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queensharotto · 5 months

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Brittle Doughie’s Cookie Run x Reader Masterlist (Part 3: Early 2023)

A masterlist of @brittle-doughie’s Cookie Run stories organized by month.

Genre Emojis

😞 is for angst, 🎃 is for Halloween, 🎄 is for Christmas, 🍪 is for Cannibalism, 💗 is for Yandere, 💝 is for Valentine’s, 👻 is for Horror, 🎂 is for Birthday, 💚 is for Yandere!White Lily Cookie

The Indents are related to the featured cookies. If there are numerous cookies (Over 10 Cookies Featured), I’ll make a note on that as well.

Also, the ⭐️ will indicate a story featuring one of Brittle’s OCs.

January 2023 ❄️

• “Molded, Battered, Whole”

Featuring: The Five Dragons

• “Y/N Cookie getting Injured”

Featuring: Pomegranate Cookie, Mala Sauce Cookie, Black Raisin Cookie, Financier Cookie and Princess Cookie

• “Foul Play” 💗

Featuring: The Cherry Stars

• “Seize the Spin”

Featuring: Numerous Cookies

• “Face the Music!”

Featuring: Gingerbrave and Friends, B.A.D 4, Manager Scarlet and Producer D.K.E.C

• “Two Sides of a Coin”

Featuring: Hollyberry Cookie

• “New Time Balance Department Cookies”

Featuring: The Time Balance Department

• “Sands of the Sale”

Featuring: Yogurt Cream Cookie and Lilac Cookie

• “Memories”

Featuring: Numerous Cookies

• “Coworkers Delight”

Featuring: Maple Taffy Cookie

• “Spared No Expense 2”

Featuring: Cheesecake Cookie

• “Y/N Cookie’s Valentine’s Day Experience” 💝

Featuring: Numerous Cookies

• “A Fish in a Barrel”

Featuring: Affogato Cookie and the Cookies of the Dark Cacao Kingdom

• “Good Day for Walks”

Featuring: Pure Vanilla Cookie

• “A Handycookie’s Expertise”

Featuring: Coffee Candy Cookie, Baguette Cookie, Dark Fondue Cookie, Maple Taffy Cookie and Marble Bread Cookie

• “Chaos and Control”

Featuring: Twizzly Gummy Cookie and her Gang

• “House is Where The Heart Is”

Featuring: Raspberry Mousse Cookie

• “The Serenity or The Charismatic”

Featuring: Pure Vanilla Cookie and Clotted Cream Cookie

• “Eternity”

Featuring: Snow Sugar Cookie

• “Interactions with Milky Way Cookie during Episode 15”

Featuring: Milky Way Cookie

• “Y/N Cookie Dislikes People Yelling”

Featuring: Hollyberry Cookie, Purple Yam Cookie, Carol Cookie, and Caramel Arrow Cookie

• “No Deed Goes Unnoticed”

Featuring: The Cookies of the Dark Cacao Kingdom

• “At Your Beck and Call”

Featuring: The Pearl Legion and House Custard Soldiers

• “Ayo, Their Pouch Responses”

Featuring: Sea Fairy Cookie and Moonlight Cookie

• “No Dice” 💗

Featuring: Clotted Cream Cookie and the Ancient Cookies

• “Undeserving”

Featuring: Affogato Cookie’s Disciples, Dark Cacao Cookie, Adventurer Cookie, and Captain Ice Cookie

• “But the Dance is Today!”

Featuring: Cookies of the Hollyberry Kingdom

• “Y/N Cookie’s Tailoring Hobby��

Featuring: The Tailor Cookies

• “Lost Amidst Matrimony” 😞💗

Featuring: Pure Vanilla Cookie and White Lily Cookie

• “Sweet Heartmender” 💝

Featuring: Blue Lily Cookie and Lilybell Cookie

• “Burger Chain Backfire”

Featuring: Reporter Cookie and Shining Glitter Cookie

February 2023 💝

• “Antagonized”

Featuring: Almond Cookie, Truffle Cookie, Butter Pretzel Cookie, Lollipop Cookie, and Melon Bun Cookie

• “Even More Heartbreak”

Featuring: Black Pearl Cookie, Captain Caviar Cookie, and Seaweed Cookie

• “Star of the Industry” ⭐️

Featuring: Dumpling Cookie (debut), Reporter Cookie, Rockstar Cookie, Parfait Cookie, DJ Cookie, Popping Candy Cookie, and Shining Glitter Cookie

• “The Sugar Swan’s Treasure”

Featuring: The Sugar Swan

• “Y/N Cookie Blurbs”

Featuring: Various Cookies

• “Pet Times”

Featuring: Carrot Cookie, Cheesecake Cookie, and Baguette Cookie

• “Y/N Cookie’s First Encounter with Stardust Cookie”

Featuring: Stardust Cookie and Moonlight Cookie

• “Moon Pie Cookie”

Featuring: Moonlight Cookie

• “Tales of Sweetness” 💝

Featuring: Carrot Cookie, Beet Cookie, Red Velvet Cookie, Pomegranate Cookie and Light Cream Cookie

• “If Y/N Cookie Hated Someone”

Featuring: Dark Choco Cookie, Pomegranate Cookie, Affogato Cookie, Ice Juggler Cookie and Cocoa Cookie

• “Movie Star Y/N Cookie”

Featuring: Cheesecake Cookie, Blackberry Cookie, Cocoa Cookie, Mint Choco Cookie, Tea Knight Cookie, Eclair Cookie, Twizzly Gummy Cookie and Shining Glitter Cookie

• “Duel of Hearts”

Featuring: White Choco Cookie and Rose Cookie

• “A Very Much Invited Guest”

Featuring: The Cookies of the Hollyberry Kingdom

• “Fashion Week 2?”

Featuring: Cheesecake Cookie, Chestnut Cookie, Pastel Meringue Cookie, Currant Cream Cookie, Chocolate Bonbon Cookie and Sour Belt Cookie

• “Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to”

Featuring: Carrot Cookie, Beet Cookie, Spinach Cookie and Rambutan Cookie

March 2023 🌱

• “Artist Y/N Cookie”

Featuring: Butter Pretzel Cookie, Cheesecake Cookie, Truffle Cookie and Pastry Cookie

• “Y/N Cookie’s Costume Concepts”

Featuring: Numerous Cookies

• “Drawings for the Little Cookies”

Featuring: Lollipop Cookie, Walnut Cookie, Onion Cookie and Strawberry Crepe Cookie

• “Ya Like Raisin Buns?”

Featuring: Black Raisin Cookie

• “Sweetheart Timekeeper Cookie” 💝

Featuring: Timekeeper Cookie

• “Stress from a Job”

Featuring: Baguette Cookie, Almond Cookie, Pizza Cookie, Dr. Bones Cookie and Kumiho Cookie

• “Ancient Y/N Cookie’s All Nighters”

Featuring: The Ancient Cookies

• “Y/N Cookie being part of a Royal Family”

Featuring: Madeleine Cookie, Financier Cookie, Red Velvet Cookie, Chocolate Bonbon Cookie and Rougefort Cookie

• “Y/N Cookie having a Nightmare”

Featuring: Moonlight Cookie, Milky Way Cookie and Stardust Cookie

• “Downstream: Part 1”

Featuring: Affogato Cookie and the Cookies of the Dark Cacao Kingdom

• “Group Findings”

Featuring: Cauliflower Cookie and Peperoncino Cookie

• “Volunteering to be a parent to Y/N Cookie’s child (Part 1)”

Featuring: Numerous Cookies

• “Sea Fairy x Y/N Cookie”

Featuring: Sea Fairy Cookie

• “A Jammed Heart” 😞

Featuring: Chocolate Frosting Cookie

• “Croissant Cookie vs. Timekeeper Cookie”

Featuring: Croissant Cookie, Timekeeper Cookie, Coffee Candy Cookie and Dark Fondue Cookie

April 2023 ☔️

• “A Forced Hand” ⭐️

Featuring: Salsa Cookie (debut) and the Ancient Cookies

• “Y/N Cookie in Scovillia”

Featuring: Scovillia Headmaster, Capsaicin Cookie, Parfaedia Principal, Prune Juice Cookie, Creme Knights Preceptor and Kouign-Amann Cookie

• “From Afar”

Featuring: Chocolate Bonbon Cookie, Croissant Cookie, Sour Belt Cookie and Lime Cookie

• “Kindred Souls”

Featuring: Milk Cookie

• “Y/N Cookie Comforting Centipede Cookie”

Featuring: Centipede Cookie, Lilac Cookie and Scorpion Cookie

• “Chocolate Frosting Cookie trying to redeem herself”

Featuring: Chocolate Frosting Cookie, Croissant Cookie, Coffee Candy Cookie, Dark Fondue Cookie and Timekeeper Cookie

