#janus countdown

[where-are-the-spooky-gays-2]

Picture this, Remus only gets jealous when Virgil hangs out with Roman, because sibling rivalry. Virgil has been spending a lot of time with the prince for emotional support and because he's plotting something big. Remus gets all pouty and whines to Janus who can't tell him anything. Remus is a pouty grumpy mess until the truth comes out

Turns out Virgil was planning a surprise date for Remus and he wanted to make it romantic and over the top. Who else would he go to for that stuff? Plus it's the perfect opportunity to be a decent brother without seeing Remus, so Roman is all in.

That is both hilarious and so damn wholesome P L E A S E!!! I'm cackling at the thought of Ree just being dramatically grumpy arms crossed and everything to Jan going

Remus: Vee Vee's been hanging out with Hoeman a lot lately like Pissy can't even name one horror movie I thought we had something going on y'know!?

Janus: *sipping his wine secretly knowing everything* Yes that's very unfortunate

But of course the Emo goes to the Prince of Romance himself for advice and once he finally tells Ree to follow him somewhere after almost going a whole day without uttering a word to the chaotic Duke and let alone seeing him and Ree's immediately dramatic and sassy about it like

Virgil: Ree I need to show you something- Remus: Who the hell do you take me for Vee Vee I will not be someone's sloppy seconds I am the snack and main course...

Virgil *playfully rolls his eyes dragging Ree to follow him as the ball of chaos is still sassily rambling*

Remus: And another thing-

Virgil: *teasing* Are you gonna open the door or do I need to makeout with you to shut you up?

Remus: Bribery will get you nowhere-

Virgil: *opens the door revealing a spooky romantic candle lit dinner*

Remus: *gasps* I knew you loved me!

#also love that ro just agreed for the sake of not having to see his twin but wanted to help do something somewhat nice for him XD #dukexiety #remus sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #janus sanders #ts remus #ts virgil #ts roman #ts janus #sanders sides #thomas sanders #asks #answers #brandstifter-sys #not a countdown

[whereisstevethestove]

No weapons, just fists and wit!

#sanders sides #not countdown #thomas sanders #logan sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #poll #orange side #janus sanders #remus sanders

[crrative]

New Year - Sanders Sides

It's like 2am and it's appropriate. Prinxiety nation, human roommate au. You know the drill.

Having a community of young people who look to you and your work for comfort and feeling unable to provide when you didn't expect the pressure in the first place sounds heavy to shoulder alone. It makes sense that the last few years have been unstructured with the context. Because I know there's a chance Sanders himself is seeing this: you did something great.

Happy New Year, fuckbags

It's a tame environment. There are only six of them and everyone would rather be in bed, but the year has been so taxing that it feels right to sign it off with a huge middle finger and then go to bed. All there is to do is wait.

Barely a minute left until New York lights up on the TV and Logan has finished his second glass of wine in the last five. Patton is hunched with his obnoxiously long fingers against his temple, resisting the temptation of accepting yet another offer for a glass and opting to nurse the sleep-deprived headache in stead. Roman has put himself on the couch, fiddling with a pen and its lid from the coffee table. Virgil is on the arm of the couch, crouched like an obnoxious prick in an attempt to express his edge, which only really serves to make him look like a dork and unintentionally lightens the mood a smidge.

"Where are the chuckle twins?" Logan poses, observing the swirl in his drink as it settles from being poured.

"Janus said 'surprise' when he went into his room," Patton answers.

"Remus went with him," Virgil grumbles.

The silence reignites as a door opens from down the hall. Remus walks out with a tray of six shot glasses, brimming with syrupy liqueur. Janus walks a metre behind him, head held high.

"We'll all sleep better after this," he insists proudly as Remus parades the tray around, face blank and ashy as slate. He doesn't take sleep deprevation particularly well, but he handles it better than Roman copes with Janus sitting beside him. Where Virgil has turned and planted his feet on the couch seat, Roman parks himself, arms curling around his waist as the countdown starts. The crowd on the street chants and the six watch, breath held.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" It screeches, fireworks filling the screen with a blinding light, flooding the living room with a rectangular explosion of warm white. The group heaves a collective sigh.

Before the festivities can draw themselves out too long, Virgil leans down and over Roman, placing his fingers flat and sideways beneath his chin. In compliance with a rhythm long established, Roman closes his eyes and allows Virgil control. Their lips part, connect, and close around the other's in a chaste display of commitment and affection. Roman seasons the display by running his hand up Virgil's outer thigh.

