#todd finding it the most natural decision and not even questioning him on it???

[llycaons]

this is such a wild premise the budgeting issues and plot holes don't even bother me. I am entertained

[ryuichirou]

Have you watched the show yet? If so, what do you think of Yandere Todd?

Just finished it the other day! I can’t believe I was so sure that we won’t be watching it for quite some time, but I guess we did manage to find a balance between rewatching the Scott Pilgrim movie/watching the anime series and rewatching Twst main story. I can still feel the weight of a clown hat on my head, but ultimately I’m very happy that we watched it now. I won’t go into details about the show itself, but it was very fun and we enjoyed it a lot. And believe it or not, Wallace and Todd weren’t the only characters that we had fun watching. I personally really liked all the girls lol

I also love how you’re bringing up the most important thing in the world: Yandere Todd. The short answer to your question would be Yes. I think I mentioned it before, but still: it’s stupid how right up our alley this whole thing is lol What surprises me isn’t just the fact that the production figured that the most logical and fun character arc (mini-arc I guess) for Todd would be to develop an obsessive gay crush (and honestly that makes perfect sense when you think about his character), but also the fact that by the end of this story this development wasn’t “undone”. The boy is still deeply in love and deeply not okay, he is basically 1 second away from becoming a yandere, considering how dangerous he actually is. But also stupid and desperate enough to make dumb yandere decisions.

So yeah, we’ve been enjoying these two a lot (there are more sketches than what we post…), and thinking about them a lot. So you know, Anon, I’ll do something that you didn’t ask for: write a couple of yandere!Todd headcanons, because why not, this is what we do in this blog.

This is more of a general consensus than a headcanon, but still: Todd won’t get over this crush. He’ll live his entire life either trying to win over Wallace or watching him from the sidelines, so it’s almost like they’ll always have been together… even if Wallace wouldn’t always be aware of that. Todd became completely delusional very quickly, so his relationship with Wallace would almost become parasocial overtime.

Todd is a stalker, duh. He would actually consider watching over (or just watching) Wallace his mission in life. It’s one of the reasons for him to get back his vegan edge: if he becomes stronger as a vegan, he’ll learn how to manipulate his brain to be able to see whatever his most beloved person is doing at any given moment. The day he actually manages to learn this is going to be the second happiest day of his life (the first one is the day he met Wallace). Roxie thinks it’s creepy, and rightfully so.

Another thing that Roxie finds creepy (who keeps asking for her opinion, wtf?) is the fact that Todd teleports himself into Wallace’s apartment/house to steal his clothes or to watch him sleep quite regularly. Sometimes he even gets into Wallace’s bed and sleeps next to him, and a couple of times he got so lucky that he even managed to touch Wallace without waking him up. He is sure that Wallace’s reactions that day are a solid proof that they are meant to be together. In actuality, Wallace was just super drunk, tired and horny…

Todd isn’t very happy about the fact that Wallace sleeps around, but he calms himself down by rationalizing this with the thought that Wallace doesn’t get any sparks with these people, he just knows he doesn’t. And sure, he didn’t get them with Todd either, but what they had was still special, and Wallace just doesn’t want to admit it for some reason. Naturally, he got very jealous when Mobile became a permanent part of Wallace’s life. And we’re all lucky that Mobile is a medium of sorts himself, so it’s not that easy for Todd to just beat the crap out of him, even though sometimes he really wants to do that… but for now he just watches Wallace being genuinely happy with someone else. And tries to get stronger to maybe erase Wallace’s memories of Mobile or something among the lines… He would just challenged Mobile to a duel and murder him, but for some reason even Todd has enough brains to realise that Wallace probably won’t ever love him if he does that. Poor Mobile...

Speaking of memories. Todd uses his perfect vegan memory to relive the entire movie shooting experience over and over again. All the aspects of his memory: visual, audial, sensual, he remembers everything. Whenever he isn’t watching Wallace, he just sits in his bed and mumbles everything he said to Wallace back then again and again, while stroking that tattoo he got.

[acapelladitty]

Jason Todd/Female Reader: Breathplay (1.8k)

(Warnings: choking, fingering, outdoor displays)

Being cornered by the infamous Red Hood was not how you had anticipated this night to end and, as you watched the final body of your fellow henchmen fall to the floor after a swift kick to the temple, you can’t help but eye up the only exit to the alleyway you were currently trapped in; an exit which stood behind the dark figure who was now watching you cautiously.

“Don’t think about it, sweetheart.”

His voice was gruff, muffled by the red helmet which covered his entire head and prevented you from seeing his expression as he slowly approached you, knowing that you were unarmed and unlikely to pose any real threat as he spoke once more.

“I can’t believe that a cutie like you works for someone like Dent.”

Cutie.

Despite your anxiety, the compliment is noted, and you hope it is enough to buy you some leniency.

His strides towards you were confident and you found yourself stepping back for every step he took forward until you felt your spine connect against the mesh of a metal fence. Glancing up, the fence was too high to scale and a growing sense of panic overtook you as you realised you were trapped.

While not as openly dangerous or sadistic as some of the other costumed rogues, the Red Hood was not known for his mercy and the blood on his hands was well known across Gotham. With this knowledge in mind, as his presence looms over you, it seems only natural that you feel a spike of fear as his hand slams against the metal just off to the side of your head.

“So where is he? Where is Dent hiding?”

“I-I can’t tell you that, he’ll kill me.”

Red Hood chuckles, speaking almost conversationally as he invades your personal space.

“Listen, don’t make me threaten to shoot you. I don’t like threatening to shoot pretty women when they’re unarmed, even if they’re working for a maniac.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t-”

His hand is quicker than you could have anticipated as it wraps around your throat and gives a threatening squeeze; not harsh by any means, but enough to indicate that he meant business.

“Look, I don’t hav- was that a moan?”

You didn’t respond to his question but the high flush of colour which decorated your cheeks was enough to be a dead giveaway. His hand around your throat had caught you off-guard and, in your heightened state of tension, it had sent a wave of pure arousal through you which allowed a low moan to escape your lips.

The hand around your throat keeps its position but it loosens slightly as he hesitates, obviously debating something with himself as his body remains frozen in place. Coming to a decision, his free hand snakes around the back of his head and, with a slight metallic hiss, his helmet comes free in his hand as he drops it to the ground delicately.

“Oh, babygirl, I heard that moan.”

A fresh flush of heat sweeps across your entire body as you meet his eyes.

Fuck, he’s handsome.

You had seen his face before, plastered across several target boards which told you he had a price on his head from Roman Sionis, the Black Mask himself. But those posters did little justice to showcase his thick dark hair which was only marred by a bright, white streak over his forehead and the many attractive features below. His eyes were a sharp blue and his tanned skin only served to make the whites of his eyes seem even sharper as he fixed you with a pointed gaze, a smirk curling the edges of his lips.

“Maybe you’ll give Dent up with a little incentive.” His free hand comes to rest against your hip and every through the fabric of your jacket and slacks, you swear you can feel the heat of his touch, “What do you think? Up for it?”

“Yes.” You sigh out, your hand coming to lay atop his as you move it towards your chest, sensing what he was asking you and giving your consent without too much thought as you were caught up in the moment, “Please?”

“Please?” His eyes narrow, searching your expression even as both his hands fly to your wrists, pinning them against the metal fence as he measures out your intent, “Are you sure you want this?”

“Do it,” you groan, arcing your upper body out towards him, “but put your hand around my neck again.”

He complies with a low growl, releasing your hands to once again grip at your throat and his free hand instead brushes across your chest, cupping each breast as he took his time exploring your clothed flesh.

“You’re certainly something, cutie.” He mutters into the small space between you as his hand dips lower, tracing along the waistband of your slacks as you gasp in place, pushing your groin towards his travelling fingers.

Unable to move too much, you can only release a pathetic whimper as his hand unzips the fly of your slacks and dips within the space; the tips of his fingers running along the cloth of your panties as they follow the concealed slit there. Pushing past the fabric, his finger teases the entrance of your sex and you grind against him, willing him to apply more pressure and he does so without preamble, thrusting his finger within you and sending a sharp jolt of pleasure through your spine as he moves within you.

A second finger is quick to join the first as your fingers scramble against the chain links of the metal fence and your laboured breathing becomes more intense. The pleasure builds across your core; your growing wetness quickly coating his fingers and making his movements much slicker as his thumb brushes soft circles along your clit.

Small white spots were beginning to touch the edges of your vision as his hand kept up its impressive pressure against your throat and you jump in place as his other hand pauses its delightful ministrations against your aching core.

“Do you still want this?” His voice is rough, and you swear you can sense the slightest hesitation behind the words, but you put it down to a lack of proper oxygen as you writhe against him.

“Yes.” You breathe out gently, the most you can manage due to your restricted windpipe, but he nods your consent as his fingers slip past your panties once again to resume their skilled exploration of your sex.

The sensation of his fingers wrapped around your throat was intoxicating and low grunts and moans escape your lips as you focus on his expression and the lustful intensity which lay within his piercing gaze as he watched your every reaction carefully. You can feel the lack of oxygen causing your blood to roar within your ears; the sensation mixing with the unbearable pleasure of his fingers as they stroked along your slit and focused on your clit, rubbing rough circles around the sensitive bundle of nerves until it was almost unbearable.

“Are you going to come for me, baby?” He purrs into your ear, his fingers flexing against your throat to allow you the ability to answer.

“Oh, fuck yes.” You reply, the final sound drawing out into a low hiss as he renews his assault on your aching core, fingers moving rapidly within you as he pushed you to your end.

“Then do it.” A soft growl accompanies the words as his lips curl into a knowing smirk, sensing how close you were.

His hand tightened once again, truly cutting off your air supply as he thrust two fingers within you, curling them against your sweetest spot as his thumb moved frantically across your clit. You couldn’t hold out any longer and your vision almost seems to black out momentarily as your orgasm hits; every nerve in your body seeming to alight at once as the lack of oxygen heightened all sensation and forced your walls to clamp around his fingers. Your mess coating your panties and his hand as your fingers claw desperately at the chain link fence, trying to find any purchase that would take your mind off the intense pleasure curling your toes and frying your senses.

He loosens his grip around your throat just as the intensity of your orgasm begins to subside and hot tears threaten the edges of your vision as the first gulps of air reach your aching lungs. Your legs feel weak and you are grateful for the hard support of his body against yours as your body twitches its appreciation of the fresh oxygen.

“I don’t know what pay Dent offers but I can offer better benefits.” The final word is purred, leaving no guesswork on his meaning, “So if you fancy a change in employer, the Red Hood would be more than happy to take you on.”

Barely comprehending his words, you glance up at his expression, noting both the lust and satisfaction which flashes through his gaze as his eyes met your own.

“What?”

“Just something to keep in mind, cutie.” He smirks, dipping one hand down to pick up his discarded helmet, “Now, do you want to tell me where Dent is holed up?”

“138 Crystal Wave Lane.” You respond a little hoarsely, “Just to the west of the Falcone meat packing place.”

“Thanks, doll. You’ve saved me a lot of time.”

Pulling away from you, he takes a respectful step back to allow you to re-zip your fly and get yourself in a presentable state as you test out the strength in your legs.

“Will you get home from here?”

Not expecting the question, it takes you a moment to answer.

“Yeah, I live just around the block. In the flats.”

“Okay.”

“On the top floor.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Second window from the right.”

“Noted.”

Taking a step forward, you note the tension is his body as he moves to help but finds it is unnecessary as you are steady enough on your feet to walk without assistance. Glancing around at your fallen comrades, you are thankful that no one was able to witness your little escapade and you hasten to make your exit.

Turning back to look at the now re-hooded Red Hood, you allow your eyes to follow his lithe form as it quickly scales a nearby fire escape and disappears up the nearby rooftop, no doubt on his way to pay your former boss a less than friendly visit.

The Red Hood was not known for his mercy but a smirk tugged at the edges of your lips as you consider that the fact that you know, beyond a doubt, that he absolutely has more than just blood on his hands.

Fic also available on AO3 here.

[bigskydreaming]

Okay, long time followers will probably remember having read this, but I can’t find the original post and I’m trying to like.....force-reboot/jumpstart me working on my ‘Kings of the Sky’ AU again because I haven’t touched it in awhile and I have like literally eight different installments in various stages of completion and that’s ridiculous even for me. So here’s a repost of the first part of “Teachable Moments” the canon-divergence point of that AU series, where Jason calls Dick for advice after the Garzonas case and everything changes from there.

******

The way Jason Todd warily eyed the device in his hand, one might think it was an instrument of great and terrible destructive power, rather than just…his own personal cell-phone.

To be fair, he was Robin, and pretty used to the idea that even the most unlikely of things could be used for evil in Gotham. It could’ve been stolen and replaced at some point by a henchperson of Mr. Freeze, and using it could unleash some kind of cryogenic freeze ray that would turn him into a Robinsicle. Mad Hatter could be up to shit again, and dialing the phone at this very minute might mean syncing it up with a remote radio signal that would override his natural brainwaves and turn him into Tetch’s mindless minion of like…doom and stuff. Or…or…

Or sometimes, even in Gotham a phone is just a phone, and Freud is still a dumbass. And neither of the above possibilities had anything to do with why Jason was being a giant freaking pansy about entering the last digit of the phone number he would never ever admit to having had memorized for months now.

Nightwing had said to call if he ever needed to talk. He wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t actually want Jason to call, right? Like, its not as if Jason had remotely been expecting him to do that, so its not the sort of thing someone did just because it was ‘expected’ or shit. He was pretty sure. Rich people manners were weird though. Had to factor that in.

But Nightwing had also even made a point to say not talking to people about stuff was Bruce’s problem and that Jason shouldn’t let it be his problem too, and even though months ago Jason had been a starry-eyed dumbass who was totally drunk on the Bruce is the Bestest Kool-Aid or whatever, ‘Wing had definitely known what he was talking about there. So maybe he’d get it, and having this conversation with him wouldn’t be. Like. The actual worst idea in the history of ever.

Deductive logic said that Jason was getting worked up over nothing and there was no rational reason for him to be this nervous about dialing a fucking phone number. And he’d gotten pretty good at the whole deduction shit, given all the work he and Bruce had put into training his mind to view the world through entirely new paradigms, so Jason was pretty sure his math on that checked out. But on the other hand, Bruce was a hypocritical asshat that Jason was currently not speaking to, so what the fuck did he know about anything?

Aaaaand he was back to square one. Well damn. This was excellent. Very productive. Good hustle out there, Jay.

Sighing gustily, Jason flopped back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and trying to pretend he hadn’t gotten used to how luxurious and cushion-y his ridiculously expensive mattress was. He’d gotten soft, he told himself. Then he scoffed at the idea that the past year and a half of rigorous Robin training and patrols had made him less tough than the pipsqueak he’d been back when living on the street, getting his ass kicked by bigger and badder on the regular. That hadn’t been hardness, that had been bravado.

But it had gotten him this far in life, so maybe there was something to be said for it after all?

Ugh. Decisions were hard. He objected on principle. He also really wanted to understand why he was this nervous…if he could literally fill the guy’s shoes and kick supervillain ass as Robin, what freaking sense did it make that he couldn’t even call him up on the phone?

