#I am enjoying s2 a lot more than I did s1

[galaxythreads]

I've seen so many posts talking about all the bad things about s2 of Loki, so things that ARE good about season 2 so far:

The mystery of episode 1 was, once you got into it, really compelling and sucked you into it

the pacing is much better in s2 than it was in s1

We're at the midway point and thus far Sylvie has barely had 5 minutes of screen time. She's not taking over the story. She's barely in the story. And though I do want to see her story come to a satisfying conclusion, it's been nice to not have her overpower the narrative

What wasn't working with Mobius and Loki in s1 IS working in s2. In s1 I couldn't believe they were friends if you forced me to, in S2 it is clear that they actually care about each other

The TVA is a lot more gray than it was in s1. In season 1 they tried really hard to make it Secretly We're the Victims, but in s2 they're adding a lot more nuance to what's going on

The cinematography has been amazing

The soundtrack of s2 is really good as well

Loki has been much more in character of OG loki than he was in s1. He doesn't fidget as much, he's not dismissive of things, he seems a lot more assure of himself in s2 than he did in s1. Like he's not constantly trying to prove something to Mobius. And this is because he and Mobius are actually friends in s2, so Loki feels secure in his presence and it's easy to show

Mobius has respect for Loki's abilties in s2. He lets Loki use magic and actually frequently encourages him to. Mobius doesn't see him as a stupid little "pussy cat" he actually sees Loki as a threat and lets him be a threat

Loki's use of magic feels a lot more like it's something he's been doing his entire life and less like a OH YEAH! HE HAS MAGIC QUICK USE THAT TO SHOW OFF FOR A MOMENT!! :DD like no. Loki braces for fights with magic. It's just really nice to see.

Loki hunting down Brad (?) in the opening of s2 and completely owning him. I have nothing else to say. That scene was THE scene to me.

Mobius and Loki are actually trying to take care of each other

Mobius has a lot more depth in this season because of how dark the TVA is

Ravonna's speech about how the TVA was held together by the skin of her teeth and how the moment she left it all fell apart. It was a really powerful moment that showcased how much depth there is the Ravonna.

Ravonna and Victor's sorta romance. I didn't love it, but it actually worked really well in the context of epi 3, and I love that they subverted your expectations by having it be Miss Minutes who was actually the insane lover

I didn't love most of episode 3, but I did think it was an interesting direction to take the series, adding in Victor. He's more sympathetic than HWR was so we feel more for him.

Loki vs Brad.

Episode 2

Have I mentioned that I love episode 2?

No push toward a sylki agenda. No push toward Lokius. Loki's relationships with everyone is purely platonic and it's clearly written as platonic and it's nice that Loki is just getting support from his friends, not being shoved into a romance box. While they've talked about Sylki, there has been exactly 0 moves to make it canon again. They're kind of ignoring it happened, which is probably for the best.

#I go onto my dashboard and all I see is complaints about the season #and it makes me sad because I do think there's a lot of good that's happening too #I am enjoying s2 a lot more than I did s1 #loki season 2 #loki season 2 spoilers #loki series #loki

[most-normal-eccles-cake-ignorer]

Good Omens: Lockdown and Crowley not mentioning his living situation in S2*

*till S2E6 when he asks if he can have his apartment back bc he's bored of living in his car but Aziraphale doesn’t hear bc mentally he’s in Alpha Centauri.

Having read the 'Crowley doesn't tell him' Neil Gaiman ask close to when I first listened to Lockdown (I lived under a rock until recently), my initial thought was HAS HE BEEN LIVING IN HIS CAR FOR YEARS?! but I think he was still in his apartment in 2020:

as far as Hell knows, Crowley just had a pool party in holy water (the holiest) so the higher-ups are probably willing to give him some space (plus Beelzebub is busy going on pub dates w Gabriel)

while there should be ~8 months between the end of Season 1 events (The Very First Day of the Rest of Their Lives on Sunday, Aug 25, 2019) and the Lockdown phonecall (on or near the 30 year anniversary on May 1, 2020), I can't imagine that's a very long time for Hell, especially if you're understaffed and busy dealing with fallout from Almostgeddon / going on pub dates

Shax dropping off mail and asking about the boiler seems like something one does in the first few months of living somewhere, not ~3 years in (if S2 is in 2023)

That said, I think the phone call underlines why Crowley never directly tells Aziraphale that he is living in the Bentley in S2, and it's just a great conversation (all hail Gaiman) sooo I wrote about it:

***Note: This post analyzes the Lockdown phonecall from Crowley's perspective only. Our heroine is feeling quite emotionally vulnerable at this point in time so things are going to hit him harder than they normally would.

I do not think Aziraphale meant to cause him pain (!!) but Crowley can't see that yet and I've written this post in a way that reflects that missing insight. (I explain in more detail in this reblog if you are interested) I am working on a companion post for Aziraphale's side of this conversation and how I think it affects his behavior in S2 because if we know anything about these two, it's that their exactlys are different exactlys.***

Crowley’s habit of sleeping to skip time like an RPG character by a campfire amuses me to no end, but in this context it feels heavy. Crowley already worries about losing time with what he loves and he probably hoped things would be different between him and Aziraphale after the events of S1. But things don’t change much. Then lockdowns start, and Crowley is trapped in his apartment alone, transcendentally bored, and unable to make his brain shut up. Sleeping a month away starts to sound less awful.

But Crowley hasn’t given up yet; he’s still awake when Aziraphale calls, and he’s even giving it two more days. Was he waiting for Aziraphale to call? Is it even possible not to at least kind of wait for someone’s call when you are cut off from everything and the caller has been your only friend and crush for millennia?

Aziraphale asks why Crowley isn't "out and about" tempting people or setting a bad example and he responds:

C: Everyone's so miserable and cooped up right now anyway, and I just… well… don't have the heart for it. A: *glowing audibly* I'm not miserable~ C: Really?

Crowley sounds genuinely surprised at Aziraphale's happiness and quickly assumes it's because the angel has been around people. He's so lonely/depressed/in his own head that he hadn't even considered someone enjoying being 'cooped up'. *sob*

Aziraphale goes No actually I put the closed sign up in the window and I'm having the Time of My Life, never had so few customers, not in 200 years!, etc. Although, he says:

A: …There were a few young lads a couple of nights ago who broke in through the back and tried to steal the cashbox! But they soon saw the error of their ways~ C: *clearly amused* Did you smite them with your wroth? A: Well I certainly gave them a good talking to, and I sent each of them home with cake~ C: *annoyed, swooning* Cake? A: Quite a lot of cake, actually. C: *physically ill from having such a giant crush on this dumbass baker/security guard* eeeekkkgghhh I'm gonna regret asking but.. ...rrgh.. *30 seconds of Aziraphale joyfully describing his baking while Crowley probably tries very hard not to imagine the angel eating each item in sensual slow motion* I stg you can hear him struggling in the background once or twice

A: …And once I've baked them, I have to eat them all myself, which was why I was so delighted— C: To send your burglars home laden with baked goods, yes, nnyeaayeah I follow…

Crowley interrupts, finishing Aziraphale's sentence in his nervous hurry to say the next bit:

C: *loud inhale* You know, I could.. hunker down at your place. … Slither over and watch you eat cake. I could bring a bottle--a case of… something… drinkable…?

He's trying to sound so casual about it but this is someone who was rejected/abandoned by actual literal God after asking what he thought were welcome, uncontroversial questions. Asking makes him vulnerable. He's supposed to be the rescuer, not a demon in distress. He does not feel casual about asking.

Crowley knows it's unlikely but he's so miserable and desperate for company that he can't help but ask, just in case. Even the smallest chance of spending time trapped indoors with Aziraphale—with nothing to do but drink, watch him eat, and talk about things they'd normally avoid—is too tempting.

A: *panicking* Oh I— I— I— I— I'm afraid that would be Breaking All The Rules! *nervous breathing* Out of the question! I'll see you… when this is over. C: Right. gnnehh. I'm setting the alarm clock for July. Good night, angel. *dial tone*

And just like that, Crowley doesn't need two days to decide. The depression nap doubles in length. He doesn't hear how badly Aziraphale wants to say yes behind the fear, or maybe he does and it hurts worse because why isn't Crowley enough for him? You can almost hear the spiralling:

SHOCKING, asking made it worse. It always does doesn’t it? Why even bother? you just embarrass yourself.. SLITHER over? why did I say that *grumble grumble* of COURSE His Holy Holiness, your only friend in the universe, would rather eat cake by himself while everything goes to shit than ~deign~ to have you in his presence. "AsK aND yE sHaLl ReCeIvE" bugger this for a lark im going to bed

(a bit dramatic but we've all been there)

I imagine sleep doesn't come right away. Maybe his thoughts drift to when he sat beside the angel at a dark Tadfield bus stop after a rather eventful Saturday. Crowley must've felt a tiny bit hopeful when he invited Aziraphale to stay with him: Heaven had withdrawn its favor and the bookshop was gone; Aziraphale was like him now. Didn't that mean things would change?

"I don't think my side would like that." Apparently not.

In the end, Aziraphale did ride the bus back to Crowley's apartment and stayed till the next morning when he caught a cab, but only to sell the illusion. Crowley understood that as far as sides went, the angel was still on Heaven's, even if Heaven wasn't on his.

And now this: the entire world is shut down; there is nothing for Aziraphale to do but stay in and read and bake in his magically reconstituted bookshop and he still won't invite Crowley in. Burglars and un-fallen angels only—nobody who asks questions.

So... of course Crowley doesn't tell Aziraphale when he loses his apartment. He already knows what answer he would get; the angel has told him so many times. Aziraphale is a company man first, a companion to one very sad owl when convenient.

If Crowley works up the courage to say 'please take me in, I have nowhere else to go' and Aziraphale goes 'sorry, no, far too political, but I WILL risk being erased from the Book of Life to protect this nude amnesiac former coworker who always hated me,' it's going to be too much. You can't sleep long enough for that type of hurt to go away. Better not to say anything.

"Then nothing has to change, does it?"

#edited to add the note about crowley's perspective right after the cut! apologies if it seemed anti-aziraphale before! #good omens meta #good omens lockdown #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #ineffable spouses #ineffable divorcees #i can't even imagine navigating the pandemic brain scramblies while pining THAT HARD #Aziraphale is a company man (gn) but i think S3 will cure him of that #long but if i can't write essays about this on tumblr then where #good omens spoilers

[bemusedlybespectacled]

Question: I enjoyed s1 OF OFMD, but for various reasons I never actually got around to watching s2 (pick up most of the plot from tumblr tho). What exactly went wrong in s2 that got so many people upset?

Oh, boy. Very long rant incoming.

So, for context, S2 had a significantly smaller budget, which necessitated moving the filming location to union-unfriendly New Zealand, reducing the number of actors/number of appearances of established actors, and cutting down the number of episodes from 10 to 8. In a show where each episode is only about half an hour long, that last one alone was enough to seriously hamper any character development or plot. I am very comfortable putting the vast majority of the blame on HBO because of these financial decisions.

The short version is that Jenkins et. al. needed to address and build on the problems left hanging in S1 while also getting the characters to the end of their character trajectories in case there was no S3 while also leaving room for additional episodes in case there was a S3, in a grand total of four hours, and failed.

The long version is that there were a bunch of what I'd consider small problems in isolation that came together and exploded in the S2 finale.

The reduced cast necessitated breaking up the crew (ex: having Swede marry Jackie and stay on land with her, so they don't need to pay Nat Faxon for all eight episodes) and not spending as much time on their relationships as S1 did.

The reduced time meant that the entire season was rushed (in contrast to S1, which takes place over at least several weeks if not months, most of S2 takes place in roughly five days), leading both to a lot of telling rather than showing (because they don't have time to show you), including vital character and relationship development.

This includes:

Having the Kraken half of the crew beat Ed to death after months of being abused by him – abuse that is clearly shown to have given them PTSD and a well-justified fear and hatred of him – only for them to be okay with him two in-universe days later;

On that note, having Stede dismiss the crew's concerns about Ed because he loves him and also we only have three more episodes left to fit in everything so we need to get over it really fast, even though Stede is supposed to be well-meaning and caring (even if he's not good at it all the time);

Resolving the issue of Stede abandoning Ed in one day, then having them "go slowly" in their relationship for two days and then have some spur-of-the-moment sex, and then the next afternoon have them break up over their diverging career aspirations, and then the day after that resolve that problem and retire on land while the rest of the crew sails off into the sunset;

Stede becoming a fantastic pirate captain over the course of one day, becoming wildly popular in the piracy world two days later, and then deciding the day after that to never be a captain again because he is retiring with Ed;

Having Ed and Stede decide to retire together as what is implied to be the end point of their relationship arc, when none of Stede's issues from S1, like his poor self-esteem, have been so much as mentioned by anyone, implying that he's either magically gotten over them or they don't matter all that much, actually, even though they were the catalyst for basically everything he did in S1;

Ed having two separate character crises – "I am an unlovable person" and "I want to do something with my life other than piracy" – not spending a lot of time on either one, having moments that clearly indicate he is still working on both problems and they have not been resolved, and then apparently having them both be resolved in the final episode despite nothing occurring to actually make that happen, and in regards to the latter, despite the story actively undermining it by repeatedly showing he can't do anything other than piracy;

Related to the above, Ed ending the series as allegedly being loved by the crew as a family (thus solving Crisis #1) despite this never actually being shown, demonstrated, or even fucking alluded to onscreen. If anything, it shows the exact opposite.

This last point is especially galling to me because of what is probably the most divisive issue in the fandom right now: killing off Izzy Hands after giving him seven episodes of character development.

The show begins with the Kraken crew clearly trying to use the skills they learned as part of Stede's crew to cope with their incredibly shitty situation and care for each other, which includes Izzy. Izzy, on his end, tries to protect the crew and speak up for them, which results in him being repeatedly hurt (both implicitly, as Ed at one point says "that's another toe" in response to Izzy advocating for the crew and we later see he's missing more than one toe already, and explicitly, as Ed shoots him in the fucking leg in front of the crew when he stands up for them).

This camaraderie is shown again and again and again. Frenchie, Jim, and Archie take care of Izzy while his leg is infected, at risk to their own lives. Izzy's misery over losing his leg is what unites the PTSD-ridden Kraken crew and the well-meaning-but-ignorant-of-PTSD marooned crew, who are initially at odds, to make him a new prosthetic leg. Izzy gives Lucius advice about forgiving Ed. Izzy is introduced to drag and opens up enough to sing at a crew party, and the whole crew is having fun together while Ed and Stede are in their cabin having sex for the first time. Izzy gives Stede pirate captain lessons and bonds with him when Ed leaves him. Izzy provokes the season's villain into focusing on him and then gives a big speech about how piracy is about belonging to something, giving the rest of the crew time to try to escape.

