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springmagpies · 3 years

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there’s literally a character on Ted Lasso right now that is evil beyond repair, and they’re going to give them a redemption arc and it will be not be earned and I will hate it.

Sorry for the delayed response anon! I’m curious as to who you mean. Currently the only characters that I think are beyond repair are Rupert and Jamie’s dad and I don’t see them getting a redemption arc. Everyone else I think has enough goodness in them to be redeemed. I actually think that that’s been a big part of this season (and the show) is how accountability matters. When characters aren’t accountable they move further away from redemption, but that doesn’t mean they can’t earn their way back.

The fact that they’ve introduced Dr. Sharon I think is a really important and impactful addition to the show. All the characters have their faults and some, like Nate this season, let it rule their actions and to their detriment. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have goodness in them too. There are deep issues going on with many of the characters and Dr. Sharon is there to not only call them out on them, but to help them grow to be better. I think it’s an important distinction to make between someone who is acting cruelly and someone beyond repair.

Which is why I’m wondering who you’re thinking of. I don’t know whether I’m missing something or someone. In the post I was talking about Rebecca and Jamie because I think those are both characters that the show has done a really good job redeeming. I think they’re both still growing (Jamie especially) but that they have made great strides towards becoming better people. Rebecca owned up to what she did to Ted and though he forgave her she still actively worked towards earning that forgiveness completely. She didn’t just call the apology good, she made sure Ted knew that she was truly sorry and how much he means to her. As for Jamie, I think that it’s great on the part of the writers that even after we knew why Jamie is the way he is, all wasn’t forgiven. His past doesn’t excuse his actions and he has to face the music of how he acted. Even now with the team being more friendly there are a few times where you can see Jamie have a brush with wanting to be a prick. But he’s learning and he’s growing and I think that’s really powerful. It goes with what Ted preaches, that everyone just needs someone to support them. But it also leads to what Dr. Sharon tells Ted, first you’ve got to be honest and face the hard truths of your life and your actions.

Which leads me to Nate. Again I’m not sure if he is who you mean or not, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about. Nate isn’t beyond repair. He’s being an ass, cruel even. His treatment of those he sees as below him is horrible and unwarranted and downright awful. We are seeing the meaning of his actions, his relationship with his father and his own insecurities. But just like Jamie the meanings don’t excuse the actions. There was an interview with Nick Mohammed where he said that Nate always had the capacity for cruelty, but that it was seen in a humorous context or where he was on the defensive and so it was sort of brushed off. Now, however, we are seeing it in its full harsh light and it’s a shock. It was a shock to me. I actually started crying at the scene with Colin last episode and at the end of the episode as well because it felt like watching someone who has always been nice to you be mean to someone else. It was unsettling and upsetting and it’s something that I’m intrigued to see how the show handles. Because I do think they’re going to handle it. Beard has already called Nate out once and I don’t doubt more will do so as well. I’m wondering if Ted getting involved again (because he has been understandably distant from his team as of late) will bring the Nate issue to a head. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is despite Nate acting horribly these past few episodes we have also seen Nate’s capacity for goodness. He does care about the team, he is kind and thoughtful, he is a good person. He has just allowed for fame to go to his head and briefly it has masked the deep insecurities that have always plagued him. Now, however, I think they’re feeding them. Because no matter how much online buzz he gets he doesn’t get the approval of his dad and no matter how much the team genuinely supports him he’s always fearing it might all be a joke at his expense. So I’m really interested to see if he ever gets time in Dr. Sharon’s chair and a well deserved calling out from Ted, Beard, and the rest of the team. I have faith in the show and am actually really liking this season and how it is addressing things in season 1 that hinted at something deeper below the cheerful surface all while not losing those hopeful moments that made the show so wonderful. Sorry for the rant, but it’s been something that I’ve really been thinking about when it comes to the show.

#anon #ask me things #Ted lasso #maggie rants

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ampleappleamble · 3 years

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—

Debriefing the Crucible Knights went about how Axa had expected it would. She and her companions had staggered out of Heritage Hill only to be immediately escorted back to Crucible Keep along with the little girl they'd rescued from her family crypt, the poor waif falling asleep on Edér's shoulders as they'd made their way through town. Once inside, they'd had their wounds tended to and their bellies filled as they recounted the events of their harrowing mission, repeating themselves over and over to one bewildered Knight after another. By the end of the evening, rumors, misinterpretations, and half-truths about the "end of the Curse of Heritage Hill" were all anybody in Crucible Keep could talk about– unless one preferred to gossip about the mysterious Watcher of Caed Nua instead.

Restful sleep was coming harder and harder to Axa, and the troubling trend had continued as they'd bedded down in the barracks that night. She'd woken the next morning feeling worse than she had when she'd laid down the night before, and her attitude had very much reflected it. She'd particularly let her ire show when her breakfast had been interrupted by a man who'd introduced himself as Penhelm, a name she recognized as the one belonging to the Knight that Osric had sent her after the day before, hoping she could recover his family's breastplate from the snooty little gossip.

"Is it true that you're not actually a Watcher, but merely a Cipher? Like the... others of your kind down at Hadret House?" Arrogance and curiosity mingled in his insufferable smirk as he spoke, not even having had the decency to wait until she'd finished chewing.

"That depends," she'd replied, her mouth still full of bacon. "Is it true you steal people's family heirlooms after talking shit about them and getting them kicked out of the service?"

Needless to say, she had gotten nowhere trying to convince him to do right by Osric. So on her way out, she'd passed through the scriptorium and, with a careful eye and a whispered word to Aloth, she'd left Crucible Keep that morning with Penhelm's soul lineage affidavit tucked away in her satchel.

She had been on her way to Hadret House to have the affidavit examined for authenticity, hoping to gain a bargaining chip that might pry the heirloom armor from the little bastard's hands, when a messenger had appeared at her shoulder, letting her know that her presence had been requested... at Hadret House. She'd almost laughed at the absurd coincidence– until the messenger told her exactly who had summoned her there, his tone low and reverent.

"Who is Lady Webb," she'd asked, "and what exactly does she want with me?"

The messenger had been young, with a casual, almost flippant air about him, but he had still had the good sense to lean close and keep an eye out for eavesdroppers. "You don't know her, milady? She's the directress of Dunryd Row, Defiance Bay's investigative peacekeeping force. No one's actually met her face to face, in... I don't know, a long time. But they say that despite her advanced age, her mind is a steel trap and her will is an iron fist. She and her Cipher operatives keep the city safe from threats that most kith are never even aware exist..."

Axa had listened, at first. She'd tried to listen. But as he'd spoken, as he'd thrust the wax-sealed summons into her hand, she'd found herself distracted by an all-too-familiar feeling. Something was pulling her toward Hadret House, something that had nothing to do with Dunryd Row or Ciphers or Lady Webb, and she'd turned away from the messenger in the middle of his speech to pursue it, helpless to resist.

He was there. Just outside of Hadret House, on the far side of Brackenbury. He was there, and she approached him–

–she approached him, any confidence she'd had before dissolving now in her sick stomach, trickling down her trembling limbs. She couldn't do this.

She had to do this.

He was already watching her, but the impact of his gaze was no less powerful than if he'd turned dramatically to face her. It was as though he knew what she was going to tell him already.

Of course he does, she thought. He knows all. He knows what I've done. What I–

"You look as though you've seen a ghost, dear."

Lady Webb chuckled in her throat, but her face did not laugh with her. "Although, perhaps you have. After all, you are the Watcher who wrested the ruins of Caed Nua away from poor, mad Maerwald, as well as the Watcher who ended the... 'curse' of Heritage Hill, if my reports are correct." The old, frail woman rose from her desk, crossed the room with a deceptive grace. "And they are."

Axa kept her head low, but lifted her eyes to meet Webb's gaze. "Why have you asked me here–"

"–You know why I have asked you here, child." With anyone else, she would have felt that she was being chastised, but with him, she only felt kind, fatherly concern. "Your fellow missionaries have reported a change in your behavior recently. You neglect your duties, you are quiet and distant. What troubles you so to make you act this way?"

Tears stung her eyes. Her whole body quaked. Her breath caught in her throat. The quivering pit in her stomach broadened and her heart fell into it, and for a second she thought she might actually vomit, but instead it was her confession that flew from her mouth:

"Your Eminence, I... forgive me, but I wish... I wish to leave the order."

He folded his hands, frowning–

"You're not a stupid woman, Axa Mala. You should know why I've asked you here. Defiance Bay's concerns are my concerns, you see, and evidently, they are yours as well. But neither of us is overly fond of beating around the bush, so let's cut straight to it, shall we?" Lady Webb stopped at her bookshelf, turned to face Axa again, her keen eyes piercing the other woman's mind, her soul. "Why do you seek the Leaden Key?"

She had known, somehow, that Webb would ask her that, but it still took her by surprise. Nevertheless, Axa didn't waste time asking how she'd known. "I'm looking for someone. A man I saw in the ruins of Cliant Lîs. He... did something to me. And I need him to undo it."

