAW is a game about how we, as humans, deal with the stories that we tell ourselves (another thing that it has in common with CAP), and how that changes the way that we perceive the world.

It’s the breakdown of Rentaro’s coping mechanism — his pride in always being correct — that causes him to Do Evil while claiming that it’s The Right Thing. Everyone else’s mechanisms are what allows for him to be as influential as he is; Kasumi is already haunting Takae, and Miwako is already feeling the world crash down around her. Even though the yurei is just wires and metal and Upsettingly Damp-Looking Hair, its presence in the ryokan isn’t physical – it’s psychological.

Remember, “a ghost doesn’t need to be real to haunt you”.

The Title:

Let’s be real here, we’re getting into the segment of Nancy Drew games where the (most of) titles just kick butt and aren’t afraid to do so. Like, Shadow at the Water’s Edge? Gives you creepy vibes right off the bat even without the yurei on the front giving you The Ring flashbacks. Properly atmospheric without being too specific, and “shadow” gives us the idea that we’re dealing with a monster that’s more ghostly, rather than flesh and blood.

I don’t even have anything negative to say about this title, that’s how good it is — plus, I mean, the acronym is literally “saw”. Awesome.

Let’s move on then to the faerietale behind the title.

The Faerietale

SAW and CAP both function, genre-wise, as a faerietale — a story with few characters, big pasts, legends and magic, and a moral at the end to tie things off. In both cases, interestingly enough, it’s our villain who gives us our “moral” — the Truth that ties the plot, history, and characters together, able to be said in a single sentence. In SAW, it’s this (rather chilling) statement from Rentaro that does it:

“A ghost doesn’t need to be real to haunt you.”

But let’s start at the beginning.

Like in a lot of faerietales, we have two sisters who are as different as can be, an inheritance (a ryokan rather than a crown or a prince), absent/dead parental figures, a wizened mentor related to our main characters (Takae), and a Monstrous Force opposing them and their ‘kingdom’. In this story, Nancy is the Dashing Outsider (not unlike the Prince from The Twelve Dancing Princesses) who vows to learn the secrets, defeat the monster, and save the kingdom, restoring balance to the ‘royal’ family and allowing them to prosper.

(And no, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that in this game Nancy’s the Knight in Shining Armor when CAP and Renate’s talk about them is right around the corner, but we’ll save that for next time.)

Having established that the game is a faerietale, let’s talk about why that actually matters (beyond the fact that it’s kinda cool in itself) when we’re looking at the game.

It basically matters for a handful of reasons: it allows us to figure out the suspect Fairly easily, it allows the writers to Allude to subject matters that are a little Dark for the E/E10 rating that Nancy Drew games normally get, and provides a bridge between the (overall) concrete games of the past and the more thematic, character-development-focused games that we’re coming up on. So let’s break that down.

Assigning our characters faerietale roles lets us see immediately that Rentaro is Missing an easy assignation. He doesn’t fit the prince, doesn’t fit a sibling — he doesn’t fit anywhere, in short, which is our first clue that he’s the villain.

Even ignoring the fact that the yurei is obviously mechanical, that Rentaro has free access to the entire ryokan in a way that no other character does, and that he’s responsible for upkeeping the ryokan (which is why it’s suspicious that he’s not the one Dedicated to figuring out the mystery) — which are all excellent things that point towards Rentaro, his absence in the faerietale points to a hidden role.

Since the only role worth hiding is either an 11th hour ally or a villain, and Rentaro is present from the beginning of the game, it’s pretty clear which one he is.

Situating the game as a faerietale also lets HER play with a few more themes than they normally can, given their target audience. Starting with a rather blatant implication of suicide, the game spins on to abusive relationships, overpowering guilt, and Nancy being, well, downright mean with her questions about a family member’s death.

While Nancy’s always been a bit insensitive, the mystery surrounding Kasumi’s death sends her into the realm of bullheadedly rude (to the point where you can get a game over for it). We see why this writing choice was made in SPY (which we’ll cover in that meta), but it’s one of my favorite things about this game; it takes a slight character trait of Nancy’s and gives it a character-driven purpose.

The last function of SAW (and CAP) as a faerietale is to provide a bridge between the older and the newer games. The older games tended to be self-involved entities: they began with Nancy’s room and ended with the letter to Carson/Hannah/Ned. As the game technology improved and the player base got older, however, that started to not be good enough; Nancy and her mysteries needed to become A World rather than simply a string of cases held together with a handful of familiar names and archetypes.

The first step towards this was the inclusion of the Hardy Boys back in our Expanded games, but it’s really SAW and CAP that show an Active Transition. Faerietales are often thought of, literarily speaking, as the bridge between children’s fiction and adult fiction; they involve simplistic plots and archetypes that children can easily grasp, but teach hard lessons about the world that adults will understand and resonate with.

The earlier Nancy Drew games, on the whole (there are of course a few exceptions), are largely concrete, like the children’s fiction they’re based on. The good and bad guys are simply and easily divided, Nancy and co. are always the heroes and always do right, and the bad guys always go to jail.

The past few games leading up to SAW start to shift slightly; while generally our heroes and villains are still sharply divided, nothing is quite as simple as it seems (look at TOT, where at least a few bad guys get away and actually profit from their bad actions).

It’s here in SAW, however, where we see that take a sharp shift. Those who should be good guys (Rentaro is a Love Interest, he enjoys puzzles, he’s a ‘fixer’ by trade) aren’t good at all; those who should be the bad guys (Takae and Miwako behave a lot like early Nancy Drew villains with their cageyness, dislike of Nancy, and ability to get Nancy to Second Chance) really aren’t.

In case this point is a bit obtuse, Logan is the perfect example of what I mean.

In SHA, Charleena Purcell has a receptionist (well-voiced by JVS) that at first prevents you from talking to her, but isn’t much of an obstacle. It’s a cut and dried ‘solve this one puzzle’ and then Nancy can talk to the author as much as she chooses — it’s barely an impediment, honestly.

In SAW, we’re dealing with another famous author, who also has a receptionist — Logan Mitchell. Unlike the receptionist in SHA, who’s just Doing His Job and exists long enough for a puzzle, Logan is a rather spiteful character who enjoys hanging up on people, and does it to Nancy with Great Joy.

As a character, Logan matters; he has his own viewpoints, loyalties (that are explored in SPY as well), and his own idiosyncrasies that make dealing with him — repeatedly — a bit like dealing with people in real life. The receptionist in SHA isn’t a character, no matter how much I personally like JVS’ voice work with him. Logan is. And that’s a huge difference in the approach of the games and the shift from the concrete, insert-puzzle-and-go nature of the older games and the more abstract, thematic nature of the newer games.

Whether or not that’s a good thing is up to you, the player, and your personal preferences. But it can’t be denied that there is a shift, and it’s the genius of SAW (and CAP)’s genre-shift to a faerietale that does it.

The Mystery:

Our mystery picks up where TOT left off, with Krolmeister sending Nancy to one of his favorite ryokans in Japan as a thank you for her help in the previous case.

This is how we find out that Krolmeister is apparently Spooky AF, as the ryokan is haunted.

Nancy decides to pick up a job while she’s there (the ‘how’ of her obtaining employment and an E-2 visa so promptly is ignored) as an English teacher to some of the cutest (and one of the most disturbing) children in Japan, which is how she spends her days — and how the game gets away with it taking place Solely at night.

The more time Nancy spends at the ryokan, however — and the more people connected to it that she meets — the more that she suspects that the ryokan might actually be harboring a malevolent entity bent on wreaking havoc and shutting down the place once and for all…

As a mystery, the game is solid; you spent most of your time “on-site” at the ryokan, soaking in the very well-done atmosphere, with only a few moments in-game spent at other locations (such as the pachinko parlor, Yumi’s apartment, etc.), and the amount of work that went into every detail of the ryokan is staggering (especially the garden).

Normally, I wouldn’t hang so much on the atmosphere when talking about the plot, but it’s actually relevant here, since the atmosphere is part of the plot — i.e., is it the ‘atmosphere’ of the ryokan that makes the hauntings happen, and did the ryokan kill Kasumi.

Speaking of Kasumi, she’s one of the biggest open-ended mysteries in this game. Did Shimizu Kasumi kill herself, or was her death an accident, or was it caused by a Paranormal Entity, leading to her becoming a ghost herself?

The game tells us how Kasumi died — cleaning a bath that she had never cleaned before, leading to her drowning — but the circumstances outside of her death like her will and her premonitions about her death speak less to an accident alone and more towards Something causing her death.

In my own point of view, Kasumi — remember, this is the Nancy Drew Universe, where ghosts are actually real — had a bit of Prescient Awareness to her, and knew that her death was coming, though not by what. While there’s evidence towards her knowing about her death that could, if looked at in that light, lead one to suspect Kasumi of suicide, it’s unexpectedly hard to kill yourself via drowning in a shallow body of water. Add to that her future plans, and I think it’s pretty safe to assume that Kasumi knew she would die, but she didn’t plan and execute a suicide.

Of course, there’s good arguments to be made on the other side. Whichever way you look at it, I’m just happy with the presence of loose ends, as that’s not the mystery that Nancy’s there to solve — and, indeed, without the presence of an actual suicide note from that period, is a mystery that simply cannot be solved.

The Suspects:

We’ll start with (and yes, the names will all be in Japanese rather than Western order) Shimizu Miwako, the Younger Daughter in our faerietale and the current force behind the ryokan.

As the one (via a faerietale’s rules) destined to succeed, Miwako sure does get the short end of the stick when it comes to her relationships. Her causing/contributing/worsening the rift between herself and Yumi aside, her boyfriend is actively sabotaging her and her grandmother doesn’t think she should be the one running the ryokan, no matter how good a job she does.

As a culprit, however, Miwako would have been a bit confused, given how much she likes the ryokan and the good job she does with it. For a Miwako ending to make sense, she would have had to been influenced by an actual ghost, sabotaging the ryokan without wanting to and having your usual blackouts that come with Psychic Interference. It would have been interesting, but out of the faerietale genre (and out of the Nancy Drew game genre as a whole) and thus not a very good story.

Next up is the Elder Daughter, Shimizu Yumi, who left the ryokan as soon as she could and instead sells bento boxes in Kyoto. Framed as a sort of free spirit, Yumi doesn’t see any need for her to run the ryokan and instead does something that she likes and is obviously very successful at.

As a culprit, Yumi would have, to be frank, been a major disappointment. Already taking fire from her little sister and her grandmother for the Abject Sin of not taking on the family business, Yumi would have been way to easy, both character-wise and tonally for the game as a whole. The Elder Daughter in a faerietale is usually the one who fails (the Youngest Daughter almost always succeeds), and so it’s refreshing to have everyone but herself consider Yumi a failure.

Their grandmother and quasi-mentor, Nagai Takae, is the other person who helps run the ryokan — much to her displeasure, as tradition dictates that Yumi, not Miwako, help run the family business.

Because someone who resents being there will definitely be a much better worker in the hospitality market than someone who loves the ryokan.

Takae has absolutely no head for anything but her own ideas and clings onto tradition not for its sake, but because change is scary, hard, and (in the case of her daughter’s death) heartbreaking.

As a culprit, Takae would have been interesting, but absolutely impossible — unless she was working with someone else. And as interesting as a Takae/Rentaro team-up would have been, Takae simply has no motive for scaring everyone else out. She needs the ryokan to survive, to do well, if she’s going to be able to cling on to the things that she wants.

Rounding out our main faerietale cast is our Malevolent Force, Aihara Rentaro, the ryokan’s handyman and tech expert, who secretly builds robots resembling his girlfriend’s dead mother and uses them to scare people out of the ryokan.

