#when will Bill Cypher offer me everything????

[darling-stardust]

I heard folx were doing Billsonas?? I can get behind self corruption 💙

This was very self indulgent...I need to get The Book of Bill before I implode

BONUS

[limitless-imagination]

sova, cypher, and omen with a gamer s/o reader please? also could the reader be gender neutral? thank you :)) i love your writing <3

[I know you asked for these boys x gamer s/o, but it ended up turning into, ‘what kind of gamers are they?’ If you’d like me to redo them, let me know! - cheesy]

Sova:

Sova is interested in many things, and has an open mind. Thus, he will try anything once. This includes gaming. He sees you on your device or console a lot, and since he hears you laughing or whining about a game, he wants to know what going on too.

When you offer tot each him, he’s ecstatic. He loves to learn something new. When sit him down in front of the tv or laptop, he’s unsure what to do. He’s never played video games. He looks so cute when he’s confused.

You’ll have to guide him slowly, and thankfully, Sova is a patient learner. He doesn’t get upset if he doesn’t get it right away. Everything comes with discipline and practice. With time, he gets the hang of the controller/mouse and keyboard

Don’t be surprised if he suddenly gets better than you quickly. Sova is also a quick learner, and his hand-eye coordination is off the charts. Sorry!

Whenever you lose in a game, he’s there to comfort you, if the loss means a lot. He’s your biggest fan, and will help you if you want it.

Sova’s game selection would be a mixture of something relaxing or something fast paced. Animal Crossing fits the bill for relaxing, and Hades fits something fast paced. He also enjoys hidden object games, to train his eye. He will occasionally play fps games as well. Like Valorant! Lol!

Cypher:

Cypher’s played a few arcade games in his youth, he’s not unfamiliar with joysticks and buttons. A mouse and keyboard would be a bit harder, though. So he prefers a controller. Yes, get him a nintendo switch. He will love it.

He likes having to do things with his hands. If he’s not doing something, he gets a little antsy. Having a portable controller with him makes his day better. He takes it with him on missions. He really shouldn’t, but he does.

Cypher can get a little competitive with games, and he loves that the two of you can enjoy gaming together. He prefers cartoony competitive games, so that he doesn’t take it too seriously. Like mario kart. But the amount of times he’s nearly thrown the joycons at the tv for getting a blue shell are too many haha.

Cypher’s game selection would be puzzle games and cartoony fighting games, like Smash Bros, and Street Fighter. He’s really good at those, as they were the type of games he played a lot when he was younger.

He loves the rush that comes with figuring out how something works, or getting the answer to something. You’d find him playing games like hidden objects, escape rooms, etc. He also really likes Among Us. Deception and lying roll right off his tongue (for funsies). He’s too good at not being suspicious.

Also wii sports for some reason. He loves wii sports.

Omen:

Omen is just not a gamer, period. He’s not interested in it. Besides, it’s not stimulating enough anyway. That is not to say he won’t lurk by you and wonder what you’re up. He’ll grumble about it regardless.

When you offer to try to play games together, Omen will agree. He chose to be with you, so he’ll want to be a part of whatever you’re doing too. He’ll cast aside a bunch of games. It takes a lot of coaxing and trial and error, but eventually, the two of you settle on a few genres.

If he has to play games, Omen will choose story based role playing games that are open world, and let you explore. He seems to lean towards fantasy, or historical rpgs, like Breath of the Wild, Assassin’s Creed, and Skyrim.

Omen likes to take his time with these games- also he doesn’t know what buttons to press half of the time. Instead of following main quests, Omen prefers to explore on his own. Yes, that includes reading a lot of the stories inside Skyrim, or riding around in Breath of the Wild, or just jumping off as many high points as he can in Assassin’s Creed.

He’d prefer if you stayed with him while he played games. He doesn’t mind backseat gamers, and actually likes that you can tell him what to do, so he doesn’t get too frustrated.

[skepticalkoi-catastrophe]

|Come Closer| Kuroo Tetsurou x Blackfem!reader

The following fanfic is an inspired spin-off of Deciphered by @hoeneymilktea , The Sunrise and Your Sins by @leia505 , and fanart by @aikk00 . Pls check them out as well as other spin-off authors. Comments, Reblogs, and Shares are heavily appreciated. I hope you enjoy~ ♡

Chapter [002] Comeback

Next Chapter》

You sat with your legs folded in the passenger seat of Iwaizumi's white Subaru WRX STI. Parked above the parking lot, you have a personal view of the crowded racetrack and the various racers and onlookers. Glimpsing at the racers, you could break the revelation. Smoke from Cyphers' car exhaust trails your vision. The mystery red car not far behind.

"You know she wanted to tell you..." Iwaizumi rubs small circles on your back. "This kind of lifestyle isn't the safest, so it's not like she kept everything secret on purpose."

"Iwa, I know but," you bite your lip, blinking harshly at his words.

"If her mom finds out, her ass is grass. Ms.Onishi put this behind her years ago and for good reason. Why do you think I didn't want her doing this either?"

Iwaizumi's lips tightened. "Like mother, like daughter I guess. Eventually, she was going to follow. We both knew she would."

"I get that, I just- I just wasn't expecting it to happen so fast." Your hands rest in your lap.

The whole situation was a minor annoyance. Fearful to say the least. Ms.Onishi, known as 'Oni' back in her racing days, was the best of the best. From being invincible on the track, to being a top drug dealer in all of Tokyo.

She's been wanted by cops and others alike. Imagine if she found out her daughter could potentially be participating in such acts?

His hand moves from your back to your hand, firmly holding it. His thumb brushing your knuckles.

"Did you tell your cousin yet?" You ask. "I'm sure she'd feel how I am right now."

"She probably will but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I don't want to think about it too much."

Daize stayed down with Kenma to talk. She's not a fan of you being pissed off. Even though you're not. Mostly not. When push comes to shove, a job is a job. You just wish it was something practical she could've chosen. Like working in retail or with children.

"She, uh, wanted me to give this to you." Digging in his glove box, he hands you what looks like a soda can but it's glass instead of aluminum. The label reads 'Choya Umeshu'.

"It's her peace offering for making you worry."

You shake your head, chuckling. Free Plum wine and a street race? Who are you to shy away from the thrill?

"Thanks, Iwa."

Deadlocked, the two cars close the distance to the finish line. In moments, they speed up, trying to gain an edge. Meters apart, Oikawa's car blasts ahead drifting in a circle leaving 360 tread marks on the asphalt in the middle of the crowd, winning the race. Congratulatory screams heightening throughout.

Both you and Izumi exit the car. Oikawa parks his car, exiting the drivers' side. You lean forward expecting a fight to happen, thinking the loser wouldn't take this lightly. To your surprise, they give each other a dap before bro hugging. You couldn't make out his features. Too much distance between you and them below.

Slumping over the railing, you get a text from Daize.

'There's someone you need to see. Get down here.'

Iwaizumi taps you. "We should head down."