• “The Pudding Cup Circus”

Featuring: Banana Cookie, Ice Juggler Cookie, Licorice Cookie and Pomegranate Cookie

• “Cookies of Darkness Go to the Movies”

Featuring: The Cookies of Darkness

• “Volunteering to be a parent to Y/N Cookie’s child (Part 2)”

Featuring: Financier Cookie, Pure Vanilla Cookie, Red Velvet Cookie, Madeleine Cookie, Captain Caviar Cookie and Clotted Cream Cookie

• “Exiled from their Kingdom: The Darkness’s Offering”

Featuring: The Cookies of Darkness

• “No Simp September”

Featuring: Hollyberry Cookie, Kumiho Cookie, Frost Queen Cookie, Blueberry Pie Cookie and Princess Cookie

• “I’ll Miss You” 😞

Featuring: The Ancient Cookies

• “The Incorrect Quote Cookie Jar #2”

Featuring: Numerous Cookies

• “Y/N Cookie in the Crème Knights”

Featuring: Financier Cookie, Vanilla Sugar Cookie, Kouign-Amann Cookie, Prune Juice Cookie and Capsaicin Cookie

#brittle doughie masterlists #cookie run kingdom #cookie run ovenbreak #cookie run #yandere cookie run #cookie run angst #cookie run x reader #cookie run x you #yandere cookie run kingdom

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gothicnerdgifs · 3 months

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— 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚

Below you’ll find #594 gifs of argentinian actress macarena achaga in the show mala fortuna (misfortune). all gifs were made by me from scratch, so don’t claim them as your own or repost them. if you find this content useful please like/reblog.

DO NOT

use in taboo or hollywood roleplays

edit them into crackships or for personal graphics

crop them into gif icons without my permission

❗CONTENT WARNING: flashing lights, kissing, partial nudity, food

Part 1 - Episode 3 & 4

Part 2 - Episode 4 & 5

Part 3 - Episode 6 & 7

#macarena achaga #macarena achaga gif pack #gifsociety #gif pack #macarena achaga gifs #gp: macarena achaga #creation

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sundove88 · 3 months

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The Cookie Chonk Chart!!

So recently, @thetropicalfairy and I have had a discussion about which Cookies would be considered chonky- and here is the entire list! And the pic was made by her as well.

Note: Some OCs will be on this list- and some folks not shown in the pic will be as well. If there’s anyone you want to add to the list, that’s ok!

A Fine Boi (Somewhat Chubby): Herb, Churro, Aloe, Gold Citrine, Okchun, Elderberry (OC), Sable, Icicle Yeti, Grapefruit, Tiramisu, Habanero, Bubbles Dragon (OC), Snapdragon, Blueberry Pie, Lilybell, Pecan Brownie (OC), Grandberry Brawler 1/Glimmerberry, Grandberry Brawler 2/Grapeberry, Honorable Paladin Trainee/White Choco Chip, Serious Paladin Trainee/Vanilla Bundt Cake, Kouign Amann, Caramel Arrow, Silverbell, GingerBrave, Dizzy Cookie/Gorgonzola, SuperCar Cookies 1 and 2/Emmental Cheese and Cambozola, Partay Cookies/Swiss Cheese and Raclette, Blue Slushy, Xylitol Nova, Shadow Milk, Eternal Sugar, Mystic Flour, Burning Spice, Silent Salt, Golden Cheese, White Lily, Bumbleberry,

He Chomnk (Mostly Chubby): Dark Cacao, Crunchy Chip (Post Odyssey), Ice Candy, Olive, Strawberry, Custard III, Rye, Cream Puff, Cherry, Blueberry, Pinecone, Amber Sugar, Sea Fairy, Walnut, Cherry Ball, Zombie, Frilled Jellyfish, Carrot, Cotton, Milky Way, Hero, Canele, Mille-Feuille, Vanilla Sugar, Longan Dragon, Buttercream Choco, Pancake, Tea Knight, Tarte Tatin, Captain Caviar, Milkshake (OC), Snowfall Villager/Cashmere, Kind Villager/Poplin, Pumpkin, Parfaedia Principal/Deluxe Sundae, Creme Knights Preceptor/Chantilly Cream, Scovillia Headmaster/Hot Pot, Berry Parfaedia Student/Berry Compote, Citrus Parfaedia Student/Marmalade, Prune Juice, Captain Caviar, Tangerine Tanghulu, WildBerry, Timekeeper, Pure Vanilla, Mango, Muscle, Cranberry,

A Heckin’ Chonker (Very Chubby): Lord Oyster, Mozzarella, Royalberry, Princess, Tiger Lily, Milk, Beet, Yogurt Cream, Cocoa, Chocolate Bon Bon, Mocha Ray, Bacon, Pastel Meringue, Cheesecake, Red Bean, S’More, Frosted Choco (OC), Choco Malt (OC), Coconut Choco (OC), Turtle Brownie (OC), Fudge Ice Cream (OC), Snow Sugar, Ananas Dragon, Vagabond, Gelato (OC), Choco Milk (OC), Second Watcher/Choco Chunk, Grandberry Merchant 1/Blueberry Muffin, Grandberry Merchant 2/Honeyberry, Grandberry Merchant 3/Pinkberry, Spicy Scovillia Student/Army Stew, Hot Scovillia Student/Spicy Rosè, Sauna Egg, Golden Cheese Kingdom Citizen 2/Manchego, Space Doughnut,

H E F T Y C H O N K (Extremely Chubby): Avocado, Hollyberry, Princess Professor Mimolette (OC), Prince Professor Cavatappi (OC), Mala Sauce, Capsaicin, Moon Rabbit (Mostly due to her huge rabbit form), Peperoncino, Potato, Eden Dragon (OC), Dark Choco (After he left The Cookies of Darkness), Macaron, Abalone, Lotus Dragon, Spinach, Half Avocado, Hot Mala Warrior/Spicy Noodle Cookie, Spicy Mala Warrior/Chili Sauce Cookie, Mangosteen (Lychee’s Disguise),

M E G A C H O N K E R (Seriously Chubby): Lychee Dragon, Affogato (Post Episode 14), Elder Custard, Affogato’s Disciple 1/Cortado, Affogato’s Disciple 2/Galao, Pumpkin Spice Latte (OC), Mysterious Priest/Compound Choco, Marble Bread, Plain Yogurt,

O H L A W D H E C O M I N (The Chubbiest of All): Pitaya Dragon, Eggnog, Gatekeeper Cookie/Couverture, Stink Eye Tortuca,

#livi’s rambles #Headcanons #my Headcanons #cookie run #cookie run Ovenbreak #crob #cookie run kingdom #crk #the chonk chart #look at the chonks!!

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yeagrist · 9 months

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⠀ ♡⠀ 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗔 𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗚𝗔 𝗚𝗜𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗞 ﹔ by clicking on the source you’ll find #212 gifs ( 268 x 150 ) of the actress macarena achaga ( 1992 ) as marie claire in mala fortuna ╱ misfortune ( 2023 ) , episodes 1 & 2 . all of the gifs were made from scratch by me . please , like or reblog if you plan on using or found this helpful . you may edit these into gif icons for personal use , if you give credit . please , don’t claim it as your own . content warning : drinking , vaping ( ? ) .

#macarena achaga gif pack #macarena achaga gif hunt #gifpacknetwork #gifsociety #gifhunthub #rpc br #rpc #gif pack #gif hunt #fcxdirectory #supportcontentcreators #thegifpackreblogs #* ⠀𓈒 ׄ ✮ ﹕ 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 ⸝⸝ gif pack .

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fictionalnormalcy · 2 years

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Something I am reeling about today.

Race to the Edge was originally supposed to have 4 seasons. Not 6. But what one can presume is that it garnered enough popularity that the extra two seasons were added. Hence why we got a Dragon Eye 2, Krogan was given more screentime, the King of Dragons came into play, Mala and Dagur became a thing, but what was outlined more to me, that Viggo was brought back.

With the show originally intended to be four seasons, Viggo was meant to be the main villain of the series. Dagur being a threat in Season 1, then 2 leading into the Dragon Hunters, then 3 and 4 centering around Viggo and Ryker.

Then I think about, what the end of RTTE was supposed to be. Shellshocked Pt. 2. In the final minutes of the finale. Viggo threatening Astrid, and Hiccup throwing the Dragon Eye into the volcano. Viggo chasing after it, and the rock crumbling beneath him, last words crying out, “HICCUP!”

And frankly wanting to admit, that is really the only way it could have ended. Viggo needing to be eliminated because he would never surrender, and the Dragon Eye destroyed because it was too dangerous in any hands.

I don’t think that at the point they stood at it would make sense for him to have been redeemed as he was in Triple Cross.

