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#Indigenous dark fiction

harmonyhealinghub · 6 months

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Exploring the Shadows of Indigenous Dark Fiction: Never Whistle at Night Anthology Shaina Tranquilino October 27, 2023

In a world where diverse voices are increasingly being heard, literature plays a crucial role in amplifying marginalized perspectives. One such remarkable work is the anthology "Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology," edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. This collection of haunting stories offers readers a unique glimpse into the rich tapestry of indigenous folklore, horror, and speculative fiction. As we delve into the depths of this book, we discover tales that challenge stereotypes and provide a fresh perspective on traditional storytelling.

Diverse Voices Unleashed:

Never Whistle at Night stands as an important literary milestone in its ability to bring together Indigenous authors from various tribes and backgrounds. Each story is crafted with immense care, capturing the essence of cultural heritage while embracing the dark realms of fiction. The authors skillfully blend elements of horror, fantasy, and suspense to create narratives that both entertain and educate.

Exploring Indigenous Folklore:

One notable aspect of this anthology is its exploration of Indigenous folklore, which has often been overlooked in mainstream literature. With each turn of the page, readers are transported into worlds filled with spirits, supernatural creatures, and ancient traditions—elements deeply rooted in native cultures. These stories serve as powerful reminders that Indigenous peoples have their own myths and legends that deserve recognition.

Challenging Stereotypes:

A prominent theme throughout Never Whistle at Night is challenging stereotypes surrounding Indigenous communities. By weaving these narratives within dark fiction genres, the authors subvert expectations and offer nuanced portrayals far removed from common clichés. They confront issues such as colonialism, displacement, identity struggles, and generational trauma head-on while simultaneously delivering captivating plots.

Blending Darkness and Light:

The editors' expert curation allows for an engaging balance between darkness and light within the anthology's pages. While some stories may leave readers trembling with fear, others offer solace and hope. This careful equilibrium serves as a reminder that Indigenous experiences encompass both the shadows and the light, just like any other culture.

Impactful Storytelling:

"Never Whistle at Night" showcases the immense talent of its contributors, each story delivering a unique experience to the reader. From chilling tales set in contemporary urban environments to more traditional stories deeply rooted in cultural heritage, there is something for everyone within these pages. The authors' ability to effortlessly blend genres creates an anthology that transcends labels and speaks to a universal human experience.

In "Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology," editors Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. skillfully bring together Indigenous voices that deserve wider recognition. This collection offers readers an opportunity to immerse themselves in captivating narratives while challenging preconceived notions about Indigenous cultures. By showcasing dark fiction infused with rich folklore and thought-provoking themes, this anthology leaves a lasting impact on its audience—a testament to the power of diverse storytelling and literature's ability to bridge gaps between cultures.

#never whistle at night #Indigenous #Indigenous dark fiction anthology #stories #legends #Indigenous dark fiction #anthology review #book recommendation #Indigenous authors #horror #Indigenous literature

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mangotalkies · 1 year

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"after all, how can one feel the loss of a thing whose existence one has become unconscious to?"

a wonderful collection of essential and constant truth bombs.

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haveyoureadthishorrorbookpoll · 4 months

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Have you read...

Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home. These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.

submit a horror book!

#Never Whistle At Night #Shane Hawk #Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.#horror books #horror #bookblr #books #horrorbookpoll #horror anthology #indigenous horror #indigenous #dark fiction #stephen graham jones #horror short stories

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gabelish · 3 months

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Never Whistle At Night: Review

If You Like Dark Dark Fiction, You’ll Enjoy This; If You Don’t, Best Skip.

Never Whistle At Night is an anthology of dark short stories written by indigenous authors about indigenous characters. I lent my copy to my partner so I don’t have it in front of me at the time of writing this review so I’m going off of memory. I wouldn’t be able to list all the trigger warnings but there’s a lot of them and many of them are very rough. Most of stories are at minimum scary, at most extremely horrifying. I consider myself to have a strong stomach but I almost couldn’t finish the story called Quantum for it’s extremely graphic depiction of child abuse; another tough one was the revenge story called Sundays for its somewhat graphic depiction of child rape. Many stories involve racism and/or violence against indigenous people though most end with the protagonist surviving.

If you like and can stomach extremely dark fiction, you’ll enjoy it. Every story is written wonderfully well and they’re all very different from each other. Some are psychological, some are supernatural, some are just horrifying. At the end of each story is a blurb about the author and information on their other works. It is a great collection that I recommend if you think you can stomach it.

#never whistle at night #indigenous fiction #dark fiction #horror fiction #short stories #bookblr

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filmnoirsbian · 11 months

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Things read in May

Essays & Articles:

Ursula K. Le Guin on Being A Man

Investigating parents of transgender youth has agency on ‘brink of collapse,’ staff warns

Five Indigenous Speculative Fiction Authors You Should Be Reading

DECOLONIZING SCIENCE FICTION AND IMAGINING FUTURES: AN INDIGENOUS FUTURISMS ROUNDTABLE

Using Dogs As A Tool of Racial Oppression

Rings of Power: The new hobbits are filthy, hungry simpletons with stage-Irish accents. That’s $1bn well spent

First case of HIV cure in a woman after stem cell transplantation reported at CROI-2022

The Trees That Miss The Mammoths

NOPE’S SCIENCE CONSULTANT REVEALS THE NAME AND INSPIRATION FOR THE MOVIE’S ALIEN

Reflections on the Poetry of Eavan Boland

The dire state of trans healthcare in Ireland

How Letterkenny Got Indigenous Representation So Right

Einstein's Parable of Quantum Insanity

Surgical amputation of a limb 31,000 years ago in Borneo

Most Transgender Children Stick With Gender Identity 5 Years Later: Study

Were you a ‘parentified child’? What happens when children have to behave like adults

Fear of a Black Hobbit

It’s a ‘Full-Contact’ Haunted House. What Could Go Wrong?

The Craft: How a Teenage Weirdo Based on a Real Person Became an Icon

Remember When Multiplayer Gaming Needed Envelopes and Stamps?

‘We’ll Never Make That Kind of Movie Again’ An oral history of The Emperor’s New Groove, a raucous Disney animated film that almost never happened.

5 Incredible Sagas of Fandom Scams and Deception

I Used to Love British Period Dramas. Now I See Them as Colonial Propaganda

Why gender essentialism is a white supremacist ideology

Liberating Our Homes From the Real Estate–Industrial Complex

You Don’t Have To Be Pretty – On YA Fiction And Beauty As A Priority

Ten Years Later, There’s Still Nothing Like Tarsem Singh’s The Fall

Tolerance is not a moral precept

Scottish Poet and Publisher Derick Thomson 'Transformed' Gaelic Poetry

Poetry:

The Universe, as in One Last Song for the Lonely Hearts by Michelle Hulan

An Ordinary Evening in New Haven by Wallace Stevens

Heaven by George Herbert

Return from Death by Derick Thomson

Coffins by Derick Thomson

Chemin De Fer by Elizabeth Bishop

Yes, It Was The Mountain Echo by William Wordsworth

The Man and the Echo by William Butler Yeats

The Most of It by Robert Frost

Eros Turannos by Edwin Arlington Robinson

Books:

The Dark Yule by R. M. Callahan

The Invasion by K. A. Applegate

The Whisper by Aaron Starmer

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Miss Iceland by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir

#tcp #this is late bc i just kept forgetting to post it all lol #an open window #articles #essays #poetry

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bromelads · 7 months

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I am not playing the “you're racist if you say Ed is abusive" game with y’all 😒

This shit is not new or helpful to POC in the fandom. I wrote about it earlier this year (too little, too late), so I've built this post up from that.

I encourage folks to read this analysis and call to action by uselessheretic from back in JANUARY since it addresses key aspects of the harassment campaign that was par of the course for the fandom in 2022. This discourse plays into that harassment.

Listen, for all of its widely-held progressive values, the ofmd fandom is still a hobby space filled with mostly white, first world, LGBTQ+ ppl. Most ofmd fans fashion themselves leftists and generally agree that structural racism exists and is a problem. Overall, there's worse fandoms to be in.

That said, this particular wave of hand-wringing about fans calling Ed abusive is not at all about the ways indigenous people are stereotyped in media.

The most telling giveaway is the timing: fans expressing frustration towards Ed following the sneak peek that shows Fang, Archie, Jim, and Frenchie all but having an intervention for Izzy because they think he is "in an unhealthy relationship with Blackbeard" since Ed "cut two more of his toes...[which] seems pretty toxic to me."

I am not emotionally prepared to deconstruct the dark humor of holding a spontaneous intervention for your asshole white assistant manager who's on his last fucking wit because your brown and beautiful rockstar boss is too high to function and keeps cutting the guy's toes off. You either get the joke or you don't.

For the purpose of this post, all I care to extract from it is what it tells us about who is exercising the most control over the ship. Despite his physical absence, Ed’s ghost is all over this beautifully crafted scene. The tone of their wardrobe is dictated by Ed’s. They are carrying out Ed’s orders. Frenchie and Jim’s exclusive presence as former members of Stede’s crew was decided by Ed. Izzy’s authority as first mate is sanctioned by Ed. And it is Ed’s fitness to lead that Frenchie, Fang, Jim,and Archie are questioning ultimately.

I’m not particularly worried about Ed’s integrity as a charismatic lead being hurt by a storyline that paints him as someone who abuses power--the flow and exchange of power is a running theme for ofmd. Stede and Izzy themselves abuse their power in season 1 for their vanity. What I am worried about is this cute cultural feature of the wider ofmd fandom:

the chronic unwillingness to grapple with interpersonal power dynamics amongst peers, not only in the show, but in the fandom itself.

So here we are again, ofmd fandom, working ourselves up into a moral outrage so that you, in your leftist white glory, can publicly police yourself because apparently you only know how to experience People of Color in fiction through these two lenses:

white guilt (am I racist for thinking this? are people around me racist for thinking this?) and

the white imagination (stories about characters of color are valuable because they inform my politics)

This push against reading Ed as abusive is not about calling out the problematics of depicting an indigenous man as mentally ill, violent, lonely, and rageful, it is about trying to sound self-righteous to mask anxiety about accidentally doing a racism on the indigenous, brown lead.

This is even more obvious now with the season 2 premiere days away and audiences being primed to question whether the severity of Izzy's punishment was appropriate.

Now, here's the hard-to-swallow pill the ofmd fandom's been avoiding cuz we don't wanna point out the inevitable problems of representation within canon:

We are being served a storyline where a complex protagonist (who happens to be a brown, queer, indigenous man in a position of power) harms people who are close to him and we are meant to recognize this as a problem that he must come to terms with. I don't like it either, but I'd rather have this than no Ed story at all.

Other people have written far more intelligently about this than I could, but it bears repeating: what's happening here is fans projecting their own insecurities about racism and power onto a white character ("izzy exotifies ed!" "he wants to control ed!" "izzy is an incompetent pirate actually!") while at the same time applying a shiny veneer of respectability and perfect rationality to a nonwhite character ("ed had every right to hurt izzy!" "maiming is fair game as retribution for racism, it's in-world rules!" "ed can't be abusive because he's been abused!") in order to mask white leftist fandom's discomfort about a morally ambiguous brown protagonist.

Anyway, take a breath.

