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cathoderaysunshinebeaver · 3 years

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Heretic/Hexen

I love Doom. I’ve never made an attempt to list my favorite video games in a numerical order, but if I did, Doom would likely be one of the highest, if not #1. I’m also a big fan of the “dark fantasy” aesthetic, so discovering the Heretic/Hexen series was a treat, to say the least.

Released in 1994, Heretic was built using the Doom engine by Raven Software, with John Romero himself having helped the team set up their computers and teaching them the basics of how he would make maps for the game. With this in mind, you’d be forgiven for saying what a lot of reviewers said at the time: this game looks like a Doom reskin with a fantasy theme.

This sentiment mostly applies to the first game, Heretic. But in a sea of other “Doom clones” released at the time, it is definitely one of the more competent ones. You play as Corvus, one of the few surviving elves in a world overtaken by the evil Serpent Riders, who have decided to exterminate all the elves because their magical powers make them resistant to the mind control spells the Serpent Riders use to conquer and subjugate realm after realm on their quest for world domination. Unsurprisingly, Corvus is out for revenge, and the end goal of the game is to hunt down and kill the first of the three Serpent Riders, D’Sparil.

The gameplay in Heretic is more similar to Doom than in the later games, but it does the Doom formula well. Most weapons have a distinct counterpart in the game it is based on: the Elven Wand is your pistol, the Dragon Claw is your chaingun, the Ethereal Crossbow is your shotgun, and so on. They are satisfying to use (save the wand, arguably), and look deliciously fantasy-eque, with beautiful spritework. The levels are split into a familiar structure, featuring three episodes with nine levels each (and two more episodes released as an expansion pack). The enemies are varied, with pretty animations and distinct sounds, and play into the Doom experience very well in that the combinations and locations of enemies in each area lends itself to very different strategies (although “run really fast and blast everyone with the crossbow” rarely fails on most difficulties). The two expansion episodes are considerably more challenging, and will require more quick thinking and ammo, sorry, mana conservation. Definitely a fun romp.

The sequel, Hexen, is where the series starts finding it’s own unique twist on the genre, and is the by many regarded as the “classic” that really put the franchise on the map. Again, you’re playing as a vindictive hero on a quest to liberate their realm from the Serpent Riders. This time it’s Korax, the second out of the three. However, now you’ve got to pick a class. This is the first big difference you’ll notice when starting the game. Corvus is MIA from his last adventure, and instead your choice of protagonist is between Baratus the Fighter, Parias the Cleric, and Daedolon the mage. While the game isn’t an RPG, these characters all have different stats when it comes to running speed and base HP. More importantly, they each have access to their own unique set of weapons. Mana is shared between the weapons, which are now split into green, blue and dual mana types, but they all behave very differently. For example, the fighter’s weapons are mostly of the melee variety and consume mana rapidly only for special attack modes, as they can still be swung without mana. The mage on the other hand uses his bare hands to cast a lot of his spells, but they do not burn through mana nearly as quickly. Unsurprisingly, the cleric is a hybrid, and uses both a spiked club and a mix of magical weapons. An “ultimate” weapon is also available to each class, which must be assembled from parts and consumes both blue and green mana, but has really devastating attacks (the cleric’s “Wraithverge” summons ghosts that scream like banshees and tear every nearby enemy to shreds; it’s just as metal as it sounds)!

Beyond the class differences, the level structure is the other major difference between Heretic and Hexen. Instead of a linear series of levels, each episode is now defined by a hub level with many branching areas that can usually be visited in any order. You need to find key items and activate switches in each one to open the way to the next world, and many areas within each sub-level are also locked until you find the right key/switch in a completely different area. As would be expected, this new spin on the level progression comes with both pros and cons. Few players today will be able to complete the game without ever looking at a walkthrough, and based on some comments I’ve read, this is one of those games that many people in the 90s would only dream of beating on their own. That said, there are very few instances where pulling a switch won’t at the very least give you a short message indicating it’s purpose (i.e. “A door has opened in the Wastelands”), and even then those with enough patience will rarely feel completely lost if they’re willing to backtrack systematically through every area over and over, taking note of every single locked door and unreachable area. I doubt it’s something the majority of gamers enjoy doing, but if you’re the type who would rather give up before accepting a hint, I’m happy to report that this game IS beatable even with your play style.

On the other hand, this structure also adds a lot to the feeling of being on a dangerous, epic quest. Metroidvania fans know that there are few things as satisfying as picking up a key and thinking “hey, I recognize this symbol! Now I can finally see what’s behind that door in the swamp!”. Uncovering the world bit by bit in this fashion really lends an air of mystery to the land of Cronos (where Hexen is set), and truly gives you that classic feeling of “pride and accomplishment” when you’re finally able to descend into that forbidding temple that’s been looming on the horizon for so long. And for those of you who are worried you won’t get to blast enough monsters to get your fill, this game still has you covered.

The enemies in Hexen are just as threatening as those in Heretic, and they look even better this time (seriously, if you enjoyed the visual aspect of Heretic, Hexen steps it up tenfold with truly gorgeous sprites, textures, animations and even some environmental visual effects, like thick mist and dead leaves blowing in the wind). You’ve got a fantastic cast of evil wizards, zombies, dog-like orcs, Minotaurs and more types of dragons and dragon hybrids than you could shake a Mace of Contrition at. A good amount of the baddies are initially very similar to those in Heretic, but their attacks are more distinct, varied and dangerous, and there are a whole lot more of these guys this time around. If you have the enemy counter turned on in your automap it won’t be uncommon to see the numbers exceed 400, and some of the weaker enemies will even respawn after a while. Don’t worry though, it’s not frequent enough to be stressful, but instead it really helps the backtracking from getting too tedious. Key hunting is a lot more intense when you never know if an Ettin is waiting around the corner to cave your skull in! However, if you’ve seen any other reviews of this game, you’ve heard a lot of grief expressed in regards to the Minotaurs (and their big brothers, the Maulotaurs). They aren’t the strongest foe in the game, but their shields, their surprise lighting bolts and their sheer numbers can definitely be a pain in the gluteus maximus. On the plus side, it makes killing them all the more satisfying, and you’ll find yourself experimenting quite a bit with your weapons and items to figure out the safest and quickest way to end their existence.

That’s right, I forgot to mention the items. The third and last major difference between Doom and these games is your inventory. The items are largely the same in all the games in the series, and using them can be a bit of a hassle unless you’re willing to fiddle around with your control settings to find a setup you prefer (I would usually bind the item selection keys to the scroll wheel and use them with the right mouse button). Visually, the inventory is similar to that seen in Duke Nukem 3D, and just like in that game, you’ll likely find yourself using some items a lot more frequently than others. Health and mana refills are a major aid, and beyond that you have things such as invisibility, invincibility, flechettes (despite what the name says, they’re more like grenades or mines, depending on your class), and a magical book that gives your weapons a much more powerful firing mode for a short time (although this item is mysteriously absent in Hexen). A special mention also goes to the Morph Ovum/Porkelator/Seal of the Ovinomancer, which transforms an enemy into a chicken/pig/sheep, respectively. A lot of fun to use, and and immense help against some stronger enemies if you’re low on health and/or mana.

