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about-faces · 8 months

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Hi, I want to read some DC comics about how Harvey transformed from former DA to the criminal mastermind who ruled half of Gotham's Underworld (against the Penguin). I've already read/seen: Two-Face: A Celebration of 75 Years Batman: The Long Halloween Batman: Dark Victory (1999) Batman '89 Batman: The Animated Series Batman: The Audio Adventures

Any other reading recommendations? Thanks a lot for your help. :)

So you're looking for origin stories, or at least ones that shed more light on Two-Face's origin? Well first off, I'm glad you read the 75th Anniversary collection, because that has three of my very favorites: the original Harvey Kent trilogy from 1942-43, the Grace Dent story from Secret Origins Special (1989), and "Eye of the Beholder" from Batman Annual #14 (1990).

Besides those, and the ones you've listed, here are a few others to check out. Some are great, some are mixed bags, and some are downright lousy.

First and foremost, I STRONGLY recommend the 1989 Batman newspaper comic strip, which I loved so much that I posted the whole two-year saga on its own tumblr account. You can start from the very beginning right here, but keep in mind that Harvey's storyline--which runs all the way to the very last strip--doesn't really start until the second arc.

Next, Batman: Dual to the Death by Geary Gravel is a YA novelization of the BTAS origin, seamlessly combined with the two-part Batgirl origin episodes. It improves on both the animated versions in small but crucial ways, and it's highly recommended for BTAS fans. Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to find.

On a similar note, Peter David's movie novelization of Batman Forever can be found more easily, either in used book form or on the Internet Archive, and it's absolutely worth reading. I love the movie of Batman Forever, but it's objectively a terrible take on Harvey. The novelization adds SO MUCH, including an original prequel scene with D.A. Harvey Dent, and his ending is far more satisfying.

Cartoon Network's CGI animated series Beware the Batman (2013) also features a series-long origin arc for Harvey Dent, but it's one of the worst takes I've ever seen on the character. He's a petty, selfish, ambitious little prick, an absolute scumbag, completely devoid of depth or tragedy. Thankfully, few have seen this arc, since the majority of Harvey's episodes were never aired after the series was cancelled, but they're all available to watch for those morbidly curious to see just how badly someone can screw up Harvey as a character.

"The Big Burn" from Batman and Robin, vol 2 #24-28 (2014), also collected in B&R volume 5. After the huge DC reboot, this was Harvey new origin, which tried some very different things with him. A VERY mixed bag, but one that ended in a hugely exciting way that makes the whole thing worth reading. Follow it up with its sequel, "Ugly Heart," from Detective Comics #1020-1024, collected in Detective Comics Vol 5: Joker War.

Finally, watch the entirety of the recently-released/cancelled CW series Gotham Knights, with Misha Collins performing a surprisingly rich, interesting, and flawed Harvey Dent origin arc. The show got a lot of shit, some of it undeserved, but Collins' Harvey was an intriguing surprise, and I fear nothing we see from Harvey in any Reevesverse media will bring half as much care and interest to Harvey as GK did, for better or worse. All 13 episodes can be watched for free on CW Seed, region permitting.

EDIT: Oh right also the Telltale Batman video game! I haven't actually played that yet because I know enough about what happens and the illusion of meaningful choice indicative of Telltale games that I just don't feel like putting myself through that. People seem to like it a lot, though! I just... don't put me in a position of choosing to save either Harvey or Selina if you're just going to cheat and have him go evil anyway.

#ask hefner #harvey dent #twoface #two face #two-face #dc comics

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alygatorwrites · 3 years

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can I request a lil something? during the end of the manga or after the timeskip if you haven't read it yet, reiner still has feelings for historia and reader has one-sided feelings for him.

pieck gives reiner a small hint, saying he's wasting time while there's someone close to him that cares for him and points to you. he doesn't understand at first and maybe is conflicted about his feelings for you because of historia. reader is cool about it as she doesn't expect him to reciprocate her feelings.

a rollercoaster of emotions later, maybe there is a happy ending tho? i am curious to see what you can come up with 😭😭 i have dreaming of this scenario before bed and i can't help but get jealous of his crush on historia abjdsndks maybe you can help reiner reciprocate reader-chan's feelings or not

thank u so much aly 💖🥺

reciprocation

pairing: reiner braun x reader

a/n: OMG yesss! honestly, i was kinda annoyed at how reiner still had a crush on historia. i know that isayama wanted to show how everything went back to normal, but i was hoping that reiner would have a bigger role in the allied nations instead of being "dumbed down" to having an obsession with her. MAYBE THATS JUST THE JEALOUSY SPEAKING LMAO 😭 i was hoping this would be longer, although school has been killing me so im really sorry!! i hope its okay 💗💕 thank you honey!

↳ to be added to my taglist, please fill out this ♡form♡

as reiner is handed historia’s letter, you fold your hands on the table and watch him without a word. when he reads the lines and smells the parchment - jean saying something snarky afterward - you say nothing.

you want reiner to be happy: you want to see him at ease like this more, face soft as the leaf of the page flits from his pinched fingers.

and so you let the man speak about historia like she’s a damn goddess, gushing over her handwriting, and keep your goddamn mouth shut. ignore your jealousy. your feelings.

the truth is, you’re in love with reiner.

you can’t even remember how it happened, but you can remember the first time you looked into those hazel eyes, and how you knew that they were going to stick with you for eternity.

you’ve come to accept his crush on the queen, though. reciprocation was never an option in your mind.

when jean begins to chew reiner out for lusting after a married woman, and reiner says something about jean being a horse, pieck’s gaze lands on you. “you’re rather quiet,” she says softly, resting her head on her palm.

you shrug, turning away from her. “i’m just tired.”

pieck catches your chin between her lithe fingers, and turns you to face her with a tiny smile. the young woman is very perceptive, and you’ve known her long enough.

that’s when you notice the twinkle in her eye. she’s planning something.

pieck releases your jaw then, sitting up in her chair. “you’re wasting your time, reiner,” she says suddenly. “there’s already someone you know who cares for you.”

you pretend to not hear pieck - and definitely pretend you don’t see her faintly point at you through your peripheral. the movement of her fingers is barely there, but you catch it.

damn you, pieck.

the way you’re now pinned underneath armin, jean, connie, and reiner’s stares makes your stomach tie itself into knots with bubbling reluctance. shit, this is awkward. you want to run away.

still, you peer over to study reiner’s reaction. he looks confused at first, the contours of his face unreadable. you swear you see connie facepalm at the man’s cluelessness.

then reiner’s expression slowly changes: his eyes widen in awe, lips parting slightly, and brows knitting together. he seems genuinely surprised - and conflicted.

conflicted? why?

there’s no time to explain yourself though, because the door creaks open and annie steps in. her words fall on your deaf ears, and when everyone stands up to leave, you’re the first one out of the room. work beckons you as always.

two days pass.

you’ve been busy filling out tons of paperwork pertaining to the allied nations, so when you’re finally given a day off, you take it with open arms.

freedom at last.

you lean against a bench outside of headquarters, enjoying the salty breeze that flutters along your skin. it’s dusk, the sky covered in a gradient of neon colors as the sun dips below the horizon.

you haven’t seen reiner since that day in the conference room. you wonder how he’s doing, what he’s thinking, how he’s holding up -

“hey.”

speak of the devil. you glance over your shoulder toward the voice, low and familiar.

reiner approaches you, clad in his uniform: the suit hugs his large frame perfectly, showing every flex of his muscles, and his blonde hair is neatly parted. the black tie looped around his neck just pulls it all together. it has you weak at the knees every. single. time.

“hey,” you answer, giving reiner a smile as he stops beside you.

and that’s when your heart lurches at the sight of him.

the sunset highlights reiner’s profile in gold, a heavenly shine that settles upon his blonde lashes and the flawless slope of his nose. the flecks in his irises sparkle – a beautiful mixture of soft browns and muted greens. the only thing you can do right now is admire the man.

his words are what breaks you out of your daydream.

“work has been crazy lately, huh?” reiner says, focused on the candy-floss clouds and their fluffy shapes.

“well - yeah, pretty much. i don’t want to look at a pen or a piece of paper ever again.”

“that bad?”