"Oh! Well, if we're getting crazy," Patton posits with a muted smile, skirting the breakfast bar he'd been slumped on and bending over the couch. Janus looks up and to the side to recieve and return what he had rightly expected to be a sweet, tired peck. It brings a modest and satisfied smile out of the shadow that was his bored expression.

"This does not constitute crazy," Logan commented, unbeknownst to the presence lurking behind him. It makes first contact with his waist, cold fingers slid beneath his sleep shirt. He sucks in a shocked breath as the ice burns his skin. "You do."

"Love you, too."

Janus sits up and addresses the three behind them with a raise of his glass. "Are we ready?"

"Affirmative."

"Yeah."

"Okay..."

"Indeed!"

"I don't have to, do I?"

"No, dear, but it's not ordinary spirit. I think you'll like it." Patton grimaces at his glass and observes the others. A beat passes, Janus gestures to the room with his drink and everyone follows his lead in taking the shot.

"It's almost unbearably sweet."

"I did not expect that coming from you, Logan," Roman comments as he inspects his cup. "Do you not like toffee?"

"I didn't say that."

"No need for the defenses, Doc, I only asked."

"He just wants us to know to save him some whenever it's goin' 'round," Virgil swoops in, smile on his face, voice raspy. Roman takes his glass and hands it to Patton.

"I wonder why you chose something so sweet," Roman implicates. Janus turns around and looks up at Patton, who is smiling with such soulful conviction that it hurts.

"I loved it."

'Score,' Janus thinks as he settles into the couch and joins the others in watching the screen.

#remus sanders #roman sanders #sanders sides #prinxiety #thomas sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #intrulogical #moceit #janus sanders #logan sanders

[androxys]

Task Force What? An Incomplete (Yet Still Very Long) Guide to Some of the DCU’s Government Groups [Part 3]

If you’re a glutton for punishment like me, or if something in the first two parts seemed exciting and you want to dive in more, here are a variety of suggestions for further reading. While obviously incomplete, hopefully you find something in here you like! This section also doubles as (some of) my sources cited, if you’re into that.

If you just want a TL;DR recommendation, personally, I would say read Suicide Squad (1987) and Checkmate (2006) for a great sampling of DC’s world of spies and politics.

I say it every time, but really, thank you to my editors and beta readers who helped make this happen. I owe y'all one.

Part 1: Organization Descriptions and Histories

Part 2: Timeline

Part 3: Reading Suggestions

Suicide Squad

For the Suicide Squad, you’re in luck, because there are three titles just about them! Suicide Squad (1987) is the first and, in my opinion, the best. It ran for 66 issues and was revived in 2010 for a 67th issue to tie in with the Blackest Night event. This establishes Amanda Waller’s character and details how she put the Suicide Squad together. The entire series would be published in a series of eight books, published 2011-2019.

If you want to read the Janus Directive crossover, mentioned several times here, you’re in luck! It was collected in 2016 as Book 4 of the series reprinting all of SS ‘87. However, if you want to read it in singles, you can do that as such:

Checkmate (1988) #15

Suicide Squad (1987) #27

Checkmate (1988) #16

Suicide Squad (1987) #28

Checkmate (1988) # 17

Manhunter (1988) #14

Firestorm (1982) #86

Suicide Squad (1987) #29

Checkmate (1988) #18

Suicide Squad (1987) #30

Captain Atom (1987) #30

After SS ‘87 ended, their next main book would be Suicide Squad (2001). This series would spin out of the Our Worlds At War crossover, and is set during the time period when Lex Luthor is the U.S. President and Amanda Waller is the Director of Metahuman Affairs. It is collected as Suicide Squad: Casualties of War, published in 2021. This one has much less Waller in it, and is only loosely connected in the final issues to anything that came before it.

The Squad’s last titular series would be Suicide Squad (2007). This book is set during Amanda Waller’s time in Checkmate, and details the Squad’s involvement in Operation: Salvation Run. It was collected in 2008 as Suicide Squad: From the Ashes. Lots of past Squad members return for this one. If this run really grabs you, you can also read Salvation Run (2008). It was collected under the same name in 2008.

Checkmate

Checkmate has had two primary runs in the post-Crisis, New Earth continuity. The first is Checkmate (1988), which covers the Harry Stein era of Checkmate. It ran for 33 issues, with the Janus Directive crossover happening roughly halfway through. This run follows from Checkmate’s first appearance in Action Comics (1938) #598, also in 1988.