If you didn’t find yourself using these items all too much in Heretic or Hexen, the following game might just give you a reason to. Hexen II is the third game in the series, and the final chapter in the Serpent Riders saga. This time you’re in the realm of Thyrion, and the last Serpent Rider, Eidolon, is the one who must be slain to free the land from his curse. In terms of gameplay, Hexen II is a lot more similar to Hexen than Hexen was to Heretic. You’ve got the same type of hub level structure, and you’ll again pick a class at the start, although now your choice has expanded, consisting of the Crusader, Paladin, Necromancer and Assassin, as well as the Demoness in the expansion (yes, all these games have expansion packs and they’re all worth playing in that they’re more of the same, but expanded, duh, and more polished).

The major difference this time around is one you can probably tell immediately from the screenshot: yes, Hexen II goes 3D (and in an exception to the common rule at the time, it is NOT titled “Hexen 3D” despite technically being the third installment). Specifically, the game uses a modified Quake engine. As mentioned, the core gameplay remains largely the same as in Hexen, but the level designers definitely did not waste that extra dimension. The levels are less expansive here, but a lot more complex and full of hidden passages, surprising loops and a whole lot of verticality. Scurring across a courtyard with archers raining arrows down on you from balconies is just as tense as it is satisfying later on to reach the same balcony and return the favor to any ghoul unlucky enough to find themselves below. Overall, the layout and progression in each area feels like it’s been given a lot more consideration and has endured more testing. Most of the time, the key hunting in each area feels more self-contained, and when it isn’t you rarely feel like you have no idea where to go. This is because every lock has been designed to feel more like a puzzle. In practice, your goal is still to find an item and bring it somewhere, but the locks and keys themselves are much more distinct, which helps you remember what to do and where to go. Instead of levers and typical keys, you find yourself looking for artefacts such as potion ingredients that will let you turn metal into wood, pieces of a broken mechanism or symbolic relics that must be placed in the hands of a statue to go in line with a prophecy. There are also more direct instructions in the form of book entries and inscribed stone tablets, which are very helpful in those cases where the puzzle might require a bit more than just item hunting, such as pulling switches in a certain order or lining objects up to create a pattern. It’s still unlikely that you’ll breeze through the whole game without getting confused, but you’ll rarely be at a complete loss; you’ll usually know what you’re looking for or what you’re trying to activate, even if you may need a walkthrough to find a specific hidden passage or to figure out exactly what a contraption does.

Overall, Hexen II feels like a refined Hexen, with more care put into making every area feel very distinct. It is absolutely not any less challenging though. The areas might be smaller in terms of actual units of measurement, and there are definitely fewer enemies on the screen at all times, but this is compensated for in spades. The third dimension adds a thick layer of complexity to every level, and the enemies hit HARD. If you got into a rhythm in Hexen of circle strafing, dodging and picking off targets in an order of perceived priority, you’ll have to learn to dance to a different tune here. Some enemies will close in on you incredibly quickly, and many of them have the ability to turn you into minced meat in a matter of seconds. Now more than ever is when you’ll want to shoot with a steady aim, use your items wisely, keep all the possible paths of retreat in your mental map, and scour every nook and cranny for health and mana to stand a chance against some of the stronger mooks. Hexen II as a whole is a lot more fast paced and tense and also has a more dramatic views and set pieces along with some extra bits of storytelling scattered around the world for those interested.

So, what are my thoughts on the Heretic/Hexen series as a whole? In short, it’s a treat. Combining classic fantasy tropes with the hectic action of Doom (and Quake) was an idea that was bound to happen sooner or later, and in this case, it worked out really well. There are of course other examples of this iconic clash of genres (check out Amid Evil for a totally kick-ass recent example!), but from what I know, the Serpent Riders saga is the one with the most lasting appeal. All the games strike a great balance between frantic, gory FPS action and the slower paced mystery and brooding sense of evil that only dark castles and dungeons can provide, with each game leaning a bit more toward one direction or the other. At a core gameplay level, there is nothing absolutely groundbreaking about Heretic/Hexen, but every element is done well and with care, and the presentation oozes of 20th century gothic fantasy charm, both the visuals and music. If the first paragraph of this review made you go “oh, those are both things I like!” then definitely check these games out. Same goes for anyone who is simply curious about the history of Id software and the impact Doom and Quake had on the gaming landscape. My only warning to you before playing these games is this: keep in mind that these games are from the 90s. There’s a reason many people have memories of booting these games up, getting completely stuck and then never playing them again. That said, as long as you have an internet connection (how else would you be reading this?) and an average amount of patience, there’s a whole lot of fun to be had here. All the games mentioned above are available on Steam (and GoG as well, I believe), and play excellently with modern source ports: gzdoom for Heretic and Hexen, and Hammer of Thyrion for Hexen II are my recommendations.

Finally, there is another game in the franchise. Heretic II returns to the story of Corvus (from the first game) and continues the story beyond the Serpent Riders arc, but due to some licensing issues it is not available on neither Steam nor GoG. Technically you could still buy a physical copy of the game, and I’ve seen mentions of at least one fan endeavor to make the game more accessible on modern computers, but I have yet to check it out. Maybe in the future. For now, I hope you enjoyed this dive into one of the slightly less famous, but still very popular classic 90s “Doom clones”!

#doom #id software #heretic #hexen #raven software #hexen ii #quake #90s #gaming #boomer shooter

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jedidragonwarriorqueen · 3 years

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The rough draft for my Robin Hood AU is coming together slowly, but it’s getting there! It's shaping up to be 13 chapters plus an epilogue, but some of the chapters are pretty long and might end up getting cut in two so ... we'll see. There's also several prequel oneshots showing how Rayla's band fell in together. Current plan is to post the first of those this weekend, and then the first chapter of the main story the following weekend.

Ugh. I forgot how time-consuming writing something with a plot is . . .

xXx

“Right, right, no one can know anything about you.” Soren chucked his empty bowl off to the side, rebounding off a nearby tree. “Adds to the mystery, doesn’t it? The elven outlaw with a secret past.”

“My past is my business,” Rayla snapped. “You weren’t exactly forthcoming about your own family, at first.”

“Can you blame me?” Soren shot back. “My dad’s the reason we do what we do.”

That was true, but it wasn’t . . . the full truth. Rayla took a deep breath, pointedly not looking over at Marcos. “No. I understand why it was so hard to admit. All I’m trying to say, is I didn’t push any of you for your stories. Don’t push for mine.”

xXx

Corvus scowled hard enough that Callum was certain his face would crack in two. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Come on, Corvus!” Giving puppy eyes hadn’t worked in years, so Callum decided to try reason instead. “You’re always saying I should step into more princely roles.”

“Sure, and court would be a good place to start!”

“I agree!” Callum said, spreading his arms triumphantly. “It just so happens that some of the court is going to Caldera next week.”

