#but the writers seemed hell bent on all of the characters being so horrible to each other

[biblionerd07]

I tried watching some of the Ian/Mickey scenes from season 11 and it made me ill. These are IMPOSTERS. That is not Ian and Mickey!! Especially Mickey!!! Look at how they massacred my boy. But one of the most frustrating parts is that if you watch the deleted scenes it shows that someone in that writers’ room DID know how to write Ian and Mickey but the producers or whoever makes that decision were like “nah, no meaningful conversations that show how much they love and respect each other and are working on their relationship. These fans who’ve been watching the characters struggle for a decade want them to continuously argue and beat the shit out of each other and act like they hate each other!”

#John wells if I ever catch you #there were a very few small spots of goodness and I credit ONLY Noel and cam for that #they were doing their level best #some of the things they had coming out of Mickey’s mouth made me want to drive my head through a wall #in what world am I supposed to believe Mickey was getting blow jobs from other guys #and making a joke out of Ian’s bipolar???? #like the one time they remembered they even wrote Ian as bipolar and it was for a shitty line where Mickey throws it in his face #it feels like every season is a whole new show and not connected at all to the others #and then it starts feeling like every EPISODE is a whole new show that’s not connected #why was there like a goofy soundtrack as Mickey’s literal Nazi abusive rapist father moved in next door #Noel was giving us everything and they made a joke out of it #and then they made a joke out of Mickey being conflicted and crying after terry died?????????? #I want to kill them #Ian saying frank was worse than terry????? girl in what world?????? #Mickey was NEVER insecure about bottoming and he was always adamant about how much he loved it but suddenly it’s an issue #from ‘liking what I like don’t make me a bitch’ back when he could barely LOOK at Ian to…this #also Ian used to be very sweet even when he was being stubborn and self-righteous and even violent #but they really lost his sweetness #and I know it wasn’t just cam growing up bc there were glimpses of it in the way he chose to have Ian move and hold onto Mickey #but the writers seemed hell bent on all of the characters being so horrible to each other #in the early seasons they could sometimes be cruel and selfish even to each other but underneath it all they loved each other #and it feels like when they decided to lean solely into goofy comedy that lost that #it’s just sad to see a show that started so good end so badly #I’ve seen people talking about a spinoff with Ian and Mickey and I don’t even fucking want it with these writers #maybe if cam and Noel were producers and got to choose the storylines #they’re the only ones I trust

[skamenglishsubs]

Hollywood and the Gays

[Reposting this, because Tumblr flagged and removed the original because fuck if I know...]

I read an article recently by Colton Haynes, an actor known from Teen Wolf and Arrow among other shows. He describes how he arrived in LA in 2006, as a starry-eyed, out-and-proud gay 18 year-old kid who wanted to make it as an actor. And how the industry constantly reminded him that he was "too gay", and that he would never make it unless he fixed that.

Please, take the time to read the article if you haven't already. It's fantastic and horrible at the same time: https://www.vulture.com/2021/12/colton-haynes-losing-my-teenage-dream.html

If you read between the lines in the article, it's obvious that he and many other boys like him traded sexual favours for acting opportunities, while the industry was setup in such a way that unscrupulous insiders were free to abuse the hordes of young hopefuls arriving by the bus load.

Colton persevered, but it's not hard to imagine that many others were just taken advantage of with nothing to show for it, or eventually took up the offer to start working for RentBoys once they got rejected one time too many. Dreams dashed, all chewed up and spit out by the machine.

And then there's Hollywood's approach to intimate scenes:

“We don’t actually have sex,” he said. “But according to this stage direction” — he flicked through the pages — “I’ll be mounting you and thrusting in and out of you. And we have to make out. So why don’t we get it out of the way and make out now? So we’re both comfortable.” I must have looked confused. “I’m straight,” he added. “Just so you know.” Ethan grabbed me by the back of my head and kissed me for longer than I was expecting. Our lips pressed together. He gazed into my eyes with such tenderness it confused me. Were we about to actually have sex? Or was this acting? Then his eyes went cold. “Okay,” he said, “let’s run the scene.”

What the fuck did I just read? And this is something they had to do on stage, in front of some leering "acting coach" together with a bunch of other young aspiring actors, where the purpose of this exercise was to power through it, to get it out of the way, to learn how to fake emotion, and produce it on-demand, in front of a critical audience. Completely de-humanizing!

(The hidden purpose of the exercise was of course to produce wank-material for the acting coach in question.)

Contrast this with what we know from the production of SKAM, its remakes, or Young Royals. It's literally worlds apart! The European productions were all about consent and comfort, about building trust, and about finding actors that had actual chemistry with each other from the beginning.

Hell, Young Royals had an intimacy coordinator to help and guide the director and actors through scenes, whereas Hollywood's approach seems to be to brute-force transform actors into pretty, unfeeling robots, who do whatever a director tells them to.

Why is Hollywood so fake?

For this younger generation of European actors, being seen as gay is no big deal. Tarjei and Henrik had no issues doing a cutesy couply photo-shoot, or making out at an award ceremony, while Edvin and Omar made fun of being a couple on TikTok, and Omar is hell-bent on being as queer and fabulous as possible in his singing career. No-one cares.

But over in Colton's story, a recurring theme is that him being gay was a huge problem that had to be covered up, and the more famous he got, the bigger the problem got, even though the problem mostly existed in the heads of agents and studio marketing people! Hollywood has discovered that there's a huge demand for queer content, and is happily producing and churning out massive amounts of it, but the repressive attitudes are still around. Playing a queer character on screen is seen as a career boost, but being queer in real life is still seen as a huge liability that limits your future career.

Why is Hollywood so god damn weird about it?

Colton's story started over a decade ago, and took place in a pre-Weinstein, pre-me-too world. I certainly hope that there's less rampant sexual exploitation since, fewer predatory producers and managers and agents acting as gatekeepers, abusing young hopeful talent. But have the underlying attitudes changed in Hollywood?

Love, Victor moved from Disney+ to Hulu, it was therefore allowed to be "sexier", so its producers and writers immediately jumped to this choice in season 2:

Whereas in Young Royals, the creators made this choice instead:

The purpose of both scenes is roughly the same, the main couple got caught having sex, but the choices on how much to show are so different. Make no mistake, both scenes are purposefully coordinated, the reason Victor's pillow lies in his bed right there, and that the camera is behind Isabel's back just so, is no coincidence. Love, Victor chooses to reveal exactly how Victor and Benji are having sex, while Young Royals chooses to hide how Wilhelm and Simon are doing it.

The lead-up to both these moments are completely different as well. Love, Victor chooses a porn-like sequence that highlights the chiselled physique of the actors, while Young Royals chooses a fumbling, awkward, and hesitant sequence that highlights the uncertainty of the characters.

Ironically, the characters in Love, Victor are younger than the characters in Young Royals, while their actors are older and look nothing like the 16-year-olds they're supposed to be. There's so many little choices for a scene like this, and for the production as a whole, and since Young Royals made the right choice every single time, the finished product feels so much more real and authentic than Love, Victor.

Why does Hollywood keep making these shitty choices?

Everyone says they want TV series and films that are authentic and real, but it sure seems like Hollywood is fundamentally unable to produce content like this because of how the entire machine was built back in the day.

I'm not saying the European movie business is some kind of utopia, or that Hollywood is some kind of irredeemable hellhole. There were for sure some similarly bad choices made by some SKAM remakes, and actors still have to fight queer typecasting. And Hollywood is changing as more and more actors come out as queer despite their marketing teams' wishes, and as more and more people of the industry speak out about the abusive machinery in an effort to dismantle it.

I don't know if I had a point with this rant, It's just that I read the article by Colton, and was simultaneously sad for him and every other starry-eyed boy like him, while perhaps getting one more piece of the puzzle as to why SKAM and similar are so much better than anything Hollywood has ever produced.

#skam meta #young royals meta #colton haynes #repost

[onionsaremeansstuff]

Would you write a michael (john) smut story were the reader is his soulmate and some random guy is flirting with him. also michael gets possessive with the reader which causes them to have sex

hey! Thanks for the request ! Michael is one of my favorite characters in supernatural so i really liked you request ! I’m not the best smut writer but I tried, hope you like it!

Pairing: Michael!John x reader

Gender: Male

Warnings: Smut

I dont own the character or the gif

"Y/N! Stop!" A deep, booming voice ordered which caused you to stop. 

You didn't need to turn around to know who it was that ordered you to stop. 

It was the archangel, Michael. 

A few weeks ago, Chuck had decided to release Michael from the cage, as well as giving Adam his body back and Michael was using young John Winchester's body as a vessel. 

You had never met the archangel before and honestly, you never wanted to meet him. But, since you lived with the Winchesters, meeting him was bound to happen eventually. 

When you first met the Archangel, he only stared at you like he was seeing through you and claimed that you were special. 

Apparently you were some kind of powerhouse that Chuck created for Michael. 

As long as you are living, Michael gets stronger, especially when he's around you. 

When he first claimed that you were special, you scoffed and told him to go fuck himself and leave you alone. But, that didn't stop the prince of Heaven from doing what he wanted. 

He always came to the bunker to check on you. And you asked why he cares about you so much. 

"I don't care about you, I only care about what you can do, little human." He told you.

He made it very clear why he came to check up on you and this time wasn't any different. 

He also liked to order you around. 

"It's already 3 AM, Y/N. You humans need your sleep. Go to bed now and that's an order!" 

You looked at him tiredly and was about to say something back to him when you really looked at him and his vessel. 

Damn, John was hot. 

You met older John before and you thought that he was definitely a DILF. 

But, his younger self was hot as fuck. 

"Stop having those thoughts about my vessel and go to bed!" The Angel ordered once again. 

"Okay, you don't tell me what to do. You don't own me," You responded, and annoyance was written across Michael's face. He snapped his fingers and you were suddenly lying down in your bed with your pajamas on, "Michael!" You scolded. 

You were standing in the kitchen, waiting for Dean to finish making breakfast which consisted of pancakes and bacon. 

"Goodnight, Y/N." He growled out before he disappeared with the sound of flapping wings.

---

"Hurry up, Dean. I'm starving!" You exclaimed and a chuckle left the older man's mouth. 

"You will survive, kiddo." He replied and went back to cooking the food. 

Finally, he finished the food and put it on a plate for you. He handed it to you and you took it out of his hands quickly, plopping down into the chair and picking up a fork, ready to eat this delicious food. 

When you were about to eat it, the plate freakin' disappeared. It was gone. 

"What the-" Before you could finish that sentence, a plate full of salad appeared in front of you. 

A freakin' salad?! 

"Your diet is horrible, little human." Michael commented with that stupid smirk on his face. 

"I'm sure that there are other important things for you to do in Heaven right now than to worry about my health and my food choices, Michael." You said angrily, anger rising in your chest. 

Dean sat at the table, eating his food as he watched you two go at it. 

"There's actually nothing important that I have to do in Heaven right now, Y/N. Heaven is doing great which is the exact opposite of what you are doing right now. Don't even get me started on the fact that you didn't even get 8 hours of sleep last night." 

You blinked at the angel in front of you. 

This angel is crazy. He is not your dad and was not someone to boss you around and make you eat rabbit food. You don't eat rabbit food. You now see  and understand what Dean was talking about when Sam brought that food in here. 

 You have officially had enough. 

You just smiled at them. A huge fake smile and grabbed the knife off the table. You walked over to the wall as the other two standing in the room watched you. After cutting your palm, you drew that angel banishing sigil on the wall. 

"What are you-" Michael couldn't finish that sentence because you completed the sigil and sent that damn angel away. 

"Ah, couple fights always make my mornings better." Dean spoke once Michael was gone with his mouth full of bacon and you rolled your eyes, leaving the room. 

 ---

That night, you and the Winchesters went to a bar. 

The brothers headed inside while you stayed outside, sitting on the bench. There weren't anyone out here except for a few other people. Some drunk and some not. 

"Hey handsome, did your license get suspended because you are driving me crazy." A random guy said that really cheesy pick up line to you, giving you a smile and you laughed. 

"You get a 0 for the pickup line, but a 10 for making me laugh." You told him and started chatting with him.

"So, Y/N..." He started rubbing his finger up and down your thigh as you felt yourself flush, "I may not be from NASA, but can I show you stars today?" 

 You opened your mouth to reply, but the annoying angel interrupted your conversation. 

"Sorry, but he's busy today." Michael spoke, irritation could be heard in his voice. He grabbed onto your shoulder and teleported you back to the bunker. 

"What the hell is your problem, Michael?" You screamed at the archangel. 

"That disgusting human tried to have sex with you, Y/N! I saved you!" 

"Maybe I wanted to have sex with him, Mikey." You retaliated, grabbing your knife and getting ready to draw that angel banishing sigil again, but Michael snapped his fingers and the knife disappeared. 

"You deserve way better than that filthy mongrel." Michael insisted. 

"Look, I know I'm like your powerhouse, or whatever, but you can't control my life. My eating habits and sleep schedule were pretty harmless, but who I have sex with is crossing a line and is none of your business." You told him, "Besides, I'm human. A mongrel or a hairless ape like you always say, so why do you care so much?" 

Michael stared at you for a long time before telling you what he was thinking, "Because I can't stand the idea of someone touching you." He let out a sigh and looked anywhere other than you. 

You looked at him in confusion, "Why can't you stand it?" 

 "I lied to you, Y/N. You are not a source of energy for me. You never were." He admitted, sitting on the bed, "You are so much more than just that. You are my soulmate." 

You stared at him for a couple seconds before you started laughing hysterically. 

"Me? Your soulmate?" You laughed again before having a serious expression on your face, "If this is some plan to get me to let you control my life, it's not gonna work." 

He looked at you, hurt and confused. 

 "I'm serious, Y/N. When I left the cage, Dad told me he had created a soulmate for me weeks ago." He got up from the bed and walked over to you, "When he showed me you, I started to laugh. How can a hairless ape be my soul mate? My father must have been crazy." He looked  at you deep in your eyes, "But, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I looked down on you from Heaven all the time to see how you were and your little habits. Oh My Father, I couldn't stand it. I wanted you. I wanted every inch of you," He walked closer to you and placed his hand on your cheek, "When I first met you in person, I thought about just taking care of you and being close to you and when I saw that man hit on you, I couldn't take it anymore. My grace boiled inside of me and before I knew it, I was on earth."

You couldn't really process everything that he just said, but for some reason you knew that he was telling the truth. 

"Michael..."

"I can't stand the idea of ​​another person, or thing touching you, Y/N. Please accept me as your soulmate." He bowed, waiting for your answer. 

You always said you hated Michael and everything he did, but that was far from the 

As much as the angel irritated you and could be very annoying, you felt a feeling of love deep down for this man.You loved Michael and all the things he has done for you. 

So, you knew what decision was right for you in the end.

"I accept you as my soulmate." 

And with that the angel smiled and attached his lips to yours. His muscular arms soon pulled at your waist, bringing you closer to him. 

"I wanted to do this for so long." He said  between kisses and then lifted you up. 

You were slightly worried about your weight but soon remembered that for an angel, you basically weighed nothing. 

 "Please Y/N, allow me to have you tonight. Allow me to make our flesh become one and allow me to merge your soul with my grace." You grunted yes between his lips but he seemed to understand since he threw you on your bed while looking at you as if you were his prey. 

He started removing the shirt he was wearing and you could see the man's muscular torso. 

"Lust is a deadly sin, Y/N." He bent down and started kissing your collarbone until he reached your ear, "Lucky you have an angel to cleanse you of your sins." 

Michael went back to your neck, sucking on it, making you moan his name. 

"This is it Y/N, pray for me." He started to suck hard on your neck until it was all marked with hickeys, "Now no miserable mortal will dare touch what is mine." He got up a little and kissed you hard, as his hand went under your shirt and caressed your torso. Michael pulled away to look at you. 

"You are by far the most perfect human to ever exist. in fact, it is a crime to compare you to a human. You are closer to a God." He said as a gentle hand stroked your sides. 

"Michael, there are more beautiful humans in the world than me." you said a little shy

"Well, I have watched humanity billions of years and you are my father's most beautiful creation." You blushed and Michael smirked, feeling confident. 

He started to remove his belt slowly, lowering his pants enough for you to see his underwear. 

"Do you like what you see, my prince?" He teased, winking at you. 

"Who knew an angel could secretly be a demon in bed." 

"You woke up a darker side of me, my prince. I had to deal with them myself, so I ended up learning something or two." He took off his pants and lowered his underwear enough to show his pubes. 

"Did you watch porn?" You asked and he just smiled. 

 "It doesn't matter now, honey." Michael lowered his underwear and revealed his erect member. 

 You had seen John naked once by accident and you already knew that older Winchester had a big package. 

 But, oh my Chuck the size scared you a little bit. 

"We’ll take it easy, Y/N. Don't be afraid."  He gently caressed your thigh as a method to calm you down. 

 When he saw that you were fine he crawled over to you, sitting on your chest and pointing his erect member in front of you

 "You know... seeing you sucking lollipops and popsicles was always a hell of a good sight to see. Your lips working on something so cold and hard, and still not being able to do anything. Well, I think you should pay me for having teased me for so long." He stated, brushing the head of his dick on your tongue "What a sight..." He gently put his dick in your mouth, inch by inch until it reached halfway and stopped.

"So hot and so cozy." Michael groaned and put a hand on your head, gently stroking your hair "Look at me." He ordered and you complied. 

 The moment you looked into his eyes you felt a thick taste of pre-cum in your mouth. 

 Slowly Michael pulled his hip back, leaving only his cockhead in your mouth before slowly putting it all back on. He repeated this movement over and over until you got used to it and then he started to fuck your mouth, getting deeper and deeper into your throat and making you choke a few times. Michael fucked your throat with formidable speed as he threw his head back and moaned. 

"So perfect." He spoke as he took his dick out of your mouth, bending down and planting a sweet kiss on your lips as well as checking if you were okay, "Let me worship you, my prince." Michael snapped his fingers and soon you were fully naked. 

 He turned you over and started to kiss your neck gently, making a kiss trail up and down your neck. He slowly went lower and lower, until he reached your ass. He put a hand on each cheek separating them and revealing your hole. 

 "So beautiful." Was the last thing you heard before feeling something wet and hot touching the perimeter of your hole. 

Michael gently brushed you with the tip of his tongue while his rough hands gripped your ass tightly. He wanted to mark you everywhere on your body. 

Soon a strange but good feeling started inside you, it was like you were being touched inside and soon a groan escaped your lips.

"What are you doing?" You asked between incessant moans. 

"My grace has many uses, Y/N and I heard that stimulating the prostate causes great pleasure. Apparently this is true." He replied as he ate you out. 

But this time he didn't lick gently. He was devouring you. Michael's tongue was fast and hungry, exploring the entire perimeter of your hole before penetrating you. 

 It was too much. The feeling was so overwhelming. Michael's tongue along with his grace made you unable to think. 

You felt your orgasm coming real quick, but you couldn't warn Michael in time.

When you were so close to a release everything stopped and you felt something holding your dick.

"Not yet, Y/N. We're going to do this together." Michael said and came out of the middle of your legs, kissing your crack up to your neck. He forced you to look at him and kissed you, "Y/N. My prince, will you give me permission to take you?"

You took a moment to contemplate Michael. The blue-green eyes looked at you with indescribable passion, as if you were a masterpiece that deserved to be contemplated. His mouth curled upward into a smile and his dark hair was so sweaty.

You always thought Michael's vessel was beautiful, but now you can't think of anything more beautiful than him. You no longer see him as young John, but as the person who loved you.

"Y/N? Is everything okay? If I went too far I'm sorry I thought that-"

"No, sorry I was just lost in thoughts." You kissed him on the lips, "Take me, Michael."

He smiled and snapped his fingers.

"As much as the whole preparation process is interesting and important, I am impatient, so why not just use my grace, right?" He winked at you and turned you on your back and positioned himself between your legs.

