#cannot pirate tv shows | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

physalian · 27 days

Text

What No One Tells You About Writing #4 (100 Follower Special!)

Have you got any that deserve to be on these lists? Don’t be shy! Send ‘em over.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

*This list contains mentions of assault, #4

1. Zero cursing is better than censored cursing

I made the mistake in the early days of writing a self-censoring character, and every “curse” she said just took the teeth out of the rest of the statement. I’m talking gosh, darn, dang, etc, not world-specific idioms a la “scruffy nerf herder” or “dunderhead” instead of “dumbass”.

Look to any American TV show that so, so badly wants to use f*ck or sh*t but has to appease the sensitive conservatives who still somehow believe strong language is worse than graphic violence and horrifying psychological damage. For shame! Your characters can be angry without expletives, so rework your sentences to include equally damning insults that don’t resort to potty mouths if you’re concerned about ratings.

Or go full-throttle into the idioms of the world or the time period like Pirates of the Caribbean. Or just… don’t. There’s zero modern cursing in the Lord of the Rings adaptation and not a single sentence that censors itself. The dialogue is above vulgarity and feels more *fantastical* that way anyway.

2. “Yeah, you aren’t the target audience.”

It’s kind of hilarious seeing the range of reader reactions to two characters I intend to have a romantic relationship. Some will go “I ship it!” after the first page of them together… and another will go “wait, I thought they were just friends” up until they kiss. Sometimes you might be too subtle, other times it might be better to just accept that you can’t rewrite your entire book to please one naysayer.

When I’m pitched a fantasy adventure book that turns out to be a by-the-numbers romance where no one is allowed to be a peasant and every important character is royalty in some way, with a way cooler fantasy backdrop, I get severely disappointed. That doesn’t mean the book is bad, it just means I’m not the target audience.

3. There is no greater character sin than making them boring

Unless you live in the wacky world we find ourselves in where any flaws whatsoever are apparently harmful depictions of so-and-so and not at all written with things like ~nuance~. I will gush over your heinous villain committing atrocities because he’s *interesting*. I will not remember Bland Love Interest who’s a generic everyman with zero compelling or intriguing traits or flaws.

There’s another tumblr post out there that I cannot find that says something like this, and I believe the post goes “his crimes are fiction, my annoyance is real”. Swap annoyance for boredom and you get what I mean. So, I don’t care what your character does so long as they’re memorable. I will either root for their victory or their doom, but I do need *something* to root for.

4. The line between “gratuitous” and “respectful” is actually very thick

Less what no one tells *you* about writing and more what no one tells screenwriters. Y’all do realize you can write a character who experiences assault without actually writing the assault, right? Fade to black, have them mention it in their backstory, or have the horrific aftermath as they come to terms with it. An abrupt cut to this devastated character when it’s all over and they’re alone with themselves can be incredibly poignant and powerful. This goes with anything sensitive, especially if it’s not coming from experience.

If you want to write it or film it respectfully, romanticizing assault, for instance, is when it’s framed as if either character has earned or “deserves” it. If the narrative in any way argues that it's justified. The victim might have "earned" it for any of the BS reasons we use in the real world, or the perpetrator might've "earned" it because of temptation, desire, pressure to assert dominance, etc. Representation is important, but are you “representing” to shed light on a misunderstood and maligned topic, or are you doing it to satisfy a fetish or bias in yourself?

5. Don’t let your eyes get bigger than your stomach

Fantasy has no limitations, which means you can dig way deeper into the well of your worldbuilding than you realize, until you look up and realize you’re stuck down there. I have never seen a more obvious inevitable disaster looming than the pilot of GoT season 5. Why? Nobody has any plans. They’re all just led around by whatever side quest the writers throw them on, twiddling their thumbs until the writers deign to pull the trigger on the White Walkers.

To the point that what should be a major character can skip an entire season because his arc is meaningless. Everything in the last half of that show was one big “eventually” while the story toiled around in an ever-expanding cast of characters and set pieces (seriously, it’s hilarious how jarring the extended version of the theme music became compared to the pilot episode to fit all these locations).

When you have too many directionless characters, too many plot elements, too many ideas you want to fully mature and get their due spotlight and then somehow combine them all together for a common foe in the end, writing can get tedious and frustrating very quickly. Why, I imagine, the book series remains unfinished. Fantasy is great for being able to create such complex worlds, but don’t be the snake that eats its own tail trying too hard.

6. No one cares about your agenda if you insult them to push it

This deserves its own post but here we go. Peddling an agenda is a paradox: those who agree with you won’t need to be preached to, and those who you want to persuade will instead reject you further because they feel belittle and disrespected. This is why so many recent “strong female characters” fail on both sides of the aisle. Feminists see an annoying caricature of the movement they’re passionate about. Antifeminists see an insufferable, shallow, liberal mouthpiece when they just want to be entertained. You have failed both sides, congrats.

The answer? Write a strong, nuanced, well-developed character. Then make them a woman. I know this has been said before but this BS keeps happening so clearly the screenwriters aren’t listening. Entertain me first. Entertain me so well I don’t even realize I’m learning.

7. Today’s audiences won’t react the same way as tomorrow’s

Sometimes genres or tropes get oversaturated and need a few years to cool off before audiences are receptive to them again—teen dystopia, anyone?—that doesn’t mean your story is inherently bad because it’s unpopular (nor does it mean it’s amazing because it is popular).

You should always write the book you want to read, not the book that chases trends. I can pick up a well-written teen dystopia I’ve never read before and enjoy it. I can continue to ignore Divergent because it has nothing to say. Write the book you want to read, but then accept that you might make no money because no one else wants to read it, not because they think it’s bad. And, who knows? You might get a boom of chatter months or years down the line when readers stumble upon an uncut gem.

8. Your characters don’t age with you

Depending on how long you’ve been working on your world and what age you were when you started, the characters, concepts, morals, and story you set out to tell might no longer reflect who you want to be as an author when all is said and done. Writing can take years, some of which can be incredibly turbulent and life changing. I wrote the first draft of my first original novel in my freshman year of college. Those characters and that draft are now unrecognizable and has left a world I’ve poured my heart and soul into in limbo.

I’ve slowly creeped up my characters’ ages. My writing has matured dramatically. The themes I wanted to explore in the height of the 2016 election are just demoralizing now. That book was my therapeutic outlet and, as consequence, my characters sometimes reflect some awful moods and mindsets that I was in when writing them. But nothing in that world grows without me tending to it. It’s not alive. Despite all the work I’ve done, there’s still more to be done, maybe even restarting the plot from the ground up. When I think of what no one told me about writing, staring at characters designed by someone I’m not anymore is the hardest reality to accept.

—

If you think I missed something, check out parts 1-3 or toss your own hat into the ring. Give me romance tropes. Mystery, thriller, historical fiction, bildungsromans, memoires, children’s books, whatever you want! Give me stuff you wish you’d known before editing, publishing, marketing, and more.

Also, don’t forget to vote in the dialogue poll!

#writing advice #writing resources #writing tips #writing tools #writing a book #writing #writeblr #fantasy #sci fi #character design

263 notes · View notes

cyanide-latte · 2 months

Text

The People I'd Like To Get To Know Better Tag Game

Tagged by the lovely @lucifers-horror-harem (thank you Lottie, this was a welcome distraction~)

Last Song/Album: "Alive" from the Jekyll & Hyde musical soundtrack

Favorite color: blue or black. Technically both. I love blues, especially deeper blues but black has also always been my color. I've gravitated towards it since I was young. (I was born to be goth rofl.)

Sweet, spicy or savory: this one is weird. In the last five years, especially this past year, my tolerance for anything sweet has drastically diminished. I still love savory stuff but I have to be in the mood. And my spice tolerance has increased in a weird balancing act to the growing intolerance for sweets? So...spicy, I guess?

Last TV show: starting a Gravity Falls rewatch baybeeeee

Last film: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Last thing I looked up online: I'm honestly not sure

Relationship status: Married

Current obsession: Twisted Wonderland (secondary obsession is still horror media, and Disney properties are sort of a side focus/satellite thing as a result of the TWST obsession; I cannot stress enough this silly little mobile game became both a SpIn and a hyperfixation in record time and it's been going strong since late October 2023 and shows no signs of stopping. Also, though it technically falls under the umbrella of horror media, thanks The Magnus Protocol for reigniting the magpod hyperfixation)

No pressure tags: @changeofheart69 @tixdixl @inmateofthemind @oathofoaks (yes I know that I know you guys already and you're my besties but I wanted to make sure you knew I was thinking about you and wanted to include you) @silverscribe87 @trensu @horrorobsessor @blithesharem @thehollowwriter @snailsrneat @theleechyskrunkly @rainesol and anyone who wants to grab this tag and run with it is free to!

#get to know me tag #Cyanide speaks

161 notes · View notes

beanghostprincess · 3 months

Note

Rayleigh and Buggy reunion, but Rayleigh is being over the top judgemental about everything, like idk if u are familiar with crazy ex girlfriend the TV show but Rayleigh shows up and acts exactly like Rebecca's mom does. Overcritical of his life choices and dismissive of what he perceives as excuses coming from Buggy, because he knows Buggy's true potential and is annoyed with Buggy not living up to it. He gives Crocodile a once over and goes "is that what you found to replace Shanks with" and moves on and Crocodile doesn't even have a moment to compute the way he was just insulted because Rayleigh has moved on to criticising Mihawk's cooking instead. Worst part is, this all comes from a genuine place of love and care, Rayleigh is legitimately worried sick about his baby clown son of 39 years, but he cannot express that worry without being extremely invasive about everything. Buggy isn't even responding, he just shoots ppl apologetic looks and rolls his eyes when Rayleigh isn't looking because of course he does this obviously Buggy is never good enough for him and Shanks had always been the favourite (you ask Shanks or any other Roger pirate and they will tell you that Buggy is Rayleigh's baby boy and absolute favourite with utmost confidence, too bad the emotional constipation runs in the crew). Dinner is awkward as fuck, because Rayleigh makes attempts at being easygoing but his motherhenning nature irt Buggy shines through, his conviction that Buggy would be happier with Shanks by his side is making him be overcritical of everyone in that dinner and he keeps discussing the good old days and subtly hinting at Buggy that there is still time for him to go back to Shanks....and Buggy looks close to frustrated tears (and everyone agrees, Crocodile has snapped 5 cigars in half with his teeth and Mihawk is 5 seconds away from banging his head on the table).

