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robininthelabyrinth · 2 years

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3. In The Untamed, for some reason the Jiang trio don't speak up or look for Wen Qing & Wen Ning when all the fighting is over. I'm hoping there was some kind of good reason for that, but it bothers me. Particularly since they wrote in all that romance subplot for Jiang Cheng and Wen Qing. But anyway, none of them spoke up before WWX literally ran into Wen Qing. But you know who else was on Dafan Mountan with the scary statue and the local Wens turned it puppets? Who also saw Wen Qing try to protect them and spent time inside WWX's string talisman cage thing with her?

Nie Huaisang. He also knows that there were some Wen being held hostage by Wen Chao to force Wen Qing's obedience. Heck, Wen Qing and/or Wen Ning could plausibly have been the ones to care for him when NHS fainted at the indoctrination camp. What if he had told all this to his brother? Either during the war or as soon as he showed up in the Nightless City for the Very Awkward Victory Dinner.

Emotional Support - ao3

“It’s done,” Nie Mingjue said, and promptly collapsed face-first on Nie Huaisang’s bed.

Nie Huaisang patted him on the back of the head.

“There, there,” he said. “The mean politicians won’t hurt you anymore.”

His brother mumbled something into the sheets that sounded suspiciously like Wanna bet?

“Today,” Nie Huaisang revised. “They won’t hurt you any more today. Tomorrow is a new day.”

His brother groaned.

Clearly it had been an especially awful day, and someone was in need of some attention.

“So what did you end up deciding?” Nie Huaisang asked. He even put aside the book he’d been reading, which was a huge sacrifice on his part. But in fairness, his brother hadn’t acted immature in his presence for years and years by now, not since they were little kids, and he had just won a war and avenged their father; a little sacrifice on Nie Huaisang’s part seemed to be reasonable.

“Jin Guangshan’s going to be throwing a party,” Nie Mingjue said at once, and Nie Huaisang had to hide a smile – of course that would be the most traumatic part of it for his brother, who hated parties and hated politics and (in all honesty) hated most people. He didn’t have any ear for music or an eye for dance, so he couldn’t even enjoy the entertainment, and the Jin sect tended to, as his brother put it, “cook their food beyond recognition.”

“I could get horribly sick right before?” Nie Huaisang offered.

“No, it’s to celebrate the end of the war. We have to attend. Inauspicious not to.”

“Ah, I see, I see. My sympathies.”

“You have to attend, too.”

“Yes, but I’ll actually enjoy it, I like parties and socializing,” Nie Huaisang pointed out, mercilessly, and his brother groaned again. “Anyway, tell me something good instead. What did you end up doing with – ”

He cast around for a subject. It was hard, given that he didn’t care much about politics, and there were so many ‘things that could not be spoken of’! He couldn’t ask about Lan Xichen, because he’d been proposing a sworn brotherhood with Meng Yao and his brother didn’t want to think about that (though he’d probably give in eventually given how much he’d always liked Meng Yao before it had all gone wrong up somehow), he definitely couldn’t ask about Meng Yao for obvious reasons, his brother wouldn’t care or even know about the forever ongoing Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli drama, the Jiang sect was also a no-go subject (his brother had literally done everything in his power to warn them of a possible attack short of moving personally to the Lotus Pier to try to defend them, and yet he still felt bad about what had happened), Wei Wuxian had turned into a possibly insane demonic cultivator and everything about him had become incredibly awkward…

Wow, he was running out of Great Sects to pick from.

“ – the leftover people from the Wen sect?” Nie Huaisang finally settled on.

Mostly out of lack of anything better.

It was pretty weak. His brother even turned around and cracked open an eye to give him a judgmental look, which was pretty well deserved.

Still, there wasn’t anything else to talk about, so Nie Huaisang gave his brother an expectant look until he gave in, as he usually did.

“They’ll be resettled somewhere,” Nie Mingjue begrudgingly said. “Xichen’s idea, giving them mercy, and everyone agreed – even Jin Guangshan. They’ll be given good farmland, a place to live peacefully, albeit with a guard, at least at first. The Jin sect promised to take care of it. Suppose they figured they might as well contribute something to the war effort…”

More likely they thought that throwing around their money now would be enticing to all those sects that needed money for rebuilding, Nie Huaisang thought cynically, which was all of them. His own included!

They were short on everything now, thanks to the war. His own spending budget was practically inviolable – the one time he’d tried to cut back voluntarily, half the sect had emptied out their own pockets to slip spending money into his room and he was still finding random strings of coins in weird places – but for just about everything else, they needed to scrimp and save up the money to pay. There were building repairs, which meant both supplies and workers; more disciples, which meant more weapons, more clothing, more food; more staff and civilian support, which meant even more food, and of course as non-cultivators they also got sick more easily, which also meant more doctors…

Hmm, actually, that reminded Nie Huaisang.

“Farmland, you say?” he asked, propping up his chin on his hand. “What about the ones that aren’t farmers?”

“The ones – you mean the Wen sect?” His brother rolled onto his side. “Who cares if they weren’t originally farmers? What do you expect them to do, continue being soldiers?”

“Not soldiers,” Nie Huaisang said, rolling his eyes. “But the ones who had other professions! There was that girl who came to the Cloud Recesses at the same time as Jiang-xiong and Wei-xiong, what’s her name, Wen Qing. She’s one of the ones from Dafan.”

“I’m familiar with Wen Ruohan’s niece,” Nie Mingjue said dryly. “Her medical skills were reputedly the only thing that kept that madman going after he poisoned himself with Yin Metal.”

“Oh, that.He was probably threatening her family.” Nie Huaisang shrugged when his brother stared at him. “She had a cute little brother, a stutterer, nearly as much of a good-for-nothing as me, plus a bunch of people back in Dafan…don’t you remember, I told you, the thing with the statute?”

“That time you went into Wen territory on your way home from the Cloud Recesses? Yes, it rings a bell.”

“Not the point,” Nie Huaisang protested. “The point is, we know she’s a good doctor, right? A doctor and a young lady, which means she’ll probably be shit at farming…and we could use more doctors that won’t turn their nose up at treating non-cultivators.”

“Are you suggesting that we bring people surnamed Wen here?”

“Why not? Wen Ruohan’s dead, and he’s the one we really hated. Anyway, it’s not as if the Jin are going to complain if we poach a few of the Wen for our own purposes, right? That’s just less farmland they have to pay for.”

“…we don’t even know if Wen Qing is even with the Jin sect,” his brother argued, but it was weak and they both knew it. “They didn’t catch everyone, you know, it’s only the prisoners of war. Some of them might still be loose. Or she could have died, or something…”

“The point is still a good one,” Nie Huaisang said virtuously, enjoying being the one in the right for once. “To the extent that any of the ones that were captured by the Jin sect aren’t suited for farming or have other professional skills, we can pick a few of the best and bring them back here. As long as we only bring back a few, they’ll be vastly outnumbered and won’t dare to make trouble…you know, maybe that’s the reason the Jin sect decided to volunteer? Getting first call on picking out the more talented Wen to recruit seems like something they’d do, more than actually contributing to the war.”

Nie Mingjue groaned a third time, which was probably a concession.

Nie Huaisang decided to play his trump card.

“Anyway, if the Jin are angry about us doing a bit of poaching, they might get so huffy that they’d cancel their horrible victory feast…”

“We should be so lucky,” Nie Mingjue grumbled. “No, don’t promise me fantasies, there’s no way they’re cancelling that. But we can go look for Wen Qing anyway.”

“And Wen Ning! That’s the brother I mentioned, the cute one.”

“…that’s the second time you’ve said he was cute, Huaisang.”

“Well, he is,” Nie Huaisang said. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

“I’m getting at the fact that your argument hinges on us only taking those that have useful skills, and it doesn’t sound like he has any useful skills.”

Nie Huaisang thought about it, but the only skill he’d ever seen or heard of Wen Ning displaying was that one time Wei Wuxian had claimed without any backup he was good at archery, but obviously that wouldn’t help his argument at all. Not that he was going to let that get in the way of an argument with his brother, of course.

“His skill is the fact that he’s cute,” he proclaimed. “His presence is very comforting!”

“…are you suggesting that you want him around for emotional support?”

“He’s my emotional support Wen,” Nie Huaisang said, and managed to hold out for exactly two heartbeats before descending into cackling. “Oh, that’s terrible, even for me.”

“It really is,” Nie Mingjue agreed. He’d hidden his face back in the bed but he sounded like he was smiling. “All right, you win, have it your way the way you always do. We’ll go check out the Qiongqi Path in another half-month or so.”

“Another half-month? Why not now?”

“I’m busy. Lan Xichen…anyway, I’m busy. Maybe we can time it to be just before that awful party.”

“So that Jin Guangshan will be too busy complaining about that to do anything else? I see the logic.” Nie Huaisang carefully didn’t mention what was probably going to be a sworn brotherhood ceremony his brother didn’t especially want to engage in. He still didn’t know what had happened that had made his brother so angry at Meng Yao, but it’d only gotten worse as of late, as had his brother’s paranoia about not letting Nie Huaisang anywhere near Meng Yao. “Of course, that might mean he’d try to talk to you throughout the party…if you want, I can go by myself to check out the last few Wen sect. While you’re busy.”

As expected, his brother looked relieved at the suggestion. There really wasn’t any justifiable reason for him to keep Nie Huaisang, as a blood relation, from attending a fancy sworn brotherhood ceremony, but if Nie Huaisang did what he usually did and ‘wandered away’ on his own business right beforehand, unable to be found, well, that was all on empty-headed Nie Huaisang’s own head, wasn’t it?

And after, once the oaths were sworn, his brother would feel more comfortable about allowing Meng Yao to interact with Nie Huaisang again.

“Yes, I like that idea,” Nie Huaisang said amiably. It was the least he could do. “I’ll head out tomorrow or the day after – I’ll take a few others with me, don’t give me that look! I wasn’t planning on going by myself!”

“Uh-huh,” his brother said skeptically. “Remind me again about when you spent time with Wen Qing? Something about encountering a goddess statute when it was just you, Lan Wangji, and Wei Wuxian..?”

“And Jiang Cheng!”

“Huaisang…”

“In fact, maybe I’ll ask one of them if they want to come with me,” Nie Huaisang said haughtily. “It’ll be just like old times!”

“Huaisang, leave them alone. Don’t they have to rebuild their own sects?”

“All the more reason for them to come with me,” Nie Huaisang argued. “They need spare manpower as much as we do, don’t they? More, in Jiang Cheng’s case!”

“Jiang Wanyin will be preparing for Jin Guangshan’s party, same as me.”

“Sure, but Wei Wuxian won’t be. He’s worse at parties than you are, da-ge, and that’s saying something.”

“You are not allowed to go by yourself with Wei Wuxian,” Nie Mingjue said, and his voice had a tone of finality. “It’s not the way it used to be, with him being a talented young master. We don’t yet know what effects that demonic cultivation of his will have on him – and the Yin Tiger Seal, too…”

“Fine. Then I’ll get Lan Wangji to come with us,” Nie Huaisang said. “He’s not the heir either, and it’d be more convenient if none of us younger brothers were at that thing you are going to be busy with, right? You can’t seriously be worried that Wei Wuxian will try something if Lan Wangji’s on his back all the time.”

“They’re friends, aren’t they? Would you really say that it’s being ‘on his back’?”

“Uh, yes. You’ve met Lan Wangji! The more he likes you, the more he quotes rules at you! If he dislikes you, he’ll just ignore you!”

Nie Mingjue was forced into a chuckle. “Yes, well, I suppose you have a point…take some Nie disciples with you as well, all right? Just in case.”

“Fine, fine, ruin my fun! We’ll take a complete caravan, it’ll be a complete circus, but at least we’ll be safe and secure and ready to fight in the event we should be menaced by, I don’t know, a small army or something.”

His brother was actually laughing now.

Much better.

Nie Huaisang smiled and picked up his book again. He’d go find Wei Wuxian tomorrow, he thought to himself, contented, and Lan Wangji as well – the latter would agree as soon as he knew the former was coming, he was sure. Jiang Cheng would probably be happy to see them get out of his way while he was trying to negotiate tricky political waters, and it wasn’t as if they were actually going to end up causing any serious trouble, after all.

They were going to be visiting a farm. How much political trouble could they find there?

#mdzs #nie huaisang #nie mingjue #my fic #my fics #emotional support #comedy fix it won

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mxdarling · 2 years

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[Yandere type]

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅• •❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

ೃ⁀➷: summary: deuce's yandere type because I need to give him some love too <3

ೃ⁀➷: Word count: 487

ೃ⁀➷: Reference/Inspiration: N/A

[note:] If there is anything else triggering here that I didn’t list in the warnings section, please tell me. I don’t condone this type of behavior, this is merely just for entertaining purposes and some sort of coping mechanism for me. If you continue to read beyond this point, ignoring my warnings, I am not responsible for your actions from here on out.

[Warnings:] mentions of threats, yandere behavior, deuce being lovesick puppy, mentions of violence, mentions of getting personal information, worshipping behavior, stalking behavior, obsessive behavior.

[GN reader]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :Deuce Spade;

✉ - [Clingy, worshipper, obsessive type.]