The late night sky darkens further when you reach the bottom of the ramp. Oikawa talks to the unknown driver, pocketing his cash prize from Kenma. He swiftly counts the bills. The unknown driver standing on the opposite side of him.

You link arms with Daize, pushing past the crowded finish line. Iwaizumi not far behind. Closing in, your breath catches in your throat as you cover your mouth. Time somehow stops.

"Kuroo?" You gasp in disbelief doing a double-take.

The strangers' head swivels in your direction. His posture stiffening as he nods, giving a quick bark of laughter. "Y/n?"

In a dreamlike state, you dash towards him. At long last reuniting after what felt like centuries. Tossing your arms around his neck as you squeal in surprise. Him spinning you around before placing you back on your feet.

Your ingrained memory of his cologne makes the butterflies in your stomach flutter. Here, before your eyes, your boy next door Tetsurou.

You've got to be dreaming.

Though everyone's eyes widen when the lookout shouts. "COPS! COPS ARE HERE!"

Panicking, the crowd scrambles to their vehicles. Kuroo grabs your hand, rushing you inside his car. He peels out of there, gunning the engine until he reaches the highway. 

"Snake Eyes! Take Haymaker to the garage. Call me when you get there safe!"

Kenma snatches Daize and they disappear from the lot.

Avoiding the other drivers, he ducks off onto a shortcut. Red and Blue lights illuminate the pavement in his rearview mirror. Kuroo navigates down a pitch-black alley, tension creasing his features as he creates distance from the audible sirens. His foot never leaving the accelerator.

Rounds of gunfire erupt behind you both. You lower your head, sinking back into the seat. Making a sharp right, he steadied the direction of the car, his hand holding tight to the gear shift. You clutch to the seat as your gravity is yanks to the left. Kuroo's body rebounds in his seat with the harshness of the drift.

Pedestrians take notice of the car speeding along. You feel like you’re going to pass out. Maybe even puke. He drifts again. Taking a hard right towards the main street, he puts the car in reverse under an overpass. It leads to another alleyway. Your eyes squeeze tight, trying to breathe, exhausted from the chase. His arm tucked behind your seat, looking back. His bomber jacket hung off his shoulders.

"We should be safe now, Shortcake." Kuroo puts your mind at rest.

The Sirens speed past, unaware of your presence. Blood rushes to your brain, your heart in your ears. You rest your head on the dashboard. No way in hell do you want to meet like this ever again.

"Where to now?" You mumbled sitting back slowly.

He clears his throat, and puts his keys back into the ignition.

"From the looks of it, cops will be patrolling the highways all night. Your best option is to stay at my place."

With not many options to weigh, you agree, drawing shapes on your arm to keep you focused. Tonight should've gone differently and this isn't the meeting he was expecting.

For most of the ride back, he played some lofi music on his Bluetooth stereo. But the air reeked of intense awkwardness between you two. You'd admit, you're impressed by his driving and keeping calm in a cop chase but no outlandish event moving forward will top tonight.

Pulling into what looks like a penthouse, the automatic garage door opens. Driving into the parking lot, he parks the car and shuts off the engine. You unbuckle your seatbelt, Kuroo's hands dropping from the wheel. His head falling back against the headrest, he avoids your eyes.

"So much for a welcoming gift..." A long sigh leaving his lips. "I'll make it up to you in the morning. I promise."

You're sure if he had the time, he would've been better prepared for whatever this was you experienced. Something this trivial must be second nature for him. But you have a lot to learn.

You interlace your fingers with his. Eyes softening at his warmth.

"I'm sure you will..."

If you enjoyed this chapter, make sure to follow me for more. If you'd also like to be added to the tag list, comment below.

Taglist: @blissfullyrhea @nanastie @s-1-xx @aiyaaayei @melbugs1 @jfoxxarts

[toooldforfandom-liveblogs]

Gravity Falls S02E18 - Weirdmageddon Part I

I really like that name for the end of the world. I'm not sure what to expect from this one since this is literally new territory for everyone. My one hope is that Mabel gets forgiven easily but there has to be some drama, either for the twins or the Stans (since that relationship really needs some mending, and the end of the world seems to be a good place for that kind of thing.) I think that's all so let's do this!

If this is the first shot of the episode, things are going to get _weird_.

Wait. Wait. What.

Okay, had to go back and check Bill's summoning circle.

I completely forgot about this but I guess he needs all the symbols for something beyond summoning everything weird into this dimension? But why? Uhm.

Anyway, back in Dreamscaperers I wrote:

Glasses = The ones Stan found in the room with the magic carpet? Question Mark = Soos Ice - Fish with food? > Pine = Dipper Star with an eye  Hand = Whoever wrote the journals considering the symbol on their covers? Llama/Alpaca? Shooting star = Mabel Heart with stitches

Fish with food ended up being Stan's fez. I _think_ Heart with Stitches could be Robbie. Hand is obviously Ford. I'm still not sure about Glasses (they really look like Stan's glasses but... how would that work?) and Star (maaaaybe Gideon? The star appears in the ending cypher in S02E14.) The alpaca/llama and the ice are a complete mystery. Considering everyone of importance is in there already, maybe Wendy is one of those two?

Symbols aside, does this mean that Mabel is going to be missing until who knows when? That's a bit disappointing.

Imagine being able to choose any physical form at all and choosing to keep being a dorito.

Before I paused I was convinced this guy was some weird Nigel Thornberry cameo.

So, Bill has 10 friends, which is exactly the number of symbols in the summoning circle. Huh. Interesting.

Maybe it means nothing but their appearance feels so sudden that I feel they have to be important somehow.

Immersion ruined, the Northwests would never lower themselves and go "downtown"

What a trianglist, she had no problems with Mabel.

I imagine Wendy can't wait to go to college a thousand miles away from her family.

Death, Famine, War, Conquest and Capitalism.

That's horrifying. But he's a dick. What a moral dilemma. Nah, he really deserves it.

Why steal Durland? Huh. Maybe he's also one of the symbols? Or Bill is just being Bill.

Oh, oh, I know what they do!

What an intro, I'm 100% sold.

What can our protagonists do? I guess Ford has a plan, maybe the symbols are for unsummoning Bill and that's why he's collecting them so they can't do whatever ritual they need to do. Maybe Ford and Stan will be in a similar situation that made them fight 30 years ago, but this time they actually communicate and win? Mabel is out so I hope they rescue her (or she rescues herself) before too much plot happens.

I _love_ how much of an effect the changed OP had on me.

After watching 37 episodes with the same opening song any changes are immediately noticeable and it feels _wrong_. What a great way to show how everything is changing for the worse thanks to Bill.

It does make me wonder how Gravity Falls is going to recover though. It looks _bad_, bad enough that in any other show I wouldn't be surprised by a time-machine or a literal genie undoing everything bad that happened. I doubt that'll happen here, since the town itself is so used to the "weird" but if someone dies all bets are off.

YESSSS, Dipper doesn't blame her! I'm sure there'll be some self-blame later on but I'm so glad his first reaction was to be worried.