The wizened old Cipher nodded at her, then, let her eyes slip shut, her face twitching–

–"You have been nothing if not an extraordinary asset to us," he said, slowly pacing as he spoke. "Your conviction in our cause has inspired your contemporaries to greatness, and together with them you have brought the light of redemption to thousands, if not more! What could possibly shake your faith in yourself like this? Your faith in us?"

Somehow, without her realizing, he had ended up crossing the room to stand directly before her. He looked into her eyes, worry and sorrow emanating from him. "What's wrong, Anthea? What happened?"

She squeezed her eyes shut but she still saw him in her mind, still saw the compassion in his eyes that a despicable sinner like her could never deserve–

Lady Webb opened her eyes, gasping softly.

"The gods are cruel," she murmured. "The man you seek is none other than the grandmaster of the Leaden Key himself: Thaos ix Arkannon."

The name echoed in Axa's head, the bearded man's masked face floating before her mind's eye. It felt like she'd always known him, or at least known of him, but only now could she put a name to the face.

"Thaos," she whispered–

"I cannot stay, Your Eminence. I'm... I'm tainted, wicked and weak." Anthea lowered her head, letting her tears fall to the floor. "I've done something terrible, something I can never undo, an unforgivable act of blasphemy. I fear– no, I– I know I am beyond redemption."

She curled in on herself, wracked with sobs, unable to continue. Shame and guilt burned her face, but she knew she deserved to burn for real, to burn forever. But even to cleanse her soul with holy flame would be too kind a mercy for a traitor of her magnitude. How could he, how could the gods ever forgive such a miserable wretch like her?

His hand fell onto her shoulder, steady and strong–

"He is a man unlike any other," Webb explained, her voice quiet and serious as she made her way back to her desk, hands folded behind her back. "The Leaden Key is an organization dedicated to obscuring, muddling, and destroying information, including any evidence pertaining to themselves or their activities. There's no way to be sure, but what little we've found suggests that they have supposedly existed for over two thousand years." She looked pointedly at Axa, one eyebrow cocked. "And it was Thaos who founded them."

"But that's impossible," Aloth blurted. "Even the longest-lived elves haven't even come close to..." He trailed off, twisting his fingers together anxiously, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Webb sighed, one drooping corner of her mouth briefly lifting into a smirk. "But when it comes to the Leaden Key, little is as it seems. If what we've managed to learn about him so far is true– and there's no guarantee that it is, but it's the best explanation we've got– he is one of Woedica's Favored, an agent of the Queen Who Was who has been gifted with the blessing of eternal life. In practice, this means that every time he dies, Thaos' soul is guided by Her hand to be reborn in an almost identical vessel, and once he reaches puberty, he Awakens to all of his past lives at once, in order to continue the work of his Mistress on Eora. So strong is his soul, in fact, that he can supposedly even project it out of himself and into others, crushing the will of lesser souls and usurping their bodies for his and his Queen's own ends." She regarded Axa with pity. "He is almost certainly the most dangerous, elusive, powerful man on the face of the planet. And while I can't deny being grateful for the company, you have my deepest sympathies that your path has also crossed with his."

"Why was he in Teir Nowneth the night the machine was activated in Heritage Hill?" Axa demanded, her head spinning. "What was he doing in Cliant Lîs? How did he Awaken me–"

–"So you have sinned," Thaos proclaimed gravely. "You have erred, stumbled on your path, and now you would cast yourself into the Void. Is that it?"

Anthea wanted to cover her face with her hands, wanted to run, to hide, but she could barely even find it in herself to draw the breath to answer him. "What I've done, no god could forgive me. Now or ever."

He brought his other hand around, then, gripped both of her shoulders firmly. "My child, my dear child, if you truly believe that then I have utterly failed you, as a teacher and as a leader. There is no sin so grevious that it cannot be absolved, no path so dark the gods cannot light the way to salvation! As long as you do not turn your back on Them, They will never turn Their backs on you."

She knew it couldn't be true. It was too good to be true, and nothing in her life had ever been half so good. Not since she was a child. But... would he really lie to her like that? He never had before. At least, she didn't think he had. Anthea slowly lifted her head to look at the man who would save her from herself–

Lady Webb sat back down, letting her chin hover just above her steepled fingers. "That's what I'd like to know. There's quite a lot I'd like to know about Thaos ix Arkannon and the Leaden Key, as I rather imagine you would, too. That's why I summoned you here today– to work with you, pool our resources, compare notes. The Key has been... active as of late, and where they go, you seem to follow, righting their wrongs. As you did in Heritage Hill." She smiled, her thin, red mouth like a slit cut into her face. "I'd like you to continue to do so, and to report your successes back to me. In return, Dunryd Row's resources shall be at your disposal should you need them, and with a bit of luck– well, a lot of luck, in truth– perhaps we two can corner him and get our answers at last."

There was something behind Webb's eyes, something mysterious and passionate and unrelenting that Axa couldn't quite place, but she knew instinctively that it wasn't for her. Whatever it was that drove this woman, whether it was a thirst for vengeance or a desire for the truth or a need for justice, the ferocity behind her eyes was only for Thaos.

She could respect that.

"Very well," Axa replied, "I accept–"

–"I... I want to believe that's so, Your Eminence," she stammered, "but even if it were, I don't deserve Their clemency."

"Some among the gods would see you punished, it's true," he murmured. "But the sting of the lash passes in an instant compared to the eternity afterward in which you shall enjoy the boundless mercy, the cleansing forgiveness, the all-consuming love of the gods. That is what makes one deserving– devotion. As long as you devote yourself to Them, They will return the faith you place in Them a thousand fold."

The tears fell afresh from her eyes, this time from sheer relief. Somewhere deep in her heart, she must have known he could make it all right, could show her the path to absolution. He always did. That was the real reason she had come here, wasn't it? What had she been so afraid of?

Thaos smiled warmly at her, his hands still gently clutching her shoulders. "Stay with us, Anthea. We need you. The gods need you. They have entrusted you with the truth of Their Word– will you return that trust?"

"I will," she whispered–

"Now, before you go– what was that bizarre display you put on just outside our door?" Lady Webb was already looking through another stack of documents, but she spared Axa a bemused glance. "It's not a good look, dear, standing around with your eyes glazed over and your mouth agog. You're liable to catch flies."

"I'm an Awakened Watcher," the orlan retorted curtly. "The memories from my past life tend to be a bit more vivid than the ones other Awakened kith might experience. And I don't exactly control what I see or when I see it."

The old Cipher shrugged. "I meant no offense. Only trying to warn you that you may have unwittingly broadcasted your whereabouts to someone who seems to have a bone to pick with you." She gestured vaguely toward the door to her office, and it swung open, an orlan man stepping in as though he'd been expected.

Webb looked at Axa the way a jaded teacher might at an impudent pupil. "Well? Show him the affidavit."

She blinked, and somewhat reluctantly, she reached into her satchel and produced Penhelm's affidavit, the one Aloth had pilfered for her at Crucible Keep. "Uh... Can you tell me if this is genuine?" she muttered.

The older man took it from her, looked it over briefly, and shook his head, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he handed it back. "Not at all," he pronounced. "Being perfectly honest, it's a rather shabby forgery, too."

Webb sighed, shuffling her papers. "Thank you, Kurren; you may go." The orlan gave her a respectful nod and left to return to his work downstairs as the directress of Dunryd Row grinned wryly at Axa. "Now you have your bargaining chip. Penhelm is waiting for you on the street outside. Do exercise caution, dear, and try to keep the blood off of my siding. We've only just had it repainted last month."

"Actually," the little woman smiled slyly, "I think I've got a better idea."

—

#pillars of eternity #poe anthem infinitum #fic wip #i knew this section was gonna be the real meat of the chapter #i'm doing a Thing with capitalizing the gods' pronouns #one more section and then a new playing and planning phase can begin bghfghbfghfhh!!!!#thanks for reading ♡

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stranger-who-writes-fiction · 4 years

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SO HEY, EPISODE 5x13

Crops? Watered. Skin? Clear. Fifth Dimensional Imp? Redeemed, and here to help our Kryptonian Sunshine Child Learn Some Much-Needed Lessons on this Very Special Episode.

SPOILERS!

NEW AND IMPROVED MXY! He is excellent. Loved every second he was on screen, he had such a great dynamic with Kara, and the ENTIRE OPENING SCENE WITH ALL THREE OF THEM WAS HILARIOUS.

Give the Danvers Sisters More Comedy Scenes, Please

Man when he just walks across the furniture.

SO GOOD

And then J’onn w/ his casual ‘Hey girls.’ SPAAAAACE DAAAAAD

MAGIC PAINTBALL!

(Man Supergirl’s Attic podcast just nailed that, huh?)

Loved all of the different viewing methods--Projector! MyxFlyx! Betamyx! Also the popcorn bucket gag, and how Kara’s just like: ‘...Yeah alright.’

And then we get to the first of the alternate timelines and OKAY, OKAY I see now why they need the bad wigs...they gotta match pre-existing footage, FINE.

