#i could go on but by the prophets this was a fun episode

[chaotic-gay-is-my-alignment]

I'm completely normal about this entire episode.

#it's just. #chef's kiss. #the nostalgia #the music #the endless circling #neris neris NERIS #every bajoran resistance fighter being part of kira's group #QUARK #dabo #morn?? #i could go on but by the prophets this was a fun episode #did I mention quark?!? #also mariner and jennifer being all cute?!? #*incomprehensible scream* #i'm normal about this episode #i'm completely normal about this episode #lwd #lower decks #ds9

[scoobydoodean]

Okay so in 1.03 Dead In The Water, there's this exchange Sam and Dean have at one point in regards to Lucas—the little boy who watched his dad drown, who Dean connects with during the episode:

DEAN Andrea said the kid never drew like that till his dad died. SAM There are cases—going through a traumatic experience could make people more sensitive to premonitions, psychic tendencies. DEAN Whatever's out there, what if Lucas is tapping into it somehow? I mean, it's only a matter of time before somebody else drowns, so if you got a better lead, please.

And the last time I watched this episode, I went "Oh cool! A little Psychic!Sam Easter Egg." Right? Sam goes through the traumatic experience of losing Jess, and he's tapped into "whatever's out there" (the yellow eyed demon) and he's having premonitions about what he's going to do next. Which definitely makes a lot of sense.

But when I was gif-ing stuff from 1.03 today, I realized that... funnily enough, within the context of this episode we also have some fun stuff relating to the "slightly psychic Dean" posts that have gone around this year... Or if you prefer, Cassandra!Dean. Cassandra, in reference to the prophet in Greek myth, cursed by Apollo to utter true prophecies but never be believed.

Dean often knows when bad things are going to happen in Supernatural. He doesn't have visions—but he has "bad feelings" and makes predictions that turn out to be scarily accurate at times. Of course we can infer that Dean is just good at 1) reading people and 2) understanding how sequences of events tumble one by one in a row like so many dominoes. It's another sign of his incredible intelligence. But it IS fun to think about Dead In The Water as the first indication of Cassandra!Dean.

First, because Lucas has premonitions, and Lucas and Dean are paralleled and connect on an emotional level.

Dean and Lucas have similar traumatic childhood experiences. Both watched a parent die and both lost the ability to speak afterwards:

DEAN You're scared. It's okay. I understand. See, when I was your age, I saw something real bad happen to my mom, and I was scared, too. I didn't feel like talking, just like you. But see, my mom—I know she wanted me to be brave. I think about that every day. And I do my best to be brave. And maybe, your dad wants you to be brave too.

Dean is able to connect with Lucas through their shared traumatic experience. He's the only one who's able to get through to him—and after a short conversation and just drawing together for a while—much to his mom's shock. Dean is able to understand what Lucas is feeling without Lucas saying it.

Second, because Lucas has bad feelings that tell him the locations where the spirit will strike next, but no one listens to/believes him.

...Kind of like people usually don't listen to/believe Dean's bad feelings.

DEAN Anyway. Well, maybe you don't think anyone will listen to you, or, uh...or believe you. I want you to know that I will. You don't even have to say anything. You could draw me a picture about what you saw that day, with your dad, on the lake.

Of course, this line is just Dean paralleling Lucas with himself and his own reasons for not speaking, but it must hit home, because Lucas begins communicating with Dean through drawings.

Further, despite Sam also knowing Lucas is having premonitions, when Lucas reacts with extreme distress to the idea of going home and clings to Dean desperately, Sam still... doesn't think it means anything. He thinks the case is over.

Third, Dean has a bad feeling that the case isn't over, and Sam doesn't believe him.

The sheriff had just threatened to arrest them if they stayed in town, so of course going back to town is a big deal. When Dean turns around based on a bad feeling, Sam thinks he's just being paranoid.

SAM But Dean, this job, I think it's over. DEAN I'm not so sure. SAM If Bill murdered Peter Sweeney and Peter's spirit got its revenge, case closed. The spirit should be at rest. DEAN All right, so what if we take off and this thing isn't done? You know, what if we've missed something? What if more people get hurt? SAM But why would you think that? DEAN Because Lucas was really scared. SAM That's what this is about?

Dean sticks to his guns, and they arrive just in time to save Lucas's mother from drowning in a bathtub.

#1.03 #he is literally cassandra #pk rewatches spn number ? #parallels #season 1

[shhimagiraffe]

Fantasy High + Pokemon

I was inspired by @candaceaprillee and their art that they made for Hootgrowlithe zine! I had to go all in and make their teams, based off everything that's been released as of FHJY episode 3. There have been more episodes by this point but nothing that has happened since has influenced any changes!

Gang, I thought about this a lot...this is a lengthy post. This genius simply couldn't be contained. There are some that are based on vibes, and some that I dug a little deeper with Pokedex entries. Rest assured my explanations should suffice my reasoning! These Pokemon are not in any particular order btw!!

Adaine

Adaine's team is just Peak Blue/cool color Vibes. Was not intentional! I picked a lot of spherical shapes and mon that happen to exude calming energy/auras. I do think that, for now, Adaine keeps her Orb Pokemon from evolving because they're the perfect shape.

Spheal - Spheal is the perfect orb shaped Pokemon. I could not leave it out of the line up. Additionally, Spheals have soft fur and I think when Adaine's having a panic attack that soft fur would be good for grounding. As Spheal evolves it also learns to "identify" things with its sensitive nose, reminiscent of the Identify Spell.

Natu - Another phenomenal orb. While it's no owl, it will evolve into a psychic, fortune telling mon some day. It does have prophetic abilities in this version, but it seems to be more about hopping about and staring at things. Something about that feels right for Adaine.

Gardevoir - Admittedly, Gardevoir did not initially make my list for Adaine. I did get to thinking that since Adaine comes from an extremely rich family (albeit a neglectful one), her parents would want to give her a fancy mon to exert her status. I don't know if they'd give her a straight up Gardevoir as a kid, but in any case the whole line up is fairy/psychic; I thought since the Abernants are high elves that they would lean towards fairy type Pokemon to link back to their heritage. In any case! Gardevoir ALSO reads the future!

Dragonair - Dragonairs have that blue orb in them, plus they exude a "gentle aura," again another helpful thing for Adaine. They're also part of a pseudo legendary line, which is a great match for our legendary oracle. There's something very elegant about Dragonair, and it evolves into a cute lovey Dragonite!!!

Riolu - I originally gave Adaine a fully evolved Lucario, but given that Riolu evolves with high friendship, I don't know if Adaine would be emotionally ready for that. It still gets the same vibes across with being able to detect auras of others. I'm HC'ing that she got her Riolu as part of an official Welcome to the Family gift from Jawbone :') Riolu is basically an emotional support dog, after all.

Feebas - :) Gang :) I'm taking some liberties here. Wouldn't it be angsty and sad if we envision small Adaine, sad and alone, ignored and chastised by her family, off on her own and happens upon a sad little Feebas? And finds comradery in this lil fish that's considered the ugliest thing in the world? She brings home her very first mon she caught herself and her family tears her to shreds for it but she still loves this mon with a bad rap? I'm obsessed.

Fabian

Fabian's mon consist of a mix of fighting types, dancing vibes, and trauma based dex entries! That's really all I can say so summarize his team. I'm sorry to my boy but he's so fun to play in the angst space with.

Lombre - My HC is that Bill Seacaster gave Fabian his first Pokemon, maybe as a small Lotad. Lombre, in the anime, is one of Ash's mon that gave him a hard time, and I think that Fabian would have at least one mon that wouldn't completely respect him in the same way. Once Fabian sheds the expectations of his father, then Lombre accepts him and their relationship blooms! Bonus points! Lombre evolves into Ludicolo, a dancing Pokemon!

Cubone - This is my biggest brain idea. Cubone's whole thing is abandonment because of his mother dying. While Fabian's mother is not dead, she might as well be since she's off traveling with Gilear. Even before then! She was emotionally absent in his life. Sure the skull could be from his literal dead father THAT HE KILLED...there's just something about the mother/son relationship (or lack thereof) that's *chef's kiss*

Hitmontop - This Pokemon is purely fighter, but he's got sick dance moves and if this isn't the Pokemon version of Fabian I don't know what is.

Kirlia - Sigh. Okay. So. The dancing theme is obvious. Unfortunately, I think Fabian would be the kind of guy that would sexualize Kirlia's evolution, Gardevoir. I could only hope that he wouldn't fall in love with his mon but JY Fabian has me fucked up with his character development. I originally gave Fabian Kirlia before I gave Adaine her Gardevoir, so I think he'd probably go with Gallade for his evolution? I do think that this mon, whatever happens, would knock some sense into Fabian like Brock's mon do in the anime, hehe!

Bisharp - Bisharp reflects Fabian's initial work with swordfighting and fencing. Its description about leading groups of its unevolved form plus getting kicked out if it loses a battle to become boss.....gives me Fabian's Very Bad No Good Day on Leviathan vibes to me.

Absol - Absol's deal is that it is something of an unlucky charm -- but it can actually warn people of incoming dangers. I truly think Fabian needs a creature like that in his life. He probably wouldn't know how to interact with a mon such as this, but I believe in him.

Fig

Fig's team consists of fire types, music based designs, and illusion/trickery Pokemon. I'm realizing that I'm HC'ing that a lot of Fig's mon evolved with her around the time that she learned she's actually a tiefling. I borrowed that idea from Candace, particularly with Houndoom!