Why is Soos unaffected? Is it related to his presence in the summoning circle? Looking for unaltered people may be a good way to find who are the missing symbols.

Soos deserved more episodes, what a hero

Has there been any positive romantic relationship in Gravity Falls?

Wendy and Dipper was an unrequited mess, Mabel and all her crushes were all disasters of some kind or another, the less said about Wendy and Robbie the better, and Tambry and Robbie is the result of the twins messing with their minds without their consent. Oh, and Gideon and his murderous crush on Mabel.

I love that tiny shiny dodrio.

I didn't need to know that Bill's hat was meat and bones.

What? No! Warnings later, explanations how to defeat a demon now!

This is the first time he calls Dipper by his symbol, right? He also called Ford "six fingers." The writers really wanted everyone on the same page here about making the relation between the symbols and the characters.

...I refuse to believe that the eye piece meant nothing with how much it has been shown!

Weirdmageddon sounds much better.

Wow. He has been wandering around for three days, probably having to scavenge for food and water. These kids are really going to need a therapist after summer break is over.

For some reason I find that guy more disturbing that most of the weirdness in this episode so far. He just sounds very predator-y.

...oh Dipper, those nachos are three days old at best. So young, so ignorant of the consequences of gastroenteritis.

...of course. I'm glad she's okay. She's been shown as a very badass so it would have been a shame if she was down without a fight.

But, but, rabies.

Can't wait for the weirdmaggeddon to be over and then immediately after everyone dying of infectious diseases.

So, how many post-weirdmageddon dipper/wendy fics did this scene inspire?

Robbie is conspicuously missing from that list

nevermind. Would have been an amazing selfie though, can't fault him for that

Aw. This got me a bit teary-eyed. They really can do anything if they are together.

Shame about Mabel being inside Bill's floating lair completely out of their reach.

What a raw deal, last game I played with twins on it they l– actually, never mind, spoilers. But it was really cool, believe me.

It looks like the mission briefing for a stealth game so, in my case, I'd try to avoid the lights, fail miserably a thousand times and then rage quit. Hopefully Dipper is better at stealth.

Making the world weird?

Wouldn't they know what's going to happen? Since there seems to be only one timeline? Actually, nevermind, I'm too sober to analyze the time travel mechanics of gravity falls.

Time Baby was the most powerful entity in the show so far! Stakes have been raised.

RIP Bodacious T, we never go to know you.

Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015

Two months being a villain and he still hasn't learned to avoid monologuing.

Don't worry, Gideon. It took Steven Universe 6 years to grow a neck, you'll get one someday.

Huh. So Bill manipulated him by using his obsession for Mabel. That's a nice way to explain why it came back after so many episodes without mentioning it too much.

Ugh.

She's a genuine action movie heroine trapped in a cartoon

I have no idea how Wendy manages to get more and more badass this season.

Right!? Right!? Wow.

Holy shit, this really is Fury Road.

that's deep, man

Ah, that explains it. Nothing more dangerous than a philosophy major.

Hatoful Boyfriend, 2014

My mind is exploding right now. I wasn't ready for anime Dipper and Wendy. What are the monkey and kid in the backseat referencing?

Lady Gag– nah, I refuse to use the same joke three times in the same liveblog.

* screams in terror too *

What a shame that we couldn't see the birth of the legend of Soos.

I can't believe Dipper is using the "Power of Understanding" to talk Gideon down.

This is really good. I almost want to joke and say "but it wasn't worth the Wendy/Dipper episodes" but it actually does make them work in retrospect. It's probably the largest source of character growth for Dipper during the show and here's the payoff.

I mean, yes.

WHAT

HOW DARE YOU

GAME IS OVER, AND I WON

NOW IT'S TIME TO START THE FUN

I ALWAYS LOVE CORRUPTING LIVES

NOW LET'S SEE WHICH PINES SURVIVES

well, that's nice.

---

I wasn't sure what to expect from this "Part 1", I thought it was going to be mostly setup. And it had a bit of that, just to show how screwed Gravity Falls (the town) is, but after that it was all action and it was all good.

I think getting Ford out of the way early was a good idea, it removes the possibility of a quick solution. Now Dipper has to figure things on his own. He still needed Wendy to remind him of what he and Mabel are capable of but that's a friend offering help, not "the mentor" giving him the answer to the problem. On the other hand, while Stan hasn't appeared after the goat, he hasn't been captured yet (he's important enough to deserve an on-screen capture, unless it's going to be revealed as a demoralizing surprise?) so I think he'll appear soon since he's just a guy, without any special knowledge about Bill.

Soos really deserves his own show. "The Legend of Soos" Or give Wendy her own show with Soos as the mysterious stranger that appears from time to time to help. Because wow, Wendy is lost in this show, she should be the protagonist of something.

But the star of the show was Dipper talking Gideon down. I _really_ didn't expect that. This is not a show where the protagonists defeat their villains by talking to them (with some exceptions) so I thought they'd defeat him in some other, more violent, way. And the way he uses the "Power of Understanding" to do it (go read Scott Pilgrim)! While Dipper never got to that extreme, he "gets" it and that's just * chef kiss *

I can't wait for the next episode, especially because this one ended in a cliffhanger, so until next time!

[aion-rsa]

HBO Max New Releases: February 2021

https://ift.tt/2MlHkNh

When it released Wonder Woman 1984 to its HBO Max servers in December, WarnerMedia made it abundantly clear that it was ready for a new era of movie distribution. Now, in its list of new releases for February 2021, Warner is attempting another grand experiment for HBO Max.

Judas and the Black Messiah premieres on HBO Max this Feb. 12 and is by every indication the kind of film that awards shows go gaga over. Both Daniel Kaluuya and and Lakeith Stanfield look to be at the top of their respective games in this story about Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton and the FBI that wants to take him down. Will this have the same rhetorical oomph on the small screen? Guess we’ll find out!

Read more

Movies

How Wonder Woman 1984’s Practical Effects Set it Apart

By Delia Harrington

Movies

Why It’s Important that Themyscira Is Back for Wonder Woman 1984

By Rosie Fletcher

The rest of HBO Max’s February 2021 offerings are uncommonly film heavy. The other two original movies of note are quite different from one another. There is No “I” in Threesome arrives on Feb. 11 and the decidedly more family friendly Tom & Jerry premieres on Feb. 26.

HBO Max will feature the U.S. premiere of It’s a Sin on Feb. 18. Beyond that, however, it’s another round of intriguing library title additions. A whole host of Batman films and DC properties arrive throughout the month including Batman (1989) and Aquaman (2018).

Here is everything else coming to HBO Max this month.

