#although they're iconic enough to get away with it

[literaryspinster]

Mel X Jayce

🤝

Dressing extremely impractically for their chosen creative outlet

#put on a smock mel #put on a shirt jayce #arcane #meljay #mel medarda #jayce talis #although they're iconic enough to get away with it

[ssalballoon]

Wait but how do you draw faces???? ): Do you have more suggestions for that sort of thing?

oh faces! i'm going to assume you're drawing in a semi(?) realistic/ anime-ish style? that's kinda the style i'm familiar with, if you're going for a super 2D graphical style then a lot of my advice won't really apply! i'll put it under the cut

1) I think the most important thing for faces is to always keep in mind the 3D form and planes of the face. Looking at a lot of simplified art (like anime) is a little detrimental for this because it's easy to think the features of the face are just kinda pasted on

Here's a tool from William Nguyen that lets you play around with any angle and light source you desire for heads! It really emphasizes the 3D form and especially the planes of the face. It's helped me out a ton!

Sinix has a video on drawing faces from any angle from imagination (no reference), again focusing on the 3D nature of faces. For individual features of the face (eyes, nose, mouth, etc) he has a playlist of anatomy tutorials!

- I advise against turning to memory and iconography for features of the face (like 👁️ and 👄) Icons like these are useful when the 2D shape is more important for communicating information quickly like in standardized hazard signs. But for more realistic drawing, you want to rely on the 3D form so these simplistic drawings can be jarring in certain styles when in the context of a full human face. This Proko video mentions that you should treat the features of the face like the eye as just another abstract form and not think of it specifically as an "eye" (Proko's channel is also a good general art resource)

2) basic proportions

This is about where specific features of the face are located. I never really studied this on its own, but I think drawing a lot just got me familiar with it. I'm hesitant to link a specific resource here because I didn't really use any myself;; while this isn't as exhaustive as I'd like, I like how Marc Brunet explains it! (Although I'm not a big fan of how he delineates male/female faces and facial features so black and white...? like don't feel obligated to stick to that specific face shape for female characters TTOTT i think it can get pretty redundant compared to the diversity of the male faces he draws)

- Facial proportions change with age! So you should be mindful of it depending on how old the character that you're drawing is

3) expressions

Drawing faces means you're gonna have to draw expressions, even if that expression is a neutral face. I'm admittedly not the best at this, but try pushing the expressions to their extremes to make them more interesting (of course depends on context). 2D disney expressions/concept art accomplish this perfectly and are a good reference to study from (I personally enjoy Shiyoon Kim's concept art!)

- Note how when you cry, the entire face (+body) moves to create that expression. It's not just a tear falling down the cheek, it's the eyebrows furrowing, the muscles around the eyes scrunching in(?), mucus running down the nose, mouth and lips tightening, eyes and nose becoming red, shoulders hunching up, etc.

- as a small aside I want to emphasize the importance of eyebrows because I avoided drawing them/ moving them around more when I started learning to draw, don't do that!! they're crucial for drawing expressions!

4) diversity

Try depicting facial diversity to make a character unique and more interesting!

- semirealism helped me turn away from the hyperstylization of certain anime styles where a lot of these unique features are smoothed away. Things like wrinkles around the brows/eyes/mouth, eye/nose/mouth shape and size, facial bone structure, facial hair, etc really help to individualize a character/ capture their likeness

- also people of different races have different facial features that you should be mindful of. I don't feel knowledgeable enough to give specific advice on this, but if you're unfamiliar with something please use references!!

This can be challenging especially in stylized drawing, since you tend to have to pick and choose what you choose to depict. For example, I find that trying to draw out all the wrinkles of a character, while it may be accurate, it just doesn't fit my style. I therefore have to balance the amount of details to include to achieve a character's likeness. However, stylization also allows you to emphasize those unique features which makes a character more memorable to me!

as another example this is a personal trick i use but i've found drawing the bottom lip helps make a more masculine face, and drawing the top lip as well for a more feminine face...??? idk why this works for me (and it may not work for you!) but yeah try playing around with what details you include/exclude and see what you end up liking!

okie I think that's all I have for faces..? hopefully i'm not missing anything... again I prefer to let actual teachers give specific advice on how to draw, I feel more comfortable talking about general ideas and referring you to better sources that you can learn from first-hand!

also I think in my efforts to explain the key aspects of drawing faces I've kind of made it seem like I follow strict delineated steps... no I truly just wing it every time I draw TTOTT I just think these points are important to keep in mind so that when you amass more knowledge about them you can internalize it to become a habit!

enough yapping from me thank you for your ask! i hope this can be of help to you 🫡💞

#my asks #art resources #edit just realized this may have been more about how i draw faces like step by step and not so generalized TTOTT #i'm sorry if i didn't really answer your question correctly TTOTT;;;

[eldritch-spouse]

Hello pinnieeee :DD, I'm currently disintegrating rn so how world the Icons deal with a sick queen? I have a stong feeling snake mommy will be the most calm (and probably most normal) about it, or she could also have a mental breakdown, who knows? 🤷‍♀️

I think you did an ask like this with the clergy sluts but I'm not sure if you did one with the big dicked/titted man/womanchildren

istg daddy-big-dick's gonna make our condition worse

[To be fair, I don't know if answered this for the Icons too, but I can't really find it, so I assume I didn't. Also, I hope you get better soon!]

Icons with a sick Queen

Vesper has to be reminded he can't quite literally fuck you out of illness. It's common sense that sharing lust with a concubus can help them survive harsh conditions, but you're only a human for now. Vesper forgets this, and tries to eat you out... Nevertheless, he may be severely misinformed, but he can drag a human doctor to Hell without trouble. They're staying in the manor until you're okay. Their payment is getting ravaged by imps. Vesper will sit next to you while you rest and possibly read for you. You have to tell him to stop anxiously bouncing his leg because it shakes the little bed you're in.

Zizz will be your personal bed. In fact, for most of the duration of your sickness, you're carried everywhere like a baby. You may have trouble sleeping because of pain/discomfort, so he'll be there to make sure you don't spend too much time agonizing awake, only to take care of basic needs. He's stressed enough to lose his own sleep balance, and it shows a little as he becomes sluggish in his work. He's calling several people, and conversing with you amidst your dreams, getting as many opinions as he can regarding your condition.

Rinx has brought ten bags of wildly different medicine types home, and he has no idea what to do. Do not let him load you with drugs. He just doesn't want you in such blatant misery, and he had to be sure he was getting the right stuff, so he got everything there was. He's curling around your laying form and worriedly asking if you're okay every single time you shift slightly. If you make him move away (probably, because demons are hot and you're likely overheated), he's going to whine about it. Rinx isn't above getting you high so you can feel better.

Kalymir is a disaster. Get up. Come on, get the fuck up, don't make that deflating balloon face at him, you look like a corpse (very flattering). He has good intentions, but he's the worst. He doesn't really like pills, so you're going to have to yell at him to get them. Don't ask- Scream. The King hates to see you so down and placid, so he'll taunt you in hopes of getting a rise out of you. A half-hearted "go fuck yourself" will suffice. Catch this fucker dumping the juiciest steak on your lap and demanding you eat. If you want a doctor (which is recommended with this hysterical fucker around), yell at Kalymir until he gives in.

Vorticia is, predictably, a touch calmer about this. Although, given humans are so frail, she's far from remotely secure in her ability to cure you. She worries that you'll perish at any moment, simply because surface-dwellers are that weak. Most of your time awake is definitely spent eating, if you can, a variety of soups and broths and every dish under the sun that's said to have healing properties. Other than that, the woman keeps you company, makes sure you're comfortable, and gives you things to entertain yourself with. She looks perfectly calm around you, but inside she's running a mile a minute. If you start losing your appetite (something possibly fatal for a glutton), she's going to really panic. Possibly drag an entire human medical team into Gluttony.