Jigglypuff - Jigglypuff is SUCH a match for Figueroth Faeth, I'm talking pre-campaign Fig. It's cute, it's bubbly, and is fully capable of being a menace. Fig would absolutely egg on her mon to do something like, I don't know, marking up their sleeping audience out of anger. Plus it's a singer so it could be a cute lil back up singer for Fig! Jiggly is also sweet and fitting for Fig because it evolves through high friendship. I know that Fig says she keeps her emotions wrapped up but miss thing would absoLUTELY have best friendships with her mon.

Loudred - Loudred feels right for Fig, especially if we assume that Fig started with Whismur, this shy timid lil pink first evolution that has a piercing scream. It's basically a big speaker as well (even though it would not be ideal for a concert with it being able to level houses...Fig would probably love that though) It is a pretty destructive Pokemon, but if it gets to evolve it'll mellow out some. I don't know Fig will ever truly mellow out, but who knows! Anything's possible!

Salazzle - Salazzle's deal is that she emits pheromones that attract males which I think goes well with Fig's penchant for flirting with random guys. Maybe Fig found her Salazzle while in Hell and wasn't an initial part of her team, as they are found in volcanoes and other craggy places. She's also generally cunt and Fig deserves a member like that on her team :)

Zoroark - I love Zoroark for Fig as it is an illusion based Pokemon that is extremely loyal to those that have good bonds with them (I'm being liberal with this, they're more loyal to other Zoroarks but I think Fig's would see her on the same level). It can transform itself and makes large crowds believe their illusion. It just matches Fig's vibes!!! Could I go into how its first evolution, Zorua, transforms itself to protect itself from danger and that parallel with Fig's transformations to protect her emotional state?? Sure, but y'all get the point.

Houndoom - Houndoom is a given for Fig. It's a demon fire dog. For our tiefling archdevil that occasionally shifts into German Shepherd mode? Yeah, nuff said.

Shelgon - Shelgon's line is based on being so determined and literally head strong to get what they want. There's the obvious trait we see here, which is that hard shell that Fig often comments on. Both creatures are reorganizing their cells to better reflect their true/ideal selves. Plus Shelgon turns into a dope dragon and I wouldn't put it past Fig to love that for herself and her Pokemon.

Gorgug

Gorgug's mon are a majority grass/bug based, which I think works with how he grew up with the Thistlesprings in the tree. I gave him two "new" members of his party to reflect his artificer second class. Pretty much all of them could work for both of his classes!

Timburr - Timburr's a cute lil guy that absolutely would start out with Gorgug training to be a barbarian and turn into a lil helper with Gorgug's artificer tinkering. Should Timburr be more evolved than its base form? Yes. Do I think the rest of the line is ugly? Also yes. Sorry about it.

Roselia - I needed to reference Gorgug's very sweet tin flower in some way!!! If taken care of, and we know our boy would absolutely would, it releases a calming scent. Maybe this scent helps calm down Gorgug before he enters a rag e outside of battle, or just to help him relieve anxiety at the end of the day.

Rillaboom - Gorgug 100% would have first gotten its first evolution, Grookey, as his first mon. It'd fit in perfectly with the tree, plus it's whole line is about drumming and rhythm!!! What more can you ask of a mon?

Heracross - I think Heracross is Cute. And strong to boot! For a long time, it's the only one that can keep up with Gorgug as far as strength goes. It's described as docile unless it's disturbed while eating honey; a great match for our sweet barbarian!

Rookidee - I'll be so honest, this choice was based off Cloaca Chloe. I originally gave him Beldum, which is literally a hunk of steel. But I thought about it some more, especially with Chloe being a metal bird, and how could I *not* pick a Pokemon that eventually turns into this giant badass steel/flying type Corviknight? Plus, this mon is bold and always up to the challenge of fighting. What better for a creation that goes "I SUCK" all the time unprovoked?

Tinkatuff - I think that Gorgug found this mon while in the Nightmare Forest, or perhaps right outside of it scared and alone. She's figuring out tinkering along with Gorgug and I know this giant/tiny duo would kick so much ass. Will Tinkatuff end up wanting to fight Rookidee all the time? ...Maybe, but I'm sure Gorgug will find some kind of solution for that to be chill with each other.

Kristen

I had the hardest time with Kristen, because I can't really pin down her personality and ideals in Pokemon. I think it's because she doesn't know who she is currently. I love Kristen, but most of these mon are a read on her.

Bellossom - Bellossom is one of the handful of Pokemon out there that has the healer ability! It could certainly be the final evolution of a mon Kristen could have had as a cleric of Helio, Oddish. Also, picturing Kristen and Bellossom doing ribbon dances together? That'd be cute as hell.

Cosmog - Cosmog is veeeeery Cassandra to me. It's a borderline legendary Pokemon. It is characterized as taking an immediate liking to anyone who gives it the time of day. Something about the frailty of this mon reminds me of Kristen's current god. And if any of The Bad Kids were going to have a legendary mon, it'd be Kristen. Given episode 4, we might be looking at an evolution soon...

Psyduck - Psyduck is constantly plagued with headaches that makes it constantly confused! While Kristen doesn't get the headaches she doesn't necessarily quite know what's going on and why she does certain things. It looks like this season she's on the ball with battles though so we'll see! I'm also thinking of Misty's Psyduck and how she treated hers...while I don't think Kristen would get pissed off with her Psyduck, I think she wouldn't see its value in her party all the time.

Eevee - The beauty with Eevee is that it simply could be anything depending on its environment. I think, if anything, this mon most reflects her current religion with Cassandra in that nothing is set in stone and that's okay.

Bidoof - Kristen picked Bidoof for the meme. I just know she would have at least one joke Pokemon. And yet...I don't know, Bidoof just works with Kristen for reasons I can't explain.

Quaquaval - This is the gayest Pokemon I've EVER seen. Imagine seeing this guy ribbon dancing with Kristen? SICKENING!!!! On a more serious note, it does take things more seriously especially while training. Kristen needs someone to whip her into shape, take things more serious.

Riz

Riz is obviously our crime solving lil goblin kid. Of course, he's going to initially pick mons that could help with a case. But he's also got SUCH a big heart and would wholeheartedly love all of his mon for who they are outside of being helpful. I also just had to go in and do my best to make sure that Riz has a balanced team -- I refuse to think of him as someone that wouldn't have an answer to counter a weak point for any of his Pokemon.

Zigzagoon - I've HC'd that Zigzagoon as Riz's first ever Pokemon! Found him in the grass while he was snooping around for something, and Zigzagoon are naturally curious and restless creatures, so they became quick best friends. I think they're always side by side working on a case!

Spoink - Ok hear me out...I was thinking about how the Night Yorb happened because of Riz trying to figure out Garthy, essentially creating the Night Yorb for the universe with that bit. So I fell on Spoink with it's orb on it's head. But then I got to thinking...Spoink can never stop bouncing because it will die if it does. And if THAT is not Riz Gukgak I don't know what is. Boy doesn't know how to relax; his literal worst fear is resting.

Rotom - Honestly I think Rotom would be super useful for Riz! I'm thinking with the arcade in Freshman Year, if Riz had a Rotom that encounter would have been a bit easier! It is a little bit mischievous, and while that's not really Riz's steez, I think he'd find it endearing to a degree.

Klefki - I think that Riz would love to collect things like keys he thinks are relevant to a case. The great thing about Klefki is that it will hang on to keys that it likes and I think Riz relates to wanting to hold on to things he obsesses over! I know that Riz trusts Klefki with his keys, in general. It apparently jingles itself at attackers, and the mental image of a ring of keys jingling while Riz hisses in Goblin Mode™ is so funny to me.

Greninja - Greninjas give me rogue energy. By this time in its evolution it's a pro at devising battle strategy and is a sharpshooter like its trainer. Plus you KNOW Riz would have Battle Bond with Greninja, they'd be a great fighting pair!

Golbat - Originally I picked a bat Pokemon to relate back to Riz's goblin race; goblins live in dungeons, bats live in dungeons, fantastic! Plus the teeth and open mouth? Riz and Golbat going toe to toe in hissing games. Ok let's get serious, cutthroat. I feel as if Riz would find kinship with its unevolved form, Zubat, because of how they are perceived as small annoying things (I personally was always annoyed encountering zubats in the games, idk if this is a widespread belief). Bonus: Golbats evolve with high friendship into Crobat! I don't know why I didn't give Riz a Crobat, just didn't feel right I guess.

And that's the end! Hope you enjoyed this deep dive into Pokemon, Fantasy High, and dare I say character analysis??? I don't know, that might be a little generous to my word vomit. Get in the comments!! I'd love to hear other takes and see more discussion!!

Anyways uhhhh stream Fantasy High Junior Year on Dropout and play/watch some Pokemon k bye

#i've been working on writing this all out for weeks #please just take this post #this was a lot of fun!!! i wasn't expecting that!!! #fantasy high #dimension 20 #d20 fantasy high #d20 fhjy #d20 fhsy #hootgrowlithe #fantasy high junior year #fantasy high sophomore year #the bad kids

[dragontamerno3]

DS9 S1 E20 - In The Hands Of The Prophets

Soooooooooooo.... I finished S1. And I officially hate Space Karen.

I want to get this out of the way so I hopefully never have to say it again because praising this character hurts me deep in my religiously traumatized soul (lol), but she is *really* good. I mean, of course she was going to be well played given the actress who plays her (RIP Louise Fletcher), but she's so fucking good at how evil she actually is. We're meant to hate her, I get that. But the writing and acting is phenomenal when it comes to this level of religious bigotry and scheming.

I have seen actual people IRL that were just a couple steps down the ladder from being pure fanatics to this dangerous level and the shit they've said in some cases were almost word for word how she spun in.

We started out the episode though with a fun note on Keiko joking with Miles and clearly hinting at something that is probably just supposed to be her playing at being jealous but definitely reads as swinger language to me. Which, from what I've gathered DS9 is one big polyam fam so I may be picking up on those vibes.