Just overbearing father Rayleigh being stifling and trying to overcompensate for his shit parenting choices during Buggy's childhood and Buggy having his daddy issues expanded upon (and Crocodile and Mihawk gaining insight to Buggy's entire deal)

"Idk if u are familiar with crazy ex girlfriend the TV sho-" My therapist literally told me to stop watching it so much because it was affecting my mental health. So. Yes. I know the show. It's one of my favorite shows EVER. Rebecca is just like me fr my beloved. All of them my beloveds. The songs my beloveds. Don't make me go into CEG x OP because I won't finish. And as you can see, I did not listen to my therapist.

Even though I've always seen Rayleigh as the one who understands Buggy the most (Roger and him love Shanks and Buggy equally but it is quite obvious they put more pressure on Shanks to be more like Roger and that only made things worse by making Buggy's inferiority complex exist) and the one who stands up more for him and comforts him when needed, it is true that he might be more judgemental and he'd be worried for Buggy. Like. Think about it. Roger died and the kids (their kids) ended up alone and going their own separate ways. For Rayleigh, finding out Shanks and Buggy aren't together is just?? So weird?? Because they've always been together. Birds of a feather (if somebody mentions the song 'Two Birds' I am punching them because I can't handle that song today please). And it's just... Well, surprising. 'But as long as they're okay' but they're obviously not okay!!! And it's not that Rayleigh is judging Buggy. In fact, I think he would do the same with Shanks. The second Rayleigh sees Shanks he's already saying he drinks too much (even for a pirate) and that he's been acting recklessly and "What the fuck are you doing without Buggy? Is this because of Buggy?" / "I do not drink because of him. It's- It's not about him. He left-" / "HE LEFT AND YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?????" / "I hate it when you get like this" / "Like what?" / "Like you want to still do something about my life. I'm an adult, thank you very much-" / "No, you're not if you keep acting this way". And I personally think Rayleigh would just be worried for the both of them and also feel extremely guilty because he wasn't there to fix things when they fought, the way he always did. "The second I left you alone you two start a fight that lasts two decades?" and he would say this to both of them and they would hate it.

But yeah, going back to Buggy I think he'd be worried because. Well. Have you seen Crocodile and Mihawk? I mean. They're kind of on good terms with Buggy now (more or... More or less. Kind of. They're not equals but they're some sort of weird thing and they respect and care for each other. More or less. It's- It's complicated. Don't ask) but they're still them. And Rayleigh can't help but see the situation and be like "I'm proud you made a name of yourself, kid, but you don't have to do this if you don't want to" (meaning: You could go back to Shanks any time you wanted) and Buggy takes it as an "You could go back to Shanks any time you wanted because you'd be safer with him" instead of the real "You could go back to Shanks any time you wanted because you'd be happier with him and this war of pride and hearts you have going on is dumb". And he understands Buggy needs to be away from Shanks to grow, but it's just so, so sad to see them like this when they used to love each other so damn much.

Also, I think Buggy would be going through the worst moment of his life and Crocodile and Mihawk would be so done for different reasons. First, they don't give a fuck about all of this drama. And second, they are starting to see Buggy more like a person and understand why he is the way he is, and the things Rayleigh is saying are bothering them a lot. They've been trying to make the clown move on from his past so he's useful for once (because when he believes in himself he's actually not a burden and more interesting) and now this guy (that they respect because it's Silvers Fucking Rayleigh) comes and tries to change things around here? Nope. Not happening.

So basically, what you're trying to tell me is that Rayleigh regrets raising the boys that way and now he's overcompensating and it's overwhelming for everyone, right? I- I love it. Great plot. 10/10. In character. Perfect. It makes me go insane. I love their daddy issues.

(Also, can we talk about how "This Was a Shit Show" and "What'll it be" are extremely Buggy songs??? Because- Because now I want to-)

#i absolutely loved this i have no words to explain how much i love this #one piece #buggy the clown #silvers rayleigh #red haired shanks #cross guild #shuggy #< target audience #i mean it's obvious i was taking it as romantic for them

187 notes · View notes

t-eyla · 2 years

Text

“streaming services are untrustworthy now”

THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN

THEY. ALWAYS. HAVE. BEEN.

You want to own your media. The music you love, the TV you love, the shows you love, the fic and podcasts and fanworks and books you love, DOWNLOAD THEM. I don’t care if you pirate or buy them (though the smaller the creator, the more I’d suggest you buy, or at least donate to them through whatever means available), but if you want to be sure that you’ll always have access, you need to physically own this stuff. Yes, even if it’s all digital.

The thing that streaming services offer is called SVOD. That means “subscription video on demand”. You’re subscribing to a provider, and you do not get a choice what the selection of content is this provider offers. Think of them like a TV channel. You can watch what’s on at any given time, but there is no guarantee that what you’ve seen will ever be shown again.

Back in the day, people started to use VHS to record television content and keep it. Tons and tons of academic writing has been produced on how much changed when people could finally OWN THEIR MEDIA. Do not give that up. Make sure you have this stuff. Turn off your wifi and mobile data and figure out how much media you’ve still got access to. If there’s something you’re dearly missing, go and make it accessible to you offline right now.

Here’s what happened at HBO Max (as far as I understand): they spent money on the merger with Discovery, and then figured out that they’d acquired shows, or now had shows in their catalogue, that they didn’t expect to make money off of, because the shows either didn’t fit their brand or their desired target audience or whatever else stupid reason they had. There’s this tax thing you can do where you can declare an expense a loss, essentially, if you can be sure that you won’t be making money off of whatever you acquired with that money. If it’s declared a loss, you don’t pay taxes on it. Now that they’ve declared the money they spent on these shows a loss, they cannot be found out to be making money off of them. This is why those shows are getting purged. And because nobody ever produced any physical media of these shows, or offered them for paid download where you got to keep the files, they’re just GONE. (And this is why art and capitalism don’t mix, sigh.)

This will happen again. We’ve got so many streaming services now that the smaller ones are starting to get bought by the bigger ones. A streaming platform isn’t a particularly profitable business, and since we have a few big names bouncing around the market, these big names are each going to have to develop their own specific brand in order to be unique enough to warrant a subscription (if they haven’t yet). So we’ve got mergers in an industry that’s struggling to stay out of the red and whose big players are desperately trying to develop individual, distinct profiles. Shows that don’t fit into this silo structure will be dropped and purged. Just like it used to be on TV, anything that doesn’t bring in subscribers (i.e. that doesn’t have broad mass appeal) will not find a place anymore.

Streaming is still better than traditional TV. At least they’re now trying to appeal to the people watching rather than advertisers, and there’s more leeway in regards to the kind of content that can be run. But the creativity is going to narrow. So any show that you love, anything that is exactly the kind of thing that you’ve wanted to see for years but that never got made because it doesn’t have “mass appeal” -- download it. Make sure you own it any way possible. They can take it away at any moment, and they will, because money beats art when you’re running your creative industries for profit.

#soapbox moment #i don't practice what i preach either #but i try #hbo max #advantage of being a vidder is HAVING to acquire stuff to work with it #but man it's gotten so much harder to buy stuff to own #just sell me a fucking bluray!#i am happy to pay money but then i want to OWN it not RENT it #sob and digital storage media deteriorates so quickly #if i could i'd print my favorite shows #you wouldn't download a car NO BECAUSE I CAN PHYSICALLY BUY ONE ffs argh

1K notes · View notes

aanabear2803 · 10 months

Text

Explanation on LGBTQ+ relationships shown on television here in Singapore.

There is extreme heavy censorship where if a queer couple is shown, their relationship will have to end badly. Like breakups, deaths etc.

Otherwise it will be cut out of the show. (Which was why watching Legends of Tomorrow on tv sucked and I pirated that shit) or made to a much higher rating (see Eternals movie cause they made that M18 too)

But Thomas actively having the balls to show Giselle and Caline kissing and also having a lesbian as fuck Zoe in the show, it now cannot legally be shown to children (Or our population would shrivel up and die in the abyss or some bull the government says).

As such Miraculous Ladybug Season 5 is now considered M18. Which I have to say is the most hilarious thing the media coverage team could do to stop children from being converted to being gay (oh woe is they apparently)

#miraculous ladybug #lgbtqia

246 notes · View notes

thatscarletflycatcher · 2 months

Text

Sense and Sensibility (2024, Hallmark) a review

I had expectations for this movie. They were not surpassed. It didn't perform below them either.

Spoilers under the cut.

So, this is a short movie (1.24hr long) a tv movie, a hallmark movie. You must keep that in mind as a frame of reference for what I'm about to say. You cannot really compare this with theatrical movies on equal footing.

