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justanotherwriter140 · 1 month

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Kung Fu Panda 4 - The Movie

The last really, really long discussion post (for now).

Major spoilers ahead!

This review is full of spoilers, so please refrain from reading through it until you've watched KFP4. I would highly suggest doing so, as I want everyone to form their own opinions without my influence. The movie has its flaws (some of which admittedly being a bit distracting), but it's a fun film that has things to offer.

Kung Fu Panda 4 is a fun movie (take that as you will) that takes its audience on an action-packed, surprisingly funny, yet relatively contained adventure on which Po doesn't really do much. It's an inconsequential, safe sequel that doesn't really hurt the franchise but adds close to nothing.

I had a good time watching the movie. It was obviously produced with its theater experience in mind and the action scenes especially reflected that priority. The humor was actually funny sometimes and I enjoyed Po and Zhen's dynamic. During the film, I was able to put most (most!) of my grievances aside and take the movie for what it is. I've discovered that the best way to watch KFP4 is with low expectations and an open mind.

I have a lot of things to say about KFP4, both complaints and compliments (though the former might be taking the forefront in this review), and I hope this review can help those of you who have seen the movie organize your thoughts. I've been having a lot of trouble with that specific aspect of things myself. Those who get it get it.

With that said, let's get into my full review of KFP4! I've been waiting for nearly 2 years to write this and I'm so excited to share every single thought.

I'm going to follow the format of my first discussion post and curate a bulleted list of my thoughts, followed by an analysis of each of these points. Keep in mind that everything I say is IMO and this is more of a rant post than anything else.

Here are my main points:

The Furious Five's role is comically minuscule in the context of the film. Their actions are inconsequential and add nothing to the plot (a confirmed last-minute add), and they have 30~ seconds of screen time. Shifu is also largely irrelevant.

Mr. Ping and Li's presence has little to no effect on the movie (though I won't complain too much because they were pretty fun to watch and this movie has bigger problems). In almost any scenario, I am adamantly against having characters present that don't add anything to the narrative; however, Mr. Ping is an exception. I love Mr. Ping. James Hong is a gem.

Zhen's screen time is not utilized well and her character is underdeveloped. She definitely wasn't annoying, but I didn't find her either compelling or funny enough to warrant the screen time she was given, especially considering it wasn't used to establish a backstory/strong motives. This makes me feel bad for the character because the movie kind of screwed her out of any substantial development.

The Chameleon, while complimented greatly by Viola Davis, is an underwhelming villain. Viola Davis is amazing in this film and I would suggest watching it for her performance if for nothing else, but the Chameleon is underwhelming considering the super cool concept behind the character.

The film feels very rushed. Apologies to those who disagree, but I think the pacing is atrocious and the final fight is anticlimactic. The movie felt like a word-vomit with no discernible intermissions that stops abruptly when the film ends.

I felt as though Po didn't change/grow as a person and the audience never had a chance to either bond with or relate to his character. His internal struggle is kept to a minimum and we don't spend a moment alone with him as an audience, which is disorienting and distracting. Watching the film felt like running into an old friend at the store who's too in a rush to have a real conversation.

The action scenes were strong with few exceptions. Creative art direction was utilized and I thought the martial arts choreography was entertaining and dynamic. I love the color palette of the film and many scenes were very impressive visually.

With my main points established, I do believe it's ranting time. Strap in, folks.

Let's start strong with the Furious Five: I'm gutted. Chagrined, despondent, crestfallen, etc.

The lack of the Furious Five negatively affects KFP4 so much, because not only does their absence hurt the atmospheric integrity of KFP as a franchise, it also forces KFP4 to bring in a slew of different characters—all while still noncommittally including the FF at the very end because I believe the marketing team required it—that clog up the cast a bit. It all goes to show how important strong, established side characters are.

The Furious Five are side characters, but the role of "side character" does not equate to being irrelevant, expendable, or exchangeable. I recognize that the Furious Five aren't super developed as characters beyond a handful of lines that allude to traits sprinkled sparingly among the members; however, I believe that the tiny bits of development we have been given have proved impactful in the past. Tigress's development in KFP2 is a prime example of how much narratively conscious changes (however small they may be) can positively affect these movies.

Because of limited runtimes, the Furious Five often operate as more of a singular unit than five individuals. Even so, I don't think discarding them is valid. They're so important to the KFP universe (to Po's universe!) and not having them with him feels so wrong. The Furious Five are fully integral to the heart of Kung Fu Panda, which is why I believe a lot of those who have seen the new movie have expressed something feeling "off" or something being missing.

I agree with this sentiment. To me, KFP4 didn't feel like a KFP movie. I don't need a Furious Five spin-off movie and I can be fully content with a KFP5 centered around Po's journey as an individual as was intended from the beginning, but he can't carry an entire movie on his back. As strong as he is in every sense of the word, he is only one character. He's the centerpiece of the franchise, but a centerpiece can only go so far without the rest of the design, so to speak.

For me, the Furious Five's absence is one of this film's biggest faults. It's huge and glaring. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, either, because the friends with whom I saw the film refused to talk about any other aspect of the movie after seeing it. Seeing them at the end was better than nothing, of course, but it was a disappointing culmination after eight years of waiting.

That all is to say I feel robbed. Despite all of this, though, I understand that there were reasons why the Furious Five weren't included in the movie. I don't believe the production team would exclude the Furious Five unless they weren't given a choice.

Shifu and Po's dynamic continues to be thoroughly delightful but their interactions are short and simplified. I would have loved to see more of them in this film, especially considering the extreme relevance of teacher-student relationships in KFP4. I (somewhat) digress, though, because the idea of Shifu having to live at the Jade Palace with only Po for an extended period of time is hilarious enough on its own. Maybe that's what the short film is about!

The comedy is odd but has some jokes that stand out. Po maintains a healthy relationship with his inner sass, which I think makes him more fun to watch and kind of eradicates the man-child verdict. Some jokes don't land, of course, but I genuinely thought KFP4 had some funny moments. Mr. Ping was consistently awesome and Po had some good lines sprinkled throughout the film.

As for Mr. Ping, he and Li Shan are the subjects of the film's B-plot as they follow Po to Juniper City out of shared concern for their son's safety. In my mind, they don't add anything to the story that couldn't have been brought about by other characters, but they had their moments of being entertaining. I enjoyed their silliness and thought they had a cute dynamic if nothing else.