Which, I'm kinda sad Neela was the traitor here. I called it when the tool was discovered missing though "it" hadn't been revealed to be secret traitor levels yet and I just assumed she used the tool for some reason. I still knew it was her and when the episode went on and murder turned into potential terrorism I was just... bummed. She seemed to truly be getting alone with Miles and the scene in the shuttle def added to my polyam/swinger thoughts, but she really seemed to actually care for him. This didn't take away from my... enjoyment, can one really call it that when one is also seething? Anyway, it didn't take anything away from the episode from me, if fact it kinda made it feel a bit more realistic cause I have absolutely lost people I cared about because of religion. It just sucked.

Then Winn shows up at the school to talk religious nonsense and the "real" trouble starts. Oh I hate that woman.

And then Kira backing Winn? I know she's also got her own spiritual beliefs and journey but that felt... a bit much? Not aligned with who she had been up to this point? Not the teaching the kids part but the "lets separate everyone" idea. It definitely threw me out of the scene for a bit. I accept it, though, based on the very end of the episode where she explained that she hoped her beliefs were as strong as Winn's, but this was the one bit of writing that I disagreed with. If something has to wait to the end to be explained like this, it could use some fixing.

Quark and Odo meeting in secret to talk about a case seems to me like the writers were trying make up an excuse to get them alone together....

Watching Winn turn all the parents and kids against Keiko was frustrating. The Bajorian food seller not selling to them because of this wasn't so much upsetting as it just made me roll my eyes, but I adore Miles for wanting to jump the counter for his wifes honor lol

When the school blew and Miles ran towards it? And then Odo had to hold him back so he didn't jump into the fire? My heart. It was such a good scene.

I think my favorite part of this episode was Siskos speech. The "You've just made your first mistake" speech. I'm being a bit egotistical for this bit, though. I love it cause these are the same exact speeches I like to make in my ttrpgs. The "You think you've won but really you've severally underestimated us and we're going to ruin you now" speeches are my fucking favorite and I live for them. Sisko wins the gold star for this one.

8.75/10 cause I couldn't decide if I wanted to rate this one a 9 or an 8.5 so split the difference lmao

#star trek #star trek ds9 #ds9 #watchalong #star trek deep space nine #space karen #ds9 winn #I hate her so much #fuck winn #in the hands of the prophets

[whovianwatchingstartrek]

A Whovian Watches Star Trek for the First Time: Part 106 - Deep Cover within a Deep Cover

Star Trek: Discovery - Season 1 Episode 11 - The Wolf Inside

We open this episode with a monologue from Michael about her time so far in the Empire universe, and how the constant need to watch her back is effecting her. Additionally, we find out that this universe's Saru is a slave, which is sad to see, but for this universe's standards should have been expected. Also the use of a transporter as a method of execution is absolutely brutal to see.

Michael has managed to obtain the information on the Defiant, however cracking the firewall from the Shenzhou is difficult, and sending it to Discovery would be noticed.

Unfortunately back on Discovery, our crew has discovered the death of Colbert, and their immediate assumption is that in his current state, Paul did it. Sylvia has an idea to cure Paul's condition however, and takes him down to the engineering lab. Her theory is that the Spore Network is simply using all of Paul's physical resources to keep the portal between the universes open, and that a fresh dose of spores might wake him up, and she puts this hypothesis to the test.

On the Shenzhou, Michael has been given the location of the leader of the Klingon rebellion, someone called "The Firewolf" and is ordered to kill him.

In a private conversation with Lorca, Michael reveals that she is really hopeful that this rebellion could lead to a Federation like entity if it wins. It's even made up of the same mix of species as the Federation founders, just substituting Klingons for Humans. She is reluctant to go through with her orders. Her plan is to beam into the Firewolf's camp with Ash to negotiate. The pair are captured immediately after appearing, and are taken to the firewolf.

Apparently Sarek is among the firewolf's camp, and they refer to him as "The Prophet". Sarek performs a mindmeld with Michael, and sees the memories from the Federation Universe, and he clears any doubt about Michael's intentions. Michael, looking for advice on how to help with the war in the Federation universe starts asking the Firewolf questions, however a lot of the Firewolf's answers start to trigger Ash's sleeper programming, and a sword fight ensues. Sarek manages to break it up however, and continues to vouch for Michael.

Meanwhile on Discovery, Sylvia's experiment is having a positive effect on Paul, and moving the stress on his brain to some of his other organs, however it then goes wrong, and medical staff have to step in to stabilise him, but he goes braindead, albiet only temporarily. Once Tilly is alone with him, we get to see Paul's perspective inside the spore network, and we're teased with him encountering his empire universe counterpart.

Back on Shenzhou, Ash finally confesses as much as he can about his current state to Michael, and he starts to remember his true past. Apparently, he is a Klingong that was molded into a human and given false memories to infiltrate discovery. More specifically, he is the Federation Universe's counterpart to the Firewolf. He attacks Michael to avenge T'Kuvma, but the Shenzhou crew apprehend him, and Michael orders to have him Transporter Executed. As he sufficates in Space though, Discovery transport him aboard, and turns out this was partially a ruse to get the Data on the Defiant to Discovery. We're then hit with a final blow of another ship appearing to destroy the Rebels themselves, and we're hit with another surprise that apparently the Emperor is Georgiou, something which I really wasn't expecting.

I'm liking this whole corruption arc for Michael, and I thought the Ash twist was fun. It was nice seeing more of this universe, but I wish we could have spent a bit more time fleshing out the Rebels. Good episode, but I think the previous one was a bit better. Still excited to see where this goes now that the Emperor is directly involved though.

#whovian watching star trek #star trek #star trek Discovery #Star Trek DIS #Star Trek DISCO #ST DIS #ST DISCO #DIS #st: disco #DISCO #st: discovery #Discovery #ST: DIS

[asherisawkward]

Before For the Future came out, while people were wondering whether Luz would sacrifice herself in final episode or not, I had a theory that Luz would convince Belos to sacrifice himself. Luz and Belos have many similarities and many differences, and one of the differences is that Luz is ready to sacrifice herself, and Belos is ready to sacrifice others.

And I thought that in the final episode they would switch places. Luz could take advantage of Philip's belief that he is doing a good deed. When the Collector got tired of the Boiling Isles, he would definitely want to have fun with the billions of humans on Earth. And one Collector is worse than all the witches.

To save the souls of billions of humans, Belos would need to defeat the Collector. He would jump into the Titan's vein, spread through it and consume the Boiling Isles. He himself would become a Titan. He would destroy everything that the witches built, he would destroy everything that grew on the Islands, he would destroy everything and everyone who could not escape.

I thought we were going to have an epic battle between the Titan Belos and the Collector, during which a remix of the opening would play. And after a few minutes of battle, Belos would have sealed the Collector in the In Between Realm at the cost of his life. This could be remembered as a heroic act, Luz and her friends could lie to everyone that Belos was actually a good guy controlled by the Collector.

And the gigantic body of Belos would become the new Boiling Isles, which would be full of resources like palistrom or Titan's blood.

What do you think about this old theory?

That’s really compelling theory!!!! I would have absolutely been there to see Luz manipulating Philip into saving the BI through weaponizing his care for humanity. It would have also been a slightly easier transition for the Boiling Isles, as they wouldn’t have to immediately realize that the man they idolized as a prophet was a genocidal witch hunter whose whole goal was their destruction.

(Still, they should have eventually been made aware of Philip’s actions eventually. It’s wrong for them to eternally idolize someone who only meant them harm.)

#The Owl House #TOH #Philip Wittebane #Emperor Belos #BelosFansTakeover #Luz Noceda #Season 3 Theories #Ask

[literary-illuminati]

Book Review 66 – Prophet, Volume 1: Remission by Brandon Graham (et al)

I am not, generally a big comics reader – like, I’m fairly sure you can count the number of comics I’ve read any real amount of on one hand, and exactly one of those was capefic/part of a shared universe – and that’s only one of several reasons why this isn’t a series I’m likely to have picke up on my own. But a good friend has relentlessly bullied me into trying it (up to and including physically shoving the entire run into my hands) and the alternative is pacifying him by reading more Malazan, so I’m giving this a try and approaching it with an open mind.

The book opens in the unimaginably distant future, on an earth where humanity and all its works seems less erased and more just forgotten, the ruins and wastes settled by a whole variety of different alien species. In this, an ancient crypod hisses open and John Prophet, vaguely superhuman soldier of the old Earth Empire, awakens with an itch in his brain urging him across the world towards the mission he was called upon to complete.

The first half of the volume is John’s adventures across the alien earth on his way to receive his mission and then complete it. Once he has, and the old Empire begins to awaken, things get weird – old Earth was really big into cloning and gene-editing, apparently, and there’s a lot of very variably recognizable other Johns buried and frozen across the Galaxy; the story takes some time to jump between a few of them and the worlds or spacecraft or artificial megastructures they find themselves on.

This is a very visual comic, significantly moreso than the others I’ve read – dialogue is sparse to nonexistent, with the detached narration providing the vast majority of the text in every issue so far. Which makes the overwhelming appeal of this visual – do you like looking at weird acid-trip aliens and sci fi vistas and lots of richly coloured violence and action with the bare minimum of text to make the narrative cohere? Then you will unironically adore this.

The later chapters are what start leaning into the actual plot of the series – John is either the original or a now-uniquely high caste clone, and was involved in the civil war that ruined the old empire on account of having or developing a conscience, I think, and with him having woken up the empire this will presumably be pretty key going forward. Despite that, I found myself enjoying the first few episodic chapters of him journeying across Earth rather more. The Jack Vance/Sword&Planet sci fi adventure is a genre I basically haven’t seen since my reading material expanded past the bookshelf my dad had in the basement as a child, so reading through them was oddly nostalgic. The tension between John wanting to get in trouble and help people and be a hero and the programming in his head pushing him to focus solely on The Mission could be a fun dynamic, too. Honestly slightly dissapointed they didn’t drag it out longer.