Where to start. Costumes and sets. It is Bridgerton's world and we live in it. Everything is VERY colorful and shiny and not very real looking; that was to be expected. I think that sort of semi-fantasy aspect didn't hurt at all, and it was consistent. If you are not going to stick to the time period, at least go ham and show me something really interesting. I'm looking at you, Netflix Persuasion. There are some dresses that are pretty, and some others that... aren't. Considering that apparently the costume designer had to make something like 60 pieces in a month, it's kind of impressive that it came out as it did.

One funny bit, though, in this respect, is that they complain about how small the cottage is like some actual estate houses aren't the same size IRL XD Allenham we only get to see from afar, and it is rather disappointing.

Music: nothing to write home about, to be expected. Yes, we got one of those Vitamin String Quartet modern-song-played-by-strings. IDK. They were a bit dorky in their heyday, I don't know why they are so sought after in these pieces lately. I digress.

The acting. Deborah Ayorinde was a really good Elinor. She definitely deserved better writing and direction. The rest of the cast was good enough; I feel some roles really benefited from their characters being a bit hammy already in the source material (Lucy, Mrs Jennings, Anne, Fanny, Robert), others were really struggling because of being given very poor dialogue (Mrs Dashwood), and others were just... not good (Willoughby and Brandon, sadly). Edward was... a very special case. I can only describe it as the actor having two expressions: one, an attempt at reaching Hugh Grant's adorkableness AND Dan Stevens' ease at the same time, and two [SCREAMING INTERNALLY], but I guess those two were indeed enough to make it work just fine!

Which leads me to the writing. We all knew this adaptation was going to live or die in the writing, and most likely die.

The thing is that most of it is written around repeating 95' and 08's greatest hits, while attempting to compress the narrative into an hour and a half. And that goes as well as you can expect it to. Some scenes are painfully rushed -Brandon's backstory was extremely awkward to get through- some things are over before you have any time to assess their real weight -Marianne's illness, and many others end up being... incongruous.

Let me stop a little on those. The movie keeps Margaret, and gives her the whole play acting as a pirate with Edward from 95', but then removes the only real plot relevant thing she does in the book. So why keep the character at all? (Willoughby asks for Marianne's handkerchief in exchange for Queen Maab, instead of cutting a lock of her hair).

Because 2008 makes Brandon suspicious of Willoughby from the get go, this one makes it so that they know each other and implies that Brandon knows dirt on Willoughby, but then plays the rest of the story straight, which makes it... pretty inconsistent.

Speaking of Brandon, we have reached adaptation #5 that cuts out the fact that he tried to elope with Eliza sr. This time the backstory is that his father promised to let him marry Eliza if he proved himself as a soldier, but when he came back, he found his father has kicked her out of the house. Yeah, that was utter nonsense.

The adaptation makes a clumsy attempt at including the dinner at Mrs Ferrars... but Brandon isn't there to see Marianne defend Elinor.

We needed to have a "Brandon rescues Marianne in the rain" scene, but in this case, she's not faint or anything, he just grabs her because she's sad XD

And the list goes on and on and on. It was to be expected that the shadow of both 95 and 08 would be large over this one, but it truly is to the point that the references and contrivances are almost constant. Which is a pity because I think most of the original choices were interesting.

For example, Marianne twists her ankle running after Margaret, to try and stop her from asking something embarrassing, which is a good choice in terms of showing that Marianne is passionate, but she has more sense than Margaret.

On his deathbed, Mr Dashwood makes Elinor promise that she will take care of her mom and sisters and keep the family together. That added pressure on Elinor works really well in the context of the adaptation, and ads a new layer of interest.

John Dashwood is written mostly as a hapless but not malicious idiot. This is similar to what From Prada to Nada did (though there it made more sense because of the father having two families simultaneously), but I'm not sure where was that going. They did cut the Palmers, so I suppose the choice was so that they could go to Norland instead on their way to Barton (it is never established that Norland is so far away as it is in the book, so I guess one could give it a pass), but in that case, I feel the most cost effective shortcut is... have them go to Barton? Because we do get to see Barton (Marianne goes alone with Brandon to see it close to the end, and they get engaged before Edward returns, don't think much about it, manners and such are... for this movie... loose guidelines. But it isn't super offensive most of the time).

Anne Steele is decent fun as she's supposed to be, but Lucy really suffers the flattening. The mastermind has been flanderized into just a mean girl, and that's a pity.

Oh, Edward is sassy at times! And the sassy jokes land! I have to say it is not my preferred way of doing the character, but he does show some sass at the end of the novel, so, you know, I'll allow it I suppose XD

Edward's return and proposal started pretty good, but it overstayed its welcome. I cannot emphasize enough that, when writing this kind of proposal, you must avoid the word love if you can, and if you must use it, use it once, and with great reluctance.

The movie chooses to dedicate quite a time to the reveal of Edward and Lucy's relationship, and it's honestly... decent? For a scene made out of whole cloth it stands on its own feet reasonably well. But there's no Fanny freakout. This is probably the most shocking plot twist in the adaptation. This very on-the-nose Hallmark adaptation decided to cut the Fanny freakout of all things. Impressive restraint.

One thing, however, that was sadly cut out was Elinor and Marianne's conversation about Willoughby at Barton. It is instead replaced by an unsubtle comparison between Willoughby and Edward, and an exchange between Brandon and Marianne. It is one of the several points where the storytelling relies on previous knowledge of the work.

These are my main, disordered thoughts. I leave you with this choice from the ending, that I cannot form a thought about:

At Elinor and Edward's wedding, on the first pew are in attendance, from center to side: Mrs Dashwood, Margaret, Marianne, colonel Brandon... and Eliza Williams with her baby in her arms.

As a summary, I'd say Elinor and Edward's story was good enough, the relationship between the sisters was sweet, there were some odd choices, some interesting choices, and overall the writing was severely downgraded by attempting so much to stick to the choices of previous famous adaptations.

#Jane Austen #Sense and Sensibility #Sense and Sensibility Hallmark #Sense and Sensibility 2024

47 notes · View notes

seenoversundown · 4 months

Text

Sparrow Of the Dawn : Chapter 1

Sam x Willa (Fem OC) Warnings: Alcohol / Mentions of drinking, brotherly banter, dark humor/mentions of death (if you squint), otherwise silly boys being boys.

Word Count: 3.9K

Summary : Sam unfortunately finds himself in not so meet cute with Willa. Hopeful that he doesn't cross her path again; the world works in mysterious ways and not always in your favor.

Authors Note: AHHHHH I can’t wait for everybody to read and I hope you all love it as much as I do!! I’m so excited and nervous, feels like I’m waiting for the midnight premiere of Deathly Hallows (part 2) all over again 🥹😭💜

Flower Power - Greta Van Fleet “She’s a sparrow of the dawn, our love is born”

“Oh, HEY,” Jake says sarcastically the second he opens the front door, “Nice of you to show up, Jackass,” huffing out a laugh as he shuts the door behind me. The scuffed-up cherry wood floor creaks under the weight of our feet as I follow him over to where he had been organizing new stock behind the bar.

“Right.. aaand where’s my paycheck again?” I retort, sliding onto my regular spot and dropping my camera bag next to me. The spot in the dead center of the bar has been claimed as mine since before Jake even opened, the stool now complete with my etched initials SFK under the cushion.

“Time is money, brother, and I lend you mine for free, so you get me when I’m free. Which apparently to you means 9 a.m.?” I say, clasping my hands on the bartop, “So please, tell me what is so important that I needed to be here so early.” He sourly smirks back at me.

“Yeah, yeah. I have a few new ones in for you to shoot, and I’d like to get it done before we get busy today.” He picks up his clipboard, eyeing his stock list.

“We finally got the pomegranate Downeast released last month that was on backorder, as well as the pear and the guava passion fruit. Then we have ‘Reciprocal’ from Bissell Bros here in Portland, and ‘Interchangeable #7’ from Blaze Brewing in Biddo. I’d really like to get the blaze shot for our ads because it has the most interesting can art. But, ya know, I trust you.” He reads off.

A year ago, Jake, my older brother, bought this bar located right here in the heart of the Old Port. Back in his senior year of high school he got really into “Black Sails”, this pirate TV show; he practically made it his personality. Naturally, he decided he wanted to run a bar for the rest of his life, so when old man Chuck decided to retire, Jake jumped at the opportunity to purchase it. “Caravel Tavern” has only been open for 6 months and It's been his baby ever since.

“Wow, Jake Kiszka putting trust in ME? Are you feeling okay?” I feign shock grabbing at my heart.

“Just get it done, you idiot,” he says with a roll of his eyes.

“Alright, alright,” I say, glancing over the options. “Give me like an hour. I have an idea that might work. I need to head to the farmer’s market in town, but I can have the best shots edited and emailed to you tomorrow, and then we can pick the best ones for print.” I grab my bag, digging around for my car keys. “Hey, when is Josh in today? I’d like to get some shots of you guys pouring drinks for the website and Instagram for Josh’s intro post.”

“He should be here by the time you’re done with everything. That is if he’s on time. But let's be realistic, when is a Kiszka ever on time?” He replies as he breaks down boxes with a box cutter.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

I take a right onto the gravel that’s set behind the farmers market, my rusty 92’ Ford F-150 rattling as I park. I hope to god it’s just a heat shield making that noise. I cannot afford another repair on Edith. She may be an old crotchety bitch, but she has my whole heart. Well, right behind Penelope, my Bernese mountain dog, Penny girl will always be my number one.

Ding

I put her in park and shove my hand into my backpack blindly searching for the source of the text tone. Finally finding my phone Tweedle Dum🦞 appears on the screen.. I let out a giggle.

We’re running a special on whiskey sours tonight pick up some eggs, princess.