Speaking of other characters, I want to discuss KFP4's deuteragonist and why I genuinely feel bad about the way her character was treated.

I want to let it be known that I'm still not on board with Po passing the Dragon Warrior torch to another character. While I agree that his arc is now calling for him to have a student, I disagree with the notion of him retiring from his DW role.

As I stated in my first discussion post:

Didn’t the initial significance and nuance of the title come from the fact that there is only one person who can be the Dragon Warrior, because the concept of the “Dragon Warrior” isn’t so much a title as it is Po himself? The universe (Oogway) must choose the Dragon Warrior because they are a singular being of legend. It is one person, and that person is Po. Wasn’t the point of the first film that the title ultimately doesn’t really matter because there is no “secret ingredient,” so to speak? The title doesn’t actually give Po anything. “It’s just you,” Po says, and that was the resolution.

When it comes to Zhen as a character, contrary to what I predicted I would think of her, I thought she was okay. While I was still a bit distracted by how out-of-place her design looks, I wasn't truly annoyed by her at any point and she and Po had some cute moments. Even so, I think their relationship could have been a bit more refined and developed.

While it's evident that Po and Zhen are meant to have a teacher-student/mentor-apprentice dynamic, I think their relationship feels half-baked. There were parallels that contradicted one another and ended up being confusing come the film's conclusion, and the nature of their relationship seems to vacillate depending on the scene. Additionally, the strength of their bond goes from zero to one hundred within thirty-ish minutes and left me with a bit of whiplash.

We're shown that Po and Zhen care about one another, but we're never shown why. They have a brief conversation during which they bond over being orphans, and Zhen says at one point, "You're actually a good guy," but that's it. This obvious lack of development is a bit disorienting because we're later led to believe that Zhen and Po care very deeply for one another when there's almost nothing to back it up.

A scene that sticks out to me when discussing this is when Zhen attack-hugs Po in a way that explicitly mirrors Tigress's hug from KFP2. This happens around the beginning of the third act, and while it had the potential to be an endearing moment, I think it fell flat.

The impact of Tigress's hug was brought on by her character's hardcore nature and reputation of being heartless, further strengthened with the knowledge that she was hugging Po (which was obviously way outside her comfort zone) as a show of companionship and fundamental understanding. Tigress hugged Po because he needed someone to recognize his strive for closure.

Zhen's hug had little to no impact because she had no reason to do it and it didn't indicate growth. She hugs Po because she's sorry for betraying him and doesn't want him to be killed by the Chameleon, but neither of these things are newly-established via this hug; we have already gathered by now that Zhen regrets betraying Po and doesn't want him to get hurt.

The hug is far from the movie's weakest point, but I think it's unnecessary given the context. I'm big on hugs in movies (an underutilized form of platonic affection, in my opinion), but it didn't fit here. I don't hate it, and I see it as an honest effort to bring emotionality to Po and Zhen's relationship, but it seems arbitrary.

Zhen and Po's relationship has a lot of potential and I'd be open to seeing more of them in the future, but I think some more thoughtful development needs to occur before I can humor it further. Even so, I can see myself featuring Zhen in some future post-KFP4 one-shots—sparingly, of course, because we have a lot of Furious Five content to compensate for.

Overall, they had a cute dynamic and some sweet moments but I'm not attached. I'm on board with Po having a student but I think their relationship needs a lot more development, something that this film unfortunately didn't give them time to either accomplish or earn.

Now, onto the Chameleon!

The concept of the Chameleon's character is admittedly super interesting. She's the deuteragonist's fastidious mother figure who feels that Zhen owes her a debt and as a result holds her to an impossible standard. That dynamic had the potential to be so interesting but I didn't think it was explored at all. There is no indication of Zhen having any internal conflict about fighting the Chameleon, no emotional complexity between them at all; it's disappointing because I think it would've added a bit of earnestness to the film.

Additionally, the idea of a shape-shifting villain is versatile. A shape-shifting villain gives those telling the story a lot of room to experiment with the protagonist and different ways in which the main character can be challenged and tested. It's yet another good idea utilized poorly. Just one idea: the Chameleon could have disguised herself as one (or several) of Po's family, friends, etc. and brought to fruition a new arc with his character (seeing as he arguably doesn't have one in this film), but she only disguises herself as Zhen very briefly in the movie.

Furthermore, the Chameleon completely relies on the powers of previous villains to pose any sort of threat to the main characters. She summons Po's former nemeses from the Spirit Realm (despite there being little logic in doing so considering Kai's literal evisceration) and takes their kung fu abilities for herself.

An excerpt from my first KFP4 discussion post that I think is relevant to the point I'm trying to make:

I don’t think it would be in the best interest of anyone if the past villains were to come back in any way that’s not a flashback (even then, I’m not sure I’d see the point). In all honesty, I thought that the whole point of the villains was that they died and stayed dead. They were defeated by Po once and for all as a testament to the idea of establishing Po's character growth and journey as a person through the bad things he’s able to overcome. It’d be highly contradictory to the messages of the other films if these villains were to suddenly come back.

While there was an honest effort made to portray the Chameleon as intimidating, I never felt as though any of the characters were endangered by either her or her army of lizard henchman. She's a visually appealing character (aside from her eyes, which I thought more resembled those of a gecko than a chameleon) and I greatly enjoyed Davis's performance, but overall I don't see the Chameleon as a notable villain.

The return of Tai Lung (had he been on his own) had the makings to be an excellent story, especially considering the importance of teacher-student dynamics in KFP4. To see him interacting with Shifu would have been incredible and could have led to further closure on Tai Lung's end (because I think that's kind of what the team was going for anyway), but it didn't happen.

It was nice to see Ian McShane reprise his role, but I wish Tai Lung's characterization had been more reminiscent of the way he was in the first film and more complimentary of his overall character arc. Tai Lung isn't a one-dimensional villain with a singular goal and motivation, and I couldn't help but feel as though the complexity of his character was simplified for the sake of KFP4's narrative.