Checkmate pops up a few times during the Bruce Wayne: Murderer? and Bruce Wayne: Fugitive comic arcs. These arcs are too long for me to detail them all out here, but they were both collected in 2014 as self-titular books. For Checkmate specific issues, check out Detective Comics (1937) #768-777. This arc deals with David Said working as a Knight for Checkmate, and the organization’s recruitment of Sasha Bordeaux. If you want to see Said working as King, that’s in Gotham Knights (1999) #37-40.

Checkmate would receive its major revamp in 2005, with Maxwell Lord as King. This saga is chronicled in Countdown to Infinite Crisis (2005) #1, The OMAC Project (2005) #1-6, and Infinite Crisis Special: The OMAC Project (2005) #1.

After the events of The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis, Checkmate would be rechartered as a U.N. organization and receive a new self-titled ongoing series. Checkmate (2006) would run for 31 issues. This series would crossover with Outsiders (2003) with the story CheckOut, which would run 

Checkmate (2006) #13

Outsiders (2003) #47

Checkmate (2006) #14

Outsiders (2003) #48

Checkmate (2006) #15

Outsiders (2003) #49

Checkmate (2005) #1-25 is collected, including the CheckOut crossover, in Checkmate by Greg Rucka Books 1 and 2, published in 2017 and 2018, respectively. #26-31 is collected in Checkmate: Chimera published 2009.

Cadmus

Okay, I’m going to cheat a bit here. Before Crisis happened, Jack Kirby created the DNA Project in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen (1937) #135. You can read that in Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen by Jack Kirby published 2019. A lot of this stayed on after Crisis, and it’s Kirby, so that’s fun.

In New Earth, if you want to read about Cadmus, I sort of have to recommend The Death and Return of Superman story arc. The thing is, that story is giant, and I can’t list all the Cadmus stuff individually. If you’re interested, DC reprinted the entire arc over four books in 2016. These are The Death of Superman, Funeral for a Friend, Reign of the Supermen, and The Return of Superman. This chronicles Cadmus’ response to Superman’s death and the subsequent debut of Superboy. If you’re interested specifically in Superboy’s first appearance escaping Cadmus, that’s in Adventures of Superman (1987) #500. 

The Battle for Metropolis and Fall of Metropolis feature Cadmus’ clone virus and its subsequent fallout:

Action Comics (1938) #699

Superman: The Man of Steel (1991) #34

Superman (1987) #90

Adventures of Superman (1987) #513

Action Comics (1938) #700

Superman: The Man of Steel (1991) #35

Superman (1987) #91

Adventures of Superman (1987) #514

Action Comics (1938) #701

Cadmus continues to pop up through Superboy (1994), which is unfortunately generally uncollected. The first ten issues, as well as the Zero Hour #0 special, were collected in 2018 as Superboy: Trouble in Paradise. You can see Superboy suffering from the clone plague a bit in there, which is a nice bit of continuity, though the series doe not officially crossover.

A.P.E.S.

This group exclusively shows up in the pages of Young Justice (1998), which ran for 56 issues. The entire run is collected in five books, published 2017-2020.

Department of Extranormal Operations

The DEO first shows up in Batman (1940) #550, which is also Cameron Chase’s first appearance. This issue serves as a sort of “backdoor pilot” to Chase (1998), which ran for 9 regular issues and a DC One Million tie-in. This series dealt with Chase’s adventures as an agent of the DEO. Cameron Chase and Director Bones would later become major supporting characters in Manhunter (2004).

Evidence of the DEO’s research camps, orphanages, and training groups can be found in various titles. Notably, Young Justice (1998), Relative Heroes (2000), and Titans (1999).

Wonder Woman’s adventures as Diana Prince, agent of the Department of Metahuman Affairs are chronicled in Wonder Woman (2006). The DMA is heavily involved in the “Amazons Attack” storyline that runs #6-13, but be forewarned, that arc is not exactly… loved… by Wonder Woman fans. The story “Who Is Wonder Woman,” which runs #1-5 is good, and Gail Simone’s acclaimed run starts at #14. Make of that information what you will.

Spyral

As mentioned above, Spyral has a bit of a funny publication history, debuting in the New Earth continuity, but then being largely fleshed out in the post-Flashpoint continuity that directly follows from the pre-Flashpoint timeline.

Spyral first appears in Batman Incorporated (2011) #4. The group would continue to appear through Batman Incorporated (2012). Spyral features prominently in Grayson (2014), in which Dick Grayson is forced to give up the Nightwing identity and becomes an agent of Spyral throughout the comic’s twenty issue run, concluding in Nightwing: Rebirth (2016) #1.