➮ DEUCE SPADE is someone that I find very hard to see as a yandere. Not that he's not capable of being a yandere, it's more of it's hard to notice his yandere behavior. He just seems like a lost puppy just following you around everywhere you go. Always asking to help you whenever you need. It's almost kind of cute if you ignore all his threats towards anyone that tries or has hurt you before. After all he's just trying to protect you, right?

➮ He's pretty clingy. Always following you around like a lost puppy. He always offers you a helping hand whenever you do something, especially if you're running errands. Since he's used to carrying heavy grocery bags at home, he usually offers himself to carry most or even all of the heavy bags. Sometimes flex a bit just to show how he's capable of running your errands for you. He'll honestly do anything for you, just say the word and he's off doing it. You want to borrow a book from the library? Just tell him the title and he'll go get it for you!! You want to get something from the cafeteria? Don't worry, just tell him what it is and he'll get it for you!! Tell him he's a good boy, won't you?

➮ He really loves you, truly!! He thinks you deserve the best and only the best so he really tries to make you happy!! He always does his best to ensure that he doesn’t disappoint you in anyway! If you're ever mad at him, he'll cry if you try to leave from him. He'll do anything you want, he'll buy you whatever you want just please don't be mad at him. He'll do better next time, he promise. He’s not sure what he’d do if you were angry with him for too long... He's kind of like your personal bodyguard. He glares at anyone who's looking at you funny, and if anyone dares to insult you, hurts you, anything that makes you sad he can and will fight anyone for you. You might have to hold him back otherwise he'll do something drastic.....

➮ He wants you to be happy so of course he has to know everything about you, from your likes, dislikes, favorites, preferences just everything he needs to know about you. Some may find it creepy with how much he knows about you but Deuce thinks he's just trying to get to know you better. Sometimes he gets a little overbearing with how much he tries to get to know you. Asking you a little too personal questions but he means no harm, really!! He just wants to give you the best so to do that he needs to know what you like. He truly just wants the best for you, really!! So please just accept the several gifts he's given you!! He won’t take no for an answer.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅• •❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

[a/n; Had too many ideas for this one rcfdxcfvdbgvfed.]

#Yandere twisted wonderland #Yandere twst #Twisted wonderland #Twst #Yandere twisted wonderland x reader #Yandere twst x reader #Twisted wonderland x reader #Twst x reader #Deuce Spade #Twisted wonderland Deuce Spade #Yandere twisted wonderland Deuce Spade #Twst Deuce Spade #Yandere twst Deuce Spade #┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ Yandere #Headcanons ☄. *. ⋆#gender neutral reader

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mooremars · 9 months

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Camelot 2023 Act 1 ramblings about the music and book and also the visuals again because turns out 3,000 words wasn't enough.

I cannot possibly recommend anyone actually read this because it is so absurdly, comically long but I needed to get some feelings out. Also it's in two parts because apparently Tumblr has a maximum character count and I hit it.

Overture

• Firstly, female conductor, we love to see it

• I love overtures and entr'actes and this show's is so good

• Shoutout to the orchestra

• I have never experienced a bad Broadway orchestra but still doesn't mean they do not deserve serious praise

• Does just the instrumental of Camelot make me very emotional and think about fundamental human goodness?

• Yes, this show did its job

• The end of the If Ever I Should Leave You part is just permanantly in my brain as the part during bows where they point to the orchestra

• Whatever the music that plays as everyone starts walking onstage is epic

• The vibe is set and I'm ready

Act 1 Scene 1: A hilltop near the castle at Camelot

• I've said it once and I'll say it one thousand times, I am obsessed with the way they've used the space in this show

• I love that they can walk up the back of the stage, I love that they have the stairs in front, I love that they've got so many exit and entrance points

• Sorry to the actors who probably had to do a lot of running around but it was fun for me

• As much as I like spectacle, I don't inherently prefer it over this kind of more minimalist thing

• But I do feel like they did a good job at conveying scale and drama even though the set is extremely minimal

• "I have the exact same amount of information that you do" just immediately starts the show off on the right foot

• This is a new take and I was here for it instantly

• And such a funny way to deliver a ton of exposition, this will be the first of what will become the prevailing theme of my rambling which is I adore Sorkin's writing beyond measure

• Merlyn's delivery drenched in sarcasm for every line is perfect and we clearly see where Arthur gets it from

• Specifically "do you know what calamity means?"

• But also "things in England are changing too fast"/"words that have never before been spoken"

• Establishing Sagramore in a funny way that becomes so serious by the end

• We jump right into the Sorkin dialouge rhythm and it feels so right

• There's the perfect amount of everyone overlapping each other and finishing the other characters' thoughts

• And also the jaunty music when most of the guards leave, like I don't exactly know why it sounds like that since it doesn't fit but I love it anyway

• I know it's part of at least the movie's score but like to me it's still strange, I've been calling it clown music in my head

• The difficulty finding the king exchange and also the pheasant hunting exchange are so funny and set the tone so well

• Can you see I'm attempting not the write out every line of dialouge?

• But also I love that we get this little build to Arthur to wonder what the hell is going on with this guy

• Because if you're me, you've come into this show with basically the association with JFK and that's it

• So I had no clue and was curious

• The knights have like mostly terrible points but Sagrimore's delivery of "snear all you like but five minutes ago we were at war with that girl's county and tomorrow I'll be swearing an oath to protect her with my life"

• He's not wrong

• The knights are so good, the actors are perfect

• Every bit of casting is inspired and those three are no exception

• "Arthur get the hell out of the tree"

• Again with no context, the tree really got me

• "Hiding, I'm obviously hiding" - I am instantly in, the delivery on this line is so funny

• Okay fine I was in from the way he said hello, also a hilarious delivery

• My roommate brought up immediately how effective it is not to have him do a British accent and how it again just makes Arthur relatable - genius

• Whatever voice he's doing is a perfect choice

• Also young Arthur is so much the right choice it's staggering to me that they ever did it any other way

• They thread the needle so perfectly of Arthur being young but not in a way where he's like an incompetent child

• Which I feel like is actually how some of the other versions with older actors still managed to come off

• But this Arthur is just young and trying

• "My mouth disconnects from my brain"/"I've witnessed that"

• As like a character note, I love that exchange but I also was worried this was gonna be what it usually is, which is a male character who cannot treat a woman like a human person

• But no, Arthur has absolutely no problem with that, his mouth only disconnects from his brain when he's trying to confess feelings and that is 1000% more endearing

• "Years of tutoring in philosophy and law, why didn't you ever teach me about love and marriage?"/"You're not marrying for love and there's nothing about it that can be taught."

• To which my roommate that I dragged to see this twice and who has just been forced to talk about this show with me, maintains that perhaps you could maybe convey that relationships are about communication

• That lesson might've helped just a bit

• "You're not marrying for love" like Merlyn is trying to warn Arthur and he sure did not listen

• "They should be reading" Arthur babe they literally can't, it's the Middle Ages

• Also the establishment of no magic is so deftly handled

• Arthur complaining that people think that dragons are real and you get exactly what this world is

• I love that I Wonder What the King is Doing tonight becomes his noble king music

• Also I just absolutety love any time anything has a recurring musical theme it just lights up some part of my brain every time

• The yelling of "he's scared" and all of the subsequent lyrics in that spot is again hilarious and just very good characterization

• Also the delivery of the slaying a dragon part whatever that singing accent is I love it

• Actually the way he sings all the parts where he's imagining what other people are saying

• The other characters have a lot of songs that are gorgeous and require some incredible vocals and songs with fun lyrics and fun performances but not at lot of them get to infuse this much personality and character into the songs through just the delivery

• Don't know if that's from the original or not but it's one of my favorite characters introductions I've seen in a bit

• From what I've seen this is definitely an escalation of previous versions and I adore it

• He's so annoyed, he hates this shit so much and he's so funny

• I mean also lots of credit to the lyrics because they are obviously very funny

• I love this song a lot

• Arthur's "shhhhit" when he realizes that he's managed to run into his future wife

• The multi-layered complication line, so quintessential Arthur

• The contrast between the gorgeous Julie Andrews channeling singing and Genny's brashness in her movement and dialouge

• Like obviously that's already in the lyrics but the book and direction just stretches it

• Everyone knew Phillipa Soo was going to be perfect and she is

• A lot of my strongest impressions are about Arthur

• Because I had no idea who the actor was and because in the limited amount of adaptations I'm familiar with of this whole story, Arthur is the bad guy or a good but extremely boring guy

• But I knew going in that I was gonna love Guenevere and Phillipa Soo even if I've never seen her on stage before

• So it was unsurprising

• Like my expectations were sky-high and she's so talented in every way and the writing for Genny is so good that she exceeded them anyway

• And she's so damn funny

• Obviously the whole rescued in the wood bit is already just a good joke and I'm honestly impressed with how funny the original songs are

• I am a sucker for the thing in stories where we know what's going to happen because they've been told so many times

• When they have a character say something the audience knows is foreshadowing

• "Cause a little war" is what I'm thinking of in this moment but there are tons and every time it's a hit with me

• The delivery of the clause one bit is perfect and her backing Arthur into falling on the bench and then just turning around and back to angelic singing

• The turnaround from the aggressiveness to the extremely soft and feminine singing is brilliant

• "The more knights slaughter each other, the fewer there are to slaughter the rest of us"

• The exchange about the dowry still being in the carriage

• Their deliveries are so funny

• They immediately bounce off of each other perfectly

• And Genny not even escaping with the dowry she's supposed to be using to buy her freedom, amazing

• "What is power uuuused for? That is a very interesting question."

• Genny just immediately knocking Arthur's socks off

• Trying to write out some of the word deliveries he does is so hard but there are a few that absolutely kill me

• They've known each other for five minutes and they're already having a debate

• "I've known kings, I'm daughter of a king so marrying a king doesn't have the same allure for me that it apparently has for you"

• She just speeds through those words at the end and it's great

• "They run to here" is another bit of hilarious delivery but I also love the contrast it sets up between Arthur trying to be kingly in a way that doesn't fit versus later when he does it his own way

• I could listen to them go back and forth saying why for ten minutes

• Genny's incredulousness when he says the weather

• I can't remember but I think she's walking away and then just turns to stare at him in absolute confusion

• Like he's so ridiculous that she can't help but engage

• I did a quick bit of intermission math and we know this takes place seven months before the Lusty Month of May which is obviously happening in May

• So Arthur is literally singing to Genny about how there's no winter until December while at best - assuming the one month later and six months later are rounded up - it is snowing at the absolute beginning of November

• More likely October

• No wonder Genny thinks he's full of shit

• His improv did not pan out

• This is a joke for me, thank you Aaron Sorkin

• Do love that canonically, Arthur is in fact singing the song Camelot - that he just made up in a panic - what a dork

• Genny's little interjections of skepticism are all so funny

• Also just instantly establishing her as someone you love

• She's perfect

• But my favorite is "my escape is time sensitive, do you understand that?"/Arthur still singing/"no he does not"

• These actors are both hilarious, the amount of stuff required of musical theater actors continues to blow my mind

• Like not only to do the whole singing, dancing, and acting thing but then you have to convey it to a whole theater but also not overact to the people up close and be able to do comedy and drama how

• I was in practically the back row up top and not a good view but extremely close (like seeing the actors spit close) on the side for the under 35 tickets and then also in very good seats and the performances by literally everyone never felt too much or not enough

• "Are there any other people in these woods you could recommend?"

• Also this moment which is the cutest thing you've ever heard

• Do I remember exactly what happened? No. But do I know it was adorable? Yes.

• "And we have poets in France"/"Oh yes of course... But do you?"/Genny angrily naming French poets/"Understood" and he's already singing again

• The entire performance of this song and especially getting her to sing along, so charming in the most annoying way

• But also she's sort of into it which is cute

• I do see on YouTube that there was a bit more to this French poets discussion which was probably right to cut but I am delighted to find literally anything new

• Sidebar

• I have been known to have issues with staying present when I watch things and not letting my mind start wandering. And one of the reasons I knew Camelot was good the first time was that I was totally engaged the whole show. But the last time, I did have the one moment where a thought popped into my brain during this song that completely threw me out of it

• And that thought was "this Barbie has taken a carriage ride to hell" after Genny says that line and like why brain?

• (For the record Genny and Arthur are both Barbies. They are everything. Lance is just Ken. Perfecting his body and soul is his beach. He is Kenough. Arthur and Genny have a terrible day every day. Lance only has a terrible day if Arthur and/or Genny look at him.)

• (I believe I have come up with a combination of words that have never been spoken before and perhaps a genuinely new opinion on a thousand year old legend)

• (In a bad way)

• Anyway

• The pure chaotic comedy of the knights finding Arthur and Genny freaking out is not something I can articulate but I adored so much

• Phillipa Soo is stealing the whole show in this one

• Does Genny come out of her hiding spot with her mouth wide open before she gets on the ground or am I misremembering?