Cero is not waiting more than a day for you to overcome it on your own. If you're still sick, or worse, by day two, he's picking you up and forcing his way into a good enough hospital in the surface. He's not waiting in lines, or checking in, or bothering to present documents- He demands to see the best doctor in the premises, and if he's denied, he threatens to start impaling random people in the waiting rooms, by the minute. Everyone is sweating bullets throughout the duration of your stay, as Cero is always present to scrutinize everything each doctor and nurse does. When asked about it, he says you're overreacting about it and he's just there to be sure you won't make a scene.

Livius is, hilariously enough, in as shitty a mood as you are. He's an emotional sponge of a person, so he's going to be as uncomfortable and tired as you are. He's very worried, and less than composed about it, tearing up because humans are so weak. You're going to DIE. You're going to KEEL OVER AND DIE and he doesn't know what he's going to do- He might as well die too!! Please get this man a fucking breather or he will hyperventilate himself into a bed next to you. Your fate is almost entirely on your hands, as Livius will simply freeze and eerily wait for you to tell him what to do. He's very ominous and quiet when you're sick, it's as if his confidence vanishes in the blink of an eye, and he has this vacant look.

#Cero oc #Zizz oc #Rinx oc #Vorticia oc #Vesper oc #Kalymir oc #Livius oc #monsterwhorre

[reysdriver]

Glam Rock | S.B.

You and Sirius go to a muggle rock concert — sirius x fem!reader fluff

warnings: one mention of nausea but nothing else

words: 0.9k

"Sirius, if you put on any more jewelry, everyone will think you're part of the band."

"That's the point, love." He told you. "They're icons." 

You rolled your eyes. "But we won't get to see them if we don't leave soon." 

He looked into the mirror by your bed, studying his concert outfit. "Do you think I should put some eyeliner on?"

Hoping to get to your concert, you gently wrapped your arms around him from his side. He brought his right arm over you as you kissed his necklace-clad chest. 

"I think you're pretty enough already. I also think we should get there before Freddie makes his grand entrance, so we should get going." 

It was just under ten minutes until they were set to perform, and you were getting more anxious for every minute that passed. Your boyfriend sensed that, and decided his outfit was complete. 

"Alright. You have the tickets, right, love?" He asked you. 

"They've been in my back pocket all afternoon." You assured him, pulling them out to prove it.

"Then we can go now. Hold on tight." 

You held his comforting hand and he apparated the two of you to an empty alley near the venue. 

You had told him several times before that you could just apparate right into the venue, thus losing the need to buy tickets in the first place, but he had insisted every single time that he wanted the 'muggle experience'. 

Although Sirius was totally fine with apparition, it had always made you a bit nauseous. Sirius knew this and held onto your upper arms as you breathed deeply and composed yourself. 

"Okay, let's go." You said with a smile once the sick feeling went away. "Don't want to miss the show."

You started walking, following the sound of excited fans. Sirius linked your hands together while you walked, even though it would take you about a minute to walk to the venue. 

Once you arrived at the building, you handed your ticket to a teenage boy in a glass booth, he ripped part of it off and handed the rest back to you. He held up two fingers to the buff bouncer, who let you and Sirius into the concert hall. 

"We're in." You smiled at him, as another bouncer opened the door connecting the lobby and the main room. 

There was a huge crowd, which was expected since you showed up so late. 

Sirius looked straight to the bar; not to drink, but because that section was always mobile at the start of the night. He knew that when you got to the front, the drunk people would be far away from you by then. It was a trick he got while smoking outside with concert-goers another night. 

It was a trick that proved itself to work, since just a few minutes into the concert, you were a few metres away from the stage. 

In the middle of Somebody To Love, you felt a tap on your shoulder and turned around to see a blond man holding two beers. 

"Sorry, but my girlfriend is in front of you, can I get by?" 

Sirius wanted to say no, but you first got the attention of the girl he pointed to, who turned around and lit up when she saw the guy with the drinks. 

His arm crossed you to give her a beer, and you moved aside so they could stand together. 

The only problem was that he was taller than you, but shorter than Sirius. Your vision of half the stage was blocked, and Sirius didn't notice until he saw you readjusting to see the stage when they started the next song. 

"Here, you can hop on my shoulders." Sirius said just loudly enough for you to hear. 

He went to bend down, but you put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Then I would be blocking people too." 

"They can move." He insisted. "Or get on each other's shoulders. We could start a movement."

You laughed at his joke, and pushed your worries of offending other people aside. 

He bent down again, and this time you let him. You were a bit scared of it, but you climbed onto his shoulders nevertheless. He stood up, and you could finally see everything that was going on. 

You looked around the audience and saw a few other people above the rest of the crowd, and the people behind them didn't seem upset. 

You lovingly looked down at Sirius, who had his eyes glued to the stage, then you curled a lock of his perfectly smooth hair around your forefinger, and looked back at the band. 

They ended the current song, moved on to Love Of My Life. Your face broke out into a smile, and you thought that this could be your song with Sirius. 

Without a word, he turned his head slightly and kissed your inner thigh. You knew he was thinking the same thing, and that only made your smile brighter. 

Though you were still thinking about your boyfriend, you returned your gaze to the band. 

You set a mental reminder to buy a picture frame sometime soon. You would need to frame the ticket stubs as a souvenir of this amazing date at the best concert you've ever seen.  

#sirius black #sirius x reader #sirius black x reader #sirius black x you #sirius black x y/n #sirius black imagine #sirius black fluff #marauders fluff

[dipplinduo]

Have you ever scrapped ideas for Sweet & Sour?

Yep!

My process has luckily been more of "transform an idea that doesn't fit" situation for most things, but I'm happy to talk about some of the things that didn't make the cut. Whipping out the notes page...

Lacey was actually meant to be the spotlighted E4 member that gets close to Juliana, not Drayton (hence the focus on her in Chapter 1 & 2). She was actually my favorite at first, and I envisioned her as being a positive, grounding guide for Juliana, and also somewhat of a middle ground influence for Kieran. But then I wrote my spin on the cafeteria scene, and I was like "oh my god wait, Drayton's character is so enticing and flexible, and he's especially fun to insert as an influence in the Kieran/Juliana dynamic". SOOOOOO I quickly decided to pivot and make him the spotlighted one, and have him do more of this brotherly figurer role who was very cunning and comedic. Before I even realized I got overtaken by the iconicism, and now he's just part of my brand in general. Whoops. The "Drayton Being Iconic" tag existed on this blog before this happened so I honestly should've seen it coming LMAO. I do have very important plans for the rest of the E4 and what role they're playing, though :

Don't laugh at this one - it was also early development LOL. I was going to have a party scene where Drayton convinces Juliana to pretend she got drunk (I know) as part of a roundabout and wild way to find evidence that Kieran had a soft spot for her (I KNOW). Kieran was essentially gonna waltz in (to a social event he otherwise never would make an appearance in) and he'd get all flustered as Juliana latches onto him. He would've decided to sweep her away from the party and take him back to his dorm. I ended up scrapping this entirely because while teens do party and all that...yeah, and also we pretty much got the dynamic moments I wanted to portray much better through the chapters where Juliana got sick.

Kieran/Juliana dynamic was also gonna have a moment where Kieran gets it in his head to start flirting with Juliana because he thinks that she’s flirting to get him to put his guard down. And that's where they both kinda were gonna secretly realize their feelings LOL. In hindsight lowkey fire still, but yeah, kinda just didn't have the space for it. We do have flirty Kieran era though, and that's still based.

