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historyunveiled · 18 days

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Skavau

You can be an Evangelical Christian and still be a Leftist. Also, the SNP are still regarded as leaning left

No not all opposition in the Uk is banned. Yet. But their policies on free speech have slowly but surely been leading to erosion, e.g. the police visiing that guy to 'check his thinking' or that community officer harassing a woman praying silently outside an abortion clinic.

I did browse the Community. I stand by what I said. Communists are in the wrong plain and simple. it is naive to say they hate Stalin and what he stands for when they would inevitably wind up in the same place as him. Communism cannot and has never worked because it is anethma to human nature. it has been tried multiple times in multiple different time periods in multiple different cultures and always generates the same results. That sub is a glorified 'that wasn't real Communism' statement. You can literally never implement Communism without winding up with Stalinism. Communists NEVER intend to start out that way but they ALWAYS wind up there no matter what because the ideology is rotten at its core, in part because it is utopian.

I linked you an entire video outlining how Hollywood has a long history with Communism/marxism. Hollywood is pushing identity politics which is modern day Marxism. So there is every reason to believe this claim.

The faction of the Democrats currently in power do not lean right. They are leftists. Again, leftist doesn't = left wing people, let alone moderates.

You are being elitist again and also your statement doesn't line up with what I said at all. Putting aside how Drinker is speaking to mainstream sensibilities and shockingly finding an audience amongst mainstream audience, my investment in superheroes has nothing to do with a limited consumption and you would have known that based upon my statements.

My love of superhero fiction has been a life long thing even when superheroes were NOT mainstream. I also outlined how I like Japanese and British superheores, neither of which are or were mainstream in America or the UK. Judge Dredd is not mainstream. Captain britian is not mainstream. I loved Deadpool in the early 2000s when most people had no idea who he was. I watched the 1991 Super Sentai season in 2021, the season immediately pre-dating the season that became Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I watched Cutey Honey F last year and got into Sailor Moon in 2010, a show that came and went within a year or 2 in the UK. But my first love in superhero fiction has been Marvel. I even disliked Infinity War because of changes made to Thanos from the comics. I was one of the minority of people who popped when I saw Thanos in Avengers 2012 because I was one of the minority of global audiences who knew who he was.

I have always and I will always love superhero fiction, so inevitably i am invested in the status of the MCU. As for Drinker, I know he is a far cry from me on this front but it is again elitist to chastise him for covering that stuff when most of the world is interested in it. And the reason they are interested is because superheroes, when done right, have broad universal appeal because they speak to the human condition in a fundamental way, particularly if you are a child. Therefore when done right they inevitably gain mainstream traction.

“And yet the USA is currently governed by the Democrats, who aren't communists,”

Then why are they embracing of identity politics? Why have they discriminated based upon immutable characteristics? Because there are clear cut Commie sensibilities within the Democrats.

Also you keep mistaking the term instittuon for government. The government is A institution but not the only one. Universities are another institution. Hollywood yet another. I’ve already explained this.

“who have isolated their left-flank,”

Left wing doesn’t = leftist.

“And they're currently on a path to lose all 3 chambers of government in November.”

Yes, because their leftist, highly identitarian policies have been widely unpopular. That doesn’t counterpoint what I’ve said. Communism is like a virus. It slowly spreads, it doesn’t just happen all at once.

“But yes, "woke" Hollywood apparently spreading communism is the problem.”

It is. It is a gigantic seismic problem, the one hope of which being that they are turning people off from it. But then Gen Z seem polarised, with Gen z females being very woke in general and gen z males gravitating towards toxic people like Andrew Tate. Which put you on a dangerous path of either getting Communism or fascism.

“Also it doesn't seem he's ever watched Dark, Black Sails, Mr. Robot, Altered Carbon (S01 was great). No record of Raised by Wolves (this guy like sci-fi or not?) or Foundation (which would probably at least partially annoy him, but it's still sci-fi). A quick search reveals he did watch The Expanse, so this stuff really should be on his radar. These are not niche shows. You can watch most of them just via Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV, HBO etc.”

And your arguments were flawed. See my other comment for more detail.

“How is it Labour would somehow prove to you that they've addressed their anti-semitism problem?

Are you genuinely upset about Labour because of some kid saying "comrade" in their conference?”

There are a varity of ways Labout could address their anti-semitism problem. One way would be to take a hardline stance against the recent crop of anti-semitism in the country, categorically condemn the projection of explicitely genocidal slognan ‘from the river to the sea’ onto Big Ben, pressure the Mayor of London to use the police to crackdown on stuff like the latter and take a hardline and outspoken stance against Islamists in the country since they are historically anti-semitic. All of which can be done regardless of any stances they might have for or against Israel.

Am I genuiney upset? More like concerned and worried. Pre-New Labour the Labour party had a red flag as their slogan. They were very much sympathetic to Communist ideology with many in the party being Communists unto themselves (which is largely why imo they struggled to win elections before they moved away from being as left as they were). So to see a young person doing something in line with Communists is highly concerning. It speaks to potential Communist tendencies amidst the up and coming generation of the party and possibly a general Communist faction within it. Additionally, Marxists have often allied themselves with Islamists as they share a common enemy (Western society) and this has been to the benefit of a rise in Islamism. Labour enjoy sizable support amongst the Muslim population. Whilst I believe (and I hope I am right) that most Muslim Britons are moderate and peaceful people, there obviously are Islamists amongst them, which may well have contributed to Labour’s anti-semitism problem. In other words, there is at least a very real possibility that Islamists are benefitting from the Labour party. The Mayor of London as a lawyer in fact defended a known Islamist in the 2000s when he was interned in an Egyptian prison and currently isn’t doing much to curtail anti-semitism at pro-palestine protests, the Big Ben projection being merely the largest example of this. So, even if he himself is not an Islamist, which I do not think he is, I think he inclined to be soft on them.

You’d get rid of said term by continually bringing up facts and scientific research to the contrary and trying to get as much attention for those as you can, along with campaigning for those to be taught in schools whilst the narrative supportive of the concept of transgenderism is removed from schools.

Quote of him saying yoga is satanic?

“He literally endorsed public executions, dude.”

America still endorses public executions. I don’t think it is an open and shut case that public executions are inherently a bad thing unless they are done as a form of entertainment in the public square.

“Also, no comment on him wanting to ban sexual reassignment or adults?”

??????????I did respond to that you yourself responded to my response.

But anyway, to elaborate it hinges upon a debate about whether believing your sex and gender don’t sync up is a mental illness and if it is does that compromise their ability to consent to such a surgery.

Hence why I am undecided. Personally, I think it is a mental illness and such surgeries are unhealthy but I also don’t know if it is a mental illness that comprimises your consent or if a surgery is a lesser evil or not because I do not know if such a mental condition has any effective long term treatment. In any case though, I personally would make a condition of such surgeries that the patient be over 25 as 25 is the age at which cognitive development has ‘finished’. This minimises the possibility that people may well have just been going through a phase and therefore make a life altering decision they’d later regret.

[citation needed]

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“No, you've asserted this. You haven't bothered to back it up.”

I linked to you a video where someone from the Soviet Union explained this.

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“Communist regimes lasted much longer (and were bigger with more influence and people under its umbrella), and thus had more time to persecute and oppress others.”

You realise this just proves my point. If they wound up as being bigger and wound up lasting longer then they had a wider pool of people across a wider point in time to oppress. You mistake is arguing it was a mere quirk of history which led there being more Communism than fascism when that isn’t the case. Communism tends to last longer and get independently adopted because it is the more immediately appealing idea on paper. Fascism is often but not always a response to Communism and that was a huge factor in Hitler's rise to power both domestically (Communism within Germany) and internationally (Britian and France viewed Hitler as a buffer against the Communism of the Soviet Union).

Additionally, I just double checked some figures via a quick conversation with my co-pilot AI. I asked it how many people did the Nazis kill between 1933-1945 (their time in power). It was 17 million approximately. I asked the same question of the USSR in the same time period, which obviously did not include the start of end of their regime. This number was over 35 million. So, the USSR on average were responsible for more deaths than the Nazis.

But lets break down the figures a bit more.

Between 1933-1945 the Nazis exterminated 17 million people across all the territory they controlled, meaning they killed on average 1.42 million people per year in that time period.

Meanwhile, as a result of the Holodomor in Ukraine, the USSR were responsible for over 7 million deaths between 1932-1933. This means the USSR in this mere 2 year time span killed 3.6 million people per year in this ONE piece of territory they controlled.

Between 1958-1962 15-55 million people died in China as a result of Mao's Great Leap forward. This means the CCP in a mere 4 year time span killed 3-11 million people per year.

So, it seems Communism didn't just kill more people because it lasted longer or was more influential. It was simply more lethal in general.

“But try telling people who lived through Argentina, Taiwan, South Korea (when they were fascist-adjacent), Brazil, Spain, Italy, Nazi Germany, etc that "communism is just as bad).”

That is an imbecilic metric for various reasons. First of all you could simply flip that statement to be telling people who lived through/are living through Venuzuela, various African countries that swallowed the socialism kool aid, South Korea (when they became Commuist), the USSR, China, Vietnam and Cuba that fascism is just as bad. Second of all, people who lived through that are inevitably going to say fascism is worse because they haven’t necesarilly experienced Communism and their trauma will all but guarantee a bias towards fascism being worse, unless they have done historical research to educate themselves about communism.

“No, I'm saying you assume the very worst of the wider left-wing diaspora in the USA - claiming that the very worst of them represent all of them, and handwave away and dismiss right-wing theofascists”

I never said that. I am talking about Leftists. Leftists are a loud minority, but a minority who have captured powerful instutions and individuals. I never said left wing people as a whole. 15-20 years ago I was on the left wing. My views have changed but not overwhelmingly, but in the modern discourse I would be considered conservative.

Aditionally if I am dismissing them, it is only because they are in fact a minority with currently little power. Again, you are claiming things would be just as bad if not worse if this small minority suddenly got the reigns of power but they don’t, they haven’t gotten near those reigns in a very long time and it seems unlikely that they will any time soon. Lefitsts meanwhile have those reigns and the only avenue to check and balance them is to not vote for them whilst simultaneously not financially supporting them whilst simultaneously building parallel institutions altogether. So this minority ‘theofascists’ have a whole mountain to climb before they can supposedly implement evil policies whilst leftists are doing evil things right now.

“The current GOP house speaker, Mike Johnson, once endorsed banning gay sex (or maintaining the on-paper ban) in Texas. No comment on that?

Any thoughts about Project 2025 which plans to ban pornography and suggests that "transgender ideology" is a subset of it? I'd link you the document relevant, but it appears that it has gone private.”

I didn’t comment on that because I didn’t know about it until you brought it up. Am I supposed to know all things about everything or else you hold me in contempt? Ironically, this is very much in line with Leftist punitive behaviour. But, for the sake of argument lets unpack that. The current GOP speaker of the House wanted to ban gay sex in Texas. Lets steel man this to say he said this very recently, he still believes it and he wants to have it happen across the whole country. Okie dokie…he’d still need to go through the process of getting it into law which comes with checks and balances, so if other members of the party don’t align with him it could never happen. The President’s support would carry a lot of weight so if the president (Republican or Democrat) doesn’t support it that will make his agenda more difficult. At least a sizable chunk of the country would be opposed to it, meaning he risks damaging both his own career prospects and the GOP’s in general, meaning there might be more pressure for him to leave it alone. But even if it does pass into law, the next government to roll into power might disagree with it and therefore change the law to get rid of it. All the while, the vast majority of the mainstream media is all but guaranteed to be opposed to it and be pushing hard for it to not happen or for the law to change back.

Meanwhile, the faction of the Democrats currently in power are more aligned than not with the MSM, universities and ESG/DEI pushing institutions like Black Rock and the WEF, who are pushing for and actively implementing discriminatory policies and/or policies which make border security more difficult.

Yeah, I don’t agree with Project 2025 now that you have told me about it. But also, it is never going to happen. It is fundamentally impractical to try and ban pornography, much the same way prohibition didn’t work. In this sense it doesn’t really matter. But from a moralistic POV I can sort of see their POV. Whilst I myself have consumbed pornography there is a big problem of people under 18 accessing it and being negatively affected by it, which I attribute to poor sexual education, poor parenting and the stupidity of giving anyone under 16-18 smartphones.

However, it should be noted at least one pornography producer is on camera talking about making pornography, including trans porn, tailored to a young audience. Which is evil. Pornography shouldn’t be made FOR a child audience in mind. So, the idea that there is a connection between pornography and trans is tenuous to my knowledge but it it is entirely possible Project 25 were aware of this example and bought into it.

“100 years ago we arrested people for having gay sex.”

You are making the mistake of presuming society continuously gets better and more enlightened. It doesn’t. Societies attitudes can degrade as much as they can evolve. So you have to go case by case. Something believed long ago that we don’t believe now doesn’t mean we stopped believing in it because we realised it was wrong. We in the now can be wrong for no longer believing in it. Whilst I don’t agree about gay sex, I do think for example our immigration policies now are worse than they were 40 years ago. I think the standard of mathematical and historical education is infinitely worse now than 50 years ago. Your statements don’t address the specifics of the topic of executions.

“It wouldn't be a "de facto" ban. It would be a general ban.”

Fine. I misspoke.

“I also suspect strongly that Michael Knowles and Matt Walsh would endorse anti "LGBT propaganda" laws present in Russia that prohibit cultural and media content that positively depict LGBT people.”

Okay.

"He shouldn't be obliged to do anything, but what he is making commentary about modern TV. If he chooses to cherrypick modern TV, people will judge him for that. He mades definitive claims about the quality of modern TV yet has huge, obvious gaping holes in his knowledge base regarding it."

I am responding to this here because I am getting annoyed at jumping between pages

When specifically did he make huge sweeping statements about modern TV and what specifically did he say? It may well have been that he was making statements about the state of a particular genre or the handling of this stuff by big studios or handling of franchises in general.

“Can I ask, have you heard of Severance, Succession, Better Call Saul, The Bear, Altered Carbon etc?”

Yes. I call those exceptions that prove the rule (to an extent). Better Call Saul fell off when Laolo showed up and didn’t recover much until the last stretch of the final season when we saw Saul return to his old ways and get caught. Succession also lost its way mid way imo and Altered Carbon from my understanding fell off in season 2 which was 4 years ago, the first season being approximately 6 years ago. In other words, hardly relevant to the current state of the TV landscape that TCD would be commenting on.

“That to me suggests he has an agenda. ”

Couldn’t one just flip that around to say someone insisting he see everything has an agenda? What if he does see everything but comes to the same conclusions? Like in the context of this conversation, your condemnation of him in regards to his lack of TV knowledge is dependant upon your assessments of the quantity and quality of TV shows being accurate. In other words if on balance there are not many good tv shows/if the tv shows you are saying are good actually are not (at least in TCD’s opinion) then your argumentation about him having an agenda falls apart.

What if he is just calling it as he sees it basically? The tv shows he watches on balance speak to the general state TV landscape scaled to what he has seen? Like what is his agenda really when he calls most Star wars tv shows shit, but said Andor was good, said the Cleopatra Netflix thing was bad, but said Blue Eye Samurai was good, called Rings of Power bad but said Invincible was good?

I think he basically sees what he sees and calls it on its own whatever he feels it to be, making statements about the state of TV based upon what he has seen broadly. Is that necessarily accurate to the state of the industry? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. But then, no one can watch all of TV to even be in a position to say such a thing.

“You claim he focuses purely on the MCU, Star Wars and other franchise content because it's popular.”

But it is because it is popular that it is the media that is predominantly mainstream and therefore stuff most people are likely to see.

“Robyn Hood was none of that. It was a shitty local network TV show that he reviewed because it was a very easy opportunity to dunk on 'woke' content. That is called pandering to his base.”

It still garnered mainstream attention due to controversy. But lets say you are correct that he was pandering. Are you 100% pandering is the norm not the exception for him? The showrunner also got into beef with friends and associates of TCD and to an extent went after people like him, which I think makes it fair game for TCD and such people to respond by covering it.

I will also say, why is it bad for TCD to hypothetically pander by covering Robyn Hood when we consider the show itself existing as one gigantic pandering exercise?

I also don’t get why you put ‘woke’ in quotation marks. The show by any rationale metric was woke.

I’d also add that calling out something like Robyn Hood is just generally culturally useful. The show existed from a place of Neo/Cultural Marxism, which is to say identity politics, appropriating an iconic character and subverting it. It wasn’t merely shitty and cringe, but such a thing should be called out to make it less likely to happen in the future because it was in fact morally not okay to subvert it in that way. More poignantly, the morals the show was pushing, even if it had nothing to do with Robin Hood were frankly repugnant all on their own and should be called out.

“This is laughable. There have always been shit shows and films made. Robyn Hood was never an influential or major show of any kind.”

See above. It wasn’t merely shit. It was shit to a massive degree BECAUSE of the identity politics and socio-economic ideology it was pushing. 15 years ago I might have agreed with you, but when a show comes out and lioneses black people in an urban setting committing acts of breaking, entering and theft it isn’t just accidentally racist, but is subtextually supportive of things like the 2020 riots, Cultural Marxism, etc. At which point it deserves to be mocked and called out for the propaganda it was, regardless if it was unsuccessful.

“Yes, the controversy of grifters like TCD using it to appease their audience.”

He isn’t a grifter. The show was controversial because of the changes it made to the mythology and then the showrunner started a beef with HeelvsBabyFace which in turn got more attention.

If TCD was a grifter he’d cover exclusively woke content, but he doesn’t even cover ALL woke content.

“That would be sad.”

But that is the reality.

If I am being honest, ideally I’d want people to use reviews to learn something about a film or tv show after they already saw it. in other words go into it cold with an open mind and making their own decisions of it. that is not, nor has it ever been, how people utilise reviewers. I myself no longer even do that due to my funds and money being limited, and because most content is awful. Thus I look to reviewers whose tastes are close enough to my own to see if something might be worth my time. I saw Top Gun Maverick on Drinker’s recommendation and it was maybe the best movie I saw in 2022. I saw Everything Everywhere All at Once because of EFAP and was glad I did. If I had gone by trailers alone I’d have never seen either as they are not something that at face value appealed to me.

“I don't think this is elitism. I'm not slamming TCD for not watching Babylon Berlin. He ignores stuff that isn't obscure, and he crafts a fundamentally misleading image of the modern media climate.

And that's a shame because there's just so much more out there, and you really do not have to dig to find content that he ignores.”

Let me for the moment give you the benefit of the doubt and say you are not being elitist. Why are you thus engaging in bad faith and saying he deliberately ignores stuff in order to compose a misleading image? How do you know it isn’t simply a case of he has just not heard of/is uninterested in seeing certain films and TV shows and is therefore calling it as he sees it?* How can you say with absolute accuracy that he is behaving with malefic intent? How can you say with absolute accuracy that the shows you are claiming counter ‘his narrative’ (for the sake of argument, lets agree that this narrative is ‘most Hollywood output is badly crafted and woke’) are not badly crafted and are not woke? Or at least, would not be in the eyes of TCD?

Additionally, what if the type of stuff (including specific franchises) the Drinker covers are the things most people want to be good? What if most people WANT Star Wars and Marvel specifically to be good? Let me give you an example. I’m reading and getting a lot more out of manga these days than I got out of mainstream Marvel/DC comics from 2013-2020 (the most recent time period I was reading comics, having come out of a long break). This is because I despise what Marvel and DC have become. Do I like the manga I am reading on its own merits? Yes absolutely. But, would I want Marvel and DC to be good again? Yes I would. If they were good again would I be reading more of them than manga? Yes I would, because I have a longer and deeper emotional connection to them. So, there might be alternatives out there, but most people I’d argue want Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Marvel, DC, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, the Witcher, Halo and other historic franchises (many of which form indelible parts of our shared cultural heritage) to be good. I for example do not just feel sad that Marvel and DC are rotten now because I myself once loved them, I believe them to be our modern Western mythology. Thus if they are in a state of disrepair it at least says something about the state of Western society, if not being a demorallising state of affairs in its own right.

*What if he hasn’t seen Better Call Saul because he is uninterested in shows to do with the law, or regards it as a pointless exercise since it is a prequel, or because he never saw/was never interested in Breaking Bad? Why must it for sure be because he was deliberately ignoring it because otherwise it’d counter his narrative?

“In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) is a left social democratic[1] political party”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Scottish_National_Party#:~:text=In%20Scotland%2C%20the%20Scottish%20National,which%20campaigns%20for%20Scottish%20independence.

Ideology

Civic nationalism[3][4]

Scottish independence[5]

Social democracy[6][7][8][9]

Scottish nationalism[10][11][12][13]

Left-wing populism[14][15][16]

Regionalism[17][18]

Pro-Europeanism[19]

Political position

Centre-left[20][21]

“These are not new policies. It's mostly old legislation and overzealous local police. ”

Let’s say we agree the legislation and policies are not new. 20 years ago the police didn’t act the way they have been acting in the last 5+ years. Therefore, regardless of the age of the policies or legislation, the police have clearly changed their attitudes to those policies and legislation. Which goes to prove my point. These videos by former police officers are very enlightening on the subject:

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“What pathway of banning opposition to you expect is going to happen? How could this be done?”

By punishing people for exercising their rights to free speech, including when it comes to scientific facts or making jokes. That is how totalitarian or authoritarian regimes roll and it is typically done incrementally.

“r/tankiejerk is primarily comprised of anarcho-communists and libertarian communists.”

It is irrelevant. Communism by its inherent nature is a bad idea inherently incompatible with the human condition. This is true of the economic and other facets of the ideology, the exact configuration is irrelevant. Capitalism has proven itself across human history to be the most compatible economic system with the human condition. It is far from perfect and some configurations are more toxic than others. But it doesn’t inevitable result in societies like the various Communist nations of the past and today. Because Communism is incompatible with the human condition, one way or another, it is inevitable that the only way to get people to go along with the system is via violence.

In other words, tankjerk as a community boils down to ‘That wasn’t real Communism. Real Communism has never been tried.’, which is incredibly naïve:

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“You are welcome to have that debate with them, but the notion that all communists are just stalinists is just outright untrue.”

I wouldn’t waste my time trying to reverse their delusions/indoctrination. And you are missing my point. ALL configurations of Communism are bad because they all hinge upon a fundamentally anti-human ideology and therefore wind up in the same murderous place. Like, the Stalinist communists in the USSR didn’t start out as Salinists/tankies either. It was a gradual slide into that. A compromise here, another one there. Slowly, but surely you eventually find yourself agreeing those people needed to die via tank, and you might even be the one driving it.

“Identity politics has nothing to do with communism.”

Yes it does. Watch the videos I linked above that discuss exactly why they are essentially Communism with a make over.

“The notion that the US entertainment industry, one of the most profitable industries on earth is somehow pro-communism is beyond absurd.”

You are making the mistake of looking at Communism as a purely economic phenomenon. It isn’t. It is a larger socio/political/economic ideology. Marx’s economic conclusions and arguments hinged upon his particular (incorrect) reading of both history and by extension of the human condition.

Therefore, a group of people can be for profit, but still be ideologically in line with Communism, just not necessarily the economic aspect of it. Or else, they can have a mind towards getting to Communism’s economic end goal ‘eventually’. This was even true of Lenin, who implemented the ‘New Economic Policy’, which amounted to temporary capitalism. So whilst engaging in for profit economic activities might inherently disqualify you as a Communism in theory (that is to say, what Marx’s literal on paper theory was), in practice it doesn’t. Black Rock are clearly a for profit organisation, and yet they are pushing ESG and DEI (which is updated Marxism) very hard.

More poignantly, you should watch these videos which details Hollywood’s deeply Communist connections, the second one specifically calls out the myth of the so called Hollywood Witch Hunts:

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“No reason to believe this whatsoever.