“you have no idea. i almost regret marley and paradis reconciling.”

reiner chuckles gently at the joke, but it’s strained. his forehead remains creased, and he’s not really smiling. the emotion there is more … doubtful. it’s like he’s having some sort of inner conflict.

hopefully reiner’s not acting cautious because of the other day. you know he doesn’t return your feelings, and that’s totally okay. you’re happy enough being with him like this. “i’m not mad or anything, y’know.”

reiner stiffens at that. there’s a white flash of teeth when he chews on his lower lip. “i know.”

“good,” you hum, breathing out a sigh of relief. your core twists with envy when you force a grin. bite it back. tease him like always. “so about historia … ”

reiner’s eyes go wide almost comically, and you hear the breath in his lungs leave his firm chest in one exhale. there’s a light blush staining his cheeks now. it’s funny; he’s so goddamn big, yet he’s such a teddy bear.

“y-yeah,” reiner mutters. you observe the way his brows pinch together as he awkwardly shifts in place. it takes a while before the man composes himself again, which is strange.

is he scared or something? what the hell?

“pieck,” reiner hesitates for a moment. the golden strands of his hair ruffle in the wind and he appears ... well, lost. “was she being serious?”

the question is a shocker - jeez, he could have at least let you prepare yourself. a firm ‘no’ almost slips out, but you’ve never been much of a liar. not to reiner, anyway. crossing your arms against your chest, you inhale sharply and nod. avoid staring at him face-to-face. “yep.”

“ … why me?”

reiner says the words with a mixture of spite and anguish, a casual and rumbling voice. you immediately turn your head, frowning. “what?”

“i’ve done so many horrible things.” reiner exhales heavily and stares down at his hands; perhaps he’s imagining all the blood they’ve been stained with. “i betrayed everyone. i killed innocent people - all because i was selfish.”

it’s no surprise that reiner is broken after everything he’s been through, but it pains you to know that he continues to suffer in silence. whatever war is raging inside his ribcage tears him apart piece by piece, and you wish you could carry the burden.

there’s probably nothing you can say to convince reiner that he was just a kid, a victim of circumstance. there’s nothing that can persuade him to see himself the way you do.

so you decide to tell reiner why you love him.

you explain the amount of admiration you hold for him. tell him that you love the way he just wants to be someone his comrades can lean on, like a big brother. tell him that you think he’s the most gorgeous person you’ve ever seen and how you think he deserves the world.

the way you spill your guts out snaps every nerve in your body. you don’t say everything you want to – but you tell him enough. a dark flush spreading across your face, you find the courage to look at him.

the world seems to stop on its axis when you find reiner staring right on back. the intensity of his eyes is stunning; they’re lit up with astonishment and affection.

god, the affection. you see it clear as day. maybe one of the greatest regrets in his life is how he forced himself to see you only as a friend.

that’s when he reaches out to you.

reiner retracts his hand twice, unsure, before slowly brushing his fingertips against yours. the touch is so feather-light that you almost can’t feel it. it’s a test - he’s waiting to see if you pull away. you can’t even move if you wanted to, because his fond gaze keeps you rooted to the spot before him.

when you don’t recoil, reiner finally moves to gently hold your hand; his palm is so much bigger than yours, and your fingers slot together perfectly, like a jigsaw puzzle’s final piece.

heart thrumming like a hummingbird has been stuffed into your chest, you’re almost at a loss for words and come to a realization.

this utterly amazing man likes you. always has.

but reiner shoved away the feelings for one simple reason; you deserved ‘better.’ focusing on the old crush he had on historia was a distraction - an attempt to convince himself to stop thinking about you.

because looking at you everyday and not being able to act upon his feelings was too painful.

“is this okay?” reiner asks lowly. there’s a slight pinkness to his cheeks, the color of a selfless love.

by some miracle, you manage to nod dumbly. “yeah, of course. it’s fine.” it’s amazing is what you actually want to say.

reiner squeezes your hand at the reassurance, a sigh escaping from his throat. “i really—”

you wait for him to finish, but he doesn’t. reiner just searches your profile for signs of discomfort, and then untwines your hands to bravely swipe a thumb along the length of your cheekbone.

there’s no time to speak because he’s already leaning down.

the sensation of reiner’s lips pressing against yours lights your skin ablaze; you can feel the curling flames of passion sear your soul, made even more intense by the warmth of the sunlight on your back.

it’s natural, it’s tender, it’s warm.

reiner’s breath rattles into your mouth when you rest both palms against his solid chest and deepen the kiss. the musky smell of his aftershave and cologne envelops you completely, and fuck, it’s so good. your arms wrap around him, fingers passing over the sharp slopes of his shoulder blades.

as much as you wish the kiss could go on endlessly, there are people gathering outside. avoiding any unwanted attention from nosy strangers is very much appreciated.

you pull away to nuzzle your nose into reiner, and he rests his chin on your shoulder, protective arms moving to loop around your waist. it’s such an intimate caress that it sparks your brain into overdrive.

as the rushing sound of the breeze comes back to your ears through the quiet, you tuck the kiss away to be remembered forever. that’s all there is to it. being close to reiner like this - swaying together like wildflowers in the wind - is more important than anything else.

“i like you,” reiner murmurs.

the suddenness of it makes you laugh, and you can feel the upward quirk of reiner’s lips - a whisper of a peaceful smile and a sweet, sweet promise.

#timeskip reiner still sexy asf #I just wanna hug and kiss him ugh #reiner braun x reader #reiner x reader #aot x reader #attack on titan fanfiction #snk x reader #reiner braun #reiner x you #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin

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moralleeee · 3 years

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hey in light of me avoiding tommy lore in emotional distress-

Lets talk about our dear friend Connor, shall we?

--SPOILERS for Tommy's March 12th stream--

I think since the first time I saw this guy on the SMP (that one time he got held hostage for something he had no relation to lul), I've been so interested in Connor. I mean like lorewise or not, my man is severely underrated and I genuinely enjoy it so much whenever he pops up randomly. Emphasis on the randomly? While Connor may not be very involved in lore, he's been used in many situations as the friendly comic-relief! Especially with times like him 'taking his home back' from Tommy, accidentally getting taken hostage, or simply adding an extra comment or two that makes the others (and us) laugh.

Which brings us to the first instance of ...Connor lore? Cue Tales from the SMP.

The most recent TFTSMP episode, the haunted mansion, centered around a party that our friend Connor was hosting. Nothing out of the ordinary of course, but one of the first things that stood out to me was that the host was.. Connor? And at this point you might be saying, well of course it was him, that's what it was about- and you're right! But what I mean, is why did Karl choose for an episode to focus on Connor? A character, who is barely involved in any lore and is recognized as the funny guy who sometimes shows up? While, I'm ecstatic truly that Connor is finally getting some spotlight, it's really interesting that the episode focused on his event, and in the near future nevertheless! [Also a funny tidbit, that may not be too important, but the two times Connor has tried to get involved and do an event, Schlatt, or rather Glatt, is there.]

On to our next instance! Tommy's stream. The day he was released from the prison.

One thing that I think was one of the most important takeaways from this stream, was how with every interaction Tommy had after being free, a new storyline was introduced! Whether it was a storyline already hinted at or completely new, this stream was a big help to show us different characters and where their story is going. Most of them were characters we already know about, or at the very least, have seen bits and pieces of their storylines being hinted at. For example, Tubbo and Ranboo's newfound relationship, Sam's grief and his now broken relationship with Tommy, Quackity's upcoming business, Jack Manifold admitting to trying to kill Tommy. Even indirectly interacting with Puffy through her therapy office! (I haven't seen the stream yet, but Ik Puffy did some lore) All of these characters we're familiar with except- well. Connor.

This stuck out to me wildly during the stream, that out of all people, one of the first he interacted with was Connor. Also surprisingly, he was trusted enough by Tommy to tell him everything- well, almost everything that happened. In the process of trying to get Connor out of his house, he read his diary. The first page was simple, mentioning his grief for Tommy's death and getting food I believe. The next page- you can see for yourself.

*Cue Awesamdude voice* Whaaaaatttttt?

We can assume this entry takes place either the day of or sometime after Connor's party at the Haunted Mansion. Well, Maybe. We'll get back to that in a minute.

So, the question is, what does Connor know? He could know either one of two things, that Karl is a time traveler, OR that Karl is an amnesiac. Let's look at both.