Recall that Season 1 had some pretty well-established universe rules, one of which was that it runs on Muppet physics/magical realism. People can jump off yardarms, hit the side on the way down, and be perfectly fine. People can get stabbed in the liver and it's totally okay because it's probably not that important, and even can stay pinned to a mast all night that way with only mild discomfort. Buttons can talk to birds and see long distances without a spyglass and put hexes on people. Good people can be hurt (Stede is stabbed repeatedly), bad people can die (the Badmintons, Geraldo), but no one we care about is ever killed.

This is repeated in Season 2: Ed is beaten into a coma with a cannonball and wakes up like Sleeping Beauty after a spirit journey, with no injuries to his face or body. Buttons turns into a seagull after spending an episode doing a magic ritual and is never seen again (because they couldn't keep paying Ewen Bremner due to the budget cuts). Jackie microdoses her husbands with poison to build up their immunity, so that she can later pull a Dread Pirate Westley and poison the British with shared drinks.

So: in the finale, the villain of the season is taken hostage by the pirates (for reasons? unclear how that fits in the plan), happens to have a gun on him (no one checked??), shoots Izzy on the right side and then leaves with no repercussions. The entire crew stands around silently doing nothing while Ed cries over Izzy and tells him that he's his only family.

And Izzy fucking Hands, the guy who just spent eight episodes bonding with and protecting everyone, uses his last words to reassure Ed that him becoming Blackbeard/the Kraken was Izzy's fault and that the crew is Ed's family and they all love him. No one else says anything to Izzy or tries to comfort him or help him in any way.

I repeat: in a show predicated on the idea that bullies and bigots die stupid deaths while queer people and POC are basically magic, a show that was praised for being kind to queer people by not making them worry about their faves suffering or dying, a show founded on the strength of the relationships between the characters, the guy who went through a season-long arc of learning to embrace his pirate found family and his own queerness is shot for stupid reasons on the side we're told isn't important and dies while everyone just stands there. His last words are about the whole crew loving Ed when the only person that the whole crew has loved all season is him.

Anyway, never mind all that, let's cut to Lucius and Pete getting married and Stede and Ed retiring!

Complicating all this is that people who liked Izzy (or even said anything insufficiently mean about Izzy) were harassed for months in between seasons with insults, slurs, and actual fucking death threats. Izzy's growth was kind of a vindication for liking him: it meant that, despite all the harassment, we were right to like him and care about him as a character. Even people who didn't like him initially started to like him during Season 2.

And then he dies, and now there's a bunch of people saying that Izzy fans are big whiny babies who can't handle fictional death, and actually his death was so meaningful and beautiful and the only logical end to his arc, and it can't be bad writing because people die in real life all the time, and also he admitted he fed Ed's darkness so actually he was a terrible person all along anyway and they were right to hate him (and his fans)!

So, yeah, there are a lot of reasons why it's so hated, and I'm probably only addressing the problems of the pro-Izzy people (from what I can tell, BlackBonnet shippers who don't like Izzy think Ed and Stede's relationship is fine and dandy, but I'm sure that there are other criticisms they have that I have not addressed). I'm not even addressing the issues with Jim and Oluwande's relationship this season (and whooo boy are there issues).

It wasn't a universally bad season. There were episodes I really loved and still do. But the finale was a train wreck, and because it was a train wreck, a lot of people are looking back at what happened before the wreck and realizing that, oh, the train lost its brakes and steering because of the budget cuts and the engineers kept throwing fuel in the engine to make it go faster, and huh, now that I think of it, that part earlier in the trip was really wobbly but I didn't pay much attention to it at the time because I was sure the engineers had everything covered.

#ofmd critical #our flag means death #writing #izzy hands #ofmd meta #askbox #personal

[iintervallum]

Sometimes I think about how the dndads cast should be on tumblr, with them having a subreddit(you know how they can be) and dndadstwt being like 10 people, tumblr would be the perfect place for them to see more of the fandom, if they wish to that is. Since quite a lot of people on here are way less honed in on negativity than reddit and twitter.

My edit of this is getting long lol so I'm putting it under a cut

Especially reddit, the people on there honestly I think just get too attached to a specific format or way of doing things, its a common pattern in any long running show fandoms i've been in where its reddit that constantly complains about the "good ol' days" and hate any new changes made. I would sometimes drop in and just see a lot of Scary hate at times, or people getting very irritated with the rule breaking, or just complaining that they're "forcing" the humor. I saw a post like that when i just started s2 and that couldnt have been more incorrect (yeah the piss jokes got a bit much but every other part was golden!...pun not intended)

There were absolutely points where I felt my interest wanning, but I think people would get pretty vicious about it and make a lot of mean spirited accusations. Like if anything the things I really enjoyed about this season was how different it was to s1, the contrast was really nice and i liked a lot of the story choices made, i still think about the apollo four teens and the fucking goof realm episodes, they were amazing. Which is why I remember thinking it was odd that they suddenly started involving the dads from s1 more, but knowing now that Anthony was struggling with people not liking this season as much it makes perfect sense.

Idk if it were just me, but i liked the earlier parts of the season for how the teens were still kind of discovering more about themselves and through gathering each anchor, learning more that their parents are people too, with their own fuck ups revealed and the teens have to clean up after them, so having it shift to be about Willy again was a little odd if i'm being honest(I didnt hate it but a repeat villian is hard to do, and for what its worth i think Willy did get the end he deserved and i loved the finale).

Funnily, in its own way it fits the theme of being a teenager and having to live up to your parents expectations. In a meta sense this being the successor to the first season and it being awkward at points and having issues with its identity is very fitting and just like how teenhood actually is.

I've gotten off topic but my point is fandom is just fandom, and letting it influence the way creators can view their own work is an interesting side effect of the internet and the way we navigate with the media we enjoy or hate. And spaces like reddit are grown in a way to encourage more brutally critical ways of analysing media which has very little consideration for the creator. By no means am I saying that the creators of things should be coddled, heck I literally airing my own annoyances with the podcast in space where i'm uplifting the positivity of tumblr over those spaces lol. I just mean that seeing the more genuine side of the fanbase would be more of a better time for them.

EDIT: (I just phrased things better, fixed the spelling and grammer errors and added more thoughts) The more I ruminate on this the more I think that it would honestly be a good idea. Like I do get the base worry of being too close to the more intense side of the fandom, as people on here are unafraid to gush about the show in ways that can be a little much and theres parasociality and all that jazz.

But it would be really good at least to see some actual genuine positivity, so many people provide their thoughtful meta and theories that even if widely off base are just interesting to read through because of how various different people see themselves in the characters they play. And even the critiques people give are not unkind, they come from a place of wanting to understand the choices made better.

I mentioned this in the old version of this post but having a blacklisted tag that only the people who don't wish their post to be seen by the cast use, something along the lines like how the magnus archives fandom has "do not archive", would be a very useful tool to create a barrier in the fanbase. I know i'm someone who feels very nervous about creators seeing the posts I make. Something like "not safe for dads" could work well or any other joke or pun about it being hidden. I doubt it would be filled with discourse or whatever it would mainly be people hornyposting since i know fandom well enough lol.

#aster.txt #dndads #dungeons and daddies #i think people understandably may not want the creators of things here because it's very fandomy #and that sort of known idea that the creator could be seeing what you post can make people be less honest #at least i never feel comfortable with the creators seeing my posts about things i get shy over it #like idk it's embarrassing lol: they know now how much i enjoy the thing they make #I've edited the post! #Please reblog this version instead its more comphrehensive to my actual thoughts #that arent just a half assed post i put randomly in the main tag #dungeons and daddies podcast #fandom commentary

[hugmekenobi]

S2: The Bad Batch (13)

Chapter Thirteen: Pabu

Gif by @im-no-jedi

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: Some time has passed since everything that happened at Kamino and you and the Batch are trying to figure out your place in the rapidly changing Imperial galaxy. And you're having to do all this whilst figuring out where your relationship with Hunter fits into it.

Chapter Summary: The life on the run from Cid isn't working out and so Phee offers to bring you all to her home away from home.

Masterlist for S1

<Previous Chapter

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers (we're in the lovers stage now)

Chapter Warnings: Canon-typical violence, swearing, very minor moments of unwanted advances, mild injury description, mentions of food and drinks, instances of innuendo, SMUT (non-explicit descriptions of kissing and making out, light biting/marking, light bondage, oral (m & f receiving), brief f. masturbation, fingering, unprotected P n V (be safe in reality please), grinding, multiple Os with hints at overstimulation, Hunter talks you through it, a flash of cum eating), mild angsty thoughts but lots of fluff and feelings too, reader do be scheming, and my usual points of going slightly off-plot and the Force doing what I need it to

Word Count: 8.8K

Author's notes: Two panic attacks and two academic essays later lol, I finally have this chapter! I am so sorry it has been such a long wait but I hope you all enjoy!

You were feeling more like yourself. You still didn’t know what had set you off, and it did remain a lingering thought in the back of your mind, but it wasn’t having a negative impact on you anymore. A fact you were grateful for because doing this mission with Phee required you all to be focused.

You had been briefed by her before heading into the bar, with Tech remaining as your getaway driver. Omega would make the deal alongside Phee whilst the rest of you split up and took inconspicuous spots around the space.

You drowned out the general chatter from the bar patrons and ignored the gentle thrum of the music as you stayed on guard whilst you went to your positions and waited. Hunter sat by one of the card tables, you had taken up home by the bar and Wrecker sat amongst another group at another table. Phee and Omega were at the top booth and sitting across from Phee’s contact- Crowder- who had two of his men on either of him as well as scattered throughout the bar.

You pretended to nurse a drink as you played your part. One downside of your spot however meant you were having to wave away those that believed they had a chance with you. One such person was now stood directly in front of you.

“Not interested.” You replied coolly before he had a chance to speak. Much to your surprise, he just shrugged and walked away. You doubted that would be a common theme, but you’d take it, nonetheless.

--

The meeting between Phee and Crowder seemed to be going okay but you knew nothing was certain in these situations. You were also having to balance keeping an eye on them and still seeing off those that still approached you and it was time to do that again as another man stood in front of you.

“Come here often?”

You just sighed and shook your head and looked past him.

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” He waved a hand in front of your face.

“Look, I’m really not-” You stopped abruptly as you saw Hunter stand and throw his blade in the direction of Phee- it looked like his target had been the Kouhun bug- and stand up tall. You were glad you were still sitting down because- had you been standing- you were sure that you would’ve just melted to the floor after seeing him do that and you had to fight to keep your jaw from dropping open. Gathering yourself, you got ready to act since it looked like your services were going to be required after all since Crowder’s men were on their feet with their guns drawn in the directions of Hunter and Phee.

“I’ll be taking the artifact now. You should’ve brought more muscle than that, Phee.” Crowder sneered.

A deep chuckle got his attention, and it was then he saw another man stand up tall from one of the tables. He towered over his men.

“She did.” Wrecker said as he cracked his neck.

You patted the newest arrival on the shoulder. “Yeah, this is the part where you might want to head on out.” You whispered to the now taken aback man beside you. You pulled out your blaster and stepped away from the bar and focused your stare on the enemy ahead of you.

“Now it’s getting interesting.” Phee said.

Wrecker made the first move and the club descended into chaos. Customers ran out screaming whilst the rest of you dealt with Crowder’s men and took cover from their blaster fire.

You flipped a table and crouched behind it and spoke urgently into your comm, “Tech, we need a pickup.”

“On my way.”

Crowder’s reinforcements had arrived and there wasn’t much more the rest of you could do. You had the credits and the artifact Phee wanted, there was no sense in staying.

“I think it’s time to go!” Omega called from her position.

“Wrecker!” Hunter signalled to his brother as they both threw a smoke bomb to give you all adequate cover to leave.

Tech arrived with the Marauder just as you all exited the club and with a few defensive rounds of blaster fire, you were able to safely get on the ship and get outta there.

--

“You have to stop doing things like that in public.” You murmured as you walked beside him into the cockpit.

“Hmm?” He glanced at you.

“The thing with the knife. The thing were you just look so damn competent and capable.”

“You mean my job?” Hunter teased.

You shot him a look. “Well, you need to stop doing your job like that. Because every time you do, I get distracted by thoughts I should not be having on missions like that.” You sighed irritably leaned back against the wall and crossed your arms.

“Yeah?” Hunter tilted his head and smirked at you. He looked down the hallway to see Phee, Wrecker and Omega still talking and a look back at Tech told him his brother was not paying either of you any attention. He took a step closer to you and crowded you further into the wall. He brought his lips to your neck and gently traced your skin as he whispered, “It’s not just you, believe me…” He trailed off and planted a series of soft kisses against your neck and jaw.

You allowed yourself to enjoy it for a moment before you affectionately pushed him away from you. “That’s not helping.”

“Do I wanna know?” Phee asked. She had entered the cockpit just as you had created the distance between you and Hunter.

Hunter cleared his throat, and you just shook your head and you both focused on regaining your composure.

You stayed where you were as Phee took the seat next to you and Hunter situated himself on the one just behind Tech that faced one of the other control panels.

“Now that was a fun mission.” Omega said gleefully as she and Wrecker remained down in the main part of the ship.

“You got that right.” Wrecker said with a chuckle.

Phee peered back at the young girl before she addressed the rest of you. “You know, Omega was pretty impressive back there.”

“Her training’s paying off.” Hunter said as he turned his seat to answer.

“Oh, I know she’s got the whole soldier-thing down. But don’t you think she should learn some other skills?”

“What other skills?” Tech asked as he too now turned to face Phee.

“Omega spends all her time with you four. She needs friends. Ones her own age and who don’t share her genetic profile.”

“We never had such a thing. I do not see the issue.” Tech said dismissively.

“No kidding.” Phee said with a small, exasperated smile. She looked at you. “You get what I’m talking about, right? You had your own life before these guys.”

You didn’t really know how to answer that. Your upbringing hadn’t been that different from theirs but even you had to concede that she had a point on that one. It wasn’t exactly the most typical environment to grow up in so it probably wouldn’t hurt if Omega could experience a different side of life that wasn’t always about when the next dangerous mission was going to be. Before you could answer, Tech spoke again.

“We’re receiving a transmission. It is from Cid.”

You shared a mildly concerned look with Hunter. It had to happen sooner or later. She wouldn’t let you guys get off that easily.

Hunter stood up. “Let’s hear it.”

Wrecker and Omega joined the rest of you to hear the message.

Tech patched the message through, and Cid’s holographic image filled the cockpit.

“So, it’s been 20 rotations and no word. You better be dead because your absence has cost me a few scores. Remember our mutually beneficial arrangements, and how well we know one another; if you know what I mean. You’d do well not assume I am just threatening you boys.” The transmission ended.

A beat of silence past before Phee filled it. “You didn’t mention you cut ties with Cid.”

“Our mutually beneficial arrangement wasn’t so beneficial, mutually.” Hunter said sheepishly.

“Figured that out, did you?” Phee sprawled back in her chair. “I’ve known Cid a long time. She’s a useful ally, but not someone you want to cross. Do you have a plan?”

“You’re looking at it.” Hunter said.

You could tell he was mildly embarrassed at not being to offer anything more. You knew he didn’t like the aimless nature of what you all were doing right now. You squeezed his hand in reassurance.