But UUUUuuuUUUUgh bad wigs. BAD.

You know what else is bad? Lena blabbing Kara’s secret to Sam!

Because KARA DIES.

And you know...we’ve seen Kara in some pretty gruesome fights, we’ve seen her in a coma, we’ve seen her die before but there is something final and painful and AWFUL about her flat-lining in the DEO.

AND THEN ALEX AT THE GRAVE???!??!?!?!

*openly weeps* *just like Mxy and Kara*

Look I don’t wanna keep harping on the wigs but good grief, Kara’s ‘Supergirl’ hair looks like it walked right of the set of a 70s sitcom.

Right, okay, so the chat with Lena! I sincerely doubt that Lena would’ve let anyone help her with Sam. Just sayin’.

‘I had to go through that alone!’ Yeah, Lena, that’s kinda your MO, and you do it even when people level with you.

(As much as I enjoyed the cathartic release provided by this episode, I still found some of the dialogue in regards to Lena a bit...trying.)

(Like this part, and Sam insisting that the Kryptonite manufacturing was totally fine! No big deal!)

(Reader, it was not fine, and was, in fact, a Big Deal.)

“Wait you’re skipping a lot!”

“So much exposition.”

Awww, Beard-of-Wisdom Mon-El is back!

And BOY OH BOY, HE’S GOT SOME WORDS O’ WISDOM INDEED.

“You know Lena and I have a lot in common.” MMMMM-HMMMMMM.

In that both your story line and Lena’s were/are extremely tedious

But no, for real, it’s a really lovely exchange.

“You deserve the same compassion that you show others.”

THREE CHEERS FOR OL’ WISE-BEARD!

Also, happy to report that the wig works best in the rain!

And speaking of Raineign... (har, har)

More Death! A recurring theme, with these alternate realities!

So, basically:

Back at the loft! Loved the Friends-esque VHS titles

The One Where Lena Moves to National City

The One Where Lillian Admits She Loves Lena

The One Where Supergirl and Lena Fight the Nanobot Lady

And then we get the ‘First Meeting’* reveal and may I just say, the score? Lovely.

*Not really the first meeting but ‘Third-ish meeting that was retroactively added in “Confidence Women”’ is a bit of a mouthful, so.

“I have to recall all those alien detective devices because they clearly don’t work!” Or...you could recall them...because they’re bad.

Just a thought.

Love 20s news announcer Mxy and the newspaper spins.

I also love that this particular timeline is a direct response to...a specific corner of the SG fandom, and their ongoing complaints. ‘Everything would be better if Kara told Lena right away!’ Well, no, actually! It puts a huge target on Lena, just like Kara feared. ‘Why does Kara even need a secret identity? Almost everyone knows, it’s barely a secret, why bother!?’ because IT PUTS A HUGE TARGET ON KARA’S LOVED ONES, JUST LIKE KARA FEARED.

Alsoooooo the one out there going hard for and stanning the Luthor/Super partnership...is a fanatical cult leader.

Which I’m sure means nothing and isn’t a thinly-veiled commentary, or anything.

...Anyways!

EVERYONE DIES AGAIN.

And THEN we go to the darkest timeline.

Love Kara’s, “You know what? No thanks. Nope. Don’t need to see it.”

And then Dreamer! With a face scar! And as we all know, face scars are always code for Dystopian AUs.

KELLY WITH THE SHIIIIIEEEEELD AGAIN!

And it looks like the good guys are winning their respective fights! But then METALLO!LENA JUST STRAIGHT UP TRIES TO MURDER KARA.

To quote Kara: No thanks. Nope.

But Mxy gets Hat’s hat and they’re safely back in Kara’s loft AND THEN

AND THEN AND THEN AND THEEEEEENNNNNNNN:

After 13 long, (loooooong) episodes, we finally get some gol-dang character development.

♫Aaaaaat laaaaaaaaaast, the skiiiiiies above are bluuu-uuueee ♫

And not just any character development! KARA CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.

THE CONTENT I CRAVE.

It was so good. EVERYTHING. SPELLED OUT. CLEARLY.

Whoop, wait, before we dig into that: Redemption for Mxy.

Who is now a FRIEND and not a creepy stalker! Which, lemme tell ya, really put a damper on the otherwise fun energy that a fifth dimension imp from the Silver Age should bring.

I am very Pleased with these developments, is what I’m saying.

Okay, back to the good stuff. I’m just gonna quote it in full:

I recognize I made a mistake in hiding my identity from you for so long, but the past is the past, and I can’t change it. Forgive me or not, that’s your choice. Just like it’s your choice to work with Lex. I’m done blaming myself for your bad decisions...from now on, you’re accountable for your own actions. If you decide to forgive me, I will be there for you. But if you continue to work with Lex, if you go through with whatever it is the two of you are planning, I will do everything in my power to stop you, just like I would any other villain.

Amazing. Spectacular. Brilliant.

And to top it all off? SPACEFAM CONTENT. AND JUNK FOOD! A WINNING COMBO.

Kara’s happy face is so cuuuuuuute and the french fry toast!

And EL MAYARAH! STRONGER TOGETHER!

It’s just so beautiful.

So in conclusion! I think, given the constraints set up by the season long arc, this was a really nice way to tie it into that story but also honor a lot of what came before. I know a lot of folks wish it had focused more on the Spacefam, and that we had more Season One call backs, and that’s fair, but personally, I didn’t mind it. (Because we got a beautiful Superfriends reunion in 5x11/5x12 and Eliza is coming back at SOME point in the future so I am Content. XD)

...Also let us all be grateful that it didn’t fall within one of the crossovers, like Arrow’s 100th episode. Oof.

#SG post #long post #supergirl spoilers #supergirl 5x13 spoilers

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thekraziesreside · 4 years

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A Potential Solution where Emzawa can be the Endgame we deserve

(if it’s nonsensical and full is mistakes, forgive me, it’s 4am and I tried to compile all the info about bnha em that i could find)

ALT TITLE: Let Em Be Loved, I Want Her to Feel Wanted

Aizawa doesn’t like recklessness in other people, I won’t contest that. I might suggest that he’s especially harsh on Em because he’s fond of her - a complicated relationship for him as a mentor (feeling personally responsible for her growth and safety) and potential love interest (admiring her independence and aware that she’s an adult). She isn’t something he’s had to deal with before, so he is cautious, but given the way he lets some of the kids (Midoriya et al) get away with easy punishments for what are usually very serious and life threatening situations, I can’t imagine him being too upset that in emergency situations (like the USJ attack) Em uses her quirk in the harsh near suicidal way that she must. He himself took outrageous damage to save the kids.

I asked my hubby about his interpretation of Aizawa’s character and how he might react to a situation like that, just to make sure I wasn’t getting too off base, and he thinks that Aizawa, as a prohero, married to his two careers, if he didn’t feel responsible for Em, would probably have a sense of pride that she did her job as a hero and put herself in grave danger to save someone else. That’s their job, after all. He would do it. All Might would do it. Mic and Midnight and Thirteen would do it. So he might be scared for her well being, and wish that she could have fought more safely with her quirk(s), but at the end of the day (and perhaps with some sitdown prompting from the other teachers and/or Nedzu) he has to realize that not only was he doing the same thing, rewarding the same behavior in the other students, and might have died a painful death without the assist, that it was a brave, heroic call to make, and was the right thing for a hero to do.

I think it’s just as likely that he might double down his efforts to help Em learn to fight without mutilation because he would shoulder some responsibility himself that she had to resort to those old tools. If he’s disappointed in her for reverting to old ways, he is disappointed in himself for not making sure she had better alternatives. I think this dynamic would leave their future relationship more open to the eventuality that she will “rejoin” the villains to protect Bakugo, but I’ll get to that in a minute.

With Em’s true identity now revealed to the LoV and staff at UA, there’s no way someone (Nedzu) wouldn’t find out everything about her past, if he didn’t already know. Along this vein, Aizawa might be suspicious of her for hiding her identity, but like you said before, had seen her intentions and motivations laid bare in a moment of desperation. He knows she’s not evil. Anything about her abusive family and tenuous relationship with AFO that he’s briefed on would only fix that further in his mind, that she was a troubled child in a troubled world, trying to make herself into the hero she wants to be. He knows it takes a lot of work and sacrifice, and while he may doubt that she has the guts to put in the hard work to turn over a new leaf, even when she abandons them, he would know, through any betrayal that he felt, that she still wasn’t evil.

Perhaps he’ll think evil is the easier choice for her. Or, more harshly, that she isn’t cut out for hero work, too weak to face her own evil and keep pushing on (not when her first instinct is to martyr herself, die, and escape the immediate consequences of whatever killed her, pain or not).

This is all assuming they have minimal contact during this time, banking on Aizawa’s observational skills and his connections within UA. If, as I’m sure both of us want, their relationship has changed with the revelation that Em is an entire adult lady, with a complex story and lifetime career in the industry. He isn’t responsible for her. She isn’t a child. He helps her continue learning and working at first because it’s his job, and he’s as fond of her as he is any other student, but moving forward things are allowed to change. He’s allowed to be charmed by her good graces and laughs. He’s allowed to share his lunch, take her out for coffee, and have the kind of friendship among colleagues that can develop a flutter in his stomach, and pretty blue eyes filling his daydreams.