HBO Max New Releases – February 2021

TBA Close Enough, Season 2 Premiere Esme & Roy, Max Original Series Season 2D Premiere

February 1 All Good Things, 2010 (HBO) The Amityville Horror, 1979 (HBO) The Amityville Horror, 2005 (HBO) American Style The Apparition, 2012 (HBO) Austin Powers in Goldmember, 2002 Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, 1997 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999 Backdraft, 1991 (HBO) Batman & Robin, 1997 Batman Forever, 1995 Batman Returns, 1992 Batman, 1989 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Be Cool, 2005 (HBO) Blade Runner: The Final Cut, 2007 Butter, 2012 (HBO) Captain Blood, 1935 Chewing Gum Death Row Stories, Season 5 Deep Down, 2021 (HBO) Drumline, 2002 (Extended Version) (HBO) The Four Feathers, 2002 (HBO) Get A Job, 2016 (HBO) Get Shorty, 1995 (HBO) Getting Even With Dad, 1994 (HBO) Ghoulies II, 1987 (HBO) Ghoulies, 1985 (HBO) Giant, 1956 The Graduate, 1967 Growing Up Milwaukee, 2020 Head of the Class The Investigation, Limited Series Premiere (HBO) Jacob’s Ladder, 1990 (HBO) Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, 1993 (HBO) Justice League Justice League Unlimited La Deuda, 2021 (HBO) Lars And The Real Girl, 2007 (HBO) The Last Exorcism, 2010 (Extended Version) (HBO) Lay The Favorite, 2012 (HBO) Life Of Pi, 2012 (HBO) Love & Basketball, 2000 The Lucky One, 2012 (HBO) Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1983 Man of Steel, 2013 The Matrix, 1999 The Matrix Reloaded, 2003 The Matrix Revolutions, 2003 Monkey Shines, 1988 (HBO) Murder On The Orient Express, 1974 (HBO) My Bloody Valentine 3-D, 2009 (HBO) The Neverending Story II The Next Chapter, 1991 (HBO) Outbreak, 1995 Pathfinder, 2007 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Presumed Innocent, 1990 Raw Deal, 1986 (HBO) Robot Chicken, Season 10B Safe House, 2012 (HBO) Saw II, 2005 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Saw III, 2006 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Saw IV, 2007 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Saw V, 2008 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Saw VI, 2009 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Saw, 2004 (Extended Version) (HBO) Saw: The Final Chapter, 2010 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Selena, 1997 The Shadow, 1994 (HBO) Sling Blade, 1996 (HBO) Stop-Loss, 2008 (HBO) Sunshine Cleaning, 2009 (HBO) The Goonies, 1985 The Tank, 2017 (HBO) This Must Be The Place, 2012 (HBO) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, 2011 (HBO) Training Day, 2001 Unforgiven, 1992 United Shades of America, Season 5 Up In The Air, 2009 (HBO) Wildcats, 1986 (HBO) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, 1971

February 2 A Rodeo Film, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO) A Storybook Ending, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO) Black Boy Joy, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO) The Cypher, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Finalist (HBO) Dolapo Is Fine, ABFF HBO Short Film Competition Winner (HBO) Fake Famous, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

February 3 Tacoma FD, Season 2

February 4 Haute Dog (S1C), Max Original Series Selena + Chef, Season 2 Finale

February 5 Aquaman , 2018 Earwig and the Witch (Studio Ghibli Premiere), 2021 In Other Words, 2021 (HBO) Vengeance: Killer Coworkers Vengeance: Killer Lovers Vengeance: Killer Neighbors

February 6 Irresistible, 2020 (HBO) The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty, 2019

February 7 We Bare Bears: The Movie, 2020

February 9 Black Art: In the Absence of Light, 2021 (HBO) Gen:Lock, Season 1

February 10 C.B. Strike: Lethal White, Season Finale (HBO)

February 11 There Is No “I” In Threesome, HBO Max Documentary Premiere

Read more

TV

Does Game of Thrones Really Need to Be a Shared Universe?

By David Crow

TV

Harry Potter: What an HBO Max TV Series Could Be About

By Nick Harley

February 12 Dunkirk, 2017 (HBO) El Inconveniente (AKA One Careful Owner), 2021 (HBO) Havana Street Party Presents: Beatriz Luengo (HBO) Judas and the Black Messiah, Warner Bros. Film Premiere, 2021 Very Scary People, Season 2

February 13 The Book of Eli, 2010 (HBO)

February 14 The Lady And The Dale, Documentary Series Finale (HBO) Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Season 8 Premiere (HBO)

February 15 30 Coins, Season Finale (HBO) The Batman Food Wars! The Fourth Plate (Dubbed) (Crunchyroll Collection) Hot Ones, Season 1 Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President, 2020 Static Shock

February 18 Arthur’s Law (Dubbed), Max Original Series Premiere Ben 10, Season 4B It’s a Sin, Max Original Limited Series Premiere

February 19 The Killer Truth, Season 1

February 20 Argo, 2012 (Extended Version) (HBO)

February 22 Beartown, Series Premiere (HBO)

February 23 Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (HBO)

February 26 Blade Runner 2049, 2017 (HBO) Lupe, 2021 (HBO) Painting With John, Season Finale (HBO) Tom & Jerry, Warner Bros. Film Premiere, 2021

February 27 Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey, 1991 (HBO) Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure, 1989 (HBO) How It Really Happened, Season 5

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

Leaving HBO Max – February 2021

February 5 Storks, 2016 (HBO)

February 15 Little, 2019 (HBO)

February 20 The Conjuring, 2013

February 22 Us, 2019 (HBO)

February 28 American Pie, 1999 (HBO) The Astronaut’s Wife, 1999 Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 2012 (HBO) Blow-Up, 1966 Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, 2005 Chinatown, 1974 Cold Mountain, 2003 (HBO) Congo, 1995 (HBO) Cowboys & Aliens, 2011 (Unrated Version) (HBO) Crazy Rich Asians, 2018 The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, 2008 (HBO) The Descendants, 2011 (HBO) The Devil Inside, 2012 (HBO) Dick Tracy, 1990 (HBO) Doctor Sleep, 2020 (Director’s Cut) (HBO) Dolphin Tale, 2011 G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, 2009 Gangs Of New York, 2002 (HBO) The Good Liar, 2019 (HBO) Gun Crazy, 1950 Happy Feet Two, 2011 (HBO) Harriet, 2019 (HBO) I Think I Love My Wife, 2007 (HBO) Idiocracy, 2006 (HBO) Lean On Me, 1989 The Legend Of Bagger Vance, 2000 Life, 1999 (HBO) The Little Things, 2021 Logan’s Run, 1976 Lola Versus, 2012 (HBO) Motherless Brooklyn, 2019 (HBO) Muriel’s Wedding, 1995 (HBO) The Mustang, 2019 (HBO) My Dream Is Yours, 1949 The Omega Man, 1971 On Moonlight Bay, 1951 The Sitter, 2011 (Unrated Version) (HBO) Soldier, 1998 Soylent Green, 1973 Spies Like Us, 1985 Stephen King’s Needful Things, 1993 Tango & Cash, 1989 Teen Witch, 1989 (HBO) Westworld (Movie), 1973 Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 1971

The post HBO Max New Releases: February 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3oAc7Dg

[kermiejpg]