Tai Lung's presence in KFP4 may be odd, but Shen and Kai's appearances are even more so. Kai, if I remember correctly, was fully obliterated by Po, reduced to literal particles on screen (which is kind of wild now that I think about it). Shen being in the Spirit Realm makes sense all things considered; however, Po and Li had no visible reaction to his presence, which seemed a bit unlikely considering Shen's deeds. This plot hole can likely be attributed to the fact that Shen and Kai's cameos (to my knowledge) were last-minute additions to the movie.

I have to talk about the pacing. I have to. I'm sorry, bear with me.

To me, the film's pacing is erratic and disconcerting. While I can appreciate a quick-moving narrative that doesn't dawdle on storylines that aren't interesting/important, KFP4 kind of flings itself too far in the opposite direction and ends up being frighteningly fast-paced. Once the credits began, I felt like I had been holding my breath for the entire movie.

KFP4 is confusing because while the runtime is standard for a KFP movie, it feels incredibly short. At the same time, the film's story moves at a breakneck speed and leaves little time for heart and development. These things culminate into a barreling boulder of a movie that simply doesn't have time to let its characters, story, or audience take a breath.

A fast pace is not inherently negative, but I don't think it worked in the favor of KFP4. The KFP franchise has always been very emotionally grounded (and just very grounded in general), so to see a film in which emotion/heart takes an aggressive backseat in comparison to action and comedy is jarring. While I think it's unreasonable for fans to expect the same emotional integrity as the original films to be present in the current and upcoming ones, I still think there's room for Po to grow and I felt as though the notion of him developing further was brushed aside in this film.

As for Po's growth, I felt it was nearly nonexistent. The previous trilogy wrapped up his character's journey beautifully and I know that KFP4 was bound to struggle with this particular aspect of making another KFP film; however, just because the strongest pillars of Po's character are established doesn't serve as a valid excuse to reverse his development and repeat what he learned in KFP3.

In KFP3, Po learned firsthand that he is capable of spreading wisdom and teaching kung fu. He also learns that he is constantly growing and that change is inevitable; there is always something more to learn.

"If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now."

"I don't want to be anything more, I like who I am!"

In KFP4, Po pushes against this narrative despite fully accepting it in KFP3, actively reversing crucial parts of his character development achieved in the latter. KFP3 was non-ambiguously about learning to cope with change and responsibility, and I can't help but feel like KFP4 is simply copying this message while not adding anything to it.

Additionally, I felt that KFP4's Po generally felt less personal than he has in the past. In every KFP movie up to the franchise's most recent addition, I felt very connected to Po as an audience member. I felt like I was truly seeing the world of KFP through his eyes. I consider this to be one of the franchise's most impressive feats; it's incredibly difficult to build a universe around a character without making the audience feel limited to one perspective and one part of the world.

With KFP4, I felt both limited and disconnected. The world didn't feel as vast and all-encompassing as it has in the past and Po didn't seem fully like himself. This could be me nitpicking (as I'm prone to do), but I can't recall a single moment in the movie in which Po was alone on screen. Scenes like these are crucial for me because I see them as a meet-cute between the character and the audience, a moment for us to cross the bridge into their world in a way that's silent and intuitive. These little bonding moments are absolutely integral to feeling connected to a character.

Po's dream sequence in the first KFP movie is one of the best examples of this. It presents his aspirations, alludes to his way of life up to the point of the movie, and showcases his personality. During Po's dream sequence, the audience is quite literally inside Po's mind; we're there with him, seeing what he sees, subsequently feeling what he feels. Po is a dreamer at heart and makes the audience feel like dreamers, too.

In KFP4, I felt like I little to no point of reference when it comes to how Po was feeling. I didn't feel immersed in him and his world.

I know I've been very "doom and gloom" throughout this post, which is an exhausting mindset for everyone involved. I want to end my critique with something positive because I think some praise is deserved. Let's just say the movie could have been a lot worse, the details of which I'm sure you're all well aware.

The color palette of the movie is beautiful and somewhat reminiscent of the first film. While the animation style of KFP4 is far more simplistic than its predecessors, I was very impressed with its use of shadow and light. Po's many faces were also hysterical, props to those who helped make him as expressive as he is.

Additionally, the movie's action sequences were clearly thought out and discussed in great detail. The experimentation with camera angles was really fun to watch and I enjoyed the majority of the film's fight scenes. They were fun, bouncy, and entertaining, and quite likely reinstated audiences's love of watching a cuddly panda kick butt.

Congratulations, you've reached the end! Thank you so much to all of you who took the time to read this unnecessarily long and detailed review. As long as I help someone translate their conflicted feelings into coherent thoughts, I'll call it a win.

I want to reiterate that I don't hate Kung Fu Panda 4 and I had fun while watching the film. It has its flaws and there are a lot of aspects that I dislike, but the effort of the crew is obvious and I greatly admire and respect the hard work put into the film by those who worked on it. This does not at all excuse my issues with the movie, but it's worth saying.

As for the future of the series, I only hope that the next installment is more considerate of the franchise's origins and why Po's story is being told in the first place. I fully believe that another sequel could be good given a strong, passionate crew with a great understanding of the characters and world (and I wouldn't be averse to some previous directors returning, just to put it out there).

Thanks again to those who took the time to read this crazy excuse for a movie review. Feel free to either disagree with me or add things in the replies/reblogs, I'm always looking for more thoughts to think.

Until next time!

#kung fu panda 4 #kung fu panda #dreamworks animation #kfp #kfp 4 #movie review #i'll add the actual picture of the furious five's cameo when i can get ahold of one of decent quality #my time has come #it wasn't THAT bad #i didn't love it #but it is what it is #it's a tentative 6/10 all things considered #free the five #perhaps i treated kfp3 too harshly #don't get me wrong the movie had good qualities and i can tell a lot of work went into it #a lot of missed potential imo #a lot of characters done dirty #i didn't even mention the score but i thought it was just okay #i wasn't wowed #i know close to nothing about composing though so i should probably just not even go there #credits were the best part both cinematically and musically #i feel mean but i'm not going to be dishonest #bc obviously you all simply must know how i feel about the silly panda movie #a more detailed version of the grievances i have w the dragon warrior plot can be found in my og discussion post if anyone's interested #as well as my thoughts on bringing back old villains #might make some edits to this in the future but this is all i have to say for now

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pilvimarja · 8 months

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#Top Gun Maverick #Roosmav #Rooster #Maverick #Bradley Bradshaw #Pete Mitchell #pilvimarja edits #those throat bobs are a work of art #I've been so busy with my Sims movies that I haven't had time to make a lot of gifs #had to make a set so I don't forget how

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fellthemarvelous · 4 months

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I don't think we talk enough about the fact that when Jabba the Hutt tried to make Princess Leia his personal slave in Return of the Jedi, she straight up strangled him to death with the chains that kept her in place.