I switch Jake and Josh’s contact name back and forth between tweedle dee and tweedle dum mainly to keep them on their toes, but I’d be lying if I said tweedle dum isn’t just whoever has pissed me off or been dubbed the biggest dumbass that week. The emojis always stay the same so I can keep them actually straight though.

You got it, boss, I send back to Jake, winning the title this week for making me wake up at the ass crack of 9am. Which absolutely is early for me.

Gathering my things, I step out of my truck, immediately being hit with a cold gust of wind, the air causing my eyes to water slightly. I brush away a tear forming in my eye before it threatens to fall down my cheek. For it being the end of March the air is crispier than normal. I pause a moment too long, and a shiver runs through my body. I zip my jacket up a little higher, trying to preserve my body heat. Making sure I have my mesh bag with me, I shut my door and head over to the booths.

I make a beeline for Linda, a sweet older woman who is here every week selling chicken eggs, various fruits from her garden, and some knick-knack crafts she makes. I have about seven bowl koozies, though I’m not sure I even own as many bowls considering it’s just me, but they are really good for ramen and ice cream. Which I do not eat together. Jake and Josh live in the apartment above the bar, so when I moved back after college, I got an apartment a couple roads away to stay close.

Our parents moved out of our small hometown, which sits just on the other side of Portland. Padded off to Apple Valley, Georgia trying to settle into a warmer climate or something. They bought a house big enough for just the two of them and a guest room on an acre of land, “just in case any of you boys come to visit” Mom said. In all honesty, Apple Valley is just the same town, different state. They always said they didn’t like the city because it was too big, which is funny to me after spending the last four years in Boston. Everything here seems much smaller now.

“Morning Linda!” I smile and wave at her.

“Oh, Samuel. You’re up early this week. How are you doing, Sweetheart? How’s my Daniel?” She flashes me a warm smile. She’s also Daniel’s biggest fan. Pretty sure she only comes into the bar to see him, even though I met her first. But what can I say? I’m apparently an excellent matchmaker; we just won't mention the fact that she's 72.

I chuckle, “I’m just out running some errands for Jake. I’m on call today, apparently. Daniel’s good though! He misses you, ya know.” I finish flashing her a wink.

She lets out a high-pitched laugh, “I’ll be down to visit with Miss Eleanor. You tell him not to worry.” She raises an eyebrow and smirks at me, “Anyway, what can I get ya my dear?”

“Think two dozen will do it for today.” I hand her a crumpled ten-dollar bill in exchange, “Keep the change, Lin. I’ll see you at the bar or next Saturday, whichever comes first.” I set the eggs carefully in my tote and head toward my next stop, the flower truck.

The beer I’m photographing for the bar has a brightly colored logo in a style reminiscent of comic book art. A bold red can with yellow, blue, and purple adorning the signature name. My idea is to use a bouquet of different flowers to accent the colors and make the can pop.

I scan through the metal buckets, trying to mentally piece together an arrangement without disturbing the flowers too much. They are far too delicate to be pulling and yanking on them just to try them out for size. Some of the people here, like Linda, make their living posting up every Saturday.

I reach for a bundle of forget-me-nots, settling on those along with the last of the remaining Irises, a few red Dahlias, Daffodils, and Butterfly Milkweed. Taking a step back slightly away from the displays, I start to rearrange the bouquet to my liking. Extending my arms out in front of me, and changing my angle to make sure I like how the flowers look together. Just as I decide that, yes, these will do for what their intended purpose is, I feel someone aggressively poking my bicep.

I turn toward the person attached to the finger. Not going to lie; I’m a bit impressed by the force of it, considering I’m wearing a sweater under my quilted jacket, and the woman who’s doing the poking is standing at about 5 foot nothing and looks like a swift breeze might carry her away. I blink slowly at her a few times and raise my eyebrows waiting expectedly.

“Did someone die, or did you just fuck up like, wicked bad?” the snark heavily laden on her tone.

I close my eyes and let out a long breath, “Uhm, it’s uhh –” I stutter a bit, really trying to play it up, “My grandma died last week, actually. Did you know her? Her name was Althea.” I gaze down at my shoes and drop my head a bit, taking a moment before I attempt to look for her reaction through my eyelashes. If I held my breath long enough, I might just be able to work up a tear. Would that be too dramatic? .. maybe.

“Oh.. uh. No, I didn’t. I’m sor–” Regret immediately paints her face.

“I’m fucking with you.” I let out a small laugh

“What?” her eyes narrow at me, trying to figure out if I’m lying or telling the truth.

“I’m joking, my grandma is fine. Are you okay? Or is it a normal occurrence for you to ask a complete stranger if they’re mourning a dead relative?" Amusement settles on my face.

She lets out an audible groan. Why is she so angry? She tugs down at the sides of her short floral dress and waves a hand out toward my arrangement.

“Why on earth do you need every single purple flower!?” She exclaims, “And who jokes about their grandma dying?” stamping her beaten-up Doc Marten into the patchy grass. She actually stomped her foot at me. What are we twelve?

I roll my eyes and attempt to alleviate the situation, “Bachelor Buttons.”

I have work to do and absolutely do not need an attitude from a complete stranger, even if she is cute. I have brothers for that purpose, and they do their jobs well enough.

“They’re mostly purple but with a bit of blue. They symbolize love if you’re trying to give them to someone important.” I scratch the back of my head and briefly hope she says she’s not. I immediately throw the thought away with a shake of my head. Nope, not opening that door.

“I don’t need Bachelor Buttons.”

“.. ookaay. You could always d –”

“I need Irises.” She says, cutting me off, “Specifically. Okay? And I’m fine, but if I can't find irises today because of you count *poke* your *poke* days!” she ends her sentiment with a final sharp poke to my chest and storms away. God damn, her finger is like a tiny dagger.

Listen, growing up without any sisters means I don’t know much about women, but what I do know .. is definitely never believe one when they say they’re fine.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

As I walk through the door of Caravel Tavern for the second time today, I call out, “Okay, Jake, I’m back with your eggs, Asshole. Where are you?”

I set my camera bag and the eggs down and lean over the counter, checking to see if he’s kneeling behind the bar top.

“.. Jake?” I look side to side. Where the hell is he? It’s the middle of the day, not nearly early enough for lunch.. Not like the guy takes a break anyway.

“JAKE WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” I yell through my cupped hands. The sound echoes through the empty space.

He comes running from the back room, a panic written on his face. “Jesus Christ, Sam, what?”

“Got your eggs.” grinning wildly at him. I swear I'm actually his favorite brother.

“Well, thanks, Samuel, for being useful for one thing today.” He says, before changing his tone, “You okay? You look a bit tense?”

“Yeah,” absentmindedly, my hand drifts to my shoulder, rubbing at the area where angry-flower-girl poked me earlier. “Actually, you’ll never believe what happened to me at the farmers market.”

He’s not looking at me when he hums his response, just putting the eggs in the mini fridge next to the ice well. I slide the second carton over to him.

“I ran into this girl, actually, she ran into me rather. I was picking out the bouquet arrangement for the photos I want to take and she sorta.. Came at me poking?”

He slowly stands and looks at me, his brow furrowed a bit. “She.. came at you?” He pauses. “Poking?”

“Poking,” I point to my shoulder in disbelief.

“Okay, and what did this poking girl want?”

“To yell at me for taking all the irises. I tried to do the gentlemanly thing and suggest an alternative, but she poked me some more and stomped off. She was hot as hell even if she was a bit psychotic.”

“Well, why did you take all the irises? You also could have taken the other- wait, “ Jake pauses, turning to face me head-on. He sets the empty carton on the counter, “No, whatever you’re thinking about, cut it out,” He points at me, “Did you forget about the last ‘cute but insane’ girl?”

“Hey, she wasn’t that bad! AND she was really hot?!” both hands raised.

“Sam, she cracked your windshield” he pinches the bridge of his nose.

Just as I’m about to further protest, “Cracked windshield? We’re not talking about ‘the Bride of Chucky’ are we?” Josh says

“Oh, come on guys, you can say her name. And again.. She wasn't that bad.”

“No, every time you say her name she comes back like Voldemort, and none of us need that shit.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Get your ass clocked in so I get your headshots done, and you can get to work lest Jake have a stroke.” I lean toward Josh and whisper, “You’re already late.”

“When isn’t he late?” Jake sighs and rolls his eyes.

“Well,” Josh claps his hands together, “it is clearly time for my close-up. Sammy, let’s get this shit fest over with.”

Oh, Josh, ever the dramatic brother.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

I don’t spend a ton of time taking Josh’s photos, grateful that he isn’t afraid of the camera. I barely have to direct him, which makes my life that much easier. If he could work on just not being a pain in the ass the rest of the time, that’d be great.

A few goodbyes later, and I’m finally off to edit. Putting all my things into the passenger seat and giving my truck some words of encouragement, the engine turns over. Thank fucking god. I live fairly close to the bar, so I decide to not bother with the radio and just listen to whatever comes my way.

Still thinking about the poking girl, mostly because my chest was sore. I didn’t expect to be stabbed today. I do hope she found her Irises…

‘Now I don’t hardly know her, but I think I could love her,’

I turn the volume up on the radio, hoping it’ll help me focus on driving and not thinking about her.

I make it back home, throwing the truck in park and hustling up to my apartment. I’m quickly greeted by my bundle of joy. I set all my things out to edit on the counter and take care of Miss P before I start working.

Taking a walk is probably what I needed to do anyway.