He’s a peach.

Not only is Rentaro our only option for a faerietale ending, but he’s also just the best option for the culprit in general. Handy enough to build a “ghost”, expected in any place in the ryokan without suspicion, and with a strong (if dickish) motive). Like all Evil Wizards/Malevolent Forces in faerietales, he wants to ruin the kingdom and steal away the Daughter — though, unlike a lot of faerietales, he’s convinced himself it’s For Her Own Good.

Which yeah is super gross, but hey, he’s our Villain. Villains should be a bit gross.

Lastly, we’re going to look at two characters who are inseparable from one another for the purposes of discussion: Savannah Woodham and her assistant Logan Mitchell.

Savannah (as we meet her in SAW) is a former ghost hunter who now writes about technology (hence her presence in Kyoto) who mentioned the ryokan in a book about the paranormal. Not being fond of interruptions, she pays Logan to be her assistant so that he can deal with the calls that she gets.

She also brings in a nice little easter egg talking about CAP, where Castle Finster is implied to be the castle she mentions in SAW.

As a character in the Nancy Drew world (as it becomes a world), Savannah is an odd presence, in that she’s a sage without being an academic. Most of the ‘authorities’ that Nancy calls for information are professors, researchers, etc., but Savannah doesn’t quite fall into that designation.

Sure, she’s written a book, but ghost hunting isn’t exactly a…respected profession or topic — and yet, Savannah is clearly the smartest person in the game (and one of the smartest people that Nancy encounters as phone friends). This is great — Nancy herself is no academic, and I do get tired of the prioritizing of Academia over actual knowledge.

Savannah also gets the best lines, and her VA absolutely smashes it out of the park. I’ll talk more about her as the Nancy Games (beginning in ASH), as a lot of her dialogue is foreshadowing for our next games, but suffice it to say that, other than the Hardy Boys and the Drews, Savannah probably fights only Alexei for the most significant NPC in the ND universe.

Her assistant is no slouch in the Significance department, though.

MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR SPY AHEAD, IF YOU DON’T WANT THEM SKIP UNTIL THE NEXT ALL-CAPS PARAGRAPH.

Logan (according to him) started working for Savannah to make some money during spring break and found the job too weird to quit once break was done (according to him). He loves hanging up on people, resulting in Savannah referring to him as her “lil’ Georgia bulldog”, and would like to go out on a date with Bess (according to him).

Yeah, pretty much everything about Logan should be taken with a grain of salt, as he’s the one who tells it to us, and…well, Logan is a spy. A spy who’s assigned to Nancy at least as far back as SAW, who gets close to her friend(s) and reports back to Cathedral that Nancy’s obsessed with her mother’s death and thus will probably be used by those who want to know Kate Drew’s secrets.

He ‘fires’ Savannah from being his boss prior to GTH because his work is done; he’s completed the mission he’s been assigned and is now working on other things. Logan isn’t a ghost hunter, nor a receptionist, nor a guy who wants to take Bess out on a date — until he needs to be. Like any good spy, Logan is all things to all people, and it’s his tiny bit of backstory in SPY (easily missed if you’re not paying attention — remember, in Nik games especially there’s no such thing as “optional reading” — that makes him so significant in SAW.

SPOILERS END HERE, YOU’RE ALL GOOD TO CONTINUE.

The Favorite:

There’s a lot to love about SAW, so let’s dive right in.

The first thing I’ll mention, because I just mentioned it, is Logan, who is one of my favorite parts of the Nancy Drew universe, let alone this specific game. His VA is great, his dialogue is great, his character is great — he ticks all the boxes, and I love it.

Savannah is, of course, also a favorite; any game with Savannah in it automatically moves it up a few clicks in my estimation. Savannah (and sage-type characters like her) is where Nik’s writing really shines, and her dialogue is always a joy to read and hear.

My favorite moment is actually a tiny moment, despite it being the titular incident: the shadow at the water’s edge. It’s easy to miss, but when Nancy looks in the bath and sees Kasumi’s shadow for that split second…it’s the haunting that games like HAU and CUR really wanted to have — subtle, upsetting, and fully within the bounds of the Laws of Haunting that the ND universe has set up.

My favorite puzzle is hands-down the bento boxes. Longtime readers of this meta series (which will be two years old this summer!) will know that there’s nothing that I like better than a good logic puzzle, and the bento boxes are a great logic puzzle. It’s fun, cute, and I love that you can do it as much as you want.

I do love, lastly, that this game is a faerietale. Having read and analyzed faerietales for a good portion of my life, it’s nice to see that niche interest represented within another niche interest.

The Un-Favorite:

There are a few things in SAW that I really don’t like, as much as I think this game is great.

The most important is my least favorite puzzle: the frame puzzle. This puzzle is one of the few puzzles that actually make me white-out in Rage and refuse to play further, which is a problem given that SAW is actually a great game and I enjoy playing it. It honestly stops me from replaying the game as often as I really should, given its significance to the ND universe, and for how just good it is. I usually make my sister or my best friend play it for me, but I do actually have to leave the room while they do it because it infuriates me that much.

My least favorite moment in the game is a little different, given how good the game actually is; it’s the very end where, depending on the choice that Nancy makes, Rentaro’s apology is accepted by Miwako. Sure, Nancy says it’s unlikely that they’ll date again, but this is a case where the choice to tell on him or have him tell himself should result in the same result: him having to leave. Handymen aren’t thin on the ground, and the ryokan needs help, rather than the same toxic influence that helped bring it down in the first place.

While I appreciate the choice for Nancy impacting the end — I really do — it should say more about Nancy as a character than it should about Miwako and Rentaro. That it doesn’t is a failure in storytelling at the 11th hour, which is a shame in a game this good.

The Fix:

So how would I fix Shadow at the Water’s Edge?

First things first, I would obviously change the frame puzzle a bit. I don’t think it needs removed per se, but I would definitely shift it. Give an option to skip it, perhaps, or make it easier the more time you spend on that screen, or make it easier if you go in and out of it a few times. Heck, even having it reset when you back out (or having a reset button) would be better, since getting stuck in the puzzle results in Hours of Frustration.

Other than that, I would only change the ending choice. Like I said above, the choice is great, but it should be changed to show us exactly who Nancy is (not unlike the choice in GTH). Is Nancy the kind of person who would not trust Rentaro to tell himself and thus does it, or is Nancy the kind to give him just enough rope to hang himself?

Either way, we’re given a view of Nancy that we’ll see more and more — that she is not always kind, nor infallible, nor impartial. She lets her feelings interfere with her cases, and while sometimes that’s good (again, GTH is a prime example), sometimes the only impact her choices need to have on her is to show us her character.

All in all, Shadow at the Water’s Edge is a good, mature look at the Nancy Drew universe, and continues the thread of connecting case-to-case. While it’s ultimately imperfect, I believe it’s not only one of the most fun games to play through, but also to consider in the larger realm of Nancy Drew games and in adaptation of genre altogether.

#nancy drew #nancy drew games #clue crew #shadow at the water's edge #nancy drew meta #SAW #my meta #video games #long post #i didn't really go into the whole Japanese Culture influences in this meta b/c frankly it's not what the meta is about #but shoot off a message to @tinkchick555 if you wanna hear about it; she's the Expert

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kilesplaysthings · 4 years ago

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Happy Halloween! I hope you guys have a fun and safe spooky day!

Now as a horror fan, I gotta tell you guys, I find the vampire lore in IkeVam a little weak sauce (ok, actually a LOT) lol But I do tend to like vampires as more of the monstrous villains in fiction too. So! in celebration of today kiles is gonna recommend some vampire flicks for you all that love these bloodsucking monsters. Let me know which ones you like and maybe even recommend ones that I don’t have on here! :D

Let the Right One In/Let Me In: both the original Swedish film and its American remake are very good, but I personally find the OG better in both acting and dark tones. The story is about a boy who is bullied by his peers and feels isolated from everyone, meeting what seems to be a little girl and befriends her. But there is more to this girl than meets the eye. I can’t recall there being a lot of warnings in this, but it does have some gore.

The Lost Boys: I love this movie. It’s so 80s lol But the vampire stuff is really fun. That and not only do you have a young Corey Feldman in a duo of kid vampire hunters, but you get a young Kiefer Sutherland running around with a sort of Glam Metal look going on. The story is about two brothers and their mom who move to a California town that wind up getting involved with a group of rebellious teens who turn out to be vampires.

What We Do in the Shadows: This is probably my favorite vampire movie. I love the faux-documentary of this New Zealand dark comedy, and I love the homage to traditional vampire lore. No more sparkling, no more resistance to daylight. The vampires in this movie are done right, in my opinion. I’m more of a traditionalist when in comes to monsters, you see. I almost wish we could get an ikevam version that was more like this, where MC is the person making the documentary filming the boys lol

Nosferatu: The Classic vampire flick from the Silent Era of film. It’s a German retelling of the story Dracula. Count Orlock’s design is perfectly eerie and creepy, iconic throughout media. If you don’t mind silent film and you haven’t seen this one, check it out!

Dracula: And then, of course, there’s the classic film with Bela Lugosi. His Hungarian accent became the go-to for other vampires in later media. It’s pretty close to the book for the most part. At least, it’s as good as most book adaptations that were made back then were (which wasn’t too good lol)

Fright Night: This is another very 80s movie. The main character is a teenager who is addicted to a tv show about a vampire hunter and how he hunts vampires. Because of this, he starts to become suspicious that his new, odd neighbor may in fact be a vampire. There is also a remake starring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell and David Tennant that’s.. ok lol

Salem’s Lot: Stephen King’s vampire tale. A man coming back to his childhood town realizes that a vampire is preying on the townsfolk. While this is an older flick that might not be exactly scary there’s some great classic vampire stuff and eerie scenes. Plus it’s Stephen King!

30 Days of Night: Probably the most horrific vampire movie, where there is nothing redeemable or likable about the vampires whatsoever. The setting of this movie alone makes it terrifying. Set in a northern, remote part of Alaska, an isolated town is beset by ravenous vampires when the town is submerged in complete darkness for one month. Most of the town’s occupants go south for the winter, but those remaining have to fight and use quick thinking to survive. Warning to those who don’t like gore for this one. It’s pretty brutal.

Afflicted: A found footage film about two friends who are backpacking through Europe due to one guy wanting to live life to the fullest before he dies of cancer. Something goes wrong at a party however, and he soon begins to show signs of something... inhuman.

Van Helsing: I know a lot of people don’t think this movie is any good, but I admit I like it as a sort of guilty pleasure. Van Helsing is now a younger vampire hunter that’s sent by the church to help a town in Romania that is beset by Dracula and his brides. It’s got lots of funs stuff like a vampire masquerade ball, a sort of Frankenstein’s monster character, and a fight between a vampire and a werewolf that’s pretty beast :D

Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Though I haven’t seen this yet, the tone, acting, music and cinematography of this movie all look so darkly beautiful. Add a bit of gothic romance, this adaptation of Bram Stoker’s tale is one that I definitely plan to watch soon.

Thirst: A Korean take on a vampiric story. A priest who wishes to save lives volunteers to be a guinea pig for a vaccine that is being made to cure a virus. But things go awry and he comes back to life as a vampire. Now he has to battle between his thirst and his faith. Haven’t seen this either, but I plan to! Korean films are always a cut above, and if you don’t mind some gore and adult elements, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this.

Others I would recommend:

Interview with a Vampire, though I don’t really like that movie all that much. You do get a younger Tom Cruise as a vampire though lol plus Kirsten Dunst’s character is surprisingly sympathetic and sad (at least to me!)