And when Return of the Jedi came out, none of us knew that Anakin Skywalker and his mother Shmi had been enslaved and sold to Watto by Jabba the Hutt when Anakin was just a small child.

At this point we didn't even know that Luke and Leia were twins.

(Disclaimer: I was two years old when Episode 6 came out. I was 18 when Episode 1 came out. I've always loves Star Wars but didn't become wholly fixated on it until 2021 when my mom died.)

Something something about Leia avenging Anakin's childhood while Luke was the one who helped Anakin find the courage to stand up to Palpatine and kill him (even though it cost him his own life and his chance to get to know either of his children).

I will always maintain that Return of the Jedi is a reference to Anakin Skywalker's sacrifice at the end of the movie because his final act in life was one of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker rather than the Sith Lord Darth Vader.

He finally came to terms with who he was. He accepted it. And in doing so, he fulfilled the prophecy that had been following him around his entire life as the Chosen One. He finally restored balance to the Force.

I love it when movies and tv shows tell us that unconditional love is what will ultimately save us all.

#star wars #return of the jedi #leia organa #luke skywalker #anakin skywalker #darth vader #return of the jedi is my favorite sw movie #don't come at me if you disagree #i just have a lot of feelings and if you're inclined to tell me i'm wrong and stupid then go make your own post

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marutchi · 1 year

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#so far quality sucks asssssss #thus I don't think I will make a lot of gifs before I can get my hands on a better quality...maybe #maybe I should take a look at the trailers perhaps there is something useful #but as I rewatched the movie yesterday I realized that quaritch is almost the only thing I liked about the movie </3 #miles quaritch #quaritch #avatar the way of water #atwow #atwow quaritch #avatar the way of water spoiler #avatar the way of water spoilers #sorry kiri but its about the bastard behind you 😭#gifs

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imwritesometimes · 10 months

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the "I already bought tickets to go see Indy again next week" moodboard

#actually factually finalized the purchase it's happening same seats and everything lmfao #I am being very irritating abt this I'm not sorry I had so much fun today and I loved this movie to bits #and I'm so happy this is how we as fans get to close Indy's adventures like.#it didn't just feel like half-hearted fan service bullshit it was really well done which I'll be honest #I was not expecting. there are def call backs of course to the previous films #but it didn't feel like heavy handed or cheap #they really did a good job of like. making it feel authentic like. not just a shitty rehash idk for me #it felt like. so appropriate. like he's an old man now. time has passed. they don't just like wallpaper over that #it just has idk so much heart. like the old og movies it's fantastical but there's so much heart #idk I really liked it. it felt like watching the old ones. the old ones had so much heart. that's why you loved indy!#he was a smart ass but he was earnest too and he had heart and he cared and like ahhhhhhhhhh!!!#it's just. idk idk idk I feel like it's such a great close to the adventures for massive Indy nerds like myself #lmao I asked my mom tonight like when was the last time you watched any of the movies #cause you mught wanna rewatch before we go #and she was like well it has been a while cause you don't live here anymore #and I was like I know. I'm never like six months removed from the last time I watched an Indy #and she was like I know it's your religion I know #I just. I loved it. a lot. I really did. as a massive Indy nerd I really did just enjoy it a lot. more than kotcs #but I firmly believe w/o kotcs it wouldn't have been so fuckin good like omg #erin explains it all

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hunter-sylvester · 1 year

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So, I don't have a tiktok account, but I've occasionally scrolled through the Metal Lords content on there with my friend who has an account. (It's mostly not our thing, but there will be interesting stuff every now and then) ANYWAY- point being, a comment we KEPT seeing the other night was people lamenting how Hunter looked with the side of his head shaved. Just over and over. People went on about how he looked "so good" before and how the shaved side just "ruined" his appearance.

Now, 1. There's an aspect of this I'm just not gonna get because I'm not fucking attracted to him. So I can't see that angle. 2. Obviously, narratively, there's a lot of interesting depth to the whole hair debacle. I've rambled about that before but that's not what those commenters are talking about. They just don't like how it looks. They hate it, in fact.

SO, narrative aside, if we look at it just aesthetically, I CANNOT comprehend someone considering this "ruined"

HE LOOKS FUCKING DOPE WHAT DO YOU MEAN???

RUINED WHERE?????

#my post #metal lords #metallords #hunter sylvester #I'm aware I'm complaining about people complaining #Everything I write post-movie always has him keep the shave. Partly because it just looks really good #But also- if what happened to Hunter had happened to a real person them regrowing their hair out would make a lot of sense #But because he's a fictional character:#it's a part of his arc and effectively un-doing it would feel like kind of erasing that part of his character development #Which is why IF they ever made a sequel and his hair is 'back to normal' I will be PISSED #I have 0 faith in sequels in general. Ergo I do not want one.#If they make a Metal Lords 2 I will watch it but I will be CONVINCED they will fuck it up. I'd need hard liquor.#Istg some of the people leaving those comments really want a “metalhead bf” but as soon as he looks “TOO ALTERNATIVE” they don't want him #Do not get yourself a Metalhead this xmas if you do not know how to properly care for one #being annoying in tags as usual #also subjective yada yada #you know #you get it #hunterwriteswords #hunter's rambles

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tnbc-thoughtsandheadcanons · 7 hours

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Still kind of amazed that this blog has been around for...7 years? Like, the time REALLY flows by...

#like i made this blog a year before zero's journey came out!!!#i was still in high school #looking back on it i certainly miss and don't miss some things about the old days #i'm glad i've grown as a person and how i respond to things and gradually stepping off of social media for a bit of time helped #i was definitely in the Extreme Hyperfixation where i starved myself and obsessively searched for tnbc news in every hour of my days #i'm glad there's still a lot going on and it's not like. a dead fandom or anything. but i do miss my old friends and mutuals #that i've lost over time #but it definitely gets quiet a lot of the time. i still am obsessed with this movie and it just doesn't go away???#i sometimes wish i could move onto other things like all my old friends did but #i'm still here with the same interests same blog same thing and sometimes that makes me feel Lonely #i still run the discord and it's lots of fun! but #man.

