#underdog tale

[imthefailedartist]

This season is full of queens who aren't not forgettable but aren't memorable, and they are taking the screen time away from the ones who are. It's time for Mhi'ya, Morphine, Q, and the Banana to go.

Two aren't bringing it anywhere. The other two are only bringing it to the runway.

I like Morphine. Morphine should be this seasons underdog. We should be watching her growth from episode to episode, but for some reason, she's not getting that treatment.

. Dawn is here but keeps getting backgrounded.

Sapphira has no competition. Even on her bad day, I'm like, "Yeah, she deserved that win. She was better than everyone else."

Plane Jane is such an interesting case. I see the talent, I see the skills, but there's just no personality. If Amanda Tori Meating was still here, she'd probably be the one to bring it out of her, alas she's gone, and with it so goes Plane Jane's development.

This season is so weird.

[underdogarts]

Drew a Wren moment from a couple sessions ago, when they were mysteriously claimed by a once thought dormant fae god after the party helped get rid of corrupted fae magic on an island that we passed, and was branded with the title “Champion”👀 were all super interested to see where it goes hehe

[sparklingcurepeace]

Cartoons from my childhood part 2 UPDATED:

These lists will now cover cartoons/movies spanning my life up until now, but with a focus on the child and teen years. What I list may not be that obscure either, but I want to share this with you all nonetheless :>).

A Monkey's Tale (yr. 1999)–YALL I THOUGHT THIS MOVIE WAS A DREAM, BUT IT'S REAL. I need to rewatch it.

Life with Jesus (yr. 2004)–the devil in this scared me lowkey lol

The Missing Lynx (yr. 2008)

Khumba (yr. 2013)

Animals United (yr. 2010)

Funan (yr. 2018)–GOOD movie, but definitely more for adults and deals with heavy topics.

Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (yr. 1986)

Persepolis (yr. 2007)–please read the book.

The Breadwinner (yr. 2017)

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (yr. 1989)

Ernest and Celestine (yr. 2012)

The Last Unicorn (yr. 1982)

The Lion of Judah (yr. 2011)–Movie was meh, but the message was good–needed better art and direction, honestly

Underdogs (yr. 2013)

A Monster in Paris (yr. 2011)

Leap! (yr. 2017)

Space Chimps (yr. 2008)– I'm unsure if I watched the whole thing

Yellowbird (Gus) (yr. 2014)–I have no clue if I finished this either.

All Dogs Go to Heaven Movies and TV series (yr. Various)

The Balto movies (yr. various)

A good chunk of the Land Before Time movies (yr. Various)

The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue (yr. 1998)

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (yr. 1991)

Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (yr. 1992)

The Great Mouse Detective (yr. 1986)

Osmosis Jones (yr. 2001)–LOL I know people know this, but with the way it stayed trapped in my head, I am putting it down.

Torchlighters: The Perpetua Story (yr. 2009)– Don't remember all the details, but it was interesting enough that I do want to explore the martyrs/saints.

Justin and the Knights of Valor (yr. 2013)

Ben-Hur (yr. 2003)–I didn't finish, but I liked it enough to continue it again!

Testament: The Bible in Animation: Jonah (yr. 1996)–this Jonah freaked me out, lol

[taistelutaide]

The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.

[the-darkness-does-not-bargain]

Concept: a stealth puzzle game where the puzzles are how to correctly escape dangerous situations using the environment around you in realtime.

It would not be wholly dissimilar to well-established styles of video game puzzles, but instead of running around a map looking for a weird object to plug into a weird door to escape a monster, let's say you are trying to escape a bad guy within a narrow hallway, and you have to pull a nearby bookshelf down onto him at exactly the right moment. But what is the right moment? Do you use the bookshelf to block the hall and give you more time to escape, or do you wait to bring it down on top of him and maybe (???) stop him for good? You have to think and work it out strategically. You don’t really have weapons apart from stuff you can pick up nearby, and you have to be clever and resourceful to get the most benefit out of each item. Is this anything?

[pearly-sims]

Very interesting to see the results, thank you to everyone who participated!

I always got the impression that Leo and Raph were the fan favorites, with Leo being the leader and Raph being the edgy lancer (there's a reason they're the A team). Even Mikey being the goofball face of the series felt like he'd have more of a shot than Donnie, who people have viewed as the boring one for being a nerd and fighting with a stick.