I got Penelope right after I graduated and moved back up here. Being used to a house full of people to just living alone was.. well, lonely. I think I lasted only a few months living alone before I gave in and went to find a pet. The twins suggested a cat because they’re fairly low maintenance, and their plan was to get a couple cats once their lives settled a bit. Settled ended up being right around when Jake bought the bar, I would hardly call that settled, but it worked out for them. Me on the other hand, I’m more of a dog person. As soon as I saw Penny, I knew she’d be my adventure buddy, coming with me on my walks and hikes and photography trips. It’s definitely easier with a dog, despite what Josh says about how easy it is to train a cat with a harness to adventure with you.

Once she is settled in after our walk, I sit down to edit for a while. Pulling up the photos of Josh, something seems off. Why are half of these out of focus? I think to myself, scrolling through the options. If he could have just stopped talking for two seconds, this one would have looked good. The longer I scroll through the options, the more annoyed I get. Why did she poke me so fucking hard? Finding myself rubbing the spot on my chest, I force myself to get up for a minute. Maybe I just need to walk around. Wandering into my bathroom, I pull the collar of my shirt down to see the spot, if it doesn’t actually bruise, I’ll be SHOCKED.

Sitting back down, I take one look at the photo I've been trying to salvage, letting out a sigh. This is awful.

Me: hey I’m not super happy with how Josh’s pics came out.. Do you care if I just borrow him in the morning to get some new ones?

Me: Not at 6am tho- it’ll be Sunday, The Lord’s day, and he would want me to get my beauty rest.

Tweedle Dum🦞: lol that’s fine bud

Me: I may come back for a drink tho. Shit has me STRESSED.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

“God, Sam, don’t you ever leave?” Josh calls from behind the bar.

“You’d think I was tired of looking at your ugly mug all day, but guess not.” My lips wind into a tight smile. “Can I actually get a drink? I’m annoyed as fuck that I hate all the pictures I took today, and a drink sounds like the perfect remedy.”

“Turning to alcohol to solve your problems, hmm?”

“Shhhhh,” I wave my hands in front of me. “Can I get a Clover Club, maybe? In a whiskey glass.. No garnish. I don’t wanna look like a little bitch.” I groan

“Let your freak flag fly, brother,” spinning away to go make my drink and tend to the other patrons seated down the bar top.

This drink really better do the trick so I can relax for five minutes. Honestly, the pressure I put on myself to make sure I do well for Jake’s pride and joy, along with trying to find my own way with a full-time job is a little exhausting. It’s hard knowing that Caravel is his baby; he really doesn’t have much else going on. I swear if he got laid, he’d be a hell of a lot less uptight about it, but I digress. I don’t totally feel like I’m the most reliable person, but I try to make sure he can count on me and I don’t contribute to his stress. Ya know, he’s my brother, and I want him to be as proud of me as I am of him for doing what he loves so much. I don’t think I tell him enough how proud I really am of him. He’s someone I look to for inspiration for trying to pave my own way. I’d never tell him that though, because he’d probably think I was yanking his chain or something. I have a job trial-type thing down in Boston later this week, and I’m really hoping it turns out to be something good. I could use something good right now.

Josh interrupts my thoughts, setting my drink down, “Just how you asked for it in a cocktail glass with extra garnish.”

I sigh audibly, “Ya know, I don’t even care. Gimme it.” I gulp it down in nearly one go. Josh looks surprised at me. Whether it’s because of my eagerness or because he knows I’m terrible at holding my alcohol, I’m not sure. I don’t care.

“One more.” I close my eyes, waiting for the gin to work its magic on me. Feeling my muscles relax bit by bit, my brow finally straightens out, and I sink down against the wall closest to my seat. I sigh audibly again, though this time it’s one of relief.

The longer I sit here, the more people are trickling in. Sipping on my drink this time, I notice people in all sorts of outfits looking vaguely like anime characters. Gathering in little cliques of friend groups, a few interesting folk bouncing from table to table. I can't tell if time is moving incredibly fast or if the alcohol has made me move slower, but suddenly, I have the realization that it’s packed in here. Since opening, they’ve been able to handle everything behind the bar, just the two of them, with Daniel manning the door, but I don’t think they’re equipped to handle whatever event these people are overflowing from.

I swig back the last sip of my drink, grab my glass, and make my way to the back room. I toss the raspberry garnish before setting the glass in the sink to be washed. Grabbing the ice bucket, I start to fill it to make sure the front is stocked for them; ice is usually always the first thing to go. I lug the full bucket back behind the bar, and refill the ice well.

“Thanks, Sammy. Hey, would you mind bussing some of the tables and asking the people with tabs if they need any refills, please? I’ll make sure I put you on the payroll for the night,” Jake asks, eyes pleading and desperate for help. And really, who am I to say no to him?

“Of course I can. I’ve got nothing else better to do anyway.” I start to reach for a tray.

“Thanks. I mean it.” he says, squeezing my shoulder, “I forgot PortCon was happening, and we’re close to one of the hotels.” He explains before returning to the drink he's making.

That explains the costumes. I do my rounds checking to make sure everyone seated in the booths are okay, grabbing the empty drinks out of their way, making light conversation when I can. I bring a tray of glasses, napkins, and various random trash items back behind the bar and set them in the bin next to Jake. Just as I go to take another trip, my eyes catch the door. Of course. Of course, this would happen to me. I can’t have a single day go smoothly if my life depended on it. Good God, someone is out to get me, I swear.

“Fuck me,” I say out loud.

“Who is that?” Jake says to me as he’s working on his current drink order.

“The angry-flower-girl with the dagger fingers,” I pause, looking at the dude standing next to her, “annnd her date.”

“Oh shit.”

Crimson and Clover - Tommy James and the Shondells

“Now I don't hardly know her But I think I could love her Crimson and clover”

<- Prologue Chapter Two ->

Masterpost | Taglist | Jukebox Playlist

Taglist:

@gvfsstardust, @myleftsock, @mindastreamofcolours, @dont-go-home-without-me, @literal-dead-leaf, @lizzys-sunflower, @threadofstars, @mackalah, @klarxtr, @edgingthedarkness, @writingcold, @i-love-gvf, @takenbythemadness, @ladywhimsymoon, @earthgrlsreasy, @ourlovesdesire, @peaceloveunitygvf, @anythingforjtk

50 notes · View notes

ineffably-human · 7 months

Text

Guillermo is, as always, busy with some kind of demanding insanity so he hears about there being this really good show with gay pirates in it at least a year late. Like most things he's involved in, he figures no one will be interested or care, so he settles in to binge it in his room on a day off.

He didn't count on Laszlo's sixth sense for lewds, but before long he hears "I say, is that chap drawing the other one naked?" And he can barely explain it's not porn before it's "are they on a ship?" and then Laszlo is shoving him over on the little bed.

So of course it's maybe five minutes before Nandor pokes his head in and is instantly mad they're doing something without him, especially since it's clearly pornography. ("I told you, you cannot try to seduce Guillermo even if you think it would be funny." "Wait, what-") Then Nadja wants to know why three grown men are crammed together on a twin mattress ("Nandor was so insistent we had to use the blue room for group wanking!") and Laszlo is very distracted but just manages to explain to her that this pornography has a plot like she's always complaining his don't -

By now the Guide and Colin have shown up with FOMO, so Guillermo hooks his laptop up to a TV in the fancy room and agrees to start it over again. They give Colin a quota on draining them with 'fun facts' or historical accuracy complaints, also he can only do it when it's not an action bit or a sexy bit. (He only mostly behaves.)

Everyone but Guillermo still thinks they're watching porn, well past the point that this misunderstanding makes any sense.

#gearing up for pirate season by once again putting the chocolate in the peanut butter #this is just the not-Baby-Colin version of how they all got watching s1 in those other thingies i wrote #if no one else finds this funny at least i entertained myself #fandom: wwdits #fandom: ofmd #wwdits #ofmd #our good shadows

85 notes · View notes

knight-princess · 11 months

Text

There’s something pretty surreal about how if Disney does go ahead and remove Willow then this’ll be a side blog for a show that doesn’t exist anymore. Or I guess one that can’t be watched legally anymore. Regardless, there’ll be hundreds of posts and reblogs and gif sets on this blog about a thing that cannot be found. Say a new person stumbles across the blog, and they wanna watch it bc hey it looks interesting, only to find out they can’t because Disney took it down. Just imagining that hypothetical person scrolling through this blog. There’s something so surreal about that image. So dystopian

I recently watched the Last of Us, but only through reaction videos on YouTube. I didn’t have access to HBO and didn’t want to pay for Now TV or whatever and I have anxiety and didn’t want to search for pirated versions. And it was the weirdest thing, skipping from video to video, seeing which scenes were included, which were left out, only finding out a certain scene even existed on the fifth reaction channel, and knowing all the while how much of each episode was beyond my reach. But that was a choice. I could have just paid to watch it for proper and I didn’t. But what if that was the only way someone like me would have access to Willow? Some queer kid who’s seen people talking about it and thought it was cool and literally cannot get hold of it? Watching multiple different reaction channels looking for one that’s included that scene they’ve seen an analysis of?

I know I’m aimlessly rambling but the whole things pretty surreal. The kind of surreal you expect of the far future looking back at a distant past, not a fan thinking about a show that came out last year

#sorry guys this one’s a kind of aimless ramble #just thinking about it #willow 2022

94 notes · View notes

millimononym · 6 months

Text

Galactik Football Sticker Album translated to English

DISCOVER NEW GIFT SUPRISES! IN GALACTIK FOOTBALL PRODUCTS!