#dc comics #amanda waller #sasha bordeaux #suicide squad #checkmate #meta #my writing #chit chat

[twistedtummies2]

Christopher Lee: A Sinister Centenary - Number 6

Welcome to Christopher Lee: A Sinister Centenary! Over the course of May, I will be counting down My Top 31 Favorite Performances by my favorite actor, the late, great Sir Christopher Lee, in honor of his 100th Birthday. Although this fine actor left us a few years ago, his legacy endures, and this countdown is a tribute to said legacy! Today’s Subject, My 6th Favorite Christopher Lee Performance: Francisco Scaramanga, from The Man With the Golden Gun.

Christopher Lee and James Bond have more ties than you might think: as it turns out, Lee was actually Ian Fleming’s cousin, and at one point, Fleming had actually suggested Lee (who, at that time, was just starting to make a proper name for himself in movies) to play the titular super spy. Lee would have been perfect casting, seeing as how he actually worked in the secret service for England for years, but alas, this never came to pass. Eon Productions made this up to audiences, however, when they decided to cast Lee to play arguably one of the greatest Bond Villains of all time: Francisco Scaramanga, the titular assassin from “The Man With the Golden Gun.” While “The Man With the Golden Gun” is admittedly one of the more flawed James Bond movies (its tone is all over the place, two major characters are pretty annoying, and the plot is somewhat convoluted, even by Bond film standards), it is, nevertheless, an example of a case where the movie is better than the book. The book, for some strange reason, plays out more like a Spaghetti Western than a James Bond story, and the titular villain of Scaramanga is little more than a black-hatted thug with a fancy weapon. It was the last novel written by Ian Fleming for the series, and you can tell he was sort of strapped for ideas at that point. The movie, for all its own faults, wisely goes in a totally different direction from the novel…and, in deliberately not following the book much at all, it also ends up greatly improving on the character of Scaramanga. Lee’s gilded dastard was envisioned as “the dark side of Bond;” he is one of a few villains throughout the franchise (Raoul Silva, Janus, and Red Grant are other examples) who are meant to be a dark parallel to Bond himself. Like Bond, Scaramanga is a notorious assassin who has somehow managed to remain secretive while also having a noteworthy reputation. He is a brilliant pistol shot, and enjoys the finer things in life, always wearing excellent suits and enjoying the best wines and foods he can find. However, where they differ are their motivations: Bond has his rough edges, his foibles and flaws, but he ultimately works for a heroic cause, and has a basic moral fiber somewhere under the surface. Scaramanga does not: he lives with practically no purpose but to kill and destroy, and he absolutely LOVES his work. Through death, he has made financial killings of his own; through death, he can live the life he’s always wanted. Shooting people is ultimately the only thing that brings him pleasure in life. (And I mean “pleasure” in more than one sense of the word.) Under his sophisticated and at times rather charming demeanor, he is a literal killing machine, and nothing more. This was yet another role that gave Lee a chance to break the mold of the horror actor he was stuck in so perpetually at the time. True, Scaramanga is still the villain, but he’s a rather different creature from characters like Dracula or Fu Manchu. Lee brings an enthusiasm and energy to the part that gives Scaramanga an almost boyish quality; his childlike excitement when Bond comes to “visit” him on his island hideaway (because of course he has one of those) is especially wonderful. He doesn’t just RESPECT Bond, he outright seems to IDOLIZE the guy; you almost get the feeling that Scaramanga’s similarities to Bond are self-crafted, that he’s been building up this moment for himself for years, and the chance to finally see his hero, have dinner with him, and show him around his pad is just as delightful to him as the chance to fight said hero in combat and come out the victor. Of course, the relationship is almost tragically one-sided, as Bond is quite disgusted by Scaramanga, which no doubt only heightens his desire to see Bond fall courtesy of one of his own gold bullets. The best comparison I can think of in a more modern film is the relationship between Syndrome and Mr. Incredible from “The Incredibles”: the villain is just as much the hero’s fanboy as their self-proclaimed nemesis. Bottom line: while “The Man With the Golden Gun” has its problems, the titular villain is not among them. He’s one of my top three favorite Bond Villains, without question, and I actually feel pretty bad for not including him in the Top 5 on this countdown. Hopefully those who rank above him will not disappoint. ;) The top five starts tomorrow. Not only that, but tomorrow marks the official birthday of our honored actor! Who will be chosen to mark that special occasion? Join me next time to find out.