“Or,” Corvus said, “you could pick up some responsibilities here in Castle Katolis that will be left in the Lord Protector’s absence.” That was . . . actually a good point. “And which, notably, will be much safer than travelling to territories infested by outlaws you’ve already ran afoul of once.” So that was what this was really about.

xXx

Jofus shifted uneasily. “You speak treason.”

“Fluently.” Rayla smirked at him. “I’m already an outlaw. It’s not like saying the Lord Protector needs to be removed is going to make it worse.” She snorted. “And at any rate I’m not scared of you. Or should I be?” she added, teasing.

“Perhaps,” Jofus said solemnly, but his eyes sparkled. “For all you know, I’m secretly a powerful mage.”

“Right, a powerful mage whose horse ran away with him.”

“I’ll have you know, my magical talents have nothing to do with animals! That’s my brother’s forte.”

xXx

“Hey! Psst!”

Lady Luna whirled to face him, slightly unbalanced, swords lifted defensively. Callum quickly raised his hands to show they were empty, then put a finger to his lips. “Follow me, quick.”

She lowered her swords, but didn’t move, scowling at him from beneath her hood. “What are you doing?”

“Remember, back in the forest, when you said I just had to trust you? Now it’s your turn.”

“Trust you?” she hissed back. “You’re the prince. And you lied about it!”

“What, like ‘Lady Luna’ is your real name?” Callum shot back. The shouts of the guards were getting closer. “We don’t have time for this!” Adrenaline making him bold, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her towards the stable.

#stars writes #the dragon prince #tdp fanfiction #work in progress wednesday #wip wednesday #rayllum #tdp rayla #tdp callum #tdp soren #tdp corvus #the legend begins fic

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kiwikipedia · 2 years

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What Once Was, Now Moving Forwards

Chapter 3: The Morning Conflict

Fandom(s): Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Expanded Universe, The Mandalorian

Rating: T (Swearing, Canon-Typical Violence, Moff Gideon (derogatory))

Summary: Bo-Katan was right when she told The Mandalorian that there was a Jedi on Corvus... she just got the name entirely wrong, and thus forgot to mention that this Jedi happened to have a pack of wolves that followed after him.

Notes: Alternative Universe, Heavily AU and Headcanon Heavy, Some Major Figures Survived Order 66! AU

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The people who live next door to me on both sides are unbelievably loud. But like at 2 am.

The morning dawned bright and early and Plo had been awake long before any of the vod woke, silently watching over the small pile of clones on one side of the camp and the sleeping Mandalorian and child on the other.

It was… strange. Plo had given up on finding any who survived the horrid genocide of the Jedi. To think that his own former Padawan…

No, it wouldn't do him any good to think on that. He had been lost in grief for too many months due to everything before, it would do the others no good to fall back into that. Slowly, Plo drew in a breath, then released it, and he saw Wolffe's hand twitch from where he could just be seen under his younger brothers. His eldest son always did have the knack of figuring out when he was distressed, even for a moment.

The Kel Dor sighed again, legs crossed under him, and slowly reached out with the Force, traveling along and feeling every connection he had made.

There were the weaker ones, the children from the Rebellion who he only knew through name and face. There was the ever chaotic yet orderly Hondo Ohnaka, and who knew what he was doing despite his old age. There was the recently created connection that was the shining beacon of Grogu, though stifled and forced behind walls to keep himself safe. But he was strong despite all things. And the Mandalorian's own bright spark of life, battered and bruised and Plo's heart ached for them both.

He could feel the bright power of the Skywalkers, though he had distanced himself as much as he possibly could despite Obi-Wan's insistence that he would need a true master.

(Plo had shaken his head and told Obi-Wan that he was no Jedi Master anymore. He could not teach the boy what was needed to be taught, not with so much blood on his hands, and… and he feared that he would allow revenge to cloud his judgment if he came face to face with… Vader. Vader, who killed his niece, who had a hand in killing Bultar, who killed so many innocents at the temple. Who killed Cin, Shaak, and assisted in killing Mace. But oh how his chest had constricted when he felt Obi-Wan's passing, and when he felt Yoda's passing as well.)

As he moved deeper, searching through his connections, he felt the Pack, warm and protective and subconsciously reaching out for him when he gently brushed over their minds. He could feel Ahsoka, bright and passionate on his peripheral, though he didn't linger too much. It had been many years, but there was still a rift, and she was young with many things on her shoulders. It would only add to her problems if she recognized his distress.

He continued onwards before a familiar gentleness cradled him, like a lull in the ocean. And then the com on his wrist beeped and he answered without a second thought.

"My love, what has distressed you so? I can feel you all the way from here."

Plo let out a breath, grasping tightly to the presence far away and left on Tython.

"The fate of Lissarkh has been revealed to me, after all these years."

There was a pause before a gentle wave seemed to soothe the budding pain in his chest. "I am sorry, my love…"

"Is it foolish of me to grieve so deeply for her, even after all these years?"

"No, she was your child and you loved her— just as you loved Sha and Bultar and continue to love Ahsoka."

Another pause before a soft sigh. "It will harm you more if you do not grieve."

He let out a breath, feeling the boys begin to stir on the edges of his senses. "You are right," he admitted, letting the Force flow through him again. "When we return, there will be time to grieve properly."

"Indeed," came the response. "But for now you must find what Ahsoka has sent you for. Come now, the boys will wake soon."

The Kel Dor let out a rasping breath in the form of a slight chuckle. "You are right. We will return to Tython soon, my love."

"I await your return, I fear I can only count rocks so many times before I get bored. Especially now that Agen and Voolvif left for Tatooine to... well, you know how Agen is about the Slavery still running rampant there, and how Voolvif lets him drag him around."

"Such is the way of life that we have chosen, it seems," he mused. "I will see you soon."

"May the Force be with you, Plo."

"And to you too, Kit."

And like the tide going out, the two separated, the com went silent, and Plo was returned to Corvus as the boys woke, Boost and Sinker already stretching and cleaning the dust from their armor as Wilfire set up the fire for the morning. Plo hopped down easily from the top of The Hunt, walking over to the seven Clones.

"Good morning, my sons," he greeted as they looked over with a chorus of 'good morning, buir'.

"Rations again this morning, Buir," Jag yawned as Plo sat down next to him. Jag looked much better than the previous day, and Plo was thankful that the nightmares of what had happened nearly twenty-five years ago had not plagued him while he slept. Though that could have been in part of Comet and Warthog basically hugging him to sleep.

"I'm sure you boys will figure something out," Plo said in return, gently stroking his hair. Jag hummed a bit, leaning into the metallic touch.

The results of Order 66 weighed heavily on him even still, and Plo knew that even after all these years the sight of Plo's cybernetic arm caused guilt for them all at times. But he soothed them each time, they were alive, and it was in the past.

Comet scooted over, resting his head against Plo's leg with a soft sigh.

"Are we all going in or are two of us gonna stay behind?" he asked. Plo glanced to Wolffe who tilted his head, thinking.

"If we can wrangle that Mando into helping us, then yeah, It'd be best if Jag and someone else stayed back," the former Commander said. Jag gave a tired thumbs up.