Anyway these things are incredibly bite-sized for something Goodreads classifies as a whole book, so it’s not like this was much of a time commitment. Which is good, because I’ve got four more to go.

#book review #prophet #Brandon Graham #sff #comics

[cooking-with-hailstones]

Hyrule first contact

So I just had a brainwave about an idea I've had on the backburner for a while now: a Star trek/Zelda crossover heavily inspired by the TNG episode First Contact.

(The basic plot of the episode is: a race of humanoids have developed warp-capable technology. The federation shows up to them as a courtesy gesture, basically going "hey, you've got warp! Nice! Just a heads up that there's a lot of stuff out there and we are one of the nicer groups you're going to encounter. Here's a heads up about a bunch of things you should maybe be aware of". And of course, shenanigans ensue)

My thought is: The planet Hyrule is on is in the Gamma quadrant. Sometime post-tears of the kingdom, Zelda and the research teams have developed warp-capacity travel. (Maybe through the rediscovery of some ancient zonai or sheikah tech) (I haven't finished the game yet so please don't mention spoilers I will be very sad!!)

Throughout the development of this warp capacity travel, the Federation takes notice. There's some weird-ass energy signals coming from this planet near the wormhole between the alpha and gamma quadrants, and so they do some covert research. Eventually they reveal themselves, cue many excited technobabble conversations between Zelda and the Federation teams.

Fun things about this: Hylia and the Golden Three could be the very same entities as the Prophets. Because the prophets exist outside of time, it would lend itself well to all the time travel shenanigans and strange devices that the gods have left Hyrule (just like Bajor gets the Orbs, Hyrule has Tears, the master sword, etc). Also, could help explain the fractured timeline - the prophets just being like "a linear temporal existence? what is this?"

I also like the idea that they're blissfully ignorant of the Dominion, because the Founders took one look at the cursed shit going down in Hyrule and went "fuck nope. We're the only spooky goop that we want to deal with. DNI with that planet."

Is Demise a pah-wraith??

Think of the shenanigans that could ensue if Gul Dukat ever met Ganondorf.

Bashir and Jadzia getting up to incredible mischief.

Sisko panicking because oh my GOD am I now the Emissary to these people too???? And Zelda being like nah I think that's my job, you're good man.

I might loop in some TNG characters as well just because I wanna see Purah and Robbie losing their entire shit over Data.

Garak being generally impressed by the Sheikah, especially some of the nastier stuff in their history.

Setting would be pre-dominion war.

Anyways that's all I've got for now, we'll see if this thing gets written someday! If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.

#fanfiction #my ideas #my writing #star trek #deep space 9 #the legend of zelda #crossover au #star trek crossover #legend of zelda crossover #zelda trek #prophets #pah-wraiths #totk #legend of zelda au #star trek au #brainstorming

[damn-it-a-hogwarts-legacy-blog]

Some questions for your HC

do you think Ominis would remarry if Isabel died, and vice versa? If Isabel is cursed the same curse as Anne, do you think Ominis would be like Sebastian when finding a cure? If we follow the same timeline as HP, then Marvolo would have Merope and Morfin, so do you think Ominis would have any involvement with that entire mess? If so, where does Isabel and their children fall into that situation? Tysm 😃

OOH, so many questions, thank you!

1: oh noooo this is so sad 😭 well they’re both super super old and still alive together bc I say so lmao but hmm, I think Isabel might remarry? No idea who she would marry, tho. I kinda don’t feel like thinking about it, I’ve never been the type who could write my faves going through that level of angst lol. I can’t see Ominis recovering from that tho. He’s not quite as resilient as Isabel.

2: this is a super interesting question! A part of me thinks Ominis would be like Sebastian, tbh. Like, it’s one thing to be on the other side fearing for the wellbeing of your friends, but quite another to actually be in Sebastian’s place. I could see Ominis’ spiral being more gradual, idk if it would end quite like Sebastian, but I kinda love the idea of an alternate timeline in which Ominis goes down that path for the love of his life. It would take way more to scare Isabel and Sebastian than it would Anne, Solomon and Ominis, so Ominis could go unchecked much longer than Sebby lol. Perhaps if the Gaunts cursed Isabel, Ominis would be the one to exterminate all of them except Marvolo and whoever his spouse was for whatever reason… DAMN that would be an excellent story, I’ve been looking for an excuse to write Dark!Ominis, that would be super fun. Ok I’m adding it to my drafts after I finish answering this lmao. No guarantees when it will be done, but it will be there for me to chip away at. Thank you, anon, for your inspiration >:)

3: in my HCs, Ominis has totally cut off his family, having zero contact except for the times when the Gaunts find him and Isabel. I like to think Ominis doesn’t even know Merope and Morfin exist until that whole mess is reported in the papers in the 1920s. There is one small exception, tho, in that when his and Isabel’s kids are old enough to go to Hogwarts, Isabel takes her kids aside and says “if you ever come across anyone with the last name of Gaunt, kick their asses for mommy—just don’t tell your father” 😂

That’s something I started writing a few months ago, actually—I ended up scrapping it because it went nowhere and just rambled, but I like to imagine Ominis had thus far been living a peaceful, happy life with his new family and not being too bothered by the fact that the rest of the Gaunts stopped harassing him and his family as they slowly killed each other off, then he reads the Prophet article about them in the 1920s and it’s like he’s right back to being a teenager again, reminded of everything his old family did to him as all the trauma rushes back and he grieves for the fact that they never even gave him the opportunity to reconcile with them.

If you’ve ever seen that famous Bojack Horseman episode with the funeral, there’s one part where Bojack talks about what losing a parent is like (here, from 0:52 onward). That’s kinda what I’m going for with Ominis learning all the other Gaunts are dead: his relationship with them was never good, but he didn’t even realize he had been holding onto that hope of things getting better until they were long dead. Ominis still knows his real family is with Isabel and their now-grown children and possibly grandchildren, but he is still devastated.

I think this is really at the crux of why Ominis is my favorite. I’ve experienced this irl, and it’s why I have such a hard time doing things like imagining the scenarios in the first question; I like being able to go through this alongside a fictional character like Ominis, but I also need him to be happy in other parts of his life because I do too. Sort of wish fulfillment I guess, it’s sometimes difficult to describe lol

#hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #ominis gaunt x mc #headcanons #Isabel Greymoore

[nepobabyeurydice]

REALLY FAST ANALYSIS OF THE NEW TRAILER and MY THOUGHTS ON IT

Baby percy is adorable, o shots of sally’s face

MET scene, original trailer scene

Special thing is a good word choice to hide behind since neurodivergent people are ‘special’ and it’s likely what Percy thinks Chiron is referring to.

My analysis earlier on the Variety was stuck between Montauk or Ares but how I’m sure it’s Ares

The head shot looks really good for Medusa since it’s not just 1 or 3 snakes but like 50 or so

The Underworld is going to be hell since it looks like it’s going to be super foggy

Clarisse bullying sceneeeee!! The actress somehow pulls off a resting bitch face and aggressive. I love how we also see the kids milling in the background!

The minotaur is definitely more bulllike than the books but it makes it scarier somehow???

Posidon shot is straight out of the last episode, the bolt is also from the last episode when Percy’s going up to Olympus

In love with the Big House windows they give it an old but diy feeling

The joy on Clarisse’s face when she lights Maimer stoooppp

I KNOW NEW JERSEY WHEN I SEE IT

The creepy bald lady i’m pretty sure is the Neried forming it was just on a different frame than the one they plucked for the trailer

LEAH IS SO PRETTY, she looks all serious too

Aryan looks so happy in so many scenes when he looks sad we know something bad just happened ugggghhh.

THE WINDOW WIPE FOR ANNABETH’s HAT. there’s just a small zing! and she’s gone

Luke’s actor is hella fine, I’m going to love hating the character so hard because he seems like someone who could pull off sympathetic looking but hella evil

Also everyone hurls themselves on the floor when Percy shoots I love it. He misses, the Apollo kids look so freaked out along which the Hermes kids. Luke was being so inspirational and Percy just FAILS.

Also disabled camper spotted either Demeter or Ares Cabin guessing by the jewellery on her arms but maybe Aphrodite???

Eveyone yells at Percy not SHOOT AGAIN ITS SO FUNNY ISTG

AHHH Waterland!!! Annabeth just looks tired but also like she’s having fun being with Percy

Percy on Olympus, Annabeth says “you still don’t know where you fit into all this?” I wonder if it could be before Capture the Flag or after the claiming that Annabeth instigated

Amtrak! I thought Annabeth was stabbed but never mind looking fierce though

Yup cloudy as shit, very monochrome, the guards looked cool though.

The lotus hotel is so florescent I can’t.

HERMES IS THERE??? HE WASNT THERE ORIGINALLY WHY IS HE HERE? Also I forgot Lin was Hermes I thought he was a cameo.

Percy jumping over shit I love him

Fight with Minotaur, Minotaur is scary, I think the show is trying to show that Sally really was a good candidate for Oracle by giving her a prophetic sensibility around her

Fun clip splice at the end the Chimera is literally terrifying what the hell. like it looks silly but from the angle it’s introduced it sends chills down my spine.

I think they’re keeping a lot of Annabeth & Grover’s story out of it to make them the emotional backbone of the story in the next 2 seasons and so on so forth. It makes sense since TLT was about Percy, TSM relied on Grover and Annabeth, TTC relied on Thalia, BotL relied on Annnabeth and Nico, TLO relied on Percy again. Rick can add more hints and Chekhov’s Guns now but he also can’t pull them all at once now because he wants this show renewed for another season.