This one is kinda known already, but originally the Applins were the only stars of the show (hence the name of the fic). I added Ribombee in early on after enough people wanted it and gave it lore/a connection to Kieran and his mother. Before Ribombee was conceptualized, I had different plans for what happened to Kieran's parents (he would still be an orphan regardless).

Briar was originally going to make a "deal" with Clavell regarding getting Juliana to come to Blueberry early, although it wouldn't be revealed until Juliana discovers this later. I scrapped this in favor of something much better because I didn't like the implications it had on Clavell's character, and honestly, only Blueberry is supposed to have the sketchy admin/systematic stuff going on anyways lol.

Kieran was meant to show more obvious signs of sleep deprivation (e.g. falling suspect to illness more frequently, slowed reactions). This idea is still good and realistic, but yeah, ended up leaning more into other symptomology that went well with the toxic chain curse (e.g. irritability, obsessive fixations, self-criticism, overworking himself, fatigue, etc.)

Ribombee was going to sleep powder both Kieran & Juliana in the cave scene of Ch 5. I decided to make it a bit more organic by having Kieran up and reflecting on everything + having Ribombee appearance in a more mystical way. Plus, I thought it would mean more if Kieran & Juliana opted to cuddle up themselves rather than being knocked out. There was a part of me that was worried the dynamic was progressing too fast this way with this change, but it seemed to have landed well! :)

This doesn't really count as a scrapped idea, but related: I 1000% retconned something with the Drayton POV chapters (if ykyk, LOL). But YEP. It's CANON. And frankly it's a decision I personally love that has implications, but also won't screw up the storytelling for where we're at now, either.

There's actually a lot more, too, but like I said: most of my ideas tend to upgrade. And lolololol OMG this is especially true for some major lore stuff. I just don't want to reveal it because I don't want to give y'all hints on where we're going!! LOL.

And also...there are cuter moments I haven't used in S&S and probably won't be able to because I account for what makes sense with the given dynamic. BUT what I do end up doing is taking those unused ideas and putting them into What-Ifs or other stories. There's one I'm particularly thinking of that I was dying to put in S&S D, but I don't think it would trip up the current Kieran as much as it would've in earlier chapters, lol. SO. It's going in The Dichotomy in Our Hearts instead! xD

This was super fun to write, hope it was enough substance for the question! <3

#my fics #dipplinshipping #kieran pokemon #kieran x juliana pokemon #juliana pokemon #kieran x juliana #juliana x kieran pokemon #juliana x kieran #fave #asks

[liltaz-asatreat]

You know, I don't think they're going to add the Flaming Poisoning Raging Sword of Doom in the graphic novels.

I've been thinking about this on and off for a year now, and I think if they were ever planning on putting it into the books, they lost the opportunity by Petals to the Metal or Crystal Kingdom at the latest. It feels like they were trying to steer that way in Murder on the Rockport Limited because the boys actually did set foot in Fantasy Costco AND they did the Fantasy Gachopon (probably to try and set up the trick Taako played on Leon in the last Lunar Interlude before The Suffering Game), but iirc the sword wasn't there. Maybe they were originally planning on showing it in Petals to the Metal before they decided to do away with the Gachopon and the physical Fantasy Costco run because that's when it was actually submitted in the podcast, but because, I'm assuming, they couldn't find a concise narrative way to weave that into the story, they're probably not going to do an actual Costco run at all in the next books either, so the opportunity to trick Garfield into giving Taako the sword would be lost.

And even if they did have an opportunity to do a legit Costco run before Wonderland in the Suffering Game book, it wouldn't really make that much sense to do it there anymore. Because the whole reason why that moment and the sword itself was iconic wasn't just because of how OP the sword was, it was because they kept bringing it up every Costco run they did since it was introduced to the game and talking about how much they wanted it even though they knew there was no way they were going to be able to obtain it. Having them see the sword for the first time and having Taako immediately come up with a way to trick Garfield into handing it over and then ALSO keeping it for himself even though he has no use for it and Magnus, one of the two people who was the most vocal about wanting it from the beginning in the podcast, does, it would make it fall flat and be very anticlimactic. Because there's virtually no stakes in it.

And they could get away with not adding the sword in the books at all because in the grand scheme of things, it really... wasn't that important. There were only two times in the whole podcast where the sword actually made a difference, and only one of those times was thematically important. Like, using the sword to almost insta-kill Shadow John isn't that important because you can just exchange that for a few more rounds of regular ax slashing and magic attacks or just leaving that part of the fight cut short like he didn't have that much health or the magic attacks did more damage than they did in the podcast.

The one thematically important scene is when Taako leaves the gem with its name inscribed on it for Magnus to have it after he gets into his new body. And even then, it isn't the sword itself that's important (although seeing it in drawing of Magnus dramatically crushing the gem in his hand and then absolutely wrecking shit in the backroom of Fantasy Costco would be really fucking awesome), it's the fact that Taako gave it to him in the first place. The sword was a source of pride in his ability to be a cunning little shit and a great opportunist, and even though he claimed to not have trusted Magnus anymore after learning that Magnus was keeping some really important shit from him and Merle, he still trusted him enough and cared about him enough to let go of that bit of pride and give him a small piece of himself that he can use to protect himself and share another bond with him.

It was a really great and emotional moment that really played into his character arc, but it wouldn't hit as hard, if at all, if they depicted it in the books now because they already lost all that set up of why the sword was important to them in the first place. Without that background about how it was significant that Taako was the person to take it from Garfield and refuse to give it up after he did, the moment where he would eventually give it to Magnus becomes meaningless.

So yeah, they're probably cutting out the sword entirely and are going to find a different way to rework that scene, whether they decide to give Taako and Magnus that kind of moment or not, and honestly, while I am a bit bummed out about potentially not getting to see it, especially since the scene where Taako gets it and the scene where he leaves it for Magnus are two of my most favorite scenes in the entire podcast, it would feel a little cheap for them to try and put it in now, or rather, in the Suffering Game graphic novel and beyond

#taz #taz balance #taako #taz taako #magnus burnsides #taz gn

[enchanted-keys]

You've probably answered this lots before, but: do you have a fairly clear hierarchy of favourites among the Royal Ballet principals? And your favourite role or two for each? :-) Also: of the recent retirees, who would you most like to see guesting?

Also a) thank you so much for obtaining the info that it'll be Nela and Ball for that "Winter's Tale" stream! Partner and I have got our tickets booked to see it at the Cineworld in Aberdeen. <3 It's the ballet that got me properly back into ballet, when I watched it during lockdown, and just: yay. :-)

And b) your blog has just been so lovely and helpful in growing my ballet knowledge! And your gifs are superb, and your Matthew Ball love is validating. :D

Also also: do you have any favourites among the Scottish Ballet dancers? I was lucky enough to see "Cinders" on tour, and I was so impressed with both Bruno Micchiardi (as Cinders) and Jessica Fyfe (as Princess Louise), but I am no expert.

I think someone asked me for a ranking of all the principals some time ago, but I can't even find the post anymore; I don't mind one bit answering this again! <3

If I have to talk strictly about my faves, it goes like this:

Nunez (eheh!): if have to narrow down her most iconic roles I have to give you at least three (please bear with me, I'm doing my best), which are O/O, Kitri and Aurora.

Takada: Titania and O/O. I'm just so very sorry that she's been more injured than not lately. I miss her.