Ed is a character whose impact in "the real world" does indeed go beyond how he makes us feel. Taika Waititi's Edward Teach represents a watershed moment in indigenous representation—not only for his position as protagonist, not even for his queerness, but because of his depth, charisma, complexity, and connection to a community that cares about him. These things have been rarely afforded to the very few indigenous leads in the global film canon--no matter how his story is handled in season 2 and 3, Ed's impact has already been cemented.

Okay I'm done, here's some actionable advice to wash this all down with.

If your goal is to foster a welcoming environment for fans of color and elevate engagement with characters of color, then immediately remove shaming people's headcanons from your toolbox and read this article. Take stock of who is in your fandom social circle and take stock of what you do in order to at least see more fanworks featuring characters of color.

If your goal is to promote or participate in productive race-conscious conversations with other fans, get real about your relationship with power, your positionality in life (and in fandom) and the channels through which you want to have these conversations. Some questions to start with: Can you describe your relationship with your race? What is your experience talking about race in mixed-race spaces? What avenues do you use to participate in fandom? How do you participate? Where do you have influence? How do you manage unwanted feelings that spark from disagreements about racism?

If your goal is to interact in fandom with integrity, get explicit about your values. Engage in dialogue, treat others with the respect you want. Be curious and ask questions. Avoid becoming someone's useful idiot and learn to think critically.

Finally, if your goal is to enjoy your blorbos without having to think about the problematics of representation for QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color), then save us all the grief and just join a different fandom.

Good luck!

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mostly-mundane-atla · 2 months

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Inupiaq Books

This post was inspired by learning about and daydreaming about visiting Birchbark Books, a Native-owned bookstore in Minneapolis, so there will be some links to buy the books they have on this list.

Starting Things Off with Two Inupiaq Poets

Joan Naviyuk Kane, whose available collections include:

Hyperboreal

Black Milk Carbon

The Cormorant Hunter's Wife

She also wrote Dark Traffic, but this site doesn't seem to carry any copies

Dg Nanouk Okpik, whose available collections include

Blood Snow

Corpse Whale

Fictionalized Accounts of Historical Events

A Line of Driftwood: the Ada Blackjack Story by Diane Glancy, also available at Birchwood Books, is a fictionalized account of Ada Blackjack's experience surviving the explorers she was working with on Wrangel Island, based on historical records and Blackjack's own diary.

Goodbye, My Island by Rie Muñoz is a historical fiction aimed at younger readers with little knowledge of the Inupiat about a little girl living on King Island. Reads a lot like an American Girl book in case anyone wants to relive that nostalgia

Blessing's Bead by Debby Dahl Edwardson is a Young Adult historical fiction novel about hardships faced by two generations of girls in the same family, 70 years apart. One reviewer pointed out that the second part of the book, set in the 1980s, is written in Village English, so that might be a new experience for some of you

Photography

Menadelook: and Inupiaq Teacher's Photographs of Alaska Village Life, 1907-1932 edited by Eileen Norbert is, exactly as the title suggests, a collection of documentary photographs depicting village life in early 20th century Alaska.

Nuvuk, the Northernmost: Altered Land, Altered Lives in Barrow, Alaska by David James Inulak Lume is another collection of documentary photographs published in 2013, with a focus on the wildlife and negative effects of climate change

Guidebooks (i only found one specifically Inupiaq)

Plants That We Eat/Nauriat Niģiñaqtuat: from the Traditional Wisdom of Iñupiat Elders of Northwest Alaska by Anore Jones is a guide to Alaskan vegetation that in Inupiat have subsisted on for generations upon generations with info on how to identify them and how they were traditionally used.

Anthropology

Kuuvangmiut Subsistence: Traditional Eskimo Life in the Latter Twentieth Century by Douglas B. Anderson et al details traditional lifestyles and subsistance customs of the Kobuk River Inupiat

Life at the Swift Water Place: Northwest Alaska at the Threshold of European Contact by Douglas D. Anderson and Wanni W. Anderson: a multidisciplinary study of a specific Kobuk River group, the Amilgaqtau Yaagmiut, at the very beginning of European and Asian trade.

Upside Down: Seasons Among the Nunamiut by Margaret B. Blackman is a collection of essays reflecting on almost 20 years of anthropological fieldwork focused on the Nunamiut of Anuktuvuk Pass: the traditional culture and the adaption to new technology.

Nonfiction

Firecracker Boys: H-Bombs, Inupiat Eskimos, and the Roots of the Environmental Movement by Dan O'Neill is about Project Chariot. In an attempt to find peaceful uses of wartime technology, Edward Teller planned to drop six nukes on the Inupiaq village of Point Hope, officially to build a harbor but it can't be ignored that the US government wanted to know the effects radiation had on humans and animals. The scope is wider than the Inupiat people involved and their resistance to the project, but as it is no small part of this lesser discussed moment of history, it only feels right to include this

Fifty Miles From Tomorrow: a Memoir of Alaska and the Real People by William L. Iģģiaģruk Hensley is an autobiography following the author's tradition upbringing, pursuit of an education, and his part in the Alaska Native Settlement Claims Act, where he and other Alaska Native activists had to teach themselves United States Law to best lobby the government for land and financial compensation as reparations for colonization.

Sadie Bower Neakok: An Iñupiaq Woman by Margaret B. Blackman is a biography of the titular Sadie Bower Neakok, a beloved public figure of Utqiagvik, former Barrow. Neakok grew up one of ten children of an Inupiaq woman named Asianggataq, and the first white settler to live in Utqiagvik/Barrow, Charles Bower. She used the out-of-state college education she received to aid her community as a teacher, a wellfare worker, and advocate who won the right for Native languages to be used in court when defendants couldn't speak English, and more.

Folktales and Oral Histories

Folktales of the Riverine and Costal Iñupiat/Unipchallu Uqaqtuallu Kuungmiuñļu Taģiuģmiuñļu edited by Wanni W. Anderson and Ruth Tatqaviñ Sampson, transcribed by Angeline Ipiiļik Newlin and translated by Michael Qakiq Atorak is a collection of eleven Inupiaq folktales in English and the original Inupiaq.

The Dall Sheep Dinner Guest: Iñupiaq Narratives of Northwest Alaska by Wanni W. Anderson is a collection of Kobuk River Inupiaq folktales and oral histories collected from Inupiat storytellers and accompanied by Anderson's own essays explaining cultural context. Unlike the other two collections of traditional stories mentioned on this list, this one is only written in English.

Ugiuvangmiut Quliapyuit/King Island Tales: Eskimo Historu and Legends from Bering Strait compiled and edited by Lawrence D. Kaplan, collected by Gertrude Analoak, Margaret Seeganna, and Mary Alexander, and translated and transcribed by Gertrude Analoak and Margaret Seeganna is another collection of folktales and oral history. Focusing on the Ugiuvangmiut, this one also contains introductions to provide cultural context and stories written in both english and the original Inupiaq.

The Winter Walk by Loretta Outwater Cox is an oral history about a pregnant widow journeying home with her two children having to survive the harsh winter the entire way. This is often recommended with a similar book detailing Athabascan survival called Two Old Women.

Dictionaries and Language Books

Iñupiat Eskimo Dictionary by Donald H. Webster and Wilfred Zibell, with illustrations by Thelma A. Webster, is an older Inupiaq to English dictionary. It predates the standardization of Inupiaq spelling, uses some outdated and even offensive language that was considered correct at the time of its publication, and the free pdf provided by UAF seems to be missing some pages. In spite of this it is still a useful resource. The words are organized by subject matter rather than alphabetically, each entry indicating if it's specific to any one dialect, and the illustrations are quite charming.

Let's Learn Eskimo by Donald H. Webster with illustrations by Thelma A. Webster makes a great companion to the Iñupiat Eskimo Dictionary, going over grammar and sentence structure rather than translations. The tables of pronouns are especially helpful in my opinion.

Ilisaqativut.org also has some helpful tools and materials and recommendations for learning the Inupiat language with links to buy physical books, download free pdfs, and look through searchable online versions

#eskimo on main

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tastesoftamriel · 10 months

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The issue I see with the ESO Dark Heart of Skyrim depiction of Reachfolk is primarily the division between "ethnic/indigenous" stereotypes, e.g. living in "tribes" in the middle of buttfuck nowhere and being hostile to outsiders, and the "civilised" Reachfolk who are depicted as far smarter because they live within the relatively safe confines of Markarth with taverns and banking services and other city crap that are the benchmarks of modernity and Tamrielic civility.

There is no reason beyond blind ethnocentrism that this is a division that exists, either in real life or in fantasy (if we allow the latter to truly break the bonds of fiction into something *better*). So-called "primitive" peoples, be that the Azande or Trobrianders, have been subject to ridicule due to their indigenous knowledge, myths, and beliefs as unaligned with our post-enlightenment, postmodernist, scientific worldview. In the eyes of many writers, projecting what is deemed within their worldview to be "good" for their characters is really a detriment when it comes to original worldbuilding.

At the risk of sounding like yet another unhinged Marxist, my final comment concerns the structures of Reach society. The hierarchical structure of Reach clans is not something I'm super familiar with so I may come off as sounding like an idiot here, but bear with me. Why are Reachfolk, with supposedly primitive and unchangeable belief systems, upheld to the societal structures of mainstream Tamrielic groups? Why would they trade with gold, if they traded at all; and if they didn't, someone needs to do some research on the historical basis of global trade, which cough cough involves cooperation and amicable relations between disparate groups over huge distances and periods of time. Why are the Reachfolk exempt from this cycle of amicability? Is it more thrilling to write them as hostile savages, ready to attack anyone who supposedly threatens their way of life?

Yes, they would be thoroughly aware of the dangers of colonisation. But why have city Reachfolk been portrayed as sensible citizens of Tamriel while their brethren in the wilderness are presented as wild, IGNOBLE savages? Where is the justice in portraying indigenous peoples as they truly are and are capable of, rather than re-used Western tropes surrounding the division of self and savage Other?

Once again, this ties into the prominent Western tradition of Othering those who don't follow the tenets of a monotheistic, hegemonic, organised religion, or similarly prescribed worldview. By not including Aedra worship in Reachfolk culture, they are seen as savages and people who should be civilised and brought into the fold of the Divines. There is a pervasive undertone of violence linked to so-called "primitive" groups in TES, and this may just be to make convenient NPC bandits, but also perpetuates a stereotype that deeply harms real-life indigenous and culturally marginalised groups.

This is why careful worldbuilding is so so so important because we can project the world WE want, free from the socionormative biases that taint fantasy writing. Yes it's necessary to draw inspiration from real life, I do it all the time, but there's a point where you say "what if real life isn't that great of an idea to project here?"

I'd like to conclude by saying that I'd like to see this decolonisation of fantasy writing extended to other socially marginalised and misunderstood groups in TES, such as Bosmer, Argonians, giants, minotaurs, and the Bandaari (I could rant about them all day but I have other writing to attend to). We can do so much better not only with our ability to create some truly original fantasy worldbuilding, but also by showing others that by decolonising our own writing, we are becoming more sensitive to the worldview of others and incorporating that in an insightful and respectful manner.

#Rant #Reachfolk #reachmen #The Reach #Tes #The Elder Scrolls #Writing #decolonisation

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ericdeggans · 2 months

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Why hoping Lily Gladstone won an Oscar does not equal valuing race over talent.

Social media is never a great place to have discussions about race and culture. The real issues at hand are way too nuanced and detailed for outrage factories like X/Twitter and Instagram to handle.