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night: This one’s unique, being an Iranian take on vampires. It’s a slower indie film, about a mysterious girl who only comes out at night and skateboards around a town. I wasn’t too crazy about this one, but it was interesting!

Shiki: I’ve seen three-ish vampire anime. This, Diabolik Lovers, and Vampire Knight. I didn’t like DL at ALL, and I could barely get through the first few episodes of VK. Shiki is excellent, though, if you can get past the odd character designs. I probably would have liked VK better if the story was focused solely on Zero’s character though.

Vampyr. This is an RPG actually, but the vampire lore is so dark, bloody and complex. The MC is a doctor that specializes in blood transfusions who comes back to London from WW1 right during the Spanish Flu epidemic. When he’s turned into a vampire by a mysterious sire, he has to find a way to survive while still acting as a doctor and decide if he will kill others or starve.

#ikemen vampire #ikevam #ikevamp #vampires #halloween #vampire films #halloween recommendations

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charliejrogers · 4 years ago

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Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) - Review & Analysis

Here’s a non-controversial statement: 2017’s Wonder Woman is a legitimately great film (if you discount the last act’s boring battle). A fun, yet emotional anti-war tale with a great period aesthetic. What elevated it from greatness was its starkly bleak reveal that Ares does not start man’s wars, but he merely gives humans ideas for how to instigate them. Ultimately, it is Man who holds responsibility for our own destruction, and despite this Wonder Woman still chooses to help us poor creatures. Cool themes, cool hero, cool movie.

Wonder Woman 1984 shares the main character from its 2017 forerunner, as well as its dedication to recreating a particular period aesthetic (here the 1980s), but the brilliant writing from the first film is gone. The main themes are essentially… “be careful what you wish for” and “winners never cheat; cheaters never win.” Not the most grand and interesting follow-up to the prior film’s genuine insight into human nature.

But that’s OK. I’m really not sure why this movie is getting so much flak online. If DC’s recent prior history with filmmaking should have taught us anything, it’s that 2017’s Wonder Woman was a fluke. Remember that this is the same studio that brought us the outstanding climax to Batman vs. Superman where one grown man learns that another grown man’s mother is also named Martha. Oh, and did we all just forget that Justice League is one of the worst movies we have all collectively ever seen?

So let’s not be too hard on WW84 for not meeting the quality of 2017’s Wonder Woman. Few comic book movies can. In the more fair comparison to other movies in the DCEU, it sits below Shazam! and Aquaman, and just a smidge below Birds of Prey, but certainly above Suicide Squad, and then literally leaps and bounds over every other movie they’ve made.

Let’s start with the good. Honestly, despite my gripes about the themes of the movie not being very profound, I found the story to be interesting. The movie centers around Diana Prince (Gal Gadot in her role as an archaeologist for the Smithsonian and not as Wonder Woman) stumbling upon an ancient stone whose inscription invites people who hold the stone to make a wish. No one takes it really seriously at first, so two people make wishes without thinking they could come true. The first person is Diana herself who wishes to bring her boyfriend (whom she only knew for about a week, mind you) from the dead. As a reminder from the first film, her boyfriend Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) had died nearly 70 years prior to the start of this film in a dramatic, sacrificial, world-saving act. Apparently, Diana hasn’t moved on at all from the 1910s and still considers her short-time lover to be her forever lover. She’s not really a human and did not grow up a human, so I think we can forgive her for not moving on… but it is weird to imagine that Diana somehow works at the Smithsonian (without going to college? Or did she?) without developing any friends or interest in life. Wouldn’t she have moved on... like a little bit?

Anyways, she wants her boyfriend back, and that’s wish #1. Wish #2 comes from new character Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig… who I am shocked to find is 47 years old! She looks fantastic and far younger in this film). Were Barbara a man, the way she is treated by her colleagues would put them in the stereotypical role of a future school shooter. Barbara is a brilliant gemologist for the Smithsonian, but goes completely unrecognized for her brilliance. She is shy and unconfident, and subsequently people frequently forget that they have even met her. Add on to that the fact that she has to work in the same office as Wonder Woman, and her loneliness and subjective feelings of unattractiveness increase as male employees drool over Diana while they ignore and mock Barbara. Therefore, we would forgive her for having a chip on her shoulder. Yet, for all this, Wiig avoids playing her as an angry, emo goth. Barbara kinda has this air about her of “Well, this is just how life is, and there’s nothing I can do to change that.” Given the character’s lack of self-confidence and lack of social grace, it at times seemed like Wiig was just reprising her old SNL character, Penelope, the socially awkward one-upper. But that’s not fair to her character. Wiig portrays Barbara with an earnest goodness to her. She’s one of those people who when allowed to talk one-on-one proves to be more eloquent and interesting than you could have imagine. Far from being angrily envious of Diana’s confidence and beauty, she’s more sadly jealous. Naturally, then, she wishes on the stone to be more like Diana… unaware that this wish might have some unintended benefits.

But then, there’s a third key character to the film (and a third wishmaker), the main villain Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal). I cannot tell you if this was a good character or not… and I cannot tell you whether the imperfections of the character are more due to the film’s writing or Pascal’s performance. Lord is another loser, and like Barbara, his “loser” status is the result of being a victim of America’s prejudicial attitudes. But whereas Barbara fell victim to sexism, Lord falls victim to racism. Hispanic in origin, Lord grew up in America with an abusive father at home and racist classmates at school. Beaten down from an early age, all he wants in life is to make a name for himself, to prove he’s not a loser. In a clever twist, Lord (the person who originally ordered the wish stone to come to America before it was confiscated by the FBI and sent to the Smithsonian for analysis) does not simply use the stone to wish for riches and power… he wishes to BECOME the stone. That way, he can get nearly infinite wishes so long as he can con the people around him to wish things for him.

The scenes of Max Lord as a flawed human who just wants to not be a loser show Pascal giving a great performance as a human being at the ends of desperation. The scenes of Max Lord the supervillain are… not good. In a long string of over-the-top, eccentric, hyperconfident supervillains in countless superhero movies, Pascal’s Lord is just not interesting. In fact, he is literally a weak character. He cannot fight for himself as his body is crumbling (a side effect of wishing to become a stone). Furthermore, his initially grounded motivations to finally be respected and successful seem to be just utterly lost by the end of the film when he just wishes for world chaos… only then to turn around and declare undying love for his son. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Failure to understand a character’s motivations casts a shadow over Barbara’s character arc as well. It is explained that the wish stone takes something in return for granting someone their wish. So as payment for bringing Steve Trevor back to life, Diana loses some of her strength. Still… this strains to fully explain why Barbara, after gaining Wonder Woman-like strength, turns into a walking humanoid cheetah (complete with bad CGI like she walked straight out of the cast of 2019’s Cats.) Like I get that she lost some of her humanity and morality in exchange for strength… but Cheetah girl seems like a little much. And though initially it is fun to see Wiig get to play Barbara as a confident and sexy woman who fights back against the patriarchy, the movie (I think) unfairly pushes her into the villain role. In my opinion, she should be treated as a tragic character, something akin to a Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, as her villainous tendencies are not really her fault. She literally had the part of her that cares about other humans taken away from her when she naively and innocently wished to be like Diana. Instead, the movie has Diana lecture her that she shouldn’t be so evil. She literally can’t, lady! Stop being so hard on her! In any case, it seems like a failed opportunity to generate sympathy for a genuinely likable character who tragically becomes a villain not through her own accord.

That failure to create genuine emotions extends to Diana’s story as well. As soon as Steve is resurrected, you know by the movie’s end he will be dead again. There’s no other way this movie ends. Yet, the fact that Diana is so stubborn in refusing to give up Steve makes it hard to sympathize with her. She is simply being selfish, making her eventual decision to say goodbye to Steve feel more like her finally doing the right (and obvious) thing, and not some heartbreaking decision. Also the fact that seemingly Diana hasn’t even tried to move on in the last seventy years doesn’t help matters for me: it more just feels like a lazy way to write in Chris Pine’s popular character into the second movie. The move certainly weakens the idea of Diana as a strong, independent woman by making her emotionally stunted and crippled for the last 70 years. It would have been a much more satisfying (and daring) choice if Diana had moved on from Steve emotionally and had to deal with the guilt of having brought him back by accident, particularly if he didn’t want to go back to being dead. Instead... Steve knows he has to go back and Diana feels no guilt keeping him around. It’s weak character writing.

These poor choices I contrast with two of my favorite TV shows that demonstrate perfectly how former lovers who miraculously reunite eventually have to say goodbye for good: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Jane the Virgin. For risk of spoilers to those still watching Jane, I’ll stick to the Buffy example. There’s an episode of Buffy (though technically an episode of the spin-off show Angel) where Buffy and her vampire lover Angel are fresh off their recent and tumultuous break-up, but through some dark magic that neither seeks out, they are given the opportunity to live a life where Angel isn’t actually a vampire and their love can be fully expressed. Yet, in the end, Angel opts to give up his life as a human and return to being a vampire. The choice is so moving precisely because (due to circumstances I cannot begin to explain) in choosing to give up his life with Buffy, he saves her life as well. Whereas in this movie, Diana choosing to let Steve go is really just her choosing to undo her choice to essentially cheat death. Angel, however, is actively choosing to give up a life of happiness he never wished for but was just given on a silver platter, and will now live in a world where his lover will never know his selfless act and will go on hating him. It’s heartbreaking in a way Wonder Woman dreams it could be.

And not to get too Buffy-heavy… but that show also deals with the emotional consequences of being ripped out of the afterlife much better than this movie. Steve just kinda unrealistically adapts to being alive again in all of five minutes. If, perhaps, from the start he questioned why he was there and hinted to Diana that something was wrong, the emotional aspect of this story, the doomed nature, the feeling of “this is the last chance we’ll have together” could have made this a stronger movie. I wanted to find myself crying when Diana finally says bye to Steve, and I was no where close to that. Gal Gadot shares at least part of the blame. She’s a pretty wooden actress. It’s something I noticed in 2017’s Wonder Woman, but in that movie she was supposed to be a fish out of water so her stilted presence seemed appropriate. Here, where she’s supposedly become an assimilated American for 70 years… it is just bad acting.

Anyways, another aspect of this film that was lacking were the visuals. The bad CGI of Barbara as Cheetah is just scratching the surface here. The opening flashback to Diana as a girl performing in the Amazonian Olympics just… looks fake. I don’t know. The reliance on CGI over practical effects is clear and distracting. It’s only worse in the subsequent scene where Wonder Woman stops a theft from occurring in a mall. The effects are just bad. Like passable for a film in the 1990s or early 2000s. But for a 2020 blockbuster, it’s noticeably bad. And already the scene where Wonder Woman is running towards the camera with a weird green screen behind her seems to have become a meme given just how weird it looks.

And yet, for all the negatives I’ve listed, this is a decent action flick. There’s even some nice set pieces like the one in the White House. As little as I liked Max Lord as a supervillain, I found figuring out the other half of each of his various Monkey Paw wishes (i.e. the downside of each wish) to be clever. unfortunately, each of the main three characters fails to have a story line that takes full advantage of their emotional potential, or they are just poorly acted. With few exceptions, the film eschews “fun” in favor of “seriousness.” Really the only exception is, as in the first film, the chemistry between Pine and Gadot. Their chemistry makes for some of the movie’s best moments, like when Wonder Woman makes the plane they’re flying in invisible and the pair flies over fireworks on the fourth of July. But that sense of whimsy in their scenes is largely absent from the rest of the film. This is particularly true of the action sequences, especially those at the climax. The seriousness makes them rather boring. Really, I’m comparing these action scenes with the last half hour or so of Birds of Prey which really set the bar for superhero movie fight choreography. So in the end, it’s overall an OK movie. It certainly isn’t as bad as others make it out to be, but I cannot believe I’m saying this… in 2020 if you’re in the mood for a fun superhero movie, you’re better off with the Suicide Squad sequel than the Wonder Woman sequel.