Michael slowly started to penetrate you until the head of his dick was completely inside of you. He looked at you to check that everything was fine before going in deeper. Inch by inch until he was completely inside. He bent down and started kissing your neck, waiting for you to get used to his size.

Michael then started to move, taking all of his length except his head and then putting everything back on. He repeated the movement over and over, each time with more speed until finally he pounds you.

Michael turned into a moaning mess while he fucked you.

He started kissing you while you moaned against each other.

One of Michael's hands flicked your nipple while another explored and caressed your torso. This along with Michael's accurate hit on your prostate made you moan loudly and Michael smirked.

"Do you think that man from earlier could make you feel the way you're feeling now?" Michael asked, "Do you think he would be able to fuck you  the way I fuck  you?" You didn't answer the question, but Michael already knew the answer. 

Michael's arms wrapped around you and turned you over. Now you were on top of him. 

"Ride me, babyboy." He put his hands behind his head and waited for you to start riding him, admiring the view. 

Michael had seen countless things in the world. From the paintings of each classic painting to the creation of each of the wonders of the world, but nothing could match the sight he was seeing now. 

With your eyes closed and your head thrown back, you moaned and rode him like there was no tomorrow. 

Michael moved his hands and placed one on each side of your, guiding you in the movements you were making. 

He knew was almost close and knew you would soon be close, too. Michael pulled you against his chest, moving so that he could move his hips so that he could continue to fuck you. 

"Y/N," He moaned out," My prince, my soul mate. I love you and I would leave everything for you. Heaven and my grace. You are my everything." Michael declared, but you could barely think with him pounding into you, his dick hitting your prostate constantly. 

You felt something warm involving you.  

It was Michael's wings. 

 With a grunt, Michael came inside of you but without stopping his movements.Your battered prostate along with the feeling of Michael's hot cum inside you brought you to your orgasm. 

 With your orgasm, Michael's movements became more and more slow until he finally stopped with both you panting hard. 

 Michael kissed you everywhere. On your head, your lips, your forehead, your neck. 

 His wings still surrounded you. 

 Michael moved you, putting you aside while he spooned you, his cock still inside you. 

A comforting hand gently caressed your thigh, "You are perfect, Y/N. I am eternally grateful that you let me love you." He kissed the back of your neck "Now rest my prince. Tomorrow we will have many things to do." He gave you one last kiss on the back of your neck.

You didn't know exactly what your relationship with Michael would be like now. But honestly you didn't care about that. 

All you cared about was the fact that your angel was hugging you with his wings surrounding you. 

And nothing else.

#Michael x male reader #Michael x reader #male reader #x male reader #supernatural x male reader #supernatural x reader #young john winchester #supernatural Michael x reader #John winchester x Male reader #John winchester x reader

[vitreousobsidian]

How I’d fix the SPN finale (from a fan with 0 writing knowledge):

Cut out the 20th episode and make 15.19 longer 

Before Jack leaves have Dean ask for Cas back. They reuinite

Sam runs back to Eileen and they have a sweet reunion. 

Montage of Sam & Eileen quitting the life, getting married, having a family, etc. Basically what the finale did but make it ACTUALLY happy. (I mean, what’s this about Sam not being able to so much as touch the Impala’s wheel without having a breakdown years after Dean’s death??) He has the domestic dream he always wanted.

Meanwhile we get shots of Cas and Dean continuing to hunt and drive around in the Impala. No more ‘world ending’ enemies looming over their head. Just the two of them out on the road, werewolf here, ghost there. Just some good old fashion hunting, the kind of stuff Dean loves. 

Ideally Dean and Cas are explicitly shown to be together but even under the assumption that the can’t have an overtly Bi Dean (which I mean... wtf it’s 2020 why not?) This could still work? And would be ambiguous enough to get past network restrictions? I’m just saying if the writers really wanted a queer couple in the show they would’ve found a way of doing it 

Maybe add a few scenes of them visiting some side characters (ie Wayward Sisters) to tie in the whole ‘found family’ theme the show’s been so heavy handed with over the last 15 years instead of it just boiling down to ‘found family’s great but like, they’re not ACTUALLY family like Sam and Dean are so they’re not as important’

I get the writers didn’t want to have ‘any loose threads’ and wanted to keep as much ambiguity out of it as possible but that doesn’t make for a satisfying ending! Give us SOME ambiguity, let us imagine that these characters live out happy lives for years after the show’s end. Them being happy in Heaven is not the same thing 

The dog can stay, he’s great.  

My issues with the ACTUAL spn finale: 

Couldn’t they just have invited people to Dean’s funeral? Like.... Did it really have to look SO lonely? Again for a show so bent on hammering home the theme of found family shouldn’t Dean’s funeral have had a bunch of people? Wayward sisters, alt. bobby, alt. charlie, garth, Jack....... Anyone? Nah it’s just Sam and the dog, glad to see that after years of 'finding family’ no one cares about Dean’s death except Sam and a dog he’s known for like a week and a half 

Also you know what’s fucked up? Dean was by far the most affected out of all the characters upon finding out how much control Chuck had over everything he did. Like... It really fucked him up. So ok, God’s defeated and Dean finally has some autonomy. He can breathe easy, he’s won, he’s his own man and this time he’s sure of it. Wait, what’s that? He dies literally a WEEK LATER? Excuse me? You’re telling me all that trauma and existential crisis and he got a single week as a reward for coming out on top? 

Also that whole Cas induced ‘i’m not a killer’ revelation kinda feels less impactful knowing it only lasts a few days and then he dies (admittedly this one’s just a bit nit-picky but I mean...)

Also idk but it just feels kinda wrong for Dean- a character who’s been repeatedly shown to have 0 regard for his own life and seems hell bent on sacrificing himself especially the last few seasons- to just die like that? I mean, if anything It seemed like he’d have to learn to value his own life as part of his greater story arc (you can kinda see echoes of it all the way back from S1). I guess this kinda ties in to the last point with the added weight that he only gets killed off once he accepts that he’s good, full of love and deserves to live. Idk especially with how many times Sam’s had to talk him off of ledges these past seasons it just feels kinda ghoulish to me. 

To show us the Harvelle Roadhouse  in heaven but make 0 reference to my girls Ellen and Jo is an actual crime and I will sue 

Also why the hell was the vamp chick from S1 here? Like... what? I mean of all side characters to include (especially the one-off s1 background characters) why her? Honestly if you’d told me someone from S1 was getting brought back I’d’ve guessed Cassie but even then I don’t think the series finale is the right place to be like ‘hey remember THIS character?’ especially not when major characters like Cas get ZERO screen time 

You know the worst part? It would’ve been so easy to make the ending good? Or at the very least ok? Like, with just 3 changes: [1] It’s made clear that Sam ends up with Eileen (I’m still not clear if that was her or some rando in the montage) [2] If they’d directed Jared in a way that presented Sam as happy or at the very least nostalgic instead of just horrible scarred for the rest of his life (I’m still so angry at that last Impala scene wtf) [3] If they’d just snuck Cas in to a single scene with Dean in heaven, even if it was hug I don’t think I’m asking for that much 

Also I find it funny that the entirety of Sam’s life occurs over the span of a single drive. So what, a 20 minute walk and then Dean II shows up in heaven? They sit down for a burger and guess what? It’s Dean II’s kids! I just find it funny that lifetimes pass so quickly in heaven time, meaning that they’re just gonna be constantly flooded with new people all the time and never get anything done cause ‘Dad, I’d like you to meet your great great great great great-’ 

Maybe spend more than $0.03 on the aging prosthetics 

Also didn’t Sam’s death feel kinda... off? I mean I’m gonna have to reiterate the whole lonely ending thing is weird in a show all about found family. Anyways the entire interaction between Sam and Dean II felt odd. Sam’s there, dying, by himself until Dean II walks in and, completely unprompted and without a trace of emotion, tells his dad that he can go ahead and die now. Couldn’t they have edited that scene so that it starts with Dean II already at his bedside? And I mean 0 disrespect to actor for Dean II (for all we know it could’ve been directed/written this way) but couldn’t he have been a bit more choked up about his dad dying? Like... Even a little? 

#supernatural #15.20 #supernatural finale #spn #God it could've been great #Idk I've known spn was a pretty bad show for a while now #But it's like that one train wreck of a friend you know? #You still love them deeply and can't help but keep hoping for more and then getting brutally disappointed #Every time #But hey I guess this was the last great disappointment huh? #Quick show of hands whats the over-under on us getting new episodes 4 years from now a-la sherlock? #Asking for a friend

[letbenfuck2021]

tua s1 brought something that was very unique to the superhero scene. it marketed itself as a show about people who had super powers but were very far from being heroes. they were all deeply flawed and heavily marred by their upbringing which seemed cruel, cold, and devoid of affection from their patriarch and this resulted in damaged, bitter, imperfect but also very human characters. what was even better was how different each sibling was in general but also specifically in how they responded to their horrible upbringing and the consequences they faced because of this. their differences allowed for a wider appeal. we're all a little fucked up because of our childhoods but we all respond to that in different ways and having seven different characters who all had their unique responses meant that even if you don't really connect with one sibling's response, it is likely that you might connect with another's. and imo, this is what made the show work. the plot is....frankly it's weak. there are plot holes big enough to fit Five's inflated ego through. but the weaknesses in plot were more forgivable because even when it was at its weakest, the investment in the characters meant you still cared what happened because it was happening to characters you cared about.

s2 completely threw this to the wind. they spent a lot of time kind of....smoothing out the siblings. one thing I noticed was that the sibs all talked far more like each other. and I have siblings so I know that this is something that actually happens in families but in this case, I don't think it added to the story and actually took away from characterization. a lot of the character arcs from s1 aren't continued or built upon but rather they are either retcon-ed, ignored, or rehashed. instead, all of the siblings are smoothed out. their jagged edges are sanded away unt they are more "likable" (which is pretty wild when you consider how much smoothing out they did when transferring the characters from the comics).

why did they do this? well....it's what the fan base, or at the very least the most vocal part of the fan base, asked for. I will say that in a way, the characters are far more palatable now. take diego for instance. in s1, he was possibly the most volatile of the siblings, even Five, the time traveling assassin, takes issue with his level of violence at one point. and we understand that diego's violence comes from a place of hurt and his hurt largely comes from a place of rejection. he is rejected by his father, by his siblings, by the world around him and this manifests as a hyper-violent nature despite the fact that diego is actually quite soft hearted as we see through flashbacks and key moments in the present. he is angry because he cares. most of this is shown to us instead of told. no one ever says in s1, "diego uses violence to cope with his pain."

so in comparison, why is diego the way he is in s2? and how are we told this? most of the time, we are told what diego is feeling and what his motivations through various mouthpieces even if these explanations don't quite make sense. why is he attached to the jfk assassination? a therapist tells us why as well as lila often operating as a mouth piece for diego's internality. five sometimes explains to us who diego is as well. and while there's nothing necessarily wrong with any of these things in isolation, all together and in context to one another, illustrates an issue with how the writers decided to construct their characters this season.

another example, vanya. this whole "characters being dictated to the audience via mouthpiece" device that the writers decided to use constantly this season is a lot more obvious with her because its pretty much built into her amnesia arc. vanya can't tell us who she is because she doesn't know so other characters will tell us instead. take the dialogue between sissy, vanya, and carl at the beginning of the season when vanya says something along the lines of how she isn't the kind of girl that people would miss and sissy disagrees but....why? how does the story tells us this or not tell us this? do any of the siblings, all of whom, save for five, have been in the 1960s longer than she's been there have not spent one bit of time it seems looking for her. even in her relationship with the family she's staying with, we have no context for sissy's statement. who vanya is told to us. never really shown. who is vanya to sissy and harlan and carl? who is she to her siblings? why is she important to any of these people? is that shown to us effectively or is it just told to us?

and I'm not talking about this to shame or bash on ppl who enjoyed the season. I'm not here to say that you are bad for liking the way the siblings are written this season better than last season. I get it. they are far more palatable now that their mean, bitter, jagged parts have been shaved down. but... palatable is not "better" or "good". I think the same goes for writing that is "gritty" or whatever. it all depends on whether or not it works within the context of everything else going on in the narrative. I think the messier versions of the siblings worked better for the story. It provided a grounding and human element to the story, some much needed levity. I don't think the new characterizations work as well and renders much of the "stakes" of the show a lot less meaningful and worthy of investment and while it was clear that the show had a higher budget and was hell-bent on using it to make the show more action packed and flashy but without strong character writing, the resulting product came off as very empty.

#tua #tua meta #tua salt #the umbrella academy #the umbrella academy season 2 #long post #text post

[aion-rsa]

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 Episode 1 Easter Eggs & References

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This Star Trek: Lower Decks article contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 1: “Strange Energies.”

The mission of the USS Cerritos is to do the jobs other Starfleet ships can’t; following up with all sorts of minutiae and boring outer space logistics, long after the Enterprise or the Defiant has warped out. But whether it’s Lower Decks or Picard or Discovery or Strange New Worlds, the mission of hardcore Trek fans is the same: Pause the screen and see what deep-cut Easter eggs got slipped in this time!

In Season 1, Star Trek: Lower Decks earned the reputation for the most meta-textual Star Trek ever. There are layers and layers of Trekdom within every frame of this series, making it hard to look at one episode and catalog all the references. But if you thought Season 1 went deep into the wells of Trekkie references and Easter eggs, Season 2 is here to make Season 1 look tame. The Season 2 premiere of Lower Decks — “Strange Energies” — is one giant Easter egg with a bunch of reproducing tribble-ish Easter eggs inside of it. Unless you’ve got ESP powers on the level of Dr. Elizabeth Dehner, there’s no way you caught all of these. 

Cardassian ships

The episode has a cold-open on some kind of prison inside of an asteroid field. This is surrounded by two kinds of Cardassian ships, the Galor-class and the smaller Hideki-class scout ships.

“The Keep Showing Me Lights”

Hologram Boimler says the Cardassians “keep showing me lights.” This line, and the existence of the secret Cardassian facility references the famous Next Generation two-parter, “Chain of Command,” in which Picard was kidnapped and tortured by the Cardassians. If you somehow haven’t seen that episode, the whole idea is that the Cardassians try to gaslight Picard into thinking there are five lights in front of him when there are only four. Lower Decks referenced “Chain of Command” in Season 1, too! In Season 1, Episode 7, “Much Ado About Boimler,” Mariner joked about the Cerritos getting a “Babysitter Jellico-type,” for a subsitute captain, which referenced the temporary captain the Enterprise got in “Chain of Command.” Freeman, Shaxs and Ransom whore the all-black special ops outfits in that episode, too, and Tendi did the same in “Veritas.” 

Too Many Ships to Count 

As Mariner escapes from the Cardassian facility, there are soooo many ships being stored in this particular hanger. It’s all the ships. Here’s just a few we caught

A Federation runabout

Jem’Hadar fighters

A Nemesis-era Romulan warbird

An old school Romulan Bird-of-Prey from TOS

Federation fighter craft (like the ones seen in TNG’s “Preemptive Strike.”)

And many, many more.

Miranda-class USS MacDuff

Mariner steals a Miranda-class Federation starship with the registry NCC-1877, and the name “USS MacDuff.” There’s a lot going on here.

The Miranda-class was first seen in The Wrath of Khan, in the form of the USS Reliant. That film also featured someone stealing a ship like this with ease.

The bridge for this ship is basically identical to the Reliant.

Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan said in 2020 that he was inspired by the Reliant for the design of the Cerritos. 

The name “MacDuff” might reference the TNG character, Kieran MacDuff, from the episode “Conundrum.” In that one, the crew has temporary amnesia and MacDuff manipulates them into fighting a war they’re not supposed to be involved in.

Jennifer 

Jennifer is back! Mariner is interrupted during her holographic work-out by Jennifer, an Andorian crewmember from last season. In the Season 1 finale, “No Small Parts,” Mariner runs through the halls and pushes this character out of the way, saying, “Move Jennifer.” As far as we know, Jennifer is the only Andorian named Jennifer, but you really have to wonder, was this an Andorian name, or a human name? 

“I know we’re not supposed to have interpersonal conflict”

Mariner’s dislike of Jennifer is punctuated by her talking to herself saying, “I know we’re not supposed to have interpersonal conflict…but I really hate that Andorian.” This references a long-standing rule from the TNG–era of Trek TV; that Starfleet officers weren’t supposed to have petty differences with each other. This rule was apparently implemented by Gene Roddenberry and drove several writers, including Ron Moore and Jeri Taylor, nuts. 

Slightly new opening-credits

In Season 1, we saw the Cerritos running away from a battle involving a bunch of Borg cubes and Romulan Warbirds. Now, that same battle includes a Pakled ship from the Season 1 finale, a few Klingon Birds-of-Prey, and seemingly, fewer Borg. 

Fred Tatasciore’s name in the credits?

Although Shaxs died in the Season 1 finale, Fred Tatasciore’s name appears in the opening credits…hmmm…will this ever be explained? 

Rutherford’s date with Ensign Barnes

“Strange Energies” directly parallels the 2020 Season 1 debut, “Second Contact,” in several ways. The crew is involved with a second contact mission that goes horribly wrong and Rutherford starts dating Barnes for the “first” time. In the Season 1 finale, Rutherford lost his memory, which is why his relationship with Barnes seems new to him. This is why Mariner says “that sounds familiar.” 

Hating pears…a Doctor Who reference? 

Tendi is concerned that Rutherford used to hate pears, but now he doesn’t. This is possibly incorrect, but this could be a Doctor Who reference. In the Doctor Who episodes “Human Nature,” “Twice Upon a Time,” and “Hell Bent,” the Doctor (both David Tennant and Peter Capaldi) mention hating pears. In fact, in “Human Nature,” when the Doctor’s memory is erased, he asks Martha Jones to “never let me eat a pear.” 

Sonic power washing 

“Sonic showers” have long been a thing in the Star Trek universe, making their debut in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. But, we’ve never seen sonic power-washers before!

“Ever heard of Gary Mitchell”

Ransom’s possession is very much a tribute to Gary Mitchell’s god-like powers in the second TOS pilot episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” Dr. T’ana’s insistence that Kirk beat Gary Mitchell with a “boulder” is accurate. For whatever reason, the very first canonical Kirk-adventure ever, established that rock beats god-like powers any day of the week. It should also be noted that Mariner referenced Gary Mitchell in the first episode of Season 1, too.

Possible Harlan Ellison reference?

While Ransom is starting to work out, you can briefly hear him say, “The trick isn’t becoming a God. The trick is staying a God.” This could be a reference to the axiom attributed to Harlan Ellison: “The trick isn’t becoming a writer. The trick is staying a writer.” Ellison wrote “The City on the Edge of Forever,” for TOS. In Star Trek: Picard Season 1, Soji traveled on a ship called the Ellison, which Michael Chabon revealed was an Easter egg meant to reference Harlan Ellison. So, you never know? 

“The Trick isn’t becoming a god, the Trick is staying a god”

Harlan Ellison reference?

Ransom on the Mount

Mariner says that Jack is “going all Ransom on the Mount.” This almost certainly references a hilarious fan video called “Shatner on the Mount,” in which a group called Fall On Your Sword remixed a behind-the-scenes interview with William Shatner (promoting Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) into a hilarious kind of talking-rap song. It has to be seen to be believed. 

Giant God Head

A giant God head coming out to grab a starship might seem silly, but there are several precedents for this kind of thing in Trek canon. In the TOS episode “Who Mourns For Adonais?” a giant green hand grabs the Enterprise, which is later revealed to be the hand of the god Apollo. In the TNG episode “The Nth Degree,” the giant head of a Cytherian finds its way onto the Enterprise-D bridge. And, of course, in The Final Frontier, the crew meets “the God of Sha Ka Ree” which also, is a giant floating head. 

My older sister got a symbiont 

Barnes and Rutherford joke around that her Trill sister has a symbiont, but she doesn’t. This references the idea that not all Trill are joined, which was established in both TNG and Deep Space Nine.