AOC and the squad, for instance - do not control the Democrat party. Neither does Bernie Sanders.”

You know what, after doing some research last night I will concede on this point. Biden and Hillary Clinton are not Communists. But they have engaged in ID politics, which whether they realise it or not, is updated Marxism. But they wouldn’t be the first people to support something without realising it is Communist in its nature.

“Identity politics, in so much that it exists currently, is not communism. It's fundamentally embraced by the capitalist class.”

I already addressed this above and linked to stuff discussing why ID politics = Communism. I will be diplomatic to a degree and say maybe we are using the same words but not meaning the same thing. When I say Communist to be clear I am lumping Communists, Marxists and in particular Post-Modern Neo-Marxists together, I use the terms interchangeably, which is maybe a communication faux pas on my part. Post-Modern Neo-Marxism specifically is the root of ID politics.

Additionally, even if we presume one cannot be for profit and also Communist, theso called ‘capitalist class’ can buy into ID politics (and by extension postmodern Neo Marxism) as a slight of hand. ‘You don’t want to be racist/sexist/homophobic do you? You don’t want to alienate your customers/voters do you? Better embrace this ID politics stuff, which comes with equity and not juding people as individuals baked into the equation.”

“Affirmative action is not necessarily communism.”

Yes it is because it is by definition judging people by the group they belong to and not on their individual merits.

“I think we're getting into the realms of nonsense here. How are you distinguishing left-wing from leftist here?”

I already explained this many posts ago regarding what I mean when I use the term leftist.

“So much for them making a one-party state then.”

This doesn’t address my points. I said it slowly spreads. I never said we were already there.

“And no, identity politics/wokism =/= communism.”

I already addressed this above.

“Spreading identity politics in the sense of cringe depictions of women/ethnic minorities or raceswapping has nothing to do with communism.”

Yes it does because Communism is more than just an economic phenomenon. A massive component of Communism can be summed up as ‘anti-westernism’. Those cringe depictions subvert western societal foundations and values. Women as physically on par if not superior to men as warriors. Minorities as groups constantly supplementing to white people in the modern day. Subverting the traditional/iconic depictions of iconic characters. These are all hallmarks of the Communism playbook. You also absolutely didn’t discuss how wokism also encompasses demonised/undermined depictions of white people and masculinity.

“I said nothing specifically about your consumption”

Here is the (partial) chain of conversation that led to the above comment on your part:

You: “Hollywood are woke capitalists, if anything. The notion that what they do has anything to do with any kind of communist is beyond absurd. And their cultural relevance wanes every year anyway. Stop caring what the capeshit cinematic universe does. There's plenty of great content to watch from the USA, and elsewhere.”

Me: “I don't follow the MCU anymore beyond specific movies I am interested in (I will watch Deadpool 3) or movies I think will be so bad they will be funny, like Madam Web, Venom 3 or Kraven. That being said, I want more variety in films now, but I can't help still being sad at the decline. I have always loved superheroes (both American, British and Japanese and if they count the Greek mythological ones since I was a kid. As sad as I am about the MCU I am infinitely more sad about the destruction of Marvel and DC comics specifically. I am substituting that void with manga, anime and older movies and shows. But I don't really see what that has to do with our discussion.”

You: “More that you (and TCD) have a narrow palette of media consumption and make general observations about media based on that narrow observation.”

So, you told me to stop caring about the MCU (I despise the capeshit label btw, not least of all since barely any characters wear capes) and then accused me of having a narrow palette of media consumption. That is objectively you saying something about my media consumption and the fact you mentioned the MCU makes it specific. Therefore, you did in fact say something specifically about my consumption.

“I did ask you if you've heard of/watched Better Call Saul, Severance, Breaking Bad, Succession and The Bear.”

Answered above, but my comments in regards to superheroes would have made it clear what part of our conversation was being referenced.

“Do you like much outside of superhero fiction?”

Yes I do, unless you want to get pedantic about what does and does not constitute superhero fiction, e.g. does One Piece count as superhero fiction? Off the top of my head here are some things I am currently or have recently watched which would be difficult to catagorise as superhero fiction no matter what. Cowboy Bebop. Suzume. Alex Rider Season 3. Shogun. Schindler’s List. Lawrence of Arabia. Komi Can’t Communicate. Ford vs Ferrari. Boiling Point (film and TV series). The Sopranos (rewatch). The Offer. The Wolf of Wall Street. Heat.

But it is my first and primary love. I think about it every day. I have written essays about this or that to do with superheroes both broadly or more specifically (Spider-Man was my main area of knowledge) purely for fun.

“And much of that is kinda mainstream really (or was in certain time periods). Except maybe Captain Britain.”

No it isn’t/wasn’t when I got into it. Judge Dredd was not mainstream this year. Deadpool was categorically not mainstream circa 2003 in the UK. Who precisely in the UK or USA regarded Chojin Sentai Jetman as mainstream in 2021? It is debatable if Power Rangers in general is still mainstream in either market, but even if it is, Sentai is not and certainly not 30 year old Sentai.

Cutey Honey F is so NOT mainstream you have to work a bit to find English fansubs of it even on dodgy sites. Cutey Honey as a general brand has an at best debatable mainstream status in the USA, but in Britian it is leagues away from being mainstream even amidst the manga/anime scene here. Like you will be lucky to find merch of CH in your local Forbidden Planet or whatever, and of CHF specifically? Forget it. CHF might not have even been ‘mainstream’ in Japan at the time of its release given how the show lasted for less than a year.

Sailor Moon was NEVER mainstream in the UK. The brand crashed and burned over here. There was 0 anything about it even in the anime/manga scene in the UK except people just knowing OF it. So, far from mainstream in 2010 UK when I got into it.

So no. Those things are not ‘kinda mainstream’. They were all in fact in the context of the time and places I specified not mainstream at all, and apart from Deadpool and maybe Judge Dredd never have been.

“It's not that he covers it - it's because it's mostly all he covers. He ignores tons of media that implicitly contradicts the narrative he's trying to set.”

So I went on his channel just now and counted the total number of videos he has made going back 7 months. In total there were 61 videos.

Of those I then counted the videos that from their names or thumbnails fit the following criteria:

Featured a Marvel character

Featured a DC character

Featured an explicitly superhero character (so not something like One Piece or Godzilla x Kong which is at best debatable as a superhero brand, but is for sure not explicitly a superhero brand)

Featured a Star wars character, just to increase the difficulty curve even though based upon what you said really this shouldn’t count.

This criteria included videos specifically covering the stuff above but also stuff where they might have simply been mentioned or visually referenced, for example, the Drinker might have featured the MCU in a video talking about why modern movies suck in general. Which is giving your point of argumentation extra leniency.

Of the 61 videos the Critical Drinker has made in the last 7 months 25 of them fit the above criteria whilst 36 do not.

In other words, even being extremely flexible and generous with what counts as Drinker covering superheroes, less than 50% of his videos from the last 7 months have been about them. Which, by definition, means that of this time span, he has objectively been MOSTLY covering non-superhero things.

Which seems in fact to contradict your own narrative.

But on a deeper level, it is incredibly bad faith to simply presume TCD is trying to set a narrative at all and is deliberately ignoring ‘tons of media’ that allegedly goes against his narrative*. TCD has been shown to change his mind and even admit to being wrong at times, which is a weird thing to do if you are tyring to set a narrative. He gave a positive review to Ghostbustrs Afterlife, then in a later video said somewhat tangentially that he was maybe too soft on it, and with the latest film admitted he bought into what it was selling but believes it was bad. I don’t even agree with his views on the movies being bad, I think he was being too harsh, but this is contradictory behaviour if you are in fact a bad actor and trying to set a narrative. Wouldn’t it make more sense to either declare Afterlife bad in the first place or claim Frozen Empire was good, or that Afterlife was good but Frozen Empire wasn’t? It makes a lot more sense that he felt a certain way about the first movie and then organically just changed his mind, there was no narrative he was trying to push.

What even is the narrative he is going for? How does this media you speak of supposedly contradict it.

Lets for the sake of argument say his narrative is ‘Hollywood is bad now because of ID politics’. I am making a presumption that that is what YOU think his narrative to be, I admit. But, for the sae of argument lets say it is his narrative. His reviews of Across the Spider-Verse and Blue Eye Samurai would go against that since they are actually very diverse stories by the standards of ID politics but TCD liked them.

In other words, he just sees what he sees and reviews it, or reviews it if he wants to. Which is frankly a more organic way to go about things and is imo why so many people like him and similar such reviewers. They enjoy their authenticity.

“How were they flawed? Why is TCD cherrypicking media content?”

He isn’t. I already discussed this above more than once.

“BCS is one of the most highly regarded TV series of all time. ”

A piece of media’s popular perception doesn’t necessarily correlate to its true quality. Black Panther was incredibly highly regarded in 2018 but was objectively flawed in massive ways. The Force Awakens enjoyed a very positive critical and audience reception in 2015 but has since been revealed to have been awful.

“ So is Succession. They aren't my style of shows personally, but you berating them is very much "the world is wrong and I am right".”

Some things can be objectively evaluated. But when it comes to Succession I literally said ‘Succession also lost its way mid way imo’ So I’m not saying I am right and the world is wrong.

“And I could name many, many more shows with good reputations that TCD ignores that are more modern. Why does he ignore them?”

Again, having a good reputation and actually deserving it are not the same thing. As I said, TCD mainly covers movies vs TV shows and if I had to guess it is because he either likes movies more or movies are simply faster to watch than TV shows, some of which might run for seasons.

You are again presuming he is ‘ignoring’ these shows. Frankly, all the shows you mentioned are not the most discussed things in pop culture. Mega brands are. I’d also add that even something like Stranger things probably commands a bigger chunk of pop cultural attention than the shows you listed, not least of all because it is referencing stuff already familiar (ET, IT, etc). So, Drinker either doesn’t know about them or might be more interested in covering them. Indeed, if you are making statements about the state of the industry the biggest and most popular tv shows and films (specifically films) are a more pragmatic thing as they tend to epitomise the state of the industry precisely because they operate on its highest level.

“It did not get much attention. Grifters like TCD elevated it. The entire anti-woke youtube bloc elevated it and cried about it.”

Let’s say I am willing to be diplomatic and concede the ‘anti-woke’ YT bloc garnered attention for the show. Why was it wrong for them to cover it? The show was a piece of shit that should never have existed, not just because of bad craftmanship, but on a moralistic level it was wrong for them to have butchered Robin Hood the way they did.

Also I find the unironic use of the term Grifter rather cringe.

“Why don't you just check out IMDB and see what series are getting good feedback?”

Not only could that potentially give me spoilers, but I have no way of knowing if the variety of IMDB reviewers share my taste in films. Additionally, I have all too often found IMDB reviews to be bad frankly, either overating or underrating things.

“You don't need money to see what TV series are trending.”

In general I prefer to watch movies or when it comes to TV shows anime as animation is one of my favourite meidums.

“It's not hard to see what is going. What's truly sad is that, so far as I can see, TCD hasn't watched a single Apple TV show. And Apple TV is very much going for the HBO quality market right now. It also has a lot of sci-fi, which TCD claims to like: Constellation, Severance, Silo, Foundation, For All Mankind. He's watched none of it.”

What if he doesn’t have Apple Tv? What if he can’t afford it? What if he doesn’t regard it as value for money? What if he doesn’t like Apple on principle for some reason?

Consider, he has covered every MonsterVerse movie, but not the high profile TV show tie-in that is more in line with the MV movie he most respects, Godzilla 2014. This implies to me he just doesn’t have AppleTV

Frankly, it took the Monarch TV show to prompt me into temporarily getting Apple TV and I wasn’t all that impressed by either the show or its selection.

“He watched The Expanse. He loved the Expanse. He claims to be a sci-fi fan. I can name a ton of sci-fi that he hasn't watched. I simply don't believe he would have no interest in any of it. I”

Why does watching the Expanse whilst simultaneously claiming to be a sci-fi fan = you are a false fan for not watching these other things?

I’ve not seen the Expanse, so if I claim to be a sci-fi fan am I lying? What about all those sci-fi fans who existed before the Expanse was written?

Surely you can claim to be a fan of something but not have seen every installment of it, nor even the biggest examples. I am not going to blast someone for claiming their exposure to the genre is Invincible, the Boys and the DCAU movies. They are a superhero fan, their claim is sincere and accurate. I am not going to oblige them to read Stan Lee’s run on Spider-Man to qualify for the label.

It honestly sounds a lot like ‘No true Scotsman’ argument, which is ironic given the Drinker is literally Scottish.

“I can actually understand him not watching, for instance, Succession and BCS because he does gravitate towards speculative fiction (which they are not). But I don't get why he ignores a lot of highly-regarded sci-fi that he should, per his own standards, have good reason to think he'd enjoy.”

Because he might have genuinely not have heard about it or not have Apple TV. I also think you are exaggerating the degree to which he claims to be a sci-fi fan. Like yes he likes sci-fi, it isn’t as if he has claimed it is his numero uno beloved genre. The books he wrote, to my understanding, were more akin to James Bond than something clear cut sci-fi.

Shit, my favourite franchise/TV show is Doctor Who which is an iconic sci- fi franchise, but sci-fi is is not my favourite genre.

“With all due respect, most of these are basically kid/tween franchises (excluding Halo and Witcher). There's certainly a huge level of arrested development here. There's more to modern TV/film than franchise content.”

I will thank you not to make arm chair psychological assessments of me. As far as I can see you don’t have any psychology expertise in the first place. Moreover, it is redundant to say ‘with all due respect you have arrested development’. The insult negates the claim of respect.

But, to dive a bit deeper, you didn’t address my point. I am making a broad statement about society. What if most people want most of these things to be good, regardless of whether I personally do (I don’t actually care about the Witcher or Halo personally as I am not a gamer). You didn’t address that at all, but rather personalised your statements to me.

But, let’s say I was just talking about me for a second. There are many people much older than me who love and appreciate most of these franchises. Indeed, Marvel and DC comics haven’t been made particularly for kids or tweens for a very long time and I frankly wish they would be. This is besides the fact that, in most cases, these franchises speak to the larger human condition and can therefore be appreciated on different levels for different audience members.

Spider-Man, my favourite, was aimed at teens in the 1960s and I love those stories. But, he grew up to the point where in the 2000s there was an entire subplot dealing with the emotional entanglments of him separating from his wife and the pair working to repair their marriage. Hardly kid/tween aimed material. Lord of the Rings was never simply aimed at kids or tweens, indeed former Islamist maajid Nawaz spoke about how reading Lord of the Rings as an adult (after he had married and become a father) whilst imprisoned in Egypt was part of his journey in rejecting Islamism. Batman the Killing Joke is an iconic Batman comic book which is absolutely unsuitable for children. The first series of the revived Doctor Who in 2005 featured aliens that farted as an appeal to children, except the aliens wore the skin suits of politicians, meaning they also functioned as a scathing satire of New Labour only the adult audience members could appreciate. The major critique of modern Star Trek is in fact that it is incredibly immature, which rather hurts the idea that it was aimed at kids or tweens.

Finally, Disney in its prime had an ingenious business model of making films that were literally designed to be appreciated on multiple age levels. The idea being that children and their parents could enjoy the films together, and in turn the children could rediscover the movies as they age and see things in them they could not have before, whilst sharing them with their own children. This was also George Lucas’ mentality for Star Wars btw. Children would grow up and pass them down to their children.

The latter I think is particularly I think why myself and others feel a vested interest in these specific franchises being good. They are part of our cultural legacy and if they are good and can appeal to the next generation, then the positive things they represent can in turn be passed on too. Which is why them being bad, and being bad in particular due to subversion, is a major point of contention

So, I do not think at all this is a matter of arrested development no matter how you slice it. You are claiming that the Drinker (and mayself) need to expand our media consumption, and yet your own claims above speak to your consumption of the things I listed off and analyses of them being itself limited.

“Also there have been plenty of breakout TV series not based in any of that.”

That doesn’t counter my points. I said people are invested in those and therefore want those (and obviously other big franchises like them) to be good. Therefore they gravitate towards Drinker when he covers them/the Drinker covers them because he gravitates towards them.

But, for the sake of argument, I do not know of many Tv shows that honestly ever reached the heights of pop cultural relevance that those franchises I listed did. Maybe Breaking Bad and the Sopranos? Maybe Stranger Things, which is itself trading off 80s nostalgia.

“And no, that the MCU is boring and shit and pandering is of no meaningful reflection on modern entertainment. ”

Considering it was until recently the biggest and most successful franchise in the history of the world I’d say this is simply not true. Hollywood was and is still dominated by a desire to chase its success and build media universes.

“I would strongly argue that the 10s and 20s have never been better for modern TV.”

And I’d strongly argue that it is more accurate to say the 2000s and early-mid 2010s. I’d also be willing to bet the stuff you claim is the best tv stuff out there is in fact suffused with post modern Neo Marxist propaganda in and of itself. But frankly, you are changing the subject now. You are not responding to my point that you quoted.

“TV in the 90s and 00s was mostly boring cop/medical/legal procedurals.”

Isn’t that a rather subjective evaluation? What if a lot of people didn’t find those boring? Also, the 2000s saw the rise of the Golden Age of TV of which the Sopranos was the first and Breaking Bad was by no means the second. So I don’t think you can say all these top tier shows belong to the 2010s.

Moreover, I don’t even really believe you have seen so much TV in the UK and USA across 30+ years that you can make huge broad sweeping statements like that? Or at least if you are going to do that based upon what you have seen (because doubt you have seen most/all of it), then it is hypocritical of you to lambast the Drinker for similar such sweeping statements about what he has seen.

Not to mention, I REALLY don’t think the majority of British shows in the 90s-2000s were cop/medical/legal procedures. We had a plethora of sitcoms, talent, reality and game shows, not to mention with Doctor Who’s rise in 2005 several Saturday night family shows popped up

“There was way less money put into them.”

Money isn’t the difference between a good or bad movie or TV show. Talent and knowing how to use your money is. Godzilla Minus One had a minscule budget compared to most Hollywood blockbusters and both looked better and was written better. The currency ultimately is time because that is the currency for good writing and good writing is the deciding factor.

The Sopranos and Breaking Bad definitely had decent budgets but compared to Game of Thrones it was chump change. Didn’t matter. Because the writing and acting was just that good.

“Now we have much more diverse content. There's more TV series being made than there was in the 90s and 00s, and many other countries now play a much more active role too. ”

If we are going to be counting foreign imports as well you REALLY couldn’t have seen enough stuff to be making these statements.

“ It's not all just American content. The internet has fundamentally transformed it.”

But most English speaking people consume English language media. Squid Game and Godzilla were exceptions to this rule. So the Drinker being an English speaker with an English audience is obviously going to focus mainly upon media made for the English language.

Frankly, this is a particularly silly argument coming from someone who lives in the UK considering the majority of our fictional TV and film media comes from America and is therefore already overseas media.

“The MCU is the equivalent of McDonalds for modern TV/film. McDonalds being so prominent doesn't mean there aren't good examples of fine dining.”

McDonald’s feeds 1% of the global population on Earth every day. It is therefore fair to be invested in the quality of McDonald’s food the same way it is fair to be invested in the quality of the MCU.

But you are acting as though the Drinker only or mainly covers the MCu and then treats it like literally all of Hollywood is like it. He doesn’t. As I showed above, less than half his content is MCU related. However, the trends he is critiquing in the MCU CAN be applied more broadly.

More poignantly, you are frankly being disingenuous. You are saying the Drinker mainly covers the MCU but then counter with the quality of TV when the Drinker mainly covers movies. So, even presuming your statements about the quality of TV are accurate (we just have your word for it) it isn’t particularly relevant in the context of a reviewer who mainly covers mainstream Hollywood films.

“Sure. That's possible. But it doesn't explain all the sci-fi shit he ignores.”

See above.

“Dark, Altered Carbon, Severance, Silo, Foundation, For All Mankind, Constellation, Devs, Raised by Wolves”

Dark is a German show, not an English language show so unless you get a Squid Game situation the amount of attention you are going to get is limited. Drinker therefore might not have heard about it. I have because of a friend, but it isn’t something I otherwise just encountered via osmosis.

Similarly, I literally never heard of any of those shows other than Altered Carbon (which started 6 years ago and died 4 years ago) or Severence and I’m pretty sure I got it mixed up with Succession. So, they clearly didn’t have this MASSIVE cultural footprint to the point where everyone would just know about them.

“Keir Starmer has been repeatedly yeeting anti-semites from the party, and supports Israel. What do you mean "take a hardline and outspoken stance against Islamists"? What does that mean in practice?”

Increase policing of pro-Palestine marches. Perform on the spot arrests of people chanting Islamist slogans. Actually deport known Islamist terrorists who are residents in the UK. Make public statements that all Muslims in the UK are expected to not just defer to UK law vs any iteration of Sharia. Most Muslims do this for the record, but it sends a message to the Islamists specifically who do not. That’d be a start.

“Dude, it's the Labour Party. They will ALWAYS have people like that in their conferences. ”

Which is my problem. A party that has any one like that in their ranks (let alone so outspoken) is thereby susceptible to that faction someday dominating them. Like I have said, Communists work slowly and insidiously.

“This is absurd pearl-clutching. They are historically a left-wing party.”

I hate to break this to you but the Marxists were also left wing.

“Keir Starmer has purged much of the actual left-wing factions within Labour. The dude is as centrist as it comes for Labour. Most of the left has raged out and quit Labour because of the internal changes he's made. Have you seen Wes Streeting in general?”

I do not have the faith you do. I hope you are right and Starmer will be centre left. But it doesn’t really matter considering neither party is willing to be right wing or conservative enough to address the major issues the country faces, immigration being at least in the top 5 priorities. The civil service are also very much left wing and they are at least a roadblock to governing.

“George Galloway and his Workers Party says hi. Labour is not remotely popular amongst the wider Muslim population currently due to Keir Starmers policy on Israel.”

I said often not ALWAYS. The Muslin population have historically voted for Labour and Labour have enjoyed support from them. The mere fact the current leadership is unpopular doesn’t mean the Muslim population has wholesale given up on them into the future. Typically people vote for the most aligning party. So, Labour might not enjoy support currently, but of the two parties they are the most likely to get support in the future and not the distant future necessarily either.

“No Problem”

Okie dokie. On this point he is an idiot. Happy?

“Matt Walsh literally means it as entertainment. What else is he referring to there when he suggests the USA currently does not have them?”

Public executions can function as a form of shaming and a scare tactic too, not just entertainment.

“And Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles want to ban them for everyone. Tell me, if a leftist said that Christianity should be "eradicated" (like Knowles did regarding transgender stuff) would you set out the cry that he didn't really mean mass state persecution?”

None of this is a legitimate response to what I said. I never ‘cried’ that he didn’t really mean mass state persecution. I simply stated my own view on the matter whilst putting forward the good faith interpretation of what Walsh said, whilst simultaneously making it clear the topic is very complicated. You are strawmanning me and also oversimplifying the issue.

But lets play the game. If a leftists said they wanted to eradicate Christianity, I would want the full context of what they said, what they mean by eradicate and what exactly their rationale would be before I make any judgement call on them.

I’d also say there is a difference between persecuting a group vs prohibiting them from having surgeries on their bodies which are not strictly necessary, by which I mean you are in physical pain/will die as a direct result of something that needs to be operated on. Trans people can live their lives with or without surgeries. And if you regard being trans as a mental illness, it is not unreasonable to argue that it is a bad thing to let them have massive life altering surgeries is unethical vs trying to help them cope with or deal with said mental illness. By contrast a Christian praying or baptising their child is not actually harming anyone physically or mentally, thus banning such a thing would be a legitimate act of persecution vs banning trans surgeries which could be argued as protecting people from a form of self-inflicted harm; presuming you regard being trans as a mental illness.