• "We call that a sin of omission your majesty"

• With no remose "oh we call it that too"

• "Were you never going to tell me?"/"No I was going to get to it"/"When?"/"After I told you about the weather"

• Not a single bit of remose again

• I don't have anything to say, I just think the exchange is very funny

• I love not making Arthur any kind of royalty, he is truly just some guy

• Like I'm reading The Once and Future King and Arthur's lineage is so weirdly complicated and I just don't care, I like him as some guy

• "He discovered he didn't have his sword because I left it at... a house, that doesn't matter, that's my fault"

• Now that's a line that is funny on time one and fills you with dread afterwards

• The most exasperated "I was just going to borrow it for the day"

• Something about the delivery of "when I opened my eyes the square was filled with people shouting god save the king"

• Like Arthur never actually says out loud that he didn't want to be king but Genny gets it right away

• "I see you now, you're just a boy wearing a crown you never wanted sitting atop a throne two sizes too big"

• Just an absolute cutting response but Arthur doesn't take it that way at all, he's so earnest

• She reads him to filth but it doesn't even rattle him, he just takes it because it's true

• Gorgeous writing in what she says and his response

• "But provenance has put us both here, both of us highness and want it or not we are commanded to wear that crown and to grow into that throne"

• Chills, the delivery is outstanding

• We finally get King Arthur

• And Genny being convinced, all it took was one genuine moment and she's ready to engage

• Then Arthur again just taking so passionately about what he wants Camelot to be

• No wink, no sarcasm, no shame

• This show is unabashedly sincere and optimistic and I love it

• Genny falls in love with Arthur, I fall in love with Arthur, Genny falls in love with Camelot the idea, I fall in love with Camelot the show

• Everyone including the audience and Arthur were already in love with Genny for Phillipa Soo reasons so there's no moment for that one

• I feel like the trope-y thing would be to have Genny be a cynic here but no, she's just as much of an idealist as him

• She put up a little front of cynicism at the beginning but as soon as she gets the option of hope, she's choosing it instantly

• "Or you can stay. And together we may discover if power might be harnessed as a force of good"

• Like he's instantly treating her as a partner in this endeavor

• And I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight playing under it so beautifully and then the seamless musical transition back to Camelot is so perfect

• I am music stupid so I wish I had something to say about it but your songs have got to be tight to flow that way

• "I don't know if I'm worthy" also just a heartbreaker

• We don't really get to hear anything about Genny's life in France but she's clearly very opinionated and competent and I wonder if besides the whole wanting romance and adventure thing

• She also had an idea of what the life of a queen is like

• After all she's the daughter of one

• And she didn't imagine having this kind of role in actual ruling and doesn't know whether she can live up to this ideal that Arthur has set

• Like maybe she thought the only way she'd get to impact the world was knights killing each other over her or being the cause of a war, at least that's something

• But now she has a chance at more and she's grabbing it

• Genny singing the reprise is so beautiful thematically - it makes me a little teary just watching her instantly be like I see your dream and understand it and I want to be part of it but via some of the best singing maybe ever

• Such an amazing recontextualization from the original

• I've seen little clips of this reprise from 1961 and this one just feels warmer and more meaningful because it's about the ideals and not them confessing love at first sight

• And somehow more romantic

• They're instantly established as a team who share intellectual and philosophical similarities

• To so quickly convey that and make it believable

• It not only cements their relationship but makes them characters you root for

• And then the sounds of people coming in as soon as or maybe even before they get to finish singing together, like it's their world and they're falling for each other but there's no time, they're king and queen now and that will always supercede their relationship

• Also something about the moment when Arthur introduces her to the court just also really gets me

• "She's nice... some of the time"

• It's cute how smitten he is with her, all of her, immediately

• "Something about her makes me want to be a better king" (so Arthur is actually capable of expressing a romantic thought, don't get used it it)/"She's very attractive"/"Oh she is but it's not that"/"Arthur"/"Well it's not just that"

• I love the way they flip the speech Arthur gives Genny from the original about not feeling like a king until now meeting her

• But now that they've actually gotten to know each other a bit and it's after she's agreed to stay it actually makes sense here

• I do also love that even though he can't manage it to Genny's face, he does feel completely comfortable expressing his feelings about her to Merlyn

• The "oh she is" is so cute, he's so excited

• The music under his conversation with Merlyn before he starts just monologuing, very ominous

• I'm obsessed with it

• "We finally have peace" is another line delivery that I just need to sit and think about

• The joy of it, the relief

• Again the idea that Arthur has been a king at war this whole time

• Merlyn mentions, as part of a joke but still, almost as soon as we meet Arthur that he's fought armies

• He's not optimistic about the world because he hasn't seen conflict

• He's more determined because he sees what it does

• Channeling best man in all fiction Waymond Wang this is how I fight energy and that's very my shit

• Very much my shit might be a slight understatement

• It might not be surprising to learn that Arthur is my favorite thing about this show, they revamped this character so well

• So much of my life was spent in the media age of male anti-heroes and I love that we've returned to a point of male heroes

• Arthur idealistically talking about how they can finally start making Camelot for everyone and Merlyn walking off stage while the ensemble sings I think the part from the cut song and I assume some new stuff that's very Medieval church music

• So so good

• "What do I do next?" so eager and then just the emotional drop-off to his scared little boy when it becomes clear what's happening "Merlyn?"

• Stunning performance

• I think Arthur falls to his knees at some point but I'm already doubting

• The "what the hell do I do now?"

• Perfect scene ender

Act 1, Scene 2: The King's study - one month later

• The transition music between scenes is always good

• It's gonna be a struggle not to just quote this whole scene

• "Arthur, please call me Arthur" is so desperate like he has no one now, no actual human connections to him as a person instead of a king now that Merlyn is gone

• And then asking what she was called back home, he wants connection so badly

• And probably he still feels guilty for taking her from her home to be his wife

• "I was a royal princess, I didn't have friends"

• Well there is a reason they're both terrible at relationships

• I also love the way Phillipa Soo says Arthur in such a stilted way at the beginning of this scene and it becoming more natural every time she does it

• Genny telling him he's not attending to his duties with enthusiasm like she is not the least bit afraid to challenge the king a month in

• Love to see it

• Arthur's "I beg your pardon" when she asks about cortesans and the look he gives her

• "My father kept his women, his extra women, in their own wing of the palace. Where are yours? Might they cheer you up?"

• Genny the proactive problem solver

• Also something about the way she says extra women makes me laugh

• "I don't have extra women, I'm a married man. You were at my wedding" perhaps one of my favorite deliveries and lines in the whole show

• Genny's point of view in this scene is very interesting

• Like she does bring up that it's his legal right instead of dropping the whole thing and that's a choice

• Does she think he's lying about not having cortesans and reminding him that she is legally obligated to be cool with it so to be honest?

• Or is she just baffled by Arthur and his choices because this is a normal thing for a king to her?

• Or maybe since she already has feelings, she's trying to balance her own expectations to not get hurt?

• Possibilities

• "I'm aware of my legal right in that regard and I assure you I have no intention - oh my god - no intention of exercising it"

• Specifically the delivery of oh my god but the whole thing, he is so offended

• "And making the world into Camelot, are you abstaining from that too or will men at honor continue to plunder villages and take, rape, and kill whatever they please?"

• Genny

• Genny you are a hero

• She's so smart and fierce and unafraid to stand up to Arthur

• "I didn't make the world"/"You make a part of it"

• Arthur being so defensive and Genny calmly holding her ground

• She's taken to her new role so well

• And then Arthur admitting he doesn't know how to proceed without Merlyn, I love the way he builds trust in her in this scene

• "What would he say?"/"He'd say my god you're the slowest student anyone's ever tried to teach"/"Well I can convincingly say that"/"It's good that you mock me, kings should be mocked from time to time, it brings people pleasure. But for the record it's no fun for the king"

• Genny sounding so pleased with herself, Arthur getting out another sarcastic response

• Also what a lie, it is fun for him

• Mocking each other and public policy are their love languages

• "He once explained why but I got distracted because a white tailed eagle flew right by" with the most excitement and boyishness

• And then starting to go off on a tangent about eagles

• Never change Arthur

• I just think it's sweet the way she redirects him because she's fully committed herself to the idea of Camelot and her role in it

• "Pace freely at your own pace"

• Another brilliant line and delivery

• Channeling some Mary Poppins here

• Genny getting Arthur to think is so good

• "You had to pace and comcentrate to arrive at that?"/"It's hard to imagine why your country was willing to part with you"

• The proposition/resolved structure of this scene is very good

• And also that he starts with this pessimistic tantrum about human nature and Genny guides him back on track

• It's a great relationship moment but it also lets Arthur have some struggle and lets Genny be for Arthur what he was for her in the first scene

• Arthur collapsing on the floor and muttering "extra women" like wow he cannot handle being thought of as not a good person

• "That's it?"/"Wait"/"I wasn't going anywhere"

• Her being on the floor with him, gently pushing him

• He can't even maintain cynicism for more than a few minutes

• Them building the idea of the round table together, this is peak romance

• I can't just quote this scene in its entirety but every moment of it is a delight of them passing ideas back and forth

• "Isn't it also about the law?"/"It is"

• A standout delivery

• I love when they're working out the wordings like they make each other better

• "The law will be the stone upon which this rock - the rock upon - wait the church?"/"Have mercy"/"The law will be the rock upon which this church is built"/"Nothing can be more important"/"Nothing can be as important"

• This is what I love about Sorkin's writing

• The way that he has characters discuss ideas

• Like everything is an exciting discovery

• There's no singing in this scene but it has so much rhythm and is so compelling when in another writer's hands it would be boring and forgettable

• I broke out a chunk but it's so dense there are so many words and I love each one

• Genny counting down to his return, she already knows him so well

• Again I am trying not to type out every line

• I think they both yell for the page but I'm actually not sure, either way they are so excited and yelling something

• The new book has done so much to deepen their relationship, I adore these idealistic little nerds

• Arthur cannot contain himself

• His attempt to cool things down for himself by taking his hands off her face and then "you were very helpful, thank you"

• Smooth

• Convincing

• Definitely professional and platonic

• Truly do not know how Genny does not realize he's in love with her at this point but she sure is not gonna get better at that

• "And I suppose France too"/"I know that hurt"/"A little bit" and then he laughs it's adorable

• They're both so giddy here

• "Arthur I did already know that about you, that you were a decent fellow"/"I'm glad"

• They're in love. They are so in love.

• Arthur has taken on Genny's tone for the word inspiration when he talks to the knights

• "You've invited the French" every time Sagramore says it, it's just as funny

• "We may not be born equal"/"We are not sire" (with so much contempt)/"So our laws will make us equal" (with no room for disagreement)

• The immediate conflict

• And we see Arthur being a king and taking a hard line which we don't get to see much in this show and I love it

• "What about God's laws?"/"Not. Our. Jurisdiction" like are we sure this is not actually from the west wing

• I'm internally cheering when I hear it, I love this line far too much

• It's funny but also authoritative and kingly

• I get that some people do not vibe with Sorkin's style and that's fine but I very much do

• This show is so for me it's kind of incredible it was not made with that purpose

• A Sorkin character who would love Sorkin's work, I just adore it

• And according to the funniest line from any review I read, also has Sorkin's haircut

• That just lives in my brain because it's funnier than any piece of media criticism I will ever hear

• The knights already dissenting is very good but also that they don't fully agree yet with each other

• They build it in immediately and that's such a good choice, it makes every escalation feel totally plausible instead of the knights just easily falling for Mordred's bullshit

• Dinadan quoting Plato's ideas and saying how they're the well-educated people who should be in charge is great

• I love that the knights get to be characters and have thoughts

• Their constant vacillating between loyalty to the king and loyalty to the power structure they benefit from

• One of my favorite running tensions

Act 1, Scene 3: The countryside outside of Camelot - six months later

• The performance of C'est Moi is so funny

• Going 100% immediately

• Jordan Donica was just as perfectly cast as everyone else

• The lyrics are so funny and then he is just so loud

• His little whispered "C'est Moi" after the second verse while posing is so much funnier than it is on the cast recording

• "Had I been made the partner of Eve/we'd be in Eden still" is my favorite lyric

• The scream on clean destroys me

• Lance is always at a 10 and he's so delusional, I'm obsessed with him

• There's so much loud breathing in this performance which I love

• And whirling his sword around the stage

• "Beware enemies of Arthur do you hear me beware, from this moment you answer to me" while Arthur is literally unconscious behind him, this is comedy

• "You raised your sword to me"/"Oh I was saying hello"/"I did not know that"

• Lance is not sorry at all and it's hilarious

• He's just on another planet compared to everyone else and I love it

• Also Arthur so pure, just seeing a random person and trying to say hi

• Like you're the king of the country, you do know many people are not exactly going to be friendly, right?