“In that case, you all are coming with me.” Phee stated.

Hunter angled himself to face you as he sought your input.

You shrugged. We can’t keep doing what we’re doing, and you know that. If Phee is offering a place for us to go, there’s no harm in taking it. At least for a little while.

Phee watched you and Hunter do that thing again. She figured now was good a moment to put her plan into action whilst the two of you were focused on each other. “You guys ever get sick of their silent communication style?”

“Nah, she does it with all of us.” Wrecker said absent-mindedly, not realising his mistake until he’d finished speaking and saw all sets of eyes on him. “Um, I mean…”

“With all of you, huh?” Phee said curiously, angling her face to yours. You didn’t conceal your wince quick enough. That definitely confirmed that what she’d seen between you and Omega on Nal Hutta was the same thing that occurred between you and Hunter. “What does he mean by that?”

“Nothing.” You said defensively, crossing your arms as you stood on guard.

“Not an option for an answer. I’ve noticed this thing you got going on for a while. I won’t back down on this anymore.”

“Phee…” Hunter cautioned.

“Come on, Bandana. If I’m to take you to a place I keep close to my chest, I should be told about this. Haven’t we established some trust here? (Y/N), I promise I won’t tell, whatever it is?”

You glanced to Hunter who shrugged. “It’s not my secret to tell. If you want to, you can.”

Your eyes flickered over to the others who all- along with an apologetic smile from Wrecker- nodded in agreement with Hunter. You inhaled slowly. She had been helping you all out when she didn’t have to. You could do this for her. You focused on keeping the nerves out your voice as you spoke. “I’m a Jedi, Phee. What you’ve so keenly observed is me talking to the others without speaking out loud. They’re hearing my voice in their head.”

Phee’s jaw dropped. In all her travels, she’d only ever had the luxury of learning about your kind. She’d never been fortunate enough to meet one and she’d never have guessed you’d be the person to finally let her achieve that. “A Jedi?” She repeated in a hushed tone. “You mean you survived?”

You shifted on your feet awkwardly. “I mean sure, technically I did, but I left the Jedi Order long before the purge and this lot didn’t find out until after so my survival story is a bit different. Don’t really think it counts as one to be quite honest.” You added quietly, more to yourself than anyone else.

Hunter cleared his throat at you in gentle reprimand.

Phee nodded and didn’t want to press you for further information. She gathered your past would be a sensitive area, so she moved on. “So, what does one have to do to get in on that level of communication?” She asked eagerly.

You rolled your eyes. “Well, liking the person is a start.” You teased light-heartedly as you saw her frown. “That and time spent together helps strengthen the bond I need for it.”

“And where am I at in the process?”

“I’ll let you know.” You said nonchalantly.

Phee let out a grumbled sigh, but she accepted this. “I meant what I said, your secret is safe with me.”

You did find yourself believing her.

“Alright then, with that business taken care of, let’s get going!” Phee said cheerily as she walked over to Tech. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Head to these coordinates, brown eyes.”

Tech, taken aback by the placement of her hand, did as she requested.

--

“Welcome to Pabu, my home away from home.” Phee said happily as she led the way off the ship. “It’s a hidden sanctuary of sorts.”

When Phee had offered to take you all with her, this was the last type of place you expected to end up at. The island was serene and beautiful. The sun was warm and shone brightly, highlighting the greens of the plants and the blues of the ocean. You were immediately filled with a sense of calm as you stepped down the stairs.

Phee gestured to the large building ahead. “That’s the Archium. It’s where the artifact will be stored. It holds treasures from all over the galaxy.”

“My analysis indicates that this so-called artifact you recovered is of very little to no monetary value.” Tech informed from his datapad.

“Treasure can mean many things.” Phee countered. “Most of the villagers on Pabu are refugees. Many of the items I recover are remnants of their cultures, and that’s worth preserving.”

You realised how poorly you’d judged Phee. There was far more to her than you’d realised. You opened your mouth. “Phee, I’m-”

Phee just shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s like I told you in the beginning, I am a liberator-”

“Liberator of ancient wonders.”

You all turned in the direction of the new voice to see a cheery looking man walking over with a young girl you assumed to be his daughter. You watched as he walked over and embraced Phee.

“About time you showed your face around here.”

“Miss me, Shep?” Phee asked with a smile as she stepped back.

“You’ve got some competition.” Wrecker taunted Tech.

You bit back the laugh that threatened to leave you face at the bewildered expression on Tech’s face at Wrecker’s words.

“Auntie Phee!”

Phee knelt down and hugged the young girl.

“What’d you bring this time?” She asked eagerly.

Phee showed her the artifact.

“Looks like one of a kind.”

“Good eye.” Phee complimented.

“That’s not all you brought, I see.” Shep said as he examined the group behind her.

“This is Shep Hazard, Mayor of Pabu, and his daughter, Lyana.” Phee introduced them both as they walked over to you all. “Shep, Lyana, meet, Omega, Hunter, (Y/N), Wrecker and Tech.”

Shep went up to each of you one by one to welcome you.

Lyana walked up shyly to Omega. “Phee’s never brought any friends here before.”

“Never? Not even Cid?”

“Nope.” Phee answered.

“So why bring us?” You asked her.

“Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

“She must really like you.” Lyana muttered to Omega.

“Alright. That’s enough out of you.” Phee scolded affectionately.

“Then it’s settled. You’ll join us for dinner.” Shep declared.

“There’s no saying no to Shep’s famous feast. Lots of food, drink and general merrymaking. You two’ll probably hate it.” Phee kidded at you and Tech.

“You’re not helping your case.” You reminded her with a roll of your eyes, but a smile graced your lips.

Phee raised her hands before she half-turned to Shep. “Lead the way, Shep. I’ll catch up.”

You all made to follow Shep, but you couldn’t help but notice Tech linger to look back at Phee and it warmed your heart. You just wished he would clue into the part of his brilliant brain that would realise he and Phee had potential.

“Leave them alone.” Hunter whispered as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder to turn your gaze away and focus on walking behind Shep.

How are you not more invested in this?

“It’s not that I’m not invested but I know my brother, and this is something he needs to take at a very slow pace.”

You conceded the point with a nod. “You’re so good.” You knew he was right. You focused instead on taking in your new surroundings.

--

The more you got to see of Pabu as you walked, the more you loved it. Everything was so pretty and letting Omega run ahead with Lyana felt completely safe, there wasn’t a threat to be found. It felt natural to be here.

“Upper Pabu is the oldest part of the island.” Shep informed you all as you paused to take in the magnificent view of the island and its crystal-clear blue waters. “As we’ve grown over the years, we’ve expanded the wall into Lower Pabu.”

You leaned over the wall to take it all in.

“Hi, Shep!”

“Hi, Mr Eenta. How are Sari and Micha?” Shep replied warmly to the old man that had approached them.

Mr Eenta let out a cheery high-pitched laugh. “They’re doing good. Thanks for asking, Shep. I see we got some newcomers here too. Although we haven’t had some quite as lovely as you join our community in a long time.” He added with a kind smile in your direction.

You smiled in thanks at the man and elbowed Hunter playfully. “Gotta up your game, I might just run off with him.”

“Ha ha.” Hunter replied drily as he drew you into his side and pressed a soft kiss to your hairline.

Mr Eenta laughed at your words. “I best be off but welcome to the island! Feel free to stop by anytime!”

“Nice to see you!” Shep waved him goodbye.

“Uh, do you know everyone here?” Wrecker asked Shep.

“Of course. We’re all like family. Now, if you’ll continue to follow me, I can show you were you and (Y/N) will be staying.” Shep said to Hunter. “I have a place for the rest of you too and Omega can go to either house, but I gather it would be best to show that to you after dinner?”

“Staying?” Hunter repeated.

Shep paused for a moment. “Well, I imagine you two’ll want some privacy before dinner tonight. There’s plenty of time. Unless I’ve read things wrong, or you want to stay as a group-”

“You have read things correctly.” Tech said without looking up from his datapad.

“Tech-” Hunter started.

“Yes, please, take them somewhere far away from us.” Wrecker said in an exaggerated manner.

You punched his arm.

Shep paid little attention to the teasing insinuations. He remembered what it was like to be young and in love. “We’ll pass my home on the way anyway so you can see Omega get settled and join us in an hour or so?”

You and Hunter glanced at one another before Hunter nodded his agreement and you both walked beside Shep trying not to look too eager or walk too quickly.

--

You didn’t remember much about the place you were staying. All that really registered with you was the discarded pieces of armour and weapons by the door and the short route from the doorway to the bedroom. From what you did recall; it was very cosy and homey, but right now your focus was on the fact you were sat across Hunter’s lap at the edge of the bed. Your kisses were slow and deep, there was no residing worry of being interrupted or needing to be rushed and the two of you were perfectly content with not rushing things, both too intoxicated by the feeling of your lips on each other’s skin and the noises leaving your mouths.

“I want to call this in.” You panted against his lips as your fingers traced the red scarf.

Hunter groaned as he felt you grind against him. “But I-”

“I want to call this in.” You repeated seductively as you lifted it over his head and pulled back to look into his eyes. “Please.” You murmured as you pressed delicate kisses along his jaw.

“Let me see you come undone first.” He rasped as his fingers twisted in your clothing to keep him grounded.

You were confused for a moment.

“Just like this.” He emphasised as he took a hold of your hips and moved you against him once more, relishing the soft sigh that left your throat. “Do this for me and then you can have your way.” He negotiated with a kiss behind your ear.

You nodded before you placed the scarf on the bed and threaded your fingers in his hair. Your lips met his once more and as you moved your hips with more purpose, your kisses grew more desperate as each of you swallowed the moans that left your lips at the sensations happening right now. With his help, you were able to find the angle that had your breathing and heartbeat quickening and your grip on his shoulders tightened, your fingers coiled in his clothing.

“Hunter-” You said through a gasp as that familiar feeling started to rise in your body.

“Let it happen.” He encouraged as he kissed you again and gently bit down on your lip.

You finished with a groan and your head fell into the crook of his shoulder as you caught your breath.

“Did so well for me.” Hunter whispered as he stroked your back.

You sucked a small mark in his neck as you got your bearings back. You sat up properly and maintained eye contact with his as you let your hand trail down his chest. Your hand found the edges of his shirt.

Hunter lifted his arms up and let you pull the item of clothing over his head. He then reached for your top layer and delicately pulled it off you.

That process continued until you were both out of your clothes and lying on the double bed. It certainly made a change to the bunk on the Marauder, there was room to move without feeling constricted and it was far more comfortable too.

You stopped kissing him for a moment and instead focused your ministrations on the skin of neck, your teeth scraping slightly against his skin, whilst you reached beside you and brought the scarf into view. You looked down at Hunter who- amidst the rough breaths that left his throat- nodded his consent. You moved off his lap and sat back on your heels and motioned for him to sit up.

Hunter did as you requested, and he felt you bring his wrists behind his back, and he felt the soft fabric against his skin. He tested the knot and found it to be secure enough that he had no chance of getting out unaided, but it was not uncomfortable.

You pushed him back down and straddled his lap again. “Okay?” You asked as you stroked a finger down his tattooed cheek. “You just tell me when to stop.”

Hunter was enraptured by the sight of you above him and so could only manage to nod once more.

You smiled lovingly down at him before you kissed him once more, this time more teasing, leaving him chasing your lips as you parted from him too soon.

You kissed your way down his chest, paying attention to every nick and scar that was on his skin. You loved every part of him every time.

You delighted in every gruff and depraved moan that left his lips. How you loved it when he got the chance to switch off like this.

And you could take your time.

As your mouth wrapped around him, his fingers had a deathlike grip on the sheets since that was the only thing he could do with his hands behind his back like this.

Fuck, you were good. You knew just what to do to drive him crazy. You took him so well every time. The slight hum of pleasure told him he’d voiced that last thought outload. His head pressed even further into the pillows.

The sounds he was making were so divine, you just couldn’t help yourself.

Upon hearing the small moan from you, he risked glancing down and regretted it immediately. Your hand was between your legs and a noise that was scarcely recognisable- it sounded like a wrecked whimper- left his mouth.

You paused what you were doing upon hearing him. You bit your lip as you saw the ruined expression on his face. You removed your hand and held your fingers up to his mouth but when he lifted his head, you drew them away at the last second and put them in your mouth and groaned alluringly. You didn’t give him long to cope with that before you went back to him.

He released a pained breath at the sight. He needed to touch you. To taste you. To feel you. It had been too long, and he wasn’t about to let it be over like this. “St- stop.” He managed to get out.

You did as he requested and angled your eyes up to him.

Hunter very nearly lost it at the sight of you tidying up your mouth and the playful smirk that graced your face. “Untie me.” He said as his chest heaved.

You crawled your way back up and kept your eyes focused on him. You gave him enough room to get vertical enough for you to reach behind him and undo the knot.

He rolled so that you were beneath him now and he kissed you passionately whilst his hand slid down your body.

Your eyes fluttered closed and your hips bucked into his touch and a quiet groan fell from your lips as his fingers curled and pleasure shot through your core.

He noticed you were holding back. It was something you were both used to. Fear of being suddenly interrupted or accidentally overheard was a constant in moments like this but that wasn’t the case here. Here, you could let go. And fuck did he want you to let go. “I want to hear you.” He uttered against your lips as he started to move down your body, leaving bruises on your neck as he did so. “Let me hear you, sweetheart.” He all but begged as he sped his fingers up.

That was all the permission you needed. An unrestricted moan left your lips as your body tingled and you let the waves of pleasure wash through your body.

Hunter worked you through it and once you had come back down, he left a path of kisses down your body, biting and sucking as he went, to do what he’d been wanting to since the possibility of being alone had become an option. He kept a steady grip of your hips as they jolted under his touch.

He didn’t need to rush this. He would get to take you apart in the way he always dreamed of. He could take his time. Learn knew things about your body he hadn’t had the pleasure of discovering yet, life on the road with missions every other day made these occasions a far more hurried event than either of you would’ve like. But here, he didn’t have that worry and if he wasn’t addicted to you before, he most definitely was now. The noises you were making were beautiful and it had been too long since he’d had you like this, and he was reminded of how much he missed it. He moaned appreciatively at the feeling of your hands tangling in his hair as he took what he wanted from you.

Your limbs felt limp and heavy, and your breathing was laboured but you didn’t want to be done yet. “Hunter, I need you.”

“One more. Give me one more.” He breathed against you before he continued with what he’d previously been doing.

“I can’t. Just-”

“Yes, you can, sweetheart.” He urged as he focused on the spot that he knew would get you there again.

A hoarse cry left your throat as he sent you over the edge once more. You were pretty sure there were stars dancing across the ceiling right now.

Hunter let you catch your breath and just revelled in the sight of your dishevelled state. His lips traced your stomach as he worked his way back up to you.

You clawed at his back to bring him down closer to you. Fuck, he was gorgeous. His eyes were dark, and his bandana was slightly askew. “I need you.” You whispered again as you cradled the side of his jaw.

He was now all too happy to oblige.