“No, this is just a claim. You can call it "neo-marxism" if you like, but it's simply not communism.”

*rolls eyes* ‘That wasn’t real Communism’. How cliché. But it isn’t just my claim. I linked you to videos where socio-political commentators explain that ID politics = Neo-Marxism. So it isn’t just my claim and you never bothered to address those videos at all.

By contrast, it really is just YOUR claim that it isn’t Communism.

“Most fascist regimes emerged in countries where communism was never anywhere near taking control.”

That is irrelevant. Fascism can rise up in response to the presence of Communism even if it isn’t in control. It can simply be a perceived threat of control.

“And that communism was more successful and covered more territory doesn't mean that life was worse for someone living in the USSR compared to living in Nazi Germany.”

This is a disingenuous statement for 3 key reasons.

The nature of Fascism and Communism means it entirely depends whether you are part of the in group or the outgroup. A Russian pianist in Moscow for sure had it better than a Jew in a Berlin ghetto. But did that Jew in a Berlin ghetto have it worse than a Siberian prisoner? Not necessarily.

You have shifted the goal posts. First you argued that Communism lasting longer and being more widespread is the only reason it had a higher death toll. But when I countered that lasting longer and being more widespread is proof it is worse and more dangerous, you have suddenly shifted to an argument about the 1:1 general quality of life. But, as it happens, I’d argue the general quality of life for most Russians WAS worse than for most Germans. There is a reason alcoholism is to this day so widespread across Russia and former Soviet territory. As a people they were traumatised.

You also disingenuously sidestepped that we were predominantly talking about death toll.

Basically according to you Communism isn’t worse than fascism because it only killed more people because it lasted longer, but that also has nothing to do with it being worse because (according to you) daily life wasn’t necessarily worse for a Soviet citizen than for a Nazi German citizen.

So, best faith interpretation here, most people’s lives in both countries were equally miserable and the fact that one of them lasted much longer and similar examples popped up across the globe isn’t relevant…until it is.

BTW, I literally showed you that on an annual basis across its whole existence Nazi Germany killed fewer people than the USSR or Mao’s China killed within a much smaller span of time.

“And people who have lived under communist regimes haven't experienced living under fascism. So what's your point?”

My point is your metric was stupid because it doesn’t prove anything. You said people who lived under fascism are not going to agree Communism is worse. That was your counterpoint to me. But it is a counterpoint that doesn’t work because it can be flipped the exact opposite way. But now you are asking what is the point? This demonstrates you don’t actually have a counter to my foundational point.

Best faith interpretation, you are trying to say no one on Earth could possibly determine which is worse. But this isn’t true because

You don’t need to have had direct experience on something to speak upon it with authority. Psychologists do not need to have experienced the traumatic events of their patients to speak about them with authority. Similarly, historians can speak with authority on subjects despite not necessarily having lived through them

People who have lived under one system can become educated in the realities of the other and therefore be in a position to make a judgement call.

I already linked you to a video where someone who DID live under Communism and has engaged in historical research said clearly that Communism is worse than Fascism. You never addressed that.

“And how is it you assume totalitarian communist style laws can somehow be implemented by weirdo left-wing cranks who ostensibly align with the Democrats?”

Because they already have been doing it. Communists undermine free speech. This has been happening. Commuists demand fealty and insist upon struggle sessions. This has been happening. Communists reject the individual in favour of collective group identities. This has been happening. Communists do not judge people based upon merit but group identities. This has been happening. Communists insist upon equity not equality of opportunity. This has been happening. Communists make discriminatory decisions based upon those they believe have and those they believe have not. The Biden administration did that in regards to giving out financial aid based upon race. Communists target media outlets and push their propaganda through them. This too has been happening in the form of identity politics.

And it has been happening slowly and incrementally for a minimum of 10+ years if not more. None of this shit happens over night. It is a long march through the institutions and they’ve already been marching for a while now.

“They also have to go through a legislative process.“

Laws hinge upon the meaning of words. If you change the meaning of words you have a backdoor to changing the law. Case in point, racism no longer means discrimination upon the basis of race but the latter + power. Therefore, white people can never be victims of racism within the context of the USA, supposedly.

The law also has to be properly enforced, which it hasn’t been. Black Girl Gamers for example have clearly been discriminating upon the basis of sex and race in their hiring practices, but have thus far not faced legal repercussions for breaking the law. Nor has the Biden administration. How about how it is not illegal to steal from certain places in California if the theft is under a set amount.

You also have to address ideological capture of the instutions that can act as a check and balance against an administration. In other words, if they ideologically are post modern neo Marxists then when a post modern neo-marxist government gets into power how much checking is there really? When non neo-marxist government gets in power how much of a blockage will they be?

“ Each election, more far-right MAGA and Christian nationalist types get elected into office, tilting the balance ever so further towards being able to pass repressive legislation.”

Gosh…I WONDER why such people have been steadily gaining more traction? It couldn’t possibly be a reaction to Neo-Marxism being pushed now could it?

“Neither of those things, as much as you dislike them, have anything to do with communism.”

Of course they bloody do. DEI literally has the word Equity in it. Equity is inherent to Communist ideology as it is entirely about an equality of outcome. The Mainstream Media Meanwhile institutionally tilts left, hypocritically covering right wing people one way and left wing people another. There is literally a Guardian article from all the way back in 1999 claiming capitalism is worse than fascism or communism.

“So why did you bring up the fact that we did public executions only 100 years ago if not to somehow excuse people calling for it now?”

You entirely missed my point, which given the over all conversation is unsurprising. My point was you have to go case by case. It was wrong for homosexuality to be illegal once upon a time, but whether public executions were wrong is a different subject to be discussed. It isn’t open and shut. So yes, in very recent history we got rid of public executions, but was that the right decision in light of the history we have lived through since then? Maybe. Maybe not. But you are PRESUMING because we got rid of it it must mean it was a bad idea.

“And you'd be okay with that? How are laws against LGBT people on TV/film somehow less oppressive than hate speech laws (for instance)?”

I literally didn’t say I was okay with that. I just said ‘okay’ and then you spewed this shit out.

Frankly this conversation has led me to the following conclusions:

You are a wretched, stupid, disingenuous goal post moving individual with obvious Marxist sympathies you are too moronic to recognise as dangerous.

You have also been needlessly aggressive and insulting, making personal judgement calls of me that crossed the line when I didn't do the same of you until now when I have lost my temper.

Speaking with you has melted my brain and made me dumber via exposure.

In summary fuck you, fuck off, I hope you have a miserable life you utter cunt.

#Youtube

0 notes

cadaceus · 3 years

Text

C2E141

One last time, y’all. This campaign and these characters have meant so much to me, and this seven hour finale was definitely an emotional rollercoaster. (Yes, I shed actual tears at one point, which rarely happens to me with media. But this is a special occasion.) These liveblogs are nearly as long as the episode itself, so grab a snack! With that being said, here are my very last liveblogs for Campaign 2 of Critical Role. As always, major spoilers below, so beware.

- Veth taking a level in Wizard, god I am really gonna cry ten minutes into this thing... 😭

- We got our first “stay with us” to Essek, I am emo...

- I was fully not expecting to say goodbye to Frumpkin, but now I’m on the verge of tears... farewell dear fey friend (Marisha saying “that wasn’t supposed to be what broke me” me too me too)

- “You’re a good person.” “I could be.” “You are.”

- “I think you’re a good person” I never thought that I’d hear Beau say that about Essek and this genuinely might be what breaks me... she thinks he’s a good person.... redemption is possible.... maybe love is real....

- If I end up crying over wizards, look away

- Jester lifting up Fjord’s arm to snuggle beneath it made me say “awww” out loud 🥺

- VETH GOING FOR A DIP IN THE POND, I AM GENUINELY SO PROUD OF HER

- “Aahhh!! It’s me! Your wife!” I am going to miss Jester’s sending so much

- Okay that accent bit was so funny, I am going to miss all of them so much

- REAL MOLLY IS BACK REAL MOLLY IS BACK REAL MOLLY IS BACK

- Oh but he doesn’t remember them... and Yasha is trying so hard to help him remember, it’s so so sweet

- Something about the way he said “Tealeaf’s nice” made me tear up... I was neutral on Mollymauk early campaign because I went into things knowing that he passed away, but this whole conversation with the Mighty Nein is So Much. Also “Kingsley Tealeaf”

- “Everyone should have a brother” as someone with three of them, I vouch for this 🥺

- a) I love Marion Lavorre (and Jester ofc!) so very much and b) I can’t believe that Jester’s parent trap actually worked??

- “I do not think Exandria is ready for how you’re going to change it” got to me... and it’s also so true. jester has already changed the world just by being kind.

- Good bye Marion... I love and will miss you so much! (And many thanks to Laura and Matt for creating an agoraphic single mother who raised a wonderful child <3)

- Beau and Jester teasing Marion for having a complicated relationship with Babenon reminds me of Caleb saying he has a complicated relationship with Essek...

- LEAVE CALEB ALON E FUOIKJLKGKNL

- THIS IS ....... SO MUCH WORSE THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.

- Caleb’s biggest trauma(s) coming back to haunt him, I am genuinely going to cry I’m not ready for this I’m not okay

- Beau saying to Jester “Thanks, cutie” I love themmmmm

- INITIATIVE AAGJASKHDKJ AAAAAHHHH

- Essek’s Gravity Sinkhole did nothing? uhhhhh Mr Stark...

- EADWULF???? HELLO?????

- Essek using his entire turn to save Caleb last battle 🤝 Caleb using his entire turn to save Essek this battle

- ASTRID???? I TRUSTED YOU??? WE ALL TRUSTED YOU????

- Another Counterspell chain sdfdghjkdl wizards !!!

- “It’s just business” is literally the Neutral Evil line, it always gives me chills when any character says it

- This hurts more after Liam confirming on Twitter that Astrid/Caleb/Eadwulf were all three a romantic item... please stop hurting Caleb, you loved him 😭

- THE FJORD VS EADWULF SWORD FIGHT IS SO CINEMATIC I LOVE IT HERE ACTUALLY

- Essek taking every opportunity to pull Caleb to safety makes me so emotional... 😭

- “You’re not the first student I’ve had to put down” I am burning with my anger for you, old man

- THE DISPEL WORKED LET’S GO CALEB.....

- Remember when Matt said that Essek doesn’t openly show concern/emotion? And now he’s saying “I’m scared” in front of his closest friends and his worst enemies.... growth my love.....

- BEAU AND VETH LETS GO CHAOS CREW LETS MF GO BABEYYYY!!!

- FJORD COUNTERSPELLING THE DIMENSION DOOR..... and Matt having him describe it.... is this taking the place of a “HDYWTDT” *eyes emoji*

- CALEB GOING DOWN NO, THANK GOD FOR THAT DEATH WARD

- Veth’s illusion of Caleb’s parents flanking Caleb in the flames.... that got me too, Liam

- “Stay down.” yeah, okay, that was sexy

- ASTRID BEING THE ONE TO ACTIVATE THE COLLAR IS LITERALLY POETIC JUSTICE... Trent being beaten by the student who stuck with him longest I love this so much, she deserved that moment honestly

- Break Time, AKA Emma Makes Her Weekly Mug Brownie Interlude

- Sometimes I feel like “death is too good for you” is a copout, but in this case it fits so well, I want this mf’s reputation destroyed and the entire operation exposed and overthrown let’s goooo

- “I loved you both so much”.... Astrid and Eadwulf walking away.... oh, Blumendrei... I know this is not the end of your story. What’s past is prologue, loves

- The Empire Siblings are gonna burn down the whole system because it’s the system that enables individual corruption... I am so fulfilled by this, god i love them

- “I love you too” OH MY GOD I LOVE THEM SO MUCH, FJORESTER ARE THE CUTEST FOR REAL

- Jester and Essek’s friendship still means so much to me btw just in case anyone wanted a check-in

- Veth giving the flask to Kingsley!! Good for her, good for her!

- OH Blumenduo are back already! I truly thought that was going to be their last appearance of the Campaign, why is this taking me more by surprise than Trent’s appearance

- “[Caleb] notes how similar Eadwulf and Fjord are” this is Widofjord adjacent... this episode we have gotten Widomauk-adjacent, Widojest-adjacent, and Widofjord-adjacent (and Blumentrio ofc), now come through Shadowgast and we can get a full Bingo on the “Bisexual Maelstrom” card

- Speaking of relationships, I am lowkey into the Fjord/Jester/Kingsley dynamic LOL no one look at me I’m in hiding

- I’M NOT READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO VETH AND CAD 😭 It makes sense and the fact that they have their families back is beautiful but also consider this: I’m sad and I will miss them

- The goodbyes to Caduceus..... I am going to cry aren’t I?

- “If he’s anything like his mom, you won’t see him until it’s too late” Okay that made me giggle, I love Veth and I love Luc and I love their little family

- IS ESSEK LEAVING TOO? THAT’S GONNA BE WHAT BREAKS ME ISN’T IT

- If Essek leaves and we never see him again, getting a triple whammy of goodbyes I will be so incredibly sad, I cannot do this 😭

- If anyone is interested, no I am not doing well

- I was lowkey ready to get an Essek’s feelings for Caleb confirmation tonight, I guess it makes sense that we didn’t but I hope that this is not the last time we see Essek... I want to write another emo post about him and about how much he means to me but I will refrain

- CALEB BEING A TEACHER IS THE ENDGAME I WANT FOR HIM PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

- Wow, I really was not ready to see Caduceus and Essek go for some reason... I really wanted this Campaign to end on the image of the Mighty Nein together as all nine of them... I’m feeling so numb right now having to say goodbye 😭

- Oh, we’re in the epilogue now!

- When Fjord said “[the sea] is my favorite place to be” I genuinely felt that on a spiritual level... the ocean is home, it truly is and always will be for me as well

- “I CAST MODIFY MEMORY” FJORD LMAOOOOOOO

- Okay, that Widobrave ending is what made me shed tears for the first time this episode... not to be Personal but my biological brother graduates High School tomorrow, and for some reason this conversation just reminded me so much of me and him and now I’m emotional

- NOT THE SYPHILIS BANDITS DSYUHDFJKLSFJ;DS OKAY I NEEDED THAT LAUGH

- “I’d like to hear about your friend” Kingsley aww

- Beau giving Kingsley her first diary to help him realize who they all are is actually so perfectly fitting, I love that!

- “The other eight and I, yes” Caleb counting all nine of them again 😭

- CALEB BEING OFFERED AN ASSEMBLY SEAT WTF AAAHHH

- Oh shit, Astrid took the Assembly seat... I’m not sure how I feel about this, I feel so bad for her for having to stay in the system that abused her for so long and I would have loved to see her burn the whole thing down, but I hope that she at least has a sense of contentment with this title

- “I go where you go, baby” Beauyasha.... my darling loves....

- Beau’s dad??? But also Beau being the one with power over her father is so Good, I’m glad that she got justice on that front as well!

- This talk with Artagan... “I didn’t want you to be a god. I wanted you to be my friend.” and in the process my love you created divinity... maybe divinity is the friends we made along the way

- OH SHIT WE ARE GETTING ALL THE VANDRAN LORE TONIGHT I’M READY LET’S GO LET’S GO

- VANDRAN AND AVANTIKA WERE AN ITEM???

- Wait crack theory: Sabian was a half elf right? Could he be the son of Vandren and Avantika? Or is that too much of a stretch?

- Vandran going with them!!! Also I feel like that moment between Fjord and Vandran was lowkey a tease to a post-campain Uk’otoa one shot and I am ready for it already

- THIS BEAUYASHA MOMENT... “i’ve never known anyone as deeply as i know you” & “explore every bit of you in multiple ways ;)” & “your past doesn’t scare me, it only makes you beautiful” .... this is so much they are so much i love them so much

- “I will have you and then some” Beauyasha 😭

- I’m torn between “oh my god there’s still half an hour left?” and “how is there only half an hour left??”

- “You will let this Skyspear live at least?” oh my god so Yasha killed the last Skyspear then? Oof...

- YASHA GIVING ZUALA(’S GRAVE) THE BOOK OF FLOWERS, OH DEAR HEART

- And Beau’s talk to Zuala about being the luckiest woman alive and sacrifice.... 😭

- PLANTING FLOWERS AT ZUALA’S GRAVE... “NO BETTER GRAVE MARKER” THIS IS MAKING ME SO EMOTIONAL, I KNOW I’VE SAID THIS A LOT THIS EPISODE BUT THIS TRULY IS SO BEAUTIFUL

- So... I may or may not be crying again

- Shadowgast with a steel chair??

- Caleb’s plan for saving his parents... it’s clear he has thought of this so much, oh my darling love 😭

- Caleb burning down his chance to change his past is so symbolic and something he really needed to do, it does make me emotional though

- The other book was him writing to his parents?? Oh bby boy 😭

- While I would have loved for Caleb to open his own magic school (especially with Essek, or the Mighty Nein, or someone else as well), I am so pleased that he stays with Veth and that their friendship continues for the rest of their life because again: they mean so so much to me, and in a way they remind me of me and my biological brother (which I never realized before this episode) and yeah. They just make me Emo

- Also. Caleb being a professor was my Number One Endgame Hope for him and the fact that it came true is just so surreal in the best way possible. I’m so used to being robbed of happy endings. The fact that the Mighty Nein all got theirs makes me incredibly happy. A story does not have to be sad to be impactful. Happy stories and happy endings, especially during a time period of tumultuous real life circumstances, have just as much value and meaning and they always will. Caleb is teaching the next generation magic, and he is teaching them to be Good, and he is nurturing them, and that just means so much

- MATT CRYING IS GONNA GET TO ME

- “Let’s do it again” Please, let’s.

- Okay, everyone. I made it all seven hours in one piece with surprisingly minimal tears (though who knows, this might all sink in tomorrow.) I already wrote my thoughts earlier today about how much the Mighty Nein mean to me and how much this show and these characters have kept me holding on during quarantine and today... I’m still not ready to let them go, but I know that I can always revisit to say hello and to say thank you for changing me. Until then though... I love you all more than you could ever know. And for the last time of Campaign 2... is it Thursday yet?

Good night 💗

#cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #c2e141 #critical role #my liveblogs #cr2 #i genuinely can't believe this is the end y'all... what a journey. what a freaking journey 💗#to anyone who has ever interacted with even one of my liveblogs: i love you and i think about you every damn day dfghjkflf #it makes me Emo knowing that i'm not just speaking to the void and that there are ppl out there listening etc #also this liveblog was TWO THOUSAND WORDS LONG i checked it in a google doc sgdhjkdl #so if you made it through all that you may be entitled to financial compensation #but in all seriousness: i love you mighty nein. and thank you for everything.#is it thursday yet?#queue #(i always queue these for the mornings dgfhjk!)#and yes i WILL be liveblogging campaign 3 #also mayhaps this hiatus will be time for me to catch up with vox machina?

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shirtlesssammy · 3 years

Text

15x19: Inherit the Earth

We’re down to the end, and guys, I’m not ready. :(

Then:

THEY’RE IN LOVE

Now:

The world is empty.

Sam and Jack wander the empty streets. Dean pulls up in the Impala (still wearing his jacket with Cas’s bloody handprint. BRB CRYING.) Everyone’s gone. Dean tells the others that it’s Chuck that did this. Jack asks the IMPORTANT question: “Where’s Cas?” Dean looks down and hesitates, but eventually says, “He saved me.” He tells them the cliff’s notes version of what happened while shoving down A MILLION feelings of regret and loss and I want to hug him. “Cas is gone,” he finishes, and hahahahahahahahah NOPE. Sam, in disbelief, calls his side-ship Jody. No answer.

They head to an empty sports bar (AND WHAT I WOULD DO TO GO TO A BAR WITH FRIES AND TVs AND BEER RIGHT NOW). Jack stays outside and prays to Cas. He gets nothing and starts walking. All the flowers start to wilt as he passes them. WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Sam blames himself and is done. They decide to meet with Chuck.

They tell him that they’ll play his little game. They’ll kill each other. Dean demands that they put everything back to normal first, though. “The people, the birds, Cas.” All of it. (WEEPING.)

Dean, DEAN, Cas doesn’t want to be in a world where you don’t exist.

Yeah, Chuck doesn’t care. He’s really into the brothers' suffering alone story. “That’s deep, that’s sophisticated, that’s a page turner.” Oh, Chuck, you dumb bastard.

Cut to the bunker where they’re all suffering on their own. Jack wallows in his room. Sam wanders the halls, and Dean lays passed out on a bottle of liquor in the library. Sam finds Dean in the library, and Jack soon joins them to tell them that he’s sensing another presence in the world.

They head to a gas station. Dean heads for the bathroom, and hears a whimpering. IT’S A DOG. And Dean’s so happy to have found him. He names the dog Miracle.

Dean brings the dog out to show Sam. He tells him that Miracle is coming home with them. I AM DYING. Sam is shocked. Dean tells him not to worry because he’ll only let him ride shotgun if Sam is cool with it. Lol.

Of course, all good things must end. And Miracle dusts like everything else in existence. Dean looks around and sees Chuck giving him a smarmy salute. F U C K O F F, C H U C K. Dean doesn’t even like dogs, so there. (The patented Robert Singer ZOOM tells me that Dean does indeed care about dogs.)

(Sidenote: The dog is Cas, right? Dean’s beyond happy to see it. And is ready to let it sit shotgun, but only if Sam’s okay with it. And he’s REALLY upset that they can’t “save a dog”. Just thinking thoughts.)

They head to a church.

Once they’re in the church of very dangerously burning candles, they’re greeted by Michael.

Michael tells them that he’s been chilling here to avoid Chuck’s notice. Adam is gone. (RIP Winchester brother that never got a chance.) Michael monologs a bit about humans and stuff. Dean recognizes a little soldier when he sees one. Michael wants to help though.

Back at the bunker, Sam shows him Death’s book on God. Michael tries opening the book with no luck. (Sidenote: The DRAMA of the lights being lower is killing me.)

*Dean is In Love Alert*

The brothers take a moment alone in the dark kitchen.

Dean gets a call.

Dean takes the call and because he’s a precious bean that actually believes what he’s hearing. Cas is at the bunker. He’s outside. He’s hurt.

Dean takes off like a rocket AND I’M DYING. BBY BOY. NO.

It’s not Cas. It’s Lucifer.

UGH.

(DOUBLE UGH.)

(INFINITY UGH.)

Yeah, Lucifer totally sees what’s between Dean and Cas and gains access to the bunker because of that. Coolcoolcoolcoolcool.

He tells the brothers that the Empty kicked him out to finish Chuck. He brought a reaper to prove to the brothers that he’s good people (NOT.)

Betty is bound and gagged. (Because WHY NOT DO THAT TO A WOMAN, Buckleming.) Lucifer then kills her. (Because WHY NOT DO THAT TO A WOMAN, Buckleming.)

Betty is the new Death!

(Sorrynotsorry for the lack of pictures. I think we all know why.)

She asks for the book. If they give it to her, she can read it.

They set her up in the dungeon reading room, and she doesn’t need helpers.

Meanwhile, Lucifer is playing cards and there’s ZERO interaction with Jack and him. AND I AM LIVING. Like, it’s 100% clear that Jack isn’t his son and he does not see him as a father. Jack’s father is dead. AND I AM LIVING. (But also sad because Cas is dead.)

Lucifer does interact with Michael though. Michael does not trust his brother.

Betty pops up with the book and the end of God. Lucifer ashes her with a snap of his fingers.

(HOW?!>!>?)

Wherps, he grabs the book from her and reveals his hand. He’s working with Chuck.