With that, maybe Em explains her plan before she runs off. Maybe they’re both heartbroken for each other and worried as she sits with the League, watching over Bakugo, as it aches Aizawa’s heart to denounce her publicly. If that jives with your ideas for both of them, it replaces Em’s imposter syndrome with Aizawa at her bedside when she wakes up in the ICU. AFO’s gaslighting of her (and All Might), while harsh and painful, has the opportunity to be soothed by scratchy beards and calloused hands, as Em puts in the work to be the kind of hero she wants to be.

*falls to my knees and cries in gay*

TBH Em is the definition of dumb bitch with her quirk sometimes because she’ll just do it by instinct, and then realize “Oh fuck I know how to fight 🙃 “ She’s not doing it to make people feel bad for her, in fact she often forgets that “hey you know when you get hurt like that- you get blood all over your team mates? Right? It’s kinda tramatic Em.” Em is dummy, maybe dummy thicc, but mostly dummy.

tbh she’s real good at hand to hand combat, like my other Em’s but like- I had to give her a flaw, and that flaw being she forgets to think and just acts, and that usually involves her running infront of danger to human sheild the attack from hitting whoever it was originally intended for. Though if she does get appathetic- she stops caring, and then if you fight state with a sword or something you’re fucked. She’s going to let you stab her and she’s going to hold the blade there so you can’t pull away and attack again, but also now you’re stuck and she’s going to round house kick your skull into the groud so hard you better hope your skull doesn’t shatter. (But that’s OP so I don’t usually talk about how she can actually kick asshahahaha OOF)

Also I would love for Aizawa to be the one who tries to help her learn to use her head and not her heart in battle. Like- she knows how to fight, she just needs to over ride her instincts, it’s silly because one simple counter attack to block harm from someone is a lot smarter than her just standing there and taking the initial attack. I feel like she couldn’t bring herself to actually battle with Aizawa, she just dodges and blocks his hits, and will only use a small amount of force when she counter attacks him because she doesn’t want to hurt him. (Not cause he’s fragile but because she doesn’t want to hurt someone she cares about. She won’t even really hit Tomura, in battle, unless he’s risking someone else. But her main way to fight people she cares about is to tackle hug them, they can’t fight if they can’t move. She also can use acupressure like Ty Lee from Avatar, but that is kinda painful so she wouldn’t use it on Aizawa in training either. 😔

But you’re super right with that analysis, it might be easier for Em to be a villain. >:3 //slaps self But if she had a reason to be good she would, like Aizawa, but tbh in the back of her mind she wonders if the heroes are keeping her around to keep her at bay. And that hurts, but she’s not good talking about her feelings. Hell if anyone brought up her childhood she’d be like “ahahik haihd whha- noo. No it’s not as bad as it seems.” Just totally blowing it off, she doesn’t like talking about it to anyone.

BUT HGGOD THAT SOUNDS SO NICE. Em waking up in ICU but she’s there and WDHIHWDIEH COMFORT STUFF KILLS ME *knees buckle, and cries into the ground* Like- jebus- y e s. God between you and Darthsuki yall have helped me develop a story line much more plausable with Em. Like maybe I can make use of that Overhaul Em drawing 😏 maybe after the redemption Fanfic Suki wrote, maybe Em learns to discuss her plans and she goes undercover for the Overhaul case, that way it’s not a part 2 (part 3?) betrayl to the heroes.

EHIhiwhfdi All in all, THanK YOU ??!! FDheiFFEJH I’m sorry I can’t shut up about Em stuff.

#submission #Nice things for Krazie #Boku no Em

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sadbi-hours · 4 years

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Here it is! Finally! My Stranger things’ Fanfic Rec list I’ve put off for months yooo! Anyway, I hope you find something to read and enjoy y’all :)

(Oh, the * at the front of the fic title means they are my favorites!)

* objects in the mirror by Snickfic (Complete)

Jonathan has no f**king idea why Nancy and Steve gave him the Nikon. He doesn't know why they're so insistent on seeing the pictures he takes, either.

why you should read it?:one reason: you can’t tell me that Jonathan doesn’t have a thing for taking pics during sexy times! you just can’t...and this fanfic is the reason why!

And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars Series by Drhair76 (WIP)

The many adventures of Steve, Jonathan and Nancy as they figure out their relationship. (feat. Robin, the kiddos and a heck ton of parental figures.)

why you should read it?: Because Steve/Nancy/Jonathan’s relationship is the cutest thing in this little series...but it’s also very real in a way that’s not supernatural. Just go read the series! Warning: It does get a little angsty in later parts!

Emotion Sickness by Shypt (WIP)

After the Battle of Starcourt, Steve struggles with the damages that the Russians left behind. In dealing with the aftermath, with the help of Robin and the Party, he uncovers a larger conspiracy at hand than just re-opening the Gate.

why you should read it?: Post s3 fic, where Robin and Steve are left with powers after the Russian’s experiments...and how they deal with that and the large conspiracy at behind why.

* it's a risk, it's a gamble by nondz (pinkjook) (Complete)

“I think we should pretend to date,” Robin says.

"What?" Steve answers.

why you should read it?: read this post and all my feelings will be revealed...or aka the emotionally sweet stoncy fic where Robin and Steve pretend to be each others beards... that might have made me weep silently a few times haha!

* Strike from the Records (it's not over 'till we're done) by SylphofScript (Complete)

If there’s one more thing Steve should have walked away with after so many incidents with the otherworldly, it’s to never trust the slow points.

They were only ever a blanket of lies, covering up a brewing storm.

Too bad Steve never learns.

why you should read it?: A long connective fic, where each character is common or not so common whamp trope! So beware, it gets super angsty in parts!

Have Happened by cortexikid (Complete)

"I overheard you. You were talking in your sleep.”

Steve's heart fluttered nervously.

“It was a little funny at first,” Nancy admitted, her tone a mix of teasing and apologetic, “you were moaning my name and I thought it’d be kinda funny if Mike accidentally overheard you having a sex dream about his sister—”

Steve couldn’t control the guffaw that escaped him.

“But then you said Jonathan’s name. Right after mine. All in the same breath.”

why you should read it?: You know, why not! I’ll admit, this story doesn’t entirely work for me anymore since the monster hunting trio had grown so far from their s1 characterizations, but it’s still a fic worth reading! So i am rec-ing it!

Slide Over Here by empathieves (Complete)

Nancy says Jonathan's name instead of Steve's two weeks after the Monster Hunting Incident. Steve says it instead of Nancy's name a month after. They don't talk about it until two months after, when it's become increasingly hard to ignore that Jonathan Byers has become a part of their sex life without even being in the room.

why you should read it?: Another post s1 fic, where Nancy and Steve slowly start bringing Jonathan’s name into their sex life...and how they eventually act on their desires!

Searching For Your Heart by cali-chan (girls_are_weird) (Complete)

One of the world's biggest action movie superstars is coming to town, and every kid in Hawkins High is determined to win MTV's back-to-school scavenger hunt and get a face-to-face meeting with their idol. Mike and his friends are sure they've got this in the bag— until the contest throws a wrench in their plans and their only shot at winning is partnering up with Mike's longtime crush, El Hopper.

why you should read it?: I’ll admit I didn’t finish this story...I was a little too fluffy for my tastes, but It’s still a cute story worth reading!

Bad at Love (Can You Blame Me for Trying) by GeoffsEightGreatestMistakes (Complete)

He liked to think the world was done throwing him curveballs. He’s had to kill the Demogorgon, get his face punched in by a crazed stepbrother, listen to his drunk girlfriend tell him she doesn’t love him, and tell his best friend that he’s a piece of shit. He thought he had somehow managed to catch enough curveballs for a lifetime. He was wrong. The newest curveball may be the hardest one yet.

why you should read it?: It’s Stoncy and my fav romantic angst trope: (not so) unrequited love/Pining!

* every night my mind is running around her by magneticwave (Complete)

In which Nancy gets married, Lucas gets hot, and Dustin gets to give lots of people advice that he’s only moderately qualified to dispense.

why you should read it?: This was my first ever ST fanfic! I had to add it on principal...of it being absolutely amazing lol!

* Ducks on the Pond by The Stephanois (ballantine) (Complete)

Steve Harrington knows two things to be true: the St. Louis Cardinals are the best baseball team in the world, and Nancy Wheeler is far too amazing for him to hog all to himself.

why you should read it?: It’s one of my all time favorite stoncy fics, it combines two things I absolutely love into one story: Poly relationships and Baseball (I won a MVP trophy in HS for Pitching) ...and also uses the age old euphemism of bases for sex;)

Across the Many Miles by FeoplePeel (Complete)

Nancy packed her bags and moved out West for Caltech. Jonathan’s East at NYU. Steve’s in the middle, Hawkins, Indiana and separated from the only people who understand by a seemingly endless stretch of land on each side. The story doesn't start there, but it doesn't end there, either.

why you should read it?: It’s actually been so long since I’ve read this one...and bruh is it long...so it’s definitely not a causal read, but it’s very very good read if you have the time for a long, long story.

