#time to shift into 322 mode

[misplacedgamer]

BnHA Chapter 322 Theory-Reverse Kamino

Ok, so I know we’ve all had our fun this week with bi!Mineta and crying over Tenya and “I have so much I need to say to him”, but the next chapter will be here in 24 hours and it’s time to shift back into theorist mode while I still have the chance. So here it is, my big take on what’s going to happen in chapter 322, also known as the “Reverse Kamino” theory (under read more because I wrote a novel)

Starting simple, I don’t think Horikoshi is quite done with the angst just yet. Chapter 321 was a huge emotional catharsis chapter, that’s to be sure, but it ends on a weirdly somber and abrupt note. While we do see Tenya initially grab hold of Deku’s hand, we don’t actually see Deku gripping his hand back before the chapter ends, which would have been an easy thing to do if this was meant to be the last bit of angst before Deku goes home, ESPECIALLY since Horikoshi loves drawing hands. The other thing to notice is Deku’s face in the panel that closes the chapter.

If you wanted to go for the emotional gut punch, you’d end with the panel of Deku crying, because it's so good and cathartic and resonates so well with what happened in the Stain arc between Tenya and Deku. That’s the panel you end on if you want to close the chapter on an optimistic note. But instead, there’s an extra little panel of Deku that’s extremely foreboding. Deku himself is completely in shadow (contrasting the panel above), and the panel is zoomed out just enough that you can’t see his pupils at all. It’s the same face he was making in the crying panel, but now with his open mouth and his eyes whited out, it looks less cathartic and more like Deku’s frozen in terror.

Let’s also notice the ominous sound effect that takes up a third of the panel. Apparently it translates as a “fwip” sound. I’m not sure what that could be (unfortunately I don’t have every onomatopoeia memorized for this series just yet), but it indicates that something else is happening here. The blurb at the bottom also indicates that Deku’s next actions in the coming chapter are unclear. It could just be hype text, but I think if the angst was over ending the chapter with “Class 1-A has finally reached him!” would have been hype enough.

So what’s going on here?

Well, remember that this whole chapter (and really this whole fight in Kamino) have been paralleling two arcs: the Stain arc and the Kamino Ward Rescue arc. The Stain parallels really only became obvious in this chapter (which really should have been more obvious, Stain was even in a previous chapter watching Deku destroy himself), but I think the payoff for that parallel also happened in this chapter. Tenya finally got to repay the debt he owed Deku for saving his life after he tried to fight Stain; he got to at least try to bring him back from the brink before Deku completely lost himself to his goals. I wish I had noticed it sooner, but it's over and done with (probably, who even knows at this point).

What I’m more interested in are the parallels to the Bakugo Rescue at Kamino. Not only did we get the ice ramp making a return, but we also got a parallel between Bakugo and Deku when they made the plan for the rescue. Both had a lot of personal investment in making sure the other one was rescued, but both were also aware that they weren’t the right person to make the saving throw, and put their own personal feelings aside, choosing one of the other person’s closest friends to make the save instead. I don’t want to get too bogged down in all the parallels here though, because that’s not the point of this post. What I am saying is that there’s a couple of elements missing here:

The initial kidnapping, and AFO

AFO was a huge part of the Kamino rescue arc. It was the first time we really got to see what he can do, the kids had to rescue Bakugo to get him away from AFO (and Shigaraki), and this arc also featured the wiping out of All Might’s power completely. I find it highly unlikely that we would get references to Kamino Ward without seeing AFO at least once. We also did not get a kidnapping prior to this arc taking place. I know Deku leaving UA narratively serves the same purpose as Bakugo getting kidnapped, but I choose to think there’s something else going on. Which dovetails into...the Reverse Kamino Theory

It is very obvious that Horikoshi loves Star Wars, and one of the most memed on quotes from Star Wars is a quote from George Lucas saying that the prequels will be “like poetry”

So if we have not seen AFO yet, and there hasn’t been a kidnapping, I think Horikoshi is priming us for a kidnapping at the end of this arc. We know AFO has been toying with Deku this whole time, and it would be a perfect opportunity to swoop in and grab him after he’s completely exhausted himself trying to escape all his friends. Also remember that AFO has a teleportation quirk that can be targeted specifically to who he wants to teleport. The ominous sound effect could be the teleporting black goop that the LoV coughed up the last time we were at Kamino.

And then we could get another parallel of Bakugo trying to race and catch Deku before he gets stolen away and I’ll have to cry forever again. I could also see Bakugo actually reaching Deku this time, but I don’t think we’ll get the conclusion of the hand holding arc so close to Bakugo denying himself the opportunity. Besides, boy need to learn to say the things he means when he actually has the chance (he was right there Bakugo!).

So yeah, lock me in for Reverse Kamino next chapter. AFO is gonna show up and kidnap the boy, and I guess Bakugo or Shoto will have to be our protagonist until they get him back. All aboard the angst train everyone!

Btw, if anyone would like meta comparing the back half of the Villain Hunt arc to either the Stain arc or the Bakugo Rescue please let me know!

[interpreterslinguistics]

Conversations with Hekate #1, Sun and Moon

“Why don’t we reapproach semething we did a long time ago?”

Red claws reach into my bag of runes, to grip, like a raptor with divine intent, the rune Sowilo. “A rune of force which channels the powers and energies of the Sun. It represents the illumination that the Sun can sometimes provide. Sowilo resists death and disintegration and allows light to conquer the dark. (…)” The idea of the grid across reality, I remember it if only vaguely. What ties this to the Sun?

She stands against a dwarfing Sun so white and heavy that its power feels like a deep humming, spreading her arms out gently like an upside-down V to welcome in its strength. I watch it beam down across fields, so slow for something so known for speed in its synonimity to light, almost more like a thick but perfectly smooth paste squeezed across the land. As it touches it, the ground goes from a pale, absent blue to… Illuminated. Suddenly, an idea I’ve had before resurfaces like the glimmer of a fish beneath an ocean’s waves, the idea of the difference between the void waters and our reality being illumination. Izanagi and Izanami and the stirring of the waters, GOD flying over the Deep, the firmament dome -

Too far into Christianity, she finds it distasteful and reacts with a knowing chuckle. The pale world is laid bare and boring, illuminated then with this thick, White Sun exudation, and then turned into fresh air. The pale world…

“It’s an empty vase,” she says, walking to her shrine space with her black robes trailing heavily behind her, giving the impression of an ominous, swirling black mist of deep secrets following her every move. I was thinking that it was tied to the idea of Plato’s Forms, actually, but vase? That implies something to be filled.

“Of course it does. What use is a world that is empty?”

What does it get filled with?

