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mariclerc · 2 days

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Fighter (pt.2) | cl16

Summary: where you have a serious accident on the track and Charles's memories of it aren't the most pleasant ones. Warning: an injured and somewhat frustrated reader, caring and gentle Charles and a lot of fluff this time.

a/n: I hope you like this part, this is a short one! please let me know if you want a third one!!

Part 1

Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating a cozy bedroom. Clothes are scattered across a chair, and a half-eaten bowl of cereal sits on the bedside table. You walk slowly out of the bathroom, your movements stiff and a grimace on your face. You're wearing a simple white t-shirt and some sweatpants, but the center of attention it's a bright pink neck brace. It's been exactly almost two weeks since your big accident on the track and you find it very difficult to do normal things like change your clothes or even go to the bathroom.

You try to reach for your back as a wave of dizziness washes over you, making you stumbling slightly, but a strong hand steadies you... Charles appears behind you, concern etched on his face while holding your slippers in his hand.

“Hey, careful there princess. Let's take it slow, okay?” he says in a soft voice while you lean into his touch, a small sigh escaping from your lips.

You mumble slightly. “I hate feeling so useless.”

Charles helps you into the bed and sits beside you, his brow furrowed. “Don't be silly chérie, you're recovering from a nasty crash... It's okay to need help for a while, you know?”

You cry a little as you try to pull the t-shirt over your head. “Ugh, even this is impossible. Stupid neck brace.”

Charles reaches out, his touch gentle as he unfastens the back of the t-shirt. He slowly pulls it down your arms, his movements careful not to aggravate your injuries. “Let me do it, you need to rest your arms babe.”

You feel a warmth spread through your chest despite the frustration. It's a different kind of warmth than the one that ignites during a perfectly executed pit stop or a thrilling overtake... It's the warmth of care, of having someone there to support you when you're at your most vulnerable state.

A fresh t-shirt materializes in Charles' hands, and he helps you slide your arms in. He leans close, his voice a soft murmur.

“How about I get you some painkillers and water? Oh, maybe a light lunch too!”

You look up at him, at warm and grateful smile tugging in the corners of your lips. “You really are the best pit crew a girl could ask for... Even if you are from the rival team.”

Charles grins, his eyes twinkling. “You know I'm always happy to help you, right? Now, stay put. I'll be back in a flash darling.”

He leans down and kisses your forehead, the touch sending shivers down your spine, he takes the half-eaten bowl of cereal in his hands and leaves the room. Even with a messed-up neck and a bruised ego, you know that you're so lucky to have him by your side.

You settle back against the pillows, a newfound sense of peace washing over your body.

***

Charles disappears into the kitchen, and you take a moment to try and stretch your stiff muscles, something that is somewhat impossible. The silence is broken by a muffled crash from the kitchen... Your eyes widen a fraction.

“Of course, there's always a challenge with him.” you muttered to yourself.

Internally you have a debate whether calling out to him, but the thought of him fussing over you just because you only want a glass of water is too much. You try to push yourself up from the bed, wincing at the sharp tug in your lower back.

“Stubborn neck brace, stubborn muscles... Maybe I can manage just this once.” you say while clenching your teeth.

Just as you manages to get one leg over the edge of the bed, a flustered Charles bursts back in, holding a tray with a glass of water and a bowl of warm and comforting soup. “Okay, crisis averted... I almost knocked over the entire spice rack trying to get the ibuprofen out of the top shelf, but nothing to worry about.”

He sees you halfway out of the bed and rushes over to your side.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing amour? I told you to stay put.” He says alarmed.

You winces once again, frustrated tears welling up in your eyes. “I just wanted a glass of water! I hate feeling so helpless all the single time, I can't even get myself water!”

Charles softens immediately, pulling you back onto the bed and gently tucking you in. “Hey, hey, It's okay! I understand... Here, let me help you sit up baby.” he says with a soothing voice.

He props you against the pillows with a comforting hand on your shoulder. Then, a mischievous glint appears in his eyes.

“Besides, a champion driver like you deserves a pit crew that can handle a little pressure. How about a race to see who can finish their lunch first?”

You let out a watery laugh, the tension easing from your shoulders. “You're on. But don't underestimate the recovery power of a champion!”

Charles grins, placing the tray softly on your lap. “Never underestimate the pit crew either, sweetheart.”

You take a cautious sip of the water, the coolness soothing your parched throat. You winces again, a flicker of pain shooting through your neck, Charles notices that instantly.

“Easy there amour. Does it still hurt? Maybe we should grab another ice pack, that helped last night with the pain.” he asked but you shook your head, forcing a little smile.

“No, I'm okay charlie. It's just a twinge, besides, I don't want to slow down in our race, champion recovery, remember?”

You scoop a bite of soup with your spoon, the small movement it's such a challenge with the stiff muscles. Charles watches you, his gaze filled with concern and something deeper.

“You know that winning isn't everything here, right? How about we take this slow? You focus on getting better while I handle everything else. Deal?”

You hesitate, the competitive fire in your eyes dimming slightly. The thought of being completely dependent on Charles sometimes feels suffocating, even though you know he means well. He cares a lot about you and doing this kind of thing for you is not a bother to him at all.

“Maybe a compromise? You handle the tricky stuff, but for things like reaching for the water, I can try. It'll help me get my strength back faster, right?”

Charles considers your proposal, his eyes searching yours. He sees the determination sparkling beneath the vulnerability. “Alright, feisty one, but you promise to be careful? Don't try to be the heroine, okay?” he let out a soft sigh. “If you feel in trouble or find it difficult, don't be afraid to tell me, okay?” he says softly and you nod partially, since you can't do it so effusively.