* let this pass you by CallicoKitten (Complete)

Steve’s not entirely sure at which point in his life he became Dustin Henderson’s personal chauffeur. Okay, maybe that’s not entirely true. Maybe he can pinpoint the exact moment it happened and it honestly keeps him awake at night more than the demo-dogs or the Demogorgon or any of the insane shit that’s happened in Hawkins recently.

---

the kids drag steve on a trip to chicago to find El's sister, steve figures some shit out in the process

why you should read it?: It’s stoncy, the party, and a road trip all rolled into one...what more can you ask for haha?!

Talk Me Down by anomalation (Complete)

Nancy knows what she wants: Steve and Jonathan both, and maybe a fight. Steve knows he'd do anything for these dorky kids. Jonathan doesn't seem to want anything, but he'd also never ask them. And none of them are interested in forgiving Billy.

Featuring: some D&D, a Christmas party, a lot of relationship negotiating, no excuses for shitty behavior, and yet also the firm belief that nobody deserves abusive parents.

why you should read it?: Another really long, long fic that I completely enjoyed the one time I read it...and It had a nice and real redemption arc for Billy that I liked.

* For the Three of Us by brokenpromisesandhope

5 times Jonathan loved Steve and Nancy and one time they loved him back.

why you should read it?: The summary pretty much says it all...

* decide on me (decide on us) by mjolnirbreaker (Complete)

Robin could very well die tonight in her stupid work uniform, and honestly she doesn’t want to dwell on it. So she’s going to make it her personal mission to figure out what’s up with Steve’s romantic life, and hopefully they don’t die before she solves the puzzle.

why you should read it?: It amazes me to this day...just how close to canon this author had gotten for Robin’s characterization and her relationship with Steve!

* fly me to the moon by bleuboxes (Complete)

It's a Saturday night; he's watching one of those Star Wars movies with Robin - who won't shut up about how hot Leia looks.

Steve mentions something briefly about how he likes Han’s hair, rugged tough guy appearance, and general aloofness. Robin rolls her eyes, mutters an 'of course you do', then throws popcorn at his face.

why you should read it?: Okay, I related way too well to this story! Han Solo was one of my bisexual awakens too...and I didn’t realize until years later lol! It’s also a sweet story about how Robin slowly helps Steve through his awakening like a real BFF should.

God Help the Outcasts by willwrite4coffee (Complete)

Robin Buckley's always been a little different, but to her, that's never been a bad thing.

She's been on the outside looking in, an outcast, but she'd rather spend her evening with Sousa than at a kegger.

Being an outsider has never been a bad thing.

(also known as, why does no one know Robin in such a small town like Hawkins?)

why you should read it?: A cute little story about Robin and Steve’s friendship directly after the events of s3...and how the party and Nancy and Jonathan slowly begin to accept Robin into the fold.

Oh, and anything by @trulyalpha! Here’s the Ao3 link!

#stranger things #fanfic rec list #i am completely sure that i am missing some #but i've read a lot of st fanfics #so there is more than likely to be a part 2 #so yay...i guess lol #none of these works are mine....and if you want your tumblr link at the end #just dm me #image not mine

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drinkyourfuckingmilk · 5 years

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what are your thots on all the dragon age origins companions 💖💖💘💘💖

edit: it came to my attention way late in the game that you asked about origins, not inquisition but please enjoy my dumbassery regardless

cassandra: amazing mash up of a badass warrior woman (WHO NOT EVEN A DRAGON CAN DENT) who is also wholesome and soft and utterly ashamed of her love of wanting to be a delicate graceful lovable princess. she has strong principles which I love but she is also willing to change her views based on new information regardless of whether she is comfortable with it or not which I love. pragmatic as shit which is a trait I always wished I had so I adore her.

varric: ultimate bro who is as loyal and chill and reasonable as his chest hair is vast. great conversationalist. doesn’t fear what he doesn’t understand, instead seeks to understand it better with the endearing attitude of, “well, SHIT”.

solas: deeply tragic, multi-faceted, soothing, compassionate, very interesting (like lets be real: you could ask solas about something inconsequentional like fuckin toenails and he’d have something interesting to say about it) and mostly wise motherfucker whose hypocrisy and nearsightedness is only acceptable because its driven by guilt and a misguided sense of responsibility for the defenseless borne out of compassion and the principle of all beings having the inherent right to exist freely. if we all put ourselves in this bitch’s shoes we’d feel the same struggle he does.

vivienne: she is the terrifyingly unshakable, cold, old-fashioned, detached but ultimately fiercely loving upper-middle class somewhat materialistic mother who I’ve always had and always loved and admired. she also has the best fucking mage outfit I’ve ever seen.

sera: infuriating to talk to sometimes due to internalized self-hatred and a penchant for fucking childish nonsense but ultimately she is hilarious, contagiously fun, and is always endearing for looking out for the underdogs and for never taking herself too seriously. I used to hate sera but now I fuckin love her.

blackwall: sweet, reasonable, hilarious barn-dwelling beard-man who made mistakes and perhaps, given his actions, did not deserve redemption but ultimately proved his worth but taking the gift of forgiveness not just as an absolution for past mistakes but used it as an absolute force of compassion and spread it around with the sincere desire to do some good to those who, for whatever reason, had a bad start but who have the capability for bringing so much good to the world. love blackwall. he’s deeply relatable and a good example of what greatness can be done with forgiveness and compassion.

cole: fascinating, invaluable, sweet baby boy. though I love him more for how insightful he is into people’s behaviour and the important questions compassion raises and how it can be used rather than just for how sweet he is. also love how plays the long con just to get people to feel good about themselves.

iron bull: chill as fuck, hilariously opposed to anything out of the muscled, protein-gained, fist-fighting norm. love his whole shtick of loving and valuing others for their individuality given he’s legit been brainwashed by his people’s culture into thinking that deviation from the collective norm is wrong. ultimate shredded dad.

dorian: love, love, love, love him. self-assuredness and exaggerated pomposity to combat self-doubt and shame and a mild drinking problem (can relate), all the while carrying such a difficult contradiction on his shoulders like a rock star. clearly loving and deeply loyal to his friends and profoundly intelligent and insightful in his field. the best thing about dorian is his potential for bringing about change via compassion. like I love dorian because he never takes anything seriously which is reassuring in a crisis, but ultimately he is never light-hearted about the important things. he’s serious and caring on the things that matter and to hell with the rest.

#I originally played this game with companions who I either loved or hated #after replaying it a gross amount of times #I truly love them all for how complex they are #they all bring something amazing and not-so-amazing to the table #which makes them endearingly so real #darkspawntaxcollectors