#christopher lee #sinister centenary #happy birthday christopher lee #top 31 christopher lee performances #favorites #best #list #countdown #may special #number 6 #francisco scaramanga #scaramanga #the man with the golden gun #007 #james bond

[tss-storytime-summaries]

8

Expected Rating: Teen

Warnings: Body dysmorphia, thalassophobia, panic attacks, nonconsensual touching (not sexual), potential flashbacks of child abuse (not sure yet), racism, xenophobia, ableism, morally gray Patton, and bullying.

Characters: roman, logan, virgil, remus, janus, patton.

Romantic Relationships: roman x janus, (potentially) logan x virgil

Summary: Summer is finally here. Gentle breezes, vibrant flowers, and faces slathered in sunscreen; it’s a time of nostalgia and possibility. When Roman wins a lottery that grants him and four friends a beach vacation at a luxury resort for the entire summer, he knows that it’s going to be the perfect way to end this chapter of his life with a bang. After all, once the countdown to August 15 hits zero, his friend group of nine years will split off to achieve their goals and grow into their adult selves.

But of course, things don’t always go as planned. In the face of insecurity, fear, and eventually, a person who stops at nothing to drive a wedge between these friends, Roman, Janus, Logan, Remus, and Virgil find comfort and safety in each other when it matters most.

all five of the sides in the friend group are people of color, so if an artist wants to draw for the story, they must be willing to accept gentle and kind criticism when it comes to drawing poc. logan is puerto-rican, the twins are filipino, janus is japanese, and virgil is jamaican. also, logan, virgil, and janus have bigger bodies, so same applies with the gentle and kind criticism. i promise i will be gentle and kind! i just want the representation to be accurate and respectful, and i’m sure you do too!

#tss storytime 2023 #tss storytime summaries

[sharingstories]

Reflecting on the New Year: A Personal Journey through Time

As the clock ticks down to the final moments of the year, it's only natural to find ourselves in a state of reflection. The New Year is not just a time for countdowns and fireworks; it's a unique opportunity to delve into the depths of our experiences, both triumphs, and challenges, over the past twelve months. As we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, let's take a moment to embark on a personal journey through time, exploring the lessons learned, the growth achieved, and the memories created.

New Year's Eve Traditions from Around the World

Before delving into personal reflections, let's take a global tour of New Year's Eve traditions. From the sparkling lights of Times Square in New York to the vibrant fireworks over Sydney Harbor, each culture has its unique way of bidding adieu to the old year and ushering in the new. In Spain, it's customary to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, symbolizing good luck for each month of the coming year. Meanwhile, in Japan, the ringing of temple bells 108 times cleanses individuals of their worldly desires, preparing them for a fresh start.

These traditions serve as a reminder that, despite our cultural differences, the anticipation and hope associated with the New Year are universal. As we reflect on our personal journeys, we can draw inspiration from these diverse celebrations, recognizing the shared human experience that transcends borders.

Facts About The New Year

Before we dive into personal reflections, let's uncover some interesting facts about the New Year that add depth to our contemplation. Did you know that the concept of New Year celebrations dates back over 4,000 years to ancient Babylon? The tradition of making resolutions has roots in the ancient Roman custom of making promises to the god Janus, for whom the month of January is named.

Understanding the historical context of New Year's celebrations can lend a sense of significance to our reflections. It allows us to appreciate the evolution of these traditions and the enduring human desire for renewal and improvement. Armed with this knowledge, let's embark on a journey through the corridors of our own experiences, armed with the wisdom of the ages.

The Highs and Lows: Lessons Learned and Growth Achieved

In the theater of life, the past year was a play with acts of joy, sorrow, and everything in between. There were moments of triumph, where I felt invincible, and moments of despair, where I questioned my strength. Through it all, I learned that resilience is not the absence of struggle but the ability to navigate through it.

One of the most profound lessons was the importance of embracing change. Life is dynamic, and the only constant is the inevitability of change. As I reflect on the past year, I see how my willingness to adapt and embrace change led to unexpected opportunities and personal growth. It's a reminder that, in the face of uncertainty, flexibility is a valuable asset.

Additionally, the past year taught me the significance of gratitude. Amidst the challenges, there were countless moments of beauty and kindness. Expressing gratitude became a daily practice, a beacon of positivity that illuminated even the darkest days. Gratitude, I realized, is not just a response to favorable circumstances but a powerful force that shapes our perception of the world.

Looking Forward: A Canvas of Possibilities

As the clock strikes midnight and the calendar turns, the New Year unfolds before us like a blank canvas. It's a chance to paint a new picture, set new goals, and dream new dreams. While the past year shaped me, the future beckons with the promise of new opportunities and unexplored territories.

