#when an artist made such a heartbreaking piece of art that they also suffer from it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

psychewritesbs · 3 years ago

Photo

Chapter 160: How much of Yuji’s life has been orchestrated? + Megumi the stage-five clinger

Happy JJK-Sunday!

If I had to describe chapter 160 with as few words as possible, I would say: Oh f*ck...

My favorite moment was, of course, Megumi acting like a stage-five clinger. His interaction with Yuji in this chapter is especially ominous in light of Yuji being adamant of protecting Megumi from Sukuna.

A second favorite was Sasaki showing up in this chapter because of the implications moving forward.

Let’s jump right in.

How much of Yuji’s life has been orchestrated by Kenjaku?

We start the chapter with Kenjaku talking to none other than Sasaki, one of the members of the Occult Club at the high school in Sendai that Yuji used to attend.

Of course, the bomb that Gege dropped on us in this chapter is when Kenjaku thanks Sasaki “for getting along with my son”.

Like... excuse you?

Not only does this 100% confirm that Kenjaku used Yuji’s mother’s body to give birth to him, but this specific moment + some foreshadowing from previous chapters also opens an interesting can of worms about Yuji’s life: just how much of Yuji’s life has Kenjaku orchestrated?

For me, the implication is that Sasaki had an assigned role to play in Yuji’s life that would inevitably lead to him eating Sukuna’s finger.

I am assuming this because although we don’t see Kenjaku’s interactions with the other people in Sendai, we get to see that, in addition for thanking her for getting along with Yuji, Kenjaku is incredibly kind to Sasaki. We also learn that she’s the only one who has received a special message from him (thanking her).

Ready to make this whole interaction more ominous? Someone pointed out that the kanji in Sasaki’s name means assistant.

All of this brings us right back to Yuji’s free will--or lack thereof?

We already know that Kenjaku claims he made Yuji “ingest” Sukuna’s finger and that Megumi is rightfully concerned with this idea because he witnessed Yuji eat Sukuna’s finger “of his own free will.”

It’s also becoming increasingly obvious that Yuji was "created” solely for the purpose of becoming Sukuna’s vessel.

What this new reveal about Sasaki does is that it makes everything feel like certain events have been part of Kenjaku’s master plan all along. While this still feels a little farfetched, it will come down to how Gege works this idea into the story moving forward.

Come to think of it, even Yuji’s grandfather’s dying words to Yuji take on a new meaning since we know Wasuke knew something was definitively up with Yuji’s mother.

Another possible bit of foreshadowing all the way in chapter 1: While the intersection in the second panel below could be ANY intersection in Japan, it sure looks like the Shibuya crossing:

A quick note on the importance of kanji meanings in JJK before moving onto the next section: knowing the meaning of Sasaki’s name tells us that names are important in JJK. If you haven’t, I recommend you read my break down on the meaning of Megumi’s FULL NAME. His first name is important, but so is his last name.

The plans moving forward

Going off to Tokyo Colony #2 are Panda and Hakari.

As the strongest, Hakari feels like he should take on Hajime. As for Panda, it looks like his focus will be on hunting down Angel.

Side note: I love that Hakari is still calling Megumi names. Guess Senpai can’t help himself.

I must admit I was disappointed to find that Kirara will stay behind to report, but it is what it is. I am assuming Gege could see no use for Kirara and decided to leave the character out of the action for the time being.

As for Megumi and Yuji, they’ll be heading to Tokyo Colony #1 to target Higuruma, everybody’s new favorite Law & Order boss.

This brings us to Megumi’s current state of mind...

Megumi the stage-five clinger

I had a hard time coming up with the title for this section because what I see happening is that Megumi is starting to feel the pressure of the looming deadline for Tsumiki joining the Culling Game. What his behavior shows, however, is that he needs Yuji with him and is clinging onto him but won’t come out and say it--opting instead for aggression towards Yuji, the very same person he needs most.

His behavior reminded me of how Megumi could be mean to Tsumiki even though he clearly adores her. Apparently that’s the meaning of being tsundere. I’ve read about the term tsundere before but it never “clicked” until this moment and I just love Gege’s interpretation of the trope through Megumi’s character.

It goes without saying that it was REALLY interesting to me to see Megumi’s dynamic and interaction with Yuji in this chapter because it looks like Gege is letting us know Megumi’s state of mind continues to be one of desperation--remember that dogeza bow from chapter 157?

The thing about Megumi is that he looks stoic on the outside, but he’s actually an incredibly emotional person who doesn’t often show how he’s feeling.

I hadn’t caught on, but in chatting with @justafrenchlondoner about the chapter, they pointed out Megumi’s behavior in his dynamic with Yuji appears nervous and aggressive.

Upon a second look I have to agree that Megumi is acting out of character and aggressive with Yuji when all that Yuji really wants is to protect Megumi from Sukuna.

And yes, let me go ahead and sound like a broken record as I remind you of Yuji’s rather ominous words from chapter 143 yet again:

And this is the part of the chapter that knocked the air out of me: Megumi telling Yuji to stfu about Sukuna but Yuji thinking to himself “as long as I’m around you will suffer” back in ch143 is so damn ominous.

Oh f*ck...

But this is what REALLY gets me about this whole interaction and why I’m calling Megumi a stage-five clinger...

Even though Megumi is calling Yuji selfish, in reality, the one being selfish is Megumi.

This is, of course, my own interpretation of the situation, but to me it feels as though Megumi is clinging onto Yuji’s strength for dear life.

It’s almost like Megumi needs not just Yuji’s physical strength, but also his unwavering conviction or mental strength.

If you think about it, Megumi has only recently started fighting to win. Remember how unsure he was of himself when fighting Sukuna for the first time? It wasn’t until he went up against the Cursed Spirit from the Yasohachi bridge that he let go of his inhibitions.

Megumi’s battles during Shibuya were the pinnacle of his growth as a character in that moment. If I remember correctly, according to the timeline of events, the Shibuya incident happened around two weeks prior to the current chapter. You could say that although he is more comfortable in his strength than before, Megumi is still growing into his strength at this point.

The thing about Megumi is that everybody and their Divine Dog believes in him and sees his potential except for him. As Gojo tells him “you undervalue yourself.”

Looking back, the way Megumi asks begs Yuji for help in chapter 143 is very enlightening of how Megumi needs Yuji’s strength:

I initially had read this to mean Megumi needed Yuji’s physical strength. Upon second look, however, Megumi has always seemed to have admiration for Yuji’s conviction.

With the looming deadline for Tsumiki’s vow to join the Culling Game, as Megumi starts to feel the pressure to make his plan work, who better to keep around than the person who will always go for the home run and whose strength he admires?

In other words, like hell he’s going to let Yuji leave his side. Which, again, only makes it more heartbreaking to think Sukuna is up to no good regarding Megumi and Yuji wants to protect him from that.

Oh f*ck.......

The panel below feels like a bit of a lighthearted and comical moment, but it’s also interesting to note that this is the second time they “fight”.

The first “fight” having taken place during the Cursed Womb Arc.

If you will remember, Gege used the Cursed Womb Arc and the Origin of Obedience Arc to show us how much our favorite trio had grown.

Not sure Gege is going to parallel something here again, but just interesting to note.

Oh f*ck...

Ya, please excuse the French.

Despite the many words I’ve shared here, this chapter left me mostly speechless.

I feel like I’ve been trapped in Gojo’s limitless domain expansion and all I can think is “oh f*ck” or “halloween” (if you catch my drift).

Chapter 160 was incredible because it looks like Gege has finally finished putting all his pieces into place and is ready to go for the kill by:

Starting to unravel the story bit by bit, giving us all of the twists we both saw and did not see coming, and

Ramping up the stakes. Taking into consideration the estimates that JJK is somewhere around 60-70% done at this point, It’s not a matter of whether some of our beloved characters will die, but about who, when and how they will die

One last detail

I love the last four panels of the chapter showing Panda, Hakari, Yuji and Megumi all wearing their uniforms (barring Panda) and getting ready to become official participants of the Culling Game by entering their respective barriers.

Knowing that Gege is a very talented artist capable of showing and expressing emotions through his art, I feel like these panels tell us a lot about what the characters might be thinking and I thought I’d expand on that.

Bear in mind this is my personal interpretation as an artist:

Panda looks excited and ready to fight, perhaps even confident. Panda is saying “bring it!” with his body language

There’s a hint of something I can’t describe in Hakari’s face. It’s almost like he’s coming face to face against how big of a challenge this is going to be and yet he’s resolved to walk straight into “the depths of hell itself”

Yuji looks focused, determined to go in and give it his best no matter what comes his way--that’s just who he is

And then there’s Megumi. I’ve been drawing Megumi recently, and one thing I noticed is that he has very specific micro-expressions. In his panel, he’s warming up his wrists as though he’s getting ready to fight, he has a focused look on his face, but the shadows around his eyes say he might be feeling like he is carrying the heavy burden of the uncertainty surrounding the situation he’s going through

With all that being said... the Culling Game is officially starting and we’re in for a one-way ride straight to hell.

Thank you for reading and happy JJK-Sunday!

What about you? What did you enjoy most about chapter 160?

#fushiguro megumi #megumi fushiguro #yuji itadori #itadori yuuji #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen manga #jujutsu kaisen spoilers #god i love jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen meta #jujutsu kaisen theory #jjk ch 160 #gege akutami #sukuna #ryomen sukuna #hakari kinji #jjk meta #jjk theory

182 notes · View notes

aurora-daily · 3 years ago

Text

AURORA on COP26: “We’re fighting for the wellbeing of all living things”

Interview by Andrew Trendell for NME (November 5th, 2021).

"We can either be the generation who fixes the damage of the generations before us, or the generation who truly doomed Mother Earth," she told NME ahead of her performance and speech this weekend.

Ahead of her performance and speech at the global climate conference COP26 in Glasgow this weekend, AURORA has spoken to NME about how she believes that “we can either be the generation who fixes the damage of the generations before us, or the generation who truly doomed Mother Earth”.

Taking place until November 12, the COP26 summit is aiming to bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Tomorrow (November 6) Norwegian phenomenon AURORA will headline the UMA Entertainment Group’s special not-for-profit event during COP26, which will include panels, talks and live music. All profits from the event will be donated to Brian Eno’s EarthPercent charity, as well as a selection of social impact charities in Glasgow.

Having always been very vocal about her climate activism through her interviews and music, AURORA told NME how involving art in the conference “made sense” because “sometimes matters like the environment can get too political, so we need to inspire the emotional part”.

“I love Mother Earth, and for me it’s a very emotional case to be fought for our world and our environment,” she said. “She gives so much to us, and we just take and take and take. It’s so unbalanced and wrong. We’ve managed to taint something really beautiful with an ugliness.

Asked what her aim for the event would be, the ‘Runaway’ singer replied: “I want to get across how much this matters. I strongly believe that we have time to turn things around and make things better. If we don’t do something now, one day we’ll find that it’s too late to reverse all the damage that we’ve already done. We’re fighting for the wellbeing of all living things.”

youtube

Describing the current state of affairs as “heartbreaking”, AURORA said that the powers that be need to take heed of the warning signs before it’s too late.

“We’re already noticing the natural disasters, the weather changing, the water rising, the forests burning,” she said. “So many people and animals are suffering from the consequences of global warming. It’s always the richest people causing the most damage, but noticing it the least.

“People don’t seem to care about a problem until it directly affects them, which is very uninspiring and boring. Let’s just do something new and change because we can. We can either be the generation who fixes the damage of the generations before us, or the generation who truly doomed Mother Earth.”

She added: “It makes so much sense to fight for our world because it’s supposed to be eternal. We’re just visitors and we’re ruining it. It’s about saving the soul of humankind and proving who we are. We need to repent and do something.”

Asked about how she felt the music industry was handling the response to the climate crisis, AURORA admitted that “we’re never doing enough” – but positive changes could be seen. She hailed Coldplay’s efforts to reduce the environmental damage of their upcoming world tour, but said that it wasn’t so easy for smaller acts.

“I feel like there are many inspiring people out there who are doing what they can,” she said. “Asking all artists to change and go out of their way while touring to be more environmentally friendly is also like blaming people for not recycling the piece of plastic that their raw chicken came in.

“When you can, you should, and Coldplay are successful and rich enough to be able to. However, there are smaller artists out there who can’t handle that pressure. It’s more for the artists with the economy, knowledge and possibility to actually change their touring life. It’s a very hard balance to find because most of us have to tour to survive and cope with the guilt of flying all the time. But if you can do small changes, then I think it’s important to know that you don’t have to be perfect.”

It’s a notion that she applied to the wider world, calling on everyone to “do what they can” without being threatened by the bigger picture.

“It’s so important to not be intimidated by things you don’t understand [and] not feel incapable of making a real change,” she said. “We all have the power to affect the world around us by speaking our truth and fighting for what we think is worth fighting for.

“I try to do my part, but it’s about doing more than just talking about it. Talking is important to inspire people to care about what a big and important battle this is, but I’m bored of just talking about it. I’m very keen on doing more, joining organisations and supporting people who are doing the actual work.”

While noting the power of the individual, she also argued that COP26 should result in pressure being mounted on the 20 companies who are responsible for 35 per cent of all energy-related carbon dioxide and methane worldwide.

“I’m tired of people blaming the everyday people who are trying their best and generally don’t know where to begin outside of recycling and doing our little part,” she said. “It’s time to really demand the change from the big guys who are doing the real damage.

“Do what you can – that’s my biggest wish. If you have the space or capacity then help.”

And how would she feel if she met environmental activist icon Greta Thunberg while she was in town?

“I love her!” AURORA replied. “Even though she’s very well-spoken and intelligent and knows her area so well, I feel like she’s a very good example of the balance we need in talking about matters that are both political and emotional.

“That’s why she inspired so many young people – because nobody talks to us in such a warm, emotional, intelligent, real and desperate way.”

This comes after Patti Smith claimed that the climate movement was “the most important thing in the world right now” ahead of COP26, while Massive Attack launched a campaign to target corporate “greenwashing“.

AURORA will perform and speak at ‘Beyond The Green’ tomorrow (Saturday, November 6). She will be headlining the event’s live music bill, with Sam Fischer and BEMZ (DJ set) also set to perform. DJ sets will be provided by Groove Armada’s Andy Cato, Sarra Wild and Darwin during the after-show event.

She also recently announced her new album ‘The Gods We Can Touch‘ – due for release on January 22, 2022 – before heading out on a UK and European tour from February through to April next year.

#aurora #aurora aksnes #interviews

27 notes · View notes

adoremp3 · 4 years ago

Photo

unmatched

not entirely sure how this happened, but it started out as a quick “hey, imagine this cute scenario” post and somehow turned into a small 650 word imagine. so... i guess enjoy some cute unedited harry fluff where you meet him at a gallery opening!

imagine you're attending a gallery opening in support of your friend, but art isn't really your thing so you're trying to admire all the art even though you don't understand it at all. you're standing in front of this one piece in particular, head tilted and eyes narrowed, when someone walks up besides you and says, "brilliant work, yeah?"

you look at the person, noticing immediately it's harry styles. of course you know who he is, but try not to freak out about it. instead, you just try to act cool, while also wanting terribly to impress him. "yeah, it's uh—i like the blues,” you say, wiggling your finger towards the blue splatter. “it’s very…”

“deep,” harry cuts in. “the imagery of the artist's suffering is unmatched, don’t you think?” he looks at you and you want to weep as your eyes meet, but instead you just bite your lip and nod. “you can really tell the rich history of their life, you know?” he adds, though you have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about. there’s no note attached to the artwork explaining all this, so how the bloody hell can he interpret it from a few splotches of paint on a canvas? “the pink line is clearly a negative pregnancy test, but the blue is a little alarming. is it the sky? is it a baby boy? maybe it’s both. oh, now that’s just heartbreaking.”

as he pouts his lips and brows crease into a frown, the desire to cry in harry’s presence only increases, but it’s nothing in comparison to how fucking confused you are about these interpretations. you saw two pink lines, like they’d been slapped onto a canvas last minute in an attempt to add another colour, but he sees a devastating story behind the artist. however, you’re still very determined to impress him.

“yeah, yeah.” you nod in agreement, though you aren’t sure what you’re agreeing to. “and i think the green splatter to the left is clearly…” you pause, thinking. “grass?” as you glance at harry, you notice he is trying his hardest not to laugh or smirk back at you. “are you, uh—did i get it…wrong?”

great, you think. your one chance at meeting and impressing harry styles and you’ve royally fucked it up.

this is when harry bursts out laughing and heat immediately rushes to your cheeks. “sorry, sorry,” he says, brushing it off as you furrow your brows in confusion. “it’s just—your face. it’s cute and all scrunchy and confused, but…i have no fucking clue what i’m saying.”

“you don’t?”

“nope.” harry shakes his head. “made it all up.”

the fact that you’ve never met the guy before, yet here’s out here playing a joke on you makes you want to scream, but instead you cover your face with your hands as embarrassment overcomes you. you’re laughing at yourself and the ridiculousness of the situation, and when you peek through your fingers you notice that harry is still standing in front of you and grinning to himself.