Maybe you just know better than to ask him questions you don’t really want to hear his answer to, a smug voice said in the back of his mind. It sounded suspiciously like Willis Todd, which was all kinds of weird and fucked up, cuz Jason was damn sure his abusive a-hole of a deadbeat dad had never said anything that insightful in his life.

Which meant it was his own screwed up subconscious - presenting in the voice of his not so dearly departed douchebag dad, no less - that had Jason reacting out of spite, entering the last number and hitting Talk, all while totally on autopilot. Because apparently we’re all making healthy life choices in this Chili’s tonight, Jason snickered somewhat hysterically while his phone rang once, twice, three times.

Ugh. Was he always this fucked up in the head and he just never noticed, or was it a side effect of running around rooftops in a cape. Inquiring minds wanted to know.

“Hello?” Someone said then, answering on the fourth ring. Jason sat bolt upright, his nervous humor vanishing as quickly and unexpectedly as it’d hijacked him in the first place. For all that he’d only actually interacted with the older man a few times, his voice was instantly recognizable. As was his slight confusion.

Right. Because why would Nightwing have the untraceable number of the latest burner phone Bruce had given Jason, when the ever paranoid Bat had him swapping out phones every freaking week? Duh, Jay.

“Uh, its me,” Jason said hastily, as if he could somehow catch up to and overtake the epically long ten second silence he let lapse before his mouth started making words again. “Jason?”

“Jaybird! Hey! What’s going on?” The older vigilante’s tone instantly morphed into one of surprised delight, so apparent even across the phone that Jason actually pulled it away from his ear and stared at it, as if that could explain Nightwing’s inexplicable giddiness. He’d literally only met the dude three times. Give or take a concussion he was forgetting about maybe? Weird.

Then again, the older man was a circus performer from birth. Might just be good at faking being super excited to hear from people? Whatever. Still weird.

“Uh, you said to call if I was ever having, I dunno, issues with Bruce I guess? So I kinda had a question? I mean, if you’re not busy or anything.”

Just one question? Willis’ voice asked snidely, echoing in time with the rapid tripartite beat of Jason’s heart. Since apparently everything Jason said was trying to come out with a question mark attached to the end of it at the moment. Ugh, fuck you, subconscious, Jason thought forcefully, even as he ransacked the recesses of his mind for that bravado he was thinking about earlier. It had to be in here somewhere…

“No worries dude, I’ve got time. Hit me!” Nightwing said cheerfully. His lighthearted cadences were so at odds with the sweat suddenly breaking out on Jason’s forehead, the younger teen couldn’t help but wince in anticipation of its inevitable change once he got his actual question out. This was a bad idea, he decided, way too fucking late for it to make a difference. He had a hunch Nightwing wouldn’t be content to ‘just forget it’ or whatever even if Jason chickened out now.

So he took a deep breath, shrugged and did what Jason Todd did best. Said fuck it, put pedal to the metal, and drove at full speed for the metaphorical police barricade that was his way of picturing all the things telling him He Should Definitely Just Not.

“Do you think I’m someone who could kill somebody in like, cold blood?”

Aaaaand there went the lightheartedness. Well, he’d definitely stone cold killed that, Jason thought grimly into the silence that followed.

“Huh,” Nightwing said at last. “You’re gonna have to give me a second to switch gears here, Jay. I was kinda expecting something along the lines of ‘how do I avoid Bruce giving me the safe sex talk.’”

Jason flushed and nodded jerkily, not that the older man could see it. Still, it’d been enough of a workout just getting to this point. He didn’t trust what might come out of his mouth next if he kept trying to force it. Thankfully Nightwing didn’t make him wait too long before continuing.

“I think anyone’s capable of killing somebody in the right circumstances,” Jason’s predecessor began carefully. Except that was not remotely what he wanted to hear. Or helpful.

“I’m not looking for platitudes,” Jason grit out, not angry at the other vigilante so much as the whole fucked up mess and his inability to think about anything else at this point. “It’s just a simple fucking question. You’ve met me, do you think like, I’d be capable of just killing somebody or not.”

“I’m not offering platitudes,” Nightwing continued calmly, as if he wasn’t phased by the younger boy’s interruption or sudden aggression at all. “And its not a simple question at all. Speaking from experience, most people wouldn’t think of an eight year old as a cold-blooded killer, but that’s what I could have been if Bruce hadn’t stopped me from killing my parents’ murderer when I first tracked him down. And yet that’s still totally different from when I held a gun on Two-Face barely a couple years later, about to shoot him because somebody else told me to, and because I wanted to hurt him like he’d hurt me. Wouldn’t you agree those are two different situations and two different ‘kinds’ of cold-blooded killer? Context is kinda a big deal here.”

Huh. First off…what the fuck? Jason stared blankly up at the ceiling, trying to hurry up the processing functions of his brain because, again, what the fuck? He was like ninety nine percent positive none of that had been in the Dick Grayson Is The Greatest and Here Are All The Reasons Why brochure he’d had read to him every time someone new found out he was Wayne’s newest stray, and like. Uh. Yeah, that part would have definitely stood out. Because once more, with feeling:

“What the fuck?”

Oops. That hadn’t been supposed to be out loud. Bad mouth. Bad.

Nightwing just did a weird kinda half laugh half sigh combo. Rueful, Jason would describe it, if he were describing it to someone else, which it kind of felt like he was, relaying the conversation to himself now that it’d taken a hard right turn into the surreal.

“Blindsided you with that, huh? Sorry, should’ve figured neither of those are the kinda stories Bruce would want to share with you. Then again, I don’t really have any idea what Bruce has told you about me.”

“Not much,” Jason admitted. Which was a major source of irritation, if he was being honest. The much sung praises of Dick Grayson came from literally everyone he met except for Bruce. Who usually just got a pinched expression whenever Jason brought him up, and a rapid subject change that was not nearly as subtle as Bruce seemed to think it was.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Nightwing sighed. “I hope you haven’t put too much stock in anything else you’ve heard about me then. I’ll admit to a bad habit of enjoying my mystique, so secondhand hearsay tends to lose my best nuances.”

Despite himself, Jason’s lips curved up and he let out a rueful huff of his own. “I mean, this definitely isn’t where I saw this conversation going.”

The older man chuckled. “Thought I was going to just assume the worst and chuck the book at you?”

“Well. Yeah.” Jason shrugged, even though he knew it wouldn’t come across. “Bruce did.”

Nightwing heaved an exasperated breath. “Yeah, that’s kinda the thing about B. Sometimes, he’s great. Other times, he’s an ass. Its kinda an either or thing. He’s never really mastered the art of finding a midpoint between two extremes. Mostly because he’s never seen the point of aiming for middle ground.”

“Well its not like he’s ever really had to,” Jason griped. It just slipped out before he could stop it, leaving him feeling guilty for bad-mouthing B when he wasn’t around to defend himself. Especially since he knew Nightwing wasn’t the guy’s biggest fan these days. But he couldn’t deny it also felt good, in a way.

To his surprise, Nightwing just laughed. And not even in a malicious, spiteful kind of way, but almost relieved.

“God, thank you. You’d think that ‘hey, so my billionaire guardian kinda has entitlement issues’ would be a water is wet kind of revelation, but try saying something like that to pretty much anyone else…”

“And they look at you like you’re an ungrateful asshole?” Jason finished for him. Not that he’d ever actually tried saying that to anyone before, though he’d definitely thought it a time or two. But he could all too easily imagine the reactions he’d get, which was pretty much why he’d never gone so far as to speak the words.

“Yup,” Nightwing drawled, dragging out the p and popping it with emphasis. “And its not about being grateful or not, its just…there are some parts of everyone that just aren’t up for grabs, for other people to weigh in on or take charge of, you know? And a lot of people just don’t get that…because nobody’s ever tried it with them, or had to deal with expectations that…overstep, let’s call it?”

“Is that why you left?”

Jason winced the second it left his mouth. Too far. Definitely way too far, but he’d just gotten unexpectedly comfortable with the back and forth, and now he’d done the overstepping thing himself and was left with just dead air.

But ten seconds of heavy silence stretched into twenty, and went no further, as Nightwing sighed into his side of the phone again.

“The spiteful part of me wants to say it was more of a push than me just up and leaving,” he laughed again, but this time with unmistakable bitterness. “But even while that’s true, its not really the right answer to your question, because no matter how much of a clusterfuck that was at the time, its not…I mean, I knew at the time how to fix it. Where and how I needed to cave in order to make up with him and let things get back not quite to normal, but at least close enough.”

The pause wasn’t as heavy or tense this time, as Jason could almost sense the older man gathering his thoughts, trying to put them into words. He bit his lip rather than risk any more unexpected utterances escaping. This might not have been where he’d thought his phone call would lead, but now that he was here, hearing the answers to questions he’d wanted to ask for over a year and finding them almost comfortably familiar, he wasn’t going to risk distracting Nightwing or shutting him up for well. Anything.

“But it would have meant me caving. Settling in ways that I just…couldn’t. So in a way, yeah, I did leave, it was still my choice. And all of that was definitely a big part of it. I love Bruce, I do. I just couldn’t live with him anymore. Not without feeling like I had to give up my own autonomy and just be what he wanted. Or what he’d expected me to grow up to be, back when he first took me in. And as grateful as I am to him for that, I can’t honestly say I would have stuck around back then if I knew that was the price tag attached. I’m not…I don’t do well with people trying to force me to stick to one place, one thing. I was born on the road, you know? When I was a kid, I expected to spend the rest of my life living like that. Home was people. Not places. And so Gotham…its never fit me quite right, the way it does him, or even Barbara. Its not like I was miserable there, its just.”

“It wouldn’t have been your first choice,” Jason finished again, quietly. There was silence again for awhile.

“No. No, it wouldn’t have been. Not then.”

[scholarlypidgeot]

What would you say is your primary message/theme in Prism?

I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about this. People who have concerns about me writing in the fantasy genre want to know the message I want to get across overall, and I think what I've settled on can be summed up in the word redemption.

But not just redemption- redemption by action, by penance and reparation and perseverance.

People do bad things. That's just a fact of human nature, and some people do worse things than others. In most genres we get depictions of redemption arcs that include some kind of reparation, or sometimes we get a sympathetic villain. In YA fantasy especially we tend to get a Mary Sue MC who we forget is capable of Bad Things (this is an exaggeration; critical thinking in most of these books lets us see the flaws of the character, but in general, they're not emphasized.) A tough decision becomes a necessary evil to feed the ultimate good. I have read prolifically in this genre, so I can say with some certainty that most of the time, fantasy relativism lets our heroes remain, well, heroes.

In Prism, I want to emphasize that there is an objective good, and an objective evil. More than that, I want to emphasize that nobody on the side of objective good is entirely safe from bad decisions (sin, if you would); and, likewise, that nobody on the side of objective evil is entire exempt from redemption, although the scars of their evil might follow them for the rest of their lives while they make reparation.

Unseelie and Seelie represent people who act on objective evils. However, we see starting in Crimson that they are fully capable of returning to good, even if they are not fully torn away from the temptations that linger from a vicious, selfish, bloody life before. Todd, Eva's adoptive parental figure, is an example of this: he's spent most of his life as an emissary of the Golden Crown, the epitome of Unseelie ideals. When he finds Eva, though, she inspires him to change (in ways that'll be explained in the story itself). After this conversion he almost gets pushed over the edge on multiple occasions but is able to persevere. There are hints that Patrisia might lead Vlad down the same path by the time the series finishes; but some, like Erik, seem much too set in their ways to find redemption. That's another aspect: redemption isn't promised to everyone, especially people who don't go looking for it. Some people won't be redeemed. And we grieve them for it, no matter how terrible. (Or I do. Maybe it's just because it's my character.)

Patrisia, meanwhile, is an example of a Normal Person dealing with Normal Person Temptation. She is driven by her trust issues and by her hunger for knowledge that tries to fill a void she can't put her finger on. She falls into temptations in Normal Person ways, harboring grudges, burying herself in work, and even despairing more than once. But there is hope of development here.

These are the extremes, of course. There are humans in the setting who live immoral lifestyles without falling into the Seelie/Unseelie dichotomy. There are other converted Seelie/Unseelie around who are struggling against their temptations and have found their way out of it. There are other humans who have struggled with temptation and with help overcome them. But the point is: Everyone is capable of redemption if they want it, and if they want to work for it. There is a moment of redemption, and there is a long struggle of perseverance in that redemption. There is hope, even if not everybody embraces it, and whether or not that's a theme or motif, I want that to sit at the core of the story and the people driving it.

Well! Now that I've moralized for a while I hope I actually answered your question. My story is much more character-driven than actual worldbuilding, but again, hope this counts.

[thepartyresponsible]

another soundtrack fill! this is for the anon who asked for  bucky barnes/jason todd and “vengeance” by neoni, which i had never heard before, but which is definitely a “killing monsters with giant robots” song.

so here’s a pacific rim au. the only surprise here is that it’s taken me so long to write one.

                                                        ---

Echo Lazarus and Bullseye Lucky throw Scorpio back into the Pacific, but the Kaiju’s barbed stinger rips a hole clear through Laz’s chestplate first. Twenty seconds later, Lucky executes it with a shot through a weak point in its cranial bones. Jason would take that less personally if the damage had been on his side of Laz, instead of Frank’s. Probably.

“Fucking assholes,” he says, fighting free of the harness, elbowing his way out of the Conn-Pod. “Kill-stealing chucklefucks,” he continues, right over the top of Frank’s half-assed attempts to calm him down. “I’m sick of this shit, Castle.”

“I’m fine,” Frank says. There’s a bit of blood on his mouth, but it’s from smashing his lip against his helmet, not from neural overload or internal bleeding. When he wipes it away, no more leaks out to replace it. “Nice of you to check in.”

“I know you’re fine, Castle,” Jason says, ignoring the still-panicked thudding of his heart. “Fuck off.”

He stomps his way free of Lazarus and shoulder-checks Frank seconds later, relieved by the solid warmth of him. Relieved, also, by the exasperation in Frank’s face as he shoves Jason out of his personal space.

“I’m fine,” Frank says. And then, a beat later, a bit more intent: “Jason. I’m fine.”

“I know,” Jason says. Because he does. His brain was Frank’s brain was their brain when the hit landed. The fear that flooded them was Jason’s, not Frank’s.

Frank’s not scared of dying. Jason’s not that nervous about it, either. But being linked while the other dies? Feeling Frank fade away like water down a drain?

Yeah, sure. That scares the hell out of him.

“Jason,” Frank says, looking at him, sidelong and flat. Outside of the Drift, he never seems to know what to say.

“You’re fine,” Jason repeats, sullenly, dutifully. “I know that. I do. I told you.”

He flattens himself obligingly against the hallway wall, lets the techs swarm past him to get to Echo Lazarus. None of them even make eye-contact, and Jason knows what that means. Their Jaeger will need extensive repairs. They’ll be out for a week or two, minimum, and they won’t even get a recorded kill out of this little shitshow.

Bullseye Lucky will get the kill. Again.