Still, I was disappointed to see so many people – perhaps willfully – missing the point online when discussion rose after the Oscars about Lily Gladstone failing to win best actress honors.

No doubt, a win for Gladstone – who would have been the first Native American woman to earn a major acting Oscar – also would have felt like a serious triumph for champions touting the power of diversity in film.

Feeling the love big time today, especially from Indian Country. Kittō”kuniikaakomimmō”po’waw - seriously, I love you all ❤️ (Better believe when I was leaving the Dolby Theater and walked passed the big Oscar statue I gave that golden booty a little Coup tap - Count: one 😉)

— Lily Gladstone (@lily_gladstone) March 12, 2024

Those of us who clock these things regularly knew that Emma Stone’s turn in Poor Things was most likely to spoil that scenario. Stone offered a showy-yet-accomplished performance as a singular character in an ambitious, creatively weird production. A much-loved past winner delivering a career-best effort, she was just the kind of nominee that Oscar loves to reward. And, as Vulture pointed out, modern Oscar voters seem to enjoy turning against expectations in big moments like this.

But when I expressed those feelings online – that Stone was marvelous and more than earned the award, but the Oscar academy really missed a chance to make history by overlooking Gladstone’s more subtle, quietly powerful turn in a better movie – the knives came out.

The gist of most negative reactions was the implication that I and others lamenting her loss were insisting that ethnicity should trump talent. As if the only or most important reason that an indigenous woman could be nominated for such a lofty award, is by people trying to bring social justice to the Oscars. (I guess Gladstone’s wins as best actress at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards, among others, were also nods to diversity?)

As if it couldn’t be possible that perhaps -- just perhaps -- some racial cultural preferences were mixed up in Oscar voters’ attraction to the story of a beautiful, young white woman who has loads of sex while learning to define herself in a male dominated world.

What really disappointed me, however, was reading an analysis which reached all the way back to the 2017 Oscars to imply that one reason Barry Jenkins’ masterpiece Moonlight won best picture honors over La La Land was the pressure to bring social justice to the Oscars.

Talk about missing the point by a mile. What I’m driving at, when I advocate for contenders like Gladstone, Barry Jenkins and Jeffrey Wright, isn’t a finger on the scale to make up for past exclusion.

It’s a plea for Oscar voters to see these performances the way I and so many other people actually see them.

I still remember watching last year’s version of The Color Purple in a screening alongside lots of folks from Black fraternity and sorority organizations. And when the moment arrived where Danielle Brooks’ character intoned about her husband, “I loves Harpo — God knows I do — but I’ll kill him dead before I let him or anybody beat me,” it felt like the whole theater said those words with her. That’s how iconic those lines -- first spoken on film by Oprah Winfrey in the 1985 production – have become for Black America.

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That same feeling came after I first saw Cord Jefferson’s brilliant American Fiction, centered on a frustrated, floundering Black writer who creates a stereotypical parody of a Black novel as a dark joke, only to see it become a best seller. I felt as if Jefferson had pulled the same bait-and-switch with his movie that his lead character managed onscreen – using the outrageous premise to draw us all into a more subtle and deliberately powerful story of a Black man struggling to connect with his family after huge losses.

I needed three attempts to get through watching all of Gladstone’s work in Killers of the Flower Moon. Not because the movie was so long I had to “get my mail forwarded to the theater,” like Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel joked. But because it was so hard for me to watch a film centered on the historic exploitation and murder of Native American people by white men.

It sounds like a simple idea, but it’s worth repeating: evocative moments in films will speak differently to different people.

Sometimes, when I’m pushing for a win in an awards category, or championing a particular project, it’s not because I’m putting a finger on the scale for the sake of equality. It’s because I’m more invested in that story than some others because of who I am. And I’m challenging some people, who might not see their cultural preferences as preferences, to consider exactly why they love one thing over another.

In many ways, it is sad to see great artists pitted against each other in these contests. Comparing the delightful, dangerous absurdity of Poor Things to the gritty, punishing tone in Killers of the Flower Moon feels like a fool’s errand, anyway.

But with so much that comes from an Oscar win – including proof that inclusion brings success, accolades and a great argument for more equity – it is important to understand why some people value some performances.

And part of living in a diverse society means valuing the wide range of opinions and reactions, not shrugging off those that don’t fit your worldview.

#oscars #gladstone #movies #racism #tv #Youtube

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itsharleystuff · 1 year

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-ˋˏ 𝘊𝘖𝘕 𝘓𝘈 𝘉𝘙𝘐𝘚𝘈 ˎˊ-

— 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Din Djarin x afab!fem!reader (reader is described as POC)

— 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 10k

— 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: When Mando crashes in an unknown planet, he didn’t expect to be saved by such a distinct individual; much less to learn plenty about her and the world that she lived in. Safe to say that her charm didn’t go unaware by him.

— 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: 18+ content (minors dni), oral sex (f!receiving), teasing, blindfolds, voice kink(? Kinda, vaginal fingering, mentions of arranged marriage, body worship, I think that’s it.

— 𝘢/𝘯: this is my first time writing smut, so it might not be great but I’m working on it. Also, English isn’t my first language, therefore I apologize for any mistakes. Ps: this fic will have continuity and it contains certain elements of indigenous cultures (nothing specific, mostly general stuff brought together to create fiction).

| 𝙣𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮/𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 |

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ ✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

| Six months before Mando

meets Grogu for the first time |

"Dank Farrik!" Mando mutters when he suddenly loses control of his ship. The smoke around him becomes suffocating and the bounty hunter doesn't know where it's coming from. Probably a damaged engine. The wound on his side stings greatly and his vision starts to get blurry as all he can see now is the blue sky of the unknown planet he was now landing on. Well, more like crashing on.

"I hate pirates." He managed to say, breathless, before he passed out and the razor crest stumbled to the ground.

•••

When Mando finally woke up, everything around him was unfamiliar. He was no longer in the razor crest. In fact, he had no idea where he was.

"You're awake." Said a voice next to him.

His first instinct was to reach for his blaster, but the ghost of it lingered on his fingers. As if for instinct, he checked for his other weapons, but he had been stripped of them, along with his armor. He felt vulnerable, naked, exposed... At least his helmet remained where it was supposed to be.

"Were you seriously going to point this vile weapon at me? The one that saved you?" Mando slowly raised his head to see the woman standing beside him. Her voice had a weird accent that he couldn't quite pinpoint, and her skin was tan, like bathed in sunlight. She was holding his blaster, staring at it as if it was a hideous creature.

The mandalorian realized that there was a bandage were he was previously injured by a knife. His underarmor remained, but it was ripped and dirty. He sighed, sitting up in the bed where he had been laying.

"Who are you?" The woman, dressed in a white silk robe, tied with a golden belt at her waist, stayed completely silent while she left the blaster on the nightstand by the bed. "Where am I?"

"You're in no position to make questions. Don't you think?" Mando scanned his surroundings, picking up every detail that could possibly reveal where he was. The room was big, peaceful and very open, with wide balconies that would let the warm, golden sunlight spill all over the place. It didn't seem like this was a crowded and loud planet, like corousant; if anything, the architecture reminded him of naboo. But the woman didn't seem like a naboo resident, not with that skin and dark long hair that fell on her back in a thick braid. She wore golden jewelry, in her fingers, arms, ankles and ears... She looked like nothing he had ever seen, and to be fair, as a very experienced bounty hunter, he had seen plenty.

"I don't know." Mando said, noticing the pain that struck his injury and limbs. "I think... I think I can take you."

He didn't mean it. At least, not completely. He had learned that things that looked innocent and naive are usually the deadliest.

"Not in that state." She replied with a smile. "Matter of fact, you're about to go on trial in about an hour, so I suggest you get cleaned up and prepare a proper speech."

"What?!" The man couldn't hide his astonishment. "Trial for what? Almost dying?" The lady turned her back to him. "Hey!"

"Why are you really here, bounty hunter?" She asked. Her voice was serious and low, warning him that he should be careful with his words.

"I don't know where I am."

"Yeah, right." She snorted, barely looking back at him.

"Am I supposed to know?" Once again, the woman didn't respond. Din just stood there, admiring her silhouette, painted with the lights and shadows that naturally formed in their surroundings. There was something graceful, yet dangerous about the way she carried herself around. "Look..."

He tried to reach her side, but before he could step forward a dark shadow fell in front of him, blocking his way with a fierce growl. It was an unknown creature with feline characteristics, covered in black fur, two pointy ears and enormous fangs that didn't even fit it's mouth. The animal barely looked like a cub, but that didn't make it any less terrifying.

"It's okay." She whispered, and the animal slowly left it's guard down, approaching her side and laying at her feet, purring. "I believe you, mandalorian. But things aren't looking great right now." She petted the creature's head before looking at him dead in the eye. "There were pirates following you, which usually indicates that people know about us. And it doesn't really matter if I trust you, cause it's not me who you have to convince."

"Then who is?" She gulped and her gaze wandered from him.

"I can't say much. Not until the trial is over." Was her response. "But I can tell you're an honest person, mandalorian."

"Mando." She tilted her head and smiled warmly at him.

"Okay. Mando." He nodded slightly. "Get ready soon, I'll be waiting right outside. You may wear your beskar armor, but since you're under our custody, any weapons shall remain in our power."

"I understand." Din didn't like it, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Before the woman and her pet left the room, he stopped her. "Wait." She raised an eyebrow at him, curious. "What should I call you?"

She seemed to think about his question, but her answer was rather simple and mysterious. "You may call me whatever you want."

:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.:

You couldn't believe what just happened. An outsider; and nonetheless, a mandalorian, had just crashed in your planet. Your whole life you had lived hearing tales about the sky people...

The evil sky people that wanted to conquer your people and steal the riches of your planet. But you had finally met one, and he seemed... Oblivious.

Mando.

He was a peculiar one. You couldn't make up your mind about him, but one thing was clear to you: he wasn't a bad person. The people of your planet could always tell when someone was lying, and he seemed like an honest one. At least for a bounty hunter.

Asteria was an extremely rich planet, in every sense of the word. Minerals, food, technology, wildlife, landscapes, etc. So, the habitants had learned not to trust outsiders ages ago, disappearing the planet from every radar and map, making it seem as if they didn't exist. Occasionally, people would try to sneak, but asterians were raised ruthless warriors, instructed to not let anyone in.

This, however, was a different situation.

Mando didn't land there intentionally, at least not at first sight, and he hadn't been violent towards you, even when he had the chance. But asterians were distrustful people, and questioning him was an obligation. A necessity.

Therefore, you were now waiting outside your own room, where you took him and healed him, your spear in hand and a hint of nervousness.

The palace was a big and open place, usually very crowded by other people. But right now it was awfully silent and empty; probably because everyone was gathering with the tribe leaders to hear what the mandalorian had to say. So naturally, you were the only soldier guarding him. Well, you and nyx.

Nyx was a wildcat, a unique species that had only existed in your planet. You had rescued him when he was born, right after his mother passed away, due to a hunting injury. Animals in Asteria were considered sacred, so hunting them, eating them or destroying their homes was punished by death. Greedy people existed all over the galaxy, and sadly, your planet wasn't the exception; especially because wildcat's fangs were great for weapon making. Either way, you made sure that the transgressor got what he deserved, and sheltered nyx to raise him. He was not a pet to you, as asterians didn't own animals; he was your familiar, an extension of you. That was it, you didn't need anyone else...