Lucifer and MIchael battle it out. Jack watches. Lucifer tries to convince Jack to join the losing team.

Michael stabs Lucifer with an archangel blade. Mercifully, there are no haughty speeches or further peacocking between these two. Lucifer sparks out, gone at last. GOOD RIDDANCE.

Later, Dean has a heart to heart with Michael in the kitchen. Michael’s reeling that Chuck brought Lucifer back from the dead instead of seeking him out. But he’s definitely NOT BITTER, NOPE.

Dean reveals that Chuck’s book is open and full of mysterious Enochian symbols. Sam’s going to translate those, and figure out how Chuck dies, so they can start knocking down some dominoes!

In the library later, Sam reveals that he’s uncovered a spell to stop Chuck. (Jack was researching nephilim on the computer! Jack bby) When complete, the spell will unleash an “unstoppable force” against Chuck. They head out to a special location, light the spell, and it sends three bright beams of power into the sky.

But the spell explodes. They look up to find Chuck standing there. Chuck...chucks the Winchesters and Jack away. He thanks Michael for tipping him off. “It’s always been my destiny to serve you,” Michael tells him. But that’s not enough for Chuck to forgive him for siding with the Winchesters even once. Chuck fractures Michael into light. The last archangel bites the dust.

He turns his attention to the Winchesters. It’s time to finish them. He’s canceling the show. At the last minute, he decides it’ll be more fun to beat them to death instead of snapping them out of existence. It’s……..YIKES PRETTY BRUTAL TO WATCH. “Just stay down,” he counsels them - practically begs them. But they won’t stop. Broken and bleeding, they hold each other up against him.

Sam laughs at Chuck’s confusion. “You lose,” he tells him. Behind Chuck, the camera pans to Jack.

Chuck tries to snap Jack dead but his snapper isn’t working.

Jack lays his hands on Chuck and golden power streams from Chuck into Jack. Jack snaps his fingers once, and the Winchesters are healed. As they say in the industry...suck it, Chuck.

Sam drops Death’s book in front of Chuck, but the pages are blank. Only Death can even SEE anything in the book (making the whole “can’t open book covers” thing into nothing but a drama llama move). The Winchesters came up with a plan B and spout this in a quick exposition dump.

Michael was jealous of Lucifer being “chosen” by Chuck

They made up the story of a spell, so Michael would tell Chuck

Jack’s “bomb” quest turned him into a power vacuum - thus the dying plants

When Michael and Lucifer fought in the bunker, the power exchange charged Jack back to full nephilim strength

Chuck killing Michael and beating on the Winchesters allowed Jack to absorb god-power

“This is why you’re my favorites,” Chuck gasps. He doesn’t know what happens next, but he’s ready to die “at the hands of Sam Winchester. Of Dean Winchester, the ultimate killer.”

And. Babies. Sweeties. I know that there are lots of people who have problems with this episode but THIS! THIS. This next line makes it all worth it. Because Dean tells him, “See, that’s not who I am. That’s not who we are.” He took how Castiel sees him and he planted that damn seed in his own heart and watered it even in the depths of despair and now it’s so mighty a force that he just walks away from their lifelong tormentor. GUYS. I LOVE IT. I’m so emotional right now.

Jack confirms that Chuck won’t get his powers back. “It’s not his power anymore.” And AGAIN I am emotional thinking about fanfiction and fanart and giving this show to us when it’s all done. Ahem. Anyway. Chuck’s gonna grow old and die and be forgotten like every single human. (Ooookay that got a little dark, but I’ll allow it. This is a “to the pain” speech, after all.)

Chuck begs for them not to leave him, reduced to sniveling panic in the Impala’s dust cloud.

The Winchesters head back to a small, empty town. Jack closes his eyes in the sunshine as “Get Together” by the Youngbloods croons across the scenes. People return to the world and it’s gentle and beautiful - everyone returning to their day-to-day. “Come on people now, smile on your brother!” the song implores.

Love is but a song to sing Fear's the way we die You can make the mountains ring Or make the angels cry Though the bird is on the wing And you may not know why

Come on people now Smile on your brother Everybody get together Try to love one another Right now

And look. I know this is just a song, and this is just a show. But this is my hope for this show and these characters - steeped in darkness for so long. And this is my hope for our actual real world too. It’s hard for me to separate the two so YES I’M CRYING AS I TYPE THIS. May this song lead us into the next episode and destroy me in a fountain of hopeful light.

Erm. anyway. Miracle the dog runs into the scene! It IS a damn miracle! Dean and Sam are so proud of Jack! Jack confirms that Amara is with him and they’re in harmony. I’m so happy that Amara got a happy peaceful forever after with her nougat nephilim grand-nephew. Dean assumes that Jack’s coming back to the bunker with them. He’s top dog, “he can do whatever he wants now.” (And readers, I like that Dean says whatever “he wants” and not whatever the Winchesters want. I think it shows personal growth!)

Jack declines. He’s already home - he’s everywhere and everything. “I’ll be in every drop of falling rain. In every speck of dust that the wind blows. And in the sand, the rocks, and the sea.” Jack doesn’t want to lead people, or be prayed or sacrificed to. He wants to let them discover the truth in their own hearts, in their own time. “Chuck put himself in the story. That was his mistake. But I learned from you and my mother and Castiel that when people have to be their best - they can be. And that’s what to believe in.” I have to say, I was fervently against Jack-as-God until it happened. But just like everything to do with Jack, once it happens I just go...okay, cool. I’m on board!

In the bunker, Dean and Sam drink beer and comment on the quiet. “To everyone that we lost along the way,” Dean toasts. Sam realizes that they can write their own story now. “Just us,” he says (and it sounds like a bleak echo in the empty bunker). Behind them, the table has SW, DW, MW, Jack, and Castiel engraved and...MY HEART.

The Winchesters leave to go find out what freedom feels like and we get a montage of past scenes from the show, and characters we loved or loved to hate. Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” plays us off in sweet, mournful nostalgia.

The Winchesters drive into a sepia-tinged world. This episode is like my Thanksgiving plate mid-meal - all mashed together for faster plot consumption. But on a rewatch, there’s a lot to like too! It’s a goodbye to one story...

And we leave nostalgia behind. It’s time for them to figure out their own story and I AM SO EXCITED to see what happens next! (Lays some nougat candy bars on my altar for Andrew Dabb for one last vigil.)

WHERE’S THE QUOTES?

Where’s Cas?

Who’ve thought finding a dog would feel like a miracle? C’mon, Miracle!

What’s an ending?

Eternal suffering sounds good on paper, but as a viewing experience it’s just kinda...meh

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

#spn spoilers #spn recap #spn 15x19 #inherit the earth #dean winchester #sam winchester #jack kline #chuck shurley #michael #lucifer #supernatural season 15

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makeste · 4 years

Note

What are your favorite hero names?

oh man there are so many. I had to limit myself to a top twenty, and even that was rough. anyway so first off, a few runner ups because I couldn’t go without mentioning these:

Vlad King - to be clear, this isn’t actually one of my top hero names. but I’m mentioning it here because back when I was first reading the series, one of the fan scanlations -- either Fallen Angels or Mangastream, I forget which -- had originally translated his hero name as Brad King. which, to be frank, would have been one of the greatest hero names of ALL TIME. you can’t imagine my disappointment when I finally learned the truth. it still haunts me to this day.

Jack Mantis - this is Kamakiri (a.k.a. the guy from class 1-B who can grow knives out of his body)’s hero name. my question is, why the Jack. the mantis part, I get! that’s fairly obvious! but the “Jack” is forever a mystery to me. it just adds this little layer of intrigue.

Mr. Brave - this guy is one of the few good things to come from the Basement arc. don’t get me wrong, he is completely useless. but his name? absolutely legendary. this guy, with his power of ripping his own hair out and turning it into a sword (yes that’s his quirk), an ability that could be easily duplicated or bested by literally any jackass who just went out and bought their own damn sword, really thought to himself, “I am going to be the BEST MCFUCKING HERO THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. I AM GOING TO NAME MYSELF... MISTER BRAVE.” and they let him, you guys. they let him.

anyway so now for the top twenty!

20. Can’t Stop Twinkling - this isn’t a name so much as it is poetry in three words. I still cannot believe that Aoyama went up to Midnight with a hero name that sounds more like the world’s greatest Dear Abby letter, and she actually let him keep it. I’m not 100% clear on how this all works, but I like to think this means that Aoyama’s fellow heroes have an actual legal obligation to call him this in battle. I don’t think we as a fandom and as a people really take enough time out of our lives to stop and be grateful for Aoyama’s existence.

19. Uravity - it’s a pun!! it’s so cute and I love it!! and it’s such a perfect name in that it just instantly sums up and defines her whole brand, bringing to mind both Ochako the person and Zero Gravity the quirk. honestly she is one of only a few kids whose hero name I never space out on. with a lot of the others I usually have to pause for a sec and be like “wait, what was their name again?” but never Ochako.

18. Present Mic - this would make a really great band name honestly. I just like it. I’m pretty sure Horikoshi was going for “present” as in the verb meaning “to perform”, like in “presentation”, but to tell the truth I always pronounce it like “present” as in “gift” or “the present time”, which doesn’t make any sense at all, but IT’S JUST WHAT MY BRAIN DECIDED TO DO. anyway.

17. Tsukuyomi - I know this name has its origins in Japanese mythology, but to be completely honest I’ve always just associated it with Itachi’s infamous genjutsu attack from Naruto. I just think it’s the gothest thing ever and absolutely perfect for Tokoyami lol.

16. All Might - there’s just something about this name that kind of makes me just want to pump my fists and go “YEAH!!” I really like the use of “might” as a noun rather than “mighty” as an adjective like you see in so many classic superhero names. it’s just so much cooler somehow. this name really does conjure up the image of the strongest guy in the universe.

15. Midnight - honestly I’m almost mad that this wound up being a hero name, because it would have made a perfect villain name. it’s dark and mysterious and sexy. it’s no wonder why Midnight chose it lol. anyway so my girl is a bit kinky, nothing wrong with that, and it’s also a perfect name for someone whose quirk puts other people to sleep. it’s just such spot-on branding, I love it.

14. Ingenium - fun fact, I had no idea what this meant when I first came across it because I don’t speak Latin! apparently it means “genius” or “talent.” which is a very good meaning for a hero name! but honestly the real reason I love it so much is because it’s Iida’s tribute to his brother, and I am just such a sucker for that kind of shit. damn you Iida siblings. quit giving me all these feels.

13. Shouto – yes, seriously. I know a lot of people hate this name, and it’s always getting flak for being bland and uncreative. but I honestly think it’s a perfect name for Shouto. firstly because Shouto himself is very much the opposite of flashy in a lot of ways. he’s not particularly animated or attention-seeking; he is a very calm, sort of still-waters-run-deep person, and I think the lack of a snappy brand name fits that personality. I’m even more delighted that it hasn’t remotely curbed his popularity at all (at this point I think the only kid hero with more in-universe fans out there is Momo, and even then it’s probably a close thing), and I think a big part of that is that people are drawn to his unpretentious nature, especially in comparison to a lot of the other heroes out there. but most of all, I like the name because of the simple yet powerful way it serves as a declaration that he is his own person. he’s not his father, and he’s more than just a Todoroki. he is himself; he is Shouto. anyway so yeah, to me this is a fantastic name with so much depth and meaning.

12. Battle Fist - this is Kendou’s hero name AND IT’S PERFECT. like, holy shit. what should we call the girl who goes around punching bad guys around all day with her giant hands. how about BATTLE FIST. there really isn’t much more to say about this one, honestly. its greatness speaks for itself.

11. Vantablack - imagine being such an enormous douchebag that word of your douchey exploits made it all the way over to some guy in Japan who spends 95% of his waking hours writing a manga and has almost no free time. fun fact, although Anish Kapoor is the only one licensed to use the color Vantablack, the name Vantablack is still owned by Surrey NanoSystems (a.k.a. the guys who actually invented it), and so I’m pretty sure they’re the ones who decide whether or not someone else gets to use it. I wonder if Kapoor is pissed about his color being referenced in a popular shounen manga. anyways, all of that speculation aside, it really is the perfect name for someone with Kuroiro’s quirk.

10. Endeavor - look, say what you will about Endeavor the person (although I’m personally a big fan of the way his redemption arc is being done and think he’s a fascinating character, albeit a very flawed one), but there’s no denying that Endeavor is a badass name. but what’s really great about it is how it so perfectly captures the admirable part of Endeavor, the one thing about him that’s actually worth praising. he never gives up. he’s always pushing, striving, struggling forward no matter how hopeless it seems. and that’s a worthy trait, and it says something about him that this is what he chose for his hero name. a name that has nothing to do with fire, nothing to do with his quirk, nothing even to do with his goal of becoming #1. it’s simply a name that means to make an effort; to try and achieve something. and I like that.

9. Sugarman - this IMO is easily the most overlooked and severely underrated hero name in the series. it’s a hidden gem. everyone always forgets about Satou just because his power of being a Strong Punching Guy doesn’t particularly stand out in a manga chock full of strong punching guys. but he is a badass and a great character, and honestly “eating candy makes me super strong” is possibly the single greatest quirk in the history of time and I am jealous. anyway, so this is a really straightforward name, but it’s really smooth and catchy somehow and so it’s one of my favorites.

8. Gale Force - this is Inasa’s hero name! it’s another one which is criminally underrated, much like Inasa himself. airbender powers are just so badass you guys. wind is so badass. this name is all hurricaney and tempesty and super cool and powerful-sounding. this is one of those names that I’m honestly surprised wasn’t already a mainstream superhero name. Marvel was all “nah, we’ll just go with ‘Storm’”, like come on you guys where is the creativity.

7. Red Riot - this name is a fucking grand slam. it’s alliterative! it’s catchy! it’s got the word “riot” in it! it’s an absolutely perfect name for a passionate guy whose quirk lends itself towards good old fashioned brawlin’ and head bashing. the fact that it’s got additional meaning as a tribute towards Kiri’s own personal hero is just the icing on the cake. this is another name that Marvel probably legit wishes they had thought of first. it’s easily the best hero name out of everyone in class 1-A imo.

6. Sir Nighteye - hilariously for the longest time it was not confirmed whether or not Nighteye actually had a real name (he does! but I’ve forgotten it lol), and so there was this lingering question, absurd as it was, of whether or not Nighteye’s parents, whoever they are, were descendants of some proud Nighteye clan, and whether they had really, actually named their child “Sir.” anyways though, I love this name. it’s super cool and mysterious and perfect for someone with future-seeing powers, and the “Sir” just makes even awesomer because it implies that the Queen really liked him or something.

5. Mt. Lady - this name is a stroke of genius. supersize-me powers are a dime a dozen, but the characters always have names like Giant Man or Giganta or Goliath. as far as I know, no other superhero characters have ever thought to name themselves after mountains, let alone to name themselves as if they WERE a mountain. like, she isn’t “mountain lady”; she’s “MOUNT Lady”, as if she were an actual tectonic peak. it really bothers me that I can’t adequately describe in words why I love this so much. I just do!! I think she should get an award.

4. Suneater - Tamaki is out here proving to everyone that your hero name doesn’t need to have jack shit fuckall to do with your actual quirk in order to be completely badass and iconic. sometimes I wonder what Tamaki does when people ask him “out of curiosity, why did you pick that name?”, which someone surely must have done at some point. he probably turns beet red and tries to dissolve into the background. but anyway, the general public does not need to know the meaning of his hero name in order for it to have meaning; we know what the meaning is, and that it’s his way of saying “I believe in myself because my friend believes in me”, and honestly that’s all that matters. I am still of the opinion that certain other people whose childhood friends held a lot of unwavering belief in and admiration towards them could do worse than going down this same hero name route, but we will see! anyways Suneater deserves all your respect.

3. Best Jeanist - I had so much love for this name from the start, and then I found out it was a real, actual award. for people who make good jeans, or are good at wearing jeans, or something. it’s run by the Japan Jeans Council, which is also a real and actual thing. but anyway, despite it not being as wholly original of a name as I thought, it’s still iconic, and I love that he went with something that was recognizable while still fitting his quirk, and which has the added implication that he is the motherfucking best, because he is. also, given that he probably chose this name while he was still in school, and that only public figures generally seem to be eligible for the award, this implies that he chose the name Best Jeanist first, and then went on to win the actual award eight years running. presumably because the JJC got very flustered and were all, “IT’S LITERALLY HIS NAME... WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TO HIM... WE HAVE TO”, and so they did. anyway so that was a goddamn power move on his part.

2. Gang Orca - first of all, if you are an orca man, then naming yourself after orcas is a pretty apt thing to do and I have to respect that. but then along comes the “gang” part, out of absolutely NOWHERE, and it absolutely SMASHES. like, this name comes up to you and it slaps you in the face. GANG ORCA. HE’S A BIG AGGRESSIVE DOLPHIN MAN AND HE’S NOT HERE TO FUCK AROUND. IS HE ACTUALLY IN A GANG?? WE DON’T KNOW. BUT HERE HE IS, READY TO YEET YOUR DELINQUENTS AND HUNT YOUR MOTHERFUCKING SEALS. this name fucks so hard it came within inches of the number one spot. he is a ruffian and a champ.

1. Eraserhead - last but not least, the guy who DIDN’T EVEN PICK HIS OWN NAME. his best friend had to do it for him, and out of love, came up with the SINGLE BEST HERO ALIAS IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND. first of all, this name sounds like a very funky and electronicy Thom Yorke song. second, it conjures up the image of a man with a big no. 2 pencil head, which could not possibly be further from the truth. it’s just so whiplashy in the best way possible. third, the very existence of this name is seriously a goddamn miracle. he could have been “Power-Stopping Man.” or “Sleeping Bag Man.” or “Scruffy Hero: Tired Man.” or just “Shouta”, but unlike Shouto there wouldn’t have been any actual meaning to it; it would have simply been a case of him not giving the slightest of fucks about coming up with a real name. but rather than any of these, thanks to the power of friendship we were blessed with the greatest hero name in recorded memory. this is one of the few kindnesses fate has ever bestowed upon Aizawa Shouta in his tragic, exhausting life, and I for one am eternally grateful.

anyway so that’s my list! sorry if I left out anyone’s favorites! but I think all of these are deserving of love. also if you want to see the single best thing Japan has ever come up with, please go visit best-jeans.com. they even have an instagram lulz.

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norahastuff · 3 years

Text

You know, I think a really underrated and particularly relevant episode of Spn we don’t talk about enough is 10x19 The Werther Project. Berens did something very special with that one. Why all of this is relevant post 15x20, I’ll mention at the end, so feel free to skip to that if you don’t want to read the whole thing.

Dean, at this point is suffering from the effects of the Mark of Cain and is afraid he’s not going to be able to control it for much longer. He gets hit by a spell and gets trapped in his subconscious, which for Dean manifests as Purgatory and Benny. Dean’s not under any illusions, he figures out what’s happening and he knows that this isn’t real, and yet the conversation he has with Dream Benny is one of the most illuminating insights into Dean’s mind that we ever get on the show. It shows how remarkably aware Dean has always been.

Dean and Benny keep walking in circles and ending up at the same place. Benny even makes a point to remark

Benny: Well, how about that? A perfect circle. Don’t look at me, chief. You chose the way.

Dean: Benny, whoever you are, I need to get out of here

Benny: “Need” and “Want” are just two different things, ain’t they?

Dean knows there’s a difference. He may use the words interchangeably, but he knows they don’t mean the same thing.

It soon becomes clear what the point of all this is: Benny is a figment Dean has created as the manifestation of his suicidal thoughts. He can’t see a way out, hence Benny appearing to try and seduce him into returning to purgatory, or in other words a place where he felt at peace and pure.

Out there? You’re sleeping. You make the right choice in here, you’ll sleep forever, and you won’t ever hurt anyone ever again. No one needs to know, Dean. What happens in Purgatory stays in Purgatory.

Dean’s tempted. He considers it

I always did love it here. It’s as good a place as any to call it a day, huh?

Until he has a realisation:

I’d do it. If I really had to, I would. But the real Benny, would never let me.

I always found this moment fascinating. Sure Dean looks within himself and realises he doesn’t want to do this, he wants to keep fighting, keep living, but the impetus that snaps him out of his dark state of mind and to this realisation? That his friend, the real Benny, wouldn’t let him do this.

Dean’s always been someone who forged these deep complex connections with other characters. There’s Cas of course, Benny, Charlie, Claire and even Crowley, which was also a very interesting and complicated relationship. These bonds were important to him, they changed him. If there’s any doubt how important, just listen to what dream Benny, who once again is just a manifestation of Dean’s own thoughts, says to him about the worst case scenario that could happen if Dean gives into the mark.

Benny: What., you just wanna wait for the Mark to reclaim you? Go out swinging, die topside, then what? Maybe kill a few humans? Kill Cas? Kill your brother? Yeah, that’s mighty honorable!

Dean: Benny, shut up!

Benny: Oh, I-I’m sorry. I forgot… about your plan. You gonna get Sam and Cas to put you down? You really think that they’re gonna keep that agreement? Come on. Dean, let’s say they do. Do you think they will ever recover from that? It will ruin them.

Benny’s not really saying anything here that we don’t know about Sam and Dean’s relationship. Dean is well aware of how important he is to Sam, and how it would break him to have to hurt his older brother, if he could ever bring himself to do that.

What’s interesting (and I don’t think I mentioned it in my “Dean’s thoughts about how Cas feels” post) is that Dean also seems to know how much he matters to Cas. I mean remember earlier in the season when took Cas for lunch? Cas saw right through Dean’s “I’m fine” posturing, after which Dean made Cas promise to kill him if it came down to it. Seems like Dean always knew Cas wouldn’t be able to do it, and that even if he somehow could, it’s not something he could live with afterwards. Turns out Dean was right. Cas didn’t have a plan if he couldn’t convince Dean to stop. He knew after everyone Dean loved was gone, he’d still be there. He would stay with him and “watch him murder the world” but he wouldn’t be able to kill him.

I’ve seen a lot of talk post finale about how the writers never cared, and it was all a waste and people were reading into things etc and I have two points to make on that

a) an incoherent ending doesn’t suddenly erase the hundreds of episodes of content that came before it. If themes, stories, character traits/personalities were consistently shown a certain way throughout the course of the show, that’s not all now worthless just because the finale didn’t live up to what it should have been.

b) Spn more than any other show has an interesting kind of writers room. The writers had very distinct individual voices, and were given a lot of free reign on how they presented their stories and the themes they focused on. I mean on no other show I watch do I know the names of all the individual writers and can pinpoint when I’m watching one of their episodes just from the way the characters are presented. You know when it’s an Edlund episode. You can tell when it’s a Yockey episode.

Same with Berens. You can chart all of Bobo’s episodes from beginning to end (9x06 - 15x18) and see how consistent he is with how he writes these characters and envisions their story. How important Dean is to Cas and vice versa? He repeatedly emphasises it. Dean’s state of mind and his sense of self awareness? He’s fantastic at that. See all of the above, not to mention he wrote that wonderful speech that Dean gives to Mary in her head in 12x22, where he talks about how he had to be a mother and a father to Sam.

And last but not least, he’s always made sure to highlight the connections that Sam and Dean have, especially Dean. That stayed true almost up until the end. And God yes I’m so frustrated that all this work, all this beautiful storytelling didn’t seem to factor into the finale at all, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. Journey, not destination and all that.

I’m not writing off years of intricate character work that has led me to love these characters and stories so much. There’s too much good here.