Lets say Connor knows Karl is a time traveler. First of all, if this is what he knows about Karl, I am IN LOVE with the idea that one of the most uninvolved characters up until now knows a big- if not the BIGGEST- secret on the server. But also since it's such a big secret, it's hard to believe that he would reveal something that wild behind the scenes. Here's where it gets complicated though. If Connor does know, that leaves us with two opportunities where he could've found this out and made the diary entry. One, sometime after Tommy died and before the TFTSMP event, Karl and Connor had an interaction, that for some reason?? Led to Karl telling Connor??

Or.. two, the TFTSMP Haunted mansion. Which would mean Connor is not so different from Karl. Aka, he's also messing with some time business, just as the latter is. Because not only was that diary entry not too long after Tommy's death, but that TFTSMP episode was in the future- Definitely more recent than the lost city of Mizu, but surely not only a couple days in the future? The only way this is possible, is if Connor did some time traveling just like Karl and went to the future. And maybe perhaps figured out Karl's secret along the way? As entertaining as this idea is, it doesn't have much substance to it yet to be honest.

Let's look at option two for what Connor may know about Karl. While he may not know of the time travelling, he may have found out about Karl losing his memories. This is the more viable option. I can see this being something that they can leave out for behind the scenes, while also bringing it to light in the lore. With this, Connor must've had an interaction with Karl, that led to him finding out about him losing his memories and himself. Why Karl would tell him? No idea. Maybe he wasn't worried about other people finding out if he vented to someone who isn't too involved. Who knows. But, it'd make the most sense.

Not only that, but it'd also backup Connor's sentence of "hope he sees a doctor." If Connor knew about Karl's time travelling secret, it would be weird to think he could solve it with simply, seeing a doctor? Especially if we went with the idea that Connor was a time traveler himself, like, why would he say that? In the context that he knows about Karl losing his memories, it would make much more sense for him to mention a doctor, as it sounds more like a mental/medical issue more than anything. Just as Ranboo has a short term memory, Connor could simply see it as something Karl really needs to get checked out.

So, what can we take from this? Not only those this reveal bring many new openings for Connor's storyline to start, but it also makes a connection between Karl's slowly degrading condition in TFTSMP to other characters in the dream SMP. Yes, I know we have Kinoko Kingdom, but Sapnap and George.. don't really know the real purpose behind it? They know Karl wanted to move his library for this, and they aren't allowed in there. Besides that, Karl is very secretive about what goes on with him. This interaction gives us a character connection to Karl that provides even the slightest opportunity of more people being aware of his state and growing amnesia. And from there, well, questions will arise.

All in all though, I am sooooo excited to see if Connor gets more involved with the lore outside of and with TFTSMP, and with Karl lore nonetheless! So many storylines were introduced and mentioned today, and I can't wait to see where each of them go :D

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experiment-000 · 3 years

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My Top 10 Ships of 2020

It's been a weird year but I've seen other people doing this. Plus this year I've been way more into gen fics (love a bit of found family especially in clone wars and marvel) than anything shippy. So I genuinely don't know what imma put on here aside from two ships for sure. Sorry this post is super long idk how to do the below the cut thing and I've had this app for 5 years...

10) Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki - Yuri!!! On Ice

It was a real toss up between this, supercorp, kanera and wolfstar cos they're all very integral ships to my fan heart but this son because of the Yuri on Ice fandom's rebirth this year. I've never stopped shipping this, never stopped reading fanfic of them for any extended period of time, they're still my most bookmarked ship on ao3 (although I think now star wars - all media types may have overtaken them for fandom). They were one of the first things I watched where the queer ship I loved became canon and I can't wait for the film (and hopefully someday a season 2). Heck I even made my mum watch Yuri on Ice with me so I think that says it all.

9) Edelgard Von Hresvelg and female Byleth - Fire Emblem: Three Houses

My first fire emblem game was fates when I was like 14 (and finally gay awake lol). I was so disappointed that I had to be with a guy character because the only female option was kinda creepy and also I wouldn't get the character of kana. So when three houses came out I was so happy because finally there were beautiful incredible female characters my female byleth could romance (I'm so sorry mlm you deserved so much more than you got). I got the game as soon as it came out (had to search a lot of shops let me tell you) and started on black eagles. I was actually kinda disappointed back in 2019. I didn't like the explore the monastery bit (still find it kinda tedious) and the battle mechanics weren't quite the same as fates (no pairing up?! Aka my main battle technique for protecting the weaker units). So I got like 20 hours in and put it down. Came back to it in lockdown and finally finished it! I'm so proud of myself I virtually never finish games. And I fully fell in love with the useless lesbian edelgard in the process. When I started back playing in 2020 I was like eh I wish I'd picked a different character to romance (like shes an emperor that's morally very shady) but then the romance stuff started with edelgard and I fell the heck in love.

8) Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter (and Topanga Lawrence) - Boy Meets World

Disney+ was released in the UK this year and I finally got the opportunity to watch boy meets world in its best quality (aka not on YouTube). I watched it back when I was like 12 or 13 and it's such a nostalgic show for me. Watching it again I still absolutely adore it (and my bi ass was low-key crushing on Shawn especially in chick like me - I'm 18 btw and I got so scared for a sec but rider strong was 18 when chick like me came out so it's fine woah). And of course now I see the possibilities of the beautiful Cory and Shawn relationship like they were so bromance it was basically romance and throw in topanga it's the perfect ot3 (but I'm also fine with just Cory and Shawn or just Cory and Topanga). Read some good fanfic for them this year. My favourite was one about Shawn stealing makeup and stuff and exploring gender (need more fics like this I'm biiii).

7) Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes - Marvel Cinematic Universe

I rewatched all the MCU films this year too. And got really into Peter parker whump and irondad. Plus my eternal obsession with identity and relationship reveals of course led me from Spiderman identity reveals (and found family cuteness) to stucky coming out. Especially when it involves the internet and social media. Not my favourite ship but it's been significant to my year due to the sheer amount of marvel stuff I've read.

6) Satine Kryze and Obi Wan Kenobi - Star Wars

I rewatched clone wars in prep for season 7 and wow Satine's death was sad and sudden. She first appeared in S2 E13 I think and just the sheer sexual tension of their bickering. "The sarcasm of a soldier. The delusion of a dreamer." Just ugnnhhh my bi ass can't take much more of this. And Anakin just sipping his wine in the background grinning. And I fully believe korkie is a Kenobi.

5) Commander Cody and Obi Wan Kenobi - Star Wars

I am very much an Obi wan multishipper. I don't really have a favourite but I fully believe he was with satine and Quinlan in his life. I don't think be would've actually done anything with Cody because of the whole superior officer thing. And this probably isn't even my favourite Obi wan ship - that honour probably goes to quinobi or obitine. However the most popular ships in the fandom are codywan, quiobi and obikin. No offence to anyone who ships these they're just personally not to my taste, but I can't stand quiobi, and obikin I find only slightly more tolerable and I think that's just because there's so much obikin content so if I like the concept of a fic that happens to be obikin I'll read it. I'm just not a fan of the mentor/student relationships. So I generally favoured the codywan fics when there was shipping involved meaning I read a lot of them this year. Needed that nice fix it content post season 7.

4) Zuko and Katara - Avatar: the Last Airbender

Again I am a multishipper I have nothing against zukka it's cute. But I'm a zutara shipper first and foremost because when I first watched avatar I was like 13 and denying my gayness and gayness in general so I shipped the straight things and the straight things only. Most of these ships I stopped shipping - dramione, spuffy, some my little pony ones which we don't talk about. Zutara stayed. (I have nothing against any of the things I used to ship I just stopped shipping them so much/shipped new things more). I've continuously shipped zutara since I first watched avatar even if I didn't necessarily spend that much time on it it has always been here as one of my favourite ships. It has such good fanfic I swear including my favourite ever fanfic from any fandom - love thy enemy. Plus like the black games (reread this for the millionth time this year), a delicate subterfuge (which I read for the first time this year and damn it's so good) and so many more. With the avatar resurgence this year I haven't actually rewatched avatar aside from my normal random episode every now and then when I feel like it. But there's been a lot of avatar on my dash from people I follow getting into it and people I followed for avatar returning so naturally I returned to the fandom and read quite a lot of fanfic. I also read just a lot of avatar gen fics which were great at the whole found family thing I've been so obsessed with this year.