“That’s missing the point.” I feel her attention shift to looking through my own eyes, no, at my own brain; I see her holding it as a heavy purple-blue book, reading over it for something. And my attention is drawn, as I wait, to a bead on my sky prayer beads, blue beads that look like a cloudy day sky…

Te sky is filled, isn’t it? She briefly nods, absorbed in reading, now holding the book closer to herself and squinting at some of the words - I presume words, I haven’t read my own brain yet. This is inherently a day sky thing - a sky thing, she corrects - given the impact of solar and celestial bodies… With a wave of her hand, still occupied in the book, she encourages my energy in the direction of the bodies themselves and their luminary quality. I never understood light as consciousness, I say, and she looks up, surprised.

“I would’ve thought you would”, no, I was still trying to understand that. She draws me to a particular book on symbolism I have, and I get the impression that I’m drawn there by a snake.

“Light as consciousness…. Page 322. Or was it 233…” She shepherds me to both, and to particular passages on both.

Pg233: “Seven: Symbolic of perfect order, a complete period or cycle. It comprises the union of the ternary and quaternary,” the idea of what turns the three dimensional (IspaceO - I meant to put brackets around “space”, so IO, the moon, becomes relevant) world into a finished, four dimensional (space-time) world. “(…) 43 (…) seven-pointed star (…) as the sky over the Earth (…) planetary spheres (…) three-dimensional cross (…) and, finally, it is the symbol of pain.”

I know with the planetary spheres, at least, that they seem to be archetypes for different modes of consciousness? She lightly encourages me to keep going, watching over my shoulder. Seven-pointed star, and colours… It seems like different exudations of light.

“Well, think of how colour defines our looking.” I see a bunch of objects, purposely hard to see because they’re illuminated in purely red light. There’s so much I can’t see; the idea of the planets as anaologous to different colours, and the necessity of different exudations of light, make sense now, because there’s only so much you can see with one, two, even three colours of light.

“Light is analogous, to use your word, with consciousness as it is the main form of being. It defines structures, referencing the ‘White Sun’ I showed you, and, by its exudation from an object, forms the basis of our understandings of things.” It exudes? “I saw you had in here,” she references my brain as a book, “the understanding of information as given out by a host.” I can see her bend over an altar space in an unknown room to light a candle, illuminating only a small portion of her where her skin is bare - hand and head - leaving the rest to consume the light as if it were the void of night itself. Yes, I was thinking before about how everything speaks - she nods gently as she works - and how we just need to be able to have the understanding, and be able to translate it, to see it. “Have the eyes necessary to see it.”

I’m nudged to the symbol book I still have open: “(…) it is symbolic of the latent and potential and is the ‘Orphic Egg’.” I’m unfamiliar with that last term, so I look it up. The idea of division of the void as a great snake and reality as a contained egg - I misread another word in this book as “consciousness” - the idea of consciousness as division and unity? Her energy motions to the understanding that I’m almost there, slightly more emphasis on almost. ‘Latent and potential’…

The other page, pg322: “Swallow: A bird sacred to Isis and to Venus, and an allegory of spring. The poet Becquer makes use of this symbol to convey the pathos and the inexorable nature of time, drawing analogies with other symbols.” Isis sticks out, spring as “beginnings and illumination”, “the pathos and the inexorable nature of time”, and the analogies part seems to be looping it back to the last page. I don’t know much if anything about Isis so I look her up, of course she’s relevant to the Moon in that moons have been brought up already, and are tied deeply to time; beginnings and illumination brings to mind the idea of the Sun, pathos, another word I’m unfamiliar with, bringing us back to “the symbol of pain”, the divine journey of time connecting the Sun (inevitability, sustenance, anchoring) and Moon (fluid, uncommandable, ever-changing) together, and spring… Is what that ‘paste’ of the White Sun feels like, the removing of the cold of winter into the blooming life of spring. The Earth forgets it exists and lives in winter, and then in spring it forgets it was frozen and impenetrable, and unalive. Consciousness is… Tied to the… No, I’m afraid I still don’t understand. She points me towards the phrase “archetypal implications” in the book I’m in, I think I’m approaching this too literally, trying to map on a scientific understanding of consciousness to something that is, well, archetypal. It’s a metaphor, right? She nods, in a way that is somehow dripping with the colour red.

She guides my hands, I feel like I’m being pushed along by a current: Consciousness, in an archetypal sense, is the understanding of the world as a living, breathing thing, exuding its own thoughts and feelings, and convincing the rest of the world of its realness and opinions. It’s a dazzling display of colours, like those that birds use to coax their fellow birds in, a distinct web of lines weaved continuously between point and brain, understanding and self. A web woven by spiders, continuously, continuous as the rain makes an ocean and, with the death of each opiner, as inevitably as the ocean swallows all rain that falls on it. Drawn to the book again: “(…) Apollo, as the god of music (…).” We’re all leaders of the music we play, and others will be convinced, or unconvinced, by our songs.

“Explicitly - I have been avoiding doing as such because it is much easier to convey something in symbols you can decode later, compared to sitting and telling you, avoiding the fact that human brains shy away from being told things explicitly - consciousness is a great mandala of connections,” I get the image like a kinetic sculpture of layers of geometry moving clockwise and counterclockwise at different speeds, and the impression of God watching this mandala as their vision of reality. “You have it.”

Drawn to the bibliography section: “El Ojo en la Mitalogia”, an eye in mythology. Oh, it all goes back to the eye, right? She nods, a characteristically calm and knowing smile on her face.

[bisokubira1995]

The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Is The Most Powerful Cadillac Ever