Your hands tightly intertwined- with the backs of yours being pushed into the pillow by your head- as he moved into you, both of your breaths hitching at the sensation.

Every time you were reminded of how perfectly you fit together both here and out there. Everything just felt so right.

Hunter paused for a moment, and he lifted a hand to brush a small strand also to give himself a chance to breath.

You knew he’d held back long enough. You pressed your lips into his palm before you placed a featherlight kiss to his lips. “Come with me.” You murmured against his mouth.

Hunter nodded and started to move again, and he knew he wasn’t going to last much longer and judging by the way he could feel you tightening around him, you weren’t either.

It wasn’t long before a broken cry left your mouth, and it was the sight of you catching the necklace you’d gifted him in his teeth that finished him. He released a gutteral groan as he collapsed on top of you and breathed a relaxed sigh as you weaved your fingers through his hair. “I love you.” He uttered quietly into your neck. “Always.”

“I love you too.” You replied tenderly. “Always.”

He reluctantly pulled out and laid down next to you and wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close. There was still time before you needed to go to Shep’s so the peace and quiet could be enjoyed a little while longer.

After a few minutes of you both just taking the time to stay close to each other and regroup, you huffed out a short breath at the realisation there was still the dinner to attend to.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can barely feel my legs lying here. How am I supposed to get up and shower and then walk back up some of that hill?”

Hunter let out a low chuckle. “Whilst I take that as a compliment, I’m sure your Jedi training had you overcoming worst challenges that this.”

You heaved a sigh and turned on your back and sent an affectionate glare in his direction. “Yes, but that doesn’t stop things from feeling so far away right now.”

Hunter merely hummed and pressed a quick kiss to your lips before moving down your body.

You propped yourself up on your elbows. “What are you doing?”

“Cleaning up.” He crooned as he settled between your thighs once more.

Your head fell back against the pillows. “You heard me- heard me say shower, right?” You protested as he left tender nips to the inside of your thighs.

“You said that you can’t move to go shower.” He countered as he slowly moved his lips towards the apex of your thighs. “I’m solving half the problem.”

“This- this won’t help me stand up.” You attempted to sound strong, but you were not about to stop him.

“I know. I’m solving the other half of the problem first.”

--

Now properly freshened up and decent once again, you and Hunter arrived at Shep’s home to see the others happily socialising and enjoying their time.

“Hey, lovebirds!” Phee greeted with a knowing grin as you both walked in.

You simply smiled and turned your attention to Shep instead. “The place is great, Shep, thank you. Do you need any help?” You asked as he emerged from his house.

“No, we’re almost ready. Just make yourselves at home!”

You and Hunter joined the others in taking in the breath-taking view, but that sight was interrupted by the chittering of a monkey-like creature that had scaled down one of the poles.

One jumped on your shoulder before more joined and a small group of them gathered by the table.

Omega knelt down to get a closer look at them.

“They’re called moon-yos.” Lyana explained. “The elders say they’ve lived here since before Pabu was inhabited.” She welcomed one of them onto her back.

Omega chuckled happily as that same one moved from Lyana onto her shoulder.

You watched on fondly. Everything here was so carefree and easy. You couldn’t remember the last time she’d really been allowed to be a kid like this.

“I have not heard her laugh like that in some time.” Tech observed.

As soon as he’d said that you started to think about how long it had been and the very fact you couldn’t remember told it had been far too long. As Omega and Lyana followed the moon-yos over to the wall by the gate, you and Hunter approached Shep as he brought a dish out for the table.

“Phee said the villagers here are refugees.” Hunter said.

“Many, yes.” Shep replied. “Pabu has been a safe haven for those forced to flee their homes during the war and others after.”

“And you’re not worried the Empire will show up?” You asked.

“Why would they? We’re a remote island with limited resources. But if they do, we’ll manage.”

You and Hunter both glanced over to where Omega was playing with one of the moon-yos.

Shep noticed this and placed a hand on both of your shoulders. “Some come to Pabu looking for a clean slate. A chance to start over. As a parent, you couldn’t ask for a better place to raise a child.”

You were pretty sure you didn’t do a great job at concealing the taken aback expression on your face. You had clocked Hunter’s paternal instinct right from when he’d first met Omega, but hearing Shep put you in that same category with him was something that had never really occurred to you.

Shep gave you both a supportive smile before he made his way back inside.

Before either of you could speak, Omega came over.

“(Y/N)! Can you come do that thing you do with the moon-yos?” Omega grabbed your hand and started to drag you over to the troupe of creatures.

“If you can think of a believable reason why they’re suddenly even friendlier than usual.” You said with a raise of your eyebrows.

“You’re gifted at bonding with animals.” She replied simply. “Please?”

“Okay, okay.” You said with a laugh, and you let her pull you over. You took notice of the fact that you were not worried about pretences here, even a reason as broad as the one Omega was providing felt secure enough.

Hunter watched you go and felt Phee approach his side.

“Something to think about, isn’t it?”

“You’re suggesting we all stay on Pabu permanently?”

They both followed the sounds of laughter to see you now with two moon-yos on your shoulders and the others were crawling all over Lyana and Omega.

“Omega seems to like it here and this is the most relaxed I’ve seen your girl. A little stability might do you all some good.”

You half turned and caught Hunter’s gaze. You left the girls to it and walked over to him.

“You made some friends.” Phee said with a nod to the animals on your back.

“Wasn’t that hard.” You said with a grin as you internally told on of them to go onto Hunter’s shoulder. You chuckled at the sight.

Hunter let the creature crawl over him for a few seconds before he passed it back to you. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

You nodded before you scratched each on the side of their faces. Okay, go back to the kids. You let them jump down and they ran back over to Lyana and Omega.

The two of you went back over to the wall where you wouldn’t be overheard by the others.

You leaned your head against Hunter’s shoulder and breathed in the clean sea air and admired the stunning view over the wall. Pabu was growing on you rather rapidly.

“Can we have this?” Hunter said quietly to you. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being here. He wasn’t used to feeling so calm, so at peace. He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. There were people out there who were continuing the fight like Echo and Rex. Was feeling this way allowed? Was having a place to leave the chaos of the galaxy behind on the cards for him? For all of you?

You lifted your head to face him. You understood what he meant. Feeling this content was a foreign concept but it didn’t need to be. “You have been looking after this family for a long time. You’ve done so much for the galaxy already and our circumstances have changed ever since Omega became a part of our lives. I think the chance to create something, to have a place to come back to that is safe and offers the chance to settle down is perfectly okay.”

Hunter got ready to reply but was interrupted by Shep’s voice.

“Food’s ready!” Shep announced as he brought the final dish out.

You and Hunter turned to see the others moving to the table and you bit back the laugh that threatened to appear at the fact that Wrecker seemed to be the most excited out of everyone. We can talk more about this later, for now, let’s just enjoy tonight. You took his hand and you both made your way to the table.

--

Phee had not been exaggerating about Shep’s dining experience. The drinks continued to flow, and you had eaten so much food you could barely sit up straight which is why you were grateful for the man next to you who let you slouch against him whilst he kept an innocent hand on your thigh.

“You have your own boat?” Omega asked excitedly.

“Uh-huh. You wanna take it out and watch the sunset?” Lyana offered.

“Really?” Omega gasped.

“That sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it?” Phee said with a look at you and Hunter.

“Can I go?” Omega asked Hunter eagerly.

Hunter glanced down at you to see you nod before he looked back to Omega. “Have fun.” He granted his permission sincerely and was happy to see her go somewhere looking so thrilled.

Oh, my goodness, you smiled.

“I smile all the time.” He protested down at you.

“No, you smile with your mouth. It rarely reaches your eyes because there’s too much worry behind them. That, was a proper smile.” You said with a small kiss to the corner of his mouth. A groan from beside you got your attention and you saw Wrecker rubbing his stomach. “What’s with you?”

“I’m full. I am never full.”

“Feels good right.” You said with an understanding nod as you were now able to sit back up.

“I will note the date and time to commemorate such a momentous occasion.” Tech added as he brought out his datapad.

You huffed out a laugh at Tech’s antics and at the look on Wrecker’s face as he got distracted by a platter that Shep had just brought out.

“Hope you saved room for dessert.” Shep said as he lifted the lid to unveil a platter of delicious looking fruit.

“I love this place!” Wrecker yelled happily.

--

“It’s almost time.” Phee said.

“For what?” Tech asked without turning his sight away from the screen in front of him.

“See for yourself.” Phee stood and beckoned for him to follow her over to the wall.

Tech looked over the wall but saw nothing different. “I am not seeing anything.”

Phee rested a hand on his arm. “Just wait. It’ll be worth it.”

Tech did as she said and watched as the sun went down and all the lights surrounding the island lit up the homes all at once.

“Pretty spectacular, right?” Phee said.

Tech found himself not wholly understanding the significance, but he also didn’t want to anger or disappoint her in his reaction either. “I suppose that is one way to quantify it.”

“You’re scheming.” Hunter whispered into your temple as he saw the way you were studying the pair.

You made no move to deny it. “What if I just…” You trailed off and mimed using the Force to make Phee fall into him.

“No.”

“But-”

“No.” Hunter repeated again with a loving kiss to the crown of your head.

“Do you remember what they did to us? We were locked in a storage closest for 3 hours one time!”

“Yes, but Tech is Tech. He’ll get there on his own… eventually.”

“What are you two talking about?” Wrecker asked as he finished the last piece of fruit.

You just pointed over to Tech and Phee.

“Ooohhh right. Yeah, we won’t be much help. He’s just gotta use that brain of his to figure it out.”

“Men are hopeless.” You muttered with a sigh before you stood up and wandered over to where you animal friends were.

--

You weren’t there for very long before you started to sense their unease but to your eyes nothing was wrong. You let them run off but before you could raise any sort of alarm, you noticed the look on Hunter’s face as he braced his hands against the wall. “What’s wrong?” You asked as you jogged over to where he, Phee and Tech were now standing.

“Something’s coming. We need to-” He didn’t get to finish his thought for an aggressive rumble ran underneath the island, leaving you all unsteady on your feet.  Luckily, it didn’t last long but he was sure that wouldn’t be the last one. He reached for his comm. “Omega, come in. Are you two okay?”

“We’re fine. We’re headed back to shore now.” Came her reply.

“Everyone alright?” Shep shouted down to the rest of the island.

“Well, that was different.” Wrecker commented as he got to his feet.

“Uh, a small tremor. It’s nothing to worry about. Part of island life.” Shep explained.

“I don’t think it’s over yet.” Hunter warned and sure enough another, more violent tremor occurred, leaving cracks in some of the buildings. “That was not a small tremor.”

 “No, it was not.” Shep said fretfully.

Tech analysed his datapad. “Hunter, I believe this island is at risk for a significant sea surge.”

“How much risk?” He asked.

“Highly probable to imminent.”

“We haven’t had a sea surge in more than three decades. If we were at risk, the early warning system would’ve activated. And-” Shep was cut off by the blaring of a siren.

“And I take it that’s the system?” You asked with a grimace.

Tech took the macrobinoculars that Shep passed him. “The water has already begun receding.” Tech stated as he stared through the lenses. “We must evacuate all of Lower Pabu.”

You caught Hunter’s arm in a panic. “Hunter, Lyana and Omega-”

“I know. I’ll grab our ship and get them. You five, move everyone in town to higher ground.” Hunter ordered.

You nodded before you all parted and got to work.

--

It was mayhem.

Everyone was screaming and stampeding to get to higher ground which meant they were paying little attention to the safety of those around them.

“Knock on every door. Check every home.” Shep told the four of you before you split up.

--

Tech and Phee had ensured their area was clear and they were now making for the higher ground, but the crowds were overwhelming, it wasn’t going to work this way.

“There are too many trying to get through at once. They will not make it before the surge hits. We must use additional means to get them over the wall.” Tech said hurriedly.

“We can deploy the rescue ladders.” Phee replied.

“Where?”

“They line the top of each wall.” She pointed up to where she was talking about, and they both ran to get closer to the side of the wall.

Tech aimed his grappling hook and once he felt it catch, he signalled to Phee to come closer to him. “Hang on!” He took a secure hold of her waist and scaled the wall.

“You take those ladders. I’ll handle these.” Phee directed.

Tech tried to release the ladders, but they wouldn’t budge. “The mechanisms are rusted through. We will need to manually unfurl them.”

Phee was able to use her blade to get her ladder free. “This way!” She called down to the people below.

Tech was also able to launch his and he and Phee kept an eye on them as they climbed to safety.

--

The siren continued to bellow around the island, a daunting reminder of how little time was left. You rounded the corner to see Mr. Eenta just sitting outside his house. “Wrecker, Shep! Over here!” You ran over to the old man. You kneeled next to his chair and spoke as calmly as you could manage. “Hey, Mr. Eenta, remember me?”

“Hmm? Oh yes, you’re the lovely lady who Shep brought over. Can I get you something?”

“Maybe later, but we gotta get out of here first.” You stepped aside to let Wrecker pick him up.

“Huh? Why? What’s going on?”

“Everything will be fine, Mr. Eenta.” Shep reassured him as the four of you set off for the high ground.

--

Your pace faltered behind Shep and Wrecker as you were sure the house you just passed had someone crying in it. You worked your way back and as you peered through the window; you caught side of a young Rodian child, she had to be not much older than six, frozen to the spot in the corner of the room and it looked like some kind of dresser or shelf had fallen in front of the door. You looked ahead to see that the other three were too far ahead to call back and they had Mr. Eenta so you needed them to be safe. The siren sounded again but you couldn’t move. You had time… you had to have time. “Hold on, I’m going to get you out of there.” You called through the window before you made your way to the door.

You tried kicking it down and barging into it, but it would not budge. Fuck it. You called on the Force and you were able to successfully push the door open.

You stepped over the shelf and other loose belongings and carefully made your way over to her. You took a knee in front of her. You knew if you appeared nervous or panicked then you weren’t going to get anywhere. “Hi there, little one. My name is (Y/N), do you have someone looking after you?”

She gave you nothing. She just stood there shaking as the siren continued to blare.

“Okay, it’s okay.” You cleared your throat and tried again. “Do you have a father? A mother?” You were sure you saw her head perk up slightly at that word.

“Mother?” You double checked and saw her nod again. “Okay, that’s good.” You reached your hand out to her. “How about we go find her? I can help you. Does that sound alright?”

You breathed deeply as she cautiously took your hand. “There we go. Let’s get outta here, alright?” You helped her over the debris and once you cleared the house, you picked her up and started running.

--

You could hear the wave now. You reached the bottom of the ladder and altered her position, so she was now on your back. “Hold on.” You scaled the ladder quickly and handed her over to someone waiting at the top, the sound of the wave getting closer by the second and you could feel the cold spray nipping at your heels. You were halfway over the wall when you felt part of the wave crash into your back, toppling you over the rest of the way.

You laid on the grounded, winded, before you felt a light tapping on your shoulder. You opened your eyes to see the kid staring worriedly at you.