#berens for the win #spn meta #destiel #dean r.m.h.f. winchester #my spn thoughts #10x19 #spn writers #long post for ts #15x20 #spn s15 spoilers

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peach-the-owl · 4 years

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I think you not going to like this,74 and 87. But hear me out. child cries realize that it old group of the child after seeing the remain of child's old group. saying child fault after leaving the old group behind. But for Nein, they tell child the old group give their life to let child live. A burial for old child group, telling old group real goal, is see child a better future with new family they found. Yeah my English not good, but hope you like this. Try Destiny 2 Journey vocal 2 for this

It is done! So, I think I get idea, but I also decided to add in some creative liberties of my own, so to speak, because it’s the spooky season and who doesn’t love trauma! May have overdone it a little, idk but it was a fun ride. I hope it was worth the wait 😁

WARNING: This is gonna get a little graphic

Carry On

Mighty Nein & Child!Reader

74- Why are you crying? 87- It's my fault this happened.

You met the Mighty Nein several months ago when you were but a lone wanderer, concerned for a lost child they took you in hoping to help find your family. You told them that while you were traveling your family had been attacked by a strange looking group of gnolls, at least that’s what you could remember anyways. As you journeyed along you recognized the route you were taking, this was the same road you’d last saw your family and an eerie sense of being watched crept into you.

"We should be careful around here." You say huddling closer to Jester in the cart, she puts an arm around you and gives you a kind smile.

"Hey don’t worry about it, we’re always super careful." You wanted to believe her, but you’ve been with them long enough to know that wasn’t always true. The sound of rustling foliage catches everyone’s attention as these creatures that looked like gnolls jumped out and attacked.

It was like déjà vu, the long track down the road, assurance that things would be just fine, the rustling leaves that lead to an ambush it was exactly like what happened last time. Everyone sprang into action, while you were left in the cart trying to calm yourself, you look over and notice one of these gnolls was staring at you like it knew you somehow. You duck away from view and grab your weapon to defend yourself, the cart shakes as the gnoll jumps onto it and lets loose a cackle, something sounded off from the usual laughs gnolls normally made though. Even stranger is that it doesn’t attack you right away either, instead it grabs ahold of you before you can take a swing at it and covers your mouth to stop you from calling for help, it then proceedes to carry you deeper into the forested area. You can hear the shouts and sounds of battle grow fainter the farther in you go, you struggle and manage to wriggle free of this things grip and book it in the direction you could only assume you came from. Not looking where you’re going you trip on a tree root jutting out of the ground and stumble into a clearing, the area smelled rancid and upon looking around you could tell why. Bodies littered the area some more decayed then others, all of them twisted and mangled into strange positions, you could feel bile raising to your throat and had to physically stop yourself from vomiting.

"Isn’t it a beautiful sight? Such wonderful art." That voice, you knew that voice. Turning your head you see the "gnoll" remove its headpiece revealing a man underneath.

"Mr. Roland? You did this?" It was shocking, horrifying even to think that someone your family had once trusted would do something like this.

"Now don’t fret child, instead why not marvel at my latest masterpiece." He gestures towards something, you fearfully look over eyes widening and body trembling at the sight. Bloody bodies twisted beyond their limits with bones jutting out every which way, dried organs draped around arms and legs like they were fancy decorations, some of their faces were pinned up to look like they were smiling while others still held looks of agony. These people, this "masterpiece" was your family or what remained of them anyways.

"We… we trusted you." The words came out so fast and shaky making you wonder if you even spoke them at all.

"And it was a wonderful choice, just look at how amazing they turned out, in fact I should be thanking you." You give him a confused look. "You see if it wasn’t for your family doing everything they could to help make your escape I wouldn’t have this masterpiece at all. Perhaps I should let you flee again, after all you’ve brought me more people to work with and what a colourful bunch they are too." Your breathing hitched, this was because of you? They were like this because of you, and now the Nein were next… all because of you. Tears streamed down your face, vision blurring as the weight of the situation pressed down on you.

"Oh dear child, why are you crying?" He sounded as though he was mocking you now and as much as you wanted to look away or run you find your body having become unresponsive to your thoughts. When he speaks again his voice sounds as though it’s circling around you from all directions. "Could it be you feel left out? Well if that’s the case… I’ll be happy to have you join them!" You were too distracted to focus on his words or hear the loud thud along with a grunt of pain from behind you.

"Come on kid we gotta go!" Whoever was talking now you couldn't place their voice, still stuck on the horrific imagery that was now burned into your brain, it wasn’t until you felt hands on your shoulders did you finally react with a flinch. The sight of crimson eyes and lavender skin help readjust your focus. "Hey, hey, hey! Look at me kid, there’s no time for that we gotta go, now!" Legs shaking you slowly get up, only to stumble when you try to walk. With a swift motion Molly picks you up and dashes away from the clearing, your breathing was heavy and your head still felt a little hazy after what you just saw but you were still able to focus enough to see Roland give chase after you, a large slash wound across his chest and abdomen. Even with the nasty wound he still managed to gain on you, panic filling every part of your body the closer he got.

"B-be-behind you!" You managed to give a warning and with another swift motion your placed on the ground, hearing the sound of metal clashing before turning to see Molly blocking Roland's attack. You were able to see the road from where you stood but still found it hard to get your body to do what you wanted, feeling as though you frozen in place, so you did the only natural thing left that you could do…

You screamed.

Curling yourself into a ball, squeezing your eyes shut and covering your ears you let out an ear piercing shriek, soon gentle arms pick you up making you once again flinch on reaction but the calming voice that follows eases your worries a bit.

"It’s alright (y/n), you’re going to be okay." Fjord brings you out of the tree line and sets you down into the cart. "Wait here, I’ll be right back." You reach for him as he disappears back into the forest, slowly you lower your arms once again curling up into a ball for any sort of self-comfort, letting tears cascade down your face as the situation fully sinks in.

"It’s my fault this happened. They all died because of me, now I’m gonna lose two families." You sob to yourself thinking only of the worst outcome, so wrapped up in your own world you weren’t sure how much time passed, maybe a minute, maybe an hour you didn’t know anymore. The feeling of something soft and fluffy nudging against you pulls you from those negative thoughts, slowly uncurling yourself to see Frumpkin butting his head against your hand asking for attention. You place the cat onto your lap brushing your hands through his soft fur, looking around your eyes land on Caleb standing a few feet from the cart giving you a empathetic look, had he heard you? It’s not long after the rest of the group emerges from the forest, some of them looking more roughed up then others, most notable being Yasha and Beau.

"So anyone know about that creepy ass clearing?" Beau blurts out, getting a few glares from the party as she realizes her slip of the tongue. "Umm… sorry, the question still stands though."

"M-mr. Roland called it his art." You say it quietly, but still loud enough for them to hear.

"Who’s Mr. Roland?" Jester questions, with a curious tilt of her head. You explain to everyone how he was supposedly a friend to your family, helping with jobs and looking after you and your siblings when your parents couldn’t, and finally how when your family had been attacked several months ago you had thought he was aiding you in the fight.

"No one survived, except for me… they all died because of me." You hug Frumpkin closer to you as fresh tears streamed down your face.

"That’s not true-"

"How do you know!" You shout at Fjord, cutting him off and immediately feeling guilty for doing so, you still continue but softer. "He said it himself that they all died while I was running away."

"They died because you ran away or to help you run away?" You snivel as you think about it again, but it was still hard to focus on your own thoughts. There was, however, one thing on your mind that kept taking priority over all else you just weren’t sure if they’d all agree, better to ask now then never though.

"Can-can I ask you all to do something for me? It’s ok if you don’t wanna, but I was wondering if we could maybe… go back and give them a funeral, or something." As you spoke your words fade to a soft whisper, feeling embarrassed by the request, resorting to hiding your face in the fur of the cat still trapped in your arms. The party talks amongst themselves while you try distracting yourself by playing with Frumpkin's paws.

"Hey." Looking up you see Veth in front of you offering her hand for you to take, so readjusting Frumpkin you take it as she leads you off the cart again and back towards the tree line. While your walking she keeps her hand firmly in yours. "I know this must hard for you, are you really sure you want to go back and see the… aftermath?" Was it not for the situation you’d find it almost funny how despite being about the same height she still acts very motherly to you, or maybe it wasn’t that funny at all, either way you knew what you wanted to be done.

"I’m sure, I don’t want them to be left here as a crazy mans 'art project' they don’t deserve that and I…" You pause, the words catching in your throat. Veth gives you a few gentle squeezes for reassurance to continue, after a minute you find your words again. "I want say goodbye properly. Is that dumb, does that sound dumb?"

"No no, it’s not dumb at all, in fact that’s very brave of you. Some grownups don’t even have the nerve to say goodbye, so just know I’m proud of you for that." You give her a small but genuine smile. By now you had made it back to the clearing, and with some deep breaths you step into it see the rest of the Nein having already dug some holes in the ground to act as graves. The bodies of your family and other poor victims who fell prey to Roland already being placed in some, Caduceus being the one instructing everyone on the proper procedures. It took a few hours so by the time they finished burying the bodies the sky had turned to dusk.

"Is there anything you’d like to say?" Caduceus asks you softly, as if his words could shatter you if he wasn’t careful. You open your mouth but find it to be a struggle to think of something to say now, having been put on the spot in front of everyone trying to force any sort of sound out to no luck. Your face slowly turns red at the feeling of embarrassment that washes over you.

"I have something to say to them if that is alright with you." Caleb says, looking to you as if to ask permission, you tilt your head a little in confusion but nod. He steps forward and clears his throat. "I may not have known them, but if (y/n) is an example of their kindness and acceptance of others, then I can understand why they would do anything to keep them alive." He turns and gives you a gentle smile, you faintly return it.

"It always hurts to lose someone you love, but if I can learn not to let that chain me down and accept love from others again then you can too." Yasha surprised you with her sweet words but there was something uplifting about them that you couldn’t help but raise your smile at.

"My turn! Ok… may the Traveler bless your souls for sending us this sweet little child to call our own, ummm… that’s all I got." Jester pipes in, bringing a sort of joy to cut down the lingering tension, it almost makes you giggle.

"As a mother, I know I’d happily give my life again to protect Luc knowing that he’s still alive and will carry on my legacy." Veth says, almost reminestantly. It made you slowly realize that maybe your family did the same so you could carry on their legacy too, if that’s the case then you’d accept it.

"I do believe the kid's made things more lively since they joined and I for one wouldn’t want to trade that for the world." Maybe not as heartfelt of a speech as the others, but you honestly expected nothing less from Molly, he even struts over to you and ruffles your hair earning a small laugh from you.

"Wait, are we taking turns? Uhh… it’s been nice having someone to look out for and teach the ways of the world to, it always feels like we have a purpose even when we feel useless." Fjord stumbled over his words a little, not fully expecting everyone to contribute but found his grounding at the end, his and everyone’s words so far having helped raise you spirits more and more.

"Ummm… look I’m not really good at this emotional stuff but I’m glad your here with us." Like Molly, Beau's little speech wasn’t all that heartfelt but her words were genuine and that’s all you could ask for.

"You all did amazing, I’m proud." Caduceus says, he then gently places his hands on the ground and casts Decompose while muttering a prayer of safe passage for the deceased to the Wildmother. The area quickly sprouting various fungus’ and some (favourite flower/s) the clearing becoming a beautiful patch of nature once again from the horror show that it once was. You are then brought into a group hug, a warm feeling of true belonging coming over you.

"I’m really happy I found you." Tears slide down your cheeks, but no longer ones of sorrow, these were tears of joy.

"We’re glad we found you too."

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scottbert · 3 years

Text

A Fairy Story

So I was talking with some friends about how fairies are neurodivergent-coded, and as is custom with oppressed minorities, fiction featuring them paints them as the perpetrators of the evils visited upon them, and then this story fell out of me.

Bob: Fairy, you monster! Did you give Alice magic slippers that make her dance all the time?! Fairy: First of all, rude, but yes! Isn't it wonderful? B: What? No! Why would you do that?! F: Uh, she said she wished she could dance all the time, and that one happened to be within my power! I love making humans happy! B: Happy?! Look at her, she's miserable! She's exhausted! F: Really? I can never tell that stuff with humans. You're frustratingly hard to read. B: Yeah, what would a soulless monster know about emotions? F: Again, rude. Also, none of you even know what a soul is, I've read all the wisest humans' writing on the subject and it's completely inconsistent... B: Alice is suffering and all you want to talk about is telling me souls aren't real? F: What? No, I... You're the one who brought it up! You distracted me! Look, let's just ask her. Alice, dear! How do you like your new slippers? Alice: I... hhhh... can't... stop... dancing... so... tired... F: That's right! Thanks to my magic, you don't have to stop dancing when you get tired! Isn't it wonderful? Alice: I... hate it... F: What?! Really?! A: Of... course...! F: Well why didn't you say so?! A: You... cursed me... wanted me... to suffer... F: What? No! Hang on, I'm turning the slippers off, you seem to have some trouble dancing and talking at the same time. A: Ah... finally... can I get some water? F: *conjures a bottle of water* Sure thing here you go! B: *smacks it away* Don't drink that! He'll trap you in fairy land! F: Again, rude. Why would I do that?! B: Of course you deny it! That's how we know you're lying! F: I... guh... buh... what?! B: See! Truth steals the fairy's words! F: Wh... that doesn't... *Someone brings Alice a bucket from the well so she can start rehydrating* F: Alice, if you didn't like my gift, why didn't you just tell me so? A: *gulpgulpgulpgulpgulpGASP* Your curse made me dance forever! You wanted me to suffer, why would you HELP? F: Why would I want you to suffer? I gave you those slippers because you said you wanted to dance forever! A: I didn't want to dance forever! F: Wait, hang on, one of my friends suggested I record conversations with humans, because of your frustrating ability to lie. A (Recording): Oh, I wish I could just dance forever! B: You've stolen her voice! WITCHCRAFT! F: What? Ugh, no, if I had her voice then how has she been talking this whole time? Also, what does the human custom of burning each other have to do with any-- wait. You think the humans you call 'witches' have magic? How does... Okay, first of all, they don't, I can tell because I have magic, and second of all, if they had magic wouldn't they stop you from burning them? B: He's in league with them! F: Okay, that makes no-- B: Also, see how he changes the subject when accused with the truth! F: What? I didn't... you're the one who brought up witches, and I still don't understand what they have to do with any of this... No, no, stop distracting me! Alice, either you lied then or you're lying now, which is it? And why? A: ...I can talk? I can talk! You gave my voice back! F: *long-suffering sigh* A: I didn't lie! I do love dancing! But I don't want to dance every moment of the day, I need to do other things! F: ...So when you said, quote, I wish I could just dance forever, unquote, you did not actually mean it. It was not true? Do you understand what the definition of a lie is? A: You twisted my words! Obviously I can't literally dance forever, how would that even work? F: ...I figured out how it would work and made it happen. It's what I do and I'm very good at it! So let me get this straight. You lied-- B: She didn't lie, you monster! F: Okay, that's enough out of you. You're a frog until this conversation is over. B: *ribbit* F: Now then. Alice. You lied, I acted on that lie, working very hard to give you what you said you wanted, and you were unhappy with the result. Despite your deception, I would have gladly freed you from your self-inflicted torment at any time had you only asked, but you didn't, because you believed I wished you malice? A: That's what fairies do! I should never have asked for your help, all the stories warned me that you'd twist my wish but I thought you were different! I thought we were friends! F: We... are friends, that's why I helped you, and... why I forgive you, even though you lied to me and blamed me for the result. A: YOU forgive ME?! You... you... I wish to never see you again! F: You... you really mean that?! A: YES! F: ...Just to be clear, you're not asking me to be invisible in your presence, are you? A: I WANT YOU TO NEVER SPEAK TO ME OR COME NEAR ME OR INTERFERE IN MY LIFE EVER AGAIN! I WISH TO NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN! F: *tearfully* ...You... really, truly mean that? If you say it a third time, I will take it as truth, and-- A: I WISH TO NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN! F: V-very well. G...goodbye Alice, my... friend. I hope you have a nice life. Truly. *runs off and cries for a year and a day*

~50 years later~ Other fairy: And so the scorpion climbs onto the frog's back and then when they get halfway across it stings the frog and they both drown. F: ...And? O: That's it. That's the ending. F: Huh. Oddly... realistic, for a human story, the animals acting on instinct like that. Usually the animals act more... human. O: Well, they were talking right up until the end there. F: Yeah. Wait, you don't think the point of the story is humans would do the same, is it? O: Wow, I never thought of that! No, it's obviously self-destructive, they'd SEE that, right? F: I don't know, humans think in strange ways, ...Wait. Frog. Oh no! I have to go. Unfinished business. Same time tomorrow? O: Sure thing! ... F: There you are! Oh gosh, I'm so sorry, it totally slipped my mind, I was so upset, look, this was my bad, so I'll grant any wish within my power-- B: *Now looking exactly as he did before, not having aged a day* I... I'm human again? OH GOD! STAY AWAY FROM ME! F: Is... that really all you want? I could give you riches, humans pay each other in recompense for harm done, right? Or... oh right, perhaps you don't want gold? I could turn this frog into a pretty girl? Humans like that, right? Or how about a blessing upon your bloodline, your children will all grow up strong and clever... B: *running away screaming* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! F: ...Well I budgeted all this time for working a mighty apology wish. There goes my whole day. Humans!

~Outtake~ F: ...Just to be clear, you're not asking me to be invisible in your presence, are you? A: YOU JUST TORTURED ME FOR HOURS AND NOW YOU’RE MAKING PUNS?!

#short story #story #fairy #fairies #neurodivergent #neurodivergencies #autism #autistic #wishes #ADHD

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gwydionae · 3 years

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The One Behind the Curtain

Who is behind the TVA, and what is Renslayer's deal? These are two questions I have seen and heard a lot of people asking before the finale episode, and I, like everyone else, have got some thoughts on both.

Let's start with Renslayer. We know she is working with someone other than Mobius based on the various trophies he doesn't recognize (note: even a variant Mobius would count as "someone other than Mobius" in this case, just to be clear). On top of that, she obviously knows more than the average TVA worker as she knew about them all being variants and that pruned individuals don't actually die. She also didn't seem too surprised at the fact that the Time Keepers were androids and claims she wants to find out who is really behind the TVA. This seems to be genuine. She did state as much to Sylvie, but the fact that she then talked with Miss Minutes alone, asking for the files from the beginning of the TVA in order to protect the people responsible for creating it, is what really implies that this is true. If she did already know their identities, there would be no reason to keep up the act with only Miss Minutes around to hear.

So what is her goal? I don't think she wants to destroy the TVA like Sylvie otherwise she'd actually try and work with her. Instead she is keeping everything running as she's supposed to, claiming the TVA "needs stability" to Hunter B-15. But she wants the answer to who's behind it all for some reason, and my guess is that she's trying to find out the information for someone else, someone she's working for. Perhaps someone who brings her snow globes and pens. If I had to guess, she was sent on this mission by someone who knew of the TVA and wanted to rule in place of whoever is currently running it. Maybe they knew that variants were taken as workers, having her do something to get taken in. And even if she may have forgotten for a time (as Mobius and B-15 forgot their past lives), knowing that everyone is a variant would imply that she knows about her own past now, and she remembers what she's supposed to do. And with all this time having built herself up as a trusted worker, she is now making her move.

Maybe that's even why Sylvie was able to get away from her so easily as a child. Maybe she allowed her to, hoping that Sylvie could be the catalyst to her own plan someday. It could explain why Renslayer seemed so hesitant to send Mobius to Roxxcart to stop Sylvie and the real reason she was kept alive after being caught on Lamentis-1 to instead be executed in front of the Time Keepers, a fact both Sylvie and Loki find strange.

Speaking of Mobius, her conversations with him, especially in episode 4, feel off, and not just because he is starting to have doubts. Her reaction to having him pruned is that of genuine loss, so I believe that she was indeed trying to protect Mobius from finding out the truth, or at least from finding it out in a way that would turn him against her. She asks him about where he would go if he could go anywhere, and he states that he likes being there with her, doing the work. And then when she goes on her speech about how their friendship is uncommon, she focuses in on fighting to keep their relationship, only very quickly at the end adding a line about the importance of the Sacred Timeline. I think this shows that she does genuinely see the two of them as friends and wants him on her side, the Sacred Timeline more of an afterthought. I believe this is the reason that he gets invited to oversee Loki and Sylvie's pruning. I think she wants Sylvie to expose the false Time Keepers, and she wants Mobius to be there to witness it with her so that he can join her in her secret mission, sparing him from whatever fate may befall him otherwise. Mobius finding out the truth from Loki and siding with him, however, puts an end to all of that.

There is also one other character that Renslayer has some interactions with that I find strange - Miss Minutes. First, Miss Minutes is the one to offer up the lie about the void ship when Sylvie says that she has no more need for Renslayer. Renslayer doesn't instantly try to talk her way out of it, but Miss Minutes does, lying and buying them time until the Minutemen arrive. This makes me wonder if Miss Minutes suspects that Renslayer does know of a way to get past the void and didn't want her to be intimidated into giving up such information. After all, it would be strange if the only way to get past Alioth was by going to the void and enchanting him. My second point stems from this, and that's Miss Minutes' reaction to Renslayer asking for all the files on the founding of the TVA after talking with Hunter B-15. She doesn't immediately go to find the files, instead simply stating that it's a "mighty tall order". Renslayer is the top of the TVA workforce food chain - if Miss Minutes is hesitating to give her information, it seems likely that it's because she doesn't trust her. I'll talk about this a bit more later, but this seems to support the idea that Renslayer is hiding something from the TVA itself.

With all that said about Renslayer, let's look at the question of who is behind the TVA. There are two theories that seem the most prevalent: 1.) another version of Loki and 2.) Kang. As Kang has connections to Renslayer in the comics, let's start there. I don't know anything about Kang personally, but I have heard a lot about him from the comic-reading fans watching this show. And, yeah, it does seem like there are a lot of Kang connections, not to mention the fact that he's confirmed the villain of the next Ant-Man movie. So why DON'T I think it's Kang?

Well, for one, all of these connections are things that people who haven't read the comics would never have caught on their own. Had I not heard all the theories about him, I would never be able to look back on the season and notice the solely comic-based breadcrumbs hinting at his inclusion. And that's not good storytelling. Introducing someone as important as him in episode 6 would just be jarring at this point.

But saying all that, I do think all of those tie-ins are there on purpose. I believe that Kang does have a role in the series, but it's less "main villain" and more "ominous shadow", and rather than Kang himself, we will deal with the one living in that shadow. To put it simply, I think that Kang is the one who sent Renslayer to find out who is behind the TVA.

For one, Kang and Renslayer have a relationship in the comics, so it makes sense for them to have a connection here, especially since he's a confirmed upcoming entity in the MCU. For two, he is someone who wants to rule time, so it makes sense that the TVA would be in his way of that. And for three, apparently the big cloud thing, Alioth, in episode 5 actually acts as a sort of obstacle or even rival for Kang in the comics, making its use here as the "guard dog" of the true creators of the TVA feel very symbolic and purposeful, if perhaps severely toned down. So, yeah, I think that Kang wants to overthrow whoever is behind the TVA so he can rule it and therefore bend all of time to his will. So I believe that he does have connections in this series, but I don't think he is currently running the TVA. I also don't think we'd see more than maybe a glimpse of him at the very end, in perhaps a teaser à la Thanos in the first Avengers movie if anything. Instead the focus will be on Renslayer - as it was with Loki in "The Avengers". This would set him up for Ant-Man without actually ruining anything for that movie or making "Loki" a 100% necessary watch beforehand, something I don't think Marvel would want to do with their new TV show format just yet.

The other often theorized secret head of the TVA is a version of Loki. I admittedly cannot wrap my head around how this could work, especially after episode 5. If you want to argue that one similar to President Loki, for example, would probably create the TVA simply because he wants to rule all, then my only response is that we've just seen that. Why have a character like that introduced - and made fun of - right before introducing another one in the finale? How would that be satisfying to see again? Just because he'd be less silly doesn't mean he'd be any more interesting or compelling after seeing President Loki get his hand bitten off by an alligator. So going the "evil" Loki route would seem like a retread.