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, I aspire to carry the lessons learned into the coming year. I commit to continued personal growth, embracing change with open arms, and fostering a mindset of gratitude. The canvas before me is vast, and I approach it with a sense of anticipation and excitement.

Share Your Story at History Chip

As we reflect on the past year, it's essential to acknowledge the power of storytelling in shaping our narrative. The act of sharing our experiences not only provides catharsis but also connects us to a broader human experience. One platform that embodies this idea is "History Chip," a metaphorical repository where personal stories become a part of the collective tapestry of human history.

Imagine each of us contributing a chip to this vast mosaic, representing our unique experiences, struggles, and triumphs. By sharing our stories, we not only gain insights into our own journey but also contribute to the collective wisdom of humanity. In a world where stories intersect and overlap, History Chip becomes a testament to the resilience and diversity of the human spirit.

Conclusion: A Journey Shared, A Future Unwritten

As we collectively stand on the threshold of the New Year, let us embark on our personal journeys with a sense of purpose and reflection. By acknowledging the lessons of the past, embracing change, and contributing our stories to the collective history chip, we become active participants in the evolving narrative of humanity.

May the New Year bring you moments of joy, lessons of resilience, and opportunities for growth. As we reflect on our personal journeys, let us remember that we are not alone in our experiences. Our stories, woven into the fabric of time, connect us to the vast tapestry of human existence, making each reflection a valuable contribution to the shared history of us all.

#share your story #new year #personal story #story sharing

[where-are-the-spooky-gays-2]

All the sides have had a rough day, and all of them, except for Patton, drink.

Patton is worried for them because he tried a sip, and it tasted horrible.

Logan and Janus end up the tinyist bit tipsy because they're really used to the wine.

Roman is tipsy.

Remus is drunk.

Virgil is drunk.

Let's just say they made out and everyone was like: "Whatthefu-"

Sober or drunk the Spooky Gays can and will makeout at any given opportunity XD

#they're less tame when they're drunk so it's best to run out of the room if it starts XD #dukexiety #remus sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #janus sanders #logan sanders #roman sanders #ts remus #ts virgil #ts patton #ts janus #ts logan #ts roman #sanders sides #thomas sanders #asks #answers #anon #not a countdown

[whereisstevethestove]

#sanders sides #not countdown #thomas sanders #logan sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #remus sanders #janus sanders #mambo no 5 🍊 #poll

[where-is-the-cane-for-janus]

It has been 1001 days since we last saw Janus’ cane

All five of my countdown blogs are officially at over 1000 days and that really puts some stuff into perspective

#caneless days counter

[esonetwork]

Timestamp #269: Face the Raven

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/timestamp-269-face-the-raven/

Timestamp #269: Face the Raven

Doctor Who: Face the Raven (1 episode, s09e10, 2015)

Doctor Clara has consequences.

The Doctor and Clara return from an amazing adventure when they get a phone call from Rigsy. He has found a mysterious tattoo on his neck and it’s counting down. The travelers arrive at his home and meet his fiancée and his newborn daughter. Rigsy doesn’t remember getting the tattoo and he’s lost the last day or so due to a dose of Retcon. When the Doctor scans him, he discovers that Rigsy has been in contact with aliens.

He’ll also die when the countdown reaches zero.

Rigsy demands that the Doctor do what he does best, so the Doctor decides to save the man. He takes the TARDIS to the heart of London and uses the Great British Library’s maps to find the alien enclave. When that doesn’t turn up anything, he takes the TARDIS into the sky to scan the city with the sonic sunglasses. The spots where Clara’s eyes couldn’t focus indicate a perception filter or misdirection circuit hiding the “trap street”.

The team works together to locate the enclave. When the TARDIS finishes the analysis of Rigsy’s phone, he remembers what happened the night before. He found a dead body and several alien witnesses. They discover the enclave’s entrance and go inside, but are soon trapped. They discover that this is a refugee camp headed by Lady Me. The former Ashildr is also in charge of the quantum shade that has infected Rigsy, effectively a death sentence for a crime that Rigsy supposedly committed.

Me places Clara under her personal protection as she takes the team deeper into the street. The camp is teeming with aliens who believe Rigsy is a murderer. Me tells the Doctor that many of his enemies are also on the street, making it the most dangerous place in the universe. The misdirection circuit is driven by glowing worm-like creatures in the streetlamps. Me has also ordered the street to be a violence-free sanctuary.

Rigsy has been convicted of the murder of Anah, a two-faced Janus woman. While the community believes Rigsy to be guilty, the Doctor and Clara know that he was lured to the scene. Their discussion is interrupted by a man who stole medical rations, and even though his actions were noble, Me still considers him to be guilty. The man’s timer expires and he is executed by the quantum shade which takes the form of a raven and can find its target at any place and time.