Cetacean ops

Barnes mentions going swimming in “Cetacean ops,” a part of the USS Cerritos that we’ve never seen, but we have to assume has something to do with sea creatures. This is the second time Lower Decks has referenced Cetacean ops, which itself derives from an overheard line in TNG’s “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” Again, with yet another parallel to its Season 1 debut, “Cetacean ops” was last referenced by Lower Decks in Season 1, Episode 1, “Second Contact.”

“LDS thing”

Rutherford incorrectly refers to SMD as “LDS.” This references a few things. First, for most fans, the official abbreviation of Lower Decks is LDS. But, that abbreviation also references a joke from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home in which Kirk incorrectly refers to the drug “LSD” as “LDS,” saying that Spock “did a little bit too much LDS back in the ‘60s.” 

Nightengale Woman 

At the end of the episode, Stevens tells Ransom he’s going to read him “Nightengale Woman.” This too is a reference to “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” which Gary Mitchell quotes from the poem “Nitengale Woman,” from memory. In Trek canon, the poem was written in 1996 on “the Canopus Planet.” In real life, the poem was written by Gene Roddenberry, who originally wrote part of the poem to describe flying a plane. 

Riker’s jam session

As the final moments of the episode cut back to the USS Titan, Captain Riker says “This jam session has too many licks and not enough counts.” In jazz, a “lick” refers to a pattern or musical phrase which is predetermined, but open to interpretation. Usually, a lick could result in a long jazz solo.  A “count” on the other hand, is more about the beat and form of a piece of music. Riker’s obsession with jazz began in the TNG episode “11001001.” In the season finale of Lower Decks Season 1, Riker’s catchphrase for sending the Titan into warp was a jazz count.

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

Lower Decks Season 2 airs new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

The post Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 Episode 1 Easter Eggs & References appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3xEGQn9

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

[itsclydebitches]

RWBY Recaps: “The Enemy of Trust”

Welcome to the finale, folks! A quick fun fact for you all. Total length of RWBY Recaps Volume 7 is:

68,611 words, or 115 pages single spaced. Yeesh. No wonder I never got anything else done on Saturdays.

Overall thoughts on the finale? There are pieces embedded in this episode that I really liked. Meaning, all these conflicts and reveals could be seen as truly wonderful bits of storytelling... provided you ignore the horrible, messy context it’s all situated in. For example, I greatly enjoyed that fight with Neo... provided I ignore the stupidity that was the group keeping the relic in the first place. I love the idea of Penny becoming the Winter Maiden... it’s just too bad there wasn’t any setup for that in the form of Penny’s emotional growth, either by re-bonding with Ruby or by something amounting from that frame job. I adore that Ozpin is finally back!! ...So I guess I just have to ignore how he pretty much only existed as thematic exposition and that his bad treatment by the writers hangs over his return. It’s all very “Could have been good if the rest hadn’t been so astoundingly bad.”

First though, before the plot, I wanted to dip by toe into some of the questions we went into this volume with and some of the primary ones that sprung up along the way. Simple answers are attached.

Will the group’s dangerous attitude be addressed along with the introduced hypocrisy in regards to secret keeping? Ha! Not at all. Everything was thoroughly reinforced and last we saw the group---besides generic airship shots---they were triumphantly defeating Ironwood’s evil Ace Ops. So that’s that on that.

Will Ozpin come back and will there be reconciliation with the group? Yes! But also no! Why have a volume tackling with the biggest personal conflict the group has ever faced when you could instead just have another “Ozpin speaks a handful of words during a life-and-death situation”? Yes, yes he gets that massive monologue. We’ll get to that, but suffice to say it doesn’t exactly accomplish anything. Just hammers home how desperate I am to have his character back that I’ll take anything they’re willing to give me.

How will the group handle the death of Adam---one of the most significant deaths to date next to Pyrrha’s---and how will the reveal of his brand impact Weiss and her time at home? It won’t. Blake and Yang vaguely reference him once and that’s it. Apparently killing your abuser in self-defense creates no lasting trauma we should deal with and major reveals from villains straight up don’t matter.

What will the story do with their new character Maria? Uh, nothing. She exists off screen for the entire volume, only popping up in the last second to (maybe?) help Pietro get the scrolls working again. Oh, and she’s stolen another airship.

How will Qrow’s alcoholism continue to impact the group and how will he learn to start managing his addiction? No idea because that happened off screen. And then was presumably erased when Clover died.

Will the group ever discuss the hopelessness attached to their mission and come to the realization that their fight is worthwhile even though they can’t kill Salem? Sort of...? Because yeah they come to that realization but, again, it happens off screen. More significantly, it happens so well, apparently, that the group is now willing to feed Ironwood’s own false hope (like the fandom claims Ozpin did to them) and will be able to stand in front of Salem herself and announce that she’s totally beatable. And we’re going to risk a whole Kingdom on that came-out-of-nowhere confidence.

What does the Staff of Creation do and how will our characters potentially use it in their plans against Salem? We learn that the staff keeps Atlas afloat and it’s definitely a part of Ironwood’s plans, so there’s that.

How will Ruby continue to train and improve her Silver Eye powers? In the messiest and most contradictory manner possible. We’re shown twice in the last three episodes that she can’t get them to work and then suddenly they’re working again when the plot wants Cinder to skedaddle because there’s five minutes of the episode left. Like Qrow’s semblance, Ruby’s eyes are based on a switch that the writers turn on or off depending on their whim.

What will this volume tell us about Nora given all the hype surrounding the importance of her character this season? Nothing, really. All Nora does is solidify her relationship with Ren in a non-consenting manner and yell at Ironwood about Mantle while helping to orchestrate the city’s lack of resources. Even ignoring the issues inherent in these scenes, what we “learned” about Nora this volume is that she loves Ren, is protective of those who come from a similar background as she does, and will run to hug Oscar when given the chance. So...nothing. 

Now the reason I provided this long-ass introduction is so that a) we can remember what we actually hoped/expected the volume to accomplish now that we’ve reached the end (RWBY introduces so many things that viewers---myself included---outright forget that we were supposed to tackle certain plot points or character beats) and b) to demonstrate just some of the writing problems that are impacting this finale. This is what I mean when I say that this finale could have been really solid if not for... all of that. And “that” is just a small sampling of the issues we’ve built up over the last two years. 

But on to the actual plot.

We open on Jaune yelling, “Give up!” at Neo, which isn’t a heavy-handed reflection of the entire RWBYJNR group or anything. As said though, I did really enjoy the choreography of this fight. Oscar gets that excellent moment where he catches the relic with his cane, as well as when he grabs hold of Neo’s legs to keep her from fleeing. Jaune manages to protect them with two different kinds of shields now embedded in his shield. It’s a shield-shield. And Neo herself is always a joy to watch, demonstrating so much personality as she teases her way through each attack. I was thinking throughout this scene that I’d love to see her and Tyrian fighting together. That would be an excellent blend of insane/arrogant enjoyment.

The problem is that Neo is just having such an easy time of it. Which, I should be clear, is what I wanted based on the logic of the situation. Neo should be able to kick their asses with relative ease. The only reason why this is an issue is because it severely complicates what we saw last episode. How was Oscar able to survive her attack for however long? How was he able to land such a solid punch when now Ren and Nora fly at her with the same kind of obviousness and Neo deflects them with ease? I’m thrilled that the finale gave us such a long moment with Oscar, but the series as a whole still has a problem with relegating most of his development off screen. Seeing the comparatively vulnerable farm boy face off against one of our strongest villains should have been a focus last episode, not something that happens in the ether of, “Well I guess all that worked out somehow despite Neo kicking their asses here.” It’s an issue of consistency and convenience primarily. The show seems to have the characters on a very malleable power scale nowadays. Oscar isn’t strong enough to help with the geist, but he’s strong enough to land the first solid hit on Neo. Team RWBY is strong enough to take out the most elite group of huntsmen in Atlas, but Team JNR isn’t strong enough to take out a single villain four to one. It makes it harder to invest in anyone or anything because we’re always on shaky ground. The viewers never know when the writing will obey the rules it has set up or chuck them away on a whim.

The fight is interrupted though when the guards spot them. Did Ruby mention that they were being arrested in her announcement? Did Ironwood announce that before or after Ruby called? I honestly can’t remember and right now I’m too lazy to check. I was just a little surprised that Jaune immediately knew to run from the guards, rather than going, “Hey, crazy woman attacking us please help.” But eh, I’m happy enough to chalk that up to either my own shaky memory or a small connection lost. RWBY has way bigger problems than details like, “How did so-and-so know about such-and-such?” Not unless that information holds way more weight.

So they flee and we actually get to see some reaction to fighting for once. Oscar in particular is clearly exhausted and his clothes are done-in from the battle. Later, while hiding in the training room, all four of them will be leaning against the wall, heaving after facing Neo. Again, this is good. This is how newly-minted huntsmen should be reacting to fighting people way beyond their skill level. It’s only a problem when we compare these details to what we got last week with Team RWBY. Showing JNOR’s exhaustion from a quick bout with Neo no way aligns with RWBY’s perky, totally fine, no auras broken and no tiredness characterization after facing off against four Ace Ops for a significantly longer period.

So there’s some serious plot armor at work there. It became even more clear this episode that Team RWBY won because Team RWBY always gets what they want, not because it makes any sense in-world. But we’ll have to deal with any other consequences of that next volume because they’re barely in the rest of this episode. Instead, we return to the Winter, Penny, and Cinder fight where Cinder casually tosses Penny aside with her grimm arm. She’s briefly held back by Winter’s summoned birds, but that’s hardly going to faze her in the grand scheme of things. In fact, Cinder still has enough energy and confidence to start some philosophizing while she fights. She tells Winter that she may think “hoarding power means you’ll keep it forever, but it just makes the rest of us hungrier.” Self-fulfilling words from the woman hell-bent on acquiring and hoarding all the Maiden powers? As absurd as Cinder’s beliefs are, that “And I refuse to starve” line was pretty badass. On the whole I think she’s a boring villain, but every once in a blue moon Cinder will have a cool moment before she becomes irrelevant again.

The fight continues as Penny returns to the fray and it sounded to me that she was making more noise during this fight than normal. Granted, we’ve rarely seen Penny engage in an all-out brawl that lasts for more than a few seconds, but the additions certainly help with where she’s heading this episode. Particularly moments such as when they’re outside and Cinder’s sword blows up in Penny’s face, causing her to outright scream. It’s a very human sound, setting up the reveal that yes, an android is human enough to take on the Maiden powers. And if you go by some fan theories, “woman enough” (for lack of a better term) given that her aura is a man’s, Pietro’s. Penny is a girl regardless of starting out with male aura, leading to some wonderful and interesting takes on her as a trans character. Now I’m not giving that praise to Rooster Teeth---this isn’t them giving us representation---rather, I’m praising the fandom’s ingenuity and ability to adopt characters into their own communities. You don’t need “evidence” to headcanon transness, but having a girl born of a man’s aura go on to acquire woman-only power can definitely help. 

Granted, Penny’s vocalizing here is just a tiny detail that I’m choosing to apply positively to an outcome. I nevertheless stand by my early belief that Penny simply didn’t have the development needed to land her in the Maiden position. Having her grapple with her own death, Ruby her resurrection, and the loss of Mantle’s support would have achieved that. It’s clear now why Rooster Teeth brought her back, but that doesn’t mean they’ve treated her character well for the last twelve episodes. Instead, in true RWBY fashion, a lot was introduced with no followup.

As said though, they take things outside to give us a decently cool battle between three characters who can fly. While in the air though Winter’s aura is broken and she starts to plummet. Obviously Penny catches her, to which Winter replies, “What are you doing? My life doesn’t matter!”

Sometimes I wonder if Rooster Teeth bothers to think about the dialogue they put in characters’ mouths. I mean seriously? Winter is not stupid. Nor is she so hard that---as the episode hammers home---she wouldn’t experience fear. So:

Anyone is going to be happy about being caught from a 100% deadly fall. In a situation like this survival instinct trumps responsibility. Even if it didn’t “responsibility” doesn’t make any sense here because:

They’re not giving up on the Maiden. Penny isn’t making a decision here that requires forever and always choosing Winter over Fria. They’re gonna turn right around and continue the fight

Seriously, it takes a few seconds to catch her. This isn’t that big a deal

The fight thus far has clearly proven that they need all the help they can get. Penny can’t take Cinder on her own and indeed, even with her aura broken Winter manages to be incalculably helpful

Fria still has her powers, which she’s about to demonstrate. Does Winter really not realize that Fria is still pretty capable of defending herself?

In short, this line is stupid. More than just stupid it’s twisting a character to get them to fit with the volume’s badly imposed theme. Oh look Winter cares sooooo much about her orders that she would needlessly die for them. Penny must teach her the value of her own life and how “blindly” obeying Ironwood is a big, bad thing. Come on. Lines like these---Harriet claiming the Ace Ops aren’t friends even though they clearly are, Qrow blaming Ironwood for Clover’s death when he’s not even there, Yang sniping at Elm about how she can’t think for herself---only serve to say Protagonists Good; Ironwood Bad. Rooster Teeth really loves to introduce justified and sympathetic characters, only to have other characters go OOC to backtrack on that verbally. Ignore what you’ve seen and just believe the nonsense words that never would have come out of this character’s mouth otherwise. And yes, that includes Yang and her comment to Elm. She is by far the most loyal character, considering that she’s canonically done things she did not want (following Ozpin) purely because Ruby was doing it. If the story had any sense embedded in it Yang would be the one who understood where the Ace Ops were coming from in their devotion to Ironwood, or at the very least the narrative would call her out on her hypocricy. As it is, the story functions around the “fact” that following Ruby is just intrinsically good. No matter what Ruby herself might do and how it does or does not compare to others’ actions. She’s the hero, always. In the same way, having Winter spout such a nonsense line works only to say, “See? Following Ironwood destroys all your self-wroth. Following Ruby? Like Penny does? You learn the value of friendship!” Never-mind that the first thing Ironwood does this episode is congratulate and apologize to Winter when he thinks he’s coming down into the vault...

Enjoyable pieces aside, I’m obviously still salty, but we’ll get to Ironwood in a minute. For now, Oscar is seriously dragging behind JNR and manages to get separated. He’s hidden from the guards by “Nora” who is, obviously Neo. Within the span of a second she’s gotten the relic and will keep it until she hands it over to Cinder.

Congratulations, team! Not only did you allow Ironwood to harm Mantle for weeks on end when you knew his plan was doomed to fail, you’ve also lost the relic you came to secure in the first place, thoroughly betrayed the one powerful ally you had in this war (just like you did Ozpin), have destroyed any hope of escape as---surprise!---Salem actually showed up, and you took out the one elite team who might have helped you fight her. Oh, and Qrow, you got arrested in the end anyway so congrats on getting your friend killed along the way. Seriously, how does anyone---how does the narrative---insist that these people are heroes? At this point this is a story about fallen heroes, but rather than emphasizing precisely how badly the group has screwed up the last two volumes and taking them on a journey back from the brink, they’re still being painted in a perfect light.

So... yeah. Relic is gone. Which we all saw coming the second Ruby happily agreed to keep holding onto it, then got protective when Ironwood mentioned taking it back. Loyalty aside, you cannot possibly think the relic is safer on your or Oscar’s belt than it is in a freaking magical vault. The group should be denied the title of “heroes” for their stupidity and arrogance alone. Especially when they never bothered to tell Ironwood that there was still a question left. That might have changed his mind about letting them carry it around. 

Thus, relic in hand, Neo makes easy work of the rest of the team. Most notably by keeping Nora’s face and giving Ren sad eyes when he tries to strike her. This is a really good moment of visual storytelling and more how RWBY should be using their fights to do double-duty and develop characterization. Neo’s trick not only demonstrates her cruel skills, but tells us precisely how deeply Ren cares for Nora. Even knowing that’s not her he hesitates. Then, obviously, we’ve got the tears as the team runs off. So obviously things are still eating at him and their relationship is a big part of that... which just makes me all the more frustrated that the story passed over his fears at the party. I really don’t care how eager everyone (myself included) was to finally get a renora kiss. We never should have seen Nora ignoring those problems and insisting on moving the relationship forward in a way he clearly wasn’t ready for yet. Ren’s words told us that, as does his grief now. Everyone was wondering if ignoring his anxiety would come to a head in the form of Ren siding with Ironwood, but we didn’t get the chance to find that out this volume. Which, I get it. RWBY doesn’t have a lot of time, but that’s precisely the problem. Tiny tid-bits are dropped and then ignored for weeks, if not years on end. That moment between Ren and Neo was excellently crafted and told us a lot about both, but ultimately it’s just another moment cast adrift from everything else. Who knows if this plot-line will actually continue in Volume 8’s premier, if at all.

So Neo wanders off in an Atlas disguise and hands the relic off to Cinder. What’s Cinder going to do with the relic precisely? Not sure. Gonna have to wait on that one. We do have some decent setup for Neo’s betrayal though. She not only looked pissed at Cinder just snatching the prize, but sad about it too. Neo has always been driven by her own, messed up love, notably for Roman. Now that he’s gone it seems like she was looking for someone else to latch onto. Now that Cinder has proven that Neo is only a tool to her, she’d better watch her back.

Returning to Fria. She, as said, still has a lot of kick in her and easily pushes Cinder back. “That’s the power of a fully realized Maiden,” Winter says as crazy power shoots into the sky. Again, good setup... if I believed RWBY was capable of following up on anything. Remember at the beginning of the volume when Harriet dropped setup on Ruby’s semblance? Yeah, nothing came of that either. And though it still might, again, when? I know I use this example a lot, but you can’t introduce Raven speaking with Tai, drop that for three years (or longer), and then pick it back up like that’s still a relevant thread to follow. By having Winter proclaim that this is a “fully realized” power we imply that others, such as Cinder, may be able to become more powerful as well, but there’s little faith on the viewer’s part that such a line will actually amount to anything. Or if it does, it will happen so far in the future that most viewers will have forgotten about it.

For now though Fria is super-duper powerful. Cinder and Winter can’t even get near her. So it’s up to Penny, the one person not made of flesh and blood, to get the job done. I like that. Great use of difference as a strength. So she dives in and gets Fria to calm down, reigning her power back in. They discuss transferring the power and when Penny tries to remind her of the consequences we get, “I’ll be gone. I know I have a hard time remembering, but I remember that.” Hey. Hey, hey. I want the entire fandom to pay attention to this line because a lot of you still have a tendency to erase agency so as to more easily pin the blame on characters you don’t like. Pyrrha didn’t choose to fight Cinder against Ozpin’s orders, Ozpin killed her! Qrow didn’t choose to fight Clover and team up with Tyrian, Ironwood killed Clover! The Ace Ops didn’t choose to be loyal and maintain the responsibility they swore as military huntsmen, Ironwood just brainwashed them into being obedient puppets! Here, we get another glorious reminder that yes, these characters can actually think and act for themselves. Even the characters with dementia. Asking someone to do the hard thing (Pyrrha) is not in any way comparable to making them. It’s crystal clear from Fria’s line here that Ironwood spoke to her about the situation. He, like Ozpin, was upfront about the consequences. She in turn decided to accept this duty. Yes, I know I’ll die. I’ve accepted that. I have a job to do and I intend to complete it.

So yeah, #stop-taking-away-one-character’s-agency-just-because-you-don’t-like-another-2020.

Penny is thus faced with a glaring responsibility of her own: will she take on the Maiden powers? Because Fria may remember her job, but not who else was supposed to complete the job with her. Was it you? Penny, meanwhile, is looking at all that ice and wondering if Winter can even get here in time. It may well only be her... unless they want it to be Cinder.