My advice is to keep cool when we don’t get a ton of Grover & Annabeth’s story and riot if Season 2 doesn’t deliver but right now the show is trying to get newer and younger fans (as seen with it being followed right up by What If… in an attempt to get more people to jump into Disney+ and then scroll through once they finish watching whatever episode just ended to the new stuff) but I think it looks good there’s a lot of deliberate representation and diversity in the show and as spoilery as the trailer scenes we haven’t seen the actual meeting with Hades, Zeus and the other Olympians, no Dionysus lines or anything from New Jersey or the Lotus Hotel in truth.

#percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson show #percy jackson disney+ #percy jackson and the olympians show #analysis

[kiteblue42]

Part 5 of - what the heck is going on with Mobius anyway?

S2e6- the one I can’t bear to rewatch

This was a great ending for Loki and appropriately bittersweet - hearing Mobius on the timeline missing him (and all his friends) but knowing they are safe because of what he is doing 😭😢😭. Although I hoped we might get a cute happy ending - this was no where near as terribly bleak as I thought we might be headed at one point.

Though there were quite a few lose ends including some of the themes that did not pay off … Apparently marvel vetoed the original scrip for episode 5 which might explain those (I do wonder why?) I’m sure the internet can speculate 🧐.

I can’t face a rewatch at the moment so from memory….

There are only 2 really important Mobius passages in Ep 6 (which was rightly Loki focussed).

- the historic interrogation room scene

- The final Mobius section

Interrogation room scene

Loki returns to his first conversation with Mobius essentially to get his advice. Mobius is his moral compass he wants to know what he should do.

The upshot is Mobius fundamentally thinks doing the right thing is to accept a burden - it’s not necessarily what you want to do, it’s not what will make you happy but if you don’t do the right thing in Mobius view that is not something he’d be able to bear.

This is important for his ultimate fate because he is not expecting a happily ever after.

Goodbye TVA

All the Mobius content back in the TVA “after” just speaks of someone grieving. Loki is clearly haunting every shot and Mobius can’t move on if he stays there. “You’ll find no comfort at the TVA” from the interrogation scene appears prophetic. He literally sits frozen at his desk when we first see him. His decision to go and look at the timeline is not really because he thinks the others won’t miss him (B15 makes it clear) but it’s also obvious he’s not essential either. It’s because he misses Loki too much and this is one of the last pieces of advice Loki gave him.

The timeline

Back on the timeline he has gone to see what could have been. It’s the good life he predicted, but in the end it’s not as painful as he thought because he can say that’s something he helped to protect. (describing the house as the “best on the block.”) . This reminds me of the end of Dr Strange (mom) where Strange and Wong discuss their alternatives being happy and how that’s a comfort in a way.

Loki’s absence is still felt & not just because Sylvie raises it, but also because of Mobius quoting “never look never know”. It seems to be a positive thing that Loki’s words inspired action here where in the TVA Mobius seemed completely locked in stasis.

“Let time pass”

Well thanks Mobius - what the heck does this mean!?

So in previous posts particularly running up to s2e2 Mobius seemed to be in a bad way. In fact lots of us spotted that Mobius seemed to have a death wish / was primed for some sort of sacrifice. (Falling for a god if you’re a mortal generally goes pretty badly after all).

I read “let time pass” as positive as we can expect - it’s a decision not to stop which I think was a thought lurking in the back of Mobius psyche through both seasons. It’s not yet a positive get out there and live (which Sylvie has chosen). Not yet anyway.

This is consistent with Mobius character- someone who deals with what is put in front of him, accepts it’s not all about happiness or comfort, will accept a burden and ultimately would be proud of Loki’s own sacrifice (and would not want to undermine that).

The writers say it was not a cliffhanger ending (and in general that’s right) but this *did* feel like a cliff hanger - Mobius seems to have chosen not to die but he’s not yet chosen life. He is still “no where man”.

I really really hope we check in on Mobius again in future and see him making some steps back into life.

Thanks to all the bloggers and artists out there for a really fun Loki season 2 - I’ve enjoyed the chaos - hope no one is feeling too despondent!

#loki #mobius #lokius #loki spoilers #mobius m mobius #lokius meta #loki season 2 #loki meta #loki and mobius

[tblsomedoodles]

Oh goodness, pessimistic Donnie being the one to see good futures, and it annoys him is hysterical.

It kinda makes sense why he wouldn’t realize he has the inverse of his twin’s ability. as A he thinks they are normal happy dreams and B they didn’t start coming often until after the Krang are sealed away. Also why Casey jr wouldn’t know.

Oh what if it is typical for doom prophet to have a twin sooth sayer and Draxum comments that it is odd for doom prophet Leo to not have a sibling seer that is the opposite. (Mystic yin Yang balance and all that.)

I also really like that other comment that between Mikey’s ability to make portals to other dimensions or the past and Seer Leo, Draxum is getting blown away by how powerful the boys are. Add sooth sayer Donnie into the mix and there are three of the four with some rare powerful mystic ability. …. Maybe mind Raph from the hidden city episode jumping into someone else’s thought stream could be a sign of another ability. Also why Raph tends to talk to himself in the third person.

yes! Exactly all this!

And i really like that "Doom prophet usually comes with a sooth sayer" thing! Not only for just mystic world balance, but also to keep both of them sane. B/c seeing only the bad things would really weigh on that person as much as just seeing only the good things. but if the two work together, they would be able to balance each other out.

Draxum mentioning this would be kinda hilarious b/c it would probalby go like this

Draxum: If you're a doom prophet than there should be a sooth sayer in the world somewhere.

Leo: A what-y what?

Draxum: Sooth sayer. If you see all the negative in the future, they see all the positive. The two usually come as a set, often times twins but it has been known to be unrelated people born on the same day.

Leo *thinking of his pessimistic twin and laughs*: Yeah, don't think it's a twin this time either.

and Mind Raph could definitely be Raph's extra little thing. I think someone mentioned that Raph is shown having a mild form telepathy at some point (which very much could be mind raph in action.) so maybe that's what that is? it could be fun to say the least, and not exactly too far from cannon : )

Thank you!

Probably the same or similar to yours. I have an absolute horrible sleep schedule and 1am is usually when i end up posting asks. : )

Thank you!

#asks #tmnt #rottmnt #seer twins au #(yes i changed the tag lol)

[canonicallysoulmates]

Jared Saturday Solo Panel JIB11

We start with a fan letting him know that they love the music on Walker (same!) and that they like this vers more than the original Walker, Texas Ranger. Jared says thank you, that he's not the person who picks the music for the show but thank you in their behalf, and that it was an interesting kind of transition from Sam to Walker that he had many months during the pandemic because when Jensen and he were send home from Van for the pandemic he already knew basically the entire last episode and a half which they had left to film of SPN and so he was able to work for like 5 months trying to figure out the character of Cordell Walker. He also says that a lot of what he does on Walker he wouldn't have been comfortable doing before working with Jensen (💕). That seeing Jensen kind of have fun with scenes and kinda make it his own, he really kinda took notes of that subconsciously and now he's just having a good time and he hopes he gets to keep doing it. x

Is there any difference between how he gets into the role of Walker and how he used to get into the role of Sam? Logistically, no. He has an idea of who Cordell Walker is and he had a pretty decent idea of who Sam is, he feels like in a couple of days time he could easily get back into Sam that he could do Sam right now. His method is kind of the same, it's remained the same since he was the og Dean on Gilmore Girls, but he just kinda reads it, lets it swim around and then he gets to set and throws it all away and sees what works. So in general he'll read a script many times in a row and then on the day he's filming those scenes he'll just work on those scenes, and then somedays he'll get to set and they're supposed to shoot a scene where they're walking down the street and in your head you'll like plan it out but then you get to the location where you're filming and you realize that you're not walking that far- that he feels like if we were to grab the script for any of the Walker episodes and then watch the episode there's a lot of words and lines that we wouldn't see. That they just kinda bob and weave and flow so that's been really nice to do but otherwise it's been very similar. x

If Sam had died what would have been his goodbye speech to Dean?

He thinks Sam's speech to Dean would have been a combination of what he said to Dean in Fresh Blood, what he said to him in Sacrifice, and what he said to him in Prophet and Loss kind of a combination of those three but he thinks Sam would have also said to Dean, even if Sam was the one who was gonna bleed out and die, he would have said "it's okay, you can go". He thinks Sam knew, and might know again, that Dean wouldn't have lived a long life without him, in his opinion, he thinks Dean was around keeping his brother safe and Dean knew that he wanted to be there for Sam and he also knew that Sam had something else other than hunting that he was destined to do. He shares that when he, Jeremy Carver, Bob Singer, and Jensen sat down together before s15 and talked about the finale in his head Sam was going to be the one to die. That that's it's own tragedy where Dean brought his brother back to hunt and be part of the life, and he thought it would be so interesting to see Dean have to cope with the idea that Sam died because Dean brought him back into the life. When he says this the audience reacts and sadly goes awww and he sees he wants to see it, that maybe we will. He thinks Sam would have tried to make sure "hey dude I know you've been here for me sacrificed a lot for me when you need to go just go i'll be waiting for you" 😭

Real quick, some of you will have noticed the Jeremy Carver mention. That's not a mistake on my part! That's what Jared said. Can't blame him, Carver wasn't perfect but I too wish it had been him with us at the end instead of Dabb. x

Any plans to make Walker and Walker Independence available on tv outside of the US? The short answer is hell yes, the shorter answer is he has zero votes on that executive producer or not. He would love for it to be available everywhere he thinks Windy is such a beautiful show and he's obviously so proud of Walker and he's done so much work on it, he says he actually tried the previous night when he got back from dinner to re-watch the latest episodes cause his body was at like 2pm Texas time and he had watched the eps live but it was in the airport lounge in Atlanta, but it wouldn't let him watch it cause he's in Italy. Get a VPN my boy!