“If I break their knees,” Jason says, as the crew of techs scuttles between them, “they’ll stop stealing our fucking kills.”

Frank rolls his eyes. When they’re in their own brains, he likes to pretend he’s indifferent to this whole business. But Jason’s been in his thoughts. He knows how Frank feels about the Kaiju. He lost his whole family to these ocean-borne bastards, his wife and his little girl, his son. He likes the kill just as much as Jason does.

It’s a balm. A comedown. It’s a moment of catharsis they both need more than they want to acknowledge, and Lucky has stolen three of their last four, and Jason’s losing his mind about it, a little.

“If you cause a big scene about this,” Frank says, “I will not have your back when Barnes knocks you on your ass.”

Jason scoffs. Audibly. And then, just to be sure Frank hears him, he does it again, louder, with more emphasis in his jaw and shoulders. “Fuck you, Castle,” he says. “You’re gonna have my back forever.”

Frank rolls his eyes again. He doesn’t argue.

Forever means for as long as he can. Forever means today and, if they’re lucky, tomorrow. And they have tomorrow because Jason flinched when he saw the hit coming, because he threw everything he had into moving, directing that hit anywhere that wasn’t right at Frank.

They have tomorrow because Clint Barton and Bucky Barnes shot Scorpio through the skull, and so now Jason will never know if he and Frank could’ve saved themselves. He can’t come down, can’t feel safe.

“I’m gonna fucking kill them,” Jason says.

   Barton and Barnes aren’t generally known for partying, but a beer or two seems to knock the taste of Kaiju ichor out of their mouths. Jason finds Clint tucked away at the little on-base bar, which exists primarily to stop Rangers from going out among the civilian populace and regaling them with the most recent stories of how close they all came to absolute annihilation.

“Hey, shithead,” he says, as he slides up next to Barton at the bar, “quick question: are you at least getting off on giving me blue balls? Because someone should be getting off. And it’s damn sure not me.”

“Christ,” Frank says, with a heavy sigh. He elbows up between them and directs bleak, beseeching eyes toward the watchful bartender. “Help me.”

“Sure,” the bartender says. “Is that a single or a double?”

“Please, yeah, tell me all about your balls, Todd,” Clint mutters, in a tone just as deeply skeptical as Frank’s. “They definitely don’t feature in my brain enough.”

“A double,” the bartender says, with a decisive nod. “Sure.” He starts pouring. Frank grunts what would probably be a thank you, if he took his head out of his hands.

“What the fuck does that mean, Barton?” Jason says, leaning half over Frank’s shoulders to see him. “Are you daydreaming about my balls? Because I’ll give you a free sample if you stop sniping my fucking kills.”

Clint swivels his head to stare at the side of Frank’s. “Can you,” he says, low and deeply felt, “believe this shit?”

“Absolutely,” Frank says, as he takes a hearty swig of whiskey. “Believe it? Yes. Hate every minute of it? Also yes.”

“Can I tell him?” Clint asks. “Can I just--”

“Hey,” Jason says, because he’s finally caught sight of Barnes, skulking in the shadowy back of the bar. Barnes is like that. Jason’s noticed. It can be full summery sunshine, and Barnes will find a way to be evasive and out of sight. Jason always manages to catch sight of him anyway, though. He’s not hyperaware of the guy. It’s just basic situational awareness. “Hey, asshole.”

“Thank God,” Clint says, and Frank taps his tumbler against the side of Clint’s glass in a show of solidarity that Jason finds both deeply disloyal and completely unacceptable. He steals their drinks as recompense and then stalks across the bar.

Bucky looks up at Jason gets closer. His hair is too long again, still wet from his post-fight shower, falling across his face and curling, a little, at the ends. His eyes are bright blue and narrowed, wary like a stray cat. He’s wearing a PPDC t-shirt and old jeans. He looks ridiculous. He’s an asshole.

Because Barton will come through when you need him, but he’s not the mother hen on the team. Lucky’s been stealing kills because Bucky Barnes can’t keep his hands off the trigger.

“That for me?” Bucky asks, pointing at the whiskey in Jason’s hand.

“No,” Jason says, and he takes a quick sip to establish ownership. It’s smoky as hell, because Frank likes that kind of old man garbage, but Jason drinks it anyway.

Bucky points at Clint’s drink. “So the beer’s for me?”

“The beer is also mine,” Jason says. He downs a bit of that, too. “Why the hell would I be bringing you a drink?”

“Gratitude?” Bucky says, eyebrow cocked. “For saving your ass?”

“My ass was never in danger,” Jason says. “Fuck you for worrying about my ass.”

“I don’t know if you’ve seen your ass,” Bucky says, “but it’s really difficult to--”

“Oh, is that what we’re doing?” Jason puts the glasses down on the table. “We’re gonna skip straight to the part where we fight?”

Bucky steals Frank’s stolen whiskey. “You brought me a drink. I figured ass talk was allowed.”

Jason’s jaw drops. He rescues the beer before it falls victim to similar machinations. “Sure,” he says. “Sure, Barnes. We can talk about asses. We can talk about how I’m gonna kick yours all the way to--”

“Jason,” Bucky says. He leans forward, elbow on the table, and he looks good, when he comes out of the shadows like that. The light does nice things for his cheekbones, for his eyes, for the sharp line of his jaw and the soft curl of his smirking mouth. “Is that really what you want to do with my ass?”

Jason swallows. He takes a long, fortifying drink of the beer in his hand. He’s been learning about these kind of tactics from Frank. Stalling, Frank tells him. Tactical misdirection.

But he’s just a kid from Gotham, and he plays by Gotham rules. The Joker’s always wild, the stakes are always high, and you call every bluff you find, because you’ve always got less to lose.

He sets the glass on the table. It’s empty, anyway. He’s great at tactical stalling. A Goddamn natural.

“I dunno, Barnes. Do you have any suggestions of something else I could do with your ass?”

   Hours later, Barnes still isn’t out of ideas, but they’re catching their breath through another round of tactical stalling. “Jesus,” Jason says. “Did you see those shitheads high-fiving when we left? Frank won’t even let me high-five him.”

“He and Clint have a history,” Bucky says. Which Jason knows, thank you. He’s seen plenty of Barton in the Drift. “Anyway, Clint’s been bitching at me about you for months.”

Jason furrows his brow and looks over at him. The sheets are bunched up at mid-thigh. Bucky doesn’t look any less beautiful than he did when he shoved Jason backwards onto this bed, but he at least has the decency to look winded and considerably mussed.

“Months,” he repeats, trying to infuse the word with all the dubiousness a single syllable can hold. “What the hell do you mean, months?”

The look Bucky gives him indicates that maybe he’s not interested in Jason for his brain. In fact, it seems to suggest that he doubts Jason has one. “Oh, fuck you,” he says. “What? You want me to say it?”

Jason doesn’t know what the hell Bucky is or isn’t saying. When they left the bar, he figured they were going to work out their shared aggression in a way that wouldn’t get either one of them demoted or transferred. He’d held onto that assumption until Bucky started treating him like he was something worth putting effort into, and he’d been too busy after that to do any complicated reanalysis.

“Yeah,” he says. “I want you to say it.”

Bucky makes a face at him, a sideways smush of his mouth and a long look up through his ludicrous eyelashes. He reaches up to touch the side of Jason’s face, fingertips gentle as they run across the freshly bruised skin, the only sign on Jason’s body that he almost died today.

If Bucky had touched him like that four hours ago, Jason would’ve slapped his hand away and told him to go to hell.

Right now, he wants to lean into it. He holds himself still.

“I’m not stealing your kills on purpose,” Bucky tells him, gaze dropping from the bruise on Jason’s hairline to look him straight in the eyes, pinning him to the bed. “I just hate it when you get hurt.”

Jason swallows. He tips his head into Bucky’s hand, and Bucky leans in and kisses him like he can’t help himself.

“You’re still a kill-stealing piece of shit, Barnes,” Jason says, mouth an inch from Bucky’s, staring up into the bright blue of his stardust eyes.

Bucky looks down at him for a moment, mouth caught between a smirk and a smile. “Uh-huh,” he says. He kisses him again, on his cheek, on his jaw, in a line down his throat to his chest. “Let me make it up to you.”

[sophiexteresa]

Thomas Sanders Instagram Q&A Transcript

From @thatsthat24’s Instagram story, 25/8/2020. Questions in bold. Text added to the story in (parenthesis/brackets), and descriptive info in *italics*. I tried uploading the video(s) too, but Tumblr is having issues, so here’s the transcript only! 

Thomas: I had some time this evening so I figured, hey, why not? Another lil’ Q an’ A, so if you want to ask a question *posh French voice* be my guest!

When approximately will the next sanders sides be out? Very good question! Uh, we are aiming this for a late September release, that’s what we’re all working towards.

Favourite musical you have been in or just favourite musical in general? This is really tough, I can’t decide. I’m between Rent where I was in the ensemble, Peter Pan where I played Slightly Soiled, which was just one of the lost boyos — boyos? Boys — and, uh, Into The Woods where I played Cinderella’s prince and that’s where Roman’s first costume came from.

Are you ever gonna due your hair purple again? I loved it! Yes! I miss the purple hair too.

Do you love me? *laughing* Yes of course! I do love me.

What would each of the sides’ reaction be to seeing the Grand Canyon? *speaking very quickly* Roman would be revelling that we made the journey, Patton would be marvelling at the memories being made, Logan would be telling you to look at these fascinating signs for important information, Virgil would be telling you to ‘get back from those cliffs!’, Janus would be telling you to take pictures to make it look like you’re next to the cliff, ‘for clout’, and Remus would be like *Remus voice* ‘you could push somebody and get away with it’.

Also when will we get more Picani, I miss him? You and me both, Bri, and honestly with the amount of amazing cartoons that have come out recently *sighs while smiling* yeah, I am a-hankering (?) to get back to Emile!

How have you been doing, like really? Mental health is important as you teach us: I feel like everybody’s kinda struggling with mental health right now, especially people in the USA with COVID. Uhm *clears throat* for me I continuously struggle with the balance between work and leisure time, um, social media makes that difficult, blurs the lines, and I’m working on it.

Do you have any tattoos? Umm, I don’t, uh, I struggle with the permanence of tattoos. And like do I, can I, make a decision that I like? But! There are tattoos that I might like. Where I’d put them, I have no idea, umm, but I think like, maybe like, little stars!

What rank of “Gay” are you? Big gay? What rank? *speechless pause* uh... General. You know? I wanna do my duty. Come back a hero. An all-American Queero *gets an idea* *roughly quoting Hamilton* Queer comes the General!

Can you please make Logan day something Patton would say? *Logan’s voice* Something Patton would say? Umm... please, I request more baked goods from the kitchen so that I can fill Thomas’s body with more trans-fats at 3 am. I don’t know, I don’t like this game.

Have you ever dated a girl? *awkward silence* I have. It was pretty uneventful.

Do you miss your friends? *laughs* Oh... *face crumples as if he’s about to cry*

What are you voice acting in or are you now allowed to say? Not until tomorrow.

When did you know you were gay? I think I answered this one on the last Q&A, but it was early. I was like, 9 or 10 at least.

When will we see Gavin? Gavin has started school! He’s back in his hometown, so I don’t know when I’m gonna see him. He’s still getting taller — I can actually include a picture of him that his mom sent me after he got a new little hairdo *insert photo of an awesome Gavin here*

Do you miss vine? For like, sentimental reasons, yes. Uh, I mean, technically it had its issues and I don’t miss being restricted to 6 seconds anymore *laughs*

What has been your favourite part of the day? My favourite part of today was actually... I came up with this last minute short video, and I got it done and I sent it to some friends and they really liked it. I have to save it until Thursday thought, but it’s just nice to come up with stuff that makes your friends laugh.

Janus acting like Remus? *Remus’ voice* Remus here! Looks like the Dukey just dropped in! *Remus’ laugh* *Takes a breath and snaps into Janus’ character* I spend a lot of time with him so I’ve had a lot of practise.

Why do I feel like we’re gonna have another angsty Virgil moment? When is Virgil not being angsty...?

Please can you say trans rights? Uh, heck yah trans rights! I, uh, this one was very simple but I wanted to say it!

Do you think Virgil would be into anime? Actually, if you remember from, uh, Accepting Anxiety, uh, part 2, there’s actually a Death Note poster in his room, so he definitely likes some anime.

Hi! Can you say hola to the Hispanic fanders in el vecindario fander? Please? We love you! Oh my gosh, *a very naturally american pronunciation* hola! that’s very kind of you guys. I appreciate all of the support you guys give, and I love all of you guys. 

STORYTIME! I love you: *upbeat voice* Storytime! I love you back.

How gay are you? Like, 15 gay! I rank General! 

How did you end up meeting and babysitting Gavin? Gavin is actually Leo’s nephew, so he would come up here, uh, during the holidays or during the summer, and alternate being baby-sat between me and Leo’s mom - his grandma.

What was the inspo for Janus’ outfit? Ooh, that’s a really good question, uh... Joan had a vision in their mind for almost kind of like this early 20th century or late 19th century kinda Jack the Ripper vibe.

Any advice for gaybies to fit in with society? Don’t apologise for being yourself. If people have an issue, that’s their issue that they have to work through. Do not apologise for being yourself. 

What type of gay are you? (Math gay, plant gay, caffine gay, etc): Wait, there’s such thing as a math gay? I am absolutely that, and I feel like I’m just gonna be naming traits about myself but I’m a trivia gay, a driving gay, apparently a math gay, a Disney gay *laughs* and a theatre gay.

Not a question but I’m glad to be alive at the same time as someone as great as you: Dude, this stuff is really sweet. *laughs* That’s really sweet, umm, trust me, I feel the same way about all of you. Honestly.

Why don’t you own a doggo yet? I... went to Petsmart today - I didn’t get an animal, but like... I’m thinking about it and this question is like... hmmm...

I’ve run out of cartoons to watch, any recommendations? Owl house! Owl house, owl house. I just tried it, and I immediately got hooked. Infinity train’s also a really good one, duck tales is amazing, and I’m getting ready to start Tangled: the animated series, so *shrugs*.

What is Patton’s opinion on rats? *adorable Patton voice, slowly zooming in on his face* They are tiny little squishy precious babies!!!

How do I ask people for their pronouns? I don’t know, I mean, I don’t think it’s like a big deal? I hope we could get to the point where we could just be like ‘what are your pronouns?’ and then they would tell you, and then you’d just, you know, carry on the rest of your conversation. 

A circle has no bounds and it’s the same with your beauty: This is really precious, and it of course came from Nash (?) who is a poet, he published a lot of wonderful, wonderful poems on twitter, they are are amazing, and you are once again far too sweet, Nash. 

Dream role? This is a pretty broad question, so maybe dream theatrical role would be Sweeny Todd, dream movie role would be anything in the marvel universe, uh, really just give me anything in any voice acting role, *smiling mischievously* egg rolls are also really good.