But I forgot that we're on tumblr, so this is definitely a case of user bias. People who use tumblr and like TMNT are not often the same as the demographic of young boys who the shows are typically marketed to, or the men who have now grown up after watching the series as a child. They're the ones I got that impression from, so it makes sense that the blogging site full of quirky tumblrinas instead chose the autistic-coded nerd as the fan favorite (myself included).

No nuance, who is your overall favorite ninja turtle?

( Please reblog for a bigger sample size :D )

[ilsee-ver]

he’s such a fucking liar and i’m so fucking tired of it, red bull the quickest on track and during the entire weekend???

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Shape of Story

by Christina Wodtke 

Start with Conflicted Characters

The character needs a goal, a motivation and a conflict.

The goal can be alien to your audience,

but the motivation must be shared by them, and

the conflict creates struggles that increase engagement.

Paint a Picture

Details transport you into the story.

The world disappears and you have a story play in your head.

Even though there are no literal pictures.

But be careful—Too many details and the story gets bogged down.

Make the Protagonist Suffer

“Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them - in order that the reader may see what they are made of.” (Kurt Vonnegut, How to Write a Great Story)

And when it can’t get any worse, make it worse before it gets better

The two key moments that create the peak of excitement in a story is the darkness before the dawn, and the dawn. 

The climax is the moment when the protagonist is either rescued or rescues themself.

In older tales, we saw a lot of Deux ex Machina (the hand of god) rescuing the hero. A hero could be rescued by luck, a partner, another hero…but modern audiences strongly prefer stories where the protagonist helps themself.

Resolution is Boring, Keep it Short

Interest grows with every additional conflict, but once the hero figures out the solution, our fascination collapses.

Don’t natter on while the audience’s mind is drifting.

Also Consider:

You need a good inciting incident to move your protagonist to action.

A setting is more than a place, it’s a situation and a moment in time. A vivid place has details.

Modern audiences prefer “return home changed” to “return home the same.”

EXAMPLES: ARCHETYPAL PLOTS ALONG THE ARC

Boy Meets Girl

Internal conflict is always satisfactory (e.g., she believes love interferes with his career, he believes love interferes with his beer.)

The crises usually revolves around betrayal — lying, cheating — and the climax shows it was a misunderstanding or we get atonement.

The struggle is always about them being separated.

The resolution is about binding them more tightly together than ever.

The Quest

You seek things, and find yourself.

Return home changed and don’t pass go.

Common elements include companions, a mentor, great losses and extreme character arcs.

The Underdog

Even though they do not have a shot in hell, the underdog wants something. They want it so bad.

Common elements include an enemy who blocks their path, and a coach who helps them forward.

In this case, they do not return home changed but rather move into a new life that fits their changed self.

Coming of Age

Naive person has the world teaches them a hard lesson, and they become a better person for it.

Struggle revolve around life sucking and then sucking more.

The hero grows and becomes better because of it, and via new understandings becomes competent.

In some tragedies, the world breaks them.

They can return home changed, but more often they move to a new life they have earned.

More Examples. Justice & Pursuit:

Weaving Multiple Plots:

Weaving multiple plots together to make subplots can further increase tension.

Multiple plots woven together makes the whole story not only unique but very compelling.

Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[laylasverse]

THIS LITTLE LIFE ✶ ASK GAME

౨ৎ shifting ask game focused on your parallel selves in your desired realities. ﹙ reblog for asks & send emojis to ask ﹚

🧺 : SOFT LAUNDRY . . . what is your comfort item? a necklace you always wear? the soft blanket at the end of your bed? a certain drink you pick wherever you go?

🧸 : CHILDHOOD TEDDY BEAR . . . what childhood memory / memories are permanently etched into your brain? going to your first concert? wining a giant teddy bear at a carnival? eating crayons in kindergarten with your future best friend?

🍓 : SAPPY STRAWBERRY . . . what makes you sappy and all nostalgic? listening to a song you once played one too many times? a movie about the underdog saving the day? seeing older couples walking down the street?

🌷 : TALL TALE TULIP . . . what is something someone told you as a child that you still partially believe? are you able to have your feet uncovered in bed without thinking a under-the-bed-demon will drag you under? do you let your friends "split the pole"?

🎀 : CLASSIC BOW . . . what do you love about life? do you love hearing the morning birds signing to you as you sit on the porch? do you enjoy partying too much and not remembering it in the morning? or maybe just hanging out with the people you love?