But I reflect upon what the ending was meant to be. Viggo meeting his end in that way. Imagine if we hadn’t been given two more seasons. That would’ve been an extremely grim ending. Like imagine going from that to HTTYD 2. And here’s me wondering, if Hiccup’s reaction after Viggo fell into the volcano was always planned, wasn’t altered even after they got the green light for two more seasons.

How he reacted, he looked remorseful, the way he worriedly stared into the lava. The saddened tone of “Viggo. It didn’t have to end this way.” And I will be honest, even if it was brief, Viggo was the only villain which Hiccup actually looked shocked was gone. He did that for no one else, not for Grimmel, Drago, and not even Alvin when he got struck by the Skrill’s lightning. That scene, of how he stares down at where Viggo had fallen, and Astrid comes up to him and asks him if he’s okay. Just a mere minute ago Astrid had been threatened by this very man holding her own axe to her throat, and she’s asking Hiccup if he’s okay. I literally yell at the screen at this part. To comfort her, she’s the one who just endured something traumatic. Yet, there’s a moment of silence, where Hiccup stares morosely downward. And he says he’s okay. But he doesn’t check on her wellbeing, if she’s okay after what Viggo had done.

But to me, in showing his shocked expression, displays some sort of mourning over Viggo. Reinforced by the sentence he says afterward. I say this again, this was meant to be the last episode. Had it ended like this, we would have gotten that Hiccup demonstrated some regret in how Viggo came to pass. The writers wanted to leave us with that kind of impact for the end. BUT, it didn’t end like this. Once the next season came we were given a reveal of him having survived the fall into the volcano, but not emerging unscathed.

The writers of RTTE really had the capacity of making him a villain all over again. We see the scars on his face, the marred eye. They worked to reveal his new change ever so nicely. I for one would have completely understood if they had made him vengeful, because of how harshly the Riders struck him down. It would make sense for him to regather forces in attempts to strike them down, even with Hiccup in specificity. Yet, they didn’t. In Wings of Disaster they wished to show us he’d partnered with another villain, that he still had an obsession in obtaining the Dragon Eye. He spoke in reverence of Hiccup, not how he wished to be close enough to him to drive a blade through his heart. We were showed how out of their way they went to show Viggo was not vengeful.

Then, I feel obligated to point out Triple Cross. The very last episode we get with him. Where we get a very short-lived redemption. A redemption I do not think, was originally planned. It was the direction went down because they decided not to make Viggo vengeful for the final two seasons. It was even outlined for us too, in that episode. Krogan so helpfully points it out: “Why do you want him alive? He scarred your face, destroyed your brother and, decimated your empire.” Literally showing us how he was capable of this, yet did not take this path. This was even testing the chance of his redemption too. There wasn’t enough time for Viggo to react, maybe he could have changed his mind, told Krogan that as he spelled it out, why not let Hiccup be killed.

But we reach that point. Left to believe Viggo met his end. The final scene of Triple Cross? Astrid saying it felt weird he was gone, Hiccup saying he taught them a lot. Hiccup takes the piece that represented Viggo during their game, and knocks it over. Signifying the fallen player, then sealing the Maces & Talons board. Once again, bearing a saddened expression with slumped shoulders before steeling himself and exiting.

To think. Hiccup reacted in that way back in season 4 when they were still enemies, but yeesh how they did it when he sacrificed himself and left a parting gift.

I wish to say this, the writers always had this intention. They wanted to show us that Hiccup grieved Viggo’s death. No matter how he met it, they wanted us to witness this. And doesn’t it make you wanna ship vigcup just a little bit more.

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goldenheartstudios · 9 months

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I wanna talk about Xiaolin Showdown's iconic betrayal scene

Disclaimer: I would have said that this post has spoilers for the show.. but does it still count if this is a cartoon from 2003? I dunno

Anyway, time to indulge into my hyperfixation once again

You see, there are shows that do something which can be seen as an interesting twist for that era. It can be seen as something special, iconic, recognizable, because of the way it was presented and the idea that it brought up

Even if there were shows who did that idea before, the show can still make it into something special that can bring a twist to its episodic structure it showed from the start

For me, Xiaolin Showdown brought that special twist with its introduction with Mala Mala Jong

For a show that seemed like an episodic lesson-of-the-week kind of cartoon, it showed its attention and care for continuity by telling us that they kept track of which Shen Gong Wu belonged to which, and by providing us a cool looking villain that was defeated in an interesting way

And, well, what made this thing even more special was the introduction to the first arc of the series that brought a full-on twist to its episodic style, being also the first arc that needed a short recap at the start of the episodes

The betrayal arc

Which is something that I want to analyze

First of all, what makes it interesting is the fact that Raimundo, a protagonist, willingly sided with the bad guys. No mind control, no corruption, and not even possession

It was his choice to join Wuya, which made it on more impactful when he chose to do the right thing in the end

Secondly, his betrayal is also interesting because it seems that what led to it was something simple, but you can actually go deeper into it

If you think about it, its possibility was hinted from episode 5, and what led to the betrayal is a series of circumstances and motives

Let me explain

At the beginning of the show, each monk got their special episode, where they get to fight their own showdown and show more about themselves. Omi got episode 1, Clay got episode 2, Kimiko got episode 3, and Rai got episode 5 (episode 4 showed a Shen Gong Wu that was useful in defeating Mala Mala Jong)

In his episode, Raimundo showed a desire to be active, ingenuity, arrogance, bravery, and most importantly, his reaction to failure: irritation, frustration, crossing his arms, deflective/defensive behavior, and closing himself off from others

He’s the kind of person who avoids showing vulnerability by keeping a lot of his emotions inside and showing tendencies of self-isolation, especially when he’s experiencing failure. One thing to keep in mind is that he later on showed determination of proving himself only after Fung went to talk to him, who he helped him redirect his frustration and energy to something productive

In episode 8 we get to see more of his bravery, heroism and even self-sacrificial tendencies, by facing the Sapphire Dragon on his own in order for his friends to have a chance to escape

And aside from hints of his kindness and care throughout every episode (up till episode 11 at least), episode 9 clearly showed his care & brotherly behavior from his worry that he had towards Omi being lost in New York

Although, episode 11 showed him being annoyed at both Kimiko & Clay, and how his frustration can lead to him wanting to distance himself from others

All of these are important elements for the season finale

Now let’s go to episode 12. The monks having to run away with their Shen Gong Wu is a direct conflict with Raimundo’s traits & beliefs: he hates staying still, he has a tendency to be heroic, he doesn’t like to feel defeat from the enemy and most importantly, he has a strong desire to protect others

So him staying away from an enemy that he only heard how strong he is, an enemy that was endangering Fung & the other people from the temple, was not an option in his mind

And just like in episode 8, he went to face the enemy alone in a desire to protect

And naturally, he was punished by this

Honestly, I really like this moment. In other shows, the character could have been appreciated, praised or even rewarded for this act of bravery (My Hero Academia being an example of that), because this is an heroic act, right? Because the character went to face an enemy, when others were running away and trying to think of a way to defeat it while people were in danger

Here, this was not rewarded. It was rightfully seen as reckless, because being a hero is not just about acting. It’s about doing the right thing, it’s about knowing when it’s the best to act on instinct, and when it’s the best to take a moment and think on how you can help

Intention is not enough, as you can have the best intentions and still endanger the ones close to you

Master Fung was right not to reward him for this

And naturally, Rai doesn’t understand the reason at this moment of time. Because in his perspective, having the heart of a hero is enough, having the bravery to act in times of crisis and help others is enough. He still has yet to learn that you have to first think of a plan before acting, that a hero needs to be brave and wise

This situation is understandable on both sides. Master Fung sees the flaw in Raimundo’s act and doesn’t reward him for it in order to prevent it to become a habit, and Rai doesn’t yet understand what he was missing in his action and sees this as being unappreciated, as being a failure

And just like episode 5, he reacts to this failure like the last time: deflection, frustration, and isolating himself from others

As he walks off, Omi tells the others to leave him be, as this is Rai’s journey for self-reflection

Which frankly, was a mistake on the other’s (particularly Omi’s) part

And we know this because of episode 5. Because, Rai only worked on learning and bettering himself after Fung went to talk to him, otherwise he would have still been closed off from others. This showed that Raimundo needs someone to talk to him about the situation in this state, to provide him direction or to give him support. The fact that no one went to talk to him probably led to his thoughts and frustration intensify, which was a factor to his betrayal

Honestly, if the other monks went to him and had a conversation like Fung did in episode 5, maybe he would have striven to become better and prove himself

But I don’t say this to imply that the other monks are at fault for this. They didn’t know that this is what Rai needed, they didn’t even know how to handle this situation (as Rai seemed to reject them when they tried to support him), and Omi genuinely thought that he needed to reflect on his actions alone