• "I honestly thought I was more recognizable to the French"

• "Have you changed your Francs to English shillings?"/"Why?"/"This man's face is on money"

• Arthur subtly trying to tell Lance what's happening but the word subtle is not in Lance's vocabulary

• "I'm underwhelming in person"

• Says the man that keeps making French people instantly fall in love with him in the woods

• "My security detail... right in the nick of time"

• "I beg your majesty to forgive for me for by forgiving me I'll suffer even more"

• Lance is screaming the whole time

• I don't know how he does it

• "But my strength comes from purity of spirit"/"What was that?"/"Purity of spirit, my personal relationship with the almighty, he favors me"/"I'd keep that to yourself"

• I can't write it out but this

• And this is about to have to switch out for the rest of the show so like even more screaming somehow

• He's so funny, it isn't reasonable

• Also love that his language is the least modern of them

• It fits

• Seems like some of his lines come directly from the original book and it works amazingly

• "Be a faultless example to children" is another iconic delivery

• Also Lance asking for a mission, incredible

• He just plays everything so straight and it's perfect

• Like not a single acknowledgement of the ridiculousness of this character

• Arthur will literally get a concussion to avoid a social function, relatable

• "Until you came along and whacked me in my head"/"AND FOR THAT I BEG YOUR HARSHEST PUNISHMENT"/"Nope, nope, we're not going back to that"

• Yes the all caps is necessary, Lance is always speaking in caps, if he lived in a time a cell phones all of his texts would look like that

• And Arthur's tone when he responds

• When Lance starts singing again and then Arthur just says nope so many times

• This is their whole relationship

Act 1, Scene 4: A park near the castle

• This scene is just a magnificent Phillipa Soo showcase that we have been blessed with

• Like she is just so talented and I am blown away

• There's a reason Lusty Month of May is the song they have the most out there

• "The birds and the bees with all of their vast/amorous past/gaze at the human race aghast" is my favorite and she does it so perfectly

• Also the intro music just exactly captures that buzzy spring feeling

• My roommate and I both had the experience where the first time we saw the show, none of the music stuck with us

• And then the second time, all of the sudden it burrows into your brain

• This burrowed first because of course, it's so vibrant and lovely

• The original music is so good and somehow the transition from the more modern dialouge into the songs is seemless

• Genny has two missions: justice for all and bringing sex to England

• Look there's none in her own marriage and she needs an outlet, make those people kiss, it's all you have

• Genny's so fun and adorable in this song and it's perfect and I have no notes

• I'm just gonna go watch the today show performance and bask in it, this is the most classic Broadway musical sequence in the whole thing

• I love the idea that she's inviting all these normal people in and the beginning of the knights absolutely hating it

• "Be right quieter"

• And when they refer to Genny as a guest in the country

• The original is very and everyone loves her and I love that there's this tension where the people with power don't like her but everyone else does

• They say all the quiet parts out loud in this scene

• The show needs the knights so badly to show the discontent growing over time

• But they still respect tradition enough to enforce respect for the queen on Pellinore

• "I've only lived here a short time"/"Oh and you're already the queen, well done"/"I really had nothing to do with it"

• "Full of youth he was but brooding over problems that would confound Solomon. Ever met him your majesty?"/ "Constantly, he's my husband."

• With such affection ahhhh

• "You must be Morgan Le Fay... oh how he'd go on about the loveliness of Morgan Le Fey, her unsurpassing beautiful"

• Genny getting emotionally slapped in the face, it hurts so much

• The first crack in their relationship because they couldn't talk to each other...

• "I'm glad that nice young man found a nice young lady"

• Why does this make me feel things?

• I love the royal music every time

• "As you were everyone, pick grapes, eat flowers, or uh the other way around"

• Arthur and Genny's little catch up about Pelli is very cute, we don't get to see them be cute for a while after this so I just want to appreciate it

• Lance having no social awareness and continuing to make proclamations while Genny could not care less and is actively trying to speak to someone else, brilliant

• Genny and Arthur just waiting for Lance to stop talking after she keeps being interrupted and then Genny rushing out her lunch invitation and Arthur rushing out his response

• Arthur immediately wanting to run ideas by Genny, she is crucial to the development of Camelot and it's very much not a secret

• Arthur's "uh oh" when Lance is doing some casual misogyny

• "That sounded like a friendly exchange of pleasantries"/"It was not"

• No fucks for Genny today

• I wish I could one day know the translation of Genny and Lance's friendly exchange of pleasantries

• "Who would serve as the standard?"/"Oh certainly not me your majesty"/"See no hubris"/"My standards are much too high"/"Dammit Lance"

• "Have you achieved perfection milord?"/"Please say no"/"Of course I haven't your majesty"/"Good"/"Refining the soul is an endless struggle... but physical perfection"/"No"/"Yes"/"Go back to speaking French"

• "And in your quest for spiritual perfection have you considered the value of humility?"/"Ah something we should all consider. In fact let's take two minutes of silence to consider the value of humility."

• The dialouge between the three of them is so funny in this scene

• The ship is sinking and Arthur is just there with a tiny bucket while Lance and Genny keep creating giant new holes

• Genny calling Lance a jackass is both hilarious and also so valid

• "She already has an affectionate nickname for you"

• We have officially reached the beginning of the end, well we had some nice moments

• Like imagine if Pelli didn't start going on about how in love Arthur was with Morgan and then Arthur didn't show up with his new best friend who immediately implied women were too stupid to engage in government

• Genny was having a no fucks day and was probably ready to do a stupid thing and maybe that stupid thing was her husband

• A true tragedy

• "And with humility I"

• Dinadan's line deliveries are so dry and good

• And Genny's laugh

• "And whom will the three of you want to impress?"/"We want to impress the king too."/"Ah yes English men"

• I love the knights, they've all got their own little comedic touches in this song

• Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss Genny

• Take Me to the Fair is a masterpiece

• I don't know what constitutes a hot take about this show because there are 5 people talking about it

• But my hot take is that as much as Lusty Month of May is a brilliant and amazing song

• This is actually the Phillipa Soo tour de force

• Her fake crying is so good

• There are so many good flourishes in the singing

• Same thing I feel about I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight, Phillipa Soo is just enhancing every line with her hilarious delivery

• Also this sound

• Sagramore is always operating at 50% more intensity than the rest of the knights and it's perfect

• Him having to be held back by the other two when Genny sings to him

• It's involuntary at this point that I turn my head back at French during this verse

• His very loud delivery of "I swear to you the challenge will be met"

• "Sirrrr Liiiiionel"/"Ma'am"/"Ugh"

• And when she gives his chest a little slap after "and young du Lac"

• Perfect

• And her laugh-cry at the end of Lionel's part

• Their faces when she touches them are also just very confused and funny, she is not good at this

• I love when the knights are singing together, bringing up Lance really has wrapped them around her finger

Act 1, Scene 5: The King's study - the night before the tournament

• "You know that it's your move right?"/"I did not know that. I'll need to alter my strategy now"

• Honestly so relatable I suck at chess, Pelli is the best

• "If we're to care about justice, we need to care even more about injustice"

• Just a good little Sorkin nugget

• Pelli refusing to understand any of Arthur's ideas, excellent

• "Do I understand that you intend to be history's first king to yield power?"/"Oh now you're catching on"

• I do just love Arthur so much

• And the delivery of "she wrote what you just read"

• He's so pleased to inform Lance that Genny's writing treatises about justice

• Pelli's smug little "it's your move" like that's correct, no one is allowed to not respect women in Arthur's study

• "He's had you in checkmate for an hour and a half"

• Arthur's patience is astounding, Lance should be taking notes while he's perfecting his spirit

• "Would you like to play me or do you ever do anything but perfect your soul?"/"No I also perfect my body"

• Again just perfect deliveries and honestly so much respect to the new book for making Lance even more irritating but eventually more human too

• I am not dragging Lance, this is a compliment

• Just the way Jordan Donica plays it completely straight without being able to detect sarcasm is hilarious

• "The arrangement I'm in is called a marriage, having some fun would be called treason. And finally I hate his breathing guts."

• Setting up the consequences we know are coming with a little joke, I like it

• "Well be sure and give us clear skies tomorrow when you're arranging things with god tonight"

• Savage, I don't like most of the original dialouge but we had a winner with this one

• Her delivery just elevates it

• "No one could refuse your wish"

• The gall of Lance to say that like that in front of Arthur like he is shameless

• "Why do you have to bait the man?"/"I dislike him, I thought I was making that clear"

• Genny is so relatable

• Their first fight and Arthur's already insulting the French, I'm not sure why he thought this was going to go well

• Arthur trying to delicately ask Genny to withdraw her permission from Dinadan

• He's trying to have this conversation as her husband and not her king but Genny is not even having it a little

• Genny explaining that she already gave permission for all the knights is so funny

• I know they're basically the original lines but ya know, sometimes Lerner nailed it

• "It will seem to the entire court as if you are rooting for his downfall and championing his defeat."/"The only reason it will seem that way is because I'm rooting for his downfall and championing his defeat."

• "He's going to embarass those three. These are not men who take well to embarrassment."

• Like Arthur already knows exactly who his knights are

• He knows that they don't exactly match up to his ideals

• The delivery on "will you withdraw your permission" is also spot on like Arthur is ready to exit this conversation right now

• Also on "if I do will you forgive me"

• Like he knows that's not happening

• "Not as long as I live, no"

• Perfect riff on the original book's line

• Arthur doing some investigating on Genny hating Lance like he knows before she even does

• Ouch

• And then him starting to get frustrated when she's not answering like babies' first fight is not going well

• "Because he needs to be brought down to earth... literally not metaphorically"

• Like she has yet to be wrong

• "Merlyn never taught me how to handle a woman"/"You didn't read the book?"/"There's a book? No I can see from your face that there's not a book. Though maybe in France they would have published something, no I can still see on your face"

• We love a Genny dripping with sarcasm moment

• And Arthur being an idiot nerd

• He's so so stupid

• Another one of my truly favorite lines and deliveries, he is so excited that he completely forgets he's mad at her for a second and then pouting when he realizes

• "If the king wishes me to withdraw my permission, let him so command... nope, then I will bid you goodnight"

• The aggressiveness on her daring him to command her is so much

• Perfect

• I love her nope, a little power play

• Because she knows he won't and he knows he won't and she's happy to remind him of that they both know that and then leave

• His silence is doing so much work too

• Damn this scene is good

• "And before I go to bed as a gesture to Lancelot and to you, I'll pray it's over quickly"/It will be"

• They're so mad, I love it

• "There should be a book"

• Grumbling sullen Arthur is very funny even if How to Handle a Woman is lowkey the worst song

• And Arthur's worst impulse, which the narrative knows because it plays under him talking about vengeance and what he's entitled to later

• Like they do a good job recontextualizing it but it's still not the best

• Just hearing him sing the word threaten is kind of jarring, I cannot even slightly imagine this Arthur even thinking it once

• In my opinion they should've just cut it, I'd gladly take more Sorkin dialouge instead

• I do appreciate the way they scaled back this music in the rest of the show

• Because it's all over the second act of the movie, Arthur and Genny's theme if you will

• Like even during their last conversation

• Because they're not the love story so their theme isn't really a love song

• But then here, they play it under Arthur's worst impulses at the end of act 1 and banish it which is so smart

Act 1, Scene 6: A grandstand - the next day

• The music coming into this scene and when Arthur and Genny show up, again fantastic

• The outright hostility between the knights and Lance, they turned it so far up in this version

• Pushing him down and shit

• I love Athur and Genny showing up and getting to see them actually be king and queen and have their over-the-top outfits and crowns in this and the last act 1 scene because it's so removed from who they are the rest of time

• Arthur's speech at the beginning trying to glorify them not having the tournament and how great losing is and having to be stopped by Genny

• He's trying so hard and his speech is not good

• The fact that she basically tells him to stop and his response is fine like I think he forgets that he's actually in charge

• I love a sword fight

• The movement, the drama, the loud clanging...

• I am but a humble girl raised on the Pirates of the Carribean movies

• Dinadan being a dick before the fight with "and now for your lesson sir"

• The way Lance knocks the sword out of Dinadan's grip and makes him pick it up before defeating him, such an asshole move

• I truly can't tell if Lance has just such a superiority complex that he doesn't realize what parts of his own behavior are making people dislike him or he's just so stuck in his toxic little mindset that he doesn't care if people hate him for it

• I kind of feel like Lance is so into his specific notions of the world that even he doesn't really know why he acts the way he does

• "Dinadan seemed very inspired by your kerchief, should we continue?"

• "You know he almost had him, right up until the moment he never stood a chance"

• Their fight being played out by proxy while Arthur makes snide comments and they give each other looks is good shit

• Sagramore's scream, he's always going so hard

• The fact that Arthur fighting instead of Lionel is new for this

• Genius

• So good

• The dialouge around it is good too

• The temptation to just transcribe the whole thing is so strong

• Commanding Lance to pick back up his sword like damn

• I love seeing this new side of Arthur

• He can and will fight and he's good at it

• "I know what a damn baguette is"

• His little bit to Lance about it just being about morale is very good

• But also he can see what's going on even if Genny can't so is it?

• The fact that he may well have won the fight if it wasn't for a cool bird, what a man

• Fun fact about me, I didn't even see the bird or realize that's why he got distracted until the last time

• He and Genny are like very much not in a good place this moment but he will let it slide to point out a bird

• Arthur's fall is very good

• Can you tell I think this scene is also very good, I've only written it like twelve times

• The fact that they're letting people fight with swords and there isn't a doctor for 12 miles, amazing planning by everyone

• The bit of everyone thinking Arthur was dead and him sarcastically correcting them is amazing 100% of the time

• "He put life back into him" is just consistently hilarious

• "I'm not wanted here Arthur"

• With the most heartbreaking delivery

• Aw we finally see Lance have some shred of being an actual person

Act 1, Scene 7: The castle terrace - on the evening of the same day

• I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight intro-ing into this scene

• "Well you got me there" being screamed is perfect

• Pelli sensing that something is bothering Arthur, their relationship is very sweet

• Pelli describing the way Genny and Lance were looking at each other, what a shit stirer

• "It may be the only way to get him to stay"/"Maybe it's best if you let him go"/"Let him go?"/"Maybe it's best"/"Why is that?"/"Well...You said yourself, morale"

• Like she's trying to protect them but she won't say it

• For obvious reasons

• But it's confirming what Arthur already suspects

• And just drawing them further apart

• Another great her silence is doing so much work moment

• The entire telling Lance he's being invested discussion is so intense

• So much anger simmering in Arthur that can't help but come out in the line deliveries in the beginning

• Genny refusing to engage and turning her back to the whole thing

• "I'm sure he'd like to hear it from another child of France"/"This is my country now"

• Oh boy I love this exchange

• Like she's trying, she's trying so hard

• And I don't know what the fuck Arthur is thinking with that one, in what way could she possibly respond that's not going to be bad for him?