This was Jefferson's last letter to James Madison

DEAR SIR, -- My last to you was of Oct. 8 by the Count de Moustier. Yours of July 18. Sep. 6. & Oct. 24. have been successively received, yesterday, the day before & three or four days before that. I have only had time to read the letters, the printed papers communicated with them, however interesting, being obliged to lie over till I finish my dispatches for the packet, which dispatches must go from hence the day after tomorrow. I have much to thank you for. First and most for the cyphered paragraph respecting myself. These little informations are very material towards forming my own decisions. I would be glad even to know when any individual member thinks I have gone wrong in any instance. If I know myself it would not excite ill blood in me, while it would assist to guide my conduct, perhaps to justify it, and to keep me to my duty, alert. I must thank you too for the information in Thos. Burke's case, tho' you will have found by a subsequent letter that I have asked of you a further investigation of that matter. It is to gratify the lady who is at the head of the Convent wherein my daughters are, & who, by her attachment & attention to them, lays me under great obligations. I shall hope therefore still to receive from you the result of the further enquiries my second letter had asked. The parcel of rice which you informed me had miscarried accompanied my letter to the Delegates of S. Carolina. Mr. Bourgoin was to be the bearer of both & both were delivered together into the hands of his relation here who introduced him to me, and who at a subsequent moment undertook to convey them to Mr. Bourgoin. This person was an engraver particularly recommended to D'r. Franklin & Mr. Hopkinson. Perhaps he may have mislaid the little parcel of rice among his baggage. I am much pleased that the sale of Western lands is so successful. I hope they will absorb all the Certificates of our Domestic debt speedily, in the first place, and that then offered for cash they will do the same by our foreign one. The season admitting only of operations in the Cabinet, and these being in a great measure secret , I have little to fill a letter. I will therefore make up the deficiency by adding a few words on the Constitution proposed by our Convention. I like much the general idea of framing a government which should go on of itself peaceably, without needing continual recurrence to the state legislatures. I like the organization of the government into Legislative, Judiciary & Executive. I like the power given the Legislature to levy taxes, and for that reason solely approve of the greater house being chosen by the people directly. For tho' I think a house chosen by them will be very illy qualified to legislate for the Union, for foreign nations &c. yet this evil does not weigh against the good of preserving inviolate the fundamental principle that the people are not to be taxed but by representatives chosen immediately by themselves. I am captivated by the compromise of the opposite claims of the great & little states, of the latter to equal, and the former to proportional influence. I am much pleased too with the substitution of the method of voting by persons, instead of that of voting by states: and I like the negative given to the Executive with a third of either house, though I should have liked it better had the Judiciary been associated for that purpose, or invested with a similar and separate power. There are other good things of less moment. I will now add what I do not like. First the omission of a bill of rights providing clearly & without the aid of sophisms for freedom of religion, freedom of the press, protection against standing armies, restriction against monopolies, the eternal & unremitting force of the habeas corpus laws, and trials by jury in all matters of fact triable by the laws of the land & not by the law of nations. To say, as Mr. Wilson does that a bill of rights was not necessary because all is reserved in the case of the general government which is not given, while in the particular ones all is given which is not reserved, might do for the audience to whom it was addressed, but is surely a gratis dictum, opposed by strong inferences from the body of the instrument, as well as from the omission of the clause of our present confederation which had declared that in express terms. It was a hard conclusion to say because there has been no uniformity among the states as to the cases triable by jury, because some have been so incautious as to abandon this mode of trial, therefore the more prudent states shall be reduced to the same level of calamity. It would have been much more just & wise to have concluded the other way that as most of the states had judiciously preserved this palladium, those who had wandered should be brought back to it, and to have established general right instead of general wrong. Let me add that a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, & what no just government should refuse, or rest on inferences. The second feature I dislike, and greatly dislike, is the abandonment in every instance of the necessity of rotation in office, and most particularly in the case of the President. Experience concurs with reason in concluding that the first magistrate will always be re-elected if the Constitution permits it. He is then an officer for life. This once observed, it becomes of so much consequence to certain nations to have a friend or a foe at the head of our affairs that they will interfere with money & with arms. A Galloman or an Angloman will be supported by the nation he befriends. If once elected, and at a second or third election out voted by one or two votes, he will pretend false votes, foul play, hold possession of the reins of government, be supported by the States voting for him, especially if they are the central ones lying in a compact body themselves & separating their opponents: and they will be aided by one nation of Europe, while the majority are aided by another. The election of a President of America some years hence will be much more interesting to certain nations of Europe than ever the election of a king of Poland was. Reflect on all the instances in history antient & modern, of elective monarchies, and say if they do not give foundation for my fears. The Roman emperors, the popes, while they were of any importance, the German emperors till they became hereditary in practice, the kings of Poland, the Deys of the Ottoman dependances. It may be said that if elections are to be attended with these disorders, the seldomer they are renewed the better. But experience shews that the only way to prevent disorder is to render them uninteresting by frequent changes. An incapacity to be elected a second time would have been the only effectual preventative. The power of removing him every fourth year by the vote of the people is a power which will not be exercised. The king of Poland is removeable every day by the Diet, yet he is never removed. Smaller objections are the Appeal in fact as well as law, and the binding all persons Legislative Executive & Judiciary by oath to maintain that constitution. I do not pretend to decide what would be the best method of procuring the establishment of the manifold good things in this constitution, and of getting rid of the bad. Whether by adopting it in hopes of future amendment, or, after it has been duly weighed & canvassed by the people, after seeing the parts they generally dislike, & those they generally approve, to say to them `We see now what you wish. Send together your deputies again, let them frame a constitution for you omitting what you have condemned, & establishing the powers you approve. Even these will be a great addition to the energy of your government.' At all events I hope you will not be discouraged from other trials, if the present one should fail of its full effect. I have thus told you freely what I like & dislike: merely as a matter of curiosity, for I know your own judgment has been formed on all these points after having heard everything which could be urged on them. I own I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive. The late rebellion in Massachusetts has given more alarm than I think it should have done. Calculate that one rebellion in 13 states in the course of 11 years, is but one for each state in a century & a half. No country should be so long without one. Nor will any degree of power in the hands of government prevent insurrections. France, with all it's despotism, and two or three hundred thousand men always in arms has had three insurrections in the three years I have been here in every one of which greater numbers were engaged than in Massachusetts & a great deal more blood was spilt. In Turkey, which Montesquieu supposes more despotic, insurrections are the events of every day. In England, where the hand of power is lighter than here, but heavier than with us they happen every half dozen years. Compare again the ferocious depredations of their insurgents with the order, the moderation & the almost self extinguishment of ours. After all, it is my principle that the will of the majority should always prevail. If they approve the proposed Convention in all it's parts, I shall concur in it chearfully, in hopes that they will amend it whenever they shall find it work wrong. I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe. Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to; convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty. I have tired you by this time with my disquisitions & will therefore only add assurances of the sincerity of those sentiments of esteem & attachment with which I am Dear Sir your affectionate friend & servant Thomas Jefferson P. S. The instability of our laws is really an immense evil. I think it would be well to provide in our constitutions that there shall always be a twelve-month between the ingross-ing a bill & passing it: that it should then be offered to it's passage without changing a word: and that if circum-stances should be thought to require a speedier passage, it should take two thirds of both houses instead of a bare majority.