But going for a more "noble" version doesn't work either. Whoever is behind the TVA clearly wants all Lokis to be alone, not allowing them to ever change to be a good person. You could make the argument that this is because it makes everyone around him better, and such things are needed for the greater good, but then you have Classic Loki's story. He got pruned long after he was supposed to because he dared to want to see Thor again, after he had already served his purpose in the Sacred Timeline. What would the harm be in letting him return after Thor had done what he needed to do? It feels like the person overseeing this timeline is genuinely against Lokis having connections. Why would a "noble" version of Loki do that to other versions of himself even after Thor and the rest of the Avengers have matured to the point of being able to defeat Thanos? It just winds up feeling cruel in that instance, and that doesn't sound "noble" at all. So having a Loki be at the end of all this just doesn't seem to fit, in my opinion.

Ok, so if not Loki or Kang, then who? As I mentioned with Kang, it would be weird to just introduce someone completely new in the very last episode that hasn't even been hinted at yet. So it would have to be someone we've either met or have heard about already. I have seen speculation about Mobius or even Sylvie thrown around, but neither of these would fit what we know of the characters without a huge out-of-left-field twist (or variants of said characters, which I suppose shouldn't be ruled out, but just seems unnecessarily convoluted, but it IS Marvel, so...).

So who's left? There doesn't seem to be a lot of options to fill this role out of the people we've already met. But there IS someone running a lot of things within the TVA that we have seen several times now and I've already noted has acted a little odd. Whether as a joke or not, I have seen others throw out Miss Minutes as a possibility, and I have to say that she is the character I am currently leaning most towards.

Does that mean that I think Miss Minutes created the TVA? No, I don't. But I do think she is currently running it. I believe that someone - possibly the original Time Keepers - created her in order to help them run everything, either in case something happened to them or just simply as an extra hand. From here I believe there are two possibilities. Either the original creators died, and Miss Minutes has dutifully been carrying on their work as she was created to do, or said creators, for one reason or another, decided that the "Sacred Timeline" was a concept they no longer believed in and Miss Minutes - who was programmed specifically to uphold said timeline - decided that the creators needed to be disposed of in order to keep fulfilling her duties. Either way, without them, Miss Minutes would need help to continue her work, and so she would start employing variants for that purpose, all the time keeping up the appearance of "Time Keepers" in a very "Wizard of Oz"/man-behind-the-curtain scenario. This would mean that the identity of the original creators wouldn't be important, because the one stealing the lives of variants and employing them against their will would be Miss Minutes herself. So no one new would have to be introduced at the last minute in order for the audience to feel satisfied with the overthrowing of the TVA, Miss Minutes and Renslayer both having antagonistic parts to play.

I could obviously be very wrong on all of this. Maybe Renslayer herself wants to take over the TVA and Miss Minutes is nothing more than a cute, animated helper. Maybe it is simply another Loki variant heading the TVA. Whatever the outcome, as long as it's pulled off well, I'll be satisfied. But it's fun to theorize and see what does ultimately fit the Sacred MCU Timeline and what winds up just a heartfelt, fanmade variant.

#loki #loki series #loki series spoilers #loki spoilers #mcu loki #loki laufeyson #mcu #spoilers #gwy writes a literal essay #oops i did it again #let's see how long is THIS loki essay...#oh only 3 and a half pages that's nothing XD #nice little mini essay then lol #i just have a lot of thoughts on this show #maybe i'll finally get around to writing up that loki character analysis essay i've been thinking about #...you know a new one to go with the series and not the old one that was for the movies XD #but i tell you what typing this up i came to a whole lot more conclusions about renslayer than i had previously #i tried really hard to condense her stuff buuuuuuut that didn't go so well so sorry for rambling a bit XD #my guess at the end winds up feeling more like a footnote in comparison LOL #oh well

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benscaligraphyset · 4 years

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Chapter three

(A/N: I hope you all enjoy this new update! Please let me know what you think in the replies/reblogs! Reblogs are always appreciated :) )

Warnings: none that I can think of

“What exactly did you feel?” Leia asked after you nearly broke down her door at the crack of dawn.

She wrapped a pink robe around herself and followed your pursuit around the house. You couldn’t stay still in the state that you were in, because staying still is doing nothing and doing nothing is not helping Ben.

“All I know is it was Ben, okay? And he felt so scared and lost and I don’t think he even meant to reach out to me. It was just a very strong feeling, but it was him, I know it,” you insisted as you went into their kitchenette, Leia trailing behind you.

“Y/N, wait,” Leia said and whirled around to face her.

You knew you must look crazy, eyes puffy, dark rimmed and wide with desperation, hair a giant tangle, and you were so jittery you couldn’t even stand in still for one minute. But, you finally had a real lead on Ben and refused to lose him again.

Leia sighed. “This could be a trap.”

“A trap by who?”

Leia hesitated but you didn’t have the patience to wait for an answer.

“And even if it is, Ben still needs our help.”

You helped yourself to a breakfast biscuit, the crumbly bread at least providing you with some energy, but you knew you would inevitably throw it up. You saw some ration packs in the cabinet and looked at Leia, the silent question evident on your face. She nodded and you shoved some into your bag.

“I know, all I’m saying is maybe we should think before we go in blasters blazing—“

“You can stay here and think, but I’m going after your son,” you snapped.

She recoiled away as if you had physically struck her and you instantly regretted what you had said. But, why did it seem that you were more interested in saving her son than she was? It was making you so angry.

“Look, I’m sorry I snapped, but the more time we waste—”

“Y/N—”

“What?”

“Han will be here soon, we can take the Falcon,” Leia said. You didn’t realize how jittery you finally stopped moving.

Grateful tears pricked your eyes and you threw your arms around her. You didn’t miss the fact that she said, “we” as opposed to “you”. You knew if there was even a chance that Ben was close to falling to the dark side, you would need the whole Solo family to help pull him back. He needed to know he was wanted and loved, especially by the people he felt sent him away.

“Thank you, Leia.”

“But, we need to have a plan,” she said. “And you need to tell me exactly what you felt.”

“Well, I had this dream, but I don’t know if—“

“Anything can be helpful,” Leia said, urging you to sit down at the kitchen table.

You sat down across from her. “It was mostly flashes. Ben was with these men in strange masks and they said they were going to Minemoon the next day. Then, it shifted to what I guess was Minemoon and a couple of my classmates were there...I forgot they were off world.”

“They were off world the night the temple was attacked?” Leia asked and you nodded.

“I completely forgot until now,” you mused. Three classmates were off world and only two were in your vision, but you tried not to think about what that could suggest.

“Anyway,” you continued before Leia could ask anymore questions, “they were fighting the masked guys, but I don’t think Ben was sure of who’s side to fight on—but I watched Tai die with Ben just standing there…I couldn’t tell what he was feeling.”

You broke off to wipe a stray tear. Tai was always kind to you and he helped you to center yourself many times when your emotions got too overwhelming. You were grateful to him that he didn’t treat Ben like he was a ticking time bomb, and instead a human being who was suffering. Tai is the last classmate Ben would ever harm. You don’t think he would be capable of harming even Voe, who was always horrible to everyone.

“Then what happened?” Leia pressed gently.

“And then Voe was dead...and Ben was walking away. Then, I woke up and I could finally feel Ben again! But, the connection was full of fear and pain. I’ve never felt it so dark before,” you said, lip trembling. “And then...and then he just shut me out again.”

Leia sighed and reached forward, grabbing your hands.

“You know Ben has always struggled with the darkness inside of him—“

“No,” you cut her off before she could finish her thought.

You refused to believe he would fall to the dark side and yeah, maybe that meant you were in denial in which case, fine, you were in denial, but you knew the man you fell in love with. Of course you felt the darkness raging a war inside of him, it’d be hard to miss, but you also felt so much light inside of him, so much goodness.

“There’s good inside of him.” You didn’t know who you were trying to convince, you or Leia.

“I know,” Leia agreed. She didn’t say anything more, obviously realizing the conversation would go no where.

You weren’t able to say anything before you heard a key being shoved into the lock on the front door. A few seconds later, Han came through the door.

“Y/N, Leia! I didn’t expect either of you to be up this early,” Han greeted you gruffly. Old isn’t the word you would use to describe Han, and you know he’d ring anyone’s neck who said otherwise, but he was definitely older. His hair and beard were almost completely grey and wrinkles were starting to appear around his eyes and on his cheeks, but the one thing that hadn’t changed was that permanent cocky smirk he wore.

You and Leia exchanged a glance, wondering who should tell him.

“Y/N thinks she has a lead on Ben,” Leia ended up saying. Han’s smirk fell and he looked between the two of you as if you both had two heads.

“Are you kidding? What are we just sitting around for? Let’s go!” Han said, turning to the side to yell, “Hey Chewie, stop unloading we’re about to take off again!”

“Han—“

“We’re going to get Ben!” Han shouted back in response to Chewbacca’s grumble and you heard a distant triumphant roar.

“Han, we need a plan before we go,” Leia said, sounding annoyed already.

“We have a plan, getting our son back.”

You grinned at him, taking this as your cue to stand and join him in the doorway. Leia sighed harshly and looked down at the table in exasperation. She had always said whenever you and Han were together it was like there were two of you and you could practically hear her saying it now.

“We can’t just go in without knowing what we’re walking into! Y/N only has a vague idea of where he’ll be—“

“He’s going to be at Minemoon tomorrow I know it,” you insisted, locking your pleading eyes with her. “Leia, please, we’ll make a plan on the way, but we need to go get Ben.”

Leia looked from you to Han and then back to you and sighed.

“Well, I’m obviously outnumbered, so I guess I’ll get my things,” Leia grumbled and shuffled back into her room.

You turned to Han, grin returning and he wrapped an arm around you.

“C’mere kid,” he said and pulled you in for a tight hug. You relaxed into it and hugged him back, breathing in his scent.

“I’ve missed you so much,” you nearly sobbed into his chest and you felt him rub your back soothingly.

“I’ve missed you too, kid.”

Han pulled back and gave you a once over.

“Are you wearing my shirt?” he asked, just now realizing.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” you said, looking down with a chuckle. “Leia let me wear it to sleep.”

Han glanced back at the shirt and huffed. He didn’t say it, but you could feel adoration coming off of him.

“Well, go put on some real clothes so we can go rescue my son.”

Han hung back while you went to the Falcon, no doubt in need to speak with Leia privately.

You’d borrowed some robes from Leia and they made you shift uncomfortably with every step. You’d been wearing the same standard robes for months while training with Master Luke and it’s not that Leia’s robes weren’t nice, it’s just that they just felt off. At least there was a belt for you to put your saber.

You sighed as you made your way up the ramp, pulling at the pants that were squeezing your thighs. You weren’t prepared for the surge of memories that appeared when you entered the curved tunnels of the Falcon’s walkway. You hadn’t been here in years.

Last time you were on here, Han was teaching Ben to fly her.

“No, Ben you’ve gotta—“

“I’ve got it, dad!”

“No, you don’t because—“

The two men cut off as the ship began to shake violently and Ben’s eyes looked around in panic.

“Move over,” Han had snapped gruffly, leaning over Ben to flip some switches, bringing the ship back to a steady cruise. He turned back to Ben in irritation and the younger boy had shrunk under his gaze.

You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped you at the sight of both of their faces. Han turned his stern face onto you now and your smile instantly fell. You cleared your throat, trying to play it off and your eyes flickered to Ben who just smirked at you in response. When Han has first scolded him, you could feel his embarrassment and shame rolling off his shoulders, but at the reminder of your presence he relaxed and you could feel him reaching out to you. You gladly reached back, sending feelings of encouragement his way.

“If you two are done Jedi flirting,” Han said and your cheeks grew hot. Han didn’t know much about the Force, but he had come to recognize when you and Ben were communicating through it. You instantly felt Ben retreat from you and watched the tips of his ears turn pink.

Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard a mighty roar and you turned to see a wall of fur.

“Chewie!” you greeted in excitement and he didn’t hesitate to wrap you in a bone crushing hug, lifting you in the air.

“I missed you too, buddy,” you choked out and Chewie, hearing your strain, reduced the pressure on your ribs and set you down. He apologized and laid a large hand on your shoulder.

“It’s okay,” you said with a chuckle, placing your much smaller hand over his.

He asked you what the plan was.

“We’re going to get Ben on Minemoon, a moon off of Mimban.”

He asked you what he was doing there, but before you could answer, Han’s voice rang out.

“We never should’ve sent him away,” Han grumbled, stomping his way up the ramp with Leia in tow.

“Who was going to train him then, hm? You?” Leia asked.

“Did you ever think to ask him what he wanted? Maybe he didn’t want to be a Jedi!” Han rounded on Leia.

Chewie wailed loudly, objecting to their arguing.

“Stay out of it!” They both screamed in union and Chewie grumbled in annoyance.

“Did he not want to be a Jedi, Han? Or did you not want him to?”

Chewie gave a low whine and looked to you desperately.

“Guys—“

“We never should’ve trust Luke with him, that little—“

“Han!” you shouted and he whirled around to face you, face angry until he realized it was you, then it seemed to soften. “Can I talk to you? Privately?”

Now seemed as good a time as ever to have this talk, you thought, and at least it was a good reason to get them to stop fighting. Han sighed and turned back to Leia.

“This isn’t over,” he said.

“It never is,” she mumbled before making her way to the cockpit.

You started walking towards the crew quarters, angry steps behind you letting you know he was trailing behind. He looked at you expectantly when you closed the door behind him.

“What’s up, kid?” Han asked. He sounded exhausted already and you briefly wondered if he had gotten any sleep since the news either.

“I, uh, there’s something I need to tell you...”

“Well, come on, then, spit it out.”

You’d be offended by his words if you didn’t already know this was Han’s way of being encouraging.

“I’m—I’m pregnant,” you said, bringing your hand down to cup your abdomen. You watched as Han’s lip twitched into a surprised smile.

“That’s great news!” he exclaimed until he noticed you weren’t joining him in his joy. “Or not?”

“It’s, uh, it is good news. It’s just...it’s Ben’s,” you admitted softly. Han’s smile faltered and his face showed an emotion you couldn’t place; you don’t think he understood what he was feeling either.

Every second he was silent felt like an eternity to you and you were losing your mind at not knowing what was going on inside of his head.

“I’m gonna be a granddaddy?” he asked quietly after a minute, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, yeah, you are.”

He instantly wrapped you in his arms and you happily returned the hug. You could finally feel all the emotions coming off him in hot waves. Disbelief, fear, happiness; all those emotions were swirling around in his head, fighting for dominance. Han pulled back after a minute and met his eyes with yours, staring at you intently.

“We’re going to find him, okay?”

You smiled and a tear escaped your eye, falling down your cheek, and Han reached forward to wipe it away. You leaned into his warm, calloused hand and he gently stroked your cheek with nothing but love in his eyes. Those were eyes that told you that you would never going to truly be alone.

Ben must’ve gotten those from his father, you realized.

You nodded. “Okay.”

“I was wondering why Leia was asking me to pick up those hormone pills. Pregnant neighbor, my ass!”

“Speaking of Leia, lay off her will you? She’s just worried about him too,” you said, voice stern. Han nodded and let his shoulders sag in defeat.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he agreed. “I hate it when you women are right.”

You giggled. “Unfortunately for you, that’s pretty much always.”

Han rolled his eyes but still wore a giddy grin from the news. At first glance, Han doesn’t seem like a sentimental man, but when you truly know him and learn his mannerisms, (Han-isms as you and Leia liked to call them) you’d come to understand what a loving man he truly is. He rumpled your hair on his way out and you heard the hiss of the door opening.

“Chewie! I’m gonna be a granddaddy!” he instantly shouted, the words echoing throughout the whole ship. You heard a roar of excitement and heavy footsteps coming your way.

You snorted. You should’ve seen that coming.

After vomiting very lady-like into a waste bin in the crews quarters with Chewie holding your hair back, you pulled yourself together in the refresher and went to rejoin the others. You were glad Han and Chewie were already privy to your little secret as it would be hard to explain the constant vomiting spells otherwise.

On your way to the cockpit however you were caught off guard by the resurgence of your and Ben’s connection.

Y/N... you heard him as clearly as if he was right next to you.

“Ben?” you asked, frantically looking around to no avail. He wasn't here.

And then, as quickly as he let in you, he shut you out again, leaving you with a hole in your chest. You wiped away a tear that had managed to escape for eye and you pulled yourself together. You needed to focus.

Han and Leia appeared to have made up if her sitting in his lap was any indication. Maybe the prospect of them both being future grandparents brought them together and made them realize how petty their feud really was. You smiled when he placed a silent kiss into her braided hair before he heard you come in.

He must’ve seen you out of his peripherals because a second later his head turned to you and he rolled his eyes at your triumphant smile. Leia turned to you and gave you a grateful smile.

“So, where is it we’re going again?” Han asked, tapping Leia’s thigh as an indication for her to get up. She complied and settled for standing next to him, a steady hand resting on his shoulder.

“Minemoon,” you repeated for what felt like the hundredth time today. “It orbits Mimban in the Circarpous System.”

Han tapped coordinates into the system, beeps sounding at each press. You flopped down in the chair behind him and closed your eyes, letting out an involuntary sigh. You still hadn’t slept well in four days now and that made the daily pregnancy fatigue even worse. Your head was pounding and you felt gross and clammy from recently throwing up.

“Why don’t you rest, Y/N?” Leia suggested and you opened your eyes.

“I’ll rest when we have Ben back,” you said with a tone of finality. No one dared argue with you, even as the bags under your eyes had become dangerously dark.

Even though you had assumed a position of stubborn consciousness, arms tightly crossed around your chest, you barley remember the Falcon groaning into hyperdrive as you finally lost consciousness just after that. You fell asleep to the feeling of Ben’s steady Force signature and the dream of him coming back to you.

(A/N: Again, I so hope you guys enjoyed this update and that it was worth the wait! Let me know what you thought!)

Taglist (ask to be added):

@chewymoustachio @keverdeen395 @obsessionprofessional @promiscuoussatan @annepamgkrth @angelicwolf98 @allmyawesomeness @jaydaduckyy @starfishfaerie @oh-mymendes @dark-night-sky-99 @starktonyx @bensoloslover @kylosbeanswolo @oopsiedoopsie23 @moonprincess003 @starktonyx @heda-mikaelson

#ben solo #ben solo x reader #ben solo x you #ben solo imagine #kylo ren x reader #kylo ren x you #Kylo Ren imagine #ben solo fanfic #ben solo fanfiction #Kylo Ren fanfic #Kylo Ren fanfiction #Leia Organa #Han Solo #sw fanfic #sw fanfiction #Star Wars fanfic #star wars reader insert #kylo ren reader insert #ben solo reader insert

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detective-with-one-arm · 3 years

Text

More Monster Than Man

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was only supposed to be a myth. That’s all. Stories to scare away any trespassers that would dare venture towards the one locale untouched by local rebel forces.

But as he saw the carnage before him, he felt his heart stop, his blood go cold. The legends were real. The mythical snake god of the legends was real! And he’d just eaten one of his fellow mercenaries. This was supposed to be a clean and easy job. Kill the leader of the village to stir them into disarray before attacking and pillaging them for their goods and their labour.

Even if the mythical creature wasn’t real, there was a reason some men didn’t return from their scouting missions. The men just figured it was a particularly skilled warrior that the myth was attributed to. Some sort of title.

He would never have expected it to be literal.

But still, he stayed, steeling his nerves so that he could take in as much information as he could. So that he could have something good to report back to the general who already wouldn’t be happy with losing one of his best assassins.

This beast wasn’t just some random beast. Indeed, the shaman had a way to placate it should it rampage. With some sort of screaming whistle made to imitate a human’s screams. While he couldn’t see much else inside the shaman’s home, he knew that the creature had been satiated as it dragged his former man, his chest hollowed out and bloodied, back to wherever the creature called its domain. And on the ground in his place was what appeared to be a woman.

She did not look like she was from this village, but she also didn’t seem to be here for the same reasons his men were. And even as she got up to speak to the shaman, it was clear she was trying to protect him. She held a respect for these people and even that beast.

She was merely a visitor, but one who was brave enough to try and stop the assassin from killing the shaman.

Before the beast could get a chance to realize that the assassin was not alone, the scout slunk away, determined to return to his General and deliver all the information he’d gathered.

——————————————

In his tent, the General was leaning over his workspace. The only light came from his desk lamp, illuminating not only the map on his desk but the maps on the walls. Red outlines, arrows, and x’s all written over the course of many years in regards to the various settlements recorded on said maps.

He had been searching. And he had been searching for years. Searching for the hidden village, the one place untouched by greater men for hundreds of years. The audacity, believing themselves to be above the will of conquerors.

The sounds of voices could be heard outside and the General could already feel annoyance bubbling under his tight skin. “The only reason you should have returned, private, is if Jameson has succeeded in locating and eliminating the leader of the hidden village.”

His voice was gravelly and low and sharp, reflecting the disposition of a man who had no tolerance for cowardice or failure.

Even turning around to look at the private, he could already tell that he’d failed, especially since he had come back alone. His quiet fury was already bristling in his chest.

“N-no, Sir. I’m…afraid the shaman's still alive.” He stammered, standing tall despite the sweat betraying the fear he had for the man he obeyed so fervently.

The only respect the lower men deserved to show their general.

Narrowing his eyes, the General slowly approached the private, leering down at him with the coldness of a man who has witnessed and ordered the slaughter of many innocent men, women, and children. A man who was not in the business of delivering mercy. “Then why have you returned empty handed, stinking of failure?”

The way the private squirmed and writhed under the General’s gaze was invigorating. It was that kind of fear that he could elicit from men that kept him sane. Kept him focused. Kept him from being nothing but a mindless beast whose only motivation for living was survival.

Swallowing, the private seemed to find his voice. “B-because he was killed…by-by a monster.”

Quirking his eyebrow, the General leaned forward, just a bit. “Oh? And what sort of monster was able to kill a man whose entire life is devoted to the craft of culling worthless lives from the earth? What beast was able to surpass the will of man?”

Fear having overtaken him, the private let out a pathetic sob. “It-it was a monster! The stories! They were true! A monster with a man’s body and a snake’s tail killed him! It strangled him and then ripped out his heart! He didn’t stand a chance!”

What foolish nonsense was this? The General narrowed his eyes at the private as he backed the man into a corner. “You dare lie to me? To hide your complete and utter failure? You know the consequences for cowardice, private. Or do you perhaps wish to suffer a real fate by my hand?”

“No! It’s true! I swear it’s true!” He pleaded through tears and sobs. “There-there was a woman, too! It was going to kill her, too! But then the shaman…he used some kind of…whistle. It sounds like a human’s screams. The monster answers to it. I-I think the shaman worships it. Like some sort of god!”

Intriguing. Very intriguing. Though it sounded impossible to believe, the private seemed to be telling the truth, as miraculous as it was.

But then…that begged so many questions. How did a simple forest village come into the favour of such a creature? Long enough to have a system for placating such a monster.

On the General’s face, a twisted grin spread from ear to ear. Of course. It all made sense, now. No wonder the hidden village was never found. It was being protected by a monster whom foolish men deemed a god. A beast who could be manipulated with only the right tools.

And if it was protecting a village, then it must be protecting something important. Something…valuable. And if not, the beast itself would be enough of a prize for the years and years the General had spent trying to find the village.

“Go find the lieutenant.” The General ordered the private, standing up straight and turning around to go back to his maps. “We begin mobilizing our forces closer to the village.”