• Arthur leaving them alone like whyyyy

• And then Arthur giving Genny back her bloody kerchief, fuck

• All is very much not forgiven here

• "God dammit Pelli, I wasn't dead"

• Genny making it clear she does not believe Arthur was dead, I appreciate that she's also very clear on the fact that their world is not magical

• I wonder if Lance does think he willed Arthur back to life

• Probably

• "Don't ever say it out loud. Neither of us can ever say it out loud"

• This was another straight up gasping in the theater moment

• The entire conversation between Genny and Lance is so good and tense

• And the delivery on that line just feels like getting punched in the gut

• Phillipa Soo is amazing

• I love that she won't let them say it, that she's fighting it

• And the way she cuts him off, the way she makes him agree to not say it

• This is the intense love she wanted and it doesn't need to be said which is exactly what she needed to feel from Arthur but didn't get

• Also Lance just trying to confess his feelings the first second he can is just such an interesting character choice

• Like the truth is his purity of the soul bluster doesn't hold up to the slightest temptation

• He's ready to betray Arthur the second he leaves the room

• It's all a front

• Not intentionally, like he believes the things he says he believes

• But he can't keep to it

• I think he's so drawn to Arthur because Arthur actually has the qualities he's proclaiming define him

• But I don't even think Lance knows any of this about himself

• At least not until later

• He's just impulsive

• Which is I think what makes him an interesting character to me but also makes his motivations hardest to decipher

• Before I Gaze at You Again is such a stunning song

• And watching Phillipa Soo just emote for the whole time

Act 1, Scene 8: The great hall - on that evening

• All the music that starts this scene is brilliant

• "I'll never disappoint you"/"I know"

• I just...

• Like we the audience know but also the characters sort of all know and they are determined not to let it happen but that only makes it happen anyway

• Ugh those lines are a little nothing but they're everything

• I have the YouTube clips of Richard Burton's version of this and it does just indicate how well they've modernized

• Theater has changed so much so the pacing of 1961 compared to this is kind of fascinating

• This is also actually the writing I think is the best from the original and it is so fascinating to compare the two versions which I'm sure someone has done and I want to read it because there is so much to say

• It's so bold to close act 1 with a speech instead of a song

• I had no context coming in so they had me in the first half, I wasn't sure if this was Arthur's turn into the villain moment

• Once again I'm just like pointing to the whole speech and yelling how good it is

• Whoever decided this belonged on the cast recording is my personal hero

• This is just on my normal spotify playlist and as long as I'm not reading, I will not skip it

• But I love the idea that in the original book Arthur starts out by declaring his love for Genny and Lance and in this version it's like he's actively talking to the audience to defend himself

• To say he's not some stupid optimistic kid, that he sees everything we have

• Comes out swinging

• I can't explain how much "proposition: I am not a befuddled king" shook me, I was ready for shit to go down and I love it as the opener to this

• The pause before "whom they love", the sadness in it

• "And she didn't choose whom she married"

• Like Arthur can never get rid of that guilt

• The push and pull of this entire thing where he will try to make an argument with himself that everything is fine but the bitterness keeps seeping in until there's no rationality left

• Trying not the write out the whole thing but the rhythm of it, the pacing, this performance is spectacular

• The way the audience startles when he starts screaming

• Like he's having his back and forth rational debate with himself and finally we see him lose that control

• And it is the good shit

• I can't explain how much I came in with no context for this show and how much this completely threw me in the best way

• We're finally a glimpse of what's happening inside Arthur's head, to see the way he's been holding so much back from everyone else

• I love that he's still yelling at Merlyn, not exactly sure what I want to read into that, I feel like there are a few lines of thought

• "Am I not entitled to a man's vengence?"

• Perhaps my favorite line in the first half

• Every line is sort of my favorite but I guess let's settle on this one

• Because the original is "I demand a man's vengence"

• And same sentiment but entitled is so much more toxic

• Like the thing about this magic-less universe is that Arthur wasn't destined for some greatness and so he pulled the sword from the stone

• He wasn't owed something, he didn't deserve it, it just happened and he chose to rise to the challenge

• And this is the first moment he's decided he might be entitled to anything

• And then he does a 180 into deserving nothing

• "Proposition: I'm not a man, I'm a king"

• Like wow so much to unpack psychologically there

• I mean he and Lance have very much the same problem of trying to suppress their own humanity but the reasons are so different

• When Arthur switches into his idealistic mode and they start playing I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight because he's being kingly, literally gets me every time

• The entire thing is so good, I love the second half so much

• "I wasn't trained for this"

• I love the running theme of Merlyn training Arthur in all of these important skills but never teaching him how to handle emotions and relationships and uh maybe he should have

• There were perhaps some limits to Merlyn's wisdom that set Arthur up to fail

• Because he's been king since he was barely out of childhood

• He never got the chance to have normal, equal relationships where he could figure shit out

• So instead he just pushes it all down because he's not wrong in that he doesn't get the luxury of following his emotions

• I love every second of this scene

• I love every line, every delivery, every movement

• Like it is a hard ask to make an actor just walking around the stage monologuing compelling in a musical and this is so so compelling

• Just on the whole of this show, I don't know that I've ever been so blown away by a stage performance as I was watching Andrew Burnap and this scene is just a perfect encapsulation of why

• Whatever he's in next, I will go

• Okay real talk something about this man's face just renders it unrecognizable to my brain so more than likely I'll see something and be like wow that person was amazing, who was that and then it will turn out to be him

• I say specifically because I happened to be watching Under the Banner of Heaven the whole time I've been having a Camelot obsession and how did I find out he was in it? I happened to see his name in the end credits four episodes in...

• But anyway I will at least try to know whatever he's in next so I can go on purpose because this performance is living in my brain and I don't think it's leaving

• I do make fun of previous versions of this show for casting people who are clearly not musical theater actors in this role but actually I do think casting actors who do straight plays does add so much as long as they aren't terrible at singing

• All of which to say again that I do think this was some of the most perfect casting I have ever seen

• Basically the statements you can tell Andrew Burnap is not a musicals person and you can absolutely tell Phillipa Soo and Jordan Donica are absolutely musicals people

• Are both extreme compliments to the people that decided on this casting

#i was going to say time to be unhinged again #but Camelot has had me unhinged for a while #so time for me to somehow be more unhinged #unhinged 2: electric boogaloo #It's so funny because the week after I saw Camelot for the first time I saw something else atrocious with my friend #and as I was walking out of the theater complaining to my friend #I said it was funny how I had like 30 minutes worth of things to say about this show I hated #but nothing to say besides that I loved it about Camelot #well apparently accidentally seeing it three times closing week demolished the floodgates #there may to be some more audio clips added in to truly make this my 'remember what it felt like to see this show'#thing to look back on #I just needed to get the thoughts out my head and put them somewhere #or at least most of them #because I have so many #I think I actually have even more thoughts about the changes but a part of my brain is like well you'll never see the true original #so you can't have a true opinion #Camelot Musical #I don't know if this will end up in the tag #but like there's only five of us there so let's just call it keeping the tag alive #this is just part 2 of my extremely earnest love letter to this version of this show #thank you aaron sorkin #it's like 50% direct quotes and 25% filler words so maybe I can pretend it isn't actually that long #we're choosing to ignore this is only half #This Barbie can't shut up about Camelot

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lovelyjasmari · 1 year

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Awhile back you mentioned that you think Vil shares a lot of traits with Adam/The Beast. Why is that? (I can see some similarities, but I'm curious as to your reasoning.)

Hello! 💙

First off, apologies for delayed response. I’ve been thinking more about this for a while anyway for my own writing and wanted to give you the most thorough answer I could.

Beyond the obvious similarities between Vil and Beast/Adam, namely their noble spirits masked behind harshness, the largest similarities between them that I see is how they see themselves and how it’s juxtaposed with their actions. Both good and bad.

Full answer under the cut because this is LONG

I can’t speak for how Adam is before he’s cursed or before he meets Belle (don’t talk to me abt the midquels, lol). But one thing I’ve noticed is that at some point, Beast came to genuinely see himself as a monster and despise himself for it. It’s true some of his early traits are pretty monstrous, he imprisons Maurice, he’s extremely childish, and has a violent temper. But behind that harsh exterior lies a very tortured soul desperate for the curse upon him and his companions to be lifted but feels like it never will. And worst of all, it’s his own fault.

I like to imagine that being a beast for a decade, Adam has had ample time to contemplate his fate and his part in bringing it about. Because he was so young when he was cursed, he’s likely internalized a lot of self-hatred. And self-hatred can often cause people to do terrible things because they don’t think they deserve better. There are many moments in the film where right after Beast does something bad, he has a moment where he thinks about what he’s done and regrets it. There’s this one scene in particular right after he rages at Belle and she runs off, he crumpled up in despair because he realizes what he’s done. Once again he screwed up his hope to break the curse, maybe even the last he’ll have.

So Beast rightfully sees himself as a monster and everything he does before the confrontation with the wolves only confirms it to him. Yet at the same time his arrogance doesn’t allow him to see the error of his ways right away and he doesn’t really know how else to be until Belle brings him back to the castle to tend to his wounds. Only then does he realize he has to do better.

While these moments with Vil are more subtle, he also has similar moments where it’s shown that he’s internalized his vilanous persona. Theres one moment at the start of Book 5 where Vil is scolding Epel for not practicing and he says “oh, so I’m not the villain?” or something along those lines. Even though he wants to make sure Epel isn’t slacking off, he goes about it rather harshly and he might even be aware of it, but doesn’t know how else to be. There’s another scene after Vil snaps at the other NRC Tribe members and then goes into the hallway to talk to Mira and when she confirms that Neige is still more beautiful he dispairs, that scene in particular kinda reminded me of when Beast was looking into his own magic mirror, and disparaging when he saw that Belle didn’t want anything to do with him.

And then there’s his overblot, or better yet the moments right before it happened. Vil’s moment of anguish when he realized what he could have done, not so unlike Beast’s moment of anguish after he scared Belle off and he realized he could have very well ruined his last chance. And like Beast realzing in that moment what a monster he was, Vil realized that in trying so hard to prove to the world that he wasn’t a villain, he became just that. He was the “villain” to his teammates, to Epel, and now to Neige. And after his overblot, Vil appeared to more or less fully embrace his “villanry” with his boasts right before NRC Tribe took the stage.

However, both Beast and Vil have their moments of redemption. I have a lot of opinions about Book 6 (most of them negative) but it can’t be denied that Vil’s plunge into the underworld to save Idia, Ortho and Grim was incredibly heroic and noble. And Beast displayed his own heroism when he rescued Belle from the wolves. And hiis nobility shone through when he was fighting off Gaston but didn’t kill him because he didn’t want Belle to see him as a monster, nor did he want to become one.

And even with their less-than-ideal traits, both Vil and Adam have even further moments of nobility. Beast gifts Belle the library out of a genuine desire to see her happy and understanding of her interests. And he sets her free once he realizes how much she wishes to be with her father, and the understands that he can’t bear to keep her prisoner any longer because he loves her. For all of Vil’s harshness, he truly wants to see those around him become the best versions of themselves. He teaches the other students about cosmetics and makeup and even gifts them products of his own creation, He takes notes of all of his dorm mates' credentials so he can better help them become stronger and more beautiful. Even with Epel, Vil is implied to at least try to help Epel be his best self in a way that Epel doesn’t completely hates. And all of this he does not because he wants people to like him, but because he wants to.

Though I think that’s where the similarities end. Sadly, Vil is likely to continue internalizing the false, villainous perception of himself if the end of Book 5 and Book 6 are anything to go on. And Beast only learned to stop being such a jerkass when he realized that wasn’t going to help him break the curse upon him. But I’d like to imagine that with the right influence, Vil might also learn not to be so harsh and critical because 99.9999% of the time, he has good intentions. He doesn’t have to shed his entire personality since I also imagine Vil is even harsher on himself. But maybe come to realize that it’s possible to get his point across without coming off as cruel.

As always, I’m not sure if I was able to explain myself adequately. Most of the time my thoughts stay in my head until it’s time for me to write but you can probably see that I spend a lot of time thinking about Vil’s character. lol

#twisted wonderland #vil schoenheit #twst vil #twst #beauty and the beast #jas answers

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bookaddict24-7 · 1 year

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REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Books I’ve read so far in 2022!

Friend me on Goodreads here to follow my more up to date reading journey for the year!

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301. Lore Olympus Vol. 1 by Rachel Smythe--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was not expecting that!!! I loved this so much that I immediately want the next volumes!!! The art work took me a little to get used to, but the story immediately drew me in. I loved seeing a new adaptation of how these two came together, but I especially love the portrayal of Hades in this. Why was he drawn in such a way that made me immediately root for him? I...don't blame Persephone.