[tanakariza]

The Netflix Death Note is a Fanfiction

About a week ago, Netflix released the trailer for their live adaptation of Death Note and the internet is exploding with opinions of this trailer. “Oh no, Light is White! Oh no, L is Black! Light looks emo!! This anime is turning into an American drama! This is not Death Note! My favorite anime is getting destroyed!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” Ok, everyone, what don’t you stop typing, calm the fuck down and listen to me.

There seems to be this notion that a story being adapted to a different medium must be exactly like the original source, because the original source is a treasure that must never be tampered with. The movie must be exactly like the book. The anime must be an exact realization of the manga. This anime or cartoon cannot possibly be a live-action film because the visuals wouldn't look the same in real life as they do in the original source. Any small detail different from the source material, even in the slightest, puts the fandom in an uproar.

Well, my friends, in order to help you overcome the horror that is the “ADAPTATION,” I have a proposal to make. Try viewing this Netflix movie not as an adaptation, but rather as a fanfiction, specifically an AU fanfiction.

For those of you who don’t know, in the realm of fanfiction, there is a genre called the AU, or Alternate Universe. In an AU the canon is written into an alternate reality. There are two types of AU fanfiction. The first is where, in a certain instance, something different happens, leading the story to go in a completely different direction from that point on. My friend Queen_Mab wrote a Gravity Falls AU called Ad Astra where, at the end of the episode “Not What He Seems” after Mabel lets go of the lever, Dipper rushes toward it and closes the portal. However, since Mabel was right next to the portal, she ends up falling into it when it closes and is transported to another dimension where she meets a long lost family member. In the story from then on, Mabel and the family member find their way home while the Mystery Shack crew try to open the portal again. There are also a number of Fullmetal Alchemist fanfics where Ed was not able to recover Al’s soul and has therefore completely lost him. And there are also a number of Your Lie in April fanfics where Kaori doesn’t die at the end (that is not a spoiler, they hint at it throughout the anime).

The other kind of AU fanfiction, which is the one we’ll focus on here, is either a complete retelling of the story in a different setting or the characters from canon in a different setting, making references to canon without completely retelling the story. Make No Mistake by dickyang and vageege is a One Piece AU that takes place at an American college. Luffy lives in a large mansion and is invites Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Zoro, and Chopper, who are all students at Sabaody University, to live with him in this house. Robin and Franky are professors of archeology and engineering at Sabaody University and Brook is the student’s landlord. The characters are a little different from canon to make more sense in this setting. Chopper is a human is a human instead of a reindeer and Brook is not a skeleton, but a very old man. This is only one example of this kind of AU. There are other fanfics from many different fandoms that are set in college, high school, and in coffee shops. There are others in which the primary cast from canon play in a touring band together. I personally like to think of any adaptation as a fanfiction of some kind. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a fanfiction of the Marvel Comics with many things added in and taken out here and there. The American live-action Ghost in the Shell is an AU fanfiction telling a slightly different story than its predecessor, the Ghost in the Shell anime movie. This American live action Death Note is an American AU fanfiction set in Seattle, Washington.

Since the American population is much more racially diverse than Japan, all of the characters can be any race the writers choose. It is possible for Light to be white and L be black. It is also possible for Light to be black and L to be white. Any character in this movie could be Latina, Polynesian, Middle Eastern, or Asian. They do not have to be Asian.

I’ve also heard complaints about the names and to that, I’d say that Japanese names are very uncommon in America. Therefore, it makes sense to change them to American names. Light Yagami’s name is changed to Light Turner and Misa Amane’s name is changed to Mia Sutton. It makes sense. “But, Riza, this is still another example of America americanizing everything it touches!” Well, let me ask you this: What if Netflix decided to set the story in Japan for the sake of being true to the anime? If this were the case, we’d face similar problems we’re having with Ghost in the Shell. There aren’t enough American Asian actors who can fill up a film cast, and there certainly isn't American Asian actor who can attract a crowd the way Scarlett Johansson can. This leaves the casting crew with no choice but to cast non-Japanese actors to play Japanese people, including the main character. And the public falsely accuses them for the whitewashing they didn’t intend on. For reasons like this, I think that if you're an American film maker adapting a Japanese anime for a Mass American audience, the best approach is to write it as an American AU fanfiction.

Another criticism I’ve seen is that Light’s character is not like the Light in the anime. In the anime, Light was cool and handsome and thought of himself as superior to those around him, which was how his god complex came into formation. From what we’ve seen of the live-action trailer, Light seems a lot more insecure and reserved. Emo is a word I’ve seen used to describe him. Anime Light is Mr. Cool and Netflix Light is someone that Mr. Cool would pick on.

Now, remember the point I’m making here. This is not a Death Note adaptation but rather a Death Note AU fanfiction. And in AU fanfiction, writers have the freedom to make a character different from their original counterpart, because it’s not canon. The Reverse Falls AU is a very popular AU in the Gravity Falls fandom where Dipper and Mabel (the canon’s protagonists) are the villains and Gideon and Pacifica (the canon side-villains) are the heroes. In many realizations of this AU, Bill Cypher (the canon main antagonist) is Dipper’s sidekick and has a crush on him. In some of these fics, Dipper uses said crush as a source for abuse, making Dipper cunning and evil and Bill innocent and shy. Of course, there are many fans who don’t like these fics because of their different takes on these characters. What fans who like these fics appreciate is their different and creative ways of interpreting these characters. Maybe we can try viewing Netflix’s version of Light a different and creative way of interpreting the character.

Because Light’s personality is different in this version, the story is likely to go in a slightly different direction as well. And you know what, that’s OK. This is fanfiction. It can be whatever the writer wants. And judging the predictions I am making from this trailer, I think the story work. My predictions are that Light will be the high school student picked on by the jocks and has developed hatred toward those people for that reason. He finds the Death Note, learns what it can do, and uses it to eliminate his bullies so he can live a life of ease. Then, he thinks that maybe he can do the same to other bullies so that those bullies’ targets can live a better life along with him. Then he will branch out to criminals and this is where the police will come in if they haven’t made their appearance already. Frankly, I think this is an interesting take on the story. In this version, Light’s god complex would come from hatred built up over time rather than from just having the power to kill people.