3) Catra and Adora - She Ra and the Princesses of Power

Catradora is canon! They kissed! What more is there to say. Arguably they should've been top but I never shipped them that much since I was always very much a multishipper when it came to she ra so yes I was very happy it became canon because we actually won for once but also I've never read much fanfic for them etc. But they are very much a dynamic I love and watching she ra all again in prep for season 5 I really enjoyed the build up of their relationship. The other two only go above because Buffy is my favourite show ever and damn there's some good fuffy fanfic and Aphra and Tolvan is both fresh in my mind and star wars owns me. Would love some catradora fic recs btw if anyone has them tho.

2) Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I didn't realise it was last year that I got super into them but according to my ao3 bookmarks it was lol. 2020 I swear it's lasted an eternity. I got into them about a month before lockdown (which feels like another lifetime). I've loved Buffy since I first watched it when I was 13. It's arguably still my favourite TV show. I've been through a lot of ships for Buffy - bangel to spuffy and now fuffy. I still think angel and her were a beautiful ship back in season 2 and especially in the angel episode I will remember you. But faith and Buffy had so much chemistry in season 3 - she would've been a fresh start for Buffy and the amount of fix it fics I read I swear. My favourite has to be one where they met in LA during Anne and how that changed everything feat Buffy's internal homophobia.

1) Cheili Lona Aphra and Magna Tolvan - Star Wars

I read Darth Vader (2015) and Doctor Aphra (2016) for the first time at the end of 2020 (got a comic subscription which has served me very well already I've nearly finished the star wars canon comics). Just to see canon queer ladies in star wars was so magical for me as a queer lady. I didn't think star wars would be so overt yet as to have a queer kiss in canon (even if it's in the comics) and especially not with the main character of arguably their main comic series. Now we just gotta hope that we'll get it in live action someday soon. They weren't the ship I consumed the most content of in 2020 but they were the highlight of my 2020 because star wars did that and I finally found out about it

Honourable mentions: Vivian and Elle - Legally Blonde, Candace and Vanessa - Phineas and Ferb, Stevie and Alex - Wizards of Waverly Place, Xander and Spike - Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I actually don't ship this but damn some authors are good - this was the ship that made me realise I don't need to like a ship if the author is good enough to write it well), Eli Vanto and Mitth'raw'nuruodo - Star Wars (started reading the books last year but finished this year and only started with fanfic this year), Villanelle and Eve - Killing Eve, Kanan and Hera - Star Wars, Barriss and Ahsoka - Star Wars, Remus and Sirius - Harry Potter, Kara and Lena - Supergirl (let's hope this becomes canon next year!) (Those last four are ones I've shipped forever some of my og ships but nothing particularly big has happened for me this year with them so)

I got Disney+ this year so rewatched a fair few things from my youth and though hey my obsession with that character may have been a little gay.

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that-shamrock-vibe · 2 years

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Movie Review: Eternals (Spoilers)

Spoiler Warning: Because I was only able to see this movie almost a week after it was first released in the U.K, I am not going to be doing two separate reviews for Eternals and instead will be combining both into one for an overall reaction and analysis review. Regardless, if you haven't seen the movie yet do not read on until you have.

General Reaction:

I do not understand my feelings about this movie. Having seen it the night before this review is posted, the morning of typing up this review I am still very confused by what to actually make of it.

I have come to the conclusion that this movie is an interpretation of an MCU creation myth, while this doesn't really show how the MCU was created, it does try to explain that the Eternals and by extension the Celestials are the gods of Earth and other worlds that helped develop our world over the centuries since basically the beginning of time.

I am still confused as to how I feel about the Eternals as a species, the movie does explain their origins but because I do not know the Eternals from the comics I am unsure if this is at all comics-accurate, but as a Marvel fan, an MCU fan and particularly an X-Men fan, I was left wondering exactly how Kevin Feige and team are going to bring in Mutants to the MCU outside of the upcoming Multiverse saga, and now because when you do eventually have our favourite team of Mutants, I fear they are going to be compared to what has come before with the Eternals and even the Inhumans.

Speaking of, I was made to think about the failed Inhumans series at moments throughout this movie and thinking how this is the second apparent failed attempt for a Marvel team of superpowered beings. As a superfan of the X-Men and Mutants in general, I am actually now starting to become concerned that it is potentially too late for the X-Men to join the MCU not just because they don't seem to be well represented in the world of the MCU and also I fear that both Marvel fans and casual movie fans may feel that when the Mutants eventually show up, there may be a fatigue for this type of group.

Eternals as a movie was just a very oddly-paced, slow and sombre exposition story. Because we have never met a single one of the characters introduced in this movie, not just the 10 Eternals, but the Celestials, Deviants, Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman as well as the three other notable humans, and the three new characters further introduced in the post-credits scenes, because none of these had been introduced before with only Celestials referenced previously, it was just way too much for any audience member to be asked to be introduced to these characters, go on a literal journey through time with these new characters, get invested in a creation myth story we knew nothing about before this movie and then get invested in what happens to all these characters with literally no pending stakes in the wider MCU outside of maybe those two end-credits scenes...it was a headache.

Speaking of the Celestials grand plan, I kind of understood a baseline of what they were attempting to do thanks to the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Ego's expansion, because Ego was also a Celestial...and what he was doing with his own expansion of planting seeds on different planets to terraform said planets into his overall being...that seems to be the case here down to the montaging of what looks like the seeds being planted on these planets that sprouted new Celestials, but was Ego's expansion a precursor to the overall Celestial plan? It's never really explained.

Then there was an interesting commentary on nature vs. nurture for this movie in my opinion. With the reveal that the Eternals are actually robots basically, synthetic beings, but still known as Homo immortalis as they are in the comics where they are supposed to be evolutionary offshoots of humanity as opposed to the inspirations for Earth's mythology.

Anyway, with this reveal that the Eternals are the synthetic creations of the Celestials to do their bidding and are effectively reset with every emergence of a new Celestial which destroys the planet they emerge from and the Celestials simply have the Eternals either move onto a new planet or create new bodies and factory settings reset for them each time, it slightly becomes less of an investment for fans to care about these characters because, if they survive past the emergence and don't get murdered beforehand, they effectively become new characters as they are new bodies and new memories.

I mean yes fine at the end of the movie they stopped the emergence and remained themselves on Earth, mostly, but then the three remaining Eternals on Earth were captured by Arishem the Judge and taken off to who knows where we were supposedly left to care about what happens to them...yet while I only care about one or two characters in this movie because of their actors, I don't really care about what happens to them going forward in the MCU at present.

I mean the end of the movie does split up the remaining Eternals and so could have either subgroup of Eternals show up at various times down the road but...aside from expanding the Marvel Cosmic side of the MCU...what did this movie actually accomplish?

This is the third instalment of the MCU this year and Phase 4 overall, and the Multiverse saga is the main focus coming up. Had this movie come out after Black Widow but before Shang-Chi I may not have been as disappointed, but the fact we have just had Shang-Chi which was, for me, one of the better MCU origin stories and then this which is, honestly, one of the worst, it is definitely a black mark on the MCU's copybook.

To end this section on a positive, visually this movie is stunning. It is a great screensaver movie, there are many different stunning shots in this movie both of scenic landscapes and the Eternals as a team or individually.

The powers and physical appearances of the Eternals are also very compelling. Despite being synthetic beings they carry themselves as Earth's overlords or saviours and have that regal stance and presence.

I also did like how their costumes were created and didn't look like they came from the same MCU tailor, the linking of the golden energy every Eternal has with their powers is a very definitive trademark of this group and I do feel standing amongst the rest of the MCU heroes they would definitely stand out hopefully for the right reasons.

Characters:

Alright so because I am doing a two-in-one review I am going to be grouping the characters on who were my favourites, who were my least favourites, who were okay and who were just there.

Favourites:

Honestly my favourite for most of the movie was Ikaris before he was revealed to be one of the main antagonists, but Richard Madden once again is a strong presence. The Superman/Homelander comparison is inescapable and I would have liked him to be more of an outstanding character, but I did love seeing him in action.

Then Gemma Chan as Sersi, while she may have already had a turn in the MCU as Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel, I do feel she had more of a chance to shine in this movie. I also understood why she was penned as the heart of the movie as Chan naturally has that type of warmth and welcoming presence.

Then of course Thena, it's Angelina Jolie first of all which is always a win but also Thena is effectively the MCU's Wonder Woman. Not only was she visually stunning in this movie, but her powers were also gorgeous to look at. I do wish they had the time to delve deeper into her psychosis but Jolie did a great job with what she had.