Hayward: Juliet and any Ashton role I can think of (rhapsody, enigma variations, those bits of Titania we got, etc.). I also think she makes one of the best Claras out there.

Kaneko: O/O (saw her live in the BS pdd and the White Adagio with Vadim and it was life changing, bye). Also her Gypsy girl in the two pigeons is iconic. Special mention for her Aurora.

Lamb: Manon. Signature role. Was born to play it. I also really love her Mary Vetsera and her Aurora.

I'm a bit uncertain if I should include Anna Rose or not...sometimes I really love her, but overall I'd like her to be more consistent. But I'll say she was born to play Juliet.

Muntagirov: he's more versatile than people give him credit for, and really has the whole package, but I'd say his best roles are Siegfried and De Grieux.

Ball: he's such an outstanding actor that it's hard to choose, but I'm going with Romeo and Albrecht.

Bracewell: another wonderful Romeo right here, and I was blown away by his Hamlet in the Ashton insights.

Mcrae: Oberon and Rudolph for sure.

Sambè: sorry to repeat myself but we have another great Romeo right here. From what I've seen he makes also a great Colas.

As for retirees, the one that I really wish was still performing is Roberta Marquez, though maybe she isn't exactly a recent one. Out of the most recent ones I only miss Federico Bonelli because he always brought something special to his performances, although I have to say that the struggles and limitations that come with age were very visible in the last couple of years (his Siegfried variation in the SL cinema relay with Takada comes to mind).

As for the winter's tale I'm really happy to see someone who appreciates it as much as I do! I think it's a truly lovely ballet, one of the few modern classics that really stuck with me. You're very welcome for the info and I hope you'll have a great time at the theatre...unfortunately I found out that it won't be streamed in my country, so I'm going to miss out on it 😤

Thanks for all your lovely compliments they're more appreciated than I can say! 😭🩵🙏

Scottish Ballet is one of those companies that I wish had more footage available, because bits I do get to see are really impressive. I'm kind of familiar with Constance Devernay, Bethany kingsley-garner and Andrew Peasgood because I've seen them in the recordings of The Fairy's Kiss and The Snow Queen, and I seriously enjoyed those performances!

I wish there was a full recording of Cinders because both the trailer and the rehearsal look amazing! Jessica Fyfe is a really delicate and expressive dancer from the clips I've seen of her, and both her and Micchiardi impressed me in the rehearsal poste on YT, cause the intentions and mannerisms in their dancing were so clear: I immediately caught up on the reversal of Cinders gender and that she was the princess even though I hadn't read about the novelty introduced by this production beforehand, but everything was immediately clear thanks to their attention to detail.

The little I've seen from this company makes me wish for more!

#asks #ballet

[muttsterion]

Hmm, I think another thing that hasn't really been done with Kenny as far as his deaths, is having one with his face on display or done with his regular voice throughout. (And I think that's largely because it'd be hard to make that funny, especially now with the curse story involved. Come to think of it, I believe the last time his deaths were played in a serious manner was "Kenny Dies" and arguably the Coon trilogy.)

Hmmm….I think the closest episodes we've got to a Kenny death with almost his full face would have been "Super Best Friends" although his iconic blonde hair was shaved off so guessing that doesn't really count? And then there's "The Jeffersons"? He was sort of wearing a mask but we did get to hear his panicked voice up until being tossed into the ceiling. So we didn't get his full face but we got an unmuffled, ungruff, Kenny voice there. Ha and we almost ALMOST got one in "Put It Down". I remember seeing he was orignally supposed to be the kid that gets brutally hit onscreen and literally slammed right out of his parka. Ha I think that would have been his most brutal death if they'd went along with it. Yikes. >.< And along with the two you've mentioned I think I'd add The Post-Covid special too where Kenny's death was treated a bit more on the serious side. The fact ha he actually gets a wake and his friends stop everything to attend even if they'd long moved on and away from South Park. Kind of bittersweet there. His friends couldn't hold onto the broship for him but they apparently cared enough to go to his wake and actually investigate his death. Ha kind of connected but I still kind of want to see an episode/plot where Kenny again tries to ask his friends or anyone out front if they're sure they don't remember him dying and the gag of his deaths all the time is once again in the spotlight and given a more serious, darker tone than the audience is used to. Course I'm guessing that'd be saved for the eventual and hopeful but for now fanciful Kenny/Mysterion special we're all wishing for. >.<

#South Park #Kenny McCormick

[imminentinertia]

I may have some feelings and possibly some actual thoughts about Hedwig and the Angry Inch's appearance in The Eighth Sense. Under a readmore because of spoilers - for both.

So I'm old enough to have seen HatAI in a cinema in 2002, and it's a very important film to me. It's an iconic queer film classic by now (and an iconic queer musical classic), but it's also a cult film and certainly not something I expect everyone to know about.

My first reaction to the Hedwig person scenes in T8S was something like "oh my fucking GOD they're doing HEDWIG I love Inu and Werner so fucking much, but oh, that's an odd thing to do, making Ji Hyun and Ae Ri be that dismissive to Hedwig person?".

Nothing in a show is accidental or random, certainly not full scenes such as these, and I think there are a couple of ways referring to HatAI in T8S* could go.

Keep in mind that I have no idea if it can be expected that a Korean audience knows HatAI, but then again, it's obvious that Inu Baek and Werner du Plessis intended T8S for an international audience as well as a domestic one. HatAI is still not a reference I'd expect the international target audience of a Korean romance between two students to get.

Your other half is within yourself

The central theme in HatAI is Hedwig's search for their** other half. That is all ye olde Plato's soulmate theory about Zeus splitting each human into two. However, Hedwig's conclusion is that your other half is within yourself (on a number of levels, and sometimes, as with Hedwig's fluctuating gender expression, it's a bit on the nose. It's still a wonderful film). The film ends with Hedwig/Hansel walking away, alone, naked, after a scene that is both unsettling and forgiving.

The Hedwig person in T8S gets a walking away alone scene too, although fully dressed, after an also rather unsettling but not forgiving scene where Ji Hyun and Ae Ri are dismissive and a bit rude - perhaps partly because since almost dying, Ji Hyun has run out of fucks to give about anything much, perhaps partly because the odd almost-pass the Hedwig person makes at Ji Hyun needs to be turned down for Hedwig to fit their own story.

And possibly Ji Hyun and Ae Ri, for a narrative point to be made later, must be condescending in these scenes, making fun of the Hedwig person's admittedly over the top presentation.

Either way, going down the "your other half is within yourself" path would show some finding strength in oneself (as Ji Hyun does all along, and perhaps Jae Won needs to learn?) may not hand over a happy ending in the sense that Ji Hyun and Jae Won live happily ever after.

Deny me and be doomed

This quote is often interpreted to mean that Hedwig/Hansel can't deny themselves - the person they were meant to be, up until their life really went off course. It can also be interpreted as Hedwig's right to be seen, to be acknowledged by their surroundings, to not be ignored.

So who must not be denied in T8S? Possibly Ji Hyun, who will have Jae Won and who's come out to his friends and who will not let anything get in his way anymore. Possibly the Hedwig person will resurface to teach them a lesson about this or pay Ji Hyun and Ae Ri back, like Eskild schools Isak about his homophobia in SKAM.

Possibly it's a lesson Ji Hyun is supposed to bring to Jae Won, for him to stop denying himself and tear himself loose from the trappings of the chaebol, the rigid hierarchy and the conservatism.

Going after the being seen point in HatAI might make for a bigger chance of a happy ending/Ji Hyun and Jae Won living happily ever after, as they could see each other - without being Plato's two halves of a whole.