+tattoos +stickers +lenticular +tattoos +holographic cards x2

Galactik Football is a story about a futuristic football team - the Snow Kids. They play for their planet Akillian and try to win the Galactik Football Cup with the help of the mysterious energy The Flux. For this prestigious reward they will have to fight against the teams: Wambad, Shadows, Pirates, Technoids, Rykers and many others. Watch this amazing adventure on TV Ultra!

D'Jok is a fantastic player of Galactik Football. His wish is to become the main attacker of the akillian team. His main asset is unbelievable strength. The flux is going to strengthen this advantage and make sure that his shot reached heights which Galactik Football hasn't yet seen. In the start he will struggle to control this unbelievable strength, but when he gets a hold of it,he will be recruited(?) by all the main GF clubs

Because D'jok doesn't know anything about his past (Maya, the woman who adopted him promised the boy's real mother that she would never tell him the truth), he came to the conclusion that his future is miraculous. This belief makes him different and gives him an unusual charisma. However, this also makes him very independent, so doesn't have a single friend, aside from Micro-ice. D'jok's problems with communication are especially obvious when it comes to Rocket, the team's captain. As time passes, D'jok sees and treasures Rocket's worth.

Rocket is an amazingly good passer and his passes are perfectly precise. This preciseness is useful not only in passing, but is also a fantastic advantage in free kicks. Unlike D'jok who has a strong shot, Rocket is more subtle and his use of the flux is seen through, thus unseen in football, controlling of the trajectory of the ball: an incredible backwards shot and in zigzag

Rocket is Aarch's nephew and a big fan of his uncle as a GF player. However, Rocket's father cannot forgive him because he didn't stay on Akillian after the glaciation. From the moment he joins school, Rocket won't rest until he proves to his father that he's up to the task. That's why he constantly puts pressure on himself. That uprightness of his irritates others in the start. But Rocket will gradually learn how to guide others: he will earn his spot on the field and become the captain of the Snow Kids

On the GF field Tia is very skilled in avoiding opponents. Her play with the help of the flux will undergo an incredible transformation. Her dribbling will become real acrobatics. She can jump multiple metres in the air, with the ball on her leg, before she shoots. Because she masters the flux earlier than the others, she will be the first player to be targeted by the other teams. Tia's biggest wish is to explore the galaxy and meet other people. That's why, when opportunity knocked on her door, Tia immediately accepted the adventure named Galactik Football.

However, her wishes aren't fulfilled easily because of her paralyzing shyness. This contradiction in her behavior is clearly shown in her love of filming: she can't be away from her holo-camera. She will need time to open up to the other Snow Kids, but the moment she does that, she will show a lot of warmth, especially when diplomatically solving problems with her coplayers.

They gave Ahito the nickname "the sleeping goal". It often looks like he's sleeping, leaning on the goal post, but in a second he can jump and and stop the ball, to everyone's suprise, before he sits back down like nothing happened. Ahito is a fantastic goalman, even if his head's in the clouds

On the planet Akillian 15 years earlier there was a big explosion. The consequences were catastrophic: the temperature dropped so much that everything on the planet began to freeze. Giant snowstorms started which destroyed a part of the main town/city, Arkadia, and life there became impossible. Today this ghostly town serves as protection from the icy winds that ravage the planet.

The Shadows have humanoid bodies which under the influence of the flux become partly gaseous. With these bodies they skillfully control the ball. Masterful control of the flux and their experience in the past wars make them one of the most frightening groups in the Flux society

The name "pirates" describes a group of people(races?) and planets in the nebulae Shiloe. They are located on the edge of the Zaelion galaxy and outside of the reach of the jurisdiction and control of the Flux society. Its inhabitants are of varied background. Those are often communities who ran from the wars and mixed with the local people. That's how mixed mutant races came to be. Humanoids are the majority. The nebulae Shiloe is organized as a confederation of guilds(?) which allows a lot of freedom to it's members. This chaotic region is a shelter for all outlaws, traitors(?) and the self-interested of that galaxy, and that's why they got their name: Pirates

Technoid is a big commercial and technological collective. In the past years they "ate" their competition and became the dominant political and economical power on a lot if planets where they use (negative) the natural resources. Technoid is run by a group of administrators, of which the most influential is Bleylock.

Rykers are mutants who were forced to adapt to the harsh conditions of their planet Unadar, which is very industrially polluted. Bio-mechanic humanoid hybrids, the rykers show endurance, agility and aggressiveness.

Wambas are a peaceful and wise race. They love to play and that's where their passion for galactik football comes from. They are experienced, fast, and have a good, sometimes cynical, sense of humor. Even if they are uninterested in technology, they developed their own unique science in harmony with the nature of their planet Wamba, which is covered in jungles and forests.

-Genesis stadium is a gigantic spaceship which was created by the League for the main competition in galactik football which is transmitted throughout the entire galaxy. The stadium is in the centre of the spaceship, in which there is also an entire town/city which serves to host teams and their helpers, as well as a couple thousands of fierce fans. All players of galactik football dream of playing in the main stadium one day and hearing the public shouting their name. Likewise it's the dream of every person in the galaxy to save enough money to be able to spwnd a vacation at the Genesis stadium and watch the GF finale live! Genesis stadium has 24 public astro-ports which can host 500,000 people daily, and 88 private landing fields which are open 24 hours a day. 6 interconnected control towers continuously monitor traffic around Genesis. The circular stadium can host 800,000 people. On the giant monitor the match is shown for the viewers who are sitting far from the field, so nobody misses even a second of play. Genesis stadium has absolutely everything - giant amusement parks, one-day daycares for kids, camp of settlements, even a forest with a lake. There sre hundreds of hotels and every guest enjoys the biggest comfort in the entire galaxy.

The Flux will increase his resilience and acrobatic skills to an enviable level. Ahito is calm, he never gets angry. Under the excuse of having to meditate, he often falls asleep wherever he is. In fact, he spends most of his time sleeping. Despite that, he is one of the most dynamic players on the field and he is a top megnetboard driver

The hard-working Mei will play in defense, where she can show off her attacking abilities. There is no equal to her in the ability to take the ball away from the opponent while they are handling it. However, this defensive position is not particularly exciting for her. She dreams of the day when she will move to attack, because she considers that position to be prestigious. That's why she will do everything to get to it

Mei's mother pressures her to be the best and most beautiful. As a result Mei is extremely confident. She is very ambitious and her clothes are always impeccable. She acts like a star and nothing will stop her on her way. Will Mei be able to break away from her mother and become a little more... human?

Thran is extremely sharp and tenacious in defense, and his strongest asset is that he never lets his opponent go. Thran, who is very rational, does not understand the Flux or how it works, but tries to adapt to it. Thanks to the Flux, Thran gradually develops quick reflexes and intuition, which he mainly uses when his brother falls asleep on the goal.

Lively and inquisitive by nature, Thran becomes even more lively when he starts talking about systems and inventions. He often finds a solution thanks to his knowledge of technology. Thran is very diligent and interested in trainings. He enjoys researching how Clamp's machines work. He is fascinated by statistics and can draw a large number of players from memory, as well as recall their play.

Micro-Ice's game reflects his lifestyle. He developed incredible speed, now he just needs to remember to take the ball with him. He had a bad habit of making fun of opponents on the field, which always led to conflicts during the game. He will have the hardest time of all to accept the Flux in himself. Due to its timid nature, it will be difficult for him to bear the change in his body. However, once he's mastered it, he'll be full of enthusiasm and faster than most players on other teams. Micro-Ice is the funniest member of our little group.

A bit cocky but well-intentioned, he's like a school clown of Aarch college who relieves stressful situations. He learned to get by in life on his own with various tactics... and frequent chatter! Once he starts babbling, it's hard to stop him, which gets him into awkward situations at the best of times. His lack of attention makes it difficult for him to embrace the discipline of teamwork, but his adventures in galactik football will give him a great opportunity to grow up…

MARK THE STICKERS THAT YOU COLLECTED!

WHOO THAT'S ALL! idk if the picture order is messed up, but u can see the page numbers so it doesn't really matter (the pages are supposed to be SPORT -> LIFESTYLE and are translated as such)

Sorry these aren't scanned but i don't own a scanner and can't go anywhere for one so if you want a closeup or better quality of something just ask and I'll post a better pic of it for u :3

Also theres a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes here which i fixed for easier reading (like misspelling the literal series name ...) so keep that in mind

ALSO!!! The pirates section gives weight to my headcanon that most of the Pirates (team) aren't fully human. I knew they were too tall !!! Those bitches are part alien under those masks and i KNOW IT!!!