Me does have the power to rescind the sentence. She tells the Doctor that he needs to convince the refugees that Rigsy is innocent. Clara also discovers that the victim can give the sentence to someone else as long as they consent. Since Clara is under Me’s personal protection, she assumes that she can avoid the raven, so she offers to take Rigsy’s burden.

Clara and the Doctor canvas the street and discover that Rigsy tried to call the Doctor when he realized that he was in the enclave. The Doctor believes that Me was trying to lure him to the trap street. Clara interviews Anahson, the daughter of Anah who has been posing as a boy to shield her ability to see the past and future in someone. Using her ability, she tells them that Me concocted a mystery to bring the Doctor to the enclave.

The Doctor notes that Anah’s body is being kept in a stasis chamber. Even more important, Anah is still alive. The stasis chamber is locked by the TARDIS key, but when the Doctor attempts to unlock the chamber, his wrist is ensnared by a teleportation bracelet. Me enters the room and confesses that her task was to deliver the Doctor and keep the key so that he couldn’t be tracked. She’s also supposed to take his confession dial.

Things get really complicated when Me tries to remove the quantum shade from Rigsy. Since it was transferred to Clara, the terms of the contract between Me and the quantum shade were changed. Clara’s fate cannot be altered by the Doctor, but he threatens to destroy the refugee camp if Me doesn’t fix it.

Clara begs him to stop and takes responsibility for her decision. She wants their last moment to be a kind one. She realizes that she’s been taking reckless risks since Danny Pink died, and while the Doctor expresses guilt over her fate, Clara tells him that she needs to face her own fate. She makes the Doctor promise that he’ll face what comes next as a doctor instead of a warrior. He needs to heal himself, not insult her memory, and not take revenge for her death.

With a hug and a goodbye, she walks into the street and faces the raven. After Clara’s body collapses to the ground, the Doctor is teleported away to points unknown as Me expresses her sorrow and apologizes to the Time Lord.

Later on, Rigsy puts the final touches on his latest work. The abandoned TARDIS now stands as a memorial to Clara Oswald.

The Doctor lost. These types of stories don’t happen often, but they do make up a significant chunk of the franchise’s history and often have a strong emotional message behind them. This time around, Clara saved Rigsy but the Doctor lost Clara because his companion tried to become him. Her recklessness has been building since Danny Pink was killed, and while I’m glad that her behavior has had consequences, it further cements my opinion that she should have permanently left the TARDIS in Last Christmas.

The Doctor has some consequences as well. He didn’t see Clara’s descent into risky behavior because he relied on her to show a human face to those around him. He also was responsible for the birth of Me from the resurrection of Ashildr. He has as much blame as anyone for Clara’s death.

All of that said, the concepts of a trap street and the actual trapping of the Doctor were pretty neat to see. The conflict with the Doctor not being the smartest person in the room was tense and driving. I enjoyed seeing all the pieces come together even if it meant watching everyone lose in the end.

On the design side, that burgundy Crombie coat looks amazing. I’m also a huge fan of the Back to the Future/Star Wars Easter egg where a flux capacitor poster contains the word “Delorean” in the Aurebesh script. Someone really had fun with that.

I also got a nice kick out of the “Remember 82” moment. What does it mean? Well, Clara is the first ongoing, long-term companion to permanently die on screen since Adric’s planet quaking demise in Earthshock, which was first broadcast in 1982. And, yes, I hear you saying already that the Ponds died in their final appearance, but they died off-screen and in the relative past. Adric was the last companion before now to die on screen while traveling with the Doctor.

Rating: 4/5 – “Would you care for a jelly baby?”

UP NEXT – Doctor Who: Heaven Sent and Doctor Who: Hell Bent

The Timestamps Project is an adventure through the televised universe of Doctor Who, story by story, from the beginning of the franchise. For more reviews like this one, please visit the project’s page at Creative Criticality.