🩰 : DYNAMIC DANCE . . . who is the one person that is the complete opposite of you? are you two friends? why are they the complete opposite of you? what mannerisms do they have that conflict with yours?

💌 : LOVE LETTER . . . what random things do your friends associate with you? a fictional character you resemble? the scent you always wear? a dumb phrase you made up?

🐚 : QUICK SHELL . . . okay, just a quick fire of a few questions. favorite inside joke? what food combination do you love but other people think is strange? how do you feel about surprises? do you live a more analytical or creative lifestyle? if you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

౨ৎ : the under-the-bed-demon might be me projecting.. sorry

[godricgryffinsnore]

A Universe In Your Smile ♡ : A James Potter Fan Fiction.

pairing : James Potter x female!reader

summary : A fluffy, poetic friends-to-lovers tale where James Potter and a hopelessly smitten reader stumble through longing, laughter, and chaos—too in love to admit it, until they finally do.

warnings : Excessive fluff, Mutual pining / yearning, Jealousy (mild), Idiots in love, Sirius and Remus suffering secondhand embarrassment, Soft romantic tension, Overuse of the word "darling" (sorry, not sorry), May cause uncontrollable smiling and heart-squeezing feelings. Please let me know if I missed any.

author's note : English is not my first language, so please forgive me for any grammatical errors or spelling errors. Re-blogging is completely fine with me, but please don't copy my work. I love you all. Enjoy <3.

word count : 0.8k

main master list <3

banners : @dollywons and @roseschoices

It was widely accepted at Hogwarts that if you found James Potter, you’d find her. And if you found her, James wasn’t far behind—carrying her books, stealing her quill, or whispering something ridiculous in her ear to make her smile when she didn’t want to.

They weren’t dating. Merlin, no. They just did things like feed each other chocolate frogs and wear matching socks and fall asleep on the Gryffindor common room couch, tangled like ivy vines grown too close over too many years.

No, definitely not dating. Just… being ridiculous.

── .✦

The thing was—James Potter had always looked at her like she’d hung the stars, even when they were eleven and she punched him in the arm for hexing her hair blue. And now, at seventeen, he still looked at her like she was the sky itself. A breathless kind of awe in his gaze when she tied her hair up, or laughed too hard at one of Sirius’s jokes, or fell asleep with her nose in a book beside the window seat in the common room.

The world faded a bit when she wasn’t around.

And professors—bless them—caught on quickly. “Potter, where’s your other half?” And James, wide-eyed and traitorous smile on his lips, would answer, “Oh, you mean her? She said she’d meet me here—wait, why do you think I know where she is?”

“Because you always do,” Professor McGonagall deadpanned. “You practically breathe in sync.”

── .✦

Sirius was done. “Oh, for Merlin’s sake, just snog already!” he groaned one night as James and the reader argued over who would get the last of the pumpkin pastries. “It’s not snogging if you’re feeding it to her like a lovesick kneazle,” Remus added, not even looking up from his book.

James blushed crimson. “I’m not a lovesick kneazle.” “You purred when she scratched behind your ear last week,” Sirius muttered. “That’s a reflex!” “She was laughing in your lap,” Remus pointed out. “While you pouted. Like a cat.”

── .✦

But James—brilliant, chaotic, brave-hearted James—was oblivious. Or perhaps too aware. Because sometimes their pinkies would brush beneath the table and he’d freeze like she’d set his skin on fire. Sometimes she’d look at him like he’d handed her the sun, and he’d have to look away before he did something stupid like tell her he loved her. Again.

He did, of course. Loved her. Every version of her. Her morning yawns. Her ink-stained fingers. Her star-gathered eyes. Her laugh when he tripped over his shoelaces. Her fierce way of defending the underdog. Her quiet strength. Her chaotic mind. She was poetry in freckles. A heartbeat he’d memorized.

── .✦

And she? She was wrecked for James Potter. It was humiliating, really. He’d touch her shoulder and she’d forget her own name. He’d grin, and she’d want to bottle it, drink it, wear it like perfume. He’d call her “love” or “darling” in that stupid, careless way and she’d have to resist the urge to scream into her pillow for an hour.

And when he wrapped a scarf around her neck because “It’s bloody freezing, you’re going to get sick again,” she melted. Her friends were no help.

“You two need therapy,” Lily said, not unkindly. “Or a closet and seven minutes.”

── .✦

And then… Then came Amos Diggory.

A charming Hufflepuff. Too smooth. Too clever. Too tall. Too good-looking. Too close.