As she thinks through this decision we return to JNR. Ren has a brief freak-out about how “We weren’t ready to become huntsmen” but instead of a truthful statement about their maturity and skill levels, the story twists it into a false statement by having Ren start yelling at Nora and placing unnecessary blame. We’re not supposed to believe him here because he’s irrational and lashing out... even though I think “We weren’t ready to become huntsmen” is a 100% truthful statement. The last two volumes have proven to me, if no one else, that having a job with that much power and responsibility isn’t just about whether you can swing your scythe really well. It’s about having the emotional fortitude and, as said, majority to treat it as a job and put that responsibility ahead of your own desires. RWBYJNR has consistently demonstrated that they’re unwilling to do that. It’s their way or the highway, damn promises, responsibility, loyalty, or consequences.

Before things can really break in the group though more soldiers show up and as they’re hiding behind Jaune’s shield he realizes that Oscar is missing. Over the comms Oscar says that he has something he needs to do alone, heading for the vault. I really appreciate this moment because Oscar is the one person in this group who has actually extended some of the unity and sympathy that RWBYJNR keeps yelling that everyone needs to give to them first. He apologizes to Ironwood whereas Yang sticks her nose in the air and insists she did nothing wrong. He approaches Ironwood and asks to find a way forward together while Ruby yells that Harriet has to do what she wants or no, I won’t stop attacking you. We get that moment where Ironwood thinks it’s Winter descending and goes, “I know that must have been hard for you. I’m so sorry,” demonstrating his own care and compassion. We see Oscar embodying Ozpin in his folded hands, use of the cane, and harder eyes, despite the fact that it’s still him in control. 

He has a piece of that maturity the rest of his team lacks. He’s open, Ironwood is open, they’re poised to do what the others around them can’t...

Too bad it all goes to total shit.

You know, I feel like I should be more mad about this but at this point I’m just kind of numb. Why in the world would I be surprised that Rooster Teeth would erase all the work above to turn Ironwood into a generic villain? They did it before, or did I suddenly forget the twenty-minutes that humanized Ozpin only to be followed with two volumes of bashing him non-stop? I knew Ironwood was going to get screwed, I just didn’t think they’d go so far as to do it like this. And shame on me because I should have.

There are times when things happen on screen... but by god it isn’t canon. Because it’s just too stupid to be canon. It’s so horrifically out of character that the only explanation is that this is an impersonator and the writers just forgot to tell us that along the way. Because James Ironwood would never kill a child. Or hell, maybe he would, but it would have to be under RADICALLY different circumstances from these. People realize right that this is so beyond out of character as to be laughable, right? We get:

A man who has devoted himself to fighting the biggest evil his world has ever seen

Learning the importance of care over brute strength, adopting Ozpin’s lessons by giving Mantle Penny

Has spent the last year trying desperately to keep all his people safe, making the hard calls in order to achieve that

Was beyond delighted when the group first appeared, kneeling down before Oscar and hugging Qrow

Has frequently asked after Ozpin throughout the volume, demonstrating a strong desire for him to return

Immediately forgave the group even after learning about Salem’s immortality, still pushing forward with them

Just sacrificed his arm in an effort to continue protecting those around him

Finally realized he didn’t have allies in this team and called only for their arrest, not any violence or mistreatment

Hired the Ace Ops, a group whose conflict was their need to perform that arrest pushing against their desire not to hurt anyone

Ironwood just began the scene by extending sympathy and apologies to another

And you’re going to tell me that this man, this man defined by his compassion and desperate need to protect others... is going to shoot the 14yo kid housing one of his oldest friends? Shoot to kill?

Because make no mistake, that was a killing shot. Ironwood knew Oscar was at the edge. Even if it hadn’t broken Oscar’s aura, that fall isn’t anything you can survive without Humanity 1.0 magic---magic Ironwood clearly wasn’t counting on to save him. They literally took this man and erased EVERYTHING that made him-him, deciding that randomly Ironwood kills kids now because he dislikes a conversation. Kills Ozpin too. It makes zero sense... but you know all precisely why they did it. Because Ironwood is the villain now. He dared disagree with Team RWBY and now that he’s an antagonist they had to make sure he did something he couldn’t come back from. You don’t try to kill the youngest of the group and then come back into the fold. Ironwood is finished. He’s either going to die next volume or the group is going to lock him behind bars as a “witty” parallel of him trying to arrest them, dropping a one-liner about how they’re sorry it came to this.

Which, obviously, I absolutely despise. The rest of the episode? Had a lot going for it. Cool and interesting developments that might have been great if not attached to the horror show of the last twenty-five episodes... but still cool and interesting nonetheless. This? This is the worst thing RWBY has done to date because they not only irrevocably messed up one of their best characters, but they did so in a way that highlights everything that has been wrong with the show the last two years. There was no buildup to this. None. Don’t @ me with “But Ironwood is unstable and the Tin Man has no heart.” No and also no. Rooster Teeth simply decided that they wanted him as a villain and made that happen in the span of a few seconds. It’s just as absurd and insulting as if, last volume while angry at Qrow, Ruby had picked up her scythe and cut through Weiss as a form of anger management. Ironwood aiming to kill the kid he’s been bonding with all volume and Ozpin to boot because they’re having a slightly heated conversation is insane. 

Which isn’t to say that conversation itself helped matters. Because Ironwood remains right. Those are all pretty, philosophical questions, Oscar, but what are we going to do about our situation? Oscar might express more sympathy then Team RWBY, but he’s just as naive and dangerously stubborn. He doesn’t have a plan either, just a continuing insistence that they try. In fact, his arguments are really... nonsensical in places? He says that if Ironwood abandons Mantle they’ll lose hope of uniting the whole world, even though we’ve never established why that’s still a goal when a world-wide army can’t defeat Salem. He likewise makes the absurd claim that because Ironwood is thinking about the big picture “Then you’re as dangerous as she is, James.”

No??

If RWBY is going to incorporate philosophy and moral conundrums into their writing then they actually need to do the work to think them through. Because sorry but the man making a currently still necessary sacrifice in order to keep the world as a whole safe is not the same thing as the genocidal grimm queen hell-bent on destroying it. Again, do they think about the words they’re putting into the characters’ mouths? The worst is how many viewers just eat it up. Because Good Boy Oscar said something vaguely wise-sounding then it must be true...never-mind the absurdity of the statement itself. I love Oscar to bits, just not when the writing uses him as a prop to promote these absurd themes. Not to keep dragging Witcher into every possible part of my life, but it immediately reminded me of this quote from Geralt. “You wizards are all the same...

Just because Oscar says it with confidence doesn’t mean it makes any sense.

Which is where we end up. Oscar falling, Ozpin arriving, the two of them managing to survive the fall. I have to admit that at this point Ozpin’s return just felt damn underwhelming to me. Like yes, of course I’m thrilled he’s back, but watching them mangle James like that just kicked all the enjoyment out of the rest of the episode. That, combined with the fact that Ozpin’s return actually was pretty lackluster. I mean, I feel like a shit for complaining about the thing I’ve wanted since the beginning of Volume 6... but is that really all we get? Ozpin doesn’t save him, Oscar saves them both, because he apparently has complete access to the magic and memories now. What does Ozpin matter then? Ozpin doesn’t speak really, just says Oscar’s name and is then cut off because Oscar doesn’t want to hear anything he has to say unless it’s about saving Atlas. He does express something like gratitude though--- “You’re back, aren’t you? You saved me”---so that’s more than we’ve gotten from anyone else. And Ozpin does narrate... but who is that to? Obviously very reminiscent of our series’ premier, but is he speaking to Salem again? We’re not told---or shown---and as it is that monologue exists purely for the audience. It’s a speech we could have gotten from any character and just happened to get it from Ozpin. It’s not being spoken to Oscar and therefore not forwarding any of the relationships that still need to be mended. In fact, this could well be a speech Ozpin gave years ago, disconnected from who he is now. Perhaps the biggest issue is that the speech is all about fear, further hammering home the finale’s BS stance that Ironwood being afraid of actual, legitimate threats made him into an unhinged child-killer.

Because his “paranoia”? It’s about this. This is what Ironwood was afraid of.

And oh look it’s here.

So yeah... I just can’t fall in love with this moment as I feel I should. RWBY has burned me too many times lately---the last time seconds before this scene---and frankly now that Ozpin is back I don’t trust them to treat his character well. So his return is automatically laced with more worry than excitement to see what comes next. Because if they do this to Ironwood, somehow who has done nothing but try to help this whole volume, what the hell are they going to do to Ozpin, someone who actually lied to and kept secrets from the precious team? I want him back, but not while we’ve got these themes going. I’m legit worried about how the group will react to his return and what the narrative is going to make Ozpin do as penance for his supposed sins. I’m not really thrilled about the prospect of watching more assault that’s painted as heroic justice. Normally I’d be going, “Well you never know, RWBY could prove me wrong...” except that after Ironwood? I really don’t think it will. Because Ozpin may ask, “Will you forgive them? Will you understand why they felt the need to do the things they did?” but it’s “staring back at you is the very thing you should have feared from the start” is what we get when Ironwood is shown again when he’s told Winter doesn’t have the power, he can’t open the vault, and he has no way of escaping this army. Rather than painting this as a tragedy that’s on our “heroes,” Ironwood is just made to look deranged. The story doesn’t encourage us to forgive him, no matter Ozpin’s words. 

The scne was pretty though! lol. Stunningly gorgeous, really. If I just turn my brain off and don’t think about everything surrounding Oscar falling while Ozpin re-joins him, it’s an absolutely fantastic scene...

Yeah, the rest of the episode is mostly things I’ve already covered. Maria picks everyone up in their “getaway ship” because her character apparently only exists now to provide comic relief in the form of illegal actions. 

Penny takes on the Maiden powers while Winter holds Cinder off with no aura. That was badass as hell.  Go Winter, you’re still one of my faves this volume.

Ruby conveniently uses her silver eyes even though they’ve failed twice in the last three to four episodes. 

Qrow is arrested and holds onto Clover’s blood-stained badge. 

Robyn is apparently just fine. 

Watts is potentially getting freed by Tyrian, or else was just distracted by the arrival of Salem, I honestly wasn’t sure. 

The only other thing of consequence is that Winter and Weiss acknowledge that they’re on different paths. They can’t support one another in who they’re loyal to, but Winter will still give her sister a head start.

Oh, that moment and this, of course.

I’ve already spoken about my very iffy feelings about introducing Salem as an actual enemy before the final volume and those feelings are compounded by this absurd denouncement of hard, practical choices. I mean... seriously. What is the group going to do at the start of next volume? “These readings can’t be right,” an Atlas soldier says, horrified at the number of grimm that are appearing around them from an ominous red cloud. That entire army we saw at the end of Volume 6. Plus a giant whale grimm that could easily swallow any of our heroes (Pinocchio reference, anyone?), plus the immortal sorceress who could do any number of things to obliterate you---and take all the time in the world to do it. Like... they’re screwed. They are dead and Ironwood was 100% right to try and take whoever he could to safety and regroup. Except that obviously the series doesn’t end in tragedy here so they’ll wiggle their way out of things somehow. It just won’t be satisfying. Because we absolutely have a hopeless situation here and the story hasn’t allowed the group to acknowledge and then try to circumvent that in any practical manner. Ruby’s silver eyes will inexplicably get crazy powerful. Or Salem will randomly decide to leave. Or they’ll discover some new and untapped skill through the power of friendship. Then, at the end of it all, we’ll be told to look back at Ironwood and call him crazy for trying to save lives with a realistic approach because see? We managed a miracle after all.

I can’t believe I’m going to watch that nonsense. But I will. Because RWBY was a show that I loved and some small part of me still hopes it’ll return to what it once was. At the very least I need to find out what happens to these characters---no matter how stupid and insulting---and this episode, despite all my expectations, did give me tiny glimmers into what RWBY used to be. Moments that were fun or badass or legitimately touching. I almost wish it wouldn’t, just so I could make a clean break with the show. Absolute trash is better than trash that demonstrates skill just enough to make you think there might be hope for a better written story the next time around. Ah well. At least writing the recaps is always fun!

So I’ll still be here, answering asks and chucking out nonsense. Feel free to come join me if you’re ever inclined.  

Until next volume 💜

#rwby #rwby volume 7 #rwby volume 7 spoilers #mymetas #rwby recaps

[orionsangel86]

Episode Review - 14x01 - Want, Everything, Sunshine, and Beyonce

Hellatus is over everyone! Put away the crack memes and shit posts and bring out your meta caps because we are back in business! Oh boy are we back in business! 

Right before @tinkdw came over to watch the premier with me, we discussed our expectations and both agreed that whilst our expectations were pretty much in our boots, we would consider the episode a success if it was even remotely meta. We wanted to be able to see clearly constructed themes both as a continuation of what had come previously and as a foundation for a strong season going forward. We were both hoping that at least from a meta perspective, that the episode would leave us happy and thirsting for more.

Dabb did not disappoint us.

It was such a strong episode meta-wise. There is a lot to pick apart that is ripe for discussion and I seriously hope that Dabb will keep a close eye on the other writers to ensure that these themes continue throughout the season. Plot-wise it was a weaker episode, but then again Dabb has always focused on the character emotional arcs more than the actual plot points in recent years, and I am grateful for that. The second half of season 13 felt stagnant to me simply because there was little to no character development and from a meta perspective it was also extremely weak. I went into this hellatus feeling negative about the show simply because I hadn’t actually enjoyed an episode properly since 13x12. However, the season 14 opener was most definitely enough to quench my thirst and get me excited for the coming season. Fingers crossed it goes from strength to strength.

Long review under the cut

Michael!Dean - What Do You Want

Straight in after the introductory Nyoooom of Baby (driven by a grim looking Sam and a pretty impressive swap from title music to diegetic music), we are introduced to the angel of the hour. 

8 Things about Michael:

1. I am not sure how I feel about Jensen’s performance right now. He is playing Michael extremely straight and whilst I can see how this cold, calm portrayal can come across quite terrifying, it’s not a carry over from Christian Key’s performance. I don’t want to be too critical, because we only saw him in a few scenes so far, but when I compare it to how Tahmoh portrayed Gadreel alongside Jared, and the way Misha pretty much nailed Mark P’s performance (and greatly improved it), I guess I’m still waiting for Jensen to WOW me in the role. The one thing I will say is that he did terrify me and managed to come across creepy when acting alongside his own WIFE. So he's doing something right I'll give him that. When Jensen wants to have chemistry with someone, he does.

2. I like the fact that Michael’s goal right now seems to be to educate himself on our world. He’s not running around causing terror and mayhem like Lucifer, he’s learning how best to go about “improving” the world. He also appears to be inspiring people with his words: “Holy men, leaders, killers” and we have seen the effect he had already on Kip the Demon - who was inspired to run for King of Hell until Sam Fucking Winchester ruined that plan. I wonder if we will be seeing the fallout of Michael’s specific type of inspiration throughout the season.

3. “What do you want?” Obviously this question is an important one. It was repeated like six times throughout the episode, though never to the main characters. It looks like this is going to be the theme of the season and as far as TFW’s personal journey’s go, this is now the question we are asking them and the question being explored. What does Sam want? Or Cas? Or Dean? This has an endgame flavour to it that has me extremely excited. 

4.Michael’s own personal want of “A better world” is a follow on in a way of many of the villains that have come before him. For seasons now we have been exploring this concept of improving the world for the better. We had it first in season 8 when the brothers had the goal to do the trials to make a world without demons, in season 11 Amara’s vision was to destroy so she could reshape the world to her own blueprints that she saw as better than Chuck’s. Dabb era has been even more obvious, first with the goal of the British Men of Letters being “a world without monsters” which was shared by Mary wanting a better world for her boys, and then in season 13 Jack’s arrival floated the idea of “paradise world” to Castiel. I don’t think Michael is gonna fair any better than any of these others, and wonder exactly where all these escalated versions of “a better world” will end up. It's all exploring the notion that nothing is black and white, but in fact a grey area.

5. I already discussed Michael and Sister Jo here. Cas mirrors... Cas mirrors everywhere... I also side eye the "pretty things" line because it reaks of Dean and his whole sublimation thing. In that sense it seems Dabb is making Jo a mirror for both our boys. I'll be keeping a close eye on her from now on.

6. ”Why would he say yes to you?” “Love”. OH DEAN. Just, Dean wasn’t in this episode but my god did we feel his presence RIGHT HERE. And to think there are people out there that still think this is a macho mans show about macho manly men. I’ve never known another character with more heart than Dean Winchester. This show is about LOVE above all things. I wish people would stop trying to deny that fact.

7. Radioactive Pigeon:

Look I’m not trying to be critical okay it’s very pretty and this is the FIRST time they have attempted showing an angels true form and that is amazeballs and all, but still. He has little pigeon wings and a bent halo. Pfft.

8. The Purity of Vampires. I actually love this. I think it comes across a bit silly on the surface, but the whole idea of monsters being pure is a massive callback to purgatory and season 8 and anything that calls back to season 8 makes me happy. 

Sam Fucking Winchester

Excuse me while I scream HELL YES. I have been waiting for Sam to take on the leadership role for AGES. Honestly this was always my dream endgame for Sam. To organise and lead the hunting community. There’s your better world guys. It was something that the writers flirted with in late season 12, but at the time Sam only took on the position with Dean’s approval and encouragement to go ahead. Sam has always stepped back and let Dean take the lead throughout the show as the big brother and parental figure. I think this was always a role he was destined to fill and something that has been building in the subtext for a long time (much the same way as the toxic codependency has been shown to hold Sam back.) 

What’s of interest here is what will happen when Dean comes back and is fighting fit. Will Sam relinquish his leadership position to Dean? Or fight for it? Will this cause conflict? I read this amazing meta on this which turned into an epic discussion and I highly recommend reading it. My HEART.

Sam’s state in the episode is one of constant motion. He cannot stop for a second, always being pulled from one thing to another. He doesn’t sleep, he doesn’t get to change out of his hideous blue and orange shirt (which is officially now my favourite Sam shirt), he doesn’t even get to finish his soup. I know Jared said that Sam had a ‘grief beard’ but Tink and I are adamant that the beard is simply due to the fact that Sam doesn’t get the time to shave. He has taken so much weight on his shoulders and in amongst that has to deal with horribly traumatic things such as face the face of his abuser and actually be a healer to him. Sam doesn't get a moment to himself and spends all his time concerned about others. It's very noble of him, but he's going through the motions.

Sam is the contrast here to both Cas and Dean, who are physically and mentally stuck in their awful situations. Sam is also stuck in a way, stuck with no time to actually contemplate the situation he has got himself in. Stuck without a moment to breath, or to grieve his brother. Stuck holding the weight of the world on his shoulders as every other single character looks to him for support, help and guidance. Sam is the motherfucking Beyonce of the episode, that is for certain.

He is also calling the shots on hell now...

(x)

... I find it amusing that back in the early days Sam's destiny was to be the boy king of hell, and it's almost like he's fulfilled that destiny, not by being king, but by being gatekeeper and in a position powerful enough to scare the demons into submission. This is probably what Crowley intended. Sam probably owns the moon now.

About Nick - Well, first of all, I TOLD YOU SO. I did say that I could tell the guy from the back of his head and I was damn right about that. Learn to trust me guys I am occasionally good at this stuff. Okay, now that that is out of my system, let’s talk about this. Round of applause for Jared in this scene. Because he takes Sam’s hell trauma extremely seriously and made sure that every nuance, every twitch, was picked up by those camera’s. I loved that. Potentially Nick could be a good way to help Sam heal in the coming season, as Sam has finally freed himself from Lucifer’s grasp. Is it fair that he should have to look after the face that tormented him for years? No. Not at all, but could it prove somewhat cathartic in the end? Maybe. 

At the end of the day, Dabb must have considered Nick to have a purpose beyond “I want to give Bucklemming something to play with so they don’t fuck up my actual story” and “We need to keep stroking Mark P’s ego for some stupid reason”. Because otherwise I am really worried about how limited his power must be, and refuse to entertain the thought that he was overthrown by Singer and his horrid wife. I can see the potential in Nick being a dark mirror for Dean following his freedom from Michael’s possession. How Nick deals with the post possession trauma could be an indicator to how Dean is really coping even when he buries it.