“I’m good.” You panted as she peered at you. You straightened up and got some more air into your lungs and took her hand once more. “Let’s go fine your mother.”

--

You squeezed the young girl’s hand. “Hey kid, I think we’ve found her.” You jutted your head over in the direction of the distressed female Rodian anxiously scanning the crowds of people. Your suspicions were proved correct by the delighted squeal the child emitted at the sight. “On you go.” You nudged her gently in front of you and kept a careful eye on her as she ran up to her mother.  When you saw her get picked up and held tightly, you knew your job here was done. As the young girl pointed at you, you waved goodbye, but you saw that her mother was walking over to you, so you stayed where you were.

“I went out for a few seconds but then the tremors happened, and I got caught up in the crowd- I tried to work my way back but- but there were too many people, and I couldn’t! I wasn’t sure- oh I thought I’d never see her again!” She cried tearfully as she buried her face into her daughter’s neck as she held her close.

You rested a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. You’re both safe now. That’s all that matters.”

“Thank you, thank you so much.”

You nodded your head in acknowledgement before you got to work on finding your own family.

--

“Wrecker, where’s (Y/N)?” Hunter asked urgently as he noticed everyone was there but you.

Wrecker looked around him. “She was right behind us when Shep and I knew everything was all clear.”

“She was with you as you got to safety?”

“Well- um- I can’t exactly remember.” Wrecker stammered.

“She probably just got caught up in the crowd.” Shep offered as he placed Lyana back down.

“Yeah, she’s going to be fine.” Phee added.

Their words didn’t mean much. He needed to know that you were fine. “We need to-”

“Turn around and breathe.”

A deep sigh of relief left his lungs as he heard your voice. “You’re okay?” Hunter asked as he turned to face you.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Are you all okay?” You addressed the wider group who all nodded and parted to give you some privacy.

“Where were you?” Hunter asked.

“You’re not the only one who can save a kid every now and then.” You said brightly as you hugged Omega before she went off to join the others.

“You’re wet.” Hunter noticed as he embraced you.

“Gee, save that for later, sir.” You kidded.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“The wave caught some of my back, but I’m fine.” You explained.

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “Exactly how close did you come to getting smashed off the walls of Pabu?”

“Best not think about it.” You said airily before you regrouped with the others.

--

The sunrise did little to lighten the spirits of Pabu’s civilians. They’d lost their homes, the best you could do was offer your sympathies and supplies to people.

“I’m sorry, Shep.” You said kindly as you came to stand next to him and Hunter as they both stared at the destruction below.

“We got everyone out in time. That’s what’s important.” Shep responded.

“Based on my estimations, it will take several rotations to rebuild the damage sustained in Lower Pabu.” Tech revealed as he and Phee joined the three of you.

“Yes.” Shep said with a dejected sigh. “Property was destroyed but my people are resilient. We’ll band together and rebuild.”

“I was thinking.” Hunter began hesitantly. “We could stay and help out with things.”

“I had the same idea.” Tech concurred.

“Did you now?” Phee teased.

You threaded an arm around Hunter’s waist and subtly nudged him as you saw the smile Tech offered Phee at her words. He merely squeezed your side in acknowledgement.

“That is, if you don’t mind us sticking around for a while.” You added as you looked to Shep.

Shep chuckled softly. “You would be most welcome.”

The group of you set back towards the crowds of people and, for once in your life, you had a good feeling about this.

Next Chapter>

Tagging: @noeasyisnoisy, @fuckoffthanos, @tpwkcalli, @graciexmarvel, @arctrooper69, @nightmonkeysstuff, @brujaporfavor, @flyingkangaroo, @sunkissedclones, @ladytano420, @keep-calm-and-drink-caf, @yyourmotherr, @xxeiraxx, @dragonrider9905, @starwarsnerd111, @skellymom

#the bad batch #the bad batch season 2 #the bad batch s2 #hunter x reader #hunter x femalejedi!reader #hunter x fem!reader #hunter x female!reader #sergeant hunter x reader #sergeant hunter #hunter tbb #hunter the bad batch #the bad batch hunter x you #hunter x y/n #tbb hunter x reader #the bad batch fanfiction #star wars #angst #fluff #smut #friends to lovers

[fireflysummers]

Final Thoughts on GO S2

I'm probably gonna pull back on discussing S2, at least publicly, after this. I did actually like a lot of the season, but it's triggering some of my religious trauma and also the fandom is already stressing me out. So here, let's have some final thoughts.

First and foremost: I am not a Gaiman simp. I've read a decent amount of his work: comics, short stories, essays, and novels. Aside from Good Omens, I've liked Coraline and The Graveyard Book the best by far, whereas American Gods just. Did Not Connect with me, even though it's should have, given the stuff I tend to enjoy.

However. Regardless of whether I like a given work (or even like how he adapted it, a la parts of The Sandman TV series), he is a veteran writer who has proven that he does, actually, know how to write a story with consistent characters.

Beyond that, I do actually believe that he's trying to do right by Pratchett, and loves and respects the story and characters they created together. He's generally shown up as an ally to a variety of social causes, and directly and respectfully responds to fans on Tumblr. While no saint, I feel that there is cause to give the benefit of the doubt that things will resolve satisfyingly in S3, and that there is Intention about some of the things in S2.

This, of course, does not absolve it of being "bad," but even here I think we need to articulate better the different types of "bad" that people are reacting to. There seems to roughly be three camps here: 1) People who thought it was "bad" because of how it ended, with the breakup and a lot of unresolved plot threads; 2) People who thought it was "bad" because it struggled on a technical level with its set, lighting, directorial choices, editing, etc; 3) People who thought it was "bad" because they felt the characterization was significantly off and that the internal logic of the series had been violated.

With regards to Point One, the only solution is to Wait and See. Judgement should be reserved until the story is properly finished--easier said than done, especially considering the current media landscape, and the number of series or franchises that fail to live up to their promises.

Point Two isn't something I understand well enough to contribute meaningfully, except that I suspect the pandemic affected this aspect the most and am willing to give it a bit more mercy. That aside, I for the most part I don't find it bad so much as not as good as S1. Except for the parts with epilepsy warnings, surely there could've been a better way to do that.

Point Three... that's the stumbling block for me, and I find it interesting that most of the folks who struggle with this point in particular are long time fans of the book.

I trust that instinct.

There are two different directions to go from here. The first is the assumption that these problems are a result of ego, carelessness, or lack of skill from the showrunners/writers/director. It's cynical but not unjustified. The second is the belief that the breaks in lore or characterization were intentional, building towards a much grander conspiracy. Of course, even in this case I don't think it forgives the lack of signposting that would indicate that this is a choice rather than an accident. It just makes it feel clumsy and poorly constructed, a major risk on a show that hasn't had its third season confirmed.*

However, regardless, it still feels salvageable. I've enjoyed reading a lot of meta on all this, and I've pulled some things from others (particularly That Theory by @ariaste), but I don't really want to put forth a single, defined theory myself. Instead, here's some questions I've got, why those questions are important (to me, at least). Actual theorizing comes after, and anybody who snidely mentions Sherlock in the comments or tags is going to get auto-blocked. Like seriously, I'm aware that some stuff is a stretch, but it's fun??? To theorize????? And I'm here for me and my peace of mind rather than trying to argue a point.

*I have some suspicions here, particularly with Gaiman stating that the decision from Amazon would come much faster than The Sandman's second season (which was four months). I don't know enough though to say if that's actually significant.

Questions

Who the fuck is telling this story?

This is the most important piece, in my opinion. There's this assumption when reading books (or research papers, newspapers, etc...) that the narrator who is writing the words is a non-presence, Neutral and objective. That's not the case, and an important part of literature critique is figuring out who the narrator is, and what their goals are. Oftentimes, the narrator and the author are the same person, but with Pratchett's work, particularly on Good Omens and Discworld, the Narrator was its own unique character.

This is why people struggle adapting Discworld to live action--that medium requires a Reason for having a Narrator, and especially in the age of method acting that's often considered immersion-breaking. Good Omens worked so well because they not only kept the Narrator, but they made Her God.

This added some really interesting new dimensions, such as the scene where Crowley speaks to God about his fall and the destruction of humanity. He doesn't receive an answer, but we're watching from God's perspective, so we as the audience know that She's listening.

Another advantage of making God the Narrator is that it justifies all the goofy little asides we get into the lives of minor characters (i.e. Leslie the Mailman), without losing focus. It helps the world feel like it’s full of people, rather than characters and plot contrivances, and the theme that individual people and their choices are important. The Narrator is such a central character of Good Omens that without it, the story struggles to stay focused.

It also highlights a key difference in the writing styles of the two authors. Pratchett’s work tends to introduce four or five totally unique plot threads that feel completely disjointed until the last act (if not even later), when it turns into a Chekhov’s Firing Squad. Plot twists around secret identities and backstabbing and schemes are relatively rare, as the omniscient Narrator doesn’t lie about the intentions of people or their actions.

Gaiman’s writing is typically not like that, to my knowledge. He buries characters in misdirection and hints, and you never know the true identity or motives until all the chips are down. It’s a perfectly valid way to approach storytelling, but it makes it jarring to see it in S2. The lack of a Narrator is a huge reason why S2 doesn’t feel like Good Omens to some folks.

My gut feeling is that the decision to shift from the original Narrator was highly intentional. It helps to obscure the thoughts and intentions of people, and it also muddles the insights that we’re supposed to take away. (I would have loved hearing God monologue about what’s going on in Jim’s head. I think it’d do a lot to make him seem less.... obnoxiously stupid.)

More than that, it brings up a reasonable potential plot point of: Where did God go? Why isn’t She present in the story? Even in her early appearance in the Job flashback, she doesn’t sound like the narrator for last season. After the first part of her speech (which Gabriel later quotes), her tone turns casual and condescending, which might line up with her being a bit of an asshole, it doesn’t line up with the whole “dealer of a mysterious card game who is always smiling”).

Also, I don’t think it’s safe to assume that nobody is telling the story either. Just because they’re not making their presence known doesn’t mean they aren’t there, and in a story like Good Omens, that’s concerning.

Wait, where's Satan?

Another person I saw while scrolling the tags pointed out that Satan is nowhere to be seen this season. He's really only mentioned in reference to a bet God made in Job, but then Crowley is the one on the ground causing mischief. There's no Hail Satan among demons (like Hastur and Ligur did at the start of S1).

That's might be because the writers didn't want us to think it was important (a la Hastur), but that feels off. Given that Satan speaks directly through the radio to Crowley in S1, complimenting him on his work, it's safe to say that he was at least aware of and involved in the goings-on in Hell. The fact that he wasn't even an worry for Beelzebub in abandoning their post? Feels weird.

(Also if you know where that post is, I'll happy credit + link)

What is Maggie?

Look, I love cute lesbians in love as much as the next queer, but I don't like Maggie. I don’t think she’s a person. Contextually, she’s a plot device, but I agree with That Essay that she might be an actual Plot Device.

Her characterization is simple and relatively shallow—a bit of an airhead, ray of sunshine that’s supposed to remind you of Aziraphale. When she describes her past to Nina, it’s almost robotic (also, her story implies it was Mr. Fell who first rented to her ancestor, not Mr. Fell’s great-grandfather like Nina implied). Her emotions are over-dramatic and seem to be turned on and off at random (scenes with her crying to Aziraphale about her woes had my “manipulator” senses going off for some reason).

When asked about a song, she not only IDs the song, its singer, and its year, but how and on what it was distributed. (Honestly thought this would’ve been something interesting, because she’s been pretty ditzy so far, it’d be interesting if she had like... an insane memory for music history.) And then she’s the one that sets Aziraphale on his little investigation by giving him the transformed records, while also planting the seed about her love troubles with Nina. Later, her advice to Crowley is... not awful, but feels insincere and a bit too forward, given her own self-proclaimed lack of relationship experience.

I don’t know what she is (a demon, hastur with amnesia in disguise, a literal plot device inserted by the current storyteller, etc...), but there’s something not right with her.

(Also the joke of “who listens to records anymore, it’s so old fashioned” just doesn’t land, lots of people buy records, and I’m saying this as somebody who has worked at a record store before.)

What's going on with Aziraphale?

There’s something Off about Aziraphale, and it’s not his choices at the end of the season. That makes total sense if you read him as somebody with severe religious trauma getting dragged back into the abusive system because other people need him and he’s been promised the ability to change things.

But I do think something is happening to his memory. Nearly all the flashbacks are from Aziraphale’s point of view and retelling, which means that they’re less reliable than God’s version of events in the previous season. Many of them don’t make logistical sense (post-church scene in 1941), depict Crowley as meaner or more sinister than we know he is, or frame events... weirdly. The scene with him trying food for the first time feels Really Bad, especially when the series has previously established that he’s a) prim and proper and b) his interest in food is one of the beautiful things that connect him to humanity, not some kind of gluttonous sin. Also he turns down alcohol.

Their meet-cute at the  start of the universe also doesn’t line up with their reactions to each other in Eden, or the fact that knowing each other Before has never come up or been hinted at anywhere ever. I don’t know what’s causing this to happen, only that Aziraphale repeatedly looks pensive when coming out of flashbacks, and Crowley is never there afterwards to corroborate said memories.

His actions also seem pretty inconsistent with what we know of him—i.e. I refuse to believe he would ever mistreat his books, even if they’re just old encyclopedias. Also, he feels a bit too...forceful in trying to get Nina and Maggie to fall in love? I mean, he didn’t exert that much direct influence on even Warlock, when he was actively hoping that the boy would turn out angelic rather than neutral.

I don’t think this removes his agency in that last decision, so much as explains how he was in such a vulnerable place at all. He still needs to apologize and fix things, because he messed up, and even if he hadn’t he still seriously hurt Crowley.

What's going on with Crowley?

There’s something Off about Crowley. The most obvious thing, of course, is his memories. At multiple points in the present day, characters state that they remember him or have met him before, only to be met with confusion. This is especially concerning given that he has a nigh photographic memory for faces (something mentioned in the book when he immediately IDs Mary Loquacious, 11 years after a 30 second conversation).

Overall, he seems to be better known by other supernatural entities this season, in ways that often tie him back to his angelic identity (i.e. saying they fought together in the war, Aziraphale stating he knew the angel he used to be, etc...). This doesn’t feel right, because S1 we see that Hell is largely apathetic towards his schemes, and definitely does not defer to him at any point in any capacity.

Then there’s the issue of his power level. It’s always been speculated that Crowley was a powerful angel prior to falling, when he mentions in S1 his involvement with star making, his seemingly unique ability to freeze time, and creating a pocket universe for Adam before the confrontation with Satan. He also has a tendency of breathing life into inanimate objects, like his plants or car. He also has the regular demonic skillset: miracles that can adjust physical appearance; the ability to change inanimate objects (like paintball guns into real guns); the ability to manifest clothing and similar items; and summon hellfire to his fingertips. This, plus the way he monologues to God with a degree of familiarity rather than reverence seems to indicate that he was Somebody Powerful and Important Before.