**/ (Two and a half stars out of 4)

#wonder woman #ww84 #wonder woman 1984 #gal gadot #patty jenkins #chris pine #kristen wiig #pedro pascal

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andhumanslovedstories · 5 years ago

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I watched the new spiderman last night and I enjoyed it overall buttttttttttt UH maybe NO ONE should have international drone strike capabilities just from wearing a pair of sunglasses and also there shouldn’t be a backdoor into every communication network so that you can just see what’s going on in all them phones

like I remember 2008 when it was Iron Man and The Dark Knight summer, and I was firmly Team Iron Man in that little tete a tete, but you know that thing in The Dark Knight where Morgan Freeman is like “it’s a bad thing that you hacked into every person’s phone in the city” and at the end of the movie the whole system is destroyed and that’s part of the triumphant heroism of the moment? The eternal debate of freedom vs security basically saying that in extraordinary circumstances, private rights can be violated in the name of defense but it must be limited and those capabilities destroyed when the immediate need is over?

(which, as I did in 2008, I have issues with that argument because the people in charge of deciding when we’re gonna violate rights also get to define Extraordinary Circumstances, BUT for this argument, TDK at least puts forth a coherent thesis of “sometimes but not always and in very limited ways” for the issue of surveillance)

Iron Man meanwhile is a tale of personal accountability via the exercise of personal power. Rather than being about the fight for a city’s soul, it’s about Tony Stark’s. The accountability at the end of the film isn’t the dismantling of the expanded power he’s gained but a more personal kind--he admits his identity. In isolation from any of the movies that come next, this could be its own powerful statement of accountability. He’s not like Bruce, remaining as a shadowed vigilante, responsible only to his public conscience. He’s not covert or black ops. He’s attaching his public name and face to what he does.

And then the next film in the series starts with Tony Stark mocking the very idea of the government interfering in what he does.

Obviously Tony goes on a whole ass journey with this topic over the course of the franchise, but that journey rarely involves scaling down. Iron Man 3 has him destroy his armor, but that’s undone by the next film. Otherwise, the technology that he destroys is always other people’s. Or actually, his own--except because he’s not using it, it’s evil. Tony’s sense of accountability isn’t having less power, it’s yoking that power to authority, whether the Avengers or the accords or his own personal sense of right and wrong.

And then, 11 years later, Tony Stark’s legacy in Spider-Man: Far From Home is EDITH, bequeathed to Peter Parker. It’s the ultimate culmination of tech power consolidated. It’s not just surveillance of phones, it can alter what’s on the phone itself. It’s not just an aid in combat, it’s VERY EASY TO ORDER A DRONE STRIKE ON A CIVILIAN POPULATION, LIKE COMICALLY SO. And it can be effortlessly passed from one person to another, so that all this power belongs to whoever the last owner of EDITH says it belongs to.

Like Jake Gyllenhaal’s character was sort of right when he said that this massive weapons system shouldn’t be given to a 16 year old, but a more correct thing to say would be that this system should not exist. Because effortless civilian drone strikes and constant surveillance are bad no matter who is doing them.

I actually have a lot to say about the MCU trying to have it both ways (we want heroes who can do whatever they want, but also they have some Legal Authority (SHIELD) so that they aren’t vigilantes taking the law into their own hands, but any reasonable authority would limit what their actors do so either the authority must allow massive abuses of power OR the authority is secretly evil all along, meaning that our heroes MUST rebel against them and rely on the only true moral code in the MCU--individual personalities)

AND there’s obviously thoughts to add about Winter “This isn’t freedom, this is fear” Soldier

but this post is like very long so let me conclude: drone strikes bad

#long post #marvel thoughts #does the mcu know it keeps creating a police state and then alternating between justifying and condemning it?#who can say #it's a problem baked into the way they've decided to tackle this genre

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danguy96 · 5 years ago

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Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Rewrite - Story Outline

Since a lot of you liked the set-up I had in mind for a “redo” of the sequel trilogy, I was thinking of finally laying the basic, rough outline of the first “movie”.

I decided to make this its own post, because it turned out to be pretty long, and would likely take up a lot of space in messaging on either Tumblr or Discord.

As I said before, the universe this takes place in is a mash-up of both old and new canon stuff, with some events happening different than others.

I hope you all like it, and if there’s any questions about this planned story, feel free to ask me them, because there’s a lot I have in mind beyond this.

Also, it’s best if you read the original set-up post I created, since it covers a lot of background surrounding the setting of this story. You can find it here.

With all that out of the way, let’s begin, and start off with a familiar phrase:

We start off our story with a small spaceship landing on a mysterious planet, in front of what appears to be an ancient Jedi Temple.

A hooded figure emerges from the ship, and soon is accompanied by another hooded figure, with this one being female.The male figure says “I apologize if I’m late. I came as soon as I heard”, and asks where the others are. The female figure says that the “Master” has already given his instructions to them, and that they are the only two left to receive the orders from the one who summoned them.

We cut to another hidden figure, meditating and chanting in a long-forgotten tongue. We do not clearly see who this chanting figure may be at first, but I think savvy audiences could guess correctly. Anyway, we see this hidden figure continue meditating, until we cut to his point of view. We see that in the middle of meditation, he is suddenly met with visions.

We see familiar locations, such as the desert world of Tatooine, the volcanic planet Mustafar and a large fortress which towers above everything on the planet, and a mysterious, snow-covered forest, where another figure lights a red cross guard lightsaber. We also see visions focusing on a single Stormtrooper out of all the rest, and visions of young scavenger/mechanic.We then see a dark aura consuming all in its wake, as what sounds like a horrifying voice of legion cackles horrifically.The mysterious man suddenly breaks out of his meditation with a start, and looks around as he breathes heavily.The man turns around, and his apprentices ask him what is the matter.

The old master calms down, and says that he senses a great disturbance is rising within the Force, as his visions become worse and worse with time.The two figures ask if there is anything they can do to stop whatever new dark force is threatening the Galaxy.The old master says there is one chance. He says he has seen figures in his visions. While one of them he cannot reach, the others must be found immediately.The old master says that the two must go in his stead, along with other Jedi Knights he has already sent out into the galaxy, as he senses whatever dark force is out there wishes to see him come out of seclusion.The two pupils bid their master farewell, leaving the master alone with his thoughts about this new threat to the Galaxy.

Of course, the old master is revealed to be Luke Skywalker, now a full-fledged Jedi Master, and currently one of the most powerful wielders of the Force in the galaxy, if not the most. And the two apprentices he spoke to him are his niece and nephew, Jacen and Jaina Solo.

We cut to Poe Dameron receiving vital information, only this time it’s not a map to Luke Skywalker, but info which reveals the connection between those within the Coalition and the First Order, and plans of attack with their new battle station, the Starkiller Base, and the planet he’s currently on isn’t Jakku, but Tatooine itself.

In this version, the Stormtroopers are being led by two members of the Knights of Ren; Kylo Ren, of course, and his rival/teammate, Zayla Ren (and yes, it’s revealed a bit later that Zayla is actually a woman early on, and her personality was inspired by Azula’s from Avatar, only Kylo and her aren’t related).

We go through the song and dance of the Rens and the troopers laying waste to the place, but in this version, Kylo, while appearing threatening, is a bit more reserved than how he was in the OG film, with Zayla being the one to kill San Tekka, and giving the order to shoot any villagers who do not wish to cooperate.

Also, Zayla’s lightsaber would be two-headed, like in that Teen Titans episode where they went into the TV world:

Poe is tortured out of the info by Zayla and Kylo, but as Kylo makes his way out, Zayla tells him that he “hesitated” and she sensed weakness in him. Kylo says that he only took what information was “necessary”, but she reminds him that their master does not accept hesitation or weakness, no matter what. Kylo continues walking down the hallway, but Zayla just continues as he goes, saying that at the rate he’s “improving”, it would “just be awful” if their master soon announced that the Knights of Ren were to have a new leader, chuckling to herself as Kylo resists the urge to practice his Force powers on her.

Anyway, Poe’s droid, BB-8 encounters Rey, much like in the film, but here it’s established that not only is Rey a scavenger, but she’s also a mechanic of sorts, and, as seen in the details of room containing bits of memorabilia from the days of the Rebellion, giving a sort of meta thing of her a fan of the tales and legends of the Rebellion and the Jedi, but she doesn’t have the money to ever leave Tatooine and go on her own adventures. Also, it’s explained that she didn’t know what the Millennium Falcon looked like, due to her hearing it looked much differently than it actually does, as sort of another meta joke about how the Falcon was supposed to look differently in the original draft. And her lineage does get explained, but both sides of her family are explained better, and she struggles with one of them in not just the last part of the story.

We then have a disillusioned Finn free Poe, and they’re shot down, but this time, instead of implying Poe is dead or actually having Poe die, both Poe and Finn make it out, and both travel across one of the many deserts of Tatooine until they find Rey and BB-8. The newly established gang of Finn, Rey, Poe, and BB-8 make off in the Millennium Falcon, but this time Poe is the main pilot, while Rey is the co-pilot, and Finn puts his marksman skills to use by manning one of the Falcon’s gunners.

We then get the reintroduction of Han Solo and Chewbacca, which is somewhat similar to the actual movie, but with a few tweaks, such as them always being a part of the Resistance. It’s also established that Han and Chewie were already trying to get the Falcon back as part of another misadventure which is practically begging to be told in a hypothetical cartoon or comic, and that they’re not washed-up, and Han isn’t separated from Leia. Han still wants his ship back, and is skeptical about the ex-Stormtrooper and the mysterious girl Poe has in toe with him, but he still ends up taking them on board with him, since Poe still has the documents within BB-8.

And don’t worry. Things start to depart from a lot of TFA’s story soon, given how the New Republic is still standing by the end, and we still have a senator and Chancellor to introduce.

As for the Resistance, in this version, they’re more of a smaller ragtag army fighting the First Order, but they need further help from the Republic, which they’ve tried to get for some time. The Starkiller plans and the data which confirms that the FO is receiving funding from those within the Coalition/Confederacy could be what helps them finally win over the Republic to provide military aid. This is continuing with the proxy war/cold war thing going on.

As our heroes make their way to the rendezvous planet where they’ll meet up with Leia and the other freedom fighters, we cut to the capitol city of the Coalition/Confederacy (I’m going to being calling it the Confederacy and the UGC interchangeably), where we’re introduced to First Chairman Krazvlin (it’s a work-in-progress name, but I wanted something which sounded vaguely Russian, and also villainous).

This scene is mostly based off the scene where we’re introduced to the emperor in the original drafts for “The Star Wars”, though here the Chairman’s speech is to celebrate the anniversary of the unification of the new Confederacy, and how their hard won “peace” will not be deterred by any “terrorist” scum.

After finishing his speech, the Chairman and his generals make their way to another, more private meeting with members of the First Order, to discuss the negotiations of the technological behemoth known as the Starkiller, discussing if it will truly be the deterrent the UGC needs to secure superiority against the Republic.

Among this meeting are General Hux, who used to work for the UGC, but is now the leading military officer of the First Order, and Grand Admiral Prydus, commander of the UGC’s main starship fleet, and a veteran of the old Galactic Empire (you can see I took the character of Pryde from Rise of Skywalker, and made him into something more than just a last minute addition, and I imagine him looking different from Pryde as well, with Jason Isaacs being my headcanon choice as to who would play him).