At the same time, both Sam and Cas have been possessed by Lucifer, and therefore have all the experience between them to help Dean’s recovery without needing Nick to get involved. So I dunno guys. I’m trying to see the positive in something I otherwise despise. 

Anyway I thought Jared was fucking superb in that scene and pretty much the whole episode and want to give him a round of applause because it is rare that he truly gets to shine on his own without Jensen by his side.

Now all we need is for Sam to get some sleep. How he is still functioning by the episodes end I will never understand.

Castiel Everything Winchester

(x)

Look at him. So defiant and done. You can almost imagine that fire behind him burning in his eyes as well. He’s such a dom.

Several things about Cas in 14x01:

1. He is 100% done with every demon on the planet and doesn’t give a fuck. Honestly though. The way he says “Oh God” when Kip walks in. The way he rolls his eyes. I wonder if he had Dean’s voice in his head saying “You know who wears sunglasses indoors Cas? Douchebags.” 

2. He is making desperate choices in order to save Dean, which is certainly typical for him. The fact that he spends the entire episode stuck in a chair is a fantastic metaphor for his whole feelings on the situation, a metaphor then reinforced through a mirror at the end when he speaks with Jack (we never get anything explicit with Cas do we?). The fact that Cas can’t save Dean right now is weighing on him, but he is determined to do whatever it takes. The conversation he has with Sam at the end is a brilliantly short but important moment:

“I should never have gone to those demons”

“Cas no I don’t blame you. honestly I wish I had thought of it first. If it meant finding Dean I’d work with.. I’d do anything.”

The takeaway here is that actions speak louder than words. Sam HAS been distracted being leader of the hunters and having to face his own nightmares thanks to Nick, but Cas has literally been doing anything he can with a soul focus on saving Dean. 

It's an intimate moment between them. In a bunker now bustling with life and movement this is the only time in the episode that it really seems still. The library has always been Sam's private space, where he feels most at home - like the kitchen is for Dean. But here he and Cas sit as equals together weighed down by their shared grief. It's the soft moments like this that I love the most about this show. They are both willing to do anything they can, but the difference is that whilst Sam is being pulled in lots of different directions, Cas’s sole focus is Dean. Note that heaven wasn’t mentioned once. It hasn’t even crossed his mind.

3. Everyone Knows, but Cas doesn’t give a shit. 

“How is it you lost Dean, I thought you guys were joined at the... well you know, everything.”

It is an extremely explicit nod to Destiel. It is also the first time a line like this has made it into an episode since season 7 I think. The difference now being that we’ve had years of steady subtext and narrative building on the love story, hence the line has a different weight to those previously. It was very carefully written, careful not to imply that Cas was joined to BOTH Winchesters as the line was specifically about Dean. It was written by the showrunner, who would have known the significance of such a line, it encourages the view that all of heaven and hell have made their own assumptions about Dean and Cas’s relationship, and in case anyone wants to argue that the missing word was “hip” like the saying goes, the gesture and nod by Kip goes to prove otherwise. In other words, there is no platonic interpretation. Which is delightful.

Cas’s completely stoic silence is even more delightful. God I love him.

4. He can’t see demons true faces anymore. Like everyone else, Cas not realising those people were demons really threw me for a moment. Tink and I both agreed that the scene should have had Kip snap his fingers and have the demons smoke in and possess all those people instead - still catching Cas off guard but not making it seem like he is just super unobservant. I personally feel like this was just an error Dabb made. I have no desire to try to meta explain that one and I accept it as the error it is. I do like that it took an entire room of demons and 4 sets of enochian hand cuffs to overpower him though...The fact that he had to sit there and watch his family be beaten and almost killed around him whilst he was helpless again, is an excellent parallel to Dean’s current situation and what he will most likely have to face in the coming episodes, and also a reflection of Cas’s mental state (as mentioned above), Coming out of this episode it seems like this will be another season where Cas and Dean mirror each other and walk similar paths in terms of growth and development - if only those paths would meet with a kiss!

5. He’s the bait. Tink found this line hilarious straight away, where as I had to blink and ask why because I obviously took offence. But once we started discussing it and realised the quadruple entendre it is I found myself applauding Dabb on his genius. Cas IS used as bait, by the SPN PR people. Because he’s Mister Popularity. He’s also the character who causes the most conflict in fandom, with those who love him so much they are bitter and mean and those who simply hate him often complaining about the exact same things but in different ways - leaving the regular fans stuck in the middle (Tink explained this to me with delight - how both anti’s and bitter!cas girls alike will latch onto that line for completely different reasons). He’s also potentially a queerbait depending on how you look at it. But anyway. Cas’s epic eye rolls in this episode were almost enough to rival Sam’s bitchfaces. I am impressed.

6. He takes no pleasure for himself. I am forever going to obsess over Cas’s relationship with human food and drink:

“Coffee has no effect on me.”

“Me either, not anymore. But its like with saltwater taffee or infants, you know I just like the taste”

Although we can argue his refusal is out of stubbornness to not give the demon the satisfaction, even when accepting drinks from the Winchesters he doesn’t usually bother, or will stick with water. Even if he is seen ordering coffee it is usually only to avoid looking suspicious in diners. We know Cas enjoys some food and drink, but Cas rarely allows himself the pleasure. Even in 13x14 when Dean offered him a beer, it remained unopened. A symbolic metaphor for Cas refraining from indulging in other pleasures? This is why I am so so desperate for Michael to ask Cas what it is HE wants. Lucifer stated that Cas was a “pleasureless dullard” and I want to see this theme continue. Cas uses his grace as an excuse not to indulge and I consider this linked to meta about the “sacred oath” of heaven and Cas being duty bound and numbed by his grace. But these are all elements for a bigger meta at another time and the moment in this episode is just another snippet of that.

7. He looks awesome framed in fire. I just really liked the set up of Motown Meats as the new hang out for hell, with its fire pit and orange glowy bar. There is a lot of general symbolism there but I enjoyed the flames framed behind Cas in every shot he was in. Because even though he was mostly stuck in this episode, that fire raging inside him didn’t burn out once. He WILL save Dean. Just as he promised to Jack at the end, even if he get’s battered, beaten and bruised, his determined stubborness to save his husband will win eventually. Cas is no longer the broken thing of seasons 11/12. He well and truly rose like a phoenix in season 13 and now it’s showing through, as it’s a mission fueled by his own passion and love.

Jack Winchester (AKA my nougat son)

Poor Jack, like his father he hasn't had it easy in 14x01. He is struggling with his humanity now, his usefulness, in such a clear mirror to Cas that it kinda hits you in the face. He is desperately seeking guidance from those around him. First in the form of AU Bobby who has clearly bonded with Jack following their experiences together in apocalypse world.

It is great to finally see the Bunker gym! A room we all have ingrained in our fandom hive mind thanks to a 100 destiel fanfics. We all know what's gone on in there. >.>

Throughout the episode, Jack seeks out guidance first with Bobby, which goes badly, then with Sam, which is interrupted, and finally with Cas, which is when he finally gets told what he needs to hear. I am really happy that whilst Jack has so many father figures now, it is Cas who truly holds that torch and is able at least somewhat give Jack what he needs near the episodes end. If only he had damn well given his son a hug!

I loved the conversation so much that I transcripted it here:

JACK: I’m fine.

CAS: You did well

JACK: All I did was get punched. In the face

CAS: To be fair we all got punched in the face

JACK: That’s not - Before when I had my powers I could have done something

CAS: Jack you don’t have your powers, and your grace should regenerate in time, but until then..

JACK: I’m useless. I cant kill demons I cant find Dean and Michael is in our world and I cant stop him.

I can’t do anything. I don’t have anything.

CAS: Oh Jack. That’s just not true. You’ve got me. You have all of us. You have your family.

And we are going to find dean and we are going to beat Michael and we are going to do it together. Because that’s what we do.

This whole conversation was PERFECT. Every line chosen so specifically and weighted with meaning. Urgh Dabb I fucking love you for this.

Jack starts with “I’m fine” which Cas knows by now means you are not fine but he has also learned to recognise that sometimes it doesn’t mean “leave me alone” as Jack was crying out for guidance and support here. 

The mirrored “got punched in the face” calls to attention the fact that Jack is a reflection of Cas himself here and everything he has felt both now and in the past.

Jack’s complaint about being useless without his powers is a fear Cas has carried with him since his fall in season 9. It’s something that still weighs on him and whilst Cas now knows his place by the Winchester’s side, knows that they are a family and that he is not just a hammer, I think that fear of losing his power and being cast out is still well and truly weighing him down. It will be cathartic for Cas to see the family accept Jack as one of their own even if he is “useless” and human. 

Cas’s “That’s just not true” when Jack says he is useless - his voice breaks and you KNOW Cas has had those exact same thoughts.

“you’ve got me, you’ve got all of us. You have your family” compared to You’re my family, I love you, I love all of you” compared to “We're family. We need you. I need you.” The difference is there is no ambiguity in the word ME. Dabb turned it around, but had Cas clear it up. It’s the same line every time. The only difference is the placement of each individual statement. If this isn’t yet another clear example that the “I love you” was specifically directed at Dean I don’t know what is. THIS IS A CONTINUING PATTERN PEOPLE.

The determined promise to save Dean at the end, right after he specifies the singular and plural because obviously Dean was on Cas’s mind at that point - Mister I Don’t Get Words Wrong over here knows exactly what he means.

I love this whole conversation, but as I said above, it drums home the fact that whilst the Winchesters and others may be sources of guidance and support for Jack, he only has one true father, and I think Dabb wanted to make that clear in this episode. Remember:

Fingers crossed for more father/son bonding between these two in future episodes.

Mary and Bobby

(x)

Baring in mind I was expecting 1 small Destiel moment in the episode in the form of a line from a demon. You have NO IDEA how happy this moment between Mary and Bobby made me. If anyone saw that inktober pic I drew for premier day of me and Tink gasping in shock at the screen, it was for THIS moment. My face lit up in delight.

I said at the start of this long review that Dabb picked his moments well. With every second counting from a meta perspective. This was one of those.

Tell me, anyone, when watching that moment, would you deny that there was something between Bobby and Mary? As homework I'd like you all to play this scene to your heteronormative friends and family, or even be brave and ask a bibro. Would ANYONE deny that it was intended to be romantic?! I highly doubt it.

And yet there was nothing textually explicitly romantic about it. There was NOTHING in this scene that hasn’t been filmed a thousand times between Dean and Cas. The fact that Dabb chose to write this extremely small seemingly unimportant moment, in the kitchen, and for Bobby to use THOSE EXACT WORDS. As I have mentioned several times already, Dabb doesn’t fuck around when using well known moments from past canon in order to reinforce the importance of a thing. Dabb LOVES parallels. He wrote Bloodlines after all. He also knows the fandom hive mind and the things we pick up on and latch on to. This was a very smart calculated decision to include this in the episode and I am LIVING that he did it. GIVE ME ALL THE BOBBY x MARY/ DESTIEL PARALLELS. 

...

I actually really liked Mary in this episode. There is so much discourse in fandom about her and whilst I find Sam Smith pretty cold and wooden, I have never understood the utter hatred of Mary as a character. Hence why I praise Dabb’s genius at this moment:

(x)

Because this line literally sums up her entire arc since her return. Tink and I paused the episode and basically flailed at each other because this is EXACTLY what Mary has been trying to do. She was in HEAVEN, with her BABIES and suddenly she is back on earth with two grown men who are strangers to her, telling her they are hunters and have suffered a life of HORRORS without her. So she ran. Hell, I would have ran too. She shoved herself into hunting because all she could think about was trying to make things GOOD for her boys. Trying to FIX her mistakes the only way she knew how: by HUNTING. She was drowning in the bad. So she found focus in trying to make things good. Like in this episode, she reassures Sam so much that he snaps at her. He doesn’t want to be reassured, and that’s fine. But my god this felt like the first time Mary has truly had a voice. I really weren’t kidding when I said that Dabb made sure every word counted.

OTHER THINGS

I am unsure how I feel about the title card:

Tink called it. I think it looks a bit odd, a bit too clean. I like the title cards to be grim and dark. Black angel wings though! And hey, at least the fiery halos in the title cards are perfectly spherical... so we know they CAN do it right...

*side eyes SFX team*

Kip as a wannabe Crowley was kinda fun for a one off episode but I am glad that they are stressing now that wannabe Crowley’s get killed. The last one we had was Bart in 13x08 who was very much the same flirtatious queer coded demon. I’m fed up with the villainous queer coding by now. It’s been done too often. Give me another Demon like Alastair or Ramiel or none at all.

“Asmodeus Kentucky Fried” DID ANYONE LIKE ASMODEUS OTHER THAN BUCKLEMMING? This made me LOL.

The fight scene at the end was really weird and overly long. I dunno why they decided on so many random slow mo and wooosh shots. the whole Mary slow mo throwing the blade at Sam was cringy. I wish they’d stop being experimental and stick with what they know! You think they’d learn after 13x23!

Maggie was a bit annoying. Why bring her along if she can’t fight? Also the random cuts to her reaction after Jack was angsty had me reeling. simply because in het couples that’s a brewing romance and that is a massive NOPE from me. I like her as an individual character, I DO NOT like her as a love interest to a 1 year old, and I certainly wouldn’t like some pining story for her where she falls for an unavailable guy. It’s not fair on her character. The one thing I did like was the “pointy end” comment. It reminded me of Charlie for some reason.

The throw away line about Ketch being in London looking for the golden egg Lucifer/president extractor. Nice closing of a plot hole there Dabb.

I liked the Jesus weapon expert hunter dude. He seemed quirky. Dead man’s blood bullets are an excellent idea. 

DETROIT. Why does everything always happen in Detroit? I swear one day they are gonna reveal that Detroit is like a central universal power hub where the walls between the dimensions are thinnest or something. I could go on about this but I am sure a better meta writer elsewhere already has and this is waaay too long so I’m leaving this here.

If you got this far. Kudos and thank you for sticking around to read my thoughts. Feel free to ask me anything about any of the above. If I could hand out cookies through the internet I totally would right now.

Basically I enjoyed the episode. I have since re-watched it a dozen times and it is really the meta of it all that makes me love it. The story IS weak, and there ARE moments that are a bit odd, or infuriating depending on the way you look at it, but the heart of the episode was classic Dabb. All character driven and full of meaning. I am extremely well fed after this meta feast, perhaps even enough to get me through the horror show that will be Bucklemming’s 14x02. 

So long as Cas continues to look like a sexy beast I’m sure I’ll get through it.

I’ll just leave this here:

God he’s such a dom. :P

#supernatural #spn meta #castiel #destiel #michael!dean #sam winchester #dean winchester #mary winchester #jack the nephilim #nougat winchester #episode review #14x01 #spn spoilers #season 14 #stranger in a strange land #andrew dabb #god bless andrew dabb #my review #my meta #my thoughts #mirrors and parallels #destiel dreaming #season themes #season what do we want 14

[the-desolated-quill]

Knock Knock - Doctor Who blog

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. If you haven’t seen this episode yet, you may want to before reading this review)

Holy moly, do I love this episode! XD

Now yes, Knock Knock isn’t perfect and I will be talking about some of the flaws, but it honestly doesn’t matter to me one jot! I LOVE this episode! Wholeheartedly and unashamedly!

I must confess I was a bit worried when it started. You’ve got Bill moving in with quite possibly the world’s thickest bunch of housemates, renting a creepy old house from a mysterious old guy they’ve only just met and know next to nothing about. Talk about gullible. And the housemates themselves are a bit of an obnoxious bunch. I think the only significant thing we ever learn about them is that some of them like Little Mix and the rest don’t. But once night falls and the shit hits the fan, I was completely hooked.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been properly frightened of Doctor Who, so kudos to writer Mike Bartlett for being able to scare the living bejesus out of me. It’s the traditional haunted house setup with creaking floorboards and everything, but it’s the execution that really sells it. The use of sound in particular really helps ratchet up the tension dramatically and I love how minimalist everything is during the first half. Admittedly the horror is weakened slightly by the fact that I don’t give a shit about any of the victims, but from a purely conceptual standpoint, it’s extremely solid. Wooden doors and shutters that seal themselves, David Suchet’s creepy landlord character, that grinning wooden woman and OMG, there are alien cockroaches coming out of the walls! This is really macabre stuff. By the time we got to the bit where the cockroaches started swarming over people and devouring them, I was cowering behind a cushion.

What I especially love about it is how intimate and small scale it is. Recently I’ve grown accustomed to these big, bombastic threats and one dimensionally evil characters from Moffat era stories nowadays, so to have a very human villain with a very human motivation at the centre of it all really elevates the material. David Suchet is a truly phenomenal actor and gives a very strong performance here. He’s immensely creepy as the Landlord, but it’s not too in your face or pantomime-esque. This is a very nuanced character with relatable motivations and goals. He’s feeding people to the alien cockroaches so that they can keep his ‘daughter’ alive. You can tell that he takes no pleasure from the deaths and after 70 years he seems to have started trying to find ways of justifying what he’s doing to make it rest easier on his conscience. All this talk of how his victims have become immortalised and preserved has the clear whiff of bullshit about it, but it comes from a place of real guilt. That instantly makes him much more complex and interesting than the generic evil capitalist from Thin Ice or the Emojibots from Smile.

Equally as good is Mariah Gale as Eliza. The creepy wooden woman/daughter and later revealed to be the Landlord’s mother. The scene where both she and the Landlord confront each other over the terrible things he’s done to keep her alive has got to be one of the most heartbreaking and moving moments I think I’ve ever seen in Doctor Who. It’s dark and twisted, but also tragic and strangely touching. Suchet runs the full gambit of emotions from threatening to vulnerable, and Gale is able to match him equally with her breathtaking performance, portraying her character’s innocence and confusion before transitioning to strength and resolve when she realises what she must do. It’s a captivating and powerful scene that moved me near to tears. Despite everything that’s happened and all the horrible things he’s done, you do actually feel genuinely sorry for the Landlord, and I found myself caring for both him and Eliza much more than I ever did for any other character in the Moffat era.

This scene also contains something that has been largely absent from New Who. Subtlety! I’ve already spoken about the performances of Suchet and Gale, but there’s also the way in which this whole story connects to Bill. At one point the Landlord asks if the Doctor and Bill would go as far as he did to save someone they loved. Obviously one of the big details we know about Bill is that her mum is dead, and if this were a Moffat penned script, we’d most probably have gotten flashbacks of Bill staring lovingly at her mother’s photo while an oh so poetic tear trickles down her face just to ram the point home. Instead the camera just lingers on Bill for a moment after he asks the question. Pearl Mackie’s understated facial expressions said more than a flashback or 10 page monologue ever could. I’d almost forgotten that there was a time when Doctor Who actually respected the intelligence of its audience and didn’t feel the need to spell everything out in 50 foot high neon lettering.

I have to say Bill is really starting to grow on me. Now that the obnoxious oohing and aahing has been toned down, Bill is starting to feel like a fully realised person, and Knock Knock gives us a chance to explore other aspects of her character. She’s excited about travelling with the Doctor, but she seems reluctant to have her student life and TARDIS life mix. She wants to make a good impression for her gormless housemates, and someone as eccentric as the Doctor could jeopardise that. What I especially like about this is that she doesn’t have that same smug, bossy attitude that Clara had. She’s not the typical Moffat dominatrix who expects the Doctor’s life to revolve entirely around her. She’s simply a normal person trying to compartmentalise her life and priorities as best she can. Same goes for the bit where she works out how to find the secret entrance to the tower room or when she deduces that the Landlord can’t be Eliza’s father because of the age factor. If it were Clara, there would have been a lot of insufferable showing off. With Bill, it’s just presented matter of factly. We can revel in the fact that Bill is clever without the show trying to rub our noses in it.