Now, am I not saying it’s wrong to criticize adaptations. What is wrong is hating an adaptation for the soul reason of not staying true to the original source. I’ve read the Planet of the Apes novel by Pierre Boule, which the 1968 film was adapted from. The twist at the end of the film is completely different from the one in the novel, sending a completely different message to the audience. They each sent different messages to their audience while keeping the premise the same. That is something I think is amazing. I’m sure I would have appreciated the original 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime for their very unique takes on the alchemy of that universe. The only reason why I gave it a 4-out-of-10 on MyAnimeList, is because it had so many plot holes that made the plot make no sense and the ending came out of nowhere (and The Conquerer of Shambala made up for that ending either). In any case, what I’m hoping is to offer you a different way of thinking about adaptations so that you can look at them, not as reiterations of their source, but as something inspired by their source. Let me know what you think.

#adaptationsarefanfiction

[selfemployedideas]

What is Entrepreneurship

Successful entrepreneurs remain focussed on the change they want to create. With the upcoming change to its news feed, this becomes very complex. Entrepreneurs and small businesses often lack the budget needed for employing a sales professional. Your goals, decisions and actions are your road map to sales success. Organizations are endeavoring to get lean and mean by streamlining their business capacities. To read about what is entrepreneurship go to the website.

Can you recall the best experience that you have had with your business? It is to give eye-openings to people to remember to always have clean hands. The course aims to give students a better understanding of what it takes to run a successful enterprise while improving their English language skills and becoming familiar with the culture of British business. Entrepreneurship is the act of creating a business or businesses while building and scaling it to generate a profit. Enhancing the lives of others by helping others along the way is often the most rewarding aspect of building a business within the home-based business industry.

Entrepreneurship

They focus on building something big, lasting, and profitable. However, it’s not that the entire community of small and medium businesses suffer such problems. Celebrate every one no matter how large or small. I use the phrase 'fighting with' because no one is fighting with you except you. After consulting with eBay’s chief executive officer (CEO), Cypher assembled a team of engineers to find ways to use technology to enhance physical stores. You learn to work well as the member of a team and on your own,” he explains. Some work has to be done in order to attain the results by means ofthrough effective free advertising. Are you prepared to benefit from the difficulties that you need to overcome in order to succeed? When you invest your energy, time, and money in a venture, you want a good return and therefore need to make sure that you have what it takes. But, after I have indulged myself in business, I started to shop less and sell more.

Even more critical, other costs like training costs especially in countries where there is inadequate skilled manpower will force the manufacture to invest in staff training and this will make offshore manufacturing unviable. I believe by indulging yourself in business, you will be happy. As we build our business, we have an opportunity to take others with us, build cohesiveness and assist them in achieving personal and financial goals. Not be adaptable. They have a firm idea of how things should be, not what they really are. Industry founded ILM and Pixar have raised movie animation to an art medium with functions that imitate natural textures, facial expressions, and movement. You can even see this quality in young children. Any sort of business will clearly advantage in the event that they can fundamentally bring down their power bills. Next year will bring big changes and new opportunities for sharp, forward-thinking entrepreneurs. For details about marketing your business go to.

As far as you can you should keep company with a fellow entrepreneur. No doubt there are many successful entrepreneurs all around the globes who started this way and once they complete their target, they expand their business with funds they collect. A businessman when he starts off, tends to take lesser risks, hence goes the franchise way. Take a gander at all the accomplishment in innovation that man has made today. Remember when I said that you should take risks? The entrepreneur does not ask questions about whether they can succeed or whether they are worthy of success. Through the identification of a problem, an aspiring entrepreneur is able to build a business around solving that problem. Then hear from some key business partners and find out what services they offer and on what terms. It is expected to address the greater part of the focal segments to beginning your home based business ideas.

Sometimes the most difficult part of cloning recipes is technique. As you can see, entrepreneurship is becoming popular because it comes with a whole new lifestyle for those who are willing to seize it. Of course, entrepreneurship isn't all sunshine and freedom. Ultimately, they become attracted to entrepreneurship to succeed on their own terms. Dealing with this unpredicted competition can be tough. Study management techniques, learn from great leaders, review where you're succeeding and failing so you can help others improve. Offer them a free trial and deliver a great product. What do you want it for? How long does the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa UK last? Please note that applications for the Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) scheme 2019 are now being accepted. Be passionate about what you do, and being an entrepreneur gets just a little bit easier. Nicole Martins Ferreira is a content marketer at Oberlo and experienced ecommerce entrepreneur.

Marketing Skills, a Must-Have to get a Budding Entrepreneur

Over the years, I've been pleasantly surprised about the number of entrepreneurs visit our think tank with strategic business plans for nifty new innovative and ecologically sound businesses. You see, considering that the government is throwing around money, many small business owners, being opportunists, are searching for approaches to collect those funds. Therefore they may be picking out schemes which has a green motif, and compelling strategic plans to match. Still, I have a problem with all of this, and I'd like to explain why am disturbed by what is being conducted, and what I see out there in real life.

We'll tackle space issues here. First, as well as perhaps most of all, is usually to go with a designated space through which you'll work. Your specific circumstances will dictate how large or small this space may be. If you need a laptop, you may sit within your favorite chair which has a laptop pad. If you'll make conference calls, processing paper, and off 3 computers, a dedicated office would be a better option. The point is, choose a specific location.

You might wonder why I've made such a strong statement. Here's why... we have been placed on this earth to get a short time. If we have the belief (plus a belief is merely something we keep saying to ourselves) that people must be accomplished in most aspect of our life, that usually me like a considerable time 'attaining' but not a considerable time 'enjoying'.

Now then, some might state that I blowing this beyond proportion, but I'm letting you know what I see as I look through the strategic plans for first time business startups. I'm talking from experience, and looking from a different perspective, probably the one which you haven't seen. Far too many individuals have joined about the environmentalism bandwagon, and in many cases adopted global warming theory like a religion without really knowing the full facts behind everything. They then go overboard marching in step in this new eco-army and complain regarding the inefficiencies of capitalism, which that army has established because of the manipulations for the flow of resources, production, capital, money, and labor.

Learn to adapt and evolve - If you spoken with a group of successful entrepreneurs who had been operational for over 5 or 6 years, many may likely explain how their legitimate online business opportunities today is different in some manner from what you started with. People change, markets change, demands change, prices change, marketing consultants move on and your needs will forever evolve... you need to be able to go using the flow to make adjustments where appropriate should you be going to enjoy long-term success.

[aion-rsa]

The 100 Season 7 Episode 7 Review: The Queen’s Gambit

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This THE 100 review contains spoilers

The 100 Season 7 Episode 7

Lindsey Morgan (who plays Raven Rayes) directed a crackling episode of The 100 that treats us to a heaping pile of wonderful character moments and more mysteries than you can shake a stick at. Sheidheda continues to prove why he had a reputation as a master strategist and Emori comes into her own as a leader on Sanctum while Murphy struggles with the opposite impulse. Meanwhile, some of the most formidable women on the show found themselves imprisoned on Bardo, and Jackson helped Madi lay down her burden as Commander and simply be a kid.

Gabriel took a deal from Anders to join the Cypher Team rather quickly – so quickly that I’ve got to think his plan is to gather intel and play double agent. If he had stopped to consider it and searched his soul a bit, turning against his friends would be more believable. Anders’s offer of knowledge alone wouldn’t be too bad, though this isn’t Gabriel’s first war and he’s no dummy, so he would never believe it was just that. But the Clarke intel clearly gave him pause.