When an hour exactly had passed, you opened the door again only to see Mando standing right in the middle, adjusting his chest plate.

"Does your under armor need fixing?" You asked, politely.

"It's okay. I've got a change in my ship." As if realization has suddenly hit him, he went extremely stiff. "Is my ship too damaged?"

You shake your head. "It'll need repair, but it's nothing serious." You paused, your eyes fixating on his wound. "Does it hurt? I did my best, but I'm still learning..."

"Nothing unbearable." He responded dryly. Tilting his head to Nyx's direction, whose tail was waving around your legs.

"Good." You were expecting a thank you, but he seemed far too unreachable as to ask for it, so you said nothing. "Walk in front of me." You pointed the spear to him, no too menacing, but not too soft either.

Din wasn't a fool. He knew that whoever these people were, they must be incredibly powerful, not only weapon-wise, but in terms of skill too. They left him alone in that room with his armor and a blaster, either trusting he wouldn't try anything (which he didn't believe) or knowing that, whatever he did, they'd be able to stop him. He knew better than to try and shoot his way out of this one.

You tied his hands behind his back with magnetic cuffs while he remained extremely silent. In fact, he remained in silence all the time you guided him through the halls of the Asterian palace. You guessed he was observing and gathering information of your world with everything he was seeing. The tall walls, the clean colors and lack of decorations and every open balcony from which the sunset light would spill into the place.

"Who will I answer to?" He asked suddenly, not looking back in your direction.

"The leader of our tribe." You replied. "He's a harsh man, but he'll trust you if you tell him the truth."

"Are you a soldier?" Mando wondered, curious, but rather stern.

"Yes."

"Is the leader some kind of king?"

"There are no kings in Asteria. The strongest and wisest is always our leader, and he cannot lead by himself." You explained.

"What does that mean?"

"You ask too many questions." You replied, annoyed. Stopping right in front of the gates that lead to the council room. "You better keep them to yourself if you want your head to remain attached to your shoulders." You feel him tense up, even if it's not visible. "I'm not threatening you. I'm warning you."

"Is there a difference?" You can't really tell if he's joking or not, but you laugh anyways.

"Good luck, Mando."

•••

The room was crowded and loud, even as huge as it was. Mando noticed that everyone there had similar features as you. Although, he thought, you were more distinct in an inexplicable way.

Right at the other side was a man, old and formidable. He had long hair, crowned by a feathered ornament, his ears were pierced and filled with golden earrings, such as his nose. His chest was exposed and filled with scars and colorful paint, as were many of other men in the room.

Mando felt the point of your spear in his lower back, sending a wave of electricity through his spine, forcing him to keep moving forward under the attentive gaze of the asterians. The man, whom he assumed was the leader, observed him fiercely while sat on a throne made of hard wood and thorns.

"Mandalorian." He said, standing up, and as that sole word was spoken, the whole room went silent. "I'd never seen one of your kind before." Mando didn't speak, and remained rigid and with his head held high. "Heard they were good at killing."

You glanced over at him, kind of admiring. There was something about Mando that intrigued and fascinated you, something rather unique that made him... Alluring. Yes, that was word.

He stood right there, in the middle of a room filled with the best warriors you had ever seen (including yourself), men and women that had cold-bloodedly killed all kinds of sky people just for trespassing the atmosphere of your planet, and yet, he looked so arrogant. His body remained all covered up by beskar that wouldn't show sight of his skin, while all the warriors of Asteria barely wore anything to combat, as a sign of how fearless and untouchable they were. Mando wasn't broader or taller than most of them, but there was something about his presence that made you feel intimidated right when he entered a room.

"Tell me. Is it true?" The bounty hunter tilted his head to the side and you wondered how such a simple gesture could be so attractive.

"Yes." He answered chastely.

"What do you think?" The leader asked in your language, turning to face you.

"I can't tell just yet, Att'ka." He nodded, side eying the mandalorian.

"What's your name, bounty hunter?"

"Mando."

"No." Att'ka gave him a harsh look and everyone sat at the edge of their seat at the sudden change in the ambience. "I asked what your name was, not what people call you."

For a moment, it seemed as if Mando wasn't gonna respond. The silence in the room was such that you thought everyone could hear your heartbeat, hitting violently against your chest. "Answer him." You whisper, almost worried. He turned slightly to see you, and you saw yourself reflected on his visor.

Another moment of silence in which he simply stared back at you; at least you guessed that's what he did, since you couldn't really tell, before he turned back to Att'ka.

"Din Djarin."

You finally let out the breathe you didn't know you were holding. And sooner than you realized, Att'ka was smiling.

"Trust. That's where your life relies on now, and you're off to a good start, Din Djarin." He continued, "I know your people don't give their names to anyone, so you giving it to me means I know, you're to be trusted."

Mando simply bowed his head, as if he was measuring his words. The palms of your hands were sweaty against the spear.

"So, tell me. What are you doing in Asteria, Din Djarin?"

"I accidentally crashed here. To be fair, I didn't even know about the existence of this planet before my ship landed on it." He said, voice determined through the modulation of his helmet.

"But you were followed by pirates. Why?"

"I had just delivered a quarry, someone that was close to them. If they couldn't have him back, they would at least try to steal my credits." He explained, careful with his tone. "I can usually take a couple of them, but they attacked me at night, all at once. I couldn't properly fly my ship while being injured. That's how I ended up here, trying to lose them."

After he finished talking, a wave of murmurs arose in the room. "So you've never heard of our planet before?" Mando shook his head in response.

"What do you think, A'mohra?" Att'ka asked you, calling you by your tribe name. "Is he telling the truth?"

"I sense no lies or fear in him, Att'ka. Perhaps, he was just unlucky." You answered, shrugging. For a couple seconds, he seemed to be meditating what he'll do next.

"H'arrat." Shit. The last name you wanted to hear now. "What would you have me do with this man?"

You turned your head to the left, only to see a man stand up from the crowd. Att'ka's son, the tribe's favorite to succeed his father as leader... And, if that happened, your future husband.

"The mandalorian does not deserve death. But we cannot let him go, he already knows about us." Said. "I think we should lock him up."

"Here?" You asked, abruptly. "To do what? He'll just be a burden, even as a prisoner. We do not keep prisoners." Everyone knew you were the type to talk back and not keep your thoughts to yourself, however, directly questioning H'arrat during an auditory was extreme. That wouldn't be a problem if you were his wife, but now you had just contradicted him, and therefore, his father. Thank the maker, they both seemed interested in what you had to say.

"So what do you propose, A'mohra?" Asked the leader. Mando slightly turned his head to your side, but you ignored him.

"His injured, Att'ka. And his ship is damaged. The bounty hunter has nowhere to go, unless we help him. Convenience. It might be dangerous to let him go, but will we really risk an innocent man's life just because he was trying to survive? It doesn't seem fair. Is this really who we want to be?" Your voice echoes through the room, but you make sure to add just enough emotion to shake everyone present. One way or another, they'd listen to you.

The silence lasted what you felt like forever before Att'ka spoke again. "If," he said, slowly, "this man is to remain on Asteria until his wounds heal and his ship is repaired, will you answer for him, A'mohra?" He paused, letting your mind to settle. "If he breaks any of our rules, will you face the consequences of his actions? Will you be responsible for Din Djarin's life for as long as he stays in our planet?"

That was a lot to process. You didn't even know him, and the little you did know wasn't really anything good. Nonetheless, something in your heart ached to say yes.

"Wait." Mando stepped forward to the leader, but before he could even process what was happening, you were blocking his way with your spear. "No, there must be- "

"I will."

"And if letting him flea our planet brings any further consequences in the future," the man proceeded, "will you face them in his behalf?"

In the corner of your eye you perceived the slight head shake that Mando gave you, such a small gesture that you doubt anyone but yourself could've noticed.

"I will."

"Good. Then we'll settle it democratically. Take the mandalorian outside and wait for me to give you the response."

You nod and bow your head down before motioning at him to follow you. Once behind the closed doors, he sighed. "You didn't have to do that."

"I did."

"What if I do something to offend you? To offend your people?" He asked, exasperated. "I don't want you to me responsible for any of my actions."

"Then don't do anything stupid."

"I..." for a moment, he seemed about to fight back and contradict you, but the second he saw that look in your eyes: determined, fierce, beautiful... Mando just couldn't say anything, he was completely taken aback. "Fine. This is the way."

Silent, you laid against the white wall without letting go of your spear. Nyx, who couldn't previously accompany you to the hearing, had waited patiently for you outside and was now staring menacingly at the handcuffed mandalorian.

"Is your name A'mohra?" He asked after a while.

"No. That's my tribe name, but not my birth name." That was a vague response, to which he simply stared back at you, expecting. "It's pretty common that asterian people give each other names based on something characteristic of the person. Att'ka means 'great father', H'arrat is what you'd call a great warrior in your language. Whereas A'mohra means 'kind spirit'."

"Seems fitting." Mando says. "Considering you saved my life. Twice, apparently."

You huff a laugh. "I used to hate it when I was younger. I wanted to be praised for my intelligence or my ability to fight." You caress Nyx's head as you speak. "Until I realized... Anyone in this planet can be a great soldier, but not everyone can really be kind. Att'ka says that's what will make me a good leader."

Your explanation simply brought more questions to the bounty hunter's mind, but before he could make them, the loud sound of the doors opening startled you both. It was H'arrat.

"Looks like it's your lucky day, mandalorian."

•••

Night fell quickly after that.

The tribe exited the throne room, giving Mando dubious looks whenever they walked past him. Att'ka was the last one to come out.

"Be careful." He whispered, although you were sure that Mando could hear him. "You will look after him. But most importantly, you'll have to look out for yourself."

You didn't answer, in fact, he didn't give you the opportunity to say anything before he left the two of you alone in the darkening hall. You sighed, walking towards him so you could take off the handcuffs.

"You heard them." You say, while doing so. "Try anything funny and I'll feed you to Nyx." You feel his body relax under your hands.

"I won't. You've been good to me." He replied in low voice. "I won't forget that."

You look up at his visor and wonder how'd you look like through his eyes and the polarized helmet. His words calmed you, meaning you'd probably done the right thing.

"Come. I'll show you where you'll sleep."

He did so, walking behind you as he admired the three moons in your planet, each one in a different phase and projecting their light upon the palace, which artificial lamps were fainted. Din was somewhat confused, his brain was still trying to process everything that had happened today and a part of him was convinced he was dreaming.

"Here." You say. "You'll stay next to my room."

Mando nodded, but didn't open the door. He stayed there in the dark corridor, standing next to you in silence.

"Okayyy." You invade his personal space so you can open the door for him. "I'll-uh... I'll get you something to eat in the morning and-". You gulped, trying to remain casual even if you had no idea what to say or do next. "We can start working on your ship after that."

Mando nodded again, looking down at you from his height. There was a hint of nervousness in your chest and you weren't sure you knew the reason for it.

"Thank you." His voice was low, and it came out almost as a whisper. You wanted to ask what for? Or something that'll take seriousness out of the matter, but he sounded so sincere that it genuinely froze your thoughts. And even if you wanted to reply with anything, he closed that door behind him before you could.

You leaned against the wall and sighed deeply, finally letting go of the spear. Nyx's shiny eyes were the only thing you could distinguish in the darkness of your room.

What had you done?

That's the question that echoed your mind. But most importantly,

What will you do now?