“you’re evil,” you say, pointing your finger at him.

harry shrugs. “i like to have fun,” he replies, then gestures to the next painting. “so, care to join me in having fun?”

never in a million years did you think you would have the chance to meet harry styles, but in a moment of chance it finally happened—and he’s inviting you to spend more time with him. you’re not quite sure where your friend has gone off to or who harry is even here with, but you nod your agreement as you follow him to the next painting and start to discuss all the possibilities behind it.

harry beams brightly as you talk about he orange strokes, then adds in some extra input about the navy background, but you soon forget you’re in the presence of Harry StylesTM and instead are in the presence of a (hopeful) new friend.

#1dff #harry styles #harry styles imagine #harry styles fic #harry styles blurb #harry styles x y/n #harry styles x reader #harry styles x you #harry styles oneshot #idk what else to tag but bye #doubt anyone will even read this but thought it was something cute and fun

338 notes · View notes

land-of-classpects-and-analysis · 4 years ago

Text

Mage of Heart

Everyone we met leaves an impact of some type that will affect how our identities are formed - especially when we are young. Children are born as the most purest and beautiful of people, if only because they have barely opened their eyes to the injustices within the world. It is often said that children are sponges who soak up everything around them, whether it be a certain word or phrase, or certain mannerisms that they find to be worth mimicking. They may be similar to sponges, but it could be argued that children are much like that of a blank canvas. A blank wherein the entire world and everyone within their life is an artist who, accidentally or otherwise, may add one or more colors to the child’s canvas. Not every color will be a beautiful, deep and royal purple, or a happy pastel orange, but that is simply because it is inevitable that someone will come around and leave a rather ugly mark upon the child’s canvas. Everyone was once a blank canvas, and as time passed us by, so, too, did many artists who came by and added their own little mark or two, making it so our canvases were our own unique masterpieces by the time we reach maturity. What happens, though, to those whose paintings are not stark and bright, but rather drab and uninspiring? What about the ones who barely got a chance to have many artists leave their mark upon their canvas, and those who did only left watery, dark streaks upon their canvases - their hearts? What about the people who grew up only to find that they lack much of a true identity? It is unfortunate to say that these people are those who would fit the unfortunate circumstances of the Mage of Heart.

The Mage of Heart is one who tends to hide away who they really are behind a series of masks they have crafted over the years. Do not mistake this as the Mage of Heart being two-faced or even a cruel person, though, for the true reason as to why they put up such a facade is a rather saddening one. The early-life of the Mage of Heart is one unfortunately tainted with many hardships and struggles; insecurities, isolation, anxieties and so much more. All of these personal issues made it so that the Mage of Heart never had much of a chance to build up a true identity for themself. Instead, what the Mage of Heart was given were the leftover scraps of everyone else’s identities and personalities. Unfortunately, these scraps are often the ones people dislike the most about themselves, and so have cast it away for the Mage of Heart to eventually pick up and try to sew onto their canvas. While so many others have paint, marker, pencil, or whatever means of art so lovingly or haphazardly strewn onto their campus, the Mage of Heart is one who is left to sew what they can into their own canvas, not even knowing if they are doing it properly. As such, this has caused them to become somewhat of an amalgamation of all types of bits, pieces, and chunks of other people. This has most definitely lead the Mage of Heart to collect many layers of this facade, especially in certain categories of their “personality”. To anyone who has a sharp eye, it would be rather easy to see that the identity the Mage of Heart presents themself to be is not who they truly are at all. Upon discovering this, people will then often question: just who really is the Mage of Heart?

Oftentimes when someone asks the Mage of Heart what their favorite movie, book, song, or whatever piece of media is, they may shrug and say whatever is the most popular thing at the moment. Chances are that they would give this answer to everything pertaining to something personal, or they would not have an answer to give and simply say “I don’t know”. While many Heart-bound love to talk about themselves and their interests - what makes them unique - the Mage of Heart would rather spend time either listening to other people and what makes their souls complete, or the Mage themself would discuss someone else and their life entirely. To some people, this may seem like a rather big turn-off point in terms of wanting to be friends with the Mage of Heart. To a select few group of people, though, the Mage of Heart is one who may seem like the most perfect gullible person to rope into a rather unfortunate circumstance. Due to how much of a great listener they are, as well as how willing the Mage is to give up the spotlight for someone else, there is a very high probability that the Mage of Heart would find themself surrounded by not the most upstanding of individuals. They wouldn’t know any better, though, and so they would most likely be one of the most willing puppets someone could ever ask for, especially if this person or people promise the Mage a chance at finally getting a true painting placed upon their canvas. When the harsh truth steps forth towards the Mage is when their journey will finally begin.

It’s a rather harsh truth, indeed, when someone finally realizes that the company they so desired to keep turns out to be a source of venom and suffering. While the Mage of Heart will need to actively seek out knowledge of their Aspect, or through it, in order to build up their own identity, the Mage of Heart must perform this task by first learning how to recognize the identities and personalities that are no good to them. It may seem like an insult, but it is unfortunately true that the Mage of Heart is indeed a rather naive and gullible person - one who is so easily manipulated by those who promise them love and shelter. After all, anyone with a sharp eye can see right through the patches sewn onto their canvas and tell that their canvas is blank and that they have never truly experienced what the outside world is really like. Not only does the Mage of Heart lack knowledge of their true identity, but they also lack the knowledge and perception to tell when a sheep is truly a wolf in hiding. Because of this, there is a high probability that the people they surround themself with do not truly care for the Mage, but instead only see them as another pawn to use for their own selfish needs. If someone were to tell the Mage of Heart this, they would most likely laugh it off or try to say that you’re wrong, that this person or these people do truly care for them. Not only does the Mage of Heart believe these lies, but they also believe that the people they hold onto will help lead them to crafting a better identity. In a way, they are not wrong, as they will indeed lead the Mage of Heart towards their journey and help them to build up who they are, but it will happen in ways that the Mage of Heart may not have agreed to if they had known any better.

No one can force a person to open their eyes if they truly do not want them to be. For the people who truly care for the Mage of Heart, friend or not, have to face the bitter truth. In order for the Mage of Heart to know that they are being pulled around on strings, unknowingly dancing across the chess board of life towards a long period of suffering, yet one still full of promise for growth, they must open their eyes themself. They will, eventually, but there are most certainly some Mages of Heart who will most definitely immediately close their eyes again and have them remain shut. After all, it is hard to face the facts at times, and the Mage of Heart is no different. However, if they are one who persists and keeps their eyes opening - taking in the horrific, blinding light of the truth - then they will come to realize that their social life has been that of a complete lie. Little do they or anyone else know is that by the time the Mage of Heart does open their eyes and see the web they have lead themself to be within, it will already be too late, and the Mage of Heart will suffer a great amount of loss and pain for being too willfully ignorant for too long. It is not entirely their fault, though, since they are someone who has had very limited access to how brutal and selfish people can be.

After all of the heartbreak that comes with this betrayal and the realization of what people truly think of them, it would be up to the Mage of Heart to take this long period of suffering to not curl up and allow the world to pass them by, but rather to take this as their wake-up call so that they may try to prevent this from ever happening again. There will always be those who are unable to seize the moment when it arrives, unfortunately, even if it is practically breaking down their door. These Mages of Heart are those who most likely will continue to either fall for such harsh tricks, or instead resign themself to their suffering. As for their canvas, chances are that this incident has not only damaged their canvas, but instead completely tore it apart, punched a whole in it, or even left it to become a pile of ash. Unfortunately for them, if their canvas is to become damaged beyond repair, then their journeys have already ended before they could even begin. It should be obvious to some what this means for them, but for those who may not understand, the short end of it is that these Mages of Heart don’t even have the comfort of their facades to hide behind. Instead, they are now husks - dull and gray splotches on a world so bright and colorful - and have next to no chance for any sense of recovery. As for the Mages whose canvases and spirits remain relatively whole and are capable of being rebuilt from this tragic scenario, they will once again be met with many decisions as to how they should approach their journey, much akin to their fellow Mages.

For the remainder of this month, let’s say things get switched up a little bit here? Why not start with the Mages of Heart who follow the path of seeking out knowledge through Heart? A certain Mage has to find ways to spice things up every and now again after all. Besides, in a way, it would make sense for this path and group to be the first one analyzed. Why? Well, because this is the path wherein the Mage of Heart lends themself to become far more than a collector of personality scraps, as well as lend them to recover from their own horrific start of their journey in a rather unique way. The Mage of Heart must find ways to build their own identity, if only to avoid falling prey to such manipulative tactics and false promises of true love. For these particular Mages of Heart, they would create their identities by gaining knowledge through everyone else’s identities. This time, however, it will not just be scraps so crudely sewn onto their canvas, but rather they would try their best to put themself out into the world and experience the good and the bad of it. After all, the Mage of Heart is one who begins their life rather sheltered and insecure of what may lay beyond their home, never wanting to risk getting hurt in case it left their canvas dirtied and ruined. Now that they have already experienced the pain that the world has to offer, then chances are that they will be far more willing and ready to venture out and gain a better understanding of not only the people around them, but also a better understanding of themself.

Now, keep in mind that the Mage of Heart is no different than any other Heart-bound, primarily in that everything they do is to help build up their own sense of self. As such, their journey is one where they go is meant to add another dash of seasoning their cinnamon roll, another sprinkling of candy onto their ice cream, another stroke or splatter of a brush to add more to the masterpiece that is them. Not only do these Mages of Heart gain more knowledge through the identities of those around them, but they go wherever their own heart tells them to go. Whether they go to a museum, night club, or even a simple nature park, there is always a reason why the Mage of Heart is where the place they stand, and that reason is so that they may allow themself to remove all the sewn on pieces of scraps and instead finally begin to paint their own masterpiece upon their own canvas. While everyone else allowed for someone else, or even many others, to come into their life and leave their own marks, these Mages of Heart are true innovators in that they have found a way to break out of the norm. Rather than allow for anyone else to possibly harm or taint their canvas, they have decided to instead take the colors that truly call to them and use it to make their own painting of who they wish to be. These Mages of Heart have realized that if one so wishes to be their own person, then they must take control of their own sense of self before anyone else can. They also are those who truly understand that, at the end of the day, it is our own individual canvases that we are stuck carrying for the rest of our lives, so why not try to make your own painting, with each color being what makes you feel happy and confident about the work you have made?

Much like any art project, though, there will always be mistakes and errors, as well as many, many learning curves, especially when there are not many people to teach this skill. This is one of the many reasons for why these Mages suffer, with the others one being the insecurities that come with making one’s own art and breaking out from what has been deemed normal. However, it is through this defiance against the binary that will truly help the Mage of Heart come to understand who they truly are. Once their painting has been completed, with its beautiful mistakes and unique charm, it is no doubt that these Mages of Heart will be the ones to truly stand out in a crowd of artists. There is a high probability that their way of tackling making their identity may make some people scoff and look down on them, but there is just as high a probability that they will not only stand to inspire others struggling like them to forge their own paintings and crafts but that they will also attract these types of people, if only by pure chance and accident.

As for the Mages of Heart who decided to follow the path of seeking out knowledge of Heart, or rather of the soul, one’s self, and identity, their journey is far more elaborate and almost as personal as the previous group’s journey. If not that, then they may be considered to be a little higher in terms of it being a more personal journey. After all, they are the ones seeking out knowledge of themself and who they want to be, and that is a task that not many, especially later in their life, can even think about tackling. Not these Mages of Heart, though. Even if it is a challenge to them at times, and while they may have many internal moments of strife and struggle, they will eventually come to realize who they truly are. Many Mages of Heart may go about this journey of self discovery very differently, especially since they all would come from very different backgrounds and walks of life. However, the first few methods that come to mind range from going on an isolated, soul-searching journey, wherein the Mage of Heart may spend some time on their own and do things that only they want, or perhaps even the opposite. A Mage of Heart who puts themself into places and groups where they have to try new things, even if it makes them uncomfortable or even scared and/or upset. Experiencing the highs and lows of the self are important in order to gain a better understanding of who we truly are, deep within.

However, the Mages of Heart who choose this path may find that their identity is not as concrete as others may seem to be, especially the more they learn about themself and what they enjoy. This can cause quite a bit of turbulence in the life of the Mage, especially in regards to their social life. For a few months, they may think they really enjoy this one thing until one day, poof, they suddenly find that it no longer suits them and so they move on to search for the next part of their self. Sometimes these changes happen quicker, while other times they take far longer to happen. Those who consider themselves friends with the Mage of Heart may experience some type of grievance or frustration over this part of their friend, and some might even say that they wish their friend would simply sit down and stick to something for once. Whether these things the Mage hops from are something widely popular and external, such as tastes in music, watching a show, joining a Fandom, and so on, or they are something far deeper and more internal, such as one’s political opinions, or opinion in general, as well as their own identity, such as their name and what their orientation is. While it may upset the Mage of Heart to hear that some people do not agree with how they are going about their journey, it is only a matter of time before they realize that such obstacles are simply another part of their journey, and that they one day will manage to leap over such issues and insecurities. One day, after trekking through their own internal maze and diving deep into themself, the Mage of Heart will come to a standstill. When they do, that is when everyone will know that they have completed not only their journey, but have finally finished learning what they need to know about themself and their identity.

Everyone is born as a perfectly blank canvas, waiting for something to be drawn, etched, or even painted onto it. We are not born as someone with a natural bias or hatred, and we are not born immediately hurt and scarred by the world around us. Children do take in everything from around them, whether it be good or bad. Everyone is an artist, and it is up to those artists to take these children and make them into bright and wonderful pieces of hope. Unfortunately, though, not everyone has that chance to allow for their canvas to become such a thing, and instead are left to do work with what other people throw away. The Mage of Heart was one of those people for the longest time, but after clawing deep into not only their own soul, but everyone else’s, they were capable of making their own painting and their own future. The Mage of Heart, after trying on and taking off so many different outfits and fashion tastes and aesthetics, and being shamed for being someone so restless and refusing to stick to one thing, they were finally capable of discovering who they truly are and what they truly want. It is never too late to begin a journey of self-discovery and soul-searching, much like how it is never too early in one’s life to pick up a paintbrush and finish filling out their canvas, even if it isn’t a masterful piece of work. Because, what the Mage of Heart has learned the most out of their journey, is that no one has to keep the same canvas they started with, as well as it being okay to throw out the old canvas and buy one bigger, better, brighter, or buy one smaller, newer, and comfier.

The Mage of Heart has the greatest potential to be one of the most supportive, and sympathetic and/or empathetic, friends a person could ask for. They listen to people’s problems, but now they know their own boundaries and how to recognize when someone is not being genuine, as is one of the many powers of the Mage of Heart. Not only that, but they can help to guide their friends and allies towards who they are truly meant to be. Never utter the phrase “you don’t know me” around a fully awakened Mage of Heart, because they would be more than happy to prove you wrong. The Mage of Heart holds potential to be a valuable ally, but they also hold potential to be a formidable foe, considering that they may look deep into someone’s soul and dig up things that even the person themself may have forgotten or not yet know. Because of this, it would indeed be a wise choice to try and keep the Mage of Heart on your good side, especially if you yourself have a particular problematic person that may need to be dealt with one way or another. However, if the Mage of Heart were to deem these motives to be impure, then they are not afraid to pack up their things and not only leave you to deal with your own problems, but with the looming threat of already having more info about you than anyone else may know.

As a friend and ally, the Mage of Heart’s main job within the group would be to try and help others make their own discoveries, be there to give them reassurances every once in a while on who they truly are as a person, and be able to call someone’s bluff, whether it be a threat, lie, or otherwise. The Mage of Heart is not fully immune to falling prey to some horrid people, though, even when they are awakened to their powers. As such, it would be wise for the Mage of Heart to listen to those they truly do trust, especially if they are trying to give the Mage a warning. However, there is with utmost certainty that the Mage of Heart is not nearly as gullible as they once were. If anything, it would take a lot more effort to gain the trust and loyalty of the fully realized Mage of Heart, specifically if someone who has brought the Mage of Heart great grief is within the group that they are meant to help. What matters most, though, is that the Mage of Heart is one who rose above the ashes of the husk, now more like a cocoon, that once was them, and spread out their graceful wings so that they may take flight and discover who they are. The Mage of Heart is someone who has broken the mold, and is now more than willing to help out others paint upon their own canvases. After all, they are someone who knows how difficult it can be to handle a project with such a stark learning curve on their own, especially when there are so few people who are able to teach these lessons.

#Mage #Mage of Heart #Homestuck #Hiveswap #Mage of Heart Analysis #Heart Aspect #Oculus October #Heart

39 notes · View notes

crispyliza · 5 years ago

Text

Spamano multi-chapter fanfiction recommendation masterlist!