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whittynovels · 6 years

Text

restore me predictions 2

*"It made me wish I’d had a sister. Or a mother. Someone to learn from and lean on. A woman to teach me how to be brave in this body, among these men" -Juliette gets friends!!!!! -I want juliette to get a makeover and people who give her boy advice and talk with her about girl stuff and ugh girls -She was never this way with the twins it always felt so awkward *Will Kenji get a love interest? -“he tries” -kenji totes flirts with international people -is the ex-girlfriend his????? -tahereh said kenji doesn’t get anyone in this book but thats ok we'll have a slow burn over a 3 book arc it's what he deserves -T said it’s someone we don’t already know which is fair bc everyone we already know he said is too much like a sister to him so it would be weird *Juliette’s favorite color is black? Sounds fake but ok *JAMES AND WARNER JAMES AND WARNER JAMES AND WA -“were you CRYING?” ummmm just fucking punch me in the lung next time -honestly is every character in this book just gonna witness a warner breakdown why we gotta do him so dirty like that -james is gonna be so mad when they find out they’re brothers because in unravel me he gets pissed about not being told stuff/getting left out -I don’t think it’ll happen this soon *WARNER’S EMO POWERS IN HIS POV -THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE THING I’M EXCITED FOR AND SHE HASN’T SHOWN IT YET IN THE SAMPLER SO I WAS WORRIED BUT YIPPEE I CANT WAIT TO GET CUTE WARNETTE SCENES WHERE WARNER IS AWARE OF JULIETTE'S FEELINGS AND ASKS HER ABOUT IT AND WANTS TO VALIDATE THAT SHE FEELS OKAY ASFUGHJKL;; *JULIETTE DRINKING ADFSGUHDIJ’K -I always wanted to write this but idk -Juliette is happy drunk / warner is emo drunk -Warner super concerned taking care of her *More people with powers? [we been knew reaction pic] -I honestly couldn’t guess any of the powers without just reciting powers from twilight or something lol *Kenji calling warner a dick and warner wanting to punch him -ME -Tahereh is teasing so much kenji & warner dialogue that it makes me wonder about them. Why are they together so much. Why does warner trust kenji. What. Help. Slow down *THE KIND OF MUSIC WARNER LISTENS TO -Either smooth jazz or beyonce, there’s no in between *What warner did to be leader of sector 45 -Pressure waves dude??? -No other predictions. no clue. help. *A cliffhanger?? -I honestly can’t tell you what state my anxiety will be in if there’s a cliffhanger -I think it’ll mirror other books where there’s certainly stuff unsolved but it’s not like someone dies then it’s like “aight, see ya next year” *She keeps hinting about deaths but tbh I don’t think anything will happen until book 6 -She did this with ignite me thinking big deaths would happen but it was nothing -I think she teases to create angst and fear but we’ll be fine -I trust her (t don’t let me down) *Another chapter 55 (◕‿◕✿) *lgbt characters !!!!!!!!! kenji, Brendan, Winston, whatever mans kenji gets *nO ADAM AND KENJI BRO MOMENTS HAHAHAHA -Kenji roasts adam at every opportunity *wARNER SPEAKING SEVERAL LANGUAGES UUGHGHHHHH WHAT A MAN!!!!!! WHAT A MAN, MY DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!! -Seven languages? Oh my lORDDT -I’m not even gonna predict what they are but hooooleeeee mollleeeeeey -We get to see him speak “a couple” ugghhhh I can’t wait to see juliette hear him break into Arabic or something and she’s just like !!!!!!!!!!!! *When asked about juliette and adam’s friendship growing, tahereh said “he’s a part of the story and there’s more left to come” and im just like noooooooo -At the same time, juliette is so forgiving I don’t doubt they’ll finally talk *PPL ROAST ME ABOUT AN ADAM REDEMPTION ARC BUT JUST THINK ABOUT WARNER AND ADAM’S FRIENDSHIP AND ADAM BEING SOMEONE WHO CAN SAVE THEM ALL IF HE PROJECTS HIS POWER AND DISABLES OTHERS’. I’M JUST SAYIN G *WARNER NAKED CRYING ON THE GROUND -WARNER HAS ANXIETY??? PLS LET WARNER HAVE ANXIETY I WANT ANXIETY REP -But at the same time I don’t because #tooreal -I feel like she posted this quote so out of context and it could be nothing but I leapt to the worst conclusions -Why isn’t juliette there? Did they have a fight? Did something happen to her? Did he read his dad’s journals? -DOES KENJI SEE HIS SCARS? -Is warner completely naked?? I’m so confused. I’M SO CONFUSED *Kenji calling warner cute constantly mY HEArt *WHY IS JULIETTE’S POV SPOILERY -Is she kidnapped??? Is she miserable??? Is a character with mind control powers harming her??? Is she separated from warner? Like WHAT??? It’s so spoilery that she can’t even find one quote to give us? *THE VALENTINES DAY SNIPPET -JULIETTE’S CONFIDENCE -THE TOWEL -WARNER’S POV SEXYTIMES -FWUJAOIFPKOIOBLHEIJKMF -SLIHBFLABKVLEAJFGFYOUDLHIJF -I was legit sobbing I was so happy for the first warnette kiss in 4 years -(lowkey wish there was more dialogue and description but that feels almost gluttonous at this point because we are so fortunate for having it at all) *Tahereh said she “likes” the ending of restore me -I don’t think we’ll have a cliffhanger, like I said. -She said “I don’t think it’s sad” so I hope it’s empowering like previous books -T said juliette is her favorite, ever, by the end of RM, so I think she’s fine and she doesn’t die clearly lol *AN EX-GIRLFRIEND COMES INTO PLAY -WHOSE??? WHAT IS THE TRUTH?????? -WHO IS GONNA CLAIM THIS WOMAN -Warner? Is it one of the overseas people? MY MANS IS A HOE!!!!! He out here saying “I didn’t have friends” but he actually meant “I had friends with benefits” -Kenji? Adam? Castle? I literally wish it were anyone else lol I’m solid on my theory of juliette being warner’s first everything but the internet and the author say otherwise *It’s confirmed that juliette MEETS her parents!!!!!! Oufhaouhilvgudyahisjkop;pzfx;ia I’MS O EXCITED SHE’S GONNA ROAST THEM I’M REA DY FOR HER TO ROOOAST THEM!! -Also warner said in unravel me he wants to kill whoever made her miserable as a kid so I want warner to threaten them or pull a gun or something and im just ready for there to be tea -The biggest question I have—more than what warner did to be leader of sector 45—is what her parents are like. Not even just physically and with their personalities. I’m so split on wondering if they’re sorry or if they still hate her. Are they happy without her? Do they regret it? Will they accept her as she is now? Will they learn to trust her? *New novellas??!!?!! -I was shocked we didn’t get one before this book. -Whose POV? We get a kenji short story so maybe from him. Since we get warner POV in the book, it’s not as important anymore as a separate novella. So it’s gotta be kenji, adam, castle, Anderson, someone, idk. james? new characters? -Maybe it’ll have bonus content from previous books in the trilogy (LS PS LP PL SP L S PL SPL S PLS PLS PL SPL S PLS PL S PLS) *The bird symbolism comes back I’m emo -Juliette flying (ie. Airplanes, she becomes the bird herself? Idk) -I always thought it was so weird that the “the bird I imagined is the bird on adam’s chest” conflict/coincidence was just randomly dropped. -Does juliette become adam’s bird? -DOES MY GIRL FINALLY GET TO SEE A BIRD???? AHHHHHHH --i used to want ignite me to end with her seeing a bird so maybe i can finally have my dream come true and one of these books has her seeing a bird in it *Juliette’s powers are still growing -Unless it has to do with killing people and not physically moving stuff like castle then idk. I’m conflicted about this one. *More about warner’s mom, it’s ok I’m just gonna cry over here *Warner’s virginity better not be a hot topic in this book because I am tired and I’m so happy not knowing -Same how I feel with sex scenes like ty for having them but I don’t need to be ~too~ well-acquainted with their anatomy, ya know? pls no sarah j maas porn in these woods, thank you *Juliette and warner get to travel!!!!!!! -Now that warner knows how to drive a helicopter I just imagine them being like “hey Barbie wanna go for a ride” “sure ken” “hop in” then I don’t wanna live forever starts playing because wasn’t there a helicopter scene in fifty shades *Warner and his 5 o’clock shadow sounds fake bc in unravel me when he was being held captive there was no beard [angery frog meme] -Why my mans so stressed he aint shavin????????? He needs a hug and 3 advil *SHE EITHER GETS A HAIRCUT OR A TATTOO IN THIS BOOK -I’m 50/50. On one hand, she mentioned in ignite me that she needs a haircut, but I really really reall yreally hate haircuts in books so I’m salty -Also Ive always wished she’d get a tattoo bc it’s so empowering and she has a lot of mantras she lives by and warner is such a cheerleader for them and he would love it too *WARNER IS LITERALLY THE EMBODIMENT OF CAR RADIO ABOUT OUTRUNNING SILENCE OAUHOSJIKO;DI;FSLDGYHIJ MY MANS IS EMO AND I LOVE AND SUPPORT HIM UNCONDITIONALLY -I’m concerned that he and juliette aren’t together more in this book. She’s in a meeting he’s not invited to??? Aaron warner? More like aaron burr, not being in the room where it happened

#ignore this #i'm linking it for goodreads lol

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skywalkersapprentice · 7 years

Text

Day 24- Forgiven

Anakin wakes after death to a familiar voice calling his name.

rating: g

pairing: none

word count: 2077

(read on ao3)

So technically I’m behind but I said in my opening Fictober post that it was okay to post late so I figure that applies to myself too.

There were masks dancing all around him in the darkness.

“He is not worthy.” That was the angry mask.

“Nonsense.” The serene mask.

“He is still too angry.” This was the sad mask.

“No, can you not feel it? He has done it. He has finally achieved balance.” The joyful mask had a voice to match.

“Why, have you brought him before us? Why?” Confusion peered down at him.

“Because he has brought balance to the Force at last.” That voice. That voice was familiar. He could not remember his own name, but he knew that voice.

“He has faced his great trials,” said the serene mask. “He has defeated the evil, both within and around him. He died knowing who he truly was.”

“This is his destiny!” exclaimed the joyful one.

“He does not deserve this,” said anger.

“That,” said the serene one, “is why it is called the Great Gift.”

Anakin awoke into darkness with someone calling his name.

His real name, not the Sith name he had used for over twenty years. And this voice was not speaking his name with malice, or fear, or anger, or any of the emotions he was used to hearing directed towards himself, but with the air of... an old friend.

“Anakin.”

The voice was familiar. Lilting, rough with age like he'd never heard outside his helmet, but light all the same.

His helmet. He wasn't wearing his helmet. There were no mechanical body parts weighing him down, no life support forcing air into his lungs, no pain.

There was no pain.

Luke, was his next thought, and then Anakin remembered.

He had killed Palpatine. His son was safe. He was free.

He was also dead.