Peter Capaldi is also impressive as the Doctor. In fact I feel this is the kind of story where this Doctor works best in. In large scale stories like Death In Heaven and Hell Bent, Twelve is required to act in a much more bombastic manner and ends up falling flat on his face because, as I’ve said loads of times now, that simply doesn’t work for this kind of Doctor. But with stories like Knock Knock, Into The Dalek and Mummy On The Orient Express, where the stories are much smaller and more self contained, Capaldi seems to be very much in his element. This kind of story just suits Twelve much more than the grand sweeping epics Moffat often tries (and fails) to write.

Now as I said, Knock Knock isn’t perfect, and there are some teeny tiny plot holes here and there. If the cockroaches feed on people every 20 years, why are they attacking people now? Why were they keeping Eliza alive? Why not just eat her? Why was that guy stuck in the wall when the record player was playing? How come Bill and co haven’t heard of this creepy old house where people keeping disappearing from? This has been occurring for 70 years. Surely it must have built up a reputation. If the cockroaches ate all the housemates, how did they bring them back to life at the end? Why didn’t they bring all the other victims back to life? Why did the house collapse at the end? But honestly, these are just minor nitpicks. They certainly didn’t affect my enjoyment of the episode whatsoever.

For me, Knock Knock is a special little gem of an episode. Is it flawless? No. Will it go down as a classic? Probably not. But to me, it serves as a stark reminder of what I feel has been missing from Doctor Who ever since Moffat took over back in 2010. In my less than humble opinion, the show could do with a lot more episodes like this going forward.

#knock knock #mike bartlett #doctor who #twelfth doctor #peter capaldi #bill potts #pearl mackie #nardole #matt lucas #steven moffat #bbc #review #spoilers

[drchristineputnam]

M/M romance recs

Here’s a list of my favourites! Organised by genre, with very broad summaries. All of them have HEA, all the m/m romances are the central ones. 

Names in bold have POC protagonists, names in cursive have disabled protagonists (be it physical disability, mental illness or chronic illness). In series with multiple couples, it’s usually one or more.

Feel free to ask me about triggers for any of them!

Historical:

Soldier’s Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian

Disabled regency war vet aristocrat decides to hang around a self-proclaimed ex-criminal helping those who need help. Said ex-criminal tries not to be charmed, ends up catching feelings instead

The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian

Confidence artist grows a conscience and angers dangerous people, so he needs to pose as a secretary to a scientifically minded, but eccentric Lord. Really beautiful portrayal of people on autistic spectrum and anxiety.

The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian

Posh and straight-laced gentleman has to help a famous scoundrel aristocrat to restore his image after a raunchy novel supposedly based on his exploits gets published. Contains ridiculous amounts of adorable kittens, tasty pastries and also wonderful portrayal of chronic illnesses

Sins of the Cities by KJ Charles

Trilogy set in victorian London, during the horrible London Fog of 1873. Three wonderful and diverse couples (one is half-indian with dyspraxia, one is non-binary, one was born with partial arm, one is near-sighted), murder mystery, fake mediums, lost earls, intrigue! It’s so good 

Wanted, a Gentleman by KJ Charles

A delightful and frankly hilarious regency romp through British countryside. An unlikely couple of men need to travel to Gretna Green to save a young girl from potentially dangerous marriage. One of the protagonists is a black ex-slave merchant and the book touches upon his experiences (very respectfully!)

Society of Gentlemen by KJ Charles

A Society of gentlemen who like other gentlemen, centered around Lord Richard Vane and his friends and acquitances. Set during the radical uprising during the Regency, it has everything- friendships and families, sedition, intrigue, bookstores and good wine, valets being the mightiest strategists and amazing lovable radicals. This trilogy is honestly my favourite thing EVER.

Think of England by KJ Charles

Wounded during the Boer war, seemingly because of treason and betrayal, Archie Curtis sets off to a countryside mansion to get to the bottom of the matter. Completely unprepared for the task, he teams up with Daniel da Silva, the elegant jewish poet, who is much more capable than he seems. Absolutely delightful <333

HISTORICAL PARANORMAL

Whyborne and Griffin series by Jordan L. Hawk

The adventures of a shy sorcerer linguistic nerd, his detective husband, the most badass lady archeologist (the actual love of my life) and more, as they save the world from otherworldly beings bent on destroying it. Will make you cry about found families, strong and wonderful friendships and broken people finding strength in each other. Has magic, archeology, monsters, reluctant travels, lesbian warrior fishes and the best ginger cat in the world.

Hexworld series by Jordan L. Hawk

Turn of the century New York witch detectives and their familiars must fight to uncover a conspiracy plan to change the world. Really amazing worldbuilding, the magic system is very cool and it will make you furious about the treatment of familiars. The familiars are, generally speaking, fucking hilarious.

A Charm of Magpies by KJ Charles

Filthy-mouthed dominant earl falls in love with a stubborn and heroic wizard, together they create magic. A lot of people want that magic though, and it gets ugly. First KJ book I’ve ever read and I fell in love instantly. Has two more books set in the same universe with different protagonists and those are also amazing. (Rag and Bone is the one with black protagonist)

A Death by Silver by Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold

University-era friends need to figure out their confused emotions, while investigating a murder that brings out bad memories. Very good and soft, with even a better sequel

Downtime by Tamara Allen

When in London for a case, FBI agent gets sent back in time to Victorian London. While there, he finds out magic is real. Decides that since he’s there anyway, might as well investigate who Jack the Ripper was. Very sweet and soft

Restless Spirits by Jordan L. Hawk

A medium and a scientist bent on proving said medium to be a fraud get chosen to be in a contest to prove which side is better. They end up having to team up to save lives of people around.

The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles

Journalist and writer Robert Caldwell has been a close friend and lover of ghost hunter Simon Feximal for years and has been chronicling their adventures. Now, he finally writes the true story of their life together. Warning: this book will absolutely ruin you for years to come. You will be a mess whenever you think of the book and you will enjoy every second of it.

Green Men by KJ Charles

Set in the world of The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal. Only few years after WW1, Britain is still recovering from the war. Having lost an entire generation of youth and most of the sorcerers the country had, those left are completely unprepared for what’s to come. Wonderful characters, the softest romance I’ve read possibly ever and beautifully melancholic. Best KJ book, in my opinion.

CONTEMPORARY

Shadow of the Templar by M. Chandler

FBI agent and his team are tasked with catching a famous international art thief, they end up kinda sorta accidentally adopting him instead. One of the funniest series I’ve ever read, honestly.

Cut&Run by Abigail Roux and Madeleine Urban

The incredible adventures on an unlikely pair of FBI agents go from enemies to lovers. Includes serial killers, undercover luxury yacht trips, tiger trafficking, drugs, marine buddies and one of the genuinely best character developments I’ve read. Warning, the first book is a bit shit. The rest is absolutely incredible though.

The General and the Horse-lord by Sarah Black

Retired ex-military lovers need to figure out what to do with their relationship, now that they’re civillians. A soft look at older gay people still figuring out their sexuality.

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic

Neil Josten is on the run from his mafia murderous father and gets signed up for a professional college sports team, while people are still after him. It’s a really powerful emotional journey, but contains a large amount of a very triggering content, so be safe please.

 CONTEMPORARY PARANORMAL

THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet

FBI like team consisting of shifters and their partners must investigate conspiracy and threats against the new shifter population. Ridiculously hilarious at times, absolutely heartbreaking at other.

Deep Magic by Gillian St. Kevern

A story steeped in welsh folklore, with beautiful mermaid princes and knights who will save them. Shows the power stories have to change our lives. Plus it’s free so what are you waiting for?

Psycop series by Jordan Castillo Price

A medium detective and his partner investigate a series of supernatural crimes. People are horrible, corporations are horrible, ghosts are horrible and lbr, everything is kinda horrible, but it gets better.

Wriggle and Sparkle by Megan Derr

The adventures of Lynn the Kraken shifter and Anderson the unicorn shifters, their detective careers, and their life together. Honestly adorable. And when I say adorable, I mean sparkles-on-rainbow-filled-cupcake kind of adorable. Also, Lynn’s gender-presentation is fluid and it’s absolutely wonderful.

FANTASY

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Prince gets betrayed and sent as a slave to his sworn enemy, they end up working together to save their countries and fall in love. The best enemies to lovers example. Has amazing and complex politics, unreliable narrator and great worldbuilding. You’ve probably already heard of this book, but if you’re worried about triggers, please ask someone who actually read it, because there’s a lot of misinformation flying around.

Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling

The fantasy series of your dreams. There is ancient evil being revived, war is coming, everyone is bisexual and the kingdom is ruled by an ancient line of warrior queens. Everyone is wonderful and charming, characters are complex and the story will make you laugh and cry.

The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek

Western-style world, where gods are reborn as humans, and one of them tried to control the whole world. It doesn’t go exactly as he planned.

Lord of the White Hell by Ginn Hale

Teenage genius inventor gets accepted to a prestigious boarding school in enemy territory. His room-mate might be demon-possesed and there’s some evil magic lurking around.

Champion of the Scarlet Wolf by Ginn Hale

Somewhat sequel to Lord of the White Hell. Disgraced noble travels to a faraway country, where he saves an injured dog. Turns out the dog isn’t just a dog, magic is everywhere around them and there’s a witch war coming.

Fairytales Slashed vol. 1 by Megan Derr

A collection of gay fairy tales. All kinds of stories with all kinds of characters (my favourite one is the one with the jester <333)

Dance with the Devil by Megan Derr

Adventures of half-ghost detective, his demon husband, imp partner, witch colleague and a vampire. Really cute and intriguing, with mysteries and conspiracies.

Dance in the Dark by Megan Derr

Set in the same universe as Dance with the Devil (there’s an entire series). Human son of a dracula becomes a detective, moves out to the city to help others, and gains a lover who only visits him in the dark.

The Rapier Brothers by Megan Derr

A collection of short stories centered around swordsmen. Three different couples, three really cute stories. Love it.

#romance novels #book recs #m/m romance #m/m fiction #mlm literature #long post #yall better share this bcs I fried my brain at it

[barbecuedphoenix]

Writing Original Characters: A Test for Quality

“Did you deliberately base your character’s looks on your own?”

“Is your character described, illustrated, and/or depicted as looking especially beautiful, handsome, or cute with little to no effort?” 

“Does your character share your favorite types of movies, music, clothes, hobbies, etc?”

“Does your character express unusually free, enlightened, or “liberated” views on topics such as sex and equality for XX time and place? And does no one frown upon your character’s behaviors or views?”

“Does your character habitually share profound wisdom or knowledge?” 

“Is your character liked by nearly everyone they meet?”  

“If your character has a short temper, sharp wit, snarky attitude, or is otherwise prone to verbal assaults, are the tongue-lashings and/or snarkings they give other characters always deserved and/or justified?” 

“Do authority figures punish your character more harshly than they would have punished XX peers under the same circumstances?” 

“Are THE RULES OF THE UNIVERSE bent or broken for your character? (Like joining a group despite being too old or too young?)” 

“Is your character some kind of genius or prodigy, and/or is unusually accomplished for their age, time period, place, occupation and/or social status? Is your character unusually accomplished or gifted in more than one area?”  

“Does your character pick up new skills and/or gain ranks unusually fast during the course of the story? To the point where they learn skills that usually take years to master in a matter of months, or less?” 

“Does/is your character clumsy, yet holds a job where coordination would be important? ...Have no ‘brain-to-mouth filter’, yet holds a job where keeping secrets and/or emotions under wraps would be important? Have consistently horrible people skills, yet holds a job that requires interaction with people? And does your character’s flaws never actually cause any problems?” 

“Do the first plans, strategies, ideas, etc. your character comes up with always (or nearly always) work?” 

“Does your character have any sort of power or ability that is unprecedented or unheard of among the people your character usually associates with?“

“If people don’t like your character, do you believe it’s just because they don’t “get” them, or that they’re just jealous of your character?”  

“Have you ever wished you could date/marry/adopt or even be your character?”  

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions, then your original character is likely what fellow-writers call a ‘Mary Sue’ (or ‘Gary Stu’ if male). 

What is a Mary Sue/Gary Stu?

According to this handy site for roleplayers and fan-fiction writers, a Mary Sue/Gary Stu is a character who has been given heavy preferential treatment and automatic respect by other characters in the story, to the point that they outright bend the rules of logic (along with the general laws of the universe they’re occupying), and compromise the believability of the overall story. 

Typically, they possess abilities and/or achievements that came by quickly and with no real challenge, and breeze through obstacles that would stump most other characters in the story. They’re born with a destiny; they’re ‘different’ from the moment they emerge into the world. They’re leagues prettier, more intelligent, and more cultured than average, and everyone around them can’t help but notice. They tend to sail through their saga(s) while facing down fire-breathing authority figures, unreasonable rivals, hopelessly-devoted lovers, congenitally-inferior friends, suggestible bystanders, tragic personal flashbacks, and villains who can never seem to aim at them properly.  

Often-- though not always-- they’re larger-than-life self-inserts by the authors. 

Why am I bringing this up? 

As an amateur writer who spends way too much time on fan-fiction, I spent my first years in this very same trap: writing about a character who was a skinnier, snarkier, more tragic, more beloved, and more rampantly-successful version of myself. Complete with inexplicable powers of problem-solving and cosmic pyrotechnics. All acquired, of course, before the ripe age of 18.  

It was easy to grow invested in the making of Cosmic-Heroine-Me. Naturally. 

It was much less easy to write an effective story that starred her. Just as naturally. 

Because as exciting as it was to write about the death-defying escapes, torrid romances, gut-wrenching betrayals, and sizzling battles of wits that Not-Me frequently found herself in, there came a point-- usually one or two months into a saga *not* based off a game series I loved-- when the critic in the back of my head gave a polite cough and raised this question: 

Are you having fun writing a story that is always going her way? Or are you having fun writing a story? Because if it’s the first case, that might explain why your leading man is wearing thirty different personalities, and your plot keeps corkscrewing like a rattlesnake with indigestion: you don’t want to let your leading lady suffer. And if it’s the second case... didn’t you pick up anything from all those books you’ve read? 

To silence that recurring internal critic-- and prove that I can have fun writing a story both ways--, I finally set up an experiment for a Folklore fanfiction I was writing a few years back: swapping out my beloved Not-Me and replacing her with a canon villain whom I despised in the game (but was within the right age range). Granting her the exact same powers, pitting her through the exact same battles, falling in love with the exact same leading man, and discovering the exact same happy ending, after flipping the climactic middle finger at the exact same Universe bent on destroying her. 

My initial reaction: My god. Now I hated the story I spent over a month slaving over. It’s completely ridiculous. 

My reaction after a day of re-reading: Correction-- it’s not the story that’s ridiculous. But the new leading lady. 

My reaction after 2 days: There are so many points in the story when she should have been cut up, slammed by the villagers, doubted and then dumped by the leading man, manipulated by her inhuman sidekick who gave her those unnatural powers, and made to crawl through hell before... maybe flipping the middle finger at the Universe. After which she ought to be arrested for all the criminal acts she performed through story at her sidekick’s bidding and her own sociopathy, then failed to adequately cover up. Because though intelligent, she’s an unpleasant girl to the core with serious psychological issues. 

My reaction after 4 days: Let’s write that instead. 

I won’t go into the details of the second version of that Folklore fanfiction. But I will say three things: the outline is actually complete and sitting in my hard drive, Suzette (the villain) is still the protagonist from beginning to end, and I genuinely enjoy reading and refining the story.   

Working with a leading character who is thoroughly flawed and separate from you frees your imagination on multiple levels. You’re no longer protective of them. You’re don’t care to polish their every action and quip to make them sound ‘perfect’; instead, you’re happy to let them stumble at their own discretion. You’re curious about researching new lifestyles and cultures beyond the one your protagonist belongs to, and on testing even unjust endings. You’re compelled to let supporting characters behave as they are, pursue goals of their own, triumph over your hero, and react in even painful ways to their actions. You genuinely want to let universal karma bite at your hero until they grow into a different person. You receive the opportunity to watch your story write itself-- pulled along by the machinations of multiple characters working in concert--, and unfold in a sequence that makes perfect sense. Until it even starts to reflect (not correct!) broader issues in the real world that you hold important. (Rather than to let Not-You and your internal frustrations steer the story into a fantasy that a Future You-- one month or one year from now-- would cringe at. And stash at the bottom of your hard-drive as ‘Junk from 20--’.)   

Better still, you would no longer be terrified to share your work with the people who know you best, and whose opinions matter most in your life. In fact, you’ll be inclined take their critiques as something other than personal attacks. Imagine that. (Example: ‘Yes, my leading lady is a terror and my story the spawn of nightmares; I’m glad you think so.’)  

Best of all, you become a better writer. And a more curious person on the whole who can separate their ego from their work. And those are investments into your lifetime bank of merits that you’ll never regret. 

You’ll regret that much less, at least, than continuing to pamper yourself and infantilize your main character. Who certainly isn’t a prettier version of you. 

My challenge to you, dear reader, who has read this far? 

If you do have a darling original character standing front and center in your imagination, take this free test, which is the source of the questions that first drew your eyes at the start of the post. It’s a long questionnaire, true, but that makes it merciless in separating genuine ideas for a story from more self-indulgent character material (i.e. self-inserts).

Besides, you shouldn’t be a stranger to reading hundreds of words in one-sitting by this point. ;) 

Check your score. Are you satisfied with it? Do you think it’s unfair? 

If ‘no’ to the first and ‘yes’ to the second, return to the original story, fan-fiction or role-playing script that you’re working on... and swap out your beloved hero for someone that you genuinely don’t care for. It can be a fictional figure you despise, or the polar opposite of your protagonist; whoever you chose, make sure they have no ties whatsoever to your real life. The point of this experiment is to minimize personal attachment to your main character. For safety reasons, your experimental protagonist shouldn’t be You, because the heart of any story is a grueling place to be (just ask actors). And for quality purposes, they cannot be You; otherwise you’ll be inclined to protect your story from the nefarious force known as Common Sense. And Common Sense, unfortunately, is what convinces other readers and writing partners to digest your story; they aren’t you after all.   

Next, while keeping your experimental protagonist in position at the heart of your story, lean back in your chair and ask yourself: am I enjoying this story as a writer, and am I enjoying it as a reader? What can I change about the story to ensure it interests both parties, with this main character as they are? Because pleasing both yourself-- the writer-- and your readers is the Holy Grail of all writing endeavors. Then write down your new ideas. Edit ruthlessly; experiment ferociously; listen to your gut feelings on how this new hero will scramble through the scenario, and don’t feel guilty at pitying or not pitying them (or both). It’s a good story you’re seeking now, and you’re no longer protecting anyone. 

Afterwards, once you have at least the outline of a new story in place (if not more), retire your experimental protagonist, and rehire your old one with all their flash and glory. Set them in place at the heart of this refurbished tale. And re-read it again. 

Feel free to laugh, if you want. In fact, I highly-recommend it. No one should be above ridicule, least of all you or your old hero. 

Lastly, decide which protagonist you want to keep, and which story you want to continue working on. And then forgive yourself. 

Because no matter what your school/college/informal teacher may have told you, writing isn’t skill. It’s a practice. :)  

And perhaps unlike your OC (for the moment), no one ever gets it right in the first grand epic that flows off your pen. ;) Which is exactly why we strike out names, roll up our scrolls, and try again. 

#writing tips

[zeddfrost]

My thoughts on Emma’s....’return’ in X-Men Blue # 7

Well...I guess credit is where credit’s due.  At least she’s back in white and here’s hoping that that horrendous abomination of an outfit from IvX # 6 remains a nightmarish memory.  Though perhaps we should stop talking about the outfit...since me and many Emma fans worry that talking about it so many times may make it come back.  Like Voldemort.  But, as awesome as her new wardrobe is...it feels like so much pointless, un-substantive pandering.  Just a shiny veneer on an otherwise rotten house that is the X-Office’s seeming plan to torpedo Emma Frost as a viable character.