Least Favourite Characters:

I have to say these characters weren't horrendous they were just simply taking up the screen-time of other characters who could have used the time more-so to expand and develop.

Firstly, Sprite, I am sorry I am sure this character is better in the comics but Lia McHugh's portrayal was just annoying. After understanding her powers of illusion casting I did like how she was the storyteller of the group for wherever they settled...but that's as decent as she got. I thought the third wheel element of her love triangle with Ikaris and Sersi was not only out of nowhere but also narratively inappropriate. Despite being millennia old Sprite is still in the body of a child and McHugh is still 16 at the time of this movie's release...14/15 when this movie was filmed...so to portray her as being in love with Ikaris who must be at least double her age physically I just felt was a non-starter as the audiences know that not only would Disney not go there but the movie wouldn't go there.

Opposite to my opinion on Makkari in this movie, Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo went really down in my estimations throughout this movie. Starting out strong and comedic, and I loved the way in which he created a Bollywood acting legacy by himself being his ancestors, but that's where it stopped for me. I felt the inclusion of Harish Patel as his assistant Karun was effectively a poor man's Ben Kingsley in Shang-Chi...he was just there. I also felt his decision to abandon humanity and return to Mumbai before the final fight was cowardly and the fact he still was part of the three who were abducted from Earth at the end was non-sensical.

So-So Characters:

Then as for the two deceased Eternals, because surprisingly Eternals died in this movie, Salma Hayak's Ajak being the original leader and envoy of the Celestials could be seen as somewhat of an antagonist as she was willing to go along with their plan up until she realised the best of humanity but was ultimately murdered by Ikaris before she could do anything about it.

Meanwhile Don Lee's Gilgamesh would have had a higher ranking for me had the movie properly portrayed him and Thena as a couple as opposed to simply close.

As for Brian Tyree Henry's Phastos...again he would have been higher if they had focused more on the LGBT element of his character rather than a quick reveal of his Modern Family setup. Also more definition to his powers, he can control technology but if the Eternals are effectively robots why didn't he know it?

Then Barry Keoghan's Druig, I didn't know if he was supposed to be a villain but ultimately he was just misunderstood. Yes his powers of mind control and having his own cult isn't exactly morally or ethically advisable but I think he's simply misguided.

Finally Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman, he didn't have anything to do in this movie and really was just placed here to set up for the character's future. I didn't buy into his romance with Sersi nor did I feel he was needed in this movie outside of the post-credits scene setting up his future.

Post-Credits Scenes:

So we had two post-credits scenes in this movie that much like Venom: Let There Be Carnage will probably be the biggest talking points of the movie.

Firstly we get a mid-credits scene on the Domo with the Eternals who returned to space, Thena, Druig and Makkari. The trio is then greeted by a glittering rainbow teleportation sequence as Pip the Troll comes in portrayed by Patton Oswalt who at this point is overexposed not just in Marvel with Agents of SHIELD but TV in general thanks to The Goldbergs.

Anyway he comes through and sets the stage for the arrival of the "Prince of Titan" Eros aka Starfox who is Thanos' brother...but the major reveal of this is the fact that Eros is portrayed by former One Direction member Harry Styles...I knew about this prior to seeing the movie but genuinely seeing it in the movie is not as bad as reading about it...I'm actually intrigued by this character going forward.

The post-credits scene features Dane Whitman's potential origin story as he is seen in possession of the Ebony Blade, a mystical weapon that was mistaken earlier in the movie for Excalibur but in reality is owned by Dane. This comes after Dane tries telling Sersi he has found out about his family history before she is abducted.

Just as he hesitates as to whether or not to touch the blade or not, there is a voice off to the corner out of shot asking him whether or not he really wants to do that...this voice is so quick, so subtle and, unless you're aware of who it is, so passing that it is potentially the only scene in the movie that requires multiple viewings.

The voice belongs to Mahershala Ali as Eric Brooks aka Blade, as he has an upcoming movie currently slated for 2023 or 2024 I'm not entirely sure at this point. I am fascinated by this as while Blade can easily introduce characters for the Marvel Horror division of the MCU...I would not associate Black Knight with being part of that division. Blade is adept at understanding supernatural objects however and that could be his tie-in with Dane as he helps him understand the Ebony Blade.

Recommendation:

As with all MCU movies I do feel Eternals is worth a viewing at least once, but after one viewing unless you are heavily invested in the movie and the characters and need multiple viewings to fully absorb everything...wait until it's free on Disney+.

I will definitely say this movie is outside of the traditional MCU mould of how Marvel storytelling has been, but I wouldn't say it breaks the mould. I think it is definitely an intellectual piece of cinema but I am not entirely sure if it is trying to be too clever for itself at times.

Overall I rate the movie a 5/10, I would definitely say this is middle of the pack at best as an MCU movie. Unless down the line things spin out from this movie, I genuinely do not see the point of it and honestly would have made it a Disney+ series for the impact that it potentially has.

So that's my review of Eternal what did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more Marvel Movie Reviews, as well as other Movie Reviews and posts.

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captainshazamerica · 3 years

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dude I have no chill when it comes to asks 😅

5. Fav character(s)?

15. Dark trinity or trinity?

17. Teen titans or Young Justice?

18. Fav animated show and/ or movie? (BTAS is supreme to me lol)

22. Fav Robin! ( this is so hard but also not I feel like dick gets it just cuz he was the first )

31. Do you like the character of the joker?

38. Who do you think is the most over looked and under used character?

51. Justice League or League of Assassins or Justice League Dark?

🎪I haven't started wayne fam adventures yet but it looks sooo good and is everyone there!? It seems like everyone's there just from what I've saw on tumblr but I don't remember seeing steph? Please say alfred is there!?

random side note just cuz you like jonny there's DC fear state coming out over fall and scarecrow is the main villian messing s*it up in Gotham and the batfam, I ain't gonna be reading that for a while tho cuz I've put a cap on comic purchasing because I'm making myself broke 😅 but it looks quite cool tbh

Dude I love that you have no chill with the asks omg xD Its so great, I get so excited when I see you do it hahaha

2. Do you like the arrowverse if so what's your fav show? (Mines flash but legends is so so chaotically lit it's a dumpster fire of awesomeness highly recommend that even tho they did my fav kinda dirty they had no need to do that to her but hey) Same, my fav is Flash, tho Im not caught up at all/havent caught up since like mid to late season 4, I got too busy during college and I was kinda getting bored with it, but now that Bart is in it, it makes me wanna watch it again! It was also before I got super into DC so Im sure Id love it even more now. I actually havent fully seen the others, just some episodes here and there and the Crisis crossovers! LoT looks like a chaotic lovable mess though, Ive heard that several times xD Who is your fav that they did dirty?

5. Fav character(s)? I mean its me so I can never chose just one xD Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Gar Logan/Beast Boy, Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Edward Nygma/Riddler are my all time favs!

15. Dark trinity or trinity? Dark trinity as in the 2nd Red Hood and the Outlaws? (Jason, Bizarro and Artemis ) Then def dark trinity haha, I love those 3 misfits so much omg

17. Teen titans or Young Justice? AHH this is soooo hard omg. Like the shows or comics or groups in general?! Like imma go with Young Justice show but Teen Titans overall. They overlap though soo

18. Fav animated show and/ or movie? (BTAS is supreme to me lol) Ahh I actually seen all of BTAS! Ive just seen the first couple episodes and seen random ones here and there but like know everything about it xD Hmmm, for show I gotta go with the Young Justice cartoon, and animated DC movie, a tie between Justice League vs. Teen Titans and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (the Damirae ahhhh). Though oooh also Under the Red Hood is also a classic and Jasonnnn

22. Fav Robin! ( this is so hard but also not I feel like dick gets it just cuz he was the first ) Ahaha I knew you would say Dick!!!! xD I was gonna ask and be like, its Dick isnt it xD This is like the hardest question ever oh my goodness. While they have all been my fav at point point, Jason and Tim have like been tied for first for the last couple of months. Like I love them both so freaking much. But if I absoltly HAD to chose one, ahhhhh, im going to have to go with Jason, Im so sorry Tim D: But Jason's character is just so complex in every version and his comics are sooo good(tho I love Tim's Red Robin ones too) his arc as a character is just SO interesting to me and his constant battle with himself and how far he fell from being robin and its all so sad but makes such a good character ahhhh

31. Do you like the character of the joker? Ahaha, this one is hard/I have mixed feelings. I have always liked him as villain even before my Batman obsession (and of course use to say he was my fav dc villain hahaha) and tbh I still think he is a pretty darn good villain and there is a reason he is so popular, even though he is an abusive piece of poop. Id like him a LOT more if he didnt abuse Harley so much tbh. And I think DC over uses him waaaaayyy too much, though I do like every version of him, excluding Leto's version, and think the acting is always amazing. So yeah, I guess I do like him but he isn't my fav, but I can appreciate him and his pop culture impact and how good he is as a truly evil unhinged villain who is interesting to watch.