Can Remus please say ‘I am the sand guardian, guardian of the sand’? *Remus voice* I am the sand guardian, guardian of the sand! (love that vine)

Are there still plans for the Roman series? *nods* Oh, yeah, yeah, it was definitely hindered by COVID, uh, as was this Sanders Asides episode that’s coming up, which is why it’s taking longer in the editing stage, it is our, uh... strategy, for circumventing the obstacle, and we hope you like it.

Are we still getting an August playlist? Uh, heck yah you are! But honestly, actually, if you guys have any suggestions I should include in the playlist, lemme know! I’d be happy to get some suggestions - but yes. You will be definitely getting one.

May I please see your feet? *confused, slightly disgusted expression* *begins to move the camera away from his face* *holds up a tape measure, extended to 1 foot long* *grins*

Any shows on Netflix to recommend? Umbrella Academy is really good, Dragon Prince, uh, She-Ra, of course, umm The Hollow (?) is really cool, there’s a documentary about video games called High Score, that was really fun.

Roman, who would you say the gayest side is? *Roman’s voice* Oh, we’re all equally gay, okay? *chuckles* it’s a sexuality, not a personality trait. *takes a breath and speaks quickly* I’m just kidding it’s *sings* meeeeee!

If you were not a YouTuber, what would you see yourself doing and why? Uh, maybe putting my chemical engineering degree to some use. *laughs awkwardly* Uh, I went to school for 5 years for that one.

Like you literally make me so flipping happy: I’m glad! I don’t know what I’m doing to do that, but the feeling is absolutely mutual. 

Can we have Virgil saying “Falsehood”? *hair already over one eye, in Virgil’s voice* Uh, c’mon, okay, sure. *very quietly and unenthusiastically* falsehood. Is that good? Is that? I don’t know, I don’t wanna steal his bit.

Which Sanders Side do you feel you embody most? Ah, I would probably say it’s either Patton or Roman because Patton can be definitely me, all the time, just really enthusiastic about things and finding things cute, but Roman... Roman’s sensitivity, oh. That’s me. 

What was the first job you had? I actually worked as a page in a library! A- pages basically just kinda like, shelve books, check books out; it’s one of the chillest jobs I’ve ever had, one of my favourites, and my dad always had a lovely dad joke for it: ‘you’re working as a page, when do you get promoted to a book?’

How tall are you? I usually say 5ft 10, but I think I’m trying to be a little more realistic with myself. And I’m probably 5ft 9 and a half. *zooms in on his face, staring into the camera* I’m holding onto that half a foot for all dear life. 

DROP THE SKIN ROUTINE PLEASE! This is very sweet, uh, I, *laughs nervously*, uh, I use Curology? They’re very nice. Umm, just... different kinds of lotion, I guess. (I suppose I should write down what I do lol)

Can we get a FALSEHOOD? *is standing* *clears throat* *points upwards from his eyeline* FALSEHOOD! 

Do you have a boyfriend if not are you planning on dating soon? I do not, uh, dating is kinda difficult right now midst COVID, you know, kinda tough... love... in the time of Corona... umm, but, you know, option’s open.

When was your first kiss? I’m sure I’ve answered this somewhere, it was in high school, I might have been 15 or 16. It was with a girl. *Shakes head* And all I can remember is hitting teeth. A lot.

Can we get a super super vague hint about the new Asides episode?  Alright, I’m getting ready to end the Q&A, so this, you know, if you’ve made it so far you deserve this super vague answer, umm... it includes a side that was not in the last episode. (This isn’t much, I apologise lol)

Thomas: And that is it for this evening! Thank you so much, you guys, for watching. I know some of you are still over in Europe watching and it’s like 4 in the morning, and I need to go to bed so thank you all so much for your questions - I gotta do this more often ‘cause I really enjoy it. Love you guys, gals, and non-binary pals. Peace out!

[zayray030]

Do you even care?

Summary: Damian gets stabbed and beaten up by a few bullies at school and is left to die at a back alleyway. While he's bleeding out he thinks of his 'family', his 'friends' and his 'team'

Damian gritted his teeth against the pain in his rib and closed his eyes and tried to keep his breathing steady.

He wonders if his brothers would care if they found him. Found him lying in a puddle of his own blood, bones broken and looking like death had come.

He wonders if any of them would show up at his funeral. He wonders if they would cry. Would they even care to show up? Probably not. They would probably celebrate him going away.

Maybe his father would care. It was after all his idea. His idea for Damian not to fight those bullies. To just let them be. And look where that had landed him.

Broken and bleeding to death in some back alleyway. This really wasn't how he had thought he would die. A second time anyway. He had thought he would die by some huge foe. Or maybe of age. Or another natural cause.

Not because some bully had overpowered him and his friends had taken turns beating the shit out of him. He had wanted to fight back so badly but he hadn't wanted his father to shoot him a disappointed look. He hadn't wanted his brothers or sister to look at him in disgust for hurting the ‘innocent’.

Tt. Says so much about them.

While Damian was bleeding out from a knife wound the bully had given using a rusty pocket knife, he began thinking. About his ‘family’, his ‘friends’ and his ‘team’.

To be fair he didn't even think his family was his… family. They barely even functioned together on a good day. Hell, half of them  if not all, hated him. Drake barely gives him the time of day and he continues to think of him as an assassin even after he changed. Even after he proved himself time and time again that he wasn't an assassin.

Todd. Well Todd barely speaks to him as it is. Only to insult him or to ask where the others are. Had he even apologised for shooting him? Probably. Or probably not. Damian couldn't remember with how much blood he was losing. He let out a small humourless laugh.

His father barely even gave him the time of day as it was. He hadn't even remembered his 13th birthday. He hadn't even bothered to ask him normal questions a father asks his son. But Damian couldn't blame his father. He had been the unexpected one. The unplanned one. The unwanted one.

Grayson was another story. He would probably actually care. If he wasn't focusing on someone else. Maybe he was still comforting Wallace after Damian had almost killed him. He couldn't blame Grayson, though. Grayson was very well liked and he attracted people to him like how the planets were attracted to the sun. But Damian was selfish. He just wanted someone to love him. Was that so bad? Probably coming from an assassin like him.

Pennyworth. Now this man Damian knew loved him, no matter his flaws. He would miss their talks and those times they had tea together. Those were the most pleasant moments ever. He would definitely miss those over anything.

Kyle. He would miss her. She had been nice, even though her and his mother hadn't gotten along and he was his father's bastard child. Those two had shared some secrets that they would never tell the others and he had thought that maybe they could get close enough for him to call her mother. Guess it was too late for that.

He then thought of his actual mother. She would think him weak just like grandfather will think. She would probably be disappointed that she hadn't had the honour of killing him again.

He let out a sharp gasp as he tried to shift his body to a more comfortable position but that just agitated the wound worse and Damian couldn't help but feel like crying.

He thought back longer and couldn't help but think about Jonathan. The boy-man-  whatever the hell he was now, hated his guts. Well that's what he assumed. People who like you don't normally call you baby Hitler, but who knows? Maybe that's just another thing that's different here and Damian is just a freak for not knowing it.

He thought about the first time they met and the last time they saw each other. Neither had been good. It went, like how Todd would normally say, shit.

He wasn't even surprised though. He couldn't blame anyone for not wanting anything to do with him. If anything Jon was lucky that he got away as quick as he had. He saved himself a shit ton of time being wasted on an assassin.

He thought of his other friends. Colin had been adopted earlier and even though those two had been keeping contact Damian could tell that Colin was happier in his new, normal life away from his. So he cut him off. That's probably the nicest thing he had ever done to someone. Colin’s probably grateful for Damian doing this.

Maps parents have banned her from hanging out with him, not wanting their daughter to be associated with Damian Wayne. He couldn't blame them, really. He honestly thought it was the best decision they made for her and he keeps telling himself that when he sees Maps in the hallways of Gotham Academy and sees her talking to those who make his life a living hell.

Surren was focusing on the magical world and he had barely been giving Damian the time of day. At least when Damian dies then he wouldn't feel hurt. He would probably not even remember him.

Maya had travelled to Africa over a year ago and her and Damian hadn't spoken since after they had had a nasty argument before she had left. Damian felt guilt, knowing for a fact that even though he was a monster, Maya would still feel so bad. Why couldn't he do anything right?

Damian’s train of thought quickly turned to his team and by that time his vision had begun to become glazed and wobbly and he could barely even concentrate on anything without a huge headache. He let out a humourless chuckle and ignored the intense pain the vibrations had sent.

His team was a joke. Him being their leader was a joke. They barely even tolerate him as it was. They hate his guts and Damian could understand that. He would hate him too. They would probably be glad that they could have someone else be their leader instead of him being their leader. Probably be overjoyed at the fact that he had died in the most undignified way possible. Old and New would probably make it an anniversary party.

He thought of Wallace and couldn't help the tears. He had thought what he was doing was the right thing but instead it had done the complete opposite. He wished he could go back in time like the speedster could and apologies for being a nuisance. For being a pain. For being the worst person alive.

His old team had abandoned him the first moment they got, happier with his older brothers, far away away from him. And no matter how badly he wanted to blame them he knew they had every right to want to leave him. He just wished it didn't hurt so much.

Black spots began invading his vision every time he tried to focus on something and it truly was starting to grate on Damian’s nerves.

Suddenly he felt a rush of air next to him and heard a couple of thuds and horrified gasps.

“What the fuck happened!!?!” that voice sounded oddly like Todd and it sounded… worried.

“Todd?”

“And us baby bat.” said Grayson somewhere near him but Damian was too out of it to notice where.

“Don't forget us.” that sounded oddly like Wallace.

“What-what are you doing here?” he asked between gritted teeth as he tried his hardest not to scream in pain.

“Rescuing you, of course! What else!” that sounded like…Jonathan.

“I thought a baby Hitler wasn't worth saving.” he snarled as much as he could considering his circumstances. Shit why the fuck did he suddenly feel cold.

“I’ll deal with you later Kent! For now Damian is my priority.” snapped someone but he couldn't pinpoint who they were.

“Shouldn't all of you be glad?” He was genuinely confused. Why weren't they congratulating Jon.

“Why would we be glad?”

“Cause I'll be dead soon. You all hate me and now that I'm finally gone you won't have to deal with me anymore. It'll be like how all of you wanted.” he didn't know if it was the blood loss making him out of it that he would say that but he knew he didn't have much blood left to blush.

“We don't hate you!”

“Could have fooled me.” another sharp pain shot through him. “Oh shit, that's not good.”

“West, take him to the med bay at the watchtower.”

“Ye sir. How did this even happen?”

“Cause you all told me to let it happen.” when he heard his brothers confused noises he elaborated. “You all told me I should let the bullies do whatever. That I shouldn't use my strength against the ‘innocent’.”

“Fuck we-”

“Not now. Wally watchtower now. Oracle, find the footage. We have brats to hurt.”

And suddenly he was being woodshed away.

Damian couldn't help but think that maybe they did care. Maybe they do love him. Maybe they don't hate him. Maybe Jon still wants to be his best friend. Maybe his teammates don't hate him.

But probably not.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

[argentdandelion]

Grace Monroe is a Liar (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

Note: this article does not sufficiently weigh Simon’s bad behaviors in Episode 11, “The New Apex”. This article has been kept unmodified for posterity.

Grace Analysis

“You know Sheena...you were right. Chloe shouldn't smile until her parents can afford to give her braces."

Grace is not simply a liar, however: she is also, to put it plainly, fake. She’s something of a social chameleon, but rather than drastically changing her presentation to fit in, she dons a fabricated, friendly and encouraging persona to make others “fit” her own desires. She even has variants of her persona for different audiences. She sounds like a friendly “cool kid” to 15-year-old Jesse, claiming he was a “natural” on his first raid although he only halfheartedly kicked a cube. She acts like an adoring parent to the younger Apex kids, squatting to the level of shorter Apex children, praising their offerings, and telling them she’ll keep the offerings someplace special. To Hazel (and Tuba) she acts like a kindergarten teacher at the first day of school, simultaneously making Hazel excited about The Apex and acting assuring to Tuba.

The most striking evidence for Grace’s lying social-chameleon-esque acts is how much her mannerisms and very voice change when addressing the Apex kids and Jesse compared to addressing Simon. In the first and second episode, she feels open to banter and bicker with Simon, such as exchanging unflattering nicknames or saying she doesn’t want his “ripeness” (body odor) giving away their position; she treats no one else as a friend like this.

Grace is not simply an insincere “queen bee” highschooler-type, either. As Uncivilized Elk has pointed out in “Cult Recruitment in "The Mall Car" – Infinity Train Analysis & Review” (warning; profanity), intentionally or not Grace’s tactics with Jesse show a step-by-step plan to indoctrinate Jesse into the Apex’s worldview. She praises Jesse and acts as if she cares about him, but is only manipulating him to a particular end. For example, when Jesse thinks the candy tastes bad, she convinces him to throw it to the wheels of the train, telling him he can “do what he wants”. However, this is almost certainly a precursor to making Jesse accept “wheeling” (killing by throwing them to the train’s wheels) denizens. Furthermore, in “The Jungle Car” she misdirects Hazel on who’s to blame for an unpopular decision, minimizes it (saying Simon was “confused”) and “resolves” the problem almost immediately: very suspicious abuser or cult-like behavior.

Initially, she engages in cognitive empathy (internal emulation of the emotional states of others) without really caring about others, to figure out how people work and so manipulate them. She has a utilitarian sort of approach, changing her persona to make others do what she wants and change them. To be fair, it’s possible not all of her kindness and empathy is faked. When Jesse took his exit, Simon calls him “weak”, but Grace says he wasn’t weak, but misled, and says: "We just lost another human, Simon. Show some respect.” Still, she’s certainly not sincere, overall. For example, despite teaching him he can “do what he wants”, when what Jesse wants goes against The Apex, Grace and Simon immediately try to stop him.

However, over time, Grace's temporary, utilitarian approach of altering personas to her goal makes her "become the mask". She eventually finds it hard to justify her continued kind and compassionate acts to Hazel in relation to her Apex worldviews, and the contradiction causes her distress.

Simon Analysis

Simon, in contrast, lies much less than Grace and is more open about how he feels, especially in his disdain for Denizens. While he initially seems friendly, when Jesse’s off on a raid he has no patience with MT’s concerns and outright tells her to “get out of here before Jesse gets back. You can’t help him like we can.” (Possible: it didn’t occur to him that Jesse might still trust Lake, so being too mean to Lake would come back to bite him.) He is also more open about his disdain for nulls around Hazel, though it would clearly benefit him to tone it down before they can “ditch” Tuba.

Two of Simon’s more important deceptions are notably half-truths, not outright claims. He claims MT broke Todd’s ankle, which is technically true: Todd kicked MT’s metal body and in the process broke his ankle. Arguably, him saying “no one knows” where the passengers go is him honestly saying he doesn’t know exactly where they go; how could he know Jesse Cosay’s home was in Arizona, and which specific location? Indeed, sometimes he does not lie even would it be very practical to do so. For example, although acting as if he “couldn’t save her in time” and pretending to be deeply unsettled by Tuba’s death would have gotten rid of Tuba and not put Hazel’s cooperation into question, he outright tells Hazel he wheeled her. His attempt to comfort her about “never hav[ing] to worry about that null again” could suggest obliviousness to the viewpoints of others, but it could also be his version of trustworthy, straightforward honesty, in accordance with his own beliefs.