(…)

Two weeks had gone by already since you were commanded to take care of Mando, and considering he wasn't particularly a people person, you two had become each other's best companions.

Other tribe members preferred to ignore him most of the time, not because they were rude but because they weren't used to having strangers around; although some others had grown used to his presence reluctantly and liked to ask for his help from time to time. Nonetheless, Mando was curious, so he'd ask you questions whenever he could, his favorite time being when you two were alone working on his ship, which was almost all day long for the past few days.

"How can you know so much about other people in the galaxy but others know nothing about you?" He asked while he opened the controller box and you focused on the razor's wings.

"It's our planet's magnetic field." You explained. "It allows messages from outside to come through, but nothing can go past our atmosphere. So we study the rest of you and adapt some of your technologies, education and economics to our society. Besides, sky people think Asteria is inhabitable." When you're finished, you reach his side in the cockpit. "Why am I telling you this? You better stop asking questions, cause I really don't have any filter."

"You don't trust me?" He asked, almost sarcastically, without even moving in your direction.

"No."

"Then why are you here with me alone and unarmed?" Mando closed the box he was working on and finally tilted his head towards you.

"Maybe I know that I don't need any weapons to beat your ass." You say, smiling down at him.

Fine, you had to admit it. You were flirting with him. You had been for a while now, but you were uncertain of his own response. Mando was always so stoic and robotic it was hard to tell if he didn't notice or if he just didn't care.

"Maybe." Was his reply, standing straight and hovering over you. Your breath hitched in your chest as he walked closer to you.

"I'll tell you what." You say, coming up with and idea. "You get three questions for each day as long as you're staying in Asteria."

"I get to ask anything I want?" You nod.

"Anything you want."

That's how he started to pour all his thoughts on you, and you started a routine. Every morning during that week you'd knock on his door to get breakfast (he'd usually eat it fast in his room, so he could take off his helmet), you would ask about his wounds and how he was feeling and later head off to the palace's workshop, where the razor crest had been transferred for repairing.

"Does your whole tribe live in the palace?" Mando questions.

"No. The palace isn't only for the leader or his family, it's more like... A shelter, you might say." The natural light was fading in the garage, which could only mean it was already past noon.

"A shelter?" His voice was muffled through the distance. He was now under the ship, whereas you were working on the engine.

"Yeah. Orphans or vulnerable people are welcome to stay here if they need to, but no one stays for too long." You answer, struggling to work with the burnt screws and metals.

"And..." Mando paused, as if he shouldn't ask what he was thinking.

"Me?"

"Yeah." You laugh at that.

"My parents died a while ago, but-" you groan when you start to see smoke were there shouldn't be. "I guess I'm here because... uh-" you finally give up, taking off the gloves violently. "Because I'm supposed to marry Att'ka's son."

You hear a loud metallic noise coming from where he was working and then silence.

"Mando?" No response. "Hey, Mando? Are you alright?"

After a short moment, you see him roll from under the razor with one of his tools on hand, looking a bit startled.

"Yes. I was just..." He sighs, getting up. "I'm fine."

You finish up what you were doing and jump off the top of the ship to join him. Mando was leaning against the crest's side, arms crossed and weight resting in one leg.

"What?" You ask with a smirk. "You didn't think a woman like me could be engaged?"

He didn't answer, instead, he scanned you with his gaze from head to toe, slowly. That wasn't really helping your nerves and that tiny crush you had started to develop on him.

"I didn't say that." He replies, straightening his posture. A sudden silence falls between you and you shift uncomfortably. You didn't really want to bring up the whole H'arrat topic, specially with him.

"Hey. It's late, we should head back inside." Mando agrees to your suggestion and follows you closely. It was funny, you thought, how you were the one supposed to look after him but every time you walked side by side it seemed like he was the one guarding you.

The big, scary mandalorian, a man covered in beskar with a presence that can make anyone shiver. He was admittedly terrifying; everything about him seemed so intimidating and menacing that even without his weapons you'd probably shit your pants if you saw him.

"Oh, stars..." you curse under your breath when you realize why the castle appeared so empty and quiet today.

"What is it?" The bounty hunter asks, freezing in his spot.

"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve." You mutter to yourself. "Everyone must be out for the preparations..."

Mando seems to relax his stiff posture, but still remains silent, expecting you to explain what you had just said.

"It's the longest night of the year, and the night when our three moons align. We... we make a couple of celebrations and eat a lot of sweets, but..." you pause for a moment, trying to think before you could speak. "The real deal is the meteor shower. It's quite a sight to see after four hundred days."

He tilts his head to you. "And why aren't you with your people?"

"I'm supposed to take care of you, remember?" You say with a hint of sarcasm.

"I can take care of myself." He responds with a groan of annoyance.

"Yeah, I bet. But I don't trust you." Mando looks down at you before relaxing his pose.

"Have I done anything to earn your distrust?" He asks blankly, and his assertiveness takes you by surprise.

You think quietly about your response. Did he? No, not really. As you said once, he was just unlucky.

"No." You whisper. "It's just that I... My whole life I've been thought not to trust anyone outside my tribe."

Mando remains silent, but you can tell that he understands what you mean. And he really does. There was something similar about you and him... His creed, your tribe. The way you both had something you'll give everything up for made him believe that, after all, you weren't as different as he had thought.

"Would you like to see it?" Your question interrupts his train of thoughts.

"Mm?"

"The meteor shower, tomorrow." You respond, lowly, moving your feet. "Would you like to see it?"

Mando holds still for a second, taking a step towards you. "You said... On my first night here, you said I couldn't leave the palace."

You close the distance between you, and now you can feel the cold beskar on his chest brush against your skin.

"I did."

"What changed? Won't it be dangerous?" He was so tense, but you could tell he was staring at you intently.

"Only if someone important sees us." You could feel your blood rushing through your veins and your heart pounding against your chest. You wanted to touch him, raise a hand and place it on the beskar covering his body, but you were still frightened by him, or his response.

"I'd like to see it." He whispers. "But I don't want to get you in trouble."

You smile at him, seeing yourself reflected on his visor under the dim lights of the corridor.

"Don't worry about me." You reassure. "I want to show you my planet... If you'll let me."

"Why?" Mando sounds genuinely confused. "How do you know I won't try anything? You just said you don't trust me."

"I don't. But I know you're not a greedy man. At least for a bounty hunter." You explain, trying to stay calm when he shifts his weight and leans in closer to you. "Or maybe it's just the fact that I can't seem to think straight whenever you're around."

You clearly couldn't control your mouth either.

Mando tilts his visor in surprise, but doesn't move or respond, staying as still as a sleeping drone. Shit. You messed up.

"I'm sorry!" You shake your head and take three steps back. "Shit, shit, shit, forget I said that."

You move your hands in embarrassment and start walking fast, not even bothering to check if he was following you or not. As soon as you reached your room, you closed the door behind you and almost banged your head against it.

"Fuck."

In the darkness of the room you hear Nyx yawn and feel him move closer to you. You could feel the anxiety creeping over you, and the animal could probably sense how bad you were feeling, since he started caressing you with his head.

"Shit, he surely thinks I'm a weirdo, doesn't he?" The embarrassment you were feeling was unbelievable, so all you could do was stare at the ceiling in silence, thinking about every possible outcome.

You probably stay like that about an hour or so before you hear a faint knock on your door. You didn't bother to move, if it was him, and you were sure it was, you wouldn't be able to face him.

After a while, you hear him sigh deeply and count his steps, guessing he's gone now. You decide you'll see how to deal with this situation tomorrow, for now, you'll just take a shower and go to sleep.

:･ﾟ✧:･.☽˚｡･ﾟ✧:･.:

The next morning, however, you didn't deal with it at all. In fact, you decided it was better to avoid him. You get ready as usual, but when you were about to take him for breakfast as you had done for the past weeks, you sent a droid instead. Despite the fact that he had inherently told you he hates droids. And after that, you scape to the city alongside Nyx, to clear your mind.

You spend most of your day outside, escaping the public eye and mostly training in the woods, practicing bow and arrow. There's usually people around the place, but due to today's celebration everyone was probably downtown, getting prepared for tonight's bonfire. After a couple of hours, when the sky was turning pink and the clouds orange, you decided it was time to return to the palace.

Once in the shower you start thinking of how good it was to have time for yourself and how you hadn't thought about Mando at all during the day. Well, maybe just a little.

Okay, a lot. And that frustrated you.

You breathe in deeply and decide that probably reading a book could help your troubled mind. You get out of the bathtub and tie your hair in a knot above your head, a couple of rebel locks falling messily around your face. Since it was already late, you chose to wear your nightgown and a silk robe above it, in case the air in your room got cold.

But once you open the door to your room, you felt that something wasn't quite right. You immediately scanned the area for Nyx, but it was hard to see solely with the pouring moonlight. However, you still knew he wasn't there. When you finally identified an uncertain presence, you rapidly crossed the room to grab your bow and point an arrow towards the intruder. But then, in the middle of darkness you were able to perceive a hint of shiny beskar, shining through the nightlight.

"Mando?" You narrow your eyes before turning the nightstand lamp on. "Shit Mando, you almost sent me into a damn coma!"

You yell at him, leaving the weapon were it was before, taking a hand to your chest to settle your heartbeat. You look at him, expecting to see the man waving a white flag, after all, you'd just pointed an arrow to his chest. Nonetheless, Mando wasn't that easily scared (he was a mandalorian bounty hunter, for fucks sake), matter of fact, he seemed utterly calm despite it.

He was leaning against the wall, next to your bed, just as relaxed as he appeared yesterday noon in the razor crest, a leg crossed over the other and a nonchalant posture as his helmet's visor was fixated on your figure. However, something wasn't adding up. It was as if he resembled a time bomb, you don't know when it'll explode but you know that it eventually will. You couldn't help but wonder if this was how his victims felt whenever they saw him... Knowing that you'll be hunted down by him, just like a rat trapped inside a maze.

Somehow scary, but exciting at the same time. The mere thought and the way he was blatantly staring at you made the pitch of your stomach warm up and your heart race again.

"You've been avoiding me." He says in a modulated, low grunt.

Damn, his voice is hot.

"That's not- that's not it." Why are you stuttering?

"Yes it is. I came looking for you yesterday and..." He tries to keep his voice calm, but you could clearly tell he was mad. "Just when I thought I'd get to see you, you sent a droid to me." His breathing is irregular, you can tell even through the modulator. "You know I fucking hate droids."

Suddenly, you feel guilty and cornered. Yeah, you did know that. Now you feel not only embarrassed but stupid too, and you can't help but divert your eyes from him.

"No, look at me." Mando then straightens up and starts walking in your direction, slowly. "Just be honest..." his steps are heavy and his cape waves with the wind that enters through your balcony. "Why are you avoiding me?"

His voice was demanding, leaving no room for questions or complaints. You can't help but feel your nerves buzzing and your jaw clench at the sudden proximity between you. It was so overwhelming that you had to step back, even if he was still reaching out to you.

"I..." your back hits the wall and you're now pressed against it and the cold metal on his body, alarmingly close to yours. Shit, you felt your skin burning at the proximity, thinking about how much you needed his gloved hands on you. "I'm sorry."

"That doesn't answer my question." He says blankly, and now the distance between you seemed tortuous; the way his hard body lingered close to yours, so much you can see your warp reflection on his helmet, yanked in your direction, and feel each other's body temperature.