(And they did go to talk with Rain when he left frustrated in episode 18, possibly showing that they learned from this instance)

I would also like to think that Fung was aware of Rai’s isolation tendencies, which is part of the reason why he asked him to stay when the other monks were getting their new training. He probably didn’t want Rai to be alienated from the group, and this could have been an opportunity to get him motivated to become better, by reaching to his competitive nature

But to be honest, this was a mistake on Fung’s part. Raimundo saw this as mockery instead of encouragement, and Fung should have gone to him or intervened when Omi (unintentionally) insulted him

But I could also see that in Fung’s point of view, him trying to reach out or talk to Rai could have made things worse, because unlike episode 5, Fung was the reason why he felt like this. So Rai would have either not listened to whatever he said, or he would have taken it as negative

Only his friends could have done something in this situation, but Omi already butchered it up, so what was left for Fung to do was to give him space. After all, Raimundo was not obligated to stay if he didn’t want to

If you think about it, Fung is an interesting character, for being defined by action and inaction. The feeling that he gives me is that he’s someone who tries and wants to help, but he’s unable to, either because of circumstances or by personal beliefs

And we do see how Fung’s beliefs contribute to Rai’s betrayal. After Raimundo gets more annoyed because of Omi’s comment, he decides to leave this unpleasant situation and go to a familiar place that he sees as a positive one: Rio

We see how his tendency to close himself off causes distress in him. He doesn’t know what to do with his feelings, and his choice is to stay in a place all alone while searching for something to help him relax, in this case being Rio’s sight

And this is when Wuya comes in

I do want to comment that it’s possible for this place to be a recurrence for Raimundo, where he goes to relax or take his mind off of things. This could explain why Wuya was able to find him that fast, since she did go inside his mind

Now, this moment of temptation seems pretty straight forward: Wuya offers him stuff he likes, and he chooses to betray his friends for that stuff. But from all we’ve seen so far, I would say that there was more to this temptation for Rai

First of all, he’s all alone. His friends are not beside him, and he didn’t get any direction for his feelings. And as we’ve seen in episode 11, it is possible for him to emotionally distance himself from his friends when he’s frustrated or annoyed, so it would make sense that right now he’s at odds with them

Second, he’s in clear distress. At this moment, he’s in search of an escape, for something that will make him get away from this unpleasant situation. So the offer of getting things that make him happy is even more tempting for the kid’s mind

And third, which is the most important fact, he’s in search of appreciation. All of this was caused by the feeling of being unappreciated, so Wuya offering him this and talking to him likes she sees something in him seems like a glimpse of appreciation, of understanding

And because of circumstances, this was enough to make Raimundo side with her

But this was not an immediate decision, not at all. I actually think this decision was made after he got the Reversing Mirror

Now, I do want to comment on the fact that he didn’t change his outfit in the showdown, which could be interpreted that he sided with Wuya at that time. But I don’t think that’s the case

You see, the beauty of this show is that it has a lot of details and subtlety that can be interpreted however you want, or if you see them they come off as a nice reward. The outfit change in showdowns is one of them

My personal interpretation is that it depends on the person’s perspective. On some occasions, if the person thinks that they need a special outfit for the showdown (example being some showdowns that are related with cold weather), then they will change into something fitting with what they have in mind. But otherwise, they will change into Xiaolin robes if they think (or feel) they’re on Xiaolin’s side

In this case, Raimundo keeping his casual clothes shows that he was not on Xiaolin’s side. I would like to believe that he was unsure on whose side to be, and he decided that he will choose at the end of the showdown

And well, I think Omi’s comment after the showdown helped him make a choice. That choice being Wuya’s side

I don’t want to make it seem that Omi is the cause of this, because this was a matter of circumstances. With all of the other factors and conflicted emotions he’s been through, Omi’s remark made him realize that, at this moment, he doesn’t want to go through the trouble of proving himself to the others, while getting more annoyed and frustrated in the process

He wanted to take the easy route that offered him an easier life

And this route was Wuya’s side

So yeah, this betrayal may look simple, but it’s a cause of circumstances, mistakes and a kid’s unhealthy coping mechanism, that being his tendency to close himself off from others

Also, I want to make it clear that you can have other interpretations for this! You can see this moment however you want, and it can be different from the way I see it, which it’s valid and great! And honestly, I don’t think the show planned it to be something deep in the first place haha

The fact that I can personally interpret it as something like this is one of the reasons why I love this show so much, and it’s why I seem to get back to thinking about this cartoon from 2003 so often

So yeah, this was my ramble about Rai’s betrayal

#xiaolin showdown #gh rant #raimundo pedrosa #character analysis #I have too many thoughts about this cartoon in my silly little brain #And sometimes these thoughts need to go out somewhere which that somewhere is this blog #Also I’m always open to talk with other people about this show this is a fact

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randomfoggytiger · 11 months

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Alpha In-Depth (Part I): Vibing and Internet Wive-ing

This was an anon request; and the idea intrigued me so much I immediately sat down and started hammering it out. So, here you go!

**Note**: I will ghost edit this later; but I'm working on Part II as I type so I'm in a bit of a hurry.

Surprisingly there is a lot of little details you can weave into an overall narrative in this episode. Alpha follows Arcadia and is followed up by Trevor, all three blending together to create the storm that is Milagro and the revelation that is The Unnatural. And, aside from that, there is still residual Diana-Fowley-under-every-rock suspicion and protection from Scully's side and some self-doubt (in denial) from Mulder's side. Both are half-right and half-wrong.

The Lead Up

I have a different read on S6 than most other meta; namely, that it was a ball compared to their previous seasons. What could have been in S4 (what was hinted in Home) was halted by Scully's cancer; and what couldn't be in S5 was aided by Mulder's "atheism" and Scully's loss and self-doubt (see here.)

But S6 is on the heels of FTF; and, while there was a huge setback in The Beginning with the files being taken from them and Mulder accidentally brushing aside Scully's big hallway confirmation, it's recovered in the name of grim survival: two agents, shoulder to shoulder, mucking through their toilet brush duties together, unbreakable. The shift in Drive is important, establishing Scully's skill at handling all the big mytharc pieces while Mulder is forced into a metal box hurtling down the highway; and Triangle affirms it by having Mulder stumble into another universe while both versions of Scully work overtime to save "Dorothy" and bring him home. By the end of Triangle all is normal: Scully is reaffirmed in her ability to add meaningfully to Mulder, not just his quest; and Mulder acknowledges this more openly, having to rediscover his FTF fears again on the Queen Anne (afraid of never seeing Scully again-- hence the kiss.)

The rest of the season is (mostly) a blast until the drama of Two Fathers/One Son-- which is important (and I wrote about it here) as a one-shot and 1 and 2 as a Typing Personality combo), because it establishes the central flaw of Mulder and Scully's ability to rip him out of it. By the next episode (Agua Mala) Scully is miffed, yes, but more at the storm than at Mulder-- because who would fly down to investigate a sea monster in a hurricane-- but whatever feelings that still lingered about One Son are demolished by the end when Dales forces Mulder to pause and acknowledge Scully's effect on the case. Not that he didn't want to; it's just that Mulder hadn't-- something a future Dales brother points out to him in The Unnatural. By Monday they're teasing and even beaming at each other, etc.

Suffice to say, there is normality restored with the X-Files back. On the heels of Monday there is Arcadia-- and while my posts on Arcadia were a bit dialed up to explore the psychological effects, the result is the same: Mulder and Scully enjoyed their time for different reasons. He enjoyed bullying the neighbors passive-aggressively and she enjoyed the domesticity of it all... but both of them were ready to leave by the end, Mulder having drawn firmer boundaries because of his discomfort with domesticity and Scully having retreated a little due to being teased to death (and almost literally dying.) This leads directly into the episode we're breaking down today:

Alpha

Ah-- Alpha, my Alpha... if only you weren't so badly written or were vastly more interesting.

The first shot of Mulder is him adding photo evidence to his corkboard, intently focusing on the crime. Scully appears in the hallway, having doubled back at some point from leaving the building, checking back in with him-- "Aren't you going home?", a question she may not have asked since Paper Hearts (correct me if I'm wrong.) It establishes that she and Mulder are on completely comfortable terms; and she's curious about his movements and well-being outside of the office, which is opposite to the prevailing meta that they were tense or on bad terms at this time.

"I AM home," Mulder cheerfully responds, still intensely focused, "just feathering the nest."

A fitting follow-up to Arcadia, which was an emphasis on a "normal", suburban home life. Mulder is still firmly rooted in his basement, not yet ready to step out on a Saturday night with his girl and baseball.