The Cadillac CT5-V is a good car, but it isn't the proper CTS-V successor that we had hoped for. It's way down on power, with a mere 360 horsepower (269 kilowatts) compared to its predecessor's 640 (477 kW), and takes 4.8 seconds to hit 60 versus the CTS-V's sub-four-second time. But today the brand is debuting a car that feels like a proper follow-up to the CTS we all knew and loved: This the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.The company has been teasing the CT5-V Blackwing for quite some time – including yesterday at the Rolex 24 At Daytona alongside the smaller CT4-V Blackwing, smaller CT4-V Blackwing. But this is the first time we get to see the hotter CT5-V in detail, and with actual performance stats to boot. Borrowing the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 from the CTS-V – albeit with significant upgrades – the CT5-V Blackwing pumps out an absurd 668 horses (498 kW) and 659 pound-feet (893 newton-meters). That allows it to hit 60 in just 3.7 seconds and continue on to a top speed of around 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour).Although the CT5-V Blackwing uses the same supercharged V8 as its predecessor, Maxisys Ultra price. the modifications are plentiful. The CT5 has a larger supercharger (1.7 liters, to be exact), new pulleys, aluminum cylinder heads, titanium intake valves, and 46-percent better airflow. And for the pursuits, there is a manual transmission. A Tremec six-speed manual comes standard on the CT5-V Blackwing (as well as the CT4-V Blackwing), with features like no-lift shift and rev-matching. The optional gearbox is a 10-speed automatic that Cadillac says shifts faster than competitors' dual-clutch transmissions. Notably, the 3.7-second sprint to 60 happens with the autobox, while the manual will be a touch slower off the line.Underneath, the CT5-V Blackwing adopts GM's fourth-generation Magnetic Ride Control system. Already one of our favorite setups, the latest version includes upgrades to the front and rear suspension systems (hollow stabilizer bars, higher-rate bushings, etc.), improving both track handling and on-road comfort. And in both models, power travels to the rear wheels exclusively.The CT5-V Blackwing gets standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires designed exclusively for this model, measuring at 275/35R19 in the front and 305/30R19 in the rear. That super-sticky rubber wraps around Blackwing-exclusive forged 19-inch wheels, and those wheels hide a set of optional carbon-ceramic brakes pads that help shed an extra 53 pounds (24 kilograms) versus the standard steel brakes.But most of the changes to the Blackwing model are mechanical; the hotter CT5-V only gets a slightly different front bumper with larger air intakes and black accents, a few carbon fiber aero pieces for additional downforce, and a blacked-out grille. The rear end of the Blackwing model also dons matching carbon fiber accents like a new spoiler and diffuser. The interior of the CT5-V Blackwing adopts a similarly subtle makeover, with carbon fiber accents on the center console, steering wheel, and door panels and a nifty 3D-printed shifter at the driver's disposal.In terms of technology, the CT5-V Blackwing gets a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster similar to what you'll find in the C8 Corvette. The large display offers basic readouts for things like tire pressure, G forces, and boost, with specific displays for the car's three drive modes – Tour, Sport, and Track. There's also a customizable launch control setting embedded within the display, as well as a Performance Traction Management system.All that performance will cost you $84,990 for the base Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing before options. Reports suggest that we could see Super Cruise on the CT5-V Blackwing – although, Cadillac has yet to confirm – and we know that the CT5-V will come in two trim-exclusive colors at launch, Blaze Orange Metallic and Electric Blue. Buyers interested in taking home a CT5-V Blackwing can put down a $1,000 pre-order starting today.

[perksofwifi]

2020 BMW M8 Competition Review: I’ve Been Waiting 20 Years for This

At the end of the ’90s, there was about a year when the then shockingly expensive first-gen BMW 8 Series and the ascendant E39-generation M5 overlapped. The long, sleek, sexy coupe with its pillarless greenhouse had a restrained elegance about it. That stunning coupe could be had with either a 282-hp V-8 (840Ci) or 322-hp V-12 (850Ci). However, its substantial weight relegated it to grand touring status rather than sport coupe.

At about the same time, BMW introduced its third-generation M5 sedan with its bespoke 394-hp V-8. Some say this was the most coherent and best M5 to date. Back then, it got me thinking: What would a 2000 BMW M8 be like with that potent powerplant? There were ludicrously expensive Alpina spin-offs, but an M8 might’ve breathed some life into the otherwise exiting 8 Series. We never found out because that M8 was never built for public consumption.

Flash forward two decades, and voila. Here it is: the 2020 BMW M8 Competition coupe/convertible, powered by the current-generation M5’s twin-turbo V-8 juiced up to 617 horsepower and a tarmac-torturing 553 lb-ft of torque. Like the M5, power goes through a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic and clever adjustable all-wheel-drive system with AWD, AWD Sport, and RWD modes. Is it everything I had hoped it would be? Nearly.

0–60

Pressing the starter button, the M8 convertible’s subdued rumble awakens my 20-year-old dream, but now with 200-plus more horses than I had originally hoped. I click the button to open the car’s sport exhaust system. “It’s gonna be a ferocious thing, right?” I ask myself. My driving partner and I take to the streets of Faro, Portugal, and putter through town in Comfort mode, the engine barely idling and yet supplying peak torque at just 1,800 rpm. Entering an “A” road (freeway), we pin the throttle and leap onto the motorway as if we were about to take flight. Sure, it’s the torque doing the work, but the top-end horsepower (peaking at 6,000 rpm) is what is so remarkable. The car’s acceleration feels never-ending. BMW reckons either the coupe or convertible will run 0–60 mph in about 3 seconds flat. We concur; we’ve already tested a mere 523-hp M850i xDrive, and it does the deed in 3.4–3.5 seconds.

Cork Soaker

Watching Portuguese cork trees whiz by, remembering an SNL skit where they could barely get the words out without laughing, the navigation system politely updates our progress: “You will arrive at your destination in 25 minutes,” and I joke, “24 minutes, 23 minutes, 22 minutes.” At about this time, we wonder if there are speed cameras and back ’er down a bit since we were heading to a racetrack where there are no speed limits, but track limits. Even at triple-digit (kph) speeds, it’s shockingly quiet under the fabric top, the only wind noise coming from the side mirrors. The rear “seat,” if you can call it that, is only slightly more useful than that of a Porsche 911. If you want rear seats, you’ll have to wait for the four-door M8 Gran Coupe, which would later be revealed to us (no cameras allowed), by invitation only, at the racetrack. The M8’s interior is typical, modern BMW fare, iDrive controller prominently placed but accompanied by a mode selector: Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Track, the last being exclusive to the Competition models. There’s yet another version of a stubby BMW shifter that doesn’t operate the same as other BMWs.

Too Many Choices?

As we exit the highway, we select Sport, and the M8’s adjustable dampers firm up noticeably, but the ride remains exceptionally compliant and buttoned down. The steering weight gets heftier, too. Besides the two programmable M buttons on the steering wheel, there’s a menu where you can independently customize settings for the engine, dampers, steering, M-tuned xDrive, and braking systems. There’s also a toggle on the shifter to adjust the transmission’s logic and shift speeds. I’m no mathematician, but there must be hundreds of permutations available. That would seem to be about 100 too many.

Whoa!

We head for the hills, and on the narrow, twisting roads, the M8 starts to feel its size. Sure, the dynamic stability control and rear-biased AWD system links up with the BMW active M differential to tidy things up, but this is a big car capable of 189 mph. Occasionally getting stuck behind slow-moving farm equipment, we again ask the M8 to take a lungful of crisp morning air and pass with ease and revelry. Slowing for the tight turns, however, required some recalibration. The M8 uses a brake-by-wire system, meaning there’s no hydraulic connection to the pedal that’s more akin to an actuator. The pedal travels only a short distance and the “jump-in” is steep; too steep for my taste. There’s barely any ability to modulate the brakes with such a short pedal, and limo stops proved difficult, as well. Similarly, the electronic power steering does its job with precision and without fail, but it lacks an ability to connect the driver to the road mechanically.