How frustrating.

"Fuck, Mando. I said I'm sorry, what else do you need to know?" The mandalorian's amo belt pressed against your chest when he leaned to reach your height, stretching an arm to the wall behind you, right next to your head, towering over you.

"The truth."

It was as if something snapped in your brain, like every cell in your body decided to explode and there was no way you could just hold your tongue back.

"You want the truth?" Your voice comes out sharp and accusing as you face him, all your previous embarrassment washing away with a jolt of courage. "The thing is, I don't even know how to act around you, Mando. You get in my head so fast that it's annoying! I may have a tiny, stupid crush on you that I don't know how to handle because no man has had me teasing him this much and not ask to see my tits right then and there. You. You however, seem to be unreachable and that is driving me fucking insane! You've got me begging for your attention like a silly teen who's never been with a man before."

You figure maybe that's enough, but no, now you couldn't stop talking.

"And I know you've seen me. I mean, seen me. So I figured, maybe he is interested... But, shit." Your chest rises and falls rapidly as you stare at where his eyes are supposed to be. "Fuck, it's like talking to a damn wall. It's incredibly stupid, cause I've never even seen your face, know barely anything about you and above all, I should hate you. That's what I've been thought my whole life, and in spite of that, I just want you to..."

Then you abruptly shut your mouth and throw your head back. You let out a deep sigh and divert your gaze to the balcony, from where the tall trees and mountains of Asteria were visible. Mando doesn't move a muscle, and your words simply float across the cold dorm.

"What?" He whispers after a moment, making you look back at him.

"Huh?"

Stars, why was his voice so warm and low, and sexy...? He could probably read you the instructions of a shampoo bottle and you'd still be turned on by it.

"You want me to do what?"

A shiver runs down your spine when the hand that was resting on the wall comes down to cup your cheek. The leather on his gloves is mild and you can't help but close your eyes at the contact., although just for a split second.

"You mean to tell me that–" you can hear Mando's heavy breathing as he tries to formulate a sentence. "For the past two weeks, you've been testing my patience, teasing the hell out of me..." his finger roams over your bottom lip and you melt under his touch, the kind you've been craving for. "All of those times when you'd accidentally bump into me, every single time you'd look up at me with those pretty eyes of yours– fuck- I thought... And here I was thinking it was all in my head." He snarls, and you can't believe his words.

"So you...?"

"Yes, I noticed." Suddenly, his other hand comes to rest on your hip. "But I figured, since you're engaged..."

"Not yet, technically. And it doesn't really matter. Until the wedding day I am allowed to fuck whoever I want." Your hands shot to his broad shoulders, but you're still uncertain.

"So that's what you want, then?" He grabs your waist with both his hands, digging his fingers with light strength. "You want me to fuck you?"

You nod, feeling yourself get wet at his words.

"You should've asked since the beginning." Mando groans, rubbing circles on your hips with his thumb. "Tell me, did you enjoy teasing me?" He asks in a murmur, deep from his throat.

"I- I didn't..." you gasp when his knee spreads your legs and you feel the cold air hit your exposed thighs, the movement dragging the fabric of your nightgown up. "I didn't know..." one of his hands comes to caress the newly exposed flesh and your mind struggles to focus on anything other than him. "I didn't think you cared."

You feel him huff a laugh. "You have no idea what you do to me..."

As his hand goes higher, you raise your leg to embrace him, bring his body closer to yours. Mando's hot and hard against you, and everything about him- about this, is exciting to you.

But then his hand suddenly stops and he lets go of you carefully, taking two steps back.

"Show me." He demands, voice steady and commanding. "Show me how much you want it."

You almost whimper at the loss of his tact, but the way he bossed you around turned a whole different level of excitement. You look at him through your lashes, not breaking the eye contact when you dropped the silk robe to the floor.

"Shit-." He chokes out a moan and you can't help but smirk. Your nightgown was completely translucent, and right at that moment you weren't wearing a bra. So, naturally, he couldn't help but stare at your breasts, the way your nipples were already hard and fully erect from excitement and the cold air.

You walk towards him slowly, letting him sink in the sight of your body. You place a hand on his chest plate and push him back slightly so he can sit on the edge of your bed. Mando's legs spread and you place yourself in between them.

"You- you're..." his breath hitches and then his hands are on you again. "So, so fucking beautiful. Fuck-"

One hand grabs your hip to keep you still while the other cups your breast over the thin fabric. Mando drags his thumb over your nipple, circling around it tortuously slow. You feel hypersensitive, moaning breathlessly when his other hand comes to your lower back.

"Mando..." your hand goes to his neck and you take his cape off, exposing a tiny bit of his tan skin. He squeezes your ass and you can't help the pant that escapes your parted lips. "Stars, you're killing me..."

You can't handle this pace anymore, so you come up to sit on his lap, straddling him.

"So impatient." He whispers, struggling to talk. "You've got to learn how to-how..." the words choke on his throat when you completely sit down on his clothed cock. His hands move from your inner thighs and slip under the gown, making their way over your waist and abdomen.

"I just..." your head goes to rest on his shoulder as you breath in his scent deeply. He smelled like soap, metal and leather. "I really need you, Mando." You say against his skin before placing a soft kiss near his Adam's apple. You feel him shudder and his cock twitches underneath you, further dampening your panties.

"Fuck this. Just-" he bucks his hips upwards and presses your body onto his, holding your waist and abruptly changing the positions so that he was now on top of you.

You hold back a chuckle at the motion, feeling his hands wandering through your body. You can't help the eagerness that scratches you, wanting to feel his skin pressing on yours. When he starts tracing the valley of your breasts with his fingertips you squeeze your thighs against his hips, but it seems like Mando wants to take his time to admire your body. However, every second that goes by in which he explores, yet ignores where you need him the most, simply increases your arousal and need.

You pinch your own nipple with your left hand, while the right one roams over the tent of his pants, looking straight at his visor. You saw your own reflection there, your open legs for his comfort, back arched just enough to give him the access needed, hair messy around your face and bedsheets while looking at him with begging eyes. You could understand why he was so entranced by the lewd sight. As Mando's hand goes up your neck, yours goes down to rub your clit over the thin fabric of your underwear and moan breathlessly at the contact.

The sound seems to ignite something in him, cause he immediately grabs your chin to hold your face in place and takes your wrist to stop the motion.

"We gotta work on that patience of yours." He murmurs, taking his thumb to your lips. You understand without the words, biting the top of his glove so he can take it off finally. His calloused hand is big and somewhat rough, just as warm as you thought I'd be and when his skin touches yours, it feels like your whole body is burning with desire.

"I've been patient." You whisper, closing your eyes when now both his both naked hands run circles on your nipples. "You neglected me."

"Mhm?" His voice sends vibrations through every nerve on your body. "You're right... And I'm sorry. Promise I'll make it up to you." After what seems like an eternity, his thumb goes directly for your clit, rubbing slow circles that snatch short moans out of your lips. "Shit- you're dripping-" Mando curses under his breath when he notices.

"It's you- your fault..." you can barely spit the words out. "Stars, I kept dreaming about th-this... Never thought it'd..." your panting increases when he moves your underwear to the side and the cold air hits your exposed, wet pussy. "It would feel this good..."

A low growl was his response and without warning he introduced two fingers in you, stretching you out with ease. You shut your eyes at the sudden action, but it didn't take long before he took them out, making you whine at the emptiness.

"Relax..." he murmurs as you look at his index and middle finger, glistening with your arousal. "We'll take it easy, ok? Let me know if I make you uncomfortable." His voice was soft and calming, although hoarse with desire, palpable even through the modulator of his helmet. You nod enthusiastically. "I need to hear it."

"Yes. Yes, Mando, please..."

The mandalorian raises his helmet just enough to take both fingers to his lips, licking them clean. The sight was filthy enough to send shivers down your spine, making you curse under your breath.

"Fuck..." he mutters, "you taste so good." The way he spoke plus the sudden grip on your inner thighs, spreading your legs, made you bite your lip to hold back your noises. "So good for me."

You grip the sheets, unable to hold onto him but desperate for some grounding contact. Mando then starts to take off your panties, slowly, helmet fixated just on your face while he gets rid of them. He gets on his knees between your legs, and you're pretty sure that his eyes are now on your dripping cunt. The bounty hunter kept murmuring dirty praises, but you were far too distracted with the sight to actually catch any of his words.

The cold beskar rubbed against your soft skin when he buried his face on your thighs, almost as if he wanted to feel your warmth even through the metal barrier. His tick fingers travelled from your tummy to your pelvis and then settled on your swollen pussy lips, making you gasp when his fingers entered you again. Only this time, he didn't remove them.

He was quick to find your sweet spot, pumping his fingers in and out of you at a steady pace, curling them to hit all the right places while also rubbing your nub with his thumb. A mumble of inaudible curses left your lips, followed by light moaning. Mando inhales sharply, unable to hide his own excitement as he sees you rocking your hips to meet his pace, craving more of him.

"Look at you." He coos, voice darkened with lust. "You really want me so much that you'd just settle with my fingers?" You can't even answer properly, all you can hear now are the squelching sounds of your pussy, along with his ragged breathing. The mandalorian simply laughs.

You felt hot all over and the bottom of your stomach tightened as you were close to hitting that wave of pleasure you so looked for. But right when you were on the edge of reaching your high, Mando simply removed his hands from your body, making you whine at the sudden loss of ecstasy.

"What- why you'd stop for?" You manage to say, trying to catch your breath while supporting your weight on your elbows to look at him.

"I wanna try something." He says, standing to his full height. "Sit up." You do as told, letting the gown pool down once again. Mando holds your chin with one hand so that your eyes are fixated on his visor.

Maker, he almost lost it at that moment. Your eyes sparkled under the faint light, looking up at him almost pleadingly despite the mischievous smile that hanged on your lips and the messy hair that had loosen now, framing your features perfectly.

"Open." You took his fingers in your mouth, tasting yourself. You hollowed your cheeks and licked him clean, savoring his salty skin mixed with your arousal. You heard him choke down a moan before you let go of him and the sound was like music to your ears, adding to the heat between your legs.

"What's on your mind, Mando?" You ask, vaguely aware of how achingly hard he was under his pants, your mind still buzzing with pleasure.

"I'm going to make the most out of this empty palace." He answers, caressing your cheek with his thumb. "If I ask you to keep your eyes closed for a second, will you do it?"

You hesitate. There was a risk in that, something that would grant him a sense of power over you, and also, an opportunity. You didn't think he'd be stupid enough to try and runaway, but still...

"Please." He says, his voice barely audible. "Will you let me- can I...?" Mando struggles with words, sighing in desperation.

"Okay." You nod, giving him permission to do maker knows what. "But try anything funny and I swear, I'll-".

"I won't." You give him a warning look before closing your eyes shut. "Besides..." he says before you hear the sound of something similar to fabric ripping apart. "I want you. Probably too much to leave this planet before properly fucking you." You bite your bottom lip in expectation, sensing his movements and suddenly perceiving his body get close. Mando helps you out of the gown, removing the last piece of clothing that covered your body.

"Let me know if it's too tight." He whispers with the classic baritone voice. You're about to ask what he means, but instantly feel a pliable fabric covering your eyes.

"It's okay." You assure. "I feel somewhat weird and can't see shit, but... I'm alright."

You feel his body vibrate with a laugh. "Sure you can't see anything?"