He was leaning a little too far into her space near the library shelves. His laugh too loud. His hand brushing her wrist. And James—James Potter saw it from across the room.

Something primal clawed in his chest.

He stormed over, heart roaring, fists clenched, wearing jealousy like a second skin. “Hey, mate,” he said, too loudly, too cheerfully, slipping between them with the grace of a bullfrog. “Didn’t know my girl needed help finding Charms.”

Your. Girl.

She blinked, stunned. So did Amos, who looked from James to her with the wary expression of someone who’s realized they’ve stepped into a dragon’s lair.

“She’s not—” she started to say, cheeks flaming.

“Am I not?” she whispered back.

And James—bless him, stupid, sweet boy—froze. Because he’d said it. Finally. The quiet truth soaked in years of almosts and pinky brushes and shared sugar quills.

“You are,” he said softly now, voice low and reverent. “If you’ll let me be yours.”

She stared at him.

Then she laughed. And hit his chest. “You idiot. Of course you’re mine.”

── .✦

Their first kiss was on the Astronomy Tower. She kissed him first. He kissed her second, third, and fifth.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

The world tilted and shifted like it had been waiting for them to stop being stupid and finally admit that their hearts beat for the same ridiculous, poetic kind of love.

── .✦

The next morning, when James wasn’t in class, the professor didn’t even blink.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” She smiled.

“Probably stealing my quill again.” “Tell him to at least show up with you next time.” “Yes, Professor.”

(He did. With her hand in his. Pinkies entwined. Eyes soft. Stupidly in love.)

── .✦

And Sirius? “I’ll pay someone to jinx me into unconsciousness if I have to watch them cuddle again.” “I think it’s sweet,” Remus muttered. “You would.”

But they didn’t mind. Not really. Because James Potter had finally found his home—in her laugh, her smile, her love.

And she?

She’d been his all along.

[writerbuddha]

Some people just cannot think outside of the oppressed-oppressor binary: you’re either “the Man” the obvious villain or you’re “kept down by the Man” who is “sticking it to the Man,” the obvious hero. As a writer/illustrator put it, criticizing George Lucas’ work: “the OT films were the little guys fighting an oppressor… but in the PT, the Jedi had all the power. They were the oppressors. That “fight the power” spirit was gone.” The Jedi Knights are cool as long as they’re hunted by the Empire of the Sith, because they’re “sticking it to the Man.” But if they’re respected by people, if they’re working with the Senate of the Galactic Republic, they’re “the Man” and the Sith and Anakin Skywalker (or somebody else, this Underdog or Little Guy who is supposedly oppressed by guardians of peace and justice is never properly identified, in order to avoid the easily disprovable specifics) are the one who’re “kept down by the Man,” and by default, they’re the ones who’re “sticking it to the Man,” because in their heads, empowered and respected are the characteristics of Evil. And this reveals a deeply troubling mindset: “fight the power” and being victimized by “the power” is what makes you a moral, ethical, good person, even if that power is held by democratically elected officials with checks and balances or fairy tale monks who dedicate their lives to psychological and spiritual progress and to make sure that everyone is protected and there’s peace and justice in the world.

And herein lies the problem: people who only feel secure in their identity as "Good People" if they're fighting against an oppressive power cannot function without it and sooner or later, their desperate yearning for it will create it - and then, they will never be motivated enough to demolish it.

[pearl-tarotist]

₊˚ପ⊹ Chose a pile: PACs that I never ended ༻¨*:·.

In this Pick A Pile, I bring different piles of various tarot readings that I never ended/ write more than one pile each.

It's random piles that focus on various areas, none of them are +18. I hope all of you enjoy it!

Not all those who wander are lost.

PILE 1: What will your future spouse find beautiful about you?

They like how intensely you are you. They are at aw that no matter how many styles and physical changes you go trough, there’s something unchangeable.

They ardently enjoy the look on your eyes, they think that they are always recognisable. Firmly, on the quote “the eyes are the window of the soul”.

They do also enjoy the touch of your hands, they like how soft they feel and how they can engulf your hands with theis. They like how, sometimes naughtily , you trace their skin with the tip of your fingers.

There’s also a freckle, for some, close to the eye or upper lip, that they enjoy kissing.

With the moon card, they enjoy the part of you no one can see, yes, emotionally and physically-wise. Emphasis on the chest zone. Your future spouse is always eager to see you naked. They deeply enjoy seeing you in the “purest” way, naked, with no make-up, no clothes nor masks that can hide who you are.