The earlier parts in New Tian were certainly interesting and compelling, particularly in how it reveals that she isn't really hidden as United would have us believe and how she seemingly is playing an important role in New Tian’s governance.  

The latter half of her appearance though still showcases that Marvel is pretty much committed on doubling down on the character assassination begun by Charles ‘I don’t know what love is’ Soule in IvX.  The far more interesting notion of Emma actually ruling a mutant nation and...you know having the fragment of that cosmic cube...is eschewed so that we can have a very creepy  Fatal Attraction-esque scene with Scott.  I thought Emma engaging in possible statutory rape was just a bad joke I shared on the Emma boards.  Apparently, hoo boy, am I going to be so tragically, horrifically wrong.  

This then is the problem with how Marvel is treating Emma as a character.  NO, it isn’t that we don’t want her as a villain (I DON’T, but that point’s negotiable).  The problem is she’s being written as a horrific mustache twirling caricature of herself.  The only carrot this editorial team is throwing us is that she will keep appearing. But if this is how she'll keep appearing, I'd rather they just put her to bed for the foreseeable future. Nothing has changed. The same character threads from IvX continues, albeit with the new shiny veneer of her being a high muckity-muck in New Tian. As always (and worryingly so), the same sexist bent of having everything she does all have to do with Scott continues and has become beyond irksome.  Her depiction will always be problematic and god awful unacceptable to me as long Marvel editorial keeps harping on this goddamned notion that a) all her actions are because of Scott, Scott, Scott and b) that somehow her choices and her heroism (which, let’s frakking be clear, takes up FAR MORE ROOM in her publication history than her being a villain) was again somehow contingent on Scott.  

I can think of so many ways to not have to do her this way, and I’m not even a professional writer or trying that hard.  Why not just have her be pissed at the X-Men’s endless thumb-twiddling at the face of terrigen-fueled extinction? That sure as hell would be far more compelling, interesting, and OH BY THE WAY, consistent with how her character has been depicted for decades. 

But no.  Because I guess the X-books are now being catered to horrible people who somehow think ‘nostalgia feels’ can and should take the place of good writing. 

#XMen #Emma Frost #ResurrXion #ResurrXion is crap #when will this stop #X-Men Blue review #Cullen Bunn #Corey Smith

[pengiesama]

A Reasonable Amount of Trouble (Fic, Sorey/Mikleo, Detective AU, Chapter 1/?)

Title: A Reasonable Amount of Trouble, Chapter 1/? Series: Tales of Zestiria Pairing: Sorey/Mikleo Summary: Sorey is an experienced member of the supernatural detective division, the Shepherds, but is a fresh face to the city squad when an unexpected transfer lands him in Lastonbell. Things tend to get complicated when you realize that hot hookup from the bar last night is now your new partner on the force. (Detective AU)

Link: AO3

This was a commission from @shamingcows, who requested fic from her fantastic Detective AU!

Check out my commission info here.

Read on Tumblr!

--

Lastonbell wasn’t a bad assignment.

A major metro center, it was a city known for the arts, theater, and music – and all the accompanying drama that came with it. A writer, wretched with rejection letters, going hellion in the streets; a seraph, strung out on the torrid emotions of starving artists, going missing and turning up a week later rampaging through the commercial district wearing scales. Organized crime rings, trafficking drugs and bodies both, occasionally facing off against each other in the streets.

Sure, it didn’t have the glitz and glamour of Pendrago. But Sorey had gotten too comfortable with the detective beat in Ladylake, and welcomed the change of scenery – but mostly he welcomed the change in local attractions and historical points of interest. When he wasn’t being wined and dined (more like boozed and burgered) by his local friends as part of his farewell festivities, he was scrolling through Lastonbell food and travel blogs and devouring every book about the city’s lengthy history he could get his hands on. These research efforts had a predictable effect on Sorey’s packing efforts, and on the eve of his big move, he had to sheepishly call in a favor to Rose to enlist her help in getting the remainder of his apartment into boxes.

(“I helped you and Alisha move into your place,” Sorey pointed out in response to Rose’s endless griping, over the sounds of packing tape and clattering plates.

“I bought you pizza and beer!” Rose countered. “That debt was paid in full! Man, how many books do you have!? You owe me a night bar-crawling in Lastonbell for this. While I wear a crown. And you’re carrying me on one of those fancy back carriage thingies.”

“Palanquin,” Sorey informed her.

“Gesundheit,” Rose blessed him.)

Now that he was in Lastonbell, there was the matter of getting his apartment out of the boxes. Sorey flopped down heavily on one of the few open spots on his couch, and brought out his phone. He’d had a long day, and maybe it was time for him to make use of his extensive city research to check out some of the local bars.

He scrolled through some of the blog posts he had bookmarked, and landed on a name – The Katz Pajamas. It looked way…louder than the bars he tended to frequent. And definitely had a certain vibe to it. A certain vibe that Sorey, stressed and lonely in this big new city, could maybe appreciate tonight.

 --

 Sorey didn’t usually go for casual encounters, much less one-night stands. Even if someone checked all his boxes for physical attraction, he just generally wasn’t interested in anonymous sex with someone he barely knew. There was also the matter of common ground – normal “pickup talk” conversation bored Sorey to tears, and he wasn’t naïve enough to think that most people (or even some people, or a few people) would be interested in what archaeology journals he was reading, or wanted to rant with him about that badly-researched documentary he caught on Netflix the night before.

But there was always an exception to be had, wasn’t there? Especially as a stranger in a strange land.

Which sums up how Sorey wound up with his cock buried hilt-deep inside a guy he picked up at the bar.

His name was Mikleo, and he was a regular at the club, had great taste in books, and was absolutely stunning. He was tall; almost a head taller than Sorey, who was no slouch himself. He had a slim build; light enough for Sorey to pick up and throw onto his bed with ease, with slender wrists just the right size for Sorey’s hands to wrap around. He had legs for days; they were previously showcased in a pair of tight jeans, and were currently wrapped around Sorey’s waist. His eyes were a deep and fascinating violet, his hair was long and wavy white, frosted with pale aquamarine streaks, and – Sorey noted, as he slid a hand through it, prompting Mikleo to damn near purr at the feeling – was just about the softest thing he’d ever felt. Sorey had never gotten with a seraph before, and with how this encounter was going, he wondered why the hell that was.

The second he stepped into the club and had his eyes adjust to the low light, he’d spotted Mikleo at the bar, chatting with the bartender like an old friend. Dumbstruck with how gorgeous he looked in the colored lights and running on fumes and exhausted idiot courage after his long day of moving, Sorey slid up to him in a neighboring seat, and struck up a conversation. About five minutes in, Mikleo was laughing at Sorey’s dumb pickup lines in Ancient Avarost and buying him a drink to welcome him to the city, and Sorey realized that this was the best decision he’d made all day. About ten minutes in, as they crowed together about shitty movie adaptations of the restoration period, Sorey realized this was the best decision he’d made all week. About an hour in, as they ground on each other in the back of a taxi making its way back to Sorey’s place, Sorey realized that he really should have tried harder to unpack, and was about to hook up with a beautiful stranger amidst a maze of cardboard boxes. For his part, Mikleo almost seemed charmed by it all – or at least was too polite to do more than laugh as Sorey scooped him up and carried him bravely through the debris and into his bedroom to ravish him.

Sorey hadn’t really gotten much action since his last relationship about six months back, but managed to last longer than he thought he would with such a mind-blowingly sexy partner. From the look on Mikleo’s face as Sorey carefully pulled out of him, he’d given Mikleo a great ride as well – which was good, as Sorey wanted to at least make Mikleo’s efforts in putting up with his cardboard kingdom worthwhile. Sorey removed his condom and wrapped it in a tissue, and leaned in to kiss Mikleo deeply before he got up to clean up in the bathroom. The smile Mikleo gave to him in return just about killed his desire to leave the bed. Sorey leaned back in for another kiss.

Then another.

Then another.

In the end, Sorey wound up climbing Mikleo like a tree one more time before they collapsed into unconsciousness. The next morning, he wished he had more to offer his houseguest hottie than coffee and a muffin from the chain across the street, but Mikleo took the gift with the same good grace that he put up with Sorey’s bad jokes last night. Sorey really, really wanted to ask him to hang around while he went off to check in at his new station, but couldn’t justify asking him to; not with his apartment…the way it was. Mikleo bid him good luck and farewell, sweeping that silky hair of his over one shoulder as he bent down for a last, long kiss. Belatedly, as he creaked his way out of the taxi and into the station, his whole body aching from moving strain and from screwing Mikleo like his life depended on it, he realized that he hadn’t asked for Mikleo’s number. Sorey’s heart twisted a bit with disappointment.

It was the appeal of one-night stands, he supposed. You meet a gorgeous, brilliant guy, hump his brains out, and then never see him again. No strings. No expectations. Nothing but fun, pleasure, and the lingering memory of Mikleo’s smile burning in his brain like embers.

Sorey hung around the station for a little while, getting his new hire paperwork and greetings out of the way – he had been hoping to meet his new partner, but had been told he was taking a long weekend and would probably be next in the coming week. Sorey supposed it was a blessing in disguise. He was still more than a little cranky from exhaustion, more than a little homesick for Ladylake, and more than a little hung up on a hookup that he had no right to be hung up on. He probably wasn’t in much of a state to be making good impressions on coworkers.

As he headed out for the day, his shoulder devil whispered to him to go back to The Katz Pajamas. Great plan, that – nurse drinks for a few hours, lurk like a creep, and skulk off into the night when Mikleo inevitably didn’t show. His shoulder angel told him to go to the grocery store, pick up some real food, and spend the night and the rest of the weekend unpacking. Sorey hung his head, listened to his shoulder angel’s admonitions, and went to pick up some kitchen supplies.

Well, the joke was on his shoulder angel, because he ran into Mikleo again at the store.

Sorey fell too hard, too fast in his relationships. Thus, he was so bad at one-night stands. So horribly bad. He saw this character flaw of his and tried to keep himself under control, but oh, his heart was singing as he saw Mikleo blinking at him across the freezer section. He looked just as beautiful under the florescent grocery store lights, dressed in a comfy oversized sweater over a button-up, as he did in the neon club dressed in skintight pants and a black choker.

What, exactly, was hookup etiquette in a situation such as this? Was it jogging over to where Mikleo was looking at ice cream bars, striking up a conversation with him, and after another half-hour of wonderful conversation, inviting him back to his cardboard kingdom? Was it popping a boner in the middle of the store like a teenager when Mikleo smirked at him and picked up a 24-pack of condoms from the shelf, and tossed it into his basket next to the ice cream?

This, in fact, was probably not hookup etiquette in any sense of the word. But it netted Sorey another night with Mikleo.

And then a whole day with him, lounging in bed, eating Mikleo’s ice cream bars as they watched documentaries together, idly discussing and debating, Sorey’s head in Mikleo’s lap, trying not to purr as Mikleo pet his hair.

They didn’t leave bed that whole weekend, and Sorey got zero unpacking done, and kind of felt like his dick was going to fall off from using it to nail Mikleo in every position he could. But by god, Sorey didn’t regret a single moment of any of it. As he and Mikleo finally said their farewells to each other early Monday morning, Sorey felt like he was walking on air. Mikleo still had to get back to his place, change, and head off to work, all with Sorey’s hickies marking up his neck, but Sorey now had his number tucked safely into his phone, and a sly little suggestion from Mikleo that they could meet up again sometime if Sorey ever got bored. Sorey dreamily stared at his contact in his phone as the subway rumbled toward the station, his thoughts full of the books he wanted to loan to him, the museums he wanted to visit with him, the things he wanted to keep doing to that firm, tight little ass of his.

The whole weekend combined made it really awkward when the station chief introduced Sorey to his partner on the Shepherd detective force, the seraph specialist Mikleo.

 --

 So, he had had a one-night stand, or rather a one-weekend ice cream-and-debauchery fest, with his now-coworker. Sorey knew that dating at work was bad news, and constantly had to overhear gossip on the latest drama about office hookups in the break room at his old station in Ladylake. He’d thought he was above it all, but alas – karma was a bitch, and it was paying him back by banishing him to the realm of sexual limbo. What had seemed like a sure thing, a great way to start off his life in a new city, now seemed too awkward to even consider as they rolled out in a squad car to investigate their first case.

Sorey couldn’t bear the silence any longer.

“Listen. I am so sorry I didn’t mention where I was going to be working, it’s just, some people get on edge when I say I’m on the force, so I didn’t really want to--”

“It’s fine,” Mikleo said, shortly. “Just – don’t worry about it.”

Sorey managed to stay silent for a few minutes. He did not manage to not worry about it.

“It’s just, we’re going to be working together now, and I had such a great time, I really did, and I don’t want to make things awkward between us--”

“We’re here,” Mikleo informed him. He threw the car into park and unbuckled himself, trying and failing not to look at the wretched look on Sorey’s face. “…listen. I had a great time too, and I don’t blame you for anything. But let’s just focus on the case for now, okay?”

“Yeah…yeah,” Sorey agreed.

The case itself was a pretty standard one. There had been a rash of hellionizations in the area, all producing a certain kind of hellion – goblins, who had an appetite for theft and property vandalism, and also illegal street racing. As was covered in basic Shepherd training, certain types of malevolence tended to create specific breeds of hellion. Goblin hellions grew from turbulent greed and raw gluttony, and the number of cases plus the profile of the area the cases were centered in pointed toward drug-related activity. Lastonbell was a big city, and big cities had drug trafficking problems. And drug trafficking problems led to goblin street races.

“We’ve been making some arrests in the area recently,” Mikleo explained. “All straightforward purify-and-process. Some have had intel on mob activity in the area, but nothing our undercover informants haven’t already gotten us. We’re closing in on the distributors who are likely operating in the area, but we’ll have to monitor to make sure more don’t move in when we take down the current big dogs.”

Nothing Sorey hadn’t already seen in Ladylake. He knew the ins and outs of Ladylake’s streets and back alleys better though, and that made it way easier to break up these goblin races when they went down. He also hadn’t fucked his investigative partner in Ladylake. Lots of new things to consider in his new home.

A commotion interrupted that line of thought – the telltale hooting, hollering, clattering wheels, and cannonball fire of a goblin street race. At the sight of the squad car, they abruptly changed routes down an alleyway. Mikleo smirked and jumped out of the car.

“Right on time,” he said. “Hope you’re up for a chase.”

“You’re on,” Sorey replied, giving him a cheeky little grin.

Mikleo took off like a shot, his long legs and knowledge of the area giving him a solid lead on Sorey. Sorey felt his heart flutter, and not just because of the thrill of the chase. He was so, so bad at hookups.

 --

 Well, the good news was that they caught the speed demons, and the purification process went smoothly. No surprises there – a bunch of petty street punks were no match for Sorey’s knack for purification; the silver flames leaping from his blade and streaking across the ground to burn the taint from their flesh, mind, and souls. He’d been informed his partner was the sharpest shot in the precinct, and he’d lived up to the reputation already; shooting out a wheel axel from one racer, sending him careening into another, setting off a panic among the riders that allowed Sorey to commandeer one of the perps’ carts and ride it, flaming sword held high, rattling and clattering through the streets, his own mighty chariot of justice.

It got results. A crew of beat cops was helping them load the purified perps into a transport car, and a tow truck was on its way to pick up the wrecked carts. That being said, it was clear Mikleo was furious with him about the whole chariot of justice thing, and he wouldn’t even look at Sorey as he read off his report over the radio.

“A half dozen gobblecarters in the slammer in one shot,” one of the beat cops said, admiring. He offered a paw to Sorey to shake. “Not bad for a rookie! Put ‘er there, champ.”

“Hey, I graduated academy five years ago. You’re looking at a seasoned pro, here,” Sorey said. However, he knelt to accept the handshake. “This isn’t even my biggest haul.”

“You tryin’ to impress me or your boyfriend there?” laughed the cop. Mikleo continued to ignore them both. “Don’t look like he’s swayed. Maybe bring in some werewolf pelts and he’ll let you take him out on the town.”

Sorey rumpled the cop’s beret until his paws came up to swipe at him.

“’ey! Knock that off or I’ll report you to HR. Don’t think you special ops bozos get the privilege to touch this fine headgear.”

Leaving the beat cops to coordinate cleanup and transport, Mikleo and Sorey began to make their way back to where they parked the car. Sorey scratched his neck, wincing at Mikleo’s silent treatment.

“…I’ll take care of the paperwork?” Sorey offered.

“I’m sure Captain Strelka will be ecstatic to read it,” Mikleo said dryly. “‘Dear Captain, today I nearly made my partner shoot me by bowling into his line of fire, riding atop essential evidence, streaking through the streets like a flaming comet.’”

“You’re a flaming comet,” retorted Sorey. Mikleo was confused into silence, mouth twisting into a pout, one eyebrow arching. It would be a problem if his partner was this cute, and this easy to rile up. It would be a big problem.

They slid into the squad car, and Sorey yawned and stretched, priding himself on his efforts to not flop one arm around Mikleo’s shoulders.

“But it’s not a bad haul for my first day, you’ve got to admit,” Sorey said. “Can I drive?”

“Not a chance,” Mikleo said, turning on the engine without missing a beat.

Sorey’s eyes were bright with exhilaration. “I think, as my senior, you’ve gotta take it upon yourself to familiarize me with the city. I need to get the lay of the land, you know? Why don’t we go out to the belltower tonight; I’ve always wanted to see it in person.”

Mikleo scoffed. “The belltower? Sure, if you want people to think you’re a tourist.”

“Well,” Sorey drawled. “Would a Lastonbell native instead prefer to be taken out to the exhibition on Avarost-era sculpture at the Historical Art Center?”

“No, a native would more prefer to hit the bar district and then heckle the pretentious performance artists in the college town. But I on the other hand have been meaning to see that exhibit anyway.” Mikleo got them on the road to the station. “As long as it’s not too late when you’re finished with your paperwork back at the station, you can tag along, I guess. And if you can pass a city map test.”

Sorey pumped his fist. Lucky for him, he’d always been good at geography.

#sormik #sorey/mikleo #suremiku #soymilk #soremiku #tales of zestiria #i guess this is my personal tales of zestiria tag now #a tenderly crafted fanfiction #writing commissions #commissions

[scartale-an-undertale-au]

Papers of Homelessness - Chapter 23

a/n: please save me from the writer’s block Q~Q also, say hello to two beloved characters~

BEFORE | NEXT

“H-hi, You-you’re Ch-Chara, R-right?” A high-pitched feminine voice snapped you out of your daydreaming and you looked up to see a woman with long golden blond hair pulled back to a messy bun and round glasses hiding her eyes stand in front of your desk.

You furrowed your eyebrows, unfamiliar with her. “Greetings. What do you want?”

The woman jumped and fiddled with her fingers. “W-well, I heard f-from U-Undyne that y-you had be-befriended P-P-Papyrus a-and s-she i-is pre-pretty a-a-ang—”

“Hold up,” You stopped her, wondering if you could just stand up and walk away. Perhaps you should… the woman froze and looked at you, her glasses slipping down comically.

What is it? An anime?

You sighed. “Can you please talk coherently? I couldn’t understand a word you said. And who are you even?”

The woman pushed back her glasses and nodded. “I-I’m sorry. I-I’m Alphys Eld and I w-wanted to w-warn you fro-from U-Undyne—”

Undyne? Wasn’t that the one who taught Papyrus to be a horrible chef? You rolled your eyes. “Whatever it is, tell that Undyne that the next time she teaches someone to cook, to make sure to actually cook.”

You stood up from your chair and pushed by the shocked stiff blonde, walking to the exit of the classroom.

“W-wait!” You cursed and turned around to see the same woman’s brows furrowed. She rushed to stand before you. “P-Papyrus i-is important to Undyne an-and she doesn’t w-want him h-hurt, so-so she wants to ch-check you up.”

