the thing about the pjo series that just like. bugs me a little is the way that percy seems to realize everything 10x faster, especially related to greek myth.
“percy isn’t stupid, why are you pretending that he is-“ I’m not. I’m saying that in the books, he isn’t as tuned into greek mythology. in the books, he goes through a step-by-step process of thinking (that we can SEE) as he grasps concepts at a normal, non-athenian rate. of course he’s not stupid. that’s not what I’m saying at all.
my issue is that because it’s a tv show and not a book- we can’t follow his thoughts. we have no idea what’s going on in his head. we don’t get the mental breakdown that subtly explains what’s going on to us, as readers, as viewers. obviously, we can’t have that, not really. and as experienced members of the fandom, that’s completely fine. we don’t need an explanation. we know what’s happening. we know who that monster is. we know their story.
but to new viewers?
this is all batshit.
i was watching the most recent episode with someone who hadn’t read the books. totally chill, right? and then percy walks into crusty’s and goes, “I know who you are. you’re procrustes.” with zero build up. and my friend goes, “who?”
he didn’t know who procrustes was. he still didn’t, by the end of the scene. he just knew that he was now trapped in a bed sheet. none of it made any sense at all to him. because guess what? we didn’t get percy’s explanation. and again, we couldn’t really get that. but the writers COULD HAVE made percy and annabeth have a conversation about who procrustes was like they did in the book. they COULD have provided some more background knowledge.maybe little details were thrown in here and there, but there was too little to grasp everything, even if you did know what was going on.
it’s not about “making a character smarter” or “making them less dumb”. it’s about turning a form of media that is known for being so incredibly welcoming and inclusive and well-thought out that ANYONE could pick up a book with no prior knowledge and still follow along and understand into something that feels like it’s only for the kids who took the time to legitimately study greek mythology. it’s about turning a character- who isn’t stupid- who is supposed to be inexperienced and learning with the viewers into someone who knows everything already. the show isn’t meant just for the seasoned fans. it’s supposed to be for everyone. instead, it’s isolating and difficult to follow in the name of getting it all on the screen.
“they could just read the books-“ but they don’t have to???? that’s literally the point of an adaptation. you should be able to follow the plot whether you watched or read it. reading the books doesn’t make you superior, just like watching the show doesn’t make you inferior. don’t be pretentious.
it’s not about percy being stupid, because he’s not. it’s about understanding that sometimes, you have to miss parts of the original story to make it understandable for new viewers.
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Thinking about:
The two moments in ep 1 (6:08) and ep 2 (32:37) when Jihyun is seen in the background between Jaewon and Tae Hyung/Eun Ji respectively.
The way Jaewon's taller shadow engulfs Jihyun's smaller shadow as Jaewon walks towards Jihyun on the beach in ep 2.
Yoon Won singing on the beach.
Just how fantastic Yoon Won, Ae Ri, and Jihyun's boss are.
How it looks like Jaewon drew himself and his younger brother and maybe a young Jihyun in the landscape of the Han river in ep 4.
The way Jaewon tugs Jihyun into him after putting the rucksack on Jihyun in ep 4 (7:03).
The tale of the country mouse who ran back home (ep 4)...and me wondering if it's foreshadowing a separation and/or time skip in future eps.
Jihyun keeping Jaewon's art in case he becomes famous...and me wondering if that will come back if there's a time skip/separation at the end.
The fact that the therapist is always in the same top, which might indicate that the therapy scenes are all from the same session...maybe meaning everything else that's happening are flashbacks from the time of the session...which ends in ep 5. There are no scenes of the therapy session in ep 6.
The bust on the shelf in the therapists room, with hands over its eyes...
Jihyun's dream of going to the Hanson Tower with a lover and putting a lock up there...and me hoping he'll do that with Jaewon.
The "traffic won't stop for you" sign behind Jaewon as he gets drunk in ep 5 and talks about siblings. If it turns out his brother died because he ran into the road I will throw fists.
The way Jaewon's little brother is dressed in a light blue t-shirt with something cream over the top in the flashback and then Jihyun is also wearing light blue/grey under a cream jacket in the next scene.
Jaewon's "We are always living in other's frameworks in this world". And "Don't try to get out of the box".
The silence as the credits roll at the end of ep 6.
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G-d it's really 3 different times that mulder has almost certainly had to launch protracted 'getting scully to eat' campaigns, after her abduction when she was 'maintained' who knows how for 3 months and had to get back on her feet, with the cancer and treatments and recovery 2 years later and again with the gut shot 2 years after that. How many times do you think he sat by her bed and tried to distract her while she struggled through a protein drink? Did the 'oh I just accidentally made too many sandwiches or pieces of toast or they put in extra fries or "free" dumplings maybe you'll take these off my hands' or planted them in a diner until she ate some soup and crackers or a plate of scrambled eggs or a milkshake while trying not to seem to insist too much, ie enough to trigger an "I'm fine" and a stalking off. No wonder he's hung up on the non-fat yogurt cups and salads with a teaspoon of dressing after multiple times of joining in to will her back from half starvation in order to get her strong enough to recover from near death experiences. Like, we have done this when it was unavoidable due to miserable circumstances, why are you doing it yourself on purpose?? 😥
Though perhaps that's a reason for her, the familiarity of completely utilitarian food that's always 'safe.'