I don't have any answers and I'm always reluctant to analyse too much until the very end, but I needed to get some thoughts about Hedwig and The Eighth Sense off my chest. Also I'm absolutely certain I've forgotten lots of points from earlier episodes that need to be tied in with this.

(On another T8S topic, the overly bright cinematography and disjointed narrative in episode 6 made sense to me after watching episode 7 - I believe Jae Won was the narrator, he definitely wasn't in the best of shapes, and he twisted and glossed over events and shoved the aftermath of the accident away, as it was represented only by him sitting alone on the beach. Also the music-less intro to episode 7 was so claustrophobic I nearly screamed.

Also do we really need to do coming out to your mate scenes that explicitly accepting. I found that a little jarring, I'd expect Joon Pyo to jump rather more around in the salad.

Also also that was an incredibly satisfying punch, Jae Won.)

*Sorry if the acronyms are annoying, but there are only so many times a person can stand to write or read Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Eighth Sense.

**Stephen Trask, one of the creators of HatAI, refers to Hedwig as they these days, so I do as well.

#the eight sense spoilers #hedwig and the angry inch in popular culture #the eighth sense

[feuerspirit]

27 "as a suggestion" for brocedes pretty pleaaase 🥰

Lewis would like to say that he doesn't remember the last time his path crossed with Nico, but that would be a lie. This is Spain, always Spain for some reason, as if a part of both of them remained forever tied to Barcelona from the moment when their relationship finally fell apart, broken, like their cars, by the ruthless rivalry of 2016. They spoke for the first time here, for the first time since the moment when Nico left (ran away, as Lewis believed at the time), in 2020, at a distance of 1.5 meters, as required by the then strict security rules of the world going crazy with fear of a new disease, their faces were covered with thick masks, for which Lewis was grateful. He wasn't sure he was ready to see Nico's face, even the sight of his expressive eyes was already a little too much for him.

The distance between them then was iconic, almost a symbol of what happened between them, what they did to each other: an unquestionable distance and masks hiding any emotions.

They haven't met since, although it was… not bad, maybe even a little nice. Lewis isn't looking, and Nico has probably already accepted over all these years that Lewis continues to slip away, and yet fate brings them together again in a closed park, baptized by the shadow of red and yellow flags with the royal coat of arms.

Nico in shining white, Lewis in familiar black, they're again chess antagonists of their own lives, a metaphor for the eternal inevitable confrontation for everyone, and yet this time Lewis sees all the nervousness written on his face, the tension in his posture, the tremor in his voice when he suddenly stutters, cutting himself off in the middle of a phrase, before before he has time to say something embarrassing. It would be almost funny how even after seven years they're still able to have such an impact on each other if he didn't feel this crazy disturbing energy under his skin.

He knows he shouldn't worry so much, he's had countless podiums, an incredible career in racing, he's given so many interviews that he often couldn't remember them after a few hours. But this is Nico, who knows him to the bone, saw him from every side before Lewis learned to hide himself in front of too many stares. This is Nico, who has always been able to get under his skin, and Lewis knows what a journalist's job is, what their bosses and fans expect from them. Lewis is afraid of what Nico might do with his weakened but still existing power over him.

But Nico, contrary to his expectations, is careful and even caring, he is clearly impressed by Lewis' podium, his race, and this is obvious to everyone who has at least half an ear, although Nico's face shines so when he looks at him (Lewis tries not to think how he smiles in response to the emotions in his voice) that even seeing them would be enough to understand. Lewis leaves, waving gratefully to the stands for the love they showed, and gives way to the next person in front of the microphone.

Nico finds him after, Barcelona is much smaller than they think, but maybe, just maybe, Lewis himself was scurrying around without much thoughts and hopes. They smile awkwardly at each other, not knowing how to communicate with each other now that cameras and thousands of curious eyes are no longer directed at them, not understanding whether their normal communication was a pretense or a sign that they had hope to close this gestalt.

They exchange a few meaningless phrases and fall silent, unable to find words, before Nico sighs and gently reaches out to him. Lewis's hand meets his palm halfway.

"Lewis, listen, I know it's… it's late, but maybe it's better late than never?" he laughs awkwardly, betraying his excitement.

"Is this your peace offering?"

Lewis asks cautiously. His therapist said he should have overcome it long ago, but it seems there was always only one peaceful path for both of them. After years of arguing, there was irony in it, but also justice for the years of close friendship they shared. Nico nods.

Lewis smiles, still hesitant, this is shaky territory.

"I dunno, after so many years, maybe we won't succeed. But I accept it," Lewis suddenly pulls their clasped hands to him and presses a kiss to their intertwined fingers.

"Even if it's just your friendship," Nico replies in a dry voice, as if his throat is constricted from an excess of emotions, "that will be enough for me."

Nico kisses him on the cheek for a long moment, closing his eyes.

#f1 fic #lewis hamilton #nico rosberg #brocedes #writing games #just for you romy <3

[dailyoriginalcharacter]

Virgo June Capri

Being the runt of the litter in a world plagued with extra-dimensional demons and continental unrest would cause anyone their fair share of mental unrest. Especially when joining an organization that's slowly but surely drifting itself smackdab in the middle of it all! Good thing Virgo isn't particularly 'anyone'.

Check out the King's Corner for more about him under the #virgo capri (unity) tag!

And no hero is too old for his own Toyhouse!

At the age of 12, Virgo June Capri was living a relatively normal life...which would be good news if you weren't a the protector of JUSTICE that he so proclaimed himself to be.

Known as the 'Golden Blunder' amongst both his peers and adults alike, Virgo has been at a bit of a struggle to convince his community that he's a hero to which Harmony City could depend on! He helps shopkeepers and food vendors in need of quick errands, helps random citizens as best as he can, and even goes so far as to stick up for his classmates when the situation calls for it. But while his heart is in the right place, he's not going as far as he'd like due to his countless clumsy mistakes and overall dicey reputation with the populace.

Still, Virgo's optimism continued on with life itself, until one seemingly average day took a turn for the worst. Before going home, Virgo encounters a demon in pursuit of a local. In a frantic attempt, Virgo distracts the demon long enough for them to get away. However, in doing so, he becomes the target of said demon's ire and is swiftly incapacitated. Bleeding out and about to die, hope seemed lost until just before losing his consciousness, Virgo witnesses a blurry figure rescue him in the nick of time.

Hospitalized, Virgo meets an eccentric woman behind a mechanical screen who calls herself 'The Madam' and claims to be the figure who saved him. She lets slip that her business there was related to her passion project called the M.R.D.H (Magically Rouge Deviant Hotline), an organization meant to closer help victims of attacks such as his with just a simple call. Virgo makes a desperate plea to join, his near-fatal encounter having jostled him, yet his fierce determination having impressing the madam enough to give him a chance!

Virgo now runs around Harmony City under the apprenticeship of the MRDH, helping both old and new clients. But with his own uneasy past, adult coworkers unsure if he should even be there, the public even more perturbed by him, Virgo is learning that being a hero somehow takes even more then he thought!

--Virgo is granted the magical artifact he dubs as 'The Posi-Satch', a powerful item that grants the user the ability to make constructions using a soul-bounded primary emotion as fuel! In Virgo's case, he uses his positivity! Unfortunately, this comes with the caveat of having to known the ins and outs of his construct mentally before it can be created physically. The item is both guarded and puppeted by its guardian, who Virgo dubs as 'Kooky'!

--Is canonically autistic. Its hard for him to relatively communicate his feelings in a subdued way, often relying on sporadic body movements or shouting to convey them. He doesn't do well in excessively quiet spaces, and a lot of his hand signs are just something he does in the moment (although he says they're his iconic, signature poses). He's clever for his age and only grows in intelligence as time moves on, but his overly-particular and over the top strategies paired with his naivety and impulsiveness doesn't help him display as much.