That if he knew who to call he would call them, write them a long letter. x

If Sam and Dean were to go completely solo hunting during the course of SPN who would make it closest to s15? Dean was more run and gun style, Sam was more let me try and research and figure out the best way to approach this style, and Sam had to be possessed by Meg, be possessed by Lucifer, by Gadreel/Ezekiel. And Dean got killed by rebar that didn't move. 😂 Sam. x

What was the hardest emotional scene for him to shoot on Walker?

He thinks it was s1 episode 9 the flashback of Captain James pulling back the sheet off of dead Emily. Steve Robin who directed it wouldn't let him see G once her makeup was done and so he made the whole crew get quiet and they had like a minimal skeleton crew they call it, so the first time Jared saw G was that first take and Coby Bell broke and Odette Annabelle broke down in tears, and he was a wreck. That was hard, that it sucked and it was tough. Sure, I believe you buddy.....🤨 x

If he was a professional wrestler what would be his ring name?

He starts to answer Moose but there's actually already a professional wrestler called that! When the fan informs him of this he says 'fuck him' 😂 And when the fan asks if he thinks he could beat him in a fight that this wrestler is a pretty big dude (I looked him up out of curiosity he is big) he says "did you not just hear? I beat Lucifer and God" 😂 There are some Polish fans in the crowd so he asks him how you say Moose in Polish, and then how to say killer in Polish and that's what he goes with; I don't know nearly enough about the Polish language to even attempt to write those two words so y'all are just gonna have to watch the moment.

edit: Shoutout to @marriedchesters for the help with the Polish! Moose is łoś and killer is zabójca.

There's a second part to this question and it's what would be his entrance song. He says before he tore his knee up he was kind of getting back into doing back work and stuff and there's a song from Deadpool, which he confesses he has never seen, but the song Welcome to the Party would be his entrance song. That would make a great entrance song! x

When he found out Sam would kill Rowena was he hoping it'd be the same way he killed Madison? Basically hooking up with her before having to kill her.

Jared says anybody who has had the pleasure of meeting Ruthie loves her, he certainly loves and adores her both as a human being and as a fellow actor so when he read that script that was a though one, and they were at the time in the series when they were kind killing people off and saying goodbye to them and it all sucked. He feels it was appropriately intimate, he thinks it was the right way to do it cause it felt like a connection and he wouldn't have written it any other way. x

As a tallish guy, out of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which of the dwarfs would he be and which would Sam be? He'd be Dopey, and Sam would be Grumpy. x

In the episode Bad Day at Black Rock, there's a scene where Sam falls down, did Jared really hurt his knees when he did that scene? The short answer is no, he didn't hurt his knees. The long answer is there was a stunt pad out of camera, and if you watch the shot you can tell where it is cause it was really big. x

Did they know why Poughkeepsie was such an important word to Sam and Dean, or did they come up with a reason or backstory in their head? It originally came from Bob Singer, and then the second time when he says Poughkeepsie to Dean it was not in the script but he thought it would be a cool thing to add. He says the nerd in him thought it would be the perfect time to close the loop and that a lot of the stuff he does now on Walker and Windy as a producer but also even during SPN, some of the things he likes doing, like the bits during the barn scene of "i cant do this alone" "yes you can""well i don't want to" that was not scripted it was just something he wanted to add, it was a great way to close the circle. He doesn't love acting what he loves is storytelling and stories so he thinks as somebody who enjoyes stories that just seems like pieces of the puzle that final feeling like when you're figuring out where the last pieces of a puzzle go. He loves that feeling and his middle child, Shep, is the same way with Legos or puzzles he'll spend days or weeks buidling this puzzle and then he'll want them to see it and then he'll break it down and Jared was the same way as a child and he continues to be like that he wants to figure it out and then do something else. x

If he were to be on The Boys would he be a part of the boys or the Seven and would he kick Soldier Boy's ass or help him? He doesn't know if he would want to fight Soldier Boy he was mean. He and Kripke have talked a little bit about how he could do it but right now it's not practical logistically. He'd love to be on the show, he'd have to call his mom and tell her not to watch, but he'd love to do it and he thinks it would be fun to link up with Soldier Boy and kind of solve something together. He'd have to be one of the sups. The number of things that I would be willing to do to make this happen!!! x

Who wears the Gucci jacket best? He'd say it's him. He doesn't believe he's ever owned a Gucci jacket and he doesn't know what took him so long. x

How hard was it for him to not draw from Sam when shooting the cage scenes in the beginning of this season of Walker? The thought absolutely crossed his mind. In a weird way he feels like Cordell Walker almost has a bit more of a fuck you attitude than Sam, Walker has a bit of Dean in him of like bring it where as Sam was very much almost academic. Sam is defiant but he's thinking all along about what would be the intelligent way to get out of there, Cordell is a bit more 'well, I guess this is it' but then they bring Liam into the cage, pretty similar to Dean and Sam in the cage- on a personal note that cage was real metal. Often when you see cages it's a lot of firm styrofoam that has been made to look like old iron but this was just iron and concrete and it sucked, and since he was wearing shorts and a thin shirt he couldn't wear pads and that's when he tore his ACL. x

This is so cool! The next fan used to be a handler for Chuck Norris and she told him how well Walker was doing and he asked her to pass along the message that he was so proud! Jared shares that he was invited once to be a part of a con that Chuck Norris was attending but he was out of town so he's still never met the guy. That it's fun to follow in footsteps but also pave your own way so that means a lot. x

What kind of plotlines would he like to see happen in an SPN reboot?There are a lot in his head. He thinks he has expressed how much he would love to that sometime but he feels so protective of what he and Jensen did with SPN and those characters that he feels like he and Jensen would need to have the heaviest hands in the storylines. They never did, they were never producers on SPN, much less EP's. They behaved like producers, however, he really feels like he has some strong toughts on the best way to do it and they have talked about it and shared ideas. He wouldn't want it to be a movie, he would want it to be a 6 to 8 ep, maybe hour and a half, reboot. And he doesn't think that it would be complete without C (yes, it would be) and without Jack, and so many of the beloved characters they had especially towards the end where it would more sense to jump back in. x

What's a lesson he's gotten from a movie that's important to him? The fan mentioned the Lion King and it makes him think about how he wrote his senior graduation English paper on the Lion King, working in Joseph Campbell's Hero's, Myths, and Legends and all the archetypes, and then got to portray a lot of those with SPN.

His senior advanced English placement paper was comparing the Lion King and the Natural with Robert Redford, and talking about the different use of archetypes and the different kind of genres and so he thinks he really loves the classic archetypes in stories, the classic tropes and different takes on them and so he finds himself drawn to stories that have an inherent juxtaposition like the friendly beast, the chewbacca that's scary or the Timon and Pumba that are strange. He thinks he's learned from some of those movies and from some kids movies; he thinks kids movies are very simplistic at their core because they deal with things- and he imagines that people who create and produce kids movies and kid tv shows they understand that certain storylines work like the bully who ends up being a nice guy, or the nerd that ends up being the hero, he thinks humans are all drawn to those tropes so he has learned a lot but now he has to go back and watch and make some notes. x

What aspect of Sam's personality was hardest to act? A lot of Sam came pretty naturally to him and he thinks that's a credit to their writers, he can't tell how many times in the final like 10 seasons of SPN it'd have Sam and Dean show up to a person's house and be like 'hey we wanna ask you about your deceased person' and Sam does his puppy dog eyes but he thinks that's kind of who he is; he thinks it was Sam's version of comedy because he doesn't think Sam was a really funny guy, he just had some funny moments. He thinks Cordell Walker's version of comedy is very similar to his but he thinks Sam's version of comedy was difficult for him to find and maybe that was correct because he doesn't think Sam thought of himself as a funny person kinda more just funny in the moment. So that's probably it. And he once again mentions how nerve racking French Mistake was for him due to the comedy. x

Final question! What his favorite thing about Walker's personality and about Sam's personality? His favorite about Sam's personality was his long game mentality, he kinda helped teach Jared patience. He won't claim he's the most patient person on the planet, he thinks he's allright but Sam always wanted to do things right, to do things the correct way and he was willing to put in the work before attempting so that he wouldn't mess up. His favorite part of Cordell's personality is his sense of humor. He's very similar to himself, he's kind of a goofball and doesn't take himself seriously. Not that Sam took himself seriously, he was dealing with much more serious situations but he loves how Cordell doesn't seem to take himself seriously that it's been fun and it's been a lesson in itself. x

Jared's Saturday Solo Panel JIB11

#jared padalecki #sort of #anti jared x genevieve #anti castiel #mine #noniwtv

[inkyvendingmachine]

What's your favorite moment from each of the Call of Cthulu / Bendy seasons so far?

oh my gosh, uh,

Season 1

It's actually not really a scene that is super mentioned anywhere, because it's from the first episode. But there was a point where Joey and Sammy start arguing about why are we in Haiti / why do we have guns?!? which like, was the first point that I think both Shazz and I actually just slipped into character? up until then it was very "i move into the next room." and the argument/back and forth and finding how these characters interact was just Very Fun.