Track at Last

We arrive at the track and immediately notice that the cars set aside for us to lap are wearing Pirelli P Zero tires, whereas our road cars wore Michelin Pilot Sport 4S of the same size (275/35R20 front; 285/35R20 rear). It turns out that when you order an M8, you get what you get and cannot specify which brand. Both are excellent, but our experience is that the Michelins are slightly more progressive when they begin to lose traction. When our session begins, we’re told the first two laps will be done with the M1 button pre-selections—engine: Sport+; dampers: Sport; steering: Comfort; brake: Sport; transmission: Drive III; stability control: on; M xDrive: AWD. The second set of two laps would be with the M2 pre-selections—engine: Sport+; dampers: Sport+; steering: Sport; brake: Sport; transmission: Sport III (manual shift); stability control: M-Dynamic; M xDrive: AWD Sport.

Follow the Leader

On a damp 3-mile track, we head out; two M8s following BMW Works driver Nick Catsburg in his. He’s doing his job of showing us the racing line on a track that has several blind brows followed by high-speed corners that go in different directions, and we’re glad for the tow. Without wasting any time, Catsburg has us up to speed, pushing the car’s limits. I can sense the tremendous grip begin to wane as the stability and traction control start to peek through their electronic curtains. The traction available on corner exits is what is so remarkable, and clearly the AWD system is seamless in clawing at the asphalt at all four corners with the throttle pinned to the floormat.

Do-Si-Do

As choreographed, we swap places on the long straight and double-tap the M2 button for the final two laps. And, an instant later, I hit the rev limiter for a moment. “Right, we have to shift now,” I say to myself. The car begins to move around a bit more within its invisible electronic limits. The rear-biased Sport setting for the AWD system allowed the rear to dance around a bit more under power—fun. The steering, as it was on the country road, was immensely precise and, with its quick 14.3:1 ratio, happy to catch an errant slide with little more than a flick. There was a dry line forming, so our leader picked up the pace considerably.

My original objection to the brake pedal was even more apparent on the track. With so little ability to feel where I am in terms of braking traction, I found myself in full ABS, often. On the last flier, I managed to glimpse my car’s speed at the end of the straight; it flashed 250 kph (155 mph) for a moment before I breathed on the brake pedal. Yet, even at that speed, the car was so quiet and composed, it felt like 55 mph. It’s shocking how well the M8 hides speed from the driver—but should it? Getting out of the car after four hot laps, I checked my hands: calm; not shaking from adrenaline. Hmm. Watching and listening to the previous and next groups on the track, the M8 didn’t even sound aggressive from the sidelines. I asked if the exhaust sounds were electronically enhanced in the cabin. They are, through the speakers. Our hosts were quick to point out that the U.S.-bound cars won’t have the newly introduced EU-spec particulate filters, and we’re assured they will be louder and prouder (and likely quicker) than these German test cars were.

Meeting Your Hero

Did I like the M8? Did my 20-year-old dream finally come true? Technically, yes on both counts. However, I just thought it would be something more than it is. On paper and to witness it, the M8 does all the things it should do. Like a grocery list, it ticks off all the boxes and then some. That said, it’s not as engaging as it could be. Something like the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S is what I had in mind. That sport coupe has a rowdy rawness that complements its dynamic capabilities. It’s a bit of a rebel while also being an upstanding citizen. Certainly, a louder, more aggressive-sounding U.S.-spec M8 will help and be appreciated, but there’s something missing here. From a distance and a dynamic standpoint, the M8 isn’t a huge step away from the M-tuned M850i xDrive. They’re indistinguishable in many ways, and that’s not good. The M8 should look, sound, feel, and just be the alpha dog, but it doesn’t come off that way. I like it, but I wanted to love it.

The post 2020 BMW M8 Competition Review: I’ve Been Waiting 20 Years for This appeared first on MotorTrend.

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[aspiestvmusings]

Thoughts: Scorpion S3 Finale & Quintis

Here are some of my thoughts (some based on “facts”, some only personal speculations/theories/wishes). I will focus on the Toby & Happy aka Quintis related things in this post. 

I thought it is time to make a post on this. I have discussed this in private and shared some of my thoughts with some people, but I think it is time to make a master post [list] with all thoughts gathered together:  

THIS IS A SUPER LONG MASTER POST, DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PARTS  (and it will be updated...at some point, probably, because I had to leave a few things out... as it’s too soon to speculate on some things... in detail)

”FACTS”

Here are the things we know “for sure” about the end of S3/S3 finale (arc):

The last three episodes of the season (eps 3x23 - 3x25) are connected to each other, and part of one big story.  [1]

The plot of the Finale (eps 3x23 - 3x25) acr involves the Happy/Toby thing (wedding, and more), and then the whole gang gets involved in the thing/story. [1] 

The Quintis wedding is “postponed” til the end of the season (3x08, 3x13, 3x16, 3x??) due to reasons, and is planned for the Finale arc dates (3x23-3x25).  [1] [2] 

Something happens that ruins/postpones their wedding day/plans... and makes them change the original plans (the venue, the time, the clothing, the guest list... anything or everything)   [1] [2]

THOUGHTS (WHAT’S THE PLOT?)

Here are some possible plots/scenarious on what the “threat” in the s3 finale arc could be that ruins the wedding plans/day & what the possible outcome could be: 

Collins is back (he escapes from the prison) and he kidnaps a team member, Paige, because he is now aware that she “binds” the team and that since Walter now has feelings, it’s easy to get to him through her

Collins is back  (he escapes from the prison) and he kidnaps a team member, Ralph, because he is now aware that he is important to Walter, because he sees “himself” in the boy, and it’s easy to get to him through the kid. 

Collins is back  (he escapes from the prison) and he kidnaps a team member, Happy, because he is upset with Toby, who managed to outwit him (with his secret message to the team), and he knows it’s easiest to get to the doc through her. Plus he’s always had something “against” the mechanic. 

“Bruno” comes into picture (Toby’s bookie/the person, who handles his debt...or the “debt collectors” sent to get the money), and demands full payment.. “now” all at once. In order  to “motivate” the doc he threatens to hurt his loved ones aka Happy and/or kidnaps her to make him make the payment. 

Someone else from his past comes into picture (someone from Brooklyn, who needs comeuppance... whom he’s invited to his wedding to Happy, or not invited...) - either his parents - his “gambler” dad, his bipolar mother, or someone else... And that someone brings back many old memories, and doubts, and be opposite of helpful. 