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ben-the-hyena · 2 years

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The fact I fell back into my Egyptian phase made me remember a French movie of my childhood, La Reine Soleil. It might not have been my favorite (sometimes the plot and 2d-3d animation were clumsy, its incorporation of magic felt weird and even as a kid I was not a fan of using real people who existed for fictions such as here Tutankhaten "Tut" and Ankhesenaton "Akhesa") but that allowed me to remember Gulmekiz and that i loved him

Context : Akhesa and Tut found about the plot against Akhenaten and his family and are run after by corrupted guards (ALL WHILE Hittites are threatening to attack) with the official reason that Tut kidnapped Akhesa which is of course a lie and an excuse. So the 2 kids are runaways and at some point hide inside a fisherman's boat. Said fisherman Gulmekiz finds them and from his POV and since he has no idea who they are thinks they are 2 stowaway orphans. He first sounds harsh and cruel demanding that if they want to stay and eat they better earn it by working and even forcibly taking Akhesa's bracelet as earring as payment

But it's because he is not very rich and that any food given to others or time wasted not fishing is a loss of precious time and money, it was a time where you had to be harsh to live if you were not rich. As he says (unpictured because of Tumblr 10 pics limit) he earned his food with the sweat of his brow and to him these 2 little thieves must learn to earn their life honestly by working. Which is technically charitable for the time period, as he says he could have knocked them overboard and yes he does laugh when they struggle but he doesn't mostreat them

This is when he starts to look sympathetic to the viewer. At night, after Tut and Akhesa feel asleep exhausted, not only does he raw alone and let them sleep, he takes the time to pause his rawing to put a blanket over them, even arranging it to make sure it covers them fully, and smiles at them tenderly. Which proves he got attached and is not bad, just strict

Later, as they arrive to Thebes and spot guards and know they will be be recognized and spotted, they hip overboard with no time to explain Gulmekiz the situation, he gets alarmed knowing there are crocodiles around and cries at them to come back (again, unpictured because of pictures limit, but he looks HORRIFIED and rushed to the edge of gis boat shouting). But once seeing they are safe and sound on the shore, he happily accepts they are gone and welcomes them to come back working with him whenever they would be needing to

This is when he arrives at the port and is asked if he saw them and that way learns who these teenagers were all along. He is of course VERY shocked (he treated the daughter of the pharaoh and another noble poorly and had them work I too would be shitting myself at the idea of the consequences if I lived under a theocracy) but still has the time to see something is fishy (if she were indeed kidnapped, why was she and the boy getting along ? And it kinda is convenient since she and her father are monotheists while every other high figure is wanting to be polytheist again right ?). So he plays dumb which irritates the guards and pretends not to know what they mean, in a matter of seconds as shocked as he is. Superb analysis and improvisation skill, dude. Protect these kids and fuck the police

Yet of course he doesn't want trouble again. So when Akhesa who is all alone (Tut got kidnapped by the Hittites for a ramson) comes back to him, he initially panics forbidding her to approach. But once she gets on board anyway and that time roles are reversed and he has to obey her since she finds out he does know her status now? he accepts grumpily grumbling. Yet as illegal as it is since she is searched and since he probably, knew given his previous scene, that she wasn't truly looked for for her good, he still helps. He grumpily breaks the law for that kid

Yet he can't help but notice the boy is not with her and he asks her where he is. To which she does not reply but cries instead. To his POV, this response could mean anything. He is dead, or he got captured, or they got separated and she is scared and alone (which she is). Whatever it is, he looks shocked, covering his mouth. They may be royals, they are in age to be his kids, and he did grow attached to them by working with them. Plus, at this moment of the movie, Akhenaten got betrayed with a coup and executed which is something all Egyptians must have heard about, so he must also know she is now a real grieving orphan and that she lost everything, even her status and riches

So what does he do ? He gives her back her "payment". Which he had forcibly taken anyway, and because he figures she would need it more than he does, as poor as he is. And when she looks at him questionningly, he just looks away and smirks. Omg feels

And once the coup is broken and she and Tut get back their titles and are bethroted as the ones true heirs, he eagerly cheers for them on the front of the crowd, super happy that they are well and that they got back what they deserved. And the couple of teens don't snob him, they are happy to see him too, Tut waving at him and Akhesa winking at him (unpictured again)

This is a Gulmekiz appreciation post

#la reine soleil #gulmekiz #gotta love how then he tries to flirt with Maya (the woman in the last gif) who is just plain disgusted lmao #dont worry boy you deserve better than some stuckup bitch (kidding I love her too she is funny as Tut's protocol obsessed governess)#Akhesa #tutankhamun #gif #i made it myself #i could give the link to the English subbed movie i took these screenshots from but it is a very bad subs so I don't think #the base plot line is kept but full sentences and jokes are cut out and they flex by replacing words with Ancient Egyptian ones #plus sometimes theyre late or last too long or unreadable or just make no sense or forget letters (like the last gif) or words (7th pic)#moi #post #something else I like in this movie is how caried Ancient Egyptians are instead of choosing one race like a lot argue #some are black (Tut) some are closer to the ancient equivalent of Modern Egyptians (Gulmekiz) some are mixed (the royal family)#heck at some point one even has white skin without looking European which meant he was probably what Ancient Egyptians called Lybian

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amazinlei · 2 years

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I haven’t done a diary post in a while, but I had a pretty fun weekend! :Dc

I went to the movies for the first time since early 2020 to go watch DBZ super: super hero with my brother, he’s a bigger DBZ person than I am but I thought it was good! The animation style as like, 3D rigs with 2D animation was pretty cool looking, especially during the fight scenes. We also saw some impressive lightening since we had a big thunderstorm!

Unfortunately, I think the candy and popcorn kinda worsened my toothache... ;w; and I can’t see the dentist until Thursday.