You beams, a genuine smile that reaches your eyes. “It's a deal! Now, about that soup... What if we make it a relay race? You feed me a spoonful of soup and then I try to grab the water myself, It's a champion teamwork!” you say and giggled softly.

Charles lets out a laugh, the tension leaving his shoulders. He scoops a spoonful of soup, his eyes twinkling.

“Alright sweetheart, you're on! But remember, even teamwork has a winning team. And today that's us.”

He carefully brings the spoon to your lips, and you lean in. As you savors the warm soup, a feeling of warmth blooms in your chest that has nothing to do with the broth... It's the warmth of love, of shared determination, and the knowledge that they'll face this recovery, just like they face every challenge, together.

***

You take a spoonful of the soup, Charles' hand steady beside the spoon, the warmth spreads through your body, both from the food and from the way he's taking care of you. You finish the spoonful with a satisfied sigh, Charles look at you with a playful glint in his eyes.

“Alright bébé, your turn for the water challenge... Remember, if you feel like you can't do it, you can tell me to help you, slow and steady wins the race.”

He places the glass on the nightstand within reach, just out of easy reach for you with the neck brace. You take a deep breath, summoning your inner champion.

“Okay... Here goes nothing.” you say focused.

You gingerly reaches out with your right hand, the movement sending a jolt of pain through your back. You grit your teeth, determined not to give up. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, your fingers finally brush the cool glass.

A triumphant smile spreads across your face... Just as you're about to grab it, a sharp pain shoots through your neck, making your hand flinch. The glass wobbles precariously on the nightstand.

You gasped and Charles reacts instantly, reaching out to catch the glass before it spills. Relief washes over him as he sets it back down safely.

“It's okay baby, I told to be careful. I think that was too much too soon.” he say worried.

You winces again, a wave of frustration washing over you. Tears well up in your eyes, blurring your vision.

“I just... I don't like to feel useless, I can't even do a simple thing... When I will be back to normal Charles?” you asked in a whisper.

Charles sits beside you on the bed, pulling your body into a gentle hug. He rests his chin on top of your head, his voice soft and reassuring. ”It's okay not to be okay baby, healing takes some time! Don't push yourself too hard, just focus on getting better sweetcheeks, that's the most important race right now.”

He picks up the glass of water and brings it to your lips again. This time, there's a tenderness in his eyes that makes your heart skip a beat.

“So how about we call a truce on the race? You focus on getting some rest, and I'll handle the hard pit stop duties, you like bringing you food, water and helping you with your clothes... Deal?”

You lean into his touch, a wave of peace washing over you. The frustration melts away, replaced by a quiet gratitude. “Deal... Thank you so much Charles, you're the best pit crew and boyfriend a girl could ask for, even if you sometimes underestimates her recovery power.” you say softly and shyly.

Charles chuckles, a warm sound that fills the room. ”Never underestimate a champion's determination, even a recovering one. Now, drink up princess. You need your strength for tomorrow's physiotherapy battle.”

You take a slow sip of the water, savoring the cool refreshment... Maybe this forced break from racing isn't so bad after all, the accident may have sidelined you from the track, but in this moment, surrounded by love and laughter, you know your true victory lies in the unwavering support you have by your side. The road to recovery may be long, but with Charles by your side, it's a journey you'll face together, one spoonful, one pit crew story, at a time.

#charles leclerc fluff #charles leclerc imagine #f1 x you #charles leclerc x reader #charles x reader #charles leclerc #formula one x reader #driver!reader #f1 x reader #charles x you #charles x reader driver #mariclerc fics #frustrated reader #charles x y/n

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smytherines · 12 hours

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I love One Step Ahead for all the obvious reasons (gay angst), but also because it is so packed with little storytelling moments. Also it just seems exhausting. So much happens in that song:

1. Motorcycle chase (with office chairs)

2. Boat chase

3. Staff fight

4. Sword fight

5. Vigorous musket loading

6. Run up the staircase

7. Hang glider chase

8. Fistfight

9. Run halfway down the stairs again

And the entire time they are doing all of this, they're belting out a vocally demanding song. I mean, no wonder Curt Mega had to take a breath during that final note. That's a feat of endurance. I simply would've passed out and died.

One Step Ahead is one of my favorite setpieces of all time. In anything. Ever. It is so impressive, and it is even more impressive when you realize this was done by a tiny little independent company with the theatre budget equivalent of $1.50. Unreal. It should not be possible.

And the thing is, One Step Ahead is the perfect narrative counterweight to A1P1 (Spies Are Forever). The amount of thought they put into this is just stunning. Because here's the thing: A1P1 is also incredibly physical. For most of the song Curt and Owen are on the move, they're going up the ladder, they're fighting goons, they're going down the staircase, they're running.

But more importantly, Curt and Owen are touching a lot in A1P1. And yeah, that's fun in a swoony curtwen vibes way, but its also incredibly important to the narrative. They are touching a lot, and when they aren't touching they are standing just a little bit too close together. Its subtle enough that you initially dismiss it as a stylistic choice, but once you have the full context it is remarkably intimate.

Those are important details- like the way Owen has his arm around Curt and is literally holding his hand when they're talking to Cynthia. Its meant to tell us that they are together. In the romantic way, yes, but also they're just aligned, working together, on the same page. They are partners here. They literally have each other's backs.