Whether it is Collins, or "Bruno”, or someone else who comes in and threatens or (tries to hurt) hurts his loved ones (Happy, The Team), and despite Team Scorpion solving the issue, it is most likely that the events will finally make Toby “break/snap”. Everything that he has been keeping inside will come out. His old childhood fears “I don’t deserve anything good”, the events from past year (kidnapped by Collins, finding out that the love of his life was married to his best friend & boss... and they kept it a secret from him...not trusting that he’d help them with the “con”, plus the Cadmium poisoning/fake pregnancy, plus him giving up his old life of gambling but still having financial issues due to his old way of life...) together with typical "wedding jitters” will all surface...all at once, and make him doubt himself, her, and everything.  [3]

Whatever the “threat” in the finale arc, and whoever it is directed at (no matter which team member...even if it’s not Happy), the events might “trigger” Toby’s “PTSD” and “doubts” and have him question many things and kind of “fall apart/snap”. There are two main options here how it could “manifest” 

Option 1: He might start doubting his own suitability to be a good person and husband (because of his past, because for very long he’s believed he doesn’t deserve anything good, because of his gambling addiction... and knowing that there is no guarantee he won’t ever relapse). 

Option 2: Or he might start doubting in Happy and her “feelings” and suitability to be a good partner, because as much as he loves and trusts her, all the things together might make him “depressed” and not see things clearly, so the things he’s kept inside since 224 - 305 events might surface. [3]

He might question marrying her, he might question being good for her/her being good for him, he might question himself and himself as member of the team. So much that he cannot deal with all of it anymore, and needs someone to talk to... and we’ll see if he goes to Paige (like in early s3) or if it’ll be Happy now who tries to get through to him & calm his “fears”. Which will happen (they haven’t used so much of S3 for Happy’s emotional growth for nothing - through her friendships with Sly, Cabe, Walt, and her relationship with Toby... it’s gotta lead to some sort of “payoff”) Either way I do believe that IT HAS TO BE YOU, HAPPY, who talks to and gets through to Toby... in the finale arc... if he has doubts or if he simply needs support or a shoulder to lean on...

FORESHADOWING IN S3:  

There have been several scenes and lines in season 3 already that are quite possibly foreshadowing a future Quintis/Toby/Happy plot: 

305 Toby being upset with Walter about him letting him suffer for days... trying to solve the riddle, instead of letting him in on the secret (yes, he understood the reasoning, but the fact they didn’t trust him to help them...like he ended up doing... probably hurts & he’s probably upset about it...on some level); 

308 and Toby  wanting a “big wedding” yet being “afraid” to ask for it, because he knows it’s not her style; 

311 and Toby feeling like he isn’t appreciated enough and needing more “attaboys” and appreciation...while being “afraid” to point out the moments and ask for what he wants; 

312 and Toby almost breaking down when Cabe’s life is in danger, because he doubts his abilities as a doctor; 

312 and Toby’s comment “take it from a (recovering) gambler...”

313 and mention of rabbit hole (”we were awake all night in a wedding-venue rabbit-hole”) 

313 and the several references to Collins and kidnapping (Toby being kidnapped “last year”); 

313 Veronica using similar method to write a secret message to what Collins did in 224 (she used lipbalm & her finger to write on the tub, he used oil & his finger to write on the table)

313 and Toby being “afraid” to tell Happy about his debts and financial issues. Plus the reveal that he has a payment plan (and we also learn that Happy is getting good at reading people - she notices the look on Toby’s face whenever they meet someone to whom he owes money to); 

313 and Toby’s comment that Walter is gonna snap...like a rubber band... because he cannot keep acting like it’s all ok; 

313 and the “sink or swim” plan; 

314 and the “mention” of a rabbit-hole (the last option on the list of states in the WaltCon list Toby&Happy have) 

314 and Toby’s comment about his and Walt’s relationship not being that good...them having “trust” issues; (this goes back to the secret marriage and all, and their “competing” in general...)

314 and mention of “(emotional) dumpster fire” by Toby, about Walter. The term has been used prior about Toby...a lot...as what he was like before Happy/TeamScorpion

314 and Toby’s comment about acid falling on someones head... (remember 224 & Collins and acid)

314 and a ton of illegally obtained money coming to the possession of a Team Scorpion member (Veronica’s “gift” to Paige)

314 a “debt collector” comes to collect “their” money from Paige... who offers to set up a payment plan... (parallels to Toby and his debt and his payment plan... one more thing Toby/Paige have “in common” this season) ADDED!

315 and mention of Toby & gambling (Sly’s comment), plus Happy’s fear about Toby needing the rush, because he is a (former) gambler. ADDED!

316 and gambling related stuff. All the mentions about Toby & gambling and avoiding anything related to gambling (even chess.. a gate-way game..) 

318 Toby is back in full wedding -preparations mode... getting wedding cakes to taste, and tuxedos to “try” for the guys... 

319 Toby & Happy are seeing dr. Rizzutto for pre-wedding counseling 

320 ??? TBA...SOON... 

321 ??? TBA...SOON... 

322 ??? TBA...SOON... 

So far I’ve mostly focused on the Happy part in my previous posts, and her EQ development, cause that has been confusing many fans, and I haven’t focused on the Toby part...cause of many reasons, including that arc happening later... after the ongoing Happy arc. I expect the “twist/shift/role reversal” to happen after ep 318, probably starting slowly in 320 or so... PS. livingwithashipname has talked about the Toby/Happy “shift” in her posts, check them out

I do not think all the little things scattered around s3 are for nothing. I do believe that it is all leading somewhere. And I believe that Toby is kind of using “displacement” method - he is “worried” about something (probably related to “Bruno” and his gambling debt, or possibly to his family/friends... who we could finally meet when they’re invited to be the wedding guests... aka people from his past, who probably aren’t really good for him) and he’s simply using “need more attaboys” and other things as “cover”, when he is actually anxious about something else. So I think that they are leaving breadcrumbs all over... for an upcoming Toby story. 

It’s time we find out something about his past - he is the last team member whose parents/family we haven’t met... or really heard about...much. The wedding...if they plan to invite anyone else besides the Team members, gives a perfect opportunity for this. 

Same goes for the Happy’s emotional development (they pushed it with the 224 proposal and her realization of the depth of her feelings for Toby. Then they pushed it big time with the Cd baby plot. And throughout the season they’ve pushed it through friendships and her taking the "Toby” role aka “advisor” more - starting in 223 with Walt, then 311 with Sly. Plus her friendship with Walt and Cabe. And of course her relationship with Toby.) They are focusing on her emotional growth... a lot. And it has to lead somewhere. Not just her being more open, and “better” at being in a relationship, and all that. But it also allows “let’s do it i reverse this time” story to be told - and Happy being the support system for Toby, when he needs it. 