"Yeah." He manhandles you to the middle of the bed, letting your head rest on your pillows. You can't help the nervousness and excitement that sits on the pit of your stomach. "Mando, I swear if you-"

Before you can finish the sentence, you hear a loud metallic thud on your nightstand, startling you. Soon after, you feel the bed give in under his weight and your heart starts thumping against your ribs.

"Mando..?" You mutter, tugging at the sheets beneath you.

"I'm here, cyare. I'm here." His hand traces the curve of your waist with a light, feathery touch, as if to calm you down. You gasp at the realization.

He's removed his helmet.

"Is-is this allowed?" You hiss when he settles between your legs once again, feeling a bit cold due to the wetness of your entrance.

"Loophole." He whispers in your ear, and you can't help but shudder.

His voice is velvety, manly and calming. For the first time since he's been in Asteria, you wonder how he'd look like under all that beskar. But no matter what, you were certain he was fairly attractive.

"How is your voice so hot?" You ask, hearing him chuckle. "It drives me insane." The heat of you body rises as he gets closer to you, and all of the sudden you feel the brush of his hair against your jaw. Your right hand shots to the nape of his neck, grazing the skin and his curls.

He has curly hair.

"You're so beautiful, cyare..." he murmurs before pressing his gentle lips under your ear, kissing the smooth skin. You ponder what that word he called you meant, all because it sounded so sweet coming from him. "You're the one that's got me acting like a complete fool."

Words get stuck in your throat when Mando starts placing hot, wet kisses along your jawline, neck and collarbones. His mouth feels heavenly and you can't help but notice the ticklish sensation of his facial hair roaming over the skin he grazes. Maker, how you wanted to look at him... But you can't even dare to touch his face, scared to cross his limits.

So your hand simply remains on his hair, messing it up, tugging your fingers on the soft locks and pulling, making him grunt at the feeling while your other hand holds tightly onto his bicep, digging your fingers on the muscle.

"Fu-fuck..." you groan when he shifts his weight and you feel his hard cock press against your inner thigh.

Mando's kisses travel to your breasts, and you moan mildly when his teeth catch your nipple, bitting and licking while fondling the other with his fingertips, leaving you a panting mess and increasing the wetness of your aching core, back arched to grant him all the access needed. He doesn't leave any part of your body unattended, almost as if he wanted to taste and touch every single section of you, get drunk on you.

Pants, moans and pleas kept leaving your parted lips, and you could tell just how mad that drove him, the fact that it was him and no one else granting you all this pleasure. Only him, a mandalorian, an outsider, could have the prettiest woman in that planet squirming underneath him. The fact that you couldn't see anything only made things ten times hotter, enhancing all your other senses.

"So beautiful..." he kept chanting, his body moving south, your hands never leaving him when he reached your throbbing cunt, but his lips only wandering around it.

"Pleasepleaseplease..." Mando laughs shortly, sending vibrations through your core.

"So eager." No time wasted, he bends down and licks slowly up your wetness, parting your pussy and teasing your clit. He almost goes feral at the way you tasted, much better than what he gathered from his fingers.

Unable to control your reactions, you grind your hips against his face and whimper at the sensation of his nose catching your clit, tugging at his hair. Mando pushes his tongue into you while holding your legs over his shoulders to keep you still.

At this point you're an absolute mess. And he can't say otherwise for himself. If anything, he was far worse; humping the sheets in hopes of reliving the aching pain on his rock hard cock. But Mando couldn't care any less... This, this- was his pleasure. You under him, shivering, moaning uncontrollably and struggling to say any other word that wasn't the name you called him while he greedily fucks you with his tongue, occasionally going to kiss and lick or rub your nub, eating you out like a starving man. Mando is absolutely lost in the way you take him, the flavor of your slick, how absolutely gorgeous you sound calling out to him and the divine image of you all spread out and blindfolded for him to wreck.

"Im gonna-" he hears your warning and immediately understands, but doesn't stop anyway. "Shit, shit, shit, Mando..."

Your body trembles as you start to feel the mind-blowing orgasm washing over you, eyes rolled at the back of your head and his name on your lips like a prayer. He doesn't slow down, never taking his eyes of off how pretty you look getting ruined by him. Your mind goes blank, overwhelmed by the hard hitting sensation as you melt beneath Mando, pulling his hair harshly and hearing him grunt.

He licks you clean, sending small shocks of overstimulation through you, eventually spreading light kisses around your abdomen while your chest rises and falls in an attempt to compose yourself. Shortly after you feel a shift in the positions.

"You did good. Hopefully that'll remind you not to send droids to my door when I'm hoping to see that sweet face of yours." The helmet's back.

"I'll think about it." You tease, his hands taking off the improvised blindfold carefully. You blink twice, adjusting your eyes and focusing on him. "May I make it up to you?" The question appeals to him more than you could possibly tell, but he still shooks his head, leaving you in awe.

"Later." He replies, putting his gloves back on and pulling the hair out of your face affectively, looking down at your bright eyes, still dazing with the effects of post-orgasm. "You have a promise to keep, remember?"

To be fair, you're pretty stunned at the moment, so you mutter a "I can't recall."

"You're taking me to that new year's celebration to watch the meteor shower. Did you really forgot?"

Oh.

You had, in fact, forgotten about that. And Mando knew it, but was still willing to bring it up so you wouldn't miss something as important.

"You sure you want to go?" He nods. "Fine, give a couple of minutes to make myself... Presentable."

#din djarin #the mandalorian #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #din djarin fanfiction #mando x you #star wars #star wars fandom #pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fanfiction

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historysideblog · 1 year

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Online History Short-Courses offered by Universities Masterpost

Categories: Classical Studies, Egyptology, Medieval, Renaissance, The Americas, Asia, Other, Linguistics, Archaeology

How to get Coursera courses for free: There are several types of courses on Coursera, some will allow you to study the full course and only charge for the optional-certificate, for others you will need to audit it and you may have limited access (usually just to assignments), and thirdly some courses charge a monthly subscription in this case a 7 day free trial is available.

Classical Studies 🏛️🏺

At the Origins of the Mediterranean Civilization: Archeology of the City from the Levant to the West 3rd-1st millennium BC - Sapienza University of Rome

Greek and Roman Mythology - University of Pennsylvania

Health and Wellbeing in the Ancient World - Open University

Roman Architecture - Yale

Roman Art and Archeology - University of Arizona

Rome: A Virtual Tour of the Ancient City - University of Reading

The Ancient Greeks - Wesleyan University

The Changing Landscape of Ancient Rome. Archeology and History of Palatine Hill - Sapienza University of Rome

Uncovering Roman Britain in Old Museum Collections - University of Reading

Egyptology 𓂀⚱️

Egypt before and after pharaohs - Sapienza University of Rome

Introduction to Ancient Egypt and Its Civilization - University of Pennsylvania

Wonders of Ancient Egypt - University of Pennsylvania

Medieval 🗡️🏰

Age of Cathedrals - Yale

Coexistence in Medieval Spain: Jews, Christians, and Muslims - University of Colorado

Deciphering Secrets: The Illuminated Manuscripts of Medieval Europe - University of Colorado

Enlightening the Dark Ages: Early Medieval Archaeology in Italy - University of Padova

Lancaster Castle and Northern English History: The View from the Stronghold - Lancaster University

Magic in the Middle Ages - University of Barcelona

Old Norse Mythology in the Sources - University of Colorado Bolder

Preserving Norwegian Stave Churches - Norwegian University of Science and Technology

The Book of Kells: Exploring an Irish Medieval Masterpiece - Trinity College Dublin

The Cosmopolitan Medival Arabic World - University of Leiden

Renaissance ⚜️🃏

Black Tudors: The Untold Story

European Empires: An Introduction, 1400–1522 - University of Newcastle

The Mediterranean, a Space of Exchange (from Renaissance to Enlightenment) - University of Barcelona

The Life and Afterlife of Mary Queen of Scots - University of Glasgow

The Tudors - University of Roehampton London

The Americas 🪶🦙🛖

History of Slavery in the British Caribbean - University of Glasgow

Indigeneity as a Global Concept - University of Newcastle

Indigenous Canada - University of Alberta

Indigenous Religions & Ecology - Yale

Asia 🏯🛕

Contemporary India - University of Melbourne

Introduction to Korean Philosophy - Sung Kyun Kwan University

Japanese Culture Through Rare Books - University of Keio

Sino-Japanese Interactions Through Rare Books - University of Keio

The History and Culture of Chinese Silk - University for the Creative Arts

Travelling Books: History in Europe and Japan - University of Keio

Other

A Global History of Sex and Gender: Bodies and Power in the Modern World - University of Glasgow

A History of Royal Fashion - University of Glasgow

Anarchy in the UK: A History of Punk from 1976-78 - University of Reading

Biodiversity, Guardianship, and the Natural History of New Zealand: A Museum Perspective - Te Papa

Empire: the Controversies of British Imperialism - University of Exeter

Great South Land: Introducing Australian History - University of Newcastle

Indigeneity as a Global Concept - University of Newcastle

New Zealand History, Culture and Conflict: A Museum Perspective - Te Papa

Organising an Empire: The Assyrian Way - LMU Munich

Plagues, Witches, and War: The Worlds of Historical Fiction - University of Virginia

Russian History: from Lenin to Putin - University of California Santa Cruz

Linguistics 🗣️

Introduction to Comparative Indo-European Linguistics - University of Leiden - Coursera version

Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics - University of Leiden

Archeology 💀

Archeoastronomy - University of Milan

Archaeology and the Battle of Dunbar 1650 - Durham University

Archaeology: from Dig to Lab and Beyond - University of Reading

Archeology: Recovering the Humankind's Past and Saving the Universal Heritage - Sapienza University of Rome

Change of Era: The Origins of Christian Culture through the Lens of Archaeology - University of Padova

Endangered Archaeology: Using Remote Sensing to Protect Cultural Heritage - Universities of Durham, Leicester & Oxford

Enlightening the Dark Ages: Early Medieval Archaeology in Italy - University of Padova

Exploring Stone Age Archaeology: The Mysteries of Star Carr - University of York

Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology - Durham University

Roman Art and Archeology - University of Arizona

The Changing Landscape of Ancient Rome. Archeology and History of Palatine Hill - Sapienza University of Rome

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rebeccalouisaferguson · 2 months

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Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Dune: Part 2 and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning.

In case you haven’t noticed, Dune is on top of the world right now. The much acclaimed and very lucrative second installment, Dune: Part 2, wraps up Denis Villeneuve’s take on the first book in Frank Herbert’s iconic science-fiction saga, setting the stage for the all but inevitable next film to tackle the second book, Dune Messiah. As IMAX theaters continue to fill up with Dune fans eager for a close-up look at Shai-Hulud, studio executives all over Hollywood will certainly be looking at what happened here to see if they can replicate Dune’s success with future projects. Beyond “letting directors make the movies they want to make” and “audiences are getting tired of formulaic franchise movies with dull visuals,” there’s one other element that stands out as a bit easier to implement…

The obvious answer is to cast Rebecca Ferguson in your movie.

Looking back at Ferguson’s Lady Jessica in both Dune Parts 1 and 2, she stands out not just as the best performance among an incredibly stacked cast, but also as a critical part of the film’s press tour through her chaotic energy and memeable personality. How did this Swedish sensation secure her place as the MVP of the Dune franchise? Let’s take a look.