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302. I Think Our Son is Gay by Okura--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a cute read with some great moments where the mom and younger brother actively stood up for him against the bigotry of the dad. I loved that while the son feels like he isn't ready to come out to his parents, his mom is creating this safe environment for him to come out one day. I don't know if I'll read the next one, just because this felt a bit episodic and I like series that have more of a flow to the storyline. But we will see, who knows if I'll cave and read the next issue!

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303. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton--⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this autobiography because of how honest Felton is and how surprisingly funny I found him. I'll admit that I never gave much thought about him as an actor whenever I watched the movies in that series, but I'm glad I decided to check this one out because it was so incredibly insightful. Felton talks about how he ignored his mental health as his life continued after his pivotal career role, and how his worldview changed as he grew and learned more about himself. I'll admit that after reading this, I also grew to understand and appreciate why he was such a fan favourite. His personality shines through his writing and the book flew by. I felt like I was a friend of his while he detailed the events, small and major, that make up his life. I know that the series in question was a huge part of his life and I know that the series has gone beyond the horrific commentary of the author, but it was still jarring to hear her name so casually mentioned throughout the book. I'm sure that he like many of us (him more-so because he was actively a part of making that magic happen) that the series changed his life in many ways, but I will throw the disclaimer out there that her name is mentioned and none of her actions are mentioned along with mentioning the name (this includes quotes she's said surrounding the series. We all remember Dumbledore's many wise comments.) It's all positive and that made me pretty uncomfortable. Anyway, I really, really enjoyed this and I'd recommend it--but keep in mind my TW mentioned above.

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304. Intercepted by Alexa Martin--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read in December 2022! I was craving a re-read of the first two books in this series. I found the audiobooks at the library and just went for it. Looks like I never wrote my review in 2019 LOL For the most part, I love this book. I love the idea that the MC gets her hot football player who treats her like the queen that she is. I loved their chemistry and the spicy scenes that we get. What I didn't love was that frustration final conflict and the random hashtags that the MC started using after the halfway point of the book. Am I wrong in saying that they randomly started happening? Anyway, that being said, I'll probably re-read this book again in the future because some books just crawl under your skin and stay dormant until the bug bites you again. Plus, I just love seeing a beautiful black woman getting the love she deserves!

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305. The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book I've read by Blake and just like the first book, I LOVED this one. It was so incredibly heartfelt and the MC is dealing with some pretty heavy stuff like her health (a new heart transplant), her complicated relationship with her birth mom, her ex-best friend, her sexuality, and the new friend who she literally meets in the coolest way possible. One of the reasons why I love middle grade books like this is that they always offer something so incredibly special because it's written for those young minds that are still developing who they want to be as adults. These kinds of books are pivotal in growing that sense of understanding and empathy that these young readers need as they grow. But I think books like THE MIGHTY HEART OF SUNNY ST. JAMES also offer adults that moment of emotional complexity that older books might not be able to offer us. A child's difficulty with dealing with the emotional trials that life sometimes throws at them makes books like this one more poignant because we get to see these young minds learn and grow as they confront these challenges. Blake does a beautiful job giving us such an impactful novel. Sunny, the mc, is just a child but she's already learning to navigate her complex world. All of that to say that I loved this book and I think everyone (child, teenager, adult) should read this.

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306. Knight of the Ice Vol. 1 by Yayoi Ogawa--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have finally read this and I'm not going to lie, I really enjoyed it! This definitely felt like a hetero version of YURI ON ICE lol. I don't know which one came first, but it felt like it because not only is this about figure skaters, but there are also side characters that give off similar vibes. Anyway, this was fun and kind of cute because of the obvious love these characters have for each other. I just know that the next few volumes are going to be misunderstandings and stolen looks and honestly, I'm so ready for it.

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307. Fumbled by Alexa Martin--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Re-read in November 2022! Okay, I'll be honest: this is the one I really wanted to re-read. I am the biggest sucker for secret babies/kids. I love seeing those bonding moments between parents and child, and usually how the dad is just a massive asshole until he becomes putty in the hands of the child or baby. Also, I still love how this one addresses the brain damage that can happen when you get hit in the head repeatedly in a sport like football. I'm changing my rating to four stars from the three stars I gave this in 2019. Past me had probably read a million sports romances at the time whereas present me is seriously missing them.

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308. Five Survive by Holly Jackson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a copy from the publisher since I interviewed the author on the Indigo Instagram! I was a big fan of Jackson's first trilogy (except for the last book which I may or may not have DNF'ed), so I was really excited for this one. Somehow, Jackson managed to write a heart-racing, quick read that takes place over the span of eight hours. In those eight hours you learn of secrets, see the bully side of a certain character, encounter violence and blood, and feel the panic that the characters are feeling while being stalked in the middle of nowhere by a sniper. I talked to a friend about the conclusion because I wasn't the biggest fan of it. I think that this book will translate great into a movie, but I do wish there was a little more character growth regarding one character and that the ending wasn't so...how it was. Anyway, that being said, I really did enjoy this one. It's a fun and quick read that the author (in our interview) mentioned should be about an eight hour reading experience!

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309. The Stone Child by David Alexander Robertson--⭐️⭐️⭐️

Listen, I've enjoyed this series, but I'm going to be honest: I didn't care a lot for a chunk of this book. I don't know what it was, but I was bored and I even zoned out a few times. Maybe one day I will re-read this and feel differently. I wasn't a big fan of the MC's constant snapping. I can understand that she is grieving and that she is an emotional mess because of everything she's experienced and is learning about her life, but it felt repetitive for her to just snap and then immediately apologizing and just...what was the point? I don't know, I just felt annoyed by it. She was definitely not my favourite in this one. I DID enjoy seeing them explore some of the changes that they encountered and the surprise connection between the MC and her best friend. I look forward to reading more about that in the next book! There was also a beautiful moment near the end that made me almost tear up. We will see how the next book is!

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310. A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I remember thinking, when this book ended, wow, I actually really loved that. I'm always hit or miss with Armstrong books, but this was such a surprising read. It truly gave me OUTLANDER vibes but with a mystery at its heart. The character development between the MC and the two other main characters was entertaining, and I loved hearing the comparisons between the past police work and how the same work would be done in the present day. I'm looking forward to the next book because I want to know some answers. This didn't really have romance--more like a potential budding romance for a future slow burn. This book was mainly setting up the world and the characters for future mysteries and I loved it. If you want a time travel book that isn't all about romance and has some intriguing murder mysteries thrown in there, then you might really enjoy this one!

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Happy reading!

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spaghett-onaplate · 2 years

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I'm so sick of booktok books. Tropes sticky-taped together to make a semi-comprehensible and mildly enjoyable at best story. 2D characters that have no real defining personalities beyond banter and witty one-liners, that have no clear motivations or goals, that are inconsistent in their actions and thoughts. A lack of description that has you rereading passages over and over in a lackluster attempt to understand wtf is going on.

I'm reviewing this book for a bookstore magazine, and that fucking thing is the inspiration behind this. I mean, it has "TikTok" on the front cover, so I was a little sceptical at first, but now I'm just pissed off. Apart from what I've already mentioned, there are severe plot holes - the entire plot of the book is centred around a journey to recover a magical item of legends. Both of the main characters are sceptical of its existence, but they decide to try and find it anyway. Personally, I think it could have been executed much better if one of the characters believed in it fully and wholeheartedly, and was dead set on his goal to get it. Then, that would have allowed leeway for some scepticism in other characters while still moving the plot ahead, and added more depth to the otherwise bland characters. It also would have tied in very well with the backstory and just made so much more sense plot-wise.

I don't know, it's just really pissing me off. I probably wouldn't be able to finish this book if it weren't for the fact I'm writing a review, but it pains me to think of the fact I'll have to write a mostly positive review - so I'll do what I'm best at, and compliment the (few) enjoyable aspects while backhandedly complimenting the rest. I'll keep it honest, but if I didn't have a word limit/positive theme I would write a scathing review of 5k words, at bare minimum. There are so many points where I have to flip a few pages back and ask myself if I missed something - not that there's much to miss.

The two main characters are both cardboard cutouts with inconsistent goals and thoughts. One of the central conflicts between them makes next to no sense. The other two side characters are yawn-inducing and essentially useless, and I often forget they're even there. The lore of the world is bleak and two-dimensional. The writing style reminds me of The Hunger Games with its short and direct sentences, but is executed so poorly that I hesitate to compare it to, you know, The Hunger Games. It works in that series with Katniss' thought process and character, but here it just makes me cringe. It gives off the effect of trying to put emphasis on sentences that really don't deserve it. I think some books can pull that writing style off really well, when paired with other sentence structures, but in this book it just comes across as lazy and, well, badly written.

Writing a book is still an impressive feat, and the author could have done much worse. So I'll still write a kind review, but I'll keep it honest and I won't be happy about it.

Anyway, just needed to get that out of my system so that I can write a mostly positive review. But I'm just sick of what is essentially the Marvel-ification of a lot of recent YA books. I've seen other posts discussing this so I'm glad I'm not alone. And either way, bad books have always existed - it's not a recent phenomenon. Good books exist, bad books exist, and unfortunately it's a lot easier to find the latter.

#aaah i feel a weight has been lifted from my chest #I'm not naming the book because it's not even published yet 💀#i have a proof copy which is the only cool thing about this entire situation #but if you're curious to know what book dm me‚ if you want #anyway yeah‚ just had to rant about this literary nightmare for a moment because i have a hundred pages left #and at this point I'd rather drag my knees across concrete 🙃#I kept holding onto hope that the book would improve but even if it surprises me in the last few chapters with a sudden genius breakthrough #- which i heavily doubt -#that won't excuse it for its other sins #booktok #books

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bookwyrminspiration · 1 year

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hey, thank u for pointing out those things about my post /gen! i didn't rlly intend it to be manipulative in any way, it was just late at night and i was pissed about it + echo chamber of being alone etc. i do try to acknowledge that the majority of us aren't in the target audience and don't really have a say in what goes on either way but i just kept hearing things like the stellarlune writing and such get turned into the thing of "age = certain level of quality that is the standard" which was just. a very different point than the "some things that appeal to kids will not appeal to us" argument to me

Of course! I know you well enough that I didn't think you were trying to be manipulative or malicious towards anyone, and it was pretty clear it was mostly a frustrated rant about things in general. This fandom is just rather small, so I happened to know the other side (not that there really are "sides" here) and saw that what you were saying was a bit more extreme than what people were saying or believe. So I just mentioned it in the interest of not misrepresenting anyone while supporting your point :)

Because you're right! Kids having different appeals than us and kids getting lower quality standards for their media are two very different things! One is a reality, the other is an issue that deserves attention.

Things marketed towards kids are less likely to be appealing to us, that's true. It's why most of us aren't reading many (if any) grade school books anymore, and it's because we've outgrown it. But you're right, that media should be good media. Kids should have varied, meaningful media and stories.

The new cover is reminiscent of a more repetitive style used to market towards children, some people have pointed out. So it is simultaneously not marketed towards us and also less varied. They are two things that can and do coexist.

I do think this is also likely a very biased fandom, as we are majority beyond the age range and with a rather diverse group. But anyway, my point is no worries and you made a good point, I just wanted to add those notes in the tags to be more fair :)

#kotlc #kotlc discourse #quil's queries #soryasongsaa #also hi haven't seen you in a while!#well. I've /seen/ you around on my dash. but we haven't interacted in a while I don't think. so hi :)#as always you have great points and reflections #so I'm happy to listen to and discuss it with you #long post

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littlebigmouse · 1 year

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TMA MAG 63

Man, there's too many bloody cults in here and I cannot keep them all straight. Anyway, that sounds like the darkness cult, right? They hung out in empty churches as well, no?

More importantly: Who is Georgie and was Jon genuinely friends with someone who runs a spook youtube channel and please tell me he helped out in an episode. I'm HERE for this backstory.

Also a distracting amount of new characters! There seems to be a new girl working - in the archives? Or maybe with Rose(?) at the front desk? Also Whoever Diana is. Yes, she runs the library, but now I do wonder of the set up of the whole Institute. They have an archive, with a head archivist and several archival assistants. They also have a research department that collaborates with universities, which I assume also features the library. Artefact storage could be a seperate organisational department or could be just run by the archivists too. But where is the research department and the library? I never thought to ask, but how many people were traumatized by the worms in S1? I know the building was evacuated early on, but I am suddenly deeply amused by the archives simply being located in the basement of an otherwise regular, lively building.

Imagine one of the library workers comes into the archives to make a statement about "you archivist creeps. I have no idea what's going on but since the worms it's been clear you've been getting up to real spooky shit by yourselves. Here's a few things we've noticed and also a bunch of restraining orders we want put up because honestly, the assistant with the scissorhands is pushing it." - "Michael?!" - "Yeah, that's what he said his name was. Anyway, real usefull during Marion's retirement party, way less useful when you're trying to hand him a stack of books to help you reshelf" - "Listen to me very carefully. We do not have an assistant named Michael. He's a supernatural entity that haunted Sascha and stabbed me" - "Not like you don't deserve it" - "What was that?" - "Nothing! So you're saying Michael is evil?" - "I'm saying I saw him make a woman disappear with my own two eyes and I am frankly freaked out by the fact that none of you librarians and researchers are dead yet. When did you see him, exactly?" - "Every tuesday and friday for library wide coffee breaks." - "You've got to be kidding me" - "I thought he was strange but like I said, you archive people are strange anyway! Next you'll tell me Mary from accounting is a serial killer or something" - "..." - "Oh fuck off Jon. I knew I shouldn't have come to the basement people" - "Is that really what everyone has been calling us" - "Tim's face used to be so pretty. Now you can fit fingers into the circles under his eyes. Y'all suck the joy out of everything." - "This place is literally haunted with horrors beyond our comprehension." - "I know Jon, I work in a library and my Latin is passable at best."