For all you home-quarantined people that have nothing to do and also because I’ve been meaning on making one of these since 2015 (took a global pandemic to get me started lol)

These fanfics are all with multiple chapters and listed in no particular order. Of course some are better than others, but every single one has its charms! I added only a few with 3 or 4 chapters because i liked them too much not to whereas the rest of the fanfics have at least 5+ chapters. So without further ado, here they are:

Una Notte A Napoli “One night in Naples, by the moon and sea, my heart was stolen by an angel who had forgotten how to fly.” (completed)

Per Sempre Tuo “Lovino Vargas, better known as Romano, is a famous TV actor. He has everything anyone could ever want. The only problem is that the thing he wants, over-night singing sensation Antonio Fernandez, is married.” (completed)

HOVA “The Nova Sagittarius was a ship that would take myself and countless other passengers on a one month trip around our solar system. But things went wrong; the ship changed and just like that, we were stranded. We got to know each other but more than that, we got to know ourselves.” (completed)

What We’d Do Without Gravity “While lost in a hospital Antonio comes across young terminally ill patient, Lovino Vargas. With Lovino left only six months to live it’s an awful time a romance to blossom between the ill fated pair, but with a bucket list to race through as the clock ticks down, the two find that love is very hard to avoid.” (completed)

Numbered Lithograph “When Lovino starts attending art school with his brother he finds his most important lesson doesn’t come from his professors, but from a culinary student at a sister school: sometimes the flaws hold the beauty.” (completed)

Tienimi Streto “Lovino Vargas is a detective with a poor attitude and a dark past, driven to the side of law by pain and revenge. After his partner quits, he is paired with specially recruited Antonio Carriedo, who becomes something more than just a co-worker. When deaths linked to the Italian start popping up over the city, Lovino begins to question everything he thought he knew.” (on-going)

More than attraction “Antonio says he met his love’s eyes over the bin of tomatoes. Lovino says he was stalked relentlessly until he was forced to give in.” (completed)

Credo “AU, 1502. Fueled by revenge, Lovino Vargas hasn’t failed an assassination job yet - but when a new Spanish captain comes to Rome, killing the unorthodox Antonio Carriedo might just be the death of him.” (completed)

Secret Tunnels from Madrid to Sicily “When Antonio Fernández Carriedo begins work as a professor at a prestigious university in Britain, one of his students, a Sicilian boy who goes by the name Romano, immediately catches his eye. He is a clearly gifted writer, who closes himself off in the wake of a dark and painful history. Even wrapped in his darkness, pushing everyone away, Toni finds himself determined to bring out the potential within Romano…They drag each other into a passionate, inevitable affair–doomed, they know, to end in flames.” (completed)

Why Did it Have to be You? “Lovino’s parents are tired of his horrible behavior, and hire Antonio to babysit him. But time is a cruel mistress, and in absence the heart grows fonder. These are just some of the things Antonio and Lovino will learn.” (completed)

And the Birds Sing No More “Don’t ever leave me.” Lovino said nothing. He allowed the tense heaviness to settle among his shoulders, tighten his lungs, and spread between the space from where he stood to where Antonio was seated lethargically. Antonio’s gaze sharpened. Lovino, inclining his head slightly, whispered, “I won’t.” (completed)

A Dancing Star “Antonio is the easy-going, life-loving art professor and Lovino is the Italian exchange student who walks into his art studio. When Antonio falls in love he thought he only had his job to worry about, but maybe it’s Lovino’s dark secret that’ll push him away. Trigger warning for self-harm and dark themes.” (completed)

Kismet “Lovino learns the hard way that things change and that they can change quickly. The necklace fell and now he’s in a strange land far from home. Will he ever see his brother again? Will he find his way home? Or will he discover home is where the heart is? Fate is a strange woman and can work in mysterious ways.” (completed)

Let that be enough “Lovino had given up hoping for someone who’d care about him. Antonio never expected to fall for the most tormented guy in town. But dark secrets and hidden dangers threatens their blooming relationship. Is it over before it even begun..?” (completed)

Child services “Romano and Feliciano Vargas have just lost their parents. Romano, who is 22, must care for his 6 year old little brother. Enter Antonio Carreido, the agent from Child Services who must record his progress, however, it’s hard for the cheerful Spaniard to keep from falling in love with this little broken down family and with Romano.” (on-going)

Loving a Stranger “You don’t remember, but I know you. We were- I don’t even know how to describe our relationship. That sounds bad, I know. I think you might have been in love with me, although I cannot see why. That’s just what I’ve been told. I acted as though I hated you, but I never did. I was afraid, because you were kind to me. I didn’t know I loved you until you forgot me…“ (completed)

The Many Personalities of Spain “England casts a spell to rid himself of Spain. As expected it goes wrong; leaving Romano to deal with the many personalities of Spain. That sounds like a normal day for Romano, right? It would be if the personalities not had their own personifications.” (on-going)

Daisy Genocide “My name is Lovino Vargas but that’s not who I actually am. I’m my brother. They put his DNA into a little ball of jello and grew me like a house plant. To say it blatantly, I’m a clone and I’m in a disturbing amount of trouble. I’m about to tell the story of my fight to preserve my humanity followed by a vicious history of crime but it’s a secret. Nobody has to know.” (completed)

More Than Meets The Eye “Striving to find approval and meaning, Antonio throws himself into the world of art determined to come out on top. Yet, in all of his searching, burning, and pain, he never thought that a single culinary student could ever manage to tear down his walls and make him face his biggest fear; himself.” (on-going)

Cryonic “After suffering a fatal attack from an unknown illness, Lovino Vargas underwent cryopreservation, leaving behind his only family, his boyfriend, and a blooming company. Years later the effects are only just coming into play causing more problems than his preservation was supposed to solve. Human AU; T for language; pre-established Spamano.” (on-going)

All of Our Flaws “Antonio is a man whose world revolves around anyone but himself. Lovino is a man with dreams bigger than a job behind a drugstore counter. Antonio is broken; Lovino is incomplete. Will a chance meeting lead them to mending their cracks and finding their missing pieces? Human AU, trigger warning for self-harm.” (on-going)

Truly an artist “Having already completed college, Lovino Vargas lives in Madrid as an artist suffering from severe artist’s block. In one of his visits to his old school he runs into a new teacher, Antonio Fernández Carriedo, who decides he’ll be the one to help Lovino in his endeavor to find himself. However cheerful and optimistic, Lovino still feels there’s more to Antonio than he’s letting on.” (completed)

The Heartbreaker “Sometimes the best things happen unexpectedly. Certainly this is Antonio’s opinion at the moment. The handsome stranger he met upon moving to a new town in Italy seems to be able to do almost no wrong. Until he digs a little deeper below the surface and begins to discover an unsettling reputation. And if the rumours are true, is it wise to trust a man known as ‘The Heartbreaker?” (completed)

We sing, We dance, We eat tomatoes “When Lovino Vargas takes in a starving guitar player called the Curbside Prophet from the streets of Philadelphia, he isn’t expecting the man to tolerate him for more than a couple weeks, much less fall in love with him. Based on the the music by Jason Mraz.” (on-going)

Underwater Land “Antonio was a merman. Lovino hated water. It was truly a match made in heaven.” (completed)

Flashlight “If I throw a tomato at you, vampire bastard, will you still sparkle under the sauce?” Twilight parody. (completed)

Catch you, Catch me “Clumsy, clueless detective Romano is on the trail of the infamous handsome and charming thief El Apasionado Caballero. But there’s more to this, what seems like a simple game of cat and mouse, than meets the eye.” (completed)

Blackbird “Antonio walks into a small coffee joint, hoping for just some caffeine to take the edge off of late-night studying for midterms, and gets a whole lot more than he bargained for in the form of a snarky, foulmouthed, Italian barista.” (on-going)

Counting Stars “Antonio, failed writer and journalist, thinks things are finally going his way when he lands an interview with actor Lovino Vargas. But it’s only the start of a long line of problems… the biggest of which may be Vargas himself.” (on-going)

Cosa Nostra “Based on the historical background of the Sicilian Mafia during the First Mafia War starring Mafia!Romano.” (completed)

Tight Rope “Rich, spoiled kid Lovino Vargas hates pirates. Pirate captain Antonio Carriedo hates rich, spoiled kids. None of them ever thought they could feel something different from hatred towards one another. However, Fate seems to have different plans for them, and twists their lives in unexpected ways.” (on-going)

When You Recover “Nurse Lovino Vargas has to take care of brain damaged patient Antonio Carriedo, who seems to have a strange affection towards him. N-not that Lovino likes it! The Italian is determined to make the man recover, no matter what it takes. What will little Lovino get himself into with this patient?” (on-going)

Like All Things, It Ends “Lovino doesn’t want his family to know how much his childhood trauma still affects him and he does a good job at hiding it. That is, until he moves to a new town and meets Antonio, someone he is unable to hide anything from. (Warnings for PTSD, Depression, harmful thinking of oneself, and violent death of a loved one)” (completed)

Wish upon a star “A drunken wish on a star lands Lovino back in the time of pirates, and when he runs into a familiar face with an unfamiliar personality, he’ll start to question his own heart. Pirate!SpainxRomano. Rated for language, violence, and maybe mature situation” (completed)

Crooked Timber “As an artist, Lovino understands that perfection doesn’t exist. If only Antonio agreed with him, and stopped trying to hurt himself. -Human (College) AU. Spamano multi-chapter with other minor pairings. Depressed!Antonio, Writer!Antonio, Artist!Lovino- TW for self-harm.” (completed)

Just Pretend! “Romano liked Emma- a lot. Except her stupid big brother was too overprotective (and, okay, a little scary)! He wouldn’t allow any guy near her- unless they weren’t romantically interested in Emma. So, Romano decided to pretend to be gay, with the help of Antonio, in hopes of getting Emma to fall in love with him. Perfect plan, right?” (completed)

The Duty of an Elder Son “Lovino Vargas knew a lot about duty.” His Grandfather’s swollen empire puts all of his family in danger, the other gangs are massing, the police are on their tails and Lovino is given a bodyguard in one Antonio Carriedo. 1920s Mafia AU fic. (completed)

Flatmates “They were flatmates, they were best friends and they were really frustrated about relationships. So what would two young men do about this?” (completed)

Zero Tolerance “Lovino lives a perfect life. Or atleast thats how he is suppose to appear. Antonio lives a life as a dangerous gangbanger. North Side meets South Side as these two are partnered in their Chemistry class. But there is one chemical reaction these 2 arent prepared for- Love. AU, human names used. Based on the book “Perfect Chemistry” by Simone Elkeles.” (completed)

Your Love Can Be My SIght “Seventeen year old Lovino Vargas lost his sight in a terrible car accident. Antonio, a teacher at Lovino’s school was born without it. Can Antonio teach Lovino that even without sight, life can be beautiful?” (completed)

The Greatest Treasure, You Idiot! “Spinoff of the “Sea Foam” chapter in Hetalia Fairy Tales. Captain Carriedo of the pirate ship, Buscador Dorado, seeks a legendary treasure “that is worth gaining” with the help of the infamous wish-giver, Lovino. But what is the true treasure?” (completed)

Crowns of Triple Gold “Things are rarely simple for Romano in the Eternal City, especially when he falls for one of his clients, a Hispanian senator up for consul against his father.” (completed)

Prisoners on the Slave Ship of Love “Lovino Vargas has been captured and taken hostage in a pirate raid led by Captain Antonio Fernandez Carriedo and his band of Spanish buccaneers. Tensions grow high and hearts are tested when Lovino becomes Captain Carriedo’s personal prisoner…” (on-going)

The Lemon Tree “Lovino didn’t want to be a slave in that scary mansion. He needed to break free. The fight for independence, however, is a difficult path, and falling in love with the man that destroyed his life doesn’t make things any easier.” (completed)

Sun Kissed “A powerful man once created gods to rule the sky as the creatures of the land lives. The Sun and the Moon. Brothers since birth, and all powerful, they rule side by side. As time passes, the Sun realizes how unhappy he is watching people hide from him. What happens when he discovers a man who isn’t afraid to live under the harsh sun?” (completed)

Tesoro Mio “Antonio’s the charming, handsome farmer with an infuriating Spanish accent, and Lovino is the mysterious wine entrepreneur who comes and goes. When Antonio falls in love, he throws society, expectations, and religion to the wayside, but can a strict Catholic like Lovino do the same?” (completed)

Because of the war “A first person POV for Romano during and after WW2. His thoughts as he fights and survives. Beware of angst.” (completed)

Just Add one Mermaid’s Tear “To gain something of ultimate value; the unthinkable must be preformed. The line is etched upon the brow of every nation, the taste of the water still on their lips. What happens though when one nation desires the fountain of youth once more?” (completed)

Until the Moss Had Reached Our Lips, and Covered Up Our Names “In a city filled to the brim with gangs, all the territory split between them, peace has lasted for the past sixteen years. It’s a tentative peace, won after the last massive gang war reshaped the entire city. Except all it takes is one domino to fall, and the Vargas patriarch is dead, leaving behind Antonio to lead his house, who isn’t even his blood relative. With an untried Head, the balance of power has started to shift again, and it seems as good a time as any to start calling in old debts and revenges.” (on-going)

The Bet “When someone kisses you, and then moves away you’d think that would be it. But when Antonio comes back from Spain he wants Lovino to be his again. Except Lovino now hates Antonio…which sucks for Lovino because Antonio isn’t going to let go that easily.” (completed)

Wings “People ask me a lot why I love him. Why I spend so much time chasing him when he never returns my feelings. It’s because I see something they don’t.” (on-going)

My Heart is Drenched in Wine “Wine and romance. More importantly, when you cut through my wine!fangirling, this is a story about Lovino and Antonio and how they find their way back together (in spite of the past and occasionally the present) as they attempt to make wine and sometimes love.” (completed)

Of Two Minds “Feliciano and Lovino are living on the streets, with a secret that keeps them from getting close to anyone. Will their lives get better or worse after being forced to join a pirate crew, and what will happen when their secret finally comes out? Rated T for some (minor) violence, Romano’s mouth, and some angsty feelings. Pirate AU.” (completed)

Beats of Fever “Antonio Fernández Carriedo is a doctor working in Madrid dealing with a crush on an Italian tourist when the tensions in Spain reach a head and Civil War breaks out.” (on-going)

All of Our Sins “Lovino is Catholic, but he’s not entirely sure what he believes. Nevertheless, he and his brother Feliciano are forced to attend confirmation classes. When Lovino meets their group leader- bizarre, cheerful Antonio; one of the first people to treat Lovino like he matters- things get complicated. When they find this church is much darker than it appears, things get terrifying. Fast.” (completed)

Es Sólo Tu Corazón “Lovino has been in love with Spain for as long as he can remember. All he wants is to be with his former caretaker, but he soon finds out that the Spain he knew as a child is no longer there…and the real one is far more dangerous.” (on-going)

There Goes My Life “Antonio, 26, a old gourmet chef, a bachelor who’s all party. Lovino a 20 y/o premed student who only has one goal, to be become a doctor. He is determined to let his feelings for the Spaniard fade away, but after receiving devastating news, a drunken one night stand leads to the end of life as Lovino knows it.” (on-going)

As We Were “Rich, bored and unhappy, Lovino Vargas is the heir to his grandfather’s wine brand. Antonio is the restless young traveller prone to attacks of claustrophobia. For them, falling in love is a journey. Literally. Spamano, Human AU, multi-chapter. Warnings for language and sexual themes.” (completed)

NekoRoma “Antonio has been feeling lonely with his recent break up with his on/off boyfriend. The solution: a new kitten that his boss doesn’t want. Just as he gets used to this cat, a new challenge is thrown at him. How do you teach a cat to be human?” (completed)

Summer Sensations “The hot summer nights of Madrid bring many things, but one very special night changes two lives forever. Lovino learns that love is not such a frivolous thing after all.” (completed)

Fools Like Us “What starts out as a normal Friday night for the “Bad Touch Trio” soon becomes an opportunity for Francis to use his favorite word in reference to his best friends. Unfortunately, Gilbert and Antonio couldn’t possibly have fallen for people who would return their feelings easily, but Francis is determined to help them out despite his own relationship-or lack thereof.” (completed)

Hear Me “Antonio and Lovino are trying their best to get by in high school, but between the stresses of grades, family, friends, and heartache, it’s a lot harder than it looks.” (completed)

Fame and Fortune “Lovino Vargas is a barkeeper and reluctant Stasi informant. As much as he despises what he does, he obeys the terrifying Red Army colonel, Ivan Braginsky. That is, until the secretive and frustratingly attractive Antonio Fernandez Carriedo arrives in his life and breaks all the rules. Inspired by the Elvis Presley song of the same name.” (on-going)

It’s all Antonio’s Fault “Condoms, footballs to the stomach, fake nurses, confusing hallways, and flying backpacks. Lovino Vargas’s first day at World Academy was already one of his worst, and he could only imagine that it would spiral downwards as he got to know the tomato bastard, otherwise known as Antonio Fernandez Carriedo.” (on-going)

My Antonio “Going against everything in his strict, Catholic upbringing, Lovino has fallen desperately into love and lust for his family’s Spanish stable boy, Antonio.” (completed)

Sound Life “Spain is dead, leaving Romano distraught and wishing for there to be a way for him to see his beloved Spaniard alive and healthy…Only to wake up in a strange alternate world… with another Spain seeking his affection.” (completed)

Possessively Scary “Romano begins college late with his brother after their nonno passes away. When entering, he meets a very strange Spaniard. The man is odd but still attractive at the same time. As they get closer, Romano learns more about Antonio and doesn’t know if he should be scared of the man or not. Can he get out of something he got himself into?” (on-going)

This Dance “Antonio wants Lovino to be his dancepartner at Austria’s ball. Lovino, struggling with his growing feelings of love and affection for everyone’s favorite tomato-bastard as always, agrees. Now, there could be worse things, right?” (completed)

Powdered Sugar “Truth, like powdered sugar, tastes sweet but goes down cold. If a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, we might need a bit more.” (completed)