Anakin blinked, then blinked again. How was he still existing? He remembered the moment of his death, how his consciousness had simply disappeared, like a light switching off. After everything he'd done, after all of his crimes against the galaxy, if there was an afterlife, he had expected to have no part in that. He'd made his peace with that before he died.

“Anakin,” the voice said again, and Anakin's consciousness turned to ice.

Obi-Wan.

If this was an afterlife, perhaps it was hell, where he was doomed to be tortured by his mistakes, all the people he'd once loved whose lives he'd destroyed. Padme was at the top of the list. Obi-Wan was number two.

“Leave me be!” he called into the blackness, then snapped his mouth shut.

His own voice- he hadn't heard it sound like that since... since the clone war.

“What trickery is that?” he whispered.

In front of him, a bright light appeared. The light grew, expanding like a supernova. That supernova grew arms, legs and a head, and suddenly, Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing before him.

This was a version of his Master that he had glimpsed only briefly, several years before on the first death star. His beard and hair were white, his face lined, but his eyes were the same as Anakin remembered from his youth.

For a moment, they looked at each other. Years of hatred and pain and sorrow stretched between them, closing Anakin's throat and rendering him unable to speak. What could he say? What he had done to Obi-Wan was unforgivable.

He closed his eyes, glanced away.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said again, but this time his voice was younger. Anakin looked up to see the Obi-Wan Kenobi of twenty three years ago standing in front of him. He wore no battle armour, just the long Jedi robes of his older self.

“How,” Anakin choked out, “can you even stand to look at me?”

“Because yours is a face I thought I would never see again,” Obi-Wan replied. “You have done the impossible, Anakin. You have redeemed yourself and brought balance to the Force.”

“That was my son,” Anakin said, and a sort of fierce pride simmered within him at the words. He did not have a lot to be proud of in his life. He could not take credit for the man Luke had become- he had done that in spite of Anakin, not because of him. But he was proud anyway, that something good existed in the galaxy because of him.

“Luke did not kill the Emperor,” Obi-Wan said. “He may have had a hand in your redemption, but ultimately, the choice was yours to make.”

After all these years, Obi-Wan had not lost his lecturing tone. Anakin felt an irrational urge to laugh.

“Where are we?” he asked instead.

“This is the netherworld of the Force.”

That didn't sound like hell. Anakin glanced around. Now that he wasn't so disoriented, he could feel the Force as he never had before. It wasn't around him. It was him.

And it was untainted and pure for the first time that he could remember.

“Why am I... here?”

Why was he conscious? Why did he have eyes to blink and emotions to feel? Was this a trick?

Obi-Wan stepped closer, reading the expression on his face. “It's not a trick, Anakin. For all the Sith promises of stopping death, they could never have achieved true immortality. Their selfishness and hatred blinded them to the secret of retaining one's consciousness after death.”

��Then, how-?”

“You died in an unselfish act,” Obi-Wan said. “You killed the Emperor and saved your son. You died not as Darth Vader, but as Anakin Skywalker. You returned from the dark side and because of this, you have been granted a gift.”

Anakin had fully expected to never wake up again. It would have been the kindest option he could think of, after what he'd done. And instead, he'd been given life after death.

He frowned, remembering something. “I saw... masks. Just after I died. There were masks all around me.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said. “Those were the Five Priestesses. They are ancient beings who exist in a state between the Living and Cosmic Force. They decide who is worthy of the Great Gift.”

“They were arguing,” Anakin recalled. “They didn't want me to have it.” He could understand why. He would have argued against it, too.

“Some of them,” Obi-Wan agreed. “But with some persuading, they were able to see what I did- that you have brought balance to the Force and fulfilled the Prophecy.”

Anakin stared at him. “You argued on my behalf. You went before the Priestesses for me.”

“I did.”

Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, who had practically raised him after he'd left Tatooine as a boy. Obi-Wan, who was the closest friend he'd ever had. Obi-Wan, who left him to burn beside a river of lava after Anakin had destroyed everything he loved.

Obi-Wan, who Anakin had cut in half, nineteen years later.

He found himself speechless.

Obi-Wan had no reason to still care about him, not after everything. And to give him a second chance...

“I don't understand,” he said. “Why?”

Obi-Wan glanced down, a shadow crossing his face. “For years, I was unable to see that there was still good in you. I was so caught up in my own feelings that I was convinced you were lost forever.” When he looked at Anakin again, it was with a faint but sincere smile. “I have never been so happy to be wrong.”

“I'm sorry, Master,” Anakin whispered. “I'm so sorry. For everything.” For the death star. For Mustafar, and the Jedi Purge. For keeping secrets he shouldn't have. For every bit of pain he had caused Obi-Wan since the beginning.

“I am no longer your Master,” Obi-Wan said, “but if I have one thing left to teach you, it's that everyone deserves forgiveness.” And, as if he could read Anakin's mind, he added gently, “even you.”

Anakin closed his eyes, emotion threatening to overcome him like it had not in years. “If this is out of some misplaced sense of duty-”

“Duty? Anakin.” There was the exasperation he remembered so well. “You were my closest friend and for years, not a day went by that I did not regret what happened between us. I went before the Priestesses not out of a sense of duty, but because I could.”

“For a long time, bending the rules for you, Obi-Wan has been,” said another familiar voice, and Anakin swallowed against another wave of confused emotions as Master Yoda blinked into existence. “Break this habit, he does not intend to.”

Anakin did the only thing he could think of. He bowed, going on one knee as he had become used to. “Master Yoda. I...”

He trailed off. “Sorry” seemed too small of a word when he thought about all he had done.

“Forgiven you, Obi-Wan and I have, Skywalker,” Yoda said. “Time to forgive yourself, it is.”

That, Anakin thought, was going to take a very long time. But looking into Yoda's eyes, he saw no condemnation, and it eased the burden from his chest.

“Excuse me, Master, but bending the rules?” Obi-Wan said. “All I did was summon the Priestesses before Anakin's consciousness faded into the Cosmic Force. How is that bending the rules?”

“Not to be intervened with, is fate,” Yoda told him. “Selfish, your reasoning was, hmm?”

“It was the will of the Force for Anakin to receive the gift,” Obi-Wan maintained, but even after all this time, Anakin could read the slight defensiveness in his shimmering frame.

“Perhaps,” Yoda said, “coincided, the will of the Force and your will have.”

Anakin glanced between Yoda and Obi-Wan, something foreign rising in him. It was a feeling that washed away the guilt and the heavy sadness, one that made him feel lighter.

He was free. He was forgiven. He was wanted.

With a start, Anakin realized that he was happy.

“Regardless of intent,” Obi-Wan said, “Anakin, you are now free to travel back and forth to the realm of the Living Force, as a spirit.”

Luke, Anakin thought. He could go and see his son, perhaps attempt to make amends with his daughter. There were so many possibilities open to him now that he felt almost overwhelmed.

It really was a second chance.

He didn't deserve it. Obi-Wan and Yoda both knew that. The Priestesses had known that too.

But maybe forgiveness was not something that was earned. It was a gift in itself.

Anakin stood, coming face to face with Obi-Wan. For a moment, he studied the face he had not seen since half a lifetime ago. All those years of pain and sorrow still existed between them, but at the moment, they seemed very far away. That unbridgeable gap now seemed smaller.

“I... don't know what to say,” he admitted. “Thank you, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan inclined his head. His eyes were bright and there was a hint of his old smile on his lips. “You're welcome, Anakin.” He lifted his chin, staring at things Anakin could not yet see. “Now,” he said, “shall we pay your son a visit?”

Obi-Wan showed him how to separate his consciousness from the Force just enough to return to the corporal world. He was already fading from Anakin's view as Anakin concentrated, and he noticed Obi-Wan was starting to return to his elder form.

He supposed it made sense. Luke knew him quite differently than Anakin did, and Force ghosts could apparently take different forms from within their lives.

Luke had never seen Anakin this young. Would he even recognize him? Even if Anakin knew how to return to the form of his disfigured 43-year-old self, he did not know if he would.

The passage back into the physical world was unlike anything Anakin had experienced before. It was nearly painful to tear himself away from the complete serenity of the Force. To slowly regain awareness of worldly surroundings was jarring. He grounded himself using the presences of Obi-Wan and Yoda beside him.

The first thing he saw was Obi-Wan, old in appearance, but younger in spirit than Anakin had felt in a long time.

The second thing he saw was his son, and he knew immediately that the trip had been worth it.

Luke's smile widened as Anakin joined Yoda and Obi-Wan. He beamed at his father, and Anakin's breath caught as Leia joined him. She hugged her brother and he turned his grin to her, unable to explain to her what he was seeing, but joyful all the same.

He found himself smiling as well. His children were safe. The darkness was gone.

And Anakin Skywalker was finally at peace.