It’s important to note that, though Simon is more honest than Grace, he still lies, deceives, and manipulates others. The difference between them is finesse, speed, and frequency. Though Simon may think of Grace as his plaything, or come to think of her as such, it’s Grace who’s effective at making others her playthings, by manipulating her social presentation like a social chameleon.

Root Causes

Arguably, both Grace and Simon do not treat people as means in themselves, but means to an end: in essence, other passengers are treated as tools for their own goals. It’s interesting to see how much Grace and Simon treat Apex members (and each other) like they treat nulls: that they are “only good as they are useful”. When they stop being “useful”, in the sense of helping the Apex or each other according to plan, they eventually become aggressive. Admittedly, the change to aggression is slower and more complicated for Simon to Grace in Season 3; Simon’s end goal for Grace could easily have been “comfort and companionship”, which friends naturally give anyway.

Grace emphasizes Jesse’s ability to choose for himself, but when Jesse’s decision strays from The Apex’s values and Grace’s plans, she doesn’t let him go with a “you’re missing out, buddy” lamentation. Instead, she says: “I wanted to go for the easy way, but you made it hard” and shows the Flecs where Lake is, presumably so they can do the dirty work for them. Jesse has value to Grace as an Apex member, one under her control, and not in any other sense. Grace’s logic for showing Lake to the Flecs parallels Simon’s actions in trapping Grace in her own memory tape; he says “you made me do this”. The Cat outright says Simon treats Grace as an object with: “and how should she be acting? She’s not like one of your toys.”

Grace Monroe is a liar, and much more so than Simon. And it’s because she is, in the words of the Memory Tape’s Hazel, a “coward leading cowards”. Grace’s lying comes from her fear: her fear of being wrong, of not being enough, of being alone. Her kindness to the Apex kids, faked or superficial as it may be, probably comes from the desire to give them what her parents would not. Adding onto her cowardice and fears, she initially hid her dropping number from Simon in “The Chat Chalet Car” because she "didn't want the Apex...or you...to see me like this...and think less of me." Though her fear Simon would think less of her for it was unfounded, as Simon sincerely supported her then, afterwards she hid her number from Simon. She “cut him out” (in Simon’s words) from her lack of courage to be open and honest. As Memory-Hazel points out, when Grace had the “chance to make it right”, by revealing she knew about Hazel’s condition when it was obvious she was a turtle, she did not.

Conclusion

Grace and Simon are both villain protagonists messed up by unresolved trauma and eight years of being on the train with no guidance whatsoever. One starts off slightly worse than the other, only to get much better discard her animus for nulls. One starts off slightly better, only to get much worse and expand his animus for nulls to humans as well: his former best (and only) friend, at that. It’s the tiny differences in how they relate to others and operate that cause their slightly different moral starting points and massively different end points.

[melodythefab]

An Interview with Inferno~

50 Character Builder Questions for your Tabletop Character by Ginny Di

Are you a morning person or more of a night owl?

I am much more of a morning person. I like to wake up early, to start moving as the sun rises and feel sunlight on my skin and feel the rest of the world waking up with me.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person when you meet them?

The way they stand. Do they stand proud? Or do they seem like they have something to hide? Are they fidgeting with something? Do they look comfortable or nervous?

You see a huge spider in your room. What do you do?

Catch it and let it out. I don’t want to kill an innocent creature.

If you could go back and change one decision you made in the past, what would you change?

I would change how I didn’t go to Greenwich sooner. Maybe I’d have met Shortiss, Todd, and Cochann sooner. I was fine, of course, so were they, but I wonder what might’ve happened.

Tell me about your first kiss.

*deadpan* no.

Do you give people second chances?

Of course. I believe there is good in everyone, but also that everyone has a capacity to do evil. We must work with each other to bring the light out in ourselves and others.

Except for Todd. He receives no sympathy from me.

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

Dogs ☺️

Do you think you’re attractive?

By Genasi standards or human ones? I wouldn’t say so, probably, but Basil complimented my muscles the other day, so perhaps? (Me: baby that was for a Bardic no-)

What’s your worst habit?

Letting Todd make any decision with consequences.

(It’s hair upkeep. It might be made of fire, Inferno, but you still have to take care of it).

When was the last time you cried?

It- it’s been a while. I won’t lie, I teared up fighting those black dragons about a month ago, but I also almost died, so I believe I had good reason.

But the last time I really cried- Probably the time I realized I can’t save everyone all the time. That still weighs heavily on me. I’ve come to accept it now, to some extent, but I still wish I could.

Are you a good liar?

In theory, yes. In practice, no. (Read: high charisma, but I always get shitty rolls)

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Being Todd.

Ok, but really. I’m not sure if this counts as a pet peeve or not, but having a general disregard for the welfare of others.

Have you ever had your heart broken?

In the sense that this is asking? No. However, when we found the Sword of Tyr (I’m pretty sure it’s a homebrew weapon our DM made for her. Basically she has to prove herself worthy to the sword to unlock its full potential.) and I realized that for some reason, I’m not considered worthy by Tyr yet, I’m fairly sure that’s what heartbreak feels like.

It’s okay, though. I’m fine. I just need to do better. I won’t give up.

Are you more likely to use your fists or your words in an argument?

Words first, but then, swords are a fantastic backup option.

What’s something you’re naturally good at?

I’m pretty naturally good at healing. Of course, having Lay on Hands and Cure Wounds helps, but I’m usually pretty good at patching up my friends.

What’s something you had to work hard to be good at?

I have to work really hard to be even remotely passable in anything dexterous. You’d think a warrior like myself would be able to handle a slippery floor or even just hopping into a Bag of Holding, but those are both things that have felled me when my enemies have failed to. (Poor baby has a -2 modifier and I roll really bad for every single Dex check.)

Can you tell when someone is flirting with you?

Absolutely not. Honestly, that entire realm, romance and affection, are just entirely beyond me.

Do you think money can buy happiness?

No. Money can supply temporary happiness. Drinks at the tavern, fancy homes, that sort of thing. But real happiness- at one point, I wasn’t sure it really existed outside of fairy tales. But now I know that true happiness is found in those around you. Shortiss, Cochann, Todd, and even our two additions, Ember and Basil, they’ve all helped me realize that I need my friends just as much as they need me. I don’t think they know it, but I’d throw myself in front of a million dragons if it meant they were safe. They’ve changed my life, and I am forever grateful.

Do you believe in destiny?

Yes. Everyone has a destiny. Life is an ever-winding road leading you there. It’s impossible to avoid, but really, why would you? Destiny is what you were meant to do. Your destiny will see you at your very strongest and push you into greatness. One day I know I’ll reach mine. Until then, I’ll just get stronger and keep growing.

Are you a good cook?

I’m literally made of fire. Everything burns.

Surprisingly enough, though, Ember’s not a bad cook.

What do you think happens after you die?

Well, valiant warriors, those who give their lives for others and would fight ‘til their dying breath, those people go to Valhalla or Folkvangr to dine with the gods and prepare for Ragnarok. For others, Hel most likely awaits.

Did you have to grow up fast?

No. I was blessed with a good father and a good station. I was always mature for my age, but I know that’s not nearly the same thing.

Who do you look up to?

I’m not sure I really look up to anyone. I must carve my own path in this world.

When you go to a tavern, what do you order?

Usually something light, or nothing at all. Todd drinks enough for all of us.

What do you like most about yourself?

I’m persistent as hell. I’m also pretty hard to kill.

What do you like least about yourself?

Sometimes I get caught up and lose myself in my own competitive drive, and it causes me to lose my good judgement. *grins* I blame Cochann. He’s a bad influence. (She doesn’t really blame him. He is, however, a bad influence. Only sometimes, though.)

Are you a planner, or more spontaneous?

Spontaneous. If I make plans, I make them in the moment.

Can you keep a secret?

Absolutely.

Do you like being the center of attention?

Not usually. I tend to stay towards the back of most situations with Shortiss. Basil is far more fit for the attention, anyways.

If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

I wouldn’t do a single thing different. If I’m destined to die, I’ll go down fighting.

Do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

Not really, but polishing my armor and sharpening my blades gives me a similar feeling, I think.

Where do you feel safe?

With my friends. Sure, they can be annoying, but I know nobody has my back like they do. *laughs* Yes, even Todd.

Do you love or hate being alone?

At one point, I probably would’ve said I love it, but now I can’t imagine being without my friends.

What’s the last nightmare you remember having?

Well, I have horrific nightmares about what will happen if the Cult of the Dragons succeeds exactly every fifth night. That is what drove me to this quest anyways.

Do you admit to mistakes when you make them?

I try to.

Do you want to grow up to be like your parents?

No. My father was a good man, but I have my own destiny.

How do you deal with being sick? Are you stoic, or super whiny?

I legitimately cannot get sick.

What did your parents expect from you when you were born?

My father didn’t truly expect much from me. He always just told me I should strive to be good and do good.

Do you have a strong sense of style?

Fighting style, yes.

Would you rather camp outdoors or stay the night in an inn?

Depends. How good is the inn? What’s the weather like? I refuse to sleep in the rain. It messes with my hair. (We’ve decided she’s like a charmander and if the flame goes out, she, like, dies. Maybe not completely but Bad Stuff happens.)

Is there a food that most people like that you absolutely hate?

I’m pretty tolerable of most foods.

Are you more of a hoarder or a minimalist?

Minimalist. I don’t carry much.

Are you superstitious?

No. (Yes.)

Are you the kind of person who remembers people’s birthdays and pets’ names and stuff?

Absolutely. My mind is an iron lock. (No it’s not. She tries, though.)

What do you do to feel better when you’re sad?

I go to my friends. They always know how to cheer me up. Maybe some friendly competition with Cochann, sitting and chatting with Shortiss or Ember, or doing whatever the hell it is Basil and Todd normally do.

Is it hard for you to trust someone?

Not really. Unless it looks like they’ve got something to hide.

Are you susceptible to peer pressure?

No. Well, not on the things that matter.

If you decided to stop adventuring and settle down, what kind of job would you take?

I’m not sure. I would probably want to be a healer. Maybe find a village to protect. Honestly, though, I cannot see myself giving up this life. I’ve sworn an oath to Tyr. Every day must be spent making sure I follow through.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Truthfully, this. I wanted to be a noble adventurer who helped the innocent and did good deeds. I think if, back then, I’d known one day I’d slay a real dragon, well, I probably would’ve exploded from pure excitement.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Following a day of gut-wrenching surveillance videos depicting a violent, deadly mob teeming into the U.S. Capitol on January 6, some journalists covering Trump's impeachment trial expressed bewilderment at how Republican senators serving as jurors would be able to vote to dismiss the charges.

"How will they justify acquitting the man who sent a mob for them to stop the counting of electoral votes?" asked CNN, wondering if, "Republican senators will find their conscience changed, or vote the way Trump wants them to"?

On NBC, Chuck Todd stressed that Republicans faced a difficult choice because, "History is not going to look kindly on this acquittal vote.” Specifically, he mentioned how Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was an  traditionalist who cares "about these institutions," and that he's "keeping an open mind" about impeachment.

This is GOP mythology. McConnell has already voted twice to stop the impeachment trial. The idea the Beltway press keeps pushing that he might suddenly turn on Trump with a dramatic flurry and vote to convict seems like pure fantasy.  And McConnell supposedly cares so much about "institutions" that he rammed through a U.S. Supreme Court nominee days before the 2020 election, four years after refusing to even hold hearings on President Barack Obama's Court nominee, Merrick Garland.

McConnell is reportedly telling his GOP colleagues that the decision to convict or not should be a vote of conscience. But what if there's little or no conscience left inside the Republican caucus? How does the press adequately relate that defining feature in its impeachment news coverage?

Republicans who vote to acquit a remorseless Trump will sleep just fine at night. These are the same group of Republicans who advanced the Big Lie all winter that Trump may have won the election, after having lost by seven million votes. It's the same collection that stood by while the White House unleashed the most vicious and sustained attack on U.S. election integrity in the last century, and who said nothing while Trump demanded his political enemies be jailed, as well as pressured Georgia elections officials in January to go "find" him enough votes (11,780)  to swing that state's election tally.

Why on earth do D.C. journalists think that voting "No" on impeachment would change the equation and create an ethical dilemma for Republicans? Why are reporters so committed to the myth that a GOP tipping point exists?

The wayward assumption continues to be, that of course Republicans support free and fair elections. Of course they oppose white supremacy. And of course they want to help families that have been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Those claims have no basis in fact today. Yet that remains the Beltway media's starting point. Specifically, that the GOP has been torn apart by Trump and there's a burning desire to "move on" from his erratic and hateful ways. That a "reckoning" awaits.

That's the story the Beltway press likes to tell. It's just not true.

I'm with Esquire's Charles Pierce: "The other state of being for which I no longer have time is mystification. As in, “How can Republicans still essentially vote in favor of the mob that came after the Congress with blood in its eyes?""

CNN reported this week, "For most Republican senators, Wednesday's presentation did not seem to affect how they'll vote.” But why? Why after seeing unassailable proof that the Trump mob set out to murder members of Congress, including Republicans, why are Republican senators overwhelmingly going to sign off on acquittal? In other words, what is wrong with the Republican Party? That's the simple, central question that does not get asked. Instead, we see punditry about how Trump still maintains political control over the party, and GOP members are concerned about a backlash.

Analyzing why Republican Florida senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott can't be swayed, Politico noted, "Rubio is on a clear path for re-election, but he would invite a GOP challenger if he doesn’t stand with the former president…Scott, now running the campaign arm of Senate Republicans, remains on a track that could make him a contender in 2024."

That's how the GOP's radical, unethical nature continues to be normalized — empowering Trump's lawbreaking is presented as simply being smart politics.

When Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) did surprise the GOP this week by becoming the sixth member to vote in favor of the impeachment trial continuing, the New York Times headline read, "A Louisiana Senator's Turn Towards the Political Middle." That suggests that only players in the political middle (and on the left) are concerned by Trump's inciting of a mob. That framing absolves those on the right, despite the fact that anyone with a conscience ought to be concerned.

Remember that this is the same press corps that slow-walked Trump's months-long attempted coup, until it broke out into horrific violence on January 6, catching the media completely off guard.

Instead of accurately describing his post-election, authoritarian attempt to steal an election by invalidating millions of votes, for weeks and months we saw news updates about Trump’s “tactics,” his vague “moves” and “chicanery”; his legal “strategy” and “power play” while  “sulking” and “brooding” inside the White House. Early on, Politico dismissed Trump’s ongoing rampage as nothing more than “performance art” and “bad sportsmanship.”

The Republican Party under Trump has morphed into something sinister and dangerous. The model that the press used for decades to cover the GOP is now clearly obsolete.