#I think it might be a tooth infection though since it's more inside the tooth :'D please kill me #but honestly it made me happy since me and my brother don't get a lot of hang out days together now #I was sort of angry at him for a few years but ultimately glad to see he's gotten better and now I'm making an effort to try and talk more #to him ya know? making up for lost time kinda thing #either way piccolo is still my favorite <3 he was such a grandpa in this movie it was so cute!!!#Lei's Adventures In Life

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lovethistoomuch · 2 years

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I've been on a bit ob a Russell Crowe movie binge in the past few weeks and since he is almost sixty now, many of the movies I've watched were consequently older movies. and when I watched them, it struck me again, how much hollywood has changed in the last few decades when it comes to depicting men.

take Gladiator for example from the year 2000. Russell Crowe plays basically an action hero in it. he is a big, muscly dude, who is very strong and uses that strength to defeat his enemies. and this is what he looks like:

looks like a strong man, right?

in the same year, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine looked like this in the first X-men movie:

in 2013 the same character played by the same actor looked like this:

it's a bit much, isn't it? I mean, he looks so skinny.

and if we go even further back: look at what the womanizer character Face from the A-team looked like in the 80s show vs the 2010 movie reboot:

maybe the difference isn't that big but it really startled me when I watched that movie for the first time. in my mind there was no reason why Face should be particularly muscular since he is the charming one not the one known for being particularly strong.

if we go even further back, look at the charmin womanizer character Hawkeye in M*A*S*H from the 70's.

I know he's a doctor and there is no reason for him to be ripped but I got the feeling if they did the show now, he would be.

I don't know what my point really is I'm just saying I got a bit nostalgic when watching these men. I cannot be the only one who'd rather see more of this:

than this:

also, as a sidenote: Russell Crowe gained a lot of weight for the nice guys and he is a fucking powerhouse in that film, like, when he punches someone, you really feel it because of the weight that is behind it and the shere mass of his body.

(even if this may look different, he's about to break Ryan Gosling's character's arm. I couldn't find a gif of him punching someone but I swear it looks painfull as hell.)

so, in short: can we get big, heavy action guys back? cause I'm tired of seeing these skinny, despite being muscular dudes who look dehydrated as hell and on steroids.

and can we stop making characters ripped just for the sake of it? cause I'd rather cuddle with a guy looking like Hawkeye than one looking like Face from the new A-team movie.

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angelltheninth · 5 months

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Sexy Cult Leader Sukuna + Public Oral

Pairing: Ryomen Sukuna x Reader

Tags: nsfw, smut, public blowjobs, control kink, kind of free use, coming untouched

A/N: I watched a cult movie last night and now here we are. Obviously please don't fall into a real one, that shits scary as fuck.

Cult leader!Sukuna would make you suck his cock during meetings with other members. It wouldn't even be under the table, he'd have his legs spread open for you, your head kept close by his hand. It's most definitely a power flex, to show everyone how much control he has over his woman.

Cult leader!Sukuna never wants another person to look upon you naked even while you're sucking his cock for all to see. They can only see what he allows them to see, his good bitch who can't wait for him to finish his duties, one who has to have his cock now and he, like the demon god he is, allows it because he's so generous to his followers.

Cult leader!Sukuna doesn't let out a single moan as you deepthroat him, only little hums to let you know he's enjoying it. Because a lot of members are also women he knows they're watching too, wishing they could be in your place, ready to do anything, to pledge their loyalty to him. But they can never take your place, never.

Cult leader!Sukuna pulls you off his cock when he comes and shows your face to everyone, your mouth hanging open as his cum drips out. You can see how horny everyone is, barely even talking anymore, all those hard cock wanting to do the same to you. As if it would ever be allowed. You may think about it for a brief moment but in the end you will always go back him, sucking his cock again.

Cult leader!Sukuna loves to see the wonder on that new recruits face when you choke on his length, he can see the exact moment the switch happens and they want to join, only to have a piece of that pleasure. He tells them not to move an inch, to do nothing but watch, to come without touch. If they can do so then he will consider them worthy.

#ryomen sukuna #ryomen sukuna x reader #jjk x reader #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu sorcerer #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen headcanons #sukuna #sukuna x reader #jjk smut #jujutsu kaisen smut #sukuna smut #sukuna thirst #jjk thirsts #jujutsu kaisen thirst #ryomen sukuna smut

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uglyducklingofthe2000s · 1 month

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Men In Movies (Girls Night series) - Charles Leclerc

Summary: Charles charms his girlfriend's friends into letting him in on a quiet girls movie night and he feels like he's getting an exclusive look in on what happens on a girls night.

Friends names: Melody, Amaya and Ruby

Y/n is still out shopping for snacks and drinks when the girls arrive, so Charles gets the luxury of being the welcome party to them all. And it somewhat gives him a chance to talk them into letting him be a part of it.

He's got no other plans and while the relationship is still fairly new, so he should probably give y/n space and time with her friends that he doesn't intrude on. He also just wants to be involved.

"You girls all look beautiful." Charles smiles as they walk in. "Y/n's is still out getting food, but she left a while ago. I think she will be back soon."

"That's alright, you're being a very good host, Charles." Ruby smiles knowing that Charles might exude confidence as a person but he's also aware of the influence a girls friends can have on how she feels about a man. So he's doing everything he can to make sure he never gets on their bad side.

"I'm a little sad I'm not getting to enjoy a movie night with you guys. But I know it is a girls night and y/n has told me strict rules, I cannot join in." Charles states maybe a little manipulatively in hopes they will allow him a pass.

"You're not subtle, Charles." Melody laughs shaking her head but Amaya speaks up.

"Don't be mean. Charles you can join in if y/n says it's ok. We're not going to stop you. Melody has had multiple men join our girls nights and half of them weren't actually her boyfriends."

"Hey! No need to air out dirty laundry like that, Amaya." Melody gasps while Ruby giggles earning a sharp look but makes no apology.

"I don't want to overstep." Charles states actually feeling like maybe it was a mistake to ask.

"Baby! I'm back, I found these little sausages. They're like-oh girls. I didn't realise you guys were here already." Y/n smiles stopping herself short and smiling at the group who all smile back at her but she frowns a little. "I hope you girls haven't been scaring him."

Melody and Amaya immediately been explaining how they were certainly not scaring Charles. Charles moves to take the bags from y/n since actually they look quite heavy and she seems to have managed to hold a lot. Even taking them from her he pulls a face at the weight.

"Alright, Ruby? Can you...?" Y/n questions since listening to Melody and Amaya shout over each other is already giving her a headache she's thinks it's too early in the night to have.