#galactik football #translation #merch #the snow kids #the shadows #the pirates #the rykers #technoid #the wambas #d'jok #rocket #Tia #mei #micro ice #micro-ice #thran #ahito #long post

38 notes · View notes

variousqueerthings · 5 months

Note

You like Doctor Who AND Black Sails???? Absolutely chef kiss, cannot believe we share a brain

yeah, I did for a hot second have a separate blog for Black Sails because I actually made this one to be specifically not fandom-related (3 years on and... well.....) so I'm slowly bringing my black sails posting over here instead, fuckit!

thing about Black Sails for me is that on the whole I find it such a perfectly constructed bit of storytelling, with critique that has already been formulated better by other people, that I never know quite what to say about it that hasn't been said, youknow?

it's the show that I've watched that has felt the most like reading a book, with every season leading into one another and the themes introduced in s1 wrapping up in s4, and every piece interacting with one another, and you have to trust that the questions and thematic concepts raised at the beginning have real weight and will go places, which in this day and age of TV is a big ask, because most of the time a TV show has to work one season at a time/doesn't plan that far ahead, lest it get cancelled and/or stretches into depressing perpetuity

(or it's Doctor Who of course, which is just its own monster/mythology at this point, moreso than perhaps any other show, I'd say including Star Trek perhaps...)

but yeah, Black Sails. that's a journey that really matters, you get to the end and you've been holding your breath since probably s2, and you're realising that this is something that TV can do -- I think other shows that have manage the closest (for me) have been miniseries like Chernobyl or Pride & Prejudice and the like, because they've had that clear knowledge that this is the episodes they have, this is where it starts and ends, these are the ways everything talks with one another (Chernobyl and Black Sails especially have in common that the ending makes one want to go back to the beginning, because it's a realisation of OH THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAYING FROM DAY ONE!), but I've not seen it as strongly or as well-constructed (or... finished for that matter) in anything that had multiple seasons like this

+ youknow. multiple polyamorous relationships in different structures, multiple ways of discussing connection and love none of which are more important than the other for being a specific kind, multiple deconstructions of masculinity in popular mythology (pirates), banging sea battles and sword fights, plot moments that take your breath away, political commentary that makes you punch the air, and bits that have you going "OH I READ THIS BIT IN TREASURE ISLAND!!!" (but also you don't need to have read treasure island to watch it... potentially OH YEAH THIS GUY WAS A CYBORG IN TREASURE PLANET 😂)

Black Sails is kind of special. Truly one of a kind

EDIT: ALSO WANTED TO SAY HELL YEAH HIGH FIVE FOR BLACK SAILS AND DOCTOR WHO!

#actually the show for me that hits the closest is Spartacus which I dooont tend to recommend because it is quite brutal/acquired taste #but despite its lead actor dying of cancer it still has that connective tissue from first to last season INCLUDING a prequel season 2 #(which was written because the actor was in hospital for his cancer so not planned and yet thematically resonant)#AND two lead characters being played by other actors halfway through (including again aforementioned lead because of the cancer)#but it was spartacus tht made me believe black sails knew what it was doing because it similarly has a very bleak setting/narrative #that ultimately is about hope and storytelling and myth-making #black sails #maybe i should talk about it more #it's just so very precious to me

23 notes · View notes

the-monkey-ruler · 10 months

Note

what other stuff has become popular new fixtures in jttw adaptions?

Oh goodness that is going to be hard to pin down but from what I have seen the most popular Xiyouji adaptations have been at least

1960 Alakazam the Great - only saying this one because it is one of the first cartoon of Sun Wukong that was exposed to the West and while not hugely influential there made such an impact in Japan, leading to this version inspiring cartoon shows and even a remark movie years later. I hope that this verse keeps getting talked about and maybe a tv series about him can come around.

1961 Havoc in Heaven - this version will not die and will never die, this is the OG Wukong for so many people then and now, the defining master among Wukong's. Out of all the media, this is the most marketed and the most well-known. While not having new movies or tv shows this one is seen in commercials, shorts, toys, and designs. This Wukong's influence on things from children's clothing to even watches for thousands of dollars is mind staggering. If I would think anyone could last another 400 years with their impact of influence, it would be this Wukong, he is almost 100 since his first debut and he is still going strong. I have no doubt he will still be there in the next 40 years to celebrate his 100th birthday.

1978 Monkey (Saiyūki) - the popularity of this one wasn't in China but rather in Japan and even the dub in Europe. This is what really brought a generation of Western audiences into Xiyouji media. Went on to inspire more Japanese Saiyuki media as this was that standard with a female cast of Sanzang and a more outrageous Wukong. This one has most recently influenced the Netflix tv series Legends of the Monkey King.

1986 Dragon Ball - I feel I am kinda cheating by including Dragon Ball because it's only really the first dragon ball series that followed a similar 'journey' plot structure but it did get the franchise going and led to its future success in Dragon Ball Z. While current Dragon Ball has undoubtedly becomes its own thing with only it's main character having the same name as Sun Wukong it cannot be doubted the mass influence this media has on current culture and while no longer quite Xiyouji media, it was still started with it and should be noted.

1986 Journey to the West - this one set the standard for Wukong's live-action actors. Like sure there was plenty of life-action Wukong movies before this, so many in movies and even other tv specials but this is the most defining cast and most loyal plot following series that defined what people think when they think of Wukong, Saznag, Bajie, Wujing, and even Bailong. This was the series that didn't give Bailong a name but they were the ones that gave him the unforgettable plot of having a finance, something that has spun into SERVAL movies and even a tv series. The Wukong actor set how other Wukong actors were to play the character for years to come. So many movies use these designs in their own movies as it was so recognizable and notable. While other live-action series have come out that have tried to capture that same magic I have not seen anything nearly as nearly all-encompassing to audiences as 1986

1995 A Chinese Odyssey: Pandora's Box and A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella - this piece in particular was revolutionary, I cannot express that enough. While it wasn't huge in Hong Kong on its debut it was near worshiped by mainland audiences about 5 years later, just through being watched through pirated VHS that grew its popularity on the early 2000s internet. It was so popular that it was given theater releases again, and even college classes over these media with how effective it was in changing Wukong's image in modern culture. He went from being an upright, stoppable hero to a man with heartache, identity issues, and being forced to being a product of the system, many things early 2000s youth related to on another level. You couldn't go anywhere not knowing "It was only when I lost her, that I felt regretful. It's the most painful ordeal in this world. If I'm given another chance I will say three words to her "I love you" If there's a need to put a time limit to this love, I hope it's ten thousand years." People who never watched the movie knew this quote. Went on to inspire the Bio of Wukong webnoval which was turned into Immortal Demon Slayer. Even argued it inspired Conquering the Demon and Demon Strikes Back.

1996 Journey to the West- one of the most controversial but beloved series with how it changes plot lines but the increased character development and character-driven narratives within the story. Dicky Cheung brought a talent that was unmatched and honesty their risks with changes in plot lines paid off greatly with how much care they put into their characters. This version was not afraid to take risks when it came to changes and performed greatly by giving the characters such deep meaningful moments and amazing humor, drama, and action. This has influenced when it comes to being a lot of people's first Xiyouji love action experience and that fun-loving hero in Wukong can be seen in other Wukong designs.

1999 Legends of the Monkey King - another generation-defining Wukong media, I find it so hard to find people that don't know him or watched him as this was and arguably still is the best animated Wukong retelling to date. The characters were lively and the actions was fierce but it gave each episode such life. At the moment there hasn't been another animated retelling that has had the same influence that this one has. At least no other tv series that I am aware of.

1999 Lotus Lantern - While not really Xiyouji retelling, this version completely rewrote Lotus Lantern media and its connection to Sun Wukong. This was the first time we see Wukong giving solo attention as a shifu to Chenxiang and before this version, you would see Chenxiang having some other teacher in live action movies or even mention of his brother and his accidental killing of a noble son. But after this movie that version has been GREATLY overshadowed with Sun Wukong being Chenxiang, leading to about three more movies and at least three tv series. with the same concept. The idea of Erlang Shen's greatest rival teaching his nephew to defeat him was so captive to audiences that it has had a stronghold of the version since.

2009 Monkey King - This one's media influence was large but more so in how it was in both merchandising and promotional material. This piece of media leads to a particular focus on Wukong in his younger years, leading to more media in the future following a concept similar. However, the largest connection this series has had is with it's spin-off series for children's education called Little Monkey King.

2015 Monkey King: Hero Is Back - another defining Sun Wukong in the animated department, not seen since 1999 with how well received and beloved this Wukong is. This was a lot of people's first movie Wukong and brought in another wave of Xiyouji fans into the series and adored. This series led to a game being created and even promises of a sequel and prequel in the works. There is a large agreement this Wukong was to inspire the Monkey King Reborn movie that came out a few years later.

And at the moment I believe that I'm going to have to stop there as these are series that I have seen prevails and while there have been great movies and shows since Imma have to wait to see which really make an impact on further media. But until then I would think that these are some of the most defining media to date that have affected other media as well!

#anonymous #anon #anon ask #jttw #journey to the west #xiyouji #sun wukong #I'm sure I'm missing a few #I wanted to put 2014 Monkey King but honestly I don't think that was as an impact despite also being some of people's first Wukong #it has two great sequels so I might change my mind but i don't know #and I was pushing it with Monkey King 2009 #there is not a large fanbase for that series but I have never seen someone dislike it just more that it is fading with time #a sad fate #ask

35 notes · View notes

shipposttt · 6 months

Text

Ship of the Day: BlackBonnet

Names: Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet

Ship Name(s): BlackBonnet

Original Content: Our Flag Means Death

THIS COVERS SEASON 1 ONLY SO PLEASE (if you comment) DO NOT COMMENT SPOILERS PLEASE! THANK YOU!

Ship Info:

Now it's time for our most important topic (in my opinion). Gay pirates.

Our Flag Means Death first graced our TV screens in 2022 with a second season following shortly after in 2023 (this blog will only cover the 1st season so please don't spoil anything!). This series is rich with people who we would recognise in the time when pirates roamed the earth such as Israel "Izzy" Hands, Calico Jack, Jim (who is based on multiple real-life pirates) and so on. The actual title of the show could also be a reference to this time due to the dangers and risks associated with piracy, where engaging in pirate activities often led to a perilous fate depending on who you ran (or sailed) into. But the two main pirates of the show are the real reason I'm writing our blog, so let's get on with it!

'Gentleman Pirate', Stede Bonnet, is an inexperienced pirate who used to be an Englishman during the 18th century. He lacked experience yet somehow managed to find himself as the Captain of his own ship known as 'The Revenger'. 'Blackbeard', Edward Teach, is a notorious pirate who also sailed the seas during the 18th century. He was known for his fearsome appearance, long black beard, having multiple weapons strapped to his body as well as being in command of a fleet of ships. The odds of these two meetings seem pretty slim right? WRONG! The two do meet. And have a hell of an adventure that sends them both (and the audience) on an emotional rollercoaster.