-Likes to read comics, play arts and crafts, and watch cartoons!

#OC #k1ng0fsug4r #Virgo June Capri

[welcometololaland]

If no one has asked yet, say more things about the LS/RWRB crossover 👀🌚

Hello Kim!!!

The crossover! The fic I have been so slack with!

I have a fully written TK chapter, and now I need to write 3 more (Carlos, Alex, Henry - I think in that order!).

The premise is really simple - a chance meeting in Austin followed by 4 chapters of Alex being a tornado of a person, Henry being an angel with a sassy streak, Carlos being stressed about meeting a real life prince and TK just vibing a new friendship.

I mean I could write essays on the similarities between these characters - I think on the surface, Henry and Carlos (sensible, somewhat anxious marshmallows) seem the most aligned, followed by TK and Alex (chaos demon energy). However, I am unwell for the concept of exploring the deeper similarities between them.

I mean surface-level Carlos and Alex have a lot of similarities. They're both Mexican-Americans raised in Austin, Texas. They both seem to be pretty handy in the kitchen. They're both intelligent, close (although have somewhat complicated relationships) with their families and are good dancers [implied, but please refer to honky tonk scene and then to RWRB: "C'mon, it's, like, in the hips. You have to loosen up." He reaches down and puts both hands on Henry's hips, and Henry instantly tenses under the touch. "That's the exact opposite of what I said." / "Alex, I don't-" / "Here," Alex says, moving his own hips, "watch me."].

On a deeper level, I think Alex and Carlos also share a strong perfectionistic streak. An abject fear of failure. A tendency to throw their whole heart into something once they decide they want it. They both love so hard and so deeply and (despite Alex's brash attitude and terrible language) are desperate to be loved in return.

THEN Henry and TK. God. The twin trauma of losing a parent. The tendency to run away when things get too hard or too much. The fear of never being enough. The struggle with their mental health. The innate desire to be loved and yet feel like they never quite deserve it. I love those similarities.

There's just so much to work with here! And I don't want to share too much more because I feel as if I've already spoiled half the fic since August when I started writing it, but just know the concept is making me very unwell.

I mean come on - two guys born and bred in Austin with their two expat partners. I just think it would be so iconic if they met. Sue me but I want my faves to be friends hehe.

#WIP game #RWRB #lone star #crossover #Lola writes #Kim tag

[galactic-glamour-girl-posts]

Let's Rank the Animaniacs segments!

The order won't surprise you too much if you've followed me for a while or have seen a few of my Animaniacs-related posts (although my opinions on some segments have changed), but I figured it would be fun to rank them anyway (plus it relates to something I wanted to say regarding the characters, but I'll save that for the end). Sub series like Wheel of Morality and Dot's Poetry Corner don't count.

Segments I actively dislike

Worst - Katie Ka-Boom

"lol teenage girls amiright?" No. Shut up. This isn't funny. Her catchphrase is dumb (“I’m not overreacting, I’m a teenager!”) and honestly her parents suck too (“Teenagers should be locked away until they’re 30.”) This is easily the most mean-spirited segment on the show, it reeks of bitterness.

The Hip Hippos

The fat jokes suck and both hippos are boring characters with no real goal or motivation; but they are a genuinely wholesome couple and the idea of out of touch high class people being the stars of a segment is at the very least a good idea, they just botched the execution.

Chicken Boo

The Chicken Boo segments are an okay joke told too many times in the exact same way.

Buttons and Mindy

This segment is too mean spirited and is basically the same segment every time but I'm ranking them higher than Boo because Buttons and Mindy, as characters, are adorable and actually have personalities, unlike Boo (I'm aware Boo being like that is the point, but still).

Segments that are...OK

Mime Time

I think The Mime being such a bland character actually improves these bumpers. I don't feel too bad when he gets hurt because we barely know him and his bumpers are brief, so we don't see him suffer for too long. Although I do think the slapstick is kinda just...fine.

The Flame

These are little boring. I feel like the Warners do a better job with educational segments. These segments pretty much just exist to teach US history, but in a more tame yet in your face about how great they want kids to think America is way than when Warner segments would.

Randy Beaman Kid/Colin

It sure is...a bumper.

The Incredible Gnome in People's Mouths

This might be the weirdest premise of any Animaniacs segment, and that's saying a lot. It's alright.

Good Idea Bad Idea

Easily the best non-sub series bumper for sure...but it's still just a bumper.

Starbox and Cindy

This segment is kind of like Buttons and Mindy but since the protagonist is a bad person, his pain can actually be funny. It's also kind of like Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain if they didn't turn an iconic double act into an unremarkable trio. Hearing Cindy ramble about random stuff in the background is both cute and funny (I'll admit the Gnome probably should be higher because it's more of an original idea...but Cindy's adorable so I'm putting this higher lol).

Goodfeathers

I didn't like their first segment, but a lot of their later ones are OK, even though many over-rely on the whole "and then the Goodfeathers get hurt" bit. They're not much more than a (now dated) reference, and I think the writers realised this eventually because they clearly gave up on them at one point. They get no segments in season 3, only one in season 4, in season 5 they just get cameos and bumpers, and they show up really late compared to everyone else in Wakko's Wish. Pesto's the only standout character here to me, I don't really care for Squit or Bobby.

Minerva Mink

I like how she loves to wallow in self pity about how hard her life is yet is incredibly vain, manipulative and loves to be ruder than she needs to be. She's not a saint, but that's funny! I would've put her segments in the next tier if not for 1-the fact that she only has two segments so she never got to reach her full potential as a character and 2-the sheer amount of perv-pandering...which happens to be the reason why she only has two segments.

Segments I like!

Rita and Runt

Their segments can be hit or miss, but I think the bad ones aren't bad enough and the good ones are good enough to warrant them being this high. Rita and Runt are both likeable characters, their segments aren't the funniest but they have a lot of heart. Not gonna lie Rita's probably the best singer on the show.

Slappy Squirrel

She's basically what would happen if a Looney Tunes character ever actually grew to be old. She solves modern day problems with old school cartoon solutions, she's great!

Pinky and the Brain

In truth, if it weren't for their spin off series and the Animaniacs reboot these guys would probably be under Slappy. I've dedicated at least four long posts to these two I'm not going into further detail lol.

Best - Yakko, Wakko, and Dot

Chaotic good puppy children live out every kid's fantasy of fighting back against adults who mistreat them or others, what's not to like? I like that out of all the characters (aside from Slappy) they're the best homage to classic cartoons, between their designs and the fact that they often have entire segments that are homages to classic cartoons, like "The Girl with the Googily Goop", "The Warner's Vault" or "Yakko Amakko". Plus the Warners have one of the least formulaic segments on the show so that helps-great songs, cute sibling/family shenanigans, fun parodies, and just a whole bunch of zany chaos!

In all seriousness, the main reason I made this post is because a couple times I've seen people post/tweet something along the lines of "real Animaniacs fans like all/most segments" or "a true Animaniacs fan should like *blah blah blah* segments" and I just wanted to say...no.

If you only watch the show for the Warners, or just Slappy, or both Pinky and the Brain and Starbox and Cindy, or just Rita and Runt, Hip Hippos and Mime Time, or even literally only for Katie Kaboom, that's valid.

There's no quota for which segments you have to like. If you're a fan, you're a fan, no one else gets to decide that.