Prydus questions why Hux, who seemed like such a promising general for the Confederacy, would lend his support to “a bunch of Sith fanatics”, to which a smooth, yet sickening voice answers back “You’d best watch your tongue, Admiral. You’re lucky the Chairman finds you to be still of use, even after your glory days”, and from the shadows step out the two Knights of Ren, Kylo and Zayla.

After the Rens make themselves known, much to Prydus’ exasperation, Hux answers that he lent his services to the First Order not due to admiration of any “religious cult”, but to prove himself as being the commander of his own military force. A military which he says would be “nothing” without his leadership, while Prydus claims that Hux is merely “standing on the shoulders” of those of the former Empire. Krazvlin silences both of them, and says that they still have the matter of the info on their plans and alliance with the FO are still with the rebels/resistance.

Hux and Prydus reluctantly simmer down, though Prydus still questions why the First Order always sends in their middle men, while their true leader keeps himself in secret, not even willing to share a hologram of himself with the Confederacy. Prydus says that he’s tired of all the secrecy surrounding the First Order and their leader, demanding to know his identity. Kylo interjects, saying that his master wishes to remain hidden, until his plans have come to full fruition. Prydus asks just when will these plans finally come to fruition, so that the UGC can finally get back to handling it’s own matters. Kylo answers back once again that his master doesn’t have the time to deal with such useless questions, and that his wisdom is spent on better things. Prydus says that if the Rens’ master was as wise as they say he is, he would have the guts to show himself, and not hide like a coward behind children playing dressup. But as he goes on, he suddenly stops, finding it hard to breathe. We see Kylo is the one Force-choking Prydus, but Zayla turns to Kylo and says “Kylo, I said he was currently still useful to us”, and Kylo releases Prydus.

Krazvlin, going on as if that didn’t even happen, continues on by saying that it is imperative that the BB-8 droid unit not reach boundaries of Republic territory. He asks Hux if he has any whereabouts of the rebels who took the documents, and if he knows where they’re headed. Hux says that the last his troops saw them, they had just left Tatooine on a Corellian freighter, and are now suspected to be in neutral space. Chairman Krazvlin says to alert any troops and spies patrolling that sector to look out for them, as the future of the stability of the UGC and it’s relationship with the Republic relies on those documents being found.

We cut to our trio of Finn, Poe, and Rey, who are currently on board the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo and Chewbacca (yeah, a lot of the New Jedi Order stories either haven’t happened, or happened drastically differently, so no Yuuzhan Vong just yet). The gang is currently flying through neutral space, and each member of the gang has different interactions between themselves and Han. Rey, being something of Rebel fangirl, asks him a bunch of questions of what was it like with the Rebellion, many of which Han either gives brief answers to, or doesn’t answer (I was thinking we could even throw in some dialogue which confirms the Thrawn trilogy did happen in this universe, at least to some extent). Poe is honored to be in the presence a hero of the Rebellion, and the man who fought alongside his parents. Finn, though, is a bit more apprehensive, considering he’s worried Han may suspect him of being a double agent for the First Order, but Han, despite his misgivings, says that Finn “isn’t the first Stormtrooper to defect”, and he won’t be the last (which is not only a shout-out to his original EU backstory of working for the Empire for some time, but also one to Kyle Katarn, and foreshadowing of later events in this saga).

Also, instead of having the run-in with the gang Han pissed off being just a thing in this movie, I was thinking it could be something that carries over across the trilogy, much like Jabba’s subplot.

Anyway, after Han exposits about how he lost his ship after a spat he had with a crimelord who holds a massive grudge against him for “ruining his business” after working with the New Republic to help bootstrap trade with smugglers, and how Luke has been in isolation to keep himself from being discovered ever since a certain incident Han doesn’t like to talk about, they arrive at Takodana, where they’ll lay low until a group of Resistance members meet up with them, along with some Republic help.

They land on Takodana, and meet up with cantina owner, and secretly a leading member of the Resistance, Maz Kanta. She offers to help hide Han and co. until the Resistance/Republic arrives to pick them up.

Later that night, in the secret quarters where Maz offers the gang to rest before the Republic forces arrive tomorrow morning, Rey is stirred awake by a strange sensation, and is drawn by a strange voice to a secluded vault, where she finds an old lightsaber. She tries to pick it up, but the moment she holds it, she’s visited by strange visions. Some of them visions of her past, and how she was supposedly abandoned as a baby on Tatooine. She soon finds herself standing in the middle of a snow-covered forest, where she see a man whose face is hidden beneath a hood reach out to her, with the calm voice of another man calling out to her (the voice of the second man sounding oddly like Ewan McGregor). However, as she moves to approach the man and the voices, she’s grabbed by the leg by something. She turns around, and what’s grabbing her seem to be this formless mass of darkness, trying to suck her in. Rey tries to run, but the man in the hood seems to keep getting farther and farther away, and soon she’s forcefully dragged into the darkness, as a hideous voice cackles loudly (a voice which strangely sounds like Ian McDiarmid). Rey suddenly snaps back to reality, and looks around, alone and afraid.

We cut to the First Order’s secret weapon and one of their bases of operations, the Starkiller Base, where General Hux is informing the Chairman via hologram that one of their spies has told them that they have seen the BB-8 droid in a cantina on Takodana, and that they will retrieve it before the Resistance/Republic makes it there. Chairman Krazvlin says that for Hux’s sake, he better deliver it them, and ends the call. Hux, visibly frustrated, calls Captain Phasma to handle the mission, and bring the droid to them. She says that it would be her pleasure, and that she also requests permission to go after the traitorous Stormtrooper who let Poe escape. He grants her permission, and sends her on her way.

Meanwhile, Kylo Ren is busy practicing his Force powers and his lightsaber technique, when Zayla storms in and tells him that he can train later, because their master is calling them right now. Ignoring Zayla’s jabs of telling him not to “dawdle”, Kylo goes off with Zayla, to meet their master, and the true power behind the First Order: Supreme Leader Snoke.

When they make it to the room where they contact Snoke, we first see his form through a psychic link which Zayla and Kylo project, using their Force powers (this is sort of taking that whole Force Projection and Force psychic link we see in TLJ, and actually doing it beforehand by more powerful Force users). Snoke says that he has felt yet another Great Awakening in the Force. This one slower than the one after the fall of Darth Sidious, but still a source of rich, yet untrained power. Snoke orders the Rens to travel to Takodana along with Phasma, and retrieve the ones who have been awakened by the power of the Force, to prevent them from becoming Jedi. The Rens accept the order from their master, but before they head out, Snoke says that he can sense that there is still much both must learn, such as Kylo is still “holding back”, and how he senses “much fear” and “insecurity” deep within Zayla (that bit was inspired by a scene from the Genndy Clone Wars series where Dooku says that Ventress has too much fear to be Sith). Snoke finishes by saying that in order to truly awaken their full power, and become true successors to the Sith, they must negate all feelings of fear, and strike without mercy. Only then will they be able achieve their true potential.

We cut back to Maz’s place on Takodana, just as morning starts to break. Finn asks about where Rey is, as he hasn’t seen her all morning. Maz and Han say she’s been pacing outside all morning, and it seems like she doesn’t wants to talk. Finn, however, decides to go and see if he can comfort her. Finn finds Rey staring out into the distance, staring at the rising sun. He asks Rey how she’s doing, but she turns around fast, revealing bags under her eyes, and a worried expression on her face. After calming down, she reveals not only about what happened last night when she found the lightsaber, but also her past on how she was abandoned on Tatooine as a baby and her feelings about her she’s always felt like a nobody, and how she took comfort in hearing the tales and legends of the Jedi, the Old Republic, and the Rebel Alliance, wishing she could be a part of a grand adventure like that. However, now that she is on such an adventure, she’s starting to see it’s not as fun as she thought it would be, and even something inside of her is saying she’s getting in too deep. Finn comforts Rey, saying how he understands what it’s like to not have any other family to confide in, but says that if things do get ugly, he’ll be there to help her out.This helps Rey calm down just a bit, but she still says that she would like to go out and take a walk in the woods. Finn understands, but he says that she should at least take his blaster with her, just in case. She thanks Finn, and goes on her way.

Rey goes out into the woods to clear her mind, while Finn goes back inside. Han, Maz, and Poe ask if Rey is alright. Finn says that he hopes so, but then he mentions how Rey has been out of it ever since she grabbed that lightsaber, which causes Maz to look up in surprise and worry. Han asks what she’s worried about, and she and the others go the room where the lightsaber is, seeing that its case has been opened. Finn goes up to inspect the lightsaber, feeling almost drawn to it, but when he touches it, he gets visions of his own. Visions of a baby being taken away from his father, and visions of the future featuring a growing army of sinister Stormtrooper-like droids with glowing, red eyes.Finn comes to, and is asked what’s wrong. Something in him tells him that they need to go and find Rey, now.

In the forest, Rey is feeling a bit better, and all seems quiet in the woods. Too quiet. Just then, she hears a roaring sound in the sky. The sound of spaceships. She looks up and sees First Order ships heading towards where the rest of the gang are, and runs back in an effort to help them escape. Unbeknownst to her, a figure in a dark cloak and mask follows her.

We see Zayla Ren and Captain Phasma leading a group of Stormtroopers to search and storm the area for the droid, the traitor, and the members of Resistance and Republic armies. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang is hiding away, forming a plan of attack that’ll buy them some time before the Republic’s ships show up. Finn volunteers to go after Rey, but Han objects, saying it’s better if they stayed together as a group. However, Maz says that if Finn feels that Rey might be in danger, it’s for the best that he goes after her. She gives Finn the lightsaber, saying that he must keep it safe, and that he must trust in his instincts to find Rey. With their plan formed, Han, Chewie, and Maz and her forces stay behind to hold the front line of the cantina, while Finn and Poe go off to find Rey.

While on their way, they end up encountering a few Stormtroopers, including Captain Phasma and good ol’ TR-8R. Finn holds back the Stormtroopers with the lightsaber, as they fight in armed combat, with a few troopers using the weapon TR-8R used, while a few have gained a new upgrade, inspired by the original drafts of the first Star Wars; lightsaber-esque swords.

Finn fights surprisingly well, but soon they seem to be outnumbered. But just when it seems like Poe is about to be struck down, an unseen presence suddenly drags half a dozen trooper in the air, and tosses them like ragdolls. Finn, Poe, and Phasma look to see the source of this, and we see a cloaked figure, brandishing a green lightsaber. A Jedi Knight. One of the two Jedi Knights we saw in the opening. The Jedi removes his hood and cloak to reveal a young man with brown hair. Jacen Solo. One of the Solo Twins.

Phasma at first orders her men to attack, but Zayla intervenes, saying that it’s best if Phasma goes off to handle finding the droid. The Jedi is her priority now. Much to Phasma’s chagrin, she follows orders, and leaves Jacen to Zayla. We then get the first half of our first lightsaber duel of this new story.

We cut to back in the woods with Rey, who’s been trying to make it back to the others, but she feels like someone is following her. Sure enough, her suspicions are correct, when she suddenly comes face to face with Kylo Ren. She backs off fast and pulls out the blaster Finn gave her, pointing it at an unfazed Kylo Ren. She trembles as holds it, threatening that she will use it on him. Again, Kylo remains silent and comes towards her. Rey, in a panic, wildly shoots at Kylo, but he merely deflects each blast with a wave of his hand. Kylo approaches her closer and closer, until another Jedi jumps in Kylo’s way, brandishing a purple lightsaber. The Jedi removes her hood to reveal Jaina Solo, the other Solo Twin.