"I'll be the getaway pilot," he said simply and Wildfire chuckled. Warthog grinned a bit as well before a soft cooing noise made them all go still and quiet. Boost grinned a bit, holding a hand out as Grogu wobbled over to them, most likely looking for food. He was scooped up into his arms anyways as Wildfire stood to grab the ration packets.

Plo certainly did not envy the boys when it came to food in this case. He remembered the tasteless mush from the Clone Wars, the Rebellion's rations weren't much better— and he was just happy that his own metabolism and hunger cycles didn't require him to eat as much as his sons had to. He and Ahsoka might have found out a way to reverse the accelerated aging, but the fact that the Clones were created with the idea of perfect soldiers… well, it was safe to say that their calorie intake was much higher than even the average human's.

Though it was amusing to watch as Comet's face scrunched up every time. Hopefully, Agen and Voolvif would manage to actually get supplies this time instead of antagonizing a hidden cartel that managed to slip under the Republic's watchful eye.

Though hunting was always an option, he supposed as he watched Boost and Sinker try to feed Grogu the tasteless mush that was Rebellion Rations. Grogu, for his part, didn't seem to mind that the food he was getting spoon-fed was tasteless.

Jag shifted a bit, eyes trained on the Mandalorian and Plo knew that he wasn't the only one keeping tabs on their Beskar-clad guest. Plo himself was keeping tabs on him through the force, and he knew for a fact that the man was not asleep like he was pretending to be. Though like himself, it wasn't as if others could tell with his face obstructed by his helmet.

(Plo couldn't exactly count the times he had fallen asleep standing or in his council seat during a particularly long Council session after a long deployment on the front-lines. If only Mace had allowed him to lower the oxygen levels just a bit so he could rest comfortably while the rest of them droned on and on about matters of the State that Plo didn't want to deal with.)

"Should we wake him?" Comet asked, eyes following Jag's line of sight. "He should be awake for whenever you do that testing thing, right?"

Plo just let out a chuckle. "Comet, I believe he's already awake."

Comet startled slightly, as did Mandalorian.

"You could tell?" Comet asked and Plo just chuckled again.

"How do you think I survived the Council so long?"

Wolffe snorted, hiding a snicker as he did and the Mandalorian sat up.

"Good morning," Plo greeted the armored man. "I'm afraid the only food we can offer you this morning are rations leftover from the Rebellion."

"And unfortunately, they were made to never spoil," Warthog uttered and Wildfire snorted at that as the Mandalorian stood and slowly walked over to them. Grogu's ears perked and he looked over, though seemed perfectly content to be between Boost and Sinker as they fed him another packet of rations.

"Oh," the Mandalorian grunted a bit as he sat back down, legs crossed. "No thank you… I…" he indicated to his helmet and Plo hummed.

"I have heard of Mandalorians who prefer to never remove their helmet once indoctrinated into their sect," he said simply, "I can assume that you are one of them?"

And there it was. A troubled feeling rolling off of the young man in waves.

But he just nodded. "Yes. It is the Way."

"The Way works in many different forms, just like the Force does," Plo mused and the Mandalorian just gave a partial shrug. The subject was dropped and Plo would press no further.

Instead, he gently nudged Jag and Comet and the two sat up fully so Plo could stand.

"Shall we proceed with testing Grogu's abilities, Mister Mandalorian?" he asked, brushing off his robes and tilting his head at the armor-clad individual. He nods slowly, standing up again, and this time Grogu wiggles out of Boost's hold and waddles up to the man who he considered his father already.

And Plo knew that he could not train the child to be a Jedi. Perhaps a Grey, but not a Jedi.

(Certainly, it would be next to impossible to train anyone to be a Jedi when one no longer considered themselves to be one.)

As Plo led the Mandalorian and the Child back towards the stack of crates, he contemplated on this. If the Mandalorian was adamant about Grogu being returned to the Jedi then he would have to turn them away. He would point them to where he knew Skywalker was, or he could allow them to return to Tython with them anyways for when Agen and Voolvif returned— the two of them still stuck to the Code and considered themselves Jedi despite everything.

But, if the Force and the Mandalorian allowed for him to teach Grogu to at least control his gift, then he would, but that would be left up to the Mandalorian.

He indicated that Grogu be set down before he turned, moving to the tree-line of the clearing and gazing around. It didn't take long to find what he was looking for, carefully taking a stone no larger than half his palm into his hand before walking back over. The Mandalorian was watching him silently as he stood before Grogu and showed the child the stone. He could feel Grogu's curiosity perked and he smiled behind his mask before he gently used the Force to push the stone over to Grogu. The child grasped onto the stone once it was in his hands, turning it over and Plo held his hand out, palm upwards.

"Now," he murmured, tone gentle and soothing. "Can you return the stone to me, Little Grogu?"

Grogu looked up at him, head tilted and the Mandalorian shifted.

"He doesn't… he doesn't understand," he ventured and Plo just smiled behind his mask.

"He understands," he assured him before turning back to Grogu. "The stone, Grogu. It's alright…"

Grogu glanced to the Mandalorian and Plo saw him shift a bit, tilting his head in his direction before Grogu looked back to the stone. He dropped it not a second later and the Mandalorian sighed. Plo placed a hand on the man's arm.

"Peace," he told him gently, and he could practically taste the nervousness and anxiety that was rolling off of the bounty hunter.

Slowly, he crossed over to Grogu, kneeling down and taking one of his small hands into his own. And like a static shock, fear flooded the Force around them, fear from Grogu, and Plo's heart ached for him. He was still just a child.

"There is much fear in you, little one," Plo murmured, letting out a breath before he stood back up, walking back over to the Mandalorian.

"He has hidden his abilities in order to survive after Order 66 was enacted after the ones who had been hiding him were killed. Lissarkh must have told him to hide them and wait until a Jedi came..." he told him before turning back towards Grogu. "But, let us try something else. Perhaps it is because I am unfamiliar that he will not use the Force. Perhaps… he will listen to you."

He indicated to the Mandalorian to come stand by him and, after a moment of hesitation, he did. And again, the nervousness that was rolling off of him could be felt. The Mandalorian was good at hiding his emotions with his armor and helmet, there was little doubt on that, and had Plo not been born a Kel Dor or not have been so in-tune with the force, he was certain that the sheer amount of nerves that came from the Mandalorian wouldn't have been felt.

He handed the Mandalorian the stone. "Hold the stone in the palm of your hand," he instructed, "And tell him to lift the stone."

The Mandalorian turned the stone over in his hand once before nodding slightly and holding the stone out, though there was some hesitance in his stance.

"Alright Kid," he started, "Lift the stone."

Grogu just gave him a clueless tilt of the head and Plo just had to smile under his mask.

"Grogu," he reminded the Mandalorian shifted, a spike of embarrassment rolling off of him and Plo simply offered him a smile from behind his mask.

But he shifted again, holding the stone out. "Grogu," he tried and the child looked up at him, cooing. "Come on, take the stone."

There was a pause before Grogu turned away with a soft grunt. The Mandalorian sighed, tossing the stone to the side.

"He's stubborn."