At that, the private began flapping his lips again, babbling in spineless fear. “B-but sir! You haven’t seen what it’s capable of! I don’t wanna die like that! I don’t wanna mess with a bloodthirsty god -”

At that, the General whipped around and gripped the private by his uniform, black eyes burning with cold rage. “There are no such things as gods.” He spat, relishing in the tears that fell down the smaller man’s face and his pathetic whimpers. “This creature is only a beast. It can be killed and it can be captured. This world is not ruled by gods. It is the will of man that crushes mountains, levels forests, and tames seas. It is the will of man that dominates the world and bends its forces to our will. It is man that captures and extinguishes mighty beasts. It is man that understands the wealth creatures grant us and uses them as we see fit to fulfill our design. It is man that has taken the forces of nature itself and bent them to our purposes. There are no gods because men are the closest to gods this world will ever see. We are conquerors who have dominated the entire world and harnessed it for our empires.”

Leaning close, the General relished in the way the private’s blood pulsed under his fingers, his heart beating rapidly like a frightened rabbit. “Go find the lieutenant.” He ordered once again in a low tone of voice, concealing daggers in his sharp words. “We begin mobilizing our forces tonight.”

Swallowing, his face drenched in his own tears and his voice sore from his whimpers, he nodded gratefully. “Y-y-yes, Sir.”

Without another word, he left the tent.

Walking back to his desk, he looked up at the map before him, a red circle outlining the hidden village as a wicked smile graced the General’s lips. “A human village…worshipping a mindless beast as though it were a god. How primitive.” He chuckled amusedly. “But there are no such thing as gods. Only man and beast. And a beast is mortal. A beast exists for man to take and man to use.”

Taking a dagger and driving it into the empty circle, the General glared menacingly at the map.

“And a beast, no matter how powerful, is no match for the force of a thousand men and their machines of war and death. This beast...will know what it means to be broken into its rightful place, subservient to the superior species of this earth.”

#howtodisassembleyourdeviant #[an act of service]#oc writing #dbh connor #connor dbh #naga!connor #dbh ocs #{Rachel}

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kinnoth · 3 years

Text

AVENGERS INFINITY WAR MEGATHREAD

-really doubt i'm gonna be able to finish this movie so we'll just see where i get to

- we already know how i feel about loki and thor, we don't need to revisit this

- ok but if i were going to revisit this, i mean come on, who wants to talk about "hela draws her power from asgard, same as you" cos i wanna talk about that

like what if that's the reason thor, god of thunder, king to a civilisation of warriors, was unable to fend off like, 4 dudes and a big purple dinosaur? the royal family of asgard draws its power from asgard, and without it, they are weak, they are mortal. maybe that's why heimdall is unable to just, you know, bifrost everybody off the fucking ship the minute it comes under attack. maybe that's why loki can't fucking conjure up a swarm of fucking microscopic knives to fillet the invaders from the inside out. MAYBE THAT'S WHY LOKI TRIES TO KILL THANOS WITH A FUCKING DAGGER. BECAUSE TAKE AWAY HIS POWER, TAKE AWAY HIS GODHOOD, WHAT DOES HE HAVE LEFT OTHER THAN HIS WILE, HIS TRICKS AND HIS BROTHER

WHAT IF IN SAVING THE UNIVERSE AND DESTROYING ASGARD, THEY'VE LOST EVERYTHING INCLUDING WHAT MAKES THEM GODS

somebody talk about this

- etc etc what if the reason loki is unable to attack the purple dinosaur with magic is because when he tackled thor earlier, he used whatever magic he had left to spare in order to heal him

checks out cos thor goes from flat on his face to swinging his fists in the space of like 30 seconds and the only thing to happen to him in between is said bit about loki tackling him

- why does heimdall save hulk? i mean, i could understand it if he were trying to aim the bifrost at thor and somebody somehow knocked off his aim and he accidentally saves hulk, but like, we've established that heimdall's loyalty is to the royal seat of asgard upon whom sits thor's mighty ass. thor who, in this scene, has just been incapacitated by a metal eggshell(?) and is at the mercy of their assailants. given heimdall's priorities, it is baffling to the point of inconceivability that he would preferentially save fucking HULK over his own king.

- if this next scene isn't the guardians of the galaxy coming across thor clutching loki's dead fucking body floating through space then i don't know why any of us are even here

- "he sent loki! the attack on new york was thanos!" makes no sense? like, if loki's scepter had the mind stone in it, which we established it did in the last movie when we broke it open to retrieve vision, then.....why didn't thanos just....take the mind stone in the first place? cos rock collecting is and has always been his goal?

what, do you think that just because you assert a thing makes us forget all the shit that happened before?

- i.....am actually with tony stark. why don't they just destroy the stones they have so that thanos can't get to them? oh, you made a promise? well promises change and circumstances change! you tell him tony! you tell that stupid fucker --

oh my god i'm gonna be ill

- i think the only person whose ego can match tony stark's is probably a neurosurgeon so 👍 i guess

-i love how we immediately went back to the "so dark can't see shit" aesthetic after ragnorak because ensuring that one's audience can SEE what is HAPPENING IN YOUR MOVIE is apparently for radical directors like taika waititi

- cannot believe that tony stark staring at captain america's phone number is being played with the same emotional intensity as thor losing his soulmate entire people

- honestly how many times is the mcu gonna invoke 9/11 imagery til someone calls them out for being terrorists

- lmao i know i said this before but peter's spidey senses tingling AFTER the giant alien anus has already started sucking up new york and it is right outside his window is fucking hilarious. that's just called using your eyeballs peter

- "friday notify first responders about the giant alien anus sucking up new york" lol like the first thing somebody did when the alien anus showed up wasn't to fucking call 911 GREAT IDEA TONY

- still can't believe that they let failed neurosurgeon dr strange do more magic than god of tricks and sorcery loki lol

- i know i rag on dr strange a lot about the fact that he's a neurosurgeon it's just that he sucks.

as a neurosurgeon eyy.

- i hate that peter parker has to be here!!!!! leave him alone!!!!!

- tony stark should not be allowed within 100 feet of children or minorities

- it is very weird to me that steve "brooklyn" rogers has an area code from georgia

- since when was hela a half-sister? ODIN'S DAUGHTER AND THOR'S BLOODED SIBLINGS OR BUST YOU FUCKING COWARDS

- i am very disappointed that thor is going to go get another weapon after we spent the whole last movie talking about how he is not the god of hammers

- i just need thor to have much more PTSD than he has right now. fucking hulk has ptsd. maybe they're saving the ptsd for later. one can only hope.

- i am glad that they are letting him be cleverer though

- THEY ARE LETTING VISION DATE A TEENAGER WHY

GOD. FUCKING GROSS.

- wait when did vision turn into a white man again? did i miss that movie?

- i am disappointed that vision the computer techno robot apparently has a penis. like what a stupid limitation to give your computer techno robot, gender. 🙄

- i think that the mass destruction of infrastructure and architecture in the MCU is because of the pg13 no blood limitation that disney has set? like there's no way to show destruction to the body, so one may only show the exponential destruction to one's surroundings. like imagine how much more dramatic intensity you could wring out of a regular fight scene would be if people were allowed to bleed?

- cannot believe that a computer techno robot and a witch are having a punch up with the bad guys. of all people to fight with something not their fists, it's these two

- wanda has no enhanced strength or durability? she's a regular teenager who's a bit witchy. the first time she got thrown through a glass door should have shattered her vertebrae. again i don't understand why we insist that everybody must have the same powers and capabilities when it's clear they don't. think about how much more interesting it would be if some avengers were more fragile than others and had to be given accommodations as such

- IT IS INCONCEIVABLE TO ME THAT FUCKING BLACK WIDOW (regular human), CAPTAIN AMERICA (enhanced human), AND FALCON (regular human with wings) CAN DEFEAT THE CHILDREN OF THANOS WHEN THOR COULDN'T UNLESS THOR (god of fucking thunder carved of steel and stone) WAS NERFED

- still don't understand how we'll lend aliens afro features but not afro hair, like, seriously? you're gonna dream up green aliens with gills who look like black people but imagining them with black hair is a step too far?

- the gap of commentary in this liveblog is simply because i do not care at all for the galaxy defenders

- "earth just lost her best defender" who? who does captain america consider earth's best defender? it's not thor; he doesn't know thor's presumed dead. it's not tony; he doesn't know tony's on an alien anus. who else has died so far?

- love how exhausted bucky looks. have always loved how exhausted bucky looks. love bucky.

- i forgot that tony was with peter parker. god i hate that.

- "i'm peter btw"

"dr strange"

"oh you're using the made up names then. i'm spider man"

ok that was cute, but peter's cute, we knew that already

- i want to fling both strange and stark into space and i'm having a hard time deciding which one to push first

- "you went to bed hungry, scraping for scraps" oohhhh thanos is just anti-poor people, he would literally rather poor people be dead than struggle, i get it nowww

this is on brand for mcu

- oh my god thanos gets 2/6 stones by torturing siblings in front of other siblings, seriously? you couldn't come up with 6 different ways to find his stupid rocks you had to reuse one twice?

- which one of thor's friends was stabbed through the heart....? fandral??

- "if i don't get my vengeance what more could i lose" more like what else is there eh? what else is there for a king of no people but their vengeance?

- CANNOT BELIEVE THEY GAVE HIM BACK AN EYEBALL JESUS CHRIST IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THOR RAGNORAK JUST SAY SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO FUCKING

VEHICLE FOR AUTHORITARIANISM, NOTHING IS ALLOWED TO CHANGE, FUCK YOUR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT I GOT MINE

FUCK

- i do enjoy that thor is now science fiction rather than fantasy, i don't think anybody knew what to do with fantasy cos fantasy is again, ultimately about conservatism and the status quo. so i do like that we're embracing the new and boundless for whatever that's worth.

- marvel is a cesspool of toxic masculinity. at no point are characters allowed to actually feel anything because weakness is uncool i guess and therefore unmanful. like thor lost ALL OF HIS PEOPLE. fucking ALL of them. he watched his brother die in order to save him. he is not allowed a single fucking response of mourning. i don't care if he's pushing it back because revenge or whatever, this is the sort of grief that rules you, which will bring all your load bearing structures down to heel, and they let him do nothing; he does not even rage. perfect control. smooth witticisms. why. why aren't we allowed to see his sadness?

- yo i can't believe red skull is a scifi villain now lol space nazis for real

- OH MY GOD THEY WASHED BUCKY'S WIG AND IT LOOKS SO BAD

- michael b jordan was right btw wakanda is complicit in africa's exploitation

- i do LIKE black panther i guess in the way you technically like that cousin you met once when you were like 9 and never saw again?

i like how we have here in wakanda the sears tower (chicago), the batman building (nashville), and the gherkin (london)

- ok but like, presumably not a death cult super technologically advanced wakandans who are deffo made of human flesh and human blood still arm their people with spears

i mean unless wakanda is also a death cult

why is this chicks entire fucking face cgi'd she looks like a fucking cut scene video game character

- oh ok they have LASER spears, ok

so then why did they give bucky a fucking gun

- what is bucky supposed to be able to contribute here exactly, like fucking, again, he's spycraft isn't he? he's a one man, dead of night, operation go loud and then immediately silent kinda operation. why do they have him on the front lines of a fucking lock-step formation battle??

- "it will be the noblest ending in history" WHAT, FIRST COUNTRY TO EVER BE OVERUN BY ALIEN JACKALS??

- stormbreaker is just leviathan axe, somebody's said this already right

- omfg i'm so glad they're finally acknowledging that thor is OP as fuck and does not belong amongst the fucking squabbles of earth

-"titan was like most planets, too many mouths to feed not enough to go around, so i proposed a plan, dispassionate to rich and poor alike" JUST SAY YOU HATE POOR PEOPLE MCU. YOU CANNOT HAVE RICH AND POOR, YOU CANNOT HAVE DISPARITY, YOU CANNOT HAVE SOME WITH TOO MUCH AND OTHERS WITH NOT ENOUGH AND CALL IT EXTINCTION. THAT IS NOT A QUESTION OF OVERTAXED RESOURCES THAT IS A QUESTION OF RESOURCE FUCKING MANAGEMENT. IT IS AN ARTIFICIAL CRISIS IF THERE EXISTS ENOUGH TO GO AROUND BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST HOARDING IT THAT'S WHEN YOU KILL THOSE PEOPLE AND TAKE THEIR SHARE. KILLING HALF THE PEOPLE IS THE KIND OF FUCKING SOLUTION TO INEQUALITY THAT RICH PEOPLE COME UP WITH

GOD. ITS LIKE NONE OF YOU EVER READ

-you've got the big fucking boss in an ambush AND YOU ATTACK HIM WITH A MAGIC SWORD STEVEN STRANGE?????

THIS FRANCHISE HAS NO IDEA HOW TO UTILISE MAGIC USERS FUCKING HELL

- when will somebody please utilise ironman like the one man artillery he fucking is WHY IS HE FIGHTING WITH HIS STUPID FISTS HE IS LITERALLY ONE CONTINUOUS CARPET BOMB JUST USE HIM THAT WAY

cut of his arm CUT OFF HIS ARM YOU BLOODLESS SPINELESS USELESS FUCKING CUNTS . this is a manufactured crisis, KIND OF LIKE THE ONES THANOS LIKES I GUESS LOL

- dr strange could have very easily prevented or stopped quill from punching thanos but he didn't cos i guess even the movie forgets steven strange exists sometimes

- i like that the shield around wakanda has the same weakness as a poorly constructed chicken coop -- you always build into the ground a couple feet to stop the diggers man, come on, what is this, your first energy shield?

- oh disgusting, a girl boss moment. whatever you're all fascists.

- nobody adores martial might like fascists do fucking change my mind

- " avengers: not one person in this fucking cast is able to stomach ANY AMOUNT of personal sacrifice" more like

- "why did you give away the time stone?" "we are in the endgame" THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER THAT'S A FUCKING MOVIE TEASER FUCK YOU

- why didn't strange just trap thanos in a timeloop again? we've already established that is a perfectly acceptable way to deal with planetary annihilation. IS IT POSSIBLY BECAUSE NOBODY ON THIS WRITING STAFF KNOWS HOW TO DEAL WITH MAGIC

- THOR OP BLIZZARD PLS NERF

-CAPTAIN MARVEL SERIOUSLY THAT'S WHO YOU'RE GONNA SEND YOUR LAST PAGE TO JESUS FUCKING DISGUSTING

#the asshole liveblogs #avengers infinity war #internal thor tag

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hrodvitnon · 3 years

Note

Ok, ignoring what I said last in my previous post (though the flight thing is real), I'm really wondering something right now....

A R.O.B (Random Omnipotent Being), gets MV!Goji's family and allies to gain transparent forms and sends them to the 3 universes MV!Goji was transported to, have them react to what I described in Scenarios A, B, & C; how would they react to their Godzilla getting not one, not two, but three ass-beatings from his alternate counterparts?

Here's my little interpretation in how they would see the alternate Gojis:

Scenario A:

Mothra: Hang on, why does that creature look so small?

Monster X: He kinda looks adora-

*Filitus fires his hyper-concentrated beam at MV!Goji.*

Monster X: And I take it back, beat that little shit Goji!

*Later, when MV!Goji has Filitus on the ropes.*

Monster X: Yeah! Don't feel so high and mighty now, eh?

Mothra: I hope he doesn't kill Filitus, he looks a little scared....

Shin: Godzilla knows what he's doing, he won't kill him.....I hope.

Junior: Yay! Daddy beats green monster!

Rodan: Yeah! Who would care about a brat like Filitus?

*Godzilla Earth appears*

Everyone: ..................

Rodan: ........I stand corrected.

*Earth Goji gives MV!Goji a brutal ass-whooping*

Mothra: Oh dear! I hope he's ok!

Monster X: He'll make it out of this! Goji always has...

*Everyone else just watches in sympathy & metaphorical pain as MV!Goji is beaten within an inch of his life*

*They become scared when Earth Goji charges up his Atomic Breath & holds their Godzilla in place to vaporize his head, but he is teleported away before be can do so. They all sigh in relief.*

Scenario B:

*Everyone becomes shocked when the human warships fire on Godzilla.*

Monster X: WHAT ARE YOU BUNCH OF IDIOTS DOING?!

Mothra: Stop that!

Shin: He did nothing! Why are you still firing?!

Rodan: Hrrgh. If I'm to guess, the humans of this world aren't as friendly to Titans like ours are.

Junior: Stop shooting Daddy!

*They witness Godzilla's show of intelligence by deducing the tech level of the world he was now in.*

Monster X: Hmm, he's right on the mark that this is the 1990s.

Mothra: He can be very analytical when he wants to.

Shin: Well, that is very accurate!

Junior: Smart Daddy!

Kong: Huh, well the more you know....

*They see Heisei Goji spying on their Godzilla*

Monster X: I see you, you little bastard!

Mothra:........

Shin: He seems angry at our Godzilla, what did he do?

Rodan: If I'm to guess, he doesn't like our King's presence in his world, and wants to take our Goji out.

Junior: Fake Daddy!

*They see MV!Goji's scared breakdown*

Monster X:Goji.....

Mothra:.....Godzilla.....

Shin: Oh, I wish I can comfort him, but I'm transparent.....

Junior:......daddy....

*They bear witness to Heisei!Goji's rampage across Tokyo.*

Monster X: Damn, so he's a destroyer in this dimension......monster......

Mothra: *Sigh* I believe he's one of the more-violent and destructive of versions of our Goji....

Shin.....(Remembers the time he briefly went on a rampage in modern Tokyo)

Junior: I don't like him!

Rodan: At least the humans don't suffer....

Kong: You're not helping.....

*Everyone sees when MV!Goji rises out of Tokyo Bay & roars a challenge to Heisei!Goji, with the latter's eerily familiar movement of slowly turning around and tail whipping the ground as an acceptance.*

Monster X: Kick that guy's ass Godzilla!

Mothra: I hope you'll be alright...

Shin: Give him the good fight!

Junior: Go Daddy!

Kong:......Well, this is ironic.

*Everyone watches the battle between the two Gojis: grappling, pushing, clawing, and many uses of Atomic Breath on each other. Their Goji even tried to perform the Kiss of Death on his counterpart-but the latter spamming his atomic breath many times prevented him from doing so. They even entered a beam-lock, witn both Gojis putting as much power into their beam as possible.*

Monster X: Get him! Get him! GET HIM!

Mothra: *Holding her breath*

Shin: C'mon, you can do it Godzilla! I believe in you!

Junior: GO DADDY!

Rodan: Kick his ass!

Kong:....You can do it buddy, I know you can!

*MV!Goji concentrates his beam, and it begins overpowering Heisei's.*

Monster X: C'mon, just a little more!

Mothra: *Staring intensely*

Shin: Yes!

Junior: Yay!

Rodan: Oh yeah!

Kong: *In a similar state to Mothra.*

*However, Heisei noticed this, and started to power up his own beam-until it turned bright crimson red.*

Monster X: OH COME ON!

Mothra:....no....

Shin: Oh dear....

Junior: Oh no!

Rodan: Shit!

Kong:.....damnit.

*Heisei's atomic breath overpowers MV!Goji's beam, causing him to be forced back-bellowing in pain in the process.*

*Everyone looks in sympathy at MonsterVerse Goji, and glare angrily at Heisei Goji.*

Monster X:....Bastard....

Mothra:...*Glares*

Shin: *Looks disapprovingly at Heisei*

Junior: Don't hurt daddy!

Rodan:....S.O.B.

Kong: Screw you!

*Despite this, they soon afterwards enter a second beam-lock, this time though-MV!Goji starts to walk forward...while still firing his atomic breath.*

*Everyone is shocked by this*

Monster X:I didn't know he could do that!

Mothra:....neither did I....

Shin: Well this is surprising....

Rodan:Oh, that's a sign he's starting to get serious!

Kong: Let's see what happens next.

(Heisei, not impressed, does the same thing-both Gojis walk towards each other until the energy in between their beams can't take it anymore and explodes out.)

*Everyone is briefly blinded, but quickly see again.*

(Heisei Goji is briefly dazed, but shakes it off and soon has a deadly look on his face. He then does something that shocks the group: he puts his hands on the ground and starts walking on all fours![with his dorsal plates constantly flashing too])

Monster X:H-he can do that too?!

Mothra: Oh dear, this isn't good.

Shin:.....oh.

Junior: Uh oh!

Rodan:.....ah shit.

Kong: *remembers when Godzilla himself did that in their fight in Hong Kong, which brings a bad omen for Goji here.*

*MonsterVerse Goji hid behind some intact buildings as he slowly gets behind Heisei...then he strikes! Tackling his counterpart into the side of a building and beating/clawing him, he initially has the upper hand-that is until Heisei simply kicks him in the stomach & fires his beam at the ground to create a smokescreen. MV!Goji clears the smoke but Heisei was gone, but the family then spot him-climbing a building and looking like he was readying for something. That something proved to be lunging at his larger counterpart with a speed and ferocity like never before! He fired his Red Spiral Ray without a care in the world, knocking his counterpart on his back and leaving him dangerously vulnerable; and Heisei takes advantage of that to stomp, punch, and slash at MV!Goji's chest with unrivaled rage, to the point the family was begging him to stop. Heisei then stomped his foot onto MV!Goji's chest-and gave him a deadly death glare-before he roared in his face-and MV!Goji defiantly responded with his own roar. After a brief pause, Heisei clawed his counterpart in the face and began to force his mouth open.*

(Everyone saw what was coming and began to panic.)

Monster X: Wait, wait, WAIT-!

Mothra:NO!

Shin: STOP!

Junior: NO!!!

Rodan: Shit, shit, SHIT!

Kong: DON'T!

*Before Heisei could fire his Red Spiral Ray down MV!Goji's throat, he is teleported away-and everyone breaths sighs of relief.*

Monster X:....well that was terrifying....

Mothra: I'm just glad he's safe....

(Onto the third and final universe....the R.O.B decides to skip to the battle)

*Everyone becomes absolutely baffled by how impossibly nimble & agile FW!Goji is, to the point one can say he was pointing a massive kaiju sized middle-finger at the laws of physics as he weaved through the attacks of their Godzilla & beat him to the ground with summersault kicks ans the like.*

I'll stop it here, and I know the description of the Heiseiverse scenario is unrealistic, but at least you now get the idea of how Heisei!Goji would kill MV!Goji in a more detailed description. Also; if you like, you can make your own reactions of the Abraxasverse crew to my 3 scenarios, I want to see what those are like & feel free to add on to what I already made if you wish!

I... don't think I can have my own take on the AbraxasVerse Titans' reaction to all this, sorry to say. And not for lack of trying, this isn't just me pushing it aside for later or saying "oh it's not up to me" like with Genocide/Coexistence, I mean you've pretty much got all the reactions covered just fine without any input from me - you can literally make a fic out of this.

The only thing I can think of is the Titans just losing all patience and demanding R.O.B. show themselves, take them and their Goji back home and eff right off before they decide to do something about it, because for all they know R.O.B. is messing up the balance with all this dimension-hopping monster fighting. Also, I'm fairly certain Goji would be able to move while breathing atomic fire without much problem, if he can walk and breathe normally at the same time...

And now I'm convinced that this R.O.B. thing just wants an excuse to see MV!Goji's ass get kicked or even killed by his other counterparts for whatever reason. Maybe it's one of those fans who gets all uppity and angry when a new incarnation is too different for their liking.

#wagrilous 23

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magic5ball · 3 years

Text

Nature Trail to Hell Arc V: Back into Hell (XI)

Chapter 11: The Super Awesome Epic Final Battle Of ULTIMATE DESTINY VS. Against Bob-Sardoth!