And so begins our other lightsaber fight, which is going on simultaneously as the Zayla vs Jacen fight.

We cut back to the fight over on at the cantina, where it’s become a mini war-zone. Jacen is continuing his fight with Zayla, while Han and Chewie are defending BB-8. Meanwhile, Poe and Finn are fighting their way towards the woods where Rey is. On their way, they’re attacked by flying fighter droids (sort of like speeder bike-sized versions of those vulture droid fighters, only with a new design to fit with the First Order), and run into the forest for protection. As the droids prepare to attack our heroes, Finn puts his hands in front of him to shield himself, but suddenly the droids are Force-pushed back, and crash into the trees. Finn doesn’t know what he just did, and Poe just stands there with his mouth agape.

We cut to Han and Chewie and Maz, who’ve been holding out as long as they can. However, the tide suddenly turns when an X-Wing blasts a group of troopers and fighter-probes. Yes, backup from the Republic has finally arrived, with a few of their starships now hovering overhead, and some carriers starting to land. Zayla manages to match Jacen in skill in their lightsaber duel, but she is reluctantly forced to retreat, saying that Jacen is “lucky” this time, before distracting him and taking off.

We cut over to Kylo, still fighting with Jaina, and while they both seem to be evenly matched, Jaina has been mostly defending herself without intention of doing harm, as she can sense who it is underneath the mask. Kylo Ren demands to know why Jaina is holding back. He says “Is it because of guilt or pity? If so, then you are wasting your time.” Kylo manages to knock Jaina back, and says that she can’t change anything. He continues with saying that it is only through this path that he can truly achieve the power to bring order, and gain the power which the Jedi foolishly fear. Kylo goes on about how it’s too late for him, and that Jaina should just give up trying, but before he can do anything, he receives a message from Zayla to stop fooling around and leave with one of the force-sensitive users already. Kylo stops, and uses his Force powers to distract Jaina, and then Force Jump away from the fight, going after Rey. Rey, meanwhile, thinks she’s gotten far away enough, but is exhausted from her lack of sleep and running for so long. She stops to rest, but then Kylo Ren appears behind her, and he uses his Force powers to put her already exhausted self to sleep. He then takes on board his ship, just as Jaina catches up to him.

Finn and Poe manage to spot Kylo’s ship, just as it takes off with him and Rey in it. They come across Jaina, and, both being worn out, ask if she could possibly explain what’s going on. She says she’ll explain on the way back, but then she notices the lightsaber Finn has, and asks where he got that from.

Back at the cantina, Republic forces have arrived, here to pick up Han Solo and the rest of the gang in order to bring them to the Republic capitol in order to blow the whistle on the First Order and the Confederacy. Among them are a few familiar faces, including R2-D2 and C-3PO, and, most importantly for Han Solo, Senator Leia Organa, his wife.

There’s a heartfelt reunion between husband and wife, along with Artoo and Threepio, with others soon joining them, as Jacen finally reunites with his mother and father, and Jaina soon makes the reunion complete as she arrives back with Poe and Finn. This family reunion however soon takes a darker turn, as Jaina brings up the news that she saw Kylo Ren, and faced off with him, which worries Han and Leia. It’s then revealed to Finn and Poe that Kylo Ren is actually the son of Luke Skywalker, and also that Finn has been carrying the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker, the man who became Darth Vader.

Maz later explains to them how she was able to come across the lightsaber. It was thought to have been lost in Cloud City after Luke’s battle with Vader, but Maz says that some Cloud City personnel was able to find it. Not knowing the Jedi were to be reborn in a couple of years, the staff member sold it off for credits. Luckily, Lando and Maz were able to track it down, and managed to buy it back. They knew Luke wouldn’t want it back, so Han, Leia, and the rest decided that after fixing it up, it would be a gift to Luke’s son after he completed his Padawan training. Needless to say, those were the best laid plans of womp rats and men (I know this seems a bit much, but I wanted to fill in that hole where Luke’s lightsaber came back, and I wanted to give it some weight and meaning as to why it was brought back, besides nostalgia).

After Jaina explains that Rey has been kidnapped by the First Order and we learn of Kylo Ren’s identity, we cut to the Starkiller Base, where Phasma is being berated by General Hux for letting the droid fall into the hands of the New Republic. She assures him that she will not fail in the future, with Hux responding that she had better be sure of that, reminding her that she can be considered expendable if the time arises. Phasma walks off in a huff, and crosses paths with Zayla, who says that she doesn’t see any reason to be so upset, saying that she could be “lucky” and end up being shipped off to work in mines of Kessel, which Zayla hears are “simply lovely” this time of year. Phasma tells Zayla to mind her own business, and asks why Zayla isn’t as upset about their plans being found out. Zayla says that while the UGC lost what they needed, she says that they managed to succeed in finding what’ll eventually be worth more than this hulking mass they call a battlestation. Zayla continues her little verbal spat with Phasma, saying that as they speak, Kylo Ren is interrogating their new “guest”, probing her mind before seeing what other uses she can be of for them. “Soon we shall have the precious data your troops failed to retrieve, and so much more”, Zayla says, and then she casually walks off, leaving Phasma to stew in her anger and resentment.

We cut to Rey, strapped to an interrogation chair. The beginning of the scene starts relatively similar to how it did in the movie, with Rey asking where her friends are. Kylo replies that she will be relieved that he has no idea, and asks if she still wishes to kill him and if she still fears him. Rey replies that it’s a natural reaction when you’re being hunted by a “creature in a mask”. After a moment of silence, Kylo removes his helmet, to finally reveal the face of Rey’s captor. We now see Kylo Ren’s true face, a young man with dark hair, and greenish-blue eyes, but also with a solemn look on his face, and a scar across one side of said face.

We go on with the scene playing a little bit like it did in the film, with Kylo asking about the droid, and Rey hesitating to give the full answers, and Kylo knowing what information the droid has, but there’s a twist in this, with Kylo saying that it’s not just that information he’s after. He also senses something within in Rey. Something his master is after. He probes Rey’s mind, sensing the fear, uncertainty, and apprehension within her. How she feels like she shouldn’t even be here. He assures her that her she is meant to be here, and tells Rey that things such as fear and hesitation makes one weak. He continues to search Rey’s mind, trying to go deeper. Yet, Rey tries to resist, making it difficult. Kylo demands that she stop resisting, but Rey keeps going on.

Both try their hardest, but then something happens. As Kylo stops trying to hold himself back into Rey’s mind, and as Rey, being surprised at how she’s even resisting him, pushes back, the two are suddenly mentally transported to this realm of utter darkness, where Kylo not only hears and even sees some events from Rey’s life, but Rey hears and sees some events from Kylo’s past, but some seem to be blurred. She hears a young boy crying out for his mother, and hears a sinister voice saying how someone will learn how to how harness the true power of the Dark Side, and suffering shall be his master, before there’s a flash of what appears to be lighting and a scream. Just then, both Rey and Kylo Ren come back to reality. Both are in shock, but Kylo Ren angrily brushes it aside, and orders a Stormtrooper to take Rey to her cell.

After the interrogation scene, we cut to the Republic/Resistance forces touching base on what’s going on, and giving us some exposition about what Jedi Council has been doing, and I was also thinking this would be a good time to give some exposition as to how Anakin Solo (Han and Leia’s other son from the old EU) disappeared and was presumed dead, and why that was one reason Ben/Kylo turned to the Dark Side. They also hint that “something else” also sent Kylo over the edge, but they don’t have time to explain, as they prepare to land on the new capitol planet of the New Republic, Hosnian Prime.

When our heroes land on Hosnian Prime, they are greeted by officials of the New Republic, here to congratulate Poe, Leia, Han, and the rest for safely retrieving the information they need on the existence of the Starkiller Base and the alliance between the First Order and the Confederacy. One of these officials is the Margaret Thatcher-esque, supposed ally to our heroes (and someone who most certainly isn’t secretly a traitor); Senator Holdeena (guess which character she’s based off of). She says that their valiant efforts are greatly appreciated, and that now all they need to do is convince the Senate and the Chancellor to take action. Finn and Jaina inform the Senator that they hope the Senate will take action soon, for a friend of theirs has been captured by the First Order.

We cut to everyone’s “favorite” part of Star Wars; a bunch of guys talking about politics in the Senate. Though, in this case, it’s a bit more interesting than trade routes.

The Senate discusses about whether or not to officially give full aid to the Resistance, and if a rescue mission is worth the tensions of spiraling into further conflict with the Confederacy and the First Order. Some representatives accuse Leia and Holdeena of warmongering, with the first vocal ones about it being reps from the Chiss (the race of which Grand Admiral Thrawn is a part of, mostly due to Thrawn being considered one of the founding fathers of what became the UGC). Leia argues that while the possibility of a war may occur, she says that the First Order has been carrying out numerous attacks for years, and, if these new documents are to be believed, all with the support and financial aid of the UGC/Confederacy. Leia says that she wishes to avoid full-out war with the UGC as much as possible, but requests that at least she and the Resistance members be given aid with a star fleet to help disable the weapon firing capabilities of the Starkiller Base, as well as be given clearance to stage a rescue mission. While still a risk, the deciding vote goes down to Chancellor Jorgeus Kartemur, who allows for a rescue mission, as well as an attack, but he grants them only a limited number of Republic fighters and carriers.

We cut back to Starkiller Base, where Kylo Ren is having an “emergency meeting” with Snoke, discussing how he was trying to probe Rey’s mind, but she was able to resist him, and then they inadvertently made a mental link with each other. Snoke says that it seems that this new “child of the Force” is strong. Very strong. Snoke then instructs Kylo to keep his guard up around her, and that she must not fall into the hands of the Jedi, especially those members of the Skywalker Clan. Kylo says he he will make sure Rey and other “children of the Force” will either join them or die, and ends his conversation with his master.

Kylo Ren goes off to be by himself in his room. There we get a scene reminiscent to the one from the actual movie, where he is talking to himself while staring at the broken mask of Darth Vader, only now he’s also discussing about he can’t go back to the Light. Not after what he’s already done, and he says that the Light Side cannot grant him the power he seeks. The power to undo the misery he’s endured. Kylo swears he will achieve that power, and “finish what [Darth Vader] started” (however, the more we get to know about Kylo/Ben’s backstory in this, it puts this scene into a whole new and different context).

We cut to the Republic-Resistance Alliance, going over the plans for a small group to secretly land on Starkiller Base, while a team of fighters, lead by Poe, will make their way to the main weapon reactor. Like in the film, comparisons are made to the Death Star, but here they really push this being even stronger than the Death Star, saying that the plans for it need to be examined even further before figuring out how to destroy it completely. It’s decided that those going on the rescue mission will be Han, Chewie, Finn, and the Solo Twins, along with a few red shirts. Han and the twins say goodbye to Leia, who is still worried about Ben/Kylo. They reassure her that they’ll be okay, and Jaina tells her she sensed the conflict within Ben. Finn wishes Poe good luck on his mission, and Poe says he would like to thank Finn for saving him. Finn, in turn, says thanks for believing and trusting in him, and they both head off to begin their respective tasks. After those little character-driven moments, we see the cruisers and ships take off for the Starkiller Base (oh, and in this version, they’re launching from Hosnian Prime, and not D'Qar).