#animaniacs #animaniacs reboot #animaniacs 2020 #yakko wakko and dot #the warners #pinky and the brain #patb #slappy squirrel #slappy and skippy #goodfeathers #rita and runt #buttons and mindy #starbox and cindy #chicken boo #the incredible gnome in people's mouths #the hip hippos #good idea bad idea #katie kaboom #mime time #colin #randy beaman kid #the flame #I mean it's not like being an Animaniacs fan is some sort of badge of honour or something #but seeing people act judgemental towards those who only like one or two segments is annoying

[theloopus]

TL;DR some thoughts on izzy's death via black sails comparisons

rambling here, but i keep coming back to Izzy's death and why it seems to have missed the landing a bit (and i'm not talking about the rabid Izzy fans who have completely lost the plot, i'm talking about the general reaction from actual normal people being "...wait, what?")

and, not to make everything about Black Sails, but i think it's been useful mentally to compare it to Charles Vane's death—they're actually very similar character trajectories, broadly speaking; an antagonist and generally unlikeable guy turned ally, made through the course of the season likeable enough so that when his death comes you're actually bummed to see him go. and you don't really see it coming (unless you do), you expect them to get away until the last minute, but at the same time it makes sense, thematically, because they represent a very specific version of piracy, and their deaths signal the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.

but whereas Vane's death seems to be generally met with shock, Izzy's death is met with confusion (which is a very different thing). and i think this stems not so much from the genre gap, although that does play into it (Black Sails is a gritty drama, OFMD is a romantic comedy (dramedy?)—and both series have a touch of the surreal, but BS is generally more grounded in reality, whereas OFMD tends to operate on cartoon rules), but rather from execution, no pun intended.

i do fully disagree with the take that Izzy's death was "bad writing"—the bones are there, the actual death scene was good, the themes are coherent— it makes sense, when you think about it. but you shouldn't have to think about it to know, instinctually, while you're watching, that it makes sense, as much as it might pain you or shock you at first—so the problem is execution, not writing.

obviously there's the matter of pacing, which has been discussed to death and isn't really the fault of the writers, but it's undeniable that it's one of the reasons why the idea doesn't seem to land at first. it happens too quickly, not just the actual death and funeral, but the lead-up to it. the wounding, for one—i don't know if they were intentionally going for a "surprise wound" approach ("did he really get shot? oh he did? well it doesn't seem that bad. wait, is he dying for real?"), but it just does not work here, because then instead of building up dread over whether or not he's going to make it, you just think he's hurt and then suddenly find out he's actually fully about to die only when he's like. pronouncing his last words. and then a minute later he's dead. it's too quick!

but it even goes back to before the actual death shot—the way the season's constructed, our main association with Izzy up to this point is that he's healing or whatever now, so if his death is meant to represent the end of an era, you need to remind the audience that he's supposed to be associated with that era, regardless of all his character development. this is why Vane's death works so well, imo: the very reason why he's being hanged, in-universe, is because of what he represents as an iconic pirate; and the fact that he chooses to sacrifice himself is what separates him from Flint and the others (despite the fact that they're currently allied): they represent a possible future which, albeit better, he does not fit within and has zero interest in fitting within. so he'd rather sacrifice himself, helping them with their cause while also keeping true to himself and his own view of the world (their world, the old world of piracy) and what he represents (old, classic, Blackbeard's kind of piracy).

with Izzy though it's an extremely tricky line to walk, because they wanted him to die having become a better person, free and loved, so essentially having embraced the kind of piracy that Stede represents—while also still being a walking symbol of the past, of the kind of piracy that he used to represent to Ed. again, on paper, it's doable: he is an embodiment of what piracy means to Ed, which used to be abuse and toxic masculinity (S1); then Stede turns piracy into something else, meaning acceptance and liberation and a support system (S2); but the fact is, negative or positive as the environment might be, piracy itself as an idea is coming to an end, it's ceasing to exist (therefore, so would Izzy), and Ed's journey isn't about embracing a new kind of piracy, either, it's about fully shredding it and letting go of it (therefore, shredding and letting go of Izzy) while keeping Stede (acceptance, liberation, a support system). problem being, executing all of that is a bit harder. doable, certainly, but harder, and perhaps more than the writers could chew with such a constricted budget and timetable. with the benefit of hindsight, maybe they could've crammed this into Izzy's conversation with Ricky...? it's there a little bit, if you squint, with Izzy going on with his "what piracy is really about" speech and Ricky going "you've become such a bore" or whatever he says (implying past vs. present), but, i don't know, maybe have Izzy like... talk about what piracy is really about and also what he used to think it meant, what it represented for him (and therefore for Ed) even though now he knows better, and also, very importantly, hit the final nail in the coffin by somehow sneaking in that he's piracy embodied and has no interest in being anything else, during that "our spirit will last throughout your entire fucking empire" speech, cementing that the spirit of piracy is also the spirit of Izzy himself (and therefore when piracy dies Izzy will die with is, and this will be his choice). maybe not the subtlest way to go about it, but like, not really time for subtlety when you've gotta wrap up a 60-minute storyline in 30 minutes, and they've been slapping us with DO YOU GET IT flashbacks for the entire season, so it's not like they've got the upper hand here, you know. as it is, though, those beats (and many others, as i've said before!) are missed, so (sans post-mortem interviews and tumblr metas and the like) Izzy's death feels like 1. it comes kinda out of nowhere, and 2. it serves no purpose other than to be sad. which is a shame, because it's actually a suuuper interesting beat that could've been really juicy both on a meta level and on an emotional level, if the writers had the space to set it up properly.

#long post #txt #ofmd #ofmd spoilers #our flag means death #not that i know what i'm talking about ever #it's such a shame too because compared to s1 like... 1x10 is INCREDIBLE at doing everything it sets out to do perfectly hitting every beat #and also being entertaining *and* emotional while doing so! but because it has the appropriate space to do all that #can you imagine if they'd had to cram the events of 1x9 and 10 together in a single ep? it would've been a mess!

[cardanfckinggreenbriar]

the stolen heir thoughts

so apparently people are not liking this book. which icl is a little bit WILD to me because i thought it was brilliant.

but here are my thoughts on why that *might* (emphasis on MIGHT don't come at me if you have some ✨quirky✨ reason for why you didn't like it i literally don't care) be the case.

there will be some spoilers ahead, i will try to limit them, but you guys are pretty unpredictable anyway, just don't say i didn't warn you.

most people reading this duology have come straight from tfota (and if you're not wtf are you doing here, go sit your ass down and read tcp, you demon) and if that's the case, there is a high likelihood you are a reader who idolises jude and cardan and puts them on a pedestal (AS THEY DESERVE ABSOLUTE BEAUTIFUL ICONS.) and you know, although we were warned by holly that this first book would be in suren's perspective, it's not so comfortable to not only be so tantalisingly close to them and not see them (we want our babies back), but to see them, to see this world, to see other characters, too (like oak), through a completely different lens.

i've heard people saying it's flat for that, and i get we're returning to a world, it might feel like holly is just doing some recycling but icl i kinda really love the book for that, and it also seems like a really holly thing to do.

i mean sure, i could have maybe lived without madoc's return, but i also think that it really works.

back to the point tho, for suren, this is a very different world, her relationship with it is different, and the people in it, though familiar to us, are not to her, and i think the main thing to take away from this is to remember that not one of these characters are clear cut heroes or villains. they're people.

jude, to suren, is just a cold, harsh, strategic mortal queen — funnily enough, suren probably didn't get to read tfota, so hasn't experienced jude the way that we have, and the same for other characters that we are familiar with.