And that's down to Curt Mega and Joey Richter selling the absolute shit out of these roles, and genius choreography by Lauren Lopez, and Corey Lubowich being the director of all time.

The digital download BTS has a part with Joey and Curt rehearsing the bit where they do the hug, and right after that they're trying to figure out what cool action poses to move into and Corey says that he wants to see something with them "connected," which is just... yeah, that's the perfect word to describe what is going on in A1P1. These two are connected.

So then we get to One Step Ahead. At the very beginning, Curt does the arm clasp with Tatiana. The first time they did this, Curt had a flashback of Owen. Owen was still his partner in his heart. But this time that bond is severed. Curt thinks of Tatiana as his partner now.

We get into the action of the song, and Curt and Owen do not touch. Even when they are very physically close together, there are weapons between them. In A1P1 they had lots of moments with their backs turned to each other, trusting each other, working perfectly in sync. In One Step Ahead they are facing each other head on. They are literally and figuratively fighting. They are breaking up.

The only moment during this sequence where they are actually touching each other is when Owen slaps Curt, Curt punches Owen twice, and they do that lock up move. They're only touching to hurt each other now.

And its so subtle and well executed that you don't really think about the parallels between these two scenes the first time you watch them. But you feel it on an emotional level. They had about ten minutes to establish the relationship between these two, and they used that ten minutes so effectively that the staircase scene ends up hitting like a ton of bricks.

Just. I love this show. I love how much TCB and Curt Mega and the rest of the cast care about this show. I'm so grateful they keep coming back to it. I cannot wait to see what they do with these scenes for Spy Another Day.

#spy another day #spies are forever #owen carvour #agent curt mega #tin can bros #curtwen #saf #tcb #tinlightenment world tour #saf rants

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melrosing · 2 days

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is there evidence other than the Weirwood dream that Jaime will wield Widow's Wail?

the weirwood dream is a very strong hint but in this particular instance I think the most conspicuous evidence comes from outside the text itself lmao..... in fact two really stupid ass sources that I would never usually credit for anything but in THIS case....

gurm's livejournal suvudu cage matches for Jaime

yes im serious. for the uninitiated, grrm wrote a series of fanfic in which Jaime fights a variety of fantasy characters for a pan fandom bracket suvudu cage match series, u may have heard of the one in which Jaime slaughters Hermione Granger bc i for one will never stop talking about it. anyway it's not mentioned in that one, but in this journal entry (where Jaime fights a trial of seven), grrm equips Jaime with widow's wail.

now literally why would he do that if Jaime won't one day wield WW. there are plenty of other swords he could have given him. why not Oathkeeper, the blade that has actually passed through his hand?? but grrm didn't even have to mention what sword it was in the first place, he doesn't when Jaime attacks Hermione lol. so it seems to me that grrm is treating Jaime wielding WW as a foregone conclusion.

the fuckin show

Jaime wields widow's wail in the show. like in grrm's blog, his suddenly taking up the sword goes entirely unremarked upon (like does anyone mention this at any point whatsoever), so functionally there was no need to give Jaime the sword. it is nothing more than a visual easter egg, and the writers don't even seem to know what they want you to think when you notice it.

however they did understand at some point in the making of the series that the two swords were meant to represent something big. the first episode of S4 literally opens to an extended sequence of Tywin overseeing the making of oathkeeper and widow's wail, with music playing in the background etc etc.... like the episode is literally CALLED Two Swords. I could juuust about say ok sure write off the opening scene as a symbolic moment in which the Lannisters melt down the Stark legacy, but that doesn't explain why they'd also name the episode Two Swords. I think like everything else the writers knew this meant something once but didn't know how to follow through and didn't care to. there's a weirdly similar example in their using the (abridged) Maggy the Frog prophecy as the prologue to their opening episode of S5, where once again you are given the impression that something of great import is being conveyed that will have huge implications for the rest of the story.... but no when it comes to Tommen's death, Dany's arrival, Cersei's demise etc, it isn't even mentioned.

so, needless to say. they do this. the show is a really bad source for most asoiaf analysis, but you can induce the odd detail even despite poor execution, and sometimes (as in this case) because of poor execution. there was no need to charge these swords with import if you're only going to stick one of them in the character's hand as an unremarked upon easter egg.

so in summary yeah if the actual symbolism within the text isn't enough, I think grrm's blog and that show are bizarrely effective sources

#ask #jaime lannister #asoiaf #i heard a podcast ep last week where they theorised that maybe sandor would wield it #and i had to like bite down on my jaime stan gatekeeper impulses but honestly SCREAM like HOW do u come to that conclusion and miss all thi

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chumpovodir · 3 days

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i don't have it in me at the moment to make a long, detailed rant about this but r/castlevania's insistence that games!Isaac is a lesser character for being a "self-harm obsessed, shallow BDSM playboy that only serves as an inciting incident" compared to N!Isaac?

first of all, i think y'all are letting anime stereotypes from the early 2000s massively color your opinion and it's really obvious you didn't bother looking at his character any deeper than that.