"Watcha got?" Scully slings out, interest piqued.

Mulder spells out the case, with Scully zipping out her own "Mind if I ask the cause of death?" in a scene not dissimilar to their quippy exchange in Fight Club (if more low-key and not as RST-y.) He's delighted she's involving herself this eagerly, hiding little smirks and smiles between his rapid-fire sentences and throwing out a quirky inflection to his "multiple bite wounds" detail, adding some pizazz to his delivery.

Scully's skepticism peaks when Mulder mentions the suspect is a dog; and she walks (read: leans on one leg then the other, seesawing into the room reminiscent of a teasing little girl on a playground) into the room to see the evidence herself and disprove it.

Mulder brandishes the X-Files enticingly ("That alone is not what drew me to this case") just out of her reach while he trots out the juiciest part ("The two men were found inside the container.") Scully plays along, taking the casefile when he dramatically relinquishes it--

until Mulder tells a joke so bad (repeating "doggone" thrice with various inflections, each more emphasized than the last, so that Scully will know he told a joke and smirk at his genius) that it spoils the mood and kicks her into full-on skepticism mode. Her "Yeah, I got it" is hilarious and deadpan; but it's a gentle "yeah, you stink" rather than her full-powered sarcasm-- and she bites off a smile of her own for "getting" him by a quick question about the investigation.

"Did anybody, um, examine the victim, Mulder?"

Scully's little quip amuses herself and Mulder, who gives a little head tilt in a 'well, y'know...' kind of way. Her amusement continues despite her charmed exasperation.

Mulder has witnesses, experts, and an outside source; but Scully doesn't budge. "Mulder, I don't have to tell you how absolutely and completely wrong that seems." He gives her a two confirmational head bobs and a few "yeah"s and "mhm"s, unphased by the nonsensical nature of the case.

Their vibe is very S7: lots of "yeahs", Scully sauntering around confidently and familiarly butting into Mulder's business after hours... it's domestic, really. Arcadia was the new wedding and honeymoon, settling in and sifting their lives together; Alpha is an exploration of "the couple"'s first cross-purposes disagreement (in this case, over the woman Karin); and Trevor will explore the complicated familial dynamics of two messed up people having a child. After those three episodes back-to-back, and no change in Mulder, the desperation of Milagro makes clearer sense.

Mulder KNOWS how ridiculous this case is.

Scully: "You're not going to tell me that a dog did this?"

Mulder: *a pause to consider*: "Bad dog."

Scully: "...Yeah."

At the first crime scene, Mulder leads the charge while Scully scuffles off to do some footwork of her own.

When Mulder questions the man in charge of the crime scene team, we learn a bit of backstory--

Man: "Did you ever own a dog, sir?"

Mulder: "Yeah."--

confirming a lot of meta speculation about Mulder's childhood (well, that and there might be a picture of a dog in Tena's house somewhere... if I recall the lore correctly.)

Mulder does a goofy little "gotcha" and hand clap over the man's not-so-subtle dog poop answer to his questions; and Scully, though not particularly fond of poop jokes, does almost crack a smile of her own... if only because Mulder stepped into that one (heh heh, puns.)

Scully takes over the interrogation while Mulder retraces her steps and stares into the same emptied box. ...Until he hears that there's a cryptozoologist involved in this case and scurries over, eager to get into the more outlandish aspects of mythological animals.

Scully's facial reaction-- "oh no"-- is perfect as he winds up and starts to rattle off his myths and monsters spiel; but he's put on pause when she ruthlessly cutting his speech down in the prime of its life with a smirk on her face.

As the case rattles on-- a dog attack in BELLFLOWER??? really?-- and Mulder scopes out the oddities about the newest crime scene (while avoiding dog feces and making a "Watch your step" joke to Scully. She heeds his warnings because she is, after all, practical),

In their exchange of theories, Mulder congratulates Scully on figuring out where he's going with his newest leap: "You get a biscuit, Scully." Scully stores her comeback for later, content (for now) to simply laugh at his idea of a dog with human intelligence.

A sidenote: Scully always, always holds the umbrella (Irresistible, Small Potatoes, etc., and here. Nice continuity.)

This leads them to Berquist Kennels, where Scully springs out her comeback pun, having lain in wait for the first golden opportunity: when Mulder responds "Actually, it's more of a behavior problem" to a contractor's questions, Scully smirks, realizing this is her moment (even the stars aligned so that she is accidentally holding her hands in front of her, clutched, like a devious little mastermind), and cuts in with the speed of light: "Yeah, he doesn't listen and he chews on the furniture."

Mulder, as shown above, is tickled-- but he's more caught out than overjoyed, huffing out a "heh" noise before digging for his badge.

An Odd Moment That Portents More

An odd moment happens: Mulder is completely at ease in Karin's office until Scully makes a sarcastic remark ("You sure this woman's not an authority on bats?"), his mood shifting a little.

He jovially makes a "tsk" sound, and reaches out in a "c'mon, none of that" gesture that almost fully envelops an unsuspecting Scully in a hug. He gets as far as grasping both shoulders before his partner turtles up, tucking her chin in and going straight and stiff as a board.

Scully's expressions shift swiftly from shock to realization that Mulder never gets this grabby without a motive (having just gone through an entire touchy-feely case where Mulder sort of used her as a cuddly prop to forward his sneaky motives.) Cynicism creeps in, and she begins to suspect that he has something to hide, searching through the room in earnest and starting to nail him down about "this expert."

Mulder, meanwhile, is not reading the room-- ironic, yes-- coasting through life unbothered while keeping crucial information back form Scully to determine her either way (which ends up shooting himself in the foot, because Scully's first impression of Karin is not a positive one.)

When Scully finds out he knew more about Karin than he initially let on, she is even more suspicious and not at all pleased... and Mulder knows he's in the doghouse (heheheh.)

THIS explains his weird arm grab earlier: Mulder knows Scully is viciously jealous, personally and professionally; and had tried to detour Scully from getting snippy about his new friend-- wanting his partner to trust and get along with her, a social outcast and someone he is already protective of. We saw how his last "friendship" shook out with Diana Fowley (not to mention his former collaborations with very helpful women in the field, i.e. Detective White in Syzygy and Bambi Berenbaum in War of the Coprophages); and this seems to be a redemption attempt on his part. A "see? I can make good friends-- I'm a good judge of character" mea culpa.

Mulder had even read Karin's books before even meeting her (an interesting parallel to reading Scully's thesis in the Pilot); but Scully is pleased when Mulder answers her "Better than human??" sniff over Karin's book with "She's not a real people person", giving her hope that this lady will be a very disinterested professional. She saunters away, playfulness restored (for now.)

Mulder is fidgety, holding something back; but the full jig is up when Scully finds Karin's 'I Want To Believe' poster.

"Well, she seems to have made a connection to you."

Karin now enters, not noticing Mulder's handwave at first. Then Mulder does something here he usually never does willingly:

"Karin? I'm Fox."

He's says it gently, establishing this is how they'd forged a connection between them; and Scully, savvy as she is, recognizes this and doesn't draw any attention to it. But still. (Not only did she have to content with Dr. Bambi and Fox, but now she has to contend with canid enthusiast Karin and Fox.)

Mulder is genuinely enthusiastic-- "Nice to finally meet you"-- sticking out his hand again with sparkling eyes (ala meeting his hero in Space.) Scully is... less enthusiastic.

When Karin realizes Mulder had come to consult her she asks, "Is there any other reason you came here?" It's sad when you consider her advanced illness and desperate wish for a loving-- or any-- human connection before her death; but this is Mulder pre-The Unnatural: everything is buried in work with no time for socializing.

Scully catches all of this, of course, without any of the context. She knows there is more going on, firmly pressing Mulder on the "friend" claim when Berquist leaves the room.

He admits that he and Karin met online; and Scully pauses, making sure her subtext meaning is clear: "Online."

Mulder catches it and closes his eyes, frustrated he'd fallen right into this pitfall. He firmly insists, "Two professionals exchanging information." Scully knows he's being honest... so that only leaves Karin's motive unexplored. And from what she's already seen of her (antisocial, not a people person) it's very unlikely that this woman's motives would extend only to professional interest.

Another murder, another crime scene.

Another Karin Berquist sighting, another opportunity for jealousy and suspicion.

Scully sees her coming and excuses herself-- "I don't think wolf woman is here to see me, so I'll..."-- not above giving the two "friends" some alone time (which reminds me of Mulder's "Don't say I didn't do nothing fer yeh", though it's a bit of a stretch.) She still tags along with Mulder back to the dog ranch where the three do some research, keeping her grouchy feelings in check until she sees proof positive that Karin is, indeed, amorous for her partner.