[batfamily14]

Jason!hades x reader!persephone

Part seven: I promise

An: As Zeus preys after young Persephone, Hades takes up Althea’s offer and hides her in the underworld. Things grow tense as the polar opposite meet but soon they both find themselves helplessly falling for another. Tags: @sarcasmismyfirstlove @loxbbg @kayladelana @champagnesugamama @jason-todd-squad @pier-t

Jason worries how telling the goddess about Zeus’s decision could affect her. Althea said he should tell her In due time, but right now he should at least give her the best days they have left.

So, Jason invites her to a private evening in the great hall. There’s a table of pure gold set, with two massive chairs set at either end.When y/n arrives to the table she’s wearing a black gown made of soft fabric, long and loose. Her hair cut short, so it’s touching her shoulders. Jason raised an eyebrow, and sat forward in his seat.

“You’ve changed your hair style.” Jason says. Y/n run a hand through her hair, laughing . “Yes. I am able to grow my hair out as I please. So, from times I cut it when it gets to heavy.” She answers.

Jason nods fixing his collar. He had chosen to wear, black slacks and a white button up. A dress down from his usually attire. “Well, if it means anything you look ravishing.” Y/n blushes at the comment. “Thanks,....jaybird.” Jason makes a face at the nickname, making the goddess laugh again.

“I have to ask y/n,” Jason began. “How has your stay been?”

The goddess smiles at him. “The most fun I’ve had in years. Mother always had her ways in Olympus, of belittling me. Here, I feel more accepted.” Wanted.

“Demeter, can be overwhelming.” Jason says, folding his hands.

“Before, the party we had a fight.” Y/n mutters. Jason looks up at y/n. Her eye shifts to the side again and became glassy with tears.

“Do you want to talk about?” He asks. She bit her lip tightly, and shook her head. “It’d be to hard to say.”

Jason’s heart sank, the evening had barely started and it was already ruined.

He raised his hand up to her. “You could always show me.”

Y/n looks at him , her eyes brimming with tears. “Really?”

Jason nods. “The shades can be difficult, being able to look through their memories is helpful.”

Y/n gives a weak smile, and offers her hand. Jason hands felt cold and rough against y/n own. However, despite this there hands intertwine perfectly. Jason ignores the warmth spreading in his cheek. “Just try to focus on the memory.” He tells her, closing his eyes.

There’s a bright white light, it’s blinding but doesn’t hurt look into it. Y/n feels a bit numb as Jason uses his powers. She closes her eyes until she smells a sweet aroma. Suddenly, their consumed in flower beds , a sign of summer. She recognizes it, it’s home.

“Mother, planned for the garden to be the jewel of Olympus. We would soon be drinking wine in grassy fields soothed by the waterfall.” Y/n spoke as her and Jason walked through her memory.

“We’d be sinking our teeth into the forbidden fruits Zeus promised Hera. This would be the first year I was allowed to help.” She continued. They walk more until her house begins to forms out of thin air in the distance.

“Mother had been indifferent about my powers for awhile. My creations blossomed over the golden streets, born to take capture whatever came their way and make beauty of it, Everyone admire them.There were times mother felt that they were like graffiti, the chaotic rebellious act of nature. One of those occasions was that today.”

They watch as the memory begins to unfold. Y/n past self lays in the middle of garden, eyes to the sky in a daze.

“Your flowers have nearly reached the top of the summit.” Demeter

says as she settles before her, they lay at the center of the garden. Past y/n smiled, “I know, I think my powers are improving. Isn’t it amazing?” Demeter peers at her, unimpressed.

“Naturally, nature is uncontrollable but this unruly. You shouldn’t grow

frantically around Olympia.” Which means she doesn’t find it as extraordinaire as I do,

nor does she appreciate it. “I thought it would be better if seemed like it did on earth, untamable and unapologetic .” She bows her head ashamed. Demeter nods, twirling her hair. “But we are not on Earth, we are not mortals.” She lowers her hand to the ground. “Today is important y/n. Zeus has invited all the Gods and Goddesses to attend the first sightseeing of our Garden. Everything has to be in order.” Y/n looked up and smile again. “Do you think they’ll enjoy it.” Demeter shakes her head and huffs, “Only if everything is done right. I’d like to finish it today and I’d like you to fix the wild meadow you’ve made.” Y/n heart sinks. She stared out at the plants near the waterfall. The meadow was a riot of colors, it was a shallow basin that was surrounded the tallest tree, it had an expansion of poppies, blue cornflowers, marigolds , and buttercups.

“Actually, mother I wanted to keep that. I thought they might enjoy it.” When Demeter’s face flushes gold, and Y/n knows She has upset her. When the flash of annoyance comes she bowed her head again, A feeling guilt inflect itself in her heart.

“I’m sorry mother, I should have asked first.” She whispered . Demeter stands from the grass, dusting the crumbles of leaves from her gown. Her eyes narrow at her as her lips curl in thought. “It wasn't the worst idea Persephone ” she begins. “But, it isn’t nature. Nature has meaning for its growth not just randomly piled flowers because they look pretty , it’s unnatural .” Y/n slumped back into the field, staring up into the sky. “Of course, mother.” She hums contently. “Anyway, how about for now you get ready for the evening. You have to look best for the occasion.” Y/n nodded , bitting her lips to hold back my tears. “Yes.” She standed shakily , walking away from the garden. In the corner of her eye she sees the meadow wilting as new flowers begin to grow in a orderly line as the others.

The bright light comes again, fading as Jason and y/n sit in front of each other again.

“Y/n,” Jason began. “What your mother did is wrong.”

Y/n eyes widen. “But, I disobeyed her.” She said. “It’s my fault.” Jason shook his head.

“No.” He said. “You were just trying to help.” Y/n sighs, looking away. Jason stands up, walking in front of her and offered his hand. Y/n takes it. They stand together, holding one another in a loving embrace.

Jason kisses her cheek, and she melts into him.

“You’re an amazing goddess. An even more amazing person.” He whisperers .

“I know now, how important you are to me. I have to keep you safe.” He said. Y/n pulls away, and tilts her head In confusion.

“Keep me safe?” She repeats.

Jason nods sadly. “Zeus is coming to all the realms. I think it’d be best if we hid you somewhere else.” Y/n backs away from, tears start coming down her face. “I want to stay with you!” She wails.

Jason takes her in his arms again. “I know, but he’ll find you for sure. We have to be smart about this.” She pushes him away, walking out the hall. Jason calls after her.

“You can’t make me leave!” She shouts.

“Y/n!” he called. “Please listen to me.” She walked out to the foyer. Thorns grow all around, erupting all over the walls and floors. Jason watches his step. The pricks grow unnaturally long, a deeper red than Demeter’s. “Please.” He spoke again. Y/n stops in her tracks looking at him.

“I’m staying here one way or another!” She hisses. She used her powers to grow a pomegranate tree. “If what they say is true, you fruit is the pomegranate. One taste of your seed and I’m bounded here forever with you.” Jason was shocked, he stared at her a moment. Shaking his head he walked forward again. She took a step back raising the fruit to her mouth. “I’ll bite it!” She warned. “You can’t stop me.” Jason sighs. “It’ll do nothing good.” He says. She stops, nearly biting the fruit.

“Huh?”

Jason sighs, walking as close as he can without stepping on the thorns..

“If you eat it you’ll stay here but you won’t be with me. You’ll just be trapped.”

Y/n looked at him puzzled. She wilted away the thorns. She walks towards him hesitant.

“Explain.” She demands. Jason steps closer to her, reaching out. She reluctantly took his hand.

“Yes. You stay here but you won’t be bounded to me, you’d be lost elsewhere in this realm. Throw out like a shade.”

“Why?” She questions. Jason face went flushed and he looks away.

“Because it’s not the fruit’s seed that keeps you connected to me, but mine.” Y/n face shines a bright gold, her eyes widen. “You’d would have to have sex with me in my realm, and then you’d be here forever connected to me.” Y/n couldn’t think of what to say, she rubs her neck awkwardly.

“You...uh....” she tried saying.

“I’m not gonna have sex with you to make you stay here.” Jason spoke quickly. “That’s not the way I’d want that to be.”

Y/n sighs. “It wouldn’t look to great in front my mom or Zeus either , I suppose.” Jason chuckles. “No.” He agrees. Y/n leans her head into his shoulder. “Where would I go?” She asks. Jason sucks in a breath. “The moral realm.” He answers.

“Why?”

“Well, they have looked all over there many times. They won’t look there a while again. It’ll give us time to think of another plan.” He said. His hand lightly grooming her hair.

“Will we see each other?” She asks, voice cracking. Jason lifts her head, hands framing her face.

“I promise I’ll always come back to you.” He says. Kissing her deeply, hoping she could feel his love and compassion.

“I am yours y/n.”

[twentiethcenturymoviesandtv]

Episode Spotlight: The Return of Preston Giles (Murder She Wrote)

Out on parole, Jessica Fletcher’s first publisher, Preston Giles, tries to woo her back into the fold.  After another murder is committed, Giles ends up needing Jessica’s help when he becomes the prime suspect.

By season seven of Murder, She Wrote, the show was already far and away one of the best loved and watched films on television.  The mysteries were still interesting, Jessica Fletcher was as charming as ever, and her location change to New York City enabled a host of new mysteries, one of which is today’s episode: The Return of Preston Giles.

This edition of Episode Spotlight, we’re going to be taking a closer look at the episode in question, analyzing it as both an episode of Murder, She Wrote, and as an episode of television in general.  Without further ado, let’s take a look at the mystery of The Return of Preston Giles.  Spoilers below!

Before we actually get into the episode itself, a little important background is necessary.

Preston Giles (Arthur Hill), was the first murderer in the history of Murder, She Wrote, making his first (and only other) appearance in the pilot, The Murder of Sherlock Holmes.  Besides being Jessica Fletcher’s first publisher, Giles also possessed an affection for Jessica that was reciprocated, making it doubly hard for Jessica to confront him and send him to prison for murder.

That was seven years ago.

Now, Jessica has a new publisher, and Preston Giles has been in jail for his crimes, until one day, the new head of the publishing company Giles had worked for, a man named Ross McKay (Michael McKean), pulls some strings to get him out of prison on parole.

As it turns out, Sutton Place Publishing, once successful while headed by Giles, has become somewhat less than successful in recent years.  Ross McKay, together with his business partner, Kendall Stafford, have hatched a plan to restore the company to its former glory: bringing Preston Giles, convicted murderer and former company owner, released from prison and back working with the company.

Ross takes Giles out to dinner to explain the situation to him, most notably, the first and most essential part of his Grand Plan: get Jessica Fletcher back with the company.

The way Ross is thinking, if famed writer JB Fletcher rejoins Sutton Place Publishing, the rest of the A-list writers will follow suit.  Giles isn’t sure about the plan, but reluctantly agrees after Ross reminds him that, after all, Jessica Fletcher was Preston’s discovery, and she owes him.  Back at the office, Ross receives a phone call from his wife, Linette (Brynn Thayer), who tells him that she plans to be away, working over the weekend.

As it turns out, that’s not exactly true.

Linette McKay is actually having an affair with Ross’s business partner, Kendall Stafford (Gordon Thomson), who informs her during a tryst that their weekend plans are off, since his wife has signed him up for some work without telling him.  Linette understand, and explains that Ross needs her help too, preparing for an audit.

Meanwhile, Preston Giles begins settling into his new office at Sutton Place Publishing, meeting his nervous secretary Gloria, before meeting another face: Martin Bergman (George Coe), an old enemy of his.

Preston accuses Bergman of being the cause of the financial mess that Sutton Place is currently in.  During the altercation, Ross shows up to meet Bergman about something, dismissing Preston’s irritation that Preston hasn’t been able to reach Ross.  Ross assures Preston that he’ll meet with him soon, and Bergman gives Preston a royalty check for Jessica Fletcher in preparation for their meeting.

Jessica Fletcher herself returns to her hotel, ready to rest after a round of interviews and shopping, when Preston Giles shows up to meet her, much to her surprise.  

Preston explains the situation, including his parole and desire to meet with her.  He also explains that he was supposed to invite Jessica to a dinner party thrown by Ross and Linette, where he was supposed to sweet-talk her into accepting a check to rejoin Sutton Place Publishing.  Preston hands Jessica the royalty check, and tells her that he’s going to quit the whole thing.

Jessica hesitantly agrees to meet with him later and returns to her hotel room, where she finds it torn apart, as though someone was looking for something.  As she inspects the damage, someone grabs her from behind, and she is shoved to the floor.  In the struggle, Jessica manages to scratch the hand of the perpetrator and recovers, too late to stop the burglar, who grabs her purse and takes off.

Unbeknownst to Jessica, the burglar is Martin Bergman, confirming Preston Giles’ suspicions.

The following day, Preston goes into Ross’s office to resign.  Ross reminds him that his parole is conditional on his employment at the publishing house and manages to convince Preston to stay for a month, to see if he changes his mind.  

Directly after, Preston’s nervous secretary, Gloria, tells him that Jessica called about the theft.  Worried, Preston rushes to her hotel room to check on her, but she explains that she only called to tell him to put a stop on the check, since it was in her stolen purse.  Preston offers to replace it at breakfast tomorrow, but Jessica explains that she doesn’t think they should see each other anymore.

Meanwhile, at Kendall Stafford’s office, Kendall’s wife Millie tries to convince him to come to dinner and the opera with her.  Kendall tells her that he has to work late, and sends her on her way.  As Millie is leaving, Linette comes in.  Millie asks her pointedly if she’s working late too.  

At Sutton Place Publishing, Preston is working late as well, preparing a presentation for Ross. Martin drops by to tell him that a new check will be sent to Jessica Fletcher.  After a brief discussion about the state of violence in today’s times, he goes on his way.  A moment later, Gloria, Preston’s secretary, starts screaming hysterically down the hall from Preston’s office.

Leaving his office to find the source of the commotion, Preston passes Gloria, running down the hallway, and comes across Martin, slumped over his desk with  a letter opener in his back and a bandage on his hand, the hand that Jessica scratched.

Naturally, given Preston’s history and the situation, Preston is arrested for the murder of Martin Bergman.

Later, Jessica Fletcher visits Preston in a holding cell to listen to his story.  Preston swears that he’s innocent, but admits that he has no abili, telling Jessica to go home and forget the whole thing.

Jessica, for her part, doesn’t know what to think.

She goes to see the lead detective on the case, Slocum (Todd Susman), thanking him for allowing her to see Preston.  Slocum asks her what Preston told her, and Jessica tells him that she’ll be happy to tell him all about it: after he gets a subpoena.  She also finds out about the fact that Martin was found with the bandage on his hand.  Spotting a connection, Jessica tells Slocum about the burglar in her apartment, but the detective isn’t terribly concerned with it, stating that he has 62 other murders to solve, and with Gloria preparing to testify that Preston and Martin had a tense altercation the previous day, Slocum thinks he’s about to have one less case to deal with.

Jessica decides to go to the publishing company’s party after all, and meets Millie Stafford, who is full of complaints about her husband and Linette, who appears with Kendall in tow, to greet Jessica.

Later, Ross corners Jessica and asks her if she’s decided to accept his offer to join Sutton Place Publishing.  Jessica admits that it’s a generous offer and says she’ll have to consult with her attorneys, asking him to keep quiet until she has a decision.  Ross feels responsible for everything that’s happened with Preston and Martin, but Jessica feels like this is a bit more complicated than it seems.