We cut back to Rey, and we see that she’s mostly been sitting in her cell, with a Stormtrooper patrolling it, while occasionally going off to do something else (making the rounds, I guess?). However, Rey has been currently been trying to get out of her cell while the guard is away from the door, and has been using a device she helped fix back on Tatooine to see if she can open the door (I think Ezra from Star Wars Rebels used something like that one time, though I think this would be a bit different, considering she’s on the inside of the cell). However, the trooper comes back and almost catches her, berating her for trying to escape. He gives Rey her scheduled prison meal, and continues to mock her, taking away the device she had. Rey in a fit of frustration yells at at him to just leave her alone. Much to her surprise, the trooper says back in a monotone voice “I will leave you alone”. Rey, confused, remembers the stories of Jedi Mind Tricks, and, to test it out again, she tells the trooper that he will give her device, which he does. She then she uses it to tell him to leave the prison bay, and unlock the doors for her so that she may leave, and to leave his weapon. The trooper does all of this, and Rey manages to unlock the door, and then escape with the trooper’s blaster (I know this seems as asspull-ish as the original movie, but it’s leading to something).

We cut to the command center of the Base, where Hux is in a meeting with Prydus and Krazvlin, being informed how the Republic now knows of their secret location and their alliance, and could launch an attack any moment. Prydus says that if that superweapon of theirs is supposedly stronger the Death Star, why haven’t they used it to alienate the Resistance in one fell swoop? Hux says that it’s increase in power also means an increase in charging time, and that it requires a large amount of energy. Prydus says that whether it’s ready or not is irrelevant. If they can at least use at least fraction of its power against the Republic, use it while they still have the chance. Hux says he will see what he can do, but before he ends his conversation, Krazvlin tells him that if this really is more powerful than the Death Star, like Hux says it is, then that better mean that that battlestation is strong enough to avoid going down in a ball of flame.“This Confederacy has paid well over a thousand kings’ ransoms to fund this project. For the sake of your career, General, you best hope that it is worth the price.” says Krazvlin. Hux says he understands, and the meeting ends. Hux then orders his men to prepare the fleet of First Order and Confederacy ships for the arrival of any Republic dreadnoughts and Resistance fighters. Hux then says to himself that he’ll show them it’s “worth the price”.

We then cut over to Kylo Ren, who’s making his way over to Rey’s prison cell with Zayla Ren. As they’re walking, Zayla keeps getting on Kylo’s case about how instead of getting the information they need, he allowed her to see into his mind via a Force Link. Kylo defends himself while trying to keep his cool that he had no idea that would happen, and that it doesn’t matter, because with they’re combined strength, they can reach into the mind of their prisoner with ease. However, when they come to the cell, they find it’s been opened, and the guard is missing from his post. We don’t see Kylo’s facial reaction to this, because he’s wearing his mask, but we do hear his heavy breathing. Zayla makes one last stab at him, before leaving him to his “tantrum”. We see a scene similar to the movie where some Stormtroopers casually walk away, but there’s a third one Kylo Ren Force pulls towards him by the throat, and orders him to have the troops search for the missing prisoner, and bring him to her alive (I was thinking of reimagining this scene to have it appear slightly humorous, but then takes a dark turn when Kylo goes back to being threatening).

Speaking of Rey, we cut to her sneaking around the Starkiller Base, trying her best not to get caught. She does well in dodging the Stormtroopers for a while, but then she comes face to face with a few Stormtroopers. Low on options, she once again tries to do a Jedi Mind Trick, holding her hand out and doing the motion, while trying to get the Stormtroopers to let her pass.Though, to her surprise, it doesn’t work, and the troopers just stare at one another in confusion. Rey, tries it, saying “You will let me pass”, to which the troopers say, “No, we won’t”, and they raise their blasters. Thankfully, Rey shoots at them with the blaster she has first, and then runs off while they’re distracted, managing to lose them by some miracle.

Rey is left more confused than ever (I wanted to make it clear that while she has potential, she’s not a god-mode character. Also, the idea of that scene was just too funny for to pass up.)

We cut to the Republic-Resistance Alliance fleet, preparing begin their mission. They first send out some troops and ships to distract the fleet surrounding the Starkiller, while Poe’s squadron goes in to destroy the firing device, while Han’s group goes in to rescue Rey, and to disable any remaining shields the base has.

The battle is intense, but they manage to buy enough time for Han, Chewie, Finn, the twins, and the red shirts to sneak aboard.Once on board, they use both Finn’s knowledge of the base, as well as the mini-map of the base they got from the plans, to navigate where they might find Rey and the shield controls.However, Finn gets a strange feeling inside him which tells him that Rey is somewhere other than the holding bay. Han doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but Jaina and Jacen say that Finn is onto something, as they sense where Rey is, and they make their way to her location.

Meanwhile, Hux is preparing to fire the Starkiller’s laser, and targets two of the 6 large Republic ships.The Starkiller Base charges its main laser, and opens fire on the two ships, wiping them out. From his ship, Poe hopes the rescue team is able to shut down the shields in time.

We cut to Rey, who, after also sensing the familiar presence of her new friends, is finally able to reunite with the gang. However, this reunion is short-lived, as Phasma and her guards have caught up to Rey, and try to surround heroes. Phasma insults Finn, referring to him by his number and calling him a traitor, and questioning why would he join such a pitiful band of miscreants Finn answers back by saying his name is Finn, and over the course of a few days he’s found more respect and companionship from this group of people than in all the time he’s spent in the First Order. Phasma scoffs at him, saying they’re still outgunned. Finn says that’s where she’s wrong, and smiles toward Jacen and Jaina. Taking the cue, the twins use their Force powers to go all Force Unleashed on the troopers, taking apart some of their weapons, while tossing around others. Some of the smarter troopers flee for their lives, leaving Phasma on her own (There’s also a small line where Jacen says, “Sorry if you knew any of those guys” and Finn says “Don’t worry, I didn’t”).

Just when it seems like they’re about to take her out, Phasma says that in exchange for her life, she can take them to the base shield control room. After making her promise that she won’t backstab them. Phasma takes the group to the shield controls, and turns them off. When asked by Jaina why she’s doing this, she says that she’s not the only “Force-wielding brat” she has an issue with. As the shields go down, the Republic-Resistance morale goes up, and they begin their direct attack on Starkiller Base. While the gang wonders what they should do with Phasma, with Han suggesting the garbage chute, they feel a huge rumbling, signifying the true attack on the base has begun. Phasma uses this as a distraction for her to escape. Before they can catch her, they’re stopped by Zayla Ren, who allows Phasma to get away.

Jacen volunteers to fight off Zayla as part of a “Round 2” between them, while the others make their escape back to the ship. Jaina says she’ll help, but Jacen says that they still someone to take the new users back to “him”, and she reluctantly goes off. As Zayla and Jacen have their second battle, the rest of the crew head on over to the Falcon and the other small ships they used to get there.

While making their way to the ships to escape, they once again come across Kylo Ren, and we finally get to that scene, only it thankfully plays out differently, with certain characters getting out mostly okay (oh, and they’re not on a narrow platform when this happens).

Han confronts his nephew, calling him by his true name; Ben. Han tells Ben to take off the mask, which Ben does, revealing to Han and Jaina the scar he’s gained from his “training” with Snoke. Han is visibly disturbed by what he sees, demanding to know what Snoke has done to him. Kylo answers that Snoke has taught him more about the power of the Force than any other Jedi has. Han replies “Including your father?"

Kylo hesitates, until he says that Luke did not hold the power of which seeks. Only through the path he is currently on, can he achieve it. Han says that Ben is talking nonsense, and asks him to look at himself. Han says that Ben has already seen what Jaina thinks of him in this state, and asks him to imagine what Jacen thinks of him. What his aunt think of him. And then Han says "What would Anakin think? What would your mother think?”

At first, it seems like Ben is conflicted, and has some wavering in his voice which seems like regret. But then he starts to slowly become more angry, telling Han that he doesn’t know him, and that he doesn’t know what Anakin or his mother would think.“You’re not her… You can’t possibly know how she could’ve felt.”

Han, his gruff exterior lowering, beseeches Ben to please come home, practically begging him at this point (I was even thinking you could hear him starting to cry, in a rare moment of weakness for his character). Ben, however, just keeps giving a hushed “no” to each plea, until he finally shouts it, Force-choking Han. Ben/Kylo says that he can’t be changed. This is what he is now. Han still pleads between gasps, but Kylo just lets his anger and pain out in one burst and violently force pushes Han into a wall, yelling “Just leave me alone!”

Han crashes into the wall, and is knocked unconscious, while debris from the surrounding area covers part of the lower half of his body. Kylo runs off, not looking back behind him. Jaina tells Chewie and the remaining red shirts to take Han back to Falcon, and get him medical attention ASAP. She goes after Kylo, with Rey and Finn following close behind, despite her warnings.

We cut to Poe and his squadron, finally being able to make it to the main defense reactor. Destroying it would mean that the Starkiller Base would be defenseless. And just in time, because it appeared to be charging for another blast.

We then cut back to Jacen and Zayla’s fight, where both the Jedi and the Would-be Sith have been pushing their limits, with their battle being so intense that make it to the outer, planet surface of the base. As they each try to outmatch each other, Zayla reveals a trick her twin-headed lightsaber can do; she’s able to split it in two, and wield them at the same time (drawing parallels to Asajj Ventress, once again).

We then cut back to Jaina, Finn, and Rey, who’ve caught up to Kylo Ren.

Suddenly, Rey stops and recognizes this as the same snow-covered forest in her vision. Finn asks her what’s wrong, and she snaps out of it, regaining some of her composure.

Jaina fights off Kylo, while Finn goes off to attend to Rey after she’s been knocked back by Kylo. Jaina manages to fend Kylo off, but Kylo senses Jaina doesn’t want to hurt him, and tries to use this to catch her off-guard. However, Finn returns, with Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber. Kylo pauses, and recognizes that lightsaber from his father’s descriptions. He demands to know how Finn has it, and demands that Finn hand it over, but Finn says if he wants it so bad, then he should come and get it for himself, igniting the saber. Kylo is now facing two against one, and manages to hold his ground, but struggles. Kylo senses that Zayla is nearby, fighting Jacen. He mentally calls out to her for assistance, to which Zayla agrees, baiting Jacen to follow her to where Jaina, Finn, and Rey are.

It’s now three against two, but Zayla has a trick up her sleeve. Sensing that the twins are close, she uses lightsaber techniques to catch Jacen off-guard while he’s fighting her, and uses one lightsaber of hers to slash at his back, taking Jacen out of the fight. Jacen, wounded, falls over, as Jaina is distracted enough to be knocked back by Kylo. All that leaves is Finn, who is outmatched by the Knights of Ren, but still manages to be cornered by Kylo.

Rey has been coming to, and sees her friends in trouble. She becomes so filled with passion, that she lets out a huge “NO!!”, after muttering smaller nos (another parallel to Kylo), which causes a huge Force push which knocks back Zayla and Kylo (but mostly Zayla, who is now injured and out of commission). We then have the scene where Rey gets Anakin’s lightsaber, only Finn, Jaina and Jacen are all conscious enough to witness it. That, and instead of fully defeating Kylo, Rey uses her skills she learned with her staff to compensate, but she’s still not managed to completely beat him, only fighting to a standstill (and it even seemed like Kylo might win, despite his injuries) when parts of Starkiller Base start to explode.

Snoke mentally calls out to Zayla and Kylo to retreat for now, but they will make sure the children of the Force will pay dearly for this humiliation. Zayla and Kylo retreat back into the non-explodey part of the base, while Rey and the others are left in the snow. Just then, a light above appears. The Millennium Falcon has arrived, and lands just in time for the rest of them to be picked up, and brought to the medical bay.

Meanwhile, Poe has successfully destroyed the main defense reactor, causing a chain reaction which greatly damages the Starkiller. A good chunk of the FO/UGC forces have also been trashed, and soon begin to retreat, with the Republic-Resistance Alliance having achieved a massive victory.