"Charles wants to be involved int he girls night. Melody says no, Amaya says yes because Melody has invited quite a few men to the girls nights before and we had a good time." Ruby explains earning a puff of breath before she nods.

"And what do you think?" Y/n hums knowing Ruby often likes to sit back and watch Amaya and Melody bicker.

Ruby's gaze looks over at Charles who has tried to occupy himself with the snacks.

"Charles is the best boyfriend you've ever had. I say he's got an indefinite invite for girls night." Ruby shrugs earning a smile from y/n and Charles might not be looking but his dimples are giving him away for a smile.

"Sounds like you don't have a choice, baby. Unless you want to come across as rude." Y/n teases earning a grin as he finally looks at her.

"Then I cannot decline." Charles states before y/n moves over and kisses him.

The next half hour is spent just setting up the living room with the snacks laid out and the drinks at the side for then to pick from.

"You should starting a catering company, y/n. You've got more than we're going to eat here." Melody jokes as they all finally settle down and while y/n initially was going to sit with Ruby and Amaya in the order they'd usually sit.

But Charles doesn't even stop to waste time, swiftly catching her as he walks by to sit down, his arm around her waist and him yanking her down to his lap in what everyone has to admit was almost too smooth of a move.

"Oh, Charles." Y/n laughs as they sit down.

The next half an hour is spent bickering over what movies to watch and in what order.

Eventually they land on The Proposal, Bridesmaids and 13 Going on 30 (sorry if anyone hates these but they're my go-to and I lurveee them).

"Take notes, Charles. Men in movies are why I allow men in on girls nights. I want them to act like the men that we see on screens." Melody states making y/n tsk at the other woman but Charles is just amused.

"And do they live up to the men in movies?" Charles asks earning a slightly more bitter expression while the rest of the girls laugh.

"No, they did not. Which is why she's here without her own man to crash a girls night." Amaya giggles then laugh when Melody nudges her with her foot.

"Are girls night always like this?" Charles whispers to y/n who just smiles and laughs a little.

"Yeah, pretty much. But you have an open invitation for all future girls nights, which means if you're not working. You're attending." Y/n grins nuzzling down against him.

They all fall into a silence Charles actually finds himself pulled into the movie with the rest of the girls.

"Ahhhh...Ryan Reynolds is godly. I don't know how anyone can say this is realistic. There's no ways Sandra Bullock would turn him away otherwise." Melody declares making Amaya roll her eyes.

"A man's body is not all it's about, Melody."

"No, but it's not a bad addition." Melody smirks then looking at y/n. "Isn't that right, y/n?"

"Please stop talking." Y/n groans while Charles tries to hide how flattered he is. "Anyway, the appeal about Ryan in this movie is more about how much of a gentleman he is."

"That's true." Ruby seconds with Amaya agreeing.

"She's not wrong. Maybe you should focus on going to men because they're nice not just because they look nice." Amaya states to Melody who hums.

"Maybe Charles has some friends he could let me get to know." Melody smirks and just as he's about to speak y/n stops him.

"He is not here to set you up with someone, Melody. Behave." Y/n scolds then looking at Charles. "And don't you dare subject your friends to being set up with Melody. She's a heartbreaker."

"Y/n, that's horrible." Charles scolds but Melody surrenders her hands.

"No, but she's right." Melody admits then sighing. "But if I had a Ryan Reynolds, I'd never break his heart."

"Poor Ryan, he'd be stuck with her for life like the rest of us." Amaya giggles then squealing when Melody reaches over Ruby to flick her ear. "Ruby, you're suppose to be a barrier to protect me."

"You earned that one."

The friends bicker like sisters and it's obvious who the problem child is - Melody, who the peacekeeper is - mostly Ruby, who the instigator is - Amaya and who generally tries to keep out the arguments - y/n. Charles is loving just watching them in their natural habitat.

When The Proposal ends they move onto Bridesmaids where Charles is both enlightened to learn all four of the girls love the Scottish accent and find it undeniably attractive. He may have been mildly insulted that his girlfriend gave him a pity pat on the arm when Ruby throws a "no offence" about him not being blessed with a Scottish accent.

By the time they get to 13 Going On 30, a debate about turning 30 and how much they either dread or look forward to it. There's also a debate about whether they'd do what TomTom did and betray the magazine to get a better job at a more successful magazine.

"What would you do Charles?" Melody questions making everyone turn to the F1 driver but y/n has an answer for him already.

"Charles is loyal. He'd stay with the magazine and help them bring it back to life. Isn't that right baby?"

"Yes, that's right." Charles smiles knowing y/n is referring to how he treats Ferrari and his loyalty to them.

Taglist: @namgification @hiireadstuff @jsjcue @geniusalpaca @itsjustkhaos @llando4norris @partyinpitlane @lpab @xoscar03 @thehufflepuffavenger1

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ghostgirl101 · 4 months

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Oliver Quick Being Obsessed With You Would Include...

A/N: Watched this recently and got too many ideas because it's what I do 😀 if you've got any requests for the Saltburn crew then drop them in my inbox and I'll get round to them. Have fun reading- just know that there are obviously spoilers for the Saltburn movie here, so if you haven't watched it, zip to the cinema and come back 😎 or don't.

☓• It's hard to know where to start with Oliver... all I can say is that once you're in his sights, you're never getting out of them. Big never. Even if he has to wait years to get what he wants, he'll wait, and he will get it. And of course, the it we're talking about here is lucky you. So lucky you 🙃

☓• Say goodbye to your close friends and possibly your family if they're taking up too much of your time or happen to see through his harmless, quiet, normal act to something a lot darker and obsessive tainting his pure blue eyes every time they latch onto you. No one's managed to get in his way yet, and it stays that way.

☓• The first unknowing encounter with Oliver must have been somewhere around Oxford Uni, where you all go to and study. Maybe in the library, outside talking to friends - doing practically anything and making it look amazing and beautiful and something to be wanted above anything. He watches you a lot, a lot a lot, before you bump into each other, because the meeting has to be perfectly natural and it's his only chance to start things off on the right foot.