But in S2, his skills are significantly expanded upon. The miracle he and Aziraphale summon sets off alarms in heaven and hell, and it’s powerful enough to mask Gabriel from the Archangels. He summons a miniature sun to rain fire on Job, which is way bigger and flashier than anything we’ve seen him summon in S1. (If he needs fire, he alters the course of a dropping bomb, without creating one himself.)

Yet he’s able to cloak his presence so well he goes wholly unnoticed in heaven, or in front of heavenly agents on earth (i.e. the Job flashback). Muriel can’t clock him as a demon, or even as another supernatural being, despite their auras usually being pretty significant, such Aziraphale immediately sensing the archangels when they arrive.  He’s able to interfere with files that Muriel claimed required clearance (although I feel like that might just be a snark about Obeying Without Thinking? I would really need a Narrator to know.)

I might be misremembering, but I don’t think we’ve seen angels or demons transmogrify living beings before either. In the book, Crowley brings Aziraphale’s dove back to life after the failed magic show, and occasionally sinks ducks, but he doesn’t alter them? Not even Adam demonstrates that skill in S1. But he has no trouble turning Job’s children into lizards, however temporarily. Boy that would’ve been convenient during the flood. Or when the guard stopped then from getting to the air strip.

I might be misremembering, but I don’t think we’ve seen angels or demons transmogrify living beings before either. In the book, Crowley brings Aziraphale’s dove back to life after the failed magic show, and occasionally sinks ducks, but he doesn’t alter them? Not even Adam demonstrates that skill in S1. But he has no trouble turning Job’s children into lizards, however temporarily. Boy that would’ve been convenient during the flood. Or when the guard stopped then from getting to the air strip.

I don’t have any real issues with his characterization in the present day parts of S2, but there’s something weird happening with Crowley.

Where's all the people?

I really like a lot of the new characters, but how were there only like, 2.5 new humans named in the present day? Flashbacks don’t count bc the humans are all dead and can’t affect the story.

As much as I like Nina, she and Maggie don’t drive the story beyond being an occasional and awkwardly inserted plot contrivance? Both are actively robbed of their agency at several points, forced into situations that they could not have avoided or escaped. I’m not really sure what growth they’re expected to experience other than deciding not to date each other after everything. I literally can’t tell you anything about Nina other than that she remembers her regular’s orders, runs a coffee shop, and has a textbook abusive partner we never see. The only meaningful interactions they have are between those two, or in conversation with Aziraphale and Crowley.

Compare that to S1, where Anathema gets hit by Aziraphale and Crowley, but her primary relationships are with Newt, Adam, and Agnes Nutter (I think that counts as a relationship). We know that she’s got a wealthy family back in Puerto Rico, and that she was literally raised to save the world, and that she isn’t happy under all that pressure. Newt on the other hand is connected to not just Anathema, but Shadwell and Madame Tracy. He never even directly interacts with Aziraphale and Crowley. We know about his hobbies, his struggle to hold down a job, and his almost supernatural ability to destroy any electronics he touches. I don’t necessarily like how their relationship came together, but they were both very, very well fleshed out characters with unique backstories and goals. They weren’t just... waiting around to give Aziraphale and Crowley a new questline.

And while there’s no requirement to include a large cast of human characters that are exerting influence over the story, the lack of it is another aspect that makes this season feel not like Good Omens.

Also, it's just. Really weird to me that the events of S1 aren't really referenced at all? Like, Adam isn't mentioned, nor is Warlock. I don't expect them to keep track of the humans they met on the airfield for 20 minutes, but none of it is ever specifically referenced as far as I can tell, beyond Crowley threatening Gabriel. Like, I get that it's been a few years, but the pair caused a big enough disturbance that you'd expect some kind of ripples in their supernatural communities.

Promised by the Narrative (Obvious Chekhov's guns that I will be legitimately upset over if they do not go off)

A sincere apology from Aziraphale to Crowley that doesn't come with the expectation that Crowley will come back to him, but because he deserves an apology, even if the choices Aziraphale made were done with good intentions. Aziraphale does not expect forgiveness, and is shocked when Crowley grants it without hesitation.

A clear declaration of love from Aziraphale, which can't be rationalized away by either of them.

An "I'm Sorry" dance between Aziraphale and Crowley, but with greater sincerity and gravity. The most important piece is that they end up dancing together, which signifies a mutual apology and dedication to come together.

Since kissing is on the table, I expect an actual joyful, mutual kiss between these two assholes.

A shared cottage in South Downs.

Predictions/Theories (just some fun thoughts I've had)

When Adam declared that Satan was not his father, he didn't make himself not the antichrist, but accidentally crowned his human dad the King of Hell. Nobody knows this, because Adam doesn't have a good measure for "normal" supernatural situations, and Mr. Young because he's so "normal" that he explains away all the magical bullshit that's started going down.

When Adam declared that Satan was not his father, he erased Satan altogether. However, this left a vacuum in both power and reality. The defection of both Gabriel and Beelzebub only widens that crack. In an attempt to Fix things, reality is warping the story. Crowley has become leagues more powerful between S1 and S2, as the narrative is trying to force him into the role of his previous boss. Aziraphale is unknowingly being pulled into a similar version on the Other Side, perhaps to replace Gabriel or perhaps to replace God herself, who has been fairly absent in all this. The alterations to their memories or past have come about to keep the narrative running smoothly.

When the Metatron asks Nina whether anybody has ever asked for death, he was actually referring to Death, the sole remaining rider of the apocalypse.

If Maggie is indeed a Plot Device, it would be a fascinating exploration of Free Will to see her become aware of this (cue existential crisis), and then fall in love with Nina on her own terms, rather than because she was written that way.

Hastur will be back. Somehow.

The reason why S2 focuses so much on the supernatural characters is because S3 will be about how the events in S1 have changed the political landscape of heaven and hell. Angels are questioning their roles, demons are yearning for something more. It's scaring upper administration, and then the two most reliable folks in employment run away to alpha centauri. Recruiting Aziraphale and getting him back in line prevents him from becoming a martyr, control the range of his influence. The series reasserts its theme of choice and agency by highlighting that Aziraphale and Crowley aren't that special, they've just had the chance to live and grow, and that the others have free will too, if they want it.

The reason why they wanted to separate Aziraphale and Crowley, is not to get Aziraphale on his own, but to get Crowley on his own. He literally stopped time and made a pocket universe in front of Satan last season. He's powerful and dangerous and somebody wants to see that reigned in.

Wishlist (stuff I desperately want to see)

Crowley getting an audience with God and an opportunity to ask his questions, only to refuse to do so because he's found his own Answers and he no longer needs hers

Aziraphale and Crowley growing more into their book incarnations. Aziraphale becomes confident in his sense of morality, which he developed the hard way through millennia on earth besides humanity. He slowly learns what it means to be loved, unconditionally, but also is better at asserting and maintaining his boundaries. Crowley, still anxious and unwinding, works through his fear of abandonment, providing him opportunities to be kind and gentle and nurturing--all traits that he's aggressively hid since being a demon.

Hand holding. I know that Gaiman was referring to Ineffable Bureaucracy, but I still feel like we'd benefit from meaningful hand holding, especially since that got cut from the adaptation of the book.

Shifted focus away from the supernatural shenanigans, and back onto the humans that actually drive the story.

Cameos from S1 characters (if not a more substantial appearance).

The Four Other Riders of the Apocalypse.

Cursed Thoughts (why I shouldn't be allowed a social platform)

Ineffable Bureaucracy turns up in season 3 because Beelzebub got Gabriel pregnant somehow.

#good omens #good omens spoilers #good omens season 2 #good omens s2 #good omens meta #good omens 2 spoilers #good omens 2 theory #good omens 2 analysis #long post #text

[k-s-morgan]

What is your HC for Will’s sexuality? Do you see him as bisexual? Also if we only consider canon, is Will a straight man who happened to fall in love with one man (Hannibal)? Sorry for my ignorance here as I am not part of the queer community, but if a straight man falls in love with just one man in particular and doesn’t feel attracted to others, is he considered bisexual? Because I think this is where Will fits. I personally don’t think he’d be attracted to any other men, just Hannibal.

What do you think?

Hi! I don't have a clear headcanon here, but I enjoy speculating because I adore Will as a character.

To note, I won’t be relying on Bryan’s words in this meta as he gave us three different versions of Will’s sexuality, where he called him heterosexual with Hannibal being his possible exception (Bryan: I feel one is omnisexual and one is heterosexual and there's a lot of influence going back and forth, who knows with a six pack of beer what would happen), hinted at Will’s bisexuality (Bryan: You can have this intimate connection with somebody that then causes you to wonder where the lines of your own sexuality are), and implied that Will might be gay (Bryan on Twitter: “YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO BREED” #SUBTEXT #HANNIGRAM #WhatAreYouBecoming). These tags point out not simply to Will’s darkness, but to the other things he (possibly) represses.

So, I think only the show itself should be taken into account when discussing this topic. On the surface, we see Will interested in Alana in S1, sleeping with Margot in S2, and marrying Molly in S3 — and of course, falling in love with Hannibal in the process of all 3 seasons. However, the three women in his life are united by some common aspects — namely, 1) they are perfectly safe and ordinary (with maybe Margot being an exception, but her own sexuality plays a role in this); 2) Will never develops any real emotional connection with any of them. To be more specific.

Alana

We first hear Will referring to Alana in E1 of S1, when he just distantly calls her by her last name. In the course of their time together, Will never seeks Alana out himself. It is Alana who comes to his class, or to the hospital, or to his home — Will does flirt with her, and he kisses her first, but he never appears genuinely interested because he never seems to think about her unless she comes to him. The only exception I personally remember is in E8, where we learn that Will called Alana and invited her over to help him find an animal that was attacked by coyote. Still, the script offers an interesting bit here.

WILL GRAHAM: I invited you over on the off chance we find it alive. Hard to wrangle a wounded animal by myself. (then, realizing) Did you think it was a date?

ALANA BLOOM: Honestly, it never crossed my mind.

Will is at first relieved, then almost disappointed.

So, why relieved? And why flirt with Alana at all if he isn’t actually interested? As I see it, Alana is a very normal, perfectly safe and socially acceptable choice, a nice beautiful woman whose acceptance is clearly important to Will. We know that Will is fighting his demons all the time — he desperately wants to be normal, to bury the darkness inside him. I would say, to him, an acceptance by such a normal person as Alana would mean that there is nothing wrong with him and that he can be normal, too. Now, I can’t say if it was really planned or if it is just a set of coincidences, but I think that the theory that makes most sense is that Will was attracted to Alana’s normalcy first and foremost. He craved an ordinary life at that point, and Alana was someone who could give it to him. The more time passes, the stronger Hannibal and Will’s bond gets, the colder Will acts with Alana. By S3, he doesn’t even know that she had a child and who she is with, so they obviously do not keep any contact. For these reasons, Will never appears emotionally invested in their relationship to me — he remembers about Alana only when she comes to him, like he is only interested in her because she is the only woman he is friends with, someone he doesn’t have to try hard with.

The only aspect that points to the sincerity of Will’s attraction to Alana is his words to Hannibal — that he wanted to kiss her since he’d met her as she’s very kissable. I can interpret it in two different ways. Will can be truly attracted to Alana or he might be so repressed that he thinks he wants things that he doesn’t (and we do have a precedent here — Will tries to deny who he really is in regard to his darkness for quite a long time).

Margot

I think we can all agree that Will was never emotionally interested in Margot. Like with Alana, it is Margot who seeks him out, and Margot is the one to initiate sex. Why does Will agree to it? Just because he wants it? I think it is possible, but I also think it’d be a little out of character for him for several reasons. Will knows Margot has some agenda. He knows she is not interested in sex with him because she admitted she is a lesbian. When she makes her move, Will tells her, "I've got the wrong parts for your proclivities". So he knows the truth, yet still agrees to have sex with her, and during this process, he doesn’t really see Margot. He sees Alana, Hannibal, and a Stag Man– a being that symbolizes his and Hannibal’s connection. More than that, he reaches orgasm only when the Stag Man appears. So, it is equally possible to read this scene as Will’s attempt to engage into the most natural activity in the world — sex with a woman, but he still fails at it by dragging a man and a monster into it.

Molly

Molly is a character who seems alien in the world of the show because she’s the embodiment of normalcy. Will marries her, and we can surely assume they have sex, but from the first seconds of their scenes, it is clear that emotional intimacy between them is missing. Molly and Walter go fishing, an activity that Will enjoys deeply and that could be a uniting hobby for him and his new family. However, Molly and Walter go alone, Will stays home. In all their scenes together, Will never initiates contact between them — he never attempts to touch Molly, sometimes even going out of his way to avoid it. In the hospital, after Dolarhyde’s attack, Will still doesn’t touch her, though his hand twitches as if he considers it. In the second scene, he touches the pillow near Molly’s head, which is so awkward and embarrassing that I’d personally never be able to tell these people are married. The most important thing, Will doesn’t return her ‘I love you’, which is very deliberate. Hannibal tells him that he has chosen a ready-made family, and Will doesn’t argue with it. He goes to Hannibal at the first opportunity because he missed him, not because he needed his help, and then after Dolarhyde’s attack and after learning Hannibal is in love with him, Will easily discards both Molly and Walter and we never see them again. He basically breaks up with Molly back at the hospital, as if her first contact with something not normal taints her in his eyes, breaks the normalcy he thought he needed from her.

So, it is clear that Will never really developed emotional bonds with women in his life. Was he truly attracted to them, or did he like them for the cover of normalcy they could potentially provide for him? I wouldn’t be surprised if Will turned out to be flexible, bisexual, or gay, as it is really open to interpretation and there is enough subtext to support every version. I used to think that Will was bi, but I also wonder if his possible repressed homosexuality could be one the factors that made his fight with himself so intense. Taking into account the area where Will has grown, to him, it is bad enough that he is a killer — he’s also a gay one at that. I think it could enhance his struggle through S1-3 and his slow realization that adhering to social norms in all ways does not make him happy.

Then again, I think Will’s sexuality doesn’t actually even matter at this point because after all seasons, there is only one person who is going to be a permanent part of his life, among all men and women — Hannibal. We have seen that neither Will nor Hannibal can tolerate the other’s partners, and with rich sexual subtext between the two of them, I believe they will easily move forward in their relationship post-fall.

#will graham #hannibal #hannigram #meta #hannibal lecter #alana bloom

[nimbusalba]

I need to confess. I have been infected with the good omens brainrot for more than two months. This is my story:

I read the book about 20 years ago and I loved it, obviously. It was written by two of my favorite authors.

I got wind of the making of the first season before it was released, but it somehow slipped my mind and forgot all about it, until recently. In October I saw the recommendation on prime video and lost no time in watching the first season. I was skeptical at first, I don't usually like screen adaptations of books: characters tend to be shallow, plots get oversimplified, you know how it is. Boy, was I wrong. I absolutely loved the series, even more than the book itself. When I finished watching the first season, I realized there was a second season. And that's where I stopped myself. I had enjoyed the first season, but it covered the whole book already, so I thought "what's going to happen in a second season? surely nothing as good as the first”. So, I didn't watch S2 then and there, and I was able to keep going on with my life, like a normal person.