(that got away from me).

Wait, is Elias head of the Institute, or just head of the department? I thought he's just the head of the department, but if he's the head of the institute... UHM. What.

That doesn't actually change anything, I don't think. Only something about my perceived sense of responsibility for this guy? Ugh. Idk.

Oh right!

I'd originally meant to point out how Melanie reacted kind of weird to Sascha's name? If she didn't know her (which I don't think she would, given she's been there once), then why not just say so? Or why bring it up at all?

Are all the other new character mentions a distraction? Is Sascha a distraction? I'm sitting in front of a puzzle in the shape of a whole bunch of pretty women and can't make sense of it or even tell which one's real and which one's I'm supposed to know.

This is the tumblr porn bots all over again.

#tma #the magnus institute #jonathan sims #elias bouchard #tma georgie #oh god of course there's a tag #melanie king #what a strange woman indeed #tma season 2 #tma live reaction

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petruchio · 2 years

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hi i'm back! first of all i hope ur move is going well (or went well)! i just finished catching fire 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 &. where to begin?? & where could i ever end? the part with the interviews where so many of the tributes are trying to deliver a certain message & then katniss & her dress have a spectacular moment of heavy-handed symbolism & then brilliant, darling peeta who i love so so much simply drops the line "if it weren't for the baby" & all the tributes join hands in a show of solidarity right before the cameras cut……. i was holding my head in my hands while reading that part. & there's so much more i could talk about! this book was a devastating Whirlwind. i feel like katniss is easily driven by her emotions (even though she doesn't like to think too much about them) & is desperate & fearful most of the time (& who could blame her!) & doesn't always think very far ahead, but she becomes more grounded & sure of her purpose when she is reminded of her love for & connection to others. i love that that's what ultimately motivates her rebellion. her anger is justified & useful, but it doesn't drive her as consistently as her love. it's a nice message, i think. but i've also only just read the book & it's past midnight & maybe i should sit on it a while before trying to analyze it haha. anyway thanks for your open inbox. i'd apologize for the wall of text but i hope you enjoy it :) oh! one more thing to mention! katniss & peeta's moment on the beach with the line "i realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if peeta dies. me" well that damaged ME beyond repair! & i loved it. can you tell i've become attached to them. also i wish cinna could have escaped it all unscathed because i loved him very much as well but i knew he couldn't :( ok that's it i'm forcing my hands away from the keyboard now i promise!

AAAAAAAAAAH i love this ask so much <3 i feel like everyone deserves to have a really good thg meltdown at some point because it’s just THE ultimate series of all time.

there’s so much to unpack here but tbh you laid it out very well i barely have anything to contribute other than YES!! i think “her anger is justified but doesn’t drive her to act as much as love does” is such a beautiful and succinct analysis of katniss like that is lovely and i feel like you’ve managed to just cut right to the heart of her character in that single sentence and all i can say is just YES!!!!!!!!

and i KNOWWW katniss and peeta are literally everything. like i feel like every single time i think about them i just go insane because they are the world to me. like i completely understand becoming overly attached to them because how could you not. every single one of their moments together has set the STANDARD for romance for me. nothing can top it. “nobody really needs me” “i do. i need you” like why does anyone even try writing romance anymore when that exists

#answered #uncoveredlamb #thg

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katnissgirlsmakedo · 2 years

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what you bitches didn’t understand tho is that’s it’s literally about how it becomes impossible to hate yourself in true love. love for the other person who in turn loves you bleeds into loving yourself… if they are so good and they believe you, at your worst, at your dirtiest, at your most raw and real and true moments, are deserving of their love, then you must deserve it…. and you must be good too…. love for someone else and love for yourself go hand in hand…

anyways this is about call me by your name and i’m very sorry to do this to you all (i really did intend to make this post when i finished the movie last night and no one was online. alas, the tiredness took over), but i’m going to talk about it now. if this is the first you see of me today i promise i’ll make it up to you later. anyways.

to be clear i am not apologizing for liking a movie that was literally objectively good and that i enjoyed. i’m apologizing because i know everybody on here hates it (nevermind the fact half of you have never seen it). sorry that if you actually watch a move you only dislike because of online discourse you might actually enjoy it. sorry that once you remove the idea of assigning morality to media it’s harder to justify hating something solely on the grounds of it being problematic. i’m actually not sorry about anything to be real i said it before only as a show <3 i was faking remorse there sorry

anyways. let’s address the elephant in the room. to begin, sometimes you just have to see something in a story and go “well that could be weird if it happened in real life!” and then let it go. sometimes you just have to see a Problematic thing and go “well this writer is a freak!” and then move on. a movie rated R is not meant to be seen by young impressionable kids with zero media literacy skills, most people watching call me by your name are adults with the ability to say “well. that’s weird!” and then move on. it’s so simple guys. furthermore i think there is a very real difference between 1) a textually loving and nurturing relationship between a phd student and a teenager who are in many ways peers, and 2) let’s say. a teenager and their teacher who textually does not care about the teenager beyond their body. and we didn’t do mass discourse about archie and miss grundy. we said “that’s fucked up” and we moved on. and then we all cheered when she got murdered.

to be quite honest with you the most problematic thing about this story is that the author of the book literally wrote a sequel. to the story about fleeting and ephemeral love. worse, he wrote it after the movie was popular. that more than anything else is problematic tbh. also i don’t want to know anything about the author of the book or anything that happens in the book that they may have changed or anything ever about the guy who wrote this story. i think he’s a freak probably. and i’d prefer to just sit with a movie that i enjoyed instead of ruining it with something weird that may have happened in its source material. this is also why i will never read stephen king’s it.

actually i just remembered that apparently they almost had sam taylor johnson directing this. now THAT would have been unforgivably bad and problematic! imagine the timeline where that happened! be grateful we don’t live there.

anyway now let’s address the other elephant in the room. we’re all thinking it. the title is corny… the concept of that is unbelievably cringe! well thats what i thought too! and then! you may recall the original paragraph of this post, the one about how love for another bleeds into love for yourself? it’s okay if you don’t remember that was a lot of words ago. but yeah. that’s the point. that’s the Point! “call me by your name and i’ll call you by mine”! i wish you could see yourself the way i see you! i wish i could see myself the way you see me! i wish our love for each other was strong enough to make us better and fuller people! hello??? i can’t even get into it

and furthermore. you knew this about me already probably. i think timothee chalamet is SO neat. i like that guy a great deal. and i think he’s a wonderful actor <3 clearly good enough to make me able to tolerate armie hammer. because yeah, those posts from last night were about armie hammer. man’s got bad vibes there’s not much else to say. you know he improvised oliver kissing elio’s foot. i wish i didn’t know that. fuck the trivia page on imdb for saying that…

so like yeah. nice movie. good movie. i enjoyed it. i’m not gonna be adding it to my favorites or thinking about it for days or anything. but it was nice <3 might even watch it again! i don’t think it was as good as after we collided but certainly it was better than twilight breaking dawn. and in terms of movies about snapshot relationships? not as good as spontaneous. but much better than say. something borrowed. a movie i was conned into for love of ginnifer goodwin and i’m still mad about it. you wanna talk about problematic movies? let’s talk about THAT movie. that one didn’t even give me any cool Movie Moments for my troubles damn.

but also i’m going to be embarrassed for the rest of my life that call me by your name made me cry real genuine tears but i still think brokeback mountain is mid. i actually am sorry about that one. maybe i’ll give that movie another chance soon. but to be real i don’t see myself changing on that front.

also i would rather die than be associated with the Fans of this movie. those people are annoying and this was obviously the first and potentially only movie about gay people they ever saw. like grow up and watch rocketman.

anyway i think that’s all that needs to be said. you can ask me to elaborate but remember that if you ask me about the movie, i will have to talk about the movie. and think really hard if you want to have discussions about the movie.

ok love and light xoxo

#anyway the moral of the story is that i’m not assigning a moral to the story because we are adults and you can figure that shit out yourself #and maybe if we didn’t hate movies based solely on whether buzzfeed has called them problematic. we’d be way more normal.#please learn to think for yourself. i’m saying this as someone who until recently bought into the Discourse over this movie.#beth.txt

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alexsfictionaddiction · 1 year

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Alex Recommends: December Books

We made it to the end of 2022! I hope you’re all having a wonderful, relaxing break before we dive head first into the new year and everything that promises to bring.

My Christmas has been a bit busier and more stressful than usual due to some slight changes within the family. The lead-up to Christmas is definitely my favourite time of year and I had some really lovely times with Mark and my friends and family. December is my birthday month but that’s definitely not why it’s my favourite. I’ve just always thought that it’s an amazing time to stop and reflect on the 11 months that come before it as well as being the ultimate time to be cosy and spend time with your favourite people. And I think that people are generally kinder in December, which is always a huge plus!

I have a busy month of assignments ahead of me now. I have started all three of the assignments that are due in January but they are definitely a point of stress that I’m sure will only grow until I finish them. I have to remember that I’ve chosen to go back to university to pursue something that I am very interested in, so all of this time and effort will be worth it in the end. Sometimes my anxiety gets the better of me and tries to convince me that it’s all pointless because I won’t be able to get a job at the end of it anyway and that’s when I have to tell it to shut the hell up. I’ve got so good at that!

Of course, I have been reading plenty recently. There is another great mix this month, including a special mention of a book that I really think everyone should read (Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus -eeep it’s SO good!). I’m really excited to get started on my 2023 TBR. I was lucky enough to get some amazing books over the festive period from my loved ones and I’m going to do my best to read as many of them as possible before next December (she says, laughing but secretly really hoping she does!). Happy new year to you all!

-Love, Alex x

DESERVES THE HYPE: Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist and she wants nothing more than to be known as a brilliant name within her field. But the all-male team at Hastings Research Institute have a dim view of a woman trying to make it within science in the 1960s. They think Elizabeth (and all women) should stay at home, making dinner and babies. It’s only the Nobel prize nominated Calvin Evans that sees Elizabeth as the brilliant mind that she is. Through circumstances beyond Elizabeth’s control, just a few years later, she finds herself a single mother and the presenter of TV cooking show Supper At Six. Her scientific approach to cooking ignites the minds of women across America and a revolution occurs that sparks hope in some and ire in others. I need to start by saying how incredible and completely unforgettable Elizabeth Zott is. It goes without saying that I love books with fearless, passionate women but Elizabeth really was something special. I audibly cheered several times during my reading! Lessons In Chemistry is a very unique, special story about a woman refusing to do what men want her to do. It offers an authentic insight into 1960s attitudes towards unwed mothers, women in science and expectations of what women should be doing with their lives. Considering this is a debut, I am so excited to see what Garmus writes next, if she can write characters as complex and likeable as Elizabeth Zott.

FICTION: The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander.

Soon after the death of her idol Cilla Black, 75-year-old Margaret Small starts receiving small amounts of money through the post accompanied by notes signed simply ‘C’. Is it Cilla trying to get in touch with her? To unravel the mystery, Margaret needs to go back to the days that she spent at St Mary’s, an institution for people with learning disabilities, where she made and lost friends and love. Once again, it’s a book with a very memorable, fascinating heroine and a harrowing insight into 1950s/1960s views on unwed mothers and disabled people. There are some loose ends not quite tied up at the end and I really enjoy this ‘open to interpretation’ approach but I understand that can be frustrating for some readers. It’s a very heartbreaking story with a very heartwarming ending and I couldn’t put it down.

NON-FICTION: Ace Voices: What it Means to be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi or Grey-Ace by Eris Young.

Featuring a wide range of a-spec voices, Eris Young talks about sex, intimacy, dating, friendship, family, mental health and more in this all-encompassing manual for a rather marginalised branch of the LGBTQ+ community. It was wonderfully enlightening to hear about such a diverse scope of experiences within the same spectrum. The fact that individuals have different definitions for their orientations and that preferences can differ wildly even within the same ‘label’ was truly fascinating. I was particularly interested in the split attraction model (SAM) because I strongly believe that sexual and romantic attractions (and therefore orientations) are different. This is an important book for anyone who is a-spec but it’s also a very educational read for anyone who isn’t.

MIDDLE-GRADE: Wren by Lucy Hope.

On Anglesey, Wren lives with her father, brother and aunt in a strange, ancient house. Her father would rather Wren start behaving like a proper lady but Wren is much more interested in going outside and having adventures just like her mother used to. While testing out one of her inventions, Wren realises that there is a deeply embedded mystery within her family home and it could destroy everything. This strange, dark tale is full of Welsh folklore and beautiful imagery of Anglesey, which I adored. Wren is a feisty, determined, young heroine whose cause is very easy to root for. It’s a book that is full of hope while fighting against tradition, exploring the dangers of honouring history over doing the right thing. This is a very relevant message to today’s society and I loved the fact that it was conveyed in a dark, children’s fantasy story.