That’s Mother (of the Messiah)

Over the course of both Dune films, which run about five hours in total, we run into a wide array of colorful characters played by a murderer’s row of Hollywood’s current top talent. However, many of the characters are either exclusive to one installment, go long stretches of the runtime without being seen, and in some special cases like Anya Taylor-Joy’s appearance as Alia, are clearly setups for films yet to come. Even Zendaya as Chani, who is credited as co-lead in Part 2, is restricted mostly to a handful of dream sequences in Part 1. However, the one character relationship that exists as the strongest throughline from the beginning of Paul Atreides’ journey all the way to its culmination in this first story is that of Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica of the Bene Gesserit.

n a film where many of the emotional beats can get drowned out a bit by the expansive backdrops and dour atmosphere, the foundational scenes of Part 1 illustrating the contradictory relationship between mother and son stand out as some of the film’s best. Jessica bore Paul out of love for his father, Leto, consciously choosing to grant him a son when she was instructed to do otherwise, and she cares for Paul’s safety above all others. At the same time, she is also a cunning manipulator who has been training Paul in the superhuman abilities of her order against their wishes, and grooming him for a dark destiny that the young Atreides spends much of the two films hoping to avoid. Jessica is simultaneously driven by a genuine love for her son and a desire to facilitate his rise to power, and Ferguson walks the razor-wire line between these two aspects with pinpoint precision.

This continues into Part 2, where we see Jessica step into an even more overtly villainous role as she schemes her way into assuming the mantle of Reverend Mother of the Fremen. Her relationship with Paul becomes more antagonistic as she sets in motion the events that will lead to his accepting the role of Lisan al Gaib and challenging the Emperor, to the point of even being deemed a traitor to the Bene Gesserit despite ostensibly doing what they wanted by bringing the Kwisatz Haderach into existence. That Jessica has any sympathy from the audience – despite being a eugenicist and megalomaniac who usurped the religious leadership of an indigenous culture so her son could claim dominion of the universe almost purely out of her own vanity – all comes down to Ferguson imbuing her with inner life and dimension that makes us feel like we understand her even when the script doesn’t actually give us every detail about her motivations.

From her recurring role as Ilsa Faust in the Mission: Impossible movies to portraying main villain Rose the Hat in Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep, and now playing Lady Jessica in the Dune films, Ferguson has always been at her best when she takes on characters with a darker edge to their persona that she can contrast with her natural charm. Although Ilsa is more heroic than the other two, all three of these roles intrigue the audience, and the other characters they interact with, through seductive ambiguity, something Ferguson is better at than most of her contemporaries. But what makes this all the more interesting is that she’s seemingly an entirely different person off-camera, and one who is just as important to Dune’s success.

Princess of the Press Tour

As with all things, the true measure of a film’s success in the modern age is how many memes it spawns on social media. From one filmgoer riding a homemade sandworm at his local AMC to jokes about Stilgar’s somewhat overzealous dedication to his prophet, there’s no shortage of humor from fans sharing their responses to Villeneuve’s latest epic. However, one member of the cast is bringing her own brand of comedy to the party, and that’s none other than Rebecca Ferguson, who has taken to promotional interviews with an energy that can best be described as somewhere along a spectrum between “unconventional” and “frankly chaotic.” Not that there’s anything wrong with her having a goofy side to her; on the contrary, the impression she’s made on social media indicates she’s become a true fan favorite because of her behavior.

At a time when press tours are increasingly filled with inane questions and too many influencers at the expense of journalists, clips of Ferguson’s interviews where she reveals just how little of a filter she has have been one of the unsung joys of Part 2’s release. From admitting she still hasn’t read the novel even after making two movies, to texting Denis Villeneuve mid-interview to ask him the answer to a question she didn’t know, to even referencing MGM’s history of the casting couch after learning about the Dune popcorn bucket, Ferguson’s refreshing honesty and hilarious affability have stood out from the crowd amidst so many celebrities who have had much of their personalities sanded down by media training. These and other clips have been making the rounds online, keeping Dune-related media in the cultural conversation.

Given that many lesser films make “the mother of the main character” into a thankless role, Ferguson jumping in and stealing the show both on-screen and off is a reminder of how strange it is that so few Hollywood films have taken advantage of her talent. It also brings to mind how boneheaded of a move it was for the Mission: Impossible franchise to kill Ilsa off in such a haphazard way in Dead Reckoning. Now, to be fair, Ferguson has indicated she wanted to move on from the franchise after three installments, but there had to be a better send-off for her than to die mid-film in an incredibly hamfisted manner. We’re still interested in whatever happens next with the M: I franchise, but it’s a shame that an otherwise fine movie in Dead Reckoning is marred by how one of its star players was treated.

Regardless, it’s Mission’s loss and Dune’s gain, and paves the way for Ferguson to take on even more roles in the future. As Dune: Part 2 continues to gain accolades and box office momentum in part because of her contributions, hopefully the rest of Hollywood will follow in Villeneuve’s footsteps and clue in that this is one star worth investing in.

#rebecca ferguson #dune part two #dune #dune part 2 #mission impossible dead reckoning part one #lady jessica #Ilsa faust #Rebecca appreciation we are loving in this house

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dragonstoners · 2 months

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batmanisagatewaydrug · 4 months

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reading update: DECEMBER 2023

what's up gamers!!!! 2023 is over, and before I can make a post reflecting on every book I read I need to talk specifically about what I was reading in December. I was lucky enough to end the year coming out of a pretty dire depressive fug, and I celebrated by going buckwild reading as much as possible and placing so many holds at the local library that I will, probably, come to regret any day now. such is the price of being in love with life again, I guess!

let's talk about it!!!

what I read:

Buffalo is the New Buffalo (Chelsea Vowel, 2022) - a collection of Métis speculative fiction short stories. Vowel's stories didn't always quite land for me, feeling as if they would benefit from another round or two of revisions and a bit of elaboration, but even when they fell a little flat the concepts were promising. I especially adored the story "Michif Man," in which a mid-twentieth century Métis man is gored by a radioactive buffalo and develops strange powers that he uses to defend his community, told through the fascinating framing device of a 21st century scholar's speech making a case for Michif Man's existence. I also really liked the closing story, "Unsettled," which felt like really cool old school sci-fi: five clashing characters alone burdened with the responsibility of tending to the rest of humanity frozen in stasis, with each character serving as a mouthpiece for a vastly different perspective and set of values about their Indigenous identity. hit or miss collection for me, but the hits hit much harder than the misses missed.

The Bandit Queens (Parini Schroff, 2023) - this book was genuinely so so hard to put down!!! the story follows a group of women in a small Indian village as they decide to start solving problems by murdering their husbands, turning to Geeta - whose widely believed to have killed her own husband years ago - for advice. the only problem is that Geeta didn't kill him, he just walked out on her. and now she's caught in a RAPIDLY tangling web of murder, blackmail, and hidden motives among women she's never let herself get close to. it's a dark comedy, to be sure, but also surprisingly heartfelt, exploring the countless factors - gender, class, caste, religion, motherhood, beauty - that keep Geeta and the other women apart as well as the forces powerful enough to pull them together. it's a book about the power of friendship and also the power of going ape shit.

Small Game (Blair Braverman, 2022) - a VERY different book from Bandit Queens on every level, but equally hard to put down! Braverman is something of a professional wilderness survivor, and decided to write a story about a similarly experienced young woman, Mara, signing up for a survival-themed reality show where everything goes wrong. one day the camera crew simply fails to show up, and everything shifts when the contestants are forced to shift from surviving for show to actually fighting for their lives. a book that's gross and tender in equal amounts; Braverman is a very good storyteller and I'm strongly looking forward to anything else she puts out.

Are You My Mother? (Alison Bechdel, 2012) - a gorgeously drawn and terrifyingly vulnerable graphic memoir. a spectacularly brave endeavor; while I would never discount the tremendous artistry of Bechdel's more well-known Fun Home, I cannot imagine the terror of writing something like this about my mother when she's still alive to read it. absolutely ruinous if you yourself have any remotely complicated feelings about your mother, I will tell you that much!!!!

The Heart Principle (Helen Hoang, 2021) - Helen Hoang is so good that I didn't even count this as my romance novel of the month; this was just a book that I sincerely wanted to read. apparently quite a few reviewers on goodreads whined about how this shouldn't qualify as a romance novel because it's too sad, to which I say those people are fucking wieners. Heart Principle gets heavy, sure, with protagonist Anna navigating the sudden illness and death of her elderly father, but at the same time she's finding happiness and new ways to be herself and having the best sex of her life with resident hottie Quan, who's been a gem of a supporting character in this series since Kiss Quotient. it gets sad as hell, for sure, but it's also a mature, touching, and sexy story of two people developing a bond that encourages them both to embrace life and grow together. also, hi, Anna finding out she's autistic is SUCH a source of joy and eventual self confidence for her and it's SO nice to read.

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror (ed. Jordan Peele, 2023) - listen. it's a very good short story collection, filled to the bursting with some of the best writers in the game. there are very few stinkers in the bunch, which is really impressive for a collection with so many stories. but. it very seldom felt properly... scary? spooky, creepy, mysterious, supernatural, sure. but I want to be scared!!!! fuck me up!!! Us got under my skin and scared me in a way that I still think about years later, and I was expecting something similar from an anthology edited by Jordan Peele. so on that note I would actually really strongly recommend this is you like being a little spooked but not terrified!

Kiss Her Once for Me (Alison Cochrun, 2022) - this one was the romance novel of the month, voted on by my patrons, and incidentally my patrons should go to prison. listen. this book sucks shit. god, this protagonist sucks. I know the point of this kind of story is for characters to start in a place where they're flawed and you want to see them improve as people, but Ellie is just so endlessly whiny that I don't want to see her improve, I want her to shut the fuck up and stop using her anxiety as an excuse to be wildly unpleasant to everyone else. the chemistry between the main characters was what I call the "because I said so" variety, by which I mean there was no chemistry despite the narrative insisting repeatedly that there definitely was. (incidentally, Ellie had way better chemistry with the man she was fake engaged to, meaning I was actually really rooting for the hetero option for once.) also Cochrun is apparently a huge swiftie and referenced Taylor Swift a truly unwell amount of times in this book. dismal all around.

Mammoths at the Gates (Nghi Vo, 2023) - Nghi Vo can do absolutely no wrong and is one of the authors whose new releases I will ALWAYS be showing up for. Mammoths at the Gates is the latest in the Singing Hills Cycle of novellas, and sees the cleric Chih leaving their quest for stories in order to return home to Singing Hills Abbey after years on the road. they're excited to be home, but nothing is as peaceful as they'd have hoped: an old friend has been promoted, straining their relationship, and a beloved mentor has died, creating a complication when their family come to lay claim to the body. it's a book about death in the best way, by which I mean it's very much a book about life, and I read it all in one delightful morning racing to the gentle shock of the ending.

what am I reading now?

God: A Biography (Jack Miles, 1995) - this is a book rec I scooped from Oh No Ross and Carrie and it is. such a weird reading experience, but I'm enjoying it! this God dude is nuts!

Masters of Death (Olivie Blake, 2018) - I'm not very far into this book yet, and I can't decide if the prose is fun or annoying. maybe both!

what's next: a list of books I have on hold

Patternmaster (Octavia Butler)

Laziness Does Not Exist (Devon Price)

Piñata (Leopoldo Gout)

#bookblr #reading updates

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