Singles “Antonio, Francis, and Gilbert are three friends who suffered their first heartbreaks at the age of fifteen, and made a pact to never fall in love again. That will change for Antonio when he first lays eyes on a brown-haired young man in a club…” (completed)

A Heated Story “Sky High / superpower hs au. wip. Lovino Vargas is a new kid at Sky High with his brother. He has the power to control fire. Only one problem, he hates the heat. Spamano, and other ships. Doesn’t actually have anything to do with the movie, just used the school.” (on-going)

I Don’t Hate You “Lovino and his brothers face the unknown while on a mission to Earth. The Italian angel comes up against more than he bargained for when a dark angel takes a liking to him and now he and Feliciano might be cast out.” (completed)

Like all things, it ends “Lovino doesn’t want his family to know how much his childhood trauma still affects him and he does a good job at hiding it. That is, until he moves to a new town and meets Antonio, someone he is unable to hide anything from.” (completed)

Disegno e Colore “A young, apprenticing artist, Lovino craves rationality, perfection, and self-possession, and has curated his life to one day attain that. He never expected a chaotic and brash painter to barrel into his life and test everything Lovino thought he wanted and knew of himself, his art, and his heart.” (on going)

Land Beyond Dreams “Antonio is saved from death by someone he’d spoken to only a few times, but who lost his life in the process. Grief-stricken, he only wishes he could have gotten to know his savior, when his dreams suddenly become reality…or are they still only dreams?” (completed)

It’s All Antonio’s Fault “Condoms, footballs to the stomach, fake nurses, confusing hallways, and flying backpacks. Lovino Vargas’s first day at World Academy was already one of his worst, and he could only imagine that it would spiral downwards as he got to know the tomato bastard, otherwise known as Antonio Fernandez Carriedo.” (on-going)

A tale of endurance “Lovino had no idea what to do. Knowing that your life will be over in half a year tends to do that to you. Well, one thing he knew for sure. No one would ever discover this until the day he was pushing daisies. And that was a fact.” (completed)

The Risk of Love “Romano is dead and Spain is broken, spiralling into the deep, blackness of depression. And as he locks himself from the outside world, isolating himself from his friends, from everyone, in his oblivion of pain, Romano find’s he’s the only one who can help. Only, how can useless ghost like him even dream to help the slowly dying love of his life?” (completed)

Dance with me “Lovino Vargas started taking tango lessons completely by accident. Who would have thought that one day he wouldn’t mind those hands roaming over his body? That he would be dancing with his teacher as if there was no one in the room but the two of them?” (on-going)

Fireflies “Lovino was abandoned in Italy with his grandfather at age seven because his parents liked his little brother better than they liked him. On his way back from America, he sits next to a far too happy Spaniard. But, when this childish Spaniard turns out to be his new teacher, what will happen? And with a field trip to Venice on the way, what antics will they get up to?” (on-going)

El Corazón del Pirata “Fate is once kind, twice cruel. And Captain Antonio Fernandez Carriedo does not have a heart, nor does he fall in love with his prisoners. But Lovino Vargas might just be the fuel to his flame - certainly there’s more to him than meets the eye.” (completed)

More Than Lust “Why did the Spaniard always hope for the impossible? That Romano would come to him one day, confessing his feelings, and they would make LOVE? That they would cry out each others names, he could hold the Italian, wake up the next morning, and he would still be there?” (completed)

The Prince and the Pauper “When Prince Feliciano goes missing, it is up to a poor servant boy Romano to step in to take his place and thwart an evil plan to take over the kingdom. However, falling in love was something neither one anticipated. Based off of the Princess and the Pauper.” (completed)

Talking to My Shadow “Lovino spends his life telling doctors about his brother, Feliciano. They hear about his look-alike brother everyday but never see him. Lovino is finally taken to a new physiologist and he meets the doctor’s son, a springy little Spaniard who’s excited to help his new friend, no matter the difficulty. Will this illness mean a life time of seclusion for Lovino or can he win?” (completed)

Spend my time dancing “As much as Lovino loved seeing the upperclassman in his soccer jersey, he’d much rather help him take it off. It’s about time they started playing on the same field. AU. SpaMano. Various others. All’s fair in love and soccer.” (completed)

Maybe, Just Maybe “Romano couldn’t help but be instantly attracted to the stranger on the train, the one with bright green eyes and an unforgettable smile. How could something so simple end up changing his life so much?” (completed)

Dead Alone “Lovino drains the life from anything he touches, seriously. It seems that he’s the embodiment of death while his lively twin brother is his counterpart life. He has isolated himself from everyone, for their own protection. So what happens when a new transfer student decides to take an interest in him his freshman year of high school?” (on-going)

Lovino and the Conquistador “Lovino lived a life of simple pleasures; a good book, his own little world and an odd, but loving, family. However, in order to save his family, he must take their place as prisoner of a hideous beast within a gloomy castle. Based on “Beauty and the Beast” (completed)

Truth Be Told “The Well of Uncomfortable Truths is discovered & deals Spain a hard fact- "Whenever you said you loved him, you didn’t really mean it. You were thinking of his brother. They were empty words.” Can Romano be convinced about whom the Well was talking about?” (completed)

Scaliest “When his entire life is taken from him, Antonio vowed to slay the beast that ruined his life no matter the cost. But on his travels he meets a secretive, sassy bard who might be more helpful than either of them realize. Is vengeance the answer or is there more at stake?” (on-going)

All I’ve lost “Lovino Vargas has slowly fallen into the trap that is Anorexia. He meets Antonio who is a strangely kind kid. Lovino thinks maybe, just maybe…there is hope. Warnings: Depression, anorexia, bulimia, mental illness and bullying.” (completed)

Infection “Antonio didn’t know what to think of the man who randomly showed up in his home… completely naked. Yet, he still found himself drawn to this “Lovino”, only to be thrown into his worst nightmare.” (on-going)

Tomato Angel “What happens when Antonio get’s jealous? (Aftermath of ‘Awesome Being Evil’)” (completed)

Step-Lovers “King Romulus is getting married to Queen Isabel. While the wedding goes smoothly, things don’t go all that smooth for Antonio and Lovino. The heat is especially turned up when it’s decided that there will be a competition for who gets to be heir to the throne.” (completed)

There goes my life “Antonio, 26, a old gourmet chef, a bachelor who’s all party. Lovino a 20 y/o premed student who only has one goal, to be become a doctor. He is determined to let his feelings for the Spaniard fade away, but after receiving devastating news, a drunken one night stand leads to the end of life as Lovino knows it.” (on-going)

Broken Wings, Healed Hearts “Junior Lovino Vargas, a broken angel, has a dark secret he’s determined to keep to himself, now matter how much of an outcast it makes him. But will his new neighbor, Antonio, change that?” (completed)

The Reunion “Light or Dark?” Lovino asked. Feliciano studied him before answering. “Light. Light always wins” When Feliciano Vargas catches the eye of a mysterious man only by the name of “The Lord,” he finds himself and his brother on an adventure ending in Germany’s infamous Black Forest. However, the Lord’s affections are not what they appear to be and Lovino finds himself worried there is a worse threat other than some creep trying to get into his brother’s pants. (on-going)

Slowly But Surely In Love “Lovino Vargas turns fifteen, the age at which the words of peoples’ soul-mates say to them when they first meet is branded onto their wrists. Feliciano has a brand as soon as the hand strikes midnight, but why doesn’t Lovino?” (completed)

Life with Lyrics Lovino Style “Lovino struggles with what he believes is a one-sided crush and his completely oblivious, also entirely too cheerful, brother. Mentions of suicide, but not a death fic!” (completed)

Walking the Line “Maybe stumbling into Walmart in search of supplies during the end of the world wasn’t as good of an idea as Lovino initially thought. Nothing screamed desperate like raiding the aisles of a fucking Walmart for food while a hoard of the undead snarled at him from outside, but that didn’t seem to matter to the armed trio he stumbled into, or more specifically, the odd Spaniard munching on Skittles. His ideas were getting to be pretty lackluster these days.” (ongoing)

Hymn to the Sea “Please, call me Antonio,” he says. “Oh, and Lovino?” “What?” Lovino snaps, a little sharper than he wants when his brain has finally caught up to his embarrassment and he realizes he’s acting like a love-sick child. He finds he still can’t keep up when Antonio’s smile changes into something different: not the friendliness it was earlier nor the comforting warmth it was moments ago. No, this one is affectionate. “I prefer your smile over Feliciano’s any day,” he says, quiet and honest. (completed)

I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You “Throughout the 500 years they spent together, Antonio never stopped reminding Lovino of how special he was, and Lovino never stopped making Antonio the happiest man on earth.” (completed)

Lentamente “Antonio and Lovino are struggling with catastrophic life changes. A traumatic event leaves Antonio scared of his own shadow; a romantic betrayal destroys Lovino’s ability to trust people. And when coping seems impossible, can dance save them?” (completed)

We’d Be Together “Something felt off about Antonio’s new home. The stairs creaked, the windows groaned, and in the mirror he saw a face he didn’t know. The face was young but the gestures old; Toni began a romance untold. He felt an issue new to most… if only he could touch Lovino the ghost.” (completed)

Blessed WIth A Curse “Monsters are real… and they didn’t just hide in your closet or under your bed. Too bad they came in the form of Antonio Fernandez Carriedo- a Spaniard too sexy for his own good. / AU Vampire!AntonioxLovino” (on-going)

Speak “Lovino is shy. So is Antonio. Oh dear…” (completed)

You Belong With Me “Lovino wished for a lot of things. He wished he had a family or food or fitting clothes or friends but mainly just wished to belong. He doesn’t quite get what he wished for when he meets filthy rich Antonio, who just came from Spain and has settled in the same town as the little thief. Still…it’s a start.” (completed)

The Witch of Sicily “There were still whispers, rumors that the witch of Sicily remained in that forest, cursing all who would come near. It was a place many feared to tread, treated almost as sacred ground. Only fools would dare incite the wrath of the witch by entering that place. Only fools…and pirates.” (on-going)

We the Dreamers “New York City, 1940: Antonio is a recently arrived refugee from Spain, a scarred soldier with firm political convictions. For Lovino, everything is pointless and nothing ever lasts. The two of them live, love and dream desperately, as World War Two threatens to take it all away.” (completed)

Guide Me “After witnessing a startling event, Lovino Vargas finds himself stricken with blindness from a psychological misfortune called ‘conversion disorder’. Without anyone to guide him, he is placed with Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, a novice seeing-eye counselor, who will try to help him regain his sight and if not, teach him how to live in the new dark, lonely world ahead of him.” (completed)

Pirate’s Lullaby “It was the last thing in the world that Lovino Vargas wanted. To fall in love with Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. But when the pirate takes him aboard his ship, Lovino learns that maybe it’s not so bad to be a pirate.” (on-going)

Infamous “Lovino was a childhood actor, but once the show he was a part of got canceled he thought he was free and could leave all the acting and fame up to his brother Feliciano. However, when a 'follow up’ episode is decided upon ten years later, he ends up going back. There he sees a familiar, face; Antonio Carriedo, a singer with his eye on Lovi making normal impossible” (completed)

Guilty Bliss “Lovino has had a drug problem for years that he’s never been able to stop. With his debts getting out of hand, Lovino finds himself in situations that made him wish he had quit.” (completed)

Bottoms Up! “Follow Lovino on his weird and, well, at least quite interesting trip around Europe in order to find out some of the greatest secrets ever about himself, Europe, tomato-shaped alarm clocks and the past of his lovely, but complicated Spanish partner.” (completed)

A Trip To Spain Could Only End In “Lovino is a foreign exchange student in Spain. Things were going just brilliantly before he happened upon a Spanish restaurant in the heart of Madrid where he laid eyes on a certain Spanish Sex God…” (completed)

The Pirates Treasure “Pirate Captain Antonio wants one thing, and one thing only; a mermaid. Boy or girl doesn’t matter, as long as they are royalty and can make him jewels.He’s got his wish, but dealing with this prince is going to be much harder than he thought.” (completed)

Strike a Pose, Fake a Smile “Antonio loves the stage; Romano hates it. So when he’s “convinced” into coming to drama club, he’s not gonna like it. In fact, he’s going to say things that he’ll regret. And because he’s such a good actor, this time Antonio believes him. Uh-oh.” (completed)

A Helping Hand “Antonio owns a cafe low on business. One day a strange boy comes in, running from a group of men and covered in wounds. Antonio offers for him to stay and repay him with work. As payment, the boy Lovino begins to make new dishes to bring more people into the cafe. Who is this boy and why won’t he tell Antonio anything but his name and age?” (completed)

A Beautiful Story “Lovino Romano Vargas is a suicidal designer who is unhappy with his fate. One day, he chances to meet Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, who turns his life upside down.” (completed)

Careless “This year, Antonio had priorities: grades, girlfriend and the Football competition, securing college with his two best friends! But that was before the Vargas moved in with all their drama including kidnapping, threats, and football talents. If anyone asks Lovino, not getting killed would be a clear ecstatic success. He is just what Antonio needed, or not.” (on-going)

This is it for now but I might update this if I get any suggestions, if I remember any fanfic that I missed or if I find any new good ones. If you’re an author and want me to add your fanfic or if you just want to suggest me one don’t be afraid to PM me! (because this is a masterlist after all)

175 notes · View notes

jojotier · 4 years ago

Text

prodigal son, denied.

(SPOILERS for ch197 onward in the manga for Koito’s backstory)

Before Heinojou joined the navy he had wanted to be an artist.

Heinojou had drawn plenty as a child, being easy-going and mild in temperament, but it wasn’t to be the focus of his studies. Heiji remembered having to be severe with the boy a few times, when he grew too absorbed in doodling petals and branches on the back of completed notebook paper instead of moving on to the next subject- but as he grew, he drew less and less. When he was accepted to the navy, he had stopped drawing entirely, dedicating himself fully to his military career.

Or so Heiji thought. He must have continued his art in secret because among the scarce items that had been delivered along with Heinojou’s waterlogged corpse was a sleek black sketchbook of European make.

For years, Heiji kept it underneath the altar, away from prying eyes and the gaze of Heinojou’s photograph. Brushing past it while dusting the dark wood of the cabinet, for those same years, Heiji had resisted the urge to slip the thin book out and open its stained cover. It was an artifact of a time that Heiji had not been privy to as his father; a secret that had been taken to his grave and delivered back with effusive, impersonal apologies.

Heiji tried to ignore its presence as best he could, telling himself that opening it could come when the pain wasn’t so raw. Telling himself that opening it would merely be digging salt into a wound that was only now beginning to scab over on the sides, years after. Loss did nothing to temper the fire in his blood, and it was that fire that licked along the edges of the hole where his oldest son had left, cauterizing it open. It was a void that would never fill, and therefore, the sketchbook must also never open.

But if he leaned too close, even beneath the cloying floral scent of incense he lit, there was the faintest breath of salt and gunpowder. It was a deceptively familiar scent- the scent of Heiji’s own fleet, riding through calm waters as he sat down to clean out his weapon. The last scents that Heinojou would have been wrapped in, underneath the overwhelming stench of iron blood.

It was the closest that Heiji would ever be to knowing his son’s last thoughts. That was the reason why, with the murmurings of a coming war scratching outside the closed window and Russian affairs to sift through outside the room, Heiji’s resolve wilted away.

Heiji remained in the room long after he was supposed to depart to meet his son for breakfast, cradling the ebony binding in his hands. The wooden floor grew harsh under his knees and the paper was sharp against the calluses of his fingers, but he was unable to stop himself from opening the sketchbook. The first page was adorned with several offhand lines of words- Heinojou’s name, a reminder to figure out a telegram system, and a few half-formed poetic thoughts that trailed off into the elegant bow of barren branches.

Thumbing the edge of a thin page, he turned, looking over the cross-hatched detail of several sceneries blending and crashing together like waves on the sea- the port of Kagoshima bled into the countryside of their misty summer home in Kuchinoerabu, rising high over the rolling waves of the deck of Heinojou’s ship.

From there, the pages held pencil sketches, then charcoal drawings, and then images shaded with the remnants of gunpowder when his son had seemingly run out of writing utensils. Heinojou had always had an eye for the natural world and he applied it here, even to the unnatural. Man-made metal and wooden structures were cut out of the mantle of the earth, encrusted with natural life and jewels of gleaming eyes from animal life. Memories were printed in layers on top of the imagined.

After a page occupied with a stylized sketch of a toddler Otonoshin, unshaded and shaky, the pages were wholly blank.

That drawing of his younger brother had been the last thing Heinojou drew; a plain set of lines, filled only with a few dried droplets of what Heiji hoped was saltwater and a single drip of rust. Heiji felt along the sharp edge of the page and found it stained similarly with the brown of dried blood- a papercut, the smallest and most human of Heinojou’s injuries on the day when he was pumped full of lead.

Heiji knew there was nothing beyond that point, but it didn’t stop him from fingering through the rest of the pages in the thin book; carefully trying to unstick the clumps where water had glued bunches of pages together in twos, in threes, with stains left from the ink running from upper pages and the diluted spatter of nitroglycerin. There was nothing more to see.

For a moment, Heiji mourned how cruel it was, to feel so close to Heinojou only after his death.