HISTORICAL FICTION: Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese.

Isobel’s husband Edward is an opium-addled apothecary whose debts have forced them to flee Edinburgh to Salem, Massachusetts. Almost immediately after arriving, Edward is called onto another voyage leaving Isobel destitute in a new country. She is a talented seamstress and secures work embroidering gloves for a local boutique owner but the pay is awful. Then she meets Nat Hathorne, a struggling writer from a family of former witch burners. With her husband’s fate unknown, Isobel and Nat are drawn together. I haven’t read The Scarlet Letter but Hester is a retelling of how that book came about. Isobel is supposedly the muse for the novel’s heroine and of course, Nat is Nathaniel Hawthorne. I found it to be a thoroughly immersive story about running from injustice and becoming your own woman. There are themes of slavery and witchcraft as well as the wider issues that come with both of those things -racism and misogyny. It features some lovely, brave characters and it ends on such a resounding note of hope. So, apparently you don’t need any previous Scarlet Letter knowledge to enjoy it!

#december books #book recommendations #recommendations #books #bookworm

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darkdansdarkestdays · 2 years

Text

I am actually fine. I regret no decision I made recently. In fact, by and large, I only regret the very beginning, as far as this is concerned. I should not have left that big piece of bizarre truth out in the open to be observed by all JUST because I was afraid to tell you, but needed you to know. I am actually not in a constant state of regret. There have been some difficult situations that have arisen as a direct result of my allowing so many access to this bit of info....I guess I underestimated the number of ways it would become worth others' energy. At the same time, though, while I am not "holding out to win you over, after all, at which point we'll ride off into the sunset and spend the rest of our lives together." Nothing like that. On the OTHER hand, there are worse ways to fill 1-2 hours every other day, I DID want to rebuild my writing skills, because they were once quite good and I would like to write a book one day. I know this is contrary to the sage advice of Zen masters on tumblr, but it really IS true that certain information about me that is circulating MUCH more rapidly after my extremely well thought out, and not at ALL impacted by drugs, decision to protect those few paragraphs from deletion when I should have been the first to ENSURE it....is simply not true, and is, I think, actually quite damaging at times. In one example, there is reason for this to have happened....but, so many others--including things that don't even make sense--have also surfaced. If people are going to spread this, they are going to do so with me present, and I'm going to respond. I will say what is true and offer to substantiate it. I agree that there are better ways to spend time, but...there are also worse. Also....I don't know if you read what was posted prior to this (actually, it's deleted....it's not something j want to just park on my page....not a big deal event that was described, but.....there's another little run-in with.....well, you'll see. I may post it soon unless i can sleep), but I can't imagine that I will not, at some point gain an opportunity to dpeak with you. I am stoked about your recent connection (I mean....kinds sad too,but....kinda not) I want you to find people you can speak with and relate to..you really need to connect, and do so in as unobstructed of a fashion as possible, so that down the road, the bond will be impossible to doubt. I think that will mean so much for you (just a hunch, if what I said is ridiculous, cut me some slack...I haven't spoken to you, well....EVER, in reality) Anyway, there are reasons I want this that go beyond anything personal between us (although, that's more than half) but, I honestly believe we would also connect.In fact, i guarantee that if you did, it would likely make at least some difference, as I can tell by your occasional messages that nearly all of what you believe about me is actually wrong. Maybe a sexual relationship would not be the wisest of moves, but....as friends, sure. It saddens me that you appear to doubt this. I wonder what your reason is.....Anyway, glad you had a good day....you deserve more of them :)

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thesunicarusfellfor · 3 years

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WAIT WAIT— what if 👀 what if Yandere!Tubbo and Yandere!Tommy falling for the reader at the same time

BROO— THE ANGST POSSIBILITIES

ooooooOOOOO DAMN this one is gonna be good! I love the way you think! So I wrote this as headcanons, but I will write this as an actual story if requested. ^^

This is not exactly implied romantic??? I'm still scared about writing their characters as directly romantic????? I'll probably get braver about it but still lowkey worried.

Yandere!C!Tommy x GN!Reader x Yandere!C!Tubbo Headcanon/Fic

Tommy, at first, completely denied even acknowledging your existence.

Until he saw someone interact with you.

Then he would start pulling out his sword or glaring at them from across the room.

He would definitely pin them in an alleyway and threaten every single one of their canon lives.

Tommy, please. Niki was just trying to give you cookies.

He's the kind of Yandere that would greatly keep his distance both physically, emotionally and mentally. Basically, he would be a Tsundere Yandere.

Tubbo, on the other hand, would be extremely sweet to you.

Need netherite? He had an extra few ingots ready in his pockets!

Interacting with someone who wasn't him? Was he not good enough for you??? Fine. You don't deserve him.

He would cry to you and make you feel guilty OR completely ignore you for a week straight until you come crawling back to him and apologizing.

Straight up can flip emotions like a switch.

The first time either of them realized the other liked you as well, was when they were listening to Mellohi on their bench, watching the sunset when they saw you having a conversation with Ranboo at the bottom of the cliff.

"What're they doing talking to him?" Tommy growled lowly and leaned forward to glared at the enderman who was talking to you. He reached for his bow n' arrow before Tubbo grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks, "What? I don't want them talking to anyone but me."

"What do you mean 'anyone but you'?! You avoid them like they're a virus!" Tubbo stared at him, digging his fingers into Tommy's bicep a small bit to show his anger a bit more, "They should only be talking to me."

The blond turned towards his brunet friend and yanked his arm out of his grasp, "Excuse me?" He glared into Tubbo's dull blue eyes, gritting his teeth, "You do nothing but give them stuff!"

"And you treat them like shit and avoid them!" The smaller of the two retorted angrily, trying to keep his tone level enough to where you didn't hear.

Mellohi, the music that had been playing mere moments ago, slowly came to a stop and left nothing but silence and tension in the air. You had noticed them arguing from below, but Ranboo (who had heard their entire argument) decided to pull you away from them and bring you to the Tundra.

"Are you trying to take everything from me?!" Tommy tightened his grip on his diamond sword, although part of him knew that if Tubbo equipped his netherite armour, there would be absolutely no competition whatsoever.

"Take things from you?! They're a human being and you choose to ignore that fact when you ignore them or call them terrible names!"

"I treat everyone like that! You already have Ranboo, I don't understand why you're chasing after them with hearts in your eyes when you're fuckin' married! Loyal much! Oh wait, you aren't loyal, you EXILED ME!"

"It's platonic! I told you that already! And you're starting this again now, Tommy?!"

Ranboo actually felt nervous leaving you alone around both Tommy AND/OR Tubbo after hearing their entire argument that day.

Tommy, although now a lot nicer, became extremely clingy towards you and constantly would walk over and drag you away mid-conversation with anyone that wasn't him. ESPECIALLY if you were talking to Tubbo.

Man would bring you everywhere with him if you would let him.

Netherite mining? Get your pick.

To get new discs? Pack your bags, we're going on an adventure.

Straight up does everything he can do to get you away from Tubbo because he's petty.

He tried giving you as many gifts as Tubbo, but mans is broke.

Tubbo would get extremely annoyed by Tommy even just walking through the area when he was with you.

Would start to hold your hand or link arms with you (if you're comfortable), just so Tommy couldn't pull you away as easily.

Started to try guilt-tripping you into living in Snowchester, and even tried to get you to live in the mansion.

Ranboo actually lied to Tubbo, saying he was scared of enderwalking and hurting you, to convince Tubbo not to guilt-trip you further into living in the mansion.

Tubbo's constant gift-giving got so much more extreme.

Want netherite ingots to make armour?

Nope. No lifting a finger.

He already made you fully enchanted netherite god armour anyway.

Has definitely tried to convince Ranboo to let him involve you in the platonic marriage.

"Ranboo! My beloved!" Tubbo called jokingly, walking into their home. He kicked the snow on his boots before pulling down his hood and taking off his hat, hanging it on the hook as he took off his footwear, "I have a proposition for you!"

The monochrome-coloured man lifted his head and set down the journal in his hand, the ink likely still wet judging by the quill in his hand, "Yeah? What's that?" He placed the feathered pen in the pot of ink and turned to face his platonic husband.

"What would you say to extending our marriage to three people? Like a polyamorous relationship. Like Sapnap, Karl and Big Q?" Tubbo sat down in the chair beside him, watching as Ranboo was left reeling for a few seconds.

"W-well, one, I think you mean expanding. Two, with who?!" The tall male sat up quickly, bumping his leg on the table from his minor flailing, "A-and, and, what about Michael? Are you sure they can be trusted with him?"

Tubbo held out his hand to calm his friend down, making his friend put his hands down so he didn't accidentally hit something, "You know what I meant, and (Y/n)! Y'know... Like, the one with (h/l) (h/c) hair, (tall/short)! (Y/n), them!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know who they are, it's just..." He paused to gather his words, glancing away from his friend. In all reality, he wouldn't mind inviting you into the platonic marriage, even if he knew Tubbo felt more romantic feelings towards you. He didn't shut up about it. It was the fact that he was worried about what kind of mental manipulation Tubbo would do to you if you did agree to be in the marriage. Or even what Tommy would do to you or Tubbo!

"...Just?"

'Your relationship with Tommy is beyond screwed already... Imagine what would happen if both of his friends left him to be in a platonic relationship with me. Tubbo, all of us would be in severe danger.' He thought silently before taking a breath. "I-I don't have my enderwalking state under control... I'm already scared for Michael enough, and I don't want to hurt her as well... Give it some time and we'll see. Please.." He whispered, lying through his teeth. Ranboo knew you were damn good at protecting yourself and could knock his long and lanky ass to the dirt within seconds.

Tubbo's bright shiny eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment as his smile began to falter, "Ah... Yeah. I guess that makes sense. For their safety I suppose." His normal look returned and he gave him a smile, "Yeah, that does make a lot of sense. I'll ask again next month to see what happens."

"What... What about Tommy-"

"What about him?" He demanded sharply, his smile vanishing in mere seconds which caught Ranboo off guard yet again, "He doesn't need to be in their life. He would do more harm to them than good!"

Ranboo was left gaping, his mouth moving but not creating any sounds. He watched as Tubbo eyed him carefully before he got up, murmuring something about grabbing food then going to bed.

Once the goat hybrid was completely out of sight, Ranboo reached for his memory book and took the quill again.

'Protect (Y/n) from Tubbo and Tommy. Get them out of DreamSMP.'

Ranboo was scared for you.

He was stuck watching as these crazy two men fought over you, threatened you, manipulated you... It was worrying, to say the least.

Don't get him wrong. If he didn't have an adopted son, a platonic husband that he still cared about despite him being another Dream at this point, and a Syndicate to protect him from, he would've packed everything and ran, bringing you with him.

He was practically walking on eggshells around this man that he had once been extremely close to!

It practically sent shivers down his spine...

Eventually, it got to the point where Ranboo had gone to your house in the ungodly hours of the morning to talk to you.

This man LITERALLY crept into Tubbo's room AND Tommy's house to make sure they were both asleep before going to talk to you.

"Ran... Boo?" You asked, yawning softly as you leaned against the door, your hair all frizzy and messed up, "What's up? It'sssss... Like 5:30am. The sun is barely even up..."

"(Y/n)... Can we go inside? Please... There's something very wrong.." He murmured softly, his memory book tightly held in his grasp as he glanced around. Tommy could be waking up sometime soon, and he did not want to get caught talking to you. He would certainly be down a canon life before he could even say 'sorry'.

You watched the nervous man in front of you and nodded before stepping aside to let him in. Peaking outside, you looked around for what was causing him to panic but went back inside once you didn't see anything. "What's wrong?" Softening your tone, you gestured for him to sit at the table while you made coffee.

Once he had a fresh mug of coffee in front of him, Ranboo slowly began to gather his nerve and speak. He told you everything he could remember, and even opened his memory book to tell you about the things he didn't remember. Everything from the fight where Tommy and Tubbo's friendship completely went downhill a few months ago, to the threats Tubbo used against Tommy, the manipulation against you, the threats he had received by talking to you, and even Tubbo's violent mood switches when talking about you or Tommy.

The entire time, you just sat there wide-eyed as you listened to him ramble on about his fears and worries, and everything in between. He even mentioned wanting to actually divorce Tubbo because of how scared he was for you and his own life. "I don't... Not... Believe you... But this is- this is a little difficult to believe." You knew the enderman hybrid wouldn't lie about something so serious, and he definitely wouldn't be shaking like a leaf if it was a joke or a lie.

"Y-yeah, I expected that... But I really do care about your safety, honestly. You know I wouldn't joke about this kind of thing, especially about Tubbo." He murmured softly, looking at his crown laying on the table in front of him, "In all honesty, I came here this early because I was scared about Tommy trying to kill me if he saw me talking to you..."

"He wouldn't ki-"

The door slammed open dramatically and there was a cheerful shout of your name, "(Y/n)!!! Let's go mining for diamon-" Tommy walked into your kitchen, only to freeze mid-step and midfacial expression. His expression went from surprised to annoyance to a grim smile, "Hello Ranboo!" He gave him a smile that was more like baring his teeth as he twirled his axe nonchalantly.

He was going to hurt him...

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