Time dilation allows the writers of The 100 to get even funkier with time than ever – remember The 100’s first major time jump at the end of season 4 into season 5? It was such a shock! We were so sweet and innocent back then. Now we time jump all the time! This episode’s use of dilation is judicious, allowing Gabriel three months to learn about the Anomaly Stones and hopefully all things Disciple, while some of The 100’s best warriors (minus Indra) train to become even deadlier.

Sadly we have to wait to see the new and improved fighting force of Hope, Diyoza, Octavia and Echo (even writing that makes my skin prick up), but this episode gave those four actresses plenty to work with, and they did not disappoint. Hope and Diyoza threw down emotionally and physically, with Diyoza getting Hope to realize that 15 years of training and a heart full of vengeance is nothing compared to her mother – but it’s also no way to live. Diyoza was far more frank than I expected both about her crimes and Hope’s biological father, considering how much she sheltered Hope when she was a kid. But it was also interesting to hear Hope discuss the positive part of her mother’s military record, saving thousands of people at the Battle of San Francisco.

These scenes were both a great action set piece and such a human exchange between mother and daughter, seamlessly bridging the gap between multiple actors portraying Hope over time. The exchange kicked into high gear when Hope referred to deceased Sky Ring prisoner Dev as her father. That’s a move that feels right for the beautiful relationship we watched, but it’s got to be a gut punch for Diyoza to hear that the man her now-25-year-old daughter considers her father is a person she has never met and never will.

Echo and Octavia finally buried the hatchet, or machete, as the case may be. This was clearly driven by Octavia and all the evolving she’s done in the last couple of seasons, both in the regular timeline and across time dilations. O made it clear that while Hope may have misgivings about Echo, she’s bringing her own loyalty to the equation. The warrior formerly known as SkaiRippa and Blodraina  has forgiven any and all transgressions, and sees Echo as family.

While that was a lovely surprise, and Marie Avgeropoulos and Tasya Teles did an excellent job, The 100 writers owed their actors more than cribbing the “it’s not your fault” forced hug from Good Will Hunting, even using those exact words. It was an earned moment and likely one that will make the next time we see them working alongside one another much more fluid, but that felt goofy, cheap, and possibly unintentional, rather than like an homage.

We finally see Bellamy again and it’s in a flashback – and one that feels like it’s a few years too late. Seeing Bellamy forgive Echo, her regret over her worst sins, Bellamy extending a place within the group, Echo’s hope for loyalty, and their first kiss, it’s everything that we sort of assumed happened on the ring during those five years – but never saw. While much of the hate Echo gets is based purely on shipping, this particular issue lies with the writing. When Echo came back a member of SpaceKru and in a relationship with Bellamy, it was the ultimate in telling rather than showing.

While I’m glad to finally see this pivotal scene, it feels like too little, too late. Always clear that there are no good guys, The 100 chooses its real heroes and villains not by any sense of morality but by whose perspective it assumes. Interiority is pivotal, but it’s something Echo almost never gets. We heard Echo was family, but the audience never saw it firsthand, so those five years of supposed relationship development and character evolution were hearsay at best.

Emori and Murphy’s dynamic become more pronounced this episode, in one of my favorite non-mysterious plots that’s moving right along at exactly the right pace. Emori is actually fantastic at being a fake Prime, using her now-extensive experience in bridging cultures and the studiousness we saw her apply to becoming a pilot to the task of bringing peace to Sanctum. Jackson’s new role as psychologist allowed him to make the subtext on Emori’s background into text, asking her about her motives. From a plot perspective, I understand why things had to go to hell, but seeing Emori try to bond with Nelson (and briefly find tentative success) was promising, so I look forward to watching that relationship develop.

Sheidheda’s evil plan for Nelson to ally with Nikki worked, thanks to old hatred dying hard, the delicate nature of Sanctum’s peace, and Sheidy ably detaining Murphy, who portrays the (apparently?) more credibly Daniel Prime. The chess match between Murphy and Sheidheda was a good little misdirect for what turned out to be his true plan, keeping Daniel from the Reunification Ceremony. It also laid groundwork for whatever confrontations they’ll have later when the Dark Commander inevitably tries to kill Emori and take over Sanctum.

While it might seem obvious that Murphy wouldn’t fold, he did exactly that last season, though it was so out of character for who he had become that fans kept waiting for a secret plan that never came, at least not until after Murphy had betrayed everyone several times over. All that is to say, let’s hope this season continues to be a more character-driven send-off for one of the show’s absolute best characters, rather than an unearned plot-driven regression.  

Finally, Clarke and friends landed on Bardo, only to learn the same devastating news that sent echo into a murderous rage: Gabriel tells them Bellamy is dead. The bond between the core group is so strong, but Clarke and Bellamy have been the leadership duo that lean on each other more than any other pair. With Abby and Kane gone and new kids coming onto the show, they’re now Space Mom and Space Dad. Eliza Taylor (playing Clarke) said it all with one look. While supposedly nothing breaks Clarke, this might be the closest she comes, especially so soon after burying her mother.

The episode leaves us with far more questions than answers. Where is our beloved and definitely-probably-we-hope-not-dead-Bellamy? How the heck did Second Dawn leader Bill Cadogen get here from Earth and survive this long? What do they want with Clarke and how do they know she’s the key? Who is this supposed war against? Where is Gaia? It says a lot about this season that we’re still deep in the exposition on our seventh episode, while simultaneously revisiting a character and group from way back in season 4. Onward!

Other notes…

Soccer exists in space! The game truly is…universal (OK I’ll show myself out!)

Shoutout to Lincoln!

Anders confirmed that Orlando hanged himself in the cabin, saying, “it appears we need to rethink our penal system.” How is this the first time someone took their own life on Penance?

Nikki with the very real talk: “Don’t kid yourself honey. There’s no innocent people at the end of the world.”

I believe this is the most Diyoza has ever spoken about her major act of terrorism. She apparently was actually trying to do a good thing. Wasn’t she from the same time as Second Dawn? Might that come up during the back-door pilot when we see Earth before it was destroyed (the first time)?

Murphy’s explanation of the flame keepers all banding together to kill Sheidheda and Lexa coming after to unite the clans makes it sound like they were one right after the other. But I feel like timeline-wise there should be another commander between them just due to Indra’s age…Am I forgetting my Grounder history here? Help me out folks!

What did Nelson’s parents originally name him Sachin as in…Sachin Sahel, the name of the actor who plays Jackson?

Apparently Azgeda warrior’s scar themselves before war to signify that the pain is over? I’m fuzzy on what that means and how Echo did this – what did she use? After Hope had a tube in her arm I thought Echo was going to dig a weapon out of her face.

Nikki somehow seems to know Russel is dead, plus there’s the notes in the food. It seems like ole Sheidy is working the crowd far more than what we/our friends are seeing.

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