Scully then begins to grill Karin on her shift in opinions on the case (Mulder watching their pin-pong match with interest in both ideas), rolling her eyes at Berquist's assertion she's "just going by the facts."

When Karin explains the Chinese myth pertinent to the case, ending with the statement "...capable of opening doors, stealing wives, and disappearing into thin air. Maybe there is some basis in reality for this trickster myth", Scully snidely follows up with a pointed "Oh, I'm... fairly certain there is" while looking from Karin to Mulder, which earns her a measured look from Mulder. Scully turns from her waspish mood and this discussion, mocking the idea internally and recovering some of her former mood as she steps to the car.

Mulder follows her out, not irritated so much as confused; and his question-- "Everything okay, Scully?"-- sets her off.

"How well do you know this woman, Mulder?"

"How well do you know anybody you meet on the internet? She likes to talk."

Scully is appeased by his rationality, stepping back a little from her emphatic (read: aggravated) interrogation: "Well, I question her motives."

Mulder divines her interpretation, flattered but dismissive when he asks: "Are you suggesting that this case was the way to get me out here to meet me?" Off of Scully's confirming-but-not-admitting expression, he responds, "I'm flattered but, uh--" and does a little, flattered head shake.

He insists that Karin didn't kill a bunch of people to draw him to her; but Scully insists that "She's enamored of you, Mulder. Don't underestimate a woman. They can be tricksters, too."

Mulder's not buying it.

Two interesting things:

#1. A rather dark line of thinking for Scully, who would tie even extreme acts of violence to the lengths a woman would go to win Mulder's love or even his attention. This will ring more and more true in Milagro as it exposes Scully's desperation to be the center of his attention, too.

#2. Scully is alluding to this moment, yes; but more broadly, Diana Fowley lies right behind them with her treachery and cunning. Scully knows that her partner is easily manipulated, but it wasn't until the Fowley arc that she realized how much Mulder will believe on hopeful faith and blind loyalty. Since then, she's become his aggressive guardian. This will be immensely important in Part II.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

#txf #x-files #xfiles #the x files #Vibing and Internet Wive-ing #Alpha In-Depth #Part I #analysis #Alpha #S6 #Mulder #Scully #relationship #Karin Berquist #meta #xf meta #In-Depth #Diana Fowley #mine

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sarnai4 · 2 months

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Facial Expressions

As a quick thought (and spoiler alert), I love how the facial expressions Dagur has. I mean, I can almost play a game of looking at random pictures or gifs of him and trying to guess if he's good or bad. Like this:

He's good here🤣. I wish I had a gif of right before he shoved this poor man in the chicken seed because he was so into that moment. Or may I present:

I legitimately couldn't even figure out which episode this was because I kept searching for Season 1 and 2 episodes where he had a spear. No one would've convinced me that this 😈face came from redeemed Dagur. I had to watch it for myself, but this is him about to spar against Mala. He looks like someone's about to die. And then you have this cute moment:

Too bad he would've happily gutted anyone of the Berkians immediately after being out of the hug. Bad Dagur shouldn't be allowed to have cute moments. It's confusing. He's still my favorite hero and villain, but it makes me feel like I need to be redeemed if I'm "aw"ing the evil times. Last one. I promise.

He looks so calm! It's deceiving! This is the same episode where he howls at the moon and tries to kill Toothless. I think the only time he ever looks this calm and at peace again is when he's looking at Heather right before he tries to sacrifice himself. He'd just accepted that death was okay if it kept his little sis alive😭. I should try to play this game with someone who's never seen the show. If any of you try, please share the results because I'd love to see them.

#HTTYD #Dagur #Dagur's face specifically #Only character who can go through every single expression too since he's been bad and good #He'll give you a silly face to make you laugh then scare the trash out of you #Darn near impossible game to win

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nochi-quinn · 1 year

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legend of vox machina season 2 episode 3: the sunken tomb OR

turns out it was actually time to eat. NOW it's time to cry.

"your offerings grow ever smaller" that's what happens when you EAT EVERYTHING

GOD lance reddick is a scary motherfucker

skipping the intro is a war crime

pike :(

"emon was the first place that accepted us" and banned you from all of its bars

I know this is vax being overly cautious but also do NONE of you know well enough to check the ice first

(does vax have bad vibes bc he keeps seeing the raven queen)

"a BIRD? how does THAT help??"

matching twinsie faces again

"what the shit just grabbed me" mirelurk king

"we're just full of secrets" mala: that's why her horns are so big

backstory campfire time

I need people who haven't watched the stream to know that this was the exact reaction they had to the name in real life. like these are direct quotes.

that has to be the deck of many things, right

BEARD

I had to explain to my roommate why it was a big deal that grog got a beard lmao

"do not go far from me" lays in the floor and cries about it

fuck syldor, all my homies hate syldor

"of course you and your diluted brother know nothing of elven culture" AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT

"I'm not great with water yet" [violent flashbacks to kraken fight]

"uh beadie, this one's a pull" fucking doors

"FOUND A TRAP"

kash stop flirting with keyleth she has anxiety

(stop flirting with keyleth it makes vax sad)

baby_vax.exe has stopped working

is there still gonna be a beholder down here somwhere

mirelurks

"more adaro" right, mirelurks

I like that pike can summon and dismiss her armor, that would have helped in the campaign

(clank clank clank clank)

grog just rage-growing his beard back

vex be a lesbian later

trinket as a war mount

hey grog. grog you okay buddy.

vax threw that dagger as soon as he stepped in the room

confirm target, we don't know her

this copyright-avoidant version of wipeout

"yep, he fell off"

"where are kash and zahra, we can't leave without them" are you sure about that

and then the temple ate them and they were never heard from again

vax is actually justified here, they have nearly died to six different traps

grog slooooowly reaching for the button

vax: everybody STOP FUCKING MOVING

pickle :D

percy no

percy No

vex no

vex you don't know shit about checking for traps

or magic

you can't even remember to do hunter's mark

her ears twitched when she heard vax, thank you animators for my life

quoth my original liveblog: DEATH IN DEATH GOD TEMPLE DON'T GOOD

the animation bump specifically for vex's lifeless face, thanks for that

I know what's gonna happen and this is still a mean cliffhanger

this is exactly why they made this episode 3, bc matt loves a fucking cliffhanger

#crititag #lovmtag #critical role #the legend of vox machina #liveblog #reaction post #spoilers

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baronessblixen · 1 year

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Hi Anika! What are your top 10 or top 20 favorite TXF episodes? If you have time, maybe you can briefly say why you like them? I love hearing your thoughts.

Hi anon! There are so many good episodes. I have a few core favorites and a few that seem to change around a bit. They're in no particular order - and my thoughts are basically "Mulder and Scully are hot/cute/adorable" 😁

The Pine Bluff Variant - it's so good. I feel like it's underrated. Mulder trying to keep a secret from Scully! Mulder running! Scully setting his finger! Her following him!! It also has the whole "evil government" aspect to it.

Wetwired - another underrated episode! It's a monster-of-the-week episode but with mytharc elements. Scully being affected and becoming paranoid is amazing. And Mrs. Scully is in the episode too, of course!

Bad Blood - I mean that's a given, right? I like the comedy of it and I love the whole he said/she said spiel. It's a very fun episode.

Rain King - another fun episode. As a huge rom-com fan this one has to make my list. It's cute. I love Mulder and Scully being mistaken for a couple by *everyone*. Not to mention the room sharing and Scully's speech.

Pilot - I think this episode sets the show up so well. Mulder and Scully as baby agents meeting for the first time and bonding and clashing immediately. What's not to love?

Redux 2: I can't tell you why I love this episode so much. Or the whole three parter really. All I know is that for a while when I was a kid I watched it almost daily. It's Mulder crying at her hospital bed and both of them fighting their own fight and Scully going into remission.

Colony/End Game - I often forget about this episode but the mytharc in the early seasons was really good. Fake Mulder hurting Scully and then real Mulder choosing Scully over (fake) Samantha is so much drama and I LOVE it. The whole Mulder and his family part is heartbreaking.

Anasazi/The Blessing Way/Paper Clip - I cannot tear these episodes apart. They belong together. From Mulder being drugged to Scully shooting him and driving gim across country, being a total badass, to thinking he died and then losing her sister. There's so much here.

Squeeze - I just enjoy season one so much. They're all comfort episodes to me (except Space. That episode can fuck off). I love the case, I love Scully's answer when Colton asks her whose side she's on. Scully saying Mulder is territorial. I know it's not a two-parter per se, but I have to mention Tooms here, too, cause technically I like that one even better (that MSR moment in the car alone!).

Memento Mori - it's as heartbreaking as it is brilliant. Gillian is amazing in it and Scully choosing to fight is everything to me. As is that hug at the end. And Mulder watching her walk away. That one's just sad.