#Doctor Who #Timestamps Project #twelfth doctor

[rollizee]

Transformers war for cybertron clocker vehicle mode

#TRANSFORMERS WAR FOR CYBERTRON CLOCKER VEHICLE MODE SERIES#

Interestingly enough, the grey handle has a peg at the very end allowing you to attach another Fire Blast piece if you wanted to use it like a blaster. On top of all that, there are three hard points on the shield that allows you to attach Fire Blast effects to make it look like the shield is being hit with blasts. The center of the shield has a very nicely sculpted Autobot symbol. The shield is thick and attached to a handle piece with a 5mm peg. The other accessory starts out looking like a shield. On top of that, the 5mm port at the end allows you to connect Fire Blast effects to the end, making it look as if the weapon is firing! This piece is cast entirely in black plastic with no paint applications. These connection points all allow you to combine this rifle with other weapons from not only "Siege", but any weapons with 5mm pegs and ports. On top of that the end of the barrel is also a 5mm port. The rifle features a 5mm peg on the bottom and a 5mm port on top. It is a bit hollowed out (probably to save money on plastic) but overall it looks good. The rifle features the same vertical piece in the back and thick barrel in the front seen on the original cartoon. The first is a rifle based on G1 Optimus Prime's primary weapon. Since this review is being written in December of 2018 I am unable to include just what this "Database Content" is just yet. Entering "Iacon" into the site mentions accessing "Database Content" on Janu(complete with a countdown clock). Optimus Prime's glyphs translate into "Iacon". These glyphs can then be entered into Hasbro's "Teletraan-1" web site. Shine a Black Light there and you will see Cybertronian glyphs. There is a fun, hidden feature on the side of the box. It also shows Optimus Prime using Battle Masters and their Fire Blast effects. The back of the box shows the figure in both modes, indicating a twenty seven step transformation. The angled section on the box shows off Optimus Prime's package art while the other features what looks like a poster for "Siege" including the Ark blasting off into space. The Transformers logo is set vertically on the right side with the "Generations" and Takara Tomy logos above it. Under that is the large "War for Cybertron: Siege" symbol which looks gritty and striking. Set vertically over the figure is a chevron with his name, rank symbol and alpha numeric designation. The middle features a large window with the figure in robot mode. Instead, it is rectangular on one side and then the left side features an angled section that sweeps backward. This window box is no longer the rectangular shape of previous Voyager Class figures. Hasbro and Takara Tomy really stepped up their game for the "Siege" packaging. With that in mind, it is no surprise that Optimus Prime is one of the first figures in this line. "Siege" deals with the war on Cybertron before the Transformers leave their home planet. The traditional Voyager Class of figures continues in "Siege".

#TRANSFORMERS WAR FOR CYBERTRON CLOCKER VEHICLE MODE SERIES#

To kick off a whole new G1 inspired series of "Generations" figures, a new line known as "War for Cybertron: Siege" started in late 2018 (with a planned wide release in 2019). In 2018 the "Power of the Primes" line finished off the "Prime Wars Trilogy" which had begun with "Combiner Wars". System weapons ports in bot and vehicle modes allow fans to attach weapons to figure in custom weapon configurations. The 2 weapon accessories mod-lock together to form the larger Sentrystrike Ultra-Blaster. The WFC-S11 Optimus Prime figure features story-inspired battle-worn deco and is equipped with a W-50 Dual-Mech Energon Strikeshield weapon accessory with converting ax and shield modes and a W-M3 RF Ion Blaster accessory. (Cybertronian Omnifuctional Modular Battlefield Assault Tech) System, the universe's most advanced modular weaponry. The Decepticon resistance army and the Autobot counter-resistance fighters gear up with the C.O.M.B.A.T. Siege plunges fans into the epic fight to survive on the final day of the Autobot and Decepticon battle to control Cybertron. Official images and text below in italics are from :īuild the ultimate battlefield with Transformers War for Cybertron: Siege toy figures. Retailer: General (Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart etc.) Price Point: $29.99 (depending on retailer) "Generations" Studio Series Toys 'R' Us Exclusive Thundercracker Toy Review.Rebekah's Garage Bumblebee with Charlie.Quintus Prime with Bludgeon Decoy Armor.Alchemist Prime in Submarauder Decoy Armor.

#Transformers war for cybertron clocker vehicle mode

[the-duke-of-nuts]

Thomas @ ships at this point

#if you follow my countdown blog you'll understand the last joke #moxiety #royality #roceit #moceit #anxceit #dukexiety #patton #patton sanders #virgil #virgil sanders #roman #roman sanders #janus #janus sanders #remus #remus sanders #ts patton #ts virgil #ts roman #ts janus #ts remus #sanders sides #thomas sanders #dukey edits

[dyke-remy]

Remy has been gone for 31 days!

✨Loceit✨

#countdown #sanders sides #logan sanders #loceit #janus sanders #Wait fuck this can be taken very kinkily

[where-is-his-hat]

The hat has RETURNED

#I really gotta get back into the countdown habit dhdhdhs #Countdown #sanders sides #thomas sanders #janus sanders