For another moment more, Heiji wondered what would have happened- how things might have been different if the night before Heinojou had been deployed, if when Heinojou had come to him, shaken, and told him I was not built for this, for fighting like this, for pulling the trigger- if instead of reassuring him with talk of honor, of things becoming easier with time, he had pressed this blank sketchbook into his hands and said, I’ll love you regardless.

Heinojou would have lived, possibly. A blight on Heiji’s reputation, a living monument to Heiji’s weakness for a sneering public- but alive. A light to the toddler he had died thinking about, the family that he had missed terribly even in the final moments when his breath bubbled away.

The scabbed over edges of his heart were split and yet Heiji knew, through the sharp ache, that he did not regret it.

Heiji sat in silence, staring at the back cover that threatened to fall through his fingers in brittle chunks. The whisper of the sliding door and the soft voice of his wife finally broke through the quiet many minutes later. “Heiji-don,” Hideko gently said. She waited for Heiji to wipe his eyes and close the book, setting it back in its hiding place before she curtly continued, ��Will you please come and eat with us?”

It wasn’t much of a family meal with one seat empty, but Heiji shook his head to clear out the errant thought. He’d lost the right to think as such, especially after all these years. “... Of course,” Heiji said instead. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“There’s no need for apologies.” She shut her eyes and turned, leaving. Heiji sighed. He didn’t want to push, but… it had also been a long time since either of them acknowledged Heinojou outside of this room. Glancing again at the photograph of Heinojou’s smiling face, he stood and left.

Placing a hand on her arm once he caught up to her, he silently asked her to stop. Hideko did, but before he could say anything he was interrupted by heavy footsteps barreling down the hall. Heiji turned his attention to find a woman, hands shaking around where they balled up in the fabric of her sash around a piece of paper.

“Koito-don-” The woman said, bowing at the waist.

“Iruka-san,” Heiji acknowledged, “what happened?”

The maid was breathing heavily as she said, “The young master- he’s disappeared.” The color from her face faded as quickly as the breath in Heiji’s lungs. “The only thing he left was-”

Shaky black scrawl spilled onto a scrap of tea-stained paper. Heiji didn’t so much as read the letter as the words war and readiness branded his eyes, threatening ruin with a single line.

Otonoshin was trying to go to war.

Heiji needed to leave for the nearest recruitment office. It didn’t matter that there were dozens nearby, or that Otonoshin was likely lost somewhere among the hordes of recruits anywhere in the city-

Beside him, Hideko gave a gentle keen of heartbreak behind the hand sealing her mouth. She had been frailer, lately, as their loss continued to gain water weight from years’ worth of storms and grief; her voice passed through the gaps in her fingers in a high, barely suppressed cry.

His wife had already suffered unnecessarily from his failures as a father. That was the reason why, despite the fear and anger and litany of too soon, it’s too soon burning in his veins, Heiji numbly made his way to their telephone and made some calls. Rather than leave it up to chance and his own running, Otonoshin would be returned by the end of the hour, squirming and shouting in the hands of a seventh division officer. All Otonoshin would know was Heiji’s distant reprimand, devoid of either anger or warmth, drained onto Heinojou’s art.

Koito’s time would come soon enough.

Tsurumi, as always, was there at Heiji’s call with kind suggestions and a steady hand.

#golden kamuy #koito otonoshin #koito heiji #koito heinojou #golden kamui #gk #my writing #fanfiction #grief/mourning #historical fiction #manga spoilers

10 notes · View notes

aion-rsa · 4 years ago

Text

Oscars 2021 Predictions and Analysis of Frontrunners

https://ift.tt/3s3HJE1

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Oscars 2021 nominations is how unsurprising they were. There were course a handful of snubs, from One Night in Miami and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom being left out of the Best Picture category to LaKeith Stanfield surprising awards watchers with a Best Supporting Actor nod thanks to Judas and the Black Messiah (displacing Chadwick Boseman from Da 5 Bloods). But by and large? Things proceeded the way prognosticators pretty much expected.

With the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences picks in, we can see that David Fincher’s Mank is the technical favorite with below the line voters, pushing the Netflix deconstruction of Golden Age Hollywood to eight nominations. These include major nods for Picture, Director and Best Actor (Gary Oldman) and Best Supporting Actress (Amanda Seyfried), but also a lot of technical recognition too in Cinematography, Production Design, Costume, and Makeup and Hairstyling.

Even so, the obvious frontrunner remains Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland, a beautiful film that turns the tragedy of the Great Recession into a bittersweet celebration of American Nomad culture. The Searchlight Pictures release garnered six nominations, including Zhao in the Best Director category and another for Best Picture. Zhao’s directing nod, alongside Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman, additionally made history with this being the first time two women were nominated in the Best Director category in the same year.

Meanwhile fans still mourning Chadwick Boseman’s tragic loss, as well as celebrating his tour de force final performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, can take some small comfort in the actor being the heavily favored contender in the Best Actor category.

In the end, things proceeded more or less as how the breathless awards race media class hoped it would. All of which raises an interesting question: Will there be any actual surprises then on Oscar night? Well… below is our best, and entirely too early, guess at what will win Best Picture and the other major categories. Be sure to check back here on Oscar night to remind us how wrong we were.

Just for clarity, nominees we want to win will be italicized while the ones we think will win will be bolded. When they’re one in the same, one contender will be italicized and bolded.

Best Picture

The Father Judas and the Black Messiah Mank Minari Nomadland Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7

I’m not sure I can think of a year with a more clear cut and inevitable frontrunner than Nomadland in 2021. There have been other years with dominant frontrunners—almost every year in fact—including several that go on to win, such as Green Book just two award seasons ago. However, there is almost always a counter-narrative that threatens the perceived frontrunner. Sometimes those whisper campaigns unseat the presumptive winner (see La La Land and 1917), and sometimes they don’t. But in the case of Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland there isn’t even a serious challenger.

This in part because Zhao made an extraordinary film which uncannily mixed documentarian filmmaking and its study of real-life American Nomads with narrative storytelling. It’s a trick Zhao has done several times before, including memorably with the Independent Spirit Award winner, The Rider. But here it is done with Oscar favorite in star Frances McDormand, and it draws attention to a whole culture of forgotten (white) Americans. Additionally, Nomadland is opening in a pandemic year where most of the more traditional awards contenders have vacated. The ones that haven’t are mostly being produced by Netflix, including The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Mank. The former might be a real contender for Best Picture under different circumstances, but the Academy is notoriously recalcitrant toward awarding Best Picture to Netflix originals and other streaming efforts. Just ask Roma for more.

Nomadland braved a small theatrical debut ahead of its premiere on Hulu, supporting the theatrical experience during COVID, while Chicago 7 was snubbed a Best Director nomination, suggesting there is some skepticism toward the film among a large wing of Academy voters. Mank, meanwhile, is an acquired taste that appeals to my personal sensibility. But it’s quite cold and less a love letter to the movie industry than a loving middle finger. That fact will probably hurt it in a number of categories, including Best Original Screenplay where it was snubbed today.

Best Director

Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round David Fincher, Mank Lee Isaac Chung, Minari Chloé Zhao, Nomadland Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

While I would vote another way for Best Picture, I am totally onboard with seeing Zhao pick up the Best Director plaudit. Hers is an entirely unique cinematic voice that has successfully blurred the lines of how narrative filmmaking can be conveyed, and she’s done so while cultivating a great sense of empathy in Nomadland. The picture that finds beauty and resilience in a story that could’ve been a tragedy, memorializing the Americans left behind by the Great Recession.

Her groundbreaking techniques make her stand out in her field. Plus, Academy will be acutely self-conscious this year about the disappointing fact that only one other woman, Kathryn Bigelow, has won a Best Director Oscar. So be prepared for Zhao to make that two.

Best Actress

Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman Frances McDormand, Nomadland Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Carey Mulligan is phenomenal in Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman. Acerbic but devastating, guarded but vulnerable, and equal parts righteous and occasionally terrifying, she provides a multifaceted turn unlike anything else we’ve seen from the now twice-nominated actor. Previously she was recognized for her ingénue breakout in An Education, but now as an adult thespian, she’s a true revelation. That narrative will appeal to Academy voters, especially as they tend to favor younger actresses in the lead category. Frances McDormand is a famous exception to that rule, but McDormand has two Oscars already, and one is for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri from only three years ago. Also Mulligan is much more keen on playing the awards season campaign game.

Admittedly, Andra Day won for Best Actress in a Drama at the Golden Globes … but the Globes are always going to be their own thing (ask Jodie Foster for more). And while Day is wonderful in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, that movie’s more meager quality is going to be an albatross.

Best Actor

Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Anthony Hopkins, The Father Gary Oldman, Mank Steven Yeun, Minari

In his final performance, Chadwick Boseman is heartbreaking and utterly riveting. All strained bravado and barely masked desperation, his Levee is cool to a tragic fault in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The film he occupies, based on the August Wilson play of the same name, enjoys its contrasts about Black artists navigating white dominated industries. But while Viola Davis’ charismatic turn is above the title, the B-side to her story as embodied by Levee is where the film’s ghosts wait. And they stayed with me long after the Netflix film ended.

Movies

How Chadwick Boseman Created His Final Performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

By Don Kaye

Movies

Promising Young Woman: Director Emerald Fennell Breaks Down the Ending

By Rosie Fletcher

Boseman deserves a posthumous Oscar for his turn—which would make him only the third performer to win one after Peter Finch for Network and Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight—and he’ll almost certainly get it on Oscar night.

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova, Borat Glenn Close, Hillbilly Eleg Olivia Colman, The Father Amanda Seyfried, Mank Youn, Yuh-jung, Minari

Conventional wisdom says Olivia Colman will win Best Supporting Actress for The Father. The Academy certainly likes her, having awarded her Best Actress two years ago for The Favourite, and the Academy also has a history of being more lenient on relative back-to-back Oscars in the Supporting category, unlike the historical precedents in the leading actor categories. However, I’m taken by the relative lack of consensus-building around Colman to date. Granted the Golden Globes denied Colman in favor of Jodie Foster, whose performance wasn’t even recognized by the Oscars this year. But the Critics Choice Awards also overlooked Colman while providing Maria Bakalova with a surprise win for Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm.

Precedent should still make me wary of picking Bakalova to win the award. After all, it’s a comedic performance which the Academy usually shies away from. However, this comedic turn was so good, it was able to expose Rudy Giuliani to be a creep with his hand down his pants in front of the world. That will appeal to Academy voters, especially after a year like 2020. Meanwhile my personal choice—Amanda Seyfried’s understated but wholly authentic restoration of Marion Davies’ image after Citizen Kane—may suffer from just a general apathy toward that film’s demeanor, at least from above the line voters. Her snub by her peers at the SAG Awards unfortunately speaks poorly of her chances.

Best Supporting Actor

Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami Paul Raci, Sound of Metal LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

Daniel Kaluuya’s performance in Judas and the Black Messiah is a sweltering achievement. With limited screen time—despite being the ostensible messiah of the film’s title—Kaluuya is searing as the Black Panther Party Chairman who created the Rainbow Coalition and was hounded to his death by the FBI through illegal means. I’m also partial to Sacha Baron Cohen’s turn in The Trial of the Chicago 7 where he showed a more sardonic range as a counterculture activist in the Windy City. But even I’ll concede his performance isn’t the one folks will probably be quoting for years to come.

Best Original Screenplay

Judas and the Black Messia Minari Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7

Traditionally the Screenplay categories are where Academy voters tend to recognize the more challenging outside-the-mainstream Best Picture nominees they don’t want to give the top prize to. Ergo, it’s a great place for Emerald Fennell to pick up an award for Promising Young Woman. The movie is too candy colored bleak and light hearted in its tragedies to garner enough Academy support in Best Picture, but its originality will be awarded here.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Borat 2 The Father Nomadland One Night in Miami The White Tiger

I suspect the love for Nomadland will continue in the Adapted Screenplay category with Zhao picking up another Oscar. While the screenplay is quite brilliant, I personally feel the movie’s greater achievement is in its visual storytelling and melding of real stories with a broader fictional narrative. Whereas Kemp Powers’ adaptation of his own play is magnificent. There is a fair criticism to be made that Powers couldn’t fully escape the stageniess of his original conceit about spending a night in a motel room with Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. But the acute intelligence of his dialogue, and the way it cuts to the tensions of Black responsibility juxtaposed with soft American power, is as potent as it is finally exciting.

Best Cinematography

Judas and the Black Messiah Mank News of the World Nomadland The Trial of the Chicago 7

I suppose I’m predicting a sweep for Nomadland, which in some ways will be earned. In others it may not, such as if Sean Bobbitt’s cinematography in Judas and the Black Messiah.

Best Film Editing

The Father Nomadland Promising Young Woman Sound of Metal The Trial of the Chicago 7

Film editing should be the one category Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 has locked up. With a breathless pace executed in nervy style by Alan Baumgarten, The Trial of the Chicago 7 makes dialogue exchanges out to be as exciting as any special effects-heavy set piece.

Best Costume Design

Emma. Mank Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Mulan Pinocchio

I suspect Costumes will be one area where Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom receives some technical applause by the Academy. However, I think the pastel and historically accurate designs in Autumn de Wilde’s meticulously designed Emma. shouldn’t go overlooked.

Best Production Design

The Father Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Mank News of the World Tenet

The amount of painstaking research and effort that went into so minutely recreating 1930s Hollywood in David Fincher’s Mank is undeniable. While I am expecting largely a shutout for my favorite film of last year, this will be one place where Mank will not go ignored.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Emma Hillbilly Elegy Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Mank Pinocchio

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom can win for Viola Davis’ immersive transformation into the Mother of the Blues alone.

Best Original Score

Da 5 Bloods Mank Minari News of the World Soul

It stands to reason that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will pick up another Oscar for the score of Soul, which will also mark the first one for co-writer Jon Batiste. This would be a happy outcome, but if I’m honest the Emile Mosseri score of Minari touched me more.

Best Animated Feature Film

Onward Over the Moon A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Soul Wolfwalkers

It’s another open and shut year for Pixar thanks to Soul. There’s of course a case to be made for Wolfwalkers, which was a beautiful work of art that’s actually hand drawn. But it’s an open secret that most Academy voters (sadly) do not watch all the animated nominees, and pick solely from the Pixar/Disney catalog. And Soul really is one of the best Pixar films in quite a while so…

Best Visual Effects

Love and Monsters The Midnight Sky Mulan The One and Only Ivan Tenet

There is precedent for the Academy to award less than deserving films in this category simply because the winner is associated with a more popular movie in above the line categories. However, none of the above the line darlings were visual effects heavy this year, and for whatever you might think about Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, there is no denying its visual wizardry is astounding, from the stunt work that sees men bungie jumping upwards to having in-camera effects happening simultaneously in different time streams. So the movie that wanted to “save cinema” may not be entirely overlooked by the industry on Oscar night.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The post Oscars 2021 Predictions and Analysis of Frontrunners appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/30PQKEk

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

2 notes · View notes

1morefix · 5 years ago

Photo

"Suffer the darkness for it shall show you the light” That's what’s tattooed on my husband's arm and it resonated with me from the moment we met as friends. This drawing is a reflection of a movement that was initiated in me from the time I started creating to the present. There wasn’t a dark art movement when I was a child writing my illustrated “Miscarried Monster” book based off of my mother’s experiences. As an adult, this kind of work was typically shunned, loosely categorized as horror, turned away from the gallery scene or simply ignored. It also made me question my path and it was a heartbreaking endeavor to purge ideas that were constantly unaccepted or unappreciated. Over time, things have changed. History has an interesting way of re-evaluating it’s contestants. You might be a villain in your lifetime and a hero in the future and vice versa. You never know what side of history you’re going to fall on because, as you can plainly see in the last 10 years, perspectives change dramatically. This movement we’re a part of has primarily been perceived as low brow, but it’s growing exponentially and, one day, it will be highbrow. I can almost guarantee that. It may not happen in my lifetime, but I’m okay with that. It’s romantic to be loved in death, isn’t it? In the art world, posthumous artists are often deemed more valuable than in life because, well, the work is now limited edition and it’s an issue of supply and demand. I’m hoping I can help you find value in our collective creative selves in the present. Support those who inspire you or at least give them credit for what they do & share their work so we can all take part in this together. The purpose of this release, and I hope others to come in the future, is to price my work in all ranges making it more accessible. If you really want a piece and would like to make payments, I’m always willing to work with you to make this happen. Typically, I create my GIFT zine to allow everyone to own all of the work in print that I’ve created from that prior year. This time, I’m extending myself further to include original artwork. Hope you can have a little piece of my world in yours. Work releases tomorrow. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5JGwjsJCZp/?igshid=j3nymzzm5ue7

80 notes · View notes

helloandwelcometomariasblog · 4 years ago

Text

Review #64: Hymn of Death

사의 찬미. (I like the Korean title a whole lot more than the English title.)

I have read comments stating that this drama is not historically accurate, so I won’t go into that aspect of the story. What I will go into, are aspects that really moved me to write this review.

Before I even began watching, I had a vague idea of what the story was about as I had (stupidly) watched one or two clips on YouTube and read the comments. Therefore, I expected a simple romance story with themes of infidelity. However, I was surprised.