Season 2

Hands down it's when Joey gets to take over Doc Moonlight's dream spell and turn it back on him. Gosh I love that scene SO MUCH i was screaming as I was writing it and whenever I need a boost of Joey Drew energy to write more I go and re-read that scene haha

Season 3

Oh man uhh. Gosh there's SO MANY. I guess I need to go with Saving Jack And Sammy from being Kidnapped By Mobsters by starting a Musical Riot In A Fancy Restaurant scene, just between being so excited that THE DUMB PLAN WORKED and also being able to debut the Cooler Faster Ink Demon transformation. (which was very in the moment me franctically reading thru my spells list for ANYTHING I could possibly do and coming across something that I had forgotten was added?? or Thren added when I wasn't looking, and just being like "uhhh, I can turn into... a cooler, faster ink demon?????? i wanna do that please!!"

Close runner up tho is Pointy Henry slashing Prophet through with his soul scythe after Prophet had warned Joey that Henry like this was Dangerous Like This lmao.

#call of cthulhu: haunted hijinx #have your pitch fee check ready

[bloodstained-ballgowns]

Constantly thinking about the consistently prophetic nature of so many of the songs in DJATS.

Billy and Daisy write 'Honeycomb' ('we could make a good thing bad...how did we get here? how do we get out? we used to be something to see, oh baby look at us now') as their first song and then, three years later, those lyrics coming to fruition at the Chicago concert and everything really has unravelled, which is the most obvious cyclical narrative choice. Daisy writes 'Type of Guy' ('you're the type of guy who doesn't wanna talk about it anymore...what can make you laugh can make you cry, and I'm that same type of guy'), a song seemingly about seeing so much of yourself in another person, right after performing on stage with Billy for the first time (she barely knows him and yet already recognises parts of herself in him like??), linking to Daisy's confession to Nicky in episode 7 ('I think I thought we were soulmates') and Billy's to Camila in episode 10 ('she just sees me, the all of me').

Again, Daisy and Billy writing 'Let Me Down Easy' in their first sonngwriting session together which encapsulates sentiments so intrinsically linked to the push and pull of their relationship that they haven't truly experienced yet, Daisy asking him not to string her along if he's not going to choose her, Billy pining after her even though he knows he shouldn't ('don't leave me broken and free') and it can never be ('like a mirage on sand'). Billy writing 'more fun to kiss, than to be with' when he hadn't done that at all and then making up for it while (attempting) recording. Hell, even even Daisy's song in episode 1 ('By Myself') is a bit of a foreshadow to episode 8, and the choice of song playing in the background at Teddy's house in episode 5 ('it's too late to turn back now...i believe i'm falling in love') is also cool.

Not an especially niche observation or unique narrative tool, but it's nice when all parts of the production are used to tell the story.

#listened to a podcast episode recently with scott neustadter because i am a Nerd and was happy to hear that this was intentional #and discussed in the writers' room and the studio #as well as the noticeable evolution in both daisy and billy's styles after they start collaborating #and i just love when production is detail-oriented #daisy jones and the six #daisy/billy

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

Shadow And Bone Season Two Thoughts

I’m just copying over the 3.5k google doc of doom lol because otherwise I’ll never get to it. It’s in no particular order and expect many spoilers!

— The choice to stick to Alina having prophetic dreams makes sense. But they also don’t really explain it? I could understand it with the stag since it chose her or whatever but it seems odder with her seeing the shadow fold expanding. They’re meant to be tied to her “mind palace” visits with the Darkling I think, and the overall push to make their connection something more unintentional that neither really know how to use until later in the story. But also… they’re already having full conversations from the very beginning??? So I’m not sure I get the choice to have them *both* be uncertain over whether their dreams are real or whether the other is even alive. Their dialogue is just too drawn out and fully realized. I do find it really funny though that the Darkling poses the question “are you willing to sacrifice that which is most precious to you” which is clearly narratively setting up the Mal = the third amplifier reveal. But what did he think he was talking about?? He didn’t know about that?? So what was he referring to??

— The first episode was BY FAR the weakest. The dialogue was frankly atrocious, especially the exposition. I think they even managed to make really basic comments *sound* like exposition when they weren’t meant to be. And it’s very jarring next to all the book dialogue later on, especially when one of LB’s biggest strengths has always been fantastic character voice and strong dialogue. The entire made up conflict over Mal’s former commander just happening to be there, and Alina randomly finding the Sea Whip’s general location on basically the first map she finds just feel sooo contrived. I didn’t hate the majority of the new content in this season, but basically everything in this episode on the TGT front fucking sucked. Which, if I’m not mistaken, was written by the showrunner himself, and lol. lmao. (Also WHY would the Zemeni be fantasy!christian? The way they flock to help Malina feels… weird.)

— Meanwhile: why do everyone and their mother know how amplifiers work apparently? Both Mal and Nikolai talk about them super authoritatively. They are also presented as having a strong idea of how they work vs just vaguely. And it just seems… odd? Like we know Alina didn’t know anything about them before plot stuff happened to inform her. Again it just feels like clumsy exposition overtaking character writing.

— I don’t know how I feel about them tying Nikolai back to the plot to kidnap Alina in season one. On the one hand it’s a clever way to loop him into existing plotlines, and I guess it’s a fun book nod that he was supposedly studying at Ketterdam. But it also just seems like a really backwards way to go about it? That being said, Nikolai’s interaction with the Crows is VERY fun and I like how they give us a mini identity reveal moment since book fans (and anyone who’s watched the trailer or season promo) already know about the Sturmhond/pirate reveal. Also loling forever at Alina kidnapping herself for an entire second time

— I wasn’t expecting to but I did really like how they picked several aspects from Crooked Kingdom to do so early. Unpopular opinion but Crooked Kingdom just Did Not work for me in a multitude of ways (the plot structure felt really weak, the fucking magic yellow face with Wylan and Kuwei, the way the Khergud paired with the parem plotline feel like SUCH a racist set of tropes) so seeing these fairly strong parts from it divorced from context was very fun. I was initially annoyed by the concept of Pekka Rollins being aware of Kaz so early and viewing him as a rival. But they preserved him not remembering the original con he pulled on him and Jordie which was the most important part. I think I would’ve still preferred it if he was oblivious to the Crows existence for longer, but they were really speedrunning this plotline lol and I understand how it drastically raises the stakes. Also I think we got word of god confirmation that LB herself suggested this change, so I trust it a touch more. I think the scene where Kaz beats up Per Haskell and everyone at the club was perhaps the ported over CK best that worked the least for me within its new context. But eh.

— So something I was absolutely not expecting was the Darkling’s pivot into full cartoon villain territory. On the one hand… he is simply not the OG Darkling. He’s not on his level and simply never will be! But I’m interested in the choices made so far. Though most of the dialogue out of his mouth when not breaking out book quotes is frankly fucking terrible, and I understand now why Ben Barnes kept pushing for book lines lmao. His first in-person introduction in the season pilot alone was godawful. What the actual fuck was that “cook up some dinner” line??? Anyway I liked the glimpse of social repercussions to the Grisha defecting.

— Nikolai generally very pleasantly surprised me! The initial exposition is just as bad as I suspected. But his general dialogue and delivery is good. I can definitely buy Patrick Gibson in the role. His little Superman outfit change was delightful! I LOVED that they kept Alina punching him then and there once she realizes his identity. I also really liked the choice to ease up on the animosity between him and Mal and instead give them some one on one bonding. Their relationship was surprisingly effective for me!

— I was strongly suspecting we weren’t going to get the Darkling blinding Baghra, or mutilating Genya entirely out of spite, just because of how softened he was in the previous season and that’s been fairly true. I’ve seen some people be aghast at the finger bones thing but that’s at least to a purpose, frankly I think his book retaliation is far worse. I didn’t much enjoy what they did with Baghra this season? She was mostly just giving exposition. And she just wasn’t around the gang enough for her opening up about Morozova being her father to have as much weight as it should. I also just didn’t really get the choice to handle her death the way they did with the burning building etc. It felt particularly rushed and was the part I had to pause the most to explain book context to my friend who was watching it with me.

— I do wish we’d gotten a bit more mid S&S era politicking and seeing the characters navigate a glittering court setting. The show leaned more towards militaristic. Which is fine, and I feel like the climactic sequence is implying that they’re saving the more court focused stuff for later. But I wish we’d just gotten a bit more of the general climate. Or like what the fuck the Apparat is even up to. His complete absence particularly felt like a forgotten storyline when he was fairly active and creepy in season one.

— I did NOT like the shadow blade subplot for multiple reasons. The heist itself felt the weakest of the Crow schemes, on par with their season one era kind of ridiculously spinning their wheels, the quality really plummets when they stop drawing from book content entirely. It was just poorly thought out and executed on their side, for example, why send literally everyone into the house? Did they do any recon at all? Just seems really half baked comparatively. Meanwhile it really strongly undercuts the *point* of the amplifiers and magic not being the big dramatic thing that kills the Darkling. I just adore that, in the books, it’s an entirely ordinary knife that takes him down. Especially because he *only* really counts magic/Grisha power/merzost as threats. He overlooks anything else. I just hate him being taken down by a magic blade. It also just ties into the trend of like the Darkling amplifying *himself* or giving his troops of Grisha red shirts the powdered remains of his mother’s finger bones. It just points to a need for bigger and flashier, which idk just doesn’t seem like the right choice here.

Which is funny because the biggest and flashiest scenes were the ones they toned down the most! Baghra leaping to her death to steer away the nichevo’ya, Nikolai turning into a demon, the entirety of the chapel showdown. I get the sense that they probably just didn’t have the budget for these scenes, and maybe that’s why they’re trying to instead bring in random other mcguffins and amplifiers to sound cooler without doing anything that’s too fancy. The sea whip scene for example also felt way too small scale, and they didn’t even bother with the red herring firebird.