i mean think about it, when we read tfota and suren was described as 'creepy' and all that, did we bat an eyelid? no, we accepted it, mainly because we were seeing suren the way that jude and her family were, as a monster girl, whose parents wanted her to marry oak, and we didn't want that. we see it politically, also. when we see this through suren's eyes, all of a sudden, it's heartbreaking, and ofc it is, because she was a child, and she was being manipulated and used, she wasn't saved, she wasn't treated with any sort of love, from anyone.

but jude couldn't give her that love. for so many reasons. but still, that makes her seem like less of a hero (again, not that she was one to begin with.)

and if they're not the heroes anymore, if our way of seeing things suddenly becomes blurrier and less defined, where does that leave them? we feel like everything becomes less stable, because in most books, we're used to the protagonist telling us how we should feel.

so it feels like the possibility of things going south for our favourite characters is all too real, and no one likes that. i hate the idea of jude and cardan not getting their perfect happy ending, whatever that looks like... but i'm not too sure that i want it to look any different to how we expected it: them being in love, high king and queen forever and ever and having lots of children, until they get too old and tired and decide to retire together.

of course, the plot itself also destabilises the chances of this, but i won't go into that in detail here just in case someone with a taste for chaos has decided to read this far (!! i said begone, demon !!)

but here's the thing, like i said, in holly's books, the characters are first and foremost people. jude makes mistakes, does so many horrible things, and tbf in the reading community, we have a bit of a nasty habit of glorifying that, and just saying slay, she's a badass (which she IS, but also guys... murder... bad...?), especially when it's the main character (see the way people still villainize taryn... but that's a whole other discussion.) and what does that mean? it means independence. yes there's mention of fate in the books, but there is independence and true character growth.

now here's the thing. we have a whole other book to come. i doubt that holly is going to leave suren where she is (unless she does which could also be so cool and open up a whole new universe of opportunity for the direction in which elfhame goes and whilst this might be completely evil, i could so get behind that. ANYWAY) why is holly writing suren? what are suren's fears? what is suren's motivation rn? if we examine all of these things, we see that wren is still grappling with all of these things, and that the position she is in right now isn't going to help her or satisfy her.

suren's whole life has been dictated by the greed and megalomania of the people around her. she is suffering because of that exact greed and megalomania. power will not heal her, not like this, at least.

and finally, coming to oak. holly has already played the 'i-don't-want-to-be-king-but-ends-up-being-one-and-a-really-good-one-because-i-didn't-want-to-be-one-in-the-first-place' card with cardan. i don't personally think she's planning on playing it again with oak. i think it's a really clever way of suggesting at it, and reminding us, and showing us what we're used to, but i think oak is being honest. ofc, i also HOPE he is being honest.

there is also the next book's title to think about (the prisoner's throne) but in all honesty, i don't think speculating on that will be worthwhile. holly really could throw anything at us.

i have a couple of other thoughts, about jude and cardan and what might be going on there, but those thoughts don't really sit right with me and aren't really constructive to the happy endings lol so i don't like them and will not be sharing bc i do not have to !! 🥰

all in all, if you didn't like it because of what it suggests for our favourite high king and queen... anything could happen. i trust holly to write a book that truly devastates us all. but i hope that i've also shown you that what she has written is not unjustified. i'm not going to conclude with a what i think will happen, even though i have very strongly suggested it because i don't want to jinx anything... if i'm wrong, i'm wrong, and i'll happily be wrong, though i know my happiness isn't guaranteed...

#the stolen heir spoilers #stolen heir #the folk of the air #queen suren #oak greenbriar #prince oak #suren #oak x wren #oak x suren #elfhame #high queen of elfhame #high king of elfhame #jude duarte #cardan greenbrair

[sapphicpenguin]

is sticky compelling enough to watch the Marvel movies for the first time in 2024AD? apologies if this is a hammer meeting hornets nest question lol

I did not forget you I promise! I wanted to answer this after I had shown The Winter Soldier to my boyfriend (who hasn't seen early marvel movies) so I could have evidence, but then it took us a week to get to. I now have a more expert opinion, though. No hornets nests I don't think. Also this is all my opinion no one sue me.

Okay so first of all, there are like 20-something marvel movies and the majority of them are not worth watching unless you have a emotional attachment to someone involved, you're nostalgic, or are researching for fanfiction. I don't know your tastes exactly but I'm not condemning you to hours of movies unless you know for sure they're what you want lol. (No judgement though if they end up being your favorites, to be clear.) I like the Iron Man movies, the first Thor is hilarious, the first Avengers is fun, Guardians of the Galaxy is fun if you can stand watching Chris Pratt, but like. you're fine without all of it. There are better things happening in the world.

I think Steve/Bucky is an awesome ship, and I love their characterization in the early movies. The fanfiction for that ship is better than any other, hands down. One of my favorite poems was written about them. There are full metafictions analyzing fake historical books written in their universe. It's like nothing I've ever seen. Experiencing the MCU has totally been worth it for me, just for that. If you want to explore them and the fic, I would say the bare minimum would be the first two Captain Americas.

The First Avenger (#1) is a backstory for Steve and Bucky and mostly takes place during WW2. You don't have to have watched any other movies, and I think it's quite enjoyable. Steve has a straight romance in it, which did result in a lot of gay shippers sidelining/hating the main female character, which is a shame because she's awesome! Fans need to either agree to disagree but also maybe invite some polyamory into their shipping. Anyway. Awesome intro to them--not gonna win an award, but great soundtrack, great characters, solid story. There's some propaganda (although a lot of it is self-aware and the main characters comment on it?) and there's some cheesy comic book fighting, but honestly I have fun with it.

The Winter Soldier (#2) is (as you probably know) THE Stucky movie. Even saying that is kinda spoiling it, but ah well. Now there are a few movies that happen in between, but I'm gonna say read a Wikipedia summary of the first Avengers (2012) and you're good to go. You just have to know that aliens attacked New York, and that Steve's been hanging out in the future with other superheros. (If you end up wanting to read iconic 2012-13 Avengers fic where they're all a found family, maybe watch Avengers 1 so you can get the vibes. That's a good reason.) TWS is a good ass movie. Genuinely. It's got political thriller vibes and it has the best character dynamics in any Marvel movie--especially for Black Widow/Natasha. Soundtrack is good, fight choreography is at its best, everyone's snarky and tender, Sebastian Stan puts his whole pussy into making puppy dog eyes while shooting people--it's the Stucky thesis statement, and it's required reading for the fanfiction.

The only other movie that is interesting Steve/Bucky-wise is Civil War (#3)--but that one functions more as an Avengers movie, and you would need to watch the preceding movies. It hinges on the fact that Steve would do anything for Bucky, which I enjoy watching, but I can't say it's worth it if you don't care about any of the other characters. Just know that Steve would defy all governments for his boyfriend. That's the thesis.

The thing to know going forward from TWS: it goes downhill, and Steve's character is destroyed. Not right away, there are some good shenanigans, but (spoiler warning) Avengers Endgame is one of the worst things I've ever watched and Steve's ending destroys his character and removes the autonomy from one of their best female characters, as well as spitting in the face of Bucky and their relationship (even platonically it's still a betrayal). If you get into it and want to keep going, I just need you to know this. I need you to know that they're not gonna give you anything better than what you've seen. Their AO3 tag has more than enough for a lifetime. You'll be fine.

As a preacher of the Stucky gospel, I say watch at least two fun movies so you can be witness to one of the greatest ships of this generation. It's only like 4 hours of your life. It'll be educational at the very least.

Okay thank you for asking <3<3<3 Let me know if you end up getting into it! And feel free to ask for fic recs if you end up being interested!