#starwarsfictober #anakin skywalker #obi-wan kenobi #star wars #star wars fanfiction #star wars fictober #writings

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flicksnfilms · 6 years

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Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Writer: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Stan Lee, Jack Kirby (Marvel comics), Jim Starlin, George Pérez, Ron Lim (comic book story) Cast: fucking everybody IMDB | RottenTomatoes | Official Site

Watched: on 25 April, at the IMAX cinema, and 28 April, and 01 May

Reaction: ± Thanos demands my silence. I will say that i wasn’t half as prepared as i though i was. I'll edit this in like a week with my actual reaction since i assume by then it'll be far enough down any follower's (who hasn't watched - IN A WHOLE WEEK AFTER RELEASE!) dashboard to not be seen unless you're looking specifically at this blog.

Memorable aspect of the movie: + So many things. (Soon.)

Would I recommend it? > Fuck. Yes.

[EDIT:] So, reaction. After more than a month because i haven’t been on in a while, and under the cut because it’s hella long (like, super fucking long) and rambling in my geeky joy. :D It’s in 3 parts, from the three times i watched it.

[Take 1] ± It was an EXCELLENT, WELL BALANCED FILM. They have the Marvel Cinematic Universe formula down pat of comedy and drama, action and reaction. It’s so perfect and fun to watch. They were able to give the gigantic cast fairly equal screen time as well as balancing the personalities on screen. [See bonus content at the very end.]. That they split up the teams and threw them with other franchises was a great choice for both balance and dynamic. The visuals -- cinematography, CGI, costume, make up, set design --, as always, are a feast, with the coloration of the film striking a balance between all the different tones from each individual franchise.

[Take 2] Memorable [aspect] moments of the movie: + D: “I am Loki, Prince of Asgard... Odinson.” + XD “I’ll get you a metaphysical ham on rye.” + Doctor Strange and Tony’s interactions. It was interesting repartee and good chemistry. + Stark-raving Hazelnut and Hunka-Hulk-a Burning Love. I need to try these flavours, and also i need to know the flavours for every other Avenger. + <3 Tony brings the stupid flip phone around with him! AND there’s a message!! + XD “Squidward” + XD “Dude, you’re embarrassing me in front of the wizards.” + XD Bruce trying to beat Hulk out. + “Wong, you’re invited to my wedding.” + XD The singing. Mean faces. “Language. ... Ever since you got a little sap.” OMG. You GOT a little sap. Oh, puberty. “ XD “He is not a dude. You are a dude. He is a man. A handsome, muscular man.” “It’s like a pirate made a baby with an angel.” “God man.” + XD Mantis’s attack form. + XD Quill’s jealousy and mimicking. + “All words are made up words.” Well, that’s actually a good point. + “Is there a 4 digit code? A birthday perhaps” Thor’s really gotten into Midgard culture eh? (Which is a good carry over from Thor: Ragnarok.) + XD Rabbit. Tree. Morons. Ah, Thor’s nicknames. It’s fun, cause he doesn’t mean them maliciously and he says them with such regal diction that they feel kind of acceptable as nicknames. + The intro sequences for the rogue Avengers. STEVE!!! <3 And Sam! And Nat!! The whole fight sequence too! + D: “Where to, Cap?” “Home.” !!! (ESPECIALLY IF YOU REWATCH AGE OF ULTRON AND SEE HOW STEVE REACTS TO SAM SAYING “Home is home,” AT THE PARTY. TT_TT ) + “The kid watches more movies.” Well, that’s a good enough strategy. + “WHAT ARE THOSE??” The two teenagers use the same (meme) phrasing. + “Doctor. Do you concur?” + <3 “I’m not looking for forgiveness. And I’m way past asking permission. Earth just lost its best defender, so we’re here to fight. If you want to stand in our way, we’ll fight you too.” ICONIC. STEVEN FUCKING ROGERS, EVERYONE. + <3 The reunion greetings with Rhodey.” + XD “This is awkward.” + XD “It was an elective.” I NEED TO KNOW WHAT OTHER ELECTIVES THEY OFFERED ON ASGARD, PLEASE. + “I am Groot?” Evidently translates to: Are we there yet? The question of all kids in travelling vehicles everywhere. + D: “What more do I have to lose?” + Giant Peter Dinklage. So weird. + D: Quill and Gamora. + Quill actually got Thanos’s approval. So like, thanks, dad? Hahaha. + “We don’t trade lives.” + Nebula. What a badass. + XD “Blanket of death” + XD “Where is Gamora?” “Who is Gamora?” “Why is Gamora?” + “You’re from Earth?” “I’m from Missouri.” “Missouri is on Earth, dumbass.” + XD “Kick names. Take ass.” + Tony’s face. He’s so done with everyone. + Rhodey & Bruce. Ahh, what are friends for. XD + Steve & Bucky. Both of you are “hundred year old, semi-stable soldier”s. + Shuri! Wakanda! Man, i love this place. It’s great. + D: Gamora!! + “Get out of the way, Sammy.” SAMMY! + Thor jumping onto and then sitting on the pod. What a cutie. + “It’ll kill you.” “Not if I don’t die.” “Yes, that’s what killing you means.” + XD “Magic! More magic! Magic with a kick!” + Bucky & Rocket + “New haircut?” “I see you’ve copied my beard.” This is SO MUCH better knowing they ad-libbed it. + “This is my friend, Tree.” “I am Groot.” “I am Steve Rogers.” Of fucking course. Such a polite cutie pie, this guy. + XD Okoye’s reactions, and the “Why was she up there all this time?” + “She’s not alone.” FUCK YEAH. LET’S GO LADIES!! + “Oh, screw you, you big green asshole. I’ll do it myself.” Banner is super funny, situationally in this film. + “Tony Stark.” “You know me?” Hell yeah, you deserve to be acknowledged all over the universe, Tony. + The power of Doctor Strange and the mystic arts. SO COOL. + Tony ran out of nanoparticles! O_o + D: Wanda & Vision + “Steve?” TT___TT D: Bucky! Sam! My King! “Steady, Quill.” “I don’t wanna go!” TT__TT FEELS.

[Take 3] ± The familial hits get me more than the romantic ones. My reactions per viewing gave me three different experiences; It was personal, then intellectual, them empathic, in that order, for me. There are some moments i paid particular attention to, for a few characters:

Loki gets to come full circle with the “We have a Hulk,” line along with his redemption arc continuing on in from Thor: Ragnarok. Thor is an odd amalgamation of Shakespearean proper and slangy modern. “A little bit.” “So cool.” “I bid thee farewell and good luck, morons.” “Bye.”

The interplay between Tony and Strange. Excellent. It’s a real battle of egos at the beginning which turns to a mutual respect. Tony is a true leader. He intuits other people’s emotional reactions and attempts to keep them in line long enough to complete the goal.

A lot of shots in the Avengers compound are just Steve’s reactions. What bearing will this have? How does he feel about the cost?? Are they showing how tired he is from paying for his decisions?

The kid’s all heart. The first thing Peter does, once their plan goes awry, is try to save everyone even if he can’t remember their names. Okoye is a warrior to the core. She refuses to attach even these fuckers from behind. Bruce is such a goof and it shows now that he can’t disappear mid-scene. “Oh, you guys are so screwed!” And all the talking-to he gives Hulk.

Thanos’s voice really goes soft for Gamora, as a child, and the “I’m sorry, daughter.” “Tony Stark. ... You have my respect. I will wipe out half of humanity. I hope they remember you.” That’s amazing. The cost, the deterioration, is up to his arm and his neck. That’s an interesting detail which kind of implies that the Infinity Gauntlet (in the MCU at least) can only be used for something of this scale a few, if not only one, times.

I love that Marvel is really invested in antagonists that aren’t villains purely for the sake of being evil, but are fleshed out beings with emotions and purpose and passion, even if their goals are morally misguided. They have complex backstories and three dimensional personalities. Their goals are logical and intelligent, if a little beyond what’s reasonable. Their thought processes within the realm of imagination but a step too far for civilians and heroes.

The ending of this film is superb. I’ve seen many a peer say they think it’s too short or unresolved but i think they fail to appreciate the story. That sometimes the “good guys” don’t or can’t win (for now). That there are outcomes we’d rather not fathom and costs we’d rather not pay. But they happen. And the MCU gets this. That things happen and there’s a balance to it. There’s collateral and there’s gains and losses. And not just for the protagonist. (But for every character.)

Thanos achieved his goal, but at great personal cost. He won but lost all at once. Likewise, Killmonger achieved some of his goals but failed at others, died but did it with dignity in his eyes; Hela brought was released from her bonds and gained power but didn’t wind up ruling Asgard as it was swallowed by Ragnarok; Zemo sowed discord and ripped the Avengers apart from the inside, but was prevented from shooting himself and joining his family.

[BONUS:] In some of my movie reviews i talk about the characters and their stories in relation to Joseph Campbell’s Heroic Monomyth. And, i dunno, i suppose it my complete emotional roller coaster watching this film along with all the geek out moments, i completely missed its inclusion in this, given that the beginning of the monomyth takes place before the beginning of this film. I was delighted to find it pointed out to me in this post by The Screen Junkies - The Dailies Facebook. It’s a really good breakdown of the way the writers (maybe intentionally) incorporated the Heroic Monomyth in Infinity War despite it featuring like 7000 characters and all of Hollywood. :)

#films i watched in 2018

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