I know and you know and everyone knows that I began watching it for LJS. However, I had no idea what kind of character he would play. So far, I’ve seen him as an array of characters: Cha Eunho (playful, successful, cute and jealous younger man), Hamyung/Dalpo (unfortunately I can’t fully remember his character anymore), Kangchul (rich, determined, slightly conceited), and Namsoon (apathetic but warm-hearted student with a dark past and no academic passion). His character in Hymn of Death kind of took me by surprise. It was a character I had never really seen before in LJS. Ujin is quiet and composed. He doesn’t talk much, but when he does, it’s purposeful and poetic. He’s a thoughtful and serious man who doesn’t open up easily and puts up a wall around his thoughts and feelings. Scared that he will get too invested. Scared that he will actually fall in love. He’s an obedient son, who keeps his feelings bottled up until the very last moment. He’s an artist and a poet, who seeks beauty and feels it deeply. He’s a highly sensitive introvert. He’s a writer who knows how precious and life-giving words can be.

And I know, and you know, and everyone knows that I am very much attracted to that. I could even almost relate to him. I also use writing to express myself and to find solace. When he exploded at his father and said that these pieces of paper and those rare moments of writing are his shelter and escape, and asked, do you want me to live or die, I cried alongside him. When he spared his words, his compliments, but still expressed his hesitant but positive feelings towards Shimdeok, I melted alongside her. I’m just saying - those people are rare nowadays. People don’t treat words as carefully or worthwhile anymore. They just blurt out whatever they’re thinking (or not thinking). And yes, it was done with the face and body of LJS. I get it.

So let me cut to the chase here. I really fell for LJS’s character. I just can’t help but fall for these types of characters. Kyungsoo in 100 Days My Prince, for example. Those quiet but strong characters who love art and cherish it. Those who appreciate beauty around the world and are thoughtful and sensitive enough to not speak hastily. Someone with whom you can share thoughts on literature and film. Ujin was like that. And it was just so adorable but heartbreaking at the same time seeing him try and distance himself from Shimdeok, knowing that he was attracted. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t stop himself from falling for her.

One thing this drama did really well was show us the gradual process of the two characters falling in love. Not once did I wonder why they were drawn to each other. There are dramas where I ask myself why they even like each other. In those dramas, it seems as though they’re only liking each other because they’re the main couple, so they have to. But with Ujin and Shimdeok, it was completely believable. The steps were so clear. I could clearly see why Shimdeok was attracted to Ujin and vice versa. I guess it’s also the actors’ feat - their faces of falling in love were extremely convincing. I could see Shimdeok falling slowly for Ujin’s goals, determination, and love for writing. And it was SO CUTE seeing her act upon it (I love her character) - she was so adorably honest and straightforward with her feelings. How could Ujin not like her back? LJS played it very well, showing us how hard Ujin was trying to hide his feelings and be aloof and even cold towards her. However, with someone like Shimdeok constantly stepping closer to him, and being the charismatic and strong young lady she is, Ujin soon has trouble hiding his own feelings. It was just so incredibly convincing. When Shimdeok stands up during the meeting and encourages the team to keep going, you know Ujin has fallen for her, and you know it’s completely valid. It’s something he would totally fall for. And you know when he hears her sing for the first time, he’s hiding his admiration (which he does admit later on, in the most Ujintastic and soft-spoken but sure way). Ujin is attracted to Shimdeok as a person, and Shimdeok is attracted to Ujin as a person. I don’t know - I feel like I’ve never seen a drama that made this so incredibly clear. It was just so damn convincing.

The slow but sure way they fell in love really grasped me. I guess it’s also because it’s kind of rare nowadays (both in the real world and in media). People are so quick to express their feelings and get on with it. But both Ujin and Shimdeok took their time, getting to know each other through the team and through touring, and kept a slight (heart-fluttering) distance. (And I know the distance was required because Ujin was married and all, but I’ll talk about that aspect in another paragraph.) That romantic tension is gold. And I know this probably sounds crazy but I respect Ujin for drawing the line and inviting Shimdeok to his house along with the team to show her the reality of his life. I know, I know, it means nothing later on but I liked that decision and I liked that scene.

Another scene I absolutely loved was when the tour came to an end and they all celebrated at the dance hall. I loved it because it was a great portrayal of their feelings towards each other in that subtle and careful way - when you love someone, but you can’t express it to them yet, so you steal glances and hope that something will happen. Shimdeok kept glancing at Ujin and vice versa, but I loved how their eyes never really met. Golden romantic tension. This drama did the “ssum” stage so, so well. I also loved how Shimdeok actually stood up to make that move and approach Ujin at the dance hall (after several stolen glances). I would’ve done that too, Shimdeok. I think that’s why I’m attracted to people like Ujin - because I like being the active person, making the moves (lol).

One thing I realize over and over again about myself is that I am really drawn to films where emotions are shown in a very subtle way. In this drama, they don’t have a ton of physical intimacy (especially in the beginning stages of attraction and affection) and that makes the little moments even more prominent and overwhelming. For example, whenever they shake hands, when they almost touch fingers while reaching for the kettle at the same time, or when Ujin comes close for a kiss (which he doesn’t carry through with in the end - which showed his inner turmoil). This also means that the non-physical actions mean a whole lot - such as the time when Shimdeok comes over to spend time with a “sick” Ujin and tries so hard to stay for longer (which Ujin coldly and outrightly rejects, very so-in-character, but later watches and smiles at the window) and leaves with the umbrella that she earlier said never brought along. That’s what always wins me over, I guess - when affection and attraction is written in film in ways other than the oh-so-obvious physical action. That is much more interesting and emotional to me, and provides a whole lot of romantic tension.

I think it was also quite interesting and a rare sight in the K-drama world that the both of them actually told their families about their change of heart instead of running away without a word. I wasn’t expecting that. I was especially surprised that Ujin told his father about everything before leaving.

Speaking of families, I honestly have never felt more frustrated and angry watching Ujin’s dad and Shimdeok’s family. I’m not sure which family I hated more. I honestly couldn’t stop swearing and grabbing my forehead and I actually CRIED. I shed tears because I was so frustrated and sad. I felt this especially with Shimdeok’s family. They’re the fucking worst. Nobody in that fucking family was redeemable. Not the mother who was so obviously without morals and only cared about her other two kids, not the brother who fucking doubted Shimdeok’s morals and values, not the sister who believed the fucking rumours, and above all not the father who pretends to be on her side but is in fact the fucking worst? He acts all victim but in reality he’s the worst and he’s just a fucking passive version of the mother. And Shimdeok is the one providing for all of them. HAVE SOME RESPECT. Have some damn gratitude. I honestly felt it when Shimdeok fell speechless at her siblings’ confrontation and accusation and choked out, “you two can’t do this to me.” Damn right. Fucking ungrateful assholes. They’re so damn immature and selfish.

This is why, when Shimdeok receives the letter from Ujin saying that he wholeheartedly trusts her and her alone, and telling her to come to him quickly, I honestly cried with Shimdeok, and it began to make sense that they would run away together. This drama did their beats EXTREMELY well. One thing led to another, and each and every event/beat was convincing. I was just naturally led from beginning to end on an emotional rollercoaster and never once stopped to think, “does that even makes sense?” The writer constantly upped the level and made the characters suffer to the point they couldn’t stand. That’s good writing. It’s sad that the characters really couldn’t stand it and chose to end everything, but the lead up was undeniably good. It made me believe that they really didn’t have a way out. I still had hope when the only obstacle was the father’s disapproval (but even that was a bit too stifling cause the father was a closed-minded selfish prick) and the poverty that Shimdeok was faced with. But when it escalated to the point where Shimdeok was sexually harassed (I got so angry with this scene, and Shin Hyesun acted so incredibly well) and she was threatened into being a singer for the promotion and praise of the Japanese government, and Ujin was threatened with his father’s health, I had to throw in the towel. It all made sense. Even I couldn’t do it anymore.

But nevertheless, their tragic ending was really sad, and I hoped (and still hope) there was another way out. It reminded me of The Sorrows of Young Werther, and made me think of how sensitive and emotional artists and writers could be and how dangerous that can be. I had such a happy time watching the first two or so episodes that the tragic ending made me feel way too sad and hollow. I wish they could have overcome it somehow. Or even just run away somewhere and live together. At the end though, I’m not sure if it was the way LJS was playing the character, but it felt as though he was a little hesitant about the death compared to Shimdeok. Shimdeok seemed really set on the idea, as though there was no alternative, but Ujin seemed a little aloof, almost as though he was going through with it because it’s what his lover wanted. But when thinking back on how much he suffered because of his dad, and how much he gave up, it does make sense that he would have come to the same conclusion as Shimdeok. It’s just sad. I really wish it could have ended differently.

I would watch this drama again for two things: the beautiful cinematography, and the absolutely beautiful process of the two characters falling in love. (and yes for LJS, okay?)

p.s: Shin Hyesun really cannot lipsync. + LJS really needs to stop putting his hand in his pockets. It’s so frequent that it’s awkward - it’s like suddenly being hyper aware that he’s acting. + the one scene that really didn’t make sense for me was when Shimdeok abandoned her dream stage to run after Ujin. I wish the film had made it so that she was singing the last line of the song and finished it before running after him. But then again - that just shows how much she loved Ujin and just how much he meant to him. (But still.)

#review

1 note · View note

astrolocherry · 6 years ago

Text

Transiting Venus in Pisces 2019 - March 26, 2019 - April 20, 2019

Aphrodite’s Love Potion is mixed with a cosmic hallucinogen when Venus enters Pisces. Jupiter and Neptune co-rule Pisces, and this pair seduce us to taste the sweet honey of the Priestesses and get high on the Gods, to eat, drink, create, dance, and love like it is the last day on earth, and wake again in the Aries spring with hangover we couldn’t sleep away

The holy trinity comes together with Venus in Pisces. We all become the personal lover of God, as if no-one exists but us alone to receive all the love in the universe. It is made of the Venus in Pisces unity that brings us all together and makes us feel at one.

The Venus in Pisces transit increases our sensitivity toward other people’s inner state and emotions. We may feel hypersensitive, or feel that others are being overly sensitive. It can also be very difficult to control emotions. The buckets of residual tears that have built over the past year have nowhere else to go. You need to cry it out, and your emotions will find any stimulus to make it happen - an uplifting story, a bad news day, a warm cuddle, an old memory that we cherish, or an act of good will. Time moves slow when Venus is in Pisces, so we benefit well by resting, sleeping, daydreaming, and relishing in your creature comfort as a source of self-love and nourishment. Venus rules finances, so be cautious during this period. Pisces is vague on consequences and make money slip right through our hands

Venus in Pisces plays the symphony that calls us together, and asks that we support and cherish one another. We tend to take universal issues personally, and we may also feel despondent because it seems there is little we can do to soothe so much suffering. Sometimes it’s easier to turn a ‘blind eye’ because it hurts to see people suffer, but Pisces vision can see this in direct sight, and we can’t turn away. But we can do so much more than we realise. We can practice the lessons that Pisces teaches us. To reach out to people with open arms - especially those who are suffering, unwell, silenced, or forgotten. We can pay it forward and offer our help and resources to a single person, for this single person will eventually do the same for another, who will do the same again, and continue this legacy. To uplift one raises many, and Pisces knows this better than anybody. We can also accept the Venus in Pisces invitation to appreciate the artist’s gifts to the world and their service to the soul of the world honouring the gifts that the Pisces alumni have given to humanity the mind of Albert Einstein, the astrologic wisdom of Copernicus the vision of Michelangelo, the chemistry of Steve Jobs the riddles of Dr Seuss

and Steve Irwin, no explanation needed along with so many others whom have healed the world with the tonic of art and creativity

💕Aries or Aries Rising 12: Dream a Little Dream Love Potion

Aphrodite’s clam shell is closed and floating through an unknown location, she is feeling very tired and yet spiritually inspired. She only summons energy for being alone, she may withdraw and worry where her light is gone - but it has not vanished, it’s just illuminating over the characters in her dreams. She may over indulge in her secret comfort measures and pleasures in the privacy of her own company

Enchanted Items: Seashells, Lanterns, Spiritual and astrology books

💕Taurus or Taurus Rising ~ High Voltage Love Potion Aphrodite is home in the clouds, and she is playing with lightning, using her enhanced intuition to catch grand ideas and visions, her friends are celebrating her existence in their lives. She has a vibrant energy for bringing people together and charging her political activism, it’s possible that during this period she will be shown all of the dreams that have already come true for her

Enchanted Items: Wind chimes, White Roses, Technological and Social Media Platforms

💕Gemini or Gemini Rising 10: Be Loved Love Potion Aphrodite is dressed in the black of the night sky and she is writing the story of her life across the stars from the top of the mountain. She is invested in blooming her professional influence and materialising her ideas into reality. She is holding the apple of the public’s eye, soaking in popularity, and a sea of collective ideals can bring her closer to success, she can certainly make great leaps toward her dreams during this time

Enchanted Items: Hourglass, Lotus Flower, Unicorn Figures

💕Cancer or Cancer rising: Wanderlust Love Potion Aphrodite is adorned in her aquamarine robe and she is on vacation. But she isn’t interested in a relaxing holiday - she wants to sight see, lose herself in conversation, and commit to the subject she will learn for the next year. She is feeling overindulgent and especially restless as the stars call her away. She is also feeling very lucky and her inflated idealism may be a recipe for disaster if one is not disciplined with finances

Enchanted Items: Compass, Occult, biblical, and astrology books, Lanterns

💕Leo or Leo rising: Poisoned Sugar Love Potion Aphrodite’s grotto is capsized and sunk to the underground, she is not herself here, her roses are wilted. She is hooked on the toxic pomegranate of self-destruction and self-punishment, she is facing the demons that old lovers have left inside of her, she is making the transformations necessary for burning away the poison of heartbreak, mistreatment, and betrayal

Enchanted Items: Heirlooms, Amber, Butterflies

💕Virgo or Virgo rising: Empty Love Potion Aphrodite is adorned in her sea green robe on the mirror of the sunset, this is a trialling time, and she is forced to confront the shadows inside her that she never wanted to meet. Her heart can feel very empty because she has to integrate and find herself to fill it in - and not rely on relationships to do it for her. It’s also a positive experience, she can strengthen her sense of identity and see the results in her relationships

Enchanted Items: Mirrors, Beaded Necklaces, Green Apples

💕Libra or Libra rising: “Your Own Medicine” Love Potion Aphrodite is adorned in the emerald robe and committed to making a difference in the lives of other people, she has tremendous energy to expend in her workplace, she may develop closer bonds with her colleagues or charm her way into a promotion. During this time she is also more focused on taking care of her body, but she may also be plagued by an increased view of her own flaws and shame and deplete herself with self-restriction and denial

Enchanted Items: Books on Spiritual Healing, Harmony Balls, Wind Chimes

💕Scorpio or Scorpio rising ~ Seductive Spice Love Potion Aphrodite is adorned in her golden robe as she performs on the cosmic stage, she is energised and inspired from the centre of the heart outward. She is competitive, the star of fortune is shining over her competitive ventures. She follows her feeling of bliss into creative expeditions, feverish romantic ventures, and she does not resist impulse, so she could spend a year’s worth of work and money in a single hand of cards

Enchanted Items: Golden Rings, Artistic Resources, A Sexual Magic, possibly fertility

💕Sagittarius or Sagittarius rising ~ Aphrodite’s “Old Recipe” Love Potion Aphrodite is dressed in silver and rocking on the edge of the moon, she is longing to retreat in the comfort of her home grotto. She is desiring privacy because her inner world has come vividly into life and she forgets the other one is still there. She prefers the close company of loved ones, sheltered together, cooking and eating together, safe together, and may redecorate or design her house. She may also find that lost items are returned

Enchanted Items: Heirlooms, Honey, a Sexual Magic

💕Capricorn or Capricorn rising ~ Abracadabra Love Potion Aphrodite is dressed in daisy yellow and her grotto is a great and exquisite library. She gives a piece of her heart with a piece of her mind, the world opens up for her, she finds more questions to ask each day, and spends a lot of time thinking and playing with the immediate environment. She is feeling very talkative, re-connects with friends and neighbours, and she inspired to write her thoughts down into poetry

Enchanted Items: Books and Book marks, the pen in the hand, Wind Chimes

💕Aquarius or Aquarius rising~ Luxury Love Potion Aphrodite is at home in her clam shell palace, dressed in royal blue and her grotto has scented in spring roses, she is adorned with bracelets and necklaces of gold. She is feeling inspired to bring her artistic visions into life, she has a seductive sexual appetite, everything tastes sweeter and everything she touches becomes more luscious, and she is feeling financially lucky, so she may be easily deceived. She may also find that lost items are returned

Enchanted Items: Long necklaces, Mirrors, Musical Instruments

💕Pisces or Pisces rising ~ “I put a Spell on You” Love Potion Aphrodite is striking in her ruby rose robe, demurely intriguing and sexually hypnotic, she is feeling beautiful and the whole world responds to it, she has a new ‘taste’ in style and a different mixture to contour her identity through her image, she wants to be adorned in something incredible, and have the person she loves the most telling proclaiming how ravishing and beautiful she not only looks, but is on the inside too

Enchanted Items: Ambrosia, Candles, Ruby Roses

Cherry 💕

#transiting venus in pisces #venus in pisces #horoscope #transiting venus #april horoscope #venus in pisces horoscope #transit #astrology

562 notes · View notes

belizedeservesbetter · 6 years ago

Text

Hadestown Has Something to Say!