Demons - one of my absolute favorites. Yes, psrt of it is Mulder being a burrito at the beginning and him being insanely hot in jeans and a white t-shirt. But I also like seeing how far he's willing to go for this quest. Scully being worried sick (and she IS sick in late season 4 😭) is a bonus.

Je Souhaite - another fun episode. No one is dying. Well, Anson Stokes dies, but he doesn't count. Scully and her invisible man are so precious. The ending of course. Mulder being a sweetie, asking for world peace and then looking for Scully.

Detour - I love the case and suspense with person after person going missing. The beginning with them and the other two agents in the car is so funny. The singing of course and the whole raining sleeping bags thing. My personal favorite though is Mulder jumping into that hole to be with Scully.

I'm gonna stop here and do a few honorable mentions: The Jersey Devil, Dreamland 1+2, Jose Chung's From Outer Space, Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose, War of the Coprophages, Ice, Pusher(!) and Aqua Mala.

This got long. This show has way too many good episodes! I know I forgot several that I love.

#lovely anons #i also didn't count how many those are #my thoughts are not profound #actually i have no thoughts #i just like things or don't haha

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grumpy-zane · 6 months

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(( Watched all of Ice chapter for the world building. got a little derailed, but kept to it for the most part. Here are my observations below:

Episode 1

Heavily mountainous, and snowy. High elevation, yet no icebergs.

layer of clouds, presumably blocking out the sun?

HEXAGONAL FORMATIONS, meaning Basaltic. AKA: highly volcanic.

Trees have a root structure akin to mangrove trees. Perhaps it was marshland beneath the freeze?

Wolves are dark. The marshland must also be pretty dark, they have not adapted their coat to match the camo of the snow

The inhabitants have blue garb with Red highlights. Foliage or perhaps shell-based dyes? Trade?

Live in a place surrounded by mountains, with a large pond inside. Caldera?? very large caldera?

Dark ice is sort of like mirrors.

Episode 2

Pass from the lake village to the castle, called 'mala-wojira', or Wojira's Wrath. Culturally believed that she is the one that causes avalanches. The place is highly reactive to noise/motion.

The sun is not fully blocked, at least when it is setting. Therefore, the clouds are only overhead but not too far wide.

Clouds not present at night.

people made of ice fully, some just mind controlled. ice controlled. very funny.

Episode 3

'There can be no ice without water' WRONG, Solid Nitrogen GO

I love Nya's temper. hwaaaa. She and Kai both hate being dead weight

Not all inhabitants of the realm are formlings, in fact there's some worry that they are cursed, or at least the formling village vex came from. -The magic ice can spread from those who are under its spell to non-cursed

Episode 4

UV being a fan of Lou is very funny, yet I am sure she is not the only one.

Fugi-dove's first appearance.

Kais eyes are more yellow than Nyas. Coles eyes are grey or black? hard to tell. Jays are blue ofc.

Pixal is OP.

Episode 5

Giant bird is part of the normal fauna of the realm.

Zane making note that he feels as though he has been there for quite some time, though this may allude that he was not the emperor for very long. However, this contradicts the idea that the village lady planted, in that its been cold for a stupid long time. (Decades)

Episode 6

Cole your anxiety dreams… This seems to be something he has normally. :(

THATS A LARGE TOOTHBRUSH. Jay by far must have the best dental hygiene.

Nyas struggle answers an interesting question, in that understanding similar elements is a thing that's inherently hard.

It is known in the village that travelers occasional 'stop by' and get leaves from the travelers tree to leave. This may be why they aren't so inquisitive of their sudden appearance.

It takes the wind out of Cole to do some terraforming.

Episode 7

CRAIG. ohh my god the flowers on the burial mounds probably are where the blue dye comes from.

There's small little crab apple looking things in the realm. They smell bad.

The Ice samurai have hunted the Craig species for sport. The Craig Species is an herbivorous fauna.

Travelers Tree. it creates its own heat, as well as being in a place far above the cloud line. needs Regular sunlight. Flowers are buttercup shaped, and the apple-like fruits come from it. Presumably, the tree also smells bad. I don't know why the tea is made of flower pedals, you tell me. Floral Tea I suppose.

Episode 8

'Legion of Grimfax', named after the captain. the legions are divided by generals. Assumedly, there's only one?

There are still no glaciers. There's a lot of frozen bodies of water. I have to assume that it rains a lot, or did rain a lot at some point, which also explains the marshland further down.

The shape of the rock construct is very similar to the shape of the Guardian in the Birchwood forest. Also made of Basalt.

Episode 9

Apples are native to the realm.

Chickens, bears, falcons, wolves, elk, Rabbits. (Formling types)

Vex' failure to find his animal form was 'a long time ago'. Perhaps Zane really wasn't the ice emperor for too long, due to Vex just being kind of the only icified guy. If the natural state of winter in the never realm allows for greenery, then it must not be a super cold winter.

Formling ritual includes a travel in silence, as well as a chase to ones own animal. It's granted to the formling once said formling catches their animal. Perhaps Vex did not catch his, it probably didnt show up for he is 'not worthy'. The Ritual also seems to only occur in the winter(?)

There is a type of purple berry as flora as well, in the form of a bush.

Boreas is the one who doomed the formlings. It is good to note that the ice does not kill, but freezes.

Zane and Vex did not have an army until recently it seems. He and Vex brough boreas, but no others.

Episode 10

There are a lot of large ribcages. What large fauna have been killed? large quadropeds of some sort?

The castle probably existed long before Zane inhabited it. I wonder who made it in the past?

Episode 11

The Realm tea opening to Chima Beavers. Mystake made the travelers tea recipe.

Very interesting that tea leaves open to any realm. First Realm, Chima, Underworld, Cloud Kingdom, Departed Realm.

THE DEPARTED REALM!!! Its Green and dark, perhaps the preeminent's existence there has warped parts of it.

Speaking of the Preeminent, she appears to have the whole realm inside of her. When she died, she appeared in the departed realm, though is still the embodiment of the cursed realm. Is she smaller than she was before?

Episode 12

The castle is the king of the realm(?) the samurai are clad in Red.

Zane seems surprisingly level headed when using the scroll. However, he seemed to struggle slightly to put it down.

Zanes 'I feel like I have been here a long time' does not make sense given how quickly he just spawned in the realm, but perhaps he is temporally displaced and is feeling the effects of said displacement.

Episode 13

Zane seems rather adamant on not killing. Its strange that his ice isn't killing.

Corrupted Ice behaves like Vengestone. Perhaps Vengestone is Corrupted Earth.

The Ice samurai are not fully 'evil', or rather fully mind controlled. At least, not the general.

Episode 14

'Lava Zombies' the name of an old arcade game made my Milton Dyer

Craig is 8 ft tall.

Zane spends a lot of time sleeping. perhaps constantly using his element is doing a number on him.

Episode 15

the berries are more potent than the tea leaves.

#ninjago #ns11 #stuff to think about. I feel like it could be cool of the area was more volcanically active #mun rambles

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rosiethedragongeek · 1 year

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Hey I have thoughts, as someone who doesn’t really care for Viggo and found triple cross disappointing: here’s how I think it could’ve been done otherwise. - If throughout the episode they showed snapshots of Viggo and the dragon that saved him, literal snapshots I mean like 2 second clips spread out sporadically across the episode, where in each one we can see him slowly changing and getting closer with the dragon. + when the episode ends, it closes on one final clip that’s a little longer, like 10 seconds maybe that is idk him settling against the dragon that saved him or something, looking at a sunset or alternatively it’s just him patting the skrill, right before he goes off and dies. I think that would’ve been cool.

now you may wonder why I’m suggesting all this, and it’s simply cause I don’t get the deal with viggo and especially not with that episode. It’s probably just personal preference but I don’t see why so many people love him? Idk that might just be me. If you would like, I’d love to hear your thoughts on him and why people like him so much, cause I’m genuinely just confused cause from my corner it seems everyone’s obsessed with him and like. I think he’s cool, and I loved his drive and villainy, but I can’t tell what it is that people cling to him for? Cause I see a lot of people who like to think about it viggo lives/post redemption but again I just don’t see the appeal. I’m really sorry if I come across as negative, it’s not my intention I’m just genuinely confused and would like to hear others’ thoughts. Also I haven’t watched triple cross in several months now so idk my idea would even flow with the episode but it’s cool I think? Here’s just this mess of me rambling words are difficult yknow

Okay, so I agree with what you said about seeing Viggo slowly bonding with that monstrous nightmare. After Dagur's very long and satisfying redemption arc where we see him slowly learn to care for others (starting with Heather and slowly branching out to the other riders and eventually Mala), and eventually learning to respect and even love dragons to the point where he finds himself on the exact opposite side of the conflict that he has been wrapped up in since he was a child.