"BDSM playboy"? my man was sitting in the ruins of his home for 3 goddamn years letting the clothes rot off his back, in no condition to care about his appearance and with precious little materials to forge something new. you could also argue that his skimpy look is a mark of his arrogance (already well-established by his fight with Hector previously, and feeling so cocksure he sends his Devil away and even arms Hector with a sword, confident he could easily take him in a fair fight), going into battle barely clothed as a show of faith in his own skill after playing Hector like a fiddle. or even as a radical show of his devotion, the Devil Forgemasters crest embedded in his skin for the world to see; the fact that the physical marks of his position may fade away, but it goes so much deeper than that - it's seared into his very flesh, and will only die when he and his corporeal form finally leave this earth. also, it just speaks to a really shallow understanding of BDSM in general to associate "skimpy strappy outfit = kinky"

"self-harm obsessed"? first of all, where is ANYONE getting this notion from the game itself?? (considering there's a very low chance these people even know about the mangas) there is literally no scene in-game where he self-harms - further proof people are grafting a grab bag of stereotyped character traits onto him when the canon doesn't support it. if this is about his tattoos, i consider this a bit of a reach, but then i don't regularly associate tattoos with masochism.

there is of course this one, singular panel from Prelude to Revenge where we see him slitting his wrists:

but the context here makes it clear: 1) he's doing this as a morbid way to mark the passage of time and 2) most likely in response to the sheer contrast between him and Hector's respective situations - how would you feel seeing the guy who was at least partially responsible for your predicament living a happy life, while you're forced to live in the abandoned ruins of your home, constantly surrounded by all that you've lost? this is an act being shown when he's at his very lowest.

and this is the only instance we actually see - there is no other official material that implies this is something he does on the regular, although it's a popular headcanon considering the general fandom consensus that he most likely had a very rough start to life.

shitting on him for being "merely an inciting incident"? i don't even know what to say to this - do you understand how characters and stories work...? the narrative lives and dies on the push and pull of characters taking actions and other characters responding!

but it sure is curious (read: hypocritical) that this is a negative in these people's eyes when you point out the similarities between Lisa's and Rosaly's deaths.

sure, there is a bigger story about the cruelty of humanity as a whole that Lisa was executed, unprompted while Rosaly's execution was deliberately manipulated by Isaac - but that also adds to Isaac's character, the fact that both he and his younger sister were persecuted for being bonafide magic practitioners, and the sheer hypocrisy of and underhandedness of knowing that pain firsthand, and choosing to inflict it on an innocent woman anyway. it really shows how much his morals, if he ever had any, has truly eroded to the point he only cares about causing maximum damage.

i don't even want to waste my words on the ways N!Isaac is a worse character, comparatively, if you actually take into account the themes of the Devil Forgemasters' respective stories as presented in the games. but it does chap my asshole that, from this angle, both N!Isaac and N!Hector end up for the worse since now their stories are completely decoupled and it ruins the symbolism and duality that their game counterparts had.

#raaaaaaaggghhhhhhh CHUMPO SMASH!!!!#castlevania #anti netflixvania #isaac laforeze #isaac castlevania #castlevaniaposting #<- N!Isaac dickriders you WILL read my posts and quit acting smug #akumajou dracula

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latenightdecaf · 2 days

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There are just so many things that don't sit right with that ep 14. (And I won't be able to do my work today if I don't write it down.)

Honestly, I've been enjoying this drama because of its fast pacing and the way it resolves things fast and as clean as they can. I didn't mind the inconsistencies to be honest, and some gaps in history

like why the fuck was haraboji's gf, so mad in the first place anyway?? like yes she went to prison, had a son, left that son and worked for haraboji and then??

the 1031 baby miscarriage was fine not to be addressed (unfortunately, I can forgive that - given that I have friend who went through the same thing and honestly did not really confront or grieved that with her husband either - they never moved on, but never talked about it either, so fine - we move forward.)

But honestly, this episode is just different than the rest in an unsettling way.

First, the scenes were cut so weirdly... like honestly, what do they want us all to feel here? They had the most beautiful confrontation about life, yes they walked to the hotel without looking at each other. Yes, Hae In stayed true to her character not wanting other girls to look at Hyun Woo. But honestly, that shit felt shallow and her charcter could've been more. They could've walked into a restaurant after fighting, with Hyun Woo just holding her wrist and her noticing the small ways this unbelievable man takes care of her even when he's mad - opening the door, ordering her food, idk, slicing it for her. It could've been slow, it could've been realizing that he had wrinkles now, that he looked tired, that he was having a hard time too - realizing that she wanted to live and be loved by this man no matter what. That if given a chance, even as stranger she'd still surely fall in love all over again. Her as the stranger, NOT those girls who was just prying. They could've twisted that up in a melo way. (But of course, we needed the romcom so of course.)

I could not even begin to point out how weird that car accident was. As viewer, I already know she's not inside... I know that moment was needed but again for Hae In to somehow magically realize she wanted that surgery but that's just torture by now. After everything they've gone through in Yongduri, she already knows how loved she was. Things could've slowed down a bit. And I'm sure Kim Ji Won would've executed that brilliantly (hello, my liberation notes). Idk, Hae In could've had more stronger reasons to live, or that case could've been built differently. Hae In is not shallow but they made her that way and yes, by the time she'd be regaining or building her connection back to Hyun Woo that script will be back again not wanting anyone else to have him. (ugh, Hae In :( I need more!!)

Third of course, Eunseong - so far his character just became so predictable that it totally put me off. Honestly thought (based on the preview without any actual context, that Hae In would be in the car accident with Eun Seong and then he dies to save her so he can finally be someone who actually saved Hae In) but yeah. He came in so conveniently in the hospital that no one even bother to ask why this stranger is now the legal guardian of Hae In like come on. (I know it's kdrama but come on that was WAY TOO CONVENIENT)

And lastly, that fucking surgery. Every single build up, every single suspense gone. She woke up after 5-10 mins inside the drama not even a bandage to her head!! They've could've dragged that a bit, not make her wake up too soon. Mess with us up some more, have the doctors come in, tell them "these things take time". Make Eunseong nervous! But no, she had to wake up immediately. Like come on!! It could've messed with everyone if that was dragged a bit more to the next episode. They could've deported back Hyun Woo to Seoul while Hae In is still unconscious with the devil by her side. We could've been at the edge of our seats if suspense was all they needed and now it just felt too rushed and too much by now. And then, Hae In will be back in Seoul like nothing happened with her (physically) and then she's with Eun Seong now. Ugh.