THOUGHTS (WHATS THE SOLUTION?):

[The wedding & financial part] Cabe steps in, because he sees Happy as his “daughter” (just like he sees the whole team as his kiddos), and helps pay Tobys debt and/or for Quintis wedding. It turns out he has savings... since he has been alone for a few decades, and since just like he kept the house where he saw his daughter grow, he also kept her “college fund” untouched, so he has some money put aside. PS. Since we know Happy’s dad can barely keep his garage running, we know he cannot help with financial matters. 

When Toby questions things (his own “personality”, her “personality”) and has doubts.. like “wedding jitters”, only much more extremer version (due to all things happening/old “fears” coming to the surface...finally...all at once”), it will be Happy this time, who steps in and becomes the person, who reassures the him. All the times where Toby has been/and will in upcoming episodes the one to TALK and be the emotional support and the shoulder to lean on, will pay off, and the roles will be now reversed, and thanks to all the Happy EQ/emotional development in s3 she is now ready to be the support system to help him. She will help him through it ...this time. 

Whoever the threat... Collins or “Bruno” or someone else... and whatever the threat (kidnapping a team member - most likely considering s3 events are Happy, Paige or Ralph...cause those three would effect the whole team the most? (Cabe & Toby are out of the question...cause of reasons)), it could lead to the person threatened being either emotionally or physically hurt. So if the person getting “hurt” is either Toby or Happy, there is a possibility the wedding needs to be postponed... for a while (til s4), because the need to heal. Or, it could be like the 307 proposal, where they do not postpone things, despite everything (and get married in the hospital room... just like Melvester did) 

If the person getting “kidnapped” and “hurt” is Happy, then one possible way to end the season is to have the audience see her medical records, and the season could end with finding out that she is pregnant... for real...this time. That’d be a twist... It could be the “positive” ending to the season... even if they won’t have the wedding in the s3 finale. (yes, it would not probably feel as “the right time” because even though the fans now know that they want to get married because they love each other and they want to have a family, then doing a real pregnancy plot... after/in conclusion of a major emotional “kidnapping” plot would probably not feel like the best “timing”, but it would be one way to end the season with some “hope” and kind of like a bookend ending for s3...which started with the Cd baby...kinda) 

[the “Bruno” & debt part] Paige finds a way to use the money her mom left her.  She took the money, but she hasn’t used it, since it’s still probably obtained illegally (by her con artist mom), but when “Bruno” threatens Toby/The Team, she uses the money to pay off the debt (so now Toby owes her... and can make the payments without any threat to his life) and/or for the Quintis wedding. PS. It could happen in the way tesnea theorizes 

WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN (w QUINTIS/END of S3)?

#preparefortheworst #expectthebest #eitherwaydontfreakout #everythingwillworkouteventually

Here are the things that are the fandoms “worst nightmare” based on what I’ve read.  I don’t considers these very likely, but with network tv you have to always be ready for surprises (either writers idea or networks - look at CM and CBS “request” to bring in one more new team member on top of all other changes the show went through early this season) 

Toby gambles (to pay off his debt)

Happy gets upset with Toby (for gambling/breaking his promise to himself & her) and needs some time to think

Toby feels guilty for gambling/for his gambling past or crumbles under pressure otherwise and starts questioning himself/her and everything, and needs time to think 

Toby or Happy gets more seriously injured (due to being beat up because of his gambling dept or due to being kidnapped to motivate him) and needs time to recover...

Toby and Happy do not get married and do not end the season happily with smiles on their faces (working things out in s4) 

But remember... even if its not all positive and things happen that the fandom would prefer not happening, it’s not gonna be the end of the world. And even if less favorable things do happen in the end of s3, there are definitely (also) gonna be many many good and positive things. And while I don’t see things in such dark tones, and don’t consider the worst case scenarios likely, one of my tips for fans is always to be prepared for the least wished scenario and not take it too hard when things don’t go as smoothly for our ship  as one wishes... 

QUOTES TO GO WITH THIS THEORY: 

[1.] “[Will Toby & Happy actually get married this season, in s3?] We wouldn’t be a TV show without roadblocks. But they’ve [read: the writers] got some really good stuff planned for the end of the season. The last three episodes [323 - 325] will be one long story. It’s something I knew we would eventually do, and it involves the Happy/Toby thing, and then the whole gang gets involved. It’s going to be very exciting.”  - EKT TV Line: Ask Ausiello (Jan 20th, 2017) 

[2.]  [There will be plenty of other excitement in the Scorpion garage during the second part of S3:  Happy and Toby will spend the last third of the season prepping their wedding.] “The plan is for them to get married soon, but plans can go awry.” - EP Nicholas Wootton TV Line: Winter TV preview(Jan 4th, 2017) PS. First roadblock was revealed in 313, more during Feb sweeps, and then in the Finale-arc.

[3.] “For Toby…I don’t think it’s ever going to go away that [it] existed [That Happy was secretly married…to Walter…their boss/friend, and that she didn’t tell him]. It’s a very logical reason, but I think it hurt Toby a lot. It was the logical thing to do, it makes all the sense in the world, but emotionally, it’s a tough thing. I’m interested to see how these characters get through this.“ - EKT via Marisa Roffman TV Insider  (Oct 17th, 2016)

[4.] “Falling in love is one thing; staying in love is a whole other thing. These are very stilted people. There’s another level of intimacy waiting for them. [and hopefully the duo finds a way to work things out.] “  - EKT via Marisa Roffman TV Insider (Sept 26th, 2016)

Posted/Last update: Jan 26th/Feb 7th/March 9th, 2017

[jesusvasser]

First Drive: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe

SEOUL, South Korea — The air is chilly and the sky is gray and cloudy, but from the look of the all-new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, things are bright and sunny in the automaker’s halls. This is the fourth generation of the SUV, first established as a brand staple back in 2000. For 2019, Hyundai attempts to invade the map of more upmarket shoppers, incorporating a heavily revised interior and sleeker exterior design.

With a new face and fresh interior comes a reworked naming convention as well. For the moment, the new Santa Fe will arrive in two-row configuration only, similar to the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. Hyundai admits the previous naming structure proved confusing for some customers, so now the regular five-passenger SUV will simply be called the Santa Fe. If you’re desperately in need of extra space for the kiddos, spec yours out with the new diesel engine (more on that later) and it arrives with an “occasional use” folding third row.