Although I would love to dissect every single scene that could have led audiences shipping these two, I have limited it to several to save time for myself and for those of you who are reading.

The first scene I would like to introduce comes from the first season where Edward (Blackbeard) had been staying on the Revenge, teaching Stede how to become a more fearsome pirate while in return Stede taught him about higher society. Already the two represent being people the other person dreamt of being, already creating a connection of respect in some cases. After being insulted by the captain of a ship they had just raided, we are given a glimpse into Edward's backstory after he pulls out some red handkerchief his mother had given him. Attached to this handkerchief is a memory that has followed Edward for years of his mother telling him when he was a child that 'they were not the kinds of people that got to have fine things'. Additionally, on the captured ship an invitation to a high-society party is found, and we see Edward desperately wanting to attend. While at this party he takes on the identity of 'Jeff the Accountant' and entertains the aristocracy. But things turn sour when he fails to remember the correct utensils to use at dinner, causing the aristocracy to start laughing at him and no longer with him. Stede handles the situation by starting a brawl amongst the aristocrats, leading to the boat catching on fire. Now we get to the main bit of this section, as Edward removes the red handkerchief from his shirt and reminisces about what his mother had said to him we see Stede come up to him. He takes the red handkerchief, folds it into a rose and places it into Edward's breast pocket, telling him that 'he wore fine things well', leading to a moment of silence before the two walked away from each other (not without a glimpse back though). To some of the fanbase, the red handkerchief could be a personification of Edward's heart. He views it as a 'tatty old thing' that he should hide since he doesn't think it suits him to have a heart. He might think it's weak to have one since it could lead to him being hurt in a place he cannot heal. We first see him hiding the fabric, embarrassed to show Stede. This could also be because he views Stede as the 'fine thing' that he cannot have. That his heart will not suit Stede due to their different upbringings. But as the two grew closer that evening he shows his heart to Stede, who folds it into a beautiful rose showing him how beautiful his heart could be. This could also mean that Stede is the amplifier that Edward needs in order to see himself for who he truly is and to see how he can wear his heart well. This showed progress of their relationship for many fans due to how he was showing a part of him (that he normally kept hidden) to Stede. A desire he always wanted but did not think he deserved. And how Stede reassured him he did deserve it. This is only one of the scenes that proves how important the two are to not only each other for things such as teaching each other how to be a better pirate or teaching the other about the finer things in life, but also to each other's growth as individuals.

We again see their relationship change when Edward tries to kill Stede Bonnet (it sounds worse than it is, trust me). As we learn how the only time Edward felt fear was when his father was killed by the 'Kraken' and how he was there to witness it, he decided it was time to teach Stede about the 'art of fuckery' and how it could be used as a great way to install fear in their enemies. However, some of Edwards crew (Izzy,Ivan and Fang) had had enough of Edward acting like Stede's 'pet' (someone that Blackbeard would never let on his ship) and said it was time for Bonnet to die. Edward agreed. As he went on to do the deed ,unaware that Stede was planning to do an 'art of fuckery', the special effects resembling a Kraken attack cause Edward to go into a panic and hide in Stede's bathroom. Alarmed at this reaction, Stede follows and Edward reveals that he was the 'Kraken' who killed his abusive father. With this, he also tells Stede that he was planning to kill him but couldn't as he broke down in tears saying how he 'wasn't a good person' and that this was why he 'didn't have any friends'. Stede rebukes this claim and says how he views him as a friend and how he will forget about the planned killing, comforting Edward. This showed how much comfort Stede provides Edward. When Edward felt unsafe or needed somewhere he felt safe he went to STEDE'S bathroom. This showed that when he feels vulnerable, when all of the emotions he's kept hidden for so long come to surface his one confidant is Stede. And again, he shares something he has never shared with anyone else showing how much he trusts him. The way he can't kill Stede or keep his emotions in check around him could also highlight the fact that he cannot bring himself to be Blackbeard around Stede. He can only be Ed. The better self that Stede had helped him find. And how Stede straight away went after Edward, comforted him even when he revealed he was going to kill him and reminded him of his frienship showed that he could see the real Edward. And that was the version he wanted to see. Not the Blackbeard the others demanded came back to surface. The one that suited fine things. Edward. And with this interaction how could we not want a happy ending for these two?

Sadly, we do not get to see a happy end as of season one.

As soon as Edward learns that Calico Jack (his former crewmate) was sent by Izzy to make sure that he was away from the Revenge before the English arrived and captured Stede and his crew, he abandons the dinghy to return to the revenge. Once he arrives him, Stede and the rest of the crew are captured. But, as their hands are tied and they're thrown onto the floor, we see a moment between the two that had cemented for many fans that they did indeed have feelings for each other. They look at each other, content that they were together again. And as the camera slowly zooms out, we see Edwards boot reach for Stede's ankle, and in response Stede rubs his ankle against Edwards boot. Despite the chaos happening outside, their only concern is comforting the other. And if they have the means to do it, they will not hesitate. As long as they each have that little bit of comfort the world could burn and they would still be okay. Since they have the other as company. Nothing would hurt them more than being separated. If they could have even the tiniest bit of contact, nothing be bad. Even when death faces them and comes for their 'flags', they are just happy they would go through it together. There's no 'Mine' in 'Our Flag Means Death' after all.

The next episode we see as they both try and defend each other over Stede's crime (killing Nigel Badminton) showing how they wanted to make sure the other one was safe, even if it meant death for themselves. They just wanted the other one to be safe. In the end they both get put on trial. It was decided that Edward would go with Izzy Hands while Stede would be sentenced to death by firing squad. Not wanting Stede to go to a place he wouldn't be able to follow him to, Edward declared Act of Grace to save 'The Gentleman Pirates' life. This was agreed to and Stede would be pardoned if the both of them signed a document which would mean they would need to give up their life of piracy and serve the king. They both signed. As they spend some time in the Royal Privateering Academy, Stede questions how Edward was able to handle the situation so well to which Edward says he wanted to do 'what makes Ed happy'. He confessed that it was Stede that made 'Ed' happy. To make a sweet moment so much sweeter, he ends the confession with a kiss. As Stede accepts Edwards feelings they both decide to run away together. However, Stede never turned up. Just before the two planned to meet, he was awoken up at gunpoint by Chauncey Badminton who told him that he 'defiles beautiful things'. He reminded him of his crime of killing Nigel, of his family and how he had brought 'histories greatest pirate to ruin'. Stede finds himself agreeing to this and makes the decision to go to back to his former home. Edward is left heartbroken as he finds his way back to the Revenge, alone. He reverts to his old ways as 'Blackbeard', throwing away his old red handkerchief. Throwing away his heart and everything that reminded him of Stede. While Blackbeard began getting rid of his old life as 'Edward', Stede realsied how much he really loved Edward. As his wife (Mary Bonnet) revealed what it was like to be in love with Doug, he started thinking about his time with Edward and how much it meant to him. This was love. The two then used the 'art of fuckery' to fake Stede's death (which worked), but it was too late. Edward and the Ship were gone from the location where it had been last. In this scene we might as well have seen the death of 'Ed' as without Stede, he was just Blackbeard. Afterall, the pair of them are only their best selves when they are together.

Type of ship: Queer Canon

The 'Our Flags Mean Death' franchise is one of the best series I have personally watched regarding representation and in the way it rejects toxic masculinity. The LGBTQ+ community have suffered at the hands of what is known as 'queer baiting' for so long. This is when through advertisements and interviews with casts ect the TV producers sort of lure the community into watching and promoting their show with a false promise that their will be non-heteronormative couples involved in their franchise. But they don't follow through with this and get our hopes up making us feel lead on (see shark emoji post on BeChloe). This is why Our Flags Means Death was such a breath of fresh air. Actually FOLLOWING THROUGH with what was promised just raised our hopes a little more and allowed more people (who do not get near enough representation through TV shows and movies ect) to feel a bit more seen and also helped people discover who they are when they see people going through the same issues they're going through.

Stede and Ed's relationship was a pleasure to watch. To see two men have such comfort in each other and to see characters talking about their feelings and having breakdowns without feeling any shame or embarrassment was needed in order to challenge the toxic masculinity we see too much in this world and in the media. And to have such positive representations of Queer relationships being healthy was also amazing.

The journey we followed with Stede and Ed (although it ended on a cliffhanger) showed us what love was all about. Trust. Being your true self with each other. Sacrifice. Loving each other when we're at our worst. Loving the parts of the other that they couldn't love themselves. And so much more. And to find out what we hoped would happen, did happen is such a win for the LGBTQ+ community. We can only hope that shows will take a few lessons from this show and that we don't need to fear queer baiting happening as frequently as it does.

Even the show director (David Jenkins) admitted 'that Stede and Blackbeard’s romance was always part of his initial pitch for the series — and one of the things he and the writers found most creatively fulfilling". The opposites attract troupe which lead to the both of them just finding out what each of them actually wanted, fixed with the slow burn and not just the both of them automatically liking each other and showing the development of their relationship felt like a reward and made it feel natural and not forced.

It's safe to say I cannot wait to watch season 2. The only complaint I have for this show is how lonely it makes me feel. We all deserve a relationship like Stede and Ed.

Admin, 🦒

#gay ships #lgbtq community #shipping #ships #fandom #our flag means death #our flag means gay #stede bonnet #ed x stede #ofmd stede #ed teach #the gentleman pirate #edward teac

16 notes · View notes