☓• Coincidences happen a lot and no one can be called out on them, because nothing seems to be wrong yet. You'll end up spending the majority of your time with him, maybe even without realising, whilst he finds out ways to know more about you and get closer to you. Oliver's not so good when it comes to talking about himself, telling you with one of his awkward but earnest half-smiles that he's not half as interesting, and so the conversation ends up steering back to you. From family life to friends, growing up, hobbies, favourite colour, tell him anything and everything. Because he won't forget a single thing.

☓• He's easy with where you want to go to hang out too, so long as he's there. You could just be talking with your friends in the nearby pub or at a party where the invite was extended to him as he's with you, or studying together at the library. Ignore the weird looks from Michael.

☓• But what Oliver prefers above all that is just being together and alone, maybe in your dorm room, or just out somewhere at a park or at the bridge, sitting and talking, opening yourself up more and more to him. This boy is an incredible listener. If your voice trails off when you become self-conscious of how much you're rambling, all you'll get in response is Oliver blinking out of his trance and giving you a calm smile and a shrug. "No, it's fine, I don't mind. Carry on."

☓• Number one supporter, naturally. Oliver tries to be the best friend and more, so hard, with you. He'll be anything you want and need him to be without you even having to mention it. Whatever club or team you're on, he'll give you a little wave and small grin from the sidelines... take a few pictures when you're not looking. For safekeeping.

☓• It can get more than a little frustrating for him when you're distracted by your other 'friends' at Oxford, even if it's something as small as looking over essay answers and revision notes with Farleigh. There's always a back-and-forth thing happening between those two, and so when Farleigh starts becoming friendly with you and outrightly mocking with Oliver, to you, all that will happen is Oliver giving him an unblinking, blank look that looks a touch too cold and repressive, before he ignores him. And that's all you'll ever know about it.

☓• If you happen to stick up for Oliver when someone brings up how different and odd he is, a bit awkward to talk to and a cheapskate or whatever, he'll never get over it. You stuck up for him. That just proves that he was right about you, from the second his dark gaze latched onto your unknowing self just a few weeks ago. He was right. You're... perfect.

☓• There's so much good about Oliver, that if you ever hear anything different, it's hard to actually believe it. It's just Farleigh causing trouble, or gossip that has gotten out of hand again, not actual hints of something deeper bubbling beneath the surface. Oliver would never watch you outside your dorm room at night, what are they on about? And when Oliver hears of them too, or gets the worries out of you when he instantly notices that something's up, he'll act as effortlessly, convincingly confused as you are. If there's the slightest bit of proof in the accusation, he'll cover it up with a flawless explanation that swerves away from him and onto someone else within a second, while still seeming without grudges towards anyone. "You shouldn't listen to them, they're just trying to get in your head. Or maybe they want you for themself or something. I mean, I can understand that. Completely."

☓• You will eventually notice just how clingy Oliver can get when he seems to be everywhere around you, and you might be looking for a moment to yourself. If you gently bring it up, he'll reluctantly go on the promise that you'll text him back, which gives him time to change tactics. He will go as far as saying someone in his family died, or as small as admitting that the isolation from everyone who is so different to him in this place makes him feel a bit broken up. Maybe he should leave? And you, being you, encourage him to stay on and hang out with you and your friends, and boom, his back in.

☓• It's so easy for Oliver to subtly manipulate his surroundings and its people. Everyone, except for you. With you, the manipulation comes in seemingly natural events, nothing too forward. Because what he likes the most is you coming to him with whatever, problems, thoughts, feelings. Then he's done his job, and everything else that will build up a beautiful, beautiful relationship, will slip into place for him.

☓• Again, everything has to be perfect, and it will be. Maybe your first kiss with him is on your birthday, or out somewhere nice as a treat with some other rich friends. Or it's just you two having a movie marathon or pulling an all-nighter. Every time, he'll inch closer with little sweet, honest lines spoken in a calm, low tone, his eyes locked with yours and scarcely blinking. "Do you know how loveable you are?" "I think that your smile is something to live for." "I never want to be without you."

☓• Oliver will edge closer and closer, holding hands, brushing your hair back from your face when you're reading with a tender touch, meeting your eye and not letting go until you smile in bashful amusement and look away. He'll meet you outside all your classes and bring you your favourite drinks and study notes that he got from his work, so that you never fail an exam. Oliver's a lifesaver, one of your closest friends, someone who's always there for you to be whatever you need whenever you need. A great comforter, supporter, study buddy, moral support, you name it. He created and adapted himself to be boyfriend material especially for you, and so it happens, and he's won, like he knew he did the second he saw you. Now he can be as clingy and overly affectionate and outwardly obsessive as he wants, all day, all night, tirelessly. And don't think he won't.

☓• Straight-up, he's a starer. And I mean starer when you think you're alone in your room, starer when you were with a fling or someone you might have been interested in before... before Oliver worked his magic behind the scenes. Now it's a lot easier to, when you're in a relationship, because he can pass off his staring as something romantic, which it kind of is, without the dangerous obsessiveness lacing it. You'll look up from your phone or wake up in the night to see Oliver's eyes on you in wonder and something else you can't quite place, before you smile and ask him what it is. It's always the same answer with the same soft, adoring smirk that manages to make your cheeks flush with colour and smile back. It's not 'nothing.' It's always, just, "You."

☓• Once he's got things how he wanted them, if anything tries to ruin it, they will have literal hell to pay. He did not come this far for nothing. It's an agonising process of waiting and being patient so he wouldn't scare you off, getting gradually and naturally closer to this point. So whether it's Farleigh telling his tales or playing off his tricks, or someone else pointing out the unobvious obvious, good luck to them, because one of his special coincidences will fall right onto their heads.

☓• And if, by a twisted turn of events, you walk into one of Oliver's schemes, and see flecks of his true, darker self and violent, delusional side unearthed from his usually calm and easy way, he'll beg you with racking tears and heaving breaths and literal vomit to stay. He'll do anything, just as he has been doing anything, for you. What he's saying and doing is suddenly terrifying, and whether or not you want to accept him as freely is your choice, but if not, Oliver won't go away. He'll wait some more if you manage to escape his grasp this time. See you in a few years as an adult, maybe. When you're vulnerable in different ways and water's gone under the bridge. He'll slip right back into your life like he was always meant to be there, with his earnest, devoting praise and comfort and support, and that's Oliver Quick's life come back together yet again, with you lost at its centre. Trapped.

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