Plo just inclined his head. "No more than you, I believe," he noted. "Giving up is not in your nature, my Mandalorian friend. Try and connect with him."

The Mandalorian gazed at him before turning back to Grogu. He gazed at him for a moment before reaching into his belt and pulling something out— a silver sphere no larger than the Child's hands.

He held it out and Grogu's ears instantly perked up.

"Grogu," the Mandalorian started, kneeling down and holding the ball up for the child to see and Grogu followed it, hand raised.

"Do you want this?" the Mandalorian questioned. "Well, go ahead. Take it."

Plo watched with interest as the Mandalorian coaxed Grogu to take the ball and as the child reached out. There was a soft ripple through the Force and then the ball was pulled from the Mandalorian's hand and into Grogu's.

"Good job! Good job, Kid!"

He blinked as the Mandalorian stood, walking over to Grogu and he could feel the pride and joy coming from the Mandalorian and Grogu, directed at one another. He let out a silent sigh, casting a glance over to where his boys were, where Wolffe was throwing Boost and Wildfire about, where Jag and Comet were repainting their armor, where Sinker was laying in the dirt with Warthog on top of him.

He could not train Grogu— not to be a Jedi.

Plo gazed back to The Mandalorian, taking a breath and steeling himself.

"He's formed a strong attachment to you," he commented and the Mandalorian looked over to him with an air of confusion. He paused before he sighed.

"I cannot train him in the way of being a Jedi," he said simply and that made the Beskar-clad man stand up.

"What?" he asked, "Why not? You've seen what he can do!"

Plo nodded gravely. "Indeed," he said. "Which is why it would be dangerous for him to be taught in the ways of a Jedi. His attachment to you is very strong. It will make him vulnerable to his fears, his anger. He has suffered much already, I fear as if training him to be a Jedi could twist him."

"All the more reason to train him!"

He was getting angry now, desperate, and Plo sighed, the noise coming out as a soft hiss through his mask.

"I have seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight," Plo told him, "To the best of us. To a Master. I will not train him to become a Jedi if you are set on that path. To train him to be a Jedi would mean taking him away from you."

He held the Mandalorian's gaze, keeping the force around him steady and controlled, allowing the Mandalorian to feel how serious this was. "Would you be able to do that, knowing that this child might believe that you have abandoned him to a creature he knows nothing of? To a hypocrite, teaching him that attachment is forbidden?"

The Mandalorian shifted, glancing to where the Pack was. "You have… attachments," he stated and Plo nodded.

"In a sense. The Jedi Code forbids attachment," he said simply. "But not relationships, not love. It is a difficult line to balance."

"And yet you have," the Mandalorian pointed out. "You could teach him."

"I could not," Plo countered, "Tell me, for the sake of the greater good or for the sake of the mission, would you be able to uphold your duty before Grogu? If you had to chose between Grogu and saving someone you don't know for the sake of the mission, could you? Could he?"

The Mandalorian was silent, hesitant and Plo let out a breath.

"The 104th Attack Battalion was over five hundred men strong," he told the Mandalorian. "I trusted each and every one of those men, but I allowed myself to put duty first. I had promised to treat every single soldier under my care like a person, not just another number for the Republic to throw at armies, but I could not even attempt to keep them all safe that day because the Republic needed me to find out what weapon was out there. Perhaps I should have fought more, insisted on going alone to find it before we sent over five hundred men to their deaths. Before I led them to their graves."

He shook his head, gazing back to where his sons were. "Wolffe, Boost, and Sinker are all that remain from the original 104th Attack Battalion, and I will fight tooth and nail to keep them and their brothers with us now from harm."

Plo turned back to the Mandalorian. "My friend, understand when I say that I cannot teach Grogu the way of the Jedi it is because I no longer can consider myself a Jedi. I will accept that people see me as such, but I walk the line of the Greys more often than not," he told him. "I cannot teach him to be a Jedi."

"Why did you break away from the Jedi?" the man in Beskar asked him softly and Plo laughed softly.

"I hadn't meant to," he said, regret seeping into his tone. "I loved the Jedi Order before the War, before we were all seeped in blood, before we had to become Generals. I began to fall after I lost my men. And then Order 66 happened, almost all the Jedi were slaughtered because the Empire took control of our men. And then the Order was no more. I still border on the Code, there are things that I agree with, but I am far too intertwined with others to be a good Jedi, after all."

He smiled a bit behind his mask, gazing down at his cybernetic hand for a moment. "I have sons, now, and a husband who I hold dear to my heart. And In the twenty-five years since the Republic Fell, I have done a great many things— good and bad. I cannot teach Grogu to be a Jedi, but I can help him control his powers."

He closed his fingers before he dropped his hand to his side, hiding his form back under his cloak before he turned. "I have delayed for too long," he admitted, "Think on my proposition, Mandalorian, I must get back to the village."

As Plo walked back to the 'Pack, who seemed to sense that it was time to get going and were putting their armor back on, he heard the Mandalorian follow him.

"Koon," the man spoke up as Plo pulled his hood up over his head. He glanced back and raised a brow. The Mandalorian's stance was… something. Determined, seemed to be the word that fit the best, but his stance was firm.

"The Magistrate sent me to kill you."

"I'm well aware," he answered, tone even. "And I hope you are aware that it would take much more than one Mandalorian to kill me as of this exact moment."

As they spoke, the Pack had circled around the Mandalorian, hands on weapons and scowls on their faces.

The Mandalorian held his hands up. "I didn't agree to anything," he told him carefully. "I'll help you with your problem, if you see to it that Grogu is properly trained."

Plo Koon paused, a grim smile on his face behind his mask before he turned. "Jag, Comet, stay with Grogu here. The rest of us, let us go back to the Village." was all he said before he walked back into the woods.

This is a Hondo Ohnaka supremacy household. we love Hondo Ohnaka here.

Also, lmAO DID YA'LL REALLY THINK I'D SAVE ONE AND NOT THE OTHER? I love my boys too much. If you want details on Kit's survival uh there's like. a youtube video where Kit just drags himself out of there. The idea I had for Agen surviving is due to having two hearts and being run through one with a saber would have certainly crippled him, but the other one would've been able to at least keep him alive long enough for him and Kit to drag themselves out of there quickly enough. Just, go with it. Rip Saesee though. We knew ye not very well but we'll miss you.

Further Notes:

If you haven't read my other fics, specifically the Price Given one, I write Kel Dor as a species that creates deep and emotional connections that can be felt through the force. Ao that's why Plo can feel everyone mentioned above.

Voolvif canonically survived I think? He's technically MiA. He just dropped out of existence after the Outer Rim sieges and also not really canon but kinda canon? if the 2003 Clone Wars is canon then he's canon but I think he's legends now and Thanks I Hate That Let The Wolf Man Come Back To Canon He Deserves It For Being A Good Boy. But neither he nor Agen will show up to fight Moff. They're just. There. Because I miss them. They might show up at the very end like "oh wow is that Yoda? is he tiny now wait, no"

Jag is a tired lad. Certainly of all the 104th, Jag suffers the most because he's the one who pulled the trigger. Lots of nightmares even after twenty years.