They are fond of your curves, the softness and the reaction of your skin, they could enjoy hugging you so hard that they leave some redness on you. You are just too cute not to annoy a little bit.

They also see behaviours on you that they find beautiful. You are strong and mature. They will feel safe around you. They could see you and think you are the perfect person to build a family with.

“There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a person being themselves. Imagine going through your day being unapologetically you.” (Steve Maraboli)

(4oP - The Chariot - The Moon - 10oP - King of Shells - Queen of Gems)

PILE 2: Your life as a fairytale

i.-Your “new” self: skills, magic.

  In a fairy-tale you would wake up in the middle of the night to be the underdog.

You would live in a big city, surrounded by commerce and loud noises, probably, a coastal city. Technology has no place in this city and you constantly hear stories of dangerous sea pirates and magicians. You like to watch through your window how people make business and speak to each other… to understand the real self of all of them… to not suffer the fate of being betrayed. Your skin holds a golden tone due to the sunlight and your cheeks are always sun-kissed. You dress with flowy clothes and leather boots.

You walk through people as a ghost, comfortable on seeing and on not being seen and when you found yourself involved in any drama you unroll the drama enough to end in the position that you want.

              In dangerous situations you would be forced to use your cleverness and intelligence to survive the obstacles of your adventure.  You would have to decide what you want and which option to choose even when both options are dangerous and unfavourable. There wouldn’t be time to smell the salty air of the shores nor to pay attention to the sand between your toes. Self-reflections and risking decisions are your thing. “For the skin of your teeth” would define your path and personality.

Surviving, barely, everything.

Your skills would involve: wittiness, the observation of details no one else sees, always being two steps in front of everyone and in general: finding the answers no one could have found. When someone asks for the answer to the riddle, you will be the only one answering.

“ What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?”

When everything’s lost, you save them.

ii.-Your group of friends:

You have lost friends along the way in this fairy-tale. Some adventures ended and you had to return to your normal life and your daily projects. You do not keep contact with them on the regular, but sometimes at night you stay under the moon’s gaze and think of them. To the ones you can see and the one you are not able to reach.

At least two of them are fine and you can see them from time to time. Once you saw him in the market corner, convincing someone to make an unfavourable business, you smiled and thought about how they have not changed.

Then, you saw her, dancing heavily and breathless in the bar with a little child, hair messy and a smile that reached her eyes. Her skirt flowed graciously at the sound of the music and the cracks of the fire. She saw you looking and asked you to dance with her but you were tired, so you just sat down in a chair drinking a soft drink.

To the ones you have lost, you think about them at night, thinking about if you could have saved them if you had done things differently. You know you need to stop this self-pitying, but you are not ready yet to let them go.

iii.-Your lover/companion of life:

Your lover was a breath of fresh air, he was the beginning that you needed to leave all the pain and sadness behind. He is happiness and a reason to drink… to cheer for the Gods that have put both of you together and have made your cups full of love.

He is a warrior, always ready to defend you and to take care of you. Reckless and unafraid, your lover stole your heart without doubts. In the same way he charges for battle, he charged for you… You love the warmness of waking up in his arms and the coldness that leave your body when he hugs you at night. He cleans your cheeks with affections when you get dirty and is not afraid to argue with you if it is for your well-being.

You have found stability and the person you do not need to convince to stay, he has chosen you.

 2 of swords //The moon + 5 of Cups// Ace of cups + knight of wands.

PILE 3: Shufflemancy:romantic messages 

۵♡۵ Let’s forget about the problems, worries and economical issues. I just want to party and enjoy this beautiful night with you. Let’s forget about anything else that’s just not us. (Time of our lives- Pitbull).

۵♡۵ I want to have a date with you at the beach, next to the water, let’s have the perfect summer date. (Water-Brad Paisley)

۵♡۵ I just want you to be mine, but I know we are not together. That’s why I hate when you keep secrets from me. I worry about every guy you set your eyes on. (Secrets-The weekend).

۵♡۵ I am going to try my best to earn your trust as it seems that you have trust issues, but I cannot do it if you give up and start going after every guy you want because you get bored of the routine. I am also getting tired. (Emergency -Paramore).

۵♡۵ If maybe…I stoped chasing you, would you come to me? Would you lay next to me? Just like butterflies… (Chasing cars - Snow Patrol).