On her way home after the party, Jessica heads to the police station, where it turns out Slocum was expecting her, having left a message informing her that her bag has been found (minus her check and cash).  He’s in a worse mood than usual, as new information about the case has just come to light: someone has broken into Martin’s apartment and torn it apart.  

Jessica has an idea.

She explains to Detective Slocum that she believes that this whole thing can be boiled down to one word: blackmail.  

Jessica’s theory is that Martin was blackmailing someone.  Whoever it was that he was blackmailing got fed up and killed him, but unable to find what he was blackmailing them with on his person, they broke into his apartment to search it.  The theory is enough to half-convince Slocum who agrees to go to Martin’s office to find evidence of blackmail.  Instead, they discover Ross, rifling through the drawers.

The next day, Preston is released, but Jessica remains unsatisfied.   Ross swears that he isn’t the murderer, or even a blackmailee.  He explains that he found evidence that Martin had been embezzling, which is why he was searching the office.  Jessica goes to see Linette, who is rather upset about the fact that her husband is in prison, but has nothing to say about anything Martin may have been blackmailing him with.  It takes Jessica reminding her of the financial affects of Ross’s imprisonment before she finally spills.

It turns out that Ross and Kendall were involved in a fraud many years ago that Martin found out about and blackmailed both of them with. Linette says that Ross was with her at the time of the murder, clearing him, but putting the suspicion on Kendall instead.  Before Jessica can call the police, Preston stops her, explaining that he has a thought that he needs to be sure of before they can act.  He tells her that he’ll call her later, and heads to work.

Later that night, Jessica gets Detective Slocum to drive her to Preston’s office to make sure everything’s okay, as she hasn’t been able to get ahold of him.  Unfortunately, the killer gets there first: Millie Stafford.

Millie, as it turns out, was getting sick of paying for her husband’s blackmail, and killed Martin.  When she saw the note that Preston left for her husband saying that he had the papers, she decided to off Preston, too.  She demands the papers from him, and after Preston declares that they are hidden so securely that no one will ever find them, she takes him at his word, and shoots him in the chest.

Jessica and Slocum show up just as Millie attempts to escape. Slocum grabs her, preventing her from leaving while Jessica rushes upstairs to check on Preston, finding him nearly dead.  Preston tells Jessica that they caught her, managing the word: “tape” before he dies.

Behind him, Jessica finds the tape recorder, and listens to Millie’s confession.

End of episode.

The last episode of Murder, She Wrote that we looked at on here, Night of the Coyote, was a fairly formulaic one, a standard mystery with plenty of red herrings, clues, and a relatively simple ending.  This one, on the other hand, is a bit more complex than Murder, She Wrote typically got.

Starting with the very premise.

Murder, She Wrote was a very episodic show, without too much of an emphasis on continuitity.  There were recurring characters and events that absolutely happened in the canon of the show, but rarely did you need to see an episode previously to understand what was happening in another.  In the case of The Return of Preston Giles, however, there was a little bit of a continuity lock-out, due to the fact that the titular character was directly connected to the story he first appeared in: Jessica’s first case.

Not only does this add a layer to the story, with that added first installment that influences the second, but it also adds a layer of emotional storytelling not always present in your average Murder, She Wrote episode.  Jessica has a personal stake in this story.  She helped put Preston Giles behind bars in the first place, and feels conflicted now, torn between her personal feelings for him and the memory of what he’s done.  She doesn’t quite trust him, but she wants to think better of him.

It’s a welcome change from the traditional formula.

In another departure, it is Preston, not Jessica, who uncovers the villain at the end, and he pays for it with his life.  In Murder, She Wrote’s most depressing ending, Preston is shot by the murderer, and dies in front of Jessica.  On one hand, the criminal is being brought to justice, thanks to his recording, but at the cost of his own life.

And that’s where the episode ends.  No freeze-frame on Jessica’s smiling face, no joking outro to calm the audience down: the credits roll and the audience contends with the death of a main character who had a few more layers of complexity than was usually depicted on the show.

As great as those elements are, the fact is, this is also just a good episode.

Like I mentioned in my previous Murder, She Wrote episode spotlight, Murder, She Wrote had a solid consistency, with most episodes making good murder stories, with plenty of suspects and twists to make it interesting, but not to the degree where it’s unsolvable.  This episode, functioning with a pretty small cast, manages to weave the story of Preston Giles and Jessica Fletcher among the other stories, giving a tight-knit band of suspects and set of clues that the viewers can put together in a way that makes sense to guess the killer.  The motives are good and make sense, the characters believable, and Jessica is as sharp as ever, as well as struggling with personal feelings towards the accused party.  Even the law enforcement of the episode is depicted as exasperated, but not entirely unfair.

The characters within this episode feel fleshed out, partially thanks to the pilot episode establishing continuity, and both the personal side and the mystery itself are well-balanced, equally interesting, and well-written, providing another perfectly in-character exploration of Jessica and her relationships, and a sobering end of a sharp, interesting murder mystery, with more emotional stakes than usual.

The Return of Preston Giles is an example of Murder, She Wrote at an unusual best, surpassing several well-written episodes by a depth not usually explored, and delivering spectacularly in every area.  It’s an engaging episode full of memorable characters and moments that are as thoughtful as they are entertaining, containing the traditional ‘mystery’ intrigue as well as character moments that make this episode a standout, a great showing for Jessica Fletcher and a direct throwback to her early days on the show,  a must-see for avid watchers of Murder, She Wrote, and television fans in general.

Don’t forget that the comment box is always open for anything from suggestions and discussion ideas to questions and conversations!  Thank you guys so much for reading, and I hope to see you guys in the next article.

[fyeahbatcat]

Just finished Batman: Hush the animated movie. What are your thoughts on it?

Alright, everyone. Here we go:

Batman: Hush Movie Full review

To begin, as I’ve stated here previously, Batman: Hush is a very important story to me. It was the first Batman comic that I ever read many years ago. In the sixteen years since its original publication it has undergone at least nine different editions and is still one of the most recommended and critically praised Batman stories of the modern era. It was the starting point for many people in the Batman fandom, and I still believe that it is the most pinnacle story regarding Batman and Catwoman’s relationship. The fact that it’s still so influential, nearly twenty years later, in indicative of its importance and merit.

When DC Comics announced last summer that they were officially making Hush into an animated movie I was happy, but I cannot say that I was excited. This was due to unrelated factors that were happening simultaneous to its announcement that obliterated my faith in DC Comics as a whole. You can imagine my dismay when I learned that instead of creating a direct adaptation, in the same vein as Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Year One, they would be changing the story to fit in with their current New 52 inspired animated universe.

As anyone whose been following me for a while may have observed; I’m highly critical. I can usually find the good and bad in something and when I’m giving my take on things from my perspective it’s pretty fair and balanced. I was fully aware that the Hush movie made changes to the story and knew going in that I would have to temper my expectations, but I still gave it a chance.

Many will say that the film should be viewed on its own merit, and I generally tend to agree. If not held up to the book the movie is watchable and very easy to enjoy. But it’s an adaptation. An adaptation of one of the best and most popular Batman stories of all time. An ambitious and operatic year long event from Jeph Loeb, and one that I personally hold in the highest regards. Completely divorcing the movie from its source material is unfeasible.

With that said; as I review this movie I will be critiquing as loosely inspiredimagination of the Batman: Hush comic, and only making comparisons to demonstrate potential compromises of the story or the characters.

***Obvious spoilers ahead***

THE GOOD AND THE BAD

After many years of begging, pleading, rumors, and teasing the Batman: Hush animated film was finally released during SDCC weekend. The basic plot remained intact: a mysterious new villain named Hush targets Batman’s crime fighting career as well as his personal life, which is further complicated by his burgeoning romance with Catwoman. While making concessions that range from minor to pivotal the movie manages to be different while maintaining a degree of familiarity. All the most iconic scenes are there in one aspect or another, with only one notable exception; the Jason Todd graveyard scene.

There’s not much to say about the general plot. It for the most part, stays true to the essence of the story, while being different in execution. Most changes were traversable, while others were pointless and baffling. The first questionable change occurs early in the movie, when Catwoman delivers the stolen money to Poison Ivy; Ivy kisses Catwoman, which she does not reciprocate. In the original script for the book, I believe, that Ivy did kiss Catwoman, but Jeph Loeb was told by editorial to remove it, because it was “too much.”

It was clear in the comic book that Ivy was using her powers to mind-control Catwoman. In that context kissing her would have made more sense. In the movie the extent of her influence over Catwoman is unclear. It appears that she is blackmailing Catwoman. Catwoman’s coldness and irritation afterwards implies that she has maintained some degree of self-awareness. Her use of coercion rather than force renders the kiss pointless, and its intention to merely be salacious.

Other needless changes involve swapping out characters. Bane, for some reason, has taken the place of Killer Croc. Damian Wayne has taken the place of Tim Drake, and Amanda Waller makes a token appearance, but both proceed to only have one scene.

As Rick Austin from FortressofSolitude put it:

Some changes to the original story are surface-level questionable, making you wonder why they changed them at all – like substituting Killer Croc for Bane, for instance. Presumably it was done for recognition and name value, and barely has any relevance to the story. Huntress is replaced by Batgirl, probably for the similar reasons, but that’s more important and naturally means Oracle’s role in the story is gone. Slowly but surely, the small tweaks begin to have a big knock-on effect. Important lines of dialogue have been jettisoned, some elements have been removed and some characters replace others just to make this fit with other recent DC animated films.

The movie takes a more action/adventure route rather than a character driven mystery, chugging along at breakneck pace making several plot concessions along the way. What it does manage to improve from the book, as far as a Batman and Catwoman shipper can see, is it beefs up Batman and Catwoman’s ill-fated romance, by way of a montage depicting adorable, if at times out-of-character, domesticity that even involves matching his and hers robes. Its inclusion was more fan-servicey than plot driven, but the ship isn’t doing well right now so I’m not about to complain about that.

What I will complain about isn’t what was added to the romance, but what was excluded from it. The film cuts out all the most important scenes that demonstrate why the dynamics of Batman and Catwoman’s relationship works for them. Yes, we get the rooftop kiss that has graced a thousand screensavers and Batman ultimately making the decision to reveal his identity to Catwoman, but everything in service of Catwoman’s perspective are removed entirely.

The scene from the book when Catwoman admonishes Batman for saving her instead of going after the Joker after she is shot at the opera, is changed to Catwoman merely telling Batman to go after Harley Quinn.

If you ever choose to rescue…me again over catching the bad guy…I swear I’ll scratch your eyes out. I’m not some kid you took in and trained.

This scene is important because this is where Catwoman affirms how she sees herself in this relationship: she is Batman’s equal and she expects– demands– that he treat her as such. These changes seem benign at first, until it becomes clear later why they were made. More on that in a bit.

The original script for Hush also included a tasteful post-coital scene that was ultimately cut by editorial. The scene makes its way back into the movie in lieu of some of the more emotionally intimate moments, like Selina dialoguing with Alfred in the bat-cave. The dialogue also fails to compensate for this. Batman and Catwoman’s pillow talk topic include how Batman used to think Catwoman was a kleptomaniac.

“You were beautiful, intelligent, and brilliant,” he tells her. “I assumed if you were stealing it was because you couldn’t control it.” I see this come up in fandom every now and again, and Catwoman cannot be a kleptomaniac because kleptomania is an impulse control disorder. Catwoman steals for profit and executes elaborate premeditated heists. I can see why other people would make that mistake, but the world’s greatest detective should have more cognizance.

Most of the changes to film are surface-level and trivial, but where the movie majorly fails is when they attempt to fix things that weren’t broken to begin with.

The most major change doesn’t occur until the final act of the movie when it is revealed that Hush is actually the Riddler. At first, I thought this was a misdirect, but no. The Riddler is really Hush and Tommy Elliot was just a plot device, and he is really dead. Like in the book, Riddler gained knowledge of Batman’s identity while in the Lazarus Pit, and decides to take revenge by going after Bruce Wayne’s friends and loved ones.

This change is nonsensical and renders Tommy Elliot’s role in the movie essential meaningless. He is a mere plot device, a shamefully underdeveloped plot device, intended to provide Batman with angst. Villains targeting Batman’s loved ones is all too familiar occurrence, but audiences barely get to know Tommy long enough understand the depths of Batman’s grief and mourning.

As I’m sure all of you are aware at this point that in the book it is revealed that Hush is Tommy Elliot. Substituting Tommy for Riddler diminishes the impact of the reveal and Hush’s motivations. Tommy, Bruce’s close childhood friend, has a personal vendetta against Bruce. He uses his friendship, familiarity, and access to Bruce Wayne to attack him both personally and as Batman. It also complicates Batman’s relationship with Hush as a villain. The Riddler being Hush is just a theatrical Gotham villain pretending to be a different theatrical Gotham villain for no reason whatsoever.  

Towards the end of the movie Riddler kidnaps Catwoman and tries to kill her in an elaborate trap. Since Bruce was damseled early in the movie, I didn’t so much mind that they did the same to Catwoman. I like that Batman and Catwoman can depend on each other, and it demonstrates a degree of equality in their relationship. However, while Batman was only incidentally damseled for maybe 60 seconds, Catwoman was subtly threatened with rape for intervening on his behalf and later got the full-on woman-tied-to-railroad-tracks-treatment. Predictably Batman shows up and saves the day.

THE UGLY

Batman: Hush made several missteps that I was willing to overlook, and almost got through its entire 82-minute run time before doing the only thing that I considered truly egregious.

After the ensuing fight the building begins to collapse and Catwoman leaves Riddler to die, after Batman attempts to save him. Batman argues that they could’ve saved Riddler instead of letting him die. Catwoman becomes angry. “You’re crazy! You’re absolutely insane,” she exclaims melodramatically. Batman and Catwoman decide that their moral differences are too stark and break up, but leave the door open for the future.

This is where the movie took an unexpected turn for the worse. This is where the reason why so many changes to Catwoman’s character becomes clear.

Batman goes out as the voice of morality and looks like the hero, and Catwoman is completely thrown under the bus to make it happen.

Early in the movie during the famous battle of Metropolis when Superman is under the influence of Poison Ivy, Catwoman throws Lois Lane off a building to snap him out of the spell. Later when Superman is out of earshot Batman tells Catwoman that throwing Lois off the building was not part of the plan and that he did not approve of her methods. In the book it was Batman’s idea to throw Lois from the building. This moment frequently makes appearances on Worst-Things-Batman-Has-Ever-Done lists on comic sites.

During the opera scene Catwoman attempting to stop Batman from killing the Joker in a fit of rage was also cut. Here it was Batman who was acting morally questionable, and Catwoman was the reasonable and morally righteous one, so to speak.

These, along with Catwoman allowing Riddler to die, are intended to make Catwoman seem like she has a cursory attitude towards killing, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. All of this inevitably shifts all the blame for the relationship not working out on Catwoman. Catwoman’s flaws are irreconcilable while Batman is the blameless voice of reason. This is abominable at best, and sexist at worst.  