Post O66 Plo here is more of a Grey Jedi than a real Jedi now. He'll accept being called a Jedi, but for obvious reasons, he's abandoned the code and freely uses the lightning he's been gifted. He's still for Justice, just he's ditched the attachment rule and the "don't use your lightning gd Plo" rule.

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justslowdown · 4 years

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Can we see pics of all the doggie? :3

Sure thing! They each have their own tags too, although I just started using them so search on my blog would probably work better

Corvus the mystery mix, who’s Embark should be coming back pretty soon! Evil good boy. Barky bitey. Adores me and a couple people, so silly and cuddly, but risk to life and limb for everyone else

Kai the 1/2 sheltie, 1/2 husky. Chill dude

EDIT: I was going to go back and add to this before I posted but I forgot! He's my heart dog and there's no way to put that into words. He's something special. I've never met a dog like him.

Kestrel, Kai’s daughter, 3/4 husky, 1/4 sheltie. Coming out of the teenage stage, sunny personality, pretty mild mannered for a husky. Way too smart for her own good

Trixie the English shepherd, who will be having Kai’s puppies around Valentine’s day! She’s sweet, devoted, SO loyal, and opinionated. Very herdy controlling personality

and Kiwi the farmcollie style working sheltie! He’s relaxed and polite but super silly and goofy when he’s in the mood

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spookiifi · 4 years

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Forgot to add this to the Corvus anon but

I HAVE A SITH PARENT NOW?

Like an actual nontoxic parent??! <3

#!!#fi talks

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elfmoons · 6 years

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Some stuff I remember from the tdp rewatch livestream (probably not in order)

Danika is an octopus

Devon and Lulu (senior writer and assistant writer) are on Team Viren. They had signs

They had a sign of a drawn strawberry that said “GREN”

Lulu had a sign that said “UWU”

Someone in the chat called Viren “white Thanos”

I got adopted by Giancarlo

When Runaan got coined - me: “can we get an f in the chat” everyone: “f”

Lulu made a joke when we had 420 viewers

CHARACTER STUFF:

Viren loves and cares about both of his children, but he favors Claudia

Everyone freaked out whenever the Mysterious Credits Elf was mentioned. We still haven’t gotten a name

Viren and Harrow were friends for a very long time, possibly since childhood

Someone said they liked imagining them as college buds

Callum and Ezran’s rooms are connected because they’re very close and like checking up on each other

Rayla has an easier time opening up to Ezran than Callum

Opeli was named after the Internet alias of a friend of the writers. Ava was named after her dog

In Callum’s room, there are a few drawings on his wall that aren’t as good as the ones he normally does. They said that they’re Ezran’s and Callum just lets him hang them up by his drawings.

Callum has a near-photographic memory

The reason Callum takes to magic so easily is because of his artistic talent. He needs to be able to draw the runes perfectly in order to get the spell to work. This is why it’s so hard to learn magic

Gren probably tried to make small talk with Runaan when they were trapped together, but Runaan wouldn’t respond

When an assassin’s arm or hand falls off because of the binding, it pops off like a lego

“CORVUS. GET OFF THE HORSE. PLEASE IT’S BEEN 4 HOURS”

Queen Sarai was a warrior

When they animated dialogue-heavy scenes with Amaya, they made sure that SHE was the focus of the scene, not Gren while he was translating. They also made sure that whoever was talking to her faced her as much as possible so she could read their lips

Soren is kind of insecure and desperately wants to impress his dad

Runaan and Rayla have a professional relationship, but they still see each other as family

Gren looked up to Amaya before he became her lieutenant and interpreter

Uhhhh I can’t remember any more feel free to add on if you were there and I forgot something

#tdp #the dragon prince #thedragonprince #tdp callum #tdp ezran #tdp rayla #tdp soren #tdp claudia #tdp lord viren #tdp king harrow #tdp runaan #tdp gren #tdp amaya #elitalks #my post

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siren-of-redriver96 · 5 years

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The idea of a child (theory)

Hi there :)

A small theory about Leta and later on Theseus relationship to their past ... and how it might effect theirs not in a negative way...

Enjoy :)

(spoiler-heavy)

Throughout the second movie, Leta is haunted by a sort of vision of her little brother drowing ... I believe it’s not just the chance of someone who potentially could have bonded with her in some way (despite Corvus’ influence) ... but also great fear of having an own child.

I do believe she wanted a future with Theseus, and children... but was terrified of how she could never forget what had happened to her brother, and how responsible she felt.

I think Theseus didn’t know about her past ... but maybe can relate to how she feels ... since very likely, he carries guilt as well.

So far, we know that he saved the lives of muggles during WWI ... but during war, one can never save every life ... and I’m pretty sure he has rather painfull feelings about being called a war “hero”.

Technically, he cannot be blamed either, since he only tried to help ... but just like her, he may not be able to live with how he influenced who lived and died, although it may likely have happened anyway.

Considering this, the pasts and feelings they are battling with actually come very close - Leta was just a child that wanted to sleep, and Theseus a young man who wanted to protect people ... and they both struggle.

Getting back to topic, I believe Theseus would have liked tp have children as well, but on his part couldn’t live with the chance of them loving/looking up to him and not knowing about what he thinks he has done.

I’d actually really like to see (if Leta should turn out to be alive) a storyline in which they reveal their respective burdens to each other - maybe even in relation to Leta having given birth to a child by the third movie - and realize on a deeper basis why they belong together. They see what the other considers his dark side, his unforgivable past - and accept it. Continuing their relationship with all masks off.

What do you think? Anything to add?

Thank you very much for reading :)

“All I want is to fly with you, all I want is to fall with you ... so just give me all of you.”

EDIT: Something I forgot to mention - in about 17 years of working as an auror, Theseus had to kill people in some situations ... and I think it’s even more clear how he feels about this when he mentions to Newt how he doesn’t like to have a bounty hunter involved in the hunts mission either. He seems to feel, at this point, that sometimes there’s no other way to ensure the life and well-being of the majority, but it doesn’t feel right to him.

It’s actually something Tina may be able to relate to as well ... in her case, we can only talk about 5-7 years of active law enforcement and no involvement in WWI, but there must have been some cases of self-defense etc. in her history as well ... while Newt struggles with the unintentional death of the Sudanese girl he only tried to help ... there are very well-placed parallels between the two couple’s traumata, it’s very interesting :) I really wonder if this is going to be brought up at some point ... makes for a nice message of how it’s important and often very helpfull to talk about what weighs on you with people who know what it feels like.

#fantastic beasts and where to find them #fantastic beasts #theleta #theseus scamander #leta lestrange #the crimes of grindelwald #fantastic beasts sequel

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anoptimisticsnarker · 4 years

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Corvus has entered the building. He put up a really impressive fight against Rayla. They were flipping through the trees like Tarzan, and he seems to have gotten to her since she lost focus for a bit there. I wonder how the boys will react when they find out everything she’s been hiding from them. And she won, but only for now. Corvus will get out of the ditch and return soon. I feel it in my bones.