If you’re the office carpool hauler for full-sized adults, Hyundai will continue to build the older three-row Santa Fe, now labeled the Santa Fe XL, just for 2019 (in a vein similar to the 2017 GMC Acadia Limited.) The XL is a placeholder as Hyundai admits an all-new, full-size three-row SUV is on its way.

The outgoing Santa Fe was hardly an offensive design, but the new SUV cuts fat and presents clean, sleek bodylines aimed at purloining customers from higher price brackets. Hyundai’s new cascade grille, first seen last year on the refreshed 2018 Sonata, makes its SUV debut on the 2019 Santa Fe. According to the automaker, the trim piece is meant to evoke images of molten metal pouring from a foundry ladle. I’m not sure about that last part, but it sure sharpens up the schnoz. Aside from the new grille, there’s some trickery up front involving the dual headlamp setup. Those thin blades up top are the daytime running lights, while the large blocks recessed into the lower portion of the fascia are the full-power headlights.

While it appears leaner, the new Santa Fe is larger than the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. It’s 2.7 inches longer, 0.4 inch wider, and rides in a wheelbase that’s stretched by an additional 2.5 inches. This pays dividends inside, where headroom, legroom, shoulder room, and cargo capacity are all improved with 2.7-cubic feet of extra passenger volume. For stowage, the new dimensions added 1.2 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row.

  Inside is a redesigned cockpit that is one of Hyundai’s best. The materials, fit, finish, and ergonomics are better, incorporating little changes that add up for driver comfort. Some are subtle, including a slight tilt to the infotainment screen to reduce glare, repositioned window and door controls, and a sharper bi-level dash design than the Sport. Start ticking option boxes on the order form and the Santa Fe includes the requisite tech and frills found on the higher-end of the segment–head-up display, premium sound system, and “smart” heated seats that progressively turn off and on based on time and temperature. The new digital gauge cluster is particularly clean, joining the industry trend of virtual displays.

Underneath these new threads is a trio of powertrains, starting with the familiar 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder pushing out 185 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger also returns, now packing five fewer ponies at 235 hp, and 260 lb-ft of torque. For those that are hoping to do some medium-duty towing, the fourth-gen Santa Fe offers a diesel option for the first time in the U.S. The 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder brings 197 hp and a hefty 322 lb-ft of torque. Stateside, all engines and drive configurations are managed by Hyundai’s new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Out on the runway-smooth coastal roads south of Seoul, the Santa Fe was as smooth, comfortable, and quiet as expected of the segment, with neutral, light steering and brakes. I only drove the RoW-spec 2.0-liter diesel engine, but that was more than torquey enough for regular driving. Our 2.2-liter arrives with more power and torque, so expect that to be one of the better engine options. The eight-speed was quick shifting, smooth and clever–when I dialed in sport mode, the transmission held the gears for longer than I anticipated.

It’s unsurprisingly safe as well, offering a suite of driver assistance tech that we’ve seen elsewhere in Hyundai’s lineup. Forward collision avoidance and assist, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind spot are all part of the Smart Sense package. There’s also a nifty Safe Exit Assist function that temporarily locks the rear passenger doors when it detects an oncoming car when the Santa Fe is parked, working in conjunction with the Rear Occupants Alert.

Both pricing and fuel efficiency numbers aren’t available quite yet, but look for the new Santa Fe to sticker somewhere just north of the outgoing Sport, which carried a $25,930 tag at the base level.

2019 Hyundai Sonata Specifications

ON SALE Summer 2018 PRICE $25,000 (base) ENGINE 2.4L DOHC 16-valve inline-four / 185 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 178 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm; 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged inline-four / 235 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 1,450 – 3,500; 2.2L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged diesel inline-four / 190 hp @3,800 rpm, 322 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 – 2,500 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD SUV EPA MILEAGE N/A L x W x H 187.8 x 74.4 x 66.1 in WHEELBASE 108.9 in WEIGHT 3,591 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

First Drive: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe

SEOUL, South Korea — The air is chilly and the sky is gray and cloudy, but from the look of the all-new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, things are bright and sunny in the automaker’s halls. This is the fourth generation of the SUV, first established as a brand staple back in 2000. For 2019, Hyundai attempts to invade the map of more upmarket shoppers, incorporating a heavily revised interior and sleeker exterior design.

With a new face and fresh interior comes a reworked naming convention as well. For the moment, the new Santa Fe will arrive in two-row configuration only, similar to the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. Hyundai admits the previous naming structure proved confusing for some customers, so now the regular five-passenger SUV will simply be called the Santa Fe. If you’re desperately in need of extra space for the kiddos, spec yours out with the new diesel engine (more on that later) and it arrives with an “occasional use” folding third row.

If you’re the office carpool hauler for full-sized adults, Hyundai will continue to build the older three-row Santa Fe, now labeled the Santa Fe XL, just for 2019 (in a vein similar to the 2017 GMC Acadia Limited.) The XL is a placeholder as Hyundai admits an all-new, full-size three-row SUV is on its way.

The outgoing Santa Fe was hardly an offensive design, but the new SUV cuts fat and presents clean, sleek bodylines aimed at purloining customers from higher price brackets. Hyundai’s new cascade grille, first seen last year on the refreshed 2018 Sonata, makes its SUV debut on the 2019 Santa Fe. According to the automaker, the trim piece is meant to evoke images of molten metal pouring from a foundry ladle. I’m not sure about that last part, but it sure sharpens up the schnoz. Aside from the new grille, there’s some trickery up front involving the dual headlamp setup. Those thin blades up top are the daytime running lights, while the large blocks recessed into the lower portion of the fascia are the full-power headlights.

While it appears leaner, the new Santa Fe is larger than the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. It’s 2.7 inches longer, 0.4 inch wider, and rides in a wheelbase that’s stretched by an additional 2.5 inches. This pays dividends inside, where headroom, legroom, shoulder room, and cargo capacity are all improved with 2.7-cubic feet of extra passenger volume. For stowage, the new dimensions added 1.2 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row.

  Inside is a redesigned cockpit that is one of Hyundai’s best. The materials, fit, finish, and ergonomics are better, incorporating little changes that add up for driver comfort. Some are subtle, including a slight tilt to the infotainment screen to reduce glare, repositioned window and door controls, and a sharper bi-level dash design than the Sport. Start ticking option boxes on the order form and the Santa Fe includes the requisite tech and frills found on the higher-end of the segment–head-up display, premium sound system, and “smart” heated seats that progressively turn off and on based on time and temperature. The new digital gauge cluster is particularly clean, joining the industry trend of virtual displays.