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(i haven't read Whole Cake in a while, and i never really watched it, so bear with me)
I'd love to write a fic with Usopp on Whole Cake. it'd be sooo fucking long and i'd need to refresh myself on the entire arc, but god i'd probably be so satisfied when it's done. specifically for having brought a single moment in my head to life, but we'll get to that.
On Zou, he insists to be taken along on the Sanji rescue team and has worked himself up with a whole bunch of very good reasons as to why he should go there instead of helping in Wano, but of course Luffy just immediately accepts with a "yeah sure"
With Whole Cake, I think he'd be flipping between having fun as part of the idiot trio/quartet (Luffy, Chopper, Carrot), and being terrified with Nami. There wouldn't be that many differences in the arc as a whole, though; some things would be easier/better and some things would be worse- I don't necessarily think Usopp's presence would be overall an advantage or disadvantage, just different. Like, major events would stay mostly the same, but little details would change and maybe those little details would build to a far more drastic change-
for example, maybe one of Big Mom's kids considers themself a great sniper and wants a match with Usopp, or is motivated to work harder because Usopp is around and they want to take him out and boast about it. Maybe it means Sunny takes more damage than canon, or maybe Usopp's help means less damage to Sunny. (idk if i'd really do smth like this, but it's just an example)
skjdhf fuck i'm really not equipped to try and figure this out when i don't remember shit from Whole Cake aaaa
I do know that, despite his penchant for talking and rambling, I'd probably have Usopp be dead silent after his initial shock when Sanji fights Luffy. Everything about that is the same, except Usopp is just watching Sanji the whole time- not panicking, not moving, and not speaking. He doesn't say a word the entire time, doesn't even make a sound, and that, along with Luffy's words and Nami's begging, stick with Sanji.
(Usopp is thinking of his own fight with Luffy in Water 7, he's partially wondering if this was what it was like- if it was this painful to watch from the sidelines- and partially knowing he doesn't have to say a word, because he knew, like he knew back then, that it didn't matter what was said. It wasn't quite the same, but he could tell in the way Sanji moved, in the way he spoke and held himself, that he was putting on a front, trying to be brave in all the wrong ways. Usopp didn't say a word to Sanji because there was nothing he could say that Sanji himself didn't already know. Should've known. And his quiet, direct stare, was more than enough.)
the singular moment i really wanna write, is a scene where Sanji is apologizing for dragging them into his mess- either during the big meeting in Bege's castle or some other time- and Usopp's like "I'll do what you can't, you do what I can't, right?" and Sanji pauses, a little confused, until he remembers Enies Lobby and a stupid mask and cape and-
and tears are gathering in his eyes now, fuck, but he laughs a little. It sounds wet and his face is itchy and they're surrounded by tentative allies, but he- he laughs again and he says, "Fuck, you remembered that?"
Usopp shrugs, a little smile on his face. "They were some wise words from a wise man."
Sanji laughs a third time. "You think I'm wise?"
And they banter a little more before Bege tells them to quit it since they're on a time constraint or something. Quietly, Usopp will ask, "It-it helps. On bad days. And I figured, 'what's a worse day than this?' Ah, not that you getting married would ever be bad per se-"
"Usopp," Sanji says, looking more relaxed and settled. He smiles fondly and grabs his friend in a one armed hug, crushing him to his side. "Thanks."
And yeah, don't remember much beyond that, except the whole "hiding and then busting out of the cake" bit, which would mean Usopp in a cute little tuxedo or smth- maybe with a fedora aaaaaa <- loves fedoras- helping out with the fighting and eventually sailing with everyone to Wano.
He would be so distressed about fixing up Sunny now that the whole thing with Whole Cake is over. Maybe there'd be a gag about him promising Franky to take good care of Sunny while they were gone and being confident, after being Franky's tinkering partner and learning from him over time, that he could handle minor repair work much better than he did the first time around with Merry. And so when he finally takes in all the very-not-minor repairs he has to do, he's certain Franky is gonna strangle him for not keeping his promise. Probably also try to write in some nostalgic 'repairman Usopp' vibes from pre-Water 7.
Also something something, Sanji, wanting to do more for the crew bc he still feels guilty about Whole Cake, decides to take it upon himself to help Usopp not fall into a whole anxiety spiral about the ship. In turn, Usopp ends up helping Sanji not feel so guilty- usually by handing his own words back to him on a silver platter. And, yknow, having the two of them bonding and being buddies again like they so rarely get to be in canon nowadays qwq
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