While those two were fighting, Callum was dreaming about someone. Who? God, I don’t know. Probably Claudia given how early it is in the series. That’ll change soon though. Ezran doesn’t buy his excuse on it being about sandwiches either. And now they’re on the move because Rayla doesn’t want to be anywhere near Corvus when he gets out of that ditch. Callum seems to be growing impatient though.

So, Viren has tasked Soren will the task of lying about the Princes’ deaths. Even if he finds them alive, he’s to report that they are dead. It looks like Soren is having second thoughts about all of this. It’s not helped by the fact he’s the only one allowed to know since een Claudia has to be kept out of the loop. I feel like Soren isn’t fully in this like his father is. His face shows slight hesitation in it.

Rayla had the bright idea of taking a more difficult path just to try and lose Corvus. Yeah, I see why Callum doesn’t trust you since you’re telling him nothing about why you’re taking the harder path. And in their haste, Callum forgot the food. Whoops. Guess they won’t be eating anytime soon. And given Bait drank the rest of the Moonberry Juice, no one is getting any nourishment anytime soon.

Claudia is trying to see what is up with the mirror that was stolen. Viren has also tried in the past, and they haven’t gotten any success. But Viren has tasked Claudia with getting the Egg back through any means necessary. He’s even telling her to throw her brother under the bus for the Egg. Well, we can add using his son as a potential sacrifice to the list of things Viren has tried to pull so far.

All the fighting between Callum and Rayla has started an avalanche. These guys just can’t catch a break. Despite Callum trying to use Aspiro, it didn’t work and ultimately just delayed the inevitable. And through all of this, Ezran is now stuck on cracking ice holding the Dragon Egg. The day keeps going up for them!

Claudia and Soren seem unnerved from their talks with Viren. They’re trying to say things without saying them, and they’re dancing around each other. This stress will cost them the mission and probably more.

Rayla came clean about everything that she was hiding from the two. Which is great, but horribly timed. She dropped the Egg in their attempt to pass it to one another because of her hand. Ezran did jump in to save it, and just barely made it out alive. Unfortunately, I think the cold water has significantly weakened the Egg. They need to find a way to warm it up before the life inside fades away forever.

#Yoshi Watches The Dragon Prince #I also forgot to post this liveblog last night as well #But dang things are heating up #Which is funny because the Egg has cooled down tremendously #That joke was horrible I apologize

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linddzz · 5 years

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I aint Done Complainin

As much as I loved the twist that Credence was NOT the long lost and prophesied Corvus Lestrange (before it got ruined by the bigger and cheaper twist that he's a long lost or unknown Dumbledore), the movie spent way too damn long getting to it.

A lot of reviews complain about the disjointed pacing and editing through the movie, and they're absolutely right! A real frustrating bit is they dont even friggin show how Credence found the baby phoenix which ends up being such a huge part of the end reveal! Literally we see him explode-imploding an entire floor from rage-loss at the house elf death, we cut to Newt or something for a bit, then it's back to Credence where he's already sitting in front of an ugly baby bird trying to feed and comfort it.

A scene that warmed every bit of my "Credence should be Newt's assistant" heart but seriously where the fuck did he find that bird. There's theories of "oh maybe he found it in the circus" or "maybe grindlewald sent it" but we don't know! It just shows up then we keep seeing him carefully carrying it around adorably! Then it's a BIG part of the twist! We should at least see a longer scene of him actually finding it or it finding him or WHATEVER.

And all this disjointed spread out plot is even more frustrating because everyone (except grindles) is going after the same thing! This movie should have been Fantastic Beasts: The Search for Credence's Birth Records.

Yusuf was an important bit and I hope he sticks around (he was in the end DumbleSquad shot so looks like it) but why that whole thing with the parasite? What did that add to the plot?? The scene looking for the family records took way longer than it should have (tho the newtina making up was adorable).

And there was this weird set up where Newt is told that the Ministry wants to kill Credence (and wants him to do it), he refuses and is visibly upset by the assassination plot along with his travel ban. Someone else steps up for it and we see Newt get an angry determined face and storm out. Dumbledore finds him, tries to get him to go to Paris to find Credence before assassins or grindles do. There's a grand speach about Newt always just does what's right.

Then Newt faffs around until he finds out Tina's in Paris then mainly focuses on finding her. Ok! He misses her! But it just seemed kinda weird seeing how in the last movie this was the foolhardy good hearted person who willingly parted with his creatures to chase down a wild destructive force of magical rage down into the subways because he refused to let another obscurial die. We even see with his flashbacks that Newt cares so much about beings who are hurt and cast out, animal and human. Risking himself and what he cared about to help beings society sees as "monsters" is a HUGE part of his character that we see over and over.

And as adorable as his awkward stammering and infatuation with Tina is (salamanders! I loved it! Him calling her beautiful when Jacob described her as "intense"! Adorable!), it just seemed weird that he pretty much forgot about Hey This Traumatized Scared Dude Is Gonna Be Manipulated Or Killed because he got SO fixated. He even seemed to only help Tina with the family records thing because it would keep her talking to him????

I felt like we had this set up for "Newt and Tina team up to try and save Credence's life/soul" and the movie maybe tried for that and then it got lost in Newt's fixation on Tina and then on Yusuf being more of a mystery than he needed to be (oh my god why the parasite thing and him being unconscious for so long why) then on family records then on drama bc Leta and finally we just get them yelling Credence's name as he goes to Grindlewald.

And all that while DRAGGING the question "Is he Corvus Lestrange????" question forEVER. Even in the family crypt they spent so much time all back and forth back and forth that I was with poor Credence just like IS HE OR IS HE NOT GODDAMN.

I dont know how this movie managed to make a pretty straight forward idea so damn disjointed and badly spread and paced but wow did they.

#fantastic beasts 2 #fantastic beasts #spoilers #fbcog #fbcog spoilers

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gamethyme · 5 years

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Scoping the Scene

I'm one of those people who tends to form very strong bonds of loyalty to ... things. I drink Coke (or did, when I could still drink caffeinated beverages). I wear Nike and Red Wing shoes almost exclusively. And I support my local game store. Most of the time, this is neither good nor bad.

But I don't want to be a blind follower, so I work pretty hard at keeping tabs on what else is out there. I've tried on Adidas shoes (which were too narrow). I had an RC Cola. And, last weekend, I took Steph and drove to a couple of game stores that aren't Fantasium.

See, I'm looking at starting to play Corvus Belli Infinity, and apparently there aren't a lot of US distributors who carry it.

The first store we stopped at was The Game Shelf. It was a ways out of the way for us, but seemed to be in a pretty good location. The small facing expanded rapidly into a large space once you walked in. It was brightly-lit and had a decent selection of games. We were both greeted almost as soon as we walked in the door. I forgot to ask him about his special order process (which is always super-important to me), but the gentleman behind the counter was very friendly, very chatty, and - just as importantly - treated Steph as a customer instead of some sort of add-on to my presence. It was a good experience, so I bought a thing of paint and Steph got a couple sets of dice. And we went on.