The book ends similarly and yet profoundly different. Upon the announcement of the film some people were hoping for the ending to be changed to something presumably happier for Bruce and Selina. In the book Batman and Catwoman break up, but under much different circumstances.

I personally feel that the ending to the original was appropriate for the story. Batman sabotages their relationship pushes Catwoman away because he realized was not ready for the vulnerability required in that type of relationship, It ends  on a bittersweet note. Batman and Catwoman can have a relationship “someday.” All they need is a little more time, and it’s Batman who need to be a little bit different.

Even as things end Loeb simply and perfectly sums up why Batman and Catwoman work:

We are who we are. That’s why this works.

The film makes fundamental differences, that can only be remedied by Catwoman changing herself, are the root of Batman and Catwoman’s relationship dysfunction.

The changes to Catwoman’s character occur only to justify the ending. The filmmakers went to great lengths to villainize Catwoman to make it seem like it was all her personal shortcomings that ended things instead of Batman’s to make him seem more heroic. It relegates Batman and Catwoman’s relationship  to a tool to demonstrate Batman’s inflexible moral code.

To add insult to injury, as Batman and Catwoman’s relationship comes to an end, Selina tells Bruce bitterly that she changed herself to be with him and was willing to continue changing. This robs Selina the agency of having reformed on her own, in a film that has already diminished much of her voice and independence.

It’s almost laughable that Selina once told Huntress that reforming was worthwhile, “as long as you’re doing it for yourself, and not for what someone else thinks of you,” in the same book the movie was based on.

Some dude (and it’s a dude; I checked) read the book, saw this panel, then decided to have her say literally the opposite. I wish I was making this up.

On its own the Batman: Hush movie is watchable. The casual viewer and batcat shippers alike can easily find something to enjoy. But watchable is a low bar to pass when based on one of the most popular Batman stories of our era. What should have been an exceptionally easy recipe for success did not exceed the bare minimum. It’s drab, bland, and dark animation style does not hold up to Jim Lee’s iconic penciling or Scott Williams’ colorful fills. The changes to the story are generally acceptable, until the final act of the movie when things go off the rails.

Ultimately the movie exceptionally fails at capturing the dynamics of Batman and Catwoman’s relationship, trading in much of the depth and intimacy for shower sex and pet names. On its own Batman: Hush stands as a mindlessly entertaining adaptation, loosely inspired by a Batman story of mystery and intrigue. Held up to the source material, it’s a pale and grotesque imitation.  

[natsubeatsrock]

Should our heroes kill?

So remember how I said that I'm glad that a problem detractors of Fairy Tail have is people being too forgiving? This is part of the reason why.

I can't think of a time I've seen people seriously complain that anyone didn't kill another character in Fairy Tail. Gray had to rush to catch Juvia in Phantom Lord, Erza could have killed Jellal back in Tower of Heaven, and fans are glad as their potential ships are still not unconfirmed by death. The closest thing I can think of is fans being mad that someone like Lisanna didn't die. However, not too many people are going out to say that any character should have killed any other.

That feels kind of weird.

Don't get me wrong. I like that Fairy Tail fans don't have the desire to see XYZ character get killed off for ABC reasons. That should be expected from the guy that says forgiveness is generally good. I'm glad that Natsu isn't expected to kill too many of his enemies or that people aren’t sad when he doesn't finish off someone like Jellal or Gajeel or whoever.

At the same time, this doesn't feel normal.

Like, I know of only one person who has encountered My Hero Academia that actually seems to like Mineta Minoru. Pretty much everyone else seems to either not like him or outright hate him. It's common to see him excluded from fan depictions of Class 1-A and be glad when bad things happen to him. I think it can get to be a bit much at times, but I see where it comes from.

And then people wish for his death. And I have to stop. Ignoring in-universe issues his death would cause for the school, I find it troubling that fans can talk so casually about killing a character in a universe who isn't a villain. I get that the dude's a huge pervert, but Himiko Toga kills people unapologetically and has an actual fanbase. Something feels off about fandom priorities.

And of course, there is the big one: Batman. For the uninitiated, Batman has one famous rule: he does not kill his enemies. While there have been characters he has killed in the past, these are exceptions to this rule. Generally speaking, Batman is not one to kill even the worst of enemies. Part of this is why Zack Snyder's depiction of the character in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice is so contentious with fans, along with his insistence that Batman killing is within character. (among other stupid comments by him)

This all comes to a head in the famous story Under the Red Hood.  Before the actual story starts, one of Batman's sidekicks, Jason Todd, was kidnapped, beaten, and presumably killed by the Joker. (Thanks to an IRL fan vote, of all things.) It is later revealed that he's back as the titular Red Hood and is mad that Batman didn't kill the Joker because of what happened to him. A lot of fans sympathize with Jason and believe it was wrong for Batman not to break his rule to avenge Jason Todd. 

Though, I think that Batman's response to Jason's plea provides an important answer to this question. He admits that all he's wanted to kill the Joker, however, he refuses to allow himself to. Many interpret this to mean that he thinks he's strong for not killing the Joker. However, I interpret this to mean that he feels he's too weak to kill just the Joker.

And that is an important difference. Anyone who's even remotely aware of Batman knows that he should have no trouble killing the Joker if he actually wanted to. Some even argue he does exactly that at the end of the Killing Joke. The issue is whether or not he can draw the line at only killing the Joker. He could start by killing the Joker and end up becoming the very thing he's worked to destroy. 

Thankfully, the troubles of this aren't lost on Batman. In The Dark Night Returns, he even comments on how doing that means that he’s murdered people. To put it in another way, Batman’s one rule doesn't exist because he thinks of himself as a hero. It's there to prevent himself from becoming a villain.

That is an important question to ask. Is it within a character's nature to kill another human being? When Deadpool pulls the trigger on the person responsible for his mutation, we know it to be within his nature. When Spiderman doesn't kill Uncle Ben's killer, we know that to be within his nature.

I don't know that people fully understand what they ask for when they say "someone should just kill a character". You're asking them to take the life of another person. From our perspective, these characters aren't real and have no technical agency. At the same time, the people in-series are real within their own universe.

Does it make sense for this character to take the life of any character? Would they be willing to make exceptions and kill a specific character for a specific reason? Is this the start of a change in their character or does it not affect them much?

Of course, there's a reason this comes after the talk about forgiveness. A lot of the same kinds of questions you'd ask regarding one character forgiving another are similar to if a character would kill another. Part of the reason is that the choice a character is often faced with is if they should kill a character for something they did or forgive them. Considering I've talked about the forgiveness angle, let's talk about the killing option. 

I think that if you're going to set a character up to kill another character, go through with it. Don't set a character killing another and then fake us out by having them give the kind of weak version of forgiveness I talked about earlier. Have them die and get it over with.

If you want to have them change, set that up well in advance. Give them a reason not to want to kill them or to see them dead. (Note: there is a difference between the two.) Don't give them a cheap conversation about how "this isn't like you" or "you should do the right thing". Give the audience good reasons for why we should believe this specific hero shouldn't kill their specific target.

Rising of the Shield Hero somehow managed to do both in its anime adaptation (I've heard things are different in the original version). I don't love that Raphtalia was faced with a situation to kill and decided to not to go through with it. On the other hand, I appreciate that, when Naofumi had to make a similar decision, it was made under different situations. He decided to save the lives of his tormentors to help someone he actually cared about while coming up with a creative punishment for them instead.

That brings up a fun topic to end on. A lot of people argue that crimes against oppressors, whether they're abusers, ruling classes, or something similar, are justified if done by their those they're oppressing. This is something that I'd normally keep for the topic to come but it's worth talking about in the most extreme case possible - when it comes to killing them.

One of the most hotly debated points about Avatar: the Last Airbender has been its ending. It’s established early on that Aang has to defeat the Fire Lord to keep the world in balance. However, as the end draws near, it becomes clear that Aang has issues with how that may mean killing him. In the end, he is able to find a way to defeat the Fire Lord without having to shed blood. However, many fans think that he should have killed him and keeping him alive was a mistake. (In fairness, I was of this opinion until I saw the actual resolution of this conflict.)

At the same time, I’ve talked about Scar from Fullmetal Alchemist and his revenge quest. To be clear, I get why he went after State Alchemists but think his overall quest wasn’t good. I stand opposed to a lot of people who are very much willing to justify his entire quest, despite any and all drawbacks and in-series issues that his quest has. Mind you, this is one of the big reasons he starts the series out as an antagonist. In their mind, Scar killing the alchemists is a valid form of judgment and justice for their actions.

I bring these examples up to make an important point. Comeuppance comes in many different forms. Sometimes, it can mean getting one over the people who wouldn't think twice to help you. Other times, it can be making people hurt the same way they've made you hurt. I think that we do well to recognize that in our handling these types of dynamics, not everyone will agree with the conclusion your character makes in how they deal with abusers. Recognize that as you write these situations.

Or just don’t write abusers in fiction and let fans argue over ships, I don’t know.

To be continued...

[thanagariansnarebeast]

Top ten fallen heroes

These are not reformed villains, though they may go into that role after, or at least an anti-hero, but most of these I prefer as villains.

10. Ozymandias (Watchmen). While you don’t see him do his heroics much in the comics, because he is pseudo-retired at this point, you do know what he did in the past to some extent and you know he’s still trying to make the world a better place. (spoilers for the comic that you really should read because there is a reason why it is considered a masterpiece) Ozymandias sacrifices his own morality to try and stop the world from destroying itself, its an awful thing that he does and thinks its for the greater good, and he clearly feels the weight of what he’s done but still stands by it; which is what makes him a fallen hero.

9. Griffith (Berserk). Now Griffith has many heroic qualities, but he always seemed to have a bit of a dark and selfish nature; but that being said his betrayal still really hurt both the audience and the few surviving main characters; and what he did was so profoundly selfish and evil that he becomes a fantastic villain.

8. Light Yagami (Death Note). Light does his fall really hard and really fast, but it takes a bit before he becomes completely evil. His mental chess game with L is one of my favorite story arcs in all of fiction, and it all started because this seemingly innocent boy found a notebook. There are definitely times when you are rooting for him even though you know you shouldn’t be, and I think that makes for some of the best villains. I was going to put Walter White on here, but I feel like Walt was always just a likable villain, you just didn’t know he was an egotistical dick until much later in the show.

7.Artorias the Abysswalker (Dark Souls). Artorias in any other game would probably be a hero you follow the footsteps of, or just play as; but in Dark Souls you slowly piece together the tragic story of a hero that tried as hard and as long as he could to win an unwinnable fight and in the end succumbed to the very abyss that he was fighting. Having to fight his best friend and protector of his grave is just heart breaking, and fighting him in the DLC was almost as bad. He’s not a character that I prefer as a villain, but he is a fun boss.

6. Angelus (Buffy/Angel). Now Angel is my favorite main character in my all time favorite show, but Angelus is a lot of fun to watch. He just loves being evil so much, he relishes it and is almost cartoonish at time with how fucked up he can be; but he has done far too much damage to the main characters of both Buffy and Angel to be taken lightly (I mean most villains in the show ether respect or fear him, and that’s pretty impressive when he’s been gone for hundreds of years). Having a main character who can go so completely evil if pushed is such a fun dynamic and when he gets to come out and play for real in season 4 it is a hell of a show. He’s such a good villain because he gets to sit and watch in agony watching Angel and friends do good all the time, but the whole time he sees how to push buttons and manipulate people so that when he gets free he can get what he needs out of them.

5. Jason Todd/Red Hood (DC comics). Jason was not a well liked character when he first appeared, or even after Crisis on Infinite Earths, but his death was still tragic and made people really question how good of an idea having a teenage sidekick really was. It was only after he came back to life and starting messing with Batman that I really liked him. Most of the villains on this list have questionable at best motivations, but if I was Jason and Batman didn’t kill Joker to avenge me, I’d be pretty pissed off to. He’s a great foil for Batman because he knows him so well, knows how to hurt him, and is pissed enough to really hurt him. He did eventually become an anti-hero and sort of DC’s answer to the Punisher (though they already had Huntress for that) but I like him more as a villain than I do an anti-hero (though he can be written well when he’s not in New 52). I was torn between him and Winter Soldier, but I think Bucky’s story isn’t quite as tragic because of the amount of time that had passed between him dying and him showing back up, and I like him more as a hero; both in the comics and in the MCU.

4. Two-Face (DC comics). From this entry and the last one you might think I’m a Batman fanboy, but I’m not; he just has damn good villains. There are many Spider-Man villains that were good guys to some extent before something terrible turned them into a villain, but Harvey Dent has the edge for me because of how much good he was trying to do before he became a villain. In his many incarnations you can always see a dark side to him before he falls, but seeing him actually become evil is still painful to watch. He is a fantastic villain because he’s so twisted and evil, but there is still a chance for him to be redeemed. He’s a constant reminder to Batman of his failure to help his friend, and he also has a very unique visual style to him that a lot of different creators have had a lot of fun playing with.

3. Arthas Menethil (Warcraft series). Arthas had your classic heroic backstory; young, handsome, talented prince who cared about his people would stop at nothing to protect them. He was brave and a very powerful paladin, but his arrogance would prove to be his undoing. He started down a path of doing worse and worse things to try and accomplish his goals, and eventually became fully corrupted once he got Frostmorne. Once he got his armor and became the Lich King, he became one of the most powerful villains in all of Warcraft, and the sword and armor he had made him very cool (no pun intended). His role as antagonist for a whole World of Warcraft expansion just shows how powerful he was, and being able to piss off pretty much everyone shows how good a villain he was.

2. Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars). Now the prequels are very flawed films, but I don’t find much fault in Anakin’s characterization throughout them. He starts off just a sweet and innocent child longing for adventure, but the next time we see him he’s a cocky teenager with enough power to back up his attitude. He’s very high on this list because while he did do some evil things before his actual turn to the dark side, he was manipulated into most or all of them; that doesn’t excuse him completely because in the end he still had agency over his choices, even if it wasn’t full agency. Some people say that his turn was too quick, but I think what happened is after he made that split second decision to protect Palpatine, he realized he was pretty much stuck with what he did. He did what he did because he was naive, manipulated, and wanted to save his wife and child. I’m also a sucker for a Greek tragedy and a self-fulfilling prophecy. Everything he did after the death of his wife and supposed death of his child was because of his rage and sadness at what he had lost, and clinging to what little he had left. He’s one of the best villains in all of fiction, and is so incredibly visually striking that even if you’ve never seen a Star Wars film, you know just by looking at him who he is.

1. Superman (Injustice games/comic). Who could possibly be a more tragic fallen hero than the symbol of hope and peace losing all hope and becoming a fascist, murdering dictator. Superman needs no introduction, but the Joker tricking him into murdering his wife and unborn child, and blowing up Metropolis sure is a different take on the character. Its not entirely surprising that something so tragic could make the Man of Tomorrow loose what made him a hero. As you read the comics you see that he started off just wanting to kill supervillains, and slowly he had to compromise more and more to get what he wanted. He never completely lost his morality, just slowly changed and warped his view on it until he became so scared of losing what he had left that he became a dictator.