However, not all is well. Those on board the Falcon are taken to a medical bay on one of the ships (sort of like that ship at the end of Empire Strikes Back), with Jacen having to heal from the wound Zayla gave him, Han slowly reviving from Kylo’s attack, but still in a weak condition, and Jaina, Finn, and Rey being exhausted from the battle.

A week passes, and emergency power is turned on in the command center of the Starkiller. Hux is getting an earful from Krazvlin and Prydus, looking at the ground for much of the conversation. Krazvlin is losing his last bits of patience with the FO, while Prydus is all but foaming at the mouth. Hux does say to the Chairman and the Grand Admiral that while they may have failed today, the Starkiller Base is still in operation. With new upgrades and restructuring, they could have it rebuilt better than ever, and then truly make the Republic pay for this defeat. While Prydus is against it, Krazvlin agrees, on the condition that this will be the last chance on the Starkiller Project. Hux says he will not fail them, but says that they’ll need to regroup their thinking about the First Order, including the construction of a more stable and organized star fleet, as well as more effective soldiers. Prydus, having calmed down, says that is one alternative; a remnant plan from the days of the Empire. Prydus asks Hux and Krazvlin is they’ve ever heard of the “Dark Trooper Project”.

We then cut to Phasma, who is once again having a spat with Zayla Ren. Zayla says that Phasma looks like “something the nexu dragged in”, while Phasma tells Zayla that she’s not in her most “lovely” state, either. Phasma asks why Zayla seems so cheerful, saying that they lost control over their battlestation, and she lost those force-sensitive users as well. Zayla says while that is true, she also says she’s gained something else today. Phasma asks what that is. Zayla says “Oh, just your loyalty, and leverage”.

Phasma asks what Zayla is talking about. Zayla replies that she recalls having saved Phasma’s life twice now; once on Takodana, and few days ago she saved her from being thrown in a trash compactor. Phasma asks that because she was forced to rely on her once or twice, that now means she’s supposed to be indebted to Zayla. Zayla says “No, no, no, it’s not because of something so childish. It’s because I would hate to see someone like you be turned in for treason.”

Phasma is shocked by what she hears, stammering as she asks what Zayla means. Zayla says that she was around the area when Phasma decided to turn on them and turn off the shields to the base. Phasma says that Zayla must be bluffing, and this is another one of her foolish mind tricks. Zayla guarantees Phasma that it is no trick, and she produces a small data drive, saying it contains all the footage the security sensors were able to pick up. She tells Phasma “not to worry” as she managed to delete all the footage of her betrayal, and that all that’s left is within this drive.

Phasma stammers once again, asking Zayla what she wants. Zayla says that all she wants is to help “protect” Phasma. After the fiasco that’s happened over the course of the past week, she’s been hearing about how heads will roll because of this, and she’s just making sure that Phasma’s won’t be one of them. Phasma remains silent, and Zayla tells her not to worry, because as long as she does what she says, “this ‘Force-wielding brat’ will help you stay in your cozy position, and maybe even get you promoted”.

Phasma, knowing that she can’t do anything, resigns herself to Zayla’s service, which pleases Rayla as she goes her own way.

We cut to Kylo Ren, communicating with Snoke (I was thinking that now it would be via a hologram, instead of a force bond), saying that he has failed him. Not only have two potential allies to their cause slipped through their fingers, and but the First Order’s main weapon has been crippled. He expects punishment, but Snoke says that while that may be true, Kylo has also shown his willingness to stop holding back, and willingness to cut the ties he had in his “past life”. Snoke says to report to him in-person at his secret location, so that he may begin to complete his training, along with the training of the other Knights of Ren. Snoke says that Kylo is that much closer to achieving the power he so desperately craves; to power to be master over life and death.

We cut to our heroes, with some of them celebrating their victory, while others are more melancholy, seeing it as a bittersweet victory.

The Republic has lost two of its cruisers and some of their own fighters, and have stirred tensions even further with the UGC, which some view critically. However, they’ve also left the First Order licking it’s wounds, and many in the Senate are seeking to pursue economic sanctions against UGC groups who were associated with the First Order.

And it’s also bitter for our heroes. Han is still breathing, and he’s regained consciousness, with Leia at his side, but he’s also hurt emotionally, wondering if the nephew he loved really is gone.

Unlike the movie, Finn is still conscious, but he’s still recovering from the fight with Kylo and Zayla, as is Rey, who he finds sitting by herself, looking a bit forlorn. Poe comes up to Finn, and says she’s been like this for a long time. Mirroring the talk on Takodana, Finn goes up to Rey, but this time Poe accompanies him. Finn and Poe try to comfort Rey, who’s trying even to comprehend all that’s happened in the past week or so. She’s wanted adventure all her life, and thought it would be fun and exciting, and while she admits she’d be lying if it wasn’t fun making fools out of First Order troops, she’s also scared about her encounters with the Knights of Ren, who apparently want her because of Force powers even she can’t understand. Finn and Poe comfort her, while also informing Rey of Finn going through instances similar to Rey’s, where Finn says that he might be also be in tune with the Force, and reaffirms that if there’s any trouble she’s in, he’ll be there to help, with Poe joining in on that declaration of friendship, and they share a big group hug.

After that’s over with, Jacen (who has recovered, mostly) and Jaina approach the trio, saying they must discuss something of vital importance.

Later on, they are discussing with Leia and the trio that from what they’ve seen and what they’ve felt within Rey and Finn, that they are two of the Force sensitive users their master told them to find and protect

The gist is that Luke sent them out to find new Force sensitive students for him and the Jedi Council to train, and that Jacen and Jaina are merely two of the Jedi Knights he’s sent out on this mission to comb the galaxy for potential Force users, young and old, to help train them in the ways of the Force, to combat the growing evil presence behind both the Knights of Ren and the First Order. However, in order to throw off suspicion from the First Order, Luke decided that while some of his new students should be trained by him personally, it would be best if others were to be trained under the guidance of the Masters of the Jedi Council who are currently standing in for Luke while he is in hiding.

The twins decide to take Rey to Luke, and that Finn must be brought to the New Jedi Council.

Rey doesn’t know how to feel, considering while she wants to discover the mystery behind her new power, which could also lead to the mysteries of her past and the visions she’s had, she’s also apprehensive because she was just reunited with Finn, Poe, and the rest of the people she’s just come to now as the only friends and family she’s ever had. Jaina and Jacen assure her that this is not goodbye for her and friends, and Finn and Poe reassure Rey that though they may be apart physically, they’ll always be together in spirit, and will wait until her training is complete.

Although still having mixed thoughts, Rey still agrees to go, and Finn agrees to meet with the Jedi Masters on the Council.

They all say their goodbyes to each other, with Jacen deciding to take Finn to the Council and the Academy, while Jaina takes Rey to where Luke is hidden.

Leia and Han (the latter of whom currently having to temporarily use a hover chair while he recovers), say to them as they begin to depart “May the Force be with you, always.”

Just before they leave, however, Finn says for Rey to keep Anakin’s/Luke’s lightsaber. Rey objects at first, but Finn says that while Luke may not need it, she likely will, and tells her not to worry, since he’s always been a bit better with a blaster, anyway.

With everything said and done, both Jacen and Jaina’s ships take off for their respective planets.

We then cut back and forth to Rey and Finn on board Jaina and Jacen’s ships, respectively, nervous about the whole situation, wondering what’s going to happen to them. While in thought, they’re alerted that they’ve arrived their respective destinations.

Finn and Jacen arrive on the planet home to the Jedi Council and the Academy, Dantooine (Luke decided to move the Council and the Main Temple far away from Coruscant, and also has a temple and academy on Yavin IV, like in the old EU), while Jaina and Rey arrive on the planet with the Ancient Jedi Temples we saw at the beginning of the “movie”.

Finn and Jacen arrive on Dantooine where they stop in front of pristine structure of the enclave of the Jedi Temple. Jacen says he has important business with the Council scheduled, and they’re led to them.

Meanwhile, Jaina and Rey arrive on the world where Luke is, where it appears that other Jedi Knights are arriving with other Force-sensitive users, young and older.

Also, just to note, Luke abolished the rule of taking Force-sensitive people when they’re children or babies, opting instead to either have them be trained closer to home, so that they can still go back as if it were school, or have their families come along with them, where they provide for them as well (this especially happens with poor families with Force-sensitive children, who wish to have a better life).

Anyway, Jaina takes Rey to the main ancient Jedi Temple, where Luke is waiting.

We then get another back and forth scene where we cut between the scenes of Rey and Finn meeting their new masters.

With Finn, we’re brought to the Jedi Council room, where two figures have their backs turned from them, and are looking out the window. Jacen says that he trusts they sensed why they are here. The female figure in the white robes says that they have. Jacen then formally introduces Finn to the Jedi Masters whom Luke left in charge while he was away, and the ones who will help him train him.

The two Masters turn around to reveal an older human man, with a slight scar on his face, and faded brown-gray-ish hair, yet with smile on his face, and a Togruta woman, with also a warm smile on her face.

The Torgruta woman removes her hood, and welcomes Finn to the Jedi Order, and they each introduce themselves as Jedi Masters Ashoka Tano and Kyle Katarn.

Finn is in awe of actually meeting two legendary Jedi Masters.

At the same time, Jaina brings Rey to where Luke is, practicing his Force meditation, currently even levitating a bit from the ground, as certain small objects levitate around him (sort of like he was supposed to be introduced in TFA before changes were made). Jaina pardons her interruption, but she says she’s brought one of “children of the Force” he sensed, and that Rey apparently has something for him. Luke slowly stops his levitating, and the objects around him follow suit. He stands up, and thanks Jaina, to which she says that it was no trouble (a small joke on her end), before calling Luke “uncle”.

Rey steps forward to the man, who turns around and removes his hood to reveal the face of the one who destroyed the Death Star, the one who helped restore the Jedi Order, and the one who brought Anakin Skywalker back over to the Light Side so that he could finally bring balance to the Force; Luke Skywalker.

After a moment of staring in awe, Rey realizes something and remembers what Jaina just said, as well as what Poe said earlier, and takes out the lightsaber Luke once wielded, and his father before him. She presents it to him, thinking he might still want it back as a keepsake. She reaches out to hand it him, but before she can, Luke holds up his hand, and says with a solemn, yet warm smile “No. It’s not mine, anymore.”

Rey is taken aback, but then Luke says that if she so desires it, that lightsaber is now hers. Rey is even shocked now, and Luke simply says with a nod, “Welcome, Rey. As of now, your training has begun.”

We then get a scene where we pan back, and see both the scenes of the new Jedi apprentices standing before their new masters, side by side.

The End of Episode VII

Some fitting music to cap it off:

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And that is officially my rough storyline pitch for my rewrite of The Force Awakens. I hope you at least enjoyed some of it, because I have big plans for it in the future, when I come up with the other two story outlines for this trilogy.

Again, feel free to ask me what I have in mind for this “rewrite trilogy”. along with any other questions which spring to mind.

However, I will say this; I will try to treat the original trilogy characters as well as I can, show that their efforts weren’t for nothing, and that everything will turn out right for them in the end.

Until next time, when I come up with the story outline for the next part in this rewrite trilogy:

Episode VIII:The Lost Jedi

#Star Wars #long post #this is mostly just me throwing ideas around #Though I would like it if you would care to see more because I have plenty of ideas regarding this #I hope you won’t mind some of them #Star Wars Rewrite #Star Wars Rewrite AU #I think I'll call this AU the 'United Continuity' AU

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