38. Who do you think is the most over looked and under used character? TIM DRAKE!!!!!!!! And Riddler!!!!!!!!!!!

51. Justice League or League of Assassins or Justice League Dark? Gotta go with the classic justice league man

And ahhhh yes you have to read Wayne Family Adventure, its pretty much literal perfection. Here is the official link if you need it! https://www.webtoons.com/en/slice-of-life/batman-wayne-family-adventures/list?title_no=3180&page=1 It comes out every thursday! (tho you can pay to read ahead a few weeks) But yes, Steph is in it too! Her and Tim were being the disasters they are <3 And yes, Alfred is freaking great in it omgggg, you will love him in the 2nd one ahhh

Oooooh, I didnt know that!!!!(its soo hard to keep up with dc comics omgggg) I thought I heard something about that the other day but didnt know what it was/anything about it! Thanks so much for telling me!! I hope they release it digitally on DC Infinite!!!! Cause sameeee

#batanon #i love them #thank you so much love #dc asks #ask game #meredith gets an ask #ask #anon #meredith thoughts #batman

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lokaneiscanon · 5 years

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Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder rant

Seeing Natalie Portman returning to reprise her role as Jane Foster, nevertheless wielding Mjolnir, finally getting the treatment this character deserves, was surreal to say the least. I had just started reading Lords of Midgard, the 8th issue of Mighty Thor (2015 - 2018), and had fallen in love already. But I didn't suspect at all that Taika Waititi would pull this card in Thor: Love and Thunder, considering Jane was barely mentioned in Ragnarok. The news about my favorite actress portraying one of my favorite characters coming out of the blue - you can imagine the excitement. Alas, I quickly remembered what the fandom thought of that comic (at least on tumblr) and imagined it now growing tenfold, cuz not everyone in the MCU fandom reads comics but pretty much everyone wants to watch another Thor movie. And yes, many fans weren't ready for this step, still recovering from Sam Wilson getting the shield in Endgame. Which is completely fine. We're not obligated to like everything Marvel throws in our faces, we're allowed to criticize and express our opinion on the internet or wherever. What is not okay is mindlessly hating, and even worse - using false facts to support said opinion.

I have seen some people using the argument that it is one of Marvel's worst selling comics. Which has already been proven wrong by multiple sites, including Comichron, just Google it, as I did myself. I read multiple posts, ones saying how good Jane is doing as Thor in sales, others disproving this, so I checked for myself the numbers at the site mentioned above month by month to be sure. The comic truly had its downfalls as the story progressed but in my opinion it's normal for the 1st issue to have more sales than the 21st. If we compare it to Unworthy Thor, which started running a bit later and followed the now unworthy Odinson, the data shows the latter had more sales. But then again, while Might Thor was at its 17th issue, Unworthy Thor was at its 2nd. Also, they later crossed paths, shared comic issues, it's fair to say they go hand in hand and Jason Aaron, the author, probably doesn't want us to compare them, as they complete and compliment each other's stories. Still I decided to check the comic that made Thor unworthy in the first place - Thor: God of Thunder (2012 - 2014), which seemed to me more "comparable" to Might Thor (2015 - 2018). *I keep putting the years it was being released so as to not be confused with previous Mighty Thor issues, whole Odinson was still Thor, please bear with me* So yes, the numbers were pretty close, but from what I saw, Mighty Thor had the upper hand if we compare first issue to first issue and so on. (In defense of Odinson, we have to take into account that this data is only from the US and does not include digital sales. Also, he's been around since the 50s. We could argue Jane was a breath of fresh air that some Marvel fans were indeed ready for. As a non-American, and also a person without a hint of knowledge in economics I cannot take into account inflation and whatever else has prevented or enabled Americans to get their hands on the comics or has affected prizes through the years. Bear that in mind.) Moreover, from what I saw on Comichron, both comics had much competition - God of thunder was released along with Avengers vs the X-men, the Uncanny X-men, pretty popular at the time, and the Goddess of Thunder faced Civil War 2 and DC Universe Rebirth (yes, DC is in the game too), also dominating with tremendous sales for the longest time. Yet I stick with my original statement - both Thors are valid and shouldn't be put against one another regardless of profit. Because at the end of the day what will matter the most is the story. And boy, what a story it is.

Now, I haven't read the Thor: God of Thunder, but as I was doing research I found one very well written summary and explanation of Thor's arc and his becoming unworthy and I will post a link below, because I honestly feel I wouldn't be doing this comic a favor by describing it without having read it. Which I plan to do in the future, tbh. It's a fantastic prelude to the Mighty Thor (2015 - 2018) that I've come to love. First, I'd like to ask you all to stop hating on the comic without having read it first. It doesn't make any sense and being petty for the sake of being petty won't benefit neither you, nor anyone, really. Now, about the comic itself - the art is magnificent. It's just gorgeous. Mighty Thor isn't , thank all the gods, sexualized, she is pretty buffed and generally looks like a warrior. As it is with the other characters, I dare say. The background truly captures the essence of every world Jane finds herself on. Action scenes are just the right amount and balanced with dialogue well. On a side note, it's pretty funny to read/listen to in your head the Shakespearean English cursive in which Jane talks as Thor. The plot line branches beyond this comic, starting from Thor: God of Thunder and leading to the War of Realms. And it is elaborately built in every issue. You don't know what to expect, yet it makes sense when it happens. Which leads me to the characterizations. My God, what a treat Loki is in this. Clearly, my opinion is kinda biased, since he's my favorite character, but you never know which side he's on. What his motivations are. And it just feels so... Loki. His writing is brilliant. Almost makes me forget what the MCU did to him. Also, he gets some daddy time with Laufey (not as kinky as I make it sound). Frigga/Freyja is just as awesome as in the MCU, even more, at least in the comics she calls Odin out on his shit, who btw is I guess an asshole in every version and universe. Malekith, the main villain, is unbearably despicable, I want to tear every page he is on. He really was mishandled in the Dark World, if you want some true action with the dark elves, you are welcome to enjoy. I saved the best for the end - Jane Foster/ Might Thor. Now, if you think Dr. Foster spends her time boasting about her worthiness and how Odinson is just called Thor, but she is Mighty Thor, you are horribly wrong. She just... does her job. Because the hammer chose her. Because there's no one else to do so. That's it. If you think there's some feminism involved, yes, there sure is, but it certainly isn't the reason Jane became Thor in the first place. It was not the creators going SJW because it's trendy, as such a mindset is honestly offensive to any descent creator with any self respect, but a well thought out story arc, which, I repeat, you have to read the comic to understand. Jane is not at all whiny about the hate she gets in-universe, not only from foes like Odin and who-not, but from Shield and generally people whose asses she's saving. Her having cancer is not something they pulled to provoke sympathy and make her look like a victim - on the contrary, she is a damn hero and a victor. I don't want to give out spoilers, but her being Thor is actually a giant sacrifice that no one really appreciates (both in-universe and in the fandom). She is not Thor to prove she can be, or just to prove "women can be heroes" - she doesn't have to. She is simply needed by the realms and so she does her job, even though she is called a thief, persecuted and generally hated. All that matters is that the hammer finds her worthy - the beauty and simplicity of that fact you will find out, for the last time, if you read the comic.