But despite it all, I'm thankful for this drama. I'm still going to be there next week to see this through. Honestly, what a world-class acting from Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won.

I'm just wrapping up my thoughts so I can finally go on with my day.

Thank you all for coming to my TED talk.

#kdrama thoughts #queen of tears #kim soo hyun #kim ji won #baekhong #I'm unearthing this blog because of this kdrama i swear gahd

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brookebeamsbig · 2 days

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💭 harley quinn #32-37

it's time to process tini howard and sweeney boo's second story arc. unfortunately, harley is still hammering it out with the multiverse, but this time she is working with lady quark instead of against her. kinda.

now we have a new force to reckon with - the brother eyes.

howard is again enjoying throwing in dc deep cuts with the brother eyes (meaning I once again got to do a google deep dive). I do appreciate this true conceptualizing of harley in a broader, shared universe.

in howard's story, the brother eyes work for lady quark. on a craft level, this is an excellent setup for what howard's trying to do in this arc because so does harley. this creates a parallel within howard's tale that mirrors the overarching parallel howard bases her story reasoning upon.

because why are the brother eyes so interested in harley? in watching her and understanding her and mapping her? because she was once a sidekick who made something of herself. and they want to do that, too.

I like this idea. I like it a lot. it creates a unique story around one of the things that makes harley truly special. but I never said howard had bad ideas.

but before I get into the perils of howard's writing, I want to do a run down on some other important players in this arc.

in harley quinn #32, we get introduced to lux kirby, p.i. lux is a completely new character from this creative team, but I couldn't help feeling a sense of deja vu when they appeared. the "detective" seeking out a multiversal harley murderer felt a lot like something out of stephanie phillip's last arc. just sayin.

however, ultimately, I liked lux and what they brought to harley and this story. they were a fun catalyst and means to much of the action. I always vibe with a character like that. and they were a good friend. harley struggled a lot with her mental health and self-perception in these issues, and lux helped ground her.

speaking of friends, KEVIN'S BACK :DDD. and acting like kevin. god bless.

I was sososo pissed when howard essentially fucked kevin over at the beginning of her run. but she definitely put in the time here to make it up to us. that sequence where harley had to anticipate kevin's choices in order to locate him in the multiverse was genius.

there's also two groups of characters from the first arc that play an important role in this one - bud and lou and harley's college class.

y'all know I always love the babies. I appreciate that howard wanted to do something big and bold with them. I liked the twist where they were the suspected murderers. BUT a lot of their actions here were just convoluted to create conflict and drama. like... we can't tell harley the brother eyes are out to get her because... why???

and I thought it was fun having harley's class get dragged along in her adventures. but every time, it felt like howard got the concept but fumbled the execution. harley's class ends up on warworld? cool! but it feels too smooth and rushed and weird. harley's students get turned into omacs? oh no! except there was no emotional or consequential impact.

sadly, that's a common occurrence for howard's writing. howard has exciting ideas, but her writing is too surface level with bad transitions and flow. much of the time I feel like I'm reading her bulleted outline, not the final story.

she rushes pivotal moments. we end an issue with the brother eyes about to reveal harley's worst moments, but then we gloss over that at the beginning of the next one. she throws out plot threads and doesn't carry them through. we should be concerned that the warworld royal family has been turned into omacs, powerful weapons to be used against harley, but then we don't see them anything until they're healed.

that's not to say every single line or scene is bad. howard has said that harley's mental health is one of the most compelling parts of harley's character to her. we can see that reflected in the comics - in the storyline and themes but also in the moments that shine.

I thought the multiverse sequence in harley quinn #37 was the strongest part of this arc. (this does not count the framing narrative.) each scene portrayed harley's fears and doubts about her own capabilities and power in a creative way. what if she became the controlling one in her relationship? what if she was good but still so unstable she had to be locked up? what if she pushed everyone who cared about her away?

sweeney boo's art also had some great moments depicting harley's mental state from her spiraling to her negative self-talk.

however, as with everything in this run, the depiction of harley's mental health has its downsides. howard leans too much into sentiments like "oh no, everyone will think I'm bad!" "oh no, everyone's just putting up with me! "oh no, I'm such a screw up!" and "oh no, I'm going to get in trouble! better hide!" it reads too childish and infantilizing for a capable grown woman who has a PhD in psychology and a lifetime of living inside her own mind.

of course, I think harley's going to have worries, doubts, and fears as she navigates being a hero. exploring this is good since this is the story route we're taking. but howard often fails to strike the right balance.

unfortunately, this bleeds over into the depiction of harley and ivy's relationship. there's this idea that ivy has to handle or deal with harley. that harley's too loud and too much. that harley could disappoint ivy at any moment. harley shouldn't be a problem. harley should be a partner.

along those lines, when harley and ivy aren't fighting, ivy isn't doing... anything. she's just there. in a way that feels eerie. like we're still in knight terrors: poison ivy #1. you can see it in the facial expressions.

harley hides her shenanigans from ivy for most of howard's twelve issues because "oh no, ivy's going to be mad at me!" even when harley finally tells her what's going on, ivy sits it out. and it just... really sucks. ivy is harley's PARTNER IN CRIME. always has been. she should be IN ON THE SHENANIGANS.