۵♡۵ I don’t want to be friends, I want the all or nothing. I don’t know how to make it more obvious to you, please understand. ۵♡۵ I wonder why you let me get to close to you if you were just going to push me back. I do wonder too if all your words and what you said was a lie. (Fingers crossed - Lauren Spencer Smith).

In general there is someone kind of disappointed about the fact that you decided to break up with them or just stop talking to them; this person is definitly still into you but it’s unable to handle all of your trust issues. This person still thinks about you daily.

[hrrtshape]

　　 THE ROLES IN MY FAME DR. . .

quiet, quiet !!! centre stage, lights dimmed, audience hushed. my fame dr is essentially me winning the metaphorical acting olympics while everyone else is still lacing up their shoes. it’s, like, a line-up of roles so iconic, so overpowered, it’s like i’m thanos snapping my way through hollywood history. i wanted the cookie, and i baked the whole bakery.

here’s the rundown.....each role is a slice of cinematic perfection, OKAY, served with a side of "how does she do it? why does she do it?? how many oscars do you need??" energy.

　꒰ 2002. . . ' PONETTE ' as ponette. — picture a four-year-old (shut up) absolutely devastating audiences, grappling with grief and holding onto the wisp of hope that her mom might waltz back from the afterlife. tiny me..... heartbreaking. oscar-worthy. a pint-sized tour de force !!!

　꒰ 2006. . . ' LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ' as olive. — quirky underdog vibes. a beauty pageant dreamer dragged through chaos on a family road trip. big glasses, bigger heart. adorable chaos incarnate.

　꒰ 2007. . . ' LÉON: THE PROFESSIONAL ' as mathilda. — street-smart, sharp-tongued, and navigating grief and revenge. turned “child assassin vibes” into a genre.... unlikely bond with a hitman? groundbreaking.

　꒰ 2008. . . ' ATONEMENT ' as briony tallis. — precocious young writer turned accidental chaos agent. one little misunderstanding, and boom !! tragedy for everyone. the literary girls wept.

　꒰ 2009. . . ' TRUE GRIT ' as mattie ross. — fearless teen avenger with a rifle and a vengeance. sharp-tongued, sharp-shooting. unstoppable.

　꒰ 2011. . . ' LOLITA ' as lolita /// dolores haze. — a beguiling and precocious girl cloaked in innocence but steeped in rebellion, a mix of youthful charm and intoxicating danger. made everyone very uncomfortable because it wasn't directed by a pervert but instead an actual person who understood the book !!

　꒰ 2012. . . ' MOONRISE KINGDOM ' as suzy. — whimsical runaway girl with a suitcase full of records and big dreams, embarking on an adventurous and heartfelt runaway journey with her first love.

　꒰ 2013. . . ' BLACK SWAN ' as nina sayers. — the drama. the descent into madness on the basis of perfection. a ballerina teetering on the edge of perfection and chaos.

　꒰ 2014. . . ' THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL ' as agatha. — the sweet baker who saves the day in a pastel-hued, heist-filled fever dream. you could say i was the cinnamon roll that held the plot together.

　꒰ 2015. . . ' CINDERELLA ' as cinderella. — glass slippers, big dreams, unapologetic faith in the universe. cottagecore princess moment.

　꒰ 2017. . . ' LADY BIRD ' as christine "lady bird" mcpherson. — high school angst meets big-city dreams. small-town girl, big personality, fiercely independent. greta gerwig girlies cheered.

　꒰ 2019. . . ' ROMEO AND JULIET ' (dir. sofia coppola) as juliet. — tragic romance, youthful rebellion, a modernised shakespearean masterpiece. the english teachers are obsessed.

　꒰ 2019. . . ' ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD ' as sharon tate. — an enchanting actress and rising star, embodying the golden glow of hollywood’s bygone era with grace and optimism.

　꒰ 2019. . . ' LITTLE WOMEN ' as amy march. — ambitious, artistic, unapologetically confident. justice for amy achieved!!!

　꒰ 2019. . . ' STRANGE COLOURS ' (dir. david lynch) as naste. — struggling sculptor in post-war 1950s paris, whose pursuit of success leads her to morally complex decisions in a crime and punishment-inspired tale.

　꒰ 2020. . . ' THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT ' as beth harmon. — a brilliant yet troubled chess prodigy navigating personal demons, ambition, and addiction while conquering a male-dominated world.

　꒰ 2021. . . ' THE FRENCH DISPATCH ' as juliette. — a cynical and enigmatic character in a whimsical anthology capturing the spirit of journalism and artistic eccentricity.