I'm not making you read the comic or watch Thor: Love and Thunder. I myself don't know what to make of this film yet because there's barely any information about it. I only know it will be based on the comic so that's a reason for my hopes to be up already. On the other hand, since I didn't like Loki's characterization in Ragnarok, I'm not sure what to expect from Taika. There are valid reasons to not like the idea of Jane returning to the MCU as Thor, which you are entitled to. However, reasons such as "why does everything have to be political these days" are not. Because if I had to make a list of everything politically related in the MCU, it would take forever. Steve Rogers kills nazis is the most blatant example. Make of it what you want. But I think we're far enough into the 21st century to realize art and real life are not that separable. It's undeniable that art affects people and that is to say, people everywhere. And they all have different opinions and aren't gonna like everything media is offering to them. And I wish I could simply tell you not to watch the movie but I'm a Marvel fan too and I understand that I can't just take away Thor from you because I want Mighty Thor as well. But none of us can stop Marvel from producing it. So, to quote an image I saw recently, I don't know how to explain to you that you should care about other people. Let the rest of the fandom enjoy what they want to enjoy. Yes, ik I can play around with the tags and avoid posts that unnerve me but, for example, I'm looking up Mighty Thor fanart, which obviously isn't anti-Mighty Thor, yet I get attacked in the comics for anticipating a movie that doesn't even have a full cast yet. Ik I'm not asking for too much when I wish to get the same internet experience (not only tumblr, but also insta, YouTube, Twitter, any site) as the Thor Odison fans, for example. I'm aware I cannot stop all the toxic fans and the trolls but I hope this post has inspired those of you who simply can't envision Jane as Thor, or don't like Natalie Portman in the role, or whatever eles personal preference that doesn't involve political issues and isn't harmful to the community, not to attack every post on your dash with hate. The movie is called LOVE and Thunder, for God's sake. (on a side note, is a franchise that is too afraid to show LGBT characters for more than 1 minute so as to not lose profit from China, THAT politically correct)

Anyway, that was a veeeery long rant, sorry to whoever reads this but, like, please, I put effort into this, hoping this time around I won't be the only positive reviewer of a movie, like I was with Solo: a Star Wars story (yes, I'm still bitter about this), which was boycotted for no apparent reason but was a decent film in reality, and I'm only bringing it up because it has a similar experience to Love and Thunder for getting hate before even being released. I'm not defending a billion dollar company that flopped in box office once, I'm defending the viewer's right to media they are interested in. If you don't like the character, remember - that's your opinion, not a fact that the character sucks. Kudos.

Not very easy to navigate, I advice you to do the research month by month individually for comics you'd like to compare. Also, if you happen to find more reliable data, pls say so in the comments.

Here you have the summary and explanation of the greatness of Thor: God of Thunder, Jesus, I'll go bankrupt if I buy this one too.

youtube

Yes, I want to end the sales dispute once and for all, I'm tired of seeing it on my dash. This guy probably explains it better than I did.

@awesomejenlawrence you said you'd like to read this and I delivered

#natalie portman #mighty thor #marvel #mcu #mcu phase 4 #jane foster #thor odinson #loki #taika waititi #chris hemsworth #thor love and thunder #thor god of thunder #jason aaron #my thoughts #my rants #positivemindset #lovewins

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fly-pow-bye · 7 years

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Powerpuff Girls 2016 - “Mini Golf Madness“

Written by: Haley Mancini

Written & Storyboarded by: Alicia Chan, Grace Kraft

Directed by: Nick Jennings, Bob Boyle

Mulligans are not necessary here.

The episode starts with an establishing shot of Wooly’s Ragtime Mini Golf, the Wooly’s clearly being a replaced word. Totally Not Old Man McGucket, or Wooly for short, tells everyone to have a “golf-tastic time”. Then he gets hit by the Wooly’s sign, revealing that it used to be owned by Rico. Is there a point to this? There might be, but it's never outright stated.

The golf course is filled with animatronics of 1930′s cartoon characters...and Top Cat! A very rare appearance of a Hanna-Barbera character not named Scooby Doo on modern Cartoon Network. I wish it was less rare. Unforunately, these robots are breaking down too easy, which could be our first hint that’s something is not quite right about this place. Bubbles doesn’t seem to mind, though. It’s still cute to her.

Buttercup plays a round of mini-golf, with her sisters helping out. Bubbles is the wind checker, checking the wind using her pigtails. Blossom is keeping score, and because she’s a nerd, she also suddenly talks about the history of the golf course. It was based on the characters from an old 1930′s cartoon called Owly Boop, an obvious parody of Betty Boop. Before Blossom can talk more exposition than necessary, Buttercup shoos her away while she readies her shot.

It lands in in animatronic’s trumpet, which then breaks down, dropping the ball right into the hole. Blossom tells Buttercup that her score is a -7. Buttercup scoffs that her score is a negative number because she’s doing so great, but Blossom reminds her that negative scores in golf are a good thing.

Buttercup: Well, it’s time for Buttercup to do terrible!

Too easy. Also, running gag.

After a montage of Buttercup “doing terrible“, Buttercup faces a giant animatronic Owly Boop at the “Final Hole“. Buttercup has gained enough of a crowd to get the janitor to act as a commentator, because she’s the first person at this mini-golf place to ace every hole so far. Judging by, this is her first try, too.

She swings super hard at the golf ball, making it fly. It hits the animatronic’s ear, an airplane, and a generic sign that says “Generic Sign“. The animators couldn’t get rid of the placeholders in time. It lands right between Owly Boops’ legs, rolling right into the hole.

Bubbles, now acting like the reporter as the janitor is busy with this episode’s poop joke, congratulates Buttercup on her first time perfect game, and asks her what she’s going to do next. Unfortunately, since this is Cartoon Network and not something that owns world famous theme parks, they can’t complete the obvious reference. Instead, Buttercup says she’s going to take her game-winning lucky ball back home.

Wooly isn’t too fond of that plan, as this golf place was built before the concept of having a final hole that is essentially a glorified ball return place. He menacingly tells the girls that all balls must be returned...OR ELSE! Buttercup asks, but he’d rather keep it a secret. He then does a villain laugh, because he's the suspicious guy!

Buttercup goes up to the ball return place, assuring Blossom that she’s a good girl and that she’ll return it like the man says. Of course, Buttercup has a diffterent plan. She just happens to have a gumball in the same shape as one of the mini-golf balls...which she then starts chewing so she can think harder. I’ll admit, that’s an okay joke.

Buttercup’s actual plan is to steal one of Bubbles’ reboot pigtail beads and use one of the blue balls as the replacement. Hey, they finally made Bubbles’ new design useful! We get an ominous shot of the Owly Boop robot opening its eyes while the Powerpuff Girls talk about how creepy Wooly and his course is, making it a bit too obvious what’s going to happen next.

Buttercup cherishes her lucky golf ball, as she and her sisters go to bed. While sleeping, Blossom hears a big explosion. Apparently, even Blossom has gotten used to the lack of crimefighting in this series, as she thinks the explosion was Bubbles farting. Bubbles says it wasn’t her, and then she actually farts. Because this is a piece of children’s media in 2017. I’m surprised there isn’t a pee joke to complete the trifecta.

Blossom tells Buttercup to get out of bed, and she wakes up the other two to show them what she’s seeing:

A shadowy giant singing robot that looks oddly familiar destroying the city. The Powerpuff Girls get out of bed and tear off their pajamas, revealing their usual clothes. Yes, they do apparently shed off their bare feet to reveal their shoes. Don’t even ask how.

It turns out, it’s the giant robot Owly Boop that guarded the last hole on the golf course, tearing apart the city in search for something missing. In her words, which she sings in the style of Betty Boop:

Owly Boop: Hooty-hoot, who’s got it? Hooty-hoot, who’s got it?

She dances around, sings in a jazzy style, and there’s shots like the one above, which fits with the Betty Boop theme of the character. Mostly, she just lifts buildings, leading to jokes like comforting a man who felt his room was too stuffy with that pesky ceiling, and the classic “reveal a woman bathing, causing her to scream“ joke. This is a throwback episode, so it fits.

Highlighting one scene in particular, the robot lifts City Hall like one of those step-on garbage cans to find what she’s looking for, grabbing the Mayor. This leads to The Mayor commenting that she looks just like Ms. Bellum except for her face. I’m glad that Ms. Bellum isn’t completely forgotten, though comparing her to a Betty Boop parody tells me they still don't see her for her personality.

He then cries, because he misses her, with Bubbles having to comfort him. Later on, there’s a cutaway where Bubbles reads him a bedtime story in the same way Ms. Bellum did in one of the flashbacks in Bye Bye Bellum. A more obvious callback to a previous episode? Who would have thought that would happen?