I do acknowledge that this might be a broader dc editorial problem since ivy has her own ongoing and concurrent story, but STILL.

this second story arc was far from one of my favorite harley quinn tales, but at least now we can move on from this multiversal madness. (please gawd let us move on from this multiversal madness.)

#harley quinn #poison ivy #harlivy #dc comics #comics #harley quinn 32 #harley quinn 33 #harley quinn 34 #harley quinn 35 #harley quinn 36 #harley quinn 37 #comics review #spoilers

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dazais-guardian-angel · 17 days

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I'm finding it difficult to reconcile the fact that what I've always wanted and envisioned for Nikolai and his relationship with Fyodor based on fanworks and the very very little canon information we've had to go off of so far, will very likely be very different from what we actually get.

While I understand the appeal of Fyodor taking over Nikolai's body via his blood ability, and the inherent, romantic, ironic tragedy of that — for Nikolai, the person who yearned for freedom, to meet an end by having his soul eternally trapped in the body of the person he loved the most, while Fyodor lives on in his body, never truly knowing how much he was adored by him — I would just hate the idea of that happening now? It just feels far, far too soon for Nikolai to be dead, for his character to no longer have a role or a purpose; his mind and behavior is so utterly fascinating in all its bizarre contradictions, there's so much more to explore and discover with him, he's one of BSD's most complex characters, or at least he's set up to be, and I really hope Asagiri wouldn't throw him away this soon without doing anything more with him.

I never really thought that Nikolai would be the one to end Fyodor for good, way down the line (that can only ever be Dazai's job, to me, since he's his foil), but I always imagined he'd at least have some kind of role in attempting to kill him, since that's his ultimate wish. I imagined that it would be ugly, frenzied, unhinged, desperate, Nikolai finally being forced to acknowledge the horrible truth that's always been buried within his subconscious but he's never wanted to accept: that going against all human reason and killing someone he cares so deeply for will not, in fact, simply make those feelings go away, and will instead make them unable to ignore in his despair. The realization that he'll always be chained to human emotions, to love, no matter how much he thinks he can be free of them. And then, the ensuing breakdown from that. Yes, it's extremely fanficky lmao, but that kind of drama makes sense to me for him and them. It's interesting.

There was also the angst angle of Fyodor being immortal, and Nikolai's agenda perhaps stemming from wanting to save him from that, and being able to finally free him from it in the same way he himself wants to be freed. Killing being the ultimate expression of love, not too dissimilar to Mushitarou killing Yokomizo, both putting on an act of being hateful/vengeful/hostile towards the other in order to cope with the fact that deep down they can't bear the thought of them being gone.

But then we got Fyodor's "death" here, and Nikolai's reaction to it was so unbelievably underwhelming and calm that it made me question everything I thought I knew about Asagiri's writing skills him, and what the story is going for with him. And combined with this revelation now that Fyodor is (unsurprisingly!) immortal, but specifically in the way that he can be killed but supposedly resurrects endlessly (which I really like in of itself, don't get me wrong)... it makes me question what exactly Nikolai knows, or will know, and it somewhat destroys the potential angst we could get with them in the end, or at least drastically changes it.

If Nikolai already knows Fyodor can't be killed, that means we'll never get a moment where he tries to kill him and then has to face the fact that he did the deed and it didn't make him feel freed, and he instantly regrets it. It also means we'd never get a moment where he tries to kill him and then discovers he can't truly die, and the ensuing insanity that would occur from that. It also makes me even question the legitimacy of his reaction to Fyodor's "death" here... was it so damn apathetic and lukewarm because he already knows it wasn't permanent? I mean, I'd like an explanation for it feeling so ooc, it would make me feel better about that, but I can't deny that it would be disappointing to have yet another part of this arc that was just an act and not genuine feelings....

Now, that isn't to say that it's impossible to do anything interesting with Nikolai already knowing the truth. He could be wishing to try to attain free will through the illogical pursuit of an impossible task: in this case, killing Fyodor. There's a beautiful, tragic paradox in him wishing to attempt something to gain his freedom that he and we know is impossible, especially if subconsciously he takes solace in the fact that he'd be able to kill Fyodor without actually losing him for good. If Nikolai doesn't already know, assuming he's not dead he's likely going to find out the truth soon when he next sees Fyodor alive and kicking — I can't imagine a way he wouldn't find out. In that case, we wouldn't get the aforementioned scenario where he tries to kill him and discovers it's futile, which is the most juicy to me I won't lie, but I am still fascinated by the idea of how Nikolai will respond just seeing him suddenly alive again and having to process this after having just mourned him. It's interesting to imagine how he might respond to and treat Fyodor after at last knowing how it truly felt to lose him, and realizing how much he didn't want that, and then suddenly having him back. It might cause him to finally understand that his desire for freedom is unobtainable, and cause him to spiral, and fundamentally change their relationship going forward. An eventual tragic end for him such as Fyodor taking over his body would not feel out of place to me in that case, perhaps, but still not until we've had more time to see Nikolai reflect and see his possible change in perspectives.

I don't know, I'm just rambling at this point lmao. I know very well that so much of my expectations and desires for Nikolai and Fyolai are built up from fan content over the years just because there's been nothing else to work with, and that it's unfair to judge what Asagiri decides to do with him/them based on preconceived notions. Whatever he does could still be interesting in the end, even if it's not what I initially wanted or expected, and being open to being surprised is always a good thing. At the end of the day we still know barely anything about Nikolai, so it's not completely fair for me to judge something as ooc for a character we still know so little about.