　꒰  2021 . . . ' PROFIL PERDU ' as josée. — a woman caught in a crumbling marriage, drawn into a web of intrigue and liberation when a wealthy magnate offers her a new life filled with possibilities.

　꒰ 2021 & 2023. . . ' SUCCESSION ' as lukas matsson's complicated girlfriend. — it’s giving chaos. it’s giving scandal. the girl who walked into the roy / mattson power vortex and made it just a tad messier.

　꒰ 2022 & 2025. . . ' SEVERANCE ' as helly r. — kafkaesque corporate dystopia, dual personalities, fighting against the machine. the drama of it all.

　꒰ 2022. . . ' X ' as maxine. — it’s sexy, it’s terrifying, it’s iconic. a daring and ambitious young woman pursuing fame in the adult film industry while navigating fear and survival in a horror setting.

　꒰ 2022. . . ' PEARL ' as pearl. — a dreamer turned unhinged by isolation and frustration, whose violent tendencies emerge as her craving for stardom spirals into tragedy.

　꒰ 2023. . . ' POOR THINGS ' as bella baxter. — a curious and eccentric woman reborn into a surreal world, exploring life with uninhibited wonder and self-discovery. an eccentric frankenstein moment.

　꒰ 2023. . . ' THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES ' as livia cardew. — capitol decadence personified. the symbol of privilege and mean-spirituality. as well as coriolanus snow's future wife.

　꒰ 2024. . . ' MAXXXINE ' as maxine. — a raw and determined character fighting to make her mark in a world that feeds on fame, continuing her saga in the x-pearl trilogy.

　꒰ 2025. . . ' FRANKENSTEIN ' as the bride. — a haunting and tragic figure, torn due to her her husband's newest project.

that oscar is practically monogrammed with my soul. engraved, embossed, bedazzled in my honour. if possession is nine-tenths of the law, that golden man is legally, spiritually, and cosmically mine. you ever look at something and just know?? that’s me with oscar excellence. signed, sealed, delivered. twice for emphasis.

also....dividers not mine !!!!!

[despazito]

watched the veritasium video on citicorp, a structure in manhattan that got built with a serious engineering error that could lead to structural failure which once discovered by a random student prompted the builders to fix it discreetly without telling residents or issuing any evacuation warnings. the whole thing was framed as an honest oopsie and somewhat comedic tale about the underdog architects stepping up to right their wrongs, at one point they were retelling how grateful they were that the newspapers went on strike so the story wouldn't break before repairs were finished. the entire time though i couldn't help but think how differently youtubers would frame this story if this identical situation were to happen in the USSR lol

[starcleere]

in love with the idea of the db's followers being as remembered in history as the db themself. imagine:

engineers, for generations, mumbling the formula called 'Remiel's Constant' under their breaths as they develop machinery, because it's such a foundational discovery on Remiel's part for a new age of engineering

in contrast, future alchemists agonizing over Xelzaz' thousands of alchemical discoveries a night before their finals, bemoaning why he was so diligent in cranking out formula after formula because now they have so much to memorize

historians and casual history buffs alike locked in discourse on whether or not the last prince of the Thalmor actually colluded with the Dragonborn in the Second Great War to help bring down the Dominion, with vaguely-worded correspondence for evidence

adaptations of the tale where every single follower is at least someone's 'blorbo'

the ballad of Inigo the Brave being a cultural touchstone for Khajiit rep and spawning Tamriel's version of the rogue, underdog hero archetype. even when it's a totally fictional work, if the protagonist (or charming side character) is weirdly charismatic, roguishly handsome, and with a heart of gold, chances are the creator was inspired by Inigo's legacy.

the massive misunderstandings of the dragonborn's original history. Thanks to anti-Thalmor sentiments long after the Second Great War, Nebarra was deemed as a traitor figure to the Dragonborn, but this sentiment was overturned centuries after uncovering contemporaries' journal entries on their friendship

when you ask someone who they think Sir Kaidan was to the dragonborn, there's an equal chance of them firmly believing he was their lover, platonic best friend, or loyal but professional lieutenant. they will have reams of evidence to back it up, no matter which stance they take.

many who have felt that they never perfectly fit into the demands of their faith or community, not just bosmer, resonating with Auri's story. realizing that while they may be an outlier in their own eyes, they can still do a lot of good in the world, and that has to count for something.

common sayings based on (real or not) stories of the followers. if a place is crowded, it's common to joke, "guess the dragonborn's in town."

just. yeah.