Blossom immediately knows what’s going on, and tells Buttercup that this is happening because she stole the golf ball. Buttercup tells Blossom that she earned it by being "terrible", and says she would do the same thing in her position. To Blossom, she's the epitome of morality, and she would never steal a thing. Guess she forgot about those golf clubs.

Buttercup, not willing to give up her lucky golf ball, decides to do what she actually does worst: actually beating up monsters in this reboot. To be fair, even in the original, if it would break the story, the Powerpuff Girls could, and should, not defeat the Monster of the Week. Catastrophe? The slime monster keeps reforming. Uh Oh Dynamo? Better have that monster be suddenly invincible so they can get in the robot!

The main issue, and I've written this before, is the lack of contrast. There's very little Girls Punch, Monster Down to establish the Powerpuff Girl's powers in the reboot, unlike the original where episodes often open with Townsville under attack and the Powerpuff Girls saving the day. It's a good thing Cartoon Network's website has original episodes as well, or we might forget that the Powerpuff Girls are supposed to be ultra-super-powerful.

Of course, robot kick, girl down. Womp womp, hooty-hoot-hoo. The way she does it isn’t too bad, though: she telescopes her legs to the sky, and then while Buttercup is confused, she kicks him in a way resembling Betty Boop’s dance moves. I like the way the robot is animated in this episode; I wish I made more GIFs.

Wooly shows up, not really concerned that one of his animatronics is destroying the town, but is concerned that whippersnapper is a thief. He tells Buttercup robot will not stop until what she has stolen returns. Huh, he sure seems to know a lot for being an innocent golf guy. He does a lot of evil laughs, too.

Despite everything, Buttercup still feels that she doesn’t need to give up that golf ball that she earned. Besides, it’s not like the city is totally destroyed! Cue the ironic panorama shot!

Wah, wah, wah, waaah.

Buttercup, having no choice, goes on top of a ceiling. She asks Bubbles to check the wind speed, and it’s apparently so strong that it blows Bubbles away. I guess the Powerpuff Girls are now weaker than wind. Buttercup repeats the same golf ball bounces everywhere gag from before, and the ball lands right into her mouth, shutting her down.

They all get ready for the once-an-episode apology scene, until the robot comes back to life with the startling twist! I won't entirely spoil it here, but you can add this episode to the massive pile of episodes that make Blossom look foolish.

Foolish enough for a wah-wah trumpet!

I will give this episode credit: despite consantly making him seem that way, they never really out Wooly as the villain that's the cause of all of this. This episode actually leaves an interpretation to the viewer, and that’s actually nice in a reboot not familiar with the word “subtlety“.

Does the title fit?

Madness is caused by a stolen mini-golf ball.

How does it stack up?

I didn't come to this episode expecting much, but I left rather surprised. The Owly Boop robot is charming, some of the jokes actually work, and it's great to see an episode involving superheroics. In Buttercup's way of thinking, this episode is "terrible". In other words, it's good. Wrap your head around that one.

Next week, the Bro Sharks. Oh, (Man)boy.

← A Star Is Blossom ☆ Summer Bummer →

#fpb ppg 2016 #fpb reviews #powerpuff girls #ppg 2016 #cartoon network

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that-shamrock-vibe · 3 years

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Movie Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Disclaimer: This is my non-spoiler review of Shang-Chi that I will be posting the day after I personally saw the movie which is the weekend following the movie's release. So if you haven't yet seen the movie do not read on until you do.

General Reaction:

This is what I want from my superhero origin movies! When your ad campaign promises me an MCU Mortal Kombat style movie I'm already hyped, but to add a flowing, action-packed and comedic origin story of a Marvel Comics character not that well known if at all to mainstream audiences...I've been a fan of Marvel for 20 something years now and have never heard of him until now...and suddenly I'm excited for the future of the MCU.

That's not to say the Disney+ shows haven't done well in setting up said future, not only with pending stories such as Secret Incasion and the imminent Multiverse of Madness fast approaching as well as the introduction of the Young Avengers, Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts and even old favourites from Marvel Movies and Television returning, but this is the first proper MCU Movie since Avengers: Endgame that not only teases the future but proposes the possible format for how MCU Movies may work going forward.

Without going into spoilers but if you've seen the trailers you know, while this is very much Shang-Chi's movie and rightfully so, there are one or two appearances from a couple of MCU favourites that don't contribute or assist in the main story, but do leave an impact that again does tease the future of this cinematic universe and thereby proposes an interesting theory.

Outside of Blade, all the movies lined up in Phase Four going forward are team up movies, from Eternals, to Doctor Strange 2 which we know will feature Spider-Men and Scarlet Witch to The Marvels which while being a Captain Marvel sequel will focus not only on Carol Danvers but also Monica Rambeau and Kamala Kahn.

So, with how certain returning characters are utilised in this movie, mainly in the end credits scene, and no official Avengers movie on the horizon, are we looking at a situation where already established characters will lend assists in these movies similar to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Spider-Man: Homecoming?

Outside of my postulating what did I actually think of this movie? Honestly Shang-Chi is definitely in my top ten favourite MCU Movies, it has heart, it has comedy, it has action, it's a great script and the VFX are fantastic.

My favourite thing, as my friend who I saw it with said, was surprisingly the action sequences. Obviously with any comic-book movie the action sequences are important either from an choreography level or a VFX level but this movie marries these two elements in a somewhat unique way. There's often the metaphor in action movies how fighting is like a dance, well in this movie it definitely feels like watching well choreographed jiu-jitsu tangos for the most part. There is a lot of precision and elegance focused upon in how one style of fighting is presented as opposed to how the more aggressive other style is used.

It really becomes a question of offence vs defence and that age-old saying of the best offence being a good defence, in a martial sense heavy movie, the fact the fighting can provoke such a strong impact on me is job well done.

Cast:

I will say, outside of an Avengers movie, this is probably the first cast where I was heavily invested in all the major players of an MCU Movie.

Simu Liu's Shang-Chi and Awkwafina's Katy make for a rather compelling double-avt and definitely work better as friends, it is teased that there may be something more between them but honestly I would it if they just left it as them being best friends because we have romances between superhero and civilian with Cap & Peggy, Tony & Pepper, Thor & Jane, Peter & MJ...there's no harm in just having the leading man and his main supporting female friend just being that.

Tony Leung as Wenwu aka the Mandarin...honestly while a rather compelling and arguably sympathetic antagonist (not villain) is probably the one weak spot I would say I had with the movie if I had to pick one and that is probably only because after 13 years of being teased about the Ten Rings as a terrorist organisation and the Mandarin being this formidable big bad who was pretty much used as a scapegoat in 2012's Iron Man 3, I was just left underwhelmed as the movie went on with the direction he went in. Started off strong in the opening to the movie, but from when we are reintroduced to him in modern day, something was missing for me, maybe I would have kept his longer hair.

Meng' er Zhang and Michelle Yeoh I will clump together as while Zhang is featured throughout the movie both she and Yeoh are used most in the last hour of the movie and while both make strong impacts...they really don't have much to do other than being Shang-Chi's tethers to the good aspects of the past he's running away from.

As for those MCU returning players they are sprinkled brilliantly throughout this film with three in the main movie and two more in the first of two end credits scenes that I feel brilliantly reinforces the mystic, scientific and cosmic corners of the MCU.

Recommendation:

Alright so this is where I may divide opinions but, as I said, Shang-Chi is now in my top 10 favourite MCU Movies and for me after one viewing site in between Thor: Ragnorok and Black Panther in terms of my favourites making it my 4th/5th favourite and in terms of quality I would say this is up there with Black Panther in terms of representation of a culture and also Thor: Ragnarok/Guardians Vol. 2 in terms of feel goodness/whacky but wonderfulness. Honestly this is probably my second favourite movie of the year if not third after The Suicide Squad for me...Still not beating Cruella but that's more personal bias.

I will say this is my favourite MCU origin movie since Iron Man. I wouldn't class Spider-Man: Homecoming or Black Panther as "origin movies" as they're continuations to already introduced characters and this beats Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel and the Phase One slate for me.

So that's my non-spoiler review of Shang-Chi, what did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more MCU Movie Reviews as well as other movie reviews and posts.

#shang-chi #marvel #mcu #shang chi and the legend of the ten rings #awkwafina #tony leung

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