Underneath these new threads is a trio of powertrains, starting with the familiar 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder pushing out 185 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger also returns, now packing five fewer ponies at 235 hp, and 260 lb-ft of torque. For those that are hoping to do some medium-duty towing, the fourth-gen Santa Fe offers a diesel option for the first time in the U.S. The 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder brings 197 hp and a hefty 322 lb-ft of torque. Stateside, all engines and drive configurations are managed by Hyundai’s new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Out on the runway-smooth coastal roads south of Seoul, the Santa Fe was as smooth, comfortable, and quiet as expected of the segment, with neutral, light steering and brakes. I only drove the RoW-spec 2.0-liter diesel engine, but that was more than torquey enough for regular driving. Our 2.2-liter arrives with more power and torque, so expect that to be one of the better engine options. The eight-speed was quick shifting, smooth and clever–when I dialed in sport mode, the transmission held the gears for longer than I anticipated.

It’s unsurprisingly safe as well, offering a suite of driver assistance tech that we’ve seen elsewhere in Hyundai’s lineup. Forward collision avoidance and assist, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind spot are all part of the Smart Sense package. There’s also a nifty Safe Exit Assist function that temporarily locks the rear passenger doors when it detects an oncoming car when the Santa Fe is parked, working in conjunction with the Rear Occupants Alert.

Both pricing and fuel efficiency numbers aren’t available quite yet, but look for the new Santa Fe to sticker somewhere just north of the outgoing Sport, which carried a $25,930 tag at the base level.

2019 Hyundai Sonata Specifications

ON SALE Summer 2018 PRICE $25,000 (base) ENGINE 2.4L DOHC 16-valve inline-four / 185 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 178 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm; 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged inline-four / 235 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 1,450 – 3,500; 2.2L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged diesel inline-four / 190 hp @3,800 rpm, 322 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 – 2,500 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD SUV EPA MILEAGE N/A L x W x H 187.8 x 74.4 x 66.1 in WHEELBASE 108.9 in WEIGHT 3,591 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

First Drive: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe

SEOUL, South Korea — The air is chilly and the sky is gray and cloudy, but from the look of the all-new 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, things are bright and sunny in the automaker’s halls. This is the fourth generation of the SUV, first established as a brand staple back in 2000. For 2019, Hyundai attempts to invade the map of more upmarket shoppers, incorporating a heavily revised interior and sleeker exterior design.

With a new face and fresh interior comes a reworked naming convention as well. For the moment, the new Santa Fe will arrive in two-row configuration only, similar to the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. Hyundai admits the previous naming structure proved confusing for some customers, so now the regular five-passenger SUV will simply be called the Santa Fe. If you’re desperately in need of extra space for the kiddos, spec yours out with the new diesel engine (more on that later) and it arrives with an “occasional use” folding third row.

If you’re the office carpool hauler for full-sized adults, Hyundai will continue to build the older three-row Santa Fe, now labeled the Santa Fe XL, just for 2019 (in a vein similar to the 2017 GMC Acadia Limited.) The XL is a placeholder as Hyundai admits an all-new, full-size three-row SUV is on its way.

The outgoing Santa Fe was hardly an offensive design, but the new SUV cuts fat and presents clean, sleek bodylines aimed at purloining customers from higher price brackets. Hyundai’s new cascade grille, first seen last year on the refreshed 2018 Sonata, makes its SUV debut on the 2019 Santa Fe. According to the automaker, the trim piece is meant to evoke images of molten metal pouring from a foundry ladle. I’m not sure about that last part, but it sure sharpens up the schnoz. Aside from the new grille, there’s some trickery up front involving the dual headlamp setup. Those thin blades up top are the daytime running lights, while the large blocks recessed into the lower portion of the fascia are the full-power headlights.

While it appears leaner, the new Santa Fe is larger than the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. It’s 2.7 inches longer, 0.4 inch wider, and rides in a wheelbase that’s stretched by an additional 2.5 inches. This pays dividends inside, where headroom, legroom, shoulder room, and cargo capacity are all improved with 2.7-cubic feet of extra passenger volume. For stowage, the new dimensions added 1.2 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row.

  Inside is a redesigned cockpit that is one of Hyundai’s best. The materials, fit, finish, and ergonomics are better, incorporating little changes that add up for driver comfort. Some are subtle, including a slight tilt to the infotainment screen to reduce glare, repositioned window and door controls, and a sharper bi-level dash design than the Sport. Start ticking option boxes on the order form and the Santa Fe includes the requisite tech and frills found on the higher-end of the segment–head-up display, premium sound system, and “smart” heated seats that progressively turn off and on based on time and temperature. The new digital gauge cluster is particularly clean, joining the industry trend of virtual displays.

Underneath these new threads is a trio of powertrains, starting with the familiar 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder pushing out 185 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger also returns, now packing five fewer ponies at 235 hp, and 260 lb-ft of torque. For those that are hoping to do some medium-duty towing, the fourth-gen Santa Fe offers a diesel option for the first time in the U.S. The 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder brings 197 hp and a hefty 322 lb-ft of torque. Stateside, all engines and drive configurations are managed by Hyundai’s new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Out on the runway-smooth coastal roads south of Seoul, the Santa Fe was as smooth, comfortable, and quiet as expected of the segment, with neutral, light steering and brakes. I only drove the RoW-spec 2.0-liter diesel engine, but that was more than torquey enough for regular driving. Our 2.2-liter arrives with more power and torque, so expect that to be one of the better engine options. The eight-speed was quick shifting, smooth and clever–when I dialed in sport mode, the transmission held the gears for longer than I anticipated.

It’s unsurprisingly safe as well, offering a suite of driver assistance tech that we’ve seen elsewhere in Hyundai’s lineup. Forward collision avoidance and assist, lane keep assist and lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind spot are all part of the Smart Sense package. There’s also a nifty Safe Exit Assist function that temporarily locks the rear passenger doors when it detects an oncoming car when the Santa Fe is parked, working in conjunction with the Rear Occupants Alert.

Both pricing and fuel efficiency numbers aren’t available quite yet, but look for the new Santa Fe to sticker somewhere just north of the outgoing Sport, which carried a $25,930 tag at the base level.

2019 Hyundai Sonata Specifications

ON SALE Summer 2018 PRICE $25,000 (base) ENGINE 2.4L DOHC 16-valve inline-four / 185 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 178 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm; 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged inline-four / 235 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 1,450 – 3,500; 2.2L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged diesel inline-four / 190 hp @3,800 rpm, 322 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 – 2,500 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD SUV EPA MILEAGE N/A L x W x H 187.8 x 74.4 x 66.1 in WHEELBASE 108.9 in WEIGHT 3,591 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

IFTTT