[starry-eyer]

on lyanna as her own knight

lyanna’s narrative role seems to be an interesting reimagining of the classic ‘damsel in distress’ and ‘princess trapped in the tower’ tropes. these are fantasy staples, but ones considered fairly problematic by modern audiences for obvious reasons. george’s use of these tropes isn’t straightforward—he’s reconstructing them through a myriad of perspectives with lyanna at the center.

we were introduced to lyanna through two very different lenses: daenerys targaryen’s and robert baratheon’s. both had their own versions of the rebellion, but each reflected the same glaring flaw: lyanna was reduced to either a victim (in robert’s version) or a love interest (in dany’s). her own perspective was never truly considered by either of them.

robert’s version was slowly deconstructed: ‘you never knew lyanna as i did, robert … you saw her beauty, but not the iron underneath.’ this line painted robert’s version of events as extremely unreliable, and hammered home the earlier hints that robert was not to be trusted on this subject. and through lyanna’s mini-me—arya stark—and ned’s own reflections, we get a more vivid picture: lyanna was intelligent, willful, and opinionated, and most importantly, someone who was not happy with the role others had chosen for her. she did not want to be robert’s bride.

dany started from a different angle, but her understanding of rhaegar (and by extension, lyanna) was previously limited. though now her view of rhaegar is slowly being reconstructed as she learns more about him, and with it comes a growing awareness of her idolized brothers faults. her questions—especially the ones about elia—signal the slow reconstruction of rhaegar as a much more human hero, flawed but still good.

so while both robert and dany started off with and introduced readers to faulty tales, each of their versions have already been challenged. the key difference? dany wants to know the truth. robert was not interested in seeing his fantasy corrected—he needed it to be true.

but even after those versions evolved, the missing piece is still lyanna herself. she was reduced to a symbol in both narratives—robert’s lost love, rhaegar’s northern girl. ned’s pov challenged robert’s version and offered glimpses of who lyanna really was, but ned died before the full truth could be told. (if only he had made it to the wall to speak with jon…)

and since dany’s focus is on her brother rhaegar (understandably so), it’s left to other povs to bring lyanna’s side into focus. enter bran, and the tale of the knight of the laughing tree—the point where the deconstruction of the damsel in distress and princess in the tower tropes truly began in earnest.

i fully believe in the lyanna = the knight of the laughing tree theory, especially since it is consistent with the version of lyanna ned introduced to us. this theory helps to reframe lyanna as her own knight, and possibly her own savior. it also explains why the text keeps reminding us that lyanna was a skilled horsewoman. on that note, does anyone honestly believe lyanna would get caught by rhaegar and his kingsguard while she was on horseback… if so then pls bsffr lol.

in meera’s tale, the knight of the laughing tree is the story’s hero. bran—lover of underdogs—enjoyed the tale and asked: ‘did the knight of the laughing tree win the tourney and marry a princess?’ he was told no. that led to bran having some mild critiques of the story—a little boys disappointment at the injustice of it all—and meera’s response to that hinted at the sad ending of the next installment of the tale of the knight of the laughing tree :(

but this image of lyanna as her own knight, of the hint that rhaegar was her prince(ss)… well, besides inverting gendered fairytale dynamics, this becomes central to george’s clear and deliberate reworking of traditional fantasy tropes. the classic tale is: a dragon kidnaps a maiden, locks her in a tower, and a knight comes to slay the dragon and save her. but here? lyanna was the knight. she found her own way out of an unwanted marriage and may have even found love along the way—doomed as it was.

and personally? i’m simply not interested in interpreting this as a subversion of a subversion—because then we’re right back where we started: lyanna as a damsel who needed to be saved by men from the evil dragon. and that’s boring. when we consider key moments—like rhaegar’s final word being lyanna’s name, or the symbolic weight of the winter rose—it all points to the same conclusion: rhaelya was a tragic romance.

and continuing with the subversion—it’s much more interesting to imagine the tower not as a prison, but as a place of joy. a fleeting joy, eventually destroyed. ned tearing the tower down becomes deeply poetic. but that joy? it lives on in jon—rhaelya’s bastard son. honestly, it’s almost too on the nose that another highborn bastard is named ‘joy.’

so to me, this is the story of a girl who became her own knight, chose her own fate, and paid the price for a freedom the world refused to give her.