I'm not going to name the next place we went. It was just a bit down the hill from The Game Shelf, though. It was small, and cramped, and there was an aroma that was ... less-than-pleasant. There was some sort of event going on (it sounded like a regular D&D group), and so they had a table in the middle of their front room that made two-thirds of the shop inaccessible. We were both ignored when we walked in. I spotted a few things that had clearly been on their shelf for a while (like a copy of the original 51st State) - that's not a bad thing, but it was prominently displayed. That's weird, as most retailers try to highlight hot-and-new items or rare-and-expensive items. I bought a thing of paint and got out of there as quickly as I could.

Finally, we headed to The Game Matrix. Over the years, The Game Matrix has been very hit-or-miss. They have (or can get) just about everything, but their customer service ranges from spectacular to nonexistent. You just never know what's going to happen when you walk in. We were promptly greeted by an enthusiastic employee who - when he heard what I was looking for - found the one Infinity product they had in stock on the shelf. "We also have the RPG," I was told. When I asked about a specific product, he checked availability at their distributor without hesitating. Or ignoring other customers.

None of these stores is likely to lure me away from Fantasium on the regular, but for occasional special orders that Fantasium can't get? I'd rather spend at Game Shelf or Game Matrix than online.

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#IFTTT #Blogger

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douxreviews · 5 years

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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Review

By sunbunny

“The time’s coming when you're gonna have to pick a side.”

Writing this review without major spoilers seems like a Herculean task. So let’s start with this. If you’re uninitiated in the Potterverse, you’re going to be very, very confused by this mess movie. If you’re a casual Potter fan, you might like this mess movie. I honestly don’t know what it’s like to be a casual Potter fan. If you’re like me, a diehard Potterhead who definitely owns a wand and, at last count, three Harry Potter scarves, prepare for disappointment. Or maybe you trust JK Rowling more than I do and trust that this mess movie is setting up bigger and better things or has been horribly misjudged. If so, I’d love to know what you think.

Okay now that that’s out of the way, spoiler time.

SPOILERS ARE COMING. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.

Instead of a traditional review, I’ve decided to take the controversial bits of the movie (or at least what I found to be controversial) and dissect them a bit.

First off, Minerva McGonagall was not alive, let alone teaching at Hogwarts, in the 1920s. Furthermore, you cannot apparate or disapparate inside Hogwarts grounds. Those are just straight up errors in continuity and should not have happened.

Johnny Depp as Grindelwald. Mistake. Just frankly a mistake. Before you attack me on this, know that I was a HUGE Johnny Depp fan for nearly two decades. And then he hit his wife. The first Fantastic Beasts was already completed (or close to) when the allegations became public so you really can’t blame the PTBs at Warner Brothers for leaving him in the movie. Now, the decision not to recast? A lot more controversial. Famously, the actor who played Vincent Crabbe (one of Draco Malfoy’s lackeys) was arrested for marijuana possession during the production of the original eight films. His part was cut out. Completely. No more Vincent Crabbe. This is why optimists like myself hoped Warner Brothers or whoever makes these decisions would see the light and recast. They did not. I felt so guilty that my money was in whatever oblique way, financially supporting him, I made a donation to his ex-wife Amber Heard’s favorite charity (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles) after leaving the theater.

Okay now that that’s done with onto my plot grievances and there weren’t a few of them.

Grindelwald (like his successor Voldemort) is shown to be the magical equivalent of Hilter. Allegory was a big thing in the original novels. The subjugation of muggles/muggleborns was meant to mirror racism in the world today. So why. In the world. Would they have A JEWISH WOMAN LIKE QUEENIE GOLDSTEIN JOIN FORCES WITH GRINDELWALD WHY WOULD THEY DO IT WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY. She’s a Legilimens (mind reader), which means she can hear thoughts. And, yeah, Grindelwald is probably skilled enough in Occlumency (the art of deflecting mind readers) to put her off his I HATE AND WILL ENSLAVE MUGGLES agenda but she was in a huge crowd of Grindelwald supporters and she didn’t pick up on anything in the least bit dodgy?

It is suggested that, if the wizarding world gave way to Grindelwald, the Holocaust could have been prevented. WHAT? That’s crossing a line. Bringing real world atrocities into this is crossing a line. I’d been spoiled on this particular point but that didn’t make seeing it any less horrific in the theater.

Nagini, Voldemort’s snake who he controls fairly completely, actually started off as an Asian woman (the script says she was captured in Indonesia, the actress who plays her is Korean, and the name Nagini is Indian, do with it what you will) with a curse. That is just so obscene. That a person, a real, flesh and blood person was cursed to turn into an animal and that the curse was used in a magical freak show as an attraction…I have no words. Let’s add in that, in her “wisdom,” JKR has decreed that all Maledictuses (Maledicti?) are female and the whole thing is just a disaster. The human Nagini disappears completely into Voldemort’s pet, doing horrible things like killing on command and (I still shudder to think about it) possessing the decaying body of Bathilda Bagshot in order to set a trap for Harry in The Deathly Hallows until she’s finally BEHEADED by Neville Longbottom. Gross. It’s gross.

I’m getting depressed by this litany of awful so let’s wrap it up with the Worst. Credence is a Dumbledore. Excuse me, what? Unless it turns out that Grindelwald is lying to Credence (PLEASE LET THAT BE THE CASE), Aberforth and Albus left a certain GINORMOUS FACT out of their family history as told to Harry (and Ron and Hermione). Also, I mean, if Dumbledore had a brother or half-brother or whatever don’t we think Rita Skeeter would have dug it up while writing The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore? She looked heavily into Dumbledore’s background and I’m not saying she’s a reliable source but she had a nose for scandal, surely she would have found some inkling of this and included it in her book.

Bits and Pieces

How dare JKR write baby nifflers into the script and give me only one short scene with the cuties? They could have lightened up a LOT of what happened later, which was almost exclusively grim.

Weirdly, there was no reference to Grindelwald’s obsession with the Deathly Hallows. I mean, he obviously had the Elder Wand, but that was it.

First mention in HP canon of…okay I already forgot what it was called. The blood oath that meant that Grindelwald and Dumbledore couldn’t attack each other. Unclear why they wouldn’t just use an unbreakable vow (which got a shoutout this movie, so you know JKR didn’t forget about them). Also a bit of a retcon because in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore admits to being too scared to face Grindelwald because of the possibility that Grindelwald knew what happened to Ariana and Dumbledore was afraid of knowing the truth. Although that disclosure happened when Harry was in “King’s Cross” and it remained delightfully unclear whether Harry was imagining the whole thing or Dumbledore was really talking to him. “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?” As far as problems with this film go, it’s way down on my list.

You’d be forgiven for thinking it, but the ship Leta and Corvus were on was not the Titanic.

Favorite performances of the movie include Jude Law as sexy Dumbledore. Young. I meant young did I say sexy? And Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange.

one out of four baby nifflers

sunbunny

#Fantastic Beasts The Crimes of Grindelwald #Fantastic Beasts #Fantastic Beasts 2 #Newt Scamander #Albus Dumbledore #Harry Potter #Doux Reviews #Movie Reviews #something from the archive

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