— The hallucinations during the above shadow blade plot also just felt rather cheap as ways to try to do some character work and to rush some quick backstory on Jesper’s part AND to give Wylan something to do. The butterfly antidote was beyond the fucking pale in just how contrived it was lol. Like sure. it just HAPPENS to fucking be there and it’s so easy to grab. Frankly if they really wanted to do character work like that, I wish they’d leaned into it and made it magic. Some sort of Saint/Grisha controlling their dreams and deliberately manipulating their emotions perhaps either through more muddling the worldbuilding and what magic can do even more lol or just introducing the question of parem earlier. But yeah if you’re going to make them all confront their fears and wants simultaneously then at least own it and make that the point.

— I’m also loling forever at Mal being arrested at Vasily's behest and apparently tried for desertion entirely off screen?? Right before the climactic sacking of the capital? Why was there so much focus on Mal being absent if he’s just going to randomly show up again? Was it a case of the writers not talking to each other? Did they have a more fleshed out storyline planned that got cut? That just felt like the most silly and half baked development to me.

— The attack on the palace itself just felt way less momentous. The Darkling steering Alina away from the fighting was itself kind of silly. I take it that was entirely just to cut down on how much fighting and CGI we need to see on camera lol. But like he kills a bunch of people and apparently forces the government to essentially flee? But he doesn’t even take the capital for himself??? One of the biggest missed opportunities in the books in my opinion was how we never see what the Darkling actually does once he installs himself as ruler, when there has been so much focus on him gunning for that kind of unilateral institutional power. Highlighting any changes he may have enacted (or the lack thereof!) could be really interesting! But we never get those details! And the show uh does not fill in the blanks there at all. Instead it’s even more confusing over why the fuck he just… retreats? back to wherever his base is? Why the fuck didn’t he press his advantage? Also WHO is running the fucking country in the meantime?? There’s the throwaway line in the last episode about the Apparat having ruled in the king’s staid but that’s way too late and like what even were the logistics of that happening! It would’ve just made more sense for the Darkling to take over and live out his evil overlord dreams! But I guess this season was very particularly averse to giving him any control of or deliberate choices with anything lol. Anyway, I also just have no idea where he was meant to be for the majority of the season. I feel like we could’ve used a bit more detail.

— I’m mostly cool with Darklina content being nerfed for this season. They were far too softened in the first season so this 180 feels appropriate and I just prefer getting to see the Darkling be awful. And the one scene riffing off the book’s “apt pupil” moment did actually feel like it was in keeping with the spirit of their dynamic. So I’m fairly satisfied on a shippy front, even though it had almost none of what I enjoyed from the books. The show dynamic was just too different to follow that same trajectory imo. That being said, the way his interactions with Alina become increasingly violent just feels… dull. This goes hand in hand with one of my gripes with season one as well, where he just raises his voice too often, loses his temper frequently, and even has that fist fight scene. It’s such a boring like “ooh male rage” sort of take? And it didn’t really do much for me!

I’m undecided on how I feel about them having such an extended conversation after she tears down the Shadow Fold. On the one hand they didn’t get to talk all that much. So I enjoy seeing that. But also feels a little inorganic considering just how at each other’s throats they’ve been?

The nichevo’ya attacking her and him being like STOP was really funny. In general I LOVED the choice to give him fucked up victorian wasting disease and to generally just give him drastic consequences for using merzost. I’m a little unhappy with the implication that he might have been dying even if she hadn’t killed him, because there’s so much focus on the concept of eternity and who else will weather immortality with her etc. But overall I loved how much they tore him down this season.

— Despite all that. Not sure how I feel about him offering Alina a hand. And also trying to protect her from the nichevo’ya. And while he’s remembering kissing her she guts him agufgfdhhdfjgd like on the one hand good for her.gif. But damn idk. Not very Darkling of him 😂

— I don’t get the early focus on amplifiers not needing to die (with the sea whip particularly, and later with Baghra’s finger bones) to then flip over firmly to Mal 100% needing to die once it’s clear he’s the third amplifier. I get the sense that they may have been trying to pose that question and explore it (I think maybe Baghra’s bones weren’t very useful before her death?) until it’s clear that no, death *is* necessary. But it just feels rather clumsy and I think it was already fairly well established with the stag. Though I really enjoyed the later attempt they made to rules lawyer killing him by stopping his heart for two minutes lol. It’s also a great red herring for book readers, because you’d think that’s going to be the excuse for the deus ex machina of him coming back from the dead… and then he doesn’t. So Alina has do delve into merzost.

—I’m very curious what they’re going to do with the Dark!Alina development. I have truly no idea. I’m assuming some variation of KoS and since we know the Darkling will be back, I’m guessing they might have more interactions then? I found it really interesting that word of god, and generally the show’s framing, seem to imply that he’s not wrong when he’s speaking about the cost of immortality and wanting to make a difference etc etc. So that alone makes me strongly suspect that when he’s resurrected (if the show goes that far lol) she’s meant to have a stronger understanding of him. But yeah idk! I’m curious to see what they’ll do once entirely off script for her character. I’ve seen speculation that they’re going to strip her of her power eventually like in the books. But I doubt they’ll do that unless they know they’re getting canceled and want to wrap up or if JML personally wants to leave the show. They’ve been pretty explicit about keeping them on as protagonist for as long as the show’s going. So I suspect that itself will mean we probably won’t get her becoming corrupted only to justify losing her power.

— I do think it was clever how they rearranged it so that we basically do get an attack on the Spinning Wheel type beat. But it’s so different that you’re not expecting it.

— Getting the Dominik plotline so early and sparsely is a little disappointing. But I get simply showing him onscreen when we have the chance, rather than establishing him entirely in flashback after the fact. They clearly want to do KoS so I’m expecting we’ll get more about him from Nikolai’s perspective later. That being said, Nikolai telling Dominik that he and Alina aren’t a thing (after the public engagement announcement) is SO funny. Like. Are you worried that would ruin your chances with him 👀

— On that note, I frankly do not understand the Zoyalai vs Nikolina uproar. The Nikolina scenes were pretty much entirely what existed in the trilogy already, with a couple liberties taken. And they actually went out of their way to remove a few more overtly romantic gestures and the like two times they kiss. I doubt her choosing to stay on is going to stick for very long. I think a lot of people were just expecting the Nikolina scenes to be cut entirely in order to start seeding Zoyalai (which same lol) but… this isn’t that different from the books. I’m sure Zoya will just get her romantic arc later?

That being said I did always prefer Nikolina and one of my biggest gripes with KoS was that sidelining Alina while bringing the Darkling back undercut her arc entirely. So. I won’t be mad if they do more with her. But I really didn’t think they went out of their way to like encroach on future Zoyalai 🤷‍♀️

— I did really like the choice to break up Malina, literally for Malina’s sake even. Something that was always uneven in the trilogy was how it set up the first book with the implication that Alina must let go of her codependent attachment to Mal to grow. So her winding up with him by the story’s close inadvertently ends up looking like regression. So giving them a break from each other to grow as people, only to later come back together (which I’m assuming is the plan) is a great choice to keep that thematic consistency and to let the characters breathe. I was also really impressed with how they handled the Malina conflicts, his “you’re my flag, my nation” speech always felt really sulky and guilt trippy to me in the book, but the show really sells it as a sincere and heartfelt thing to say. However, with book context, it was kind of fucking hilarious to see Alina yell at him later for being too chill with all of her decisions. The “deserve her” scene was also really good, and I am a fan of how it actually established that he has any sort of dreams or distinct personality lol.

— But, I did NOT enjoy the Darkling going directly to Mal’s dreams. Though it makes sense for him to try to be sly. But it just centers him in a way fairly similar to the climactic sequence of the first season.

OR like “Mal and I changed the world. WE tore down your shadow fold” yes technically correct but stopppp

— I was a fan of the expanded role Genya got and how we got to see more of what the Darkling was up to from her perspective. And how she begins to fear him. That being said, the confrontation with the Queen, and later Nikolai, felt rather… on the nose? The dialogue in this show isn’t the best but hm that wasn’t great. I think that underground segment generally was one of the points where the rushed writing was really showing its seams.

— Speaking of the underground segment, I was shocked by just how much they’d cut the Apparat from the plot and also the general focus on Alina as a religious figure. I guess I get it structurally because they need screen time and the Apparat plot literally goes *nowhere* in the trilogy proper, so might as well save him being a turncoat for the KoS era stuff. But simultaneously… KoS gets so strongly into what Saints actually are vs how they’re been perceived up until then, which *itself* was already high key inadequate imo lmao. So cutting that groundwork even further is… a choice. So yeah I’m really intrigued how that bee aka Elizaveta foreshadowing is going to pan out if they ever get a season three.

— I liked that we got more red shirts for team Darkling at all, if only to make my fic writing life easier lol. Perhaps the only bit of TV show content I’ll ever actually use. But the focus on a super amplified evil Grisha army that it’s okay to kill without any regret is. meh. I’m assuming they just didn’t have the money for mainly focusing on the nichevo’ya as the Darkling’s primary weapon. But they just didn’t have personalities. And the fight scene just took way too long. I was definitely missing Ivan and Fedyor. Ivan’s always been my like ancillary character fave so I was sad not to see him.

— I never particularly cared for David in the books, and especially Genya/David. I just liked Genya with either Alina or Zoya sooo much more. But the actor is really charming! And the scenes they got together were really sweet. I hope he hasn’t been actually killed off and it’s only a cliffhanger fakeout. The lack of a body and how coy they were about how he disappeared feels very deliberate. So I think it’s likely they’re planning something more with him.

—Something really noticeable was how the writers completely dropped the focus on in-universe racism. I guess they just took note on how much people hated it and course corrected. But comparatively it just makes everything that came before feel much more unnecessary. It’s like so you could’ve simply had an Asian lead without making up fantasy slurs to call them all along huh?

#overall this was silly and bad but I had fun! #shadow and bone #grishaverse #sab season 2 #sab spoilers #i ramble sometimes