Take a moment to imagine an episode of Spongebob. No not one of the crappy modern episodes- an old one, the sort where you only ever saw half the episode you were so busy laughing your lungs out. Went by pretty fast, didn’t it? Now imagine a single still frame of that cartoon, flying past your screen.

It took Bob-Sardoth less than half that time to bury us five feet into a wall.

(Seriously, how well did you expect kids to do against a millennia old elder god? Well, one that isn’t an evil clown, at least.)

Anyways, Bob was laughing maniacally, surrounded by darkness as we were lodged in a wall like some crappy Egyptian hieroglyphics. Still, like my Mom always says, no matter how rough things get, there’s no reason you can’t end on a high note. So that’s exactly what I planned to do.

“Hilda, I’m sorry I ditched you at this camp with your evil Mom so I could play video games.”

And do you know what Hilda said?

She told me “Wonky Watt, I have a confession: as a space fart, I can see all things at once. Basically, I saw everything you went through, just to get back to camp. And you’re… alright, as far as boys go.”

It was the single nicest thing anyone outside of Mom had ever said to me!

Slowly, I tried to put my hand in hers. She withdrew like it was made of maggots.

“Sorry, but I can also see it’s been over a week since you last washed your hands. No way that’s happening.”

And that’s how it would have ended, with us being crushed to death by Bob Sardoth’s tendrils of darkness…

If a certain someone hadn’t chosen that particular moment to crash the archdemon’s apocalyptic party.

Light poured into the room from the massive crater that had formed in the roof. Plumes of sawdust blocked our vision. When it finally cleared, Bob lay beneath a pile of rubble. And who would be on top of this pile but

Shel. MOTHERFORKING. Silverstein!

“That’s right, Motherforkers!” Shel cried, flexing atop the rubble so hard his puffy magical girl sleeves exploded, leaving the lingering scent of smoke on his biceps.

Then he pointed a big, fat middle finger at me.

“And YOU, Watterson Tostig, are going back to Hell, and you are going to forking like it!”

I rolled my eyes. The guy was starting to sound like my Dad! (At least, what my Dad would have sounded like if he actually paid attention to me. Though little me assumed if he ever did, he would be like the ones on TV.)

And to put the moldy cherry on top of this crappy camp sundae, I couldn’t even move proper! Every time I commanded a limb, it would just shrug and go back to sleep, or whatever it is limbs do.

All I could do was wait as Shel walked over my dying body…

And pull me right out of the wall!

Next thing I knew there was only a Watt shaped hole in the wall where I’d been, my head now under Shel’s boot. It took him a bit of time to make heads or tails of why I was alive, but when he did, boy did he have a fit!

“Great! Just forking great! I track you all the way here, have you right where I want you, but now you suddenly decide to become alive again?! Now how am I supposed to get promoted back to archangel?!”

The old poet looked to his left, then to his right. He started rubbing his magical little hands together like he had an evil plan. Or was just cold.

I tried to run, only to find my malnourished, body couldn’t even do that right!

Now Shel was grinning, an ugly half-moon that could have put the devil himself to shame. “Of course, I could just kill you now, and nobody would know the difference!”

“No you can’t! In case you didn’t notice, I’ve got a friend now. And if she watches you kill me, she’ll tell all of heaven of wherever you Angelinos come from!” I bluffed.

“Nice try, Watterson Tostig, but you know adults never trust a goth girl! Especially angel adults. Which is all of them!”

“Actually, I didn’t know that.”

“Too bad, you f*cking loser. Now prepare to-“

“WAIT!”

Both of us turned to see Hilda, now dislodged from the wall, coughing up sawdust.

“Mr. Silverstein, this might surprise you, but right beneath us is none other than the notorious arch demon BOB-SARDOTH! One of the most wanted hellspawn on the planet!”

Shel spat right into my mouth. I learned a valuable lesson that moment: no matter how famous you are or how many kids books you’ve written, no matter how many planes of existence you’ve ascended or how many great battles you’ve fought, your spit will always taste like the spit of a weenie, and nothing will ever change that.

“As if that will distract me from the call of justice!” he laughed the way my Mom does after she’s pulled five all-nighters in a row.

Hilda got real stern after that. “Mr. Silverstein, I’m a big fan of yours. Read every single book you’ve written. So I know that despite your stupid pious veneer, you crave fame, just like everyone else. And imagine how famous you’ll get after everyone discovers you’ve captured the notorious BOB-SARDOTH! So don’t beat around the bush and start helping me dig!”

Shel tried to stab me, but in the end the lure of notoriety was too great for him. He flung rubble like it was Styrofoam, reaching Ms. Hoebag’s body in record time.

With one mighty fist he pushed his entire fist down the helpless counselor’s throat, yanking out what could only be described as an unholy mix of Furby and Donald Trump’s hair. Thankfully, Shel used his magical staff to exorcise the demon before its’ sheer ugliness drove me insane.

Then that same staff was lodged into my chest again.

“Now, prepare to DIE!”

“But we got BOB!” screamed Hilda, “What more do you want with him?!”

“Silence, fool! This little forking turd has been a pin up my butt all summer, and now, he’s gonna get his comeuppance! Karma’s a b!tch, a$$holes!”

Unfortunately for Shel, he was right on the money.

Because at that moment, a hideous pink mass from outer space referred to simply as ‘Salisbury Steak’ burst in, drawn by the scent of immortal poet flesh. Even if I wanted to, I didn’t have time to warn Shel as the ooze absorbed him, and in a scene that will be scarred into my retinas until the day I die, consumed his soul! The only reason I was spared I think, is because my bony was just too bony for anybody to find appetizing, not even that slimy abomination.

Hilda stood stock still right next to me, just as mind blown as I was.

But before I could do anymore internal introspection on the whole incident, there was a thunderclap of hands. A large, meaty palm gripped my shoulder.

“SALISBURY STEAK! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!”

I didn’t even need to turn around to see who it was.

“I can’t believe it! Eating without saying grace! You should be ashamed of yourself!”

First time I’d ever heard her angry. I mean, I always figured she had some pent up frustration, but thinking it in your head and seeing it in the flesh were totally different things. Somehow, the Steak took it worse. It morphed its’ gelatinous flesh into a hand, index finger pointed at yours truly!

“Why, thank you for pointing out the problem, Mr. Cuddles! I’ll have some special scented cinnamon roll stickers for you as soon as you clean up this mess.”

Before she finished, the Steak (Mr. Cuddles, apparently) was already dissolving rubble in his gelatinous body.

“As for YOU TWO, I’ll be seeing you in my office!”

#My writing #Nature Trail To Hell #salisbury steak #shel silverstein #summer camp

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not-close-to-straight · 4 years

Text

Winter’s Fall (Four)

Tony battles the Hydra Monster. I’ve never actually written like... Hero vs. Mythical Beast scenes? This was daunting but also super fun. Sooo many details and there’s one ESPECIALLY that I love (who am I kidding, there is a thousand) which is a fairy tale nod to Marvel canon.

Generic TW: Tony gets hurt and literal heads roll because you know... Hydra monster? I don’t think its too terribly graphic, but here’s a TW all the same!

MASTERLIST HERE

Enjoy!

*************

The gorge separating Castle Barnes from the village was spanned by an massive stone bridge, a true feat of nearly ancient engineering, a testament to sheer determination and brilliant minds, an indestructible and forever open pathway between caring royals and loyal subjects, between the King and Queen and the people they ruled.

Peasants and merchants, clergymen and dignitaries, servants and soldiers, all were welcome across the bridge and into the castle, never barred by gates or guards or any sort of societal protocol that forbid their presence. The bridge led across the chasm and to the castle gates by way of few hours journey through a lovely forest, and at the halfway mark through the woods, the road branched to the side to wide around the seaside cliffs and into the mountains for those who wanted an adventure.

It wasn’t until after Echidna’s curse that Winnie ordered the boys to never play on the bridge, demanding they stay on the castle grounds at all times lest they stray too close to the sides and slip to the valley beneath.

It wasn’t until after Echidna’s curse that Winnie demanded the bridge be gated for the first time in the Kingdom’s history, barred from both sides and patrolled by soldiers, with only a few persons let through each day.

It wasn’t until after Echidna’s curse that brambles and bristles, briars and barbs, thorns and thistles spiraled up from the ground below, wrapping around immovable braces and splintering centuries old rock with the force of their movement, surging over walls and coating the traffic worn surface, blackening time darkened stone with their shadow.

Tony’s mount balked at the sight, shying away from the vines still curling and winding at their feet, huffing anxiously when the wind picked up and the too damp scent of rot reached their noses.

Tony patted at the beautiful animal’s neck, swallowed hard around the bolt of panic in his throat, and reached for his sword.

“It’s alright, beauty.” he said quietly. “I’ll go on foot from here.”

The villagers had been kind enough to supply Tony with a couple lanterns and enough kerosene to last him a few days, and the Prince hooked them to a small pack of supplies-- food and water, fire starting material and a rope, an extra blanket and basic first aid. Tony wore a chain mail beneath his tunic and fastened his rifle over his shoulders, tightening the belt that held both his sword and dagger at his side.

Last was a kerchief around his mouth to keep out the stench, and with one last look behind him at the village, Tony set into the wilds that had over taken the castle he knew as home.

He could barely see the ivory spires of Castle Barnes in the distance. So covered in vines, the towers were nearly indistinguishable from the mountains behind it and Tony knew what was usually a mornings ride to the castle would be a nearly impossible trek on foot through the tangled mess.

He had no idea how long it would take him to reach the castle, he had no idea what would be waiting for him if he even made the gates. The rumours of a monster made Tony’s heart pound and the stories of the creature Echidna made his skin crawl but he couldn’t stand here on the safe side of the bridge and leave the one he loved to whatever horrors lurked beyond.

“I’m coming, Winter.” Tony vowed, planting one foot firmly in a tangle of vines and brandishing his sword. “Hold on for me.”

***************

T+B

The letters were scrawled into the bark of a tree long ago choked of life, it's trunk twisted and warped beneath the crushing pressure of the vines and Tony bit back a sigh of relief when he could flatten his palm to the crude carving.

T+B and a blocky arrow pointing in the direction of the castle.

He and Bucky had marked a trail from an ill attempted tree house one summer, tagging the trees back towards the castle so they wouldn’t get lost as they carried stolen borrowed supplies and tools to create a hideaway in the forest. All summer long they’d worked to construct a somewhat stable platform in the branches, raising rudimentary walls and attaching a series of handmade rope ladders to get to all the different floors Tony was sure their tree house would have.

The rope ladders had broken the moment set foot on it, the less than sturdy walls crumbling shortly thereafter. Tony had jumped from the cracking platform just before it gave way entirely and dropped him to the forest floor and miraculously both boys had escaped with nothing more bumps and bruises, a few scrapes on their arms and leaves in their hair.

Pinky promises had ensured Winnie would never find out what happened, a solemnly taken vow of secrecy ensured the location of their disastrous fort would never be shared, and the boys had moved on to their next adventure. The rough marks in the tree, the crude letters and scratched arrows had faded into memory like so many thousands of moments together, fond but forgotten, fun but fleeting and entirely unnecessary in the grand scheme of things.

Entirely unnecessary until now that is, because now Tony didn’t recognize the pathways he and Bucky had explored over and over, he couldn’t hear the sound of the ocean over the whistling wind to know which direction the cliffs lay, he couldn’t even see the sun behind the dark clouds building in the sky and laying low over the land as fog.

A storm was coming, Tony had been hiking and hacking for hours through tangle of thorns and he was hopelessly lost until this little marker in the woods saved him.

T+B.

“I’m coming, Bucky.” Tony traced the letters one more time then set off in the direction the arrow pointed, struggling through every step and working for every inch of ground until finally--

T+B.

“Thank the gods.” Another marker, another arrow and Tony leaned his forehead into the tree gratefully.

He was going to make it.

Here they had carved their initials on the tree next to a rock that was nearly a mountain in itself, one they had spent days climbing and exploring within the cracks and crevices. And here they had put a marker by what used to be a stream, the bed now dried and choked with dirt. The stream led in a nearly straight path to a pond, and there they had carved their initials for the first time with a heart around the letters.

Tony remembered that day vividly, remembered Bucky marking the tree because the pond was their favorite hideout that spring, and he remembered Bucky’s eyes going very wide and very soft when Tony had scratched the heart as well.

That was the first time they’d held hands, really held hands, losing an entire morning sitting by the water and blushing furiously over the innocent weight of the other’s fingers against their palms.

“What foolish children we were.” Tony murmured as he passed the marker, skirting the concave depression where the pond had been and continuing on his way. “Foolish and so in love.”

Here was where they had raced every year on Tony’s birthday, and though the once flowering field was overgrown with thistles, Tony still recognized the stretch of land and the forest beyond. Here was the trail to the ocean, one he and Bucky had walked more times than Tony could count. The stones were worn white, the same limestone that made up the cliff sides exposed after centuries of travelers kicking away the top soil and not even the unsettling growth of vines and thorns could hide it.

He was getting closer, and then the castle was looming into view almost suddenly.

One moment Tony was cutting through branches too thick to see through and the next he was stumbling over rocks and overturned paving stones to fall to his knees mere feet from the mighty drawbridge of Castle Barnes.

He was exhausted, eyes stinging from dripping sweat, his clothing torn from the brambles and skin itching from a million tiny cuts. With no real way to tell how much time had passed and almost nothing recognizable left of his childhood home, Tony was disoriented to the point of being dizzy, and he bent nearly double to try and catch his breath, to try and formulate a plan.

The drawbridge was raised, portcullis down and the sentry doors at either side of the main entrance had been sealed shut years ago at Winnie’s orders. The windows were dark, most likely boarded up but beyond that they were crossed with heavy thorns and menacing points, making entry without injury almost impossible.

The tangle of briars was thinner here, so Tony made his way carefully around the perimeter of the castle, skirting piles of debris and glinting, shattered glass from windows that had given way beneath the crushing pressure of vines. He checked every place he knew to be an entry point, inched close to the walls to test for foot holds that would get him closer to an already broken window, eyed the statues on various ledges wondering if they would hold his weight.

And then light, barely a glimmer, hardly more than a twinkle and Tony froze midstep, straining his eyes to see through the gloom and past the blackened stones, then backing up as far as he could to stand on his toes and see--

There.

Light.

A single lamp flickering in the tiny window clear at the top of the highest tower, one set far back in the keep, one that had always been off limits to Bucky and Tony as children.

“The highest room of the tallest tower.” Tony said in quiet disbelief, staring up at the sheer distance he’d have to travel to reach the light. “Damn it, Buck. You’re really gonna make me climb all that way to rescue….” Tony’s voice trailed off when he recognized the silhouette of a particular statue on the wall and suddenly knew exactly where he was. “Oh.”

One time and only one time, he and Bucky had tied ropes to the railings of the balcony in their bedroom and swung down and out from the walls, landing with a scream in the grass below. It had been far too high a height for children to jump from, too frightening to be exhilarating and honestly, it was only dumb luck neither boy had survived that particular adventure without any broken bones.

It had been a foolish idea then and it was a foolish idea now but Tony had promised to always always rescue Bucky, so it was a foolish idea he had to attempt.

A heavy stone wrapped into a section of blanket and tied to the end of his rope acted as weight, and it took one--two-- three tries for Tony to get the length up and over the railing of the old balcony, then back down to tie the other end several times around the base of a tree. It would be slow work scaling the outside walls, but with enough luck Tony would find a few footholds to help him along. Once he made the balcony it would be easy enough to break down the door, to make his way through the castle and towards the tower.

He could do this.

Easier said than done of course, as most plans are, and Tony’s arms were aching by the time he was nearly to the balcony, his legs tense and back already sore from the effort of balancing his own weight for each step of the vertical ascent. There were very few footholds to be found-- the Castle Barnes had been meticulously crafted with only a handful of rough stones or uneven places in the walls and Tony clung to each as a lifeline as he made his way painstakingly towards the railing.

He was no more than a hands breadth away, fingers reaching and scrabbling for purchase, when it occurred to Tony that he’d been so concerned with getting inside the castle that he’d forgotten entirely about the monster said to lurk in the water outside.

Oh no.

The noise wasn’t so much a scream as it was a screech, not so much a growl as it was a ground shaking, heart stopping rumble and the stench of rot, of decay of death made Tony gag seconds before something impossibly heavy knocked him off the wall, off the rope and sent him plummeting to the dirt below.

Tony hit the ground with a bone rattling jolt and his desperate gasp for breath turned into a disbelieving panicked cry when a head full of jagged teeth and curving fangs lunged for him.

It was a soldiers instinct to immediately lash out with his sword and the pure survival instinct of a frightened young man to tuck and roll into the thorns, and both motions saved Tony’s life.

The monster’s jaws closed in a snap just mere inches from Tony’s body, and the thing hissed in annoyance when it got a faceful of thorns, shaking it's head to get rid of the barbs in it's tender eyes. Tony took the chance to run, slashing at the beasts nose with his sword to make it scream as he ran for better cover.

There was no cover to be found though, nothing more than frustratingly smooth walls on one side, skin tearing brambles on the other and in front of him, the monster that Tony’s terrified mind couldn’t quite make sense of.

There were scales, clicking and rattling as the beast lifted itself higher from the water. There was blood, leaking from superficial wounds and burning the ground where it landed. The scent of sulfur in the saliva dripping from fangs and an unsettling hiss and wheeze as the thing breathed.

And then impossible-- another head the same as the first, yellowed skin and oozing fangs, and then a third with a snarl that made Tony’s blood run cold. A fourth on one side with scales that glinted hellscape orange and a putrid fifth springing up on the other. Horrifying-- a sixth horned head arching over the others and zeroing on the young Prince and a seventh, rising from beneath with eyes intelligent and focused as it crept along the ground towards Tony.

“You’re a Hydra monster.” Tony whispered, and the thing threw it’s seven heads back and roared in triumph.

Tony reacted with out thought, leaping forward and bringing the deadly edge of his sword right between shifting scales and through corded muscles, neatly severing one of the heads from the beast and leaping backwards as it screamed in rage, acid spilling from the wound and soaking into the already deadened ground.

“One down.” Tony tightened his grip on his sword and refused to give in to the fear trying to paralyze his steps. “One down and six to g-- six to---six--

The words stammered, stuttered, failed and fell away as the wounded monster flailed about in fury, the bloody stump of one neck twisting and writhing--

--and healing---

--and growing--

--and Tony’s knees buckly, his sword slipping from his hand into the rocks as not one but two heads stretched into being in front of his very eyes.

“...no.”

Lost in his shock, in his horror, Tony didn’t see the blow coming from the side and was knocked off his feet and into the mess of thorns by one of the heads. He lay stunned, frozen, helpless as the beast grew ever taller, ever angrier and leaned far over to stare down at him.

Poison from a bared set of fangs, dripping down onto Tony’s chest and burning through the silk of his tunic, warping the chain mail below and searing into his body. Tony arched his back and screamed as it began to eat away at his skin, tearing at his shirt and armor, ripping it off and casting it all aside before the poison melted through to his bones.

Red lines of ruined skin stretched from his heart almost to his shoulder, the wretched scent of burning flesh clogging Tony’s nose and he rolled to the side and gagged, retched, put a hand to his chest as it constricted in pain and wondered if this was the end.

It was stupid, oh it was stupid to suddenly be thinking of Bucky when he was no doubt seconds from death but Tony had a sudden flash of memory, a tiny insignificant moment where Bucky had been curled into his arms reading a book and they’d been teasing and laughing a little but mostly being sweet together and Tony had bragged--

“I could kill a Hydra monster. Just get my sword real hot and chop it off at the neck, burn the flesh so it wouldn’t grow back.”

Careless words, an adolescents bragging and the idea had been laughable but right now as Tony wheezed through every breath, as the pain spread from his chest to his arms and clear to his core--

--right now it was the only idea he had.

The Hydra monster had pulled away from the thorns again, apparently content to wait patiently for it’s prey to either die from his wounds or crawl out into the open where he could be devoured, so Tony rolled even further into the tangle to buy himself a few precious moments to work out his new plan. His hands were shaking as he pulled himself along the ground to his pack, every bit of his body racked in pain as he went.

By some miracle, his sword had only been tossed a few feet away and even though the Hydra’s eyes sharpened when Tony inched the weapon out of the clearing and back to his side, the creature didn’t strike.

No use expending energy when the tiny human was so close to--

--the Hydra beast screamed in fear when the forest of thorns abruptly ignited, the dry branches bursting into flame all around where Tony was standing. A lamp broken, the kerosene spread and a spark and suddenly the monster was cringing away from the wall of too harsh light, the heat from the flames driving it back away from the castle.

And from the inferno, yelling at the top of his lungs and swinging a flaming sword, Tony striking at one of the Hydra’s necks and chopping it’s head away.

The Hydra recoiled, hissing and spitting in rage but the assurance of regeneration was choked off when it felt the sting of white hot steel at it's wounded flesh. The monster barely had time to understand what had happened before another head fell, another searing brand across the bleeding stump and then another swift strike of mind blanking pain before a third head rolled.

Three heads down and the Hydra twisted around wildly to find the human who was hurting it so badly. But Tony stayed where the firelight was the brightest, hiding in the heat because the Hydra didn’t dare come any closer and every chance he got, Tony rushed forward to hurt the serpent again and again and again.

The entire forest was glowing now, the briars acting as kindling to set the larger trees ablaze, the air itself heating until the Hydra’s skin cracked and split as any and all moisture was sucked from the atmosphere, the castle walls reflecting the yellow and orange and shining it back into the monster’s eyes.

It hissed and spat, coiled and curled, lunged and leapt for Tony but the Hydra simply couldn’t see, it’s sense of smell compromised by the smoke, it’s sense of self compromised by missing so many limbs.

The rope to the balcony was starting to light at the very bottom when Tony climbed again, scrambling up the heated stone walls and burning his hands when he finally grasped the railing, kicking away the rope as it caught fire at his feet. The air was clearer here, the smoke not as thick and the Hydra raged when it finally caught sight of it’s prey again.

Tony sent one last look up at the far tower, whispered a quiet prayer for help and for hope and turned to face the beast, chin up, eyes blazing and as the Hydra screamed and dove for him, jaws open and fangs glinting, tongue reaching--

Tony shattered the last lamp right into the monster’s eyes, and when it reared back in pain, he leapt from the top rail of the balcony with fiery sword raised--

--and brought it down with a scream of his own into the neck of the beast.

There was a terrifying moment where the Hydra beast wavered, it’s two remaining heads frozen in disbelief and maybe even fear, and then the massive thing began to fall.

Tony chased the body with the last of his strength, bringing his super heated blade down again and again to sear the flesh beyond healing. Over and over he struck, following the monster as it retreated to the sea, dodging pools of acid and covering his mouth with what was left of his handkerchief so he didn’t breath in the poisonous odors.

The Hydra wailed softly, wavering, trembling, the shock of pain and loss of blood to great to bear and first one and then the other head drooped, dropped, thudding onto the ground and rolling glazed eyes towards Tony.

Tony was gasping for breath, dizzy and nearly stumbling but he couldn’t give up yet, not yet. He didn’t have the strength to simply slice through the beast anymore, so he sawed at one head until it separated, burned the stump and then staggered to the next to do the same.

His chest was raw from the poison, his hair singed from battling in the midst of the fire and as Tony reached to wipe his face, his fingers came away soadked with blood and tears.

But still he turned to catch sight of the tower again, still he set his sword in the scabbard and took resolute steps towards the castle, still he went on his way to rescue his love.

“I’m coming, Winter.” The words were almost a sob this time. “Hold on for me, sweetheart.”

***************

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#ncts fics #winteriron #fairy tale au #sleeping beauty #hydra #tony stark #bucky barnes

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