But obviously something happened, if it hadn’t, I wouldn't be telling you about it, would I? In January one night I was bored to tears and I saw the recommendation of S2 of good omens, there on the screen, teasing me. I had learned that Neil Gaiman was totally involved in it, so it couldn't be bad. And I watched it. Oh, yes, I did watch it. I don't remember if it took me as much as two days to watch the whole season. As soon as I finished watching the credits after the final fifteen I said out loud "NO!" I couldn’t believe it! The heartbreak! And I watched S2 again. After watching S2 for the second time I started watching S1, then S2, S1... and it's been like that, on loop, since then.

I'm not sure when I got the brainrot exactly. It must have been between the second and fourth episodes of S2, I guess. But I haven't found a cure yet. I surrendered to it, as you can see. I lost no time in finding this amazing fandom, creating a tumblr account to discover all the wonderful (and some crazy) metas, theories, analyses and art about good omens. And it’s being really fun. I have some theories and analyses of my own and maybe I’ll post them some of these days.

I don’t know if I’ll keep watching good omens on loop until S3 is aired in a few years. And then maybe I’ll have to keep watching time and again the three seasons… I don’t know. I just know that, right now, good omens is my happy place. I’ve been through a lot the last few years and I still am. This series is helping me cope with some things, but above all, it’s allowing me to have something else in my head apart from my own rl problems. So, thank you all, specially all the people involved in creating this wonderful world where I can lose myself a little.

#good omens #good omens is my happy place #good omens 2 #good omens fandom #neil gaiman #terry pratchett #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands

[stedelovemail]

just unleashed a lot of General S2 Thoughts on twitter but i'll crosspost them here too. a lot of it is me agreeing with things that have already been said. ineloquent love-fueled criticism in here

i am still on my initial first 3 episodes reaction that everything is too fast; it's unfortunate that there are only 8 episodes this time and they're trying to put so much into them at the cost of good pacing and satisfying arcs because this show deserves better than that. i/we all know it COULD be better and that's exactly what we want for it, but alas: max.

i'd probably have stronger reactions if they had more time to flesh out everything they're trying to do – if i had more time to process everything they're trying to do 😭 there still is a lot i'm enjoying, though. the main relationship of course; most of everything w/ the crew, especially when they aren't separated! bc i'm kind of sad about the swede being apart from everyone, and now buttons too.

and archie: she's definitely likeable but we still really don't know much about her, let alone enough to really feel the connection between her and jim…? meanwhile olu and zheng are indeed a "well they're cute!" situation but i don't understand why they're doing it after how big of A Thing jim and olu were in s1. they were the secondary protagonists. now they have less screentime and importance it seems. and who do we have getting more of that instead… oh boy.

i really wish they didn't embrace the fandom white guy favoritism bc izzy's arc is just. insane. mindboggling. completely different character here, plucked straight from woobie fanon to replace his canon self. they want us to fill in the gaps re: development we didn't actually see, but i can't. it was so annoying watching the fandom push oluwande and jim aside to claim that izzy was the third most important/main character, and now they might as well have just done that. it was annoying to see the fandom apply ed's traits and development to izzy in order to sympathize with him, and now they've kinda done that too.

zero acknowledgment (as of right now) of shit he did and now i have to just remember the silk dressing gown dialogue while izzy comes up to ed wearing another robe in bed with stede and congratulates them on having sex?? being in drag after he was the most femphobic motherfucker throughout s1? getting to sing (and ruin that whole scene) to an admiring crew after the whole 'give us another song eddie!" thing that was torn away from ed in s1e10? i'm so over this. i wish he had just gotten worse bc who's this man being so kind and open and giving RELATIONSHIP ADVICE out of nowhere, he's gone from tolerable to completely unbearable for me which sucks with how much screentime he has now. like, go away already.

anyway there's still the finale to hopefully fix some things. i'm not overly worried about ed and stede since it's already obvious they're gonna reunite, but i am a lil worried about how the VERY end will be. david promised something satisfying though, so….. agh…..

#mine #ofmd s2 #ofmd s2 spoilers #izzy critical

[bandydear]

I’ve been reading your tlgbf tlgbl fic, and am absolutely obsessed!! Where did you get the inspirations for dyke Jackie? I love how you’ve written her and her queerness

So, I prescribe to the theory that Jackie had some inclinations about her homosexuality out there in the wild and that's why she's parading around in sweater vests and limp wrists. That the high femme presentation we see in the pilot is more of a gender and social performance than who she is. And, I explored the people pleaser elements that lingered behind in that.

She compliments Nat in the Pilot that she admires how true to herself Natalie is which means that Jackie is not true to herself. She feels the pressure of expectation and lives within that expectation instead of her truth. We are never given a "truth that could crash an airplane" from Jackie. What she says is that she used to sneak downstairs and watch The Color of Night so she could pause it at Bruce Willis's wang.

For research for the fic, I watched Color of Night (the shit I do for art...). Bruce Willis's flaccid dong is there for like, five frames. And, it's not impressive like she claims it to be. You know what that movie actually has a lot of? Naked women and lesbian sex. Jackie's gay.

I know a lot of butch/futch/even high femme dykes who began their journeys presenting heterofemme realness and rejected it when they made their way down the rainbow brick road. Jackie very much gives me those vibes. Like, she has gay energy, but also a very "useless gay man" energy.

I think that finding out "x amount" of her teammates are some kind of queer and that the Very Hetero Sport she's been shielding herself with is uhhhhh Not That is part of what leads her down the path of self-discovery.

She's also shredded. Jackie canonically has an 8-pack and that's interesting because in the 90's, muscle tone was seen as something undesirable for women. (Now, I know that the show is made Now, where the aesthetic ideals are different, but if it's in the text it counts.)

Anyway, this has all been said before in other tumblr posts about Jackie being gay. I'm sure you're asking about why I wrote her as a futch service top instead of say, a femme pillow princess?

It has to do with her character arc. In S1 of Yellowjackets, Jackie's arc is one of nihilism and regression. The only thing that is keeping her alive in this survival situation is her love for Shauna, and when she learns of Shauna's resentment, she loses the will to live. Literally. Dies of a broken heart.

Jackie cannot survive in an environment without love. And, she struggles with survival instincts in general. Which is what makes her a great foil to Nat, who cannot help but survive, and, ironically, dies in S2 of too much love. The moment Nat stopped being cynical and nihilistic she doomed herself.

Two characters in direct opposition cannot exist so therefore they must either kill one or the other other--or change each other to live in harmony. I chose the latter. Jackie softens Nat and Nat hardens Jackie. They meet in the middle. If Jackie becomes hard, and becomes someone who can survive, what does that look like? What's the funniest possible way to get to this point?

Make Jackie the one who builds the shelter. Take this ineffectual, limp wristed twink and show her the way towards self-sufficiency through trades. Her home was broken beyond repair, so she learns how to fix it on her own. The literal is metaphorical and the metaphorical is literal.

So, now that I've explained:

Why Jackie is gay

Why Jackie fixes houses

Now, "why a service top"?

I touch on it in the text, but I don't think she's solely that. I do think that even after coming out, if she was experimenting with people who weren't Shauna she wouldn't allow herself to be physically vulnerable with them. It would cause a panic attack. She has a very Protestant energy and receiving pleasure as a part of sex would probably give her like 5 different mental breaks.

Jackie doesn't enjoy sex with Jeff (oral and hand stuff count as sex) not just because she's gay, but because she's too self-aware of how she's being perceived to enjoy her body.

On the other hand, she is a chronic people pleaser--though Lazy, so I knew she couldn't jump into this with both feet. If Jackie had slept with the girl in chapter 1 it wouldn't have gone well, and it would have been super awkward and unsatisfying for both parties. It's the envy at seeing Nat enjoying herself, and finally being in a safe space to relax a little that allows her to explore sensuality. Still, I don't think she'd let herself be touched in the same way.

If she had, as planned, shared a room with Shauna at Rutgers, I could see her being in a much more comfortable sexual role. Because Shauna was her safe space. But, I could also see her bringing a lot of her own baggage into that situation, and it quickly becoming toxic. I don't think they'd work romantically out of their "platonic" relationship in school, because it had already broken and festered by the Pilot.

Anyway! That's the impetus for Jackie's dykery. I hope that clarified some things. There are other folks out there who have come away with other, valid, and cool conclusions, but these are the ones I came to with my own research and experience. Thanks again for asking!

#fanfic: tlgbf tlgbl #yellowjackets fanfic #jackie taylor

[doyouevenshipbr0]

i just finished live action avatar the last airbender. buckle up. obv spoilers incoming.

~

honestly just gonna list the good and the bad and give a number rating at the end. this will be long. also THIS IS JUST MY OPINION!!!! nothing i say is right or wrong. dont hurt me.

the good

sokka (ik this is controversial bc of his actor okokokok im js purely from a performance standpoint he ate)

zuko (absolutely devoured)

fight scenes!!!! obv not as good as the animated (we knew this) but i still enjoyed

zhao!!!!!! do not sleep on him he killed this!!

KIYOSHI!!! ARE U KIDDINGGG

overall loved the focus on avatars other than roku

suki/suki and sokka

attack on the air nomads… ik it was unnecessary and a little hard to watch but still was v interesting

azulaaaaa and the fact that we see her this season. LOVE this addition. also the way they added her was veryyyyy well done. didnt feel forced.

bumi/how they handled the bumi arc in general. some parts i actually like better than the og. like how aang knew he was bumi right away. makes way more sense to me.

sokka and katara has some very sweet and genuine moments

aang and gyatso reunion awwww

omg. the “twist” with the 41st division that zuko accidentally saved becoming his crew. the bestttttt change that they made. i loved this. something so small but felt SO impactful.

yue/sokka and yue. this is a BIG one bc i think the original show really lacks with how they wrote yue and especially her relationship with sokka. i think it was a lot better here.

when zhao admits at the end he was working w azula and that ozai was just using zuko to motivate azula. omg. that was such a cool thing they added

and now. the bad.

aang. JDHSKSJDJ SORRYYYY dont care! he got better as the show went on. overall acting wasnt great and the writing for him definitely did not help

katara OOPSIES HEHEHE sorry but again same thing. kind of a dull performance. where is her PASSION?!?! wanted to like her so bad bc katara is my girl and this girl was giving katara on paper but the performance was just kinda bleh. didnt hate but DEFINITELY did not love.

costumes. dying on this hill i do not care. it was giving spirit of halloween. and some of these wigs…. yue’s wig? azula’s fuck ass pieces hanging out? HOW MAI AND TY LEE LOOKED IN GENERAL?! ouch

^in general mai and ty lee did not need to be here at ALLLLL. def shouldve waited till s2 for their appearances.

where is the silliness? where is the humor? hardly tried to embody the fun spirit of the original and when it did it failed miserably.

gran gran saying the thing. that’s katara’s thing.

too much exposition dumping.

first ep was by far the worst imo. how sokka and katara came across/met aang? WOW what a let down holy shit.

they should’ve kept it as aang running away from the southern air temple. not that he went for a late night drive with appa. dont care that this is a small thing. it is a HUGE part of aang’s character.

idk how to word this one and i think ppl would disagree anyways. but they are making iroh too obviously “good”. ykw i mean? when we first meet him, we know he’s not like the rest of the fire nation but we still don’t truly know where his morals lie. this show made it too obvious too soon.

why did katara never train w pakku?? that makes 0 sense. i understand she was mostly self taught throughout s1. but the whole thing was that: yes, katara was good before pakku, but when she finally did get a master, she became EXPONENTIALLY better and really came into her own. i am not buying that she becomes the master katara we know and love without learning from pakku. so unrealistic. when zuko says “u found a master” and she said “yes ur looking at her”. oh girlboss feminism u are going to HELL!

would like to take a moment to say^^^ i am a feminist ok. do nottttt get it twisted. but girlboss feminism is brainrot.

aang. did not bend. a single drop of water. are u fucking KIDDING ME? that was nuts.

really felt like if u did not watch the original series, this show would feel SO all over the place and u would have so many “wtf is happening” moments. the whole omashu shit was kind offfffff a mess. i see where they were going and why they were doing that but in hindsight after the fact i was like… if i knew nothing ab this show that would have been the most confusing clusterfuck.

and i think my biggest/most general complaint that i already talked about that i will briefly touch on: trying to do too much. why are we putting in characters and plot points that do not come till seasons 2-3 and are completely unnecessary now (secret tunnel, wan shi tong, swamp-kinda episode, etc.)

final thoughts?

it was enjoyable. i cannot deny that. landscapes were gorgeous. fights were well choreographed and looked GOOD. some changes were genuinely made for the better, and even changes that i do not necessarily think were better, i could respect the creativity of some changes and understood why they were there. but overall, as most live action remakes go, this was a flat portrayal of one of the greatest pieces of fiction of all time that suffered from some overly ambitious ideas and dull writing with little to no sense of whimsy. while some performances exceeded expectations, others that were crucial to the integrity of this show really disappointed me.

overall: 6.6/10. this number is completely subject to change.

#personal #atla #avatar the last airbender #live action atla #atla live action #live action avatar #live action avatar the last airbender #avatar live action #avatar the last airbender live action

[qqueenofhades]

Now that you finished s2, do you want to share your thoughts about sweet pathetic Aleks and sweet pathetic Alina? In s1 I didn't care much about her, honestly, she didn't have the dephs I normally like in protagonist (for me to like) and I was genuilly worried about this season, but well. You saw, Hilary. I love it, what they did with her (and Aleks, and, for that matter, Alina and her relastionship with Mal)

Honestly, I am a huge fan of what they did with Darklina this season, and all the complaints about it deeply, deeply baffle me. Like... y'all realize that in the books, she kills the Darkling, gives up her power, and goes to live with Mal on a farm in obscurity, right? We all bitched about it, and we were all dreading s2 because of that whole mess and it not being what anyone wanted. I was obviously very skeptical about how the season overall and especially the Alina/Mal/Aleksander part was going to be handled. Because in the books, Alina is not very interesting, Malina is not very interesting but still automatically promoted to endgame, and none of that is really challenged or deconstructed at all. I wasn't sure how bold the writers were going to be about changing it up, whether they were going to play the book arcs fairly straight, or what. And they did NONE of that. Yes, she still killed him, but after we literally had a flashback of them kissing the first time and him stating that was when he truly felt peace! He dies gazing at her adoringly and calling her "my little saint!" Like! This was not them "minimizing Darklina" or whatever!