You frowned, feeling fatigue coat your body and seep into your bones. And this is number one on why you hated going to this accursed place. No one understood the meaning of ‘prefers being left alone’.

Even a jittery blondie.

“And if I said no?”

Alphys fussed with the rim of her white t-shirt. “W-well…”

You huffed. “Figured. Anyways, tell her that I am not this sun incarnate’s ‘friend’. It’s Frisk.”

“F-Frisk?”

“My coworker.” You were done answering questions and strode away, not stopping even when she called your name.

Your shoulders were tense as you exited the building and quickly sprinted to the gates of the campus, nearly crushing into something. You managed at the last moment to stop and take a few steps back, tensing in preparation.

Just perfect… your day was getting worse and worse and it wasn’t even seven.

“Punk…” You glanced up and took another step back.

A big tanned woman with fiery red hair tied to a tight ponytail stood in front of you, limbs thinner than expected but still holding a lot of power behind them.

Despite the annoyance, you felt yourself getting excited at the prospect of a possible fight.

Your butterfly knife hidden in your pocket seemed to buzz to life with glee. It has been such a long time.

You forced off the forming grin and frowned instead. “Who are you calling punk?”

The Amazonian woman smirked, showing large teeth. “Anyone who wishes to be Papyrus’ friend must go through me first!”

And she totally ignored your question. You raised a brow. You got a feeling you knew what her name was… “I am not his friend for the last time! I don’t know where he got it into his head that I tolerate him enough for a friendship but we are not friends.”

The woman, still not listening to you, folded her arms. “I, Undyne, will test your will and determine if you are worthy enough to be his friend!”

…Well, no wonder you had that feeling.

Great…

You sighed, feeling the excitement ebb a bit. By this point you could have already defeated two people. Why such a long monologue?

“Can we just get on to it?” You stopped her rant and she looked at you and then grinned, unfolding her arms, putting one hand on her hip and pointing her free thumb to the gate.

“I don’t want to get Al kicked out so we’ll do it in a different place.”

Alright, makes sense. You straightened up and followed the woman as you exited from the gate, grimacing when students gave you bewildered stares.

Well, it was the most action they had seen from reclusive Dreemurr after all. You cringed, hating the attention.

Why can’t you get a fight without any of the attention for once?

Something in the back of your head whispered something that you couldn’t quite understand, but it made your body break into sweat and for a shudder to go up your spine.

You felt angry with yourself. Why are you getting scared? Is fighting with attention on you really that problematic for you? You have done that plenty of times already! Or was Undyne the one inducing this fear? You glared at her toned back covered with a sports bra and a semi-transparent buttoned up shirt.

You searched for the fear but felt only annoyance and anticipation.

So you weren’t scared of her. That’s good.

So why?

Why did it feel that you were missing a big piece of a puzzle?

You didn’t have time to dwell on the matter as Undyne paused and you halted on your tracks as well. Looking around, you attempted to gauge the best way to fight the woman on this terrain. You were in the dry plains near the biology department. Isn’t that an abandoned—

“I see that you are prepared for a fight! I will start this match this instant!” Before you even had a chance to get into position, Undyne was on you, driving a fist into your stomach. You stumbled back, bent over, and holding your stomach as you coughed for air.

What. The. Hell.

You sucked in a hard breath and snapped your head up to stare at the grinning woman, new respect brimming in your eyes. You smirked, jumping to the side the moment she rushed in for another punch.

So you underestimated her. All right then. No more underestimating.

You grabbed her wrist on her next attack and pulled her so she stumbled, driving an elbow into her nape. The woman responded by prat falling. She grabbed your ankle and pulled, causing you to lose your footing, and hit the ground face down. You spit out blood and dirt from your busted lip and kicked at her face, a loud crack resounding in the air. The hands released you and you rolled to your feet, pulling out your butterfly knife. A quick flip of the blade had it ready and slashing at Undyne. The woman grabbed the blade and tried to punch your arm. But you let go of the knife and ducked, grinning when she threw the blade away, and held her bleeding palm.

Undyne panted with exhilaration, eyes practically glowing. “Got to admit, you’re pretty good.”

“Same.” You jumped forward, slamming your shoulder into her torso and using the momentum to throw her back. She grabbed your shoulders and pushed you away, jumping at your prone body as you hit the ground.

“NGGGAAAHHHAAA!!!”

You looked up with horror and shot your palms out just in time to catch the boot slamming into them. You heard a crack and bit your lip to avoid screaming at the pain in your wrist. Ignoring the pain of a very likely fracture, you shoved the boot away, throwing Undyne off balance. Her head and shoulders came flying toward you, and you headbutted the woman before throwing her off of you, and jumping to your feet. Undyne came up on one knee, shaking the pain from her head.

You both stood there, panting while assessing your injuries. The Amazonian woman looked up with a hand covering her forehead, blood trickling from her nose and her palm. You had the fracture and your busted lip. You felt bruises blooming in your stomach and forehead, your sweat-soaked shirt making you shiver.

“So I see that you’re pretty determined to be Papyrus’ friend…” Undyne started.

You bristled. “I don’t! Why don’t you check your facts for once!?”

Undyne flinched from the sudden noise and her eyebrows went up.

“He’s friends with my coworker, Frisk,” You growled.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Don’t pick a fight with her.”

The red-haired woman stared at you for a moment before a big grin split her face. “And why is that?” She found her feet and stalked towards you, only stopping to bend over a bit to pick up your knife.

You grimaced and extended your hand for it. “Because she would annihilate you.”

“Oh, really?” Undyne’s smile grew too wide and you leapt backward, blood roaring in your veins, as the knife passed mere centimeters from your eyes. You glared at the woman.

“What? Did you think I was finished?” The knife slashed at you again.

You ducked and punched her stomach, grimacing when your wrist flared up in pain. She grunted, folding over to fall on one knee. You lunged for the knife and paid for it with a sharp pain in your side, the knife slashing your hip.

“Get ready, Punk!” Undyne raised the knife.

You pressed your good hand to the bleeding slash, your injured hand hanging limply, as your heart beat furiously in your ears. You were ready to avoid the next attack, hoping to finish the fight in your favor, when a somewhat familiar voice echoed in the plain and startled the two of you.

“U-UNDYNE!”

The woman jumped, suddenly mortified, and dropped the knife. She quickly turned, looking for the source of the noise. You heard weeds being crushed with a shuffling. Quickly retrieving your knife, your eyes settled on the direction Undyne was looking.

The blonde woman from before… Alphys stood in front of you two, bracing her chubby hands on her knees as she panted. “U-Undyne… I-I told y-you that I-I hate it wh-when you fight…”

The Amazonian woman took a deep breath, her wildness suddenly tamer as she hid her palm and used her other hand to pull the hair that fell loose from her ponytail back, the sweat on her face sticking red strands to her skin. “Sorry, Al, but I had to check this guy out. I didn’t want Papyrus to get hurt.”

Alphys turned to look at you and squeaked, bowing as she spluttered. “I-I’m s-so sorry. I-I tried to h-hold her back!”

You gripped the handle of your knife, adrenaline still controlling your slightly shaking body. “It’s okay. Needed a fight anyways.”

Undyne’s head shot up and she stared at you with a grin blooming back. “Now that’s the fighting spirit I’ve been looking for!”

Huh?

The Amazonian woman had forgotten over her bleeding palm and raised the streaked red fist up gleefully, frightening the blonde woman. “Every guy I had fought always backed off like a coward! Never thought a punk would be the match I was looking for!”

You stared at her as if she had grown a second head. “I guess?”

“I have decided! I’m going to train you!”

You and Alphys froze.

Wait, what?

You jolted when a long arm circled your shoulders and nearly lifted you up. You flailed, kneeing her in the waist and jumping when she released you. You growled at the giddy redheaded woman. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”

Undyne wasn’t deterred. “Sorry about that, punk. How about a match tomorrow morning?”

You deadpanned. “I’m working.”

“Then afternoon!”

“Each of us had probably fractured a bone.”

“Tape it and fight through it!”

That persistent amazon… you sighed and agreed, mentally telling yourself to bring a full-bodied armor. You did not trust this woman at all.

“Alright! I’m all pumped up for tomorrow!”

Oh, hell… What have you gotten yourself into?

NEXT

#undertale #papers of homelessness #charisk #college #romance #undyne #alphys #undertale chara #frisk (undertale) #fighting #fanfiction #fanfic #chapter 23

[yoyo-inspace]

For the salty questions meme: 10, 14, 26, 27.

10. Most disliked arc? Why?The more I look at it, the more I don’t like the payoff for the s4 arc in Doctor Who, or for Ten’s arc as a whole really, though I enjoy individual parts of it and what it was trying to do. I don’t think it’s my most disliked arc of anything ever, but it’s the one that came to mind so I’m gonna be salty about that anyway.

S4 because the three arcs for that series was 1) Donna and the Doctor constantly running into each other and Donna being the most “important woman in the universe”, 2) Rose returning and 3) Planets/bees going missing. I’ll take them in backwards order.

3) Planets/bees going missing.This is a very classic RTD plot arc thing, where he puts something in that you will most likely not notice on your first watch-through unless you’re paying attention, it’s incredibly subtle (s1 - Bad Wolf, s2 - Torchwood mentions, s3 - Gallifreyan writing on things having to do with Saxon), but on a rewatch it can be kind of rewarding to find all the hints. Tbh, s2 and s3 are the ones I think did this best. While I love the Bad Wolf stuff, it kind of doesn’t lead anywhere in a way that you can figure out stuff if you know where to spot it. The Saxon stuff especially if you were paying super close attention you can actually do some detective work and figure some things out, or make guesses. With s4, it’s one of those where I feel it doesn’t really lead anywhere, and it’s just there to be a thing? Yeah, the planets are missing, but nothing would have been missing from the plot or suspension if you removed that, because hardly anyone noticed it in the first place. 

2. Rose returningI love Rose. I know a lot of people don’t. But Rose coming back and being a constant reminder in the background felt so important leading up to it, but in the end, she wasn’t there for any reason other than having a reunion with the Doctor, and then getting her own new person Doctor and being left again? It just felt kind of forced, the more time I look at it. It feels like she was just there because they wanted all the then New Who companions together, and that’s a cool fanmoment and all, but it doesn’t make much sense once you start taking it apart. Like, in her talks with Donna in Turn Left it seemed like she would have some important role to play in defeating Davros, because she knew the stars were going out and what it meant - and that just never happened. 

1. Donna is the most important woman in the universe.I adore Donna. She’s one of my favorite companions of all time. She probably has my favorite Doctor-Companion relationship. Her ending made me cry. But despite all that, the more I watched that, the angrier I get. I know it’s emotional and sad and not everything is supposed to be happy, but damn did Donna not get the ending she deserved. Both from a character and from a writing perspective. And yes, this is highlighted very much in Hell Bent, which I loved, so it’s gotten me thinking more about this. 

Donna is apparently the most important woman in the universe, but it’s not because any choice of hers or because of some brave thing she decides to do. If the emphasis had been on her choice in Turn Left I’d be a bit more lenient, but it’s more to do with the creation of TenToo and the defeat of the Daleks. Which all happens because she’s left in the Tardis by accident and stumbles into Ten’s regenerationenergy packed hand. It’s not because of anything she does. And Donna as we know could have done so much, and I hate that that’s taken from her. But the entire reason the universe (or you know, Dalek Caan) kept putting Donna and the Doctor together was because of the creation of the metacrisis, and I think that takes away something from their importance, you know? And I don’t feel the same way about Clara and the Doctor because there this problem is actually discussed and talked about and a plot-point. It’s never really adressed in s4. 

And now that she’s actually gotten all this awesome stuff in her head, of course she needs it taken away. Because Tate needed to leave the show and RTD wrote it that way, not because of some in-universe explanation. And I love RTD as well, but he created that scenario in which the Doctor takes Donna’s memories from her, her character development as we see, while she’s crying and begging him not to. And yes, of course he wanted to save his best friend, but again, a situation created by a writer. It just rubs me the wrong way, and I think Clara’s emphasis on her own agency and the right to her memories whether or not that meant death to her is so important to highlight this. 

There, those were my thoughts on that. :P 

Also any arc that has to do with the Lucian Alliance in Stargate. Because I don’t like them. 

14. Unpopular opinion about your fandom?People need to chill, is in general my unpopular opinion on any fandom.

Also, shipping shouldn’t be synonymous with representation. Don’t get me wrong, there should be lots more diversity than there is, and it’s horrible that there isn’t, and we should demand our entertainment to do better. But that doesn’t mean that every time your m/m or f/f ship doesn’t end up together it’s queerbaiting or bad representation. I’ve seen these accusations being thrown at shows which had lots of other BRILLIANT representation, lots of intersectionality and thought behind it, but because certain popular ships didn’t become canon, suddenly all of that was void and null. That’s ridiculous.

And again, I’ve seen people being accused of being a number of things for shipping something that wouldn’t be considered ‘good representation’ which, yeah? Not all ships are supposed to be. Some people just ship stuff because they find characters interesting to write about, or it’s fun, or it’s an outlet, not because it’s the representation of their sexuality they’d like to see portrayed on screen. 

This obsession with ‘ship that’s okay to ship = ship that can be canon’ is stupid. 

26. Most shippable character?Of anything ever? Idk, probably Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who. Or the Doctor himself. Or River. For myself, I think Daniel Jackson from Stargate SG-1 is the character I have the most ships with. He’s very shippable to me. 

27. Least shippable character?You can probably find something for everyone. Idk, for some reason the first character that popped into my head was Red Skull from Marvel, but I bet there’s someone out there who’s into that. But yeah, there’s a lot of characters I just don’t ship with anyone, I guess. Can’t come up with any specific examples though. :P

Thanks for asking!

Ask me a salty question

#katbelleinthedark #this turned out long #I didn't mean it to but it did #salty asks #so much salt #not really #don't get me wrong #s4 is far from my most disliked arc of anything ever #I still like it #but it just rubs me the wrong way occasionally #doctor who

[faithandfairies]

The Great Gilly Hopkins and OUAT

So I was just watching this movie. I just found out it’s called “The Great Gilly Hopkins”. 

But when I first turned the TV on the first thing I saw was this girl telling a younger girl not to talk to her, only to turn around and defend an adorable, quiet little boy who was having his lunch stolen. 

And two things came to mind. 

1.Wow, did I miss one of the sequels of Cheaper by the Dozen or is this a re-make? (I even think the young girl Gilly was yelling at was actually on Cheaper by the Dozen as one of the children).

2. Wow, this girl is gay and awesome. (As in Gilly.) I never got confirmation on this by the way.

As the movie went on I realized Gilly could have been a young Emma. I imagine that’s what Emma would have been like at 12 or 13. What her mind would have been like. Smart and kind, but defensive and protective of herself. And distrusting of others. OUAT has shown us young Emma, but this movie gave me a better idea of how Emma’s mind would have worked and how kids in foster homes are basically bracing for the next tragedy. They’re constantly on high alert and waiting for their “new home” to get rid of them. Or for their new home to not be a home at all. So they’ve got their walls up sky high so they don’t get hurt.

It turned out that Gilly was in a foster home with miss Trotter and a little boy named William Ernest or W.E. for short. They also had a neighbor called Mr. Randolph, who was old, black and blind and miss Trotter seemed to take care of. Together they formed an unlikely family.

I have to say that I loved this movie. Kathy Bates played Gilly’s foster mother and she is just a phenomenal actress. 

There were also Octavia Spencer as Gilly’s teacher miss Harris, whom I seem to love in everything I see of hers, Julia Stiles as Gilly’s birth mother, Bill Cobbs as mr. Randolph (whose name I didn’t know but who I’ve seen in other things and love as well). And of course, Gilly, who was played by Sophie Nelisse. This is the first movie I’ve truly seen of her. But I remember wanting to see The Book Thief when it first came out, in which she’s also the lead actress. I just never got around to it.

But anyway, imagine my surprise, when Miss Harris taught a class in which she says “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”. Now I know this is an actual law of Newton and so pretty common to be taught in class and all, but I still can’t get over the fact that it was also used on OUAT by Snow. 

I think in both cases it was actually used to demonstrate an equal and opposite reaction to an action in life. Basically that actions have, often far-reaching, consequences. I think we’re still seeing that on OUAT and one of the furthest reaching consequences I expect on OUAT aside from the show’s entire premise is for Regina (and/or rather the Queen)’s and David’s actions to lead to Emma and/or Regina getting hurt. (And as a result Henry and everyone else). The Queen’s and David’s wishes, Regina seeming to want Robin back to the point that she might take him with her to Storybrooke. He’s not meant to be there. He’s dead. And it might become a situation of a life for a life, like it was last season. When Regina and Emma saved Robin in Camelot, someone else had to die. When Hades came back to walk the earth, he sent Arthur to the Underworld. So if Robin comes back with them from the Wish Realm and therefore from death, I believe someone will either have to stay in the Wish Real in his place or die. Or both.

As for David’s wish. The Queen is right. She already has what she deserves. Misery. She’s had absolute misery for decades. But with how she’s started to change her life, what she has gotten has also started to change. She loves again, Henry, Emma, the Charmings. And they love her back. And maybe with her change in attitude what she deserves has also started to change. Maybe now what she deserves is what she has, to be happy with the ones she loves. Peace. But with the separation, the part of her that has committed atrocities in the past, is supposedly separated from her good part. And she has started to hurt people again. (I don’t think she’s evil. I don’t even really think she’s bad. I think that like Regina she has softened. But she is misguided. I believe just like before she’s focused on getting her happy ending and hell-bent on getting back at those who take from her. ) And it makes me wonder if she won’t get everything David has ever wished for her. All the horrible things. All the things that have hurt her the most. Losing the ones she loved. The thing is, while that will affect the Queen, it will also affect Regina, and it will also backfire on David. Because the ones Regina and the Queen love now, happen to consist of his entire family. As for Robin being back, the Queen said that his death was actually good for her and Regina. And I don’t think she meant that they had the chance to miss him and realize what they lost. And on some level Regina knows this too. It also means that Robin’s return means nothing good. I believe at best it will block Regina from being happy, at worst it will take the parts that make up what make her happy away completely.

But what I was actually trying to say about the “Newton’s law” scene is sometimes I’ll watch things, shows, movies and I’ll think “There’s no way the writers of OUAT didn’t see this.” (Or maybe they read the book it’s based on.) 

Especially because Snow went from teaching kids about birds to teaching them Physics.

Then there are Kathy Bates’ character’s Miss Trotter’s lines about happy endings. I think this is the book version of those lines

“All that stuff bout happy endings is lies. The only ending in this world is death. Now that might or might now be happy, but either way, you ain't ready to die, are you? Sometimes in this world things come easy, and you tend to lean back and say, 'Well, finally, happy ending. This is the way things is supposed to be.' Like life owed you good things. And there is lots of good things. But you just fool yourself if you expect good things all the time. They ain't what's regular--don't nobody owe 'em to you.”

“If life is so bad, how come you’re so happy?” “Did I say bad? I said it was tough. Nothing to make you happy like doing good on a tough job, now is there?”

Source:The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson

I also know that different things stand out to different people, depending on their background. I noticed what I noticed about this movie because I love OUAT. It matters to me. I am able to pick out different aspects of things that remind me of OUAT. Especially lately, because OUAT feels like a problem to be solved or a question that I want to answer for myself. Mainly, am I right about what I’m seeing? Is my interpretation of the show, its characters and events what the creators had meant for me to see? But someone else might have focused on Gilly’s grandmother or the social worker or the link to The Lord of the Rings based on their background. Their frame of reference.

*What I also just found out is that this book came out in 1996. I think that means Gilly was supposed to be 12 or 13 in 1996? Emma was born in 1983, right? So she would have also been 13 in 1996. Just, interesting.

#ouat #the great gilly hopkins #swan queen #emma swan #gilly hopkins