And I’m so glad it does!

File Hadestown under Shows That Make You Go “Hmm.” This is a show I’ve liked more and more the longer the show has been over and the more I’ve had time to sit and think about it.

Overall, I really really loved it. It’s such a rich musical filled with amazing stage pictures and beautiful music and really powerful and passionate performances. This is a passion project on stage and it’s marvelous.

The score, of course, is amazing. Anais Mitchell has really written something very special here. I’ve really never heard anything like it before on Broadway - this mix of folk and jazz and rock with an undercurrent of sheer musical theatre. The “Chants” in particular are astounding. Likewise “When the Chips Are Down” and “Wait For Me” and “His Kiss, the Riot” are stunning achievements in musical theatre writing. However. I have one very big qualm about the score, but I’ll talk about this later.

I know we all love Rachel Chavkin but she really is quite stellar. The phrase I keep coming back to when thinking about her directing style is “all consuming.” Between this and The Great Comet, her musicals feel like being swallowed whole by which I mean everything is very big and very powerful and very emotional and very much like I’m being punched in the gut. I love this feeling. I love theatre that makes me feel like the rest of the world doesn’t exist and she does this with her work.

What Chavkin does with stage imagery is phenomenal. There is a real sense of other worldliness while still being very grounded in the one we live in. You can tell she really gets these characters and she gets these themes and literally every moment is used to drive the story and make you feel something. There’s a real sense of power in her directing that makes the audience feel every suckerpunch of this show. “Wait For Me” in particular was a showstopper.

The lighting was wonderful. Like truly stunning. The contrast between light and dark in this show was really interesting and sources of light and what that means was also very fascinating to see. From Eurydice’s candle to the handheld miner lights, everything had meaning and everything felt very poignant.

Everyone in this show is very good. There isn’t a single bad performance. Eva Noblezada was very surprisingly good - surprising only because I’d never seen her perform before and she really added a lot of good things to Eurydice.

However, this is Amber Grey’s world and we’re all just living in it. She is AMAZING. She steals every scene and every moment. She is absolutely incredible in every way. The hype about her performance is 100% real and she is honestly and truly the best part of the show. I can’t imagine anyone else playing this role because she is truly perfect. Her Persephone is so layered and so fearful and damaged and fraying at the edges and yet so strong and steadfast and determined. I want to see the show again and just focus in on her the whole time because she is amazing. Even just the way she moves and dances was electric.

And of course Patrick Page is also stellar. He brings such an intensity to every role he plays, and Hades feels like the culmination of Many Years of Intense Roles. This is also the second role where he’s been mean to Reeve Carney. But I digress. He’s fantastic. His “His Kiss, the Riot” vibrated throughout the entire theatre. His Hades is so complicated and yet very simple and the way Page carries his Hades is really really wonderful. He has this fluidity to him (that also echoes throughout the entire show and I’ll talk about this later) that feels like he was made to be in this very moment at this time.

André de Shields was another standout for how present he is during the entire show. He doesn’t leave the stage at all really during the entire show and he has this particular brand of swagger and simmer to him. I felt him there throughout the whole just contemplating the cycle of everything going on and yet when the focus wasn’t on him he didn’t steal the attention. Hermes is a very complicated role (side note but I have a theory he’s Orpheus’ dad) because he’s part narrator, part plot moving character and the only one aware of how time works in this world and is also the one telling us the story from start to finish. He has to balance the whole show on his shoulders and de Shields does it wonderfully.

My goodness those Fates. They were sinister and terrifying and felt like the true villains of the show. They’re basically inner demons personified and they infected every character in the most deliciously evil way. They were so fascinating to watch and I want to read like ten think pieces on them.

I’ve been raving about this show but there are some things I really didn’t like about it and want to address.

The first is that all the actors really play to the center orchestra, and, likewise, it’s very much directed that way. The sight lines from the sides is kind of bad, especially from the rush seats. I felt like I was staring at their backs more than I’d like to. They need to play to the whooooole audience. By the way, the rush situation for this show is Awful and they only have like five tickets total. Like that’s all. Myself and a friend got there at like 4:30am and we’re fifth and 6th in line and they had already run out of evening show tickets and we got the last of the matinee ones. About twenty people behind us had also been waiting like 5 hours and got absolutely nothing. So be warned of that!

And my biggest qualm with the show. My biggest biggest problem with the show is that Anais Mitchell ruined my absolute favorite part of the show with the Broadway transfer. All three “Epics” were my favorite songs in the show and had the most beautiful imagery in the Off-Broadway run and concept album. Here, however, they’ve been stripped of their beautiful poetry and imagery and are really basic songs. I was SO disappointed. The three songs that were my favorite parts of the show became the worst parts of the show. The new versions are honestly bad and it’s disappointing because they didn’t used to be and they don’t have to be.

It’s hard to believe that Orpheus’ song is gonna save the world because it’s the weakest song in the show. Reeve sings it beautifully but I was so disappointed and honestly hated this change.

Speaking of Reeve, he’s good! He isn’t amazing, but he’s good and I like the very different approach he’s taking with Orpheus. His Orpheus is scared and anxious and insecure but very very talented. Reeve really gets his footing in Act Two, where he shines. Not spoiling anything but the second to last scene is his best and he’s completely heartbreaking.

The show is super interesting in how it moves forward and progresses. It just kind of flows from one thing to the next and one moment to the next and it actually reminded me a lot of wind. It felt very much like the wind was blowing the story along and I know that’s a weird way to put it but that felt very much like a thing that was going on.

Also, this show has this really beautiful fluidity in the way characters walk and the way everyone, especially Hades, moves on the turntables. Honestly this is the best use of turntables I’ve ever seen in theatre. It creates the atmosphere and adds so much to the cyclical nature of things and the way it shows movement is beyond beautiful. The movement throughout this show really shined.

Hadestown has a lot to say and I’m so glad it does. I’m so glad this is a bold new musical that wants to say something and says it.

There’s so much in this show about capitalism and the dangers of power hungry capitalists and there’s so much about poverty and the lengths people will go to get simple basic needs fulfilled. There’s something really interesting in this show about work and how powerful people use it to completely dehumanize people. Likewise, there’s this very interesting struggle between art and capitalism and artists and money which was super interesting to see personified in Orpheus and Hades.

Much like Oklahoma!, I felt this show also had a strong theme of “us versus them” especially in “Why We Build the Wall.” This is such a big thing in American culture that I’ve seen displayed a lot in theatre lately and I think it’s important that it is. It’s important that we’re forced to confront things about America as a whole country that have been prevalent forever but never said aloud.

Interestingly enough, I feel like Hadestown says a lot about activism. And leadership. Orpheus is continuously presented as this musician who is going to change the world and yet Orpheus isn’t entirely capable in his actions. He has the right words but he doesn’t trust himself enough to fully believe in it - or that others believe in him - despite this song doing magical things. He also must be physically pushed by Hermes to do anything. I saw this as an interesting statement on those who can change the world relying on words over action as well as talking about self confidence and doubt and believing/not believing in yourself. I know that Damon Daunno played Orpheus as extremely cocky and self-assured and seeing Reeve Carney at the opposite end of this is very interesting. I’d like to see Orpheus played somewhere in the middle.

Going along with that, consequences and choices are a big theme in Hadestown, and I felt that most of the time Eurydice was forced to make choices in order to survive and faced horrible consequences anyway rather than the usual “dumb characters makes bad decision and suffers” or even the Louis Ironson kind of “He knows he shouldn’t do this but is going to do it anyway” kind of thing.

Oddly enough I loved the statement on climate change this show made.

I’ve found myself being drawn to art and theatre about cycles and repetitions lately, and Hadestown is exactly that to a t. I don’t know why I love theatre like this so much, maybe it’s my inherent pessimism that nothing ever changes and that we as humans inherently bold that capacity for badness in us, but I suppose it also goes along with my inherent optimism that things can change, we as humans have the capacity for change and maybe one day we actually will. The way this show ends is really really wonderful in this way.

And of course this show speaks so much about love and love and heartbreak and love and trust. Old love and new love. The parallels between Hades/Persephone and Orpheus/Eurydice are really well done. Trust is such an interesting aspect of this show and I’m glad Anais Mitchell and Rachel Chavkin never shy away from the uglier aspects of it.

Lastly, Hadestown has what I will now be calling Big SNM Energy, aka Big Sleep No More Energy. I am fully convinced that Chavkin took some inspiration from that show, or at least both Hadestown and Sleep No More take place in the same universe.

The vibe and feel of both shows is incredibly similar. Likewise, the swinging lights in “Wait For Me” are exactly like the swinging lights in Sleep No More. There were also similar themes of things happening in a cycle, things repeating but moving forward anyway, good and evil, temptation and choices/consequences. The Fates had a very similar feel to the three Sleep No More witches when they’re together. The sheer detail of it all and the location. My friend thinks Hecate is Hades’ ex, which actually narratively works for both shows.

Hadestown will absolutely be a show I revisit as much as I can because there is just so much in there. There’s so much detail and so much to think about, which all good theatre should have.

#hadestown #broadway #reeve carney #amber grey #review #voice

26 notes · View notes

lilyxareum-blog · 5 years ago

Text

( bae joohyun (irene), cisfemale, she / her ) — Welcome back, HAN AREUM. I’m surprised you’re still ( a ) Costume Specialist ! Congrats ! You’re TWENTY-EIGHT years old ? Our agents usually don’t last that long ! :O I see you’ve been given a BORDER COLLIE. Funny how it seems they work harder than you ! Can’t wait for another lovely day of you being KIND. Though, if we’re being honest, we really know you’re more ANXIOUS. Welp, have a good at work, Agent LILY. I really don’t care ! I’m a robot, I have no feelings.

Hello, hello everyone!! Its Lina, your, classic, anxious and panicky mun of Areum that’s always active on discord and never got her pages done (*sobs* I’m sorry, Areum–) I don’t have a plots page nor a bio page for now (Which I SWEAR I’M WORKING ON), as well as a plots page, but I do have her profile up! Here’s some plot ideas, as well as information about Areum that you’d need to know!!

History:

Areum was born Han Areum on 29th March 1991

Born to Seo Youngjin and Han Kang Hwan. She was born a few days early, and surprised her parents by being a girl, so they didn’t have a name ready for her.

A nurse named her–because the newborn was such a pretty baby, and so, lacking sorely in ideas for a great name that would fit their kid, they named her Areum (creative i know lmao–sorry my brain LACKED that creativity)

Han Kang Hwan was a Korean diplomat, and Seo Youngjin was a retired agent from Hwarang. The two had a classic love life that started after a shoulder throw, and Areum was the catalyst that caused her parents to get married.

She has a younger brother who’s 1 year younger than her and they were very close.

On the year she was 16, the family was tracked down and killed in the dead of night– the assassin was an old enemy of her mother’s employed by on of the disgruntled rivals of her father, whom disagreed with Han Kang Hwan upon certain political reforms.

Areum’s brother had grabbed her and shoved her under the bed to protect her, and so she watched the man that killed her family stab her younger brother to death.

Areum was then stabbed severely in the stomach and shoved out of the second storey and onto the lawn below. She ended up almost bleeding out, suffered a severe concussion from where the man had knocked her head into the wall, followed by a broken right arm and a broken left leg. The house was then burned down and she was left to die on the lawn of the mansion.

Because of the incident, Areum has a bumpy scar on her stomach from where the scarred tissue from the stab remains.

Had to go through physical therapy for a year to regain her muscle strength, another year was spent working on her stamina and muscles to make her up to par with the recruitment test.

She was too old for adoption, and so Areum chose to follow the Hwarang agents that had rescued her and applied for Hwarang as a recruit.

Entered as a recruit aged 18, Spent 4 years as a recruit, graduated aged 22 as a field agent, worked as a field agent for 2 years before specialising in the costumes department and working there from then on.

Areum is highly talented in art and music, and has been drawing since she was 5.

Areum debuted as an artist (painting) when she was 11, selling her art pieces under the pseudonym Raye Licht. She thought of making her handle “A Ray of Light” at first, but found it far too much of a mouthful to say easily

Areum still sells paintings under that pseudonym, and hence is rich enough to purchase a mansion + live comfortably and luxuriously for the rest of her life. But she wanted to continue her work in Hwarang.

Can play the piano, violin, flute, and is also great at singing

Technically if she was born in the Joseon era, she’d be a perfect wife + perfect daughter to marry off from a noble family

Areum’s ideal type is someone who’s not afraid to express himself, and is a little aggressive in confessing his feelings, because she’s more passive as well.

Areum has a minimalist tattoo on the middle of her lower back of a lily, which she got right after being given her agent name.

Areum also usually uses money out of her own budget to pay for pple’s expenses, or the expenses inflicted by the costume production, just give her the right reason and she’d fund you (because she’s hella nice)

personality:

Areum is sweet, generous and kind, apart from being lovely.

Was class president and popular in her school back when she had a normal family.

A little naive, and airheaded, gentle, and a soft talker.

When with friends she’s slightly childish, more naive and exuberant

Usually the mood bringer, hypes people up as well as brightens up the room

But alone Areum is silent and melancholic, reflective and understanding.

A lot of people don’t she the dual side of her, because she only shows her bright and happy side to others, because she feels that its her responsibility to liven up the atmosphere since they’re doing such emotionally heavy and taxing work.

Thinks everyone, even grouches are adorable and that each have their own worth.

Is socially anxious and a bit of an overthinker

Highly romantic, swoons easily, easily manipulated esp if she trusts someone

Serial watcher of netflix, and cries as hard as possible when it comes to heartbreaking stories

Areum also doesn’t think that she’s pretty–in her mind, she believes that she’s just average,or less than average.

Areum is also physically affectionate with others, hugs are kind of her thing– she aims to make people feel welcome, so that they wouldn’t find it necessary to be interested to know more about herself.

Career History:

Because her mother was a retired Hwarang agent, she had an agreement with her old comrades that if anything happened to her and her husband, the children would be taken in, so Areum was taken in by Hwarang agents, but had to train herself up to the standards to a recruitment agent to pass.

Had to train really hard for the entire year that she recuperated and just barely made the cut for the team of recruits.

Entered recruitment at aged 18, her physicals were low, but Areum made up to the mark with her intelligence.

Areum holds an IQ of 143, is more of an observant person–and a practiced user of being able to put on a happy go lucky facade so that no one has a clue to what she really feels inside.

No one really knows about Areum’s background or heritage, except that she’s rich, she paints, and that she’s hella good at costume disguise.

Graduated from recruitment at 22, and became a field agent, but unfortunately Areum was GREAT at disguising others, but not great at disguising herself. (Areum: hat, no lense glasses, fluffy sweaters, slippers)

After 2 years of field agent work, and more than one trip ups in disguises because Areum got recognised, Areum decided she was more cut out for costume specialisation rather than field work.

Areum became costume specialist at age 24, and has been working in that spot for 4 years.

Plot Ideas!!

[For her other costume specialist] You cannot believe the naivety of Areum thinking that she’s fine with disguising herself with just fluffy sweaters and a no lense glasses to not be recognised.

All physical, not emotional – Areum has needs just like everyone else, and you’re one of the special people who has seen the more solemn, contemplative side of her, which she doesn’t usually use outside of the bedroom or her own room [fwb connection ; 0/3 filled]

Classic Annoyance – You’re one of the colder friends of Areum. You can’t fathom why she’s so physically affectionate with people, but you’d comfortably say that you two are close with each other. [ friends ; 0/3 filled]

Walk my Dog – Areum has a habit of offering help to others even though she sucks at it, and with her small stature, its hilarious to see a 158cm tall tiny person trying to drag more than two large dogs away from their wayward tracks. You’re one of those individuals that take advantage of that and always ends up walking your dogs with her, because its just adorable watching Areum frazzle up over a bunch of too big dogs that she can’t control

You remind me of him – Areum’s connection and relationship with her younger brother has always been more than extraordinary, even in his death she feels somewhat connected to him. You are the one that reminds Areum of her deceased brother, and Areum does everything she can to protect you from what she perceives to be harm, even if sometimes its rather over the top.

Why Are You Doing This To Me? – Being the overly romantic and sweet, naive person that Areum is, its no doubt to say that she’s been used and manipulated by people before. You’re the person that she has a crush on, and knowing that she has a crush on you, you’re intent on using her for your own needs. Its purely unemotional for you, but entirely emotional for Areum, and she just doesn’t know that you’re using her just yet. [ crush, fwb, angst angst heavy angst in the future]

Again? – One of Areum’s responsibilities is to patch up the costumes that have either been destroyed or ruined in the field work, and you’re one of the more reckless field agents/ recruits that always seem to mangle up your clothes to the point of nearly beyond repair. Its perplexing for Areum, and she’s up to the challenge to make a new piece that you can’t possibly rip, but you always seem to outdo yourself in ripping yourself a new piece of clothing.

Exes, Crushes on Areum/ Romance – this can be plotted however you like it! Areum is pretty open and free when it comes to having either slept together with another agent, or dated another agent before, she’s mostly clueless when it comes to someone crushing on her, or perhaps the idea of something between them that blurs the lines of friendship but they never acted upon it etc. Feel free to hit me up!

#hwarangintro #||☽**OOC: the woman in the moon

10 notes · View notes

geekymoviemom · 7 years ago

Text

Mr. Stark

After watching Infinity War, this scene wouldn’t leave my head. My first Marvel fanfiction.