But... it's because we know so little about him and have gotten so little of him, that at the very least, I'm gonna be really upset if he does die here from being possessed by Fyodor like people are worrying about. I really don't think he will, because I'm pretty confident the helicopter pilot is the one Fyodor swapped with/resurrected in the body of as per soup's theory, and again I'm not saying it wouldn't be fitting eventually... but I really don't want it to happen now. :/ I just think Nikolai still has so much potential as a character and so much more we need to see of him before his likely inevitable and tragic demise (however it happens), so whatever Asagiri decides to do with him I just really, really hope we don't lose him so prematurely; it would honestly be such a tremendous waste imo.

#bungou stray dogs #bsd 114 #is this meta? i don't know #more like just incoherent rambling lmao #i just don't want Nikolai to die man....... I really don't #i get that people are hyped up on the juicy tragedy of it all but plssssssss it's too soon for him to go #we need so much more of the enigmatic clown...... he's too interesting to lose just yet!!!#i'm sad at probably losing the outcomes i always hoped for him and fyolai but right now i just want More Of Him #he can't die so soon when he's barely even had pagetime #it COULD be fascinating to see Fyodor's reaction to taking over his body but....... i don't think he'd /have/ any right now #they need more time together before one of them dies #i always thought/hoped Fyodor would die first and Nikolai would be left alone to angst lmao but ugh........#now it's really feeling like it'll be the opposite #which again doesn't HAVE to be a bad thing depending on how Asagiri executes it........ I just think this is way too soon for it to happen #i'm gonna be so mad if Nikolai just dies offscreen without us ever hearing from him again because Fyodor possessed his body #poetically cruel and tragic? yes. but also so anticlimactic at this moment in time #never getting to hear from him again.........#ugh i blame all the Fyolai fan creators; they've raised the bar too high 😭😭😭#idk maybe i'm just talking out of my ass though. i probably am. i just feel conflicted about all this and need to see where it goes

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icewindandboringhorror · 1 year

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I know multiple of these are likely important to people, but I'm asking in terms of like - which of these do you tend to focus on the MOST, enjoy the most, that is most essential for you to actually care about the media, etc.?

(For example: someone finding "Relatability" most important would likely not enjoy a show much if they have trouble empathizing with the characters/relating to it, even if it were good otherwise. Or, someone might be able to overlook bad acting and ugly costumes, as long as the Character Dynamics are fun to them, because they value that more than Aesthetics- while for others, bad costumes would be a dealbreaker.)

Also feel free to reblog and explain your answer or more information in the tags- I've always been curious about people's relationships to media, how they conceptualize it/what they get out of it, how some people value some parts more than others, how that informs their overall taste and genres they may be more inclined towards, etc. :0c

#I was having a conversation with a friend about our favorite type of media and they said the reason they DON'T like historical or fantasy #media or etc. is because they can't imagine themselves being in those situations like it's too detached from anything that they can relate #to personally. they put themselves in the shoes of the characters and apparently like feel emotions while watching stuff and actually #get into the way the characters are feeling so they kind of judge how 'good' or 'bad' a show's writing/setting/etc. are by how it makes #them feel and if they think the characters reacted realistically based on what they were feeling in the moment/what in their head they #would be feeling if they were in the postion of the character. SO apparently the distance of it being in an unrelatable setting or too #detached from our reality makes it harder for them to relate to and less able to really engage with it on that level. WHEREAS I watch #things exclusively in a very like.. detached way?? I'm INTERESTED.. it's like im intellectually analyzing everyhting that's happening and #can be intrigued by events but it's not in an emotional way? More of like a distant 'intellectual curiosity'. Maybe the premise or the #aesthetics or something about it has piqued an interest for me to observe it. to see what it's like or how it plays out. how the idea #is executed or etc. But like.. I cannot remember EVER really relating to any character or situation or projecting onto a character #or having those sorts of feelings or investment in it. That is just not a central part of why/how I watch things or what I care about #BUT after this I was thinking maybe this is my disconnect? I do not seem to conceptualize media the way some other people do and I often #walk away with an entirely different take on things. etc. So I wonder if maybe it's part of how everyone values different things probably?#maybe I literally just watch stuff and percieve it from a different frame of mind that others. More of a like detached curiosity #vaguely bemused analysis mode. Instead of a 'I am deeply emotionally invested in this and am feeling for all the characters' mode #And also I bet people who care more about plot/story are also the people who mind spoilers. Whereas for me I literally seek out spoilers #intentionally because that element of 'suprise ooh what will happen next!' is not central at all to my enjoyment. I could know literally #everything that will happen and still can find it interesting to observe - since for me #that's not the point. I'd rather know the ending so I can determine whether I want to invest the time in it in the first place. etc.#ANYWAY!! If I had to choose - I would say I'm usually heavily focused on world details and aesthetics. With only a slight preference #towards characters individually being interesting. Group dynamics can sometimes be okay but I get tired of everything being about relations #hips and romance - especially when sometimes it seems to be like. people who could not stand on their own as a character/are fundamentally #boring otherwise lol. I would watch a series of just one guy locked in a closet talking to himself as long as he was interesting and saying #things that were amusing or notable for some reason lol. I actually tend to dislike plot because most 'plot heavy' things like action focus #ed shows ALWAYS feel to me like they're moving so fast just to get from one thing to another that I'm not getting enough details. Part of #why I tend to not like movies. the time limit makes them too quick. I need a 95 hour expostion dump of the history of the entire world #and a series of 17 episodes straight where a guy is trapped in a room & the audience is just psychoanalyzing him. hghj.. Maybe I find all #characters annoying/unrelatable bc people w my personality type make bad characters/are not often represented (or are done BADLY). so then #I'm just picking 'who is the LEAST insufferable? who could i study like a lab rat?' whilst my main focus is the worldbuilding&costumes lol

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tsunael · 1 month

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WoL Think Thonkers

#1 Where is your Warrior of Light from? What was their home like growing up and what set them out on their journey?