After all of that, Viggo's redemption arc was just a little underwhelming. I wish it had been dragged out a little longer. The 2 second clips would have been a great way to do that, but I would have liked a whole episode dedicated to Viggo telling Hiccup about what happened to him after Johann trapped him in the cave with a bunch of flashback scenes showing us exactly what happened. And even after that, little moments where we can see Viggo learning and changing in real time.

I love Viggo a lot, and I can definitely think of a few specific mutuals who really love Viggo. I think he really stands out because he's such a good adversary for Hiccup. More than any other villain in the series imo he makes Hiccup think. We see Hiccup suffer some pretty heavy losses, and feel intense grief or anger, all because of Viggo.

This is partially attributed to the fact that the shows have more time to spend on this sort of thing, but I can't see Drago creating this kind of conflict. Maybe Grimmel but most of Grimmel's moves were centered around Toothless and not getting inside Hiccup's head (I feel)

He sorta challenges Hiccup in a way that we haven't seen before or since.

Pair his intense intellect and strategy with the voice and the very composed attitude and he's a lot of fun to watch, especially when he's bouncing off of Hiccup's sarcasm and dry humor.

Given all of this and the fact that he's been shown to be willing to change and adjust his very established worldview based off of his experiences, I just really like him lol

#this is kinda ramble-y #and idk if i did a very good job explaining why i like him so much #sorry lol #viggo #viggo grimborn #viggo httyd #viggo rtte #how to train your dragon #race to the edge #httyd #rtte #rosie's httyd brainrot #thank you for the ask <3

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nnmarudkar · 1 year

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Jubilee

First thing first, Jubilee shows you the realism of the Bombay talkies era with an interval by building huge and royal studios, cinema reels, crew chairs, hand painted posters, an ambitious producer with business acumen, smoking pipe, outfits, and so much more. The series in itself is quite symbolic for the purpose of depicting the golden era. Yes, I call it a golden era. I read the show is pretty much inspired by the life of Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani. Let’s kickstart.

Praise worthy angles from the entire series that are responsible for the story:

Blazing journeys of 5 characters Roy, Binod, Jay, Niloufer, Walia

The unparalleled fate of 2 studios Khanna studio and Roy studio

The transformations, transitions, and evolving cinema with a blend of crime, love, conspiracy and fame.

Beginning, Rise and Fall

It is commendable to see how the makers combined the most essential attributes of the black and white cinema - Dialogues, Music, Drama and great frames.

The 3 compelling dialogues that summarize Cinema which are crafted beautifully in the film with the scene,

'Power is within this weapon of cinema.'

'Cinema can raise a level by giving the audience a taste of poetry, photography, music and aspirations.'

'Cinema can empower people.'

Let us put the stars on the shoulders of the team. Vikramaditya Motawane, Atul Sabharwal and Soumik Sen are the names. I should say, a gorgeous job on the series by all the teams.

Supposedly it has to be one of the most expensive projects as it costs a fortune to build a city entirely. Especially a city which used to look a certain way but not any more. It is bound to attract criticism, comparisons and judgements. Hence applause for the art department.

Moving to the title, Jubilee. Good one. The word Jubilee was significant in the non-bollywood era. It marked a big success of the film if it reaches Jubilee unlike the crore club where films are less than 2 stars but box office is 200 cr.

Vikramaditya Motawane has created a web series that is uncommon among current subjects. Lots of makers tried to recreate the golden era but most of them went unnoticed. I am fond of Khoya Khoya Chand for the infamous vintage era. However, reaching everybody through OTT through Jubilee with a 10 episode series of 50 minutes is a master thought. That breathing space to judge the success with an olden times ‘interval’ but of a week is outstanding. However, such a big risk.

Mentioning positives of the show to move with. It has a decent Star cast that is not very glittering and glam. Subtle and real. When you cut on the star factor you can actually see through the show and its potential. So I liked the cast to portray that era. Apararshakti Khurana as one of the leads is huge. Names to mention: Wamiqa Gabbi and Prosenjit Chatterjee. I am all praises for Wamiqa Gabbi. Simply Wow. She is a complete package of dance, acting, nakharas, ada and reality. An actress who very clearly takes you to the era of queens like Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, Nutan and the list goes on. She does not imitate anybody. Prosenjit Chatterjee, an innovative and ahead of his time producer who wants to make a mark but probably wishes to stick to what sells on screen with a traditional cinema perspective. The curiosity that both Roy and Niloufer go on building in their own way is really good. Sidhant Gupta’s energy matches the character’s but his acting felt an over-do at times. But when he walks as a star is one act you can’t miss but notice. It shows a mix of stardom and simplicity. Great work there. He is the Guru Dutt effect as a one man show with actor-director qualities. Aditi Rao Hydari is just being herself, a beauty. Ram Kapoor, Shweta Basu are names known for good acting just like that. All the supporting actors have done a celebrated job in their roles. Amazing to watch Arun Govil in a web series. The casting decisions are appreciable. The character Govil plays as a calm father is peaceful for the eyes and ears.

Music is magnificent. Thanks to Amit Trivedi for giving one more album that can be put on loop. The compositions of jubilee prove that even today a melody is possible with sensible ‘Hindi’ lyrics which are louder than the music and each word, chord and instrument is heard and worth a praise. Kudos to Amit Trivedi and Kausar Munir for creating songs that calm people like us can humm. My personal favourites are Voh Tere Mere Ishq, Dariyacha Raja, Na Koi Mera and Saare Ke Saare Akele. Rest you would not like to skip as well. It has the sound of the period it belongs to. The lyrics bear to our usual spoken Hindi language - simple and understood. I can’t put this more straight. Those days were about melody and dialogues that hit the audience.

Dialogues as expected are filled with drama and conviction.

Favourite frame from the series is Jay and Nilo sitting on the road drenched in the rain in front of a theatre under the poster of Baiju Awara. Splendid! You do not have to show intimacy by stripping down and making love. Sometimes it's just the way you sketch love on screen. Quite a romantic frame. Other Mesmerizing frames:

Binod first in front of the fire that also marks the end frame of Roy in front of fire.

Sumitra sitting in front of the mirror in the train.

Roy, sitting in his private screening theatre, calls the man to project the reel.

Jay Khanna in his own studio on the first day against the Taxi cut out.

The last shot of Roy studio with lights dimming symbolizing the fall.

Jay Khanna’s cabin with Taxi Driver Poster of Jay and Nilo.

And the favourite of many, the RK inspired Jay and Niloufer umbrella scene.

I am glad to see one series with no skin show, no kissing at every alternate shot and most importantly close to no violence. Every other show today is either lust or violence with litres of blood flowing. This series is like detox.

Some curiosity creeps in. Was Phone tapping really a thing? Would the show not be as captivating as it was if tapping was not a part of the show? Mysterious.

Coming to an end resembles a Guru Dutt film with a song like Dekhi Zamane ki Yaari. Saare ke Saare Akele went on flipping pages and how heartbreaking every page was!

Looking at Jubilee overall,

What’s remarkable is the tragic ending given to all the characters like most of the yesteryear actors saw. It is not a fictitious act of drama. We have heard stories where either people disappeared from the industry or their demise was not a very pleasant one or some love stories were not as happy as their film’s or their stardom just vanished with a flop. I admire the way fiction was weaved with the inside stories from the film industry. But across 10 episodes we saw a lot of screen time invested in long pauses. Not sure why the typical fame was not shown like ordinary fans gathering around Madan or crowds at the red carpets of premieres. No premieres at all actually. But the pre-independence period, partition and its effect on the cinema industry was precisely connected. The makers very smartly keep awards at bay as filmfare started in 1954 and this story wraps up by 1953. Also, the details that were very well shown were salaried crew, technicians and even actors associated with the studio, the refugee camps, international interventions and the editing on negatives of the reel. What is incredible to see is the grey shade every character gets with situations. It's meticulous writing.

All the characters had a closure but I wonder what happened to Shamsher Walia.

I was waiting for the last ‘The End’ or ‘समाप्त’ after we saw Interval post the 1st batch of 5 episodes. But that did not come. Another season in making? Giving benefit of doubt as the glorious era of cinema has just started in Jubilee. But I must say first is the only first. What follows is to piggyback on the popularity of last success. It loses its charm. I hope the makers continue the legacy if they plan seasons.

To end this I would say Jubilee gives you the pictorial version of the tales and accounts narrated by the legends and insiders. I will not deny that the series seems stretched or sluggish at times but I think establishing the actors and an entire past generation will take its own time.

Jubilee is a must watch for people who believe in the essence of cinema and Hindi film industry of yesterday. It is for obsessed film lovers who have not yet fallen prey to Bollywood’s faux stardom.

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