Relationship: Tony Stark & Peter Parker

Rated: T for language.

Disclaimer: While I’ve seen every single movie in the MCU, many of them dozens of times, I’ve only managed to see Infinity War once so far. I’m mainly going on memory here, so please forgive any discrepancies. :). Also, SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t seen Infinity War, please read at your own risk! ;)

I found the fan art for my banner on Pinterest, but I couldn’t find the name of the artist. Whoever you are, it’s incredible! ❤️

Tony Stark didn’t hear Thanos snap his fingers. He wasn’t on Earth, wasn’t on the front lines of Wakanda, where Thanos’ army was engaged in a fierce battle with the Wakandan forces and the rest of the Avengers. He was stuck on Titan, still trying to process why in the hell the damn wizard had just handed over to Thanos the very same Time Stone he’d sworn to protect with his life.

At least he knew the kid was safe. Or, at least as safe as he could be. No chance of anyone dropping another airline terminal on Peter’s head here, on this barren, miserable rock of a planet. As long as he could keep the bumbling idiots that called themselves… what did they call themselves again? Guardians? Maybe they ought to think up a new name for—

“Something’s happening.”

They all looked up at the sound of Mantis’ quavering voice, watching in stunned horror as her thin body began to literally fall apart, accompanied by the sickening sound of something akin to the rustling of dry leaves. It only took seconds for her to completely crumble, the dark grey ashes scattering into the dry wind of the nearly desolate planet.

“Quill?” came another voice, much deeper this time. Tony barely had time to turn his head as the stocky, bald, tattooed Guardian he’d so aptly nicknamed Mr. Clean gaped in disbelief as his body flaked away into the same dirty ash. Tony gritted his teeth against the hair-raising sound. Not even the squeaky scrape of his long-dead father’s chalk against his old chalkboard, the chalkboard on which Howard Stark had drawn many a weapons design while young Tony watched, the chalkboard that Tony still kept stored in his basement of he and Pepper’s home, was as teeth-numbing as the sound of those bodies breaking apart.

“Oh man,” said Quill, presumably in response to now witnessing two of his friends simply disintegrate into thin air. But then, not one second later, he started to disintegrate too. His eyes, laced with an almost unimaginable sadness since Thanos had confessed to killing Gamora in his quest for the Soul Stone, looked almost relieved as he faded away. As if he was happy to leave his life behind if it meant living without his beloved.

Tony blinked his bloodshot eyes, the ashes of his fallen comrades still fluttering about, like some sort of discolored, dystopian snowflakes. He quickly looked over at the kid, standing off to the side, looking around with a stunned look on his young, innocent face.

At least the kid is safe, Tony thought. And once all of this was over, once he was able to figure out a way to get Peter safely home, the kid was going to get a very, very stern talking-to. Complete with the relinquishment of the Iron Spider Suit until he was at least old enough to vote.

He’d barely begun composing his speech when he happened to glance over at Strange the Sorcerer, whose body was already starting to fragment, already starting to splinter and shatter into those same damn grey ashes. Strange barely had enough time to whisper, “Tony, there was no other way,” before he too faded into oblivion.

There was no other way.

Strange had utilized his precious Time Stone only hours before to discern whether or not Thanos could possibly be defeated in his quest to gain control of all six Infinity Stones. In doing so, he had reported that out of however many millions of possible outcomes, only one would lead to a victory over the mad Titan.

Only one.

But now, with Strange gone, did that mean their one hope of victory was gone as well? Or, in his extensive research, did Strange discover that in order to eventually be victorious over Thanos, that half the universe still had to perish?

Attempting to draw in a deep breath, Tony sputtered, his lungs burning from the ash still settling on the floor of the dismal planet. He had to get out of here, had to get the kid and the robot-girl and find a way off of this rock, before—

“Mr. Stark?”

Oh no. No no no no no.

As close as Tony had grown to the boy, and as many times as he had insisted that Peter call him by his first name, Peter had yet to do so. Peter’s boyish voice quivered as he spoke Tony’s formal name, a nearly heartbreaking sound that Tony had only heard from him one other time, following the incident in New York with the ferry, when Tony had demanded that Peter return his Spider Suit.

“I just wanted to be like you,” Peter had said then, nearly in tears at the prospect of losing his gifted, custom-made suit.

“And I wanted you to be better,” Tony had replied. Because he did. He wanted whatever was best for this kid. His kid. Peter was his kid, his responsibility. Because related by blood or not, this kid—this skinny, baby-faced, brilliant kid with the heart of gold—had managed to worm his way into Tony’s life and his heart like no one ever had managed to before. More than Rhodey, more than Happy, more than his father. Even, if Tony dared to admit it, more than Pepper.

As slowly as he dared, Tony turned to look at Peter, standing just a few feet away. Peter’s already pale face seemed to drain of what little color remained as his slight but deadly strong body swayed, his arms held out, bent at the elbows in front of him, as if to help keep himself balanced. As he took one slow, stumbling step towards Tony, both of them watched in horror as Peter’s right foot began to splinter apart.

“I don’t feel so good…” Peter said, swallowing hard.

“You’re all right,” Tony replied automatically, taking a step towards Peter. Even as he said it, he knew it sounded ridiculous. There was no way Peter was all right. They were stranded out here in the middle of goddamn space with no way to get home. But isn’t that what any loving adult says to a kid when they say they don’t feel good? Isn’t that the standard comfort line that’s used? Even if it’s complete and utter bullshit?

Tony’s heart, long since surgically repaired, the piece of shrapnel that had been a constant threat to his life now removed, felt as heavy in his chest as it did way back in Afghanistan. Back in the cave all those years ago, when Yinsen had implanted the first device in Tony’s chest, hooking it up to a car battery to keep the shrapnel from entering his heart and killing him. Ice-cold dread seeped into his bones, and the throbbing from the stab wound in his abdomen intensified as he took another step towards Peter, holding his arms open as the kid suddenly lurched forward, falling against him.

“I don’t—, I don’t know what’s happening…”

No, please no! Not him!

Tony had assumed that Peter would be safe when he didn’t disappear right away, like the others. But now, as the boy’s arms clung to him for dear life, his hands scrabbling at Tony’s shoulders as he whimpered in pain, Tony realized what was happening. Peter’s Spider-Man powers included the ability to heal quickly from illness or injury, similar to the powers Steve Rogers received from his super-soldier serum. Which likely meant that the boy’s body had been slowly breaking down the entire time the others were fading, and he was just now losing the battle.

Tony felt his stomach drop to his knees as Peter’s whimpers grew louder. Why hadn’t Peter stayed on the bus that morning, like a good little high-school student? His class was heading for a field trip he’d said, likely some science museum or library. The bus driver was probably even one of those grumpy old men, who liked to tell the kids to “sit down and shut up”, in the middle of telling old war stories that only people like Peter would listen to.

“I don’t wanna go, I don’t wanna go, sir, please!” the boy pleaded. As Peter’s legs faded away he pulled hard on Tony’s shoulders, and Tony knees buckled under him. The stacco pain in his abdomen protested the movement but Tony barely felt it, so consumed with terror at the inevitable outcome of what was happening.

“Please, I don’t wanna go!” cried Peter, his high-pitched voice laced with fear. A fear so strong it was literally consuming him. His legs were completely gone now, and they fell in a heap onto the burnt orange ground, Peter’s hands still clinging desperately to Tony’s shoulders.

Was it only hours ago that Tony had told Pepper he wanted a kid? It now seemed like a lifetime ago. As he pulled back to look into Peter’s terrified eyes—his baby browns, as Aunt May called them—Tony couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever felt this helpless. Not when Pepper decided they needed a break and moved out of their home, prior to the Sokovia Accords. Not when he fought with Cap and the others at the airport in Leipzig. Not when Rhodey fell helplessly from the sky, breaking his spine. Not even when he discovered that Bucky What’s-his-face assassin had killed his parents.

Not even when his not-so-aptly-named Fun-Vee was attacked by terrorists in Afghanistan, and he was taken prisoner. That fateful incident that led to the birth of Iron Man.

Tony knew he should say something, anything, that might comfort the dying child lying in his arms. He was good with words; often able to come up with the quippy one-liners that had everyone both laughing and thinking he was a genius. But here, now, there were no words. There was nothing he could say around the lump in his throat the size of a golf ball. There was nothing he could do to ease the suffering of this kid that he’d brought into this whole mess in the first place.

So Peter, sweet, kind, lovable Peter, who strangely enough seemed to know him almost better than anyone, looked into Tony’s eyes, and his face visibly relaxed. He was in almost unimaginable pain, likely feeling every single break and tear in his flesh as he scattered apart, but he was able to somehow, in some way, school his features into a look of almost serenity. As if to reassure Tony that it wasn’t his fault. That Tony shouldn’t feel guilty. That Peter was here on his own accord, because he’d wanted to try and help. After all, wasn’t that what a friendly little neighborhood Spider-Man was supposed to do?

“I’m sorry…” Peter said, and Tony could swear he almost smiled. How like Peter was it, that his very last action would be to try to smile at his friend, his mentor, his surrogate dad.

And then, Peter’s head turned slightly to the side, and he faded away. Tony pitched forward as he lost his hold on Peter’s body, his hands landing in the ashes that remained behind. They stuck to his fingers and palm, like grease from one of his fancy cars. But instead of rubbing it away, he curled into a ball on the ground, and clutched his hand to his heart, too stunned and broken to even cry.

It’s not exactly the same vision he received from Scarlet Witch, the vision where all of his fellow Avengers had perished in a great battle, the vision that led him to create Ultron, who then destroyed an entire Eastern European city and killed millions of people.

No, this wasn’t quite the same.

This, was worse.

#marvel fanfiction #infinity war spoilers #geeky writes #peter parker #tony stark #iron dad #spider son #that scene #iron man #spiderman #iron dad and spider son

111 notes · View notes

thisisnotaboutarttoys · 6 years ago

Text

Paraphrasing pop art from art toys movement

We think that Art Toys Movement has been built upon the “paraphrase of Pop Art”, although now the myths for designers and artists are others. And when we talk about others, we talk about characters like Mickey Mouse, an icon that is really known throughout the world. For whom many feel – and express- an authentic kind of personal passion and enthusiasm without limits making him the charismatic character he is nowadays.

A period of time, this, when the impact of contemporary technology and its influence in our perception and in the possibilities of paraphrasing the icons are even greater that in the late fifties in USA and early sixties in Europe when Pop Art was born as an artistic current.

Mickey Mouse ... charismatic character that almost everyone - literally - knows because have heard about him, or has seen and read about him and his adventures since 1928 when he was born as a protagonist of animation. And that today is considered an iconic character that again and again becomes a trend, or in truth, never ceases to be. In many and very different ways. And for different types of artists and professionals.

As for many artists and designers within the artistic Trend of the Art Toys, that with all their influences, from the most pop, urban, punk style to the most surreal, ethnic, fantasy, terror, gothic, kawaii, conceptual, naive, expressionist, figurative, realistic, subversive or lowbrow, and regardless of the age of the artists and their origin, one of their recurring themes have been, and are, usually, myths of their youth, like Mickey Mouse character, that as soon as you see his silhouette you recognize.

An artistic Movement where the artists "take" the character and impose their own sensibility, paraphrasing the character themselves. Or what is the same, starting from the consideration of what the creator wanted to tell, add new reflections, those of their own look. With the pretense that afterwards in time the public and the collectors when they have that artwork in their hands also have the possibility, if they want, to interact with them, creating their own scenarios and atmospheres. Because as we say: Art Toys: More than Dis(play).

And the artists paraphrase them in the sense that being very close to the original concepts, with their own hands, they create a new artwork by giving an obvious credit to the iconic work of art. Telling their own story. Talking about themselves and their influences. Engaging a unique connection with their target public, an audience to those who show themselves as they are…regardless of where these collectors live, where in the world they are.

Nevertheless, and as we have already told at other times, when this artistic Movement of the Art Toys began to "discover" itself, we speak of an era, in the mid-nineties of the last century, in which globalization is in full “boom”, the same as the consumer culture. Time in which there is a process of clear hybridization of cultures, between the West and the East, and in which there is a great mobility of cultural products because there are fewer limitations and borders, besides that we have Internet and Social Networks. And we easily reach to all kind of public. Collectors and other professionals with whom to work.

And we are talking about a Movement or artistic Trend that although it finds its roots in Tokyo and Hong Kong, today it is already part of something culturally much bigger globally. And also more diverse and heterogeneous than in its origins.

Society is increasingly multicultural, there is a great interrelation and interaction between different countries, and at a certain moment, it is when it seems that a new kind of cultural creation begins to arrive at the market thanks to the impulse of creative people, who create and promote an art form that refers to a new language and new form of communication and contemporary artistic-plastic expression. To new forms of design and of creation, a mixture of art and toys. And that the artists themselves promote by their own means and often with the help and support of other professionals who have the same cultural references as these artists, and who bet on their work and support them in their discovery possibilities...

Artists like Coté Escrivá.

Born in Valencia, Spain, on May 22, 1982. He is one of those artists, designer and illustrator, who over the years has been creating his own personal universe from an aesthetic influenced by popular culture. An artist that has managed to bring those comics and animation series that have accompanied us throughout our lives to his own imagination, adding other influences and references coming from Pop Art, oriental and underground culture, graffiti and Street art, the tattoo art or the lowbrow or pop surrealist style.

Resulting in disparate projects, a kind of drawings, illustrations within sinister and tender or friendly, as some people say; with an aesthetic that is also provocative and burlesque. Some of them from icons of pop culture assimilated by Coté Escivá, reinterpreted, giving rise to different hybrid creations, between artistic and commercial, with characters that are familiar to all of us. Characters that are born from sketches in paper and pencil, and then are worked digitally with a graphic tablet.. Exploring the popular culture through surprising "series of mashups" of mass-public visual icons that everyone knows.

Thereby, giving rise to a type of sculptures, Art Toys, like those that the Thunder Mates brand from Hong Kong is helping to give life since this past year 2017, working on some of Coté's most iconic characters.

A mix of art, graphic design and original toys, collectible and aimed at an adult audience as Woodrow Phoenix would say

"Plastic Culture" (2006). Pieces that combine a bit of tenderness but also a high degree of ambiguity or blackness as Paul Budnitz, founder of Kidrobot, wrote when referring to the Art Toys in "I am Plastic, too" (2010).

And in the case of Coté with his artworks, in addition, we see the interior of the artist in a non-subjective way. On the contrary, he shows himself starkly inside. And inside, what can we find but bones and other viscera and elements? It´s a forthright work, merciless in a certain sense ... Artists like Coté are as if they showed their deepest, intense and heartbreaking insights, but doing it without detours or subtleties. It's as if these artists said, “I'm going to split the toy with which I've grown, interacted, and you're going to see the inside of it”…

When an artist uses a toy as a creative platform he/she is an artist who does not want to shy away from childhood. We are what we have grown and lived, and what we have been taught. We are not born with the age we now have. We have been learning and when we are children, playing is learning. And if we say that we have studied one thing or another for a specific purpose, why are we going to leave behind those drawings with which we have learned many of our values, ways of showing ourselves and certain likes, and even the way of seeing the world? Things that make us what we are...

And in the Art Toys of Coté there is always a part in which the inside of the Art Toy can be seen. We all think that toys are hollow and yet there is a character who suffers, who lives, who has a skeleton and viscera. And Coté shows it to us.

People at our age, when they see a toy, see something inanimate, that only when a child plays with it can it come alive. But the artists who make Art Toys see a part of themselves. And that's what Coté wants to show the spectator. Through that toy that twists he shows his interior. And his own inner self is loaded with images, memories, some more raw than others. Because toys are part of our memories. And we are all made up of memories that make us what we are. And the childhood of most of us is loaded with toys, comics, and all kinds of pots ... And artists like Coté what they do is bring that toy from their childhood but loaded with everything that is now as an adult. Of what he has lived.

People usually stay with the outer appearance of the toy. But look further! The toy is something else, it's life, the toy is what made you what you are. They are not something inert or silly or childish. That's why artists like Coté seek with their Art Toys that people see and discover that in reality we are that toy but with scars, with the spanks that life gives us. And in this task is Coté when he works with recognized brands such as Thunder Mates.

From a dynamic collaboration, with an open mind. Sign of our times. Where barriers do not exist, only those that we can put ourselves. And addressing a non-conformist type of collector, who does not like what is normally established. With a kind of close and not boring creations. Testubg the power of the cultural and social conventions of the spectator, demanding a reflective, mature look to the collector. Because otherwise, it would be just a Toy. And here we are talking about Art Toys. A type of work that "imitates" life, which is a reflection of the experiences of the artists and also of what surrounds them - from the cultural, social point of view...

Art Toy Maison (Cristina A. del Chicca y Sergio Pampliega Campo)

www.behance.com/arttoymaison

http://arttoystheoryandcriticism.tumblr.com/_

Co-Founder Members of international artistic Collective ART TOY GAMA

This text was originally written in Spanish and translated into English for us (although in this case the text is not exact), so that the text can have grammatical errors, so we apologize

#Art Toys #designer toy movement #cote escriva #resin art #resin toy #mickey mouse #disney #pop art #thunder mates #creepy mouse

3 notes · View notes