Tsuna was born sometime in 1545, 7 years before the fall of Doma. Once she was old enough, she often helped her mother in the shop due to her father being away on sea voyages more often than not.

Her mother was kind but strict-- guilty of imparting onto her child the ideals of her people who shunned the outside world, and avoided conflict at all cost. Tsuna grew up on her bedtime stories of the world beneath the waves, and of the Ruby Prince-- a half-Au Ra man who was born without scales. Their village in Yanxia was fond of her mother, and helped her raise her only child.

When Doma fell, and the Court was dissolved, its servants and the surrounding villagers were displaced or taken as conscripts.

Left without a mother, and her father missing, Tsuna was smuggled into Kugane by a family friend where she would be taken in by an Okiya inside the Sanjo Hanamachi as a perceived orphan. For thirteen years she trained as a maiko, and graduated at twenty.

She threw it all away after being asked to entertain a couple of Garlean soldiers from the embassy. Sometime during the evening, she received her first Echo-- flashing back to the day her mother was taken away. The same soldier who broke into their village home was sitting next to her.

She killed him in a crime of passion. The second life she took was self-defense. The crime forced her to flee or face persecution, (not to mention the political implications of a citizen of the neutral facing Kugane committing a crime against the embassy) and so she fled onto the first boat that would take her-- to Eorzea.

#wolthinkthonkers #lore; weaving a story #OK IM DOIN IT #non-wol tsuna doesn't have the vision but she still kills them because well someone's gotta get fridged #we can say she simply remembers him and doesn't need the echo since her mother had told her to hide in both instances #she also might be a stowaway on the ship but i still need to consider the logistics #how easy is it to hop on a shipping boat to limsa or ul'dah from kugane?? idk man #i don't think she knows her mother is dead. I suppose she was executed after or died in another way.#a part of her keeps hope that she's alive but conscripted and that they'll see each other again #but when she goes to the farpla-- i mean the aitiascope-- they meet and then she knows for certain. I wanted that moment for her #since the scions all had someone they were particularly close with #also the okiya?? usually girls were sold into it as like an investment?? so I suppose the family friend might have done it in bad faith idk

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unproduciblesmackdown · 5 months

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orvphil: so real

for example used analysis on the following instances

orville's physical reluctance & difficulty kneeling to propose to jane vs. readily swinging right into such a kneel with phil during 'til we meet again

'til we meet again

(see above) noting the "both immediately becoming So happy to be doing this" and "staring at each other for an unbroken ten seconds after finishing the song which was evidently beyond simply a [hold for applause] thing"

having indeed an adorable little meet-cute, which may not be an integral part of every eventual writer/lyricist & composer partnership

when phil drops in at wingate manor and he an orville have a private little wave to each other like =)

sitting next to each other sharing a hay bale and orville gets drinks for them both and phil walks orville home

lucky day

the choreography where orville's at the piano and phil swings it out while rotating it and orville's "walking" while sitting to one side to help (my analysis: going ohhhhh ;w;)

both simultaneously answering "his" when asked whose song it is like the earnest effortless mutual admiration and appreciation huh fellas

margaret talking about protecting your heart from these theatricals; orville Is one of these theatricals, and he loves it; phil watching him / reacting in this moment including his little "hell yeah" move like he had for orville going off in lucky day

their general enthusiasm together / for each other / enjoyment of being around each other and increased ease of operating when around each other

phil wishing orville could hear his music and talking about how orville ruined his own night to save theirs, then remarking "...what a guy!" mmhm

🌈🌈🌈

#orvphil #summer stock #orville wingate #also everyone was so funny & my god they were dancing & it's so true this show was a delight. i laughed smiled applauded effused enjoyed #shoutout to orville's escaping ''don't do Anything but get married have children'' through theatre; being gay; a little luck #it's so true: william (orville) & veanne (margaret) & gilbert (phil) were all so funny & great individually & in any combo #anthony/tony (montgomery) too lmao his ''....how dare you.'' iconic #shoutout to having orville show up for 1 Sec (in pajamas i believe) for the purposes of villain i have done thy mother. he just lives here #phil is great. trying to hold it together....writer's trick from my momma Use Your Words #and then with orville helping out he can chill out & enjoy his wins & orville can have any wins & enjoy them & chill & Do Things too #and everyone is so cool to him right away. why wouldn't they be. hugging like everybody hey besties #obviously corbin bleu is being his national treasure america's sweetheart leading role & Dancing....all the praises warranted #everyone crushes their role & is a delight. including any little moments w/the ensemble / all Ensembling things. go t.j.#it was great of course & a delight & again the orvphil is extremely real. 100% the textual intention & execution. thanks cheri love you #let's get that summer 2024 show if they can / wanna for real (they want to; let's just see it shake out. summer 2024 is pure speculation)#Oh Nooo if i forgot anything & have to reblog & add to this / rewatch & re/discover any delights

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