I know that fandom is gonna fandom, and also that fandom tends to insist that they like complicated female characters in theory and then turn on them the instant they're actually complicated, but Alina is SO much more interesting and nuanced in the show that she is in the book, Jessie Mei Li does a great job with her, and the chemistry with Ben Barnes, even and especially when they want to kill each other, is hnnnnngh. Like, again! The writers went "hey twisted soulmate bullshit!" at us at every opportunity! They broke up Malina and sent Mal off to develop an actual personality and plot purpose, and the show acknowledged multiple times in-text that the relationship is weird and codependent and possibly influenced by him literally being her magical footstool! They didn't just go "well they should get married now and Alina will give up her power and live Happily Ever After in obscurity!" Instead, they made it all much more complicated, they made Mal likeable instead of a jealous dickhead but still admitting he's outclassed, they had Alina choose Nikolai and power, they set up an arc of Alina trying to be the "good Grisha" and the "good queen" and discovering that it's SO much harder than just being able to summon light, and crucially, repeating every one of Aleksander's mistakes/being drawn into his character arc exactly as he predicted. So what happens next? We don't know, but we can bet there will be more Parallels.

Basically, the writing this season for Darklina was a lot smarter and a lot more challenging/subversive of the source material than I ever expected it to be, and I eat it up. AND THEY ENDED IT WITH ALINA LITERALLY USING THE SHADOW CUT, Y'ALL!! LIKE. LIKE!!!! SHE CLEARLY ENJOYED DOING IT BECAUSE YET AGAIN, TWISTED SOULMATE BULLSHIT!!! I AM STILL VERY MUCH INTERNALLY SCREAMING ABOUT THIS!

It seems as if there are some segments of the fandom who only like Alina in theory, as long as she doesn't do anything to "challenge" or push back against Aleksander, and like. Guys. That's their whole arc. That is the whole dynamic in a nutshell, and that's what makes it interesting. Enemies-lovers-enemies-lovers, inextricably bound up even as they hurt each other and deny each other and try to push each other away. They always end up coming back to each other, because as the show and the characters themselves keep telling us, they are each other's only equal in the world! Not mention, the show has cleared WAY more space for that to be explored in an actually meaningful way than the books ever did, and I for one am very here for it. It's My Jam to a truly embarrassing degree.

#elmuertoqueparla #ask #darklina #alina starkov #the darkling #sab spoilers

[tio-trile]

Good Omens fan since 2011 here! First of all just wanna say that you're one of my fav GO artists ever and your fanart of The Sacred and The Profane is still so important to me actually <3

Anyway, I'm a book fan through and through and when they first announced the TV Show I have to admit I was a bit hesitant but overall have made peace to the fact that it won't be 1:1. No adaption ever does but as long as the core stays there I'm good with it.

And while there are some parts I'm not a big fan of (The Dove being one but also how Crowley ask Aziraphale to ran away with him. I just can never see him asking that like he's the first one asking Aziraphale to work with him in stopping the Armageddon. And he's deep down is an optimist. So I can never see him asking Aziraphale to ran away regardless how desperate he is. Like on one hand I was like 'oh that's sweet' in shipping glasses but at the same time it's a 'he would not say that' moment to me 😔) but otherwise it was a good fun!

When S2 was announced, it took me off guard bc like. Do we *really* need this? I don't see why we need a S2?? I think biggest part is bc I've made peace over how we'd never getting a sequel. I'm at peace that those can just be explored in fan sphere 637382992 ways. I never see the necessity of needing a S2 or even S3. And while a part of me still a bit curious on what S2 is like, the response from the book fans I trust hasn't been .... good. So I think I'll sit this one out for now and maybe revisit it at some point in the future lol.

Silver lining I guess is the graphic novel! I'm really excited about that!! Curious how the book will translate as a comic :)

Anyway, sorry if this isn't really structured but I guess I just wanna say I've been enjoying reading your replies and asks from other folks as well! But also the one ask about GO could be the next SPN experience killed me point blank <3

Omg hi!! Wow, you've been in the fandom longer than I have...and THANK YOU for your kind words!! 🥺

And yes to all you said. S1 wasn't perfect, but I find myself overlooking the imperfections because overall it was a pretty faithful and good adaptation. And totally agree on the "run away" thing -- we bring up the dove a lot but that is honestly another "he would not say that" moment as you said. I was just talking with my friend about how book!Crowley is an optimist -- see how after he was sure that Aziraphale had disincorporated and the bookshop is aflame, Crowley still decided to drive down to the airfield to help the humans with nothing to lose or gain for him anymore, simply because he loves Earth too.

I talked about it briefly in a previous ask but I too was very sure that we wouldn't get season 2, because Neil Gaiman wouldn't ditch his dear dead friend to write more Good Omens on his own, right?......until he did. And like you said, we don't need a S2. The book fandom has been around for 30 years and still going strong. I guess the party that needed S2 the most is Amazon, and it just all comes down to money in the end.

I preordered the graphic novel and I'm curious how they'll adapt the book too! Season 2 has hurt me a little too much that I feel hesitant to say I look forward to any adaptations now......😂 but I am still curious about it! Again, thank you for your kind words! I think Good Omens is looking to be the next SuperWhoLock all by itself.

#ask #anonymous #good omens critical #nice ppl #long post

[stevie-petey]

hiiiiiii m! read s2 ep2 and i LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!!! <3 i actually am so relieved that steve reader friend divorce era is over......idk why but friendship breakups make me sadder than actual romantic breakups, partly because friendships themselves are so selfless and sort of by design the least selfish, or self interested you can be, with the benefit just being "we get to hang out!". i'm fascinated that steve forgave her so quickly as well, maybe because he's in a vulnerable spot right now (???), but i really did enjoy that reader was willing to make amends instead of sort of just digging an emotional hole for herself and exaccerbating the problem. i'm excited to see if she'll be as proactive down the line when things get more serious between them.

the way you handle nancy is interesting. i'm glad you don't shy away from reader being jealous of nancy and the attention of johnathan and steve and being pretty and rich, which omg, can drive full grown adults crazy, so why wouldn't a teen girl feel it, but also see nancy as like a full person? i also really appreciate your/reader's willingness to see both sides of the conflict, at least so far. a lot of people, from what i've seen, seem to view that night as a very traumatic night for steve where he got his heart broken, and that's true! it is! but it's also a night where nancy got blackout drunk from survivor's guilt that everyone around her told her to ignore in favour of just forgetting everything she experienced. that would make anyone upset! she probably does feel like her relationship is bs if it's main priority is not allowing her best friend's parents to find peace and move on! anyways, what i'm saying is that it's nice to have a realistic yet emotionally mature main character, and one who is so because they themselves are emotional and very in tune and self aware of them and others, instead of for just like, the plot vaguely, or because of modern sensibilities, no it's just an established and consistent part of her character, which is hard to do and it's so cool that you do it so well near constantly!

but i really was cheesing a lot like it just felt like a classic early 2000s CW show which is the high i'm constantly chasing. one tree hill season 1 episode i think 13 college party was very much the vibe i was getting. i should have been wearing cheetah print and leather and listening to the strokes as my friends convinced me that local basketball player was really the only guy who ~gets~ me. "i'll be" by edwin mccain plays in the background as we make eyecontact from across the room. you set the vibe, is what i'm trying to say.

billy was weirdo and creep and i'm happy he was acknowledged as such!!! not kidding when he came up to the reader i was also uncomfortable and it just had that very deeply horrible frat guy energy that makes every person subjected to it feel very objectified, and i think it's even more interesting that this is, from what i remember, one of the first time someone's shown outright interest in her, so i can imagine that that makes it even worse. i also sort of like the set up of johnathan defending her and steve holding him back, feels very much a great physical example of their position so far, with both johnathan playing a larger role in her life, as well as maybe signalling that johnathan's role as her protector, friend, confidant, all that is now passing onto steve's "hands", as steve's quite literally holding him. idk if that's too much i just had fun! and steve's final thoughts. my god. what an oblivious young man. the immediate jealousy and awe he feels.....his willingness to forgive....her promise to him as he confesses........both very moving and also amazed he hasn't realised his own feelings yet and excited that it will take him longer to do so. them making the promise together especially was so good, and such a good parallel to the one she and johnathan made in s1, and i'm excited to see if steve and r are able to uphold it better than johnathan was and how it'll serve to highlight the differences in their relationship.

very lengthy so my apologies, have a nice day and looking forward to ur next chapter!

hi angel !!

u touched on something SO BIG and i loooove discussing it: steve forgave reader so easily. and YES it was a bit ??? but later itll make sense. overall weve seen that steve just so genuinely trusts readers intentions with him, he never doubts her honesty and hes been pulled towards her since day 1, so of course he immediately was like “oh yeah we can be bffs again <3”. HOWEVER ,,,, this will play a huuuge role later (next chapter i believe). we’ll get more insight and steves vulnerability that night also def helped

and nancy !!! yes !!! i had to rewatch her scene with steve in the library a million times and i just felt horrible for them both. they want to help each other, and as ive said before about jonathan and reader, steve and nancy take care of people in opposite ways and it makes them clash. nancy wants to be proactive, steve wants to be more on the down low and tend to those he has already. hes accepted and moved on, nancy has moved on but hasnt accepted.

and as for the jonathan n steve scene i originally had jonathan holding steve back, but honestly it didnt feel right. jonathan, as much as he sucks sometimes, will ALWAYS be the first to defend y/n. every time he will. steve will too, but jonathan has that spot rn and hed rather die than let her get hurt </3

as for billy ,,,, so incredibly excited to flesh out his dynamic with reader. it wont be romantic in the slightest, but reader will have some insight into billys homelife due to max, and u bet she’ll use it against billy.

and im SO HAPPY the party scene felt real <333 thank u for the lovely asks i adore dissecting my chapters with yall its my <3333

#procrastinationprincesses #ask #m speaks #wtlws insight #i feel like an english teacher #in the best way possible

[scribefindegil]

If you have the spoons to watch it, I think you’d really enjoy this retrospective about Mob Psycho 100.

https://youtu.be/kfxhrOYAXqs

It’s like an hour long by Mother’s Basement, but it’s really good and goes over the themes and ideas of the series.

Thank you!! I finally had the energy to watch this the other day and I really enjoyed it! (I also really like the videos he did about the S1 and S2 openings, which were really interesting to me as someone who knows very little about animation!) I especially liked some of the stuff he talked about with Claw, like going into more depth about the proverb their name comes from and how Touichirou is wildly misinterpreting it.

Also. I want that man's Dimple shirt.

However! I was really excited to hear his thoughts on the structure of the show (at the beginning of that segment when he talked about it having a "chiastic ring structure" I gasped aloud in delight because I am a predictable nerd), but I feel like that's one thing I disagree with him on. Conceptually he's right, but his actual breakdown of the arcs and structures suffers because he needed to create something that would make a nice graphic (thus ignoring or glossing over a lot of complexity), he incorporates various flashbacks into "arc 1" instead of actually engaging with the structure of the show as written, and also he, like many people, doesn't seem to understand the importance of the aliens arc (it's not even mentioned in his structure graphic!! A failing!). The structure talk/graphic starts at about 20:37 in the video if you want to see what I'm talking about.

I might make a proper post on it at some point but my very basic thoughts on the chiastic structure are:

Club Recruitment (I don't think we have a name for this one specifically bc it's only one episode but it sets up Literally The Entire Show so) mirrors Aliens/Telepathy Arc

Lol Cult and Black Vinegar mirror Divine Tree

Big Cleanup and 7th Division mirror World Domination (Big Cleanup is a little messy and I feel like fits less neatly into this than most other arcs; parts of it are more closely tied to Divine Tree's themes of getting carried away, but the Ritsu and Shou plot during World Domination is very much in dialogue with Ritsu's Big Cleanup plot)

And the middle of the ring is the back-to-back mirrors of Mogami Arc and Separation Arc

Now, Confession is specifically outside of the ring composition; it's a synthesis of a bunch of important themes and character arcs that it revisits in order to provide resolution. Tbh it deserves a structural breakdown of its own; it has so much going on and it's SO GOOD.

Also obviously there is a lot more going on than the ring structure because the themes are very consistent and the parallels are EVERYWHERE; I have yelled at length about the Mogami/Divine Tree parallels and tbh you could probably do the same with any combo of arcs. But I Just Think Chiasmus Is Neat.

#conversations #mp100 #*jazz hands* ring composition!!!!

[tabithatwo]

“Why do you keep watching the show if you hate it so much?”

Not publishing one of the asks because I’m not rewarding the bad behavior lmao but this is such a consistent refrain for me (still!) in asks AND reblogs AND comments etc and I’m gonna get real with you in hopes people chill out (not just in my inbox but in others), because last time I answered one of these it did slow for a while. This is going to be my don’t make me point to the sign post, I’m not going to talk about it again but I will likely reblog when it comes up.

I’m a nurse and I worked through the worst of covid. I’m not going to get into the details of that because ifykyk and if you don’t I can’t begin to describe how fucking horror movie trauma fest it was. Take whatever you’re imagining and multiply it by a hundred. I was working constantly in horrific conditions being retraumatized daily and having no way to deal with it AT ALL. I’ve had addiction issues in the past. I started smoking again. I could feel other shit trying to creep it’s way in.

Enter: yellowjackets. I hadn’t hyperfixated on a show or movie or book in years (since childhood really) but it CLICKED into place for me. So this show (plus writing for it—learning to write, having something to think about that was creative and not destructive because when you’re surrounded by death you start to feel destructive, practicing hours and hours a week) actually stepped in and took that place. I even stopped smoking cigarettes eventually.

Then my other favorite comes in: “actually you can enjoy things more if you stop obsessing over them”

I have adhd. My brain goes HARD. That’s literally NOT how my brain works. I LIKE obsessing over details. I don’t CARE if it’s meaning making from nothing. I intellectually UNDERSTAND when it is. I interact with the world this way. I promise you that I know the limitations, but I also promise you that it doesn’t ACTUALLY make my experience negative. I don’t think having critiques of things I’m obsessed with hurts my experience and quite honestly, I don’t have a BRAIN that has EVER allowed me to not think critically and analytically about ANYTHING. So I don’t know what I’m missing out on and I can’t just make myself experience it lmao like this is who I am! I’m used to operating this way and it’s my only setting tbh.

I DONT hate the show. I LOVE it. Like so very fucking much. I see a stark difference between s1 and s2, I personally liked the things in s1 that are not present in s2 more, I personally hope that s3 ties in some of the old theme, vibes, editing styles, and narrative build of s1. You do not have to agree, you can think they’re the exact same or even that s2 is 100x better. But I’m probably going to continue being hyperfixated on this show. I’m going to continue caring deeply. I’m going to continue analyzing deeply.

Is that healthy? I don’t care! I would rather be addicted to a tv show and writing about my little lesbians than actual substances! It positively impacts my life, even if I’m feeling a lot of disappointment right now. I’m upset because I care, I care because that’s how my brain is hardwired, and I wouldn’t want to change that if I tried because this show and learning to write and actually sticking to a healthy hobby for once in my life is really fucking amazing to me.

If you don’t like ever seeing any criticism of this show, I would invite you to ask yourself why it upsets you so much that you need to try and push someone into leaving their own space. If nothing comes to your mind or your heart or you simply don’t want to reflect, block my fucking blog. It’s a fucking button. Press it. You’re not going to make me shut up lmao trust me, I don’t function like that <3

#yellowjackets blogging #yellowjackets #cw addiction